Have a holiday tea party this year

Teatime! It's as if it's just part of being a girl ... hats, little teacups, beads and bracelets. Girls of all ages love a fabulous tea party! There are so many great reasons to join up with our friends across the Atlantic and begin the tradition of afternoon tea EVERY day, but especially at the holidays, creating the tradition of a special holiday tea will provide a fabulous memory for our girls that will last a lifetime! Some of the benefits of planning a holiday tea: 1. It's fun! As I said above, girls of all ages LOVE the ritual of tea. Picture young ladies dressed in their holiday finery ... soft Christmas tunes playing in the background. There is something about pouring the liquid out of the pot into lovely cups... it's just a little slice of heaven. 2. It's peaceful. Be honest! This time of the year can be downright nutty at times and throughout most of the holiday season life is anything but peaceful. Provide a respite from the craziness of the holidays around a cup of tea. You'll see... peaceful.... ahhhhh, this is how the holidays should be! 3. It's memory building. Think of years from now when your girls will be recounting the fond memories of your holiday tea together. Better yet, imagine seeing your girls start the same tradition with their girls. 4. It's enriching. There is really no easier way to teach your young ladies manners than at a lovely tea table. Opportunities abound in teatime to show your little ladies how to be kind, quiet and caring, as well as how to use a fork, sip without slurping, etc. 5. It encourages conversation. What a great time to set aside and reminisce about old family traditions and memories of the holidays. Talk about favorite holidays of the past or memories of your grandparents' visits, etc. Now the last thing I want to do is create more stress for your holidays by throwing something difficult on you. Relaxing tea parties can be very simple and resources and books abound on the topic. Here are some easy steps to plan your first holiday tea. 1. Keep it small. Invite only your daughter's closest friends and limit it to just a few for this first tea. If you're inviting moms and daughters and can enlarge your dining room table, plan for a comfortable space between guests at the table. 2. Set your date. The typical English teatime is in the afternoon but that doesn't have to be the rule for the holidays. Find a time that works best for you and your guests, and limit the time to about a two-hour slot so the time in itself doesn't create stress for your guests. 3. Plan your menu. Again, simple is best. Scones, cucumber sandwiches, and a nice array of holiday cookies would make for the perfect tea menu. We always have some back up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too, just in case for the younger ones. 4. Send your invites. Keep them simple as well. Print them out with a fancy font on your computer and stamp with a poinsettia or other holiday image. Or use the wonderful clip art available online. Or, even better, if your girls enjoy drawing and you have time, make handmade invitations. 5. On the day of the tea, set an elegant table. This is the only part of our holiday tea where I'd say go elaborate rather than simple. Use your finest plates and teacups, cloth napkins and napkin rings if you have them. Have your girls make up place cards for each guest so as they come in they can be seated immediately. Turn on the holiday music and start the tea water to boiling as the guest arrive so it will be at it's freshest when you all sit. Most of all relax and enjoy the tea with your guests. This is not an event where you'll want to be getting up and down. Pour out and begin sharing your favorite holiday memories. Start with a holiday tea this year and you'll see... it will become an annual tradition not to be missed!

About fatherhood

For most of us, our first father is God. A large majority of the world considers God as their father; or rather call God as their father. God is father to all in such believing families. What about biological fathers? How does one become a good father? What are the yardsticks by which we measure the goodness of a father? This is a subject for discussion and application of thought. Who is the final judge about the goodness of the father? The mother? The children? The society? What qualities should a man possess to be called a good father? These questions generate a bigger debate. Can a mother judge her husband about his goodness as a father? That judgment can depend on so many probabilities. What are her yardsticks? How was her father? What are her beliefs? Do these beliefs match those of her husband? How much does she love her husband and her children? If it comes to taking sides, whose side will she take? Will it be a well thought-out decision or one colored by many other factors? Can the father judge his own goodness? What may be correct according to him, may be wrong according to her children? The man carries his psychological baggage and many times may be prejudging and expecting responses. Generation gap plays a bigger role. As the world progresses, priorities, tastes, values, everything undergoes change. Therefore a man himself cannot pronounce himself as a good father. Children will contest that, if he does not accept their beliefs. Which child will call his father a good father, if the father has set ideas about partying, relationships, studies, etc. Can the children judge their father? That is difficult to believe. The children surely wish for a father who not only agrees with their ideas, but supports them in all possible ways in enjoying life. What if a child is such that he believes that enjoying life is more important than studying for examinations? If we think more about this subject, it will result into more confusion. What is to be thought about fatherhood and how does one become a good father? The best way out might be to accept the generation gap, listen to children before giving orders, have a fair debate on all important issues, and tell children exactly about values that will decide the final action. After doing all this, one should simply do one's duty and leave the rest to prayers. And before attempting to become a good father, one should first become a good man. A drug addict can never become a good father, nor a habitual liar.

10 Ways to make sure your child s toys are safe

The whole scenario behind the invention of toys is that they are to be enjoyed, but part of that enjoyment includes making sure the toys are safe for your children. There are 10 simple steps that you can take to ensure that your child enjoys his/her toys while taking the appropriate steps to make sure they are safe. Follow the age recommendations on the package. This information is typically written in smaller print and is often located in a lower corner, or back, of the box. If the toy contains small parts, consider your child’s behavior before purchasing. Even if he/she is in the age range recommended by the manufacturer, parents must consider whether or not their child behaves mature enough to handle the toy and it’s parts. Never leave a child unattended when playing with a toy that features small parts. Even if you step away for a minute, that may be all that it would take for your child to decide to put the toy in his/her mouth. This can be very dangerous, so always provide as much supervision as possible while your child is playing with his/her toys and even more so if they feature any small parts. At the same time, never allow children to run with any toys that have sharp or protruding points. Never allow the child to put toys in his/her mouth. If the child were to swallow any part of the toy, or accessories, the result could be tragic. If you see the child putting his/her toys in their mouth, remove them immediately while saying “no” in a firm voice. It is not necessary to take the toys away from the child, but they should be closely supervised. Pay close attention to consumer safety department notices and product recalls. This information is very important because it provides updated information as to the safety of certain products, along with any that have been recently found to have defects. In the latter case, a product recall may be issued in order to avoid injuries. Never allow a child to play with toys that have been recalled or are not deemed to be safe. Make sure that any drawing markers, paint or crayons that you purchase are non-toxic. On every product that has been tested and is proven to be non-toxic, the label will indicate any such findings. Look closely on the back of the packaging in search of this seal before buying these types of art accessories. If a toy is painted, make sure that the paint is not coming off. This could be dangerous if the child were to put the toys in his/her mouth or if it were to get in their eyes, so be very mindful of chipping or peeling paint. Make sure toys and dolls are flame retardant. This is very important for the obvious reasons and to protect the safety of your child. Make sure that the toys are an authentic product and not a cheap imitation, which may indicate cheaper manufacturing. When shopping for toys, always make sure that you are getting what you pay for. Monitor the message or rating that a toy or video game is promoting. These days, so many toys are promoting unhealthy messages or ideals. It is important to monitor the toys that your child enjoys in order to make sure that the influences they are getting are the best for their age.