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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.

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Madlynn is Kid of the Month


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...

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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

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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.

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Single Moms - find here resources on financial aid, scholarships, help with basic needs, food, prescription drugs, health care, housing, legal info, and much more...

Parenting Advice


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.


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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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48 months

Goes upstairs and downstairs without support

Draws circles and squares

Tells stories

Cooperates with other children

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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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.

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For Parents and Guardians

 

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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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.

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Talking to Children about Their Safety

 

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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Join the SingleMom.com forums. Share your tips, resources and experience with other single moms

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Utility Prices are Significant Expenses

by Randi Lynn Millward

I don't know about you, but my electric bill is sky-high. I've been running around the house unplugging everything in sight so as not to incur charges from my appliances using "phantom energy".

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Because you are somebody special!

by Annette Bridges

Since my trip to Italy, my husband and I have enjoyed a delicious breakfast routine that often includes French toast, fresh fruit and a yummy cup of cappuccino.

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Our Friendships

by Laurie Cesario-Overton

We all have those days when we get overwhelmed and it seems like every time we turn around there is another problem.

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3 Money Rules for Stay-at-Home Moms

As we all know, life is unpredictable. We lose jobs, get divorced and even become widowed...
Here are three steps stay-at-home parents should take to better manage their own and the family’s finances.

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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.

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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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Offer to barter

Dr. Marie - Advice for Pet Owners

A vetʼs office is a business that requires a lot of services. In many cases your vet may be willing to barter in exchange for veterinary services.

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How to Find the Best Car Loans for Single Moms

Financial Advice for Single Moms

The best car loans for single mothers might be just around the corner at your local car lot.

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Crystal Bowersox - A Single Mom And A Real American Idol

Read how the amazing Crystal Bowersox. the runner-up of American Idol Season 9, handles fame and life as a single mom, raising her 17 month old son.

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5 Ways for Single Moms to Save Money

Single moms are always looking for ways to save money, and for good reason... It’s important to find ways to cut corners on the little things that perhaps you don’t think about too often, because those are usually where your biggest money drains are.

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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...

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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?

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How to save $10,000

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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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.

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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.

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Mom's Obesity Raises Newborn's Heart Risk

from the National Institute of Health

The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that her newborn baby will have a congenital heart defect, a new study suggests. The finding raises concerns because 1 in 5 women are obese at the start of pregnancy in the United States.

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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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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.

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Single Moms in the News

6 Best Celebrity Single Moms
Read about Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Kimora Lee Simmons, Mary-Louise Parker... 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...

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