The Blog Exchange

Bringing Science Back, Baby: Blog Blast Tomorrow!

With early elementary education focusing on teaching to the test, science education is getting lost in the stardust. Kids are not getting enough science prior to 4th grade, even though research shows that introducing science to children before 4th grade is most effective. We’ve all heard of the “brain drain” - and we don’t want our kids to be part of it.

The Zula Patrol - a show on PBS promoting science education among 4-8 year olds, and its accompanying newsletter - the Zula Intergalactic Inquirer, are ideal ways to help you open your kids’ eyes to science. The newsletter is full of fun activities that can easily be done at home with common everyday items. Better yet, these activities are designed to help parents encourage and nurture their child’s natural curiosity and promote the development of critical thinking skills - skills that are vital for excelling not just in science, but in all subjects.

This Friday, February 22, we want to know:

How will you bring science back for your kids, and why do you think it’s important?

1) Write a post on your blog discussing this topic with your readers anytime before Midnight PST on Friday, February 22.

2) Make sure to link http://blog.parentbloggers.com in your post.

3) Additionally, please link to the Zula Intergalactic Inquirer via this link somewhere in your post:

http://campaign-archive.com/archive.phtml?cid=8NuPBVjl6O

4) Email us the link to your post (parentbloggers@gmail.com) and we’ll be rounding them up all day on our blog.

What can you win? One of THREE $100 VISA gift cards to use as you choose (but we suggest checking out a family membership to your local science center!).

We look forward to hearing how you plan to bring science back for you kids!

Call for Participants: March 1 Blog Exchange

Greetings, Blog Exchangers. If you've got a topic idea and/or are interested in participating in this month's exchange, please leave a comment. I'll formulate a topic early next week!

Welcome to the February 2 Blog Exchange

This month, the bloggers chose their pairs! Enjoy the posts on the topic "Rerun" -- If you'd like to join us next month, drop the feed for this blog into your feed reader. I update it around the 15th of every month.

The Participants:

Laura and Lara

Wholly Bubble and Soccer Mom in Denial

Imposter Mom and Madame Queen

Jessica and Dana

Blog Exchange on Saturday; Blog Blast Tomorrow

We've got a nice group of participants for Saturday's Blog Exchange. We've also got a great Blog Blast happening tomorrow. Here are the details!

Each year, many families resolve to cook, eat, and live more healthfully.  For some, that means cooking at home more often instead of eating take-out.  For others, it means going organic and reducing processed foods. These are laudable goals, but how many of us truly live as healthfully as we’d like?

Being parents, we’re pulled in a dozen directions at once - and often that means making a choice between the healthy option and the easy option.  Unfortunately, in spite of our resolve and good intentions, the easy option usually wins.

Wouldn’t it be great to find healthy options that are actually easy too?

Kroger’s new website is ready to help you do just that.  You don’t have to be located near one of their supermarkets in order to take advantage of the benefits of their site, such as:

• Hundreds of recipes, including nutritional information
• Guidance on the selection, preparation, and storage of fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood
• Food preparation safety guidelines (far too few families do what they should!)

This Friday, February 1, we want to know:

What does your family plan to do differently in 2008 to live more healthfully?

Going organic?  Cutting back on fast food?  Incorporating more fruit and vegetables into your daily diet (puree? juicing? raw?)?  We’ve all got goals - we want to hear about yours!

1) Write a post on your blog discussing this topic with your readers anytime before Midnight PST on Friday, February 1.

2) Make sure to link http://blog.parentbloggers.com in your post.

3) Additionally, please link to Kroger via this link somewhere in your post:

http://www.kroger.com/Pages/default.aspx?cid=pbn200801*

*Please note: This link is different than the one sent in our email blast!

4) Email us the link to your post (parentbloggers@gmail.com) and we’ll be rounding them up all day on our blog.

What can you win?  One of FIVE $50 Kroger gift cards!  Use it yourself, or if you don’t have a Kroger nearby, you can donate it - either via the Kroger site or to a charity of your choice.

We look forward to hearing about your goals for healthy living!

And if you’d like to be on the PBN mailing list to learn about our upcoming Blog Blasts, make sure to join up. You’ll get these announcements, plus our monthly newsletter.

February 2 Blog Exchange: Call for Participants

Okay. So... How about a Groundhog Day Blog Exchange!  Since there seems to be a lot about life that for many is the same, I'm choosing "Rerun" as the topic for February.

This month, however, we're going to do something a bit different. Choose your own partner. It can be someone who always does TBE, or someone new. But when you leave a comment, make sure you leave me the url of both yourself and your partner.

Don't be shy. Ask a friend, a new blogger, or whoever you like.

I'll need to know if you're in by January 25. Posts will go up by 10am EST preferably on February 2.

*If you're new to this site and TBE, click around and check out the rules. Participation is pretty simple.*

Happy New Year: Blog Exchange Today!

Our bloggers are awarding their best of the best of 2007. So scroll down, check out our pairs. Or if you're lazy, here you go:

1. 2shews & heather
2. mtm & dana
3. alex & lara
4. robin & jenny
5. gunfighter & fishy
6. jenn & jodifur
7. heather-dss & mayberry
8. jessica & kristen

And participants can vote for their best by 1/3. Enjoy the first day of 2008! And if you want to participate next month, just put this blog into your feed reader. I update around the 15th of every month.

January 1 2008 Blog Exchange Pairs

I sifted through all the awesome ideas that you offered and I decided to do a spin on Robin's suggestion:

The Best of 2007 Awards

What awards are you giving out this year? To whom? And why? It can be celebrities, your kids, fellow bloggers, politicians, or yourself.

And here are the pairs:

1. 2shews & heather
2. mtm & dana
3. alex & lara
4. robin & jenny
5. gunfighter & fishy
6. jenn & jodifur
7. heather-dss & mayberry
8. jessica & kristen

PLEASE make sure to read the rules of engagement for The Blog Exchange, which include in short form:

- Emailing your partner (or commenting on their blog) in a timely fashion. Check your spam box! And email me if you have trouble finding someone. It is the holidays...

- Posting by 12 noon (since it's New Year's Day) on January 1 and leaving the post up all day uninterrupted

- Making sure your partner's post is formatted correctly, and includes a bio (that links to your post on their blog). Fun titles (especially for this topic) are definitely a plus.

- If you don't end up getting a hold of your partner, just put your post up on your own blog. 

Voting for The Best of the BE will be open to participants only until 1/3. Make sure you email me with the URL of the post you liked.

January 1 Blog Exchange: The Early Bird...

Alright, you won't catch me late again, so here it is, except, I don't have a topic. Yet. Got any great ideas (considering that it will be on the first day of 2008!)?

Leave me a comment with a) Your topic idea and b) Your YES! I'M IN! by December 20.

Cheers! (Okay, so that's a little early, but hey...)

Best of Blog Exchange: December 1

Well, it's hard to award prizes because there was ALMOST a 5-way tie, but Fishy Girl's post Silver came out on top! Congrats to her -- email me Fishy Girl, and I'll send some goodies your way.

Congrats to our other nominees.

Gunfighter's post Golden Days

Alex's post Gold

Heather's post Silver

WebKittyn's post Silver and Gold

Welcome to the December 1 Blog Exchange!

Enjoy the posts on the theme of Silver &/or Gold. And if you'd like to be a part, put this blog into your feed reader. I update it around the 15th of every month with details.

Best of Blog Exchange votes (for participants only) are due by December 3, 12 midnight. PLEASE only vote for one post -- and include the link to the post you are voting for. Remember -- this month there are prizes! WOO!

1. Robin & Jenn
2. Alex Elliot & Jodifur
3. Heather & Jerri Ann
4. WebKittyn & Fishy Girl
5. Vicky & Flower Child
6. Heather.PNR & Jennifer
7. Soccer Mom in Denial & ImpostorMom
8. Ravin\'PictureMaven & Jessica (aka Rose)
9. Anne Bradshaw & Jerseygirl89
10. B & Gunfighter
11. Amy & Dana