How to talk to kids about tragedies, disasters: Tips from World Vision Megan Moriarity for World Vision WASHINGTON, 16 March 2011- As information increases about the devastation of Japan's earthquake and tsunami, our children will likely see disturbing news footage and have questions about this tragedy. Below are several suggestions on how to talk with children about this disaster and its impact. These tips are provided by humanitarian organization World Vision. World Vision has worked in Japan for more than two decades and responded to the massive Kobe earthquake in 1995, and now has staff assisting in the relief efforts in Sendai. 1. Start by listening. Find out what your child already knows. You can then respond in an age-appropriate way. The aim is not to worry them with the devastating details, but to protect them from misinformation they may have heard from friends or disturbing images they may have seen on television. 2. Provide clear, simple answers. Limit your … [Read more...]
Guest Post – Saving Money on Man’s Best Friend
SavingMoney on Man's Best Friend Getting a new puppy is an exciting prospect. Many dogs makegreat family companions, and they also serve as a great way to teach childrenresponsibility by adding feeding, walking or bathing the dog to your children'sdaily chores. However, dog ownership can become expensive, and the cost offood, supplies, vet care, etc. can really stack up for a family on a budget.Here's how to save money on man's best friend: 1.) Adopta dog from a shelter instead of buying from a seller. You'll usually save a good deal of money by shopping fordogs and puppies at your local animal shelter or other local rescue groups thanby buying from a pet store or a breeder. Not only do you avoid accidentallybuying from a puppy mill, but you get the satisfaction that you're giving aloving home to a dog that might otherwise be euthanized due to overcrowdedanimal facilities. You'd be surprised how many perfectly healthy and evenpurebred dogs wind up at city and county shelters. … [Read more...]
Guest Post-DIY Fabric Softener
Many of you may or may not know the risks involved in thesimple act of adding a cup of fabric softener in your kids’ load oflaundry. How can something as fuzzy andadorable as a teddy bear named Snuggle be bad for your kids? Pretty easily, as it turns out. The main ingredients of most fabric softenersare as follows: · Surfactants · Fragrance · Undenatured ethyl alcohol Surfactants are in everything and can be harmless if madefrom safe sources like vegetables instead of sodium lauryl sulfates. Fragrances, however, are tricky; companiesaren’t required to release the ingredients of fragrances to protect their tradesecrets. This means they could be usingbleach for fragrance, if bleach would sell. Meanwhile, ethyl alcohol has been suspected of causing liver damage andbeing an endocrine disruptor. Thesetoxins don’t just harm you and your kids—they go down the drain and into ourwater system to pollute the earth, too. The biggest and most widely relevant … [Read more...]
Guest Post- Can Debt Settlement Save You Money
Can Debt Settlement SaveYou Money? When you aresettling outstanding debts, saving money may not be the first thing on yourmind. However, if you explore the many alternatives for settling debts, you mayactually find you can save money in two different ways. Exploring Your Debt Options Debtsettlement is becoming a more popular choice for eliminating the burden ofdebt. A third-party agency will work with you by dealing directly with yourcreditors to lower the outstanding balances you owe, make arrangements for morereasonable debt payoffs, and potentially even lower the amount of interest youpay on the balance due and eliminate penalties altogether. There areother options for debt relief including debt consolidation programs, personalloans, or payment in full of the debts owed. There is no one-size-fits-allsolution for debt elimination so it is important to explore the optionsavailable to you based on your financial situation and payment capabilities. Saving Cash … [Read more...]
Guest Post – Music: A Powerful Teaching Tool!
Music: A Powerful Teaching Tool Education today has really changed. Morechallenging academic goals are set. Children are not all developmentally readyto tackle them. Recently, I found myjournal from my teaching internship days and guess what? The curriculum taughtin first grade back then is now required in kindergarten! Kindergarteners arenow expected to read simple books independently and to write simple storiesusing correct punctuation and spelling common words correctly! It is a dauntingtask requiring lots of partnerships with parents and unique ways to makelearning fun and meaningful. Yes, the task can seem overwhelming, but it is notinsurmountable! If you are reading thisinformation, chances are you are one of those amazing parents looking for waysto prepare your child at home. Do you want to learn about the most beneficialmethod I have found to teach children difficult concepts in a meaningful way?Read on! The answer is to use MUSIC to teachimportant … [Read more...]
Guest Post – What Should Be In Your Childrens Craft Box?
What should be in your children’s crafts box? Must-have craft supplies. As your children get older, one concern as aparent often becomes making sure that you are providing for your children inevery way possible. You want to set them up for every opportunity, encouragetheir creativity, teach them how to commit and excel, and make sure that theysufficiently “fit in” while maintaining their independence and individuality.One great activity for promoting all of these traits and behaviors is doingcrafts. By doing handmade art projects, you children are refining their motor skills,learning to design and create art, and growing to understand the importance ofpaying attention to detail. Plus, this is an activity in which mom and dad canhave a little fun, as well! Nothing is more enjoyable than sitting down withyour kids and creating some homemade art. Here are some of the must-have craftsupplies that you should keep in your home so that you can craft away when thedesire strikes. 1. … [Read more...]
How to Save Hundreds by Buying Glasses Online!
In today’s tougheconomic times, every dollar saved can go a long way. At the same time, youdon’t want to skimp on your vision. So is buying your next pair of framesonline a safe bet? More and more people are turning to online retailers topurchase their frames and lenses. This choice can result in saving hundreds ofdollars without skimping on quality. What many shoppersdon’t realize is that the exact same frames on display at your local visioncenter can be purchased online at a fraction of the cost. Opticians are inbusiness to make money, so when you buy in-store you’ll be paying aconsiderable markup. By purchasing your frames online, you’re simply cuttingout the middleman and pocketing the difference in price. Start at your visioncenter and be sure your prescription is up-to-date. Take some time to try onframes in the store, and write down the brands and styles you like most. If youfall in love with a specific frame, you can easily search to find them onlineand do a price … [Read more...]
Guest Post – 10 Tips for Saving Money on Yarn-Based Crafts