It’s hard to tell people what you want when you don’t have the words.  Sometimes it’s so hard kids resort to crying, hitting and tantrums.  One way to lesson these communication problems is to teach your child sign language.

Signing “ball” at 15 months

Since I’m approaching three years in Memphis, and my mom is in town, I figured it was time to go to Graceland.  We went without the kids, as I was not convinced this was a good destination for them.

Mirrors on the wall and ceiling, three TVs, and records – this was high style livin’

We enjoyed the history lesson that Graceland provides.  It was fun to see the house decorated in 60s/70s style and listen to the tid bits of info on the provided self-guided audio tour.  I definitely enjoyed seeing what life was like back in those days, and how Elvis and Memphis are connected.  My favorite parts were all the mirrors, the carpeted walls and ceiling, the jumpsuits, the gold and platinum records and the airplanes.  A child who is interested in popular music, fashion or history would enjoy aspects of the tour, but this is not exactly a kid-friendly experience.  We went on a rainy Friday around 9:30am and it was still pretty crowded inside the house.  You need to be able to listen to the audio recordings (on headphones) in order to get anything out of the tour, so keep that in mind.  The end of the tour also briefly touches on drug use, so that’s important to keep in mind when it comes to kids.

A mom asked for recommendations on teacher gifts. I asked the moms, but then I realized I was asking the wrong people. I have so many friends who are teachers or used to be teachers that I decided to ask them. After all, it’s what the recipient wants that matters, right?

Here are the top things teachers said they do NOT want.

Want to be ready for the worst?  Take a class on CPR.  Most places offer general classes that include specific techniques for infants, and there are lots of options in town.  Below are the places to check out.  Know of more?  Please add them via a comment.

Welcome to May!  It’s time to register for your FREE summer membership to the Pink Palace Museum.  You’ve got all month to do this, but get it done!  The EMM Calendar has been updated with events for the month, and new events have been added to April/May Shows & Special Events post (the stuff the requires tickets) as well.

Want to learn how to make money with a blog?  Memphis-based website development company Sisimoudu Design Studios is holding a 5-week online workshop called Blogging for Business: Starting a Blog That Works for You as part of the organization’s Real Women Wear Green Project, which helps women use technology and the environment to build sustainable careers that promote work-life balance. Running May 20th – June 23rd (at whatever time of day you choose – it’s all online), this would be a great summer learning experience for you or your tech-savvy teen. Enrollment is $39, but you can receive a $10 discount by using the East Memphis Moms promotional code: EMM2013. Save an additional $10 per person through the group discount. Space is limited, so register early to reserve your seat.