What Your Child WILL Remember

If you want to raise a grateful kid who does not feel entitled, please know at the end of the day, your child will remember a lot of things but NOT the money you spent on them…I can guarantee it.

Growing up, from about the ages of 5-10, my family lived in poverty.  I mean, no one told me that…but even as a child, I knew.

You know there is a problem when your whole family is sleeping in the living room because there is no central heat and only one kerosene heater to warm that one room.

You know there is a problem when you watch your mom eat small, homemade biscuits for lunch every single day because a neighbor brings them…and that is all she eats.

I remember looking for random change in the house as a child to buy day-old bread at our local bakery (for about 25 cents) and a ravaging fire that destroyed 90% of our belongings just in case we needed to add insult to injury.

And while those memories are obviously still hanging out somewhere in my mind, they aren’t the ones I really REMEMBER.  They aren’t what I associate my childhood with.

And as much as my parents wish, like all good parents do, that they could have provided me with so much more, I only tell them this one thing. 

“You provided me with SO MUCH MORE than money could have ever bought.”

I remember special weekly visits to the park when my mom would pack us all a picnic lunch, complete with oatmeal cream pies.  If it was a real treat, we were allowed to invite a friend.

I remember how special they made my birthday – no ridiculous parties worth $40,000 (how I wish that was a joke)…

No, I remember inviting one special friend and my mom making us whatever we wanted for our dinner and dessert.  For me, it was her lasagna and homemade banana pudding (something that to this day, I’ve never made because cooking that pudding takes some serious love).

I remember that Christmas when I knew things were incredibly tight…but they found a way to buy my sister and me a $10 handheld game from Radio Shack and a pair of doggie slippers.  I remember feeling, even at 7, that a whole lot of love went into those gifts.  A lot of sacrifice.

A LOT of love.

I remember my mom taking me shopping for an Easter dress and how my heart was set on this beautiful, simple pink one from the department store.  And how I knew we didn’t have the money, but how she somehow bought it anyway.

I remember my Dad giving my mom these beautiful things at Christmas…a new dress, a pair of shoes, a necklace.  And my mom “oohing” and “awwing” over them.  Only to pack them all back up the next day and return them for the money he spent.

I remember the way my mom dressed me for school, braided my hair, volunteered in the classroom.

I remember never feeling ashamed…or unimportant…or in any way “less than” anyone else.

You see, there are no feelings of loss…or of missing out…or of wishing we had more.

We didn’t take vacations, and I never missed them.  My parents filled my life with so much joy and love that as as child, that was all I needed.

I didn’t need a new Barbie or a remote control car or a game system to know I was loved.

I felt love every moment of everyday.

Trust me when I say, what your child will remember years from now is not what you bought them or the money you spent.  They will remember the time you gave them…the way you made them feel.

And now, with my own children, I am faced with a very different dilemma.  Perhaps an even more difficult one than that of my own parents.

As my own mother put it:

“You know Hillary, it was hard for me to raise you with no money.  There were so many things I wanted to give you but just couldn’t.  And it will be hard for you to raise your girls because you have the money to buy them more things than I could.  But you will have to teach them about the value of a dollar and show them that money doesn’t equal happiness.  And I think you will have the harder time.”

And I’m learning she is right…the world is full of entitled kids.  Of dare I say spoiled children.

It is hard to find gratitude in a world of “too much.”

And the problem begins and ends with us…their parents.

And the journey might be rough.  And the “no’s” may not come easily.

But here’s to all of us trying.  Trying to raise grateful children.

Here’s to all of us showing our kids that love comes in many shapes, sizes and forms…but a dollar bill just isn’t one of them.

For more parenting articles like this one, be sure to follow along on our Facebook page!

The post What Your Child WILL Remember appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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What Your Child WILL Remember

If you want to raise a grateful kid who does not feel entitled, please know at the end of the day, your child will remember a lot of things but NOT the money you spent on them…I can guarantee it.

Growing up, from about the ages of 5-10, my family lived in poverty.  I mean, no one told me that…but even as a child, I knew.

You know there is a problem when your whole family is sleeping in the living room because there is no central heat and only one kerosene heater to warm that one room.

You know there is a problem when you watch your mom eat small, homemade biscuits for lunch every single day because a neighbor brings them…and that is all she eats.

I remember looking for random change in the house as a child to buy day-old bread at our local bakery (for about 25 cents) and a ravaging fire that destroyed 90% of our belongings just in case we needed to add insult to injury.

And while those memories are obviously still hanging out somewhere in my mind, they aren't the ones I really REMEMBER.  They aren't what I associate my childhood with.

And as much as my parents wish, like all good parents do, that they could have provided me with so much more, I only tell them this one thing. 

"You provided me with SO MUCH MORE than money could have ever bought."

I remember special weekly visits to the park when my mom would pack us all a picnic lunch, complete with oatmeal cream pies.  If it was a real treat, we were allowed to invite a friend.

I remember how special they made my birthday – no ridiculous parties worth $40,000 (how I wish that was a joke)…

No, I remember inviting one special friend and my mom making us whatever we wanted for our dinner and dessert.  For me, it was her lasagna and homemade banana pudding (something that to this day, I've never made because cooking that pudding takes some serious love).

I remember that Christmas when I knew things were incredibly tight…but they found a way to buy my sister and me a $10 handheld game from Radio Shack and a pair of doggie slippers.  I remember feeling, even at 7, that a whole lot of love went into those gifts.  A lot of sacrifice.

A LOT of love.

I remember my mom taking me shopping for an Easter dress and how my heart was set on this beautiful, simple pink one from the department store.  And how I knew we didn't have the money, but how she somehow bought it anyway.

I remember my Dad giving my mom these beautiful things at Christmas…a new dress, a pair of shoes, a necklace.  And my mom "oohing" and "awwing" over them.  Only to pack them all back up the next day and return them for the money he spent.

I remember the way my mom dressed me for school, braided my hair, volunteered in the classroom.

I remember never feeling ashamed…or unimportant…or in any way "less than" anyone else.

You see, there are no feelings of loss…or of missing out…or of wishing we had more.

We didn't take vacations, and I never missed them.  My parents filled my life with so much joy and love that as as child, that was all I needed.

I didn't need a new Barbie or a remote control car or a game system to know I was loved.

I felt love every moment of everyday.

Trust me when I say, what your child will remember years from now is not what you bought them or the money you spent.  They will remember the time you gave them…the way you made them feel.

And now, with my own children, I am faced with a very different dilemma.  Perhaps an even more difficult one than that of my own parents.

As my own mother put it:

"You know Hillary, it was hard for me to raise you with no money.  There were so many things I wanted to give you but just couldn't.  And it will be hard for you to raise your girls because you have the money to buy them more things than I could.  But you will have to teach them about the value of a dollar and show them that money doesn't equal happiness.  And I think you will have the harder time."

And I'm learning she is right…the world is full of entitled kids.  Of dare I say spoiled children.

It is hard to find gratitude in a world of "too much."

And the problem begins and ends with us…their parents.

And the journey might be rough.  And the "no's" may not come easily.

But here's to all of us trying.  Trying to raise grateful children.

Here's to all of us showing our kids that love comes in many shapes, sizes and forms…but a dollar bill just isn't one of them.

For more parenting articles like this one, be sure to follow along on our Facebook page!

The post What Your Child WILL Remember appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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New Section 1332 Guidance A Mixed Bag For States

In December, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of the Treasury released new guidance on how the agencies will evaluate state applications for the ACA’s Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers. Prior to this release, the only guidance on 1332 waivers was a regulation on the waiver application process. A substantive attempt to define the contours of the waiver—which would allow a state to waive major provisions of the ACA to experiment with different coverage models, so long as it offers comparably comprehensive and affordable coverage—was eagerly awaited by states and interested stakeholders.

For states, it turned out to be a classic example of “be careful what you wish for.” From a state perspective, the new guidance considerably limits their flexibility. However, it is important to note, as states continue to consider potential waiver opportunities, that a future administration could revisit and expand this flexibility.

Budgetary (in)flexibility

First, the guidance strengthens the state’s budgetary guardrails, requiring waiver applications to be deficit neutral — not just over the life of the waiver, as with 1115 waivers, but in each and every year of the waiver. States would not have the flexibility to invest in initial years and ramp up to savings in later waiver years. In addition to the annual deficit test, the guidance makes clear that states must consider all impacts on federal revenue and spending as a result of the waiver. That means states must consider the impact of their actions on the income tax, payroll tax, and excise tax — which limits the capacity for states to spread innovation into the employer market.

The new guidance also precludes combining a Section 1332 waiver with an 1115 waiver. This is significant because it prevents states from considering broad reforms that span both their Medicaid program and subsidized marketplace coverage, blunting the transformative promise of the waiver. More practically, it means that a state can’t rely on budget savings from one waiver to help offset increases in another. For consumers, the differences in rules, coverage sources, and systems of care exist as an artificial construct, and state efforts to make the system more consumer-friendly across public and private programs may be stymied by these requirements.

Operational (in)flexibility

The guidance also indicates that a Section 1332 waiver is likely not an option, at least initially, for a state using the Healthcare.gov platform for their marketplace (currently 38 states), because CMS cannot customize Healthcare.gov to account for changes in eligibility or benefits. While this was expected, it does signal an operational constraint for many states that may be interested in different approaches to expanding coverage.

It also provides additional urgency for improvements to the federal platform. The limitations of the federal platform for Section 1332 innovation should also be a consideration for states that are currently using their own State-Based Marketplace technology but are analyzing the feasibility of transitioning to the federal platform. In fact, Minnesota’s Health Care Finance Task Force recently rejected a recommendation to consider a migration to Healthcare.gov in part based on its lack of flexibility.

Outlook For 2016

So what does the new guidance and its stricter-than-expected interpretation mean for states interested in transforming their coverage system? It’s now clear that the only waivers likely to be approved in the final year of the Obama Administration are applications focused on narrow, targeted changes.

Hawaii and Massachusetts are the most likely examples of such waivers, and both will focus on retaining the characteristics of the employer coverage systems that existed before the Affordable Care Act. Both states had pre-ACA employer mandates and had a regulatory structure to support those systems that were altered by the ACA.

Similarly, Vermont is seeking to waive requirements for a technology-supported Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP marketplace). Look for these first 1332 waivers to seek relief in order to maintain those state-specific structures and in doing so, to push back somewhat on the complex data and modeling requirements outlined in the waiver guidance. While Hawaii relies on the federal marketplace platform, the state’s proposal is limited to the employer market and does not require any changes to Healthcare.gov.

Despite the inflexibility in the guidance, fans of state innovation need not despair. There’s still significant state interest in opportunities under Section 1332. Many states have been waiting to complete their third open enrollment, in the hopes of creating a more stable experience on which to build more innovative programs. Minnesota’s Health Care Financing Task Force report is the most ambitious innovation idea since Vermont delayed its Green Mountain Care proposal. The report suggests a number of innovations that could be achieved under Section 1332 waivers, including: expanded access to dental coverage, addressing the family glitch, and smoothing cost cliffs (large jumps in premium costs) for persons up to 275 percent of the federal poverty level.

The following map outlines the states with 1332 activity:

Looking Down The Road

It is also important to remember that the December 2015 guidance is just guidance — it is not formal rulemaking or regulation, and a new administration is likely to have its own interpretation of the available innovations under Section 1332. States also still have the 1115 authority to reform and innovate in their Medicaid programs, which continues to be a tremendous source of flexibility for states.

While 2016 will probably not be the year of blockbuster, game-changing Section 1332 waivers, it is in states’ best interests to use this year to prepare for the future. Waivers are tools to achieve policy goals, and many states are still wrestling with what their coverage system goals should be post-ACA implementation. Setting those goals and examining the ability to use Section 1332 waivers to achieve them is the next step in coverage reform efforts.

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New Section 1332 Guidance A Mixed Bag For States

In December, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of the Treasury released new guidance on how the agencies will evaluate state applications for the ACA's Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers. Prior to this release, the only guidance on 1332 waivers was a regulation on the waiver application process. A substantive attempt to define the contours of the waiver—which would allow a state to waive major provisions of the ACA to experiment with different coverage models, so long as it offers comparably comprehensive and affordable coverage—was eagerly awaited by states and interested stakeholders.

For states, it turned out to be a classic example of "be careful what you wish for." From a state perspective, the new guidance considerably limits their flexibility. However, it is important to note, as states continue to consider potential waiver opportunities, that a future administration could revisit and expand this flexibility.

Budgetary (in)flexibility

First, the guidance strengthens the state's budgetary guardrails, requiring waiver applications to be deficit neutral — not just over the life of the waiver, as with 1115 waivers, but in each and every year of the waiver. States would not have the flexibility to invest in initial years and ramp up to savings in later waiver years. In addition to the annual deficit test, the guidance makes clear that states must consider all impacts on federal revenue and spending as a result of the waiver. That means states must consider the impact of their actions on the income tax, payroll tax, and excise tax — which limits the capacity for states to spread innovation into the employer market.

The new guidance also precludes combining a Section 1332 waiver with an 1115 waiver. This is significant because it prevents states from considering broad reforms that span both their Medicaid program and subsidized marketplace coverage, blunting the transformative promise of the waiver. More practically, it means that a state can't rely on budget savings from one waiver to help offset increases in another. For consumers, the differences in rules, coverage sources, and systems of care exist as an artificial construct, and state efforts to make the system more consumer-friendly across public and private programs may be stymied by these requirements.

Operational (in)flexibility

The guidance also indicates that a Section 1332 waiver is likely not an option, at least initially, for a state using the Healthcare.gov platform for their marketplace (currently 38 states), because CMS cannot customize Healthcare.gov to account for changes in eligibility or benefits. While this was expected, it does signal an operational constraint for many states that may be interested in different approaches to expanding coverage.

It also provides additional urgency for improvements to the federal platform. The limitations of the federal platform for Section 1332 innovation should also be a consideration for states that are currently using their own State-Based Marketplace technology but are analyzing the feasibility of transitioning to the federal platform. In fact, Minnesota's Health Care Finance Task Force recently rejected a recommendation to consider a migration to Healthcare.gov in part based on its lack of flexibility.

Outlook For 2016

So what does the new guidance and its stricter-than-expected interpretation mean for states interested in transforming their coverage system? It's now clear that the only waivers likely to be approved in the final year of the Obama Administration are applications focused on narrow, targeted changes.

Hawaii and Massachusetts are the most likely examples of such waivers, and both will focus on retaining the characteristics of the employer coverage systems that existed before the Affordable Care Act. Both states had pre-ACA employer mandates and had a regulatory structure to support those systems that were altered by the ACA.

Similarly, Vermont is seeking to waive requirements for a technology-supported Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP marketplace). Look for these first 1332 waivers to seek relief in order to maintain those state-specific structures and in doing so, to push back somewhat on the complex data and modeling requirements outlined in the waiver guidance. While Hawaii relies on the federal marketplace platform, the state's proposal is limited to the employer market and does not require any changes to Healthcare.gov.

Despite the inflexibility in the guidance, fans of state innovation need not despair. There's still significant state interest in opportunities under Section 1332. Many states have been waiting to complete their third open enrollment, in the hopes of creating a more stable experience on which to build more innovative programs. Minnesota's Health Care Financing Task Force report is the most ambitious innovation idea since Vermont delayed its Green Mountain Care proposal. The report suggests a number of innovations that could be achieved under Section 1332 waivers, including: expanded access to dental coverage, addressing the family glitch, and smoothing cost cliffs (large jumps in premium costs) for persons up to 275 percent of the federal poverty level.

The following map outlines the states with 1332 activity:

Looking Down The Road

It is also important to remember that the December 2015 guidance is just guidance — it is not formal rulemaking or regulation, and a new administration is likely to have its own interpretation of the available innovations under Section 1332. States also still have the 1115 authority to reform and innovate in their Medicaid programs, which continues to be a tremendous source of flexibility for states.

While 2016 will probably not be the year of blockbuster, game-changing Section 1332 waivers, it is in states' best interests to use this year to prepare for the future. Waivers are tools to achieve policy goals, and many states are still wrestling with what their coverage system goals should be post-ACA implementation. Setting those goals and examining the ability to use Section 1332 waivers to achieve them is the next step in coverage reform efforts.

from Health Affairs Blog http://ift.tt/1KYdzei

Did You Know There’s A New Safe Google For Your Kids?

It's true! It's called Kiddle and after spending the day testing the ins and outs of it yesterday I'm happy to report that it's pretty much the coolest thing the Internet has ever given the ten and under set, with the exception of Minecraft.

So what IS Kiddle, exactly?

Kiddle was designed by Google and by some of its top editors to be a search engine that not only filters out adult content, but offers pre-filtered content that's more understandable and relatable for younger kiddo's. I say younger because while you still may want to use adult-filtering with tweens and teens, you also want them to have access to certain content that isn't accessible on Kiddle…but I'll explain that later.

The first thing you need to know is how to get there. Kiddle is a .co address, so just type in: www.Kiddle.co. I'm telling you this because when I first tried to go there I tried .com and then .org, and neither of those are correct (which you probably already inferred, but ya know). So just remember to bookmark the .co and you'll be good.

The layout is adorable and perfect for kiddo's: it's a robot on a planetary surface, just hanging out ready to answer questions.

Everything else looks pretty much exactly the same as Google. Same search box, same options for Web, Images, News, and Videos, but once you start searching that's where things change. Just check out Google's explanation below!

Cool, right?

Now let's get down to what you really want to know: how well does the filter ACTUALLY work. Well…I tested it for you. Here's what happens when you type 'butt' into the Kiddle search field:

Or let's try one of the favorite swear words in my house 'dang':

Trust me, I tried LOTS more, but I think you get the picture. These filters are perfect for younger kiddo's and since you (the parent) can submit other words or combinations that your special little someone's might come up with for review, you can help safeguard the site in the future.

As for the older kiddo's, if they try to write a report on 'flower reproduction' but just type in 'reproduction', that comes up as a bad word, too. So if they're using Kiddle, they just have to be more specific in their search, or else come to you to access regular Google.

So my review? I am blown away and completely happy with what I've been able to find (and not had to see) on Kiddle. I think this is a fantastic, accessible, and age appropriate tool to help keep those internet-savvy littles searching without having to see Kanye's wife's tuckus.

Not saying you should let them run wild on the internet, but if you're cooking dinner and they're searching on Kiddle, you can rest assured Google has your back.

The post Did You Know There's A New Safe Google For Your Kids? appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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Did You Know There’s A New Safe Google For Your Kids?

It’s true! It’s called Kiddle and after spending the day testing the ins and outs of it yesterday I’m happy to report that it’s pretty much the coolest thing the Internet has ever given the ten and under set, with the exception of Minecraft.

So what IS Kiddle, exactly?

Kiddle was designed by Google and by some of its top editors to be a search engine that not only filters out adult content, but offers pre-filtered content that’s more understandable and relatable for younger kiddo’s. I say younger because while you still may want to use adult-filtering with tweens and teens, you also want them to have access to certain content that isn’t accessible on Kiddle…but I’ll explain that later.

The first thing you need to know is how to get there. Kiddle is a .co address, so just type in: www.Kiddle.co. I’m telling you this because when I first tried to go there I tried .com and then .org, and neither of those are correct (which you probably already inferred, but ya know). So just remember to bookmark the .co and you’ll be good.

The layout is adorable and perfect for kiddo’s: it’s a robot on a planetary surface, just hanging out ready to answer questions.

Everything else looks pretty much exactly the same as Google. Same search box, same options for Web, Images, News, and Videos, but once you start searching that’s where things change. Just check out Google’s explanation below!

Cool, right?

Now let’s get down to what you really want to know: how well does the filter ACTUALLY work. Well…I tested it for you. Here’s what happens when you type ‘butt’ into the Kiddle search field:

Or let’s try one of the favorite swear words in my house ‘dang’:

Trust me, I tried LOTS more, but I think you get the picture. These filters are perfect for younger kiddo’s and since you (the parent) can submit other words or combinations that your special little someone’s might come up with for review, you can help safeguard the site in the future.

As for the older kiddo’s, if they try to write a report on ‘flower reproduction’ but just type in ‘reproduction’, that comes up as a bad word, too. So if they’re using Kiddle, they just have to be more specific in their search, or else come to you to access regular Google.

So my review? I am blown away and completely happy with what I’ve been able to find (and not had to see) on Kiddle. I think this is a fantastic, accessible, and age appropriate tool to help keep those internet-savvy littles searching without having to see Kanye’s wife’s tuckus.

Not saying you should let them run wild on the internet, but if you’re cooking dinner and they’re searching on Kiddle, you can rest assured Google has your back.

The post Did You Know There’s A New Safe Google For Your Kids? appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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All Are Welcome to March Music Concerts

See our talented middle school and high school student musicians in concert! Free admission for all. Middle and high school bands' Music from Stage and Screen concert: March 15, 2016, 5:00 p.m., SAS auditorium. Middle and high school choir solo and ensemble festival recital: March 16, 2016, 3:15 p.m., drama theater. Middle school strings concert: March 17, 2016, 5:00 p.m. in the SAS auditorium.

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