8 Tips To Save On Child Care Costs
April 22, 2008
Child care costs are are one of the most expensive costs associated with going back to work. Finding ways to cut down on child care costs without sacrificing quality child care is a top priority for all working parents. Here are a few ideas that can help trim your child care costs without sacrificing child care quality:
See if your employer has a child care flexible spending account. This is a special account that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw87.html - created that allows you to set aside money for child care expenses with pre-tax dollars. You ask your employer to take out a certain amount of money each month from your paycheck and you can use this money tax free for child care related expenses.
Inquire if your company has partnerships or offers discounts for certain child care provider services. some larger companies will sometimes negotiate discount plans with local child care providers to help offset child care costs.
See if your public school district offers a half day pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds. These programs are usually free and by signing-up your child, it will reduce your child care needs to a half day from a full day.
10 Tips for Making Daily Physical Activity Part of Your Childs Life!
April 21, 2008
Here’s some of the bad news about sedentary lifestyles:
? Forty percent of children ages 5 to 8 show at least one heart disease risk factor, including hypertension and obesity, which among children has doubled over the past two decades.
? The first signs of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) are appearing at age 5 ? something never before seen in anyone under the age of 30.
? Children 6 to 10 are dying of sudden cardiopulmonary arrest.
? According to a recent Centers for Disease Control study, American children born in 2000 face a one-in-three chance of developing Type 2 diabetes ? what used to be called adult-onset diabetes!
? This is thought to be the first generation of children that won’t outlive their parents.
The good news is that it doesn’t take much to turn things around. We just have to make sure our kids are physically active! Following are some tips for making that happen:
1. Turn off the TV! Research shows children are being electronically entertained an average of five to six hours a week. Without electronics, they’ll have to find other ways to keep themselves entertained.
Language School Reviews - Learn English in Valencia
April 20, 2008
Language School Reviews - Learn English in Valencia
by: Miguel Sanchez
If there is such a thing as an international language then it is English. As a native Spanish speaker, I have always found the language hard to come to terms with. At school I just about learned enough to be able to hold a very basic conversation but as I grew older I discovered that my natural career progression lead me to a stage whereby having the ability to speak a good standard of English was a pre-requisite for the type of jobs I was applying for. With English being in high demand it wasn’t difficult to find courses I could attend and living just 20km away from Valencia in a place called Sagunto, the choice was abundant. My only problem was which course I should choose, but in the end I decided to try one of the popular schools in Valencia. The course was expensive, but I didn’t mind as I thought that the high price would guarantee that I would learn English at a rapid pace but apparently I was wrong.
Planning a Baby Shower? These Tips Make It Stress Free
April 19, 2008
One of the most pleasant parties to plan has to be the baby shower. The mom-to-be gets so much attention and she can just sit back and enjoy all of the fuss. The key to creating this wonderful event is organization. Here’s everything you need to make your upcoming baby shower as festive and memorable as possible!
Consult, Consult, Consult!
Because the parents-to-be may have more than one shower, it’s a good idea to consult with the mommy-to-be. Before you send out invitations, sit down with the mom-to-be and ask her what she would like from this event. What is her idea of a fun shower and who she would like to attend? Most people shouldn’t be expected to attend several showers for the same parents, so find out what else is being planned. Let her know that you want her to feel comfortable and most of all, to have fun.
What if you are having a surprise shower? Don’t let that stop you from consulting! Talk to the dad-to-be to get ideas of a guest list and an appropriate time. You might even want to consult with other friends to be sure that everything works out smoothly. Again, consider the mom-to-be when having a shower. You want her to feel special, have fun, and be comfortable.
Ready, Aim, Achieve! - Become An On-purpose Family Through Goal Setting
April 19, 2008
Successful families don’t just happen. They take time, talent and planning. This month, in addition to any personal resolutions you make, consider sitting down with your family to reflect on your collective accomplishments and dreams. Then set some family goals for the year ahead.
How to begin ?
Schedule. Set aside a few hours over a series of nights, and gather together everyone in your home. Your teens will need notice, but tasty treats might help attendance.
Share the purpose. You will be discussing your wants, dreams and the values you hold important in your lives, then using them to develop goals to guide your family.
Reflect. Consider having each member choose and record one really important goal from each category:
Health Financial Relationships Career Community Spiritual Intellectual
Discuss. Share your ideas. Be open and accepting. Some might need to a little coaxing to share, for fear of being ridiculed. However, if done in an atmosphere of mutual respect, this can be a great opportunity to really get to know your family! It can also give insight into people’s frustrations & stressors, as you learn about the ideals they hold important in their lives
The Best Gifts Ever: Life Experiences Every Child Should Have
April 18, 2008
This past holiday season Canadians spent over $45 billion-with parents paying out almost $1.8 billion of that on their children’s presents alone. However, the best gifts we can give our children can not be purchased in a store. And while they are within the grasp of all parents to give, not all children receive them.
What are these gifts?
Nothing more than six simple life experiences every child should have:
The gift of healthy habits. Children need to learn about and experience regular exercise, adequate sleep, and proper nutrition. Help instill these habits from an early age, or any age for that matter. Encourage your kids to get active. Explore and use your neighbourhood recreation centre. Re-discover walking. Teach the importance of healthy eating.
The gift of unconditional love. Show your children how much you love them-with your words and actions. Let them know that you will always be there for them. Teach your children to separate their actions from their sense of self. Explain that while you might sometimes be disappointed or even furious with their actions, you will always love them.
Just Average
April 17, 2008
What do you mean average? Not good? Just doing good enough?
That’s what came out in Joshua’s report card recently. Looking back, I wasn’t too bright a child either. Sure, I did well enough in the BIG exams but my toes curl in fright when I think about MY OWN report cards when I was younger. Let’s just say there were more reds than blues (or blacks) in there and my favorite letter begins the word "Favorite".
My parents did not see much of my report cards, during those days because I would hide them in my closet. I would go back to school telling my teacher that I lost my report card. My teacher would issue me a new report card the next semester. The cycle repeats itself the next semester.
This is not the first time I am receiving my son’s report card. I received the first one last semester and we (my husband and I) giggled over it a little. I looked, relooked, analyzed and checked everything in the report. Was I proud of the report? Erm, half-half. I was proud that my son made it this far and it warrants a report. I mean, someone is GIVING me a report?not the other way around.
Federal PLUS Loans
April 16, 2008
As a student entering college, it is very unlikely that you have a few spare checks lying around that you can cash and magically use to pay for college. Most college-aged students, ranging from late teens through mid-twenties, have no line of credit and cannot receive much money in loans if they need to do so in order to attend college. Therefore, a loan like the federal PLUS loan through the federal government and U.S. Department of Education makes it easy for you, as a potential college student, to use your parents’ line of credit in order to gain financing options for your higher education.
How Your Parents Can Help You Apply
If your parents have good credit and you obtain them a copy of the Direct PLUS loan application, you are well on your way to cracking the college books and arriving on campus in the fall. Keep in mind that in order to receive a federal PLUS loan, you must be a dependent potential undergraduate at any college or university in the U.S. You also must be planning on attending college for at least half-time during the upcoming semester. If these all apply to you, obtain a Direct PLUS loan application and promissory note, fill them out with signatures completed, and hand them in to the financial aid office at your college or university.
A Little Love, Please?
April 15, 2008
Article based on a friend’s experience
I just wanted to share an experience I just had with my daughters, Yee Ting and Yee Sin.
Yee Ting is three years old this month while Yee Sin is only one-month old. Yee Ting has always been a rather good girl, apart from the occasional tantrum outbursts sprinkling our usual day. She would tell me when she wanted to eat, wear the clothes I tell her to wear, watch her TV and then play with her toys, without much hassle.
As a stay-at-home mom, I really appreciated her obedience because it made it possible for me to perform my household chores while she went along with her usual day. She has not attended preschool yet, although we’re thinking about it. Maybe next year, we’ll send her to a good one. I am very picky about the kind of schools she goes to. Maybe that’s why I have been delaying the decision.
Yee Sin was born only a month ago and is generally a very happy baby but she’s quite fussy. She tends to be very fussy about wanting me to feed her, even when my mother comes over to help once in a while. My mother has problems feeding, changing and helping her sleep. In the end, my mother comes over to perform the house chores while I find the time to play and cuddle with Yee Sin.
The Characters Of Yugioh
April 14, 2008
The Characters Of Yugioh
by: Dave Anderson
The wildly popular Yugioh franchise has spawned a number of popular characters that are familiar to fans worldwide. If you’re new to the world of Yugioh, here is a run-down of the most popular Yugioh characters.
The main character in the Yugioh series is Yugi Moto. On the outside, Yugi Moto appears to be a shy and reserved student at Domino High School, but he leads a secret life of danger and excitement. He is a dedicated student of the Duel Monsters game, and a loyal friend to all.
Yugi Moto is an expert at playing games (“yugi”, in fact, means game in Japanese), especially the game of Duel Monsters. Yugi Moto carries the Millennium Puzzle around his neck, an ancient Egyptian artifact. Whenever Yugi Moto is playing a game, or is in deep concentration, the spirit that dwells within the Millennium Puzzle comes alive. The spirit takes form by an ancient 5,000-year old pharaoh.
When the pharaoh comes alive, Yugi Moto becomes Yami Yugi. Yami Yugi is Yugi Moto’s bold alter ego. Yami Yugi has magical powers and boundless energies, and is a fearless master duelist.
