Make Money Easy For You

How Rudolph Became a Christmas Helper

Did you know that the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was originally created by a department store? The mega-department store Montgomery Ward wanted to create a new Christmas story in 1939 that they could give away as a free promotion to their customers. They gave the job of creating this story to one of their store writers, a man by the name of Robert May. It was something that Montgomery Ward did every year. It gave away books, coloring books, and other holiday knickknacks as a way to attract customers and keep the loyalty of old ones.

May worked tirelessly to find the new story, and he actually got inspiration from past stories such as the one about the Ugly Duckling, and even his own childhood. Just like the Ugly Duckling, May used to get picked on as a kid because he looked different. That was the story hook he needed for his new Christmas story–the story of a reindeer that was teased because he was different. Rudolph, you see, had a red glowing nose.

May also had help from his 4-year-old daughter, Barbara, who would listen to his story every night to make sure it was kid tested and approved. Next, May had to sell his boss on the idea. Unfortunately, at first glance, Rudolph was not liked by May’s boss. The manager thought that the red nose might not be suitable for Christmas stories and children, since red noses were often associated with drinking too much alcohol.

How did May overcome the trepidation of his boss? He had a friend, Denver Gillan, go to the local zoo to sketch photos of deer. He added the famous red nose, and voila, the cute image was too hard to resist. Next, they needed to come up with a name. At first, May leaned toward Rollo, but then he decided that didn’t sound right for a story that started out so sad. He then considered Reginald, but that name sounded too stuffy and pompous for a little reindeer. Finally, he came up with the name that stuck: Rudolph.

When the story was all finished, it started off as a smash hit. May and the Montgomery Ward store gave out 2.4 million copies of Rudolph’s story in 1939, and would continue to hand out another 3.6 million more over the next 6 to 7 years.

Today, the song about Rudolph is heard in classrooms and holiday parties around the world, and several television shows and cartoons have been made about the little hero who saved Christmas. The song and story have changed a bit since May wrote it. Did you know that in the original version Santa discovered Rudolph while delivering presents to his house? And Rudolph didn’t even live in the North Pole! One thing that is the same in all versions, however, is Santa’s love for his bright nosed reindeer.

About the Author

Randy Stocklin is the co-owner of Mail from Santa Claus. Mail from Santa Claus offers memorable letters from Santa Claus that help keep the Christmas spirit alive. For more information about Mail from Santa Claus and to purchase a Santa letter please visit Mail from Santa Claus

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How to Raise Creative Kids

“Where did he come up with that?” Kids often amaze us with their imaginative ideas, and we should give ourselves a pat on the back for playing a role in this development. Innovative thinking is essential for success in school and in life, and it’s our job as parents to nurture our kids’ innate desire to be creative. Inventive play fosters original thinking, an asset when children are confronted with new situations. By providing activities that use their creativity and imaginations, we are giving our children an important tool to deal with life down the road.

Give them ideas.

Children come up with things to do on their own, but we also need to provide them with new ideas of interesting activities. Think back to what you did as a kid. Did you write a diary, create elaborate puppet shows, or sing and dance for relatives? Share ideas from your own childhood experiences. Offer creative writing ideas like writing an episode for a favorite television show or writing a new ending to a favorite story. Craft projects offer another outlet for inspiring imaginations. Craft kits, especially those from Curiosity Kits and ALEX, offer a wide variety of unusual and fun projects. They’ve brought us a long way from the sock puppets of our youth. These manufacturers offer ideas and supplies to make such things as scrapbooks, powerballs, soaps, candy, sun catchers, dolls, planes, dinosaurs, jewelry treasures, and lots of decorative items. Kids can gather ideas from the instructions, and then give the projects their own unique touches.

Keep ideas fresh.

Pick up any parenting magazine and you’ll find lots of ideas to get those creative juices flowing in your kids. Search the web and check out craft stores. Keep a journal or file for magazine clippings and ideas as you find them. Stockpile so that you’ll know how to answer the whiny “I’m bored” call from your kids.

Give them freedom.

Once you’ve given your kids some suggestions and supplies, step back and see which they choose and where they go with them. This unstructured play time gives kids an opportunity to stretch their creative muscles. Watch as they incorporate your ideas and branch out on their own.

Set an example.

Chances are, if you are a creative person, your child will be too. You display creativity in your everyday activities like when you reason with a disgruntled child, change lyrics to songs, and maybe even do some interpretive dancing to entertain a toddler. Your children see your silliness and it rubs off on them. You surely use creativity to juggle your and your family’s schedules. It’s a great idea to point out to your kids how you use creativity in your daily life.

As parents, we always try to do the very best for our kids and provide opportunities that will help them mature into intelligent, capable adults. Nurturing their creative spirits helps them along this road. With their well-developed imaginations, maybe they’ll turn it into a yellow brick, pink polka-dotted road with sparkles!

About the Author

Susan Stump is the mother of two children and the owner of ChildCrafter, Co. – Craft Kits and Subscriptions that Inspire a Child’s Imagination. This work-at-home-mom offers a great selection of creative craft kits from ALEX, Quincrafts, and Curiosity Kits from her catalog and website http://www.childcrafter.com. childcrafter@yahoo.com

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Important: Teens Voices On Traffic Safety

Well, not only are the voices and insights of teenagers when it comes to traffic safety important. Their voices and views are just about to be heard. They may be known as accident-prone drivers; however, not all teenagers are like this. Most of them are aware of how to be part of the whole traffic safety scheme.

Starting this week, teenagers from the United States are invited to log on to www.SafetyScholars.com. And when they are at that, they can also submit essays on various driver safety issues. And if the organizers do like their view and their insights on traffic safety and driver safety, they would be getting a whopping $2,500 on college scholarships. Other prizes waiting teens with a good vision include new laptop computers, sets of Bridgestone Firestone tires, as well as $500 gas cards.

This whole program was actually launched by the Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC along with the legendary racer Mario Andretti. The event happened during the start of the National Tire Safety Week. Together, Bridgestone and Andretti, has developed a comprehensive program which aims to educate young drivers on tire and driver safety.

Andretti says, “Car accidents are the leading killer of teens in this country. Teens are just learning to drive and face many distractions, so they’re at a very high risk for accidents. We want to help teens learn good, safe habits from the beginning. Our hope is our Safety Scholars program will help us find the best way to get all teens to hear this important message.”

To add to this, John Gamauf, the president of consumer tire replacement sales of Bridgestone, says, “Tires are the only things connecting your vehicle to the road, so, as a tire company, Bridgestone Firestone strives to educate drivers on how essential tire safety is. Beyond that, we are parents and grandparents and community members who are deeply committed to keeping all drivers safe on the roads at all times. We’re excited to be adding Safety Scholars to the array of driver safety and education programs and initiatives that our family of companies developed or sponsors, from Buckle Up Baby to Car Care Academies to Driver’s Edge.”

Preserving lives is surely a tough challenge. And every car maker is also making sure that they are producing quality and safe vehicles. And to go along with that, auto parts dealers like Mazda Parts and Mazda Auto Parts are also making sure that they are providing auto owners and consumers with quality Mazda 6 parts and other vehicle parts. For when a vehicle has a good set of parts, the chances of meeting and getting into accidents and harm become lesser.

About the Author

Kimberly Meyer is an expert when it comes to automotive issues. She is the manager of her own car parts manufacturing company. This 33 year-old  maiden is also a talented writer.

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Inappropriate Behavior as a Teachable Moment

Two boys in a first grade classroom were arguing loudly over an item they both wanted to use at the same time.

Their teacher approached them in a friendly way and said, “Boys, it sounds like you two are having a problem. Let’s talk it out.”

One of the boys told his side of the story, his face still tense but his voice lowered to an “indoor” volume. The second boy listened and then, without any prompting, came up with a solution to which the first boy readily agreed.

“Great job!” the teacher beamed. “See? You can talk it out!”

A TEACHING PERSPECTIVE CAN PRODUCE AMAZING RESULTS WHEN KIDS BEHAVE INAPPROPRIATELY.

If we as parents approach unwanted behavior with the idea that our job is to be the judge/jury/jailer, our first impulse may be to punish.

But punishment doesn’t teach kids what they SHOULD be doing. It doesn’t expand kids’ problem-solving skills, teach them how to repair social mistakes, or improve their social perception.

Fortunately, punishment isn’t the only available tool.

WE CAN CHOOSE TO VIEW THE INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR AS A “TEACHABLE MOMENT.”

When the teacher in the story above heard the two boys arguing, she spotted a chance to teach better social problem-solving.

Inviting the boys to “talk it out” reminded them of their capacity to problem-solve without shouting or arguing. They saw that “talking it out” could work, and they were more likely to “talk it out” next time.

A teaching perspective has room for punishment in some cases, but the focus is on helping kids learn the skills they need to behave appropriately.

If we view inappropriate behavior as a learning opportunity for the child, new options open up.

HERE ARE TEN CHOICES FOR MAKING THE MOST OF A TEACHABLE MOMENT:

1. Redirect the child toward a more appropriate activity.

2. Inform the child that what they’re doing “isn’t a good idea” or “isn’t safe.”

3. Give a friendly reminder about the rule the child needs to be following.

4. Guide the child through the steps of apologizing.

5. Ask the child to consider how others feel when she engages in the inappropriate behavior.

6. Help the child make amends to anyone negatively affected by the inappropriate behavior. Ask, “What can we do to help (name of person) feel better now?”

7. In the case of a conflict, prompt the children to “talk it out,” providing assistance as needed.

8. Give a new rule, if the situation wasn’t covered by the rules the child has already been taught.

9. Invite the child to think of a better to way to ask for what they want or need in the situation.

10. Teach the child appropriate words/behaviors to replace the inappropriate ones.

The rules of appropriate social behavior take a long time to learn and an even longer time to internalize as habits. Even adults don’t do it perfectly!

When we use our child’s behavior mistakes as opportunities to offer guidance, we’re giving our child their best chance to become more kind, responsible and socially competent.

© Norma Schmidt, LLC (limited liability corporation)

About the Author

Get your free “61 Great Ways to Teach Kids about Money” at www.ParentCafeOnline.com.

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Is Home Drug Testing a Parental Necessity or Overreaction?

Since the beginning of time, good kids have been known to do dumb things. The same can be said of naïve and well-meaning parents. Because they don’t know what to say, some parents fail to talk to their children about drugs. Others develop a false sense of security after they do.

It’s much more comfortable for parents to hold the belief that things haven’t changed much since they were young than it is to accept the fact that they have. It’s also much easier for parents to believe that their teenagers always tell them the truth and would never try drugs, but who ever said parenting was supposed to be easy?

Parents ask me when they should talk to their kids, what they should say, and what they can do to follow through. Ben Franklin said, “Wise is the man who fixes his roof before it rains.” I couldn’t agree more. I suggest that parents would be well served to sit down with their children and start talking about a home drug testing program as early as middle school.

To protect privacy, home drug testing kits can be ordered on the Internet and shipped in nondescriptive packaging. The accuracy of the most popular test kits is comparable to labs and medical clinics at a fraction of the price. Results usually appear within minutes and are easy to read by the average parent in the convenience of their own home.

If the idea of drug testing your teens sounds unreasonable, consider how much times have changed. If someone told me when I was in high school by the time my son attended middle school, that police officers (now affectionately referred to as school resource officers) and dogs trained to detect drugs would patrol school hallways, I would have never believed it. Metal detectors and school shootings aren’t nightmares: they have become a reality.

A successful program will have several key components. The first component is comprised of parents willing to place a higher priority on acting as a parent than as their teenager’s best friend. I find it hypocritical that parents who are quick to assert that it’s more important for their kids do the right thing than it is to do what’s popular are reluctant to start a home drug testing program because the newfound accountability might not be popular with their kids.

The second component is the introductory conversation in which parents acknowledge that their kids are growing up and are deserving of additional freedom. However, additional responsibility and accountability should come with expanded freedom.

Dr. Michael Reznicek, a medical doctor with emergency room experience, actually developed a software program that facilitates the initial parent-child conversation and eliminates potential misunderstandings by creating a contract that spells out specific rewards and consequences tied to home drug test results. The software also becomes the preferred target of potential animosity over requests for hair, urine, or saliva samples for drug testing purposes because it also selects random testing dates.

From the time children are very young, they’re taught to “just say no” to drugs, and I’m convinced that the peer pressure usually gets worse when they do. Teens don’t know what to say next. Parents who follow through with a home drug testing program give their teens a socially acceptable excuse. The words “My parents test me” stop pushy peers in their tracks.

The final component of a successful program is effective parental follow-through. Teens want their parents to trust them. If they think their parents are naïve and/or won’t test them, they are more likely to try drugs because they don’t expect to get caught. While teens place a high value on maintaining their parents’ trust, they just don’t feel it is in jeopardy without testing. Teens’ behavior and choices change when they know that it is a near certainty rather than a virtual impossibility that their drug use will be discovered.

About the Author

Mason Duchatschek is the president of TestMyTeen.com in Fenton, Missouri. As part of his research, he has interviewed thousands of parents, teenagers, school board members, counselors, school principals and superintendents.

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It was a Christmas Miracle!

So there we were, awkwardly staring at one another in utter disbelief that nobody could figure it out. It was a week before Christmas, and all through the house, your narrator was fuming….I could smash my mouse! We were trying to put up our Christmas tree, and we weren’t having much luck. Bah Humbug!!

My family and I went out early that morning to find the perfect tree. I filled up a thermos with hot apple cider, and got the kids ready to go. The three of them got on our big old sleigh, and my husband and I took turns pulling them through the bush. We live out in the country, and we have this majestic forest on the back of our land. Every year we go out together and find the perfect tree, and the children each have a hand in cutting it down. It has become a wonderful family tradition.

We returned home and had some lunch while the tree thawed out, and then I gathered the boxes of decorations from the basement. We finally got the tree into the stand, and started stringing the lights. My husband suggested that we test the lights first, but I didn’t see the point. I strung all of the lights, plugged them in, and nothing happened. He didn’t even bother to say “I told you so”!

I decided to remove the lights from the tree, and swore that I would find the bulb that was causing us so much trouble. I spent the next hour or so changing and replacing each and every bulb on the string. I plugged them back in, and nothing happened. I was fast becoming the Scrooge!

By this time my husband was playing on the computer, and the kids were having a snowball fight in the yard. I decided it was time for some Egg Nog. When I returned, my husband was examining each of the bulbs. He told me that the circuit was being broken somehow, and that in time he would figure it out. Five minutes later, the lights were aglow! In his hand, he held one little bulb.

Apparently the bulbs that we use today have their standard filament, but they also have a secondary shunt wire that maintains the circuit if the filament burns out. As it turns out, the shunt wire in this one little bulb was defective. A short while later we were all sipping hot cocoa under our beautiful sparkling tree. To me, it was nothing short of a Christmas miracle!

About the Author

Catherine Spelling absolutely loves spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting down the days until Christmas, she writes for christmaslightsanddecorations.com – an online resources for all things relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about outdoor Christmas lights, LED Christmas lights, and where you can buy Christmas lights and more.

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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

With the Christmas season fast upon us, it is time to start decorating our homes in the festive spirit. Many families use the same decorations year after year. Others go all out and try to change their design style with every passing season. As the holidays tend to be a time when people do a lot of entertaining in their homes, why not consider adding something extra to your holiday décor?

In years past, we have approached our holiday decorations with a certain theme in mind. One year, we decorated our home to look like Santa’s workshop. Another time, we dressed our living room like a life-sized nativity scene. Last year was my favorite, by far! We transformed our home into a beach complete with sand and palm trees, and had Christmas in Hawaii. The opportunities are endless. If you are planning to have guests over during this holiday season, consider trying something new.

This year we are decorating our home in a winter wonderland theme. The idea is to transform our living room into….you guessed it….a winter wonderland. We are planning to use a lot of blues, whites, and silver. This will be great fun for the kids and me, as we get to spend an afternoon making paper snowflakes. You remember those don’t you? You know the ones we all used to make in elementary school, where you fold up a round piece of paper and take little snippets out of it with scissors to make unique snowflake patterns. So much fun! We will also use lots of those silver icicles, and snowmen of various shapes and sizes.

Decorating your home really helps get your family and friends into the Christmas spirit. We usually invite our extended families over to help. This gives all the children an opportunity to share in what has become a wonderful family tradition. It also gives the adults a chance to enjoy some good company and maybe even some spiced-up egg nog! Later in the day we will likely all gather around the television and watch our favorite Christmas movie. We like to watch “A Christmas Story” every year as a family. This year, I want a Red Rider BB gun. On second thought, I’ll probably shoot my eye out!

About the Author

Catherine Spelling absolutely loves spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting down the days until Christmas, she writes for http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com – an online resources for all things relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about indoor Christmas lights, Christmas stockings, decorations and more.

Read more: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Kids and Money

As the name of our website suggests we help you in managing your finances when you think it is time that you had a baby but are worried about the cost and responsibility of a new life on your shoulders and pockets.

Expecting a baby soon? Worried how you’ll be able to manage in the limited finances after it’s born? Worried about your child’s higher education? Well, we have the solution to your problems. At teachmoneytochildren.com, not only do we help you sort out your financial problems but we also explain as to how to go about explaining to your child the need to save money for a rainy day!

Soon you may be incurring expenditure for diapers, baby soap, cradle, cots and the works. Within a few years you will be preparing for clothes, shoes, education, sports equipment, dates and bikes. We need to finance our children not only till the time they are in university but also until they start earning substantially. Therefore, the need for our intelligence in saving rises substantially.

Planning

Money does not grow on trees and we all require more than what we have. Therefore, it is essential we plan for our child’s education. It should be pre-planned so as to bear the cost of what our child chooses to do in the future. Planning helps in appropriate allocation of resources to the required areas.

Teaching the child

It is very essential to teach the child about managing finances. Giving the child pocket money and allowing them to make small personal expenses and then explaining the need to control expenditure and savings. And as a child grows up a bank account should also be opened so that he can learn the details of banking as well as managing his money.
Basically, two things need to be done simultaneously – the children should be taught the power of money and the things they can buy and at the same time also telling them to refrain from spending on whatever they desire. They have to be taught that a balance can lead to success and an imbalance otherwise.

Investing for the future

Certain investments should be made in the name of the child maturing with the child and ready-to-use at an age when required. Further, at an age when the child is in his late teens he should be allowed to make a responsible choice of taking financial loans for his needs whether educational or otherwise. Such efforts enable the child to realize the value for money making them more responsible and aware.

Exploring various options

While sending children to college it should be taken care that all colleges have been carefully explored and scanned and all benefits such as scholarships and needs-based grant monies should be taken advantage of.

To have a successful financial life for your children, make the right moves now and bear incredible benefits in the future.

About the Author

Mansi gupta writes about  kids and money. Learn more at http://www.teachmoneytochildren.com.

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Laura Betterly: Tips on Balancing Career and Family

“Prioritization, organization, and delegation are key to achieving the balance that allows a woman to enjoy a rich family life while also gaining fulfillment from her career,” says Laura Betterly, CEO of In Touch Media Group, Inc. (www.intouchmediagroup.com), a full-service marketing company that specializes in using the Internet as a public relations and advertising tool. “For women, balancing a career and family doesn’t have to be a high wire act – it just requires a bit of juggling.”

Betterly knows whereof she speaks. With a husband and two teenage boys, Betterly is among the 72 percent of mothers with children one year or older who are in the workforce. While acknowledging that her high-powered career allows her to take advantage of services that aren’t accessible to lower income mothers, Betterly maintains that every woman can develop the skills necessary to balance work and family.

“Prioritizing is the process of realizing that you can’t do it all, deciding what’s important, and not sweating the small stuff,” Betterly says. Although she likes to provide her family with home-cooked meals, Betterly would rather spend time with her sons than in front of the stove every night. “I go to a place called Get Cooking Now, where I can make twelve dishes in their kitchen all at once,” she says. “I bring them home, freeze them, and am able to give my family good, nutritious meals without a lot of preparation time or mess.”

Betterly also carves out more family time by being organized and streamlining other household tasks. “I do all of our personal banking and bill paying online, and use Quicken to track all of our expenditures and due dates,” she says. And, if you’re on Betterly’s gift list, you can count on the fact that what’s inside the box came from an online source. “I utilize the Internet for gift shopping, especially at holiday time,” she says. “I can find everything I’m looking for online, and I’d rather spend time with my husband and sons than traipse through shopping malls.”

Finally, Betterly is a firm believer in delegation. “Each member of the family has a list of jobs to do around the house, like taking out the garbage, washing the clothes, and doing the dishes,” she says. “By delegating chores, the boys have learned that their contributions are important to our family, and that we have more time for fun.”

And what does Betterly, her husband Steve Blom, and sons Craig and Chris do with their extra time? “We go to movies, concerts, visit friends, and barbecue,” she says. “Plus, I’m getting pretty good at play the Digital Dance Revolution video game with the boys.”

Betterly concludes, “As women, we don’t have to make a choice between work and family. With a few skills and some practice, we can juggle the two beautifully.”

About the Author

Kris Nickerson is the Editor-in-Chief of Press Direct International (www.pressdirectinternational.org), a global information website that provides reliable information tailored to professionals in financial, media, and corporate markets. His thorough knowledge of industries ranging from health care and travel to real estate and financial investing enables him to quickly grasp the nuances of emerging markets and technologies.

Read more: Laura Betterly: Tips on Balancing Career and Family

Mistletoe and Santa Claus

One of Santa’s favorite traditions around Christmas time–and surely a favorite tradition of men everywhere during Christmas –is that of mistletoe. When a man catches his wife or special someone under the mistletoe, he gets to plant a kiss on her. Of course, with all other Christmas traditions, this wonderful habit is almost as old as the snow that falls around Christmas time.

It actually all started with an ancient myth from the Nordic people of Scandinavia and Northern Europe. Hundreds of years ago, the goddess Frigga had a son named Balder who was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe. Frigga was so sad that her son died, that she cried and cried, but instead of tears, white berries poured down her cheeks. These were no ordinary white berries, and they actually worked to bring Balder back to life by stripping the poison from the mistletoe. That made Frigga so happy that she blessed all mistletoe, and anyone walking underneath it was given a free kiss.

It actually all started with an ancient myth from the Nordic people of Scandinavia and Northern Europe. Hundreds of years ago, the goddess Frigga had a son named Balder who was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe. Frigga was so sad that her son died, that she cried and cried, but instead of tears, white berries poured down her cheeks. These were no ordinary white berries, and they actually worked to bring Balder back to life by stripping the poison from the mistletoe. That made Frigga so happy that she blessed all mistletoe, and anyone walking underneath it was given a free kiss.

Of course, the Nordic folks were not the only ancient people who used and believed in the magical powers of mistletoe. The ancient Druids of the United Kingdom were big fans of the evergreen plant, and would distribute it to all the people in their villages. They would hang the plant over the front door of their homes, because they believed that the plant would protect them from evil spirits, goblins, and even thunder and lightening. Druids also believed that mistletoe stood for peace, so if Druid warriors ever met underneath a patch of mistletoe in the forest, they could not fight. They would call a truce and meet somewhere else to fight.

Put all of these traditions and beliefs together–and then mix in the traditions of Christmas and Santa Claus–and you have what would become today’s modern tradition surrounding mistletoe and kisses.

It was not that simple for guys and gals and the magical mistletoe in the 1700s. Back then, kissing was a very serious thing to do with a girl. There was no spin the bottle or truth or dare. If you kissed a girl under the mistletoe, you meant business. Basically, a kiss under the mistletoe meant you were prepared to marry her. On the flip side, if a girl stood under mistletoe at Christmas time and no man kissed her, that meant she would stay unmarried for the entire next year. But the lucky man who would be brave and kiss her could expect a lasting friendship, a deep romance, and happiness with the lucky woman.

We cannot know for sure if this is how good old Saint Nick got proposed to Mrs. Claus, but we can be sure that the jolly old man hangs a piece of mistletoe in his home in the North Pole. Come to think of it, he probably also hangs a bunch of mistletoe in the reindeer barn, the toy factory, and anywhere else Mrs. Claus might find herself!

About the Author

Thomas Easterday is the Director of Marketing for Letter By Santa. Letter by Santa offers memorable letters from Santa Claus that help keep the Christmas spirit alive. For more information about Letter by Santa and to purchase letters from Santa please visit Letters by Santa.

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Mutants or Clones?

In a single dose of children’s television, I was bombarded with themes of mutants, cyborgs, evolving and the digital world. These words intimidated me at first, until I learned what the shows were talking about. I wondered how this prepares children for living in the 21st century. The answer hit me when I came across the saying, “Don’t Clone…Mutate.”

For those not familiar with the new language, a few definitions are in order. A clone is an exact replica of the original source. Clones are trained to mindlessly conform. Success and failure are based on how well the clone conforms rather than on the clone’s accomplishments and abilities. A mutant is someone or something that has changed from the original source. Mutants are evaluated on their abilities and accomplishments.

In raising children, some parents behave as if training clones. There are some ways to tell if one is raising clones.

* Children are expected to engage in sports and activities just because their parents did.
* Children are expected to have the same taste in music as their parents.
* Phrases like “it’s my way or the highway” are frequently heard.
* Teens are steered toward specific vocations because that is what their parents did.
* Personal needs and preferences of family members are set aside to ‘keep the peace.’
* Children report feeling ‘invisible ‘or ‘like a robot.’
* Children are viewed as smaller versions of the parents.
* Problems within the family are never solved, but rather avoided. In some cases, there are no new problems, but the same one occurring over and over again.
* Children’s efforts at independence are met with predictions of catastrophe.

The way to stop ‘cloning’ is to train children to mutate. ‘To mutate’ means to be able to adjust to change, to be flexible or resilient, to become an individual. Some of the steps parents can take to ‘individuate’ or ‘mutate’ are:

* Encourage children to try ‘new’ things. This could be new sports, food, books or adventures.
* Encourage your child in developing a hobby of their choice. Show an interest in developing the hobby. Don’t just pay it lip service, find out about the hobby. From my sons, I have developed my knowledge of baseball, sharks, trains, and wildlife that I would not otherwise have.
* Allow your child to make choices appropriate for their age.
* Practice working through problems rather than imposing solutions.
* Use the question “What other solutions could there be to this problem?”
* Confront setbacks with “Failure is something you do, not who you are.”

Raising children to change and adapt to change is threatening to some parents, because it emphasizes responsibility rather than control. Adapting to changes means taking the risk of ‘letting go’ of some of the control. I often use the metaphor that it is easier to steer a car in motion, than one sitting still. Likewise, it is easier to direct your children when they are trying new things, than when they are behaving like a robot.

About the Author

Jeffrey D. Murrah, LPC, LMFT, LCDC is The Results-Oriented Therapist specializing in marriage and family conflicts. Visit www.RestoreTheFamily.com to sign up for his free newsletter. jeff@RestoreTheFamily.com.

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Picky Eater Coping Needs To Be a Family Affair

Why does it seem that the pickiest of eaters always try to pass themselves off as the latest upcoming culinary critic?

It is especially annoying when you have spent a couple of hours on a special Sunday dinner, only to have your six-year-old son tromp the kitchen loudly declaring…

“Something stinks and I’m not eating it!”

Trisha, from England, said that her son is still her pickiest eater and although he does not do it so much now, he used to be famous for turning up his nose at her home-cooked meals and insisting on eating prepackaged foods that were just made with water.

On the other hand, some children have been known to prefer instant macaroni and cheese because they can fix it themselves, which gives them a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

That is why I highly recommend letting your children help you in the kitchen with meal preparation. You see the more familiar your picky eater becomes with handling the food the more inclined they will be to taste it.

“Get a stepstool and ask your kids to lend a hand in the kitchen with easy tasks,” says Sal Severe, PhD, author of the book, How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too. “If they participate in helping to make the meal, they are more likely to want to try it,” he says. This can include pouring ingredients into a bowl, draining the liquid from the corn, washing vegetables, or stirring the contents of a dish.

In addition, encourage your child to help with mealtime preparations by setting the table, folding napkins, clearing the table after dinner, washing the dishes, or other age-appropriate tasks.

Plan weekly menus together with your children, allowing them to be involved in the decision making process. That does not mean that mealtimes are planned around their expectations, but at least they will have a heads up if you are going to serve something new or different. You might even let your child pick one night where he can decide what the menu will be. Even if he just wants buttered pasta noodles and nothing else, you can still serve sauce on the side along with a salad.

Most important of all…

Do Not Make Food a Major issue!

This will only lead to more serious problems in the future. As children get older they want independence, they want to be able to make their own decisions. If they start to feel that food is an area they have no control over then they will often try to take control, usually by becoming less open to new foods which can lead to more problems in the future.

Allow your picky eater to make their own decisions and allow them to be part of the solution!

About the Author

Jason Katzenback shows you step-by-step how to handle Picky Eaters with his highly praised resource ‘Help There is a Picky Eater in The House!’ Full of Proven Strategies & Simple Recipes that are 100% Guaranteed to Work. http://www.mypickyeater.com.

Read more: Picky Eater Coping Needs To Be a Family Affair

Reading with Your Toddler

Reading is one of the most fundamental skills a parent can teach their child. Most everyday activities require the ability to read to accomplish the task at hand. From preparing a recipe, to navigating city streets, and ordering from a menu;reading is entrenched in our every day life. From the day your child is born, sharing a storybook together should be a every day activity.

When your child is an infant, story time creates a warm safe environment to encourage the connection between words and meaning. At this stage cloth books with bright pictures will be more of a “teething ring”, but your child will love to hold them while listening to your soothing voice.

For a toddler sturdy board books are designed for not so nimble fingers to turn the pages while you read the words on the brightly colored pages. At this age kids will start to connect pictures with words. ABC’s, shapes, and rhyming books are great teaching tools for this age group.

Preschool age children will love to “play” reading and writing games as they near school age. Also books can be more advanced to help “big” kids with things like potty training, starting preschool, and getting along with others.

Reading material with familiar subjects and people are great for teaching your child to read. Books can also boost your child’s self-esteem, excite their imagination, as well as stimulate learning. The greatest benefit though is the time spent sharing a wonderful pastime with your child.

About the Author

Under The Lamb– copyright 2006

Read more: Reading with Your Toddler

Remembering Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee requested me to commend to the people of United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness, now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next, to be devoted to the service of that great and glorious Being, Who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or will be.”

Those words, spoken by our first President George Washington on October 3, 1789 set forth a reaffirmation of the basis upon which our country was founded. “it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God” he said. Not it can be if you want it to. He said “it is”.

Spoken from the time when the Constitution was written and in the same time as the Declaration of Independence which states that “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” it is often over looked in this day. For we live in an age where those who would turn away from the truth, our history and God Himself seek to enforce their own religious practices upon the rest of America by removing that foundation granted to all Americans.

These words by President Washington are long forgotten as are the concluding words of our Constitution before those that signed it affixed their names: “Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven“. Our founders with that bold statement made it clear as to which God was meant to those that would cry about the ambiguousness of the Declaration of Independence in an attempt to justify removing God from our society.

This day of Thanksgiving many of us will be in the presence of friends and family. And we must give thanks to our Lord for the gifts he has given us. But if anyone wants to confront you about the true meaning of Thanksgiving or why it is a national holiday do not cower from the fight. We celebrate it, because while we are a nation tolerant of legitimate religions we are still a nation founded under a specific and one true God. Do not shy away from correcting those that may not know the truth because if ignorance is allowed to fester, liberty will die soon after.

Laus Deo.

About the Author

J.J. Jackson is the Editor at Large for American Conservative Politics – The Land of the Free (www.thelandofthefree.net) and also the owner and operator of American Conservative Daily (www.americanconservativedaily.com), The Right Things (www.cafepress.com/rightthings) and American Infidel T-shirts (www.cafepress.com/americaneagle04)

Read more: Remembering Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving

Reminders: A Gradual Evolution

One of the most vivid symbols of modern man is the image of finger with a ribbon tied around it. That image symbolizes a reminder, of not forgetting a chore, a task or an event.

One of the dilemmas of modern man is the need for reminders. We are faced with so many responsibilities, chores and roles that sometimes we forget the details. But it is precisely this failure to remember that could bring a negative consequence to the many responsibilities that we have to juggle around. We have to be effective in our responsibilities and forgetting is not an option. It is because of this that we have a strong need to look for various ways to remind us of the details.

The evolution of instruments and strategies for reminders has gone a long way. During the more low-tech years, one of the more effective methods used was by either circling important events in our calendars at home or taking note of the reminder in a small notebook. These are good instruments but it also had its limitations, most especially with the calendar-at-home method because you obviously cannot bring it with you. Busy mothers as well as working professionals are not always in one place so there was a gradual but increased emphasis on mobility and mobile solutions for reminders.

Because of the new mobility factor, diaries and filofaxes became in vogue. The added benefit of a filofax system is that you not only get to bring the reminders with you, important data like addresses and contact details of clients, friends and family members. For a long time, the filofax system and other variants like the Franklin Planner became the standard for effective time management and reminders. The fact that this system became firmly entrenched not only in corporate culture but also among home-bound but still busy family members say a lot about its effectiveness.

But it was only a matter of time before technology would bring about another shift in the time management and reminder systems. The advent of personal computers had a lot to do with this gradual shift to electronic equipment for the task of giving people reminders. Operating systems gradually included alarm, appointment and reminder functions that are easy to use and operate. For the more mobile solutions, one of the earliest progenitors was the Apple Newton, Apple’s doomed foray into mobile computing.

The first really successful electronic-based time management and reminder system were the Palm handhelds. The easy to use interface, the portability, and the mobility were the qualities that made it an overwhelming success. It’s all in one functions (address book, reminders, appointments, word processing, games) made it very attractive to many people especially those who need the power of a computer in a form factor that would allow them to bring it on the field. The introduction of Pocket PC’s

The internet age has now brought another significant change. The desire of mobile solutions has taken a different road with online reminder services that can be found on the internet. This is a more pervasive form of reminding because not only can it be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection (which is practically everywhere because of WiFi and internet hotspots), these online reminder services have a unique feature in that it can send email reminders to a person’s mailbox on a daily basis. The reminder function now has a level of interactivity and pro-activeness that was missing from other previous solutions.

About the Author

Philip Nicosia is the webmaster of Onlinereminders.net, a free online reminder service.

Read more: Reminders: A Gradual Evolution

Retirement Communities or Nursing Homes – Post retirement planning beforehand

A proper, beforehand planning is necessary to safeguard self-dignity and to attain a secured after-retirement life. We all admit that.
Life is never the same after-retirement. Some people want to live close to the hard-earned friends or family whereas some people want to live unaided or in Nursing Homes, Retirement Communities, Home Health Care, Retirement Homes, Active Adult Communities, Senior Apartments. Whatever the reason be, some basic calculations are necessary for a better future.
Let us answer two simple and primary questions-
What is my primary consideration in the decision on where to reside?

It may be closeness to family, state retirement benefits, medical reasons, dream location, specific medical care or other reasons.
Which type of care am I searching?
It may be assisted living, Retirement Care Guide – a comprehensive and user friendly directory of retirement homes, retirement communities, home health care, nursing homes, senior apartments and elder care facilities throughout the US specially for Florida, Arizona, Minnesota and Iowa region.Planners find hard to collect.

Read more: Retirement Communities or Nursing Homes – Post retirement planning beforehand

Sacramento Safety Fair Pushes Child Safety Warning

April 8, 2006 would be the day of the Sacramento Safety Fair. One of the important topics and messages that this safety fair would be spreading and disseminating to drivers and vehicle owners would be about child safety warnings. This is primarily because reckless and careless driving has been one of the main reasons for injuries and death to children.

Despite laws in various states that protect children from any kind of vehicular accidents, the statistics on children’s fatalities are still alarming. This is one of the reasons for further spreading this campaign on child safety warnings. Other moves have been the laws passed like in California where all children who are below than 6 years old or weighs less than 60 pounds should be secured in the child passenger restraint seat and should not ride up front.

During the said event, there will be a sponsored child safety seat fair by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the 21^st Century Insurance. Cars and vehicles would be checked and if there is a necessity to replace or to install new child safety seats, the officers would be doing so. The new child safety seats were donated by the 21st Century Insurance. Aside from this move, offers from the CHP would also be educating attendees on how to use these newly installed seats.

The commission of the CHP, Mike Brown states, “Wearing your seat belt and making sure your children are properly bucked up is the best insurance against being killed or seriously injured in many vehicle crashes.” Also, actor Erik Estrada would be assisting in spreading this campaign. Estrada states, “I urge all parents to have their child’s safety seat inspected. Just a few minutes could save a life.”

To assist with this campaign on child safety, auto parts stores like Auto Parts Corner has continuously offered durable and quality auto parts that would make a vehicle run smoothly. This assists in keeping a vehicle working well and avoiding any kind of accident, thus keeping children passengers safe as well. Auto Parts Corner actually offers a wide array of specially crafted auto parts for specific vehicles and the list include Isuzu parts, Acura parts and Plymouth parts to name a few.

About the Author

Tracy is a 29 year old researcher and writer from Dallas, Texas with extensive experience in writing auto-related articles and covering automotive related events. She is currently a contributing writer for a leading automotive e-zine.

Read more: Sacramento Safety Fair Pushes Child Safety Warning

Santa Claus Around the World

Christmas is a worldwide phenomenon, and so is the holiday’s number one fan and symbol, Santa Claus. So it makes sense that because people all over the world celebrate Christmas differently, they also see Santa in different ways and have different traditions.

For instance, in France Christmas goes by the term Noel, and Santa goes by the name Pere Noel. Like the United States, the French who celebrate the holiday do so with a Christmas tree. Sometimes, the French decorate their trees in the traditional, which is with bright red ribbons and real candles, instead of the garland, electric lights, and fancy decorations used in the US. They also believe in decorating outside, especially the evergreen trees on their properties, which they cover with lights that they leave on all night long.

In Hungary, the Christmas tradition is a bit different than the French or American versions. In this Eastern European country, Santa Claus is called the “Winter Grandfather,” or Mikulas in their language. He comes not on Christmas Eve, but on December 6. It’s the job of children before this day to make sure that they are clean and that they have cleaned their rooms. For these good children, Winter Grandfather leaves candies and toys for them in freshly cleaned shoes or boots. For those children who don’t clean? They get a golden birch, which means they deserve a spanking! In Hungary it’s not Santa Claus (or Winter Grandfather), but Baby Jesus and the angels who brings presents and the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. To give him time to set them up, families usually go visit a relative’s house or go to the movies.

In Germany, the holidays are all about the decorations. They love putting electric candles in their lights, and covering their homes with all sorts of lights and colors. The German specialty decoration is the Adventskranz, which is actually a leaf wreath with four candles in it. And like many American homes, Germans like to decorate inside with a manger scene, the famous depiction of the stable, with Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, animals, and the Three Wise Men. Father Christmas brings children from Germany presents on Christmas Eve, while St. Nicholas brings small gifts on December 6.

Kids should consider moving to Latvia along the Baltic Sea for Christmas time. There, Father Christmas brings presents for all of the 12 days of Christmas, with the first day of gift giving coming on Christmas Eve. Latvia also claims to be the home of the first ever Christmas tree, documented in the year 1510. Then again, you might want to check the menu before visiting this country. The traditional meal on Christmas is brown peas with bacon sauce, sausage, cabbage, and small pies.

Here’s a meal that sounds delectable and Christmas will still be a blast–it’s in New Zealand. Since Christmas arrives in the middle of summer for New Zealand children, their Christmas dinners usually include foods on the BBQ, like ham, shrimp and fish. Many towns enjoy Christmas parades throughout the holiday season. Similar to children in America, families open Christmas presents from Santa Claus on Christmas Day. However, some people love Christmas so much, they also celebrate this Santa-driven holiday in the middle of July, when it is cold enough for a proper English Christmas dinner.

Wherever you are on the map, you can obviously enjoy Christmas in one way or another. And don’t worry. With his reindeer-powered sleigh, Santa will find you no matter where in the world you are living.

About the Author

Randy Stocklin is the co-owner of Mail from Santa Claus. Mail from Santa Claus offers memorable letters from Santa Claus that helps keep the Christmas spirit alive. For more information about Mail from Santa Claus and to purchase letters from Santa please visit http://www.mailfromsantaclaus.com/

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Senior Housing 101

Housing needs has always been of prime importance for entire life span of every individual. This major necessity in life intensifies as one approach the retirement stage. Houses that had been comfortable since last many years at the age of retirement now seem to require some alterations and changes. Physical capabilities of persons change with passing time and this leads to discomfort in performing activities that were earlier very easy. So an elderly person now increasingly needs a house that is more comfortable, safe and secure. Houses pertaining to the individual requirements of people who are to live in the house are more important for intimates who have reached their golden years in life.

Certain modifications and renovation in the house where they had spend most of there youthful time can render the house perfect for seniors who are satisfactorily healthy and can manage most of their personal jobs. These alterations are a blessing for those who do not want to depart from the same premises where they had lived for most of their life. But for seniors who suffer from certain physical disability and need some assistance for their personal daily routine activities continuing in the same house can pose some risks. There are many choices available for elders who want to go for shared living. Assisted living, board and care facilities, senior apartments and many other types of options exist of senior citizens to choose. Every combination of privacy and socializing that would be appropriate uniquely for each individual can be obtained with little effort. While deciding on the house pattern that should be opted one must take into consideration the personal health issues and privacy concerns of every person.

Most of the old age homes provide health facilities and other lodging conveniences to make life easier for people after retirement. At a place where one can find like-minded people most seniors find peace and happiness they wanted. For citizens who do not want to miss their privacy an option of assisted living is always there. An assisted living provides the comforts of having help at hand whenever needed and also allows one to lead an independent life. A qualified staff is readily accessible whenever assistance is desired for cooking bathing or any other chores. It also bestows elders with a feeling of self-confidence that they are able to live all by themselves.

Houses for elders must take care of certain common conveniences. Like the stairs preferably should have a side support and the height of stairs should be very short so that it’s easier for them to climb. The flooring ought to be of some non-slippery material and the doorknobs are supposed to be some easy to grasp handles. It is always recommended to have low height cupboards is the residence build specifically for aged. Low height of cupboards enables them to reach for things easily and saves them from evident dangers arising from the need to climb on any object to reach for some required article. With just a little careful considerations life after retirement can be made safe and happy so that the elders can enjoy their golden days.

About the Author

Mansi Gupta writes about senior housing. Learn more at http://www.typesofseniorhousing.com

Read more: Senior Housing 101

Something About Children’s Wendy House and Children’s Play house

Children’s play house offer a great way to spark a child’s imagination as he or she explores the world. Experts agree that the best way for a child to learn and to make sense of the world around him is to mimic what he sees and to immerse himself into that world. With children’s Wendy houses and other types of children’s playhouses, role-playing and pretending are encouraged and come naturally to a child.

Putting on Puppet Shows
All children love watching puppet shows, as well as creating their own. With puppet theatre children’s playhouses, your children will have a great time watching each other put on their very own shows. You will surely be pleasantly surprised to see the creativity of your children when you watch the special shows they put on and learn the important basics of storytelling.

Traveling in Time
Every little girl dreams of being a princess, while every little boy dreams of being a valiant knight. With small or large castle children’s playhouses, your children can get lost in their imaginations as they travel back to medieval times and immerse themselves in history. Don’t forget to add the castle floor quilt for added comfort.

Or, perhaps your young one would rather travel to the Old West. In this case, small or large sheriff’s office children’s playhouses may be what you need.

You can add a floor to this one, too, which comes complete with cactus designs to add to the look. Encourage your child to learn the differences between right and wrong as he or she pretends to be the brave and fair town sheriff.

Bringing Fairy Tales to Life
Children’s Wendy houses can also help your child bring her favorite fairy tales to life. The gingerbread cottage and house, for which a floor can be purchased, are perfect for reenactments of your child’s favorite stories.
Or, let your child play house with small and large Wendy houses. Your little girl will love pretending to be mommy as she learns about responsibility in her very own house, which also has an optional floor available for purchase

The Big Top
Perhaps your child loves the circus. In this case, children’s playhouses designed to look like the Big Top are perfect.
These children’s playhouses are great for special parties and events, as well as for every day play. The circus tent is guaranteed to keep your child entertained for hours as he or she explores the world of animals and entertainment.

The Pavilion
Pavilion children’s playhouses can also be a great outdoors hit. Your little girl can let her imagination run wild as she pretends to be a princess or a genie in her beautiful pavilion. Or, perhaps she will just play in style and elegance with all of her little friends as she sharpens her social skills.

Children’s Wendy house and children’s playhouse provide hours of fun for both boys and girls. In addition, they encourage active play to keep their bodies healthy and imaginative play to keep their minds fit. There truly is no better combination.

To know more about Children’s Play house visit www.jellybabys.co.uk

About the Author

I am running baby shop www.jellybabys.co.uk and also active member in baby health programs.

Read more: Something About Children’s Wendy House and Children’s Play house