Take Your Child on a Stroll Down Dr. Seuss’ Mulberry Street

Simon Kidgits Club, Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P. and Random House Children’s Books together are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Theodor Seuss Geisel’s first-ever published children’s book, “And To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street.” As part of the celebration, nearly 100 Simon malls across the country are hosting a special event for families to explore all the fun of Dr. Seuss.

Both Mall of Georgia and Gwinnett Place invite area kids and parents to celebrate “75 Years of Imagination” at special Dr. Seuss event. Families can wander Dr. Seuss’s whimsical world of imaginary wonder by participating in the event’s fun-filled activities:

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Tips to Pick the Right Preschool for Your Child

Provided by Primrose School of Five Forks

More and more parents are recognizing the importance of enrolling their children in preschool to help them develop the right foundation for success in elementary school and beyond. However, the best programs go beyond helping children master basic academic skills to supporting their development as happy, confident, well-rounded individuals.

Research shows that from birth to age five, development in all areas is rapid. Children form strong neural connections during this time as a result of experiences they have with everyone and everything they encounter. The quality of those early interactions determines how children continue to learn and form relationships, strongly influencing their future success and happiness.

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New Business Venture Brings Healthy Snack Options to Area Schools

Snacks from vending machines aren’t usually associated with the words healthy or fresh, but one local franchise company is hoping to change that.  Fresh Healthy Vending has over 800 machines throughout the country.  Donna and Byron Marshall purchased the healthy vending franchise out of Athens.

The healthy snack and drink option is the talk of Cornerstone Christian Academy.  Up and running for two months, the vending machine is a staple in the cafeteria and Donna Marshall admits she makes frequent trips to the school to restock the machine.

“Every time I walk into that school the kids go crazy,” Marshall said.  “They get real excited and say ‘there’s the snack lady’.”

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GLOW Event Encourages Life Balance

Today’s mothers wear many different — hats from chauffeur to accountant to cook to chasing away monsters under the bed!  However, with each new role comes less time for mom to find time to keep her life in sync mentally, physically, spiritual and even emotionally.

Christine Martinello, best selling author of “The Momager Guide,” sat down with Gwinnett Magazine publisher Kelly Greer to offer advice to Gwinnett County mothers who are finding it hard to fit everything in their daily lives.  The Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce hosted this annual GLOW Event sponsored by Gwinnett Medical Center.

Martinello, a mother of three, says she realized very early on that she wasn’t handling the momager role very well and began writing the book as a ‘how to’ for herself.

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Duluth Offers Holiday Fun While School is Out

Are you wondering what fun things you can find for your children to do during their holiday break from school? Duluth Parks and Recreation staff has made that easy for you. Check out the Duluth Holiday Camp hosted at Bunten Road Park December 19 through December 22.

The camp will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for ages 5-10 years. If you are a City of Duluth resident the cost of the camp is only $80, and for just a little more, non-residents can enjoy the camp for $100. What a great deal for a week of fun!

A wide range of gift crafts, festive games and age appropriate activities in a seasonal holiday atmosphere are planned. Campers will make gifts for friends and family, bake yummy treats and craft tree decorations. A visit and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus is scheduled during the week.

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Tips for Teaching Your Kids the Importance of Voting

Did you know barely a quarter of young people made it to the polls in the last midterm election?

“In school, we teach them about the revolutionary war and all the wars our country has fought in order to protect our freedoms, so it doesn’t make any sense to me why young people do so little to participate in the democracy we teach them about every year in school,” said McKittrick, author of the children’s book “Election Day.” “I’m not sure what happens when kids turn 18 and decide they don’t need to vote, but I think it’s a problem worth addressing.”

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Your Kids Can Cook!

College is supposed to be a place of higher learning that prepares young people for the challenges of taking on a greater role as an adult in a civilized society. While there is no doubt the value of the degrees earned in those hallowed halls, one mom has a striking complaint about it all.

“How can you consider yourself educated and sophisticated if you don’t know how to cook a decent meal?” asked Hollis Ledbetter, author of OMG! I’m In College and I Never Learned to Cook (www.omgcookbooks.com). “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for higher education for the purposes of being able to earn a living and contribute to the world around them, but I’ve never seen a college course titled ‘How to buy groceries, cook dinner and do your own laundry!’”

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Tips for a Healthy Thanksgiving for You and Your Kids

The Thanksgiving holiday season is a wonderful time of the year filled with family, friends and, of course, food. While the spirit of Thanksgiving is to give thanks for all that we have, the holiday has become increasingly focused on food and eating. There’s no harm in enjoying a meal with your family on Thanksgiving, but the medical pros at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta remind us the purpose of the holiday is not simply to over-eat.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life aims to help families take small steps that add up to big changes to help prevent or reverse the consequences of obesity.

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Cookies with Santa at Zoo Atlanta

Courtesy of Zoo Atlanta

Courtesy of Zoo Atlanta

Looking to forge a new family tradition during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend? Be there when Santa makes his first stop – Zoo Atlanta on Saturday and Sunday, November 26 and 27! Bring the little ones for a personal visit with Santa and a professional photo. Warm up with hot chocolate and cookies, and kick off the season with costume characters, festive crafts, animal encounters, music and games. Reservations are available in one of four time slots: 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m.

Register online by Friday, November 25 for discounted reservations. Online advance tickets are $10 for Zoo Atlanta Members; $15 for non-Members. Day-of tickets are $13 for Zoo Members; $18 for non-Members. Tickets are required for all attendees, including children under 3. Non-Member ticket does not include Zoo admission. Get full event details at www.zooatlanta.org/home/article_content/santa.

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Keep Kids Healthy During the Winter Months

As the winter quickly approaches, it’s no secret that many kids will be stuck inside looking for fun and will unfortunately, turn to the TV, the computer or the cookie jar for entertainment during the colder months.

Miriam B. Vos, M.D., M.S.P.H., pediatric hepatologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, specializes in obesity prevention, complications of obesity in children and pediatric fatty liver disease. Dr. Vos works with children and their families to implement healthy habits into their lifestyle for the winter and beyond. Dr. Vos suggests the following:

  • Increase Physical Activity
  • Reduce Sugar and Sweetened Beverages
  • Family Meals and Consistent Eating Patterns

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