Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Is It Okay to Spoil Your Kids?

None of us want “spoiled” kids - kids who are bratty, self-centered, demanding, inconsiderate. So, what spoils children and what doesn’t?When I was raising my children, I was often told that I would spoil them if I didn’t let them cry - if I held them a lot. Fortunately, I didn’t believe this nonsense.You can’t spoil a child with love. Children need love as much as they need food and water. The. . .

Who's Teaching Your Child About Money

Managing money is one of the most critical skills we must master to function effectively as adults. Yet, although public schools address the subject of money using math examples, teachers just don’t have the time for individual tutoring.So, just who is really responsible for this critical education?PARENTS can teach their children get “money” lessons as early as they can begin counting. Otherwi. . .

Where do you Cast?

“Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.I don’t know if you have ever been fly-fishing or maybe you have seen it on TV. When you go fly fishing you cast your bait way down the river and let it float. That way the fish does not see you and hopefully attacks the bait. I have that vision when we cast our anxiety on God. Do you give Him your anxieties and let them float aw. . .

How to Have the “Perfect” Christmas

“This year will be different. I vow I won’t get stressed out over presents, parties, cards, Christmas plays, putting up the tree and decorating, and all the many other tasks of the season. I will remember the true meaning of Christmas.”Do you find that all the Christmas chores steal your joy?“For unto us a child is born” - Aahh the miracle of birth. The true miracle of our Savior’s birth. As Ch. . .

Are You Truly Thankful For Everything?

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we stop and are thankful for all our blessings. Of course, we should be thankful every day of the year. I want you to take a different look at Thanksgiving this year. You certainly can list all of your many blessings and be thankful. But, are you truly thankful for everything?1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in . . .

The Only New Year’s Resolution You Need

I am going to make a bold statement. I think I have the only New Year’s Resolution you need. You have got to be kidding, right??!!! You don’t know me, Kimberly. You don’t know that I need to lose 20lbs., exercise, be a better mother, be a better worker, a better wife, etc. How in the world can you boil it down to one New Year’s Resolution?We can find our one New Year’s Resolution in the Bible. . . .

Love, Food, and Kids

Forty years ago I became very interested in health and nutrition. I had been a sickly child and I had hated being sick. As a low-energy young adult, I had decided to do something about my health, so after reading some wonderful books on nutrition, I proceeded to completely change what I ate. I started to shop at the only little health food store in Los Angeles – Whole Foods was years away! I th. . .

101 Gift Ideas For All Occasions

People have forgotton about the meaning behind gifting, in a consumer driven society we are often pushed towards competing e.g. upstaing gifts and my gifts better than yours. Lets go back to basics, giving is far more rewarding then receiving its much better for your Karma. If someone gives you a list ignore it, the only time a list is applicable is for Weddings where this is a tradition. Gifti. . .

Is Mothering Wearing You Out?

I always wanted to have children and I was completely thrilled when I had my first child. Nothing, however, prepares a mother for what it’s like to be responsible for a child 24/7.Before my son was born, I had time – time to read, to be creative, to spend time with friends, to take long baths, to spend time with my husband, to breathe. Suddenly there was no time for me. And, of course, after tw. . .

5 Ways to Profit From No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (No Child Left Behind) is designed to reform and improve student achievement and change the culture of America’s schools. According to this reform act each state must measure every public school student’s progress in reading and math in each of grades 3 through 8 and at least once during grades 10 through 12. By school year 2007-2008, assessments (or testing. . .

Thrifty (but Unique) Holiday Gift Ideas for Young Children

It’s December, and as the holiday season drew closer, you found your preschooler saying this to you, “Mom, I want this and that toy …My friend is going to get those from his mom. ” When you went and checked the price online, you were shocked with the price. You couldn’t believe that a child toy can be that expensive. To make things even worse, you doubted that those toys would make a good buy. . .

Family Life or How to Buy: Chair for a New Baby

Even if your baby is just weeks old now, you'll soon see how amazingly quickly she develops. Most expected parents want to buy their new baby the world.But you don't need to spend a lot of money.Before you blow the budget check out online sources for reviews and recommendation and then selectively purchase new items with safety. Go Online.You'll be able to find almost everything you need. Brows. . .

Using Music To Calm Your Baby

Music is a wonderful way for you to calm and soothe your baby, especially during the first year. How many times have your heard parents say that there was nothing that they could do with their crying, fussing baby until they tried music. This is because music does indeed soothe the savage beast, or in this case, the baby.There are certain distinct sounds that have been proven to calm even fus. . .

So You Want to Start a Home Daycare

I hang out with the other mommies. No, I am not a "Mister Mom" or a "Househusband". I do have one enviable situation, though. I work from home and I have the flexibility to say, "This morning I am going to spend with my daughters. I can play with them. I can sing with them. I can laugh with them. I can clean up their ice cream that drips all over me." Or I can say, "This morning I am ta. . .

The "B" Word

Former students would probably attest to the fact that few things tried my patience as much as did the statement, “This is boring!” As I reflect back on my many years in the classroom, I can’t help but feel a tad bit sorry for the first kid who made the mistake of uttering those words each year. (It was rare to hear the phrase a second time because most kids vividly recalled my “sermon,” and th. . .

Choosing Baby Names for Twins

Choosing a baby name for your new born can be quite a stressful decision. With thousands upon thousands of names at your disposal, you may begin to feel a little over whelmed. Well, for twins, you can double the trouble! This article is aimed at helping soon to be moms and dads of twins to choose those perfect baby names.Using anagrams for naming twinsOne way of choosing baby names for twins is. . .

Preventing Obesity in Young Children

Do you have a young child whose weight or eating habits are out of control? Need some real world help with ‘taming the cookie monster'? Here are some things that worked for our family. Our daughter, now 14 years old, was plump from birth and thrived happily for her first year on a combination of breast milk and formula. When she was completely weaned and eating only solid foods, however, she be. . .

The Pregnancy Glow and Other Myths of Motherhood

It happened during the ninth month of my first pregnancy. I was going through a department store check-out lane where a teenage girl was ringing up my purchases. She looked shyly at my burgeoning belly with an expression that could only be described as reverent. With eyes full of dreams of future motherhood she asked, “Is pregnancy really as bad as everyone says?” Without the slightest guilt, I. . .

Spending time with Chuck

I have been waking up thinking about something that happening to me and my son Chuck. I have decided to write it down while it’s on my mind.Chuck was seventeen, we had him when I was seventeen, a child dad . This was not a good combination I thought I knew it all ,he knew he did. Needless to say we had not been getting along very well for quite a while. My wife told me, honey you need to fi. . .

Am I Really A Stroller-Monger?

I was reading "A Modern Infant Armada", a humor column in Maclean's Magazine written by a fellow humor columnist. Writing about it now is a bit like a painter painting another painter or a singer singing about another singer (but it not like a cook cooking another cook.).David Russell (yes, another humor columnist named David) laughs at his neighbor for parking both cars in the driveway to mak. . .

Parenting

This article on parenting is by a practicing relationship counsellor/therapist, and father. The following suggestions will be useful for any parent or caregiver who wants to improve their relationships with their children.In more extreme situations, many of the approaches will still be directly useful, and the overall approach is a guide for what the extreme situation needs to come back to.It w. . .

Quality Time?

From the book Spider’s Big CatchGary Andersonwww.abciowa.comThere's a phrase that’s become popular over the past few years that fills me with wonder. That phrase is "quality time." We've all heard it, and we all seem to accept it as a real concept. But to the average country person, that phrase is difficult to comprehend.Here's what I mean. Last summer, my 10-year-old son Cody and I spent an en. . .

Shared Dancing Has Benefits for Babies and New Moms Alike

Every parent knows the calming effects on their baby of rocking and gentle motion. After all, who among us has not paced the floor at 2 am trying to entice a little one back to sleep by rocking, bouncing or swaying? While you may not be able to do much about those late night pacing sessions, you can capitalise on your baby’s love of rhythmical movement to benefit both of you in many other ways . . .

Best Baby Shower Invitation Ideas

The best baby shower invitation ideas help everyone to have fun without adding stress on the expectant mother. Planning for a newborn can be overwhelming to each family member, so providing the best baby shower invitation ideas with fun and little effort on Mom helps to give the baby shower lasting feelings of friendship and love. Many baby showers focus on one or two fun areas that make the sh. . .

When Parents Disagree

Moms and dads, are there times you think that parenting would be easier if you didn't have to make family decisions? Having a partner that is not in agreement with your parenting ideas or discipline approaches is more than just frustrating. It can be a cause of division in even the best of relationships. Furthermore, how you handle your disagreements will have a direct impact on your relatio. . .

Developing Fluency in Young Children

Questions to Ask when Developing Your Child’s Literacy Skills.Does Your Child have the Ability to Link Letters and Sounds Together?We all know that letters of the alphabet form words and that learning letters and sounds is usually the predecessor to developing fluency in young children. But how can we stimulate an early interest in the alphabet? To keep a child’s mind engaged in the learning . . .

Create Tax Savings And Transfer Wealth To Your Child With...

Parents must give serious thought to protecting their family through estate tax planning. While life insurance and trusts should be a part of every plan, Roth IRAs can be a simple tool for passing money to your child on a tax-free basis. Roth IRA First, we need a quick summary of the Roth IRA. A Roth IRA is an after-tax retirement vehicle that produces huge tax savings because all tax distribut. . .

Birth of a Parent

So you’re pregnant. Congratulations! Your life is about to change in ways you might find unthinkable (and we’re not even talking about the surrender of your once slim waistline to proportions most comparable to that of a Dr. Suess character). Pregnancy is the beginning of a new life for a baby, but also a new life for you as a parent. If this is your first baby, you may be filled with an endles. . .

5 Love Languages and Those Who Contribute at Home

The work around a house or apartment has got to be some of the least thanked work ever created. Whether it is the yard work on the weekend, plumbing as it arises, daily dishes & errand running, we tend to overlook the assistance that our spouse and children offer us regularly.Part of why being at home is so tiring for some is the simple fact that the ongoing work of maintaining regular life is . . .

Ten Great Careers For Single Parents

The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you’re a mother or father, can be very difficult. Add the burden of having to be out of the home for 40+ hours per week to work and raising a child at the same time can be nearly impossible. This article describes ten careers you can train for that will give you the money to support your child and the time to be there for them. These career. . .

Five Ways To Turbo-Boost Your Parenting Skills

The 'phone conversation had nothing at all to do with parenting - but it made me think . . . 'Hello, Eastbank Football Club. Can I help you?' 'Good morning, may I speak with the Assistant Coach, please?' 'Oh, I'm sorry. He's still on vacation.' 'I see. Is anyone on the coaching staff there?' 'No, they're all away right now. The club's closed for another week yet. I'm only the Groundsman.' 'Wel. . .

The First Week with your Baby

The first week of your baby's life brings big adjustments for both of you. You are adjusting to being a mother and caring for your baby and your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb. It is a time of great joy -- and possibly immense fear! Although you've been preparing for the birth of your baby for months, now he is here and depending on you for everything which can seem overwhelming. Do. . .

How to Pick the Best Name for Your Baby

Expectant parents spend hours preparing the nursery, poring over pregnancy and delivery books and going to childbirth classes. Yet surprisingly, many decide their child’s given name within a matter of minutes, often spending more time selecting the right car seat or stroller.What should parents-to-be consider when choosing a baby name? All About Baby, a personalized children’s products compan. . .

Twin and Multiple Births are on the Rise

Did you know that the number of twin births have more than doubled since the early 1970s? Today, about one of every 35 births in the United States are twins. Even more significant is the number of triplet and higher multiple births which have increased 200 percent over the last three decades.Why the huge jump in the number of multiple births? The most obvious reason for the growing birth rat. . .

How to Raise Creative Kids

“Where did he come up with that?” Kids often amaze us with their imaginative ideas, and we should give ourselves a pat on the back for playing a role in this development. Innovative thinking is essential for success in school and in life, and it’s our job as parents to nurture our kids’ innate desire to be creative. Inventive play fosters original thinking, an asset when children are confronted. . .

Selecting a Baby Shower Theme: Easy as One Two Three

No aspect of party planning is more crucial and sometimes mind boggling to a baby shower planner than selecting the baby shower theme. There are almost too many ideas available today, and often the host of a party finds themselves suffering apoplexy at the idea of selecting a baby shower theme.A small amount of creativity however will be sure to generate success, regardless of the baby shower t. . .

Life Stuck In Fast Forward

the woes of being a parent of an ADHD child.....Like Curious George discovering new things and fiddling with the old, you go through life. Taking things apart and scattering the pieces here and there. Putting books in the freezer and clothes in the food cabinet. Where the food went, Lord only knows.You remind me of a living tape recorder,going through life stuck on fast forward in a blur of act. . .

It's OK for your child to be bored. In fact, it's recomm...

NY -- Strange as it may sound, bordom promotes happier, creative kids who are better problem solvers. When children use their own creativity with unstructured play, they find ways to amuse themselves -- even if it means simply daydreaming. That's the advice of child development expert, Alan M. Hess who wants to see American children spend more time in unstructured play, less time in structured. . .

Planning the Perfect Baby Shower

One of the most exciting events an expecting mother looks forward to is celebrating her baby shower.Deciding to Throw a Baby ShowerBaby showers are often thrown by a friend or family member. Formal tradition dictates that someone other than a family member throws the baby shower, but this certainly does not have to be the case and many modern women go against the grain and welcome any offers fr. . .

Choosing a Baby Name

Take Your TimeThe worst thing you could do when choosing a baby name is to rush into it. Settling for second best may affect you and your child for a lifetime! Don't commit yourself to the first name that you fancy. Keep searching until you find a name that you are 110% happy with. And don't forget that you don't need to have a name for your baby before birth. Some parents have been known to wa. . .

Power Foods for a Powerful School Lunch

There isn’t a school day that goes by that I worry about my son’s lunch. Of course, I ask myself the usual questions: Is he eating what he has in the bag? Will he trade his apple for a cookie? Will the school lunch he’s ordering once a week be nutritious? He’s a kid! He’s not a fussy eater, but there are plenty of days that he has come home with a bag full of food. I’ll ask him “what did you ea. . .

Baby Shower Gift Ideas

A few guests can get together and get a big laundry basket. Place in it a long clothes line with outfits, diapers, bibs, etc. pinned to it. It can also be used as a room decoration. It has a bit of everything and something to carry it in!Baby Quilt - here's a great gift from those that love to sew and quilt. Find an alphabet quilt pattern. Each square has a letter of the alphabet on it and a pi. . .

Baby Expense: What To Do When Baby

As you probably know, baby expense should be high on your list of things to plan for, before the baby comes. There is no cheap way to have and raise a baby: it takes sweat, work, lots of cash, patience, and more to have a happy, healthy baby. Some studies suggest that you will spend anywhere between $150,000 and $200,000 for your kids by the time they are 18 years old, not including private sch. . .

Your Child’s Self-Esteem is in The Cards

Research has shown that the present generation of children worldwide is demonstrating more social-emotional challenges (from low self-esteem to depression) than ever before. Families, schools, recreation programs etc. are recognizing that it is critical our children be taught positive values like caring about others and oneself, behaving responsibly, recognizing and managing emotions and devel. . .

Cyber Parenting 101

Many parental units are not "techies" and openly admit they are not. They seem to use that as an excuse to not be informed and "trust" their children to do what is right in an environment that is clearly risky. When it comes to underage children being online, there should be a set of household rules that are in place and followed or no online connections are allowed. Parenting:n: The rearing . . .

Grandparents! Help Your Grandkids Do Math!

This may come as a surprise. But despite all the advances in education, many kids still struggle in the math class. Math is an important subject, yet many kids just don't "get it". Teachers can only devote a limited amount of personal attention to each student. And parents are so busy with their own work nowadays, they don't have time to help their children with school work. That's where YOU, t. . .

The Art of Criticism

If you do anything / different / beyond others expectations in your work on your own way or private life that impacts someone else, Criticism is always possible, and likely. When you get criticized, do you view it as failure or opportunity? It’s not what you know that makes the difference in how you handle the criticism and confrontations, but how you apply & utilize what you know. Criticism is. . .

Do your kids have a “Safety Telephone Number”? If not, y...

What is a “Safety Number”? A Safety Number is a toll free number (i.e. an 800, 877, 888, 866 number) that parents can obtain so children can call home for FREE from any telephone in the United States. If your child needs to get a hold of you because they are lost, scared, hurt, or in trouble, they can pick up any phone (even a payphone) and call home even if they don’t have any money on them. . .

Bad Company

Here we will come to know who are the most responsible person to make your child an addicted person & failure. In general we see kids who are addicted of tobacco , drinking, smoking, etc. addictions are the symbols of unhealthy personality.Kids adopts addictions because of a] Stress, B] Depression. C] repression. (form anything) When a kid feels one of these or similar of these he wants to c. . .

Mindfulness: You're Soaking In It!

Looking for a bit more mindfulness in your daily life? Relax. You're soaking in it! Perhaps you remember Madge the Manicurist, a television commercial character who commiserates with her clients about their chapped hands. While she is filing the nails of one hand, she conspiratorially confides that her client is actually soaking her other hand in Palmolive dishwashing liquid. After all, "It sof. . .