Eating the right amount. Eating for two does not mean doubling your caloric intake – nowhere near that, as a matter of fact. When you are pregnant, you only need to take in three-hundred extra calories a day. Any more is excessive, and any less is not enough. Also, keep in mind that this three-hundred calories is only in addition to an already healthy caloric intake. Calculate what your body really needs (or consult with your obstetrician) to get a good starting-point caloric requirement.

The color chart. You should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. A good rule of thumb is to eat as many colors as possible, as each color is indicative of different vitamin/mineral content. Mix it up. Buy a juicer if that makes it easier for you.

Variety. You need some of everything: fruits/vegetables, grains, proteins, dairy, and yes, even fats. Just make sure you are getting the right serving amounts – six to eight grains, eight fruits/vegetables, four dairies, three proteins, and minimal fats.

Prenatal vitamins. During pregnancy, your body needs more of certain elements – iron and folic acid, for example – than it normally would. The best way to supplement your diet in a way to ensure your body (and your baby) is getting enough to support a healthy pregnancy is to take a prenatal vitamin every day.

Nausea. Many women experience “morning sickness” during the first trimester of pregnancy – and at any time, day or night. There are ways to cope with nausea without sacrificing your physical health. Drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated, avoid foods that can worsen the sickness (spicy, fatty, rich, or acidic foods), and eat small amounts often (as opposed to spacing out three large meals).

If the baby book is scaring you with chapter upon chapter of pregnancy diet advice, then you’ll be pleased to know that you can keep it simple and keep yourself and your fetus healthy. Follow these tips for healthier eating while pregnant and you will be doing your body, and your baby, good.

About the Author: Celine Garramone is an instructor for several phlebotomy schools and knows how tough it can be to make healthy eating choices while pregnant – especially when you’re busy, working, and craving everything under the sun. She recommends talking to a nutritionist if you are really concerned about your eating habits. Visit http://www.associationphlebotomytraining.com/ to learn more about phlebotomy and the healthcare field.

I just tried out Clipix and it’s awesome! It’s a FREE bookmark organizer, it works all online and it simplified my life almost absurdly. Ahah! The fact is, that I have dozens and dozens of bookmarks scattered all around, my browser Bookmarks were about to explode, but now… it’s a lot better.

Clipix is safe because its privacy settings are customizable and our bookmarks can be shared with a limited number of selected people. Here’s a screenshot:

How does Clipix work?  

It’s very simple. When you signup, you will be given a “Clip” (javascript) button to add to your bookmarks bar. Then everything gets really easy.

You drag a bookmark to the Clipboard (inside your account dashboard) or you click the “Clip” button when you visit a page that you like. As you click, a box will open and you’ll be able to pick a category (default or created by you) in which to place the bookmark.

There is also an iPhone App for those who like to keep their bookmarks handy as they travel. Clips can also be commented and shared on Facebook or Twitter.

So, is there a limit to things we can do with clipix? Nah, I don’t think so. :) Just our imagination. ;)

Why is Clipix really good for WAHMs?

Moms are always running errands, making notes, taking care of their children and the house, cook, work, repair, etc. Hey, we’re 24/7 working machines! So we really need to get everything organized in our lives. Perhaps we need to keep our recipes handy, tutorials on how to take better care of our babies, or when we need checklists and to-do-lists under our eyes as we do things and work.

If you comment on this post, please let me know how you’d use clipix. :) I’m completely open to discussion, funny ideas and much more.

Fellow moms, join in!

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1. Kids’ Clothes

If you have a growing family with small children, you know how expensive kids clothing is.  Fortunantly, it is really easy to find inexpensive, cute clothing for kids. Since children under five years old grow out of, rather than wear out, their clothes, the Salvation Army, thrift stores, swap meets and garage sales are the places to go to fill your kids’ closets. You can find practically new, reasonably priced clothes in an endless variety for pennies, when compared to department store prices. Check each item for quality and make an offer if you have assembled several pieces, especially if you are at a garage sale or swap meet. Another money saving idea is to buy for the upcoming season whenever you see an appropriate item in the right size. Your kids will be so well dressed your friends and family will think you spent a fortune at expensive department stores.

2. Home and Garden
One of the fastest and easiest ways to find products for your home and garden is to go online and check out the websites, like Craigslist, for the items that you need. You can find new and used products of every kind and in a wide range of prices. Whether you need a chain saw, a dog kennel, or a car seat, if you are willing to put in a small amount of time, it shouldn’t take long to find several ads for any item. I suggest you do a little reaearch beforehand, though. Check out several sites for items you want, so you can compare them with the ads you find. Read ads carefully to be sure of the quality of the item you are interested in, as well as the price and how far you may have to drive to pick it up. Call the advertiser, ask questions about the quality and age of the item and why the advertiser is selling it. If, at this point, you are still interested in the item, set up a time to go view it. Check the item closely for quality, wear, and functionality before you commit to the purchase. If it is an item that runs on electricity, gas or batteries, ask to turn it on so you can assess its level of performance. Once you’ve gotten this far and made the decision to purchase the item, always make a fair offer. Most people will consider a reasonable counter offer and you may end up getting an even better deal than you expected.

3. Trade, Swap and Exchange
If you are a service professional, you can advertise on-line to trade your services for someone else’s. If you have a service speciality such as lawn and garden maintenance, house painting, pet grooming or carpet cleaning, you can offer an “of equal value” trade. Be sure to ask for qualifications or certifications from any service provider if what you need done is a health or safety concern such as electrical work, automabile repair, or anything structural. Be prepared to show anyone responding to your ad your qualifications. You may only want to use this service trade for minor services such as lawn or yard care, simple household repairs and maintenance or services such as cleaning or hauling. Besides professional services you can also offer to trade items of similar value and quality. For instance, you could ask to trade in infant car seat, stroller and bassinet for an older childs bed set and dresser.

Camille Rogers saves money by visiting helpful websites, like www.backgroundcheck.org.

At the beginning of 2012, Walgreens lets us know of a new special discount on the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club annual memberships:

• $35 a year for a family membership that covers your immediate family: your spouse, your children under 22 and your pets
• $20 for individual memberships (if you live alone).

Each membership comes with additional benefits that include:

• Savings on 8,000 brand-name products and more, plus all generic drugs available
• Discounts on sensitive medicaments, such like flu shots, nebulizers and diabetic supplies. Nebulizers are included in the discount offer too.
• Bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and use Walgreens photofinishing services.

This offer could save families with children several hundred dollars in health insurance and expenses, and it would provide discounts that, summed up, translate in free products. As a mother, my suggestion is to compile a list of absolute necessity drugs to get at discount price, and more specific drugs that may need to wait for more special offers, but that are used less often or only on certain times of the year (e.g. allergy from blossoming flowers, asthma, etc.).

As customers and fans, we can do something to show Walgreens our support, and to get fresh updates from their network. If you have a social media account you can:

• ‘Like’ Walgreens on Facebook
• ‘Follow’ Walgreens on Twitter

Let’s help Walgreens help us more!

Graduated weight. This concept is simple: the more weight you carry throughout your normal routine, the more calories your body burns, and the greater your endurance. Being pregnant is like having a weight strapped to your body 24/7 – a weight that gets heavier and heavier over time. There’s perhaps no better, easier, or more natural way to increase your stamina, strength, and calorie burning ability than through pregnancy.

The sleep cycle. Anyone who has ever gone through a pregnancy knows how very difficult (and even impossible) it can be to get a complete night’s sleep. Exercise helps your body get into sleep mode faster at night, and also helps you stay there.

That ache-y pregnancy body. Pregnancy can be downright uncomfortable sometimes, when you consider all that stretching and adjusting your body must do. The more physically fit you are, the better your muscles and joints are able to handle the physical stresses of pregnancy – and with less pain.

Happy chemicals. Exercise releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin into your bloodstream. These chemicals makes you feel great mentally and emotionally, which is a great natural way to counteract those hormone adjustments.

Childbirth. The stronger your core muscles are and the more stamina you have, the easier a time your body will have getting through childbirth. When every agonizing push counts, you’ll feel grateful those abs are strong enough to push a little harder.

The aftermath. The most obvious reason for exercising during pregnancy is that you will be in better shape after you give birth. This means you will feel better, have more energy, and fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans much sooner.

Of course, the most important thing during your pregnancy is to protect your growing fetus’s health. Therefore, you should always consult with your obstetrician before embarking on any exercise routine. Also, be sure not to overexert yourself, or to do any exercises that might be unsafe for you or baby during your pregnancy. Make it a point to ask your doctor what, specifically, you should stay away from . . . and also make it a point to have fun

About the Author:  Clark Flower is a certified phlebotomist has done all sort of clinical healthcare progams and hold degrees such as CMA, CCMA, CMAA, FLWD, NAC, CNA, NAA-CLS through AAMA & NHA and is also a certified phlebotomist, his research work on topic of venipucture has appeared in several health journals. Clark has educated thousands of entry level students in phlebotomy training and you can find more about his phlebotomy training association at http://www.associationphlebotomytraining.com/.

On 2011, Walgreens tried to negotiate with Express Scripts to get a new contract and continue being a part of its pharmacy provider network. However, Express Scripts didn’t accept, so as of January 1st of 2012, Walgreens is no longer distributed by E. S. across the States, including the Duane Reade pharmacies in the New York City area.

I’m not sure whether I should describe this situation as ‘catastrophic‘ or to simply tell my readers ‘Look, Walgreens is gone, so go and pick another brand for your medical needs.‘

It’s a catastrophic situation because the Walgreens and Express Script dispute turns into trouble for all patients living on prescription drugs branded ‘Walgreens’. Patients (the ‘customers’) are also employees whose employers chose Walgreens as a pharmacy option, and US troops who make use of the Tricare health program, which is supported by Walgreens indeed.

It’s also catastrophic to all patients who own an Express Scripts prescription insurance card – they and their health plans are the first to be affected by this situation.

Gladly Walgreens never abandons its patients, even though we all know it’s not enough, seen that the debate is still fresh. The Walgreens Prescription Savings Club is offering very cheap annual memberships to help families (it covers you, your spouse, your children and pets) get their necessity drugs for just $10/year, while an individual membership will cost $5. That’s so little compared to other brands! It’s also so touching that they’re doing everything they can even at a risky time like this… it shows the great care Walgreens has for its customers/patients. :)

We can do something to help Walgreens too. If you have a social network account you can:

• ‘Like‘ Walgreens on Facebook
• ‘Follow‘ Walgreens on Twitter

Let’s help Walgreens together!

If you’re frustrated about getting to the end of another year without saving any money and scraping by at the end of every month, it might be time to put a little effort into cutting your expenses and spending so 2012 is a better year for you. If you take a couple of hours and set up a reasonable system, it’s much easier than you think to start saving.

Check out last year’s costs

You don’t have to nitpick every single item you purchased, but go back through your card statements to get a good general idea of where your money goes each month. Mint, an online site that gathers and separates your data, can help you do this, but it won’t be able to gather for the entire year if you just start it now. Still, you’ll be able to see a couple of months back and will give you pretty specific numbers. Once you know how much you spend, you’ll be able to quickly find areas to cut (you spent $400 on toys and Starbucks last month? Maybe it’s time to pare that down).

Review and cut down your regular expenses

The easiest things to cut down are your monthly bills, mostly because it takes absolutely no willpower to do so. All you have to do is research a little and make some calls. Phone bills, cable bills, and car insurance bills are the first places to go. Check prices with other companies, call your current provider and ask for a discount, or change your policy and cut out things you don’t use that are costing you money. Anything you save by doing this should be set up to automatically transfer into savings each month (or into high-interest credit card debt) so it’s out of the way and helping you instead of getting spent.

Create a simple budgeting system

The reason most budgets fail is because they are too restrictive and need a lot of willpower to accomplish, which is something most humans just aren’t very good at. Instead, create a system that works for you and isn’t too complicated. Go to cash-only, so you only have a certain amount each month and it’s obvious when you run low. Immediately take 10% out of your bank account as soon as your paycheck arrives and throw it towards debt or into an emergency fund (out of sight, out of mind) and you’ll spend what’s in your account while still managing to save.

You can also only cut down a few specific things (allow yourself one new piece of clothing a week or only buy toys second-hand) so you’re not completely depriving yourself. Whatever you do, stick to it and make it as automatic as possible. Use auto bill-pay to set aside your cash each month and create good habits to take the place of expensive ones.

If you put a little time and effort into saving your money, you can make 2012 a much more worry-free year, and you’ll be able to start saving towards your goals of retirement, travel, a corvette, or whatever you’ve wanted but could never afford.

Photo credit: Credit Cards by Andres Rueda

Thomas Hathaway is a financial consultant. He suggests there are times when a payday loan may come in handy when you have financial urgency prior to a pay date and your emergency fund is low.

Find most exciting Twitter application on the internet just here. You can have lots and lots of fun with application and make you tweet easy. You can have access to different twitter related applications that can access twitter and get information related to your twitter account. You can optimize your twitter account by getting the Report Card for your twitter, getting the latest trends that may be beneficial to you interest, auto following the followers and more.

Dear moms and fellow Robocity citizens,

I’ve been told of a Great Holiday Deal at Spring.com which I believe could turn out useful to many of you, especially to those who have a passion for techy devices or are parents to geek loving teenagers.

The deal regards FREE Android™ powered EVO 4G devices that are being offered with FREE activation on new service lines and a discounted phone plan - Everything Data Plan for $79.99/month OR Simply Everything® Plan at $109.99/month.

Mobile devices are a rare freebie to get, especially when the product is new and pretty notorious among the public – I believe an offer like this is a real STEAL and we all should take advantage of it while supplies last. ;) Oh, before I forget – every plan comes with Unlimited Data too! This is an additional deal that I think will come handy to those who use mobile devices massively and several times a day.

Let’s be nice with Nature!

There’s a green initiative by Sprint.com that is absolutely worth mentioning: the possibility to give up your old phone and get up to $250 for it in exchange — let’s thank the Sprint Buyback program for this chance to help both ourselves and our beloved envinronment!

It often seems like you have to shell out hundreds of dollars and spend days slaving away in order to make your house beautiful for the holidays. If you put some thought into your decorating, though, you can make beautiful decorations that don’t cost much and aren’t very complicated.

Greenery

One of the easiest ways to decorate for the holidays is to purchase some cheap garlands, wreaths, or other greenery (living or fake) and use it strategically throughout your house. Hang a wreath above the fireplace, twine some garlands into your centerpiece, or twist some around the banisters to give your home a splash of color. If it’s living, it could also add a pine scent to the place, adding to the Christmas feel.

While this stuff might seem expensive at first, you can often purchase it for fairly cheap at Christmas tree lots, cut a few bottom branches off your tree, or use coupons to buy the fake kind from craft stores. Around this time of year, 50% off coupons begin cropping up, making anything you might want for your decorating to suddenly become an extremely reasonable price.

Salt

Salt is cheap and it’s the perfect snow substitute. With very little effort, you can incorporate salt to make your decorating elegant and perfect for the holidays. Take a few glass vases or jars (which you can get from any thrift store or craft store for almost nothing), cover them in Mod Podge, and then roll in course salt. With very little work, you can make candle holders and vases that look stylish and wintry without spending much money at all. If the glass is frosted or white, it looks even better.

You can also take small jars and fill them a quarter full with salt and then push a votive candle into the salt. As simple as it sounds, they can look very nice placed around the house or adding light to a walkway.

Cranberries

Cranberries add a pop of color into your decorations, and a bag can cost very little around the holidays (especially if you look for coupons first). Use cranberries to brighten up a wreath, add some color to the table, or a variety of other ways. Put a smaller jar or vase inside of a larger one and fill the space between the two with cranberries. This will make the vase look as if it’s filled with the beautiful red berries without wasting bags of them, and you can even fill the inner vase with water and have live branches or other plants in it.

If you use these cheap and easy-to-find materials in your home decorating, you’ll find that a beautifully-decorated house doesn’t need to cost a ton or take hours of work. Sometimes simpler is better, and you’ll find that decorating with natural items gives your home a nicer ambiance during the holiday season. Keep an eye out for other similar products that you can add to your decorations without making it look too cluttered and soon your house will look like a TV house, without all the costs.

Photo Credit: Xmas table centerpieces by Mike Licht/flickr

Coupons on Coupon Croc can save you a bundle on your everyday purchases in the UK. Tom Blanchard, a coupon addict, uses them on a regular basis to save on his family’s budget.

You are not perfect and neither is your child

Your child has a heritage and history that you cannot wish away or steal from them.  Even my son adopted as a baby craves understanding of his Russian and Asian roots, his other family.   Are you truly prepared for children who do not share your ethnicity? In what ways will you foster connections to their roots?  Dyed Maroz delivers presents in our house and we celebrate Christmas on both December 25 and twelve days later when it is done in the Russian Orthodox tradition.  The Russian language is spoken as much as possible.

What is your motivation for adoption?

Is it to give a loving home to a child that needs it or as a replacement for biological children?  Neither is wrong, necessarily, but if it is the latter, you have to move past the “replacement” mentality.  It’s unfair to your child.  Accept them for who they are, not who you want them to be.

As an aside, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people segregate their children, even in their obituary, according to how they came into their lives.  I have seven children.  Period.  How I got them is none of your business.  A photo might tell you which are adopted, but maybe not.  Ask each them and they will tell you that they are my favorite.

It is not about you.

It is about the child and what is best for the child.  Do your homework ahead of time and answer all your questions honestly – at least with yourself.  Understand the child’s legal, medical and emotional background and what that might mean.  For example, internationally adopted children can have misleading medical histories.  What if you bring your child home and find something seriously wrong?  What if your domestically adopted infant arrives very prematurely?  You must consider all best-case and worst-case scenarios for your own well-being and your child’s.

Understand attachment disorders and other more-common-than-you-think conditions

Your initial days may or may not be sunshine and roses and I can guarantee that there will be issues as your child learns to trust you and to understand that yours is a permanent relationship.  Ours ranged from typical 5 year old tantrums with a little Russian name calling thrown in to full-blow Reactive Attachment Disorder (running away, being arrested, physical violence).  With internationally adopted children, this is an especially sensitive area.  Keep in mind that you’ve taken them away from their “family” (orphanage friends and caregivers), culture, language and homeland.  They are not going to thank you for this.  They are happy to have a mom and dad, but it takes time for these kids to understand what this means.  Expect it to take as long as it takes.

Advocate for your own family

Your agency will not.  Adoption Agencies market themselves with the best of intentions but no homestudy is in depth enough to provide them the insights they need to make sure an adoptive placement is a good fit.  You must be honest and avoid altruism.  You must continue to press for information and ask questions.  If you don’t like the answers, admit it.  And be aware that some, hopefully not all, agencies use the funds raised by adoption fees to fund other programs.  For these agencies, placements are numbers driven, not family centric.  If you are feeling rushed or pressured to do something you don’t want, press the pause button and reassess.  It is far better to admit ahead of time that this child might not be a fit for your family than to make a disastrous decision that you realize too late.

Considering all of these warnings, I cannot stress enough what a blessing adoption has been for our family.  We have completed three adoptions – two international and one from the foster care system that was the result of an international adoption failure from another family.  We have first-hand experience with the challenges and rewards of adoption and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Lisa Sharp is a mother of 7, military wife, traveler and blogger who blogs about simple solutions and Personal Lean Six Sigma at LisaSharp.com. Lisa checks her work with Grammarly grammar checker to ensure the highest level of grammatical excellence.

There was a time when kids would play in the mud, run around in the backyard and play hide and seek with their neighbors for fun. Now, in the 21^st century, most kids no longer do this. Why should they when they have the ipad2, the galaxy tab, the Nintendo wii, the TV and a host of other “techi” stuff to keep them entertained. Instead of playing in the mud, they play angry birds. Instead of rolling around the front yard, they fiddle around with their ipad2. Instead of playing tag with other kids, they watch Transformers 2 on TV.

Technology has many advantages. It has made things faster and easier for us. But is it ruining the growth and development of our children? According to Stevie Nicks, technology has ruined our children in many ways. They used to go out and play. But now, all they do is sit in front of their computers.

I believe that technology is neither good nor bad. It’s neutral because technology is merely a tool that you can use for good or for bad. It’s not the fault of our children that they have become engrossed in the many technological wonders society holds. After all, it’s what they have woken up to. It is the responsibility of the parents to monitor their children’s activities. You don’t have to prohibit them from using gadgets. The keyword here is to moderate.

Give them specific time frames. If they want to play angry birds, allow them 30 min max. After that, encourage them to go out and play. Another way to encourage good clean fun is to get a dog. Dogs are great playmates. Having a dog for a pet will encourage your children to run around and enjoy themselves. And if you teach your child to take care of his pet, it can teach him to be responsible as well.

Technology has its own disadvantages and advantages. But it’s neither good nor bad. Whether you benefit from it or not will ultimately depend on you.

“Amy C. is an interior decoration aficionado and online marketer.  Aside from being an avid reader, she also likes testing and trying new home and office decorating themes.  In addition to being an interior decoration hobbyist, she enjoys designing accent tables and candle lanterns.

I went grocery shopping earlier in the afternoon and I met little Ratchet D. Allen (our doctor’s son) filling his basket with a lot of snacks for school. We had a nice conversation. That kid is really smart. He says he wants to become an x ray technician to be able to do more for patients coming to Med Bay in Robocity, both humans and robots. I thought that was very mature of him to think of, and I wished him good luck. An x-ray technician… that’s certainly an expensive university course to enrol to, but who knows?, perhaps when Ratchet will be 19 courses will get a little cheaper than they are now.

Ratchet seems to want to study online for his courses. He fell in love with MIT OpenCourseware and he’s looking for a course that delivers its teaching the same way. I’m absolutely PRO online education, you know, but I can’t overlook the CONs too… lack of face-to-face interaction, commuting difficulties when time comes to take exams… a lot of things. There are a lot of articles online explaining how to make the best from an online course, but I think every student should be responsible enough to consider his/her own financial situation too.

Oh well, if anything, Ratchet is a good boy, even too responsible for his age. My kids? There’s plenty of time to think of that still.

Image credit: onlineshools.info

Anyway, I’m following a Make Up course here in town, organized by a local girl called Chromia Yelenis (chromia.hyrule.nu). I’ve always read about Cosmetics Tips on the web, I followed good discussions on women only forums, but these things and Make Up Tutorials together don’t make enough without a good course on how to apply safe make up. How to call that? “Theory is nothing without practice.” Yes, that would do.

I’m off to sleep now. Believe me, I’m pretty much burnt out these days… Goodnight.

Being a full-time mother is an extremely fulfilling job description. Here are the top 4 benefits of being a stay at home mom.

You’ll be able to spend more quality time with your family. Time is the best gift you can give to anyone. When you give it, there is no taking it back. The more quality time you spend with your family, the closer you can grow. Children grow up fast. As a stay at home mom, you will be able to take advantage of the limited time you have together. While the kids are young, create good memories. They will treasure these memories when they grow up.

You’ll be able to guide your children more. It is the duty of every parent to guide their children. While they are young, teach them how to be responsible adults. Inculcate in them good values and a winning mindset. Sure, you can always tell them to be good. But we learn best through modeling. So it’s not enough that you tell them what to do. You have to show them. You won’t be able to do this if you are barely around. Stay at home moms have this advantage.

You’ll be able to be there for you children when they need you. Children need more than financial support from their parents. They also need moral and emotional support. As a stay home mom, you can be there to provide them with whatever support they need as they are growing up. Whether they have a piano recital or a basketball game to play, you can be there to support them every step of the way.

You’ll actually be part of their growth and development. It is when kids are young that you have the most impact. Stay at home moms can be there during the firsts of their children’s life. You can be there to witness the first step, their first day of school, their first recital…Theses are the moments that are vital to every parent.

Life has many things to offer. And one of the best is motherhood.

“Amy C. is an interior decoration aficionado and online marketer.  She also likes testing and trying new home and office decorating themes.  In addition to being an interior decoration hobbyist, she enjoys designing calming solar fountains and glass art.  Amy invites you to browse her delightful collection of glass vases”

Breastfeeding is one of the most rewarding and beneficial ways of caring for your child. It’s rewarding because it offers mother and child a great bonding experience. Aside from this it offers many health benefits not only to the child but the mother as well. Sadly in today’s society there are mothers who think of breastfeeding as unnecessary. With the availability of various brands of milk solutions they think that they no longer need to breast feed. But this is simply not true. Formula milk, no matter how advanced, is not good enough replace breast milk. Nothing can duplicate breast milk properties.

Still not convinced? Here are the top 6 benefits of breastfeeding.

• Breast milk is loaded with nutrients and natural anti-bodies that fortify your baby’s immune system. That is why babies who are breastfed are less prone to sickness.

• Foster bonding. It is important to start cultivating the bond between mother and child early in life. This will allow you to have a deeper relationship with your newborn which can continue on to adulthood.

• Reduced risk of allergic conditions. Breast milk decreases the risk of allergic conditions like eczema and asthma. Because it contains natural vitamins and minerals it allows your baby to have a stronger immune system.

• Breast milk has polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is essential for brain development. This is why some doctors recommend breast milk only in the early years. This will improve cognitive development and make your baby more intelligent.

• Breastfeeding decreases the risk of ovarian and breast cancer. With the prevalence of cancer these days this is good news for mothers out there. At least even in some small way, you are protecting yourself.

• It’s convenient. Unlike formula milk where you have to prepare it and bring it around in a bottle, in breast milk you don’t have to prepare anything. You don’t have to wash, sterilize or set up anything. Plus, for those who are on a budget you will also get to save a lot of money by using breast milk.

“Amy C. is an interior decoration aficionado and online marketer. She also likes testing and trying new home and office decorating themes. In addition to being an interior decoration hobbyist, she enjoys designing calming solar fountains and glass art. Amy invites you to browse her delightful collection of glass vases”

These few steps will lay the foundation for great cooking experiences. The following are some specific tips that will help you teach your kids to cook.

Plan Meals Together

Always involve your kids in the planning of meals. Sure, you may get sick of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, but you want to build excitement around the process.

Ask them what meals they want to have for the next week, and then brainstorm with them to find what ingredients will be needed to carry out those meals and make a shopping list. Don’t worry too much about nutrition right now; building excitement is paramount.

Take Them Shopping

Parents often cherish their alone time in the grocery store without nagging kids, but grocery shopping is a perfect opportunity to teach the kids about fruit and vegetables, weights, prices and more.

And, if you go armed with a list they’re less likely to harass you for that eye-catching candy bar or cereal that they saw on a commercial. You just have to say, “I’m sorry honey, it’s not on our list!” At least this time you won’t be the one in the store with the screaming, frustrated kids.

Preparation Can Be Fun

If your kids are too young to deal with the stovetop or oven, they can certainly still assist with the preparation. Before letting them lose in the kitchen, brush up on some basic safety rules.

Kids can wash vegetables, peel carrots or potatoes, crack eggs, stir, measure, get things from the fridge or pantry and many more tasks. Being patient with them is integral and allowing extra prep time might be a good idea.

Feel free to offer suggestions, but to correct them at this stage may destroy any self confidence they have. And, if that means you smile while crunching through bits of unnoticed eggshell, then so be it!

Don’t Sweat the Mess

Kids are messy, and your kitchen will look like a disaster area before they’re done helping you with the meal. Don’t sweat it! Cleaning up as you go along is the perfect thing to do while they’re taking half an hour to wash a few potatoes.

Remember, this is supposed to be a fun process and if you’re complaining about the mess the fun will go down the drain with the spilled chicken stock.

Teaching your kids to cook should be time spent together that you cherish and look forward to, not a stressed, harried and critical lesson. These tips will get you started. Just remember to take your time, and let their enthusiasm and excitement flow freely.

Annie is food blogger and travel extraordinare for Dobovo, the family-friendly resource for travellers. If you are planning a family trip to Eastern Europe, check us out for affordable apartments in Kiev

My older kids – Rasha and Rollerbot – are obsessed with TracFone videos on YouTube. I really don’t know what else to do to get them away from the PC screen, sigh.

I like the Tracfone, both the cellphone and plans. I just don’t want my kids to run ahead too fast, to enjoy their childhood without killing their early creativity with pieces of technology. I will be happy to gift them with a cellphone when they’ll be 10-11, but not now, absolutely.

Anyway, I like TracFone because it’s a big help with saving up on the phone bill. There are no activation fees, it’s good when we travel around the US and there are no contracts nor credit checks.

The coverage is pretty good and the reception near to excellence. Plus, it provides Senior Value, as it’s an easy-to-use phone for elders – hence, good to keep until we’re old.

The International reception is pretty good too, including price – like a normal call! – and you can Get into Everywhereness with it. Lovely. :)

I could get double minutes for  $119, which isn’t bad. I heard a few fellow Robocitans are considering the purchase of a TracFone too. I’ll talk to them later.

Oh, before I forget; here’s a video testimonial for the TracFone:

I knew the day would come, provided that I carried a big sack of patience on my back and taught my elder children not to intrude little Miki’s private ‘affairs’. Well, it worked, and it’s even more rewarding if we consider that Miki is only 11 months old! Well done, hon! :) Today’s a day to put on the calendar.

In other news, my passion womens clothing seems to be contagious now… because Rasha is showing an ever-growing interest in fashion, particularly those styles that remind —mine. ^^

While I want by all means encourage my daughter’s interests and hobbies, I’d rather she picks her own style and plays with it until she obtains clothing combinations she likes. My style is my own, it reflects my personality, but Rasha must understand that she and her mom are two different persons —with different characters.

To each their own, no?

One thing we simply agree with, though… layered ruffle dresses are wonderful!

You know my point on breastfeeding— I’m a supporter, a LLLI fan and an absolute breast milk activist.

However I don’t like excluding mothers whom cannot breastfeed for a variety of reasons, which often include:

• anorexia
• AIDS
• infections
• lifestyle issues (long trips to no-baby workplaces, etc.)
• no or little milk no matter the efforts.

Cultural taboos can be mitigated with time and patience, but they can constitute a problem when the mother is completely turned down by the idea of feeding from her own body. Such cases happen and they must be dealt with respect and acceptance.

What you need to know about formula feeding

Despite the broad variety of baby formula brands, you need to make sure the product you choose is the best for your baby: while breast milk is naturally tailored to meet your child’s needs, choosing a formula type and brand requires attention to detail on your behalf, especially to avoid any chance of provoking allergic reactions in your baby.

You can play safe with soy milk. If you don’t know, soy baby formula can be an optimal alternative to breast milk. Safer than cow milk, which contain lactose and heavy-to-digest proteins, soy milk is lactose-free and its proteins come from soybeans, more tolerable by the immature and delicate baby’s digestive apparatus.

Store brand formulas are cheaper but quality. Private-label baby formulas can make you save up to $600/year and still provide quality milk for your baby. No, no formula will ever replace your breast milk completely, but it can be a good replacement when things don’t go as they should, and store-brand formula is certainly a good replacement for national brand.

Only switch formula when your baby is not content with the current type. Unless your baby has problems with the current type of formula, do not switch it just because of price or box appearance: your baby is sensitive to taste and digestive differences (it’s different from the delicate switch in taste of breast milk, that changes according to the mom’s meal food) and may refuse to eat.

_{Images credit: storebrandformula.com}