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Cutting Grocery Costs without Cutting Nutrition
Simple, healthy, and affordable ways to weather the rising price of food
Karen Collins, R.D., American Institute of Cancer Research
Grocery prices are projected to increase again in 2008 – that’s following 2007’s highest annual increase in 17 years. But surviving these tough economic times doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good nutrition. Some simple strategies can help you cut food costs and eat more healthfully, too.
read more...
8 Ways to Connect with Your Teenager
By Sandra Magsamen
...Hug, sing, dance and tell your child you love them. Even if your teen acts as if they can't stand it, she promises you it's something they love and need. Use these other suggestions as ways to connect with your teenager...
read more...
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
by Jeff Kinney
It’s summer vacation, the weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. So where’s Greg Heffley? Inside his house, playing video games with the shades drawn...
Make the most of your weekend
by Charlotte Latvala
• Too much free time can be just as nerve-racking as an overload of scheduled events
• If you run errands over the weekend, make them enjoyable with silly games
• Put your children to sleep at their weekday bedtime
• Have a sitter take the kids while you enjoy an afternoon alone in your own home
read more...
It’s playtime! The best of big outdoor toys
Get active! These fun toys will appeal to both parents and kids this summer
by Stephanie Oppenheim - TODAYShow.com contributor
What was your family’s favorite summertime game? For my less-than-athletic family, it was badminton. While we probably weren’t very good at it, I can still hear the laughter and it remains one of those happy “every summer” childhood memories.
read more...
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• Development Milestones - Learn the Signs. Act Early
• Parenting A Child with Special Needs
• Dealing With Bullies
• Parenting Matters - Involved Parents are the Real Heroes
Development Milestones. Learn the Signs. Act Early.
It's time to change how we view a child's growth.
We naturally think of a child's growth as height and weight, but from birth to 5
years, your child should reach milestones in how he plays, learns, speaks and
acts. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a developmental problem,
even autism. The good news is, the earlier it’s recognized the more you can do
to help your child reach her full potential.
Developmental Milestones
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving "bye
bye" are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they
play, learn, speak, behave, and move (crawling, walking, etc.). Babies develop
at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn
a given skill. The developmental milestones listed below will give you a general
idea of the changes you can expect, but don't be alarmed if your own baby's
development takes a slightly different course.
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3 months
• Begins to develop a social smile
• Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
• Watches faces intently
• smiles at the sound of your voice
read more...
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7 months
• Enjoy social play
• Transfers objects from hand to hand
• Ability to track moving objects improves
• Responds to own name
• Finds partially hidden objects
read more...
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12 months
• Enjoy imitating people in his play
• Reaches sitting position without assistance
• Bangs two objects together
• Responds to simple verbal requests
read more...
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24 months
• Walks alone
• Points to object or picture when it's named for him
• Begins name-believe play
• Demonstrated increasing independence
read more...
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36months
• Climbs well
• Turns book pages one at a time
• Uses 4-5 word sentences
• Sorts objects by shape and color
read more...
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48 months
• Goes upstairs and downstairs without support
• Draws circles and squares
• Tells stories
• Cooperates with other children
read more...
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60 months
• Swings, climbs, hops, somersaults
• Says name and address
• Can count 10 or more objects
• Likes to sing, dance and act
read more...
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Interactive Milestones Chart
This interactive tool allows you to view how a developmental milestone
category (social and emotional, cognitive, or language) changes as a child
grows.
When to Call the Baby’s Doctor
One of the toughest and most nerve-racking things for new moms is figuring out
when to call the doctor. As a general rule of thumb, trust your instincts. If
you suspect something is not right, you should always call the doctor. Even
small changes in eating, sleeping, and crying can be signs of serious problems
for newborns.
read more...
Need low-cost health insurance? Protect your family with the right coverage at prices you can afford.
Top 10 Parenting Tips
Does “Good Parenting” Really Exist? - Good parenting does exist, but it is, unfortunately, not the norm.
Normally, well-meaning parents struggle with their children's common behavior
problems using discipline techniques that deliver inconsistent results and fail
to teach children how to learn from their mistakes. Many commonly used forms of
discipline and punishment actually lead to more misbehavior and only teach
children to not get caught next time!
For me (and the moms I counsel), good parenting is about bringing out the very
best in your children using techniques that teach them respect, responsibility
and compassion.
read more...
Top Online School Matching Service
Click Here to get a FREE Gift Card to your Favorite Grocery.
Parenting a Child with special needs
If you think your child might have a disability, or if you have recently
discovered that he or she does have a disability, here are some things to keep
in mind.
Not all disabilities are alike.
No two children are exactly alike.
There are hundreds of resources available to assist children with learning or
physical disabilities.
Children with learning or physical disabilities are entitled to an appropriate
education in the same manner as non-disabled students.
Parenting a child with a disability may be different, but it is just as
rewarding and important as parenting a non-disabled child. By working together
with your child's doctors, teachers, and other trained professionals, parents
can help their disabled children achieve remarkable things. The rest of this
site contains information you can use to help your child, to learn more about
his or her disability, and to ensure that your child has access to appropriate
educational opportunities.
read more...
Dealing With Bullies .
KidsHealth
Bullying is a big problem. It can make kids feel hurt, scared, sick, lonely, embarrassed and sad. Bullies might hit, kick, or push to hurt people, or use words to call names, threaten, tease, or scare them. A bully might say mean things about someone, grab a kid's stuff, make fun of someone, or leave a kid out of the group on purpose. Some bullies threaten people or try to make them do things they don't want to do.
If The Bully Says or Does Something to You:
Ignore the bully. If you can, try your best to ignore the bully's threats. Pretend you don't hear them and walk away quickly to a place of safety. Bullies want a big reaction to their teasing and meanness. Acting as if you don't notice and don't care is like giving no reaction at all, and this just might stop a bully's behavior.
Stand up for yourself. Pretend to feel really brave and confident. Tell the bully "No! Stop it!" in a loud voice. Then walk away, or run if you have to. Kids also can stand up for each other by telling a bully to stop teasing or scaring someone else, and then walk away together. If a bully wants you to do something that you don't want to do — say "no!" and walk away. If you do what a bully says to do, they will likely keep bullying you. Bullies tend to bully kids who don't stick up for themselves.
Don't bully back. Don't hit, kick, or push back to deal with someone bullying you or your friends. Fighting back just satisfies a bully and it's dangerous, too, because someone could get hurt. You're also likely to get in trouble. It's best to stay with others, stay safe, and get help from an adult.
Don't show your feelings. Plan ahead. How can you stop yourself from getting angry or showing you're upset? Try distracting yourself (counting backwards from 100, spelling the word 'turtle' backwards, etc.) to keep your mind occupied until you are out of the situation and somewhere safe where you can show your feelings.
Tell an adult. If you are being bullied, it's very important to tell an adult. Find someone you trust and go and tell them what is happening to you. Teachers, principals, parents, and lunchroom helpers at school can all help to stop bullying. Sometimes bullies stop as soon as a teacher finds out because they're afraid that they will be punished by parents. This is not tattling on someone who has done something small — bullying is wrong and it helps if everyone who gets bullied or sees someone being bullied speaks up.
read more...
Parenting Secrets, Dr. Michele Borba
A big parenting mistake is not sticking to a behavior plan long enough.
The result: No behavior change. Changing behavior is a gradual process requiring
commitment and repetition. In fact, learning a new habit takes around 21 days of
consistent work. By faithfully using the "Rule of 21" you're more likely to get
the desired behavior result.
read
more...
Involved Parents are the Real Heroes
Parenting Matters: Positive Strategies for Parenting Challenges
Get positive, proactive, and down-to-earth guidance on how to respond to the
changes and challenges of parenting in positive, healthy ways. Topics include
underage drinking, family volunteering, curfews, school success, juggling work
and family, and much more.
read
more...
Online Education Advantages: Explore the online experience with us in a real online classroom. Hear from former students and experts about online education. Learn the value of a distance learning degree.
Developmental Assets
Grounded in scientific research,
Developmental Assets are 40 essential building blocks of healthy
development. Think of assets as the “good stuff” that young people need in their
lives to help them grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. As a parent, you
play a vital role in building these assets—both in how you relate to your child
and how you connect your child with other caring people and places in your
family and community.
read
more...
For Parents and Guardians
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Whatever your age, the Internet is a great place to hang out. It’s not only fun, but it lets you keep in touch with friends and family and provides an enormous amount of information. There are lots of great educational sites as well as places to keep up with your favorite hobbies, music, sports, and much more. If you’re the parent or guardian of a teenager, you may feel teens don’t need the same restrictions and controls as younger kids. Teenagers are actually more likely to get into trouble online than younger children. Teens are more likely to explore; they’re more likely to reach out to others besides their peers; and, sadly, they’re more often preyed upon as victims by child molesters and other exploiters.
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read more...
Darkness to Light – Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
The programs will raise awareness of the
prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse by educating adults about the
steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to the reality
of child sexual abuse.
read more...
Talking to Children about Their Safety
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What are the most important things a parent should know & tell when talking to a child about this issue? What is the biggest myth surrounding this issue? What advice would you offer a parent who wanted to talk to their child about this issue?
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read more...
• Join the SingleMom.com forums. Share your tips, resources and experience with other single moms
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9 Cash-Saving Tips That Pay Big Bucks
complaintsboard.com
The expression "a penny saved is a penny earned" doesn't cut it these days. But saving a few dollars here and there can add up...
read
more...
Try out these Thanksgiving recipes from tasteofhome
You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options
How Life Works
If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.
read more...
Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis
OPRAH.com
Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you
devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...
read more...
Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?
A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study
followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of
obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.
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more...
The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip
By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman
... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it
surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.
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more...
Finding last-minute tuition money
There's still time to find funds for this semester's college tuition. But you'll have to move quickly.
By Gerri Willis
It's only a couple of weeks or even days until school begins. And if you don't think you'll be able to get a handle on your college
tuition bill, here with your guide to last minute money.
read more...
Short-term Payday Loans
econ4u.org
...Which are more expensive, late fees or short-term loans?...
A short-term payday loan can be a better option than overdraft fees, reconnect fees, late payment fees or a damaged credit rating when
the loan is repaid promptly. However, these loans are not suited for longer repayment periods...
Being realistic about budgeting can help avoid the need for short-term borrowing.
read more...
Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan
by RealSimple
Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do
you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with
the extra set of keys to your house?
read
more...
How to save $10,000 in 2009
By Liz Pulliam Weston
If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that
$10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as:
Housing, Transportation, Food.
read
more...
The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget
by Renee Rayles
A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has
little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and
then.
32 and Counting? Finding Your Happily Ever After Today
by Gi Gi
The author talks about the struggles a single mom goes through and the discovery that you can have HEAT (Happily Ever After Today) just
as you are, being single, taking care of your kids...
read more...
Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors
Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They
nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another
equally-invested adult.
read more...
Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity
20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.
read more...
TheOnlineMom.com offers parents and consumers a guide to the top-rated, age-appropriate, kid-tested and parent-approved tech toys and gifts.
read more...
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
by Jeff Kinney
For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...
read more...
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