1) Don’t stock your faves

Buy Halloween candy to dole out just a few days before, or on the day of, Halloween, so no one is tempted around the house

2) Pay attention to portions

Candy is a big part of Halloween fun. Parents should never feel they have to say no to everything. But it is especially important to pay attention to portions when it comes to candy, since candy is nutrient-poor, calorie-dense, and promotes cavities.

3) Use the candy for crafts.

Make a gingerbread haunted house and have each kid contribute a certain amount of candy for the project. If you are not crafty but like the idea of a haunted gingerbread house, order one that is pre-made and add your candy to it as extra boo-tiful.

3 Ways To Cut Back On Sugar This Halloween

Celebrity Halloween Costumes: Their Best (And Worst) Looks [PHOTOS]

The site is called Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care and chronicles her everyday activities such as growing hair, products, and step-by-step instructions. Hadley also talks about what it means to be a vanilla mama of a chocolate girl, and how she explores identity, respect, and empowerment, using hair as their common language.

Our friends over at the loop21.com, recently spoke to Hadley about her blog, challenges and reactions from the African-American community.

Loop 21: What made you come up with the idea to start ChocolateHairVanillaCare.com?

Rory: I have been maintaining a personal family blog for many years. I think I started my first one back in 2004. When our daughter came home in 2007, I started another family blog that chronicled all parts of raising our daughtA Father’s Labor Of Love…Braiding Her Hairer. As she got older, and her hair longer, I would find myself frequently approached by other adoptive families while out shopping. They would ask me so many questions that I could scarcely answer them all in a mere 15-minute public interaction. With encouragement from friends and family I finally decided to separate the hair-related items out of my personal blog and launch a public forum—that way I had an easy place to point people who asked me questions. I had cards made and passed them out whenever I was approached. That was in September of last year.

READ THE REST HERE

A Father’s Labor Of Love…Braiding Her Hair

7 Great Parenting Tips For Moms

Stay true to yourself: You don’t have to give up your own passions and interests once you become a mom. It’s important that you find time for what YOU love to do. Reading, writing, exercising – make these a priority and find a way to incorporate those into your routine.

Be their mom, not their friend: Set limits. In a way, it was easy for previous generations. Parents were parents. Kids were kids. We should listen to them and respect them – but we are not their peers. Our job is to be our kids’ mothers – not their friends.

READ THE REST AT ELEV8.COM

How Soon Should You Introduce Your Child To Technology?

3 Hidden Dangers Lurking In Your Home

For some toddlers it takes a lot more than the sandman to help them find the way. The average toddler, defined as 18 months up to age three, requires about 12-14 hours of sleep each day, although some get by on much less. Most toddlers start with two naps, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. By age 2 ½ most have given up the morning nap.

Studies show that a human’s growth hormone is the highest in the night.” In fact, by 30 months toddlers have gained about four times their birth weight, grown an average 2 to 2 ½ inches per year and acquired most of their baby teeth.

Remember though, there are times when sleep issues don’t stem from the toddler but from family expectations. Parents who are overworked or who face job changes may need the child to sleep so they themselves can get some rest, but children will sleep when they are tired, not when the parent is tired.

READ THE REST HERE

How To Pick The Right Backpack For Your Child

How Soon Should You Introduce Your Child To Technology?

The mother is now being investigated by Bay Area child protective services after outraged citizens called the Human Services Agency to investigate the situation after watching Kerry and Britney’s interview.

Not only does Britney receive Botox before her pageants, she also receives hair waxing.

This wasn’t the first time that Kerry spoke out about giving her child Botox. In an interview for a British news outlet she demonstrated how she injects Botox into her daughter’s face, explaining that this is becoming very popular in the child pageant world.

Kerry also claims that she is a trained esthetician.

When eight-year- old Britney was asked how she felt about receiving Botox for her pageants, she told Good Morning America, “It hurt sometimes, but I get used to it.”

This is such a sad situation. This child is only eight and is already learning about things such as Botox and hair waxing. What do you think of this situation? Read more here.

UPDATE: Botox-Injecting Mom Loses Custody Of Beauty Pageant Daughter [UPDATE]

SMH

Would You Encourage Your Daughter To Get Implants?

Whitney Houston’s Daughter Bobbi Kristina Involved In Gun Brawl

Check out all our Mother’s Day related posts from affordable gift tips to celebrity mama love!

10 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Under $100

GALLERY: Celebrity Mama’s Boys

GALLERY: Celebs And Their Moms

GALLERY: Michelle O, The Mom-In-Chief

Fun Mother’s Day Facts!

GALLERY: Glam Hollywood Moms

Flower Arrangements From A Pro

Celebrate Mother’s Day On A Budget

How are you planning to celebrate Mother’s Day? Tell us your plans!!!!

1. What was your childhood like?

Imagine what it will be like to one day share nuggets with your own kids about your time as a tot. “I love painting a picture of how I was a child once too,” says Ruth of GraceLaced, “skinning my knees, failing a test, talking back to my parents, sneaking a candy bar, choosing my friends.”

The same goes for your own mom. Especially if there’s a divide between you, asking your mom about her time as a kid — what she liked to do, what she wanted to be when she grew up, what her role in the family was — can help humanize her. “I am always glad when I have asked my mom questions about who she was when she was younger…[It's] such essential information for me to pass on to my own children,” says Amy of MomAdvice.

Mother’s Day Recipe: Heather B’s Chocolate-Red Cupcakes

2. Do you have any regrets?

Maybe Mom wishes she’d done something different in her parenting or her career. Whether she wishes she’d written that novel or worn sunscreen, her answer will offer an insight. Says Jora of Domestic Reflections, “I’m sure her answer is something I could learn from no matter what it is.” Give mom a giant life eraser and ask her what she would do differently if she could go back.

READ MORE HERE

GALLERY: Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Here’s a handy guide from wikiHow with all the things you must remember to make your mother feel like the queen she is:

1. Plan the menu in advance. Buy the special breakfast the day before. If you cannot drive, ask someone to take you food shopping.

2. Prepare a breakfast that is easy for you to make. Do not make an elaborate breakfast, that might take a long time to prepare and then cook, and then clean up afterwards.

3. Make one of her ‘favorite’ foods. Prepare something that she might even have eaten for lunch many times. Do not make something new because she might not like it, and it would spoil your surprise and her enjoyment. Prepare Bagels & Lox, with some herring on the side, as this is usually served for a Sunday breakfast, or brunch. Add a glass of Orange Juice and a cup of coffee for an easy to make and clean up and delicious breakfast.

Click here for a delicious classic eggs benedict recipe!

GET THE REST HERE

Click here to see what Russell Simmons has to say on motherhood!

1. A few good hours of gardening. If Mother’s Day weekend happens to bring wonderful weather to your neighborhood, why not plan to be outside with one of the ladies you love most? Offer to take care of the weeding or other lawn chores that your mom hasn’t gotten to yet this season, or bring her a big basket of flowers, herbs, or veggies to plant.

And let’s be honest — gardening can be a great activity if things get tense in your mother-daughter relationship, especially if you have room to breathe in the outdoor space, and if you can view the planting, lugging, and raking as therapeutic outlets for the other digs you may feel.

Calorie-burn bonus: Gardening can be more than just an enjoyable day outdoors, depending on the activity.Planting seedlings and trimming shrubs and 0perating a power mower for an hour each burn 306 calories and digging, spading, or filling compost burns 340 calories per hour and watering while walking or standing burns 102 calories per hour. (based on a 150-pound person).

GO HERE FOR MORE

Mother’s Day Recipe: Heather B’s Chocolate-Red Cupcake

GALLERY: Mother’s Day Gift Guide

That’s right, it’s nearly Mother’s Day!

Normally on Mother’s Day, in my family at least after years of heinous presents, my mom drops subtle hints to which gift she wants, or she just buys something herself and tells my brother and I to wrap it. Mother’s Day shopping is the worst. Worse than jeans and bra shopping combined. A Mother’s Day gift needs to express to your mom how much you love her, and it needs to be something that she (not you) will like. If you, like me, can’t stomach the thought of another year, trudging around department stores searching for the perfect gift for your mother, which is in the right price range and tells her just how special she really is to you, never fear, HelloBeautiful is here!

We have selected 10 of the best gifts for this Mother’s Day all under $100. So if you need a gift for your mother, (or you are going to take a leaf out of my mom’s book and shop for yourself), check out our gallery….

6 Feel-Good Mother & Daughter Activities For Mother’s Day

How to Make a Mother’s Day Breakfast

Celebrate Mother’s Day On A Budget

10. Skillz “You Only Get One”

A rare cut off Skillz 2005 “Confessions of A Ghostwriter” album. Skillz manage to be lyrical and deeply express the love he has for his mother who has passed away. Get a good listen now because this track is one that is not all over the net.

9. Nas- Dance

Nas remembers his mother on the God’s Son album track. Many children seem to keep the memory of dancing with their mom or dad. Nas wish he could have had just one more dance with his mom.

8. Musiq- MotherFather

Musiq express how thankful he is for all Motherfather has done for him. In his own classic style he expresses the lesson he learned growing up. I think many parents want to hear that their child has learned from them.

7. Ashanti- Mother

I’m sure Ashanti had no problem expressing her feelings through music for her mom since she has played a very key part in Ashanti’s music career. She and her mom seem to have a very close relationship.

6. Jay-Z- Momma Loves Me

Jay-Z has always stated he grew up with no dad. He raps about all things his Mother had done for him growing up along with the role other family members played in his life.

5. Kanye West – Hey Mama

Kanye loved his mother Donda West very much and we all saw how hard is was for him when she passed. On the “Late Registration” cut, Kanye is making promises and apologizing while telling his mom how he felt.

4. R. Kelly – Sadie

R-Kelly took the time to dedicate one song to his mother off the classic 12 Play album. R-Kelly had a way of putting something new on that old school sound. Considering that most of the songs on “12 Play” were about making love or bumping and grinding this one would stand out.

3. Boyz II Men- A Song For Momma

2. Ghostface Killah – All That I Got Is You

Ghostface just may have had the formula to create this soulful hip hop record or maybe its the Mary J. Blige effect. This is another classic with MJB on the hook for a TUD top 10. This record told the story of many families in New York City and around the world.

1. 2pac – Dear Mama

The time the song was released was very key. Tupac was in prison and had a lot of drama going on in his life. “Dear Mama” told a brief story on where he came from and the role his mother played in getting him to be a man.

Top 10 Hip Hop Love Songs

Top 10 Video Models Turned Legit Actors

Top 10 The Notorious B.I.G. Songs

Would you be a surrogate mother?

The importance of “me time” for moms.

Scanning a street in any given city, you see people walking around listening to their iPods or talking on their cell phones, but a large number of these are even children as young as 6 or 7 years old. You could be sitting in a restaurant and there’s a child playing a video game at the table or playing with his mom’s cell phone. It’s unreal how much children know about the new technological devices on the market, since past generations didn’t have internet so accessible (or even have it at all) or phones that they could take anywhere they want. It’s all new to recent decades and we don’t even know the effects on children of being so exposed to technology.

The question I’m posing is, how soon is too soon to get a child a cell phone or an iPod?

One of the main ideas to consider about technology and children is: are they getting enough exposure to life outside of the one present inside a television, computer, cell phone, etc.? Back in the day (even ten years ago), children were outside climbing trees, playing sports like baseball in the park, or playing tag outside much more than today’s kids. The onset of technology into children’s lives has made playing Wii sports more desirable than playing soccer outside or going on the computer instead of going to the pool. While obviously children still find their ways into the great outdoors, there are more distractions for them now that video games, iPods, and cell phones have found themselves into the hands of today’s youth. Parents have begun buying into the “easy ways” to entertain children and televisions have become new-found babysitters. Is this necessarily the way the world should be – where technology obscures the great outdoors – especially in such nice weather during the summer? As well, what should the ground rules be for children and new gadgets?

Some ground rules I recommend:

1. Cell phones don’t need to be given to children until they truly need to ask for rides to and from places. This is typically around middle school age when after-school activities tend to take up extra time after school and the child is not necessarily home at a specific time every night. I’ve seen children as young as 8 or 9 years old carrying around cell phones and find it odd that their parents would pay for something they most likely just play games on. Who does an 8 year old need to call that they can’t do on the house phone? Another point to make is: if your child has a cell phone, they should learn cell phone etiquette and know not to text at the dinner table, for example. Adults might already have these bad habits, but children pick up stuff quickly and early on: why not nip it in the bud if they have bad habits? The general rule of thumb is that children shouldn’t be ignoring someone right in front of them because they’re distracted by technology.

How To Miss Your Phone, But Not Out On Life

5 Ways To Keep Your Kid Safe Online

2. Video games are acceptable for school age children, although the game ratings should be checked and the games shouldn’t substitute for outdoor playing. Virtual games are never as good as the real thing, right? Children should be learning social skills on the playground or kicking a ball outside with their siblings, although they don’t ALWAYS have to be outdoors to have fun. Video games can be really fun and educational (age appropriateness matters!), but they shouldn’t be the only form of entertainment for children. Also, hand-held video games shouldn’t be played at the dinner table or when they should be talking to others. Social skills are formed when children are put in situations when they have to speak to others, making it counterproductive to be playing a video game at the time. Plus, it’s incredibly rude to ignore people because you’re looking down at your video game, so children should be reprimanded for doing so.

3. Although iPods are pretty expensive typically, there are some smaller models (like the iPod shuffle or nano) that you can get your child if they really want to listen to music. It’s unreal seeing some children with more expensive iPods (like the iPod classic) when they’re only 9 years old, but children that age still like music. You just have to think, will my child be rough with this gadget and break it? Can they handle something this expensive? It depends on the child, but it is rather outrageous to spend a mint for the latest iPod for a child still in elementary school. Plus, children should learn the etiquette of when it’s appropriate to listen to their iPod, since bad habits can develop early on in life (I wish some people had learned from childhood that it’s rude to listen to music when someone’s talking to you!).

As for any technological device, you have to consider how old the child is and how much they will benefit from it. Just buying random gadgets for 9 year olds seems a bit extreme, but some children are more mature than others and can handle expensive devices earlier. It depends on the child, the family, and how much time they’ve been exposed to playgrounds, playing with other children, and spent in the real world, not just the technological one. For example, children shouldn’t just be set in front of the television from a young age and expect to have strong social skills all the way around.They need a balance of playing outside with others and being tech savvy that previous generations didn’t have. The world may have changed in terms of what’s available for children to do, but kids still need the same form of social bonding. Children have a unique curiosity that makes it hard for them to resist the newest gadgets – Apple products, for example, are shiny, silvery, and have incredibly clever stores. However, we can’t forget about what’s all around us in nature or we wouldn’t be human.

1. Dust Mites

You can’t see these with the naked eye, but they can be extremely harmful to your health. Dust mites are the most common cause of allergies and asthma. They feed off the dead skin cells that fall off out body. They mainly hide in beds, pillows, and mattresses. While there’s no way to completely get rid of dust mites, there are ways to reduce their impact. Wash your bedding in hot water every couple of weeks. Try to avoid going to bed with wet hair because dust mites feed off the moisture. Vacuum floor and rugs regularly. Put items that you cannot wash in a machine, like stuffed animals, into the freezer for a few hours to kill the mites. You can purchase allergy covers for your bed. They are woven so dust mites cannot slip through them.

What To Tell Your Kids About The ‘N’ Word

2. Medications

While you absolutely need to take a pill of so-and-so twice a day, medications are dangerous if you have small children around that may mistake the various shapes and colors for candy. Here are some protective measures to make sure you little ones can’t get to your stash. Store your medications where your kids can’t find them (perhaps use a lock), never leave meds within reach (ie. purse, countertop), make sure your bottles have child resistant caps, have the number to the poison control center available at all times (ie. refrigerator door).

READ THE REST HERE

How Soon Should You Give Your Child Technology?

The calorie counts in some of the most popular Easter basket treats should require sign-up in a spin class immediately following that last tasty bite. A Cadbury Cream Egg has 170 calories, in one egg! A four-pack of marshmallow peeps have 130 calories. And the Easter basket staple, a seven ounce hollow chocolate bunny has half a day’s worth of calories at 1,050!

Instead, try these lower calorie candy alternatives, because we all know an Easter basket wouldn’t be the same without them from shine.com:

* 10 Jelly Beans – around 50 calories

* 1 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – around 90 calories

* 4 Hershey’s Kisses – 90 calories

* 3 Butterscotch hard candies – 70 calories

* Sugar-free Dubble Bubble gum – 7 calories each

Fill just a few eggs with these treats to keep the calorie and sugar crash to a minimum for everyone. Then stock the baskets with these healthier, and even more fun, alternatives that get them ready for spring!

1. Bubbles

2. Sidewalk chalk and paint

3. New flip-flops

4. Jump ropes

5. Hula Hoops

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Is it okay to drink around your children?

How to create an active lifestyle for your kids

Never before has it been more important for parents to be as aware (if not more) than their children about the possible dangers of the internet. There are a number of strategies you can pursue to allow you to protect your children in the ever-evolving world of technology. In the meantime, as a parent you can empower yourself by helping your children manage their online activities.

1.Establish Innocence Before Guilt

Be aware of the ways your children can cover their tracks online such as by deleting internet history. If you check this on a regular basis you may be able to assert whether or not your children are hiding something from you. If not, you may feel comfortable granting them a higher level of independence as they go about learning more online functions.

3 Ways To Keep Your Unemployed Teen Out Of Trouble This Summer

2. Talk About Privacy

You could talk to your children about the issue of online privacy depending on the relationship you have with them. If your children are comfortable with your supervision they might grant you access to their email accounts or online social media accounts. If not, try requesting permission to enhance their privacy settings such as changing profiles to private, making profile pictures viewable only to friends or removing their pages from search engines.

3. Get Your Child Out Of The House

You have probably heard yourself saying, ‘We never had the internet when I was a kid. Life was so much funner.’ Well get your children outside, take them to the beach or a park, play games together, do the things you did as a child instead of complaining how boring they are! You’ll give them the opportunity to create wonderful childhood memories as well as the ability to understand how important it is to be active offline.

4. Purchase Software

If you are extremely concerned about how your child is using the internet you could purchase online protection software designed to automatically detect and block inappropriate sites. There a range of options for you to pursue in terms of price and function. However do not forget that sidestepping your child could lead to larger problems in your relationship.

Establishing trust is undeniably the best option when it comes to your child’s online activity – even more so when his or her use of the internet extends well beyond the computers you are able to monitor.

Kids On A Leash: Safe Or Sick?

5. Don’t Buy A New Computer When The Old One Explodes

Notebook computers have allowed business people and other internet-dependent workers to transport their work from the office to home. And more so than ever, schools are equipped with the latest batch of computers for use by your child.

So if you don’t need a home computer, why have one? If you did choose to remove the home computer from your lives you might just find that your household dynamics become a lot more personal and a lot less tech. Communication between you and your child might improve and all your internet-based woes could disappear for good. But don’t get too comfortable! As we know, technology is always changing and it could make its way back into your home in a new form.

1. Remember that every moment with your child is a teachable moment. For example, when driving to school, show them the prices on gas stations and explain why they change so often. Explain the prices using concepts of demand and supply.

2. Take your children grocery shopping. While in a store, tell them they need to buy something small — cereal, for example. Give them money and tell them to pick one and to do it wisely. If they can count money, ask them to complete the purchase transaction on their own. Discuss what they did right and what they can do better next time.

3. Take your children to the bank and open a savings account in their name and request an ATM card for them. Once you receive the card, show them how to deposit cash using an ATM. Once in a while, show them how cash is withdrawn. Ask them to keep a running total of their balance.

READ MORE OF THIS STORY HERE

How To Raise Little Helpers

How to create an active lifestyle for your kids

The show is full of all the characters you and your kids love, it’s action packed, upbeat, full of incredible singing and dancing, with animal costumes to die for! This is definitely one show the whole family can enjoy together. And to make the deal even sweeter, Radio City is offering 25% off select tickets, so there really is no reason you can make to miss this special, once in a lifetime, event.

The show will run for a strictly limited engagement, from April 15 to April 24, with tickets priced between $29- $145, so be sure to get in quick!

Click here for tickets!

To get your kids even more excited, or to brush up on your own “Madagascar” knowledge, be sure to check out msg.com’s “Madagascar” quiz

See you at the show!

Top 10 Kid Friendly Spring Break Activities

Top 5 Do-It-Yourself Kids Costumes

Things To Talk About On Date Night, Besides The Kids

1. Unplug and shut down

As parents and professionals we are constantly wired. Allow home to be the electronic-free zone. Shut down your mobile device and have conversations with your spouse and children. When the kids see that mom and dad can lock up the Blackberry there’s less argument when you ask them to unplug the PlayStation or turn off their own cell phone.

2. Visit your local park and have a picnic

With warmer weather approaching there’s no excuse to not pack up the car with your family’s favorite foods and head to the local park. Grab a Frisbee or football while you’re at it. By removing yourself from the house, there’s no temptation to turn on the television or check your Facebook profile on the laptop.

3. Go for ice cream

When was the last time you broke the rules and grabbed a cone with the kids before dinner? Not only will you earn a little parent points from your children but you may enjoy sitting outside and indulging in a sweet treat with great company and conversation.

4. Have a date night

It seems ridiculous to schedule a date night with your partner but between the office and running a household it becomes necessary or it will never happen. Enjoying time away from the kids should be a guilt-free evening for parents to put themselves first, have an opportunity to listen to one another without breaking up fights, and even remind yourself what first attracted you to one another and led you start a family. Remember to turn off your cell phones and keep the conversation about the kids to a minimum. Tonight you’re his girlfriend, not the mother of his children.

5. Play together

You don’t have to be an arts and crafts teacher to accomplish this task. Simply find something that can involve the entire family. Finishing a puzzle, playing a board game or even setting up a chalkboard in the kitchen with a weekly game of hangman or a riddle are all simple non-expensive ways for the whole family to get involved and have fun.

6. Show love towards one another

It may come easy for some, but it’s a task for others. A simple kiss or expression of love can make a difference to a spouse before they’re off to work or before dropping off the children at school. In addition, it’s healthy for children to see their parents express positive emotions towards one another.

7. Eat meals together

If your house is anything like mine, eating together as a family can be challenging. Work schedules and homework can make grabbing a quick meal from your local fast food chain extremely tempting. It also robs you of the chance to have a conversation with your family and keep an open line of communication.

8. Ask family for support

Don’t look to extended family members only when you need a baby sitter. Grandparents, aunts, cousins, etc. can offer valuable, knowledgeable advice from child-rearing to how to keep a marriage strong even during hard times.

9. Pray together

My son is only two and while he can’t say the Lord’s Prayer, he knows how to say ‘Amen’ excitedly. A prayer in the morning or evening reminds us to be thankful for what really matters, especially when the stress of the real world is constantly knocking at our door.

Should Your Kids Get An Allowance?

How To Help Your Overweight Child Lose Weight

I speak on high school and college campuses monthly and to my astonishment, I meet young people who have never worked a day in their lives. At the age of 21 years old there are people in this world who still believe for some reason that money either really does grown on trees or that it magically falls from the clouds. There is a distinct disconnect between young people and the concept of earning money.

We have created a sickly bunch of young people. Their ailment? A false sense of entitlement. They’ve been poisoned by privileges afforded to them by parents who “don’t want their kids to go through what they went through.” If that be the case, we should use our experiences to empower our children with the tools and resources that will help them successfully navigate through this world; not give them a false sense of reality. Duh. That’s what reality TV shows are for. Doing this doesn’t help them. It enables them. And, it robs the world of the efforts of someone who will approach life’s challenges with independent creativity; not be complacent with the comfort of knowing that mommy and daddy are always just a phone call away.

Allowance VS Earning

A majority of the students I meet understand that they are in college to hopefully become productive citizens who earn a decent living. The problem is, however, they really have no idea of how that whole process works. Why? Because for their entire lives they’ve been given money for things they should technically do any way (i.e. be respectful, clean their bedroom, empty trash, and earn good grades). On top of all that they receive annual raises for simply getting older. Eh, let’s see. . . When’s the last time you got a raise for keeping a tidy office, showing up to work on time or just having a birthday? . . . Oh, okay. Just checking!

What happened to just being good for the sake of being good?

Why should anyone be paid to keep their room clean? You live there, don’t you?

Pay for good grades?
(Well, I got paid for good grades, but the reality is, I would have gotten them anyway. I was just that kind of kid. So, thanks, dad! All the money wasn’t necessary, but definitely appreciated!)

Here’s the deal with paying for stuff your kids should do anyway. Once they have other streams of income, like a part-time job or birthday money from grandma, they’ll draw a blank when you expect them to do chores at home. Why should they clean up for you when they just got “free money” for doing nothing? Duh.

Kids should earn money, just like you do. Sorry kids. Basic household chores are just your contribution to the family. It goes like this:

I feed you. You do the dishes.

I drive you to school. You wash my car.

You walk around my house. You vacuum.

You asked for a little brother or sister. I gave you one. Now, you babysit.

See where I’m going with this?

READ THE REST HERE

Top 10 Kid Friendly Spring Break Activities

How To Help Your Overweight Child Lose Weight

Spring Break is just around the corner and it’s time to start planning how you can keep your kids happy and your sanity during their week off from school.  Here are 10 suggestions for kid friendly spring break activities.

Take a Road Trip
You know that trip you’ve been planning to go see the Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore or Niagra Falls?  There’s no better time than the present.  Pack the up the car and hit the road to find out what America is made of.  Give your kids an appreciation of nature and teach them some eco-friendly tips along the way.

Go to an Amusement Park
Rediscover the joys of Ferris wheels and rollercoasters by heading to the nearest amusement park.  Your kids will love spending the day screaming their heads off on park rides.  To save money pack a cooler with lunch so you can avoid the pricey (and fattening) amusement park eats.  The best part, you’ll have no trouble getting the kids to sleep when you get home, they’ll be too exhausted to move!

Plant a Garden
Take a cue from the first family and plant a garden in your back yard.   Kids will love the free excuse to play in the dirt and their hard work will pay off for months.  Imagine their sense of accomplishments when their seeds start to bloom and a beautiful garden of tomatoes, lettuce, carrot and other delicious treats.  You’ll  save on groceries and always have fresh produce right at your fingertips.

Make an Easter Basket
This edible craft project is a great way to bond with your kids and celebrate the religious holiday.  You can use boiled or blown-out eggs and a store bought Easter dye set to create mini works of art.  Throw in some candy and jelly beans and you’ll have a both a snack basket and a family made center-piece for the Easter dinner table.

Indulge Your Inner Cookie Monster
Tried and true, kids love cookies and they are both fun and simple to make! Baking together encourages creativity and teaches kids the value of teamwork. The reward is family bonding and an edible finished product.

Make it a Movie Night
Grab some popcorn and candy and surprise your kids with a trip to the theater to see HOP.  The animated film, in theaters April 1st, tells the story of a young bunny who finds himself acquiring an unexpected (and unwanted) new house-guest on the eve of his big debut as the new Easter bunny.  Get your kids excited about the film by visiting http://www.iwantcandy.com/ for games, trailers and exclusive video clips.

Create a Scavenger Hunt
Avoid April showers by staying in and planning a treasure hunt.  This no fuss activity is a sure fire way to keep your kids engaged and excited.  Stash clues around the house and lead your kids on a hunt for their hidden treasure.  The prize can be anything from cookies to their favorite board game.

Turn Bored in to Board!
Rediscover the joy of your favorite childhood board games with your little ones.  Clue, Monopoly and Candyland have been around for years because they’re just plain fun! So break out the box, choose your pieces and sit down for some competitive family bonding.

Plan a Picnic
When’s the last time you played “Red Rover” or a good solid game of “It”.  With kids spending more and more time in front of the television, a family picnic is a great way to get them out of the house and moving around.  Grab a basket, pack some fresh fruit and snacks and spend the day rediscovering what it means to “go outside and play.”

Make a Scrapbook
Remember those boxes of pictures you’ve been meaning to frame, the baby keep-sakes and tickets from your first time to the theater?  In the spirit of spring cleaning grab those items cluttering your junk drawers, some scissors and paper and make a family scrap book.  Your kids will love the cutting, gluing and pasting and you’ll love having a valid excuse to go back down memory lane.

Related:

Top 10 Places To Visit For Spring Break 2011

5 Vacation Hotspots To Put On Your Bucket List

Best Secret Atlanta Spots

Here are some simple ways to incorporate  a healthy lifestyle and better eating habits from blackdoctor.org:

1. Set Realistic Goals

Because children are still growing, it may be a better to help them maintain rather than lose weight. As your child grows taller without gaining weight, she will naturally become thinner. For more overweight or obese children, a one pound a week weight loss is a good goal. The more attainable the goal, the more likely it is you child can live with these lifetime modifications.

2. Encourage Exercise

Any type of aerobic activity will help your child expend calories. Walking, jogging, bike riding and Rollerblading are all great ways to burn calories. You should also encourage your child to stay active in other ways, like using the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking instead of driving to a friend’s house or the local store.

GET THE REST HERE

Lessons Every Mother Should Teach Their Sons

Breastfeeding Burns 500 Calories A Day

Nikko, feeling uncomfortable with the situation, refused to participate in the pretend slave auction and was sent back to his seat. “I ended up being a slave,” Nikko told Blackvoices.com, “At first I didn’t care, but after people were bidding on people it kind of made me a little mad and stuff.”

I would definitely feel the same way, had I been placed in that same situation as Nikko. The students of the class that were assigned to play the “slave masters” were analyzing the students who were assigned to play “slaves” to see if they were worth bidding on in the fake slave auction.

After school that day, Nikko went home and told his mother who immediately complained to the school. The most shocking part of this story is that Nikko’s mother was told that this activity was apart of the state’s required curriculum!

Wow! What do you think about this situation?

Read the rest of Nikko’s story here.

Public Opinion Poll Declares “Single Mothers Bad For Society”

Are Black Children An Endangered Species?

Elite NYC Stuyvesant High School Students Post Racist Rap Video

African-American Girl Names
African American names have origins in many languages including French, Latin, English and a variety of African languages. For example, many African-American girl names utilize the feminine French, Spanish, and Italian article “La” as their first syllable, like Latisha or LaVern. In this way, families can also choose to pass down a traditionally masculine name to a daughter. A couple with a beloved family member named Shawn may choose to name their daughter Lashawna.

African-American Boy Names
Many African American boy names are also derived from foreign languages and utilize the masculine “Le” or “El” as the first syllable, such as LeBron or Elton. Another trend that shows up as a large percentage of the top African American boy names are Biblical and classical Latin and Greek names. Names like Adrian, Dion or Gabriel are popular and timeless choices.

Black History Month Profile: Madame C.J. Walker

Traditional African Names
Some parents choose traditional African names for their children due to their unique, musical qualities and ties to their ancestry. Not only are the traditional African names different and special, they are often derived from an African language and carry meaning. Adamma means “beautiful girl” in Igbo, a language spoken primarily in Nigeria. Tafari is an Amharic boy’s name meaning “inspires awe”. What better way to name your child than to instill in that name your love of them and your wishes for their future?

Black History Month Profile: Oprah Winfrey

Celebrity Names
Many names are inspired by public figures in the world of social justice, politics, entertainment or sports. Martin, Jackie, Malcolm, Maya, Ella, Harriet or Hank are all names that allude to a rich cultural history and just may lend a hand in inspiring the next generation of African Americans to follow in their footsteps.

Original African-American Names
African American names are among some of the most original. Many names make use of hyphens and apostrophes to combine two names into one or add an extra syllable, like D’Angelo or La-Teesha. Unique spelling of traditional (or not-so-traditional) names is another way to stand out in the crowd. Whether that means interesting capitalization, like TruDee or an alternative spelling, like Ryann or Stefany.

There are tons of great resources when considering what to name your newborn or when delving deeper into your own genealogy, but what is most important is that you feel good about the name you choose for yourself.

By Alison Hines

Black History Month Profile: Shirley Chisholm

Top 30 African-American Baby Girl Names In 2010:
Aaliyah/Aliyah
Alexandra
Alexis
Alyssa
Angel
Aniyah
Brianna
Chloe
Destiny
Diamond
Gabrielle
Hailey
Hannah
Imani
Isis
Jada
Jasmine
Jayla
Jordan
Kayla
Kennedy
Kiara
Laila
Madison
Makayla
Nevaeh
Sydney
Taylor
Tiana
Trinity

Top African-American Baby Boy Names In 2010:
Anthony
Brandon
Caleb
Cameron
Christian
Christopher
Daniel
David
Elijah
Ethan
Gabriel
Isaiah
James
Jayden
Jaylen
Jeremiah
Jordan
Joseph
Joshua
Josiah
Justin
Kevin
Malik
Matthew
Michael
Nathan
Tyler
William
Xavier
Zion

List from babycenter.com

Since 1973, over 50 million babies have been aborted with 14 million of those being black. With the abortion rates in the black community skyrocketing over the past years, GA Right to Life and the Radiance Foundation, which is endorsed by national civil rights leaders, announced their “endangered species” project earlier this month. The project is focusing on the amount of abortions by African American mothers in two of the biggest minority counties in Georgia, Delkab and Fulton where 67% of the state’s abortions are held.

About 62 billboards have been put up in those two counties, in attempts to elicit a response and putting an end to the high abortion rates in Georgia. Of all states in the US, Georgia has the most reports of abortions from black mothers, so it seems only fitting that the campaign be launched here. It has also been reported that 30% of Georgia’s population is black, and that black women account for 59% of all abortions in the state.

Although the campaign is launched in Georgia, GA Right to Life and The Radiance Foundation has taken the campaign nation wide, with billboards from New York to California, trying to bring awareness to the issue.

The campaign also launched the website toomanyaborted.com which is behind campaigns such as “The Negro Project”, “The Truth In Black and White”, and “Who’s Behind This?.” The website also launched this video below:

Aside from this anti-abortion campaign, ANOTHER billboard was launched in New York City today trying to elicit the same response. This billboard features a young African American girl with the caption “The Most Dangerous Place For An African American Is In The Womb”. The billboard was created by an organization entitled Life Always, with the same goals in mind as the aforementioned anti-abortion organizations. This particular billboard was placed about three blocks from the planned parenthood clinic in NYC, and has sparked a similar response from the black population in New York City, as in Georgia which is exactly what the creators of this campaign were hoping would happen.

What are your thoughts about this campaign? Personally, I definitely appreciate the fact that there are organizations taking the initiative to put an end to so many abortions, especially in the black community, as well as bring nationwide attention to the issue. However, I am not so sure how I feel about the choice of words used for the billboard, but I guess that is the point of this campaign. Nevertheless, it’s for a good cause, right?

If your interested in donating to this organization, you can visit toomanyaborted.com or thatsabortion.com to find out more information.

Thoughts?

Is MTV To Blame For Teen Pregnancy?

5 Ways Your Kids Can Make You Healthier

Immediately there was a lot of talk about shows such as 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, being responsible for, not just this case, but the rising rate of teenage pregnancy in this country. Everyone from Kim Kardashian to Roxanne Shante has voiced their opinions on the matter and their distress that MTV is glamorizing teen pregnancy. Yesterday, Rosie O’Donnell argued the other side. She said that she watches this season’s  “Teen Mom”, with her 13 year old daughter, and finds that MTV sends a definite message about the hardships of teen pregnancy and does not advocate or glamorize teen pregnancy. Now I never thought I would say this, but I agree with her.

For a start, the teen pregnancy rate has been increasing since 2006. “16 and Pregnant” was first aired in 2009. So obviously teen pregnancy was happening, and should have been a major talking point, long before MTV decided to thrust it into the public’s consciousness through the television show and made people pay attention to the bigger issue. Rosie 1, K’Dash 0.

As anyone who has ever seen the show would know, MTV make a point of showing the girls struggling with being mothers and losing their carefree teenage ways. Each commercial break finishes with a voice-over stating that teen pregnancy is 100% preventable, and directs teens to the it’s your sex life website. REF. Almost every episode ends with the girls monologue, where they all say that they wish they had waited to have sex and they aren’t ready for the tremendous responsibility that comes with having a child. Further, most of the girls find out that their ‘perfect’ relationship with their baby daddy, is not so perfect after all, and in Teen Mom, the majority of the girls are dealing with not only having a child, but doing it on their own. Not so glamorous is it? Rosie 2, K’Dash 0.

I have heard the argument that some girls are deliberately getting pregnant in an effort to get on tv and become famous. I’m sure that there are some girls who are stupid and immature enough to do that, but as the Maury Povich show has shown for years, these girls are going to be stupid and immature anyway, and it should be up to the family to try and teach them about the hardships of being a teen mother. Today I joined the Teen Mom Facebook group and from the hundreds of posts on the discussion board there are only a handful of posts even expressing interest in being on the show, and most of these were met with dismay from fellow posters. As one person wrote, ‘teen mom is the reason I am on birth control’. Therefore, if shows such as Teen Mom can help raise awareness about safe sex and pregnancy prevention for millions of girls (at last count the Teen Mom Facebook page had 3,262,902 followers), then why should the immaturity and sheer stupidityof a few jeapordise that? Rosie 3, K’Dash 0.

Blaming the media for a social problem is an easy way for politicians and even teen mothers to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions or in-actions, but it does not address the whole issue. As Terrika Sutton, the school girl from Memphis who was interviewed said, her school did not have (at the time) classes about sex education, be it abstinence education or learning about birth control, but obviously it was needed. Instead of focusing on demonizing television programs, why don’t we focus more on pressuring governments and school officials to broadening the education offered about sex and parenting at school?

I think that MTV, with such a massive audience, in the prime age bracket for learning about sex education, has the unique opportunity to be able to talk to teenagers and get throught to them much better than teachers in a classroom, or even parents can. So I can’t see the harm in shows being aired that address such big issues. In fact, I think that MTV with 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, has done the community a service, by opening up the debate about how to prevent teenage pregnancy and showing immature girls the reality of being a teen mom.

How To Have The Sex Talk With Your Teen

Is Clothing Store Forever21’s Maternity Line Promoting Teen Pregnancy?

3 Shocking Things We Don’t Know About Sex

Here are 5 ways your kids can help keep you healthy from shine.com:

1) Kids remind us to not take life too seriously. Stress is linked to heart related illnesses and death. Seeing your little ones run around with spaghetti glued to their hair and coming out of a bath seemingly muddier than they went in, makes us smile, laugh, and look at life through rosy glasses

2) Having children renews our sense of hope in the world. A child reminds us that there is good in the world and we are all born with a sense of possibility. With poverty, homelessness, malnutrition, and tragedy on the news every day, it is no wonder we become more pessimistic as we get older, but children give us an opportunity to believe in the world again. With carefree smiles and silly songs, who can’t help but think life may really be better if we all start the day singing good morning to each other?

GET THE REST HERE

7 Tips To Avoid Getting Sick This Winter

How To Help Your Overweight Child Lose Weight

1. Winter Wonderland

Materials

• 9-ounce clear plastic cup
• Silver poster board
• Pinking shears or decorative craft scissors
• Polyester batting
• Miniature trees (sold in craft stores; try the dollhouse or model railroad section)
• Miniature animals or people (sold in craft stores or online at BJCRAFTSUPPLIES.COM)

• 1-inch-wide mirror
• Tacky glue
• Fine glitter
• Pushpin
• Monofilament
• Several craft beads

2. Dangling Snowman

Materials

• 3 round objects (we used a spice jar lid, the bottom of a yogurt container, and a mason jar lid)
• Scissors
• Craft foam, white and orange
• Glue dots

• Monofilament
• Buttons
• Permanent marker
• Ribbon

3. Lollipop Tree

Materials

• Corrugated cardboard that measures 9 inches across the base and 8 inches tall
• Craft knife
• Lollipops

• 11-inch wooden skewer
• Bottle cork
• Glue

Go to familyfun.go.com for directions

How To Decorate Your Bedroom This Christmas

Crate & Barrel Drink Ornaments

Blunder #1: Lecturing

No one enjoys a one-sided conversation in which they’ve been relegated to the role of non-stop listener. For the mature adult patiently listening to some know-it-all bluster on and on without reprieve is next to impossible. For most teenagers, who characteristically have shorter attention spans, it is impossible. Polite teenagers will silently tune out while remaining bodily present. The less than polite will simply get up and leave. And who can blame them?

Before you launch into your next great speech, try asking open-ended questions that will require a thoughtful response. My rule of thumb is if I find myself speaking more than three sentences without interruption, then I’m probably talking too much.

Blunder #2: Offering Unwelcome Advice

When was the last time you asked a teenager (or anyone for that matter), “I have an opinion about that. Would you like to hear it?” When was the last time you waited to be asked for your thoughts before you offered them?

Even though the exact right advice might be on the tip of your tongue, exercise self-control. Wait to be asked for your opinion, or ask permission to offer it first. Teenagers’ biggest complaint is adults’ lack of respect for their personhood. Nothing shouts “I don’t respect you!” like clobbering someone over the head with your unsolicited opinion.

READ THE REST HERE

How To Stop Behavior Problems At A Young Age

Message To Adults: It Is Your Job To Prevent Bullying