For most parents, there is no amount of money that is too great for a proper car seat for their loved ones. Yet, in a recent report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that, according to a multi-year study, misuse occurred in almost 4 out of 5 of all the child safety seats inspected. That is shocking and gives real cause for concern.

As the study suggests, many parents actually put the child in danger by not using the restraints properly. The child’s parents don’t want to make the harness strap or the safety belt attachments too tight, so they typically swing the other way and make them far too loose to do any good. The NHTSA classifies these as “critical” errors, because of the potential harm that could be caused to the child.

Some parents do not get the correct seat for the child’s weight, age or height, or they put it in the wrong position. Child car seats for newborns are the ones that allow any baby less than a year and under twenty pounds to ride in a rearward-facing position. Because of the way they are designed, the small, portable, snug seat is ideal for a newborn. Parents should place their infant-only car seat in the back seat and face him or her towards the rear of the car.

If you prefer a seat that will accommodate your baby as they grow, a convertible seat is another option. As can be expected, the convertible style of car seat is larger, to accommodate growth, and not as portable. For all children who weigh less than 20 pounds, and for who are younger than a year, parents should place the convertibles turned around to face the rear. Forty pounds is generally the maximum weight for children in the seats after they reach the 20 pound and, or 1 year mark and start facing the front of the car.

Every parent must make sure that no matter which style or type of safety seat they go with, they use it correctly. Make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions, as well as your vehicle owner’s manual. Neither the buckle strapping the child, nor the buckle locking the car seat, should be buckled incorrectly. Harness straps tend to give parents a good deal of difficulty; they need to be in the right slot and fastened tightly, yet comfortably around your baby’s chest. The straps should be in the slots at or below your baby’s shoulders for most infant car seats, and at or above baby’s shoulders for more convertible seats. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to fit your child’s car safety seat, making sure that no straps are twisted.

Child seats should tilt back by about 45 degrees when possible. Another tip is to include a rolled up towel that you can place under the seat. For your child’s added safety, double check the tightness of the seat belt. For LATCH systems and car seats, consult your owner’s guide and safety seat instruction manual. If you purchase a seat that is not new, make sure you check it’s age and condition. If buying a used seat, bear in mind that it should not be over five years old, must be in excellent condition and must come with the seat buyer’s guide and all original parts. The seat does not have to be the most expensive one on the market if you cannot afford it, but if buying a cheaper seat, make sure it is complete and conforms to normal recommended safety standards.

Written by admin: Vivienne Myatt

Today the market is flooded with what they say are
innovative skincare products, but the cost of these products
can be astronomical. So why not use products which are just
as good and does not cost a fortune, as they are made from
home. You can use ingredients like oatmeal, thick creams,
honey and chocolate.

Yes chocolate has become one of the latest beauty regime
secrets, with chocolate massages becoming more and more
popular at beauty salons. It is actually one of the better
natural remedies for skin care as it both softens the skin
and helps the release of serotonin to make you happy! By
all accounts chocolate massages are both rejuvenating and
relaxing. Just don’t be too tempted to buy a load of
chocolate on the way home from the beauty salon!

Now you can buy chocolate without any remorse, as far from
being bad for you, it’s the opposite. Okay it can still
make you put on weight, when you eat too much, but it does
have the ability to protect your skin from free radical
damage, and reduce wrinkles. Something chocolate has a lot
of is cocoa powder (the darker the better as it contains
more cocoa) and cocoa powder is an antioxidant, so chocolate
is both tasty and one of the best natural remedies for skin
care that you can have in your kitchen or bathroom
cupboards.

Now you can be excited at the prospect of being able to buy
chocolate to put on your face, and in your mouth too, as
both a treat and beauty treatment, let’s take a look at that
innovative skincare recipe in more detail. You’ll need 4
tablespoons of cocoa (not strictly chocolate, but mixed with
other ingredients it will be good enough to eat), 3
tablespoons of runny honey, 2 tablespoons of thick cream
(can be sour cream) and a level tablespoon of oatmeal.

The smell of this concoction is just as divine, as what the
innovative skincare mixture would taste like, but we are not
going to do that! No, once the mixture is mixed into a
smooth consistency you rub it into your face, massaging it
into your face as you go. This will exfoliate the skin and
get rid of any dead skin cells. You should really enjoy
this mixture and it’s health and relaxing benefits, as one
of the better natural remedies for skin care.

This mixture will exfoliate because of the oatmeal, soothe
and moisturize your face because of the chocolate, and the
honey will unclog and deeply cleans the pores of your skin.
Oh, and don’t forget that the cocoa in the chocolate, will
help release the serotonin in your body, making you feel
happier.

After the twenty minutes of relaxation time, with lukewarm
water wash the recipe off and you will notice how supple,
fresh and good looking your skin is. Who would have thought
chocolate could have such a use as an innovative skincare
product and taste so lovely too?

Keep them to yourself or share these wonderful innovative
skincare recipes with your friends and family, just make
sure you keep the best ones for yourself. There are plenty
of good recipes around and all it takes to get them is a
little bit of internet research on natural remedies for skin
care.

You can buy chocolate for yourself and feel great at the
same time? Don’t be a slave to fashion! Read what Vivienne
Myatt has to say about innovative skincare and looking
good enough to eat at the same time, using natural remedies for skin care.

How to Measure Bra Size and Be Comfortable Everyday by Vivienne Myatt

How to measure bra size properly is something should be passed down from mother to daughter, and even from friend to friend. All through a woman’s life, the size and shape of their breasts change, from growth as a teen, to the fullness of womanhood and then as a mom. Up to 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size and don’t realize the changes in their breasts.

After doing some research on the subject, I found out I have been wearing the wrong bra size for a while. I am no longer a teenager and have grown with age, as we all do.

Determining bra size can be a bit of an eye-opener, as when you get it right, the new shape you have will be more flattering than when you get it wrong. Let’s look at how to measure bra size whilst creating a better figure.

The first thing in how to measure bra size is to take the right measurements. Different brands of bras will vary in size anyway, so the actual measurements are not always spot on. Finding out your measurements at home is part one of the process. The next part is going to a shop, trying on different bras and finding the ones that fit you with the most comfort and that you like the look of.

Let’s look at the first part of how to measure bra size. Your initial measurement should be the band size. By this I mean the circumference of your body below your breasts at the top of your rib cage. When doing this make sure the tape is not twisted and your arms are by your side. You can use your arms to hold the tape in place or get someone to help. The measurements should be taken down in inches and be a tight (but comfortable) fit. Always round the measurement to the nearest even number, so if the tape comes to 35.5, your band size will actually be 36 inches.

Note: You should ignore the advice that some people give, when they say you should add on another two or three inches to this measurement. This is an incorrect way of how to measure bra size, as this advice may have been relevant in the 1930s, but not for determining bra size nowadays with modern bras.

The next and only other measurement you need to take is to measure the fullest part of the bust - the cup. To do this you will need to remove anything that will constrict your movement, as you have to get down on your hands and knees. Keeping your back parallel with the floor, measure around your back and breasts. Round up the number to see how many inches the fullest size of your breast are - this is your bust measurement. Take the band measurement away from this bust measurement and the difference is the cup size. This is how to determine bra size. 1 inch = A cup 2 inches = B cup 3 inches = C cup 4 inches = D cup 5 inches = DD cup 6 inches = E cup 7 inches = F cup

Now you have the basic knowledge in place, it’s time to take it to the shops and try on a few styles of bras that you like. Take them to the changing rooms and jump around in them for a bit. Questions to ask yourself are is the bra too tight, too loose, are there any bulges coming out the sides of the bra, and does it stay in place when you jump around like a mad woman.

If you stick to these methods of measuring and testing your bra size, you will always find the right bra size and type for you. So go get them bras and teach others how to measure bra size properly, they will forever be in your debt.

Author Vivienne Myatt asks, “Do you know how to measure bra size?” For more women related material, log onto her website and various blogs and find some great offers! Also, why women of all ages should know what to do when determining bra size.

Child Protection

Online internet predators are very smart and are very capable of extracting information from our kids, who they see as easy targets. These predators are not to be under-estimated. Never! Ever!

These paedophiles know exactly what to say, when to say it and what buttons to push when chatting to our kids. Children would not normally talk a stranger on the street, yet paedophiles have what it takes to dig out most of the vital information about and from their target, whilst befriending them online.

They pretend to show a genuine interest in a child’s interests, and they listen in a sympathetic way if kids have any complaints they may want to chat about.
They do this by becoming an online friend while chatting and to do this they visit children’s blogs or log on to other social networking sites or chat rooms, using false profiles just waiting to strike at an innocent child.

Unfortunately, this can and does lead to a bonding online, between children and these people who have the worst possible intentions.

Parents who are not aware will be shocked at how much personal information a child can post, (online terminology meaning to write), online which can range from their name to their address, school, age and even mobile phone number if they have one.

It’s as if all we have taught our kids does “not count” when they are in their rooms “just tapping away on a piece of plastic”. The online world is a different world and is potentially extremely dangerous for our kids, without any exaggeration what so ever!
 
Parents can log onto any site where their kids meet, just by seeing what sites they have visited from a computer’s history or “sites visited” – then take a look at these sites.

I strongly believe in teaching children and internet users on internet threats and how to use the internet safely, but I have also learned that children have their own unique way of interpreting facts, and what seems to be an obvious cyber threat, but to them it may not.

There is a “culture” for the want of a word - an online culture that parents aren’t welcome in. That’s a hard, yet truthful, fact and we, as parents, have to live with that and also deal with it.

It is essential to teach children not to give any personal information about themselves, or other family members, or rituals - like family holidays where on such and such a date, the house will be empty. No information what so ever. It cannot be stressed enough.

However, one should not rely on teaching alone. Internet predators are very smart, they are cunning, they have practiced for a long time and they can easily trick children into passing on their personal information, and that is why regulating the internet is so important.

Regulation can be done by using parental control software. True parental control software not only blocks adult content, block websites such as porn sites while our children are online, but also monitors and track children’s internet usage, record chats and instant messaging and read emails and make you aware of when and if a child molester makes an improper advance towards children. YOUR children.

Of course, using parental control online is definitely not popular with kids, and understandably so. Parents that decide to use this online help facility, must determine how far they will “interfere” with their child’s online activities, because kids do see this as an interference.

We must remember, it is not our job to be our kid’s best friend - it is to be as good a parent as possible and to protect our children.

 

Family Budgeting

There’s nothing more we want than to be able to efficiently manage our hard earned money.

Well, making a budget is always a great idea - and then try sticking to it!
A properly executed budget should help you to see and remember where your money is going and help you get more out of it in the processs.

Remember, money saved is money earned and if time is money, think of the time you have saved not having to work more to earn the money you have saved. Think about it

The first smart thing to do with a budget is to set a goal. Ask yourself, what do you want to achieve? Do you want to put an certain amount aside each month for a large purchase, an  investment, or a family holiday maybe? By having a goal, you will be able to shape your budget to best serve your interests.

Secondly, you would want to take note of where your money usually goes. This includes all your bills, all your purchases - including grocery costs, healthcare costs, ainsurances, and so on and so forth, not forgetting your everyday miscellaneous purchases.

Only when you list down where you know your money usually goes will you be able to identify which expenses you can do without. Once you’ve identified these regular expenditures, take into consideration what you can cut back on. How much do you spend on your daily cup of coffee in the morning? How much do you spend on newspaper deliveries to your front door?

The measly $2 - $5 these small purchases accumulative to are staggering! Don’t believe what you read here - pull out a pen and piece of paper and work it out. There’s your summer holiday!

Instead of buying your expensive latte or reading the newspaper on print, put aside the amount you would usually pay for these small routine purchases in a glass jar, or a shoe box under the bed, so you can’t see the money inside. You will be surprised at how much you quickly save a substantial amount.

Being indebted is a vicious cycle on its own. You’re talking about continuous payments, not to mention huge interest rates. The best way to deal with this is to pay the minimum on all of your debts in order to avoid paying extremely high late fees. Whatever cash excesses you may have, you can opt to add on to the payments you make in your biggest debt. This way, you are concentrated on getting the biggest debts first that cost you the greatest interest rates. Doing this progressively, you’ll be amazed at how much you will reduce your huge debts.

The last and most important step is to jot down the amount you earn, and the amount you spend. You can make use of computer cash management programs, or make database sheets of your own. Make a system that works for you and will help you keep track of your monthly family budgeting.

Family Computer Budgeting

The problem with most people these days is that they get so comfortable with their expenses through the aid of credit cards. They become so indulged with cashless shopping that more and more people are spending more than what they can afford.

For this reason, experts contend that budgeting can definitely alleviate the consumers from “financial strain” by managing their expenses and income instead of falling into the pit of liabilities.

However, some people just contend that they cannot implement a budgeting plan alone. They insist that they need some help in order to come up with a reliable and workable budget.

That’s why some financial experts have created some money budgeting software that will facilitate the creation of a good budget in order to promote wise money saving strategies.

Basically, money budgeting software assists an individual in his or her expenditures and uses the money sensibly. These new technologies will help distribute the money into various aspects and areas and will also help add to or increase the bottom line in the savings account.

Money budgeting software can definitely allow you to keep track of your expenses. With this kind of technology, you get to understand your cash flow and allow you to be aware of how much money you spend and earn.

While some people are comfortable with the usual type of budgeting on paper, utilizing a money budgeting software can give you more than what you expect.  You can even make some possible projections using your integrated money budgeting software. And if you are really into hard copies, you can even print them out for record keeping.

The problem with most people who do not have a budget to guide them is that they tend to overspend with what they have. Or, in simpler terms - spend what they don’t have!

With this kind of help, you can gain control of your expenditures. You will be able to know when you are already overspending or not. Plus, you become attentive of the blow of every money decision that you make.

The bottom line is that money budgeting software can definitely give you the kind of assurance and control that you need to keep track of your expenses. In this way, you can be surer that all of your spending activities are based on reason and plan and not just sheer indulgences.

So, if you still don’t know what the money budgeting software can do for you, here’s a quick re-cap of the advantages:

1. It helps you keep track of your expenses

2. It helps you to create some probable projections of the future

3. It gives you control

Good luck with your family computer budgeting.

Family Counselling D.I.Y. Style

A family meeting or council is a regularly scheduled gathering of all family members. Its purpose is to make plans and decisions, set goals as a family, provide encouragement and have fun together.

This is a good place to discuss household chores and upcoming activities. It is also a great place to try out new skills and ideas in a safe environment. Wise parents use this time for modeling and teaching communication, inter-personal relationships and life skills that will enable all members of the family to succeed in endeavors, both inside and outside the family unit.

It is a set aside time when every one in the family shares their views, opinions, hopes, dreams and accomplishments. It is NOT a time for conflict, criticism or complaints.

In a democratic family, decisions that affect the entire family are made together. That does not mean that the children are expected, or allowed, to run the family, but it does mean that their input and ideas are welcomed and discussed in a respectful way. When family members are allowed to share in decision making they have more “ownership” of the plan. Hence, more responsibility to others and themselves.

A typical family council might be held on a Sunday night from 7-8 with plans for playing board games afterward. Some families hold theirs over breakfast in a restruant, where the public atmosphere helps keep a damper on things, if necessary.

Every family is different, but there needs to be at least one hour a week where it is just “family time”. That means no friends, mp3’s, mobile phones, telephone, TV or interruptions of any kind. It is a special time to really cement strong communication lines with each other and to reinforce how important each family member is within the family.

If you haven’t tried a D.I.Y. style family counselling, maybe it’s time to try?

 

Relationships within the family

The most reliable and true relationship is the one that a person has with his family. A family represents a variety of relationships that influence our lives right from birth to old age. Family relationships not only provide food and shelter but also serve as a shoulder to lean on, in case of trouble. A hand to hold when needed.

As morals and values are generally attained through family relationships, the family plays a vital role in sustaining and preparing an individual for life in society. Strong family relationships, marked by intimacy and honesty, offer a sense of shared identity and long lasting joy and fulfilment.

Nowadays, it is often seen that parents work long hours and do not have enough time to share with their children. Little ones are usually left at home with a nanny or baby-sitter, or in child care centres. By the time parents reach home, the child will be asleep. Building good relationships does not require a whole day. But, little conversations and gestures of comfort will definitely help to build a sound foundation.

Among the different ways of building healthy family relationships is to schedule time for small talks
and meetings with family members including the spouse, parents and children. Hugging or kissing kids when you return home after work is a great way to express your love and concern.

Similarly, leaving messages when you are away from home is also effective to maintain communication. In addition, it is important to have a parent’s physical presence during children’s school activities such as school presentations, school plays, sporting events and teacher conferences.

For a fulfilling family environment, it is necessary to be with children when they yearn for your presence. Extremely busy persons can schedule a family getaway at least once a month.

Likewise, a weekly meeting around the dinner table is very healthy. This gives each member of the family an opportunity to speak out his opinions on various topics. Family reunions must also be arranged occasionally to build healthy family relationships.