recipe for kids and teens

Years ago, my Mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her I wanted another Ginny doll. She said, “But dear, you’ve already got several Ginny dolls. You don’t need another one.” End of story: I didn’t get another Ginny doll for my birthday. I don’t remember now what I got but I do remember that I didn’t get what I wanted.

Anyway, I needed to get a birthday present for my daughter, so it seemed like which one to get had been decided…that was easy. At 7 dollars a pop and with the addition of a few well chosen hamster accessories, I was convinced I could better her friend’s Zhu Zhu hamster plush setup for much less than 100 bucks.

Popping down to my local Wal-mart and Toys r Us turned up only sold out replies. Not the best response when your daughter’s birthday is quickly approaching. I must have driven to every possible toy outlet in the local area for the rest of the afternoon, but everywhere was the same story…no stock…sorry.

Back home and I hit the parent’s haven for all things kids related…the internet. They say that the internet is the largest shopping place in the world and sells everything and usually cheaper than the stores…THEY obviously never tried to buy a Mr Squiggles! All my favorite online stores had basically sold out, but there was stock available from people that had bought up the limited Zhu Zhu Pets hamsters and hamster accessories and were selling them at, what I would call, outrageously stupid prices. No way. Not me. Not again. Mr Squiggles and his hamster house will just have to wait.

So, how do you deal with this sort of teen behavior? Research shows that children from violent homes are much more likely to be violent adults. We also know that behavior modification techniques learned by parents on child behavior programs are the only way to break this cycle. When the children of parents who had been on these courses were compared to those parents who simply did nothing, there was a 60% difference in the reduction of violence and other problem behavior. This research was carried out at the Feinberg School of Medicine at the Northwestern University.

Violent kids and teens are a big problem in the Chicago area and I know that chief of the Chicago Public Schools has implemented a drastic change of policy. Instead of strict curfews and video cameras everywhere, the school authorities are now concentrating on conflict resolution and dealing with the kids’ emotional needs. Child psychologists believe that there are protective factors such as learning social and emotional skills which can help kids to pull back from the brink of violence. The Director of the Institute for Juvenile Research at the University of Illinois certainly is a great supporter of this approach.

Back home and back to the internet. In hindsight, a crazed, angry, tired mother, in hamster desperation with a three day birthday deadline rapidly approaching, husband’s credit card in hand, is perhaps not the ideal shopping scenario from a budget and practical perspective. The result…one Mr Squiggles Zhu Zhu hamster (37.99), one Chunk hamster (35.71), one Zhu Zhu hamster Funhouse (128.91), one hamster car and garage set (99.95), one hamster carrier, bed and blanket set (in pink of course) (59.99) and one healthy hamster exercise wheel (36.25). Grand total…398.80, plus estimated gas and phone = 453.00!

You will be glad to know that my daughter loves her Zhu Zhu pet hamsters and hamster habitat and you literally cannot get her away from them. My husband…not so happy. Guess what our older 8 year old daughter wants for Christmas! Not again. No way. Not me. OK, but I’m going to buy them early before the supply disappears and the prices go up to prices that only a crazy mom would pay!

Resource Author Francisco Rodriguez H.
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