The same will be true for our children, all their lives. And it’s pretty much entirely up to us what associations food has for them once they grow up. If we want them to eat healthily into adulthood, we need to make sure we don’t set the wrong patterns. So here are a few of the most important things you can do. Don’t make them eat everything on the plate—I know our parents and grandparents, especially if they were brought up during the war, made us do this....

Project: Paper Plate Rattle Level: Easy Age: 5 and up Materials needed: Two paper plates, some dried beans (about 1/2 cup), one paper towel tube, markers, crayons, rubber stamps and inks, paints, stickers, stapler, scissors Directions: Other rattles can be made using dried gourds. This summer, plant some gourds. Some may grow their own handles; others may need to have a stick pushed through and secured at the top and bottom for a handle....

Sleep Solutions Check out these eight parent-tested sleep solutions for toddlers, and soon everyone in your house will have a restful night of sleep. Calm Them Down In the hours before bedtime, what is your child doing? Is he wrestling with dad? Eating cookies and cake? Watching television? All of these activities, while fun, aren’t conducive to a child settling down for bed quickly and easily. After dinner, if possible, keep any action on the quiet side—reading a book, a nice stroll around the block maybe even a board game or two....

Time 15 to 20 minutes Materials Pennies, nickels and dimesPair of dice Directions Extensions With an older child, increase the total amount needed to win.Add quarters and dollar bills to the mix.

This wreath will be a great addition to your home for the holidays. Materials needed: · Pinecones (small and large sizes)· Craft glue· Glitter (various colors)· Paintbrush· Heavy cardboard · Plastic bowls (one for each color of glitter)· Large- and medium-sized bowls or pots (to trace your wreath)· Yarn or string· Scissors· Brown paint Step One: Take a walk with your child to collect an assortment of pinecones. Step Two: Lay newspapers over the entire work area....

Irish Colcannon Ingredients: 1lb store-bought or homemade mashed potatoes 1/4 cup cream or butter 1/2 cup chopped green vegetable such as spinach or broccoli Directions Twice-Baked Potatoes Regular baked potatoes are for everyday weeknight suppers- bake ’em twice for a special St. Patrick’s Day treat! Ingredients: 4 large baking potatoes 1/4 cup cream cheese 2 Tbsp sour cream 2 Tbsp butter Crumbled bacon, chives and shredded cheese to taste Directions:...

If your teen is being stalked, they are likely feeling anxious, alone, vulnerable, and stressed. They also may have trouble concentrating at school and difficulty sleeping at night. Because stalking has the potential to become violent in some way, it’s important that you understand the complexities of the issue as well as what you can do to protect your teen. What Is Stalking? Stalking is a pattern of behavior that makes teens feel nervous, afraid, harassed, or in danger....

Gay couples can explore all avenues of adoption, including foster care adoption, traditional adoption, and international adoptions. Adoption profiles are shared with birth mothers and parents who are planning to put their children up for adoption to help them determine which adopting family they want to choose. Your profile should be open, honest, and paint a picture of the life you can offer an adopted child. In the past—and likely still today in some areas of the country—some gay couples have resorted to lying about their statuses so they could adopt....

Culinary Projects Are your children always underfoot in the kitchen? The summer can be your opportunity to teach them how to cook their favorite dishes. Plan out meals, make shopping lists, and hit the grocery store together. Cooking is a fun way to spend time with your kids while teaching them something new. Plus, they’ll have the satisfaction of being able to say, “I made it myself!” Go to a Museum At the start of the summer, check out your local museum’s schedule and search for exhibits that your child might find interesting....

Effort: Easy - some sewing required Materials: Yellow hooded sweatshirt and pants Green felt Yellow felt (try the stiffer kind of felt you can buy in craft stores for the yellow) Brown face paint Needle and thread Scissors Instructions: Cut out large flower petals from the stiffer yellow felt and sew around opening of hood. Cut the green felt into smaller leaves and sew all the way around the neck so that leaves lie flat on upper chest and back....

Understanding Food Issues Most of us automatically tune out most smells other than those that are particularly disgusting or wonderful. But some of us can’t. Certain odors can be so noxious that they overwhelm a child and interfere with learning, playing, and, well…being a kid. The smell defensive child can be so offended by odors that she truly can’t shift attention from her nose to anything else. Then there are other kids who want to smell everything....

While some footmuffs are brand-specific, most have cutouts in the back and the bottom of the muff, enabling any stroller harness to loop through and clip, making it easy to find a match for your lifestyle and needs. Other features to look out for include the fabric material (you want something soft, warm enough for your climate, and non-bunching), durability, and ease of cleaning. We researched the top picks from reliable brands with these features in mind....

Picking the best Sesame Street toy is highly personalized. While there are plenty of toys that feature all of the show’s characters, don’t be afraid to choose a singular character toy if they have a specific favorite. Also, consider their budding hobbies since there are dolls, musical toys, and many other types of toys to engage them. The toy you choose should also be durable, safe, and easy to clean....

Look for recommended ages on the manufacturer’s listing, and use your judgment about your child’s abilities to ensure safe play. Plus, don’t forget to think about storage and how much space you need to properly store snow toys. We carefully considered design, material, age recommendations, ease of use, and safety when reviewing products. Here are the snow toys that’ll turn a regular snow day into an epic one. Price at time of publication: $40 Price at time of publication: $40 Price at time of publication: $11 Price at time of publication: $30 Price at time of publication: $40 Price at time of publication: $8 Price at time of publication: $4 Price at time of publication: $70 Price at time of publication: $13 If a snowman isn’t your style, there are 21 other styles to choose from—including pizza, corgi, and magical rainbow....

Naturally, your best starting point is to think about what he does in his spare time—playing video games, reading, creating art, etc. Keep in mind age recommendations, as some games are not appropriate for younger teens. We carefully considered design, features, age recommendations, safety, material, size, charge, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best gifts for 14-year-old boys. There are over 1,000 games compatible with the Switch so your 14-year-old is guaranteed to find something they love....

When choosing, pay attention to water bottle size, material, and insulation—especially if your child will want to keep water cool enough to drink for hours on end. Safety is another important factor, according to Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP, a pediatric feeding expert, “containers that have a screw-off lid, allowing the child to drink directly from the vessel, should have a wide opening to ensure that kids don’t stick their tongue inside the narrow necks of some bottles....

“While visions of improved health and fitness—not to mention looking and feeling great—can get most of us started on an exercise program, they’re notoriously weak motivators over the long haul,” writes exercise physiologist Bob Hopper, author of Stick with Exercise for a Lifetime: How to Enjoy Every Minute of It!. Hopper argues that if you “pursue a physical activity program with the goal of having fun, learning new skills, and improving performance,” better health and fitness will come along as “natural byproducts....