I know it may be hard to believe that in the U.S. in 2008 there are people who have never had Taco Bell, but my stepson, Jacob was one of those people. He is 12 years old and had never had the pleasure of soft tacos from the land of Mexican fast food.

All of this changed today!

Jake and I were out for a day of errands and then a visit to the office. Lunchtime fell right in the middle of our errand running, so I gave Jake the choice of anywhere he wanted that was not a sit-down meal. Jake has a passion for food… he is actually a foodie at the age of 12. So for him to make a decision on where to eat is a difficult task. After about 15 minutes of him being in fast-food-indecision-land, I asked him if Taco Bell would work. I only have been a part of Jacob’s life for a little over a year, so when he told me he had never had Taco Bell, it was a fait accompli.

We did the drive-though, and Jake asked me to order for him. so I choose a Baja Chicken Gordita and 2 Soft Tacos for him and two Soft Taco Frescas for me.

We took the bag of Mexican goodies to the office, which was only 5 minutes away and Jake savored the meal as he washed it down with two cans of soda.

While there are people that are out there that will call me a crazy parent for making this a story about parenting, but there are times in a child’s life that you just feel lucky to be a part of it. Fast food is not a norm at our house, but the fact is that it is a part of an American life. And my happiness has never been greater than when Jake turned to me and said, “That was really good. I am glad you took me there.” That $8.04 Taco Bell meal may have been the best part of the week. I am lucky to be a dad.

Fourth of July is a favorite family holiday. Relatives arrive from out of town to grill, eat, and gape at the fireworks. It’s a pleasant interruption during the long, hot days of summer.

It’s also a time when parents must be extra vigilant, especially if you choose to skip the big show and set off firecrackers on your own. These tips will help you keep your kids safe while you celebrate our nation’s independence.

1. Fireworks can be scary. Many toddlers will be frightened by the loud noise or surprising lights. This is normal, and it doesn’t mean you darling daughter will hate fireworks forever. Little ones may be content to watch from a window or from inside a vehicle (with an adult, of course!)

1. Fireworks are for adults. Only adults should light firecrackers, by placing it on a hard, fireproof surface (such as a street), starting the fuse, and quickly stepping back. No one ever should hold a lit firecracker in his or her hand. Sparklers are fun, but they burn at temperatures exceeding 1800° F, which can cause serious damage to little faces and hands. Save them for the grown-ups.

1. Safety first! Children should not wear loose clothing around fire or firecrackers. Keep little ones away from grills and barbecues. Fire resistant clothing is a good choice. Keep a bucket of water nearby in which to put spent firecrackers and duds, and carefully submerge each one. Have a hose or fire extinguisher ready, and never light firecrackers where a spark might ignite your home or landscaping.

1. Offer safe alternatives. Preschoolers can hold pinwheels instead of sparklers, and kids can blow party horns instead of lighting black cats. After dark, hand out some glow necklaces or flashlights.

Have a fun, safe Independence Day!

Social media has penetrated the lives of children, teens, and adults alike. These sites encourage interactivity, and it enables people to exchange personal details and information about themselves. It is now incredibly easy for children to share videos, pictures, and private messages to communicate with their “friends” in social networking sites. However, these benefits come with a downside as well.

The Internet attracts predators and unscrupulous individuals who want to take advantage of children’s naivete and inexperience. In fact, there are some sites that forbid access to children under the age of 13 or 18. Of course, this does not stop the children from trying. It is essential for parents to help their children understand that there are dangers related to using the internet. Parents should not try to stop their children’s online social activities though, they just need to limit and moderate it. Below are some tips for safe social networking:

· Help them identify what type of information should remain private – tell them the reasons why it is important not to disclose certain things about themselves, their friends, and their family members. Information including full name, street address, phone number, social security number, and any financial information should never be revealed.

· Explain that they only should post information they are comfortable with seeing – even if their privacy setting is active, their profile can still be seen by a broader audience. Encourage children to think about the content, the images, and the videos they will be posting in their blogs and whether they will want their teachers, coaches, friends, and family members to see it.

· Remind them that there is nothing private over the Internet – they need to realize that once they post something online, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to take it back. This is because even if they delete the information on their own website, it might already exist in another person’s computer, and it still can be circulated online.

· Use privacy setting – you also can restrict what your kids will post on their websites. Social networking sites have relatively reliable settings. Show your kids how these settings function so they can use them to limit the people who can view their profile.

· Don’t let your child talk about sex – research shows that kids who don’t talk about sex on the Internet are less likely to meet their predators. They also should avoid any form of risky behavior in using the Internet.

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel almost every summer vacation, but I definitely remember the summers, such as this one, when I was home, but I always looked for something to do! I always found that the days I loved most were the days that my parents took my sisters and I out for the day.

A family fun day is a great thing to do in the summer. First of all, it’s a good break from work for the parents. Second of all, the kids get to do something that they normally wouldn’t do.

I would suggest taking a day and going to Water Country! It’s a great day trip, and it’s a ton of fun. You can purchase your tickets online for $32.99 (as opposed to $34.99) or less depending on your height. Located in Portsmouth, NH, Water Country is a great family place. If you go on a summer day when the “sun is blazing and the weather is hot, Water Country is a very cool spot!” Different from a beach day or an amusement park day, Water Country is kind of like a combination of the two!

My family and I couldn’t get enough of the Dragon’s Den waterslide! With its twists and turns, it’s easy to say the ride was worth the wait of the line. At the top of the ride, we were a little scared (as the entrance is dark and rather high up), but once we got going, we were just thrilled! We zoomed down a dark tunnel, and suddenly it opened into a great yellow and black bowl which had us spiraling toward the end. It is such an exciting ride!

If you haven’t gone already, you are missing out!!!

School’s out, but that doesn’t mean that learning has to be put on hold during the summer months. Keep your child’s mind sharp by including some fun and imaginative activities this summer.

Book Clubs

Offer to hold a once-a-month book club at your home. Sit down with your child and choose a few interesting books to read; then invite a few of your child’s friends to read the same books on their own. Schedule a day to meet together to discuss the book, have refreshments, and do a couple activities to go along with the theme of the book. It’s a great way to get kids excited about reading. You can also check with your local library - often, they have summer reading programs.

Learning Projects

Let your child choose something he would like to learn how to do. Maybe he would like to learn to bake cookies or build a birdhouse. Provide supplies and instruction (or a mentor to teach your child if it is something with which you aren’t familiar). See how many new things your child can learn how to do over the summer. When he has mastered his new skill, have a get-together with friends or relatives and let him share his new talent. Maybe he can invite the grandparents over for a meal that he cooked by himself, or give a presentation on birds that might visit the birdhouse he’s built.

Field Trips

Who says that field trips are only a school activity? Think of some places that might be a jumping off point for your child’s curiosity. When my oldest was six years old, he was fascinated with bees, so I found a local beekeeper and arranged a visit. We invited a few of his friends and had a great learning experience. Maybe there is an interesting, but small museum to explore. Don’t overlook opportunities to go on nature walks and learn about the native plants and animals.

School’s out and the kids are home for the summer, which means it’s time to stock up on snacks. I find that when my kids are home, they  always are looking for something to eat. Instead of filling the pantry with potato chips and the fridge with soda pop, consider some of the following options for healthy summer snacks (and the best part is, you don’t need to turn on the oven!):

Veggie tray – Chop up a variety of vegetables and place in various bowls or in a sectioned dish. Place the veggie tray in a spot where the kids spend a lot of time – perhaps in the kitchen on the table or counter top. You also could set it on the family room coffee table. My kids eat a lot more vegetables when I put them out for snacking than when they are a side dish for dinner.

Juice pops – Get some popsicle molds and fill them with 100% juice. You also could make your own fruit slush popcicles by blending some frozen fruit with a little bit of liquid. Then freeze the mixture into popcicles. It’s a lot healthier than the ones you buy at the grocery store!

Popcorn– You don’t need potato chips to satisfy the need for something to crunch on. Pop some popcorn in an air popper (hold the butter!) and eat it plain, or with a splash of healthy oil, such as olive oil or melted coconut oil, and add a sprinkle of your favorite seasonings. I like to add olive oil with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder.

Fruit – Eating fruit is a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Set out a large bowl with a variety of fruits. You could try bananas, apples, kiwis, and pears. Also, you could fill a bowl with chopped melons with a box of toothpicks nearby for easy snacking.

Have you ever just wanted to entertain a group of kids, but you don’t know how?

Well, I have a solution for you. This trick is one of the easiest I’ve heard of, but, if you do it right, you can entertain your crowd for as long as you’d like! This trick also requires little to no practice, memorizing of steps, or prep work; isn’t that perfect!? The point of the trick is to get your audience to think that you can guess the next card in a deck without looking at it.

Alright, so here’s what you’re going to do. In order to prepare for the trick (don’t let the audience see you do this!), pick up a deck, place it number side down, and flip the top card on the deck so that both sides of the deck now appear to start with a number or face card. Now, hold the deck straight out in front of you so that the card that you flipped can be seen by your audience. Notice how you can see the last card of the deck? Well, your audience thinks that you can see the back of the deck.

After glancing at this card at the bottom of the deck, bring the deck behind your back (careful, you don’t want to make it look like you are looking at the back of the deck; try to see the number out of the corner of your eye). Once it is behind your back, take the card you saw at the back and flip it so that it is at the beginning of the deck. Make it seem like you are trying to figure out and guess what the next card will be. Hold the deck out to your audience and state your “guess”!

Don’t forget to take a peek at the next card for your next “guess”!

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:

• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Pineapple
• Cherries
• Bananas (this is a good way to use up those slightly over-ripe bananas. Just peel them, cut them into chunks, and put them into a freezer bag and freeze until you’re ready for them.)
  

Be creative, and enjoy!

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.

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