Why Do Children Look Cute to Us?

We find every child a cute child. We enjoy looking at the children, love playing with them and share their happiness and innocence with joy. Why? Is it only because the child is a lovely child in looks? That is not true. We mainly enjoy being with children and love them because they are honest. We love children because of their innocence. We love children because we are sure that child will not judge us and that we can be totally free with the children without any fear.
Let us examine our relationship with grown ups. With most of our friends and acquaintances, we are guarded in our approach. We think before speaking. We try to hide most of our true feelings and try to act in a way that we believe will maintain a make believe relationship. How many times, have you thought of shouting at someone, but have refrained from doing so? How many times have you wished to laugh at someone's dressing sense but have stopped that laughter? How many times have you really wanted to tell someone a few things but stopped midway worried that it may spoil the relationship? Please think about the artificial way in which we relate with grown up people. We do all this because we are unsure of ourselves. We are unsure about the other person's reaction and intelligence and we are unsure about the relationship.
With a child nothing of this kind exists. We are free to express ourselves in as many ways as we wish, without any reservations. That is why we love children and call them cute. - Adapted from http://www.articlesbase.com

Halting Homework Hassles

Homework is a child’s responsibility, so we need to be careful how much we help. We want to be aware of what our children are doing and be involved in helpful ways, but not help too much. Avoid the word "we" - it implies that homework is our responsibility. Say, "When are you going to do your homework?" If they are having problems, figure out why.

If children have a time management problem, teach them how to schedule their time, instead of taking over and reminding them. Ask questions like, "How much time do you need for homework? Would you like to do homework right after school or right after dinner? How can you remember when it is time to do your homework?"

If children don’t understand homework, ask questions that help them figure out the answer. "What are you supposed to do here? Where in the book does it talk about this?" If children don’t understand the information, we can try explaining it. We do not have to understand what children are learning to be helpful. We just need to know the skills for helping our children find their own answers. If children need daily help, they may benefit from a tutor more than our taking responsibility for helping them. It’s a delicate balance to be helpful, without fostering dependency, rescuing, or helping too much.

If children forget a book, lunch, or homework, teach organizational skills and use problem solving to let children chose self-reminders. Avoid being their reminder or rescuer. Agree to deliver forgotten items no more than three times per year. After that, the child will need to experience the natural consequence of not having the item.

If children don’t see the value of homework, avoid lecturing. Ask questions like, "Why do you think the teacher wants you to do homework? How can doing homework help you? What will happen if you don’t do it?" Offer one brief value statement like, "Sometimes people ask us to do things they feel are important but we don’t. At work I have to do what my boss asks me to do. School is your job and teachers are your boss. You need to follow the schools rules, even if you don’t agree with them. As long as they aren’t asking you to do something hurtful or wrong, you need to do what they ask to do your job well."

When children don’t do homework on purpose, it could be one of four reasons:
• Children might "act stupid" so teachers (or parents) will pay attention and spend time helping them.
• Children might want to prove that they have power, by refusing to cooperate. "
• Children might not do homework to "punish" a disliked teacher.
• Children may not do their homework because they are so discouraged they have given up.

Children who have given up on school are experiencing a deeper problem. Listen closely to identify the real issue. This is what needs to be resolved. Have children brainstorm possible solutions. You may enlist professional guidance, if indicated. Adapted from http://ezinearticles.com/

Recipe Of The Month - Fantastic Baked Beans

With fall just around the corner I thought you might enjoy this delicious dish. It is great to take to a pitch-in or campfire get-together!

· Brown 1 lb. hamburger w/ 1 chopped onion.
· Add 2 stalks of celery finely chopped—cook till tender
· 1/2 lb. bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces—cook & drain
· Mix 1/2 c. ketchup, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 3 Tbsp. vinegar. 1 tsp. prepared mustard, & salt (optional) together.
· Mix all the ingredients together and add:
1 can small green lima beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can pork & beans

Heat in a large pot and then put in a 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake uncovered 325-350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Not your usual baked beans!

Tire Care and Maintenance Tips

The most recurring maintenance issue that a vehicle owner has to deal with is tire care. This is because it is quite normal for tires to wear out after constant usage and then they have to be replaced with new ones. However, there are many things that you as a vehicle owner can do to extend the lives of the tires and make use of them more efficiently. While this not only saves you time, money and effort, you are also having a positive effect on the environment. Using more new tires means more old ones go to recycling centers and more energy is expended in producing new tires and recycling. So follow the tips below and see how you can use your vehicle tires better and for longer.

Some Maintenance Tips:

A. Maintaining proper tire inflation - A tire that is highly inflated increases stiffness in the tires, which may create unwanted vibration. On the other hand, an under inflated tire, is even more serious, resulting in 'blowouts' that can lead to a sudden loss of control of the vehicle and accidents.

B. Proper Alignment of Wheels - The way the wheels are set in position relative to the axes of the vehicle is called the wheel alignment and if the alignment is not proper, then the tires will not move freely and instead tend to drag.

C. Proper Balancing of Tires - If the tire is to run freely and without too much wear and tear, the entire weight of the tire plus the wheel must be uniformly distributed over the circumference of the tire. If not, tires tend to wear more in the heavy spots.

D. Regular Rotation of Tires - Obviously, not all tires are used in the same manner and to the same extent as others. For example, the front tires tend to work harder because they have to handle the steering action as well as the rolling wear. By regularly rotating tires so that front tires become back and back tires become front, will invariably allow them to run longer.

E. Proper Storage of Tires - If tires are not to be used for a long duration, then it is essential that they be stored in a proper manner.
Following these very simple steps regularly and taking your tires for regular inspection will ensure a long and healthy life for them and your vehicle, and safe riding for you.
Adapted from http://www.articlesbase.com/ By: Richard Crittendon

Simple Solutions To Stop Cat Scratching

When you want to make sure that your cat stops murdering your furniture, take some time to consider some of the following options.

Scratching Post
This is the most common solution, most likely for the fact that it is one of the best ones that you can get in terms of effectiveness. Cats are natural scratchers, and instead of trying to curb their behavior, many people find that it simply works out better if they give them a place to exercise it. Go for a carpet covered post or a raw wood log and put it in a place where your cat will go. Praise your cat when they use it, and if you want to make them interested in it, try rubbing it with catnip or catnip powder.

Trimming Your Cat's Nails
Some cats only scratch lightly or scratch to keep their nails groomed. So if you keep them trim it will cut back on a lot of the scratching. If you go down to the local pet store, or even a local grocery store, they will have pet nail trimmers. To help the process along you should first get your cat used to you handling the paws first. Then, when that's OK, you can trim their claws.

Soft Paws
When you want to make sure that your cat isn't going to scratch, take some time and look at Soft Paws, a product which essentially gives you tiny vinyl caps to place over your cat's claws. A small dot of non-toxic adhesive will keep them on, and it essentially prevents your cat's claws from doing any damage. This is a good solution for people who can't be home to monitor their cats at all times.

Have a cat behavior problem that needs solving? If so, visit http://www.secretsofcats.com today to get expert information on how to train your cat and eliminate cat problems quickly. Adapted from http://www.amazines.com/Pets/

Walk To Lose Weight!

Trying to lose weight is a difficult process for many, especially when there is not enough time in the day and if you haven't exercised in a long time getting back into a routine can be tough. Going back to an intense work out can be difficult and hard on your body. The easiest thing you can do and the best place to start is to walk to lose that extra weight. Walking is a low intensity workout that will help your muscles gradually get back into an exercise routine.

Walking is the easiest and cheapest form of exercise, because we do it everyday. Even couch potatoes have to walk at some point of the day, if it's to the fridge or to get the mail, or even at the grocery store. Adding 30/45 minutes a day of walking can help you lose weight and get in better shape. Taking 3000 steps a day or more is what is recommended to get you started. Purchasing a pedometer will help you reach this goal, and most are small enough to attach to you and no one will notice.

Start with a slow 30 minute walk 3 or 4 times a week and the best time is before you eat. If you start your morning off with a walk around the block will help wake up your body and give you some morning exercise that will make you feel better that a cup of coffee. Trying taking 10 minute walks around your office a couple times a day to get your muscles moving if you are sitting at a desk all day, this will also give you some energy to make it through those crash periods in between meals.

After a couple of weeks step up your weight loss by walking a little faster for 45-60 minutes a day. Start with a slow 10 minute walk and then step up the pace for 40 minutes and then your last 10 minutes slow the pace down again for your cool down. If you find that this is helping and you want to take it a little further add some light hand weights during your walk. Start with 2-3 pounds in each hand, if you can lift them up and down over your head over 100 times without to much strain this is a good weight to use. Men can try a 3-4 pound weight to start. As you are walking lift your hands and weights over your head and lower them, this will help your upper body gain some muscle and make you work a little harder. Walking to lose weight is one of the best ways to start getting in shape, it is easy to do and you can go anywhere. http://www.amazines.com/Recreation_and_Leisure/

Ways To Free Yourself From Financial Struggles

Self Improvement
Every parent wants to their child to be better off than they were. We try to instill a good work ethic in our children and teach them how to take advantage of the system, we don't want them to have to work as hard as we did. Even with this kind of support, it is easy to stumble and fall if you don't know what you're doing. Here are a few things you can do to shore things up and start building wealth.

Cut out Credit Card Debt
Get rid of the high interest loans first, which will be the credit cards. Then pay off everything else that is considered debt. Now, avoid using credit. If you don't have the cash then you probably don't need it. Yes, there are emergencies that may come up, but other than that credit is no longer an option.

Start Saving
Everyone tries to save money, but most end up spending it. To ensure a saving, invest in a 401k. If you never see the money it can't be spent. If you don't have a 401k, here's an easy and effective trick. Write yourself a check, for the first day of each month of the year for 10% of what you make in a month. Take it seriously, just like you were paying any other bill. To make it easier, some banks do this for you. Talk to them, and get it all set up.

Get an Early Start
The early bird gets the worm, as the saying goes, and it applies to your financial future as well. By getting involved in saving and investing at an early age, you begin accumulating wealth that will add up to a lot more in the long-term than someone who waits for a few years to get involved.

Don't Imitate Your Parents
If you want to escape the lifestyle your parents lived and do better, it is essential that you do things differently than they did. Don't fall into any prescribed societal pressures that you may feel, blaze your own path and don't be afraid to take risks. Adopted from http://www.lowes.com/lowes/

Easy Fall Lawn Care

Fall is a great time to give your lawn that extra boost it needs to make it through the winter months. Cool-season grasses especially need a fall feeding to get ready for next spring. Below are a few tips on how to winterize your lawn.

Fertilizing

Cool-season grasses such as ryegrass, fescue, and bluegrass should be fertilized in September, October, or November.

Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda, Bahia, centipede, St. Augustine, and Zoysia should be fertilized in July, August, or September. Do not over-fertilize centipede. Specially formulated winterizing fertilizers are higher in potassium than regular lawn food. Potassium is the nutrient that makes grasses more winter hardy. Winterizers should be applied as the last fertilizer application of the growing season.

Controlling Lawn Disease, Weeds, and Insects - To help prevent lawn diseases during the fall and winter, be sure to remove leaves from your yard. Leaves left on the lawn encourage disease by preventing sunlight and air from reaching the grass. Either rake the leaves and add them to a compost pile, or go over them with a mulching mower, chopping them into a fine compost for your grass.

For weed control during the winter months, apply a pre-emergence weed killer. Some products feature a combination fertilizer and weed killer, called weed and feed.

Mowing and Watering - There is no need to water your warm-season lawn during the winter - most grasses go into dormancy. Before putting the warm-season lawn to bed for the winter, lower the mower to an inch below normal setting and use a grass catcher attachment. This will pick up any weed seeds in the lawn and the closer cut will allow for better air circulation.

Mulching and Composting - The best time to mulch is early fall, spring and summer. Mulch retains heat and moisture. For best results throughout the growing season, use a lawn mower that can be easily converted from a mulcher to a bagging unit or leaf shredder. Get started on a home compost program Save lawn waste (which includes grass clippings, shredded leaves and chopped brush) for the compost bin.

Winter Green - With the first freeze, a warm season lawn begins to change from green to brown. This period of dormancy is part of the natural life cycle of turfgrass. If you find an amber field undesirable, there is a choice. Fall is a great time to overseed your dormant lawn to maintain a green appearance.

Overseed with annual or perennial ryegrass or blends of cool season grasses. Bermuda grass tolerates overseeding better than Zoysia, centipede, or St. Augustine. Time the overseeding 2-4 weeks before the first killing frost. Annual ryegrass is often chosen because of its quick rate of germination. Perennial ryegrass is more tolerant of cold, disease, and drought.

Ground Covers - There are options for locations in your yard that may be too shady or moist to grow healthy grass. Fall is a great time to plant perennial ground covers such as mondo grass, liriope and juniper to fill the void. They will cover the area year-round and reduce the amount of grass you must maintain.
Adapted from http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/

Give A Hug For Happiness

So for a little motivation to increase your happiness, here are the top five reasons to hug somebody today:
· Save on your heating bills (good for the environment, too!).
· Keep your shnookums from eating that extra piece of double-fudge choco-blaster cake.
· Hugging sure beats crying.
· The warm glow of a good hug lasts for hours.
So go forth and hug somebody. No, not the parking lot attendant. But hug someone who wants to be hugged, and see if you might just bump each of your happiness up a notch Adapted from https://www.amazines.com/Motivation/