The Supreme Court ruling upholding The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has resulted in a number of changes to the tax code.
 
The major provisions are taking effect in 2013 are:

·  An additional .9% Medicare tax on wages above $200,000 ($250,000 for married joint returns)

·  A new 3.8% Medicare tax on investment income. Investment income includes interest, dividends, rents, annuity income and capital gains (including taxable principal residence sales). 

·  An increase in the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limit for deductible medical expenses from 7.5% to 10%.

·  The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit will continue.  This offers a credit for employers that:

                o  Pay at least half of employee health insurance premiums
                o  Employ 25 or fewer full time equivalents (FTE)
                o  FTE average income is less than $50,000

In 2014 additional provisions take effect:

·   The Individual Mandate starts. It requires US Citizens obtain minimum health care coverage or pay a tax penalty. The penalty increases each year through 2016.

·  An additional tax will be imposed on businesses with 50 or more full time equivalents (FTE) employees
that do not offer minimum essential health insurance.

If you have any questions, please contact Gary at his office: 508-540-3683 or email him at INFO@DELLAPOSTACPA.COM  He

Early Rising – the most common question I get asked about, second only to night waking.
 
Waking before 6am is too early for everyone and it throws off your child’s entire daytime schedule.  In some cases the early rising has an easy fix – maybe it is too light in the room at the wee hours.  Possibly the birdies are singing their songs at your child’s window.  These issues can be fixed with room darkening shades or black out curtains.  Ideally the room should be as dark at 4am as it is at 9pm.  A white noise machine in your child’s room is a simple solution to the external noises.
 
But it usually isn’t so easy!  When your child stirs, go to her quickly and try to get her back to sleep before she screams herself awake.  Try to soothe her back to sleep while still in her crib and without picking her up. If she doesn’t go back to sleep again, and she likely won’t at first, do not turn on the lights or get her out of the crib until 6am.  If you do, the early rising will continue and possibly the waking will get earlier and earlier.
 
If she hasn’t gone back to sleep after a bit of reassurance from you – then either stay in her room and have minimal interaction (sit in the chair with your eyes closed) or if you being there encourages her to be more awake you can leave the room and check on her at intervals that you feel comfortable with (every 10 or
15mins perhaps).   When it is finally 6am, you leave the room (if you haven’t already) and come back after a minute, to start your morning routine.  Be dramatic and emphasize that it is morning time.
 
If your child is over 2yo you could get a children’s alarm clock.  There are several types available - sun/moon, bunny sleeping/bunny awake, light changes colors …  at the time you set it to change.  The clock my girls have in their room turns green at the time I have set for them. Our sleep manners include ‘ do not get out of bed before your clock turns green’.  If you are not 200% consistent with the clock then your child will not take it seriously  either.  Like above, you go to them quickly when they wake and say: ‘sweetie, your clock isn’t green it’s not morning/wakie time’.  
 
Napping with an early riser can be tricky as too early of a morning nap can engrain the early rising!  If she is over 6mo the recommendation is no morning nap before 8am.   If she is over 9mo, no morning nap before 9am.  If she is on 1 nap, no nap before 12noon. Otherwise she will be overtired at bedtime and the cycle
continues.
  
Here are the four causes of Early Rising:
 
1)  Too late of a bedtime - for the 1st 5 years of a child's life bedtime is usually between 7-8pm!
 
2)  Not enough napping - too late of a bedtime and skipped or short naps will create, early rising, more night waking and poor quality of sleep and an overtired and fussy child. Well napped children sleep better at night too! Not logical but sooo true.

3) Too long between end of afternoon nap and bedtime - in order to catch the 7-8pm bedtime, you need to monitor how long of a sleep window there is between the end of afternoon/last nap and bedtime. There are general guidelines that are appropriate for most children. Under 6 months of age the last nap should end about 4.30/5pm. From 6-9 months most still need that short catnap before bed  and can usually handle a 2-3hr window to bedtime. From 9 to 18 month (if  sleeping through the night and napping well) most can handle a 4hr window to bedtime. From 2 yrs. we usually recommend that the nap end by 3-3.30 to preserve bedtime.

4)  Going to bed too drowsy - if they can't put themselves to sleep without help at bedtime, the easiest time of the day for independent sleep ... how are they  going to be able to put themselves back to sleep without your help at 4am (the hardest time of the day)? Start by teaching independent sleep at bedtime.
 
You must be 100% consistent in your response with your early bird  ... as early rising takes weeks of consistency and patience for the behavior to change.

If  you have been 100% consistent in your response and are doing everything above correctly, then I would look at a medical reason for the rising. Sleep apnea is frequently over looked in children and can cause a very suborn early waking.  Speak to your child’s doctor if you suspect any medical reasons for the waking.

I  wish you and your family sweet dreams and later mornings!
 
Michelle is a a Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Certified Gentle Sleep Coach who offers parents a gentle and loving approach to their sleep problems.  Through her years as a therapist, a mother and a sleep coach, Michelle’s approach offers tired parents an alternative to the cry it out method.  Her proven solutions are medically and developmentally appropriate and look at all aspects of your child to gently get them the sleep that is so important to the entire  family.

Michelle Donaghy, Pediatric Sleep Consultant – Certified Gentle Sleep Coach
Cell: 714 651 5116 ~ Fax: 267-382-2070
Making Sweet Dreams ~ Sleep Coaching for Children
gentlesleepcoach@gmail.com ~ www.makingsweetdreams.com

Do you ever feel like no one listens to you?  Do you hear your Self repeating the same ultimatums over and over again?  Do you sometimes feel like throwing  your hands in the air and giving up??  Do you feel like you never get the  respect you desire or deserve?

Whether you’re at home or at work, respect can be a real thorn for those of  us with confidence issues, past or present.  It seems nearly impossible to get  people to cooperate when you can’t even get them to listen, right??

Believe me, I know what I’m talking about here.

As a dance teacher and occasional substitute teacher in the past, I’ve often  wrestled with getting a roomful of noisy students to settle down and listen up.  Part of my struggle is my low tone of voice, but previously my struggles  centered around uncertainty and low confidence.

So, how did I change things, you ask?

First of all, I worked on building up my courage.  I just jumped in with both feet and kept on putting my Self into situations that would force me to grow and  force me to command respect.

For instance, I just finished choreographing a community theater production  of Cabaret (have I mentioned this recently?…lol), during which conflicting personalities and styles of learning combined with limited
rehearsal  time often resulted in a few unhappy, resentful dancers who were sometimes  unwilling to accept me as the teacher.

Sigh.

Well, if our audiences are any indication, we have all succeeded despite our  trials and challenges, despite our issues with giving and getting respect.

So, what is my formula for getting respect? I hear you asking me.  Here is my  awesome-sauciness recipe:

1)  Talk to your Self with respect
If you don’t, then really, who will??

2)  Surround your Self with other people who treat you with  respect
Kind of obvious, no?  Even if this seems impossible in your  current circumstances, vow to ignore your haters.  Treat them like the crickets they are — silent whenever you get too close.

3)  Treat others with respect
Duh.

4)  Step up to the plate
Be the lion.  Practice courage daily.  Take a chance on doing something you really want to do.  Stand up for 
what you believe in, for a friend, for your Self.  Speak up.  Speak your truth,  your OWN truth.  Stop avoiding conflict, embrace it and learn from it.  Courage  is a muscle — build it, flex it, keep it limber.

 5)  Follow through
If you say you’re going to do  something, do it.  If you threaten to punish your kids with no TV for a week,   stick to it.  If you promise to reward them for something, do so.  Be a person  true to your word.


6)  Accomplish, finish things
Don’t leave stuff undone. Once you buy the paint to re-do your bathroom walls, get out the brushes and
get  painting!  If you take a class (or your child does), then finish it — don’t make  excuses to bow out and quit.  Goes hand in glove with #5.

7)  Ditch perfection
It’s really okay to be in the  learning stages of things while you’re learning things.  It’s really okay if your house isn’t perfectly clean all. the. time.  It’s really okay if your  relationship or marriage isn’t as perfectly passionate as it was back in the day.  Priorities shift, life goes in cycles, things and people change.  Respect 
change and it will respect you.

 Is feeling respected important to you?  Do you feel like you get enough respect at home and/or at work?  Hit REPLY and tell me about it.  The more I  know about your challenges and successes, the better I can help 
 you!

*Pamela earned her Certified Professional Coach (CPC) credential from Fowler-Wainwright International and her BA in English Literature  from Georgetown  University. She has been writing and teaching professionally  for over 20 years but continues to learn and improve her talents, gifts and  skills with experience and training. Her unique background includes PR and  marketing for the US Army and a natural wood finishes
manufacturer (both in  Germany), translations from German to English for a global retailer,  choreography and dance instruction for  theater, plus English language training  for foreign executives. Pamela has written travel articles, a regular column on  cultural differences, book reviews, guest blog posts, her own weekly blog and  eZine and she speaks frequently at live events, on radio and TV. Pamela is a  featured coach on the Expert Panels of Kristen Howe’s www.LawofAttractionKey.com and Kerry Swetmon’s www.LifeBusinessGrowth.com. In addition, Pamela is on  the Speakers Bureau of B.I.G. Women’s   Network
in Massachusetts.

Helping others increase their  confidence is Pamela’s passion because she learned the hard way how important  confidence really is for success in life. She wants to spare you the hard, dark  journey she took and set you on a bright, happy path as quickly as  possible!

To learn more and schedule your own complimentary SPARK Session, contact Pamela  today.

When I came across this ornament on the FamilyFun website and I just had to share it. I thought it was such a great idea for the kids (or the whole family) to do each year as a keepsake instead of purchasing a yearly ornament. If you have multiple kids you can make each one unqiue by assigning a color for the spool or ribbon.


Materials:
 Acrylic paint & brush
 Wooden thread spool
 Marker
Paper strip, cut to fit width of spool
Double sided tape or glue
Ribbon
Self-Sticking label

 Instructions:
1.   Paint the spool and let it dry.
2.   Have your child write their Christmas list on the strip of paper.
3.   Roll the paper around the empty spool, using double sided tape or glue to fasten it, and leave some of the list hanging down (so Santa can notice).
4.   Thread the ribbon through the spool’s center and tie a knot at the top for hanging. Write your child’s name on the label. Affix it to the ribbon.

You can also have your child write their Christmas wishlist first and them copy the top 10 items to the ornament list. Below is a cute printable from FamilyFun also. I think this ornament could easily become a family tradition for years to come. The kids will surely enjoy reading the previous years lists when decorating for Christmas!

One thing I love is beautifully designed diaper cakes! I’m very excited to bring  you guys this giveaway. I was talking to Liz at eDiaperCakes and they make  these lovely diaper cakes for baby showers. Imagine getting a diaper cake like  this for the baby shower. To tell you more about how eDiaperCakes started. Liz gave birth to a baby girl in  November of 2011. She wanted to find a way to stay home with her daughter so she  started a diaper cake business in April of 2012. 

Ediapercakes has a  selection of around 65 different diaper cakes on their website. Their cakes are  designed around a central theme and they have diaper cakes  for boys, girls and gender neutral ones. Their cakes are embellished  with children’s books, rattles and stuff animals. In each baby cake, you would  normally see around 4-6 different baby products. The diaper brand they use to  decorate their cakes is Pampers Swaddlers.

I’ll be giving away a $25 gift  certificate to eDiaperCakes.com to one of my readers! See below for more eDiaper Cakes pictures and our Contest Form!

You know what I’ve noticed?  Some people just aren’t comfortable with the idea of sincere positivity coming at them.  Try to be nice to some people and  they kind of snicker at you.  Sometimes they even sneer a bit.  And if you dare  attempt to hug some others, they might just go scurrying for the door.  They just cannot handle it!

I used be that snickering, sneering, scurrying person, the very one who got very uptight around super positive people.

 Most of the time, I would brand the positive ones as superficial, stupid or insincere.  Even when I could sense that they were none of the above and that  their positivity somehow (God only knows how) was sincere, the bitter cynic in  me just could not stand to be around so much happy cheery positivity. Seriously!  It hurt me physically.  Gave me migraines.  Made me nauseous.

 I KNOW you know what I’m talking about here.

Of course, my pseudo-intellectual ex-husband AND my Queen’s English wannabe rebound man both fed right into my less-than-adorable judgemental stance.  They  both LOVED looking down their noses at anyone and everyone who went through life  with a smile on his or her face.  Did their best to personally wipe it right off  those faces as quickly as possible.  Made positivity look like the stupidest,  uncoolest (look Ma, I just made up a word) and least desirable trait to  display.

 Of course, I joined right in with their kindergarten games.  Suited my immature Self just perfectly back then.

Fast forward to the present.


At this point, I have outrun and/or defeated the biggest demons of my lifetime so far.  I’ve dealt with divorce and all the drama that goes with it, battled and won court case after court case against a very stubborn and 
difficult ex-husband and “father” for full custody of my child, dived down into the depths of all kinds of insecurities, despondencies and uncertainties and returned to the surface of my scarred life filled with hope, laughter and yes, the dreaded “P” word.

 Today, I am not afraid nor ashamed to admit that I am a total positivity junkie.  I love tossing words like “awesome”, “super” and “fabulous” around.  Of  course!  I feel I have too much time and too many barbed comments in my past to  make up for.  I wore my coolness like so much heavy armor, protecting my fears  and insecurities.  Now I sometimes feel like Ebenezer Scrooge’s friend Jacob  Marley with his yards of clanking chains, atoning for past cynicism.  Now, I  guarantee you that every last word out of my mouth is sincerely felt and meant.

 But I know that many can’t imagine how that feels, let alone that it is possible.  The very idea makes them uncomfortable.  I know that many simply decide that I can’t possibly mean everything I say.  So they keep their distance.  They say what they have to say and then move away as quickly as possible so as not to be infected by my smiles.

…but not exactly fans, either…

I know this, because that used to be me.  I used to be a hater.  Hated anything and everything that seemed too chirpy or happy or in-my-face positive.

Now, I know better.  Now, I’ll take positivity and all that goes along with  being a hug-and-smile kind of gal.  Especially if the alternative is to be snickering, sneering and scurrying or some other kind of whining crankypants with no sugar!  Now, I’ll take sugar any day.  You?

*Pamela earned her Certified Professional Coach (CPC) credential  from Fowler-Wainwright International and her BA in English Literature from Georgetown  University. She has been writing and teaching professionally for over 20 years but continues to learn and improve her talents, gifts and skills with experience and training.

Helping others increase their  confidence is Pamela’s passion because she learned the hard way how important  confidence really is for success in life. She wants to spare you the hard, dark  journey she took and set you on a bright, happy path as quickly as  possible!

To learn more and schedule your own complimentary SPARK Session, contact Pamela  today.

Cape Cod Mommies recently had the great opprtunity to visit Lindsey's Restaurant in Wareham.  Emily and Amy were graciously given a tour of the facility by the owner and a sampling of their tasty meals!

We will be trying to feature local establishments in an on going series called: Eating Right While Eating Out! 

Below both Emily and Amy have compiled their thoughts to share with our readers. Thank you to Cheri and to the staff at Lindsey's for a wonderful dining and foodie experience! ENJOY!

Amy's Thoughts:

I was personally thrilled with the experience.  A family operation, when you visit them, you also become a part of their family.  The owner is warm and welcoming, as is the ENTIRE staff!  Open for lunch and dinner, the staff's day begins early as they prepare everything themselves and from scratch (except the french fries).  The owner, Cheri, is a firm believer in keeping all the extra additives out of the food as it isn't beneficial to adults or children.  This is no small job in today's society to make everything in a restaurant from scratch-kudos to the staff for making the operation smooth and seamless.  

The kitchen was filled with aroma's of home cooking.  Watching the pastry chef and Chef Arthur bustle around preparing the day's delight's was truly an eye opening experience. 

The restaurant itself is separated into multiple sections, which is great for sound distribution.  The 50's Diner section is perfect for when you bring out your children because they can be occupied by watching a bustling kitchen plus it is louder in there so if your child is being unusually loud, then there is no reason to feel embarassed.  There is pretty large bar with seating completely surrounding it, complete with comfy chairs, a fireplace, and tv's, perfect for date nights!  As an added bonus, they even have changing tables in both the women's and men's room! Finally a restaurant that gets it! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Emily and I were able to sample a few of the local favorites and they definitely did not disappoint.  We filled our bellies and then some.  Because they use local produce, products and tay away from processed ingredients, we didn't feel overly full after.
 
I really enjoyed my experience at Lindsey's and highly recommend it to everyone!  It is well worth the drive over the bridge to enjoy such a great meal.  In fact next time we go for dinner, we will be packing the Tiny Toddler's pj's, so after he has had his fill of grilled chicken tenders and a Hoodsie we can drive back and make an easy transition to bed!

Emily's Thoughts:

In my house, trips to Wareham are for the sole purpose of hitting Wareham Crossing or the big box hardware store on Cranberry Highway.  After my son was born, timing these trips around naps and meals became quite the logistical challenge.  What a nice surprise it was to recently discover Lindsey’s Restaurant.  I had the opportunity to meet with the owner, Cheri Lindsey, and tour the kitchen.  The décor has recently been updated, with pictures of the cranberry harvest decorating the walls and complimenting the new carpets, chairs and booths.

The majority of the menu offerings are scratch-made on the premises daily.  As we toured the kitchen Chef Arthur was busy marinating the chicken tenders as several large pots bubbled away on the stove.  We passed a large roasting oven stuffed full of pot roast, and cleared the way as the pastry chef, Joni, pulled a large tray of bread pudding out of another oven. 

The menu is extensive making it difficult to decide what to order.  For those of you not already familiar with their award-winning seafood bisque, you are missing out on a cup of deliciousness.  The wide selection of menu items is impressive, since almost all of it is made fresh daily.  For the health-conscious there are salad and grilled entrée options to choose from (some gluten free entrees too), but the real heart of this restaurant is comfort food. These are the kind of meals that remind me of traveling to my grandmother’s house for Saturday supper at 3 pm.  The next time you find yourself in need of a family-friendly dining establishment and want something other than the numerous fast food chain establishments lining Cranberry Highway, consider dining at Lindsey’s Family Restaurant.

I had the luxury of touring the restaurant without my son in tow.  However the following weekend we decided to stop in for a late lunch after a shopping trip.  Dining out with my toddler is a rare occurrence, and trying to keep him strapped in a high chair after being strapped in the car and multiple shopping carts can be a recipe for major meltdown.  Therefore we often sacrifice food quality for an establishment that will tolerate a toddler’s shouting protests, food messes and the otherwise embarrassing behavior that I am typically inclined to restrict to our kitchen table.  The dining area in Lindsey’s is divided into multiple sections.  Adults can choose to sit at tables in the bar area and families can choose from either the traditional booth and table section of the restaurant or the area facing the open kitchen, decorated to look like a 50’s diner with chrome accented booths and stools.  Acoustically the numerous sections help to isolate the noise, not only from those made by restless toddlers, but from the other diners.

Tucked away in a cabinet at the entrance are a bunch of books that you can borrow to keep young children entertained while you wait for your food.  This is a nice change from
the standard paper placemat and crayons that many chains pass out. The kids menu has quite a bit of options to choose from including kid favorites like hamburgers, grilled cheese and chicken tenders as well as turkey or pasta dinners.  It was nice to order the chicken tenders knowing they were prepared that day and could be ordered grilled instead of fried.

Since my grandmother no longer cooks and lives over four hours away, Lindsey’s Restaurant is a good surrogate.  After a busy afternoon of shopping with a toddler in tow, it is a treat to stop into Lindsey’s for a meal that not only reminds me of my grandmother, but doesn’t end with the expectation that I will be rolling up my sleeves to wash all the dishes.

Breastfed babies need to be fed, on average, every 2-3 hours in the newborn period. When I hear that a baby is “so easy, she sleeps all day!” that is a warning sign that baby may not be getting enough. A newborn who is hungry may quickly adapt by sleeping more to conserve energy and what looks like placidity may actually be hunger. So, I tell moms to feed the baby on demand (even if it means waking a sleeping infant), but not less than every 3 hours, day and night. If a baby has been struggling to gain weight, I advise feeding every two hours until weight gain steadies. This may seem like a lot, but remember that by day 7, the stomach is only as big as a ping-pong ball and breast milk is used and digested very quickly (about 20 mins). It may feel as if you are nursing all the time, but this initial period is so important in establishing breastfeeding and building the milk supply. If your baby is not meeting these“diaper goals”, consult a member of your health care team, as babies can quickly get into trouble with dehydration, especially in the newborn period.

·        
Still not sure baby is getting enough? What comes in must come out.  An easy way to see if your newborn is getting milk is to watch her wet and poopy diapers (better smelling with breast milk!). By day 3-4, babies should be stooling at least a couple of times a day and the product should resemble seedy mustard. Babies this age should also have at least 3-4 wet diapers. At the one week mark and for weeks beyond, you should see 6-8 wet diapers and 3-4 stools per day. It is not uncommon for breastfed babies to reduce their stooling frequency after the first month and, as long as it is still soft, it is not usually a problem.

What about the baby that is nursing 8-12 times a day but is losing or not gaining any weight? It is normal for babies to lose some weight in the newborn period, but pediatricians like to see a return to birth weight by the two-week mark. If baby has not regained, we first look at the latch. It is possible for a baby to be sucking frequently but not effectively. The baby’s mouth should be over the dark area surrounding the nipple (the areola), so that the sucking will reach the milk ducts, not just the nipple itself. If a baby is sucking only on the end of the nipple, the result will be like biting on a straw – a closing off of the milk flow. Sucking on the nipple is also likely to cause pain for the mom, so if you are experiencing pain and/or your baby is not gaining well, evaluate your latch, ideally with the help of a lactation consultant, La Leche leader, or WIC peer counselor. Many visiting nurses are also trained in breastfeeding support and I urge mothers to take advantage of the free VNA postpartum visit that is usually offered through the hospital.

Breastfeeding is a natural process, but doesn’t always come naturally. Remember, taking the time to fix small problems at the beginning can help ensure a successful breastfeeding experience for both you and your baby.

Still have questions? Email me at ghathawaylactation@gmail.com and check out my blog at www.hathawaylactation.blogspot.com

Who can imagine the family meeting at the dinner table seven nights a week, everyone wound down from school or work and eager to enjoy a well balanced meal and good conversation?

We all know there seems to be a mountain of obstacles in front of the “family dinner.”  Most families in America are challenged with schedules, energy and creativity to put together the meal, different likes and a greater likelihood that children will protest and a parent will acquiesce to the child’s wishes for a different meal.  Many families are challenged by a food budget.  There are often issues with siblings pestering each other (and their parents) and even many parents who are struggling with marital issues.  Single parents, or families where a spouse often misses the meal because of working overtime face challenges of feeling overwhelmed and even lonely having to provide for the meal AND the atmosphere.



Consider these reasons as motivators for taking your family dinners to the next level! 
 
1.    Family dinners provide a chance for children to learn about social interaction, manners and vocabulary.

2.    Family dinners are tied to a lower risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs, as well as a lower rate of depression in youth.

3.    Children who experience family dinners regularly get better grades.  AND, children who get better grades are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol.

4.    Eating disorders are less frequent in families where the family meal is characterized by a good atmosphere.

5.    Children who eat family meals eat healthier meals and are less likely to be overweight.

6.    Siblings will get along better and love each other more.

7.    At the dinner table, children are more likely to spontaneously discuss interactions and topics that they experienced in school, whereas, when parents ask their child after school, “how was school?” they tend to just say, “Fine.”

Family Dinner Night Tips

The Schedule

Look at your schedule and set a realistic goal for how many or which nights will be special FDNs. Try to have at least 2 set nights that are really etched in stone.  In our house, Sunday and Wednesday are the only choices for everyone to be present and for there not to be a rush.

The Yum Factor

Try to plan meals on those nights that everyone likes, or at  least everyone likes 80% of the meal. No separate meals.  Dessert  too!  Children like food better when they have had a hand in preparing.  Involve them in some way if possible.  It’s a good idea to plan ahead so that the primary prepper doesn’t have to become all stressed out about what to prepare.

The Fun Factor

Good digestion happens with good feelings.  Save the serious talk with “Junior” about his behavior for another time.  Try your best to set the difficulties to the side during the meal.  Parents set the tone for the children.  Leave your worries and your electronic devices aside, and definitely, no TV. Think, “good conversation, pleasant topics, engage everyone at some point and in some way.”

The Atmosphere

Music - Each family and even each family member may have their own musical interest.  If you are going to listen, try to make it something that everyone enjoys, even if it’s not their favorite, and soft enough so conversation isn’t strained.

Table – consider a table cloth on FDN, or maybe different place mats, engage the children in helping with the set up.  My daughter likes to make an art project out of it!  She makes name cards and likes to bring out the special glasses.  Sometimes she writes out the menu on special paper. Special straws for drinks can be fun and even…dare I say, a small soda with a cherry at the bottom.  Our rule is that a drink of milk must precede or follow the small soda, and no seconds on the soda, unless of course it’s a holiday, then, maybe.

Candles – Candles get their own spot here!  They are really a must.  Humans, generally speaking, are mesmerized by a flame.  There is much to say about it, but not here.  Did you know…children who are exposed to fire in a healthy manner with their families, like campfires, candles at the table, fire pits in the back yard, etc. are less likely to do something dangerous or in secret with fire. Of course, always be safe and teach children how to be safe with and around fire.

Social Aspect
Remember, no one is rushing on FDN.  Don’t consider the food something to be inhaled and then run off to the next activity! Linger a bit around the table after it is cleared.  Engage the children in what you know they like to talk about.  Consider using the time to talk about something you might enjoy doing together later in the week.  After the meal is a good time to get a little goofy even.  Remember, the parents set the tone for the family.  Parents know how much winding-up is too much for their children.

And for sure, if you did not have a positive experience with FDN as a child, take charge of it now. Soon, you will find that the family looks forward to FDN!  Young children will learn to sit properly at the table for a longer
period, because of what is being modeled for them and because the time is enjoyable.  They will learn to eat
a wider variety of foods, because they are watching others try new things.  They will learn how to behave with good manners.  Reap the benefits of the good, old-time family meal!

The family is the child’s laboratory.  Teach them well and they will take their lessons to the classroom and the playground, and they will help define our culture as they develop into older children and young adults.

All Aboard! The Polar Express comes to life this  holiday season as the Cape Cod Central Railway rolls out of the  station bound for the "North Pole!" Come early and climb aboard with your family  to cozy-up and enjoy our festively-decorated vintage train cars. Dancing chefs  deliver hot chocolate and a cookie to each guest to savor while music from the  Polar Express movie plays en route to the North Pole. Make sure to have your  tickets handy, because your conductor will be by shortly to punch each child's  ticket. Before arriving at the North Pole, the iconic book, The Polar Express is  read as your Chef turns the pages to share the beautiful illustrations in the  original book. With the station far away, The Polar Express magically arrives at  the outskirts of Santa's North Pole village, where Santa Claus himself and his  elves joyously welcome the train! As you stay comfortably settled and warm in  your seat, Santa and his helper elf board the train! During the return trip,  Santa will greet each child with his signature holiday spirit and the first gift  of Christmas: a bell cut from his sleigh. It is said that only children and  those who still believe can actually hear the bell ring. Join in the singing as  your Chef or Conductor lead Christmas caroling on the 30-minute return trip. For those wanting the magic to last or to do a  little Christmas shopping, visit our gift shop in the station for special Polar  Express gifts and merchandise. Oh, one last thing, children are encouraged to  wear their PJ's; adults who still believe have been known to wear them, too! So,  are you coming? All Aboard! 

All Aboard the Polar Express is coming to the
Cape Cod Central Railway, visit http://www.capetrain.com/or  call 888-797-7245 to climb aboard.