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this is required watching. you will be so happy you did.
i am the world's biggest fan of amy krouse rosenthal, author of amazing children's books, i'm sure you have a few on your shelf, (my favorite is "LITTLE HOOT"). she always has something very smart and meaningful to say... and do.
read more of her greatness
here.
By:
Meredith Alexander,
on 7/3/2010
Blog:
THE ACME SHARING COMPANY
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here is a fun book to do with your kids (or let them do it themselves).
a "write-in, draw-in journal", KIDS MAKE IT BETTER asks its readers questions and gives them the space to fill in answers. questions like,
"how would you get people to stop fighting?"
"what would you do to help animals who have no place to sleep?"
"what would you do to get more people to share?"
it's a great thinking activity that is "others oriented" and perfect for summer; on a plane, in the car or sitting on the grass under a tree.
here is an amazing and totally easy family project that you can do immediately. in fact your kids (age depending) might even be able to do most of this without you.
1. grab an empty shopping bag.
2. clean out your pantry of canned or boxed food you won't eat.
4. leave this (now full) bag next to your mailbox this saturday and your mail carrier will pick it up for you.
the united states postal service is running the STAMP OUT HUNGER program for every community nationwide. they will get this food to the local food bank and help countless of people in need.
here is a link for more details: usps.com
the lesson: talking to kids about others who might not have enough food is an intense topic. know you child and what he/ she is capable of hearing/ understanding and think about how to share this information without scaring them. sometimes it's enough to say, "we have a lot and some families don't have much".
***added bonus: those oreos will no longer be there to mock you as you stare at them each morning while wearing yoga pants.
well, this week marks the national launch of my other baby, Milk + Bookies. i started this non profit in 2004 and it is just now getting off the ground (good things come to those who wait). if you want a new idea for a birthday party or if you know some teens who are looking for a community service project, this is the place to visit: www.milkandbookies.org
there are step by step instructions to throw your own event where you can invite kids to a book store, (or your home) and ask them to choose, inscribe and donate books to local kids who have none.
this is really the same message i share here about giving little ones an experience where they can give back.
the motto: READ, GIVE, GROW.
this beautiful new book by liz garton scanlon and illustrated by marla frazee is a must for every family library. it celebrates humankind by following families in everyday activities just BEING together. it feels timeless without being too sappy and i will buy it for everyone i know (so if you know me and your child's birthday is coming, sorry, there are no surprises!)
to buy this book, see ACME LIBRARY on the right.
(this only works if you are on the acme sharing website)
"life's most persistent and urgent question is, "what are you doing for others?" Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
this week marks the 2 year anniversary of the acme sharing company, this is the 112th post for your enjoyment. i think the timing is quite poetic as this weekend is also the kick off for
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day which has now, thanks to the OBAMAS, become a day of national service.
please use this holiday as an excuse to finally do the acme sharing projects you have been reading about here, but never found the time to execute.
there is a lot of stuff for your family to do at this blog; arts and crafts, field trips and building. i've represented activities for homelessness, global warming, animals and illnesses (to name a few). whatever your cause, whatever your methods, the only value is if you do them.
if you still can't find the time for anything extra (and i get it, believe me) then the suggested reading on the right side of the website is a great place to share a moral message with your child.
happy 2nd birthday to us and happy MLK day to you.
alright, people, now is the time. this is your call to action. this is (or "tis") the season...
wanna give your kids an amazing gift? let them choose a toy to buy and donate. it is a great lesson in delayed gratification and an even better lesson in the joys of giving.
even if you don't participate in ANY of the acme sharing activities throughout the year, (i know, i know, i'm not judging you, i get it, life is BUSY) this is your moment to make time.
at the very least, take your children to the drugstore, pick up a toy and then take it to your local firehouse to donate it to TOYS FOR TOTS. this is really "give back 101".
for more advanced lessons, scroll through the acme sharing website archives for tons of ideas for giving, making and appreciating.
happy (beginning of the) holidays.
turkey day, such a great excuse to get your family thinking about gratitude, thankfulness and helping others less fortunate (or just others, period).
please encourage your kids to think of the things for which they are thankful. there are so many ways to do this; the kindness chain, the gratitude album, a video journal, drawing pictures and making a book, strips of paper in a hat to be pulled out and read aloud at the table. how about a gratitude tree? there are a lot of ways to do the same thing. all of these activities can be found on the acme sharing website if you just scroll down the archives of past posts.
it's a perfect set up as we enter into the weeks of holiday indulging.
this year let's not let the pies overshadow the point.
so your kid has their costume, they are thinking of nothing else but trick or treating this weekend, you've got your flashlight and all is good to go.
SO, since you will be going door to door ANYWAY, here is a very easy giving back project/ lesson.
i posted about this last year for halloween so here it is again:
UNICEF has raised over $140 million and saved god only knows how many teeth from cavities.
if you don't know this program, it's where kids ask neighbors for pennies in lieu of candy. money raised is then sent in to help support the very worthy programs in over 150 countries.
since our kids will be at carnivals, class parties and more, they won't, in any way, be deprived of candy this halloween. so trick or treating can become about something else. i am not above bribing my kids to trick of treat for UNICEF and i will buy them their favorite candies in return (is this the wrong message?).
get your boxes at participating IKEA, PIER ONE IMPORTS or HALLMARK stores or
lesson: we drink clean water, not all children do. unicef helps provide for the kids who need water, medicine, food and education.
***added bonus: not hopped up on sugar, they might get to bed on time after an already over-stimulating day.
now that the kids are in school and have a rhythm going, how about a class project? greg mortenson (author of THREE CUPS OF TEA, a remarkably inspiring book) brings the pennies for peace program to school kids everywhere.
log onto the site, sign up and "By participating in Pennies for Peace you make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. While a penny is virtually worthless, in impoverished countries a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy."
the site gives step by step instructions for classes to start a penny jar, weave cultural lessons about the middle east into their curriculum and teach philanthropy.
the lesson: with very little effort we can help do something as grand as BUILD A SCHOOL in a foreign country. we can make a difference.
***added bonus: your child feels powerful and you have a cleaner kitchen junk drawer, a cleaner bottom of your purse and a cleaner drink holder in your car!
today the folks at tiny revolutionary, an amazing website for clothing with a cause (www.tinyrevolutionary.com), sent out this email to celebrate INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY. i couldn't resist sharing it with you all.
- SMILE. The act of smiling releases endorphins and serotonin - the good mood chemicals coarsing through us. Smiling triggers these guys to wake up and start dancing which makes us happy. Happy people are peaceful people. And to paraphrase Elle Woods, peaceful people just don't kill people :).
- NAMETAGS MATTER. Everyone who works in customer service wears a name tag and yet, very few people ever bother to call them by their name. Try including the person's name in your exchange next time and see how it changes the interaction. Recognizing that someone is a person, not a job, is a great way to break down those awkward walls we feel between us and promote understanding.
- LISTEN MORE. We think a HUGE issue with all the nastiness spreading across the air waves has to do with wanting to be heard. Perhaps veryone is screaming so loudly because there is a famine of listeners. Spend a day being a listener . . . even if you totally disagree with what someone is saying, listen. Do not argue. Breathe. Know you do not bare the responsiblity for changing them and their opinions. Everyone's life experience delivers them to a set of conclusions about the way the world works. No single conversation will change anyone but you know what will make them better? Feeling as though they are heard. Be the hearer of their truth, even if it makes you want to run for the hills. People always feel more peaceful when they are heard.
- PET SOMETHING FURRY. This one is just for you. The dog, cat, hamster, etc will get a lot out of it too but not as much as you will. Pets and animals remind us to just be still. In stillness there is peace.
- HUG IT OUT. Hugs are a highly underrated form of peace activism but a really effective strategy for connecting with someone quickly. If we could ditch hand shakes altogether and go for the full body contact we would. Imagine how much better those business meetings would be if you started with a hug? To bolster your hug reserves, check out this Video of the Free Hugs Campaign - we dare you not to cry.
lazy hazy days of summer? i hardly think so. the list of projects i had planned to do with my kids is buried deep under a pile of who knows what. how did it get so hectic around here?
you may be in the same boat, but what about the PLANE? most of us will be traveling this summer, if only for a long weekend, and there is no better captive audience than a child on an airplane. what a great time to load up on books with a great moral and read away through the clouds.
for a list of favorites, check out the ACME LIBRARY on the right side of this website. and here are a few new titles to add.
SASSAFRASS - a stray dog finds the meaning of family.
FIREFLIES - if you love it, set it free.
THOSE SHOES - things you have are worth more than things you want.
happy landings!
making family time for EXTRAS is a constant uphill battle, i often feel like Sisyphus. but when you see the effects of "extras" like giving, it seems incredibly worthwhile; the kids are engaged, they feel useful and they carry with them a new confidence.
this summer, i challenge you to THE BOX PROJECT. this non profit pairs you with a family living in poverty in the USA. each month, based on the recipient families needs, you and your family send a box, some months it's filled with food, other months medical supplies and another time may be books and toys - each month might be a combination of all of the above.
i love that it's a scheduled amount of time for your family to set aside each month to focus on others in need. there are letters and pictures exchanged and a real bond forms between the two families.
the lesson: a family just like ours is less lucky than we are BUT we can help.
***added bonus: a project to keep them off of the video games at least one day a month this summer.
today my son celebrated his birthday at school. they have an amazing tradition of making each child a BIRTHDAY APPRECIATION CIRCLE. i bet you could guess that it's where the class sits around while each student says something about the birthday boy (or girl) that they appreciate. but aside from it's obvious name, this was better than any play set from toys r us and something i hope every school does.
a great way to show gratitude and kindness to others of all ages AND doesn't need to just be for birthdays. try it around the dinner table, a girl scout fireside or a school/ summer camp morning meeting. the boost of confidence is quite a gift for that child.
the lesson: thinking about others and some simple ways to help people feel good. then there's karma - in a circle especially, what comes around goes around!
***added bonus: the savings on presents!!!!
By:
Meredith Alexander,
on 4/28/2009
Blog:
THE ACME SHARING COMPANY
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every spring BIG SUNDAY arrives and this year it is upon us may 3rd. this is a day where families everywhere volunteer to help a long list of organizations. similar to michelle obama's "call to service", this day asks you to just DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING to help out. anywhere.
i keep hearing schools talk about "100% participation" about different things from giving money to parking in the correct pick-up spot, BUT... what if we had a world where giving back had 100% participation? imagine what that would look like.
if you can't find anything near you, feel free to take ideas listed on this site and have your own "little sunday".
the lesson: true, our kids have homework and soccer and ballet and sunday school. our lives are FULL, but if we can expose them to helping and giving kinds of experiences, they will shine, grow and feel in ways that will reward not only the recipient of the help, but mostly your child. they will feel big and significant in the world. they can make a difference.
*** added bonus: i say SUNDAES for all participants of "big sunday"! of course, you'll have to organize the trip to ben and jerry's on your own.
the great american bake sale is an organization that helps you put on a (see if you can guess what i'm going to write next) bake sale!!! yay, you guessed right!
they send you a poster, give you the low down on sales, give you an email card to forward to friends and set up an account for you. sure, you could do all of this yourself, but somehow it seems so much more LEGIT.
TGABS (my acronym) gives all of the monies raised to a hunger relief organization in your neighborhood. this morning my son and his "girlfriend", charlotte, made a whopping $33. if i may go one step further, i would like to recommend baking rice krispies treats - they are the EASIEST thing on the planet to make. melt butter, add mini marshmallows, add cereal, stir and pour - THE END.
the lesson: basically it's "business school 101": make a product, market and advertise, sell and donate.
***added bonus: it's really fun, great to eat leftovers and who doesn't love sitting around begging people for a dollar.
life is MESSY. i often pretend otherwise. keep my ducks in a row, keep a neat house and live and die by my to do list.
but 99.9% of the time, being a parent is not something you can put in a box and tie up with a bow. i am beginning to embrace the chaos. well, "embrace" might be a little strong. but kids get sick, bullies appear, hormones strike and mostly, general madness ensues. my eyes are finally opening (i liked it better in the dark).
how on earth are we supposed to take care of our families AND make the world a better place AND teach our kids about making their world a better place??? sometimes there just isn't time in the day to eat a healthy dinner, let alone hot glue a recycle sculpture project.
here is where the easiest ACME SHARING activity comes into play. MODEL KINDNESS. it is so easy and most of us (you know who you are) do it anyway. when our children see us taking an extra millisecond to smile at the toll booth person, make idle chit chat with the grocery bagger or say nice things about the world around us, they are learning to be kind and positive.
it is so simple that it feels silly posting about it, but lately i have had NO time or interest to do anything extra and i couldn't help but notice how powerful and effective being nice (and sometimes faking it for the benefit of our little audience) can be.
what a fantastic book to show little ones how powerful kindness can be. the story of a boy losing his bear, sees it now belongs to a homeless (and friendless) man, and forgetting his own loss and pain, decides to forfeit his feelings for someone else's happiness.
to buy this book, see ACME LIBRARY on the right.
(this only works if you are on the acme sharing website)
in showing our kids how to treat others with kindness and respect, an easy target is grandparents. they will be overjoyed with almost anything (time together, a picture drawn, a hand of "go fish"). another fun activity is to have your children come up with a list of questions to ask the grandparents, "what was your favorite candy as a kid?", "what was the worst job you ever had?", what's the most embarrassing thing that happened to you when you were my age?"
if your kids don't have grandparents near by or at all, it is very easy (and deeply appreciated) to ADOPT A GRANDPARENT and brighten up a person's day. just google "adopt a grandparent" along with the city you live in, and you will find a long list of participating retirement homes.
the lesson: it is sometimes forgotten, but so invaluable to treat the older generations with the respect they have earned.
***added bonus: actually the mystery of what your child will get out of this experience is pretty exciting - the unknown... and maybe a hard candy.
By:
Meredith Alexander,
on 1/28/2009
Blog:
THE ACME SHARING COMPANY
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i have come to realize that "birthday party season" is not a season, but rather a euphemism for the over-whelmed to describe what is, in fact, the entire school year.
here is a website to help. CHANGING THE PRESENT is a great place to browse with your kids to pick out meaningful gifts for their friends.
buy flowers for a playground ($5), books for kids in need ($15), feed horses ($12) or buy toys for children needing aid in recovering ($20).
the lesson: every chance to give is a chance to help.
***added bonus: not having to make that trip to the toy store, which inevitably winds up with you bringing home more stuff that your kids didn't need.
By:
Meredith Alexander,
on 1/13/2009
Blog:
THE ACME SHARING COMPANY
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our new first-lady-to-be is a girl after my own heart. she's a mom of two, supports her busy husband, has understated style and wants everyone to give back. come on, we're 2 peas in a pod!
this monday, january 19th is DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR day and MICHELLE OBAMA'S day to "call to service" the entire country.
the m.o. for M.O. is to get everyone to do ANY kind of community service on monday, (which is also a school holiday, so we'll be looking for things to do). the idea is to "renew america together, one community at a time. it will take ordinary citizens working together with a common purpose to get this country back on track. this national day of service is an important first step in our continuing commitment."
this is an exciting project and one i hope you will consider doing with your families. to find local activities and to learn more about this national day of service, check out the website:
if you can't find anything that speaks to you, please browse the acme sharing archives with over 70 ideas for community service projects to do with your kids.
***extra credit - i would LOVE to hear from you. please let me know how you spent the day, how it affected your kids and what did or didn't work in teaching them the most important aspect of humanity: SHARING.
now that our kids have so much "bright new shiny" with which to play, what better time to clean out the "dark old dull" ?
it is SO hard for most kids (mine especially) to part with even the smallest bit of broken lego. now, with all the new holiday loot, finding an organized place is a real chore. help them clean out the toys, books and even winter clothes that they barely notice hanging around.
make piles of (or use colored post-its) for;
MAYBE KEEP, GIVE AWAY and TRASH.
it will be hard to get them excited about the "give away" pile, but once you put on some music, eat some leftover xmas cookies or channukah gelt, they might get into the groove.
OR
you can tell them that for every new item they got, they need to give one away.
the lesson: abundance is the road to ungratefulness ? (ok, i think i just made that up, but it seems right, doesn't it?). plus, talk to your families about how lucky we are to get new things while explaining that not all families have the same luxuries or something like that, only more eloquent. then go back to the MAYBE KEEP pile and start again.
***added bonus: more organization means less likely chance of stepping on an errant action figure with bare feet - youch!
now you can thank your kids for, not only appreciating the things they have and keeping their toys organized, BUT MOSTLY for making a difference in another child's day.
not done yet??? help the world wherever you'd like:
since the acme sharing company is all about sharing, giving and DOING as a family, please note that i am only giving you these "just send money" lists for the holidays.
find a project by country and topic and find those who need a little help for as low as $10.
send money for food, water or medicine around the world.
be a part of giving the gift of a home (without having to be oprah). starting at $10.
every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria! that is the most heart-breaking statistic. help protect them with bed nets, $10.
browse for a cause that speaks to you; global human rights, disaster relief or microfinance.
i had to stop somewhere, but there are countless amazing organizations that can use your help. there are a few ways to incorporate your kids into the donation process:
1.) ask them what they feel strongly about, then surf the web.
2.) ask if they would like to contribute with money they have received.
3.) or perhaps they would like to give to a cause in lieu of a gift for themselves.
4.) youthgive and markmakers are places where you can give your kids an account and they can find the cause, a great idea for grandparents living out of town.
firstly, DRUMMER BOY, the best looking toy i have ever seen. i LOVE the illustrations from loren long. the story is an exercise in gratitude and love. very touching and with the happiest ending imaginable.
the next one, WHEN SANTA TURNED GREEN, is all about global warming at the north pole - melty, as you can imagine. cute and not scary. problem solving and christmasy.
and lastly, GREAT JOY, one that addresses homelessness in a very vague but powerful way (i know that sounds like it doesn't make sense, but when you read it with your kids, it does), this gorgeously rich book touches on it lightly enough so that you can give your own explanation. it opens the door for more conversation if you want to discuss it further.
*hope you will forgive this unbalanced representation of the holidays, but i couldn't find "acme sharing" worthy books on the subjects of hanukkah and kwanzaa, feel free to let me know if you've got some!
to buy these books, see ACME LIBRARY on the right
(this only works if you are on the acme sharing website)
the great thing about this book is that is has zero religion and would work for every family. the God reference doesn't specify ANYTHING, other than some magical higher power who wants us all to be kind to each other.
perfect for the holidays - no matter which ones you celebrate.
to buy this book, see ACME LIBRARY on the right
(this only works if you are on the acme sharing website)
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hi meredith. inspired by you and your wonderful kid-philanthrophy blog, i put together a service project for my daughter for her first communion this sunday. she is 8. as one of her gifts, we are presenting her with a list of 6 local service projects she can pick from, and do with either my husband or me. we will book a date this summer on a day that works for our family & the organization, and she can pick from helping animals (shelter) to helping the homeless/hungry (food bank), to helping kids with disabilities. we created a "journal" page to also wrap up with her gift, where she can write the name of the project she chose, the date, reflections before she does the project (what she hopes to get out of it), and reflections after the project (what she learned). this she can keep as a memory and for posterity. after she gets back from the service project, we will have a special family dinner in our backyard (she picks the menu) so she can share with us her observations and learnings. not sure what you call this, but we named it "Celia's First Communion Service Project" and hope to do it again with our other kids as well. (Celia is our first.) we do whatever family volunteering we can, and we really want to underscore that the point of any sacrament or "spiritual" rite of passage is to reach out to others in need. anyway, thanks for your inspiration over the year/s. . .