PASSION FOREVER

  Kids are incredible little beings. Endlessly strange, honest, fun, surprising. They rule, OK? I don't have any children of my own and honestly, I don't know if I ever will. In the meantime, while life goes on (as it has the annoying tendency to do), I'm extra thankful for my role in four kids' lives as their aunt. Being an aunt offers the joy of spending time with children without any of the major obligations. It's one of the most win-win situations I can think of. Recall your own aunt(s). Aunts, as a people, have a special wizardry. They're the women who gladly accepted your first wayward attempt at cutting hair. They're the women who let you name their cats Hanson, Clarissa, or something else awful. The women who taught you to match your toenail polish with your underwear at a questionably young age. (Hi, Aunt Amy). They had an endless supply of sour gummy candies and never yelled at you for leaning back in your chair. They took you on adventures and ins

  What is it that the best babysitters know? Best is not only a quality to describe what all parents hope their babysitter is! It is also a useful acronym to ensure that a babysitter knows a child's routine prior to being left to look after him or her. Before you as a parent leave your house and leave your kid under another person's care, you have to be sure to go over the fundamentals of your best list - bedtime, entertainment, snacks/meals, and toileting. Who else would be better at taking over your position of looking after your kids like your sister? Wouldn't your sister be the best in implementing all of your requirements for babysitting your children? I think the answer is quite clear, if you ask me.  When it comes to bedtime, your children's aunt would be sure to have been made aware of the rules you have laid out (e.g., no snacks past 8 PM). If you have a baby, the aunty should be aware of the importance of placing the infant on it's back when it sleeps, eve

  The story of the modern holiday—which is celebrated this Sunday in the United States and many other nations—is rife with controversy, conflict, and consumerism run amok. Some strange-but-true facts you probably don't know: 1. Mother’s Day started as an anti-war movement. Anna Jarvis is most often credited with founding Mother's Day in the United States. Designated as the second Sunday in May by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, aspects of that holiday has since spread overseas, sometimes mingling with local traditions. Jarvis took great pains to acquire and defend her role as “Mother of Mother's Day,” and to focus the day on children celebrating their mothers. Julia Ward Howe, better known for writing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," promoted a Mothers’ Peace Day beginning in 1872. For Howe and other antiwar activists, including Anna Jarvis's mother, Mother's Day was a way to promote global unity after the horrors of the American Civil War and Europe’s

  Have you ever wondered what it’s like being a  nana  (aka grandmother)? Hereunder is a reflection by a woman and her experiences being a nana: There's nothing like spending time with a little child to remind you of why it's thrilling to be alive. Kids are indiscriminate, nonjudgmental lovers of pretty much everything, and their joy is contagious. Not too long ago, I spent time with 2-year-old Azalia, whose response to Elmo, hot dogs and her white plastic pony was uniformly euphoric. "I LOVE it!" she squealed to each in turn. Adults spend a lot of time doing yoga and practicing meditation so as to to feel truly present, while children, whether they're happy or sad, live in the present moment, here and now. They make superb role models (except when they are throwing temper tantrums), and spending quality time with them provides great training for grandparents. We simply have to be in the here and now if we wish to keep up — and prevent them from eating dog food (m

  Nothing is “normal” these days. While we don’t yet know how bad COVID-19 will ultimately be, we do know that people over 60 are at particular risk for complications, should they become ill. That has many grandparents sheltering in place and unable to be physically with their grandchildren. However, many are making extra efforts to maintain a regular presence in their grandkids’ lives during the pandemic, albeit in a different form. As a grandparent myself, I understand how difficult it is to be apart. So I reached out to friends and colleagues to see how they were coping. Here are some ideas they shared which you can use or adapt to strengthen connections with your family: 1. Create New Bedtime Rituals Each night as he’s being tucked into bed, 4-year-old Teddy (with his dad’s help) calls grandma. Teddy recaps his day, and grandma Elizabeth tells him a story, helping to settle him down for sleep. Although they live just a few miles apart in Ottawa, Canada, Elizabeth hasn’t seen Teddy

  Jewelry, flowers, and chocolates are great, but here’s a list of what moms we polled really want for Mother’s Day. We’ve even included some extra-credit tips for overachievers. Or you could go with one mom’s response, which pretty much sums it up: “I want a Wonder Woman cape, preferably made out of diamonds, along with the statement: ‘You were right about everything, and we’d be lost without you.'” Here are some creative ways to treat your mom on Mother's day: 1. Clean The House Being a mom is stressful, and coming home to a clean house, even if it only lasts 10 minutes, is like a little slice of heaven for them. You don’t have to hire a professional to give mom the clean house she deserves. Instead, try buying cleaning supplies and tackle the mess around the house.  2. Let Her Sleep When you’re a mom, getting a full night’s rest without waking up to an alarm clock or a hungry child in the morning is not only a dream come true, it’s unheard of. Try treating Mom to a full nigh

  With the lockdown still in place for many of us mamas, we have come up with 12 tips anyone can follow. With these hacks, you can get it all done and stay sane doing it.  And, even if you don’t have kids, we can all learn a thing or two from the mamas who are the other superheroes of quarantine — getting it done all day every day!  #1 Have a Self-Care Power Hour First Thing in the AM  Seriously, wake up a little earlier than everyone else in the house and have a full glorious hour to yourself. Take this time to drink your coffee in peace while listening to your favorite podcast, get a 20-minute FitOn workout in, and blend up a nutritious smoothie.  Starting your day with a heavy dose of self-care will make a huge difference in how you handle any stressors that may come your way once your day really gets going.  #2 Make Batch Cooking Your BFF Batch cooking is one of our fav sanity-saving tips because not only does it cut back on cook time, but it can help you stay on track with healthy

  Having grandparents close by seemed like it would have been so much fun—but how can we maintain the connection when physical distance is a necessity? Even grandparents who live just down the block from their grandchildren may be playing it safe and reducing or eliminating in-person visits right now. And parents are struggling to find new and inventive ways to maintain a close relationship between the generations. But despite the encouraged isolation, some grandparent and grandchild relationships are actually becoming closer as a result of the pandemic. Gabrielle Nidus discovered a resourceful way to keep her son’s and mother’s relationship close. Her mother gives her son daily piano lessons over Skype. “It’s all virtual,” Nidus explains. “It’s pretty amazing. They play piano and then talk, which my son insists on. She’s all by herself, so I think she appreciates the company. I’m so grateful to her for learning how to Skype and sharing her love of music with him. It’s truly amazing to

  Desperate times don’t always call for desperate measures. Yes, you’re facing up to the prospect of being behind closed doors with your kids for an elongated period of time. But no, you don’t have to solely rely on your tablet, phone, laptop or television.  Related: Top 24 Best Gifts for Dads Want to discover what they are? Of course you do, so here goes… 1. The Inventory The Inventory involves asking your kid to count loads of stuff around the house, and I love it for three reasons. First, it has significantly improved my son’s counting ability. Second, you can keep eating up time by adding to the list of things to count. Third, it has helped me prove to my other half that we really do have too many boxes, cushions and Allen keys. 2. Toilet Roll Tower Smash Perfect for bulk buyers, this all-action game features two parts. Part one sees you challenge your child to build a tower, wall or pyramid using all the four-packs of toilet roll you have in the cupboard (note: two-packs of kitche

  Sometimes the best things in life we take for granted, and sometimes it's the relationships with the people we love the most. I've written a few ideas to spark your creativity and help you truly show your appreciation for your grandmother in particular. Grandmas make the world go around, so now is the time to say thank you. Time is precious in every relationship — make it count! 1. Write her letters Whether you're miles away at college like me, or live down the street from her, I will assure you she will love some surprise snail mail! Whether it be an update on your own life, or a quick scribble to say "I love you," this is a fun way to change up the communication, and be a bit old-fashioned. Just wait, the next time you make it over to her place, it will most likely be out on display. Related:  Sweet Gifts For Your Beloved Granny 2. Listen to her stories My family has planned an activity to do with my grandma, and I personally think it's brilliant and every

  You might have come across a lot of salad or sandwich recipes that require cooked or poached chicken. Although you might go for rotisserie chicken but if you are out of it and are too lazy to run to the store, then boiling some chicken at home is the best and easiest way to obtain juicy and tender chicken that is easily shredded.   Boiling chicken might sound bland and easy to cook but if the proper way is not used, your chicken may turn out super dry and I am sure, no one likes dry, chewy chicken. It is ideal to cook chicken breast in boiling liquid as they dry out quite easily when grilled or roasted. If you want your cooking liquid to turn into a delicious broth while obtaining a juicy chicken, it is best to use the bone-in breast pieces with the skin on. However, if you want your chicken to be cooked in a short time, a boneless and skinless half chicken breast would be the best option. There isn’t anything too difficult in boiling chicken breast but there are a few tips you shoul