_____________________________________________

Updated with coverage of the oil spill!

Check it out:

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=education/2010/05/27/sn.0528.cnn

The site is “a ten minute, commercial-free daily news program” geared to middle and high-school students.

If you’ve been looking for ways to get your teens interested in the news, I recommend bookmarking the CNN Student News site and showing it to your kids. It’s geared to them, so it’s a bit more hip, clean and concise than the main CNN site.

And, yeah, they’re on Facebook, too.

So here’s what I’ve been trying:

when my kids are screwing around, laughing and wasting time instead of doing their homework, I start to sign a song that I know they really don’t like (e.g., What Do You Want From Me?). It gets their attention much faster than saying expected phrases (like, “Focus, guys.” or “Get back to work now, please.”). Before long, they’re begging me to stop and agreeing to focus on their studies.

Believe me, when they become teens you have to get creative.

This fact becomes especially important if you have teen drivers.

April 30 is National No-Phone Zone Day, declared to raise awareness about the dangers of using a phone while driving.

I’m on board and signed the pledge. Will you?

http://static.oprah.com/npz/text_pledge_v1.swf

Well, I know we do.

It’s my son.

I can’t criticize him too much, though.  I was the same way.  Didn’t like my corn touching my mashed potatoes, despite the fact that my sister loved mixing them together. I’d sit next to her and think, “Ugh! How could you!?”

So last week, when my son suggested adding some swipes of Nutella to a few graham crackers, I thought, “Sure! Automatic buy-in (because he suggested it) and super economical.” When I was a little girl, I remember trips to Europe with my sister. We treasured that chocolate hazelnut taste because we knew we would never have it after we returned to the States because no stores sold it.  Now, however, it’s readily available (at least where we live).  What’s more…it’s not primarily made with HFCS anymore.

Since that day, he has asked for the same treat more than once, so I decided to share this simple idea with my readers.

If you have some picky eaters and are frequently seeking snack suggestions, I recommend giving these little treats a try.

Happy snacking!

_______________________________

should I vaccinate my kids against H1N1?

I found this video and still ask the question:

Swine flu vaccine: Dangerous or safe?

So tell me, what do you think?

But before you answer, read this…

I believe that music benefits our kids, and I strongly encourage parents to support funding for school music programs.  They help our children in more ways than many people know or acknowledge. For one man’s knowledgeable perspective, watch this video:

Over the years I’ve wondered…

Do they learn from what we do? How can we be sure?

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a list of lessons, or a credo, if you will?

Then, one day last week, my son handed me a typewritten sheet with the heading, “Life and How to Live It.”  He explained that, after teaching the class George Washington’s 110 Rules of Civility, his teacher told the class that she wanted each of them to write a credo.

This is what he wrote:

Life and How to Live it

• Keep your head level. You’re no better than the next guy.
• Stick together. If a bunch of fish group together, it scares away the shark.
• Always remember what’s important in life. Your hair doesn’t matter as much as your SAT score.
• Be yourself. Just because someone else jumps off a bridge doesn’t mean you have to.
• Don’t depend on others to make you happy. If someone doesn’t like you anymore, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world.
• Keep a good balance of work and play. Ever seen The Shining?
• If you think of it as fun, it’ll go by a lot faster.
• Violence isn’t always the answer.
• Remember to give as much as you get and get as much as you give.
• Always know what path you’re on—and how what you’re doing will affect you long-term.
• Always know which way is up and which way is down.
• STUDY. What college you go to matters a lot more than Sunday Night Football.
• Sleep actually DOES matter. You aren’t any cooler if you stay up till midnight.
• Whenever you do anything that you think might not seem right, even the slightest bit, ask yourself: Would I like this if someone did this to me?
• And always, ALWAYS, be nicest to the ones you love.

After reading it, I smiled, thanked him and gave him a great big bear hug.  Every bullet point represented little lessons taught over the years.  Most came from those lectures where I thought I was talking too much and wondered whether his eyes were glazing over, whether he was thinking about football rather than listening to what I was telling him.  Others came from experiences and morals gleaned from stories about my family members. I recognized all of them.  Remembered every conversation, every moment we talked about these ideas.

Hooray.  Simply, hooray.

There it was — years of talking, teaching, leading, discussing, and guiding summed up by a page of bullet points.  He told me that he could have written more, but had to keep it to a page.

“That’s fine,” I thought. “More than good enough.”

Parenting provides no feedback or bonuses, no accolades or pay raises, so how do we know whether we’re doing a good job? We hope for moments like these and when we get them, we cherish them.

At the end of the day, it’s not about us.  The measure of our parenting, if it even exists, will be shown by our children’s character as they become young adults.  We really don’t know for certain whether they will be responsible citizens, contribute to society, or make a difference in the world.  But at least we can breath a little sigh of relief knowing that they hear our words and emulate our actions.

___________________________________________

I would add this —> always be kind and polite.

Our president will be making a speech today to convey the same message. If you would like to read his prepared remarks, just click this link.

You can watch it live by clicking the link below:

Here’s hoping you and your family have a terrific school year this year!

Do you have a girl in middle school? Chances are good that she (or her friends) has considered wearing eyeliner.

My bottom line advice? Don’t let her wear eyeliner.

Many years ago, I spent some time in the world of fashion and beauty where we learned voice and diction as well as make up application.  We were never taught to only wear eyeliner.  I have never only worn eyeliner.  I would never wear only eyeliner on a bare face.

Makeup is about enhancing features.  For everyday looks, it’s intended to make someone more beautiful without attempting to create a mask or simply color the face.  Drawing lines around the eyes doesn’t enhance them.  It brings attention to them, sure, but that’s about it.  And I mean it brings attention to the lines, not the eyes.  Imagine a large canvas with a black frame.  Would your eyes be drawn to the canvas or the frame?

But don’t try to explain that to your daughter.

Instead,

plan a day of beauty with her. Take her to a department store for a free makeover at a counter whose brand focus is on a natural looking face. My recommendations include Clinique or Bobbi Brown. Many girls seem to be drawn to MAC, but some of their looks, IMHO, are too dramatic for middle schoolers.  One example, the Peacocky look, is beautiful artistry but  not appropriate for middle school:

That might be great for my older sister (well out of her teens) but not for my daughter.

Another idea is to take her to Bare Escentuals (whose mineral powder foundation is being copied by many companies). With mineral makeup, I’d be less worried about her leaving it on all night.

The makeup artists at these counters will most likely begin by talking about skincare.* Then they’ll apply a full face of makeup, explaining each step in the application process.  Your daughter will see the transformation and how much (or how little) makeup makes her look better. Odds are good that they will not just apply eyeliner. In fact, they may apply no eyeliner, yet still sufficiently enhance her features to achieve the look she’s envisioning.

Keep in mind, the goal of the makeup artist is to sell those products.  You are usually under no obligation to buy any of them at that time (in most cases, at most departments stores).**

After the makeup application, take her out to lunch and talk to her about the experience.  Is it what she expected?  Does she like how she looks?  Can she imagine going through all of those steps every day (and removing all of it every night)? Does she understand the importance of skincare and how it goes hand in hand with the use of makeup? How about the cost?  Did she understand how quickly the costs can accumulate?

Beyond that, I found that, as with most things, books can be very helpful.  Specifically, Sonia Kashuk’s Real Beauty, Bobbi Brown’s Makeup Manual, Bobbi Brown’s Teenage Beauty and Diane Irons’s Teen Beauty Secrets provide useful information.  Having said that, our kids are less likely to refer to a book for “how to” information and more likely to look online or watch a video tutorial.  So, to satisfy a parent’s desire for a book and the teen’s viewing preference, I recommend that first book (Real Beauty) by Kashuk because it includes a DVD.  Pop it into your (or your teen’s) laptop and watch it with her.  Or heck, just give it to her.  It provides basic makeup and skincare advice that should help your teen understand why one wouldn’t wear just eyeliner.

And when you see her walk out the door looking appropriately beautiful, you can rest assured she feels it, too.

___________________________________________________________

*I will save the information about skincare for a separate post.

**Some exceptions exist.  Particularly in New York City. I’m strictly speaking about my experience in the department stores in our area.