Weekly Topic: November 2008 Archives

Despite a shrinking budget for many this holiday season, there are still plenty of ways to stretch your buck. Experts say it'll just take some extra planning and smart shopping to still pack 'em in under the tree.

"First thing people need to do is create a budget for holiday shopping and establish spending limits with gifts for each person," said Sheri Stuart, communications specialist for Springboard Credit Counseling in Riverside.

"Make a list and stick to it," said Alicia Rockmore, co-founder of Buttoned Up Inc. (www.getbuttonedup.com), a company that provides products, resources and advice for busy women.

"Separate shopping from spending," Stuart added. "Shopping is comparing prices for the best quality and value, then it's time to spend."

Rockmore recommends shoppers pay with cash money - which tends to make people really think about what they're spending. And, it'll save on credit card interest.

Many families are thinking about shrinking their shopping lists this year and coming up with other ideas - handmade crafts, special desserts, breads or other goodies - instead of the traditional store-bought gifts.

And, if you have family or friends you plan on seeing sometime after Christmas, hit the after Christmas sales, Rockmore suggested. These can offer huge discounts.

Savings expert and creator of the site www.thegrocerygame.com Teri Gault offers these tips for shoppers looking for a deal:

www.thegrocerygame.com
This site offers savings on grocery store items each week for a minimal monthly membership fee. It lists unadvertised sales, giving shoppers the "inside scoop" on savings.

www.half.com
Owned and operated by eBay, this site offers books, textbooks, music, movies, games and more for half the cost of retail price.

www.smartbargains.com
This site offers brand name items including apparel, home furnishings and shoes at nearly 60 percent off retail price.

www.diapers.com
Huge online retail babbly care Web site that began with just diapers, but now offers bottles, pacifiers, creams, shampoos and more.

Written by guest author Debbie Yocum in response to the Weekly Topic "Marketing to Kids:"

I believe that if you raise your children around healthy foods then these are the types of foods they will look for as they grow older. My grandparents lived in the Napa Valley and always had a garden when we were growing up. As children we loved to run into the garden and grab fresh corn on the cob for dinner.

Debbie Yocum
Guest Author

My Aunt Alma lived right next door and would make fresh jams with strawberries and blackberries. Growing up around fresh foods from the garden made other types of foods like chips and hamburgers less attractive and we never drank soda because my family did not buy it. All of my sisters became healthy adults and none of us had a weight problem.

As I started having children myself, I tried to keep them interested in fresh foods and vegetables. There are fast food restaurants on every corner it seems and my kids have learned what is on every menu.

I do not think that advertiser's are at fault for selling America on the huge diet of fast food but I think that as parents that we need to teach our kids what foods are good and what foods are bad just like my grandparents did.

A soda has 15 teaspoons of refined sugar in it and there are unlimited refills available for our kids. That is nuts. Add the sugar from the soda to the fat from the fries and the burger and you can see why our kids are overweight.

I don't crave cheeseburgers or fries, they don't appeal to me. It is easier to learn to eat right from the start instead of waiting until after you start having problems like diabetes or heart problems.

I asked my children if they feel these commercials should be banned and their answer was yes, they should be. They said that they don't even think about eating something like a cheeseburger until they see a commercial and then they can't think of anything else.

Written by Guest Author Brenda Parker in response to the Weekly Topic "Marketing to Kids:"

Brenda Parker

Guest Author

We should ban and or regulate the advertisement for these fast food restaurants because we know the power of suggestion is great. Also, a lot of the advertisement is done during the time the children are watching television.

I wish we could actually close down and or replace a lot of these places with healthier restaurants like Subway, and or go back to the days that we cooked a lot more at home.

Even if half of these fast food dishes were cooked at home they would be a lot healthier than coming from a fast food restaurant.

Written by Guest Author Tina Schumacher in Response to the weekly topic, "Marketing to kids:"

I'm not sure how much the advertising is the problem. I think that having a fast food restaurant on every corner is the problem and that we are all so busy and our lives are so hectic that it's sometimes just easier to stop on the way to soccer, baseball, dance or scouts. And then it becomes habit.

Tina Schumacher

Guest Author

My daughter was gaining a lot of weight this last year. My husband and I were concerned and talked about the issue at great length. We aren't sure if it was a medication causing the weight gain or if we just got too relaxed about what we were feeding her.

We cut out the extras such as snacks that have empty calories, sodas, switched her milk from soy to rice and limited dessert night to 2 nights a week. She has lost over 10 lbs in 6 months.

We also committed to having more outside play time, such as riding bikes, going for walks and we purchased Wii Fit.

I am just as guilty as the next mom about having to rush to find healthy things to have my kids eat before the after-school activities, but I try to have healthy choices and I offer carrots or apples, instead of chips or cookies.

As the parent, I am responsible for the choices I make for my children and I have to try to teach them what is best in the long run. I wish I would have started this much earlier so that the change wasn't as challenging, but it is slowly working itself out and as a bonus I am making better choices myself.

We all know childhood obesity and all the related health issues are a problem.

The Associated Press

A study released last week by the National Bureau of Economic Research found banning fast-food advertisements on television could reduce the number of overweight children in the nation by as much as 18 percent.

In some countries - Sweden, Norway and Finland - the governments already regulate these types of advertisements.

Is this something that should be done here?

It's time to roll up your sleeves and put on the oven mitts - that's right, it's holiday baking time.

Share your favorite recipes including desserts, appetizers, main dishes and snazzy drinks.

The Associated Press

Here's one of my favorites:

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/2 c shortening
2 c white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c molasses
4 c all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the shortening in a large pan, and then allow to cool.
Add sugar, eggs and molasses, beat well.
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together, and then add them to the shortening.
Mix well, and then chill for three hours.
Roll the dough into 2-inch balls and then coat with granulated sugar (add a few drops of food coloring to the sugar for colorful cookies!)
Place on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool and then store in an airtight container. They'll keep for a couple weeks. Yields about five dozen.

_______________

Share your favorite holiday recipes in the comments below!

Written by guest author Bonnie Woodrome:

It is sad to think about and hard to grasp how anyone can abandon a child, but it's a reality. I would be in favor of having the "safe haven" laws extend to teens.

Bonnie Woodrome
Guest Author

What is the alternative in these parent's eyes if they have no family or friends to turn to and they are either forced or set on giving up their children? I would rather a child/teen have a place to go rather than be left on the street, especially if they have mental health needs.

No child should be left to suffer no matter their background, health or circumstance; it is not their fault they are in the predicament. It is up to us, as a community to try and meet the needs of children, keep them safe and healthy.

The cost of taking these steps maybe high, but, in my opinion, worth the expense.

Written by Guest Author Tina Schumacher:

As a parent of kids with special needs I am horrified to think of another parent just dropping off their SN child or any child for that matter, because they can not take it anymore.

Tina Schumacher

Guest Author

I think there should be an age limit for the "Safe Haven Law" of a few days, maybe a month, but as for older children, the parents should remain accountable and responsible.

I can not imagine the long term result and effects of a child knowing their parents and the parents just leaving them at a hospital no matter what the parent may have told the child. If the parent can not handle the child emotionally or physically, then the parent needs to seek help and services.

As for the mental health systems, I feel there is room for improvement, but parents also have to know how to reach out for help before they are actually at a breaking point. There are many programs in place in most states, I am not aware of every state because I am focused on California where we live.

Although, through the use of the Internet I have found all states have slightly different programs and services that are available for kids with special needs.

There are many kids that may fall through the cracks because at the time of testing their cognitive level may not be low enough or the disability may not meet the requirements to qualify for actual services through the state.

But there is always support for parents. Sometimes it may be hard to figure out what service or program would be the right, but the parents need to seek out these services. There are computers available in the library for researching services.

There are the schools, churches and community based outreach programs that can give ideas and resourceful information to the parents. The child's doctor or the local hospital is a great resource.

The only reason I would be okay with a parent dropping their child off is if there is a possibility that the parent might do physical harm to the child. But as I type this I think the physical harm sometimes isn't as painful as the emotional harm.

It's a sad reality that some parents are not capable of being parents. Another sad reality is that the parents may have mental health issues as well.

Nebraska officials met Nov.14 for a special legislative session to deal with the "safe haven" law that had resulted in a total of 34 drop offs as of Friday.

The law is intended for infants, but children through age 17 have been dropped off at hospitals throughout the state. Other similar state laws include age limits, but Nebraska's law does not.

Two bills were introduced calling for age limits - one that limits it to 3 days and another that would let parents drop off children as old as 15 years.

About 90 percent of the children have had mental health care in the past, which some child advocate experts say might reflect on the states lack of children's mental health needs.

Lawmakers intend to address this issue when the regular legislative session begins Jan. 7.

Written by guest author Bonnie Woodrome regarding New Hampshire's state exams that could allow teens to graduate high school after their sophomore year:

I can see both sides of the argument, so this makes it very difficult for me to have a solid opinion. I feel that it really might be more beneficial for students to maybe combine high school and college classes.

Bonnie Woodrome
Guest Author

This way, students are getting a bit of both worlds. This will give a high school student a taste of the freedoms and responsibilities of college with the comfort of high school security. What I mean by that is, high school students are not yet adults, and still cared for and guided by their parents.

I feel, emotionally and socially, sixteen year olds are not prepared to live on their own or in an unsupervised dorm. It would be nice though, to allow these students an opportunity to try the very different experience of college life through classes, labs, possibly college clubs and the campus.

Reader Rhonda Thomson wrote this entry in response to the Centers for Disease Control study about the rise in childhood food allergies:

My daughter is allergic to peanuts and eggs. She outgrew an allergy to milk at 6 years old, that had caused severe reactions, including an anaphylactic reaction when she was 15 months old.

Greg Vojtko/The Press-Enterprise

Marriage and family therapist Rhonda Thomson at her computer, showing a Web site for kids with food allergies, in her Redlands office.

The stress of managing food allergies can be extreme at times. One of the most difficult challenges is dealing with the general perception that food allergies are not that big of a deal, and not understanding the importance for some kids to avoid all traces of an allergen.

It is also difficult when so many of the top allergens are common foods that are included in the typical child's diet.

I don't personally support banning foods in schools, partly because there are many foods that can cause allergic reactions, and also because I think it could lead to a false sense of security.

However, I also believe that the argument in favor of banning is also highly defensible, and if my school banned peanuts, that would be fine. I would still follow my own safety protocol anyway, because we deal with an egg allergy, and also I wouldn't necessarily trust that everyone would comply with the ban.

I would be happy if more people understood how severe food allergies can be.

A great resource for families dealing with food allergies is Kids With Food Allergies: www.kidswithfoodallergies.org

The online support forum is wonderful, and the recipe database is a lifesaver for anyone trying to figure out how to cook while avoiding a list of foods!

Reader Gina made this comment regarding the topic of New Hampshire's new high school state board exams that could allow teens to graduate after sophomore year:

Unbelievable! I am typically a "reader" not a writer, but this topic just floors me. Have we forgotten that high school alone is a huge step in life, a lesson about life, preparing us for the rest of life? If we take away the last 2 yrs of high school no matter how brilliant these kids are, maturity levels are not there yet for life lessons. No matter how fantastic and mature we think our children are, they just have not experienced enough by 10th grade to handle what life will throw at them later. Not to say that 11th & 12th grade will prevent heart ache, but why on earth do we want to take away the last few years of shelter and parental input, guidance and everything!

We learn things in high school that we need in life. You know, when you get that teacher that every one hates, the really tough one that won't let you slide and when your parents don't let you quit the class, later that year you learn your life changed for the better because of that teacher?

Or the teacher that is just unfair, and difficult, what life lessons can we learn from that? How not to quit every time we hate a boss!

Let alone all the fantastic teachers out there that make a huge impact on our children, young adults, taking away the last 2 yrs of high school prevents all the joys and heartaches that are such a huge part of our children's growth.

I am floored with this concept. Do we assume these children are ready for the mentality and social level of college at 16? Do we assume these young girls are ready for college age men at 16? Will they stay in dorms at 16? Will they be initiated into frats and sororities?

Oh my the thoughts just get worse and worse! Rather than speed these kids up, we need to slow them down, take the time to enjoy them and let them be kids for crying out loud!!

Written by guest author Debbie Yocum:

New Hampshire's education officials must have researched their new program in which students who pass a test as a sophomore move forward without attending high school for their junior and senior years. I believe that their research may not have looked at all aspects of high school.

Debbie Yocum
Guest Author

The sophomores that I know might not be mature enough or even have the desire to miss their last two years of high school. Those last two years offer opportunities that exist outside of the classroom such as school dances, sports and friendships.

I cannot imagine that every sophomore that is considered for this test will be anxious or ready to move forward.

I think that locally there is an opportunity at Riverside's North High School in their International Baccalaureate School for gifted students that want to experience community college classes while still in high school.

The students take classes and those credits are applied to their college credits which give them a jump on their college years. Sliding through college in 3 years instead of 4 seems a lot more reasonable than missing 2 years of high school.

New Hampshire education officials recently announced a new state board of exams that will be given to high school sophomores. Students who pass will then be eligible to skip the last two years of high school and move directly into the state's community or technical colleges.

The Press-Enterprise/2005

New Hampshire students who pass these exams could graduate high school at age 16.

The idea for the new assessments comes from a group called the New Commission on Skills of the American Workforce, which has called for an overhaul of the nation's education policies.

Education officials expect the exams will increase competency in core subjects, lower dropout rates and save millions in education dollars.

Students who choose to complete the final two years of high school despite passing the exams will need to pass another, more difficult set of exams during senior year.

Some education reformists are recommending the report's testing proposals replace current No Child Left Behind Legislation.

Are 16-year-old students emotionally and intellectually mature enough to begin their college education? And what will they miss if they bypass the final two years of high school?

Written by guest author Debbie Yocum:

One of the shows that my stepdaughter and I used to like to watch was "Gray's Anatomy." After a few weeks it became apparent that this show was not a show that a teenage girl should be looking forward to every week.

Instead of watching TV she moved on to getting more involved in a sport that she loved. Her friends and her brother are involved in the same sport so it was something she could do with them.

Debbie Yocum
Guest Author

Going to her games and watching her play was also something we could do as a family. She did so well that she ended up playing in the Pan American games this summer representing USA in Brazil. She even came home with a silver medal.

Watching hour after hour of TV shows full of violence or sex cannot be good. Instead of watching our kids become characters from "90210" why not show them that there are other options for them?

Last year some of the girls from King High volunteered to help the Orangecrest Jr. All American Cheer Team by going out to the Orangecrest Park three nights a week to coach the girls and to teach them new cheers.

Those girls from King High are always going to be heroes to the girls on the Orangecrest Jr. All American Cheer Team. It turned out to be a win/win for everyone involved. I noticed the other night that one of the girls that graduated from King is now cheering for RCC and she is still coming back.

Those are the kind of role models that we want our girls to become and those are the kind of role models that we want our girls to look up to.

Written by guest author Debbie Yocum:

Teenage pregnancy and television just seem to go together. It is not surprising that studies show that teens who watched suggestive shows are twice as likely to become pregnant over the next three years.

Debbie Yocum
Guest Author

TV makes the characters look popular and glamorous. Television shows like "90210" try to make the girls on the show look like they are mature enough to handle the situations that they put themselves in.

It is hard for girls at this young age to realize that they are not mature enough to handle some of these situations that they see on TV and their lives could be changed forever because of it. Parents need to understand the influence that these television shows have. They need to pull the plug from time to time and replace that activity with something positive.

Written by guest author Bonnie Woodrome:

My mother-in-law was over the other night and had on this show called "Gossip Girl." I sat down to watch it with her. The dialogue was sexually explicit, to say the least.

Bonnie Woodrome
Guest Author

I mentioned to her that I was surprised by the content, as I had heard this show was popular amongst teenagers. She said that the characters on the show were supposed to be high schoolers! I was surprised - sex, drinking, harshly judging peers and clubbing were major themes in the program.

I would like to think I am an open-minded mom, but I have to draw the line when it comes to such activities for the under 18 crowd. It's not about taking away the freedoms of our young people, but the responsibility of us, as parents, to protect our children from making mistakes that could have major and unnecessary consequences in their early lives.

Television, media, movies are businesses -- they will put on whatever sells -- it is solely our responsibility to monitor our children's entertainment habits as best as possible. Prevention is always an easier step than dealing with the repercussions of a bad decision.

A study was released today by Rand Corp that links TV sex and teen pregnancy. The research suggests that pregnancy numbers are higher in teens who watch TV that contains a lot of sexual dialogue and activity, compared with teens who don't.

The Associated Press

Rand Corp's study connects teen pregnancies can be linked to teens watching shows with a lot of sexual content such as HBO's "Sex and the City."

Lead author of the study, Anita Chandra, said findings showed teens who watched suggestive shows were twice as likely to become pregnant over the next three years. Previous studies have shown teens were more likely to become sexually active earlier when watching these types of shows.

Most parents are aware that media/entertainment has a large impact on teen views and behaviors - but many don't monitor TV activities. Where should the line be drawn?