Smag31

Q: My child keeps coming home crying, telling me he’s been left out. What can I do? A: Not knowing whether he’ll be welcomed or rejected by friends can be both upsetting and anxiety-provoking, since each day brings uncertainty about what he’ll face. While falling out with friends is common at his age, the situation … Read more

1. Rice, Wheat, Grains ≅ Congee, Cream of Wheat, Porridge A billion people eat congee daily, but you’re unlikely to find it on many restaurant menus in the United States, for the same reason that “porridge” and “gruel” don’t appear very often: it’s a dish meant to stretch the filling power of a few cheap … Read more

Say your Aunt Suzie sends you a jar of her famous (or is it infamous?) homemade quince jelly. What to do with it? Someone suggests that you try it with Manchego cheese and crackers and, sure enough, the combination is delicious. But why? One potential explanation can be found in the history of the ingredients: … Read more

You’ll have an easier time cooking as you learn about more flavors and the ingredients that provide them. Take time to notice the odors in the foods you are eating, taking note of smells that you don’t recognize. Next time you’re eating out, order a dish you’re not familiar with and try to guess its … Read more

When my best friend passed away, her children and I both wallowed in despair. Afterwards, we found that we need the heal each other. Barrie and I met each other in the line of people queuing for lunch at school in the autumn 1975, two 3rd grade pupils united due to the mutual antipathy towards … Read more

The consultant for your relationship is showing up here! And she is waiting to answer your toughest questions… My husband and I both work at home. However, he thinks his job is more important; therefore, I have to run the errand and take care of the children. How to divide these works equally? It is … Read more

Winters in the High country can be a lot of fun for young, and young at heart, as well. As some of us get a little age on us, however, we’re not as brave and adventurous as we once were. When my husband, Sam, and I first moved our family to the mountains, we played … Read more

Events in the US Capitol’s History 1787 The US Constitution authorizes the establishment of a federal district to be the seat of the American government. 1791 George Washington selects the site for the new Capitol, with his city planner, Pierre Charles L’Enfant, on Jenkins Hill, 88 ft (27 m) above the Potomac River. George Washington … Read more

From the elevated site that Pierre L’Enfant described as “a pedestal waiting for a monument,” the dignified Capitol has stood unwavering as the symbol of American democracy throughout its 200-year history. From the legislative session called by President Jefferson in 1803 to approve the Louisiana Purchase through to the House of Representatives’ vote in 1998 … Read more

Positive consequences Rewards for good behavior do not need to be elaborate. Giving your child a hug, praising her, playing a game that she likes, letting her choose a book to read, or collecting beads or stickers  is often enough. The most effective method is to reward frequently, but not necessarily for everything or every … Read more

Behavior and consequences The previous sections have explained the principles of “praise good behavior; ignore bad behavior.” This section introduces “time out” as a more extreme form of “ignoring.” It should only be used occasionally, but can be extremely effective. Remember, also, to keep an eye on the A,B,C, of your child’s behavior. Look at … Read more

In many ways the task of helping your toddler to manage her behavior should become easier during year 3–4. Now that she has more ability to understand and reason, you will be able to explain, rather than simply state, that she should or shouldn’t behave in a certain way. “Jamie feared ‘the monster’ who lived … Read more

Features of St Peter’s Basilica Plan of St Peter’s Basilica Pietà Michelangelo carved this masterpiece  in 1499 at the age of 25. It is at once graceful and mournful, stately and ethereal. It has been protected by glass since 1972, when a man screaming “I am Jesus Christ!” attacked it with a hammer, damaging the … Read more

Sistine Chapel Works Plan of the Sistine Chapel Adam and Eve God imparts the spark of life to Adam in one of western art’s most famous scenes, then pulls Eve from Adam’s rib. Creation God separates darkness from light, water from land and creates the Sun and Moon. Michelangelo veers towards blasphemy by depicting God’s … Read more

The Vatican is the world’s smallest nation, covering just 50 ha (120 acres), and is a theocracy of just over 550 citizens, headed by the Pope, but its sightseeing complex is beyond compare. Within its wall are the ornate St Peter’s Basilica (see Features of St Peter’s Basilica), the astonishing Sistine Chapel (see Sistine Chapel … Read more

Snaking through 2.5 miles (4 km) of city streets, the Freedom Trail creates a living link to Boston’s key revolutionary and colonial-era sites. Stroll from highlight to highlight and you’ll see history adopt a vibrancy, palpability, and relevance unparalleled among US cities. Some of Boston’s most unique shops, restaurants, and attractions are also located along … Read more

Did you know… that you should brush your child’s teeth twice a day, at least an hour after she’s last eaten, which allows time for her teeth to be remineralized by saliva? It’s good to encourage her to brush her own teeth, so she gets used to the routine, but you must help, to ensure … Read more

Fighting between siblings A constant battle or beneficial? Eighty percent of us have brothers and sisters. Within this common and familiar relationship runs the whole gamut of human emotions, from murderous hatred to fawning adoration and, in between, considerable ambivalence. All of these emotional responses cause parents a great deal of worry and present them … Read more

Q: My four-year-old wants to be with her older sister all the time, and follows her around like a puppy. A: First of all, it is important to empathize with your older child and acknowledge how annoying it is to have her little sister wanting to spend every waking (and some sleeping) moments with her. … Read more

Harold McGee on Solving Food Mysteries Harold McGee writes about the science of food and cooking. He is the author of On Food and Cooking (Scribner), described by Alton Brown as “the Rosetta stone of the culinary world.” He also writes a column, The Curious Cook, for the New York Times. His website is at … Read more