Parent Club Calendar

• Check out the FREE events at Buskerfest (running Aug. 21-24) http://www.torontobuskerfest.com/ - located at St. Lawrence Market
  
• Special event at Casa Loma -- Your child can become a knight or a dame. Family events throughout the castle.
  
• Aug. 24 12pm-4pm Todomorden Mills opens to the Dog Days of Summer. Take your pet for contests, games and more.
  
  OR you could...
  
  
• shop for back to school clothes (yuck)
  
• go to the beach (yea)
  
• dig out the sweaters for fall (yuck)
  
• invite friends for dinner (yea)

Getting Set for September

If you get the Help!...We've Got Kids e-newsletters (which I write for Toronto and Vancouver) you will have already gotten some good starter information on getting set for September. If you haven't gotten that newsletter yet - shoot them an e-mail and a newsletter can be sent to your inbox - FREE.

Next week Parent Club will have articles on - school lunches (from lunch boxes to what's in them), school organization (mental and physical) and some special information for parents who will be staying home with a child this September.

Parent Club is read by tens of people everyday!

Cooking with Kids

Homemade Madeleines

Madeleines are a french butter cupcake. In Spain, they are eaten for breakfast. They come in various shapes like; cupcakes, shell and super mini-pound cake. Kids will love to make these simple cakes. They can measure, stir and roleplay a cooking show!

Homemade Madeleines
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes (Makes 24 Madeleines)

3 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
pinch of salt (if you like)

1. Preheat oven
2. In bowl; beat eggs, vanilla & sugar
3. Sift flour into mixture (not all at once; sift, mix, sift, mix)
4. Add lemon zest
5. Stir
6. Spoon into molds or muffin pan

Note:
• you can substitute orange zest for the lemon zest.
  
• You can also reduce butter and add orange juice for more liquid with less cholestoral.
  
• for chocolate Madeleines; omit lemon zest. Increase sugar to 1 cup. Add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.

Olympics - Honour Among Athletes

This is poor sportsmanship...



It shows lack of honour among athletes. The motto of the Olympics Citius, Altius, Fortius" - "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Nothing about egotism, bad loosing or jealousy.

There are Olympic dispute processes to go through; should an athlete have concern about his/her games. Throwing away a medal shows such a lack of humility. So he wanted the gold. He didn't get it. At least, he DID medal. He is an OLYMPIAN.
He ruined the moment for the other medal winners and the crowd. Taking away from the ceremony the support for the game itself.

Sad.

When Food is the Enemy at Birthday Parties

We once went to a birthday party where the birthday child had a sever peanut allergy . When the (homemade peanut-free) cake came out one child pulled out a container of dates and fruit.

"He can't have cake - no refined sugar".

Some studies have shown that children with autism can benefit from gluten-free, casein-free diet. Let's not forget; lactose which is intollerable to many.

At birthday parties, I think it is important to recognize that to some people (children and adults alike) some foods are the enemy to digestion. Trigger foods can cause discomfort - not what you want at a child's party.

One never knows the food restrictions of children. Giving plentiful choices is important at a birthday party; cake and a fruit tray. Cut veggies and pizza. Cheese and crackers. Popcorn and dry cereal. Juice and water.

Always ask parents - when they r.s.v.p. or drop their child off - if the child has any food allergies or sensitivies. Food can be the enemy - but it shouldn't be a party-pooper.