Category Archives: Relationships

Tell us how you coax your child into healthy habits, win a musical toothbrush

Wednesday11:02 a.m.

toothbrushEat your veggies. Go play outside. Don’t sit too close to the TV. Did you brush your teeth?

Parents try all kinds of tricks to get their kids to break bad habits and develop good ones. Hasbro has a new product that aims to do just that: Tooth Tunes. The music-playing toothbrush offers two minutes of music to let children (or adults) know whether they need to keep brushing those pearly whites. Music choices include songs from Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers Band, The Cheetah Girls and more. The toothbrushes retail for $10 to $15.

We have a toothbrush that plays “All For One” from “High School Musical 2″ and would like to give it away. We’ll randomly select someone who posts an answer to this question: How have you successfully coaxed or tricked your child into forming a healthy habit?

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Health & Fitness, Relationships, Shopping | Comments (2)

How do you handle kids’ bedtimes in the summer?

July 9, 200810:49 a.m.

What are the bedtime rules in your house during the summer? Do your kids stay up later? As late as they want? Or do organized sports, day camps and other scheduled events mean that bedtimes are observed as strictly as when school’s in session?

panda bear book coverTell us how summer bedtimes work in your household. We’ll randomly select one participant to win a pair of bedtime stories: “Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?” and “Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?”

baby bear book

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Relationships | Comments (2)

What Wichita-area restaurants do you think are kid-friendly?

July 8, 20085:43 p.m.

kids out to eatWhat local restaurant has a healthy menu, kid-friendly atmosphere or fun perks, whether it be a play area or other entertainment element?

We’re collecting reader tips for a potential story on local places where families with kids love to dine.

Please include the name of the restaurant and why it’s kid-friendly, as well as your name and daytime phone number or e-mail address.

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Food and Drink, Relationships | Comments (5)

Trade tips for a successful themed party

July 7, 20085:00 p.m.

Today’s WichiTalk cover story shares recipes and tips for throwing a South Pacific soiree.

Have you thrown a successful themed party?

life saverLast year, my sister and I threw a cruise-themed wedding shower for our sister who was preparing for a destination “weddingmoon,” in which the bride and groom get married while on their honeymoon in a tropical locale.

Here are some of the details that our guests appreciated:

  • We created inexpensive but fun boarding pass-style invitations.
  • When guests arrived, we gave them a lei and snapped their photo with inflatable inner tubes. When they left, they received a pink luggage tag with a “thank you for traveling with us” message attached.
  • For gifts, we asked guests to purchase fun beach clothing (swimsuit cover-ups, flip-flops, etc.) for our sister. We asked her to bring an empty suitcase. She went home packed for the trip.
  • We played Hawaiian music and served fresh pineapple, cocktail shrimp and fruity cocktails with umbrellas, among other treats.

Share your tips for a fun themed party.

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Food and Drink, Relationships | Comments (2)

What’s your take on coed dorm rooms?

June 23, 200811:02 a.m.

Forget coed college dorms or floors. Now coed dorm rooms are on the rise, according to a story in today’s WichiTalk.

Is this a progressive movement or a sign of declining morality? Would you have liked to have the opportunity to have a coed dorm roommate? Would you let your college-age student live in a coed room?

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Relationships | Comments (1)

Do mothers try too hard to be their children’s friends?

June 13, 20084:07 p.m.

mom and daughterAn Associate Press story gaining popularity online this afternoon quotes actress Jessica Alba saying that she’ll be a strict mom:

“I don’t want to be my child’s best friend,” the 27-year-old actress recently told Fit Pregnancy magazine. “I want to be a mom. But I do want my child to come to me when they have problems and need to talk, so it’s going to be about treading that line.”

Do you think that too many mothers or parents in general try too hard to be their child’s friend rather than their parent? Do strict parents risk losing the trust and opportunities for more personal conversations with their child?

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Relationships | Comments (1)

How do you help your children have a “smart” summer?

June 11, 20081:33 p.m.

‘I, JuanSchool’s out. The pool’s open. Bedtimes are a blur. Homework is but a distant memory.

If you have school-aged children, how do you make sure they’re keeping their skills and minds sharp during the lazy, hazy days of summer? Do you enroll them in a science camp? Practice math and fractions while devouring a large pepperoni pizza or assembling ice cream cookie sandwiches? Take them to the library once a week?

‘Thimble SummerWe’re collecting reader tips. And each reader who posts a comment has the chance to win a copy of “I, Juan de Pareja” by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino (Square Fish, $7, for ages 13 to 17) or “Thimble Summer” by Elizabeth Enright (Square Fish, $7, for ages 8 to 12). They are Newbery Medal winners from 1966 and 1939, respectively. Find a list of past winners, dating back to 1922, on the American Library Association’s Web site.

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Relationships, Uncategorized | Comments (4)

What’s the best lesson you learned from Dad?

June 11, 20081:12 p.m.

Dad balloonWith Father’s Day just around the corner (it’s Sunday, for those of you who still need to buy a card or a gift), we want to find out from our readers the best lessons their fathers taught them.

The list of lessons I learned from my dad includes:

  • A wisecrack can diffuse almost any tense situation.
  • Save early and often (financially … not on the computer).
  • Lefty loosey, righty tighty.
  • You get what you pay for. If you don’t, ask to speak with a manager.
  • A little bit of hard work never hurt anyone.
  • You’re never too old to get a hug from your dad.

Click on “comments” to share a big of wisdom from your dad.

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Relationships | Comments (0)

Did you pass down your wedding gown?

June 9, 20083:08 p.m.

Bride and motherWe’re working on a story for Wednesday’s WichiTalk about a local woman who wore her granddaughter’s wedding gown for a recent 60th wedding anniversary celebration.

Did you wear your grandmother’s or mother’s wedding dress when you were married? Is your daughter planning to wear your gown at an upcoming ceremony? Or do you have your dress stored away for a future family member to wear?

Tell us about how you shared — or plan to share — your wedding dress.

My family fashion connection at my wedding wasn’t the gown, but one of the accessories: I wore a string of pearls that my mother wore to her wedding 33 years ago. The beautiful necklace belonged to her mother. On Mother’s Day this year, Mom gave me the pearls to keep. I hope to keep the tradition going by sharing them with a family member in the future for her wedding.

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Fashion, Relationships | Comments (5)

How do you get out of the house with a newborn?

June 6, 20082:12 p.m.

rookie-mom.jpgMoms Heather Flett and Whitney Moss, who operate the blog Rookie Moms: Two geeky girls’ guide to the first year of motherhood, have written “The Rookie Mom’s Handbook: 250 Activities to Do With (and Without!) Your Baby” (Quirk Books, $15).

That got us wondering what Wichita-area mothers might be doing — or have done — to get out and about with their little ones. Whether it’s a play date, Internet mommy meetups or a walk to see outdoor public art around Wichita, tell us what works — or has worked — for you.

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Relationships | Comments (1)