Disciplining The Kids

Here are some positive discipline ideas from the experts when you have trouble getting your child to listen:

1. Avoid at all costs saying "No, No, No, No, No. Yes." This just teaches children to hold out to get their way. So does putting up with crying until we can't stand it and then giving in.

2. Stop what you are doing and go to your child. Put down the phone, stop the car, ask the hundred shoppers behind you to wait, or come out of the shower dripping wet in a towel and covered in soap. When you stop what you are doing and go to your child, you are acknowledging the inapporpriate behavior when it happens and correcting your child immediately follwing their actions.

3. Speak to your child at eye-level. Get down on your knees, lean over, or sit on the floor together.

4. Validate your child's feelings. When your child has misbehaved, let him know that you understand or you are trying to understand how he feels. Validate his emotions or intentions. "I know you wanted that toy, but your brother was playing with it." Speak in a normal tone of voice.

5. When you are upset with your child, try not to yell or raise your voice. Use a positive, firm, natural tone of voice. Explain to your child in simple terms what he did wrong. He may not know.

6. Redirect your child. Guide your child to a new activity. "You can build with blocks. But you can't play with blocks if you throw them. You can throw a ball instead."

7. When your young child is having a tantrum, remember that he is still learning to control his emotions and actions. I'm sure there have been several occasions when you wanted to lay down at the checkout aisle of the supermarket and kick and scream.

8. Don't beat yourself up when you voilate all of these guidelines. Perfect parenting is rare. Do the best you can and don't give up.

Fun Horoscopes

Although I don't follow daily horoscopes, I found some of these descriptions to be eerily accurate! Just thought I'd share them for fun:

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): The Go-Getter. Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be unfriendly at times. Holds grudges. Likes competition. Gets what they want.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): The Sweetheart. Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique. Eccentric personality.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20): The Dreamer. Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Doesn't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser.

Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr. 19). The Daredevil. Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse; easily angered. Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Loses interest quickly; easily bored. Egotistical. courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.

Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20): The Enduring one. Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm -hearted. Strong; has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Patient and reliable. Makes great friends and gives good advice. Loving and kind. Falls in love hard and passionately. Expresses themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper tantrums. Determined. Indulges themselves often. Very generous.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20): The Chatterbox. Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable. But needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Likes change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22): The Protector. Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): The Boss. Very organized. Needs order in their life. Likes being in control. Likes boundaries. Tends to take over everything. Bossy. Likes to help others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. Doing the right thing is important to Leos.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): The Perfectionist. Dominant in relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): The Harmonizer. Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have their own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hate to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving. Flirtatious. Gives in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): The Intense One. Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Determined. Loves being in long relationships. Talktative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and emotional.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): The Happy-Go-Lucky One. Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries aned gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient. Fun to be around. Has lots of friends. Flirtatious. doesn't like rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted.

Picking A Summer Camp

Now's the time for sign-ups, so here are some tips for choosing summer day camps from a great article I read in e -family news:

Application process:

Does the camp have flexible schedules?
What are the hours of operation?
What are the camp's opening and closing dates?
What is the deadline for submitting applications?

Tuition and Fees:

What is the tuition and is there also a registration fee?
What is included in the tuition: transportation, meals, insurance, special trips, entrance fees, health services, use of equipment?
Ask the camp director to itemize any services for which an additional fee is required.
Is there also a membership fee?
Must the parent join the sponsoring organization in order for the child to participate?
How and when is tuition paid? By week, month, session?
Are scholarships available?

Children:

Are there methods for keeping track of each child and making sure every camper receives attention?
How will my child be grouped?
What activities does the camp offer in my child's age group?
What is the daily routine?
Are there enough activities to keep children involved, but also opportunities for quiet, down times?
Do children get to choose activities?
What takes place outdoors?
What takes place indoors?
Are there field trips, enrichment activities, or sports included?

Parent Involvement:

Are parents welcome at the camp anytime?
Are there opportunitits for parents to participate?
How does the camp receive parents' opinions, ideas, suggestions, and concerns?
Are there some parents I can call for references?

Staff:

How are camp counselors and other staff members hired?
What are their qualifications and experiences?
What background checks to they undergo?
What are the counselors' duties?
Are counselors hired for short periods or for the entire summer?
What is the ratio between staff and campers?
Is the staff knowledgeable, professional, enthusiastic, and caring?

Communication:

How can I receive information about what my child is doing?
What are the specific rules the kids must follow, and what are the consequences for not following those rules?
How am I informed if a child breaks the rules?

Environment:

Is the facility and outdoor environment safe and clean?
Is the environment inviting, exciting, and fun, but also warm and nurturing?
Are there adequate supplies and equipment?

Meals:

Are lunches provided by the camp? Ask for a sample menu in advance.
Are snacks provided during the day? What kind?
Are special meals available?

References:

Ask for references.

For more information and advice on choosing camps, visit:The American Camping AssociationThe National Camp Association

Second Annual New Jersey Beach Survey

Voting begins today for the Second Annual New Jersey Top ten Beaches Survey!

Go to njtoptenbeaches.org to vote for your favorite. Voting begins today at noon and runs through midnight on May 1st. The survey results will be announced May 21st. My personal favorites? Sea Girt, followed by the strip of beach/boardwalk that runs through Spring Lake, Belmar, Avon, and Bradley Beach. Summer.....hurry up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Little Things...And The Big Things

Things big and little that continue to annoy girls about guys, according to the latest 'Liz' survey, as featured on our morning show last week:

Here's are the results:

The little things:

- They leave dirty dishes in the sink (sometimes even dirty paper plates!)
- They leave dirty dishes on the table or in the living room or anywhere else in the house without even BRINGING THEM to the sink.
- They are freer with spitting, passing gas, and burping than girls are, sometimes even getting a kick out of themselves for doing so.....but they DON'T think it's 'ladylike' for girls to do the same (not that we would!)
- They throw dirty clothes in the direction of the hamper instead of IN it, or, even worse, just leave the dirty clothes wherever they were taken off, even if that's in the middle of the living room rug.
- They don't change the toilet paper roll when they use the last of it.
-They genuinely don't seem to mind the messiness they create or feel the urge to clean it up.

The bigger things:
- They make jokes when you're trying to make a point.
- They always think they are right even when they clearly aren't.
- They don't jump up to help with their crying babies or to change poopy diapers.
- They forget to say sweet things to you or get you little gifts anymore, taking you for granted more and more as the years go by...unless, of course, they want something.
- They don't call when they say they will and then don't understand why that upsets you.
- They sometimes tell what they consider little white lies so as to avoid hurting your feelings or incriminating themselves.
- They say they're listening when they're really just nodding and not paying attention.
- They have a way of defending themselves that somehow twists things around to make YOU feel like YOU'RE the one that's wrong.
- They still leave the bulk of the house chores to the woman regardless of whether or not she also has a job outside the home.

Dave Carey Returns To The Point

A boy who came on the air on The Point when he was 13 years old, and who suffered with Leukemia as a child, has now gone on to good health, college, and following his dreams of being a rock star!

We so enjoyed having Dave Carey (and his bandmate Matt) on the air with us this morning and playing their song. The name of his band is Just Enough and they took first place in the first round of Battle of the Bands in Asbury at The Saint recently. We wish Dave and his bandmates the best of luck! You can check them out on their new website justenough5.bravehost.com

Pros & Cons Of Popular Diets

Some health and fitness experts comment about the following diets:

Jenny Craig (ready-made meals and snacks without thinking)
Pros - A balanced, calorie-controlled diet with weekly consultations in-person or by phone.
Cons - The meals can get expensive and repetitive. You might learn a bit about portion control, but not how to count calories on your own.

The Zone (one gram of fat, two of protein, three of carbs)
Pros - These are generally healthy, balanced meals promoting fat loss and reducing cholesterol
Cons - Grain-based carbs are lumped in with fruits and veggies, and delivered meals can get expensive.

Weight Watchers (based on a points system)
Pros - Information-driven discussions, weigh-ins, food tracking journals, online options, and meetings for support. people can stay on it for years and keep lean.
Cons - You have to pay for meetings, tools cost extra, and even though all foods have points they don't necessarily have nutritional value.

Mediterranean Diet (olive oil, veggies, even red wine)
Pros - Linked to several health benefits like a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, home cooking makes it relatively inexpensive, and flavorful foods will keep you from feeling deprived.
Cons - you can overdo calories and fats if you're not careful.

South Beach Diet (a strict, three-phase program)
Pros - A diet that most can follow if they stick to the rules.
Cons - The diet is too restrictive and unhealthy in the first two phases and lacks essential nutrients. Don't start this diet if you're not going to finish.

Atkins (Increase proteins, limit carbs)
Pros - A quick shed of pounds can be encouraging, but it's water weight first.
Cons - Long-term health effects of excess protein include high cholesterol, kidney abnormalities and possibly even cancer risks