DIY baby shower favors

January 23rd, 2012

When it comes to baby showers, the sky is the limit for party favors. You might be planning a themed event for the parents-to-be that centers around a favorite cartoon or decorating with a traditional color like pink or blue. Whatever you choose, you can keep your decorating costs low by making your own favors. Try one or more of these ideas on for size.

1. Lollipop cookies

Easy to make and a tasty treat for your guests, lollipop cookies can be decorated any way you’d like. Simply mix up a batch of cookie dough (find out beforehand what the parents-to-be’s favorite cookie flavor is), cut into shapes with cookie cutters (you can make your own if you have the time and inclination), and skewer before baking with a cookie stick (available at kitchen-supply or craft stores; soak before using so they don’t burn in the oven). Once the cookies are done, decorate however you’d like. You can write the baby’s name in icing if the parents have already chosen it, congratulatory messages, or something simple and cheery like happy faces. Once the cookies are completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap or tissue paper and tie with ribbon or yarn.

2. Diaper cakes

Diaper cakes make a great centerpiece at a baby shower and can include party favors for your guests, as well as gifts for the mom or parents-to-be. The ‘cake’ is made from disposable or cloth diapers and can be assembled atop a piece of wood, cardboard, or platter of your choice. Using a workbench for this type of gift will give you the space to assemble and will be a great catch-all if your project includes the use of glitter or other materials you don’t want scattered across your living room. Add special details like pacifiers, bibs, or rattles, and fill the center of the cake with a special treat, such as sparkling grape juice or champagne to toast baby’s arrival, or other gifts you know the parents will appreciate.

3. Jellybean-filled baby bottles

Miniature baby bottles filled with treats make great baby shower favors. Give guests something to snack on while gifts are being opened or a nice treat they can take with them for later. Bottles can be filled with pink or blue jellybeans, a mix of the two colors if the mother-to-be is expecting boy/girl twins, another color entirely like lime green or yellow to match a party’s décor, or popcorn-flavored jellybeans that will complement an “about to pop” theme.

No matter what you choose to make for an upcoming baby shower, know that it can be both fun and practical for the soon-to-be-parents. Put your DIY skills to use and create some “awww!”-inspiring favors that guests and the parents-to-be will enjoy long after baby arrives.
Holly is an Indianapolis native who enjoys soccer and blogging on behalf of Sears and other brands she uses. She loves using her workbench for a range of creative projects, including repotting plants and painting with watercolors.

Tags: diy favors
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Keep-Up the Innocent Smile of your Babies Intact

January 21st, 2012

Do you have a cute little baby, who giggles holding the tip of your finger in his or her little grip? Do you want to welcome him or her in your life in a special way? Well, then you might be planning for arranging a special christening party for your baby. However, have you planned special christening gifts for your baby? Yes, only a perfect baby gift can make the celebration of christening wonderful for your baby.

Well, the little bundle of joys might not understand the value of the gifts at this innocent stage of their life, but the little hearts can catch the frequency of love that you convey buying special christening gifts for them. If you are in a fix about what to buy for your baby, here is a list of baby gifts to help you pick the best gift for your baby.

A beautiful room as a special gift for your baby

In this situation, special christening gifts for your baby will be his or her own room. Yes, this is the right time to decorate your baby’s room as you want. Choose bright colors to paint the walls, print cartoons on it, and make it as attractive as you can. The little eyes of the baby will surely catch the glitters around him or her, and it will bring sweet smile in his or her face.

Gifts for caring your baby in a better way

Since your baby is really delicate, you must take care of him or her in a proper way.

Go for buying a skin care product kit for your baby, so that his or her skin can stay as smooth as it is. It will be a special baby gift for your baby.

There are different baby care products available in the market, which comes in special gift kits comprising a lotion, powder, shampoo, oil, and cream especially meant for the babies. This gift will make your baby glow and smile in a better way.

If you are buying warm clothes or baby beddings as christening gifts, never compromise with the quality, because your baby needs extra care from you.

Gifts for your little angle and baby boys

Soft toys
Teddy bears
Silver food set with his or her name engraved
Small jewelries, like: pendants, bracelets
Pink photo frames to decorate his or her room
Baby keepsake albums to keep the precious memories of the childhood intact

Since, your baby is special for you, go for buying these special christening gifts for him or her, because they deserve to get the best in life.

Tags: baby gifts
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Kids Who Drink and Drive May Blame It on Their Parents

January 17th, 2012

Teenagers do crazy things that may on occasions jeopardize their life. Drinking and driving is probably the most foolish type of behavior that unfortunately both adults and teenagers get involved in.

Is it stupidity or machismo that affects the rational safety decisions of teens? Science may have another type of explanation. A new study ordered by the US government may as well have the answer about drinking and driving in teens.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found out that the children of parents who have a history of drinking and than getting behind the wheel are very likely to repeat the mistakes of their parents.

Yet again, studies confirm that children mimic their parents and use them as role models. The new study sums up results on the basis of 67,500 people questioned. About 18 percent of the teens whose moms drink or use drugs before driving have done the same.

Only 11 percent of the teens whose parents were uninvolved in risky driving committed the mistake of drinking alcohol and getting in the car. According to the study, the behavior of fathers is even more influential, since 21.4 percent of the teens whose fathers drink and drive have committed the same dangerous mistake.

The fact that parents act as a role model is easy to understand, even in the case of troubled families. Though teenagers tend to be quite rebellious, they look up to mom and dad in unfamiliar situations that they have no experience handling.

Irresponsible parent behavior may cost the life of a child and the sad news is that many adults fail understanding the fact. Some parents probably do not even care, yet the statistics are there to show what their behavior is capable of accomplishing.

Drunk driving is the main reason for so many deaths and accidents on the road. As a parent, you are responsible for your own health and the well-being of family members. This involves both physical actions and acting as a role model for your children.

The sad statistics show that car crashes are the leading cause of teen death in the US. Figures are shocking – eight teenagers died in a vehicle crash on a daily basis in 2009. Do the math and you will get a quite disturbing annual number.

In addition, teenagers lack the experience of older drivers. Their reactions may be illogical and they will have difficulties assessing the situation properly. This fact alone is a sufficient reason for car accidents. Adding drunk driving to the equation makes the situation even more troublesome.

As a mom or a dad you want the best for your child. Teaching the kid right from wrong is one side of the story. Being a role model and teaching be example is a separate story. Be responsible when getting in the car to drive somewhere. Even if your child acts tough and uninterested, you are the person to be looked upon as a model. This role is hugely important, accept it carefully and cautiously.

Tags: drink and drive, driving
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To Work or to be a Stay at Home Mom – What do the Experts Say?

January 12th, 2012

You have given birth to a wonderful baby and you want to spend a lot of precious moments in the company of your child. Each mom will have to make an important decision about the road she is going to take from that point on.

One of the options you have is to be a stay at home mom. For many ladies, this opportunity holds special appeal. You will get the chance to take care of your family without having to deal with office-related problems, project deadlines and large amounts of pressure.

Many women, however, are either financially obliged to continue working or loving their career. This option allows for professional growth but it minimizes the amount of time spent with family.

Should you be a stay at home mom or should you continue working after your child is born? A new study may offer some useful insight that will help you take the right decision.

According to the study, working moms tend to be healthier than stay at home moms. They also show fewer signs of depression. At the same time, study findings conclude that moms working part-time are the happiest ones.

Moms that have full-time jobs experience significant difficulties connected to balancing their professional and personal lives. The study was presented in December 2011 and it appeared in the Journal of Family Psychology.

The ladies that went back to work after the birth of their child turned out to be much healthier than stay at home moms. In addition, being a part-time worker made those moms more sensitive towards the experiences and needs of their children.

Part-time working moms provided their kids with better learning opportunities. They were more involved in the children’s upbringing than the stay at home moms, as paradoxical as the statement sounds. Moms who worked full-time experienced difficulties connected to spending quality time with their children and being fully involved in the educational processes.

This is just another piece of information that can help you make an exceptionally difficult life decision.

According to statistics from several years ago, the number of stay at home moms is increasing. The desire to be a good mom combined with the financial crisis, making many ladies abandon their career.

The desire for personal fulfillment clashes with every lady’s intrinsic desire to take the best possible care of children. Whether stay at home moms are less healthier than working moms is probably a factor that will have little influence over the decision of ladies. Still, the study provides some useful and intriguing pieces of information.

According to it, a road in the middle of the two traditional opportunities is the best one. A part-time job will contribute to the family budget. At the same time, it will provide a lady with a sufficient amount of time available for taking care of her family.

What do you think about it? How did you choose between spending more time with your child and going back to work? Was it an easy decision to make and are you happy with the results?

Tags: child care, stay at home mom, work
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One of World’s Smallest Babies Manages to Beat All Odds

January 10th, 2012

Babies born too early are exposed to great danger and many of them fail surviving. Several special stories have been shared to prove the statistics wrong.

Two miraculous cases – of a child and a young lady demonstrate that sometimes a bit more than science is at work. A girl and a lady are in the lead of the world’s smallest babies to be ever born. Both of them are doing fine and experiencing no health problems whatsoever.

One of the prematurely born ladies is called Madeline Mann. She is currently 22 and she was born when her mother was nearly 27 weeks pregnant. Mann, born in 1989, was the world’s smallest baby to survive – her weight was solely 9.9 oz. In 2004, another lady was born with an exceptionally small size. Rumaisa Rahman’s weight was solely 9.2 oz and she was born when her mother was nearly 26 weeks pregnant.

The Journal of Pediatrics examined these miraculous and inspiring cases and the manner in which the two girls developed. Although smaller than their peers, both Madeline and Rumaisa developed normal functions and abilities.

According to the study, the two girls were exceptionally small for the current stage of their mom’s pregnancy, which turns both of the cases into something exceptional. Doctors believe that the two cases are somehow miraculous, since common medicine cannot explain the fact that the two small babies managed to survive and develop in a normal manner.

According to medical studies, most children born this early and this small have difficulties surviving. Even if they do, the children develop health problems and medical conditions that interfere with the quality of their life.

Both Rumaisa and Madeline come to counter such theories. Babies born their size may experience cerebral palsy or asthma connected to the usage of ventilators after the premature birth. The two girls experience no such problems and medics have difficulties understanding why and how this is happening.

Medicine is moving forward and doctors are doing their best to ensure the survival and well-being of prematurely born babies. According to recent studies, mothers that receive some steroids experience faster lung development in the fetus. Thus, even if the baby is born prematurely, it has a higher chance of surviving and being healthy.

The mother in which a mother takes care of the baby after it is born will play a role, as well. Both Rumaisa and Madeline’s moms did an exceptionally good job of making sure their daughters were healthy. Many doctors believe that better instruction can help moms cope with the problems connected to a prematurely born and small child.

These two inspiring stories prove that miracles do happen. It takes a bit of luck, a bit of help from above and good parental care to ensure that a child gets the best. Rumaisa and Madeline are medical miracles and while science is still incapable of explaining these two cases, it is always inspiring to find out that exceptions to the rule exist.

Tags: baby, pregnancy, premature birth
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Is Your Doctor Honest Enough about Your Child Being Overweight?

January 5th, 2012

Being delicate or being irresponsible – these are the two possibilities about your doctor providing misleading information. This is the case when it comes to important questions like childhood obesity. A problem that is haunting the country remains tremendously unspoken about, which makes the situation even worse.

According to a very troubling study, less than a quarter of the parents of overweight children have received information about this condition from a family physician. The vast majority of doctors make no mention of excess weight and the dangers connected to it.

Many parents are willing to undertake specific corrective measures, as long as a doctor gives professional advice. Otherwise, the situation is likely to remain unchanged and the condition will probably get worst.

People often lack information about appropriate nutrition, especially when it comes to the dietary needs of children. The fact that many doctors keep silent about it does nothing to increase awareness and knowledge concerning obesity.

Obesity is a serious medical problem rather than an aesthetic one. It is the responsibility of doctors to warn parents about early signs of inappropriate weight accumulation. A healthy diet can change the trend, thus improving the health of a child and minimizing the chance of other medical complications connected to being overweight.

According to analysis of federal government data, only 22 percent of the parents of overweight children received a warning from a doctor. The analysis pool consisted of 5000 instances of overweight children.

Nearly 58 percent of the parents said that a doctor never really told them that the child was obese. The findings of this analytical experiment were published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine journal.

Obesity statistics are exceptionally troublesome in the US and the fact that many doctors keep silent about it adds nothing to improving the situation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity figures have tripled over the past 30 years.

In the 1980s, seven percent of the children in the US were obese. In 2008, the figure reached nearly 20 percent, a staggering increase. The percentage of teens experiencing obesity problems went up from five to 18 percent.

Medics and school representatives are certainly to blame alongside parents. Many parents have all the great intentions in the world but they lack the knowledge about the symptoms of the problem and the best road to follow.

It is curious to find out why doctors are keeping silent about this problem. One possibility is that they are failing to consider childhood obesity a serious problem. An alternative explanation is that they want to spare the feelings of parents who will feel uneasy about the obesity of a child. Whichever the reason is, it demonstrates lack of responsibility and the desire to inform society about this problem.

Do you receive information from your doctor about the weight of your child and the healthy range for the age? Are you intentionally asking your doctor to provide such information? What could the reason for the silence of a healthcare professional on the topic of obesity be?

Tags: medicine, nutrition, obesity
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How Car Automation is Hurting Teenager’s Basic Driving Skills

January 3rd, 2012

Vehicle automation is a good thing, or so we think. It increases safety and minimizes the chance of a human error jeopardizing the life and well-being of passengers. Unfortunately, the story happens to be far from 100 percent positive.

Automation of basic functions and controls means that drivers grow lazy and excessively reliant on technology. The situation becomes even more troublesome when young drivers come under consideration – the fact that they are used to the new generation of vehicles signifies these people will be lacking some basic driving skills.

Teens who are currently learning how to drive will lack the basic skills to take control in a situation that automatic operations will simply experience failure. We know this can happen but the problem in the case of vehicle automation failure is that it can cost somebody’s life.

Why is Automation Bad?
Technical geniuses have certainly come up with automatic safety features for the benefit of car drivers and passengers. When did the intentions go wrong?

Innovative safety features decrease the alertness level of the driver. This can be potentially dangerous since the person in control will be relying excessively on technology. History, however, has shown that technology tends to be faulty on occasions.

Teenagers are even more susceptible to such innovations. The reason for this is simple – they know of no alternative. Will a teen know how manual shifting works or what needs to be done in the case parktronic fails?

This is why learning the hard, old-fashioned way is always better. Getting acquainted with innovations is always easy. Being familiar with manual control practices that increase safety is always a more challenging task.

Driving Skills that Hi-Tech Functions Jeopardize
According to statistics, fewer than 10 percent of the new car models feature manual shifting and a clutch pedal. Teens are likely to stare in wonder when faced with the task of driving a manual shift vehicle.

Manual transmission is quite easy to use but getting to master it will require some time. The technique itself requires practice. What happens when a teenager lacks it?

The same applies to parallel parking. Honestly, how much time did it take you to master this technique? Some new car models are perfectly capable of parking on their own, requiring only minimal driver involvement. Though parallel parking is far from a life-saving skill, it will certainly minimize discomfort and the chance of having property and infrastructure damaged.

Some technologies have also been developed to help drivers handle dangerous situations that may occur during poor weather – snowfall, ice on the road or sleet. Lacking the knowledge to control a car on an icy road will be life threatening. Traditional driving learning provides minimal focus on such emergency techniques, which is exceptionally troublesome.

Technological advances are certainly positive, there is no doubt that we should move forward in terms of safety. It is just as important, however, to get back to basics when instruction comes under consideration. Teenagers should definitely be given a chance to learn the heart way – it will save them from a lot of trouble and even danger in the future.

Tags: driving, technology, teenagers
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Firefighters Stand By and Let House Burn Down Because of Unpaid $75 Fee

December 29th, 2011

Firefighters are those noble professionals responsible for saving your life and property in the case of a fire. Is this really so? A recent story puts the theory under question because of the shocking manner in which firefighters handled a recent crisis.

According to msnbc.com, firefighters simply stood there and observed the manner in which a house burned to the ground. The incident happened in South Fulton area, Tennessee because the owners of the house failed to make a payment for fire service subscription.

What happens to be more troublesome is the fact that firefighter inactivity takes place for the second time during a fire. Firefighters in the same area let the house of Gene Cranick burn down because the annual fee remained unpaid.

According to local arrangements, the residents of South Fulton get fire services but everybody living in the surrounding areas will have to pay 75 dollars to benefit from fire protection. This sum is needed for the maintenance of equipment in good quality and for the overall funding of the fire department in the area.

Many people fail to make the payment… simply because of the belief that their property cannot be endangered by a fire. Bad things usually happen to other people or this is what the majority of individuals believe.

This annual subscription policy has come under harsh criticism. Yet city officials have refused to introduce changes.

As each story, this one involves two sides. On one hand, firefighters have the noble mission to protect people in the case of dangerous situations. Many people will panic, lacking an idea what to do and will thus jeopardize their well-being and the life of their dearest individuals.

Should people be offered on-the-spot payment option, which will give both parties to benefit from the situation. Firefighting services need to be available to everyone, exactly because of their specific nature.

At the same time, firefighting equipment is expensive. Firefighters are risking their life on a daily basis to benefit society. They should be receiving a payment corresponding to the dangerous nature of their job.

Both the city officials and the house owners are to blame. It is a personal responsibility of everyone to ensure that access to firefighting services is guaranteed. At the same time, the policy could have been modified after it received harsh criticism.

Is it ethical for firefighters to simply stand on the side, without getting involved? Their decision is questionable, to put it in mild terms. House owners, however, cannot follow the strategy of believing that bad things happen to others, while expecting to receive immediate assistance in the case of a large-scale tragedy.

What do you believe of the Tennessee situation? Which party involved in the questionable incident appears to be right? Will you ever refrain from making a firefighting service subscription payment, knowing that it is the single thing guaranteeing your security in the case of a disaster?

Tags: firefighters, news, society
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Best Ways to Make Your Kids Eat Veggies

December 27th, 2011

Veggies and children – the struggle has been going on for ages and it tends to be a fierce one. Though vegetables are exceptionally healthy, the number of children who like and eat those is exceptionally small.

Is your little one frowning at the plate, refusing to put anything colored green in that cute, little mouth? You may have several opportunities to deal with this problem, while having fun with your child.

A recent UK study was performed to discover the answer. Traditionally, parents rely on punishments and rewards to instill healthy practices and to promote good behavior. This pattern can be modified for the veggie issue to get addressed. Awarding your little one for the consumption of vegetables may be a controversial practice.

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It directs the attention of parents towards various important issues.

Giving your child a reward each time you are happy with behavior could backfire in the future. It often causes young ones to blackmail their parents. At the same time, it will affect the manner in which children eat veggies. The young ones will expect a reward even for the veggies that are liked and consumed with pleasure.

Researchers found out that verbal stimulation is frequently inefficient. You are probably already wondering about this miraculous way that will help parents across the globe and make children eat more vegetables.

The most important manner to handle the issue is to refrain from awarding children with food. Giving your little one a piece of chocolate in exchange for broccoli garnish is a very wrong practice.

Kids can be stimulated in alternative ways. Stickers and additional fun awards can promote learning and make children eat veggies. According to the study, such rewards were also capable of changing the attitude of children towards vegetable. In the beginning of the experiment, little ones rated vegetables as yucky. Over time, this description changed to ok and yummy.

As they got used to the new system, children became more willing to eat vegetables and to try new types of garnishes that were previously considered unsavory.

To carry out the study, researchers made a group of parents use sticker rewards, a second group focused on verbal rewards. Children from the first test group soon started providing vegetable garnished with positive reviews. In addition, the amount of consumed vegetables increased gradually over the 12-day duration of the experiment.

Small awards proved to provide long-term benefits. Once they became used to the new system, children were willing to continue eating veggies over the long term. The strategy is a win-win method. It stimulates children without backfiring and making parents buy expensive new toys and accessories.

If your little one is frowning at the carrots in the plate, you can try coming up with a very inexpensive and symbolical award. The results will become obvious very quickly. Once you instill this healthy habit, you will be enjoying the benefits of the simple strategy for a long period of time.

Tags: health, instruction, nutrition, vegetables
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5 Things that People Normally Pay For that You Can Get for Free

December 22nd, 2011

What are you willing to pay for? Just think about the products and services that help you get through the day, that make you feel good and that entertain you. How much will you be paying for these products and services?

Would the situation change if you knew that you can get some of these for free? Many people fail understanding the items they are paying for. On occasions, providing a payment for something lacks any logic.

If you are wondering about the things you pay for but can actually get for free, here is a top five list that is certain to make you wonder.

Software
Have you ever thought about the significant amount of money you are spending on software? Such products tend to be quite expensive, especially if you are going for the newest version available on the market.

Many free opportunities are out there for you to benefit from. All it takes is a bit of research and comparison of characteristics. The things that you are paying for can actually be discovered for free.

Open-source programs are available for all of your computing needs – document processing, image editing, spreadsheet and presentation creations. Anti-virus programs are also available for free and can be very useful, especially if your online behavior is far from risky.

Accommodation
Hotel accommodation tends to be quite expensive but it certainly is a necessity when you are traveling to another town or a country. Is paying for accommodations really needed?

CouchSurfing has become quite popular for adventurous travelers from across the globe. The website is designed to give travelers and opportunity to find accommodation anywhere they are going to. The people welcoming travelers in their homes are simply enthusiasts who would like to meet new individuals and who are also looking forward towards CouchSurfing accommodation opportunities.

Television for Free
Television is still far from a product that you can get for free. An alternative, however, does exist and it can be a great way to stay entertained without paying anything.

Online television broadcast and video clip sharing websites are just two opportunities you can utilize to watch your favorite shows and programs for free. Anything that you can come up with can be discovered online.

Audio Books for Free
Audio books are a wonderful opportunity to stay entertained. Free audio books are available through non-profit sites and organizations like LibriVox.org.

LibriVox.org allows you to download free audio books, especially classics. The great news is that you can offer support to this wonderful cause by becoming a LibriVoc.org reader – you will be provided with recording software for the generation of a new audio book.

Free Foods for Your Children
Various restaurants offer child meals for free. All you have to do is go to My Kids Eat Free. This website is designed to provide you with information about such restaurants, regardless of your location.

These are just several opportunities for you to get things and services for free. By being creative you will discover wonderful additional opportunities that will help you save money and still enjoy everything you need and love.

Tags: budget, interesting, services
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