Ham Wraps Quick, Easy Appetizers Your Kids Can Help You Make

I love the holidays and I enjoy all the cooking and preparation that leads to the festivities.

My daughter who is now 15 years old helps me out with everything. She will be in America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year and has been very busy leading up to Thanksgiving. However, she asked me the other day when we were going to start baking and cooking. I thought this year she wouldn’t want to get involved with all the preparations, but she surprised me.

This is allowing us to become closer and talk, while at the same time it teaches her how to cook. At 15 years old she does a pretty good job of cooking, but she started helping me with little jobs in the kitchen when she was small. I always took time and made it as fun as possible starting with her Easy Bake oven.

I’ve tried to teach my daughter during our cooking marathons to always make sure everything tastes terrific, but at the same time to try to keep the cost down. Not an easy task in this economy! However, there are some things you can do to keep the cost down. One thing I’ve found is that you don’t necessarily have to buy brand name products. If you can get them on sale, great, but if not, I’ve found the store brand products (Meijer,etc.) taste just as good. The other thing I’ve noticed is that the week before a holiday most stores have wonderful sales on groceries. Look at the weekend flyers and compare prices to make sure you get the best deal.

Another example is cream cheese. I love the Philadelphia brand, but if you are putting it in a dip or appetizer it doesn’t really matter.

Here is a quick appetizer you can make with your kids. This is fun and will get children in the kitchen so you can spend more time with them during the busy holiday season.

I’ve used prosciutto (dry-cured Italian ham), which is very expensive, but I’ve also tried deli ham. They both taste great. I’ve found deli ham as low as $2.99/lb. at my local deli counter. I also make sure I’ve blanched the asparagus spears before my daughter even gets into the kitchen so they are cooled and dried completely. That way you don’t worry about your kids getting burned and you can get started right away.

Also a little added note, I am from Michigan, and Michigan ranks third in the nation for asparagus production. So I can boost the economy a bit as well!


ITALIAN HAM & ASPARAGUS WRAPS



1 8 Oz. package cream cheese
1 teaspoon of dried chives
1 teaspoon parsley
Salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon of lemon juice
½ lb. ham or prosciutto (at least 10 pieces of ham)
10 large asparagus spears trimmed and blanched for a few minutes to retain crispness.

Let cream cheese come to room temperature. In a bowl mix cream cheese, chives, parsley, salt, pepper and lemon. Set aside. Place a slice of ham on counter or cutting board and spread thin layer of cream cheese on the meat with a spoon. Place a piece of asparagus on top of the cream cheese and top of the ham slice and roll. Cut each roll into pieces. About 4 to 5 pieces per ham slice.

Makes about 40-50 bite sized pieces.

These little appetizers are great to serve with a glass of wine before dinner. Ham wraps taste great and they don’t cost much to make.

So get the ham on sale and no name brand cream cheese. This is something you can make that will make the holidays a little more festive while being affordable at the same time.

Most of all, get your kids in the kitchen and spend time with them during the holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Don't Be Afraid To Be Happy Instead Of Hungry!

Everyone today is so weight-conscious. I think that's fine, but I really feel it is affecting our children a great deal. Especially girls in their teens.

My daughter is very thin and she will still ask me, "Mom, am I fat?" I get so upset when she asks me this question because the fact is she is very thin. However, what I see and what she sees may be two different things.

She won't wear shorts in the summer anymore and that scares me. I told her that the girls in Hollywood and the ones in magazines are pictures that have been touched up. Even if they do look perfect, these pictures have been retouched or airbrushed to make them look perfect.

I was lucky to have my husband be the Editor-in-Chief of a local sports magazine, and they happened to do a swimsuit issue very similar to Sports Illustrated. Not only was I lucky enough to see the process so was my daughter.

Yes, these women are beautiful, but they do have imperfections just like the rest of us. It is amazing how much re-touching can be done to these photos. Plus, they have professionals doing their hair and make up.

I think it is important as a parent to make our children feel beautiful. Our country is so hung up on weight and beauty, but beauty goes much deeper than the physical appearance.

How you treat others should be more important. We should emphasize this to our children.

Of course, Hollywood doesn't do much to help. These actresses are so skinny they all look anorexic. No one ever seems skinny enough. That just sends the wrong message to our children. How can you be happy if you're hungry all the time?

Now I'm not saying eat whatever you want whenever you want. However, I believe eveything in moderation is fine. Especially for growing and developing bodies. Unless a doctor tells you otherwise.

This is another reason I cook with the freshest ingredients I can. I always try to have a balanced meal on the table. A meat, vegetable, and potato or rice will usually fill everyone up. Balanced meals are meals you can feel good about serving your family.

As a person of Italian descent, pasta has always been a must at the dinner table several times a week. Now I know pasta can be very fattening; however, today we have other pasta alternatives.

Most grocery stores carry whole wheat pasta, which is very good for you. Also there are light sauces with vegetables that you can use instead of a heavy or cream-based sauce.

My grandparents lived to a ripe old age and ate more pasta than anything else. They were all healthy and happy because they weren't hungry all the time.

Here is a a Tomato Primavera you can feel good about feeding your family. Notice all the fresh ingredients. What does Primavera mean in Italian? "Springtime." We could all use a little springtime in November!

TOMATO PRIMAVERA


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 small ear corn, kernels shucked and par-boiled for 1 minute
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 ounces extra-small button mushrooms, halved
1 teaspoon double-conentrate tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or fresh oregano to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 10 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute until tender, 2 or 3 minutes. (Make sure to not burn the garlic because it will turn very bitter.)

Add tomatoes, breaking them up with your hands. Stir in remaining ingredients. Raise the heat slightly and simmer the sauce until thick, about 10 minutes. Toss with cooked pasta. Serves 4-6

Olive oil is great to use all the time because it won't clog the arteries. Also, there's a small amount of sugar in this recipe, but you need to balance the acid of the tomatoes. With all the ingredients, a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar really isn't much. Also, don't forget whole wheat pastas! They are very tasty, not to mention good for you.

As parents the best thing we can do is serve healthy and balanced meals to our family. This should include pastas.

When you eat healthy you are happy and alert. This makes you feel good about yourself.

So try serving fresh ingredients and I'm sure you will be amazed how much weight we all don't gain. Three well-balanced meals a day is a way to stay healthy.

Let's make sure our children feel beautiful and one way to do that is give them healthy food choices, which believe it or not should include pasta with fresh ingredients.

We should all try to focus more on health than body image. However, that's easier said than done, but healthy foods will get you to a ripe old age. A skinny, unhealthy, malnourished body will only lead to a tired and sick body.

Look at all these people in Hollywood who die at such young ages. Unfortunately, many young girls look up to these types of people. As parents I'm not sure what we can do about that, but we can offer our children healthy food choices.

Fresh foods and ingredients are one way to maintain a healthy weight. If you're healthy you can't help but be happy!

Good Communication With Your Kids Includes Talking About Scary Things -- Like The News

I'm one of those people who watches the news on a regular basis. I like to keep up with what is going on in the world.

I love to watch CNN, and Lou Dobbs happens to be one of my favorites. Anderson Cooper and his show "360" is also one I like to tune into on a daily basis. I suppose I watch both of them because I usually agree with what they're saying. As stressed as I can get, I really don't need to watch people I disagree with.

Which is probably why I don't like to watch Fox News. They're usually saying things I don't agree with and have guests such as Ann Coulter, who I won't even bother to watch. If I see her I can't change the channel fast enough. Bill O'Reilly is another show I just simply can't and won't watch. Now this is just my opinion.

This entry isn't to bash Fox and promote CNN. I just think it's good to know what's going on in the world. If you like Fox more than CNN by all means watch it, but even if you're a homemaker you should keep up with current events.

I think it keeps your mind alert. Even though the news is depressing at times and very sensationalistic, it makes you feel smarter and informed. Especially if you're at home a lot.

My daughter Nicole, now 14, is very interested in what is happening in the world. She comes home after school and talks about current events. Nicole's social studies teacher happens to talk about current events in class quite often. My daughter thinks her teacher is wonderful and she is so interested in his class.

As violent as the news can be my daughter seems to be able to handle it. I attribute this to her having a safe haven to come home to. You can't hide the violence from your kids no matter how hard you try.

Several months back we had a case in Michigan where a wife and mother went missing. Her name was Tara Grant. It was just a horrific crime. As usual the husband claimed he had nothing to do with her disappearance. He of course later confessed to killing her.


Tara Grant (above), whose husband, Steven (below), confessed to killing



Now we have a current case which is Stacy Peterson. Another wife and mother missing. This time from the state of Illinois. Again, the husband is claiming he has nothing to do with her disappearance. We'll see; however, I highly doubt it. Most mothers just don't leave their children.

How about the highly publicized Laci Peterson case? Again, another husband claiming he had nothing to do with his wife's disappearance. Not only did this monster kill his wife, but also his unborn baby. Unless you live in a cave you've heard about this case, and so have your children.

I think it's important as a parent to be able to talk to your kids about current events. They talk about them in school, and we need them to be well informed.

No, you can't make sense of these types of murder cases. Thankfully most of us, not even in our wildest dreams, could ever hurt another human being let alone someone we are supposed to love.

How do you explain this type of violent crime to your kids? You can't. However, you can sit down and talk to them about it. Especially if they bring up the subject, which my daughter has done on numerous occasions.

We live in a very violent society. However, it's up to us to make our children feel safe. Talking about it is one way to make them feel better.

These monsters that kill their wives not only affect their children and family, but they affect all of us. Let's take back some of the power that these monsters have taken away from all of us! Especially the innocence of our children, of which they've robbed some.

By talking about it with your children it will relieve some of the fright they may be feeling. It's important to let our kids know that they can talk to us, even about the most unspeakable things.

Maybe we don't have the answers as to why these terrible things occur. If we talk about them it may prevent it from happening in the future. Let's teach our kids that violence is not the answer. Because chances are, they've heard about it, and not talking about it won't make it go away.

By talking about these types of terrible crimes and current events with our children it may prevent it from happening in the future. One way is to make sure they feel safe and secure at home. When you talk to your kids you get to know them better. The only way to be able to talk to your kids about these types of crimes is for you to know what is going on yourself. Maybe if some of these monsters had a person to talk to they would have thought twice before doing what they did.

Hopefully by talking to our children it will prevent future violence. If we do our job as parents, maybe in some small way these poor people haven't died in vain.

In The Year Of The Recall, Look To Homemade Toys This Holiday Season

I've addressed this on my blog before, but I guess it needs to be brought up again.

I watch the news on a pretty regular basis. Again, I am appalled at the government's slow reaction at anything that affects this nation's people. When it come to children I get even more upset.

Yet again, seven more U.S. children became sick after ingesting Chinese-made toy beads that were recalled last week because of a toxic coating.

Now if you aren't aware of the product, please check your home and call friends with children. The Spin Master Aqua Dots are the name of the toxic toy. This news should be plastered everywhere, but it isn't.


The Aqua Dots toy that's being recalled

The chemical that these beads are covered in causes children to be knocked unconscious. This particular chemical metabolizes into gamma hydroxybutyrate -- better known as the "date-rape drug".

On top of the child being knocked unconscious, it can also cause seizures, drowsiness, coma, and even death.

Where is the outrage from our government? These are our children -- our babies! Since this administration has been in office the country has done nothing but gone downhill at an alarming rate.

This government should be banning anything that comes from China! If not, everything that comes into our country should be tested thoroughly and these companies should have to pay for every bit of it. They should also make sure that the cost of such prevention doesn't get passed along to the consumer. There's a price for cheap labor and these companies should be made to pay for it.

I hope these toy companies get sued so badly they are put out of business. These are our children and there should be such a human outcry. They put American workers out of business to send products overseas to be made cheaper. I feel no pity for these companies, but as usual they are not the only ones hurt. When it comes to any child being harmed in any way that is where I really lose my temper. Especially when this could have all been avoided by someone testing these products and just plain doing their job!

The other thing that makes me mad is that it wasn't our govenment that banned these toys. It was in Beijing, China that they banned exports of this toy. That only happened after these Aqua Dots had been recalled in other countries. On top of that, China probably wouldn't have done anything either if an investigation hadn't been ordered.

The Chinese government doesn't care about their own people -- why would they care about ours? Furthermore, our government is just as bad; they don't protect us either. Where do we turn? The people running for president in 2008 aren't addressing all the issues facing our country today. They gloss over issues and I am sick and tired of them walking a fine line.

If you believe in something you should stand up for it and not be afraid of what others will say. We need people in our government who are honest and have a backbone. Personally I don't think there is anyone who fits this description, among the presidential candidates.

When it comes to children that is when I really get mad. We are here to protect them -- not put them in danger and our government and corporate America should make sure of that.

My daughter, Nicole, is 14 now so she doesn't really play with toys anymore. She's into her iPod, writing stories with her friends, and being a usual teenager. However, if I had a precious little one I wouldn't buy a single toy sold in stores this year. Hit these companies in the pocket book!

A few weeks back it was said that this would be the safest holiday on record. That is already not happening. Why believe anything the so-called experts say? If I had a little one, what I would do is buy toys at local craft shows. This time of the year, you can find such shows all over the place, usually at churches and schools. A lot of these retired gentlemen -- and ladies -- make beautiful wooden toys. I've bought them in the past for my daughter. Not only are you helping these folks that make these wonderful toys, you are also keeping your child safe. I'd trust someone like a local crafter more than I would these big toy manufacturers.

The kind of toys you find at a craft show are ones that will require kids to use more of their imagination. In the long run they will probably love the toy much more than a store bought one. It will probably keep them more entertained. Plus, the toys are better made --with care, love, and pride. Tell your kids that this hand-made toy was made especially for them and there isn't another one like it in the whole world. Make them feel special -- because they are. As parents we need to remember that there isn't another person like that special child in our life and he/she can't be replaced. Our children are made with care, love, and pride -- just like these special toys!


Homemade, hand-made toys like this car can be found at your local church or school's craft shows

If you want to keep your kids safe this holiday season, try a homemade toy. Maybe if we go back to the way things used to be we will all be better off. Not to mention, our kids will be safe. What could be better for all of us?

Halloween: One of My Favorites, And Here's Why

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I love Halloween! It's a fun night. It gives children and parents a chance to do something together.

I love the smell in the air and the laughter I hear from kids running up to my porch and yelling "Trick or treat!" It's one more reason to have fun as a family.

When I was growing up, the decorations for Halloween used to be a couple of cute or spooky cardboard cutouts that you had to Scotch tape to your windows or door.

Today the decorations are so elaborate. From the inflatables on the front lawn to the flashing lights in the windows. I'm one of those people that like to celebrate everything and try to put my own special and personal touch on it. Any excuse to have fun with my child and enjoy life.

This morning started out great! My daughter jumped out of bed and was very excited. She couldn't wait to put on her make-up and costume. Today was one of those mornings for just cereal and juice, which she hardly touched. All she wanted to do is get ready and go to school. Fortunately her school allows the children to go in their Halloween costumes.

Last evening we had fun putting together little candy bags for her friends at school. They are cute little bags we picked up at Target that say "You've been booed". Last evening was another reason for me to spend time with my daughter by putting together bags of candy for her friends. We laughed and talked. These are the kind of moments you can make happen all the time.

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Trust is the kind of payback you get from spending quality time with your children.
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After school this afternoon she has to look forward to carving two pumpkins with her dad. A reason for them to have fun and talk together too.

A fun and easy thing you can do is get out a crockpot and put it on Low. Add apple cider to it and a few cinnamon sticks and let it simmer. When your children return they will have some nice warm cider to come home to and enjoy. This is easy and requires very little clean up. Just another way to make tonight just a little more special. While my husband and daughter carve the pumpkins, I will be making this little treat for them.
















Our Jack Russell, Scamp, is the cutest witch ever!



This evening will also be time for her and her friends to go out and be together. This is the first year she will be going out with just her friends. I know my daughter and her friends and am positive they will be well behaved and careful. Trust is the kind of payback you get from spending quality time with your children.

As parents we should all find any reason to make things as fun and enjoyable for our children as we can. It's another way we can become close as a family unit.

Halloween is just another excuse to have fun with your kids. Try to make every moment count! They'll be grown up before we know it.

Please remember if you are driving tonight to be extra careful. Children get very excited and can just dash into the street without thinking. So please think for them for just one evening.

Have a safe and happy Halloween! Enjoy your kids and most of all have fun with them!

Today's Homework: Book Sense Outweighs Common Sense

I can't say this any simpler: there is just too much homework for our kids! Someone has got to do something about this.

Yes, they should have some homework, but there is such a thing as overload. I think the amount of homework my child comes home with is completely unacceptable.

On top of all the homework is the weight of the books they bring home in their backpacks. I am so worried about my child's back. I'm afraid she's going to do damage to it. I told her, that if a book is too heavy, to carry it in her arms to more evenly distribute the weight.

You would think someone would use common sense when they're making these text books. Remember, these are children carrying these books. Can't someone use their heads and maybe break up the book in sections? Instead of one book for the whole year, maybe there should be three or four smaller ones. Am I the only person who thinks of these things?



I know everyone is always worried about cost. Do they ever think, What about the cost to our children's well being and health? Isn't that worth anything anymore?

The stress our kids are under is simply too much. Someone has got to say enough is enough. Not to mention the stress the parents feel -- especially responsible parents who work with their children and make sure they have good work habits.

The kids need a little downtime and also time for outside activities. They need balance in their lives. They need family time.

Also, think of the parents. We work outside the home, as well as inside it. We have to make dinner and be able to have time to sit and eat. We need time with our kids; it's important for our family. They need time with us as well.

We're multi-tasking all the time, so why do we have to multi-task time spent with our children? Then people wonder why there is a breakdown of the family. This sure doesn't help!

Another excuse I've heard for all the homework is kids have to be able to deal with stress. Well, maybe that's true, but isn't it our job as adults to protect them from stress -- not cause more? When the kids become adults they'll have enough stress. Why do we have to intoduce it to them sooner than necessary?

Here is another thing I've heard: "We have to be able to compete with other countries." This is a lot of nonsense. Why put our kids through all this stress to compete only to have the CEOs of this country outsource American jobs anyway? All they care about is the cheap labor they can get in other countries. They don't care about the American worker or the American family.

All I know is, Halloween is this Wednesday and I'm sure there will be a heavy load of homework. For one day can't they ease the load a bit? Let these kids enjoy going out without being worried about homework.

Also, let the parents be able to enjoy our kids for at least one night. We have to cook dinner, clean up and get the costumes on them, which includes makeup most of the time. Have a little pity on all of us this Wednesday!

Have a wonderful and spooky Halloween!!!! BOO!

Idle Hands Truly Can Be Devil's Workshop

I believe one of the best things we can do for our kids is to keep them involved in activities. Whether it is in school or after school.

My daughter is in band and will continue in high school. My husband and I encourage her all the time, and she has become quite a good clarinet player.

Like most parents, I'm worried about her transition from middle school to high school. I worry about her getting in with the wrong crowd, or into drugs, alcohol, smoking, sex -- and anything else that may get her into trouble.

I do, however, believe in my child and know that my husband and I did the very best to bring her up with good moral values. I hope we have set a good example for her. We aren't perfect, but I hope making sacrifices throughout her life and just plain being there for her has made the difference.

I don't think you can be your child's best friend. They have that at school. I think that parents must be anchors for their kids. Keep them grounded. Make sure you know who they are hanging around with and where they are all the time. It's not an easy job, but is very important to their well being.

My daughter and I are very close, but I found myself not listening to her other day. She came home from school and I was in the kitchen getting ready to start dinner. I found myself not really listening to her. So I just stopped what I was doing and sat at the table and listened to what she had to say. It was nothing earth shattering, but the fact is she wanted to come to me and talk about it.

As parents, we are all busy and there just are not enough hours in the day. Later I thought about taking the time to listen to her and I realized, what happened as a result? We ate 15 minutes later. What's so terrible about that?

I'm so glad I realized what I was doing and took the time to sit down with her. Nobody likes not being heard. Children are no different. They are worth every bit of love and attention we can give them.

The stress our kids are under in school is much worse than we ever experienced. It's so important for them to have a safe haven. They need to express their opinions and we need to be able to guide them in the right direction.


Taking a walk with your kids as a family -- even in the rain -- can be considered quality time

The most important thing is to have open communication with kids. It's definitely not easy in this day and age. I think the more you listen and spend time with your kids the closer you will become.

Schedules are hectic and life is crazy, but I think keeping children active helps. Most cities have community centers now. Kids can swim or do other positive and healthy activities. The cost is minimal, and will keep them out of trouble. It's a nice thing parents and kids can do together. It also gets everyone out of the house. They can also meet up with their friends while you swim or do other activities. The old saying, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop," truly does apply -- especially nowadays.

So spend time with your kids. Take time to talk to them. Get to know their friends. The best thing for our children is to know that someone cares. If their parents don't, who will?

Cheesecake In A Jiffy? Here's How!

My family loves dessert after our evening meal. A little something sweet for watching TV and spending family time.

This is one of the easiest desserts in the world to make, and it only takes minutes. If you and your family love cheesecake like we do, you will really enjoy this.

NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

2 - 8 oz. packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups of Cool Whip Whipped Topping
1 pre-made graham cracker crust or homemade

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer til well blended.

Gently fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip Whipped Topping.

Put in a graham cracker crust and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours.

* Top with fresh or defrosted frozen berries. Also, canned pie filling can be topped on this for an added twist.

I've tried different no-name brand cream cheese products with this recipe, but I don't like it as much. My suggestion is to use Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, and no, I don't work for them!


Store-bought graham cracker pie crust

Also, you may want to add fresh or frozen berries on top of the chessecake. Another great thing to add is a canned cherry or blueberry pie topping right out of the can.

I'm not sure how good this is for your body, but it sure tastes great. We all have to indulge once in a while and we shouldn't feel guilty.

The filling is also great to put into those little filo cups you can find in the frozen dessert food aisle of your grocery store. What I do is add about a tablespoon of the filling into each cup and top the filling with a spoon full of canned cherry pie filling. It makes a great cute little dessert and not as many calories. Kids can also eat them easily; in their little hands, it's a perfect fit. These little cups are great to serve around holidays too, which by the way, is right around the corner.

Filo pastry shells/cups (in the frozen dessert section)

Another great thing about making this is a chance to get your kids into the kitchen with you. There aren't a lot of ingredients so it isn't complicated. It gives you some time with your kids and this is a great excuse to talk and be together as a family. If you make the little filo cups the kids can add the pie filling to the top. It can't get much easier than that.

My daughter, Nicole, suggested I pass this recipe along. So I am giving her full credit for this little entry. She is always in the kitchen with me and this is one of the first recipes she ever made with me. Other than her Easy Bake Oven.

So give this little cheesecake recipe a try. It's another reason to spend some time with your children. Spending time with your kids AND a great dessert. What could be wrong with that?

Have fun and enjoy the recipe, compliments of Nicole!!

Contraception For Middle Schoolers: Treating A Symptom, Not The Problem

I heard on the news yesterday, which completely blew my mind, about a school district in Maine making birth control available to children in middle school. These kids are in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.

This means children ages 11-13 being able to get a full range of contraception. The types of contraception would include pills, patches, injections, and the "morning after" pill.

I don't agree with schools getting involved with the distribution of contraceptives. As parents, we're losing more and more of our parental rights. This is not taking care of the problem; all this is doing is encouraging children to have sex at a young age. Children at this age are just not ready for sex.

This also doesn't mean they won't be able to contract HIV/AIDS or any other sexually transmitted disease. All this does is prevent pregnancy and even that is not 100% guaranteed.

When our children come home with a sexually transmitted disease are the schools going to pay the bills? No, of course not. When a child dies of AIDS, is someone from the school going to be holding that child's hand? I doubt it.

Whatever happend to educating them? That's what schools are supposed to do -- not hand out contraception. Show them people dying of AIDS. Fear and the truth are great motivators. Education, education, education.

We educate them to not take drugs. Still, kids use drugs every day. Does this mean we start handing out drugs in school? I mean, if some kids use anyway, why not make that available to them too? It's the same premise.


Birth control patches, like the one pictured above, would be made available to middle schoolers, if a Maine school district gets its way

We also educate kids not to smoke. Again, some kids will still smoke. So why not hand out packs of cigarettes too? Where do we draw the line?

This contraception in middle schools proposal is just a way for lazy parents to get out of their responsibility. It's another example of the breakdown of the family. It seems it takes two incomes to make ends meet today, but this is no reason to shirk your responsibility as a parent.

Take time to talk to your kids. Get to know their friends. It's our right as parents to know where our kids are all the time. The schools have no right to get involved. This is a personal family matter. Whatever happened to educating and advocating abstinence?

Here's something else: You can't mention God in schools, but you can hand out birth control. What's going on in this country? Where are our moral values?

Another concern I have is, who knows what kind of effect these drugs will have on a child's developing body? Somewhere down the line when they are older maybe we'll find out the adverse effect of these contraceptives, but by that time the damage will be done.

My husband and I brought our daughter into this world and it's our responsiblity as parents to make sure she doesn't go down the wrong path. This proposal in Maine doesn't help our plight. As a matter of fact, it makes it worse. Why listen to your parents when you can go to school and get birth control behind their backs?

Maybe if kids feel safe, secure, and loved at home they won't want to have sex at such an early age. Let kids know they are special. Tell them to have respect for their bodies. It may not be cool, but neither is a crying baby at 2:00 a.m. Dying from a sexually transmitted disease isn't too cool either.

Our kids need to feel special and loved. I'm not saying that some kids won't have sex, but it's a parent's decision after consulting with a family doctor to decide on birth control if their child is having sex.

The primary concern is to make sure our children feel loved, so they won't have to seek love anywhere else. They need to come to their parents first. We need to have open lines of communcation with our children on any subject and they have to be able to trust us. The more you talk to your kids the easier this becomes.

The 1970s: A Much Simpler, Safer Time

I grew up in the 1970s, and I believe that it was such a different world back then. I remember Saturday morning cartoons. It was an exciting morning because usually the only time you could watch cartoons for hours was on Saturday morning.

Today cartoons are on all hours of the day and night with cable TV. It isn't quite as special as it used to be -- getting up on Saturday and staying in your pajamas for hours. Of course, until one of your friends called for you thru the door, yelling, "SHAR---ON!"

In the '70s on our block at least, there was always someone to hang out with. The funny thing is none of us ever seemed to get into too much trouble. Kids were always outside playing and the parents were usually working in the yard or not too far away.

Front & back doors were left open and you didn't have to worry about some crazy nut just walking in your house to do harm to anyone. I also remember all the parents on our block being friends and knowing each other pretty well. My dad would go sit on a neighbors porch with them. It seemed before you knew it, seven or eight dads and moms were together talking and laughing.

The boys would be playing baseball in the street. Of course, you would have an occasional window break now and then. The girls would be playing Barbies on someone's porch or with their other dolls. As we got older, 2 and 4 Square use to keep us entertained for hours. We used to ride our bikes to the park without our parents. You felt safe. It was a much simpler time.

We were one of the few families on our block that had a pool and kids were always over swimming. I also remember my mom feeding other people's kids lunch on a daily basis, especially if they had been over swimming. In the evenings I would have the occasional pool party, and my dad would barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs ; we would also roast marshmallows. Dad would hook up a light to the side of the garage so we could swim in the dark until sometimes 10:00 pm at night. He would be sitting right there watching us to make sure no one got hurt.

Do you remember the big blue "helping hands" in families' picture windows? The big blue helping hand meant if you were in trouble or needed help you could run to that home. At that time you didn't have a fear that someone in that house may harm you.


Sadly, signs like this aren't needed much anymore in this country's neighborhoods

We ate dinner as a family every night, and my mom made sure of that. I also remember wanting to eat dinner so fast so I could go outside to play with my friends. My mom would occasionally get mad because she knew I wouldn't eat as well as I should, being in such a hurry as I was.

The food even seemed better back then. I cook pretty much the same stuff my mom did, but to me it just doesn't seem to taste as good. No one cooks like mom!

The homework wasn't as much as the kids have today. We had time to play after school. Not today -- the homework load is so heavy the kids have no time to just be kids.

The world is so different now and our innocence has been lost right along with our children. No one trusts anyone anymore. You never see boys playing baseball in the street. As for the girls, when was the last time you saw five or six girls playing Barbies or dolls on someone's porch? I see the occational kid riding a bike, but not like in the '70s. We would ride our bikes to 7-Eleven to get a Slurpee or to the corner store to get candy and bubble gum.

What do the kids do now? After the massive amount of homework they want to play video games. Maybe the video games they play relieves some of the stress they feel. We didn't have too much stress when I was growing up.

I feel sorry for our kids because they have so much stress and let's face it -- we bring them up to not trust too many people. School isn't even safe for them anymore. I keep reading about teachers doing unspeakable things to these kids. My daughter hears about all this because it's on TV and in the newspapers. That just adds to her stress.

Someone has to figure out why these kids are going crazy and shooting up schools. When I was a kid, we were ALL picked on at one time or another. I certainly don't remember any kids shooting up schools back when I grew up. There has to be more to this phenomenon than just being picked on. Being picked on may just be one of the reasons; there has to be more to it than that. It is the symptom of a much bigger problem.

Yes, I believe our innocence has been lost and that is so sad. I wish my child could have been born in a much simpler time. Where did it all go wrong? I have no idea, but it is tragic. Maybe it's as simple as the breakdown of the family. Because if we aren't secure at home, how can we feel secure anyplace else?

Our job as parents is to keep our children safe and secure. Part of it may just be talking and having dinner as a family together each night. That way our kids know us and we know our kids. Children should be able to talk to their parents about anything and not fear they will be judged. We need to talk and help our kids through everything in their life and they have to be able to trust us.

Parents can't be perfect and may not always have the right answers, but we owe it to our kids to at least be there for them.

Lots of Hope for Premature Babies

My daughter was born 2 months early, weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs 14 ozs. She was the tiniest little baby I had ever seen. I had toxemia and she had to be delivered after a long stint in bed for a little over 2 months.

At that time no one I knew had ever had a baby born that early. I was scared she would not have a normal life, and I tried to put that thought out of my mind, as much as possible. She was our first and to this day our only child. We were new parents and newly married. When I look back now I wonder how we got through that part of our lives without a nervous breakdown.

As a new mother you look forward to bringing home a healthy baby. My daughter was in the hospital for 2 months prior to coming home. I was at the hospital day and night hoping that her hearing my voice would let her know I was there. My mom was my constant companion at the hospital day after day. My husband had to work all day, but every evening he would be at the hospital with me, even as tired as I'm sure he was. I remember one night after leaving our daughter, I cried from the time we left Beaumont Hospital until we got home. My poor husband just drove and I'm sure didn't know what to do to make me feel better. As a new mother you want your baby home with you, but you have to do what is best for your child, and her coming home was not the answer.

As if you're not going through enough at the time, some people would have to tell you "Oh, your daughter is going to be slow", or "She won't do well in school", or "You have a lot of work cut out for you", or "She will always be sick", etc. What I always remember is what her Primary Nurse, Julia told me, "She will be fine; these kids do fine." That gave me hope and I tried to only focus on that.

I remember one mom in particular saying to me, "I'm so afraid I'm going to get a call in the middle of the night that my son didn't make it." That scared me to hear another mom say what I had thought every now and then, but I wanted to stay positive. I told her everything would be fine. As I looked at these two tiny babies hooked up to machines and wires attached to their little bodies, I'm not sure if I actually believed what I was saying myself.

Nicole was only on oxygen for one day. I came to find out later that her being in a stressful situation had actually helped her, and her lungs developed very rapidly while inside me. The longer she stayed in the hospital the stronger she became. To see this little baby develop outside of the womb was amazing. I can never say enough about the doctors and nurses -- they were wonderful and to this day I am so greatful for them. How do you thank people for keeping your child alive? There are no words.

After 2 months in the hospital the day finally came when we got to bring her home. I remember being happy and scared. Now the day you were waiting for is finally here, but the doctors and nurses don't get to come home with you. To say I was scared was an understatement, but I don't think I let it show. I still didn't know what her outcome would be. Would she be slow? I didn't want to focus on that and I didn't. I was just determined to be the best mom I could be, and to give her lots of love and attention.


An example of a preemie ward; a place like this was our home for two months (April-June 1993)

We started reading to her at a very early age. I remember her sitting in a bouncer reaching for the attached toys at about 3 months old. When I looked at her she seemed to be a normal baby to me. She had these beautiful brown eyes and would look at everything.

Before she was 2 years old she was saying her ABCs. She could also count to 20. I am happy to report that that little baby is 14 years old now. She is healthy, happy and smart as a whip. She just received her progress report and received all A's and a B. She is in 8th grade now and has been on the honor role every time since she began in junior high. She plays the clarinet, and very well I might add. The only thing is she may catch colds and get sick a little more than other kids, but she gets better pretty fast. So we are very thankful for the wonderful people at Beaumont and in God.

If you know anyone with a premature child this should give them hope. Oh yes, and that little boy I mentioned earlier, I saw him in the doctors office when they were about 4 months old and he looked great. I'm sure he is also doing well to this day. Children are amazing and this is proof. When you stay focused and positive anything is possible.

Have a super day!!!!