On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me… not a Dyson. He didn’t give it to me on the first day of Christmas either… this year, last year, or the year before that. Sigh. Santa forgot to leave my dream vacuum cleaner under the tree yet again, but I’m not going to let it ruin my 2012… just the remaining days of 2011. I’m kidding. Sort of. Maybe. Not really. In all seriousness, my 7-year-old was quite upset that Santa forgot to leave behind the cleaning machine I’ve lusted over for the past four years. I … Continue reading →

Just because the CDC issued a warning not to allow kids to consume raw cookie dough, doesn’t mean you should put the kibosh on holiday baking with your little ones. My 7-year-old loves to help out in the kitchen, especially this time of year when she can fine-tune her cookie-creating skills. In addition to fostering your child’s creative side, baking also allows kids to sharpen their math skills. By giving them the chance to assist you in the kitchen, youngsters also get schooled in time management, teamwork, and depending on how well the recipe turns out, you will likely see … Continue reading →

To eat or not to eat; that is the question? Tis the season to be in the kitchen with your kids whipping up the likes of Snowballs, Wintermint Wafers, and Peanut Butter Blossoms… fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Of course, Christmas is not complete without baking a few batches of traditional chocolate chip cookies to dunk into a piping hot mug of cocoa. And by dunk I mean plunge deep into the boiling hot abyss of the popular seasonal drink because if your cookie is undercooked this may be the only way you can heat it … Continue reading →

The countdown is on. In just a few days my daughter’s Christmas break will commence. She delights in telling people that soon she won’t have to endure seven looooong hours a day in a classroom until 2012. I too am thrilled that she will be home, though I know better than to count on the time being stress-free. The first few days of the holiday hiatus from school is filled with giggles and grins, but by day three, I hear more, “Mom, I’m bo-bo-bored!” than “Ho, ho, ho!” Over the years, I’ve learned to prepare for periods of whines and … Continue reading →

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again… and again: I don’t know what kind of parent takes young children shopping in the wee hours of Black Friday. Clearly, we can deduce that the parent is frugal, as he or she is willing to do whatever it takes to score a sizeable discount on Black Friday merchandise. In addition, it is probably safe to say that said parent is a law-abiding citizen, especially if the only other option she has is to leave her baby home alone or locked in an unattended car. Both could lead to an … Continue reading →

If you add the hours it takes for a 16-pound thawed turkey to cook with the amount of minutes it takes four hungry teens to devour an entire pumpkin pie, and then subtract the number of times you have to walk over to the kids’ table to break up a fight during Thanksgiving dinner, what do you come up with? In our house you get some cool holiday-inspired math activities. Just because kids are out of school for Thanksgiving break doesn’t mean their brains shouldn’t be exercised. Turn Turkey Day into an educational opportunity by encouraging your children to partake … Continue reading →

Turkey Day is so close I can smell it. So can my 7-year-old. However, it’s not make-ahead cranberry sauce, green bean casserole or stuffing that we’re sniffing. Rather, our kitchen is covered in chocolate. Thanks to the crafty folks at Kellogg’s our pint-sized Thanksgiving guests will be chowing down on homemade chocolate cereal turkey parts. My daughter caught sight of the adorable, edible treats a few mornings ago while perusing the back of the Rice Krispies box. She’s been begging to make them ever since. Last night she got her wish. We went to town hand molding sticky turkey legs … Continue reading →

When you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 30 guests, there’s no room for pride. Don’t be afraid to ask for help in the kitchen… and other parts of the house. One of the biggest mistakes stressed out parents make during the chaotic countdown to turkey carving is letting their kids run around aimlessly when they could be helping with a myriad of holiday preparations. For example, even very young kids, can lend a hand when it comes to crafting decorations for your Turkey Day feast. Simply line a table with newspaper and let kids go to town making their own … Continue reading →

It’s one small step for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and one giant leap for parents around the country traveling with young children. Today, moms and dads embarking on holiday flights to grandma’s house and beyond can rejoice knowing that the upcoming chaotic travel season will not require their kids to take off their shoes before stepping through airport security. Even better news: According to the TSA, pat downs of children will be drastically reduced, though not completely eliminated. The official word from the TSA states that children under 12 will no longer be forced to remove their footwear before … Continue reading →

Do you try to soften the blow when your kid comes up a loser? In England, kiddie soccer league officials are doing their part to placate sensitive tykes when one team of mini athletes trounces another. To avoid the tears that tend to fall when one group of kids royally embarrasses their peers, Telford Junior league in Shropshire has not been publishing the actual score of its soccer games. League officials say that in heavy defeats, the score reads: 1-0, 0-1 or 0-0, in order to protect the welfare of its young players. As you can imagine, the policy is … Continue reading →