By Catherine McCord
In our house, we’re big on weekend cooking. My kids love helping out and I find that if I make a few recipes on Saturday or Sunday to store in the fridge or freezer, I have a lot less cooking to do during the week when life gets overwhelming. That doesn’t mean that we spend the entire weekend in the kitchen. Far from it. Our recipes have to be quick and easy so we can get out and do other things together. I treasure our weekends because they often feel like the only time we can just relax and play, enjoying our favorite activities and not being on a schedule.
Infant Care Essentials
By Sharon Von Der Merwe
Q: If I am breastfeeding how can I make sure my baby is eating enough?
A: After the feeding, if the baby spits out milk, that will be a clear indication that your baby has consumed enough.
Q:How can I get my baby to sleep longer stretches in the evening?
A: After a complete feeding, your baby will sleep longer but try to feed your baby in a dark lit setting, so the baby recognizes that it’s nighttime and will naturally sleep a longer duration.
The Value of Mathematics
The Importance of math and college acceptance.
By Ellen Richards
Students must have access to high level math classses and be encouraged to take four years of math during high school. Students who do not take and pass a rigorous math sequence in high school are ineligible for admission to many four-year colleges and universities.
- Access to academically challenging course work in high school significantly increases the likelihood of a student successfully completing bachelors degree.
- Access to and enrollment in challenging courses had a greater impact on admission to college than any other factor, including income level and parents’ level of education.
- In 2004 an average applicant who passed Pre-Calculus increased his/her chance of gaining acceptance to college by 79%.
- Completing a Pre-Calculus course is the equivalent of raising one’s GPA from a 3.1 to a 3.6 in terms of admission to college.
Valentine’s Day Recipes
By Catherine McCord
Valentine’s Day may be all about the love, but for kids it’s all about the food! And while it’s easy to pick up a bag of candy hearts, why not make something special to really show how much you love someone. These recipes are not only naturally sweet they’re a perfect way to get in the kitchen with you kids making something simply delicious.
Raspberry Cream Cheese Heart Tarts (Makes 10-11 Heart Tarts)
- 1/2 Cup Raspberries
- 1/4 Cup Whipped Cream Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Double Pie Crust Recipe or 1 14 oz Pre-Made Pie Crust*
- Water
- 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 10 Raspberries for Icing or 2 Tbsp Juiced Raspberries
- 1 Tbsp Milk or Water
Raising Cavity Free Kids
By Dr. Shoreh Selki
Raising cavity free kids is no longer an idealistic dream for parents. By following a few simple guidelines, we can make it an achievable reality. As a mother of three, I understand the challenges parents face in the battle against dental decay; shops full of attractive looking junk food, soda and snack machines in every corner, sugar loaded birthday parties and class parties. In the recent years, tooth decay has been identified as the single most common chronic childhood disease, yet 90 percent of all tooth decay is absolutely preventable. (more…)
Valentine’s Day Expectations
By Samara Fabrick
For many of us, Valentine’s Day is a chance to sit down with our kids to make cards for their classmates, think of fun ways to surprise our partner or have an excuse to eat that box of chocolates. However, for many Valentine’s Day is another opportunity to have a million expectations that are so often dashed by our clueless spouses and our inability to express our wants. Here are a few suggestions to make sure that your Valentine’s Day is a happy one filled with whatever your heart desires. (more…)
January,2012 – Amazing Party Resources
December,2011 – Fun Winter Activities and Camps
Fabulous Kids’ Parties
By Shirin Yadegar
My two oldest girls start planning their birthdays six months before the big day. They have big expectations with large guest lists. Keep in mind they are only 8 and 6.
After plentiful research and numerous birthday parties I have found the best of the best at the most affordable prices for all of their parties.
The list below is made up from my personal experience with these vendors. I have used all of them and have always been more than happy with their interaction with the kids. They are always on time, professional, well priced and make the party a blast!
Make sure to mention LA MOM MAGAZINE when you call them so they give you my rates!
Reaching Your New Year’s Resolutions
By Laurie Searle
There’s nothing like the day after New Year’s. The holiday buzz is gone and this overwhelming feeling starts gnawing at you. Is it the dog, the kids, the husband, the muffin top compliments of your mother in law’s maple butter pie? It simply couldn’t go to waste, right? Well, it’s all of the above including the bombardment of television ads that tell you it’s time to get on your New Year’s resolution.
With the New Year come new anxieties and expectations about the year ahead. You set goals or resolutions you promise you will stick to, but when the swell of the semester is under way, so goes the promises to yourself. (more…)