Here’s an amazing website for those older kids!

NIST (Taking America’s Measure) has an endless supply of Word Find, Hidden Picture, Word Scrambles, Riddles, etc. to keep you and your kid guessing!

You’ll get hooked on this site!

We want to see the first signs of spring! Bring on those photos!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

What gets you through the day? A special friend? A morning cup of joe? Taking a few moments to yourself? We want to know how you get through your commitments and keep your sanity!

Simply write your contribution on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!

You gotta love spuds! This week we’re all about the potatoes!

Check out this ham and potato recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 cups diced cooked potatoes
* 1 3/4 cups diced ham
* 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped diced pimiento
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika

PREPARATION:
Combine potatoes, ham, green pepper, and pimiento; transfer to a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. In saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; blend in flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Stir in shredded cheese and paprika. Season sauce with salt and pepper; pour over ham mixture. Bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.

How easy is that??

Go to your blog, post your favorite potato recipe (along with a link to this page) and come back here and leave us the link to the actual post (not your main blog url) along with the recipe name. That’s all there is to it!

By: Alison Calabia

Why do teens start having sex in the first place? Environment, age of partner and perceived family support may affect young people’s decisions to have sex.

While the media bombards us with alarming statistics about the number of teenagers having sex, few reports shed light on what might encourage teens to become sexually active in the first place. Three studies offer some insight into sexually active teens: environment, age of partner and perceived family support may affect young people’s decisions to have sex.

In a study presented at a meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA), researchers at the University of Kentucky followed 950 teenagers at 17 high schools in Kentucky and Ohio from 9th to 11th grades. They found evidence that teens who have intercourse tend to think their friends are too, even if they’re not. “You’re 2.5 times more likely to have sex by the 9th grade if you think your friends are having sex — whether or not they really are,” says Katharine Atwood, assistant professor at the Kentucky School of Public Health. Plus, teens tended to overestimate how many of their friends were sexually active. Only 33 percent of kids in the study had had sex by the 9th grade, but 31 percent said that most or all of their friends had had sex. “If you can persuade them that fewer are having sex than they think,” she says, “that can have a significant impact on their behavior.”

Among young girls, a partner’s age is a risk factor for sexual activity. “The younger the girl is at the age of first intercourse, the more likely she is to have a much older partner,” says Harold Leitenberg, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Vermont. His study, published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, found that of 4,201 girls in 8th through 12th grades, those who lost their virginity between ages 11 and 12 tended to have partners five or more years older. For girls who had sex later in adolescence, the partner’s age disparity was much smaller. Early sexual initiation was also associated with a number of behavioral problems. “Ignoring the age of the partners, the earlier a girl was when she first had intercourse, the greater her risk of suicide attempts, alcohol use, drug abuse, truancy and pregnancy,” Leitenberg says.

The good news is that while teen sex may not be wholly preventable, the health risks it involves can be reduced through communication within the family. More research presented at the APHA meeting showed that frequent parent-child discussions about sex and its dangers may prevent teenagers from engaging in risky sexual behavior. Researchers at Emory University questioned 522 sexually active African-American adolescents about the openness and support that their families provided. Adolescents who felt that their families were more supportive were less likely to have unprotected sex, and thus were at a lesser risk for pregnancy and disease.

Psychology Today Magazine, Jul/Aug 2001
Last Reviewed 26 Sep 2005
Article ID: 2139

I was talking with a friend last week about the private school that her 2 boys attended & she informed me that she had withdrawn them at the end of last school year and they now attended public school. When I asked what brought about the change, she told me “The teachers at their previous school told them (when doing are projects) ‘We only color the people in our pictures peach.’ “ My friend, a forward thinking intelligent mom, told her children to follow the rules at school but while at home, she encouraged her children to do artwork and to color their people all different shades because as she put it “The world is full of people of all different colors.”

This got me to thinking. When we take our children to school, we assume that we are placing them in the very best care. We believe that the teachers that interact with them on a daily basis are teaching them about equality and being open-minded when in reality, that may not be the case. Teachers are human and bring with them into the classroom, their own set of prejudices. How so we know that they aren’t passing them on to our children?

A culturally literate teacher can make all the difference when working with children on the concepts of diversity & racial tolerance. An educator that celebrates differences helps to increase students’ self-esteem and self-worth and helps to teach children about these differences in a non-judgmental way. Unfortunately, there are some schools, administration and teachers who fall short of this mark.

What should we as parents be on the lookout for? How can we tell is our child’s teacher is ready to take on this open-minded way of teaching?

1. Look for signs in their classroom: Do they have pictures, quotes or artwork representing all cultures and populations?

2. Check out their teaching style: Do they encourage healthy, open discussions and questions about cultural perspectives and topics?

3. Examine the school curriculum: Do the lesson plans fit all types of students? Does it focus on one particular gender, race or religion more than another?

4. Ask the students: 45% of all children in the US are ethnic minorities. Do they feel excluded? Do they feel safe sharing things about themselves in the classroom?

5. Take a look at your child’s homework or text books: Are there units or chapters devoted to all ethnicities? Do they look at History or social issues from different cultural perspectives?

Most teachers are good people trying to do their jobs in the best way possible; dealing with school overcrowding, budget cuts and the like. If your child’s classroom does not answer with a resounding “yes!” to the above questions, you don’t have to make a rush to pull them from school. These are merely suggestions for the optimal learning for our children and if your child’s school or teacher can provide even just a few of the suggestions, they are better off for them.

We should of course, be teaching children morals and their belief system at home, but with teachers having a large influence over behavior for a good portion of their day, we do have some cause for concern if they are teaching things that we don’t want them to learn. The world is made up of students of all different colors, shapes, and sizes and we need to find educators that encourage communication about differences while demonstrating that these differences do not equate to any one group or person being better than any other. We should be concerned when our teachers tell our children to “only color people peach” and we should applaud those that inspire, motivate and empower children of all colors.

Lisa Smith has a BA in Psychology & is the Owner/CEO of Regionz Kidz, a multi-cultural infant & toddler clothing line featuring ethnically diverse characters and designs. She publishes a blog on her website that discusses cultural diversity & children & is a frequent guest blogger on other blogs and websites regarding parenting and children’s issues. She is also a monthly contributor to Educated Mommy Magazine. You can contact Lisa directly at: lisa@regionzkidz.com

Child care providers and parents can create some book-reading fun for kids during summer months for school-age kids or throughout the year for preschoolers and even toddlers. The key is to make it fun, keep it simple, and foster a love of reading! Rewards can be as simple as stickers, with special book marks or a trip to the library for reading hour for special achievements. Here is how to get started:

Develop a plan and gain support from parents and excitement with kids.

Child care providers can implement a reading club as part of their day, and enlist parents to bring a favorite age-appropriate book for loan and sharing or request a a supply fee of a few dollars, with parents knowing that their child will receive a book of similar value in return to keep.

Parents can create a book club with neighborhood kids or ones in special interest groups like scouting, sports or dance. Parents can either take turns meeting in one another’s homes; or set the meeting time to follow the organized activity in a kid-friendly restaurant. Remember that a book club doesn’t have to cost anything; usually there are plenty of books to go around from personal libraries or care centers.

Choose books that are age appropriate and go with a theme or interests to kids. Providers often set weekly or monthly themes, so book clubs would be a natural fit to those. Parents could opt for themes based on interests such as sports, dance, dinosaurs, trucks, etc. Keep in mind that book clubs can be as effective and fun for 3-year-olds as they are for tweens as long as the organizers adapt accordingly.

Create a plan for book discussion time. Some fun ways are to have book discussions by flashlight in the backyard, during a summer swim-and-play backyard outing, as a lead-up to a day of fun at the park, or even over breakfast. Be creative! A book club can be a simple discussion that lasts as short as 20 minutes by letting kids discuss the book, or longer as appropriate. Some book clubs have a different child tell about a particular book they read each week, or a variance of rotating book fun. In other words, not every child has to read the same book each week; taking turns with sharing fun books and then letting someone borrow it (in a pre-determined share order, please!) can work well!

Plan an end-of-book club celebration. If your book club lasts for six weeks, let kids make their own ice cream sundae or have a hot dog cookout as a way to celebrate their accomplishments. Or, consider a special “dress-up” session in which kids dress up like their favorite book character. Make it so much fun that they will all clamor for another book club session soon. Congratulations! You’ve helped foster a love of reading and learning for kids!

Ever had anyone make a fool out of you and catch it on camera? We want to see!

Ever caught anyone with their pants down or their hand in the cookie jar? We want to see!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

You don’t get a more open-ended topic than this one folks!

We want to hear one of your favorite memories about being a mom! That’s all there is to it!

Simply write your contribution on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!

Mmmm, mmm!

Who doesn’t love a good asparagus dish? For those of us addicted to this acquired taste, here’s a recipe for you!

Asparagus and Avocado Wraps

24 spears asparagus
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked cold long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
3 whole wheat tortillas, 10 inches in diameter
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped red onion

In a medium-sized saucepan over high heat, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Place the asparagus in a steamer basket, cover, and steam until just tender, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the asparagus and immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly.

In a small bowl, mash the avocado, lime juice, and garlic into a coase puree.

In another small bowl, stir together the rice and yogurt to mix well.

Heat a large dry frying pan (not one with a nonstick surface) over medium heat. One at a time, heat the tortillas in the hot pan until softened, approximately 20 seconds per side.

Lay the tortillas flat on a clean work surface. Spread the avocado mixture equally among the tortillas. Top each with an equal amount of the rice mixture, asparagus, cilantro, and onion.

Fold in both sides and the bottom of each tortilla up over the filling; then roll to close. If made in advance, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. Return to room temperature before serving.

To serve, cut each wrap in half crosswise.

Makes 6 servings.

Go to your blog, post your favorite asparagus recipe and come back here and leave us the link to the actual post (not your main blog url) along with the recipe name. Don’t forget to include a link to this entry on your blog! That’s all there is to it!

Myth: Make sure your teenager gets a credit card so he or she will learn to be responsible with money.

Truth: Getting a credit card for your teenager is an excellent way to teach him or her to be financially irresponsible. That’s why teens are now the #1 target of credit card companies.

Over 80% of graduating college seniors have credit card debt before they even have a job! The credit card marketers have done such a thorough job that a credit card is seen as a rite of passage into adulthood. American teens view themselves as adults if they have a credit card, a cell phone and a driver’s license. Sadly, none of these “accomplishments” are in any way associated with real adulthood.

You are not teaching your 16-year-old child to spend responsibly when you give him or her a credit card any more than you are teaching gun responsibility by letting him sleep with a loaded automatic weapon with the safety off. In both cases, you as a parent are being stupid. People with common sense don’t give 16-year-olds beer to teach them how to hold their liquor. By giving a teenager a credit card, the parent - the one with supposed credibility - introduces a financially harmful substance and endorses its use, which is dumb but unfortunately very normal in today’s families. Parents must instead teach the teenager to just say NO.

Pouncing on the College Prey

Anyone visiting a college campus in recent years has been shocked at the aggressive and senseless marketing of credit cards to people who don’t have jobs. The results can be devastating. Recently, two college students in Oklahoma gave up on their credit card debt and committed suicide with the bills lying on the bed beside them.

Vince called my radio show with a problem that has become a trend. Vince signed up for multiple cards during his sophomore year at college to get the free campus t-shirt. He wasn’t going to use the cards unless there was an emergency, but there was an “emergency” every week, and soon he was $15,000 in debt. He couldn’t make the payments, so he quit school to get a job. The problem was, without his degree, his earnings were minimal. Worse than that, he also had $27,000 in student loans. Student loans aren’t payable while you are in school, but when you leave school by graduating or quitting, the payments begin.

Vince was one scared 21-year-old with $42,000 in debt but making only $15,000 per year. What’s scary is that Vince is “normal.” The American Bankruptcy Institute reveals that 19% of the people who filed for bankruptcy last year were college students. That means 1 in 5 bankruptcy filings were by very young people who started their lives as financial failures. Do you still think it is wise to give a teen a card? I hope not.

Article via Dave Ramsey

On April 1st, how many of us have listened to stories, read an article in the paper or received an email from friends, family or co-workers that was immediately followed by the loud yell of “April Fools!”? April 1st is the US National holiday for tricks, pranks and other practical jokes. The commonly accepted origin of April Fool’s Day or All Fool’s Day, involves changes in the calendar. At one time, the New Year celebration began on March 25 and ended on April 1. However, in 1582, King Charles IX accepted the beginning of the New Year as January 1. Those who refused to acknowledge the new date or simply forgot, received foolish gifts and invitations to nonexistent parties. It has evolved into a day of light-hearted trickery and has produced some elaborate and well-known hoaxes.

The United State is not the only country to participate in a national prank day. Several others around the world also play host to a day similar to ours.

* In Iran, people play jokes on each other on April 3, the 13th day of the Persian calendar. It is believed that people should go out on this date in order to escape the bad luck of number 13.

* On April 1st, the French play a game called “April’s Fish” and attempt to attach a paper fish to the victims’ back’s without being noticed. This is also widespread in other nations, such as Italy where “April’s Fish” is also used to refer to any other jokes done during the day

* In Belgium, the tradition is for children to lock their parents or teachers out of the house or school, only letting them in if they promise to bring treats the same evening or the next day.

* In some countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, on April 1st, if somebody pulls an April Fools’ Trick after midday, then the person pulling the trick is actually considered the fool.

So, this year, if you can’t quite create a believable hoax, prank or joke yourself, you can try taking an idea from some of the countries above. You’ll not only getting the benefit of yelling “April Fool’s!” to your unsuspecting victim, but you’ll also be teaching a little about some different customs as well; and that’s no joke!

Lisa Smith has a BA in Psychology & is the Owner/CEO of Regionz Kidz, a multi-cultural infant & toddler clothing line featuring ethnically diverse characters and designs. She publishes a blog on her website that discusses cultural diversity & children & is a frequent guest blogger on other blogs and websites regarding parenting and children’s issues. She is also a monthly contributor to Educated Mommy Magazine. You can contact Lisa directly at: lisa@regionzkidz.com

Recycle your broken crayons into fun shapes and create brand-new crayons for your kids! You can also attach them onto gifts as a colorful decoration.

What you’ll need:

* Several old crayons
* Assorted cookie cutters or candy molds
* Old sauce pan or tin can for melting crayons
* Aluminum foil

How to make it:

1. Take the paper off of the crayons and put them in an old saucepan. Or put the crayons in an empty tin can and place the can in a saucepan filled with water.

2. Melt the wax by turning the stove on low heat.

3. Place the cookie cutters on a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour the melted wax into assorted cookie cutters. You may need to hold the cookie cutters down to keep the melted crayons from running out.

4. Wait for the wax to set, then cool, and pop your brand new crayons out.

Enjoy!

We want to see what you’re whipping up in the kitchen! Is it a gourmet meal, a sheet of cookies or nothing more than a gigantic mess?

Do you have a cute picture of your kids helping you out (or should I say stressing you out) in the kitchen? We want to see it!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

Spring is just around the corner and we want to know how you send the snow off! Does your family have any traditions or activities they generally engage in at this time of the year? Do you hate to see the winter end, or do you wish it could last forever?

We want to hear from you!

Simply write your contribution on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!

As parents, we often are at a loss for time. Add the quest to provide your kids with healthy meals and where does that leave us? Stressed out and trying to throw something together!

This week we’re looking at easy lunch ideas!

Check out this recipe for
Easy Quesadillas

* Four flour tortillas
* Four tbsp butter
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 4 tbsp finely chopped jarred chillies
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* pinch garlic powder
* 1.5 tbsp sugar
* 2 cups shredded cheddar or 1 cup cheddar, 1 cup Swiss

Make the sauce by mixing the mayo, chillies, cumin, garlic and sugar.

Heat up the butter and olive oil in a large pan. Use a low heat, as you don’t want the butter to brown, or better yet, use clarified butter.

Put your first tortilla in the pan, spread one side of it with a quarter of the sauce and sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese. Fold over and get the second one in the pan doing the same thing, so you have two half moons sauteing. You can use a second pan for the others or just wait until these are done. Saute until the bottom is nice and golden and cheese is beginning to melt. Flip over and do the same for the other side.

Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

There’s one! I love to whip these up with left over ingredients we have on hand. My kids will eat just about anything that is wrap in a tortilla and sprinkled with cheese!

Go to your blog, post your favorite easy lunch recipe and come back here and leave us the link to the actual post (not your main blog url) along with the recipe name. Don’t forget to include a link to this entry on your blog! That’s all there is to it!

Spending Time With Your Teen
Key to Developing a Healthy Relationship

© Susan Carney

Jun 29, 2007
Spending time together is essential for a strong parent-child bond. But many parents wrongly assume that kids aren’t interested.

In my work as a school counselor, I obviously spend a lot of time talking to kids. One of the things I am most curious about are teen’s relationships with their parents. What goes into making a good relationship versus a poor one? What makes the difference between the student who can’t say enough positive things about their parents, and those who have nothing positive to say? I’ve spoken to both kinds of kids.

I’m always looking for that special ingredient that allows a parents to still remain “cool” in the eyes of their teen, during a time when many teens wouldn’t be caught dead hanging out with their parents in public. At one time, I thought that the “cool” parents were the lenient ones, the ones that remembered what it was like to be a kid and as a result, cut their kid a lot of slack. I know now that kids need limits to feel secure, and in fact, many kids view lenient parents as clueless pushovers.

A key piece of a strong relationship between parents and child is, I think, spending time together. It seems like such a simple thing, yet I am always astounded by the number of kids who tell me that their parents don’t have time to hang out with them. Not to eat dinner, not to play a hand of cards, not to sit and talk about how their day was. What are the parents doing that is taking up all of their time? The answers vary: talking to their friends on the phone, playing video games, hanging out in chat rooms, watching TV, hanging out at bars. Kids are starving for our attention, and we have to find time in our lives to give it to them. It has to be a priority.

Check out Activities for Parents and Teens for some ideas on how to reconnect with your teen this summer.

Article via Youth Development Suite 101

There is a great site called Activity Coloring Pages which offers a huge variety of pages you can print out and color with your kids!

Never forget the power of spending time with your child. Coloring is a great way to get down on their level while going over colors, letters and concepts!

Whether you’re going back a day, a week, a month or a decade, we want to see your preggo pictures!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

From the day they come into the world, we’re constantly bathing our little ones until they can undertake the task all on their own!

We want to hear what special rituals and/or tub time games you enjoy with your dirty little one!

Simply write your contribution on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!

Here’s another great way to try to get your kids to eat up those vegetables!

Easy Vegetable Dip

Ingredients:
16 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 tablespoons minced onions
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well except mayonnaise. Then add mayonnaise slowly. Let set in refrigerator overnight. NOTE: For best taste, use Best Foods (or Hellman’s) mayonnaise and follow directions exactly.

Go to your blog, post your favorite recipe and come back here and leave us the link to the actual post (not your main blog url) along with the recipe name. Don’t forget to include a link to this entry on your blog! That’s all there is to it!

Sometimes reading articles on the Internet still leaves parents of teens struggling to find answers. Thankfully, today’s parents are fortunate to have parenting skills classes offered through so many different groups and organizations. Having access to parenting skills classes means that new parents have the ability to be more prepared than new parents of the past.

Does this mean that today’s new parents will be better? Not necessarily, however what it does mean is that these parents may be able to handle difficult situations easier, because they are more prepared to face parenthood.

Over the past few generations, mothers have worked outside of the home along with fathers, single-parenting has become a common occurrence and multi-generational households are growing in popularity. Therefore, there may not be as much emphasis on teaching children parenting skills as there used to be. So, thankfully there are many groups who will teach new parents what to expect and how to handle parenting situations through parenting skills classes.
Who Should Attend?

Every parent or expecting parent can most likely benefit from some type of parenting skills classes, because every parent needs help with a situation at some point during the time that they are raising children. Parenting skills classes offer a great way for new parents to learn about caring for a newborn baby, about raising a toddler and about selecting preschools. For parents of older children, there are often parenting skills classes that cover things like keeping kids interested in education, setting up homework time and dealing with middle schools.

Parents of teenaged children may find excellent information about how to raise a teenager through parenting skills classes which can help parents to understand teenagers and how they think. The classes may enable parents to become better role models for their children, and even way to encourage saving and careful spending.

Regardless of a parent’s situation, there is always something new to learn about how to raise children in today’s day and age. Parenting skills classes are very common and provide valuable tips and insight. In addition, many parents find that when they attend classes that teach parenting skills, they are able to meet and form relationships with other parents who have children in the same age group. This social aspect of the classes provides yet another valuable source of information and support for parents.

To find a parenting skills class near you, you could look in the local newspaper’s classified section, ask a pediatrician for recommendations or even ask your friends and family if they can recommend anything specific to you.

Article via NurtureLab

Around the World for Easter

This year, March is the month for Easter! Religiously it is celebrated as the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion, and secularly, it is celebrated with colored eggs, chocolate candies and stuffed bunnies. Easter is called a “moveable” Holiday because it is unfixed in relation to the civil calendar and follows the cycle of the moon. In the West, Easter always falls on a Sunday anytime from March 22nd – April 25,th and the rule since the Middle Ages has been that Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon. Whether celebrating in the religious manner with the traditions of the church, or by decorating eggs and hiding them throughout the house, most families in the United States, as well as other countries around the world celebrate the Easter Holiday in some way or another.

* In Canada, eggs and other treats are distributed by the Easter Bunny. The modern belief that eggs are delivered by a rabbit known as the Easter Bunny comes from the legend of the Goddess Eostre. So much did a lowly rabbit want to please the Goddess that he laid the sacred eggs in her honor, gaily decorated them, and humbly presented them to her. She was so pleased at the gift that she wished all humankind to share in her joy. In honor of her wishes, the rabbit went through the entire world and distributed these little decorated gifts of life.

* In the UK, families exchange chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday. They also enjoy a traditional Sunday Roast Dinner and eat foods like Simnel cake, a fruit cake with eleven marzipan balls representing the eleven faithful apostles. Hot cross buns are also eaten through Holy Week and the Easter period. In Northern England and Ireland, families gather together and roll decorated eggs down steep hills.

* Norway has a more contemporary Easter tradition that involves the solving of murder mysteries that are broadcast on television and printed in the local newspapers and magazines.

* In Finland, Sweden and Denmark, small children dressed up as witches and collect candy and treats door-to-door, in exchange for decorated pussy willows. This mixture comes from the old Orthodox tradition in which houses are blessed with willow branches, and the Scandinavian Easter witch tradition.

* People in Germany and the Netherlands light Easter fires on Easter Sunday at sunset.

* In Hungary, perfume or perfumed water is sprinkled in exchange for an Easter egg.

No matter our religious denomination, ethnicity or culture, we can broaden our horizons and add some new experiences to our own family traditions. Whether we try some new foods for Easter dinner, roll our eggs down the steepest hill in our neighborhood, or read a mystery story aloud as a family, experiencing different and unique things together can lead to some treasured family memories.

Lisa Smith has a BA in Psychology & is the Owner/CEO of Regionz Kidz, a multi-cultural infant & toddler clothing line featuring ethnically diverse characters and designs. She publishes a blog on her website that discusses cultural diversity & children & is a frequent guest blogger on other blogs and websites regarding parenting and children’s issues. She is also a monthly contributor to Educated Mommy Magazine. You can contact Lisa directly at: lisa@regionzkidz.com

Keeping Your Kids Occupied Doesn’t Have to Cost Money!

My children keep themselves busy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re having fun! While hanging out at home, my husband and I often hear complaints of pushing, kicking, name calling, etc. That’s when we know we need to get them out of the house, but what to do? And what if we don’t feel like leaving the house or spending money? Fortunately, there are many things to do both at home and in the community, that are free, or nearly free. Here are some suggestions.

At home:

1. Cook or bake. My girls love to help me cook or bake anything! Cookies made with cookie cutters are always fun. And then you get to eat the results!

2. Put on dress-up clothes (my girls love leotards), some music, and let them dance.

3. If it’s warm, go outdoors! Look for bugs, birds, rocks, flowers, whatever.

4. Treasure hunt-we use pennies. This is a big incentive for them!

5. Play a card or board game appropriate to the children’s ages.

6. Read a story.

7. Create a story! Have your children draw the pictures and write the words, or assist them if need be.

8. Involve your children in whatever you are doing. Mine love to help pot plants, or if I’m on the computer, I’ll go to www.pbskids.org and let them listen to songs, stories, or do drawing or painting on the computer, or you can print our drawing pages of your child’s favorite characters.

In the community:

1. Go to the library. They often have free weekly story time for children that involve art and craft activities.

2. Consult your local newspaper for free or low-cost children’s activities at local bookstores, toy stores, or other businesses and organizations.

3. Take a nature walk at a favorite place or somewhere new.

4. Go swimming. City-run recreation centers usually have swimming at a very low cost-from one up to a few dollars a person for up to two hours of swimming.

5. Visit a friend!

6. Go to the park, or a school playground off-school hours. Remember to bring snacks and drinks, and they can occupy themselves for a long time.

7. If your child loves animals, visit or volunteer at the animal shelter. It is fun to visit the animals, and the staff is often friendly and welcoming.

8. Visit a museum. They often have one day a week or a month during which the admission is free or reduced significantly.

Good luck, and remember, a little boredom or sibling rivalry never hurt anyone, so don’t feel like you always must entertain your children. Let them entertain themselves!

Written by: Marina Amici

Fill in the blank with your own photo!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

We want to hear how you do it, how you love it or how you hate it!

Tell us your Spring Cleaning story or your general thoughts on the practice. What can’t you wait to do and what do you put off doing?

We want to know!

Simply write your thoughts on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!

At some point in the life of a parent, it becomes necessary to talk with your child about discrimination, prejudice or more simply, the things that make people different from one another. Whether its race, religion, culture or skin color, children are naturally curious and will ask questions. The important thing, if you are a parent, is to know what to say and how to answer their questions when the time comes.

The age of the child is one of the most important things to consider when talking to children about racial differences. Children from ages 2-3 begin to notice physical aspects of identity and gender. This is followed by curiosity about skin color, hair color and texture, eye shape and color. They may also begin to recognize cultural differences and they may show signs of “pre-prejudice” such as acting afraid, uncomfortable or avoiding or ignoring other children they perceive to be different. Three-and 4-year-olds begin to seek answers to their questions about differences. They show a greater awareness of appearances and they ask questions about where they got their own skin, hair, and eye color. Five-year-olds begin to build a group ethnic identity, as well as an individual identity within that group. They are more capable of exploring the differences and similarities between groups. They accept the use of categories and begin to look to see where they fit in. Six-to 8-year-olds begin to realize that their ethnicity is not changeable. They begin to become aware of attitudes for and against racial, religious, and cultural groups and they are highly influenced by significant adults, peers, and the media. Cultural pride may also begin to develop at this age. Nine- to 12-year-olds become more aware of the attitudes and behaviors within institutional settings and they also begin to get a clear understanding of the struggles against bias and are more willing to discuss culture, race, and differences.

Once we understand the capabilities of our children to understand our answers, we must then decide what to tell them! There is no perfect script and ultimately your discussion will probably not be perfect, but opening the door to communication is the first step to stopping hate, prejudice and inequality and to opening your child’s eyes to the diversity around them. Regardless of your child’s age, you can use the following pointers to help you discuss this difficult topic.

1. Do not pretend everyone is the same: Children are not blind to the fact that people look, dress and speak differently from them. They need simple, truthful and accurate information that addresses those differences and helps to reduce their fearfulness or hesitation.

2. Talking about prejudice does not increase its prevalence: Children do not learn prejudice from having open, honest discussions about physical differences. They learn prejudice from the media, peers and influential figures in their lives. If you are accurate with your information and you help your child to be consistent with their actions regarding discrimination then your child will be more likely to know what to do and how to behave when confronted with a situation that requires them to act appropriately.

3. Discuss what is different as well as what is the same: It is important that children understand that what makes us different, makes us who we are. Although it is important that we focus on inner qualities more often than outer, we should not ignore the differences; rather we should attempt to explain that often customs, manner of dress or culture can be expressed in many ways.

4. Treat all questions with respect: Despite being awkward, embarrassing and at times, even humorous, you should try not to silence your child or to make them feel that they asked a forbidden question. This may keep them from discussing it with you in the future.

5. Answer questions clearly and honestly: Try to understand what they are really asking and give short, simple answers that children can understand. Try not to over explain and if you don’t know an answer, say so. If you give a wrong answer, correct yourself. Give children simple, factual answers to questions rather than general “all-encompassing’ statements.

Despite being a challenging conversation, it is an accomplishment as a parent just to start a dialogue about such an important and controversial topic. The more we know about how to talk to our children about the differences in our world, the better we can equip them to become open-minded, unbiased adults. We as parents can give our children the tools to make their world a more loving, accepting place just by providing them a comfortable place to voice their questions and concerns, and an ear to listen to what they have to say.

Lisa Smith has a BA in Psychology & is the Owner/CEO of Regionz Kidz, a multi-cultural infant & toddler clothing line featuring ethnically diverse characters and designs. She publishes a blog on her website that discusses cultural diversity & children & is a frequent guest blogger on other blogs and websites regarding parenting and children’s issues. She is also a monthly contributor to Educated Mommy Magazine. You can contact Lisa directly at: lisa@regionzkidz.com

Ava’s Closet is offering up a free t-shirt to the winner and a $10 gift certificate to the runner up of our giveaway! What’s on her mind, you may ask? She wants to hear from you how you raise your kids with the self-confidence they need to be happy, healthy little people.

We want to hear the tools you use to instill self-confidence in YOUR kids! Simply go to your blog and write a post about raising kids with self-confidence including a link back to this entry as well as to Ava’s Closet . To be considered for the contest, you must come back here, leave us the direct url to your blog post in the box below and sit back and read what other parents are doing to raise self confident kids.

Again, the grand prize winner will receive a t-shirt of their choice from Ava’s Closet with the runner up pulling in a ten dollar gift certificate for the store.

These products are cute as can be and at the height of kid fashion! Look for a product review coming up this week on one of their products!

Good luck!

You got it, we want to see your sloppy wet ones and your tight squeezes!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

Click on thumbnail to view full size:

All product reviewers and media persons are welcome!

Woo hoo!

Ann Taylor wants to help dress one of our moms in $1oo worth of new clothes from their maternity line!

Simply go to your blog and write about why it’s important for moms to look good while pregnant! That’s all there is to it! The winner will receive a $100 gift card for Ann Taylor!

Contest ends in one week! Good luck!

We want to hear about how you saved the day!

Simply write your contribution on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!

Mmm, mmm! These suckers are more versatile than you think!

Check out this recipe!

Sweet Potato and Raisin Muffins:

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
2 medium sweet potatoes , baked ashed (remove pulp to yield 1/4 cup of sweet potato)
1 tablespoon lemons, zest of , finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line muffin tins with liners or s pray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until well combined.

Add the liquids all at once over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of the batter into each muffin cup, each should be full and well rounded.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Mmm, how good do those sound??

We want to know YOUR favorite thing to do with these babies!

Post your favorite sweet potato recipe on your blog and share it with us! Simply leave a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct url to your contribution, NOT the url to your main blog! That’s all there is to it!

10 Parenting Tips for Raising Teenagers

How do you breach the barriers of adolescence? Here are 10 parenting tips for raising teenagers.

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature

Reviewed By Charlotte Grayson

Your chatterbox son now answers your questions with a sullen “yes” or “no.” Your charming daughter won’t go to the store with you at all anymore. They must be teenagers. Don’t despair. It’s natural — and important — for kids to break away from their parents at this age. This emotional separation allows them to become well-adjusted adults.

Yet these must be among the most difficult years for any parent. To help with parenting tips, WebMD turned to three national experts:

David Elkind, PhD, author of All Grown Up and No Place to Go and a professor of child development at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.

Amy Bobrow, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor in the Child Study Center at New York University School of Medicine in Manhattan.

Nadine Kaslow, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University.

10 Parenting Tips

1. Give kids some leeway. Giving teens a chance to establish their own identity, giving them more independence, is essential to helping them establish their own place in the world. “But if it means he’s going out with a bad crowd, that’s another thing,” says Elkind.

2. Choose your battles wisely. “Doing themselves harm or doing something that could be permanent (like a tattoo), those things matter,” says Kaslow. “Purple hair, a messy room — those don’t matter.” Don’t nitpick.

3. Invite their friends for dinner. It helps to meet kids you have questions about. “You’re not flat-out rejecting them, you’re at least making an overture. When kids see them, see how their friends act with their parents, they can get a better sense of those friends,” Elkind tells WebMD. “It’s the old adage, you catch more bears with honey than vinegar. If you flatly say, you can’t go out with those kids, it often can backfire — it just increases the antagonism.”

4. Decide rules and discipline in advance. “If it’s a two-parent family, it’s important for parents to have their own discussion, so they can come to some kind of agreement, so parents are on the same page,” says Bobrow. Whether you ban them from driving for a week or a month, whether you ground them for a week, cut back on their allowance or Internet use — whatever — set it in advance. If the kid says it isn’t fair, then you have to agree on what is fair punishment. Then, follow through with the consequences.

5. Discuss ‘checking in.’ “Give teens age-appropriate autonomy, especially if they behave appropriately,” says Kaslow. “But you need to know where they are. That’s part of responsible parenting. If it feels necessary, require them to call you during the evening, to check in. But that depends on the teen, how responsible they have been.”

6. Talk to teens about risks. Whether it’s drugs, driving, or premarital sex, your kids need to know the worst that could happen.

7. Give teens a game plan. Tell them: “If the only option is getting into a car with a drunk driver, call me — I don’t care if it’s 3 in the morning,” says Bodrow. Or make sure they have cab fare. “Help them figure out how to handle a potentially unsafe situation, yet save face,” she suggests. “Brainstorm with them. Come up with a solution that feels comfortable for that child.”

8. Keep the door open. Don’t interrogate, but act interested. Share a few tidbits about your own day; ask about theirs. How was the concert? How was the date? How was your day? Another good line: “You may not feel like talking about what happened right now. I know what that’s like. But if you feel like talking about it later, you come to me,” Elkind suggests.

9. Let kids feel guilty. “I think too much is made about self-esteem,” says Elkind. “Feeling good about yourself is healthy. But people should feel bad if they have hurt someone or done something wrong. Kids need to feel bad sometimes. Guilt is a healthy emotion. When kids have done something wrong, we hope they feel bad, we hope they feel guilty.”

10. Be a role model. Your actions — even more than your words — are critical in helping teens adopt good moral and ethical standards, says Elkind. If they have a good role model from early on, they will be less likely to make bad decisions in their rebellious teen years.

Published Aug. 11, 2003
Source: Medicine Net

The one thing I learned very early on about kids, they need stuff!

Munchkin is looking for a handful of moms to do some product reviews! Please Email us if you are interested. Include your name (or pseudonym) and the address to your blog. Use the email subject of “Munchkin”.

Thank you!

Oh, we know the messes our kids can make when they’re locked down in complete winter boredom!

Now we want to SEE those messes!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

Ava’s Closet has just what it boasts, smart clothes for smart kids! I was sent one of these adorable tees for my daughter and oh the comments we got!

It’s in our blood to tell little girls they’re adorable and little boys they’re smart. Why can’t girls be smart and boys be adorable? The “President, not princess” shirt reminds us of just that!

Check out the full line of great t-shirts, including “Doctor, not diva” and the ultra cute “running partner” tees!

The Last Bedtime Story: Regrets

There are times when I ache for my children when they were young. I can close my eyes and feel them clamoring up around my neck for a hug, or protection. I can taste those baby toes. I can smell the newly bathed and pajama’d little bodies. I can hear the giggles rising as the “spider went up the waterspout”.

Moments Lost

I had a painful, stabbing moment recently. I could not remember the last time I had cuddled up in bed with one boy under each arm to read them a bedtime story. It is amazing how many times in our lives we do something for the last time without realizing it in that moment.

Regrets Remain

If I could choose to change anything about the years we raised our boys it is that I would have been more present, and more grateful for some of the everyday moments.

While in the throws of child rearing life is busy and sometimes we move through it in autopilot mode. I wonder where the time went over the last 20 years. There were times where getting it done was more important to me than just being in the moment. I remember feeling tired and wanting to get the story read so that I could have the evening to myself. If only I realized that they would be gone in what felt like moments later.

There are many “last time” moments in a lifetime. I guess the key is to be fully engaged, and present in as many moments as you can be.

Truth In A Story

I did have one teary memory the other day. It was my favourite book to read to the boys, and one that makes me cry even to write about it now. Many of you who raised your kids in the 80’s will remember Robert Munch. He has written some fantastic children’s books, but no story has stayed with me like “Love You Forever”.

The book goes through the evolution of a mother & son. From the day she brings him home from the hospital and she sings to him:

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.”

As he grows she continues to sing this to him, even after he leaves the house she sneaks into his home and whispers to him as he sleeps. (Don’t worry boys) By the end of the book, the role reverses and he is the one that sings to his elderly mother. Sniff ;-(

Our memories are precious gifts. The key is not to let any of them turn into regrets.

Regrets will hold you back from experiencing your life now, as it unfolds.

Regrets keep us from attracting more joy.

Louise is a Co-Active Life Coach living in beautiful rural Ontario, Canada. Her professional focus is working with mature women, helping them get excited about all of the possibilities in the next half of their lives.

She has been blissfully married for twenty-four years, has two amazing young adult sons and a loving dog.

Ugh, is anyone else sick of all this snow yet?? Blah!

Today we want to see how the Winter Blahs are affecting you and yours!

Be creative!

Go to your blog and post your photograph, linking back to this entry. When you’re done, come back here and leave the url to that post (not your main blog url) in the box below! That’s all there is to it!

As moms, we tend to be the fixer of problems, the bandaid putter-oners and the tear dryers.

We want to hear about a time you dried those tears, whether it was one of your children, your partner, or a friend. Give yourself a pat on the back by going back and reminiscing about a time you healed someone’s hurt.

Simply write your contribution on your blog, leaving a link back to this entry then come back here and leave us the direct URL to the entry (not your main blog url.) And you’re done!