My boyfriend’s two nephews come by every other weekend and they spend a lot of time playing video games in our game room. I remember I walked in one day to check on them and as I turned around to leave, his older nephew reacted to losing to his younger brother with “FUCK that’s not fair!” He’s only ten years old and he’s already got a potty mouth. I turned around staring at him as he looked at me blankly and asked, “What?” He didn’t even know the amount of trouble he was in! I asked him if he knew what he said. It was obvious then that he knew he said something inappropriate. So I told him to apologize for swearing and made him promise to never use bad words. He apologized and went back to playing their video game but he hasn’t used that word (at least in front of me) ever again.

After that incident, I started thinking about my I communication style, especially what I say and how I say it around kids. I know I’ve dropped the F-bomb now and then when my guard is down but I’ve since taught myself to be more cautious while children are present.

Adults are the role models – responsible for setting the example because children will repeat every single thing you say and do. When you catch your kids cursing, explain to them why its inappropriate and give warnings. If they don’t stop, then give punishments. I’m not a parent yet but raising kids sure makes life interesting!

To read more about cleaning up a child’s potty mouth, check out MSNBC’s article in Parenting & Family.

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Shabu-shabu, hot pot, Chinese fondue, steamboat — whatever you call it, its perfect for friends and family to gather around the table and enjoy on a cold winter night. Throw in a little sake or beer and if this isn’t heaven, it’s darn close!

Shabu-shabu is a Japanese style of cooking at the table. The dish is prepared by submerging a very thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable in a pot of boiling water or broth. Swishing it back and forth several times to cook, the familiar swishing sound is where the dish gets its name because shabu-shabu directly translates to “swish-swish”. Cooked meat and vegetables are usually dipped in ponzu or sesame seed sauce before eating with a bowl of steamed white rice. You can also combine the broth with the remaining rice once the meat and vegetables have been eaten.

My dad and I used to have shabu-shabu nights when I was a kid. He told me that shabu-shabu originated from Chinese hot pot which had origins in the region of Mongolia before the rise of the Mongols. It was rumored to have originated around the 13th century as a way for Genghis Khan to efficiently feed his soldiers.

As a kid, I didn’t know any other family who ate like that. I remember thinking to myself, normal families wouldn’t hoover around a boiling pot and cook their own food, that’s ghetto! It wasn’t until I was invited to a friend’s house to shabu-shabu that I realized this style of cooking was popular with families from any culture.

One of the reasons why I love shabu-shabu is the health factor. What could be better than top quality beef and fresh vegetables swirled through a simmering savory broth? You select exactly what you’d like to eat and the meats are of the highest quality. Plus, all the cooking is done in broth, not oil.

Today, shabu-shabu is the newest trend in dining. Jacqueline Church, author of Beyond Sushi: Shabu Shabu, declares it as “the new sushi”. Shabu-shabu allows family and friends to slow down, cook, eat and spend time together in this ever changing fast-pace lifestyle.

To learn how to cook and eat shabu-shabu, check out About.com: Japanese Food.

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So this is what I’ve been feeling all week long… Bummed out like someone walking around with a bag over her head. Why you ask? Because a week ago on Friday, I broke out with 4 monstrous zits on my face. Every day since then, they’ve invited their friends and family to come out and play. I woke up with 8 on Saturday, then 4 more appeared on Sunday, until finally I counted 15 red throbbing zits on my face on Monday morning. All of which were visible on my T-zone.

No amount of makeup could cover them because they’re huge and three dimensional. They cast their own shadows and have their own area codes. I was so depressed I stayed tucked away at home like a hermit.

I can’t remember the last time I broke out like this. I’m 26 years old and well over the awkward acne years. Even as a kid I had very little acne issues. My face was clear for the most part and every once in a while, I had the occasional one or two pimples that went away fairly quickly. I’m not stressed either! So why is this happening to me?????

According to Acne.org, adult acne affects 25% of all adult men and 50% of adult women at some time in our adult lives. Dermatologists are seeing more adult acne than in previous decades. Some can still get acne in their forties and fifties. So when do you stop getting zits? The answer is never!

Although the causes of adult acne are unknown, possible causes include stress, cosmetics, hormones, and an increase of resistant bacteria. Some things that can make acne worse is leaning on or rubbing the skin, squeezing or picking at pimples, and hard scrubbing of the skin.

So what have I been doing to keep my breakout in check?

Neosporin. The active ingredients and powerful antibiotics in Neosporin are far more effective than benzoyl peroxide. Although applying this topical gel can be greasy and uncomfortable, the oil base helps from drying out your skin. It speeds up the healing process and prevents scarring.

I’ve also been using the minimal amount of makeup and coverup; most days I opt for no makeup and stay home like a hermit. Also, use a light facial scrub to clean your pores and wash away dead skin cells. Finish with a clean face cloth and warm water.

Its been almost a week after the breakout and I noticed over half of the acne that appeared on my face shrank notably and the redness has lightened considerably. I intend to keep using Neosporin in the morning and before I go to sleep.

Getting adult acne is common and there is nothing you can do about it. It can be very depressing. It’s definitely put a slump in my confidence level. But nothing can be done to make acne magically disappear so learn to take care of your skin and get the right treatment. Like everything else, healing takes time.

To read more about acne, check out Acne.org.

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