If you happen to be one of those parents with a rebellious kid, please take heart. God knows what you really are going through. In truth, He told us how to deal with this dilemma in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, which shows us that even God - a perfect Father - has youngsters who rebel. But notice He is not having a panic attack, nor is He beating himself up, You should not either.

If that you are in the midst of your son or daughter's rebellion, here are some things to help you through this trend.

1. Utilise the power of prayer.

We're able to help prepare the young person's heart, yet it is God who is going to transform it. Pray for your child every day, and don't be embarrassed to bring in others to pray for him.

2. Request for his forgiveness for ways you may have failed him.

Get rid off any obstacle that would block him from moving toward forgiveness himself.

3. Let negative effects do their work.

To the best of your means, let him face the results of his judgements. Resist the urge to intervene; you won't want to stop the process of repentance.

4. Check out the Bible.

In some cases the line gets hairy between maintaining a tender heart and allowing repercussions to happen. This is when you need to lean on God for divine wisdom. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it can be given to him."

5. Don't add indignation to his rebellion.

Preserve all lines of communication open. Enjoy interaction with him beyond your times you are forced to manage his rebellious attitude. Provide him with plenty of reasons to believe you not only still love him, but enjoy his company and still have confidence in his future.

6. Never let your rebellious child destroy your other relationships.

In some cases rebellion requires that you put guidelines in your life so the situation doesn't detrimentally affect your other children or your union.

7. Be sure the rebel knows he has space to repent.

He needs to believe your door is always open. Like the prodigal, your rebellious child must have confidence that if or when he comes to his senses, you do have a place for him at your table, and in your heart.

8. Be inclined for God to use you to help people.

Be readily available to help other folks going through equivalent problems. As 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us, "Praise be to the God and Father who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have obtained from God."

9. Make your life more engaging.

Supply the prodigal a motive to want to turn around. You do not want to exemplify the things that may have turned him off to faith. Show him what a lively grace-based faith looks like. Don't be distracted with persuasive him that Christians are right. Instead, demonstrate that Christians are good. Let him see that within your goodness is an overpowering capacity to forgive him when he finally gets tired of running from God.

10. Don't toss in the towel.

You will never know when someone's heart will turn around.

Here is a good prayer for parents with kids:

Most loving Father, the example of parenthood, teach us what to give
and what to withhold. Show us when to reprove and when to praise.
Make us gentle and considerate yet firm and watchful.
Keep us from weak indulgence, or from great severity.
Give us the courage to be disliked sometimes by our children,
when we must do necessary things which are displeasing to their eyes.
Give us the imagination to enter into their world
in order to understand and guide them.
Give us all the virtues we need to lead them by word and example
in the path of righteousness.

Amen.

Thank you and God bless!

To read more about this and other Christian Counseling related subjects such as daily prayers, life coaching, Christian marriage counseling among others, please visit my blog at http://www.blessmenetwork.org/christian-counseling-blog/ It's a free resource me and my Christian colleagues at Bless Me Network actively participate and would love to hear your feedback or topic ideas.

What is Bless Me Network? We provide Christian counseling and spiritual guidance with a level of convenience and confidentiality that has never existed before. We have developed a network of highly trained ordained ministers and priests who specialize in Christian counseling, family counseling, pastoral counseling, bible counseling, among others. You can easily speak with our trusted counselors by dialing our toll free telephone number 1-888-925-3776. To learn more visit us at http://www.blessmenetwork.com

By John Hartford

Many parents discover that they struggle through the day to as their kids move from one activity to another. Transitions tend to be rough for kids and they are much more secure if they are in a normal rhythm through the day.

The kids schedule chart facilitates young families in planning the routine for their child's day. Whenever children have a predictable routine, anxiety is decreased and transitions are made far more easily. These charts allow both parent and child to share in setting an easy schedule for the day. They will help those children wanting to know, "What am I doing next?"

Schedule chart labeling can come with photos and/or words which will allow your son or daughter to correlate terms with pictures and assist in his or her first steps of reading.

Schedule charts are not merely created for the child, but for the mother as well. Charts can help the family keep an eye on the day and also help eliminate some of those flaky momma moments whenever you look around and there's so much to be done - making it hard to focus on a single thing. The activity labels also allow organization when there is open room in the day - whenever you could take a nature walk or perhaps do some painting with each other. The use of magnetic labels you have will make it impossible to over-schedule.

The kids schedule chart can be made from almost anything. We've identified they are created best out of heavy canvas board. We use lots and lots of Mod Podge as we create the charts. Using Mod Podge was tough initially, but after a few quick searches on the web we found there are certain ways to use Mod Podge to keep out the bubbles that we kept seeing under the high-quality watercolor paper. For the labels, we now have found that art board seems to work well. It takes a strong hand to cut through all of them; nevertheless, it's definitely worth the effort to have labels that won't fold and bust. We have recently used a cutting board that seems to also help in preparing the labels.

As to the design, you can use just about anything that will keep the attention of your child. We started with owls, ladybugs, footballs, and trees. We found the tree the best for our family. We appreciate the image of the tree as it relates to life, simplicity, beauty, connection, and growth. It is a blessing to all who see it and find rest in its shade.

Alan McGrath
A Kid's Day
http://www.akidsday.com

By Alan S McGrath

If the neurons (brain cells) in the memory pages of my mind serve me correctly, then I also was once a young "whipper-snapper (teenager)... although at my current young age of 68, it seems more like a figment of my imagination running wild in the misty clouds of my mind. Back then, when vehicles were true automobiles, and singers such as Elvis Presley actually 'sang" instead of just yelling and talking, and music was real music instead of a din of noise, we teenagers had just about the same enigmas as the young folks of today.

Even though "go-go juice" (gas) was less than one one-fourth of a dollar, some of us only earned about 50 to 75 cents per hour, or less - and ergo had the problem of how we were to afford to put petro in the tank, buy sodas and hamburgers for ourselves and our dates, in hope of accomplishing whatever goal we had in our minds. Some, if not most of us were also concerned about our grades, sports of all types, and an conglomeration of other problems. However' we survived as best as our mental, physical, and emotional facilities would allow us.

Personally, I am a very firm believer that all teenagers are loaded with ambitions, talents and abilities, and they want to do what is right. Their biggest problem is that they don't realize that all of those talents and abilities are within them...and even if they know, they don't have the knowledge of how to earn a good living with them. Once they realize it, all they would have to do is choose the talent and/or ability they feel they are best suited for, and write down on paper the steps they need to take in order to fulfill that goal.

Having said that, it was one early summer evening when a 16 year old young lady (whom I knew) came into the restaurant where I had ensconsed my happy self, reading a book. Sitting down across from me, and obviously very agitated, proceeded to tell me she was in big trouble! Naturally, the inflections in her voice made me to silently think: 'Oh no, please don't tell me you are pregnant." After taking three deep breaths, I asked her to calm down, and explain the problem to me. Her answer was that she was grounded for two months --- still believing that I too was once a teenager, I knew that, from her perspective, that life itself was over for her. Thankfully, I deleted the negative thought my imagination had conjured up about her being pregnant, I knew her life wasn't over, and asked the proverbial question - why?

She proceeded to explain that she had lied to her parents about something her brother did, but realized she never should have done so... that was a plus! Then I asked her if she knew the real reason her parents grounded her, and she replied in a rather sheepish tone of voice: "yeah, because they love me!" --- that was really a big plus! Personally, I was really proud of her at that point, and decided to attempt to help her in her moment of distress... so I went on to say that since she knew the answers as to why she should not have lied, and that they love her, that I would offer a possible solution. Her eyes lit up as big as doe eyes, and asked in an excited tone of voice ---how?

When asked what she was going to do when she went home, her reply was that she was going straight to her room..." oh sure, go home with a big pout all over your face - don't do that!" I replied. I went on to tell her to walk through the front door, and right up to your parents, look them in their eyes, and tell them that you know it was wrong to lie for your brother, and that you fully realize that the only reason they grounded you for so long was because they love you. Then turn around and walk slowly to your room, and leave the door open. I also added that she should not look back, because her parent's mouths would be on the floor.

About a week passed before I saw her again, when she walked into the restaurant, and where I was once again reading g a book. Obviously being in quite a hurry, she said: "Guess what! It worked! I was only grounded for a week. Thank You!" She then left and I never saw her again.

As stated earlier, all kids want to do what is right, and as adults, it is up to us to remember that they have neither the knowledge nor the experience we have. In addition; screaming at them, hitting them, and/or handing out drastic punishments is not going to solve the problem... it will only cause them to hate you, and never have anything to do with you again in your elder years ---trust me, you will regret that! When a problem arises, please try the following:

Tell them, from your viewpoint, what the problem consists of, and ask if they understand your point of view. If so, put you arm around them gently, and tell them that you love them...and that as your mother, or father, you want to help them in any way you can. Both of you will now be relaxed, love and understanding will kick in, and you both will be able to solve the problem in a peaceful manner. Kids need all the help they can get, and it is up to us parents to see that they willingly com to us for advice --- for if we don't, they will seek it else-where (on the streets), and do you really want that... I sure hope not! Imagine what you will discover next!

Discover Motivation, Remedies, Ways, Ideas, Tickles, Purples, Tips, and much more http://howtofacelife.com/

By Jesse Wade

We don't usually analyze a task we are doing to figure out how to do it. When teaching children, we need to break down into smaller units. That way, they can remember each step. An example is teaching a child how to make his bed. There are several steps needed to accomplish the task: straightening the sheets and blankets, pulling the sheets/blankets toward the top of the bed, putting the pillow at the top of the bed, pulling the bedspread or comforter up to the pillow, and pulling the bedspread over the pillow (if one is used) before putting stuffed toys or usually collections on top of the bed.

Multiple step sequences are difficult to remember. Think back to 8th or 9th grade when a teacher may have required you to memorize the preamble to the U.S. Constitution ("We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union....etc."). All those words, most of which we didn't understand then (and may not even now) meant little to us. And that is exactly the problem: there is no meaning in the task. We did it because it was required for our grade, and our success levels may not have been very good. One thing is for sure, we forgot most of it as soon as we were done reciting it, but we probably still remember only the beginning. Studying for many tests ended with the same results.

How did we memorize a selection? Most of us began at the beginning and slowly added more phrases or sentences each time we started. We know the beginning because it was the most repeated part of what we memorized. Children all memorize the alphabet by kindergarten. The easiest way is for them to sing the alphabet song, so easy that many high school students must silently sing it to themselves when they have to alphabetize something. The problem is that many children never learn the end (anything after p, q, r, s, or t) of the alphabet well, because it is the least repeated and used portion.

A better way to memorize

A technique called reverse chaining is a better way to memorize. You start at the end of the task and slowly add on new phrases or sentences at the beginning before repeating what you have already retained. For example: in making the bed the first step would be pulling the spread over the pillow; in the Preamble, the first portion attempted would be "...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"; and in the alphabet we would start at "u, v, w, x, y and z." For each task, the preceding step, phrase or sentence, or group of letters would be stated first (while still in short term memory) before repeating what is in long term memory. That way we are building successes each step of the way because the endings are more emotionally challenging with all that has gone before. When the child finally gets to the beginning of the sequence, he has already proven he can do the rest of it successfully with little effort.

The human mind easily remembers a maximum of 7 bits of new information. When that information has been learned, it can become 1 bit when new is added. By sequentially increasing the number of known bits, fewer new bits need to be added for success. When a child is emotionally charged with any task, those nerves make accomplishing the task more difficult. Small, easy steps with built-in success keep the child motivated. A motivated child does not resist new tasks or situations. How easy would life be if we didn't resist what we needed to do, learn, or show others?

All children can succeed in school. Parents can help their children by teaching the foundational skills that schools presume children have. Without the foundation for schools' academic instruction, children needlessly struggle and/or fail. Their future becomes affected because they then believe they are less than others, not able to succeed or achieve or provide for themselves or their families. Visit http://parentsteachkids.com to learn how to directly help your child and http://easyschoolsuccess.com to learn what is needed for education reform efforts to be successful.

By Jennifer Little

Kids writing ideas and journal prompts are essential components to one of our favorite activities... Journaling! Some children struggle with thinking up ideas to write about but we know that there are endless ideas from which to choose. To help your child (or your students) along in their writing process we have some fabulous and fun kids writing ideas listed below.

The following listing of 67 innovative and inspiring kids writing ideas (YES, we said 67!) is our way making writing more enjoyable for kids. We hope children everywhere enjoy these fun kids writing ideas and invite them to write until their hearts are content in a special journal book. But most of, we want kids everywhere to have loads of fun on their fabulous journaling adventures!!!

67 Kids Writing Ideas and Journal Prompts

1. Name one thing you do really well?
2. What is your favorite time of day?
3. The talents I have are...
4. The quality I like about myself the most is because...
5. Describe your best day ever.
6. I love my name because
7. Over the weekend I will...
8. My favorite quote by a famous person is and this is why:
9. Climbing trees is...
10. I wish trees could... because....
11. The perfect place in the whole wide world is...
12. Walking in the rain is...
13. If I were the ocean I would...
14. The parts of nature I like most are...
15. Imagine that you are a raindrop falling from the sky and describe how it feels.
16. What would the world be like if animals could talk?
17. Imagine that you can become invisible whenever you want. What are some of the things you would do?
18. This morning I looked out my window and to my great surprise I saw...
19. What would your life be like if you lived in space?
20. This year I learned...
21. If you were a bug in your house what would you see?
22. I saw a falling star. I wish...
23. What makes me feel safe is...
24. The things that make me laugh the hardest are...
25. Cleaning is...
26. If I were five (or ten or twenty or fifty) years older I would...
27. I am really terrific at....
28. If I could break the Guinness Book of Records I would...
29. If I had to describe myself as a color, I would choose and here's why...
30. What do you think of people who have bad manners?
31. When I do something good I feel...
32. How do you feel on a warm sunny day?
33. During a thunderstorm I feel...
34. To me courage means...
35. Good friends are people who...
36. If I could go to the movies over the weekend I would see because I heard...
37. What makes a happy family?
38. These are the things I think are most beautiful and why...
39. The things I like most about myself are...
40. What kind of animal would you like to be and why?
41. My favorite things to do over the weekend are...
42. The kind of trophy I would like to win is...
43. The TV or Movie Star I want to invite to my birthday party is... because...
44. What do we mean when we say, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"?
45. I want to remember....
46. I want to forget...
47. The three words that describe how I feel are and this is why...
48. The four things that are most important in my life are...
49. To entertain my family without spending any money we could...
50. I won a ticket to...
51. The mysterious footprints led to...
52. When I want something very badly and cannot have it I feel...
53. How would you change the world to make it better?
54. I would really like to get to know better because...
55. My favorite food is and I do not like because
56. I have ____ people in my family. Describe each person in detail.
57. My favorite color is_________ because it makes me feel...
58. The one thing I remember about last year is...
59. I wish I could...
60. The exciting plans I have to look forward to are...
61. I am most proud of_____. Explain why.
62. I wish that I could...
63. I make friends by....
64. It really puts me in a bad mood when....
65. Writing make me...
66. As the clock struck twelve...
67. What I learned this week that is amazing is..

It is our sincere hope that children everywhere enjoy these writing for kids ideas and inspirations. Until next time, write on...

By Jill Schoenberg

Babysitting is a great responsibility for anyone but for a child, it is greater. Therefore, before he is allowed to do it, we as parents must be sure of their capability.

There are so many laws today and a person can easily get into trouble for what is called negligence. The child who is babysitting mostly likely will not get into trouble depending upon his age but his parents can be held liable for his action while babysitting.

If your child is forgetful, he is not a good candidate for babysitting. You would have to be very alert and watchful when babysitting because a child is quick and can quickly get into something that could be harmful to him.

If your child does not show self-control, then he is not a good candidate for babysitting. You would need patience when dealing with children and getting angry easily is not good because the child can be harmed.

If your child likes to talk on the telephone or text on the phone, he is not a good candidate for babysitting because this is a distraction and children needs attention. You need to be aware of where they are and what they are doing at all time.

If your child likes to be outside playing then he is not a good person to baby-sit because you would have to give up your likes to care for the child. If your child is not willing to do that then he probably will not make a good babysitter.

However, if your child shows responsibility and you can depend upon him to do a good job. He will probably make a good sitter. He will observe the child, take out time for him, be patient with him and will take his responsibilities seriously.

Age factors into being a good babysitter. The child should not be too young babysitting. I recommend the age of sixteen or older before he is allowed to baby-sit. Prior to that age, he may not have developed chronologically to take on the responsibility of babysitting.

If the child is willing to be a babysitter and has shown that he can be trusted then it would probably be ok. However, if he is not willing to do it, it might not be a good ideal to force him to do it because inadvertently you might be putting the child who is to be cared for in danger.

If you think your child can handle the job and is willing to do it, make sure that there are emergency numbers handy in the event of an emergency. Also, be available for your child if he needs to call you for something.

I am a License Practical Nurse. I have been in this field for over 25 years. I enjoy helping and encouraging others. My main hobbies are reading and writing. I am a Wife, Mother and Grandmother. I am also President of the Parent Teachers Organization. President of the Parent Supporter Task Force and a member of the Parent Leadership Institute.

My website is: http://www.lizzieschristianbookstoreandmore.com. I sell a variety of Christian Products such as E-books, Poems, and Teachings. Free weekly Devotions. Inspirational products like Crosses, Bible covers, Plaques, Figurines and more.

By Lizzie Ducking

As teens enter their senior year, it becomes more evident to their parents just how fast their children grow up and mature. Some parents are anxiously awaiting the day their teen moves on to college, and some parents are already beginning to mourn the impending empty nest. Nonetheless, it's important to put the feelings and emotions aside for now and work hard to help the graduate prepare for the big entrance into the college or career world. Helping your teen attend to this checklist during the last year of high school will help ensure they will graduate feeling prepared for the next step.

Set Goals. Besides graduation, what is the long term goal for life? Although many teens aren't quite ready to make final decisions about the future, they should at least have a direction or a possible goal in mind. Without a goal it's difficult to make a plan.

Make a Plan. After graduation, is there a plan to work in the career world or go to college or tech school? Having a plan in place helps the teen stay focused on the "to do" list for achieving their goal.

Know the Requirements. Check your transcripts. make sure that they have taken the appropriate courses or learned the necessary skills for life after graduation. If the teen plans to go to college, is there a particular class, test score, community service, G.P.A., or experience needed before attending college or interviewing for a particular type of position? Usually, the SAT or ACT tests are taken by the junior year, so if they have not taken the test yet, get them to sign up for the test. If attending a local community college, check to see if they have a placement test that can be taken in lieu of the SAT or ACT. Most importantly, check with the guidance department to be sure all the high school graduation requirements have been met.

Begin to Apply. If possible, start applying early for college. Many colleges have an early admission deadline-take advantage of it. Go online and get the college admission packages. Go to the guidance office and ask for copies of the high school transcript and review it for accuracy. Sign and pay for the necessary official transcripts to be sent to the college. (Many times colleges require official transcripts to be sent with an official stamp or seal.) Begin writing the college essays, proofread them, too. Better yet, ask some people with great writing skills to proofread them. Ask favorite teachers for letters of recommendation.

Start budgeting. Teens often have lofty goals after high school that can be quite expensive. If possible, get a part-time job and start saving money. Not only can life after college be expensive, but senior year can be quite pricey, too, with senior pictures, senior trips, class ring, prom, invitations, graduation parties, etc. Think about it on the outset and start planning. Start applying for scholarships or financial aid. If your state offers college programs, be sure to apply for those opportunities. Check into how to begin using and applying the pre-paid college plans that have been invested for all these years.

Senior year brings with it many emotions for both the parents and the students. As the last first day of school comes and goes, so will the last 'last' day of high school. It's what happens between that first and last day of senior year that could ensure success after high school. Parents, following this checklist might be your last chance to help them pave the way to life after high school and graduation.

About the Author:

Trish Zenczak, MEd.L, is a Certified Graduation and Leadership Coach and Professional Speaker. Sign up for her FREE "Graduation Checklist -Top 10 MUST DO's to Prepare for Graduation". You'll also be added to the special invitation list for free tele-seminars." at http://www.GraduationCoach.com. At age 16, Trish became a high school dropout. Later at age 17, while living on her own, she returned to high school, graduated in the top 5% of her class and paid her own way through college. Trish was a high school teacher in the public school system for 15 years. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Communication from Florida Atlantic University and received her Master's in Educational Leadership from Lynn University. Throughout her career as a teacher and as a foster parent, she has had numerous opportunities to work with the "unmotivated and wounded" student. Her dream is to encourage, motivate and inspire students to become driven, self-advocating and responsible for their own success.

By Trish Zenczak

Kids anticipate summer vacation throughout the entire school year. Inevitably, once summer arrives, finding activities to keep them busy and mentally engaged can be daunting. With a little effort and creativity, summer can become a time for imagination and adventure. Here are a few suggestions for beating the summer boredom, in rain or shine.

On Sunny Days

1. Hold a water Olympics day: Invite a few neighbors or friends over and enjoy an afternoon or evening of water games. This is your chance to be creative, or have your kids come up with some games. Some favorites are the water balloon toss, filling buckets with water from wet sponges, and a game of tag with a sprinkler in the middle. You can have a prize for the winning team or have ice pops for all. Everyone is sure to have a blast, just make sure to lather on the sunscreen and drink lots of water.

2. Have a garage sale: Planning a sale could be a very teachable moment for younger kids. Teaching them about pricing, making change, and advertizing are all good things for kids to learn about. Let them be involved in choosing which of their belongings they are ready to sell, pricing items, and displaying them neatly. They could even make posters. A garage sale could also bring more traffic to the classic lemonade or baked goods sale.

3. Take an adventure walk: This late evening activity could be the perfect end to a day, especially once the temperature starts to cool off. Start from your home, and at each corner let a different child decide which way your family will go. The destination is a mystery as no one knows where this walk will take you. You could count different types of plants or animals, or pick your favorite street names, or even do an alphabet search (looking for each letter of the alphabet in order).

On Rainy Days

1. Do something with crafts: Have the kids make puppets out of old socks, or get materials to make t-shirts. Creating something tangible will be great for your kids to remember that summer by, and also gets their creative juices flowing. And, what better way to use sock puppets or t-shirts than implementing them into a puppet show or play? This will be even more fun and let the kids get some energy out on a rainy day.

2. Bring the outside in: Set up your kitchen like a restaurant for lunch, and let your kids be the chefs, hosts, and waiters; they'll have a great time. Or, camp or have a picnic on the living room floor. Anything out of the ordinary will be fun for your kids, and these scenarios are great for their imaginations.

3. Visit local museums: Most areas will have at least one or two local museums or touristy things that many residents never visit. Spending a rainy day visiting some of these local historical sites can be a lot of fun. Search your town online or get a newspaper and see what your town or region has to offer.

4. Get your exercise: If your kids need to get rid of some active energy, put in an awesome '80s workout video. They'll think it's hilarious, but they'll also have fun jumping around in the living room.

Hopefully, these ideas will get you started on a summer of interesting and entertaining activities to keep you and your kids busy. They'll have a great time coming up with more ideas, and their minds will be engaged and ready for more learning in the fall.

A pretty common phrase heard in homes now days is, "What about my allowance mom?" For generations the debate about allowance has been a hot topic. Child development professionals and parents have discussed these issues about allowance for years. I know that numerous children received an allowance when I was a child and that was a few years ago, and everybody seemed to have different amounts of money, chores, and even school marks needed to get their allowance. Some parents do not agree with paying their children, my parents were of this belief. I was actually a minority in the allowance receiving world, which I am not sure was a good thing or not. As a child that never received an allowance I was still able to learn the value of money and learn how to save.

Many professionals talk about allowance's as an important tool to teach kids how to be financially responsible, teach them the relationship between working and money, and finally that money does not grow on trees, it's not unlimited. It is also felt that children need to learn about finances at an early age as they develop spending habits younger as well. Some professionals even believe the constant pleading and begging can I? Can I have? That occurs on every shopping trip you may attempt taking your kids on, can be stopped with an allowance. I'm not so sure about this, I found that my children would come up with logical rational as to why it would be better for me to pay for an item rather than them depleting their savings to buy yet a larger item. Especially if their savings were made up of "gift" money because "Grandpa wouldn't want me to use it on gum Mom". There have been many debates about allowance among professionals as well as parents and kids.

So, what about their allowance is soo great? I'm not so sure. As a kid that didn't receive an allowance I didn't miss out on learning the importance of finances, nor did I believe that we had an unlimited supply of money. Therefore, teaching children the value of money is achievable without an allowance.

The next big question is; at what age should a child get an allowance? Some believe that an allowance should be started as soon as a child begins to ask questions about money. That means that starting an allowance at age three is not unheard of. In my opinion the child should be able to understand what money is prior to even discussing an allowance. Others have said that by the time a child enters school they should start receiving an allowance.

Parents should think about what expectations they have of their child in order for them to earn their allowance. Should parents pay children for doing chores or not. Some believe that paying a child to participate in a family, and help with household chores is plain crazy. The feeling is that the parent doesn't get paid for running a household so why should a kid. Children need to learn the importance of freely participating in their families and home lives. Others feel paying money for chores done is what an allowance is all about. During my research I found that many child development experts feel that chores and an allowance go hand in hand.

Deciding what chores should be paid for and what chores should be done as an activity of daily living can be very difficult. Or should a child be paid an allowance even if they didn't complete their chores? Kids lives can become very busy. What with sports, music, and of course homework they may not have a great deal of time to complete their chores. Time scheduling usually is not the child's decision rather it is the soccer teams, cheer leading squad or even the teachers expectations that rule how the child's time is spent. So should they be penalized for not doing chores when they had to complete a power point about the life span of a frog? If anything I feel that encouraging the child to do their best work is way more important than doing a certain chore. One should keep in mind the child's time restraints when thinking about their allowances. Schools have the kids doing tons of homework at home, not to mention the amount of time that the child is expected to read each day. And of course children need time to play and grow relationships with their own friends.

Some experts feel that giving an allowance for a child for obtaining a certain mark in school is a great way to motivate kids. I feel that school marks should be a reflection of the child's best effort in school and not about an allowance. My concern is what to do when there are two or three children in the home with different grade averages, do they receive the same allowance or not. Or maybe one child finds school easy where another has to struggle for good marks. If you are paying the allowance on the grounds of effort made then the child who had to work so much harder for the same mark should get paid more. This isn't very realistic, and almost impossible to fairly pay kids equally.

Lastly deciding what amount of an allowance should be paid also is debated. My parents would allow me to go to the corner store with twenty five cents and I would come home with a bag full of candies and feel great pride that I was able to spend my money so thriftily. Although twenty five cents isn't going to work now days, that's for sure. The experts have also come up with rules to calculate allowance amounts. Giving a child fifty cents or a dollar multiplied by their age is one option. Determining the amount of money that you already spend during the ongoing Can I? Please!! shopping tours is yet another.

In conclusion I found that there are many child development experts and financial experts who have come up with a huge amount of rules and regulations about allowances. And I'm not so sure I agree with them or not. It may be because it was how I was raised but I think that no allowance might be the right answer. And, as my parents did, reward the child with an allowance, of sorts, for good behaviour. Of course good behaviour includes doing your chores, doing your best at school and obeying your parents always. Rather than handing over the dough every Friday without fail why can't you give a sort of allowance when ever? I especially enjoy giving my kids an allowance when they are least expecting it. It teaches them that good behaviour really is worth it, and that I'm actually paying attention to them and noticing what they are doing, good or bad. So Mom, when they ask, "WHAT ABOUT MY ALLOWANCE?" You can always answer " Yes son, and what about your allowance are we talking about THIS week?"

Come and check out my new website at http://www.talkaboutkidsissues.com. It's a brand new way to help parents understand and cope with today's kids issues. Allowing parents to take time to talk about their kids issues and get some parenting advice for themselves.

Entertaining tell all's from author Leanne Ferguson, a single mother of two teenagers.A nurse of 22 years, Leanne gives to the community, posting informative articles about keeping kids and families healthy. This recently divorced mom has had real life difficulties, kids issues and problems of her own. Writing stories based on her own life to help others in the same shoes. Articles about allowance, dealing with summertime and kids, how to come up with an allowance amount, sending kids to ranch camp, kids fitness and so much more. Sending out some advice for parents letting them know that she has been through kids issues too. How she has handled some of the ups and downs in life and survived. Even her kids survived.

By Leanne Ferguson

All of us have eagerly waited for Halloween to arrive, in our childhoods, for the candies and chocolates we were supposed to get that day. However, Halloween is not just about the candies and chocolates. Halloween is an annual holiday on the 31st of October and it includes a lot of fun activities like costume parties, trick or treating, carving the jack-o-lanterns, apple bobbing, bonfires, playing pranks, visiting haunted places, telling each other scary stories, watching horror films etc. Some folklorists believe that Halloween has its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona or maybe in the festival of the dead which is known as "Parentalia." However, some say it is more typically related to the Celtic festival called as "Samhain". Though, there a lot of alternate stories to the origin of this festival, which is usually celebrated to scare people, but are in fact not true.

There are a lot of images and artifacts that have come to be associated with the festival of Halloween over the years. The carving of the pumpkins into lanterns is believed to be associated with the remembrance of the souls that are held in purgatory. The images of Halloween are sourced from popular horror and Gothic literature like Frankenstein and Dracula and also from horror movies like Frankenstein, The Mummy and Dracula. The imagery of Halloween includes a variety of themes such as evil, death, the occult and also of mythical monsters. The traditional colors of the Halloween festival are black and orange.

The Halloween festival is specially a fun time for the children. They go from house to house in scary costumes and asking for treats such as candies or sometimes money also by saying 'trick or treat' where trick is just an idle threat to the owner of the home saying that a trick or a prank maybe be performed on the owner or on the homeowner's property if no treat is given. Halloween costumes generally revolve around themes such as supernatural creatures like witches, monsters, ghosts, devils and skeletons, but the selection of costumes extends to include any popular characters from fiction and nonfiction, comic book heroes like ninja, princesses etc. Movie characters are also famous among individuals and some also dress as characters from Harry Potter, Shrek, Twilight series, Justice League, Superman, Batman, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Avatar and anything and everything that you want to dress up as.

By Yogini Bhambhani

You may be struggling in school and feel like a failure. You may have big academic goals and feel like you need help in reaching them. Could a tutor help? Would it be worth the cost in time and money?

Since ancient times, skills and knowledge have been passed on through one-on-one instruction, and this kind of education is as effective today as it has always been. Much of what we learn best is learned from individual instruction, whether it be from parents, grandparents, mentors, friends, co-workers, or teachers. We each have unique needs and ways of learning, and tutoring taps into this effective method of teaching and learning. As a high school teacher and owner of a tutor referral service, I have seen it: the more individualized the instruction, the better.

Tutoring can always improve learning, but this does not mean every student should have a tutor. Hiring a tutor is an investment, and like any investment, the costs must be weighed against the benefits. There are at least three important questions to consider when deciding whether to get a tutor.

The first is obvious: How well you are currently performing in school? A tutor can make the difference between passing and failing, graduating and not graduating, and of course, tutoring is an important option in such cases. If you are already doing well, you may not need a tutor. But that depends on what level of performance is acceptable to you. A tutor can help make the difference between a B and an A, and this can also be a good reason to get a tutor.

The second consideration is your motivational level. Are you really trying? Are you willing to put real effort into learning? Is improvement really important to you? No matter what your reason for seeking a tutor, it is unlikely to help if you are not motivated or not really trying. Before you call for a tutor, look inside yourself and ask whether you really want to do better, and how badly you want it. If you are having trouble with motivation, a tutor may be able to help, but he or she will need to start by working on your motivation and goals, rather than math, English, or other subjects. Before you can improve your grades, you have to want to do so. Tutoring is not a magic pill. The tutor cannot upload the understandings and skills into your mind. He or she is there to help you acquire your own skills and understanding. That requires your action.

I believe that every person is a powerful individual with tremendous potential for personal fulfillment. But if you don't believe that about yourself, or you don't believe you can or should do anything about it, you will struggle with motivation. This is what psychologist Nathaniel Branden calls self-esteem, and it is a good place to start if you are struggling with motivation. You have the power and the right to improve your life.

But what if you have healthy self-esteem and yet remain unmotivated? This is possible, because the question of motivation is closely tied to the next one: What are your goals? If you are not motivated to perform in school, it may be because you simply value something else more highly. What are your goals and priorities in life? If you have never answered these questions, now is the time to start. You may find that answering this question solves the rest of the problems automatically.

The tutor cannot answer this for you. Only you know what you want out of life. For many people, fogginess about goals and priorities automatically leads to struggles with motivation. So, set some goals. Read Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (or Sean Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens), and do some real soul-searching. "Know thyself," as Socrates put it. A tutor or mentor can help you sort it out.

Setting goals will help answer the question of how well you need to do in school. For many colleges and universities, C's and B's may not be acceptable, and straight A's may help you stand out. If college is not in your plans, you will still want to do well in school, but you may want to balance schoolwork with other preparations: starting a business, learning a trade, or building your own vocation. And even if college is your goal, you may need to balance schoolwork with other important tasks like a job, family responsibilities or college scholarship applications. Tutoring takes time, and the more work you put into it, the more you will get out. You may need to reevaluate your priorities and reassess your whole schedule. A tutor or mentor can help you to sort out these issues, set goals and clear priorities, and plan your schedule accordingly.

If you decide that improving your academic performance is an important goal for you, then the benefits of tutoring may well outweigh the cost. Tutoring could make the difference between getting into college and not getting into college, getting a scholarship and not getting a scholarship, getting a job and not getting a job, getting credit in a class and not getting credit in a class. Tutoring may cost you time and money, but if you have the need and the motivation, tutoring is a time-tested and powerful tool at your disposal. Every one of us is a unique individual, but we don't have to "go it alone."

William Green, Ph.D. is a veteran high school chemistry teacher and founder and President of Knowledge Team In-Home Tutors, LLC of Brooklyn, CT. Looking for a tutor in Mansfield, Woodstock, Brooklyn, Pomfret, Tolland, Norwich, North Stonington, or anywhere else in eastern CT? Visit http://kttutors.com today to set up a free in-home consultation. The Knowledge Team also offers online tutoring services anywhere in the world.

By William P. Green

While carrying books can be quite a task for kids and teens, this is a burden that can be eased when they use drawstring backpacks because a backpack is fun for them. It is easy to make drawstring backpacks with bright colors and unique features that will be more attractive to kids and teens and because of this, it is easy to get kids to carry them. This is why personalized drawstring backpacks can be fun and exciting for kinds and teens.

Drawstring backpacks for kids and teens are very important for school, for outdoor activities and for outings and because kids prefer these backpacks, they are very ideal when personalized. In most cases, kids will start using these backpacks even before there are of school going age. They use the backpacks to carry their own things around wherever they go and by the time they start going to school, they are very used to the backpacks and these bags become quite preferable to them as compared to other bags.

Drawstring backpacks can be personalized to the desire of the kid or the teen with the name, school, year and anything else and are very popular with kids. While embroidery is the most favored for designing the backpacks, printing can also be done and personalized imprinting or engraving is possible. Because personalized drawstring backpacks are already very popular, it is easy to use them very effectively for promotional purposes as well thus making them walking billboards for any company and making them great marketing tools for many companies.

Kids and teenagers love trendy stuff and while there's quite a vast selection to choose from, what will work for them is a drawstring backpack that they find comfy and what's currently in vogue. For the girls, bags in pink with flowery decorations will be appropriate while the boys will prefer their traditional blue. The boys might also prefer the themed backpacks that have their favorite hero or their preferred game. Fun color combinations, polka dots or the freakish out of the ordinary type of bags that kids and teenagers love to have.

Every parent will want more for their child as far as a new drawstring backpack is concerned. If your child is starting school at the beginning of the year, a personalized one will do fine. When getting a personalized bag for your child, consider that they are growing every year and with their growth they will want to change many things including the bags that they use. Kids and teens personalized drawstring backpacks are wonderful for all occasions including gifting during birthdays.

The backpacks are available in many themes too including Spider-Man, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Ben 10, Military canvas backpacks, and many more. Some backpacks have a place for a hidden name tag which makes it impossible for strangers to see your child's name although this makes it possible for the bag to still be identified. Most of the backpacks are convenient for books and a snack while at the same time they are lovely for using in the outdoors and for any other activities. The issue of personalization comes in when you want your kid's backpack to be special and unique and also when a company decides to give school going kid's drawstring backpacks as giveaway gifts for the company's promotional purposes.

Personalized Drawstring Backpacks are one of the hottest promotional items on the market right now, due to the high demand by today's youth. Unlike boring promotional items, these Promotional Backpacks all kids and teens a comfortable, stylish solution to their schooling needs. By customizing them, they are walking billboards for your company that everyone will love!

If you didn't start implementing healthy eating habits in your child from the time they were born, chances are you may be asking the question, "How do I begin to have healthy children?" The good news is that more parents are asking this question, therefore showing an interest and concern in the health of their kids.

Beginning is rather easy and it starts mentally. If a parent sees the need for a change and is willing to make it happen, that determination and love for their child begins everything. Remember that improving a child's diet and increasing their physical activity is a process. The older a child is, the more challenging it can be.

First you must evaluate your family's lifestyle and see where the easiest changes can be made. Do your kids eat fast food a few times each week? Do they spend many hours a day in front of the television? It is easy to avoid fast food restaurants and it is easy to make stricter rules about TV viewing. Changes like this will really make a difference in the health of your family.

Once simple changes have been implemented and your child has learned to adjust, it is time to take the next step. Really analyze your family's eating habits. Look through your cupboards and refrigerator. What are your kids consuming? What do you spend your money on at the grocery store? Are they eating enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains?

At this point, it's time to start changing your buying habits. Switch from white bread to whole wheat bread, from white rice to brown rice, from ground beef to ground turkey. Gradually stop buying processed snacks and desserts and purchase more fruits and vegetables. Learn to read food labels and avoid anything with MSG, high fructose corn syrup and aspartame.

In the meantime, encourage your kids to be more active. Plan exercise activities you can do together as a family, such as taking a walk, playing kickball or visiting the zoo. Activities like this will benefit the entire family and you'll be making great memories in the process.

It's a good thing to make these changes gradually because no one likes to alter their entire life overnight. That method is rarely successful for maintaining true health. But as you make changes, talk to your child and explain what's going on. Don't deny him of all the foods he loves, but you definitely want to limit his intake of non-nutritional foods.

Follow these steps and you'll begin the process for having healthy children. Most of all, the parent has to be determined to do their part. If you love your child, be willing to make healthy changes too. You're not only more likely to influence their lives for the better, but you're also more likely to live longer. Healthy children need healthy parents.

Remember that the reason to learn about healthy children is to give you skills and knowledge necessary to help your children become the healthiest people they can be. Download a free report with tips and instructions you need to get started quickly with fitness by visiting Kids Exercise and learn how to have fun while playing exercise games.

I am going to introduce a variety of kids bicycles in this short guide. Read through to narrow down your options and pick the right one for your kid.

First one is the tricycle, this standard of three wheeled kids bicycle has been around for a while, not only where they first built for kids, but adults as well. Lately there is a new trend coming up in tricycle category of kids bicycles. Extreme off road bikes with one wheel in the front are hitting the market. Moreover, the pedals are located up high, so you have to use your hands to make the bike move. If you are in the market to buy something in the tricycle market, you will have a wide selection to choose from.

Next is the two-wheeler. These bikes are anywhere from 12 to 24 inches, but may be sold with or without training wheels. There is a time to move to two wheelers from tricycles though. This is when you feel that your child is ready to start learning to ride a two-wheeler after having spent good number of years in those mini kids bicycles. This is also the time when you introduce your child to the safety aspects of riding a bicycle. Helmet is a must at this age, because there is going to a lot of falling going on. It is also the time when a lot of these kids bicycles are going to come with a overwhelming set of features. You are going to have so many choices, from bikes with no pedals, called coasting cruisers, to bikes that have a full suspension. You are also going to have BMX racing bikes, freestyle bikes, and all kids of other kids bicycles.

The last option is the 26-inch plus bikes which are meant for sturdy use such as climbing mountains bike range type bikes. This category has some of the widest range of models and is known for the area of pedal power. The classic mountain bike is a solid choice, but now the bicycle manufacturers are starting to introduce models like the street cursing bike, the rough road bike, that has knobby tie for rough roads, bit not off road.

Now that we have bikes with full suspension, disk breaks, light weight frames, and so many other options it is hard to list them all out. Just remember, whatever kids bicycles you choose, make sure that you are getting the right one for your kid.

Have you been in love before?

I am referring to the type of love that takes your breath away. People can bring this feeling to you and so can activities. Some people call it "the zone."

Have you been there before?

Can you bring yourself back to that place and time right now?

This is when you radiate. The glow of your skin and the shine in your eyes can be found when you feel love and when you get into the zone. This is when you are the most beautiful.

Do you want to get there again?

Check out these three beautiful tips to help you radiate on command.

The First Practice to Radiate

Radiating is when you are shining your light into the world. We can absolutely control this; it is at our command. One great way to radiate right away is to notice when someone else is radiating. Babies constantly radiate as they have yet to learn how to dim their own light. Watch a baby with a silent mind and you will naturally begin to radiate. When you notice someone who is radiating, compliment their beauty and this will magnify right back to you.

The Second Practice to Radiate

Your diet and exercise affect how you radiate. Eating raw foods, salads and grains, will increase your light. Engaging in a regular exercise program will get your blood flowing and increase the brightness of your light. It takes a commitment to instill new habits with regards to diet, and having someone who will commit with you can help tremendously.

The Third Practice to Radiate

Engage in what you love. This can be a hobby or your work. When you lose track of time, you are in the right activity. Your goal is to find the flow and enjoy the moment. When you are in this moment, you radiate a pure light and glow.

The people who you find attractive are radiating a brighter light than you. This is why they are so attractive. When we increase the light we radiate, we will find that our work becomes easier and more people arrive to help us when we need it. It allows us to build amazing relationships when we love life and let our light shine.

Changes may need to be made in your life and, quite honestly, you may have to develop great amounts of courage to get yourself into something new. You may find yourself in a job right now and constantly be saying "Well, I am lucky to have one." And this is true for you. You are lucky and yet, what are you missing? What is it that you would rather be doing, which would really allow you to feel great?

This is what we must be doing right now if we ever want to tackle the life's challenges. We must find what we can engage in, which will allow us to radiate so bright that other people are attracted to and affected by us. When we radiate brightly, someone else radiates more brightly too.

Take back your radiating self and engage full heartedly in life. Remember this acronym for R.A.D.I.A.T.E.

Real

Action

Decides

I

Am

True

Energy

Would you like new ways to develop safe and effective relationships online? Visit "Rules of the Road for Teens" for a free 8-step guide.

Matthew Kuehlhorn is America's Mentor for Teens. He has created the Relationship Building System for Teen which is delivered in a compelling, illustrated novel, titled, "Bully."

He invites you to take advantage of an amazing offer for the Relationship Building System online at http://www.RulesoftheRoadforTeens.com. Matthew teaches the "Rules of the Road: Business, Finance, Life" to teenagers who are ready for the "keys" to their life! He offers mentoring programs, online and published resources, and locally organized "Success Clubs." Learn more by visiting his website above.

Have you heard yourself speak lately?

How about now, what are you saying?

I say that speaking is the second most important skill in life. Speaking is second only to listening. They really do go hand in hand though.

If you are not listening to yourself speak then how in the world do you know if your message gets communicated the way you intend it to go?

Here is a quote I love,

"We judge ourselves by our intentions and other people judge us by our actions."

What this means is, if we do not seek feedback on our communication, we are shooting in the dark with regards to how our message is being communicated. We have now idea what people are truly hearing.

Let's break down how we communicate first and then we will offer two guidelines and practices that will help us speak better.

Communication comes in three forms; verbal communication, non-verbal communication, and energy communication.

Verbal communication is when we speak. Using our voice we can form words, affect intonation, and most of the time we falsely believe this is the main form of how we communicate.

Non-verbal communication speaks louder than our voice and yet it is silent. This is why listening is the most important skill in life. Non-verbal communication is the message you send with your clothing, jewelry, the people you associate with, and your body language. If you non-verbal communication is not congruent with what you speak, your message will not get through as you intend it to.

For example, if I enter a school classroom as a teacher and I am dressed wearing tattered jeans, a t-shirt, and flip-flops, my teaching ability will be different than if I wore a casual business outfit. The message I send with my clothes is oftentimes more important than the message I send with my voice. Dress for Success.

Energy communication is unique in the sense that we cannot see energy. However, we can feel it. Have you noticed certain people when they walk into a room? Either they carry a very high, positive energy that attracts you or they can also carry a very low or negative energy and still get your attention. Energy is quiet, which again emphasizes the importance of listening skills. We can choose how to carry our own energy and thus we can affect other people in the positive or negative.

Let's put all three forms of communication together and talk about how to make our communication more effective.

Congruency

We need to practice being congruent and lining up all three of your forms of communication. Start with a short time period to practice with and then build from there. For example, choose a presentation or event that you can plan for and take a moment to decide how you want to present yourself. Think in terms of speaking verbally, non-verbally, and with your energy. Make sure the time frame is only one to three hours long and no more. Have this established?

Feedback

Head to your presentation or event and have your words line up with your clothing and mannerism which line up with your energy. Your next job is to find a mentor or someone you can trust and ask them what you communicated. When asking someone else to reflect what they heard simply say, "I am practicing my communication and I wonder what you heard me say? Can you share with me what you heard?" Compare this answer (and get a few if you can) to what you intended to say. How far off are you?

These practices will help you understand how your current communication gets heard. As you learn more about yourself you will be able to make small adjustments and speak more congruently and clearly. When you are able to communicate effectively people will relate to you more easily and this will help you establish relationships, without untested assumptions, quickly.

Remember this acronym to help you T.A.L.K.

Tell

All

Listen

Knowingly

Matthew Kuehlhorn is America's Mentor for Teens. He has created the Relationship Building System for Teen which is delivered in a compelling, illustrated novel, titled, "Bully."

He invites you to take advantage of an amazing offer for the Relationship Building System online at http://www.RulesoftheRoadforTeens.com. Matthew teaches the "Rules of the Road: Business, Finance, Life" to teenagers who are ready for the "keys" to their life! He offers mentoring programs, online and published resources, and locally organized "Success Clubs." Learn more by visiting his website above.

Memorizing the US map and locating all the states on it is a fun-filled and easy task with these killer tips given below. Go through them and enjoy.

1. Do not try to draw the exact outlines or borders of any state. You could end up getting frustrated and stop the project altogether.

2. Try flattening out the borders of a printed blank map into lines and curves. This way it could be more of a tracing type of an exercise.

3. Once you have a neat set of lines in front of you fill in the name of the state.

4. So now you are done with drawing the Map of USA. Wasn't it fun?

5. Now take a blank sheet of paper and draw the US map. Finding it a bit difficult? Go slow. Have a snack. Or else read Tip No. 10

6. Next comes, the memorizing part. Do not try to memorize the names of the states randomly. It will be time consuming and boring. Remember we are here to enjoy ourselves.

7. Try to memorize a string of states together. This way you would have fewer strings to remember and thus you will be done a lot faster.

8. Once you are done with the map of USA you could try out the World map, again not at one go but continent-wise.

9. You got to revise whatever you have learnt once a fortnight, then once a month and then try to draw after 2 months. Don't panic if you take some time to start. Once you do there's no stopping you!

10. It may be possible that some of you are not very happy with what you did in Step 5. The drawing does not seem to resemble the map which you had straightened out.Do not worry. For people like you there's a website which has been instrumental in teaching many kids, kids as young as eight or less worldwide to draw the USA map in a week by a unique set of lines. After you learn to draw the map it will teach you to exactly remember and pinpoint all the states by a memory tool. Every one who has been exposed to this software has been able to draw and memorize maps as easily as the alphabet. This website is one of its kind and is sure to make you a pro at map drawing and map memorizing.

Map drawing and map memorizing was not this fun before. You get to be ahead of the class with your knowledge of the location of all the states. Your teacher would be mightily impressed with you and so would be your friends. So what are you waiting for? Start drawing now!

http://map-of-the-whole-world.weebly.com/index.html

As adoption gains more visibility and social acceptance, more and more families are welcoming adopted children into their homes. Typically, these children are too young to remember their original homes or their biological families-but this is not always the case. Many older children, such as orphans or refugees, are alone and in need of new families to care for them. These are the ones who have the hardest time being adopted, because most parents are only comfortable taking in very young children who will grow up recognizing them as their real parents. Adopting can be a truly brave and altruistic act; however, hopeful parents should consider the risks and realities of this before they make their decision.

It is well known that older children without families often fall through the cracks. Some cycle through foster care throughout their entire adolescence, moving from house to house without ever finding a permanent home. Joanne Feldmeth, former executive director of the Child S.H.A.R.E. organization, says that adopting older children is not common. Feldmeth explains that for any child older than two years of age, "it's very tough to get adopted out of the foster care system. After you're [five years old], it's extremely difficult. And after you're eight, ten or twelve, it's almost impossible" (CBS News).

There are a few reasons why adopting older children seems like such a daunting prospect. First of all, parents have a difficult time imagining having a new child who has already lived part of his or her life separate from them; some find the idea alien and intimidating. Another issue that often arises is the possibility that these children have had extremely bad experiences, which may have resulted in some emotional scarring. Many parents do not feel equipped to handle the possible psychological damage that they can expect if they adopt an older child with a turbulent past.

However, these are often the very reasons why some parents choose to take the more complicated path of adopting older children. These are the people who want to help those who need it the most. They recognize that the older children trapped in often uncertain and inconsistent foster system need safety, structure, and love if they are going to have a future with hope. Adoptive parents definitely face unique challenges, including the possibly of being rejected as the loving leaders they are striving to be. But, with enough dedication, adoptive parents can make a real difference in the lives of older children, and often just when those children need that love and care the most.

SOURCE:
• CBS News, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/22/earlyshow/living/parenting/main589799.shtml • Adopting Older Children, http://www.storyaboutlife.com/blog/adopting-older-children.html • Future with Hope, http://www.storyaboutlife.com/blog/2011/04/07/a-future-with-hope-.html

As our children grow and test us in every possible area of our lives and personalities we often wish we had all the answers and could be experts just like those super nannies on TV. The thing is that the Super Nanny goes home to sleep after a day or night of work, the real Moms stay on to pass the test and come out true experts. Super Nanny might also be a mother but it is important to understand that it is her advice that can change your situation, not her personality!

Trial and Error

All mothers have to go through trial and error to get to perfect, and even so there is no perfect. If you are doing your best to be a real expert Mom it is as perfect as it ever gets. As soon as you actually care enough to work on your parenting, things can only improve. We all have those moments of anxiety and despair when it feels like something will break if we don't get a break. This is called trial and error and once you learn by your experiences things will get easier.

Open Mind and Open Heart

A parent needs an open mind and an open heart to find the right way in this crazy world of opinions and ideas. The openness is not meant to be to everything that comes from the outside but rather to what goes on inside.

First of all you must keep an open channel to your own intuition and your children. It is way too easy to gobble up what another expert Mom says only to realize that it holds no truth in your life. Keep real and be happy with the progress you make. This is your life and your children, so use advice and tips with sense for who you are and where you are holding.

Creativity

Creativity is crucial both for the development of your children and for your personal development. Just like you would pick pre-school with care, to make sure that your child gets a creative environment for learning, you need to choose your own impressions with care. See yourself as a person and a Mother and look for what motivates and stimulates you in your parenting. Reading cool and interesting stuff online is a good start! You can always check parenting sites and blogs that focus on positive strategies for how to become an expert Mom!

For more advice and idea for a Mom you should visit Expertmom.info

The scourge of obesity among children is spreading far and wide, cutting across lines of race, community, country and socio-economic status. It is widely prevalent not only in the rich countries like the United States, but also in developing countries of Asia and Africa.

If timely remedial measures are not taken to help the obese children control their weight, they will become prone to a variety of health-related problems, including heart disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, asthma, and sleeping disorders.

Obesity among children can also lead to serious psychosocial problems, such as depression and low self-esteem. Childhood obesity is a complex issue and a multi-pronged strategy at the government level is required to tackle it.

Several studies have been conducted by governmental and professional organizations in various countries into this problem, which has grown into epidemic proportions during the last few decades. It has more than tripled in the last 30 years in some countries, according to reports. One of these studies points to scientific evidence which shows that the most serious contributor to childhood obesity is a lack of physical activity or exercise.

The other major contributors to obesity include drinking of sugared drinks and eating of processed and junk food. According to one study, parents are the key factor for controlling obesity in children. A parent's full involvement in the child's food habits will be major step to help prevent obesity and ensure the child a life of preventable diseases in his/her future.

Children should be taught to avoid foods and beverages that contain refined sugars and other junk foods and replace these foods with whole foods that contain real nutrients that build up the body. They will then grow to be strong and healthy adults. Children also should be taught the importance of regular exercise to grow strong and healthy.

Children need nutritious food to enable them to develop and grow healthy... Efforts should be made to ensure that these calories come from whole foods and not processed foods. In many cases, families have been forced by financial and time pressures to minimize food costs and meal preparation time, leading to increased consumption of prepackaged convenience foods.

These foods are high in calories and fat. Junk food producers also target children with attractive advertisements. Many professional health organizations and social groups have called for legislation to take effective measures to deal with the growing problem of childhood obesity. These include promotion of physical activities and nutrition education for school children and self-regulation of food intake by the children.

Parents and caregivers can help prevent childhood obesity by providing healthy meals and snacks, daily physical activity, and nutrition education. Healthy meals and snacks provide nutrition for growing bodies while modeling healthy eating behavior and attitudes. Thus, one of the main strategies for preventing childhood obesity is to reduce, or even eliminate, intake of refined sugar, which is the main cause of obesity. Refined sugar is present in almost all processed foods and consumption of sugary drink raises a child's obesity risk considerably. As part of this strategy, children should be encouraged to adopt healthy eating habits. They should drink pure water for thirst, instead of flavored juices.

Another major step is to encourage children do physical exercise daily. Increased physical activity reduces health risks and helps weight management. Nutrition education helps young children develop an awareness of good nutrition and healthy eating habits for a lifetime. These efforts to support a healthful lifestyle, including proper diet and adequate opportunity for regular physical activity, can help children to grow with a healthy weight and avoid becoming overweight.

A.Radhakrishnan is a retired journalist and an active freelance writer. He writes on socio-political issues that affect our life on a day to day basis for magazines and participates in talk shows.

Read through this article and get to know your girl's preferences before you go to a shop in search of the right kids bicycles.

Where to find sturdy bicycles for girls that look cute? You need not worry. Plenty of kids bicycles with funky designs are available both online and offline. Hence you can easily find these kids bicycles for girls that are designed with Barbie or Disney princesses' pictures or painted in pink. However, as a parent, you should not only consider the appearance of the bicycle, but also the safety aspects. Here are some girls' bicycles which provide both girly appearance and safety for your little girls.

Magna Girls Starburst Bike is one of the most wanted girls' bicycles these days. It comes with gleaming white and purple and hot pink paint. The stable and sturdy construction makes Magna Girls Starburst a perfect bicycle for 4 - 8 year-old girls (34 - 48 inches tall). Magna Bike is also completed with training wheels, coaster brake, chain guard and handlebar pad for additional safety.

The next most wanted girls' bicycle is the Electra Hawaii 1. It is designed with coaster brake and single speed so that there are no hand brakes and shifters to be concerned with. Its floral graphics on the saddle and frame makes it look stylish and cute; some things that little girls certainly crave for. The white-painted balloon wheels not only make Electra Hawaii 1 more eye-catching, but also make it more stable. The removable training wheels helps kids learn easily and comfortably. In addition, the ergonomic saddle provides balance for kids which enable them to control the bicycle easier.

Another popular kids bicycles range is the Huffy Girls 16-inch Bike. It is usually decorated with Disney princesses' graphics on its frame. Its pink color and heart shapes on its wheels make it look so girl-ish to boot. The bike is designed with hand brakes and a coaster brake; two important details to have in any kids bicycles that protect the tiny riders from unnecessary accidents. Huffy Girls 16-inch Bike is also completed with a front bag that girls will love to use to put their favorite Barbie doll or other items.

Consider the aforementioned kids bicycles. They will surely love to ride them around. Support the bicycles with princess-themed or pink helmet as an additional protection and watch your little girl ride her cute bike.

Online bullying is a lot similar to bullying at school. However, instead of a face-to-face encounter, online bullying is an unseen force, can tend to be much more regular as it can be done at any time, 365 days of the year and it's not limited to just a few students but can spread among a greater number of people.

This does make it a lot more difficult to deal with.

All our children and young people need to know what to do if they are bullied and if it happens to them they need to be able to act immediately.

Here are some steps to help deal with online bullying...

Choose friends carefully - While it is fine to make friends online, it is very important that your teen chooses carefully whom they befriend. Let them know that it is important not to just accept everyone as a friend...and if there is someone who starts to be mean...not to wait until things get worse - they need to let you know immediately.

(As a parent, this may be something that you want to monitor - I know some parents that become a friend of their teen to keep an eye on what they are posting and also have their child's login details to make sure that they are only friends with people they know. This may seem intrusive, however, this is giving them a boundary - if you want to use the internet you can, however these are the conditions.)

Ignore the attempts of online bullies - If your child is bullied online, they need to have the courage to ignore the person. Not paying attention to them proves they are not being effective and hopefully will lead the bully to leaving your child alone because they are having no impact. If your child wants to ask them to stop - get them to do this with you and just do in once and that's it. No reply, no arguing - just STOP.

If the online bullying continues it will also help if they block the person - this can be done on a mobile phone, on Facebook and other online services. There should be no other response. Trying to respond further will only make the situation worse and contribute more to the problem.

Avoid handling matters alone - If your child is bullied online - make sure they know to get help immediately, letting you as a parent know or someone they trust. Emphasize how important it is to not keep the online bullying to themselves. There are people around them who can help.

Not only will they get the help they need - they get additional support.

Always keep a record - With online bullying it is important to show your child how to keep a record of what the person has said - or do this with them. Copy it and paste it into a word document - including the date and who the bully was. If the bullying continues, you as a parent can then let the people who run the service, Facebook or Twitter for example, know what this person is doing.

As a parent you can help others - As you grow your knowledge and have success in helping your child with the safe use of social networking and other technology... let other parents know of your experience and how it is working for you. Let them know of your success.

This act of sharing is significant enough to make a difference in the lives of many children and families.

These are just a few things you can do as a parent to help deal with online bullying.

Bullying No More: Working together with both parents and schools to help Break the Cycle of Bullying.