Elyria Schools all-day kindergarten growing again

Lisa Roberson

The Chronicle-Telegram

ELYRIA – Elyria Schools’ full-day kindergarten program is once again growing.

What started out 11 years as just 11 classrooms at the district’s administrative building in what was christened Kindergarten Village will grow to 25 classrooms at six locations throughout the district next school year. Due to the success of the program, the district is adding full-day kindergarten at both Ely and McKinley elementary schools next year, said Mark Sutter, director of academic services.

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Healthy, safe (and yes, cheap) finger foods

My daughter has mastered the art of picking up pieces of food (or non-food) and stuffing them in her mouth in less than a second. Because of this, I’ve been reduced to eating salads in my bedroom closet to avoid her snatching my Craisins and tomatoes.

I’ve found that providing her with a tray full of finger foods gives her enough of a distraction to let me down at least a bite or two. But with only two bottom teeth, I worry about her choking and reading the nutritional information on the back of prepackaged “baby finger foods” does not inspire confidence.

So I’ve been on a mission to find the most nutritious, and safe, finger foods. Here’s the best list that I’ve come across, from Lilsugar.com.

Dish out fun in the kitchen with cookbooks, recipes for kids

Open your own culinary school in the kitchen by exploring some of the recipes in these easy-to-follow cookbooks for kids. With these recipes, your family can learn new skills and travel the world — all for a few dollars.

“The Spatulatta Cookbook”

by Isabella and Olivia Gerasole

Scholastic, 2007

For ages: 8 and up

Given the James Beard Award for Excellence, this cookbook stars Liv and Belle — two grade-school-age girls who have taught kids to cook online. The book starts out discussing basic skills that chefs need for the kitchen. Moms and dads will be pleased that new chefs...

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Family meals matter: Celebrate spring

From MealsMatter.org

At Meals Matter, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb chop! Celebrate the arrival of spring with a family meal of Savory Lamb Chops, Parslied Potatoes, a Fresh Vegetable Salad and Strawberry Cornmeal Muffin Cakes.

Other recipes this week are guaranteed to put a spring in your step. Each recipe falls into our “Make Ahead” category. For instance, make a double batch of the kid-friendly Polynesian Chicken Tenders to enjoy for dinner this week and freeze the rest for dinner sometime later. Have a team meeting or a crowd to feed? Tomato Sauce with Ricotta and Herbs serves up to 24. The California Cheese Strata, Sunny Chicken Salad and Baked Orzo with Mushroom, Chives and...

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How to bug your kids to death

Recently, our school librarian gave my son a copy of the book, “101 Ways to Bug Your Parents.” It was an old copy and she told him he could keep it.

This was really annoying to a parent whose children were already naturally talented in this regard. I was tempted to take that book over to the librarian’s house, and give it to her kids.

This volume has all sorts of fabulous ideas like, “Ask for a big breakfast and then say you’re not hungry.” Or, “Use all the hot water in the shower.” It’s not like children need lessons on this stuff. They do just fine with no instruction at all.

But, occasionally, when my rugrats have been particularly aggravating, I want to exact my own revenge....

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Two Mass. men catch toddler after 40-foot fall

LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) — Two Massachusetts men are being hailed as heroes by police for catching a toddler who fell 40 feet from a home’s third-story window.

Robert Lemire tells the Eagle-Tribune that he was talking on his cell phone Sunday evening outside a pizza shop in Lawrence, about 25 miles north of Boston, when he saw the toddler dangling from a window across the street.

The 45-year-old father of two bolted across a busy street, where he met 23-year-old Alex Day, who had been inside the home at a Bible study meeting. Together, they caught the 18-month-old before she hit the ground.

The child’s father was caring for a newborn at the time.

Police Chief John Romero...

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From a sadness, gifts to others

Heather Wheeler knows the loneliness and devastation too well. With the stillbirth of her second son, Grant Kelton Wheeler, on Feb. 4, 2007, she entered a sorority no one would choose, a motherhood united in loss.

Now she wants to help other families whose babies have died before, during or just after birth.

“I wanted to make something good out of something bad,” says Wheeler, 34. “I remember saying that to one of my nurses. He will not be forgotten. But you have a tremendous amount of grief to get through first.

“I came home, and I longed for that blanket he’d been wrapped in. I cried myself to sleep at night longing for something he’d touched. It was a huge regret that I hadn’t asked...

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Dear Babs: Can my son keep us his college GPA?

My son is going to University of Kentucky in the fall and I am worried that he will become distracted by his newfound freedom. He’s had some trouble in the past focusing when there are social distractions. I don’t expect him to live like a monk, but if I’m footing the bill, I don’t want him to squander his education on parties. Maybe I’m overreacting, but do you have motivational advice, for both me and for him?

— Meddling Mommy

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Dear Meddling,

Freshman year of college can be an exciting and challenging time for a teen. They are thrust into a totally new environment, forced to make friends from scratch, and expected to study to boot. You are not wrong to...

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Dear husband …

Dear Husband,

Can you please stop with the damn “eat your food” tirades at the kids at meal time? We offer them healthy food for the most part and forcing them to clean their plate just makes everyone miserable. They are not going to starve themselves. I promise. They will eventually like vegetables if we keep just putting it in front of them and talking about how yummy they are. You are making family dinner no fun at all for our Silicon Valley family.

I know it’s frustrating when they don’t eat, but the yelling and bribery is not working. Stop putting so much focus on what they eat and I guarantee you will notice a difference. Denying them a glass of milk until they finish their dinner is just silly.

A bully on the pre-school playground

My little girl is 3. I know someday she’ll face the minor traumas that befall us all in junior high. And I expect a healthy dose of dramatic hormones and attitude when she hits her teen years. And maybe make that more than a healthy dose - payback can be brutal and I remember what I was like at age 15. I think I’m probably in for it.

But I’m not ready for any bully to be pestering, pulling, or punching my innocent young preschooler. My gentle little Kenzie has mentioned all year that a certain somebody on occasion hits, pushes, or scratches her. I didn’t think much of her stories as I figured its all part of growing up. And really, what could I do about it anyhow?

As a concerned Mother, I’d always ask if she was...

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