NEW STORYTIME! The Little Cloud -- Part 1

A long time ago, there was a little cloud way up in the sky. She was small, white and loved to float around. From up high she would see many wonderful things down on the ground. She loved flowers and trees, meadows with grass and children playing in the sun. Every morning she would wake up and float, feeling the breeze around her... and she was happy...

(More tomorrow)

ARTICLE: The importance of knowing your child´s friends

From the moment they start school, our children start making friends. Some we´ll like, others we would prefer they wouldn´t play with, but in the end, our children will end up spending time with others who may have different opinions, ideas or backgrounds. All these factors may or may not have positive or negative influences in our children. To fully understand any change in behavior due to a friendship it´s important that we know who our child is playing with at school or the playground. Talk to your child about his or her new friends. How they act, what do they play with, what movies they like. Ask your child´s teacher who his or her friends are. Try to meet the mothers of these children. By having this information, you can better guide your child and identify any changes in behavior that may be being caused by another classmate´s influence. In the end we can´t choose who our child will spend time with when they´re not with us. However, by identifying his or her friends, we can be a part of our child´s process of choosing who to play with.

DAILY RECIPE: Broccoli Chicken Pasta

1 large bag fussilli pasta

1 cooked boneless chicken breast

1/2 bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

grated parmesan cheese

olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, season cooked chicken with salt and pepper and grill in olive oil. Add broccoli florets and stir until tender. Add heavy cream and continue to cook. Season. Add cooked pasta and mix throughly. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

TIP OF THE DAY

Use old dryer sheets to give a quick clean to shower walls. It easily removes soap scum, plus you recycle!

ARTICLE: Sibling Rivalry and Game Night

Brothers and sisters tend to quarrel; a part of growing up. You can help mediate this "tension" by having family game nights. By placing them in a possible discussion environment, but with you present, you can teach them how to resolve conflicts without having to fight. Try to have each child understand the others´ point of view and why they are reacting this way or that. Show them that instead of shouting at each other or storming angrily out of the room there is a calm way to solve the problem. Hopefully, skills learned at these game nights can be applied to other aspects of life and sibling bickering can be one less thing to worry about!

TIP OF THE DAY

On very cloudy days, send your kids off to school with a raincoat or small umbrella. A surprise shower will catch them prepared!

DAILY RECIPE: Frito Salad

1 large can beans (Ranch style)
1 Lettuce
2 Tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
Fritos
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Toss washed and trimmed lettuce with chopped onion. Slice tomatoes. Add to salad. Drain and rinse beans. Add and toss fritos and beans alternately until well mixed. Top with cheese and add your favorite dressing (ranch, italian).

ARTICLE: After school activities

Whether you are a working mother and need your children occupied in the afternoon or your own children are asking for them, after school classes and activities are an important part of motherhood. Choosing the right ones can sometimes be a little tricky. Keep this in mind:

• Always make sure your child enjoys the after school activity. School means enough pressure for them and they don´t need to stretch it out into the afternoon.
• If you are choosing more than one activity, make sure at least one is one that involves exercising (dancing, soccer, gymnastics, track)
• Encourage your child to make new friends in the activity.
• If the activity is making your child too tired or sacrificing lots of homework time, drop it.
• If you have more than one child with lots of activities and you´re staring to feel like a cab driver, have each child choose only one activity.
• Make sure you meet the activity´s instructor and talk to him or her about what they´ll be doing during the class.
• If the activity involves exercise, be ready with a water bottle afterwards.
• Keep a small bag in your car with an extra change of clothes in case of an emergency to and from the activity.
• Most of all, keep in mind that the after school activity should bring a positive influence to your child.

TIP OF THE DAY

Use Cheetos as croutons in cream of carrot soup. The taste is great and it will make your children gobble it down!

DAILY RECIPE: Crunchy Chicken

3 cooked boneless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 stick butter
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
40 Ritz crackers

Place cooked chicken in baking pan. Mix chicken soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Dot with butter. Crumble Ritz crackers on top. Place in 350°F oven for 20 minutes.