Children need to know parents are on their team. When children feel this way, they are much more trusting and more likely to listen to their parents. They are also more willing to hear “No” and follow ground rules at home. It helps create a more happy, loving dynamic between parent and child.

Here are a few suggestions that have worked for Team Young.

First, we try to truly embrace this concept. We strive to make sure that everything we do for our children is done because we are all on the same team. Whether it’s a reward or punishment, children need to understand that parental decisions are made in the best interest of the team and with consideration of their feelings and needs.

Next, because we know how quickly “patience runs thin”, we really try not to depend on it. Rather, we rely on understanding and empathy. We try to step into our children’s shoes; try to perceive the world from their perspective, experience, strength, and brain development. We attempt to understand how hard it is for a child to break out of a tantrum or stubborn behavior in certain circumstances. Really trying to understand each child, and the way she handles difficult situations, helps us respond more sympathetically.

Making time to connect with our children and enjoy their company is so important- Whether it’s going out for lunch, or just hanging out at home, children want to feel that her parents enjoy spending time with them. We want them to know they are our top priority. Private time with a child always includes active listening; showing them that we are really interested in hearing what they have to say and that we respect them as people. Setting aside a “phone free zone and time” is one way to accomplish this. Time without outside interruptions is key. That includes answering the phone and doorbell. We make sure to comment on what they say without judgment and use their ideas to start a conversation. This very much helps a child feel that we are on his team.

We try to weigh out every situation with thoughts of, “am I doing this because it’s what’s best for my child? Am I taking his feelings into account? Is this something he is realistically capable of? Is this respectful to my child?” “Are my expectations age and brain appropriate?” It is important to know each child, their needs, and feelings in any given situation. Considering our children’s feelings and respecting them as people, is a major way they grow up feeling that we care about them. We are always looking out for their best interest. We are on the same team.

Another important thing we do is tell our children that we’re on their team. We often tell our children that we are always there for them, or that they can tell us anything in the world. So, too, we should also tell them that we are “always on their team” or “always on their side”. Hearing this message will help them feel and believe that we are on their team. Obviously, listening and respecting doesn’t always mean agreeing. What it means is that even when we are disagreeing, or giving a consequence, it is coming from a place of us being on their team and wanting and therefore doing what’s best for them. When done this way, children feel the safety and love within the discipline, even though they may be resistant to it.

These are a few of the main strategies to enable our children to feel that we are on their team. Helping them feel this way is one of the most important gifts we can give them.  It is truly the foundation for creating a positive and healthy parent-child relationship.

(part of the “Parental Tips and Lessons series”)

Don’t you love complimenting your children? I know that I do. I love watching their faces light up. They seem to feel so big and proud.

What if I told you that there was a very simple yet effective way to make our compliments feel even better for them? Wouldn’t you jump at it?

I am so happy to share the amazing strategy that I learnt, and use with my children.  In order to understand this concept, let’s start with an example that is easy to relate to.

Imagine you’re at the mall, trying to finish your shopping before running to do carpool, when you hear someone calling your name. You turn around and see your friend Lisa, who you haven’t seen for a while. “Hi Marilyn”, she begins,” How are you? You look great! What’s new with you and the family?” You chat for a few minutes, before you part ways.

When she told you that you look great, what went through your mind? You may have thought, “I do? Really? I don’t feel like I look great. What looks great about me?” You may have thought,” Exactly how terrible did I look before?” Or you may have thought, “She’s so sweet, always trying to make people feel good.” Or you may have simply thought,” Yeah, I do look good, so nice of her to notice.”

Let’s change her wording around a bit and see if the results are different.

“Hi Marilyn, how are you? It’s so great to see you. I haven’t seen you for a while, and have been thinking about you. You look great. Did you lose weight because your face looks very slim? And I love how your turquoise eyeliner makes your blue eyes stand out. I also really like your outfit. You have a nice color scheme going on there, with all the greens and blues. How’s the family doing?”

After this encounter, you’ll probably be thinking,”She really seems to care about me, and miss me when we don’t see each other for a while. And it’s so nice of her to notice that I lost weight, I’ve been working so hard at it. It’s obviously paying off if my face looks slimmer. And she’s right, the turquoise eyeliner does bring out my blue eyes, I guess that’s why I love wearing that color.  Yes, I do have a nice color scheme going on here with my outfit”.

In the first scenario, Lisa gave no details with her compliment. She simply said, “You look great.” Such a generic compliment is either not believed, or is simply taken as it is; the obligatory conversation starter. In the second scenario Lisa gave a lot of detail, (the more, the better). This way, not only was the compliment believable, it was also a way for Marilyn to learn things about herself, her style, and her progress.

This is the goal of complimenting a child as well.

When a child cleans up his room, and Mom says, “Thank you Tommy, you’re the best!” Tommy is left with the wrong message. Firstly, he is left to believe that cleaning up one’s room makes that person “The Best!” The best what? Not sure, but the best something. Secondly, Tommy may not believe his mother who, prior to him cleaning up his room went into a whole rant about how bad it was that he made such a mess. Thirdly, Tommy may believe his mother, and even understand that what she means is that he did a very good job at cleaning up his room, but he hasn’t learned anything new about himself and the good choices that he made.

Let’s change Mom’s words around a bit and see the results.

“Wow, Tommy look at this room! You saw how upset Mommy was about your messy room, and you decided to do something about it. I see that you picked up all the blocks and put them in the yellow basket, right where they belong. I also see that you put all of the crayons back into the crayon box, and stood each one up straight, so that there would be room for all of them to fit. You collected all of the scraps and put them in the garbage. You made sure to put the cap on the glue and the scissors up high on their shelf. You even decided to make your bed. Do you remember how messy your room was before? You worked very hard and you’re room is so nice and orderly now, and it’s all because of you!”

How do you think Tommy feels about himself now? He learned that he takes others people’s feelings into account. He understands the breakdown of each thing he did, and how he did it. He also learnt that he is very capable, after all the whole room is clean now, all because of him. He believes each compliment since they are so detailed. He feels very good about himself, and much appreciated by his Mommy. There is a warm feeling between Mom and son and a feeling of success all around.

This scenario was helping your child understand all the details of a job well done. Another aspect of complimenting is more personally teaching the child about himself and his positive traits. We often say, “You’re an awesome kid, I just love you so much”. That may make our child feel good, as long as he believes us. A better way to tell our children that they’re wonderful is with specifics. For example, “Jamie, I see you being careful to only take seconds at dinner after you’ve made sure that everyone has had firsts. That is very considerate of you”. “You also seem to really care about your younger brother. I notice you looking out for him when we go to the park”. Or, “I remember when you decided to invite Margaret over to play because none of the other kids in the class liked her. That was very sensitive of you. You are so very special to me. I love you so much”.

You’re child has just learned a lot about her very sensitive and caring way. She now feels like a million dollars .The compliments are sincere and not generic. By emphasizing positive qualities a parent helps a child build up self-esteem and confidence.She will appreciate the way you feel about her, because you accentuate her positive traits and de-emphasize the negative.

Praising with specifics is simple and one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.

(part of the “Parental Tips and Lessons series”)

Last night was an unforgettable night. It was a fairy tale night filled with hope, and dreams coming true. It was the night of Anna’s wedding!

Anna is a beautiful and, strong young lady who had a very challenging upbringing.

We first met when she came to the school where I worked for several years. It is a therapeutic alternative high school for teens at risk.  Surrounded by trained professionals, the girls, who came from abusive and dysfunctional families, learned how to be in healthy, trusting relationships. We provided a safe home for them where they could freely express themselves, and receive unconditional love, and proper structure.

Anna came in to school a very sad and broken child, as many of the girls did. Last night, she was a healthy young lady, standing tall next to her very special new husband. The match was definitely made in heaven, and we all rejoiced with them from the deepest part of our hearts. We sang, and danced, laughed, and hugged, and celebrated like never before.

While we helped save this child by providing the safe, accepting environment . Anna did the hard work, to get to where she wanted and needed to be. She will have a wonderful life with her devoted new husband. I will forever be grateful for the privilege of accompanying her on this long journey of healing and growing into the happy and healthy young woman she is today.

When it comes to child rearing, we always talk about Mom; with good reason of course.

From carrying, to birthing, to raising each child, Mom is the one who does it all. She’s the one who greets little Johnny with a snack when he comes home from school. She does carpool, and helps him with Homework. Drops him off at little league, and serves him healthy dinners.

Where does this leave Daddy?

Sure Daddy plays ball with him on Sunday, and takes him to a baseball game. He keeps him inline when necessary, and even reads him a book sometimes. Still daddy does not get to spend a ton of time with little Johnny, and is therefore not crowned his main caretaker.

Obviously, there are some Dads who are what we call, “stay at home Dads”. In those cases the roles are switched, and you can just switch everything we’re saying here from Dad to Mom. Regardless of which parent is the main caretaker, what is the very special role that the other parent is playing?

Every parent wants what’s best for their child; Father and Mother alike. Spending time with our children is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. So why is Dad (or whomever  the breadwinner of the family is) hardly around to see Johnny grow?

I think we all know the answer to this question, but don’t take enough time to focus on it. let us take a minute to reflect on Dad, and all that he does for us.

Dad usually awakens early, often leaving home before anyone else in the family is even up. He may then go to the gym or to play tennis. This is his way of keeping up his health, physically and emotionally, which in essence is also for us. Then he’s off to work, after maybe grabbing something to eat. He is out working all day, sometimes stretching into the night. When he gets home, it’s time for some dinner and relaxation, and then time for bed before another busy day.

Mommy’s day is busy as well, and she too crashes at night before another busy day. The difference is that the workforce can be a cold and nasty place, filled with competition and tension, while home is safe place filled with warmth and acceptance.

The success of a good sale is certainly sweet, but can never compare to the feelings of a successful day with the kids, which are deliciously rewarding.

Not to mention the let down for Dad on a day filled with rejection and failure.

Dad gives up on his own need for closeness day in and day out, in order to support his family financially, something which is a necessity for the family’s existence. He puts his feelings aside, and does all he can do in order to ensure that everyone in his family can live well, feel well, and have everything they need.

Dad is a totally selfless being, who has to “turn off” his emotions daily in order to get the job done in an efficient and professional way. He holds on to the moments that he is safe at home with his loving family. They get him through life, whether he knows it or not.  But, Dad’s absence at home proves him to be nothing less than a hero!

Thank you Dad for being all of our Heroes!!!!

July is nearly here, which means summer is well underway. Yay!!!!!

Oh summer, how we love thee so much! Ever wonder why that is? Why we get that “warm” and excited feeling inside as the temperature starts to rise and the sun shines longer and stronger each day.

It’s the anticipation of summer, and we are in the midst of it right now.Yes, we are so lucky!

I think that the onset of summer is exciting for many different reasons.  First, no matter how old we are, we can never forget the feeling that we all had when we were younger, as school was coming to a close. While it was a feeling of accomplishment, it was also an extremely freeing feeling. For the next 12 weeks we were free! No homework or tests. No getting out at the crack of dawn to make the school bus, no pressure, no studying, no worrying, no real responsibilities.Our only job was to have fun.  It was almost too good to be true! What an amazing thing it was. We had the opportunity to just “Be” for a little while.  Seems so healthy. Wouldn’t it be nice to have such an opportunity as an adult? Who says it’s hard being a kid?

Even though we’re not in school anymore, we can share in our children’s excitement around the school year coming to a close. While being happy for them of course, we can also reminisce about our own “end of school year “and the feelings it conjures.

Summer is such a happy time. The weather brings about a more “sunny disposition”. Whichever ways our childhood summers were spent, we all have such fond memories of those times. Some of us went to day camp, others to sleep away camp. Then there were those of us who spent our summers with our family, either going on vacation, or just hanging at home.

My fondest childhood memories are of when we went up to the “Mountains” each summer. You see, I grew up in “Sunny Florida” which enabled me to play in the sun all year long. When summer came, it got so hot, that we decided to escape to upstate New York, to the Catskill Mountains.

My father would rent a U-Haul, and attach it to the back of our car. We would load it up with everything needed for the next two months. Everything, from clothing, to toys, to pots and pans, it all went in to the U-Haul. We would drive for the next 48 hours, stopping at a motel for the night. The journey alone was part of the whole experience. After two days of driving we would finally approach our destination. That was the most exciting few minutes. We would all sing, and laugh, and squeal in excitement!

We would stay in one of the eighty, tiny, run down cottages that made up what was known as a Bungalow Colony. It was sort of like a sleep away camp, but for families. There were many such colonies in Ulster and Sullivan counties about 120 miles northwest of New York City. City families would leave the hot city for the “Mountains” as the area was called. We children would spend our time at day camp on the premises, while our parents would play tennis, sit by the pool, and keep up the cottage. We would come home at 12:30 each day for a yummy home cooked meal. After running around, playing sports, swimming and crafting, Mom’s fresh lunches were a real treat. After lunch we ran to line up at the flagpole, for the start of an afternoon filled with fun. We didn’t go on many trips. Come to think of it, we hardly left the premises. We were so content running around outside and breathing in the country air.We had color war, games, and movie night. We also put on a show at the end of the summer. We were so happy being there. We formed lasting relationships, as we met up with the same friends each summer. It was always exciting to see how everyone changed over the school year.

Today, I spend summers with my family. It is different than it was back then. Now, I am the Mommy. You know, the one making those yummy homemade lunches 😉 We stay at home and the kids don’t go to camp. We spend our days going on family days trips. We call it “Camp Young”. We go boating, to amusement parks, water parks and more…. We have a great time going to really fun places, and enjoying quality time together as a family.

Someday, I would love to bring my children to the Bungalow Colony where I spent my happy summers as a child. I often tell my children stories about my times there, and would love for them to experience it firsthand. Until then, we are very happy spending our summers in “Camp Young”. And as for now, let’s all get excited, because in a few weeks we’ll be grabbing our suits and heading for the pool!!!(Last one in is a rotten egg)!

Last week we spoke about sibling rivalry, and how to Neutrally Report among children who are in the midst of a conflict. I wanted to add that a mother should only interject, when either of the children requests help. Most of the time, kids can work things out by themselves. That is of course the best option. It is so tempting for us to jump in and save little Tommy. Or catch and punish big Mickey. These feelings are coming from a deeper place in us that is not necessarily what is best for the child. We need to practice holding back in these situations. That is what is truly best for children.

As Mothers we can usually tell when we must get involved, from the sounds (or lack thereof), coming from the other room. If we are not sure, we can always pass by their room “on the way to the laundry room”, and eavesdrop to get a better idea of what’s going on. We can also call from the other room and say, “I hear some noise coming from your room. Is everything okay?” This way we can get an idea of what’s going on without unnecessarily interjecting.

Now that we have discussed when to interject, and how to Neutrally Report, we can move on to helping the children come up with a solution.

Let’s say for example two kids are fighting over a ball. You hear the younger one call for Mommy, and you go to his assistance. You immediately remove the ball and put it out of reach.

(There is a rule that must be established beforehand. If either child is holding on to the object of discussion, and won’t give it up, or takes it back without permission, the toy automatically goes to the other child, with no further discussion.)

Just as with Neutral Reporting, Mom now asks the children what happened.” Can someone tell me what happened?” Both children will try to answer at once. Appoint one child at a time to say their piece. After hearing each child’s side, you then repeat the scenario as it was reported. Stay as close to the children’s words as possible. For example:

“Tommy, you were having a great time playing with the ball. You suddenly heard Mickey scream,’ hey, that’s my ball that Grandma bought for me last year’. He then tried to force it out of your hands.”

You then turn to Mickey and say, “Mickey, you didn’t realize that Tommy was playing with the ball. When you saw that he had the ball, you wanted it, because it is your ball.”

Here is where the solution process begins. Mom now says,” It seems that both of you want the ball. Can anyone come up with a solution that can make you both happy?”

Each child will think for a minute and then offer their solution. No matter what the solution is, (it could be totally selfish or ridiculous) it must be considered.

For example-

Mickey says that he should get the ball since it’s his, and Tommy should find another toy to play with. Mom’s job now is to reiterate Mickey’s solution back to Tommy, and see what he thinks, even though Tommy was most probably standing right there, and heard it. This way things are done in a more orderly fashion, with Mom acting as the Neutral Reporter once again. So Mommy says, “Tommy, Mickey said that he would like to get the toy since it’s his, and you should find something else to play with. Does that work for you?”

Tommy will most likely say no. In that case, you ask if either child has any other solutions.  You continue Listening to solutions, Neutrtally Reporting them back to the children, and Asking the other child if it Works For Him. If the children involved seem to be running out of suggestions, Mom can always offer some suggestions. Another sibling or friend may be asked for suggestions as well. At some point both children will agree upon a solution. If they don’t, and it’s carrying on for too long, then Mom can decide to put the discussion on hold for now, and come back to it a little later. In the meantime, they can play with something else.

By the way, if Tommy happens to agree with the first solution, no matter how unfair you may think it is, especially if he’s always the one giving in, you go with it. Mom should say “excellent job! You guys came up with a solution all by yourselves, and so quickly. Thank you Tommy for letting your brother have the ball. That was so selfless and kind of you.” By thanking and praising Tommy, Mom is empowering him. Instead of it seeming like Tommy is weak and the one who always gives in, it seems that this is a decision that Tommy has made for the sake of peace. Let him know how respectable his decision is.

In our home we have a rule that when someone gets a new toy, no other child may play with it without permission. That rule also applies to something that may be very special to a child even long after its new, for example: his blankie, her favorite doll. Something is considered new for as long as it seems to be important to the child. Objects usually stay “new” for about 3 months. When the child is ready, the toy is consigned to the general toy population, and is no longer an attachment object. It is now a family toy and can be played with by any child without permission. Such is the case of the ball in this story.

The solution finding process accomplishes a few things. It gives some time for everyone to calm down, and to talk things out in a more civil way. It is also helps each child learn to consider everyone’s needs, and how to compromise on certain things for the sake of peace.

Here are a few popular solutions that we have come up with-

Timed Turn Taking: Set a time limit so each child may play with the toy for a specific number of minutes. The children have the same time limit to play with the toy, alternating turns. Keep the parameters specific so there is little chance for misunderstanding.

First is Not Necessarily the Best: Another twist on sharing is that the person who gets the toy first has a shorter time to play with it than the one who gets it second.

Special Share: One child gives the other child one of his special toys, while he gets to play with the toy in question.

Sometimes one of the children may just say” forget it, he can have it”, because he’s not interested in going through the whole process. I love it when that happens. In that case, you obviously praise that child for giving up the toy.

My two sons were once fighting over a specific toy. I came in and started the solution process. My older son looked at me and said, “Mommy, I don’t like coming up with a solution, because by the time we’re done, I don’t even want the toy anymore!” I said, “Okay great, then you can just let your brother have it now.” And he did!

(part of the “Parental Tips and Lessons series”)

Hey everyone, I’m back; and feeling much more refreshed after a nice evening out with my hubby. Sorry to have kept you waiting. Where were we?

Oh yes, we were up to the part where my two boys were killing each other, and needed to me to save the day. Sound familiar to anyone?  Well, with this new technique you can worry no more. It is simple and it works. Sounds surreal, right?

Ok, here it is-

1) Calmly, and carefully step into the argument (you wouldn’t wanna lose a leg). If there is an object being fought over, remove the object and put it out of reach.

2) Next step is to figure out what happened, whilst still remaining calm. In this case, I was summoned by one of the children involved, so I said, “I heard you call for me.”  Otherwise one would say, “What happened?” or, “What’s going on guys?”

3) Both children will try to answer at once.  So it is important to say, “Seth, you tell me first, and then I want to hear from Nathan.” On different occasions, and I’m sure we will all be presented with many; try to switch off which child you ask first, so neither will feel like you “always” ask the other child to tell his side first.  There must also be a rule that neither child may interrupt the other. If they ever try to, which they probably will, than Mom needs to gently remind them of the rule.

4) Now, Mom listens to what child #1 says. For example-“Nathan took my dinosaur figurine away!”And here is the part where you become the “Neutral Reporter” (I know you’ve all been waiting to understand the title of this blog). You simply, neutrally, report back to child#2, what child # 1just said. “Seth, Nathan said that you took his dinosaur figurine away from him.”

5) Child#2 will most definitely respond, without even needing to be told that it’s now his turn to speak. It may sound something like this, “Well, I was playing with it first. I left the room for a minute, and when I came back, Seth had the dinosaur, and I wanted it back.” You then neutrally report back to Seth. “Nathan said that he had it first, and left the room for a minute, and when he came back you had the dinosaur, and he wanted it back.”

6) Child #1 will most probably respond, saying, “But I thought he was done playing with it.” He might also add,” and it looked like so much fun when he was playing with the dinosaur, so I wanted a turn too.”

7) Time to neutrally report back again. You may even want to play it up a bit here, and add to your neutral report that, “sometimes, when you play with toys, you make it look like so much fun, that other people want to play with them too”.

8) The process of “neutral reporting” continues until 1 of 2 things happen.  The boys have calmed down, because they’ve been heard, and are ready to go back to playing; either with another toy, or sharing the toy they were just fighting over. Or one, or both of the boys, though they are probably much calmer, still wants the dinosaur figurine for themselves, and a solution must be agreed upon.

If the latter is the case, then don’t fret. Next blog will explain, “Helping Children come up with a Solution”.

Btw, this whole process took about 5 minutes. Afterwards, I was able to get everything done in time, and I felt like a super hero! My favorite thing about Neutral Reporting though, is that it models healthy communication for our youngsters. And if we do it enough times, then one day they will be able to do it by themselves!

(part of the “Parental Tips and Lessons series”)

As parents, we all have our good days, and our not so good days. We hope and pray the good days outweigh the bad ones, simply because, they’re much more pleasant for everyone.

Since I enjoy having pleasant days, I decided to be proactive in facilitating more of them, and signed up for a parenting class. I figured that if anything, it couldn’t hurt.

Boy, did I underestimate the greatness of this class. Not only did it not hurt; it helped me tremendously. It taught me how to be more understanding with my children, and gave me lots of great strategies to pull out, when necessary.

Here’s a tale that gives a great example of how, and when to use one of the many strategies, I have been so fortunate to have learnt. I am sure you will implement it into your daily lives, once you realize how simple, and effective it is.

It was five o’clock, on a Tuesday afternoon. All was quiet in the “Young” home. I had ten minutes to finish forming the meatballs, (which were anxiously waiting to jump into the pot of boiling sauce), before having to pick up my oldest daughter Judy from play practice.

Seth and Nathan were happily playing in their room together, and Sandy was in the kitchen with me. All of three years old, she was attempting to form meatballs, with her tiny, velvety hands.  Adorable as it may have been, I definitely had to practice my patience throughout.

Suddenly, one of the most dreaded sounds, for a Mommy to hear, was articulated, oh, so loudly.

“Moooommmyyyyy……”

“Oh no”, I thought. “No, No, No”. “This can’t be happening now!” Seth and Nathan were in the midst of a major “wrestling match”, and they were expecting me to interject.

Tonight, of all nights was not the time for this. You see, I had a date with my husband at 7:30. We had plans to go to a new fancy restaurant, to celebrate. What were we celebrating? Well, I guess just that we were out at a restaurant together, with no kids, and no noise.

How was I going to deal with this “fight”, and still get out on time? I wasn’t sure, but I knew that I had to come up with a solution quick. I also knew that I had to make sure to serve dinner by 6, so that I would then have time to straighten up, and bathe Sandy, before sneaking out; while Heidi, our beloved babysitter, would take over.

I decided to take a few deep breathes and think for just a moment; and then it hit me. I could use the strategy called “Neutral Reporting” that I had learnt in my wonderful parenting class.

Maybe I would make it out to dinner on time after all….

Stay tuned for part 2. (sorry to have cut this short , but, I think I hear my husband beeping!)

(part of the “Parental Tips and Lessons ” series)

I’ll never forget playing “House” when I was a child.  One of my friends would come over to play, and we would get to work. First, we would lay out all of the toys needed. Next, we would take turns choosing which toys we would each be using. It was always hard to give up on a certain doll or kitchen set that one of us  really wanted. In retrospect, it was a good way for us to work on refining our character traits at such a young age.

Once all of the toys were divided, we then proceeded to each build our own mini “Home” within the four walls of my modest bedroom. We would set up, and then play for hours, as if time didn’t exist. There was nothing more fun, than “playing mommy”.

Today I am a mommy of four. While I adore my precious children, and am so grateful for each one of them, I could think of a lot more things I would rather be doing than “playing Mommy for a day”.

In the real life of a mommy, time does really exist. We are choosing real ”toys” for the game called ”life”, (and hopefully ,consciously working on our character traits as well).

We spend hours each day cooking, cleaning ,organizing, working ,  refereeing, deciding, shopping, playing, holding, hugging, kissing, mending, carpooling…… the list is endless,  as all Mommies know. While it is rewarding, it is not easy. And still our children immensely enjoy mimicking the role, and playing it for hours.

We must be good at making “playing Mommy for a day” look like fun. Hard to imagine, but it must be so, since little girls all over the world spend much of their free time playing “Mommy”. Go us! We’re awesome!

While we don’t play our role for honor or acknowledgement, it’s not so bad for us to have one day a year devoted to us Mommies; a day set to acknowledge one of the hardest, yet most fulfilling jobs in the world, called, “Mommy”.

That said, to all of the daughters and sons out there (who may even be parents themselves). Don’t forget to pick something up for your devoted Mommy, on  Mother’s Day. Remember to give her a big hug and kiss. You can even  tell her you love her too;)

Don’t forget, Mother’s Day is May 12th, click here to shop our Moms category.

As ‘everyone knows’, Brussels sprouts are not on any kids “top ten” list.

This got us thinking… Why is it that Brussels sprouts are one of the most disliked greens by children of all age? So, we decided to have a little fun, and investigate this “greeny monster”. Is there any way to get kids to eat them and are they truly as disliked as it seems? I guess it’s a good time to mention that as a kid, I didn’t mind eating Brussels sprouts, however, I will do my best to offer an unbiased opinion.

First off, Brussels sprouts are part of the cabbage family and there are quite a few different varieties. They are loaded with 20 essential vitamins and minerals, are an excellent source of fiber and protein, are low in calories, and contain hardly any fat. Sounds like a dream, no? Now, if we could just get our kids (and ourselves) to eat them, we’d be in pretty good shape!

We’ve done some serious investigative digging and we’ve discovered that, believe it or not, children’s’ dislike for Brussels sprouts may be more than just an “urban legend”.  Children have many more taste buds than adults, and are therefore, much more sensitive to bitter or sour tasting foods. Interestingly, this is part of a survival instinct that protects children from toxins (which are usually bitter or sour tasting).  As we age and our brains learn that not all bitter foods are dangerous, our taste sensitivity diminishes and we learn to enjoy foods which are sour or slightly bitter. To a similar effect, children also have a heightened sensitivity to smell, and Brussels sprouts can often have an unpleasant odor,especially when overcooked.

So it seems that in our quest, we have found the problem, but you know how the saying goes: “Within the problem lies the solution”.  We just need to figure out a way to make Brussels sprouts taste less bitter and smell yummy.  So here’s a simple recipe to turn these ‘cabbage sprouts’ into gourmet tasty delights.

Brussels Sprouts – Lime O’ Butter   

What You’ll Need (we did say it was simple):

• Brussels sprouts
• Butter
• Lime Juice
• Salt
• Pepper

Cooking Directions:

1. Cut the end of each Brussels sprout off and remove the loose outer leaves; Slice thinly or run through the slicer on your food processor.
2. Melt enough butter in a pan to coat the bottom of the pan over medium high heat; Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green with a little bit of crispy brown on a few edges; Remove from heat; Squeeze half a lime over the cooked Brussels sprouts, or use one capful of prepared lime juice; Serve with salt and pepper (add to taste).
3. The amount of butter is to taste as well, we are always trying to cut calories, so minimal amounts are better, but if you are all about taste, go for a dollop, you won’t be sorry.

Recipe Source: Food.com

We’re confident that if you give the above recipe a try and keep an open taste bud or two, your kids will  fall in love with these delicious, (yet sometimes smelly) ‘’green monsters”.

As we close the file on this investigation, I find myself stuck with a serious craving for some of these delicious sprouts…. Like I tell my plate after I finish a meal, “until we eat again…”

(Part of the “Healthy Lifestyles” series)