Difficult Kids

Discover an engaging family activity that will challenge your kid’s young mind and ignite a spark for learning. In the era of technology we live in, riddles, puzzles, and enigmas have almost become extinct. This is an issue that many experts on child development have spoken about. They are worried about the future generations, who are now being more and more tech-dependent. What’s worse, kids today are starting to get used to having all the information they need served to them on a plate.

There are moments in life that just beg to be written and shared; little literary snapshots that you can't quite capture on film. Free to Wonder delves into ten of said moments in a collection of short pieces from my life. Though each may seem random and unrelated, they highlight a realization I'm sure others can benefit from. I consider half of these to be inspiring and cozy, while the other is a scathing review of societal issues and an open letter to the type of people who complicate them. If this odd mix sounds interesting to you, consider giving it a read!

Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas - and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win. Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge. Can he hold onto his joy - and his friendships - in the face of heartache and prejudice?

Based on true events - and narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS - Two Boys Kissing follows Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record. While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teens dealing with universal questions of love, identity, and belonging.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was only 25 when he helped organize the Montgomery bus boycott and was soon organizing black people across the country in support of the right to vote, desegregation, and other basic civil rights. Maintaining nonviolent and peaceful tactics even when his life was threatened, King was also an advocate for the poor and spoke out against racial and economic injustice until his death - from an assassin's bullet - in 1968.

Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village 13-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know that they need to bring their mother back in order to save their sister’s life. Bravely, secretly, they set off on the long journey to the big city to find Mma. It isn’t until they finally reach Jo’burg that they see up close what life is like for black citizens across South Africa — and begin to really question the unfair and dangerous laws of apartheid.

Nolan's senior year is shaping up to be just another struggle with anxiety, authority, and awkwardness. Then he meets Mr. Barno—a mysterious ex-convict feared by everyone, including the popular girl he dreams of asking to Homecoming, his overbearing parents, and even his eccentric best friends. Nolan is afraid, too—until he uncovers something extraordinary about his unlikely mentor that changes everything he thought he knew about himself and his small-town high school.

Lewis "Shoe" Blake is used to the joys and difficulties of life on the Tuscarora Indian reservation in 1975: the joking, the Fireball games, the snow blowing through his roof. What he's not used to is white people being nice to him - people like George Haddonfield, whose family recently moved to town with the Air Force. As the boys connect through their mutual passion for music, especially the Beatles, Lewis has to lie more and more to hide the reality of his family's poverty from George.

Do you want educational fun for your kids? Do you want to give them something that makes them stop using phones, computers, or video games immediately? Try this: When you do not know what I am, then I am something. But when you know what I am, then I am nothing. What am I? A riddle! Riddles have been around for thousands of years. Even in this age of video entertainment, riddles continue to be popular among kids and adults alike because they have some unbeatable benefits.

Twelve-year-old Charlie Nebraska wants two things he can't get: to make the local baseball team and to have life return to the way it was before his father died two years earlier in the Korean War. When Charlie meets Luther Peale, a stranger who quietly and mysteriously arrives in Charlie's small Iowa town, the two strike up a friendship. Luther is a former Negro Baseball League player, and he agrees to coach Charlie's fledgling neighborhood baseball team. But many of the town's white residents are suspicious of Luther because of his skin color.

It's been almost a year since Sila's mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States. The long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that schools had to allow Black students to attend previously all-white schools. On September 4, 1957, nine Black students were set to attend Little Rock Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. But when they arrived, an angry mob of white people spat at them and hurled racist insults. They were also prevented from entering the school by the National Guard. After they were finally allowed in weeks later, they faced even more abuse from white students and staff.

Ava Lee has lost everything there is to lose: Her parents. Her best friend. Her home. Even her face. She doesn't need a mirror to know what she looks like - she can see her reflection in the eyes of everyone around her. But when Ava meets a fellow survivor named Piper, she begins to feel like maybe she doesn't have to face the nightmare alone. Sarcastic and blunt, Piper isn't afraid to push Ava out of her comfort zone. Piper introduces Ava to Asad, a boy who loves theater just as much as she does, and slowly, Ava tries to create a life again. Yet Piper is fighting her own battle.

Stimulate your child’s intelligence and imagination: Discover incredibly creative brain-building and boredom-busting riddles. Are you looking for a fun and educational activity for bonding family nights? Do you want to engage your kids with something that boosts their confidence and problem solving skills? Are you tired of playing the same games with your child over and over again, wanting to try out something that will be as fun for you as it is for them? If so, you’re in the right place.

When it comes to stirring up a little excitement in class, Otis Spofford knows just what to do. He can turn a folk dance fiesta into a three-ring circus, or an arithmetic lesson into a spitball marathon. Even his friends George and Stewy can't keep up when it comes to Otis's mischief.

Having a pet dragon is very fun! He can sit, roll over, and play.... He can candle a birthday cake, light a campfire, or so many other fun things that will make you laugh.... But sometimes, not every story is a happy one.... What if your dragon is suffering from a loss of a loved one? What if he’s sad, angry, and heartbroken because his loved one passed away, and he cries and cries and cries? What should you do? You teach him about grief and loss. You explain death to him and help him get through this difficult time!

Lotus Bloom just wants to express herself—with her violin, her retro style, and her peaceful vibe, not to mention her fabulous hair. Lotus is taking her talent to the seventh grade at a new school of the arts. The one where she just might get to play under a famous maestro. But Lotus's best friend thinks she should stay at their school. Rebel wants Lotus to help her protest, but Lotus isn't sure. If she's going to be in the spotlight, she'd rather it be for her music. When boys throw paper wads and airplanes into Lotus's afro, she finds herself in trouble for a dress code violation.

Through the open dialogue of My Body, My Boundaries, tough conversations become easier! The boundaries book offers real-life examples for navigating interactions with both peers and adults. Jacob and Sophie’s story shows how kids can set boundaries and respect others.

Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out. Then Junie’s history teacher assigns a project and Junie decides to interview her grandparents, learning about their unbelievable experiences as kids during the Korean War. Junie comes to admire her grandma’s fierce determination to overcome impossible odds, and her grandpa’s unwavering compassion during wartime.

Welcome to "Raising 21st Century Kids," a magical guide for parents navigating the complexities of raising children in today's rapidly changing digital world. As we embark on this transformative journey together, we will explore the essential skills, knowledge, and values needed to cultivate resilient, adaptable, and well-rounded individuals who can thrive in the 21st century. The dawn of the digital age, especially the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), has brought unprecedented opportunities and challenges to the upbringing of our children. In this era of constant technological ...