Funplaydates.com talks to Gilda McHenry, McDonald’s Mom Correspondent

FP
Wow, Gilda, what a pleasure it is to meet with you and learn about being a McDonald’s Mom Correspondent! There are only six moms who were selected from over 4,000 applicants
for this interesting assignment. These hand-picked moms go behind-the-scenes at McDonald‘s and learn how the food is prepared and are able to ask questions of top Executives.
Gilda, could you tell us about how you were chosen and what responsibilities you have as a
McDonald‘s Mom Correspondent?

Gilda
I am a member of an organization called Mocha Moms, and they sent out an E-mail to the membership about how McDonald’s was seeking moms to be correspondents, to learn how McDonald’s carefully prepare their foods. The job of the Mom Correspondents is to see up-close the entire behind-the-scenes process of how foods are made for McDonald‘s. I am a writer and this was a very interesting opportunity for me. I applied and was accepted, based on my work and credentials. It was such an honor.

The responsibilities for this (unpaid) position require all the Moms to keep a journal. We travel to various places together (at McDonald’s expense) and learn about McDonald’s. The days are long but the experience is a really great opportunity to learn about how foods are prepared commercially and to meet and have questions answered by the people who run the organization.

FP
Could you tell us anything about the other moms?

Gilda
They come from all over the country. There are two of us from the east coast and we all have children about the same age. I have a 10 year-old, a 6 year-old and a 4 year-old.

FP
Gilda, we think Playdates are important because in today‘s world children are becoming more and more isolated by technology. They are also inactive and tend to watch too much TV or sit in front of computers. We look at the many ways kids can get together and we also see that kids could use the computer to download templates for traditional, active and green play. Kids and parents can also learn how to make wholesome snacks for a special treat or use the site as resource for quick and easy homemade games. We also see ways to make it simple for parents to put together a playdate. Do you think kids are playing enough these days?

Gilda
We are too busy. I agree with you about kids and play. They really don’t know how to do it. When we were kids, we went outside and played all day and came in when it was dinner time. I try to encourage my 10 year-old to go out and play and it’s different for kids these days. There aren’t any kids outside and we really have to work at getting kids together to play. The world is not the same way it was when we were their age. I think there are too many toys and not enough imagination. We are raising a generation of kids who are not at all independent.

FP
Gilda, our Mission at Funplaydates.com is to bring kids and families together.
We believe that, when children play, they burn energy and it helps them to build friendships.
We understand that with so many parents working long hours, having long commutes and kids having such full schedules, it’s almost impossible to arrange playdates. Do you think that making a date with another over-scheduled parent to meet at a playground or park for a few hours is a good way to help parents meet the goal of play, without the stress of having to host something at home?

Gilda
Yes, besides so many parents are running around so that they can’t always schedule time to come to someone’s house.

FP
We think that a Playground Playdate (http://www.funplaydates.com/nav_pages/playground.html)
is a really fun way to inspire families to get together at a park or playground, but we also understand that parents get snagged on preparation. So, rather than pack a huge picnic, what do you think about stopping at McDonald’s as a special treat and having a Kiddie Cone (45 calories) at the end of the playdate or hike?

Gilda
I think that is a great idea.

FP
And for the parents, how about having a Parfait?

Gilda
I love Parfaits (only 160 calories). They are delicious and they have fresh strawberries and blueberries in them. They are wonderful and also great for kids.

FP
I agree. Personally, I think they taste way better than ice cream.

FP
Gilda, have you ever done playdates at a location, rather than hosting one at home?

Gilda,
Yes, one time I met a friend of mine at a bounce house and we had a wonderful time while the kids played. It was great! Afterwards, we went to McDonald’s and had an early dinner and extended the playdate. Even as parents, we don’t get much time to “play.” Everyone is always too busy.
I do fast-food Fridays. Friday is my day off from cooking. When we go to McDonald’s, I order the Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken . It’s really great, and my kids get a chance to go to McDonald’s, which is a special treat for them. When we went to the behind-the-scenes tour, I saw the way they prepared the chicken and they are fresh, beautiful chicken breasts that go into that salad. There are lots of healthy options at McDonald’s. You just have to choose what fits into your meal plan. It’s a fun idea to meet another family there, especially at a McDonald’s where there is a playground. That way the kids get to play, the parents get some much-needed social time and you can take a break from cooking.

FP
Thank you, Gilda. It was a pleasure to meet you and learn about how families can make a McDonald’s Playdate.

Anytime parents can get kids together, healthy, active play is bound to happen! So look into the great parks and playgrounds in your area and give kids a chance to be kids, to run, play and explore.
At www.funplaydates.com, it’s all about bringing kids and families together!
.

From the recent Time Magazine cover Article, “Our Super-Sized Kids,” to the Talk Show circuit, everyone is noticing that there are way too many over-sized children and the problem is growing around the Globe.

Time offers “10 Tips to Get Your Kids Moving.” Briefly, they are:
1) Pull The Plug
This is all about setting limits on screen time and making physical activities a priority in children’s lives.
2) Walk This Way
This initiative is too increase the amount of walking that we all need to do. Time suggested a goal of 10,000 steps per day.
3) Stay Flexible
Everybody seems to have highly demanding schedules these days. So the discipline of exercise can be somewhat flexible when it comes to limits on time itself. In other words, even if your schedule of activities is disrupted, don’t give up the effort to stay active.
4) Game Your Play
Make fitness fun! You can still do active video games, like Dance, Dance Revolution or many of those available on Wii, but also make up your own active games.
5) Make It a Contest
Be inventive and creative and challenge your friends and family to see who can do more push-ups, jumping jacks or other physical fitness activity.
6) Mighty Milers
Get kids involved in community runs.
7) Spin Your Wheels
Go bike riding, rollerblading, skateboarding or going out on scooters.
You Know You Can Dance
Everyone can dance and it’s especially good for kids who don’t participate in sports activities.
9) Take a Hike
Organize a weekend hike, simply find a nearby park or urban hike. Don’t forget the Frisbee!
10) Start Young
Start kids in active play when they are young and encourage them to play tag, hide-and-seek, or animal movement games where they mimic the body language of animals. These games are as simple as: act like a running gorilla or walk like a spider.

These are all great ideas, but the one omission that is huge is to increase children’s play time. Quite simply, when children play, they do not eat and they are engaged in physical activity. They build relationships and they de-stress by having fun.

We all need a bit more play in our lives and that is what www.funplaydates.com
is all about. Play does not need to be expensive or stressful. It does, however, need to be planned in our overly demanding, overly scheduled lives. So take a few moments to call some friends and get the kids together. Forget about food and go to a park or spend a few hours playing, walking and taking in the fresh air. You can also do this in the neighborhood. It’s simple, healthy and a good practice for everyone.

Please let us know your thoughts; we are so happy to share ours with you. For simple Playdate ideas and Invitations, visit: http://funplaydates.com/nav_pages/funpacks.html

Looking for a way to kick off your summer? Here’s an idea for family fun, no further than your backdoor. Sponsored by National Wildlife Federation to encourage parents and kids alike to turn in their TV remotes, iPods, Wiis, computers, MP3 players, cell phones and all things high tech, and experience a night with Mother Nature including listening for nocturnal wildlife (maybe even see a few), star-gazing, cooking outdoors, telling stories about Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, and exploring a whole other world right in their own backyard.

Last year thousands of families from around the country participated in the Great American Backyard Campout. You don’t need to go to Yosemite National Park to experience the great outdoors and the wonders it has to offer. Just open up your backdoor!

Where: Backyards across America
When: Saturday night, June 28, 2008
Who: Families, friends, neighbors, and communities
Why: This initiative is part of a National Wildlife Federation campaign to rescue our nation’s kids from what famed author Richard Louv calls “nature deficit disorder.” Research now shows that kids spend an average of 44 hours per week “plugged into” electronic media — for the first time in our country’s history; we have an entire generation that is growing up disconnected from nature.

Camping in your backyard is a great way to introduce your kids to the fun and adventure of sleeping under the stars. It also brings families closer together without the distraction of TV, computers, and video games.

Getting Started:

The National Wildlife Federation is providing everything you need to head out into the great outdoors called your backyard. Visit the National Wildlife Federation web site (www.nwf.org) for packing lists, recipes, nocturnal wildlife guides, exploration activities, nature guides. Check it out at www.backyardcampout.org. People can even sign up on the site to share their campout plans and experiences.

GREAT FAMILY FILMS: FATHERS AND CHILDREN

SKY HIGH (2005)
At Sky High, a high school for the children of super-heroes, the students are divided into Heroes and Sidekicks. But Will Stronghold, the son of the world’s most popular super heroes, The Commander and Jetstream, has developed no superpowers of his own yet and still has to face all the usual teenage problems, like his parent’s expectations and dealing with the opposite sex, plus having to save the world from a supervillain seeking vengeance on his folks! A real surprise, this is a terrific adventure that’s also beautifully written and acted and the perfect family film.
FINDING NEVERLAND (2004)
In 1903 London, playwright J.M. Barrie meets four young boys and their widowed mother in the park. Over a period of months, the boys’ imaginative games give him ideas for a play and a friendship grows with Sylvia, their mother. But Barrie’s growing affection for her causes gossip and trouble from his estranged wife, Mary. As Sylvia’s health worsens, Barrie becomes inspired to create “Peter Pan,” as he tries to find a way to take his muse on an imaginary trip to ‘Neverland’ before she dies.
NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)

Since childhood, Benjamin Franklin Gates has known that he is decended from a long line of people whose job is to guard a treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers. When he discovers that they hid clues to its whereabouts on the back of the Declaration of Independence, he decides to steal it to protect it from an unscrupulous band of thieves! A fun roller-coaster ride of a film, with Gates and his father along for the adventure of a lifetime, that ranges from the Arctic to Washington to Philadelphia.
NATIONAL TREASURE Book 2 (2007)
The inevitable sequel, “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” has the good sense to offer more of the same, with another far-fetched yarn involving just enough historical clues to keep us intrigued. This time, instead of invisible maps printed on the Declaration of Independence, we get clues hidden in priceless desks in Buckingham Palace and the White House, leading to an unbelievable treasure buried beneath Mount Rushmore! All of which makes about as much sense as the film’s setup about historian/detective Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) setting out to clear his great-grandfather of charges that he was involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln back in 1865!

THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

When a flood of lawsuits force every superhero into the witness protection program, they hide behind their secret identities and try to lead normal lives. Mr. Incredible is now known as Bob Parr, insurance man. His wife Helen used to be known as Elastigirl, but now she and their three children are trying to lead nice, safe, quiet lives. But when Mr. Incredible is tricked into putting on his super suit again, he literally leaps at the chance and finds himself and his entire family facing a trap set by old enemy bent on world domination. A great digital action-adventure with one of the year’s best scripts. An instant family classic.
DADDY DAY CARE (2003)

Two fathers (Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin) lose their jobs and are forced to take their sons out of the exclusive Chapman Academy and become stay-at-home fathers. In desperation, they decide to open their own day care facility, “Daddy Day Care,” and employ some fairly unconventional methods of caring for children. But as their methods start to succeed, they find themselves competing for business with the Academy’s director (Anjelica Huston). Along the way, they learn how to bond witheir own kids and how to be better parents in general.

FINDING NEMO (2003)

Marlin is a clown fish whose only son, Nemo, is captured by a scuba diver on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and winds up in a dentist office’s fish tank. Now Marlin and his absent-minded friend, Dory, must enlist the help of their friends to rescue him in this warm-hearted tale about letting go and believing in yourself.

THE LION KING (1994)

The “Circle of Life” starts when Simba, a lion prince, is born in Africa. As he grows, he and his father, Mufasa, build a strong bond of love that can’t be broken even when the King is killed by his jealous brother, Scar, who makes Simba believe that his father’s death was his fault. Simba runs away in shame but finally realizes the truth when his father’s spirit helps him to reclaim his rightful place.

FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella builds a baseball field in his corn field, despite the fact that the bank is ready to foreclose on the farm. He hears a voice saying, “If you build it, he will come.” Eventually the ghosts of famous long-dead ball players appear, asking him if this is heaven. He also is given the gift of meeting the father he never knew in this beautifully haunting and touching story of fathers, sons and closure.

A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983)

The one thing that 9-year-old Ralphie wants more than anything for Christmas is an official Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot range model BB rifle with a compass in the stock. But everyone Ralphie asks tells him the same thing: “No, kid, you’ll shoot your eye out!” Based on Jean Shepherd’s hilarious 1940’s memoir, this is a wonderful holiday movie, filled with classic situations and characters and recalling a time when things were less hectic and more treasured.

RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954)

Robert Mitchum stars as an ex-convict trying to make friends with his estranged son. When their horses are stolen by a gold-hungry man, an Indian attack forces his wife to flee with them down a raging river on a raft. Mitchum tries to convince his son that he shot a man in the back to save his friend. Eventually, circumstances help him to prove his story, as the three bond on their hazardous journey.

Sandy Wax is President and General Manager for PBS KIDS Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers.  Wax is responsible for Sprout’s overall cross-platform programming strategy, website development and expansion, marketing and new media initiatives.  Having held several senior management positions at Disney ABC Cable Networks and Discovery Communications, Wax is one of the industry’s leading authorities in the children’s entertainment arena. 
 
Prior to joining PBS KIDS Sprout, Wax spent seven years at Disney ABC Cable Networks where she became the in-house expert on developmental needs, consumer trends and societal forces impacting children and families.  During her tenure, she developed the Playhouse Disney curriculum which became the brand’s blueprint for all programming and communications.  She was instrumental in driving the company’s global strategy to launch Playhouse Disney in Europe and Asia and to extend the brand into home video, retail and consumer products. 
 
In addition to working on Disney’s kids brands, Wax led efforts to evaluate the potential of new networks and initiatives at Disney.  She helped launch SOAPnet in January 2000 and most recently served as Senior Vice President, Programming where she was responsible for SOAPnet’s program strategy, acquisitions, scheduling and operations.  Prior to Disney ABC Cable Networks, Wax spent seven years as Vice President of Corporate and New Business Research at Discovery Communications, Inc. 
 
Honored for her achievements and influence in the cable television business, Wax was named a 2008 “Wonder Woman” by Multichannel News and Women in Cable Telecommunications, and is also one of CableWorld’s “Most Powerful Women” for 2007.  She also serves on the board of directors for two Philadelphia-based children’s organizations: the Please Touch Museum, one of the country’s leading children’s museums, designed to enrich the lives of children by providing learning opportunities through play; and Cradles to Crayons, which provides essential goods and meaningful service to area children in need.  Additionally, Wax serves on the advisory council for Nemours Health and Prevention Services, a non-profit organization that works with families and community partners to help children grow up healthy. 
 
Based upon her demonstrated leadership in professional and civic activities, Wax is a member of the Greater Philadelphia region’s “Forum of Executive Women” and was recently named a 2007 “Woman of Distinction” by the National Association of Women and Business Owners and the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Wax holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and Masters of Business Administration from Loyola College in Baltimore.  She and her husband live in Philadelphia with their two children.

We spoke with Sandy Wax about the kinds of experiences that helped to shape her own childhood…

My favorite kinds of games growing up were……  ones that got the whole family involved like Candyland and Shoots and Ladders.

The most important life lesson I learned from free play was.... there are many ways to reach your goal

When I look at how rapidly the 21st Century has changed our lives, the thing I miss most is… the smell of ditto machines

My favorite snack as a kid was….  tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (still is my favorite!)

My favorite TV show as a kid was.…  I Love Lucy.

My favorite movie as a kid was...  anything with Julie Andrews or Dick Van Dyke

On winter days I liked to play...  in the snow, making snow angels

My opinion of Tech-Play is…  Kids enjoy and can learn from a number of different kinds of play.  Play involving technology can spark their imaginations, particularly if parents get involved and play with their kids.

But Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, should still break Box Office Records! A review by Steve Friedman/"Mr. Movie" First, the good news: after 19 years, our favorite whip-cracking archeologist is back, in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and he still has that apparent knack for making it all up as he goes along! Now the bad news: Indy encounters everything imaginable, including angry aliens, man-eating ants, deadly Russian femme fatales, ancient pyramids, zombies, old girlfriends, long-lost sons and even quicksand… and still manages to go absolutely nowhere for 2 hours and 4 minutes! Don’t get me wrong… I absolutely love seeing 65-year old Harrison Ford battling bad guys, jumping from motorcycles, cringing at boa constrictors and diving over waterfalls in a car (three times!) What I don’t love is the kind of sad, tired script that just sets up one outrageous action stunt after another, in an obvious attempt to pad out the screen time. What starts off well - with Russian cold war troops shooting their way into a top secret desert military base - quickly becomes a tired retread of Indy’s last adventure, 1989’s "The Last Crusade," crossed with ideas stolen from movies like "The Goonies," "National Treasure," "The Mummy" and even 1954’s "Land of the Pharaohs!" But even though we eagerly welcome back Indy’s first love, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and her son, Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf), too much of this adventure is, in Indy’s own words, "the same old, same old," including one-note, psychic villainess Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who just can’t resist gazing at the title object. In all fairness, there are a few genuinely great scenes, including an exciting motorcycle chase through a college library and Indy surviving an honest-to-God nuclear blast! But, in general, the PG-13 rated "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," is a sad reminder that - even with a stylish return to form by troopers like Harrison Ford - you can’t make an entertaining adventure without even a half-decent script, for just 2 1/2 tickets out of 5 on the Mr. Movie Scale. Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images 124 minutes

A review by Steve Friedman - “Mr. Movie”

Based on a no-tech 1960’s cartoon that’s somehow developed a cult following, “Speed Racer” has been turned into a two hundred million dollar exercise in wretched excess! Essentially just one long, boring video game-style chase after another, with characters who could charitably be called cardboard - Speed, his mom, dad, obnoxious overweight kid brother, etc., etc. - this race car yawner uses its cheesy colors and ridiculously fake-looking CGI imagery to blast its way into our consciousness and to wear out its welcome in the first 15 minutes!

Like all smart, kid-friendly action films, I thought it would have the good sense to take its incredibly obvious and repetitive plot and show us a little mercy by ending at around 65 or 70 minutes. But “Speed Racer” has the incredible gall (not to mention stupidity) to go on and on and on for another two hours!!!!!!!!!!

The Wachowski brothers - who brought us the ground-breaking special effects in the “Matrix” trilogy - have evidently used all the profits from that mindless, but admittedly action-packed series and promptly forgotten everything they ever knew about entertaining the masses.

Quite simply, “Speed Racer” is unnecessarily cruel and unusual punishment and, unless you have tiny children who simply can’t get to sleep, you should avoid this excruciating mess at all costs, for 1 whole ticket out of 5 on the Mr. Movie Scale.

2 hours and 15 endless minutes
Rated PG (Violence, Profanity, Mind-numbing Stupidity)

What Funplaydates has known for years,
is now a serious concern in the Medical and Academic communities.
 
Even Experts are concerned about what has been lost in our culture.
The Spring  2008 Issue of  Greater Good magazine
(www.greatergoodmag.org), urges readers to bring play back into their lives.
Research shows that play is essential to healthy social, emotional, and
academic development, but kids of all ages today are doing less and less of it. This
issue of Greater Good explores why play is so important–for kids and
adults, and how we can find new ways to play in
today’s world.
 
In the lead essay, pioneering child psychologist David Elkind describes
how play has lost its currency among many educators, parents, and policy
makers. Elkind goes on to discuss how we can build a new culture of play.
Link to the article.

 
Other essays in this issue tackle the controversies surrounding play:
 
PARENTING. Are today’s parents afraid to let their kids play? Jill Suttie
explains new research and tries to strike a personal balance between
safety, freedom, and success.
Link to this article:
 
Other articles examine the biological roots of play, the history of play,
and programs that promote peace through play. On May 6, Greater Good magazine hosted an event on new research into video games with Harvard Medical School Psychologist Lawrence Kutner. Greater Good is taking a serious look into all aspects of play.
 
For those interested in learning more about Greater Good magazine,
you can find a full Table of Contents, as well as a form to subscribe to
Greater Good, at http://www.greatergoodmag.org To contact Greater Good magazine by mail:
Greater Good
UC Berkeley
2425 Atherton St., #6070
Berkeley, CA 94720-6070
 
To learn more about www.funplaydates.com <http://www.funplaydates.com>  and get great ideas of fun things to do
go to http://www.funplaydates.com/nav_pages/funpacks.html

Funplaydates is giving away to one lucky winner a fabulous new movie release for kids:

Hip Hop Harry DVD

It’s the Emmy Nominated live-action high-energy learning series that has taken children s programming by storm featuring episodes from the TV series that won a Parents Choice Approved Award in 2007! Meet Hip Hop Harry the lovable huggable rapping teddy bear whose favorite theme is I Love To Learn! Always 100% positive fun Hip Hop Harry uses music dance and rhyme to help teach youngsters about language social skills and problem solving while he gets them up on their feet and out of their seats for hours of exercise for both mind and body!Fancy Footwork:Sisters Savannah and Sophina learn the importance of positive competition when they find themselves on opposite teams in the Hip Hop Central dance contest. The kids learn to drink water for a healthy body.You Can Dance!: Katie knows how to dance ballet but wants to learn how to dance Hip Hop. Hip Hop Harry suggests she take some dance classes at Hip Hop Central. Taking it step by step Katie and all the kids learn some great new dance moves.I Like To Move!: It s Fitness Fun Day at Hip Hop Central and Hip Hop Harry has invited a fitness expert to teach the kids some fun new ways to exercise. Scott learns a lesson about rhyming words and composes a poem to perform for everyone.

Valued at $9.98

______________

Deadline: June 16, 2008

NOTE: contest open to MEMBERS only. Please join our mailing list by clicking on link below.

Click here to enter contest now!

Congratulations to Linda Morrow of Seminole, FL for winning the Barney ABC Animal DVD from our last contest!

For a Mothers Day craft that is truly heart warming,
Make Soap Sachets from gently used Baby Clothes
 
Giving your wife or mother cherished  memories kept fragrant in tiny, meaningful sachets is a beautiful way to make a gift for Mother’s Day. This recycled craft is the kind of memento that pleases the senses and gives baby hugs to the heart.
 
There is only one consideration here and that is to make sure that you don’t cut apart any dresses, jeans, shirts or other piece of clothing that “Mom” is saving for a special reason.  So give your self a little bit of time to choose the article of clothing you are going to use. Suggest  to “Mom” that you are doing some “spring cleaning” and while looking through drawers and closets, find the piece(s) of clothing you would like to work with.  As you build your “donation” bag of clothing that is headed for a charitable cause, ask  “Mom” if it is OK to pass certain items on. Once you have the go ahead, here is what you do.
 
Materials:
A piece of clothing that will be cut apart
Fragrant Soap
Ribbons and felt scraps or other bits of used clothing
Scissors, Glue, Crayon and Tape
 
Directions:
Take the piece of soap and place it on the fabric.
Draw around the piece of soap with a crayon on the back of the fabric.
Now move the soap to either side of that drawing and re-draw on each side, and then above and below the top and bottom of the first rectangle drawing.  Make sure that you follow the position of the first rectangle, when you draw the left side and right side of the drawing. When you place the soap above and below the first rectangle make sure they are the same width.
 
You now have a pattern that should look like a cross.
Carefully cut around the pattern.
Once the pattern is cut, place the soap in the middle.
Wrap the pattern ends around the soap and glue them securely into place.
If you have overlap, you may trim this off.
Allow the glue to dry for a few hours.
Now wrap a pretty ribbon around the soap for a finished sachet.
 
This is a wonderful and long lasting gift.
 
Optional:
If you choose to use an old pair of Jeans and you want to make place something in the pocket,
Drop in a love note or gift card.