Thursday, May 9, 2013
If so, a Parenting.com article says you can take steps to reverse any mistakes you've made as your kids have grown. We want your tips for how to raise empathetic, polite children.
I'm sure you've all met your fair share of spoiled children. I know I have. They don't share, they are disrespectful to adults—including their parents—and they regularly throw fits in public. My husband and I are parents to a cat, and we've been blessed with loving, respectful nieces and nephews. I remember being pleasantly surprised when my friend's four sons shook my hand, looked me in the eye and introduced themselves. It seems in recent years, however, I'm seeing more monster children when I go to restaurants or the mall. The good news is anyone with a difficult child can reverse any bad parenting, according to Dr. Phil, Happiestbaby.com and Parenting.com. Their tips include: Those are tips from the professionals, but I want to hear …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
A bill to let states impose sales tax on big online retailers passed the U.S. Senate Monday. Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken voted for the Marketplace Fairness Act, as did many Republicans.
Why should online shoppers pay sales tax? Why or why not? Leave a comment below. You could pay the same sales tax for online purchases as you do for shopping at a physical store if a bill that passed the U.S. Senate Monday becomes law. The Marketplace Fairness Act would allow states to collect sales tax from retailers with more than $1 million in annual gross sales to out-of-state customers. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken (both DFL-MN) voted yes, joined by 67 other senators including 21 Republicans. Minnesota Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans praised the Senate action in a press release: "This legislation levels the playing field for all those Main Street businesses in Minnesota and across the country. It also helps large retailers like…
A St. Micheal-Albertville Middle School West student shares his poem on Patch Local Voices, written after the Boston Marathon tragedy.
Monday, May 6, 2013
After Gov. Mark Dayton called a recent town hall audience rude, Patch wants to know what you think is acceptable behavior.
A week ago, an audience at Shakopee High School responded with laughter, head nods and interruptions when Gov. Mark Dayton said that the state's legislators are underpaid. In a Tuesday press conference, Dayton said the behavior was juvenile and reminded him of his ninth grade general science classes in New York City. Such responses are hardly unknown. As debate heated up on health care reform a few years ago, protests often greeted Democratic members of Congress trying to sell the legislation to constituents in Town Halls. More recently, Nick Espinosa and Sam Richards dumped glitter on presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the beginning of a speech in Eagan in February 2012. Such outbursts aren’t confined to the United States either. In …
The state dropped two spots in the League of American Bicyclists’ annual rankings.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Calling all boutique employees, local shoppers and anyone with a passion for fashion. We want to see your ideas on Patch!
St. Michael Patch is seeking fashion experts to contribute to our Local Voices platform and help educate the masses on the right shoes to wear with that pencil skirt, next seasons top color trends and more. We would love for owners or employees of local boutiques to post an "Outfit of the Week" or for a savvy consumer to keep us up-to-date on the latest trends with regular posts on what's happening in the fashion world. If you love to photograph fashion, you can showcase that passion as well in Local Voices post. Part of the Patch mission is to strengthen communities and improve the lives of their residents, but we can't do it without you. Our Local Voices section allows members of the community—from cooking enthusiasts to local …
The state dropped two spots in the League of American Bicyclists’ annual rankings.
(Editor's Note: The map above was created by the League of American Bicyclists.) Minnesota is still among the top states in “bike friendliness,” but its ranking fell a couple notches in 2013, according to the League of American Bicyclists. The state was ranked fourth this year, down from second in 2012. It ranked high in legislation and enforcement, policies and programs and education and encouragement. But it was middle of the pack in infrastructure and funding and lower tier in evaluation and planning. Minnesota was also missing three of the league’s “Top 10 Signs of Success: Use the map above to see how Minnesota compares to other states in the various categories. Do you think Minnesota needs to do more to support cycling? Share your …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
'Not even a drop or snowflake': The predicted May Day snowstorm largely spared Minneapolis and its suburbs.
There's no snow to shovel, so you might as well look at what other people in your situation are saying about the surprisingly dry driveway pavements in Minneapolis and its suburbs. Check out the Storify above or at Storify.com.
A new Visa survey says families are spending over $1,000 for their child to go to prom. What price works for you, and how do you agree on a limit with your teen?
It has gotten more expensive to do most things in life, so we shouldn't be surprised that it has gotten more pricey to go to a high school prom. On average, parents and teens will spend $1,139 on prom this year. This is only a slight increase over last year but a 40 percent increase from the $807 average of 2011, according to a new Visa survey. The list of "needed" items can be endless: dress, tux, shoes (one pair formal and one for the dance?), corsages, limo, dinner, actual prom tickets and after-prom activities. "Prom is the new wedding," said Kit Yarrow, a consumer research psychologist, in a CNN Money article. "I think that every society has to have a rite of passage into adulthood for young people, and prom has become that." Have …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Whether it's being the first in your family to graduate college or raising money for a local cause, tell us your stories. Sponsored by Grape-Nuts.
Rachel Powell
7:13 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013
It's a proven fact that homophobes are the most likely to be closeted gays. That's what Jimmy is trying to tell us - he's jealous he can't be in those gay festivities. Oh, and BTW Jimmy, I have two pro-gay bumper stickers on my car. Does that make me gay? Or maybe it just matters to me that people have a right to live their lives freely. If you were around during MLK's day would you be griping … more ›