Home

 Logo Store

   Holidays & Celebrations


Parenting Articles

Babies 

Shopping

Humor

Birthdays

Parent Links Kid Links  Ladies   Party Store Send
E-cards
School Supplies  Arts & Crafts
Supplies
Free Newsletter

Spotlight on: Thanksgiving

Rexanne's Web Review 
Web Sites & Insights

Issue #71 - September 1, 2003 

Brought to You By: Rexanne.com

Please forward this complete issue of Rexanne's Web Review to a friend and recommend they subscribe. Thank you!

Find subscribe, removal and advertising information at the bottom of this newsletter.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome All Newcomers! 

It's been a very busy summer here. Between family visiting from out of town, the kids' schedules and MY insane life, we haven't had a moment to think. Probably a good thing ... ;-) 

We'd love to hear about YOUR summer vacation, trip or visit. Drop a line and share with your fellow readers. C'mon ... send email. 

I have my own party store now. Please visit, support and enjoy this all-encompassing online party palace. Birthdays, plus all holidays and celebrations are covered. You'll find party supplies and so much more. Bookmark the site for all your future party needs: Rexanne's Party Store

Oh, and it's never too soon to begin thinking about and planning for Halloween: Rexanne's Halloween

Onward ...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader's Comments:

Christy wrote:

"In celebration of Stepfamily Day, a National Stepfamily Day picnic will take place across the nation. Some families are celebrating with a picnic in their back yards, while others are putting on community 
picnic's at local parks."

For more information please visit the Happy Stepfamily Day Website or email Christy at bbunch71@aol.com

---

Daysi wrote:

"We just got back from Puerto Rico, had a great time, and we are leaving for another vacation to Myrtle Beach in two weeks. This is going to be a great summer for the girls."

Wow ... I guess so, Daysi! Thanks for sharing with us. 
---

Sharon wrote:

"Please ask your readers to sign this petition so millions of adoptees and birth parents can be reunited." Sign
---

And thanks to Vicky for sharing this info on head lice:

"One product I found that will help get (lice) under control and can be used as a deterrent as well is a natural product called Lice Guard. We have allergies and asthma in this house and this (product) doesn't bother them too badly. It does not stink like so many other preparations. The bottle is good for approximately 60 days for one child. It is less expensive than having to get the shampoos, etc."

---

OK, here's the scoop:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote of the Month:  There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate. - Linda Grayson

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Supporting the sponsors and advertisers in Rexanne's Web Review keeps this newsletter alive. Each advertiser has Rexanne's Seal of Approval. Please visit them today.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This Month's Web Review Sponsored By: ItsRainingBargains.com 

ItsRainingBargains.com - Love a Bargain?

Click here: ItsRainingBargains.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Parenting & Family Topic of the Month:  Childhood Friendships

Many of our children will be starting school this month, whether they are entering preschool or kindergarten for their first foray onto the playground and into the classroom or returning to higher grade levels. With the excitement over new school supplies, new teachers and new clothes, our children who have been in school before are probably most excited about seeing old friends again. And many kids are wondering if they'll make new ones, or any at all in the year looming ahead like a giant question mark.

---

*Childhood Friendships
By Rexanne Mancini

Childhood friendships are as special as they are a necessary part of growing up. While some of our children will maintain these friendships into adulthood, many will not. Kids move away or they find other friends with more current interests and grow apart. Whatever form a childhood friendship is taking, know that these relationships are vital to your child's well-being and growth as a human being. 

Your child may have one very special friend from the time they are in diapers or they might have a gaggle of giggling girl friends or a thunderstorm of wild boy friends. These bonds can be helped along or a wedge can be placed between them by the parents. Depending upon your feelings about your child's friend, you could welcome the child into your home and be gracious or you could find that the child your child is enthralled with is a demon incarnate. It's up to you to teach your kids how to interact in healthy ways with their peers or how to let negative friendships go. 

While I've been traumatized by a few of my daughters' friends, I have liked most of them. The few children whom I found intolerable were not too welcome in my home, however, if one of my daughter's insisted on a 
play date with that undesirable child, I would allow the friendship to take its course, mostly to try and figure out what in the world my child liked about her/him. Made for some interesting lessons in humanity. ;-) Most of these friendships have faded in good time, on their own. One or two of these kids have actually won me over and now are among my favorites, although I must admit these kids were basically OK to begin with. They just came with issues I didn't want to deal with. I dealt for my child's sake and all turned out well. 

A child who is a truly bad influence on your child will need to be shunned, as painful as that may seem to your child at the time. I find that if you adequately explain that the child in question isn't very "nice" or has actually hurt or emotionally abused your child, this can be sufficient reason for your child to understand the situation without too much trauma. If they resist your urging to make new friends or avoid the horrid one, you will probably need to be tolerant until your child digests the circumstances and moves on in her own time. This helps your child learn to differentiate between people they want to spend time with, those they don't and to make their own choices. 

The children you like and who are good influences on your child should be invited over often. Have them stay for dinner, take them along on family or fun outings and allow them to become part of your extended family just as your own friends are. Children need to know their friends are welcome in their home. Treat their buddies with the same respect you would expect your children to treat your pals. They will see how you interact with others who visit and will learn how to be good friends and gracious hosts themselves. 

---

Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com - Visit her site for 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.

---

*This article is free to reprint as long as the above resource box is included in its entirety. 

Know of a good parenting or family site your fellow readers might enjoy? Please send it for possible publication in an upcoming issue. Click here: Parenting_Site

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Food & Cooking Site of the Month:  CooksRecipes.com

Wow ... this is one amazing cooking site. Besides finding some of the most coveted and delicious basic recipes ever, CooksRecipes.com offers international cuisine, diabetic, holiday, beverage and pet recipes. 
You'll also find plenty of cooking tips & tricks, culinary charts, articles and even a comprehensive cook's dictionary. Kudos to web master Hope Pryor who created this site and has turned it into one of the top-ranked cooking resources on the Internet. 

Bon Appetit!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement: Free 7 Part Report - Save Your Marriage

Do you want to save your marriage? There is hope! You are not alone! You can weather the storm! Send any email to: Save My Marriage

Or leave name, address at 866-388-7592

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kid's Site of the Month:  Plane Math Activities

This site is terrific for kids who love planes. Plane Math Activities teaches children everything they always wanted to know about airplanes, flying, lift off and even overcast skies. Plane Math Activities also offers shockwave lessons, disguised as games that will have your plane-happy kids enthralled for hours. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Freebie of the Month:  Sewing Craft Patterns

There are so many patterns here, you'll be crafting for years. ;-) Not only will you find patterns for various household items, holiday gifts and decorations but there are many patterns for children's crafts and goodies, back-to-school items and even Barbie patterns. Look for a link at the top of the page to free clothing patterns as well: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement: BuyCostumes.com

BuyCostumes.com is your one-stop Halloween costume, home decoration and prop shop offering more than 14,000 Halloween costumes, from classic to trendy at great discount prices. Adult, children, teen, infant and pet costumes; large selection of Disney and TV character costumes. Get the costume you or your child wants now before they're sold out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tip or Trick of the Month:  Plant Food & No-stick Dough

Stephanie sent in this first tip:

"Use the water from hard boiled eggs to water your plants. It's full of nutrients that plants love."

---

And David sent in this excellent advice:

"Before I roll dough of any kind on the counter or a cutting board, I spray the surface with nonstick cooking spray, then flour, then roll the dough. Keeps it from sticking."

---

Thank you both for the great tips this month!


Have 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

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Time Waster of the Month:  Tip Top
Because life is supposed to be fun!

Tip Top is one of those games that will have you scrambling for "just one more minute ..." ;-) Drop objects from above to match three similar blocks for points and remove them. But there's a twist ... objects come up from the bottom, too, so you'll be playing from both ends. Also, watch for the magnets to lift a row and the anvils to pound a row down. This is fun!

Feed the kids first ...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Featured Site of the Month:  September Kiss

This is a beautiful page and a heart-touching poem to a child born after September 11, 2001. The child's father was killed in the attacks on the United States, however, his offspring lives on to comfort his widow. "Loved ones die but love itself lives on ..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement: Ethics & Morals - How to Prepare Your Kids

This ebook is an invaluable guide to the sometimes complex task of teaching our children morals, ethics and right from wrong. With straightforward advice and plenty of examples, this is an inestimable tool to help parents cope with their children's issues at every age. Ethics & Morals is an excellent and reassuring resource for families.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

To email Rexanne click here: Email Me

To subscribe to Rexanne's Web Review visit: Subscribe to Rexanne's Web Review

To be removed from this mailing list, please see the "easy unsubscribe" box from Topica at the end of this email.

To sponsor an issue of Rexanne's Web Review or to advertise with us, click here to request sponsor or ad info: RWR_Sponsor/Ad

The fine print: This newsletter is copyright - 2003 - 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. Your email address will never be shared, sold or otherwise abused by us.

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. 

All material on these pages: Copyright: - 2000-2003