The Motherhood

Summer Paint Projects: Olympic ONE Has You Covered

August 10, 2011 by The Motherhood

On August 10, 2011, celebrity DIY guru Eric Stromer – HGTV host and father of three – joined a crowd of women on TheMotherhood to share some of his best tried-and-true DIY painting tips via live video feed.

Read on for his advice!

Eric Stromer’s Paint Prep Tips

“With any DIY project, prep work is key!” said Eric, adding that although it may take you a few extra minutes, it will ultimately save you time in the end.

Prior to starting a painting project, put blue or green painter’s tape around windows and doorframes, or where walls and ceilings meet. This will create nice clean lines, and the tape is designed to come off easily.

Eric also suggested moving furnishings and collectibles to the center of the room and covering them with plastic. This will protect your valuables from splashing or drips.

But before you even think about painting, Eric said to “find your own sense of design” – rather than decorating your house based on what’s trendy or what’s in the magazines, figure out what you love and go from there.

Added Deborah, “Paint is the easiest and most cost effective way to change a room. Choose colors that you love–not just because it *goes*, you know? Recently I’ve been lightening our home–from stuff and from darker colors. I love it and the artwork just shines.”

Eric Stromer’s Painting Tips

According to Eric, if you make a mistake like splattering paint on the windows or getting the wrong color on the wall, wait until it dries. Then you can easily scrape the paint off the window with a straight-edged razor blade or paint over the wall in the correct color.

“BUT be sure to clean up wet paint off your floors ASAP with water!” noted Kayla S.

Eric also recommends lightly sanding all glossy surfaces before painting to help the paint stick much better. And when he advised that painters should “hold your paintbrush like a pencil for more accuracy when cutting a line,” it resonated with a number of moms.

“I have learned something already!” said Jen, The Suburban Mom.

And another popular tip from Eric described the best way to clean paint brushes and rollers – using a wire brush to comb out the paint.

“Loving this so far! I never knew about the wire brush thing … cleaning is always the part that annoys me most,” said Jennifer, Jen Spends.

“Yes, seriously, I will be trying the wire brush for cleaning!” added Janel, A Mom’s Take.

Olympic ONE Paint

“Not only is prep work important, but I’m always stressing the importance of using quality products,” Eric noted. “However, quality doesn’t always mean products have to cost more.”

Olympic ONE Paint is formulated to give you a complete DIY solution with extreme hide and stain and scrub resistance and starts at $24 – a great value for budget-conscious consumers.

The scrub-resistance of Olympic ONE is “perfect for a playroom!!!” said Jen, The Suburban Mom, and Jennifer at Mom Spotted laughed, “This is a great feature for my kitchen!”

In addition, Olympic ONE is a paint and primer, all in one can, which can save both time and money. “I love the fact that ONE has primer in it…I have wasted so much time priming over the years,” said Jennifer, Jen Spends.

Olympic also has a great ColorClix tool (and it’s FREE!) to help you color match.

Enter to win $10,000 on Facebook!

Eric has partnered with Olympic Paint to launch the “Simply Done” Facebook promotion.

Now through August 26, consumers can visit www.olympic.com or “Simply Done” on Olympic Paint’s Facebook page to upload a photo of their paint project. Eric will choose a winner the week of September 5, and that lucky person will win $10,000.

Enter here: http://www.facebook.com/olympicpaintandstain?sk=app_233075190059768

Q&A

Deborah: What is your recommendation for covering RED walls–specifically what primer? I really don’t want to HAVE to spend all of September doing this.

“Red and orange are tough colors to paint over because they require so many coats to cover – primer is key,” said Eric.

Olympic ONE Paint is a great option, because it’s a paint and primer in one for just $24 per gallon, which will save time and money on the paint project.

Andrea, Lil’ Kid Things: We plan to paint our 1960’s hardwood cabinets rather than replace them. Is this something we can DIY without it looking tacky or should we hire out?

“Sanding and primer are your friends,” suggested Kelly, Kansas City Mamas.

Olympic Paint added, “You can definitely DIY!”

Jennifer, Mom Spotted: I heard their paints are fume free and safe for pregnant women- is that all of Olympic Paints or just a certain one?

Olympic Paint replied, “Our Olympic Premium is ZERO VOC including colorants… our new Olympic ONE paint & primer in one is low VOC! Both found exclusively at Lowes.”

Shannon, The Mommy Files: I’ve rented many places where the owners have painted the windows shut! How do you prevent something like that from happening?

“Well, you could ask them not to do that,” joked Eric, before suggesting that, when encountering windows that are painted shut, you can wrap a towel around your hand for safety and slide a broad knife or putty knife into the sealed crevices to unstick them.

“Great advice for unsealing windows using a broad knife/putty knife! So simple!” said Anjanette, Raising the Barrs.

Michelle, Burgh Baby: Any tips for covering textured paint or paint that is thicker in some spots than others? I once had to deal with trying to cover the texture from sponge painting (which, NIGHTMARE).

Eric suggested two approaches: sanding the walls until the paint is an even texture, or using a broad knife 6-8 inches wide to coat the walls in a thin layer of drywall to even out the wall surface.

Thanks to Olympic Paint for sponsoring this incredible Talk, Eric Stromer for hosting, and our talented and creative blogger co-hosts!

Andrea, Lil’ Kid Things

Anjanette, Raising the Barr

Janel, A Mom’s Take

Jennifer, Mom Spotted

Jen, The Suburban Mom

Jen, Jen Spends

Joey, Real Mom Media

Kelly, Kansas City Mamas

Michelle, Burgh Baby

Shannon, The Mommy-Files

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62241

Bring Summer to Life with Rice Krispies

July 14, 2011 by The Motherhood

On July 14, 2011, moms came to TheMotherhood to learn about methods for educating kids in the kitchen based on ages and stages. Leading the chat via live video stream was Melanie Hall, MS, RD, Kellogg Company, who also provided tips and demonstrations for several simple and tasty snacks using Rice Krispies.

http://youtu.be/PGlXsPPBk5k

Melanie began the chat by talking about the goal with bringing kids into the kitchen: building a foundation of confidence, adventure and curiosity.

“My kids love to cook. Great thoughts,” said Sommer, A Spicy Perspective, and Wendy at Around My Family Table agreed, “My kids love helping out in the kitchen!”

Melanie also listed a number of valuable skills kids can learn right in the kitchen – everything from reading and language skills and counting for younger kids, to following tasks from beginning to end and planning ahead for older kids, to learning about nutrition at all ages.

“I just had all four kids helping me make Strawberry Granita. Each had a different task. Love having my kids help in the kitchen!” said Kristen, Dine and Dish.

“I’ve been known to give them all their own bowls and let them measure and dump whatever they want into it while I cook,” added Jenn, SuperJenn. “That way I can get through my recipe but we can still talk and interact…. I still talk about what I’m doing.”

Melanie also demonstrated several simple snack ideas, and pointed out that snacks using Rice Krispies are a great choice for summer because there is no need to use a hot oven or stove. Keep reading for her snack ideas!

Rice Krispies Trail Mix Treats

Recipe calls for ½ cup of crunchy peanut butter, 1 cup of rolled oats, ½ cup of raisins or dried tart cherries and ½ cup of sunflower seeds

This is in addition to the 20 marshmallows – a counting opportunity! – and 2 cups of Rice Krispies cereal.

These Rice Krispies Trail Mix Treats are formed in a muffin tin, so get kids involved in pressing the mixture into the pan and counting as you go.

Garden Party Garland Skewers

“A great way to encourage kids to eat fresh, seasonal fruit – and maybe even try some new fruits, such as kiwi, mango and pineapple – is to involve them in making these tasty Garden Party Garland skewers,” Melanie noted.

Alternate different colored fruits with pieces of Rice Krispies Treats on a skewer to create a beautiful, tasty dessert.

Dipped Pears

The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of fat free plain yogurt, 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of fat free milk and 1 and a half teaspoons of sugar.

Whisk that together and serve with sliced pears for dipping – and “what puts it over the top, in my opinion, is a final roll in Rice Krispies cereal, which gives an extra, delicious crunch – and is fun to do,” said Melanie.

“Melanie has been so great. I’m feeling inspired!” said Ashley, Cute As a Fox Creations.

For more kid-related food inspiration, “I do a monthly Kids in the Kitchen segment on the first Friday of the month. Great chat and lots of great info!” said Wendy, Around My Family Table.

As part of our Rice Krispies Making Memories Summer Challenge, our four teams of wonderful bloggers also showcased the treats they invented during the chat. Below, you can see photos of each delicious treat – and click the links to visit the related blog posts. You can vote for your favorite by commenting (using the word “vote”) on their posts!

PHOENIX Peanut Butter Pops

“These are so cute,” said Robyn, Add a Pinch.

Ashley, Cute as a Fox Creations: http://www.cuteasafox.com/2011/07/rice-krispies-stuffed-peanut-butter.html

Kristyn, Lil Luna: http://www.lilluna.com/2011/07/kelloggs-rice-krispies-challenge-2.html

Wendy, Around My Family Table: http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2011/07/stuffed-peanut-butter-pops

Jacquilyn, Aly & Ash: http://alyashcreations.blogspot.com/2011/07/rice-krispies-challenge-2-summer.html

ASHEVILLE Fruity Rice Krispies Kebabs

“So healthy. Great idea,” said Kelly, Kansas City Mamas.

And Kristyn, Lil Luna, added, “Eye candy, baby!!”

Sommer, A Spicy Perspective: http://aspicyperspective.com/2011/07/fruity-rice-krispies-kebabs.html

Robyn, Add a Pinch: http://addapinch.com/cooking/2011/07/12/rice-krispies-kebabs

Julie, Mommie Cooks: http://www.mommiecooks.com/2011/07/12/rice-krispie-fruit-kebobs

Amy, She Wears Many Hats: http://shewearsmanyhats.com/2011/07/fruity-rice-krispies-kebabs

KANSAS CITY Rice Krispies Tangy Watermelon Treat

“Very nice job guys! I especially loved your burger; very creative!” said Julie, Mommie Cooks.

Kristen, Dine and Dish: http://dineanddish.net/2011/07/summer-rice-krispies-treat-challenge-recipe-tangy-watermelon-rice-krispie-treats

Kelly, Kansas City Mamas: http://www.kansascitymamas.com/2011/07/tangy-watermelon-rice-krispies-treats-100-visa-card-giveaway

Jenn, Super Jenn: http://www.superjenn.com/from-my-kitchen-tangy-watermelon-rice-krispies-treats-and-100-giveaway

Julie, My Kansas City Mommy: http://www.mykansascitymommy.com/2011/07/summer-rice-krispies-challenge.html

PHILLY Rice Krispies S’mores

“Oh, those are just so delish looking!!!!” said Emily McKhann, TheMotherhood.

Sarah, Genesis Moments: http://www.genesismoments.com/awritersjourney/2011/06/the-rice-krispies-summer-challenge-in-on.html

Zareen, Cooking with Z: http://cookingwithz.com/?p=1473

Tara, Baby Momma Blog: http://babymommablog.com/7667/activity/rice-krispies-making-memories-summer-challenge-100-visa-giveaway/

Joey, Real Mom in the Media: http://www.joeyfortman.com/journal/2011/6/21/rice-krispies-making-memories-summer-challenge.html

“So many great ideas with this challenge! Creative ladies all over!” said Amy, She Wears Many Hats.

“I love seeing what all the teams did. What great ideas,” agreed Sarah, Genesis Moments.

Thank you to all of our amazing bloggers, and to Rice Krispies for sponsoring the live chat!

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62236

Women, Girls and Sports

June 21, 2011 by The Motherhood

On June 21, 2011, just days before the 40^th anniversary of Title IX, women came to TheMotherhood to discuss issues surrounding girls’ participation in athletic activities – and the beneficial impact sports can have on their lives.

Leading the chat was Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Women’s Sports Foundation’s senior director of advocacy, Olympic champion, law professor and mother of three.

“This is exciting to know that we are all coming together and talking about this important aspect of our daughters’ lives,” said Lorrie, one of the Talk participants.

Read on to learn more about girls and sports!

How sports can impact a girl’s life

Nancy pointed out that Title IX is a federally funded piece of legislation making sex discrimination in athletics illegal, and those tax dollars spent on sports are well allocated.

“Think of sports as an important investment in a kid’s future, the same way you think about math or writing class,” she suggested. “Sports give kids a toolkit for success,” with benefits including improved physical and emotional health, better grades and more education.

“As you know, there’s a huge obesity crisis on our country, and a HIGH SCHOOL sports experience is the #1 best prevention tool out there,” Nancy added.

“We’ve done team sports rather than dance, and I think my girls have gotten a lot of benefits out of it – physical, social, emotional,” said Deb, Mom of 3 Girls.

Agreed Diane, MomoFali, “My daughter has played organized sports for seven years and she gets great grades! You learn how to be a member of a team, to act as an individual in conjunction with the team, how to handle defeat and how to be graceful. Such valuable life lessons!”

“I was a world class athlete, but the best thing I got out of sports wasn’t gold medals – it was those life-long lessons!” said Nancy.

Encouraging participation in sports

You can urge your daughter to try new things until she finds a sport she really enjoys. You can also encourage her by making athletics a “buddy” activity or a more social event.

“I have a son and twin daughters, and I’m always looking for great coaches for them. I also find it’s better if I can get them signed up with their friends,” said Nancy Hogshead.

“Our AYSO (soccer) program lets first-year players request to play with friends – definitely helps those kids who aren’t as likely to want to play otherwise, I think!” agreed Deb, Mom of 3 Girls

“Friends are a great influence. It is like having a workout buddy,” said Sarah, Sarah and the Goon Squad.

Parents can be a great influence, too! “I wasn’t encouraged to ‘keep at it’ by my parents and I only ran track for a few years,” said Stacy, My Life of What-Ifs. “I wasn’t passionate about any sport. My daughter is almost 11 and she LOVES soccer. I am excited for her.”

Watching girls’ sports or getting to know older girls who play sports might also have an impact on your daughter when it comes to getting involved in athletics.

“Seeing older girls play sports is such a great inspiration for the younger girls,” said Carolyn, This Talk Ain’t Cheap.

“It’s all about a culture that tells girls that – THEY BELONG HERE. They’re not invading someone else’s turf,” agreed Nancy.

Girls’ sports by location

Regardless of desire, however, geographic location does make a difference when it comes to sports opportunities for girls.

“Iowa, Nebraska and Maine are much better than Florida and D.C. Florida has just 30% of its kids playing sports, whereas Iowa has almost 100%. Girls in Maine have almost twice the opportunities that boys Florida do,” noted Nancy Hogshead.

“In NY where I live, outside the city, most girls are connected to at least one sport. I think that parents make a real effort to get them involved and see the benefits,” said Holly, The Culture Mom.

Nancy acknowledged, “It’s true – when there are SO MANY girls playing sports, it isn’t stigmatized, isn’t like they’re doing a male activity.”

“I also imagine there are major differences as a result of socio-economic differences. My kids are fortunate, I work from home so I am available to take them to after school sports. I imagine in many areas of the country, and where moms work, these opportunities are not available. It then becomes critical for schools to implement more sports and other after school activities for the children,” lyz pointed out.

To address that issue, “The WSF has a program called GoGirlGo! that is about getting millions of girls active,” said Nancy Hogshead. And lyz is “on the board of an organization called Jeremy’s Heroes, which has implemented after-school programs in NYC public schools which do not have organized sports activities.”

Co-ed v. Single-sex teams

Sometimes, the only organized sports that are available are boys’ or co-ed teams. In other locations, sports are strictly male- or female-only.

According to Nancy, “Sports is the only place in all education where we sex-segregate. Boys go one place, girls go another.” How we treat them when they get into these separate areas can influence the rest of a girl’s life, and there is still a lot of work to be done.

“My 8yo did a soccer camp last year where they didn’t separate boys and girls – it was her first time playing with boys. And she did amazingly – really helped increase her skills too, I think. Boys play more aggressively than girls from what I’ve seen, and that encouraged her to play to their level,” said Deb, Mom of 3 Girls.

“I have boy/girl twins, so I see the sex segregation clear as day. Fortunately, at seven, they are still able to play on the same tee-ball and baseball teams … My kids love the co-ed teams. I am sad that for basketball we have to be segregated,” added Sarah, Sarah and the Goon Squad.

In some places, though, sexes are not segregated for certain sports, where co-ed teams become the norm. It isn’t the best fit for all girls.

“They do not separate soccer in our town. My daughter is petite, but a very good athlete, and she stopped playing after two years because the boys were twice her weight. We have since switched to gymnastics. I think single sex as they get older is better for both boys and girls,” said lyz.

Agreed Emily McKhann, TheMotherhood, “I found much the same for my girls, that they’ve done better on single sex teams. They also like the camaraderie among the players and missed that dynamic when there were boys and girls.”

Being the girl on a boys’ team

When it comes to co-ed opportunities, one of the hardest situations is being the only girl – or one of the only girls – on an all-boys team.

“My daughter is struggling with wanting to continue playing golf. She’s the only girl on the team,” said Diane, MomoFali.

“If you want to play with the guys, that’s great, go for it. BUT be prepared to call the guys out on some sexist remarks. At least, that was my experience in HS shop class,” said Monica, Paper Bridges.

“I had the same issue – there were girls on the team, but I didn’t work out with them. And on Every Single new team I could expect to be sexually harassed. (I would have called it “being a jerk” as a teen.) But soon they flipped and respected me as an athlete – it just took awhile,” encouraged Nancy Hogshead. “But I hear you – it’s tough – but she’s not alone, and this is really good fodder as she moves into the professional world.”

Nancy also suggested to “mix it up a bit! Get another friend on the team, work with different coach or at a new course.”

There is more work to be done

Despite the progress that has been made, boys’ and girls’ sports are still unequal. As Nancy pointed out, girls’ sports receive $186 million less in athletic scholarships each year.

“As a mother of three young daughters, I find the lack of sports opportunities for them disturbing,” said Carolyn, This Talk Ain’t Cheap. “All of the sports teams we have in our town are either boy-only or co-ed. We don’t have any all-girl athletics and my girls don’t want to play with the boys.”

“In my town, there is plenty for young girls but I keep hearing the opportunities dwindle as soon as they hit middle school,” said Emily McKhann, TheMotherhood.

“Girls on the Run focuses on middle school girls. You may want to check that out,” suggested Monica, Paper Bridges.

“Become an advocate for your daughter or your school! Go to our (brand new!) website and click on ‘Advocacy.’ There you’ll see ‘Playing Fair – A Title IX Playbook for Victory’ – provides specific step-by-step directions. And you can call our Advocacy dept!!!” concluded Nancy Hogshead.

Links

Billie Jean King on Good Morning America, mentioning Nancy while talking about the 40th Anniversary of Title IX: http://video-cdn.abcnews.com/110620_gma_king.mp4

Follow the Women’s Sports Foundation on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/womenssportsfdn

Like the Women’s Sports Foundation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Womens-Sports-Foundation/107750079247827

Call the Women’s Sports Foundation with your advocacy questions: 1-800-227-3988

Thank you to Nancy, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and our amazing blogger co-hosts!

Carolyn, This Talk Ain’t Cheap

Courtney, One Bored Mommy

Deb, Mom of 3 Girls

Diane, MomoFali

Gina, My Very Last Nerve

Holly, The Culture Mom

Jamie, Crunchy Cupcakes

Joanne, PunditMom

Kimberly, She Scribes

Latricia, 1 Stop Mom

Monica, PaperBridges

Sarah, Sarah and the Goon Squad

Stacy, My Life of What Ifs

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62193

‘Reddi’ for Fun Summer Countdown

June 15, 2011 by The Motherhood

It’s NOT a recipe for disaster to involve kids in cooking – and in TheMotherhood on June 15, 2011, women gathered to talk about ways to engage kids in the kitchen! Read on for a few good reasons (and strategies) to get your kids involved in meal prep. Thank you to our wonderful sponsor, ConAgra Foods for helping make this fantastic class possible.

Quality Time (With Dinner to Show for It!)

Cooking and eating together as a family gives you a chance to do something productive while also spending quality time with your kids. Working toward a common goal creates opportunities to praise them, show affection and bond as a family!

Stacy, Stacy Uncorked, said of cooking with her daughter, “Princess Nagger likes feeling involved in the cooking process, especially when I let her take the lead on measuring ingredients.”

“I like having my children help to cook because it shows them that I think they are growing up and responsible enough. That really pleases them,” added Karen, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires.

Vanessa, The Sew*er, The Caker, The Copycat-Maker, said, “I have older kids and I am happy to teach them skills that they can take with them when they leave home!”

School’s Out, but Learning Continues

When the school year ends, most kids want to use summer vacation for playtime and forget about “learning” for a while. But learning doesn’t need to be about sitting still, reading books and doing homework – interacting in the kitchen can make learning FEEL like playtime.

“We use cooking as a teaching opportunity in many aspects,” acknowledged Stacie, The Divine Miss Mommy.

Ways to incorporate learning into fun kitchen time:

Practice reading and comprehension: Ask your child to read the recipe and help you follow it to prepare the dish.

Practice math skills: All recipes use basic math like counting, measuring and following step-by-step instructions.

“I love teaching my daughter about measuring since they are covering that in school. It kind of sticks in your head easier when you understand 1/4 or 1/2 cup, etc,” said Tammy, Tammy’s Two Cents.

“Even my 2-year-old can work on her counting! ‘We need 2 cups of flour…’” added Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife.

Reddi-wip recipes in particular are fun for younger kids, helping them practice counting, while creating less mess. New Reddi-wip recipes are written like no other dessert recipes out there: ingredients are measured in time (seconds) rather than amounts – so no dirty measuring cups at the end!

“I love the Reddi-wip idea of ‘time’…I think my son would just count to ten as it squirts in his mouth!” joked Tammy, Tammy’s Two Cents.

Learn science concepts: Food changes during cooking, and kids will “learn by doing” about chemical reactions like: hot v. cold, floating v. sinking, dissolving, melting and freezing, among others.

Fadra, All Things Fadra, agreed that “since baking is more of a science, we talk about what the ingredients are for and why the measurement is so important.”

“I love science in the kitchen,” said Vanessa, The Sew*er, The Caker, The Copycat-Maker. “It is so important to link school and the things we do every day so kids can make the connection that school really is about life.”

Practice social skills: When kids work together, take turns and solve problems together, they learn how to interact with others. As a result, they can take pride in a successfully prepared recipe.

Jenna, A Mom’s Balancing Act, said cooking “helps to encourage sharing and cooperation – when both my kids are helping me at the same time.”

Learn about nutrition and health: Checking labels and understanding portion sizes is the first step to a healthy diet. It’s important to get kids’ eating habits on the right path at an early age!

In addition, “We use those chances to talk about health things like raw eggs, always washing hands, etc,” said Liz, A Belle, A Bean, A Chicago Dog.

Telling time: As Karen, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires, pointed out, “Cooking opens some great opportunities for practicing telling time. You could ask your child, ‘This needs to chill (or bake) for 45 minutes. What time is it now? What time should it be ready for the next step?’”

For younger kids, Liz has a fun strategy for communicating time: “I often put it in terms of cartoons,” she said. “Like, it will take 1 [episode of] Kai Lan before we can do more.”

Bring in history: Get creative in helping your kids bring history or other cultures to life.

Amy, Cajun Inspired Living, noted, “We have eaten lots of culture-specific meals and even played dress-up a time or two to go along with different things they were studying.”

Here’s a great article that talks about how kids can learn valuable skills through helping in the kitchen: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Kids+learn+valuable+life+skills+kitchen/4800830/story.html

Added Karen, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires, “I write a series on my blog about learning activities centered around playing restaurant called ‘Play to Learn Diner.’ Many of those activities could easily be translated into activities in a real kitchen.”

Here is the link: http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/search/label/Play%20to%20Learn%20Diner

Help Kids Develop Love of Cooking and New Foods

Kids can start helping in the kitchen from a very young age – it’s just about assigning age-appropriate tasks.

Toddlers can help by snapping green beans in half, tearing up lettuce or helping you mix batter by hand. Grade-school kids can begin measuring dry and liquid ingredients, cracking eggs, juicing lemons, etc. Work out a progression of skills in the kitchen as your children grow.

“Fruit kabobs, veggie kabobs are great for little hands to assemble, or a good teriyaki chicken kabob can be assembled by the older kids,” noted Vanessa, The Sew*er, The Caker, The Copycat-Maker.

“My toddler loves dumping things into a mixing bowl (coordination!), counting, stirring, placing items (like on a pizza),” suggested Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife.

Jenna, A Mom’s Balancing Act, added, “My 3 year old loves helping wash the vegetables.”

And rounding out the toddler skill set, “When my youngest was two, she could set the table, hand us utensils and we even let her stir. She loved it!” said Stacie, The Divine Miss Mommy.

Going beyond quality time and healthier eating, there are a whole host of benefits to cooking with your kids, and you can find many of them in this article from Web MD: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/cooking-with-your-children

Additional tips for cooking with kids (shared by Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife): http://onceamonthmom.com/top-ten-tuesday-cooking-with-kids/

A Few Easy Summer Recipes to Try

ConAgra Foods’ recipe website ReadySetEat offers a lot of simple, fun summer meal ideas that are easy to prepare with kids. ReadySetEat.com is your weeknight dinner destination for recipes that use simple ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes or less.

Easy Chicken Fajitas: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Easy-Chicken-Fajitas-5485.html

Barbecue Chicken Dinner Packets: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Barbecue-Chicken-Dinner-Packets-5554.html

Asian Style Turkey Burger: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-AsianStyle-Turkey-Burger-3436.html

BLT Pasta Salad: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-BLT-Pasta-Salad-5570.html

Po-boys (from Amy, Cajun Inspired Living): http://www.amybayliss.com/2007/04/saving-time-money-in-kitchen/

Summer Bow-Ties (from Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife): http://www.vanderbiltwife.com/2008/06/summer-pasta-lovin.html

“I take frozen bread or the tubes of refrigerated bread…thaw them, roll them out and sometimes fill them with pizza fillings, veggies, or even cold meats and cheeses – roll them up and let them bake for about 30 minutes. It makes a great meal to eat on a picnic, etc.,” suggested Jenna, A Mom’s Balancing Act.

“We use the slow cooker a lot during the hot summer months – since there are sometimes so many ingredients that get put into it at once, it’s especially fun for Princess Nagger to help put it together,” said Stacy, Stacy Uncorked.

“We have been making a lot of fruit salad. The kids get to peel, cut and wash with that one,” added Stacie, The Divine Miss Mommy.

A Few Kid-Friendly Dessert Recipes to Try

Reddi-wip has an awesome website for easy summer dessert recipes. There, you’ll see ideas to mix IN fun – by trying Reddi-wip as an ingredient. Learn more here: http://www.reddiwip.com/recipes/simple-dessert-recipes.jsp

Reddi-wip is also a great way to put together an easy, healthy dessert. A bowl of sliced fresh fruit can become a dessert with a simple spritz of whipped cream.

As Cooper pointed out, Reddi-wip is great for adding sweetness to healthy desserts, since it is made with real cream, and one serving has only 15 calories. And it doesn’t use hydrogenated oil, like the other guys.

“I would love to learn about more Reddi-wip desserts. We frequently have cut up strawberries and Reddi-wip in the summertime,” said Fadra, All Things Fadra.

Strawberries on a Cloud recipe – vanilla wafers with Reddi-Wip and sliced strawberries: http://www.reddiwip.com/recipes-Strawberries-On-A-Cloud-3521.html

Mango Paradise Ice Cream Cake (Karen, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires): http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/2010/01/giveaway-review-mango-paradise-ice.html

Peach Cake (Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife): http://www.vanderbiltwife.com/2009/06/family-recipe-fridays-peach-cake.html

Frozen Dixie Cups (Amy, Cajun Inspired Living): http://www.amybayliss.com/2011/06/frozen-dixie-cups-cajun-style/

Thank you to our amazing sponsor, ConAgra Foods, and our wonderful co-hosts!

Amy, Cajun Inspired Living
Fadra, All Things Fadra
Jenna, A Mom’s Balancing Act
Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife
Karen, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires
Liz, A Belle, A Bean & A Chicago Dog
Stacie, The Divine Miss Mommy
Stacy, Stacy Uncorked
Tammy, Tammy’s Two Cents
Vanessa, The Sew*er, The Caker, The Copycat Maker

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62227

Great Ideas for Father’s Day Gifts

June 14, 2011 by The Motherhood

On June 14, 2011, women flocked to TheMotherhood to swap Father’s Day gift ideas and get inspiration from the ladies at Cool Mom Picks, http://www.coolmompicks.com.

See below for a handy gift guide compiled from the discussion!

Cool Mom Picks Gift Guide

Cool Mom Picks’ complete Father’s Day Guide: http://www.coolmompicks.com/fathers_day_gifts/

Get the Kids Involved

Don’t forget to get the kids involved – photo gifts are always awesome. Huge fans of Shutterfly.com and they’ve got a few last minute deals going on now. (Cool Mom Picks)

http://www.tikatok.com – you can make a book with your kids’ art and print it out for him. (Cool Mom Picks)

Father’s Day printable, “All About My Dad.” Very simple but you could interview younger kids or let older ones fill it out themselves: http://allisonwaken.squarespace.com/allison-wakens-blog/2011/6/7/free-fathers-day-printable.html (christinaref)

Technology Gifts

A cool iPhone holder for running/working out is always fun. I also love CaseMate cases – you can get a team logo, or your own design on an iPhone case. (CoolMomPicks)

I’d say if you have kids an Otter Box for the iPhone is awesome. I love it and it keeps my phone safe! (Momofthreeunder)

Really good earphones would be awesome – BOSE makes some that have different adapters so they stay in his ears. Always a pain when you work out and your earphones are falling out! http://www.coolmomtech.com/2010/12/best_buy_wish_list_more_mobile.php (Cool Mom Picks)

And don’t forget the amazing Bagis earphones that changed my life! You can get them at Nordstrom in a lot of manly colors. http://www.coolmomtech.com/2011/05/the_earphones_that_changed_my.php (Delilah D)

We just covered this spy pen: http://www.coolmomtech.com/2011/06/give_and_let_spy.php I love that it looks like an expensive pen but has a techy edge! (Delilah D)

It’s not cheap – but projectors are “hot” in tech right now: http://www.3m.com/shootnshare/ (Cool Mom Picks)

EyeFi card: http://www.coolmomtech.com/2010/11/share_holiday_memories_eye-fi.php (superdumb)

And for the gamer who has everything…

Search Etsy for Pacman or Mario. They have handmade soap that looks just like an old NES controller. Here it is: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68073983/soap-invented-by-digitalsoaps-retro (Delilah D)

Unique DIY Ideas

Instagram magnets: http://www.coolmomtech.com/2011/06/diy_instagram_magnets.php So cute and easy. And won’t clog his desk like a framed photo. (Delilah D)

You could probably DIY this handprint tree – it’s so cute! http://www.coolmompicks.com/2011/06/fathers_day_gifts_made_from_childrens_artwork.php (Cool Mom Picks)

You can also do handprints on a t-shirt or apron. Hands can become trees, flowers, horses… (Delilah D)

We made this “snack box” for my husband last year and he thought it was really cool – my kids loved helping to shop for the treats he could bring to the office. http://alphamom.com/family-fun/holidays/diy-fathers-day-gift-superhero-craft/ (christinaref)

Take a glass beer stein and fill it nearly to the top with Werther’s candies (or any kind of candy with a gold-ish colored wrapper) and then top it off with some large white marshmallows!! Instant beer! (Kady)

Customized beer labels! Get him a six pack and make labels! http://www.etsy.com/shop/girlingearstudio?section_id=7821130 (Cool Mom Picks)

What about a bag of a nice expensive brand of coffee and a personalized cup with photos of the kids from Shutterfly? (Jennifer)

You can always go to one of those paint-your-own pottery places and do tiny hand or footprints on a plate or mug. (Delilah D)

Also, a few pics of baby “holding” signs that say “I” “LOVE” “YOU” – also cute. (Cool Mom Picks)

Foodie Goodies

There are some crazy cool BBQ Thermometers. http://www.coolmompicks.com/2011/06/fathers_day_gifts_for_the_gourmet.php (Cool Mom Picks)

Gourmet tasting box: http://www.coolmompicks.com/2010/10/foodzie_gourmet_tastting_box.php (Cool Mom Picks)

Here are a couple sugar-free gourmet treats from Vosges that look amazing: http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/vosges-sugear-free-gourmet-chocolate (Delilah D)

My husband recently made his own protein bars on this site: http://www.youbars.com/ You can go almost sugar-free, and they help you perfect the recipe. (Delilah D)

Bacon chocolate: http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/bacon_bar_and_beer/all_bacon_chocolate (Delilah D)

For the Fitness or Outdoors Nut

My husband LOVES books on scientifically based fitness and diet regimens. He reads The Four Hour Body like it’s a newspaper. Constantly. http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Body-Uncommon-Incredible-Superhuman/dp/030746363X/ref=comopi-20 (Delilah D)

We had a bunch of questions for dads who are into fitness:
Http://www.yurbuds.com – very cool. Garmin watch always a hit! (Cool Mom Picks)

Let him loose in REI, Bass Pro Shop or Gander Mountain. (Cool Mom Picks, Julie B., Momofthreeunder)

For lots of camping ideas: http://uncrate.com/search/camping/ (Cool Mom Picks)

Maybe plan a family camping trip? Even with some friends who have kids…if your husband would be into that! (aMomKnowsBest)

Experiential Gifts

What about experiential gifts? Tickets to a baseball game? A bottle of wine and a date for a wine tasting? (ErinO)

Check out Giftybox for some ideas too: http://www.coolmompicks.com/2009/06/fathers_day_awesomeness.php (christinaref)

I just took my husband ziplining. He LOVED it. And you can turn it into an overnight trip, too. (Delilah D)

We love hockey – so at Christmas we do a family hockey game. My sons do a birthday baseball game every year w/ my parents too. I think gifts of spending time together enjoying a favorite activity are great – just be sure to take pics! (Jen276here)

Groupon had a great local golf deal at a course he has never played. Two for one so he can go with our son. (robin)

What about a family picnic? Where you two and the little one can take a walk, have lunch and depending on your little one’s age, play some games? (jen276here)

We always go to the zoo on Father’s Day! (Julie B.)

Final Thoughts

The Etsy Main Page has some great Father’s Day gifts right now: http://www.etsy.com – cool last minute tip, search “LOCAL” and find a shop near you. Then you can arrange for pick up from the artisan. (Cool Mom Picks)

THANK YOU to the amazing women at Cool Mom Picks, our co-hosts, and everyone who participated in the Talk! Enjoy your Father’s Day weekend!

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62225

The Science of Play

June 8, 2011 by The Motherhood

On June 8, 2011, moms came to TheMotherhood to chat with Susan Magsamen, Director of Interdisciplinary Programs at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Co-Developer of the Neuro-Education Initiative in the School of Education, about her work with play and education and her new book, The Classic Treasury of Childhood Wonders.

Hosting the Talk with Susan was Michael Sarbanes, Executive Director of Partnerships, Communications, and Community Engagement at Baltimore City Schools.

Susan and Michael chatted with the group about the benefits of play and family activities.

“There is a growing body of research about play from a range of fields – psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, education, etc. This work is really helping to shape parenting skills, education and other places where our kids are,” Susan said. “In the fall we are launching a site for folks interested in the research of learning called L-rn.com. I am hoping all of you will be a part of it.”

Read on for more highlights!

How can you help your kids succeed?

“Parents are always asking me what they can do to help their children be successful in school and in life,” Susan acknowledged. “The answer is simple – play. We know that play is how children learn essential social and emotional skills that they need to learn to read, understand math and science and engage creatively in the world.”

Jo-Lynne Shane, Musings of a Housewife, voiced a concern echoed by others: “Uh oh. I’m so not a player with my kids. I look forward to hearing your suggestions!”

“So many moms aren’t!” Emily McKhann, TheMotherhood, reassured. “We hear that all the time in TheMotherhood. Life is super busy and there is so much to get done on any given day.”

“There is no limit to play. Think about all of the very successful people that play every day. They imagine, explore, create, take risks – sounds like fun to me,” said Susan. “But perhaps we have forgotten and also, with the best intentions, replaced play with tests, sitting in chairs and overscheduled activities. I think this is the right intention and the wrong answer.”

Overscheduling

When it comes to play and learning, allowing kids ample free time to let their imaginations run wild is key. Scheduling one activity or lesson after another saps children’s energy – factor in schoolwork, and you have an overly packed schedule!

“As my kids get older, I see this more and more! School and homework alone keep us so busy!” said Melissa Angert, Girlymama.

“We try to find that balance too!” agreed Tammy Berbells, Tammy’s Two Cents. “It’s hard because you want them to participate in things that interest them. We are learning as we go.”

“Agreed. It is a major problem,” said Susan. “There is research that suggests that kids are significantly more productive after a vacation. Think about that for adults. You rest, play, reconnect to your support systems. Makes so much sense.”

Summer play

When school is out for the summer and there’s no homework to be done, kids have more time to use their imaginations and enjoy playtime. The group had some wonderful suggestions for summer play.

“Summer learning is so important, and play is the perfect way to really engage kids in meaningful and fun experiences,” said Susan. “When children are playing they are doing so many important things – creative expression, problem solving, collaborating, gaining knowledge and also, very importantly, learning how to communicate with others.”

“Outdoor play is fantastic for kids anytime of the year,” added R Golinkoff. “Not only do they get to use their bodies but they get to explore and play with other kids. There are many local parks within walking distance that Moms can use to turn their kids loose. Just add sunscreen!”

“I love playing hide and seek with my two kiddos (4 and 6),” said Aracely Worley, Daytripping Mom. “It’s a classic game and the kids love it. We also play tag. Many of the same games that we played when we were kids.”

For a different take on hide and seek, Tammy Berbells at Tammy’s Two Cents said, “One activity we do as a family that is fun and educational is geocaching! The kids are learning about GPS coordinates and using their brains thinking about where the treasure might be. If is a great family fun activity!”

“The Dragon Hunt activity in Susan’s book (my daughter’s favorite) is like a no-cost lowtech geocaching. She loves it,” said Michael Sarbanes.

Susan elaborated, “In the book we have a dragon hunt where you make a map for your child and they have to find the dragon.” She added a few suggestions of her own: “Daydreaming is really fun and so is looking for fireflies – if you have them. Think about things you can do in the car too.”

Gardening was a popular outdoor family activity. “We have a big family garden in our backyard, the kids love to help with it. They look so forward to it every year,” said Cheryl Budge, The Budge Bunch. “They have learned so much from talking about it, and picking everything out. They don’t even realize it!”

“This year we planted a pizza garden,” added Emily McKhann, TheMotherhood. “Of course, it’s round and has lots of tomatoes, basil and other veggies. The kids thought it was hilarious that we were planting everything in a big circle.”

Aracely Worley, Daytripping Mom, also suggested visiting “our local children’s museum. They are great resources and provide plenty of opportunities for play.” She also noted that “one of our favorite activities in the summer is heading to our local beach or lake. We build sand castles, collect seashells and play in the water.”

“Children’s museums are a great resource,” Susan agreed. “We worked with several over the last year to launch the Ultimate Block Party. This is a day event that brings the science of learning and play together. Our first was in New York and we had over 75,000 people. Last weekend we hosted one in Toronto. In the fall we will have on in Baltimore.” Check out www.ultimateblockparty.com to learn more!

Added Michael, “Childhood Wonders and the Block Party fit into a broader strategy to really empower parents – it also includes building a strong parent-child connection, learning at home, connecting with school, tapping into community resources, and celebrating!”

About the book

“The Childhood Wonders book is chock full of ideas for parents to do in everyday moments that reinforce natural curiosity and a child’s love of learning,” said Susan. “We have incorporated the 6 Cs – a developmental essential skills model in every activity.”

Susan added that the book “was created with hundreds of families – sharing their childhood memories. We added the development lens to help make everyday moments learning moments too.”

“I love this concept!” said Anjanette Barr, Raising the Barrs. “I draw frequently from the activities I remember enjoying most as a child. I frequently ask my mom if she remembers the way we did this or that.”

“So, building on favorite pastimes and layering in what researchers know about childhood development? That’s incredibly cool,” agreed Emily McKhann, TheMotherhood.

“Baltimore City Schools is providing copies of Susan’s book Childhood Wonders to all our pre-K students next week,” said Michael Sarbanes. “We will be doing workshops with parents at our public libraries during the summer to help introduce/reinforce the notion that family time can be incredibly powerful learning time. We also are providing a DVD of the readings and activities in the book so that parents can see and use the book, regardless of reading level.”

“Baltimore City School’s Family Institute is creating such an engaging model for families,” said Susan. “The idea of beginning to get families information, ideas and best practices – through a series of programs and tools to help inform, inspire and engage kids – is very exciting.”

THANK YOU to Susan Magsamen, Michael Sarbanes and our wonderful co-hosts!

Anjanette, Raising the Barrs
Aracely, Daytripping Mom

Cheryl, The Budge Bunch
Melissa, Girlymama
Shannon, The Mommy Files
Tammy, Tammy’s Two Cents

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62218