By Erica Friedman
Valentine’s Day is always so sweet as it makes us take a moment to be grateful and acknowledge our loved ones. I find that doing the simple things always has the greatest impact. Make a card. Bake some cookies. Set the table for dinner and decorate the family room with hearts and kind words. To what extent you go, it’s all up to you. (more…)
The Importance of Family Meals
By Mariana Rossano
Cooking healthy meals requires a huge time commitment. It can be nearly impossible to keep up with everyone’s schedules. Most people would agree that time constraints on family time have become the norm. The world has changed since we were kids, and most moms don’t have the luxury to stay home and take the time to prepare healthy meals for the family.
One of the most important benefits to family meals is good nutrition. A balanced diet will help your child grow up healthy, and family meals are a great way to establish good eating habits. Family meals are much more than a time for kids to sit at the same table with siblings and parents. Kids take comfort in the family dinner ritual, and eating dinner together on a regular basis is a routine they can count on. (more…)
A Meaningful Valentine’s Day
Tips on how to make Valentine’s Day fulfill your expectations.
By Samara Fabrick, LCSW
So you’ve made it through the holidays. Your extended family has gone home; expectations, disappointments, fun and frolic are behind you. Just when you thought you could relax, BAM, here comes Valentine’s Day. 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 honey 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…)
Valentine’s Day Treats
By Catherine McCord
I’m a total sucker for holidays. I love decorating, baking, and doing things as a family that reflect the happy spirit of whatever the holiday is for. Valentine’s Day always was THE Hallmark holiday to me, but now that I have kids, I have a whole new perspective on it and it’s even more fun celebrating love. (more…)
Choosing a Summer Camp
How to plan a summer they’ll talk about all year long.
By Jill Levin
Next summer may seem far away, but before you realize it, it will be June and your kids will be out of school. NOW is the time to start thinking about choosing a summer camp for your child. Summer camps help children develop new interests, choose a new direction and make lifelong friends. How do parents decide which is the right program for their child? Here are a few guidelines to help you make a wise choice. (more…)
Check Your Kids’ Feet Before Returning to School
Simple At-home Checks Help Spot Foot Problems
By Dr. P. Benjamin Nikravesh DPM, DABPOPPM, DABPS
Before returning to school after the winter break, Dr. Nikravesh, a local member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, recommends that parents take five minutes at home to check for signs of possible foot disorders that could prevent active children from participating in sports and other activities. (more…)
L.A Mom Magazine recommended Family Event in January
| Gene Autry Double Feature Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, L.A. A double feature of Gene Autry classic westerns – Tumbling Tumbleweed and The Last Round-Up – highlight this special free day at the museum. Free. 323-667-2000. |
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| Date: | 01/01/2011 |
| Time: | 12:00 pm |
Cardio Tennis is the Workout of 2011
By Chris Ojakian
There comes a time in every gym-goer’s life when she feels the need to shake up her routine. Shuffle the deck. Take a break from the hamster wheel-like doldrums of the treadmill and elliptical machines. The answer to the workout blahs just may lie in a round of cardio tennis — a brilliant blend of cardio class, tennis camp, and the most enjoyable PE class you ever had. Cardio tennis gives you all the heart-pumping workout and the wacky satisfaction of a real tennis game — except that it’s OK if you’re truly terrible and have more chance of hitting the lottery jackpot than hitting the ball. (more…)
Enter for a Chance to Win a $150
A New Service that helps you and your family save big on cool Los Angeles finds.
Family Finds is a brand new service that helps you and your family save up to 90% on all kinds of fun, tasty and cool things in your Los Angeles neighborhood. And, to celebrate their debut, they are giving away one $150 new member credit that is good towards any of the amazingly discounted local family-friendly deals on their website. Family Finds insists that Moms and Families should be able to save money while exploring their local Los Angeles neighborhood. (more…)
Gingerbread Cookies
By Catherine McCord
It was always a tradition when I was growing up to make holiday cookies come this time of year. I used to love rolling out the sugar cookie and gingerbread dough with my mother, cutting the cookies into fun shapes and then decorating them. I wanted to continue that tradition with Kenya, but the thought of making cookies with tons of sugar didn’t seem like such a good idea (Kenya jumping off the walls at bed time never appeals to me), so we stuck with gingerbread. This recipe does have some sugar, but not a lot. It also contains molasses, which is full or iron, a bonus for kids. Kenya and I didn’t use any icing on these because, in my opinion, they don’t need it, but if you want to put a little piping on them, I included a simple icing recipe. This recipe makes dozens of cookies (more or less, depending on the size of the cookie cutters you use), so you’ll have plenty for friends and your family during the holidays. (more…)