Why it is Important to Talk to Your Kids, Part 2

Food for thought: Does your child not disclose their real feelings because they think you would disapprove of them? Children no matter what they say, like to be approved of. Let us say you are a high powered lawyer and you feel cheerleading is beneath you, so you tell your daughter when you see a cheerleader, "Why would anyone want to be a cheerleader? It is not like they do anything useful. All they do is jump and down like idiots." Now if your daughter has a secret dream to be a cheerleader, do you think she is going to share this idea with a mother who feels that way? So if she secretly tries out for the squad and does not make it, why would she tell you she is depressed about it? You might just tell her it was a big waste of time anyway. Never belittle a child's dream, even if it is not a dream you would choose for yourself. Remember your child is not you.

Kids can hide their feelings from parents for different reasons. They feel they will not understand; they do not think their parent can help solve the problem; what is the point; the child does not want to be a burden (such as his mother is going through a divorce with his father and she is already stressed out so why trouble her with X.). Watch for signs of loneliness, anger or depression. Does your child hide out in their room talking to no one? Do they spend a lot of time alone at school? Do they slam doors repeatedly in frustration? Do they weep for no apparent reason? You can not make your child talk to you. But you can reach out to them.

Last remark: I have heard a few parents complain, "I was close to my mother growing up and shared what was going on in my life with her, so why doesn't my child do the same thing with me?" Answer: Your child is not you. Maybe you’re extroverted where your child tends to be shy and private.

Why it is Important to Talk to Your Kids, Part 1

Too bad kids do not have signs that appear on their forehead that say how they feel. "I am depressed." "I feel like a loser." "I feel lonely." "I hate being me." "I hate my life." I feel devastated because I did not make the football team." If kids had forehead signs to show how they feel it would make life easier. But they do not. So you have to look for other signs. Like behavioral ones. You should make a genuine effort to talk to your kids to find out what’s going on. Not just ask them how school is as you are reading the morning newspaper.

Some problems if you knew about you could actually help with, such as your child is seriously depressed. If you knew this you would take your child to see a doctor. You could also help out if you knew, or took some time to know, about how badly your daughter wants to be a cheerleader. You could get someone to help her out with some cheer moves. Maybe you have a friend's daughter who is a cheerleader or has taken a lot of dance classes. If so get her to teach your daughter some moves. Or you can enroll your daughter in cheerleading camp. If you can not afford this then rent how to DVD's on cheerleading. Another problem that you could help with, if you took time to notice, is if your young child seems lonely. Teach your child how to make friends Watch how he interacts with other kids. Maybe other children do not like to play with him because they find him annoying. Does your child pester other kids? Does he ask too many questions or complain a lot? (Why do we have to play here? Why do we have to play that way? Why can't I go first? I don't like the rules.)

Book Review: The Ice Cream Store

How can you not pick up a book called The Ice Cream Store? Poems by Dennis Lee. Pictures by David McPhail. The poems are whimsical, the pictures well drawn. What’s great about this book is a child who reads it, or is read to, can learn how to make up their own funny, rhyming poems. Why not pick up a fun book like this and start making up silly poems with your own child.

Part 5: Sugar and Kids

Things you can do to reduce white sugar intake in your home. With some desserts you can substitute the needed white sugar ingredient with something else. Get a cook book on it. Also, some fruits alone are sweet tasting. You can offer these types of fruits as a dessert. You can make Mondays and Wednesdays tasty fruit dessert night. Serve mangos slices. Nectarine slices. Cut up watermelon. (Some children are more inclined to eat fruit if it's sliced or cut up.) Fresh strawberries. Blueberries. Dried apricots. Dried peaches. Don't serve fruit that your child isn't keen about. This defeats the purpose of getting your child to see fruit as a tasty dessert. In other countries other than the U.S. fruit actually is considered a dessert.

Part 4: Sugar and Kids

Now for parents who insist on the no sugar policy: Unless your child truly doesn't mind it I think you should ease up on it once your child enters school. It's great you want to instill good eating habits, but you can't keep your child from sugar forever. Which brings me to; I don't believe it's fair to keep your child from a friend's birthday party due any candy and cupcakes that might be served. There's more to parties than cookies and cupcakes. There's enjoying a good time with friends. Additionally, you shouldn't make your child feel guilty about desiring sweets. You can teach them what's healthy, but you shouldn't shame them out of wanting sugary treats. Example: "Crystal, you don't want to go to that birthday party do you. They will be having a piñata with candy, plus sodas and ice cream. All of which are bad for your body. A smart girl wouldn't want to go." This is an unfair. Smart people do desire desserts. A person's IQ has nothing to do with wanting candy. And you're not really asking Crystal, you're telling her. Help your child make good decisions, but have some faith that when you're not around your child won't be eating half the cake at a party. Realistically what are the odds of that happening? If she did, I could understand you not wanting her to go. It's also inappropriate to call a parent and ask, "Do you mind having a watermelon instead of a cake for your child's birthday? It would be better for the children." You might be thinking, "What gull! Who would do that?" But some people are so into what they believe, they think it is okay to force their views on others. That said if you are close to the parent of the birthday child I believe it is fine to call the parent and tell them about your no sugar policy (they might already know, but you can tell them again). You can politely ask if YOU can provide some non-cane sugar treat to go with whatever dessert they might be providing. This is a great way to introduce to other children different ways treats can be had. (You can do this for school bake sales as well.) If your child is diabetic I think most parents would be understanding.

Part 3, Article on Kids and Sugar

Unless you live in a place where the community at large doesn't eat sweets it can be very difficult to keep a "no sugar at all" rule. My vote is: Just try to just limit sugar intake. But make sure the tummy has healthy food in it before the child has sweets. I know a parent who let's their children have one treat a day. Either one Tootsie Roll, a piece of gum or a small bowl of Jell-O. If your family enjoys ice cream you can have it on Fridays. You don't need it every night. Plus, it will give your child something to look forward to. Also, your child doesn't need snack pack treats everyday. Don't start a habit that will be hard to break. A treat should be something special, something that isn't normally had. Your child doesn't need sugary cereal in the morning, plus, a dessert after lunch and dinner. If you do this it becomes a routine. With holidays and vacations you can let your child have more sweets, but not an overload. Sweets in moderation.

Don't let a child pull the wool over your eyes. Beware of the "But I hate what we're having for dinner so can I have a bowl of cereal?" and then your child has a big bowl of sugary cereal.

At birthday parties you can tell your child they can pick one treat. A small piece of cake or a small bowl of ice cream. Or a couple of pieces of piñata candy. Or as the parent you can say, "A little of all." You are the parent after all. For Halloween: Limit the time your child Trick-or-Treats. This limits how much candy they receive. When they get home have them go through their candy and pick out the ones they really like (no candy without tight packaging). Put a limit on it. 25-30 pieces. The rest can go with Dad to work, or to a homeless shelter. Some schools have a homeless shelter Halloween candy program. If your school doesn't, you can start one. Of the candy your child has chosen to keep, put it away and dole out a piece or two a day (depending on how big the candy is).

Book Review: Emma Dilemma, Big Sister Poems

Emma Dilemma, Big Sister Poems by Kristine O’Connell George. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Great gift idea for a little girl who has a younger sister. Book is a collection of poems about a little sister with pictures that match. Poems are easy to read, and are about everyday situations dealing with a little sister.

Part 2- Sugar and Kids

During the no sugar policy, the child from Part 1 was allowed juice. Everyday. More than once a day. Her mother didn't think juice counted as a treat. A tall glass of apple juice was even tried for a substitute for wanting a sugary solid treat. I explained to the mother juices contain high amounts of sugar so she was actually defeating her no sugar purpose. She stated her juices weren't from concentrate. Just look on a bottle of juice not made from concentrate and you'll see it still has a high sugar content. Talk to your pediatrician. Having tall glasses of juice, whether it be orange, apple, grape juice, etc. everyday, more than once a day, is the way of the past for young kids. The small orange juice glasses you see served at restaurants are the new juice glass for kids. Talk to you family doctor but I was informed four ounces a day of juice is okay. Also, you might already know this but babies and toddlers shouldn't fall asleep with juice or milk bottles in their mouth. It's bad for their teeth. If your child absolutely loves juice try this, do half water half juice. I find juices so sugary tasting that mixing it with water actually makes it taste better. Start doing this when your child is young so they don't get use to the really sugary taste of 100% juice. You can try even less than half juice to the mixture of water if you want.

Movie Review: Escape to Witch Mountain

Movie Title: Escape to Witch Mountain. Disney Film. Rated G. As a child this movie was a favorite of a friend of mine. She saw it over and over and over. Two orphan siblings have special powers. (They can move objects, ESP…) The little girl knows a man will get hurt if he gets in a car. The man believes her. His car is hit. The man tells his rich employer, Mr. Bolt, about the psychic little girl. Mr. Bolt invites the brother and sister to live with him. He wants to harness their powers for his own gain. The kids run away. They hitch a ride with a cranky old man. They get him to take them to where they think they came from. It ends up the kids are from another planet. And that's why they have special powers. This is a cute film. Kids will like the sibling's special powers. My favorite part: When Mr. Bolt's helicopter flies upside down.

Part 1 of 5 Part Article on Sugar and Kids

The first time I remember tasting ice cream was when I was five. I fell in love with it and we've been going steady ever since. But as a child I didn't see it every night, and before me and my true love could be together I had to eat a healthy meal.

There are some new parents who have grand plans. They intend to be militant about their children's sugar intake. Other parents go to the far left with the attitude, "What's the point, my kids will see lots of sugary foods in the real world." I had a friend whose parents believed this. Their house was like a mini candy store. It was a kid's paradise. My friend didn't have a sweet tooth, preferring salty foods instead like pickles and nuts (Which also should be monitored with kids. Because too much salt isn't a good thing either.). So she wasn't tempted by the sweets she said. However, with her sister it was a different matter. She had a sweet tooth and ate and ate sweets. While my friend stayed thin and never had a cavity until she was an adult, her sister became obese and had many cavities. I do believe some children crave sweets more than others. So what is a parent to do?

As a former nanny this is my take. Unless your child has a medical condition where they shouldn't have sweets, I personally don't believe in totally denying your child of sweets. Case in point: There was a mother who had a rule her children couldn't have any brown or white sugar sweets. Her children would see other kids eat sweets in school, at birthday parties and other places. Her kids saw relatives eating sweets with delight at get-togethers. One of her children desperately wanted to try sweets. At a family gathering, behind their mother's back, this child consumed a very large amount of sugary treats. The child got a belly ache. But there was no going back. The more this child's mother wouldn't let her have treats the more she wanted it. Even if she had to steal it at family functions. It got worse. The child felt bad for having a small sliver of cake at birthday parties. When the child would come home her mother would ask, "Did you have any cake at the party?" The child would purposely lie, knowing if she said yes her mother would be very disappointed. All this because she was denied something other kids in her circle got. This child was a very loving, honest child except when it came to sweets. Horrible tantrums were soon happening over sugary treats. Since things weren't working out the child's mother, thankfully, got rid of her absolutely "no sugar" policy. The child felt a lot better not having to lie to her mother about having a small amount of treats at parties and at friends' houses.

Emergency tip: Flashlights

Keep a flashlight near your bed in case of an emergency. Have flashlights in strategic places around the house, like the kitchen, bathroom, garage, etc. Remember to check batteries every so often. If there is a blackout and your child is in the bathroom, having a flashlight there will let them see, and thus they'll feel a little safer.

How to make stone magnet pictures

Arts and Craft Project: Refrigerator magnets.
What you need: Old magnets, clear stones used in vases (about an inch big and comes in netted bags), tiny face photos of family pet or person, or draw a tiny picture of heart, star, etc., and clear glue.
What to do: Cut photo or tiny picture to size of bottom of see through stone. Glue picture, upwards, to flat bottom of stone so you can see it when you look down at stone. Once glue has dried, glue magnet under the picture. Once magnet dries, cut to size of stone.

Movie Review: Lady and the Tramp

Movie Title: Lady and the Tramp. Disney movie. Animation. Rated G. I've seen this movie at least five times. It's a cute film so I don't mind watching it with kids. It's a classic dogs are good, cats are a pain movie. Lady is a pampered pooch. Until her mistress has a baby that is. A family member with two cats comes to help out and treats Lady like a dog. Her two sly cats make things difficult for Lady. Lady meets a free spirited mutt, Tramp. Together they have adventures and fun. They fall in love. A timeless scene is when the two dogs share a plate of spaghetti. In the end Lady ends up a pampered pooch again. And Tramp comes to live with her humans. Little kids should like this movie. It's got dogs and more dogs.

Science Day

Go on a nature walk with your kids with a magnifying glass. Insects, flowers, leaves, spider webs, even tree bark will look more interesting. Notice details you never noticed before. Examine an ant or a caterpillar with and without the magnifying glass. See the difference. Note: Do not go away and leave glass on dry grass in hot sun.

How to Get Rid of Water Rings and Dried Candle Wax

House Hold Tips. This morning I helped my friend clean up after her Oscar Party. She had water rings on her wood table and candle wax dripped on her candle sticks. “It’s as easy as pie to fix,” she said. Can’t say I find making a pie that easy to make but cleaning the candle sticks and table were. My friend put mayonnaise on a paper towel and rubbed it in the water rings and let it soak for one hour. The water rings disappeared. Then she got a hair dryer, put it on high, and pointed it at the candle wax. It melted and she wiped the wax away with a paper towel.

A silly, fun party game for little girls.

Sardines is a fun game to play at a birthday party. This is how Sardines is played. One girl hides. The others try to find her. When a child finds the hider they have to hide with them in their spot (behind a couch/under a table/in a pantry). The game continues until the very last child finds the others. Lots of giggling occurs. Tip: The child who hides first should find a place where other kids can fit, like a den closet.

Book Review

Take Me Out of the Bathtub and other silly dilly songs by Alan Katz. Illustrated by David Catrow. A FUN book! This book takes old folk songs and such and substitutes funny new words. Once your child hears Take Me Out of the Bathtub your child will be singing these new tunes in the car. Watch out! It will make you laugh. Too bad the book doesn’t come with a CD.

Movie Review: The Incredible Mr. Limpet

Movie Title: The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Comedy with some animation. Some singing as well. Not rated, but I would give it a G rating myself. I was worried this film might be boring, but I was wrong. It was an amusing, silly film. It's good old fashion fun for the whole family. Don Knotts stars as Henry Limpet a bookkeeper who can't get into the navy due to poor eyesight. Henry, who loves fish, wishes he was a fish. Looking into the sea at Coney Island he falls or jumps in. He can't swim. His navy friend, George, jumps into the water to save him. But he can't find Henry. Unbeknownst to George, Henry has turned into a fish with glasses. George and Henry's wife think he's dead. Henry meets a couple of fish friends while swimming in the sea. Since Henry can't join the navy as a man he decides to help the navy as a fish. With the help of his friend George, Henry helps out his country.

Fussy Eaters Part 3

Sometimes to get out of eating your healthy dinner your child might try the, "I'm not hungry" routine. If this is occurring nightly and your child's not sick, find out what they're eating for snacks. To curb this, cut down on snacking, and have the "home snack bar" close at 4 p.m. (depending on when you serve dinner.)

Growing up my mother was strict, but fair when it came to food. She realized there are just some foods children don't like. Each one of my sibling and I were allowed to pick one food we didn't like which we didn't have to eat. (She also tacked on lima beans and liver since she didn't like these foods herself.) I picked pea soup, but I made a case that since pea soup was made from peas I shouldn't have to eat peas either. I never had to eat peas. Now of course I tried them, which is why I gave them two thumbs down. You can try this idea in your family.

Please don't have the rule that unless your child cleans their plate they can't leave the table. Growing up my brother didn't like two vegetables. Green beans and something else. My father said he couldn't be excused until he finished all his green beans. My mom's "at least have a few" idea was put down. In order that my brother could leave the table I recall at least twice secretly eating his green beans, which I wasn't crazy about either. The point is, don't make eating an unpleasant task. Food should not be forced down unhappily. Eating should be something we enjoy. Not a bad memory.

Fussy Eaters Part 2

Does your child routinely crosses their arms and say, "Yuck!" to what you made for breakfast, lunch or dinner? If so, then have a rule. You made what you made and that's it. You're home is not a restaurant, with a menu full of meals that can be served on a whim. Your child can have the food you made or not. Just make sure you serve healthy meals. And that you try to take into consideration what they like and dislike. (I can see a child saying yuck to being served liver and yams every night. Have variety.) You can't make you're child eat. But if they leave the table hungry, their food will be in the refrigerator if they get hungry. Or they can wait for the next meal. Remember your child is not in a third world country, starving. Remember this when they're moaning that you're not being a good parent and feeding them. You are feeding them. Just not the foods they want, like potatoe chips, pop corn or candy. Kids will push. Once you give in and let your child start eating cereal every night for dinner while the rest of the family eats a regular meal, it will be hard to stop. Plus, at other people's houses it's rude to say, "Ewe! I don't like your pork chops. I hate potatoes. And your fruit. Can I have a bowl of cereal instead?" I've seen it happen. I said no. The child ate what I served. The child's mother was amazed. Why should she be amazed? She can say no, too. Your child will eat something you serve, even a little, if hungry enough.

Movie Review: The Lion King

Movie Title: The Lion King. Animation film with music. Rated G. A classic film. Terrific music. Two paws up. This is a film adults will like as much as kids. Little boys will especially like this film. A lion cub, Simba, is next in line to become king. But his uncle, Scar, wants to rule. Scar gets some hyenas to join him in his plan to get rid of his brother, the king. Scar takes Simba to a place where a stampede will soon happen. Simba's father comes to save him. He succeeds but he dies himself. Scar helped cause his death, but mean Scar lets Simba take the blame. The cub runs away in shame. He meets two friends, Timon and Pumbaa who take care of him. (These are two of my favorite characters.) They provide comical relief in the story. Meanwhile Scar rules in his brother's stead, until Simba comes home to claim his throne.

How to Deal with Kids who are Fussy Eaters, Part 1

Part 1 of 3 Parts on Kids and Eating.
Does your child scrunch up his or her face, pull back their chair and refuse to eat what you have served them? If so, stop letting them get away with it. I'll be blunt. Do you think a child who is desperately poor, who hasn't had a descent meal in who knows how long, would stick up their nose at the pot roast you are serving? Your child can choose the food they want to eat, or not, because they have enough to choose from. Trust me, if your child hadn't eaten in five days that container filled with tomato soup in your frig might look edible now. But luckily if you live in the U.S., your child shouldn't ever be in that fix!

I knew a boy who hated vegetables. He would eat fruit, hamburgers, pizza, nuts, etc. just not plain vegetables. When he thought he could get away with it he would put the offending vegetables in his napkin, pretend he had to go the bathroom and flush them down the toilet, or hide them under the trash in the trash bin. His mother asked his doctor what to do. (You can ask your own family doctor what to do for your child. There are vegetable and fruit supplements. Ask about them. However, this does not make up for having the real thing. It's in addition to.) The boy's doctor said, keep giving him fruits and find ways to make the vegetables palatable. He also pointed out the boy liked pizza. And that pizza has tomato sauce on it which is a crushed vegetable. I can't say I recommend giving your child carry-out pizza, but how about making a pizza at home with fresh tomatoes and olives? Or putting a sliced tomato on a homemade hamburger? As a "not so keen on vegetables person" myself, I like grilled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in olive oil in a frying pan. I also like raw vegetables with humus. The humus makes the vegetables more appetizing. If your child doesn't like a particle vegetable try another. I know a boy who says he hates all vegetables but mild big red peppers. You can try slicing up a big red pepper (not the spicy pepper) and serving it with a healthy dip or ranch dressing.

Book Review: Five Minutes’ Peace

Five Minutes’ Peace by Jill Murphy. Very cute picture book, moms and kids can relate to. An elephant, aptly named Mrs. Large, just wants five minutes peace away from her children. She goes and takes a restful bath. Soon after her children join her in the bathroom. It’s a short book which is great for a night time read. The pictures of the elephants are adorable. For Mother’s Day this book can be a gift idea for moms who’ve mentioned whenever they take a shower or use the bathroom their child suddenly needs them.

Keep Berries Fresh Longer

If you put fresh strawberries (or other berries) in a plastic container in frig, keep moisture down by putting a paper towel underneath strawberries and over them. Keep plastic lid on tight.

Movie Review: Back to the Future 3

Movie Title: Back to the Future 3. Rated PG. Engaging movie. Marty goes to back in time to the Old West. He gets on the bad side of a bad tempered ruffian. The ruffian challenges Marty to a duel. Marty agrees and makes the duel time right after breakfast. He thinks this will give Doc enough time to get the Dolorin (car) fixed so they can be out of there before the dual can happen. Meanwhile Doc falls in love. But can love last when you are born in different centuries? I thought this movie was better than part II.

Parenting Article: Divorce

The Fun Parent vs. The Corrector Parent

Divorce can be hard on those involved. It can be difficult raising children after a divorce. Less money coming in. Having to deal with your Ex. Having to deal with behavior that your Ex allows and you don't.

It can be maddening to have your children come home from a weekend at the other parent’s with a new set of table manners. An example: "Bobby, don't burp at the table." "Dad lets me." "Bobby elbows off the table." "Dad lets me." "Bobby, I made a pot roast for dinner. Why are you having a bowl of cereal instead?" "Dad lets me." Life at Dad's looks pretty good to Bobby. If his father is only a weekend Dad this could be why. Dad wants Bobby to have a fun time with him when he sees him. If Dad had principle custody maybe Dad wouldn't be so lenient. I personally have seen father's that have primary custody who do an excellent job. They make lunches, go to school plays, meet with teachers, etc. I have also seen father's that have partial custody, who are concerned fathers as well. The best scenario is when both parents, though divorced, are on the same page as far as raising a decent well mannered child.

Any divorced parent should not make it "party time" all the time when they have their time with their children. You can have a fun time, but you still should install in your child manners, give them a decent bed time, have them do homework, have chores, etc. You should make life as normal as possible. "Party Time," most the time is not normal. Even if you feel sorry for your child about the divorce they still need to have a normal life with chores and homework time. Taking your child to an amusement park every weekend is not normal. You can spend quality time with them walking the dog, teaching them how to ride a bike, making a model airplane with them, showing them how to grow tomatoes, etc. Some divorced parents don’t want their child to dislike them, so they think if they don't correct the child’s rude or annoying behavior their child will like them more. But you are the parent. Your job is to teach them how to behave, make sure they get to school on time, to feed them nutritious meals… You aren’t a 24 hour party coordinator. Your house is not a cruise ship where you cater to every whim and life is fun, fun, fun morning, noon and night.

If you are the Ex of a "Fun Parent" who doesn't like to correct their child, for the benefit of your child don’t start doing the same to compete. Keep correcting inappropriate behavior, set a bed time, don't let them sit at the computer for hours on end or let them watch TV all day. That said do have fun with your child. Walk the dog together to an ice cream shop on Wednesdays. While doing that find out what's on their mind. Pick topics they would like to talk about. Tell a funny story about something that happened to you as a kid. Have family movie night with popcorn on Friday's. Find ways to incorporate fun into doing their homework. Have them help with dinner by cooking something they like (pizza/chili/a dessert). Lastly, don't complain about your Ex to them. Your Ex is an adult. Your kid is a kid. Your child shouldn’t have to worry about adult things. Your child does not have control over what your Ex does. Do not give them the responsibility of getting the monthly child support from them or complaining to them about it. Don't stress your child out about adult issues. Take care of it yourself. If need be talk to a friend when your child isn’t around to hear. Get things out, so you can be as calm as you can with your kids. After a divorce there are kids who worry about their parents so they take on extra responsibly, and some parents after a divorce act like a kid, shirking responsibly. As a divorced parent, do the best you can for your child.

How to Make a Light Spectacular Candle

What you need: Washed out lunch milk carton. Old wax crayons. Pot. Pan. Pencil. String. Wick, which isn’t lead based. Big pieces of crushed ice. If desired a candle scent.
What to do: 1) Poke hole in bottom of milk carton. 2) Open top of milk carton all the way. Tie wick to pencil, balance pencil on sides of top (pencil lying flat across it). Wick should go down middle of carton and through hole in bottom. 3) Tape wick to bottom of carton so it is stretched tight. 4) Peel paper off crayons. 5) Melt wax crayons in pot. You can put a liquid scent in it, or at some arts and craft stores they have wax flakes that smell that you can melt. 6) Put milk carton in pan. Pour big crushed ice in milk carton. 7) Over this pour wax. Let harden. Ice will melt to bottom of hole. 8) Peel off carton from wax candle. When wick is dry, light it. Light will go through parts where ice was, making this one cool candle.

To Help Get Rid of Counter Stains

Use a mixture of real, fresh lemon juice and baking soda to scrub out tomato paste and various coffee stains on tile counters.

Movie Review: Back to the Future II

Movie Title: Back to the Future II. Rated PG. Adventure-Comedy. Not as good as the first film, but watchable. Marty needs to go to the future, 2015, to stop his son from being bullied into committing a crime. While in the future Marty gets an idea. He takes a sports almanac to take back to the past to be able to bet on races that have won. Doc tells him he shouldn't do it. Meanwhile Marty's father's old nemesis gets the same idea as Marty. He steals the Delorean and takes the sports almanac to his young self back in the 1950's. This alters all their futures. Marty and Doc must go back to the 1950's to retrieve the almanac to redo the future. Interesting plot, but Marty's son is annoying as a wimp. What I did like was the flying skateboards. Marty has a really cool scene riding it though town to escape the boys bullying his son. It's interesting that someone thought we might have flying cars by 2015. I serious doubt this will happen. But it was fun to watch.

Make a Stove Top Hat: Arts and Craft Project

Black top hat. What you need. Three pieces of black construction paper. Scissors. Glue stick or tacky glue. Pencil.
What to do: For main, stove pipe, part of hat- Roll one paper together with longest sides touching. Put on your child's head to see how wide hat should be. You want it to pop up six inches above their head to be a stove top hat. After determining how wide hat should be, using a glue stick/tacky glue, glue one or two inches of one side into the other. This is the main part of hat. For the cover: One hole side up, put the main part of hat onto another sheet of black paper. Draw a circle around it, then another circle adding an extra inch or two. Cut around the additional inches circle. Fold down sides of first pencil mark. The additional inches on paper was done so you can glue this part INTO hat. You can also staple it in. For a brim: First draw a circle around hat on last piece of black paper. Then using pencil circle again adding an inch or two inside first circle. Cut on second circle mark. Fold on first mark and glue inside hat. Now make the actual brim by drawing a circle around extra paper left, that now sticks out of hat. Cut to brim size you want. Read this a few times and try on sample paper.

Simple Rainy Day Artwork

Copy Art. What you need: Plain and colored paper. Glue. Scissors. Colored pencils/crayons.
Sit down with your child in a room they want to copy.
Step 1: On a piece of paper have two columns: A- People, objects, and pets your child would like to draw. B- People, objects, and pets they would like to cut out. Step 2: On white construction paper have your child draw the objects/furniture/people from column A where they appear in room.
Step 3: On colored paper have child draw, then cut out objects, etc… from column B. Glue these cut-outs on the white construction paper where they are in room.

Stair Safety

It might be funny in a movie watching a dog slide across waxed wood floors, but in reality a dog can break a hip or a leg if they fall. If you have wood floors, protect your floor and your dog. Buy dog socks with RUBBER pads. Your dog might not like them but it's worth a try. Your floor won't have as many nail marks from skidding. Another suggestion: If you have wood stairs, don't wax or over wax them. Also, think about installing a carpet runner on it. While visiting someone I saw two dogs, as well a child in socks, slip on slippery wood stairs. Tile stairs are dangerous, too. Teach your child to be careful on stairs. No rough housing on stairs!

Movie Review: Back to the Future

Movie Title: Back to the Future. Rated PG. Adventure-Comedy. I think the movie is for older kids, twelve on up. It has about 5 offensive words, but what's worse is there's a scene with a boy trying to get a girl in a car for the wrong purposes. (Who wants to try explaining that to their eight or nine-year-old?)
The movie plot is interesting and it's well paced. The film keeps your attention throughout it. I enjoyed Back to the Future both as an older kid and as an adult. The movie is about high-schooler Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) who has a dad with a confidence problem. The dad has a low opinion of himself due to the town bully whose been bothering him since they were kids. Marty is friends with the town eccentric, Doc. He's an inventor who creates a time machine inside a DeLorean (car). He plans to drive into the past or future in style. As Doc is showing Marty the car, a van full of Lebanese comes after Doc. (He was supposed to make them a bomb that actually worked.) Fleeing the Lebanese, Marty gets in the car and drives back into the past. He meets his parents and changes the course of their future. A classic scene is Marty's mom calling him Calvin because that's what his underwear tag says. Overall Back to the Future is a fun movie.

Tissues- Have them in handy places

During cold season have boxes of tissues, in reachable places, in many places in your home. Children do not like to go to the kitchen to get a tissue if they're busy playing elsewhere. They’re more likely to use a tissue if one is near by. Otherwise they might use their shirt, back of hand, or sleeve. If your child has a lingering cold put a little pack of tissues in their backpack for school use. Also, have tissue in your glove compartment. You can refill the tiny packages with more tissues from bigger boxes. Thus, saving you money.

Qualities to being a Good Parent 2- 11 more

1) Spend time with your child alone, and as a family unit.
Pen, not pencil, in a time to do something special with your child. Read to them at night, go on a walk together. Get to know your child. Also, do things as a family. Eat dinner together, play a board game together, even play handball together... By doing this you are creating a family bond. Kids who do not deal much with their parents or sibling(s) can be clueless as to what families actually do together. Give your child a basis.

2) Show your child how to solve life problems.
If you don't teach your child how to deal with problems in the correct manner, who will teach them? Problems can range from how to deal with friends who are mean to how to lose a game without having a melt down. Life can he hard, teach them how to handle it as best as possible.

3) Instill the idea of moderation. I.e. Food. TV. Computer games. You can't have everything all the time.

4) Teach good eating habits. Monkey see, monkey do.

5) Teach tolerance towards others by your own behavior.

6) Teach your child about finances.
It's no joke when a woman says, "Oh I have no head for finances. My parents never taught me." Children should learn how to budget their money. They shouldn't spend money on things they don't have money for. Credit card debit can be like a black hole. It's hard to get out of.

7) Teach your child responsibly.
From pitching in with chores to turning in their homework on time. Your child's boss later in life is not going to believe their dog ate the company's project report.

8) Teach an appreciation for life.
If you complain and whine about life and what it dealt you, you are instilling negativity in your child. There are things to appreciate. From art to nature to your pet dog to the right of having a fair trial in the U.S.

9) Teach your child about safety.
The world is not perfect. You need to teach your child to protect themselves. This can be from the danger of matches to not going anywhere with a stranger, no matter if the person says that they are hurt, you the parent is hurt, or the puppy in their car is hurt and can they help.

10) Give your child a warm, safe home environment.
Your material goods come second to a child's basic needs. Food, clean clothes, and shelter. Also, a child should not have to fear living in their home. No child should be exposed to, or have to worry about, being verbally or physically abused by anyone in their home.

11) Let your child grow and go when the time comes.
One day your child might want a spouse. It's hard to have a good marriage with a parent-in-law poking in your business all the time. Children and adults need to learn to make their own decisions. Just because a minor decision your child picks is different then what you would pick doesn't automatically mean it's the wrong choice. Dealing with parent guilt is not fun.

Movie Title: Dolphin Tale

Movie Title: Dolphin Tale. Rated PG. Excellent family movie. I highly recommend it. Movie based on a true story. A lonely boy riding his bike to summer school sees a beached dolphin tangled in ropes with its tail caught in a fishing cage. He cuts the ropes off its tail to free it. A marine rescue team is called. They take the dolphin to their facility. The boy sneaks into the facility to see the dolphin and bonds with it. The manager’s daughter, Hazel (cute, bubbly little girl), befriends the boy. She names the dolphin, Winter. Because Winter’s tail is infected it has to be taken off. A doctor at a VA facility, where the boy’s cousin is recouping from a war injury, makes Winter a prosthetic tail. Kids without an arm, or leg, learn about this special dolphin and want to visit her. Unfortunately, the facility is in jeopardy of closing due to lack of funding. It’s up to the kids to make sure this doesn’t happen. The ending has real film footage of Winter as a young dolphin. Lovely story. Very uplifting.

Book Review: The Shaman’s Apprentice

The Shaman’s Apprentice by Lynne Cherry and Mark J. Plotkin. Pictures by Lynne Cherry. This story takes place in the Amazon rain forest. A sick little boy, Kamanya, is cured by a shaman. This influences the boy’s decision to become a shaman someday too. He follows the shaman around as he picks herbs to help cure the sick. One day miners come and bring disease to the area. The shaman can’t cure the malaria. Missionaries come and use modern medicine to cure those who have the illness. After some time the missionaries leave feeling their work is done. One day a woman comes to the village wanting to learn about the healing art of rain forest plants. The villagers learn the cure for malaria was obtained from the bark of a tree. This prompts Kamanya to keep learning from the shaman about what plants can cure.
Interesting book with detailed pictures of herbs. Children can learn something new: Modern medicine we use everyday is derived from plants and trees. This is why it is important to save places like the rain forest. There is more to learn about what healing properties certain plants and trees have. The pictures of the rain forest are lush, filling the page, edge to edge.

Arts and Craft Project: Magnet Pictures

Do you ever get free magnets from companies? Don't throw them away! Cut out pictures of your kids from photos, or pretty scenes from postcards, and glue the back of them onto the magnets. Your child can easily do this with photos of your family pets or funny pictures from magazines. You can even cut the magnet into shapes like a heart or a bone, depending on how thick the magnet is.

Hair Tip

Hair tip: Use apple vinegar and water for a cleansing shampoo. Otherwise switch brands every so often so you won't have build up in your hair. A hairstylist told me, you should not shampoo normal hair, and especially chemically treated hair, everyday. It dries out the hair. Shampooing every other day should be fine. If you style your hair, use a shower cap in the shower for the days you don't wash your hair. I know someone who straightens her hair. But she doesn't want to do it everyday because it will over dry it. So she wears a thick shower cap in the shower on the days she doesn't wash it. Her hair still looks straightened afterwards.

Movie Review: Living it Up

Movie Title: Living it Up. Comedy. Family film. Kids might get bored when Dean Martin sings, but it's worth watching the film to see Jerry Lewis in action. He's a true comic. Besides, you can always fast forward past the singing.
Story line: A sweet young man named Homer (Jerry Lewis) thinks he's dying of radiation poisoning. A newspaper journalist gets wind of this. Thinking this would be a good tear jerker for her newspaper she persuades Homer to come to New York City, all expenses paid, for a final farewell to the world and a big send off. The problem is Homer really isn't going to meet the angels just yet. But when his physician (Dean Martin) learns of this grand trip to NYC he talks Homer into going, with him along of course. Dean and Jerry have to keep up the pretense that Jerry is indeed dying and fool some doctors. For kids ten and older. Younger kids might get bored.

Paper Towel Shaker

Save paper towel rolls to make a simple musical instrument.
What to do: Your child can color the paper towel roll. Afterwards, cover one end with thick paper (butcher paper) or two sheets of paper. Tape closed. Put dried beans inside. Cover other end with paper. Tape shut. Shake for music.

For the New Year

Have an emergency evacuation plan for your family in case of a regional disaster in your area (earthquake/tornado/hurricane/flood). Have a family meeting where you tell all members of the family what the plan is. I suggest you get a manual to find out what you’re to do when a disaster happens. You might have questions.