June 29, 2010
June 19, 2010
I've Relocated My Office
As of June 21st, 2010, I have moved my office to the Wildwood Plaza Professional Building, just east of the intersection of Baxter & Clayton Roads. View a map HERE
June 3, 2010
June 1, 2010
Five Things To Do With a Cookie Sheet
School’s out and it can be challenging to find easy and affordable activities to keep kids busy. Using things you probably have around the house you can provide your kids some creative opportunities. Head to the kitchen and dig out those old cookie sheets.
1. Grab the magnets from off of the refrigerator and encourage your child to create a picture by arranging them on the cookie sheet. Don’t forget to snap a photo of your little one’s masterpiece.
2. Line the cookie sheet with a layer of rice. Using their finger or an unsharpened pencil they can practice writing letters and words.
3. Finger paint with your child’s favorite flavor of pudding. Clean up is as easy as licking their fingers!
4. Cut a piece of butcher or parchment paper to fit the cookie sheet. Add a few dollops of different colored paint in random places. Have your child place a couple of marbles on the cookie sheet. While holding the cookie sheet in their hands they slowly move it back and forth to allow the marble to roll through the paint. Makes a unique design on the paper that makes a handsome display when dry.
5. Make some homemade play dough (see recipe below) dig out some cookie cutters and a plastic knife and watch your child craft cakes, cookies, pizza and pancakes.
Let’s Make Play Dough!
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring
Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add oil, water and food coloring and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when dough begins to pull away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a ball. Pour out and knead a few minutes. Store play-dough in a plastic bag or airtight container.
WARNING: Use of play-dough can cause creativity to go wild!
BONUS TIP: Need a gift idea for a child with a summer birthday? Head to a dollar store and purchase a shiny new cookie sheet, magnets, play dough, plastic utensils, cookie cutters, markers and a pad of paper. Add a gift bag and a card and you’ve created a one-of-a kind gift for under ten dollars.
1. Grab the magnets from off of the refrigerator and encourage your child to create a picture by arranging them on the cookie sheet. Don’t forget to snap a photo of your little one’s masterpiece.
2. Line the cookie sheet with a layer of rice. Using their finger or an unsharpened pencil they can practice writing letters and words.
3. Finger paint with your child’s favorite flavor of pudding. Clean up is as easy as licking their fingers!
4. Cut a piece of butcher or parchment paper to fit the cookie sheet. Add a few dollops of different colored paint in random places. Have your child place a couple of marbles on the cookie sheet. While holding the cookie sheet in their hands they slowly move it back and forth to allow the marble to roll through the paint. Makes a unique design on the paper that makes a handsome display when dry.
5. Make some homemade play dough (see recipe below) dig out some cookie cutters and a plastic knife and watch your child craft cakes, cookies, pizza and pancakes.
Let’s Make Play Dough!
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring
Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add oil, water and food coloring and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when dough begins to pull away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a ball. Pour out and knead a few minutes. Store play-dough in a plastic bag or airtight container.
WARNING: Use of play-dough can cause creativity to go wild!
BONUS TIP: Need a gift idea for a child with a summer birthday? Head to a dollar store and purchase a shiny new cookie sheet, magnets, play dough, plastic utensils, cookie cutters, markers and a pad of paper. Add a gift bag and a card and you’ve created a one-of-a kind gift for under ten dollars.
May 26, 2010
Meal Times Should Never Be Battle Times
From today's Love and Logic e-newsletter:
* Model good eating habits (of course, this is the hardest part).
* Provide healthy meals.
* When your kids complain about the meal or refuse to eat, say, "Dinner will be on the table until 6:30. You may either eat it or see if you like what's served for breakfast a little better."
* Resist the urge to nag, remind or warn.
* With great empathy, allow them to be hungry until the next meal.
With most children, this approach works great. Sometimes they eat a lot, sometimes they eat a bit, and sometimes they eat nothing. Overall, they learn to eat what their bodies need to stay healthy.
* Model good eating habits (of course, this is the hardest part).
* Provide healthy meals.
* When your kids complain about the meal or refuse to eat, say, "Dinner will be on the table until 6:30. You may either eat it or see if you like what's served for breakfast a little better."
* Resist the urge to nag, remind or warn.
* With great empathy, allow them to be hungry until the next meal.
With most children, this approach works great. Sometimes they eat a lot, sometimes they eat a bit, and sometimes they eat nothing. Overall, they learn to eat what their bodies need to stay healthy.
Are you familiar with RIF?
Reading Is Fundamental is the oldest and largest children's and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States.
The RIF web site has a Parent Section with all kinds of tips and activity ideas to help you motivate your kids to read.
The section for kids, Reading Planet, has all kinds of activities and online animated stories.
RIF is a great resource that encourages kids to read. I suggest you add using the RIF website to your list of summer reading activities.
The RIF web site has a Parent Section with all kinds of tips and activity ideas to help you motivate your kids to read.
The section for kids, Reading Planet, has all kinds of activities and online animated stories.
RIF is a great resource that encourages kids to read. I suggest you add using the RIF website to your list of summer reading activities.
May 24, 2010
Picky Eaters
Are meal times challenging at your house because your child is a picky eater?
If it's the eating habits of your toddler that concern you rest assured that toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. They'll go for a long period of time eating the same foods over and over then suddenly refuse that food. They may balk when you offer them a new food. What's a parent to do?
Sometimes toddlers are willing to try a new food if they see mommy and daddy enjoying it. If they don't want to try the new food keep putting it on their plate over the course of several meals. Some toddlers need to be exposed to a new food a dozen or more times before they decide they like it.
Toddlers like to fight over food so don't make a fuss about it or it will become a much bigger deal than it needs to be. As long as there's something on the plate that your toddler will eat don't worry. Over time they'll develop an interest in other foods.
If it's your preschooler that's picky about meals try taking them to the store with you and have them select a new food to try. Start with a fruit or a vegetable. Once you've taken that food home have your child help prepare the food. Children who are involved in selecting and preparing new foods are much more likely to eat them.
By instilling good food habits in your young child you will ward off your older child becoming a picky and demanding eater. Often parents try to accommodate their picky eater by making them a meal separate from the rest of the family. Don't allow yourself to become a short-order cook! "But my child will go hungry," insist many parents. It won't hurt a child to miss a meal now and again. He'll eat when he's hungry. Teach your child that you prepare one meal and everyone eats the same thing. If your child isn't used to you approaching mealtimes this way she may raise a stink. Don't give in. Stick to your plan and soon your child will realize they can no longer manipulate mealtimes.
Do not allow yourself to become your child's short-order cook.
If it's the eating habits of your toddler that concern you rest assured that toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. They'll go for a long period of time eating the same foods over and over then suddenly refuse that food. They may balk when you offer them a new food. What's a parent to do?
Sometimes toddlers are willing to try a new food if they see mommy and daddy enjoying it. If they don't want to try the new food keep putting it on their plate over the course of several meals. Some toddlers need to be exposed to a new food a dozen or more times before they decide they like it.
Toddlers like to fight over food so don't make a fuss about it or it will become a much bigger deal than it needs to be. As long as there's something on the plate that your toddler will eat don't worry. Over time they'll develop an interest in other foods.
If it's your preschooler that's picky about meals try taking them to the store with you and have them select a new food to try. Start with a fruit or a vegetable. Once you've taken that food home have your child help prepare the food. Children who are involved in selecting and preparing new foods are much more likely to eat them.
By instilling good food habits in your young child you will ward off your older child becoming a picky and demanding eater. Often parents try to accommodate their picky eater by making them a meal separate from the rest of the family. Don't allow yourself to become a short-order cook! "But my child will go hungry," insist many parents. It won't hurt a child to miss a meal now and again. He'll eat when he's hungry. Teach your child that you prepare one meal and everyone eats the same thing. If your child isn't used to you approaching mealtimes this way she may raise a stink. Don't give in. Stick to your plan and soon your child will realize they can no longer manipulate mealtimes.
Do not allow yourself to become your child's short-order cook.
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