Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council consisting of local Marple and Newtown parents, take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Question: How do I get my kids to help around the house? Do you pay your child an allowance for his/her help? Answer from Roe McKernan-O'Brien (mom of 4): My kids all make their beds, put their clean clothes away, straighten up their room, rinse their dishes and put them in the dishwasher. They also all have two nights a week to set the table, pour the drinks, etc., and also take in the empty trash cans. Their reward is that they get to stay here for …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council consisting of local Marple and Newtown parents, take your questions, give advice and share solutions. Question:  A local mom reached out to me this week after having heard her child call themselves: "dumb, fat, stupid and slow." This is not all at one time, but instead at different times throughout the week. Homework, sports, gym class, friends–all had the kid in the dumps about themself. I reached out to local parents for advice for this mom, along with the rest of us who want our children to have good self esteem.  How do you help lift your child's …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council consisting of local Marple and Newtown parents, take your questions, give advice and share solutions. April is Autism Awareness Month. This past week some very scary numbers were published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. They estimate that one in 88 children have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. That's disturbing, especially since it is a 78 percent increase since 2007.  The numbers are scary, especially for boys–where 1 in 54 boys are diagnosed versus one in 252 girls are diagnosed.   I'll be honest, I wouldn't know …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council consisting of local Marple and Newtown parents, take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week's question: I feel like there isn't a week that goes by without a parent sharing their concerns about their child's reading skills. Either the complaint/worry is about their kids not liking to read, not knowing what to read, or just not reading yet at the grade level that is expected of them. I can relate. I remember hating to read and being in a below reading level group until sixth grade. That is when I discovered the Hardy Boys, Sweet …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council consisting of local Marple and Newtown parents, take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week's question: Last year I asked about birthday party venues, but this year I'm looking for something very particular: arcade games.  Does anyone have any suggestions on where we can go for a six year olds birthday party that has an arcade? Answer from Chris (dad of 1): We've done the Winner's Circle multiple times for both birthday parties and sports league parties. Only warning: make sure you have some activities that are non-arcade related …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: Where are the best places in the Marple Newtown area–and surrounding areas–to take your kids to dinner? Any tips on dining out with kids? Answer from Lisa Parks (mom of 1): My daughter loves Pinnochio's in Media, they give kids dough to play with while you wait to get your food. Answer from Stacy G. (mom of 3): Front Street Fountain in Media is fantastic! Answer from Jen Ballios (mom of 3): Front Street Fountain. They have a back room for the kids with small …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: The lunches at the school cafeteria aren't very appealing to me, as an adult. I constantly look at the menu and wonder why are they serving Popcorn Chicken with whole wheat dinner roll? Fried chicken and a dinner roll doesn't make sense as a combination. I don't get it. Why the double carb? The other choices are called 'Grab & Go' (I have no idea what that is) and a Smuckers Uncrustable (a peanut butter and jelly pie item). The calorie count, which is missing …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: Recently, the second graders at Loomis Elementary School had their annual hobby show. My son Peter wanted to show off his collection of cars and wanted our help. He wanted to make his presentation look like the floor of the car show. We headed to Jo-Ann Fabrics where we picked up a ton of supplies to make his auto show come true.  Only, it didn't happen. Dad ended up traveling for work, and mom, well, I got really sick. I tried to sew his cars on the silver …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: Where are the best places to take young kids skiing? How about snow tubing? I looked last year and couldn't find anywhere that Teddy could join us because of age restrictions.   Answer from Merrie Staurowsky (mom of 3): My parents took Ethan (he was 6) to Camelback last year. He wanted to snowboard. They made out well. My best advice is to go on a weekday. It won't be crowded. Look into Learn to Ski packages that include the lift ticket, lesson and rentals. …

When the clock strikes midnight at the beginning of each new year, I have usually already made up my list of resolutions: no more fast food, no candy or junk food, no more cursing, watch less television, more reading, less eating, lose some weight, go to the gym, get organized, get healthy and be a better mom. These are just a few of the resolutions I make every single year. No pressure or anything, right? I usually start off with a bang and end a few weeks later in a fizzle. I've set myself up for failure with such a long list of demands. So many of the things on my list fit under 'be a …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: What are you doing with your kids this week when school is on break?  Answer from Bretany Pilko (mom of 2): It's a busy week of having visiting family and having friends over. I plan to take the boys over to Marple Sports Arena one afternoon for some time on the mountain and some skating time.  They love that and I love it too–I take my Kindle and read in peace, although, there is no quiet! We never miss the Mummers Parade, so that's always a big day! Answer …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: It seems to me that this time of the year is all about the children in our lives. We chase down that special toy, try to make special memories and traditions, watch them in school concerts, etc. But what about mom? What do you want for Christmas or Hanukkah? What's the big gift on your wish list? Answer from Michelle Cluver (mom of 2): You're not going to like this, and it drives my family crazy every year, but there isn't really anything that I want. I have …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: It seems that as soon as the kids start going to elementary school they start to question if Santa is real. They come home and say that "Bobby" said Santa isn't real. They ask you how reindeer fly and how does Santa get in the house if there is no chimney. It's hard because you don't want to shatter their beliefs–you don't want this part of childhood to end. What have you done when your child asked you if Santa Claus is real? Do you tell them the truth?  …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: Are you going shopping on Black Friday? What stores do you go to? Do you shop all night/day long? Is there one toy in particular that your kids have to have? Answer from Stacey Gilroy (mom of 2): I'm sticking with consignment sales. Second Time Around Kids Consignment Sale is having a Holiday Toy Sale on Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 at Marple Presbyterian. Why spend ridiculous prices (Black Friday or not) when you can find gently used and new things for super cheap? The …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: Do you let your kids sleep in your bed? Answer from Helen Richman (mom of 2): No, never. It will become a bad habit. To get that cuddle time, we allowed them to get in our bed in the morning. This way they know they have their snuggle time with us but when it's time to sleep at night, everyone in their own beds, lights out, nighty night! Answer from Cathy Powell (mom of 2): Emma comes into our bed almost every night. Basically when she does come into bed, if …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: With Halloween less than a week away, the candy has already started to enter the house. What do you do with the candy your child brings home? How do you limit consumption so they don't go into sugar shock? Answer from Stephanie Latchford (mom of 2):  I let my 2- and 4-year-old eat a ton of candy Halloween night, and then we put the rest into the treat jar to be doled out for good behavior and other accomplishments.  Answer from Heather Kellogg (mom of 2): My …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: What are your kids dressing as for Halloween? Do you allow your kids to wear anything super scary or gruesome? Do you make homemade costumes? Any traditions you take part of on Halloween? Answer from Susan McAnally (mom of 3): I make sure the costumes are age appropriate and not scary. Although, my kids don't like scary so it isn't an issue. We do hand-me-down or we buy the costume.  Answer from Michelle Cluver (mom of 2): I basically let them wear whatever …

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: What grade is your child in and how much time do they spend on homework each night?  Do you feel like it is adequate or too much?  How is the homework distributed–daily or once a week in bulk?  Answer from Michelle Cluver (mom of 2): Ben is in fourth grade, and spends 30-40 minutes on homework. Most of it is sent home in bulk, so some days he'll work ahead. I think it is adequate. I use homework as a guide to let me know how well he is doing in school, more so…

Each week in Moms Talk our Moms Council, consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: Last year when Teddy (age 4) was quick to announce to the world that Puck was the baby daddy on Glee, I realized that maybe my boys were actually understanding what was happening on some television shows I occasionally let them watch with me if they couldn't sleep.  (Glee, 30 Rock, American Idol, etc.) . Peter's favorite show is Top Gear, which I have found occasionally has very adult conversations or commercials. At what age do we let our kids watch these …

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council consisting of local parents, take your questions, gives advice and share solutions. Question: The start of school also brings the start of homework, sports, band practices, tutors, and late nights.  What are some good fall-inspired dinners that are easy to prepare and get on the table with the limited amount of time we have now? Answer from Stacy O'Keefe (mom of 3): We rely on our Crock-Pot so much during the fall. We prepare the meals the night before and my husband, Kevin, puts it on in the morning before he leaves for work around 6 a.m. There is a …