Are you having trouble getting your youngsters to eat their leafy greens? Put them in a shake! I know, it sounds weird and…well…disgusting, but it’s not as bad as you might think. A “greens” shake is actually quite tasty.
When I say “greens” I’m not talking about pale green iceberg lettuce. I mean dark, rich greens, such as kale, collard greens, and spinach. All three are extremely high in vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C, not to mention a host of other health benefits.
One way to get a healthy dose of greens is to put them in a breakfast shake. Chances are, your kids won’t even know the greens are hidden inside! All you need is a handful of chopped greens, some frozen fruit, a liquid base, and a high-powered blender.
The only ingredient I measure is the liquid. I just add the rest of the ingredients a little at a time until the shake is the desired thickness and tastes good.
Greens Shake – Makes four to six servings
2 cups liquid – I usually use a fruit juice, such as apple or pineapple. You also can use a mixture of juices or milk.
Greens – Start with a few clean chopped leaves of your choice. As you get used to having the greens in your shake, you can add a larger amount.
Frozen fruit – I like to use a variety of frozen fruit, but I usually include frozen bananas and a dark fruit like blueberries. (Bananas add sweetness and blueberries disguise the “green” part of the shake.) Here are some good ones to include:
Be creative, and enjoy!
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My husband and I are taking three-feet-of-fun to Oceanside, California, for a week of fun in the sun. We’re really looking forward to the vacation except the fact that we’re driving down there. For those of you who’ve never gone on a long distance road trip with a young child, consider yourselves very lucky. This will be our second road trip, and we’re much better prepared this time. This is what we’ve learned.
Take lots of breaks. Don’t try to squeeze the entire drive in the shortest amount of time possible. Take your time getting there, making lots of stops to let the little one run off some energy. Trust me this will make you and your child a lot happier.
Sleeping. If you can, schedule the bulk of the driving during your child’s naptime. That way you can put some miles behind you without wearing out the child’s patience. I heartily recommend night driving if it’s possible.
Food and drink. Make sure that you have lots of finger foods on hand for snacks. There’s nothing worse than being stuck on a long stretch of freeway with nothing in sight when the little one decides he’s hungry. Be prepared. Foods like Cheerios, grapes, graham crackers, or carrot sticks give the munchkin something to do with his hands as well as satiate his hunger.
Toys. Make sure you bring enough toys, books, puzzles, and activity books to keep your child entertained for hours in the car. Nothing brings on fussiness like boredom. Nip it in the bud by being prepared.
With the cost of gas, what was once a cheap way to travel is now expensive, but after having priced airfares, I’ll pay four bucks a gallon. Follow these road-trip-with-a-munchkin rules so you’ll only feel the pain in your wallet and not in your head.
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Every year, eager and energetic high school students study for Advanced Placement (AP) exams that will earn college credit for them before they ever step foot in a college classroom. These exams come in dozens of subjects from U.S. History to Physics and from Spanish to Art History. But according to The College Board, the non-profit group that administers the tests, here are the five most taken tests by the class of 2007:
- U.S. History – 333, 561 times
- English Literature and Composition – 298,478 times
- English Language and Composition – 282,230 times
- Calculus AB – 211,693 times
- U.S. Government and Politics – 160,978
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There’s nothing quite like a three-year-old having a meltdown — the huge alligator tears running down his or her face and the loud wails that can be heard reverberating throughout a hundred mile radius. You know the symptoms well — tired, hungry, bored — but you never really know what’s going to set it off or when it’s going to strike. The only thing you’re certain of is that without fail it will be in the most public place possible, so as your three-year-old screams you can feel the weight of all those eyes watching you. When you’re rational, you know those eyes watching are sympathetic to your plight, having already been there and done that with their own children. But during the moment when you’re trying to calm down your little one, you’re absolutely convinced that they are condemning you and your parenting skills.
There are no cookie cutters for kids and what works for one child might not work for the next, but here is a sure fire way I found to deal with my three-feet-of-fun when he’s wound up — counting to ten. It occurred to me as I sat in a doctor’s office with a screaming child that if counting to ten helped adults when they’re upset then why wouldn’t it work for kids?
I looked at three-feet and asked, “What’s after one?”
Through his crying he answered, “Two.”
“What’s after two?”
“Three.” The caterwauling had stopped, although tears still ran down his cheeks.
“What’s after three?” And so on.
We counted and by the time we hit ten, he was smiling and we’d discovered a new game. Now whenever he gets overwhelmed or overly upset, we sit down and count to ten. The hysterics end a lot sooner, and it is calming for me as well. Instead of getting upset with him for being so upset — we’re both calm and ready to handle whatever comes next.
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Children and chewing gum make for an interesting combination. Although blowing bubbles can be a great pastime, there are downfalls to this fun.
Gum in your child’s clothing.
So, what is one to do when the piece of gum’s final placement is not in the trash but on clothing? I learned a simple answer recently after an accident involving cinnamon gum and jeans. That answer was vinegar and a toothbrush. That’s all, no expensive ingredients, just a pantry staple and a typical bathroom item.
Within 2 minutes the gum was removed and the only-worn-once jeans were saved. To fix a gum accident at your house, follow these steps:
- Heat 1/4 cup vinegar in microwave for 60 seconds.
- Dip toothbrush into vinegar.
- Gently rub vinegar-soaked toothbrush in a circular motion on gum.
- The gum should come off of the clothing within seconds.
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