What’s it Like to Parent a Child who has Special Needs?

All children are unique. This means that your parenting experience will have some aspects that are different from what other parents may be doing. Sometimes, people will ask a mom or dad who has a child with special needs what it is like to parent their child. There isn’t a “one size fits all” answer to this question. Here’s a quick roundup of the answers given by some parents. NR Today has a post titled “Jemelene Wilson: Raising a child with special needs”. She is the mother of two children. One of her daughters is grown, and married. Her youngest … Continue reading

Mistake #2 Parents Make With Teenagers: Looking for Parenting Answers in Others

So far I have covered mistake #1 that parents of teenagers make, expecting the worse out of this stage of life.  The second mistake I am going to talk about is trying to find parenting answers through others. I know that sounds pretty strange, considering I am technically giving advice.  But at the heart of my message is this…every family is different, so you have to learn what’s best for yours. This doesn’t mean that help from others—whether it comes through books, seminars or blogs—shouldn’t be sought.  It doesn’t mean that you can’t be encouraged or inspired by others. But … Continue reading

The Worst Genealogy Blog of the Year

Many genealogists take time out of their research to work on their very own, personal, genealogy blog. While some of these blogs are entertaining, informative, and inspirational, others are a chore to try and read. Here are some tips to keep your blog from being deemed “the worst genealogy blog of the year”. Anyone can make a blog. There are several websites that will let you sign up and instantly start creating a blog about whatever topic you like for free. This is both good and bad. It allows every genealogist who desires to make a family history blog the … Continue reading

Conquering Cabin Fever

If the only thing your child is suffering with right now is cabin fever, consider yourself lucky. Contrary to popular belief, kids can contract strep throat and hand-foot-and-mouth disease at the same time. Oh.Yes.They.Can. Let me tell you how I know this… Actually, I will spare you the gory details and instead share more practical advice for conquering cabin fever during these last days of winter break.  Students in our neck of the woods head back to class next Monday.  That means parents have to endure a few more days of kids complaining that their new Christmas toys are not … Continue reading

Party Like It’s 1999

Throw a fabulous New Year’s Eve party blow out for same cost you might have paid 13 years ago. If you want to leave your old budget back in 2012 and have a fresh start in 2013, don’t blow it first thing on an expensive New Year’s Eve bash. Instead, party like a millionaire  even if you are still wearing the 90s grunge look. Recycle Christmas Decorations Most Christmas or Chanukah decorations that are in silver or gold will work well for a New Year’s Eve bash. Work with the decorations that you already have, such as placing silver ball … Continue reading

Seven Ways to Save Money on Everyday Expenses

Minimize the cost of running your home when you use the following tips to save money on those everyday expenses. 1. Combine services It isn’t only your cable service that offers bundling. Once you are done combining your Internet, phone and cable television into one package, move on to other services that be combined in order to save money on your monthly expenses. For example, you can combine your home and auto insurance for a lower overall rate. 2. Pay your bills on time That $5 or $10 a month may not seem like much, but in the course of … Continue reading

Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money? {Part 2}

In part 1 of, Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money?, I covered how to create a blog posts that attract readers.  Creating good content is the first step to creating a quality blog.  I cover this in Blogging Tips and Tricks as well.  Today, I want to cover a few more background areas before discussing opportunities, so hang in there.  When I say profitable with regards to your homeschool, I do not simply mean financially. Let’s start by exploring what makes a good homeschool blog. The competition is fierce.  While you need to be aware of what your competitors are … Continue reading

Blogging From the Personal Side of Parenting

The internet has a wealth of information about a vast variety of special needs. It is fairly easy to look up medical information or news articles regarding a special need. Sometimes, it can be comforting to read a blog written by a parent about the personal side of parenting a child who has a special need. Here are a few interesting ones to explore. Parents can get online and quickly look up symptoms, recommended diets, help with IEPs, and news about health insurance coverage for their child’s special needs. What about if all you want is some conformation that your … Continue reading

It Is Never Too Late To Work From Home

No matter how long you have been in your current job outside of the home, it is never too late to make the switch to working from home. Perhaps you are ready for a career change and want to try something new. You may have always dreamed of having a different career, and now might be the right time to explore it. If you are over fifty and you are thinking of making the switch to working from home, go for it. Do not let anyone talk you out of it because of how far you have come in your … Continue reading

What Was Life Like In 1940?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time? I often daydream about what life was like in the 1930’s and 1940’s. I don’t know why I do that, but I do. While I have not found a time machine to transport me there yet, I did find a fun and very addictive program on the Ancestry.com website. In celebration of the release of the 1940 Census, the folks at Ancestry.com know that many researchers likely have the 1940’s on their minds as they sift through census data, digging for new clues about ancestors from … Continue reading