Today is Make-A-Wish Foundation's World Wish Day, which celebrates the first wish ever honored on April 29, 1980. A seven-year-old boy living with leukemia told his family he wished to be a policeman. His mother, along with community members, made that wish come true, complete with a custom-made uniform. Thus, Make-A-Wish was born.
Make-A-Wish has become a positive force in bringing joy and hope to families whose joy and hope are being tested. This organization continues to make the impossible a reality for families throughout the world. I urge you to support this inspiring organization.
Click here to donate:
http://worldwishday.org/en/donate.php
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Thinking Outside the Box: Gifts for Children
I just got off the phone with a friend who's been struck with the Cleaning Bug. You know that burst of energy you get when you can't stand to look at all that stuff collecting dust in your basement? She's got it bad.
As she began to purge the depths of the closet, she found countless toys, puzzles, and games that her now-nineteen-year-old boys haven't touched in years. Then she did the math and actually counted.
3 boys
1 birthday party per year for 10 years
30 friends at each party
X 1 gift per boy
___________________
900 gifts!!!
That's an estimate that doesn't include Hanukkah and birthday gifts from family members!
The custom of giving a birthday gift to a child is so ingrained in our culture and our children come to expect that they will receive gifts each year. That's not to say they don't appreciate the gesture or use good manners and write thank you notes for the spoils they've received, but they know, once a year, they will be showered with toys, just for being born.
I believe in the importance of honoring significant events and celebrating the joy and love you share as a family. Birthdays are incredibly joyous occasions- especially for those children who had a tough road getting here- but can we reconsider the amount of waste we produce in celebrating these moments?
One year for Christmas I decided to think outside the box and gave my young cousin a gift card to a website that allowed her to select the charity to which she'd like to donate. (The site, unfortunately, is no longer in operation.) She ran to the computer and began to select her favorite charities. She was eight at the time and understood- and fully embraced- the importance of giving back.
Can we break the mold? Can we think outside the box and create a generation of children who really believe 'tis better to give than to receive?
As she began to purge the depths of the closet, she found countless toys, puzzles, and games that her now-nineteen-year-old boys haven't touched in years. Then she did the math and actually counted.
3 boys
1 birthday party per year for 10 years
30 friends at each party
X 1 gift per boy
___________________
900 gifts!!!
That's an estimate that doesn't include Hanukkah and birthday gifts from family members!
The custom of giving a birthday gift to a child is so ingrained in our culture and our children come to expect that they will receive gifts each year. That's not to say they don't appreciate the gesture or use good manners and write thank you notes for the spoils they've received, but they know, once a year, they will be showered with toys, just for being born.
I believe in the importance of honoring significant events and celebrating the joy and love you share as a family. Birthdays are incredibly joyous occasions- especially for those children who had a tough road getting here- but can we reconsider the amount of waste we produce in celebrating these moments?
One year for Christmas I decided to think outside the box and gave my young cousin a gift card to a website that allowed her to select the charity to which she'd like to donate. (The site, unfortunately, is no longer in operation.) She ran to the computer and began to select her favorite charities. She was eight at the time and understood- and fully embraced- the importance of giving back.
Can we break the mold? Can we think outside the box and create a generation of children who really believe 'tis better to give than to receive?
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Fresh Entertainment for Kids
On March 25, my sister and I took my 4-year-old niece to see the Fresh Beat Band in concert in New York City. Friends and family joked with us and warned that we were about to endure a boring afternoon of child-centered entertainment. I even got credit for being a good aunt and giving up a lazy Sunday to trek into the city and sit through the show. Oh, how they were wrong.
From start to finish, the Fresh Beat Band experience was amazing. It helped that we splurged and got front-row seats and the VIP passes for a post-show meet-and-greet. The show was a little more than an hour with a fifteen minute intermission. The band- Kiki, Marina, Twist, and Shout- were played by the actors who portray them on TV. (I was briefly worried there would be look-alike stand-ins.) The back-up dancers were just as phenomenal as the band themselves. Each song was fast-paced and well-choreographed. Dancing in the aisles was encouraged and the kids obliged. Parents couldn't resist tapping their toes and singing along, too.
These performers are on a grueling tour, sometimes performing the same high-evergy show twice a day. They did not break character, they did not miss a beat, and they did not stop smiling. This was well-worth the money and time to share this experience with my niece.
These guys are the real deal. Follow them on Twitter and support them. I wish these talented performers all the best.
Fresh Beat Band
Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer (Kiki)... www.twitter.com/Yvette_G_Nacer
Tara Perry (Marina)... www.twitter.com/taraperry
Thomas Hobson (Shout)... www.twitter.com/TommyHobson
Jon Beavers (Twist)...No Twitter account (What's up with that, Jon?)
Dancers
Adrian Harvey... www.twitter.com/AdrianLHarvey
Frances Manzo... www.twitter.com/Frances315
Meisha Lee... www.twitter.com/mzmeishalee
Tyler... Cannot locate Tyler's last name! (Tried Tweeting some of the Band but didn't hear back. Happy to edit this post if anyone has info on Tyler!)
For information on the tour: http://www.freshbeatbandlive.com/
From start to finish, the Fresh Beat Band experience was amazing. It helped that we splurged and got front-row seats and the VIP passes for a post-show meet-and-greet. The show was a little more than an hour with a fifteen minute intermission. The band- Kiki, Marina, Twist, and Shout- were played by the actors who portray them on TV. (I was briefly worried there would be look-alike stand-ins.) The back-up dancers were just as phenomenal as the band themselves. Each song was fast-paced and well-choreographed. Dancing in the aisles was encouraged and the kids obliged. Parents couldn't resist tapping their toes and singing along, too.
These performers are on a grueling tour, sometimes performing the same high-evergy show twice a day. They did not break character, they did not miss a beat, and they did not stop smiling. This was well-worth the money and time to share this experience with my niece.
These guys are the real deal. Follow them on Twitter and support them. I wish these talented performers all the best.
Fresh Beat Band
Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer (Kiki)... www.twitter.com/Yvette_G_Nacer
Tara Perry (Marina)... www.twitter.com/taraperry
Thomas Hobson (Shout)... www.twitter.com/TommyHobson
Jon Beavers (Twist)...No Twitter account (What's up with that, Jon?)
Dancers
Adrian Harvey... www.twitter.com/AdrianLHarvey
Frances Manzo... www.twitter.com/Frances315
Meisha Lee... www.twitter.com/mzmeishalee
Tyler... Cannot locate Tyler's last name! (Tried Tweeting some of the Band but didn't hear back. Happy to edit this post if anyone has info on Tyler!)
For information on the tour: http://www.freshbeatbandlive.com/
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