About Anne Kimball & her Blog
Anne is a winner of Top 25 Moms with Big Families - 2012
Did you always want a big family? If not, when did you change your mind?
Apparently when I was a teenager, I used to say I wanted six kids. I have no memory of this, but my sister reminded me of this little factoid after I became the proud and crazy Mom to -- you guessed it -- six kids. Spooky.
What's a common misconception about big families?
Oh, there are so many....
That we've never heard of birth control,
That we are uneducated,
That we don't have cable.
How many children do you have? What's the age difference between the oldest and youngest?
I have six kids that are 4 1/2 years from oldest to youngest. Half of my kids are adopted, so their ages kind of mesh together, giving me virtual twins (my 17 year old boys one month apart), virtual triplets (my 14 year old girls seven months oldest to youngest), and my 13 year old boy bringing up the caboose. This makes things very interesting.
What are your favorite Blog Posts?
Anne's Answers
What's a great present for a tween?
I am a Mom to six kids, and the one gift each year that they look forward to more than anything else? One on one time. Each year, on or around their birthday, either my husband or myself will take the birthday child out for one on one time. The outings have ranged from a bookstore to the ballet, from manicuress to a musical concert, and everything in between.
For parent-child gifts, these are perfect for building those special memories, but they do require time. When time is in short supply, I often choose personalized gifts for my tweens or young teens. I have given photo mugs, calendars comprised of pictures of a cherished pet, and photo collage posters. The possibilities with the personalized photo gifts are endless, and can include stationery sets, mousepads, even jewelry. They are pretty convenient to shop for nowadays, too, as there are numerous online sites such as Snapfish, as well as your local drugstore.
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Couponing: Essential budget skill or time waster?
I no longer get the paper for coupons b/c it seemed I would buy too many things that I didn't really need. Instead, I look thru my store's weekly circular to see what's on special that I would normally buy. I write those items down, then go to eBay and type in a search for coupons of that item. They are usually sold in batches of 20 and you can get them for $1 - 3.00. They come to me in the mail and I take them with me the following week . For instance, my kids like to eat Campbell's Chunky soups for after school snack. They're usually $2.00 a can. My store was running a special on them for $1.00 a can, so I found coupons for them on eBay for save $1.00 off 2. That means I got them for 50 cents a can. It's really been helping a lot.
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How much help should parents give their kids with homework?
Homework should be practice for the child for concepts already learned in school. That being said, I have no problem giving guidance and support, but I do not sit side-by-side and go over problem-by-problem. If the material is over my child's head, it's time for a conversation with the teacher.
I also feel strongly that most projects should be done in school, b/c today's parent has a VERY hard time keeping hands-off. I have a close friend that I tease b/c she'll start telling me all about her HIGH SCHOOL daughter's project, and she'll get a twinkle in her eye as she describes it. She just beams with pride as she tells me all "her dtr's" clever ideas. HA! And what happens when these projects are turned in? The students that did the work themselves get downgraded b/c they pale in comparison.
I'm telling you, this is NOT the right approach if we want to produce independent, resourceful young adults out of our schools.
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What are the best ways to keep kids entertained & well-behaved at a formal event or luncheon such as wedding?
As a Mom to six kids, I've always liked pipe cleaners. I used to give them to the kids on airplanes, road trips, church services, etc.
They're quiet,
They foster creativity,
The possibilities of what you can do with them are endless,
They fit easily into a purse or diaper bag.
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What's your family's favorite board game, and why? (Please mention the best ages for the game)
Our favorite game is Scaventure. It encourages creativity more than any other game I know, and all ages can participate. Plus it gets everyone (our whole family of 8) up and moving and having a great time. It's wonderful!
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