4 mins read

Five Best Practices for School Success

“You don’t have to make it perfect, but you can make it great.” – Alessio, my 5-year old son, advising his frustrated little sister on why her squiggly lines are okay in her first attempts at writing the alphabet

It’s back-to-school time again.  In families across America the homework showdowns have already begun.   Parents struggle with homework almost as much as kids do.  After a full day at school, it’s hard to get …

3 mins read

The Best Way to Cook Boneless Shoulder Steak

A boneless shoulder steak is a specific cut of meat that comes from the chuck shoulder roast. The steak is cut about an inch thick and normally weighs around 10 ounces. The cut is quite flavorful and relatively inexpensive; however, it can be a little tough since it contains very little fat. You should not…

5 mins read

Be Your Kid’s Best Parent, Not Their Best Friend!

Mom, are you my friend? (and we are not talking Facebook Friend here.) Those are the 5 words my son asked me. That small question made me think – how do I want to answer this? It had me pondering what other mothers thought about the idea of being their childs friend. But before I share their thoughts, let me tell you my own. “No, I am not your friend, I am your mom, is what I told my 10-year-old son. But the conversation didnt stop there – he went on to ask me if I was friends with my own parents. That one was an easy answer – “No” – and although my parents weren’t always perfect, one thing they definitely did do right is that they never tried to be my friend (at least until I became an adult).