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Like most teachers, I give my children a list of books they need to read over the summer before school starts in September. Some children are great about starting on the list at the beginning of summer, while others wait until the last week before school starts and panic about all they have to read in such a short period of time. Here are some suggestions  for making reading assignments something your child will want to do:

• Make the trips to the library a special event, if possible just the two of you. A stop on the way home for an inexpensive treat and more time alone with mom
• Give your child the opportunity to report to you and other interested family members like  grandparents on each book after he or she finishes it.
• Organize a classmates book club that meets over the summer to discuss the books.

“Can Do” Street programs feature grandparents as guides who often help the “Can Do” Kids make good choices. For those of us adults fortunate enough to have had loving grandparents that were a part of our growing up years the “Can Do” grandparents remind us of how safe and special we felt with them. For the young children becoming members of “Can Do” Street grandparents  share the lessons they learned over the years that can help children develop the skills to do well in many life situations.

The “Can Do” grandparents are active, involved adults. Some work, others volunteer but they all have time to spend with their grandchildren.

Meet the Grandparents!

Grandma Hattie and Grandpa Dooley are retired. They volunteer at the “Can Do’ Street Community Center two afternoons a week. Grandma Hattie  is the arts and crafts instructor and Grandpa Dooley directs the children’s orchestra. They have three “grandchildren: Nellie, Willie and Mickey. Nellie and Willie live with them while their mother is in the Army, serving overseas. Mickey lives with his parents  on “Can Do” Street.

Grandma Maureen and Grandpa John work in the food market they own on “Can Do” Street. Their  grandchildren Orrie, Kathy, Annie, Bobby and Arthur J visit them often. Once a week they all stop by the market, with friends on their way home from school and Grandpa John treats to ice cream.

Grandma Frances is an Emergency Services Technician(EMT) on the “Can Do” hospital ambulance. She volunteers at the community center teaching First Aid. Her grandchildren are Maria and Hector.

Grandma Sue is the director of the “Can Do” Community Center. After school, her grandchildren, Wendy and Yundi stay with her at the community center until their  mother and father pick them up after work.

Join us and see the “Can Do” grandparents in action!

It used to be that bulling was something you worried about when your child was in school, or the playground; now the Internet is a major source of child bullying.

The following resources are just a few of many that exist to help parents and teachers to intervene when bullying is taking place and/or prevent it before it starts in school and other social settings. A few of the web sites and articles deal with keeping your child safe when he or she uses the web for school projects and on educational and recreational sites for children.

Bullying Facts and Figures – www.nasponline.org

Bullying At School and Online-www.education.com

Online Bullying:

www.schoolfamily.com

www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.com

www.cyberbullying.org

Special Ed Bullying- www.learningdisabilities.about.com

Bullies Go High Tech – www.wisn.com

Bullying Fact Sheet Series – www.schoolsafety.us

Free Bullying Prevention Lesson Plans – www.learntobehealthy.org

The “Can Do” Kids have a cooking club. Next year, “Can Do” Street will publish an online version of the “Can Do” Kids Cookbook. It will  feature recipes from parents, teachers and children who are members of “Can Do” Street who share their recipes as well as those developed by staff of “Can Do” Street. All recipes selected for the cookbook will credit the person or persons who contributed the recipe in the cookbook and on this blog. Recipes will also be featured in the children’s blog in “Can Do” Kids Cooking Club.

Recipe Guidelines:

Submit an original recipe – either a snack, main dish, sandwich, or dessert that appeals to young children and is good for them to eat.

The recipe must be easy to use with reasonably priced ingredients.

Submission Guidelines:

Email the recipe and attach a photo of the finished dish.

Sign and date the recipe.

If your recipe is selected to appear in the cookbook, we will contact you in January 2011 . We look forward to receiving  your recipe!

Information on Service Dogs. “Can Do” Street features a service dog named Muggins. He is the guiding eyes for the character of Mickey. The “Can Do” Kids Blog  features two blogs on services dogs. In addition to service dogs for the blind and persons with disabilities, service dogs are now helping returning soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  If you are interested in learning more about the different types of service dogs, or how to become a puppy foster parent or how to obtain a puppy that has not qualified as a service dog try these sites. They are just a few of many:

www.greatplainsdogs.com

www.autismservicedogsofamerica.com

www.hero-dogs.org

www.guidedogsofamerica.org

www.gdui.org

www.cci.org