Friday, March 2, 2012

Go fly a Kite by Mrs. Dorothy Barron


                          Go fly a Kite by Mrs. Dorothy Barron

                                                 
“Go fly a kite” are both figurative and literal expressions. Figuratively speaking, if annoyed by a person, one might say “go fly a kite” as a way of telling the person to get lost. Today, we want to use the expression in the literal sense.
We want you and your child/ren to really go fly a kite. Kite flying used to be a common and popular activity during the Spring Season; one could view kites soaring in all shapes and colors. Not only can kite flying be a wonderful family activity, but with First Lady; Mrs. Michelle Obama’s, Let’s Move Initiative, which has been established to assist us with curbing/eliminating obesity; eating healthier and becoming more active; kite flying will get us up and moving.   
As a means to assist Parents and children who would like to engage in the activity of flying a Kite, Parents Taking Charge in Education has done some research for you.  We searched on and offline for places that sell Kites; we suggest you search your favorite retail site(s) online and/or call your favorite local neighborhood retail store(s). The local stores that were called did not have them in stock. We performed an Internet search for those who may find it more feasible, fun and interesting to make a kite(s); we discovered that the Search Engine, Bing, listed or provided a wider variety and broader selection of information on making and flying kites than other popular search engines.
We also contacted our local television news stations Meteorologists (Nashville, TN) and others and asked, if they could provide us with the best dates during the Spring Season (March-May) for flying kites, as well as the best wind speeds?                    

According to the Meteorologists and because of varied weather patterns which affect wind speeds, it would be difficult to make long range predictions for the best days for flying kites over the Spring Season from March to May (L. Patton- WKRN); the best wind speed for flying kites range between 5 -25 mph depending on the type of kite (L. Patton and L. Spencer). For a more comprehensive forecast about the weather, the local National Weather Service Office was suggested as a source (L. Spencer- WSMV).
You can obtain the latest seven (7) day weather forecast and current conditions inclusive of wind speed by visiting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website at http://noaa.gov, and typing in your city and state. Weather warnings and forecasts can be found at http://www.weather.gov.                                              
National Kite Month.org at http://www.nationalkitemonth.org/main/, is a Website dedicated to and offers a host of information on Kiting, inclusive of teacher and parent resource information. The site’s Co-founders and Co-sponsors; The American Kite Association and The Kite Trade Association International confirmed and/or provided the following:                                   

¨      March 31st through May 6, 2012 has been designated as Kite Season; however, Executive Directors from both associations informed us that Kite Season varies by countries and regions.

¨      April is National Kite Month.
In addition, there are Kite Festivals here and abroad. Do you know where the Kite originated? Do a quick search!
Finally Parents, we want to offer some Kite Flying precautions:
¨      Accompany you child or make sure he/she has adult supervision.

¨      Be aware of weather conditions- do not fly kites during storms or bad weather.

¨      Keep kites away from power lines, trees or any objects of which the kite may become entangled.
¨      Walk the terrain prior to flying the kite(s) to ensure that the ground and boundaries are level and safe; eyes will be upward once the launching of the kite takes place and airborne.

Spring is right around the corner; how about it Dad and Mom? Come on Granddad, Grandma, Uncles and Aunts; make or purchase a kite and show us how to fly it!

You most likely will be at kite flying for some hours; why not take a nutritious picnic and some blankets along and make it a day? We are getting a kite; how about you?
                        *******************************************
Parents Taking Charge in Education would like to thank the following for assisting with resource information, educating us and/or making a difference:
First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama and those at Let’s Move
Bing Search Engine
Channel 2 WKRN –Weathercaster; Lisa Patton (Nashville, TN News Channel Station)
Channel 4 WSMV-Chief Meteorologist; Lisa Spencer (Nashville, TN News Channel Stations)
NOAA Nashville Weather Service:  http://noaa.gov and Weather.gov: http://www.weather.gov  
National Kite Month.Org at http://www.nationalkitemonth.org/main/and site Co-founders and Co-sponsors; The American Kite Association and The Kite Trade Association International.

Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Founder
Parents Taking Charge in Education   http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com
E-mail: barron.dorothy@yahoo.com








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