Can you really make a latte out of this stuff? International Delights One Touch Latte Review

Happy Memorial Day.

Ready Whip or Not
(c) 2017 P.Lynne Designs

Yes, I am working but not for long.  I am enjoying the day while trying not to ball out my nephew for not helping me with this Origami 6-Shelf thing. I originally set it up…. Two years ago.  I want him to switch it from one wall to another, which is on the same wall as my computer desk.  When you are single good help is hard to find.  He has promised to move this thing now going on 8 months (for a year actually), and now I have a deadline.  Columbus finally has an IKEA, and guess who is getting her Alex Drawers, her Kallax, and some storage containers? ME, that’s who.  The moving of the shelf takes about 10-minutes, tops, and I need to finish this organizational job, so, I can get on with my life.

Well, such as life.

Coffee drinker 101, keep me away from Starbucks

I have a perfectly good Keurig coffee maker, mini-sized, as in big enough to hold a mug.  I love my little machine, and I actually downsized from the 10-cup machine.  It is only me, single in the house, and I had a kid, there is no way on this earth she would be drinking this stuff….at least not yet, LOL.

I also love Starbucks, and I am constantly reloading the gift card.  I have $4.50 left on this round.  I often think about how much I spend on a cup of coffee, latte, or Frap, and when I really think about it, most of us who drink Starbucks (Dunkin Donuts, Tim Horton’s Cup O’ Joe…Et. all), could really feed a small country with our coffee drinking, would you agree?  Thus, the reason for me buying the Keurig. So, I started wanting to learn how to deconstruct the coffee making process the Starbucks’ way.  I cannot say I have it down to a science, but it at least makes tummy and brain happy.  This is when I saw this International Delight commercial for making your own lattes at home. 

Apparently, they have been thinking about this too, or this would not have made it out of the gate.  So, I am going to compare the traditional way with the cheat method, and then the Latte mixture.

Traditional method does not work for me.

Before I got my first Keurig, I had a Delonghi coffee system (not the original name, but I will go with that).  It had on it a place where you can make regular coffee filter coffee, and fancy coffee (espressos, lattes, Macchiatos), you name it.  To do that, you had the frothing stick, which in the 2 years I had it, I could not work this monstrosity of a machine.  It was something that you put the milk in the cup, use this stick, to which steam came out to froth the milk, and you are supposed to end up with form. Not for me.  It tasted horrible, and I hated it.  This was the reason for me to start going to Starbucks.  They were pros at this task.  When I got the first Keurig, I poured in the milk and called it a latte. 

When I got the second one (a year before they came out with Keurig 2.0), I started using a method called, “Buy a can of Ready Whip and let it melt on top of coffee”.  SUCCESS!!! I can now call myself a barista. If I want mocha, buy a can of chocolate Ready Whip, and I am in chocolate heaven.

Why are you trying to ruin it for me?

Apparently, International Delights must have been monitoring this ready whip stuff because two months ago, they came out with something called, “Latte in a can”, or One Touch Latte, So, last week, I bought a can. It costs me $3.79 at Market District, which is a high-end Giant Eagle. In fact, they do not want to be in the same league as Giant Eagle.  Since this was a work-related buy, meaning that I bought it for the purpose of writing this review, I should get back the amount for a refund.  Also, to give a little warning that this is not a sponsored review.  I bought it on my own, thus I did not get a free can.

What does this remind me of?

When you first look at the can with a photo of a glass mug on it, the first thought that came to mind as I picked it up was Ready Whip.  In fact, the can is a cross between a can of Cheese Whiz and a can of Ready Whip.  It is in a 12 oz. can.  The instructions on the can say:

·         Leave room for froth.  This means do not fill the cup all the way to the top. My suggestion is not put as much sugar in your coffee.  This stuff is super sweet.  Not recommended for diabetics or sugar sensitive people.

·         Shake it.  Duh, otherwise, you would get milk (lot cheaper).

·         Press and hold about 5-7 inches from the cup.  I also suggest you do not wear your nice clothes for this as it can get quite messy.

·         Enjoy. 

Taste.

It tastes good.  Does it remind me of that little coffee shop that starts with an “S”, cost a lot of bucks for me to get a reloadable gift card, only for me to have change left on it?  Nope, it does not even come close. 

Other thoughts that are colliding in my head over this product….

·         Save your money.  You can do better with a can of Ready Whip. 

·         For the calorie counters out there…. 25 per 2 Tbsp or 120 per latte (1/7 of the can).  I am trying to figure out which one is it.  It is not your daily source of Calcium (0%), Vitamin D (0%), or Iron (0%). 

·         Again, not for Diabetics and sugar sensitive people (17g of added sugar).

·         I got the Mocha, and there is also a Vanilla and Carmel Flavor as well. 

Overall thoughts:

I will admit saying I was excited about trying this, being a coffee drinker, but it quickly fizzled the moment of usage.  I keep talking about Ready Whip, which was meant for desserts, but I use it for my coffee when I want a latte.  In comparison to One Touch Latte, I can see the application.  I also see One Touch Latte being used like Ready Whip.

It also depends on what you like.  When I was little, you had coffee or you had tea in America.  Lattes and expressos are European delicacies brought from the old country, Italians who wanted a little bit of “home” in a new world that the rest of us adapted to.  Like sushi, I am glad it is here, but have to ask Starbucks why is it so expensive?  One Phrase:  Supply and Demand.

Takeaway Moment: 

There are none for today, except to the writers, you can do reviews without demanding pay in your post.  Is it worth doing reviews?  You bet, especially if you are doing a little PR work for a new client.  Point the client to your reviews so they can get a little sample of your work.  If the client likes the review structure and that is what they are looking for, they will hire you.  In turn, it means work.   

June 2, 2017 Update:  WTF?  The stupid canister clogged on me.  For $3.79, this thing is not allowed to clog.  So, my overall impression of this product is like I said before: Get a can of Ready Whip.  It is cheaper, and even if it clogs up, you feel better throwing away the can.  Bye-bye glorified can of whip topping.

Pokémon Go Away

( warning:  Maybe some affiliate links ahead)

(c) 2016 Dennis Hwang

I like games. Games are fun and exciting. I have my few select games that I play on Facebook, my IPad, and my phone. Pokémon is not one of them.

I play puzzle games such as Candy Crush (jelly, original, and soda), Farm Animal Saga, Jigsaw Puzzle World, and SimCity Buildit. I used to be a big fan of Cityville, Farmville, and all the ‘Ville games, but I found that I was spending way too much time trying to build my city, farm my animals, and doing all the things that should be productive in the real world.

Now, you are probably wondering what is the difference between me building my city in SimCity Buildit versus building my city in Cityville? Maturity, I guess. When I first played Cityville, I had just gotten my account with Facebook. I had heard a tip from another consultant, who was a consultant in a different direct selling company, which she started Cityville, because, she can gain customers from Cityville. How? She said it was simple. She used to look on her Cityville account to see who has gifted her things (such as houses, businesses, and anything else that was related to Cityville). Then she would try to connect with them outside of Cityville to see if they would like to continue the friendship and Facebook. Once that was established, then she would talk about herself outside of Cityville, explain that she is also a consultant for the company she was a consultant with, and ask that person if they would like to hold a party, or simply place an order. She was surprised at how many people said yes to the idea. And that is how she gained customers. I thought it was a little bazaar, at first, but I decided to try it. It did not work for me, but I got addicted to the game.

Now with SimCity Buildit, is just me and my IPad. I do not have to bother anyone by inviting them into my inner circle, trying to see who has gifted me something (extra life, coins, and anything else related to puzzle game), and I have restricted myself to play before I go to sleep. Yeah I know, it’s a little stimulating, and it takes me a little longer to go to sleep, but it relaxes me, just like a book does. (Which reminds me, I need to start reading more again.)

Pokémon Go, A Go-Go.

I have heard of Pokémon before.  We all have at one time or another. I used to watch the show with my nephew when he was between the ages of 3–8, then the appeal sort of went away. He used to collect Pokémon cards, and dream of battles that he would have with Ash helping him. I thought, still do think that the characters, especially Pikachu are cute. There are a couple of them, however, I question the drawings of them, but hey, they are supposed to be battle monsters. I saw every movie, video, and television episode with my nephew, until at the time of the airing of each show or movie, and I knew just about all of them. In fact, I started following in love with Japanese animation. I used to watch Sailor Moon, but that is another topic for another day.

What is Pokémon Go?

In case you are over the age of say 60, correction 55, you may not have a clue to what Pokémon Go is about, the concept, nor this addiction that the younger generation has on this game. I am 52, and I barely know what this game is all about. So, I will try to explain what my 52-year-old brain can comprehend.

Pokémon Go is a “location-based” augmented reality video game you play on your Android or iOS phone.  The player uses their phone’s GPS system to help locate, capture, battle and train virtual creatures (according to Wikipedia). These creatures are called Pokémon (or pocket monsters as it is translated to). In order to play, a person needs to establish an account and choose an avatar (a virtual representation of the player). The end game is to catch all the Pokémon you see around you and do battle with your opponents. Sounds simple enough, right? Here’s the catch (get it?). Instead of sitting glued to your phone all day, you are walking around your city to catch these Pokémon, put him in the ball, and prepare to do battle with the Pokémon. The game sets up virtual spots around the city, for instance, downtown Columbus, and there, what I believe are Poké spots. You need to get there before someone else to claim your Pokémon, then put him into a Poké ball. You get experience points for activities done before the battle, and these experience points determine how strong your Pokémon are at the time of a battle. Naturally, the more Pokémon you get, the more points you get for when it’s time to do a battle. Anyone with the game, at any time, can challenge you to a battle.

Pros and cons of this game.

Pros

What I like about this game, is simple. It gets you up, it gets you moving, and you are exercising. You are not glued to your chair and to your phone. Sometimes, it takes time to define your Pokémon, but when you do, there is a reward at the end of your quest. It makes you happy when you get that reward, and I heard it is fun. These are the only 2 I see going into this game.

Cons

I have a bunch of cons for this game. Let’s start with the first one, usage of memory on your phone. Let’s just say it takes a lot of memory to play this game.

Privacy is another issue, and in my opinion, is a major issue. This is the privacy of others, of businesses, and other things involving privacy. In news reports since this game was introduced in July, I have heard of people being shot at, arrested, and told by cast members at Disney World, for example, to not go in restricted areas only to find on authorize persons in areas that they do not belong. There have been house invasions because someone was told that a Pokémon has been spotted in a person’s house. There have been false spottings of Pokémon to the point where people have been robbed of their phones because someone placed a false Pokémon in an area where there wasn’t one there.

People have stopped in the middle of freeways, roadways, and gotten killed over Pokémon. Children have been ignored by parents who played the game instead of taking care of their child. The same can be said about parents being ignored by their children. It is bad enough that people do not talk to each other anymore. They rather text each other than opening their mouth speak. Now we can add Pokémon Go to the list of items that allow a person be antisocial, non-talkative, and isolated from members of their own family.

Safety First.

In order to not have a ban on all things Pokémon Go, these are some rules that I feel must be abided in order to prevent any further problems:

·        Respect all private property. Unless the Pokémon is on your friends, family, or your own private property, please do not go onto that property, PERIOD. People do not take kindly to all random stranger showing up on their front or back yard, destroying property, and waking them up at 3 AM trying to find Pokémon. This just does not happen in our world.

·        Not all public property or common areas are proper Pokémon finding areas. I used Disney World as a perfect example of this earlier. Finding Pikachu on It’s a Small World ride is fine, but going where Mickey changes his outfit is not. Stay clear of any area where only cast members (Disney’s phrase for employee), employees, construction workers (there is a lot of construction going on at Disney these days), and even public safety personnel (police, security, fire person, sewage personnel, or the hired help) need to go in order to prepare for your arrival at the destination.

·        Please obey the rules of texting on your phone and driving. The same rules in your city and state apply here with Pokémon Go. I may be driving next to you, and the last thing I need to be is in an accident because you cannot find Squirtle. It is bad enough people have to put up with others talking on the phone, at times, to the point of arguing, and now putting up with Pokémon. Just be mindful and attentive when driving. That’s all I have to say about that subject.

·        This goes out to, dare I say it, those people who like to put out false advertising for their gain. No, not talking about that, although that is a future subject. I am talking about those who profit from robbing and stealing from others. You know who you are and you probably not reading this, but in case you are, STOP IT NOW. You know you’re wrong, God does not like ugly, and you need to turn yourself in. Stop profiting off of others, and get a real job. If this is your real job, you need to find a new career. I’m just saying.

So What Have We Learned from This Boys and Girls?

1.      It is good to play this game if you want a bit of exercise. It gets your heart pumping and you are not glued to your chair and staring aimlessly into your phone for no reason. You can now walk and stare aimlessly into your phone for no reason. Look up every once in a while, and look around. The place you may find your Pokémon at may be a place of historical value. It may also be a place where you might find peace. But, if you don’t look up from your phone every once in a while, you may find yourself in a place you don’t want to be. So be mindful of that while you are searching for Pokémon. This also teaches you to be more observant of the world around you. You may find yourself helping someone, consoling someone, and finding out that the world does not revolve around you.

2.      Take heed of the safety measures I talked about. Respect private property and respect the common areas you can and cannot go into. If you find yourself on private property, properly excuse yourself, apologize, and give a warning to others not to go in the same place you just visited. If the person you encounter is not reasonable, immediately call 911. Do not take matters into your own hands. This also applies if you find yourself being robbed.

3.      Lastly, have fun. Although this is a competition and preparing for virtual battle (I have to chuckle on that), no one has to be killed over a bunch of little Pokémon.

If you would like more articles like this, or would like to see me write about a topic, please let me know in the comments below, or leave a comment on my Facebook page, My Ambience Life. You may also leave an email at plogan721@att.net (subject: My Ambience Life Topics)

#Grammys

(c) 2014 http://www.metalinsider.net/

So the Grammy are on right now, and there are some things that are different, while others stayed the same. While there are some people forgot that Beyoncé was black (oops), she is supposed to present for album of the year.  Taylor Swift opened the show, and while I was behind, expecting her to open with Shake it Up, the opening number was nice.

I was a little vague on what happened next (someone at Longaberger forgot that this show was on, and scheduled an online consultant’s meeting (another oops)) for the little bit I heard, it was pretty good.  I actually thought that it started to be a bit on the boring side, but it perked up a little bit with rap segment. Next thing I knew, it when south, as in AT&T Uverse decided that I didn’t need to see it, and it lost the signal. It also decided that I needed to take a break from the internet AND my landline phone.  I was two seconds away from using my cell phone to connect this big butt of a computer. 

(OK, side note:  what happened to Beyoncé presenting Album of the Year, Ooops, my bad, Record of the Year.)

Anyway, I thought that Lady Gaga was a changed person.  Nope, she just took a break when she sung with Tony Bennett.  I was not impressed to say the least.  Adele had throat surgery, so her subpar performance is excused.  Not sure what Justin Bieber was doing, but I ignore him anyway.  The tributes were wonderful.  They picked the right artist for them.

Well, that is it for the awards.  Next award show is the Oscars, and I have no plans to watch it.  It is not what Jada Pinkett Smith or what Stacy Dash said.  I am so over that.  I never really cared for the program.  That is all.

Bet your baby is going to college.....Maybe

Photo credit:  The Hollywood Reporter

I just watched a new show on television.  The show is called "Bet on Your baby", and I am not sure about this show.   

The show is pretty simple.   A couple bets to see if their precious little bambino (that's baby in Italian) will complete a task given to them.   It is all about predictability of what will your child do next.   This is in hopes to get a college fund started.  As I watch this show, I wonder if this is for a college fund or for something more.

My thoughts on this show:

I do not like a show that showcases a child doing something.  Unless the child is a performer, they should not be on television.   Kate Goslin was one of those people, the Octomom is another.  Their kids had no talent, and it was all about them.   I think both of them have calmed down for now.   Dance Moms is borderline.   They are performers, yes, but there is drama among their mothers.  This is the part that makes this reality show borderline.  I have a real problem with Bet on your Baby.

I know that I have only seen this show once, but this is how I watch shows in general.  I give my thoughts on a show by looking at all aspects on rather is worth my entertainment value or not, and then I will tell you if it worth my time for the next time it comes on the air.   For Bet on Your Baby, it is a -1, because of the reasons I stated above.  I do not like circus acts that masquerade themselves as television shows, and this is one circus act I can do without.   My further thoughts are as follows:

Children are not circus acts.  My comment on one of the tasks is, "So your child could choose a cupcake over broccoli.  Big deal.  I know several children who would choose a cupcake over a vegetable.  What child wouldn't do that?"  To a child and some adults, vegetables taste terrible, and they are marketed as good for you.  Not only that, children are not good at choosing things that will help them, not harm them.   One of the reasons to have parents who hopefully make the right decisions for them.   Unless parent train children to be vegetarians at the age of two, I do not see that trend ending in the near or distant future. 

If I want to see a child spin, I can count on my 2-year old nephew for that one.  He's cute, loves to do things, and his parents could use the money, but not on national television.   I would then argue to them (My brother and sister in law) that he needs to be a kid, doing kids things.   There are better ways to start a college fund for your child than going on television and betting to see if the kid can plop $5,000 to start on their college fund and future.

1.     Start them on a good solid Pre-K to 12 education.  Yes, I said pre-K.   Once they start earning those A's, B's, and passing entrance tests by studying to the best of the capabilities, they could win all kinds of scholarships.  

2.     It is also not enough for them to be just academically sound for scholarships, most scholarships also are community based.  This means helping out in the community and seeing a need in that community.

3.     Not every child is athletic will they ever be, but there are scholarships for your child's talent, race, lifestyle, or being in a certain income bracket.  You may not have to take out a loan or grant if you do your homework early.   I suggest you start as soon as the child gets into 6th grade.

4.     Also note, some children are not college material or ready to go to college.  I graduated from college in 2003 at the age of 38.  What did I do between age 18 and 38?  I worked, and I did go to school.  I earned a certificate of Secretarial Science from a technical school.   From, there, I decided to finally major in marketing.  I failed at earning a degree in Theater, Social Work, Early Childhood Education, and Business Administration.  All of my experiences helped me in getting that Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.  This statement is not to show you how I got my education, but to show you that there are other avenues for your child to earn a living in case they announce that they are uninterested in a college education.

5.     If all else fails, there is always the military.   The good news is they do not have to stay in the military for the rest of their life, unless they want to make a career out of that choice.

6.     Remember it is their choice beyond the age of 18.  Parents seem to forget that on occasion.  Just remember unless they are in trouble, they are doing fine, and you are now ready for the advice phase of their life.

Have fun today, let your kid be a kid, and be blessed.

Dreamland-Review

Hello,

I originally started this post on Friday, but I was a little upset because I could not get access to my computer.   Columbus Ohio had a storm blow through and the power was knocked off, so I did the best that I could with the business center at the hotel I was staying at in Tuscaloosa, AL.  Thank God, Blogger saves drafts.   So below is my review about the barbecue place my family stopped at for dinner.

Today, I am making a brief post.   I am making a visit to my family reunion in Tuscaloosa, AL.  No, this does not stop a gal for making a post, but I went to a barbecue place called Dreamland with my parents, brother and nephew.   Now for a little family history:  My youngest aunt's husband loved this place before he passed in 2003, so I always wanted to try it.  When I first saw the food as a teen one summer, I did not think much of it.   The reason why I did not care at the time, was I love the way my father grills, and nothing can take away that feeling.   My father cooks it just right.   I have also had Kansas city barbecue as well.  I ate there in 2007 at another family reunion.

The outside does not look like much, and neither does the inside, which has license plates hung all over the walls.  The place looks like one of those hole in the wall type places.   You know the kind.  This is the kind that makes you wonder what the owner was thinking when they built this place.  One thing that I ask  you to do is to look past the decorum of the place.  If you are not willing to try to do that, I suggest you drive past to a nice, neat place for your barbecue.  Oh and another thing, when you sit down,and you have a large group of more than 2 people, you will eating family style.

My father order for the family a whole slab, which cost around $20.  In fact, not counting that we did not order any drinks, which was $2.19, the total bill was around $34.  Now this is for the people who also follow my other blog, My Crafty Couponer Deals:  for 5 people that averages out to $7.50 per person.   Not bad for a family who has two hearty appetites, my brother and my nephew.   The food was delicious. The best thing about it is the ribs, while the Cole slaw and the potato salad being ok.  As far as I am concern, I will be making another trip to this place, providing that my relatives who live in Tuscaloosa do not find out.  By the way, this article is in memory of my uncle.


I do recommend this place when you visit this town.  

Address:  5535 15th Avenue, East
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
(205) 758-8135

Dance Moms, Abby Lee Miller, and the world of dance: My Review

1, 2, 3, kick, and turn 2, 3, 4.  These are the words that come out of the mouths of all dance teachers teach, from the time a child starts taking dance at the age of 2 or 3 years old, until that person says no more.   Some take it for fun, while others take dance in hopes to have a career out of it. 

I wanted to write this review for a long time, but I hesitated.  My reasons are simple…I am a former dancer.   Every year since the age of 23, when I was told by my father that I needed to get a real job, I have wanted to get back into dancing.  As a child and into my teens, I took jazz, ballet, and tap.   I loved every minute of it and I could not wait to come to dance class.  It wasn’t that my life at home was bad, but I could not wait until I learned some new move, or enhance a technique that I was having problems with.  The following review are the problems I have with the Abby Lee Miller Dance Company, and the sensation known as Dance Moms.

About October or November of 2011, I was sitting in my office/living room turning the television.  I had grown tired of the police shows, comedy shows, and yes even the cooking shows.   To me on that day, I thought that television had gone to pot (as my grandfather used to say-still do not know what that means).  I turned to the Lifetime Channel (my favorite movie channel) to see if there was a movie on that I have not seen.   I got to the channel, and saw this fat lady (yes ladies, Abby is FAT), SCREAMING to the top of her lungs at these tiny young ladies in the middle of the dance studio.   I thought, “Wow how mean of her.”   I started to get intrigued with this overweight dance teacher.   First of all, NONE of my dance teachers never looked like that.  My teachers were fit, and trim, and can actually do the dance routines they gave me.  

As I watched this show, the camera quickly turn back to the moms in their little room they sit in while waiting on their budding dancers.   Instead of talking about how they are going to have a little powwow with Miss Abby for berating their child, they were talking about each other.  One person did something the other mom, and she was not right for doing so.   I thought, “OK, I get it, another reality show gone wrong.”  After the class, none of the moms threatened to yank their child out of the studio to let them take a class at another one.   Here is a tip for you first time dance moms:  When your child’s teacher yell her or him for dancing on the wrong foot, or keeping them out past their bedtime 2 days before composition, and has no regard for schoolwork; run as fast as you can with your child behind you, go to the nearest authorities, and go to a studio where the children are treated with respect.   The last screamer I have seen on television was Kate Gosselin, and I will not get started on her.

As for Abby, herself, I have a list of things I find wrong with in addition to the weight problem.   First of all, what person in their right mind would have a dance studio without, I repeat, WITHOUT former dance training, AT THE AGE OF 14?  Abby said this herself on The View two weeks ago; in fact one of the Dance Moms was one of her first students at the age of 2.   Abby does not like to lose or make second place.  She likes pushes the envelope when it comes to the student’s costumes or the dance number.   It has to be skimpy or controversial.  Nothing is too good for Abby.  I also not like that she has a 7 year old dancing with 9-12 year olds.  The child, McKenzie cannot handle the load that the rest of the dance class has.  The only reason why the child is there in the first place is her sister, Maddie is in the class.  Abby even told the child once to stop crying, because it does not look professional and it shows that she will be “difficult to work with”.  She’s 7, and if a child that young does not get a routine, or does not feel like dancing, do not force the issue, lady.    However, I do like the fact that she does get results, no matter how bad it is. Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention, Abby has this pyramid thing.  It determines on how good everyone was for the week.   It also determines if a kid gets a solo or not.   Oh give me a break.  I am so glad I did not have to go through that.

I blame the moms on this.  As I said earlier, the moms are sneaky, conniving, and backbiting.   One mom, Jill, left the studio behind Abby’s back to take her child to a rival studio in the show called, Candy Apples Dance Studio.   Another mom last week, Chloe’s mom, forgot her name, allowed her daughter to dance in a commercial for Candy Apples, only for her dance solo to be cut in the final commercial.  All Abby said was, “serves her right for not telling me Chloe was doing the commercial.”   “I would have stopped her.”  These people act worse than the children. 

So why do I watch this show?  Maybe I was looking for something to replace Kate Plus 8.   Not a chance.   Of course, I could be replacing one screaming idiot for another, and there are 8 girls in the elite dance group.  Perhaps it is to learn what not to do when placing my soon to be adopted child in either karate or dance class.   I do want my child to be treated with respect by other children and adults.  Maybe I watch it to inform those who are thinking about place their budding dancer or baseball player, the do’s and don’ts of teaching a child, or they are thinking about teaching a child something, that children (and most adults) do not respond well with the screaming, the ranting and the putdowns that another person gives. Giving positive feedback always works at the end of the day.   It did for me, rather I was at dance class, doing schoolwork, taking music lessons, or even now when I make something nice for someone, or give a complement myself.  That does not mean that the child needs correction.  It means saying it in a way that a child or an adult would understand.   In my dance or music lessons, that would include showing me how to correctly do a Grande Pirouette in the second position or how to correctly execute a E¨ dim chord on the piano. If I ever got yelled at, I would shut down and not do it at all.  Who knows why these reality shows are watch.

Give me your opinions about it.   I have giving you mine.   It could be anywhere from “I love this show”, “Abby and the kids are great”, to “Abby should not be running a studio” and “the Moms are all whack jobs, who have nothing better to do”   All I know is the day that I meet someone like Abby Lee Miller, a woman with no real dance experience, and no children of her own, I will run far, far, away with my child behind me.   Dance shoes and all.  5, 6, 7, 8, and turn.