How to Carve Pumpkins for Kids, with Parents Want to Know 101

By Sharon Rose

 

       It’s pumpkin carving time!  Carving pumpkins is a fun activity for toddlers and up.  They make festive home decoration at Halloween and throughout the fall season.  With supervision, kids of all ages can turn a pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern, with many design choices.  Carving a pumpkin can become a family tradition that creates great memories, year after year.

1.   Start by picking out a pumpkin on your visit to a pumpkin patch, the supermarket, or a local farmer’s market.  Select a smooth pumpkin with a strong stem.  These are the healthiest and easiest to carve.  Make it a fun trip for the family!

 

2.   When you’re ready to start carving, gather your pumpkins, carving tools, and a spoon, bowl, patterns, plastic table cloth, candle or battery operated light.  Patterns can been purchased at the supermarket, variety store, or even found free on the internet.

3.  Take some time with the kids to pick out the patterns you are going to use to carve your pumpkins.  You can turn this into a family fun time, with snacks for everyone as you make your choices.  Choices can be the traditional Jack-O-Lantern face, a cat face, witch on a broom, or the latest trend in pumpkin carving, celebrity faces.  Once you start looking there will be so many choices, it could slow the process. However, help the kids to pick a few favorites and move on. 

4.  While the kids are gathered to pick out designs, this is a good time to, also, talk about being safe with sharp objects that will be used.  Even if the kids are older, teens and teens, don’t skip talking about safety.

5.  Carving your pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern can get pretty messy and wet, so, cover your work area with a plastic tablecloth before starting to carve. 

 

 

 

6.  With a black permanent marker, draw a circle around the top of the pumpkin, away from the stem, to create a lid.  Cut out the lid.  According to age, supervise the kids, appropriately.  Again, sharp objects are used for this activity, so be safe.

7.  Scoop out all the seeds and fibrous insides of the pumpkin.  Use your bowl to collect this.  Later, the kids can help separate and pick out the pumpkin seeds for roasting.  Pumpkin seeds can be a delicious and healthy snack.

8.  Make sure you have an extra copy of the pattern you will use.  Tape the pattern to the face of the pumpkin.  Next, poke holes along the lines of the pattern with the appropriate tool.  This may be harder to do for a toddler or small child, so Mom and Dad can help.

9.  Take the sharp cutting tool and cut out along the pumpkin design, exactly where you have poked holes.  Remove the cut out pieces as you go.

 

 

 

10.  Last, place a candle or a battery operated light inside to light up the pumpkin.  Watch the excitement, listen to the squeals!  Happy Halloween and a festive time throughout the fall season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright, Parents Want to Know 101, Sharon Rose, How to Carve Pumpkins for Kids, with Parents Want to Know 101, October 31, 2014.  All rights reserved.

Parents Want to Know 101: Family Fall Outdoor Activities - Bucket List

By Sharon Rose 


During the fall season, our family has made picking out a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch a tradition.

      The fall season is here!  Time to make out a fall family outdoor activities bucket list. The autumnal equinox brought the fall season to the Northern Hemisphere on Wednesday, September 23, 2015, at 4:21 A.M., EST.  The crisp fall weather and beauty of the colorful foliage is the perfect reward to lure families out to play. You may not be able to do all of the activities on our list, but choose your favorites or, better still, something you’ve been yearning to do.  Here is our Family Fall Outdoor Activities Bucket List to get you going!  Make great memories this fall!

1.      Raking Leaves - Raking leaves is a great way to introduce children to fall fun.  They can enjoy this activity without leaving home. The whole family can get involved with cleaning up the yard with the bonus of playing and jumping in the pile of leaves they rake up.  Collect leaves to take indoors for fall arts and crafts activities.

2.   Backyard Camping – Camping, sleeping under the stars, is a childhood memory no one should be denied.  Camping in your backyard is convenient, because you don’t have to pack up anything and leave home.  Make a soft pile of leaves for comfort in your sleeping bag.  Grill a delicious meal, and roast marshmallows to make s’mores.  Be sure to check your local laws for building bonfires or recreational fires.  Some types of fires need a permit.  Safety first!

3.     Pumpkin Patch – Visiting a pumpkin patch is a fall tradition with many families.  Some families like to visit the same one each year, and others like to change it up.  Either way, it is fun for the whole family!  The children enjoy picking out their own pumpkin to take home for carving into a jack-o-lantern or to decorate the home. 

Many families make an annual fall visit to a pumpkin patch.  The children love picking out their very own!

4.     Apple Picking – What fun to pick apples and eat what you pick!  Locate an apple orchard near you and make it a family outing to introduce the children to farm to table healthy eating.  Tip: You may need a ladder.  Parents can continue this learning experience at local farmer markets, likely, closer to home, picking apples from baskets and talking to the farmers on how they grow and care for their apple orchard.

Mother and daughter are enjoying apple picking.  Could a fresh apple pie be in their future?

A barrel of delicious red apples add to the beauty of the fall season!

5.     Corn Maze – Showing their generosity, some farmers transform their cornfields into corn mazes.  Some are even made to be spooky around Halloween time.  Both adults and children have lots of fun getting lost and trying to find their way out of the complicated mazes, designed intricately, to add to the fascination.  You can hear squeals, shouts, and laughter in the cornfield, all evidence of the fun that goes on. 

6.     Hay Ride – Another tradition that started long ago, when farm life was a bigger part of the landscape in America, hay rides are still a favorite fall activity.  A tractor or horse pulling a wagon of bales of hay and riders who sing songs and chatter, makes for a celebratory atmosphere.  Many hay rides are taken in the moonlight for romantics and during Halloween to scare up enjoyment, as well. 

A hay ride is a memorable way to enjoy the beauty of the fall foliage.

7.     Hiking – Hiking is a great exercise that can be done year-round, but is so much more enjoyable when the weather is crisp and cool, and fall is showing off its colorful foliage.  It’s an activity that allows families to enjoy exploring local, state, and national parks.  Take a back pack with water, and snacks or picnic lunch; depending on your hiking plan.  A sturdy shoe should be worn for your safety.

8.     Nature Walk – A nature walk is much like hiking, but with a twist. Nature walking involves walking, exploring, and searching for living things of interest, such as: birds, bugs, butterflies, and types of trees and leaves. 

9.     Scavenger Hunt – Scavenger hunts can be created by making a list of things to collect while on a nature walk.  Often set up as a competition, a scavenger hunt is a fun way to learn about nature.  This is an activity that can be incorporated into a fall birthday party for a child in the family.

10.  River Boating and Tubing – The beautiful foliage and serene atmosphere of the river and river bank, in fall, makes this activity so relaxing.  As well, the areas of the river that are turbulent can make this activity daring and adventurous, and thrilling.  Some of the various river activities are: canoeing, kayaking, tubing, whitewater rafting, pontoon boat fishing, stand-up paddle board, rafting, and riverboat ride.  The family will want to go back again and again!

11. Fishing – Fishing is a great group activity for the family, as well as, one that is enjoyable when done alone.  It takes patience, quiet, and often, getting over a fear of worms used for bait, to succeed.  Some people get a thrill out of taking their catch home, prepping it and having a fresh fish dinner.  Yet many, just enjoy the hunt; so, catch-and-release is the kind of fishing they enjoy.  A valued childhood memory for many children is their first catch.

Families can enjoy the fall scenery while fishing together.  Don't miss the photo-op when you reel in a catch!

12. Bird Watching – Fall is a time of birds migrating south. With migration, local bird watching becomes more interesting and exciting with new species to identify every day.  August through October are peak months, with migration continuing through December for some species.  Basic bird watching allows you to learn about bird migration, species, territories, behavior, nesting, and courtship.  Bird watching is a fun and educational hobby for children and adults, and one the entire family can share in.  Start a bird watching journal to record what you learn.

13. Rock/Wall Climbing – Rock or wall climbing is an indoor/outdoor sport.  Fall is a great season to take it outdoors.  State and national parks are great places to rock or wall climb, but with man-made materials being used, these sporting activities can be done in the middle of an urban area.  Rock climbing can appear intimidating to first-timers due to the gear and special terms that are used, and the assumption that a lot of strength will be needed.  This is an amateur sporting activity that men, women, and children can have fun doing, so don’t be discouraged.  Outdoor rock or wall climbing is a mental and physical work out.  You will need the appropriate gear and instructions.  This is a sporting activity you should do with a partner or a group, especially if you are a first-timer. 

A state or national park to rock climb is a wonderful place to climb to high places to enjoy the fall scenery.

Working their way to the top, is a group doing a teambuilding activity.  Would your family like to try this?

 14. Bike Riding - Bike riding can get the family out for a scenic view of the neighborhood, suburban bike trail, or local, state, and national parks.  Its great exercise and an activity many families have as a hobby.  You will need safety equipment, such: helmet, knee, and elbow pads.

15. Playing in a leaf pile - This activity deserved separate attention of its own.  Such a simple play activity, but one of the most fun and anticipated ones of the fall season.  Being able to jump into the middle of a pile of leaves and throw the leaves in the air, watching them fall to earth like golden brown raindrops, is the best encouragement for children to rake leaves. 

We're so happy the fall season is here!  Aren't you?!  It's raining leaves!

16. Cranberry Bog Tour - Cranberries grow in bogs and a trip to a cranberry bog can be an adventure.  The cranberries are harvested from mid-September to the end of October.  Cranberry bogs can be found all over New England and the East coast of the United States.  There are several in the state of Massachusetts.  The cranberry harvesting method involves flooding the bogs then collecting the loose fruit.  Combined with the brilliant fall foliage, the bright red berries are a beautiful fall sight.  There are many delicious recipes for cranberries!

Cranberry bogs are flooded with water and then the cranberries are harvested.  Some farms who give tours have small boats and knee-highs available for tourists to use to gather cranberries.

When you have made out your fall bucket list, we would love for you to share it in our comment section.  Enjoy the fall season!




Copyright, Parents Want to Know 101: Family Fall Outdoor Activities - Bucket List, Sharon Rose, Parents Want to Know 101, October 9, 2014.  Updated, October 5, 2015. All rights reserved.

Is Yelling the New Spanking?

By Sharon Rose

 

Noooo-oooo-oooo!!!!!!

 

      Let's have a conversation about how you discipline your children and if it's time to make a change. I grew up in an era when spanking was the way to discipline your children. When I started my family, I made a choice that I was not going to be the parent who spanked the baby's hand or took a leather belt to an older child for every big or little offense. Most experts on child behavior agree that spanking can lead to children choosing hitting and other violent behavior to solve their problems. 

"Dad, she hit me with the spoon!!!" daughter yelled.  Dad yelled too!

 

      By the time I had three children, all in toddler stage, I had become a yeller.  This was due to being overwhelmed while trying to gain control of chaotic situations, my determination not to spank my children, and learning to multi-task, as many mothers must do.  I was not prepared to handle all three children without feeling some stress and frustration.  Like some parents, I confused yelling with firmness.  However, the two are not related.  It took educating myself: learning to be patient; learning how to communicate assertively to my children; learning the importance of self-control; learning modern discipline strategies; and being consistent in the use of these important tools.

"Kids, stop the noise, I'm on the phone!!!!!"  Mom yelled.  Trying to
multi-task: doing laundry, caring for the baby, supervising other children, talking on
the phone; often leads to a lot of frustration and yelling.

 

      Thankfully, I was able to stop being the parent who yelled to get my children’s attention or change naughty, inappropriate behavior.  I came to understand, through parent education, that yelling was my reaction to feeling overwhelmed and not a discipline strategy.  I replaced it with patience, and using more appropriate strategies to discipline my children. Otherwise, I would, likely, have three children who grew up to be yellers themselves, since children follow your model.  Not a legacy I wanted to pass on. 

 Patience and comforting words work best when your child is upset. When behavior,

such as, running or rough-housing between siblings becomes a problem, quiet-time

in a designated area works well to calm things down.

 

QUESTION: How do you discipline your children?  Talk about it with someone who is knowledgeable on disciplining children of various ages, including your pediatrician.  Look for current reading resources to guide you in making healthy discipline choices. 

 

To Get You Started, Reading Resources:

 Sharon Rose, Terrible Twos: A Sign Your Toddler is Growing Up, January, 2013, http://parentswanttoknow101.blogspot.com/2013/08/terrible-twos-sign-your-toddler-is.html.

 Robert E. Larzelere & Brett R. Kuhn, Comparing Child Outcomes of Physical Punishment and Alternative Disciplinary Tactics: A Meta-Analysis, 8 Clinical Child & Family Psychology, rev. 1 (2005).


 

Copyright, Is Yelling the New Spanking? _ Parents Want to Know 101, Sharon Rose, March, 2014.  All rights reserved.

 

 

Feeding Baby: How to Avoid Food Allergies

by Sharon Rose

      

     Incorporating solid food into Baby's diet is an exciting milestone for parents. However, there are so many questions, especially about food allergies. Parents want to know how to avoid them. Having three children with food allergies, that surfaced when they were babies, I learned that it is best to avoid food allergies rather than have to deal with the effects. The effects can vary, from a rash (including hives, blisters, and eczema), congestion, asthma attack, fever, swelling, to breathing difficulty. 

Eczema and hives are rashes that can result due to food allergy. Keep baby healthy and happy by introducing foods one at a time when you start solid food.

     When parents start baby on solid food it is best to do it gradually in case there are food allergies. Start by introducing one food at a time. Do not introduce 2 or 3 foods in one day. For instance, start with the one food and do not introduce a second food for another 4 to 5 days.  If there is no allergic reaction to the first food you introduced, keep it as a part of baby's diet and add a second food. Continue, adding a third, fourth, and fifth food, testing each for 4 to 5 days.  When there is no allergic reaction to a food, keep that food as a part of baby's diet as you continue testing food after food. Eventually, you will have a healthy menu of foods to serve your baby that you can feel confident presents no danger of an allergic reaction to your baby. If this sounds like a lot, believe me, it's worth it if it prevents illness or a trip to the doctor or ER for your baby.  My voice is the voice of experience, as I was once a new parent stuck in the revolving door of the ER with issues related to my baby's food allergies. Allergies are often looked upon frivolously, but can be a very dangerous health issue for anyone. It will pay off to introduce foods one at a time when baby starts solid food.  You will be happy and Baby will be happy, comfortable, and healthy!

 Introduce foods to baby one at a time to make sure you are aware of any allergic reactions to food.

No rashes make a happy baby!

 Copyright, "Feeding Baby: How to Avoid Food Allergies," Parents Want to Know 101, Sharon Rose, June 5, 2014.  All rights reserved.

The Father's Role in the Contemporary Family: The Changing Role of Caregiver for Children

"You're my favorite little buddy!"

By Sharon Rose

     Many fathers are concerned that they won't know how to care for their newborn baby, or be gentle enough. Some men may think they should wait until the baby gets older and bigger before they start to handle them. However, fathers should start handling the baby as soon as the baby enters the world. Research shows that men have a hormonal response to becoming a father and nature takes over to guide them. That does not mean that fathers have no need to learn parental skills that will greatly enhance parenting. There is much to learn. What it does mean is, with time and practice, a father will become more confident in taking care of the baby. It will become natural for the father. The more time a father spends holding his baby the more skillful and comfortable at caring for the baby he will become. Every day a father spends involved, showing affection, and bonding with his baby, the stronger the paternal instincts will become. 

     Bonding time is becoming more and more important as many men take on the role of the primary caregiver, or at least, share an equal role of caring for the baby and children in the family under the age of 15 years old. In the United States, there are various reasons fathers are becoming the primary care giver, including the following: the recent recession and subsequent recovering economy causing many men to be out of work; the rising cost of child care outside of the home; couples making a choice to have at least one parent at home full time with the children; and married fathers who earn less at work than their wives and choose to be the stay-at-home Dad to provide the needed child care, as the best financial situation for their family.  There is no longer the double-take when fathers are seen in the supermarket or on the playground with the children in the middle of the day.  In many ways, the choice to have the father become the primary care giver for the children under 15 has become a lifestyle.  It is the “new normal.”

     Statistics support this. According to the most recent U.S. Census Report in 2010, there were 176,000 stay-at-home Dads. When fathers who were freelance/work-from-home, and part-time workers were added, this number rose to 626,000 stay-at-home Dads that were primary caregivers for their children. 

     Our national laws are changing to help support the changing role of the caregiver for the children in the family. In the United States the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 has made it mandatory that employers with at least 50 employees allow an employee, of at least 12 months, to take unpaid leave for the family, to include parental leave. A new term, parental leave, includes maternity, paternity, and adoption leave. Studies show a small percentage of fathers are taking advantage of this up to 12 weeks leave. However, most are using sick or vacation leave to help with care of a newborn to offset the loss of pay at a crucial time of financial need for the family. In 2004, the state of California made it mandatory for employers to allow up to 6 weeks paid family leave, including parental leave for same-sex partners. The state of New Jersey followed with the same improvement in the benefit. We can watch for others to follow, as fathers in caregiver roles have become a driving force, to include, voicing a need for pay during the family leave time.

     Fathers bonding with their children at an early age, whether as the primary caregiver or as the father sharing hands-on responsibility and involvement, is a good thing. Here are some tips for fathers of infants to get you started as an involved father: 

Tips on Bonding with Baby for Dads:

1. Give Baby a bottle. If Mom is breastfeeding, Dad can give the water bottle. As Baby takes the bottle he also learns to recognize your face.

2. Diaper duty can be shared with Mom, and will be a big help. Some Dads may need instructions and practice on how to change a diaper, but it will soon come easy. We all had to learn!

3. Wear your baby. Use a sling or pouch that fits in the front of you and carry Baby around as you do chores at home, etc.  Baby will be comforted by the feeling of being close to you.

  

Daddy and Baby clean the house as a team.  

4. Massage Baby with lotion after a bath or soothe Baby when fussy.

5. Give Baby a bath. You’ll both enjoy this!

6. Sing a lullaby. Baby won't be critical of the tune you carry and will be soothed by a gentle, lulling voice.

7. Read a good book to Baby. At any age, Baby will like hearing the sound of your voice, even before they can understand the content of the story.

"What are we reading today, Daddy?"

8. Take a walk with Baby in the stroller, when weather permits. Talk to your baby as you walk along and enjoy the exercise for yourself.

9.  Make Daddy play-time a part of Baby’s daily schedule.  Keep it at about the same time each day, such as, when you first arrive home from work.  Make funny faces and watch Baby giggle, play peek-a-boo, act-out traditional children’s rhymes, such as Pat-A-Cake and Itsy-Bitsy Spider.  Baby will love this!

Baby loves Daddy Play-time! 

10.  Be a part of Baby’s health care needs.  Go to well-baby appointments.  Take a sick day (full or half) and stay home to take care of Baby when he is sick.     

     The changing roles of the caregiver for the children under age 15 in the family have caused many fathers to find their nurturing side and mothers to take on more of a disciplinarian, authoritative role. Parents supporting one another is needed and necessary. However, we must remember how important keeping the balance of the mother-father role is within the family. 

Research Source: http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/30/pf/stay-at-home-dad/index.htm
www.parentswanttoknow101.blogspot.com/bondingtimeforbabyanddad

Educational Resources for Dads: www.fatherhood.gov
www.fatherhood.org; www.parentswanttoknow101.blogspot.com.


Copyright, Parents Want to Know 101, Sharon Rose, The Father’s Role in the Contemporary Family: The Changing Role of Caregiver for Children, June 11, 2013; edited version, July 29, 2014.  All rights reserved.

Family Quality Time is Important

by Sharon Rose 

     What is quality time?  Quality time is time spent focused on others, sharing energy, values, and feelings while engaged in an activity meaningful to all parties involved. Today, parents and grandparents have such busy lifestyles, extra effort has to go into spending quality time with the family. It is the best, and only sure way to get to know one another in a real and meaningful way.

     Quality time can be as spontaneous as daily happenings, such as: sharing family meals, talking about your day, bath-time for baby, or reading a book together. It can also be fun, planned activities, especially those that are not costly, such as: family game night, a day at the park or beach, movies (home or out), bowling, eating out where children can eat free, or family vacation. It becomes quality time when we take advantage of the time by being present in the moment, focused, and sharing ourselves in a meaningful way.

   

     Spending quality time together creates a strong bond within the family, and is the basic way our children learn to relate to others. Family quality time is important, because it gives our children a lens in which to see and relate to the world around them, and grows a family full of sharing and LOVE.

            My family and I enjoying a wonderful vacation at Disney World, Orlando, Florida, April 2013.

Copyright, Parents Want to Know 101, "Family Quality Time is Important ," Sharon Rose, March 16, 2014. All rights reserved.  Personal family photo, photographer, Sharon Rose, all rights reserved.