Make Social Media Work For You

Adding your child on Facebook and following her on Twitter can keep you in the loop, provided that she doesn’t add you to a restricted list. If you know that your child is constantly updating her status or sending out tweets and you can’t see them, it’s a sure sign that you’ve been blocked. Making sure that you talk to your child about why you want to follow her posts can help her understand your reasoning behind these tactics. You’ll probably have the best results with this method if you refrain from posting on her Timeline or tweeting to her, though. Remember: out of sight, out of mind. When your every word is a source of embarrassment to a moody teen, she’ll be painfully aware of your presence and more reticent when it comes to social media. A policy of radio silence is more likely to give you an accurate picture of what she does and says online.

Establish an Open Line of Communication

When your teen knows she can trust you and can come to you with any questions or concerns she has without fear of judgment, she’s more likely to be open and honest with you about her life. Letting her know that you are making an effort to monitor her online life and that you’re doing it out of concern rather than a desire to snoop is your best bet. An open, honest relationship can almost eliminate the need for extensive monitoring.

Consider Monitoring Software Carefully

There are dozens of software products on the market that will record your teen’s keystrokes, track every move she makes online and report the contents of her email inbox back to you. The problem with these products arises when you’re forced to confront her with proof of her misconduct online. In order to discuss the matter, you’ll have to admit that you were secretly spying on her with monitoring software, which could seriously damage the level of trust between you. If you opt to use monitoring software, it may be best to disclose that upfront.

Keep an Eye on Your Browser’s History

Tech-savvy kids will know to clear their browser’s history, but even the stealthiest teens can forget from time to time. Making a habit of checking the browser can give you some clues as to what your kids are looking at online. Just be sure that you’re confronting your teen with something he actually looked at, rather than blaming him for a misstep made by another member of the household.

Use Parental Controls

There are basic parental controls built into most web browsers, which can filter the majority of the objectionable content that comes up in a general engine search. As with browser history, a tech-savvy teen can find ways to circumvent these controls, but they do provide a layer of protection from inadvertent stumbles upon questionable material.

Think About Computer Placement and Access

It’s certainly easier and more convenient to provide your child with a laptop or a computer in his room to complete homework assignments and such, but you’re effectively forfeiting your ability to keep an eye on his activity. By placing the computer your teen uses in a high-traffic area and limiting his access to a specified block of time, you can keep a closer watch on the things he’s doing online.

Work Out a Social Networking Policy That’s Acceptable to Both of You

An overly-authoritarian approach to social networking and Internet use will almost certainly make your teen feel more rebellious than eager to comply, but working together to draft an agreement everyone can live with gives them a modicum of control. At an age when asserting independence is so important, this small gesture can make a big difference in the way that your teen views his Internet use and the rules you’ve made together. Working out the agreement also provides you with a built-in opportunity to discuss the reasons why responsible social networking use is important, the repercussions of posting too much information and why you’re concerned with his activity online in the first place.

Author: Hannah Howard

1. Learn the Game – When you don’t understand the rules of the game, it’s more difficult to cheer your little ones on. So, get cracking on learning the basics of soccer. This will also come in handy if your child doesn’t completely understand it yet either. You can sit down with her and explain what the different positions are and what penalties mean.
2. Don’t Take It More Seriously Than Your Kids – Almost nothing is worse than that parent standing on the sidelines yelling at the referee for a “bad call,” especially when the kid is beet red with embarrassment. If your child realizes that he stepped out of bounds or made an illegal play, he knows he should be sitting out or is deserving of that penalty. Shouting and drawing more attention to the mistake only breeds humiliation and resentment.
3. Remember That You are Not the Coach – Always remember that you are not the coach. For one thing, the actual coach will appreciate it. There is a difference between cheering for your child and coaching her. When she’s out on the field, she needs to be able to hear what her coach is telling her so that she can run the correct play without worrying about disobeying you if your opinions don’t match up.
4. Celebrate in Your Own Way – Everyone has a way to celebrate victories. Create one for yourself and your child. It’ll be a treasured memory when he gets older and looks back on his days as a young soccer player.
5. Remember That Loss Happens – Keep in mind that every team loses at some point. When it happens to your favorite team of pint-sized players, don’t be harsh toward your child, the coach or the referee. It’s a fact of life that things don’t always go as planned. The loss of a game is also a great opportunity for helping kids understand that losing sometimes is a fact of life that can be overcome.
6. Keep a First Aid Kit Handy – Soccer can be a bit brutal. Chances are, your kid will get kicked occasionally or will sustain a few cuts and bruises along the way. Make a habit of having a basic first aid kit nearby. Those multicolored bandages will come in handy.
7. Clear Your Schedule – Brand new soccer moms may not realize how many afternoons, evenings and mornings can be filled with practices and games. So, make sure you keep your schedule open for all of the events and practices. You’ll want to be there for your kid as often as you can, and he will appreciate having you there.
8. Get Used to Doing Laundry – No sport is clean, but soccer produces some of the dirtiest clothes imaginable. Grass stains, mud and sweat will cake your kid’s clothes. You’d better get used to doing the laundry a little more often than you did before you were a soccer mom.
9. Ignore the Stereotypes – There may be a negative stereotype attached to “soccer moms,” but you don’t have to be that person. If you drive a van, so what? Don’t let the negativity of others get you down. Just remember, you are there to cheer on your child, not worry about what others think.
10. Keep Snacks Handy – Running around will work up an appetite. Keep healthy snacks handy for your child to nibble on after a game or practice.
11. Be the Hydrating Machine – Hydration is the key element to any form of exercise. Make sure your child stays properly hydrated throughout games and practices. No one wants to rush to the hospital for dehydration.
12. Be Open to New Friends – You just met a whole new group of parents that you may never have met otherwise. Be open to becoming friends with them. You’ll be seeing each other a lot during the soccer season and you all share at least one common interest.
13. Reinforce Rules about Not Kicking Balls Inside the House – If you don’t want broken lamps scattered around your house, you might want to reinforce any rules you may have about no kicking balls indoors. It’s easy on a rainy day for your child to be tempted to kick the ball around due to boredom, but there’s a time and a place for that, and it’s not inside.
14. Encourage, Don’t Discourage – Always be a positive force for your child. If they lose a game, keep it upbeat. If they are called out of a game, turn it around so they can see the positive side of the situation.
15. Think About the Off Season – Keep in mind that during the winter months, there are often indoor soccer teams available for kids to join. So, if your kid doesn’t have a winter sport she plays, just take her to an indoor soccer practice. She’ll love it!

Author: Tina Marconi

1. Freeze Unused Food and Leftovers

Wait to have that second helping of casserole. You might find that you’re not as hungry as you thought. Freeze what you have left over, even if it is just one serving. Freeze in microwavable containers and take them to work. Remember to freeze broths, tomato sauce or paste you might have left over. It all adds up. You will be amazed how much food waste you can avoid producing.

2. Evaluate What’s in Your Trash

Examine what you’re throwing away. If you’re throwing away half of what you buy, then buy smaller containers or purchase airtight containers for long-term storage.

3. Rearrange the Contents of Your Fridge

Keeping your fridge organized will prevent you from forgetting ingredients and having them spoil. So, keep moving things around and you will always be able to keep an eye on what you have and its condition. Check for expiration dates; toss out anything that is more than a few days past the date printed on the package.

4. 39 Degrees

This is the setting that will assure your food doesn’t go bad. On the average fridge, settings tend to be much warmer, which encourages food to spoil faster. So using a thermometer will help ensure that your setting is correct.

5. Plan Out Meals

Make a menu for the week. Do an inventory of your pantry to see what you have. You’ll be surprised how many recipes share certain ingredients. Plan three or four days to make recipes and two to eat leftovers, taking in to consideration that you may dine out a couple of nights or have dinner with friends.

6. Rethink Buying in Bulk

Consumers buy in bulk to save money but fail to realize that if they buy more perishable goods than they need and throw away rotten or unused food, they might as well be throwing money in the trash. If you must buy in bulk, try pre-portioning meats and veggies and freezing. Herbs, bread, meat, or veggies can all be frozen.

7. Shop More Often

If you do all your shopping for the week at once, fruits and veggies that you buy for a particular meal might go bad before you can use them. Instead, make a couple of small trips to pick up more produce. That way your food is nice and fresh.

8. Have a Backup Recipe in Mind

If you miss the opportunity to prepare a certain recipe, always have a backup recipe so your ingredients don’t go to waste.

Remember – our perishables sit in landfills creating methane gas. Are you a part of the solution? If you answered “yes,” then you’re well on your way to reducing the amount of food you waste, and saving yourself thousands of dollars a year in spoiled food.

1. Have a Strategy

Approaching snacks and mealtimes with a strategy can help a great deal. It “arms” you, the parent, with a response to begging, not finishing food, and refusal to eat certain foods. Read on for some specifics on strategy.

2. Loosen the Control Grip

Unfortunately, parents often grab for more control when there’s a situation that needs “correcting” – whether it’s an overweight child or a picky eater. The problem with this, though, is that it may create an obsession with “forbidden” foods, or set your child up to make excuses to reward him or herself by eating comfort foods.

In an era when more than half of Americans are overweight, we need to take special care not to set our kids up for a weight struggle later in life. So relax, and focus on teaching your child to listen to his or her body.

3. Plan Meals and Snacks

Having meals planned and including snacks (so your child doesn’t have to beg for a snack every day, and you “give in” and let him/her eat junk food) may help a lot with picky eating. Kids tend to respond positively to routine.

4. Keep Foods Simple

Casseroles are tempting because they are easy and inexpensive, but kids tend to shun “mixtures.” You may find that simple, plain foods are actually easier to prepare in the end! Finger foods tend to be a big hit, like sandwiches, and vegetables and dip, sliced fruit, and simple pastas are often popular.

5. Hide the Veggies and Fruits

Fresh veggies and fruits can be whizzed in a blender with jarred spaghetti sauce, cheese dip, and pizza sauce. Speaking of pizza, mince up spinach or zucchini and sprinkle over pizza. Cover with veggie pepperoni and a moderate amount of cheese.

6. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Give your child choices of what to eat – just make sure that each option is something healthy and acceptable. This helps the child feel like he or she has a “voice” in what is eaten, and also introduces them to variety that is a key to healthy eating.

7. Funny Food

Check the internet for fun ways to prepare food. You can make landscapes with rice or mashed potatoes as a background; cut fruit and cheese into shapes; and cut bread into shapes as well. There are so many things you can do to make food fun and beautiful to look at – and somehow, kids tend to like eating these fun landscapes!

Waste is a big problem in the world today. If we are not careful, our trash will take up more space than we do. You can take steps to reduce your personal waste especially when it comes to food with the book, Composting for Dummies.

Composting is organic gardening at its best. Instead of using fertilizers that are commercially made, you can create your own nutrient rich soil to feed your flowers and your fruits and vegetable plants. But, where do you start?

Composting for Dummies gives you the down and dirty on what it means to compost. Not only are you saving the earth but also spending less money to grow your own food. It is a win-win situation for those who want to be more self-sufficient.

The book contains information on: the benefits of composting and what you need to start, methods of composting (where to set it up and what type of container to use), what ingredients to use to build your pile (items that are best for the job and your needs) and moving into more complex forms of composting (when you are ready). Learn it all in this step-by-step guide.

Save 26% Off on Composting for Dummies

Are you an avid gardener or do you know someone who has a green thumb? If so, then you know how important it is to have the right tools for the job. The Radius Garden 4-piece Hand Tool set might make the perfect addition to any collection.

There is something to the study of ergonomics. Using tools that conform to the natural motion and shape of our bodies goes a long way to taking the pain out of many tasks and gardening is no different. Digging holes, planting bulbs and getting rid of weeds are all necessary tasks for a beautiful garden. But, they can also be quite hard on the wrists and hands, even if you wear comfortable gloves.

This kit includes four commonly used hand tools: Trowel, Weeder, Cultivator and a Transplanter. The blades are made of aluminum which is lightweight (great for repetitive movements) but strong enough to break up stubborn soil. The handles, while attractive in green, are also specifically designed in a curved design to make it easier to manage with less stress on the joints.

Mundane tasks become fun again.

Save 10% Off on Radius Garden NRGSET 4 Piece Gardening Hand Tool Set

What Is Laughter?

Experts say that it is the best medicine in the world. Did you know that laughter releases endorphins? You might have heard of them before. They are released during exercise, feel-good substances in the brain that inspire a feeling of wellbeing in you. In essence, they give you a boost to the mood that all of us could use, especially kids.

Children laugh more than adults. Is that because they have more to laugh about? Often, it’s because they don’t know enough. Maybe it’s because kids know that laughing makes them feel good and they want to feel that way all the time.

There is nothing wrong with laughter as long as it isn’t at another’s expense. That is not happy laughter but malicious. As a parent, you can teach your child the difference.

Why Is Laughter Important?

Take a look at children. They could teach us a thing or two about humor. Here are some reasons why laughter is an important quality to instill in your child.

1. It lightens the mood – It’s hard to frown or feel down when you laugh. It can make a hard day seem better when you take the time to let out a good chuckle.

2. It gives you something in common with your child – Laughing at a funny cartoon, movie or television show together brings you in contact with your child. It creates happy memories for both of you.

3. It changes your perspective and theirs – A good laugh can help you see things from a different perspective. For example, laughing at your own mistakes can lighten the mood and even make you more optimistic about life. Optimistic children are more likely to bounce back from setbacks.

4. It teaches kids to see the humorous side of problems – Kids can take themselves too seriously. Encourage them to see the humor in things. Make sure they understand that you are not laughing at them but trying to get them to laugh with you. The message is that maybe the problem is not as serious as they one thought.

5. It’s fun – Playing games can lead to laughter if you’re not careful. Life has enough misery; add a bit of humor to it. Look for ways to bring laughter into your home and your kids will be more adjusted because of it.

Laughter is different from making fun of someone. When kids learn to laugh, they make themselves and others feel better.

1. Communicate

To maintain a satisfying sex life, communicate with your partner. Opening up to your partner is a healthy practice in any area of your relationship, but it is the cornerstone to a healthy and satisfying sex life. Set aside some time to be sensual and intimate together. Sharing your thoughts about lovemaking helps your partner understand what you want from them. Try to be as honest as possible about what you’re feeling, both emotionally and physically.

2. Practice Safe Sex

Practicing safe sex isn’t just for the younger crowd. People of all ages should know how to practice safe sex. Always use a condom when being intimate with a new or different partner. Consult your physician to make sure it is safe to engage in sexual activity and also discuss other options to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases or infections.

3. Testosterone Levels

Understand testosterone levels and the effect they have on the body. As men age, testosterone levels decline. Most men notice a difference in their sexual response by age 60 to 65. Erections take longer to achieve and may not be as firm. It may take longer to achieve a full erection and to ejaculate. This is common and by discussing this with your physician, he or she may be able to prescribe medication to help out. Adapting to your changing body can help you maintain a healthy and satisfying sex life.

4. Know Your Limitations and Adapt

Focus on ways to be sexual and intimate that work for you and your partner. Don’t give up. You and your partner can experiment with ways to adapt to your limitations. Try different sexual positions – whatever works for you and your partner to make sex a pleasurable and rich experience.

5. Take It Slow

It takes longer for men, in their 60s and beyond, to “warm up.” One of the best things about later-life sex is the absence of urgency for both genders. So take it slow. Make warm-up sex last for hours.

6. Kiss…A Lot

Kiss sweetly, fervidly, quickly, slowly, lustfully, hungrily, lightly, deeply. Kissing helps you bond with your partner, so heat up, and revel in the moment.

7. Laugh

Play goofy games, invent special words, tease each other and rediscover your childhood together. Laughter is bonding, joyful, ageless — and very sexy.

8. Hold Each Other

Holding each other, feeling the warmth and texture of each other’s skin, is one of the sweetest and sexiest parts of making love. The wonderful thing is this can be done before, during, and afterwards. Any time is the right time for being close and enjoying each other.

Many couples still have a very satisfying sex life well past age 60. This is particularly true of those who maintain a higher level of physical and mental health as they grow older. Feeling satisfied with your sex life, whatever your level of sexual activity, is related to what a lot of couples perceive as the quality of their life. Older people are still able to enjoy sex for many years. So, what are you waiting for? Make love, laugh, kiss, and enjoy the warm and wonderful gift of each other.

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix the flour, egg yolks, butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and mix again. Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface until it creates soft dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

After removing the dough from the refrigerator, lightly flour the surface again and roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick. Using two heart-shaped cookie cutters, one larger than the other, cut out the cookie dough until all dough is used. On half of the cookies, use the smaller heart cutter to cut out the center of the cookie; this will be used for the top.

Beat the egg whites and then brush the whites onto the tops of the cookie. Next, mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar with the ground walnuts. Sprinkle this mixture over the tops of the cookie. Bake both sets of the cookies for 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Allow them to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cool, spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the cookie bottom. Place the top on the cookie. This recipe makes about 26 Raspberry Tart cookies.