Search Results for: blog tell them before its too late

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Who could resist Hostess Cupcakes with their curly swirls of bitable icing over rich chocolate frosting that covers the deep chocolate cake that hides the gooey creamy filling? Don’t you want to just take a bite out of them right now? Sigh. Let’s take away both the guilt (well, a little of the guilt) and the expensive prices on eBay and make some homemade Hostess Cupcakes. You’ll eliminate the preservatives and be known as the best baker on the block. I have to tell you that this post required a lot of hard research. I had to make sure that … Continue reading →

Ready to Talk

I can sometimes be a little possessive of my kids. In fact, I remember feeling very undermined when one of my teens was going through a really difficult period and needed to talk with others. It was a situation I had no control over. I didn’t like it. But here is what I came to realize—I had to get over it. Sometimes you aren’t the person your kid needs or wants to talk to. Instead of taking it personally, look at it as an opportunity for someone else to help. I don’t know if that makes it any easier but … Continue reading →

What to Do When You Start to Feel a Cold Coming

Now that summer is at an end, we have some new things to look forward to, such as crisp fall evenings, the holiday season and colds. As much as we wanted to forget all about them during the summer, the fact is that the germs and viruses will be hanging around our bodies and our homes very soon. Here are some measures that you can take to try to kill the cold in its tracks when you start to feel the first symptoms. Start Drinking When that tell-tale tickle in your throat appears, start to increase your intake of water … Continue reading →

How Safe Are Public Pools?

A friend posted an article on Facebook about a $50-million public pool that just re-opened up in one of my old neighborhood haunts in Brooklyn. The facilities look amazing in the photos, large and well-kept. The problem: recent teen violence that included two police officers getting punched in the face. I remember back to my own public pool experiences growing up. There we were, all smashed together like sardines and loving it. I also remember cutting my foot on the bottom of the pool, whether it was on a rough edge or a piece of glass. I’m not sure which, … Continue reading →

Deck Salad

Last night we ate deck salad. We ate some the night before, too. It’s rather good, this deck salad, even though its name brings to mind sweaty folks cleaning off the deck of a ship. This is my latest experiment in small-space gardening, and it’s working beautifully, probably due to our very cool and wet spring. The salad is growing on our deck in three planter boxes that I placed there last summer. If you have a small space, you can grow a garden too. It’s very simple! What could you grow? A tomato plant or two, a tiny apple … Continue reading →

Does Your Toddler Stall At Bed Time?

Sometimes it can be difficult to discern whether your toddler’s bed time requests for things like a drink or a trip to the potty are legitimate or whether they are attempts to push bed time later into the evening. If the requests are for real, of course you do not want your child to go thirsty and of course you want to support him in the process of learning how to use the potty. On the other hand, if he is stalling, you want to send a clear message that such behavior is not appropriate. If you are anything like … Continue reading →

Music and Movement: Entertainment at the Animal Kingdom

My earliest Disney memory that doesn’t have to do with the movies is of the Disney World Christmas Day Parade. That’s what I knew about Disney parks before I processed the whole theme park thing: I thought of parades featuring Disney characters. Of course now that I know more about Disney World I realize that my early assumptions about what the park meant weren’t so far off base; there are daily parades with various characters all over Disney World, and they’re not limited to the Magic Kingdom. The Animal Kingdom has in fact two of its own parades: Mickey’s Jammin’ … Continue reading →

When Veterinary Euthanasia is O.K.

In an old episode of “The Office,” Dwight puts his girlfriend Angela’s beloved cat in the freezer. He does so because the cat is ancient and has so many medical issues that it’s barely alive. Dwight lives on a farm, and as he tells a devastated Angela, “sometimes farm people have to do what city folk are too weak to.” Obviously Dwight’s actions on the show are horrible (and played for comedic effect), but they raise an interesting question: Dwight genuinely thought he was doing what was best for the cat and he did it in what he considered a … Continue reading →

Organizing Travel Scrapbooks

With the busy summer vacation season kicking off in just a few weeks, many scrapbookers are getting into prep mode. After all, travel scrapbooks need just as much planning (if not more) than other themed memory albums. Whether you are traveling to the beach, Disney or the Summer Olympics, you’ll want to make sure you have your ducks in a row in order to craft a stunning scrapbook when you return home. Consider bringing along a small folder or pouch to keep mementos of your trip. For example, if you are planning to take a summer cruise you’ll want to … Continue reading →

Four Time Out Tips For Toddlers

Most parents are familiar with the concept of using time out as a tool for disciplining their children. The concept is simple enough – when your child misbehaves, he or she is immediately asked to go to a predetermined location and sit there quietly for a specific amount of time. As simple as time out seems, sometimes even well meaning parents use this discipline tool in an ineffective way. Since time out is a valuable tool for shaping behavior, here are some hints and tips for maximizing its effectiveness for your toddler: 1. Begin using time outs sooner, rather than … Continue reading →