With Halloween just around the corner, surely you've said aloud "I'd sure love to get my hands on some realistic-looking fake blood." And why not? Fake blood has tons of household and workplace uses. Trick or treating costumes, red copier fluid, casserole fillers, law-suit evidence...and of course, the old "I've bitten the head off this plastic bat" trick, used time and again by the master of fake blood uses, Ozzy Osbourne. The possibilities are simply endless.
And here once again to give you timely recipes that you didn't know you needed is Moi. That means "me" in French.
Angela's Old Fashioned Fake Blood (from Angela's Church Supper and PotLuck Cookbook, Random House, 2010)
Ingredients:
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 quart White Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Non-sudsy Soap
1 oz. Red Food Coloring
15 drops (counted accurately) Blue Food Coloring
Directions:
1) Mix peanut butter with enough corn syrup for the consistency of thin mucous.
2) Stir in soap and food coloring.
3) Mix well, by hand.
If necessary, stir in more corn syrup until it reaches your desired thickness.
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to two weeks. If freezing for later use, please use a label to avoid confusion and horror.
*sources - chemistry-about.com
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
One-Uppers and Other Irritating Types
To those who know me: If I ever display any one-upperish characteristics, don't be afraid to smack me, even in public, set me straight, please. I don't want to be labeled a one-upper.
"What's a one-upper?" you ask. Oh, we all know people like this. Maybe they're friends or family members, relatives you see once a year, co-workers. God forbid you're married to one. One uppers are people who, no matter what you say. No matter, what, they have a better, more impressive, more impactful story about the same topic. Example: I say "James and I are looking at buying a new car. Mine's on its last leg" A typical one-upper response: "Oh, I'm in the market for a new car too. I've visited all the dealerships in the area and gotten the 2008 consumer reports and have a subscription to Car and Driver and we've been privately consulting with Suze Orman on how to get the best deal. Blah blah blah.....
Check out this video of the SNL character, Penelope. She's a hilarious one-upper.
http://tallfreak.com/2007/04/06/penelope/
Don't you love that? Are you ticking off names of people you know who fit that sterotype?
My sister Pamela, who is seven years older than me is a one downer. I guess that's what you call her. I can make any random complaint about my life and she has it way worse.
Me: "My house is dirty and needs cleaning."
Pamela: "Oh, I've been so busy at work that I haven't cleaned in weeks. There was a condemned sign on the door when I got home yesterday. I'm sure my house is much messier because you don't work and have all the time in the world to clean and me, well, as you know I work 60 hours a week and never get a break and never see my kids and have no life and how dare you say your house is dirty, because it's sparkling compared to mine."
Pamela: So, where's your family going on vacation this summer?
Me: We might go to Disneyworld or back to California to see James' family.
Pamela: It must be nice getting to go on vacation and spend time with your kids like that. I have to work 70 hours a week and the kids are in daycare all week. You're so lucky to get to have such a leisurely life. I'm sure I won't get time off again this year.
(mind you, we were on the beach at Tybee when this conversation took place.)
Me: Why did you ask?
Me: I think Andrew must've gotten that stomach bug that's going around. He was nauseous last night.
Pamela: Well, Tom threw up all morning, even as he was going up the steps of the school bus he threw up on the driver. I guess you would've kept Andrew home if that'd happened to him, but you know I work 80 hours a week and don't have that luxury.
Me: I hope it'll just be a 24-hour thing and he'll feel better tomorrow.
Pamela: He probably won't. It always lasts at least 48 hours in our family. Sometimes 60, even 72.
Me: You sure are good at multiplying by 12.
Pamela: Not really. In fact I'm horrible at it. I was voted least likely to remember multiples in high school.
Me: Sheeeesh!!!!!!!!!
Okay, that's my rant for today. If you know anyone with tendencies to one-up or one-down. Gently correct this behavior. It'll do all of humanity a big favor.
"What's a one-upper?" you ask. Oh, we all know people like this. Maybe they're friends or family members, relatives you see once a year, co-workers. God forbid you're married to one. One uppers are people who, no matter what you say. No matter, what, they have a better, more impressive, more impactful story about the same topic. Example: I say "James and I are looking at buying a new car. Mine's on its last leg" A typical one-upper response: "Oh, I'm in the market for a new car too. I've visited all the dealerships in the area and gotten the 2008 consumer reports and have a subscription to Car and Driver and we've been privately consulting with Suze Orman on how to get the best deal. Blah blah blah.....
Check out this video of the SNL character, Penelope. She's a hilarious one-upper.
http://tallfreak.com/2007/04/06/penelope/
Don't you love that? Are you ticking off names of people you know who fit that sterotype?
My sister Pamela, who is seven years older than me is a one downer. I guess that's what you call her. I can make any random complaint about my life and she has it way worse.
Me: "My house is dirty and needs cleaning."
Pamela: "Oh, I've been so busy at work that I haven't cleaned in weeks. There was a condemned sign on the door when I got home yesterday. I'm sure my house is much messier because you don't work and have all the time in the world to clean and me, well, as you know I work 60 hours a week and never get a break and never see my kids and have no life and how dare you say your house is dirty, because it's sparkling compared to mine."
Pamela: So, where's your family going on vacation this summer?
Me: We might go to Disneyworld or back to California to see James' family.
Pamela: It must be nice getting to go on vacation and spend time with your kids like that. I have to work 70 hours a week and the kids are in daycare all week. You're so lucky to get to have such a leisurely life. I'm sure I won't get time off again this year.
(mind you, we were on the beach at Tybee when this conversation took place.)
Me: Why did you ask?
Me: I think Andrew must've gotten that stomach bug that's going around. He was nauseous last night.
Pamela: Well, Tom threw up all morning, even as he was going up the steps of the school bus he threw up on the driver. I guess you would've kept Andrew home if that'd happened to him, but you know I work 80 hours a week and don't have that luxury.
Me: I hope it'll just be a 24-hour thing and he'll feel better tomorrow.
Pamela: He probably won't. It always lasts at least 48 hours in our family. Sometimes 60, even 72.
Me: You sure are good at multiplying by 12.
Pamela: Not really. In fact I'm horrible at it. I was voted least likely to remember multiples in high school.
Me: Sheeeesh!!!!!!!!!
Okay, that's my rant for today. If you know anyone with tendencies to one-up or one-down. Gently correct this behavior. It'll do all of humanity a big favor.
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Perry Fair: A Germ Infested Wonderland
Disclaimer: By today's standards, I'm not exactly what you'd call a germophobe. While I do shower at least once a day, I've also eaten food items off the floor claiming the three second rule. So, I guess that puts me somewhere between germophobe and repulsive slob. Wow, that's a wide range..
On Saturday, our family, complete with grandparents, packed the SUV and made the short haul over to Perry for the Georgia National Fair. I'd ignored advice from well-meaning friends to wrap my kids in cellophane and wear a double cannister backpack sprayer of Lysol (the kind exterminators use). I disregarded the sensational news item I'd seen about flesh eating disease being traced to ferris wheel seats and that chain email I'd gotten about Brown Recluse spiders hanging out in porta potties.
How bad can it be? It's the fair. Every family must go to the fair at least once. That's Amendment 37 in the Constitution, right? Since being a mom, I'd survived three trips to Disneyland, two Six Flags visits, and countless other entertainment venues, plane rides and hotel stays without contracting one bacteria related disease. But there's just something that gives me the willies about the temporariness of fairs and carnivals and their typhoidic tractor trailer caravans. After they've spread sunshine and Black Plague in Walla Walla, Santa Fe and Topeka, it's time to move on to vulnerable immune systems east of the Mississippi. (Yes, I know I'm being dramatic and No, no one in my family has died since Saturday, I have to admit.)
Plus, the kids were completely psyched and that's all that matters.Okay, enough about germs and back to the story. When we arrived at the fairgrounds, Andrew bounded out of the backseat. Jack shrieked as he saw the top of the ferris wheel. My dad's pacemaker skipped a few beats as we entered the gates. It was just as I had remembered as a little girl. Brightly colored lights danced across the facades of roller coasters and swing rides. Game booths lured in players with six foot inflatable penguins, M-16's and Stewie Griffin bobbing in the wind. Food vendors representing every continent offered up deep fried, sugared, pickled and candied edibles that would later stagnate in the stomachs of thousands who yearned for a bottle of Pepto. Parents and tots maxed out their thigh muscle power to maneuver paddle boats across the lake. Through my cynical eyes, the whole scene was gaudy, obscene, a bubble gum machine version of the Las Vegas strip. But that didn't matter. To my kids it was a wonderland, a spectacle, comparable only to Christmas morning or seeing the beach for the first time since last summer.
What to do first? James and Andrew decided to reel in some captive blue gill and catfish from the Fishing Friendzy above ground pool. A young handsome guy who's body sported more artwork than the Louve handed out poles, bait and words of encouragement (as if they were needed for fishing out of a glorified sport raft) Still, Andrew's face lit up at his first catch, a patient catfish named Richard, who had already been caught 29 times that day. I took a turn and caught an eager little fish named Wanda (coincidence) who was obviously paid on commission.
When we tired of providing lip piercings to the gilled set, we purchased 30 tickets, enough for about two rides and made our way to the kiddie section, A middle aged female barker caught my ear along with those of everyone within a 100 yard radius. She must've suffered from emphysema, because during her five minute promotional speech she stopped to cough, sputter and hock up a couple of football sized loogies every 20 seconds. The microphone unselectively broadcast each cough and wheeze in High Definition. I made a gagging face and laughed at the irony of the situation. Jack heard her words, not her sickness and didn't judge her. "Mommy, can we go play the lady's ring toss game?"
Next, we squeezed into one of six dragon barrels. You know the ones that go round and round, and have a huge vomit-crusted metal wheel in the center for the passengers to spin maximizing the nausea factor. As Jack, my mom and I, along with Kathie and Ethan, two Michiganers chatted, I noticed what looked like dried corn, peas and carrot pieces stuck to the wheel. It was a clear indication that, yes people do throw up on this ride and one of them had been eating their veggies. I felt myself beginning to gag. Maybe I'd contribute to the dried wheel meal. But I'd probably be the first person in history to vomit before the ride began. Jack and my mom didn't notice a thing and thoroughly enjoyed hooting and hollering as we took off gyrating at 40 mph in a metal trash can painted like a flying reptile.
During lunch time, we passed up the turkey leg trailer, the smoothie shack and the roasted corn cob cart in favor of a sit-down restaurant. The only sit-down restaurant. The one shaped like a barn, conveniently next to the horse arena. After a mayhem themed adventure in the serving line where Jack had an apple juice induced melt-down, we all sat down to chow on our selections.
An older restaurant employee, with a grizzled homeless version of a Santa beard meticulously wiped down each empty table with a Windex-laced rag. As I watched him work, an earth-shaking sneeze raveged his nose and the table below. Unthinking (hopefully), he covered his nose with the table-wiping rag, blew it thoroughly and then continued wiping tables with the same rag. Suddenly I wasn't so hungry anymore. In fact, going to the fair was a good diet for me. Perhaps I should hang out at fairs more often, like when I need to lose five pounds. Everyone else chatted, laughed and enjoyed their meals. I was beginning to sense a theme here.
After lunch, we all agreed to check out the livestock exhibits. My mom and I got up close and personal with llamas named Wally and Anabelle. Their owner told me that llamas get a bad rap. They're not big on spitting or kicking. Maybe they need a good Hollywood image consultant. I chatted with a lovely alpaca who doesn't mind being sheared once a year. In fact, she finds it liberating. I tried to get my family to gather 'round a cow's rear end for a Christmas card picture, but my husband thought it'd send the wrong message to our friends and family. Talk about closed-minded. As I stood next to the butt of Abigail the Holstein, who desperately needed milking, waiting for others to join me in the picture, Abigail decided to relieve herself in a big, stinky way. Shocked and relieved that her relief didn't land on my feet, I scurried away and decided to find a more suitable background for the picture. After cows, we visited the rabbit display, which amazingly started with only two rabbits at the fair's beginning. The cages were filled with over sixty now, not one of them named Jack.
Seven thrill rides, four exhibit halls, a magic show and a paddle boat ride later, night was upon us and it was time to go home. Andrew and Jack were two tired and happy sacks of potatoes who'd long ago tanked from their candy apple sugar highs, most of which they still wore on their faces.
As we got in the car, Andrew sleepily asked "can we come back next year?" "Sure, honey." I replied. "As soon as I find the bubble wrap, the Lysol tanks, some child-sized HazMat suits and a mobile pressure washing unit." And you know what? I meant it. Now, to find all that stuff. I can't let the boys down.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Girls Go Tech Ad is an Insult to Males
There's a TV commercial that really gets under my skin. It bugs me to the limit of bother. You know the public service announcement with the cute, little precocious blonde girl sitting on the beach with her bumbling, brainless overweight father? I think they're building sand castles or something. Anyway, she looks up and asks
"Daddy, why is the sky blue?"
Dad, who obviously adores this smart allecky little imp beams
"I don't know, honey. Maybe nature wanted to match the lovely color of your eyes."
Awwww how sweet, the audience is thinking...father, daughter interaction.
To dad's surprise, the little brat says in a rude, sarcastic tone that drips of smugness..No, that's not right.... and then she launches into a scientific explanation about light rays and refraction. You think she's about to pull out a flow chart or flip on a projector to catch dad up on 20 years of science.
Astounded, Dad asks, where'd you learn that?
to which the pint sized urchin boasts "mom told me."
Why did she bother to ask him if she already knew the answer? To make a fool of him to other beach goers?
Cute, heh? Yeah, that's what the Girl Scouts wants you to think of their Girls Go Tech program promoting math and science for girls. I don't have a single problem in the world with trying to improve girls' scores in math and science, not one. The problem I have is their portrayal of boys and men as dumb, loserly types who need to get a clue. There are so many TV shows and commercials where the female is the smart one and the male has the intellect of a single celled organism.
While I'm not a feminist, (I've just never felt the need to be. I've always known I could do what I wanted to do regardless of my gender) it's fine with me if women want to be feminists. But, all you feminists out there, please don't feel like you have to put men down to accomplish your goals. All men aren't bad. They're not all cheating you out of higher paychecks, sleeping around on you, being offered better job positions, neglecting your emotions, etc. Men are not the enemy. (Well, some men are. But men in general are not.) I'm sick of the media and liberal organizations feeling the need to compete with boys. It's not a race or a competion. We can all co-exist.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch an hour of TV with my argument in mind. You'll see it. Okay, I've said enough.
"Daddy, why is the sky blue?"
Dad, who obviously adores this smart allecky little imp beams
"I don't know, honey. Maybe nature wanted to match the lovely color of your eyes."
Awwww how sweet, the audience is thinking...father, daughter interaction.
To dad's surprise, the little brat says in a rude, sarcastic tone that drips of smugness..No, that's not right.... and then she launches into a scientific explanation about light rays and refraction. You think she's about to pull out a flow chart or flip on a projector to catch dad up on 20 years of science.
Astounded, Dad asks, where'd you learn that?
to which the pint sized urchin boasts "mom told me."
Why did she bother to ask him if she already knew the answer? To make a fool of him to other beach goers?
Cute, heh? Yeah, that's what the Girl Scouts wants you to think of their Girls Go Tech program promoting math and science for girls. I don't have a single problem in the world with trying to improve girls' scores in math and science, not one. The problem I have is their portrayal of boys and men as dumb, loserly types who need to get a clue. There are so many TV shows and commercials where the female is the smart one and the male has the intellect of a single celled organism.
While I'm not a feminist, (I've just never felt the need to be. I've always known I could do what I wanted to do regardless of my gender) it's fine with me if women want to be feminists. But, all you feminists out there, please don't feel like you have to put men down to accomplish your goals. All men aren't bad. They're not all cheating you out of higher paychecks, sleeping around on you, being offered better job positions, neglecting your emotions, etc. Men are not the enemy. (Well, some men are. But men in general are not.) I'm sick of the media and liberal organizations feeling the need to compete with boys. It's not a race or a competion. We can all co-exist.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch an hour of TV with my argument in mind. You'll see it. Okay, I've said enough.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Create a Home Gallery for Your Budding Picasso's
I'm not sure about you other parents out there, but my house currently runneth over with artwork from the two young artists in residence. Paintings, colorings, drawings, cut out things that I can't figure out clutter the counter tops, the walls, even the shower. I haven't seen the front of the refrigerator in years. I think it's black. Last week, Jack caught me trying to sneak some of his less valuable work into the kitchen trash can. "MOMMY! Why are you throwing my pictures away," he sniveled? Boy, did I feel low. I thought about putting some of the softer pieces in the bathroom for toilet paper. Gotta recycle in today's tough economy.
In my quest for creative ideas on how to display and/or develop mass storage for these little artistic gems, I turned to the experts at HGTV.com for their suggestions. Follow the link below to see some excellent ways to let your kids know that you value their work without actually drowning in it. Some of them are really cute, like making artwork placemats, making an art calendar, etc. I'm going to get started on some of them right now, if I can find my way to the door, which is being blocked by a life sized mural of a Battle Droid, by Andrew from his Star Wars collection.
http://www.hgtv.com/ah-kids-family/displaying-childrens-artwork/index.html
In my quest for creative ideas on how to display and/or develop mass storage for these little artistic gems, I turned to the experts at HGTV.com for their suggestions. Follow the link below to see some excellent ways to let your kids know that you value their work without actually drowning in it. Some of them are really cute, like making artwork placemats, making an art calendar, etc. I'm going to get started on some of them right now, if I can find my way to the door, which is being blocked by a life sized mural of a Battle Droid, by Andrew from his Star Wars collection.
http://www.hgtv.com/ah-kids-family/displaying-childrens-artwork/index.html
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Raising Civic-Minded Kids in Today's Indifferent Society
Note: Here's an article I recently published for Georgia Family Magazine. Although it's more tailored for a Macon audience, I wanted to share the great suggestions I found for getting your kids interested in politics.
Raising Civic-Minded Kids in Today’s Indifferent Society
By: Angela Weight
One evening last week as I was watching news coverage of presidential candidates Barak Obama and John McCain, my three year old son Jack piped up, asking “who are those men that are always on TV?” I hesitated, silently wondering “how do you introduce young children to the heavy world of politics? How do I adequately explain who these men are without going into what the president’s job is, the difference between democrats and republicans, the Electoral College, term limits, media smear campaigns, our unalienable right to vote…?” Before I could condense the reams of information clogging my brain into a response, Andrew, my seven year old spoke up impatiently, saying “they’re the guys running for president. Now can I please turn it to Nickelodeon? Drake and Josh is on.”
That little exchange made me wonder how we as parents can emphasize the importance of being responsible citizens to our distraction driven kids? In a world where things like Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Polly Pockets and Club Penguin compete for kids’ attention, how do I squeeze in time for a quick political tutorial? Yet, it’s my job to do that; just like making sure they get their teeth brushed, eat five servings of produce a day and memorize this week’s site words. After all, today’s kids will shape tomorrow’s government.
Fostering Political Spirit in the Classroom
A big problem today is that many people don’t see the right to vote as a valuable privilege like our country’s earliest citizens or the suffragettes in the early 1900’s. It’s just another item far down on the never-ending to do list; and if it doesn’t get checked off, so what? “Voter apathy is a tremendous problem in our community,” says Arizona White, executive director for Kids Voting Bibb County, a non-profit organization hoping to improve voter turnout by promoting good citizenship in classrooms.
It appears to be working. Over 35,000 students in Bibb County's public and private schools participate in Kids Voting activities each year since its beginning in 1992. A 1999 survey conducted by Mercer University determined that students who participate in Kids Voting activities in school are 12 - 19% more likely to register and vote when they reach 18 than those students who did not attend Kids Voting programs.”
Kristina Graczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Sacred Heart Academy in Warner Robins strongly believes that politics should be a staple among classroom subjects. “We just reviewed the three levels and branches of government. Right now, we’re reading about and discussing the presidential election at least two days a week. Politics really comes alive to students when it’s not just something in their textbooks. It’s on TV. They discuss it at the dinner table. And they know that it affects their families and their futures in so many ways.”
To supplement textbook learning and generate classroom discussion, Graczyk uses grade appropriate election skills booklets by Scholastic. She also had her students write letters to the future president. “They each wrote a letter beginning ‘Dear Future President’ or ‘Dear Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain.’ “They let the candidates know that we’re praying and hoping for great things for our country during the next presidency. It was such an excellent way to demonstrate to kids that they matter, that they have voices that can be heard in Washington. We’ll write another round of letters after the election.”
At Hubbard Elementary in Monroe County, students kicked off the fall election season by celebrating Constitution and Citizenship Day, September 17th. “The entire school took part, but our fifth graders especially got involved by learning about the government, the presidency and the importance of voting,” explains assistant principal Michelle Windham. “Fifth graders even participate in the Georgia Student Mock Election, conducted through Youth Leadership. At some point before October 30th, classes will log onto http://www.youthleadership.net/. They’ll vote for the president, members of congress and even issues more exclusive to our school. In the last election, they got to vote on uniforms for our dress code. By voting on items like this, students get to experience first hand the results of their votes.”
What Parents Can Do
Let Kids Exercise Their Political Voices by Voting for Everyday Choices
When you think about it, there are so many fun and interactive ways to teach kids the importance of voting. Macon mom Melissa McLendon creates homemade ballots and has her kids Ryan and Lindsay vote on dinner and dessert choices. She recently conducted a top ice cream flavor election. “We all discreetly filled in our selections. Our kids know about proper voting etiquette, using silent ballots and not blurting out ‘I VOTED FOR ROCKY ROAD.’ My daughter would have us going to the polls about everything if we had time.”
Parents can conduct votes on what movie to watch, where to go on vacation, who to invite for a play date, or which Webkinz to sleep with. For bigger issues, have kids campaign for their favorite candidates. They can create posters, slogans, even have debates, as long as they don’t turn into free for all pillow fights. For more tips on helping kids campaign, visit www.scholastic.com/election2008.
Involve Kids in Real World Election Activities
Take your kids with you to vote. Watch televised debates together and visit sites like http://www.kidstalkpolitics.com/ and http://www.scholastic.com/ (mentioned above) where you’ll find a host of articles and broadcasts produced for kids by kids. According to Ally Condie, author of Freshman for President, a political novel for young teens, parents can include their kids in so many areas of the election. “Some kids are surprised to learn political rallies can be as fun as pep rallies. Take them to see the local action up close and what they see in the news will be more meaningful.” For example, local candidates Rick Goddard and Jim Marshall, who are running for the Georgia Eighth District seat in the U.S. Congress are often hosting rallies and campaign drives in Middle Georgia leading up to November 4th.
Help Them Relate
How can you get kids interested in politics when they’d rather be watching Drake and Josh? Open up a dialogue about the election and candidates on terms that they can relate to. For example, ask “If you could decide who gets to make the rules that you follow, what kind of person would you vote for?” Then explain a little about each presidential candidate and their stances on specific kid appropriate issues.”
Also, give them tidbits of information about each candidate; such as “John McCain was a war hero like GI Joe.” Or, “Barak Obama was a community organizer in Chicago, where Aunt Maggie lives.”
Another tip from author Ally Condie is to use pop culture to spark discussions: Though less effective by itself, pop culture coupled with conversation is a great way to spark interest. Reading political novels, watching issue based movies or satirical T.V. shows together are a great way to start a discussion or to get a child interested in researching an issue.
Keep the Election Spirit Alive All Year Long
According to Joel Blackwell, a Middle Georgia native and author of Keep on Voting after the Election, real voter impact happens, not just by casting a ballot, but by making phone calls, writing letters and organizing rallies. “I encourage young people to get involved in campaigning and advocating for their political choices in and out of school. They’ll have lots of fun, meet new people, find job opportunities and, most importantly, know they’re making an impact. “Even elementary school ages can benefit,” said Blackwell. “When my children were small, they licked envelopes and helped nail campaign signs in yards. They’ll both tell you they had a lot of fun doing it.”
Other things parents and kids can do throughout the year are to invite local leaders to speak in their children’s classrooms, look up addresses of city and state representatives online and then write to them. “So few people communicate with elected officials that those who do have disproportionate power. Our leaders are hungry for that kind of interaction with their constituents. That’s a great lesson to teach kids about the power of their voices in government,” continued Blackwell. To read more tips on renewing your family’s civic-mindset, visit Blackwell’s Web site at http://www.keeponvoting.com/.
By: Angela Weight
One evening last week as I was watching news coverage of presidential candidates Barak Obama and John McCain, my three year old son Jack piped up, asking “who are those men that are always on TV?” I hesitated, silently wondering “how do you introduce young children to the heavy world of politics? How do I adequately explain who these men are without going into what the president’s job is, the difference between democrats and republicans, the Electoral College, term limits, media smear campaigns, our unalienable right to vote…?” Before I could condense the reams of information clogging my brain into a response, Andrew, my seven year old spoke up impatiently, saying “they’re the guys running for president. Now can I please turn it to Nickelodeon? Drake and Josh is on.”
That little exchange made me wonder how we as parents can emphasize the importance of being responsible citizens to our distraction driven kids? In a world where things like Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Polly Pockets and Club Penguin compete for kids’ attention, how do I squeeze in time for a quick political tutorial? Yet, it’s my job to do that; just like making sure they get their teeth brushed, eat five servings of produce a day and memorize this week’s site words. After all, today’s kids will shape tomorrow’s government.
Fostering Political Spirit in the Classroom
A big problem today is that many people don’t see the right to vote as a valuable privilege like our country’s earliest citizens or the suffragettes in the early 1900’s. It’s just another item far down on the never-ending to do list; and if it doesn’t get checked off, so what? “Voter apathy is a tremendous problem in our community,” says Arizona White, executive director for Kids Voting Bibb County, a non-profit organization hoping to improve voter turnout by promoting good citizenship in classrooms.
It appears to be working. Over 35,000 students in Bibb County's public and private schools participate in Kids Voting activities each year since its beginning in 1992. A 1999 survey conducted by Mercer University determined that students who participate in Kids Voting activities in school are 12 - 19% more likely to register and vote when they reach 18 than those students who did not attend Kids Voting programs.”
Kristina Graczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Sacred Heart Academy in Warner Robins strongly believes that politics should be a staple among classroom subjects. “We just reviewed the three levels and branches of government. Right now, we’re reading about and discussing the presidential election at least two days a week. Politics really comes alive to students when it’s not just something in their textbooks. It’s on TV. They discuss it at the dinner table. And they know that it affects their families and their futures in so many ways.”
To supplement textbook learning and generate classroom discussion, Graczyk uses grade appropriate election skills booklets by Scholastic. She also had her students write letters to the future president. “They each wrote a letter beginning ‘Dear Future President’ or ‘Dear Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain.’ “They let the candidates know that we’re praying and hoping for great things for our country during the next presidency. It was such an excellent way to demonstrate to kids that they matter, that they have voices that can be heard in Washington. We’ll write another round of letters after the election.”
At Hubbard Elementary in Monroe County, students kicked off the fall election season by celebrating Constitution and Citizenship Day, September 17th. “The entire school took part, but our fifth graders especially got involved by learning about the government, the presidency and the importance of voting,” explains assistant principal Michelle Windham. “Fifth graders even participate in the Georgia Student Mock Election, conducted through Youth Leadership. At some point before October 30th, classes will log onto http://www.youthleadership.net/. They’ll vote for the president, members of congress and even issues more exclusive to our school. In the last election, they got to vote on uniforms for our dress code. By voting on items like this, students get to experience first hand the results of their votes.”
What Parents Can Do
Let Kids Exercise Their Political Voices by Voting for Everyday Choices
When you think about it, there are so many fun and interactive ways to teach kids the importance of voting. Macon mom Melissa McLendon creates homemade ballots and has her kids Ryan and Lindsay vote on dinner and dessert choices. She recently conducted a top ice cream flavor election. “We all discreetly filled in our selections. Our kids know about proper voting etiquette, using silent ballots and not blurting out ‘I VOTED FOR ROCKY ROAD.’ My daughter would have us going to the polls about everything if we had time.”
Parents can conduct votes on what movie to watch, where to go on vacation, who to invite for a play date, or which Webkinz to sleep with. For bigger issues, have kids campaign for their favorite candidates. They can create posters, slogans, even have debates, as long as they don’t turn into free for all pillow fights. For more tips on helping kids campaign, visit www.scholastic.com/election2008.
Involve Kids in Real World Election Activities
Take your kids with you to vote. Watch televised debates together and visit sites like http://www.kidstalkpolitics.com/ and http://www.scholastic.com/ (mentioned above) where you’ll find a host of articles and broadcasts produced for kids by kids. According to Ally Condie, author of Freshman for President, a political novel for young teens, parents can include their kids in so many areas of the election. “Some kids are surprised to learn political rallies can be as fun as pep rallies. Take them to see the local action up close and what they see in the news will be more meaningful.” For example, local candidates Rick Goddard and Jim Marshall, who are running for the Georgia Eighth District seat in the U.S. Congress are often hosting rallies and campaign drives in Middle Georgia leading up to November 4th.
Help Them Relate
How can you get kids interested in politics when they’d rather be watching Drake and Josh? Open up a dialogue about the election and candidates on terms that they can relate to. For example, ask “If you could decide who gets to make the rules that you follow, what kind of person would you vote for?” Then explain a little about each presidential candidate and their stances on specific kid appropriate issues.”
Also, give them tidbits of information about each candidate; such as “John McCain was a war hero like GI Joe.” Or, “Barak Obama was a community organizer in Chicago, where Aunt Maggie lives.”
Another tip from author Ally Condie is to use pop culture to spark discussions: Though less effective by itself, pop culture coupled with conversation is a great way to spark interest. Reading political novels, watching issue based movies or satirical T.V. shows together are a great way to start a discussion or to get a child interested in researching an issue.
Keep the Election Spirit Alive All Year Long
According to Joel Blackwell, a Middle Georgia native and author of Keep on Voting after the Election, real voter impact happens, not just by casting a ballot, but by making phone calls, writing letters and organizing rallies. “I encourage young people to get involved in campaigning and advocating for their political choices in and out of school. They’ll have lots of fun, meet new people, find job opportunities and, most importantly, know they’re making an impact. “Even elementary school ages can benefit,” said Blackwell. “When my children were small, they licked envelopes and helped nail campaign signs in yards. They’ll both tell you they had a lot of fun doing it.”
Other things parents and kids can do throughout the year are to invite local leaders to speak in their children’s classrooms, look up addresses of city and state representatives online and then write to them. “So few people communicate with elected officials that those who do have disproportionate power. Our leaders are hungry for that kind of interaction with their constituents. That’s a great lesson to teach kids about the power of their voices in government,” continued Blackwell. To read more tips on renewing your family’s civic-mindset, visit Blackwell’s Web site at http://www.keeponvoting.com/.
Friday, October 3, 2008
He Said…She Said: Vice Presidential Debate Style
Disclaimer: The quotes, statistics and general content of this editorial cannot be counted on as true and shouldn’t be used as source material by any person attempting to impress others with his/her knowledge of politics.
It’s now 54 minutes into the verbal tennis match of disagreements between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. So far the only things they’ve agreed on are their mutual respect for Israel and that both of their jokes about being the vice president bombed.
Palin and Biden’s impeccable memories for recalling specific voting records, legislature and proposed program details are amazing. What’s even more mind boggling is that one’s recollections of the same events, records and programs are completely different from the other’s. Kind of like an old married couple….my parents, even. They’ve spent nearly an hour disagreeing about everything and not giving us, the American people much hope that Washington will be “new and improved by January.”
Biden: “Obama sounded the alarm on the sub-prime lending crisis a full two years ago while standing on the steps of the Capital building with Barney Frank, drinking a Starbuck’s mocha latte with cream. McCain didn’t realize there was a problem with sub-prime mortgages until a few months ago when he was leaving the White House men’s room.”
Palin: “Gosh darn it, Joe, you gotta be careful with your facts. Barak was drinking a vanilla latte and John wasn’t leaving the men’s room. He was at the water fountain. But one thing the American people need to know is that John McCain is a maverick who supports families across America.
Biden: “A maverick? I’d say that when he voted 59 nine times to increase spending on the toenail clipper excise tax, he behaved more like a dissenter than a maverick. That’s a difference the American people need to be aware of”
Palin: “No, he was a dissenter when he voted 8 times against the skunk spray alternative fuel initiative. He’s been a maverick the rest of the time. It’s true. Look it up for yourself in the Senate Yearbooks where you’ll see McCain was voted “Class Maverick” and “Most Likely Not to Concede” 72 years in a row.”
Biden: “I have to take issue with that. It was Obama who voted 18 times against the skunk spray bill. McCain, in the end voted for the skunk spray bio fuels bill because it included an item promoting tax breaks for off shore manufacturers of pole vaulting equipment. And according to my records, McCain didn’t begin calling himself a maverick until the movie Top Gun was released in ’86.”
And so it goes. 90 minutes of bickering about nonessentials. This is going to be a loooooong 30 something days until the election.
And can someone please tell Sarah to say NU-KLEE-UHR?
She confidently rattled off the name of Iranian leader, Ahmadinejad numerous times without stumbling even once. But nuclear was too much for her.
I’m now going to see what Brit Hume has to say about all this. For more trivial and completely unessential election coverage, continue to read my column.
It’s now 54 minutes into the verbal tennis match of disagreements between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. So far the only things they’ve agreed on are their mutual respect for Israel and that both of their jokes about being the vice president bombed.
Palin and Biden’s impeccable memories for recalling specific voting records, legislature and proposed program details are amazing. What’s even more mind boggling is that one’s recollections of the same events, records and programs are completely different from the other’s. Kind of like an old married couple….my parents, even. They’ve spent nearly an hour disagreeing about everything and not giving us, the American people much hope that Washington will be “new and improved by January.”
Biden: “Obama sounded the alarm on the sub-prime lending crisis a full two years ago while standing on the steps of the Capital building with Barney Frank, drinking a Starbuck’s mocha latte with cream. McCain didn’t realize there was a problem with sub-prime mortgages until a few months ago when he was leaving the White House men’s room.”
Palin: “Gosh darn it, Joe, you gotta be careful with your facts. Barak was drinking a vanilla latte and John wasn’t leaving the men’s room. He was at the water fountain. But one thing the American people need to know is that John McCain is a maverick who supports families across America.
Biden: “A maverick? I’d say that when he voted 59 nine times to increase spending on the toenail clipper excise tax, he behaved more like a dissenter than a maverick. That’s a difference the American people need to be aware of”
Palin: “No, he was a dissenter when he voted 8 times against the skunk spray alternative fuel initiative. He’s been a maverick the rest of the time. It’s true. Look it up for yourself in the Senate Yearbooks where you’ll see McCain was voted “Class Maverick” and “Most Likely Not to Concede” 72 years in a row.”
Biden: “I have to take issue with that. It was Obama who voted 18 times against the skunk spray bill. McCain, in the end voted for the skunk spray bio fuels bill because it included an item promoting tax breaks for off shore manufacturers of pole vaulting equipment. And according to my records, McCain didn’t begin calling himself a maverick until the movie Top Gun was released in ’86.”
And so it goes. 90 minutes of bickering about nonessentials. This is going to be a loooooong 30 something days until the election.
And can someone please tell Sarah to say NU-KLEE-UHR?
She confidently rattled off the name of Iranian leader, Ahmadinejad numerous times without stumbling even once. But nuclear was too much for her.
I’m now going to see what Brit Hume has to say about all this. For more trivial and completely unessential election coverage, continue to read my column.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Sarah Palin: The Movie
Okay, this isn't a real movie, but I think it's very cute and you'll definitely get a laugh or two.
Don't worry, I'm not trash talking or defaming Sarah. I LOVE her. Just watch.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1831461
Don't worry, I'm not trash talking or defaming Sarah. I LOVE her. Just watch.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1831461
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
A Brushing & Flossing Reminder from Angela the Dento Phobe
As parents it’s an understatement to say that we have a lot on our plates. There’s making breakfast, lunch and dinner, taking to school, picking up from school, football practice, choir practice, soccer practice, and 37 loads of laundry, 18 of which need stain fighting action, house cleaning and then homework. Plus those AR books. There’s much more, which I won’t bore you with. Getting it all done leaves me collapsing in bed each night ticking off to-do’s that’ll still be there tomorrow.
Keeping up with my kids’ dental hygiene, somewhere down that list, is not one of the jobs I particularly relish. Having to brush my three year old son Jack’s teeth is comparable to prize fighting an angry octopus twice a day. When I reach into his mouth it’s like he spontaneously develops six more arms to flail wildly. When we’re done, I’m never sure how clean his teeth are since most of the tooth paste appears to be streaking down the bathroom mirror. If only we used tooth paste to clean mirrors. Maybe I’ll invent that one day and save people a lot of time.
Yesterday was our six month dentist appointment. Would I once again get the lecture about brushing and flossing twice a day? Would x-rays expose cavities and strip me once again of my Mother of the Year award? Nope, it was a good visit with sticker rewards at the end for both my kids. While, I would’ve rather received a Barbie sticker, my reward was a $45 bill.
While sitting in the waiting area, I took the time to interview the experts at Dr. Rebecca Wigham’s office on why it’s so darn important for us parents to promote brushing, flossing and not going to bed with a sippy cup full of apple juice. According to office manager Lori Wood, other than water, a tooth brush is the last thing that should be inside our kids’ mouths before bedtime. “Children’s primary teeth are like M&M’s. The enamel is thin like the candy shell (but not nearly as tasty). Anything that sits on the teeth for an extended period of time causes plaque and bacteria to build up. Once the bacteria breaks through the enamel, it can eat away at the tooth causing pain, swelling, a cavity, or even worse an abscess.” (for those of you who aren’t dental terminology savvy, abscess is tooth language for “infection in the root”) If the infection, or abscess is bad enough, it can get into the blood stream requiring an IV or antibiotics to treat. Also, kids can get cavities in their permanent teeth before they’re even visible. This was hugely interesting to me as I didn’t know that when we’re two years old, our permanent teeth are fully developed and waiting off-stage to make their grand entrances a few days or weeks after the Tooth Fairy’s visit.
And what about flossing? Why is that so darn important? I’ll be honest. I can’t stand to floss. But I do it everyday. And I have to say that some pretty incredible stuff can get stuck between teeth. The other day, I flossed out a notebook I’d lost in fourth grade and an ex boyfriend from college. (I just thought he’d stopped calling). Lori, my new friend and dental hygiene expert gave me a real good reason to keep up the flossing. “60% of tooth decay occurs between our teeth. Flossing is extremely important to clean the plaque and bacteria out.”
While my kids are beyond this stage, it’s worth mentioning that Public Enemy Number One for kids’ oral health is nursing of baby bottle decay. “We see bunches and bunches of kids with nursing bottle decay,” said Dr. Wigham.
For all you moms who nurse your babies to sleep or put them to bed with a bottle or sippy cup, stop it. Now. Yes, I know it’s the only way you can get little Johnny or Emily to stop fussing and let you get some shut eye of your own, but bottle decay wreaks deadly havoc on baby teeth. Havoc that you can’t see unless you’re standing on your head, looking up into your child’s mouth. This is because the decay starts on the backs of their teeth. By the time the fronts are infected, it’s too late. You might be looking at tooth caps which come in two fashion colors: white and silver. I asked Lori why other colors weren’t available and she wasn’t sure. But she did say that many adults adorn their caps with diamonds and other high quality gem stones.
Lori and Dr. Wigham both stressed the importance of laying little ones down in your lap to brush and floss their teeth. “You’ll get a better view of what you’re brushing and can make sure their teeth are getting clean.” They encourage parents of little ones to bring them to the dentist early so that they can demonstrate proper brushing techniques.
I’ll say from my own experience that it’s never too early to begin good dental hygiene, but waiting too late can cause all sorts of problems. Looking into my mouth today, you’ll see an array of silver amalgam fillings, and a few caps that I paid more for than my current vehicle. So, take care of those choppers and they’ll last a whole lot longer.
Keeping up with my kids’ dental hygiene, somewhere down that list, is not one of the jobs I particularly relish. Having to brush my three year old son Jack’s teeth is comparable to prize fighting an angry octopus twice a day. When I reach into his mouth it’s like he spontaneously develops six more arms to flail wildly. When we’re done, I’m never sure how clean his teeth are since most of the tooth paste appears to be streaking down the bathroom mirror. If only we used tooth paste to clean mirrors. Maybe I’ll invent that one day and save people a lot of time.
Yesterday was our six month dentist appointment. Would I once again get the lecture about brushing and flossing twice a day? Would x-rays expose cavities and strip me once again of my Mother of the Year award? Nope, it was a good visit with sticker rewards at the end for both my kids. While, I would’ve rather received a Barbie sticker, my reward was a $45 bill.
While sitting in the waiting area, I took the time to interview the experts at Dr. Rebecca Wigham’s office on why it’s so darn important for us parents to promote brushing, flossing and not going to bed with a sippy cup full of apple juice. According to office manager Lori Wood, other than water, a tooth brush is the last thing that should be inside our kids’ mouths before bedtime. “Children’s primary teeth are like M&M’s. The enamel is thin like the candy shell (but not nearly as tasty). Anything that sits on the teeth for an extended period of time causes plaque and bacteria to build up. Once the bacteria breaks through the enamel, it can eat away at the tooth causing pain, swelling, a cavity, or even worse an abscess.” (for those of you who aren’t dental terminology savvy, abscess is tooth language for “infection in the root”) If the infection, or abscess is bad enough, it can get into the blood stream requiring an IV or antibiotics to treat. Also, kids can get cavities in their permanent teeth before they’re even visible. This was hugely interesting to me as I didn’t know that when we’re two years old, our permanent teeth are fully developed and waiting off-stage to make their grand entrances a few days or weeks after the Tooth Fairy’s visit.
And what about flossing? Why is that so darn important? I’ll be honest. I can’t stand to floss. But I do it everyday. And I have to say that some pretty incredible stuff can get stuck between teeth. The other day, I flossed out a notebook I’d lost in fourth grade and an ex boyfriend from college. (I just thought he’d stopped calling). Lori, my new friend and dental hygiene expert gave me a real good reason to keep up the flossing. “60% of tooth decay occurs between our teeth. Flossing is extremely important to clean the plaque and bacteria out.”
While my kids are beyond this stage, it’s worth mentioning that Public Enemy Number One for kids’ oral health is nursing of baby bottle decay. “We see bunches and bunches of kids with nursing bottle decay,” said Dr. Wigham.
For all you moms who nurse your babies to sleep or put them to bed with a bottle or sippy cup, stop it. Now. Yes, I know it’s the only way you can get little Johnny or Emily to stop fussing and let you get some shut eye of your own, but bottle decay wreaks deadly havoc on baby teeth. Havoc that you can’t see unless you’re standing on your head, looking up into your child’s mouth. This is because the decay starts on the backs of their teeth. By the time the fronts are infected, it’s too late. You might be looking at tooth caps which come in two fashion colors: white and silver. I asked Lori why other colors weren’t available and she wasn’t sure. But she did say that many adults adorn their caps with diamonds and other high quality gem stones.
Lori and Dr. Wigham both stressed the importance of laying little ones down in your lap to brush and floss their teeth. “You’ll get a better view of what you’re brushing and can make sure their teeth are getting clean.” They encourage parents of little ones to bring them to the dentist early so that they can demonstrate proper brushing techniques.
I’ll say from my own experience that it’s never too early to begin good dental hygiene, but waiting too late can cause all sorts of problems. Looking into my mouth today, you’ll see an array of silver amalgam fillings, and a few caps that I paid more for than my current vehicle. So, take care of those choppers and they’ll last a whole lot longer.
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