Women Readers: Saviours of the Book?

The latest research shows that no one, male or female, is reading as many books as they used to. Sales of books have remained generally “flat” for the last decade or so, and there’s no sign of that changing. In fact, surveys have shown that more older people read books than younger ones, forecasting the next generation as one even less inclined to read.

However, among those who are reading, girls and women are said to read quite a bit more than boys and men.

A Far Cry from History

Interestingly, women were forbidden from reading for centuries. Because they were unable to read, women did not have the perspective that well-read men did, making them seem unintelligent and “unworthy” of education. The cycle continued – women were seen as not smart enough for education, and this lack of education made them seem not smart.

But now, it seems, women are making up for lost time.

The latest figures show clearly that women are the main readers today, with a few exceptions (the Harry Potter series, for instance, was read by more boys than girls).

What Are Women Reading?

It’s been shown that women prefer fiction, and are the primary readers of this genre. Men, if they choose to read, tend to gravitate toward non-fiction publications. Bookstore employees report that women and men may come in the front doors together, but the men head for non-fiction (such as history and biographies) and women toward the fiction.

The novel remains a largely female-dominated field in terms of readership. Both men and women wrote novels in the past, but most novels today are written by women. Interestingly, women authors still abbreviate their names with initials (J.K. Rowling, S.E. Hinton, etc.), a practice generally reserved for those women writers who wished to sound more masculine.

The Novel: Dependent on Women?

It’s been said that, without women, the novel as a literary form would simply disappear. That may be an exaggeration, but the realm of novel-writing and novel-reading is dominated by women. Just why this is has been studied and conjectured for years, but the fact remains that novels are more popular among females.

The Female Writer Online

A modern realm of writing that is not dominated by women – but in which women have a strong and significant voice – is blogging. In addition, fan-fiction is an almost entirely female niche, with some women and girls being paid to publish their fan-fiction in the form of books. Add to that the self-publishing industry, which is gaining respect and popularity everywhere, and it looks like women will be writing – and reading – into the future.

Women in the Blogosphere: How You Can Become One Too

While blogs started out more like simple journals or diaries to share tidbits from your life with others, they have really taken on a new vibe. Blogs today are as simple or extravagant as you create them. There probably is not one single topic that is not covered by a blog. Women all over the world love to blog and have joined the ranks of becoming part of the blogosphere.

If you have ever even simply read a blog, then you are part of the blogosphere. Have you thought of creating your own blog, but are a little intimidated by the process? Creating a blog is not that complicated, and is a fulfilling way to reach others and have a little fun at the same time. Creating a blog is the same as sharing a little piece of yourself with old friends, as well as friends that you have yet to meet.

It is exciting to think that you can meet new people and make new connections by creating your very own blog.

Getting Started Creating Your Own Blog

Getting started creating your own blog is simple. First, start out by choosing a topic of interest. Not only should it be a topic of interest, it should also be a topic you are knowledgeable in and familiar with.

Once you have chosen what you want to share with the world, become more educated on the topic. If you want to share recipes, perhaps you could also offer a low-calorie or, better yet, gluten-free version of the same recipe.

If you are into canning and jarring, be sure to include how-to instructions on sanitizing and not just recipes. You want to be sure that your blog is well rounded and fun too.

Investigate and Explore

Once you have settled in on a topic, research some popular blogs. See what creative and innovative things these bloggers are doing on similar blogs. Do not be afraid to see what the competition is working on, and how their audience reacts.

Also, feel free to reach out to another blogger and ask if you can add them and be added to their blog roll. If a blogger links to you and you reciprocate, you never know what kind of traffic you will find.

Take a Class

If you have settled on a topic and done some research, explored and investigated other blogs on your topic and made some new friends along the way, and are still intimated by the process, do not hesitate to take a blogging workshop.

You can find a blogging workshop online (surprise) or you can take one at your local college in an adult education forum. The library is a great resource for how-to tips and advice as well.

Once you get started with your own blog, you will be glad that you did. It is a hobby that offers the possibility of fulfillment, as well as residual income.

These are just a few tips on how to become a woman in the blogosphere.

Women and Technology: Girls Love Gadgets Too

For years, men dominated the technology industry. But that’s changing, thanks in part to the nature of today’s techno-gadgets. In addition, women today engage in activities that require “gadgets” more than ever before.

The Nature of Today’s Gadgets – What’s Out There

Generally speaking, women, like men, like gadgets that get the job done. While young women might prefer the cute and sparkly items, usually women just want the item they purchase to meet the need and perform well.

So what are women buying?

According to the latest surveys, women are purchasing tablets, laptops, and smartphones at a higher rate than men. This could be for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is what these gadgets are designed to do.

For example, in the “old days,” technology and its attenuating gadgets tended to focus on the technology itself; people purchased them because they liked to “fiddle” with the programming, tweak the settings, and generally play around with it. Technological gadgets were more about finding a way to make use of leisure time. And women are notoriously short on leisure time.

Different Gadgets, Different Jobs

Now, though, many women now run their own businesses, or write their own blogs. They stay connected with their friends on social networking sites, and they plan their family’s schedule based on group events posted on sites like Facebook. Sites like Pinterest provide interesting ideas for family meals, crafts, decorating…in other words, the internet and being connected to it are more important to women than ever before.

Being online requires (you guessed it) a gadget. So women are keenly aware of the latest technology, and have practical, economic reasons for investing in it.

It’s interesting to note that sources say women buy more smartphones, laptops, and tablets than men, but men still lead the way in purchasing flat-screen TVs. It seems that leisure-type gadgets are still the favorite of men, while gadgets that enhance productivity and facilitate relationships appeal to women.

But plenty of men are buying laptops, smartphones, and tablets, too. The point is that women are highly engaged in the technological field – more so than ever before. And there are some gadgets and apps that are designed specifically for women.

Apps and Gadgets for Women

For busy women with young children in school, there’s an alarm clock with a dock for your iPod, and you can set the alarm to play anything from a gentle rainstorm to your favorite hair band from the 80s.

Now Google has an app (Google Wallet) that allows you to store your credit card information on your smartphone. When you go to pay for your items, you just tap the phone on a near field communication (the number of these devices is growing), and your items are purchased.

Another great boost to women’s productivity and online relationships is the mobile Wi-Fi gadget. This allows you to create your own hotspot when you need it most (such as when the coffee shop’s Wi-Fi is down, or it’s the one time you can’t find anywhere with Wi-Fi).

Yes, there’s no doubt that the times have changed when it comes to the latest techno-gadget!

Upscale Your Job The Smart Way

Considering moving on to a new-and-improved job? Before you make a potential life-changing decision, be sure to take a few things into consideration before you leap.

First: is this a completely radical change, or a lateral move? Keep in mind that there’s a reason for the phrase “look before you leap.â€

The Best Places to Be a Mother in Today’s World

On the one hand, it’s the same role no matter where you live. A woman is pregnant, gives birth, and takes care of a baby. On the other hand, where that woman lives makes a huge difference on her experience. While some mothers in the United States are preoccupied with cloth or disposable diapers or designer strollers versus attachment parenting, there are mothers in some countries who face a 1 in 30 chance of dying giving childbirth. Below are some of the best and worst places to be a mother in today’s world.

According to the Save the Children 14th Mothers’ index (http://www.savethechildrenweb.org/SOWM-2013/), an organization that conducts studies based on the mother and child’s health and their educational, economic and political status, the top places to be a mother in 2013 are in Northern European countries. The top ten were Finland, Sweden, and Norway, followed by Iceland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Australia.

The worst places were in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The top ten worst places include the Ivory Coast, Chad, Nigeria, Gambia, the Central African Republic, Niger, Mali, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and DR Congo.

The study considers mothers’ wellbeing in regards to lifetime risk of maternal death, the mortality rate of children under the age of five, the number of years the child is likely to spend in formal education, the country’s gross national income per capita, and women’s participation in government.

In the worst countries, 1 in 30 mothers is likely to die from some aspect of their pregnancy and childbirth. 1 out of 5 children in the worst ranked countries will die before they turn five years old. In the best countries, the statistics were jarringly different. In Finland, for example, the child mortality rate is 1/12,200. Reasons for the differences include the availability of quality health care, government programs available to new mothers to be able to spend more time at home with their children and other factors.

The United States ranked 30th and the United Kingdom ranked at #25. Researchers say that the reason the U.S. ranks so low is due to economic inequality. The rate of premature births in the U.S. is one of the highest in the industrialized world. Complications from premature births cause 35% of all newborn fatalities. The United States has one of the highest teen birth rates and teens have a tendency to give birth to premature babies because they have less money, less education and lack the health care advantages that older parents might have.

The good news is that conditions are improving. The study has found that over time, child deaths have seen a decrease of 40% and the death rate for mothers has declined by 50%. Afghanistan, for example, has improved from its ranking as the worst country in the world to be a mother to #145, up 30 notches.

The other good news is that there is medical knowledge to make those numbers improve even more. Experts recommend that regardless of which country a woman lives in, as soon as she discovers she is pregnant she should seek the care of a medical professional, begin taking prenatal vitamins, and make a plan to give birth in a health care facility.

The first 24 hours are the most crucial in the wellbeing of the child and mother. With this in mind, the medical community urges women to give birth in a hospital, where they’ll have access to medical care to handle common issues such as prematurity, complications and infections.

When mothers take care of themselves and seek medical care regularly during and after their pregnancy, they and their newborns are more likely to overcome any complications that arise.

Molar Pregnancies What You Need to Know

You may have heard of ectopic pregnancies, but many people haven’t heard of molar pregnancies – here’s everything you need to know about what they are and what to do about them.

First thing: molar pregnancies are rare. Only 1 out of 1,500 pregnancies in the United States is a molar pregnancy. Molar pregnancies are more likely to occur in women over 35 or under 20 years of age, women who have two or more miscarriages, women who have previously had a molar pregnancy and women of Southeast Asian descent.

What is a molar pregnancy? After the egg is fertilized, the paternal chromosomes deliver more chromosomes than usual – 69 instead of 46. With the incorrect amount of genetic material present, instead of a healthy embryo, a mass of tissue called a mole develops. Sometimes women have some healthy placenta and part of a healthy embryo, but it’s not complete. This is called a partial molar pregnancy. A full molar pregnancy one in which a non-cancerous tumor develops without placenta.

What are the symptoms? A molar pregnancy initially gives a woman many of the same symptoms of a regular pregnancy. There will be a positive pregnancy test, but within the first trimester, patients with molar pregnancies begin to experience dark brown to bright red vaginal bleeding, which later could develop into severe nausea and vomiting.

Other symptoms of a molar pregnancy include grape-like cysts passed through the vagina, rapid uterine growth – beyond the expected scale – high blood pressure, early pre-eclampsia, anemia and hyperthyroidism.

Women who bleed early in your pregnancy should call their health practitioner right away. Although bleeding by no means signifies that it has to be a molar pregnancy, it’s an important symptom that shouldn’t go unchecked. Doctors can perform ultrasounds and check levels of HCG (a hormone present in pregnancy). In a molar pregnancy, the ultrasound will show cysts in the uterus that are generally bunched together like grapes and HCG levels will be abnormally high.

Unfortunately it is not possible for molar pregnancies to become viable pregnancies – the molar tissue will need to be removed. Removal generally occurs via a dilation and curettage (D & C). Occasionally after removal women still register positive on pregnancy tests or the molar tissue may remain and continue to grow. This is called gestational trophoblastic disease, or GTD. If the GTD is persistent, women may need chemotherapy or doctors may elect to remove the uterus. Occasionally GTD spreads to other organs. If it does, cancer drugs can treat the disease.

A molar pregnancy can be a traumatic experience. Women who experience molar pregnancies need time to grieve and seek out friends and family for support. Doctors recommend waiting six months to a year before trying to conceive again after a molar pregnancy. Upon subsequent pregnancies, doctors will conduct early ultrasounds to check on for healthy development.

The bottom line is that molar pregnancies are quite rare and with treatment, they are curable. If you or someone you know has one, know that it’s ok to seek out a support group or counseling – this can be a very difficult, life-changing event but there are people there to help.

Know Your Body Clock

Have you noticed how hard it is to get up on a Monday morning? How about the day after a vacation, or after traveling to a new time zone? Your body has an inner clock that sets up a 24-hour schedule of what it expects for each day. Whether it’s waking up, eating, sleeping or work, your biological clock helps to time it out. This inner clock can and does determine your sleep patterns, your levels of alertness, mood, physical strength… even your blood pressure.

What the clock does on a regular basis is regulate the fact that part of a given 24 hours will be spent in darkness and part of that time period will be spent in daylight. Our bodies use this information to organize waking and sleeping time.

Based on this, we’re likely to have more alertness, more physical strength, higher metabolism, higher blood pressure and body temperatures during the daylight hours. Then, as it grows darker, our metabolism slows, our blood pressure and body temperature drop – all signals to our bodies that it’s time to sleep.

Your body regulates itself via the hypothalamus in the brain. There’s a group of cells within the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). They respond to light and dark signals received by the eyes – when the eyes see light, they send signals to our bodies that we should be awake. This also controls the release of melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates sleep patterns.

If the SCN part of your brain gets destroyed – via an accident, a tumor or another problem, this can deregulate your body clock and wreak havoc on your body. Another way to deregulate the body clock is if our waking hours get out of synch with the daylight hours.

There are many health issues that result from circadian rhythm disruption. If you’ve ever worked the late shift, you’ll know that when your body is out of synch with daylight and darkness, you’ll experience problems. But sleep and circadian rhythm disruption doesn’t just change your sleep habits – it can make you prone to accidents, create difficulty thinking, cause increased stress, weight gain, and slowing of your metabolism.

Disrupted body clocks can lead to problems with your immune system, and increase the chance of getting diseases such as type-two diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and mental illness.

There are ways to avoid disruption of your internal clock. Doctors recommend that even people who are visually impaired should be sure to get sufficient sunlight during the day to help keep their bodies properly regulated. Get out in the sunlight for at least twenty minutes each day – ideally for exercise – and be sure to get a good look at the blue sky while you’re out there.

If you live in a location that has little sunlight, you might consider using a light box or a sunlamp to be sure you’re getting enough exposure. It’s important to keep a regular schedule and strive to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Even shifting your schedule by an hour or two on the weekend can disrupt your clock and make Monday morning that much more difficult.

For those who work odd schedules, you might consider asking your doctor about melatonin, a synthetic version of the natural hormone that regulates sleep. Many people find that taking it six hours before sleep helps regulate the body clock.

Keeping your circadian rhythms on track can help you sleep better, regulate your body’s system and ward off illness. It’s important to know your body clock and keep it in check to keep your system running smoothly.

Keeping Your Mutual Friends after Divorce

When it comes to divorce, people talk about the custody of the children and the division of marital property…but they rarely talk about the “custody” of your mutual friends. But the fact is, it can be a real issue that can cause problems if it’s not dealt with properly.

Here are some tips for keeping your mutual friends after divorce.

1. You Can’t Keep Them All

Okay, this is supposed to be about keeping your mutual friends after a divorce. But it’s important to start out realistically. Some friends may do more harm than good. For example, a mutual friend whose brother or sister had an affair with your ex-spouse…that might be someone you want to cross off your list. It’s just too awkward.

Also, some of your shared friends will simply choose sides, and you may not be the side they choose. Try not to take it personally; you don’t know what they’ve been led to believe, or why they chose to side with your ex. Other mutual friends will drift away from both you and your ex, because they are uncomfortable with your divorce for whatever reason. Try to let it go.

2. Bring It Out in the Open

Sometimes, the hurt comes because no one ever brought up the subject of shared friends. You just stop getting invited places, or friends quit contacting you. Then you feel hurt and pushed aside. So when you’re going through your divorce, don’t be afraid to bring this point up. What do you want? If you are able to discuss it with your soon-to-be ex-spouse (or already ex-spouse), do so. If not, ask your lawyer for advice.

3. Don’t Lay It on Too Thick

Divorce is an emotional time. You do need close friends to talk to, and hopefully counselors and/or therapists, too. But you might drive your friends away (especially your shared friends) if you are “always” talking about the divorce and things surrounding it. Shared friends might feel put in the middle as they sympathize with you and offer advice, but then feel they need to do the same for your ex. It can make mutual friends feel torn. So lighten up a bit and don’t dump everything on one mutual friend.

4. Don’t Get Blind-Sided

Figure out ahead of time how you feel about being in the same room or social situation as your ex, or his/her family. If you’re okay with it, then you’ll be more at ease staying friends with some of your shared acquaintances. But if you decide you’re not okay with that, then you may have to give up some friendships. The key is to decide now, so you don’t end up in a really uncomfortable situation (“I didn’t know he/she would be here!”).

Yes, divorce changes things. But there are ways to keep some of your mutual friends, and graceful ways to let them go.

Keeping Your Friends after You Get Married

Many people are unaware that their friendships will undergo some changes once they’re married. It can be difficult to find time to spend with friends once you’re settled down, and even more so if you start a family right away. If you have friends of the opposite sex, it poses some other complications, too.

Here are some tips for keeping your friends after you get married.

1. Things Are Different

Whether you like it or not, things are different now. You’re not a single guy/girl anymore, and you have more responsibilities as a married person than you did when you were single. You have to look out for more than number one, in other words!

Some friends may not understand this, and may drift away because you’re “not the same.” Trying to be like you once were in order to keep this friend will only stress you out. The best thing to do is recognize that yes, things are different, and if your friends can’t accept that, it’s not your issue to fix.

2. Opposite-Sex Friends

This is a somewhat touchy subject, and the ultimate decision as to whether or not you even have opposite-sex friendships in a marriage is up to the couple. Some people find it acceptable if the opposite-sex friend is also married – then you get into “couple friend” territory, which many people find more tolerable than single opposite-sex friends.

This is definitely one where you need to work it out with your spouse, and be willing to give up some friendships for the sake of your marriage if necessary.

3. Isolation Is Not Good

If you find yourself not having friends at all after you get married, it may be time to have a heart-to-heart with your spouse and even seek counseling. An over-controlling spouse, for instance, may want to be the center of your world all the time, and not understand that you need friendships, too. A spouse can’t be everything! So watch for signs of isolation and try to preserve those friendships while there’s time.

4. What Do You Want?

Remember “you”? That person who’s caught between the needs of a spouse and the needs of his/her friends? A good strategy is to sit down and decide what you want. How important are your friends to you? Do you prefer a lot of acquaintances or just a few close confidantes? Be honest about what you want. If you really do want to scale back on your time with friends, fine. If not, then go ahead and schedule some friend time.

5. Don’t Gloat

Sometimes, friends drift away after you’re married because they’re jealous. Keep it low-key – don’t go on and on about how wonderful it is to be married. Just have your friend over and talk about other subjects.

While it’s not possible for things to remain the exact same way with your friends after you get married, there are steps you can take to help forge new friendships and preserve some of the old ones.

Interview Tips for Women

The big day has arrived – you’re about to interview for what you hope could be your dream job. Before you head out to that big interview, here are a few tips.

First: prepare. Know everything you can about the company before you arrive at the interview – the company’s products, its practices, their goals and even who works there. You might even consider scheduling an informational interview with an acquaintance who works there to get a feel for the company and its atmosphere.

Second: look the part. Experts say that you should dress for the job you eventually want, not necessarily the job for which you are interviewing. When in doubt, dress it up rather than down and err on the conservative side. Stick to simple, classic basics in dark or neutral colors. Well-groomed hair, simple manicure (think natural), basic, classic jewelry, and minimalist makeup – you don’t want to distract the interviewer from what you have to say by what you’re wearing.

Get up early the day of the interview so you have plenty of time to get ready. If you think you’ll be nervous, give yourself time for exercise or meditation beforehand. Map out the trip and be sure you allow yourself extra time, although experts recommend arriving at the actual interview site no earlier than five minutes before the interview is set to begin. Silence your phone, tuck it away and wait quietly until they call your name.

Once you’re in the interview, remember that you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you. Prepare some good questions in advance that show you have an interest in the company and a solid background in who they are and what they’re about.

Remember that it’s illegal to ask interviewees about pregnancies and children, marital status, age, and other personal matters such as medical history. Knowing your rights is important for both you and your interviewer. Although the interviewer is highly unlikely to ask those questions, be on your toes if you find yourself chatting informally with potential co-workers while on a tour of the office.

For example, someone in the lunch room could casually mention, “I always try to leave work by 5 because I have kids… you know how that is.” This could be an off-hand remark, but it could also be a tactic to learn if you have kids and how you feel about the your work schedule.

If you don’t want to discuss marital status, kids or other illegal interview topics, find a simple and relaxed answer that skirts the issue and redirects back toward how your skills are a great fit for the company’s needs. Always keep in mind that like it or not, the interview is happening from the moment you arrive on site until the moment you’re in your car and on the highway home.

Finally, remember that body language says a lot about you. Sheryl Sandberg wrote a whole book on the concept that women should “lean in” at work. That aside, simply leaning in during the interview, keeping eye contact and having open body language can help to make you seem like a direct, honest and hardworking member of their team.

Your interview is the time to put yourself in the spotlight and show everyone you’ve got what it takes to be a successful part of their team. Prepare well, know your rights and be sure to look the part and this interview could lead to your dream job. Good luck!

Ideal Weight Formulas: Issues and Alternatives to the BMI

One of the current most common measures for calculating ideal weight is the BMI, or Body Mass Index. However, this wasn’t always the case. Although there have been many different formulas used over the years, all of them have their pros and cons and the BMI is no exception.

Some of the issues people have with the BMI is the fact that it doesn’t note a difference between weight due to muscle and weight due to fat. Most Americans with a high BMI readily admit that it’s not because they look like a body builder; however, some body builders have very high BMIs. In their case, the high BMI is due to muscle weight rather than body fat. Many argue that this means the BMI is not an ideal measurement of a person’s health.

Another issue with the BMI is that it doesn’t take into account body shape or waist circumference. People who have an apple-shaped body with a wider circumference stomach are more likely to develop heart conditions than those with a pear-shaped body. Some people find they have a BMI within the healthy range but have an apple-shaped body and are still at risk for health issues.

Finally, the BMI doesn’t take body fat into consideration. Having high percentages of body fat can put people at risk for many health issues and often men and women require different percentages of body fat.

There are, of course, alternatives to the BMI. For years the tables used by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company were a commonly used indicator of health. However it’s only designed for adults aged 25-59 and it also doesn’t appear to be an accurate measure of men or women who are particularly tall.

Another alternative is the Devine Formula. Originally created as a method of calculating medical dosages, the formula inadvertently became one of the most commonly used methods of calculating ideal weight. The idea was simple: for women, start at 100 pounds for the first five feet, then add five pounds for each additional inch after five feet of height. For men, start at 110 pounds. The flaw with this formula is that it’s generally too low for women and significantly too low for short women.

One of the simplest is measurement of the waist circumference. Experts say that for women, a waist measuring more than 35 inches indicates that they are at risk for heart conditions and other health problems. For men, a waist measuring more than 40 inches indicates at-risk status.

A related test is the waist-to-hip ratio. Measure your natural waist, then measure your hip at the widest part. Divide the circumference of your waist by the measurement of your hips. 0.80 is considered low risk for women, 0.95 is considered low risk for men.

Body fat measurement is another test that works as a good alternative to the BMI. Health practitioners simply measure skin and fat throughout the body (waist, biceps, triceps, shoulder blades) and calculate the percentage of body fat. Higher body fat results would indicate obesity.

There are many different formulas for calculating ideal weight and assessing one’s health. If you’re feeling confused about which one is best for you, consider trying several. If all of them agree that you’re in a healthy range, congratulations! If several of them indicate that you’re at-risk for health issues, you’ll have a good starting point for moving toward a healthy new you.

How to Go Thrifty When Buying for Your Baby

How many times have you heard someone say that babies are expensive? It can sure seem that way, and unless you make some deliberate choices about thrift, it may end up being true.

If you look at the “average baby cost” charts, and start adding up all the “essentials,” you may get sticker shock. But guess what? You don’t even need a lot of those “necessities.” Besides, you never know what your needs will be; it’s impossible to anticipate everything. There are plenty of things you think you’ll need that you don’t (and, admittedly, the reverse can happen too).

The good news is, babies do not have to be exorbitantly expensive. Here are some tips on how to go thrifty when buying for your baby. Let’s start with pre-birth purchases.

1. The Perfect Nursery

Many new moms have the idea that they must have the perfect nursery with all the accessories – crib, changing table, sheet sets, perfect wall color with stenciled border, rocking chair…

First, the crib. While many parents won’t admit it unless they find out you’re doing the same, most of them don’t even use the crib for the first months. Do your research on co-sleeping, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the fact that many parents successfully raise babies without cribs. Look into cheaper alternatives, or use a hand-me-down crib (as long as it passes current safety codes).

Next, the changing table. This is another item you can skip altogether. Couches, beds, rugs, and even tabletops make fine changing areas.

It’s up to you as to the nursery decorating (or if you even choose to have a nursery at all, given your “baby” will soon be a child who wants to redecorate the whole thing). But thrifty options are to paint the room yourself and go with used furniture (such as a thrift-store or borrowed rocking chair).

2. Diapers

Despite what seems like a large initial cost, it’s been shown over and over that cloth diapers save tons of money. The savings is even greater if you have more than one child; the diapers can be reused each time. Even if you factor in the cost of washing and drying, you’re still saving a bundle. Disposable diapers cost $1500 to $2000 from birth to potty training, per baby. Cloth diapers cost about $100 to $200 for a dozen, and it’s a one-time purchase.

3. Food

Breastfeeding is clearly the thrifty choice in newborn feeding. The cost of bottles and formula can be absolutely astronomical. In addition, breastfed babies have fewer illnesses, thereby offsetting the cost of doctor visits, missed work, medications, and other inconveniences.

When baby begins eating solids, you can save a great deal by making your own baby food. There are entire books and websites on this topic; it’s not nearly as difficult as you might think, and you’ll spend a lot less that way than paying for dozens of individual jars.

4. Clothes

Yard sales, second-hand stores, consignment sales, and other moms are the best resources for baby clothes. You may not have to pay anything for them if you find another mom who is willing to pass them along.

These are just a few tips for going thrifty when buying for your baby. Do your research – there are so many thrifty resources out there these days!

Homemade Baby Goods: From Food to Detergent

It seems that the “high cost” of have a baby is emphasized a lot these days. But you can do so much to offset the cost, and one of the most effective means of saving money is to make many baby goods yourself.

Here are some tips for homemade baby goods, from food to detergent.

1. Detergent

Let’s start with one of the main items you can make yourself! You’re going to go through a lot of detergent after you have a baby. Whether you choose to do cloth or disposable diapers, there is still an increase in laundry: babies spit up, have leaky diapers, and otherwise tend to mess up clothes and sheets several times a day. Saving money by making your own laundry detergent makes sense. Here’s a simple recipe:

Grate a bar of natural, unscented soap (such as Ivory). Mix 1 cup of the grated soap bar with 2 cups of washing soda (not baking soda) and 2 cups of Borax. Shake to mix, and add about 3 tablespoons per load of laundry. That’s it!

2. Diaper Cream

Babies’ skin is very sensitive, and absorbs more than adult skin. In addition, commercial diaper creams contain fish oil, which will leave a fishy odor on cloth diapers even after washing. You can just use straight coconut oil on baby’s skin, or melt 1/2 cup of the coconut oil and mix it with 1 tablespoon dried calendula flowers and 1 tablespoon dried chamomile or lavender flowers. Keep the oil hot enough to remain liquid for about 10 minutes. Then strain into a jar and allow to cool and harden.

3. Slings and Wraps

Homemade slings and wraps are a great way to save a bundle of money and free up your hands while still carrying baby close to you. You’ll just need to purchase fabric and follow directions – there are plenty of online resources.

4. Toys

You can make mobiles, puzzles, and even plush toys. These can be made from basic items like cardboard, paper, felt, yarn, and stuffing. Use your imagination and don’t hesitate to check out books and look online – you want to make sure your homemade toys are safe.

5. Food

If there’s one area where you can skip the cost, it’s with baby food. You don’t need to purchase dozens of little jars (although you may like to purchase some baby food just once for the reusable jars!). Your baby can easily have a baby-friendly version of whatever the adults at the table are eating. Some say this helps prevent picky eating, too.

For special baby food recipes, check online – there are whole websites dedicated to this.

As you can see, there are plenty of homemade baby items you can prepare for your little one! You can also make some of these and give them as gifts.

Hold a Gently Used Toy Swap Event

Toys are wonderful, but they can sure get expensive. A toy swap is a great way to get rid of the toys you no longer want, and acquire “new” ones. There’s no exchange of money, but it’s more than just a giveaway. A swap means that everyone brings something they can contribute to the exchange.

Toy swaps are really helpful during tough economic times, too – you never know who might be relying on a swap for Christmas presents. So it can be a big benefit to the community.

Here are some tips on how to hold a gently used toy swap.

1. Find Out If There’s Interest

Are people in your community, office, place of worship, etc. talking about getting rid of their kids’ toys? Do you know a lot of people with children? Try to find out how interested people would be by talking about a toy swap and see what people say.

2. Where to Have the Exchange

You can host a toy swap at your home. Some have chosen to do this on Thanksgiving weekend as an alternative to the consumer-driven Black Friday event. You can serve cookies and tea, coffee and muffins, or something else simple. This works best if you have mostly friends and acquaintances over, and have the space to do it. A large basement or recreation room would be ideal.

You can also hold the event at a local place of worship, community center, or someone else’s home if they are agreeable.

3. Send Out Notices

Most people opt for email or e-invitations these days. If you prefer to go the paper invitation route, you can save postage by hand delivering your notices.

4. Establish Guidelines for Items

When you send out notices, include guidelines for the toys you want donated to the swap. Note that you want toys that are “gently used,” and decide how leftovers will be handled (participants take them back, you will donate them, etc.). In addition, decide if you have certain toys you won’t accept, such as broken or violent-type toys. Make note of these decisions in your notice. Include date, time, and place of course, and your contact information for volunteers and questions.

While you’re considering guidelines, you also need to think about how the swap will occur. Should donated toys be worth a certain number of “tickets,” and then those tickets can be exchanged for another toy? This approach might help keep things even if someone donates a scooter while another person brings some small toy cars. Or you could take a more laid-back approach and let anyone take what they want and donate what they can. It’s up to you, but make sure you make it clear whatever you decide.

5. Ask for Volunteers

If you think you’ll need help, ask for volunteers. They can show up early to help set up or bring food. They can also stay late for clean-up, and to help haul leftover items to Goodwill (or wherever you like). In exchange for their help, they get first pick of the toys before anyone else arrives.

Have fun at your toy swap, and don’t be surprised if people want to do it again!

Health Tests: How to Save Your Own Life

Let’s face it – it’s more fun to spend time with friends or family than to spend time at the doctor’s office getting a preventative health test. Sometimes you might feel that test just doesn’t fit into your schedule. However, here are a few tests that not only don’t take much time, they can also save your life.

There are some tests that are as easy as a pinprick – consider getting your cholesterol tested every five years. The test should be done in the morning after ten hours of fasting. Why is it important? Problems with cholesterol often don’t appear until it’s too late and a simple blood test can help you get on the right track to get your cholesterol lowered, which can decrease chances of heart attack and stroke. Checking triglycerides is also important – high triglycerides can lead to type II diabetes.

How’s your blood pressure? High blood pressure can increase the chance of heart attack, stroke or other medical problems. The test is painless and quick and if you happen to have high blood pressure, there are many ways to treat it.

Doctors recommend an annual mammogram every year starting at the age of 40. The procedure, involving compressing each breast in an imaging machine, can detect changes in your breasts before you can even feel the lump. If you have a family history of breast cancer or have male breast cancer in your family, consider talking with your doctor about BRCA testing to find out whether you have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. Early detection can save lives.

The pap smear is a test doctors recommend every three years for women aged 21-65 who have had three normal results in a row. The quick test can be done as part of your yearly physical or by an OBGYN and doesn’t hurt at all. The test detects cervical cancer, which is the tenth leading cancer. Doctors also recommend that patients aged 30 and over get tested for human papilloma virus (HPV).

Finally, the colonoscopy: colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in the world, but a colonoscopy can detect it before it spreads. Doctors recommend people with average risk have screening colonoscopy every ten years beginning at the age of 50. However, for those with a family history of colon cancer, doctors recommend the colonoscopy every five years beginning ten years before the family member was first diagnosed. The test is a short outpatient procedure in which the doctor views your colon via a thin, flexible tube with a camera at the tip. It’s over before you know it.

A few suggestions from experienced testers: the afternoon and evening of the prep, follow the doctor’s instructions to the letter – if your colon isn’t 100% clear, you’ll have to do it all over again, so be sure to clear it out! Other suggestions: drink the prep cold, use a straw, and mix in some flavoring – just make sure it’s sugar-free and not red or orange, which could skew the results of the colonoscopy. Keep in mind that if the prep is your downfall but you know you need the test, ask your doctor if there are alternative prep methods that might work better for you. This short sacrifice can save your life!

Although everyone has a busy schedule, stopping to take a few quick tests each year can make a huge difference in your health. Consider making an appointment with your doctor to schedule these tests today.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Toys for Girls AND Boys

There’s been a lot of controversy over gender-neutral and gender-specific toys over the years. With major toy manufacturers in various parts of the world eliminating gender sections from their toy stores, it looks like toys are going neutral…for now.

Another aspect of the issue of children’s toys is this: there have been gender-neutral toys for centuries. Some toys just lend themselves to children of either sex, and that’s what this article is about.

What toys are played with by both boys and girls without the controversy? Interestingly enough, studies have found that even young male and female monkeys are equally attracted to toys like blocks and stuffed animals.

So when it comes to planes, trains, automobiles, and beyond, what toys are good for both boys and girls? Here are some ideas and things to consider.

1. Stuffed Animals

Both genders like stuffed animals well into gradeschool, and they don’t have to be any particular gender. Stuffed animals appeal to both, and they don’t have to be pink, blue, or camouflage. A stuffed dog or cat is still a stuffed dog or cat.

2. Lego

It’s interesting that when Lego first came out in the early 60s, one of its key selling points was that it was “universal” – that is, for both boys and girls. While the classic building toy is associated with boys, the basic concept is for both. You don’t have to get a pink princess building set or a war vehicle set. The basic blocks and building sets work for everyone.

3. Building Blocks

From toddlers to elementary school age, children of both genders like building blocks. Colored, wooden, plush, plastic…there’s something for boys and girls in building blocks.

4. Books

While various reports and studies point out that boys do not read as much as girls, books do not have to be limited to either gender. Just choose a subject that your child likes, and provide books on that topic. Preschoolers and toddlers tend to like the same kinds of books.

5. Vehicles

Yes, boys and girls both enjoy vehicles. Train sets, trucks, airplanes, and cars work for either gender, especially if you choose ones that appeal to the age and interests of your child. (A child who likes circuses, for instance, might like a toy circus train).

6. Puzzles

Puzzles definitely cross the gender lines. Made of cardboard, wood, plastic; flat, chunky, three-dimensional; no matter what you choose, there’s a puzzle out there for your child. Older kids may enjoy large jigsaw puzzles, and little ones like wooden or jigsaws with large pieces.

7. Learning Toys

Both genders can benefit from toys that promote early math and reading skills, color and shape recognition, spatial relationships, music theory, and so forth.

There are actually quite a few gender-neutral toy choices out there. The main thing is to choose toys that reflect your child’s developmental stage and interests.

Express Yourself: Take an Art Class

Art is an excellent way to express yourself, even if you don’t consider yourself an “artist.” Expressing yourself through art can be a very therapeutic, and it’s a chance to meet and talk with others who have similar interests.

Whether you studied art in the past and want to get back into it, or are a newbie who’s always wanted to try it, expressing yourself by taking an art class can be a healthy, energizing activity.

Here are some benefits of expressing yourself through an art class.

1. Broaden Your Horizons

Even if you’ve been doing art for some time, getting out and mingling with other artists broadens your horizons. Not only do you get to meet new people who share an interest in art; but you also get to hear other perspectives. There will be various points of view and ideas about technique that may “stretch” you a bit. And of course, you can offer your perspective to the others in the class as well.

2. Explore a New Medium

Maybe you’ve been doing art for some time, but you haven’t explored a particular medium. Now’s your chance! Express yourself in a new way – try oil painting if you’ve always worked with acrylic; try sculpting if you’ve previously done only drawing or painting. Choose a medium that fits your living situation – something you can do at home – so you can take what you’ve learned and work on it at home.

3. Explore Your Talent

You may surprise yourself with your artistic abilities, especially if the art class is well run by an accomplished artist who knows how to teach. It may just be the self-confidence boost you needed.

Moreover, after you find your artistic ability, you’re more likely to feel confident in pursuing your art on your own, and it can become a form of self-expression for years to come.

4. Healing Effects

It’s no coincidence that therapists use art to bring about the management of various mental, psychological, emotional, and even physical challenges. Art therapy is an established, well-documented method in these contexts, and it could have a very similar effect on you, too. Who knows – you might aspire to get a degree in art, and/or take what you’ve learned and teach others.

5. People May Get an Insight into You

Many art classes culminate in a show. Students display their art and invite guests to come and view their work. This could be the chance for other people to see a part of you that you couldn’t express in words. It can be very satisfying to have other people gain a new level of understanding about who you are.

Hopefully, you can find an art class in your area that will offer these benefits and more.

Express Yourself: Short Story Writing

For many busy women, taking the time out for self-expression seems impossible. Nonetheless, expressing yourself is an excellent outlet that can help you feel more peaceful and connected to those around you.

However, writing a short story is about more than just self-expression, although that’s a big part of it. It’s an excellent thing to do for a variety of reasons. We’ll discuss some of these reasons, and just what constitutes a short story.

1. Just What Is a Short Story?

A short story is something like a mini novel. It’s a work of fiction, and how “short” it is depends on the writer and any guidelines the writer is following (such as writing for a short story contest with a certain number of words allowed). Short stories are written in prose, and its theme is fully developed, but it’s not as involved or intricate as a novel.

2. Practice, Practice

Writing a short story can be a great way to improve your writing skills. Sentence structure, word choice, grammar, and so forth can all be improved and honed by writing a short story (or more than one short story). In addition, you’ll give your creative “juices” a chance to flow, and practice the skill of getting those creative impulses into words.

3. Opening a Door

Writing a short story can open the door for larger works, like novels. It’s a way to “test the waters” and see if you have the skills and drive to write lengthier pieces.

In addition, if you decide to publish your short story yourself, you can get a “feel” for self-publishing. Then you will likely be more comfortable with the platform, and you can publish larger works.

4. Contests!

Did you know there are short-story contests? They are all over the internet, and some of them have cash prizes. And if you win one, you can always refer to yourself as an “award-winning writer”! It’s good exposure and experience.

5. Your Words in Print

Consider magazine submissions. Many magazines publish short stories, and it’s a great way to get your name in print and become a published writer. Read the magazines you want to submit to (of course), and find out their guidelines.

6. Save Your Short Stories

Many authors, including some famous ones, wrote short stories and published collections of them. Save those stories for a possible book someday.