INSPIRE YOUR PERSONAL SPACE WITH THE FIVE TOP 2008 DESIGN TRENDS

Does the soft real estate market mean you will stay in your home during 2008 instead of selling?

“Staying put gives you the license to update, renovate and create an interior for your home that is more comfortable, enjoyable, and that will show better when the market improves,” advises interior decorator Marion Glinert of Decor&You, who works with homeowners and small business owners in the Westchester and New York City area.

Though Decor & You designs emphasize client style and preferences, Glinert notes, at the same time, “we gently interpret major trends in people’s personal spaces so that redecorating projects work to enhance our clients’ investment in their home interiors.”

Glinert suggests that redecorating with elements of 2008’s five major design trends can change feeling stuck in your home into feeling inspired by it.

1. Political forces may be putting the environment into the headlines, but design pros are quite successfully putting it into people’s homes. In 2008, Americans have a renewed interest in using natural materials, especially in kitchens and bathrooms now that varnishes and technologies have made treated wood virtually impervious to water spillage and steam.

2. U.S. fabric importers say the hot color news out of Italy (and yes, anything Italian, as in the 1960’s, is hot again) are yellows and blues and more blues, especially in fabric and wallpaper, and blues mixed with warm sands and camels. Ecological motivations have a role again in popularizing nature colors: greens and warm browns. Celebrated international design author, Mary Gilliatt, exclusive design advisor to Decor&You in the U.S., thinks of color as useful for retailers, because nothing dates as quickly as last year’s colors. To be momentarily fashionable in your home, Gilliatt advises using color only in accessories like throw pillows, throws or even a lamp base which can be easily and comparatively inexpensively replaced when the color trends change again next year.

3. Over the centuries, the pendulum of design history has predictably swung from simple to more elaborate and then more elaborate still before returning to simple, from the Greek orders on (remember learning about those simple Doric columns being replaced by those elegantly refined Ionic columns and then by the rather fussy Corinthian variety?) Minimalism is slowly evolving to a more decorative – as opposed to decorated – look so that very often even the most rigorously contemporary rooms have at least one decorative piece of furniture or fanciful accessory. Fabrics too, are going luxe along this trend, incorporating hints of metallic, glitter and sparkle.

4. Wallpapers began a renaissance in 2007, and this year they’re back in force but more refined. A D.C. homeowner who is dedicated to contemporary looks recently called to ask for wallpaper in her bedroom and we knew the floodgates were opening.

5. Almost all current ‘new’ furniture looks are based on retro designs with endless variations on the Modern Movement which first saw the light of day at the end of the 19th century. Mary Gillatt toured the ‘Moderne’ Design Exhibition at the Park Lane Armory in New York in October, featuring many famous originals dating from the 1860s to the 1980s. Gilliatt said the glossy lacquered French designs of the 1940s and 50s are sure to surge back during the next few years, along with a continuation of the Art Deco designs “so rudely interrupted by World War II,” she noted.

Marion Glinert is a professional interior decorator with Decor&You, a national interior decorating franchise that offers comprehensive personalized service with a complete line of fine custom furniture, window and wall coverings, art and accessories for all budgets. Contact 914-302-2083 or visit www.decorandyou.com for more information.

Find Out How You Rate with the Presidential Candidates

Kudos to my husband Darin on turning me onto a new site where you can see where your opinions stack up with the presidential candidates.  Visit www.glassbooth.org to see if the candidate you planned to vote for is actually the one who supports all the issues you're passionate about.  Even though I am a die-hard Hillary Clinton supporter, my opinions actually matched Barack Obama's and John McCain's more closely!  And so did my husband's.  So I guess that means we're a perfect match then.  Either way, it's a really cool site and a great way to see where the candidates stand on all the important issues facing Americans today.  Be an informed voter...visit www.glassbooth.org today!

SURPRISE...10 MINUTE RECIPES FROM ROLEMOMMY!

If you have been visiting this site for awhile, then you'll know that I constantly have issues with my weight and have tried out dozens of diets with no success. That is until I tried Jenny Craig. I went on that plan back in September and have since dropped about 10 pounds and 2 sizes - I'm a size four again...yippee. So now that I'm weaning myself off Jenny food and trying to still cook some lo-cal options, I'm starting to get creative and tried out a recipe that is quite tasty if I do say so myself. My childhood friend and fellow Role Mommy Andrea actually devised this one, so here's the recipe and enjoy it - I'm savoring it right now! And by the way...Rachel Ray may have made a mint with those delectable 30 minute meals, but here at Role Mommy, if you can't cook it in 10 minutes or less, it's not worth the time...so without further ado, my recipe for...

ROLEMOMMY'S TURKEY PEPPERONI GRILLED CHEESE
Ingredients
2 Slices of Wonder Lite Bread - 40 calories each
1 slice of PollyO fat free mozzarella cheese - 35 calories
4 sliced grape tomatoes - 30 calories
5 pieces of Hormel turkey pepperoni - 30 calories
A few spritzes of fat free butter spray
Total calories: Under 200
Total Fat: Less than 3g

Directions:
Spray the two slices of bread with butter spray
Spray nonfat Pam on your frying pan
Slice the cheese
Put it on one slice of bread
Cover the cheese with tomatoes and turkey pepperoni
Place it in the frying pan and cover the bread with the other slice.
Use a spatula to flip it over
When both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese has melted, your sandwich is ready

Total prep and cook time - Less than 5 minutes.

And there you have it...a yummy lo-cal turkey pepperoni grilled cheese sandwich - a meal to make Jenny Craig proud.

To return to Role Mommy, Click Here.

More Parenting Tips and an Event Hosted by The Family Coach

Dear Family Coach,

My kids fight constantly. I can’t take it anymore. I feel more like a referee than a parent. What can I do to teach my kids to get along?
Peace-seeking mom

Dear Peace-seeking mom,
The other day my daughter Casey had a play date at our house. Her little friend, Samantha, was polite, cooperative and a delight to have around. At 5 o’clock, when her mother and little sister arrived, everything changed. She grabbed anything and everything her sister wanted. The screaming began instantly. Then Samantha decided she would just exclude her sister (but her sister wasn’t going to let that happen). So my daughter, Samantha and her little sister began a game of you-can’t-catch-me. Samantha shrieked and threw a tantrum whenever her sister got near. Her little sister cried every time they ran away and the mother tried unsuccessfully to intervene. After 10 minutes I was fed up.

Anyone who has more than one child or has siblings of his/her own knows this is a pretty common scene. The older child doesn’t want the younger around, and the younger only wants to do what bigger kids can. It gets out of control when parents try to intervene. Children see that they can gain their parents’ attention by bickering. The younger child generally annoys the older one without yelling or hitting until the older one breaks. A physical fight ensures. When the parent enters the room, he/she typically says one of three things:
Who started it? (A question guaranteed to yield an unusable answer.)
Stop fighting. I am tired of it. If you can’t get along I am going to . . . (but you never actually do)
________ (Insert the name of your older child), I am ashamed of you. I expect you to behave better.
Eventually parents feel like referees without actually solving any of the issues.

While there are several ways to minimize the amount of arguing among your children, there are some benefits to sibling rivalry. Children with siblings are forced to learn cooperation and conflict resolution at an early age. These are important life skills that your children will take with them to their jobs, marriages and community. When parents become overly involved they not only provide the (negative) attention their children seek, they also decrease the possibilities that their children learn to work it out on their own.

Here are some ways to begin to bring the peace back into your home.

Don’t pick a sides. Parents often try to figure out who is at fault and give them a stern word or even a punishment. The problem is that at least 95 percent of the time it is impossible to know how it began. Often one child is the instigator while the other takes it to the next level. Both are to blame (even if not equally). When a parent takes sides the children learn negative behavior=your attention. The more you intervene, the more you are actually encouraging them to fight. Stay neutral and your children will see that fighting isn’t a way to get you close.

Make everyone accountable for their behavior. Offer children a warning when you first hear an escalation brewing. If there’s no immediate resolution, provide a second chance. Should the argument continue, they both lose. So, for example, if they are bickering over a favorite Dora cup, no one gets to use it. If they are pushing each other on the couch while watching The Wizard of Oz, the TV is turned off. With consistency your children learn quickly that A. You will not get involved; and B. In the end they will lose even if they aren’t to “blame.” Through this process they will develop vital conflict resolution and sharing skills.

Foster a loving relationship among your children. This may seem obvious, but parents often forget to verbally remind their children that sibling support, respect, and love are vital. Praise your children when they are good to each other. If they fight often, work extra hard to catch them doing something kindhearted. This positive reinforcement is essential for breaking the negative attention/referee cycle.

Spend quality time with each child individually. One of the main reasons children argue is to get their parents’ attention. Often children feel they are competing with their brothers or sisters. By doling out attention separately, parents teach their children that they do not need to compete. Each night choose one child to get special time even if it is 15 minutes before bed. Pick a different child on Saturdays to take to the library or the ice cream parlor. Your children will relish this attention and will not feel so needy at other times.


Catherine Pearlman is the founder of The Family Coach which provides in-home assistance to families struggling with parenting issues. Catherine also reaches out to the community with seminars on a variety of issues. The topic for the next seminar on January 16th is Sibling Rivalry. If you are interested in attending or would like to contact Catherine visit her site at www.NYFamilyCoach.com

Catherine is hosting an upcoming event for parents on January 16 at "It's My Party" in Mamaroneck, NY. For details, see below.

“Sibling Rivalry: What you need to know to keep the peace.”

Does it seem like your kids fight every waking moment?

Do you dread even the shortest car ride with your children?

Do you feel more like a referee than a parent?

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘Yes!’ this is a hands-on seminar not to be missed. Catherine Pearlman (aka The Family Coach) will explain why siblings fight, what parents do to encourage this behavior rather than discourage, and how to break the cycle of constant fighting.

By the end of the seminar, you will have a new appreciation for sibling dynamics and very straightforward tools to use to resolve disagreements. Learning these tools will improve your relationship with your children as well as their relationship with each other.

This workshop is perfect for parents of children aged 1-18.

Location: It’s My Party, 114 West Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck
When: January 16th, 2008, 7:30pm – 9pm.
Cost: $35 includes dinner
RSVP: Catherine@NYFamilyCoach.com or 914-433-4558. You can pay online at http://www.nyfamilycoach.com/templates/YellowBlue/payment.php or contact Catherine for other options.

Catherine Pearlman, LMSW has been working professionally with children and families for 14 years. Catherine started The Family Coach, LLC. which provides in-home assistance for a wide variety of problems, such as sleep issues, behavior challenges, ADHD, toilet training, separation anxiety, new sibling adjustments, new parent concerns and transitions from bottles and pacifiers. To learn more about Catherine's services or attend one of her seminars check out her website at http://www.nyfamilycoach.com/.

Surefire Tips to Keep Preschoolers Occupied While You're Prepping for the Holidays

Keeping preschoolers entertained and preoccupied can be challenging while you wrap secret presents, shop, clean & decorate the house. Whether you need a few hours or just 5 minutes, grab precious time by following a few tips from the trenches courtesy of Role Mommy.

1) Shop & Swap. ‘Tis not the season to brave it alone. Set up a schedule with two or three family friends to host and swap group play dates while the other parents get time to shop alone or check into a spa for some relax rehab.
Parent’s Potential Time Grab: 3-6 hours

2) Give a little Christmas & Hanukah, right this very minute. Nothing holds their attention like an early holiday present. Here’s a gift from everyone’s favorite honey-lovin’ bear that will entertain preschoolers through the holidays and beyond. Pooh's Super Sleuth Christmas Movie is now available on DVD and it's the first time Pooh has appeared in a film in five years! The all-new holiday story takes preschoolers on a magical journey through the 100 acre wood with classic Disney pals Pooh and Tigger and some new friends. Plop down next to your preschooler as they watch Pooh and you sign holiday cards or take a break and watch it right along with them! Also a great movie to keep in the car for mobile viewing.
Parent’s Potential Time Grab: 1 hour

3) Deal cards. Here’s a two-fer that keeps preschoolers focused and delivers authentic holiday wishes. Ask your budding artist to create one-of-a-kind holiday cards or gift tags by equipping them with plain paper card stock, holiday stickers and appliqués, favorite character stickers, color copies of family photos and a glue stick. Keep it all in a large shoe box that they decorate themselves. Pull the box out any any time you need 30-minutes or an hour to shop online.
Parent’s Potential Time Grab: 1 hour

4) Picture Me Festive. When you need to hit the mall for the day, pack a little sketch pad and crayons for preschoolers to keep a picture diary of their day. Ask them to draw or color their favorite holiday scenes, window displays, people or events they see while shopping. As you tuck them into bed, ask them to share and “read” their picture diary back to you.
Parents Potential Time Grab: 5-10 precious minute intervals when they’re with you in the dressing room, when you’re at the cashier or waiting for your food order

5) Letter to Santa. It’s a classic and they do it every year. This year, bump it up a notch and have your preschooler draw or cut out pictures of their wish list from magazines and newspapers. If you’ve got digital kids, have them create a colorful postcard to email to Santa. Crayola.com and Disney.go.com are both treasure troves of ideas and templates that are easy for preschoolers to master while your cook dinner or clean up holiday baking.

Parents Potential Time Grab: 30 minutes

Have a wonderful holiday season and don't stress out! Keep your kids occupied and trust us, you will stay sane too! To enter to win a Disney DVD, Click Here or to return to Role Mommy, Click here.

Chef Mama Approach for the upcoming holidays...FOCUS!

Joining our incredible parenting contributor community is Shelleen McHale, better know as Chef Mama. This month, she offers Thanksgiving decorating tips and recipes that will put a little zest into the holiday festivities!

Do you ever come into the holidays and feel like you are training for a marathon? It is almost like taking a big breath for a month and then letting it out after the holidays are over. Let’s focus on Thanksgiving first…one thing at a time, as I say to my kids. Or better yet…focus! Just focus on one holiday at a time.

As moms we have the tendency to try and do so many things at once which causes us to go through feelings of being overwhelmed and then feelings of guilt. This holiday season I want to help remove some of the stress and implant the joy that holidays are suppose to bring…family, friends, smiles, stories, great meals and the making of memories.

As we get close to Thanksgiving, I would like to challenge you to come up with ways to express thankfulness. I am going to share a couple simple ideas but would love to hear from other moms that want to share their ideas. Please send your ideas to Shelleen@chefmama.com and maybe we will even supply the ideas to you through Role Mommy. And then, I will give some fabulous turkey left over ideas.

The Thankful Tree or Wreath

This is a simple way to get everyone that will be together on Thanksgiving the opportunity to share what it is they are thankful for. Don’t worry, if you are shy or know other family members that are, there is a way to share without people having to know who shared what.

Thankful Tree
• Leaves that are pre-cut our of paper or light foam (you can use edible leaves as well and add to cakes, cupcakes, etc.)
• Permanent Markers
• Fake tree cut out of paper, poster board or large piece of foam. You can get real creative and use a real branch too.
• As the guest arrive, give each one 2-3 leaves and ask them to write what they are most thankful for this year.
• Have a basket or bowl for them to place their written on leaves in.
• You can now do one of two things:
o Place randomly 2-3 leaves next to each persons plate, and when everyone sits down for dinner you go around the table and ask each person to read their leaves. **Far too often we are just happy to have the meal on the table and we just dive in without thinking. This is a great way to get everyone to stop and think.
o Attach the leaves to your tree and have it in the center of the table. Ask each person to choose one of the leaves that they felt was the best and read it out loud.



Thankful Wreath
• Same as the tree, only it is made via a wreath format.
• You can use leaves or hand prints to make the actual wreath
• Follow same instructions for sharing as the Tree

Now for Chef Mama’s Frugal Turkey Leftovers Recipes

Lunch Idea: Turkey Tortellini Soup
Ingredients: 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
1 package frozen cheese tortellini
1 large can chicken broth
Cut up leftover turkey
Spices to taste salt pepper Italian seasoning
Directions: Add broth, frozen veggies and turkey to large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Add tortellini and spices and boil 10-12 minutes. Serve.

***While soup is boiling you can make or make another day****
Turkey Salad Pita Pockets
Ingredients: Leftover turkey (cut up)
Mayonnaise
Diced apple and almonds
Pita Bread
Directions: Mix turkey apples pecans and mayo. Stuff mixture into pita pockets. Amounts of each ingredient will vary with the amount of leftover turkey you use and how many people you are making it for.

Dinner Idea:
Cheesy Turkey and Rice Casserole
Ingredients: Left over cut up turkey
1 cup instant rice
1 cup water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Frozen veggie of choice (optional)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions: Mix rice and water in casserole dish. Add mushroom soup and veggies. Stir. Add Turkey and stir. Sprinkle top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serve.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Chef Mamas! For more great recipe tips, visit Chef Mama today!

KidsHealth.org

This morning, when my son woke up with a rash on his nose, cheeks and chin, I went straight to my computer. Unfortunately, we've had an outbreak of Staph infections in our neighborhood and my son, who's been battling a cold for two weeks now suddenly woke up with a sore on his nose and pimples on his face. With the help of Google, I was directed to http://www.kidshealth.org/ - an amazing website that gives you the symptoms to every ailment your child could potentially encounter and even tells you what the possible treatment will be for each illness. I then typed in Staph infection and tons of information popped up. Of course, that doesn't take the place of a doctor visit but when the pediatrician's office doesn't open until 9am, sometimes it helps to have a website that could spell out exactly what your child may be suffering from and offer short term treatment options while you wait to be seen by your doctor. So any time you want to look up something about your child's health, visit http://www.kidshealth.org/ - a fabulous find for parents!