A new online survey has shown that 54 percent of parents regret the name they gave their child! Gurgle.com surveyed over 1,000 moms and dads in the UK and found that more than half wished they had chosen a different name for their child. 11% said they were put off by other people’s dislike of the name, 26% said they felt the name they chose became too popular, and about half said the name just doesn’t fit his or her personality.

Nifa McLaughlin, editor of gurgle.com says:

“Choosing the right name for your children can be a tough job, with many parents wanting to wait and see before they make their final decision in case one name jumps out as the right one. However, there is never any way of guaranteeing your little one will like what you choose, but if you love it then that will go a long way to ensuring that they grow into it and hopefully it starts to suit them more and more as their personality develops.

“The recent trend for celebrities to pick more traditional names for their children has helped some of the names that are on the edge of extinction to come back into vogue, but it is a shame that within the next 100 years we’re likely to see some classic girl’s names slip completely into memory. Looking back through historically popular names can provide a wealth of inspiration, so we would encourage parents to look into the past and take inspiration from their favourite literature and films if they’re struggling to choose a name that fits.”

Don’t rush into naming your baby – but more importantly, don’t let what other people think about your child’s name make you regret it! That’s just silly. As long as your son or daughter likes his or her name, who cares?

Citi Trends, the urban fashion apparel retailer, is offering an opportunity in select markets for Trey Songz fans to win a pair of concert tickets to his “Anticipation 2our,” along with a special meet and greet backstage visit, and a $100 Citi Trends gift card!

For register-to-win details, visit Citi Trends stores starting February 24, 2012-March 2nd in Atlanta, GA and Greensboro, NC and February 24-March 7, 2012 in New Orleans, LA, Memphis, TN and Nashville, TN. The register-to-win will only be available in these cities.

Trey’s Angels fashion will be sold exclusively at select Citi Trends stores starting February 24, 2012. Not only can you wear the new Trey Songz fashion but you may have the opportunity to win a pair of VIP concert tickets and personally meet Trey Songz!

Trey Songz Anticipation 2our with special guest Big Sean tour dates include:

-Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC on March 4, 2012

-Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA on March 8, 2012

-Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA on March 9, 2012

-De Soto Civic Center in Memphis, TN on March 10, 2012

-Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN on March 11, 2012

Visit Citi Trends in the above cities for your chance to win and be sure to get your Trey’s Angels fashion starting February 24, 2012 before it’s sold out! For more information on Citi Trends, visit www.facebook.com/CitiTrends.

It’s a story that seems straight out of a horror film: A 9-year-old girl dies after being forced to run for three hours by her stepmother. What did the little girl do to deserve such a punishment? She lied to her grandmother about eating candy bars.

Authorities say 9-year-old Savannah Hardin was told to run and not allowed to stop for three hours on Friday afternoon. She was severely dehydrated and began having seizures in the backyard. When she wasn’t responding, the girl’s stepmother, 27-year-old Jessica Mae Hardin, called police. She died Monday at Children’s Hospital of Birmingham. The sheriff’s release said an autopsy report showed the girl was extremely dehydrated and had a very low sodium level. A state pathologist ruled it a homicide.

Jessica Mae Hardin and the grandmother, Joyce Hardin Gerrard, are being held in the Etowah County Detention Center, each on a $500,000 cash bond.

Savannah’s father was reportedly working overseas.

What a horrific story. Hopefully, these women serve their time behind bars, and it’s a reminder to parents out there that no matter what, no child should be punished in the form of physical abuse. And if you ever witness something that just doesn’t seem right, don’t ignore it. You could save a life!

Oral health translates to heart health. A study of more than 100,000 people showed that people who had their teeth professionally cleaned lowered their risk of heart attack by 24 percent and their risk of stroke by 13 percent compared with those who never had a dental cleaning. So if you can’t remember the last time you had a dentist appointment, it’s time to make one! And just because you do go to the dentist twice a year doesn’t mean you’re off the hook just yet! It’s just as important to take care of your teeth between visits by flossing, brushing, and watching what you eat and drink.

Less than half of Americans floss daily, and 10% never floss. Unfortunately, dentists say flossing is even more important than brushing when it comes to preventing gum disease and tooth loss! Plaque is what causes tooth decay and gum disease, and the only way to effectively remove plaque between teeth is by flossing. Dentists say the number 2 excuse people give for not flossing is that they don’t know how. So, here’s how! From the American Dental Association:

• Start with about 18 inches of floss. Wrap most of it around the middle finger of one hand, the rest around the other middle finger.
• Grasp the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers, and use a gentle shoeshine motion to guide it between teeth.
• When the floss reaches the gum line, form a C shape to follow the contours of the tooth.
• Hold the floss firmly against the tooth, and move the floss gently up and down.
• Repeat with the other tooth, and then repeat the entire process with the rest of your teeth (“unspooling” fresh sections of floss as you go along).

Make sure you brush your teeth for who full minutes at least twice a day, though three times is best.  With too much time between brushings, bacterial plaque will build up with can increase the risk of gum inflammatin and other problems. Be careful not to brush too hard, which can actually damage enamel, and replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months.

You also want to watch what you eat, and perhaps more importantly, what you drink. The acids found in sodas, juices, and other drinks can be very harmful to tooth enamel. Some are more corrosive than battery acid. Over time these acids can cause erosion, shrinking the size of the tooth. Yikes!

Remember, it’s not all about having a pearly white smile. When you don’t take care of your teeth, it translates to other aspects of your health, including heart health. Make brushing, flossing, and seeing a dentist part of your regular routine.

Celebrity moms go to all lengths to lose their baby weight as fast as possible, but this is a new extreme. Beyonce’s trainer, Marco Borges, has reportedly moved into her home with Jay-Z and Blue Ivy to lead her intense boot camp workouts! Is that really necessary? Beyonce certainly thinks so!

After gaining approximately 40 pounds during her pregnancy, Beyonce is ready to get back to her pre-baby size and she’s willing to do whatever it takes. Her live-in trainer wakes her up at 5am for an intense, 2-hour workout session, followed by another 2-hour session at 5pm! “They do a mix of cardio, Pilates, plyometrics, yoga and, of course, dance,” a source told Hollywoodlife.com.

She’s on a strict diet too, eating six small, high-protein meals a day. “She’s living on protein shakes, egg-white omelettes, pineapple chunks and lots of ice-cold water,” the source reveals.

Her insane weight-loss plan is working already. She’s lost 14 pounds so far, and hopes to reach 128 pounds by March. She’s exhausted, sources say, but dedicated to the cause. Well of course she’s exhausted! What is this? Biggest Loser?

Stars literally will do whatever it takes to lose weight and get back in the game just weeks after giving birth. It’s crazy, and not realistic for the average woman, which is why new moms shouldn’t compare themselves to these celebrities! If you had a live-in trainer and could exercise 4 hours a day, you’d look like them too. Most people don’t have that luxury, and besides, you have better things to do – like be with your baby. Eat right, exercise a few times a week, and enjoy life and the new addition to your family!

For every 10 grams of soluble fiber you eat a day, you slow your visceral fat accumulation by 4% over five years, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. For every 10 grams!? That’s just a cup of beans and 2 pieces of fruit a day!
4% may not seem like much, but we’re talking about body fat percentage here. That kind of difference can add years to your life, or take them away.
Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds your organs and produces hormones that may raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It’s also usually the fat that settles around your waist – the place men and women both name their least favorite body part. And just because you’re thin doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry. You can’t really see visceral fat if it surrounds your organs, and that means thin people can have plenty of it, especially if they aren’t active and don’t eat a healthy diet.
So 4% is a lot when it comes to body fat, especially visceral fat.
Now, what are the sources of soluble fiber you ask? Legumes! Beans, lentils, and peanuts are full of soluble fiber – about 5 grams per cup. Brussels sprouts are another good source, with 4 grams per cup. Other sources include sweet potatoes (4 grams per cup), dried figs (3 grams in 3 figs), and oranges (2 grams per fruit).

Ty Pennington, known for his boisterous TV personality on the hit show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”, is moving on from sledge hammers and megaphones to a new daytime show for women, called “The Revolution.” The show is about helping women deal with an array of issues in their life, from health and fitness to the home environment – Ty’s speciality. He says it’s important to try something new and fresh in your home to get out of a rut, whether it’s buying new pillows or trying a new paint color. Changing little things in your environment can put you in a better mood and ultimately, enrich your life for the better.
While promoting the new show, Ty was asked about his battle with ADHD, and how it’s affected his own confidence, relationship, and overall way of life:

“My mom was studying to be a child psychologist and she went to my elementary school to test the worst kid they had. They were like, “Mrs. Pennington, you really don’t want to know who that is.” They let her observe me through a window and within 20 minutes I stripped naked, wore my desk around and swung on the blinds. I was just a complete distraction to all the other students.
Back then, they didn’t even know what to call it. They put me on antihistamines to try and make me drowsy. They tried everything. It certainly affected my confidence and my belief in myself. When everyone’s afraid you’re going to hurt yourself from just mowing the lawn, you start to believe them. Once I figured out I was pretty decent at art and people were interested in hiring me, I realized I had a skill besides injuring myself.
What’s kind of funny is that I ended up working with power tools to pay my way through art school and still have all my digits.”
Pennington clarified that ADHD is more than just about being hyper:
“Hyperactivity is just one aspect of ADHD. There’s distractibility and there’s impulsivity. I was the type of kid who would jump off a building — not only would I get a rush from it, people might laugh and think it was cool. I’m that kid and you don’t really grow out of it.”

When asked if ADHD has affected his relationships:
“Well, I would imagine, yeah! I think, absolutely, it affects so much. It affects the way you communicate. Not only that, but if you can’t pay attention to someone who’s trying to tell you something and then you forget that they even said it, they think that you may not even care. Imagine what that’s like with not only your relationships at home, but at work.”
Tune in to “The Revolution” weekdays at 2 p.m. on ABC.Just don’t expect to see him with a megaphone!

Nearly all of the remaining contestants on this season’s Biggest Loser are reportedly on strike. They walked off the show and are threatening to quit because the producers threw them a twist they couldn’t handle: The show would bring back previous contestants to compete for the grand prize of $250,000. Isn’t this season called “No Excuses?!”
Sure, it may not be completely fair, but it’s a reality game show. And more importantly, it’s a weight loss show. This season just can’t seem to get passed the drama and game-playing, and focus on what really matters: losing weight and improving lives.

What do former ‘Loser’ contestants think about the supposed strike? John Forger, who at 66-years-old was the oldest man to compete on the show last season, is appalled by the situation, telling TMZ:

“It’s not about [money]. What it’s really about, for most of us, is the change in our lifestyle, and being able to get rid of obesity.”

John adds, “For most of us, it’s about health. Would I walk off the show for the money? ABSOLUTELY NOT.”

For a season focused on a no excuse mantra, these contestants have some serious gym time to make up for. They’re only hurting themselves during their time back home or wherever they ran away to, but still, I hope Dolvett and Bob are ready!

By Richard Watts, Esq.

How much is too much to give your children? Consider this: For everything you give your child, you are taking something away. This applies to buying your teenager a new car, giving them the down payment on a home, or leaving them $100,000 when you die. The typical parent, at all income levels, imbibes the fiction that it is their responsibility to take away the struggle in their children’s lives. Most parents dream their children will have better lives than they do. In recent generations “a better life” has become defined as financial stability. But often in assisting them, a parent dulls the character, integrity, work ethic, and socialization skills their children need to become responsible adults.

The responsible and intentional parent makes an effort to contemplate, discuss, and if possible, determine what life lessons will be missed if financial support or a gift is given. Your teenager gets a DUI from driving while intoxicated. Do you run to your IRA and make a loan to bail him out of jail, hire the best lawyer, and then start listening and believing the lawyer’s rationalizations of how body weight and lack of food intake should excuse the five beers he or she inhaled before jumping behind the wheel of a car? Maybe you should leave him in jail for the night or allow her to be represented by a public defender.

“What?” you say, “My child? He is an honors student and super star athlete!” So what? He was also irresponsible and a physical danger to other innocent people on the highway. If your teenager had injured someone in an accident he would be on his way to prison for an extended term . . . at no charge.

Make no mistake; the development of a “child of entitlement” is exclusively the fault of the parent. In the name of protecting our children, parents create a disconnect between the “safe” or “ideal” world in which our children live and the real world. Children don’t have their own built in warning light. They have no way of knowing they are taking they’re their privileges for granted. We teach them they are entitled to have everything they want. Because no earning takes place in between acquisitions, purchasing a new car, for instance, feels equivalent to purchasing a new bicycle. Value escapes. There is a “richness” missing from their lives. When Michelangelo was asked how he had envisioned his masterpiece David within a giant hunk of marble, he responded, “David was inside the rock all along. My only job was to remove the unnecessary rock from around him so he could escape.” Too many parents fear the pain that will come when they remove the rock around their children, so they never allow them to escape and become “works of art” as adults.

Most of us experience a life filled with repeated fluctuations of compression (difficult events) and expansion (successful events). Difficult times typically last for a while, and then when they recede for a moment, we can move forward. Compression can be caused by both internal and external influences. Internally we struggle with our own egos, our ambitions, our sense of personal worth, our societal position, our self-image, our images of how others perceive us, our health goals, our addictions, our failings, and our feelings of being financially successful and good providers. Externally we get a promotion at work, we get a raise, the economy is healthy, interest rates are low or our neighbors are gracious to us. Conversely, we get fired, lose our home to foreclosure, lose a parent, wife, or child, get a traffic ticket, or find our automobile just decided to quit running. Others have characterized this journey as traveling through the hills and valleys of life.

If you believe you can avoid these rhythms at any income level, you are being unrealistic. They find everyone. Many people believe money relieves these symptoms of everyday existence. One thing is undeniable: There is a direct correlation between people feeling better as compression ends and expansion begins. The burden is temporarily lifted, and for a while life lets out a big sigh and the mind experiences a moment of contentment.

Oddly, most parents could be convicted of trying to make their children’s lives easier and less taxing than their own. Such parental ethics are either well-intentioned errors or just plain laziness. There is nothing better for children than to crash and burn as a result of their own errors in judgment and mistakes, for them to experience the consequences of their choices. You can tell a child not to put her hand on a hot stove ten times without success. It only takes letting her insist on it once for the child to learn the lesson.

So at least spend a little time looking at the downside of your financial support. Before you “take away the pain” of your child’s struggle or misfortune, consider what benefit they might receive from your willingness to listen, love, discuss, and console, in lieu of handing over your wallet. It is ironic how we hope to help our children avoid the same toil that gives us so much satisfaction. We endured and so will they…if we let them.
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Richard Watts, the founder and President of Family Business Office ® (“FBO”), was admitted to the California State Bar to practice law in 1982 and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School with an undergraduate degree from UC San Diego School of Economics. FBO is a legal and consulting firm that manages the country’s wealthiest families and their family office enterprises. Richard’s families rely on him to oversee family operations and make decisions with them on a daily basis.

Fables of Fortune is currently available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the author’s website.

Website: www.fablesoffortune.com

By Jan Wade-Miller
“Oh no, you can’t have that now. It will spoil your appetite for dinner.” How many times have you heard that while you were growing up? Many adults feel that all snacks are bad for children and can lead to weight gain but that isn’t always the case.

The trick is offering the right foods at the right time and knowing that snacks can be an important part of your child’s nutrition. Even if he or she is eating three full meals per day, the average child’s stomach isn’t big enough to hold all the calories and nutrients needed to fuel growth and build tissues and bones. Most children need three meals and two or three wisely chosen snacks per day. A few benefits of smart snacking are:

∎ Manages hunger between meals.

∎ Provides an energy boost between meals.

∎ Keeps older kids from overeating at the next large meal.

∎ Helps prevent overweight.

∎ Offers you the chance to add that fruit or veggie your child didn’t eat at their previous meal.

Give smart snacks instead of the unhealthy, popular ones like chips, cookies and sweets. They provide very little in the way of vitamins and minerals, only “empty calories.” Here are some helpful snack strategies:

∎ Keep snack portions small; under 250 calories.

∎ Give the grandkids snacks and meals on a regular schedule of every three or four hours. Allowing sufficient time between them will ensure kids are not too full to eat their regular meals.

∎ Keep healthy snacks at the ready so the grands will be able to make smart snack choices.

∎ Use the Nutrition Facts label when choosing foods to be used for snacks to be sure they are low in calories, fats and sugar. Instead, buy ones high in calcium, iron and fiber.

For smart snack suggestions and more, click here!