Rexanne's Web Review - Issue #13

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I suppose we are all a little guilty of thinking the world revolves around us and the part of the world we happen to be living in. Last week I made comments about Memorial Day, barbecues and the heat here. Received many letters about how cold it is in other parts of the country and world! Yep, there IS life outside the western United States! LOL! And we have readers all over the globe.

"Read with interest in your latest newsletter about how hot it is where you are. Well down here in New Zealand it is cold. Very, very cold. I am sitting here with the fire roaring in my thickest sweatshirt thinking: BBQs ... swimming? Not on your life.!!!" Maree

"Yeah, go ahead and rub it in that it is hot enough to swim where you are! Must be nice ... rained all day here ... barely got above 50. Send some of that heat up here will ya?!" Sharon (in Idaho)

Yikes! Sorry if our heat makes you feel colder, ladies! We send BIG, warm hugs your way!

"Wanted to thank you for putting the word out about Rimadyl. We have an 11 year old malti-poo who is due for her annual checkup this week. Having seen the ads for this "miracle drug," I was going to ask my vet for some as she is starting to show signs of arthritis. I had no idea it could have such deadly side effects. Who knows how many dogs' lives your article might save."

Thanks go to reader Sandy who sent me the information about Rimadyl. Much as this kills me, I'm adding the following email I just received from Sandy:

"Gum didn't make it ... he died yesterday ... my boy is gone. I am devastated right now but will keep working hard to make sure people get warnings of that terrible drug's effects if they are considering giving it to their dog. Just wanted to let you know ..."

My heart is breaking for you, Sandy. I am so sorry. :-(

Quote of the Week: Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.

This Week's Web Review is Sponsored By: Successful Family Chores

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There, it's out in the open. That nasty word that promotes more rebellion in families than a prison riot! Here's my (not so lovely) story on chores:

I did not expect or ask my older daughter to do chores ... ever. She is now almost 12 years old and a request to do something more than pick up her clothes is met with intolerance, foul moods and outright refusal.

My 6-year-old thinks chores are the supreme consequence of having been born into a family of abusers. She gets this from her sister, I suspect. Her sister got it from me. It's a vicious cycle that needed to be stopped years ago. Guess what? I lost the war. There is no easy way for me to go back in time to correct my huge faux pas of parenting. Maybe you have younger children and will take heed ...

Teach children from the day they can do something, anything, for themselves that it is their responsibility to continue to do it. Do not make an issue out of chores, just expect they will be carried out with little intolerance from all involved. Children are not going to love picking up their messes or taking out the garbage any more than we are. Let's be reasonable! So, agree with them when they moan and writhe in agony over the injustice of it all but do not, under any circumstance short of serious physical illness, let them slide. Consider what would happen if everyone in the world refused to do chores ... we'd have global meltdown within 24 hours. Much the same as my house on a daily basis. Nope, it's not a pretty thought.

There is a plethora of ideas, tips, tricks and tactics for getting your kids to help out. Some are: chore charts, rewards, performance-based allowance, threats, consequences, guilt and outright war. You'll have to find what works best for you and your family.

Maybe there is hope for me, somehow. My older daughter is now, quite willingly, beginning to help unload the grocery cart at the market! I suspect "guilt" is the hero here. Not a recommendation, just a fact.

Bottom line is that kids need to learn to share the load of family life. They are, after all, part of the family. They need to feel responsible and capable of a job well done. Getting their room somewhat straightened out can create euphoric beams of pride from a 4 or 5 year old. Having a room look worthy of a play date with the most popular kid in school could possibly sway an older child to conform. Whatever bribe or head trip you can think of to make it work, do.

Here are a few articles from Parent Soup to help in your pursuit of the impossible. ;-)

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Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html

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This article is available for reprint at no charge providing the resource box with the writer's information is included and remains intact.

Time to get those aprons on ... Angie Cyr has so many great-sounding recipes on her site, you'll become inspired! From appetizers to drinks, this site has plenty to keep you stirring, baking, shredding and dicing for weeks.

There are many easy and quick recipes using very few ingredients that sound terrific. I am trying the Potato Cheese Soup and I'm absolutely wild about the idea of making Potato Chip Cookies! Sounds pretty wild, huh? These are yummy, family style recipes and not too many the kids would cringe over, although you will find a few unusual and interesting recipes to attempt if your family will play along. ;-)

Family Fun house is fun for all, but really meant for the kids! Time to turn over the computer to the munchkins! ;-)

This site has some great online games, from Asteroidz to Word Find, there are games for every child from 4 and up. OK, OK ... you can play too! There's also a super Trivia section the kids will love, crafts, postcards to send to their online friends and a great links page.

"To remove scratches and dirt from your toilet bowls, completely drain all water from the bowl. Fill with white vinegar to cover all stains and discoloration. Let sit overnight. Wake up to a perfectly clean toilet bowl! This also works great when you've used a snake to rout out the toilet and have those nasty black scratches."

"Here is a tip, relating to your May 22 review on nutrition and children: My kids were always begging for those "nasty sugared cereals" which I really didn't want them eating for breakfast. So we compromised and bought them to eat as an after-school snack instead. I figured it was sort of like eating "fortified" cookies and milk. They didn't feel deprived, and I didn't feel guilty."

I have already adopted this cereal trick in my home. It works! Thank you, Elaine!

Got a tip or trick your fellow readers would enjoy or could use? Please send it here for possible publication in one of the next issues: Tips

Get real grocery coupons that you can PRINT! Save hundreds of dollars. Download this great application today and start saving on so many products you buy and use regularly.

OK, this is a serious waste of time but SO MUCH FUN! LOL! It could even be classified as weird but hey, no one's claiming normality here ... kids or no kids! ;-) I absolutely fell in love with slinging the cow into the target. I have yet to reach the necessary 300 points to get on the scoreboard, however. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Flying Cow is lots of fun and a very silly game. Maybe you'll love it as much as I did!

Yep, you guessed it ... I'm a devout optimist. This home page made me smile and nod. Great little poem to help you see the happy and bright side of life. Enjoy! :-)

Visiting Family First is like a trip back home ... cozy, warm and just feels right! Great articles on parenting, marriage and kids. Plus: tips, recipes, work advice, holidays and more.

Emphasis strives to encourage mothers not only as parents, but as individual women. Each month you will receive fresh ideas, honest advice and warm thoughts for your role as a stay-at-home mom.

Lots of great online merchants together on one page for Father's Day specials! Silk ties, steaks, gift certificates, flowers, cakes and more!

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The fine print: This newsletter is copyright - 2000 - in its entirety. Please pass it on, but also please leave it intact. :-) You are receiving this email because you sent a specific message asking to be placed on the mailing list for this newsletter. If you wish to be removed from this list, see the unsubscribe notice above. This is NOT SPAM, nor will you ever see a recipe featuring SPAM in this newsletter! ;-)

I have personally checked out the links provided here but they could possibly lead you to any number of bizarre and/or offensive sites. Surf at your own risk. The DIRECT links on this page are all family friendly unless stated otherwise. While this newsletter is family friendly, it is not necessarily intended to be read by children. Parents should always monitor their children while they are on the Internet.