Anything Parenting

Milwaukee Public Museum Corpse Flower is Blooming

2010-01-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

The titan arum otherwise known as the corpse flower has started blooming over the weekend at the Milwaukee Public Museum. The plant, which grows in the wilds of the rain forest of Indonesian Island of Sumatra, is a seven-foot plant that gives off a fowl order resembling rotting flesh.

The flower smells so much that it is well known for making people gag when it is in bloom, which in some cases is every 15 years or so. The flower only lasts for a few days, but is a real treat for people to see because it is not something you see or smell every day. Some people will only see this once in their lifetime.

In the wild, the flower with the smell of rotting flesh attracts sweet bees and other pollinators during the two days that it is open. The plant is an offset of the plant grown at the University of Madison. The seed was given to the museum in August 2002. The plant is 6 ½ years old and was expected to flower this year, but no one knew exactly when until January 4, 2010, when the plant started showing signs.

The next time the corpse plant will bloom, could be as long as 15 years down the road. If you live close to Milwaukee or can get there soon, you see an amazing flower with the incredibly horrid smell. Since the flower does not last very long, it is surely going to be the top attraction at the museum over the next few days.

Smarty Pants on Ice

2010-01-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

Remember those days when you slipped on the ice and hurt or broke something. This kid thinks he is showing off on the ice with his shoes on and didn't fall down on the ice. Well if this would have been me, you guys would be laughing until a few weeks ago. I now know how I am going to wear my fancy shoes outside during the winter months without falling down on the slippery ice and snow. You gotta see how this kid does it. Watch here or click here for the shoes he was wearing.

I can't wait to make my own video.

Twitter User Named In Threat to Sell a Stolen Customer Database

2009-07-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

The Twitter user that stole and threatened to use a customer database with names and credit card information has been named and charged. Michael Fumich of Sheboygan, Wisconsin was arrested and charged with computer theft which only carries a misdemeanor charge.

Kornflake1 was the Twitter username of the man that posted a picture screenshot of the database and offered to sell it on Twitter Monday. A search warrant was served and computer hard drives including the flash drive with the information were removed by the Sheboygan Police Department. Fumich has had his account canceled after the company owner informed Twitter of what he was doing.

The company has issued a statement assuring customers that every effort was made to keep their personal information safe and they do not feel as police do, that Fumich used the information he stole from the company computer.

Twitter User Arrested for Trying to Sell a Stolen Database

2009-07-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

A Sheboygan, Wisconsin man passing himself off as a computer technician was arrested Monday July 6, 2009 for adding a login to a company computer he was supposed to be setting up. He then took the company database and threatened to sell it on Twitter if the company did not return his router he gave them.

The man was served with a search warrant and Sheboygan Police who took 14 hard drives and a few other things entered his home after obtaining a warrant. The hard drives are being analyzed to see what other information may be on them that could lead to other charges.

The company owner was alerted to a login by the suspect on the company computer by another tech that had to come in and finish a half done job that left the company shocked. They had no idea that the person they had work on the system was a thief. Once the login was found, it was reported to police after the owner found out on Twitter that the database was being offered for sale.

The suspect will more than likely only be charged with a misdemeanor for the crime unless other criminal acts are found on his 14 hard drives. Stay tune as more information is reported.

Note: All of the customer information is intact and appears not to be compromised.

No Child Left Behind WHAT

2009-04-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

This story was sent to me from someone that drives school bus. I found it appalling and downright assinine.

Okay, this whole situation irritates the hell out of me:

I drive a school bus, (ok, are you done laughing yet!?) the things I see/witness/experience are unbelievable at times. I have two A.M. routes, both routes are what you consider, BAD KIDS, kids in programs that "someone" created to waste the tax payer’s dollars. Each route requires, what the school district refers to as an "aid", I refer to as a "security guard".

My first route is what I call LFF. These are boys and girls who have been deemed to have ED (emotional disorders) all are medicated, these kids range in grades 3-5. In this program, the SCHOOL has a padded room to place these kids to protect themselves, other kids and staff. These kids have no respect for anyone. When I was a kid, these brats would have been arrested (disorderly conduct, assault, battery, etc,) not removed from "normal" classrooms and placed in a program to waste our tax dollars. When I was a kid, PARENTS were held accountable and expected to raise their own god damn kids, NOT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

My second route is what I call FF. These are boys and girls that range in grades 5-12. These are kids that are court ordered to attend a "special academy" school. These kids have no respect, values, morals...they just don't give a shit about anything. These kids too are medicated and labeled as BD (behavior disorder). I've learned new slang from this route. I've seen several "restraints" issued by the security guard. I've witnessed a boy suspend himself in the air via the seats and kick a girl in the head 5 times. The girl had a swollen black eye before I dropped her off (neither the school nor the cops ever contacted me about this incident!).

A girl that still rides this route brought a knife on the bus last year and stabbed/cut/sliced the security guard. A girl made a self inflicted mark on herself and told her parents 3 hours later that the mark came from the security guard who took her to back of bus and roughed her up. The parents called Human Services. The security guard was suspended for 3 weeks without pay while "they" did an investigation. Needless to say, the incident NEVER happened and the security guard was reinstated and received back pay after the girl admitted it was a false accusation. I WAS NEVER CONTACTED.

One day I had a substitute driver for myself who the bus company allows her to bring her newborn on her bus routes. One boy, who is a known hitter, slapped the baby in the face. Nothing was done. This hitter has swung at me as well as other kids. Two of these kids require a harness to be transported. One child requires a spit helmet. YES, a spit helmet. NOT only do I transport the BD kids on this route, “they” have included disabled and autistic children on this route. VIOLENT disabled and VIOLENT autistic children. In my opinion, they should be transported separately from the VIOLENT brats. But what do I know, I just drive the bus.

The thing that gets me is the parents. You lazy breeding people.

So, today is what really set me off. We have a brat whose legs are disabled; he does walk with “limping”. This kid has a mouth on him like you wouldn’t believe. He is required to be harnessed for transport. He is also the “hitter”. This brat also pisses and shits himself on purpose to piss off his parents and the school. Now, his mother is a dandy. EVERY morning she is on the telephone. During winter, she would make her disabled child “hobble” through a nonshoveled; unsalted walkway, while talking on the phone of course.

I’ve watched him fall a good 18-20 times. After school, this mother is STILL in her pajamas. So you know that lazy bitch doesn’t work and just collects this brat’s social security checks. This brat plays all kinds of games such as, folding his legs and refuses to get on or off the bus and pants pissing and shitting. This morning, on the phone, she brings out his back pack and a pair of pants. She asks me to wait a minute cause “he” (she didn’t even use her own child’s name) fell in the living room.

She re-enters the house and comes out with him and tells us, “he wet his pants, there’s some dry ones.” And walks back to the house. I was still in shock when I asked the aid who was securing him directly in the seat behind me, “he pissed his pants and he still has them on?!” I used the bus radio and asked if we still transport a child who has wet their pants prior to the bus arriving.

They said yes. Now I almost shit myself. How in the hell can this be? This lazy ass mother knowingly sent her child to school on a bus full of kids with wet pissy pants and “we” have to transport his smelly bacteria bratty butt to school? To school, for the school to do the mother’s job and clean him and change him? All the way to school for the driver and the kids to have to smell that urine. As a mother of the other kids on that bus, I would be irate.

Unsanitary. Do you really think I was gonna clean that brat’s seat? HELL NO. That isn’t my responsibility; the bus company can clean that pissy seat. So, yes, there sits urine on a school bus, for the bacteria to grow. AND I know the bus company isn’t going to clean that piss. (They haven’t cleaned that bus since they used it for Ice Bowling a month ago.

A bus that I got into Monday morning following Ice Bowling, only to smell stale beer and smoke. The bus had 8 cigarette butts on it, 4 beers cups with beer logos, 1 busted beer pitcher, 2 empty packs of cigarettes, dried beer everywhere and several St. Patty’s day décor pieces. I was pissed and informed the bus office 3 different times they needed to clean that bus for transport. That is what YOUR kids get to see in the morning on the way to school.)

When I returned my bus key this morning, I asked the office personnel whose policy is it that we transport a lazy mother’s pissy kid, is it the bus company or the Department of Transportation? “They” said, “it’s a Federal law, No Child Left Behind.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud in disgust.

I then asked, “So what are the repercussions for the driver who refuses to transport?” “They” said, “I don’t know, we’ve never had that issue before.” I said, “Well I guess we will find out, have a good day.” So does this mean when I refuse transport to a lazy parent’s pissy kid, I will be charged with a felony? Me, a felon because it’s wrong to subject ANYONE to this environment?

That mother needs to be reported to Human Services (which I’ve been informed that the school did do that.) Yah, eh, we’ll see. The likelihood of that happening are slim, chances are I’ll probably be terminated for writing this. Now I know I’m not going to change any policy, procedure or rule, but I do still have my morals, values and pride. I couldn’t shut up any longer. It’ll be sad cause I will miss those brats, we were a good fit. I made them laugh, they made me laugh. I respected them, and believe it or not, they respected me.

Ice on the Lakes and Rivers

2009-02-25T18:38:00.001-08:00

Have you seen kids on the ice this year? The lakes and rivers do freeze, but just how safe are they? So many kids think that playing on the ice is so much fun, but what happens when that ice becomes unstable. So many people have fallen through the ice this year and lost their lives because the ice is unstable. This is especially true when new snow is covering any cracks or thinning ice.

Parents have to be so careful where their kids play during the winter months. If a child falls through the ice, it doesn't take long and they will succumb to the freezing temperatures. Kids should always be with a parent, but even parents can fall through the ice.

Many families this year are grieving the death of their child, friends, and family members because they have become a victim to the freezing waters under the ice. Don't let your kids or family and friends become a statistic, teach everyone about the dangers of ice.

Ice on the Lakes and Rivers

2009-02-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

Halloween Safety

2008-10-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

Halloween is fast approaching and safety is all forgotten when we get our kids ready to go. Costumes should be brightly colored or have some type of reflective capabilities. We always want our little ones to be cute, but there are some things to keep in mind.

Never allow kids to eat any candy until you have checked it all.

Small kids need to have an adult take them from door to door.

Make sure children that go along do not enter any homes.

Make sure children walk and do not run from house to house.

Keep costumes from hanging below the ankles or knees on little ones.

There are so many things to do to keep kids safe, but these are some of the important ones. Halloween is for fun and safety is the only way to keep everyone safe.

Do Babies Understand What You Say

2008-10-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is one person's opinion, but since I have memories back to when I was two and three years old, I would have to say that yes, babies can understand that people are talking to them. They might even understand. If babies could talk, we might here some interesting conversation about what they think about how we act when we are around babies. There are many different levels of thinking and understanding in babies and it may be possible that babies do understand more than what we know.

Want to see how a baby might think or say if they could. Read this cute little baby post. Nobody Understands Me

Parenting And Disciplining

2008-10-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Parenting is getting hard every day. You cannot spank your child or it is child abuse. Your child can skip school and you as the parent are held liable for there behavior. You have to make sure your child goes to school. If you cannot accomplish this, some states will arrest the parents for failing to make sure their children attend school.

This reminds me of a story I heard recently about a mom who paddled her sons butt with a belt. She hit him three times on the bare butt. He is sixteen and out of control. No matter what she does, he rebels. Therefore, she went to the old fashion way of discipline. She takes the kids to church every Sunday and the other kids seem to listen, but of course, they are still younger. You know those teen years get tougher to handle.

Now, the mother is under arrest for spanking the kid with a belt. He snuck out of the house when she wasn't looking and went to a neighbor's house and told them she hit him with a belt. Mine you, he crawled out his bedroom window. He had done this before to go out and hang with friends.

Being a parent is hard. You want your children to grow up the right way, but you are not allowed to spank them. Maybe this is why there are so many problems with drugs, gangs and other criminal activity.

When I was a kid, we were spanked with a hand or a belt. We never had gangs or other criminal problems. Drugs were apparent, but not like today. It is time parents take back the lives of their kids and start disciplining them as they were disciplined.

What do you think? You have tried everything. Would a spanking mean business more so than saying don't do that again or I will ground you.

Do You Let Your Kids Watch Ghost Whisperer

2008-09-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

Many shows on TV are geared towards a family. There is Two and a Half Men, Old Christine and a handful of others. Then there is CSI, Law and Order, Numb3rs and Ghost Whisperer. Some of these shows are not really meant for little ones to watch. Ghost Whisperer on the other hand it is scary, but very fascinating. I do not think that children under the age of nine should be watching it, but anything older than that would be interesting for them to see.

Ghost Whisperer does have some scenes that could affect younger children, but the older children would find it fascinating. The paranormal is a part of our life and it should be something that everybody understands and can see what happens.

I am curious to what other parents think. Would you let your child watch Ghost Whisperer on Friday night's?

A Look At Those Commercials On TV

2008-09-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

You watch TV and see all these ads for never seen anywhere else. You must buy it off of TV only. The first thing about TV commercials is you never know which ones to ignore and which ones to watch. You are stuck watching because you don't want to miss anything.

First the kids see cell phones that take pictures and play music, so of course that is a topic of conversation whether you want it or not. They see that you can have family plans and the fav five. I if kids had money, every kid would have a cell phone. What kids do not realize is that someone has to pay the bill.

Then you have the mineral make-up that makes you look like a movie star. Yes, it is a powder that takes hours to put on and then you still look like yourself. You spend a lot of money for the first mailing and then they think you need more every month. Credit cards love having you call them to tell them to cancel the payment because you still look like you did before the make-up. You just covered up a few facial flaws for big bucks.

Do you know why they make commercials like these? Because the brain is subject to the power of suggestion. I hate my brain today. How about you?

Knife Wounds And Deep Cuts

2008-09-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

If you experience a knife wound, the only thing you need to do is remain still and do not pull the knife out. Leave the knife in. Many people and parents do not realize that pulling out the knife can cause serious bleeding. The knife must stay in until medical personal decide the extent of the injury.

For deep cuts, it is not recommended that you simply bandage the cut. Many times a cut that is deep has bacteria already settling in the wound. Simply bandaging the wound can lead to serious infections. Using butterfly bandages do not work if they are not put on clean wounds. Sometimes the wound is deep enough to require cleaning by a doctor and stitching.

Always remember these tips in case of an emergency to protect your health and the health of your children.

Parenting 101 With Teenagers And Little Ones

2008-09-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Parenting with teens can be interesting to say the least. When my kids were teens, it was like pulling teeth to get them to do things. Most of the time, they were off in their own little world and I was never heard. Parenting teens was a pain most of the time and help was no where to be found when I needed help. Today, kids are more apt to be a little more daring, but there are ways to get them to listen. Now, there is a little smart book that can help with parenting teens.

Sometimes it is not even the teens that cause the problems. Kids start having a mind of their own very young. Parenting without time-outs, nagging, spanking or yelling is what every parent dreams of when they are raising children. If I would have had this book, I would have never had any problems with my kids.

Kids have there own minds and sometimes help is need to know how they think and how to make the home a happy place without the constant arguing and yelling. It is always nice to have a few options to ponder when raising kids from babies to young adults.

I bought these two books for my son who has a new baby. Then I laughed as I handed them to him.

Kids, Videos Games And Computers

2008-09-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

Many kids today need a little extra push to get outside and play. With so many video games and computers, more kids are becoming couch potatoes. Today, school does not provide enough exercise and some kids do lack the need amount of exercise to stay healthy. This can be a challenge if the kids have their attention centered towards video games.

One thing a parent can do if the child insists on playing video games and not having any exercise is make them do a chore that will take at least a half hour. At least this way they will get some form of exercise. It made be sweeping, vacuuming or even cleaning up the yard after a pet. No matter what you have them do, it should take at least a half hour to do so they do get some form of exercise before turning on the video game or the computer.

Not only will this provide exercise, but also it will teach responsibility.

Moms Need To Be Remembered

2008-09-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

We all take it for granted that we will always have our moms around. The sad thing is that sometimes things happen and they are taken from us to soon. If you have not called your mom today, it made be a good time to call and say hi.

We all have busy schedules and sometimes it is hard to find the time. We always think we can call tomorrow, but sometimes, tomorrow is to late and we missed our time to talk and ask for advice. If you have not talked to your mom in the last couple of days, maybe today you should pick up the phone and call her.

Sometimes waiting until you have time is not always the way to think.

JG8D69D

Halloween Costumes For The Entire Family

2008-09-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Coming soon. Halloween costumes that you can buy off the Internet or rent. The costumes are scary, sassy, unique and pretty. There is a costume for everyone. There many different sizes including plus sizes. Your only holding yourself back from all the fun if you don't get your costume now before they are all gone.

Moms Need Alone Time From Infants

2008-09-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

There is nothing wrong with needing a break from your infant. Whether a family member or a husband takes over for a while is not going to make the bonding any less special between the mother and the baby. Many mothers feel that they have to be the only ones with the infant until they get a little older. This is not the case. In fact, it is the opposite. A mother does need time for herself after giving birth. This is a time when she needs to pamper herself as well as relax after nine months of carrying the baby.

Take the time to spend on yourself after giving birth. This can only help with your parenting abilities. If you spend all your time with the baby and do not allow yourself some alone time, you can become overwhelmed and may cause unneeded depression. Allow family and the father to take care of the baby for an hour or two a day, so you can have some time.

Tampa Hotel Pool Drowning That Could Have Been Avoided

2008-08-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

This story is from a friend of mine who is a Mental Health Humor reporter at Mental Health Humor and Mental Health Humor 2. The first part of this story is the newspaper reporting of the tragedy and the second part is his personal account of what happen and why.

Although this story is sad and disturbing, moms, dad, grandparents and all kids need to read this and see how an accident can happen and what the consequences are. When I read the story and his accounts, I knew I had to air this and let everyone know that children must be watched around water. Children have to be watched around everything.

Chato said, "This was not a good week for me emotionally, but I was in the best place and with the best people in order to handle it. This is what news story said about what happened."

Tampa Bay Online
updated 12:15 a.m. ET, Thurs., Aug. 28, 2008

TAMPA - A 3-year-old girl died Wednesday afternoon after wandering away from her family and falling into a hotel swimming pool, Tampa police said.

The girl and her family were on vacation and staying at the Embassy Suites, 555 N. Westshore Blvd., authorities said. The family is from the Cayman Islands.

Family members, whose names were not released by police, were sitting near the pool when the child wandered away, police said. The toddler was found unresponsive. Authorities do not know how long she was in the water.

A bystander gave the girl CPR until Tampa Fire Rescue paramedics arrived about 5 p.m. The girl was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Investigators have ruled the drowning an accident.

-------

Chato said, "This is what really happened:"

This story makes me sick! I was there on the 12th floor and some of their facts are wrong.

There should be outrage over this, I don't know why it was swept under the rug, was it race? Was it the fact that the mother or family was not watching her and they did not want to embarrass them? Was it hotel liability?

Here are some facts, the pool was not filled as high as it was the day before...I was in the pool with my kids the day before and all my girls have a life jacket on at all time near and in the water... That is just my rule... With 4 kids having fun it can be hard to keep your eyes on them all the time, even when you are right in front of them. But, the day the child died the pool, the water was 6" lower, that could have soften the child's blow when she hit her head if it had been higher... Yes, I said HIT HER HEAD not just fell... she was with two other children at the time and no one else. If someone was watching her it would have been from 50 to 100 feet away. I have an eyewitness to this fact and so did the police.

She stepped by the pool on the edge and slipped and hit here head then went under water.

What happened next will horrify you.

The other small children of unknown age, but could not be older the 5 to 8 years old tried to pick her up out of the water, then she slipped under and they did it again... almost a full minute passed before a hotel worker, not a lifeguard came to her aid.

Still NO parent or guardian, to be found anywhere. There was an FBI training that day and one of its members came over to the child's aid too... none knew how to perform CPR on this a child... Another bystander and member of my training, and a mother of a two year old, who was certified to perform CPR on a child ran over and started doing it right and the child vomited up only her stomach contents and not water.

Almost seven minutes have gone by now, and that is when I looked out the 12th floor window and seen the crowd... At first, I thought it was an adult, so I grabbed my digital and I started videotaping. In the video, you can see the other so called bystander compressing the child's chest like it was a grown adult. So that is why I assumed it was an old man. Then when I zoomed in, I could see the small feet and legs and a bloated belly... I learned some basics about CPR when we had our son and it is different for children. CPR is "essentially breathes for the victim by forcing air into the lungs," but my understand is if you don't do it right your just blowing air into the child's belly. Could that have been what I seen?

When the ambulance tech came, you can see him checking and leaning over the child, then almost ripping him away for the FBI guy and running to the waiting ambulance... At this point, I hate what I saw next. Since I had it on zoom, I saw her face as the tech carried her lifeless body away.

The child's death should never, never, never have happened! The hotel had no one watching the pool, no lifeguard or staff was there. The mother was nowhere to be found, and the family was scattered about, running, and playing with out supervision. There is blame to be had here... And YES I do put it on both the family and the hotel.

All this could have been prevented... if having a lifeguard on staff would be too costly then at least make sure all managers and front desk workers are certified for CPR. In addition, the pool should require all children 7 years old and younger to wear a CHILDREN'S LIFE JACKET... For goodness sake, the pools deepest end was only 4.5 feet!

Why doesn't the Hotel have a supply of 10 or 20 available life jackets for the guests? We are talking about spending only a few hundred dollars or the equivalent on one nights stay!

I just wish more could be done... this child lost her voice and her life for nothing but carelessness and her face will forever be in my memory!

Sorry to air this out here, I wish I could blog about but it does not fit my format.

I thank you for letting me talk it out here... I just need to put my feeling into words and I hope I did not cause you any undo grief or sadness, but if you are crying over the child, just know you are not alone.

Does this make you think?

What Makes A Parent

2008-08-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

This is a question that has been asked many times and everyone seems to miss some of the important answers. What makes a parent?

A parent is a person that loves the child unconditionally. They love their child no matter what they do or how they live.

A parent is a person that teaches their child about life. They make sure that their child accepts others for who they are. They teach them about different things in life that matter. The parent teaches the child to talk, love and smile.

A parent is a person that shows the child how to cook, clean and do the wash. How else would they learn?

A parent shows a child how to be a pleasant adult. If your child see how your act, they tend to act the same way.

Children learn from their parents. The next time you see something that frustrates you, remember, you are teaching your child to feel the same way. Children learn by example. The parent has to be a good example because there are already enough bad influences.

A Robotic Vacuum To Clean The House

2008-08-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Cleaning is never any fun for anyone. Moms have so much to do already and then cleaning is added to the daily job duties. Men can clean as well. Many moms and dads are so tired after a long day, that they have no energy or time to clean. They prefer to spend free time with the family rather than clean.

Have you ever seen one of those robotic looking vacuum cleaners that you turn on and set it lose on your floors? Well, that would work great if you have indoor/outdoor carpeting or hardwood floors. Someone needs to make a robotic vacuum cleaner that the average middleclass mom or dad can afford. It needs to vacuum all floor types and be very efficient.

What do you moms and dads think? Would you like to see a vacuum cleaner that could vacuum all the floors and then shut down when it was done? We have dishwashers and microwaves to help us out, why not some cleaning tools that will make life easier.

Wedding Day Was Not Spoiled

2008-08-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

I attended a wedding this weekend and it was quite unusual. The bride and groom got married and had a big party for family and friends, but they will not be legally married until a week or two down the road. It was a beautiful wedding with just a bridesmaid and a best man. Family from out of town and friends all gathered to watch the couple say, 'I do."

It was not your typical wedding because the man doing the wedding was just performing a commitment ceremony because the bride still has not received a copy of her divorce papers in the mail. She was divorced in 1996 and lost her divorce papers somewhere along the line. Since she needed to prove she was divorced and could legally marry, she needed the papers.

She spent two months prior to the wedding date trying to get the divorce papers from California. It might be easy to get married there, but don't try to get a copy of your divorce papers if you are in a hurry. I would suggest keeping your papers safe somewhere or plan to ask a year ahead of time to get a copy.

Anyway, the wedding went off without a hitch and only a few people knew what was happening. They did not want to cancel since the invitations were sent out and her family was traveling to see her get married. In a couple of weeks or whenever the papers arrive, they will just head down to the judge's office and have a quick exchange of vows and finally have the piece of paper that says they are legally husband and wife.

John McCain Has A Voice About Foreclosures And You

2008-08-22T09:28:00.001-07:00

I found this video and thought I would share with those who have not seen it. With all the jobs being terminated and people working hard to keep their homes, I felt compelled by this video. It tells a personal story as John McCain shares his viewpoints about people that are losing there homes to foreclosure. I am sorry, but this man does not care about the people. I am one of these people that lost a job and do everything I can to keep my home. In McCain's opinion, I bought a house I could not afford.

Eleven years ago when I bought my house, I had the money for the mortgage and everything else I wanted. Today, thanks to my many talents, one being writing, I can pay my mortgage, but it was touch and go for a while. I am like everyone else and I found this video about John McCain spiteful and disrespectful to the average person. We all cannot be rich like McCain.

John McCain Has A Voice About Foreclosures And You

2008-08-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

EBay Coach Contest Giveaway

2008-08-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

EbayCoach is having a contest. She is going to award all these cool products to the winner. It is a cool contest. If you want to get in, go to her site and see what she has included in the contest winnings.

Here is what you get:

The winner will be announced Monday, August 25 - we have to do something to make Mondays fun!

Hurry and do your post so you can win the package on Monday.

The First Day Of School For Many Kids

2008-08-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

School has started and many kids in the United States have had a full day of school already. There are many obstacles that kids go through on the first day. They have to adjust to a new classroom, a new teacher and in some cases, a new school. Many little kids are all giggles and excited to start school. Many teenagers are not anxious to start school at all.

The difference in age groups and how each one feels about starting school is somewhat funny. As you grow older, you tend to want less of school and more of your free time and friends. The opposite happens as the school year moves on. The older kids are enjoying their new friends and school activities while the little ones are tired of school and do not want to go to school. They would rather do something else like play with their friends or play a video game.

Many parents around the world yesterday rejoiced when the first day of school started. Many have to wait until September 2 for school to start. Whatever the date is, parents seem to sit down in a chair and breathe a little easier for the first time in months. No kids to watch after. No screaming or fighting kids running around the house.

Aren't schools wonderful? How did you spend your first day while the kids were in school?

From the Mouth of a Baby

2008-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know about a new blog on the block. It is call From the Mouth of a Baby. This promises to be a funny and interesting blog. It is done in the voice of a baby starting from the minute she was born. It has been live since Friday and has already grown in readership.

If you need a little something to give you a lift. Visit Alivia and see just what is going on with her these days. She met her dog and cat, and see what she thinks about them.

From the Mouth of a Baby promises to make you laugh and wonder just what your little one might be thinking.

Kindergarten And The First Day Of School

2008-08-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten can be the hardest day in a mother's life. Her baby is going to be gone from her side. Kids have the same feelings when it comes to entering kindergarten. It is a new experience and they need guidance to accept the classroom and the teacher. Most kindergarten teachers are the sweetest people. They understand what the child will go through being away form the parent.

The only thing you can do for a new kindergarten child is take them to the school open house and tell them all about what they will be doing. Make it fun and exciting for them. Do not cry or become emotional when you take your child to school. This is felt by the child and can cause some emotional good-byes. Make sure you prepare your child for the first day.

Plan weeks ahead of time. Talk about the teacher and the classroom. Ask them if they have any questions. Tell them about your first day in kindergarten. If you have older children, take that child to the classroom first so the kindergarten child can see how it is done. They need encouragement to be their own person.

Patients are always needed on the first day of school. No crying or emotions are needed.

It Is Almost Time For School To Start

2008-08-14T08:16:00.001-07:00

Yes, parents everywhere are anxiously awaiting the start of school. The summer, if we are to call it that has been slightly different from what we are used to. It has been a rainy season that has proven that Mother Nature can have devastating affects on lives. Although today is partly sunny, it has not been the best summer for kids. They have been cooped up in the house quite a bit.

Time for school to start. Parents are visiting stores and buying school supplies and that all favorite, school clothes. Shopping with kids for clothes is never as fun as it seems. This is especially true for little ones. They seem to hate trying on clothes and they really hate new clothes. They have their favorites and that is what they want to wear.

Teens are a different story. Mom and dad never know what the fashions are it seems. There are always conflicts and sometimes that conflict lasts until school starts. Mom and dad, you have to get with the style. Many of the styles out there for kids are the ones we were in the eighties. It would have been nice if we could have kept all our clothes for such occasions. It sure would save money.

Now that school is nearing, what are you going to do with some spare time? Are you going to take a few days off of work and just pamper yourself and breathe normally for the first time in months?

Kids are great, but sometimes you just can't wait for them to go back to school.

Another Tragic Water Death

2008-08-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

Parents, no matter how good a swimmer your kids are is still a challenge for waves and winds on lakes and oceans. Yet, another child is missing and presumed dead in Lake Michigan. He was swimming with four friends when the waves caught him and swept him under water. He is presumed dead. The water conditions and the winds are making it impossible for rescue efforts, which has been call off twice now since Saturday. The lake is rough and more lives could have been jeopardized if the search were to continue.

Why was this 15 year old in the water under such horrific conditions? Because kids do not think it can happen to them. This is the third or fourth case this month where kids on inner tubes or swimming have had to be rescued. You might remember last month I wrote about a girl who was rescued and her condition at last post was still critical. No word since.

The lake and the oceans are unstable. They should be entered with caution. You have to feel for the parents, but you have to wonder why no one warns them. Keep your kids away from the lakes and oceans while the waters are angry.

As I speak these words, two more children are being pulled out into the lake by the tides. They are safe, someone got them out. Why are parents not putting a stop the kids going to the lake period when everyone has to know the lake is unstable for swimming?

Three minutes later, another swimmer in distress. She is out and safe. That is three in the last fifteen minutes. Where are the parents?

What do you think? Would you allow your kids in a lake that very possible has claimed one life yesterday and the same conditions exist today? Would you do that? I want to know. I am curious to what you would say or think.

Kids And Water Be Careful

2008-07-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, summer is here and accidents with kids are already hitting records. The most recent was a near drowning that has left a six-year-old girl in critical condition after three weeks. The six year old was in the lake with her seven-year-old brother while their father was on the beach. Where, I have no idea because they have not officially released the official report.

The two kids walked out the second sand bar, which in all reality was very deep except for the sand bar. Both kids fell off the sand bar into deep waters. A woman walking on the beach rescued the boy and the girl was rescued by three teens on Jet Skis. The six year old was unconscious and received CPR from worker at the Power Plant where the kids where in the water.

Today, she is still in critical condition and no report on how severe her condition is was reported. What is it we say during the summer? Kids need to be watched and taught. If you have not watched the video I posted months ago, please watch it now. Please take the time and learn how to protect your kids around water.

INCREDIBLE VIDEO!!! Take the time to watch here

Stumble It!

How Is The Summer Going With Kids At Home

2008-06-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, everyone has had a week or two of having the kid's home from school. How are you all feathering? Are they driving you nuts already? You only have a couple more months to go. Yes, kids can be a handful, especially if you are so used to them being in school during the day. Look at the bright side, the teachers have them for more months than you do and they needed a break.

Kids can fine thing to do or get into. Their creative side usually takes over during the summer months. You see broken bones, scrape and bruise more. Climbing trees and building bike ramps to jump are just kids being kids. They seem to look for ways to give parents gray hair. As they grow older, we sometimes relate the stories of their childhood adventures to them. They laugh, but they are just scared because they are going to be parents some day as well.

Kids are always trying to try the patients of their parents. Most do not do this on purpose, but do it without even knowing. You have to love them no matter what. Don't worry, school will start in a couple of months and things will get back to normal and be quiet again. Take this time to study their moves and see just how much they are like you when you were their age. I bet you will see a little part of you or the other parent in everything the child does.

Have a great day and enjoy your kids while they are young. They grow so fast. Sometimes not fast enough for some of us.

Gone But Not Forgotten

2008-06-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been away. I have been building a new following at a blog that talks about gay issues. It was a passion of mind to write a blog that would help people understand about gay issues and how everyone needs to stop showing hate towards gay people and letting them live the life as they see fit.

As many people know, I am very upfront about things that I feel strongly about. I talk about teen sex, gay issues, parenting, cats and dogs as well as anything else I feel people should hear about. This is why I continue to post and inform my readers. I will be back posting again now that everything is coming together rather well. If you would like to see my latest project, it is here to read.

Today's post, June 12, I feel is something that all parents need to read because it could happen to your child. Things just need to change and fast before our young are abused more and maybe even murdered like this young boy, Larry King was.

Schools Are A Changing

2008-05-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting story in a newspaper the other day about something that happened at any Lutheran high school. Many people who read the article were shocked if it happened at private school run by the Lutheran Church. Evidently, a 16-year-old boy was talking bad about another kid, so this kid's friend approached this young man in the hallway of the school and began questioning him as to why he was talking about this other kid.

A younger girl came walking by and handed him a pocketknife that she pulled out of her backpack. The young man took the knife from her and stabbed the 16-year-old boy who had been talking about the other kid. The two were arrested off course, but the actions are unbelievable. What happened to getting in a fistfight and punching somebody in the face? I mean not to say that that's any better but, why would you pull a knife out and offer it to somebody to hurt someone because they said some bad about someone else.

These two kids are now going to have a record that's going to follow them for the rest of their life. Not to mention, possible jail time and fines. Parents need to sit down and talk to their kids and explain to them what their actions mean. If parents don't start doing that soon, they are going to find out that their kids are not going to be around for the rest of their lives. They're going to be in jail or worse yet dead.

On another note, whoever said private schools or church schools are the best for kids? I guess it just shows that no matter where your kids go to school they can get in trouble or be around troubled kids.

Teen Sex And The End Result

2008-05-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

As I have written before, young men are being charged with having sex with underage girls. These men themselves are underage as well. Now, the girls parents find out she had sex and report it to the police, who in turn arrest the young man. He is charge with a sex crime, becomes a sexual predator, and has to register with the sex offender's registry.

Excuse me! What happen to the girl that had sex? Oh yea, she testified to having sex with him and now he is in jail. She is living her live and probably having sex with the next person. The law needs to be redesigned if the parents of girls are going to continue turning in the young men. The girl had sex as well.

If you are going to arrest the young man then you must arrest the girl as well. She had sex with an underage male. It is a two way street, but people have not realized this I guess. If two young people have consensual sex, how is it that the young man is arrested and not the girl.

Parents need to start taking a stand against laws that are one sided. How would you like it if it was your son that was arrested and the girl walked away free as a bird? Do you think this is right? Stand up and speak the language that can change the way the law works.

Maybe if the law required arresting the girl as well, more parents would take care of their own family matters instead of using the law. Kids have sex. It is a fact of life. Parents are the ones that need to talk to their children before they have sex. Do not rely on the law and ruining a young man's life while your daughter walks the streets and is probably still having sex.

Kids And Dogs Together Alone

2008-05-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

Should you allow young children to be in a room or outside alone with a dog? The answer may surprise you, but the answer is no, even if it is a family pet. Children think differently than we do. They may inadvertently do something that could be harmless, but the dog might not thing so.

One example is a child who is eating chips and offers the dog a mere crumb. The dog, no matter how gentle may want more than a crumb and decide to take what they want. The gentlest dog could become upset and believe they are being teased.

So many kids are bitten by dogs that they know because parents think the dog will not hurt the child because they know each other well. The simple fact is that dogs are domesticated, but they still have instincts. The first instinct is to protect themselves and the second is to eliminate competition.

Should you leave you child alone with a family dog or a friend's family dog? The answer is simply, no you should not trust either one to be left with the other.

Gas Prices Ruining Family Vacations

2008-05-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

The gas prices today are going to ruin many vacation plans for many families. It seems that many families are staying closer to home because no one can afford the high price of gas these days. Gas is topping off at $4 a gallon in most places. Can a family of four that wants to travel one thousand miles really afford $4 a gallon for gas? Probably not.

It is going to cost the average family with a car that gets 22 miles to the gallon about $180 one way. That means that traveling only one thousand miles there and back is going to cost $360 for gas. That does not seem like a lot, but when you consider in lodging and attraction costs, it adds up.

There are so many things you might want to do, but the sad truth is that kids today are going to lose out on seeing the country because parents just cannot afford to travel with gas prices the way they are today. It does not look like it will get any better before summer.

Are gas prices ruining your vacation plans or travel plans?

Parking Lots And Kids Are Not A Good Combination

2008-05-13T06:29:00.001-07:00

It is so important to watch your kids in parking lots. Darting kids are often hit by cars because they are not seen in time. Recently, a six year boy was run over by the front tire of a car in a gas station parking lot. The driver was a sixteen year old boy who has to live with this accident for the rest of his life.

The six year old's brother ran out of the store first and the driver stopped. As he proceeded on, his view was obstructed by a truck. The little one ran right into the front tire knocking him to the ground and the car ran over him. He died a week later. The parents must be going through their own hell.

The four children were allowed to run through a busy parking lot as the parents pumped gas. Now the parents have suffered a great lost, but why did it take two people to pump gas. The kids needed an adult with them. This accident could have been prevented if a parent would have taken the children to the store instead of letting them go themselves.

Parents need to think before letting children run through parking lots. A car can be going two miles an hour and still injure and kill a little kid.

Talk'n About Men

2008-05-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why women do the things they do. We all know that women can multi-task, while men seem to have a one track mine. They like to have money and beautiful woman to look at. Now, not all men are like this, but you might want to be the judge of that. Unfortunately, we need men for various things, but if they were to disappear, would we really go to pieces.

Do not worry guys, I will have one for you tomorrow that will be a delight I am sure.

Kids Playing Kids Games

2008-04-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. The kids are going to be out of school in no time and you need things to keep them busy. One thing that kids enjoy doing is playing outside. If they have friends, chances are they will be playing in your yard or somewhere else. There are things that kids enjoy doing outside besides sitting around and talking. They might play kick ball, tag or even blow a few bubbles.

If you are the neighborhood house where everyone ends up, you might need to have a few things the kids can play with. A soccer ball, bubbles, bat mitten rackets, basketball or even a football. Just remember to buy toy that are safe to play with and your kids should have a great summer. Keep plenty of nutritious snacks in the house and plenty of water available.

There are also plenty of books that have games the kids can play and books that have some crafts to do that kids always enjoy doing.

Contest Giveaway For Kids

2008-04-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure of telling you about another blogger who is running a free giveaway for Rescue Set Construction Kits that work with the Knex Construction Sets.

She has partnered with Child's Play Communications to give away two Rescue Set Construction Kits to one lucky person! Visit her site and see how easy it is to enter the contest at Mommy Knows

I just love it when people run contests like this so that parents can try to win something creative for their children.

When Should You Start Talking To Your Children About Sex

2008-04-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

The right age to talk to your children about sex is going to depend on your child, the type of friends he or she has as well as and most of all, your children's need to go up to quickly. Some children want to be adults quicker than they should and will need to have "the talk" earlier than kids that want to take their time and grow up.

You could expect to start talking to your children about sex as early as ten or eleven years old. The way you present the topic to your children is what is going to make the difference. If you give more information than what is needed for their particular age, it could backfire. Just enough information is needed so they will understand about abstinence and sexually transmitted disease is a good place to start.

Once you start, you will need to continually talk to your children about sex and gradually include more information. The best sex education starts at home since the schools are not very helpful in this subject.

You do not have to spend a lot of money and buy your kids "Stuff" to have them turn out right. You will not need to try out any weirdo, new age, and wacko parenting stuff. Learn how you can avoid the big problems of drugs and sex. It is not necessary to be "super parent" to have your kids turn out "normal"

Teens Having Sex And Being Busted

2008-04-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Where I live we have had a lot of teenage boys being arrested for having sex with teenage girls. In most of the cases, it is consentaul, but these boys are being arrested and facing jail time as well as having to register as a sex offender. Now, I'm not saying that teenage sex is okay, but there is a place to draw the line.

I remember when I was young and in high school. Sex was something we all did. No one was ever arrested for having sex. These 17-year-old boys are having sex with 14 and 15 year old girls and are being arrested and thrown in jail as well as being considered sex offenders. In my day, if we had sex as teenagers and our parents found out, we were grounded and not allowed to date.

Parents today are not taking responsibility, instead they're running to the police and reporting the boys for having sex with their daughters. They are ruining The lives of these boys. If sex education was allowed in school, and taught the way it should be, this might be prevented.

But parents don't want sex education taught to their children in school. They don't want their children to know about condoms and safe sex. If more kids were taught about sex education, they might take more responsibility and reduce the number of teenage pregnancies as well as teenage moms and dads.

Your daughter is 14 years old and she had sex with her 17-year-old boyfriend. So what do you do? Instead of talking to her, talking to the boy's parents and talking to the boy, parents are taking the easy way out and running to the police. But what I don't understand, is that the boys are being arrested even though the girls wanted to have sex. Why not arrest the girls and make them sex offenders.

Parents need to start taking responsibility for their children. If your child's having sex it's your responsibility to talk to your child and tell them what can happen. Don't run to the police and have the boy arrested and considered a sexual offender for the rest of his life, just because he had sex with your daughter who wanted it.

Maybe if parents started taking more responsibility for the sexual doings of their children, more children would be more likely to say no to sex. Some parents don't even talk to their children about sex. If you can't talk to your children about sex are going to have sex. And if they get caught they're going to jail, if they're a boy.

Would you rather talk to your children about sex beast or the girl's mother goes to the police and has your son arrested? I don't know, maybe I'm the only one that feels this way, but when I was a teenager, we had sex, and everybody knew about it, but nobody went to jail. Because parents took care of it on their own.

It is time for parents to start taking control of the kids again. And maybe we wouldn't have so many killing, drugs and teenage pregnancies.

A Mothers Love

2008-03-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

This video might not be about humans, but it does show that a mother's love can come from anyone no matter what color, creed or race the young are. This was sent to me and I wanted to share it with you becasue it does show us that maybe we should take a lesson or two from out pets.

Click here to see.

Keeping Cats Out Of The Baby Crib

2008-03-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

This article was written by Pamela Gardapee for Cats Galore

Many people, especially younger people have never heard about keeping cats out of the baby's bedroom or out of the crib because of the potential dangers that can result. I was very surprised to hear that my son and daughter-in-law had never heard anything about this danger.

Cats are drawn to the smell of breast milk or formula and the warmth of the baby and will enter the sleeping space of the baby to find the smell of the breast milk or formula. The cats lay on top of the baby while it is sleeping and can smother the baby. This is not a rare occurrence. It has been documented many times in history. Cats do not know they are doing anything wrong, they are just curious and loving.

If you have a cat that likes to sleep on you, they will more than likely want to sleep on the baby as well. This can be a very dangerous situation. It is always best to keep the infant in a room with the door closed while listening to a baby monitor to be safe. Your cat might not want to be around the baby, but some will. The chance you take is not worth it.

Once the baby starts growing and can move around by itself, then the cats will not be a worry, but until then, you must keep the cats away from the sleeping baby.

How Domestic Violence Affects The Children

2008-03-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

Children from a domestic violence situation are the ones being hurt the most. Children are not at fault just because they were born into this world. However, some parents resent the children or just do not care about them enough to keep violence out of the picture. Children living in a home with domestic violence are affected in different ways. They can have things withheld from them, kicked out on the streets with no processions, beat, yelled at constantly or even abused in unspeakable ways.

Domestic violence that is occurring in the home needs to be stopped before children become pawns in the abuse. Fighting in front of the children or in a home where children can hear the fighting or see the abuse is something they remember for years to come. Victims of domestic abuse live with the fear that some day it may happen again and sometimes they distance themselves from new relationships for self-preservation. Is this how you want children to be raised?

If you have children and live in a home filled with hate and fighting, it may be time to get out and run. Being alone can be hard, but instilling fear in your children is the worst fear in the world. How can children grow up to be loving and caring, when they see the violence around them? Parents are supposed to protect children and teach them the right values about life and living. Teaching children to fear is not going to help them survive in the world, it is going to make them something more. They could grow up to be abusers themselves. Do you wish that on your children's future spouses or children?

If a domestic abuse situation is what you live in, you need help. There are organizations that will help parents of domestic violence find a place to live, a job if needed and food. Legal aid is one option to start proceedings to distance yourself from a partner that continues to abuse you or the children. It is just a matter of time before abusive relationships take something that can never be given back, your life.

I have four books that every parent should read.

Teenage Parenting

You do not have to spend a lot of money and buy your kids "Stuff" to have them turn out right.
You will not need to try out any weirdo, new age, and wacko parenting stuff.
How you can avoid the big problems of drugs and sex.
It is not necessary to be "super parent" to have your kids turn out "normal"

Click Here To See More!

Official Secret Restaurant Recipes - The Original Copycat Cookbook

• No more waiting in lines at your favorite restaurants.
• Make the family dinner for less than going to the restaurant.
• Friends and family will think you ordered out.

Click Here To See More!

Living On A Dime - Financial Independence Through Better Life Choices

How to live on a dime. Many different ideas for saving money. Take back your financial freedom.

Click Here To See More!

Divorce 101: The Woman's Guide to Divorce

Helping You Meet the Challenges of Divorce

Practical Steps to Get You Started

What About The Kids?

See everything you will learn.

Click Here To See More!

Sibling Rivalry Can Start Before The new Addition Arrives

2008-03-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

Many times an only child can resent a new member before he or she even arrives. The mom is busy getting ready for the new arrival the child feels left out. They feel as if you have no time for them. One example of this was a woman who was having a baby and her three year old son did not want a new little brother or sister. Convincing a young child that this will be something good is not going to work as she found out.

As the time came near, the child was moody and would not listen. The day the baby was born, he was taken to the hospital to see his new brother. He seemed to be fine. He held his brother with the help f his dad and everyone thought that was it, he had accepted the new arrival. As the days moved along, he was finding that this new baby cried a lot and his mom was always busy with the baby.

One day he had enough of the crying and frankly told his mother to put that baby back inside her tummy. He informed his mom that it made to much noise and he could not sleep or think. That was the start of sibling rivalry for the family.

It is hard to tell a child about a new arrival, but if you keep them included in everything, they should adjust. In some cases, you will have to explain the benefits of having a sibling every day until one day the child listens or gives up.

Do You Remember Me?

2008-02-28T05:13:00.000-08:00

I was the girl that nobody looked at. I was the girl that everyone avoided at lunch. I was the girl that just wanted to make a friend. You never gave me a chance even though I tried. I tried to sit by you at lunch, I laughed at some of your antics in the classroom, but still you never knew I was there. Do you remember me?

Did you see that artwork for your pep rally? You all said how beautiful it looked. You could not believe the detail that went into making that incredible piece. Do you remember me now? I was the one standing all alone at the football games and in gym class. I was the one that was last to be picked on any teams or for a class project. Do you remember me now?

I was the one you ignored when walking home. I was the one that just wanted to fit in with everyone. I just wanted a friend to share my secrets with and help me adjust to the new school and community. I was the one that sat up at night longing for my phone to ring with an invite to the big party everyone was going to.

Do you remember me now? I had long brown hair with a beautiful smile and a friendly outlook. I was the one that nobody wanted anything to do with, but I tried. Do you remember me now? I sat all alone watching the world go by, but I was not a part of it. Remember, I was the one that got hit in the face with the soccer ball and everyone laughed instead of seeing if I was okay.

Do you remember that girl that killed herself by cutting her wrists while her parents were away? Schoolmates said they never knew her or even knew that she went to their school. Do you remember me now? I was that girl. All I wanted was a friend to talk to. I wanted to be your friend. All you had to do was say one word to me and I would have felt better about myself.

I felt unwanted and thought I would never find a friend. I thought life was horrible and I did not want to live without a friend. I could not live knowing I was a horrible person that no one wanted to be friends with or talk to. Do you remember me now? My funeral was yesterday. I had my family come to the funeral and a few teachers. I know they had counselors for you to talk to, but you did not need them because you did not even know me or that I was alive. Remember me now?

If you know someone that needs a friend or someone that nobody talks to, take the time to say hello or how are you before you never get another chance to show him or her that you see them and no they are there.

Spring Break Is Sneaking Up

2008-02-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

Spring break has always been a time for families to start their travels or plan some things to do that everyone enjoys. If you have no travel plans in mind, the kids might need something else to do. Although television is a good pastime, you probably want something a little more structured for the kids to do. Kids crafts are fun and exciting for everyone if you plan for the right crafts to do.

Since Easter is coming around the corner, you could plan some crafts for the kids to do. They might make some windows decorations or plan for a future day in May such as May Day. The kids could make little May Day baskets out of construction paper with a handle. You could put some soft material inside such as the Easter basket material and a few pieces of hard candy.

When May Day comes along, the kids could go around the neighborhood placing the baskets on people's doorknobs. This is a tradition done in my city and neighborhood by the preschool/daycare center two blocks down. The kids have so much fun running up to doors and leaving a little treat.

One thing that is also nice during spring break to do is packing up unused clothing and toys for donating to the local organizations. This is one way parents can teach kids about giving to those less fortunate. Kids do learn a valuable lesson when looking for things to donate.

Take the kids to the local mini golf course or for the older kids, you might take them to a indoor paintball field for some exciting fun. Take the kids roller skating or to a local water park for a day of fun.

There are so many things you can plan to do during spring break that do not cost very much money if any. Take the time to plan something the kids could do and you will be happier as well.

When Is The Last Time You When Paintballing

2008-02-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

If you have a desire to play games, you will enjoy the game of paintball. You will have many different paintball markers to choose from such as Spyder paintball guns, Bob Long markers and Tippmann paintball guns. If you are looking for an affordable place to find the paintball markers or accessories, take a good look at this online paintball store.

You will never be able to imagine the fun you can have when you go paintballing. For those of you who need paintball accessories or even some parts for upgrading, the Ultimate Paintball has an online paintball store that has everything you need to get started with free shipping.

The Spyder Pilot ACS is a paintball marker that is making the mark. Paintballers are finding the lightweight marker an exceptional piece of equipment on the field. The Tippmann 98 Custom is another popular marker that has the precision to hit your mark every time. Both markers are available at the Ultimate Paintball online paintball store with free shipping.

If you are looking for the perfect paintball marker, check out the online paintball store to see what markers they have available and all the accessories you need to have a great day of paintballing.

These Kids Are Trained In Drowning Prevention

2008-02-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Something very amazing is how children as young as six months can learn to survive a fall into a pool. I recently had the opportunity to watch a video of children that can fall in a pool and maneuver their bodies upwards so they are on their backs with their faces out of the water. I wanted to share this video with everyone because this accident happened to me when my daughter was 2 ½ years old.

I told her and her brother to sit on the edge of the pool until I returned. When I came back, my son was on the side sitting watching his sister in the water. She was on her back treading water trying to keep her face out of the water. She never had this training, but what she did, kept her alive. I would ask anyone with children, watch this video and see how kids so young can help themselves stay afloat and alive if they fall into a pool.

INCREDIBLE VIDEO!!! Take the time to watch here

I Am A New Postie With PayPerPost

2008-02-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

The reason I signed up as a Postie is that I think that advertising on the Internet is important for everyone. If there were no way to get the information out about new services and products, the Internet would be useless. Advertising is a way for al of us to help others spread the word about products and services. PayPerPost is a great way for me to contribute to the Internet and let people know about opportunities that are available.

I enjoy writing and visiting sites that have new products and services available, so who better to write a PayPerPost article but me. I am happy to inform people of new things that will make their lives easier. I will enjoy making money for the post that I write and place on my blog. It is just another way I can earn some extra money to keep my blog running while giving people some great information.

I have found PayPerPost easy to work with and the available opportunities are endless it seems. I look forward to a long and engaging relationship with PayPerPost as one of their Posties. I heard about PayPerPost from a friend on the Internet, so word is already spreading through me.

Coping With High-Functioning Autism and Its’ Effects on Our Family

2008-02-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

"I have a guest writer today who is the mother of a child with Autism. Liz is a great writer and mother with more courage and strenght then most."

By: Elizabeth Tabian-Sosin

My son, Matthew, who is now 13-years-old, was diagnosed with Autism when he was 3-years-old. This was something of a shock for me, as I was a single parent at the time. Fortunately, I had the support of my parents, who just doted on their grandson, and didn’t seem to mind helping to take care of him.

I say “take care” because that was one of the major problems. No daycare facility wanted him. Oh, they would say that they could take care of him, but would always find some absurd reason to get him to leave their care. So, for nearly 10 years, my parents helped to care for him. They would get him ready for school, feed him breakfast, and tend to all of his needs while I worked. This, of course, impacted their ability to do anything for themselves.

If he was off from school, they had to put their plans on hold to take care of him. They would have to take him everywhere with them. This, fortunately, was never a real problem for them. Matt loved to spend time with his Grandma and Grandpa. According to my Dad, it was always pretty easy with Matt. They established a simple routine with him, with very few problems. You couldn’t drag him to 20 stores, but if they established that routine, it was never a problem. My Dad specifically said that they wouldn’t take him to some place that would completely bore Matt to death, like a department store. They usually would keep it pretty simple, often including his favorite restaurant, Culvers. A simple consequence, a simple solution.

It was hard for me, though, to take him anywhere. I was afraid he’d act up and people would stare. He wasn’t always high-functioning, and sometimes his behavior was unexplainable. As he grew older, though, this changed. Mostly, in part, due to the great work his team at school did with him. Also, in part, due to the relationship he had/has with my husband, Chris.

We have been able to take him many different places, where normally, we might not have been able to. We’ve gone to Chicago, Navy Pier, all of the various Museums, the Botanical Gardens, as well as the Children’s Museum. We try to structure the outings around what Matt’s interests are, or what we think might prove interesting. Our current concern is usually the hormonal aspect of his behavior. So, sometimes we have to limit our interactions with groups of people that contain large numbers of young ladies.

All in all, his impact on the family structure is minimal. We have to make little changes to our routines, but it usually works. Our main problem is in his interactions with his older stepbrother. Sometimes, they fight a lot, because of the age difference. However, it is mostly the fact that his stepbrother often expects things from him that only a normal child could actually accomplish. Since things have started to go a bit easier lately, we are finding it much easier to cope with it all. In addition, as I finish this, my son and stepson are getting ready to collaborate on some of Matt’s homework. How about that?

Liz has many articles published on Autism here

Finding Love After A Divorce

2008-02-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

Many people think that after divorce they need to take care of the kids and concentrate on just the kids. The sad part about this type of thinking is you are going to be lonely and the kids will sense this even if you try to hide it. Dating after divorce is something everyone needs to experience when the time is right.

You do not have to rush out and find a date, but you can meet new people and other single parents in the most familiar places. School activities, volunteer groups and even at the gym. Many single parents take their kids to places where they will meet other parents and the kids have a good time as well.

If you do not keep an open mind and realize that not everyone is like your ex, you are going to be all alone. The kids will sense your loneliness more than you think. Try things with the kids and see whom you meet. You might meet someone that is just as lonely as you are.

Making A Diaper Cake The Easy Way

2008-02-15T13:39:00.000-08:00

If you are planning a baby shower or no someone who is, you will find this video instruction very helpful. I found this video and decided this was what I wanted to do for my daughter-in-law. To my amazement and every one else, I make a beautiful diaper cake.

I received so many compliments and decided that if I could do this, then anyone can. My specialty in the kitchen is beef stew and homemade meatballs. However, I managed to make a diaper cake because the video was very helpful and full of tips. I especially liked the close shots and the detail that is explained.

I have seen many pictures on the Internet about how to make the diaper cake, but never any videos. This diaper cake video does work and anyone can do it with the help of the video.

Should you let your teenage son or daughter date at the age of thirteen?

2008-02-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

Many parents are finding themselves wondering what the right answer is to this question. The first thing is that girls that are age thirteen or younger should not be dating and neither should boys. Boys and girls are at a vulnerable age and have no idea what dating really is or what should or should not be done.

Playing basketball with the girl next door is one thing, but dating is something that should come when the kids reach a responsible age. Fifteen and up is a good age to start dating. By this time, boys and girls are more aware of their own sexuality and know what they should not do.

Even at the age of fifteen, kids need some guidance as to what they can do and what they should not do. More parents need to sit down with children and discuss sex, dating and life in general. If this is not communicated, kids will learn it from other kids that may be doing exactly what you do not want your fifteen-year-old doing.

Kissing is one thing, but doing other sexual acts is not only unhealthy, it is going to lead to more complications if a pregnancy happens. If kids want to date, they should be ask to wait until they understand the opposite sex more and have some responsibility for their actions.

Did You Rush Out To See Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World's Concert

2008-02-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

The rush was on, Disney announced that the movie Hannah Montana starting Miley Cyprus would only be shown for one week. Parents and kids spent $31.3 million to see the highly awaited debut of this now famous teen idol. The lines were horribly long and the crowds were like the day after Thanksgiving. If you were lucky to get in the first time you stood in line great, otherwise you had to come back and try again.

Yes, I have watched her show because my niece is so into Hannah Montana that I needed to see what it was all about and judge for myself. Until that first day, I never knew what the show was about or that she was Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter. He plays on the show as well. Now that was my thrill. Yes, it seems to be a great show and the amazing thing is, every young girl wants to be her.

Well, back to the movie. It is still in the theaters for everyone to see. This was evidently a master plan by Disney to sell out in the first week. They succeeded and now the ones that missed it the first week can see it in the second week. So, if your child is upset because they missed Hannah Montana, you can make sure they see it this week or just watch the TV show and wait for it to come out on DVD and buy it so they can watch it over and over again.

I would suggest that everyone check the TV show out at least once to see what all the hype is about with Hannah Montana.

Allowing Kids To Play Outside In A Blizzard

2008-02-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

Snow is great for kids and they love to play outdoors. What if the outside conditions are blizzard likes conditions with a visibility of zero? Recent snow today has pretty much shut down the city I live in and I was looking at pictures people summated to a local newspaper where kids are running around outside, running across roads where they cannot be seen. I myself feel this is as dangerous as letting them walk to school in these conditions.

People are told to stay off the roads and stay home. This should include kids. There is a reason everything shut down. The weather was horrible, but some people still thought it was all right for kids to be outside. I tried as hard as I could to keep my dogs in the house because the snowfall was at 12 inches and it was still a blizzard going on. Parents need to think before allowing children to go outside during hazardous conditions.

If a child would get hurt and not be able to get home, they would be buried in snow in no time. Send the kids into the yard and keep an eye on them. If something happens, at least you know where they were last seen.

When A Pet Dies, Children Feel The Pain

2008-02-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

My seven-year-old niece had a twelve-year-old dog named Jake. He died last week and she wanted to have funeral. She told my sister, her mom that she wanted all the aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews to come up north to her house for a funeral. My sister tried very hard and finally made her understand that this was not possible.

She accepted the fact that we could not attend the funeral, but asked us all to say good-bye to Jake from where we live. We all did as she asked. I sent her a sympathy card I found after an hour of looking. There are not many cards for one to send to someone, especially a child when they lose their beloved pet.

It hurt her that her dog died and I wanted to send her a card so she new I was thinking about her and Jake. Maybe the card companies should think about kids and their pets when they make sympathy cards. It has to be kind, yet something they can relate to as well. When a pet dies, kids have a hard time no matter what type of pet it is.

Jake had a private funeral. He is now in heaven with his other dog and cat cousins. I said this to her in a card and I know she smiled.

Cold Weather And School Kids

2008-02-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

The snow has been hitting areas hard this winter as well as the bitter cold. Should your child walk to school in cold weather and blowing snow? This is something everyone thinks about when they send the kids out the door. Schools use discretion when canceling school or delaying it for a few hours, but do they have the best interest of the child in mind or do they worry about school days.

Schools need to think about kids first, then learning or meeting state requirements. There are schools that think about the kids and close school when appropriate, but some just delay school, which delays everyone it seems. When day care centers close, those who work have nowhere to go with their children and miss work. Some are penalized for this and some are not bothered by it.

One would have to think that kids that are home schooled have an advantage over kids that need to brave the elements and find their way to school. They seem to thrive just as well as children going to public schools and they do not have to endanger their safety.

This is one opinion, but I think parents need to have the option of sending kids to school in bad weather or not. They can call the teachers, see what is being studied and have the kids do the work at home.

Do you agree or disagree with this way of thinking?

The Word Is Out On Over The Counter Cough Medicines

2008-01-17T10:57:00.000-08:00

Do you give your children under the age of 2 and cough syrups. Maybe you need to read the newest word out on over the counter cough medicine. The story is quite disturbing to read about since most people will never hear the story. If you would like to read more, here is the entire story on cough medicines.

Grants For A College Education

2008-01-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

This is a story told to me by a close friend. I hope everyone can learn from this as well.

When my daughter came home from school with college applications, my wife and I knew this day was coming soon. What we did not expect was to be turned down for grants to help pay for some of her education. She chose a school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is an hour away. She will be staying in a dorm since it will be cheaper for her and for us. My daughter will not work for the first semester so she can adjust to a new school and adventure. I was very proud to hear that my daughter wanted to go to college and offered her all the encouragement a parent can offer.

My experience with applying for grants was frustrating. After completing all the required paperwork and jumping through hoops, she was turned down. The reason for this seems to be that my wife and I make to much money. What they do not take into consideration is that we have three more girls at home as well. I tried to reckon with every one I talked to with no success. Yes, my daughter worked the entire summer to save enough money so she could concentrate on her first semester of school, but she will have to work all the way through college since we could not receive any grants.

My 401K plan does not allow me to take out a loan as well. Therefore, we are going to struggle to put our daughter through college. In two years, her sister will be attending college as well. We are hoping to start saving a little money for this daughter, but it will be hard since we are paying for the first one. We do not want our kids to start their adult lives with a hefty loan. We are parents who just wanted a little help with the financial aspect of college. My advice to parents of younger children is to start some type of savings now.

If you have children that might even consider going to college, do not assume there will be grants available like we did. We felt that our income was enough to take care of our family and buy them clothes, food and a place to live. In this day and age, that does not matter, you have to be very low income to receive grants for your child’s continued education. We have found out the hard way and we do not want other parents to find out the hard way as we did.

Creative Valentine's Day Ideas

2008-01-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

Take some time to think about unusual and memorable ways to say, "I love you" on Valentine's Day. You will many men circling around the greeting card section right before Valentine's Day, looking for a card for their loved one. This is so typical for Valentine's Day. If you want to spice it up a bit, buy the card early and send it out to Kissimmee, Florida or even Loving, New Mexico with a self addressed stamped envelope and present her with a card with a postmark that says it all.

If you think about love and making memories, you can come up with many creative Valentine's Day ideas for making the day special. If you do not want to go out for the night, you might think about making a special dinner with candle lights and rent a violinist to serenade you during your and after dinner drinks. If you really want to make it special, you might even find a company that rents electric fireplaces and have one delivered and set up for added warmth and romance. You can enjoy a night in front of the fireplace after the violinist leaves.

There are many creative Valentine's Day ideas that will leave both of you with cherished memories. Rent a hot tub and place it outside. You can sit in a hot tub sipping your favorite glass of wine. If you live in an area where it is cold outside, do not worry, you will stay very warm in the hot tub. If it happens to snow, this could be even more enjoyable. If wine is not your choice, try some champagne, strawberries on a little tray set up outside the hot tub within reaching distance.

Creative Valentine's Day ideas that are unique and memorable are endless. Think with the heart and you will come up with something unique. If you have a family with small children, you might want to give each other a break. Hire a nanny to care for the children out of the house for the day, have a maid service come in and clean the house, then have a chef come to your home and prepare a scrumptious Valentine's Day dinner.

Coming up with unique ideas for Valentine's Day is more intriguing than most imagine. Most of the time, when you think about something to do for that special Valentine's Day, it makes you feel warm inside just planning the events. The feeling is one you will remember forever.

A Family New Years Eve

2007-12-25T13:17:00.001-08:00

Many people think about New Years Eve as a way to get away from the kids and spend some time with friends. Have you ever thought about spending New Years Eve with the entire family? Many companies and organizations are preparing for the New Year with a family night of fun.

Some will have roller-skating parties, some will have music and fireworks at night. Some organizations will have activities for the entire family so they can enjoy a New Years celebration with other families.

When you think about what to do for New Years Eve, maybe you want to take the entire family to something that is held by an organization that caters to the family and offers a night of alcohol free fun. It is a great way to ring in the New Year.

Christmas Is For Children

2007-12-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

The meaning of Christmas might be better explained through the eyes of a small child. The joy and happiness that one has at gift opening is when a small three year old gets a new baby doll and excitedly go "whoo hooo, my baby" and jumps up and down hugging the box the baby is in. Although it does not take much to excite little ones, it is amazing to see such excitement from a little girl who thinks that everything she got for Christmas was the most exciting thing in the world.

Now dad really cannot open his presents, because that baby has to come out of the box so that the bonding can take place. Toy manufacturers never really thought about this process when they wired these dolls to the box so they could not escape. First, you need a scissors to cut the straps, and then you need an engineer's degree to figure out how this doll really comes out of the box. After fifteen to twenty minutes, the baby is finally released and the bonding begins.

Now that all the fun is over it is time to count the gifts and make sure they are still there. After that, it is time to see what others have gotten and maybe try out some of their toys. Now, you have an aunt that remembers when her kids were small and everyone thought that loud noise making toys were appropriate, it is time to see how it feels. You have this amazing little gadget that resembles an electric keyboard, but it has eight buttons that give you rock, jazz and dance beats and four drum pads. What a thrill it is to give it to two nieces in one night.

The only thing to remember, is the adults love little kids toys as well and put these two things together with a portable DVD player playing some sort of dance video for kids in a room filled with twenty-two people talking and laughing and you have succeeded in driving everyone nuts. This is what Christmas is all about, everyone having a good time and seeing the kids so excited over the gifts that they received.

What Makes A Parent

2007-12-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

With all the emphasis on being a good parent today, one can only wonder if they are in fact, a good parent or can they do something different. The fact is that not everyone parents his or her children in the same way. What the woman next door does might not be right for your children. If you have children that behave and listen fairly well, then there is no reason to think you are not a good parent. Just because the children next door use "please" and "may I", does not mean that is a better parent.

Being a good parent means trying to give your children love and sharing with them in their excitement or disappointments. How your children as far as politeness does not make a parent better than anyone else. Instilling the fear of god in children to be polite is not good parenting. Loving them and talking to them the way you would like them to talk is how children learn to talk.

What is a parent?

A parent is someone who loves you no matter what.
A parent is someone who tries to stand by you and give you support.
A parent accepts you for who you are and not what you might have been.
A parent is warm, loving and kind.
A parent is the one you want to be with when you do not feel well.
A parent is the reason you are here.
A parent is someone you will miss dearly when they are not here.

All these things make you a good parent, not your child's vocabulary or your child's IQ. The clothes they wear or choose not to wear does not make you a good or bad parent. This is the time of year to reach out and say, "Mom and dad, I love you." It does not matter how long it has been or even if you parted under bad circumstances, they are your parents and they do love you.

Top 10 Blogs for Writers Winners

2007-12-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

This is a parenting blog and I have to offer my congraduations to the top 10 blog winners at the Top 10 Blogs for Writers

Please pay a tribute to the winners and express your congraduations.

New Years Resolutions

2007-12-10T17:18:00.000-08:00

Have you been thinking about your New Years Resolutions? There are so many different resolutions that people express on New Years Eve. Some of the top resolutions that people make are:

1. Lose weight
2. Stop smoking
3. Launch a new career
4. Pay bills
5. Have a baby
6. Get married
7. Practice being a better parent
8. Be nicer to people you meet on the street
9. Donate time for a charity
10. Plan an exciting vacation for the family
11. Eat healthier
12. Work harder on a relationship
13. Make more money
14. Do a remodeling project
15. Get to the honey do list

These are just a few of the New Years Resolutions. For my resolution I am going to concentrate on making more money and get out of debt. I also plan to lose a few pounds with exercise. What is your New Years Resolution?

We Take Care Of Our Children No Matter What Their Age

2007-12-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

We start out being a parent from the time we know the little one is conceived. Many parents think that at the age of eighteen, parenting is done. The truth is that we continually help our children no matter what age they are or where they live. Parenting is for life no matter if you are around all the time or not.

As children grow from birth, we teach them to talk, walk, eat, drink and socialize with other children. As they get older, we try to guide them in the right direction so they do not fail in life. However, some children take on an entirely new personality and ignore our words of wisdom. We remain the parent. We just wait for them to learn the hard way and we are there for them when they figure out that we were not to far off base.

Many children never learn, but the majority learns by out successes and failures. We try to create a better life for our children so they can lead a happy and healthy life. As a parent, we can stand by our children no matter what the circumstances and help guide them in making the right choices, but we cannot hold their hand. They grow into adults that need to take responsibility for their actions and themselves.

If we have done our job right, our children will grow and flourish while becoming self sufficient in this world. When they start their own families, they will look back on what we did and how we tried to guide them and think about why we did it. They will realize that we were trying to offer them guidance for a positive life. That is when we will feel our accomplishments.

When your child becomes a parent, they will have more respect for you and the words that you tried to convey to them. They are now starting the same journey and will have many things to think about now.

Sorry I Was Down For A Few Days

2007-12-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

Sorry that the site was down for a few days. It was a technical error on the robots that troll for spam blogs. I have been restored and will try to post a great article later today. I hope my readers will continue to come back to read the informational articles.

Thanks

Blondie

Meme Challenge

2007-11-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

How interesting! I was tagged by Kathleen over at Easing Chronic Pain for a meme challenge. The rules seem pretty simple:

*I link to the person who tagged me and post the rules for this challenge on my blog.

*Share seven facts about myself.

*Tag seven more bloggers and link to them on my blog.

Hmm. I think I can handle that.

I have two grown children that make more money in one year than I ever did as a Supervisor.

I live in the Wisconsin and I hate snow!

I work from home because I hate winters and my dogs need me at home.

I am going to be a Grandma in March!

I am two young to be a Grandma because I still go out and have fun with my daughter and her friends!

I fantasize to get my creative ideas for short stories.

Bills are piling up and Christmas is coming!

Here are the blogs that I am tagging for this challenge:

The Writer's Journey

Drawing on Words

It's Like This-Pamela Troeppl

The Guilty Parent

Web Writing Info

Inky Ramblings

Chicago History Blog

What Are Your Ideas For Christmas Gifts

2007-11-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that the kids are getting anxious as Christmas nears? Kid's wait all year for this day and they give ideas all year long, about what they want. What are some of your ideas for a Christmas gift for a seven, four and three year old?

People Who Post On The Internet Without Regard To Children Reading The Post

2007-11-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

In many cases, we protect our children from predictors on the Internet, but how do we protect our children from someone who has kids and still takes no consideration as to what they say or do on the Internet. One such topic is posting comments on informational sites without regard to who is reading them. Children use the Internet to find out about jobs available as well as to do school assignments.

If a child were to Google football or writing gigs, what would they find? They would fine some interesting information that they can read and learn from. Now, if that post spawned bad comments and derogatory remarks, who is to blame for your child seeing the information? Not you, they are doing what they are suppose to be doing. The people that post comments on conversational posts are the ones that need to wise up.

Parents rely on the Internet for their children to learn more than what we as adults had the chance to do. If I want my child to learn about why I do not like something or what types of jobs are available for freelancers, I would direct them to a specific keyword and let them search. I would expect them to be subjected to crude remarks, selfish behavior and racism or name-calling. I would want them to see informational comments that give viewpoints from all.

It is not my fault that I believe in a site for having some great information, but it is the person's fault who feels inappropriate language is the way to debate issues. I would want my child to see a healthy debate on the information, not childish and unwanted behavior from people who call themselves adults and parents. We already have to censor the Internet, now we cannot even allow ours children to visit informative and education sites for fear of being subject to hate.

Just because you are a watchful parent that has 100% control over your child, when they are on the Internet does mean that everyone has this option. Before making comments of hate towards someone or something, stop and think about how you would feel if it was your child reading it.

If you have followed this blog, you know the articles, "Kids Learn By Example" and "Family Computer Placement". These articles tell a story by themselves, but even the best parent cannot be there to watch a child the entire time they are on the Internet, especially if you leave them on a site that is respectable until a few have to ruin it.

Take time to think about how you want your children to be brought up and then think about others. If you have issues that are not appropriate for your child to see, then maybe you should think twice about posting it.

How Does Santa Claus Deliver All Those Presents In One Night

2007-11-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

The one thing we know about Santa Claus, is that he watches over us the entire year. He works with his elves all year making special toys for all of us. He knows what we want because he listens to us laugh and talk. Not only does he keep a list of bad and good things but he keeps a list of things we say we want.

On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus is very, very busy. There are so many children to deliver presents to and only one real Santa Claus. Now how does Santa Claus deliver all those presents on Christmas? This is the question everyone is asking. Let’s see if we can find the answer.

There are many different time zones. This means Christmas starts earlier in some countries and ends later in other countries. In researching this a little more, I have found what I believe to be the answer.

Santa Claus would more then likely start dropping off presents in Anchorage, Alaska working his way thru that time zone Next he would go to Australia delivering presents there. Then it would be on to Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America and into North America. There is an International Date Line leading me to the second part of my answer.

Santa has elves that can meet him any place in the world. They could bring him the next bunch of presents for the next set of kids. This is one thing nobody has ever figured out. But I do believe the elves do meet Santa Claus for this purpose.

One cannot forget that Santa Claus has Santa Claus helpers that go to various locations between Thanksgiving and Christmas to talk to all the boys and girls. They could also help Santa Claus out on Christmas Eve. Because of the International Date Line, I believe this could be true also.

There are two possible answers to the question, with both of them being the theoretically possible. There is only one person who knows which one, if not both, is true. And he is not telling his secret.

Christmas is enjoyed all ages and Santa Claus has the biggest job of all, making sure we all get our presents delivered before we wake up Christmas morning. As for me, I couldn’t wait to wake up and see all the lights and presents by the tree. It made you feel all warm inside.

I feel all children should be visited by Santa Claus and don’t forget the milk and cookies. He needs to keep up his strength for an all night job. And don’t forget the reindeer; you have to get Santa Claus to every house on time.

Discipline Needs To Be Established By Both Parents

2007-11-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

It is hard enough to discipline children these days, but when the child no they can play on parent against the other, new issues arise. Both parents, whether married or divorced need to follow the same rules and discipline in the same way. Sending missed signals can only lead to confusion in the child. It can also cause more problems as they get older. If a child is allowed to do things with one parent, but the other parent does not allow it, children become confused and start to feel that one parent is easier than the other is.

You have now created a monster of deceit. If you say no and the other parent is a yes person, the child will learn to run to the other parent to get permission while avoiding listening to you. Both parents have to have the same habits of discipline and an understanding of what the child can and cannot do. This is where parents make the mistake. Mediation is a good thing for discussing the issues pertaining to children. A third party can always help both parties understand the importance of effective parenting.

Just because the child is from a divorced family does not mean they should have special treatment. Some parents over compensate for not being the full time parent by allowing the child to have their way. This just encourages bad behavior and does not teach the right values. If a child is having a tantrum about visiting a parent. Talk to them and explain that they need to see the other parent and they can see you when they return home. Maybe they could call you if that helps. Never agree to let the child make the visitation rules.

Teenagers may be a bit different with visitation. As they get older, they can make their own decision about visitation. If they have friends and activities going on, they may choose to skip visitation. This is going to be their choice, as they grow older. You cannot force a teenager to visit the other parent. They are almost an adult and do have different choices. Keep thing simple by agreeing to discipline, rules and responsibilities. Divorce can be civil and easy if both parents take the time to work together for the sake of the children. No one needs stability more than a child does.

Children With ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

2007-11-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was also known as attention deficit disorder. This a very common condition found in children, which is believed to affect the mental condition of the child. Some of the characteristics of ADHD are impulsive behavior, hyperactive, the child is easily distracted and has poor concentration. Some children out grow ADHD as they get older, but more than sixty percent suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through their adult years.

There are some things a parent can do to help a child with ADHD. You can set schedules for all activities including wake up time, bedtime, television time, homework, playing and eating. This helps with stability, which plays a big role with children afflicted with ADHD. A parent can make a list of rules to be followed and explain what can happen, if the rules are not followed. You should always have the child repeat the rules to you so they understand what you are saying.

When your child does something good, you should find some way to reward them. Whether this is with a treat or some other reward that will have a positive affect on how they act and what they do. Children who have ADHD need to be supervised at all times. Never think you can leave your child alone. When they are bored is when they tend to find trouble. Try not to disrupt the schedule you have set forth. If the child needs to do homework, find a quiet place where there are no distractions.

Children who have ADHD cannot be cured. With a regiment of behavior management and counseling, your child should be able to be in a classroom with other children and have a good level of learning. Some medications work, but most parents find this is only good as a last resort. The drugs used do affect the child’s brain chemistry, which helps to reduce the hyperactivity and increase the attention span of a child suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Thing To Do And Not To Do As A Divorced Single Parent

2007-11-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

Your children are a victim of divorce just as much as you are. The one thing to remember is you are the adult and they are the child. Do not confide in your child about issues pertaining to your fight or disagreement with the other parent. The issues need to be resolved without involving the children. Some single parents relay unfavorable information to the child, putting them in the middle where they have no business being.

Do be civilized to the other parent. You can only hold a grudge for so long. Children need to know that both parents love them and they do not to see the two of you bickering all the time. If you have a child support check to give to the custodial parent, deliver it yourself. Do not have the children involve themselves with any part of the divorce settlement. All this does is cause a rift between the children and the offending parent.

Keep arguments out of earshot of the children. They probably heard enough when you were married or together. Children are a creature of habit and can pick up bad examples if allowed to see petty arguing between parents. If you have issues with each other, discuss it in private, not in front of the children. Never make a child choose between parents, you might lose.

You are the adult and you need to take care of the children first and then worry about discussions with the other parent. Even if you hate each other, you need to make every effort to do things together for the sake of the children. This includes PTA meetings, school activities and all activities that the child participates in. Tuck your hate away and enjoy the day with the child. It is not for you to enjoy, the child needs to have both parents involved in their life.

It may be hard to be civil to each other, but if you do not try, the children are the only ones who suffer. Yelling and sabotaging the other parent in front of the children is just wrong. Even if you feel the ex is a pain. You still have to be nice, well calm anyway, when interacting with each other in front of the children. Never show or express jealousy over how much time the children spend with one parent. It is what they want and you should respect that if you want to be respected by them.

Keeping Children Busy On The Thanksgiving Holiday Ride Or Family Together Time

2007-11-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that children get a little frustrated when they cannot find something to do. This especially true if you are driving to Grandmas house, which is a couple hours away. Children need something to do to keep busy on the long trip. They might enjoy a coloring book or a hand held video game. Some like the black velvet coloring packages. Cards games are also a nice way to past time. If you have children and are traveling, you want to make sure they have something to do. It makes the trip more peaceful.

For spending the day with family and friends, the children make become a little restless. Adults enjoying talking, watching the football game and just having a good time. Kids on the other hand may become bored. Again, video games or even a portable DVD player with a good movie will keep them occupied. This also works well for traveling. If they have a good movie that they like, they will sit for a couple hours and enjoy the movie.

Another nice thing to keep children occupied is the popular word search books or some other age significant books. If you have crayons and colors, this is always a way to entertain the kids. Older kids like to listen to their music and a disc player or an iPod makes a great traveling companion. Crafts are always a good way to keep the kids busy. Babies may fall asleep, but if they do not, the cutest toys that attach to the car seat can keep them occupied. The same goes for visiting in the house. They seem to be easily entertained.

If you prefer to save money, the ride in the car might be fun if you give them some paper and a pencil and have them write down things they see. The list can help with writing and work as a way to remember the adventure. Some families like to count out of state license plates or even different animals seen. There are many things to do that do not cost anything.

Christmas Is In The Air

2007-11-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving arriving in no time, Christmas is only a short month to go. Do you have your holiday shopping started? Some people are done, but the real Christmas shopping starts the day after Thanksgiving. The day of Thanksgiving, we spend time with family and friends celebrating a time of giving. Some of the men are hoping the Detroit Lions will give to the Green Bay Packers. However, families gather around the table or the television to enjoy a feast made for a king.

The traditional Thanksgiving dinner is turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, potatoes, corn, dinner rolls, gravy and everyone’s favorite, pumpkin pie with whipped topping. As we feast on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and enjoy a day of football, the kids will play and pictures will be taken. Families are getting together to draw names for exchanging gifts at Christmas and drinking a little holiday cheer.

Christmas is a special time when the Thanksgiving Day parades roll out the sleights with Santa Claus who is ready to greet the little ones and hear what they want for Christmas. The parades are beautiful with all the Christmas lights and decorations. Stores are unveiling their Christmas windows and families are bundled up warmly to start the holiday season.

The one thing we forget sometimes is those less fortunate than we are. Some people have no family and nowhere to spend the holidays. Some of the little ones do not enjoy a Christmas Day of receiving presents from Santa Claus. The family just cannot afford such a luxury of buying gifts. If everyone considers one child and buys one extra present to present to someone less fortunate, little ones everywhere can enjoy a Christmas present from Santa Claus. Imagine the gleam in their eyes when you take the time to say Merry Christmas with a gift that was left under your tree for them from Santa Claus.

Plan your holidays and your shopping to include someone, maybe even an elderly neighbor who has no one to spend the holidays with, and see what a difference a little love can do to brighten someone’s life. Everyone deserves a little extra love at Christmas, some of us have more than enough to go around, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone had someone to spend the holidays with.

A Funny First Thanksgiving Dinner

2007-11-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

If you have ever tried to prepare your very first Thanksgiving dinner for family or friends, you can maybe relate to this story. As a newcomer to preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, I was alone in the kitchen preparing the bird. Now when you have never done this before, you might be surprised to learn that before the bird is ready for the stuffing, they take you on a scavenger hunt inside the bird’s body cavity.

Now I when inside and felt around for this gross looking bag that contained something that I immediately threw in the garbage. Whether I found it in the neck or the other end, I have no idea, but I found the little bag and threw it away. Then they tell you to wash the bird. Well imagine my surprise when I stuck it in the sink, washed it with warm water and was drying it when I read the instructions that said, do not forget the cavity where you found the neck and giblets.

Now, first off, I have no idea what was in that bag, but it must have been the neck and giblets, I assumed. Therefore, I turned the water back on, opened up the flap and washed the inside of the turkey. I then gently dried my turkey. I was feeling a little overwhelmed now because I had never had to wash my food before, but I felt sure my bird and was clean.

Now my bird had two openings, so I had seen my mom stuff the bird, so I knew how to do this. I prepared the stuffing and stuffed my bird on both ends. I was done and so proud. Everything was going great. I was ready to sit back and wait until my friend and her husband cam over to eat. The potatoes, corn and the dinner rolls where no problem for me, since I knew how to make them. I had bought a pumpkin pie, so I was safe there as well.

The bird is done and coming out of the oven. My friend said she would scoop out the stuffing and her husband would crave the turkey. What a great day it turned out to be or was it. As she was scooping out the stuffing, a bag of stuff comes out with it. I swear up and down as everyone was laughing that I had taken out the bag and through it in the garbage, which I showed everyone. To my dismay, turkey processors have a little scavenger game going on and you have to find two bags in two different holds.

I had found only one bag and cooked the other bag with the stuffing. After the laughing and humiliation was subsiding, we sat down to a great tasting Thanksgiving dinner. That was my first Thanksgiving turkey and I now have switched to turkey breast, which there is no scavenger hunt involved with that.

Cheap Meals Kids Love To Eat

2007-11-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

Kids are fussy when it comes to food. They like hot dogs, hamburgers, meatloaf and French fries. Kids are not going to want liver, sauerkraut or cream corn. There are some recipes that kids will appreciate even if it is not something they have had before. They mostly enjoy foods because it is easy to eat and looks good. Most kids enjoy these recipes. You can plan a meal on a budget and still have a healthy and scrumptious meal for dinner.

The first one that seems to be a favorite is Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs.

One box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
One package of hot dogs

You slice the hot dogs into half inch or smaller pieces and prepare the macaroni and cheese as directed. After mixing in the cheese, add the hot dogs and you have created a meal that kids love. The meal cost about $5 and can feed three to four people.

A favorite of kids is a Hamburger Casserole

One pound of ground beef
One can of corn
One can of tomato soup
Elbow macaroni

Brown the meat, add tomato soup, corn, and boiled noodles. You now have a good tasting meal that costs $7 to make and feeds about four or five people.

Tator Tot Casserole is another favorite for kids.

One pound of ground beef
One bag of tator tots
One can of cream of mushroom soup

Brown the meat, add the tator tots and mix. Add the mushroom soup and cover. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for one half hour to an hour. The cost is about $7 and feeds three or four people.

Are You Ready For The Holidays, Not Everyone Is

2007-11-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

The little ones are gearing up for Christmas and all those presents they ask for during the year. The first holiday is Thanksgiving where children usually just run around and play with other relatives. This is a time for giving thanks for what we have. For children and many adults it is the start of the Christmas season. The holiday parades, Santa Claus is in the stores and the parade announcing his arrival, but shopping is hot.

If you want all those special deals on gifts, you have to hit the stores early. Christmas is an entire month away, but everyone is out in the stores scooping up those 30% off items and taking them home and hiding them from the family until Christmas Day.

The meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas does not mean the same for everyone. Many people do not have family to spend the holidays with, nor do they have the money to afford a turkey dinner with all the fixings. Christmas morning is not going to see joy in everyone’s eyes. Many people are without the money to buy Christmas presents.

This is a sad time for children who see everyone else getting presents for Christmas and having fun while talking about everything they received. Maybe we all need to stop and think about others who work hard to make ends meet and have no extra money for Christmas presents. Yes there are organizations that hand out a gift or two for under privileged families with children, however many people are proud and do not use the service. Sometimes, actually most of the time there are not enough toys to go around.

Maybe you know someone who is working so hard to provide a life, home and education for their children that could use a helping hand. When you are at the store buying for your family, stop and think about the little girl down the block who has nothing. Maybe that little Barbie Doll that cost $15 would look so adorable in her hands. If everyone felt this way and took the time to spend even $10 on a child in the neighborhood, children could be happy everywhere.

The joy in children’s eyes when they open a present on Christmas Day is the best Christmas present anyone could ask for. I remember when I was a preteen and I got my first training bra. I was so excited that I ran around the dining room showing my brothers and sisters. I could not wait to put it on.

It is the little things that make you feel warm inside. When you see the expression on faces of children that receive a gift, even from you, on Christmas Day, it brings a smile to your face and teary eyes are not uncommon as well.

Teen Drivers And Cell Phones

2007-11-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

Do you think teen drivers should be allowed to talk on cell phones while driving? The answer is a controversial one, because teens feel they are discriminated against when they see adults talking on their cell phone. Teen drivers are not experienced enough drivers to drive and talk on a cell phone. Most drivers no matter what their age cannot talk and drive at the same time.

With the increase of accidents by teen drivers, one has to ask themselves if it is wise to limit not only cell phone use, but any distracting activity. Changing channels on the radio or talking to a passenger can cause lack of attention to the road. Parents who have children or teens that drive need to explain the consequences of inattentive driving. This is no longer a minor occurrence, teen drivers are being killed on the roads every minute.

If you are a parent of a teen driver, you should not have to worry about your teen being in a car driving. Talking to teen drivers is the only way to stress the importance of driving responsibilities. Stop at stop sign, look both ways and keep the cell phone off. They can always answer the call back after they have stopped, but if they are talking and driving without paying attention to their surroundings, it may be the last call they take.

Under Stress: Writing From Home As A Freelance Writer, One way To Relieve Stress

2007-11-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

How many times have you sat down at the keyboard and started an article? Many times, I would imagine. Sometimes freelance writers have stressful situations at home or with what they are writing. This can become a problem if this is how you support yourself and your family. Family upsets as well as frustration with the topic you are writing about can over come even the best freelance writer.

If you have family problems, it will show in your work. You will have concentration issues that may affect the quality of the article you are writing. You need to have a clear head and a quiet environment to write a good, quality article. In the case of an upset, you should stop writing and take a long, deep breath to cleanse the soul and your mind. The process might take longer depending on the type of frustration you are feeling or the type of stress you are under at the time.

Many times, you might have to just walk away and come back at a latter date. This is hard to do if you are working on a deadline. There is one way to sooth the soul and alleviate some of the stress and frustration you feel. It is found that a set of headphones and some classical music such as Beethoven or Bach will easy your stress and eliminate frustrations. It soothes the mind and cleanses it of all the things making you feel frustrated or stressed.

After a half hour of listening, your mind and body should be relaxed and eager to start new. This is just one way to relieve the stress quickly if you have a deadline. Classical music is a mind stimulant that can sooth even the most over stressed of writers. Many executives use this method of relaxation to relieve stress after a hard day at the office.

If you need to relieve stress and meet a deadline, try listening to some classical music as you close your eyes and allow your mind to drift away and think about something happy and beautiful. Remember one thing when you do this, block out all other noises around you by wearing headphones. You will be surprised at how much better you think and write after you take a break and sooth your mind and body. It does work if you are open to new ideas. Most writers need some outlet during stressful and frustrating times.

Kids Learn By Example

2007-10-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

If you have ever noticed, your children like to do as you do. If you like to work on cars, they will want to see what it is all about. If you like to cook, they may want to join in. Children are small images of ourselves. What we do they will do and continue doing unless they are told and shown that it is wrong or not safe.

Small children who hit are generally doing so because they have seen a parent or someone who is close to them do so. This can be a very dangerous situation as they grow up and have not been told how bad this behavior is to do. Some children, who are spanked for being naughty, may see this as a way to show displeasure to someone who upsets them. This is where the trouble comes in. Children as small as two or three can learn from what they see and hear.

If you have a child who hits when they become angry, you should correct this problem as quickly as possible. As they get older, the behavior can escalate and cause them a great deal of trouble. If there is a home with domestic abuse, the children can see this behavior and eventually can become an abuser themselves. Parents never think a small child can be an abuser, but if they take after their parents who practice such behavior, yes a small child can display abusive patterns.

If you find yourself with a potentially dangerous and unnatural display of anger from your child, you need to give them the guidance they need. The first way to do this is to stop all abusive behavior when they are in the house and if you spank them, they should understand, it is a spanking because they are naughty. A spanking is considered one love tap, it is not meant to leave a mark or hurt.

Abuse is the number one problem with children today. They grow to do as their parents do. These is a reason why children should never be brutally spanked or watch it happening to someone else. If you stop the abuse early enough, these children can grow up to lead normal and non-abusive lives.

Some Safety Tips for Trick or Treating

2007-10-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

The Halloween time for trick or treating is arriving again. Children are looking for costumes and the parents are shopping for candy to hand out to the neighborhood children. This is the time when the streets are full of children running around and going from house to house yelling “trick or treat”. Everyone hears some the stories that happen on Halloween night, but if you follow some safety tips, your child should be safe while out trick or treating.

Children love the dark and scary costumes, but if you have them wear a glow in the dark necklace or wristbands, they will be easier for cars and other people to see. Another safety idea would be those shoes that light up, a flashlight or a pumpkin with a light inside. Anything that will give them some light and visibility will work.

As the parent, you should plan the way the children travel around the neighborhood. There may be some houses that you do not want your children to stop at for one reason or another. You can suggest where they go and what way they take. If you feel your children are too young to listen, then you need to have an adult take them trick or treating. This is a good idea no matter what their age.

Avoid costumes that are extremely baggie and flow to the ground. Walking up stairs can become dangerous if they step on the bottom of the costume. They are going to protect their candy first. The costumes should be easy to remove and put on. Many kids are excited about Halloween and might have to make a bathroom break here and there. This is especially true since Halloween is normally cold and drizzly if you are in the north.

Emphasize the need to walk and not run. If they are wearing a mask or anything over the face, it should fit properly and have enough room to see and breathe comfortably. Most children today like to paint their faces to look really scary. This is a great idea, a bit messy but safer.

Children should only stop at houses that have porch lights on, they should not enter backyards unless with a parent or enter anyone’s house no matter what they say. Children seem to heat up in their costumes and should carry along some water in their candy bag to take a drink when they are thirsty.

The most important rule that all parents need to explain to their children, is “Not to Eat the Candy until You Check It”. This is the most important thing for trick or treating children to understand. If you are unsure of the candy or any other treat they received, throw it away immediately. There are people out there that ruin good times for everyone.

Things To Tell The Babysitter

2007-10-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

Everyone has had to have a babysitter from time to time, but do you know what information to supply the babysitter with before you leave the house. Some parents think that a phone number where they can be reached and the bedtime is al that is needed. This might be true in a perfect world, but children today, need some extra thoughts about their care. What are some things to tell the babysitter before you leave?

List To Tell The Babysitter

The phone number you can be reached at

The address where you will be

The name of the child’s doctor

The hospital you prefer service at

Bedtime

Allowed snacks

What they watch on television

What they can and cannot play with

Where the list of phone numbers are for:

Family members

Emergency numbers

Closet neighbor

Current picture of responsible family memeber

If the child is allergic to anything

What medications they take and when

Feeding schedules

You as a parent might feel this list is unnecessary, but it is the most important information that any babysitter needs to have available. This is not only in cases something happens to the child, but what if something would happen to you.

The babysitter needs to have some contact information for relatives in the case she cannot reach you or if you are injured in an accident. Not only does the babysitter need the phone number of a family member to take the children, but also a current picture to ensure this is the person taking over the care of the children.

Children of Gay or Lesbian Parents

2007-10-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

In this day and age, it is not impossible for people to be uninformed about gay and lesbian relationships. If you have kids, they are sometimes the brunt of horrible teasing and hateful comments. Not just by the other kids, but what happens when your child forms new friendships only to find out their friends are not allowed at your home because you are in a gay or lesbian relationship. This could cause your child to have issues about your lifestyle or it could cause them to become withdrawn from other kids. Kids of gay or lesbian relationships need to understand the hard facts of the world at an early age.

Some people are cruel and do not understand change. This can hurt the children, but parents and others in society feel this is an unwanted and unhealthy relationship and punish the children for their parent’s lifestyles. Unfortunately, if people do not take the time to meet the parents, they will never know they are just like them, except they sleep differently, they sleep with the same sex. That is the only difference. They can be busy executives with well to do reputations, but because they are gay, parents of other children forbid their child from entering the other child’s home.

Without the understanding that the children need to hear from their parents, these kids can grow to be as critical as their parents. This is where society fails the children. Gay and lesbian parents are just as good as being a parent than most parents. They have to deal with seeing their child come home with disappointment and the inability to understand why their friends cannot come over. This is when being a parent is the hardest. You have to explain your way of life compared to somebody else’s and hope your child understands.

Should you change your lifestyle and separate from your partner? The answer is simply, no, not at all. Society has to change. Life cannot be one way and one way only, it has to have variety or we will become like our neighbors. Nobody will be different and we will become bored with life. Children and adults alike have to understand that there is nothing wrong with gay and lesbian relationships. The relationship is the same loving environment that other children live in with their mom and dad. Once society accepts this way of life, the children will then be able to live a happier life with plenty of friends.

Parents Plan Your Disney Vacation

2007-10-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

If you are planning trip to a Theme Park in Orlando, Florida, you want to plan ahead. Before you even consider making your reservations, decide on the theme parks in order that you plan to visit, check to see what they have to offer you and plan your time. If you see that one or two Theme Parks might require a little extra time, you may want to make reservations at one of the Disney Resorts that offer “The Magic Hour” passes. These passes allow you an hour before the parks opens or an hour after the park closes to enter the park and enjoy the things you may have missed during the crowds during regular operating hours. This not only gives you extra time in the parks, but saves you money because you do not have to add extra days to your vacation to enjoy everything.

If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, you should look for package deals that will include airfare, transportation, hotel accommodations, Theme Park tickets and meal discounts. With the savings, you will have more money to enjoy the rides and shows as well buy some souvenirs or do a little shopping in the many area boutiques. Many of the Disney Resorts offer transportation to and from the airport as well as transportation to the Theme Parks. The resorts also have meal discounts where you get a up to forty percent off a meal package that includes one snack a day, one quick meal such as a lunch and one serviced table meal. This is a great way to feed a family at Walt Disney World and the discounts are good at the resorts and the Theme Parks.

Teaching Children to Cook

2007-10-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

The world of cooking isn’t just for adults anymore. Kids are just as interested in learning how to plan meals and prepare the actual meal themselves. Kids need a good place to go to learn some relatively easy recipes that they can start out with that will be nutritious and tasty.

The recipes should have step-by-step directions with pictures to guide you along the way. The first thing you need to learn about cooking is the terminology that goes along with cooking. In order to prepare a tasty meal, you need to know what a tablespoon is verses a teaspoon as well as other measuring devices. This makes a big difference in how your prepare foods will taste and turn out.

Kids can learn to make the simple things first, but as they graduate to larger meals, you want them to have all the advantages of having it turn out perfectly. They might start with scrambled eggs. Now yes, they have to use the stove, but that is where the parent comes in, you must teach them about safety when using the stove. This is very important before they start learning how to cook.

As they progress, kids get excited and want to make tasty treats, such as brownies or a cake. This is great experience and it also helps the bonding process with the kids and parents. Once you feel they have mastered the cakes and brownies, they might move on to main dishes. I find that Tator Tot dish or Poor Mans Casserole is the next meal that is relatively easy to learn and prepare.

There are so many easy things that kids can make and they have fun doing it. You do not need to do all the cooking yourself. You will find they actually enjoy helping out in the kitchen cooking than doing the weekly chores.

Family Computer Placement

2007-10-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

Many parents today have a room especially for the computer. Is this the safest way to monitor what children are doing on the computer? More so, do you know what your child is looking at, or who they are talking to or what are they giving out as far as personal information?

If you answered no to just one of these questions, then you need a tighter hold on the computer your child uses. Parents should have a view of the computer screen to see what exactly the child does and who they talk too. Computer basics are an important discussion you need to have with your children before they even start using the computer.

Children need to be told about protecting their personal information. The best solution for children is that they should never give out any information without talking to you first. They should know what is acceptable to look at and what you expect from them while using the computer. Parental controls also help, but they kids can find a way around this as well. The only way to protect children, is to know what they are doing.

Understanding Some Divorce Terminology

2007-10-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

The custodial parent is the one the child lives with for the majority of the time.

The joint custody agreement means both parents have a say in the major decisions concerning the child if consent or notice is required. The child lives with the resident custodian parent when not visiting the non-resident parent.

A non-custodial parent is one who does not have the child living with them.

Physical custody is with the parent who the child lives with.

A parent who has sole custody will make all the decisions and does not need permission from the other parent.

Emancipation is when a parent gives up all rights to the child and is know longer responsible for the support of the. This happens when a child reaches a certain age and requests the order themselves, enters the military, goes away to school or marries.

Spousal support is actually called alimony support and sometimes maintenance, which is monies paid to the ex-spouse so he or she can continue to live in the lifestyle they were accustomed to when married.

Marital assets are what has been acquire since the day you married.

Giving one valuable thing to receive something else of value is called Quid Pro Quo.

Pro Se is when you do your own representation in a divorce proceeding.

When you divide marital property and debts, you are doing an equitable distribution.

Interrogatory is when one party writes questions for the other party to answer while under oath.

When Your Child Hits Their Head

2007-10-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

We never really think about concussions or head injuries when our kids hit their heads. The unknown is what the dangerous part about head injuries is. No matter what age you are, a child or an adult, a doctor should check any head injury that causes sickness immediately or an injury that hurts. What many people do not understand about a blow to the head is that it can cause death.

A recent death was caused by a ruptured cerebral aneurism. The young adult fell and hit her head on something. It did hurt but she attributed it to the injury itself. She felt sick the next day when she woke and attributed that to a touch of the flu. She was later found that night in her bedroom, she had passed away from a head injury.

We never think this can happen to our children or even ourselves, but it can happen to anyone. Children cannot always tell us what is wrong, even adults do not want to tell somebody how they feel. There are signs to watch for, but as a doctor will tell you, unless you do a head CT, you cannot always tell if there is a problem. It is so important to watch for head injuries. If your child does sustain a injury to the head, you should use good sense and decide if is cause for a trip to the doctor. It is always better to be safe then sorry where anyone is concerned.

What we cannot see is what can kill us. The young woman who hit her head never thought she would die, but she also did not know about a head injury and what needed to be done to see if there was a serious problem. The more children and adults that know about the dangers of head trauma, the more lives we may see saved and the heartache of the families avoided.

Dining Out With The Children

2007-09-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone enjoys dining out once and awhile and if you have little ones, it might be best to go somewhere that has foods that they enjoy eating. Although some children will try new foods, for the most part, they like what they like and that is all they will eat. If you take younger children to Chinese restaurant and they have never had it before, you could very well end up with a cranky child on your hands.

Little ones seem to behave better when they have foods that they know and like verses eating something that you enjoy. Dining out can be fun for the entire family as long as you keep in mind that kids only eat what they want too. The place to try new foods is definitely at home.

Find a restaurant that caters to the family, especially little ones. The restaurants that are family orientated will have more of a selection for the kids. One thing you can do before heading out the door is to remember to take along a coloring book or something that will keep the kids entertained if the restaurant does not offer this table service.

The more things you have for the kids to do while waiting for dinner and after dinner will eliminate boredom, which sets in easier for younger kids than adults. There are ways to enjoy dining out with young children, you just need to think ahead.

A night out for the entire family is a great way for mom or dad to get out of the kitchen and the house while enjoying the night having someone wait on them. Having the children along can be enjoyable if you take along enough things for them to keep busy. Some nice dining establishments have plenty of things for the kids to do. You might try a Chunky Cheese or another type of restaurant that has activities for the kids to occupy themselves. Many family orientated restaurants around beside Chunky Cheese have fun things for all the kids and adults too.

Children and Fires

2007-09-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

There are many cases where children playing with lighters or matches have started home, garages and debris on fire. The losses are usually substantial since children run and do not want to tell anyone. Why are children playing with fire in the first place? For the most part, they see adults or older children lighting things with a lighter or a match and just want to experience.

If you sit down with a child and explain the dangers, it may or may not have any impact. Kids love to explore, it does necessary mean they are bad, they see you do it and want to do it as well. Schools have firefighters come in and teach about the dangers of fire and this is a great idea, but how many children think about what it would be like to start a fire.

Normally children do not think about the dangers, they are just experimenting and this can be very dangerous. You can hide your lighters or matches and hope that they do not any outside the home, but in all reality, if they find the tools to start a fire, they make experiment.

As parents, you need to sit down with the children and tell them about the dangers, but you also need to tell them stories that may scare them a little. If they see and understand that a fire can kill someone, they may think twice before lighting anything on fire. It is imperative that parents teach their children right from wrong. This goes for anything that children may experiment with and not only fire.

For the most part, anything that is bad for children and can cause bodily injury and even dead. This is just another part of life. Parents need to participate in the upbringing of their children and pay closer attention to what they are doing or what they are inquisitive about before they find out for themselves.

Kids Do The Darnest Things No Matter What The Age

2007-09-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

Kids always think the rules do not apply to them, we see this every day. Even if it is something small, it can be avoided by following the rules.

My first trip anywhere and I took my daughter along as a graduation present. She enjoyed Bungee Jumping and spending time with Grandma and Grandpa at their winter condominium. We were out everyday, enjoying the special attractions and restaurants in the area when we decided to go to the old downtown area for the nightly laser show. It was wonderful. We enter many of the casinos and my daughter came in with us with no problem.

Three days later, we went to Bellagio casino. The sign was big and very clear. “No one under the age of 18 years allowed into the casino”. They had a kiddie’s room off to the side for kids to play video games. My parents, my boyfriend and I went into the casino to do a little gambling. After about an hour or so, I was on a winning streak when a security guard approached me with my daughter.

Apparently, she had become bored with the kiddy’s room and came into the casino to see the excitement. The security guard grabbed her and escorted her throughout the casino to find her parents. Oh, what fun it was when he told me I had to leave with her. My dad stepped in and told the security guard he would take my daughter with him so I could stay at the casino. The officer agreed and my daughter was sent to the door to wait until my dad found my mom.

Since she was going to be 18 years old in five days, she told the security guard she could be in the casino. She also went on to tell him she had been in other casinos in Las Vegas with us. She just would not shut up for nothing. She did lose the battle with the security guard, but can you imagine me wanting to laugh so hard because she would not back down, she felt she was right. It was a fun trip and she never seizes to amaze me the way she thinks.

Choosing a Parenting Plan Verses a Custody Award

2007-09-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

When parents divorce with children involved it makes things harder not only for the parents but for the children. Today, more parents are weighting the options of a parenting plan verses a custody award. There are benefits to both along with drawbacks. When the court recognizes a parenting plan both parents and the children benefit. A custody award limits parental visits and can cause due stress on the parents and children.

The parenting plan works by allowing the parents to plan who has visitation when and when the child will live during different times. One example of a parenting plan is one week the child resides with the father and the other week the child resides with the mother. This means that each parent has two weeks a month with the child. This can also help with figuring child support.

With a custody award, one parent has permanent custody of the child and the placement of the child is with that parent. The other parent has visitation on scheduled days. This can be hard for a child that wants to be with both parents. They tend to have resentment of not having equal time with the parent if this was the case before the divorce.

The advantages of the parenting plan are geared more for the child but benefit both parents as well. They both share in the raising of the child, but in different households. If you cannot agree on a parenting plan or a custody award, the judge will order mediation that helps work through the issues. In many cases, the child is also appointed a Law Guardian/GAL, which works with the parents to benefit the child.

The parties involved will benefit by sharing the responsibility of child support and child rearing. The child benefits by having two parents taking an active role in their lives.

Tax Advantages to Alimony Payments

2007-09-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

Alimony is monies awarded to the wife or husband upon a divorce. The receiving party receives a monthly sum of money determine by the courts. This amount reflects a percentage of the ex-spouses wages as well as the receiver’s income. For instance, an ex-husband might have to pay a percentage of his wages to the ex-wife even if she works. Alimony allows her to live in the lifestyle she was accustomed to before the divorce. This amount is separate from child support and offers different tax breaks for the payer. The receiver however, has to claim the alimony as other income.

The ex-spouse that is required to pay alimony can claim the payments for the year on their taxes as a reduction of tax liability. The receiver is responsible to claim the money and pay taxes on the money received. Therefore, alimony for ex-spouses allows taxpayers to deduct this amount from their income if they pay it to an ex-spouse. The receiver however, does not claim child support unless they claim Homestead in most circumstances. This advantage does find more ex-spouses wishing to pay alimony instead of child support so they can use it as a reduction of their tax liability.

The advantage of alimony benefits the payer more so than the payee. As for income reporting purposes, the payer can claim alimony as an income for receiving credit or loans. However, alimony is only paid as long as the payee does not remarry in most instances. It also may cease if the payer no longer has the income that they did when the divorce was finalized. Therefore, the benefits and advantages do have a downside. It is also possible to reduce alimony if the payee makes more money than what they did when the divorce was finalized.

As for alimony itself, the benefits lie with the payer more so than with the payee. The ability to claim alimony payments on your taxes helps reduce your tax liability, therefore, saving the taxpayer money. Child support however, is not claimed on the payer’s taxes and you pay the full amount of taxes on that money.

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