Just when you thought you heard it all someone comes out with a tooth fairy calculator. How cute is that?!?!

If your little ones are going through the tooth lose phase you might as well pony up the  money, ma’am.

You can get the Tooth Fairy Calculator on your iPhone or iPad. It goes through a (semi) complicated process to calculate just the right about your kiddo should get.

Here is the description:

The Tooth Fairy Calculator helps parents determine how much the Tooth Fairy should leave their children. A parent can enter brief information about gender, education, state, age and household income to learn how much the Tooth Fairy should leave their child for each lost baby tooth.

The Tooth Fairy Calculator app also shows parents how inflation affects the amount the Tooth Fairy gives children. It shows parents how much the amount their children are receiving now would have been when they were young. Download now on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad to learn how much those precious pearly whites are worth. The Tooth Fairy Calculator from Visa is also available online at the Practical Money Skills website.

This app does not collect personal information.

Download it now—>>  Tooth Fairy Calculator – Visa Inc.

My kids and I are nuts about The Avengers and any other super hero characters. We see all the movies and have recently raved over Ironman 3 (definitely a must see).

But who knew The Avengers could teach you about money? Well they are talking savings in a new comic I discovered over at PracticalMoneySkills.com. Spiderman, Iroman, the Hulk and their friends have teamed up to teach kids the importance of saving money.

The best part is the comic is free to read online with your kids. Just click the image below to start reading.

I am a fan of heart pendants. The remind me to always stay in a loving frame of mind. I have sterling silver and crystal heart pendants but I don’t have a gold one.

Honestly I’m not a huge fan of gold pieces because I don’t like the way they look on my skin, but that’s just me.

I got a cute little heart charm pendant from Dogeared Jewels that was delivered by Zappos. What a cute little charm and it didn’t look half bad on me either.

I think it would make a nice casual piece of jewelry, especially for mom to symbolize the love we carry in our hearts for our children. With Mother’s Day this weekend it’s a perfect token of love.

Here are a few pictures of it and me wearing it:

What do you think? Would you like one of your own?

You have a chance to win your own by entering my little giveaway. Simply fill in the blank in the comments below.

“My heart bursts with love when my child ______________”.

The winner will be randomly chosen with Rafflecopter.com. Entries will be taken until Sunday at midnight. The winner will be announced Monday at noon.

This same pendant will be mailed to your house. The winner will be emailed.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Parenting can be hard at times, but raising a boy as a single mom can be even harder. It is difficult for single mothers to play the role as a father at the same time as being mom and bread winner.  Single moms often feel guilt, anxiety and are even overwhelmed by the absence of the father and the added parenting responsibilities.

Single moms are great at nurturing and caring for their children. As a single mom raising a boy, you are presented with unique opportunities, and can provide him with the foundation he needs to be grounded, connected and accepted. You can do things with him like a father would, such as play ball, but you must have a different mindset while raising boys.

Tips for raising boys as a single mom

1. Treat them as a father would.
2. Teach him to be strong, to have good manners, and helpful behaviors.
3. Allow him to express his feelings and let him know that it is okay to do so.
4. Encourage him to learn how to cook, do laundry, even babysit if he has younger siblings.
5. Provide outlets for aggression.
6. Set limits or boundaries where needed to discourage inappropriate  behavior
7. Have conversations with them, even if it is about something silly.
8. Support and motivate rather than criticize.
9. Help them to build self-esteem.
10. Teach empathy.
11. Be consistent with discipline. Do not negotiate or bargain.
12. Teach them to know when they make mistakes. Ensure that they understand what they did wrong and how to amend it.
13. Model respect and how to treat others.
14. Help them to develop coping skills to deal with life’s lessons and disappointments, such as being rejected by his first crush
15. Give him some chores to teach responsibility. Chores also help to develop a strong work ethic and values system.  Make it age appropriate.  Things like taking out the trash, mowing or raking the yard, or even small repairs.

But boys also need a male figure in their life. As a mother you will not be able to counsel him on how it feels to go through puberty, to be embarrassed by guys in the locker room, or to miss his first play in a big game. You can love him through those times, but you will never understand his point of view.

Too often, single moms feel pressure to find a man to love so they can provide a male role model for their sons. But you do NOT need to have a man in YOUR life to have a man in your SON’S life. Having responsible male mentors as part of the boy’s life helps compensate for the absence of the father. Find a respectable and trusted male relative or friend for your son to look up to and to spend “guy time” with. Ask them to be a mentor to your son. You can also have a coach, teacher, and pastor, anybody you feel comfortable with, to be there for him. Another option is the Big Brother program. Every growing boy needs a father or a man who he can toss ball with, shoot baskets, play chase, someone to look up to in times of boy-moments and to turn to for a man’s perspective.

I am always amazed by the single moms doing awesome things in the world. They are holding it down despite having to do everything. Shana “The Control Freak” Naylor is a phenemenoal and influential woman who happens to be a single mom too.

I had the opportunity to interview her about her life as a single mom, success, and her unusual nickname. Enjoy and share your thoughts about the interview.

How many children do you have?

I have one, 17 year old daughter.

What challenges have been the hardest?

• I was a teenage mother so it was hard when I couldn’t move around freely with my friends.  I didn’t understand it then but the best thing for me was, not being able to just drop my daughter off with my mother while I ran the street.  I remember thinking; she’s a stay at home mom, why couldn’t she just keep her too? My parents were old school and what I called strict, my siblings and I weren’t dropped off at everyone’s house and she was very particular about who kept us. So part of her rule was “you stay home with your own baby!!”

• Then it was hard to hold a full time job and go to school.  It took me exactly 15 years to complete my Bachelors but I was determined, even if it would have taken 25 years.

• Being the sole disciplinarian was hard for me, I wanted to say “I’m going to tell your daddy” or even just “I’ll let your daddy handle it” Ugh I wanted help.  But I thank God she’s a great teenager.

• Lastly, making decisions based on what I thought others wanted to see or thought of me.  Trying to prove people that doubted me, wrong. Now I wonder if I was just living in my own guilt.  I wasted so much time trying to create a picture perfect Shana.

How did you turn them into opportunities for success?

Not being able to freely go, taught me responsibility and accountability. I believe it played a major role in my daughter’s now well-disciplined behavior and her respectful character.

I have learned what it means to be determined.  I’ve learned to stay focused on Shana and not what everyone else is doing. Hey I caught up with all my classmates that went straight through college. Mostly through this I’ve learned to love the Not so perfect ME!

How do you keep your lives on track? Open Communication, we talk often about everything. We have 1 TV in the house that’s in the living room; it gives us the opportunity to hang out watching our shows together.  We also sit down with a calendar planning and prioritizing our schedules, we know what’s going on for the whole month.

What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?

My daughter and I have so much fun. I love watching her; she’s such a beautiful young lady inside and out.  I must admit I love that other people often notice her ability and cultivate her strengths.

Has higher education played the big part in your sense of success?

Yes more so my success and accomplishments as a single mother.  I promised my mom when I got pregnant that I would finish school. She would always tell us “my kids are no dummies, I have smart children”.  I also take pride in being the role model for my daughter and my siblings, I told them I expect for them to academically obtain nothing less than me.  When I graduated with my MBA my

daughter said, “you’re not going for your PhD or you?” that was too funny!

Who is your favorite celebrity now?

I am a Mary J Blige fan and then Iyanla is running a tight race now.

Who is your favorite celebrity mom?

O wow! Definitely Michelle Obama.  When I look/read about her I am empowered. I see a woman who has it under CONTROL.  Even as First Lady she has a genuine image.

She didn’t compromise her beliefs, values or style, we shop in some of the same stores.   There’s no difference  between her and us except her husband is President.  She works hard, she publicly displays her love and affection for her family.  I would bet that it hasn’t been an easy road for her, Like many of us, but she still stands tall and in my eyes she looks out and says “Still I Rise”.  She accidentally referred to herself as a “single-mom” although we know it’s not the case, what we do know is that with the schedule of our President she bears similar responsibilities as us. I know one thing, if she were a Single Mom, she would Rock!

Does issues with your child’s father’s surface often?

My daughter is older now so they can deal directly with each other.  There are times that I still have to call and get clarification on things but for the most part she handles things.  She’s a Mini Control Freak.

What makes you feel financially successful?

I believe in visualization to attract positive things into my life. I’m visualizing my financial success through faith, building wise spending and saving habits, donating to charities and learning to become an expert in my career, I believe these things will ultimately help me gain financial success.

I am on the leadership committee of Dove Empowerment Ministries a non-profit organization that is very dear to me. We have been serving the Houston community and abroad for ten years counseling, equipping, and encouraging women and teenage girls, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human sex-trafficking.  For more info see www.dove-ministries.org

Who has had the most positive impact in your life?

My mom, for her continuous encouragement and support. My Grandmother, she’s such a strong independent woman. Now she is definitely the Grandmother of the Control Freak (laughing) Bossy little thing she is. She was a single mom of 2. So I can only imagine that being in control just came naturally.  Especially when you are the sole-provider, sole disciplinarian, and the sole decision-maker.  She carries herself with such dignity and respect.

What would you change about your life?

Wow!! I wouldn’t have lived so long cheating myself, not realizing my true value and living in fear.  Fear of failure, fear of what people would think of me, fear of not being good enough, fear to step out of the box…when all along I was keeping myself from Success.

How did you handle doing it all by yourself?

I thank GOD for my Family, I had the most supportive parents.  We pitch in and help each other.  Everyone babysat or did taxi duty, my dad, my sister and my little brother.   No one can be successful doing it alone.

What advice would you give about navigating through single motherhood?

Create your personal mothering brand by answering the question, “What do you want your child to say about you at 25?” Then aim to be that person. Make your child’s life priority but remember to find you some Guilt Free Me Time.  

About Shana Naylor:

She was once shattered by her own insecurities and self-worth of being a teenage mother and having two failed marriages. Despite being labeled a CONTROL FREAK, she felt her life was being controlled by others, their opinions and expectations of her. What separates her from other coaches is despite having an MBA, a daughter who is a model teenager and being a successful professional, her life was once “OUT OF CONTROL”. She uses her life experiences to help support her clients in TAKING CONTROL! Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at ShanaNaylor.com

By Jason Alderman

Parents of special needs children have enough on their plates just tending to the health, educational and emotional needs of their kids – not to mention often having to cope with drastically lowered income because of reduced work hours or having to pay someone else for childcare. So it’s not surprising that many of these parents haven’t had time to hatch a long-term financial plan in case their kids need care after they’re not around.

Fortunately, many government programs and community resources are available to help relieve the financial burden of parenting special needs children. But eligibility criteria are complicated and the application process time-consuming. Plus, if you’re not careful, you or well-meaning relatives could inadvertently disqualify your kids for future benefits by not structuring their inheritances correctly.

Here’s a brief overview of key government assistance programs:

The Social Security Administration provides two types of disability coverage: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Rules and eligibility requirements differ between the two programs – and benefits differ for children and adults.

In a nutshell, SSI is a needs-based, cash-assistance program for disabled people of any age in low-income families with limited resources. Children qualify for SSI benefits if they meet certain strict criteria outlined in SSA Publication 05-11000 (www.ssa.gov/pubs/11000.html).

SSDI is a separate program funded by payroll deductions (part of FICA). Although children sometimes receive SSDI payments if their parents are disabled, their eligibility is based on their parents’ disability status, not on their own. However, after turning 22, already disabled children may qualify for SSDI on their own if at least one parent qualifies for Social Security benefits.

Eligibility rules and definitions for SSI and SSDI are complex. To see if your child qualifies, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or search the Disability and SSI tabs atwww.ssa.gov. One particularly helpful resource is “Benefits for Children with Disabilities,” SSA Publication No. 05-10026.

Many families inadvertently jeopardize their disabled child’s eligibility for government-provided benefits by opening accounts in the child’s name or designating them as beneficiaries. Unfortunately, federal law dictates that recipients of SSI, Medicaid and many state assistance programs will be disqualified if they have resources worth over $2,000. So, if Uncle Jerry leaves your daughter $10,000 in his will, she could lose her benefits.

One good alternative is to create a special needs trust, whose assets can be used by its trustee to manage the finances and personal effects of a disabled person. Trusts are governed by state laws and should only be drafted by an attorney familiar with this area of law.

Some parents name the trust as beneficiary of life insurance policies to ensure a source of funding if they die before their child. (Stay current on your premiums.) Other possible funding sources include cash, stocks and other investments, retirement plan death benefits, home sale proceeds and inheritances from other relatives and friends. Just make sure that the trust –not the child – is named beneficiary.

Preparing a special needs trust can be expensive – possibly several thousand dollars, depending on your situation. But weigh that against the prospect of your child losing out on a lifetime of government-provided benefits because of an accidental inheritance – speaking of which, be sure to let any well-meaning relatives or friends know about the trust.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To participate in a free, online Financial Literacy and Education Summit on April 17, 2013, go towww.practicalmoneyskills.com/summit2013.

When I wanted to buy a house a few years ago I knew I had to get my credit together.  In the years before that I had debt, collections, and a number of other negative marks on my credit report.  I was embarrassed, but I had to get it cleaned up. The first step was to take a look at my credit report.

I ordered my report from all three credit bureaus and started the process of cleaning things up. Without a good credit report it would be harder to get a good interest rate for financing.

Do you know what’s on your credit report? Do you know your credit scores? If you don’t, you’re not alone, but now is a good time to better understand how they work before you go apply for that loan. By waiting to check your report and scores until you want to buy a car or house, you may discover too late your financial history forces you into strict loan terms with high interest rates, or, worse, disqualify you from getting any loan at all. How can you avoid this situation?

Responsible past credit behavior, a healthy credit score and understanding your debt picture all play crucial roles in achieving your overall financial goals. So reviewing your credit report and knowing your VantageScore credit score and how you compare to others is essential. By reviewing your report, you can verify the information in it, and take actions to correct any item that may require it. If you have any negative marks, now is the time to take action to address those issues and increase your credit score.- –

Perhaps the biggest misconception about credit scoring is that all the three major credit bureaus – TransUnion, Equifax and Experian – produce the same score. Although similar, there are many different scoring formulas, so variations can occur.-

The three major credit bureaus partnered to develop VantageScore credit score to make credit scores more consistent and predictable across all three credit bureaus.

VantageScore credit scores fall within a range of 501 to 990 and include a letter grade from A to F – . the higher your score, the better. Even though new methods provide more consistent formulas, there may still be variations across the three credit bureaus because information on individual credit reports may differ from bureau to bureau. Furthermore, each company is provided updated information from creditors on different days of the month, so an increase or decrease for one might happen on the first day of the month while another may not occur until the 15th.

These differentiators are why it’s important to know all three of your scores, which you can easily get with a paid TransUnion membership. If you find the scores you have are lower than you’d like, there are some key things you can do. Most credit scores are derived by looking at these five attributes.- By understanding what makes up these five factors, you can begin to change your behavior to improve your credit scores. -

1. Payment history: A good record of on-time payments will help increase your credit scores. Review your credit reports closely and regularly. Late payments and other negative marks typically remain on your credit reports for up to seven years from the date of first delinquency. If you do find a mistake, take the proper steps to correct it so you can increase your scores.

2. Credit account history: An established credit history makes you a less risky borrower. -Keeping old accounts that you have paid off can also help because keep your debt-to-credit ratio more favorable. Think twice before closing old accounts before a loan application.

3. Outstanding debt: High balances in relation to your credit limits can lower your credit score. Aim for balances less than 35 percent of your total available credit. You can determine your debt-to-credit ratio by reviewing your credit report now.

4. Recent inquiries: When a lender or business checks your credit in response to an application, it causes a hard inquiry on your report and may result in a slight ding to your credit score, so apply for new credit in moderation. Remember, viewing your own report and score is counted as a soft inquiry and doesn’t change the score one way or another.

5. Types of credit: A healthy credit profile has a balanced mix of credit accounts and loans. It shows you have paid bills in the past and know how to manage different types of credit obligations. By reviewing your current credit reports and learning what your three scores are, you’ll set yourself up for financial success in the future. Visit www.transunion.com for more information.