Some people think that little children should not have chores becuase they are too little. However, it’s never too early to ask your kids to help you out around the house. Even kids as little as two years old can start on chores. Note however that children mature at different rates but, you can still figure out what what age appropriate chores are best suited for toddlers, kids, pre-teens and teens.

If your children are toddlers, they can already help you by: making the bed; picking up their toys; feeding the family pet; helping you put laundry into the basket; or cleaning up split milk on the kitchen floor. These chores are great for two and three year olds.  You can teach your toddlers to do their chores by making a game out of it; or improvising different ways in which they can help. It will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Definitely, even at that young age.

For preschoolers, you can ask them to help you set the table; dust around the house; help make cookies; help you carry grocery bags (as long as you make it light for them).  Six and eight year old can really get into the chores by taking care of the pet they’ve always wanted; help you vacuum the floor; take out the trash or fold the laundry. You can even ask them to help you prepare meals. Think of the experience they are getting at this early age.    

Your pre-teens will have their work cut out for them. Some of the more physical chores can be assigned to outside work: rake the leaves; wash the car; help clean out the garage. If you need assistance inside the house, they can certainly help you prepare meals, dusting and vacuuming the house; wash dishes or clean the bathroom. Certainly they would be old enough to make their beds; clear their room of debris; organize their toys, etc.

Teens pose a different problem altogether.  Sometimes they are willing to help, and some times not.  It depends on how you’ve raised them.  If they have been helping out since they were two, you won’t have a problem.  In fact, they can do almost anything you ask of them. Be sure they can manage whatever chore you delegate to them. If you’ve trained them well, they have the ability to prepare meals; clean the kitchen; wash windows; do the laundry; just about any indoor and outdoor chore you need, short of providing close supervision, of course.

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Can you remember the very first book you have ever read? Words are powerful, aren’t they? Words describe images of far away lands, castles, kings and queens and so much more. Books are windows through which a child can see and experience different things - fantasies and realities of life. So, is reading to your kids benefitial? Of course it is.

Reading is fundamental to our basic understanding of life; it is the foundation for which allows children to advance and contribute to life.  It can take them to places they’ve never been; explore the cosmos; become involved with a character and the adventures taken.  Reading is the method by which children learn just about everything. More importantly, it all starts with you.  One story can open up a world of possibilities. One book can be the beginning of a lifelong desire to explore all books of different genres. Just think! You have the ability to set your child on a path in which the road is paved with endless wonder and imagination.

It’s never too early to read to your children. If you haven’t already done so, start a tradition.  Go to the library or book store and buy several books; and start reading to your child every night.  Just think how much farther ahead your child will be when he or she begins school. 

There is nothing more important than reading to your children.  Even as babies; the sounds and connotations in your voice can calm and soothe them.  Did you know that even before your child is born, research has suggested that your children tend to have a higher degree of understanding and learning? What a wonderful gift to give to your children.

The level at which our children read today is below par. You can change that; we all can. It’s not too late. It never is when it comes to introducing your child to the words of the world.

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Moms are usually responsible for taking care of the husband and the kids. Sometimes, they also need to take care of maintaining the home. As time passes by, moms realize that they are capable of fixing just about anything. Maybe, when you were younger, you may have noticed mom or dad handle the very same things you are confronting today. In any event,mom, you now have more skills than you thought you had before you became mom.

Notice how everyday things you do as a mom assist you in other areas of your life? This is because using common sense as the first approach to everything can most of the time solve any particular problem. Whether you mean to or not, this common sense approach to life has always been there, but lay dormant.

If you approach situations with a certain calm and confidence, and use a specific method to, for instance, pay your bills or run the household; without doubt you will have the mentality to pursue a work-at-home business. Maybe you are keenly aware of how to save on grocery shopping, or other items for your home. You would be able to use this knowledge and incorporate it into a home business.  Being a mom does not mean other areas of your life are put on hold.  To the contrary, it is fully engaging in other areas of your life that make you a better person; a better mom.  The two are not mutually exclusive.

Before you became a mom you probably worked or had experience in other skills; or maybe you went to school and took college courses in sociology or psychology. Maybe you were an office worker.  Those skills you had as a single woman became the foundation for your skills as a mom. The cycle keeps repeating itself over and over. Consequently, what you learn as a mom, directly relates to what you learned long ago and when combined, can be translated into other areas of your life.

Being mom requires you to wear many hats and play many different roles. You are a master multi-tasker. These qualities can be used in other areas of your life. These are your biggest assets in figuring out how far you want to go after your children are grown and are living on their own.

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Description:  It is a small, convenient, portable and easy to use automotive GPS navigator. It has three-dimensional map graphics, is voice-prompted and tells you turn-by-turn directions through a built-in speaker.

Review: I love this gadget. I feel more confident leaving the house knowing that I will not get lost.

I like the fact that I do not have to stare at the map while I am driving as the “voice” tells me if I need to make a left or a right, get on the freeway or which exit to take. It also tells me the distance and my estimated time of arrival.

We have 2 cars and since this is portable, I can move it from one car to the other with no hassles. I simply un-mount it from the windshield of the one car and mount it onto the other car - so easy!

Now, my husband and I do not need to stop and ask for directions! The driver can choose from either a three-dimensional mapping perspective or the standard overhead bird’s-eye view.

It has a neat touch-screen which allows for quick access to features such as addresses, recent locations, food, and lodging and it automatically puts you back on course when you make a wrong turn or run into traffic problems.

It includes a SD card slot and 128 SD card and Map Source City Select street data on CD-ROM. You can upload detailed maps using your computer and the Map Source City Select street data on CD-ROM.

It can be charged too because it has an internal lithium-ion battery. It also includes a vehicle suction cup mount w/integrated power cable and PC/USB interface cable.

Rating: 9

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In today’s busy time, families have less and less time to have fun together. In most families, both parents need to work and are unable to spend time with their kids. However, if you think about it well enough, you can actually take time out one night a week and plan a fun night with your family. Below are some ideas on family fun night activities.

Get everyone together to bake some cookies. Take a vote on what they would like, and assign everyone one job. For example; mom could make the dough; the kids could use cookie cutters to cut them out; dad could do the baking.  Another family activity could be playing charades.  Everyone loves that game. Instead of dinner; how about a picnic in the back yard!  Then after dinner, get out the Frisbee or play a game of touch football.

Play a board game.  Scrabble or Monopoly would be a fun time had by all. Kids love to beat their parents at these games! If it’s a Saturday evening, why not go to your local park and fly kites.  Even adults love this activity!  If it’s raining, use the old standby and build a fort in the living room. Prepare hotdogs on a stick; then toast the old marshmallows (adults only can do this); tell stories, and have a great time. If the family is into sports, get out the basketball and play a few games of HORSE.  Or for exercise; why don’t you and your family go out for a bike ride in the neighborhood. 

Maybe you’ve already started a scrapbooking project involving holiday pictures, but haven’t had time to finish.  Think of the smile and giggles that will echo from the living room when everyone looks at the pictures once again.  You’ll finally get to put the pictures in the book; as a family.

Whichever activity you end up doing as a family, know that it brings your family closer together. That alone is priceless. With everyone going off in different directions, think of how wonderful it would be to have everyone at home for dinner at the same time; seated together around the dining room table. After dinner, get ready for some family fun acitivities.

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Ok, so the children have been bugging you for a pet. How do you know if they are ready for one? Choosing an appropriate pet for the family requires you to do some research. Below are some tips that can help you figure out what pet to get for your kids.

Know that once you have made a decision about the kind of pet you are getting, it will will be you who will wind up taking care of it. To this end, the questions you have to ask are: Do you have the time to take care of this pet?  Do you have the space the pet may require? Do you have the money to care for this pet? What type of pet should I get?  These are valid questions which can determine if and when you should buy a pet.

The age of the children plays a major role in determining what pet is suitable for them. If you have small children, a puppy may be more suitable. For example: A Bijou would be more suitable for younger children as they are friendly, love children, and easy to care for.  Another pet to consider is a dachshund.  They are wonderful house pets, and pose no problem to small children.  In addition, they make superb guard dogs. A larger dog, depending on your kid’s ages, may be suitable, but make sure to do your research first.

However, you may want to get pets of other species like a fish, hamster, gerbil, or cat; but make sure to research first, especially for the hamster and the gerbil, as they require special needs. It is never a good idea to buy or adopt a pet on a whim; make sure you understand what is involved and ensure your entire family is committed to taking care of any pet that comes into your home.

The best thing to do in choosing a perfect pet for your family is to research and to talk to other pet owners.  Figure out which pet would be best suited for your kids; and for you, since you may be the one taking care of it for th emost part. You may want to take a trip to your local animal shelter, there are plenty of homeless dogs and cats who need a loving home.

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Description:  The Apple iPod Shuffle has 1 GB of storage capacity. It is small - measures only 1.62 x 1.07 x 0.41 inches (WxHxD) and weighs 0.55 ounces.  It has a clip that is convenient because you can use it to attach the iPod Shuffle to your pocket or any part of your clothing. It also has a battery indicator light that lets you see if your iPod needs recharging. When fully charged, it can play up to 12 hours. Charge time is about 3-4 hours. It has a circular control panel that lets you navigate through the contents of your iPod Shuffle. It comes with a USB dock and earphones as well.

Review: I like it a lot because of its size and the convenience of the clip. I use it to upload not only music but also podcasts and other audios. I use it around the house especially when I am doing some house cleaning, laundry or when I am busy in the kitchen. I enjoy listening to it when I go on my daily walks too.

Criticism: The only thing I do not like about it is the controls since there is no “menu or directory” so to speak. I just press, the forward button or back button to get to what I want to listen to. I love its size, but sometimes I get scared because I might accidentally stick it in the washing machine with clothes that need washing.

Rating: 10

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Have you ever been in a situation where your child play you and your partner against each other? They ask for your permission on one thing and once you say “No”, they run to dad and ask again and before you know it, dad says “Yes”. A root cause is that kids need to be loved and disciplined by both mom and dad, not by one over the other. This is necessary to avoid a “tug-of-war” between parents.

Children are smart - they know when their parents are upset about something. If the child senses mom is becoming upset by dad, the child will immediately take sides and use it later as a way of getting what they want. What ever happens, do not involve the children in your fights between you and your partner. Mom and Dad need to show love to their children - do not show any signs of favoritism.

Raising kids to realize rules are set by both mom and dad is the key.  Sadly, sometimes, without realizing it, parents use kids as emotional support, or to further their own needs as a means to garner more attention.

Children need to be reminded that they are loved; and discipline goes a long way to ensure that love.  They should never be used as pawns in adult games.  Parents must be unified when making decisions that affect the child.  If your kids want to do something in particular, and you are against it; but your spouse is for it – this can be the beginning of the tug-of-war syndrome.  Conversely, if you both sit down with your kids and have a family meeting about this matter; your kids will understand they will not be able to play one parent against the other to get what they want.

Often times, kids will try to manipulate you into getting what they want.  Never let that happen. The power should be in the parents hands, not the childrens.  They must follow the rules you set forth, without compromising the harmony within the family. Raising kids is hard enough without having to worry about sides.  There are no sides in a family.  As parents, you must present a loving and cohesive environment for your children. Without this foundation, the house cannot stand.

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