ACTIVITY : Child´s Growth Chart!

It´s wonderful to see your children grow. Start a growth chart in your child´s bedroom. Mark his height every few months. You´ll both be amazed at how fast they grow!

To do this, you can buy a ready made poster. You´ll find many that will adhere to the wall just like wallpaper. Others can be nailed. Many show popular children´s characters.

You can also make your own poster by using posterboard, stickers and a ruler. Mark all measurements and decorate it with your child.

Another great choice? Stick a long piece of wide masking tape to the bathroom wall (vertically). Simply grab a pen and mark your child´s height with the date. Do this before they hop in the shower every couple of months.

DAILY RECIPE: Soy Sauce Pasta

1 large package pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 cloves garlic

1/2 onion

6 strips of bacon (finely chopped)

1/4 cup parsley (washed, trimmed and finely chopped)

1 can mushrooms

1 cup heavy cream

olive oil

soy sauce

Finely chop garlic and onion. Sautée in olive oil. Add bacon and cook well. Add drained mushrooms and parsley. Stir well. Add heavy cream and season with soy sauce. Pour over hot pasta.

TIP OF THE DAY

Put everything you need for a quick cleaning in a small plastic bucket. On a busy day, simply walk around the house and give everything a quick swish!

ARTICLE: Kindergarden "bullying"

We have all heard the problems with bullying lately. It is a problem that many schools are attacking by using different programs and activities. However, we usually start worrying about this in elementary school and on through high school. There are times that this can start at a very young age, as early as kindergarden. Talk to your children every day, ask them how their day was and who they played with. Get to know your child´s teacher and ask her about your child´s attitude in school. If your child is being bullied, the sooner you deal with the problem, the better. Watch for warning signs such as: your child doesn´t want to go to school on a regular basis, they come out crying, nail biting, hair or t-shirt biting, etc. Talk to your child and the teacher if you become aware of this, and always assure your youngster that you are there to help them out in whatever they might need.

DAILY RECIPE: Mac and Cheese dinner

1 family size KRAFT Mac and Cheese package

1/2 bag frozen brocoli florets, thawed

1 boneless chicken breast

salt, pepper

In a little oil, grill chicken breast until well done. Cut into strips. Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Add brocoli when you add milk and butter. Stir well. Add chicken strips and place in pan. Dot with butter and place in microwave until butter is melted and dish is throughly heated.

TIP OF THE DAY

Practice math skills with preschoolers by using different items such as buttons, coins, rocks or sea shells. Have them count, add and subtract. You´ll be amazed how these simple games can improve their skills.

ARTICLE: The Sandwich Child

If you have three children, you have one of the sandwich child families. The middle child gets, precisely, caught in the middle. The oldest will always be the eldest and the first to do almost everything. The youngest is the baby of the house. Where does that leave the middle child? If all your three children are boys or all girls, this factor is even worse because of comparisons. If you have this situation in your house here are some tips to help you out:

• Always keep your middle child in mind. When talking about the day´s events or when planning something, focus on him or her, or ask them to talk first.
• Find an activity or sport that only he or she can participate in. This will help make them unique in that area.
• Set a day aside for him or her. Once a week or every two weeks, take them out to chat in the park, or out with the bikes for a moment of just you and him/her.

Keep in mind that each child is different and some middle children can really have their feelings exposed while others will keep all bottled up inside. Watch your middle child extra carefully so they don´t become a sandwich.

TIP OF THE DAY

When walking in a crowded area, hold your child by the wrist, instead of the hand. It´ll be much harder to get separated from this grip.

ACTIVITY: Bean plant

Read the story of Jack and the Beanstalk to your children. Then, try growing this bean plant:

You will need:

1 small jar (baby food)

cotton
water

beans

Place the beans (2 or 3) at the bottom of the jar, being careful they fall to the sides. Add cotton and wet. Observe with your children as the plant starts to grow. (First roots, then stem and leaves). Make sure your plant gets enough sunlight and water. (The cotton should always be damp.)

DAILY RECIPE: Tuna Bread

2 loaves white bread

4 cans of tuna

1 tomato

1/2 onion

salt and pepper

1 bag spinach (cooked and seasoned)

milk

Dice onion and tomato and sautee in a little oil. Add tuna and season with salt and pepper. Cut ends off bread. Taking one piece at a time, lightly wet in milk and place in a rectangular pan. Once you coat the entire bottom add a layer of tuna. Then bread again. Add a layer of spinach. Bread again. Continue adding layers, ending with bread. Place a heavy pan over the last layer and refrigerate. Turn over and coat with mayo.

TIP OF THE DAY

When attending a school meeting always take a notebook and pen with you to jot down quick notes or to write short reminders of everything you want to discuss with the teacher.

ART: Rain Stick - musical instrument

You will need:
1 thick, long wrapping paper roll
hair pins
beans and rice
posterboard
tissue paper
glue

Cut slits all along the roll. Cover one end with posterboard and secure. Pour in several beans and a handful of rice. Insert hair pins in each of the slits, pushing in all the way through. Cover the other end and glue. Cover the roll with tissue paper, let dry. Once dry, you can hear rain as you turn the stick upside down and downside up.

ACTIVITY: Family Book Club

Reading is an important part of growing up. We should encourage our children to read using different tips and ideas (reading to young children every night, for example). When your family gets into the habit of doing this you can start a family book club. One night a week get together after dinner or after Sunday breakfast, for example, to talk about a book or a chapter of the book you´re reading. Get children excited by having them name characters and what the book is about, if they liked it or not and why. Great topic for conversations, extra family time, reading encouragement, public speaking skills and basics for book reports and reviews: all developed with this activity that won´t take you more than 15 minutes of your time!

DAILY RECIPE: Ranch Pasta Salad

1 bag short pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup turkey breast strips
1 cup cooked zucchini (diced)
1 cup bell pepper strips
1/2 cup onion (diced)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 bottle ranch dressing

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate and serve.

TIP OF THE DAY

Natural anti-mosquito spray: Place several bay leaves in water and bring to a boil. Boil for several minutes. Remove leaves, cool and place in a spray bottle.

ARTICLE: Toddlers´First Time Offense!

Toddlers have great imaginations and wonderful ideas and we never know what they´ll think of next. However, when one of their innovative ideas means danger or a mess that we do not want, we must stop them immediately. For this behavior one may think a consecuence or punishment is in order, but no. If our child did not know that his or her behavior was inadecuate, we have to stop them, be firm, explain, but the consecuence or punishment has to come only if they repeat this act. This is so they are clear on what the rules are. If we punish them for things they did not know were wrong, our act/consecuence system will fail to function. So, next time you walk in to a crayon decorated wall, take a deep breath, stop your child from being Picasso for the afternoon, explain that we don´t do that and pass them a coloring book. If he repeats the action (hopefully no, for your sake) then apply the consecuence. Good Luck!

DAILY RECIPE: Flan (Custard dessert)

5 eggs
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in blender. Pour into a white corning ware microwable pan. Microwave for 8-10 minutes on Hi until set. Let cool and serve.

TIP OF THE DAY

1-2-3 art smock? Cut 3 slits on an old pillowcase (1 on top for the head, and two on the top cormers for the arms). Voilá!

ACTIVITY: Halloween Ghost Decoration

October is just around the corner, and with it: Halloween! Try this fun project to place outside your house and start preparing for trick or treat season.

You will need:

White posterboard

Black markers

White plastic bag

Scissors

Glue

String

Cut a long piece of posterboard and roll up. This is the ghost´s head. Decorate it with eyes and mouth, it can be scary or funny. Cut long strips of plastic from the plastic bag. Glue to the bottom of the head, all around the posterboard. Glue or staple a string on the top. You are ready to hang up your ghost decoration and start scaring up for Halloween!

DAILY RECIPE: Fresh Fruit Pie

1 can condensed milk

1 cup of water

3 egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1 can half and half

10 strawberries (washed, trimmed and cut in half)

1 kiwi fruit (peeled and sliced)

orange slices

1 prepared pie crust

Bring condensed milk and cup of water to a boil. Meanwhile beat egg yolks with cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water. Add to boiling condensed milk and beat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in half and half. Pour into pie crust. Chill and decorate with fruit slices.

TIP OF THE DAY

Give yourself a hand and help young children stimulate their visual discrimination skills by having them pair up socks after they come out of the dryer!

DAILY RECIPE:Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups rice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

salt and pepper

1 garlic clove

oil

In a little oil sauteé finely chopped garlic clove and rice. Add chicken broth and coconut milk and stir well. Add salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, checking for tenderness.

TIP OF THE DAY

Remove stubborn grease from pans by filling them up with a little water and detergent. Place over low heat until bubbly: the grease will rinse right off!

ARTICLE: Using a "practice skit" to make children safe

We have all told our children not to speak to strangers, never wander off and never take candy or anything else from someone they don´t know. However, it can be hard for a young child to understand who is a stranger, and how they can say they don´t want candy from them. For these situations, I like to use a "practice skit". When talking to your children about this, add a for example. After you give your explanation tell them: for example, a stranger tells you, "Here, eat this candy bar." What do you say? What do you do? Help them along with possible reactions. It will be easier to understand what they have to do. You can use this method for different situations and when talking about delicate subjects to older children; such as what to do if "friends" offer them drugs. Help your children by using examples of possible answers they can give to stay away from these situations. Though they´re delicate subjects to discuss with them, they will be better prepared for life if you do.

DAILY RECIPE: Easy Minestrone!

1 cup diced zuchinni

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced potatoes

6 cups chicken broth

1 tomato

salt and pepper

1 small pkg. short pasta (elbow, macaronni, etc.)

Bring broth to a boil and add diced vegetables. Cook until tender but still firm on the inside. Check for seasoning, remember potatoes absorb salt. Blend tomato and add to the soup. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Serve warm.

TIP OF THE DAY

If your child has a favorite stuffed animal that he or she takes to bed and basically everywhere around, try buying an identical one and save as a spare. If ever the tragedy should occur that the original gets lost, you can bring out the spare one and no more sleepless nights!

ARTICLE: Participating in Children´s School Events!

Sometimes, if we work outside the house, or if everyday tasks keep us constantly busy, it can be hard to volunteer for the PTA or as room mothers at school, and it´s o.k. However there will be times when our kids will come up to us and ask that feared question: "Mom, how come you didn´t go to the school event today? All the other mothers were there." (Because that´s what they´ll say, even if just one mom showed up :) !) For this there is a simple solution. If you simply cannot attend to every school function because of work, choose a couple throughout the year, and then really make a point out of going so that your child will embrace that moment in their minds. For example, let´s say you can´t attend any event or field trip because of work, but they ask you to serve the Halloween lunch, and you can do it. Bring decorated cupcakes, napkin covered "ghost" juice bottles, Halloween paper plates and napkins, etc. Take lots of pictures and stay for the parade. Show your child that although mommy has to work, you took time off when you could and presented everything in the best possible way that you could. This will also teach your child responsability by understanding the importance of your job, but that you still care a lot about him or her and that you are ready to participate in their events in a great way.

TIP OF THE DAY

Are your kids still reluctant about putting your inflatable wading pool away for the fall? Give them a few more days of "pool fun" by filling it up with small plastic balls (available at toy stores by the bag). They can enjoy a day in a "dry" pool!

DAILY RECIPE: Potato Salad

1 lb. red potatoes
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup bacon bits

Cook potatoes, drain and let cool. Slice them into bite size pieces. Mix with green onions and add salad dressing until all is well coated. Top with bacon bits and serve.

ARTICLE: What do I do with my child´s art work?

When our children start kindergarden, or even before that, we start "collecting" art work. From drawings to models to projects, they start invading our closets, rooms... our house. What to do with them? Well, you have to consider the space you have, the number of children you have and the quantity of art pieces entering your house. However, always keep in mind that your child worked hard on the project and will not like seeing you toss it into the trash. Here are some tips on what to do with art work!

• Reserve a space in the refrigerator door. Display one project per week. Have your child understand that after that time, it will be another project´s turn. When the week is up, dispose of the project.
• Take pictures of the project. In today´s digital age, we can easily take pictures of everything and save in our computer. Take pictures of all art work, show them to your child and save them on a cd or computer. Label them with date and name. Then, dispose of the projects.
• If the project is really outstanding, frame it and hang in the family room.
• Save one or two pieces of art per month. At the end of the school year, staple them to a folder and save as a book with the name of your child and date.
• Buy a pocket folder and have your child choose the art work that has to be saved. Put in the folder and keep it with your files.

Some extra things to keep in mind:

• If you´re saving clay, remember to coat it with glue first to help preserve it.
• Don´t save anything that has glued pasta, rice, seeds or beans!
• Don´t save anything that has candy, sugar or jell-o!
• Make sure paint or glue are dry before stacking them together.
• Check what you´ve been saving constantly to make sure you´re not keeping too much that it doesn´t fit anymore.

DAILY RECIPE: Tuna Fish Spaghetti

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 chopped clove garlic

2 tomatoes

1 can evaporated milk

1 package spaghetti

1 can of tuna

grated cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Melt butter and sauteé onion and garlic. Blend tomatoes and season to taste. Mix in with onion and garlic. Check for seasoning, use salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the milk, spaghetti and drained tuna. Place in a baking dish and cover with cheese. Before serving, pop in the microwave until cheese melts.

TIP OF THE DAY

Work on a jigsaw puzzle together with your children as they grow older. It can be an ongoing project for several days or weeks. When you´re done, frame it!

TIPS TO PREVENT THE FLU IN CHILDREN

We constantly hear about the coming flu epidemics (seasonal or H1N1). This can make any mother feel worried about how safe her children are. These are a few tips to prevent catching it. Remember, if you suspect your child has the flu take him or her to the doctor immediately:

• Keep a bottle of alcohol gel in your house. Encourage children to use it throughout the day on their hands.
• Keep a bottle of alcohol gel in your car. Have your children clean their hands with it as soon as they hop in from school, day care or sports activities.
• Carry gel in your purse too and put it on your children before eating a snack outside the house and after they finish playing in the park or playground.
• Remind them not to touch their faces, mouth, nose and eyes.
• Teach them to cover their mouths, when they sneeze or cough, with the inside of their elbow.
• If there is an outbreak in your area, don´t take them to the supermarket, mall or other high traffic areas.
• When flu season starts, have your children drink orange juice and carrot juice every morning. This will help their intake of vitamins C and A.
• Ask your doctor if they can take a vitamin A,C,D supplement.
• If your child is sick do not take them out of the house.
• Always see your doctor, do not self-medicate.

ARTICLE: Cooking with your children!

I used to ask my 2 year old to help me with desserts all the time. I would ask him to place the paper liners in the muffin cups or to pour the milk into the cake batter. (Always far away from oven or stove, of course!) We would have a good time but I didn´t realize I was helping him with much more than that.

When you ask your children to cook or bake with you, you are asking them to enter a part of your life that only you or other grownups are responsible for. This makes them feel involved in household chores that are actually fun! They will be happy to share with other members of the family that they "cooked" dinner, even if they only mixed once. Their fine motor skills are developed as they use their hands as precisely as they can. They learn to follow instructions in order. They also learn to be patient, because as much as they want to eat that cookie, it won´t be done until after 8 to 10 minutes! Most of all there is a special bond between you and your child that can actually help you relax after a stressful day.

So, remember next time you´re in the kitchen, ask your children to help out. Maybe there will be a bigger mess afterwards, but the moment will be quite rewarding for both of you. Be safe!

TIP OF THE DAY

Prepare school clothes, uniforms, clean sneakers or polish shoes as needed at night, before going to bed. Set everything they will need in the morning in a chair in their bedrooms. There will be no more: "Mom, have you seen my left sneaker?" in the morning chaos!

DAILY RECIPE: Garlic/Parsley Tuna Steak

6 tuna steaks
parsley
6 garlic cloves
sea salt
lemon

Place tuna in a baking dish. In the food processor, blend parsley, garlic cloves and salt until a coarse paste forms. Squirt lemon juice on tuna steaks and coat with parsley/garlic paste. Bake for about 20 minutes or until done. Serve with white rice.

DAILY RECIPE: Stuffed Zuchinni Boats

6 zuchinnis

butter

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Cut zuchinnis in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides. Mix with the cheese and a little salt and pepper. Dot each zuchinni "boat" with butter and fill with cheese filling. Place in shallow baking dish in oven until zuchinni is tender and cheese has melted.

TIP OF THE DAY

Toss a wrinkled shirt in the dryer with a damp towel for a few minutes for instant ironing!

ACTIVITY: A "ME" POSTER!

You will need:

• Posterboard
• Photo of your child
• Old magazines
• Scissors
• Markers and crayons
• Glue or glue stick

Help your child be aware of his or her likes and dislikes as well as stress his individuality by making a ME poster. Find a recent picture of your child and paste it in the center of a posterboard. Cut out things your child likes or does from magazines (food, toys, movies, characters, colors, smells, animals, special qualities, sports, etc.) Paste all around the picture. Draw the ones you can´t find in the magazines. Once it´s finished, have your child show it to family members, friends or neighbors. Encourage him or her to talk a little about what makes them so special. Afterwards, display in their room or kitchen.

TIP OF THE DAY

If you have more than one child, you probably have witnessed discussions on what to watch on tv or what song to listen to. Try a "choice for one day". For one day, one child can choose, and the next the other. You can also add yourself to the list if you want!

ARTICLE: Classical Music for Baby!

Many of us have heard of the benefits of having babies listen to classical music. Aside from calming and soothing them, their minds start working building different processes that will help them learn easier later on in their lives. One of the best artists to try is Mozart. There are many cd´s that specialize in Mozart for babies with special selections and slower, calmer rhythms. Try it during playtime and also before going to bed. Another choice is during bath time, especially with restless babies. Why not try it in your car? I can assure you, it will be soothing even for yourself, to listen to great classics while in the middle of a traffic jam. You can also try Beethoven or Tchaikovsky. Remember, a little classical music can go a long way.

IDEA: Countdown calendar!

As children grow older and more aware of the days of the week and months of the year, they can look forward with anticipation to major events such as vacations or birthdays. Help build this excitement by making your very own countdown calendar. Print out an empty calendar or make one with a ruler. Try it for 3 to 4 weeks tops. Label each day (name and date) and on the final square mark: "Your birthday!" or "Vacation!". You can put it on the door of the refrigerator or somewhere in the house where everyone can see it. Buy small stickers and children can take turns pasting one each night. Afterwards you can both count down the days to your event. Try to buy stickers that go with the theme of the calendar. For example, if you´re counting down for a birthday, try birthday cakes, candles, balloons, etc. If you´re waiting for a vacation to the beach, try suns, sunglasses, fish, etc. Have fun counting down!

TIP OF THE DAY

Keep a box of baby wipes in the glove compartment of your car. Always useful!!!

DAILY RECIPE: Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake

1 pkg devil´s food cake mix with box´s ingredients (oil, water, eggs)

2 large cream cheese bars

1 can of condensed milk

Prepare cake mix according to package directions plus one cream cheese bar. Blend well and bake according to box instructions. Meanwhile blend the other cream cheese bar with the can of condensed milk. When cake is cool, frost with the cream cheese/condensed milk frosting. Top with swirls of Hershey´s chocolate syrup.

ACTIVITY: Shower song!

As our children get older they have to start learning to take showers by themselves. Although it may seem "easier" that we finally don´t have to get wet during their bathtime, it also brings along the task of making sure they take good showers, don´t waste water and effectively remove soap and shampoo. Here´s a great song to help you with bathtime. You can sing it to the tune of Yankee Doodle or another personal favorite. If you are not a singing pro, don´t worry! You´re not up for American Idol! Remember your children will enjoy it with a good voice or not:

I am in the shower and I´m getting myself wet,

Now I have the soap and I am ready to begin.

Face, behind the ears and neck,

Shoulders, tummy, arms,

Elbows, hands and fingers

and now on to my back!

I am almost finished, now my legs and knees and toes,

Bottom and in to the water to remove the soap!

You can also make up your own song, and change it every day. Include whatever you feel your child may forget to wash and rinse, and have fun!

DAILY RECIPE: Crab Mango Salad

6 bars imitation crab meat (surimi)

1 large cucumber

2 mangos

1 small bar cream cheese

1 cup mayonaisse

Cube crab meat, cucumber (leaving out the seeds) and mango. Mix with mayonaisse until it´s all integrated. Dot with cream cheese cubes and serve!

TIP OF THE DAY

Keep a small pan with water and detergent on a high area in your laundry room. Drop in gym socks or any other soiled clothing right after your kids take them off when you do not have time to wash that same day. It´ll be much easier to remove the stains!

ARTICLE: Valuable Lessons Children Teach

A few holiday seasons ago, my brother in law decided to play a game with all nieces and nephews. It was sort of a raffle you played by throwing dice. Everyone won different presents, beautifully wrapped and of different sizes, but no one knew what was inside. The joke was, that they weren´t real presents, they were all pranks (for example, a toilet paper roll, a rope, a diaper, a kitchen sponge, etc.) The older children laughed at each present and threw it down to the ground. However, my daughter who was just turning three, taught us a valuable lesson. When she opened the present with the toilet paper roll, she said:"Good! For my bathroom!" Then she opened the kitchen sponge and said: "Look Mommy! This one´s for you!" Finally she opened the old rope and said: "Wow! Now I can learn to jump rope!" Obviously, my poor brother in law felt terrible that she didn´t get the joke and actually thought that was what her uncle was giving us for Christmas. But I just sat back and thought: What a wonderful mind that of a child. So innocent and happy and ready to enjoy everything life gives them, good or bad. What makes us all change as we grow older? We should all try to be more like our children in many ways.

DAILY RECIPE: Shrimp Pasta

1 large package of spaghetti

1 bag of pre-cooked shrimp (if frozen, thawed)

1/2 onion

salt

2 cups cream

1 can mushrooms

In a large pot with boiling water, cook spaghetti adding salt and the onion. When pasta is "al dente" ( tender outside, but still firm on the inside ) remove and drain. In a large microwaveable bowl toss pasta with cream, salt, shrimp and drained and rinsed mushrooms. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes on HI.

TIP OF THE DAY

Keep a list of your child´s classmates telephone numbers in your purse or saved in your phone. You never know when you will need to check for an assignment.

STORYTIME: The Little Cloud -- Final Part

.. The little cloud couldn´t help it. She started to cry. She cried and cried and as she did she realized that she could not stop. The tears were falling to the ground and making everything very wet. The little cloud continued to cry for a while and then started to calm down. It was going to be fine. As she did she saw that her body was changing again. She was no longer gray. She didn´t feel as heavy. She could float with the breeze again. Finally she stopped crying and as she looked down she saw she was back to being herself again. Then, a wonderful thing happened, the little children came out again. They were wearing colorful raincoats and boots. What a lovely sight! They were happy, they were playing in the puddles that had formed with the little cloud´s tears! Her tears had brought joy. The little cloud was happy, very happy and she continued to float high in the sky.

THE END

DAILY RECIPE: Salmon Pasta

1 package of smoked salmon

1 large pkg. pasta (fettuccini, spaghetti, fussilli), cooked according to pkg directions

olive oil

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1/2 cup half and half

salt or garlic salt

Cut salmon into small chunks. In olive oil, sautée garlic and onion. Add salmon. Cook well. Add half and half and continue to simmer. Check for seasoning and add salt or garlic salt if needed. Toss with pasta and serve.

TIP OF THE DAY

Buy a large yearly calendar and post it in the family room or kitchen. Let your older children write down events of the month (birthdays, outings, special classes) or draw pictures of coming events for your younger children to understand. It´s fun to have a place where you can look forward to what´s going to happen.