Parenting Articles - Parent Zone

Adolescent Embarrassing Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:22:00 +0000

I think all kids feel embarrassed by their parents when they reach adolescence. That's just a normal thing. I remember feeling that way about my parents too.

I also remember experiencing those feelings while attending various school functions with Mom and Dad in the evenings. I considered my parents as "not cool."
That's still fresh in my mind to this day!

Our son was embarrassed by us for sure. Every time we'd go out to eat somewhere, he actually would want to stay at home. We had a time with him, let me tell you!

But, why is that? Why do teenage kids feel this way about their parents? It could be that parents are looked upon by their teenage children as "old school", or corny. And like I said above, "not cool!" Or maybe it's some of the rules that parents have. Too strict maybe? A teenager's independence could also be the culprit.

I remember a time when I could not ride my bike in the street. I of course thought my parents were the meanest people on earth. I also felt embarrassed in front of my friends at the time because they were allowed to and I wasn't.

Ahh, I remember this very well..

A couple of my friends and I went to see a movie. I actually don't remember what movie it was, but I know it was funny. And guess what? My parents went and seen the same movie on the same night. The reason I remember the movie was funny is because I remember my Dad laughing. When my Dad laughs, he laughs extremely loud, it's just his nature. Well that night, I felt like crawling under one of the seats. LOL! Totally embarrassed. Sorry Dad. ;)

Just sitting here and traveling down memory lane and thought I'd share. =)

And parents, don't be alarmed if you are going through this with your teenager, this is only an opinion from your growing child's perspective. Yes, they will grow out of it, I promise.

A Few Halloween Recipes For The Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:03:00 +0000

Just a few Halloween recipes for the kids...I hope you enjoy. :)

From: Family Fun Magazine

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Yellow and red food coloring
Pretzel nuggets (stems)

Directions

Heat the oven to 350º and line a 12-cup muffin tin with bake cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set the mixture aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the oil and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently stir the mixture until well combined. Explain to your child that she should stir only until she can no longer see any pockets or streaks of flour.

Stir the pumpkin into the batter until it is thoroughly combined. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of one cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes sit in the tin for 10 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool thoroughly.

Meanwhile, make the Cream Cheese Frosting. In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat together the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice until smooth. Add about 12 drops of yellow food coloring and 4 drops of red food coloring and beat until the frosting turns orange.

For authentic-looking pumpkins, pipe on the frosting to resemble a pumpkin's ridges. Fill a sealable plastic bag with frosting, snip a small hole in the corner, and pipe curved lines over each cupcake. (An easier option is simply to frost each cupcake orange and draw ridges from top to bottom with a butter knife.) Use pretzel nuggets for the pumpkin stems and cut flattened green gumdrops into leaves. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Halloween Mud Pie

Ingredients

16 Oreo cookies or chocolate graham crackers
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 pint ice cream
to 10 gummy worms
1 cup fudge sauce
Whipped cream, optional

Directions

Put cookies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Empty into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate to form a shell and freeze for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, soften the ice cream slightly. Drop in a few gummy worms (that's the Halloween part) and spoon into the pie shell. Top with a thick layer of fudge sauce and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving with optional whipped cream. Makes 8 servings

Pumpkin Ice-cream Pie

Ingredients

CRUST

1 1/2 cups crushed cinnamon-sugar graham crackers (about 12 whole graham crackers)
4 tablespoons melted butter

FILLING

1 quart vanilla ice cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin
Assorted dried fruit

Directions

Heat the oven to 350º. In a 9-inch pie plate, mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Have your child crumble the mixture with her fingers until the butter is evenly distributed. Then she should press it around the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake for 5 minutes and cool completely.

Meanwhile, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Scoop it into a large mixing bowl. Break apart the ice cream with a spoon, then add the sugar, spices, and pumpkin. Mash until the pumpkin and spices are evenly distributed through the ice cream.

Spoon (or pour) the pumpkin ice cream into the cooled crust. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

Before serving, decorate the pie with an assortment of dried fruit to create a colorful jack-o'-lantern face. We cut figs, dried papaya, and dates into triangles for the eyes and nose and into squares for the teeth. Let the pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 8

Enjoy! ;)

Positive Praise Refresher Course

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:46:00 +0000

The last thing your child wants to hear is "You got how many wrong?!" or "You didn't spell those three words correctly!" Those sentences would insult the intelligence of the smartest 10 year old, especially in that tone of voice. ;)

You need to use positive reinforcement to encourage children to study hard, believe in themselves, and do their homework. Your child sincerely needs your words of encouragement and approval.

Too often parents fall into the trap of paying too much attention to what their kids do wrong, rather than what they do correctly. In some cases exceptionally well.

Let's look at a particular example here...

You attended the reading of your child's geography essay. Sharon made lots of spelling mistakes on the paper itself, but presented it beautifully with perfect penmanship, spoke clearly and confidently, and also got it completed in record time. She also knew her geography, it was an exceptionally good essay.

What needs to be addressed here? Well of course all the good points. Remember, Sharon needs to hear encouraging words. ;)

While good spelling skills can always be improved and also certainly should be encouraged, I think that confidence, actually comprehending the studied material and knowing it well, and good penmanship will get a child farther than a few correctly-spelled words.

As a parent, how would you handle the situation? How would you subtly encourage good spelling skills?

To End The Summer Season...

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Hi there,

Well it's officially fall now and this last week has proven it. It's been very much on the cool side...enough that I wanted to turn our furnace on. :o So yes, fall has definitely arrived here.

I thought I'd share a recipe to say goodbye to summer. This yummy dish was what I had for lunch today. I think the kiddos would really take a liking to it. :D

Fat Free Strawberry Yogurt Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1 container fat free strawberry flavored activia yogurt
5 med strawberries
1 small banana
8 seedless grapes

Directions

Wash and cut up the fruit in small bite-sized pieces. Put fruit in small mixing bowl. Add the container of yogurt and mix together with spoon.

Enjoy! =)

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Fun Vegetarian Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:23:00 +0000

By: Matt Wade

'Ruote' or wagon wheel pasta, is great for engaging kids at meal times.

Encouraging little munchers to eat their greens can be a tricky business.

However there are some seriously fun Italian pasta shapes available to liven up a healthy dish and distract your little eaters from all the goodness they’re ingesting.

Here’s a nutrient-packed vegetarian pasta recipe, complete with pasta shape suggestions, that should see those greens get eaten.

Ingredients – serves 2
Up to 100g/3.5oz of pasta per child (depending on age)

Consider...
- ruote (wagon wheel pasta) – for little boys (and dirty tablecloths)
- farfalle (bow-tie pasta) – mucky collar alert!
- orecchiette (little ears)

250g/9oz fresh tomatoes (cherry or normal)
200g/7oz zucchini/courgette
½ a medium onion
10g/0.3oz basil leaves (roughly 10 good sized leaves)
½ teaspoon of chili powder
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Directions

Step 1 - If using normal tomatoes, peel these by standing them in a bowl of kettle-boiled water for 2 mins. Then drain the water and carefully peel away the skins.

Chop these toms into small 1cm chunks.

- If using small cherry tomatoes, don’t peel these. Just chop into quarters.

- Chop the ends off the zucchini and slice as thinly as possible - the thinner the slices, the less time the softening and frying process will take.

- Wash and roughly tear the basil leaves.

- Chop the ends off the onion and peel it. Now slice it, again as thinly as you can.

Step 2 – Coat your frying pan with olive oil and heat on a medium heat hob.

When the oil is hot, turn down to low and add the sliced onion. Fry until soft – this usually takes maybe 6 or 7 mins.

Tip: If you don’t have a lid for your pan, this frying will take a minute or two longer.

Step 3 – When the onion is soft, throw in the zucchini and half a teaspoon of salt.

Fry gently on the same heat, stirring often, until the zucchini is really soft (almost molten). Allow 15 - 20 minutes for this.

Step 4 – Add the tomato. Turn up to a medium heat and cook for a further 20 mins, stirring occasionally.

- After 10 mins, stir in the basil leaves and chili powder!

Now is also a good time to boil two kettles’ worth of water and transfer this to your big pan. When it’s boiling, add the pasta and half a handful of salt.

(Check the pasta packet’s time; it will usually take 8 - 12 mins.)

Step 5 – When the sauce’s final 20 mins is up, take it off the heat while the pasta cooks.

When the pasta is ready (softened but not mush, AKA ‘al dente’), drain it and add to the frying pan.

Stir this mixture on a medium heat for 2 mins.

Done!

Molten veg-coated pasta shapes full of nutritional goodness, buon appetito!

Direct from the pages of Pasta Recipes Made Easy

Enjoy! ;)

Safe and Healthy Trick or Treating Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:51:00 +0000

By Tammy Embrich

Hearing the crunch of brightly colored leaves beneath our feet and the feel of a slight brisker air is a sure sign of my favorite season. I love seeing all the warm colored foliage that garnish the trees and also just taking in that fresh, crisp scent of fall.

Packaged candies, spooky costumes, and jack-o-lanterns will soon by festively lining the shelves of all the stores. Halloween is such a fun and happy time for kids. A fun time to get dressed up and scrounge for free candy. Would you like some ideas that could combine safety and good health along with all the fun for your children?

I have a few tips here you may be looking for

Top Four Safety Tips

* Give your children boundaries of where it is safe to go trick or treating. Limit them to houses with people you know and trust.

* Always have an older sibling or an adult for your child's escort to go along trick or treating. The best escort they can have is of course you.

* Tell your children to refrain from going to houses without a porch light on.

* Firmly tell your children not to eat any of the goodies until they get home and you have had ample time to inspect. Carefully check your child's bag of goodies before consuming. Look out for any tears or holes in the packaging, or any discoloration. If you find any suspicious tampered candy at all, it's always best to throw it out.

Healthy Alternatives

First of all, make sure your child eats a well-balanced evening meal before going trick or treating. By doing so, this may discourage over eating snacks or candy. Definitely do not let your child go out without eating anything at all. Skipping dinner may result with an upset tummy later in the evening after overindulging.

When handing out those treats, opt for healthier choices. Yes, there are many!

* Drop some tasty trail mixes in those festive trick or treat bags along with a few pieces of your favorite candy corn. You don't have to eliminate the candy all together, just control the portions

* Cheese and crackers (preferably the low fat kind) is always a healthy choice over the high sugar candies. And of course they come in convenient small packages.

* Goldfish crackers or animal crackers are always a big hit with the kids. These snacks are also convenient for those little bags.

* Light cheese and butter popcorn is also another healthy snack kids will love without the sugar.

* The sweet taste of some dried fruit dropped in those bags is yet another alternative to candy.

* How about those small boxes of raisins? Kids love them and most importantly, they are good for you.

* What about sugar free candy? A lot of the sugar free candies are great tasting. The little ones won't even know the difference, unless of course you give out the bags of the sugar free goodies that say "sugar free." It's best to always give out individually wrapped candy when it comes to the sugar free type.

Have you ever thought of non-edible treats? Glow-in-the-dark stickers are always kid pleasers. Kids love stickers. Other ideas would be crayons, markers, pencils, brightly colored toothbrushes, and money (dimes, nickels, pennies). Just to name a few.

Use your creativity and imagination for more fun ideas and have a safe, healthy, and happy Halloween!

Article Written By Tammy Embrich

You can find more parenting articles by Tammy at Parenting Articles.

Also visit Tammy at her Work At Home Articles blog.

Super Mom = Myth. Be a GREAT Mom Instead

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:28:00 +0000

By Aurelia Williams

We all want to be the best moms we possibly can and with all the responsibilities that go with being a mom and life in general, it can be a LOT to take on. But we watch other moms and they seem to have it so together…so we push ourselves harder.

In our efforts to be that Super Mom, sometimes we sacrifice when it comes to caring for ourselves. We develop poor eating and sleeping habits, we may not exercise as much as we should and we just get plain old get stressed out.

But you know what?

All those bad habits are passed onto our children. Thus, defeating our attempts at being that ideal Super Mom.

Forget the Super Mom Trap ad grab Aurelia Williams’ “Real Life Guidance to Getting out of the Super Mom Trap”. Aurelia is a Certified Life Coach, the mother of 3 children herself and specializes in helping moms just like us.

In this concise and actionable 29-page guide, she shows you:

- How various media portrays the Super Mom, making you feel guilt for our perfectly natural imperfections.
- Easily saying no and without the guilt.
- Stories of real moms who are breaking free from the Super Mom Trap and how you can too.
- Learning to delegate (no, YOU don’t have to do it ALL) and getting more done.

If you’ve had enough of trying to be everything to everyone, but still want to ensure your family and personal happiness, grab a copy of the guide now. You can download it instantly, plus you’ll get a bonus 25-minute “Stress Less” audio recording making it even easier to unload all that is bogging you down.

Learn more and instantly access your guide at: Real Life Guidance to Getting out of the Super Mom Trap

Household Chores for Preschool-Aged Children

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:04:00 +0000

By Rachel Paxton

Children can learn to do household chores at a young age. Even toddlers can be taught to pick up their clothes and toys and put them away.

Preschool-aged children should be doing a wider variety of household chores. In our home, I keep my preschoolers' chore list short and simple, but they have come a long way in learning to clean up after themselves.

Not too long ago, I was still helping my four-year-olds get dressed in the morning. That was one of the first tasks to be put on their chore chart! I thought if I made it a "chore", and that if doing chores would earn them a special reward, then they would be more motivated to get themselves dressed in the morning, and I was right.

Another chore I have my preschoolers do is put their dishes in the sink after they eat, including scraping their plates into the garbage can first. The first couple of times I had to remind them to do it after they ate, but very quickly it became a new habit for them and they started doing it without even thinking about it.

Young children have a way of making your home look like a tornado tore through it. Picking up all their toys day after day gets really tiring, and some days I just want to give up. I don't make my boys pick up every single toy laying around the house, but every afternoon I have them do a general cleanup to get most of their toys put away where they belong. If you label containers for them, this exercise is also a great way for teaching them simple words as they look for the correct container to put away their toys.

At night time my boys put on their own pajamas and brush their own teeth. There are many rinses available that make brushing teeth fun for kids...who wouldn't want their teeth to turn blue!? My boys look forward to brushing their teeth every night.

Every night before bed my boys get to choose a small toy from a "treasure" box I put together to reward them for doing their chores. This box is full of small plastic lizards, frogs, stickers, temporary tattoos, and other small toys. You would think a child wouldn't go to all that trouble just for a small temporary tattoo, but you would be surprised. The novelty still hasn't worn off for my kids, even after several months. They really look forward to picking out their treasure every night.

My main goal in choosing these simple chores for my children was to have them start doing the things for themselves that I do for them day after day. It frees up more of my time for other household chores, and they are learning to take more responsibility for taking care of themselves.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at www.creativehomemaking.com

Back to School: Plan healthy after-school snacks

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:13:00 +0000

By April Sorrow

Children need after-school snacks. But University of Georgia experts say parents need to help kids make snacking the healthy, safe habit it needs to be.

To supply the energy they need to stay healthy and active, children have to eat more calories and more often, said Jan Baggarly, UGA Cooperative Extension coordinator in Bibb County. Children are growing fast. And they're usually more active than adults.

But parents need to guide children to make healthy snack choices, Baggarly said. To help them do that, keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand.

A nutritious snack provides food from at least one (if not two) foods from MyPyramid, Baggarly said. Snacks can include any food you'd eat for a meal.

"Often, children don't get all the nutrition they need from eating regular meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner, so snacks become essential," she said. "Making healthy snacks available to kids after school is a great way to keep their energy levels up and not spoil their dinner."

But snacks should be planned for, she said. They shouldn't just happen.

Baggarly suggests these nutritious snacks: cheese and crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, cold cereal, fresh and dried fruits, raw vegetables and dips made from low-fat ingredients, popcorn, graham crackers and vanilla wafers.

"Fruit is an excellent choice because it is packed with nutrients and fiber," Baggarly said.

You don't have to leave cookies off the list, either. "Cookies and other sugary foods can be offered occasionally or as a special treat but should not replace other, more wholesome foods," she said. "Sugary foods contribute to cavities and obesity. Cakes, cookies and other sweet baked goods should be served as a snack no more than twice a week."

One way to reduce fat in cookies is by using applesauce in place of shortening when making oatmeal cookies. This alteration alone cuts the fat by one-third.

After-school drinks can add extra calories to a child's diet, too. Baggarly said sugar drinks like fruity punches, soft drinks or "fruit drinks" are poor choices for snack time. She suggests offering children water with their snack. Milk is an excellent choice, too.

"Children can get up to 15 percent of their calories and nutrients from snacks, making it important for parents to plan snacks for their children," Baggarly said.

Parents help their kids make safe choices, too, said Judy Harrison, an Extension food safety specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

"Moms and dads need to establish some basic kitchen rules and consider putting them in writing," she said. "For instance, many children begin to use the microwave as early as age 7. But you may not want your child (doing this) unsupervised."

Improper use of a microwave, she said, can cause severe burns.

"Teach your children to open packages and remove lids so that steam escapes away from their faces," she said, "and to use pot holders or oven mitts when handling hot foods."

Parents can find many microwavable foods at the grocery store that can be great selections for after-school snacks. Look for items like microwavable popcorn ("but hold the butter, please," she said), soft pretzels and even frozen sandwiches. Frozen, microwavable foods like ravioli, spaghetti and other frozen entrees can make nutrient-rich after-school snacks. Select lower-fat options from the frozen foods case.

Kids deserve a little refreshment after a hard day at school.

"Just make sure your after-school chef follows safe food handling rules and follows the directions for careful preparation," Harrison said.

April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Article Source: SavannahNow.com

Childhood Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:10:00 +0000

What is that saying? "The child's memories fabricates the adult's life."

And that is so true. Our fears and anxieties as adults, and also our dreams and goals all stem from childhood memories. Think about it, makes sense doesn't it? ;)

Now, let me think of my best memories as a child with each of my parents. I don't have to think very hard. =)

1) One day when I was very young, we had a huge ice storm. This storm was so bad and it was so cold, I think the schools were closed for 3 days.

The morning of the ice storm, I remember waking up and hearing some school closings coming from our kitchen. It wasn't long until I heard "All St. Louis public schools are closed." "Yeah!!!" I screamed. I ran and looked outside. It was beautiful, it looked like a picture perfect winter wonderland. The street, cars, sidewalks, houses, and trees were completely covered with a heavy blanket of ice.

Dad put on his coat and asked me to get dressed and come outside with him. We ended up skating up and down the street, only thing, we weren't wearing any skates. Dad and I had so much fun that day. I don't ever remember being that happy than I was at that moment. :D

2) I remember playing yahtzee, (you know the dice game) with my Mom. We would play that game for hours. Dad would often find us at our kitchen table in the evenings rolling the dice and yelling, "I'll take that on my three's" or the ever-so-popular "Yahtzee!" I remember that so well. This was one of the memories I talked to my Mom about just a few days before her passing. She well remembered, surprisingly so, as she had Alzheimer's. It brought a big happy smile to her face, as well as mine. :D

Not too long ago, I was rummaging through some old papers and I found a few of the charts that we kept score on. That brought a few tears to my eyes, they were both mixed happy and sad tears. More happy though. ;)

So, what memories can you come up with when you were a child? Were they with your parents, your brothers, your sisters, perhaps your grandparents? Do they put a smile on your face? =)

Tips to Become Happier & More Empowered

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:09:00 +0000

By Aurelia Williams, author of Journey to Joy

In a search for happiness, many people look for it in other people and not within ourselves. Many people feel that things like money, a better job, better relationships..etc will make them happy. In reality, to find true contentment you must look inside yourself and learn to be your own best friend. That means you have to trust, love, and care for yourself just as you do the people you consider to be close to you.

Following are steps that you can incorporate into your life that will help you to feel more empowered and happy about yourself! These are just some of the many practical strategies I provide to my Journey to Joy students:

Begin to lift yourself up, not put yourself down. If you don't like something about yourself, work to change it. If you can't change it, simply accept it. Don't beat up on yourself with negative self-talk. You're not likely to change for the better when you fill yourself with negative thoughts.

Give yourself positive rewards. When you do something that you are proud of give yourself a small reward. Try not to wait for others to praise you because you may grow resentful if the praise doesn't come. Pat your own back, it is a great feeling that can stay with you for a long time.

Forgive yourself. I doubt that you would keep scolding a child over and over for making a mistake so don't do that to yourself. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness when you make a mistake. After that, work to figure out what lesson you can learn, and use it to make better choices the next time around.

Enjoy your successes. Most people can remember all of the details of depressing, painful or even embarrassing events that happened many years ago. What if you did the same thing with all of your wins? Try to remember all of the triumphs and accomplishments that you've made and keep that memory with you and think about it at least once a week.

Always remember to celebrate your wonderful qualities! You will soon discover that the more you love yourself, the more you will be able to give love to others - and the more others will be able to love you!

Next Steps:

For more help, instantly access your Journey To Joy tools, for a happier and more fulfilled you. This inspiring eBook with accompanying audio recordings, worksheets and easy-to-apply action steps shows you how to take back the joy in your life.

10 Tips For Car Trips You'll Love With Children

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:58:00 +0000

By Marilyn Bohn

Vacationing with kids in a car is no vacation. Or another way of saying this is “being cooped up with the kids in the car is the pits”. If you don’t plan on popping in a DVD and letting the kids watch endless movies here are sanity saving ideas for your car trip.

Long trips can be boring for kids and every two seconds (well maybe one) they are asking, “are we there yet”? Plan ahead before the trip to make your drive pleasant for everyone—of course this works best with school age children.

·Get a map and show the children before leaving where you will be traveling. If your children are old enough give each one their own map and markers. They can plot the trip so they can see you are getting closer. Before leaving home have them mark on the map certain destinations and at that point in the trip hand out a treat or tell a new story etc.

·Allow enough time for the trip. Have frequent rest stops. This will not only help the children but it will help you. Drive two hours then get out and do some exercises like touching your toes, jumping jacks, running around the car three times both ways. You and your children will be refreshed with the break.

·At certain intervals if you are taking it leisurely stop at a school or a city park and let them burn off some energy on the playground equipment. Go to a local deli or grocery store in whatever town you are in and buy the fixings for a picnic. The added bonus is that the kids can run around. Or stop at a restaurant where there are play areas for children to play.

When I was a child we would travel 625 miles from one state to another. One of my memories is stopping at the same place every year, eat a lunch my mother had packed and have a licorice ice cream cone across from the park. We would then play for 30 minutes while my mom took a nap. I wonder if that is why I love licorice anything to this day.

·Make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks for the trip. Bring them out at different intervals. Bring plenty of water in a cooler and other drinks your family likes.

·Include plastic cups, one dishtowel for each person, a Frisbee to eat out of or to play with at a rest stop. Baby wipes are a must for everyone in the car.

·Have plenty of their favorite music. Have sing along songs that the whole family can sing to.

·Each child needs to have their own book bag or back pack. Stuff it full of things for them to do. Reading books, coloring books, new small toys, and one of their favorite. Some could be wrapped and at certain places they have marked on the map they could open this surprise.

·Travel games are great fun because they are the only time they can be played so they are new and different. Games like “I Spy or also called Travel Bingo”—spy license plates from different states, an animal, a certain kind of road or building (barn, gravel etc), and different road signs.

·Bring lap pads to play cards on or to eat on. It could be a travel desk suspended from the back of the front seat.

·Electronic video games are great to have in the car as it helps time pass more quickly for you and for them.

Long trips can be boring for children and a pain for the parents. With some planning before the trip it can be fun for everyone and might be the best part of the trip for the children.

About The Author

Marilyn is a professional organizer and invites you to visit her website www.marilynbohn.com. She is a sought after public speaker and author who is passionate about teaching ways to organize your life and how to reduce clutter. She works with women in their homes and offices. On her web site she teaches you to get rid of clutter by using her Lights On Organizing System.

She provides practical information on how to declutter your home, office and life. In her blogs, articles, and videos she gives timely tips on how to clear clutter and how to declutter everything in your home and office. She is the author of a book called Go Organize! Conquer clutter in three simple steps which will be in major bookstores in December 2009. Marilyn is a professional organizer who works with women and seniors in clearing clutter and providing organizing tips. Visit her website www.marilynbohn.com.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Child Summer Entertainment Tips For The Work At Home Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:06:00 +0000

By Tammy Embrich

Here we are in the full bloom of summer. A fun time for kids enjoying their break from school.

I have a niece who simply loves to read. Actually, she is content to sit and read for an entire day. My Sister-In-Law never has any concerns about her child's entertainment needs because her little one seems to always be taken away with a good book.

But that is just not the case with most children. If your child is between the ages of 4 and 10, then you may need to put some thought into child entertainment tips.

When my son was very young, he amused himself with his farm sets. Remember those? He had toy houses, sheds, tractors, other farm equipment, fence pieces, and not to mention all the toy trucks and cars his parents spoiled him with. He would set all this up in our living room and he was quite the happy child for several hours.

The above would be a great idea if your child is a boy and was into this type of activity. Every child is unique and has different likes, dislikes, and needs. And all these need to be taken into consideration.

Below are just a few summer inexpensive entertaining tips for you and your children

1. Go to your public park. If the park is in walking distance, save your gas and walk to the park to make the outing more fun. Pack a small picnic lunch (something that could be carried easily) and some snacks for the day. Your kids will love it! Plus it will give them a chance to run off that extra energy that us parent folk don't seem to have anymore. If you work from home on your computer and are blessed with a laptop, take it along and work while the kids are playing.

2. Have a weekly ice cream social. Make it fun with all the special extra treats such as sprinkles, chocolate syrup, bananas for banana splits, whip cream, cherries, cones, and the like. Suggest to other Moms in your neighborhood to take turns in hosting this event. This way you will have a considerable block of work time to yourself to help you stay on schedule.

3. Set up your kitchen table for finger painting fun. Open up your laptop right there at the table to keep an eye on things while you stay working. And by all means, take a few moments and make your own finger painting creation! This will give you a nice break from work and also encourage your kids to remain interested in the project for longer periods of time if they see you enjoying it too.

4. If you have a home office, get your children enthused with tidying things up a bit. If you have more than 1 child, give them each a special cleaning project. Set aside a special clean-up day each week for this purpose. You can make it extra special by rewarding them with a little pocket change or even a lunch event.

5. Take a trip to your public library. This activity would be a fun outing every week or every other week. This is another convenient place you can take your laptop along. While your kids are looking at or reading their books, this would be an ideal time for you to open it up and keep on working.

6. Make one day of the week a work help day. Set your kids up a special work area, with paper, pencils, crayons, etc...
Have them make pictures for you to display on your desk for the week. Tell them you need pretty pictures with lots of smiley faces on them to keep Mom motivated and happy about her business. You can also give them special chores such as, fetching the mail for you, emptying the trash, stamping your name or label on brochures, catalogues, and envelopes. According to what type of business you have, I'm sure there are other tasks that your children will be happy and able to help you with.

7. Have a video day. Keep this to a minimum. You don't want to create an unhealthy habit that would encourage more bad habits as they reach adulthood. You should encourage other events that would keep them active versus being in front of the screen. So, once per week would be ideal.

Here you have an activity for each day of the week. Be happy and enthusiastic about these weekly events, as this will encourage your kids to be more involved. A good idea is to make up a colorful chart with these events and place it on the fridge for everyone to see. These activities may get them involved with your business (depending on their ages of course), and will also give you a chance to spend some quality time with them during the summer. Have fun, they are only young once!

Article Written By Tammy Embrich

You can find more articles by Tammy at Parenting Articles.

You can also visit her at her Work At Home Forums.

10 Greatest Parenting Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:17:00 +0000

By: Dominique Goh

No one said that being a parent was going to be easy. There is no full proof manual that comes along when the baby is born. I myself am still learning as I travel along this journey as a parent of two young boys.

Here is are some tips to help improve on your parenting

As a parent you should not :

1. Give into guilt by taking upon the mistakes of the children as your own. It is okay if children make mistakes. It is only bad if they do not learn from it. It is not possible for your child not to make mistakes or be infallible as you personally are not.

2. Striving for Perfectionism. Stop!! Don’t do that you are not bringing up robots. If all your kids problems/battles are being solved by you catering to their every need they will not be able to adapt to the real world and the how to be independent and face their own battles. They will not know/learn the techniques/skills needed for survival. By aiming for perfectionism you are only placing additional unwanted stress on your child and they may resent you for it.

3. Being Overindulgent. Do not be afraid to deprive your kids. Sometimes they have too much of a good thing to learn how to appreciate it properly. If they have everything they desired they will not know the value of ownership and how to cherish and take care of their own belongings.

4. Failing to admit that as parents, you foul up sometimes. Do admit your mistakes to you child if you commit any. It will only help to strengthen your relationship . Your child will give you plenty of changes to apologize, ask for forgiveness and try to do better.
Problems and errors are inevitable; how we handle them is up to us. We can be critical of ourselves or our children, or we can see our mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

5. Shutting off the child. Irregardless of what tactics you try in an attempt to guide your child, make sure that you also keep the lines of communication open, be as perceptive as you can, and then trust your intuition about what’s best for your son or daughter. You may be driving your child into a corner and into desperation if you do so and they may take drastic actions which you may regret bitterly afterward.

6. Punishment will change all bad behavior. This is not true. It is only a temporary stop gap measure which does not eliminate the particular unwanted behavior. It may even reinforce other undesirable behaviors in your child. Your yelling or hitting your child as punishment will only result in him acting out the same behavior on others or even you in the future? Do you wish your child to behave so aggressively towards you like you were towards him?

7. Constantly nag at your child. It will only cause them to turn a deaf ear and make you more frustrated with them. 50 time - " I told you to put your clothes into the laundry hamper" does not equate to the child doing what you wish him to do. I'm sure you hated when your spouse or parent nagged at you to do things which you didn't find the need or didn't want to.

8. Believe that by explaining to your child why a behavior is wrong he would automatically stop it and not commit the same mistake again. Explanation without modeling the correct behavior is useless. It will be the same as sitting through a boring science lecture which you have no interest in. You will still commit the same mistake as you haven't learn the theory and done the practice associated with it.

9. Having the belief that praising a child too much is bad for him. This is a very ancient way (dictatorship) of parenting. If your praise is misguided or poorly delivered yes, it may not be effective. Be specific in how your praise your child. Praise him for a particular action IE: Playing nicely for 20 minutes with his brother instead of saying " You are being a good boy today ".

10. Thinking that all children can fit into the same mold. Each child develops and matures at a different rate. Every one of them have their own strengths and weaknesses. It would be unfair to them to compare their development with their siblings and peers. Instead a better way would be to work on developing their strengths and help them how to overcome their weaknesses.

Are you guilty as a parent of committing any of these mistakes?

About The Author

Dominique Goh, elementary school educator, mom to two young boys, freelance writer, budding website designer and administrator. Sign up for my parenting newsletter and receive a FREE Childcare E-book at Dominique's Desk.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:27:00 +0000

From Eating Well.com

Instead of batter-dipped, deep-fried nuggets, we coat chicken tenders in a seasoned almond and whole-wheat flour crust and then oven-fry them to perfection. With half the fat of standard breaded chicken tenders, you can enjoy to your (healthy) heart’s content.

Ingredients

Canola oil cooking spray
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large egg whites
1 pound chicken tenders (see Ingredient Note)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.

2. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3. Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Place the tenders on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side.
4. Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 174 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 254 mg sodium; 76 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Selenium (31% daily value).
0 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 1/2 fat

Enjoy!~ ;)

Stress Management Tips for Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:41:00 +0000

By Aurelia Williams - Certified Life Coach

Let's Face it, every mom has had one of "those days". The baby is feed and dry but very fussy, your child forgot to tell you about a science project that is due tomorrow and hands you a list of 10 things that you must get from the store, you forgot the roast in the oven and now it is dry and your husband just called to say that he is stuck at the office... again! After a day like this, it can be very hard to keep your stress level low. With each passing minute you may feel your stress and irritability rising, your patience getting shorter and your fuse about to blow! Calgon Take Me Away!!

When you feel the need to escape and take a few minutes to yourself to de-stress, follow some (if not all) of the tips I share with my own coaching clients below.

Put yourself in time out: Allow some alone time for yourself. Use this time to focus on you. Find a place in your home that you can go to and find privacy. You can ask your partner or a friend to take the family out for a few hours while you enjoy your alone time. Do nothing, sleep, read, watch a movie, and just enjoy your solitude.

Call a Friend: Rather than yelling at your husband or your children, try picking up the phone and vent to a friend. Be sure not to vent AT her, but rather tell her about your day and get it all out. If she offers you some advice, listen and soak it in. This mini-time out session will leave you feeling heard, de-stressed and you will find that by the end of your call some of you anger will have dissipated.

Play: As adults, we sometimes forget the beneficial value of play. Play stimulates our imagination, encourages our creativity, boosts our energy, and best of all, it is fun. Try a game of tennis, a game of cards online or perhaps invite some friends over for an evening of adult board games.

Meditate: Meditation has been proven to reduce your blood pressure, and helps to dramatically reduce your stress level. Meditation and/or prayer will help you to keep in touch with your spiritual side. Meditation is a very effective method of relaxation. To meditate, quiet your mind and allow yourself to focus on one thing, such as your breath. Find a relaxed comfortable position where Try visualizing good health and peace as you inhale. While you are breathing out breathe out all of your stress. Set aside approximately 20 minutes for this exercise. Upon completion, you will see just how much more relaxed your mind and body is.

Take a nap: Find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused. Studies have shown that people who spent 30 minutes each day napping had one third less heart disease than those who didn't nap.

Eat: Not just anything but certain things. Studies show that certain foods can help reduce stress. Carbohydrates will actually soothe you. Good sources of carbohydrates include rice, pasta, potatoes, breads, air-popped popcorn and low-calorie cookies. Experts suggest that the carbohydrates present in just one baked potato or a cup of spaghetti or white rice, is enough to relieve the anxiety of a stressful day.

Movie Time: If you don’t have anyone to watch the children for you while you de-stress. Put in one of their favorite movies, supply your children with a few healthy snacks, and have them occupy themselves for a little while so that you can take a breather.

Don't feel guilty for taking time out to rejuvenate your mind and body. Being a mom is not an easy task and it is a full time job. Take a break when you need it and be sure to ask for help to keep the stress at bay.

Next Steps:

If you need an extra hand getting what you want out of life, contact Certified Life Coach, Aurelia Williams. She'll help you design a life that allows you to reach your business and personal goals; cultivate more fulfilling relationships and that elusive achieve work/life balance you've been striving for.

Click here to learn more about her coaching program!

Tips to Curb Summertime Teen Laziness

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:53:00 +0000

By Aurelia Williams

Most of us enjoy a lazy day when we can sleep in, putz around and just relax a little - and our kids are no different. However, when the dog days of summer come, some teens take that one "couch out" day and stretch it over an entire summer break. Here are some tips to combat summertime teen laziness and keep your teen active and engaged.

Communicate Expectations – Tell your teen in a nonthreatening but firm manner that you will not accept their staying in bed all morning and afternoon. It is perfectly reasonable to ask that they get up at a decent hour. Explain that you want them to do more than merely watch TV, play video games, or visit social networking sites all day.

If your teen wants you to help pay for their summer activities, they should be willing to abide by a few summer guidelines. Set an age appropriate, specific time that you expect them to be home, based upon the level of trust they have earned. Ask them to take on a couple of extra chores during the summer to earn some pocket money. These chores could be for you or someone else, but make sure they go above and beyond the normal, everyday chores that every member of the family should be expected to do.

Get Them Engaged – Whether you ask them to help you more around the house, participate in volunteer activities in the community, or help them get a job, you want them to be engaged in something worthwhile. Give them encouragement to help at a YMCA, children’s program, or nursing home. They may find they truly enjoy these volunteer activities and you will help them appreciate the joys of serving others that will last a lifetime.

Help them find volunteer positions by calling around to local places of worship, daycares, charities, or nursing homes. Local businesses may be hiring summer help; offer to help them find a job to earn some extra money. This will help them learn to manage money, but will also help them realize the value of their time. If they get paid by the hour, they might be less likely to fritter their time away.

Spend Family Time – Avoid giving lectures about what they should do during the summer. (Lectures, period, are ineffective with teens.) Instead, find activities that you can do with them. You don’t have to spend every waking moment with your teen, but take some time to take them shopping, go to a movie, or out for a coffee. Keep it relaxed and let your teen open up to you in their own time and way. Summertime is a great time to reconnect with your teen. Don’t let these weeks go by without taking this time to slow down and just be together.

Encourage Physical Activity – Take time to learn or play a new sport with your teen. Not only will this help your teen be more active during the summer, it’ll help you get some much needed exercise, too. Boys in particular are more likely to enjoy "side by side" activities. These are often great times to open dialogue with your son about important issues. Give tennis, swimming, cycling, or rollerblading a try. You both will benefit your health and well being.

Parents all over the country complain that their teens get lazy during the summer break. But teens, just like toddlers, need guidance, clear communication, and reminders of your expectations in order to be successful. These tips should get you well on your way. Ask your teen if there are things they’d like to accomplish before school starts, and then help them to meet those goals.

Need More Help?

Here are three guides to help you reconnect with your teen, so you can help them with the rocky road of being a teenager.

1. If you're gearing up for another summer with your teen and want to dread trying to keep them occupied, happy and out of trouble, check out School's Outfor plenty of expert resources to make it a great summer.

2. Real Life Guidance to Understanding Your Teen shows you how to accept what you can and cannot control in your teen's life, how to cope with mood swings, keeping the lines of communication open.

3. Real Life Guidance to Helping Your Teen in High School includes practical suggestions to help your child find his/her identity, avoid bullies, handle peer pressure and more.

Grab them all to be armed with the easy-to-follow advice at your fingertips. They're available for instant download, which means you can get the help you need any day of the week, even if it's the middle of the night.

Fruit Pizza Recipes that are Hard to Resist!

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:08:00 +0000

From: Healthy Recipes For Kids.com

If you've never had the pleasure of trying these fruit pizza recipes or tasting a fruit pizza at all, we feel for you! They are much more delicious than it seems like they should be. The ingredients, individually, are tasty (berries, kiwi, cookie, cream cheese,...) but, together, these fruit pizza recipes form masterpieces.

I can't think of a more rewarding dessert to make or one more popular with people of all ages. Fruit pizzas are quick and easy, relatively healthy (as desserts go,) and absolutely beautiful! Of course, they're delicious too! An added bonus is that these fruit pizza recipes are easy for the kids to help out with. They'll take such pride in the creation of these beautiful fruit pizzas and they can help with virtually every step.

We know of a number of fruit pizza recipes, but our favorite is still the easy fruit pizza we learned how to make from our Pampered Chef friend when we bought our first baking stone. We've made this recipe many different ways and they all end up delicious. You can vary the fruits, the cookie type, and even substitute Splenda for all or part of the sugar. Any way you add your own touch to it should work.

Berry Fruit Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

18 oz. Refrigerated Cookie Dough (sugar cookie or chocolate chip are best)
8 oz. package Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup Sugar (or the equivalent in Splenda)
Roughly 4 cups Assorted Fruit (We prefer blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and kiwi for aesthetics and flavor, but try peaches, bananas dipped in lemon juice, apples, or any other fruit you fancy.)

Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Take cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften.
Place cookie dough on center of baking stone or nonstick cookie sheet (We usually set aside about ¼ of the dough for a future use to help the cookie fit our 14" baking stone without overflowing.)

Flatten with your hand.
Roll the dough out, using a lightly floured roller, to almost cover the pan.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. (Do not over bake.)
Wash and Slice fruit while cookie is baking. (Note: The Pampered Chef egg slicer is perfect for slicing strawberries and kiwi.)
Cool 10 minutes.
Loosen cookie with a long, serrated knife.
Cool completely.

While cookie is cooling, combine cream cheese and sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
Spread mixture on top of the cooled cookie.
Arrange fruit slices and pieces in a circular (or any) pattern on top of cream cheese mixture.
Slice using a pizza cutter.

Tart Apple Pizza

Ingredients

18 oz. Refrigerated Cookie Dough (sugar cookie is best)
3 tablespoons flour
8 oz. package Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy is easiest but try your favorite. Also, natural peanut butter is especially good in this recipe.)
2 medium Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, sliced, and dipped in lemon or lime juice to prevent browning)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 caramel topping
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Steps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Take cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften.
Remove ½ cup cookie dough and set aside for another use.
Add flour to the remaining dough and knead with hands to combine.
Place cookie dough on center of baking stone or nonstick cookie sheet.
Flatten with your hand and roll out if need be.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. (Do not over bake.)

Prepare apples while cookie is baking.
Cool 10 minutes.
Loosen cookie with a long, serrated knife.
Cool completely.
Blend cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth.

Using a small spatula, spread mixture on top of the cooled cookie.
Arrange apple slices on the cream cheese mixture in a circular (or any) pattern.
Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
Drizzle heated caramel topping over apples.
Sprinkle chopped nuts (if desired.)
Slice into pieces using a pizza cutter.
Serve and enjoy

Mini Apple Pizzas

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Flour
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
5 medium Golden Delicious or Granny Smith Apples, depending on your mood (peeled, cored, quartered, and sliced)
2 8-oz. tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, separated but unbaked (20 biscuits) Note: For a healthier alternative, try to find low-fat and/or whole wheat biscuits.
1 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (cold)

Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Peel, core, quarter, and slice apples.
Roll biscuits into small, flat circles about 3 inches in diameter and place them on cookie sheets.

Sprinkle cheese over the flattened biscuits.
Top each biscuit with a dot of butter.
Top with apple slices, dividing evenly among the biscuits.
Top the apples with the brown sugar mixture.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until brown and bubbling.
Cool several minutes.
Serve and enjoy.

Makes 20 mini pizzas

This is our quickest, "down and dirty", of the fruit pizza recipes. Make this for a special surprise breakfast, snack, or even dessert and thrill the kids. Allow extra time to let them "decorate" their pizza themselves!

Bagel Fruit Pizzas

Ingredients

1 bagel half per person (we use whole wheat, but just about any kind will do)
1 Tablespoon Cream Cheese (we frequently use strawberry cream cheese)
1/8 teaspoon Sugar (optional)
Roughly ½ cup Assorted Fruit (smaller berries work best)

Steps

Toast bagel
Mix cream cheese and sugar together in a bowl (if you're including the optional sugar)

Spread cream cheese mixture (or just plain cream cheese) on toasted bagel.
Top with fruit and serve (or, better yet, serve with fruit in a separate bowl and allow the kids to decorate as they please.)

-----------------------------

Believe it or not, these are just a few of our fruit pizza recipes. As soon as we get our database up, we'll let you know and you'll be able to search, rate, and add to thousands of recipes, from sugar cookie fruit pizza to squash casserole. If you'd like to be one of the first to know, sign up for our free "Kids Canteen" E-zine.

Enjoy! =)

Creating Your Own Baby Theme Gift Baskets

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:28:00 +0000

By Shelly Hill

Creating your own baby theme gift baskets is really easy and fun. You can save money by making them yourself instead of buying them from a trendy gift store. You can make them for personal use to give as gifts or start a home based gift basket business.

You only need a few simple supplies to get started.

Supplies:

Basket
Basket Filler (shreds)
Basket Clear Cellophane Bag or Basket Wrap
Ribbon (to tie off the bag)
Ribbon (to make a bow)
Gift Tag
Product Fillers
Scissors

*optional* disposable cameras to pack in the baskets.

Now its time to pick a theme and go out and buy some product fillers for your gift basket. Here are some theme ideas to get your creative process started.

1. Baby Bath Care Basket: rubber ducky, bath toys, baby wash cloths, baby bath towels, baby body wash, baby bath shampoo, baby powder, brush and comb.

2. Baby Diapering Basket: newborn sized disposable diapers or cloth diapers, diaper pins, rubber pants, diaper rash cream, clothing diaper changing pads, disposable diaper changing pads, diaper wipes, toy and dirty diaper disposable bags.

3. Baby Feeding Basket: disposable and cloth baby bibs, feeding spoons, wash cloths, hand wipes, sipper cups, plastic feeding dishes (cup, bowl and plate), box of baby cereal, jars of baby food, teething ring and a toy.

4. Baby Nursing Feeding Basket: baby bottles, bottle nipples, bottle liners, bottle cleaning brush, bottle sterilizer, burp pads, baby bibs, wash cloths, hand wipes, pacifier, teething rings and a toy.

5. Baby Toy Basket: baby rattles, baby teething rings, rubber ducky, plastic soft-cover baby books, particle board baby books, lullaby music cd and a teddy bear.

6. Baby Basics Basket: 3 baby wash cloths, 3 baby bath towels, 3 baby bibs, 3 baby onesies, 3 pair baby bootie socks, 1 baby hat, 2 baby sleepers, 1 pacifier, 1 toy rattle and a teddy bear.

7. Baby First Aid Basket: diaper rash cream, antibiotic ointment, band aids, ear thermometer, rectal or oral thermometer, baby teething relief gel, infant fever reducer medication, medicine spoon, medicine dropper, tweezers and a teddy bear or other toy.

8. Bedtime Baby Basket: 1 baby blanket, 2 soft cover baby books, 2 hardcover baby books, night light, lullaby music cd, 2 baby sleepers or night sacks, crib sheets and a teddy bear.

9. Grandma's Theme Baby Basket: (all items in this basket should have something to do with grandma and you can find a lot of preprinted grandma and nana theme items) bibs, sleepers, onesies, books, toy and a teddy bear.

*note* extra special idea: look for one of those going to grandma's house theme totes and pack your items into one of those instead of using a basket.

10. Baby Travel Basket: (all items are small and can fit into a diaper bag, travel sizes work best) diaper wipes, diaper rash cream, diaper changing pads, shampoo, baby lotion, baby bath body wash, baby powder, comb, hair brush, hats, booties, blankets, hand wipes, sipper cup, baby bottle, travel-style baby bottle warmer, disposable dirty diaper bags and a teddy bear or toy.

You can find a lot of the smaller items to fill your baskets at the local discount dollar store to save money. I have also found basket filler shreds and basket bag wraps there too.

About The Author

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at http://my.tupperware.com/Ravish30, http://www.classybusinesswomen.com, and http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com.

Make It Your Business To Increase A Childs Self-Worth

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:44:00 +0000

Make It Your Business To Increase A Childs Self-Worth

By Liz Folger, Work-at-home mom expert and founder of Bizymoms.com

Have you ever given your young child some of your junk mail and told them it
was their mail? Did you see how excited they got and how important they
felt? My girls would all of a sudden act like they were very important and "read" their mail as if they were the next big hotshot executives.

One thing I enjoy about children is their honest expression of their
emotions. Of course it isn't pretty when your child decides to throw the
fattest tantrum in the middle of your grocery shopping experience but
really haven't you felt like doing that yourself at times? Imagine how much
better you'd probably feel if you felt that frustration, expressed it, and then
got up, dusted yourself off, and went on your way?

Children have this marvelous way of feeling their emotions, something adults
should look into a bit more themselves. I think that's why as adults we
receive so much pleasure giving our little ones gifts. It sure feels good
when a child you love and adore shows such happy appreciation for something
you've given them.

There's a business out there you can get into that helps increase a child's
self-worth and can make a child very happy. So much so you are sure to
get repeat business from happy parents and relatives. And really, isn't that
the best form of marketing, selling your product to your satisfied customers
over and over again?

When I was a child, I loved Holidays, and actually still do to this day.
Holidays are a magical experience. Then there is the experience of loosing
a tooth or days a child is extra nice to their little brother and sister.
They say positive reinforcement is the best way to remind a child how they
should act. In the article "Why Positive Reinforcement Works," by Brenda L.
Gargus, Brenda said, "Positive communication is a tool to reinforce good behavior
and eliminate bad behavior; it builds self-esteem and inspires confidence in
children."

What if you could actually start a business from home and your
business was to increase a child's self-confidence, and offer a service where
parents could use a form of positive reinforcement with their kids?

An online article at askdrsears.com talks about how
self-esteem as a child effects your adult years. It explains that, "Self-esteem
is your child's passport to lifetime mental health and social happiness.
It's the foundation of a child's well being and the key to success as an
adult. At all ages, how you feel about yourself affects how you act. Think
about a time when you were feeling really good about yourself. You probably
found it much easier to get along with others and feel good about them."

Bizyletters.com offers the above and a whole lot more. Some of you might
have heard about the business of Santa Letters. This is where a parent fills
out a form about the child including information such as the names of their friends, siblings, pets, activities they do very well, etc. Then you use the information to create a very personalized letter for that child and send it to them during the Christmas Holiday.

The Bizyletters opportunity offers Santa Letters, but it also offers
templates for letters from the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny, the
Great Pumpkin and too many more to mention here.

Wouldn't it be nice if someone asked you what you did for a living and you
could say, "My job is to make children feel very very special and most
importantly loved?" Gifts might come and go, but a letter from Santa, or the
tooth fairy is something parents keep to put in scrapbooks, and baby books.
It's a special memory for a child who has no doubt he must be the most
important person in the world.

If you'd like more information about starting your own Bizyletter business please CLICK HERE!

Mom Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:20:00 +0000

M-O-T-H-E-R =)

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

--Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

The precious gifts that mothers bestow to us

"The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness." -- Honore' de Balzac (1799-1850)

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."
-- Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

"Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall;
A mother's secret hope outlives them all."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

"Mother's arms are made of tenderness,
and sweet sleep blesses the child who lies therein."
-- Victor Hugo

"To understand a mother's love, bear your own children."
-- Chinese Proverb

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."
-- Henry Ward Beecher

" Mother is the name for God on the lips
and in the hearts of little children."
-- William Makepeace Thackeray

" What is home without a mother?"
-- Alice Hawthorne

" Who is it that loves me and will love me forever with an affection which no chance, no misery, no crime of mine can do away? — It is you, my mother."
-- Thomas Carlyle

"When God thought of mother, He must have laughed with satisfaction, and framed it quickly—so rich, so deep, so divine, so full of soul, power, and beauty, was the conception."
-- Henry Ward Beecher

"I think my life began with waking up and loving my mother's face."
-- George Eliot

"Mothers reflect God's loving presence on earth."
-- William R. Webb

"There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child."
-- Henry Ward Beecher

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." --Washington Irving

:D

The Perfect Gift Of Time For Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:32:00 +0000

By Tammy Embrich

I can't think of a more difficult job than being a Mother. When we're growing up, we take so many things for granted...and that includes our Moms. It's a simple fact and it's just human nature. We don't understand the full concept of being a Mother until we actually are one.

What I wouldn't do to be able to pamper my Mom this Mother's day. We lost her to breast cancer and I would give anything to just be able to be with her for five minutes.

But...if I had the chance to have her for a whole day, these are the things I would do for that one day.

1. Take her to dinner
2. Make her a homemade gift, maybe a scrapbook.
3. Take her to get her hair and nails done
4. Fix her breakfast in bed
5. Treat her to a one-hour massage
6. Take her to a movie

And finally...I would remind my Mom of all the happy times we shared together in the past. And that would be one long conversation, but it would definitely be a happy one.

The above are just a few ideas that you could use for Mother's day. It can be anything that she likes doing, going for a long walk in a park, going to the opera, shopping, washing her car, the sky is the limit. You have control of that special day.

The best and perfect gift of all is the gift of your time. Just spend time with your Mom on Mother's day. Let her know you love her...not by just saying it, but by giving of yourself. There is some truth in the words "actions speak louder than words." You don't need to spend lots of money on your Mother to make her feel special.

Making the person who gave you life feel really special and loved is what this holiday is all about. Some quality time with Mom...you will not have her forever.

Article Written By Tammy Embrich

You can find more articles by Tammy by visiting Parent Zone.

Tammy also offers free work at home job leads, work at home articles, business tips, and many more work at home resources. You can find them by visiting Work At Home Jobs

Attitude of Gratitude Award!

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:46:00 +0000

Hi there,

Last Friday I had the priviledge of accepting the Attitude of Gratitude Award. Thank you so very much Denise of WAHM Articles Blog for your nomination. It was a great honor. =)

I was asked to share how I’ve come to have an attitude of gratitude…

First of all...I am thankful and also grateful to the friends I've met online. There have been a couple of them whom I have confided in numerous times. And yes, they have helped me immensely and have given me the courage to keep doing what I do on a daily basis. There have been many, many times where I have almost given up. I am very grateful for these friends.

I am also grateful to the person that started my very first website and also lended a hand with the ones that followed. If it were not for this person's assistance, I probably wouldn't have this awesome opportunity to work from my home. My goal is to help others find their work from home opportunity.

Below is a list of blogs that I think is also deserving of this award...

Today's Parent-Parenting Tips and Ideas

Crafty Lil Momma-The Official Blog

My Kids My Why-This single mom is showing ALL women that we are more than a MOM....We can work at home, take care of our family and kids and still bring an income in....After all, we are Women....

Mommy's Club-Parenting Resources and more.

My Son and I
-My six-year-old son is the center of my universe. This is the story of his childhood as it unfolds. Please read the first post, "Why I started this blog," to know more.

Judi's Blog-A Write At Home Mom, A Homeschool Mom, and a Business Mom

Frugal Fancy's Blog-Saving Money, Living Frugally, Living Better for Less

Karlyns.com-Karlyns Graphic Design and Advertising

Get Internet Marketing Strategies-JR's Internet Marketing Strategies

The Small Business Muse-Our mission is to provide affordable website hosting to small business owners, and the resources and support to help them succeed. Creo Communico LLC is a privately owned business based in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. As a privately owned business, our main focus is not stockholders or accountants but our customers and our conscience. We’re debt-free, cash flow positive (which means we’re stable and will be around for a very long time), earth friendly, and dedicated to serving small businesses.

The Rules of Accepting and Sharing this Award

1. Put the logo on your blog or post
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show an attitude of gratitude
3. Link to your nominees within your post
4. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
5. Share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award. Tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

:)

Why is it so Important to Raise Healthy and Fit Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Tammy) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:19:00 +0000

If these statistics don't make you stop in your tracks and think about the things that we are feeding our kids, I don’t know what will.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children (over 9 million) 6-19 years old are overweight or obese -- a number that has tripled since 1980. In addition to the 16 percent of children and teens ages 6 to 19 who were overweight in 1999-2002, another 15 percent were considered at risk of becoming overweight. ("Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999-2002"; Oct. 6, 2004)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past three decades the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. ("Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999-2002"; Oct. 6, 2004)

Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80 percent if one or more parent is overweight or obese. (United States Department of Health and Human Services)

Those numbers are staggering but in a way not really surprising. Look at all the fast food joints, junk-food, soda pop, etc that is stocked in super markets, gas stations, etc. Even schools provide access to junk, at least the ones in this area do. Back to the fast food for a minute, and actually it’s not just fast food chains it’s restaurants too, have you seen the size of their meals? They provide enough food in one serving for two people!

So what do all these statistics have to do with our children? Well it’s up to us to teach them good eating habits and exercise. The old saying children learn what they live is so true. It’s not a bad thing that we have to be role models for our children in all areas including healthy eating and exercising. It just might force us to get healthy as well!

Make this a family affair. Take walks together, ride bikes, etc. At the grocery store let the kids help you pick out fruits and veggies! And you can get more ideas and information by picking up your copy of Mom’s Talk eBooks Guide to Raising Healthy and Fit Kids