Reston Mom

Tuesday's Tip - lovely fruit

 Okay, so it has been a while since I posted a tip on Tuesday - but I was just thinking about one, so here it is.  I'm looking at 2 ft of snow and expecting another foot today, but somehow I keep thinking about all the fresh fruit that I can't wait to get hold of this summer.  It reminded me that my dad has this neat little trick for fruit salads.  I honestly didn't figure this out for a long time, I just thought he always made the prettiest bowls of fruit :)  But, if you want to have the loveliest fruit this V-day or at your neighborhood potluck this summer, try adding just a small squirt of honey.  Toss your grapes, blueberries, apples, etc... with a little bit of honey and the fruit will look surprisingly fresh and shiny and very appetizing.  Just a bit goes a long way and it won't really affect the flavor much at all.  You'll be surprised at the difference it makes.  

Tuesday's Tip - Peppermint bark

 I know that peppermint bark is a favorite treat at this time of year - and one that is easy to make and give. I'm all about sharing and receiving homemade goodies and I've got some good tips to make your peppermint bark desired by all your friends and family. And if you have any great bark recipes that you'd like to share, I'd love to hear about them!

• regular candy canes are cheap and wonderful - except that when you make peppermint bark with them you end up with a candy component that is really sticky and hard on the teeth.  If you want the perfect texture to your bark, avoid the regular candy canes and look for "soft peppermint sticks" - which actually aren't really, really soft but are the perfect texture for noshing on instead of sucking on.  You'll find these straight-shaped candy-cane striped sticks usually in a little bag - like Bob's brand - and very cheap as well.  Wal-mart had them here for $.88 this year and they were less than a dollar in our Rite Aid.  So next year....you know what to do.
• try a different variation on the "bark."  My own version that I make every year consists of a layer of semi-sweet chocolate, topped by a layer of white chocolate flavored with a little peppermint extract and topped with a generous amount of crushed Oreo cookies.  Voila! Mint Chocolate Oreo bark (it's delicious, you are lucky I shared my idea with you!) Another fave version of mine is chocolate bark with smokey almonds, coarse sea salt, and turbinado sugar (or colored sugar sprinkles).  Get creative and surprise your friends and family with something that goes beyond their expectation of that same old peppermint bark.  

Tuesday's Tip - Christmas card lists

 I am terrible at sending out Christmas cards.  I really want to every year - but it just never seems to get done.  Granted, twice I had just given birth - last year I was quite pregnant with two little ones keeping me busy, and there have been other various reasons.  I've even meant to send New Year's cards or even Easter cards to make up for the missed opportunity at Christmas and failed at that too.  There are some things I'm just not gifted in.  I haven't given up though.  

If you are a Christmas card sender - you may find you have a list to manage.  If you aren't organized, it may be difficult to keep track of people to whom you want to send a card.  You may find yourself trying to keep tabs on who you have received a card from - wasn't there someone who sent you a card last year that you'd like to send one out to this year? Or perhaps, your list has become overwhelming and you'd like to weed it out a bit.

Here is one thing you might try.  Buy a notebook to designate as your Christmas card list.  Copy essential addresses into the front - the people you know you will send a card to year after year regardless.  Then date the top of a page with this year.  As you receive cards in the mail - cut off the address portion of the envelope and tape it onto that page.  Store this book with your Christmas items.   Next year, you'll know exactly who sent you a card the previous year and you will have their address.  You will also be sure to have new addresses for anyone who has changed residences.  The next year when you use your list to send out cards, record all the people you send them to by placing a mark next to the address clip and writing in new recipients.  Each year you will know who received a card from you the previous year and you will have a ready list for the present year.  You can make a section in the back of the book for a list of names or addresses for people you would prefer to send greetings to via email instead of snail mail.  

Tuesday's Tip - foil boxes

I don't know why I missed this for so many years - a long lapse in attention or care, I suppose.  But, if you get annoyed with how the aluminum foil (or other roll) keeps popping out of its box and making things difficult for you, then here is a tip: direct your attention to the ends of the box where there are little tabs to push in which will keep the roll in place.  Brilliant! How did this escape me for so long? 
 

Tuesday's Tip - serving perfect pie slices

   I can't remember where I learned this, but it works great!  This holiday season, if you find yourself trying to serve pieces of pie from one of those disposable pie tins - try this first:  Cut your slices as desired and then, with a pair of kitchen shears, snip right through the edge of the pie tin in line with your slices.  You can then gently put out/down the edge a little bit and easily slip in your serving utensil.  Sometimes you can even cut the tin right down to the bottom crust.  This makes getting a perfect slice with back and bottom crusts totally in tact a cinch every time.  In fact, it might make you want to bake all of your pies in a disposable tin instead of that cute fluted-edge ceramic deep dish that looks so pretty but makes it difficult to deliver a perfect slice. 

Tuesday's Tip - Turkey

 Since I'll be hosting and cooking on Thanksgiving this year, I've been thinking about the turkey! Usually, we grill (yes, you can grill an entire Turkey and yes, it is amazingly good!) but since our gas grill has some issues, it looks like a good old-fashioned in-the-oven bird this year.  No prob - I've done this before.  But, I heard that rubbing the bird with salt the day before helps the skin to get nice and crispy.  Has anyone done this before?  I've definitely heard of doing an herbed salt-rub instead of brine, though my refrigerator doesn't allow space for submerging the turkey in brine overnight and I'm too timid of parts of the bird being too dry to try burying it in salt - but if a nice poultry massage with salt will draw out some of the moisture and leave a perfectly crispy, brown skin it may be worth a try.  We all know though that it's the butter that works magic on the outside of Turkey, right?  Butter and basting (basting every 30 min or so) - that's the way to go if you want a nice golden bird.  Tent your foil until towards the end of baking and then take it off and watch the bird tan nicely.  If it browns too quickly, just put the foil on again.  

Tuesday's Tip - organizing kid's paperback books

We've got a bunch of those floppy square picture books - the kind on the racks at B&N that you can buy for under $5.  The thing is, they don't stand up very well on a bookshelf - they just slide all over and because they are floppy, it is more difficult for the young 'uns to get them back in the bookshelf too.  Similarly, we also have a bunch of those early reader books - taller and thinner, but just as floppy.  So, I've found that a great remedy is to use magazine holders to keep them all neatly in one place. The kids will always know where to put them away and it makes it easy to take them and go as well if you just pull out the whole holder. 

You can spend a little bit to buy sturdy ones that will look cute and last a long time - otherwise you can do as I did and pick up a package of 5 white cardboard fold-it-yourself holders at IKEA for under $3 and tape the bottoms with packaging tape to keep them from unfolding then decorate them yourself if you like.

Tuesday's Tip - cleaning your lampshades

got this one from Martha Stewart - but it is a handy one.  You can use one of those cheap sticky lint rollers (the likes of which you may find hanging by the checkout aisle at Target or your grocery store for grabbing lint/hair/pet hair etc.. off of your clothes) as an easy and effective way to clean dust off of your lamp shades.  I think it also comes in handy for a quick dust to the tops of window drapes that are difficult to remove and clean regularly. 

Tuesday's Tip - ceiling fans

Tuesday's tip should be Wednesdays tip seeing as how I can't ever seem to get to the computer on Tuesdays!

Anyway, here's my first tip - if you haven't cleaned/dusted the blades on your ceiling fans - do so, they're nasty! Take a good look at your fan blades, those things can collect massive amounts of dust in a normal setting. An easy way to clean them is to use an old pillow cover.  Spray some dust spray if you like onto the blade and then slip your cover over the blade.  Create some downward tension onto the blade by pulling out and down on either side of the case and with gentle pressure, slide the case off of the blade in one motion.  This will keep all that dust inside the case instead of flying onto whatever is below.  Then simply wash the case inside out.

Also, running your ceiling fans can be very helpful in the winter.  During the summer they should be turning counter-clockwise to push the air down and create a wind-chill. In the winter, most ceiling fans can be reset to turn clockwise (reverse motion or "winter mode" ) in order to create an upward flow of air and push the warmer air which has risen and is trapped at the ceiling back down.  Otherwise, you can have up to a 15 degree temperature difference between the area at your floor and ceiling. In the winter, fans should always run on low speeds for the most comfort.

Tuesday's Tip - getting kids to eat their veggies

If you have a child who is not so fond of vegetables, you might find the following suggestions helpful. 

Try a "pre-meal private taste testing" by preparing a chosen vegetable raw and also cooked (steam quickly in the microwave).  Tell your child something like - "I'd really like to have your help with dinner tonight. We're having broccoli as our vegetable tonight, but I'm not sure which is better - raw or cooked? Would you please taste each of these and tell me which you like better and how you think we ought to serve our vegetable tonight?"  Then, go with their suggestion.  You might even like to announce to the family that your child was very helpful and has done a great job helping to choose the menu.  They won't be surprised to see the vegetable on their plate, because they've chosen it and they will feel proud of being helpful. You might even find a moment to tell them how important their decision has been in helping everyone in the family to stay healthy and strong. And you'll probably be surprised to find out that sometimes kids enjoy veggies raw that you'd never have thought of.  Try this will all kinds of different veggies such as carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onions, corn, zucchini, summer squash, brussel sprouts, etc...

Another option is to choose the veggie and do the same "pre-meal private taste testing" to choose the sauce.  Offer one vegetable with a variety of dipping sauces such as hummus, honey-mustard, ranch, or italian dressing or perhaps ketchup, soy sauce, sweet n' sour sauce or melted cheese.  Approach your child in the same way by telling them that you will be serving this vegetable for dinner but you'd really like them to taste all the dips (with the veggie) and tell you which they like and think should be served with the meal. 

If nothing else, you might get at least two or three bites of veggie out of the taste test - and by doing this often, you can introduce and help your child become accustomed to a variety of vegetables.  They are more likely to eat it if they've had some part in choosing it.  And you might find out that they like some that you never might have guessed they like. 

Tuesday's Tip - hand towels

I get so tired of finding our bathroom hand towels on the floor because they slip off the bar after the girls use them to dry their hands - or lying over the sink, because one of the girls notices but can't manage to get the towel back on the bar very well.  

If you have very young children and a similar issue, the fix is as easy as using a large safety pin to pin together the two inner sections of the folded towel.  This way the kids will dry their hands without tugging the towel off the bar. Just be sure the pin is a good quality one and is latched well and pin it up high pretty close to the  bar. 

The other option of course, is to buy the kind of kitchen hand towels that have the tie strings on top and just tie it around the bar - but be sure to double knot it or else it will end up on the floor as well.

Tuesday's Tip - tackle that mess

Fishing tackle boxes are a great solution to containing and organizing some of children's favorite collections.  Most are designed with a large compartment at the bottom in conjunction with pull out or accordian style trays with divided compartments.  Plus, they have a handle on the top which kids love since they can take their collection with them. They range in size and number of trays. You can find inexpensive ones at places like Wal-mart or similar functioning storage boxes at some craft and container stores. Here are some ideas of where a tackle box might be well used:

• tiny legos
• Barbie clothes and accessories 
• art and craft supplies 
• small toys ie: polly pocket, littlest pet shop 
• "outside only" collections of rocks, acorns, etc...
• girls hairbrushes and hair accessories 
• dress-up jewelry 
• matchbox style cars 

Tuesday's Tip - wrinkle free clothes

I'm terrible with laundry.  It's probably my least favorite chore and having the machines down in the basement doesn't help any.  Often our laundry gets left in the dryer or unfolded for a good while.  This is so simple, but If your laundry has cooled down in the dryer and you want to save yourself some time and wrinkles, an easy tip is just to run the dryer again for a few minutes before pulling them out and folding or hanging right away.  The quick spin will fluff and lift out wrinkles.

Tuesday's Tip - school clothes

Here's a great back-to-school tip to help out your morning routine.

Purchase one of those hanging shoe organizers for your child's closet - the kind that has separate boxes or large pockets for each pair of shoes.  On Sunday, check the weather report with your kids and then pick out an outfit (that you both agree on?) for each day of the school week.  Assign a day to each slot and place each outfit in it's day. Use an additional slot to store an "alternate" outfit in case of unexpected inclement weather.  For younger children, this will empower them to be more successful at getting ready independently and will help any parent/child rule out frustrations over choosing outfits in the rush of the morning.  

Tuesday's Tip - juice boxes

I don't mean to confuse you.  It is not Tuesday.  I'm sorry this is late!  Maybe I need a tip myself about keeping track of the calendar!

Anyway, I read this recently in an issue of Parents magazine and thought, "why didn't I think of that!"  I'm like a broken record when it comes to handing my kids a juice box - "don't squeeze! don't squeeze! careful, don't squeeze!"  

But you know those little triangular-tabs where the top of the box folds and seals to the sides? Try lifting those up and suggesting that your kids hold the box by it's "wings" next time - they will be less likely to squeeze wet, sticky juice all over.  

Tuesday's Tip - leftover bread

Here is this week's "Tuesday's Tip."  Remember, if you have any great tips to share, we'd love to hear them!

I find that there is a lot of bread that could potentially be wasted in our household.  No one in my family particularly appreciates the end pieces on a sandwich loaf or we end up with extra buns from an event, etc...  I'm not really fond of waste.  So, I throw all those scraps of bread into the freezer.  They are great for making croutons for salad or soup later - any kind of bread will do from french to pumpernickel to corn and it's so easy!  Just cut into cubes and toss with some italian seasoning or another favorite seasoning blend, maybe some parmesan or some salt and pepper and saute in a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crispy. 

 Of course, there are other ways to use the frozen bread too. For example, you might make a bread pudding (a really nice dessert especially when paired with a great sauce, a lemon curd perhaps?) or use it for a chicken or turkey dressing.  You can first toast the bread in the oven or throw it in the food processor just as is to make bread crumbs and there is always that fabulous french toast recipe where you let the bread soak in the pan of ingredients overnight before baking.  If you live near a pond your kids might also enjoy feeding the ducks.  

Tuesday's Tip - make sunscreen a habit

Help ensure the protection of your children's skin for the rest of their lives by making sunscreen a daily habit.  Keep a bottle of trusted sunscreen or a facial moisturizer that contains sunscreen on the bathroom sink.  Teach your children to apply sunscreen to their face (and neck/neckline - particularly for girls who wear shirts that are open at the neckline) every morning as a part of getting ready for the day along with brushing their teeth and hair.  They'll gain protection from the sun year round, even in winter when we don't think about how much sun exposure we are getting) And if they play in the yard or you happen to stop by a park or they get sent out to recess with out slathering on sunscreen first, you won't have to worry too much.  

Tuesday's Tips

I've learned so many great things from just a tip here and there passed along by friends and other sources - some of the best wisdom and handiest ideas are passed along just that way.  I thought it would be great to share some of the tips I've learned and also to hear the tips that have been most valuable to you.  This isn't limited to kids and parenting - anything that has been useful to you or me is guaranteed to be useful to someone else.  

So here's the deal - every Tuesday, I'll post a tip or two.  I'd especially love to include some of your tips in the post itself, so please email me if there is something you would like to share.  Comments are always welcome too. 

Because I have such an affinity for cooking and because being a wife and mom of 3 means I'm in the kitchen often, I'm going to kick us off with a few foodie tips.

PEANUT BUTTER APPLES

This is a kid favorite, but is also pretty messy and the peanut butter always seems to slip off of the top of juicy apples.  Instead of cutting through the core of the apple and making wedges - start on the outside of one side and cut thinner circular slices moving in towards the core.  Then turn the apple around and do the same on the other side.  Slice off the two remaining pieces from either side of the core.  Then go ahead and slather the peanut butter onto the top of each apple "disc".  You can eat them as is (without the peanutbutter sliding off) or you can top one buttered disc with another disc to make a little sandwich. I never serve it any other way!

LINE YOUR FRUIT AND VEGGIE DRAWERS

Clean out those drawers in your fridge and line them with a couple of paper towels before putting in your produce.  The paper towels will catch any juices, fallen leaves, onion skins, etc...  Every once in a while when the drawer is low on goods, you can swap out the paper towels for fresh ones and you'll save yourself from unsightly, sticky build-up caught in all the bends and corners of your drawers.

CLEAN YOUR STOVE TOP

The next time you are cooking something in the oven (provided that you have your stovetop range attached above the baking oven and not located separately in your kitchen) give your range a wipe down with a wet washcloth.  When it's hot, the grime will come off very easily without any use of chemical cleaners - it's the best time to clean your stove top!

FREEZE THAT FRUIT

Don't let your fruit get so overripe that you through it out - instead toss it in the freezer!  Almost any fruit makes a great smoothie (I made one from some frozen overripe canteloupe and a scoop of vanilla ice cream this week and it was wonderful!) Puree your frozen fruit to flavor applesauce, cottage cheese oatmeal or yogurt, toss some in your pancakes or muffins, make hand pies, etc... And don't forget to freeze your veggies too.  If you don't use all of your fresh produce before it starts to turn - then remember, your freezer is your best friend for keeping those nutrients in your diet and out of the trash can!

quick kitchen tip - celery

My family likes celery - especially smeared with peanut butter, soft cheese, or paired with a fabulous dip. If you are with us on this one then you already know that most of the appeal of celery is in the crunch.

So, when you open up your veggie drawer to discover the whole bunch has gone limp - what to do?  

I was wondering this myself a couple days ago - and whether it was common sense or the resurfacing of some tip deeply imbedded into my memory somewhere, I'm not sure. But, I chopped off the ends of the stalks, stood them in a large mug of cold water and returned them thus to the fridge.  Voila! I was pleased to find it worked! Once again, restored to perfect crunch.  

vinegar is a super item

Found this article which is a seriously long list of uses for vinegar in and around your home - 9 pages long!

Print it out and put it in your kitchen or somewhere - vinegar is a great alternative to chemical cleaners or expensive non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaners.  Cheap and friendly can't be beat.

chugga chugga = brusha brusha

My girls are still mastering the skill of brushing their teeth - at least to the satisfaction of their mother. So, particularly after they brush at night, I insist on "checking"  ie: rebrushing for them to make sure the job is done well.

The issue is that sometimes they don't have patience for this and find it difficult to stand still and open wide.  And my favorite annoyance...for some reason they think that they have to spit with every tiny swipe of the toothbrush.

So, I started a very simple game with them.  Basically, while I am brushing I make train sounds "chugga chugga chugga...." and they are only allowed to spit when I blow the horn  "choo choo!!!"  We try to make it "all the way around the track" which means totally around the outside and inside of all the teeth either upper or lower, before they spit.  

It's so, so simple but somehow they LOVE it - even my five year old! 

great travel tip

If you are going out of town for a few days or have several members in your family, you can count on accruing a pile of dirty laundry.  Here's a great tip: pack a collapsable hamper.  When you arrive at your destination, you can pop it up and collect all the dirty laundry in one neat place.  Then just toss the entire hamper in the back of the car and carry it straight to the laundry room when you get home. 

household tip #274

I just learned this one from a good friend of mine: borrow the C and D magnets from the alphabet set that is littering your fridge and stick one to your dishwasher to help family members know when the dishes are either clean or dirty. 

heavenly cupcakes

Easter fell on my father's birthday this year - so we traveled to celebrate with my folks.  I baked some special pies but additionally made these angel-food cupcakes. I just used a box mix, but discovered something really terrific - because the batter incorporates so much air, you can easily get two dozen or more cupcakes from one cake!  You will need to fill the cups generously as the individual cakes shrink a little bit as they cool, but you'll still have enough for tons of cupcakes.  I thought this would be a great idea for those times when you need to bring something to your child's class or a party.  The cupcakes are pretty and tasty just as is if you want to forgo the icing - and they are not at all crumbly like regular cupcakes, so they won't make a mess and end up all over kids and ground into the carpet.  We iced ours with a light, whipped white icing and added shredded coconut and bunny-shaped marshmallows to some.  They were so tasty!  This would also make an easy one-serving portion for strawberry shortcakes or an easy low-fat lunchbox treat.   

The "responsiblity" chart

This is our little corner.  I always keep some sort of book display here in the playroom and now also the "responsibility chart" we started with Hope at the new year.  This has been one of the best things ever! It has really helped us to gain a better handle on a regular daily schedule, for Hope to accomplish things that she needs to do anyway throughout the day and feel great about it, and to eliminate a lot of the whining about picking up her things and brushing hair.  We've started very simply with just 5 things on her chart - for us, it's getting dressed in the morning, brushing hair and teeth in the morning, doing whatever "preschool" activity we have planned for the day, reading at least one book to me, and picking up her toys whenever asked. If she completes her responsibility then she gets a check for the day, at the end of the day if there are all five checks, she gets a star.  At the end of Mon.-Fri., if she has five stars, she gets to choose a coupon from mom's special coupon book.  Her coupon choices range from a pack of bubble gum or an ice cream cone to visiting the playground or playpit of her choice, to staying up 30min. past bedtime, to a book from Barnes and Noble or $2 spending money...etc...we try to keep the rewards small but enticing and as many rewards involving time and play and relationship as possible vs. food or money rewards.  So far, our chart has had big success.  I think the key is to keep the amount of tasks limited and have rewards that are instant (check), daily (star), and fun/worthwhile (coupon).  Hope is also gaining money handling skills by being issued a signed coupon that she then has to safely keep until she presents it for use and she has learned all seven days of the week. The tasks are things that for the most part she needs to do anyway, so eventually we will remove these items from the chart (while keeping them as part of our regular day) and replace them with additional items - such as maybe setting the table for dinner or sorting her own laundry for washing. 

It's bathtime, kids! (Why I love !)

I love bath time for the girls...cute naked tooshies, rosy clean faces, kids contained all in one small space! What's not to love? Though, sometimes at the end of a long day as we're getting the kids ready for bed, I admit it seems a bit of a chore and I have a hard time not rushing them through it.  But occasionally, like today, we rearrange our schedule a bit and the girls get a morning or mid-day bath instead.  They get to stay in for a really long time and enjoy themselves...and I get to have them both contained and entertained while I soak my feet or sit nearby and give myself a little mani/pedi....or maybe indulge in a magazine or book...or even just enjoy the time to play with them.  While there might be a few extra wet towels and washcloths and a mountain of toys left in the tub in the end, at least there is no mess being made elsewhere and I get some time to slow down a bit and it all results in clean, well-groomed children.

parked and peaceful

We spent the entire morning at an open house for a homeschooling program that we are looking at for the girls....it was a great time, but Hope and Maddie were pretty tapped out by the end of it and fell asleep on the drive home.  I decided to just park the car in the sun and read for a while to let them have some of the rest they needed. It was a nice moment to gather some of the rest I needed as well.  The bonus of the natural light minus the distractions that await within my house combined with the sweet sounds of peaceful breathing from the backseat and otherwise silence....was really refreshing.   It probably only lasted twenty minutes before Hope awakened and we headed inside to carry Maddie off to bed and get on with other things. But, it was definitely a wonderful treat of slowing down in the midst of my day. 

a few fun tips for the kitchen

• Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it.  That's how the primates do it.
•  Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.  If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
•  Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.  It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
•  Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.  Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
•  Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.  It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
   

Why I don't like toy boxes

I agree that toy boxes seem like a really great idea, because we know the accumulation of toys which begin to take over the homes of small children and the inevitable lack of storage solution.  But I'm a big proponent of staying away from the toy box idea and aiming towards anchored shelving, drawers, cabinets, and smaller bins. Here's why:

• toyboxes can be unsafe - if it is large enough for a child to climb into, it requires some kind of holes or ventilation for breathing and a lid which is light enough for a child to push open or remove from the inside. Small fingers can also get injured in hinges. Ideally, the lid should fully lift off but if hinged, made of a very lightweight material that won't injure fingers or necks or heads should it come down upon them.  The safest idea is to purchase a box that is specifically designed for this purpose instead of substituting another piece of furniture which may suit your decor better.
• toyboxes don't promote play - because the toys are piled on top of each other and jumbled together, they are frequently difficult to access and often just get left in the box and not really played with.  Toys can become broken, separated, hidden and forgotten.  Finding and playing with toys can become frustrating and not enticing to the child.
• toyboxes don't promote care and responsibility - while it is easy for parents and kids alike to clean the room by tossing everything into a toybox, it might actually thwart your attempts to teach organization.  Kids learn to toss toys around which may then get broken - both in the pulling out and the putting away process.  Kids may miss out on learning to group and sort, assign organized placement, and be respectful to their belongings.  They may also learn to "hide" messes instead of cleaning up as they go along.
• toyboxes gather more than just toys - toyboxes need to be cleaned out as crumbs, dirt, dust, bugs, and more can get trapped in and sifted down to the bottom.  Often times other items from around the house get mixed in with the toys if the box is in or near a common area. 

grocery store for fun not food

Hope had her second ballet class today - and loved it, no surprise.  In the meantime, Maddie and I had an hour to spend together just killing time.  I took a book for us to look at and when we were finished, I decided to walk next door to the grocery store.  Usually shopping with the girls is a whirlwind kind of experience.  So, I took Maddie to the produce section for no other reason than to browse, to take the time to let her feel the differences between a bumpy round orange, a smooth oblong mango, and fuzzy kiwi....to look at all the different colors, and to smell the pineapples and also the roses from the nearby floral dept.  It was really nice to just not care about a grocery list or if the kids were getting cranky and spend some one on one time experiencing things with my two year old.  Grocery stores are great opportunities for fun with young ones - you can scavenger hunt for shapes, colors, letters, textures, sounds, and temperatures!  You can make up games out of your usual shopping trips, or it's a good idea just to visit the store with no intentions of buying anything and when there's plenty of time to let it be a fun and relaxing experience for you and your children.  Here are some more game ideas for the grocery store from Wondertime magazine and PBS.

Too early for music lessons?

While I stopped teaching general music and chorus in public school after just three years to stay home with my own children, I still continue to give private lessons to a few students.  As a result, I am often asked by friends and others when is the appropriate time to start music lessons (most frequently piano) for their children.  This is the advice I always give:

• it is never too early to develop your child's interest in music - and always a great idea.  Providing opportunities to listen to a variety of music or tinker with music makers and instruments, just singing to your baby and helping kids to clap in rhythm will go a long way towards developing musicianship.
• try enrolling very young children in group music classes at your community center for example, so they can EXPLORE and ENJOY music, though this isn't necessary
• A 4,5, or 6 year old may be ready to start lessons if they show any interest, can understand directions, and are able to be attentive for a period of time. Choose a knowlegeable teacher who will offer relatively inexpensive lessons for no longer than 30 min. at a time, has some understanding of young children and who is first interested in teaching your child to enjoy and love music and learning about it.  This isn't the time to begin you child on a strict, technical and laborious road to classical piano.
• As your child grows in their knowledge and affection for the piano, find a teacher who will continue to inspire and encourage your child while teaching good technique and proficiency.
• teach your child to stick with something even when it becomes difficult - if this is it, then encourage them not to quit, if it is something else then let it go and spare them the dread of a terribly frustrating and humiliating lesson each week. 

The most gasoline for your $$$

Alright all you mamas driving gas-guzzling minivans and SUV's out there - buy a hybrid! If I could, I would - especially with gas prices predicted to hit $4 a gallon this summer! (not to mention those destructive pollutants!) In the meantime, here are a few tips to help you get the most for your money, straight from someone who has worked in the petroleum business for 30+ years:

• Only buy/fill up in the early morning when the ground is coolest, tanks are buried below ground and the cooler the ground, the more dense the gas.  When it gets warmer, the gasoline expands so you are not getting exactly a gallon of fuel. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
• If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
• One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL/HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine.
• If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

May I pet your dog?

While we haven't yet added a furry friend to our home, our girls are still big fans of dogs.  My husband and I both grew up with a family pup, there was not a time as a child that I can remember being unfamiliar with a canine pal.  In either case, even children who are growing up with a pooch as well as those who are not should be taught how to handle dogs that they might meet anywhere - on a walk, in the park, other people's homes, etc.....  In order to better ensure your child's safety, your child should be well equipped with knowledge of when to leave dogs alone and how to safely approach a dog only after they have asked the owner if it is okay.  Over-exuberance or fear can easily be turned into a calm confidence that will allow your children to have wonderful and safe encounters with our furry friends.  A quick search will reveal all the tips you need to know, but May I Pet Your Dog? by Stephanie Calmenson, told from the first-person perspective of a friendly Dachsund, is a great book - a fun and wonderful resource for teaching your child. 

parking lot safety

You know you've been there - especially if you have more than one child....that tiny event when you need to briefly manage something while getting in or out of the car which requires your young child to wait momentarily. And you are wondering if it is in that one second that your kid will decide to bolt out into the path of a moving vehicle.  I've got some routines down now which avoid this scenario as much as possible and I've done a good amount of work teaching my children to be careful of areas designed for traveling cars...but here's a tip we've used frequently and it has worked really well (I'm sure another mom passed it onto me, but I can't remember).  We taught our children that whenever they get out of the car or are waiting to get in, they must keep "one hand on the car" at all times.  I've repeated that phrase a million times by now! One hand gets glued to the car, giving them plenty of wiggle room for their energetic little bodies, but also a very concrete safety rule to follow.  And the rule remains until a parent can grab hold of one of their hands to "release" them. 

Here's a magnetic idea

If you've run out of ideas to use at the doctor's office, at a restaurant while you wait, or other times when you need to entertain or occupy your child for a short while....here's one you might try.  Put a couple of magnets and a handful of paper clips in a ziploc and stash it in your purse.  Your young child will be fascinated with using the magnet to pick up the paper clips all at once or one at a time.  They'll love to see the clips dangle from their edge or be "magically" pulled toward the magnet.  They may also like to try their magnet out on various other objects - the silverware at your restaurant table, your keys, and more to see which objects it "sticks" to. They make take interest in watching magnets with exposed poles attract and also repel eachother.  They'll be having fun and learning science at the same time. 

Knee-deep in your child's artwork?

While there are so many creative ideas for tackling that great sentimental chore of storing/preserving/cherishing your child's artwork....eventually the overwhelming evidence points directly to the fact that you just can't keep it all.  Here's a few ways, though, that I liked to help hold on to those priceless moments and special talents:

• Totally Out of Hand - preserving your child's artwork forever in sterling silver. LOVE THIS! so cute, and would make great family gifts too!
• Little DaVinci Art Cabinet - store and display your child's art in an instant (amazingly can store up to 100 pieces of art!)
• Creations by You! - professionally produced keepsakes. Turn that artwork into a museum poster, or have it printed on real canvas and put into a wooden frame.  There are also customized kids clocks, watches, mugs, plates, etc....
• Mandy's Moon - gifts featuring your child's art (I especially liked the coasters and key hanger)
• My Little Rembrandt - create custom t-shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, note cards, party invitations, and more! (I love the idea of sending out party invitations or Christmas cards featuring your child's art!)

bring out the board games!

Recently my daughter Hope has had a growing fascination with games.  She has rooted out every game in the house searching for ones she would be able to play.  Beyond her own collection including Candyland and Chutes and Ladders, Lucky Ducks, and Memory, she has begged me to teach her checkers.  After learning that one (still not great at strategy, but not bad either), she talked her cousins into teaching her to play the card game "war." When she grew tired of that, she made me dig through our closet shelf of games to find one she could manage and we landed on Sorry! which she played and then decided she didn't like because of the word sorry. Next, she managed to get her father to teach her chess - which she learned pretty well in a couple of sessions and then beat him today (with a slight amount of grace from her daddy).  Following which, she coerced him into teaching her Tri-ominos. Now she is discouraged that there aren't any games left in the house that she can tackle.  Still, it has gifted us with some great family time and has been an unexpected vehicle for teaching rule following, strategy, good sportsmanship, and some other basic skills like memory, matching, and deduction.  I never would have guessed that at 3 years old, our dusty old board games and decks of cards would become a treasury of fun and learning. 

crisp is better than canned

I love veggies, but I really don't like them at all if they come from a can...or are overcooked.....or drowned in a bunch of greasy additions.   Getting kids to eat their veggies seems like an issue every mother has to tackle at some point and while I can't really attribute it to anything specific that I've done, I can happily say I've got this one nailed with a two and four year old who love a huge variety of both raw and cooked veggies including mostly the green variety.  While I have continued to always provide and offer veggies, I do think there is something to be said about caring for the appeal factor.  I can't say I'd relish veggies that were mushy, souped in sugar and salt, overcooked, and dim in color either.  Veggies that are steamed and left still slightly crisp retain a gorgeous color and texture which may be more appealing to children (not to mention actually still retain their healthful nutrients).  If your kids are like mine, a little ketchup might go a long way in persuading them to take up the veggie habit and cooked right, a vibrantly colored, crisp green bean can win the appeal contest over a limp, greasy, brown french fry any day. 

size does matter

I can't believe I never thought of this before!  My girls like to draw and color, but the novelty wears off somewhat quickly.  However, I recently inherited a very large pad of paper from a neighbor...the kind that is large enough that I can lay it on the floor and both the girls and I can color from a different side without infringing on eachother's artwork.  I don't know whether it is because it is more easy or more fun, but having the ability to color with huge sweeping strokes and draw in larger-than-life figures has totally won over my girls.  Forget about those coloring books with the little pictures, this giant blank canvas really stirs up the artist in my children.   The only unfortunate thing is that I can only find room to tack one giant piece of art to my refridgerator at a time. 

Model magic spurs model behavior

A while ago my family ate at a restaurant that offered my children a toy to play with while we waited - it was a small package of Model Magic.  If you are familiar with this art media, you will remember Model Magic as a sort of soft foamy moldable clay that even after air drying remains lightweight and spongy. The amazing thing about this material is that it is clean handling, non-toxic, won't crumble or stick to skin or clothing.  Once the material is dry you can paint, color, or glue stuff onto it, and it comes in a fantastic array of colors - even neon - and you can mix and blend them to get new colors. This came to us in a perfect small amount individually packaged and totally held my girls' attention until the food arrived.  I thought "I've got to go get a bucket of this stuff (yes they sell it by the bucket) and some ziplocs and have this stuff on hand."  But a big fat thanks to crayola who now sells the stuff in boxes containing 6 little bags in various color sets. I've got two little packages in my purse right now, I wouldn't leave the house without it!   

odwalla works like abracadabra!

My girls don't often hound me about buying them things when we are in the store. Maybe it's because I've never made an issue of it. They can usually expect that I'll buy them something small. A juice box goes a long way with these guys. But lately my favorite offering and their favorite anticipation is a banana nut flavored Odwalla bar! - fondly known to them as a cookie. They think of it as a real treat - better than a candy bar - but I know that it's actually pretty good for them. So I go ahead and let them spoil their dinner appetite on a "cookie" and get my grocery shopping done in peace.

shopping with benefits

I've gotten used to doing most of my shopping at a particular store simply because it is so close. While it doesn't always satisfy every whim or need, in the past two years of being faithful to this store I have found certain benefits accumulating, and it's lots of fun:

• I know the cashiers enough to ask about their own kids and stuff
• The cashiers all know me and my kids and ask about the girls when they aren't with me
• Employees sometimes come over from the other places they are working just to say hello to me and the girls
• All the people in the produce department strike up conversation whenever I am there and ask about the girls
• People have come and opened up lines on more than one occasion just for me! (including those who are working in other places like the produce dept)
• I've received special help from my grocery store buddies when the girls have been particularly fussy
• A special cashier bought little Christmas gifts for each of my daughters and later gave a $25 Toys R' Us gift certificate for toys for the preschool class at my church
• I've been allowed to go through the express lane even when I had a cart full of groceries

It may seem silly, but it's nice. After a while, any place that you frequent becomes like a comfortable little community. That's a good thing. With the availability of computers, online shopping, and other forms of communication, it seems like we're missing out more and more on the important aspects of relating personally. 

I've gotten used to doing most of my shopping at a particular store simply because it is so close. While it doesn't always satisfy every whim or need, in the past two years of being faithful to this store I have found certain benefits accumulating, and it's lots of fun:

• I know the cashiers enough to ask about their own kids and stuff
• The cashiers all know me and my kids and ask about the girls when they aren't with me
• Employees sometimes come over from the other places they are working just to say hello to me and the girls
• All the people in the produce department strike up conversation whenever I am there and ask about the girls
• People have come and opened up lines on more than one occasion just for me! (including those who are working in other places like the produce dept)
• I've received special help from my grocery store buddies when the girls have been particularly fussy
• A special cashier bought little Christmas gifts for each of my daughters and later gave a $25 Toys R' Us gift certificate for toys for the preschool class at my church
• I've been allowed to go through the express lane even when I had a cart full of groceries

It may seem silly, but it's nice. After a while, any place that you frequent becomes like a comfortable little community. That's a good thing. With the availability of computers, online shopping, and other forms of communication, it seems like we're missing out more and more on the important aspects of relating personally. 

Mama going green, part 2

Did you know that if every home in America replaced just one regular light bulb with an energy-saving bulb, the reduction in pollution created would be equal to removing 800,000 vehicles from the roads? Now, granted that is EVERY home, but what if half of American homes replaced just two bulbs?

There are lots of myths and conflicting data out there about the trends in the Earth's health due to the demands of a high-energy, consumeristic, growing population. Nevertheless, our commitment to cherish and actively care for our planet is not only helpful in a practical and long-term sense, but also communicates some very special lessons to our little ones.To get your mind rolling, here is are just some ways your family might be able to begin protecting and conserving today:

• recycle
• buy organic when possible
• buy from companies who support and contribute to helping the earth
• replace regular light bulbs with energy saving bulbs
• use less water and replace shower fixtures and toilets with water-saving alternatives
• walk, ride a bike, carpool whenever possible
• buy a hybrid vehicle
• reuse what you have as much as reasonably possible, buy used, consume less
• steer away from buying pre-packaged foods and foods with double amounts of packaging
• plant your own vegetable garden
• plant a tree
• buy environment friendly household cleaners
• use alternative sources of energy - solar panels, wind energy, etc...
• buy recycled paper products instead of styrofoam
• dispose of hazardous materials/chemicals properly
• join an organization that promotes earth-friendly practices and education

Did you know that if every home in America replaced just one regular light bulb with an energy-saving bulb, the reduction in pollution created would be equal to removing 800,000 vehicles from the roads? Now, granted that is EVERY home, but what if half of American homes replaced just two bulbs?

There are lots of myths and conflicting data out there about the trends in the Earth's health due to the demands of a high-energy, consumeristic, growing population. Nevertheless, our commitment to cherish and actively care for our planet is not only helpful in a practical and long-term sense, but also communicates some very special lessons to our little ones.To get your mind rolling, here is are just some ways your family might be able to begin protecting and conserving today:

• recycle
• buy organic when possible
• buy from companies who support and contribute to helping the earth
• replace regular light bulbs with energy saving bulbs
• use less water and replace shower fixtures and toilets with water-saving alternatives
• walk, ride a bike, carpool whenever possible
• buy a hybrid vehicle
• reuse what you have as much as reasonably possible, buy used, consume less
• steer away from buying pre-packaged foods and foods with double amounts of packaging
• plant your own vegetable garden
• plant a tree
• buy environment friendly household cleaners
• use alternative sources of energy - solar panels, wind energy, etc...
• buy recycled paper products instead of styrofoam
• dispose of hazardous materials/chemicals properly
• join an organization that promotes earth-friendly practices and education

go ahead - let 'em play with their food!

Here's a trick to pull out of your rainy-day-bag, or when you absolutely need something to do with the kids: peanutbutter play-dough! I suggest doing this only as a treat as you are practically handing your kids candy, but the delectible, moldable stuff is sure to be a hit and is as easy as it is entertaining. 

Simply put a large spoonful of creamy peanutbutter into a bowl with equal amounts of powdered sugar and flour. Work it all together using your hands - or letting the kids do so - until the peanut butter is thick and still soft and moldable but no longer sticky, adding more sugar or flour as needed.

This works best with truly creamy peanut butter, and therefore not as well with the natural stuff.  Also,you can omit either the sugar or flour if desired. I've never tried to do this with a substitute such as almond butter, so I can't vouch for that... but if your child has an allergy to peanuts, it might be worth a try. Research and recommendations as to at what age you should allow peanutbutter into your child's diet varies, so consult with your pediatrician if you aren't sure. 

Here's a trick to pull out of your rainy-day-bag, or when you absolutely need something to do with the kids: peanutbutter play-dough! I suggest doing this only as a treat as you are practically handing your kids candy, but the delectible, moldable stuff is sure to be a hit and is as easy as it is entertaining. 

Simply put a large spoonful of creamy peanutbutter into a bowl with equal amounts of powdered sugar and flour. Work it all together using your hands - or letting the kids do so - until the peanut butter is thick and still soft and moldable but no longer sticky, adding more sugar or flour as needed.

This works best with truly creamy peanut butter, and therefore not as well with the natural stuff.  Also,you can omit either the sugar or flour if desired. I've never tried to do this with a substitute such as almond butter, so I can't vouch for that... but if your child has an allergy to peanuts, it might be worth a try. Research and recommendations as to at what age you should allow peanutbutter into your child's diet varies, so consult with your pediatrician if you aren't sure. 

a quirky idea

Here's a little known and kind of weird fact about me: In our basement is a tall bookshelf on which I have accumulated collections of random junk items... cardboard tubes, egg cartons, oatmeal cannisters, pipe cleaners, yarn, construction paper, sheets of styrofoam, empty wipes containers, baby food jars, etc...  From time to time, I pull something out and Hope and I make a craft or play a game.

Just the other day, my girls and I were in a long-stretching part of the day when I ran downstairs and collected 5 empty oatmeal cannisters. We played with them for quite a while and it might have been one of the most fun play times of our day. We set them up and rolled balls at them for a couple rounds of bowling. We filled them with different objects to make different sounds and made "music" with our drums, we stacked them on top of eachother to make tall towers that we then knocked down. Hope and Maddie enjoyed taking the lids off and replacing them. We used them as mailboxes to deliver secret messages. The girls teamed up and played together nicely and we all enjoyed trying to figure out what new things we could do with them.

Seems kind of simple and silly, huh?  Well, we got as much play and joy out of those cardboard containers than any other toys we play with anyway.

Here's a little known and kind of weird fact about me: In our basement is a tall bookshelf on which I have accumulated collections of random junk items... cardboard tubes, egg cartons, oatmeal cannisters, pipe cleaners, yarn, construction paper, sheets of styrofoam, empty wipes containers, baby food jars, etc...  From time to time, I pull something out and Hope and I make a craft or play a game.

Just the other day, my girls and I were in a long-stretching part of the day when I ran downstairs and collected 5 empty oatmeal cannisters. We played with them for quite a while and it might have been one of the most fun play times of our day. We set them up and rolled balls at them for a couple rounds of bowling. We filled them with different objects to make different sounds and made "music" with our drums, we stacked them on top of eachother to make tall towers that we then knocked down. Hope and Maddie enjoyed taking the lids off and replacing them. We used them as mailboxes to deliver secret messages. The girls teamed up and played together nicely and we all enjoyed trying to figure out what new things we could do with them.

Seems kind of simple and silly, huh?  Well, we got as much play and joy out of those cardboard containers than any other toys we play with anyway.

gettin' gadgety with it

I wouldn't normally be the first to get a cool techno-gadget, but for my birthday in October - and since I was due for my 2-year update - my husband splurged and bought me the new Chocolate from Verizon, which I love though I have hardly had time to really get to know it and begin to use all the cool features. 

However, I did just recently - in the car on the way to family for Thanksgiving, in fact - managed to transfer all of the phone numbers from my old phone over to my new one. I also made sure to update and transfer all of the emergency numbers I keep close at hand. Here is a short list of numbers that every mother should have both memorized and stored in her phone's memory:

1. your pediatrician
2. poison control - 800 222 1222
3. your local police dept.'s non-emergency number (Reston is 703-478-0904)
4. the number of someone nearby who you can call at anytime on short notice to come watch
   your kids in the event of an emergency
5. your husband's number listed as "my husband" instead of just a first name

And, as soon as they are able, don't forget to teach your children about emergencies, how to remember and dial 911, plus recite their address and their parent's names.

I wouldn't normally be the first to get a cool techno-gadget, but for my birthday in October - and since I was due for my 2-year update - my husband splurged and bought me the new Chocolate from Verizon, which I love though I have hardly had time to really get to know it and begin to use all the cool features. 

However, I did just recently - in the car on the way to family for Thanksgiving, in fact - managed to transfer all of the phone numbers from my old phone over to my new one. I also made sure to update and transfer all of the emergency numbers I keep close at hand. Here is a short list of numbers that every mother should have both memorized and stored in her phone's memory:

1. your pediatrician
2. poison control - 800 222 1222
3. your local police dept.'s non-emergency number (Reston is 703-478-0904)
4. the number of someone nearby who you can call at anytime on short notice to come watch
   your kids in the event of an emergency
5. your husband's number listed as "my husband" instead of just a first name

And, as soon as they are able, don't forget to teach your children about emergencies, how to remember and dial 911, plus recite their address and their parent's names.

Drink to your health!

I often feel some amount of general fatigue, and with multiple small children to care for this hardly seems an unusual problem. Now with the onset of cold and flu season, I am doing my best to keep my energy up in healthy ways that won't lead to burn-out or compromise my immune system. I know that one of the most important things I can do for myself is to keep hydrated. It seems so simple - but here is a reminder from me to you to drink up! 

• Since more than half of the human body is made up of water, it is essential to our health to stay hydrated. True dehydration is a very serious sickness and we do well to pay attention to it, especially in our children and especially during the hotter months of the year. However, being a bit under hydrated can also lead to feelings of general discomfort and fatigue, can slow down digestion and metabolism and increase risks of certain diseases such as kidney stones.
• For nursing mothers, drinking enough fluid is essential and you probably don't have to think to hard about it (I felt like I could drink a lake!), but now that Maddie has stopped nursing and the weather is cooler, I find that I need to remind myself to drink. I try to drink a glass of water first thing every morning. Also, I try to remember that all of those yummy hot beverages - like coffee and hot chocolate - have caffeine which can act as a diuretic and cause loss of fluids. 
• If you feel thirsty, then chances are you are already falling short of the water you need. Also, hunger and thirst signals are easy to confuse. If you are having hunger cravings that just aren't being resolved, again chances are that you are actually thirsty. Another sign is that your urine is dark in color - if you are well hydrated it should be pale yellow to clear.

So ladies, remember take care of yourselves and here's to one easy thing we can do to help our energy levels and our health this season! Cheers!

   

Posted by Tricia Morgan in

I often feel some amount of general fatigue, and with multiple small children to care for this hardly seems an unusual problem. Now with the onset of cold and flu season, I am doing my best to keep my energy up in healthy ways that won't lead to burn-out or compromise my immune system. I know that one of the most important things I can do for myself is to keep hydrated. It seems so simple - but here is a reminder from me to you to drink up! 

• Since more than half of the human body is made up of water, it is essential to our health to stay hydrated. True dehydration is a very serious sickness and we do well to pay attention to it, especially in our children and especially during the hotter months of the year. However, being a bit under hydrated can also lead to feelings of general discomfort and fatigue, can slow down digestion and metabolism and increase risks of certain diseases such as kidney stones.
• For nursing mothers, drinking enough fluid is essential and you probably don't have to think to hard about it (I felt like I could drink a lake!), but now that Maddie has stopped nursing and the weather is cooler, I find that I need to remind myself to drink. I try to drink a glass of water first thing every morning. Also, I try to remember that all of those yummy hot beverages - like coffee and hot chocolate - have caffeine which can act as a diuretic and cause loss of fluids. 
• If you feel thirsty, then chances are you are already falling short of the water you need. Also, hunger and thirst signals are easy to confuse. If you are having hunger cravings that just aren't being resolved, again chances are that you are actually thirsty. Another sign is that your urine is dark in color - if you are well hydrated it should be pale yellow to clear.

So ladies, remember take care of yourselves and here's to one easy thing we can do to help our energy levels and our health this season! Cheers!

your children take their cues from you

Applicable in so many situations, it is particularly useful to remember this when it comes to taking our children to the doctor or dentist. Many parents, apprehensive about their child's own possible nervousness or discomfort, actually end up sending subtle messages that their child has reason to fear or fret. And, in their hovering effort to console their child, may actually inhibit the doctor's ability to do their job well.

When Hope went for her 2 year vaccinations, the nurse asked me as she was preparing the syringe which arm I would like her to give the shot in. Before I could reply, Hope held out her right arm and said "this one." She watched the nurse give her the shot, without any tears, and then asked if she could have her sticker now. Not that this is always the case - she did cry at her last shot and tell me that it hurt a little bit - but the tears were wiped away in just a few seconds and she never mentioned it again.

Part is due to temperment I'm sure, but also I believe in conveying to them that the doctors and nurses are their friends, that their offices are a safe place. It's natural to want to hover and coddle our children, whispering endless strings of "don't worry... really everything will be all right... mommy's right here... I won't leave you... it will all be over soon." But we have to be careful not to convey that there is something to be nervous or afraid about, instead of comfort.

Just so you understand me, I'm not advocating that we don't comfort and attend to the true needs of our children as needed. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this... what are your own experiences?

Applicable in so many situations, it is particularly useful to remember this when it comes to taking our children to the doctor or dentist. Many parents, apprehensive about their child's own possible nervousness or discomfort, actually end up sending subtle messages that their child has reason to fear or fret. And, in their hovering effort to console their child, may actually inhibit the doctor's ability to do their job well.

When Hope went for her 2 year vaccinations, the nurse asked me as she was preparing the syringe which arm I would like her to give the shot in. Before I could reply, Hope held out her right arm and said "this one." She watched the nurse give her the shot, without any tears, and then asked if she could have her sticker now. Not that this is always the case - she did cry at her last shot and tell me that it hurt a little bit - but the tears were wiped away in just a few seconds and she never mentioned it again.

Part is due to temperment I'm sure, but also I believe in conveying to them that the doctors and nurses are their friends, that their offices are a safe place. It's natural to want to hover and coddle our children, whispering endless strings of "don't worry... really everything will be all right... mommy's right here... I won't leave you... it will all be over soon." But we have to be careful not to convey that there is something to be nervous or afraid about, instead of comfort.

Just so you understand me, I'm not advocating that we don't comfort and attend to the true needs of our children as needed. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this... what are your own experiences?

Diaper duty is messy enough!

I have enjoyed getting to know Maddie as she gets a bit older... she is so different in many ways from her sister. She has lots of interesting little quirks that are all her own. One that I am loving right now is that whenever she poops, she points to her diaper and says "poop," so nonchalantly.

Speaking of such... an area where I have not found quirkiness so appealing is with diaper disposal systems. I was given a diaper genie when Hope was born, which lasted only a very short while until I decided that it didn't work that well for me. The twisting was annoying, and the bags - which you have to buy specially made for this contraption - weren't so easy to remove. Now, I know that there actually are some great disposal systems out there, but somehow I was disinterested in having one more can to remember to empty, and a surplus of old poopy diapers hidden away neatly in my child's sweet nursery. It just didn't jive with me. But what to do?

Well, I simply keep a supply of those handy travel disposal bags at our changing station. After a change, I secure the diapers in said bag and remove it to my larger kitchen trashcan downstairs, which gets taken out at least every other day. The smell is contained, the diapers are removed from the house fairly promptly, I have one less can to empty, and no hidden stashes of yuckiness. It may seem like more effort, but really it isn't. Anyway, I'm finally happy with my diaper disposal system. 

I have enjoyed getting to know Maddie as she gets a bit older... she is so different in many ways from her sister. She has lots of interesting little quirks that are all her own. One that I am loving right now is that whenever she poops, she points to her diaper and says "poop," so nonchalantly.

Speaking of such... an area where I have not found quirkiness so appealing is with diaper disposal systems. I was given a diaper genie when Hope was born, which lasted only a very short while until I decided that it didn't work that well for me. The twisting was annoying, and the bags - which you have to buy specially made for this contraption - weren't so easy to remove. Now, I know that there actually are some great disposal systems out there, but somehow I was disinterested in having one more can to remember to empty, and a surplus of old poopy diapers hidden away neatly in my child's sweet nursery. It just didn't jive with me. But what to do?

Well, I simply keep a supply of those handy travel disposal bags at our changing station. After a change, I secure the diapers in said bag and remove it to my larger kitchen trashcan downstairs, which gets taken out at least every other day. The smell is contained, the diapers are removed from the house fairly promptly, I have one less can to empty, and no hidden stashes of yuckiness. It may seem like more effort, but really it isn't. Anyway, I'm finally happy with my diaper disposal system. 

Better safe than sorry

With accidental injury being one of the leading killers of children under the age of 14, it is worth taking the extra time and effort to educate yourself and put good habits into practice. Safe Kids Worldwide is the first and only worldwide non-profit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury - and it is based right here in D.C. Their website offers safety tips, news and facts.

In our fast paced lives, we are often tempted to cut corners when it comes to safety. I, for one, have carried a hot beverage in one hand and my baby in the other arm before and Maddie has made it up the stairs before I even knew it a couple of times. On the otherhand I am mad crazy about the car seats being installed and used correctly and double-check every time. Yet I know that consistency is the best policy when it comes to preventing accidental injury, taking time to prevent accidents before they happen. 

With accidental injury being one of the leading killers of children under the age of 14, it is worth taking the extra time and effort to educate yourself and put good habits into practice. Safe Kids Worldwide is the first and only worldwide non-profit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury - and it is based right here in D.C. Their website offers safety tips, news and facts.

In our fast paced lives, we are often tempted to cut corners when it comes to safety. I, for one, have carried a hot beverage in one hand and my baby in the other arm before and Maddie has made it up the stairs before I even knew it a couple of times. On the otherhand I am mad crazy about the car seats being installed and used correctly and double-check every time. Yet I know that consistency is the best policy when it comes to preventing accidental injury, taking time to prevent accidents before they happen.