March 17th, 2012 by admin
When I was a kid, cartoons on television were primarily watched by kids. There was no such thing as an adult cartoon, because grown-ups didn’t spend their time watching animated shows unless they watched them with their kids. Now there are a number of adult cartoon shows on television and I wonder what that says about our current culture. The days of “cartoons are for kids” are long gone and parents need to be careful about what their kids are watching. Even some cartoons targeted towards children can be harmful. I’ve compiled a list of 10 popular cartoons that kids probably shouldn’t be allowed to watch.
- Family Guy – Featuring the dysfunctional Griffin family, the Family Guy cartoon is not something young children should be allowed to watch. This show is filled with sick, twisted and politically incorrect content that is passed off as humor. It’s obviously intended for mature audiences and not something kids should be exposed to.
- South Park – I know there are people who think the popular program South Park is funny, but I’ve never seen an episode that made me laugh. I somehow failed to see the humor in “Christmas Poo” or Kenny being killed over and over. The adult content in South Park is not intended for children and I doubt they would find any humor in it either.
- Beavis and Butthead – The adolescent boys depicted in Beavis and Butthead are just plain creepy. They have no morals and somehow everything they see or hear is turned into a dirty joke that only they get. Skipping school, watching TV, causing trouble and being stupid are not very good role models for young boys. The only time you should let your kids watch this program is to show them what not to be like.
- Jimmy Two-Shoes – This Canadian/American television series was so bad it was cancelled after 2 seasons. Jimmy Two-Shoes lives in a horrible town called Miseryville filled with monsters and demonic creatures. Even though this show was intended for young viewers, I wouldn’t recommend it.
- American Dad – The dysfunctional family in American Dad is depicted as politically charged stereotypes that really aren’t appropriate to expose children to. Unless you want your kids to acquire an intolerant view of people and learn to distrust their government, I would find something better for them to watch.
- Robot Chicken – Any show featured on Adult Swim should be your first clue that it’s not a show for children. Robot Chicken is a popular animated series that focuses on mocking pop culture and the mature content would be inappropriate for young viewers. Any show that ends with the host committing suicide is not something kids should watch.
- SpongeBob SquarePants – This popular cartoon may be alright for older kids, but the fast pace of SpongeBob SquarePants is thought to cause short-term attention and learning problems in children 4 or less. With episodes ending in the whole town of Bikini Bottom destroyed, this cartoon also seems a little dark for young children.
- The Simpsons – Many people enjoy watching The Simpsons, but you may hesitate to let your kids watch a show that usually portrays authority figures in an unflattering or negative light. Do you want your children to think that government is always corrupt and police are just plain stupid?
- Ren and Stimpy – The off-color, toilet humor, sexual innuendo and violence in The Ren and Stimpy Show is definitely not something kids should watch. The raunchy content of this cartoon has created controversy and censorship with whole episodes being banned.
- Rocko’s Modern Life – The predecessor to SpongeBob, Rocko’s Modern Life aired for 4 seasons and ended in 1996. That’s just as well since the adult humor, innuendos and double entendres really weren’t appropriate for young viewers. Rocko and his weird friends should just go back to Australia.
I sure miss the good old cartoons that were actually just supposed to be funny and not educational or for learning life lessons. I guess people now can find fault with Bugs Bunny or Wile E. Coyote, but that age of innocence is long gone. There’s nothing I hate worse than watching a show that is supposed to be funny and never finding the humor. I certainly don’t want to expose children to adult content or political stereotypes in an animated format. So make sure you screen these cartoons before allowing your kids to watch them. They may be learning more than you would like them to.
March 10th, 2012 by admin
Though most people that we encounter throughout the day have the potential to irritate us with their methods and habits, few have the ability to aggravate parents like a babysitter. Bringing someone, especially someone young and relatively inexperienced, into your home while you’re away can open the door for lots of possible annoyances; here are ten of the most common you’re likely to encounter.
- Not Cleaning Up After Themselves – Coming home to a disaster area of your childrens’ making is irritating enough; realizing that a significant amount of the mess was created by the babysitter can be infuriating.
- Eating Everything in Sight – Most parents expect the babysitter to eat a meal in their home; they may even offer to order pizza or other takeout to make sure that everyone, including the babysitter, is fed. However, coming home to find that the babysitter has eaten everything in the cupboard because of a bottomless teenage appetite can be a huge annoyance.
- Being Glued to Their Phone – Today’s teens and young adults regard their mobile phones as an extension of their arm; they can’t even bear the thought of being parted from it. When texting and talking to friends takes precedence over keeping your home under control, those phones quickly become an irritant.
- Sneaking Friends (or Boyfriends) Into the House – Though it’s an age-old tradition, most parents forget their own days of sneaking a friend or significant other into the house after the kids are in bed. Finding out that the babysitter had guests can be infuriating, even if we have to admit to doing it too.
- Telling Scary Stories – Babysitters are a notorious source of bad dreams; whether scary tales are told with the intention of providing spooky-but-well-meaning fun or are designed deliberately to frighten, parents who lose sleep due to these stories aren’t likely to call the babysitter responsible for those sleepless nights back again.
- Exposing Kids to Questionable Language – Every household has their own guidelines regarding acceptable language. Many teenage babysitters assume that simply not using curse words is enough to stay within the parameters of acceptable speech; if words and phrases like “stupid” and “shut up” are not allowed in your home, finding out the babysitter taught them to your kids can be a deal-breaker.
- Letting Kids Stay Up Too Late – Whether the babysitter lets the kids stay up due to a soft heart or inattentiveness to the clock, when kids are cranky the next morning due to a lack of sleep, it’s easy to be peeved.
- All-Around Inattentiveness – Even the best teenage babysitters can be inattentive on occasion; whether they’re distracted by other children in the family or something less worthy, being distracted while they’re entrusted with the care of your children can be a problem.
- Allowing Kids to Watch Forbidden Television Shows – Similar to questionable language, every family has their definition of acceptable television programming. When a babysitter allows your children to watch something that they know isn’t allowed in your home, it’s likely to leave a bad taste in your mouth.
- Breaking House Rules – Teenagers, even those with mostly good intentions that are largely well-behaved, can have a rebellious streak. When that natural rebellious instinct kicks in and causes them to deliberately break your rules, it’s one of the most infuriating things they can do.
When hiring teenagers to babysit, it is important to remember the typical issues related to that age group. You may find yourself reinforcing some concepts and rules that you didn’t expect to. However, if the habits aren’t curbed with a stern warning, it may be time to look for a new babysitter.
March 3rd, 2012 by admin
Though it’s often a great plot device for the ever-popular teen comedy, coming home to find that your babysitter has hosted a soiree in your home can be both infuriating and potentially troublesome. If you’ve found yourself unexpectedly crashing a party in your own living room, here are a few tips for cleaning up the mess, literally and figuratively speaking.
- Evaluate The Property Damage – After the smoke clears, check your home carefully for damages. Withholding your sitters’ pay may be enough to cover them if they’re minor; extensive damages are enough to warrant a discussion about restitution of some sort.
- Find Out if Anyone Was Injured – If a young party-goer was injured on your property, it could potentially open up the possibility of an injury lawsuit in which you, as the homeowner, would be liable. In the event that someone was hurt, the best possible course of action is to immediately file a police report to absolve yourself of as much responsibility as possible.
- Report Any Underage Drinking – Similarly to injuries sustained on your property, any accidents that result from underage drinking in your home could leave you liable for damages in the event of a lawsuit. Finding even a slight indication that your sitter and their friends were drinking alcohol is another situation that would require the immediate notification of local police.
- Determine How Much Your Children Know – If the party was a smaller, more intimate gathering, your children could very easily have slept through it. If this is the case, the less they’re told, the better. For those who did wake up or did know that the party was happening, how much they saw and what they might have heard will determine how much damage control is necessary on your part.
- Only Explain What’s Absolutely Necessary to the Kids – Explaining this particular situation to youngsters can be a bit tricky; the key is to keep things as simple as possible. Answer any questions they may have, but volunteer as little new information as possible.
- Have a Firm Talk With The Sitter – Discussing the situation with your sitter might be best left for a time when you’ve calmed down, if you’re prone to temper-control problems. It’s important to present a firm but calm face to your sitter when you do confront them; if you’re not able to behave in such a manner immediately, it’s okay to put the talk off until you can.
- Inform the Sitter’s Parents or Guardians – For a small gathering with no drinking or other illegal activity, that didn’t cause any damage to your home or upset your children, a stern talking-to might be punishment enough. However, if there was any drinking, drug use or if your home was damaged and your children frightened, it’s absolutely necessary to inform your sitter’s parents of their behavior.
- Talk to the Parents or Guardians of Attendees – Party-goers who were drinking or otherwise disrespecting your home by damaging it or causing your children to feel even slightly uncomfortable should be held just as responsible as your sitter. Speaking to their parents or guardians to insure that there are repercussions for their actions is one of the best ways to ensure that this sort of behavior is never repeated in your home.
- Decide Whether or Not to Warn Other Neighborhood Parents – The degree of raucousness and your own determination of severity should be taken into account before warning the other parents in the neighborhood. Sometimes, being caught and reprimanded is enough to keep teens from repeating risky behavior, especially if it’s not in their nature to begin with. Destroying a basically-good kid’s reputation as a sitter for one misstep, especially if it was a harmless one, might be going a bit overboard.
- Stick to Your Guns – If you’ve decided that you’re never going to hire this particular sitter again and have told them so, delete them from your phone book or sitter list immediately. It’s not okay to call them, even in a desperate pinch, if you’ve decided that part of your punishment for disrespecting your home is not to give them work in the future.
When you’ve entrusted a sitter with the care of your children and your home, seeing that trust violated will understandably give parents hesitation in offering the sitter a second opportunity to come into their home.
March 1st, 2012 by admin
One of the lessons that parents do their best to pass along to their children is the importance of sharing. Like anything else when it comes to kids, even the strongest efforts are met with varying degrees of success; some children simply will not share. Others are generous by nature and eager to share with their friends, but there are some things that even they won’t consider sharing. Here are ten of the things that even the most giving children have trouble sharing.
- Affection – Even the most standoffish child will suddenly become an ace snuggler when they see an adult that’s important to them being affectionate to another child. These displays often make children irrationally jealous; most kids can’t stand to share the affection of a parent or caregiver.
- Comfort Objects – There are certain things in every small child’s life that give them comfort an a sense of security. Whether it’s a teddy bear or a blankie, these things are generally off limits for other kids.
- Attention – Some kids are little hams, putting on a show for the entire room. Others might be happier with the attention of just one or two people; either way, the attention of the people they care about it something that almost all kids find it difficult to share.
- Bedrooms – Parents with older children that share a room know that it’s an almost-constant battle. Sharing their personal space with anyone, even a sibling, can become so grating that kids explode; temper tantrums from children who share a room are anything but rare.
- Favorite Foods – Whether it’s a throwback to a time when obtaining food was more difficult or simply a quirk, almost all kids have trouble sharing when it comes to their favorite food.
- Toys – Usually the first experience that toddlers have with sharing is when parents urge them to be generous and take turns with a favorite toy. In the early days of explaining the concept, most little ones will have trouble understanding; for some that trouble never quite goes away.
- Bathrooms – Tweens and teens that share a bathroom are likely to spend more time at war than getting along; constant complaints about grooming habits and long showers will, more often than not, spiral into all-out battle.
- Television – Once upon a time, there were three channels; kids didn’t argue about what to watch too often, because there weren’t any choices. Fast-forward to the present, and most families have cable packages that include hundreds of channels, not to mention gaming systems and DVD players. With so many different options and kids’ disparate tastes, sharing a television is no easy task.
- Clothes – There are few things that will inspire a tantrum like hand-me-down clothing. At a certain age, kids begin to positively loathe the idea of sharing clothes with a sibling. By the teen years, arguments over clothes borrowed without permission begin.
- Teachers – Younger siblings learn to dread the moment when a teacher asks if they’re “so-and-so’s” brother or sister. Having behavior, grades and learning style all compared to a sibling can be nerve-wracking, leading to resentment.
A Harvard University study suggests that kids who witness their parents being generous to one another and sharing have an easier time grasping the concept and applying it without the help of an adult. The same study also showed that older children who witnessed stingy behavior between their parents were more likely to exhibit the same reluctance to share themselves; as with many other childhood lessons, sharing is mostly learned by modeling and discussion.
February 23rd, 2012 by admin
Being a babysitter is one thing. Being an exceptional babysitter is a whole different playing field. And really, who doesn’t want to be exceptional? There are a lot of different things you can do to set yourself apart from every other person out there you are competing with for babysitting jobs. Here are 10 easy ways you can go above and beyond on the job, leaving everyone happy at the end of the night:
- Get certified - One of the easiest ways to set yourself apart from other sitters (and boost up your resume!) is to get certified in as many ways possible. This ranges from a babysitting certification to a first aid certification to a CPR certification. Having one will look good. Having all three will look fantastic. Voluntarily getting any certifications will show that you are interested in not only doing the job, but doing the job well. When given the option of hiring the sitter with no certifications versus the one with all the certifications, it’s easy to see who looks more appealing. Redcross.org will let you search all of these certifications and see where the closest locations to you to take the appropriate classes are located.
- Be a friend… - The best way to set yourself apart from other sitters is to actually play with the kids your babysitting! Parents love to see their sitters interacting with their children; it puts them more at ease that their child will be in good hands while they’re gone. And no parent wants their child left with a sitter who is just going to gab on the phone the whole time. Kids have a knack for talking too, and if they didn’t have a good time because they could never get your attention, it’s likely that they’ll have no problems telling their parents that.
- But not a best friend! - That being said, however, you can’t be the best friend. You are still there to do a job. Just because you want to be friendly with the kids doesn’t mean that you should allow them to do things that their parents wouldn’t be OK with them doing. You want everyone to have a good time, not to get in trouble because you were wrapped up in trying to be the “cool” babysitter.
- Early is on time. On time is late. - Get to the job a few minutes early so that you can discuss any particulars with the parents before they leave. If it’s your first time sitting there you want to be sure that you know if the child has any allergies you need to be aware of, if there are any medications you need to be giving them¸ where the emergency numbers are listed so that you can get in touch with the parents if you need to, and the general layout of the house in case there is an emergency of some sort and you need to get everyone out quickly.
- Get away from the TV - Yes, it’s an easy out with keeping kids entertained. But you’re more likely to win over the child and the parents if you spend time with them. What parent wouldn’t want to hear what an awesome time their kid had with you while they were gone? Plus, do you really want to have the Dora the Explorer theme song stuck in your head? I’m going to guess not…
- Come with a babysitting kit - What kid doesn’t like surprises, especially when the surprises are different toys or crafts? Put together a grab bag of stuff that you can pull out in a pinch when you need to change it up a bit. Kids love new things, so being able to pull out a coloring book they’ve never used and the 96 pack of crayons that has all the coolest colors, a new set of Legos, or the game of Life will be a good switch from their regular toys. And add new toys or rotate different items, this way they will always be excited to see what you’re bringing next!
- Give parents feedback - Parents want to know what went on while they were gone, so don’t be afraid to give them some feedback! Every parent wants to hear how great their child was, so if you had a good night with the kids, tell them! Likewise, let them know if something went wrong – you want to be able to establish a good, open and honest relationship with the parents, that way they know they can trust you with their children.
- Have references - It definitely doesn’t hurt to be able to give them the names and phone numbers of people that have worked with you in the past (if they’re going to say good things about you, that is!) so that the parent can verify that you’re a reliable and trustworthy babysitter. They’ll appreciate your sincere and candid approach, and it will show a high level of maturity on your part.
- Clean the house - This does not mean bust out the Pledge and the mop bucket and go to town with it! This simply means that you need to clean up as you go. Don’t leave dirty dishes lying around the house or toys scattered on the floor. While you’re there, you’re in charge, so do the parents a favor and clean up after yourself and the children that way the parents don’t have to worry about cleaning when they get home.
- Dress appropriately - If you show up looking like you’re ready to go out on the town after you’re done babysitting, it’s likely that the parents will be doubtful as to if you are ready to actually spend some quality time with their child. Not to mention, you want to be comfortable, be able to move around with ease, and it not to be a big deal if you get a little dirty.
Anyone can be a babysitter. But not everyone can be an outstanding babysitter. Too often, babysitters come in just to complete the job and get paid. Set yourself up to go above and beyond what the normal sitter would do and you are far more likely to be called to come back and also referred out to other parents. And remember, happy kids equal happy parents.
February 15th, 2012 by admin
Babysitting is a job and like most jobs there is a dress code. Believe it or not there are quite a few things you may want to avoid when babysitting. Here are ten things to consider before you head over to your next babysitting job:
- White - Chances are if you wear white to your babysitting job, you won’t leave wearing all white. Watch for falling spaghetti, marker throwing or grass stains showcasing your latest tumble in the yard. Try wearing darker colors like gray, purple or black.
- Skirt - Skirts are tricky, whether you wear them short or long, try avoiding them. Most likely you will be moving nonstop watching the kids. You want to be able to move and jump up freely without worrying about what the kids might see. No need to channel Lindsey Lohan.
- Low cut top - You don’t want to spend most of your time adjusting your top each time you bend over to pick up a little one. And keep in mind if you are watching babies you are at risk of being pulled on.
- Jewelry that Dangles - Ouch! This is something you don’t want to wear for your own safety. Wearing long earrings is a big no-no. One quick grab and those suckers aren’t coming off without a good scream from you. Also bracelets or necklaces are at risk of being pulled. Keep the pain and jewelry breaking minimal and skip the jewelry.
- Dress - This may be your comfortable look but just like the skirt you want to be able to climb monkey bars without scaring the children. If you plan on leaving your babysitting job to go somewhere nice, pack your dress.
- Heels - Have you tried running after a 4 year old in heels? Enough said. Bring comfy flats or tennis shoes.
- Tight pants - When babysitting you are either watching a movie, playing outside or going up and down the stairs because little Sara wants her ‘binkie’. Tights pants are not comfortable and they come with caution, this could be pants splitting.
- Short shorts - It may be hot outside and your short shorts are great for that afternoon cookout with your friends. But it’s not suitable to show that much skin while on the job. Remember the kids, especially the little girls, look up to you. Set a good example and wear appropriate length shorts.
- Controversial shirts - You may think your t shirt your best friend got you is funny but remember you are setting an example. Avoid any controversial shirts that may have beer brands or questionable/offensive language.
- Flip flops - Ever heard the term flat tire? Flip flops are notorious for that. Playing in the house and a little one stepping on the back of your shoe can cause you to either break the flip flop or go flying forward, either way not so much fun. Watch for your toes!
Now that you know what not to wear, make sure you wear something that you will be comfortable in. Try jeans, comfy flats and a fitted shirt is a great example especially if it’s something you don’t mind getting dirty. Happy Babysitting!
February 10th, 2012 by admin
Are you struggling with your child to get them to take things more seriously? Or do you have a child that is very serious and you wish they’d just lighten up? Parenting didn’t used to be this hard. Kids were kids and they were treated as kids. When I was young I was sent outside to play all day. I had to use my imagination and come up with things to keep me busy. Kids today have a lot of expectations placed on them by others or that they place on themselves. Check out 10 reasons kids shouldn’t be too serious.
- They’re just kids: The biggest reason that kids shouldn’t be overly serious is because they aren’t old enough to worry about serious stuff yet. Let them just enjoy their childhood. Don’t confide in them about your problems because then they take on that burden. They aren’t mentally ready for grown up problems.
- Can’t handle the pressure: If you are putting a lot of pressure on your child to be serious about a sport that they are in because you want them to go pro some day or just because you want to live out your dreams through them, you need to stop and reassess. All that you are going to do is make that child hate that sport.
- Suicide risk: Kids that are too serious have a higher risk of suicide. If your child is very serious about school or sports and something goes wrong then they could think that it’s the end of the world. They may try to take their own life. Serious kids tend to take things to the extreme and they have very serious ramifications.
- Could be depressed: If your child is very serious and doesn’t have a lot of friends you might want to have him/her seen by a professional. Some kids just have trouble relating to other kids. Especially if they are only children and have been around adults a lot they tend to be more mature and don’t relate well to other kids. However, if they don’t have any friends and aren’t interested in making friends then they may be depressed and need help.
- Manifest into physical problems: If a child is too serious and stressed out a lot over grades or sports they may develop physical problems. It works the same way with adults. If there’s too much stress and no outlet for it then it can cause ulcers and high blood pressure just to name a couple of things.
- Cause injuries: Kids are not supposed to be training like professional athletes at the age of 10. Many of the more advanced pitches and moves in some sports can actually cause permanent damage. Immature bodies are growing and changing and while exercise is good, the same exercise may cause injury.
- Early burn-out: If a child gets too serious about anything at a young age be it piano, violin, sports or whatever they run the risk of burning out and losing interest in something they could have been great at if they had slowed down a bit. Parents often put too much pressure on the kids to do too much too soon. It’s one thing if a child does it because they love it, but it’s another if the parent has to make them practice.
- No fun: If your child is too serious then they aren’t having enough fun in their childhood. There’s always enough time to be serious later. Laughter is so important to our health and the health of our kids. Make sure that your child is laughing. Children should be laughing 100 times a day.
- No friends: When kids are too serious they may have trouble making and keeping friends. It’s important to have friends. Help your child by role playing to show them how to approach a new friend. Try to find out why they don’t have very many friends. Make sure that you aren’t contributing to them being so serious.
- Live longer: It’s a proven fact that people that laugh often and take things with a grain of salt live longer. Do fun things with your child. Take them to funny movies or puppet shows. Encourage them to use their imagination and to make believe. If they don’t know how to play make believe then sit down and show them. The more you laugh the more your child will see that laughing is good and laughing is fun.
February 9th, 2012 by admin
With all the new strains of germs and viruses going around, no mother wants to subject her child to exposure. Although it’s pretty near impossible to completely avoid illness or the bugs that cause it, there are some things you can do.
- Keep the baby home during peak times of cold and flu season. – Whenever the flu season strikes or is about to strike it’s all over the news. This is a good time to keep the baby home unless you are going directly to a place you know everyone is healthy and the baby won’t be exposed to the public.
- Wash your hands often. – Germs and viruses can live for a couple of days on some surfaces so make sure you always wash your hands before handling your little one.
- If you are sick, wear a mask. – You probably can’t leave your child if you come down with a cold or the flu, but by wearing a mask you can provide some protection, and of course, make sure you wash your hands.
- Cover the baby with a receiving blanket. – If you need to go out and have to take the baby with you, take a receiving blanket along. When you get around other people just drape the blanket over the baby’s carrier or if you are holding the baby tent the blanket by draping it over your shoulder and covering the baby’s head.
- Hire a nanny or baby sitter. – For short periods of time or if there is going to be a longer stretch of time during cold and flu season that you have to be out in public, you may want to consider hiring a nanny or babysitter to stay with your child while you attend to business. Just make sure the person you hire doesn’t have a cold or the sniffles.
- Avoid crowded places. – Chances are someone in the crowd has a cold so staying away from places that are full of people will cut down the chances that the baby might pick up a bug.
- When you visit make sure everyone is healthy. – “Oh it’s just a little cold!” is not something you want to hear when you are visiting your friend and her toddler comes in nose running and eyes watery. It’s all right to find out if there are any sick folks before you go for a visit. Even mildly ill people can transfer bugs to your baby.
- Don’t let the baby on the floor in public places. – Unfortunately many parents let their little ones crawl around on the floor in public places, including medical clinics. Keep your baby on your lap or in the carrier. There are way too many germs around to let your baby loose on a public floor.
- Call before you go. – When you take your baby to see the doctor call before you go to find out how the schedule is running. You want to spend as little time as possible in the waiting room. If your doctor is running way behind, you may want to make plans to come in closer to the time she can actually see you.
- Reinforce wellness rules at home. – Brand new big brothers and sisters like to take part ownership of the new bundle of joy. If they come down with the sniffles you will need to help them understand that this is not a time for them to hang out with their baby sibling.
Keeping baby away from sick people may not always be the easiest thing to do. However with some planning and creative thinking you should be able to avoid most of the obvious threats to your child’s health.
February 7th, 2012 by admin
At some point or another it’s important that your kids are able to put together a meal on their own. The following recipes all come together quickly and easily, and they all come together to make the perfect solution when your kid wants to cook or they need dinner or a snack and no one is home to make it for them. Fancy? No. Delicious? Yes.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly - It’s a childhood staple, and while it may seem like it’s the easiest meal in the world to make (ok, maybe it really is the easiest meal in the world to make…) the kids still have to learn how to put it all together at some point! To up the nutritional value of this not so nutritional meal you can pair it with an apple and even add sliced bananas onto it. And if your kids are feeling really creative they can swap in any type of berries or other fruit slices in place of the jelly to change things up a bit!
- Grilled Cheese - Who doesn’t remember growing up with the cheesy-goodness of grilled cheese sandwiches? The possibilities are endless with all the different ways you can make them – from adding in lunch meats and tomato slices to experimenting with different kinds of cheese, these ooey-gooey sandwiches are something every child should learn how to make, and in the most basic of forms all you need is two slices of bread, a slice of cheese, a little butter for the outside of the bread, and a pan and stove. Dinner in a flash!
- Eggs in a Basket - Growing up eggs in a basket was always my favorite breakfast meal – and it’s so easy that your kids can make it themselves! All they need is a circular cookie cutter to cut out a circle in the middle of the bread, bread, and an egg . Spray the pan with cooking spray, place the bread in the pan, and then crack an egg into the middle. After letting it cook for a few minutes flip it over and let it cook a little longer, then serve with syrup – it’s delicious and fun!
- Mini Pizzas - What kid doesn’t love pizza? Mini pizzas make the perfect afternoon snack and come together in a flash – all they’ll need is English muffins, marinara sauce, and shredded cheese. Simply top the muffin halves with sauce and cheese and then pop them in the oven until the cheese melts or zap them in the microwave for a minute. Pizza is served!
- Nachos - Finger foods are always a good option for kids, and nachos are easy enough for them to make on their own. Just layer chips with cheese and any other extras they want to add in, such as onions, salsa, beans, etc., and then either bake them in the oven or nuke them in the microwave. Once the cheese is melted they can dig in – no parents necessary.
- Quesadillas - Quesadillas are like grilled cheese with Mexican food flair to them! And also like grilled cheese, the possibilities are endless when it comes to what they layer in between the tortillas and cheese – they can do anything from chicken and salsa to spinach and mushrooms… it all depends on what they’re craving!
- Spaghetti - Spaghetti can go one of two ways: easy or complicated. If the kids are cooking then they don’t need all the fancy twists to it, just a pot of boiling water, a timer, noodles and jarred sauce. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner for kids who want to surprise Mom and Dad by making dinner for the family.
- Parfaits - Yogurt – granola – berries – chocolate chips – repeat. Who doesn’t love a meal that comes in layers? Parfaits are not only delicious and easy, but they’re also fun to look at and each bite brings on a new flavor!
- Pigs in a Blanket - A family favorite, pigs in a blanket are easy to make and fun to eat. You just need Pillsbury Dough Boy Crescent Rolls and mini sausages. Wrap up the sausages into the roll and bake for the prescribed time. In no time at all you’ll have a fun afternoon snack or dinner that’s kid-approved.
- Mac ‘N Cheese - Every kid will have the Kraft blues at one point or another, and who can blame them? Mac and cheese is one of the easiest (and most delicious!) kid-friendly meals. Not to mention making macaroni and cheese comes together fast, requires minimal ingredients, and is a slam dunk for almost every kid out there.
Bon appetit!
February 6th, 2012 by admin
The last thing kids usually want to watch on television is the boring old news. SpongeBob SquarePants or Bevis and Butthead are certainly more interesting and entertaining. With hundreds of cable news channels to watch at any given time, even adults can go for years without ever watching the news. Unfortunately, bad things tend to happen when people are not paying attention. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get kids more informed on what’s happening in the world by watching the news. Here are 10 lessons kids can learn from watching the news every day.
- Current events – The main purpose for watching the news is to stay abreast of current events. The local news will cover things going on in their community while national and international news expand their horizons to what’s happening around the country and around the world.
- Media bias – Unless they watch every day, kids may not realize there is such a thing as media bias and how to identify it. By watching different news sources from multiple channels, they’ll see that some shows may have an agenda and others are more objective.
- Global events – Watching the news will expand a child’s world beyond their personal experience and expose them to things going on around the globe. Even if they don’t completely understand what is going on or why, they at least know what’s going on and can ask questions for further clarification.
- News versus sensationalism – Daily observations will teach kids how to tell the difference between what is really news and what’s just sensationalism. Some news outlets get carried away with what Hollywood celebrities are doing rather than covering other important topics.
- News is depressing – One note of caution is that watching the news every day can be depressing. News sources tend to focus more on the bad things going on than the good, so too much exposure to the news can be a bad thing.
- Hot topics – Kids watching daily will soon learn how everyone will be covering the same stories each day and then all switch focus to the next hot topic that comes along. If they want to find out whatever happened with the last event, they’ll have to do more research than just watching TV. Television has a short attention span.
- History – Children may not realize it, but by watching the news, they’re witnessing history in the making. Years from now, when their kids are learning history, they’ll be able to remember when they watched historical events unfold on the news.
- Well informed – Kids who watch the news every day are far better informed than their peers. Instead of focusing on video games and cartoons, they would actually have some concept of what’s going on the world and be able to carry on a conversation with adults.
- Help with school – Any students who watch the news regularly are going to far better in school than those who don’t. They’ll have an advantage in any social studies, civics and history classes they take.
- Politics – There’s nothing like watching the news to keep up on politics. Kids who are better informed on that topic are more likely to get involved in political school organizations or even run for class president.
Kids who don’t have much exposure to watching the news may balk at first, so parents can make it a challenge. By giving them an incentive that gets them to watch every day for a week, maybe they’ll get hooked. Another way to gets kids watching is to just make a point of having the news on when their around instead of just switching the channel. Parents should always be sure to watch the news with their children in order to explain issues that are confusing and engage them in conversation about what they observe. Kids who watch the news are far more likely to succeed in life than those who live in blissful ignorance.
