Archives for July 2020

How to encourage your kids to be more spiritual

Spirituality is a sophisticated concept that we don’t tend to associate with children. Spiritual people might eat a plant-based diet, care for the environment and communicate with psychics or mediums (via this mediumchat website) – which might not be appropriate for our children. However, being spiritual simply means caring about something bigger than ourselves, and there are many positive qualities that spiritual people have. A spiritual child might be more kind, honest and intelligent. So, how can you encourage your kids to be more spiritual?

Education

First and foremost, for kids to be spiritual, they need to understand what it means. This means giving them a good education and explaining the benefits of spirituality. But the whole point of spirituality is that it isn’t forced. People do it because they care. So, teach your kids about the environment and encourage them to care about it. Once your child has found a passion for something they will do what they can to make the world a better place. If you would like to learn more about giving your children a great education read https://socalcitykids.com/how-to-give-your-kids-a-great-education/

Helping others

Spirituality is all about being better than you were the day before. Those who are spiritual think about the bigger picture and care about the world. They act selflessly. How can your child behave like this if you don’t? So, be a good role model and hope that they follow in your influence. This means helping others by giving to charity, being a good friend and caring about the environment. When you help others you make the world a better place, and your child will see that. If you act in a selfish or greedy manner your child will too.

Outdoors

Nature is a big part of spirituality. Spiritual people understand the joys of being outside and like to spend time amongst nature. So, encourage your child to be more spiritual by organizing trips and adventures outside. When children understand the beauty of nature and find it soothing, they will find it a relaxing place to be when they’re older. If you are looking for some outdoor fun activities for the family check out https://socalcitykids.com/family-nature-walk-tips-and-activities2/

Exercises

Being spiritual means being in tune with your body. This can be difficult for children as they are still growing. When a child goes through puberty they might feel confused about their body or resent any changes. But spirituality can help. Doing exercises such as yoga or stretches help us to accept our bodies and gain a better understanding of how they work. Yoga can help in reducing stress, which can be helpful for children. Many kids don’t understand what stress is and struggle to deal with it. So, spiritual exercises can help kids learn how to use their bodies.

Creativity

Many spiritual people are creative. It’s part of the package. It just so happens that many kids are creative too and they enjoy expressing themselves. For kids, this is the norm. So, help your child to become more spiritual by encouraging their creativity. Support them in writing, drawing and making. Appreciate their projects. When a child can express themselves through creativity they become more spiritual.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie * Fantastic Anime; Great Characters; Meaningful Stories

Jibanyan, Whisper, and Nate travel back in time where they team up with a heroic Yo-kai named Hovernyan and Nate’s adolescent grandfather to stop an evil Yo-kai from taking over the world! Together, they fight Dame Dedtime and her evil Wicked Yo-kai minions to save the world from her evil plans. Can they discover the secret origin of the Yo-kai Watch and save humanity before time runs out!? KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ethan P. comments, “This show’s animation is Japanese anime and is very neat and colorful.  The graphics are amazing and the voice-overs fit each character.  The graphics are similar to the TV show.  My favorite scene is when Hovernyan saves Nate and his grandfather from Dame Dedtime who is trying to kill them for rescuing Jibanyan. It is cool to see someonFre fight a mob of bad Yo-kai and then save people after surviving a huge attack like that.”  Ginebra Q. adds, “ Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is such an entertaining film. I really like it. First off, the animation is out of this world. The animation has an intriguing aspect to it. Moreover, there is a large amount of imagination in this film. One can only wish that creatures like the ones in this movie really existed. Also, meaningful stories are always good to see and this one is definitely that.”  Justin Y. wraps it up with, “The script creates a story full of events and exciting fight scenes, which are the main focus of the film. By creating bizarre scenes of enlarging things at the beginning, the screenwriter catches the viewers’ eyes early on. Subsequent events are fast-paced, so presumably, young viewers will not get bored. Nevertheless, the story with “good fighting evil” brings little innovation to the table and renders predictable results. Moreover, a few minor details are not carefully planned for consistency.  For example, Nathaniel hesitates helping his friends in the factory, but at the beginning of the movie he saves Nate without hesitation.” See their full reviews below.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie
Ethan P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie
By Ginebra Q., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is such an entertaining film. I really like it. First off, the animation is out of this world. The animation has an intriguing aspect to it. Moreover, there is a large amount of imagination in this film. One can only wish that creatures like the ones in this movie really existed. Also, meaningful stories are always good to see and this one is definitely that.

Nate Adams (Johnny Yong Bosch) is “the chosen one” in this film. There are magical creatures called Yo-Kai and only Nate can see them. In this story the bad Yo-Kai are up to no good, so Nate and his friends team up against them. This is a good plot, although a bit typical. However, this story has some unique and interesting twists to it, with some humor mixed in as well.

As Nate and his friends unite, they make some puns that will surely get a smile from the audience. The effects in this film are so colorful and they really stick out. Furthermore, I love how each Yo-Kai is unique. Humans can relate in a way, since no two humans are exactly the same. In addition, plot twists really develop the storyline and make it even more interesting. One of my favorite characters is Whisper, one of the Yo-Kai. He is silly, but very friendly and loves helping. The best part of this film is the battle between Nate and his friends and the bad Yo-Kai. There is so much action that, if you blink, you might miss something of importance. Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie does not fail to keep your attention. 

This film has many messages about friendship, teamwork and perseverance. We see the characters learn about teamwork and how essential friendship and determination are. The mood if this movie is hopeful.

I give Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 11. It is available on DVD now, so look for it.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie

By Justin Yu, KIDS FIRST! Reviewer, Age 14

                                               
Although I’m not an anime fan, Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie definitely held my interest. The cute Yo-kai and Nate keep me engaged and curious to know what their next actions would be. 

The film is centered around Nate Adams, his grandfather and their Yo-Kai. The movie begins in Nate’s home town, Springdale, where suddenly things become enlarged. Megnnyan is enlarging everything and tells Nate that the world is in trouble.  Confused, Nate goes to his Grandma’s house where a Yo-kai leads him to Hovernyan who tells Nate that they must go back in time to find his Grandpa and his Yo-kai Watch, so they can fight the Wicked who are trying to destroy everything. 

The script creates a story full of events and exciting fight scenes, which are the main focus of the film. By creating bizarre scenes of enlarging things at the beginning, the screenwriter catches the viewers’ eyes early on. Subsequent events are fast-paced, so presumably, young viewers will not get bored. Nevertheless, the story with “good fighting evil” brings little innovation to the table and renders predictable results. Moreover, a few minor details are not carefully planned for consistency.  For example, Nathaniel hesitates helping his friends in the factory, but at the beginning of the movie he saves Nate without hesitation. 


My favorite part is the ending when all of the Yo-kai combine their powers to fight the Wicked. Whisper is my favorite character; the actions and his dialogue are hilarious. In one scene, Whisper is flying around trying to find Master Yada who is standing right in front of him.  One thing that stands out is the animation, which is some of the best anime that I have seen. The scenery and characters are very detailed and colorful and the action scenes are high-octane, with well matched background music.


Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie definitely meets the KIDS FIRST! criteria. I give it 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 11. Since fighting scenes in films were my favorites as a young boy, I think boys would prefer this over girls. The primary message is that when people work together as a team, they can overcome many obstacles and achieve almost anything. This is a very positive and powerful message for the film’s target audience.    

My Spy * Love The Friendship That Develops Between JJ and Sophie

A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Lindalee R. comments, “I loved the friendship and love that develops between the characters JJ (Dave Bautista) and Sophie (Chloe Coleman)! They start off as strangers and then, throughout the movie, JJ teaches her how to be a good spy, and she teaches him how to be a kinder person as their relationship grows stronger and they become friends.” Tiana S. adds, “My Spy is a very entertaining and funny movie! The casting director, Anne McCarthy and Kellie Roy, picked the perfect people to play the roles in this film. The music selections are very upbeat and work perfectly in each scene.” Kori P. wraps it up with, “My Spy is a hilarious, action-filled film! My Spy mixes comedy and action in a way that comes off quite naturally. The stunts and effects are quite realistic. Another thing I couldn’t get enough of is the awesome chemistry between Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman, the films two leads.” See their full reviews below.

My Spy
Lindalee R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

I thought My Spy was so good because I loved the friendship and love that develops between the characters JJ (Dave Bautista) and Sophie (Chloe Coleman)! They start off as strangers and then, throughout the movie, JJ teaches her how to be a good spy, and she teaches him how to be a kinder person as their relationship grows stronger and they become friends. Not only does JJ have a change of heart and but eventually he develops feelings for her mom.

My Spy is the story of a CIA agent who is secretly watching a family in order to try and get information connected to a big case he is on. One of the people he is watching is the little girl, Sophie, who discovers J.J. and that he is spying on her and her mom. In exchange for not revealing his secret, Sophie makes him teach her how to be a good spy.

One of my favorite parts of My Spy is when JJ goes on a date with Sophie‘s mom and starts dancing. Because his character is so serious and he’s such a large person, it’s very funny to see him trying to do all these trendy dances…because he does it so terribly! Honestly, it kind of reminded me of my dad dancing.

For those who like Dave Bautista in Guardians of the Galaxy you will love him in this movie. Chloe Coleman has a very bright acting future—she is such a kind person both on and off camera, and she has such an amazing on-camera presence.

A quick note to parents:  My Spy does contain some adult language (and in some songs played during the movie.) So while younger kids may enjoy it, parents should decide if their kids are mature enough to see a movie with moments of profanity.

My Spy is full of action, fun, comedy and love. I give My Spy 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it for ages 10 to 18, and adults will love it too! Don’t miss it. It’s available on Amazon Prime June 30, 2020!

My Spy

By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 9

My Spy is a very entertaining and funny movie! The casting director, Anne McCarthy and Kellie Roy, picked the perfect people to play the roles in this film. The music selections are very upbeat and work perfectly in each scene.

My Spy tells the story of J.J. (Dave Bautista), a CIA agent who secretly spies on a family with his colleague Bobbi (Kristen Schaal) until their nine-year-old girl, Sophie Vale (Chloe Coleman) finds out what they are up to. Sophie blackmails J.J, into doing things for her so she’s not left alone or unable to attend certain events. J.J. decides to help Sophie so that she won’t tell anyone about him and blow his cover. They go on an adventure filled with drama and secret spy missions

The main characters are J.J. and Sophie Vale—she is my favorite character. She is so smart and funny. My favorite part of this movie is when J.J. and Sophie are walking away from an explosion and Sophie’s mom, Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley), is confused because they are walking slowly away instead of running. The special effects, such as the explosions, in this movie are so realistic. The music really drives the movie, and the right song plays at the right time. For example, in the beginning, J.J. is in a car chase and tries to find the perfect song for the car chase. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between actors Coleman and Bautista on scene. You can tell they had fun filming it together, and you’ll have fun watching them on scene.

The message of My Spy is to trust people, even kids. Throughout the movie J.J. has to learn that he has people in his life that can help him. You have to let other people help in order to be successful or accomplish your goals— you never know what could happen if you work with others and let them in. Adults should look out for gun violence and effects that may be scary for younger kids. 

My Spy is a “spy-tastic” film that the whole family, especially older kids, will love! I give My Spy 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for kids 10 to 18 years old. Adults will like it too. My Spy comes out on Amazon Prime on June 26, 2020.

My Spy

By Kori P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

My Spy is a hilarious, action-filled film! My Spy mixes comedy and action in a way that comes off quite naturally. The stunts and effects are quite realistic. Another thing I couldn’t get enough of is the awesome chemistry between Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman, the films two leads.

The storyline is about a CIA agent, JJ (Dave Bautista) and his partner Bobbi (Kristen Schaal) whose newest mission is to surveil a single mother, Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley) and her 9-year-old daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman), who they think might be connected to the criminals they’re after. JJ and Bobbi rent a room in the same apartment complex as the people they’re surveilancing and implant cameras in Kate and Sophie’s apartment. Sophie finds one of the cameras and tracks down it down, leading her to JJ and Bobbi. She then blackmails JJ into doing her favors and training her to become a spy, while they develop a father-daughter relationship, and Sophie tries pairing JJ with her mom.

This film has incredible stunts and special effects! In the opening scene, there’s a huge gun fight as JJ walks out of an exploding building as the criminals inside perish. The star of this film is none other than former wrestler Dave Bautista. Bautista’s performance is terrific, in his second high profile film role, after his recurring role in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. My Spy is directed by Peter Segal (Naked Gun, The Final Insult, Tommy Boy, Get Smart). My personal favorite part of this movie is when while JJ is training Sophie on how to distract an enemy, Sophie distracts JJ by knocking over the fish bowl, almost killing JJ’s pet fish Blueberry. Luckily JJ has a glass of water on the table and Blueberry survives.

The message of My Spy is that it’s okay to open up to people. JJ develops a relationship with Sophie, Kate and Bobbi when he opens up to Sophie about how his ex-fiancé left him after he returned from the army. There is mild adult humor and mild cursing in this film that parents should know about.

I give My Spy 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 18. My Spy releases on Amazon Prime June 26, 2020!. Look for it.

Four Kids and It * A Wonderful Fantasy Film with Such Realistic Looking CGI

A group of kids on holiday in Cornwall meet a magical creature on the beach with the power to grant wishes. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Lindalee R., comments, “Inspired by E. Nesbit’s 1902 serialized novel called Five Children and It,  the movie Four Kids and It is a wonderful fantasy film for all ages that brings the story alive. The CGI seems so real that I believed the Psammead (the creature in the film played by Michael Caine) was actually alive and right there with the actors on the set.” See her full review below.

Four Kids and It

By Lindalee R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

Inspired by E. Nesbit’s 1902 serialized novel called Five Children and It,  the movie Four Kids and It is a wonderful fantasy film for all ages that brings the story alive. The CGI seems so real that I believed the Psammead (the creature in the film played by Michael Caine) was actually alive and right there with the actors on the set.

Full of adventure, Four Kids and It is about two families. Each family has two kids and all four kids want their birth parents to get back together. When the two split families meet up for a vacation, the kids find out their parents are dating each other and they absolutely freak out. While being forced to play with each other and to get to know one another, they meet a magical sand creature called a Psammead who tells them that he can grant each of them wishes, but only one a day. Also, the wishes expire at sunset.

Throughout this movie the four kids get to know each other better, become much closer and start to bond more like a real family. There is a man named Tristan Trent (Russell Brand), who lives in a mansion on the island that they all go to for their vacation. For generations, Tristan’s family were hunters of rare and unique living creatures on Earth. Tristan and his ancestors have been trying to find the legendary Psammead for decades. When the kids come to the island, he knows that he could use them to track the creature down. If he can lure out and capture the creature, he can finally add it to his family’s collection of trophies…and hopefully get in a wish or two as well!

The scenes with the kids each coming up with their own magical wishes and living them out for the day are fun. It also made me wonder what I would wish for if I only had a day to experience a wish.

The message of this film is to be careful what you wish for, but also that sometimes change happens and no matter how bad it seems, that it can offer up new opportunities and maybe create something better than you ever had before.

I give Four Kids and It  5 out of 5 stars, and I recommend it for ages 6 to 18, and adults will love it too! I know my parents sure did.

The movie will be available on Digital, Blu-Ray, DVD and on-demand, as well as major digital platforms like Amazon Prime, Vudo and others, on June 30, 2020, from Lionsgate Film

The Commodore, July 2nd Pet of the Week!

t’s not his name so much as a title! The Commodore at only 5 months old has a commanding, thoughtful presence that will move your heart—and move in there, too! The Commodore loves to stand at the helm, which is what he calls the window, and take in the world. He has a badge in the form of a tipped ear, which speaks to his experience in the outdoors before he was rescued. He loves his ears and head scratched, and he’s ready for an advancement in rank to house cat! Because the shelter is closed to the public, adoption appointments are conducted through email, so contact AnimalRescue@longbeach.gov to meet The Commodore. Ask for ID#A644207.

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

How to learn piano on a keyboard?

Photo by Martin Hexeberg on Unsplash

A keyboard and piano are similar instruments that serve the same purpose but operate in different ways. A piano is an acoustic instrument that creates sound through striking strings, while a keyboard produces audio digitally. Therefore, it is apparent that these two instruments are inherently different, and therefore may not be comparable in operation. However, it is possible to use one to learn the other. More specifically, you can learn the piano through a keyboard. Below are some ways how:

  1. Key Arrangement

Luckily, most keyboards and pianos have similarly placed keys. The arrangement of keys on boh instruments are similar, and despite being generally thinner in keyboards, they are situated similarly to pianos. They also produce identical notes in both instruments, making it easy to operate. The similarity of the key arrangement means that there is a minuscule time needed to familiarize yourself with either instrument, making the transition between keyboard and piano near seamless.

  1. Range

A standard piano has 88 keys. Some keyboards, similarly, have 88 keys. However, some do not and typically have fewer keys, depending on the model and cost. As a result, it may be difficult to adequately learn how to play on a piano if you use a keyboard with fewer keys. A solution is to find a model with 88 keys, or at least 72 keys. With this, you can adequately train on your keyboard and consequently get good at playing the piano. A keyboard with at least 72 keys should be adequate to train on the more familiar piano compositions.

  1. Action

The action of a piano is the responsiveness of the keys when pushed down. A piano has, seeing as they are acoustic instruments, and thus respond adequately when the keys get pushed. Many keyboards, on the other hand, have less action, and therefore are less weighted when pushed. Consequently, you may lack adequate knowledge to play the piano effectively, having trained with a less weighted keyboard. The adjustment to the piano can take up some time as a result. However, you can get an electronic keyboard with weighted keys similar to pianos, making this transition easy. Keyboards with action identical to pianos will help you get the same feel to playing an acoustic piano.

  1. Cost

Pianos tend to be more expensive than keyboards. The price varies with different pianos, but generally, across the board, keyboards are less expensive. The cost of a piano differs depending on size, manufacturer, materials used in building it, and its design. In this regard, it may be difficult for you to acquire a piano for your music lessons. Keyboards are more affordable, and seeing their similarity to pianos, make a better purchase. However, despite the affordability, you need to get a keyboard with appropriate features, one whose elements are comparable to a piano. With one of these, you can typically learn to play the piano on a more-affordable keyboard.

  1. Portability

Pianos tend to be large and cumbersome, and are very difficult to relocate. Most pianos have a designated place in the house, from where one can practice. Keyboards, on the other hand, are more portable. You can take your keyboard with you whenever you need it, helping you learn faster. Keyboards are also much easier to rent since you can easily carry it home, making it easier to learn piano, more affordably.