Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Today many Americans strive to “have it all” with respect to their personal and professional life but, all too often, this shotgun effort leads to disappointing results on many – if not all – fronts. “The complexity lies in creating abundance in your life while still being able to relax and enjoy life to its fullest,” agrees CEO Couple Ed and Ellen Schack, ‘parent-preneurs’ and speakers who have realized mutual whole-life success through key principals that have helped them successfully balance family life with growing businesses.
Individual business owners and parents of three, the Schack’s have blended their families, work lives, and personalities in a way that complement each other, and serve as a model for other couples and families striving to do the same. Toward this end, Ed and Ellen are available for interviews and commentaries on a myriad of work/life balance, relationship and family dynamic topics including, but not limited to, the following: (more…)
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Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Making your child’s school experience more personal and fun will probably lead to better grades and increased involvement. The use of computers and getting everything ready for school can cost an arm and leg. If you are smart in the way you shop and take advantage of online shopping, it is amazing how much you will save. While our children need a lot more to go to school these days, there are also plenty of ways to get these items on the cheap. In this article, we look at some ways to customize their experience, such as with Windows 8 themes, and some other great money saving tips for putting them into school and looking after what they have got.
- Clothing.New clothes are a very real cost for any parent. What you need to know in this world today, if you are buying retail you are paying way too much. Childrens clothing is available in a larger range at heavily discounted prices on the internet. Clothing and shoe companies have adapted very well to selling their clothes and shoes online. They include precise measurements for the different parts of our body, and don’t just rely on sizes. Sizes actually are very different from brand to brand, and country size rating. Because online retailers have adapted so well, you will find shopping on the internet a pleasurable and a financially satisfying experience.
- Customize their Laptop.We don’t have much trouble getting our children to use a laptop, but we want to make sure it lasts. You can buy strong covers that clip over a laptop to give superb protection. The strongest of these cases are even drop-resistant. These cases are available on many online electronic stores and come in huge range of colors and designs. They can choose their favorite cartoon characters or movie stars. The choice is huge and never seems to end. You can help them further customize their computer experience by changing the themes inside their Windows 8 update. It is available easily, and online. Keep their computer safe with the update. You can set an administration password to control the type of content they can access online while you are not around. They will use their computer for fun, and we can’t stop that, but we can manage what they see. Don’t forget, a 14 year old boy taught himself how to build a mobile phone application and had over 2 million downloads just last year. At 99 cents a pop, that is some serious money. Letting our children do what they do, can mean a whole lot more than it used to.
- Bag and Laptop Bag?You have bought them a laptop, and now you have to buy them a laptop bag too? Or, do you? Mofi produces a range of laptop bags that are also an integrated bag. They don’t even have to take their laptop out of the bag to use it. A great way to keep their laptop in the best condition possible.
Our children are very conversant with internet use, and maybe it is about time more of us adults took advantage of the products and prices available, no matter where you are in the world.
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Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Just because you are paying to stay at any particular hotel or accommodation with your children, does not mean you can let your kids do whatever they want. It seems that many parents have lost their manners and consideration for others when they take their children to a hotel or hotel restaurant these days. It seems to be so common to allow children to do what they want in public. Other people are paying just as much as you to be there. Furthermore, if it was a playground, they would have a swing set in the lobby.
● Table Manners. Again, what has happened to simple table manners? Have you lost yours? Spend the time to teach your children how to use a knife and fork properly please. No elbows on the table and sit up straight. There is not much to it, but it seems as if everybody has forgotten these simple manners. Teach your children to ignore others and focus on what is going on at the table they are sitting at.
● Presentation. Please put some effort into the appropriate clothing for children when you take them to a hotel. There is clothing for dinner, and there is clothing for the daytime. The rest of the hotel is not your bedroom. Teach your children how to stand, sit and walk properly. This is not only good for their presentation, but it is good for their posture. How we are made to present ourselves in the early years has a large effect on the way we will appear for the rest of our lives.
● Greeting and Interacting. Learning how to greet someone is very important. This is something else that will give your child a good start in life. We all do judge a book by a cover, and a child who can greet new people confidently, will be treated very differently by those around. A child who knows how to wait his or her turn, is one who will find they get more of what they want.
● Public Behaviour. There are some pretty straight-forward rules you can give your children when they are in just about any public place that particularly applies in a hotel. No running and keep your voices down please. Other people do not want to talk over the din of a group of kids running around and making a noise.
● Supervision. Hotel staff are not employed to be the supervisors of your children. Children should not be left to their own devices just because they are in a hotel. If you want to let them do something, you should talk to the concierge and discuss supervised options.
● Activities. All kids are loaded with energy, and the best way to get rid of it is to get them busy with some physical activities. Most hotels, even discount hotels will have options for activities to wear your children out. If you want them quiet, this is a very simple way to get them to do it.
Presentation and manners are important everywhere your child goes. If they can learn to handle themselves well at a young age in hotels and restaurants, they will probably succeed in a variety of areas in their life as adults. Take these issues seriously.
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Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
It’s the question that many parents seek answers to. How do I encourage my child’s social growth? In a world where social skills can mean the difference between those who succeed and those who merely hang behind the lines, it is important for parents to be aware of their child’s level of social activity and just how well they interact with other people, older or younger.
Does your child cower in the presence of other children? Are they too afraid to speak up? These are issues that can be identified at the very earliest of stages. You may even begin to see certain tendencies in a child’s behavior from infancy and there are things that you can do to help them along in the social arena.
Children today face even bigger challenges than past generations. With the advent of the computer era and the apparent need to hone those “cyber skills” it can be difficult to brush up on one’s social adeptness. Children are simply not given the opportunity to participate in adequate social situations like previous generations were.
So what can you do? There is a plethora of ways to promote social activity in your child. Here are a few:
JOIN A GROUP
Check out your local paper for groups that are appropriate for your child’s age. There are all sorts of groups available for kids today. Just this once, bypass the classes that try to enhance your kids intellect and opt for the ones that require a whole lot of human interaction. Computer classes and art classes are great, but try to even them out with a group sport or other collective experience.
START YOUNG
Remember that social development begins at the earliest of ages. Take your baby or toddler along to a playgroup or Mommy and Me class where there are sure to be other children of the same age.
TRY TO LET THEM WORK THINGS OUT
Too often parents are eager to jump in and solve all their kids problems. Remember that they need the opportunity to learn how to do this for themselves. Most of the time when kids get into some sort of battle they are able to resolve it independently. Of course, you should always be aware of what is going on in their life, but do so with caution. Allow as much opportunity as possible for them to think it through and interact with all parties themselves. This is also true for babies, not just older children. Watch as they try to solve a battle over a toy, step in when it seems out of control but otherwise see if they can’t work it out.
LET THEM ASK YOU FOR HELP
From the youngest of ages you should encourage your child to develop the ability to ask for help. If they are unable to solve a situation, don’t just jump in there. First, give them the opportunity to work it out and if they are unable to, then give them an opportunity to ask you for assistance. If you do sense that their frustration level is rising, then by all means step in, but do it with the words, “Do you need me to help?” Let them know that it is OK to ask someone for assistance if they are unable to do it themselves. When they are out in the world later in life, maybe it won’t be so intimidating or humiliating to ask someone else for help.
TRY TO LIMIT THE SHAME THEY FEEL
Often the taunting an adult shows toward a child is completely in good nature, but that is not always the way that it is received. Every child is different so they may perceive things in a different way however you should be clued in to their tolerance of such jibes. Everything in a child’s world is important to them. Consider their daily pre-school/school day right up there on par with your working day. Take them seriously and let them feel proud of each and every accomplishment. A child’s day warrants just as much conversation and analysis as yours.
TALK SOME MORE
Ever wonder what to do in traffic? It’s the perfect opportunity to talk to your kids. Don’t reach for the radio dial, turn it off! Ask some questions. It doesn’t matter if there is no response from your infant/toddler or a minimal one from your teenager. The point is that you are making an effort and despite other indications, it will be appreciated and it will show your kids that open communication is acceptable.
ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS
Never assume that since your kids don’t seem to have anything to say that there isn’t something worth while to ask about. It may be that they feel a little intimidated in sharing there information with others. If you are upfront about the importance of their contribution to the world they may just start to believe it.
sources : www.essortment.com
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
There’s a lot more to getting pregnant than just having intercourse sometime in the middle of your cycle and hoping to see that positive pregnancy test instead of your period.
I learned this the hard way.
When I was trying to conceive, I found out that there was a lot that I didn’t know. Which led me to making a lot of big mistakes which were actually preventing me from getting pregnant.
(more…)
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Baby care basics weren’t something I thought about while pregnant. I distinctly remember when I arrived home from the hospital with my first little bundle of joy. It was a sunny but bitterly cold morning in December. We’d spent many hours at the hospital fussing with the car seat and her going home outfit, complete with winter snow suit. I was tired and sore and yet terribly excited. I walked up the three flights of steps with my episiotomy stitches pulling the whole way, anxious to get my baby in my home.
The funniest thing about the whole day was that once we did finally jump through all the hoops and cross all the hurdles and got home we were perplexed as to what to do next. As she sat sleeping in her car seat in the middle of the living room floor, my husband and I debated and finally argued over what to do with her. Should we lay her in her new crib? Should we feed her again? Maybe she should have a change of clothes. Finally she woke up and cried, giving us an opportunity to try out all of our new parenting skills. The good news is that taking care of a baby’s basics needs, particularly as a newborn, is very simple. I’ve collected a group of instructions on taking care of your new baby from bathing to diapering, from feeding to holding. From these articles you can get a basic sense of how to take care of a new baby, whether it’s your first or your fifth. (This goes for mom and dad!) (more…)
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Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
There were three things that made me decide to introduce the concept of money to my first son Noe when he was slightly more than 3 year old. Firstly, Noe became really good and persistent in asking for things to buy when we take him to the shop or supermarket. He became savvier in negotiating for it “But I want, Ibu!”. Most of the time “I’ll buy it later” or “No you can’t have ‘em because you already have ‘em” doesn’t work anymore. Secondly, ever since we live in an apartment that had a TV in Jakarta, Noe couldn’t stop watching Playhouse Disney. I thought, he needed some restraint, but I don’t think punishment per se would do any good. I decided to try to treat TV as a ticketed item in the house. Thirdly, he had been in preschool for about 2 years and had been really fond of counting things. He could grasp the concept of number. So, why not give it a try and teach him about money? (more…)
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Thursday, December 24th, 2009
At first, when I was still living in Africa, the sight of mothers carrying children in the back is a very common thing. In addition to carrying a child, they were highly trained to carry wares on their heads. I got amazed to see a mother, holding child, came home from the market on foot, carrying a gas canister over his head. While he also had to keep two small children who happily walking nearby. This was so interesting to me that I was pregnant at the time the second child, I knew that I had to do what is also done of mothers in Africa. Carrying the smallest children and still be the eldest child care well (of course minus the gas tube in the head).
I have to ‘deal’ with Aldebaran, my eldest son who was 3 years old. Just imagine, as a housewife with no assistants, I have to go up and down the bus with Aldebaran and Arzachel, with a diaper bag, as well as the usual weekly shopping should I hold with my hands. Oh yes, do not forget also because sometimes I have to pursue an active Aldebaran ran here and there. So, I have nimble maneuvers. Therefore, for me, sleepy wrap is the right choice. Very practical for me. Although Singapore including a stroller friendly countries, all the things I mentioned above can be done unless the pursuit of Aldebaran.
After searching for information via the internet, I finally decided to use the sleepy wrap. The material is very comfortable and smooth. It takes a little use (less than 1 minute), but despite hours of use, I do not feel sore because Arzachel weight (3 months, 6.8kg) divided by average on my body. I am using the sleepy wrap Arzachel since birth. So do not be surprised, Arzachel a week after giving birth, I’ve brought him a trip to Geylang market. He remained calm, comfortable, and slept with soundly.
With baby wearing, sleepy wrap, view the world as seen Arza also better than those put on the stroller (limited to the adult knee height). Arza comfortable and I also calm him anywhere. I felt, Aldebaran still get enough attention. I still can play with him holding the Arzachel using sleepy wrap. Alde so no jealous when Arza was born. In fact he was very fond of Arza. I apply the method of attachment parenting, so the use of sleepy wrap for me is the right decision. I even recommend to my friends who will give birth / having children.
sources : theurbanmama.com
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