Every year, we head to the beach around Father's Day, and my wife takes basically the same picture. We missed a couple of years, but here's the update:

2005:

2006:
My son obviously is getting bigger, but am I getting weaker?

2007:
Does anyone out there remember some parable about an Indian boy and a calf? Something like: If a young boy begins by lifting a calf, and continues lifting it as it grows, he'll be the strongest man on Earth?

2008:

2011:
The last year I'm even taller than him?

One of my Facebook “friends” recently posted an album with photos depicting a timeline of her labor and the birth of her baby. I wouldn’t call this person an actual friend of mine; she’s the sister of a college friend whom I rarely speak to anymore.

I have no idea what compelled me to look at these photos. Once I clicked on the album and saw the thumbnails, it was like a car accident. I didn’t want to look, but something wouldn’t let me not look. I was even more intrigued when I noticed she was at home and had some type of portable bathtub.

Home and water births are great for some people, but I need a hospital with my doctor, a bunch of nurses, an operating room and NICU (just in case), and a nursery.

I don’t know if I was mortified because I’m only a few weeks away from delivering my own baby or if I would be mortified even if I wasn’t pregnant.

The pictures showed her walking around outside her house trying to make the contractions speed up; gripping onto her kitchen counter in crazy pain; sitting in the water-filled, plastic-lined bathtub wearing nothing but a sports bra; squatting in the tub with her husband with captions like, “12:24 a.m., crowning” and “the last push”; and finally, her and the husband holding the baby. I’m just glad the photos were that antique black-and-white color so I couldn’t clearly see the water.

Continue reading "TMI: Vivid birth photos on Facebook" »

If you have or ever have had a toddler, this book I recently came across is absolutely a must-read. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard at a book.

"The World According to Toddlers" brings to light all the funny little behaviors you experience every day as the parent of a 2- to 3-year-old but don’t really think about. It helps you view the terrible 2s and 3s as more of a humorous laugh-filled adventure rather than a stressful, painful experience.

I also realized a lot of my toddler’s behaviors are universal — quite a relief actually!

The books features include hilarious cartoons, advice and wisdom from toddlers, diagrams, and takes on tantrums, potty training, mealtime and more.

Here’s a little excerpt from one of my favorite features in the book, “The Toddler Handbook”:


Words To Use Often

“Airplane! Look!”
Parents are notoriously oblivious to the miracles of aviation. Any time you see a plane it is your duty to make sure they see it and appreciate it with a “Yay!” or light applause. This goes for helicopters as well.”

“Mine”
Whatever you see is yours. Claim it.

“No”
This powerful word is appropriate at any time, in any setting. In fact, you can keep repeating “No!” even as you are performing the task that was requested of you. This will let your parents know that your body may be obeying, but your mind is rebelling.”

“The Trash Truck”
Trash trucks are, in a word, incredible. Possibly more incredible than airplanes. Anytime you hear one, drop what you are doing, yell “The trash truck!” and take off for the front door. Watch the truck until it turns the corner and drives out of sight. Then insist on following it.

I recommend reading this book after you’ve put Junior to bed (for the fifth time) and want to unwind and have a good laugh. It will help you appreciate this stage in your toddler’s life!

Your kid could cook up his or her own college fund with a vegan dish.

Who knew a couple of peas and carrots could add up to $5,000?

Well, it can – if your kid has the right ingredients.

Check out this opportunity: South Florida high school seniors in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties can enter the It’s Vegalicious Vegan Recipe Scholarship contest to win a $5,000 scholarship towards their college education.

Read more about it in John Tanasychuk’s SUP blog.

I wish my son was a senior. I’d have him in the kitchen so fast. Actually, he’s a self-described foodie – and he enjoys the restaurant of contest sponsor, Sublime. Whole Foods is co-sponsor.

Fortunately, my son has a couple of years to practice before he qualifies to enter the contest: He’s already perfected a spaghetti sauce and he makes awesome black beans.

What’s your child’s culinary specialty?

Follow me on Twitter @mindingyourbiz

It all began one day with a cold glass of lemonade….

When Demario Anderson’s grandmother announced to the family she got laid off from her job, about two years ago, he got her a cold glass of lemonade to help her relax. Soon, they settled into a deep discussion about the economy, how everything is connected. They talked about how bad decisions and get rich quick gimmicks make everyone suffer. They talked about how families are the true support system, how that translates into a strong and giving community, and how consumerism isn’t just about spending and buying, but it’s also about informed strategic planning.

That discussion set Demario on a nearly two-year odyssey of his own: to write a book: Young Economist: Simple Ideas to Help a Financially Hurting Country From a 12 Year Old; published 2010; $19.99 Paradise – MC, Memphis, TN. at Rhino's Nation or Amazon.

With the help and mentoring of his father, Dean Anderson, the book’s co-author, Demario, now a 14-year-old marine magnet middle school student in Fort Lauderdale, interviewed family,

What I read, was a book about a father and son, written from the heart.

Imagine as you read: it’s in the voice of 12-year old Demario hungering for knowledge, answers, justification. Like the constant tugging on one’s shirttail for attention, the questions are ceaseless. Picture a father and son on a walk and the son looks up to his father –but at the same time they’re side-by-side as they try to unravel why things are the way they are in the world.

“My dad is my friend and role model,” said Demario in a recent interview. “When I’m learning stuff, he’s always there to help me. He’s very patient.”

Together, the father/son duo take "field trips" to the library, grocery store and community centers. To get answers and perspective, they talked with local religious leaders and church members. They listened to the stories of their neighbors and family elders.

Chapter by chapter, Demario’s little-boy-dismay-over-misbehaving-adults is evident as he recounts a 2009 Time magazine article on how Hedge Fund players “took advantage of people’s lack of knowledge,” He’s incredulous over the human capacity for greed and uses Bernie Madoff as a prime example. He’s intolerant over the lack of common sense behaviors: that if people drove safer, acted more responsibly, that could ultimately mean reducing the cost of healthcare, utility bills, education; and in communities.

In the book, Demario’s youthful optimism voices throughout with solutions: save, learn: become informed; help out neighbors and in the community.

Families should eat their meals together to forge stronger bonds, writes Demario. Prevent domestic abuse by keeping the lines of communication open. Build entrepreneurial spirit: as a matter of course, challenge students to work together on outside-the-box creative ideas. Plan ahead: choose when to invest in home repairs over vacations or a night out on the town; Demario and his dad provide economical meal and snack ideas.

In closing, Demario’s poignant message is a call to action for all: walk arm-in-arm-to the finish line: as a family and as a community.

But the story doesn’t end there says Dean Anderson, who feels it was his absolute duty to support his son's journey.

“Each generation comes and goes,” Anderson said. “And if you want the world to change, you better be there for your kids. Sit down and listen, answer questions and talk to your sons and daughters."

UPDATE: Dean and Demario sent a YouTube link promoting the book.

I recently went shopping for my unborn baby girl’s newborn wardrobe. It sure was different than shopping for clothes for my son!

I think I’m pretty girly, and I appreciate good fashion, but the little girl clothes out there are a little over the top. There were so many pieces: leggings, pants, tights — really? tights for a baby? — plus accessories, like matching sandals, hair bows, bracelets, etc. One of the funniest things I saw was a spaghetti-strap onesie.

My son’s clothes were miniature versions of men’s clothes: polo shirts, cargo shorts, jeans. So simple. But the little girl clothes seem to be in a genre all their own. I can’t imagine any grown-up woman wearing big versions of anything I saw in the store, especially the headbands with the gigantic flowers.

Obviously the same rules don’t apply to little girls, so maybe I should just embrace the frilly, flowery clothes. After all, I’ve been told girls are harder and more complicated to raise than boys, so I guess it’s only appropriate that their clothing reflect that.

When I was pregnant the first time, registering for baby items was a nightmare. I specifically remember encountering the vast assortment of bottles and the subsequent feelings of anxiety and cluelessness.

Some of that has gone away when it comes to preparing for the second child, but I find myself facing a new challenge: double strollers. Do I really need one? Why are they so darn expensive? Which is better: side by side or one seat in front of the other? Does brand matter?

I wonder if I’m going to use it often enough to get a nice one. My son will have been 3 for two months after my daughter is born, and after getting used to carrying all 35 pounds of him around, I think carrying a baby will be a cinch, so maybe I can just wear her in a carrier or trade on and off with the stroller. (Side note: I remember thinking my son was heavy to carry around when he was a baby, but I had no idea what I was in for!)

I had sticker shock when I went testing out different doubles. The cheapest one at one store was $400. That store had higher-end brands, but still. My friends are split on whether a better quality brand really matters. I’m leaning toward a cheaper one, but what if it’s so uncomfortable that the baby hates it and refuses to sit peacefully?

Any opinions on whether it’s worth it to go all out on a really nice double?

We all know how time flies.

Fast forward, and our youth is but a blur, compared to our daily lives now full of responsibilities.

So why rush it, right?

But my son has the opportunity to participate in a dual enrollment program: College Academy – when he graduates high school, he will also have completed his first two years of college and graduate with an Associates of Arts college degree.

The program begins when he enters 11th grade. He'll be on a college campus where he will finish up high school and be a college student at the same time.

I think that’s awesome. I see more advantages than disadvantages.

I’m not pushing him either way on this decision. That’s because it will be on him to continue his good grades and be successful.

I’m not pushing him on the decision because he’ll be the one leaving some friends behind. Sure, he’ll make new ones: and some of his friends will also join the academy.

I’m not pushing him on the decision because still, there is that voice inside me that says he shouldn’t give up what he knows. He’ll give up becoming the big man on campus, and having the opportunity to mentor younger students… in addition to hanging with friends.

What do you think? Should kids stick with their high school programs? Should they leave college to the big boys and girls? Will it stunt his social growth? Will it short-change his youth?

It’s a wonderful crossroads to be at: it’s nice to be able to mull over opportunities.

We’ll be attending an open house, question and answers session next week. And some of his friends have already encouraged him to go for it.

Whether you find it controversial or revolutionary, the recent talk about the Chinese mother vs. the Western mother, fueled by the recent “Wall Street Journal” article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” and a “Today Show” segment on the topic, has been getting a lot of mothers — and fathers — talking.

Amy Chua, the article’s author, refers to “the term ‘Chinese mother’ loosely.” She includes mothers from other countries, such as Korea, India, Jamaica, Ireland and Ghana, as well. The same goes for Western mothers.

The claim is that Western mothers aren’t as strict as Chinese mothers — that they believe pushing their children academically isn’t good for their children, while Chinese mothers believe pushing their children is exactly what they need because children inherently don’t want to work on their own. Chinese mothers believe that something is not fun until success is achieved and that praise should not be given until this point. Chinese mothers believe that learning does not have to be fun.

Chua also claims that Chinese parents can get away with things that Western parents can’t. Her example was when her father called her “garbage” when she showed disrespect. Where Western mothers would be concerned this would damage their child’s self-esteem, Chua claims it did nothing of the sort. It instead made her feel shame for her actions.

Here’s another example from the article:

The fact is that Chinese parents can do things that would seem unimaginable—even legally actionable—to Westerners. Chinese mothers can say to their daughters, “Hey fatty—lose some weight.” By contrast, Western parents have to tiptoe around the issue, talking in terms of “health” and never ever mentioning the f-word, and their kids still end up in therapy for eating disorders and negative self-image. (I also once heard a Western father toast his adult daughter by calling her “beautiful and incredibly competent.” She later told me that made her feel like garbage.)

Chua says Western parents have to deal with “their own conflicted feelings about achievement” and are “extremely anxious about their children’s self-esteem.”

As a mother of very young children, I have yet to experience the joys and trials of success in school and extracurricular activities, but the self-esteem issue has not been out of my sight. This is an issue for most Western mothers from the time their children are babies — not knowing how much praise to give infants for sitting up, clapping, eating and walking. I, for one, gushed over my son’s every new move as a baby; I just couldn’t help it. But self-esteem overload in children and teens is a different matter I have yet to tap into.

Chua says pushing your children past the “I just can’t do it” moments is key:

But as a parent, one of the worst things you can do for your child’s self-esteem is to let them give up. On the flip side, there’s nothing better for building confidence than learning you can do something you thought you couldn’t.

What do you think? Is the Chinese method better, is the Western method better, or are there values in both?

I went to a funeral this week that was sudden and awful and beautiful, all at the same time.

Robert was just 48. He left a wonderful wife and 15 year old daughter who is poised beyond her years.

At the viewing and at the funeral, young Hailey's friends -- so many! -- came with open arms for the grieving family. They were so respectful.

Hailey spoke with wisdom. Her close friends and cousins overcame their nerves to share very poignant thoughts about her father.

None of it was right. Kids shouldn't have to stand before a room of teary-eyed adults and help them understand their pain.

But there they were, these young men and women. Strong and articulate and genuine.

Robert must be so proud.

My husband made fun of me for wanting to watch the “Pretty Little Liars” season premier on Monday. I don’t know why, but I just love watching kid and teen TV shows. Sure, they’re cheesy, dramatic and unrealistic, but there’s something about them that makes it hard for me to resist.

In some ways, they remind me of a time when I was dramatic and unrealistic, and partially, I just like watching it for laughs. But I honestly just enjoy them, even if it’s completely realistic how the actors’ hair and makeup are still perfect even after falling into a tomb where vampires have been trapped for hundreds of years (Vampire Diaries, anyone?). OK, so nothing about that is realistic.

I’ve even read all the Twilight books and own all the movies. And I reread the Chronicles of Narnia every now and again. I wonder if other adults/parents enjoy this stuff, too.

I’m glad my son is too young to tease me about it. I wonder if in 10 years I’ll still be as easily sucked in.

When it comes to cartoons, however, I draw the line. I honestly can’t stand the cartoons coming out nowadays. For example, what happened to Mickey Mouse and friends? Now they’re so nice and patient, and everything is a learning opportunity. I miss the good-old cartoons where Donald throws temper tantrums because things don’t go his way or because Chip and Dale are plotting against him.

I can’t decide if the educational direction of cartoons is really all that beneficial. “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” used to be my son’s favorite show — until I introduced him to the classics. Now when he watches cartoons, he laughs, sings and dances, and enjoys them for what they are: entertainment. I’m glad he likes them so much because I’d much rather be watching cartoons I find entertaining, as well.

Photo: Paul Wesley as Stefan and Nina Dobrev as Katherine in “The Vampire Diaries” episode “Memory Lane.”
(Bob Mahoney/The CW)

Day care often sends home memos in my son’s lunchbox. “Need more diapers, please.” “Tomorrow is pizza day.” “Please do not dress your child in superhero attire for school.” Wait. What was that?

My son doesn’t have any superhero T-shirts, but I was curious, so I asked the director about it. She said it affects the children’s behavior on the playground and in the classroom. They are more rambunctious and try to copy the actions of the particular superhero on their T-shirt.

I thought superheroes were supposed to teach us to love good and fight evil, so why are they making our children “evil” on the playground?

I don’t know about you, but most superhero movies I’ve seen are pretty mature and seem like they were made for adults. I haven’t watched many superhero cartoons, but the new Iron Man and Batman movies are most definitely adult movies.

What are the kids who watch these movies taking away from them? If they’re too young to grasp themes and concepts put forth in the movies, they must just be focusing on the action and violence. And if that’s the case, why are kids being allowed to see these movies?

The end of the memo reads, “Jesus is our superhero.” Sounds like a much more gentle approach.

Do you let your kids watch superhero movies? If so, do you notice any changes in their behavior?

While spending a weekend up in Daytona Beach, I came across an article about Flagler Palm Coast High School’s recent announcement that it will use a grant from the Florida Department of Health's Healthy Communities, Healthy People program to provide a room for nursing mothers, complete with a breast pump, seating, a refrigerator and access to a lactation consultant.

It’s exciting to see a grant like this going to encourage breast-feeding. I hope the concept catches on in more work environments.

I know it can be difficult for some new mothers to find a private, comfortable place to pump when they return to work after giving birth. I remember being moved from one empty office to another and feeling embarrassed that the person in the adjacent office could hear the sound of the pump through the wall, especially if that person was a man.

The article says it’s especially challenging for teachers because they need to find someone to watch their classroom while they pump.

The article quotes Pat Lindsey, a lactation consultant and president of the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition, who says many women don’t feel comfortable breast-feeding at work (maybe because there usually aren’t adequate accommodations for nursing mothers?) but that women who breast-feed are more productive and have lower health care costs than mothers who don’t breast-feed.

Also quoted was Deborah Saulsbury, a regional coordinator for Communities Putting Prevention to Work, a Department of Health and Human Services initiative, who said, “Everybody knows about the benefits, but people don't realize how that translates into dollars saved for the district because the teachers aren't absent as much.”

She added that most women whose workplace is not breast-feeding-friendly will switch to formula within about 30 days.

Lindsey said having a place to pump "is a necessity for a great deal of women in the workplace. More women have gone to work, and they are still mothers. They need to be able to be a mother and also be able to do what they need to do."

Read the full article here.

We have friends who, despite all their planning and painstaking efforts to hide Christmas gifts - one of their kids found at least one. And it wasn't just any old stocking stuffer: it was the big daddy of the season - a video game system.

At first, the discoverer was feeling very victorious. But needless to say, everyone was upset - including the sibling who told on him. The parents were frustrated and a bit deflated. Still, they're giving him the present on Christmas day.

So, what gift-hiding tricks do you practice? Where is the best place to hide a gift? If your child discovered where the stash of presents were hidden - would you still give those gifts? Would you punish him or her?

If my kid discovered something meant as a gift for him - depending on the age - obviously I'd explain the concept of a surprise. As he gets older, I expect more common sense and sensitivity on his part.

I have to admit, sometimes I've hidden things in plain sight. And right now, I'm just hoping he doesn't decide he has to clean under his bed between now and Christmas!

If you’re a working parent, then you know that taking a few days off around a holiday can sometimes be more work than play — not just around the house with the kids home from school, but at work, too, trying to get everything done before you leave the office for a few days.

Lots of parents overwork themselves so they don’t feel guilty about taking a real break. I know that if I don’t get everything done on my list, I can’t fully relax.

Being busy and trying to do too much can make it hard to see what’s really important in life. Do as much as you can and learn to let go what can wait.

So if on Thanksgiving your mind is racing or if you’re stressed out with work or the holidays, try focusing on what’s in front of you, not what isn’t. Enjoy the extra time you have with your family all together, and worry about your to-do list later. Thirty years from now, when you look back on your life, you’ll wish you did.

Have a relaxed Thanksgiving!

This week in pop culture:

Demi Lovato: The Disney star who seemed like the nicest, most normal of them all has "emotional and physical problems" that are tied to bullying she endured in middle school. She has cut herself. She may or may not have drinking and drug issues. She may or may not be in a feud with BFF Selena Gomez. She may or may not be pregnant. All these things are swirling around the Internet. And, because my 12-year-old daughter is vaguely aware of all this, I have to pay attention. And I have to figure out what I'm going to say about it. If anything.

"Don't be like Demi" is rather obvious. Good thing Erika isn't a pop star. That seems like a good first step in avoiding some of these problems.

Broward schools were locked down.....the day after the new Call of Duty video game came out. Coincidence? Hmmmmm. Wednesday after school activities were canceled -- conveniently, the night before a day off from school (thank you veterans). This, of course, gave certain 15-year-old gamers even more time, perhaps even all night -- who knows, I went to bed -- to shoot em up. What do we learn from this? Timing is everything.

Lil Wayne is out of jail! Oh joy. Of course, we hardly missed Mr. Wayne, what with the new music timed to come out at regular intervals even during his eight-month incarceration. Genius. What a lesson in time management for his young fans.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 premiered in London. And oh my goodness that Emma Watson looks fabulous in her short 'do. She is shaking off her nerd/wizard past and telling us what every girl knows: Cut your hair, change your life.

That’s right – don’t forget – this year set clocks back one hour on Sunday, Nov. 7th.

Since a kid, I’ve remembered the phrase, "Spring forward, Fall back." It keeps me on track and on time.

Only, if “Fall back,” means 6 a.m. will become 5 a.m. – I can shut the alarm off and fall back into bed – right? And if I oversleep an hour, I really won’t be late to work, will I?

My son won’t have to rush to catch the bus – and he’ll have an extra hour for homework and chores! Not really, but I know it will seem like it to me at least for a while.

Getting littler ones to bed or getting them up and out might be more of a challenge.

In fact, if your child is at that “learning to tell time,” stage – this is a great opportunity to teach them how to tell time. Start with a nice big image of an analog clock.

Showing them how the “big hand” and “little hand” rotate around helps them to relate to the concept of time moving. (Don’t worry, they’ll pick up on the idea that “time flies,” soon enough, when they’re about our age.)

Be patient. You know that other saying: “What goes around comes around.”

Just when we’re getting in sync with our internal clocks, we’ll be resetting our external clocks again before you know it.

You can read more time change facts at About.com

There are a lot of resources for teaching/learning to tell time. Search the web for clock images to download and print for your child to color.

Go to YouTube and search for It Gets Better. Or go to ItGetsBetterProject.com.

There you will find an astonishing collection of videos of adults speaking directly to teens who are gay or confused about their sexuality, who feel different and are frequently bullied because of who they are. These videos are very simply telling kids: If you are feeling tormented in high school, hold on, don't do anything drastic: Life gets better.

The brainchild of radio host and columnist Dan Savage, the It Gets Better Project has taken on a life of its own on the Internet.

Hundreds and hundreds of videos, new ones being added every day, with the power to reach out and touch that kid sitting in his or her room, tormented and feeling alone. Parents of those kids who don't know how to help.

The recent news reports of bullied gay teens committing suicide prompted Savage and his husband Terry to make a video and post it on YouTube. Soon, other gay adults were making their own short messages. Celebrities have gotten on board, gay and straight.

There are videos by Chris Colfer of Glee and pop stars like Ke$ha and Jason Derulo. The cast of Wicked. Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay Episcopal church leader. This week President Obama added his message.

But the most powerful videos are from average folks. The kid from small town Iowa or the South. The videos from gay Christians, Mormons and Muslims, all saying, Don't feel alone. Know that I exist, too.

This is something every teenager, gay or straight, should see.

Kids today (I know, I’m sounding like my parents here) have it too easy. They can blast out a message via Facebook or Twitter. They can send a text message or instant message to a buddy. They can chat via game systems.

And they don’t have to leave their couch, house, chair or the mall – or wherever they're hanging out. And now comes voting – early voting and even voting by e-mail.

I know early voting breaks tradition, but to me – at least for now – I cherish the process of going in person to vote.

There is value in being around others who exercise the freedom to vote, to gather in person to do so, despite our differences, opinions and politics.

My son should see this. He and his generation should never let the ease of technology minimize the process of thinking, choosing, doing.

It takes more effort that hitting “send.” It takes active participation.

It may be a new generation of iPad and iPod. But it’s still – I vote.

Check out the Broward County Supervisor of Elections for more voting and elections information.

A good friend of mine is turning 38 soon. Her relationship with her boyfriend is like a refrigerator on the brink of collapsing—sometimes hot, sometimes cold.

While she’s not sure if the relationship will last, she knows time is ticking and she’s ready to become a mom.

She’s so ready that she’s willing to ask her boyfriend in this lukewarm relationship to be her donor with no strings attached. She said she doesn’t see why she should go to an anonymous donor and shell out the expense for artificial insemination, when she can cut to the chase and handle it this way.

She’s not alone. There are a lot of women in this predicament.

But while some women may see getting the boyfriend to be a donor as a simple way to deal with some serious maternal yearnings, it can get complicated. It’s not easy for some new moms to detach themselves from their boyfriends, even if they’re in a bad relationship once the baby comes along.

And it’s hard not to feel some resentment when at 3 a.m. your up for a feeding and your former boyfriend is no where to be found, because he was just a so-called donor.

Honestly, I can see why some men flat out decline to do this and why some women opt for an anonymous donor with no strings attached. This way in the long run there are no hard feelings.

I’d give myself a B.

And like it or not – getting kids off to school – no matter what grade they are in – is a team effort.

A few times – I’ve slept in – just enough to allow him some extra snooze time –I’ve driven him to school on those days rather than him ride the bus.

But so far this year, he’s never been late to school. That’s a feat – considering he has to be at the bus stop which I drive him to – by 6 a.m.

Since there are already passengers on the bus by the time he gets on – I know there are parents and kids starting their day much earlier than we start ours.

Part of the success is about my son getting to bed early enough to wake up before dawn. He has to have his backpack organized the night before.

I have to have a cup of coffee in the morning.

Do you have any tips or routines that ensure your brood gets to school on time? (you getting to work on time is a whole other matter!)

How do you rate your Get ‘Em to School on Time performance so far this year?

I'm trying a new thing this school year. Menu planning! Throwing a few chicken nuggets in the oven just doesn't cut it anymore, especially since my son eats at least five meals a day. He needs real food, and a lot of it.

This week I did pretty well. We had halfway decent dinners -- lasagna, tacos, chicken with pasta -- that were easy to fix after I rushed in the house from a long day at work. But I need more ideas. And please don't tell me to spend all day Sunday cooking and putting things in the freezer. I'll do that occasionally, but I just don't have time for that kind of preparation every week.

Another issue: By this morning, we were out of milk. Out of bananas. Out of after-school frozen pizza snacks. Looks like I'm going to have to make another grocery run midweek, which really annoys me. I've always done big shopping on Sunday for the week ahead, but I can't stay a step ahead of my voracious teenager anymore.

Help! I need ideas.

We ran some good crockpot recipes in the Food section on Thursday. I can vouch for
Barbara Stein Fleckman's shredded beef brisket. Everyone in my house really liked it, even though my husband has vowed to cut back on red meat.

And I'm definitely checking out our family dining reviews of South Florida restaurants.

But I need new ideas for next week. Do you have a tip worth sharing? Or a recipe? Send me a family-friendly recipe you love and I'll give it a try. We may even print it in the Food section -- giving you proper credit, of course!

Just add it to the comments section, or email it to me a gbryant@sun-sentinel.com. Put "family friendly recipe" in the subject field.

Thanks for your help.

But commitment requires time and focus – often more than any of us – or our children have.

One thing my own parents have always stressed to me is to back off on over-booking my kids’ time. In fact, the more activities I’d say my kids were up to – the more concerned my dad would be.

“Are you sure it’s her that wants to do all those things?” he asks. I’d have my daughter booked in all kinds of activates so really his comment doubled as a warning. He’s right – Father [always] knows best!

A GeekDad blog post pleads with parents to let kids have kid-hang-out-doing-nothing-time. That’s what my dad always stresses.

My son who is entering 10th grade this year – he’s sticking to tae kwon do – it’s the single outside of school commitment. My dad approves of that.

It creates a focus – he’s not flitting about town rushing to do the next thing – and neither am I.

Scholastic offers up “12 Warning Signs That Your Child May Be Overscheduled.”

Whether it’s you or your kid that is clamoring for more things to do beyond their schooling - how will you balance providing “opportunities” for your child to grow into well-rounded leaders?

How do you manage your child’s time - which also means managing yours too.

Will you let your kid say enough is enough? Or will you be the one to push the too-much-is-too-much brakes?

Pop prince Justin Bieber is in concert tonight at BankAtlantic Center, and I won't be there! Which is notable only because I have a 12 year old daughter --- who does not like Justin Bieber.

You read that right. We've been to several concerts together, she loves music, but has no interest in the Biebster.

Why would this chart-topper miss his mark with this small part of his target audience? I didn't quite get it, so I asked her what music she likes.

"I like the Beatles, U2 and Bruce." Who else? "Miley, Demi and Serena."

So you can see what's at work here: She likes the music her dad pumps into her head during their commute to school. And what Disney serves up on a continuous loop.

But what about the heartthrob factor? "I know of only one girl who likes him." Interesting.

Maybe it's because Erika still has puppy posters, but surely there's a pop star out there worthy of her bedroom wall. "Well, Zac Efron, but he doesn't count." (See, he's a movie star, not a pop star.)

I'm liking where this conversation is going. I'm appreciating her discerning taste. The fact that (Disney aside), the monster media hasn't gobbled her soul whole. That Justin Bieber doesn't have a hold on her.

But then there's this: "He has cool hair."

(Check out what my colleague Adam Eisenberg did with that 'do in our Justin Bieber photo gallery.)

Photo: Joshua C. Cruey, Orlando Sentinel

That’s the message former WCW female wrestler, Ann-Marie Rae, will convey to a group of youth at a free event Wednesday July 28.

Her presentation, geared primarily toward children entering middle school and older, will also feature some clips of her wrestling days.

Choosing sports as a way of being focused and active and working with local youth has long been a part of what defines Rae – before she became a professional wrestler, she worked at the North Lauderdale Boys & Girls Club and for Lauderhill Parks & Recreation.

Rae’s outline for children to build self-confidence: identify your strength and find a way to develop it. Envision your future. Forgive. Share your skills

It seems like sound advice– create an environment where one can grow to be well-rounded and confident. Sharing makes one’s world bigger. Forgiving allows us to move forward. And keeping an eye on what one wants to be with he or she grows up creates focus.

And it all takes a little of something Rae knows about – strength – of the mind kind.

For more information about her presentation call 954-943-3866.

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter.com/mindingyourbiz or join her on Facebook

So it's hard to find a restaurant that pleases everyone. That's why when we do go out, we want to make sure we know what we're doing and we don't want to waste our money.

To the rescue: Our family dining reviews.

A couple months ago us Moms & Dads bloggers started reviewing restaurants with our families in tow. The reviews run every Thursday in the Food section, and you can find them all online at SunSentinel.com/familydining.

The beauty of this is: We are not food snobs. We are just regular moms and dads trying to get our families fed without too much time, money or effort invested.

I got to review Bellini's Coal Fired Pizza in Fort Lauderdale (I'd like to go back to with my girlfriends.) Chris Tiedje and his small brood had a blast at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant in Dania. Jon Burstein checked out the funky Mellow Mushroom in Delray Beach. But we aren't ignoring the chains (because, aside from my husband, that's how most of us eat).

But we'd really like to hear from you. Where do you go with your family? Share your ideas. Maybe one of us will go back later for a closer look.

And if you're one of those people who takes photos of your restaurant food (yes, husband does that, too) share those, too. We took the photo above at a little Mexican place in the Redlands. Can't even remember the name of the place, but it's attached to a Valero gas station.

Upload your restaurant food photos at SunSentinel.com/dining.

Summer is a myth. All those "lazy days of summer" cliches. All those images of lounging in a beachside cottage. Falsehoods. Especially if you have kids. And double-especially if you work.

Getting kids up and dressed and packed with lunches for camp is just as trying as getting them ready for school. Organizing playdates, getting them to practices and games and volunteer jobs, catching up on doctors and dentist appointments -- it requires just as much coordination. And summer reading lists? Even more argument-producing than homework.

Somehow, things are even worse the older the kids get. They are more mobile, harder to keep track of. You'd think cell phones would help, but I've found that when there's a big Xbox tournament going on at someone's house, teenage boys don't answer calls from their mother. (My colleague Cindy Kent knows. She wrote about the gaming phenomenon earlier this week.)

I'm exhausted. Thank goodness for our support system. What would we do without Maria, Magali, Rick, Kenny, Georgie, Dennis, Chris, Ralph, Pamela, Denise and all the others who help me and my husband keep track of our kids and get them to where they need to be. Thanks everyone!

I hope every parent has a network of friends and family to help out. "It takes a village" is a cliche I believe in.

It's funny how some words and phrases vanish as fads while others manage to stick around for decades. "Cool" stuck around for generations. "Bad" is, of course, good. And if something's really good, it's really bad... like "wicked."

Most terms suffer a quicker and more merciful death. Remember when the latest dance move was considered "fresh"? I'll never forget the day I went to see The Running Man at the movies in 1987. As I left, I overhead two guys about my age saying the movie was "dope." It was a compliment. "Dope" certainly outlived its 15 minutes, but I'm not sure it outlived the 1990s.

Sometime in the mid-to-late 1990s, I started to hear "that's so gay." Seriously, it was that long ago. I can document it: the phrase was used in the 1999 movie "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" (a hilarious picture you should hide from your children at all costs).

I care about language, and I care about the damage words can inflict on civil discourse. Some people call me politically correct, to which I normally argue that they're half-right. It's not about politics. It's about standing up for what's right.

I don't know how many teens have exercised the self-discipline to refrain from using this demeaning expression. I cringe when I hear it uttered by those who are close to me. I found a handful of public service announcements that try to deal with the issue, that try to show people how rude and disrespectful they're being when they use the term. And while I find myself in agreement with the PSA's, I seriously doubt they will have much of an impact.

People just don't seem to care. "That's so stupid. That's so dumb. That's so retarded. That's so blonde. That's so gay." It's just words, right? So what if it slowly but surely embeds in the speakers a coarse indifference to those around us? So what if it validates disrespect to the point that anyone who complains about it must have a problem. Must be a sympathizer. Must be one of them, secretly.

Look, I can't speak for or at everyone else, take the case to the world and convert people toward a more respectful manner of speech. Some crusades are doomed to fail: you just have to start in your own household, maybe let the people around you know what you're doing, and hope respect catches on.

I hope our girls see from my example, and my wife's, that there's something inappropriate about "that's so gay." And I hope my son, still too young to know bigotry and hate, never has to deal with this particular contemptuous expression of banality.

For this expression to last another 10-15 years? Why, that would be so...

Does social media fit the gender – or does the gender find the social media?

Maybe online gaming isn’t so bad after all. I was resistant to the idea of my son playing games online when he first started earlier this year.

But then again I was resistant to him having a Facebook page and a cell phone!

Things have a way of working out. After maybe a month of Facebook – my son discontinued it. Facebook was too much work, he said.

His cell phone has become a tool – he doesn’t really over-use it. When he first started texting, there was a bit of an issue, but that’s "stale" now too.

His social media de jour is online games.

My son can team up with friends – or play against them. All the while – he can chat with them – not in 140 characters or less, or through long Facebook missives, but actual talking.

With his headset on - he and his friends can go into “party” chat or one on one conversation. They advise, taunt and challenge one another. But they also encourage each other – and even make plans to meet up in person.

In my opinion, it’s the teenage boys’ version of girls talking on the phone. What do you think?

Photo: jwestcoast via Flickr

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter.com @mindingyourbiz

Continue reading "Where the boys are" »

I still get a chuckle thinking about that great line in the Christmas Story movie – where the boy’s wish for a bb gun is insatiable.

He’s rebuffed with the comment: “You’ll shoot your eye out, Kid.”

It’s funny, but not really.

Just like fireworks – they’re awesome, but that doesn’t make them safe to be around.

July 4th isn’t the time to teach your kid how to light a match – torch a wick and throw it in the air – all in one smooth motion. In fact it’s downright dangerous – adults – professionals - have perished doing just that. (I’m still very cautious when I light the BBQ grill)

So remember safety first this July 4th – no matter your child’s age. Even picking up spent fireworks requires caution – make sure they are hosed down, or soak them in water, before touching if the kids are on clean-up duty to pick up the sparkler sticks and other small fireworks.

If you’re headed out for an evening of community fireworks (I don’t mean a homeowners association meeting, I really do mean the good old-fashioned fireworks) then there are still a few things to consider.

Some children hate the noise – it seems to truly hurt their ears. Be prepared to lay the blanket farther rather than closer to the source of the explosions. Another advantage to doing that is with some distance, you can avoid the raining debris fallout that some fireworks produce.

Check out KidHealth for lots of good no-nonsense common sense fireworks safety advice.

And check out our Crime & Safety blog on the topic.

photo credit: Sun Sentinel, Mark Randall

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter.com @mindingyourbiz

Summer can be a real page-turner. Even getting the kid to read can be a real adventure.

It’s that time of year, a field trip to shop for the dreaded Summer Reading list. That's the list of required reading his school requests from selected book titles.

It’s my favorite thing to do – go to a book store and buy books for my son’s summer reading list.

He has to come with us. That’s part of the fun – because frankly, he dreads it and then by the time we’re leaving the store – he’s a happy camper. He even thanks us! It’s that transformation from dreary task to enthused reader that is fun to witness.

We usually make an evening of it, and he ends up exploring the entire store.

It’s on our schedule of things to do this week.

What about you – did you already get the books required? Or do your create your own summer reading list for your child.

Do you tap into local resources like the library – or do you make it a shopping spree?

photo credit: Les Bryant/flickr Undercover Reader AKA Secret Readers Original Oil Painting on 11 x 14 Hand Streached Canvas

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter.com @mindingyourbiz

If I left it up to our cats to teach our son a thing or two…. he’d have a PhD in Sleeping, (see photo) before the summer is over.

It seems that when school’s out –sleeping is in: staying up until 3 a.m., and snoozing until noon the next day is my son’s idea of enjoying the summer.

Well – that’s just not going to happen – no lay-a-bouts here! And I’m inclined to nip it in the bud.

Yes, I’m going to let him have his late nights and sleep-in mornings.

Sometimes. We’ve told him, it’s the exception – not the rule.

He has to get out and ride his bike, do chores, keep up with martial arts and follow up on some volunteer stuff.

There is no doubt, hanging with friends is good – in fact, it’s important.

And they’re going to stay up late some nights and sleep in – which is fine, but not day in and day out – not on my watch.

I have to admit I am a little hard-pressed for an answer when he asks why he has to get up so early (8 a.m.-9 a.m.-ish.) After all – if I had the time, I might take advantage of a late night/ late morning myself–but only for a while.

Besides reminding him that as the parents we set the rules, I tell him I don’t want his schedule turning upside down – that it will be very difficult to get back on track for school.

I don’t think I’m too hard on him. He’s got more down time that planned time this summer – which is a first.

What are your kids up to this summer – are they over-booked? Hanging out? Or balancing their time with spurts of activities with nothing to do in between?

Photo credit: Cindy Kent/Houdini and Zoe demonstrate the art of chillaxing

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter.com @mindingyourbiz

Now that you have joined the ranks of momminess – you are the mother of a lot of ideas – aren’t you?

Well, Huggies thinks you are. The Kimberly-Clark brand is launching a grant program - Huggies MomInspired - to provide inventive moms with the seed capital they need to help transform viable ideas into successful new businesses.

After all, Huggies says moms are “often creative problem-solvers that typically embody natural entrepreneur characteristics on a daily basis.”

To be considered for a grant moms, 21 years or older, residing in the United States, must submit an application online, outlining a unique baby or child care product idea that addresses an unmet parenting need.

Winners will be awarded with up to $15,000 per grant to help fund their product ideas.
Hurry up, the deadline is June 9.

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter.com @mindingyourbiz

Mostly, you could say I was not nervous about the idea of high school... not as nervous as my parents were!

Many of my friends were either already at the high school I was going to go to, or were headed there for the first time along with me.

For me the biggest problem you could say is to stay on point until you get your work done. Then you can play!

A Brief Message to All Eighth Graders…

High school is a blast, and my freshman year has been fantastic, but the transition from junior high to high school can be difficult. Still, if I had been forewarned about certain aspects of school life, it would have been a smoother transition. Here are a few tips that I wish I had known as an incoming freshman.

First, do your homework right when you get home. (That means, listen to your parents!)

This might sound cheesy, but seriously don’t procrastinate; even if you have block scheduling, or your teacher allotted you multiple days to complete an assignment - do it at once. I have found this technique to be the most efficient in completing homework, sometimes I’ll forget or just slack off if I don’t live by this golden rule. I am not saying you cannot have a snack or something, just don’t start playing video games, etcetera.

Let’s see, another useful tip is to take all assignments seriously.

High school is where it really counts!

Depending on how well you do in high school will determine where you get your degree of higher education, if any. Colleges are very strict in terms of applicants accepted, thus you must perform to the best of your ability if you wish to get into your desired college - one’s degree of higher education is what qualifies them for their desired job.

Lastly, you all have probably already heard this, but I will reiterate it.

Teachers in high school are not as lenient as they are in junior high. If you have not learned to show some respect to your teachers yet, you better learn before the school year ends.

The teachers in a high school have trust that you will act mature on your own accord, and if you don’t - DETENTION!

Hope you will take my kid-to-kid advice into consideration.
- Thomas Kent

Thomas Kent, a student at South Broward High School, considers his first year as a high school student a success.

Would you let your child have- or go -to a sleep-over slumber party?

At what age do you consider your child too young or too old for sleep-overs?

What if your 15 year old child was invited to a co-ed sleepover? Yep, I mean the kind where boys and girls will sleep in the same house – would you let yours go?

A very unscientific survey I conducted at work resulted in a nearly 50/50 split of pros and cons; from a resounding “absolutely not,” to “it depends on who would be going,” and “I did let my son.”

On one hand, why would a group of just girls be more trustworthy than a bunch of just boys at a sleep-over? And if parents overseeing the group of snoozers are the issue – wouldn’t those concerns and trust in that parent (s) to handle any situation: to be there, be alert and be involved be the same regardless of the mix?

And on the other hand, for as long as time remembered, parents have been setting boundaries – so, it’s OK for parents to say “No,” as well.

When it comes to our kids, everything has risks--from curfews, to safety on the road and in the home; to whom your kid hangs out with; to where they spend their time.

There is one thing I do know – regardless if the kids are hanging at the mall, going to a party, the beach, or a sleep-over-- you have to have the conversation -with your child, with his or her friends and with the parents. Rules have to be clearly conveyed. Frankly, I’d be about as nervous, maybe more, with my kid at a beach party.

At this point, I am not dead set against the idea of a co-ed sleep-over – I know the kids that will be there. Really, I see more positives than negatives – but I’m still in the discovery phase.

The girls will sleep upstairs at an upcoming sleep-over to which my son was invited. The boys will sleep downstairs. The mom of the invitee will be there. I’ll be calling her soon so we can talk about it.

I’m still wondering too – how is she going to get comfortable sleeping on those steps!

Have you heard? There's something new on the digital front that we parents have to fear: Chat Roulette.

This is a social media site where people all over the world can chat with random anonymous other people using web cams. You don't choose who you chat with. Basically, you spin the dial, and up pops a stranger, sitting at their computer.

With any luck, that stranger in Berlin or Hong Kong or Sacramento is wearing clothes.

This is what Omar Gallaga, the tech reporter with the Austin American-Statesman in Texas, had to say about Chat Roulette on NPR:

"It's something I would definitely, definitely keep my kids from because you see a lot of male genitalia, you see a lot of just bad things, very disturbing things."

All-righty-then.

(Here's the interview.)

And then there's formspring.me. This is a sort of Facebook for cowards, where you can ask people questions anonymously or make comments. What is the point?

Monica Hesse, on the The Washington Post's Web Hostess chat, says, "I can see people using Formspring as a sort of mental weirdness check-up."

Great. Just what insecure teens need: Ask your classmates if you're weird, and just wait for the helpful anonymous input!

Here's more by Omar Gallaga on Chat Roulette. Click here.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

A campaign to urge drivers to stop texting and driving was recently launched.

You know how anxious your kids are to talk to - and text their friends, especially when they are about to meet up somewhere.

They want to get that last tidbit of information just as they are pulling out of the driveway, or zipping along the highway to get there.

But it can wait. Really.

Spring break is around the corner, so is prom night and graduation. Those and every occasion in between put young children and adults behind the wheel of a car.

Eager as they are about staying connected – even phone service providers are telling drivers to put the brakes on driving and excessive cell phone use.

AT&T launched a new campaign, Texting Can Wait for parents, high school educators and youth. emphasizing the risks of texting and driving to remind wireless consumers that text messages can - and should - wait until after driving.

The campaign features true stories and the text message that was sent or received before someone's life was altered, or even ended, because of texting and driving.

In addition, AT&T’s Facebook application, encourages friends to take the pledge to not text and drive.

Today is the great Dr. Seuss' birthday. And we should all celebrate his genius.

I grew up reading Seuss, of course. And when I cuddled with my little one and a good Seuss book, I couldn't help but recall hopping on my own pop. I almost can't wait to read Dr. Seuss to grandkids someday.

Check out the Dr. Seuss catalog here, and you will be astounded at the number of books Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote. That's a lot of rhyming.

"Left foot. Right foot. Feet. Feet. Feet." Now that's a great line from The Foot Book.

And for inspiring curiosity, from Oh the Thinks You Can Think: "There are so many thinks that at Thinker can think!"

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant." Talk about determination and loyalty. (From Horton Hatches an Egg)

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” That's a lesson: Reading and imagination can take you places (From I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!)

It's hard to choose a favorite book. As a kid I loved Horton. And who doesn't wish to be as bad as that Cat, and get away with it in the end. As an adult, I came to appreciate the counting and words lessons in books like Ten Apples Up on Top and Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

But I think I'll have to go with The Lorax. It's a story, not just a series of rhymes, that raises the level of the conversation. It opens kids eyes to consequences and responsibilities. And it's as relevant today as it was when it was written in 1971.

What's your favorite?

Check out this funny video of babies puckering up. It's comforting to note that parents of various cultures and ethnicities all get their kicks from watching their little sourpusses squirm.

No, it’s not his grades. He has over a 4.0 GPA. The Kid is a fantastic, kind and smart person, but he's not perfect.

It's not drugs --he lectures me on the dangers of even too much coffee. But, he has an addiction.

Call it by any other name - a fad, a trend, a phase. To me, his obsession with an online video game is an addiction.

So immersed in the game, he often opts out of playing with real-life friends; the ones who show up on his door step.

Instead, he would mike himself up and “play” with friends on-line. That is the kind of social networking I don’t want to see. I want to see social skills, in person, with live real people.

He says that his “friends” can stay up as late as they want on school nights. They have TV’s in their room. That is just too isolated and lacks structure for a person who gets up at 5 am for school.

Besides, long ago, I made the decision, no TV in a kid’s bedroom. I want to see what my kid is doing, what is he playing, and for how long. Plus, he learns to share - this is not a household were we duplicate the family electronics in every room. It's one family - so we have one TV.

When he isn’t playing the game, he ‘s “researching “ it on You Tube for more tips and tricks. That’s the wrong kind of research. I want to see school work reviewed, studied and researched with that much attention to detail.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for balance and down time. I don’t mind that he plays this particular game – I don’t mind the online interface either. Interestingly, not only does he stay in touch with his classmates- but he has reconnected with some of the kids that go to other schools. I trust him on this - it's not about who he is connecting with - it's the volume of time he is re-directing to online gaming.

I do mind the single focus, the tunnel vision, it creates. After many reminders to watch the time, do the homework do some chores and gentle reprimands to not ignore his real friends – or us - we had it out recently.

At one point, he was not allowed to play the game for a week. He needed some specific guidelines that have helped - somewhat - since.

Especially because I am not a strong disciplinarian - the guidelines we set, put the responsibility of his behaviors back on him: he must limit play to one hour a day. No day is a guarantee that he can play because homework, in-person friends and other activities are a priority. He has to use a timer.

What are the consequences? Right now, no play the next day if he goes over the time. If he plays the game in lieu of doing school assignments - I'll help him realign with his priorities by taking the game privilege away for an appropriate amount of time.

Stay involved with your kid’s life and don’t worry if they don’t like it - as my Mom always says, this isn't a popularity contest with your kid - you're not their friend, you're their parent.

That's a good thing for parents to remember no matter what generation - no matter what technology is out there: There is no “re-set button” in life. You’re the boss of the game.

Michael Cardona, a junior at South Tech Academy in Boynton Beach, won the statewide Act-Out for Health contest. Now, his billboard (above) promoting Florida KidCare, can be seen at Boynton Beach Boulevard and U.S. 441.

Florida KidCare is a state and federally supported health insurance program for children.

In addition to Michael's winning design, three Palm Beach County students were regional winners. Grant Grillo and Hailey Mears from Seminole Ridge Community High School Loxahatchee won in the commercial PSA category. Sebastian Specer, of South Tech Academy, was a regional winner in the billboard category.

South Tech graphic design instructor Mickey Schemer had his students research the KidCare program, then they learned how to make a billboard effective for a specific audience. "With that in mind, they worked hard to create a message and design that would capture people's attention," he said.

To view all of the winning billboards and television PSAs, click here.

Let’s face it with the economy the way it is right now landing a good job is not easy. Many, who run their own businesses, have seen traffic slow down. Finding a lead on a job opening can be tough.

But should parents see the moms and dads at their child’s school as prospective clients or leads, or should they limit their contact to school related matters only.

I can see how this can be touchy. For one, you don’t want to rub a parent the wrong way and make them feel like you only sparked conversation with them to share your unemployment woes.

But what’s so wrong with throwing out to another parent that you’re job hunting or looking for a sale of some sort?

Every day deals are made on the golf course. Should we add the kindergarten recital to that list?

One, as in one early Christmas gift.

Of course, I have to admit, it's actually a family tradition that the adults in my house started - so we don't really blame the kids for asking and begging to open an early Christmas gift.

Actually, the asking starts soon after Thanksgiving - and its kind of fun to torture the child.

"Maybe," is our single-worded answer until the day before Christmas when our answer changes to "possibly," and finally - "yes."

The choice is ours - we pick out the gift to get unwrapped early. That's also part of the fun.

Though no gift is a dud - sometimes we give what he'll perceive to be the "blandest" of the bunch (and serves as merely another fun parenting moment!)

Do you let kids open early Christmas gifts? Is there a tradition or purpose behind your Christmas Eve early unwrapping? To be honest, I couldn't come up with a good reason as to why we do either.

Merry Christmas!

For the first time EVER, my husband and I both have Christmas week off. I'm so excited. Typically, since he's a teacher, he holds down the fort while I work, and I squeeze in holiday prep when I can.

But next week will be awesome! I made dentist, orthodontist and doctor appointments for the kids. They both have school projects to work on. Have to finish gift shopping and mail the cards. Plus wrapping. Bake delicate Scandinavian goodies -- since the weather will be cool enough. Have to clean the house. Get a new air conditioning system installed (which means taking apart a closet and putting it back together again.) Take the car in.

Sounds a lot like work.

But, we've vowed to do something fun every day as a family -- nothing too extravagant. But something. Watch a movie. Go somewhere different for lunch. Take the dog to the bark park. Play a boardgame.

In my imagination, this is how families spend time together -- everybody is smiling and laughing and drinking warm apple cider, and the teen wants to play board games instead of Modern Warfare on his XBox.

Is this your reality? If you are lucky enough to have time off over the holiday break, tell me how you plan to carve out some family time. I need some ideas -- and a reality check.

In my concert-going prime, I saw everyone from Willie Nelson to Public Enemy, The Cure to Chick Corea. Even Wendy O Williams (true story...I cried it was so awful and scary). And there are a handful of artists I've seen more than once -- Springsteen, REM, U2 (several times).

Now, add to that multiples list: Miley Cyrus.

I really am having a hard time grasping this, what I've become. Not one Miley Cyrus concert, but two. And it gets worse.

This sounds like a bad Jeff Foxworthy joke, but, you know you're an indulgent mom when you let your daughter skip school to go to Orlando for a Hannah/Miley concert, which is what happened during the pop star's first tour. Remember the frenzy over those tickets? I actually didn't even try. But, my friend got four tickets and invited us along, and it was a one-time adventure, and we spent a day at Universal, and ...Oh, I don't know how I rationalized it at the time. It was nuts. In my house, we don't skip school for anything, not even a runny nose.

So I don't really understand what got into me when I ordered four tickets months ago for Miley's concert tonight in Miami. On a school night, no less.

And the thing is, Erika is not a crazy fan. She may be a pre-teen, but she's no teenybopper. Sure, she likes Miley, likes the TV show, has the CDs. But there are no posters on her wall. No stickers on her school folders. No Miley-brand clothes in her closet. Whether or not Miley is a good role model is sort of irrelevant in our house because, bless her heart, Erika is not much of a stargazer. She just likes the music.

I'm sure we'll have a good time tonight, with another friend and her daughter. We'll sing along and hold up our cell phones in the darkened arena.

But I draw the line at buying a t-shirt. No really...I mean it.

P.S. Here's the set list for tonight's concert.

If your baby, toddler or child of any age is crying - you want to know why, right?

For instance, if your car were acting up, you might look under the hood before taking the vehicle to the mechanic. If your computer suddenly froze up - you're likely to push a few buttons or scoot the mouse around the pad.

So if your infant or baby is all red-faced, teary-eyed, fit-to-be-tied-bawling-his-or-her-eyes-out -- get over it - by checking it out the old-fashioned way: touch, hold, cuddle, sooth, coo, hug and in general assess the situation of said tiny being.

But wait, forget all that - don't trouble yourself - here's an App for that. I'm sorry to be the one to break the news to you.

The Cry Translator, according to promotional verbiage is, "an easy to use iPhone app that quickly identifies the five distinct cries made by infants: hungry, sleepy,annoyed, stressed or bored. These five cries are universal to all babies regardless of culture or language."

Wow. I'm speechless. Don't get me wrong - there are a few apps I am a huge fan of - Paper Toss is my fav.

But just imagine, you hear the child cry and you approach gingerly. Finally, thinks baby, I'll get some food or be held [insert other need/want here]. Instead, Baby sees tiny microphone held to face area. The outstretched arm is merely a tease. Baby increases wailing.

How will the app translate that?

Well, once is does, there are some suggestions on how to care for the child - which means while the Baby continues to cry, you begin reading a paragraph or two on what to do next.

Frankly, you really need to just put down your gadgets and pick up the child. It's called communication. What ever happened to consulting with the co-parent; Neighbors, people at work, on play dates in the park, grandparents, etc?

A 16-second Saturday Night Live skit says it all. Gosh.

Please, if you have this app - don't tell me. It'll make me want to cry.

The Pride Center at Equality Park, along with other supportive agencies, is seeking to open up an exchange of ideas and solutions to help the community understand the needs and social circumstances of gay, lesbian and transgendered youth in Broward County.

So, this Friday, the GLCC Pride Center is hosting a conference from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.at their new location: 2040 N. Dixie Highway, in Wilton Manors.

Co-hosts include SunServe, the YMCA of Broward County, Safe Schools South Florida and Equality Florida. “Trapped in the Margins: Challenges of Meeting the Needs of Broward’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth,” will highlight issues and challenges; provide information and create dialog as a way to assist our GLBT youth.

Medical and clinical professionals, elected officials, youth service providers, business owners[ legal and protective service professionals and the general public will present case studies and speeches.

For more information about the symposium call 954-463-9005. To learn more about The GLCC Pride Center and their programs visit www.glccsf.org

One recent vacation meant spending time without The Kid.

It was nice, I won't lie. But I missed him. I won't lie about that either.

I can survive without my children around (but only for a while). Still, we had adult time for days in a row. And over the summer, he had a vacation without us. And he's already participated in overnight school field trips.

And frankly, I'm the clingy one - every once in a while, I check the blog Free-Range Kids, to help me become more of a free-range mom, to be honest!

We were only a phone call away and he could have called us everyday. We called him a few times to chat. We sent postcards too.

The Kid truly has developed a confidence about his independence - or maybe it's me that is growing. I never took time away from his older brother or sister. And I didn't let them out of my sights.

But I think it is a healthy and normal part of growing up. I spent time away from my family as a kid. A summer camp here, visiting grandma there - overnight sleepovers at friends. IAnd many Saturdays, I even walked from my house to a major mall, as a kid.

Still, there were great things about our vacation: Back at home, The Kid made his school lunch everyday, did his homework, took out the trash, fed the pets and did the dishes. And not once did the adult staying with him have to ask him to do any of that.

I think giving children day to day responsibilities and having expectations about how those are carried out help to build a foundation for when they really are on their own.

But then, there's always coming home. That's nice, wonderful, actually, and I won't lie about that either!

Recently, an old friend posted something on Facebook asking for advice. Her son was turning 13, and she wasn't sure what to expect.

All the helpful comments were about communication. Particularly, about how this was an age when boys clam up. Information is on a one-way highway right through those adolescent ears. Blah blah blah.

Now that my own son is almost 15 and a freshman in high school, I've had to devise ways other than actual talking to seek information. And I still feel extremely uninformed. So if you have ideas, please share.

First, employ a spy. A younger sister can be effective, if she's paying attention and willing to divulge. But you can't abuse the relationship. Mostly, I've gotten tidbits he would find simply embarrassing. Nothing truly valuable. Like the time some girls yelled across a playground that they thought he was "hot." Whatever.

Second, the surreptitious backpack search. I was one of those parents who kept all the little reports from daycare about diaper changes. I diligently went through the backpack every single day through elementary school. I read all the school and PTA newsletters. I talked to or emailed teachers. I was informed. Now, I know nothing. It was weeks after the fact that I learned that school pictures had already been taken and the deadline for buying pictures long past. Somehow, hmmm, the form had vanished. So when I have a moment alone in the house, and the backpack just happens to be sitting out, well....I'm not above a little search. Mostly, I've found crumbs and empty bags of chips. Sometimes, the lack of evidence is very comforting.

Electronic surveillance. This one is tricky, because you can be caught. If you read his text messages, he'll know. My colleague Brittany Wallman mulled this option recently when her son's cell phone was taken away from him in school. My feeling: She had a perfect excuse to invade her son's privacy as part of his "punishment." But you can check your phone bill online to determine exactly what time of day your child is sending and receiving texts. My son still hasn't figured out how I knew those girls were texting him at 2 in the morning!

Online grade books. This is the club hanging over his head. If his grade falls below my comfort level, I get an email. And he knows that if a grade falls, his computer privileges will be severely restricted.

Facebook. He does not want to be my friend. And I can kinda understand that. I don't like it, but he hasn't given me a reason to go to battle over it. But...he's friends with his 20something cousins -- they'll be on the watch. And, I am friends with one of his friends, so sometimes I get a little glimpse into his world. Lemme tell you, it's pretty lame.

The school website. My son's school posts the daily announcements, and they are a gold mine of information about clubs he doesn't want to join and tryouts he doesn't want to go to. At least it gives me something to talk to him about. Not that he's listening.

Michael Brewer lies in excruciating pain at Jackson Memorial with second- and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. He is 15.

Five other boys have been arrested for dousing him with rubbing alcohol and setting him on fire. Four are 15, one is a 13-year-old sibling.

And now we condemn – the boys, the parents and the culture that bred such heinous behavior. Where were the parents? Why are 15-year-olds in seventh grade? The bully – how did he get that way? There are so many troubling questions about this horrible situation, it’s almost paralyzing.

A lot has been written about the “boy crisis” in America, as well as the inevitable “myth of the boy crisis.” But I don’t know if this incident should be reduced to an academic discussion.

My only real question is: Where are the safety nets? Where are the after-school programs for kids with a variety of interests? Sure, there are sports – but only for those kids who are superior athletes. What about the vast majority of kids? What’s out there for them? I’m really curious …if you know, please comment.

The Broward schools have an aggressive anti-bullying agenda . Do these programs work? Are there other intervention programs that actually succeed?

And what’s out there for parents who may be struggling under the responsibility, who maybe don’t know how to deal with boys in crisis, how to teach right from wrong. What’s out there for them?

At a time when budgets are being cut across the board, when advocacy groups are struggling, this should be a wake-up call that as a community, we have a grave responsibility to address some of these questions.

What’s your suggestion?

Like so many other things parents have to contend with these days, Halloween has become complicated.

There are safety concerns (predators lurk everywhere!), health and nutrition issues (we're in an obesity epidemic, after all!), and all sorts of landmines around costumes (hoochie mama witches, anyone?).

Just another thing for a beleaguered parent to sweat over. This week we're posing these questions and more in our First Annual (and perhaps only) Burning Issues Great Halloween Debate.

Follow this link to our first question: Is it OK to take your kids to the "good neighborhood" with all the best candy?

Discuss!

Photos.com

Much has been made lately about kids getting themselves from one place to another by themselves. There's the mom who let her 9-year-old ride the New York subway alone. That set of a fire-storm last spring. Lenore Skenazy, the mom, has become something of a stop-the-madness voice for children and families who don't want to live in fear all the time. Her blog is called Free-Range Kids -- "Give our kids the freedom we had without going nuts with worry."

The New York Times followed up with a story on Sunday about how parents struggle with letting their kids walk to school. One mom in the story relates how a neighbor DROVE her 7-year-old child home, five houses away. That's just crazy, and lazy.

My kids started walking to their friends' house down the street at a young age. I'd stand in the driveway and watch them go. Then retrieve them later (I didn't DRIVE!). Eventually, they were doing it on their own. There were lessons learned along the way: "No, you cannot walk around the block." "No, it's too dark." In time, the rules loosen, the parameters grow.

We live close enough to stores and restaurants that the next step was inevitable. This summer my son would hop on his bike with friends to grab some lunch somewhere. They'd walk to Blockbuster to pick up a video. Once he called me in a panic before a trip that he needed socks. I told him to ride his bike to the store and buy some.

Next will be driving. And college. And, hopefully, studying abroad. All of the little steps along the way have been preparing them for that.

So yes, whenever possible, parents should let their kids walk down the street and to school and beyond. What do you think? Are you a free-range parent?

Photo: Forum Publishing Group

I know. I know!

You're young and brash. You're witty. You make good grades. You're a little bit bad. You make your friends laugh. You're the master of all that is known and unknown.

But you're also only 14 years old - give or take a few years.

This is for certain - once you click SEND or hit that ENTER button, just like saying something out loud, you can't "take it back."

It could be worse - your missives are out there on the Internet for all the world to see - for a long time. Those here-and-now communications via photos, blogs, text messages and MySpace/FaceBook could come back to haunt. That includes inappropriate or illegal downloads.

People you have yet to meet might even run into your digital antics along that information highway- like a future employer for example. But it's often, and unfortunately - a hard concept for kids - and many adults - to process.

That's why AT&T and iKeepSafe partnered to create a series of online safety education tools and projects, in conjunction with American School Counselor Association, to teach students how to protect their privacy and reputation online.

Parents should check out the MySpace tutorial. And if you do nothing else, listen and watch- with your child of any age-to first hand stories of students victimized by Cyber-bullies.

Your awareness needs to equal or exceed your child's level of social networking activity.

Together, parents and young kids can watch a Faux Paw cartoon adventure on illegal downloads. But supplement that with some real conversation.

AT&T's Stay safe. Stay connected, suite of resources provides tips for home phone, television and wireless safety tips and well as links to other resources.

Because, before tapping or clicking that send button - kids need to think about their future, their reputation, they could be deleting.

Broward County: Flamingo Gardens & Wildlife Sanctuary, one of Broward County's gems, will have FREE admission for grandparents on Sunday. And half-price admission is $8.50 for ages 12 and up, $4.25 ages 4 to 11, free for tots younger than 4. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Come dressed in your favorite "decade" look and play "name that tune" to music from the '30s '40s '50s and '60s from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grandchildren can color a free Happy Grandparents Day card, and everyone can get together to play the "name that decade game" with prizes.

Admission includes the event, the gardens and wildlife exhibits, and guided tours of historic 1930s Wray Home. A narrated 20-minute tour by tram is extra. Food, snacks, and beverages are available. Parking is free.

Flamingo Gardens & Wildlife Sanctuary is at 3750 S Flamingo Road, Davie; 954-473-2955, flamingogardens.org.

Palm Beach County: The Flagler Museum celebrates Grandparents Day with special activities in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion: create a family tree, create a scrapbook page; be interviewed by your grandchild; write a postcard to send to your family; have a family photo taken in front of Henry Flagler's Railcar No. 91. Plus, tour Whitehall with an activity guide for grandkids.

Whitehall was completed in 1902 for railroad magnate Henry Flagler. Today, it's a National Historic Landmark.

The Museum is at Cocoanut Row and Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Sunday hours are noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $8 for youth ages 13-18, $3 for children ages 6-12, and children under 6 are free. Info: 561-655-2833, flaglermuseum.us.

Miami-Dade County: Miami Children's Museum is having a 6th anniversary family carnival, with rides, games and exhibits. The museum's newest traveling exhibit is "Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog." And there's a special Grandparents Corner with activities, a Little Masters Area that features Miami area artists, and a Circus Acts area. Hours are 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $50 for adults, $35 for children (1 to 12 years old). For more info, call the hotline at 305-373-5437, ext. 156. Or http://miamichildrensmuseum.org/

Photo: Forum Publishing Group/Beth Black

Let's talk about Obama's speech to schoolchildren today.

First, I have to get this off my chest. There is no way I would pull my child out of school to avoid a 20 minute speech by the president -- any president. But if a parent wants to keep the kids at home, that's their right.

Parents send their kids to school with a lot of faith that they will be safe and that they will be educated. We entrust our precious babies to strangers who, in the best of situations, become our allies. Between the first and the last bell, a lot happens that parents can't control -- and I know that drives some parents crazy. I've met them.

Here's my question: Can one speech change a child's outlook either way? Or is a family's influence stronger? At what point does a child begin to see the world in their own way? Third grade? 7th grade? Senior year?

My siblings and I think differently from our parents, politically, though we share many many values. But my sibs' grown children tend to think like their own parents. Why is that?

I have no idea whether my kids will be watching Obama's speech today. Either way is fine with me. If their teachers feel they have the time to spare and can turn the speech into a healthy discussion, great. If they have other curriculum to teach, even better.

Today, my daughter's more concerned with finding a good science fair project and a big math test later this week. My son has benchmark testing. This curiculum is far more important to me than a presidential speech.

When I was a kid, I heard about presidents. We read about presidents. We saw them on the news. Some presidents were republican, some democrat.

We had civics lessons, learned about the value of voting and learned about the value of, well, people having different values!

But one value is important to most parents regardless of politics – and that is getting an education.

Next Tuesday at noon on C-SPAN and broadcast through the White House Web site, President Obama will give a speech telling children that succeeding in school is important. He'll stress they are responsible for taking an active role in their learning and education.

Oddly, some parents are opposed to having their children watch/listen to Obama’s talk.

I wonder, do those same parents cut out the portions of or hide pages of the newspapers and magazines on which Obama’s name or image appear?

Do they change the channel or turn off the radio or television when news mentioning the president of the United States is mentioned? Censorship sure takes a lot of energy, time and focus.

Getting good grades, working hard at learning and being a responsible school student also takes a lot of time and focus, and isn’t anyone party’s political agenda.

First Lady Nancy Reagan promoted the “Just Say No to Drugs” program. I think she was addressing both republicans and democrats, and everyone in between.

Visit the Dept. of Education to read about Obama’s upcoming speech.

Some parents say this is brainwashing – but if that includes inspiring, instilling and reinforcing being a good, responsible student-- then brainwash away.

Teachers, grandparents, anyone who appreciates folk tales -- this one's for you.

Follow this link to Tell Me a Story -- folk tales from around the world -- brought to you by the Sun-Sentinel's wonderful Newspapers in Education program.

For years the Sun-Sentinel ran this feature in print. But you can still find it online, complete with the beautiful illustrations.

Over the years, I heard from a lot of grandparents who sent this feature to their grandkids up north.

And many many teachers, who used this weekly feature in their classrooms. Elementary teachers use it to teach about cultures and fables. Young kids really like how each story has a problem or obstacle that is overcome. Teachers of older students use it in English or Literature classes. And teachers of English as a Second Language use it because the language is simple and many of the stories are familiar to people from a variety of cultures.

A new story is posted every week. This week, it's the Greek myth about Scylla and Charybdis, when Odysseus (or Ulysses) finds himself "between a rock and hard place."

Amy Friedman is the nationally syndicated writer who adapts the stories; Jillian Gilliland's beautiful illustrations accompany each story.

Go to Sun-Sentinel.com/nie for this and other helpful teaching tools. Or find it at Sun-Sentinel.com/features/your-kids. We'll post a new story every Monday.

This deal is too good to pass up: Free admission Thursday and Friday (Aug. 27-28) for kids 12 and younger at the Museum of Discovery and Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

This is your chance to see "Robots: An Interactive Exhibition" before its last day, Sept. 7.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., so head over after school. Or take your littlest ones earlier in the day. There will be a special demonstration between 10 a.m. and noon.

The "Robots" exhibit is based on the movie of the same name. There are more than 15 interactive displays. Kids can build their own Wonderbot or take ride the Crosstown Express.

MODS is at 401 SW Second St. in Fort Lauderdale.

Photo: Museum of Discovery and Science, courtesy

There I stood, in the courtyard outside my son's PreK class, sobbing. He was fine inside the classroom. He'd been a full-time daycare baby since he was 3-months-old, so it's not like I wasn't used to saying goodbye to him every morning.

But I was a mess. It was hot and I was sweaty. And to top it all off, I was holding my 5-month old, whose diaper had exploded in a dramatic, vivid way -- all the way up her back.

Yet I stood there, tears and sweat streaming. Pathetic.

Three years later, I sent my baby girl off to the same PreK fate. And, because she's a victim of second child syndrome, I don't really recall any drama.

Good thing I snapped this picture. And I've been snapping ever since.

This year is a big one. He starts high school, she starts middle school. I will take a picture and try to coax a smile out of them.

I suspect there will be a few tears (mine). But I guarantee: no exploding diapers.

To share your first day of school photos, go to SunSentinel.com/firstday.

Lots -- and lots -- of books cross my desk. But this one really caught my eye:

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School.

Bingo! My daughter Erika is starting sixth grade. That's a big enough deal. But she's also going to a school with absolutely nobody she knows. (Except her dad, who teaches there.)

Sixth grade. Big school. No friends. Ugh.

As I flip through this handy guide, I see all kinds of useful advice: "How to Play It Cool When You Don't Know the Answer." "How to Survive a Massive Mess-Up." "How to Survive Mean Girls." "How to Survive a Crush Without Getting Crushed."

I really wish I had had this book back when I was that age. Maybe I would have known how to actually, you know, talk to boys. Maybe I could have avoided that haircut (there's a chapter in the book). Maybe...sigh. It's too painful to even think about middle school.

So I give the book to Erika with instructions to mark up the parts that are particularly handy. She flips through it. Gives it a good look. And yawns.

Anything helpful? "No," she says. "It's all so obvious."

Uh-oh. The girl must be deluded. Have I sheltered her? Have I not given her the skills she needs to find her way through the trecherous hallways of .... middle school?

Or maybe, just maybe, she's .... confident. She's always had a pretty thick skin -- a byproduct of having an older brother.

But I'm going to keep the book handy in case she ever has a crisis of confidence. Or in case, you know, she needs my advice.

The "family reunion" has become an industry unto itself. There are websites, magazines and books. You can buy invitations and t-shirts and save-the-date magnets. You can create playlists and themes. We didn't do that. We're just not that kind of family.

But our vacation qualified as a family reunion because we drew 23 people from seven states -- four gerations from my 84 year old dad to the nearly 2 year old great granddaughter (we were missing seven). We were spread over three cabins for four nights in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The last time we all gathered in this particular location, Papa spent a great deal of time in the pool with a bunch of kids younger than 10. This time, those same kids are all in their 20s, and Papa isn't as agile as he was then. There have been marriages and babies and college degrees and global travels along the way.

When we gather like this every couple years -- the last time for my niece's wedding -- the dynamics change. But we've learned a lot along the way, especially about keeping the peace. Here's what works for us -- what works for you?

1. Don't over plan. The only activity we do as a group is dinner. Trying to get that many people to agree on anything is fraught with peril. So during the day, we go our own ways to the sights or to nap. As it turned out, small groups would form for a particular adventure -- caving one day, horseback riding another. So we all spent a little bit of time with everyone else.

2. Share dinner responsibilities. It's too expensive to eat out all the time. And nobody wants to get stuck with all the dinner planning. So we assign nights to family groups -- from the shopping and cooking to cleanup. Over happy hour, we share our adventures from the day. We play a few games -- dominoes or bocci ball. The kids kick a soccer ball around. It's a nice way to unwind.

3. A campfire is a essential. And not just for the 'smores. This is when the family stories are passed down, when the far-flung cousins rebuild their bonds, when the younger generations get initiated into broader family dynamics. The last campfire is always the best -- by then our guards are down and the laughs are loudest.

4. Humor Grandma. If Grandma says we're going to the cowboy dinner and sing-along, by gosh, we're going. And we're going to enjoy it. And don't be late. Just do it. And if Grandma wants to play word games and give out prizes, so be it. It's the least we can do to play along...and wouldn't you know, it's fun.

5. Realize families change. Every reunion, there's a newbie who gets a little gentle hazing. This time, my nephew brought his girlfriend. That Emily...she held up pretty well! When my husband was the newcomer, he got stuck babysitting some rambunctious tots who tortured him with dog piles and pillow fights. Now, 20 years later, he's offering advice to those same kids about how to tolerate all the family togetherness when they'd rather go into town. And yes, 20somethings will sneak away to the liquor store. When they were little, all they needed was a swimming pool to keep them happy. Things change.

Today is National S'mores Day. Hip-hip-hooray! Put another log on the fire...

S'mores are, and I'm not exaggerating (much), critical to a happy childhood. Think about it. S'mores signify togetherness, warmth, overindulgence. Any child who doesn't get to sit around a fire at least once with family and friends eating s'mores, singing campfire songs and telling ghost stories is...is....missing something special. (And those microwave versions -- completely missing the point.)

This summer, I was priveleged to participate in a campfire where I encountered THREE s'mores innovations.

First, instead of the traditional chocolate, there was the Cookies N' Cream candy bar option. Maybe I have a limited imagination, but it had never occured to me that you could use a different kind of candy bar. What's next, flavored marshmallows?

Second, credit goes to my daughter Erika for sticking a small piece of chocolate INSIDE the marshmallow before roasting so it got all melty. Very clever.

But the most important revelation: The very handy Rolla-Roasters that Cousin Becky brought from Colorado. These extendable roasting forks have a knob on the handle that you can turn as the marshmallow roasts. I'm telling you, they produce the puffiest, goldenest marshmallows ever. She got hers at REI, the very popular outdoors store.

This is not a great time of year in South Florida for a campfire. So on this day, National S'mores Day, let's vow to haul out the backyard fire pit in four or five months. Grab the marshamallows, chocolate and graham crackers, and make some memories.

The Schoolhouse Children's Museum and Learning Center in Boynton Beach opens its doors for its monthly Free Family Night tonight.

Your kids can explore the museum's intereactive exhibits while learning about Florida's past. There's a 15 foot replica of the Jupiter Lighthouse, a Family Farms exhibit to play in, child-sized replicas of neighborhood businesses. They can even deliver mail with the Barefoot Mailman. Also, kids can learn about "How Money Works."

Family hours are 5 to 8 p.m. at the museum, 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Call 561- 742-6780 or go to schoolhousemuseum.org for more information.

My daughter cooked dinner for us last night.

She and her little brother spent the day getting the meal ready. When we came home from work, all that was left for us to do was to sit down and eat.

We talked about all kinds of things around the dinner table: music, jobs, shopping, getting married one day.

Only, this time, though she's my baby daughter – she’s not a little girl any more.

Our gourmet meal consisted of artichoke-leek soup for starters. Turkey Milanese on a bed of arugula mixed greens followed. Homemade cupcakes added the final touch.

She’s getting married in December. We planned a shopping trip for this weekend. She works – sometimes two or three jobs at the same time – and she’s getting her master’s degree.

She’s one busy gal – I’m thankful I took the time I did to spend it with her – we had mother/daughter slumber parties. We spend hours at bookstores, parks and playing in the yard. We camped once or twice (she wasn’t impressed.) Together, we got our ears pierced.

But as we laughed and smiled about all the stuff we’ve done – and the crazy few months ahead before her wedding, I began to wonder, silently to myself, of course – where did she get her incredible cooking skills? Must have been the Easy Bake Oven way back when. Who knew!

This field trip sounds irresistible. The Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Davie invites kids 6 to 13 to learn all about making chocolate -- from cacao bean to candy bar. They will also get to create their own chocolate treats. Yum!

But act fast -- spots are limited. Schakolad is now taking reservations for Aug. 18 field trips. When the morning one fills up, they may open registration for an afternoon session. The price is $9.50 per child. Call 954-472-6155 to reserve.

And every day through the end of August, they offer one of their specialities for just a dollar. Mondays: 12 ounce latte. Tuesdays: two chocolate dipped pretzels. Wednesday: chocolate dipped strawberry. Thursday: one scoop of ice cream. Friday: chocolate flat rose lollipop.

The Schakolad Chocolate Factory is at 7740 SW Nova Drive in Davie.

Courtesy photo

ForbesWoman just released it first examination of the “Best Cities For Working Mothers.” Why am I not surprised that Miami/Fort Lauderdale came in at No. 43 out of 50? New York (New York!) topped the list.

It's so easy to explain away the results -- we are transient, a party city, lots of retirees, lots of immigrants with families back home. "This list fairly reflects how the rest of the country views Miami," said ForbesWoman writer Heidi Brown, who edited the list.

What? We're not family friendly? Maybe so. Although most of the families I know are friendly enough.

To come up with the list, ForbesWoman ranked 50 of the largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (that's Miami/Fort Lauderdale) by categories: earnings, unemployment, cost of living, violent and property crimes, healthcare, per-capita expenditure per pupil, the number of daycare and preschools, and park acreage. They used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dartmouth Atlas and other reliable sources.

Surprisingly, Miami/Fort Lauderdale ranked No. 3 in the child care category. But keep in mind that quantity, not quality was evaluated. Brown said that in the population area of 2.4 million, we have 709 daycare centers. That doesn't sound like a lot to me. "Perhaps this shows how dismal daycare is around the country," she said.

Another surprise was our low rank in parks: No. 48. Really? In the sun and fun capital? (Jacksonville ranked No. 1.) This data came from the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, as well as the various cities. Come to think of it, I know that recreational sports teams are always competing for limited practice space throughout Fort Lauderdale.

Other notable rankings: No. 12 in the number of pediatricians, No. 20. in school quality and No. 20 in per pupil spending. Not bad.

But there's women's income: No. 43. Cost of living: 43. Violent crime: 48. Property crime: 49. Ouch.

Making matters worse, Miami/Fort Lauderdale is actually the highest ranking Florida city. Jacksonville is 44 overall, Tampa, 46, and Orlando is 49. Las Vegas is No. 50.

"Maybe this is a wakeup call to city leaders," Brown said. I couldn't agree more.

Looking for some free fun? Try a scavenger hunt -- a photo scavenger hunt.

We did and had a blast. And by "we" I mean the Sun-Sentinel, with an assist from some very enthusiastic helpers -- my daughter Erika and her pals Sofia and Kendra. They gave our scavenger hunt a trial run to make sure it was kid friendly, and fun. Go here to print out a copy of our scavenger hunt.

Give our Fort Lauderdale hunt a try, or make one up on your own. (If you do, we'd love to hear about it.)

Here's what we did: Reporter Liz Doup created a list of 10 spots to look for around Fort Lauderdale's Riverfront. She added a little history and fun facts to each. With the list in hand, Liz and the girls hit the road. The fun of it was not only looking for each spot, but taking pictures. They brought along a prop for some creative picture-taking.

You could make a day of it. Explore the area. Bring a picnic lunch. Stop for ice cream. Or while you're there, visit the Museum of Discovery and Science. This is something you can do anytime the kids start to get a little antsy.

Then, upload your photos to our ever-growing photo gallery. Check it out. We've got pictures of beach balls and Marlins caps, families and friends. Show us your shots!

Photo: Sofia, Erika and Kendra relax on the porch of the King-Cromartie House, built in 1907. That's old for South Florida!

Yep - the Kid has been traveling for almost two weeks.

He's with relatives. They're traipsing through several states.

Adventures include cabin dwelling, fishing, visiting a farm, visiting small towns, visiting big towns, river floating. There have been deer and bat sightings.

There is more on their agenda, before they get back to their starting point.

Each day The Kid calls to check in. We call him too, but not as often. We don't want to cling.

But I did finally catch a "I'm homesick" tone in the most recent conversation.

I was going to ignore it, but then I just out and out asked if he was feeling a bit homesick.

"Yes," he said.
It was total relief. I could hear that in his voice too!

I said we missed him too and that we were really looking forward to his coming home. I told him that we were also very happy he was having these experiences.

Though I am keeping a positive upbeat conversation, I have to admit, I'm going to smother him in kisses when he gets home.

I'm glad he's there, but I kind of wish he was here.

I have really matured in the past year.

Last summer, I sent my 13-year-old and his buddy cross-country on a plane all by themselves. We worked diligently with the other parents to find a flight that didn't require changing planes. We paid the extra fees for flying as unaccompanied minors. We got them official picture IDs from the police department. We had lists of phone numbers stashed in their bags. Phone calls flew back and forth between all the parents and both boys when they had a layover in Austin. My sister took time off from work to be at the gate in plenty of time to pick them up in San Francisco. (Then she had a flat tire on the Bay Bridge, but that's another story.)

This summer, my son is flying alone. He has to change planes twice. I figure he can pass for 15 so we didn't have to pay the exorbitant unaccompanied minor fair. Since the rest of us will have already left, I'm not entirely sure how he's going to get to the airport in Fort Lauderdale. In fact, I'm not entirely sure how he's getting back from the out-of-town baseball tournament he'll be playing in. (We do have a great network of friends and neighbors to help.) When we pick him up on the other end, we have to time it just right so our seven-hour car ride across South Dakota ends just when his plane touches down in Rapid City. Piece of cake.

What could possibly go wrong?

Ok...as I typed those words. I shuddered. Is it getting hot in here? Why am I breaking out in a sweat?

But here's the deal. When I was 15, I flew to Hong Kong by myself. Alec has a good head on his shoulders. He's observant. He's responsible. He's...mature.

Right?

What do you think?

PHOTO: Associated Press/Frank Augstein

Where are you at lunchtime? If you are anything like me, you are sitting at your desk, dropping crumbs into your keyboard, answering phone calls between bites.

We are not alone. Working Mother magazine surveyed its Smart Mom Council and found that 78 percent do take time for lunch....but the majority of us are either eating at our desks or running errands. Some break. We take no time for ourselves to maybe grab a bite with co-workers or spend some quiet time reading with our salad.

This is our problem, working moms. Or is it our strength? We do what we have to do to make it all work.

For years, I told myself that if I take a real lunch break, it just means I'll work later and miss time with my kids in the evening. I was not about to miss bath time or story time for work. Sacrificing a quiet lunch was worth it.

But now as the kids are getting older, they are busier with their own lives and friends. They don't need me in the same way. And I'm beginning to find that I do have a little more time for myself....This week, I've got two lunches scheduled with friends! And I doubt my kids will suffer for it.