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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Are you facing the new school year with dread because you have an unmotivated or underachieving teen or pre-teen? Is your child’s answer to everything, “I don’t care” or “It doesn’t matter?” In Part I of this two-part series, James Lehman, MSW explains why your child does have motivation—and how you can coach them to better behavior. READ MORE http://www.empoweringparents.com/Motivating-Underachivers-The-Truth-about-Unmotivated-Kids.php

Shakespeare invented the word "assassination" and "bump."
Marilyn Monroe had six toes on one foot.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left handed people do.
The average chocolate bar has 8 insects' legs in it.
The average human eats 8 spiders in their lifetime at night.
A rhinoceros horn is made of compacted hair.
It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.
The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."
All of the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction are stuck on 4:20.
"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
Almonds are members of the peach family.
Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
The youngest pope was 11 years old.

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For years parents have spoken to me about how to teach money management in this fast paced life that we all live. Children use gift cards, pay for their school lunch by touch screen key pads in the cafeteria and earn their allowance but receive it by direct pay to their saving accounts! When parents pay with debit and credit cards and checks….kiddos hardly find an opportunity to count real cold cash.

Although it is very important to teach kids about coins and paper currency saved away in a “piggy bank” the children that are growing up today also have a great need to learn about electronic banking, direct deposit, on line bill pay and stock market purchases and sales. Our children need to know more about money today then just balancing a checkbook.

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Since 1990, each year, American Mensa selects several (usually 5) games to recommend through its Mind Games competition. These games are named Mensa Select. The GeekList called Mensa Select winners 1990-2008 by BGG rating contains a list of Mensa Select winners sorted by BoardGameGeek rating.

Visit this link to find great games for kids you love!
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Mensa_Select

My all time favorite game for young learners is Rat-a-Tat-Cat.
Read below and learn about this game but certainly give your child a chance to play this game on family game night!

Get rid of the rats and go for the cats! In Rat-a-Tat Cat, less is always better, and you want to go out with the lowest score. Can you remember the numbers on the other players' cards? Can you keep a poker face, but notice when another player looks pleased? Sharpen your memory and your timing, and have fun with the cool cats and bad rats of Rat-a-Tat Cat. This is the Gamewright version.

1996 Mensa Select

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Mind Teaser!

Looking for Wooden Puzzles? Frik-n-Frak's Curio Shack offers one of the most extensive selections of high quality wooden puzzles, mind benders, brain teasers, educational wooden puzzles and fun family games on the web! Each of our wooden puzzles presents a unique challenge! Wooden Puzzles are fun and educational! Wooden puzzles make excellent gifts for men, women and children of all ages.