March 21st, 2010 by admin
By Joanne Kimes and R.J. Colleary with Rebecca Rutledge, PhD,
Authors of Teenagers Suck: What to do when missed curfews, texting, and “Mom can I have the keys?” make you miserable.
Once upon a time, a parent was left to their own creativity to come up with new and clever ways spy and snoop on their teenagers. Listen in on the extension phone? Sneak a peek at their personal diary? Check for contraband stashed in the underwear drawer? Your current teenager might actually injure themselves laughing at your Neanderthal ways.
“Wait a minute,” your teen says, while gasping for breath, “Didn’t they do those things on an episode of The Brady Bunch?”
Okay, already. I’m old. Don’t rub it in.
Today’s teens might dare you to try and crack the code of passwords protecting their blogs. Or snicker while you attempt to make sense of the net lingo shorthand on their text messages. And only underwear is in the underwear drawer. So, while your neighbor’s cat has been “friended” poor old Mom is still waiting patiently on the “facespaceplace” page for her shout out. Read the rest of this entry »
February 23rd, 2010 by admin
By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich,
Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes
There is a natural affinity between pasta and cheese, but they can’t be paired indiscriminately. In Italy, cheese is used with pasta very selectively, judiciously, and with proper timing.
Pasta does not always require cheese. In Italy, cheese is never served with seafood pasta, and it is sometimes omitted when serving game sauces or sauces containing hot pepper.
Cheese should be added to pasta as soon as the pasta is cooked and ready to serve — if extended heat is applied to cheese, the proteins will separate from the fat and you may end up with stringy cheese and oily pasta. To add a classic final touch you can grate or shave cheese over plated pasta.
The three cheeses that are most often used to dress pasta in Italy are Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano. Each cheese has its own characteristics and its own uses. Read the rest of this entry »
January 20th, 2010 by admin
Excerpt
The following is an excerpt from the book Love, Magic & Mudpies
by Bernie Siegel, MD
Published by Rodale; November 2006;$17.95US/$21.95CAN; 1-59486-554-X
Copyright © 2006 Bernie Siegel, MD
Send Love Letters To Your Kids
Smile at your children, smile at each other — it doesn’t matter who it is — and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.
–Mother Teresa
It’s not enough to love your kids. You have to tell them that you love them. They need your love poem tattooed on their hearts so they can take it with them wherever they go. The famous poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, “I love you not for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.” That’s the essence of a family. Let your children know that their mere presence makes your life better every day and that they don’t have to do anything other than be themselves to make the world a better place. That is what makes your life and theirs meaningful. Don’t just say it; write it down for them. Words seem to carry more weight when they are on paper. Write love letters to your kids, send cards, and leave notes for them around the house. Read the rest of this entry »
January 8th, 2010 by admin
By Wednesday Martin, Ph.D.,
Author of Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do
The media is in love with the term “blended family.” From USA Today to Star magazine to the New York Times, from 20/20 to Oprah, there’s no escaping the articles about repartnering with children that don’t just label such families “blended,” but further suggest that “blending = success.” That is, not blended = failed stepfamily. Read the rest of this entry »
October 12th, 2009 by admin
This is a great article that was mentioned to me. If you are looking for resources to help your child improve their math and science skills, you find an extensive list of websites within the article that can help.
Excerpt:
Math and science skills don’t always come easily to some children. If your child is behind in math or science it can take years for them to catch up and be able to earn the grades you know they are capable of making. Some children may never catch up leaving them stranded when they enter high school mathematics like trigonometry and calculus. Read the rest of the article at http://forensicscienceschools.org/100-tools-to-make-your-kids-math-and-science-stars/ .
