Brainstorm on how you can cut costs

Making ends meet in a home with a singular pay check can be challenging. However, understand that a great birthday party does not necessarily have to be lavish or over the top. There are many ways to cut costs. For instance, bake the birthday cake instead of picking one up from a bakeshop. You may be surprised to find that it is possible to bake a tasty birthday cake using ingredients that amount to only $20.

When it comes to decorations, use materials that you can be found in your home. You can even make party preps a meaningful bonding activity for you and your child by baking the cake or making the decorations together. Another way you can cut costs is by choosing to hold the party at your home or at a public park instead of a pricey country club or function room. You can also opt to prepare your own dishes instead of hiring a caterer. Lastly, choose party games that don’t require you to purchase any items. For instance, you can choose to play parlour games instead of buying a piñata. These are only some options you can mull over.

Reach out to friends and relatives

It is difficult to receive help if you don’t ask for it. Resist the temptation to try to do everything all by yourself as this affords you nothing but wasted time, unnecessary stress and endless pressure. Ask your sister or best friend to help you out with little things like making a reservation for the venue or calling the caterer to ask about menu choices. If you have a brother or a reliable guy friend, you can ask him to play the part of entertainer at the party—whether that means donning a clown costume or wearing a magician’s hat.

When it comes to capturing those special, priceless moments, ask a friend or a relative to act as official photographer or videographer instead of contracting professional services. You can also ask someone reliable to help entertain guests while you make sure the food and drink station is constantly replenished. Many single parents bring unnecessary stress unto themselves simply because they refuse to ask for help. Don’t succumb to the same.

These are only some of the ways that you can throw an unforgettable birthday party for your child without breaking the bank or stressing yourself out in the process. Another wise way to cut costs would be to make the invites yourself or send out E-vites instead of hiring a professional to do it. This is also the more environmental-friendly option. Whilst you are busy making preparations, don’t forget to ask your child for his or her input. For instance, ask your child what theme he or she would want to use, if any. You can also ask your child about the type of food he or she would like to eat and serve to the party guests. All in all, don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the party!

Olivia is a busy mom to two boys and works as a writer for Storkie. She enjoys sharing what she has learned in the trenches of parenthood with other moms and dads.

"Many well-intentioned caregivers can get mixed up when it comes to administering medication," says Dr. Michael App, a pediatrician in Grand Rapids, Mich. "With so many factors playing a role in proper dosage, such as weight and age of the child, it is essential that caregivers closely follow the directions on the label to avoid potentially life-threatening mistakes."

Several manufacturers of children’s medications are also making efforts to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of errors. Perrigo Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products for retailers’ store brands, has been investing in equipment to insert "flow restrictors" in the bottles of all of their pediatric acetaminophen products. Flow restrictors reduce the size of the bottle opening and limit access to the medicine inside the bottle. Perrigo has added flow restrictors to all of its infants’ products and began converting the packaging of all of its children’s products with flow restrictors in January 2012. Perrigo is also participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Consumer Healthcare Products Association PROTECT initiative, which is bringing together experts to create strategies to reduce unsupervised medication ingestion in children.

Experts remind caregivers to be diligent and avoid these common medicine mistakes:

Not paying attention to potential drug interactions
Caregivers should always check medication labels and take care to avoid administering multiple drugs at the same time, unless recommended or prescribed by a pediatrician. Also, before administering medicine, caregivers should always review the enclosed packaging materials and directions.

Overmedicating due to measuring errors
When administering medicine, caregivers should always use the dosing device provided by the pharmacist or manufacturer, and never attempt to "eyeball" the proper amount. That household teaspoon your mom used? According to a study in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, household spoons or similar objects can hold two to three times more liquid than standardized materials. Most pediatricians recommend using a syringe over any other dispensing device for the most accuracy.  

Basing the dose on age instead of weight
"Children grow at different rates, which makes it hard for parents and doctors to base dosage recommendations on age," says App. "Since children metabolize medicine differently depending on how much they weigh, this is how most manufacturers label their dosage recommendations – not based on age. This is especially important for children who are over- or underweight."  

Forgetting vitamins
As with adults, doctors need to know every medication or vitamin that a child is taking, as certain vitamins can decrease the effectiveness of medicines or cause complications. Caregivers should always have a list of medicines on hand that lists the types and dosage amounts of every medication, vitamin and supplement that a child takes, as well as a list of allergies.

Not taking medicine as directed
Most prescriptions, especially antibiotics, are meant to be used in full. Even though a child may feel better, it is important to complete the dosage, or else the illness could recur. Furthermore, this practice can ultimately contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the same vein, caregivers should avoid giving leftover pills from a previous prescription for something they "self-diagnose" to be the same as a previous illness. It is also important to avoid giving medicine for any purpose other than that specified by the instructions.

Failing to adhere to expiration dates
Manufacturers list expiration dates on packaging for a reason, as these dates are generally based on internal testing that demonstrates the longest period a medicine is known to be effective. Using medicine left in the cabinet after it has expired can result in reduced effectiveness.

"Parents should always ask their pharmacist or pediatrician if there are any special precautions or directions with any drug – over-the-counter or prescription – their child is taking," says App. (ARA)

We recently moved into a new neighborhood because my husband got transferred with his job. I always hated the things that have to be done when you move into a new house, like setting up the phone, internet, TV, power, trash pick-up, and water.

Luckily, my husband set up everything except for the cable and told me he was going to leave that one up to me. I decided to ask around among our new neighbors to see what kind of cable most people in the neighborhood use.

Our next-door neighbor told me about some direct tv specials that he heard about. He said that he and his wife have been using Direct TV since they moved in and they have been very happy with it.

I decided to go with Direct TV since it seems like most of the neighborhood uses it. It will be such a relief to have all of our utilities set up. That is my least favorite part of moving to a new house.

Now all I have left to do is unpackthe hundreds of boxes we have sitting around the house.

A while ago I did an informal survey to find out the top stressors for single moms. Money was at the top of the list.

It’s no wonder because, let’s face it, most single moms do not make enough to meet all the bills, clothe, feed, and entertain the household.

In that survey 89% of respondents said they don’t have enough money. They also said the child support they receive is not enough to even purchase milk.

So, if your purse or checking account is a little light these days, you’ll want to take steps to reduce your financial hardship and relieve your stress.

There’s nothing more stressful than feeling like you can’t make ends meet.  Here are some tips to help alleviate your stress.

…Read the rest of the story

It goes without saying how difficult it is for a single mom to decompress. On the list of things to do, taking care of yourself is at the very bottom. The number one piece of advice people might have to share with you is to take care of yourself, because, after all, what good are you to your children if you’ve fallen apart?

There are lots of classic suggestions for taking care of yourself, like taking a warm bubble bath or reading a few chapters of a good book. Anything that can take your mind off of your responsibilities is good. You need to relax and do something you enjoy. But oftentimes the things we choose to do for ourselves provide nothing more than temporary gratification. Single moms especially need to do something truly self-fulfilling. Journaling is one of the best things a single mom can do for herself.

Journaling is healthy for anyone. It can be particularly beneficial for single moms. Here are just some of the benefits of journaling for single moms:

Expression
You can express your feelings and ideas without censorship or judgment.

Validation
You can identify and validate your feelings by putting them in writing.

Resolution
By identifying your emotions, you can process them, which can help you find solutions.

Escape
You can step outside of your everyday responsibilities and go wherever you want.

If you want to start journaling, you don’t need to be a great writer, have any inspiration, or even have a lot of time. Anyone can do it. It is a very realistic activity for a single mom to try – all you need is the desire. You don’t have to put in a great deal of commitment, but the more often you do it, the more beneficial it will be. Here is how you can get started:

Just Write
No amazing ideas are needed to begin journaling. Write whatever you want – anything. You could start by writing what you are feeling that moment. You could write what you did so far all day or what you plan to do next. Writing will lead to more writing.

Be Consistent
Try to do it at least ten minutes a day, but of course that won’t always be possible. Skip days if you need to, but try not to go more than two or three days without writing a little.

Be Honest
Try to write whatever you are feeling without worrying that one day your kids might read it. Hide it in a place they’d never find it if you feel you need to. Writing is a great way to let go of feelings. If you are honest about how stressed out you are, odds are you won’t be quite that stressed anymore after putting it on paper.

Dream
One of the best ways to use your journal is to rediscover your passions and dreams. Write about what you’d do if you had all the money in the world and no responsibilities, or even just if you didn’t have kids. Reconnect with who you really are as a person other than a mom. Look online for writing prompts to help you with ideas, like questions of “what if” that will really help you open your imagination.

When you start journaling, hopefully you will find it to be a truly rewarding experience that helps you connect with yourself and unload your burdens. If an open journal still seems like too much, try keeping a themed journal. Everyday write down one or two or more specific things you are grateful for. Or every morning describe the dreams you had at night. Any type of self expression will be beneficial to the single mom who rarely gets the opportunity.

Writing is a great means of self expression Grammarly grammar checker can help you be on top of your game by providing automatic guidance related to all English Grammar Rules

The worst thing you can give someone who is hurting ( in my humble opinion) is advice chocked full of cliche.

I have experienced a fair share of pain and sadness and one thing that I always got, that was never really comforting were cliches.

You know ones like:

“It’s going to get better”, or

“You’re better off without (insert noun)”;

“Time heals everything” or

“This life be over soon, heaven last forever”

Oh.. sorry, that was in The color Purple. I get carried away with cliche’s…

Times like these were times that my sister’s usual blunt honesty and lack of tact was truly appreciated. She would be the first to say, “Wow, that really sucks”.

There are things in life that are horrible. Things that hurt, make you cry.

I’ve encountered things that made me want to scream and cry for days on end and to be honest, there are time when I did just that.

I have come to realize that some of the most beautiful blessings are born from pain.

Any mother can attest to that. Ask yourself, in the midst
of your own situation. what blessing is on the other side of this pain?

Many people in this world believe that single mothers cannot raise a child adequately on their own. There are stories that single mothers raise their sons to be effeminate and hate their daughters. However, over time, given the sheer number of single mothers, many of these myths are breaking. Here are 31 parenting tips for single mothers…

 GENERAL TIPS

1. Maintain a positive attitude and let your kids know that their interests are your top priority.

2. Let your kids know you are the boss in your home. Your kids are not your peers; love them but expect them to accept your authority.

3. Be sure to ask for help when you need it. Don’t fall victim to the emotional overload syndrome.

4. Give your children predictable routines but be sure to inject plenty of activity and creativity into it.

5. Don’t hesitate to consult a psychiatrist if you find yourself unable to cope, sad and teary all the time. It’s likely you’re suffering depression.

6. Avoid becoming dependent on your ex-husband for anything other than your legal entitlements.

7. If you can pull in the help of friends, parents, relatives and other support groups, go ahead and do it.

8. Your kids are just kids; don’t turn to them for emotional support even if they seem very mature.

9. You are not superwoman; don’t expect yourself to be one. Set realistic goals as a family and work towards them together.

10. Give your children the stability and security they crave; tell them you love them and let them know you’re proud of them.

11. Know that you’re doing your best to perform two people’s jobs. Don’t allow your kids to make you feel guilty.

12. Don’t use your kids to deliver messages to your ex-husband or allow them to listen to your fights.

13. Prioritize tasks, plan vacations and allow your kids to input their thoughts without giving up your boss rights.

 TIPS FOR RAISING A BOY CHILD

As a single mother, raising a boy child without the presence of a man can present a few challenges. Here are a few tips that’ll help you raise a boy child successfully.

14. Don’t expect your son to be the ‘man of the house’ the moment he turns a teenager. He is a child, not your rescuer and definitely not your confidant. Don’t let him feel that you are his responsibility, just because he’s male.

15. Check with the school if you can represent your child’s father in father-son events, unless your boy is acutely embarrassed by the thought.

16. If you feel negative about the men in your life, don’t express it in front of your son. He will feel you’re clubbing him in the same category, just because he’s male.

17. Boys tend to be more physical than girls; they need to express their feelings and excess emotions physically. Engage them in sports or set up a home gym. This will give them the healthy expression they need.

18. You are a female and your son is a male. There will be some basic differences of perception, reactions, expressions and attitudes. Accept those.

19. As he grows older, your boy may feel a certain amount of shyness around you. This is natural; don’t allow the teenage body awareness phase to drive a wedge between you both.

20. If your boy doesn’t confide in you as he grows older, it’s mostly because he feels that as a woman you won’t understand. Demonstrate your understanding without interfering.

21. Single you are the predominant influence in his life, initially your boy might show interest in your makeup and clothes. Don’t panic that he might turn out homosexual; this is a natural phase.

22. Try and get a strong man as a permanent male role model in his life, such as your father, brother or uncle.

23. Sometimes you will see your ex-husband in your son’s face, either in the features or the expression. Don’t let your negative feelings flow out to your son. This can seriously impact your son’s confidence in your love.

TIPS FOR RAISING A GIRL CHILD

Raising a girl can present some unique challenges, for which we’ve provided tips below:

24. You’re a mom, not a prison warden. If you have mistakes in your youth, that’s no reason to expect the same from her.

25. If you feel negative about the men in your life, don’t confide your thoughts in her. Her attitude towards men will reflect yours, as you are her unconscious role model.

26. Teach your daughter to value and respect herself, instead of criticizing everything she wears. Over time, she will learn how to dress.

27. Your daughter may not express it, but she needs you even as she grows older. Make sure that you’re available for her, despite any attitude she throws.

28. Your daughter doesn’t have to accomplish everything that you did when you were a girl. She can perform her own miracles.

29. Your negative fears have a tendency to turn into reality; so if you’re afraid that she’ll meet the wrong boy, get pregnant and so on, don’t express your fears.

30. If you hate certain things about yourself and notice the same flaws in your child, deal with your own negative feelings first.

31. Right from when she’s small, teach her that she’s a complete individual in herself and that she doesn’t need to run behind anyone to complete her. Build her self esteem continuously.

Marina is single mom and co-owner of 1001WallClocks.com

While the student and teacher population were off on summer vacation, Shmoopers (who are pale even at the end of August) were hard at work in the mountain shafts mining literary gems for intellectual consumption. Some nuggets Shmoop proudly present to students and teachers alike in honor of the first weeks back.

From the Young Adult Files:

The Graveyard Book is the story of Nobody ?Bod? Owens, an orphan who is raised in a graveyard by dead people and supernatural beings. As students might have already guessed, the author admits that he was really, really into The Jungle Book.

From Lit:

Love in the Time of Cholera seems infinitely relatable to the high school condition. Even as the characters in the novel age, their thoughts, feelings, and interactions are so familiar to society today. Florentino constantly has love on the brain.

Is there anything that will impress the ladies or gents more than a claim that you have actually read ? and understood ? the great masterwork of Western literature? Imagine cruising the night scene with some prepared segues: “Oh, really? That’s very interesting. It’s just like Tolstoy writes in War and Peace.?

From Bestsellers:

Here is the situation in Ender?s Game: After aliens attack Earth, the government decides to train some special kids in how to defeat the aliens. This training is done primarily through playing games. Awesome.

From Poetry:

“The Charge of the Light Brigade” is a serious classic, one of the most famous war poems of all time. That means that generations of people have turned to this poem as a way to celebrate heroism.

From Shakespeare:

Still want that last bit of summer?

Like the modern-day romantic comedy genre it’s helped to shape and influence, A Midsummer Night’s Dream features young lovers who fall comically in and out of love in a ridiculously brief period of time (over the course of a single, enchanted midsummer night).

Of course, we have much beyond the world of lit.

For College:

Not counting on the stock market gains to pay for college? Nobody can. Check out Shmoop?s Guide to College Admissions, including financial aid and scholarships. Have Mom and Dad take a look at how to save for college while working on that application.

From History:

If you believe love is a battlefield, check out some new areas on Shmoop, which features, of course, battles.

In case you were curious about the battles we are still fighting, Shmoop takes a look at the War on Terror.

We also have our first foray into video. Let us know what we should do for our second.

About Shmoop

Shmoop is a digital curriculum and test prep company that makes fun, rigorous learning and teaching materials. Shmoop content is written by master teachers and Ph.D. students from Stanford, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and other top universities. Shmoop Learning Guides, Test Prep, SAT, and Teacher?s Editions balance a teen-friendly, approachable style with academically rigorous materials to help students understand how subjects relate to their daily lives. Shmoop offers more than 10,000 titles across the Web, iPhone, Android devices, iPad, Kindle, Nook, and Sony Reader. The company has been honored twice by the Webby Awards and was named ?Best in Tech? for 2010 and 2011 by Scholastic Administrator. Launched in 2008, Shmoop is headquartered in a labradoodle-patrolled office in Mountain View, Calif.

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Kobe Howard a 13-year-old from Oklahoma has won a nine-week stay (with room and board included) to Camp Shane, the longest-running weight-loss camp for children and teens in the country, for the 2011 summer session.

Blonsky, the star of the funny and provocative ABC Family TV show, Huge, which followed the lives of teens and staff at a weight-loss camp, visited Camp Shane last summer to announce the scholarship in her name. Blonsky urged the campers to get rid of their negative self-image and make use of their time at Camp Shane to learn about healthy eating, nutrition, exercise, and most-importantly, self acceptance–urging them to not judge their insides by other people’s outsides. “I am proud of myself for being me, an individual,” Blonsky said. “You should be proud of yourselves too.” Her show, Huge, Blonsky said, ?was just like the program here at Camp Shane, not only about losing weight, it’s about finding out who you are are as person.”

Kobe’s winning essay submission (written with a little help from his mom, Brandy Howard) was selected from hundreds submitted and detailed why he wanted (and needed) to win the scholarship. Once an athletic kid, Kobe’s physical activity came to an abrupt halt when he suffered a debilitating knee injury. The enforced inactivity caused Kobe’s weight to balloon to 230 pounds, far too much for his 5-foot 4-inch frame. Recent surgery corrected the torn ligament in his knee, allowing him to once again begin exercising. He and his mom learned of Camp Shane online, but thought Kobe’s attendance would have to remain a dream.

?I am a student and the single-mother of three kids,? says Brandy. ?I couldn?t afford the fee for him to attend the camp.?

That’s when Brandy learned of the Blonsky scholarship and helped Kobe write his essay. The resulting entry touched Nikki Blonsky’s heart.

?To be able to help change one kid’s life for the better, by giving them a summer at Camp Shane, is very exciting,? says Blonsky. ?I wish I had all the money in the world so I could help all the kids who entered, but I am very proud to know I will be helping Kobe. I hope he has a great summer at this place I just adore?Camp Shane.?

?Nikki has inspired our campers with her confidence, energy and absolute belief that anyone can change their lives with hard work and the right encouragement,? says Ziporah Janowski, Co-founder of Camp Shane. ?We were delighted to partner with her on this scholarship and look forward to welcoming Kobe here, to help him lose weight, get healthy and start on the path towards a brighter future.?

When told of the win by phone, Kobe tearfully repeated, ?I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it…?

His mother was a bit more eloquent, ?I can’t even tell you how much we appreciate this and how grateful we are to Nikki Blonsky and Camp Shane. Because of them, my son is going to get his life back.?

For more information about about the program at Camp Shane, which helps children and teens to learn about nutrition, exercise and weight loss (all in a fun summer camp setting), please visit http://www.campshane.com or call (914) 271-4141.

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Care2Learn, the leader in online healthcare CE for the post-acute care industry, will showcase its award-winning CE courses and healthcare compliance training curriculum August 15?16 at the 2011 Florida Health Care Association Annual Conference & Trade Show at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. The popular event offers long-term care professionals an exclusive opportunity to network with industry peers and showcase their unique products and services.

Care2Learn will be located at Booth 1012, where visitors can preview what the eLearning provider has to offer, including more than 800 hours of fully accredited online healthcare CE courses and over 130 online healthcare inservices spanning 17 disciplines within the post-acute care industry. Care2Learn?s industry-leading Learning Management System incorporates the latest eLearning technology, with full reporting and live client support available seven days a week.

?We look forward every year to the FHCA Conference,? says Care2Learn Marketing Communications Manager Kelly Conlon. ?Because we?re a Florida-based company, it?s just such a great opportunity to meet with other local businesses right here in our own backyard who share Care2Learn?s commitment to advancing patient care through innovative products and services. The relationships we have formed through FHCA have developed over the years into strong professional partnerships, and our team members are eager to get out there and show the industry everything we have to offer.?

Industry professionals who visit Care2Learn at the FHCA Annual Conference & Trade Show will receive a free course, Managing Power and Influence by John Pratt, a professor of Long-term Care Administration at Saint Joseph?s College of Maine and a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Administrators. The 1-hour online healthcare CE course explains how leaders and managers can use power and influence effectively in the healthcare setting.

About Care2Learn

Founded in 2000, Care2Learn provides online continuing education and compliance training solutions for the post-acute care industry. The Care2Learn course library includes more than 800 accredited course hours delivered to more than 395,000 healthcare professionals in all 50 states. Acquired by RedVector, the premier online CE provider for the design, engineering, and construction industries, Care2Learn continues to grow by offering customized online eLearning universities to companies wishing to offer training and education solutions to their entire staff in a cost-effective, easy-to-use, and readily accessible manner. For further information, call 1-866-703-9418 or visit http://www.Care2Learn.com.

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