Hersheypark Here We Come

What a great trip to Hershey, PA the boys and I had!

I can't say enough good things about Hershey Lodge. It was absolutely beautiful, family-friendly, and just a great experience. From all the chocolate handed to you to the children's hotel check-in area and Reese's giant chocolate bar walking around shaking kids' hands, to the indoor and outdoor pools and all the activities available, to the coffee/bakery and fabulous restaurants (and even S'mores cookouts!) we really had a great time at the hotel. I loved the chocolate ketchup for dipping my fries!

The room we stayed in was absolutely gorgeous with great amenities. The hotel staff was really friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. The best part to me of staying at that hotel (or Hotel Hershey) is the free, convenient, and quick shuttle service back and forth to Hershey Park.

As for Hershey Park, we needed two days and could've done three: one for the rides, one for the water park (Hershey Boardwalk) and a third for the zoo and entertainment. The kids' favorite part had to be the wave pool....I couldn't get them out of there! The Park was so clean and a really nice, safe, and wonderful place to take children. All in all, I'd highly recommend this road trip (approximately three hours by car) as a great family destination for fun times and great memories!

Money Doesn't Grow On Trees

From the book "Let's Get Real About Money!" by Eric Tyson, here are ways to teach kids that money doesn't grow on trees (especially right now!) :

- Realize that kids learn what they live. When you ring up a load of credit card debt and fail to save anything, that's what your kids come to see as normal.
- De-program your kids. Let them know that it's not a good idea to run up debt just so that it's easy to 'buy now'.
- An allowance is a great teaching tool. Teach them how to earn money and be responsible with saving, investing, and spending it. Experts say a great time to start is in the five-to-seven age range. You can even teach them about mutual funds and picking stocks.
- Reduce their exposure to commercials. Enough said.
- Find entertaining ways to teach good money habits. One recommended book for younger kids is "The Berenstein Bears Get the Gimmies". For late elementary school-aged kids there's the book "Quest for the Pillars of Wealth" by J.J. Pritchard. It's a chapter book that teaches personal finance concepts through an engaging adventure story. You could also get them a subscription to "Zillions", a kids' magazine from the publishers of Consumer Reports.
- Teach them how to shop wisely. Comparison shop and use coupons in front of them.
- And, finally, encourage older kids to get a job. Even if it's a paper route or yard/lawn work.

"Spit Germs"

So here's one I never thought of until this past weekend when I had a birthday party for my boys. Someone brought it to my attention, so I'll pass it along to you as a simple question and let you ponder the implications:

Have you ever stopped to think about how many spit germs are spread out over a birthday cake when the candles are blown out?

Excellence In Customer Service

I want to thank Greg from Shop Rite for going above and beyond when it comes to customer service.

In case you missed us talking about this on the air this week, I had a 'bright idea' yesterday while walking around Shop Rite. The kids were playing in the childcare center there so I had time to leisurely shop, and I saw a sign in the bakery about getting a picture scanned on a birthday cake, and I thought that would be a great idea for my kids' party. Problem is, I had to do it by that day since the party's this weekend and they need a few days' notice.

So, not having my camera on me, I went over to the photo department and asked the guy behind the counter if he could possibly help me do something a little 'unusual'. I asked him if he had a camera on him (he had his cell phone camera) and if he could help me take some Webkinz out of the case and 'pose' them for a portrait. He very graciously spent time with me asking the Webkinz to smile for the camera (ha!) until he got the right shot, then edited it and printed it for me to take over to the bakery to place the cake order in time. How's that for someone going the extra mile for a customer he never met? So, thanks again, Greg! The boys will be thrilled to see their Webkinz on their birthday cake.

SIte For Kids

If you're looking for family entertainment.....anything from indoor playgrounds to where the have your kids' birthday parties....check out gokidsnj.com. You'll find events from all over our state. The website was started by a Jackson electronics engineer when he and his wife became parents and started looking for things to do for kids.

Riding In A Pedicab

I've seen them all over Manhattan in the past few years, but not locally. So the boys and I were thrilled this weekend when we decided to take a long walk at the beach and lake and then realized we were too tired to get where we were going but too tired to make it home in the muggy heat. That's when a 'pedicab' pulled up and we hopped in!

It was a guy on a bike pulling a little shaded carriage for the three of us to ride in and the kids got the biggest kick out of it! I hope this idea catches on, 'cause there are always those times when you can't park close to the beach and you'd give anything not to have to hike two miles with the children! W

hat a great way to get across town, too, especially if you'd like a drink or two during one of those summer celebrations and don't want to drive! Thanks to Kevin and Diving Duck Cab Co. I wasn't stranded with my kids!

Hottest Celebrity Dads

Just in time for Father's Day, here's a list of the Hottest Celebrity Dads, based on both sex appeal and how hands-on they are:

Mark Consuelos
Tobey Maguire
Tom Cruise
Gavin Rossdale
Patrick Dempsey
Seal
Joel Madden
Ben Afflek
Ryan Phillipe
Matt Damon
Will Smith
Johnny Depp
David Beckham
and....number one...Brad Pitt

Cleaning Safety Tips

The New Jersey Poison Information and Education System has issued some cleaning safety tips. Even if you think you know better, there are some interesting ideas on this list, especially the last one.

- Good ventilation is key in getting harsh fumes from cleaning products out of the house. Simply opening a window is not enough to eliminate dangerous fumes or odors. An exhaust fan can help eliminate the fumes and circulate fresh air.

- Read the labels on household cleaning products. DO NOT mix products

- two products combined can produce toxic results and put you in the hospital before you know it.

- Try to clean when kids and pets are NOT present. Keep products locked up and clean up all spills immediately and thoroughly. Common cleaning products that can be poisonous include furniture polish, oven cleaner, and window cleaner.

- Try to use natural cleaners to limit air pollution in your home. Try vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.

- Test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to make sure they're working. Change your batteries twice a year.

- Make sure to throw away medicines that are not being used. Check expiration dates frequently on all over-the-counter and prescription medications. Combine expired or leftover medicines with used coffee grounds, kitty litter, or something else bad-tasting to children and animals. Place this in a coffee can with a lid, and discard with your household trash.

Constantine Maroulis Visit

We had a great time having Constantine Maroulis on our morning show. He's even better now than he was on American Idol! His voice is amazing, he looks hotter than ever, and he grew up doing theatre here. He's now back for a limited run in "Jesus Christ Superstar" here in Monmouth County. In fact, check our website for info on how you can hear Constantine's interview and win tickets to see him at the Henderson Theater. If you'd like to get tickets now, go to premiertheatre.com or call 732-774-STAR. The Henderson Theatre is on rt. 520 (Newman Springs Rd.) in Lincroft. (Parkway exit 109, or one turn off rts. 35, 34, 18, or 9! Show dates for "Jesus Christ Superstar" are Fri. and Sat. June 13 & 14, Thurs. - Sun. June 19 - 22, and Thurs. - Sat. June 26 - 28. All performances are at 8 pm, with matinees at 2 pm Sun. the 21st and Sat. the 28th.

premiertheatre.com/

The Next Survivor...

This is a great email sent to me from a listener:

The next Survivor Series will be about six married men dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for 6 weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music, dance, or swim lessons.
There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids, keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives and send cards out on time--no emailing.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment, and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient stop per child as well, possibly for a bathroom break or even an emergency-room visit.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a school function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside, and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails and toenails polished and eyebrows groomed, spray tan, wax when necessary, and find time to exercise.

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once slow down from their duties.

They must hold down a job, attend PTO meetings and find time at least once a week to spend the afternoon at the park with the kids.

They will need to read a book a night, or more, to the kids and in the morning feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7 a.m.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size, and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear, and what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote the dads off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

The winner gets to play the game over and over again for the next 18 - 25 years eventually earning the right to be called "Mother".

Getting Beach Ready For The Summer

Seems like common sense, but worth repeating.

Here's advice from doctors at Meridian on getting your family 'Beach-Ready' this summer.

-Think about packing these items:- sandals to protect the bottom of your feet- hats, sunglasses, and SPF 15 sunscreen (or higher, even on cloudy days)
- an umbrella or canopy for shade- bottles of water to stay cool and hydrated
- loose-fitting clothing
- a cooler with ice packs to keep cold foods at or below 40 degrees F
- moist towelettes to clean handsTo avoid mishaps:- stay only where there's a lifeguard on duty
- look for warning flags in case it's not safe to swim
- keep little ones no more than an arm's length away
- if you get stuck in a current or riptide, don't try to swim against it, but across it.
- toss perishable food if it has sat out for more than two hours
- teach the kids not to touch crabs, jellyfish, etc.
- keep the beach clean!

Experts also remind you that if you're planning to be on a boat:
- make sure the operator is not drinking alcohol
- check the weather forecast first
- make sure everyone on the boat wears life jackets
- keep a first-aid kit aboard- only boat with an experienced operator
- make sure there's a radio or cell phone to call for help

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!