one jolly green giant cookie

When I was about 10 years old, I enjoyed making peppermint brownies with lime green frosting. It wasn’t an old time family recipe, but a recipe that I found on the back of the Duncan Hines brownie mix box. My parents politely ate a token amount the first time I made them, as well as the second time. After that, however, they respectfully told me that the brownies were probably more suited to a child’s palate than an adult palate, because they were so, “How should we say it, Dear, minty? Oh, and green!” Yes, they were very  green. Bright radioactive lime green.

When my relatives visited, preparations in our household were in order to welcome them, and I did my part by making peppermint brownies.  Aunt Lois simply raved about these brownies. My parents looked a little uneasy, which made my aunt even more enthusiastic about the flavor and all of its greenness. I will never know if she sincerely liked them or not, but I remember her kind words like it was yesterday and her encouragement was very important to me.

I haven’t developed a love of cooking or baking, and at best, I tolerate it. But I am still amazed at how cooking and baking teaches us so much more than a mere recipe. Ever wonder what your kids can get out of creating in the kitchen? Other than watching the anticipation on their faces as they peek at the goodies bubbling up through the oven window, that is? Here are a few skills they can develop that you may not have considered.

• Kitchen and Food Safety – Ensure safety around major appliances and kitchen gadgets, as children need to master safety rules to ensure everyone’s protection. Always supervise children and discuss rules prior to getting started.
• Reading – Reading the recipe, package labels, instructions, expiration dates, you name it!
• Following Directions – Whether it is scouring the pantry for  ingredients, following what the recipe calls for, or following the rules, this one is a biggie!
• Math – Counting, measuring, and you may want to consider the extra challenge of “doubling” a recipe for a little extra brain power.
• Fine Motor skills – Measuring, mixing, rolling dough, using cookie cutters, placing cookies, pinching and adding ingredients all foster fine motor and strength, coordination and dexterity for little hands.
• Turn Taking and Sharing – Enough said.
• Task Completion – My kids are usually very excited about starting the cooking process, but sometimes lose interest half way through. Strategies such as selecting recipes that have short preparation time, or alternatively, that preparations can be made in stages are helpful.
• Responsibility – Planning, cleaning up, and all those important life skills.
• Nutrition – Okay, the giant cookie with mega food dye isn’t the best nutritional choice, but in general, talking about healthy foods and which foods are only considered “treats” is important. Also, children are more likely to eat nutritious foods if they are part of the process.
• Problem Solving – When a culinary food disaster strikes, enlisting problem solving skills is a huge asset. My kids worked together to figure out how to get the large cookies off the cookie sheet without breaking.
• Self-esteem – Kids feel proud to cook and bake — and if they are contributing a food source to the household, it is even better.

By the way, when my boys showed my husband their finished product, he said, “Wow! That is one big green cookie! And I love it!”

Is your child ready to take on a few meals?  Check out 8 family dinners kids can make, here.

Do you cook or bake with your kids? What have you learned about the experience? What have your kids learned?

My first cookbook (by Patricia Petrich and Rosemary Dalton)

It’s that time again!!
Time for the Annual Model Railroad Show at the Science Museum of Virginia!
If you’ve got a little train enthusiast on your hands making a trip out to SMV should be your new Black Friday tradition.

The Science Museum of Virginia, once known as Broad Street Station, is no stranger to trains. Richmond’s Union Station opened in 1919 and according to the website, the former train station averaged 57 trains each day during World War II.  There’s pretty much no better place in Richmond to learn all about trains.

In addition to traditional and quirky miniature cities and landscapes that will adorn the Museum throughout the weekend, SMV will help you discover the science of trains, have live science demonstrations, performances by the Carpenter Science Theatre Company and give kids and adults a chance to sample seasonal snacks from the Boost! kitchen. And of course there will be trains. Lots, and lots of trains.

Bring your coat, because the fun continues outside where you can watch a blacksmith in action and say hello to some visiting Clydesdales on Saturday and Sunday. Friday guests will be able to ride a trackless train for rides around the Museum.

Trains have also rolled into The Dome this holiday season. The Dome will feature special giant screen presentations of Rocky Mountain Express and the classic holiday film, The Polar Express.

37th Annual Model Railroad Show at the Science Museum of Virginia
Friday, November 28 – Sunday, November 30

The Model Railroad Show is included with exhibit admission.
Tickets are $11 with $1 discounts for ages 4-12 and 60+.
Showtimes can be found, along with a detailed schedule for the weekend, at www.smv.org or by calling 804.864.1400.

The Science Museum of Virginia is a sponsor of Richmondmom.

By Dr. Elizabeth M. Vantre

You learned through a parent volunteer that not only did your child’s class get a visit from the ice cream truck for good behavior, but your child got the only A+ on the science test.  Why is it then when your child gets off the bus, you excitedly ask, “how was school,” only to receive a simple, “fine”?  You follow with “What did you do today,” only to receive every mom’s favorite response “stuff.”  The eight hours your child has been gone, a time that was likely filled with a plethora of new experiences, is summed up in one lonely syllable.

Try these tools to elicit more than one word responses from your child:

•    Give your children a chance to decompress.  Give them an opportunity to get a snack and run around for a bit before specifically asking them about their day.  Tell them how great it is to see them when they bounce off of the bus and save the questions for later.

•     Ask open-ended questions.  Questions such as “how was school” or “how are you” lend themselves to one word responses.  Try open-ended questions such as “tell me about school today” or “tell me about the playground at recess.”  Refrain from following up with specific questions like “did you like your teacher,” but rather try open ones such as “tell me about your teacher.”  When picking up my 8 year old from his first day at a brand new school recently, his older siblings peppered him with specific questions only to receive one-word general responses.  When I interjected with “tell me about…” my twelve year old groaned, “Mom ALWAYS says that and I never know what to say.”  While true that he may have to think a little more, he always relays more than a single syllabic response.

•    Remain open, approachable and ready to listen.  Kids will tell you the most surprising things during random moments.  I have found that by being available to listen works wonders.  After my 8 year old survived the inquisition from his siblings, it was actually several hours later that he opened up about his day.  I was sitting on my bed reviewing some papers when he crawled up next to me and started to share thoughts about his teacher and new school.  It can be quiet times like this one or in the car when kids are not face-to-face or it could be among the chaos of dinner prep and homework that kids tend to open up.  Make every effort to listen without judging or jumping right in with specific questions, especially if your child is sharing something that is bothering him.  Actively listen and acknowledge their feelings by saying things such as “That must have been a fun gym class or I’m sorry that happened in lunch, that must have been upsetting.”

•    Games are great to get conversation flowing.  Games such as “High/Low” or “Rose & Thorn” prompt kids to relay the best and worst part of their day. Our family goes around the dinner table nightly highlighting the positive (Roses) and negative happenings (Thorns) of our day.  Sometimes Rose & Thorn will apply to more general happenings such as the highs and lows of summer or particular experiences like a birthday or camp.

Refer to Dr. Liz Vantre’s new book, Ready, Set, Parent: Dr. Moms’ Guide to Parenting, for more expert parenting advice

Ready, Set, Parent is available locally at Hip to Be Round in Carytown as well as online at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com

About Dr. Vantre
Dr. Elizabeth M. Vantre studied psychology at Wake Forest University and earned her doctorate in School Psychology from Temple University.  She is the mother of four children (ages 7, 8, 10 and 12) and is currently employed as a psychologist at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia.  Dr. Vantre has been helping parents find success at home for over fifteen years. She has been employed in a variety of settings including public and private schools, health care facilities, and juvenile detention centers.

 

Dr. Vantre has recently published the book Ready, Set, Parent: Dr. Moms’ Guide to Parenting with her co-author, fellow psychologist, and good friend, Dr. Samantha Dawson.  With a combined 20 years of providing parenting advice both professionally and informally, raising 6 children (Liz has 4, Sam has 2), surviving 14 years of motherhood and enjoying 12 years of friendship, Liz and Sam have enough experience, insight, empathy, practical and proven strategies, real life case examples, and humorous anecdotes to fill a bookshelf. 

 In addition to speaking engagements regarding her book Ready, Set, Parent, she is also a contributor to the website Soccerparenting.com. 

 

On his first day of Kindergarten, my oldest happily skipped down the steps of the bus and told us about his adventures on his first day of school. And then, he casually asked, “Mommy, what is the F-word?” I gasped. After I had regrouped, I told him that was a word that we didn’t use. Although he insisted on knowing what it meant, of course, I didn’t tell him. I went to bed that night feeling jaded about society and how we can’t protect our children from hearing inappropriate words, seeing graphic images, or whatever else I hadn’t even had a chance to worry about yet.

A few weeks later, my son came home after school and solemnly said, “Tell me the truth, Mommy. Is a weasel a fart?” I answered yes. With an injured look on his face, he accused, “I didn’t know that! You could have TOLD me! Everyone knew but me!”

You see, it had all started so innocently. When my oldest was in daycare as a baby, our daycare provider called passing gas a “weasel”. It originated from “Pop, goes the weasel”.  Anyhow, somehow the name of this bodily function stuck in our family. It was a handy term, since nobody else knew what it meant. In a house where I am outnumbered by males and testosterone runs high, the word was used as defined in number three below. Although the origins of this word in our household designate it as a noun, over time, it also came to be used as a verb as demonstrated below. And, let me tell you, hilarity ensues when weasels happen (although I am the only one not laughing).

wea·sel

ˈwēzəl/

1. noun
   
   • a small, slender, carnivorous mammal related to, but generally smaller than, the stoat.

2. informal
   
   • a deceitful or treacherous person.
   • flatulence, passing gas, fart.
     
3. verb
   
   • achieve something by use of cunning or deceit.
     “she suspects me of trying to weasel my way into his affections”
   • passed gas, farted “I accidentally weaseled”

As my boys are growing up faster than I can sometimes handle, it seems as if my oldest is leading the way. He led the way by telling me a few years ago that he wanted to go into the men’s restroom and no longer felt comfortable going into the ladies’ room with me. I am not sure when it happened, but he loathes the word “potty” and now emphatically calls it the “restroom”. Both of my boys reassure me that they will always call me “Mommy” (seriously?).

Are there words in your household that you don’t use any more because they are considered too “babyish”? If so, what are they and was it your idea to stop using these words or your child’s idea?

Thankfully some creative moms have come up with some small or portable ways to create a homework station wherever you have the space:

DIY Seat Sacks
Scissors & Spatulas

These easy to make cute little sacks hang on the back of a chair to keep papers from cluttering up the table.

Over the Door Organizer
A Bowl Full Of Lemons

Put those doors to work & keep homework and craft supplies in over the door organizers.

Portable Homework StationFirst Home Love Life

Create one of these homework stations for each child and stack them up!

Rustic Wood Homework Station
Love Grows Wild

This cute little homework station is sturdy and easy to move from place to place and fits in nicely with a rustic decor.

DIY Mail/Homework OrganizerNoodlehead

This was originally made to be a mail organizer but we love it for storing school forms, homework and other important school related stuff.

Flip Down Desk
Found on Ana White

Chalkboard by day, desk by homework time.  This chalkboard cleverly conceals a flip down desk.

Vintage Library Cart Homework Station
4 Men 1 Lady

This clever little work station now has me scouring the interwebs for a metal library cart.  This cute vintage inspired work station is color coded for each kid.

Homework Study Station
Mom Advice

I could have used this growing up! For the easily distracted kid (or ones who just can’t resist reaching over and poking their brother in the face) this study station keeps the focus on homework and can be folded up and put away when the work is done.

Lazy Susan Work Station
Home Stories A to Z

I’ve seen lazy susans used to store school and craft supplies before but what’s kinda genius about this one is the clever use of magnets so you can still take your jar without having to worry about the buckets flying off. Smart move, mom!

Laundry Room / Homework Station
Teal and Lime

Who says homework or crafts should be done on in a bedroom or an office?
Borrow some space from an unlikely place, like an over sized laundry room for example.

Have any great ideas on how to maximize a small space during homework time?
Any great organization tips? Tell us in the comments below!

Want more?
Check out our
Back to School Survival Guide for Students

While the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare lunches, fighting over appropriate school attire and regulating the amount of television watched might have you frazzled, take solace in the fact that you can play a big part in getting your children motivated and excited to tackle a new school year.

Depending on your child’s age, your role in the above-mentioned tips will vary. The following are helpful ideas to ease kids of all ages back into learning mode:

Help Your Child Discover His/Her Learning Style. Because each child is special, with different learning styles and academic needs, it is important to personalize the learning process.  People learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory: visually, verbally, physically, mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group activity or through quiet thinking time. Talk to your child’s teachers about your child’s learning strengths and how best to support them.

Get Back In The Routine. Ease the transition from lazy summer days to the structure of the school year by re-establishing bedtime, mealtime, reading and homework routines. Talk with your child about the importance of structure and how routines help ensure that he is not overtired or overly anxious about schoolwork.

Develop A Family Event Calendar. One of the most helpful tools for getting organized is a family event calendar. To ease the chaos, track school programs, volunteer work and after-school activities. Family time management is essential if you are going to avoid the tumultuous frenzy of disorganization.

• Depending on your children’s ages, this calendar can be on construction paper with large squares to write in all necessary information, or it can be produced on a white board so that it is easy to revise.
• If it is color-coded by family member, you can clearly see who has an activity scheduled and when the event occurs.
• Place the calendar near the telephone, so when a friend’s mother calls to invite your child to a birthday party, you will know instantly whether it fits within your family plans.

Purchase School Supplies In Advance. Avoid the last-minute rush by purchasing supplies at least one week in advance. Take your child.  She can feel excited and in control by choosing her favorite colors and designs.

Be a Cheerleader. Encourage your child to share any concerns he has about returning to school. Reinforce positive feelings by talking with your child about learning and achievement. Support his academic interests and encourage him to get involved in extracurricular activities at school.

See Sylvan Learning Center’s back to school survival tips for students

For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit www.SylvanLearning.com or call 804-782-2377

Steve Green is the Executive Director and Owner of the Richmond Sylvan Learning Centers, which is the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels with more than 30 years of experience and nearly 800 centers located throughout North America. Sylvan’s trained and Sylvan-certified instructors provide personalized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. Sylvan also hosts MomMinded.com, a blog offering tips and resources from moms and education experts. For more information, call 1-800-31-SUCCESS or visit www.sylvanlearning.com

Sylvan Learning Center is a sponsor of Richmondmom.com

Richmond city residents are encouraged to bring their kids along with shot records and insurance information to 400 East Cary Street to get all the necessary immunizations and physicals before the school year starts.

Services available at the Back 2 School Event:

• Vaccinations for daycare, and school-entry
• T-dap booster shots for rising 6th graders
• Physicals for Head Start and elementary school-entry

Walk-in: no appointment needed. Call 482-5500 for more information

If you can’t make the Back 2 School Event, visit the Weekday Immunization Clinic
400 E. Cary Street
Tuesday afternoons & Friday mornings
Walk-in or call for an appointment: 482-5500
School vaccination dates:
*Tuesday August 5, 12, 19, 26 & September 2
*Friday August 1, 8, 15, 22 & September 5

Back 2 School Event
Richmond City Health District
400 East Cary Street
FRIDAY, AUGUST 22nd 8 AM- 2 PM

Do you love to play games with your kids? Do you yearn for interacting in a fun way with your child that does not involve a screen? Have you have played every board game in your house and want something a little, well, less “board” and more “brain”?

Here is a list of board-less games that require no batteries. All you need is your own brain, a partner with a brain, and perhaps your hands. Let the games begin!

1. Guess the Vehicle  My son made this one up! Describe a vehicle (dump truck, tractor, mail truck, ice cream truck, bus, train, etc.) and the other person guesses what it is! It could also work with animals, insects, food items, Disney princesses… whatever your child is interested in!
2. Alphabet Animals   Starting with “A”, name an animal whose name starts with that letter. Each person takes a turn until you can’t think of any more. Again, this could work with a variety of items, like Disney characters and words, kitchen items, toys in your house, etc.
3. Rhyme Time  The youngest person starts by saying a word. Going in a circle, everybody says a word that rhymes with that word. Somebody can ‘pass’ if they can’t think of one. When you can’t think of any more, pick a new word.
4. Name That Tune  Hum or sing a song that the guessers / kids would likely know and they have to guess what the song is.
5. Let’s Tell a Story  The person with a “good idea” starts a story with “Once upon a time.” If nobody can think of a beginning, the adult starts. Going in a circle, each person continues the story with their own twist. Somebody can always “pass” if they can’t think of the next part of the story. (A good rule? No “potty” plot twists or words.)
6. What’s for Lunch?  Each person makes up a meal using food items that either rhyme or start with the same two letters (alliteration). For example, “For dinner, I want to have beautiful beans with beets and bologna.” Spice it up by picking a letter that everybody has to use.
7. Story Math Problems  The adult makes up a math problem that the kids have to solve – the sillier the better. For example, “Martha was eating beans for dinner. She had 10 beans on her plate and the dog ate three! How many beans were left?”
8. Secret Shopper  Before you start the game, you decide who is the Shop Keeper and what the Shoppers will buy (the Item). For example, a Pet Store and a Collar. The goal is for the Shopper(s) to buy the Item without ever saying the name of the Item. To spice it up, the Shopkeeper can also decide 2-3 items that the Shopper cannot say, like “dog, blue and walk.”
9. Climb the Green Tree  Players take turns making sentences that have double-letters in them. Like: “I see the Green Tree.” Or “I put on my boot and heard a boom.”
10. I Spy  This classic is always a hit. Pick something in the room that’s a specific color and say, “I spy something ___green___ with my little eye.” The guesser has to guess what the item is.
11. Alphabet Search  This is a good game for the car or waiting room. Looking at signs, magazines, books, and other objects with writing on them that are around you, see if you can find all the letters in the alphabet.
12. What is that cloud?  Again, a classic game that also inspires wonders and awe at the natural beauty in the sky! Look at clouds together and ask each other, “What does that cloud look like to you?”
13. Pack Grandma’s Suitcase  This is a great idea from BeaFunMum.  “Pick an item that starts with A, next person B, C, etc. Each person in the line repeats all the previous items until you can’t remember anymore.”
14. Virtual Hide and Seek   From USA Today:  “Pick a place in your house in which to hide, and imagine that you are there. You are allowed to be as small as a mouse in this game. Have children take turns asking questions like, “Are you in the kitchen?” Let the kids work as a team to discover that you are hiding in the silverware drawer or sitting on top of the remote control.”
15. Twenty Questions  What are you?  Animal, plant or mineral?  Bigger than a bread box?  Pick something the kids are familiar with and let them ask questions (kids are good at that!) to figure out what you are.
16. Human Dictionary  Take turns making nonsense words, and crafting definitions for them.  Kerpuzzle?  The act of messing up a finished puzzle!
17. Riddles  Verbal riddles and puzzles are always fun, and can be adapted for any age. Challenge yourself to make some up using simply the power of your brain. For example, “What is deep underground and pitch black dark, even in the middle of the day?” A cave! Kids LOVE guessing the answer to riddles.
18. Knock-knock jokes  Who doesn’t love a good knock-knock joke? Or even a not-so-good knock knock joke? Here is a list of toddler-friendly knock knock jokes from my blog. If you google “knock knock jokes” you’ll find a ton…. but make up some, and let your kids do the same! They may not make sense, but you’ll laugh anyway!
19. Rock-Paper-Scissors  1…2…3…. rock beats scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock.
20. Thumb Wrestling  1,2,3,4, I declare a thumb war!

Like this list?  Print this PDF and take it with you!

20 No-Tech Interactive Games

The “Summer Slide” is defined as the academic slump that occurs during and after the summer months. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “on average, students lose the equivalent of two months of math and reading skills during the summer months.” Even more sobering is that the outcomes of summer reading loss is cumulative.  According to Reading is Fundamental, by the end of 6^th grade, children who (consistently) lose reading skills over the summer will be 2 years behind their peers.  Although some regression is anticipated, students will more easily make up this deficit if it is smaller in the first place. Interestingly, some even say that learning a musical instrument helps students avoid the summer slide.

There are many different approaches to help students flex their academic muscles. The approach you choose (if any) will depend on your child’s learning style and needs, your parenting style, and philosophy. From light maintenance to more in-depth strategies, here are a few to consider:

• Read every day.
• Work a little bit each day or a few times per week.
• Practice a new skill – such as learning cursive or keyboarding.
• Attend summer enrichment programs with academic emphasis.
• Attend tutoring or skill camps.
• Summer School

My personal philosophy is that kids work hard during the school year and get a much-needed break from school in the summer. However, I also value maintaining skills. Although we plan to focus on working just a little bit each day or a few times per week, we went in a few different directions. Here is what summer has in store for our clan:

• We will check out various cultural experiences, including parks, art museums, science museums, and historic sites. Although many of these can be related to the SOL, we make a conscious decision not to explore that specifically.
• We will practice functional skills, such as counting money for making a purchase, writing or typing grocery lists or letters and my youngest will practice spelling by using our portable labeler to help organize our home (win-win)!
• Reading, reading, reading! Daily reading is always on tap for everyone in our family. And, this summer, my husband and I plan to read aloud to our boys classics such as Jules Verne’s A Journey to the Center of the Earth or Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book  (okay, full disclosure, these are the books I am hoping to read to them, but we will let them choose from a variety of classics). Reading books aloud that are of a higher reading level or what reading experts call “dense” material that requires greater “stamina” can expand vocabulary, learning, and a wider context, as well as brings family together for a communal task.
• Practice a new skill. My rising third grader is excited about learning cursive, since it is easier for him than manuscript printing. We will incorporate practice of cursive into some functional activities.
• Hands-on Learning . My kids learn best doing through hands-on activities. Activities such as science experiments, nature hikes, and scavenger hunts, and even gardening, foster skills such as problem solving, math, reading, and more.

My youngest playing on the playground slide.

So here’s to hoping that the only summer slide you will experience is the one on the playground. What do you have in mind to encourage your kids to maintain their skills?

Additional Resources

The #1 resource for summer learning is your child’s teacher. Teachers are the experts on the curriculum that has already been covered this year, and what will be introduced next year. They also know your child and what they might need to work on specifically.

Secondary students will likely have specific assignments to be completed over the summer. Read on for additional resources.

Stopping the Summer Slide

Reading is Fundamental – Reading Summer Slide 

Top 5 Ways to Prevent Rusty Summer Readers

Keep Your Kids Learning This Summer

Tips to Avoid the Summer Slide -Video

As a mom of three boys I could certainly relate to all of these (I’ve said the toilet battle thing many times), but one of her points stood out to me more than the others:


“5. You must not be surprised at drama.”

I thought to myself “gosh, I should really write something about this…”

As luck would have it, I have the perfect opportunity this evening.

You see, my son is not speaking to me. Ever again.

Being a very responsible kid, he amended that to “Except in cases of emergency”.

So far he has stuck to that rule and all he’s said to me is “where is my DSI charger?”, “The baby bumped his head” and something that he admitted wasn’t an emergency but was very funny.

All the time people tell me “Boys are so much less dramatic!”

I wish they had been there when my preschooler told me he was going to “smash and destroyed [sic] the car” because he didn’t want me to take him to preschool.

Or the meltdown I get when he gets a drop of water on his shirt.

Or the reaction I get when I tell my oldest to get off the computer/ipad/tv pretty much anytime, ever.

Boys aren’t dramatic. Kids are dramatic.

With this, I often hear something along the lines of “You’re a saint. Boys can be so wild!”

But really, I don’t think my boys are any more wild than I was as I was a kid.

I wish they had been there when I came home covered in mud from head to toe from a “mud ball fight” in the middle of summer (what? there was no snow).

Or how I ruined my Keds because I caught small guppies with a fish net and needed to put them somewhere (Keds hold water and fish quite well).

Or how we nearly tipped our bunk beds over by playing tug of war between the wall and the bed.

And there is one particular knock down drag out fight that my brother will never let me live down.

Boys aren’t wild. Kids are wild. At least, they all have the capability to be wild.

It’s not a boy/girl thing, it’s a kid thing.

I could go on and on but you’ll have to excuse me, there’s an emergency:  my son needs to know how to spell Pikachu.