Kick the crabby habit

Let’s face it. Crabby kids make crabby parents and vice versa.

Now, parents and kids together can learn to kick the crabbies out with help from a colorful, light-hearted Web site ( www.crabbiemasters.com) that applies crabby feelings to cartoon crabs. Think The Seven Dwarfs but instead of Grumpy, Sleepy and Bashful, families can meet (and find ways to beat) “Too-tired,” “Hungry,” “Achey,” “Can’t-do” and others.

The site features parent forums, coloring pages and advice on how to banish the crabbies.

Kids can become Crabbie Masters by charting their progress toward beating each crab.

According to the Web site, “By realizing that somehow a few (or even a bunch!) of imaginary, irksome, and fun characters known as ‘The Crabbies’ have gotten into our day, and that they are trying to ruin a perfectly good time, then, instead of telling someone, ‘Boy, you sure are crabby today,’ we can say, ‘Hey, watch out, The Crabbies are getting us!,’ and then work together to ‘get rid of The Crabbies!’ “