•3 Ways To Inspire A Love Of Reading In Your Children
If your child is showing little interest in reading, there is hope. Sometimes moms and dads have to get sneaky, but you can still turn your child into a reader, even if he is reluctant about it.
1. The Early Bedtime trick. One of my favorite ways to get my kids to read is something they hopefully will not figure out until they have kids of their own. Two words “Early Bedtime”.
You might be wondering how an increase in sleep can help your child to spend more time reading. Well, here's the...
•5 Activities To Encourage A Love Of Math In Your Children
Oftentimes parents invest a lot of money in thick workbooks to teach their kids math. Some children are open to workbooks. Others are not. If your child is bored by workbooks, don't fret. There are plenty of other ways to teach math – and they’re fun!
Board Games Dust off your Monopoly game and your game of Life. Counting money is great practice for learning math. If your child is old enough, ask her be the banker.
Cooking Cooking is a wonderful way to teach addition, multiplication,...
•5 Christmas Movies For The Whole Family To Enjoy!
Christmas is coming! And, Christmas time is all about family and togetherness. We’ve put together some recommendations for movies to have on hand for the Christmas season that the whole family will enjoy. These are all movies to buy and watch year after year!
A Christmas Story (1983) All Ralphie wants in the entire world is a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. This 1940s family is hilarious. You’ll love Ralphie’s irritable father, his whiny brother, and his all-American mother.
Elf (2003)...
•5 Movies From Your Childhood To Share With Your Kids
Brand new movies are great! It’s so much fun standing in line at the theater, breathing in the buttery popcorn smell, giddy with anticipation when a new movie is released.
My children love watching the latest and greatest movies, but I just grin when I hear my children singing the songs I used to sing as a kid – “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “Tomorrow”. Hearing their little off-key renditions is the best music to my ears.
Have you introduced your children to the movies you enjoyed...
•5 Simple Ways Connect With Your Husband
Have you ever rolled over in the morning and not known the man lying next to you? I’m not referring to that time back in college - I’m talking about the present. After years of marriage, you may start to feel like your husband is a stranger. Or is it that you feel he’s getting stranger? Either way, here are 5 simple ways to stay connected to your husband.
1. Cook a meal together. Whether it’s breakfast or dinner it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re spending time together. How about getting...
•5 Ways To Drive Visitors Away From Your Website
There are tons of resources available that will teach you how to make money on the internet. Heck, I've written tutorials like that myself. But, perhaps it's easier to demonstrate what to do, with a lesson on what not to do. This article will teach you how to drive visitors away from your website screaming "Get me outta here!" If you prefer being alone with your website and don't want all those pesky visitors bothering you, then follow the guidelines below and you'll get rid of them quick as a...
•Article Writing: Can It Help Grow My Forum?
Question: I’ve got a forum and it’s a ghost town. How can I get people to my forum? – NobodyLovesMe
Dear Nobody Loves Me, Building a forum into a happenin’ place is a LOT of work. Don’t be discouraged if your efforts aren’t paying off yet. It does take time.
That being said, there are ways to boost your forum and keep boosting it, without having to spend a lot of money. Let me share one of my favorite ways to get traffic, writing articles.
You may not be familiar with article sharing....
•Article Writing: Can It Help Me Get More Newsletter Subscribers?
Question: I’ve got a newsletter that just isn’t growing. I’m posting my site on free classified ads and I’m paying for advertising, but I’m just not seeing results. What can I do?
Signed, Nobody Loves Me
Dear Nobody Loves Me,
Let me start by saying you are not alone. I believe you are working hard. Unfortunately, just because you are working hard doesn’t mean you’ll have success. You need to also work smart and invest in long-term ways to grow your list.
Let me tell you about my favorite...
•Article Writing: Can It Help My Direct Sales Business?
Question: How can I get long-term advertising for my Direct Sales website without spending a fortune?
Signed, Direct Sales Mom
Dear Direct Sales Mom, Very often, people in Direct Sales don’t realize they can benefit from the same methods of internet marketing that other online businesses use. Writing and submitting articles is one of those methods of marketing that is extremely effective for Direct Sales businesses.
If you’re unfamiliar with the way article marketing works, basically, you...
•Article Writing: Can It Help My E-book Sales?
Question: I wrote an e-book and I have a sales page selling it. Can I use article writing to promote my e-book?
Signed, Where are the Sales?
Dear Where are the Sales, Absolutely. In fact, I highly recommend it.
It’s a perfect fit. Think about it. You’ve already got the content, and you obviously don’t mind writing since you’ve written an entire e-book. You’re a perfect candidate for using article sharing to get traffic to your website – and sell more e-books in the process.
If article...
•Article Writing: Can It Help My Online Radio Show?
Question: I started an online talk radio show. I have the equipment set up and my guests lined up. But, how do I get listeners? I feel like I’m talking to myself.
Signed, Talking to Myself
Dear Talking to Myself, First of all, Congratulations! What a big step you took to start a show. You’ve got the equipment ready, the interviews lined up and are ready to roll. I’m assuming you’ve already spent money on equipment so you don’t want to spend more on advertising. What’s a frugal online radio...
•Article Writing: Can It Help My Online Store?
Question: My online store can’t make money unless I get traffic, but I can’t afford to keep buying advertising. What can I do? I feel so discouraged. Signed, Lonely in my Store
Dear Lonely in my Store, First of all, you are NOT doing anything wrong. Online businesses take time and can get frustrating, especially in the first year.
If your online store is lonely, and you’re watching the dust balls collect, waiting for traffic to come and buy, it’s easy to get discouraged. As soon as the...
•Article Writing: Can It Help My Virtual Assistant Business?
Question: I’m a Virtual Assistant. Can I use articles to promote my business? Signed, Eager VA
Dear Eager VA, Virtual Assistants are springing up all around the internet. It’s a very viable business option and more work at home moms are jumping on the bandwagon every day. The real go-getters will whip up a “business card” website right away with their contact information, ‘about me’ information, and their rates and services offered.
But, then that website sits and collects dust while they...
•Automating And Outsourcing The Article Submission Process
Article marketing is all the rage. The word is spreading that writing and submitting articles is one of the best ways to get long term traffic to your website. That’s nothing new. But, if you’re new to article marketing, you may already be discouraged by the amount of time it takes to actually go through and submit your articles.
Here are some options to automate and outsource your article submissions.
Outsource the Work:
Hire a Virtual Assistant to submit your articles for you. Many...
•Backyard Snow Activities For Children
You look outside and see a beautiful blanket of white snow covering the ground. Your children are inside getting more and more restless as the morning progresses.
The next time this happens, turn off the TV, bundle up the kids, and head outside for some old-fashioned fun in the snow.
Snowman Who says lumps of coal are a bad thing at Christmastime? All you need to make a snowman is a few lumps of coal (or rocks) for eyes and a mouth, a carrot for a nose, sticks for arms, and a scarf and hat...
•Christmas Cooking Fun With Kids
One of my favorite things to do with my kids is cook. Not only does it cut down on my own chores list, but it’s an easy way to spend time with my kids and learn more about their lives. Christmas season may be crazy busy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to cook with your kids. If you look at the opportunity, your kids can be helpers during this stressful time.
1. Dinner Buffet
If you know you’re about to have one of “those nights”, enlist help. Have buffet ingredients on hand in...
•Cooking Fun Teaches Life Lessons
One of the most fun ways to spend time with your kids is by cooking meals together. You’ve got to prepare meals anyway, so you might as well have spend time with your kids. It’s better than cooking alone, right?
Cooking with kids not only is an easy way to spend quality time, it gives you the opportunity to teach the basic skills that your children will need as adults. There’s nothing sillier than a college student who doesn’t know how to bake a potato. These are simple life skills and are as...
•Could Your Income Survive A Hurricane?
As you know, Hurricane Katrina has caused destruction and devastation across several states. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and are unable to work since the storm. Businesses have been closed for weeks. The economical impact is unimaginable. No one knows what the effects will be — weeks, months, even years from now.
How would weeks, or months, of lost income affect your family? This event is another solid reminder of how important it is to develop passive income — the...
•Dear Affiliate Manager, Women Are From Venus
Question: My target market is women, and I’m having a hard time getting them to promote my products. They just seem unmotivated. I don’t get it. Does my affiliate program stink or am I recruiting bad affiliates?
Dear Affiliate Manager: This just goes back to basic psychology. Women and men value different things.
Car salesmen are taught this in their training. When a husband and wife walk into a car showroom, the car salesman will face the husband when he talks about things like …...
•Dear Affiliate Manager: Are You Hoarding Your Articles?
Question: My affiliates keep bugging me about my articles. Why do they want my articles and should I let them have them? What do I get out of it?
Dear Affiliate Manager, You hit on my pet peeve. Stop hoarding your articles already! Do you want your affiliates to promote your program repeatedly to their lists and on their sites or don’t you? Isn’t the goal to get your website exposure all over the internet? The more sales your affiliates make – the more money you’ll BOTH make.
My favorite...
•Diagnosis: Business Insanity
Are you insane?
Most everyone has seen the following definition of insanity, accurately described by Albert Einstein -
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Are you doing the same things with your business repeatedly and expecting different results?
If you look back at 2005, and don’t see significant progress in your business, you may be stuck in a rut, doing the same things over and over, and expecting different results.
Diagnosis: You...
•Easy Ways To Teach Your Child About Colors
The world is a kaleidoscope of color, and teaching your child about colors is fundamental to their learning process, right? To assist you, here are some tips to help your child recognize and identify colors.
· When dressing your child; say the color of the outfit.
· Take out some fruit and place it on the kitchen table. Sit the child on your lap and point to each fruit; naming the color.
· When you go for a walk with your child, point out the different color flowers.
· Using the wide...
•Fourth Of July Educational Activities For Children
Patriotism is more than being a proud citizen of a country. It is also knowing the history and respecting what others have done to make the present freedoms possible in the land in which you live. During the various patriotic days celebrated over the course of the year, teach your kids why they are important.
The patriotic day we most often think of is the fourth of July. This is the day that Americans celebrate their independence from British rule. The thirteen original colonies were now...
•Fun with Children: Making Memories on a Budget
Fun with Children: Making Memories on a Budget by Nicole DeanWhat childhood memories do you hold dear? For me, it was all the times "life happened". The little things like playing outside, riding my bike with the wind in my hair, playing at the park, swimming in the lakes, giggling with friends. None of those moments cost a cent, yet they are some of my most treasured memories. Making memories on a budget is very easy to do. Choose any of the ideas below and you'll have a fun-filled time...
•Fundraisers: How To Plan A Pancake Breakfast With Santa
During the holidays, many schools and churches plan a holiday "Pancake Breakfast with Santa" fundraiser. In fact, this is one of the simplest and most fun fundraisers you can host.
Step 1. Select a Charity
Choose a charity to receive the funds. To me, the best charities to benefit would be related to children – at least during the holidays. Is there a children’s hospital in your town? Or a family having a hard time in your school or church?
Step 2. Location & Time
Now you can begin to...
•Halloween Activities For Toddlers: Pumpkins
Halloween inspires all kinds of activities to do with your toddler, especially pumpkin fun! Visiting the pumpkin patch together, shopping for (or making) Halloween costumes, and decorating the house. But one of the best Halloween activities is doing art projects together.
Here are two very simple pumpkin crafts that every toddler will enjoy. Prepare for the activity in advance, so your little ball of energy can dive right in.
Simple Paper Jack-o-Lantern There's nothing at all fancy about...
•Halloween Art Projects For Kids
Fall is just around the corner, and with the cooler weather comes more inside time for the little ones. Naturally, they’re going to need something fun and creative to keep them busy. Help your kids prepare for Halloween by constructing these adorable craft projects. They’re easy and fun to make and the kiddos will love displaying them for the holiday.
Egg Carton Spiders
What you will need:
Cardboard egg carton Pipe cleaners Poster paint Elastic thread Something to poke small holes...
•Halloween Costumes You Can Make From A Cardboard Box
Do you have a cardboard box that is large enough to fit around your child? If so, you can easily make a costume for your child for Halloween – and save a lot of money in the process.
Start by cutting a hole in the box for your child’s head. Or, if the box is smaller, then you’ll attach straps to the edges of the box when the costume is completed (like suspenders) and fit them over your child’s shoulders. Also, cut arm holes if you aren’t doing the suspender method. Then you’re ready to get...
•Holiday Sanity Savers From A Mostly-Sane Mom
The Holidays are a stressful time. Between the additional errands, the extra traffic, and the stress of spending money that you don’t have – even the sanest mom will be questioning her sanity as the holidays near.
Here are a few ideas to help you keep your sanity this holiday season.
Make a list (and check it twice). Keep your shopping list in your purse to keep from being overwhelmed or worse – overspending. If you walk into a store and are bedazzled by all the shiny things, I can relate....
•Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas For Children
You can find a large variety of Halloween costumes available at stores in your neighborhood. However, when you consider the cost and lack of originality, homemade costumes are a more fun and oftentimes more cost-effective option. Plus, if you involve your children in creating the homemade costumes, the results will be worth more than any store-bought costume in any store.
Here are some inexpensive, homemade Halloween costume ideas that will cost little money and show lots of imagination....
•Keep Your Child Safe In The Summer Sun
Everyone wants to be outdoors when summertime arrives. The warmth of the sun makes people happy, but it can also harm you and your children if you are not careful. Play it safe this summer. Prepare ahead of time to protect your kids while they have fun in the sun.
Purchase sunglasses for your group. Children's eyes need to be protected from the harmful ultraviolet rays, too. If you buy them, they will get used to wearing them. Sunglasses that wrap around the face also shield the peripheral...
•Life Is Boring In That Bubble
>From Seinfeld - Jerry: He's a bubble boy. George: A bubble boy?! Susan: What's a bubble boy?! Jerry: He lives in a bubble! George: BOY!
When I consider everything good that’s happened in my life, it’s all been due to taking risks. When you look at your dreams, do they require you to sometimes be uncomfortable? To stretch outside of your safe zone – outside of your ‘bubble’? Absolutely!
Do you want to hear a confession?
The first few times Kelly McCausey asked me to be on...
•Mom, Are You Happy?
I’m a new Stay at Home Mom and I’m just miserable. I love my baby, but I miss my career and my co-workers. Going back to work isn’t an option. But, how can I be happy? What can I do? Signed – Miserable in MO
Dear Miserable, Making the transition from a busy career woman to a stay at home mom can be quite a struggle, especially if you really enjoyed your job and your co-workers. I’ve been there!
Don’t get me wrong. Being a Stay at home mom is a great job. I’ve been an at home mom for...
•Mom, Do You Need To Save Money?
I need to learn how to save more of our income. I’m not interested in starting a business or making money, but I do believe that a penny saved is a penny earned, so I’d like to hold onto more of my pennies. Thanks so much for any help you can offer! – Signed, Penny
Dear Penny, Some of my favorite ways to save money are the easiest. Of course, we all like the easy things in life. I know I’m not the type to reuse a plastic sandwich bag, so I just buy plastic containers instead that can be used...
•Mom, Want To Make Money Online?
I’m a Stay at Home Mom and I’m broke. I’m pinching pennies left and right and we still aren’t making ends meet. I need to bring in some money, but I really don’t want to go back to work. I have a computer at home. What can I do to make money? Signed – Broke in Baltimore
Dear Broke in Baltimore, Oh, how I love to help Moms make money from home. It sounds like you’re open to working on your computer. Let’s get you some ideas on doing just that.
First of all, be careful of scams. Anything...
•Mom’s Head To Toe List - Five Things To Do Before Summer
Summer is here! Are you prepared to be a sun-loving beauty? This checklist for Summer Preparation will give you a good start for swimsuit season.
Exercise – Ladies, there’s nowhere to hide it anymore. The big, bad cellulite fairy visited during the winter again. Or does cellulite reproduce when it’s cold? Either way, get out your walking shoes and hit the streets. Or grab an exercise video and shake it until it melts off.
Pluck or wax those eyebrows. – The bright sunlight will show every...
•Multi-Task Your Way To A Healthy Body And A Booming Business
Can you relate to this dilemma?
I sit on my keister too many hours each day while I'm working. With the holidays coming, I'm a little worried about it... growing.
Without getting into too many details about my keister, we'll just say that it's definitely not the best thing for any keister to be sitting too long each day and leave it at that.
Do you spend too much time in your swivel chair, too?
That got me thinking. A lot of my time sitting is spent listening to recorded teleseminars to...
•Nobody Signing Up For Your Newsletter?
Question: Why is nobody signing up for my newsletter? I know that’s where the money is, but I just can’t get anyone to sign up. What can I do?
Signed – Yoo hoo… Anyone there?
Dear Yoo hoo… Anyone there? Please don’t feel badly. I actually get this question a lot in my consulting business. It’s a very common problem and, fortunately, one that you can start improving today.
Here is the short version of the checklist I go through with clients when examining ways to fix this problem.
1....
•Old-Fashioned Ways to Inspire Children
Old-Fashioned Ways to Inspire Children
by: Nicole Dean
"Walk through any toy store and you will see walls and walls of toys that are loud -- toys that require batteries, have flashing lights, or that look like your child's favorite movie character. What is there for parents who want to raise children with imagination and curiosity? I'll tell you what we do. We choose to fill our houses with the following old-fashioned items.
Books
No house can have enough books. Make sure your house has...
•Party 911: Pasta Salad To The Rescue
Has this ever happened to you? You’ve been invited to a party and realize you don’t have a meal to bring. Not only that, but the party starts in an hour. What should you do?
You have four options:
Don’t go, and miss out on a really fun time.
Show up empty-handed and explain red-faced that you forgot.
Grab a casserole dish and head to the deli. Order your food and have them put it right into your casserole dish. Yes, I’ve gone this. It’s expensive but it works. If you get asked for the...
•PLR Articles: How To Choose A Good Service
Private Label Rights (PLR) articles are hot right now. The only problem is that many people have tried them and been very disappointed. I can’t say I blame them. I’ve been disappointed, too.
Oftentimes, the PLR services you may have tried are lacking in several areas. So, what makes a good PLR service and how can you make sure that you don’t waste you money on a bad one?
Here are some questions to ask yourself before investing any money into a PLR package or membership.
1. What topics are...
•Romance for Every Day of the Month
Romance for Every Day of the Month
by: Nicole Dean
My girlfriends and I were talking. We decided that we needed to teach the men in our lives this phrase "Romance does not equal money." The men I've talked with have been frightened off by television and movies and believe that romance is something outside of their budget. They are wrong. Romance does not equal money! Although an occasional diamond necklace or expensive dinner is appreciated, it is truly the day to day affection that builds...
•Romantic Anniversary Gifts
My husband appreciates practical gifts. He’s much like his grandfather who would be giddy when we’d give him bungie cords. “You can never have too many bungie cords!”
That’s all fine and good for THEM. But, I certainly do not want anything practical for an anniversary gift. No blenders, no socks, no vacuum cleaners. He’d better get something special or he’ll be hearing about it for years to come.
Now, before you think I’m some gold-digger, that gift does not need to be expensive. I just want...
•Romantic Meals On A Budget
Food and romance go hand in hand. But, if you’re on a budget, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to show your sweetie that you love him. You can have a romantic meal at home – for the cost of a regular meal. The food you choose is not nearly as important as the atmosphere you create. You could easily make a very romantic meal from pizza or sandwiches if you take the time to create the perfect ambiance in the room.
Choose your main dish according to your partner's favorite dishes. There's...
•Romantic Movies That’ll Make You Laugh
Romance is serious business. Or is it?
Which do you think your husband would choose if put to the test:
a.) Watch the beautiful tearjerker movie, The Notebook b.) Do anything that doesn’t involve watching The Notebook
My answer is easy. My husband would opt for a root canal rather than sitting through a movie like The Notebook or Terms of Endearment. Now don’t get me wrong. That doesn’t mean he’s not romantic. The man loves deeper than I could describe. He’s simply not a fan of traditional...
•Safety Tips For Children Riding Bikes
Riding bikes is a good way to pass a Saturday afternoon in the park or along trails in your neighborhood. It is fun for the entire family. Keep your children protected while they ride their bikes with you or with their friends.
Wear safety gear. Fatal injuries sustained in bicycle accidents are due to the rider not wearing a helmet for protection. Helmets come in all sizes and colors so they can be stylish for the discerning young rider. Helmets should fit the child without being too snug. A...
•Simple Ways To Teach Your Child About Shapes
Babies are so curious, aren’t they? They seem to want to reach out and touch everything. Whether it’s a toy, stuffed animal, or any object inside your home, they immediately want to feel it or, in some cases, put it in their mouths. Here are 6 tips to help your child recognize shapes.
Babies listen intently to a mother’s voice. They take everything in, like sponges – all of the sights, sounds and especially, the shapes. It is important, then, to communicate what objects are to your child on a...
•Summer Safety Tips For Children
Summer is a fun time, but it’s also a time when a lot of accidents happen. Here are some ways to keep your children safe this summer.
Water safety. If you have a pool or plan to be around the water at all, then make sure you’ve got all security devices in place. All gates must be locked, and alarms installed, especially if you have non-swimming children at home.
Some general simple rules for children around any body of water are:
1. No running or horseplay near the pool.
2. Kids only...
•The Easy Way To Build A Viral E-book That Brings You Traffic
Every time I release a free e-book to my subscribers, I get great feedback about how awesome I am and how they could NEVER create anything so cool.
((sigh))
I have a confession to make. You see ... it is really really simple to make a short, viral e-book. It's not rocket science, I promise.
If you know how to use Word for Windows, you can create an e-book. Now, as far as doing market research to find out if anyone will *buy* your e-book -- that's a whole 'nother ball game. But, if you want...
•Websites In The Sand
Every once in a while I am reminded that working from home is a dream come true. Sometimes it's a subtle reminder - a hug from my daughter or a bike ride with my son. Other times it just takes my breath away.
A few days ago, I had a reminder that took my breath away. My husband and I were standing on a beach on the Gulf of Mexico, a few miles from our home. It was our weekly brainstorming session. Once each week, we drop off the kids at school, buy a latte and plan our workweek. This week, we...
•What Can You Do With PLR Articles?
You may have seen the term Private Label Rights or PLR articles being tossed around frequently lately. PLR articles are articles you can buy (usually in packages or as part of a membership) that you may edit and use as you wish. Unlike free reprint articles, you are not required to link back to anyone else’s website which makes them appealing to many web publishers.
Once you understand the concept behind PLR articles, you can see why they are appealing. Most people can envision the value of...
•What Do I Do With All These Packets Of DIP Mix?
It seems that everyone uses dip mix but me. I’ve managed to accumulate quite the collection of dip mixes. (Ranch, jalapeno, Mexican, etc.)
What can I do with these other than make DIP?
Signed, Drowning in Dip
Dear Drowning in Dip,
I hear you! I find myself in the same situation. But, I ended up with my pantry over-flowing in dip and finally found some solutions. I hope they help you, too.
All you need to use your dip mix is sour cream, mayonnaise or cream cheese. From there, the...
•Work At Home Moms And Stress
How stressed are you really? Take this quiz to find out. Mark as many of the items below that you identify with.
_ Calgon! Take me away! What would you give for a vacation right now? If you named a body part, then you’re feeling too stressed.
_ I’ve fallen and I can’t get up. Is this how you feel in the morning when the alarm goes off?
_ Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz…oh what a relief it is. Are you experiencing stomach aches, headaches, or other physical signs of stress?
_ Take my kids,...
•Working From Home -- Examining Your 'Why'
As Work at Home Moms, we talk about our "Why" as a positive thing. Our "Why" is our purpose, our reason, our muse. We refer to our 'Why' when we need inspiration or motivation to reach outside our comfort zone, to try a little harder, to keep going even when it's hard. Our 'Why' helps us to succeed.
Today I was asking "Why work from home" in a slightly different tone. Today, I am home with a sick puppy and am up to my eyeballs in puppy puke.
I'm new to this puppy thing. I was warned up and...
•Your Signature File -- Give It Some Love.
Your signature file -- the blurb at the end of your forum posts and your emails -- is prime real estate. Are you using it to the fullest?
Do you put any thought into your sig lines? I hope you are putting as much thought into your sig lines as you would a paid advertisement. Your signature file has the potential to work for you, if you let it.
Of course, if you’re posting on forums, the #1 most important thing is your actual message. Don't attach your signature file to anything that will...
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