Oh, great. Nadya Suleman (and Kate Gosselin) already make ordinary moms-of-two like me feel inadequate. But now the octuplet mom wants a pet, too?

Our Unleashed blog has the details.

What I want to know is, how can I now keep telling my (yes, only two of them) children that we just can't handle a pet in our lives right now? (Our sweet dog Rex died several years ago, a traumatic event for all of us.)

If they hear about octo-mom and her possible pig, I'll be in the doghouse.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

This is a weekend of Baltimore spring rituals, from the Flower Mart to the American Visionary Arts Museum's Kinetic Sculpture Race to the Towsontown Spring Festival. If those aren't enough to keep you occupied, here's more from intern Lindsey Citron:

Thursday, April 30:

Peter and the Wolf (presented by Arts On Stage): A church-sponsored bake sale will precede and follow the show at Grace Fellowship Church, 9505 Deerco Road, Timonium. 7-8 p.m. All ages. Tickets: 12 and under- $8 in advance, $10 at the door; adults- $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Call 410-252-8717 for tickets. Visit artsonstage.org for more information.

Nature storytime: Listen to a nature story and then make a nature-themed craft, Eden Mill Nature Center, 1617 Eden Mill Rd., Pylesville, 11 a.m.- noon. Children of all ages. Free. Reservations required. Call 410-836-3050, or visit edenmill.org.

Friday, May 1:

18th Annual May Day Fairie Festival: Celebrate the coming of spring with spring-themed activities such as music, arts and crafts, dancing, storytelling, tea parties, food and more at Spoutwood Farm, 4255 Pierceville Road, Glen Rock, Pa., noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All ages. Visit spoutwood.org.

More on Saturday...

Saturday, May 2:

The Village of Cross Keys: Fair in the Square: Enjoy a petting zoo, face-painting, animal-themed arts and crafts, games, and entertainment at Cross Keys Village Square, 5100 Falls Road, Baltimore, noon-3 p.m. Kids of all ages. Free. Donations welcomed for the 4H Club. Call 410-243-2339 for more information.

Milkshake at The Lyric: Children's rock group Milkshake performs its hits with juggling comedian act Hilby and the Moo Cow at the Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave., 11 a.m. Children of all ages. Tickets $15 and up. Advance purchase recommended. Call 410-547-SEAT or visit ticketmaster.com.

Teddy Bear Farm Visit: Bring either a new teddy bear to donate to the Pediatric Group of Howard County General Hospital or your own for a teddy bear contest and a free hayride, enjoy live music both days, Clark’s Elioak Farm, 10500 Route 108, Ellicott City, 12-4 p.m. both days, Teddy bear contest 1-3 both days, Children of all ages. Admission (1 and up)- $4.50, Hayrides- $2, Pony rides- $2, Call 410-730-4049 or visit clarklandfarm.com.

Egyptomania! Learn about the processes and products of ancient Egyptian art and culture, Studio A, Family Art Center, The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Free. Call 410-547-9000 or visit thewalters.org.

32nd Annual Steam Show: Learn about vehicles old and new with an exhibition of horse-drawn, hand-drawn, and engine-powered machines, along with food and children’s activities. Fire Museum of Maryland, 1301 York Road, Lutherville, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., Adults $10, Seniors/Firefighters $8. Kids ages 2-18 $5, Kids under 2 free. Call 410-321-7500 or visit firemuseummd.org.

Tree ID-ing at Patapsco Valley State Park: Take a hike and learn about your surroundings, the different species, and fun facts about trees at Patapsco Valley State Park, McKeldin Area, 3001 Marriottsville Road, 4-5 p.m. Ages 5 and up. $2 per person. Registration required. Call 410-461-5005 or visit dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/patapscovalley.html.

Sunday, May 3:

Mother's Day Celebration at Sharp Farm: Get ready for Mother’s Day by customizing a potted plant especially for her from a variety of flowers or herbs. You can also take a hayride, visit with farm animals at Sharp Farm, 4003 Jennings Chapel Road, Brookeville. Noon-5 p.m. Ages 2- 12. Must purchase flowers, but soil and fertilizer are free. Free admission and hayrides at 5 p.m. Call 410-489-2572 or visit sharpfarm.com.

5th Annual MayFair Family FUNdraiser: Dress like a cowboy/cowgirl and enjoy many wild-western themed activities including jewelery-making, crazy hairdos, cowboy bandanna/hat decorating, a moonbounce, and more at Port Discovery, 1- 5 p.m., Ages 2 and up. $25 per person; under 2 get in free. Registration recommended. Visit portdiscovery.org.

Garlic Mustard Challenge: Help out with the removal of the invasive garlic-mustard weed species and enjoy a picnic, music, games and food, Patapsco Valley State Park. Avalon Area, Pavilion #104, 12 p.m.- 4:40 p.m., Rain or shine, Ages 4 and up. Call 410-480-0824 or visit patapscoheritagegreenway.org.

 Tooth Fairy Day: If your kids are obsessed with their wiggly teeth, you might want to head to the National Museum of Dentistry on Sundaymay3 for Tooth Fairy Day. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., kids can learn about baby teeth and permanent teeth, make a tooth tote, and get tips on how to care for their teeth. Free with admission; kids wearing fairy costumes admitted free. The museum is at 31 S. Greene St. Call 410-706-0600 or go to smile-experience.org

An entry in this year's Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Glenn Fawcett

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Things to Do
        

We could all use a little lift, a little treat, with all the bad news we've had lately. I have two temporary antidotes to propose:

--Baskin-Robbins offers ice-cream for 31 cents a small scoop tonight. Our Consuming Interests blog has the details.

--Watch a video and read the story of 95-year-old great-great-grandmother Bea Toms, who's writing cookbooks that sell like hotcakes on QVC and cooking up country food for her own catering business. You'll get a shot of energy just from watching her.

Photo by Ken Lam, Baltimore Sun photographer

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Now that we have official word of the first death from the swine flu in the U.S. -- and, unfortunately, the victim was a toddler -- I'm throwing in a special consult to answer Ilana Bittner's timely question about swine flu. She wanted to know how to help kids guard against it without scaring them or making them seem "antisocial to their friends."

Pediatrician Daniel Levy, who's given us advice before, wrote back the following to answer Ilana's question:

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Health, The Monday Consult
        

The recent sudden summer-like weather left me in the mood for barbecue. I saw this pulled pork recipe while I was paging through "Eat Cheap But Eat Well," by Charles Mattocks, and it sounded mighty delicious.

A bonus for families is that this is a slow-cooker recipe. I prepped this on a Sunday morning -- Sundays seem busier than weekdays lately -- and after a hectic day of church, dance rehearsals, visits to the local pond, etc., the house was filled with a tempting fragrance.

It was a pipe dream to think my kids would like this, though...

They've never tried shredded pork before. I served it on potato rolls (which turned out to be the perfect foil, since this falling-apart dish is a bit difficult to eat on its own). They each took one bite and howled in protest.

Funny, since this recipe is sweeter than it is spicy. Oh, well. More for me... 

Updated at 6:50 a.m.: I should point out that this recipe is quite high, per serving, in sodium. It's all that chili sauce. So you probably will want to save it for a special treat.

Also, I'm adding my photo credit -- photo by me.

Finger-Lickin' Pulled Pork

Serves 4

1 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, visible fat trimmed

1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped

one 12-ounce bottle mild chili sauce such as Heinz, or Louisiana-style chili sauce

1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In the crock of a slow cooker, combine the pork, onion, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chili powder and pepper, mixing well. Cover and cook on low until the pork falls apart when stirring, 10 hours or more.

When the pork is extremely tender, remove it from the crock to a plate, shred it with a knife or fork, return the meat to the crock, and mix it well into the sauce.

Serve on potato rolls if you like, with beans and veggies of your choice (corn in the summertime).

Adapted from "Eat Cheap But Eat Well," by Charles Mattocks with Mary Hunt

Per serving (without rolls): 395 calories, 26 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 53 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 73 milligrams cholesterol, 2,369 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

It's Tween Tuesday time. Here's Liz Atwood: 

Spring is here and to me it feels like a mad dash to the end of the school year. There are concerts, field days, class trips and parties in the coming weeks. All of these school social events present a minefield for the parents of tweens. It is so easy to say or do the wrong thing and end up embarrassing our thin-skinned kids. Even celebrities are not immune. Reese Witherspoon told Parents magazine that she embarrasses her 9-year-old daughter sometimes.

So far, my boys still tolerate my presence. My older tween asked me to go with him on a field trip. The younger one still likes me to walk him in to school.

How about you? Do your tweens still like to have you around in public places?

Photo: Reese Witherspoon at the premiere of Dreamworks' "Monsters Vs. Aliens." AP photo by Dan Steinberg

Posted by Liz Atwood at 6:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

...Ilana Bittner, with her timely question about swine flu. She wins four tickets to Port Discovery's May Fair next Sunday.

Congratulations, Ilana, and thanks to all of the rest of you who asked great questions. Look for the answers on future Mondays.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, who's been getting lots of props for his work on the field, is trying to draw attention to a cause that has affected his family -- breast cancer.

He's on the celebrity judging panel of a contest to pick "honorary bat girls" (or boys) for each of the 30 Major League Baseball clubs, including the Orioles. Winners will be honored on Mother's Day (May 10) during on on-field ceremony and get free tickets to the game.

The contest, being sponsored by the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Major League Baseball, invites testimonials from men and women 18 or older, who can write about how they've supported the fight against breast cancer. You can submit your story here; the deadline to enter is Friday, May 1.

Markakis spoke with me briefly about the battle his mother, Mary Lou, fought against the disease years ago, when he was about 18. He would help take her to treatments and sit with her, and it was hard to watch her go through the procedures. "I've probably never seen my mom like that," Markakis said.

"It's a lot of work, and I give a lot of respect to the people who go through it. The biggest thing is support."

Fortunately, he says, his mom is doing well now.

(Photo of Nick Markakis and his mother, Mary Lou, by Baltimore Sun photographer Ken Lam)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Clearly the nice weather has lured everyone outside, because no one has yet asked a question about parenting for our comment contest, which has a better prize than usual. You can win four tickets to Port Discovery's MayFair next weekend -- tickets that would normally cost $25 each -- if your question under the comment post (or this one) is selected. You just need to include your email address on the comment form, so I can reach you if you win, but we will not publish that.

If you're not familiar with the Monday Consult, it's a weekly feature (see today's on communicating with your school nurse) in which an expert answers a reader's question. So here's your chance to find out what to do about your 5-year-old who's saying bad words, or the friend of your child's who always breaks things on a playdate with you.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Recently, D wrote: "I am having a very rough time with my son's school Health Suite (teachers are wonderful) ...Is there anything that my other half and I can do to reassure them that if (he) just does something like cough, that is not a reason to panic?"

I put the question to Alicia Mezu, health services specialist with the Maryland state Department of Education. She said the first step, if you're having trouble communicating with the school health suite, is to try to make an appointment with your school nurse, which I agree might allow for better understanding than talking by phone with a sick child in the background.

She also sent a list of tips and links on school health for parents. Among the highlights:

--Curious about immunization requirements for your kids? Here's a Q and A.

--Here are links to some of the laws and policies governing health in schools, such as physical examination rules and medication disbursement.

--Here are state guidelines on how almost any kind of condition is handled in the schools. But you should still know your specific school's policies.

Finally, I'll add this: If the nurse is calling about your son's cough, clarify with her what it really is she's asking of you. She may not be expecting you to take the child home; she may just be concerned that he's not feeling well. Once I had a call like this -- the nurse asked if I knew my daughter had a cough. Of course I did, and initially I felt called out as a bad parent; I had decided that morning that my daughter was well enough to go to school. So I asked if the nurse was sending her home, and she said no.

When I got off the phone and thought about it, I realized the nurse was just trying to keep a busy mom clued in to her child. Which, in the end, I appreciated.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 8:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The event is from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. May 3 at the downtown museum. Activities include square dancing, cowboy hat and bandana decorating, face painting, western jewelry making and more.

For a chance to win the tickets, all you have to do is ask a question appropriate for a future Monday Consult. On Monday, I'll choose one of the comments at random as a winner.

Good luck!

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Things to Do
        

We're taking a break from Guest Dads today to discuss a couple of related items in the news. All of them revolve around the omnipresent topic of our lives these days: the economy.

In case you missed it yesterday, you should read this New York Times piece on former executive fathers now picking up much of the child care for their families in well-heeled Westchester County. While they mourn the loss of their jobs and worry about what comes next, in the meantime these fathers are making valuable contributions -- lending their financial acumen to the PTA, checking over their kids' homework. I was struck by one father's realization that he was used to being listened to by the people he worked for -- but that it was much harder to command the attention of his children.

And we can't help but weigh in on the very sad stories of two other fathers, much discussed already this week, who recently killed themselves and their families amid economic troubles. I'm wondering whether these stories have made you look at your own situation any differently.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Father's Day Tuesday
        

Did you take your daughter or son to work today? Or did your workplace not schedule activities to encourage kids to come, perhaps because layoffs just happened -- or are about to?

The day is still being marked in many places. My daughter got to go for the first time to my husband's office, where there's a formal program. This morning, children of Constellation Energy employees are at Port Discovery, making sandwiches for Our Daily Bread and making baby bags for homeless mothers.

With work changing so much, the day could be a lot more instructive than it has been in the past. Kids can really learn now what it takes to make yourself valuable and resilient as an employee in these tough times. And many parents are already working at home. Here's an interesting account of how one mom spends her work day, every day, with her daughter. Reminds me of the time I covered an event with my daughter in a backpack on my back.

What's happening at your workplace for kids today, if anything?

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

This is Baltimore for Less weekend downtown, which is good news for families. There will be free entertainment from Carnival Cruise Lines around the Harbor Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and from the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at the West Shore Park, where there will be (among other activities) yoga and a petting zoo. There will also be a scavenger hunt Sunday, and there are deals on lots of Inner Harbor and downtown attractions (including the Top of the World observation level at the World Trade Center, left) throughout the weekend.

Full details here.

Thanks to interns Lindsey Citron and Sophia Terbush for their help with the rest of our list:

Thursday, April 23:

Madeline & Pepito: Celebrate author Ludwig Bemelman’s 111th birthday at Howard County Library’s Glenwood Branch. There will be French-themed stories, crafts and activities for ages 4-8. The event begins at 11 a.m. and lasts 45 minutes. Free. Registration required. Call 410-313-5579 or visit hclibrary.org.

Take a Wild Ride: It’s a jungle at the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Orleans St. branch – children ages 6-12 will participate in crafts, dramatics and wild animal stories from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free. No registration required. Call 410-396-0970 or visit prattlibrary.org.

Friday, April 24:

A Day Out With Thomas: Thomas the Tank Engine chugs into the B&O Railroad Museum this for 25 minute train rides, opportunities to meet Sir Topham Hatt, live entertainment, story telling, building with LEGO bricks, and more. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Sunday (as well as the following weekend) and is open to ages 2 and up. For tickets visit ticketweb.com/dowt or call 1-866-468-7630. Tickets will be sold at the door at $14 per person, but these will not include the train ride. For more information: 410-752-2490 or borail.org.

Fun with Pam and Rascal: The Rainbow Theatre’s monthly puppet show is a story about Pam the "kindersinger" and her pal Rascal. The event starts at 10 a.m. at Slayton House, Wilde Lake Village Center, Columbia. Tickets required, $5 in advance and $6 on show day. For ages 2-5. Call 410-730-3897 or visit columbiavillages.org/wildelake.

Boys & Girls Fashion Show: The boys and girls of Medfield Heights Elementary School (grades PreK-5) will be walking in this 2nd annual fashion show, featuring designers from Sew Fabulous Sewing School. Sponsored by the Medfield Heights PTA, the event is to benefit school activities and MSA testing books, and will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Western/Poly High School Auditorium (West Cold Spring Lane and Falls Road). Tickets $7, required in advance, call 443-324-9161 or visit medfieldheights.com.

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival: The works of more than 300 renowned artisans in metal, ceramics and wood at this weekend’s Sugarloaf Crafts Festival. Items for display and sale include pottery, sculpture, glass, jewelry, fashion, furniture and home accessories, garden items and photography. Gourmet food, craft demonstrations, live music and activities for children are part of the festival, which runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium. Admission for all three days is $7 online and $8 at the door (free for children younger than under 12). Call 800-210-9900 or go to sugarloafcrafts.com.

And...

Saturday, April 25:

Famous Faces of the Maryland Historical Society: Students from the Baltimore School for the Arts will bring to life the subjects of several portraits in the museum, performing original monologues developed with help from the MdHS. Billie Holiday, fashion designer Claire McCardell and more will make an appearance. event is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 5-18 at the Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument St. Free with museum admission ($4 adults, $3 senior citizens, children under 12 free), which can be purchased at the door. Call 410-685-3750 ext. 319 or visit mdhs.org/events/index.html.

Banneker’s Earth Day Festival: Be kind to the Earth by celebrating outdoors at Banneker’s Park with a free barbecue cookout. The day also includes a nature hike, an interactive recycling presentation, tree and flower planting, workshops on container gardening, hiking, compost bin and birdhouse building, a native plant sale, and an opportunity to meet live Bay animals from the Marshy Point Nature Center. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 300 Oella Ave., Catonsville, and is free. For information, call 410-887-1081 or visit this site.

Walters Family Festival: Celebrate stories and art with an all-day festival including story-telling, demonstrations, movies, dancing, and arts and crafts at the Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. All ages. Free. Call 410-547-9000 ext. 300 or visit thewalters.org.

D.C. Dance Troupe performs at Meyerhoff: See Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book performed by Washington's CityDance contemporary dance troupe at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The BSO Family Fun Zone, which includes activities and face-painting, precedes the event. Family Fun Zone starts at 10 a.m., concert at 11 a.m. Fun Zone is free with admission, Tickets from $11-20. All ages. Advance reservations required. Call 410-783-8000, or visit BSOmusic.org.

ROAR for Autism: Families can ride bicycles or hike to support autism research at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville. Registration ranges from no charge for children under 4 to $30 for adults on the day of the festivities. Details here.

Sunday, April 26:

Angelina Ballerina Dance Day: The Dance Conservatory of Maryland celebrates National Dance Week with children ages 3-5. There will be a beginner ballet class, a story about Angelina Ballerina and a performance by costumed ballerinas who will pose for pictures afterward. From 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 701 Whitaker Mill Road, Bel Air. Ticket purchase and registration required by Friday. $5 per child; space is limited. Call 410-877-3281 to register; visit danceconservatoryofmd.com.

Baltimore Mommies 2nd Birthday Event: The Mommies Network celebrates its presence in Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and other counties for the second year by donating clothing, toiletries, toys and furniture to benefit the Bea Gaddy Foundation, Visit baltimoremommies.com or call 443-538-1114 for more information.

Free Atlantic String Quartet Concert: The Atlantic String Quartet (featuring members of the BSO) performs for free, presented by Har Sinai Congregation, Har Sinai Congregation, 2905 Walnut Ave., Owings Mills. 3 p.m. All ages. Free. Call 410-654-0000 ext. 4, or visit harsinai-md.org.

(Photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Jed Kirschbaum)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Things to Do
        

Oh no, they didn't.

I just came upon this story from today about Apple approving a "baby shaker" game for its iPhone -- and pulling it a few hours later.

What were they thinking?

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Today's Dinner Together represents a sort of penance for me. You see, when I was little, for some reason my mother made cheese souffle for dinner a lot. And I hated it.

I know I complained, probably loudly. I didn't like cheese as a child, unless it was melted on a pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich.

I've grown out of that, of course, which gives me hope as a parent with finicky kids. It also made me wonder if they, in some Freudian fashion, would actually like the food I detested at the same age.

And what do you know? Leah actually liked this -- after I told her the story of my own childhood distaste for it. (Sam didn't.) Can a child psychiatrist weigh in on what all this means?

Unfortunately, my mother didn't leave me her recipe (wonder why?), so I used the one that follows from Julia Child. It was puffy and tasty...

Serves 4 to 6

1 teaspoon plus 3 tablespoons butter (divided use)

1 cup grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese (divided use)

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup boiling whole milk

1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt (divided use)

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch nutmeg

4 egg yolks

5 egg whites

Butter the inside of a 6-cup souffle mold with 1 teaspoon butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set a rack in the middle of the oven.

Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour with a wooden spatula or spoon and cook over moderate heat until butter and flour foam together for 2 minutes without browning. Remove from heat; when mixture has stopped bubbling, pour in all the boiling milk at once. Beat vigorously with a wire whip until blended. Beat in the 1/2 teaspoon salt, the peppers, and the nutmeg. Return to moderately high heat and boil, stirring with the wire whip, for 1 minute. Sauce will be very thick.

Remove pan from heat. Drop an egg yolk into the center of the hot sauce, then beat into the sauce with the wire whip. Repeat with the other yolks. Correct seasonings if necessary.

Beat egg whites with 1/4 teaspoon salt until stiff (a dollop will stand up and hold its shape at the top of the whisk). Stir a big spoonful, about 1/4 of the egg whites, into the sauce. Stir in all but a tablespoon of the remaining cheese. Delicately fold in the rest of the egg whites. Be careful not to overfold.

Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared mold, which should be almost 3/4 full. Tap bottom of mold lightly on the table and smooth surface of souffle with the flat of a knife. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Put the souffle in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 375 degrees.Do not open oven door for 20 minutes. In 25 to 30 minutes the souffle will have puffed to about 2 inches over the rim of the mold, and the top will be nicely browned. Bake 4 to 5 minutes more to firm it up, then serve at once.

Adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," by Julia Child

Per serving (based on 6): 213 calories, 11 grams protein, 15 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 177 grams cholesterol, 394 milligrams sodium

(Photo by me)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Getting ready for Earth Day tomorrow? Here are some ideas for things to do/talk about with the family:

Irvine Nature Center has a free event called "Earth Day Every Day" from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday. Play environmental games and come up with ideas to save the Earth. Here are more local activities.

If you're going out, you might want to visit one of Elizabeth Large's Top Ten Earth-friendly restaurants.

Here are some ideas from Kidsstuffworld. There's also the Disney movie "Earth" opening Wednesday. Here's a review and a trailer:

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Things to Do
        

Here's Liz Atwood with Tween Tuesday: 

This past weekend, I was huddled in a sleeping bag trying to stay warm while camping with my son and his Cub Scout pack in Patapsco State Park. Meanwhile, Charm City Moms blogger-in-chief Kate Shatzkin was hosting a sleepover for 10. Both of us are still trying to recover from the lack of sleep.

 But while parenting tweens has its difficulties, in many ways, I think, these are the peaceful years. Kate and I didn’t get a full night’s sleep, but we had fun with our kids. That’s not the same for the sleep-deprived parents who struggle to get their infants to sleep through the night or the parents who lie awake waiting for their teen-ager to come home from a party.

What do you think? Are the tweens really the easy years despite the emotional angst? Is it nature’s way of giving us parents a chance to catch up on our sleep?

Posted by Liz Atwood at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Today is the 10th anniversary of the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. Along with thinking about the victims of the tragedy and their families, the occasion has me wondering about the parents of the young killers, and the guilt they must carry along with their sorrow.

Here's an article about how the parents of the killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, are doing now. And here's the 2004 interview that Tom and Susan Klebold gave to New York Times columnist David Brooks, which is worth rereading even if you saw it then. I keep coming back to this quote from Susan Klebold: ''Dylan did not do this because of the way he was raised. He did it in contradiction to the way he was raised.''

This post from the Huffington Post, reviewing a new book about the shootings, asks if any of us knows who our children really are.

(Photo of visitors to a Columbine memorial by Christ Schneider/Associated Press)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Recently, Gracy Young asked: "My son (who, she says, is almost 2) begins to hold the food in his mouth while he is having supper or lunch." She says she can't make him swallow. "What can I do to help him eat?"

Pediatrician Charles Shubin says, in short: Don't help him eat.

Dr. Shubin, director of pediatrics at Mercy FamilyCare, a division of Family Health Centers of Baltimore, suspects that what's going on here is a classic battle over eating. The child doesn't want to eat what he's given, so he holds it in his mouth to resist and get attention. If the mom is pushing the boy to eat -- something many of us feel the need to do -- she should back off and simply provide him healthy foods to eat on a regular basis.

The boy will eat when he's hungry, Shubin says, especially if his parents hold firm in continuing to give him what they're eating, resist the temptation to put out junk food, and recognize that kids eat less regularly than adults. "Step one is to understand is as children pass their first birthday, growth slows by about 50 percent," he told me. "That means there's a significant drop in calorie need. We all notice kids eat more when they're growing. ...They also eat on a different basis. They eat when they're hungry."

If the boy is holding food in his mouth in the meantime, his parents should ignore that -- but one trick Shubin likes, to give him guidance, is for the parents to talk about him to each other, instead of directly to him. For example, they could say to each other: "If David doesn't like what's in his mouth, he doesn't have to swallow it. He can spit it into his napkin." Then, when he does eat nicely, they should praise him for his good behavior, without drawing attention to the bad.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: The Monday Consult
        

A reader e-mailed to ask for ideas for a birthday party for an 8-year-old (she didn't say whether it was a boy or a girl, but I'm sure we'd all appreciate ideas for both). She said she's been to a few parties for that age group at Red Zone Adventures (there's one in Timonium) recently, but was looking for other ideas.

As the mother of a now-8-year-old, I'm interested in your answers to this one. My daughter has been into sleepovers in recent years, and I'd love to find an affordable, out-of-the-house alternative.

I will share the details of the "Alice in Wonderland" party we had for her when she turned 6, a party I think could still work at this age. We rented the multipurpose room of our church and put out snacks labeled "Eat me" and "Drink me." We played Pin the Smile on the Cheshire cat, decorated Mad Hatter hats, and planted little flowers in pots that the kids took home. My husband even borrowed an Easter bunny costume to play the White Rabbit, but that went a bit south when the kids decided it was a good idea to chase and unmask the bunny.

Fortunately, he disappeared down the rabbit hole to rise again...

Photo by Sascha Schuermann, AFP/Getty Images

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Guest Dad and blogging columnist Andy Ratner wonders today about those cell-phone-minute commercials that make moms -- but, he argues, more frequently dads -- look bad.

Here's Andy:

There is plenty of trash on television, but nothing on the screen sets my wife's teeth gnashing as much as the AT&T commercials that portray a mom as a nag about "rollover" minutes. Worse, they depict her as the butt of disrespect and ridicule from her teen sons and husband.
Unfortunately on the wide screen, the son's smirk measures about 30 inches across. And with the HD picture, you just want to get off the couch and slap him.
My wife isn’t alone. Several bloggers have dumped on the ads. One described the central character as seeming like a "psychotic mother obsessed with unused minutes ... and mental breakdowns brought on by an unloving marriage, general unhappiness with her shallow, materialistic lifestyle and realization that her sons are cardboard cutouts of what the adult world believes teenagers stand for.
" I agree that AT&T mom comes off as the silly scold, but I thought what was particularly striking is that moms are rarely depicted poorly on TV -- not nearly as much as fathers are. The dads portrayed in other mobile phone commercials alone range from the desperate (T-Mobile ad in which apparent single dad is intrigued that someone’s grandmother referred to him as "super delicious") to the lecherous (another creepy T-Mobile spot in which a little boy tells his dad, in front of the mom, that the new phone plan could allow him to call "the woman at my soccer games you’re always staring at.")
In fact, dads as sloths and idiots are the central plotlines for several hit shows like Two and a Half Men and Family Guy. (Perhaps the best mom-dad portrayal on television is NBC’s Medium, in which Patricia Arquette and Jake Weber come off as supportive, dutiful parents despite the fact that she sees dead people.)
Maybe I’m not as attuned to the demeaning mom depictions, but the last admirable father character on TV, including the commercials, might have been Bill Cosby.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Television
        

Mother's Day is still several weeks away, but the Wall Street Journal is already trying to lower our expectations. You guessed it; because of the recession, moms will likely get less expensive gifts this year.

What really surprised me, though, is that the story said the amount each person is expected to spend on  Mother's Day will fall to $123.89, down 11 percent from last year.

Sounds to me like a fair amount of dough, even for an average figure, no? I'm happy with much less, especially if it's something created by my family (or an activity to do with them). Am I in the minority here?

(Photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Lloyd Fox)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Here's an important addition to today's events lineup:

The Y of Central Maryland is holding a free Healthy Kids Day Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at its area locations. Check out the schedule of activities, which vary by location -- depending on which Y you go to, kids can take part in crafts, jump in a moon bounce, and/or learn to grow their own veggies. You can also learn about Y summer camp.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Things to Do
        

This weekend brings us Dollar Days at Ladew Topiary Gardens on Sunday (details after the jump), and the CityLit Festival and Privateer Day on Saturday, among other events. (You can find out more about Privateer Day in our story today.)

Here's our short list of fun stuff, with help from intern Lindsey Citron:

Thursday, April 16:

Fabulous food circle times: Learn facts about the different eating habits and foods with games, stories, and activities, Port Discovery, 35 Market Place, Baltimore, 11:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Ages: 2- 10, Free with admission, Call 410-727-8120 or visit portdiscovery.org.

Constellations and Cultures: Learn about the history and evolution of constellations in different cultures throughout the past, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg branch, 7 p.m., Age 7+, Free, Call 410-386-4488 or visit library.carr.org.

Friday, April 17:

Cool Tunes for Kids: Learn "The Elephant Song" along with others at the Baltimore County Public Library's Rosedale Branch. 10:30 a.m. Ages 6 and under with adult. Free. Call 410-887-0513 or visit bcpl.info.

Preschool storytime: Read stories, learn songs and play games at the Baltimore County Public Library's Reisterstown branch. 10:30 a.m. Ages 2-5 with adult. Free. Call 410-887-1165 or visit bcpl.info.

More Saturday...

Saturday, April 18:

The CityLit Festival takes place at the Enoch Pratt Library. The Read Street blog has more details. Here's one event that may appeal to children and families: The newly re-formed Handel Children’s Choir of Baltimore performs a free concert at 10:30 a.m. Saturday during the festival There will be information about auditions for the choir at the concert. Call 410-753-2958.

Saturday afternoon hikes: Take a hike around the Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park trails. Wear boots or closed-toed shoes and bring water. Carrie Murray Nature Center Parking Lot, 1901 Ridgetop Road, Baltimore, 2-3 p.m. Ages 12+. $1. Reservations required 24 hours in advance. Call 410-396-0440 or visit baltimorecity.gov/recnparks.

Recall like Chagall: Learn about the artist and create your own Chagall-inspired masterpiece at the Baltimore County Public Library's Cockeysville branch. 2 p.m. For elementary school-aged children. Free. Registration required. Call 410-887-7750 or visit bcpl.info.

Babysitter training course: Participate in an all-day training program that issues American Red Cross babysitting certification at the Baltimore County Public Library's Hereford branch, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ages 11-17. Call 410-887-1919 or visit bcpl.info. Free; bring a bag lunch.

Swing dance for teens: Learn to swing dance with an instructor at the Baltimore County Public Library's North Point Branch. 2 p.m. Ages 13+, Free; registration required, Call 410-887-7255 or visit bcpl.info.

Earth Day Celebration: Celebrate the earth with eco-friendly activities, demonstrations, food and exhibits at St. Martins-in-the-field Day School, 375 Benfield Road, Severna Park. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. All ages. Free. Call 410-647-7055 or visit stmartinsdayschool.org.

Sunday, April 19:

Dollar Days: Visit Ladew Gardens for a reduced fee and enjoy the spring flowers, house and cafe, Also take advantage on membership deals, Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, 10:30 a.m.- 5 p.m., $1, $5 additional to see house, Call 410-557-9570 or visit LadewGardens.com.

Mining History Hike: Take part in a nearly two-mile hike through the Choate chromium mine to learn about its history. Pan sand and explore. Start at the Visitor’s Center, Soldier’s Delight Environment Area, 5100 Deer Park Road, Owings Mills. 2-4:30 p.m., All ages. Free; donations welcome. Call 410-922-3044. 

(Photo courtesy of Ladew Topiary Gardens)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I brought you news yesterday about the rebuilding of the playground at Stadium Place in Waverly, which burned to the ground last September and (it's hoped) will be resurrected during a volunteer reconstruction May 5-10.

Now the folks at KaBOOM!, a nonprofit organization that has a goal of bringing safe playgrounds to kids around the nation, are joining forces with residents of the area around Inner Harbor East Academy for Young Scholars to bring that school a new playground Thursday.

Spokeswoman Meghan Sager tells me 200 volunteers from Giant Foods will help with the effort, and that the playground at 200 N. Central Ave. will be open to the community at large after school hours. She says the community can still help with the playground tomorrow starting at around 8:30 a.m.; the play area will be formally dedicated around 2:30 p.m.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Another sad teacher sex scandal: an Arizona teenager was killed when he was discovered in the bedroom of his math teacher, Tamara Hofmann, by her boyfriend, according to police. The boyfriend was also a former student of Hofmann's.

This is on the heels of the story about two teachers who had relationships with the same student several weeks ago.

Are these aberrations, or another sign of the adult-child barriers in our society breaking down?

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Spring is the season of celebration, so I thought I'd bring you another meal of that sort (like last week's steak).

Shrimp cocktail has the element of celebration for me, and as faithful readers know, my son loves shrimp. This recipe from Ina Garten's new book, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, caught my eye because it's even easier than the usual shrimp cocktail -- instead of poaching the shrimp, you just roast it in the oven with a little olive oil.

This turned out very well for us, and the homemade cocktail sauce had a nice kick. Because the larger shrimp was a little pricey, we used the 26-30 count size, which was a fine substitution as long as you don't care about the wow factor of really large shrimp. Sam loved it.

Making this inspired me to write a longer piece about shrimp for today's You & Taste section. Here's the shrimp cocktail recipe:

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

(serves 6 to 8)

Shrimp:

2 pounds (12 to 15 count) shrimp

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1/27 teaspoon kosher salt

1/27 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce

1/2 cup Heinz ketchup

3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Serve as a dip with the shrimp.

From "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics," by Ina Garten

Per serving (based on 8): 171 calories, 23 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 172 milligrams cholesterol, 687 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.

(Photo by me)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 5:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Dinner Together
        

It was so sad when the castle-style playground at Stadium Place in Waverly, built with much enthusiasm by local volunteers for neighborhood children, burned last fall. The good news is that now it's being rebuilt, and you can mark your calendars now to help with the effort next month.

The volunteer effort is to take place from May 5-10. You can sign up for shifts and learn about more ways to help here. Free child care for kids 10 and under will be provided for volunteers. If doing the physical labor isn't your thing, you can contribute meals for the volunteers or make a donation.

The volunteers' Web site says it took 5,000 volunteers and 400 cooks to build the playground the first time.

(Photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Barbara Haddock Taylor)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Here's Liz Atwood's Tween Tuesday: 

For his 12th birthday, my older son wanted nothing more than a cell phone. All his friends had them, he was involved in extracurricular activities that required him to stay late after school, and he had outgrown the baby sitter, so getting a cell phone made sense. But in recent months, the phone has lain in his room idle and uncharged. If he is away from home and needs to call, he borrows someone else’s phone.

 I was regretting the waste of money until I read about Dena Christoffersen of Cheyenne, Wyo. Her parents recently were shocked to learn their 13-year-old daughter had run up a nearly $5,000 phone bill sending and receiving nearly 20,000 text messages in a month. Turns out their Verizon plan didn’t come with text messaging service. (My plan doesn’t, either, but I had only a few dollars of extra charges when my son was using it.)

A Denver Post reporter compared separating a teenager from a cell phone to “wrestling an acorn from a hungry squirrel.” But many parents like their kids to have phones so they can reach them in case of an emergency. School officials have to weigh the convenience with the distraction. (Dena did most of her texting in school, according to news reports, and her grades suffered.)

Have you and your tween found the right balance in cell-phone use? If so, how have you done it? If not, what do you regret?

Photo: AP Photo/Matt McKean. A middle school student talks after leaving school in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

Posted by Liz Atwood at 6:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

I know lots of you couldn't get tickets under the new online system for admission to the White House Easter egg roll taking place today. But if it's any consolation, you can see how it's unfolding online here.

The live stream of activities makes it look like things are proceedingin a pretty orderly fashion, but of course you can't see everything from this cam. From the schedule, it appears there will be musical acts and cooking demos for kids going on until nearly 5 p.m.

If you attended the event, we'd love to know how it went for you, and whether it was worth that frenzied online hunt for tickets. Twitter follower TaupeCat is there and tweeting the event live.

The Obama family kicks off the White House Easter Egg Roll today. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Things to Do
        

You'll remember that Jenn asked for help dealing with stares and intrusive comments she sometimes gets from both children and adults when her special-needs son acts out in public. For today's Consult, Mary Snyder-Vogel, a licensed clinical social worker who is assistant director of social work at Kennedy Krieger Institute, offers these tips:

"--Take a couple of deep breaths to steady yourself.

"--Try not to assume the worst about why a person is staring, meddling or giving advice. You could say: “My son has special needs and we are getting professional help. Please don’t make judgments about us. We are doing our best.”

"--Use the interaction as a 'teachable moment.' When stares or comments come from children (or adults), encourage them to ask questions. You could say: “I noticed that you were staring at my child. I know that sometimes people don’t know what to say, but do you have a question? I’d be happy to try to answer it.” Tell them a little bit about your son’s diagnosis.

"--Keep your sense of humor and concentrate on the positive gains your child makes. Tell everyone about them, even strangers. The more you can keep a positive perspective, the better you’ll feel.

"--Get to know other parents of children with special needs. Include them in your support network, share your experiences and learn other ways of coping with these situations."

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: The Monday Consult
        

Today's Guest Dad is Tony Chen, a blogger for Savvy Daddy, who last wrote for us about the changes that come with a second child. Today, he shares what his toddler son is learning about sports.

Here's Tony:

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 7:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Father's Day Tuesday
        

You may have noticed that posting has been rather light this week, and that's because I've been on vacation. So today's events-for-the-weekend post will not be as robust as it is normally.

Fortunately, our web mavens have pulled together an excellent list of Easter activities that should tell you anything you want to know about fun with bunnies and eggs. If you're looking for something else, go to our Entertainment page and use the searchable events database along the right rail.

On Sunday and every second Sunday of the month through November, you can ride miniature trains 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Leakin Park, courtesy of the Chesapeake and Allegheny Steam Society, weather permitting.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 5:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Things to Do
        

                                                                          Dear Charlie Palmer,

Perhaps you shouldn't read this.

Famed Chicago chef, I tried one of your recipes on my kids. Yes, I did. You may think I'm crazy, but I couldn't help but feel that Charlie Palmer's Practical Guide to the New American Kitchen, was, on some level, made for this purpose. Even though the recipes are haute, the book itself is waterproof. And stainproof. This calls to moms everywhere.

Charlie, since my kids have been known to eat steak (we have taken to calling it "feast" for some reason), I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to start a budget "celebration meal" series for Dinner Together. Hanger steak (or the substitute flat-iron steak that I used) is one of those cuts that doesn't break the bank for a family meal.

Your recipe had the boon of an overnight marinade (or overday, as I'm wont to do), which lets moms cook quickly at the end of the marinating. But here is the first place where I departed from your directions, Charlie, and perhaps it is a good time, if you haven't already, to avert your eyes. Because...

I thought no mom in her right mind would bother getting up in the middle of the night, or coming home during the day, to turn the steaks in their balsamic-olive oil marinade because the marinade tends to separate. So I didn't do it, and my steaks turned out fine. Perhaps it was because they were flat iron, and perhaps a bit more tender already, but the good part is that this little change made it possible for me to accomplish this dinner on a weekday.

I also used really inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil, because it pains a mom in these times to use a full cup and a half of really good olive oil only to throw it away before the meal is actually cooked. And I dialed back the peppercorns in the marinade so the kids wouldn't find the steak too peppery, figuring we could add our own seasonings if we liked at the end.

The final bit of heresy (leave us, Charlie, I beg you, if you haven't yet) is that my kids ate this. On hot dog buns. With ketchup and mustard.

No, that was not my idea.

Balsamic-Marinated Hanger (or Flat Iron) Steak

Serves 2 to 4

1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)

2 shallots, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1-2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 pound hanger or flat iron steak

Chives and sea salt for garnish, optional

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Sweat the shallots and garlic with the peppercorns just until they begin to wilt. (Take care not to let the garlic burn.) Toss in the thyme and bay leaf, and heat them through until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the vinegar, increase the heat, and just before the liquid comes to a simmer, remove from the heat. As the mixture cools, it will become infused with the seasonings. When the marinade is cool, whisk in the remaining olive oil.

Cut the steak into 2-4 pieces, place in a shallow glass dish, and pour the marinade over them, turning so the meat is completely coated. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours (but no more than 12). If you can, turn the steaks halfway through (because the oil and vinegar will separate). (I skipped this step and just turned them in the marinade several times when I was ready to cook).

Film a large saute pan with oil and sear the steaks over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on their thickness. (You may need to do this in batches; try not to crowd the steaks, which could keep them from developing a good sear.) If you like your steaks cooked past medium-rare, you'll need to transfer them to a 350-degree oven to finish cooking to the desired doneness.

Slice the steaks and sprinkle with snipped chives and sea salt, if desired.

--Adapted from Charlie Palmer's Practical Guide to the New American Kitchen

Per serving (based on 4): 321 calories, 22 grams protein, 22 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, trace fiber, 54 milligrams cholesterol, 76 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Mary Mullen. 

(Photo of the steak on a bed of pureed cauliflower by me)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Depite Miley Cyrus’ controversial photos in Vanity Fair last year, and last month’s uproar over a new tween Dora the Explorer whom some thought looked like a streetwalker, the latest trend in tween fashion is modesty, The Los Angeles Times reports.

In the new Hannah Montana movie out this Friday, there’s not a micro-mini or belly button to be seen, the paper reports. The article quotes Gloria Baume, fashion director of Teen Vogue, as saying tweens are moving away from Britney Spears and finding their fashon inspiration in demurely dressed stars of High School Musical and Nickelodeon's iCarly. Fashion experts say the tweens really do care what their parents think of the way they dress! 

Mothers of tween girls (and boys) are rejoicing.

But is it really true? Is your tween daughter opting for more modest look in her spring wardrobe?

Photo: Miley Cyrus look in Hannah Montana: The Movie. By Sam Emerson / Disney Enterprises Inc.

Posted by Liz Atwood at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Teens
        

During the Passover seder, the youngest child at the table traditionally recites four questions about the rituals of the service. The rest of the year, though, parents often ask the questions.

I invited Donna Kane, a consultant on parenting, child development and adolescent issues for Jewish Community Services in Baltimore, to muse about what the Passover questions teach us about communication with our children year round. Here’s what she wrote:

“How often do you ask your child a question and hear, “I don’t know” as the response? I hope a lot of you are rolling your eyes in exasperated understanding, or are mumbling ‘all the time’ under your breath. I probably hear ‘I don’t know’ (from here on referred to as IDK) at least once a day. Sometimes my questions are conversational, so I accept the IDK. But there are other times when the answer is important and IDK is not acceptable. Whether your child is 4 years old or 20, there are times when it is reasonable to expect an answer.

“So now, with me anyway, the inner questioning begins. What does IDK mean? Does it mean: I don’t want to talk about it now, I don’t want to give you information, I felt uncomfortable asking my teacher the question, I forgot to ask, I asked and I forgot the answer? I admit there are times when I am too tired, distracted, and yes, even overwhelmed to pursue the meaning behind IDK.

 “Every year when the youngest in our family asks the Four Questions of Passover, I wonder what would happen at our seder table if I, with practiced indifference, just answered IDK. To be honest, chaos would most likely ensue, with all the children asking and answering the questions. But the emphasis here is on the questions.

“The seder offers an opportunity to teach children to ask -- to question and learn. What a wonderful teaching tool. Perhaps there is something in that approach for adults to learn from as well. Maybe we need not only to encourage our children to ask questions, but also to model for them how and when to ask a question.

"For example, how many of us have asked a question in anger or asked a question when our child (no matter what age) knows we already know the answer? And here is a scenario I am very guilty of: how many of us start asking questions as soon as our child walks in the door from school? My guess is that we all may be contributing to the IDK’s.

“Whether or not you celebrate Passover, you can use times like the seder, when families gather around the dinner table, as opportunities to ask questions and to engage in discussion. There is a lot for all of us to learn from this dialogue."

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Monday Consult
        

Among the many events this weekend, here's another one: a new dolphin show opens at the National Aquarium. This one is called "Our Ocean Planet," and stars Maya, daughter of Shiloh. Here's a preview:

If you go, give us your review.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Things to Do
        

A court in Malawi ruled today that Madonna cannot adopt a second child, Chifundo Mercy James, from the country because she doesn't meet a residency requirement for adoptive parents. That rule was waived when she adopted David Banda from Malawi several years ago.

Meanwhile, this story from the Associated Press may have interest for a lot of you who are (or are hoping to be) parents of kids adopted from foreign countries. It points out that there's growing interest in adoption from Africa because other traditional sources of adoptable children, such as China and Russia, have cut down on adoptions to foreigners.

(AP photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 9:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In lieu of a Guest Dad today, I'm sharing with you a thought-provoking essay that ran on the "Exploring Race" forum on the Chicago Tribune's Web site earlier this week.

In it, a father finds himself looking for the right language to talk with his 9-year-old daughter about the exhibit on slavery they saw together at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and  Museum in Springfield, Ill. The interesting thing is that the father is a college professor and founder of RaceProject.org, so talking about race is what he does. Yet he's just not sure how to broach the harsh realities with his child.

That's a familiar position to me. My 8-year-old has been keenly interested in the subjects of slavery and segregation, and has checked a couple of books out of the library that I later found portrayed some pretty brutal aspects of that history. I've tried to be as honest as I think she can handle, but sometimes I wonder if I'm doing it right.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 7:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Father's Day Tuesday
        

April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, which should delight the many kids out there who eat little else for lunch (like mine).

My fellow food editor Heather McPherson of the Orlando Sentinel's Dish blog posted a primer on the history of the combination, along with some recipes that put the two together in things other than a sandwich.

Peanut butter (with or without the jelly) can be a divisive food this days, what with allergies keeping kids from sitting together at lunch and peanut product recalls making some parents leery of feeding it to their children. Where do you stand?

(AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Food and Recipes
        

Lots going on this weekend. For one thing, it's opening weekend at Clark's Elioak Farm in Howard County, which has become a place of resurrection for treasured play structures from the old Enchanted Forest. Here's a preview from Baltimore Sun photographer/videographer Ken Lam:

And there's more, including some Easter and Passover activities:

Thursday, April 2:

Chocolate Seder: Join the Owings Mills JCC in a very sweet version of the traditional meal, April 2, Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings Mills, 6-7 p.m., $18 per member family, $25 per non-member family, Children grades K-5 plus family, Reservations required, Call 410-356-5200 ext. 339, or lwellerstein@jcc.org.

Friday, April 3:

If You Give A Pig a Pancake & Other Stories: Enjoy a musical performance based on the favorite book series at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Harford Community College, Amoss Center, Thomas Run Road, Bel Air. For ages 5-10. Premier seating: $11, Orchestra seating: adults $11, kids and teens $7, HCC students $7.

April Fool's Concert: Silly songs will be performed at 7 p.m. at First English Lutheran Church, 3807 N. Charles St., Baltimore. All ages, Free. Call 410-235-2356.

Saturday's lineup includes these events...

Saturday, April 4:

Enoch Pratt Fairy Tale Festival 2009: Dress as a fairy tale prince or princess and enjoy music, crown and crest-making, exploring and more Saturday and Sunday at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library Main Hall, 400 Cathedral St. 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. For children of all ages. Free.

Polar Weekend: The Maryland Science Center hosts a series of exhibits, movies and demonstrations to educate the public (including the younger generations) on scientific involvement in Antarctica Saturday and Sunday. Exhibits open during regular business hours; Polarpalooza film at 2:45 p.m. daily. for adults and children of all ages. Free with regular admission; Polarpalooza costs $1 in addition.

Natural egg dyeing: Learn to dye Easter eggs the natural way, with colorful foods like beets, coffee and turmeric, noon-2 p.m. Sunday at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, 5100 Deer Park Road, Owings Mills. Admission is $2; bring your own eggs (about a dozen is recommended). Meet at the visitors center. Registration required; call 410-461-5005.

Breakfast with the Bunny: Enjoy a pre-Easter breakfast buffet complete with freshly-made omelets from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. at the Norrisville Volunteer Fire Company, 2134 Harkins Road, Pylesville. $7 per person; children under 5 eat free. Reservations recommended; call Maggie at 443-807-0316.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 6:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Things to Do
        

Jenn, with her question about how to deal with fellow parents who offer unwanted advice (or dirty looks) when her special-needs son is out in public.

She'll get the book "Animal Migration," and an answer to her question as soon as I can find an appropriate expert to answer it for the Monday Consult. (Don't look for it next Monday, though; we'll have a special Consult on what the Passover tradition of children asking questions during a seder teaches us about asking and answering questions all year.)

If you asked a question but didn't win the book, you still may win an answer to your question on a future Monday. And thanks for all of the good questions.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Happy April Fool's Day! Are you having fun yet? My kids have already been knocking themselves out trying to fool each other, and me.

I've always viewed the day with a bit of trepidation. As a kid, I remember being on the end of some not-so-funny-to-me jokes. As an adult, I worry about my kids either having their feelings hurt or hurting someone else's.

So here are some good clean fun ways you can get into the spirit of the day:

--Here's a teacher's lesson plan on the day's history.

--Here's a list of children's books about April Fool's Day.

--Find some silly kids' knock-knock jokes, and after-school crafts.

--You might have fun looking at these April Fool's food photos on the left from Dot D on Flickr with the family, and guessing what they really are. (You'll need to go to the Flickr site to find out.)

(Photo montage from Dot D's photostream on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

This might look like an ordinary pizza, but it's actually made from layered tortillas -- thanks to a recipe tip from Twitter follower Judith Wilson Burkes of Having a Unique Family, who thought my kids might like it.

This recipe, which I adapted from the version Burkes pointed me to on recipezaar.com, is great for nights when you don't want to splurge on takeout pizza but you also don't want to fuss with pizza dough. The tortillas make a nice thin crust that crisps a bit, and they're a great vehicle for toppings.

This pizza passed the kid test with flying colors.

Do you have a recipe you'd like me to test on the family? E-mail me, and if I like it, I'll publish it in a future Dinner Together post with a link to your blog, if you have one.

Meanwhile, here's the tortilla pizza recipe:

Quick Tortilla Pizza

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray the bottom of the first tortilla with non-stick cooking spray to help it crisp. Lay sprayed side down on cookie sheet.

Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of tortilla, just enough to help tortillas stick when cooking. Top with another tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, top with third tortilla. Top last tortilla with about 1/3 cup pizza sauce and toppings of your liking.

Repeat the directions for the second pizza, using remaining ingredients. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut with pizza wheel into wedges.

--Adapted from recipezaar.com

Per serving (based on 4): 274 calories, 19 grams protein, 10 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 36 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 748 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Mary Mullen.

(Photo by me)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 5:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Dinner Together, Food and Recipes