Family Hack

Working From Home - Readers Thoughts

Michael Davis — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:50:29 +0000

I was going to write a post on how to survive working at home, then somebody did it for me. Kudos to “A List Apart”. Good stuff y’all.

15 Books for Education Inspiration.

Hannah Russell-Davis — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:04:50 +0000

Like most homeschooling families, the walls of our house are lined with books. We turn to them for ideas, answers, solutions, inspiration, entertainment, and reassurance. During this brand new school year, here are a few we recommend.

NOTE: Although this list emphasizes homeschooling, (since that’s what we do) it’s not limited to information only useful to homeschoolers. Regardless of the form of “school” you’re using, your kids are learning all the time — and so are you.

Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense
The author is not only a wonderful novelist, but also a public school teacher who teaches his own children at home. Inside this slim and beautifully readable volume are thought-provoking insights from the both perspectives.

Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School
Author, Grace Llewellyn, is a go-to guide for those with a bent toward “unschooling”. Even if you weren’t previously inclined, this might change your mind.

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
The same author as above — helpful information for people homeschooling/unschooling with teenagers.

The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart
A beautifully simple parenting guide that encourages you to follow your instincts and common sense. If you’re tired of “methods”, this might be for you.

The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child’s Classroom
The title says it all.

Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling
This list would certainly be incomplete without some wisdom from John Holt (aka: The Godfather of Homeschooling).

Instead of Education: Ways to Help People do Things Better
In this more recent and lesser known book, John Holt once again challenges the educational status-quo and offers ideas for how to give your kids a creative and self-motivated love of learning.

The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost
This book just might change the way you think about EVERYTHING. (If that doesn’t spark your curiosity, you deserve a life of monotony.)

Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn–and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less
Memorize less, play more, and emulate Einstein? Sold! The authors (also psychologists) of this book validate what many parents know by instinct (but can forget): kids need to play and explore; kids are learning all the time; hurrying intellectual development doesn’t work out in the long run and can actually be counter-productive. Don’t make your kids’ learning about scores and tests, as these provide only a narrow view of learning and development.

A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play
From the inside flap: “Even for very young children, unstructured creative time in the classroom is waning as teachers and administrators are under growing pressures to measure school readiness through rote learning and increased homework. In her new book, Vivian Gussin Paley decries this rapid disappearance of creative time and makes the case for the critical role of fantasy play in the psychological, intellectual, and social development of young children.”

Beyond the Rainbow Bridge : Nurturing our children from birth to seven
A Waldorf-inspired guide for living happily with young children. Even if you don’t know a lot about Waldorf education and/or don’t completely subscribe to all the principles, the ideas in this book can be helpful for any parent who wants to provide a peaceful environment and learning that goes hand in hand with “the natural rhythms of everyday life”.

Heaven on Earth
A wonderful Waldorf guide from a teacher/author in our own hometown of Charlottesville, VA.

How to Talk so Kids Can Learn
The author of classics “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, and Listen So Kids Will Talk” and “Siblings Without Rivalry” presents ideas on communication specific to education.

The Well-Adjusted Child: The Social Benefits of Homeschooling
A book that dares address the “S” word. Buy this for your skeptical in-laws.

Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home
One of the most valuable sources of information for homeschoolers is other homeschoolers. Hearing the wildly varying tales of how other people homeschool can be inspiring and reassuring to newbies and old pros. The author of this fun collection of family profiles focused on DIVERSITY — if you think homeschoolers are all alike, think again.

During the coming year, Family Hack will be presenting a series of profiles on homeschooling families. Let us know what you would like to hear about from these families.

6 New Fodor’s Travel Books Are Out!

Michael Davis — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:27:47 +0000

Heads up travel freaks. Fodor’s has added six new guide books to their lineup.

Of course, we’re most excited about the new Buenos Airesguide. It includes side trips to Gaucho Country, Iguazu Falls and Uruguay.

Three additional books for Spanish speaking destinations are Panama,Puerto Ricoand Los Cabos & the Baja Peninsula.

New for North America is Vancouver & Victoria,which also includes Vancouver Island, the Okanagan Valley and the ski destination of Whistler. Also a big honkin’ guide about Texasis now out. It hits all the major cities as well as the Hill Country.

Interested in the Carribean? Check out the new Arubabook. Happy Travels!

Hidden Dangers

Michael Davis — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:27:55 +0000

We consider ourselves pretty savvy, but this week we fell prey to one of the most sinister perils of traveling with children…Grandparents.

These slow moving creatures wield unorthodox weapons such as Ice Cream and the constant use of the word “Yes”.

An example of this horror came during our current visit to San Diego. I found our 2 year old standing in her Grandmother’s family room, face buried in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. No spoon, no napkin, just a tongue and sheer bliss.

When questioned, Grandma’s defiant response was “I asked her if she wanted a spoon and she said no”.

What’s your Grandparent horror story, and more importantly, how did you get even?

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Michael Davis — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:11:35 +0000

“Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers.”

Ken Robinson is right up our alley. This 20 minute talk is terrific…and quite funny.

20 Money Saving Tips For Traveling with a Large Group.

Jeana Mitchell — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:47:30 +0000

Introducing Jeana Mitchell:
Jeana is the mother of seven kids. An expert on crowd control and stretching a buck, she recently found the time to give our readers some terrific advice in the comments sections of our posts “The Slacker Parent and the Travel Friendly Child” and the “10 Essential Packing Rules”. We’re very pleased she has agreed to share some additional travel tips with Family Hack.

Vacation “packages” are set up for families of four. Having a family of nine can make vacationing on a budget a real challenge. However, it can be done! Here are some tips we have used to cut costs on our vacations without cutting out the fun.

1. BE NICE!

Make friends with the staff at the hotel or campground you are visiting. Tipping well once or twice will make you a friend of all the staff. Train your children to be polite and helpful to the staff. This goes miles if you are a large group and works on several levels.

The staff knows the area, and normally is happy to help you find great deals.
The staff knows if there are discount tickets behind the counter, and they do not have to make it public knowledge.
They will share if they like you.

2. SHOP LIKE A NATIVE!

Before getting to your destination, locate at least two shops you would like to visit. When you’re there, ask the shopkeeper if they can recommend any other shops…they can! They will also usually tell you which grocery has the best deals as well. Also, grocery coupons that work in California, will work in New York.

3. BUY A MEMBERSHIP!

For our family, the cost of a membership is roughly the same as visiting one time. Even if your family needs two or three visits to make up the cost, check out the fine print and see if your local museum, zoo, or science center has a membership program, find out if they are partnered with reciprocal facilities. If so, most will honor your membership and let you in free or at least for 50% off. Children universally love these places and they tend to be very different. As a bonus, most reciprocal facilities offer discounts in the gift shop as well. Check these websites for science centers and zoos that have programs nationwide:

Association of Science-Technology Centers
Association of Zoos and Aquariums

4. MAKE A CHECKLIST!

Make a travel checklist on fun or brightly colored paper and use it. This gives you time to figure out what is missing and put it in the bag before you go. Personalize a checklist for each member of the family, leave a few spaces blank so kids can add their own items to the checklist. Pack the checklists in each individual’s bag so nothing is left behind.

5. ASK FOR FREEBIES!

If you have, somehow, forgotten something, ask a member of the staff, who now adores you, if they have complimentary toiletry items available. If you already have toiletries in the room, and don’t use them, take them with you anyway. Kids will love them for future trips.

6. EAT AT THE HOTEL!

Eat the free breakfast and accept the free snacks. One hotel we stayed at made fresh cookies and had a free milk and soda bar every evening. Nearly every hotel has a complimentary breakfast of some sort. Eat breakfast at the hotel and save $$$!

7. CAMP!

Camp near your destination instead of staying at a hotel. If there is a state or national park nearby, camp or stay in a cabin and save lots of money. As a comparison, our family typically needs two hotel rooms or a large family suite. A deeply discounted weeknight is roughly 189.00 for a large suite. A night at a campground runs an average of $30.00 for a site with electric and running water. Throw in a huge tent for $120.00 at a local superstore and you’re already ahead on the second night of the vacation. Campground staff is just as important as hotel staff. Be kind and ask for tickets to local attractions.

8. TAKE YOUR FOOD!

A cooler or a hotel refrigerator can hold quite a bit of food for inexpensive meals or midnight snacks. Pack an extra duffle bag of high interest, non perishable foods, and a cooler with lunchmeats and cold snacks, such as cheese or yogurt. Freeze yogurt and juices before leaving to ensure freshness.
In most tourist areas, food prices are exponentially higher. Eating out for lunch and having sandwiches for dinner is another way to save, as lunch prices are usually much cheaper.

9. GO TO TOWN!

Do not shop or get gas on the main highway. Go into town whenever possible. Prices are usually cheaper, and you also have a chance to find out what is going on locally by looking at the bulletin board in the grocery.

10. BUY A LOCAL NEWSPAPER!

Yes, this is one of Michael and Hannah’s tips, but it holds for US travel as well. You will be able to find local free events geared toward kids and your interests.

11. TAKE A PRIVATE TOUR!

When you have a large group, ask for a private tour. Many companies will discount the tour price or give a free tour to help with the flow of traffic through the attraction.

12. MAKE THE KIDS DO THE WORK!

Let kids plan at least a portion of the trip. Give them a reasonable budget, but do not waver on the budget! Let them know how much can be spent and what it has to cover (food, gas, attraction tickets, etc) then follow through with their plans. You will be surprised how resourceful children are at planning fun activities.

13. BUY POSTCARDS!

Instead of buying cheap souvenirs that will barely survive the trip home, consider buying postcards. They are great ways to remember the places you visit and usually less than a dollar.

14. CALL AHEAD!

Call travel and tourism board for the area and ask to have discount books shipped ahead to your home. Normally they will send an avalanche of discount tickets for you to look at or you can simply ask for the website and have specific coupons sent to your home. This also works for the hotels or campgrounds you will be staying. Call and ask if there are special rates or discounts available.

15. GO LOCAL!

Planning your vacation during local festivals or fairs can build in automatic free or low cost activities. Talk to friends who are local or familiar with your destination, they may have an “in” or know of special deals. Many small towns have free cultural attractions and LOVE out of town guests stopping in.

16. USE COMPANY DISCOUNTS!

Check with your company to see if they have any sort of travel discounts. Many large companies have special deals with travel companies that allow employees to get discounted rates.

17. VACATION WITH OTHERS!

Say it with me….Group Discount.

18. BE FLEXIBLE!

Go off season, during the week, or in monsoon season. Rates are down at these times.

19. BE LOYAL TO A HOTEL CHAIN!

This may seem contradictory to being flexible, but many hotels have discount clubs that allow you to get free stays. If you get a discounted stay in the first place, and that stay goes toward your free vacation stay, the ten dollars you save by going to a different hotel may not be worth it in the long run.

20. ASK FOR A BETTER PRICE!

Prices are almost always negotiable, and if rules #1 and #2 are followed, you will usually get a better deal.

Hopefully your family will find some of these tips useful. Good luck and happy vacationing!

About the Author:
Jeana Mitchell is the mother of seven kids under the age of 12. She knows things. You will listen to her.

More Blogger Babies!

Hannah Russell-Davis — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:50:32 +0000

For those of you following the saga of our friend Jenthemom (aka: my seemingly long-lost twin), the wait is over–the baby is here! Laurelyn was welcomed into the world at home by her beautiful family last weekend. We are so happy for them and only wish they lived closer so we could ooh and ahh in person.

Now that Jackson and Laurelyn have both arrived, the arrangement of their marriage by their blogging parents cannot be far behind…stay tuned!

Elvis Is In The Building.

Michael Davis — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:18:55 +0000

Introducing Jackson Davis, the newest staffer here at Family Hack. It was 8:09 A.M. on May 22nd, when we decided to make his 9 lb. butt a permanent fixture here. He’ll be in charge of articles pertaining to drooling, high finance and Philippino psychic surgery. Mom and baby are doing fine…no…strike that…they rock!

Linkworthy: May 20, 2008

Michael Davis — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:27:34 +0000

Here are some great links to help you get the most from your money. Enjoy!

20 Most Popular Comparison Shopping Sites
A list of the 20 Largest Websites for Bargain Hunters.

Top 10 Amazon Power Shopper Tools
A great list of tools for you Amazon nuts. We especially like “Subscribe & Save”. We use this service for items like laundry detergent and diapers. Amazon.com waives the shipping fee, gives us 15% off their regular price, emails us before each shipment (with an option to cancel), and charges us only when they ship. Plus we get to see our favorite man in brown on a regular basis. Which leads us to our next link.

Mule Design’s Shirt for Amazon Addicts
If you get all tingly at the mere sound of the UPS truck…this shirt’s for you.

Adventures in $40 eyeglasses
A very smart way to get spiffy new glasses for what they really should cost…about $40.00

Sharpen Your Frugal Senses: Keep A Wish List
Help your family keep the “I Wants” in perspective with this tip from the folks at TipNut.com.

Speaking of getting good deals. Don’t miss 5 Ways to Get 90% OFF Designer Kid’s Clothes’. It’s one of our most popular.

Who Stole Family Hack?

Michael Davis — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:49:27 +0000

OK…here’s the deal. We haven’t abandoned you. In fact, we love you all deeply. Really…especially you in the thong. That’ a good look for any guy.

But Hannah is knocked up again and for the past several weeks we’ve been scrambling around trying to get our crap in some reasonable order before she explodes. Which, according to people who know about such things, will be in about a month.

Now on to more important matters…TESTICLES! The new baby has a pair, so my world will be less pink and whiny…thank God! In fact, with the additional set of danglers, I’m declaring victory over these frilly broads. Sure, there may be three women in the family, but soon there will be FOUR glorious testicles. Clearly, the men win!

So, what does this mean to you, the loyal and sometimes drunken FamilyHack readers? Well, you’ll have to make do without our brand of internet pablum for a little while longer. After all, Hannah is busy building a mini-me and then I’ll be spending several weeks just staring at my new sons enormous package.

Of course, we’ll be back after the baby dust has cleared. In the meantime you’ll just have to focus on your heroin habit and that fancy new mullet you’ve been working on. It’ll go great with that thong you look so luscious in.