Are your kids allowed in the kitchen? Mine are, and they enjoy it. Here are some ideas to help you get cook up some family fun in the kitchen with the kids.
Recipe for success. Start off with recipes you know your children love and enjoy. One of the favorite dinners in our household is spaghetti and meatballs. It's easy to involve the children in making this dish, especially since our spaghetti sauce is usually made in the slow cooker. The children can add ingredients, and then we walk away while it cooks. Graduate to new recipes that are unfamiliar and maybe even more complicated.
Don't mess with the mess. Yes, having children in the kitchen means that it may get a little or a lot messier than it does when you are cooking alone. But making a mess is half the fun and all part of the learning process. Include the children in clean-up duty, too, so that they understand exactly what is involved in creating, cooking, and serving the whole family a meal.
Don't get burned. Before
...Read More »- By Leigh Newman
It's snowing outside, and you're trapped in the house with children-some of them neighbors' children who, when bored, do things like throw fireplace logs at the windows. Depending on how long you've been cooped up, that may seem like an excellent idea, but we've got better options: Here's how to keep them all entertained for 92 movie-free minutes, the length of the standard fallback film, Toy Story 2.
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Make Your Own Museum
Add a little grandeur to the day. Have the kids dress up in costumes (anything with a princess, a pirate or an old-fashioned theme works best). Then take each child's photo and print it on 8½-by-11-inch paper, or better yet, have them paint each other's portrait, and mount the masterpieces in the living room, complete with labels: Study of a Dutch Baroness by William the Younger (watercolor, glue, toothpaste, leftover birthday cake sprinkles).
RELATED: Can You Really Get Rid of Your Most Sentimental Things?
...Read More » Kids are cool. Pranks are awesome. Pranking kids? Really cool and very awesome.
Earlier this week, "Jimmy Kimmel Live" aired a video segment of parents taping their kids opening underwhelming (to put it mildly) Christmas gifts. Several days later, the clip is still buzzing on blogs and social networks. Yahoo! searches on "jimmy kimmel christmas gift" surged 953% on Thursday.
As the San Francisco Chronicle points out, the video has called into question whether this tactic is all in good fun or a case of parents emotionally abusing their children for the amusement of others. Is Kimmel a Grinch?
The clip, which features kids excitedly opening presents, thinking they might be a new toy, and instead finding old bananas, empty juice jugs, and half-eaten sandwiches.
The reactions of the kids are, of course, what makes the video a hit. Some good sports feign interest in their lame gifts. Others look very confused ("It's a hot dog?"), but most either cry or rage at the cruel
...Read More »Ready to deck the halls? Follow these tips and tricks to make sure you get the best deal -- and the best tree for your space!
By Samantha Leal for TheNest.com
Thinkstock / The Nest
When to Buy
If you're going for the real thing, November is the best time to buy a tree, especially right after Thanksgiving. Don't worry about it dying before Santa comes -- most trees last at least a month. (Psst...if you're looking to trade in the fresh for the artificial, wait until January to buy a discounted artificial tree and hang on to it for next year.)
Amazing designer Christmas treesHow to Measure
After you decide where you want to place your tree in the room, you'll need to measure both the height of the space and the maximum width. It may seem like a no-brainer, but don't forget to measure your tree stand to determine the maximum diameter of your tree trunk, as well as the height of the tree stand (so you can subtract that from your tree's height). Last, don't forget to measure your tree t
...Read More »- If left to her own devices, my daughter Maggie, 16, would have played CityVille on Facebook all day. I'd have preferred she find a passion - a non-screen occupation to inspire her mind and soul - but she never seemed to feel the urgency. Whenever I went into a "Do something productive with your life!" rant, Maggie rolled her eyes and said, "Take a chillaxative, Mom."
Maybe I was making too much of the passion problem, I thought. Maggie earned good grades, had friends, and seemed happy. I firmly believed, though, that kids should have a beloved hobby or interest - an answer to the question, "What's your thing?" Maggie had sampled dozens of sports, arts, and crafts. The passion deficit hadn't bothered me as much when Maggie was younger, but now I was worried that she had drifted too far and for too long. The phrase "follow your bliss" kept ringing in my ears. Maggie didn't know what her bliss was.
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My aim isn't to make Maggie and my other daughter, Lu...Read More »
