How to Choose a Preschool Tips - 6 Must Ask Questions to Find the Best Fit For Your Child

Parenting

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How can you be certain that the preschool you're considering is right for your particular child? No longer just a place to learn how to play and have fun with other kids, modern preschool is now an important part of a child's education, building a foundation for developing skills that lead to later school success.

My son w/ his partner collaborating on a preschool project

“The expectations for school readiness have shifted," says Claire Haas, vice president of education for Kiddie Academy. "Before, kindergarten was the precursor to formal education. In contrast, today it marks the beginning of a child's school career with specific state requirements and standards. Clearly the stakes for being ready nowadays for school are higher than ever. As such, preschool curriculum has evolved to encompass academics as well as developmental and social expectations.”

Image from Kiddie Academy

Haas suggests parents of soon-to-be preschoolers ask some very important questions

• Does the preschool program provide curriculum-based education and enrichment activities? Developmentally-appropriate academic programs prepare children to be lifelong learners.

• How does the facility help to prepare your child so that he or she will meet state standards upon entering elementary school?

• Evaluate the arts program. Are the projects child-driven? Are students given materials with freedom to be creative in constructing the end result, thus expressing themselves through art? 

• Review the physical fitness plan. Does the center provide activities that focus on health and fitness? 

• How is technology integrated into lessons? Today's best preschools offer multiple ways to utilize computers and technology to enhance learning experiences. 

• Does the center offer your child a variety of ways to interact with other children throughout the day? By exposing your child to a range of participation formats—independent, small group and large group—your child becomes a more well-rounded individual, better prepared for kindergarten and beyond. 

If you're choosing between several options, give some serious thought to how each preschool approaches the topics above. Once you've done your research thoroughly you'll have what it takes to make an informed decision that's right for your family. 

For more education and parenting tips, visit the Kiddie Academy Family Blog.

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Journey 2 The Mysterious Island Movie Review

Movies

This post celebrates the June 5th release of  Journey 2: The Mysterious Island on DVD and Blu-ray from Warner Bros. as well as the new app associated with this PG-rated action adventure family movie.

In Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games) finds a hidden signal he thinks will reconnect him with his lost grandpa played by Michael Caine). Enlisting his new step dad, Sean finds a map and then sets off on his search. This leads him to a young woman Kailani and to the island of Atlantis. Once there Sean and friends must fight giant bees, killer lizards, a gold volcano and electric eels so they can escape the lost city and return home.

Giveaway

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

DVD GIVEAWAY

Ends 6/15/12

HOW TO ENTER

Just leave a comment(s). Contest ends June 15, 2012 at 5 pm PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. One MBE reader wins the newly released Journey 2: The Mysterious Island DVD.

Required (Mandatory) Entry

Click on the image above to visit the new Journey 2: The Mysterious Island app and take the fun Would You Survive the Mysterious Island Quiz. Then return to this blog post and share your results as a comment. Don't forget to include your email address, Facebook and/or Twitter contact info in the comment section so the winner can be contacted. That's it, you're entered.

Optional Extra Entries 
Earn extra entries to win for doing one or more of the easy options listed below. Just be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert (MBE) to leave an additional comment after each individual extra action you do to confirm so we can record all your additional chances to win.

1. Follow @mommyblogexpert on Twitter

2. Like @mommyblogexpert on Facebook

3. Like @journey2 on Facebook

***Bonus Entries***

You can earn even MORE chances to win each time you TWEET the message below, up to 3 times each day. Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for each of your RTs.

Tweet to copy and paste:

Would U Survive? Enter to WIN Journey 2 The Mysterious Island DVD GIVEAWAY http://tinyurl.com/8xw3d9d #Journey2 #family #movie RT

More Family-Friendly Giveaways

Mommy Blog Expert

ENTER Them All HERE

FTC Disclosure: Warner Bros. is providing the prize and shipping for the giveaway. MommyBlogExpert did not receive any other payment or 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.

US Postal Service Spam Alert - What to Do About Suspicious Undeliverable Package Emails

Technology

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It's an unfortunate reality. Technology is great, but there is also a dark side. Cyber crime is all too common these days and there is definitely no shortage of spam schemes and other types of fraudulent online behaviors that are currently targeting consumers. This post is an effort to do my small part to help fight the criminal email activity that plagues us all in general as well as to give readers ideas on what to do specifically if you encounter the emails currently going around that are being sent by imposters of the U.S. Post Office.

This is a true story. Today a very fishy email arrived in my mailbox that said "From U.S. Postal Service" in the email's sender field including a very convincing email address that directed me to click on the .rar attachment for details on what turned out to be a fictitious undeliverable package addressed to me. 

This email I got listed a phony tracking number that I checked out not by clicking on anything within the email but by opening a new window and going directly to the legitimate site USPS.com which is run by the United States Postal Service. In an attempt to motivate me to download the aforementioned .rar attachment it even included an obviously idle threat to charge me $12.25 per day if I didn't claim the package after 30 days just for them to "keep" my non-existent package. 

Good thing I didn't fall for this guise. Neither should you.

What to Do
If you do receive a suspicious email similar to the one that I received which looks like it might be about a U.S. Mail package delivery problem, stop and think before acting. There's a good chance it could actually be spam, phishing for your personal identification or a harmful virus that's about to invade your computer

Steps to protect your computer, yourself, family & others

• DON'T click on any link within the email or download attachments.  That's because it's likely that this is not really from the U.S. Post Office.
• Forward the email immediately to Spam@uspis.gov or call 800 ASK USPS to report it.
• Share this post on Twitter and Facebook with this link http://tinyurl.com/742nq5b

For more information on combating fake emails involving personal and business deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service visit USPS Customer Service.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or 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.