Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

How To Help Your Child Learn

Just as every snowflake is unique, so is every child. The way that your child learns depends a number of different factors, which combined together, create his unique learning style. By helping your child discover how he learns the best, you will set him up for life time success in learning, and reduce the frustrations that come through trying to learn in a way that does not use his particular . . .

Ain’t No Cookin’ Like Mama’s Cookin’

“Ain’t no cookin’ like Mama’s cookin’!”-Amen! Recently, an idea struck me. I cook…okay, I cook a lot. A lot of the meals that I create are either of my own creation, or they are a variation of another recipe that I have learned. For instance, my husband’s favorite meal is Steak Chicana-a lovely steak and potato stir fry of sorts. Well, I learned this family recipe from his sister, Gloria. She. . .

Five Easy Steps To Potty Train Your Baby

No…Don’t let your child pee or poop every where and make your life miserable. Try to potty training your child since baby. Starting since newborn is not a bad idea. Some mom say the sooner you potty train your baby the better you find the result. Thus, parents who will let nature take it course will find that it will take a very long time for their child to be dry at night.But it is also unders. . .

Why Child Bearing Is Healthy

From a purely biological perspective, bearing children can be considered the most important reason for a woman’s existence. For that matter, the same could be said about men, since both sexes are, in effect, disposable packages of genetic material. We die, but our genes continue on immortally.With increasing population pressure and modern independent lifestyles (unlike the family farm where chi. . .

Parenting Confidence - Who Needs It?

It used to strike me as odd - but really, it makes perfect sense. If you are a regular flier, or have flown recently, you'll know what I mean. The 'plane is taxiing along for take off and the cabin crew are going through the pre-flight safety routine. The odd bit I'm referring to is when they tell you what to do with the oxygen masks in the event of the cabin losing pressure. Now, all decent pa. . .

How Often Should A One-Month Baby Go For Check Up?

What happen during the first month of your newborn, does your baby need check up? In the first weeks after birth, your newborn begins a series of routine check ups. These are called well child visits. All healthcare professions have individual approaches to the timing and frequencies of these visits. In general, you should take your baby for a checkup within a week after delivery and thereafter. . .

A Wish List From Mom To Dad

Here is just a little wish list I put together for you. First, I feel I should tell you that I greatly appreciate all that you do for me and our family. Feel free to grant any or all of my wishes time permitting. They can be fulfilled in any order. I will gladly accept them on any given day. No need to wait for a special occasion or holiday to grant any of the following: A thorough house cleani. . .

Teenagers Taking Risks

It can be hard being a parent with a teen going through what I term the 'I'm Invincible' phase. This is the phase when teens start doing scary and dangerous things (according to us parents) as a way of testing out their physical limits. This is not surprising given that, at adolescence, teenagers are effectively given a new body, one which has many improved features from that of their childhood. . .

Integrate Fun and Learning with PC Games

Children are always up for a good game. Well, who isn't? Pretend that you are back in school. For the rest of the class period you have two choices as to how you can spend your time. Option #1 is to struggle through endless arithmetic and English worksheets without any feedback except for a stamp that says "Great Job!" Option #2 is to work on the same arithmetic and English content, but on a co. . .

Clean Your House in Half the Time!

When cleaning your house, the first thing you need to do is to find a supply and tool apron. (gardening apron works well) The apron should contain several large, deep pockets. In these pockets, you will keep your cleaning supplies .... (glass cleaner, vacuum nozzles, bathroom supplies, etc.). This little known secret can cut your cleaning time in half.Wear microfiber cloths at all times (they a. . .

Essential Tips for the Kitchen

Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped together.Store items where you use them. Put your plates near the table, knives near island or cutting counter, glasses near the fridge, and coffee items near the coffee machine.Clean and organize your fridge and freezer just like you would any other cabinet: grouping like items together. Search for things that are not being used once . . .

Send Your Child to College FREE!

College is one of the largest expenses through the course of your child's life. It is also one of the main causes of debt in America. With today's rates of inflation, it is very hard to save for an event that will occur eighteen years down the road. However, capitalistic America has provided many ways to send your child to college without paying a single red cent. Below you will discover just h. . .

Intersting Baby Facts... Strange But True!

* A baby is born every seven seconds. * Babies are born with very poor vision but can recognize their mothers almost right away. * Babies are always born with blue eyes, within a few moments of delivery their eye color can change. * Babies are born with swimming abilities and can naturally hold their breath. However, they shortly lose this instinct. * Newborns usually double their weight by six. . .

Oh Baby! Choosing the Right Baby Name

Naming a baby is no easy task. However, the following tips will help you give your baby his or her very first gift.1. Religion: For some parents, religion plays a major role in choosing a baby name. Roman Catholics traditionally choose saints' names. Jews traditionally choose Old Testament names. Names of deceased relatives are often chosen. Protestants often choose both Old and New Testament n. . .

Cut the Costs of Your New Baby... Devour Those Yard Sales!

Get some friends together and check out your local yard sales. Before you go, make sure you check the yard sale listings in the newspaper to make sure you don't make any unnecessary trips. When buying baby furniture, make sure it meets current safety standards. Yard sales often have many used cribs, rocking chairs, and other baby needs that will save you over 50%!Research before making any purc. . .

Free Baby Shower Games

Described below are many baby shower games that will spruce up any baby shower.ABC'sHave each person write down each letter of the alphabet. Everyone has to name something that has to do with a baby for each letter. This game should be timed for about two minutes. Whoever has the most items wins a prize.Baby's First PortraitEach guest receives a paper plate and a crayon. Each person must draw a. . .

Non-Violent Educational Toys

The key to choosing the right toy for your child is in developing on their strengths and learning style. When choosing the proper educational toys for our child's development, some of the first questions we need to ask is, Are they non-violent? and, Do they send the proper message? Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to keep our children completely away from all the weapon wielding animals an. . .

On-the-Go Kids Snacks

Remember the old TV shows, “Leave it to Beaver,” and, “The Brady Bunch”? The kids would wander in after school to find fresh-baked oatmeal cookies and frosty glasses of milk on the table for their after school snack. Mom (or was it the housekeeper?) would be standing there in her apron, beaming, as the kids enjoyed their feast and talked about their day.Fast forward to 2005. We dash into the ho. . .

Motivation... The Key to Your Child's Educational Success

For the first year or two of life outside the womb, our brains are in the most impressionable state they will ever be in. A baby’s brain is immediately shaped by interacting with their environment. As a parent, one can have a large influence on their newborns first encounters with learning.The mind learns optimally when appropriately challenged in an environment that encourages taking risks. Ho. . .

Anorexia Nervosa Alert - Is Your Daughter Dying To Be Thin?

Anorexia nervosa is a serious medical disorder that is statistically most prevalent in the adolescent teenage years of young women. It is estimated that 7% of the population suffers from eating disorders and if left untreated over 20% of them will die from it. Anorexia takes the lives of children everyday in this world and there are things you can do as a parent to identify anorexic behaviors. . .

Is Education Tax Deductible?

Families with children already in college may qualify for tax deductions for educational expenses. The maximum Hope credit is available for the first two years of undergraduate school. It allows for $1500 of credit. The credit is based upon the first $1000 in qualified tuition and related expenses, and 50 percent of the next $1000 in expenses.The maximum Lifetime Learning credit is $2000 for ea. . .

Slash Your Grocery Prices with Coupons

Coupons save consumers hundreds of dollars a year. Smart shoppers take the time to look for, cut out, file, and use coupons on a regular basis. You may be surprised how much money you can save in the long run.Coupons are easy to use when organized efficiently. Coupons should be put into groups such as cereals, fruit, pizzas, paper goods, pet food, baby needs, and anything else that you need fre. . .

Neverland Chronicle (Feb 15)

Is Bashir the Man in the Mirror?It seems that the weekly so-called news magazine 20/20 is now grooming Martin Bashir to be the next Barbara Walters. How is that relevant? Well, the Disney owned ABC has lured Mr. Bashir from the BBC with both 1 million dollar salary, and an agenda to go after Michael Jackson. Mr. Bashir has started his hard-hitting investigative journalism by interviewing Corey . . .

In The Crook Of My Arms

His head is tilted back, mouth slightly open. His breath is slow and steady and his eyes almost all-closed but slightly open. His neck nestles over the crook of my arm and I stare at his face as he breathed in and breathed out. A feeling of overwhelming love washed over me. I was totally at peace as I watched my son sleep in my arms. I must say that there’s absolutely nothing quite like it at a. . .

Born With Instructions

We finally seem to get parenting techniques that work with the first child only to find out that they don’t work with the next child. Why can kids be born with instructions? Good news! When you understand your children’s perceptual styles, you’ll discover that they are born with an “instruction manual.” Each of us is a unique combination of the Four Perceptions: Audio, Feeler, Visual, and W. . .

Too Much to Do? Too Little Time?

Have you ever felt like someone just pressed the Fast-forward button on your day and before you know it the day is over and you are sitting there wondering what you've accomplished? I love to organize and with working Part Time outside of the home and FULL-TIME at home with my business, 4 children and Husband I really rely on a schedule and many time management tips to keep my sanity (ok, so so. . .

Reality of Habits & Traits

We are always concerned of our-self & our children about habits traits & behavior. So I thought traits(character) & habits are not just the words but as the powerful weapons & can be good and bad, that why I elaborated it with explanation in this article.Emphasis on the consistent behavior, which is a characteristics of all traits, may lead one believe that traits & habits are same. Both, Its t. . .

Seeing The Souls of Your Children

Your toddler is having her second tantrum of the day while your four year old son is racing around the house with the neighbor’s child. You feel completely stressed out and are questioning your decision to have these kids, with a third on the way! What were you thinking?! At times like this you might want to remember who your children really are. You might want to remember that your children ar. . .

Guide To Choosing Educational Toys For Children

Educational toys for children In the last few years, parents started getting more and more interested in choosing all sorts of educational toys for their children. Because a parent wishes the best for his child, a toy that is labeled as educational is very likely to be bought easier than others.But what is an educational child toy?Well, there is no definition of the term "educational toy" from. . .

Baby Names - Choosing Trendy or Traditional

Lists of baby names are always fun to look at, whether you're seeking a name for your soon-to-be-born baby boy or baby girl, wondering about the popularity of your own first name, or just curious about what baby names are currently hot.What I find particularly interesting is tracking the popularity of baby names over the decades. In looking through U.S. government baby name lists from 1880 to t. . .

Sports Psychology Guidelines for Sports Parents

Sports parents have a big impact on their young superstars. A healthy and successful sports experience will depend on sports parents' ability to instill confidence and self-esteem in athletes. Read sports psychology expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn's view on how to make sports a successful and fun experience.Youth sports are huge in today’s society. Coaches and parents have a tremendous impact on how c. . .

8 Tips To Save On Child Care Costs

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 s. . .

Creative Ideas for Easing Separation Anxiety

Does your child exhibit separation anxiety at daycare drop-off? Do you spend more than fifteen minutes struggling to calm your child's fears? You are not alone. All parents at one time or another have experienced guilt, fear and remorse at the very thought of leaving their hysterical child in the arms of a non-relative. Separation anxiety affects both parents and children. Children display thei. . .

Choosing The Perfect Area Rug For Your Child’s Playroom

Are you thinking about putting an area rug in your children’s play area? These rugs can be great fun for kids. Many have fantastic colors and designs on them. Some have games or puzzles that the kids can play. Our favorite are area rugs are the ones with race tracks on them, the kids can race their play cars around the city. When choosing the perfect area rugs for your kids play area keep the f. . .

Do You Love Your Child? Child Car Seat Safety Is A Must!

Child Car Seat SafetyWe know you love your children, but so many people do not follow these simple car seat safety principles. By following these easy steps you can ensure your child is completely safe in your car.Just to get one thing straight, there is no one best child car safety seat. The best car safety seat is determined by various factors that you as the parent need to take into consid. . .

7 Powerful Ways to Show Love to Children

Our children are our most important legacy to the world. However, our love is our most important legacy to our children. Here are seven ways to show love that will help children build sturdy foundations for the future.1. Spend Time with Your Children. Time is the most loving gift we can give to our children. It allows for the mutual exchange of ideas, emotions, actions, and words that help our . . .

10 Positive Discipline techniques for children

Do you feel your child is out of control? Punish him or her often and get no positive results? It might be your discipline strategy that is not working. Try using positive discipline techniques which are highly recommended by the child development professionals and see the changes in your child’s attitude. See him or her actually making efforts to cooperate with you. 1. Let child know what y. . .

If You'd Like to Know Why Reading Matters

Here Are Some of the Reasons Why Reading Is So Important for Children Why Do We Tell Children to Read ?We're always telling children that books and reading are good for them, but have we ever really thought about why that's true ? Exactly what do older children get out of reading novels ? What do younger kids get from reading children's stories and being read to ? Does reading matter ?The purpo. . .

What is Your Hobby

When you saw the title of this article, what was your reaction? Did you groan? Did you get excited? Did you say, “Who has time for a hobby”? I use to hate when people asked me that question, especially when my children were infants to preschoolers. I remember saying, “I don’t have a hobby, I have children.”I think God wants us to play and relax. Even though hobby is not specifically listed in . . .

Balancing Your Goodness Account

Have y’all ever noticed that there are lots of things in life that you get now and use later? Stuff like money, food, water, light bulbs, lottery tickets, aspirin, razors, and breath mints? Stuff that you know you’ll need somewhere down the road, and stuff that you’ll always need to keep a good supply of? People have done this throughout the ages, and it just makes good, common sense. Even a Pe. . .

The Best Blue Christmas

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just a few days away, isn’t it? Santa will soon be making his yearly run around the globe, delighting both children and adults alike. Christmas is the most magical holiday of them all, and it holds very deep and special meanings for all of us who celebrate it. It certainly did for my family back when I was growing up in Juliette. Ever notice how a certain . . .

Baby Safety Checklist - Protecting Your Baby

When bringing home your new baby, there are so many things to do in order to get ready. Making your home a safe haven for your new little one is one of the most important things you will do to get ready. Each room contains its own set of dangers. Below is a baby safety checklist to ensure that every room in your house is baby friendly. General Safety Tips: Place child-resistant covers on all e. . .

First Year With Twins…a Father’s Point of View

People always ask my wife and I: “How did you ever do it with two babies? I just can’t imagine it”. My answer is always the same…we just do. We just do what needs to be done. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it’s exhausting. Yes, it’s stressful. But we find a way to get the things done that need to be done. That’s really the key, is finding a way that works for you and your spouse. I’ve listed som. . .

Baby Name Trends: From Classic to Hip

Goodbye Bertha, Hello Kaitlyn! The top baby names of today break with tradition and follow-up on new trends. Because choosing the perfect name can be a daunting task, many informative web sites have been launched with parents in mind. A name is central to a child's earliest sense of identity. It's often the first word he or she learns to read and write. Naming trends of today are defined by cel. . .

The Rejection is a Masked Deprivation

Parents rejection of the child, though unintentional, is also shown in various ways, like physical neglect, denial of love and affection, lack of interest in the child’s activities, interests and achievement, harsh or inconsistent punishment, failure to spend time with the child, or any kind of a activity of apparent which keeps child away.Parent’s rejection can be partial or complete, passive . . .

Helping New Parents and Infants Transition

Of all the research done on childcare and early childhood education you'd think someone would do studies on the fear that make couples looney in the head after they become parents. The biggest thing for a new parent is fear. Fear of what they would do if anything happened to their little Johnny or little Sue. This advice was given to them by their loving and caring family, friends, experts and . . .

5 Steps to Organized Writing

After your children are writing sentences, teach them about paragraphs. Paragraphs are the key to organized writing. Each paragraph should contain one main idea or thought, and a topic sentence that sums up that thought in a nutshell. The paragraph should also contain supporting sentences that explain or supplement the leading idea in the topic sentence.Here is how you could do this with your c. . .

Creative Potty Training

When I was potty training my two young boys, I discovered this method of potty training that made it an enjoyable, yet very effective way to potty train toddlers.First, make sure your child is ready for potty training, shows interest, wants "big kids pants" etc. If they show no signs of readiness, it may be best to let them mature a bit more. Make this a game, make it fun and you will not run. . .

The Joy of Learning

“ Part of what motivates me to write this book is a concern that we’ve lost touch in education with the sheer joy of what it means to learn something new.”Thomas Armstrong, Author, Awakening Genius in the ClassroomI think I was around 6 years old, when my mum decided to put me into Piano class. I am quite sure it was an afterthought because it was my younger sister who was first put into the cl. . .

Easy Journaling Tips

Journaling is a stress free learning technique. My children who journaled seemed to have much more pleasure in—and success at—writing. (I have included samples of our children’s writing in Easy Homeschooling Companion. http://www.easyhomeschooling.com/homeschooling.htmlChildren want to be just like their parents and your writing will inspire their writing, so let your young child see you journa. . .