Family Recipes: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin C and fibre. They're also loaded with carotenoids which help fight cancer, protect your heart, and boost your immune system. In addition, one single sweet potato gives you well more than the recommended daily amount of vitamin A and supplies you with copper, vitamin B6, potassium, iron, and manganese (which is good for your bones). With all these benefits, it makes sense to create some tasty dishes using the sweet potato. And so comes one of my favorite recipes: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed but not peeled
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice the sweet potatoes into fries. These should be no larger than ½ inch thick and should be as long as the sweet potatoes themselves. Think standard french fries. Rinse and place these in a large bowl.
3. Pour the oil over the sweet potatoes and mix well. Add the cinnamon and toss.
4. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15 minutes and turn over.
6. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the fries are golden brown.
7. Season with salt and serve immediately.

These fries are a favorite in our home. You can peel the sweet potatoes if you like, but since most of the fibre is on the skin or just below it, you want to keep as much as you can to maximize the health benefits of this simple dish. Store any extra sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place, but not in the fridge. They'll last longer in the bottom of your pantry than in the refrigerator.

Family Recipes: Sweet Blueberry Sauce

Blueberries are sweet and delicious, but they're also one of the healthiest berries around. They help aging memories and fend off free radicals to protect people of all ages. They're also packed with fibre, helping to prevent constipation, relieve diarrhea, and protecting against urinary tract infections. Any mother will love that. And children love them. Love them so much that they'll eat them straight out of the fields.

But not everyone has a blueberry patch in their backyard. Some of us have only the frozen blueberries you get at the supermarket. Kids may not like to eat them frozen, but you can do plenty of things to frozen blueberries to make children crave them. So if you have some frozen blueberries lying around, try this simple and sweet blueberry sauce.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp berry sugar (a little more if you like a sweeter sauce)
• 2 tbsp finely grated lemon peel

Method

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Warm on the stove at medium heat, stirring constantly. Do this for 4 minutes or until the sauce begins to boil. When the boiling occurs, immediately remove the sauce from the heat. Continue stirring for 1 minute.

This sauce can be poured over French toast, waffles, or pancakes. You might also want to blend it with vanilla yogurt for a quick snack or even use in in a smoothie. You can refrigerate this sauce for up to 2 weeks or freeze it for up to 2 months, so make a large batch and use it whenever you can.

We like to use it as a dip for fruit such as pears and apples. My boys like to dip whole bananas in the sauce and freeze them, making blueberry-dipped banana popsicles. It's a healthy addition to any dish.

Child Health: The Impact of Heavy Backpacks

We've heard it for years. Heavy backpacks are damaging our kids' spines. Pediatricians and chiropractors have been saying this for years. But if you need true evidence, you need only look back to a study done in 2010. American scientists scanned eight children using an MRI. Each child was scanned several times, first with an empty backpack, then bearing loads of nine, eighteen, and twenty-six pounds in the backpack. Backpacks were worn using both shoulder straps during every scan.

There were some interesting results that more than reinforced the idea that we're loading up our children past what's healthy. As the weight increased, the spinal discs responsible for absorbing shock slowly became squashed and were unable to do their job. In addition, the lower spine became more likely to curve to one side in an effort to accommodate the increased weight. Not to mention the fact that the children were in more pain with the heavier loads.

Of the eight children scanned, four of them showed the beginnings of significant curvature of the spine when wearing the eighteen-pound backpack. With this in mind, you should never load your child's backpack with more than ten to fifteen percent of his or her body weight. This is, of course, dependent on the age of the child, but don't stray from these figures too much.

So before you send your kids off to school tomorrow, grab their packs and throw them on the scale. Are they too heavy? If so, take steps to reduce the impact of a heavy backpack on your child's health.

Child Health: Using 3D to Spot Vision Problems

3D movies are all the rage. From Alice in Wonderland to The Avengers, moviegoers get to see many newer movies using the magic of 3D. Put on a pair of glasses and you're good to go. But 3D is doing more than simply entertaining the masses. Thanks to the power of 3D movies, many people are discovering that they have permanent vision problems, and sometimes these are problems that could have been corrected in childhood if they had been detected early enough.

If your children see a flat image or two of one character instead of the 3D effect when watching a 3D movie, your child may have what's called binocular vision disorder. This disorder, which affects up to 10% of the population, is really a blanket term to cover a problem with the way the two eyes work together. For example, if the muscles in one eye are stronger than the other, the brain may actually "shut off" the weaker eye. This can be corrected, but in most cases intervention must happen before the age of seven.

Many other conditions are just as easy to treat. Muscles that are too weak to properly turn one eye toward the toher can be strengthened by playing special video games designed for this purpose. Surgery is an option of last resort, but it really can save the vision of many children, including my older son who almost went blind when he was three years old. The trick is knowing there's a problem in the first place.

If your child complains about not being able to really see the 3D effects on any movie (when wearing the 3D glasses), take him or her for an eye exam immediately. If you've never taken your child for an eye exam, start now and repeat annually. A basic vision checkup can catch many problems, and some of these are easy to fix.

Child Health: The Seasonal Flu Vaccine

Every year flu clinics pop up across the country offering flu shots to eligible people. This inevitably sparks a debate among parents. To vaccinate or not to vaccinate your child against the seasonal flu? There are well-educated people in both camps, both with valid arguments. Some simply don't want their children to become ill and go get the vaccine in hopes of preventing season illnesses. Other parents would rather not have another vaccine for an illness that is short term and mild in most children.

Flu viruses (yes, there is certainly more than one seasonal flu virus) start showing up when the colder days of fall set it. If you're going to vaccinate, you really need to do it in early fall and not wait until winter is in full swing. But it's important to realize that not every child can or should get the flu shot. For example, my younger son has a medical condition for which he is medicated daily. Because of his medication, he cannot get the flu shot.

Of course, there are certain groups of children who could almost certainly benefit from the flu shot. These kids are generally those who are at the highest risk of serious illness. How do you know if your child is at risk? Talk to your health care provider. But, in general, if your child is between 6 and 24 months or has respiratory or immune problems (like some former preemies), you can consider your child at risk and may want to get him or her vaccinated against seasonal flu. There are also situations where you might want to have a child who is not at risk vaccinated. For example, everyone surrounding someone with immune problems should be vaccinated to protect the at risk person. Pregnant women are often vaccinated, as are those surrounding them. Consider this when making your decision.

Please note, however, that any child under 6 months of age should NOT be vaccinated against the flu. It's basically pointless because children this young have immune systems that are too immature to respond appropriately to the vaccine.

What can you do if you opt not to vaccinate your child against the flu? Well, everyone, vaccinated or not, should practice what I like to call flu etiquette. Teach your children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or the fabric at their elbow and not into their hands. Wash hands with warm water and soap frequently and carry a hand sanitizer for those moments when water and soap are not available. Also, stay home when you're ill and have your children stay home from school when they're not feeling well. If everyone stayed home when they were ill, viruses would not spread they way they do now, so let the kids stay home when they're ill.

The choice to vaccinate against the season flu is up to you and should be discussed with your health care provider. Personally, I don't vaccinate either of my children against the flu (though they certainly are vaccinated against other things as per my pediatrician's recommendations). My younger child cannot be vaccinated and my older one never gets sick. Ever. While all the other children are out sick due to the flu or even chicken pox, he's outside playing like a whirling dervish. But there are children who should certainly be vaccinated, so talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of having your child vaccinated against the seasonal flu.

Taking Care of Yourself: Anti-Aging Skin Care Tips

Busy moms don't have a lot of time. Add the sleeplessness and stress that comes with having children and you have a recipe that will truly take its toll on your skin. There's nothing wrong with any mom taking some time to take care of herself, but with limited time, you have to make the most of it. Especially when it comes to skin care and keeping our skin looking youthful.

Because none of us have any time to spare, keep your skin care regimen simple. Choose multi-purpose products so you don't have to spend all morning applying product to your face. Look for things like exfoliants you don't have to rinse off (Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer is a good choice, though there are others) and moisturizers that double as sunblocks (Smashbox Sheer Focus is my favorite). These types of products will save you time and even help save you money.

Being a mom ages your skin. There's no two ways about that. And many of us like the idea of those anti-aging lotions that are out there. But let's face it. We can't turn back the clock and we can't undo the aging process. You can, however, improve the appearance of your skin by moisturizing it. If you want to making your skin look great, you don't necessarily have to invest in those expensive anti-aging creams. Instead, wash and moisturize your face twice a day, exfoliate twice a week, and wear sunblock every time you step outside. Here's where using a moisturizer with sunblock will pay off. Avoid most anti-aging creams.

Why? Take a look at the claims made by these products. Do they actually claim to reverse the aging process anywhere on the packaging? No. They're not allowed to claim something that isn't true, and you simply cannot anti-age anything. Instead, the creams claim to improve the appearance of skin. This can be done with products that will not break the bank, products available at your local drugstore.

Look for products that contain vitamin A (which is sometimes called retinol) and glycolic acids. These two products have been proven to enhance the appearance of your skin, especially when used together. Other good ingredients in your moisturizer include vitamin C and hydroxy acid. Vitamin C helps your sunscreen work better and improves those annoying brown spots. Hydroxy acid, on the other hand, exfoliates the skin and makes your skin appear brighter and more youthful. Still, none of these products are anti-aging, so don't waste your money on a cream that won't do anything more than your average moisturizer.

So what products might you choose that won't cost a lot of money but still get the job done? Well, I've already mentioned two I like, but there are others I've used with great success. Products such as Neutrogena and Reversa are inexpensive but worth their weight in gold. I'm sure you'll have your favorites if you visit your local drugstore and test out a few. I like Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, which handily has enough SPF protection for those long winter days.

And my skin? Well, it glows and is blemish-free. I'm now into my 30s and my skin looks just like it did 10 years ago. And all without those expensive anti-aging creams that don't work anyway.

Family Recipes: Pumpkin Risotto

The fall is a wonderful time for comfort food, and this one-dish meal practically cooks itself (after you've thrown in the ingredients!). Most children will love this dish but it's still elegant enough for adults to enjoy. Baked Pumpkin Risotto takes about 40 minutes to prepare and only 35 or 40 minutes to bake. It will serve 4 to 6 people. If you don't like pumpkin, sustitute the same amount of butternut squash.

Ingredients

• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 cups arborio rice (uncooked)
• 5 cups vegetable broth (chicken if you prefer)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 cups diced pumpkin, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 cup crumbled feta (optional)
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Heat your oven to 375°F. Get out a large skillet and add the olive oil. Warm over medium heat and add onion and thyme, cooking about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to ensure everything is evenly coated. Add half of the vegetable broth and all of the pumpkin. Allow this to come to a simmer.
2. Pull out an ovenproof dish that holds at least 8 cups and transfer the mixture into this dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
3. Take the dish out of the oven and add the rest of the vegetable broth. Stir in the peas, salt, and pepper. Cover once more and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender-firm (al dente) and most of the liquid has been absorbed. The mixture should look creamy, so add a littel more broth if it seems a little dry and mix well. Return to the over for 5 minutes if necessary.
4. Top with feta and basil, if desired and serve immediately.

Handy-Mommy: Plugging Up Drafts and Saving Money

As a mother, I've had to learn many skills. I can patch up a wound, soothe a cranky child, and I can tackle minor home improvement projects. With a little help and the proper motivation. And since October has obviously started and we recently got out first snowfall of the season, I figured now would be a good time to plug up those drafts, making the house more comfortable for my children and saving a few bucks on my heating bill.

Most mothers I know want to save a little money, and that means tackling minor things yourself. If your furnace needs servicing, you should definitely call a professional, but little things can be done all by yourself. A few inexpensive supplies from the local hardware store can help you keep your family warm and cut that home heating bill.

Leaks and Draft Have to Go

If you live in a house that is not Energy Star-rated, you almost certainly are losing some warm air through the gaps and cracks in your home. You might be losing as much as 35% of the precious heat your furnace is supplying. A lot of people blame their windows, especially if the windows are older, but unless the glass is cracked, it's probably not the windows. If you do replace your windows, invest in the double-glazed type, and hire a professional. Don't install windows yourself.

But, like I said, it's probably not the windows. One of the cheapest items in the hardware store is caulk. Buy some. Caulk baseboards and window trim on all exterior walls. Also caulk around light switches and electrical outlets on those same walls. Exterior walls is where you're losing your heat, so stop up those gaps.

Doors are another place where the heat slips out, so purchase (and actually install!) some high quality weatherstripping. This isn't hard to do and takes only a few minutes. Then train those kids to actually shut the door! Weatherstripping does nothing to help you if the doors aren't shut.

Insulating Makes the Difference

I know you probably can't insulate your entire house by yourself. But you can use some ready-to-purchase products from the hardware store to help. Do you have an electric water heater? Have you wrapped it in an insulating jacket or blanket? No? Then check the water heater's manual and go out and purchase an insulating jacket of the appropriate size. I got one for just under $50. Then actually put it on. Don't do this if you have an oil-powered heater and if you have a natural gas water heater, get the insulation installed by a professional.

You can also add some insulation to your heating system. Take a look at your ducting and you'll realize that you're losing a lot of heat to the basement before the heat even gets upstairs. Yes, you're heating the basement, but that heat can really be used elsewhere. You can wrap your ducting in a pretty silver insulation and secure it with duct tape to solve the problem, instantly saving yourself a good deal of money. Do you have radiators instead? Wrap insulation around the exposed heating pipes in the basement or crawlspace.

Lower the Thermostat

I know everyone says this, but few people actually do it. Turn your thermostat down by 3°C or even 6°C when you go out for the evening or when you go to bed. A thicker blanket can help offset the cooler temperature and make you feel cuddled at the same time. You can even get a programmable thermostat (mine cost about $40) and install it. I did this myself following the directions that came with the thermostat. It's not difficult and you can save yourself a significant amount of money.

It's true that the lower you turn your thermostat, the more money you'll save, but don't be extreme. 5°C is probably too cold for a house with children. Be reasonable. I turn mine down to 15°C every evening and get up a half hour before the kids to turn it back up to 19°C. They stay warm and I can wear a thicker sweater for 10 minutes while the house warms up.

It's cheap and easy to save yourself a few bucks in the cold winter months. But it does require some time, especially when you're insulating and caulking. So plan ahead and you'll be free of drafts this winter.

Entertainment for Children: Books for Children

We love to read in our house. My two children have scores of books and they read everyday. And I read to them. They're not quite old enough to not want that bedtime story. But I'm very picky about the books I allow in my home, especially when it comes to book for my children. They have to engaged my children and either educate or expand their horizons. I spend a lot of time looking for books that suit my purposes, and here are four of my favorites, one for each age group from toddler to tweens and teens.

If You're a Monster and You Know It (Ages 3-5)

My toddler likes vibrant colors and sing-song rhythm, and If You're a Monster and You Know It delivers. My youngest son likes the blank background that makes the illustrations pop off the page and loves the chance to jump up and stomp along with the book. Written by Rebecca and Ed Emberley and published by Scholastic, this book is definately recommended for toddlers and even slightly older children.

Splinters (Ages 6-9)

Published by Tundra and written by Kevin Sylvester, Splinters is a great book for boys and girls that puts a twist on the classic Cinderella story. Instead of a fairy godmother, there's a fairy goaltender, and the coach is named Charmaine Prince. And the glass slippers? They've become a pair of hockey skates. Definately a lot of fun.

The Memory Bank (Ages 7-10)

Looking for something a little whimsical and even fantastical? The Memory Bank by Carolyn Coman may be the answer. Illustrated by Rob Shepperson, this book features a character who enters the World Wide Memory Bank in the hopes of finding a clue to lead her to her little sister. Dreams and memories guide the main character (her name is Hope) on her journey. My older son loves to read this book to himself, and my younger likes to have me read it to him.

The Clockwork Three (Ages 8-14)

And for those older kids? Well, they're probably choosing their own reading material, or at least expressing strong opinions about what they should and should not be reading. But if you can guide them toward The Clockwork Three, they would certainly benefit. Written by Matthew Kirby, this book takes place in a world that reminds me of something out of a Dickens novel. Hannah, Giuseppe, and Frederick each face hardships they cannot overcome until fate (or coincidence) brings them together so they might help each other. A charming tale defiantely worth the read.

These may not be the newest books (they're all at least 2 years old), but they're certainly good reads. Each book is strong on its own merits and contributes something to the imagination of your children. Take a look and see if they're worth adding to your own library.

Entertainment for Children: TV Shows for All Ages

I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm not going to get away from TV. Even if I don't let my children watch TV, they go to school and hear about television shows from their friends. Such is life, I guess. I don't have to be happy about it, but I do have to learn to adapt to it.

After I came to this realization, I decided to take a look and see what shows were out there that I felt were educational and entertaining for my children. So with their help, I've selected three shows, each aimed at a different age group, that I think children might actually get something out of. Beyond ridiculous entertainment, that is. Please note: channels indicated may be different in your region.

The Cat in the Hate Knows a Lot About That

I was browsing Treehouse for most of the day to find a show or two I wouldn't mind having my preschooler watch when I came upon this cute little show. Now, I'm a fan of Dr. Seuss, so I actually gave this show my undivided attention for a little while. I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. The first thing that caught my attention was the animation. It was very like watching the classic Dr. Seuss come to life. The rhymes were in keeping with The Cat in the Hat. And though I'm not a fan of Martin Short, his voice seemed to just fit the show and character.  The best thing about this TV show? It actually engaged my 4-year-old.

Artzooka!

My 6-year-old isn't quite so easily entertained. I had to search a little harder for a program he enjoyed and that didn't drive me nuts. I finally found one on CBC. Artzooka! went beyond making crafts. It actually went into art theory and practice and encouraged my son to see the world from a new and artistic perspective. My 6-year-old actually paid attention and learned something, as evidenced by the craft projects that were quickly produced on the dining room table. I enjoyed his efforts and he stopped asking if he could go see the new Batman movie (which he was never going to be allowed to see). Sweet peace for both of us.

Big Time Rush

And what about older children? Those kids we call tweens? Let's face it. They don't want to watch what we want them to watch. And they figured out how to work the remote years ago. These kids want entertainment, not educational programming. So finding something that can be agreed upon by parent and child isn't always easy. Both parties will have to compromise just a little.

But I got lucky with YTV's Big Time Rush. I didn't hate it (and I really hate most children's programming these days). The tweens found it hilarious. It's just a show about a few goofs from Minnesota that run off to Los Angeles. Why do they run off to LA? They apparently want to make it as a boy band. And hilarity ensues. Slapstick stuff, mostly. But I didn't find the show offensive and the tweens loved it. Good enough in my books.

It's not always easy to find television programming that both parent and child can live with. But with a little exploration and some compromise, it is possible to let your children watch some television without turning into TV zombies. Just remember to always watch 2 or 3 episodes with your child so you know exactly what they're being exposed to.

Crafty Recycling: Turning an Infant Costume into a Halloween Loot Bag

If you're like me, you hate to waste anything. I never want to throw out anything that might be useful, but I can't always think of an immediate use. One of the items I can never seem to get rid of in any way are those old infant costumes. Specifically those one-piece infant costumes that aren't wrecked but aren't in good enough condition to give away. usually an arm or a leg is frayed to the point where the local thrift shops don't want them. My children are both too old for the costumes, I'm not have any more kids, and I don't know anyone pregnant or planning to get pregnant.

But I did eventually find a way to use them. Turn them into bags. The first one, a little turtle costume, I used for a Halloween loot bag for my oldest son, but others soon turned into all kinds of bags. One is a Lego bag, another holds coloring books and crayons, and I use one to carry my laptop. With only basic sewing skills, you can turn an old costume into a cute little bag. You will need the following supplies

• one-piece infant costume
• scissors
• ribbon at least 1 inch thick
• needle
• thread
• sewing machine (optional)

Start by cutting off the legs and arms of the costume (if applicable). You want to be left with just the torso. But don't cut down the sides or across the crotch. You want to leave as much of the costume intact as possible to cut down on your own sewing. You should cut the shoulders of the costume to enlarge the opening of the bag.

Sew up the leg holes of the costume. You can do this by hand or by using a sewing machine. Hem the opening at the top of the bag, again either by hand or with a machine. I prefer a machine because it's faster, but you might like sewing by hand. If the costume has a zipper or other fastener, stitch it closed so it doesn't open while you're using the bag. I like to actually remove zippers and sew it up like a seam, but you can simply secure the top of the zipper with a little thread.

Cut two 18 inch lengths of ribbon. You can cut longer ribbon if you want longer handles for the bag, but I prefer to keep them short.

Stitch the ribbon to the costume where the shoulders used to be. Attach one ribbon to the right front and back, the other to the left front and back. Make sure both ribbons are equal or you'll have a lopsided bag.

That's it. You now have a bag that can be used for anything. You can decorate it with self-adhesive sequins (found at your local dollar store), but only do this if the bag will be used by kids three years of age and older. Younger children might peel the sequins off and eat them. It happens.

Halloween Costumes for Infants in Car Seats

As Halloween rushes toward us, parents are starting to look for costumes for their children. There are many costumes available, some costing only a few dollars, others costing much more. You could spend hundreds of dollars on a single costume. But when it comes to costumes for infants and toddlers who are still getting strapped into car seats, the problem is less a matter of cost and more a matter of safety. So many costumes for infants have a tail or something else that will interfere with the safety of being strapped into a car seat. If you don't want to take the costume off every time you get in the car, your options are rather limited.

My children were tiny once, so when I got an e-mail addressing this particular problem, I thought I'd offer a solution that I myself employed. Pet costumes. No, I'm not kidding. Look at the costumes for pets. Many of them have Velcro closures around the neck or around the middle, allowing the costume to be removed at a moment's notice. I thought this might work for my own children. Tails or cloaks or even skirts were easy enough to remove when necessary. It worked for me, and the selection for pet costumes these days is enough to satisfy even the pickiest parent. You can find clowns, rabbits, princesses, pirates, and many other costumes that can be adapted to fit your child.

The flip side: I often find that toddler costumes are easily adapted for your pets, so mix and match to get the costume you want.

Imaginary Friends: The Always-Present Playmate

The long hunt for the imaginary friend.

Many children have imaginary friends. Whether's in an invisible dog or a dragon hovering in the corner of the room, imaginary friends make up the social circle of many preschoolers and even school-aged children. And despite the concern of some parents, imaginary friends are both natural and normal at certain phases of development. Each child will approach their imaginary friend phase differently. Some will have the same friend for years while others exchange friends on a weekly basis. My own four-year-old has a new friend every other day. It certainly keeps things interesting.

The Benefits of Imaginary Friends

The very first benefit of imaginary friends is that they nurture a child's imagination and creativity. They can also help your child engage in learning activities. My own kids read to their imaginary friends, play with them, talk to them, and even practice counting and basic mathematics. Their imaginary friend never have tantrums and they don't get cranky, so playing with imaginary friends is less stressful that having real kids over might be. Especially for sensitive children.

But these friends are more than simply playmates. They help children deal with real-life problems and can provide comfort during frightening or stressful times. It's a lot easier to deal with a thunderstorm when you're protected by a dragon or stand up to bullies on the playground if you have a tiger backing you up.

Imaginary friends are also beneficial for parents. When my own son came to me one day and told me his imaginary cat/friend was afraid he'd get blown away by the ceiling fan, I knew it was really my son who was afraid. So I taught my son how to reassure his friend about the ceiling fan, and in doing so I soothed his own fears. And he never had to reveal that it was actually he himself who was afraid of the fan. So when your child is talking about his imaginary friend, keep your ears open. You might learn something new about your own kid.

When To Worry About Imaginary Friends

Imaginary friends don't necessarily mean that your child is lonely, even if that child is an only child. In fact, children with imaginary friends are usually more social and more creative than children without them. But a friend who doesn't really exist can present a problem if your child uses that friend as a scapegoat. Does your child knock something over or break a house rule and promptly blame it on his imaginary friend? This is a serious problem and it needs to be addressed. Never let your child shift the blame for something they did. This is not an appropriate use of an imaginary friend.

Some parents worry when their child does not have an imaginary friend. But children are different. They express themselves in different ways. Not have an invisible friend doesn't mean that your child will be less creative or lacks an imagination. If your child chooses not to engage in the "game" of imaginary friends, don't be overly concerned. He's merely expressing himself in other ways.

As your child gets older and busier, he will slowly leave his imaginary friends behind. But children as old as 10 or 12 may still have the occasional "visit" from an imaginary friend. They may not be ready to let go or they may simply be exercising their imagination. Don't get caught up in worry. And if you child invites you to play with the friend? Go for it! Have fun with your child and their invisible friend. But if he wants to keep it to himself, keep your distance if possible.

Back to School: Adjusting to Full-Time School

Whether your child is starting full-time kindergarten or moving from part-time kindergarten to grade one, the new routine can be intimidating and even frightening for children and stressful for parents. New teachers, more structured activities, and the other challenges that come with starting full-time school can sometimes seem like insurmountable hurdles, but with a little patience and some forethought, these challenges can become a thing of the past.

Motor Skills are Necessary

Fine motor skills are critically important in full-time school. They're also something that a lot of children lack when they start school. If your child plays a lot of video games or is involved in many sports, fine motor skills may not have developed enough for full-time school. To help with this, direct your child towards activities that will help with those ever-important fine motor skills. Lego, lacing books, drawing, coloring, learning to write their own name -- all of these things will help refine a skill that your child really cannot do without. I have my own preschooler working on fine motor skills for an hour a day, and he's still a year away from any kind of school. You don't have to start with an hour, but 15 minutes here and there can make a big difference.

Organization is Key

Nothing is more frustrating for a child than not being able to find that pencil they love or the eraser they picked at the store. A messy backpack or desk can be upsetting for your little one. Anticipate this by teaching your child to put things away properly. Have your child pick up with own coat and clean up their own toys. Then have your child neatly pack their own backpack. Hopefully, this regimine will continue at school at your child will always be able to find what they need.

Sleep is Important

Full-time school takes a lot of energy and this requires sleep. This is especially true during the first two or three months of school. Children who go to bed late or rise early will probably be too tired to concentrate at school. Adjust your child's sleep schedule so that they can get 8-10 hours sleep a night. Also look at how many activities your child is engaged in during the week. An overbooked child is a tired child.

Lunch is No Laughing Matter

Lunch is a big deal for children. They've been working hard for half the day and need to eat. Pack attention to what you pack. Make sure the lunch is nutritious, but also ensure that you're packing foods your child actually likes. Carrot sticks for a child who never eats carrots is not a good idea. So test drive the lunches you're thinking of before sending them off to school. Personally, I use weekends to test out new lunches. If they won't eat it at home, they probably won't eat it at school.

School is a Social Environment

School is not only an educational environment, it's a social one. Your child may have a friend or two before beginning full-time school, but these ties can be severed by classmates who become socially choosier without a little help from you. Arrange playdates with established friends and keep your ears open for mention of new friends. Also watch your child for signs of unhappiness. Your child may be socially isolated. Talk to the school about assigning recess buddies to try to help your child make friends.

Your Child Will Be Cranky

Be prepared for your child to be beyond cranky when they get home. They've spent all day being on their best behavior (you hope) and that takes a lot of effort for young children. To deal with this, know your child. An excitable child may require lots of activity to burn off excess energy and keep them from mischief. A quieter child may need some quiet time such as reading or coloring. But have an activity ready to go when your child comes home. Scrambling for something to do won't help your little one.

Help With Homework

Homework just happens when your child starts school. It might be a bit of reading or tracing letters, but it's important that the homework get done. Help your child establish a routine for doing homework, and check the homework before your child goes back to school. A little guidance from you can really help your child get ahead.

These are just a few things you can do to encourage your child and help him or her to adjust to the new routine introduced by full-time school. But the best thing you can do is listen to your child. Pay attention to what your little one has to say about school and make sure you know what's going on in that classroom.

Breastfeeding: When Not To Breastfeed

Well, this is the first post of my newest blog, this one devoted to child care, health, raising children in his hectic world, and just plain fun. But what to talk about in my first post? I could post an article about child heath, or maybe one about the stags of pregnancy. Or perhaps you'd prefer an article about children going back to school after a long summer (as one of my own children is about to do on Wednesday). That one would make sense. Most of us parents have kids returning to school.

Well, I'll get to all these things in time. But, since is the first post, I thought I'd go back to the beginning. Not the pregnancy. You don't want to hear about that yet. Trust me. Instead, I'll go back to the days after the birth of my oldest son and deal with one of the major issues facing new mothers: breastfeeding. I'm not going to talk about statistics or techniques, or how good breastfeeding is for a newborn baby (I'll get there in later posts). Instead, I'll relate my own experience and hopefully help some new moms out there.

I was barely 24 years old when my oldest son Tristan was born. Because of complications during the birth, I didn't even see my new baby until almost a day after he was born. That's when I first tried breastfeeding. The nurses encouraged me, but it still hurt. I had been expecting some pain, but not that kind of pain. Tristan didn't latch well. Even with help from the nurses and a lady from the breastfeeding clinic, it was still painful and awkward. But I gave it a go. I didn't complain, and three days later I was on my way home.

Things didn't go any better at home (or rather, at my parents' house where I was staying for the first couple weeks). Tristan cried and was hungry, so I fed him ever two hours. Sometimes every hour, day and night. I wasn't getting any sleep at all and I was in pain. Still, I kept trying. Eventually this had to get easier. Didn't it?

Now, our area has a program where a public health nurse who specializes in babies and new mothers comes to visit. She arrived when Tristan was 5 days old and my little baby was losing weight even to my inexperienced eyes. I told her that I was concerned about breastfeeding, and not only because of Tristan. At this point, I was bleeding. And I don't mean a drop here or there. I mean I had to keep pads in my bra to keep the blood from soaking through my shirt. On both sides. There's no way this could be normal.

But the nurse assured me things would get better. I asked her about formula. She gave me the "breast milk is better" speech. I persisted, she made me feel like the worst mother in the world for not wanting to feed my baby. I told her I didn't think he was getting much milk anyway because I just didn't seem to be producing anything. She told me that was nonsense, but she promised to stop in the next day to see how we were doing.

By the next day, nothing had changed. Except Tristan was crying almost constantly. The nurse arrived and I repeated all my concerns about my little boy. He couldn't possibly be getting enough milk from me despite all the breastfeeding I was doing and all the pain I was in. There was now orange urine in his diaper. I was getting scared but the nurse assured me he was fine and I should just keep it up. When I pestered her, she finally said that I could supplement with an ounce of milk in the morning and the evening if I wanted to, but breast milk was still better. Then she left, promising to return the next day even though the next day was Saturday. She was supposed to be an expert. I trusted her.

By 5pm, I was agitated and I didn't know why. I paced and rocked my crying baby and knew something wasn't right. By 8pm, a little alarm bell started to go off in my head. Tristan didn't look any different, but something was wrong. Seriously wrong. I told my mother he needed to see a doctor and, being the mother of 4 children herself, she knew better than to question a mother's instinct. She bundled me and my small baby into the car and drove us to the nearest emergency room. My parents lived in the country, so it was a rural hospital.

We saw a doctor immediately. A heel stick later the doctor said the bilirubin count was far too high and sent us rushing to The Children's Hospital in the city. Tristan didn't look ill. He didn't even look a little bit yellowed. But something was wrong enough that the rural doctor knew she was out of her depth. The doctors there were waiting for us at The Children's Hospital, and now Tristan looked yellow. This was less than an hour after we left the rural hospital. Things were taking a turn for the worst and Tristan was admitted to the NICU.

He was severely dehydrated and the doctor would tell me later that if I'd waited until morning, he'd have been past the point where they could have saved him. At that moment, they were too busy saving him to talk to me. Besides, when the nurses realized that I was bleeding (I had at this point bled through my shirt), they took me off to bandage me up. The public health nurse who had ignored all the signs and kept telling me to breastfeed when I obviously couldn't was fired Monday morning.

Tristan recovered and I had a long conversation with my doctor and the pediatrician. I was racked with guilt even though they did their best to convince me that none of  it was my fault and that I'd done the right thing by trusting my instincts and rushing to the hospital when I did. But that really wasn't where my guilt was coming from. Being an inexperienced mother, I'd listened to an "expert" and tried to do the right thing. There's no guilt in that and I knew it.

My guilt was about something else entirely. I kept thinking that only a terribly unfit mother wouldn't be able to feed her own child. That's what mothers do, after all. We're equipped for it. Shouldn't I be able to feed my own baby?

When the pediatrician realized this, he said something that I will never forget: "Wet nurses have been around forever and formula was invented to save babies' lives." I'll never forget those words. They made me realize that there have always been women who couldn't breastfeed for whatever reason. It happens. Not all the time or our species would never have made its way past infancy, but it does happen. Not unnatural, but something that just is.

What did I learn from all this? Two things, really. First, not all women can breastfeed and there's no shame in admitting it and using formula. Second, and this one is very important, I learned that a mother, even a new mother, should always trust her instincts. Tristan didn't look any worse at 8pm Friday than he had at 8am Friday. But something forced me to take him to the hospital, and that something saved my son's life.

That's all for this week. Look forward to more posts, though I won't do too many personal stories if I can help it. Next week: back to schook tips for parents sending their little one to grade one. Help your little one adjust to full-time school.