Is There a Right Age for Makeup?

Girls rush to look older as parents attempt to stave off the inevitable.

It was 1984. I was 10 years old and about to attend my first roller rink party. But not before my best friend and I got dolled up. We disappeared into the bathroom, an arsenal of cosmetics shoved under my shirt. Blue eyeliner, sparkly blue eye shadow, blue mascara. We loved blue. A dusting of CoverGirl blush and a slick of Wet 'n Wild gloss across our rosebud lips and we were ready to roll. We emerged from the bathroom, eyes glued to the ground, and attempted to slink past my dad who was on to our mysterious behavior. His index finger gently lifted my chin. Even in that dimly lit hallway, our faces must have glowed. Our feeble attempt at beautification looked more like a circus sideshow. Dad softly but firmly suggested we go back into the …

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Does it Matter if Your Child's Friends are Raised by Gay Parents?

Children of homosexual parents face obstacles unlike those of their traditional counterparts.

I have a dear friend who recently came out. As a divorced mom, she's finally come to terms with her sexuality, but has been met with some expected adversity. Except she didn't think the poor reception would come from friends she thought were tried and true. The most obvious reactions came from those with kids who, for whatever reason, chose to withdraw their children from play dates and other social occasions. Are they afraid their child might "absorb" some homosexual tendency? Perhaps they feel my friend's love for someone who happens to be of the same sex goes against some moral code and calls into question a relationship they are unprepared or even unwilling to explain. Whatever the case, it's an opportunity to show kids that the …

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Grunty

2:02 pm on Monday, June 27, 2011

This reminds me of the time my son (at the age of 8 or something like that) was watching ed, edd, and eddie on cartoon network when, what I felt was innapropriate, commercial came on for that dueks of hazard remake. I don't remember the details of the commercial, but I recall it focusing on Jessica Simpson and how you should go see it because she's wearing short shorts. That commercial is …   more ›

New Illinois Law Broadens Sex Ed

Should contraception be part of school curriculum?

Last month Illinois legislators passed House Bill 3027, a sex education law permitting teachers to educate students on both contraception and abstinence. While the bill does not make sex ed a requirement in all schools, it does broaden the spectrum for what information is allowed in the curriculum. Prior to the passing, only abstinence education was taught as a way to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The Associated Press reported that the new protocol allows teachers to incorporate "age-appropriate" and "medically accurate" materials as a way to help teens protect themselves. Parents would be given the option to review the course before deciding whether to allow their child to participate. Legislators opposed to …

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Denise Du Vernay

2:59 pm on Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Every generation blames the one that follows for the ills in society out of some grand tradition of romanticizing the past. But age has nothing to do with morality. Let's just take Newt Gingrich as an example. He is A LOT older than I, and his behavior is much LESS moral than mine. He's on his third marriage, his second and third wives were women he had affairs with while he was married to the …   more ›

Five Ideas for Celebrating Mother’s Day

Don’t let Sunday pass you by without either showing gratitude and appreciation to your mom, or accepting the love and gifts your family offers you as a mom.

This Sunday is a day set aside to honor moms for all that they do everyday. Whether you are a mom or you’re celebrating your mom, don’t let this weekend go by without making sure Sunday is as full of love and gratitude as possible. In order to create lasting memories, start planning your weekend with mom now. Plenty of opportunities are available locally, planned or unplanned, allowing you fun without the cost of gas. Check out this list and decide what best fits your schedule and tastes. Free Bowling Go bowling! If mom is the sporty type, she’ll love that moms eat and bowl free at Morgan's Thunderbowl in Mokena on Sunday. Gather the family for a game or two of strikes and spares, and then reward your high scores with free grub. If your …

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Is Bullying a Necessary Part of Growing Up? MomTalk Q&A

How do parents and teachers separate the harmful from the harmless when it comes to kids picking on other kids?

Maybe you were never on the receiving end of the class bully. Or you stood by, grateful not to be in the crosshairs, as another child was ridiculed. Whatever the case, bullying is as alive today as it was when we were in school. Except the stakes are higher. It comes in the form of anonymous posts on social networking sites or threatening messages left on a child's cell phone. The text is mightier than the sword. This new age of bullying has forced teachers and parents to take a more proactive approach. The "kids will be kids" adage doesn't work today and we can no longer use it to disregard malicious and harmful behavior. Schools take the zero tolerance approach, and that's a good thing. But does it soften our children and teach them not …

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Community Cookbook

A Sloppy Joe Recipe for Everyone in the Family

Mokena resident Carrie Ivicic shares her mom’s sloppy joe recipe, which she enjoyed as a kid and now makes for her own children.

Carrie Ivicic gained cooking knowledge, inspiration and a whole slew of recipes from her mom. “My mom was a very good cook,” the Mokena resident and mother of two said. “She made homemade, traditional meals that we all loved.” Ivicic chose to share her mom’s sloppy joe recipe with Mokena Patch because it was one of her favorites growing up and because it agrees with every age group. “Kids and adults both love it,” Ivicic said. She grew up with two brothers and one sister, and the sloppy joes were something her mom could make that everyone would enjoy. Now, her two kids enjoy it too. “My daughter told me it was the best dinner ever,” Ivicic said after making it just last week. It’s a versatile recipe, too. “My mom would cook it up on week …

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A Great Escape!

Ditch the Disgusting Makeup Bag and Freshen Your Look: A Great Escape

A professional beauty expert will share makeup tips and tricks at the Oak View Center.

What's crusty, riddled with bacteria and contains a tube of Chapstick? Your makeup bag of course! For many time-challenged moms, a fresh face is something you haven't seen in years. If your skin-care routine consists of a quick wash with a bar of hand soap and a sweep of ancient lip balm, it may be time to freshen your look and shave a few years off your face. On Tuesday, March 22, the Oak Lawn Park District will be offering a class called "The Eyes Have It" at the Oak View Center. Annmarie Vlastnik, a certified spa and beauty instructor, will lead the class and help ladies discover new ways to liven up a tired face and combat common issues like dark circles and fine lines and wrinkles. In recent years, many of her students have shied away…

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What To Do With a Neighbor Kid Who Can't Play Nice? MomTalk Q&A

Moms offer ideas for dealing with neighbors who want to make you "the village," or the chump, when it comes to keeping an eye on the children.

Most of us have experienced a bad neighbor. A few years ago, I had the misfortune of living next door to a family who took my kindness and availability for granted. Their son had the uncanny ability to inflict harm on other children when his mother would send him outside to play. He was a sweet kid but very clumsy and unwilling to follow basic safety rules, which included looking out for the other kids when riding his bike and not swinging his tee-ball bat when other children were too close. He was 5 years old and was never accompanied by a parent when he was outside. Several attempts to talk with the mom resulted in her becoming defensive or dismissive. So I offered to the Patch Moms Council the scenario of one of my final interactions …

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When the Will to Succeed Outweighs Academic Integrity: MomTalk Q&A

Are we forcing our children to cheat? Controversy at Sandburg High has moms talking.

The pressure to succeed will forever weigh heavily on the shoulders of ambitious high school students. Couple that with after-school interests and the combination can make the temptation to "fudge" on tests and homework even more appealing. One of our moms, Felicitas Cortez, brought up a valid point after attending a meeting for School District 135 in Orland Park. During the meeting, Sandburg High School's student-run academic integrity board was introduced. The board was formed following the discovery of a cheating ring that involved more than 70 students in an advanced placement physics class. "I was surprised, not only at the level of cheating done at school, but at the nerve it struck with parents," Cortez wrote. "The problem, it seems…

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