Trying to please the tastes of everyone in the family can be a challenge for a home cook. Pizza or fast food is always an option, but most versions are lacking in nutrition and can contribute to weight gain. The “Journal of the American Dietetic Association” published a study in April 2008 showing that parents feel family meals are important for conversation, shared nutrition and feelings of togetherness, but that the majority of these meals take place at full-service restaurants or involve fast food or take out. Making healthy foods at home does not have to be complicated or time-consuming. Appeal to kid and adult tastes with well-liked menu ideas.

Tacos make a family friendly meal. Improve on take-out versions by using soft whole wheat or corn tortillas to provide whole grains, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends make up half of all grain servings daily. Make a taco filling by sauteing garlic and onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Chop the onion finely so there are no large pieces to which kids might object. Add 1 1/4 lbs. of extra lean ground turkey, 1 tsp. of ground cumin, salt and pepper. When brown, add in a can of low-sodium tomato puree and a can of black beans for extra protein and fiber, as long as the kids do not object. Serve the black beans on the side if there are picky eaters. Offer taco toppings like low-fat shredded cheddar, low-fat sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce and caramelized onions so everyone can build their own. Have the kids mash avocado with lime juice and salt to serve on the side with carrot sticks and jicama slices. Make a dessert by cutting whole-wheat tortillas into four triangles and spray with nonstick cooking oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake at 400 degrees Farhenheit for about 6 minutes or until browned and crisped. Serve on their own or with low-fat rice pudding.
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Many parenting books and articles acknowledge the importance of praise as a tool for boosting a child’s self-confidence and shaping his behavior. However, not all children respond similarly to praise, and not all praise is equally valuable. You might be confused when your son smirks at the words you use to encourage him, but his reaction is normal for a boy, according to author and child development expert Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer. The next time your son seems anxious or angry when you throw praise his way, take an honest look at the words you’re using and your means of delivery. For your son’s sake — and to preserve or improve your relationship with him — be honest about your motives for using praise, consider your son’s feelings and adjust the way you’re expressing yourself.

Parents use praise to encourage desirable behavior, show approval and — in some cases — express love and support. As helpful as praise can be, too much of it can cause more harm than good, according to psychology professor and author Jim Taylor. If you praise every move your son makes, he might begin to wonder why you’re trying so hard to improve his self-image. As Hartley-Brewer writes in her book, “Praising Boys Well,” boys tend to be particularly suspicious of praise that comes too frequently and are likely to react with annoyance to praise that is too effusive. If your son looks squeamish when you praise him, make sure you’re not overdoing it. Be brief and to-the-point. If you sense he’s choking from positive attention or feels pressured to live up to an inflated image of who he is, take that as your cue to back off on the praise.
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At some point in their lives, most children go through a defiant phase in which they engage in verbal altercations with adults or other children. However, some children exhibit a pattern of violent behavior that can endanger themselves and those around them. Youth violence makes communities less safe, increases the cost of health care and is often accompanied by other problematic behaviors.

A 1999 landmark survey of U.S. high school students conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than a third of all students polled had been involved in a physical altercation. Male students were more likely to be involved in physical fighting: 44 percent of male high school students polled had been in a physical fight, whereas 27 percent of female high school students reported involvement in physical violence. The study also found that approximately one out of every seven students had been in a physical fight on school property, and that more than 10 percent polled had been injured badly enough to require medical attention.

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Vegetables play a critical role in a healthy pregnancy. They provide important nutrients — such as Vitamin C, potassium and folic acid — that your growing baby needs. They also contain fiber, which aids digestion and lowers your risk of developing hemorrhoids and constipation. You should eat 2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetables every day. Include in your diet leafy and dark-colored vegetables in a wide variety of colors so that you get as many nutrients as possible.

While bagged, leafy greens may appear to be a convenient way to fit more vegetables into your diet, they carry risks. Fresh produce isn’t sterile, points out the United States Department of Agriculture. Vegetables are exposed to disease-causing pathogens that naturally exist in their environment. Even worse, if they are grown with the aid of fertilizer made from animal feces, they are exposed to dangerous bacteria that appear in

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