Sweet potatoes aren't just a supper side dish. I love them at breakfast because I feel like they're a nice burst of nutrition to my morning routine. Typically hash is made with white potatoes and corned beef, but I switched it up a bit and used sweet potatoes, smoked ham and garlic, and then topped it with a fried egg.

Sweet potato ham hash recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups diced sweet potatoes, skins removed
• 1-1/2 cups diced smoked ham
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large eggs

Directions:

1. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the butter. Once the butter melts, add in the sweet potatoes, smoked ham, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Cook for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add the garlic, and cook for a few minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat, and cover with a lid.
3. In another skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the egg, and cook until the egg is totally set.
4. Top the hash with the egg, and enjoy while it's warm.

More sweet potato recipes

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This Sunday dinner recipe for lemon chicken and spring veggie rice bowls is bound to put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. How could it not? The spring season welcomes back the fresh veggies you've longed for all winter.

This is a quick and simple yet flavorful dish to serve the family. Bright both in color and flavor, you'll love the green asparagus and red radishes tossed into the mix. The lemon sauce that coats each bite of this dish is vibrant and fresh.

This dish is so tasty you probably won't have leftovers, but if you do, then it makes a great next-day lunch, served cold or warm.

Lemon chicken and spring veggie rice bowls recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded evenly, about a 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1 bunch (about a pound) asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6-8 radishes, greens trimmed, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (optional)
• Salt and pepper to season the chicken

Directions:

1. Place the cooked brown rice in a large bowl, and keep it slightly warm. Set it aside.
2. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken, and cook for about 14 to 16 minutes, turning halfway through or until done. According to the FDA, a safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F, as measured by a meat thermometer.
4. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and place it on a clean cutting board. Slice the chicken into thin, 3-inch-long pieces. Set it aside.
5. Use the same skillet you used to cook the chicken, and set the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken broth to the skillet, and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the lemon juice, zest, garlic and ginger, and continue to boil and stir the mixture. Add the asparagus, and cook for about 1 minute.
7. Add the radishes and chicken to the mixture, and toss to coat with the liquid. Remove from heat.
8. Add the chicken-and-vegetable mixture to the bowl with the rice. Toss to combine. Spoon any remaining liquid over the mixture.
9. Divide evenly, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using, and serve warm.

This fresh and colorful dish will bowl you over.

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Asparagus and bacon-topped flatbread
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Photo credit: sturti/iStock/360

ARIES (March 20 - April 18)

Uranus is the planet of revolution and change. Its job is to upend all the fixtures in your life and free you from the shackles of the past. Right now, Uranus is at peak intensity, so you'll feel the urge to walk out on your job, switch career tracks or start something of your own. It's a good idea to obey the planetary impulse even if you have no idea what comes next. Sometimes, you have to get rid of the same old same old just to think clearly and create.

TAURUS (April 19 - May 19)

Nobody wants to be saddled with a deadbeat at work. It's why you did the best job you could to cover for a boss who's out of his depth or to help a client who couldn't make up her mind even if there was only one choice on the table. Yet what started as an exercise in futility has slowly evolved into a once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunity. You wouldn't have learned the things you've learned if it weren't for this person. Charity may be its own reward, but it will also provide something substantial on April 24.

GEMINI (May 20 - June 19)

"Sacrifice" isn't a word in your vocabulary. You prefer other words like "payback," "investment" and even "lending." Nevertheless, you will be asked to give up something of great value on April 25. Usually, you would laugh it off — except for the fact that the person making this request is someone high up in the chain of command. Don't try to maneuver your way out of this or offer up a substitute in place of what you're being asked for, because it would go very badly. This is a test, so do as you're asked and you'll pass with flying colors.

CANCER (June 20 - July 21)

Stand your ground on April 21 and 23. This is when you will find yourself in a face-off with a potential employer or client. It looks like you want to work together, but the price is not right. This person is asking you to cut your rate or increase your hours with no compensation. It's a nerve-wracking situation because you really need this job, but don't cave in because you'll only resent it afterward. You need to start off on the right foot or the entire venture will be botched from the get-go.

LEO (July 22 - Aug. 21)

It's going to feel like a twister is spinning through the office on April 21 as colleagues duck for cover, superiors are tossed out on their cans and opportunists rush forward to fill the vacuum. Your ambitious side will urge you to step into the breach, but hold off for now. Things are wildly unpredictable and will continue to be until after the solar eclipse on April 28. You'll show yourself off in the best light by not making a power play. Be the calm in the storm and people will respect and applaud you.

VIRGO (Aug. 22 - Sept. 21)

Mountains revert to their former status as molehills when your Ruling Planet Mercury enters Taurus on April 23. This isn't to say that you misjudged a work situation, because you didn't. You were right to sound the alarm. However, corporate culture is such that people want to fix a situation without calling too much attention to themselves — especially when they're to blame for dropping the ball or pushing an unpopular agenda. In any case, leave it alone for now but continue to keep tabs on the matter so nothing like this happens again.

LIBRA (Sept. 22 - Oct. 21)

Mars in your sign makes you feel strong and powerful and like you can do anything. It's Astrology's version of an adrenaline rush. You feel like you can take on the world. You will see how well you do with this energy on Tuesday and Wednesday, when Mars forms adversarial aspects to Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. This will trigger all of your fight-or-flight instincts regarding a high-stakes business matter. You really must ask yourself if that prize you seek is worth fighting for, because it will cost you — and cost you big.

SCORPIO (Oct. 22 - Nov. 20)

You come alive in a crisis. When the Uranus/Pluto square on April 21 throws others into a panic — sending them running around like Chicken Little, screeching that the sky is falling — you will coolly size up matters. You'll have three days to figure out if you can salvage something from this situation. If you can't, then you should cut your losses and get out while the getting's good. However, should you spot an opportunity in the fiasco (perhaps on Wednesday), then you must act quickly. The sheer audacity of this move will shock and awe everyone.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 21 - Dec. 20)

You're one of the few people who will not be adversely affected by the cardinal grand cross that will be wreaking havoc in the heavens from April 20 to 24. Although you may take a hit financially, you won't be knocked off your perch thanks to your Ruling Planet Jupiter being exalted in Cancer. This confers cosmic protection so that you can take a licking but keep on ticking. However, you could wind up benefiting from others' disasters. That will set up a moral dilemma of sorts, but you can deal with that next week.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 21 - Jan. 18)

An important partnership or professional tie will be tested on April 22 and 23. This is when you will have to choose between standing by this person or ending your association in order to pursue a competitive offer. Capricorns get a bad rap for being scary-ambitious, but few people agonize over the consequences of their business decisions as much as you do. And that's precisely why you need to take the self-imposed guilt trip off the table. You need to coolly assess your prospects and make your decision based on figures and not on feelings.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 19 - Feb. 17)

Businesswise, this should be a lucrative time for you. Venus' translation of light these past two weeks should have brought an influx of customers, subscribers and clients. She also may have blessed you with a backer or two. Yet it's in the nature of Venus to tack some expenses onto that added income. Translation? You may be spending money as fast as you're making it on things like upkeep, redesign and expansion. Even if you don't have much to show at the end of the day, rest assured that this is money well spent.

PISCES (Feb. 18 - March 19)

How many fish you catch depends on how wide a net you cast. If you've pushed yourself to go for it these past two weeks, then you can look forward to taking in a substantial haul on April 25. Not only will this refill nearly empty coffers, but you'll even be able to salt away funds for a rainy day. However, there is still more to come between April 25 and May 24. In fact, this could double what you have now, but it will be up to you to follow through on what's in the works.

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Photo credit: Westend61/Getty Images

ARIES (March 20 - April 18)

Usually, you're the one who flies off the handle, so you'll be surprised to see that it's others — and not you — who need to dial it down this week. One of the pluses to being born under Mars is that the more heated the crisis, the more you keep your cool. This will be on display from April 21 to 23, when things will reach the breaking point in a highly fraught situation. You'll impress people with your ability to steer them through the rough passage to the calm waters on the other side.

TAURUS (April 19 - May 19)

Hindsight is 20/20. This will become abundantly obvious on April 24, when a Venus/Saturn trine shows that you were right to make the decisions you made regarding a relationship. It's not always easy to see in the moment, when you feel like you're letting the other person down or failing to deliver on your promises. That's the funny thing about Saturn. It throws obstacles in your path and thwarts your best efforts, yet it's these challenging circumstances that inevitably take you to the place you needed to be all along. It just doesn't make sense until afterward.

GEMINI (May 20 - June 19)

From April 23 to May 7, your Ruling Planet Mercury will be traveling through that part of your solar chart that pertains to self-undoing and secret enemies. It may sound cryptic, but when you think of all the times when you lent money without question, co-signed a friend's lease or entered into a business association without clarifying what was yours and what was someone else's, you'll see that this tends to be more of a bad habit than bad luck. Thank heavens that bad habits (unlike bad luck) can be broken.

CANCER (June 20 - July 21)

Jupiter is the planet of higher purpose in Astrology. When it's traveling through your sign, it lifts your sights and raises your consciousness. Right now, you're having a hard time putting your trust in an adventure that's just beginning. Maybe you're taking a chance in your relationship, starting a family or charting a new life course that will take you places you've never been before. This is one of those rare occasions when you really must give it your all. Jupiter rewards those who are willing to take a dive off the deep end.

LEO (July 22 - Aug. 21)

If there were ever a time to fix your sights on your goal and pursue it relentlessly, then April 23 is it. This is when you will be tested spiritually. It's clear that you're the only one who believes in the path you're taking. Thankfully, you've got the thick skin and determination to see things through. As a Child of the Sun, you also know what it's like to be the single light burning in a world full of shadow and doubt. Be true to that spirit and it will light your way.

VIRGO (Aug. 22 - Sept. 21)

Do yourself a favor and stop trying to talk yourself out of wanting something you want. Let yourself want it. This frees you up to pursue that prize to the best of your ability. Do you risk disappointment and rejection? Certainly. But you'd be happier taking that risk than you would be clinging to the sidelines and always wondering what if. Virgos often have one foot in and one foot out of any given endeavor, but if you focus your energies on April 25, then you may wind up getting what you want after all.

LIBRA (Sept. 22 - Oct. 21)

You're probably wishing that you could go back the way you came. It wasn't your intention to make any trouble. You just saw an opportunity and made a grab for it. How were you supposed to know that the prize you sought was coveted by someone else and that he or she would fight you tooth and nail? Things will reach a fever pitch from April 21 through 24. After that, there will be a break — an uneasy truce. However, this is only round one. Round two begins on May 11 and lasts until May 18.

SCORPIO (Oct. 22 - Nov. 20)

You are entering the most challenging time of year for you. This typically happens when the Sun is in your opposite sign of Taurus (April 19 – May 19). One's energy always drops when the Sun is in one's opposite sign, so you'll want to pace yourself accordingly. You will feel sluggish, insecure and prone to colds and the flu because your immune system won't be functioning at top capacity. Neither will your willpower. The best remedy for this is to move with the current of events and avoid pushing yourself. There's no point in running yourself ragged.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 21 - Dec. 20)

Who you are materially and who you are spiritually couldn't be more at odds. It's not unlike the feeling that some people describe of having been born into the wrong body or at the wrong time in history. But this doesn't have to be a hopeless predicament. Being caught between the forces of Uranus and Pluto can be overwhelming, but it can also be empowering if you learn to harness their energies. All you need is a vision of what you want to be and the spirit of adventure to pursue that vision wherever it may lead you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 21 - Jan. 18)

You are going to feel like you're racing through the collapsing corridors of a house of cards when Pluto activates the grand cross in your horoscope from April 21 to 24. Just about everything you've come to rely on will be shaken to its foundations. You are in the process of closing the book on one chapter of your life. Yes, it was a good read, but it was also fraught with tension, anxiety and dread. What comes next is an extraordinary period of time when you will truly come into your own.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 19 - Feb. 17)

Expect a lot of shake-ups on April 21 and 23. People who were at the top of the heap will find themselves at the bottom of the barrel, while others who were marginalized will suddenly be front and center. Where you fall in all of this depends on your ability to tune out the background chatter and focus on what you want. You've never been closer to one heartfelt goal in particular, and you could reach it by next week — but you must be unflinching in your purpose and unwavering in your pursuit.

PISCES (Feb. 18 - March 19)

It's slowly beginning to dawn on you that others need you to help them get to where they want to go. It's an invaluable realization because it bolsters your confidence and encourages you to up your game. You've often felt like people's emotional doormat — something they wipe their shoes on to get the mud off. But now that you see how you're more the door than the mat, you can decide who gets in and who stays out. This new attitude will attract many opportunities that will come knocking in weeks to come.

More horoscopes

Your weekly love horoscope
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Photo credit: David Sucsy/Istock/360/Gettyimages

Think you're a little hard on Junior for requiring him to do more than sit pretty? Our readers told us a thing or two about their household's expectations for spring cleaning. The results: It's time to get your family into gear, especially when it comes to scouring your home for germs. Out of de-cluttering, organizing, scrubbing, dusting, sweeping and disinfecting, getting rid of germs that make families sick is least likely to be part of families' spring cleaning routines. While a whopping 93 percent of readers plan to tackle clutter, only 81 percent will disinfect.

This post was sponsored by Lysol.

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Photo credit: HBO

We know many of you are still dancing with joy over the events in last week's Purple Wedding, but it's time to sit down because tonight's episode of Game of Thrones is getting serious. We're paying for all that glee from the last episode. It's a heavy price. Ultimately, the moral is that justice and human decency are far from restored to Westeros despite Joffrey's demise. Buckle up, folks. There are still a lot of bumps in the road to come.

• ICYMI last week...
• Joffrey and Margaery are married in the nuptials dubbed the Purple Wedding.
• Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding feast.
• Tyrion is arrested for Joffrey's murder and Cersei wants blood.
• Sir Dontos takes Sansa from King's Landing before the Lannisters can implicate her too.

Tonight's theme seems to be crushing relationships. Sam says goodbye to Gilly. Sansa leaves King's Landing and bids farewell to Sir Dontos. Arya learns she and The Hound are far from friendly. Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) orders Podrick to leave King's Landing to save his life. Jon and Ygritte still try to say goodbye to each other.

WTF are we talking about? Only this week's shockingly perfect episode >>

Of all the characters' rough story lines tonight post-Joffrey, Jaime's hit us the hardest. This season so far we've seen him redemption bound and on his way to becoming a new and improved version of the swordsman he once was. He's the character we are all surprised we're now rooting for. Tonight, we question that sudden trust we have in his chivalry as he forces himself on Cersei (Lena Headey) in a moment of rage. Right next to Joffrey's barely cold body. It was hard to watch, no doubt.

Now, we don't condone his behavior. In fact, we're appalled by it despite the fact that next to Joffrey, Cersei is the most fun character to hate on. But there shouldn't be any Cersei bashing from tonight's episode. We feel bad for her. Because her actions in the show aren't driven by evil; they're driven by her need to survive. All along in the series, she's been fighting against her glass ceiling position. She's tried at every turn to fight her father and societal standards for her right to make her own decisions in the world. And just when she's at her lowest, having just watched her son poisoned, Jaime, of all people, is the one to debase her even further.

15 Best moments from the first Season 4 trailer >>

Jaime isn't without his demons, let's be clear on that. Cersei did nothing but dismiss him as incomplete now that his hand is gone. It's almost like she wanted him to snap, though she never could have anticipated he would snap in the way he did. It's hard to believe these are the two close allies we saw at the start of the series. They've both been destroyed by the battle for Westeros, and it's heart wrenching.

The only good news of the night came from the Dani camp. Chick is so bad a$$ we consistently feel inadequate after watching her free thousands of slaves. We need to at least up our ante on the charity work or something. No dragons in sight tonight. Instead, we got catapults, filled with barrels of collars and chains so the slaves of her newest city takeover can return their master's kindly treatment.

Need more Joffrey moments? How about some fake ones from these spoofs? >>

Best quotes of the night

"We're all liars here," Sansa says when Peter asks her to remember what he told her at the castle.

"The world is overflowing with horrible things, but they're all a tray of cakes next to death," Lady Olena tells Margaery after Joffrey's death.

"Pod, there has never lived a more loyal squire," Tyrion says by way of farewell to Podrick. *Tear*

Photo credit: AMC

Ugh. What even happened this week on Mad Men? The SC&P secretaries shuffled desks, Peggy was left out in the cold and Don's Valentine turned out to be his daughter. Is everything fixed? No. But, things are looking up. For now.

Last week on Mad Men >>

The secretary shuffle

Lou made a bad name for himself after he was such a punk to Peggy in the Season 7 premiere, but this week he really sealed the deal on our hatred. Poor Dawn was basically working two jobs. First, she served as Lou's poorly treated secretary. However, she also worked as Don's secretary/spy, running interference for him during his time "off" from SC&P. Everything hit the fan, though, when Lou sent her to pick up a Valentine's Day gift for his wife. Her shopping trip meant she wasn't there to catch Sally when she showed up at the office in need of help from her dad. Lou ended up "dealing" with Sally and then actually suggested she should be fired but "understood" that they couldn't because of her skin color. (Never mind the fact that she hadn't actually don't anything wrong.) He wanted her taken off his desk, though.

Joan is also working two jobs: One as partner and ad (wo)man and the other as the office manager. That made Dawn's situation especially frustrating for Joan and even more so when, after moving Dawn to the front desk, Bert Cooper said Dawn needed to be moved from the front of the office. Ugh. The sexism and racism in this episode was beyond frustrating.

By the end of the episode, they found an almost too easy fix. Joan moved upstairs to a new/better office more suited to her new positions. That left Dawn to take over Joan's role as office manager. That's exciting for both ladies, but the quick wrap-up felt a little rushed, no?

7 Ladies Don must sleep with before the series ends >>

Sally and Don bond

It turns out Sally's showing up at SC&P and uncovering Don's occupational truth turned out to be a great thing for the father and daughter. As Don drove Sally back to school after a funeral/shopping trip in the city, the two came to blows about last season's big moment when Sally found Don in bed with neighbor Sylvia. She let her father in on how uncomfortable it was and Don seemed genuinely sorry. Whether it was actually real regret in his eyes is uncertain. While Sally was once again let in on one of Don's many secrets, this one made Sally feel more like a confidante to her father than a kid who happened upon the ugly truth. We aren't in any way suggesting that things are now magically "fixed" between Sally and Don. We're hopeful, though. For some reason, we think that having Sally on his side could help ease Don through any impending hard times.

Peggy and the terrible, horrible, no good very bad Valentine's Day

Speaking of hard times: Peggy had a pretty rough Valentine's Day. First, Rizzo and Ginsberg gave her a proper razzing about being all work and no play on V-Day. Then, Peggy discovered a massive bouquet of flowers on her secretary's desk, assumed they were from Ted for her and tried to convey a very cryptic admonishing message to him via his secretary. It took the entire day for Peggy's secretary to finally come clean that the flowers were hers from her fiancé. Insert meltdown... and another secretary shuffle.

Of course, the biggest downside of this wasn't watching Peggy flail around in reaction to flowers she didn't (but did) want from Ted. The worst part was, indeed, how little interaction Peggy and Rizzo had. The only interaction they had was at the very beginning of the episode when he seemed to be suggesting he had Valentine's Day plans. Dangit, Stan! Peggy is supposed to be your Valentine. Ugh.

Elisabeth Moss picks her most awkward makeout scene >>

Pete in Purgatory

Perhaps the best moment of the night came from Pete, though. Last year many critics spent the entire season comparing Don's journey through the layers of afterlife in Dante's The Divine Comedy. In one fell swoop, the writers jabbed at them by have Pete, flabbergasted by the way things are going at SC&P, admit he's not sure if he's in heaven, hell or some kind of Purgatory. Poor Campbell.

Is Pete in heaven or hell? And where will Don be by the end of Man Men's final season? Only time will tell.

Want more TV news and reviews? Sign up for our newsletter >>

Photo credit: Iveta Rysava/WENN.com

A big congratulations is in order for Idris Elba and his girlfriend Naiyana Garth because the loved-up pair have just welcomed their first child into the world.

Us Weekly reported in November that the Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom actor and his girlfriend would be expecting their first child together, and now their little bundle of joy is finally here, and Elba certainly could not be happier.

Guess what? Mila Kunis & Ashton Kutcher are having a girl! >>

The actor took to Twitter to reveal the happy news about the birth of his baby son on Friday.

"My Son Winston Elba was born yesterday..Truly Amazing," the British star wrote alongside an adorable black and white snapshot of little Winston's hand latching onto his proud daddy's fingers.

My Son Winston Elba was born yesterday..Truly Amazing :-) pic.twitter.com/MrSEQPZo4z

— Idris Elba (@idriselba) April 18, 2014

However, this is not the first time the 41-year-old actor has been able to boast the title of father. He also has a daughter named Isan, 14, from a previous relationship. And according to E! News, in 2010, Elba also thought he may have been the father of another baby boy and was forced to take a DNA test to find out.

"It wasn't immediately obvious — well, it was, because he didn't look like me," he later told GQ. "But it wasn't immediately obvious what had gone down."

Rumors swirl that Kate Middleton is pregnant again, but why? >>

"To be given that and then have it taken away so harshly was like taking a full-on punch in the face: POW," he said.

But now Elba does have his very own baby boy, so we offer a very big congratulations to the happy couple!

Photo credit: WENN.com

It appears NBC's The Voice Season 7 is going to be the season you do not want to miss because if the rumors are true, then Gwen Stefani is headed to the judges' panel.

Christina Aguilera: I'm "passionate" with Adam Levine >>

According to TMZ, No Doubt's frontwoman will be replacing Christina Aguilera — who will be taking time off during her pregnancy with her and fiancé Matt Rutler's baby daughter — as the latest judge on The Voice. The show will begin taping in June alongside fellow judges Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams.

Confirmed: CeeLo Green, Christina Aguilera back for The Voice >>

According to the site, producers began their search for Aguilera's replacement after the 33-year-old singer announced her pregnancy in February. And although NBC is believed to have wanted to keep Aguilera on during her pregnancy, it seems the "Hurt" singer has decided she needs a break from the limelight.

However, if Aguilera is your favorite judge and you're upset that she'll be leaving, then it's not all bad news because it is believed she will rejoin her fellow judges after her pregnancy. Stefani has been signed on for only one season.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale welcome baby number 3 >>

Even though multiple sources are reporting that the "Hollaback Girl" singer is signed on for the latest season, NBC has yet to confirm nor deny the rumors.

What do you think of the news that Gwen Stefani may be the new judge on The Voice?

Photo credit: PhotoTalk/iStock360/Getty Images

If you ever happen to find yourself in my yoga class, you'll probably notice that I like to begin and end each practice with an inspiring quote. In fact, I like feel-good words so much so that I google them on the daily. I like 'em on Instagram. I post 'em on Facebook. I pin 'em on Pinterest. And I would totally tweet 'em on Twitter... if I was into that sort of thing. But you get the point — I love me some inspirational quotes. What can I say? Positive affirmation is just plain good for the soul.

Often times during yoga class, we're so focused on the physical practice — the breathing, the squeezing, the holding, the hugging — that we forget about the mental aspect of it. Yoga is about so much more than just the physical. Yoga is about connecting the mind, body and soul through a series of poses that can be used as a gateway to dig deeper into our inner warriors and feeling beyond the postures themselves to bring more meaning and awareness to our lives both on, and off, the mat.

Don't just take my word for it though. Check out what these famous yogis had to say about what their practice has taught them below.

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Too much
of a good thing?

Oodles of women have become blow-dryaholics, going into blowout bars more than once weekly and putting it on their "bartabs" (an exclusive membership that costs $100 and up).

"Plain and simple the only way to get my hair looking like actual hair and not a brillo pad is to hire a professional," says blow-dryaholic Jackie Schimmel. "It's now become a habit I'm required to keep up with."

But the writer in me has to ask: How much heat can our tresses really take? I've got thin, fine hair and I feel like eventually people would start mistaking me for Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. "A lot of women seem to think if they're going to a pro, the dangers of heat styling are no longer at hand," says beauty expert Alexis Wolfer. "All heat styling — whether done at home or by a pro — poses some dangers and should be done in moderation."

According to Dr. Robert Dorin, top New York City hair care specialist and hair restoration expert, over-frequenting dry bars can cause irreversible damage to your hair: "Collectively, the integrity of your hair's strength and flexibility is lost. In this state, your hair looks dull, dry and frizzy. It tangles easily and usually breaks off at varying lengths." He recommends keeping dry bar visits to a once a week maximum.

If dry bar hopping is a must for the look of your hair (or you just love pampering yourself), here are several tips to keep in mind:

"In general, one feels better with licensed stylists for a presumed basic level of competency," says Dorin. "But I've seen unlicensed stylists do just as good if not a better job because of their natural talent." Like with dating, play the field and go with your gut. You know what's best for you.

Because of this, it's important to talk to your stylist about your needs based on your hair type and texture. "Too often in the past has a new stylist fried my thin, fine hair by blasting it with super high heat because they tend to use the same technique from person to person," says Mally Steve Chakola, beauty expert and founder of M. Steves skin care. They also work hard to stay within time allotments — voicing your needs will make the visit a win/win for both of you.

If you find you're getting a lot of breakouts near your hairline and on your forehead, ask your stylist to cover your face more thoroughly when using product. "Hair product overload can clog your pores and lead to pesky breakouts," says Chakola.

"Most women resist using good protective products on their hair, and they break or burn their hair because they're doing it themselves," says Rosemary Camposano, President/CEO of Halo Blow Dry Bars, Inc. This is why it feels like you have healthier hair when you leave a dry bar than when you do your hair at home — because, in a sense, you do. Plus, says Camposano, there's a huge benefit to someone using both hands on your hair: They're able to evenly apply heat in a smooth, repetitive way, which prevents burning your hair or breaking it by pulling it in the wrong direction.

As for what to use at home if you're between visits or are on a strict budget, Chakola recommends using fractionated coconut oil. "Coconut oil easily absorbs into most hair types and is rich in omega fatty acids that instantly smooth dry strands and help prevent future dryness," she says.

Read more about how to use coconut oil in your beauty routine >>

More hair care tips

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Photo credit: WENN.com

Tila Tequila is going to be a mommy! That's right — the reality TV star has said goodbye to her wild ways, and she'll be settling into a new role: motherhood.

Tila Tequila: Brain aneurysm or death wish? >>

The 32-year-old star announced the news that she's expecting her first child via her Facebook page on Friday.

Tequila uploaded a photo of her baby bump, which she captioned, "Surprise!! I'm 10 weeks pregnant!"

"I just couldn't hold it in any longer as this brings me so much joy and happiness to know that there is a baby Tila on the way! May God bless my little bundle of joy on this Good Friday! Yayy! I'm gonna be a Mommy! I Love you sooooo much little baby!!"

The former Shot at Love star has not made any public appearances for quite some time after causing an uproar when she appeared in a Nazi outfit for a photo shoot. She had remained rather hush-hush on social media until Wednesday, when the petite beauty sent out a message to her fans on Facebook.

Get ready, NYC: Tila Tequila is coming for you >>

"Hi Everyone! I have missed you all so very much, but I had to disappear for a while to get my act together and enjoy my newfound happiness with sober living!" she wrote.

"I am happy, healthy, glowing & growing these days! I have some more exciting news to follow up shortly! I love you all so much and thank you so much for having been there for me throughout all of these years! Things are only about to get better from this point forward. That's a promise! hehe - Miss Tila because I missed you!"

We're so glad that Tequila has gotten her life in order, and we wish her all the best with her pregnancy!

This Meatless Monday recipe for creamy sweet potato and asparagus lasagna is a true treat for the senses. This recipe will have you on your toes until you're ready to bake the lasagna, but it's easy to make, and you'll enjoy the unique flavors included in this pasta dish.

You're probably used to seeing red when you make lasagna, even if it's a vegetarian version. Check this out: I've swapped the red sauce for a creamy béchamel and a rich ricotta and mozzarella mixture. Can you say cheesy? I just love how the sweet potatoes and asparagus add to the rich flavors and color of this meatless lasagna.

Creamy sweet potato and asparagus lasagna recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 large (or 2 small) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 12 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2-1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 3/4 pound lasagna noodles
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into 12 small pieces
• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the sweet potato slices on the baking sheets, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. Remove from the oven, and set them aside.
3. Add about 1/8 cup of water to a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the asparagus pieces, and steam them in the microwave for about 1 minute. Drain the asparagus, and set it aside.
4. Mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, a 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well, and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. When it's melted, slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. This will become the béchamel sauce.
6. Gradually add the milk to the mixture, whisking. Continue to cook the mixture, whisking constantly, for about 10 minutes or until it's thick (it should easily coat the back of a spoon).
7. Remove from the stovetop, and whisk in the garlic, nutmeg and sage. Set aside to cool completely. As the béchamel cools, cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, then drain.
8. Lightly spray an 8 x 12-inch baking dish with the nonstick cooking spray. Spread a medium-thick layer of the béchamel sauce evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Place 1 layer of noodles on top of the sauce. Spread a layer of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by a layer of 1/2 the sweet potato slices and 1/2 the asparagus, and then dot with a few spoons of béchamel sauce.
9. Add another layer of noodles, a layer of ricotta and the remaining vegetables, and then dot with the remaining béchamel.
10. Finish with the remaining noodles, and evenly sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese over them. Dot with the pieces of butter.
11. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is golden.
12. Remove the lasagna from the oven, and allow it to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Dig into a creamy lasagna.

More Meatless Monday recipes

Baked tofu with smoky romesco sauce
Wild mushroom, thyme and Brie omelet
Bok choy and quinoa salad with edamame and spicy soy-ginger dressing

Photo credit: Judy Eddy/WENN

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus took some antibiotics for a sinus infection, had a severe allergic reaction and has been crying ever since (because her dog died, and she has had to step away from her tour until she gets better). Easter/marijuana day was no different. She said via Twitter that she was still in bed, not stoned (apparently, weed is not to blame for misspelling "past" as "passed").

Happy 420/ Easter! I'll be where I've been the passed week. In bed. Crying. NOT stoned. wackkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) April 20, 2014

Celebrity she-stoners >>

Justin Bieber

Every 12-year-old girl's tweetheart, Justin Bieber, was fairly quiet on 4/20. He wished everyone a happy Easter and said he is in "a happy place." (Have you noticed that no matter what is happening in this kid's life, no matter how much scandal he generates, his Twitter feed is suspiciously upbeat? Either his manager tweets for him or he was enjoying 4/20 more than he let on.)

He must have done a lot of soul-searching on 4/20 because in the wee hours of April 21 he came at us with the following tweet. (Again, isn't "trial and error" a pretty way of saying he f'ed up beyond belief? Most of us think of trial and error in terms of a job that didn't work out, or a marketing strategy that fell flat or a potential mate that didn't pan out. Most of us don't define "trial and error" in terms of a public meltdown.)

Justin Bieber barred from entering Miami nightclubs >>

This is my time off but my mind is alway running. Learned a lot this past year thru trial & error but that is life. Excited for what's next

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) April 21, 2014

Rihanna

Rihanna lives her whole life as if it's 4/20, and the celebrated reefer day was no exception. This video is, as the saying goes, worth 1,000 words.

Lindsay Lohan

Former (we hope) weed woman Lindsay Lohan did not make a single reference to 4/20 on Twitter and instead stuck to Easter greetings and some healthy self-promotion. How very ordinary.

7 Truths Oprah's new show taught us about Lindsay Lohan >>

happy easter loves... my 2-hour finale #LindsayOnOwn is on 9pm ET/PT tonight. RT if you'll be watching with me. xx @OWNTV

— Lindsay Lohan (@lindsaylohan) April 21, 2014

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake has been blunt about his need for weed. He kept his Easter greetings family friendly, but he did tellingly retweet Jimmy Kimmel's tweet that joked, "4/20 seems like a bad day to hide Easter eggs."

Happy Easter and all that!!!

— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) April 20, 2014

Snoop Dogg

We saved the best for last. What did the king of kush, the beast of baked, the warlock of wasted — Snoop Drizzle — do on 4/20? He partied like a lion on Twitter with pictures of him and his kids with the Easter bunny and this hilarious, festive little gem.

Snoop also sent Cyrus a little Easter, "she is risen" (as in high), love.

Snoop Dogg wished everyone a happy 4/20 and recommended that fans "blow out da candle." Check out this video from Snoop Dogg's high Easter where he shares some backyard wildlife with us. Trippin'. (Don't mind the NSFE — not suitable for Easter — language.)

Photo credit: Apega/WENN.com

Remember hearing about the "Deport Justin Bieber" petition? Well, apparently, it's gotten so much attention that even the White House has decided to officially respond to it.

After Bieber's recent run-ins with the law, the people of the U.S. wanted it known that the singer was no longer welcome and should be shipped back to his native Canada. In fact, many people felt so strongly about deporting Bieber and revoking his green card that the petition managed to rack up nearly 300,000 signatures.

Justin Bieber barred from entering Miami nightclubs >>

So what does the White House have to say about the deportation petition for the "Beauty and a Beat" hit maker?

"Sorry to disappoint, but we won't be commenting on this one," reads the statement on the White House's petition page.

However, the White House did not waste this opportunity and instead decided to use the petition response to address its immigration reform agenda while also using some Bieber references. Below are excerpts from its response.

Brutal assault by Justin Bieber's dad revealed >>

"So we'll leave it to others to comment on Mr. Bieber's case, but we're glad you care about immigration issues. Because our current system is broken. Too many employers game the system by hiring undocumented workers, and 11 million people are living in the shadows."

"That status quo isn't good for our economy or our country. We need common-sense immigration reform to make sure everyone plays by the same set of rules. Not only is it the right thing to do morally, it's the right thing for our country: Independent economists say immigration reform will grow our economy and shrink our deficits by almost $1 trillion in the next 20 years."

"For those of you counting at home, that's 12.5 billion concert tickets — or 100 billion copies of Mr. Bieber's debut album."

So, sorry if you wanted Biebs gone, but it looks like he's going to be around for a while still!

By Valerie Lawson

Summer break is nearing, and that means kids and teens will lose the structure of daily lessons and physical activity. Research shows that children gain weight twice as fast in summer compared to the school year. In addition, when school ends, they are at risk of falling behind academically. It’s critical for children to maintain learning and exercise throughout the summer. With a few simple changes, parents and caregivers can help ensure fewer children are at risk for obesity and more children succeed in school.

Even though school won’t be out until June, families can begin to build healthy habits now. To help give parents a head start, the Y is celebrating YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 26, at nearly 1,600 YMCAs across the country. YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is the nation’s largest health day for kids and features games, healthy cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts and more. Millions of kids and their families will be in attendance, walking away with tips and resources on how to live healthier now and all summer long.

For ideas on how to stay active and encourage learning, here are five simple tips for families from the Y.

Help your kids build stamina and support healthy growth with vigorous activity for at least 20 minutes, three times a week. Try kicking, catching or chasing a ball, or pedaling and pushing with a bike, rollerblades or scooter. Set and achieve a family health goal by teaming up for community or charity races, walks or bike rides.

Take care of a child’s growing mind the same way you take care of a growing body — with plenty of sleep and smart foods. Doctors recommend between 10 and 12 hours of sleep per day for kids ages 5 to 12, and even more if they are younger. Be sure kids get at least five daily servings of fruit and veggies, the minimum number of servings nutritionists recommend for maintaining healthy child development.

With self-esteem and teamwork, kids can feel connected to their family, friends and communities. Volunteer with your kids to help them discover the rich rewards that come from helping others. Help your children learn to both fail and succeed by trying new competitions, taking risks and learning about themselves.

Discover the power of knowledge by reading to and with your children. Build an early and ongoing love for books by helping kids read at every age and every stage of their development. Create a summer reading list that will help keep your kids on track for the next school year.

Kids grow up happiest when they can participate in the activities or subjects they love. Help your children figure out their passion with exposure to a wide range of activities, including nature, sports and art. Allow kids to ultimately decide which activity inspires them most.

Visit YMCA Healthy Kids Day for more information on summer activities and Healthy Kids Day celebrations in your community.

For more than 15 years, Valerie Lawson, an exercise physiologist and registered dietitian, has helped people of all ages make positive changes toward a healthier lifestyle. Valerie joined YMCA of the USA in 2007, and is a program development manager for the Healthy Living department.

More on healthy kids

What's wrong with the "fat" word?
We're losing our kids to virtual worlds
A guide to your child's dental health

The SAT is practically a rite of passage for high school students, many of whom spend hours reviewing and studying for the exam. For many college-bound students, the SAT offered in the fall of their senior year is that one last chance to improve their score and impress the colleges of their choice. But the current class of high school freshmen will be the first students to experience the new, improved SAT — and here’s what they can expect.

No more paper and pencil

One of the biggest changes to the SAT for 2016 will be the elimination of the standard pencil and paper test. A recent Kaplan Test Prep survey of high school students indicated that a strong majority of teens — 56 percent — are resistant to this move to digital, and are concerned about the additional stamina required that will add to an already stressful situation. "Our survey shows that overall, students like some SAT changes, are split on others and are definitely resistant to its move to a computer-based format," shares Christine Brown, executive director of of K-12 and college prep program Kaplan Test Prep. "They've told us they're concerned about the strain of looking at a computer screen for four hours, and also prefer the hands-on nature of writing on paper, the ability to do scratch work and flipping pages." Students also expressed their concerns about potential technical issues.

Old school preferences from such a high-tech generation are surprising to some. "I would have assumed that students of today would much rather take the SAT as a digital test," shares Sandy, mother of three teens. "For as much as technology has advanced everything, sometimes it’s good to just keep it the old way," she adds. "Students generally support the changes to the SAT, though in our surveys they’ve expressed concerns about its move to a computer-based format," shares Seppy Basili, vice president, Kaplan Test Prep. "In that regard, the shift to more long-passage reading comprehension will require more stamina," he adds.

Fill-in vocabulary is gone

This section of the SAT might possibly be the biggest thorn in the side of many a test taker. The elimination of the fill-in vocabulary words section was very strongly backed by the students surveyed, with a whopping 85 percent supporting the change. With the fill-in vocabulary section removed, vocabulary will be tested more in context, with short passages for students to revise and edit.

No more wrong answer penalty

The current SAT scoring method deducts 1/4 point for each wrong answer, making many students feel that a guess might penalize them more than simply leaving the answer blank. The revised SAT eliminates this penalty, and brings scoring more in line with the other major college admissions exam, the ACT. A full 74 percent of teens surveyed approved of this change. "It makes sense to give students the chance to guess, especially if they really feel they know the material but hit a hard question," shares Jessica, a high school senior. "Why should there be a penalty for that?"

Use of historical passages for comprehension

In the new SAT for 2016, students will see historical passages from important U.S. documents such as Martin Luther King, Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech or the Constitution — but will be tested on their reading comprehension of these documents, rather than being expected to know historical facts surrounding them. Of the students surveyed, 70 percent were in favor of this addition. If your student is a history buff, this might be a welcome addition.

Essay? Optional

The writing or essay portion of the SAT — which was added in 2005 — raised the possible score on the SAT from a high of 1,600 to 2,400. Half of the students surveyed were in favor of the College Board’s move to make the essay optional, rather than mandatory. This returns the SAT to the 1,600 scoring scale, and brings it more in line with the ACT as well. Students who choose to write the optional essay will receive a separate grade for the essay alone.

Calculators only allowed for some problems

Students currently taking the SAT test are allowed to use approved calculators for any of the questions on the math portion of the test, but starting in 2016 they will be allowed only limited calculator use. "In addition to having questions about the test’s move to digital, students have also asked about the elimination of calculator use for some math questions," says Basili. "What that change means is that they will need strong fundamental math skills, such as mental percentage calculation." Many students are concerned about this change, and slightly less than half of teens responding to the survey felt that limiting calculator use was a good idea.

"Whether the test will be easier or harder is hard to say," says Brown. "Some changes, like eliminating obscure vocabulary terms and the wrong answer penalty, will make it easier. But we also know that long-passage reading comprehension has always been one of students' least favorite question types, and the change to 65 minutes of fewer, but much longer, passage types will challenge students' stamina," she adds.

How can students prepare for the changes?

The changes being made to the SAT starting in 2016 will not affect current high school sophomores, junior or seniors — but freshman will experience the SAT in a whole new way when they take it for the first time. "If you're a freshman or younger, it will probably help you to develop your fundamental math skills, and start building your stamina with focused long passage reading online," says Brown. "But as important as the SAT and ACT are to the admissions process — and colleges say they're the second most important factor after GPA — students should also bear in mind that college applications are holistic. Freshmen have time to work on their GPA, demonstrate leadership, participate in extracurricular activities," Brown adds.

More on college prep

Tutoring and test prep: What parents of teens need to know
The true cost of sending kids to college
Top 12 graduation gifts for college-bound students

Photo credit: Poike/iStock/360/Getty Images

Every April 22, over a billion people in 190 countries take action for Earth Day. Earthday.org has announced that this year's theme is Green Cities. As more people move to cities, the need for sustainable living is more important than ever.

science experiment for Earth Day

Children learn about their environment by interacting with it. Outdoor, hands-on activities work best to educate children on the importance of preserving and protecting our earth. To help celebrate this year's Earth Day theme, try the following activities.

This year's call to action is to pick at least five actions to commit to on Earth Day and throughout the year. Use five environmental actions that can help your city, such as using less water and electricity, commuting without polluting, reuse, renew and recycle.

Children can easily choose five actions from the water, air, land, energy, waste and advocacy on this fun 5 for the Environment widget.

Use this experiment to teach children about the atmosphere in our cities by viewing the effects of a greenhouse.

Supplies:

• 2 small thermometers
• 1 jar or other see-through container
• 1 clock or watch
• 1 copy of the worksheet
• Sunlamp or access to a sunny area to perform the experiment

Directions:

1. Place thermometers under the sunlamp for 3 minutes so the thermometers will be giving accurate readings.
2. Record the temperature readings on both thermometers as well as the time.
3. Place jar over 1 of the thermometers for 1 minute and record findings.
4. Continue watching both thermometers and recording findings every minute for 10 minutes.

Explanation:

The air over the exposed thermometer is constantly changing, and as it gets warm it is replaced by cooler air. Because the air in the jar cannot circulate to the rest of the room, this air stays in the sunlight and gets warmer and warmer. A similar trapping of heat happens in the Earth's atmosphere. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and warms the Earth's surface. The heat radiating from the surface is trapped by greenhouse gasses. This warming due to heat-trapping gasses is called the "greenhouse effect." Both the atmosphere and the jar allow light to enter, but then trap that energy when it is converted to heat. They work differently, however, because the jar keeps in the heated air, while the greenhouse gasses absorb radiative heat.

"We’re never going to have respectful and reverential relationships with the planet — and sensible policies about what we put in the air, the soil, the water — if very young children don’t begin learning about these things literally in their houses, backyards, streets and schools. We need to have human beings who are oriented that way from their earliest memories.”

-- Elise Boulding

More on being Earth friendly

Easy changes to green your parenting
Life hacks for going green
Easy ways to create an eco-friendly environment at home

Source: www.lessoncorner.com

These take only a few simple ingredients, but plan ahead. The Life Savers Gummies need to soak in the tequila for 24 hours before serving.

Soak your colorful gummies in tequila. I used about 2 cups (just enough to cover them).

Refrigerate for 24 hours or until the gummies have soaked up all the tequila.

Assemble the shots by skewering the gummies onto the mini appetizer spoons. Fill the glasses with chilled, premixed margaritas.

Place the gummy spoons on top, and add a dash of margarita salt to the spoon heads.

Display for your fiesta guests to enjoy.

Margarita gummy shot recipe

Yields 18

Ingredients and supplies:

• 2 bags Life Savers Gummies (regular, wild berry or cooler flavor)
• 2 cups tequila
• Margarita salt
• 1 bottle premixed margaritas
• Mini appetizer spoons (found at party supply stores)
• Mini cocktail/margarita glasses (found at party supply stores)

Directions:

1. In a shallow dish, empty the 2 bags of Life Savers Gummies, and pour 2 cups of tequila on top, enough to cover the candy. Let this soak for 24 hours.
2. Pour chilled, premixed margaritas into the mini cocktail glasses.
3. Skewer the tequila-soaked gummies in colorful arrangements onto the mini appetizer spoons.
4. Place each spoon on top of a mini cocktail glass filled with margarita.
5. Add a dash of margarita salt to each spoon head. Serve and enjoy.

Make it a fun fiesta. These treats are muy bueno!

• Homemade churros
• Piñata-shaped jello shots
• Candy-filled maraca cookies
• Mini taco cookies
• Tequila lime pie shooters
• Piñata cookies

More margarita recipes

Watermelon and jalapeño margaritas
Lime sorbet margaritas
Blackberry basil margaritas

When one young girl questioned why McDonald's describes their Happy Meal toys as "boy" or "girl" toys, the answers she got didn't make much sense to her — and they don't make sense to me, either. Despite her young age, she kept on pushing, and was able to get McDonald's corporate office to sit up and take notice. While some parents may balk at encouraging their kids to question authority, we should actually encourage them to run with it.

McDonald's and their gendered Happy Meal toys

You might not think that a simple question — "Would you like a girl toy, or a boy toy?" — is really that big of a deal. But in fact, it is. And Antonia Ayres-Brown agreed. In 2008, when she was 11 years old, she realized that the question was stifling, inflexible and required children to conform to gender stereotypes. She shared her concerns with McDonald's management.

The response Ayres-Brown received was underwhelming and unsatisfying (the letter said that employees were not trained to ask this question and her experiences were not the norm), so she, along with her dad, ran a few experiments to test her theory. Unsurprisingly, she discovered that 79 percent of the time, kids were asked what gender of toy they would like.

A complaint to the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities against McDonald's on the basis of sex discrimination was dismissed, so Ayres-Brown took the experiment a bit further and sent 7 to 11-year-old kids independently into restaurants to purchase a Happy Meal. Not only did over 90 percent of them receive boy or girl toys without being asked, when one girl requested a boy toy, she received a girl toy, and was then told there were only girl ones — but an adult sent in directly after received a boy toy upon request.

Ayres-Brown then decided that she would try to reach out to the new CEO of McDonald's outlining her new research — and this time, she received a more promising result. McDonald's Chief Diversity Officer, Patricia Harris, writes, "It is McDonald’s' intention and goal that each customer who desires a Happy Meal toy be provided the toy of his or her choice, without any classification of the toy as a 'boy' or 'girl' toy and without any reference to the customer’s gender. We have recently reexamined our internal guidelines, communications and practices and are making improvements to better ensure that our toys are distributed consistent with our policy."

A forward-thinking, inspirational teenager

I'm amazed and impressed that at age 11, Ayres-Brown was concerned enough about the restaurant's unequal toy policy to actually reach out to corporate headquarters. And it's super inspiring that she continued on gathering data and running her own experiments to support her claim, even a few years later. The issue is clearly still relevant, and an idea that clearly has a long way to go, as when I purchased a Happy Meal for my 4-year-old child recently for the first time ever (we were out of town), we were asked what sex the toy should be.

When rebellious behavior is a good thing

When you think about a child questioning authority, what do you picture? A rebellious child questioning your authority? Someone constantly in trouble at school? A teenager in trouble with the law? Or do you think of someone who recognizes that just because things are a certain way, it doesn't mean that they should always be that way?

We can continue to plod along and accept that things can't and won't change, or we can spark the changes we want to see. I love that Ayres-Brown's father fully supported her and helped her research and test her theory. If your child doesn't suffer from apathy, and recognizes that something is wrong and wants to change it, she should be fully encouraged. We're raising the leaders of the future — and we can't afford leaders who don't ask questions and push for change.

More on raising kids

What's my name again? What should kids call you
How to raise well-rounded kids
Raising courageous kids