How to Help Your Teen to Say No to Drugs and Smoking

Since the early 1980s, we’ve heard the “just say no” mantra, and we want to teach it to our kids. But how? Just telling them is probably not enough. Here are some tips for helping your teen say no to drugs and smoking.

A Strong Parent-Child Bond

Parents who are close to their children usually find discipline a lot easier. It’s good to start early, but it’s never too late. Forge or reinforce a close relationship with your teen so that he or she will be more likely to talk to you about his or her drug temptations or even drug use.

A true dialogue goes back and forth; it’s not a lecture. So part of getting close to your teen is listening. Keep your reactions minimal and hear them out. It can go a long way toward helping them trust you.

Be Clear

Sometimes parents can chalk things up to rebellion that really aren’t – the teen may just be floundering and uncertain as to your expectations. So be crystal-clear about what you do expect from him or her.

Instead of saying something like, “It’s not a good idea to do drugs or smoke,” be more specific about what, exactly, constitutes a “drug” (teens are great at finding philosophical loopholes), and outline the specific situations he or she should avoid. Teens are still children in many ways, and many times they need to have things presented in a really clear format.

Watch Their Friends

Sources say that having peers who smoke and use drugs considerably increases a teen’s chance of doing those things himself. Pay attention to those with whom your teens spend time, and if you discover any drug or tobacco use, confront your teen. Experts suggest punishing your teen by eliminating his time with these particular friends, and calling his friends’ parents and letting them know what you saw and why you’re eliminating contact for a time.

Share Your Own Experiences

If you used to smoke or use drugs, talk to your teen about the dangers and how you would not do those things again if you could go back in time. If you are still smoking, experts recommend you stop – and let your teen see how tough quitting is. Don’t be afraid if your teen considers you a hypocrite; letting her in on your life’s details helps get through to her, and your words do matter even if she seems to blow you off.

Healthy Weight in Dogs/Cats

One of the difficulties with the issue of overweight pets is that most pet owners fail to see it. Obesity among dogs and cats is the “new normal” for many pet-owning families, unfortunately. So it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what really is the normal weight range for cats and dogs, and how to reach and maintain that for your fur babies. Here is some information that may help.

What’s Normal?

The average cat should weigh about 10 pounds, depending on frame, gender and breed; it’s normal for Maine Coons to weigh up to 25 pounds, and for Persians to weigh between 7 and 12 pounds.

For dogs, weight varies enormously according to breed and gender. To give a range, Labrador Retrievers should weigh between 65 and 80 pounds (for smaller labs, 80 pounds would be overweight), Beagles from 18 to 30 pounds, and Miniature Poodles from 11 to 17 pounds. It’s important to talk to your vet to find out the healthiest weight for your particular animal.

For humans, being a pound or two overweight is no big deal; even five pounds of excess weight doesn’t worry most people. This is where pet owners may make mistakes – they think their cat or dog is “only” 2 or 3 pounds over the ideal, so it’s no big problem, right? Unfortunately, it is. For example, a cat that is 3 pounds overweight is roughly the equivalent of a human being 40 pounds overweight!

If you suspect that your cat or dog is overweight, check with your veterinarian to see if there really is a weight problem.

Here are some tips on how to keep your cat or dog at an ideal weight.

Exercise

Nothing sheds pet pounds like regular exercise. Dogs enjoy vigorous walks with their owners, as well as hikes and other active outings. A 20-minute game of fetch is a good workout for most dogs, too. Cats enjoy playing with string or fun cat toys, and if possible, letting your cats go outside to “play” each day may help as well. Kitty “gyms” are a worthwhile investment – keep your cat interested by periodically sprinkling it with catnip.

Food

Rewarding your animal with treats makes sense, but choose only very tiny pieces of treats for training and rewards. If you give a lot of treats during training, make sure you cut back on your animal’s regular food amount.

Good-quality food is important, sources say. The “empty calories” in some cheaper pet foods, as well as the fillers and less-than-nutritional ingredients, can contribute to or cause a weight problem.

Diets

Experts do not recommend “crash diets” for your pets. This can cause disease (such as fatty liver in cats) and other problems for the animal. Like for humans, a slow and steady weight loss is considered healthiest.

Why Guinea Pigs Make Wonderful First Pets

Looking around for a first pet for your kids? It’s not a light decision. Animals like turtles, for instance, can live over 20 years, and cats and dogs usually live 12 to 15 years. Some parrots can live up to 80 years! So you have to be ready for a long-term commitment if you go with these pets.

Guinea pigs, on the other hand, involve commitment and care, but they usually live between 4 and 8 years. There are other advantages to owning guinea pigs as first pets, too. Here are some reasons why these rodents make wonderful first pets.

Guinea Pigs Can Handle the Handling

Children love to handle their pets. Small rodents like mice and hamsters need to be handled rather delicately, and pets like fish can’t be handled at all. Guinea pigs, on the other hand, enjoy attention and handling. Of course, they are not indestructible and handling should be supervised by an adult. Still, guinea pigs are not likely to get bored or irritated with lots of handling and attention.

They Don’t Need Much Space

Guinea pigs do like to be played with and they need exercise, but a basic cage with a toy or two, bedding, and water is all your pig needs for the majority of the time. Many guineas enjoy open cages with bars, because they are social and like to be “with” the family.

Each day, your kids will need to take their guinea out for some exercise. Mazes, a well-supervised romp in the grass outside (an open-bottom cage or movable fencing is ideal for this), ramps, and other fun obstacle courses can be constructed by your kids. And if you miss one day, it’s okay.

Guinea Pigs are Interactive

Guineas are social animals. Many experts recommend getting two of the same gender so they will have company. If you have just one, your pig will want to interact a lot. They enjoy picking up on cues, too – they get excited when you come home, squeal when you open the cupboard where their treats are, and otherwise amuse family members.

They Require Simple Care

Guinea pigs are not picky about their living conditions and food. A weekly cleaning of the bedding and twice-daily feeding is fine. They enjoy treats like parsley, fruits and vegetables in addition to their regular feed. Fresh water is the only other thing they need. They are generally not expensive to keep.

Guinea Pigs Are Not Prone to Biting

Some rodents can get into biting, but guinea pigs tend to keep biting at a minimum. Usually, if a guinea bites, it’s because he or she has made a mistake and thought a finger was food, such as a carrot stick. Some pigs will bite if they are fatigued and anxious, so teach your children to read the signs of guinea pig overload!

Smart Ways for Greener Laundry

Laundry can be a big energy user in a home. Heating the water, running the washer, and running the dryer can make for a big utility bill. And of course, washing machines use a pretty large volume of water. Also, harsh soaps and synthetically-scented fabric softeners can add to the non-green problem with laundry. However, there are ways to make laundry day a greener day. Here are some smart ways to do that.

Appliances

First, take a look at your washer and dryer. Are they Energy Star rated? If not, consider replacing your current washer and dryer with more efficient ones. Some sources claim that Energy Star washers can save 7000 gallons of water per year! An Energy Star dryer will use less electricity to get clothes dry, too, even paying for themselves over the course of its lifetime.

Load Size

Try to run the washer only when it’s full. Even if you have a “small load” setting, washing just a few articles of clothing by themselves tends to be a big waste of water. Also, if you run the washer only when it’s full, you will run it less often, which saves electricity.

Air-Dry

The time-honored method of drying clothes – hanging them up – is still valid. It’s also very green, even if you only do it for half of your loads. You don’t necessarily have to hang them up outside; not every laundry day is sunny, and not every home has an outdoor laundry line.

For indoor drying, hang clothes on a rack designed for the purpose (you might want to put a tarp under it, or put it out on your porch; wet clothes tend to drip). Some people like to hang their laundry indoors during the winter because it raises the humidity in the home.

Soap

Did you know you can make your own eco-friendly laundry soap? Just finely grate a bar of hard laundry soap like Fels Naptha, Ivory, or Zote. Put it in a jar and add 1 cup of washing soda (the laundry booster – not baking soda) and 1 cup of borax laundry booster. Mix this together and store in a jar by your washing machine. Use about two tablespoons per load.

Wash in Cold

Unless you’re dealing with tough stains that require hot water, washing your clothes in cold water can help cut energy costs. In addition, you can mix some light and dark colors if you use cold water, thus reducing the number of loads you wash and increasing the load size.

Fabric Softener

In addition to being annoying, fabric softener sheets are wasteful. They are also scented artificially using chemicals and synthetic scents, and studies have linked the use of dryer sheets to some health problems. Liquid fabric softener may also have synthetic scents, and can leave clothes with a coating that may not be what you want next to your skin.

Instead, you can try some green alternatives, such as eco balls (bumpy rubber balls that separate clothes in the dryer and keep down static) or vinegar and baking soda added to the rinse cycle (use about 1/4 cup of each).

Green Your Home in Easy Steps

There are many little things you can do to make a big difference, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. The idea of greening your home may seem overwhelming, but practical steps can help. Here are some easy steps for making your home – and the world – a little greener.

Water

Saving water is a major component of going green. Here are some ways you can do that.

* Hand-wash dishes in a sink of soapy water instead of in the dishwasher. Use your dishwasher for a drying rack!

* Turn off the water when you are scrubbing dishes. Put the clean, soapy dishes in a dishpan or the other side of the sink, and then rinse them all at once in one session. Pour boiling water over them to sterilize and speed drying.

* If you do use an automatic dishwasher, run it only when it’s full.

* If your dishwasher requires that you pre-rinse dishes, soak them in a sink full of water and rub them with a sponge before loading the dishwasher. That way, you aren’t standing there with the sink water running while you pre-rinse and load every dish.

* Run your washing machine only when it’s full as well.

Energy/Electricity

The average home uses a lot of electricity, particularly with appliances like the refrigerator, heating and cooling system (more on that later), washer and dryer, oven, and so forth. Here’s how you can green your home in these areas.

* Close the refrigerator door when you’re pouring a drink or considering what to get out of the fridge.

* Replace conventional light bulbs with CFL bulbs, and put lamps on timers.

* Consider LED for lighting as well, particularly holiday lights.

* Solar lights do well for outdoors.

Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling systems are energy users for sure. Try some of these steps to make your heating and cooling greener.

* Use fans when the weather warms up and save the AC for really hot days only.

* Place draught stoppers along the bottom of doors to keep cold air from sneaking in.

* Keep your furnace filter clean; change it frequently.

* Consider installing a timer on your thermostat. If you don’t install a timer, make sure to turn the thermostat down when you leave the house and when you go to bed.

* Dress appropriately. You’re going to use a lot more energy to be comfortable if you’re wearing a t-shirt in winter or a sweatshirt in summer!

* Open blinds and curtains in the winter to let the sunshine in. Conversely, use blinds, curtains or window tinting in the summer to keep things from heating up too much.

Air Quality

Keeping the air in your home clean is a great start to going green.

* Use an air purifier, or better yet, use houseplants (they don’t use electricity!). Ficus, palm, schefflera, spider plant, and other plants make good air purifiers.

* Don’t use harsh, chemical cleaners or plastics that “out gas” dangerous chemicals.

Is Your Family Financially Fit?

Are you pretty sure you’re financially fit? Or are you thinking something could be improved? Sometimes, it’s hard to know just what “financially fit” means to begin with. Here is some information to help you determine where your family is on financial fitness.

It’s Called “Financial Fitness” for a Reason

Financial fitness is analogous to physical fitness. Like being physically fit, financial fitness requires discipline and awareness of any problems. It means you have a handle on your spending, and you know how much money you have available to spend.

When you are getting physically fit, you often need to count calories and cut back if you’re going over your allotted intake; with financial fitness, money is the equivalent of calories. Sometimes you can indulge, and other times you need to cut back.

How Do You Know If You’re Fit?

Here are some questions to ask yourself to test and see if your family is financially fit. The “financially fit” – FF – answer is in parenthesis after each question.

* Do my partner and I discuss our finances regularly? (FF: yes)

* Are my/our bills paid on time each month? (FF: yes)

* Is there any outstanding debt, particularly credit card debt? (FF: no)

* Are we putting aside any money into a savings account? (FF: yes)

* Are we planning for our retirement? (FF: yes)

* Are we making no more than minimum payments on any debt we have, mortgage included? (FF: no)

* Is there a savings account for an emergency or in case of unemployment? (FF: yes)

How did you do? If you find yourself coming up short in the financial fitness realm, here are some things you can do to get your finances in shape.

Getting Fit: Financial Exercise Program

Here are some tips for a financial workout to get things in better shape.

# Savings – Get at least two savings accounts set up if you don’t have them. The first should be a “liquid” account that you can dip into in emergencies. The other should be for retirement, and might be something like a 401K or IRA that will earn interest.

# Professional help – There’s nothing wrong with seeing a financial advisor to get a handle on the options that are available and appropriate for your individual family.

# Pay off credit cards – Each month, pay off your balances in full. If you can’t, then stop using that credit card until it is paid off. Call your credit card company if necessary, and let them know you are trying to pay off your balance. Ask if they will reduce your interest rate, or if they have any other helpful advice for getting the balance paid down.

# Establish credit card rules – In addition to the pay-it-off-every-month rule, create a budget that shows you exactly how much you can put on your credit card each month and still be able to pay it off in full. In your budget, allow a certain amount for credit card spending – say, for online purchases – and do not go over that amount. It may be $24 or $225. Everyone is different. Just stick with what works for your financial situation.

# Create a budget – While you’re working on the credit card situation, you’ll be creating a budget. This is an essential step toward financial fitness; it’s like stepping on the scale to get your weight before beginning a diet and exercise plan. Like a scale, a budget shows you numbers – what you have, where you can make changes, and basically how you can take control and get fit.

Easy and Fun Presidents Day Crafts

One of the best ways to learn about Presidents Day is to do some crafts that bring home the lessons of the holiday. Interactive crafts help kids remember facts and understand the point of Presidents Day. If you’re looking for some fun and easy crafts for Presidents Day, read on for some ideas.

1. Lincoln’s Cabin

Since Presidents Day is really intended to celebrate Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays, crafts surrounding these two presidents make sense. Here are some cabin ideas to help you remember Lincoln’s humble beginnings.

* Pretzel cabin – Use pretzel sticks to create a simple log cabin. If you like, use peanut butter to fill in the cracks or as “glue” to hold the pretzels together. Use a piece of construction paper for the roof.

* Twigs cabin – Use sticks and twigs from outdoors to put together a rustic cabin. Use hot glue if you want to make it permanent.

* Paper rolls cabin – Any cardboard roll would work for this project, although longer ones such as paper towel tubes work better than toilet paper tubes. You can cut up wrapping paper rolls to appropriate lengths, too.

2. Cherry Tree

Remember the famous story about Washington telling the truth about his dad’s cherry tree? Make one in his memory. You’ll need:

* 5 to 8 brown, black and/or gray pipe cleaners
* 1 or 2 green pipe cleaners
* Large red beads, such as pony beads

Gather the brown/black/gray pipe cleaners into a bunch. Starting at the middle, twist the bottom half of the bunch downward and leave about 2 inches un-twisted. Spread the un-twisted pipe cleaners out to make a stand and a root-like look. Spread the top pipe cleaners out to look like branches. Next, thread the red beads randomly onto the pipe cleaner branches.

To make green “leaves,” cut the green pipe cleaner into 1-inch pieces. Twist each little piece around the branches under or above the red beads.

3. Lincoln’s Hat

Lincoln was famous for his tall, “stove pipe” hat. This craft is for a table decoration, but if you want to wear it, just cut a hole in the paper plate and use the resulting ring for the hat brim.

You’ll need:

* 1 paper plate
* 2 sheets black construction paper
* Scissors
* Glue
* Wide black ribbon (optional)
* Black acrylic paint

Paint the paper plate completely black. While it’s drying, glue the two pieces of construction paper together short end-to-end to make one long piece. When the plate and the paper are dry, curve the paper into a tube shape and secure with glue. Once it’s dry, glue the tube to the middle of the black paper plate. If you’re making a hat band, use the black ribbon to go around the bottom of the hat just above the brim. Secure with glue.

Best Body Sculpting Workouts

Health experts recognize that body sculpting is best accomplished through a combination of cardiovascular/aerobic workouts and toning exercises. But sometimes it’s hard to find time for both. The most effective body sculpting workouts combine the calorie-burning benefits of a cardiovascular workout with the muscle shaping of target-toning workouts.

Here is a brief explanation of the body sculpting workouts that are said to be the most effective.

Bar Method

This is an exercise session that lasts an hour. It uses a ballet bar (or something similar you have at home) for most of the exercises, and includes some mat work. The Bar Method works the whole body, beginning with a warm-up and free weights (weights that are not attached to a machine).

All of the exercises in the bar method involve stretching, and stretching is practiced between exercises as well. The Bar Method is designed to be easy on the joints and specifically target those muscles that are involved in your body’s shape (rather than core muscles, which methods such as Pilates emphasizes).

The Bar Method also focuses on posture, so it may be of particular benefit for those who wish to correct or avoid rounded shoulders and the like. Sources point out that the Bar Method needs to be practiced three to five times a week for maximum benefit, and it’s usually done in a class setting.

Multi-Tasking

Toggling back and forth between aerobics and toning helps you get more out of a 20-minute workout. The basic method is to perform one minute of cardio exercise between sets of toning exercises. The key is to keep moving for the whole 20 minutes. Sources recommend the following equipment for an effective multi-tasking workout:

* Exercise mat
* Aerobic step or equivalent
* Weights (3 to 8 pounds, or none if you’re just beginning and can’t lift weights yet)

None of these pieces of equipment are exorbitantly expensive, and you can often improvise with what you have already in your house. You begin with a one-minute cardio workout, such as marching in place or stepping on the aerobic step. You move on to your first toning exercise, such as lifting weights or doing squats, and perform one minute of cardio between reps. Typically, you will do five toning exercises punctuated by cardio in a 20-minute workout.

Specific Exercises
Some toning and sculpting exercises may be better than others; these tend to shine as the most effective for those who have tried them. Among the most popular and effective toning exercises are:

* Squats (bottom and thighs)
* Lunges (bottom, legs and thighs)
* Dips (triceps)
* Push-ups (upper body)
* Scissor kicks (upper abs)
* Bicep curls
* Plank (abs and upper body)

Bird Feeders and Bird Cakes – Great Activities for Youngsters

Children love to watch birds, and you can draw birds to your backyard by feeding them. Why not combine a fun craft with a good deed by making bird feeders and bird cakes with your youngster? There are lots of simple bird feeder and bird cake plans and recipes for all ages. Here is a list of various bird feeding activities for kids.

Net Bird Cake

This is a great way to reuse net bags such as those used for onions, potatoes, and citrus fruits. Here’s what you’ll need:

* Net bags, cut or torn into roughly 8-inch by 8-inch pieces
* Paper cups
* String or twine
* Lard or suet
* Chopped peanuts
* Sunflower seeds, thistle, or mixed birdseed

Let the lard come up to room temperature. Cut it into pieces and put these in a bowl. Add the peanuts and seeds, and mash it all together. Next, line the paper cups with pieces of netting, leaving several inches of netting over the top of the cup. Fill the net-lined cups with the lard mixture. Tie the tops of the netting with string, leaving long string “tails” for hanging. Refrigerate the cups for several hours or overnight. Then remove the bags from the cups and hang them up by the string.

Bottle Bird Feeder

Re-use plastic bottles, milk jugs, or cartons to make bird feeders. Here’s how to make one from a cardboard milk carton.

Materials:
* Half-gallon milk carton, cleaned and dried
* Wooden pencils, sharpened (at least 8)
* Yarn, string, or twine
* Acrylic paint (optional)
* Mixed birdseed

Cut the top off the milk carton so you’re left with a tall, hollow rectangular box. Using one pencil, poke two holes through the carton from one side to the other near the top. Leave the pencil there (you will be hanging the feeder from this pencil). Using another sharp pencil, poke lots of holes on all four sides of the carton. Make them no closer than two inches apart.

If your child wants to paint the carton, do so now before the next step. When the paint is dry, choose at least two of the holes on each side, one toward the top and one toward the bottom. Into these holes, stick the sharpened pencils and leave them there as perches. Tie the yarn to the ends of the pencil that goes through the top to hang the feeder. Fill the feeder with seed, and the birds will pick seed from the open holes.

Miscellaneous

There are so many containers you can use to make birdfeeders and bird cakes! Here are some miscellaneous ideas for feeders you can fill with sunflower seeds, mixed seed, dried fruit, thistle, or chopped peanuts – or any of these mixed with lard to form cakes.

* Citrus peel halves hung from branches or set along a wall
* Coat pine cones with peanut butter (roll them in seed or any of the above bird foods)
* Paper cups nailed to trees
* Plastic water bottles cut into cups and wired to tree branches
* Empty yogurt, cream cheese, etc. containers

Keep Your Bathroom Tiles Shiny and Clean – Top Tips

Have you been looking at your bathroom tiles and noticing that they’ve lost their luster? Hard water, soap scum, towel lint, and everyday dust and dirt all conspire to make your tiles look old and worn.

You might have looked around for cleaners for your tiles, but found them to be too full of harsh chemicals and nasty-smelling ingredients. There are some natural cleaners and cleaning methods you can use, however, that will leave your tiles shiny and clean. You can make them yourself or buy natural cleaners. Here are some top tips for giving those tiles a nice shine.

1. Baking Soda Scrub

Baking soda is an excellent abrasive scrubber. For tiles, try this:

* Make a paste with baking soda and water. It should be about the consistency of toothpaste.
* Using a putty knife or something similar, apply the paste to your tiles.
* Allow the paste to sit on the tiles for a few minutes.
* Rub tiles with a damp sponge, using a circular motion.
* Rinse with warm or hot water.

2. Daily Shower Spritz

To help prevent soap scum and hard water build up, you can spray your shower tiles daily after use. Here’s how.

To three cups of water, add:
* 10 drops of tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract
* 10 drops of lemon essential oil
* 1 cup of white vinegar

Shake this mixture well, and spray it on your bathroom tiles after showering and/or bathing.

3. Mildew Remover

Vinegar, lemon juice, and tea tree oil are natural mildew killers. Try mixing 2 cups white vinegar (no water) with the juice of 1 lemon in a spray bottle. Then add 10 drops of tea tree oil and shake well. Spritz this directly on the moldy area, and allow it to sit for about five minutes. Then scrub well using a stiff scrub brush and rinse with hot water.

If mildew stains are particularly stubborn, try rubbing coarse salt into the stain as you scrub off the vinegar mixture.

4. Minty Tile Scrubber

This good-smelling scrubber is good for restoring shine to tiles. Here’s how to make and use it.

In a large jar, mix:

* 1 cup baking soda
* 1/4 cup borax powder (the laundry booster found in your retailer’s cleaning aisle)
* 1 tablespoon liquid soap
* 7 to 10 drops of peppermint essential oil
* 1/2 cup water

If the mixture is too thick, add more water. It should be pourable, but not liquidy – like a thick milkshake. Pour a generous amount of this mixture onto a scrub brush and go over your tiles, adding more cleaner as needed. Rinse with hot water.

Working Moms: How to Reduce Your Anxiety Levels Naturally

There’s no doubt that juggling work and kids is stressful and anxiety-producing for moms. But where to turn for relief? Actually, you may not have to go very far to find some ways to ease your anxiety. There are things you can do to reduce worry and stress that are quite natural, easily accessible, and not difficult to implement. Here are some ideas.

Write Your Worries

It’s hard to find time, but creating a journal with entries about your worries can provide a release of tension. Depending on the nature of your job, you could even bring the journal to work and write during your lunch hour or when things are slow. In these entries, you can write down what you’re worried and anxious about, and why those things make you feel anxious. Once those things are on paper, perhaps you can take a look at your entry and determine why those things make you anxious, and maybe some steps to alleviate the anxiety for that particular situation.

Herbal Tea

Herbal tea blends that are said to promote relaxation are formulated with herbs that have a time-honored (and sometimes clinical) reputation for easing tension. Try sipping a cup in the evenings to help you relax before bed. Chamomile and blends containing chamomile are said to be particularly helpful.

Exercise

A study on aerobic exercise for working women found an overall decrease in anxiety among women who engaged in moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise. The findings indicated that the anxiety levels fell following the exercise, which means the effects last after the workout. Maybe working out in the afternoon or early evening might help if you tend to have anxious thoughts at night.

Plan

Trying to do everything off the cuff can increase anxiety levels. You never know what is coming next, or how you’ll handle it. Life naturally has some unpredictable occurrences, but that unpredictability need not happen all the time. Try to minimize that aspect by making careful lists and establishing routines. Sometimes, just seeing things written down in list form makes them seem less overwhelming and more doable.

Planning meals can take some of the edge off of your anxiety, too. Instead of scrambling for what in the world to have for dinner every night, make a meal plan. It’s okay to have the same thing every Friday night or have one night a week when you order out or go to a restaurant. Scheduling in those kinds of breaks can help – that way, you don’t wait until you are at breaking point before taking a break!

Why Your Family Should Create a Monthly Spending Plan

You have probably heard that you should develop a monthly spending plan or budget for your family. But you may not know why this is so important, or what the benefits are. Here are some of the benefits of creating a monthly spending plan for your family.

Guard against Financial Ruin and Bankruptcy

There are no guarantees that hard financial times will not hit, and there’s no way to guarantee that you won’t have some financial challenges. Disaster beyond your control can strike no matter how prepared you are. That said, there’s no use increasing the risk by not having a family spending plan. Having a plan helps guard against financial ruin by keeping you aware of the numbers – you know what you have, what you can spend, and where you need to cut back.

Build Good Credit

When you make a spending plan, you will be spending where it counts – paying off debt or keeping it at bay. Either way, you’re building good credit by getting your bills paid (and hopefully paid off) on time. Having good credit can make the difference between financial success and failure – if you want to buy a house, or need to take out a loan for an emergency, having good credit can make all the difference. Poor credit means you just won’t have as many options when you need them.

Peace of Mind

A family spending plan helps create peace of mind. You know what you have to spend, and what you have in the bank. With a spending plan in place, you will be less likely to wonder from month to month if you’ll have enough in the bank or if you’ve maxed out this or that credit card. And you will also have a savings plan worked out, which goes a long way toward establishing peace of mind.

Avoid Debt

Avoiding debt is a major key in financial success and stability. It’s one of those things that everyone knows but few really follow. Debt because of need is sometimes unavoidable (a major illness that insurance doesn’t cover, for instance, or a disaster that you could not foresee or control); but you can choose not to get into voluntary debt, and that’s what a monthly spending plan can help you with. It can also help you avoid emergency debt, providing a way for you to prepare for emergencies.

Making Your Money Work for You

Developing a workable spending plan means you are getting the most out of your money. Such a plan can help you spend and save more effectively, reducing waste where you may not have realized there was any waste. You may find your “need” for credit is greatly reduced when you are using your money to its best effectiveness.

Things You and Your Kids Should Know about Presidents Day

Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday in February, but do you and your kids know why? Do you know when it became a holiday? Here are some things and fun facts you and your kids should know about Presidents Day.

Washington’s Birthday

Presidents Day was not always known as such. In fact, it used to be simply a celebration of George Washington’s birthday, which is February 22. Even when George Washington was alive his birthday was celebrated as a holiday. But in 1968, the United States Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved the holiday to the third Monday in February.

Why Presidents Day?

It’s hard to say how and when the holiday went from Washington’s birthday to Presidents Day. It may have to do with the attempt to combine Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays into one holiday (Lincoln’s birthday is February 12). Interestingly, the name Presidents Day has never really been officially recognized; it’s still Washington’s birthday. But people generally refer to it as Presidents Day, probably because of the two presidents whose birthdays we’re celebrating.

Grover Cleveland – 22nd and 24th President

Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States, but only 43 individuals have served in that office. That’s because of Grover Cleveland, the only president who was elected for two terms that were non-consecutive.

Youngest and Oldest

The youngest elected president was John F. Kennedy (43), and the oldest was Ronald Reagan (69). But the youngest acting president was 42-year-old Theodore Roosevelt, who served as president in succession to President William McKinley, who was assassinated.

Fun Presidential Facts

* William Howard Taft weighed 300 pounds, and once got stuck in the White House bathtub.
* Ronald Reagan was the only divorced president.
* President John Tyler had 15 children.
* Washington had no biological children, but did have 2 stepchildren.
* President Buchanan was the only president to remain a bachelor.
* James Madison was only 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighed a mere 100 pounds.
* Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to appear on television.

Money

Do you know which presidents are on American currency? Here’s a list:

* Penny: Lincoln
* Nickel: Jefferson
* Dime: Franklin D. Roosevelt
* Quarter: Washington
* 50-cent piece: Kennedy
* Dollar bill: Washington
* Five dollar bill: Lincoln
* Twenty dollar bill: Andrew Jackson
* Fifty dollar bill: Ulysses S. Grant

There is a two dollar bill, and it features Thomas Jefferson. The ten dollar bill does not have a president, but features Benjamin Franklin.

Winter-Warming Delicious Drinks

Few things take the chill off like a hot drink. You can make winter drinks for kids or adults, for individuals or for a crowd. They might contain alcohol or they might not. There’s a lot of versatility in winter drinks! Here are some winter-warming drinks for you to serve up to family and friends.

1. Low-Carb/Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate (serves 1)

You can make this a dairy-free hot chocolate, too, by substituting unsweetened almond, rice, or soy milk for the cow’s milk.

Ingredients:
* 1 cup milk
* 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
* pinch salt
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon Stevia extract powder (pure, no fillers)

Heat milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup for 90 seconds. While it heats, put the cocoa, salt, vanilla and Stevia into a mug. Pour about 1 tablespoon of the hot milk into the mug and stir briskly to make a paste. Then gradually add the rest of the hot milk, stirring as you go to prevent lumps from forming. Adjust Stevia to taste.

2. Hot Creamsicle (alcoholic, serves 1)

This hot drink uses vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients:
* 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
* 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (or to taste)

Place ice cream in a microwave-safe mug. Melt at intervals of 10-15 seconds each (high power), stirring between intervals. When ice cream is melted and hot, stir in orange liqueur.

3. Hot Ice Cream Nog (non-alcoholic, serves 1)

Ingredients:
* 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* pinch of ground cloves

Heat ice cream in a microwave-safe mug using the same method described in recipe #2 above. When it’s hot, stir in the milk and spices.

4. Minty Nut Milk (serves 1)

Vanilla nut milk works best for this recipe, such as almond or hemp. You can also use vanilla soy or rice milk.

Ingredients:
* 1 cup vanilla nut milk, sweetened
* 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 teaspoon mint flavoring
* 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

Heat nut milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup for about 2 minutes. Place the cocoa powder, mint flavor and sugar in a mug. Slowly stir in the hot milk to prevent lumps.

Variation: if you don’t have mint flavoring, stir hot drink with a peppermint stick.

5. Creamy Coffee Nog (serves 1)

Ingredients:
* 3/4 cup brewed coffee, hot
* 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade eggnog
* Sugar or sweetener to taste
* Whipped cream
* Ground nutmeg

Stir the eggnog into the hot coffee and add sugar to taste. Top with whipped cream and ground nutmeg.

Winter-Warming Vegetarian Casseroles

A casserole does not have to contain meat to be hearty and warming. If you’re looking for some yummy, warming vegetarian casseroles, try some of the following recipes.

1. Butternut Squash with Crumb Topping (serves 6 to 8)

Butternut squash is a lovely winter vegetable that is very versatile. This casserole is very warming and satisfying. For a vegan version, leave out the Parmesan cheese and replace the butter with vegan buttery spread.

Ingredients:
* 1 large butternut squash
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* Salt to taste

Topping:
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 small onion, minced
* 1 cup breadcrumbs (if you’re making your own, use about 4 slices bread)
* 1/2 teaspoon sage or thyme
* 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds (save them to roast!). Lay the squash in an oiled baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour. Once it’s cooled, scoop out the flesh and roughly mash it in a bowl. Add the minced garlic and salt, and spoon into a casserole dish.

To make the topping, melt the butter in a skillet and saut

Teen Driving Tips – How to Help Your Teen Be Safe on the Road

Parents may dread the day their child learns to drive. It is true that driving opens the door for a host of dangerous problems and accidents, but parents can prepare themselves and their teen to minimize the dangers. Here are some tips.

Limit Passengers

As your teen begins to drive on his own, see that he follows a strict rule regarding the number of passengers in the car. Studies have shown that large groups prove to be quite a distraction for teens, upping the chances for an accident. Make sure your teen understands that he is to have no more than two passengers. Check with your local DMV – there might be an official rule in your jurisdiction that enforces this concept, which means your teen could get a ticket if he breaks the rule.

Also, limiting passengers lessens the chance that your teen will experience negative peer pressure.

Seat Belts

When you are the driver, insist on seatbelts. Have your teen do the same. When she drives herself or others, everyone should buckle up. Remind her that this is the law in most places, and she may get ticketed if she doesn’t comply.

If Your Teen Does Get a Ticket…

If your teen breaks the rules and gets pulled over for speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, etc., then he should pay his own ticket. This is a natural consequence of misbehavior, and is almost sure to make a much deeper impression than a paid ticket and a lecture.

No Texting and Driving

Statistics and studies have shown the dangers inherent in texting and driving. If you have to, take your teen’s mobile device away before she gets in the car and give her a simple cell phone for emergencies. Or you can cancel the texting service on her phone. It’s important that teens know texting and driving is a bad habit to get into.

Curfews

Some jurisdictions have a rule that teens with learner’s licenses/permits may not drive between midnight and 5am. The reasons for this have to do with the dangers of night driving, which include sleepiness, temporary “night blindness” caused by oncoming lights, and the fact that these are the hours when impaired drivers are “on the loose.”

Whether your area has such a rule or not, and whether your teen has his license or not, it’s a good idea to set a curfew that keeps him off the road during the more dangerous hours.

Watch the Speed Limit

It’s important not to exceed the speed limit, and that’s not just to avoid tickets. The chance of having a dangerous or deadly accident increases with speed.

Checklist

When your teen gets in the car, make sure she adjusts all the mirrors and seats for her height and comfort level before she starts the car.

Alcohol

Regardless of age, drinking and driving is right out. And for teens, it’s illegal to drink at all. Even light alcohol consumption can impair judgment. No alcoholic beverages should be consumed by your teen, ever; when he’s driving it’s even more important.

The Benefits of Suspension Training

Suspension exercises use your body weight, so it’s a type of resistance exercise. To do suspension training, you use pulleys that are attached to a doorway or rod, and you hold yourself steady by whatever muscle group you are working.

For example, if you are working your upper body, you would lean forward so that, if it weren’t for the suspension rings your hands are in, you’d fall forward. Suspension training can involve more complex exercises than that, but that’s the basic idea. But what about the benefits? Why choose suspension training?

Benefits

1. Basic equipment

Suspension equipment is pretty straightforward, and all the exercises you do are with the same pulleys. You can go to the gym and use the suspension equipment there, or you can purchase a simple system that fits in a doorway. With other exercise programs, you may need to purchase or locate various machines or equipment for you to use, such as mats, weights, steps, and so forth (or go to a gym).

2. Easier on joints

Suspension training does not involve heavy, continual impact like other forms of exercise. The supportive nature of the pulleys means you are not coming down hard on your joints over and over (as in jogging, for instance, or some types of aerobics).

3. Improved balance

Suspension training works the core muscles, which are vital for proper balance. In fact, some sources note that suspension training may not be for you until you have some core muscle strength to perform the exercises. It’s these core muscles that help you keep your balance when using the pulleys.

4. Total body workout

Working various muscle groups at once is what constitutes a full-body workout, and covers most of the major muscle groups. Suspension training does just that, as multiple muscle groups are engaged at once in most of the exercises.

5. Versatile

All levels of skill can be accommodated with suspension training; it can easily be made harder or easier, depending on the one practicing the exercises. Proponents point out that it’s good for people with injuries, because the workout can be so easily adjusted to accommodate their injury and aid healing.

6. Small space

One of the reasons why the suspension training system was invented was to provide a good workout in minimal space. For those with small living spaces such as apartments, townhouses, or just small houses, or for those who work out in the outdoors when the weather is nice but need something for the winter months, finding an effective indoor workout routine can be difficult. Suspension training may just be the answer.

Are You Worrying Too Much? – Proven Ways to Stop NOW

If you are in the throes of anxiety and worry, long-term management ideas are nice, but they are not what you need right at the moment. If you need to take hold of that anxiety and get relief from it, here are some known ways that you can stop the worry in its tracks.

Stop Your Body

Worrying is a cycle between your mind and body; experts point out that one affects the other until one of them gets calmed down. For example, you might experience anxious feelings that quicken your heart, and then move into your stomach, making it feel like it’s in knots. The reverse could also happen – you may experience muscle tension and pain, which makes you feel anxious about what’s wrong with your body and how you feel.

Regardless of where the anxiety starts, you can begin the process of taking control by addressing the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Taking deep breaths, stretching, and even aerobic exercise can all contribute to alleviating worry. If you are able, a visit to a chiropractor or massage therapist can further assist in calming your body responses. Your calm body sends a message to your brain – “I’m not tense.”

Check your posture as well. Sitting up straight on your “sits bones” (bones in your hip) allows for deeper breathing and decreases muscle tension.

Some Worry is Okay

As worriers look up and read about the negative effects of worry, they may worry about their worry! A good remedy is to recognize that some worrying is okay; it won’t kill you. In fact, some worry is actually necessary – you should, for example, worry about walking in a remote area by yourself after dark.

Experts recommend setting aside a time when you can just worry freely…without worry! Same time, same place, every day or regularly during each week, and not too close to bedtime. This is your worry zone, and when you feel worrying thoughts during the day, you can simply write them down and save them for your worry period. This helps you stop thinking about it – it’s on the list, and you know you’ll get to it.

What Can You Do about It?

When you have a worrying thought that comes barging in to your mind, rather than indulging it, ask yourself a question before you begin dwelling on it: What can I do about it? Often, worry thoughts are simply things that are out of your control, such as concerns about natural disasters. Try to keep a healthy perspective – how does worrying help this? Does worrying make something less or more likely to happen?

Remember that you don’t control everything, and the best possible outcome is just as likely as the bad outcome you’re worrying about.