NHL Archives - Page 17 of 39

The Wavelength of Kiddie Science

August 29, 2011 TechyDad NHL, Science

Recently, NHL decided to drop a random scientific fact that he picked up along the way. He told us that butterflies can see colors that we can’t see. It’s true also. Many butterflies can see into the ultraviolet range of colors.

I tried to explain to NHL about the electromagnetic spectrum. I explained how light makes waves and how “big” or ”small” the waves are determines what the color of the light is. Bigger waves can be seen as red light while smaller waves will be seen as violet/purple. Between those are the orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo that anyone familiar with ROYGBIV should remember.

Of course, the idea that light is a wave is a very complex and abstract notion to an 8 year old. I don’t think he quite got it. He did seem impressed when I linked it back to something that directly affects him, however. I let him know that just outside of the light that we could see was ultraviolet light. (At the time, I didn’t know that this was the “color” butterflies could see. I found that out later via a Google search.) I explained to him that ultraviolet light was the kind of light that caused us to get suntans and sunburns. Thus, we needed suntan lotion to protect us against this kind of light.

This resulted in a wide-eyes “aha” moment in NHL’s brain. I love seeing those moments in action. Hopefully, this year, I’ll see a lot more of them.

What science facts do you enjoy sharing with your kids?

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DS Punishments

August 22, 2011 TechyDad Harry Potter, NHL, Shopping, Video Games

Over the weekend, we did some shopping. We went to Dick’s Sporting Goods to look for some shoes, we went to Border’s to look for bargains and we went to Target to get some needed groceries/clothing.

In Target, however, NHL began to complain. This wasn’t just a normal whine, though, it began to turn into yelling at me and being disobedient to make a point. B took the shopping cart with JSL while NHL and I went to the car. Actually, we first stopped outside the store in the hopes that I could get him to calm down. When this didn’t work, we went to the car.

NHL wasn’t out of the woods, though. During his scream-fest, I told him to calm down or else. When he pushed the “else”, I told him that he wouldn’t get the book he had just bought from Borders. He didn’t seem to care so I also took away the puzzle he had gotten. This didn’t make a dent in his attitude so I brought out the big guns. I told him he couldn’t play the Nintendo DS.

Now, *this* got a reaction. I wrote about his Games Addiction last week and it is still very much in force. NHL *loves* playing his DS. If he had his way, he’d go through the entire day casting Lego Harry Potter spells. So losing the DS for the weekend was a big hit.

At the car, NHL sat in silence. When he was fully calmed down, we went back into Target. We checked the registers and then walked all around the store, but, unfortunately, we couldn’t locate B and JSL. Finally, we decided to wait for them at the car. As we approached, I saw them waiting for them at the car for us. Somehow, our paths had crossed without either of us noticing the other.

Later, I’d find out that B had tweeted about “losing” us.

This morning, NHL celebrated the ending of his DS exile with a rousing game of Lego Harry Potter. It wasn’t long before he was triumphantly declaring that he had gotten past Snape and could make some Polyjuice Potion.

Games Addiction

August 18, 2011 TechyDad Games, Harry Potter, NHL, Photos, Video Games

For his birthday, NHL got many great presents: Books, board games, and even puzzles. His favorite gifts, though, were likely the Nintendo DS games. He received Tetris Party Deluxe, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, and Lego Harry Potter: Years 1 – 4. As soon as he was able to, he ripped open the packages and began playing.

Since then, he’s been nearly inseparable from his DS. He’ll sit on the couch or on his bed for hours on end casting spells or swinging his lightsaber. He’s become lost in the world of video games.

Of course, his video game addiction began early on. I introduced him to online Flash-based games when he was very young. He took to them quickly and showed quite an aptitude for figuring out how they work. Later, he began playing Nintendo Wii with me. He was very proud (as was I) the first time he beat me in Wii Bowling.

When B won a Nintendo DS in a giveaway awhile back, we set out finding some games that we liked and that NHL might like. B’s DS was quickly coopted by NHL to play Carnival Games, Super Mario and other games. With his latest batch of games, I don’t think we’ll pry him away anytime soon.

NHL takes after me when it comes to video games. I have fond memories of staring at an Atari 2600 screen playing Star Raiders and other games. When we got our first Nintendo, I was in awe of the incredible graphics of the original Super Mario Brothers. When I wasn’t reading a book, I was on the computer jumping, dodging, firing and more. Nowadays, I don’t have much time for games, but I still enjoy playing them here and there.

At one point, I watched over NHL’s shoulder (and helped a bit) as he played Lego Harry Potter. It looked like fun. So I decided to give the game a go. After NHL was asleep, I started a new game. Luckily, it allows for 2 save games so NHL and I can play separate games.

I helped Harry collect presents in Privet Drive. I prepared him to go to Hogwarts. I learned some new spells and battled some enemies. I ventured into the Dark Forest. Before I knew it, it was almost 1am. After saving my game, I reluctantly put the DS away and headed to bed.

I found that the game, in many ways, is very easy. You have unlimited lives so “dying” just means “being sent back a short bit.” Puzzles aren’t very hard to figure out. Still, it’s a lot of fun. (Just what’s needed after a hard day’s work.) I think I enjoying shattering objects using the Reducto spell a bit too much. (Couch? Reducto! Table? Reducto! Pile of books? Reducto! Christmas Tree? Reducto!)

The next morning, NHL began his gaming. He instantly got upset when he saw that I had gotten further along in the game than he had. (His exact words were “Dad, I’m embarrassed that you got further in the game than me.”) I think he’s been furiously playing more to make sure that he takes the Lego Harry Potter lead. A little friendly competition between father and son never hurt. I think tonight I’ll take up my magic wand and cast a few more spells.

Happy 8th Birthday, NHL!

August 17, 2011 TechyDad Birthday, NHL

Today, NHL turns 8 years old. In some ways, it seems like only yesterday that B leapt off the couch, ran to the bathroom and announced to me (when I ran after her to see what the problem was) that her water broke. In other ways, it feels like NHL has been with us forever. How is it that he can both be growing up so quickly before my eyes and yet my life before he was born seems so far away it might as well have been an alternate-dimension TechyDad?

In any event, today we celebrate NHL turning 8. When he was a baby, he loved making everyone smile. I particularly noticed that he liked getting the attention of women in stores. He would look at them cutely, then look away and repeat his actions until he got their attention. My son wasn’t even a year old and he was already a flirt! (Is this a sign that I should be worried a few years down the road?)

When he was a toddler, he initially had trouble walking (due to low muscle tone and other issues), but made quick strides with therapy. He was a social kid and very inquisitive. He loved reading and computers. In fact, I noticed that he had quite the knack for technology. He would pick up how to work things, like the DVR remote, very quickly. We finally had to move the DVR remote to a place he couldn’t reach because the DVR filled up with shows he decided to record.

As NHL got older and began attending school, his thirst for knowledge grew. He would pick up on facts where ever he could find them. I began seeing more and more of myself in him for better and for worse. At times, it would seem like he couldn’t stop talking, but I could sympathize. I did the same thing when I was younger. He likely has a million thoughts piling in his brain and no place for them to go. We’ll need to get him a better outlet for this than random babbling.

Unfortunately, NHL had a rough 2nd grade. He complained of not having friends and his teacher didn’t quite seem to know how best to work with him. Sadly, a bullying incident forced us to pull NHL from school.

It wound up being a blessing in disguise, however, because NHL thrived in his new school. He made friends and began wanting to learn again. When school ended, he actually burst into tears thinking that Summer vacation meant he had to stop learning. Now those are tears that every parent loves to see! (So long as the child stops crying, like NHL did, when reassured that they can keep learning, of course.)

He had a blast during summer vacation going to the water park, crafting events, library time, and even just plain playing in the park. He also mimicked young-me by becoming hooked on video games. (Of course, my addiction was the Atari 2600, not the Nintendo DS.)

The upcoming year will be an interesting one. How will NHL react to the third grade? For me, third grade was a wonderful time. My teacher realized that I should be in an advanced reading class. This led to honors classes which led to AP and college level courses. Will NHL’s third grade be as good for him? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to see what comes next.

The Continuing Adventures of My Super-Boys

August 10, 2011 TechyDad Computers, Geeky Pursuits, Internet, JSL, NHL, Superheroes

Last year, I sat my boys down on the HeroMachine website to let them make their own superheroes. Since it’s been so long, I decided to let them back on to see how they would make their heroes this time. As with the last time, I guided them through the setup. I might have nudged them here or there but the general look and feel of the superheroes was up to them. For example, I might push to make tops and bottoms match in color, but if they decided to change the color palette, I wouldn’t refuse their superheroic demands.

I also purposefully didn’t show them their superheroes from the previous year. I didn’t want them to simply recreate their old heroes. I wanted to see what more recent influences might being to their heroes.

Let’s start with JSL. Last year, he made this hero:

He named his superhero “FireGuy.” So what did he make this year?

Meet Super Agent JSL Buzz Lightyear. Breaking down the name first, the “Super” part comes because, to JSL, a superhero must, obviously, be names super-something. I’m not sure why he thinks that. Most of the superheroes he knows don’t have names that begin with “Super.” “Agent” comes from Agent P, from Phineas and Ferb. We had recently watched the Phineas and Ferb movie so he wanted to be a secret agent. Buzz Lightyear comes from his favorite Toy Story character.

The shield is based on the one that his favorite superhero, Captain America, has. The color scheme incorporates his favorite colors. I’m not sure if there was a particular rhyme or reason behind the rest of the outfit, though.

Next up, was NHL. Last year, he made Disco Man, so named because he had “disco eyes.”

This year, NHL made Toolguy/Mathman/Cordman. Yes, you read that right. This superhero has three names. I tried to get NHL to shorten it, but he was adamant that it needed to be all three and include the slashes.

The name is based off his love of building things, his love of math, and the fact that his superhero has a whip. The head was based loosely on Hulk. For the body, NHL insisted that his superhero was part-robot and so it needed to be grey. In retrospect, I wonder if this comes from Perry the Platyborg from the Phineas and Ferb movie. It was interesting that NHL picked out the same tail that he chose last year. He also chose the same eyes at first, but then changed his mind.

Have your kids used HeroMachine? If so, what kinds of superheroes have they made?

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