It seems that in our house, we are always running in 20 different directions. Now that spring is here, my kids activities have taken on a life of their own and dinners have definitely suffered. I have mentioned before that if I don’t have dinner ready by the time the kids get home from school, then we might as well forget it. I am not magic (a direct quote from a friend), I can’t make dinner make dinner magically appear on the table while I am out taxiing the kids around town. At least not without the help of a telephone and a pizza delivery person.

Well, last night I had a quick meal success that I thought I should share. We had a particulary tight timeframe and I happened to be a bit more organized than usual - meaning that I actually had a plan.

My kids love tacos - but in our house tacos are not a simple affair. My husband and I like lots of fixin’s while some of the kids like them simple, and a few others are in between. By the time I chop everything up - lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, etc. - well it takes a long time. And the individual serving dishes for each topping creates a ton of work when it comes to clearing the table and washing. Certainly not as simple as I would like.

So, yesterday - I knew that we would have to run out the door right after dinner. No time for clean up. Now I know that you maybe thinking - “duh!” but this was a new revelation for me. Instead of putting the taco stuff in serving bowls - I used plastic storage containers with lids for each item. When dinner was over, I snapped the lids on the leftovers and stuck them in the fridge. Obviously, there was very little clean up required.

So I guess the bottom line is that one of my new favorite parenting tips for easy mealtimes is to serve dinner in same containers that you plan to use for storing leftovers.

I have also had dinnertime success by using my trusty crock pot for making vegetarian slow cooker recipes.

What works for your busy family when dinner time rolls around?

• Kids Allergies
• Parenting Tips - Packing School Lunches
• Child Car Seat Safety
• Parenting Tips for Time Management
• Parenting Tips: Scrapbooking

Offer:
Justice 30% off sale now thru April 5th!

Coupon Code:
Shop through this link and use code 776 at checkout.

Ends: April 5, 2009

Remember - shopping with our daughters can be a fun parent / child activity! Just keep repeating - shopping is fun, shopping is fun …..

• Justice For Girls Coupon

If you are a busy parent then you know what I am talking about!

You see soup is a pretty versatile dish. If you are well organized - then you can throw all of the ingredients into a crockpot or slow cooker in the morning and magically, dinner will be ready at the witching hour.

But if you miss that morning window of opportunity - then you can make the soup on the stovetop in the late afternoon and still have a meal on the table.

However, let’s just say that your days are like mine and it’s already evening and the kitchen  is still cold - then you can throw all of the soup ingredients into a pressure cooker for a meal that can be made quickly.

This is one of my own easy soup recipes. It’s something that I threw together - and everything in it can be changed and adjusted. Really it is not much of a recipe at all but rather a “throw everything in a pot and cook” kind of thing.

Easy Vegetable Soup
8 cups water or broth
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 onion, minced
2 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
1 tablespoon margarine or olive oil
1/4 cup uncooked small pasta, or pearl barley
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
any other vegetable you want to add
salt and pepper to taste

Put all of the ingredients into a pot and cook for about an hour or so on the stovetop. Adjust times for slowcooker or pressure cooker. Soup is done when pasta and vegetables are cooked through.

Everything is a matter of taste - and I am not much of a cabbage fan - but I have found that the addition of a small amount of cabbage makes the soup taste much better than when I omit it. Just my preference - judge for yourself.

Speaking of cabbage - all cabbage soup recipes are not created equal. However, I did find a promising one and other easy cooking recipes at this site by Ella. I will have to give it a try sometime soon.

Meal planning and food preparation is a big part of parenting. Anything to make this part of the job easier is welcome.

Bon Appetit!

• No Related Post

Trust me, I know.

My oldest child has had food allergies all his life. When he was a baby, diagnosing this was a nightmare. He spit up constantly and his skin was always dry and itchy. In desperation I went from breastfeeding to every type of formula on the market. None of them seemed to agree with him.

When we started introducing solids - we had the same issues. Finally when he was eleven months old, we took him off all solids, put him on an amino acid formula, and started the process of introducing foods all over again.

At that time food allergy awareness was not what it is today. And alternative food products were not readily available. Now just about every grocery store has a natural foods section that offers soy, wheat substitutes, and nut free options. We have truly come a long way.

Understanding Kids Allergies to Food
In very basic terms - a food allergy occurs when a person’s body thinks that a harmless food protein is actually a harmful substance. When a person eats something that they are allergic to, their immune system attacks that protein and over produces histamines to fight it off.

This can cause a variety of symptoms from itchiness and hives, to stomach cramps, diarrhea, and nausea, to an anaphylactic reaction, to death - and everything in between. To me, the scariest thing about a food allergy is the unpredictability of the reaction.

Obviously, avoiding the offending food is the best course of action. But sometimes foods aren’t clearly labeled. Other times - cross contamination is an issue. This is when the food that an allergic person is eating doesn’t actually contain the allergen but has come into contact with that substance. For example, a person with a wheat allergy may order a burger with no bun at a restaurant. Out of habit, the chef might prepare the burger on a bun and belatedly realize that the customer ordered no bun. Instead of preparing a whole new burger, he might just remove the bun - after all, he thinks, what is the big deal? The big deal is the allergic reaction that the customer will experience either in the restaurant or later when he returns home after the meal.

Consult a Doctor
If you even suspect that your child has a food allergy -  it is important to consult your pediatrician and an allergist. At the very minimum you may need a prescription for epinephrine - a brand that many people are familiar with is the Epi Pen. This little device can save a life if administered in a timely fashion. And it goes without saying that an allergic child should have this with him at all times. A doctor will also help the family to come up with an emergency medical care plan, so they know exactly what to do in the event of a reaction.

One resource that I continue to turn to for parenting advice regarding kids allergies is the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (at foodallergy.org) They offer a lot of good advice and allergy management tips.

• Quick Meals That Kids Love
• Parenting Tips - Packing School Lunches
• Child Car Seat Safety
• Parenting Tips for Time Management
• Parenting Tips: Scrapbooking

So over the years I have managed to streamline the process a bit and I figured I would pass my advice onto you.

I know, I know - pack it the night before is what most people say. But, truth be told, by the time I get the dinner dishes put away, give the kids baths, and do bedtime books, I am done.
But I do have a little secret up my sleeve and that is a cheat sheet. A little slip of paper that I write up every night that tells me what I will be packing for each child the next day. This way, in the wee hours of the morning - when my eyes are still bleary with sleep, I will not need to think. I will just do. I will follow my plan and put together whatever I had decided upon the night before.

And here is the last of my parenting tips. Packing school lunches is also made easier with little name tags. I will lay each lunch and snack out on the counter and put a little slip of paper with a child’s name next to each one. The kids put their own lunches and snacks into their lunchboxes. This way if I am not in the kitchen when they pack up then they will know which lunch is theirs.

I imagine that this parenting advice is geared towards larger families but smaller clans may benefit as well.

• Quick Meals That Kids Love
• Kids Allergies
• Child Car Seat Safety
• Parenting Tips for Time Management
• Parenting Tips: Scrapbooking

It is important to note that a right fit is determined by the size and weight of a child. The following chart is from the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Infant Car Seats

Most people realize that infants need to ride in a rear facing car seat beginning with the first ride home from the hospital. However, as the child nears one year of age - the tendency of many parents is to move the baby into a regular forward facing car seat. This is because the child has gotten so big and outgrown the infant seat. This is a MISTAKE. A child should remain in a rear facing car seat until they are one year old AND at least 20 pounds.

• If your child hits 20 pounds before their first birthday then they should still ride facing the rear of the car.
• If your child turns one year old but does not weigh 20 pounds yet then they should still ride facing the rear of the car.

I know, many of you will argue that the baby has outgrown that little carrier/car seat by six or seven months of age. This is common and is not a problem. It is time to purchase what is known as a convertible car seat. This type of chair can be buckled into the car in either a rear facing or forward facing position.

Use it facing the back of the car until the baby hits one year AND 20 pounds, then turn it around and use it forward facing until the upper height and weight limits for that particular seat have been reached. Remember to make child car seat safety your number one priority. Your baby and your aching shoulders will thank you!

Toddler Car Seats

Luckily, the convertible car seat that you have invested in should last you for awhile. Many of these seats will last until a child is at least 30 pounds and an appropriate height for the harness to fit correctly. Always read the instructions for the seat to determine whether it is a good fit for your child. The height and weight specs vary for each make and model of set - so read these carefully.

Also, remember that a seat is only effective if it is installed correctly. Most convertible car seats come with a tether strap and make use of the LATCH system that all newer cars are outfitted with. If your car is an older model make sure that the seatbelt is tight and secure and use the seatbelt clip to reduce any give. Many police stations, AAA offices, and community organizations will offer checks of car seat installations. My parenting advice is to take advantage of these for additional peace of mind.

Booster Seats

A child graduates to a booster seat when he outgrows his convertible car seat. Boosters come in a few different styles. If the child is under 4 years of age, it is a good idea to get one with a five point harness that can be removed when he gets a little older. There are also styles with and without backs. The most important thing here is the fit. Once the harness is removed the cars seatbelt is used to strap the child in safely. A cars seatbelt is designed to fit an adult. A booster provides added height needed for the belt to fit snugly over the hips and across the body. A booster seat should be used until the child fits into the cars own seatbelts properly.

If you carpool often, it is a good idea to have an extra seat or two for the other children. Gone are the days of piling in everyone that fits, seatbelt or not.

For more guidelines on child car seat safety visit the American Academy of Pediatrics website.

• Festive Rice Krispie Treat Holiday Wreaths
• Magna Carta - Sold! to the Highest Bidder
• Cheerios Snack Mix
• Poll of the Week
• George of the Jungle

Time for another Justice for Girls coupon! Here goes:

Offer:  Justice 30% off sale 9 days only, March 9-17!

Code: Shop through this link and enter ring code 626 at checkout.

Just a little note that Limite Too is now Justice.

Happy Shopping!!!

• Limited Too Coupon
• Justice for Girls Coupons
• Limited Too Coupons
• Limited Too Coupon for Fall
• Children’s Place Coupons

Today I was reading an interesting article in USA Today. Apparently parents today are having a harder time keeping their squirmy, energetic little tots safe than parents of eras past.

Why? Because the world is filled with so many more dangereous things than ever before. The article went back to our hunter/gatherer roots and explained plausible reasons why children do the things they do.

Moms would carry their babies and toddlers in slings and nurse them on demand. This would serve to calm the children down a bit. When the kids were put down on the ground they would crawl around and chew on roots and sticks. Yuck, right? But apparently the soil has some nutrients that were of benefit to small children. And the dirt may actually have increased their immunities. Children may even have a “sweet tooth” so that they would find nutrition rich breast milk palatable and stay away from bitter poinsonous plants. At that time, these inherent toddler behaviors served them well.

But in today’s society that is filled with small toys, dangerous houshold chemicals, huge automobiles and other hazards how does a parent keep a curious preschooler safe?

I am sure that every mom and dad have their special tricks. For me, I know that these work

• patience is key
• keeping the house organized (not an easy task, I know)
• regular naptimes and bedtimes
• and nutritious meals.

But my number one parenting tip for toddler safety is careful supervision. Yes, good parenting skills include growing eyes in the back of your head. It seems obvious that watching a child will keep him safe - but there are other benefits as well. I have found that all of the attention tends to calm a toddler down and helps him to behave better - which truly is every parents goal.

• Parenting Tips for Time Management
• Quick Meals That Kids Love
• Kids Allergies
• Parenting Tips - Packing School Lunches
• Child Car Seat Safety

But when it comes to teaching the kids how to pace themselves - I am at a loss for good parenting advice.

My son is in the midst of a big school project. My older son went through this in the fifth grade so it is my second time around. And I am realizing that this particular project is a rite of passage of sorts. This is where the kids get their first taste of handling their own time. It is great if you happen to be a together kind of parent. But if you are barely just managing it all - then look out!

I like to give the kids a long leash, if you will. They think they have it all under control. Yeah, mom, it’s almost done - they shout over the din of their various video games. Meanwhile, I know it’s coming down to the wire. Now, at the beginning of the project - I pull out my good parenting to skills and put them to work. Let’s see what we will have done by what dates. Ok - it’s on the calendar.

But time has a funny way of passing by quickly. And that due date creeps right up. Tonight was a late night for us. But the project is 99% done. What a relief! And in the eleventh hour something always seems to click. The kids just get it - they realize that this is not the best approach. They almost have to make that first mistake. And invariably the next project is always smoother.

Isn’t it funny how the children’s deadlines become our own?

So, I guess that my best parenting tips for time management for kids are this:

• Let them make their mistakes and make sure that they learn from them.
• Have lots of coffee on hand when that first project is due!

• Tips for Juggling a Busy Life
• Quick Meals That Kids Love
• Kids Allergies
• Parenting Tips - Packing School Lunches
• Child Car Seat Safety

15 Percent Off All Orders With Code SA29

Happy Shopping!

• Childrens Place Coupons
• Children’s Place Coupons