Painting the Stage Green

It is time to get the show up and running. College Girl is working like crazy....well like me?  Peter Pan is the children's play.  And there is so much to be done.  They just finished the first show of the season.  Now it is time to redo everything and make a stage from a french pub to a pirate ship.  That takes a lot of talent and a lot of paint.  Yes, paint.  They paint everything.  Nothing is as it seems in the theater.  Instead it is all faux designs to look like wood or bricks or marble or whatever you think it is.  CG even has paint clothes.  Yes outfits just for painting in.  You never know what you will have to paint or the contortions to get to the different pieces.

Well now it is much much much easier for her to do.  Why?  Well because Super Mom (yeah, that's me) sent her a magic Green Toad to help out.  No she did not have to kiss it to make the magic work.  Instead it is a great pivoting paint system.  So with her magic lil helper she did not have to twist and bend and contort.  Instead the 360-degree rotating brush head did it all for her.  A flip of the wrist and College Girl was zipping through painting chores.  I sent her a ergonomic handle along with a brush and a roller.  This was a great starter set.
Why is it called Green Toad?  Well because it is Green.  Not just in color but also that it is made of recyclable, compostable and biodegradable materials.  Pretty cool huh?  I do thank Green Toad for sending us a starter set to try out.  It has made it's way to the theater at the college now.  I know I will not be seeing it here, but College Girl says it is the hit of the play....well at least with the crew it is.

Oh and CG suggested that I post the following tips.  Being on our 4th year of being a college mom I have learned to pull back and let her do her own thing more.  But oh that first year I was right on top of her all the time. I wish I had thought of the following then and not had to learn these tips on my own.

5 Ways to Parent a Successful College Kid

By Larry and Meagan Johnson

Adapted from their new book, "Generations, Inc."

In a recent poll of freshman students, 1 out of 10 freshmen had parents who called them every day or every other day. Another survey found that 4 out of 10 college students (38%) had parents who had spoken with or attended meetings with their academic advisors. Almost a third (31%) had parents who had called professors to complain about a grade. One in 4 described their parents as "overly involved."

Yet 65% of these college kids still asked for their parents' advice on academic and career paths. That doesn't surprise us. We have studied this age group, and found that today's college-age kids are quite unique in their needs, preferences, and abilities. They are also closer to their parents than any other generation before them, and this presents interesting challenges for both kids and parents.

Here are some ways parents can help them, without hovering.

Learn to text.

If you want to talk to your college kid, text, don't phone. Or make an appointment by text to phone. Find out his or her class schedule so your text message isn't buzzing in his pocket during a lecture. This crop of college kids sleeps with their phone, so you might as well join in.

 

Guide, don't decide.

If your child is like most of his peers, he probably asked for your help in choosing classes, planning his schedule, and picking extracurricular activities. That's typical of this age group, which has closer ties to and better communication with parents than previous generations. The best way you can help a new college student is to ask leading questions, offer some suggestions, and leave the rest to him.

 

Let them fail.

A crucial part of the learning experience is failing. We're not talking about failing a class. We're talking about signing up too late for a class, or missing an appointment with the counselor. If your child was used to Mom or Dad being the organizer, alarm clock, and reminder, she is bound to make some mistakes. After she does, talk to her about it and ask her what she might do differently next time.

 

Resist your inner editor.

Many college kids these days send papers home for Mom to "edit." In her high school days, that might have been a euphemism for "rewriting." But now your kid is career bound, and writing for her won't benefit your child when she has to demonstrate writing skills at her first job. Use this time to coach, teach, and encourage your budding writer to seek help from the writing center and free tutors all colleges have these days.

 

Keep parenting.

Today's college kids aren't different from their predecessors in terms of partying and going crazy with their new found independence. There's nothing wrong with talking to your kid about doing his homework, and about partying, sex, and other risky activities. Kids at this age still want limits, and although you won't be there to oversee all their social activities, they want to know that they are still accountable to someone other than themselves.

 

It is Craft Time

It is so much fun to color and paint. But it is more fun to do that on your hat! Or at least that is what many kids think. Here is a fun project to let your kiddos express their own sense of style.

Wallaroo has the Art Hat kit that encourages activity and helps develop fine motor skills. The kit contains an adjustable white microfiber bucket hat with a contrasting color under the brim, six nontoxic fabric paints, and a paintbrush.

I know that watching this hat being designed and painted was fun for me. Seeing how the time was taken to see just what pattern was wanted and when eyes light up as it all comes together. It may not be a work of art to all but it was a work of art to us. We added pins to decorate the hat too. You could do puffy fabric paints, self-adhesive felt and stick-ons.

The one we are decorating is for a 2-5 yr old but the have ones for a 5-7 year old too. And not only does this hat become a one-of-a-kind masterpiece it also has an UPF of 50+. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) shows how well a fabric protects your skin from solar UV. But remember, a Wallaroo hat only protects the skin it covers. Safeguard the rest of your body by wearing sunglasses and sunscreen.

Piggy Paint Giveaway

I am getting to do a Piggy Paint giveaway! I have seen Piggy Paint giveaways, tried to win Piggy Paint giveaways and now instead I get to have one of my own. I am so excited. I adore all the fun colors that Piggy Paint has to offer. Have you seen them? I love the bright colors in blues, oranges, yellows and of course my signature color of Pink! And best of all Piggy Paint is the safest choice for children.

• Non-toxic
• Odorless
• Water-based formula
• Hypoallergenic
• Fun, vibrant colors
• Dries to a hard, durable finish

Piggy Paint is happy to do a giveaway.

You can win a $20 Gift Certificate! That will give you enough to paint the "piggy's" of all your girls and you too! Personally I am eagerly awaiting the Candy Coated polish I already ordered. Not only was it a great color (and the color of the month) but it was already marked down 15%. Top that with the coupon code I used for another 15% off and it was a steal! Oh you want a deal like that too? Well since Piggy Paint offered a giveaway they also offered a coupon code just for you to use too! You can use the coupon code of CRAZED MIND15L. Is that a great deal? Well that is not all. Piggy Paint has also made it to where you can get FREE SHIPPING for any purchase over $25.00.

They use 100% reused peanuts to ship their products! I am sure your too want to help reduce, reuse and recycle! Let’s pamper Mother Earth! You can follow Piggy Paint at twitter.com/piggypaint

Piggy Paint is so awesome that one of you will get $20 to pick out some cool Piggy Paint polish for a sweet girl in your life! Pretty cool huh?!? Want to win it?? Here's how:

Very Important, leave a comment for each thing you do! (I want you to get credit, and have as many chances as you want to win!)

• Leave a comment & Tell me You want it after you
  


• Visit Piggy Paint and tell me what color you'd like to try


• Follow Me


• Blog About This Giveaway


• Grab the CRAZED MIND Button


• Tweet About This Giveaway


• If someone mentions that you sent them over, another entry for you


• Purchase something from Piggy Paint (5 entries) Don't forget to use your coupon code of CRAZEDMIND15L for another 15% off expiration September 15, 2009.

Giveaway Ends July 26th, 2009 at 11:59 p.m.