Great Family Ideas

Remove Permanent Magic Marker from Clothes Using Whole Milk

2015-02-18T08:45:00.001-08:00

My daughter came home yesterday with pink permanent magic marker stains on the sleeve of one of her favorite shirts. This was not a cheap shirt. My wife was not happy and my daughter was in tears because it was a Frozen themed shirt with Elsa and Anna on it, her favorite characters right now. My first inclination was to start looking for a replacement because it seemed unlikely that this shirt would ever be OK to wear again.

Several family members and friends offered remedies that seemed completely farfetched, but given my reluctance to spend money on an article of clothing that we already purchased once, I decided it was worth at least giving them a try.

The option that was least likely to work, in my opinion was to soak the shirt in milk, but as it turns out, it was the solution that kept me from having to go out shopping for Frozen shirts.

We took a cereal bowl, which has seen its fair share of milk and filled it almost completely full with whole milk straight from the refrigerator. There were pink stains around the cuff and also higher on the sleeve, but we decided to start small and just soak the first two or three inches of the sleeve and see what happened. To our surprise, within minutes, the milk had already started turning a faint shade of pink. We let the whole arrangement sit overnight.

The next morning, my wife checked on the shirt and noticed that the bowl of milk was almost empty. We don't own a cat. so it seems that the shirt was rather thirsty and soaked the milk up slowly. Fortunately, we positioned the shirt and bowl in the center of the counter so that it didn't get too heavy and fall off the side pulling the bowl with it.

Amazingly, the permanent marker stains were about 95% gone. There was a slight mark left, but it so faint, it was almost unnoticeable. The worst stains had completely disappeared. Of course, the next step was to immediately wash the shirt so that my daughter didn't smell like sour milk the next day at school. So today, I learned an important lesson: If you have a bad stain and nothing else will clean it, try whole milk. You may be as pleasantly surprised as we were.

Practicing Good Mobile Phone Etiquette

2015-01-23T12:38:00.005-08:00

Now that technology has provided us with a means to stay in touch with our family and friends from virtually any populated area on the planet, certain rules or etiquette are being blatantly ignored. Let’s reverse this trend.

Most people who own mobile phones are not keen on the idea of turning off their phones or leaving them behind in any circumstance. Business professionals, in both blue collar and white collar specialties, carry mobile phones. Elderly people know how to text, chat, surf, and speak wirelessly to their grand kids, who also carry mobile phones to school with them. Rich people carry phones. Poor people carry phones. The President of the USA is going to start carrying a mobile phone. Smart people carry phones. Dumb people… well, you get the point! Everybody’s got one!

The problem is that many of these people fail to analyze the situation they're in and wind up in an awkward moment where they are being very obnoxious to the people around them. For example, movie theaters and libraries are not ideal places for ringing phone noises and elaborate ring tones. That’s extremely rude and disruptive. Most mobile phones have a silent or vibrate option standard. Make it a habit to either switch your phone to silent before you enter one of these areas, or just leave your phone silenced all the time and get used to living with it that way. Also, the microphones on mobile phones are fairly efficient. If you think you have to yell at your phone for the person on the other end to hear, you should not have answered.

Another problem area is in the retail environment on both sides of the sales counter. I have witnessed sales associates who have spent the entire time it takes to complete my transaction talking on the phone. I have waited through countless conversations as the people ahead of me in line focus 5% of their attention towards the transaction at hand and 95% towards hearing some juicy gossip. Make it a personal rule to hang up your mobile phones while participating in any transaction. People will appreciate it.

Not everyone is a great driver. Plaster a mobile phone to the side of their head and their skill level drastically reduces. If you can avoid talking on the phone while driving, please do so. If you absolutely cannot miss the call, at least use a hands-free device. Whatever you do, do not EVER text and drive That’s incredibly stupid and it's illegal!!

Starting a Blog for Your Baby

2015-01-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

As a new parent, it’s not always easy to find time to record a baby’s early life in their baby book. Create a blog for your baby to help you to complete the missing information in their baby book later and give them an interactive window into their early childhood as an adult.

Choose a blogging website and sign up for a free membership. There are many blogs to choose from. Find a blog that is easy to use and one with enough features to suite your tastes. Consider making the blog private and only sharing it with your spouse. Keep the whole project a secret from your child until they are much older. It will be a sweet and unexpected surprise for your son or daughter to receive access to so much information about their childhood. Verify that you are able to download backups of the blog to your computer and do so frequently.

Take lots of digital photographs of your baby. A mobile phone with a built-in camera is extremely handy for this. Remember that pictures taken with a camera phone will typically be low resolution and perfect for displaying on the blog, but will not make good printed photographs. If you wish to print many of the pictures that you take of your baby, buy a decent digital camera and keep it close by at all times. If you take mostly high resolution photos of your baby, use a photo editing program to make lower resolution copies to post to the blog because they will take up far less space and load faster in your web browser.

Post interesting and detailed blog entries every day. Write as though you are speaking to your child directly. Don’t write, “Ate applesauce for the first time today.” Make the post interesting and discuss things that were happening, not just with your child, but also with family members and friends whom they will be able to relate to later in life. Don’t share any negative or personal feelings about anyone and don’t talk about your problems or worries. Keep the experience positive and upbeat. You can also add brief clips of current events, but remember not to just link to other web sites. Most websites change constantly, so you’ll want to make snapshots of pages or find files that you can save on the blog or link to. PDF files are a great format to use for capturing pictures and text in a single document because they display the same way, no matter which browser you use to view the file.

Upload short, compressed video files or sound clips to the blog. This will require additional equipment, like a digital video camera and the appropriate editing software, but the results are well-worth the investment. Your child will one day have the ability to watch their first steps or hear their first words by simply logging into the blog, which will be far more interactive than their baby book could ever be.

How to Pour a Carbonated Beverage With Minimal Fizz

2015-01-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

Pouring a refreshing beverage can be so aggravating when half of the drink fizzes above the rim of the glass and then all over the counter. I have a trick that will eliminate this problem!

If you are going to include ice cubes in your beverage, save them until last. Do not place them into the glass at this point!

Hold the glass in one hand and tilt it so that the sides of the glass form an approximate 60 degree angle with the floor.

Start pouring the beverage slowly into the glass. Aim about halfway down the glass so that the beverage makes contact with the side of the glass and then starts to fill the bottom. You should already begin to notice that the fizz is not nearly as thick or there may be no fizz at all if you pour it perfectly. As you pour, increase the speed of flow and also begin to tilt the glass slowly back to it's upright position.

If you are adding ice cubes, don't fill the glass all the way up. Also, you may encounter some fizzing as you add the ice cubes, so add them one-by-one.

If done correctly, you should notice a drastic improvement in the amount of fizz in your glass. This method reduces the number of times that you will have to clean up a sticky mess from your counter. Now enjoy your cool, tasty, beverage!

Making Your Car Safe for Children

2015-01-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

Inspect your car, both inside and out on a weekly basis. Follow all routine maintenance schedules for your car as advised by the manufacturer, including oil changes, and tire rotations. Keep your state vehicle inspection up-to-date. Check the tread on your tires and also check the tire pressure regularly. Look for puddles under the car that may be indicators of serious problems. A puddle of water from the A/C is normal, but a puddle of oil or transmission fluid is not. While you are spending some quality time with your car, go ahead and wash it and clean all of the windows to provide maximum visibility.

What's in your front seat?

Remove or secure loose objects in the car. In the event of a wreck or roll-over, loose objects will become projectiles and can seriously injure you and your children. This includes toys, tools, mp3 players, and anything that would hurt if thrown at your face with force. All of these things can either be stored in the glove box or in the trunk.

Have your car checked immediately if it begins to handle differently or make any strange noises. Extreme heat and cold are hazardous conditions for young children. Always crank your car several minutes prior to letting your children get in and let the temperature adjust to a comfortable level. Check all metal belt buckles and wait until they are cool to the touch before allowing your children to come in contact with them. Do not, under any circumstances, leave your child unattended in the car for any length of time!

Buy a new car seat or booster seat from a retail store. It’s perfectly acceptable to buy second-hand clothes and toys for your child from a consignment sale, but car seats are constantly being recalled for safety issues. You don’t have to buy the most expensive seat available, but if you buy a used one, you have no information about the history of the seat or whether it has been involved in a crash. Read the instructions for the new seat and install it to the best of your ability. Then, before placing your child in the seat, drive to the nearest fire station and ask if one of their “car seat certified installers” will give your seat a proper inspection. Keep all instruction manuals that came with the seat and check periodically for recall notices from the manufacturer. Many manufacturers will now let you register the seat and they will send an email alert to you if a recall is issued.

Talk to your children about being safe while riding in and exiting the car. Don’t allow fighting or yelling or anything that is distracting to the driver of the vehicle. Buckle your children’s safety belts or harnesses the moment they get into the car and do not let them unbuckle themselves until they are exiting the car. This may sound extreme, but there is a possibility that another car could impact your car, even while you are parked, and if your children are not buckled, they could sustain bad injuries. If you parallel park your car, tell your children to stay in the car and then let them exit on the side opposite the street. Do not allow children to run around in parking lots or parking garages!

Practice safe driving habits and make good choices. Always drive at or under the speed limit and constantly check your mirrors. If you identify a bad driver approaching you, do everything that you can to allow them to pass you and go on their way. Avoid causing or participating in road rage. Don’t speed up to try and make it through yellow traffic lights. Always leave early enough to make it to your destination on-time without driving fast. If you are going to be late, then just be late. If you cause an accident and hurt your children because you were in too much of a hurry, you will look back and wish you had just taken your time, so always think proactively in order to avoid all of that. If you will be driving with your children in the car at any point in a given evening, don’t drink alcohol at all!

Evaluate the cars of anyone else who will transport your child. Give them a safety checklist and see that they follow it. As a parent, it is your responsibility to keep your children safe, regardless of other people’s opinions or bad habits. If someone else’s vehicle or driving habits are unsafe for your children, do not let them ride with that person, regardless of what they say or whether it hurts their feelings. If this person loves and respects your children, they will make the effort to keep them safe too.

How to Protect Pictures and Video of your Family

2015-01-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

Digital cameras continue to grow in popularity. It is becoming the norm for precious memories to exist exclusively in a digital format. The average person copies photos to their computer and saves them, but how many of those pictures are ever printed on photo paper? What happens when that computer eventually crashes?

One method for sharing, organizing, and storing photos, which is becoming very popular are the online photo sites. They allow members to upload, organize, share, edit, and print pictures. The problem with these sites is that once the photograph is uploaded to them, the member will eventually have to pay that company each time photo prints are needed. That’s fine as long as the company stays in business, as long as their quality remains intact, and as long as the member doesn’t need pictures in an hour. These are several things to consider and should encourage everyone to at least keep backup copies of photos whether the online photo websites are used or not.

Saving pictures exclusively to the family computer that everyone uses is not very secure or reliable either. A computer that is used daily to connect to the Internet is exposed to many dangerous threats that can corrupt data and ultimately destroy, not only pictures and precious memories, but any hard work which is stored there. It’s alright to save files and pictures to that computer, but precautions should be taken immediately to protect them.

Use a hardware firewall to protect that computer from the Internet. Firewalls are available at all electronic retail stores that sell computers and are easy to install and configure. Use a trusted antivirus program to monitor the computer for harmful viruses, Trojans, and worms. Install a spare hard disk drive into the computer and either manually copy important files to it or use a software backup utility to do it automatically.

An even better idea is to build a stand alone computer that is used exclusively for storing pictures, important file, and videos. Do not connect this computer to the Internet and be sure it is password-protected and logged-out when not in use. Install a DVD writer in this computer and make DVD backup copies of all important files and keep the DVD’s stored in a locked box or filing cabinet in a temperature-controlled room. If this computer needs to be networked to the computer that uses the Internet, then it is possible to block Internet usage on the backup computer and still send files back and forth between the two.

Protecting Your Family from Home Invaders

2015-01-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

The security of your family is very important. Not everyone can afford home security systems or guns. This article describes several easy and inexpensive ways to prepare a home to protect your family.

Always know that if someone wants to break into your home badly enough, they will find a way. That doesn't mean that you should make it easy for them to do so. It is surprising to me how many people have told me that they lock the doors to their home only while away. This is very dangerous! Purchase a deadbolt lock for any doors that are easily accessible to the public and keep these doors locked at all times. Start a habit of locking all doors at all times. If you leave to go to the store, lock the door behind you. When you get home... lock the door behind you. Teach children to lock doors behind them and to always see who is knocking at the door or ringing the doorbell before opening the door.

If the home is equipped with wooden window panes, use a power drill to drill a hole in one corner of each window where the upper and lower panes meet. Make the hole large enough to insert a heavy gauge nail. The nail should be easy to remove in case of emergency. It's not a bad idea to tie a piece of string to the head of the nail to make it easy to pull out. The point of the nail is to make the window difficult to open from the outside.

To secure a sliding glass door, cut a broom handle or stick to fit the space in the track behind the door where it slides when it is opened. It is very easy to bypass the latch on a sliding glass door, so be sure to leave the stick in position while the door is not in use. If you have a fenced-in yard, be sure to lock the gate when not-in-use. Also lock storage sheds with a lock large enough that it may be seen from outside the fence.

Leave a light on during the night, both inside the house and outside. This may just deter someone from breaking in if they think someone may be awake inside the house. Also, it's easier for crooks to operate in the dark. If you own a dog, give them full run of the house during the night. They have amazing hearing and will let you know if someone is snooping around outside.

Cover all windows with shades or blinds at night so that it is difficult to see into the home. If it is easy for someone to see from the outside that you own the latest game system, a huge expensive TV, or maybe some expensive artwork, then it may prove tempting for a would-be thief to put your home at the top of their list. Actually, if you can afford all of these high-dollar items, then a home security system is probably a wise investment too. The bottom line is that your family's safety comes before all material things. If you find yourself in the situation where someone has entered your home, let them take your money or some of your belongings if it means that they leave without harming anyone. Then call the police and file a report

Announcing a Pregnancy to Family and Friends

2014-11-21T06:28:00.000-08:00

So you just found out that you are going to be a parent. How exciting! How should you inform your family and friends? Here are some suggestions.

Many young, expecting couples decide to announce a pregnancy via a huge gathering of family and friends so they can tell everybody the great news at once. This type of gathering is fun and allows everyone to hear the good news at one time. The problem with this plan, however, is that the future parents don't get to see everyone's initial reaction to the news. If this is a concern, a more personal visit with each person may be the better choice. One-on-one visits allow intimate conversations with each other and the satisfaction of seeing the joy on peoples’ faces when they hear the good news. Save the big parties for the baby showers or just have a huge gathering after everybody knows.

On a piece of paper, write a complete list of family and friends. Arrange these names in order by when each person or group will receive the good news. The parents of the expecting mother and father, if they are still living, should be the first ones to know the good news, since they will be the child's grandparents.

Decide who lives close enough to visit and who will receive a friendly call instead. Plan this carefully because good news travels fast. You don't want someone special to receive a phone call from another friend or family member before you are able to tell them. Plan the visits so that phone calls can be made to the out-of-town friends and family while you are on the road from one in-person visit to the other. This is the most efficient way of reaching more people in a shorter amount of time.

For parents and grandparents of the expecting parents, it is a good idea to present them with a gift; something with a significant reference to grandkids or great-grandkids. This gives an element of surprise so that you can watch the look on their face change as they realize what they are hearing. It is very exciting for everyone involved. A book about how to spoil grandkids or a picture frame or flip book with "grandkids" engraved on it are some suggestions.

Take pictures and video while visiting with friends and family and then write about the experience, including the date and time that each were told. These will make interesting entries into the baby's memory book or even a personal blog and you'll be glad that you took the time to do it when they read it years from now. Don’t procrastinate and allow precious memories of this joyous occasion to fade into obscurity.

How to Plan a Vacation for a Large Group

2014-11-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

Vacation time is here and you have a large group who can’t even agree on what toppings to order on a pizza. How in the world will you ever plan a successful trip? Don’t panic! This can be much easier than it seems.

The first thing to do after deciding that the group wants to spend their vacation time together is to elect someone to take ownership of the trip and be the group’s leader. This person should be easily accessible and be very organized because they will be responsible for delegating duties, performing extensive research, collecting funds to pay for big expenses, and arranging meetings and transportation. Once the group decides on a leader, the next thing to determine is the destination.

Do you want to go somewhere close or far away? The beach or the mountains? A national park or Las Vegas? Be democratic about your decision. Majority rules! Once the decision has been made, find out if anyone from the group has ever been to this destination before and ask for suggestions including accommodations, places to eat, and possible activities. Use the Internet as a resource and find out as much as you can about where you are going.

Take a head count of all those who are going. Choose your accommodations and what mode of travel you will need to use to get there. Start calculating a price, based on the total expenses divided by the number of people going. Let everyone know where you are going, in which establishment they will all be staying, how much each person will need to pay. Set a firm deadline for payment that is well in advance of the hotel or resort’s cancellation policy. Open a discussion with the group and ask for suggestions or complaints. Try to be as patient with people as possible.

If your travel plan includes a flight, arrange to have seats that are close together. If many people will be driving, carpool and have everyone chip-in on paying for gas. Remember that half the fun in going on a trip is the journey itself. Plan some activities to keep the group occupied along the way.

When you arrive, take another head count to be sure everyone made it. Enjoy your time together and take lots of pictures or video so that you’ll have memories to share forever! There’s a reason you chose to go on vacation with these people. If it was just to get the group rate, then so be it, but do try to get along with everyone. If conflict happens to arise during the trip, remember to be democratic and go with the majority. Also, there’s nothing wrong with the group splitting into smaller segments to enjoy activities!

How to Make Trick-or-Treaters Feel Welcome

2014-10-31T06:33:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around-the-corner and soon, there will be tiny ghouls and ghosts wandering the streets in search of tasty treats. Let's make them feel welcome.

Many parents have changed the day that they take their youngsters trick-or-treating and/or they will begin while it is still light outside out of concern for everyone's safety. For those who continue to trick-or-treat after dark, a well-lit house sure is inviting. Turn on your outside lights before the sun goes down so that you don't forget. If you do not have landscape lights along your walkway, use this occasion as an excuse to install some. It's relatively easy to do.

While adults find scary, and even gruesome, Halloween decorations entertaining, young children are often frightened by them and will want to avoid them at all costs. The same goes for scary noises. Remember these things as you prepare your home and decide whether your theme will be scary or friendly. Both types of decorations are widely available in retail stores.

Buy the good candy (chocolate) and plenty of it. Yes, it may set you back a few dollars, but this holiday only comes once a year. The joy that you will give children is worth a little extra money on your part. Have a large bowl ready beside the door overflowing with the good stuff. If you have a dog, let them run around the back yard or watch TV in a back room during trick-or-treating hours. A barking dog behind the front door tends to make many people skittish.

Greet each trick-or-treater with a warm smile and friendly words. Compliment them on their costume. Be generous with your hand-out and they will remember you each year as "one of the good houses." Most of all have fun. Happy Halloween!

Throw a Halloween Lock-In Party

2014-10-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

It's that spooky time of year again when ghost and ghouls walk the streets in search of fun and yummy treats. Keep children safe and sound this year while entertaining them and create long-lasting memories with a Halloween lock-in party!

A lock-in party is an exciting way to entertain a large number of children, while keeping them safe from the outside world. During the Halloween season, a lock-in is the perfect way to celebrate with a large group of children, while reassuring parents that their little ones will not be roaming along dark streets, accepting candy from complete strangers.

The first step is to acquire a building for the event. This building must be safe and all entrances must be capable of being locked in a way that outsiders cannot sneak in and insiders cannot sneak out. Many churches have family centers that serve this purpose perfectly and will allow members of the church to use the facilities for free. A perfect building will be equipped with a kitchen, a large room or rooms for sleeping, a gymnasium, adequate restrooms, and many smaller rooms for separate events.

Well before the event is scheduled to take place, the coordinator of the lock-in should determine approximately how many people it will be possible to accommodate during the lock-in. Be sure to also check fire safety codes and set limits to the number of people who will be able to attend based upon these limitations. As you begin to generate interest in the event, try to determine the total number of people that will need to be fed and calculate the total cost of refreshments. It is a good idea to charge a small amount for each guest to cover these expenses unless an organization or church is willing to sponsor the event. Collect permission slips for all participants who are under the age of 18. Verify that a phone number and contact name is available for each child. Be sure to arrange for enough adult volunteers to be present during the entire event to assist with the festivities and to ensure the safety of all guests. It is not a bad idea to hire a security guard to watch the building and to regulate who comes and goes through the main entrance.

In the days leading up to the lock-in, begin decorating the rooms of the building. The adult volunteers will be very useful for this work. Orange, black, and white streamers, fake spider webs, and large sheets of black paper make good decorations. If colored lighting is available, it may be used to create eerie effects. Plan which games and activities will take place in each room. Some suggestions are bobbing for apples, a cake walk, a bean bag toss, and even a maze or a small haunted house. Another popular idea is to create a fake jail cell in one room. Play a game where you have people "arrested" and put in the jail cell for 5 minutes at a time. Allow enough time for other recreation as well. Be sure there are some basketballs and misc. sports equipment available in case you run out of Halloween games. Depending on the age group, you can also organize some games like "Duck, duck, goose" and other physical activities that will keep the children occupied. Also do some research and come prepared to tell some scary and some funny ghost stories in case there are moments when the children become bored.

Buy all food supplies and drinks just before the event. Be sure to make some treat bags to send home the next morning with each child. If the building has a sound system, prepare a recording with some scary sounds to play randomly throughout the evening. Be sure to set a time for everyone to be present for the lock-in and also have a time when the doors will lock. Arrange a time for everyone to go to sleep and a time when the doors will open the next day for parents to pick up their children. Develop a complete set of rules for the event and post them on a sign for all to see as they enter the building.

The night of the event, be sure that, as the event coordinator, you are constantly monitoring the activities in all areas of the building. Delegate this task among the adult volunteers as well. Have fun, but be mindful that the responsibility of the safety of each guest is in your hands. If anyone becomes too disruptive, use the contact information for that individual and contact the parents, regardless of the time of night.

Host a Spooky Halloween Karaoke Party

2014-10-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

This year, make your Halloween party more exciting than ever by hosting a "Spooky Halloween Karaoke Party."

Decide where to have the party and create invitations. It is a good idea to co-host the party with other people, which takes some of the stress and expense out of planning the party. If nobody owns a karaoke machine, find a party rental store that carries them and pick out a selection of spooky classics. If all else fails and you can't find a karaoke machine, you can just have music playing and your guests can sing along and perform.

When designing the invitations, specify that all attendees should wear costumes. Decorate the party area the night of the party and prepare some refreshments. Another good idea is to collect a "pizza fund" and order delivery at some point in the night when your guests are hungry.

In addition to a costume contest, also have a karaoke singing contest and award the most entertaining singer with a prize. Don't start the party immediately with karaoke singing, though. Let your guests enjoy some non-karaoke music first. For the adult crowd, music by Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper, My Chemical Romance, and Megadeth are good for getting the party cranked up. Don't waste your money on the "scary sounds" CDs. Most adults find them to be annoying after five minutes and would rather hear music.

Be mindful of your neighbors as your party goes late into the night. It is a good idea to invite them to the party so there will be nobody nearby to disturb!

Diffusing a Family Argument

2014-10-09T06:30:00.000-07:00

It’s not uncommon for family members to eventually get on each others nerves. Something as simple as a misunderstanding can erupt into a major fight. How can you calm everyone down and get things back to normal?

The first thing to do is separate the people who are fighting. If things escalate too far, you may not be able to stop the fight and people could be hurt emotionally or worse, physically.

Talk to both people separately and find out exactly why they are angry. If a misunderstanding has occurred, this will bring things to light. If both parties have a legitimate gripe, then it’s going to take more work to find a solution.

Try to remain objective and don’t take sides. If other people try to intervene, decide whether they are helping or hurting the situation and if they are making things worse, encourage them to stand down.

Speak to each person and remind them that you love them and that they are family. Get everyone calmed down enough to talk. If it looks like that will not happen, encourage everyone to separate and spend some time cooling down.

If everyone goes their separate ways for the time being, ask that they immediately write down as many of the details about the situation as they possibly can. They should also write down as many ideas as they can for resolving the situation.

Sometimes, it just takes time to heal the wounds caused by a major argument. If this is the only option, then just wait it out. Remind everyone how important family is and stay in touch with both sides.

How to Improve Your Marriage and Make it Last Forever

2014-09-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Even the happiest couples can slip into despair as mounting problems and distractions wear away at an otherwise successful marriage. Don’t let your love diminish and your marriage fall by the wayside. There are plenty of things you can do to fix it.

A lot of married couples don’t see trouble coming and find themselves in a difficult situation when their marriage no longer resembles what it did at the start. Stressful jobs, problems between family and friends, verbal and physical abuse, troubled finances, infidelity, pornography addiction, drug and alcohol addiction, and even lifestyle changes can all drain the spice out of a good marriage.

The first thing to do is identify the problem or problems. If you can’t admit to the problem, you may be contributing to it rather than helping. Secondly, talk to your partner. Just as it’s unfair for your spouse to hide things from you, it’s not fair for you to hide your feelings from them and expect them to change anything. If you still love them, give them a chance to make things right.

If communicating directly with your spouse does no good, you may want to involve a councilor, but it’s best not to make this a family member or friend who is untrained in dealing with marriage problems. This can make the situation much worse. Sometimes, it is not practical to spend money for counseling, but you have to ask yourself how important a part of your life your spouse is. If you want to make your marriage to last, you may have to make sacrifices in order to work things out. A happy marriage is worth much more than any material thing you could ever possess anyway.

Once you’ve begun working on your problems, try to find some interests that you both share. Try new activities and see if you can agree on something fun to do together. If your interests don’t overlap in many areas, this is OK too. Try to compromise and do things with them even if you don’t enjoy them. On the flip side, they must participate in an equal number of things that you like to do.

Always listen to your partner. Whether you agree with their ideas or not, actively listen to them and give them your honest opinion, but never say anything that you will regret later. Give your marriage time to heal and continue to do things for each other. Do some research and find helpful books or movies to enjoy together.

Give Your Spouse a Relaxing Massage at Home

2014-09-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Treat your spouse to a well-prepared massage. Help them relax and ease the tension from a long hard day.

Begin by learning proper massage technique. You can take massage classes from a massage therapy school or you can find training DVD videos online. It is important not to hurt your spouse by using improper techniques. Also, do not attempt a hot stone therapy unless you know what you are doing.

Purchase the necessary equipment. At very least have a massage table, some linens, and some massage oil. Find a quiet room in your home where you can avoid the outside world for at least an hour. Take the phone off the hook and if you have children, let them stay with a relative for a few hours. The goal is to achieve uninterrupted quiet time with your spouse. Prepare the room by setting up the table and covering the windows with blankets to block any outside light. Turn on some relaxing music. Soft piano music is perfect for this or even some soft nature sounds. Be sure to turn the music down very low. Put a glass of ice water in the freezer so that it has time to become very cold. A heated massage table pad is a nice touch because it feels much better to lay naked on a table when it is warm. Light some scented candles or burn some scented oil to appeal to their sense of smell. Do not wear any jewelry or strong cologne or perfume.

Before you begin, find out if your spouse has any trouble areas, like shoulders, neck, or back that are bothering them. Then, while giving the massage, do not speak if you can help it. Your spouse will tell you whether the pressure you’re applying is too weak or too strong. Be mindful of your posture while giving the massage. You can very easily hurt your back if you are not careful. Breathe deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth while you massage them. The sound of your breathing will help to relax them. Take your time and massage their entire body. When you are finished, let them lay still and relax for awhile.

When the massage is finished, offer your spouse the cold water and be sure to extinguish the candles. They may experience dizziness or even nausea after the massage. If this is the case, care for them and keep the house quiet for as long as possible. Take turns giving and receiving massages and make it a monthly or even weekly routine.

How to Travel with Young Children

2014-09-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

If a road trip is in your future and you have young children, it is imperative that you are prepared.

Plan your route carefully. Know where you are going and how long it will take you to get there. Now add time for rest stops and eating. Pack plenty of snacks and games to keep the children satisfied. Learn how to play several games that may be played on-the-fly.

While traveling, if you approach a rest area, be sure to ask your spouse and kids if they need to stop. You will be sorry if you pass up a rest stop and then find out that your children need to use the restroom when you are in the middle of nowhere.

Keep plenty of refreshments on-hand and make sure they are easily accessible without having to pull over. One good idea is to fill several plastic bags with their favorite cereal. Be sure all drinks are served in containers with resealable tops.

Teach your children to play some games before the trip. Take some crossword puzzles or word find puzzles along as well as some of your children’s favorite toys. Play the “alphabet game”, which involves spotting and calling out letters of the alphabet as they appear on billboards.

Stop often for stretch breaks so that everyone stays as comfortable as possible. Enjoy traveling with your children and make every trip an adventure.

Things to do in Myrtle Beach, SC

2014-08-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

If you are planning a vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC, there are so many things to see and do. Here are a few of my most favorite attractions and restaurants.

The first thing to do when planning a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC is to decide where to stay. Depending on the type of vacation and who’s going with you, there are a number of ways to enjoy Myrtle Beach. If your group consists of college-age folks who are ready to party, then the ideal place to stay is in Myrtle Beach. If you are taking your family and you would like a quiet vacation, then North Myrtle Beach will be more your speed.

Stop by the Myrtle Beach visitor’s center on your way in to the beach and pick up a free map and some coupon books. Drive towards the ocean until you find Highway 17. This stretch of highway runs mostly parallel to the shoreline all the way from Myrtle Beach to North Myrtle Beach. There is a 17 bypass that you will want to utilize if you are in a hurry to get from one beach to the other. If you want to cruise and show off your ride, stay on 17 business and take it slow.

When you get hungry, there are so many good restaurants to choose from. If you want seafood, many people recommend the Calabash restaurants. I enjoy a good rack of ribs and I find them every time at Damons Restaurant, which is located right on the beach. You can eat your meal at Damons while you watch the waves crash into the shore. Margarittaville Restaurant, which is owned by none other than Mr. Jimmy Buffett, will entertain you with your favorite Buffett tunes while you enjoy your meal and search for that lost shaker of salt. Speaking of Jimmy Buffett, if you are in the mood for an excellent burger, I highly recommend a little restaurant called “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” For dinner and a show, you could visit “Dixie Stampede” or “Medieval Times.”

For entertainment, look no further than Broadway at the Beach. This area includes restaurants, a movie theater, bars, dance clubs, and all sorts of fun things to do. My favorite bar is a little Irish pub in North Myrtle Beach called Molly Darcy’s. If you rent a condo at the Crescent Shores, it is right beside the pub, which means you have a short walk back to your room. For the best shopping experience, I recommend either Barefoot Landing or the Tanger Outlets. Don’t forget about golf and mini golf. Myrtle Beach is a golf player’s dream. There are so many courses to choose from, you could play a new one on every trip for years. The mini golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area are top-notch and include a variety of different themes.

How to Protect Children from the Sun

2014-08-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

With summertime approaching, we already dream of warm, sunny days and hanging out at the beach. Be cautious of the sun’s damaging rays and protect your children so that they can enjoy the entire summer without painful sunburn.

Before each outing in the sun, encourage your children to apply sunscreen. Choose the appropriate SPF for their skin type and don’t just assume that one product is fine for everyone in your family. Also be sure everyone is outfitted with protective sun gear if you will be exposed to the sun for long periods of time, like on a nature hike. Hats or umbrellas are helpful tools for keeping the top of your head protected. Wear sunglasses with UV protection to keep your eyes safe.

If you are camping or going to the beach, take along a large umbrella, canopy, or tent to provide shade. Teach kids to be conscious of the power of the sun and to spend some of their time playing in the shade. Reward them with some cold ice cream when they show responsible behavior and get under the shade on their own.

Regardless of the activity, use a timer or a mobile phone with an alarm to remind you how much time you’ve spent in the sun and to let you know when it’s time to reapply sunscreen. Young children are usually oblivious to the effects of the sun’s harmful rays until they walk in the door as red as a lobster and crying in pain. As the parent or guardian, it is your responsibility to remind children how important sun protection is and teach them to use it properly.

As a backup, have some soothing lotion with Aloe on-hand in case you misjudge how much sun exposure you can handle.

How to Confirm that Your Daughter is Dating a Good Guy

2014-08-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

There are a number of things that a concerned parent can do to evaluate the character and intentions of their daughter’s new boyfriend

Plan an evening to meet your daughter’s new boyfriend soon after you discover his existence. Make the event very casual and insist that the entire family is present. A nice dinner followed by an exciting board game or two will serve your purpose nicely. Whatever activity you choose, be sure it is one with lots of interaction between your family and the new guy. Note the appearance of the boyfriend when he shows up for dinner. Evaluate how he dresses and whether he shows signs of proper hygiene. Make him wait awhile before seeing your daughter to see if he grows impatient. Remember when you are talking to him, that you are dealing with someone from a different generation, so his interests may not be the same as your own. There are certain things that should transcend the generation gap, though, like good manners, good common sense, and respect for elders. Watch carefully for these things. This is his first test.

Ask plenty of questions throughout the evening and watch his body language closely. Does he seem comfortable with your daughter? Are they overly affectionate in front of the family? Watch how he interacts with everyone and whether he makes eye contact when you speak to him. These things are all important because if he does become a part of the family for an extended period of time, it will be nice to know that he is someone you can trust and who you will want to have around your family.

Keep a notebook and pen hidden in a separate room. Excuse yourself from time to time and write down your observations about the boyfriend’s appearance and behavior. Also try to collect information like his name, where he lives, where he works, and how long he’s lived in your area, but don’t let it seem like you’re interrogating him. At some point in the evening, discretely take a few “group” photos that include the new boyfriend so that you will have a permanent record of what he looks like, just in case. Tell him that you want photos to remember the evening and to post in your blog.

Use the resources available to you after he leaves to do a thorough background check. There are many websites available that you can use to search for criminal records and to find registered sex offenders. Don’t assume that you can tell whether someone is decent or not by their outward appearance. Find out for sure. Have a serious discussion with your daughter about sex and about your dating rules if you have not already done so. Express to her the seriousness of the rules and be very clear of the consequences for breaking those rules.

Plan another evening with the new boyfriend out in public at a nice restaurant. Watch for signs of chivalry from the young man. Does he hold the door for your daughter and for other people? Is he polite to waiters and waitresses? Whether he ends up paying for his meal or not, does he offer? Try to spend some time alone with him, away from your daughter, and see if he tries to make conversation with you. Always be nice, but throw a few curve balls at him and see how he responds.

Keep very open communication with your daughter about her social life and be familiar with her friends, their interests, and where they like to hang out. Encourage her to always talk to you when she has a problem or when she needs advice. If you decide that her new boyfriend is not right for her, tell her your reasons, but let her make her own decisions. She may not take your advice, but if you demand that she no longer sees him, you can rest assured that you will quickly push her towards him. On the other hand, if you discover good things about the new boyfriend, tell your daughter and commend her on choosing a good guy. Whether she acknowledges it or not, she does value your opinions and by communicating both good and bad information with her without interjecting strong emotions, you encourage her to confide in you no matter what. Above all, enforce the rules established about dating with her whether you like the new boyfriend or not so that your daughter does not lose respect for your authority.

Handling People Who are Rude to Your Family

2014-07-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you go people are invading your family’s space with foul language, obnoxious behavior, cigarette and cigar smoke, obscenity, and a host of things that you would prefer to shield your family from. You don’t have to back down or run away when you encounter these people.
It is nearly impossible to avoid rude people these days.

The first and most obvious way to avoid confrontation with rude people is to only take your family to “family-friendly” places. If you are hanging out in a bar at 11:00pm with your children, you should probably consider leaving rather than asking everyone to quiet down and stop drinking. Then later, evaluate why you were there with your children in the first place. I know, this scenario sounds absurd, but I witness it all the time. In a family-friendly environment, people are more polite and more tolerant of children’s mischief. Usually these places are smoke-free, don’t serve alcohol, and typically don’t tolerate obscene behavior. This, in itself, is a deterrent for a large part of the crowd that you are trying to avoid while spending family time.

Be prepared because no matter where you take your family, you will eventually encounter people who have no regard for others and these are the ones you have to make the decision whether to confront or avoid. The easy thing to do is to pick up your family and move away from them or leave rather than try to correct the situation, but this approach teaches your children to run away from problems rather than handle them. Also, this person may be causing discomfort to a lot of other people and will continue to do so until their behavior is corrected. They should be stopped!

Evaluate each situation for what it is. Is the offending person breaking a rule of the establishment that you are visiting or are they violating any law? Is their behavior affecting other people? Is your family’s safety or health threatened because of this person? If confrontation is the solution you choose, establish friendly contact with the person and remind them that they are in a family environment and ask that they refrain from whatever it is that they are doing. Don’t use obscenities or insults and don’t project threatening body language. Be polite and speak in a firm voice, but don’t be loud and try to draw attention. If you embarrass the person right away, they may retaliate against you for that reason alone. The person may be unaware that their behavior is offensive and you don’t want to be perceived as the obnoxious one. If they apologize and stop their behavior, return to your family and try to avoid contact with the person for the remainder of your visit. Do not discuss what just happened with your family until you are completely out of that environment.

If the person disregards you or is rude to you, then do a second evaluation. Is this person stronger or more physically fit than you? Could they possibly have a weapon? Are you outnumbered? If any of these situations are true, then you should choose your next move wisely. It is not worth sustaining bodily harm or going to jail for a stupid mistake. If you have an obvious advantage over the person, repeat your request and inform them that if their behavior does not improve immediately, you will seek assistance from security or a manager of the establishment. If these people are not available or if the person seems unimpressed, then take your mobile phone from your pocket and call the police. Inform the person that you are calling the police as you walk away, but be careful to watch your back. The thought of being arrested may influence the offender to move on or it may cause the situation to escalate quickly.

Do not assault the person or threaten them under any circumstance! If they attack you, then you are welcome to defend yourself and any witnesses to the event will surely corroborate your story if the authorities are involved at a later time. Just be careful not to take on more than you can handle. Your family’s safety is absolutely your top priority and you should avoid all of this if possible, but at some point, you have to make a stand and say “enough is enough” or rude people will gradually taint every enjoyable family establishment available to the rest of us.

How to Shop for Your Wife

2014-07-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

Buy one gallon, get one free!

Spend time talking with your wife. This is good for your relationship overall. Listen for clues as to what interests her at the moment. Try to be very involved in the conversation and ask pointed questions without being too obvious.

Buy a calendar or a personal organizer. Mark her birthday and other important occasions like your anniversary on the calendar and also mark a day, weeks in advance, to remind you to begin shopping for her. An electronic personal organizer is also very useful for this.

Become involved in activities that both of you can participate in. This makes shopping for accessories much easier. For example, if you both start playing tennis together, you can buy her some new equipment or take her on a surprise trip somewhere out-of-town to play tennis. Other activities may involve hiking, camping, or horseback riding.

Start shopping with her if you don't already. I know that clothes shopping can be excruciating for some men, but it allows you to spend quality time doing something that she probably enjoys and if you watch her closely and pay attention, she will identify things that she wants as you go. Only sit in the department store's comfy chairs while she is in the dressing room, trying on her clothes. Get back up and walk around with her when she comes out! The point is to spend time together and to learn more about what interests your wife.

Do not buy clothes for her! This is not a good idea! Also, do not buy anything practical. She may want a blender, but don't give it to her for her birthday. Save practical gifts for non-important occasions. It's also a good idea to check before you buy certain items. Be sure she's finished that half-gallon jug of perfume before you go out and buy her another. (that's a joke, by the way!)

Your wife will recognize a well-though-out gift when she receives it and she will appreciate even more that you have started spending more time together.

How to Entertain Yourself and Others While Traveling in a Car

2014-07-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Make your next long road trip exciting by using the following tips. If you are traveling with a large group of people, purchase a set of hand-held CB radios (walkie talkies) so that you can easily communicate between the cars without charging down your cell phone battery. Also, this allows everyone to hear the conversation. It is often funny to have someone pretend to be a tour guide while passing through small towns or tourist attractions and create their own version of historical events for that area.

The "Alphabet Game" is a fun way to pass the time. Look at passing billboards and signs and find the letters of the alphabet in the various words. Call out the letter and then the word in which it is found. You can either cooperate your efforts as a group or compete as individuals to see who can complete the alphabet first. If you compete, no two people can use the same word from the same sign.

The "Movie Game" is also fun to play with a group of people. Select a team within your car or you can play as one car load of people versus another using your CB radios. To begin, one team captain says the name of an actor and a movie in which they appeared. The opposing team either has to name another movie with the same actor or another actor from the same movie. This continues until one team is stumped. (ex. Mel Gibson in Braveheart / Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon / Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon) You would be amazed how much fun this game can be if you have some movie enthusiasts along on the trip.

Try to create a song in which one person starts and then someone else continues it using the same melody. Another fun game is to try to invent completely useless road signs. Instead of a curved arrow indicating an upcoming curve, have a straight arrow on a sign beside an interstate highway to indicate that the road just continues straight.

When all else fails and you begin to develop games that don't make any sense, it's time to bring out the music player or CD collection and have a sing along. If you have an FM transmitter attached to your music player, it is often possible for several cars to tune into the same empty radio frequency and enjoy the music with you!

Keeping a Small Dog Still While Grooming

2014-07-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Are you trying to brush a hyperactive smaller dog that just won't stay still? Do you need to get that harness on, but your dog has other plans? Here's how to take charge.

One of the challenges of owning a small dog is that they tend to be a little hyper at times. This poses a problem when you need to do something as simple as brush the dog or put a harness on it. The first thing to do is to issue the dog the command to "sit." If the dog has not yet learned this command, then just try your best to corner it and pick it up.

Carefully place the dog in the middle of the nearest counter top or table. A bathroom counter top is another ideal place. The dog normally will stand completely still while you apply whatever treatment is necessary. Be sure to keep a firm hold on the dog. You do not want it to get away and fall off the counter.

While brushing the dog or putting on it's harness, speak soft words of praise to reassure them that they are behaving appropriately and that what you are doing is not punishment.

When the ordeal is finished, carefully pick up the dog and place it gently on the floor. If the dog is familiar with commands like "sit" or "stay", have it perform one of these tricks and then offer a treat as a reward for being so good.

Tips & Warnings

Always be gentle with your dog and offer encouraging words while holding them up off the floor. If you are yelling at your dog or complaining, the dog will associate what you are doing as punishment.
This tip also works for larger dogs if you are able to lift them onto a counter.

Always Remember to Remove Your Baby from the Car

2014-07-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

I am heartbroken each time I watch the news and learn that another parent has forgotten their baby in the car and returned to find that something horrible has happened. I will be a parent soon and these are the things that keep me awake at night. After careful thought, I would like to offer some free and relatively easy solutions that may help new parents to overcome unexpected diversions that too often direct your attention away from your baby.

Develop a new routine to always check the back seat of a vehicle before you leave it, whether it is yours or not. Another important thing to do when you approach a vehicle is to look completely around it for hidden obstructions like children or toys. When you reach your destination and exit the vehicle, immediately open the back door and look into the back seat. Do this whether you know that you have your baby in the car or not. It is imperative that this becomes a habit for both parents and for anyone who will ever transport your child. If you are certain that you dropped the child off at the daycare or if you know that today is not your day to drive them, remember... making a careless mistake on the wrong day has needlessly cost the lives of too many young children.

If you are an employer, you have the ability and should make it a priority to watch after employees who transport young children prior to coming to work. Designate several rows of parking spaces for parents only. Have a few people routinely walk through the parking lot each morning to check those cars for forgotten children. This is a perfect job for security guards whose job is to patrol the parking lot anyway. Offer them an incentive to perform these checks. Also, post signs in the entrance of your building with a reminder about leaving small children in vehicles unattended.

Become better acquainted with your co-workers and develop a habit of asking other parents of young children how their children were doing this morning and what color shirt did their teacher have on this morning. Just that type of reminder may cause a person to remember that they never actually dropped the child off. Pay attention to small details. When you walk into the building from the parking lot, keep an eye out for car seats and casually look into cars as you walk past.

For the parents of small children who take them to daycare daily, be sure that your daycare has a list of emergency numbers, including several work numbers. Ask that they call each number and let someone know if you have not dropped your child off with them after a certain time. Check your cell phone each morning after arriving at work to be sure nobody has left messages for you. If you use Microsoft Outlook, set daily reminders asking whether you remembered your child. If you carry a briefcase with you to work, always put it in the back seat in the floor beside your child's car seat. That way, you will have to open the back door to retrieve it and you may discover an important surprise when you least expect it.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help parents to remember what is most important. If work becomes too stressful and you have difficulty focusing on the things that you are supposed to do, stop for a moment. Take a deep breath. Exhale slowly and ask yourself, "Why am I at work?" Your most obvious response is "to make money." Why do you need money? To take care of your family because they are important to you. Do not forget this! Take an extra 10 seconds out of your hectic morning commute to simply check the back seat of your car!

If you are a parent and you are reading this article at work, stop what you are doing and go check your car. Do it right now! Tell your boss that you need a breath of fresh air. If this article helps save just one child, then it will be the most important thing I've ever written for this website.

Tips & Warnings

Your family should be your top priority!
Protect them and think of them every minute of the day!
If you carry any one particular item with you to work that you will need throughout the day, be sure to place it in the floorboard in the back seat, beside your child's car seat.
If you are a parent and you think that this could never happen to you... you are WRONG!
Be sure that your daycare has multiple emergency numbers and that they know what time to start calling them. Take a sick day sometime and put them to the test.

How to Care for a Pregnant Mother in Labor

2014-06-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

The day of delivery has finally come for the mother-to-be. Her husband stands watching and waiting for the blessed moment with a look of uncertainty and a little anxiety. How can he step up and be the comforter that his wife needs during this trying time?

The most important thing that a man can do for his wife while she is in labor, even more important in some cases than offering to make her comfortable, is to let her know how much he loves her and to give her emotional support. Labor is a trying time for both parents and for the newborn child, and the mother has some strong forces working on her body as well as her emotions.

When things start to heat up and the contractions become stronger, it is important that the husband remains calm and focused on his purpose for being there. Be sure your wife has all the comforts of home. If she's cold, get her blankets. If she's hot, turn on the portable fan that you brought and apply some wet washcloths to help cool her down. Try to take her mind off the situation by showing her some old photographs or by watching a movie together. Use lotion or massage oil and give her a foot massage and/or a back massage.

Try hard to remove all distractions from the room. Keep visitors to a minimum. Post a sign on the door that directs visitors to the nurse's station and ask the nurses to check with you before sending people in. If you have a mobile phone with you, be sure to switch it to vibrate and put it in your pocket. If someone calls, step into the hall to speak with them. Allow your wife to rest as much as possible and don't let small annoyances keep her awake. Be attentive to her and be sure to ask her how she's feeling often. Don't stay away from her room for too long and do not, under any circumstances, eat in front of her even is she says it's OK!

After the baby is born, take some time and spend these precious moments with them and with your wife. Although the moment won't last forever, it will be one of the best of your life. Wait a little while before letting friends and family into the room. Encourage them to visit your baby when you've gone home and had time to settle. After you leave the hospital, continue to do thoughtful things for your wife and make every day special for her.

Tips

Ask her how she's feeling and be a good listener.

Keep the temperature in the room comfortable for your wife no matter how uncomfortable it makes you.

Don't be afraid to ask the nurses for anything that she needs.

Use the call button in your room to summon nurses if an emergency situation occurs. Do NOT run down the hall screaming for help! This makes an uncomfortable situation for everyone. Most nurses are well-trained and will respond appropriately to any situation. If you have an emergency, they will arrive quickly.

Be sure to wash your hands often and insist that anyone who touches your newborn does the same. If they ridicule you or refuse to wash their hands, be strong and deny them the privilege of holding your child. This is a good way to start developing your parenting skills by teaching discipline and not backing down.