Goodbye neighborhood swimming pools. Hello sandy beaches! According to a ModernMom.com survey of more than 500 moms, more than 87 percent say they’ll travel with their children this summer – despite high gas prices.
Make the most of family travels with these fun and smart ideas:
Convenience Products
“Of the moms surveyed, more than 83 percent want portable products to occupy their children during summer travels,†says Lolita Carrico, founder of ModernMom.com. “Mothers are looking for supplies that are creative, convenient and portable.â€
The survey reports that more than three-fourths of moms seek activities their children can use without adult supervision. Parents won’t have to look far in their pursuit for creative and convenient entertainment. Products such as Elmer’s Go Paint! Mini Travel Pad keep on-the-go kids engaged -- and without any mess. The instant-drying paint is contained in the brush and only works on Go Paint! paper, so it won’t stain fabric or skin. Parents also can rest easy, because the paint is safe, nontoxic and washable.
Convenience Foods
Kids will inevitably get hungry during a road trip of any length, and it’s good to plan ahead. Parents can save money, because they won’t have to buy food at the convenience store or the nearest fast food restaurant.
Choosing brain food will keep their minds and bodies happy. Healthy options are a great way to satisfy children’s hunger and ensure they are getting proper nutrition. Try packing individual bags of fruit, such as oranges, grapes, apples and berries. Mix together for a fun fruit salad snack. This goes for vegetables as well. Pack a small plastic container with dipping sauce to entice kids if they are hesitant to eat veggies by themselves.
Grocery stores are full of convenience foods prepackaged for children. Pick out children’s favorites and allow them to enjoy one serving each in the car. Choosing something special will help make the trip more memorable and enjoyable. And as always, make sure to pack plenty of liquids including water.
Vacation Activities
So how can parents keep kids entertained on vacation? Elmer’s arts and craft expert Michelle Manning suggests the following activities to help parents encourage mess-free, creative free play during summer travels.
* Games: Classic family games make the time pass quickly. Play games like eye spy or give each child a list of items to watch for while driving to the vacation destination.
* Photography: Vacation is the perfect time for children of any age to learn the art of photography. Chronicle unique experiences through photos with a disposable or inexpensive digital camera.
* Personalized postcards: Make one-of-a-kind postcards on summer road trips with glue sticks, markers, paints, buttons, ribbons or stamps.
* Journaling: Create a wonderful vacation memento by writing and designing a journal about summer travels. For a more memorable journal, parents can add in their own entries.
* Storytelling: This is a perfect time to talk to kids about their favorite story from the past year at school and what they are excited about in the upcoming school year. To add in some imagination, make up a story. Choose a setting and several characters and take turns deciding what happens next as the story moves on.
Additional creative projects for a variety of ages can be found at www.elmers.com.
Courtesy of ARA content
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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