P&K Insider

Tune into NECN on Thursday at 8:45 a.m. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite back to school snacks, some great books for the younger set and general idea on getting back into the school mode!

- Heather

When the subject of TV comes up with fellow moms, I always hesitate to engage. Inside my head, random self-deprecating remarks abound: “Oh, I bet compared to her I let my child watch too much TV. ” Or, “I let my kids watch SpongeBob, she’ll definitely think I’m a bad mom.”

Mention TV and there’s hushed voices revealing some guilt on behalf of the parent who uses it - on occasion - as a “babysitter.” Consider yesterday. I watched four children - ages 4 - 6 - all day (two of my own, two nephews) and the TV went on around 5 p.m. so I could make dinner. Do I feel guilty? A little. On average, my kids watch the tube for about an hour or so a day…sometimes more.  There I said it.

I’ve hesitated to cover “TV” in the pages of P&K because I think there is a sort of “stigma” associated with kids - especially the little ones - and TV viewing. Somehow, I thought the story “Must See TV for Toddlers” would rub a few people the wrong way. It turns out, I may be wrong.

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My twin sister Lisa made her TV debut yesterday morning on NECN. Despite the nerves and early hour, Lisa and I had a blast discussing our new book with the ever-lovely Karen Swensen.  If you’re looking for some ways to spend time with your kids during the last weeks of summer, take a look.

It’s back to school week at NECN (New England Cable News). All week they’ll be giving you tips on how to prepare your kids to head back to the classroom. Today, I gave some tips on getting back into the school groove including tips on familiarizing yourself with school policies.

I am a self-proclaimed bargain shopper. I love to know I’m saving money - even if it only amounts to a few dollars. What I’m really digging lately is the extra-appealing consignment shops in the area. Kellie Carrarra, a longtime P&K contributor and mother to a 3-year-old diva was thrilled when I asked to her to pen a story on great deals at consignment shops! She immediately told me about a Minni Lilly Pulitzer shift dress she height=”142″ /> found for only $20 (normally it would cost $68!)

The producers at NECN also liked the idea and invited me to come in and share some great deals. So last week, I headed to The Children’s Orchard at 861 Edgell Road in Framingham and started tearing through the racks and racks of clothing. The owner told me that at any given time, they have about 15,000 items at the store!

If you want to see what I got, tune into NECN this Monday morning (July 14) at 8:45 a.m.

Mother’s Day is only a few days away but we’ve got some great gift ideas for you! From sentimental to practical and just plain fun, P&K magazine picked the best bets out there. To take a look at the products, watch coverage from New England Cable New’s Good Morning Live program.

My family and I crammed in all the TV time we could last night. The kids went to bed late so they could get their ‘fix.’ My husband and I watched absolutely nothing good just for the sake of watching and now the big STOP signs are taped to all the TVs in the house. It has arrived - “TV Turnoff Week” - and I couldn’t be happier. For one whole week there will be no TV shows, commercials, movies - nada. I’ve even taken the liberty of adding on a few of my own rules. There is no screen time period. That mean no Wii and no computer games.

My 5-year-old son has become obsessed with the Wii in recent months. When my husband purchased this evil machinary, he assured me it would only be something to pass the winter months. Last time I looked outside it was spring so…I packed up the remotes and the games and put them on a high shelf, in a messy closet, not to see the light of day until a snowflake falls again.

Before bedtime last night, I reminded the family of our no TV week rules. “Why are we doing this again?” They all pretty much asked in unison.

Well, if my 3-year-old daughter rolling on the floor with despair once her video was over and my 5-year-old begging for ‘just one more minute’ on the computer aren’t signs for a desperate need to break bad habits, I don’t know what it is!

Here’s a clip of my recent appearance on NECN. I spoke to the lovely Karen Swensen about the exciting changes to our print and online products. Note to self, never wear that color again!