At Home: How to take off Sticky Price Tags

Have you ever bought something and had a hard time getting the sticky price tag off? To get a stubborn sticky price tag off of a glass or plastic item soak price tag in warm water, next scrap tag off with your nail. If you’re still having trouble dab a little rubbing alcohol on price tag, then peel. Make sure plastic item won’t be ruined by rubbing alcohol first.

4th of July Movie: Yankee Doodle Dandy.

For the 4th of July. Movie: Yankee Doodle Dandy. Family-Musical. This patriotic musical stars James Cagney. It's based on the life of George Cohen, Broadway playwright, producer and star. In the movie James Cagney is one of the four Cohens, a family of vaudevillians of a by gone era. The talented and successful George Cohen writes song and dance routines for Broadway plays in the Big Apple, AKA New York City. One of Cohen's most popular songs, This Grand Old Flag, was used in WWI and WWII. Your eyes just get misty hearing it. I’ve seen this film more than once I liked it so much, but kids under nine might get bored since the movie is about adults.

Parenting Tip: Bed Weting

Some little kids wet their beds. They shouldn't be shamed for having accidents. Patience is what is needed. Some kids have weak bladder muscles, some could be going through sad times, others sleep so soundly they don't heed the call of nature as well as others. The following are some suggestions for bed wetting:

1) Have your child pee before going to sleep. Some kids read in bed so have them go pee before getting into bed and then again before going to sleep.
2) Don't give your child full glasses of water right before bed (but don't let them go to bed parched).
3) Encourage them to drink, or drink more water/milk, during dinner so they have time to pee before bed. But don't let them fill up on liquids/milk to the point they don't eat their dinner.
4) Grousing or yelling at your child about bed wetting will only stress them out more. And make them feel bad about themselves. So don't do it.
5) For easier clean up, put a zip up plastic cover over the mattress. Some parents have tried putting plastic liners over areas, but if the liner moves, the mattress could get wet. I recommend buying a cover for the whole mattress. Put a washable mattress pad over the plastic for comfort. In the end this is cheaper than buying a new mattress. It also lowers frustration levels because clean up is easier.
6) Make a dry bed chart to encourage your child to have a dry bed. So many nights of a dry bed equals more time on the computer or an outing at an ice cream parlor.
7) I knew of one parent who swore her six-year-old peed in bed when she got mad at the parent. She said her child knew it upset her to have to wash the sheets and wipe the plastic lining down. If you really think this is the case with your older child have them take off their own sheets and put them in the laundry room and have them wipe down their own plastic lining. And teach them to make their own bed. A few times of this and they might not pee in bed to get back at you. It worked for this parent. If the peeing continues out of anger your child might need to speak to a psychologist.

Arts and Craft- Make a vest out of a paper bag.

Your child can easily make a vest out of a paper bag. Vest can be for a carnival person, cowboy, Indian, sailor… Child can use it in 4th of July parade.

Using scissors cut bottom out of bag. Make a slit up middle, wide side, of bag. There should be two flaps in front of vest. Cut out arm holes in sides of bag, near top.
Using markers color stripes or put pockets on vest. For a sailor make funny tattoos. Glue buttons on front of vest. Child can put stickers, glitter, ribbon, pieces of fabric on vest. They can drip colored glue swirls on vest. Or they can outline the outside of vest with colored pipe cleaners. Have them use their imagination.

Sewing Tip from Fashion Designer

Two Easy Sewing Tips from a fashion designer friend of mine: 1) Before you sew by hand or machine make sure you place two to three colors of thread (for bobbin too) on the material you’re sewing. This way you can pick the best color that blends into the material. If your material is multi-colored pick the one that shows the least.
(2) For fly away shirts sew a dime in the inside hem where it tends to fly up. The dime will weigh down the material.

Movie Review: Send Me No Flowers

Movie Title: Send Me No Flowers. Comedy. A classic. Family movie for older kids, nine and up.
The set up is quite good. Take a hypochondriac. Have said hypochondriac overhear a conversation his doctor is having about a patient's terminal illness. Have him now think the doctor was talking about him. Even though the doctor wasn't. Rock Hudson plays George Kimball a mild mannered hypochondriac. Doris Day plays his supportive wife, Judy, who puts up with all his imaginary aliments. With the help of his neighbor (Tony Randall) George sets out to find Judy a new husband when he thinks he's dying. When Judy finds out George really isn't dying she teaches him a lesson. Hudson, Day and Randall are terrific in this comedy. Send Me No Flowers is very funny. I recommend it. For kids nine or ten and up. Younger kids might get bored.

Father's Day Idea

For Father’s Day have your child help make breakfast in bed for dad. Bring along the newspaper or his favorite magazine if he likes that. Also, bring a deck of cards. Have Dad pick a card. (Discuss before hand with child what they’re willing to do for Dad and let them decide what suit will equal what.)
Example: If Dad picks up a diamond your child will do one of his chores that they’re able to do. If their dad picks a spade the child will shine one pair of his shoes or something else. If Dad picks a club then child will not bother Dad for two hours while he’s watching his favorite sports game on TV or something similar. If Dad picks up an ace your child will wash his car. If King of Aces is picked it can be something extra special.

Flowers, Flowers Everywhere

This is fun. Have your child cut flowers and long green leafy branches from your yard. Arrange flowers and leaves in vases around the house. Even the bathroom. Place on back patio and front porch if you have enough. Flowers really spruce up an area. It makes it automatically prettier.

What to do about stains on clothes.

If you get a stain on clothing that needs to be dry cleaned, this includes children's suits, be careful. Take to dry cleaners. Hand washing such fabric could ruin item!!

For clothes that don't need dry cleaning or don't have special cleaning instructions:
Wash out stain as soon as possible. This makes a difference! I recommend doing a load of laundry right away but at least wash stain with soap in cold water and let soak. For blood stains my mom used to soak the stain overnight in milk. Sometimes this worked, sometimes the item just smelled of milk. Be careful with any fabrics you do this with. I take no responsibility. That said I can recommend something my sister, sister-in-law, two of my friends and I use, it’s Carbona. They have different spot removers for different stains. Look for their little bottles in the detergent aisle of your grocery store. This stuff has worked for me.

Movie Review: Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit. Horse movie. Drama. Rated PG-13. Based on a true event.

I loved this movie. But little kids, age six or seven might get bored, plus it's Rated PG-13, so skip watching it with them. The movie wasn't made for little kids. Movie takes place during the Depression. Three men team up and take an underrated horse to the top. The movie is about the men's lives as well as the horse. It's an underdog, or in this case underhorse, wins the day flick. Which back in the Depression was important for morale. People were captivated with the story of Seabiscuit. You’ll root for this horse when he races.

Science Day Food Project: See how rock salt can help make ice cream

Make Homemade Ice Cream
(This is a great Father’s Day Project).

What you need:
1- Plastic freezer strength zip lock bag, storage size.
2- Another plastic freezer strength zip lock bag, gallon size.
3- ¼ cup of sugar.
4- ¼ cup of whole milk.
5- 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream.
6- 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
7- Rock salt.
8- Ice.
9- Spoon and bowls.

What to do:
1- Have your child pour sugar, milk, whipping cream and vanilla in smaller zip lock bag.
2- Stir ingredients with spoon.
3- Make sure you seal this bag completely. This is important. Triple check if you must. You do not want rock salt to get into this bag!!!
4- Now pour about 3 ½ cups of ice into larger zip lock bag.
5- You the parent carefully sprinkle about ½ cup of rock salt over the ice.
6- Put smaller zip lock into larger zip lock bag.
7- If you have gloves, let your child put them on first.
8- Shake bag. Keep shaking for around twelve minutes. You might need to help shake bag, or two or more children can help shake.
9- After twelve minutes of shaking take smaller bag out of larger bag. Fully wipe the outside of smaller bag with paper towel before opening it. Throw away larger bag.
10- You can eat the ice cream now. Or put ice cream in new zip lock freezer bag, freeze, and eat later.

Arts and Craft: Easy Father's Day Gift

Super simple Father’s Day gift.
Find a rock the size of a fist. Have your child paint it. They can paint designs on it or squiggles. They can paint Dad’s face or a smiley face on one side. On the other side they can write, “#1 Dad” or “Super Dad.” The rock can be a paper weight or door stopper. Whatever your child chooses it to be the painted rock makes a nice gift for Dad for Father's Day.

Movie Review: Eragon

Movie Title: Eragon. Fantasy-Adventure. Rated PG. Based on the book by Christopher Paloini. Seventeen-year-old farm boy, Eragon, finds a blue stone in the woods. To his surprise it hatches into a dragon. The dragon, Saphira, and Eragon bond. He becomes her dragon rider. Together they save a young woman in distress and a kingdom. Great adventure movie. Fun and exciting dragon scenes. Boys will definitely like it!

Parenting Article: Looking for the Good in Your Child

The Miracle that Happens When You Look for the Good in Your Child

When you find a good characteristic or trait in your child, share it with them. They’ll take it to heart. Tell them about a positive action they did that you liked. You can say, "I liked how you stuck up for your brother when other kids pick on him." Maybe your child only did this once, but since you are proud she did it, she will be more disposed to do it again. She'll take pride in her kind actions. Think well of your child and it will come back to you. Be cruel to your child and it creates hate and resentment. If you need to get your child to stop a behavior, you can share it in a constructive manner. “If you want Janey to play with you, you should play nicely. Share the building blocks with her. If you take them away and stick your tongue out at her it makes her feel bad. And she doesn’t want to play with you. I know you can share. I’ve seen you play nicely before.” Here you have set the tone for how to be nice, twice. By repeating positive behavior you want it reinforces it.

Don't manipulate your child into doing something by saying, "I only want what’s best for you," when you really mean, "You'll be better off and happier if you for fill my desires for you." Love your child now, not the child you desire or fantasized about before they were born. Your child is not an extension of you, like an arm or leg. They are their own unique person. They are not a mirror image of you, even if they look like you when you were younger. They have their own thoughts, temperament, and dreams. Look for the good in them today and you'll see a better child tomorrow. But don't give undo or false praise. This creates a selfish child.

Two family ideas that can build harmony in the home:
Number 1: For one week, every day, make a true effort to find something good in your child. Tell them what it is. After a week see if their behavior has changed in any way. Note how. Do this for another week. Note the results. See if their attitude towards you has changed.

Number 2: Pick a special plate or bowl. Once a week let someone in your family have it at dinner time. Whoever gets the plate gets nice things said to them from everyone around the table. Examples of things to be said: "You’re a fun brother to have." "I like how you did your homework yesterday without having me to tell you to get started on it." "I think you are a creative person."
Get going on positive reinforcement!

Book Review, A True Picture Book: Naughty Nancy

“Naughty Nancy,” by John S. Goodall. A true picture book. Using only illustrations this book tells the amusing tale of a little mouse who is a flower girl. Mr. Goodall does something unusual. He uses a small picture after a larger picture thus enlarging what you see. Don’t get this? Then pick up the book and see for yourself what I mean. It’s worth it. It’s a really cute book.

Movie Review: Jumanji.

Movie Title: Jumanji. Fantasy-Adventure. Rated PG. Based on a children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg.

The movie starts off centuries ago with two boys burying a locked box. It contains something that should never see the light of day. Fast forward to1969. A boy named Allen Parish finds the locked box in a construction site. It contains a board game. Allen and a girl he goes to school with start playing the game at his house. Allen rolls the dice and is soon sucked into the game. His friend runs away scared. Fast forward again to 1995. An aunt and her niece, Judy, and nephew, Peter, move into Allan's old home. Peter and Judy (Kristen Dunst) find the magical board game and start playing. When they role the dice a strange thing happens. They meet Allen Parish (Robin Williams) who got trapped in the game 26 years earlier. He's all grown up and a jungle man to boot. Joined by Allen's girl friend, who he played the game with a long time ago, the four of them set off to finish the game. Whenever they roll the dice something from the game magically appears. They have run-ins with rhinoceros, a herd of elephants, huge spiders, annoying monkeys, crocodiles and a hunter who's after Allen's hide. The foursome also brave a monsoon, an earthquake, and quicksand. This is a great adventure movie. I loved it.