As parents, we want our children to be happy and confident. We hope they will grow into the sort of adults we would like to know: able to look after themselves, social and successful in at least one role. Knowing how to prepare one’s own meals is a fundamental aspect of being an adult. Beyond just opening packets, the ability to select fresh food and combine it in a tasty and appealing way is a true life-skill.
It makes sense to introduce this skill to children early in their lives. The ability to prepare nutritious and sustaining food is an especially precious possession. And now, even more so, knowing that plant-based diets are thought to provide ‘primordial prevention’ against the serious chronic diseases of our time, puts the potential for good health firmly in the cook’s hands.
Even very young children can participate in the preparation of family meals. It’s a chance to connect with real food ingredients and to recognize qualities that will help children make healthy and compassionate choices, later. They will develop skills and talents to use throughout life. Everyone appreciates a good meal…and the cook who made it!
In fact, children usually love being in the kitchen. Cooking is creative and fun. Eating is social and delicious. It’s all good news!
Most of us parents have to ‘re-wire’ our attitudes and habits, though. Because cooking beside kids is a party! Yes, there are safety issues. Sure, a few hygiene practices need explaining. But when else in your life are you going to see your five-year-old kneading bread dough; your tweenie inventing sandwiches that include mashed potato; your teen using the wooden spoons to practice a drum riff on your mixing bowl—at the same time as whipping up a stunning lentil soup?
Kids in the kitchen offers a chance to put the joy back into meal making. Don that funny apron you were ‘too cool’ to wear a year ago. Serve the dessert first for an ‘upside-down’ dinner. Breakfast can be candle-lit; ambient music can be heavy metal.
If you are worried about safety, the mess, or a shortage of time, take a moment to consider the options: banning children from the kitchen will keep them in unskilled ignorance until young adulthood or beyond. Share meal prep with them now, and they are likely to gain skills, grow in confidence and probably delight you with wonderful conversation and photo opportunities.
If you say ‘Yes!’ to kids in the kitchen, here are simple tips to help you get started:
Safety: Give your child a qualification! The role of Safety Officer gives them the power to correct you if you break one of the Safety Rules. You’ll have to agree on the Rules; but the young officer learns to value and pay attention to details of safety, which they are then unlikely ever to forget.
Mess: Have plenty of floor cloths and hand towels at the ready and make sure everyone knows which is which. Offer aprons. Sweep up before you trip up. Do the washing up while you sing or play word games. Most of all, relax. This is a phase that won’t last forever.
Time: Yes, it does take more time; but it’s an investment in your child. You can schedule long sessions for the weekend; on other days, share simple tasks that suit their age. Try not to watch the clock; a non-pressured atmosphere is best.
3-6-year-olds: Water play comes into its own! Stand them at the sink and let them scrub vegetables, wash berries, or measure liquids. On dry land, let them try kneading and stirring.
7-10-year-olds: Children of this age are natural experimenters. Let them make a spice mixture, concoct a new spread, or design a smoothie. When they are ready, encourage them to write a recipe!
11-13-year-olds: The age of expertise. Theirs might be the difference between black, pink and white peppers, but it still denotes enthusiasm! Putting safety first, let them learn the same kitchen skills you have. Sharp knives, blenders, hotplates and open flame are facts of life and, with your unobtrusive guidance, these young people can deal with them very well.
14-16-year-olds: At this age, they can ‘take over’ or successfully deal with your phone call asking ‘Please, can you make dinner tonight?’ But, they still need to feel looked after, so don’t make that call too often!
16 plus: Going solo is just around the corner. Encourage them to develop a wide repertoire of dishes to set them up, for good!
You: Become assistant to your child: help only when necessary, preferably only when asked. Enjoy!
Peggy Brusseau has written or co-written some 24 books, many of them major bestsellers. Her recently published book, The Contented Vegan: recipes and philosophy from a family kitchen, is a guide to the fastest-growing lifestyle of the 21st century. Peggy lives in London with her husband and sons.
As we enter the new year, many people traditionally start new workout routines in an effort to lose weight or get in shape. For women who are pregnant this new year, however, some different rules apply. Here are some things for you to keep in mind about exercising while pregnant, especially during the pandemic.
Exercise & Pregnancy
Whether you are pregnant and thinking about starting a new exercise routine, or you are already used to an exercise regimen and wonder if it’s safe to continue now that you’re expecting, this Q & A will provide some important insights for you. As ever, please consult your trusted care provider for specific advice about your unique pregnancy.
1. Is exercise during pregnancy safe? The short answer is yes—as long as the exercise program remains the same as it was before pregnancy. In other words, this isn’t the time to start a new workout routine, or to go from not exercising to exercising vigorously. If you haven’t been exercising much at all previously, it is still recommended that you get some daily movement in, such as taking a walk. In my experience, I have not seen any adverse effects from exercising in pregnancy.
2. What if I don’t feel like exercising? The baby won’t be hurt by stopping your pre-pregnancy exercise program. You could try cutting back but still exercising a little if this feels more doable. And as mentioned above, incorporating some light movement, such as walking around your neighborhood, will help you and your baby maintain good health throughout your pregnancy.
3. Is walking or exercising outside safe during the pandemic? During these COVID-19 times, outside is a safe place to be as long as you practice social distancing. However, you should always wear a mask, even when outside, if you are exercising anywhere that you will be around other people.
4. Will a mask interfere with my exercise? Yes, probably. It will take more time to get fresh air into your lungs with a mask on. Still, wearing a mask is the safest thing to do for you and your baby when around others outside your household—even if it causes some discomfort. You can slow down your exercise if breathing through the mask becomes overly bothersome. You can also breathe with your mouth open.
5. Will my baby be smaller if I exercise during pregnancy? Probably not, as long as you haven’t started a new exercise program. Exercise at your pre-pregnancy levels or a little less and eat a well-balanced diet and you and your baby will likely gain weight normally.
Incorporating movement into your day is healthy for you and your baby. The main thing to remember is that now is not the time to challenge yourself to a new routine or to increase your pre-pregnancy exercise regimen. Gaining weight during pregnancy is normal and healthy. Stay in touch with your doctor to track your weight and blood pressure throughout your pregnancy and make sure your health stays on track for the best pregnancy and birth outcomes.
An obstetrician and maternal mortality expert, “Rural Doc” Alan Lindemann, M.D. teaches women and families how to create the outcomes they want for their own health and pregnancy. In nearly 40 years of practice, he has delivered around 6,000 babies and achieved a maternal mortality rate of zero! Visit LindemannMD.com
I often get asked “How can I build my child’s Immunity?” Here are some suggestions from an Immunologist (hint: it’s me).
1. It starts with a great diet.
You are what you eat! There may be something to the old saying. Healthy things in everyday foods—from yogurt to walnuts—may help boost a kid’s natural defenses. So whether you’re arming your kid for cold and flu season or just aiming for good health year-round, immune-boosting foods may help. Foods that may boost immunity include…
Yogurt
Yogurt contains helpful germs called probiotics. You may already know that these organisms live in your gut and can improve the way your body uses food. But they’re also important in helping your body fight sickness. What type of yogurt should you get? Look for brands that say they contain live cultures. Just stay away from artificially added sugars, colors, etc.
Walnuts
Walnuts have healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for you in lots of ways. Experts believe that omega-3s help your body fight illness. Walnuts are easy to sprinkle into a snack mix or on cereal and are an especially great way to get natural omegas for vegetarians.
Fruits & Veggies
To help your immune system, some experts suggests aiming for ones that are high in vitamin C, like citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli and sweet potatoes.
Sugar has been shown in many clinical trials to actually suppress immunity. To keep kids well, limit their overall intake of additives like sugar and find out which foods are allergens. Focus on plenty of fresh veggies, whole fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and eggs.
2. Maintain your child’s microbiota!
Probiotics are the friendly helpful bacteria that naturally occur in our guts. They protect our digestive tracts, help us to digest food, and shield us from invading bacteria and viruses. When this bacterial balance becomes disrupted in children, we can see changes in a child’s ability to fend off infections.
You want your child to eat food that has probiotics like yogurt and avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. Urging your pediatrician to write a prescription for an antibiotic whenever your child has a cold, flu or sore throat is a bad idea. Antibiotics treat only illnesses caused by bacteria, but the majority of childhood illnesses are caused by viruses.
Studies show, however, that many pediatricians prescribe antibiotics somewhat reluctantly at the urging of parents who mistakenly think it can’t hurt. In fact, it can. Strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have flourished as a result, and a simple ear infection is more difficult to cure if it’s caused by stubborn bacteria that don’t respond to standard treatment.
3. Help calm their stress and anxiety.
In today’s fast-paced world, parents are overstressed, children are over-scheduled and everyone suffers. Children’s bodies have the same response to stress that adults’ do—their cortisol and adrenaline rises. When this elevation in stress hormones is sustained, their immune systems’ response is lowered. It’s important for children to have lots of down time, time for creative play and simply times of rest.
4. Make sure they’re getting enough good sleep.
Most children are not getting the required amount of sleep. Depending on age, children need between 10 and 14 hours of sleep per day.
5. Remember that fever helps fight infection and infections develop your immunity.
Although many parents panic at the first sign of a rise in temperature on the thermometer, it’s important to recognize that fever is only a sign of and not an illness itself. Fever is your child’s body’s natural response to an infection and without it; her body isn’t as effective at fighting the illness.
Minor illnesses are part of life, and not every infection can be prevented or treated. When you do have an infection, your immune system builds immunity and memory to that particular virus or bacteria.
How are you keeping your kids healthy this cold and flu season?
Dr. Patel is an allergist in Pasadena California. She is board-certified in Allergy-Clinical Immunology and Pediatrics. She is the co-author of The Mommy MD guides to Twins Triplets and More! She understands that parenting is the hardest and most fulfilling job you can have. You can find her @TMommyMD.
You are social distancing, wearing a face mask, and washing your hands frequently, but probably wondering what more you can do to protect your family’s health during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that there is something more you can do to keep your body’s immune system working at its peak to defend your health and fight illness. No, it’s not an expensive once-a-day pill, a new dietary supplement, or an exciting new medical breakthrough. As a matter of fact, it’s not new at all. The answer? A healthy eating pattern, as well as other healthy lifestyle habits, can be the invisible armor in your family’s crusade against COVID-19 and other illnesses. While a specific food or nutrient cannot prevent or reduce your risk of COVID-19, a healthy diet of nutritious foods can give your body the extra protection that it needs.
What can you do to maintain your family’s shiny and sturdy immunity armor during this time?
The secret is in nutritious, whole foods! Make it a habit to build your grocery lists and plan both your meals and snacks to include fruit, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods have their own “superpowers” to support a healthy immune system that will be ready to work for you when you need it most. In fact, they have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as zinc, which are especially plentiful in fruits and vegetables.
Schools across the country have started to take more fun and creative approaches that encourage students to enjoy fruits and vegetables at lunchtime which can support their overall health and happiness. In addition to promoting a healthy immune system, a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can also contribute to positive moods—who couldn’t use more positivity during this difficult time?
When you learn more about how eating healthy foods can make you feel better and protect your health, then you can better understand why eating them is so important. Try adding some of these mood and immunity-boosting foods to your meals:
Vitamin A, found in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli, and kale, boosts immunity but can also contribute to healthy skin and hair which can help many of us feel more confident.
Vitamin C, plentiful in citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, melon, and tomatoes, can aid our memory, will keep us smart and also works overtime for good immune health.
Vitamin D, commonly found in fatty fish, eggs, and milk, is also prominent in mushrooms. This vitamin plays a role in mood regulation keeping us calm and happy during anxious times.
Vitamin E, plentiful in nuts and seeds, as well as avocado, red sweet pepper, mango, and green leafy vegetables, keeps our immune system and brain humming which can keep us alert while we fight off illness.
Zinc is best absorbed from animal sources but can also be found in plant foods such as beans, celery, green peas, mushrooms, and spinach. It aids in muscle building to keep us strong and also contributes to our immune health.
Eating well, in addition to practicing other healthy behaviors, is a prescription for good health. Adding exercise, good sleep habits, and stress reduction techniques to a healthy diet may be just what your family needs to stay healthy and happy.
I have a passion for public health. As a Registered Dietician, I’ve been fortunate enough to turn that passion into a career with Chartwells K-12, where I help give millions of students across the country the nutrition and nourishment they need to live healthy, happy lives.
Let me start off by saying that I’m superstitious by nature. I always wear an evil eye bracelet to ward off bad luck and wear a red string to bring me good luck. I even bought extras and put them on the stroller and diaper bag. “Oh good, there’s no traffic” has never come out of my mouth because a mile down the road there will be traffic—because I said something, of course. I could keep going, but everyone gets the point.
When our first child was born, my husband and I had heard that it would be a good time to buy life insurance. My first reaction was anxiety. We are young and healthy, why do we need life insurance? Besides, why do they call it “life insurance” when the benefit is when you die? The anxiety along with my natural sense of superstition started to kick in, but I decided that it’s better to be prepared than sorry. Awful things do happen with or without amulets.
Like mom said, “Do your homework!” I wish someone had given me advice on where to start and what to ask. I hope my story helps. Please, ask many questions—act like a 2-year-old for once! Note that the younger you are when you buy life insurance, the better. Once you take care of it, it’s done. The result is lower anxiety which you can save for all the worrying you’ll be doing as a parent throughout your child’s lifetime.
1. Filling Out a Life Insurance Form Online at 2 a.m. Is a Bad Idea.
Let’s face it, Millennials love to buy online. It’s easy and convenient. Here’s what we learned quickly. Don’t buy life insurance online. Not at 2 a.m. when your baby is up and so are you, and not later in the day. A nicely designed website and a few clicks may seem like a good idea until you read the fine print. Online sites are driven by an algorithm and cannot understand your needs, concerns, and health situation.
Skipping an online service may save you money. After the underwriting process, a life insurance company can often return with a higher offer than the original quote you might have been first given.
2. Go Old School and Talk to a Person.
The best way to get the right life insurance policy is to use an independent life insurance agent. Almost the entire process is online so it will satisfy most people’s needs to feel connected on mobile. We asked around and found our agent. You can also search online. Just be sure to ask the agent if they work with several carriers. We learned that if you are healthy and under 50-years-of-age you can apply for life and disability insurance without a blood test for coverage of up to $3 million. Do what makes you feel comfortable and don’t be pressured to buy something you don’t need or cannot afford. Save that money for diapers and wine!
3. How Much Coverage Do You Need, Anyway?
We didn’t know where to begin, so we thought about why we wanted coverage and the amount we needed. For example, we took into consideration that we both worked and had a mortgage on our apartment. Luckily for us, we had a human to help us calculate how much coverage we needed and for how many years. A rule of thumb is 10 times your annual income.
Surprise! Life insurance is less expensive than we thought. For example, a 30-year-old, non-smoking female in good health can get a 20-year term policy for $500,000 in death benefit for $16 a month. That’s the price of my once a week cappuccino over a month.
4. Term or Perm?
No, I’m not talking about your aunt’s hair in the 1980s, I’m talking about term life insurance versus permanent life insurance. If you’re on a budget, and who isn’t when you first have a baby, consider a term policy. My grandma just turned 101 years old last week and is addicted to video poker on my iPad. We started with a term policy, and if my evil eye bracelets keep me out of trouble, in about 20-years we’ll hopefully be able to afford to convert that policy into a permanent one. The advantage is that you don’t need to repeat the lab tests because even if you develop a health condition, the life insurance company will give you the same health rating as when you got the original policy. An important question to ask your agent is if the affordable term policy they are offering you is “convertible.”
5. Surprise! Life Insurance Can Help Fund Kiddo’s College Expenses.
This is something that you might want to consider hitting-up the grandparents for. Life insurance for children has nothing to do with a death benefit, thank goodness! According to Market Watch, “A portion of the money paid into the policies can help fund college expenses by taking out a loan against the cash value balance and using the money income tax-free, which must be paid back with interest.” It’s about putting away money each month that will grow in your baby’s college fund or can be used as a down payment for a home when they are older. Susana Zinn, who happens to be an independent life insurance agent and an amazing grandma said, “It’s a nice way for grandparents to leave a legacy without breaking the bank. If the grandchild later decides they want to launch a start-up instead of going to college, you can authorize your child to borrow the cash value, tax-free, and use it. Make sure the policy has living benefits.”
So basically, for a glass of wine at your favorite restaurant, you can cross off an item on the adulting list. If you get freaked out or make a mistake, like I did before I listened to a person in the know, you can cancel a policy within 30 days and get your money back. (Like I did the first time.) That and a good luck charm of your choice should give you peace of mind at least until your baby gets a driver’s license. Just be sure to ask lots of questions and feel comfortable with your ultimate decision.
I'm a mom of two children, wife, and love my fur baby, traveling and playing UNO. My passion is discovering services and products by entrepreneurs, especially those that can cut down on some screen time and help our family create lasting memories together.
Think it’s too late to remake yourself? Think again. A recent study of 2.7 million startups found that the best time to start a business is when you’re in your 40s. In fact, it turns out, the average startup founder was 45 years old when starting some of the most successful tech companies. Inspired yet? Just ask these women entrepreneurs, all of whom started successful businesses after the big 4-0.
Vanessa Quigley - Getting Photos Off Your Phone and into Books
Who She Is: Co-Founder of Chatbooks
How anyone with seven kids has time to do anything beats us—but Vanessa Quigley managed to create a wildly successful business while also juggling the demands of motherhood (times seven!). Inspired by her desire to turn those endless phone photos of her kids into something real she could hold in her hands, she created Chatbooks, a website and app that turns social media feeds into printed photo books.
"It was a particularly heart-wrenching moment of mom guilt that catalyzed starting my company," Quigley wrote in this Thrive Global article. "I realized I had never printed a single photo of my youngest … and he had just turned five years old. (Horrifying, I know.) Our app was created when I realized there must be an easier way for parents to get their photos off their phones."
With Chatbooks, users can personally choose the photos they want to include, or let the app do it for them, sending a new book every time the user posts 60 photos on Instagram. With the help of hilarious viral videos like this one—the company has grown exponentially, now employing more than 100 people and having sold more than 10 million books to date.
"I continue to champion ways to resolve mom guilt in every part of our company," she continued in the article, referencing Chatbooks' "Toddler Guarantee," which says, that if your child rips, draws on, or eats your photo book, you can get a free replacement. "It is easy to get overwhelmed with all the mini failures of being a parent . . . When you take a minute to look at family photos, you remember that you’re doing a good job and feel like a better parent. I have photos everywhere now to remind myself that I’ve got this!"
Kate Torgersen - Helping Breastfeeding Moms Keep Working
Who She Is: Founder and CEO of Milk Stork
Kate Torgersen was 41 when she decided something had to be done to help working breastfeeding moms get breast milk to their babies—even if it meant shipping it during solo business trips. She was exclusively breastfeeding her twins in 2014 when she was called on a four-day work trip she couldn't turn down. To make sure her babies were fed and her milk supply didn't waiver, she pumped and stashed milk ahead of time—and pumped and stashed even more while she was away. The whole thing was physically and emotionally exhausting, she said.
"I got home from the trip and was determined to find a simple solution to this incredibly annoying problem that so many working moms face," she said. "The day after I got home, I started working on Milk Stork, and it was launched a year later."
Milk Stork, which is currently the only company of its kind for working moms, ships breastmilk nationwide and internationally to 54 countries using overnight delivery. While shipping can be expensive (upwards of $139), the company has grown so big that it's even covered by 749 companies as an employee benefit.
"As working moms, we are faced with enough tradeoffs and compromises," Torgersen said on her website. "Providing our babies with breast milk shouldn’t have to be one of them."
Cristy Clavijo-Kish was 47 and a mother of tween twin girls when she started Los Tweens & Teens, a site which she calls the only bilingual (English/Spanish) digital platform offering advice to teens, tweens and their parents. In addition to curated content from parenting experts, teachers and counselors, the site covers youth-centric topics like college prep, bullying and teen driving. It’s a niche, Clavijo-Kish said, that was direly needed online.
“I couldn't find any online support for older kids from a culturally relevant perspective,” said Clavijo-Kish, who was born in New Jersey to Cuban immigrants. “Blogs and online sites were mostly focused on toddlers and potty training, but content dropped off after Kindergarten it seemed. So I created a space to help parents facing similar issues of anxiety, testing, bullying, travel, wellness, etc.”
The company also produces local events and experiences for families called "Teens & Me” in Clavijo-Kish’s current home town of Miami (this may soon expand, she said).
“I have more belief in my own strengths now than ever before,” Clavijo-Kish said of her mid-life career change. “Funny that during your youth supposedly is the time for more risk taking, but experience allows you to be more thoughtful within your risk if that makes sense.”
We grown-ups have all heard how important it is to wear the right bra—but do our daughters know this when they go out looking for their first one?
Wendy Herman didn’t think so. So she founded BRABAR, a brand aiming to help girls feel more comfortable and confident in their own skin—by helping them find the right bras. The brand’s “EZ-fit” method teaches young women to find the correct band measurement: essential to a proper fit.
“Finding and wearing a bra that is the perfect size is fundamental,” Herman said. “We service the Junior Intimate Apparel customers, who need smaller band sizes and a more inclusive fit.”
The 49-year-old came up with the idea not just after decades of working in the intimate apparel industry (including work for Yummy and Calvin Klein)—but after taking her daughter bra shopping for the first time. It was then that she realized there were limited product options for extended sizing to offer support, especially for teenage girls.
BRABAR recently opened its first flagship store at the Menlo Park Mall in Edison, New Jersey.
“Becoming an entrepreneur and launching BRABAR as a mother has been amazing,” Herman said. “Where I feel a huge sense of responsibility; it also afforded me the opportunity to be more flexible and available for my kids, and I hope that juggling work and life sets a positive example for them.”
Julie Melnick - Making Air Travel With Kids Easier
Who She Is: Founder of SkySquad
For any parent who's ever flown with a brood of antsy little travelers, Julie Melnick feels your pain. To help with the daunting task of traveling with babies or kids (or just traveling, period), the 42-year-old founded SkySquad—an airport assistance company for moms, dads and seniors.
"The stress that goes along with traveling with kids was pretty major," said Melnick, who was working in public relations before starting SkySquad. "I knew there had to be a better way to travel."
Here's how it works: SkySquad assistants meet families (or seniors) at their car upon arrival and help carry bags, car seats, strollers, etc., to the ticketing counter. From there, they get the gang through security and to the gate—assisting with anything a traveling family might need (i.e. going on snack runs, sitting with the luggage during restroom breaks or chasing a toddler as he makes a mad run for the X-ray machine). All assistants are background checked and TSA cleared to help through security all the way to the gate.
Sounds amazing, right? The bad news: For now, the service is available at Dulles and Reagan International airports. Melnick hopes (and we do, too!) that it will grow to become a nationwide program.
You could say it was a good thing Jackie Moss ended up in the hospital. After all, it was only after her sudden cardiac arrest and subsequent hospital stay that she was inspired to make Giftgowns, a company that has since earned her a spot on Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women and, maybe more importantly, given thousands of hospital patients inspiring inpatient garb.
"My life changed after my cardiac arrest," said Moss, a longtime business executive who was working as vice president at a Canadian bank when she landed in the hospital. "During my time in the hospital, I had plenty of time to think and I knew that, by the time I left, I wanted to start a business. I came up with the idea of Giftgowns while I was in the hospital, and once I was out and brainstorming different business ideas, this was the idea that I kept going back to the idea that resonated the most with me. I liked the thought of making people happier and more comfortable in the hospital."
Giftgowns aren't anything like the sterile blue gowns we all associate with hospitals. Rather, they look like big, comfy T-shirts—with fun phrases emblazoned on the front like: "My other gown is Chanel," "Keep Calm and Ow," and "I'd rather be golfing." The gowns have easy access snaps on the sleeves and in the back, as well as pockets for anything patients might want to carry on them during trips to the bathroom or up and down the halls.
Since the company's founding in 2016—when Moss had to deliver and pick up the fabric herself—Giftgowns has expanded to include kids, maternity gowns and custom gowns. In addition, her gowns are now sold at hospitals across North American (and online). "What's really interesting about being an entrepreneur now that my kids are all grown up is they're prouder of me in a different way than when I was an executive," she said. "They love that I have taken an idea borne out of an experience and turned it into something real."
Alison Cayne was a mother of five when she decided at age 38 to go back to school (!!) to get a master's degree in Food Studies from NYU. On a mission to change the way people feel about cooking (making people realize how easy and fun it can be), in 2012 she started Haven's Kitchen, a New York cooking school, cafe and event space in Manhattan.
But that's not all. In 2018, she branded her own line of refrigerated sauces—exotic blends with names like "Herby Chimichurri," "Nutty Lemongrass," "Zippy Chili Harissa"—which are sold online and at more than 300 locations across the country. In her own unique spin, she packages the sauces in squeeze pouches similar to your kids' favorite apple sauce container.
"I thought that maybe I could get people to want to cook by making it a more creative, fun experience," Cayne said in a 2019 Bon Appetit article. "I want people to tap into that freedom of kindergarten, of self-actualizing through cooking a meal."
She is also the host of Heritage Radio Network’s “In The Sauce” podcast, where she interviews entrepreneurs about building consumer brands. And (in case you didn't already realize her super-human powers of doing a zillion things while also parenting FIVE kids), she is also the author of The Haven's Kitchen Cookbook, an adjunct professor of Food Studies at NYU, and a guest lecturer at the Institute of Culinary Education.
"I feel like I did my life a little bit in reverse," she told Bon Appetit. "I got married and had kids at 25, and then started my career at 40. I was very fortunate that when I started all this my kids were a bit older and more self-sufficient."
Gretchen Witt's success is bittersweet. She founded her nonprofit company, Cookies for Kids' Cancer, after her own son Liam was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma at the age of two.
At the time, Liam had just gone into remission, and she wanted to do something to help other families who, at the time, weren't so fortunate.
“I was so grateful for his good health, he was going to live, he was in the clear, but I knew there were other kids and families still struggling … I could see their faces … and I knew pediatric cancer was underfunded,” Witt, 52, told People magazine in 2018.
In that first year, she reportedly raised more than $400,000 selling cookies with the help of more than 200 volunteers. But not long after that, her family learned that Liam's cancer had returned. Tragically, the sweet-faced little boy, whom Witt described on her blog as her "guitar-playing, cake-baking, science-loving, scooter-riding boy," died when he was only six.
“My world came crashing down again,” Witt said in the article. “We needed Cookies for Kids' Cancer now more than ever.”
Since its inception, the organization has granted almost $15 million to some of the nation’s top pediatric cancer research hospitals. In addition, thousands of Cookies for Kids' Cancer bake sales have been held across the country (Here's how you can have one, too!).
“To know there is something my husband and I put together that’s lasted and helped us feel like it’s made a difference is just amazing,” she told People.
Growing up, Rena and her dad, Abe, loved to play games together—and it was this family tradition that led Rena, her children and her dad to come up with the idea for BANAGRAMS
"It was three generations over a summer at our beach house in Narragansett RI," said Rena, who was 43 when she started making games with her family. "We wanted a game we could all play together, at the same time … no turn taking, and where kids could win just as easily against adults."
BANANAGRAMS is a simple word game that comes in a banana-shaped pouch (perfect for travel!). Similar to Scrabble, the game asks players to build words off of existing words; unlike Scrabble, however, BANANAGRAMS doesn't go on so long that you have to preserve the board for days on end. With this game, the first one to get rid of their tiles wins and is crowned "Top Banana."
Looking back, Rena said that juggling entrepreneurship and single motherhood was a challenge—but that it was totally worth it. "My children were 10 and 7 when Bananagrams started," she said. "They were still needing school drop offs and pick ups, and all that goes with being a single parent. Bananagrams was a make or break, as I needed an income to support myself and the kids. Working from home made things more manageable, but it was a pretty busy and challenging time. I was doing all the packing, mailing, invoicing, advertising, marketing, etc., so there wasn’t much free time. I kind of made it up as I went along. But, I am proud to say that I didn’t miss many (if any!) school assemblies, plays or sports days! Even if that meant working into the night, which I did—and still do—it was worth it!
Since its founding, the company has released twelve games, including several variations of the award-winning BANANAGRAMS (a younger kids edition, a party edition, etc.) as well as a few stand-alone games.
Who She Is: CEO/Founder of Madison Reed Hair Color
You know when you want to get your hair done in a fancy salon ... but don't want to pay fancy salon prices? Amy Errett wants to solve that problem. A former venture capitalist, she founded the hair color company Madison Reed (named after her daughter, Madison Reed) in 2013 when she was in her early 50s. Her goal—besides cutting those exorbitant salon prices—was to create something a step above the boxed brands and somewhere below the pricey salons. Errett knew the business had a chance after learning that about 75% of women dye their hair, on average, every eight weeks (with 52% of those women doing it themselves at home). The hair dye industry was a 15 billion market, and Errett wanted a piece of it.
"Repetitive usage is why this business has a chance," Errett told Forbes in 2016.
It was a risk that paid off: The business now has more than 190 employees and pulls in more than $50 million in annual revenue, according to a 2019 Forbes article. In 2017, Madison Reed opened its first set of “Color Bar” salons, offering hair color services for lower prices.
As for the formulas, Errett wanted her products to be "clean," meaning nutrient-rich formulas without harsh ingredients like ammonia, parabens or phthalates.
What do you get the person who has everything? Certainly not a physical gift! At least, that's the idea behind inLieu, a company created by longtime entrepreneur Kathy Terry, that encourages people to give charitable gifts in lieu of actual physical items.
"The inspiration for inLieu came out of the frustration I felt when I had to purchase an obligatory gift for a friend or family member knowing that they really didn’t need or want anything," said Terry, a mother of two who was 46 when she started inLieu in 2017. "To top it off, all the things I was purchasing really didn’t represent the love, gratitude and appreciation I was trying to convey. You know the gifts I’m talking about: the hostess gifts, birthday gifts, thank you gifts, Mother Day gifts, Valentines, etc."
"I wanted a way to show my appreciation by donating to a cause that my friends and family were passionate about," she continued. "Hence, the idea of inLieu!"
Celebrities Sarah Paulson and Brooklyn Decker are fans of the app, which posts your donations on a social feed that can be shared with the gift recipients, making it a fun way to honor someone and promote a charity at the same time.
Terry, who with her husband also owns a chain of burger restaurants called P.Terry's in and around Austin, Tex., said that owning and operating a business is a learning experience for the whole family.
"I jokingly say we hold board meetings at our dinner table every night, but I wouldn’t change a thing," she said. "My girls have learned so much about our businesses, our employees, our customers, our values, our passions, our failures, our mistakes and our wins."
To anyone out there who may be thinking about starting a business, she says GO FOR IT! "The biggest regrets you’ll ever have are the risks you didn’t take," she said. "I know that if I fail, at least I tried and I learned so much along the way."
About two years ago, attorney and single mother-of-four Kate Westad realized she was missing something. It was the middle of the night, she was leaving for a trip for Paris in the morning, and her luggage was laid out across her bedroom floor. Her favorite beauty and toiletry items were lined up beside her suitcases, and she realized that the sum of them was just too big to take along.
That was her lightbulb moment. She came up with the idea for Palette: The Original High Fiver right then and there. Her brainchild: A connected strip of five small plastic wells that people can use to take small samples of their favorite beauty products on the go.
"This has been quite the adventure," Westad said. "For the last few years I really haven’t watched TV or spent much time on hobbies, I really spent all my free time working on this project. I’m having the time of my life. Every time I see someone using our product or they write to tell us how it has revolutionized how they pack their beauty, hair or skincare routine—it literally makes my day."
Made of a squishy, leak-proof material that lets you "push up" to get every last drop of product, the Paks hold liquids, creams and powders and are perfect for travel use (they're allowed through TSA) as well as a simple trip to the gym.
"I think from a functional sense it’s one of those crazy things where you have all your favorite full-size products right at your fingertips," she said. "It’s literally less guess, less mess, less stress. People are freaking out that we’ve created this all in one skin care kit. I love to call it your skincare BFF."
She also wanted to create something that would mean less waste for the planet, since Paks are meant to be washed and reused. "All those minis and travel size single-use plastics are likely not getting recycled," she said. "This is a really easy and great way to carve out an area of your personal care routine and say 'Hey I’m going to skip the tiny travel bottles."
Karri Bowen-Poole was a teacher for many years before coming up with the idea to design "smart playrooms." "I literally woke up in the middle of the night with an 'Aha!' moment," said the 54-year-old mother of three. "I had no idea if it was going to be a success. My motivation was always to shape and change the way kids learn and play."
With the help of interior designer Denise Davies, owner of D2 Interieurs, she started designing playrooms meant to entertain as well as educate. Their modern and sleek play havens are built based on "the belief that good design evokes creative and open-ended play," which means spacious, airy rooms with lots of room for creative and active play. By the looks of the SmartPlayrooms portfolio, these are the sorts of spaces that every kid (and parent) wishes she had—with whimsical but organized designs, built-in rock walls, from-the-ceiling monkey bars and customized reading nooks.
"Many of today’s playrooms are in out-of-the-way areas like the basement with floor-to-ceiling built-ins with way too many toys stored in huge bins. Both the children and the parents are overwhelmed," Bowen-Poole said in an article for Cottages & Gardens. "We work out designs for storage and division of the space that encourages hands-on manipulation, exploration and learning/
It was a labor of love for Bowen-Poole, who said starting a business while also raising three kids was, at times, a difficult task.
"The challenges to starting a business over 40 is that if you have a family and children, it can be a very hard balance, being a present mother and successful entrepreneur," Bowen-Poole told RT. "There were days when the balance was not always in check, but this made me prioritize my choices. I feel incredibly grateful that I have been able to be there for my children when they needed me (or when I wanted to be) and to be able to start my own company that I am passionate about. "
Shelley Goodstein - Giving Women The Hair of Their Dreams
Who She Is: Founder of Hidden Crown Extensions
Shelley Goodstein is no stranger to the spotlight. The longtime Ford model and Arizona morning show host was used to being a trendsetter—but she had never before started a business. That is, until she came up with the idea for Hidden Crown Extensions, a simple hair extension system that makes it easy for women to have the hair they've always wanted.
"On modeling jobs, they would often add clip in hair extensions and I loved the way it made my hair look fuller," said Goodstein, a mother of three who is also a blogger and author. "I had never dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur, but it just made sense. I was motivated because I had three teens to put through college in the next few years."
To develop her product, she came across an old extension method called flip in hair and improved it with a patent-pending design. Her extensions use one "invisible wire," require no clips to hide and can be put on in less than a minute.
"I knew I was not the only woman that would want these—talk about finding a product that meets a need," she said. "Everything I had done up to that point in my life put me in a perfect place to launch this product."
Goodstein started her business the year she turned 50, an accomplishment that she said should remind people that, "You're never too old, or too young to start something new."
Sherri Langurt had been working in the social media space for years when she realized she knew a better way to connect brands with social media influencers: She came up with the idea for BabbleBoxx, a company that sends perfectly-packaged sample boxes to influencers who will tweet, blog and post about the products on social media channels.
"I had been working in the influencer marketing space and saw the need to create a solution that would allow brands to partner with influencers more consistently and cost effectively," said the New Jersey resident. "We approached several partners with the idea of creating an influencer co-promotion, and all five of them signed on within minutes."
Langurt said being over 40 was an asset when it came to starting her business. "There is a certain element of “not caring about what other people think” that comes with age, especially once you have a child," she said. "It’s less about you and more about protecting that tiny being you brought into the world which creates a certain kind of fearlessness."
Ellie Kanner - Making Board Games That Teach Life Skills
Who She Is: Inventor of The Game Plan game for kids
Ellie Kanner wanted a game she could play with her two kids that was both fun and educational. She couldn’t find the exact game she wanted in stores … so she did what any good entrepreneurial mom would do and invented one herself. The Game Plan is a game for kids 4+ that helps reinforce important life skills like manners, hygiene and personal safety—while also incorporating fun elements like exercise and movement.
“I wanted [my kids] to work on their reading and writing skills, and my friend (co-founder Lisa Solomon) suggested I add safety skills,” said Kanner, a longtime talent agent, producer and director who has worked on shows including Friends and Sex And the City. “Together, we added cards addressing emotional skills, good manners, health and any other life skills we could think of.”
The game asks kids questions including: “If a stranger tried to grab or hit you, what could you do?” (In the Health and Safety category); “Name at least 2 things you always MUST do after you go to the bathroom?” (in the Health and Hygiene category); “Act out a sport you play or would like to play someday. Let other players guess what it is!” (in the Move and Groove category), and “Say or spell ANY day of the week?” (in the Say And Spell category).
If players answer correctly, they get a token and move the number of spaces indicated on the question card. To win the Game Plan Game, a player needs to have collected four tokens (one from each category) and crossed the finish line.
“We assumed there would be a game like this on the market,” Kanner said, “but there wasn’t and still isn’t with the exception of ours.”
American Girl recently announced the addition of new in-store experiences at its New York City and Chicago flagship locations. These include full-service doll hospitals, an immersive space in the NYC location that brings the classic character from the ’70s, Julie, to life and a Chicago salon for dolls and their real-life owners.
So what can you expect from American Girl’s new spaces? To start with, the doll hospitals will offer everything from wellness exams to specialist repair appointments. Kiddos can also get a complimentary Certificate of Good Health after their dolls’ check-ups.
NYC store visitors can also visit a fan fave (and the 1970s) in Julie’s Groovy World. The interactive space, which is based on the doll Julie Albright, features a ’70s-style living area, play Pop-A-Shot basketball and take selfies with a classic VW Beetle.
Chicago American Girl doll owners and enthusiasts can visit the store’s newly renovated salon. Available services include hairstyling, ear piercing and manicures—for girls and dolls! These services are already available in the existing NYC salon location.
Jamie Cygielman, General Manager of American Girl, said in a press release, “For more than twenty years, since we opened our first American Girl flagship store, we’ve been creating engaging, interactive retail experiences for kids and their families.” Cygielman added, “These experiences are a key part of what connects American Girl doll owners with the brand, and the new doll hospitals, salon and Julie’s Groovy World take that to the next level.”
Play is an important part of growing up, not only during childhood but also into adulthood and later in life. However, as we grow older, the free, unstructured play that once used to fill our time is replaced by more structured sports and game-playing and then turns to more sedentary activities.
According to The Genius of Play, an initiative spearheaded by The Toy Association to raise awareness with parents, caregivers, and educators about the importance of play, giving children the opportunity to play with the whole family, including grandparents, provides a multitude of benefits for both young and old alike.
With Grandparent’s Day on September 8, I spoke to Dr. Amanda Gummer, child psychologist and founder of Fundamentally Children, who explained that when kids have contact or play with older adults, they display higher levels of language development and problem-solving skills. Playing with people of different ages allows little ones to improve social and communication skills, while bonding and creating shared memories and traditions. When grandparents tell stories about their own lives, it helps children open their horizons and understand more about the world around them.
And while children can gain an enriched learning experience from interacting with positive role models, playtime is also great for grandparents, as it gives them a chance to reminisce about their childhood. Playtime with grandchildren also promotes relaxation, reduces stress and increases activity levels in older generations, helping to increase coordination and maintain cognitive skills. Staying in good health allows grandparents to be able to experience new things with their grandchildren, which can build a foundation for a relationship that will last a long time.
Children bring innocence, joy, laughter, and youthfulness into any environment and the elderly bring wisdom, experience, and maturity. So, with Grandparent’s Day on the horizon, remember to encourage a healthy, playful relationship between your kids and their grandparents.
Anna Yudina is the Director of Marketing Initiatives for The Toy Association™, a not-for-profit trade association that represents toy companies. Currently, she’s spearheading The Genius of Play™, a parent-focused movement raising awareness of play as a crucial part of child development and encouraging families to make time for play daily.
If you’re on your second or even third cup of coffee for the day, don’t feel bad. New research shows those extra cups are doing more than helping you get through the day chasing a toddler. In fact, coffee could help you live longer.
Experts have long been conflicted over the health benefits (or lack thereof) of drinking coffee and while some past studies have shown links between coffee drinking and living longer, there still exists a taboo about drinking too much coffee. However, recent research shows that those extra cups are perfectly healthy. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that even heavy coffee drinkers lived longer than those who drank no coffee at all.
Using data from over 500,000 people ages 38 to 73, the study concluded that drinking anywhere from one to eight cups of coffee per day was inversely associated with mortality. This was true regardless of the type of coffee, including instant and decaf. In other words, pour yourself another cup and enjoy a long life with your kids.
Where a baby is born and lives for its first few years of life can have a significant impact on their overall well-being. New research highlights the best states for kids to grow up healthy and happy.
A new report released by early childhood development nonprofit ZERO TO THREE and nonpartisan research organization Child Trends reveals the many challenges that babies can face during their early years of life, including food insecurity and unstable housing. The report titled the State of Babies Yearbook: 2019, found that as many as 45 percent of infants and toddlers live in poor or low-income households.
By highlighting how each state ranks in specific areas, like health, strong families and positive early learning experiences, the report hopes to create more awareness of the obstacles that babies face in growing up and in hopes that policies will be redesigned to meet their needs.
“The first three years of life will shape every year that follows, and development during this time has an enormous impact on how a child learns and grows throughout his or her lifetime,” said Myra Jones-Taylor, chief policy officer at ZERO TO THREE. “Rather than labeling babies ‘at-risk,’ we should stamp ‘unlimited potential’ on each tiny onesie to change the frame for policymaking.”
Based on the report’s findings the states in the Northeast ranked the highest in all three categories, while States in the Northeast and West were more likely to score in the top two tiers of states across all three areas. States in the West also ranked second highest in Good Health. To learn more about how your own state ranks check out the full report here.
