What You Need to Teach Your Kids About Money: by Stephanie Hale

Most of us make sure our children learn how to read, write and make good life decisions to prepare them to become responsible adults. What most parents and most schools don’t do, is teach kids about money.

In many families, finances are a personal, private matter not to be discussed. As a result, children leave the nest without the essential skills they need to be financially secure and successful. Whether it’s out of ignorance or fear, this lack of communication perpetuates the cycle of ignorance when it comes to money skills.

You don’t need a degree in economics to teach the basics of money management. A few simple but valuable principles can go a long way in helping your child learn about financial responsibility. The information can help ensure they become self confident, economically independent adults.

What should you do?

Start Early–

Children can grasp basic money concepts by the age of 3 or 4. Once your kids are old enough to count you can begin talking to them about earning, spending and saving. Young children learn early on that money buys them things they want. Teach them that money is what’s valuable, not the toys it buys.

Teach Saving–

You can start by keeping coins in a jar or piggy bank where your child can visually watch their money grow. As they get older, take them to the bank and open a savings account in their name. Having kids set a goal of saving for something specific gives them the opportunity to learn delayed gratification and experience the satisfaction of reaching their goal.

Give an Allowance–

How much depends on the age of the child and what you feel comfortable with. You can assign household chores as part of the allowance to show how money is earned. Some families require a percentage of the allowance go toward savings and charity, and let the child decide what to do with the rest. Regardless of how you set it up, an allowance gives your kids practice handling and making decisions about money.

Share the Household Budget–

Routine things like grocery shopping and bill paying are great opportunities to teach children money concepts. Have them compare prices in the grocery store and show them the receipt. Let them see the bill for your mobile phone and talk about monthly expenses like car insurance and petrol. Sharing your budget will help illustrate the differences between wants and needs and how you make choices about money. When your kids are about to go out on their own for the first time they’ll better understand the expenses involved and what they can afford.

Encourage Older Kids to Get a Job–

An allowance doesn’t have to be the only way for kids to earn money. Start with a lemonade stand or let them sell toys they’ve outgrown at a yard sale. Depending on age, your kids might do yard work for neighbours or offer babysitting services. By holding down such jobs, kids learn about working, earning, saving, and investing money. It also gives them a sense of pride and self confidence.

Teaching your children to manage money is a parental responsibility that will safeguard their future. By starting early, your efforts will bring them lifelong benefits.

About the Author: Get the free ebook 'Millionaire Tips for Women' and other bonus gifts (value over £350 / $575) at http://www.MillionaireWomenMillionaireYou.com. Stephanie J. Hale was once a struggling single mother. Today, she's a successful entrepreneur and speaker, teaching other women how to achieve financial freedom.
Article Source: ActiveAuthors.com

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Relationships and Communication: by Brenda Williams

Relationships are hard work. In fact, there are many people who would argue that maintaining a relationship with another person is the most difficult thing one can endure. Human beings have been building relationships with one another since the beginning of time. Even in modern days, failed relationships can be linked to much of the undue stress and tragedy that humans face in the world.

Think about all of the people who use drugs illegally. Now, think of all the people who commit crimes. At the heart of it all, it seems like relationships play an extremely important role. There’s a saying that a lot of young couples hear when they are first married, which is that you shouldn’t go to bed mad at each other. This is true. People who get married today have over a 50 chance of getting divorced. So, now the question becomes “why?” Why is it that we can’t seem to stay together? Has the view on marriage changed? Perhaps. It seems as if a lot of young people today get married for the wrong reasons. Many people marry for financial reasons, and the the financial strain develops into the cause of the couple breaking up.

The number one reason that people fail at relationships with one another is due to a lapse or lack of communication. It takes two people to communicate effectively to the other. If one person is constantly doing all of the work in trying to convey feelings or ideas to the other person, then it is only a matter of time before problems arise. We are not mind readers. No one person is the same as the next, therefore we aren’t expected to get along. However, good relationships require good communication which requires compromise from either party involved. For example, if your husband is slovenly and leaves things out around the house, rather than reprimand him, let him know how you are feeling without nagging him to death. “Usually, you are so good about not leaving things out, honey would you mind just picking that up and putting it away?” sounds ten times better than: “I’m sick and tired of having to clean up after you!”

When it comes to communicating well, you have to be innovative. Everyone has something that makes him or her tick. Figure out what that thing is and use it to communicate more effectively. When you are first starting out in a relationship, you need to make sure that you’re getting involved for the right reasons. Simply recognizing someone for the physical attributes that they possess is not going to be enough to sustain you through the long term because as time goes on, people’s physical appearances tend to change. Similarly, you shouldn’t just get involved with someone based on material items or because of how much money they make because that, too, can change. Instead, look at the person’s character. How do they make you feel? How do their actions affect you? How do they treat other people? What sorts of things do others have to say about them?

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Article Source: ActiveAuthors.com

The Beauty of Motherhood: by Sara Ryan

Being a mother is both a beautiful and challenging life long event. Once you become a mother it never stops, it is eternal. Motherhood can help you find humor out of anything whether is being pooped and peed on, your 5 year old saying his stomach hurts because he has “massage stones” like his grandpa or realizing you haven’t did your hair in a week. Embrace it. They can be the happiest days of your life. You don’t get money from being a mother but you do actually get watch as someone that was once inside of you blossom into an adult. There is no other feeling like that of the maternal urge. So all you mommies to be, get ready. You are in for an experience of a lifetime!

You learn on a daily basis, you make mistakes and you may laugh or cry. Don’t be nervous about having to raise a extension of yourself, some believe that having a child is the end of their life but actually it is a new beginning. You don’t have to completely say good bye to your social life rather you might find the old and the new integrating created a healthy balance for both. Keep in mind that this whole world is new for Baby and you are his/her guide and protector. Don’t be afraid to act silly, make noises or funny faces. Reminisce on how your maternal figure probably made you feel loved and focus on that. Don’t be afraid to nurture or discipline.

Motherhood is your time to find new and innovative ways to raise a healthy, sound minded person. Read up on motherhood issues like potty training, appropriate discipline and developmental techniques. Follow your first mind if it doesn’t sound right for you then don’t force it. Only you will know what you are comfortable with for your child. As time goes on, you will have a routine and then have to change it. It can be frustrating at first but being a mommy teaches versatility and patience. Keep in mind that you are the best mother you can be and practice saying that over and over in your head. It will be needed for those times of insecurity that sometimes come along with parenthood. If you don’t know the answer to some question you may have, ask your own mommy or someone you can get advice that you can trust. Some things re learned by experience, others by asking and some you just stumble upon.

One of the best parts of being “Mommy” is knowing you are giving them the best at all times. The best has nothing to do with materialistic items but more to do with what you are contributing to them as a person. So when the terrible twos, threes and fours hit, be conscious of the fact that you were once a child too. We go through a lot of stages in life but once you are a mother, you will always be one. Enjoy your new path of motherhood.

About the Author: Sara Ryan regularly writes for http://www.tirmassagestone.com, the leading hot stone massage supplies provider. They provide massage stones and many other accessories in the massage industry. Article Source: ActiveAuthors.com

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Supporting Your Work at Home Wife: by Allen Hart

The new trend in our society is working from home. Many women are leaving the corporate world to come home and care for their families, but they still desire to contribute financially. It can be challenging to work from home, especially for women who have children to care for as well.

Is your wife is one of the growing number of work at home moms? Here are ten key tips on supporting her:

1. Encouragement is key

Sometimes all that your wife needs in order to be successful with whatever she is working on is a little encouragement. Often times she won’t have anyone else around to give her the encouragement that she needs and you may be the only person that can give her the encouragement she needs.

2. Help with whatever she is doing

Depending on the business there may be extra work that could be done by you. For example, with my wife’s website, Christian Work at Home Moms (http://www.cwahm.com/), she will often need someone to write a script, setup an email account, or proofread a document. Some of the tasks aren’t going to be the most glamorous but 5 minutes could save your partner hours of time and added stress.

3. Be positive

It's easy to be a positive influence on your wife and her business. Listen to her when she talks about her business. Don't put down her ideas for business growth - help her think of new ideas to help her business grow. Remember that just because she is working from home, that does not make her business any less important or legitimate. If you are a positive influence on your wife and take an interest in her business, there's no telling how big the business might grow! As wives, we need our husband's support and encouragement!

4. Watch the kids

Your wife is at home with the kids all day every day. Sometimes she is going to need a chance to work with no distractions. If the kids are constantly asking questions and bugging your wife she can’t get anything done. Don’t wait to be asked. Be proactive and offer to watch the kids.

5. Listen

Your wife might not have a large support system or other co-workers to bounce ideas off of. She is going to need someone to talk to and more importantly listen to the ideas she has. I think this goes hand in hand with encouragement. You will need to listen and encourage, sometimes that is all she needs.

6. Let her run the show

This is her job her business she gets to call the shots. I know that the way my wife and I handle the business decisions is that she runs all of her ideas by me and we mutually make the decisions. A lot of the decisions can be costly and take a lot of time. Those decisions should be made together but ultimately it isn’t your decision.

7. Be a part of the business

Many wives want their husbands to take part in their home business even if it's just helping to stuff envelopes. Taking the time to do even small things like this will encourage your wife and show her that you support her. If there isn't a way to be directly involved with your wife's business, pick one day a week and do the dishes or another chore that will free up some time for your wife to work at her business.

8. Don't let her give up

Most work at home moms will tell you that it takes 3-4 years to build a successful business. It doesn't happen overnight. When your wife feels discouraged, listen to her and ask if she would like your input on the situation. She will need your encouragement to stick with it. We wives do not like to fail our husbands and we sometimes feel like failures when our businesses are not doing well. Remind your wife of the time that it takes to grow a business and that EVERY business has times during the year when sales are slow.

9. Surprise her

This may not sound like a business tip, but a great way to help your wife stay motivated is to bring her little “surprises” – flowers, her favorite candy, a business supply that she can’t bring her self to spend the money on. All of these are great ways to remind her of your support.

10. Pray

Most importantly, this business is going to need prayer. Never underestimate the power of prayer to help you get going and keep the whole project rolling. If you aren’t talking to God on a regular basis it will be very hard to stay on track.

By following these ten simple tips, you can help strengthen your wife’s home-based business. She will appreciate your efforts and your marriage will benefit as well. Supporting your work at home wife is one of the best ways to show you care.

Allen Hart is the founder of CWAHD.com, Christian Work at Home Dads. CWAHD.com was designed to assist dads in their quest for a work at home job or business. For more information and additional articles, visit www.cwahd.com or contact Allen at info@cwahd.com. Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/online_business/article_3765.shtml

Like Mother, Like Daughter: by Karen Schachter

We moms have a tough path to walk as we help our daughters navigate the sometimes choppy waters of growing up girl. It's our job to protect our children and do our best to keep them safe and healthy, yet we also have to allow them to grow, stretch and learn from their own mistakes. It's a fine line between letting them be who they are and wanting to "tweak" them just a little bit so they don't suffer from the same mistakes or struggles that we did.

When it comes to healthy eating and a positive body image, this fine line can feel fragile and confusing, particularly if you struggle with these issues yourself.

When I teach workshops or work individually with moms, I am always asked some of the same questions: Should I let my kids have desert every day? How do I deal with their love of sweets? How can I help her stop eating when she's not hungry anymore? How can I help her lose weight without making her feel bad about her body? How can I help her feel good about her body, no matter what its size? How can I help her feel good about herself and treat herself with respect? Although I can give concrete "answers" to many of these questions, the truth is, there is no one "right" answer that works for everyone, all the time. There is no "magic bullet" to self-esteem, body confidence, self-care, and inspiring good health in your daughter. However, there is one piece of the puzzle that is so important, one KEY asset that is SO valuable, and one action that IS within our control...that is more powerful than anything we can say or anything we can feed them.
YOU.
As her mom, the only thing you really have control over (especially as she gets older) is who YOU are BEING and how YOU are negotiating your own health, your own eating, your own body image and your own self -esteem. Are you embodying the actions and feelings that you want her to learn? Here's a little food for thought to get you going:

1. Next time you notice yourself betwixt and between about an eating habit of your daughter's, check in with yourself: Is there something about that behavior that reminds you of one of your own struggles? (Go ahead and address it in YOURSELF first).

2. Imagine that your daughter develops a delicious, nourishing and healthy relationship to food, eating and her body - what will that look like? Go ahead and try out some of those self-nourishing actions for YOURSELF.

3. What if food, eating and body image weren't a concern, for you or for your daughter? What if you had true freedom and peace with these things? What would your energy and attention be focused on instead? (Go ahead and give it a try).

Here's the thing: Our daughters learn how to live in their bodies and care for themselves with food and in their lives from MANY sources, including the media, their peers, their families, and from all the women in their lives. I am on a mission - and I invite you to join me - to help change the "face" of what the next generation of girls is learning - and I believe we must first BE THE CHANGE we wish to see in them. (When moms set their minds to something, there is no telling what could happen...)

Copyright (c) 2009 Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds: Karen Schachter, a psychotherapist and coach, is committed to helping girls and women find peace, nourishment and wellbeing with food and their bodies. Visit http://www.healthybodieshappyminds.com.
Article Source:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/parenting/article_1972.shtml

my bikes....

As i took my 4.5 year old daughter for small ride on her pink bike on a saturday morning , it seemed i was repeating a ritual that my dad did for me some 30 years ago. He had gifted me my first bike some 30 years ago. It was a red colored smaller bike with rims of creme color. Like my daughters one now , which is of course more flashier , it also had two smaller wheels on the sides of rear wheel to prevent me from falling. It had taken me some time to pick it up and learn moving the handle in the right direction , which of course my daughter picked up much faster given the generational shift. While this is chronologically only 3 decades ago , but then in India , seems like eons ago , given the amount of change our generation has seen in last 3 decades. Yet , few things won't change- idle chatter of mine to my dad , is the same which i get from my daughter. As i don't remember all the things i had said to my dad, so won't she later in life. But then , this wont come back to me ever again ....she wont be 4.5 years old again....and i wanted to savour every moment of this , even though , it is so boring to hear her same stories over and over again. It is some divine logic , which makes you feel like holding sand , which you know is slipping and you like it both slipping away and holding it at the same time....i fell in love with my parents once i became a father ...

Moving on to my bikes story ...that was first bike....second one was even better. It was a 6 years old Saine Raliegh cycle which my father had bought in 1971 , when he joined his first job. My mom says that i used to sit in the front rod of the cycle on a small child seat. It was definitely a luxury.And my parents used to walk for kilometers make me have a ride across the small town called Sindri. That cycle gave way to new Vijay Delux scooter parrot green in color , which was added to our family in 1977 , when my younger brother came in. This scooter was my best fantasy come alive with me standing in front of dad holding on to the handle. The air blasting past my ears while dad used to drive was so much of a whizz....i turned 10 , when i tried to first hand on my dad's bicycle. Believe , it was an experience to feel so high perched on the top of the moving metal. I was not tall , so it took me a while before i could climb up the perch easily...which i did eventually and much to my delight , circled around the colony that we lived over so many rounds that in the evening , my mother had to put my legs in salted hot waters to relax my thighs. Then for so many years that was stable companion of sorts , i did most of my home errands on that for my mother. i carried vegetables , took wheat for grinding to the local grinder shops , all on my dad's bicycle. That old man stayed with me for another 20 years , when finally in house , my wife tried to be kind with some local washerman , and gave that to him which he never returned.

Then as i moved to Tata Steel as a GT in 95 , i still remember that first week of August sometime , when all my friends had already bought their Yamaha RX 100 , the bike that stirred our generation, i was destined to purchase a cheaper 4 stroke version of Kawasaki 4S bajaj. But this was a compromise that i had to live with. Yamaha was Yamaha...it could start at the 4 gear directly . Only Yamaha could , others of that generation of bikes could not. It was not era of Pulsars and Hayabushas in India. Yamaha was the best. That synchronous sound of the engine that went past the hostel rooms were so exotic. And yet , each day , i pretended that my 4S was equally good , which i did it was not. Yet , it was faithful , like the wife and Yamaha was the sexy neighbour that i could never my hands on. So much so on Yamaha...even today after 15 years , as i look at old ones whizzing on the road ,not comparable to newer flashy ones , i still cannot get over the high that i gave me then , like an old wine , it gets sweetened with age.

Today , i believe , may be as i would turn 40 , may be , i can purchase the king of the roads the
Royal Enfield Bullet ...may be a show piece , to showcase , my remaining manliness. Indeed , you start needing that 40 onwards perhaps ....

Top 12 Family Fun Activities for Holidays

We all just love holidays, don't we! They provide a great opportunity to spend quality time with family or friends, give in to hobby fever, do some outdoor activities, or just laze around. There are many things we like to do on holidays with the usual ones being travelling, playing indoor or outdoor games, watching movies and believe it or not, sleeping! Though I personally feel sleeping (during the day at least) is such a waste of time. I would rather do something more interesting, like shopping :). I wait and wait for my hubby to be at home on the weekends. And when the weekend comes, hubby dearest keeps dozing off!:)

Enough about that. Here are a few fun activities, some usual and some not so usual, to indulge in with your family on a holiday. You probably do some of these already and you can try those you arent!

Outdoor Fun

1. Travel
Travelling is and will remain the most popular thing to do on a holiday. Be it a weekend trip or a longer vacation, it will break the routine and give you ample time to have fun together as a family. Once on vacation, you can plan for sight seeing, picnics or just simple relaxing around in the hotel. For day visits, you can just pack everyone into the car and go to the zoo, the beach, the botanical gardens or an easy choice, the local park.

2. Sports
Outdoor sports are a great way to bond with your loved ones and keep fit. Choose any game that your family enjoys such as football, baseball, tennis or cricket or for the more adventurous, rafting, surfing, rock climbing, paragliding or skiing. Let each of you choose the family fun sports for the holiday, turn by turn.

3. Community Service
Volunteer for a community service in your neighbourhood. You can help out in a retirement home or a homeless shelter. You can also collect and donate useful stuff to needy people. These activities will teach your children the value of sharing and give them a sense of social responsibility.

4. Star Gazing
Star gazing with your family is a cool way to learn exciting things about the sky as well as spend quality time together. On a clear night, you can look for the brightest stars and figure out the constellations. And, if you have a telescope, you can delve deeper. Look at the moon and search for the planets. Your kids will love it for sure.

5. Exercise
Exercise as a family. This will make exercise fun. Yoga, aerobics, jogging or swimming, whatever it is that you can do and enjoy together, do it. All of you can lead the exercise routine, turn by turn.

6. Shopping
This never goes out of style. Its fun to go shopping with family especially for stuff that you would use together at home. Maybe a new stereo system or a new computer. Good idea! Perhaps we'll go stereo system hunting this week. Actually, shopping for clothes together isn't all that bad too, though your kids may feel otherwise, especially if they are at the 'I am grown up now' age :)

Indoor Fun

1. House Work
Though these might seem more like work, believe me, if you do it together in the right spirit, it will be fun!
>> Painting - Paint the children's room or the garden fence. Children running around in their paint-laden overalls..thats a 'Kodak' moment for sure!
>> Gardening - Plant new roses or attend to existing flowers. Let your children plant some seeds themselves. As their plant grows, watch their faces light up.
>> Cooking - Make your kids head chefs and assist them to cook a meal for all of you. Extra cookies for them if the meal turns out great! Dad dear can cook too, if he wants, or if Mom pushes him to :)
>> Arranging Photos - Bundles of photos piled up in no particular order! Those memories need more respect. Gather together, sort them out, laugh at the old ones and put them in albums. Sure, you have many of them on your computer too. Its a digital age after all. But nothing beats the good ol' photo album, right?

2. Build Together
Building something as a family is exciting and gives you a sense of achievement as a team. Be it a school project, an aeroplane model, a handicraft decoration for the living room or a family jigsaw puzzle, do it together and see how much fun you have. Reward yourselves with icecream when you successfully complete what you started.

3. Reading Time
Have a family reading session, at least, once every week. You can get together to read aloud stories or general material. Select different themes every week - entertainment, religious, spiritual or educational.

4. Watch Movies
Watch TV or movies together. You can have a small home theatre show with comfy pillows and a big bowl of popcorn. Its really nice to watch old home movies together too: weddings, birthdays, the baby's first step, grandpa snoring and the like :)

5. Photography
Who says the camera can come out of its case on special occasions and when you go out? Any day can be 'snap' day. Photograph each other in jazzy costumes, funny poses and doing silly stuff. Fun to shoot and fun to watch later!

6. Gossip
Last but not the least, get together and gossip! Nothing mean, you know, just fun stuff about your relatives, neighbours or friends. Nothing like relaxing with a cup of coffee/tea or milk (for kids, I mean) and talking about others :)

Of course, there is other fun stuff you can do, but I jotted down the ones I liked. You are welcome to share other fun stuff you do with your family, in the comments section.