Things to do with kids

Staying around the Bay Area this holiday week? Looking for something to do with kids that doesn’t involve shopping on Friday morning? Why not take a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium?

The aquarium is located in beautiful Monterey, CA on historic Cannery Row. The street itself has many fun shops and restaurants, as well as beach access (if you are brave enough to sit in the cold!) The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers plenty of activities for everyone in the family. You can watch daily animal feedings, watch live presentations with some of the animals, visit the tidepools and touch some of the wildlife and more.

My favorite exhibit for many years has been the jellyfish exhibit. I love sitting and watching the jellies float through the water (and their colors are just amazing!)

The new exhibit at the aquarium is amazing as well - The Secret Lives of Seahorses. The variety of seahorses and sea dragons is amazing in and of itself, and watching the creatures move about their tanks is fascinating.

So even though it is a bit of a drive down to Monterey, it is well worth the trip. The aquarium is still one of my favorite places to visit, and if you still want to get in a little holiday shopping, the stores on Cannery Row are sure to have something you’ll enjoy.  

  (All photos taken by Mary Ayers).

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Facebook Basics Class for Parents (Facebook入門與安全設定家長班)

Is Facebook safe?  As Facebook becoming a huge social networking media among teens, even tweens or younger children if they faked their age (yes, sadly more than 7.5 million kids under 13 are on Facebook), more and more parents are concerned about what their children are doing on this website.  To help parents understand Facebook and learn how to use privacy and security settings so they can advise their children in social media safety, the Centerville Library is offering Facebook Basics classes for parents in multi-languages.  Our first session will be offered in Mandarin on Thursday, November 10 from 1:00 to 2:00 PM.  If needed, a one-on-one appointment with a teen volunteer can be arranged to assist you through the process of setting up a Facebook account.

怎麼辦? 我家的青少年整天掛在Facebook上, Facebook到底安不安全? 您知道嗎? Facebook的人口數, 已使它成為世界第三大國了, 是個”非識不可”的社交網站. 為了因應許多家長的需求, Centerville圖書館決定推出Facebook入門與安全設定課程, 第一場將以中文進行, 歡迎想讓 “擔心” 變 “放心” 的家長踴躍參加!  日期為11月10日, 1:00-2:00 PM.   如有需要, 課後還可另行安排時間, 由青少年義工輔導您建立Facebook帳號.

Centerville圖書館地址如下, 詳情請洽張小姐(Chien), 510-795-2629, email: cchang@aclibrary.org

The Centerville Library is located at 3801 Nicolet Ave., Fremont, CA 94536

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Parent Education Workshop – Children Mental Health

Image via Wikipedia

 

Date: February 16th and February 23rd, 2011

Location:  Washington High School Cafeteria 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.       

In addition to the normal ups and downs of childhood and teen life, more serious problems can occur. Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, addiction and bi-polar are mental health issues that also can affect our children, and today’s parents want more information to help them recognize and work effectively with these serious situations. Whether your family is currently dealing with one of these problems or you just want to be more informed, come to these meetings on mental health and our kids.

It will cover signs of mental health problems, resources available for help,  and learning strategies parents can use to help children and teens develop the emotional resilience they need to respond appropriately to the challenges and frustrations of growing up.

If you are interested in attending, you need to RSVP at  lorinaylor@gmail.com

Instructor: Elaine Culverwell, a marriage and family therapist, has over 20 years of experience working with the kids and parents of Fremont. She is a former teacher in the Fremont Unified School District and now teaches parenting classes for Fremont’s Youth and Family Services.

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