Susan,

We try to let our kids try things (not all things!) for themselves and to learn from experience. We do try hard not to be stupid about it and to let them have their experiences in a supervised and controlled environment. Sometimes kids, and adults too, don't know if they will like or dislike something until they try it.

For example, we took both of our girls to the beach when they were about a month old. The older one liked everything about it, the little one only liked playing in the sand. When they were two months old, we took them to the pool to dunk them underwater. The older one loved it and couldn't get enough and the younger one hated it. When the older one was three, I let her have a taste of soda and she hated it. Her sister will get a taste next year. Scary part is I think she will like it. Obviously, some things will be taboo, but we still talk about it.

Kuovonne,

I had forgotten about the bag decorating part. My wife and daughters have done that before and really enjoyed it, as well as some of the other moms and keikis. So we might just have to incorporate that in. I did remember the bandanas. I was thinking of plain orange ones like the ones my daughters have and having them brightly deocrate them too. ID card on the back of a family picture, check. And the aloksak is like a zip lock bag on steriods.