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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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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...
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...
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.
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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...
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...
Idea Bank
Search through articles: valuable parenting tips and advice. read more...
Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan
Exchange this information with someone you trust who will be there when you
can't.
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? Fill out these Emergency Plan Worksheets
with your family's information on it, and put it in the hands of a family
member, a friend, or a neighbor, and keep a backup for yourself, too.
Your information: Name, home address, home phone, cell phone,
medical-insurance ID number, primary-care physician phone, work address, work
phone, work e-mail, home e-mail, drug allergies, blood type, and medications and
schedules.
Spouse/significant other information: Name, home address, home
phone, cell phone, medical-insurance ID number, primary-care physician phone,
work address, work phone, work e-mail, home e-mail, drug allergies, blood type,
and medications and schedules.
Alarm information: Alarm-system company phone, password, and
location of extra keys.
Child information: Name, birth date, any secret passwords one
might need to know if she, say, has to pick your daughter up from school,
medical-insurance ID number, pediatrician phone, food and drug allergies, blood
type, medications and schedules, dentist phone, orthodontist phone, baby-sitter
phone, school phone, school nurse phone, teacher phone, and location and time of
school-bus arrival and departure.
Parent or Elder information: Name, birth date,
medical-insurance ID number, primary-care physician phone, specialist phone,
food and drug allergies, blood type, medications and schedules, and pharmacist
phone.
Pet information: Name, feeding schedule, and veterinarian
phone.
read more...
Car Seat Safety
Child Carseat Safety FAQ
Why should I have my child in a child restraint? Why do I need a seatbelt?
How long should children be in a carseat? In their seatbelts?
What is the safest carseat?
How can I find out if my carseat has been recalled?
Should I buy a carseat with a harness or a shield?
Which other features are important?
... Find answers to your questions about carseats and carseat safety.
read more...
Beach Safety
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What You Need to Know - Children ages 5 to 14 most often drown at open-water sites (rivers, lakes and oceans). In fact, 29 % of drownings involving children ages 5 to 14 occur in open bodies of water. Lifeguards are not enough! One in five parents believes that when lifeguards are present, the lifeguard is the main person responsible for supervising children in the water. Don't let a beach day turn into a bad day – follow these tips around open water. Remember active supervision is the best way to keep your kids safe!
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read more...
Never Leave Your Child Alone
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How Does A Hot Car Affect Kids? From 1996 through 2000, more than 120 children – most of them three and younger – died from heat stroke after being trapped in a vehicle’s passenger compartment. Research conducted by General Motors revealed that these children were left behind in a closed, parked car by parents or caregivers, or that they gained access to the car on their own and could not get out. This is a serious public health issue, and one that is entirely preventable. General Motors and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign want to end these needless deaths by reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of leaving children in, or allowing them to play around cars.
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read more...
Questions & Answers on Child 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...
Darkness to Light – Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
Darkness to Light: our 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...
Car Seat - 'How To’ Knowledge Retained by Parents
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New Study Shows Car Seat Clinics Are Effective, according to Safet Kids Worldwide. Based on data from car seat checkup events conducted in 29 states in February 2005, Safe Kids found that parents successfully changed their behavior and retained their child passenger safety knowledge six weeks after receiving hands-on instruction. At a second child safety seat checkup, 45% more seats were properly installed by the parents than at the first instructional event. Families with older children were also significantly underrepresented in the research. Children who attended checkup events tended to be young—ages 4 and under — even though Safe Kids Worldwide recommends that kids who have outgrown car seats ride on booster seats until they are about 4 feet, 9 inches tall and 80 to 100 pounds. Most children reach this height and weight between the ages of 8 and 12.
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read more...
Home Water Safety
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Children can drown in as little as one inch of water and are therefore at risk of drowning in bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, toilets, and other places where there may be some water accumulated. Keep bath time safe! More than half of drownings among infants (under age 1) occur in bathtubs and many of these occur in the absence of adult supervision.
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read more...
Pool and Hot Tub Safety
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Most young children who drown in swimming pools were last seen in the home, had been missing from sight for less than five minutes and were in the care of one orboth parents at the time of the drowning. Don’t be one of the 66 % of parents who have little or no awareness about entrapment risks. Find out how to protect your children in pools and hot tubs.
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read more...
Boating Safety Tips
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It is estimated that 85% of boating-related drownings could have been prevented if the victim had been wearing a life jacket. Make your children wear a life jacket … it may be the law! Forty-five states have enacted laws that require children to wear life jackets while participating in recreational boating. These laws vary in age requirements, exemptions and enforcement procedures.
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read more...
Undercover in a Kid's Online World
By Sharon Duke Estroff
What one mom learned in her journey through kiddie cyberspace - and what
every concerned parent needs to know
Realistically, we can't raise Internet-free kids, nor should we.
But here's what I've learned about helping your child find a balance between
virtual worlds and the real one.
• Be his copilot. Understanding your
kid's virtual world is a must, even if it means going undercover yourself. Then
go online with him as he explores the site. "You wouldn't put your child in a
car, hand him the keys, and say 'See ya,'" says Perle. "Don't do it with the
Internet."
• Teach her how to act. Provide your
kid with clear behavior guidelines for the virtual world, just as you do for the
real one. "Before letting your child access a site, discuss how to be a good
online friend," says Patricia Agatston, Ph.D., coauthor of Cyber Bullying:
Bullying in the Digital Age. And make sure she knows how to recognize
inappropriate behavior from others (like flirtation, questions about age,
bullying) and will tell you if it happens so that you can report the offender to
site authorities.
• Use parental controls and monitoring
software. Protect your child while giving him the appropriate level of
independence with Website parental controls (Club Penguin offers some excellent
ones that allow parents to control when and for how long kids can use the site)
and monitoring software (like those listed in the searchable database at
getnetwise.org). Be up-front with kids from the start about keeping an eye on
them.
• Say when (and mean it). Common
Sense Media recommends waiting until your child's eighth birthday before letting
her join a social network. Once you do, the American Academy of Pediatrics
advises limiting kids to no more than two hours a day of any kind of screen
time. And balance it out with real face time with friends: These sites were
never meant to replace going outside and playing.
read more...
Teens need to know about the Internet
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The Internet is an amazing way to exchange information. On it there are libraries, universities, museums, places to have fun, and plenty of opportunities to meet wonderful people from all walks of life. But, like any community, there are also some people and areas to stay away from and others you should learn more about before you visit. Millions of teenagers go online every day, and most are safe. The way to stay safer is to understand the dangers and follow some simple rules to help you steer clear of trouble. By following these rules you’ll minimize the risks and have more fun.
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read more...
SURF SAFER
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The most important thing to remember is that when you’re online in any kind of a public forum, anyone can read what you post. You should also remember that people you first “meet” online may not be who they seem to be.
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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...
• 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
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...
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.
read
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.
read
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...
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.
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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...
What they play: Kids and video games
Parents, are you left in the dark? Arm yourself with these three tips
by John Davison, WhatTheyPlay.com
Call it a generation gap or a digital divide, if you're a parent who is a little clueless about what video games are appropriate for your child, you are not alone. John Davison, one of the founders of What They Play, offers tips that help take the mystery out of the video games your children are playing.
read more...
How to answer six of kids' toughest questions
When kids stump you with one of these six questions, you can rely on these answers.
Questions, such as: Why didn't I get invited to that party? Where do people go when they die? How do thunder and lightning work? Where do rainbows come from? Why do we have to move?...
read more...
Health plans don't have to cost an arm and a leg. Find the affordable health plan that's right for your family - request a free quote today!
Is it harder to raise boys or girls?
by Paula Spencer
• Boys may not listen as well as girls because their hearing isn't as good from birth
• Girls are rigged to be people-oriented, while boys are more action-oriented
• Girls tend to grow up less confident and more insecure than boys
• Boys are harder to raise early on, but girls become more difficult as preteens
read more...
My Story as a Single Mom
by Gail Showalter
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Author Gail Showalter is looking for stories from single mothers to use as examples in a book that will reveal how personalities affect the different ways we handle difficulties. This submission should tell of a situation that you found yourself in as a single mother. It should tell what you did and relate that to your own personality and temperament. In other words, why you did what you did when another person of a different temperament probably would have done it entirely differently given the same circumstances. To find out more about the submission, CLICK HERE.
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read more...
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