Web site Spotlight: Top Secret Video Transmission of Santa

This year, using the Top Secret Video Transmission of Santa Web site, I am going to pretend to catch Santa in the act by "video recording" him visiting our house for my children. This is yet another great Web site in which you can use with your children Christmas morning. At TSVTS you can upload a photo of your Christmas tree and have it look as though Santa has visited your house while your children were asleep. Best of all it is completely free with a short survey or $4.95 if you decide not to take one!
Also check out

Web site Spotlight: A Message From Santa with PNP

Top Ten Tuesdays

So being the artsy fartsy type, I am often disorganized and all over the place. Especially with my thoughts. The husband is always on me to make lists and get organized. Watch out Letterman this Classifier is now listing.

10 Reasons why I know I am done having children:

10. I have enough extra skin around my midsection to conduct a scientific experiment.

9. I ran out of bedrooms to house the children.

8. It takes about 15 tries until I call out the right name to the right child that I am speaking to.

7. Whenever the topic of "who's going to have the next baby" is brought up at a family gathering and everyone looks at you and kindly says "Hey, why don't you give your cousin a shot at it."

6. EVERYTHING in life is centered around a family of 4. So my only option here is have 3 more children or teach my children that they will never have a birthday past 23 months.

5. I ran out of bathrooms to toilet the children.

4. I remember EXACTLY what labor is like.

3. The next step up from an SUV is a mini-van. The next after that is a small yellow bus.

2. I remember EXACTLY what it is like not to sleep for the first 3 months or more.

1. I don't remember what it is like not to change a diaper!

Kid's Craft: Christmas Tree Foot and Hand Print Painting

After a long day of being snowed-in, I needed something different and messy to do with the kiddos. Roll up your sleeves and take off your socks and shoes for this project- because it's gonna be a ticklish kind of mess ;-) Toddlers and preschoolers love to paint with their hands and feet!

Preschool Tree

Classified: Easy. Takes about 30 minutes or so with each child.

What you need:

1. Left Foot, right foot
2. Left hand, right hand
3. Green, Red, Yellow, White and Brown Tempera Paint
4. 12x18" Yellow and Blue Construction Paper
5. Palette
6. Sponge brush
7. And something to wipe your kids hands and feet off quickly- I used baby wipes.

What to do:

1. Paint the bottom of your child's foot (either one) and stamp it 10 times on the piece of 12x18" yellow construction paper so it forms a pyramid. One foot on top- row 2 has two feet stamps- Row 3 has three feet stamps and so on. Make sure to slightly overlap each foot.
2. Paint hand brown and stamp upside down for tree trunk.
3. Allow to dry.
4. Cut out the tree and bark and glue it to the blue sheet of construction paper.
5. Paint child's hand white and stamp it around the bottom to create snow.
6. Have your child dip their fingerprints into the red and yellow paint to make ornaments on the tree.
7. Dry and Hang!

Toddler Tree

Snowed In: What to do with the children?

I know that from living in the Western New York area for my entire life that it is par of the course to experience snow. I also know that you learn to really appreciate summer. This is not the first time that I have been "trapped" within the confides of my own home- but with 3 kids! Needless to say I almost lost my mind.

How does one fill in a 24 hour non-stop-trapped-inside-the-house gap of time without banging ones head until complete unconsciousness? Of course I did crafts (one of which we are going to finish tomorrow- trust me I will post it) but even that only goes so far. Yes I let them watch T.V.- but that only thrills me for so long. When the little man went down for his nap, I took the older ones to play outside in the 3 feet of snow while I attempted to shovel. Thank heaven for great neighbors and their big hearts! After an hour and 20 minutes it got cold. We played games, had snacks, read books inside.

I think I looked at the clock every thirty minutes.

I drank a pot of coffee and went to the ladies room 40 times to waste approximately 12 minutes of time of which 2 was spent alone in solitude.

What do you do with your children when you are "trapped" inside? Please share your thoughts and idears. What creative things do you come up with?

UPDATE: Check out an insert from my Top Ten Tuesdays for a list of activities!

Kid's Craft: St. Nicholas Day Shoe Craft

St. Nicholas, or St. Nick, is mostly known for being the precursor of Santa Claus because of his knack for secret gift giving and that he is the Patron Saint of Children. St. Nicholas would leave gifts in the shoes of good children and coal in the shoes of bad ones. In the United States the feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6. Want to learn more? Check out the book "The Legend of St. Nicholas" by: Daley Mackall or go to http://www.catholic.org/saints/

If you are thinking to yourself "I am not going to leave a gift of any kind in my kid's shoe!" Trust me, I thought the same thing. So I provided a very easy craft that's fun to do and less stinky.

Classified: Easy and is fun and easy enough to do with children of all ages including toddlers!

What you need:

1. Tissue box or small kids size shoe box (long box)
2. Shoe Template
3. Crayons, markers, water colors, glitter, glue, ribbon, buttons, stickers or whatever you chose to decorate with.
4. Scissors
5. Glue

Optional: gift wrap to wrap the shoe box if desired.

What to do:

1. Print out shoe template.
2. Decorate accordingly.
3. Cut out and glue to tissue box.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Discuss with your child facts about St. Nick

Back of St Nicholas Shoe Box

On the eve of December 5th, have your child(ren) leave their "shoe box" out for St. Nicholas to leave them a special treat. I'm sure you can figure out the rest- wink! Wink!

Want more ideas? Visit my Arts and Crafts Page here

4 Year Old Attention Seeking Behavior

There comes a point in every mother's life when she needs to take a step back and analyze a situation that is reoccurring more often than not. When I was studying to be a teacher, we were taught constantly to re-evaluate every aspect of what happens in our classroom every day. Whether it is a lesson plan taught- how can I do it better for the next class? A behavior management technique- could I have done it a different way? Or a time management issue- I need to spend less time talking and more focus on the activity! As a parent, I think we get caught up too much with our emotions and our every day struggles to take a step back and unveil what the true problem is behind our child's behavior.

Although I am not a behavioral specialist, I can tell you one thing for sure- your child's personality traits play a major role in how your child reacts and acts to any given situation. For instance, my eldest of 3 children, Anthony, is four years old and has a very complex personality. He is by far the most outgoing, caring, goofy boy that you can ever meet- he always asks me to smile and wants a hug constantly. He can go a little far off the deep end with his goofiness- but it's all in good nature. However, he is (what I believe) immature for his age, has issues with jealousy, and is very competitive.

Where does that leave me? Picture this: I am playing with one of his siblings because at that moment he is doing something independently. He then notices I am paying attention to someone else so he first attempts to do something goofy (or at least appears to be) and accidently hurts me. Once he notices I am displeased he then wants a hug and nudges his younger sibling off of my lap. Once I believe the situation is being handled, he then asks me to do something that is unreasonable to do at the time. So I reply with a "No- not right now." Then he begins to whine and cry.

He has also begun debating- EVERYTHING -and apparently with everyone. This constant form of arguing adds stress within the home and makes me feel that I have no control- which I hate!

So step back. What has been different? When it begin?

Looking way back my son's behavior grew worse after the birth of my second born. Once my daughter was able to play with Anthony- she was all right and his behavior also began to improve. What did I do to ease some tension during this time? We did some mommy and me things together and I also implemented behavioral sticker charts. My son's behavior improved and everything was at ease.

Looking back (within the past 6 months or so) what happened? Well, he started preschool everyday and I gave birth to his baby brother about 7 months ago. So a lot has been going on in this little guy’s life. What have I been doing differently? Well, I haven't spent much mommy and me time together- simply because it's harder now and his younger sister either wants to attend or he asks for her company. (Twisted turn of events here!) I also haven't done a behavior modification system as of yet.

What's a classifier with no time to do? Well, it's obvious he needs some attention. I think to start I need to make a conscience effort to give him a little more throughout the day- or set some time for just us two- even if it's reading him an extra story before bed time. If after a week, I see no improvement (or not enough) I will then put on my Super Nanny cape on and set some ground rules down (again). And because he is older, and needs to learn how to control his emotions and jealousy, perhaps instead of a sticker behavior chart, we can track how he feels in situations and then come up with resolutions and solutions. I may make a chart or something of it's sorts for you to share if I come down to it.

All in all, if you take a step back and analyze the whole picture, sometimes you realize that there are reasons as to why your child is acting up. Even if it means you start a parenting journal or blog to account for you and your child's actions!

What about you? Have you ever experienced a situation like mine? Please feel free to share how you over came your child's attention-getting behavior!

Web site Spotlight: A Message From Santa with PNP

Christmas time. Family. Friends. Loved ones- and the look on your child's face Christmas morning! Want to add an extra sparkle to their eye this holiday season? This Web site Spotlight is a must have for everyone- from young to old! Every year the Portable North Pole connects you and someone special up with Santa Claus himself. With this amazing Web site you can customize a special message for your son or daughter (or whomever), input information about a special gift that they want to receive, add their photo (optional). if they were naughty or nice and watch it come to life before their eyes. I did this last year with my children and had some fun with family and friends. When I taught I created a video for my principal!

To begin simply click on the URL below.
Web site URL: http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home
Chose who it is for: A toddler? A child? Or an adult?
Answer the following question and upload a photo (optional)
Either email the link to yourself or someone whom it is intended for.
Retrieve the video via email and enjoy watching your personalized message!

Kid’s Craft: Santa Face Paper Craft

Just in time for the Christmas holiday- A Santa Paper Craft Face! If you remember back to my posts on my Frankenstein Face and my Cornucopia Paper craft, then you already know that I have a lot of fun with the paper art. This paper craft is perfect for children in second grade and up and takes a few sessions to complete due to drying time.

Santa Face Paper Craft

Classified: Medium

Materials:

1.      12x18” Construction Paper White, Red, and a skin color. You can be creative and buy multicultural construction paper. I used this a lot when I taught art in my classroom. You can find it at Amazon.com or an art supply store. I included a pic to show you what it looks like:

2.      White Glue or Glue stick

3.      Scissors

4.      Ruler

5.      Pencil

6.      Santa Face Stencil (if needed)

7.      Stapler

Steps:

1.      Start by lying the “face” (light pink or otherwise) sheet of paper flat.

2.      Using one sheet of red paper, cut a strip about 2.5” x 18”. Add some definition to Santa’s shirt, cut it wavy.

3.      Using the template provided; print and cut out the facial features, trace and cut provided the directions given– or be creative and make your own face.

4.      Arrange facial features centered onto the 12x18” face paper. DO not glue down- yet! (Don’t make the same mistake I did- hey I’m not afraid to admit it!)

5.      Lightly draw an outline for a beard. See below:

6.      Using the white sheets of paper, cut ¼ by 18” strips (approximate). I figure every Santa will be different, but trust me it will take at least 20 or so for the beard alone!

7.      To make them curl, roll them around a pencil and gently squeeze.



8.      Starting towards the bottom of the Santa Face, within the boundaries of the outlined beard, glue the tips of the Beard curls to the face.

9.      Keep adding the curls- row by row – until everything is filled in up to the eyebrow line.

10.      To create the Santa hair; simply measure a white sheet of construction paper so that it is as wide from the beard to the edge of the face; and as long as the eye brown line to the bottom of the face paper. Use this as a stencil and cut out 8 times.

11.      Trim strips into the paper leaving 1” at the top untrimmed so that each unit of hair is intact.

12.      Curl each individual strip as you did the beard.

13.      Glue each row; one on top of the other, until it meets the brow line.

14.      Continue on the opposite side.

15.      Glue down the face.

Santa Hat:

1.      Cut 4 even slits (4.5 inches apart) and 5” long into a full sheet of red 12X18" construction paper.

2.      Glue the base to the Santa face about 1” above brow line.

3.      Using a 2.5 inch strip of white paper, cut a wavy line and adhere just above the brow line to the face and hat.

Step 1

Step 2 and 3

Step5



Step 6



 

4.      Bringing the edges together; staple once at the bottom and then again at the top of the head.

5.      Fold the two sides of the hat inward and tuck in.

6.      Take the remaining two sides, staple together and cut into a triangular shape. Add a white circle at the end.

7.      You’re done!

Need more Art and Craft ideas? Click here to explore!

Kid’s Craft: Teaching Preschooler About Shapes~ Clown Face

This is a very simple project that your preschooler can get very creative with. Teach younger toddlers basic shapes and colors by creating a clown face. Teach preschoolers more complex shapes and how to create a pattern using shapes.

Classified: Very Easy and great for ages 2-5!

Materials:

1.      9x12” Construction Paper: White, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple

2.      White glue or glue stick

3.      Pencil

4.      Scissors

5.      Coffee can lid or larger to trace circle for face

6.      Google Eyes (optional)

Steps:

1.      Prep:

A.      Trace around coffee can lid (or large circle template) onto white sheet of paper and cut out for the face of the clown.

B.      Cut a large triangle out of another sheet of construction paper (your choice of color) to make the clown's hat.

C.      Cut various shapes out of the remaining pieces of construction paper. Make them different sizes and colors.

D.     Using red construction paper, cut 6” x ¼” strips for clown hair (optional)

2.      Glue hat (large triangle) to the top of the white circle (clown’s head). Allow your child to use their imagination to make the clown’s face and decorate the clown’s hat. Discuss the different shapes and colors they see and emphasize pattern and facial features. Add google eyes if desired.

Curling Hair

4 year old

2 year old

2 year old creation

3.      To make clown hair, wrap red strips around a pencil and glue to the sides of the clown’s head.

Want to see more ideas? Don't forget to check out my Artsy Moms Page!

Toddler with a sprained ankle!

Just when I thought life can't get any more complicated- my 2 year old sprained her ankle during an adventurous hike in a local park. Thank goodness it was at the end of the walk- because as you may all ready know she is #2 of 3 and we were pretty deep into the woods at one point during the walk. Not to mention she is all drama on top of the fact that a sprained ankle does really hurt! I do have to say that she took it very well. So well that at first I honestly thought she just had something stuck in her sock from the leaf pile she was jumping in. Actually, the only time she really had an issue is when she tried to walk and when the incident occurred it wasn't swollen yet. That was until she woke up from her nap.

My daughter Aryanna is a very independent 2 year old little girl. So, when she refuses to get out of bed from nap and walk out on her own you know there is something wrong. That is when I called her ped. and explained that "My 2 year old was taking a hike today in the woods and twisted her ankle. It didn't appear swollen at the time, however, after she passed out in the car and............" At that moment the nurse stopped me as she shuttered "Passed Out? Why did she pass out!"  Being the calm cool sarcastic woman that I am, I simply replied "uh she was tired from the hike so she took a nap." However, I really wanted to say "Well, she fell from a cliff, slammed her head, twisted her ankle and then passed out. I thought that it would be good to wait 3 hours later to place a phone call" -but I held back! I mean really. Anyway, she wanted x-rays just confirm there was no break. I was fine with that and my daughter was thrilled that her ankle was going to get a photo-op.

3 hours later- 5 stickers (because the nurses couldn't get over how cute she was being), and 15 trillion times I had to remind her that she can't stand on her leg to run around and play- we get the diagnosis: a sprained ankle. I left you (the reader) out there on the cliff, didn't I. Hey this posting isn't mystery diagnosis.

The outcome: plenty of rest, Children's Ibuprofen, stay off the foot, keep it elevated, ice for first 2 days and then heat after that if needed. Can we say milk it? "Mom, I can't stand can you hand me my milk cup" (which is located right in front of me.) Ok, so at times it is cute, looking at her little foot with an ace bandage wrapped around it and the fact that she is extra cuddly. We did get to spend some extra alone time together in the ER, and she was pretty cute when she told everyone the story on how it happened.

What really gets me excited is that I can put to use all of the Singleton socks that I have been collecting for months!

Update (4 days later)- She is finally walking on her leg with a limp ;-( My poor little girl. I am going to give her 2 more days and then I will call her ped. once more if she continues. I know a sprained ankle can take some time to heel- so parent's if you come across this post and are going through the same thing- stay calm and patient- but, if you feel that something is not right call your doctor!

Web site Spotlight: Free Printable Holiday Cards!

It is November; and now that Election and Daylight Saving Day are behind us, we now have to look forward to the holiday season! Tis the season for Free Printable Holiday Cards! For this month's Web site Spotlight, I would like to introduce to you a few Web sites that are fun to do with the kids for the holiday season (and would perhaps save you a few cents because they are FREE!)

Greetings Island has an array of FREE online printable cards for every holiday season. Simply chose your holiday, select a pre-made card, insert a sentimental message and print away! No additional coloring required.

Another fun Web site that offers FREE online printable cards is Fisher Price's "Print and Color Cards." Chose from a selection of holiday pre-made cards, print and color away with your favorite crayons or markers!

If you want more control over images, text and other options, then DLTK's Web site is for you! In about 7 steps, you and your child will be able to create a Seasonal Printable Card from start to end.

Of course there are always eCards. If you go to the major card Web sites, such as American Greetings or Hallmark, you will find a few offers for free eCards. Or there is 123 Greetings that offer an array of free online cards.

Whatever way you chose, there is nothing like receiving a card for the Holiday Season!

Does losing an hour really make a difference? The time changed and changed my children too!

I know that for most of us an hour doesn't make a huge difference. In fact, I spend most of my time wishing for an extra hour every day. To lose an hour is devastating, not only to me but to my children as well. I, I, I.... I hate this "Time Change" garbage. I always look at the clock and say "hmmmm it's 2:00 now, but it's really 3:00, so that's why Gavin is tired!" Seriously. Even when my daughter woke up this morning at 6:30 a.m., I had to gather my thoughts at say "It's really 7:30 a.m. she slept pretty well."

But how much longer do we have to torture ourselves like this? For the longest time I blamed Daylight Saving Time on farmers. Sure, I think the agriculture industry is fantastic, I just don't understand why they can't get done what they need to get done in the hours of which light is set? Apparently is has more to do with less crime, less automotive accidents and more economic growth. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the farming industry! http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090305-daylight-saving-time-facts-history_2.html I was even more stunned to find out that the changing of hours didn't even start to mess with our heads until 1966! Fun Fact:" Up until then it depended on local State governments to participate in the "Daylight Saving" extravaganza. http://www.fun-facts.com/item/71750

I would love congress to come to my house on any given time changing day. It's a mess. The kids are all out of sorts, I'm tired from an "extra" hour of sleep, and I can NEVER remember how to change the time in my car! My daughter was so off today, that when we were in church exchanging the sign of peace with one another, she crossed her hands and stated "I'm not shaking hands with no one today!" I think that it may have slightly offended the nice couple behind us, but hey she is 2, and she sorta, kinda, maybe has my attitude; especially if she is tired.

I am sooo looking forward to when we lose an hour. 

When Time-outs Don't Work, Try This!

When Time-outs don't work, it is time for you to find another effective discipline tool. I am a firm believer that you never stop learning- even if something is your “craft” or “specialty,” there is always room for improvement. (So strange coming from an educator- huh?) Throughout my short 4.5 years of being a parent, I have enrolled in various parenting classes and read numerous books. I took these classes and read these books so I could, for lack of a better term, “enhance” my parenting skills. Every class I took emphasized on one aspect of discipline- Time Outs. Yes, the BIG T.O. of discipline. The instructors of these parenting classes and books give you the guidelines, the do’s and the don’ts, but never really covered the will not’s or the “doesn’t affect my child” aspect!

I found time-outs to be more effective with my first born, although I have to say he never really learned anything from them. I found it to be more of a break from the situation (and for me) than an actual learning experience. Now, I am not saying that time-outs NEVER work- they do, I feel it is more how your individual child handles them. Time-outs influenced him more if he were to sit out from a group activity than if he were to just do something in the private of our own home where he would scream “No I don’t want to” for the entire duration on the time-out step. But, he did stay in one spot. I do have to say that I am very fortunate that neither one of my children will get up and leave from that spot once sent there! My humble apologies and empathy goes to you if you have a child that does refuse to sit ;-(

My daughter, now 2 years and a few months, thinks time-outs are funny. It is so frustrating when I put on my “Super Nanny” face, go through the time-out routine (say sternly, face to face why your child is going to sit in time-out) send her to the time-out step only to have her display a smirk that would make you cringe! Once in time-out she sings and talks to herself. So a time-out is more of a place where she can spend some “me” time and not reflect whatsoever on the issue at large. I (stupidly) still set the timer and ignore her tactics, but am convinced that it really just does not affect her and that she sometimes prefers to be there.

So, I called in the forces. I taught preschool and subbed in on enough Kindergarten classes to know that not everyone uses time-outs all the time. What I find to be more effective at home has all ready been used in many elementary and early education classes for years. The “Traffic Light” concept is a beautiful tool because it not only allows the child to physically see that they are having a “rough day,” you can also carry this system everywhere you go and use it in conjunction with a time out! I used checks, (See Example Here!) but you can use faces, x’s or whatever your heart desires. I found it more of a lesson if the child himself flips over the check to green- to yellow- then to red. I usually use green as a first warning and an age appropriate time-out. Yellow is a second warning, an age appropriate time-out and I take something away. Red is the BIGGIE- time-out, something is taken away and early to bed. This may be too harsh for you (or not enough) but believe me, once you find your groove; I find this to nip bad behavior in the bud pretty quickly.

Add stickers to the pocket to make in more personal.

As I said- I am not against time-outs, because they do work for some, if not most children. If you are all for time-outs, great- just make sure to pick a time-out spot that is not the child's bedroom, that is just out of reach to human civilization and is boring. I have a set of steps that I use off of my kitchen; so my children can hear everything, see a little and participate none. However, if you have a little darling like mine, or are over using time-outs, you need a different system or you are just wasting both of your times. I provided you with a free template- but hey- get creative with your “Traffic Light” chart. Just make sure you make it so that it is portable and laminate it so it doesn’t fail due to wear and tear. Teachers purchase pockets from teaching stores, but it is just as easy and less expensive to make one yourself. This tool became so effective in my household that all I had to say is “you want a (insert color here) check?” and the behavior stopped on a dime!

This is how it looks like at the start of the day!

For more on behavior modification see: http://www.classifiedmom.com/p/resources.html

Infantitis

Condition: Infantitis

Definition: Infantitis is a condition that usually results after the birth of a baby. However, in some cases, it can be present towards the end of pregnancy when the fetus completely takes control over a woman’s body.

Duration: Typically birth- 21, or, whenever your legal responsibility has expired. In some extreme cases, as when you produce a male offspring, the condition can continue until your death.

Symptoms:

1.      Head Ache

2.      Insomnia

3.      Hair Loss

4.      Weight Loss (can’t find time to eat) or Weight Gain (nibbling too much on kid food)

5.      Altered Mental Status

6.      Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (from repeatedly cleaning the same thing over and over)

7.      Dry Mouth (from repeating yourself continuously)

Prevention:  To date there are no clear findings to suggest any prevention in Infantitis aside from having your head examined. Until there is more known about the condition, it is strongly advised that you enjoy the parenting ride.

Link of the day: To find out about "real" diseases and conditions, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/ - Center for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.

Introduction

Why, as parents, do we always have this overwhelming urge to judge and compare our parenting skills amongst our parenting peers? Don’t even roll those eyes at me, missy- you know you do it. I do it, your mom does it, the “mom” cashier at your local grocery store does it too! OMG your BFF does it as well and her kids are furry with four paws. Lol, lol, lol.

Bottom line: it is only within our nature to do this. Ever hear of the saying “We are creatures of habit?” Think back to what I like to call “Judgment Day: Middle School.” Yup, I said it. The frizzy hair, zit cream, brace face, awkward moments of judgmentville. It was a time when we were very unsure of ourselves; who we were and what we were doing 99% of the time. Wow, weird that you are back in that spot again? Only this time you are the- dum, dum, dum…………… the parent. With no one-size-fits-all manual, you are armed with previous knowledge and collective experiences, trying not to mess up too badly this beautiful child (ren) that you have brought into this world.

Why call this blog Classified: Mom? According to the Yahoo Dictionary (http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/classified), the term classified is an adjective meaning:
1. Arranged in classes or categories.
2. Available to authorized persons only, as for reasons of national security: a classified document

We can have soooo much fun with this one. First of all, just to be categorized as a mom is a blog post within itself…………………….. I like numero dos. “Available to authorized persons only.” (I think I am going to make a lame kitchen plaque with that saying on it.)

Now let’s look at the word Mother (taken from http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/mother)
1. A woman who conceives, gives birth to, or raises and nurtures a child…………….
So let’s put it together (isn’t this sooooo much fun?):
“Available to authorized persons only”: “A woman who conceives, gives birth to, or raises and nurtures a child.”

If there is one goal I wish to create from this blog, it is to help moms everywhere find humor in parenting- that parenting should be viewed as an enlightening experience. I would like to use this place to share with you stories, tips, ideas, and since I am very Web savvy, many Internet sites that you may find very useful. Please feel free to share stories, feedback and idears. We are all in this together- so let’s take off the white wigs, set the gavel down- court is adjourned. Now let’s have some fun!