I'm so excited to announce that MakesCents.TV is growing! So, in order to do that we need You! I'm very excited to announce an Open Audition for our newest contributor!

What You Can Do:

1. Choose what you'd like to focus your review on: It could be on Vehicles, As Seen on TV, Cooking, Politics/Current Event Rants, or pitch your own ideas to the show!

2. In each episode you'll have up to 3 minutes to give your review (see previous episodes to get an idea of the format)

3. You will be on TV twice a month!!

*VIP: You will need a camera AND proper audio but as long as you speak English, you can be from anywhere in the world! 

Pitch me your ideas at: tegan@makescents.tv and we can go over the nitty gritty details!

Can't wait to hear from you!

What is it about being outside that repels kids these days? I mean (and sorry to sound like an old woman here...BUT) When *I* was a kid, I LIVED outside! I remember meeting my friends at the field between our houses, and just playing. We’d build forts, catch frogs, play (my personal favourite) Little House on the Prairie (I was always Laura, by the way)! We’d only go home when we were hungry, or when it was too dark to see!

So, I’m constantly surprised when my own kids don’t seem to want to do the same thing! I feel like I’m continuously pushing them out the door, with them digging in their heels and sliding across the kitchen floor! And when I do, finally manage to get them outside, it’s only a matter of time before the door opens a crack and I hear, “Can we come in now?”

And it’s not as though my guys are used to just sitting in front of the screen all day either. We only watch TV just before bedtime. So, I can’t even shrug my shoulders and say, “Well, really they love their virtual world more than the real one!” 

I’m actually relieved when I talk to other parents to hear that they are going through the same thing with their own kids! At least mine aren’t the only ones! Gone are the days of spontaneous playing with your friends, where you just opened your door, and played with whoever was around! Now, we seem to be stuck in this mode of “organized playdates”. The parents (and I’m guilty of this myself) are in charge of picking up the phone and arranging the time and place. It’s just become so ‘normal’ now that I just recently realized that the freedoms we enjoyed as children are non-existent with our own. 

This thought made me sad. Now, I know the reasons behind it all are because we are all terrified that “something” might happen to our kids. There’s been too many kidnappings, too many freak accidents, too many horrific events that make us recoil and cling our children even closer to us. But at the end of the day, I have to ask myself - are we doing our kids any favours by doing this? 

I don’t want my boys to be frightened of adventure. I don’t want them to feel that you are only ‘safe’ at home. How are they to grow intellectually, and gain appreciation for discovering new things? 

So, last week I decided it was high time my 9 year old got some of the freedom I had when I was young. I gave him some money and told him to go to the store to bring home some popsicles. The store is at the far end of our street, and out of sight from the house. He was thrilled! But it really was more of an exercise of letting go for me rather than for him and for me to trust that, yes, everything is going to be okay. He came home 25 minutes later, laden with popsicles and a pocket-full of change. He proudly told me all about how he ‘shopped around’ to make sure he got the best price (clearly he’s learned a few things from his mother!).

So, I'm forced to ask myself: "who's fault is it that my kids hate going outside?" I'm not too happy with the answer. So, even though I haven't manage to throw off completely the "organized playdate monster" (old habits die hard), I'm AM making an effort to ignore their protests and shove them outside more and just let them be. Who knows what adventures they'll come up with when they discover the freedoms that come with exploring? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry that I'm MIA right now! We are on our vacation in Florida at the moment and won't be back until July 9th. But don't worry, it's not a complete vacation of leisure - I'm working hard and gathering all your Must Know Information on Vacationing in Florida! Stay tuned for several travel episodes coming soon!!! 

Take care

Tegan

June 10^th

 Well, with a mere 17 days to go before our big trip to Disney, I realized that I’m going to be spending the majority of the trip in a bathing suit and I’d better get cracking on losing that (shall we say) ‘insulation’ from the wintertime! So, I’ve started running every morning after I drop the boys off at school.

Yeah, that's right, I’m doing what I always swore that I’d NEVER do! I always thought that people who ran were full of themselves. I mean, 'cmon: they have their special running outfits, their special running shoes, special running baseball caps that are made of some sort of fabric that doesn’t make you sweat…really? How elite can you get?

But my own pretentiousness faltered and crumbled when Paul, (who is an avid runner himself, and has been for years) came home and surprised me with the CUTEST running outfit just for me! (And oh yes, I’m aware of how easily my values sway – I don’t think I’d hold up too well under any sort of interrogation!)

So out I go, every day like clockwork, in my cute little running outfit (sweat-free hat included). And I’m up to 3 km now – of which I’m pretty proud, especially since a lot of it is uphill! ‘Course, there are times when I have to lean against a tree until the gagging subsides!

And now I've noticed that I’m quickly becoming obsessive about running. I want to stress that it's NOT, in fact for my good health, or for the fact that it’s amazing for my cardiovascular system. Nope. It’s about Vanity, pure and simple.  

I realized that a line in one of my all time favourite movies, "American Beauty", is even funnier now because it TOTALLY pertains to me:

Lester Burnham: I figured you guys might be able to give me some pointers. I need to shape up. Fast.

Jim Olmeyer: Are you just looking to lose weight, or do you want increased strength and flexibility as well?

Lester Burnham: I want to look good naked!

And really, am I alone in this??