Want Your Children to Watch There Language...Watch Your Language

Do you want your children to clean up their use of bad language, clean up your language. It may be just that simple. This weekend while at a party, I observed a mother correcting her son because that afternoon he had been caught swearing on the bus. Here were her exact words. "D**n it, John. I am going to beat the living sh*t out of you if you don't stop using that f**king language." Are any of us surprised that he has a problem at school with bad language. Even if your teen, tween or young child has picked up this habit, it is not to late to change their behavior (and your behavior).

One suggestion is to make every member of the family "pay" for their potty mouth, literally. Establish a "Swear Jar" that needs to be fed by the offender. This money can be used to recognize the person who swore the least in the month or be donated to charity.

If your child is swearing at you, you need to understand that they are doing it to elicite a reaction from you. Don't give them the benefit of a reaction, as that will just encourage your child to repeat this behavior. Set a consequence with your child for swearing in advance of the behavior and make sure that you follow through with this consequence when this behavior does occurs. Consistency in discipline is key to eliminating this or any unwanted behavior.

Is It a Bracelet, Is It a Pipe for Smoking Pot or Is It Both?

School Administrator are concerned about a new bracelet that students may be using to conceal drug paraphernalia used to smoke marijuana. At first glance it seems to be a harmless macrame bracelet but parents may need to take a closer look at their children's jewelry. This bracelet hides a pipe for smoking pot. Parents and School Adminstrators seem to be struggling with how to deal with these bracelets. Consider that some children will wear them not knowing what it is, while still others are wearing them because it is the latest trend and they want to be cool and a third group will be wearing them for drug use. If your child has one of these bracelets, which category do they fall into? How do you want your school to handle this situation? Some schools are basing the degree of their disciplinary action on whether the pipe hidden in the bracelet has been used or not.

Tattoo Barbie...Really?

Mattel has recently released the Tokidoki Barbie Doll as it's latest and greatest. Barbie has been a trend setter for girls all over the globe for the last fifty years. Mattel needs to take this into consideration when developing new dolls. I see nothing wrong with tattoos, in fact I have one myself. I do think that when we are looking at someone who has them head to toe, we are viewing someone with a body image problem. I think that having a Barbie with tattoos head to toe sends the message to girls that their bodies are not alright the way they are.

Mattel's response to the negative reaction this doll is getting from parents everywhere is that this doll was made with the adult collector in mind. Mattel you are either trying to fool us into believing that, or you are vastly underestimating the importance of the Barbie Doll among young girls. In a society riddled with bad role models, Barbie has always been there to show girls that they can be anything that they strive to be. That they can be successful without relying on a man. Mattel needs to hold itself to a higher standard than other doll manufacturers. If they want mothers to continue buying these dolls for their daughters, they will do just that.

Halloween Always on a Saturday??

A lawmaker in Connecticut, State Representative Tim Larson, is proposing a bill that would place Halloween on the last Saturday in October instead of the traditional October 31st. His reasoning is that it would be more convenient for parents who have to rush home from work in order to get their children ready for trick or treat, allow activities to start earlier because it is not on a workday and children would not be getting up for school tired the next morning.

Although it would be following a long list of holidays that have gone the route of a specific day of the week instead of a date in the year (Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Easter), I say no. When I was growing up parents feared when Halloween fell on a weekend night because the mischeive makers could stay out later and reek more havoc. In addition wouldn't it change the history behind Halloween. Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as All Saints' Day, a time to honor all saints and martyrs. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Do we change the day of All Saints' Day, too?

What do you think?

Should You Get the HPV Vaccine for Your Children?

The HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) Vaccine is a shot that was previously recommended for girls 11 to 13 years old in order to prevent a sexually transmitted disease and is now also being recommended for young boys. Some parents view this vaccines series of three shots as giving their children permission to have sex. In reality the original purpose of this vaccine was to reduce the number of incidences of cervical cancer in women. A link had been found between women who had contracted this virus and increase in the incidence of cervical cancer. Males were thought only to be carriers for this disease. New research supports a link between this virus and other forms of cancer in males as well. The Center for Disease Control is recommending that all tweeners receive this vaccine as a preventitive for certain forms of cancer. I think we, as parents, should look at this vaccine as a cancer preventative rather than a vaccine to prevent a form of STD.

Getting this vaccine for our children may just wipe out this particular STD and in addition reduce the number of certain forms of cancer. From where I am standing I see that as a win-win. My daughter has already gotten this vaccine, and I will be checking into whether my son should get it as well. I think it is important to note that the only reason that I hesitate in getting my son this series of vaccines is that he has Crohn's Disease and his medications compromise his immune system. If your child has health issues, check with their doctor to see if this vaccine is right for them.

An Important Sesame Street Date If Your Toddler Is Having Trouble Giving Up Their Pacifier

Leave it to Elmo and Sesame Street to help parents out with the difficult task of getting their toddler to give up their pacifier. On episodes that begin airing on October 28th, Elmo will be giving up his pacifier. Sesame Street will be kicking off its first-ever "Put Down the Pacifier" initiative. "Put Down Your Pacifier" Day will officially be celebrated on November 4th. Hats off to Sesame Street for helping parents out with this difficult task.

Keeping Your Children Safe From Fire, Cars and Falls This Halloween

Replace the candles in your Jack-O'Lantern with a battery operated candle to prevent costume fires. They keep your pumpkin looking great but keeps your child safe.

If your child is wearing a dark costume put reflective stickers, glow stick bracelets and necklaces on them and place glow stick or flshlight in their trick or treat bag. More children are hit by cars on Halloween then any other time of the year.

Consider wearing decorative make-up on your children instead of the mask that came with that store bought costume. Having just tripped over an uneven sidewalk, I can tell you that it can very damaging to your face and hands. In addition, cut the bottom off their costumes so that they are not dragging on the ground to prevent those nasty falls.

Happy Halloween! If you are taking your children out or if you are the one left behind to hand out candy consider dressing up. Your children will love it and you might just have a great time. Last year I went as Jessie from Toy Story and several children stopped my husband who went as Woody and I to give us a hug or to tell us how much they liked us. Bonus: Many houses gave us candy too. I am thinking of going as Smurfette this year, a character blasted right out of my childhood.

Should You Be Concerned about the Well-being of Your Homosexual Teenager?

Research supports that the teenage suicide rate increases when there have been teen suicides reported in the news. There have been several reports of sucide in gay teens over the last few weeks, so I say yes there is a reason for the parents of homosexual teens to be concerned. Keep a close eye on there behavior. Are the showing signs of suicide. Have they had a change in behavior, have they stopped talking to you about things that are going on in their life, are they isolating themselves from other, are they giving things away? If they are displaying any of these things, don't panic but get them some professional help. They may not be thinking about suicide, but my motto has always been better safe than sorry when it comes to children.

Are Your Children the Reason for Your Dwindling Sex Life, or Could It Be Something Else?

Despite popular believe, having children may not be the main reason for the lack of sex in your life. This problem may be easier to solve than you think and not involve getting rid of your children. Couples who have a television in their bedroom have fifty percent less sex than couples who don't have a television in their bedroom. Wow!! So keep the kids, get rid of the TV and "pump up" your sex life.

Bumper Pads: Are They Safe or Do They Present an Unnecessary Health Risk?

Recent research from a number of health agencies and SIDS awareness groups suggest that the risks associated with using a bumper pad on your infant's crib far exceeds any benefits. With the changes that have been made in cribs, specificly the distance between the side rail slats, it is no longer beneficial to use a bumper pad. Parents often used them to keep their child's head, arms or legs from getting stuck inbetween the rails when the rails were farther apart. However, the most recent studies have suggested that there is some risk for suffocation associated with the use of bumper pads.

Since there seems to currently be no benefit to using bumper pads, outside of the fact that they are decoratively pleasing, and it increases the risk that your child could suffocate, please stop using them. Eventhough the risk is quite small, don't put your child at risk at all. Take off the bumper pad right now. Don't wait.

Keeping Your Children Safe This Halloween

Here are some tips for keeping your children safe while they are out trick or treating this Halloween from the Center for Disease Control. I was surprised that my own personal tip did not make their list. I have always sent each of my children out trick or treating with a ziplock bag of their favorite treats in their trick or treat bag. This way they can have candy along the way that I have already checked to make sure it is safe. When they were older, they were not embarrased about this because their friends just thought they were eating from the candy they had been collecting.


S...Swords, knives, and accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
A...Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
F...Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags
E...Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before
eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

H...Hold a flashlight to help you see and others see you.
A...Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before
bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
L...Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established
crosswalks wherever possible.
L...Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative
contact lenses.
O...Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing
traffic to stay safe.
W...Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked
vision, trips, and falls.
E...Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats
unless you know the cook well.
E...Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay
outside.
N...Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Wishing you a fun filled, safe Halloween!

Have You Ever Considered Making Your Child's Halloween Costume with Them?

Some of my funniest and most memorable moments of my children's childhood came when working with them to create a costume. Whether it was a halloween costume, a costume for a school play or a costume for a themed ride or party didn't matter. What made (and still makes) those times so memorable is that we were creating something together.

If you are thinking that you can't sew I have a secret to let you in on, I don't sew either. That's where the creativity comes into play. We have put together outfits using what we have in our own closets, as well as treasured finds from thrift stores. Some costumes that we have made over the years are: Minnie Mouse, the Little Mermaid, Bikers, Pirates, Elvis, Reindeer, superheroes. These "homemade" costumes have received many compliments over the years. I haven't really heard too many people compliment the store bought variety and don't get me started on the safety of those plastic masks. Probably the costume that comes to mind as one of my all time favorites is the lunch lady costume that we put together for a Crohn's and Colitis biking event that my son was crewing. Shameless plug here for "Get Your Guts in Gear", a great bike ride and community for those who have a connection to Crohn's or Colitis and even for those who don't. Riders and crew alike still remember "Madge" eventhough it has been more than five years since she made an appearance. It still makes me laugh thinking about the faces on the people in the thrift store as my son let me know how the dress he was trying on fit.

Consider spending some time over the next two weeks before halloween, creating a one of a kind costume and a "priceless" memory with your child.

Looking for Something to Do This Weekend with Your Children...Here are a Few Ideas for Little to No Money

Living in Orlando there are lots of things to do, after all it is the happiest place on earth. The problem is they all come with a large price tag. It takes some creativity to come up with fun things to do with your children for little to no money that they will really like doing.

Some activities for the younger crowd: go to the playground (try to find a new one that you haven't been to yet), go to the children's museum (watch for the days that they are open free to the public), rent an old children's movie that you liked as a child and pop a bag of popcorn, play an age appropriate board game, depending on the weather play a game of tag or hide and seek as a family or have a snow ball fught (obviously there are not to many of these in Florida), campout in your own backyard (ghost stories and s'mores were always hits at our house).

Some ideas for your older children: watch an old movie with them (some of the Hitchcock films are great or its always fun to watch what passed for sci-fi films back in the day), work on the car together, wash the car together making sure to get wet, play badmitton or volleyball, take a walk in the park and talk (and be sure to really listen also), take a ride around looking at holiday decorations (this includes halloween), take a long bike ride, create a meal together (let them be the chef and you be the assistance).

None of these ideas appeal to you, ask your children what they would like to do. Make a game of it. Candy bar for the person who comes up with the best idea.

Get out there and spend time together. Have fun.

Plastic Surgery and Down Syndrome

The very idea of performing plastic surgery on Down Syndrome children so that they look more normal and will therefore be treated more normally sickens me. It seems to me that the people who look at these children differently are the ones who have the problem, and we all know that there is no surgery for ignorance.

The pros of this surgery are that these children will be treated like any other "normal" child if they alter the features most commonly associated with this genetic disorder.

The people opposed to it argue that the child is being unnecessaryily exposed to the dangers assocaited with having any surgery. In addition, it was suggested that by appearing normal may present some safety issues, as well as some social problems.

I am opposed to the idea of performing unnecessary surgery on any child. This opposition is amplified for children with disabilities. If you are considering this surgery for your wonderfully special child, I would encourage you to take a good hard look at why you are making this choice. Is it for your child or is it for you?

The Workout Kid...Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Exercise When It Comes to Our Children

Is there such a thing as too much exercise when it comes to our children? A news report that I heard this morning got me thinking about that very question. A ten year old who has been referred to as "the Workout Kid" seems to be taking the obesity problem of our children as his mission. Is it okay for a ten year old to have a six pack and workout for up to six hours a day? He seems to be taking a sensible stance to his health and well-being by eating right and exercising, as well as motivating other children to do the same. I think that he is walking a fine line, that many children cross every day. I don't think there is anything wrong with our children eating right and exercising, actually there is probably everything right about that. Things get out of hand when our children start going on fad diets, or diets at all, to lose weight and exercise or participate in sports to the point where they are injuring their body.

As a parent, I hope you encourage your children to stay fit while still maintaining a well rounded life. It appears to me that that is exactly what the parents of "the workout kid" are doing. Hats off to them and good luck to him in his mission to help other children get into shape.

Somewhat Healthy Snacks for After School

Here are some of my favorite snacks to serve children when they return from a hard day of school. Since some include fruit or nuts, I consider them somewhat healthy but very yummy.

Kinda S'mores-Spread Nutella on a graham cracker and place a slice of banana on top

Yum Yums-open up one side of a banana leaving it in the skin, slice banana into one inch chunks, take out a few chunks to make room for chocolate, place small square of chocolate between each piece of banana, place in microwave for about ten seconds.

Frozen Fruit-freeze fruit such as grapes, or berries.

Too Much Pressure to Do Well on Tests...Are We Pushing Our Children to Cheat?

Are we as a country putting too much pressure on our children to do well on standardized tests like the SAT, the ACT or whatever yearly test is required where you live? My answer is YES. Evidence of children breaking under the pressure of these tests can be seen in the recent arrest of a SAT Cheating Ring. Reports from the test administrators that cheating like this has never happened before need to pull their heads out of the sand and take a closer look around. Cheating on these exams go on all the time.

I am not sure what the results of exams like these really tell administrators about what a student is like and how they are likely to do in the future. I have seen several "A" students do poorly on these tests because of test anxiety or poor test taking skills. I have also seen failing students do quite well because they guess well or have great test taking skills. I think it is important for schools and colleges to take a look at the whole student, rather then test results that provide just a snapshot of the student. We all know that snapshots can be deceiving.

Is Saving Your Eggs for a Better Time in Life Fair to the Children

Many women who are busy in their thirties and early forties building their career or enjoying their single life style are opting to delay having children by freezing their eggs. Will this be fair to the children that they are having in their fifties and sixties?

By freezing your eggs before you turn forty, you are decreasing the risk for birth defects if you are planning to get pregnant later in life. No question that this is a huge benefit to the health and well-being of these children. But what about raising these children that you had later in life. Some individuals believe that we become more patient in later life and are therefore better able to deal with parenting issues, I am not sure that I agree. We have phrases like "grumpy old men" for a reason. Another thing to consider is the energy required to really participate fully in your child's life. As your body is starting to show some wear, are you going to feel like keeping up with a toddler.

As a baby boomer, I am facing the prospect of dealing with aging parents. I am better prepared to do this financially and emotionally in my forties and fifties then I ever would have been in my teens or twenties. If you put off having your children into your fifties or sixties, your child may be facing these problems just as they are graduating high school.

Just some food for thought. I believe that the best years for starting a family are between the late twenties and forty. You have experienced enough of life by that time to be able to accept the responsibility of parenting and will still be young enough to enjoy all the stages of your child's youth. I will confess to you that I gave birth to our first child at twenty-two and I do believe that we would have been better prepared if we had just waited a few more years to start our family.

Should the US Take a Good Hard Look at Denmark's Fat Tax to Solve Our Obesity Problem?

Denmark is about to impose a tax on food items that are high in fat and sugar. With the growing obesity problem in the US, especially among our children, should we look to impose a similar tax? I think that we should wait to see the effect that it has on Denmark's obesity problem before jumping on board with this tax. Although their problem is no where near the size of ours, finding out how Denmark responds to this tax will give us some incite into how the US would greet such a tax. I think that it is important to note that in the days leading up to this tax, the people of Denmark have begun hording these fat and sugar filled foods. I can just imagine what the pantries in the US would look like prior to imposing such a tax. I propose a wait and see stance on this one.