Liberty’s Crown Reopen for Visitors
By Laura Leigh Davidson
July 4, 2009
There will be more than fireworks and festivals to celebrate Independence Day this year. On July 4, the crown of the Statue of Liberty will once again be open to visitors.
The entire statue was closed to the public after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. On that day, terrorists flew planes into major buildings in New York City, Washington, D.C., and into a field near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After the attacks, U.S. officials tightened security at many major landmarks, buildings, and transportation systems.
In 2004, officials decided it was safe to reopen the Statue of Liberty’s base and lower observation deck to visitors.
But the Department of the Interior, which oversees U.S. national parks and landmarks, decided to keep statue’s crown closed. Officials said they were mainly concerned about the safety of the narrow 168-step spiral staircase that leads to the top of the statue.
Thanks to a number of recent security improvements, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says the crown can be reopened. Ten people will be allowed in the crown at a time. Park rangers will bring visitors up the spiral staircase to the top of the statue.
“On July 4th, we are giving America a special gift,” Salazar said in May. “We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to [the statue’s] crown for a unique view of New York Harbor, where millions of American families first saw the new world.”
People are accepting the gift with enthusiasm. The first batch of tickets to visit the crown sold out within a day.
Story of the Statue
The Statue of Liberty’s real name is Liberty Enlightening the World. The people of France gave the statue to the people of the U.S. as a symbol of American independence. She is also a symbol of friendship between the two countries. The 150-foot tall statue was unveiled in New York Harbor on October 26, 1886.
Often called “Lady Liberty,” the statue stands for freedom and independence. The tablet in her left hand has the date July 4, 1776, engraved on it. That’s the date the U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed. The right hand holds the Torch (or Light) of Freedom. The broken chain near the statue’s feet symbolizes the victory of liberty over a cruel and oppressive government.
The Statue has represented freedom and hope to millions of immigrants who came and are still coming to the U.S. to find a better life. Particularly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, most immigrants first arrived in America by way of New York Harbor. As newcomers approached their new home aboard boats, the Statue of Liberty was there to greet them.
Source: Scholastic News Online
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com
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Magical Nature Alphabet – Baby
Seaking Education Appropriate 4 Kids
Crawford the Cat – Kids Brushing your Teeth
Discipline and Your Child Health
Parenting Preschoolers with a Purpose, Setting the Table
Children to Help Around House
July 1, 2009 by Dan
Filed under One Person's View
By MVParents
June 30, 2009
Vacuums don’t clean houses. People clean houses.
–Lew Schneider, American writer
If you wish your child helped out more at home, you’re not alone. According to research from Arizona State University, the four most common tensions about household chores include parents wishing kids would:
(1) clean their rooms,
(2) pick up their dirty clothes,
(3) put their dirty dishes in the sink, and
(4) hang up wet towels. The same research study also found that kids between the ages of 6 and 18 do about 12 percent of household chores-leaving 88 percent to the parents. How can you get everyone to help with household chores? Consider these ideas.
Tips for All Parents
- Create a chore list: list all the chores that need to be done and when, and then divide family chores up between family members. Or create a job jar: list chores one by one on slips of paper, fold them, and put them in a jar. Then have family members choose a piece of paper and get to work.
- Set aside a time when everyone does chores together, such as a Saturday morning or a part of a Saturday afternoon. Explain that everyone will do chores at the same time and no one can do anything else until all the chores are completed. Encourage family members to help each other out to get chores finished sooner.
- Be patient. Very few people enjoy doing chores, so expect kids to take short cuts and not always complete a chore to your liking. Continue having high expectation but don’t expect kids to start out with enthusiasm or great mastery.
- Talk about why doing household chores is important. Chores keep your home clean and enjoyable. They teach responsibility and help you make decisions. You can take pride in doing a job well, and everyone in a family is happier when everyone does his or her share.
Parents with children ages birth to 5
- Find chores that are age appropriate for your kids. For example, get a big feather duster and let your child dust. Or let your child set the table by placing the silverware next to place settings. For more ideas, view short video in our video section.
- Encourage kids to pick up after themselves. Use a toy bucket and make time every day for you and your child to pick up the toys and place them in the bucket.
- Stick with kids during chore times. They often get distracted by other things and need reminding to stay on task. They’re also more likely to finish their tasks if you work side by side with them.
Parents with Children ages 6 to 9
- Place your child in charge of the chores during chore time. If you have a job jar, let your child choose one slip of paper to give to each family member. Then ask your child what advice he or she has before everyone starts.
- Make chore time fun by playing music. You can also learn and sing the song “Whistle While You Work,” from the movie Snow White.
- Figure out ways that kids can help out with parts of chores. For example, show kids where each family member’s sock drawer is. Then when the laundry is folded, have your kids put each family member’s socks away.
Parents with children ages 10 to 15
- Teach your child more complex household chores as they grow. For example, 10- and 11-year-olds can learn how to strip the bed and put the sheets and pillowcases into the chute or laundry hamper. Teach 13- to 15-year olds how to do laundry.
- If you have a yard, teach kids how to help with outside chores, such as raking leaves, pulling weeds, shoveling snow, and mowing the lawn. Kids are more likely to stick with chores if family members are out doing them together.
- Talk about how household chores and homework are important responsibilities. Even if you don’t enjoy doing them, it’s often helpful to do these tasks first and then have fun later. Or if there are too many chores (or too much homework), do some for 30 minutes, take a break for 30 minutes, and then come back and do some more.
Parents with children ages 16 to 18
- If it seems to you that your older teenager does fewer chores at this age then at a younger age, you are not alone. According to Arizona State University research, the amount of household chores done by this age group declines sharply due to more challenging schoolwork, more complex schedules, part-time jobs, and other demanding activities. Some parents allow older teenager to do fewer household chores as long as they keep their grades up and are involved in other activities. Other parents believe that older teenagers still need to participate in a few household chores. For more insights from the research study, read The Chore of Chores.
- If your teenager gets into a money jam (such as dropping his iPod into the toilet and completely ruining it) and you don’t want your teenager to get a job, consider creating household chores for your teenager to do for money. Instead of choosing everyday chores (such as washing dishes or picking up the house), figure out special projects, such as cleaning out a closet and donating things you don’t use to Goodwill, helping to erect a trellis, or digging up a new flower bed outside.
- Older teenagers usually can’t wait to be an adult. Make it clear that responsibilities go hand in hand with the freedoms of adulthood. For example, maybe you require your 18 year old to do his or her wash each week. Or maybe you insist that your 18 year old has to cook for the family once a week. Be creative, but be consistent.
© 2009. All Rights Reserved, Search Institute. Legal.
Source: MVParents
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com
Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Moving Day
By Meg Cabot
July 1, 2009
If you like books that are fun and have many silly jokes, then Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Moving Day is the book for you. A book filled with lots of drama from Allie and her friends, many laughs and of course, rules.
Allie has one friend named Marry Kay. Allie’s not that crazy about her; she really wants a new best friend. But when Allie wanted a change, her parents gave her one. The secret was that they were moving.
Allie wasn’t surprised. Her mom had wanted to test out her home improvement skills on an old house that she could restore. Their current house was already redone. Allie didn’t mind moving at first, but soon she did.
Moving means new friends, new school, new house, new everything. When Allie moves, she will also have to deal with the challenge of being the new girl. Allie wanted a change, but not one as big as moving. Even though Allie wants a change (a new best friend) she likes her house and doesn’t want a new one.
The characters in the book have a good mix of personalities. Many of the characters are very different from each other, especially Allie and Mary Kay. Allie and her rules are fun. Some are silly, and some are ones that really make sense. For example, a silly one that Allie uses is “Never eat anything red.” A good rule that’s not very silly is “Treat your friends the way you’d want them to treat you.” There are many more rules in the book. Allie was very believable throughout the book. If she said something about moving, Mary Kay or school, you could definitely believe her. As I read the book, she almost felt like a best friend to me.
I enjoyed the book as every chapter added to a great story. The chapters weren’t short but they weren’t long and the story moved quickly without long descriptions. This is the first in a series, and it left me wanting to read the next book. I became so lost in the book that whenever I wasn’t reading it, I was talking about it.
I would recommend Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls to all girls who love a good fun book with silly moments.
Source: Scholastic News Online
Editor’s Note: We would like to hear what you think? And if you read a book and you would like to do a review. You can contact us at dan@youngchronicle.com