Musings from Me on Kids, Preteens, and Teens » Tweens http://www.musingsfromme.com Seizing family time one dinner at a time. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:29:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Holiday Gift Guide: Personalize the HTC Wildfire To Suit You [Giveaway] http://www.musingsfromme.com/htc-wildfire-giveaway/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/htc-wildfire-giveaway/#comments Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:00:16 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5342 My husband and I were talking about our first couple of cell phones. Back in the day…I might as well refer to this time as the “Wilderness Years.” We purchased our first cell phone in 1995. Note, that I said “we”…that’s right for about 3 years my husband and I shared the phone. This phone was called the “baby phone” for a long, long time. The so-called baby phone was purchased when I was 6 months pregnant. I was supposed to use it for emergencies. I couldn’t call to chat with my husband when he was on his way to and from work because he didn’t have a cell phone. No friends or family had phones. The phone was about the size of 2.5 decks of playing cards laid end to end. I phone weight at least 3 pounds. Because the phone didn’t have a “go to sleep” button, I had to store the phone in a bag which I carried in my purse. This prehistoric phone was about as far from the smartphones of today as you could possibly imagine. My phone was like your phone. No personalization at all. HTC has a new phone that is billed as [...]]]>


My husband and I were talking about our first couple of cell phones. Back in the day…I might as well refer to this time as the “Wilderness Years.” We purchased our first cell phone in 1995. Note, that I said “we”…that’s right for about 3 years my husband and I shared the phone.

This phone was called the “baby phone” for a long, long time. The so-called baby phone was purchased when I was 6 months pregnant. I was supposed to use it for emergencies. I couldn’t call to chat with my husband when he was on his way to and from work because he didn’t have a cell phone. No friends or family had phones.

The phone was about the size of 2.5 decks of playing cards laid end to end. I phone weight at least 3 pounds. Because the phone didn’t have a “go to sleep” button, I had to store the phone in a bag which I carried in my purse. This prehistoric phone was about as far from the smartphones of today as you could possibly imagine. My phone was like your phone. No personalization at all.

HTC has a new phone that is billed as the phone that lets you be you. The Android-powered HTC Wildfire S runs on HTC Sense. You can customize the way the phone “looks and feels” by swapping out skins, scenes, and sounds. Perfect for the first-time smartphone adopter, too!

Like the HTC Status that I reviewed in an earlier post, the HTC Wildfire S is the social phone. Use both of these phones to keep up with your social media scene. Consolidate all your social media channels on your phone in a way that works for you.

When you’re feeling like taking a break, pull out the HTC Wildfire S for some fun music, games, and apps. The Android Market is the source for all your app needs.

Want the deets on the HTC Wildfire?

  • The HTC Wildfire S can be purchased from Metro PCS. Find a location near you.
  • Works on Android with HTC Sense platforms.
  • HVGA 3.2″ touch display screen.
  • Internal memory of 512 MB RAM.
  • 5.0 MP camera with front and back cameras.

The kind folks at HTC want me to giveaway an HTC Wildfire S. So, here is how you can win an HTC Wildfire S phone…

Winning is easy. First, leave a mandatory comment. Second, leave one or more of the optional comments. Remember, you must leave the mandatory comment for the other comments to count. Oh, and don’t forget to leave your email address in the comment, so I can contact you if you win! Want a chance to win another HTC phone?! I’m giving away an HTC Status (ends 1/5/2012)!

Mandatory Comment — Leave a comment.

Go to HTC, look at the HTC Wildfire S, and leave a comment about what you like about this phone or any other HTC phone.

Optional Comment — Leave a comment.

I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends Friday, January 6 at 11:59 p.m. Any links in this post are affiliate links to my amazon affiliate account. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/htc-wildfire-giveaway/feed/ 369 Holiday Gift Guide: Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters [Giveaway] http://www.musingsfromme.com/tonka-xt-ricochet-giveaway/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/tonka-xt-ricochet-giveaway/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:35:57 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5330 At a recent Monster Jams, show I was slack jawed at the way the drivers drove those enormous trucks over massive mounds of dirt, around precariously placed barricades, and on top of dirt structures the size of small homes. The show was noisy and fun. The show had me wondering about the offerings in the Remote Control or RC market. Why are most RC vehicles so flimsy. We have a veritable pile of RC cars in our garage. One car had unfortunate collision and lost half a bumper. Another car was manhandled so vigorously that the antenna is bent. And of course the antenna is needed so that the remote control can “talk” to the car. Both cars sit in a tangle of wires and cords looking for all the world like they have been abandoned on a junk heap. You know what kids need? A super sturdy, practically unbreakable remote control vehicle. Enter the XT Ricochet Tricksters RC from Tonka. This vehicle sits low, very low to the ground. With the remote control, your child can zip, zoom, and zag around the floor. Perfect for playing with outside. The sturdy wheels will withstand lots of play from kids. I [...]]]>


At a recent Monster Jams, show I was slack jawed at the way the drivers drove those enormous trucks over massive mounds of dirt, around precariously placed barricades, and on top of dirt structures the size of small homes. The show was noisy and fun.

The show had me wondering about the offerings in the Remote Control or RC market. Why are most RC vehicles so flimsy. We have a veritable pile of RC cars in our garage. One car had unfortunate collision and lost half a bumper. Another car was manhandled so vigorously that the antenna is bent. And of course the antenna is needed so that the remote control can “talk” to the car. Both cars sit in a tangle of wires and cords looking for all the world like they have been abandoned on a junk heap.

You know what kids need? A super sturdy, practically unbreakable remote control vehicle. Enter the XT Ricochet Tricksters RC from Tonka. This vehicle sits low, very low to the ground. With the remote control, your child can zip, zoom, and zag around the floor. Perfect for playing with outside. The sturdy wheels will withstand lots of play from kids. I suspect my husband will want a turn when he comes home from work and sees my son creating a ruckus with the Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters.

Recommended for ages 6 and up. Retails for $24.99. The remote control requires 5 “AA” batteries, while the remote control uses a 3.6V rechargeable batter. Parents and caregivers will love that each time you charge the vehicle you will get 20 minutes of rip-roaring action.

I have a Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters RC set for one lucky reader!

Winning is easy. First, leave a mandatory comment. Second, leave one or more of the optional comments. Remember, you must leave the mandatory comment for the other comments to count. Oh and don’t forget to leave your email address in the comment, so I can contact you if you win!

Mandatory Comment — Leave a comment.

What was your favorite Christmas gift as a child?

Optional Comment — Leave a comment.

I was provided with Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters RC for this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends Tuesday, December 27 at 11:59 p.m. Any links in this post are affiliate links to my amazon affiliate account. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/tonka-xt-ricochet-giveaway/feed/ 27 Holiday Gift Guide: KRE-O Transformers Sentinel Prime Set [Giveaway] http://www.musingsfromme.com/gift-guide-kre-o-transformers/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/gift-guide-kre-o-transformers/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:54:46 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5322 The changing forms. The deep, radio announcer-like voice. The shape shifting from car to robot and robot to car. Until I saw the first Transformers movie, I truly did not “get” the whole Transformers robots thing. The TV show seemed like a hodge podge of animation styles. The voices indistinct. The plot line meaningless. I didn’t “get” it. Everything changed once I saw Transformers on the small screen. All the shape shifting and grinding of gears made sense. I looked at all of my son’s Transformer toys in a new light. Suddenly, that yellow half car, half robot made sense. I saw how proud my son was of shifting from yellow sports car to Bumblebee. A new Transformers toy is now on the scene. In fact, I saw the unveiling at the Hasbro HQ at New York’s Toy Fair.  KRE-O is a new line of construction building toys. With each KRE-O set, young builders can do two types of builds: deconstruct a robot to create a vehicle disassemble a vehicle to build a robot My son is quite the builder of stuff. Part engineer and part artist, he likes building structures by following precise instructions as much as he likes [...]]]>


The changing forms. The deep, radio announcer-like voice. The shape shifting from car to robot and robot to car. Until I saw the first Transformers movie, I truly did not “get” the whole Transformers robots thing. The TV show seemed like a hodge podge of animation styles. The voices indistinct. The plot line meaningless. I didn’t “get” it.

Everything changed once I saw Transformers on the small screen. All the shape shifting and grinding of gears made sense. I looked at all of my son’s Transformer toys in a new light. Suddenly, that yellow half car, half robot made sense. I saw how proud my son was of shifting from yellow sports car to Bumblebee.

A new Transformers toy is now on the scene. In fact, I saw the unveiling at the Hasbro HQ at New York’s Toy Fair.  KRE-O is a new line of construction building toys. With each KRE-O set, young builders can do two types of builds:

  • deconstruct a robot to create a vehicle
  • disassemble a vehicle to build a robot

My son is quite the builder of stuff. Part engineer and part artist, he likes building structures by following precise instructions as much as he likes tinkering with assorted bricks and wheels to create his own masterpiece.

I have a KRE-O Transformers Sentinel Prime set for one lucky reader! Designed for kids ages 8 years and up. The KRE-O Transformers Sentinel Prime Set contains 386 pieces. Kids can create a powerful Autobot first with a shield and sword, and then use the same pieces to create a fire truck complete with three ladders and KRE-O figures. The set comes with a launcher brick for blasting action.

Winning is easy. First, leave a mandatory comment. Second, leave one or more of the optional comments. Remember, you must leave the mandatory comment for the other comments to count. Oh and don’t forget to leave your email address in the comment, so I can contact you if you win!

Mandatory Comment — Leave a comment.

What was your favorite Christmas gift as a child?

Optional Comment — Leave a comment.

I was provided with KRE-O Transformers Sentinel Prime set for this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends Tuesday, December 27 at 11:59 p.m. Any links in this post are affiliate links to my amazon affiliate account. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/gift-guide-kre-o-transformers/feed/ 56 Holiday Gift Guide: Blok Squad Construction Site http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-blok-squad-construction-site/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-blok-squad-construction-site/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:55:35 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5304 When my son was born, my oldest was finishing up 1st grade while my youngest was finishing up her last year of preschool. As the school year began for both girls the following August, my son and I were left in a strangely quiet house. From 8:10 until 3:30 p.m. it was as quiet as a church. Well, as quiet as a little baby in a church. Soon, my son and I found our rhythm. He was awake most days to see his sisters off to school. Took two short naps, which became one slightly longer nap. Our day revolved around meals, the arrival and departure of the school bus, and vehicles. Over his 5 years at home, he and I played cars, read about cars, visited train museums, toured the fire engines at the local VFD, and sought out construction sites. He could never have enough vehicles. Large or small…it didn’t matter to my son. He was mesmerized by earth movers, cherry pickers (still not entirely sure what this machine does), steam rollers, and diggers of all kinds. Our local library became the site of the new community center construction project. We spent many a morning hanging our heads [...]]]>


When my son was born, my oldest was finishing up 1st grade while my youngest was finishing up her last year of preschool. As the school year began for both girls the following August, my son and I were left in a strangely quiet house. From 8:10 until 3:30 p.m. it was as quiet as a church. Well, as quiet as a little baby in a church.

Soon, my son and I found our rhythm. He was awake most days to see his sisters off to school. Took two short naps, which became one slightly longer nap. Our day revolved around meals, the arrival and departure of the school bus, and vehicles. Over his 5 years at home, he and I played cars, read about cars, visited train museums, toured the fire engines at the local VFD, and sought out construction sites. He could never have enough vehicles.

Large or small…it didn’t matter to my son. He was mesmerized by earth movers, cherry pickers (still not entirely sure what this machine does), steam rollers, and diggers of all kinds. Our local library became the site of the new community center construction project. We spent many a morning hanging our heads out of the van window watching paint…uh…tar dry. He loved it. I loved watching him. Any question he asked that I didn’t have the answer to…see above question about “cherry pickers”…was answered by a quick walk to the library.

My son was a happy kid as he boarded the school bus that first day. I kinda of miss the sounds of kids playing as I toil away in my basement office. One sad part of having three kids in full-day school is that we have to cram a whole lotta stuff in to the evenings. Sports practices, occasionally games, music practice, homework, and even play dates with friends can only occur between 3:30 p.m. and bedtime, and of course weekends, but we’re still busy.

Many nights my son must occupy himself while his sisters finish up homework as they have more homework than he does. A key source of entertainment for him is construction toys. From building with bricks to erector sets, he wants to do them all. A recent kit that arrived in our home had him jumping up and down with great excitement. What was the toy you ask? Mega Bloks’ new construction set from the Blok Squad line.

Unlike me he was not daunted by the “395 pieces.” Quite the contrary he dove in to the box and started constructing the Blok Squad Construction Site one vehicle at a time. By the looks of his finished products, the Blok Squad Construction Site includes a Workers’ Truck with Optional Trailer, a Track Loader, a Road Roller, and a bunch of construction workers with shovels, wheel barrows, cones, and guard rails.

Want to learn more about Mega Bloks Blok Squad Construction Site?

  • Item #2462
  • 395 pieces
  • Recommended for 5+
  • Price: $19.99
  • Where can you buy it? A link on the Mega Bloks site says that this product is not available yet at offline retailers. You can leave your email to be notified when it is available. But, I found it at Walmart.com…though it was out of stock. Other Blok Squad sets were available at Walmart.com. Until then you can buy it through my amazon affiliate link.

Get connected with Mega Brands.

Other finds from Mega Brands.

  • I saw a very cool 3D puzzle at Time To Play.
  • You’ve seen the Board Dudes dry erase boards, I’m sure? This mom needs a Board Dudes board in every room of her home. Got to get more organized for 2012! Note: If you saw my kitchen wall with its bulletin boards and calendars, you’d think I was highly organized. You would be partially right. I can always put a dry erase calendar board to good use!
  • Moshi Monsters in your house? Build these Moshis.
  • And don’t forget RoseArt — Color Blanks, Fun Dough, Smart Easel, and more.

I was given a Mega Bloks Blok Squad Construction Site to facilitate my review by Mega Brands and ChildsPlay PR. I was not compensated for this review.  I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-blok-squad-construction-site/feed/ 0 Holiday Gift Guide: Lego Pirates of the Carribean [Giveaway] http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-lego-pirates-of-the-carribean-giveaway/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-lego-pirates-of-the-carribean-giveaway/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:40:57 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5288 As a kid, I played Lego all the time. I remember creating an entire town of buildings, schools, offices, a zoo, a hospital, and even a police station. I played with this Lego “town” for years and years.  It was sadly dismantled on our family’s final move from New Jersey back to England. How did I make this wondrous diorama? I created my town using a large piece of wall paneling, a roll of my dad’s drafting plans, a box full ‘o cars and trucks, a bin full ‘o assorted safari and farm animals, and of course a bin full of Lego. Back in the day, I had more of the assorted bucket ‘o Lego than Lego kits. I recall receiving a Lego Lunar Module kit. The kit was easy to assemble until I had to place the body of the space craft on the 4 splindy, robot-like legs. I’m not sure if the Lunar Module every “stood up” but whether it stood up or not didn’t diminish the pride I took in creating my very own Lego creation. My dad set the piece of wood paneling on a table. I purloined a large roll of drafting paper. I drew the [...]]]>


Lego Pirates of Caribbean Fountain of Youth

As a kid, I played Lego all the time. I remember creating an entire town of buildings, schools, offices, a zoo, a hospital, and even a police station. I played with this Lego “town” for years and years.  It was sadly dismantled on our family’s final move from New Jersey back to England.

How did I make this wondrous diorama? I created my town using a large piece of wall paneling, a roll of my dad’s drafting plans, a box full ‘o cars and trucks, a bin full ‘o assorted safari and farm animals, and of course a bin full of Lego.

Back in the day, I had more of the assorted bucket ‘o Lego than Lego kits. I recall receiving a Lego Lunar Module kit. The kit was easy to assemble until I had to place the body of the space craft on the 4 splindy, robot-like legs. I’m not sure if the Lunar Module every “stood up” but whether it stood up or not didn’t diminish the pride I took in creating my very own Lego creation.

My dad set the piece of wood paneling on a table. I purloined a large roll of drafting paper. I drew the outline of roads, train tracks, airport runways, homes, and buildings on the roll of paper. I created the buildings out of Lego to make a town infrastructure. Added people and animals to create a Lego Town.

This much played with toy structure playset was sadly unphotographed. You’ll have to take my word for it that I played with it fore years. Phooey on growing up in the pre-digital age where a roll of 24 films could last a year unless the roll was inserted in the camera on the first day of vacation.

Want to win a Lego set for your kids or grandkids? Or if you don’t have kids, donate what you win to Toys for Tots or a children’s charity. I’m giving away a very cute toy for preschoolers — Lego Duplo My First Fire Station. Head on over here and enter. Come back here to enter to win a Pirates of the Caribbean set for one lucky reader.

Winning is easy. First, leave a mandatory comment. Second, leave one or more of the optional comments. Remember, you must leave the mandatory comment for the other comments to count. Oh and don’t forget to leave your email address in the comment, so I can contact you if you win!

Mandatory Comment — Leave a comment.

What was your favorite Christmas gift as a child?

Optional Comment — Leave a comment.

I was provided with Lego Pirates of Caribbean Fountain of Youth set for this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends Wednesday, December 21 at 11:59 p.m. Any links in this post are affiliate links to my amazon affiliate account.  I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-lego-pirates-of-the-carribean-giveaway/feed/ 64 Holiday Gift Guide: Dicecapades! Kerfuffle! http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-dicecapades-kerfuffle/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-dicecapades-kerfuffle/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:42:08 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=5282 “There’ll be a lot of kerfuffle.” I remember like it was yesterday my grandmother warning me about an upcoming commotion or fuss or kerfuffle. She was all about anticipating potential disaster. I definitely inherited my “it will end in tears” attitude from my grandmother. Kerfuffle is one of those words I like to drop in to conversation every now and then. Like discombobulate. You have to love words like these. A few Thursdays ago…Thanksgiving Day to be precise, we decided to seek out some good old commotion through good ole fashioned game playing. Our family of 5 is all about seizing family time. True some are more in to it than others, but a little game playing on a major holiday is always fun. The game: Dicecapades! Kerfuffle! The players: The Tween, The Kid, The Mom The watchers: The Dad, The Grandfather The nonwatchers: The Teen — curled up in bed reading a book, the Grandmother — popped in from time to time to watch the game. The object of the game: In the game — Dicecapades! Kerfuffle! — players choose a color of dice. We had a minor squirmish or three over the color each person needed to have. [...]]]>


“There’ll be a lot of kerfuffle.”

I remember like it was yesterday my grandmother warning me about an upcoming commotion or fuss or kerfuffle. She was all about anticipating potential disaster. I definitely inherited my “it will end in tears” attitude from my grandmother. Kerfuffle is one of those words I like to drop in to conversation every now and then. Like discombobulate. You have to love words like these.

A few Thursdays ago…Thanksgiving Day to be precise, we decided to seek out some good old commotion through good ole fashioned game playing. Our family of 5 is all about seizing family time. True some are more in to it than others, but a little game playing on a major holiday is always fun.

The game: Dicecapades! Kerfuffle!

The players: The Tween, The Kid, The Mom

The watchers: The Dad, The Grandfather

The nonwatchers: The Teen — curled up in bed reading a book, the Grandmother — popped in from time to time to watch the game.

The object of the game: In the game — Dicecapades! Kerfuffle! — players choose a color of dice. We had a minor squirmish or three over the color each person needed to have. Oy! Players roll their dice to create a pair, four of a kind, or a straight by lining the dice on the grid. But, there’s a catch…a twist if you will…

The catch AKA what will keep everyone playing a long time: Each player has to do something while taking their turn…like turn around three times in a circle, or jump up and down, or any number of crazy moves. The players liked doing the moves, but I have to tell you that the watchers had just as much fun watching everyone play the game. My FIL thought it was hilarious that The Kid had to run around in a circle while taking his turn.

The verdict: The game was a hit. Easy to play after an initial discussion about what was a straight, four of a kind, etc. We had never played a dice game before.

Would you like to win Dicecapades! Kerfuffle!? To win the game, leave a mandatory comment with your name and email, so that I can contact you if you win. For more chances to win, leave other comments. You must leave the mandatory comment to win. The giveaway ends December 19, 2011. The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada only.

Mandatory Comment

Optional Comments (leave one comment for each)

I was sent Dicecapades! Kerfuffle! to facilitate my review. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/holiday-gift-guide-dicecapades-kerfuffle/feed/ 43 With My Kids Safety Is Always First http://www.musingsfromme.com/with-my-kids-safety-is-always-first/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/with-my-kids-safety-is-always-first/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:00:18 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=4985 My oldest is always ahead of the game. As an almost-tween she “discovered” the Bobby Jack monkeys. For a few years she was all about those cute monkeys. Posters on her wall. Desk accessories. Many, many tees. Even a pair of sweatpants. And then nothing. No more monkeys. No more cute monkey pencils. Nada. Nothing. She was the same way with the home computer. One day she was all about playing educational games on CD-ROMs where you shot a rocket to get the correct answer or followed a trail to find clues to solve a puzzle. No logging on to worry about…at the time our internet connection was painfully slow. And the next day she declared that the games were too babyish for her. And so she moved on to the land of cute Arctic creatures. At about the same time my younger daughter — then a tween, too — discovered an online world of plush animals that you could buy at a store and play with online. Both girls also found their way to an online site where kids can play games, start a webpage or sphere, play in a virtual world, earn credits, etc. In a matter of [...]]]>


My oldest is always ahead of the game. As an almost-tween she “discovered” the Bobby Jack monkeys. For a few years she was all about those cute monkeys. Posters on her wall. Desk accessories. Many, many tees. Even a pair of sweatpants. And then nothing. No more monkeys. No more cute monkey pencils. Nada. Nothing.

She was the same way with the home computer. One day she was all about playing educational games on CD-ROMs where you shot a rocket to get the correct answer or followed a trail to find clues to solve a puzzle. No logging on to worry about…at the time our internet connection was painfully slow. And the next day she declared that the games were too babyish for her.

And so she moved on to the land of cute Arctic creatures. At about the same time my younger daughter — then a tween, too — discovered an online world of plush animals that you could buy at a store and play with online. Both girls also found their way to an online site where kids can play games, start a webpage or sphere, play in a virtual world, earn credits, etc.

In a matter of a few short months, I was faced with not one but two kids who wanted to play games online. We talked. We discussed. We educated our kids about online safety. We made it clear that playing games on online was a privilege not a right. If grades dropped or attitude waned or chores were neglected, the computer and any online privileges would disappear. No discussion.

I was adjusting well to this when my oldest then an almost teen requested a Facebook page. I hemmed and hawed and debated whether I should allow her to get a page until finally relenting when she turned 14. Her sister wasn’t far behind in asking for a Facebook page.

Having a Facebook page is a privilege and not a right for my girls. I keep track of their passwords for Facebook and email. But, I don’t check their accounts each and every day. I trust both girls to act responsibly with their pages. But, I want to know for sure that both are acting responsibly.

Recently, I was asked to check out a service called Safely. Safely offers a number of services to parents:  Safely Locate, Safely Drive, and Safely Social Monitor. I was asked to review the Safely Social Monitor service. Safely Social Monitor helps parents AND kids stay smart on Facebook. The Social Monitor is a free service for parents.

The Safely Social Monitor service is now available for parents to keep an eye on their child’s Facebook page. I found the service to be very easy to use. Here’s what I did:

  • I opened the Safely Social Monitor using this invite code link. Remember there is no fee to join Safely.
  • I created an account for our family. I shared the password and email that I used to sign up for an account with my husband.
  • I added the email that my oldest child used to create her Facebook pages to our family Safely account.
  • Safely Social Monitor prompted me to log in to my oldest child’s Facebook page. I keep both of my children’s Facebook passwords handy. The children know that I have their Facebook passwords and may log in. I’m not spying…I’m letting them know that I trust them to act responsibly, BUT I want to be able to log on from time to time.
  • Once Safely had logged in to my child’s Facebook page, a Safely Report was generated that gave my child a score for safety including:  a score out of 100 for overall safety and a letter grade for the following categories — Connected to Safely, Number of Alerts, Appropriate Language, Friends’ Ages, Mutual Friends, and Number of Friends.
  • I repeated the process with my middle child.
  • The process was easy.

I am pleased to report that both children scored a 98 out 100 on their overall safe use of Facebook. I am so pleased as this means I (and my husband) have done a good job educating them about Facebook. Both kids “operate” their Facebook pages using safe practices.

One interesting feature is that I can see any new photos that the kids have added. I can also see the number of friends each has by age. The majority of their friends are their age. I like knowing that they are associating with tweens and teens their age, rather than young adults.

I bookmarked the Safely Social Monitor site so that I can check in regularly to see how the kids are doing on Facebook. I shared the log in details with my husband so that he can check in as well. Oh, and I sent an email to both kids letting them know that I was proud of them for using their Facebook pages in a safe manner. Kids love praise.

I would highly recommend that parents use Safely Social Monitor to keep track of their child’s Facebook page. I would also suggest that parents should not allow their children under the age of 13 to get a Facebook page. Facebook terms of service specifies that children should be over 13 before starting a Facebook page.

Want more information about online safety for kids, tweens, and teens?

  • Like the Safely Facebook page.
  • The Safely Spotlight — free digital parenting guide with tips and advice — will be regularly published and made available on the Safely Facebook page.
  • Learn more about Safely Social Monitor by watching this YouTube video.

I was compensated for this review of Safely Social Monitor through a compensated post campaign sponsored by Location Labs. The views expressed in the post are my own. I follow tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/with-my-kids-safety-is-always-first/feed/ 1 Is Your Tween or Teen Ready for Algebra? Take this test http://www.musingsfromme.com/is-your-tween-or-teen-ready-for-algebra-take-this-test/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/is-your-tween-or-teen-ready-for-algebra-take-this-test/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:51:02 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=4932 Options. Enrichment. Opportunities. Advancement. Like all parents, I want the very best education for my kids. I’m fortunate to live in the county where the school system is on the rise academically. About 5 years ago, our school district surpassed a neighboring county’s test scores. This change was monumental for our county. If you know anything about education, you won’t be surprised that the list of top schools in this country is based on the all-important test scores in reading and math. In order for students to score well on these tests, students need to have the have a strong grip on the fundamentals of reading and math that are the foundation for all subject areas. Without knowing how to read with a critical eye, a child will not be able to comprehend a historical document or follow a recipe. The same is true for math. Learning how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide is necessary before embarking on higher level math classes in geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. Parents with middle and high schoolers know how critical math is to current and future education, as well as career opportunities. I read an interesting quote from Sylvan while preparing to write [...]]]>


Options. Enrichment. Opportunities. Advancement. Like all parents, I want the very best education for my kids. I’m fortunate to live in the county where the school system is on the rise academically. About 5 years ago, our school district surpassed a neighboring county’s test scores. This change was monumental for our county.

If you know anything about education, you won’t be surprised that the list of top schools in this country is based on the all-important test scores in reading and math. In order for students to score well on these tests, students need to have the have a strong grip on the fundamentals of reading and math that are the foundation for all subject areas. Without knowing how to read with a critical eye, a child will not be able to comprehend a historical document or follow a recipe. The same is true for math. Learning how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide is necessary before embarking on higher level math classes in geometry, algebra, and trigonometry.

Parents with middle and high schoolers know how critical math is to current and future education, as well as career opportunities. I read an interesting quote from Sylvan while preparing to write this review:

A critical gateway subject, algebra is the foundation for higher-level mathematics and science courses in high-school, which in turn can open doors for college and lead to better careers and lifetime earning potential.

According to Sylvan, American students are failing algebra at an “alarming rate.” Algebra is a foundation course that is critical for your child’s future school success. Tweens and teens with low algebra skills could encounter difficulties with the ACT and SAT standardized tests.

Do you have a 7th or 8th or 9th grader who is about to or taking algebra this school year? Sylvan in partnership with Let’s Go Learn is offering a FREE 21-question Algebra Readiness Check-up. I was asked to review a site that will assess your child’s readiness for algebra.

After finding out that I needed to review the math site — Fit 4 Algebra — I enlisted my daughter’s help. I needed her expertise on the finer points of algebra. Over the years, I have forgotten quite a bit of the algebra I was taught in school. She was willing to do the screener for me as she is taking algebra this year. The screener, given to me by Sylvan Learning, is a tool that evaluates your child’s knowledge of algebra.

The process for accessing the algebra diagnostic test was straightforward. I set up an account on LetsGoLearn.com for our family using my email address. I chose a password that I shared with my children. I have one child who has completed Algebra 1, one child who is taking the class, and one who will take the class in a few years. I added all 3 children to our family account.

After my daughter completed the Fit4Algebra diagnostic tool — which took her about 15-20 minutes — I asked her what she thought about Fit4Algebra by Sylvan. Here’s what she said:

  • She answered all the questions on the Fit4Algebra site, but she was able to use scratch paper to work out her answers.  Her math teacher always require that students hand in their scratch paper to see how they solved the problem.
  • She liked she would be getting a reward for reviewing this site.
  • She liked that the site helped her work out algebra problems.

Once she completed the Fit4Algebra Algebra Readiness Check-up I hopped on to the site to access the results of her check-up. The Results page showed her school grade level, for instance, 7.1 , 8.4. By clicking on “Results,” I was able to see my daughter’s algebra readiness level.

The Fit4Algebra “AlgebraMeter” listed not only her overall fitness level, but broke down her algebra readiness by topic areas showing whether her grasp of the material was STRONG, MODERATE, or whether she needed to BUILD her skills:

  • decimal operations
  • comparing and converting
  • fractions
  • ratios and proportions
  • coordinate graphing
  • geometry
  • integers

I would highly recommend using the Fit4Algebra Readiness Checkup with your middle and high school children. Since the test is only 15-20 minutes, students shouldn’t be averse to doing the screening.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Sylvan Learning and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/is-your-tween-or-teen-ready-for-algebra-take-this-test/feed/ 0 Catch a Screening of @SuburgatoryABC before Tonight’s Premiere — ABC 8:30 EST http://www.musingsfromme.com/catch-a-screening-of-suburgatoryabc-before-tonights-premiere-abc-830-est/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/catch-a-screening-of-suburgatoryabc-before-tonights-premiere-abc-830-est/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:22:16 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=4890 I love a show with a voice over. A witty tongue in cheek voiceover. You know kind of like the voice of the dead housewife on Desperate Housewives. Mary Alice was only on the show for 1 episode, but she lives on season after season. She’s the voice of reason. She tells it like it is. She watches over the cul-de-sac’s happenings. She knows a thing or two about the inhabitants of Wisteria Lane. Or do you remember Claire Danes’ voice over on My So-Called Life? Danes and My So-Called Life tackled numerous hot button teen issues — teen homosexuality, premarital sex, drugs — that were barely mentioned in the 90s when the show had its brief run. Come to think of it other shows about kids have used the voiceover technique. Remember The Wonder Years? Didn’t Malcolm in the Middle use one, too? The teen who is not in control of his life narrates his view of the world for anyone to listen to. Tessa was recently uprooted from the familiarity of her NYC apartment to the SUBURBS! Can you imagine how it would feel to live in the plastic world of Tessa’s new suburban neighborhood…Suburgatory? Tessa shares her [...]]]>


I love a show with a voice over. A witty tongue in cheek voiceover. You know kind of like the voice of the dead housewife on Desperate Housewives. Mary Alice was only on the show for 1 episode, but she lives on season after season. She’s the voice of reason. She tells it like it is. She watches over the cul-de-sac’s happenings. She knows a thing or two about the inhabitants of Wisteria Lane.

Or do you remember Claire Danes’ voice over on My So-Called Life? Danes and My So-Called Life tackled numerous hot button teen issues — teen homosexuality, premarital sex, drugs — that were barely mentioned in the 90s when the show had its brief run. Come to think of it other shows about kids have used the voiceover technique. Remember The Wonder Years? Didn’t Malcolm in the Middle use one, too?

The teen who is not in control of his life narrates his view of the world for anyone to listen to. Tessa was recently uprooted from the familiarity of her NYC apartment to the SUBURBS! Can you imagine how it would feel to live in the plastic world of Tessa’s new suburban neighborhood…Suburgatory? Tessa shares her first impressions in this new series on ABC premiering tonight at 8:30 p.m. EST. Click below for a sneak peek.

Want to see more of Suburgatory? Visit http://abc.go.com/watch/gate/suburgatory to watch the full first episode. Enter code:  EYQdcfiUg

So do you live in Suburgatory? If you can answer “Yes” to any of these questions, you just might…

  • Your dog’s haircut is more expensive than yours.
  • The drinking fountains offer sparkling or still.
  • The school cafeteria serves tuna tartar.
  • The majority of medical procedures are elective.
  • “Brunette” is a dirty word.
  • The top three industries in your community are tanning, spandex and peroxide.

Suburgatory just might be my favorite show…it is a comedy without a laugh track. Are you like me? Do you loathe a laugh track? I don’t care that a show was filmed before a life studio audience….just stop with the canned laughter.

Get the scoop on Suburgatory…

  • Official website http://abc.go.com/shows/suburgatory
  • Like Suburgatory on Facebook
  • Follow @SuburgatoryABC on Twitter #Suburgatory
  • The cast: Tessa Altman is played by Jane Levy, Jeremy Sisto plays Tessa’s dad, George Altman, Cheryl Hines is Dallas Royce, the pushy, plastic-y neighbor. I don’t know what Sisto has starred in recently, but as a teen he was in Grand Canyon with Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Mary McDonnell, and Alfre Woodward.

Links to DVDs from shows mentioned in this post:

I was not compensated to write this post. The links in this post are to my amazon affiliate account. The views expressed in the post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

]]> http://www.musingsfromme.com/catch-a-screening-of-suburgatoryabc-before-tonights-premiere-abc-830-est/feed/ 0 Seizing Family Time with Family Movie Night http://www.musingsfromme.com/seizing-family-time-with-family-movie-night/ http://www.musingsfromme.com/seizing-family-time-with-family-movie-night/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:58:48 +0000 Jill http://www.musingsfromme.com/?p=4768 Readers of this  blog know that I am all about family time. With a teen on the cusp of adulthood, I grasp at family time any way I can. Even my youngest is now 8. Still a little boy, but his preteen years are not far off. If I see a movie in the theater, I plan a family outing to the movies. When a show comes on TV that looks promising, I turn dinner time in to movie time. Dinner on movie night becomes pizza rolls, bagel bites, and taquitos. It may not be gourmet cooking, but if I can get my family to watch a movie together…I’m all for it. Walmart and P&G have teamed up for Family Movie Night. You might recall that I posted about another Family Movie Night, Who Is Simon Miller? From the intensity of espionage to the play-by-play of high school football, Family Movie Night is enabling families to gather to watch a movie together. I watched Game Time: Tackling the Past online two days ago. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the movie. The storyline is a good one. Now that I have a high schooler there is no way [...]]]>


Readers of this  blog know that I am all about family time. With a teen on the cusp of adulthood, I grasp at family time any way I can. Even my youngest is now 8. Still a little boy, but his preteen years are not far off.

If I see a movie in the theater, I plan a family outing to the movies. When a show comes on TV that looks promising, I turn dinner time in to movie time. Dinner on movie night becomes pizza rolls, bagel bites, and taquitos. It may not be gourmet cooking, but if I can get my family to watch a movie together…I’m all for it.

Walmart and P&G have teamed up for Family Movie Night. You might recall that I posted about another Family Movie Night, Who Is Simon Miller? From the intensity of espionage to the play-by-play of high school football, Family Movie Night is enabling families to gather to watch a movie together.

I watched Game Time: Tackling the Past online two days ago. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the movie. The storyline is a good one. Now that I have a high schooler there is no way that I could avoid getting immersed in the world of high school football. I’m not a sports fan, but there is a certain energy to a football game that I like.

High school football is the antithesis of what I experienced at high school in England. We had no school mascot, no football team, no interschool rivalries except for perhaps a tennis match.

American high school football is just as intense and high energy as the pros. Kids take the game seriously. So do parents. Game Time: Tackling the Past centers around a football family. Dad is a curmudgeonly, “we must win” high school coach played by Beau Bridges. Is it me or was Beau Bridges always an old soul? He never seemed young to me even though he played youthful roles.

The film begins with Bridges having a heart attack during family dinner. The stress of seasons past and present has finally caught up with Coach Walker.

In times of crisis families gather. The Walkers are no different. Mom — Catherine Hicks who you will remember as a the mom in Seventh Heaven — becomes the family rock and mediator between silent, brooding Dad and their two sons who are at war with each other. Mom has her work cut out for her as she tries to quell anger between her sons: returning NFL star Jake and “never left his hometown and now coaches with Dad” Dean.

Jake and Dean have never seen eye to eye as adults. When Jake returns home, he has to evaluate more than his relationship to his family. He must find a new job as his NFL contract is over. What will Jake do? Play for another NFL team? Stay in his hometown and mend fences?

Do you know how many times I find a movie on Netflix or Fios Flex View that I think will be a great family movie only to find that the movie has an R or PG13 rating? Almost every movie that I think my teen will be interested in turns out to be a no-go due to an R or PG rating. A good resource for finding the skinny on movies is Common Sense Media. I love finding movies, like Game Time: Tackling the Past, that are free of offensive language, violence, or sexual content.

You can catch a sneak peek of Game Time…

Don’t forget to watch the premiere of Game Time: Tackling the Past on Saturday, September 3 on NBC at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

To find out more about Game Time: Tackling the Past, click here. Also, Like Game Time: Tackling the Past on Facebook.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

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