My son's fifth grade class is learning about money, finances and how they play a part in our everyday lives. Each student has their own checking account that they maintain. They earn money and enter the deposits into their checking accounts and also balance them.

One of the really cool projects that his teacher developed is a class auction. Kids bring items from home that they would like to sell at the auction. Whatever the item sells for, the student writes a check for that amount to the student that brought the item in. They then keep the item for themselves and each student balances their checkbook accordingly.

In the spirit of the holiday season, the last auction before the holiday break they ran the auction a bit different. The students brought their items in as usual but this auction they would not be keeping the items they bid on. Instead, the students all agreed that the items would be donated to a local youth charity for Christmas.

They had a professional auctioneer come in and facilitate the auction and a great time was had by all and the kids had bags full of items that they donated.

Congratulations to these great kids and their teacher for a job well done!

Rolling Hills Public Charter School, Boise, Idaho

Below is a video from the event.

Rose, Paris, Allie, Moriah, Nick and Mrs. Pfaff making Donation to Idaho Youth Ranch

A friend sent me this amazing video that I encourage everyone to watch, especially fathers.

The producers of the video, "Simple Truths" have many other motivational books and videos. For more information see our Life Links section

Any parent realizes just how fast our children grow up. Seems like they are playing with toy cars one day and driving cars the next!

So, how do we create an environment where time with our kids is more abundant?

The first thing we need to do is eliminate the excuses! We can always come up with an excuse why we can’t take time for our kids. Certainly there are circumstances that play a part in the time with our kids. The most often cited “excuse” is work commitments. While sometimes these circumstances are unavoidable, too often they become the most convenient explanation for our absence from our children’s lives.

I’m reminded of a scene from the movie “Daddy Day Care” where the father and day care owner, Eddie Murphy is offered a high paying position with his former employer. He would be the head of a new division, his salary doubled and a full staff. He explains to his young son that he will be going back to work and that they will be closing “Daddy Day Care”.  He tells his son that he will earn money to buy him toys etc. The young boy comments that he would sell all his toys if his dad would stay home with him and continue the day care.

Still, the lure of money sways his decision and he returns to his former employer. While at a meeting he is asked for some sales data and while going through his materials he comes across a drawing his son had given him. It was a drawing of him and his son. He immediately began to reflect on the moment that his son gave him the drawing and told his supervisor that the most important thing is his son and he quit on the spot. They reopened the day care and were very successful.

Though only a movie, there is a powerful message that can and should be taken from it. When we put our children first, everything else tends to take care of itself.

This has long been one of our favorite movies and I encourage you to watch it with your family. It helps deliver a message of priorities through humor. What could be better?

When I was growing up we didn’t have all the high tech toys, video games or internet and we had 4 TV stations that all went off at midnight.

I spent a lot of time playing outdoors, riding bikes and exploring.

Still today, with the world at our fingertips my 10 year old son will often say those infamous words “I’m Bored”.

So, I would like to know what are the activities that children today are involved in?

• Sports
• Video Games
• Volunteer Work
• Crafts

Please enter your comments below on what your children enjoy most. Thanks for participating.

My son’s 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Pfaff was kind enough to share this story with me about a letter she received from one her students. Below is the brief letter and Mrs. Pfaff’s thoughts about it.

Dear Mrs. Phaff,

“I forgot my math homework.  I am so sorry.  I did it though.  It is probably being eaten by my kitten right now.

Your student,

Paris”

She looked up at me with these big brown eyes filled with tears and squeezed me around the waist as I read the letter.  As I patted her on the head and told her not to worry, she pointed to the brand new scratch newly left on her forehead by her baby kitten, and tearfully explained to me that she still didn’t have a light in her room and that she didn’t know when she would find her homework, but that she would start tonight by using her flashlight and promised to keep looking until she found it!

It absolutely melted my heart!  It’s amazing what you can learn from a student.  She has resilience and straight-forward honesty, all wrapped up in this tiny being of sunshine.