Betsy's Blog » Today’s Parenting Tip

The Atlantic Magazine – The Cult of Self-Esteem

Betsy — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:21:49 +0000

Hi friends and happy Fourth of July. Here’s a great piece from the Atlantic Magazine I just came across. It will be the basis of this week’s column. I hope you enjoy it!

The Cult of Self Esteem

Thanks for stopping by!

Betsy Hart

Drury Lane Oak Brook – “Ragtime”

Betsy — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:29:55 +0000

Hi friends – for the first time I had a chance to go to the Drury Lane Oak Brook Theater, and it was lovely. I saw “Ragtime,” and it was a truly terrific performance, the most ambitious, apparently, the Drury Lane has ever put on even including some Broadway stars. I loved it!

I really enjoy live theater, especially musical theater. And when I can take my kids to a show, all the better. But the downtown venus and prices can sometimes be impediments. I was happy to be reminded that there are other great and more affordable options for my family to enjoy professional live theater. I think it’s terrific for kids to be exposed to it.

I hadn’t been taking advantage of a great option in my own backyard – now I will!

Thought you might like to know! – Betsy

P.S. – season tickets are a great way to get the best value, and I think worth the investment if you can.
Drury Lane Theater

The Parenting Minute on WYLL

Betsy — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:52:35 +0000

Hi friends – I hope you get a chance to tune into WYLL/AM1160 every weekday at 8:30 am, starting today, for my daily “parenting tip” sponsored by Matt’s Cookies! I’m excited about this new opportunity and meeting folks that I might not have before.

If you are finding my blog for the first time, it’s great that you are here!

We’ll soon be regularly posting the tips on the website, so stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by. . .

Betsy

Thanks to our Vets!

Betsy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:31:16 +0000

Happy Veterans Day! Thanks to all of you who are currently serving, or have served our country to preserve our freedoms! Thank you for your sacrifice.

If your kids have a grandparent or other relative or older friend who served, here’s a suggestion – how about having your kids call them with a big thank you? If you yourself mom or dad are serving or have served, let your kids thank you! You more than anyone know vets need the appreciation, and our kids need to express it.

And here’s a great movie suggestion for the whole family. “Sargent York.” Based on the real life story of WWI’s most famous veteran, it’s themes of duty and sacrifice are great for the whole family.

Have a great day – and thanks for stopping by.

Election Day. . .

Betsy — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:15:18 +0000

Hi Friends – don’t forget to vote, and take your kids with you – let them see the process!

Have a great day –

Betsy Bart

Halloween and a Little Candy Sanity?

Betsy — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:44:38 +0000

In about 36 hours, I will have roughly 350 pounds of candy stashed throughout my house. The question is, what to do NOW to plan for all that (or for getting rid of some of it, or at least for slowing down its consumption.)

Beverly Rothstein is a nutritionist and child obesity expert. She’ll be a guest on my radio show on Sunday. In the meantime, here are her tips for “limiting the damage” tomorrow night (for both kids and parents). Enjoy – and thanks for stopping by!

The bane of everyone’s nightmares are those little Trick or Treating kids that gather “tons” of goodies each Halloween.

Although most Parents cannot keep ALL the candies way from their chubby or not so chubby kids, here are a few hints to help:

1) Prior to going out Trick or Treating feed your kids a good well balanced dinner. Make sure to give them the chance to skip dessert at dinner and promise them a few small goodies for dessert.

2) Don’t leave the candy in a dish out on the counter. I have been a victim of this trap. You walk by the dish, grab a handful of candy. You sit down at the table near the dish, you grab candy.

3)The better thing to do is to put the candy in the freezer. Frozen candy can help slow down the eating, because it is too hard to eat until it thaws. Eating frozen candy can break teeth!

4) Allow the kids 1 or 2 pieces per day, they can choose what they want and include them as a treat in the lunch box.

5) If you kids are in the money mode, buy the candy from them. Maybe a few dollars will be more appealing than a handful of chocolate.

Parenting Tip: Words Kids Need to Hear

Betsy — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:18:50 +0000

“Words Kids Need to Hear: To Help them to be Who God Made them To Be”

That’s a new book by David Staal, my friend and head of children’s ministry at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington.

This is a little book with big ideas – Daviud says there are seven statements kids need to hear, audibly or otherwise, from their parents:

I believe in you
You can count on me
I treasure you
I’m sorry, please forgive me
Because
No
I love you

David will be a guest on my radio show tomorrow, but I wanted to let you know about his new book, out now from Zondervan, today. You can of course get it from Amazon, or any Christian book store. You’ll be so glad you did!

Thanks for stopping by – Betsy Hart

Today’s Parenting Tip – Of “Golf Pros and Tennis “Ho’s” – What??

Betsy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:51:43 +0000

For all you moms and dads getting ready to send off your well brought up children to college next fall – watch out. Professor Donna Freitas writes in her new book, “Sex and the Soul,” that you may have missed the part of the campus tour which dealt with the rampant sex culture at college, including theme parties like “CEOs and Prostitutes.” She wrote about her extensive research and findings in yesterday’s WSJ, and every parent should see this!

Sex on Campus

Donna will be my guest on the radio show tomorrow, so be sure to tune in.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Betsy Hart

Parenting Tip – TV and Children’s Bedrooms Don’t Mix!

Betsy — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:28:03 +0000

Here’s a really good piece from yesterday’s New York Times. It seems that not just how much TV a child watches, but where he watches it, is key to how much it will affect him for the worse. As many as HALF of American kids have televisions in their bedrooms. Moms and Dads of America – get those TV sets out of there!

Get the TV out of the Kids’ Bedrooms

Happy Parenting – Betsy

Parenting Tip – The Spiderwick Chronicles

Betsy — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:27:13 +0000

Hi Friends – I took my two olderÂ kids to see Spiderwick Chronicles this weekend (it’s third in the box office ratings) and I really liked it, and so did my kids.Â Very scary, but no foul language or sexual content.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from the movie, but one of my daughters had devoured the books the movie was based on, so off we went.Â There is lots of action, and and a good and redemptive story line.

But it’s the subtle but clear messages that I liked most, messages about the meaning, value, and definition of family, and a dad who chooses to separate from his wife and children – which is presented in the film as meaning he’s sadly chosen to live “outside the circle of safety.”

I also like that this is no, “I am single mom hear me roar” diatribe.Â Just the opposite.Â Mom is beautifully holding her family together, but Dad’s importance is strongly felt in his very absence from the home.Â In fact, in one scene it’s clear that in leaving his family, he’s put his family into physical danger! Â S0, this actually becomes a “pro” husband and father message we just don’t get enough of in our culture today.

IÂ hope you get a chance to enjoy the film.
Happy Parenting – Betsy