Andrea Stein's Blog

Hey! Just because you can’t drive yet, doesn’t mean you can’t start making a difference, right here and right now!

Read on for 10+ great ideas a girl can do on her own (or with a little help from friends and family) to start making a difference in her world RIGHT NOW!!

Tutoring Service – Have a favorite subject? Good at something in school? Offer to be a homework helper or a tutor to kids younger than you and get paid for sharing your knowledge. Or you can do it on a volunteer basis. TIP: Know where to advertise. Put flyers up in or around schools or after in after-school centers. Tell former teachers of yours (especially if you did great in their class!) about your services. TIP: Make a portable “tutoring kit.” Keep handy and fun supplies in it like flashcards, colored pencils, stickers, and even board games (like Boggle ™ if you’re teaching language arts or Yahtzee ™ if your tutoring kids in math.)
Loose Change – Collect loose change from your family in special jar or box and figure out a charity to donate it to. Make more boxes and get the whole neighborhood or class involved. Collect the boxes on a regular basis and donate to a cause. Print out fact sheets about your charity, with information about why it’s such a great cause and why it is particularly meaningful to you. Offer these sheets to people you ask to donate. TIP: Find a charity that has special meaning to you (like an animal shelter, if you’re an animal lover, or a children’s Diabetes fund, if you or a family member is a diabetic).
Go Green – Have a green thumb? Grow organic vegetables and sell them to the neighborhood in the summer months. TIP: Advertise your produce by cooking up a dish from your garden ingredients and giving away free samples in the neighborhood. Try making a fresh salsa or gazpacho, which is a cold vegetable soup. Want to start a green revolution? If you did, so can they – write up flyers on how anyone can turn their backyard into an organic vegetable patch. Give away the organic seeds from your own crop and watch the green grow. Include recipe information with your produce so customers know how to use all the wonderful vegetables.
Throw a Can Party – Organize a food drive. Perhaps you can have a party and ask everyone to bring a can of food instead of a present. TIP: Put a collection box in your class at school, or in a few classes, and ask your principal if the class that collects the most food can win an ice cream or pizza party!
Project Runway Fan – Collect old clothes from the neighborhood and take them to charity TIP: Offer to help your friends clean out their closets. TIP: Make sure to scour your closet and your family’s closets for clothes you no longer need.
Organize Community Clean up days – Take pride in the place where you live by organizing a community clean up day. Organize different projects like 8 gardening in front of the library, picking up trash around the school, putting out recycling bins, and painting a fence. Have people sign up for projects ahead of time and designate a “team leader” for each. TIP: See if a local grocery store or restaurant will donate some food for thank you party afterwards. Print up thank you brochures and send a notice to the local paper – the restaurant will love the publicity.
Help out at a food bank or soup kitchen – Grab an apron and smile and help dish out some chow at a soup kitchen. Or you can volunteer at a food bank to organize donations. TIP: Instead of doing a “family dinner” one night, ask your whole family to come with you and serve dinner at the soup kitchen.
Participate in a Lemonade Stand for Charity -Sure a lemonade stand can be a great way to make money, but you can also run one for charity. You can donate the money you make – after your costs, to the charity. Make sure you test out different prices for your lemonade – sometimes people will pay more just because they know it’s for a good cause. TIP: Have fact sheets at your stand about the charity. 
Feeling crafty? – Start a knitting program for hats and blankets for the Red Cross to pass out to people in crisis TIP: Hold knitting hours at a different friend’s house each week, to make it more fun and social. TIP: Post fliers about your cause, asking for donations to help buy the yarn and other supplies
Recycle – Start a battery recycling campaign at school by providing bins for old batteries and then find a local place to recycle them TIP: Stick fact sheets on the bins that explain how batteries are recycled and describe how much energy and products are saved by recycling them.
Get Your Art On – Do you have an artistic talent? Than share it. Teach art, dance or music to kids in an after-school program TIP: Organize a performance or “gallery showing” at the end of the program. Invite parents and friends!
Brighten someone’s day - Start a program to visit a nursing home or a hospital. TIP: Bring books, pictures, and music to share with the people you visit.

 

Go Blue – Adopt a local pond or watershed and schedule clean up days TIP: You can also organize nature and science lessons for kids and adults about the wildlife that lives in the pond, the water cycle, and water pollution. TIP: Check out GirlMogul’s interview with Melissa Rey, “America’s Top Young Scientist,” to read about another young person who’s passionate about science.
Get Your Neat Freak On - Organize an end of year school locker clean up program; instead of having kids just throw everything out, collect it all and sell or donate the “good” stuff.TIP: Look for organizations that help out kids in developing Countries. A set of pencils might just find a home across the globe
Black Gold - Start a composting program – start by composting your own family’s trash. You can sell or giveaway the results. Get the whole neighborhood in on it and you’ll see your green thumb stamped all over the place! TIP: See if you can start a composting program in your school cafeteria.

Can’t resist a good mystery?  Then discover the Minerva Mysteries. Thirteen year old Rose Lawton is stuck in MON the Middle of Nowhere and she’s got to get a life fast.  But when she’s forced into the Minerva Society’s Summer Leadership Academy, strange things start to happen…like a lost diary that just might be the clue to solving a century old mystery.  But can Rose survive tween drama, The Dianas, and the scrutiny of the mysterious Gray Lady?

 

Read a sample below and let us know what you think in the comments!

 

The Minerva Mysteries Teaser

 Hey GirlMoguls – can you believe that it’s summer time! That means it’s time for some fun pool time.  Remember always be safe – make sure there’s an adult watching you!  But if you’re looking for something besides just swimming check out these fun pool time activities to make the pool even more fun!

Water aerobics – Not just for old ladies.  Get some tunes cranking and try dancing underwater – not only will it be a lot of fun, but you’ll also be exercising in your abs and legs for a little stealthy exercise! 

Water polo – This game is alot of fun and great for when you have a crows. Divide evenly into teams. If you have a new you can set up all the better. If not mark a dividing line along the sides and then try to pass and shoot the ball. Divide into teams. It is great fun to try and swim and get the ball in the goal.

Relay races – This may be one that is best for a larger pool. Divide into teams  and decide how many laps of the pool constitute the race. See who can swim the fastest – girls vs. boys or parents vs. kids.  Prizes optional

Water basketball – If you have a pool basketball hoop, this game is great fun. Just like water polo, divide into teams. You will have to run in the water and propel yourself upward to reach the basketball hoop. It can be hard work but a lot of fun.

Marco Polo –  This classic never goes out of style!  It’s kind of like the premise of hide and seek. One person counts while the others scatter across the pool. The counter keeps their eyes closed and tries to find the others. When they yell, “Marco” the others yell “Polo” which gives them some idea of which direction to go to tag a person.

 

Why is it called Marco Polo? Wonder why the game is  called Marco Polo? Some say it’s because Marco Polo – the famous Renaissance Italian  explorer who discovered – or rather “uncovered” China  - had no idea where he was going when he started out – much like you when you play the game. Another story says it’s because Marco Polo had his eyes cut out by a pirate after a disagreement (must have been some argument!) and  had to use a cane to help him see. When he returned home, the local children made fun of him because he couldn’t see where he was going…Either way – we’re happy you only have to keep your eyes closed to play the game!  No peeking.

So have fun, stay safe and get swimming!

Testing

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

Images provided by Studio On Fire. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

Images provided by Studio On Fire. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris eget quam orci. Quisque porta varius dui, quis posuere nibh mollis quis. Mauris commodo rhoncus porttitor. Maecenas et euismod elit. Nulla facilisi. Vivamus lacus libero, ultrices non ullamcorper ac, tempus sit amet enim. Suspendisse at semper ipsum. Suspendisse sagittis diam a massa viverra sollicitudin. Vivamus sagittis est eu diam fringilla nec tristique metus vestibulum. Donec magna purus, pellentesque vel lobortis ut, convallis id augue. Sed odio magna, pellentesque eget convallis ac, vehicula vel arcu. Sed eu scelerisque dui. Sed eu arcu at nibh hendrerit viverra. Vivamus lacus augue, sodales id cursus in, condimentum at risus.

Hey GirlMoguls, our friend Kendal Perez from FreeShipping.org has some great tips on how to survive the back to school money drain….so check it out and see how you can save big on back to school…

What happened to summer? It seems like just yesterday we were hungry for warmer weather, but now we’re eating our words during one of the hottest seasons on record.

Though scorching temperatures aren’t going anywhere just yet, back-to-school sales are heating up the retail scene and driving this month’s best buys. According to the Best Time to Buy Guide on FreeShipping.org, you can expect boiling bargains on the following items in August.

Backpacks

An essential part of any back-to-school supply list, backpacks are a great buy in August as retailers clamor to capture your business. Sports Authority is offering free shipping on backpacks through Sept. 1, while parents with young kids can save up to 20 percent on backpacks at Pottery Barn Kids.

School Supplies

Scoring deals on school supplies in August is a no-brainer, but the best way to maximize savings is twofold: Purchase what your child needs during the first couple weeks of school now, then hold off on buying everything else until retailers make room for holiday items (ew!). With markdowns of up to 75 percent, it’s hard to pass up these savings.

Dorm Furniture

College students headed to the dorms can find great deals on compact necessities. Target has discounts available on everything from bedding to desk lamps through Aug. 4 (and likely beyond), and you can save up to 60 percent during the PBDorm sale at PBTeen.

Select Summer Fashion

Clothing retailers have already begun replacing summer staples with fall fashions, making lightweight sleepwear a great buy at such stores as Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret. You can also find deals on belts, scarves and accessories in summer hues, as retailers make room for the fall line-up of heavier, darker-toned items.

Swimwear

Tragically, beach season is coming to an end as families get back into school-oriented routines. Happily, that means great savings on this season’s swimwear styles. Victoria’s Secret is offering 25 to 50-percent off swim styles through Aug. 7, and you can save up to 20 percent on select men’s swimwear at J.Crew.

Laptops and Computers

Thanks to back-to-school promotions, students and professionals alike can find great deals on laptops and computers. In addition to monitoring month-long sales, check out open-box items from Newegg and Best Buy to score additional savings on next-to-new electronics.

Activewear

Retailers have been pushing us to get off our butts all season with tempting athletic-wear styles. As we move into cooler climates, these same stores are offering summer activewear at a discount. Stock up on workout tanks, lightweight pants and sweatshirts during Athleta’s Summer Semi-Annual Sale through Aug. 13.

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FreeShipping.org is the largest resource on the Internet linking shoppers to free-shipping deals offered by over 4,000 online merchants.

 

 

Maisie Knowles, the founder of Kinoli Inc knows that back and school can be hard – for the kids – here is her advice for how to make that transition easier….

Summer is almost over! Though parents breathe a secret sigh of relief, most kids dread the thought of going back to school. Whether your child is just starting preschool or going into her senior year of high school, the transition from summer freedom to the structured classroom can be difficult for many reasons.

This year my daughter is starting pre-kindergarten at a new school. With that comes the anxiety of the unknown; she won’t know any of her classmates, there will be new teachers, new schedules and new things to learn. Though I’m hoping she’s grown out of her teary phase and can put on a brave face when she walks into that classroom, I really don’t know how she’ll do on her first day of school.

To prepare for the unknown — and help your kids transition from summer to school — consider spending the next couple weeks doing the following, as I plan to.

1. Attend the school’s open house.

Contact your child’s school and find out when their open house is, or opt to schedule a tour before class begins. Take your child with you so she knows what the building looks like and where her classroom is located. Once there, she can meet some teachers and maybe even a couple new friends. These steps will help ease your child’s nerves on the first day.

2. Save on back-to-school shopping.

Once your school has released the supply list, search online for coupons to score back-to-school savings from such sites as CouponSherpa.com. Armed with discounts, take your child shopping with you and give her the liberty to choose the pencils, notebooks, shoes and shirts she really loves. To save even more on back-to-school gear, check this list of sales tax-free holidays and plan your shopping trip accordingly.

3. Encourage self-sufficiency.

It’s important to show kids (especially young ones) they’re capable of doing things on their own, including walking into a new classroom bravely and confidently. On the first morning of school, let her pick out a new outfit to wear, help her pack her own lunch and let her pack her bag. Be enthusiastic about her choices and her ability to get ready in the morning. Keep up your enthusiasm as she gets on the school bus or as you walk her to the classroom.

4. Say goodbye calmly.

For the older kids a smile and wave goodbye from the car is borderline embarrassing. The younger kids, however, will appreciate your walking them to class and giving them a hug, kiss and reminder that you’ll be seeing them soon. Hold any of your tears until you’re out the door! If your child sees you crying, more than likely she’ll start crying as well.

5. Take it easy afterwards.

The first day of school is over, but there’s one more tip for surviving the first day. Plan on taking it easy for the rest of the evening. Start a tradition where the whole family goes out for dinner to celebrate back to school, and reference this list of restaurants where kids eat free to save on your kiddo’s meal. Encourage conversation over dinner and get her talking about her first day of school. Listen to what she tells you and talk about it; remember she’ll have many more school days when you’ll both want to share the experience.

 

Maisie Knowles is a working mother of two with three-year’s experience writing on parenting and partner issues. She received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Colorado and co-founded Kinoli Inc. with her husband. Maisie currently spends most of her time at home with her two young girls.

Find out more about Kinoli Inc at kinoliinc.com.

 

So if you’re a total pop culture loving mama like I am – (yes I watch Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars and I can quote extensively from the canon of Laura Ingalls Wilder and John Hughes) then EW has a new channel for you.  To be sure you can get your pop on check out….And if you groove to the Hunger Games, iCarly or Sponge Bob – or anyone in the house is that way, then this channel is for you – here are three great reasons to check it out…

 

1. NEW POP CULTURE PERSPECTIVE

You’ll hear from famous parents like Jessica Alba and The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik, new voices like Girl Gone Child blogger Rebecca Woolf, and even inside scoop from EW moms and dads—all of whom will share stories about the fun but tricky-to navigate overlap of pop culture and parenting!  Check out today’s blog on “How to Make Olympic Memories with Your Kids.”

 

2. IN-THE-KNOW ENTERTAINMENT EXPERTISE

Come back daily to find the latest lists from EW.com writers as they narrow down entertainment need-to-know for parents whether it’s “Best & Worst Disney Movies,” “25 Best TV Toons,” or “Super Comic Book Movies.”

Great Movies for Kids 3 and Under

 

3.  BE THE COOL MOM OR DAD

Are your kids ready to dive into the Hunger Games?  Curious which summer blockbuster is right for family movie night?  Wondering if The Bachelorette has meaningful teaching moments?  EW.com’s Family Entertainment channel does a deep dive into the latest in movies, books, TV, gaming and more to give you the inside look at what’s out now and what’s coming up in pop culture.

‘The Bachelorette’: Jennifer Weiner on its lessons for girls

 

Enjoy!