Parent Talk Today

Enjoy a Family Staycation with Tweens

I love Jennifer O'Donnell's blog for parents of tweens over at Tweenparenting.about.com. She tackles everything from chores for tweens to how time on the Internet is affecting family time to how to make the most of summer.

A recent favorite is Jennifer's post on family staycations with tweens. Having just done that with our 13-year-old (who was very recently a tween!), I know we had fun going to local museums, movies, a planetarium, a minor-league ball game and to a local farmer's market that had every kind of food imaginable. (Matt's choice = chocolate crepes with whipped cream. Hey, it's a vacation!)

Jennifer takes the concept one step further, proposing a spa day at home, backyard camping, hosting a slushy party and even learning fun new skills. Check out her suggestions here, then plan your own family staycation and make the most of your time together this summer

After all, as the mother of a 13 year old, I know: They won't stay tweens for long.

Enjoy the 4th — But Keep it Safe

It’s impossible to picture July 4 in America without fireworks. But they can be dangerous, causing serious burns and eye injuries.

Of course, it’s always best to attend a community celebration where fireworks are handled by the pros. But if fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off on your own, be sure to follow these important safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

°    Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.

°    Read and follow all warnings and instructions.

°    Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.

°    Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves and flammable materials.

°    Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned.

°    Keep a bucket of water handy in case of a malfunction or fire.

Sexy Avatars Can Lead to Trouble for Teen Girls

Heads up, parents of teen girls.

A new study shows that girls who would depict themselves online in a provocative way, and girls with a history of child abuse, are more likely to receive online sexual advances — and then meet those individuals offline.

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center studied girls between ages 14 and 17. Each was asked to create an avatar — an electronic image to represent herself — and to then complete a questionnaire regarding her computer and Internet usage, sexual attitudes and other factors.

Forty percent of the 173 girls in the study reported experiencing online sexual advances, and 26 percent reported meeting someone in person whom they first met online. Those who had depicted themselves as provocative in terms of body and clothing choices were more likely to have had online sexual advances.

Do you know how your daughter is presenting herself online? Have you talked with her about sexual predators who look for teen girls online?

Once a Mom, Always a Mom

As parents, we're used to saying to our kids something along the lines of "Buckle your seat belt, honey. If it isn't buckled, we're not going anywhere." Right? I've said it to my son, and to his friends, countless times.

Well, I guess that line is pretty ingrained in my head.

My husband and I were car shopping on Saturday and we decided to take a test drive. I was driving and Randy took the passenger seat. The salesperson — a guy in his late twenties, I'm guessing — got in the back seat. I started the car and automatically turned around to make sure the back-seat occupant was buckled up — and he wasn't.

"Don't forget your seat belt," I said.

"Oh, I'm OK," said the sales guy. And he didn't buckle up.

Without even thinking about it, I said, nicely but firmly: "I'm a mom, and I don't drive a car unless everybody is buckled up."

He buckled up and off we went.

Yep. Once a mom, always a mom!

Does Your Child Have Diabetes? Here's Help

If your child has been diagnosed with diabetes, you know that it affects the entire family in many ways.

How do you deal with the range of emotions that arise when it becomes a consideration in everyday events, such as finding a babysitter and educating him or her about your child's diabetes? Taking a family vacation? Helping your child gain more independence as she heads off to summer camp?

The American Diabetes Association has compiled an easy-to-use resource to help families live with these unique challenges. “Everyday Wisdom” provides helpful ideas for families of children with diabetes and includes interactive games to help foster and build family communication.

To order a free copy, call 800.342.2383 or click here.

"Mommy, I Have to Go Potty!"

We've all been there.

Sometimes you're out and about with your child in a public place and he or she has to go to the bathroom NOW.

If you have a PDA with a Web connection, visit SitorSquat.com. Just enter an address, ZIP code, city or even just an intersection in the search bar.

When I visited the site, it boasted more than 59,000 rest rooms in their easy-to-use database. Check it out. We parents on the go need all the help we can get!

Take the Kids to See "Up"

Our family just got back from seeing Disney Pixar's new movie, "Up," and all I can says is take the kids and go see it! So much fun. (It's rated PG and there are some scenes that might be scary to younger children.)

We had a choice between the 3-D version and the regular version and decided to spend the extra $2 per ticket for the 3-D version, but we didn't find the 3-D effects to be all that spectacular.

So don't worry if the 3-D version is sold out and you are left with the regular version, because more important than the 3-D effects are the terrific Pixar animation and the wonderful story (I laughed! I cried! And I fell in love with Ed Asner's cranky old man.)

Check out the preview below. (Click on the box to get rid of the Google ads that run in the bottom of the trailer. They came with the trailer and I couldn't remove them.) Then go see this movie!

Prevent Summer Brain Drain!

When summer arrives, kids are jazzed to have a break from school and homework. But parents worry that their children’s brains will turn to mush between now and September.

Here are some fun ways to sneak in a little learning while having a great time with the kids this summer.

°    Learn cool science tricks with the “Surfing Scientist." Australian physics instructor (and surfer) Ruben Meerman shows kids how to amaze their friends by lifting a marble off a table by touching it only with a glass, making an ice cube necklace, turning an empty soft drink can into a twirling ballerina and much more. (Younger kids will need assistance.)

°    Take audio books on family car trips. Many public libraries have a selection of audio books, both on tape and on CD. One summer my family listened to two wonderful books, Shiloh and Holes, during a family road trip. We talked about those stories for days afterward, and it was great to share the experience as a family, as opposed to watching our son play video games — and zone out — in the back seat.

°    Check out local museums and historical sites. Get a map and mark where these sites are located, then go exploring, suggests Deb Fuller, a freelance museum educator in Alexandria, Virginia. “Kids can help navigate,” she says. “This teaches them map-reading skills, geography and spatial relations. Even young children can learn to follow along on a map and learn how to give simple directions.” Call in advance to see whether any special programs are going on that day. Pre-teens and teens may even want to volunteer at one of these sites, Fuller adds. “I don't know of a museum that doesn't need some extra help and that won't take willing volunteers,” she says. “It's a great way for children to learn to give back to the community and learn responsibility.”

°    Create folding paper toys. Kids can visit The Toymaker (www.thetoymaker.com) and click on “free toys” on the home page to download full-color paper toys that they can print on sturdy paper, cut out and assemble themselves. Make a bug box, a bunny basket, a jigsaw puzzle and more.

°    Visit a nature park. “These parks offer nature walks for all ages, from simple introductions to the park to bird watching and plant identification,” says Fuller. Your family might experience native- American crafts, a guided fishing trip or live animal encounters. Some nature parks offer stroller walks for parents with toddlers, too. “Many nature centers also have garden plots and garden clubs that your family can participate in,” says Fuller.

°    Have fun with grocery-store math. Turn a trip to the grocery store into a fun learning experience. Before you head to the store, ask the kids to use the printable worksheet to estimate prices for items on your list. Once there, have your kids check out the actual price for each item. Then get those math skills working as they calculate the difference between the estimated price and the real price. (And talk about a great way to teach kids the importance of family budgeting. With the price of groceries these days, you’d think Lucky Charms would come with a real pot of gold!)

°    Document the family vacation. Older kids can use a digital camera to record vacation memories, then download the photos into the family computer. Show them how to make prints and create a scrapbook or let them create a multi-media presentation with computer software, showcasing the photos and adding music, titles, etc. Burn CDs to send to family and friends. 

°    Check out bookstores and libraries for free summer programs. “On Saturday mornings in the summer, I take my boys (ages 9 and 13) to our local Barnes & Noble for their programs for different age groups, which usually include an author reading, activities and fun,” says Candace Reese of Kennesaw, Georgia.

°    Take younger kids to the post office. Talk with your child about “snail mail” and how it’s different from e-mail. Tell her about the Pony Express (visit the Pony Express National Museum website at www.ponyexpress.org) and the different ways mail is delivered today — by plane, train, boat, etc., suggests Don Schilling, editor of The Stamp Collecting Round Up at
www.stampcollectingroundup.blogspot.com. “Let your child pick out some stamps she thinks are interesting. When you get home, write a letter together and use one of the stamps your child selected,” Schilling adds. Talk with your child about starting a stamp collection.
 
°    Visit hands-on history days and historical re-enactments. Kids can try their hand at living like their ancestors by churning butter, making candles, learning how to spin and knit, using historical tools and meeting living-history interpreters who dress in period clothing, says Fuller. “I've seen kids get sucked into history this way,” she adds, noting that children have fun poking cloves into oranges to make pomanders or shaking little jars of cream to make butter. Compare the cost of a day at such an event, which runs, at most, $20 for a family of four, with the cost of amusement parks and even movies, says Fuller. You’ll get a lot more educational (and fun!) bang for your buck.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to Paul Penick, the man who taught me to:

°    Love writing
°    Have fun with dogs (That's us on a lake in Arizona, with our dog, Pepper. I won't even tell you how many years ago this was! We were about to pull up to the shore and my dad needed to tie up the boat. He doesn't normally stand like this in the middle of a lake!)
°    Value education
°    Feel comfortable in a new environment
°    Talk to strangers
°    Care about spelling.
°    Enjoy chocolate and raspberry together
°    Love my family

Thanks, Dad. I have no doubt that without your influence and encouragement, I wouldn't be making a living as a freelance journalist today. I love my life and (especially now that I'm a parent myself) I appreciate everything you and Mom did, and continue to do, for my brother and me.

I love you!

Paper and Scissors and Glue, Oh My!

Remember the simple act of pasting a few special photos, a valentine and maybe a flattened carnation corsage into a photo album?

Today, of course, it's a verb: "to scrapbook." And in our
"let's-go-overboard-and-then-fret-about-how-stressed-we-are" age, it's yet one more thing to feel guilty about.

"I sat down and looked at all those boxes of photos, and I just started crying," one friend tells me. "It all seems so overwhelming."

Another friend spends hours at arts-and-crafts stores, buying stickers and pens and assorted doo-dads, which then sit in a shopping bag in her closet because she's too intimidated by the pages in the scrapbooking magazines.

Who can blame us for feeling defeated? These magazines showcase an overwhelming Mardi Gras parade of artistic techniques. Peek-a-boo pages with sliding doors. Folded tea-bag embellishments. Photo kaleidoscopes. And have you tried taking skinny copper wire, rolling it into tiny circles with pliers and making individual daisies? By the way, don't forget the three shades of green raffia, which you'll flatten and twist for the leaves.

Then there are the baby pages. They're simple, really. Just cut your photo into 16 tiny pieces, add 16 pieces of different-colored translucent paper, and reassemble the whole thing to resemble a
gorgeous stained-glass window.

Frankly, I think I'll wait to try these nifty techniques until after my 13-year-old son, Matthew, leaves home for college. (College-spirit pages – with real mini-pom-poms!) Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll spend his childhood yelling, from behind a pile of acid-free card stock, "Can't you play checkers by yourself? I’m busy preserving your memories!"

I have to confess: I do subscribe to the scrapbooking magazines. But I like to read them in much the same way I peruse gourmet cooking magazines. Late in the evening, in bed, I linger over the pictures and read every how-to step. But just as you're not going to catch me leaping out from under my cozy comforter to whip up a Gruyère fondue with caramelized shallots, don't hold your breath looking for pop-up pages or hand-sponged clouds in my family's scrapbook.

Instead, what you will find is the first letter Matthew ever wrote to Santa, along with a photo of a little boy in flannel jammies placing a piece of cake and a can of Coke by the fireplace. And copies of e-mailed stories about Which Witch, a silly witch who plays tricks on children, written especially for Matthew by his grandmother. Nothing fancy here. No witches flying off the page. But those stories are there, safely preserved, for Matt to read to his own grandchildren someday.

Our baby pages aren't elaborate, either, but they hold lasting reminders of a special time: my scribbled list of things to bring to the hospital when I went into labor (what planet was I on when I wrote "playing cards"?), and the page from my husband's calendar where he logged the time and length of every contraction the night before Matthew was born. We also included our short list of names, so that Matt can look at it some day and wonder if life would have been different as a Gregory.

I also cherish the silly, and sometimes creepy, memories of family life with a boy who seems to grow an inch taller with every page I turn: Matthew, at age 3, running around the house with an oven mitt on each hand, pinching his “claws” together and declaring himself “Larry The Lobster.” The Father's Day when Dad received cereal, coffee and the sports page in bed, but only after agreeing to wear a "Cat in the Hat" hat for the duration of breakfast. And the page showing Matt and his not-too-crazy-about-snakes mom each receiving a "Certificate of Bravery" for viewing the live rattlers at the American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

My family's scrapbook doesn't stay on a high shelf, away from curious — and yes, potentially sticky — hands. Instead, it sits on our coffee table, always open and filled with purple-painted preschooler handprints, photos of Matthew frosting Daddy's birthday cake and other snippets from our daily lives that will mean more to us, and our grandchildren, than all the twisted-wire daisies in the world.

Idle Time Can Land Kids in Hot Water This Summer

With the summer school break upon us, now is the time for parents to consider how they can keep their tween or teen safe and out of hot water amid the glut of seasonal down time.

In addition to health and safety concerns, “there are many unforeseen legal pitfalls parents should be aware of,” says San Diego, California attorney Jeff Isaac.

While specific laws and policies vary from state to state, these are some things to keep in mind over the summer, says Isaac:

1. Curfew:  Many parents have no idea about the laws relating to curfew, which vary from city to city, says Isaac.  Generally, 10 p.m. is the most common curfew time, but there are exceptions. Breaking curfew can result in legal consequences. (And don't even get me started on safety concerns here.)

2. Graffiti and Vandalism: Those who mark up community walls and buildings with graffiti are breaking the law. Kids may find themselves financially liable and may face criminal penalties. Parents also are often found financially liable when their kids damage or destroy the property of others, sometimes to the tune of thousands of dollars.

3. Underage Drinking: There are a litany of legal offenses associated with minors and alcohol or drugs, which range from misdemeanors to felonies. This in addition to the threats to the child’s health, safety and well-being.

4. Tobacco Use: Most retail outlets check the identification of anyone seemingly under the age of 18 who is attempting to purchase tobacco products. Misdemeanor charges could apply if a minor uses a false ID to make such a transaction.

Bottom line: In addition to talking with your tween or teen about health and safety issues this summer, discuss legal consequences as well.

STOP Using Zicam Cold-Remedy Nasal Gel & Swabs

Dear Readers,

It's not often that I post an FDA warning as a blog post, but my family has used Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs for a year or two now, and this warming is pretty disconcerting! Please read this and check your medicine cabinet today.

FDA Advises Consumers Not To Use Certain Zicam Cold Remedies...
Intranasal Zinc Product Linked to Loss of Sense of Smell

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia may be long-lasting or permanent.

The products are:
    --Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel
    --Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs
    --Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)

The FDA has received more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell associated with the use of these three Zicam products. In these reports, many people who experienced a loss of smell said the condition occurred with the first dose; others reported a loss of the sense of smell after multiple uses of the products.

“Loss of sense of smell is a serious risk for people who use these products for relief from cold symptoms,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “We are concerned that consumers may unknowingly use a product that could cause serious harm, and therefore we are advising them not to use these products for any reason.”

People who have experienced a loss of sense of smell or other problems after use of the affected Zicam products should contact their health care professional. The loss of sense of smell can adversely affect a person’s quality of life, and can limit the ability to detect the smell of gas or smoke or other signs of danger in the environment.

The FDA has issued Matrixx Initiatives, maker of these Zicam products, a warning letter telling it that these products cannot be marketed without FDA approval.

“Companies have an obligation to the public to demonstrate to the FDA that their products are safe, particularly when there is evidence they may be causing serious adverse events, and they are marketed for minor, self-limiting conditions like the common cold,” said Deborah M. Autor, director of CDER’s Office of Compliance.

Health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report adverse events (side effects) that may be related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by regular mail, fax or phone.
    --Online
    --Regular Mail: use FDA postage paid form 3500 and mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
    --Fax: 800-FDA-0178
    --Phone: 800-FDA-1088

For more information:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm166834.htm

Does Your Daughter Compare Herself With Celebrities?

I keep hearing about tween and teen girls who think they have to buy the latest clothes (which may not fit the family budget), slap on lots of makeup, agonize in front of the mirror every morning and do everything in their power to look as good as the models and celebrities they see in magazines.

They constantly strive to live up to an image that is just that: an image. Wouldn't we ALL like to have a team of hair stylists, makeup artists and photographers with flattering lighting at our disposal?

Fact is, many celebrities, when you take away all that stuff, look very much like average people. While I won't link to those awful "celebrities without makeup" sites (where they go out of their way to find and photograph celebrities on their worst days), I do think a fair comparison is a healthy thing.

On the left is Kelly Clarkson, certainly an attractive young woman, in an "after" photo.  The hair and makeup folks have done their thing, and a professional photographer has made her look even better.

On the right, here's Kelly with no makeup. Still an attractive young woman. But this photo lets us see that, without all the glitz, glam and Photoshopping that make up a magazine cover shot, people don't looks like magazine covers!

It's important that we talk with our daughters about body image, self esteem and what's REAL in life — as opposed to what they see on the newsstand, on TV, etc. that has been created to sell, sell, sell.

Traveling With Kids? Don't Skimp Here

Love, love, love Travel Savvy Mom. So many great tips from moms who live in the real world and who know what it's really like to travel with kids — especially young kids.

Kayt Sukel has written a terrific post today: "Things to NEVER Skimp on While Traveling With Kids." Her top-five list (created after polling other moms on Twitter and FaceBook):

°    An extra seat on the plane (in addition to the reasons listed, I'd also add: safety)
°    Snacks
°    Direct flights
°    A DVD player
°    Something new

Check out her post to get the scoop. Kayt's anecdote about the GREAT deal she got online on a hotel room for her family is worth the read, too. ;)

This, Too, Shall Pass

Maybe it's being married to Randy for (wow) 15 years. Maybe it's having a kid who is at the "baiting-mom-and-dad-for-sport" stage. Whatever it is, I've found myself saying "this, too, shall pass" quite a bit lately.

Some days it feels like I'm just a hamster on a wheel: Take Matt to school. Work. Go to the grocery store. Work. Call the cable company-orthodontist-cell-phone-company about the question/problem of the day. Go to the drug store. Work. Pick up Matt. Wonder what to make for dinner. Listen to complaints about homework...

I've had too many conversations with my mom friends that go like this: "Isn't school out YET? I'm so sick of homework. The kids are driving me crazy... Yadda, yadda, yadda." We've all done it, right?

Then this morning I saw an elderly man standing in line next to me at the grocery store, holding a beautiful purple-flowered plant in a cute pot. A surprise gift for his wife? I wondered.

"That's such a pretty plant," I said.

"It's a gift for a neighbor who brought me some homemade soup," he replied. "I wanted to say thanks."

There was no wife waiting at home to be surprised by pretty purple flowers. The kids, if there were any, grew up and moved out decades ago.

"This, too, shall pass." How many times had I said those words to myself? To my husband? To my girlfriends?

And I'm right, of course. Kids grow up and move on. Beloved spouses die. This life that I have with Randy and Matt will never again be exactly like it is this week, this month, this year.

I'm no Pollyanna. I know the next time I'm at girls' night out with my mom friends, we won't all be sitting around painting a perfect picture of domestic bliss. We all have challenges and frustrations.

But I want to remember that sweet old man and his purple flowers tonight when Randy comes home from work. I want to focus on the good stuff when I pick up Matt from school and ask about his day. I want to hold them both a little closer and keep in mind that this sweet life I have with them won't last forever.

Because this, too, shall pass.

Is My Child Getting Enough Sleep?

During the summer, it can be hard for parents and kids to keep a steady sleep schedule. How much sleep do kids need? Check out these guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation.

Better Sleep Council spokesperson Lissa Coffey offers the following tips to help parents ensure a good night’s sleep for their children.

1.   Set a Regular Bedtime For Your Child — and Stick to It. The Obama daughters have an 8:30 pm bedtime. This is an ideal time to tuck children in, especially when kids need to be up early for summer activities.

2.    Don't Over-Schedule Your Child. Too many summertime activities and commitments can keep children from getting enough sleep. Allow your child plenty of time during the day for outdoor recreation, summer lessons and chores to ensure that they are not up past their bedtime.

3.   Develop a Sleep Ritual That Will Help Your Child Unwind Before Bed. Allow your child at least one hour before bedtime to relax and unwind.  Try relaxing activities, like taking a bath or reading with your child, to help him or her transition into sleep mode.  This is also a special time to share with your child. Avoid loud music and television prior to bedtime. 

4.   Keep Computers and Television out of the Bedroom. The bedroom should be used for sleep only. Watching television or going online can be tempting for children once you’ve tucked them in and left the room.  Also, be sure radio and MP3 ear pods are out of their ears when you say goodnight!

For more helpful sleep tips, please visit www.bettersleep.org.

Need a Quickie Dinner Idea for Tonight? (Who Doesn't?)

I actually got out the crock pot AND the food processor this morning. Chopped up turkey sausage and an onion, sauteed both for a few minutes and added it to a jar of pasta sauce in the crock pot. House smells great! 

I forget how helpful these two items can be — especially during weeks like this, when we're running Matt to and from Wizard of Oz rehearsal constantly!

I love having a crock-pot meal ready to go, but I don't like to spend time on week days doing a lot of chopping and prep work. I'm going to save this idea for crazed weekday nights. Took about 15 minutes to put together. (And that's about as Martha Stewart as I get!)

Follow Your Favorite Parenting Magazines on Twitter

Whether you're in Little Rock or Los Angeles, Columbus or Charlotte, there's a parenting magazine near you.

And now you can get up-to-the minute local parenting info — and perhaps even chat with the editor — by following your favorite parenting magazine on Twitter.

Check out this list, which seems to grow weekly, and send these folks a hello tweet!

(Parenting editors, if you'd like to be added to this list, just tweet me at @kathysena or drop a line to kathy@kathysena.com. Thanks.)

Atlanta Parent (GA): AtlantaParent

Bay Area Parent - Silicon Valley (CA): @BayAreaParentSV

Boston Parents Paper (MA): @BostonParents

Calgary’s Child (CANADA): @CalgarysChild

Carolina Parent (NC) @CarolinaParent  

Central Penn Parent (PA): @CPennParent

Charlotte Parent (NC): @charlotteparent

Charlotte Parent Web Editor (NC): @CLTparentweb

Chesapeake Family (MD): @ChesFamily

Chicago Parent (IL): @ChicagoParent

Coastal Family (GA): @coastalfamily

Colorado Parent Magazine (CO): @ColoParentMag

Columbus Parent (OH: @ColumbusParent

Curious Parents (NJ): @curiousparents

Dallas Child (TX): @dallaschild1

Fredericksburg Parent (VA): @FredParent

Genesee Valley Parent Magazine (NY): @GVParentMag

Giggles on the Go (Washington D.C.): @gigglesonthego

Houston Family (TX): @HoustonFamily

Kansas City Parent (MO): @KCParent

L.A. Parent (CA): @carolyngraham

L.A. Parent Health-E blog (CA): @Health_E

LIParentSource.com (NY): @LIParentSource

Little Rock Family (AR): @LRFamily

Metro Family (OK): @metrofamily

Metro Parent (MI): @MetroParent

Neapolitan Family Magazine (FL): neafamilymag

New Jersey Family Magazine (NJ): @njfamilymag

O.C. Family (CA): @ocfamily

Our Kids San Antonio (TX): @OurKidsMagazine

Parenting and Babytalk (National): @parenting

Parents and Kids (MA) @Parentsandkids

Piedmont Parent (NC) @piedmontparent

Staten Island Parent (NY): @SIParent

SW Florida Parent & Child (FL): @gulfcoastmoms

Today’s Parent (Canada): Todaysparent

Treasure Valley Family (ID): @lizbuckingham

Westchester Family (NY): @WestchesterFam

Wilmington Parent (NC): @WilmingtnParent

Save $$ on Father's Day Gifts

I recently discovered CurrentCodes.com, a clearinghouse for promotional codes that allows you to get discounts or free shipping at online stores.

Nearly all Web merchants now have a place in their checkout procedure for entering promotional codes. 
CurrentCodes.com identifies these codes and makes them available to everyone. The company’s staff follows more than 2,000 top retailers to make sure the codes are accurate and current.

Just in time for Father's Day, the site offers promotional codes for Jos. A. Bank, Men’s Warehouse, NBAstore.com, ties.com and more.

I'm always up for a discount, and when I'm shopping on the Web, there's nothing better than free shipping! So I'll be checking out CurrentCodes.com for Father's Day.

From Munchkin to Tin Man — How Fast They Grow Up

I have "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" on an endless loop in my brain because my son, Matt, is the Tin Man in a 52-kid production of The Wizard of Oz put on by the children's theater program at our church.

Now 13, Matt has been involved in these productions since he was 5. He loves it.

Of course, nothing those kids do goes unphotographed by at least 25 moms. (You've been there, done that, I'm sure.) So I have a wonderful record of every show (I've lost count) from The Nutcracker to Mary Poppins to TWO productions of The Wizard of Oz...

And that allows for a real picture of just how fast time is passing. On days when I'm going crazy running from school to play rehearsal to baseball practice, I'm reminded of the phrase "The days are long but the years are short." Ain't it the truth!

Now I'm watching the current crop of Munchkins (they look so little!) and thinking back to just six years ago to when 7-year-old Matt was a Munchkin himself. Now he's 5'9", covered in silver face paint and metal and singing "If I Only Had a Heart."

It's enough to make a mom's heart pretty full.