Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street

By Laura Linn
Nov. 30, 2009

Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch . . . is there anyone reading this article who doesn’t recognize these characters? Sesame Street has been around so long many of your parents probably have fond memories of the show.

This month, the classic children’s television show that stars furry Muppets alongside human actors celebrates its 40th anniversary.

When Sesame Street first went on the air in November 1969, kids and parents had never seen anything like it.

What was so different about it? Believe it or not, no one had ever heard of educational television before. The idea that TV could be used as a teaching tool for children was brand-new.

The show was originally aimed at children who did not have access to preschool. The show’s creators wanted to help them learn basic skills, like the alphabet and counting, as well as values like friendship and respect—all while having fun.

Forty years and 4,187 episodes later, Sesame Street has not only made learning fun for millions of American children, but it also now teaches children in 125 countries.

 

The First Lady Helps Celebrate

First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on the episode marking Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary on November 10. In the episode, she joined characters Elmo and Big Bird along with a group of children. Together they planted vegetable seeds to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and carrots. Mrs. Obama has emphasized the importance of healthy eating since the start of her husband’s presidency.

 

Muppets Past and Present

If you visited Sesame Street in 1969, you would see plenty of familiar faces. Big Bird, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and Bert and Ernie are some of the Muppets—the puppets created by puppeteer Jim Henson—that have been around Sesame Street since the very beginning.

But you wouldn’t see some of the characters you remember from your own preschool days. Big Bird’s friend Snuffleupagus first appeared in 1971, and the number-loving Count in 1972. Elmo, the superstar of today’s Sesame Street, arrived in 1979. At first, he was known simply as Little Monster.

Abby Cadabby became the newest Muppet on the block in 2006. The fairy in training is also the most modern Muppet: beginning this season, she is a digital creation, rather than a physical, fuzzy puppet.

An Ever-Changing Street

The Street has changed in other ways too. Initially aimed mostly at urban, or city, children, the show had a more gritty, big-city feel in the early days. Graffiti was visible, and the colors on the set were not as bright as they are today.

In 1969, children who rode their bikes on Sesame Street did not wear helmets, and Cookie Monster ate nothing but cookies. Today, he knows that cookies are a “sometimes” food, and that he needs to eat fruits and vegetables as well. The show has evolved, or changed, constantly over the years to keep its learning current for kids.

 

Did You Know?

The first episode of Sesame Street was sponsored by the letters W, S, and E and the numbers 2 and 3.

Creators of Sesame Street were thinking of calling the show “123 Avenue B.”

Big Bird is 8 feet, 2 inches tall.

Oscar the Grouch was orange during the first season, before being changed to green.

Actor Caroll Spinney, now 75, has played Big Bird since the first episode. He also plays Oscar the Grouch. 

Kermit the Frog made his last appearance on the show in 2001. He is the only original Muppet no longer on Sesame Street.

77 million Americans have watched Sesame Street as children. You are probably one of them!

 

Source: Scholastic News Online

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Tree Safety to Protect Our Kids

 

By Parents
Nov. 27, 2009 

Though fire-resistant artificial trees in general are safer than fresh-cut trees, some families find it’s just not Christmas without a real pine or spruce, no matter what its size.

If your family insists on the real thing, be sure to follow these tips from the National Christmas Tree Association and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. 

Choose a healthy, fresh tree. Here’s how: Grasp a branch between your thumb and forefinger, and slide your fingers down the branch. If the tree is fresh, very few needles should come off in your hand.

To ensure that your tree stays a vibrant green, make a cut straight across the bottom of the trunk (about a quarter of an inch above the previous cut) before placing the tree in the stand.

Keep the tree stand filled with water. As a general rule, a fresh tree will absorb more than a gallon of water in the first 24 hours and one or more quarts a day thereafter.

Place the tree away from household sources of heat, such as fireplaces, radiators, television sets, and vents.

Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections, and broken sockets before placing them on the tree.

Don’t overload extension cords — no more than three strings of lights per cord is the rule.

Never leave your tree unattended while the lights are turned on.

Source: Parents

 

Editor Notes: Tips 4 through 7 apply to artificial trees too. We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

National Recall – Baby Crab

By Safe Kids
Nov. 29, 2009

On Nov. 23, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo.

The CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

The drop-sides of the recalled cribs can detach in one or more places due to problems with the cribs’ plastic hardware or improper installation of the drop-sides. 

This creates space between the drop-side and the crib mattress where infants and toddlers can become entrapped, leading to suffocation.  Falls can also occur if the drop-side detaches completely.

The CPSC is aware of 110 incidents of drop-side detachment, including 15 entrapments and 20 falls. 

Four of the entrapments resulted in suffocation deaths: a 7-month-old in Gouverneur, N.Y.; a 7-month-old in New Iberia, La.; a 6-month-old in Summersville, W.Va.; and a 9-month-old in Bronx, N.Y.

The cribs were sold in the United States and Canada from January of 1993 to October of 2009 for $100 to $400.

Major retailers included BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com.

For more details, including how to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side to a fixed side, please read the CPSC recall notice.  Do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit.

Source: USA Safe Kids

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Do an Angel Tree Today

By Colleen Hughes
Nov. 28, 2009 

Our angel tree is up! Good thing too, because three wonderful handmade angels have already arrived.

My favorite ornament so far is an adorable felt choir angel from MaryEllen Befring in Loves Park, Illinois. I want to hang it next to the cutest felt choir mouse sent in last year. (Yes, the mouse has wings!)

Mary Ellen also included Christmas greetings to our staff: “I hope you enjoy displaying little Annalisa on your tree as much as I enjoyed creating her. I am so very blessed by the stories in ANGELS ON EARTH, and wish all of you continued success.”

Please get out your sewing baskets and craft buckets, and put together an angel for our tree. Soon, we’ll post the history of the Angels Tree, with a video of the staff decorating, and we’d love to feature your ornament online.

 

Send it to:

Angels on Earth Angel Tree
16 East 34 St
New York, NY 10016.

 

Help make this year’s tree the best one yet.

Source: Guide Post

 

Editor’s Note: Colleen Hughes is the editor-in-chief of ANGELS ON EARTH. She’s been at GUIDEPOSTS for 20 plus years, and lives in a Hudson River town with her two daughters and two cats.

We would like to know what you think. dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

Please do an angel tree in your neighborhood and help a child that will not have gifts for Christmas

Safety Tips: Shopping Carts

By Consumer Reports
Nov. 27, 2009

As people crowd stores for those all-important holiday bargains, it’s important to keep child safety in mind—especially when it comes to shopping carts.

Though they may seem sturdy, shopping carts are deceptively unstable, especially when you’ve got a baby in an infant carrier perched on top, or a squirmy toddler who won’t stay in his seat.

It’s no wonder shopping carts are among the leading causes of head injuries to young children.

To prevent shopping cart injuries from falls and tip-over, keep these cart precautions in mind:

 

DO:

• Always use seatbelts to restrain your child in the cart’s seat and keep an eye on her. That’s the best you can do if going shopping with your children can’t be avoided and you decide to use a shopping cart.

 

• Use a stroller, wagon, or soft carrier instead of a shopping cart.

 

• Have your child walk once he gets older.

 

• Have another adult come with you to watch your baby while you shop.

 

• Leave your kids home with another adult on your shopping days, if you can.

 

• Shop online so you don’t have to trek to the store with your baby.

 

DON’T:

• Leave your child alone in the shopping cart unsupervised.

 

• Let your child stand up in a shopping cart.

 

• Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart.

 

• Let your child ride in the cart basket.

 

• Let your child ride or climb on the sides or front of the cart.

 

• Let older children push the cart when there’s another child in it.

Source: Consumer Reports

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Family Photos

By Beverly Beckham
Nov. 28, 2009

After I resurrected old slides from the cellar and scanned them (with a scanner I bought online for less than $100), I downloaded the photos to my computer. It was time-consuming but easy and so worth doing. There, on a 20-inch screen looking better than expected, was my past.

Not all of it, but a big chunk of it. My old house, my old neighborhood, my neighbors. My friends. My dog, Buttons. My Aunt Lorraine. And both my parents, so incredibly young.

My father bought a 35 millimeter slide camera in the summer of 1957 and for a year he and that camera were inseparable.

Eventually, he took it out just for occasions. Holidays and birthdays. School dances. Proms, graduations, my wedding. The birth of my son. My father chronicled decades.

He finally bought himself a big metal projection screen sometime in the 1960s but for most of my childhood, when he wanted to show his slides, he tacked a white sheet to the parlor wall.

Because this was a makeshift screen, the images wavered, the pictures were creased, and more often than not the flowered wallpaper showed through.

 

High-Tech Images

The photos on my computer screen do not waver. Some are flecked with dust and some are a little out of focus and most are a strange shade of orange, but they look better to me than they looked 50 years ago.

I study every one. I inspect the background — the trees my father planted, tiny in some pictures, huge in others, the white lattice trellis he built, the two weeping willows that a hurricane blew away, the rock garden my mother loved, the neighbors’ fences, the neighbors’ bare backyards.

It’s the neighborhood that pulls me back, the place I called home from the time I was 7 until I left to get married my house, street.  The life I lived and the life I left there.

I make a file and call it “neighborhood.” Easy to do, just click on the image and drag it into the file and there it is. And when I finish clicking and dragging, I have the option to add a song. So I do. And I have my first slideshow.

My father would be proud.

 

Onscreen Enchantment

I show my grandson, Adam, when he comes to visit. “Want to see what I did?” I ask and because he is 5, he doesn’t hesitate.

“That’s the house I lived in when I was just a little older than you,” I tell him. “And that’s my friend Elaine. And that’s my friend Rosemary. And that’s my dog, Buttons. And all those people?

Those are my neighbors who came over to see me and take pictures the night of my senior prom.”

It is a short slideshow, just two minutes, and when it is finished Adam says, “I love it, Mimi” and asks if he can make a slideshow.

“Of course,” I say, because that’s what you say to your grandchildren. “What do you want it to be about? Your neighborhood? Mom? Or Dad? Or Charlotte? Or your friends? We can do anything you want.”

And he says, “I want to make a movie about Lucy and me.”

Lucy is his 6-year-old cousin and in the beginning it was just the two of them, Lucy and Adam, only ten months apart, always together, at my house, at their houses, in a playpen, in the living room, in a double stroller, inseparable.

I have hundreds of photos of Lucy and Adam on my computer. We look through them, and then Adam clicks on the ones he wants.

We make a file. We call it Lucy and Adam. He moves around the pictures until he has them in an order he likes. Then he deletes some. Then he chooses a Beatles song, “From Me to You.”

 

Lights, Camera, Action

We press play.

And there on the computer screen is Adam’s first movie.

It’s a long, long way from a sheet on a wall to this. And yet, though the technology is different, the images crisper, the process easier, the moment is the same.

My grandson and I are sitting side by side watching people we love on a screen. His mother returns to pick him up.

She sits with us. She smiles. My other daughter stops by with Lucy. Then my husband comes home. Then Lucy’s dad.

We add more chairs and play the movie again and again.

Source: Grandparents

 

Editor’s Note: Beverly Beckham is an award-winning columnist who writes for The Boston Globe. She has five grandchildren.

We would like to know what you think. dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

Jenny’s Pearls

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
Nov. 29, 2009

Do you know what “Joy logy” means? It is the study of caring, sharing, and listening and Sacrifice.

This was written by Mr. Jeineke in 1975

We would like to know what you think: dan@youngchronicle.com

What is a Joyologist? A joyologist then would be one who studies joy logy. Frankly our world could use a great many joyologists whose mission in life is to actively research the effects of discussing and sharing joy. The research could branch out into how joy affects our careers, family lives, and friendships. The very act of doing the active research should spread jubilation throughout the world and bring about positive results. What a fun job!

All one needs to start with is to share the words joyism, joy logy, and joyologis with others. Use the words daily and make them a part of the world’s vocabulary.

The upcoming year is going to challenge us all. Here is something we need to think, this is from an unknown reader. It is called: Nothing More Important than God.

 

 By Unknown

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. “Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!” Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face.

“A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma.”

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere — Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?” “Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you.” “Then give me your pearls.”“Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess — the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my favorite.”  “That’s okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night.” And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?” “Daddy, you know I love you.” “Then give me your pearls.” “Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper.” That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you.” And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. “What is it, Jenny? What’s the matter?” Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, “Here, Daddy. It’s for you.”

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure. So like our heavenly Father.
What are you hanging on to?

Source: Joyology

Holiday Home Safety

By American Baby
Nov. 29, 2009

As you’re sprucing up your home this season, keep an eye out for these common holiday trip-ups, fire hazards, and other safety snafus.

Merry and Bright: Carefully inspect holiday light strings each year and discard any with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders, or loose connections. When replacing bulbs, unplug the light string and be sure to match voltage and wattage to the original bulb.

 

Lights Out: Always turn off holiday lights when you leave the house unattended or when going to bed.

 

Fresh Is Best: Try to purchase a freshly cut tree, as they are more resistant to ignition. Keep your Christmas tree watered and away from open candles.

 

Timing Is Everything: Use an outdoor timer certified by CSA International to switch lights on and off. Lights should be turned on after 7 p.m. to avoid the electricity rush hour.

 

Check for the Certification Mark: When purchasing light strings, extension cords, spotlights, electrical decorations, gas appliances, or carbon monoxide alarms, look for the certification mark of an accredited certification organization such as CSA International, UL, or ELT to ensure that the products comply with applicable standards for safety and performance.

 

One and Done: Never connect more than one extension cord together; instead use a single cord that is long enough to reach the outlet without stretching, but not so long that it can get easily tangled.

 

The Great Outdoors: When hanging outdoor lights, keep electrical connectors off the ground and away from metal rain gutters. Use insulated tape or plastic clips instead of metal nails or tacks to hold them in place.

 

Climbing Up: Using a ladder when you put up lights? Choose the correct ladder for the job and double check for a certification mark to ensure your portable ladder complies with applicable standards.

 

Keep the Gas Behind Glass: Do not use your gas fireplace if the glass panel is removed, cracked, or broken, and only allow a qualified service person to replace fireplace parts.

 

Sound the Alarm: Test your smoke alarms monthly to make sure they work, and be sure to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level of your home — especially near sleeping areas.

 

Filter-Friendly Furnace: To help prevent CO hazards in your home, have a qualified heating contractor perform a yearly maintenance check of your furnace and venting system, and clean or replace your furnace filter frequently during the heating seasons.

 

Clean the Clutter: Do not store combustible materials such as gasoline, propane, paper, chemicals, paint, rags, and cleaning products near your gas furnace. Gasoline or propane cylinders should be stored outside the home.

 

 

Source: CSA International   Parents

 

Editor’s Note: The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care.

You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor.

Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child’s condition. Originally published on AmericanBaby.com, November 2005.

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Recipe of the Week – Football Turnovers

 

By Family Fun
Nov. 28, 2009

 

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) box refrigerated piecrusts (two 9-inch crusts)
• 1/2 pound meatballs, cooked
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Milk for glaze

 

Instructions

To make a batch, first set out the crusts to bring them to room temperature (about 15 minutes) and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, cut the meatballs into small pieces, then place them in a small saucepan with the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool thoroughly.

 

One at a time, place each crust on lightly floured waxed paper and use a floured rolling pin to flatten it slightly into a 10-inch circle. Use a biscuit cutter to cut seven 4-inch circles from the dough, then reroll the dough scraps to get 3 more dough circles.

 

Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto half of each circle, leaving about a 1/2-inch margin at the edge, then sprinkle on about 1/2 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese. Use your fingertips to moisten the edges of the dough with water, then fold the uncovered half of the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal.

 

Crimp the edge with a fork, then transfer the turnovers to a lightly greased baking sheet and poke each one twice with a fork for vents. Brush each one with milk, then bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 20 small turnovers

 

Source: Family Fun

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know your favorite receipt. dan@youngchronicle.com

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Pot Pie

 

by Mary Sellers
Nov. 28, 2009

Description

A quick dish for family, guests, or ..

Ingredients
large can chicken,
1can mixed vegetables
1 cup self rising flour
1 tbls ground sage
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 stick margarine
1 small onion, diced or 1/3 cup dehydrated onion
1 tablespoon dehydrated celery or 1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp -2tsp greek seasoning

Directions
save flour and margarine, and set aside.
mix all other ingredients and dump in a chafing dish (small-med)
dump the flour on top and spread it evenly over the top.
now slice the butter over the top.
bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden blown

Cook Time: 1 Hr

 

Source: Eversave

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

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