Most young people start off with a bank account and a few obligations such as rent and their consumable type expenses along with a small paycheck. Wouldn't you agree?

In the "olden days" before parenthood we also were just starting out and had to work from a tight budget that came from our small paycheck.

Back in the day, the best known secret... "The Envelope System!" was once a familiar envelope budgeting system that was popular with most people just embarking on their life journey. Those of us that used the system felt empowered and in control of the new life we were seeking! Our parents had used "The Envelope System" and had done OK with it. Who were we to challenge it? Now we would model ourselves after those spend thrifty parents that had survived the depression. We too would manage just fine in the world of responsibility and managing of our affairs.

Flash forward 25 years and careers have grown and our paychecks have too; children were born and are now seeking their freedom from our secure nest.

But, these children have grown up differently then we did. Technology impacts their world and ours everywhere we look. With the impact of technology in our daily lives and the lives of our children the envelope system has become outdated. Frankly, a little impossible to use since we are virtually a non-cash society where instant pass key cards, debit cards, on-line banking and credit cards are a means to get what we want and to get it fast.

Imagine a scene where you begin to discuss the urgency of teaching your graduating senior to manage their daily, weekly and monthly spending. You spend time talking about money and express to your child how important it is to take control of their money immediately so that they can enjoy a future sprinkled with experiences where career opportunities blur with the joys filled by family and friends. Then help your child picture a goal to acquire money that they have earned and stashed away in the bank and in their investment portfolio. All it takes is deliberate action on their part to make the dream a reality. Everyone is getting excited about such a dream of prosperity and success.

Now, you are excited and begin to pull out paper envelopes to explain the details of how you and the generations before you accomplished a similar goal of personal regiment and the trusty "Envelope System."

Your child is now either laughing hysterically and unable to stop to breathe or they have completely come to the conclusion that you have totally lost it and they need to check you into a psych ward at your county hospital. No way are they going to be caught using some paper envelopes to manage their important financial future. Nor would they want anyone to know you even know about such a system let alone suggested it to them. Now, they are frantically trying to figure out a way to get you to stop trying to teach them anything.

Do not worry! "The Envelope System" has joined the age of technology! Now everything is possible! A software program called Mvelopes has taken "The Envelope System" and turned it into a software program that you can use to help teach your child a tried and true system of keeping on track and out of debt by managing virtual envelopes as they learn to spend and save. And yes, all in "Real Time" and information available with their cell phone. The old message that "Cash is King" is still true today and I can just bet that once your child realizes the value of working hard and earning their own money that they to want to be king of their cash!

Check out this software and make it your mission to empower your kids with tools to help them become successful money managers.
The Mvelopes Online Spending Management System can help you teach your high school graduate to budget money and save more NOW!

Irlen Syndrom has also been known as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome.  It is not a problem with the eyes.  It  is a a problem with the brain's ability to process visual information.  Irlen Syndrome can affect many different areas including academic performance, behavior, the ability to sit still, attention and concentration.  Studies suggest that 46% of individuals identified with reading problems, dyslexia, ADD/ADHD an other learning difficulties suffer from Irlen Syndrome and can be helped by the Irlen Method.  This syndrome is often just one more layer of the individuals problems, but the Irlen Method can be a part of the solution.

Some of the symptoms of Irlen Syndrome include light sensitivity, especially to fluorescent lights, headache, eye strain, reading problems, reading comprehension problems, attention and concentration problems, writing problems, depth perception problems, math disabilities, etc.

The Irlen Method provides a unique service for some children and adults who have been identified with reading and learning difficulties, low motivation, attention deficit disorder, discipline problems as well as helping  good readers and gifted students.

The Irlen Method and the efficacy of colored overlays and colored lenses has been the subject of over 100 research studies.  This method has been used for more than 25 years to identify and help people with this specific visual processing problem.  Additionally, the colored overlays are now considered an approved accommodation for standardized tests in many states.

The topic about private vs public education has begun to heat up again in the news as policy makers begin to seek ways to reduce government costs.

I wanted to share two links with you so that you can read about this critical issue.

Private Argument

Public Argument

We first should agree on one thing; every child has a right to an education.

Pesonally, I would like every child to reach their potential and ability level, and for those that work to exceed them they should have the oppotuntiy to do so.  To compete in a global marketplace we need to better prepare our children for their future.   No child should have to settle for only an adequate education!

Children with disabilities and learning differences must be protected in this discussion.

This debate is no where near the end.  Get involved in the dialogue and share your experiences about private, charter and public school systems with your state and local representatives. Teacher Unions are involved in the debate.

Intuitively as parents we are all well aware that spending time with our children is important. Despite the frenetic pace of most of our lives we struggle to carve out that time and some of us pat ourselves on the back thinking that today was a good day because we spent one or two or three hours with our children. But, is it the amount of time we are spending with our kids that's important or the quality of time? We are all guilty of it...we're at home...the children are at home...therefore one plus one = two...we are spending time with our children. But, are we truly? Being in the same house while the children play video games and we return calls, or write a blog post, or clean the bathroom is not spending time with our children. Our children need our undivided attention. They need to talk with us without distraction; they need to be included in our daily activities; and...they need to play with us. Playing games together as a family gives our children the quality time that they need from us as parents and...it's fun.

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I have a gifted daughter who is now 6 years old and in the first grade. We knew something was different about her by the age of 2 because of the profound statements that she would say as well as her ability to read by the age of 3. If you are a parent of a gifted child, you will understand our panic with what to do with her! We were very worried about how we should proceed...challenging her enough but not putting pressure on her...giving her the information she wanted to devour but not expecting too much...helping her be well-rounded and socially adept but not holding her back. Should we do private school or public school? Were we and her preschool teachers crazy or was she really seriously gifted?

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Creative Tutors and Adventure Kids Playcare are pleased to announce a new, afterschool, tutoring program! CLICK HERE! for more information.

Creative Tutors had an opportunity to work with a local student to help him prepare quickly for the ACT. He was nervous about taking the test and his mom was too. Some quick background information....Mathew had been a student that was homeschooled for part of his education; attended a small private school; and then by high school returned to public school. He has had some learning challenges along the way and the family had worked to address these challenges. They came to Creative Tutors to ask for test prep. Time was limited as the test was only a few days away. There was only time for four hours to prepare. We helped settled his nervous by reviewing his most challenging area and explaining to him how to master the test taking experience.

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