Rexanne's Web Review - Issue #19

Shopping

We have a new kitty! Her name is JoJo and she's an adorable little all gray baby. Holiday is quite put out that she now has to share her food/home/people/litter box with another cat but she's been very sweet, overall and a pretty good sport. The kids love having a new kitty and there's lots of playtime going on here. ;-)

Received so many wonderful support letters about the "subscriber from hell" I ranted about last week. LOL!

"It sounds like this person really needs to grow up and get a life ... must be a frustrated, untalented 'WannaBe!' At any rate, you do a super job, Kiddo. It's her/his loss."

"Don't let that unsubscriber bring you down. There's LOTS of other people who enjoy your newsletter, including myself!"

"Thanks for sharing all your great pages and your effort in reaching out to us and enlightening our days. Sorry one person was unhappy ... don't let that stop you. They will be the ones missing out."

You are such a great group of readers ... did I ever mention that I love you all dearly?

Quote of the Week: The ultimate security is your understanding of reality. - H. Stanley Judd

This Week's Web Review is Sponsored By: Bargainchildrensclothing.com
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My older daughter sucked her thumb. She did so until she was 6. My younger daughter had a love affair with her bottles and pacifiers until she was 6. Both girls gave up their security rituals on their own, in their own time and when they were ready to give them up. This is NOT to say that it didn't distress me to see their teeth protruding and to know that orthodontic bills loomed large in our future. I just couldn't do it to them ... couldn't take away something that was so important to their feelings of security and their self enforced methods of soothing the savage.

I think, of the three *horrors* above, the bottle was the worst. I did take bottles away from my older daughter when she was three. It wasn't so traumatic. She wanted a bottle for a few nights but knew she had to give them up for the sake of her teeth and complied. My younger daughter absolutely refused to give the bottle the boot from her life until only recently. Her two front permanent teeth, which had come in early, were turning gray. As soon as she stopped drinking a nightly bottle, her teeth began to whiten on their own. Mind you, I did not force her to give up the dreaded "baba." She decided, out of the blue, to give it up on her own. A few nights of tears and trauma later, she had overcome her habit and was on her way to falling asleep with only a few dozen pacifiers littering her bed. Shortly thereafter, the pacifiers were history, too. Since the decision was hers, I didn't feel guilt over refusing her request to "change her mind."

Know this parents ... your kids are not going to start high school sucking on their thumbs, a pacifier or bottle. They might still have a shred of their old security blanket, a severely damaged favorite stuffed toy or a doll that has seen the better side of new but they WILL move on and grow up without these babyish soothers.

Kids have a need to ensure some control over their powerless environment. Think about how little say they have in anything that happens to or for them. They're subjected to painful shots as infants and toddlers (among countless other horrors) that they no more understand than you and I understand genocidal murder and torture in third world countries. They have a little mastery over soothing themselves with a pacifier, a bottle or their thumb and then, bam! They're forced to give up something that comforts them. We can justify this by arguing that it's for their own good. Yes, it is, but there are many restrictions and limitations we plant on them that are a lot more important than taking away a relatively harmless habit.

I'm sure I'll hear plenty of differing opinions. I might even hear from an orthodontist or two. Could be I'll hear from a parent who swears their child has a deformed jaw from over-sucking something. Ya know what? I think if kids are going to have a malformed jaw or crooked teeth, they're going to have these problems whether or not they suck a thumb or pacifier. The way I see it is that both myself and my daughters' father had teeth that needed a lot of correction. Our kids were naturally prone to crooked teeth and would be needing orthodontia anyway. They both do, by the way and would have needed it with or without help.

I'm a softy. I give my kids way too much leeway when it comes to enforcing certain behavioral rules. I have a hard time telling my girls that I know better when, in fact, I'm not really sure on a particular issue. They are getting away with murder, I suspect. LOL! But, seriously, I have a harder time denying them something I feel is basically harmless and will go away on its own. Much the same as my philosophy on potty training, or NOT potty training as is my belief. Let them alone. Let them cling to the little things. Let them have an inch of comfort in an uncomfortable world and an ounce of power in a powerless existence.

If your child doesn't suck something from infancy on, consider yourself lucky! ;-) If they do, consider reading the following articles about this topic:

This first page actually brought tears to my eyes. I read it after I wrote the above article. This will explain a bit more clinically why children need their security items: Security Items

This next article is from the American Academy of Pediatrics about thumb, finger and pacifier sucking: Thumbs, Fingers & Pacifiers

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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.

We have to thank Anita and her husband for actually testing all of the luscious recipes on this site and modifying them to reduce the fat content. Wow! Hats off to you, Anita!

There are so many delicious sounding recipes here, you'd be hard-pressed to consider them "low fat" but they are. That's the bonus! How about the recipe for "Extra Rich Chocolate Shake" that has only 30% fat? Or the Pineapple Carrot Raisin Muffins that sound as fattening as it gets but are not? I think I need to print a ton of these and get a hind start on the summer figure!

Anita's has hundreds of recipes for appetizers, stews, main courses, candy, desserts, veggies, eggs, breakfast fare and everything in between, all categorized for easy selection. This is one of those must-book-mark sites that you will return to over and over again.

Meanwhile, at the court of Queen Can-ivore, Martha is working diligently on another great page of summer recipes, tips and tricks. Her computer has been giving her fits at the new digs but she wanted you all to know she's almost ready with her latest and greatest. Watch this newsletter for updates!

Here's a great site for the kids, guaranteed to beat the summer boredom and lethargy that is plaguing a lot of them this time of year! Funology has jokes, games, magic tricks, trivia, recipes and a too-cute blue mascot, Presto the dog. He'll guide the kids through the various pages of the site, helping and cheering them on.

My older daughter spent time here working the Harry Potter Word Search and my younger daughter had a blast in the magic rooms. There's lots to explore and do so turn the kids loose and hand over the keys. Isn't there a room in your house you were just dying to clean? ;-)

"To prevent water from leaking out of a sink while washing dishes, soaking a garment or soaking fruits and vegetables for cleaning, place a good size piece of plastic wrap between the drain and the drain stopper. This will hold the water in the sink a lot longer, if not indefinitely."

I tried this the other day with one of my daughter's T shirts with a nasty chocolate ice cream stain that didn't come out in the wash and it worked great! Thank you, Sussy!

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

This week I'm giving you a link to one of the best freebie sites online ... The Free Mall. Wow ... tons of free offers, all on one site and categorized. You'll find freebies for kids, pets, home and garden, e-mail accounts, clothing and many more. Also, links to games and free contests.

Webmaster Sandy has created cheery and bright pages to make your visit an enjoyable one. Tell her Rexanne sent you! :-)

Weekly Time Waster: Espresso Break
(Because life is supposed to be fun!)

LOVE the name of this fun solitaire game reader Pat sent in to share. Espresso and I are addicted to each other. ;-)

In this variation of Solitaire, you will be clicking on a card that is either greater than or lesser than the card on the top of the playing pile to clear them from the playing field. There's also a timer involved if you like your time wasters competitive. I can't even come close to the fastest time listed by another, obviously OBSESSED player! LOL! But I enjoy this game even though I will probably never make the top ten.

Reader Stan sent this gem of a page which is created from an 8-year-old boy's homework assignment on "Explaining God." It's hilarious, as only a child's "wisdom" about how the universe works can be. Too cute!

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No more "Are we there yet?!" ;-)

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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.