A Letter from Michelle Obama & A Stroll Through The White House Decorated for the Holidays

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Military Appreciation Tree
Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama

Photo from WhiteHouse.gov

Note: This blog post was prompted by the Happy Holidays from the White House email that arrived in my in box today from First Lady Michelle Obama.

Every year since 1961, when the idea was initiated by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the White House has decorated an official tree with a different theme.  This year's theme is Simple Gifts and from the pictures I've seen of it, it looks really beautiful.

But for Christmas 2010, there is another very extraordinarily beautiful and special tree that -- for the first time -- adorns the White House, inspired by the current First Lady.

The Military Appreciation Tree, which is pictured at the top of this blog post, is decorated elaborately with a Patriotic spirit in red, white, blue, and silver. Draped across the front is a cream colored banner that reads "Gifts of Gratitude and Service."

Decorative details include round white-silver glass balls framing the emblems of the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as ornaments with representations of the American Flag.  There are also glittering silver dove pendants -- a universal symbol of peace -- sprinkled throughout the tree, along with red and blue swags of ribbons draped upon its branches. 

Accenting these more ornate decorations are graceful, understated glass balls in solid red in various shapes and sizes of rounds, ovals, and teardrops.  Perhaps these garnet colored jewels are suggestive of the blood already shed selflessly and the resulting death toll of service members on Active Duty.  The twinkling lights, though subtle, might serve as a reminder too, this time of the many more service men and women who have been injured in battle. 

Dove of Peace Tree Topper for the Military Appreciation Tree
Photo by James Lutke, the Floral Designer & Artist

Most impressive though is the treetop ornamentation and the uplifting message I think that it evokes.  This larger than life dove with a wing span of 20 inches that crowns the tree was designed and made by Spring Lake, Michigan floral artist James Lutke of natural materials such as flowers and feathers.  Complete with a real olive branch in its mouth, the white bird is almost like an angel as it appears to be swooping down toward us with wings out stretched.  I interpret this as representing our collective wish as a Nation for lasting world peace and our mutual hope that peace is imminent and within sight now.

In the spirit of the season and in support of all five branches of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, visitors to the White House this season can see the Military Appreciation Tree, as well as 18 more, and a variety of other festive decorations.  Alongside the unique and symbolic military-themed tree there's also something else really meaningful going on.  Each visitor has the opportunity to hand write notes that will be delivered to those who are serving our country in the military right now.

But, if you can't make it to Washington, DC, don't worry.  You can still send your own season's greetings and letters of gratitude to our service men and women via the Internet.  All you have to do is complete a form on the White House website.  Your message will then be included with those who got up close to see the White House Military Appreciation Tree and will be sent on to America's service men and women stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world.

Watch the First Lady's White House.Gov Video to Learn About This Year's Holiday Celebration

Other decorations of particular note in the Children's Area of the White House holiday display include

• A giant replica of First Dog Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog, crafted of 40,000 black and white pipe cleaners.
• A child-sized tree with gingerbread ornaments that were decorated by 300 kids whose parents are now serving on Active Duty.
• A 350 pound gingerbread White House masterpiece which took a month to make and build.  It is actually white, not brown, in color because it is constructed of gingerbread that has been artfully covered in white chocolate.  The one-of-a-kind gingerbread house is accessorized by replicas of Bo, the family dog, and Mrs. Obama's famous fruit and vegetable garden, both created out of almond paste.

Though not in the White House's Children's Area, the Green Room decor is also worth mentioning.  This room is all about eco-friendly as it is decorated using recycled materials.  This includes several trees and decorations, all crafted from recycled paper, newspapers and magazines.

Now's your chance to weigh in.  What do you think of the White House's holiday decorations this year? What are your own interpretations of their symbolism? If you were First Lady (or First Man) what theme would you choose for a Christmas Tree for our Nation? Leave a comment and share your answers to any of these.  

FTC Disclosure:  As mentioned in this post, I received an email from Michelle Obama.  However, I did not receive payment or any other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

From a Child Psychiatrist: Holiday Shopping Advice for Parents Buying Holiday Tech Toy Gifts for Kids

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MommyBlogExpert's Son Tests Nancy Drew - Trail of the Twister by Her Interactive

Watch this blog for a separate post soon featuring an indepth review of this educational game

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com 

Share your own voice on this topic, by leaving a comment below this post

What tech gifts will you be giving your kids this year and why?

This year more than ever, kids will be expecting technology devices as holiday or Christmas gifts.   However, at the same time, parents fear the negative impact of such presents for their children.

Dr. Eitan Schwarz, an Illinois child and adolescent psychiatrist with expertise in technology’s impact on family life, sees benefits if the devices are managed properly to provide educational growth and enhance family relationships.

Dr. S, as he is known to his young patients, says parents can actually turn this holiday season into the start of a promising new chapter in how technology works in their homes by following a few simple guidelines.

Moms and Dads can and should take a more positive and active role in your child's tech toy use by 

• Thinking of all tech devices as home appliances that will bring value to family life and child development if purchased and utilized smartly.
• Creating an individualized media plan for each child that includes both limits and the benefits of growth opportunities: better family relationships, socialization, building of values and character traits, and education enrichment.
• Making entertainment only a minor part of the media plan. Avoid any device that does not serve family- and child-centered aims or provides only entertainment, especially if it will isolate the child with the device.
• Scheduling time to participate with your child and put limits of time and place for its use (or use negotiation with older children).
• Applying your new approach gradually to all other tech devices kids use  (TV, iPods, iPads, smart phones, etc.)

Dr. Eitan Schwarz elaborates on how to create a media plan and other steps to effect a positive tech environment for your child in his new book, Kids, Parents & Technology: A Guide for Young Families.

What tech gifts will you be buying for your kids this year? Please share your choices with us as a comment, explaining why you chose what you did for your family.

FTC Disclosure:  I did not receive payment or any other compensation associated with this particular post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Helping Kids Avoid Tech Overuse Abuse

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Children's Overuse and Abuse of Technology

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may already know that I write frequently about kids and technology. Most recently covering such wide ranging topics as cyber bullying and the latest kid-friendly iPhone & iPad apps.  Most recently, I posted about how to shop smart for kids tech gifts during the holidays.

Above: MBE's 18 Month-old Triplets are Attentive Computer Students

A Mom Weighs in on Kids and Technology Use

MBE partnered with Dr. Schwarz for this story, post contains affiliate links

Having just read Dr. Eitan Schwarz's book myself Kids, Parents & Technology: A Guide for Young Families (available in soft cover and Kindle) I feel a strong need to comment on how invaluable I think this title is to parents with children growing up in today's digital age.  

Dr. Schwarz gets right to the point in the preface of the book.  He says that we parents need help to manage our kids' usage of technology and we must take a more proactive role in encouraging our children to use it wisely.  

Organized into three sections: Setup & Quick Start Guide, User's Guide, and Food for Thought, this book is one that I wish had been sent home with me from the hospital after the arrivals of my triplets and their big brother, all four who are now teenagers. 

 

A moment later that same orderly kiddie computer lab overseen by their mom, turned into a three-ring Circus 

Child Psychiatrist on Solutions to Tech Overuse, Abuse

Now, without further adieu, here is Dr. Schwarz's own thoughts which I'd like to share with you. I hope you learn as much (or even more) from this than I have.

According to child and adolescent psychiatrist Eitan Schwarz, MD, "The explosive use of home computers and other technology-based consumer media -- some intended for children as young as six months old -- has parents like you concerned about the impact of computers, video games, smart phones and other interactive media on your child's development, family life, and social relationships."

"In actuality," Schwarz explains, "the topic of how to guide children to use technology wisely is a subject of widespread interest with great ramifications for the future. Younger and younger children are now in charge of how they consume media, and they are mostly consuming junk."  

"Surveys," he points out, "show that older kids currently spend over 50 hours a week on electronic devices  and this is increasing.  In fact, family interactions, imaginative play, and grades actually tend to drop when media usage increases. Further, excessive consumption can cause emotional difficulties, as well as result from existing ones.

 

Dr. Schwarz concludes, "Certainly, children need the thoughtful, active and positive guidance of their parents in this amazing Wild-West tech environment. Merely restricting access is not enough and I recommend that parents begin when your child is an infant, gradually decreasing their supervision and participation as the youngster grows older.  For every age group, there is a world of fun Internet sites and electronic games that can contribute to a child's development."

Dr. Schwarz's Six Ways to 
Aid A Child's Growth Through Tech

Eitan Schwarz, MD - Photo from My Digital Family

• Take Charge - Have confidence and take command. You can manage this important area of your kids lives because you have the home-court advantage.  Many parents too readily take a back seat and let kids take the lead.  Think about it: in what other important areas of life would you normally let that happen?

• Think of Media as Appliances - Start thinking of media as family appliances that must have positive values. Kids treat media as toys, but they are in fact adult tools with enormous power. Would you let your unsupervised young child use the telephone or oven? Only devices with proven benefits belong in children's hands.

• Remember, Technology is Healthy - From infancy onwards, teach your youngster to appreciate technology as a healthy and routine part of family life.  Starting young, children will learn that using technology is collaborative and social -- not an isolating solitary activity.

• Include the Whole Family - Create a new environment around the online family computer and other media to promote mutuality, fun, respect, and development for the entire familial group. Moving the home computer away from the wall and arranging seating all around it will make it a popular center for family life for both kids and parents.
• Make Media a Positive Learning Tool - Just as you already shop for healthy food, harvest the positive opportunities offered by media.  For every age group there are many wonderful Internet sites, apps, and downloadable software for the home computer that offer a world of learning entertainment experiences.

• Create Healthy Media Plans - Like you do meal plans, tailor media use into daily menus for each child to provide growth opportunities.  One way to do this is to regularly require enough online time on activities that actually enhance good values and education enrichment.

Kids, Parents & Technology: A Guide for Young Families, published by MyDigitalFamily.com, 228 pages, Softcover) is available on Amazon in softcover and Kindle and at booksellers nationwide.

About Eitan Schwarz, MD FAACAP DLFAPA

Recognizing the educational power of audio and visual devices, Dr. Schwarz, who is board-certified in general and child and adolescent psychiatry, conveys his messages through a series of videos: some for parents, some for children on Mydigitalfamily.org  Dr. S, as he is known to his young patients, has been a practicing psychiatrist serving families and their children for nearly 40 years.  He is a graduate of Cornell and Johns Hopkins Medical School.  He has been head of the child and adolescent psychiatric division at Evanston Hospital and is currently on the faculty of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

What ways have worked for you as a parent to help your child harness everything that the Internet, computers, and digital technology have to offer? 

MBE is an Amazon Advertising Affiliate partner and we receive a bit of compensation, at no extra cost to you, when an Amazon purchase is made through links in this post.

FTC Disclosure:  Eitan Schwarz, MD, provided the content for this guest column. Also, I received a copy of the book to facilitate review. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.