For Health's Sake - Sleep

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When we were kids, our mothers would nag us about getting enough sleep all the time. Naps and early bedtimes were a ritual in the life of kids all over the place. But, since we were hard headed and stubborn, many times we would ignore our parents and stay up too late and give up naps for playing. If we only knew then what we experience now, we would have slept a lot more when we were younget.

Sleeping is natural and is essential for the overall health and well being of our bodies. Through out the course of the average day, the body needs down time to renew itself. The only way our bodies get this kind of rest is through sleeping, nothing else works. It is as important to us as breathing, yet we hardly get enough of it.

Here is a little insight into what the effects of sleep and lack of sleep are on the body, as well as the benefits of getting a good night's sleep.

First, good and consistent sleep patterns help our bodies to repair themselves. Our immune system is most effective when asleep, and proper rest keeps it strong and working efficiently.

The next bonus for sleeping good is that it recharges our batteries and gives us a new supply of energy, which we need in order to cope with the daily activities that surround our lives. For those who are active in a lot of fast paced and interpersonal situations like going to school or being involved in community organizations, sleep is essential to keep energy levels where they should be.

A good night's sleep also promotes the healthy growth patterns of children, which they definitely need. Something to remember is that sleep also activates brain cells and helps us to organize our thoughts and think more effectively.

Some suffering from lack of sleep will find it hard to concentrate and remember things. That is why it is so important for students to get plenty of rest before taking a test.

Some common symptoms people have when not getting enough sleep include irritability, mood swings and difficulty concentrating. Additionally, people are more prone to getting into accidents, loosing coordination, developing a weak immune system and sluggish thinking.

The lack of sleep is also blamed for speeding up the aging process in our bodies as well. So, the benefits of getting sleep are obvious, now the important thing to do is make enough time to do it well.

For the Sake of the Children, Minimize the Conflict in Your Divorce

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A marriage relationship can be sustained only if there is cooperation, understanding, and compromise from both the partners. If these things are absent, then the marriage suffers. In the end, when friction between the partners becomes overwhelming, divorce becomes necessary to restore a bit of peace for everyone involved.

This is a time when strong and conflicting emotions are involved. But whatever the case, it is not just the husband and wife's life and future that has to be considered. If children are involved, then the first and foremost priority should be given to them.

The effects of divorce on a child can be profound, especially if the divorce is not handled correctly. Most children go through a series of emotional conflicts during the course of a divorce. They may be difficult to handle. They may appear to be angry with everyone and everything. They may show feelings of depression or anxiety, and they may start experimenting with drugs or alcohol to try to escape from everyday life.

All these things happen to children because the secure world in which they started building dreams has collapsed and been replaced by insecurity. Every parent should know these things when they enter into a divorce. So the least they can do is have an amicable divorce that minimizes the effect on their children.

How can the parties involved in a potential marriage breakdown minimize its effects on the children? It is obvious that children need the love and support of both the parents for their mental, emotional and social well-being. So the best solution is usually not to get divorced. Try to work it out. Don't feel bad about seeking professional help if it can save your marriage.

But if you feel that divorce is the only way out or you have to separate, then deal with it in a mature manner. Avoid all those lengthy court battles and custodial battles and slinging mud on each other. This will only aggravate an already delicate situation and make it much more difficult on the children. The least you can do is settle it amicably.

Even a calm and amicable divorce is stressful for both the partners as well as for the children. After all, you are taking a deep partnership, often established over many years, and tearing it apart. No matter how reasonable you are, there will be tensions and stresses. One of your primary objectives should be to avoid as much as possible making it traumatic for the children.

Here are some things you can do:

- Be honest about everything with your children.
- Though you may think you hate each other, for the sake of the children you should try to respect each other.
- Reassure your children that the divorce is because of your personal differences, not because of them.
- In any matter, take the opinions and preferences of the children into account.
- Encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings openly.

For an amicable settlement you should seek the help of a reputable, skillful and experienced lawyer who understands the importance of family. Look for a lawyer who will help you settle your divorce amicably, rather than one who will exaggerate your differences and focus on your conflicts.

Men, Are You Aware of How You Can Wear Your Jewellery?

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Men's Jewellery and Its Origination Men's jewellery has grown over a long time from its beginning. Inside the western culture, the usage of jewellery for women is to only spruce up her body unlike in the east or old times where men were seen casually wearing jewellery just for the sake of their cultural customs.

The requirement for newer, to be tougher weapons and the greater want to get more beautiful jewellery resulted in forcing the science of metal production which left for nobilities and rich communities to readily obtain products of tin, copper, brass, silver, and gold for being worn. Even going to this time, gold leads among the most popular metals used for jewellery, no matter their having only been about 160,000 tonnes of gold ever mined and extracted by humans.

How Jewellery Can Improve Male Masculinity Being masculine is having courage to dress yourself in what you want to. For when you see mens stud earrings that appeals to you, simply try it on to check if it does actually suit you because wearing jewellery for men is fashionable these days. Chains are worn by anybody and fortunately, the newest designs are stylish and will suit just about any person.

The mainly attracted chains consist of snake, marina, box and rope which are in high demand. Cufflinks are indispensible with regards to a man's wardrobe.

Many girlfriends and spouse who wouldn't mind having their partner enhance their quality of wardrobe just a bit would happily purchase a couple of cufflinks to better match their new style.

How Jewellery Is Fashionable Women are not alone in being privileged to put on ornaments any longer. One can find various types of accessories which might be marketed for men also. Men put on jewellery for many reasons.

They could wear adornment for special evenings or events for their fashion statement. Actually, these kinds of arrangements were only made by beads, metals, glass, bones, wood, stones, etc. Wear With Glee

Despite the fact that women have always been able to sport metal or jewelled adornment within the western culture, men have always been more limited in their styles. An example could be a married man wearing his wedding band and has not been questioned for it due to its general significance among the masses. Doesn't it seem like to you that men will often be seen worn wearing their wedding band to display this tie or affiliation with his wife rather than this wish to put on the ring just for the sake of wanting to?

With the right jewellery and the perfect man to exude confidence, it is obvious that the match will be excellent, especially when comparing it to those men who simply just wear jewellery for the sake of looking cool.

Is it Right to Stay in a Marriage "For the Children's Sake"?

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Sometimes, it is better to live your life alone rather than staying in a marriage that you are miserable in. Some spouses refuse to get a divorce just for "the children's sake", even if their marriage died long ago. But did you know that it is sometimes healthier and better for the kids if their parents get a divorce rather than see how miserable their parents are together?

When we hear of divorce, negative things come to mind - the end of a relationship, a broken family, misery, loss. But there are times when divorce becomes the better choice than staying together. Most spouses refuse to get a divorce because they think it's what's best for the kids. Children generally do better with a mother and a father to support them as they grow. However, it would be better for the kids to live in a happy environment with just a mother or a father than stay in a house seeing their parents argue everyday.

And if you do resort to pretending that everything is all right with your husband or your wife, consider how your children will react. They are not dummies nor are they emotionally callused. They will eventually find out that something's wrong. Truelove and affection can never be faked, especially in front of children. There will always be that uneasy silence or that hostile stare that they will notice now and then.

Remember, seeing you genuinely happy will make your kids happy as well. So if both of you think that divorce is the healthiest choice for your relationship, then it will also become the best choice you can make for your children's sake. All you need to do is to make them understand why both of you are separating. Be open and talk to them together as husband and wife. They will still need all the reassurance and support that you can give. Try to make the entire process as civilized and as peaceful as possible to reduce any emotional impact it may have on your children.

The Secret to New Ideas

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People often want change merely for the sake of change,
whether they are changes for the better or not. The human
animal is easily bored. Furthermore, change is necessary for
those in business, as it is the best aid to replacement and
profit.

We have also been made aware by many books that obsolescence
is built into much merchandise to make it wear out long
before its time. Or new styles are introduced so different
from the current ones that one must abandon useful articles
to keep pace. Much of this is of course highly
objectionable.

We find that many good ideas are abandoned for the sake of
change, such as the elimination of pockets in women's
clothes, or the use of small purses instead of spacious
ones, stiff collars instead of comfortable ones and so on.

On the other hand, an improvement by its very nature implies
change too. So whenever you want an idea, consider all the
facts and factors involved in your product or your subject,
and see what aspects you can change. Some of the possible
changes will doubtless seem foolish at first, but you may be
able to find a justification for them later on that would
permit you to use them. In any case there is nothing to lose
in noting down whatever you think of, even if it seems far-
fetched.

There are, of course, many kinds of rearrangement. One may
use different sizes, different shapes, different materials
or colors; or the same for different purposes; or in a
different position, and so on ad infinitum.

The idea of interchangeable parts was first used by Eli
Whitney in stepping up production for weapons for the War of
1812. Many years later Ford adopted it as part of his
assembly line production method. The idea had many other
applications, even down to basic dresses which can be used
for different occasions simply by the use of other
accessories.

You can imagine the familiar thing in almost any new
position. Transposition from one place to another gave us
the idea of serving meals not in homes but in restaurants.
The same process of transposing gives us all sorts of
outside services formerly done at home-laundries, hospitals,
garment centers, schools and so on.

Which factors from one kind of service overlapping your own,
can be applied to yours? A sunroom has a glass roof. In New
York, some taxicabs have glass roofs to enable the passenger
to look up and see the tall buildings-same idea, different
purpose. Bathing caps for the swimmer are transferred to
raincoat outfits. An ocean-going luxury liner supplies much
more than mere passage. It draws for ideas upon restaurants,
hotels, the entertainment field. Any large business can be
analyzed for such overlapping of interests and can use them
for idea sources.

A writer of articles may find in one magazine or trade
journal possibilities for similar articles for another
field. How a laundry found new customers may suggest that
every business is looking for new customers. The fundamental
principles do not vary much, and can be adapted to how other
small business may find new customers.

Change is the secret for getting ideas. And since change is
everywhere, simply keep your eyes open throughout your daily
life, and at any moment a spark of inspiration will give you
what you need to continue with your idea.

Using Free Weights

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Using free weights is the best overall workout you can perform they will help you build maximum strength or strength and endurance. They will also help you lose weight even faster than running as I will explain.

The workouts are broken down into two different categories: compound and isolation or multi joint and single joint. Compound or multi joint exercises are by far the best for you because they work your body the way it was meant to be worked, as a single unit. This article will concentrate on compound exercises. However, doing "curls for girls" is a very popular pastime for adolescent boys so if you must, at least make it a compound exercise by doing single armed barbell curls. That'll get their attention!

There are three devices you can use when using free weights: barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells.

Barbells and dumbbells are designed to build maximum strength. You can stack hundreds of pounds on a barbell and dumbbells go up to 100 pounds and even more in some cases. Most exercises you can use barbells and dumbbells interchangeably. However, typically, the barbell is used for exercises such as the bench press, deadlift, squat, military press, clean and jerk and others. For variation sake or if you don't have access to a barbell those exercises can be done with dumbbells as well.

The kettlebell looks like a cannonball with a purse handle and was designed to build strength and endurance. Because the fundamental movement is the swing there is an added aerobic element that is absent with other equipment. You can actually burn up to 20 calories a minute and up to 1% body fat a week.

Losing Brand Focus - Change For the Sake of Change

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This is always a brand steward's nightmare. Boardrooms talk about the importance of innovation to keep the company vibrant and ahead of the game. Yet many companies translate this into change simply for the sake of change. Without clearly understanding the brand relationship with the customers change can be fatal to a brand.

Wendy's is an example of how a brand lost its way with the sudden death of its founder, Dave Thomas, in 2002. The company continues to struggle to find its brand voice without Dave leading the way. This is often a problem when the owner/founder of a company is also part of the brand.

The biggest dilemma facing many brands is internal boredom. The desire to change the look and feel of a brand. The need to make it new and modern. The aspiration for brand managers to put their own mark onto the brand. Make sure the purpose for making changes to your brand is clearly understood and doesn't attempt to change the brand's DNA.

Pizza Hut has been struggling trying to find its brand positioning (a very costly way of understanding how the brand is connecting with its customers). Unfortunately, they keep changing the messaging and executions in the hope of connecting to their customers. They should spend more time and money on understanding their relationship with their customers than continually changing their advertising direction.

Brand line extensions are another brand folly. There are some natural and obvious line extensions and there are some ambitious attempts to get customers further embracing the brand. Virgin Group Ltd., the parent company's to the over 200 Virgin branded company under the control of its billionaire founder, Sir Richard Branson, has shown that a relevant brand position can extend beyond many business sectors ranging from mobile telephones, to transportation, travel, financial services, leisure, music, holidays, publishing and the list goes on. If you visit the Virgin Group website they state that "Virgin stands for value for money, quality, innovation, fun and a sense of competitive challenge." It is through these brand values that allow the Virgin brand to transcend across a multitude of businesses as a unique and distinct brand. While BIC pens brand promise didn't allow them to extend their brand into pantyhose (what where they thinking!). They did successfully extend the BIC brand to water sports equipment (go figure!). Whoever heard of disposal surf boards?

The more unique, relevant and credible the brand promise is, the greater the chance its brand extension will be successful. That's why Paul Newman's food products succeed and Willie Nelson Biodiesel Fuel and Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong mutual funds failed. Consumers may love Nelson's music and respect Armstrong for his many "Tour de France" cycling races; their brand promise has no connection with consumers concerning car engines and finance.

The moral of this story is don't mess around with a successful brand unless you truly understand the brand connection with its consumers. The Virgin Group's example shows how a brand promise is bigger than a product (a plane, cell phone etc) but is intricately linked to the core values that drive the entire Virgin group of products. This brand promise connects each product strongly to the brand and to the consumer. A Virgin medical centre may not succeed.

Metal Shelving - For Organisation's Sake

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Metal shelving is great for industrial facilities. It makes all areas safer, more organised, and more efficient. Shelving comes in a very wide variety of gauges and designs. These are intended to accommodate small and large areas. If you invest in the proper metal shelving system, it can help save your budget and give you higher satisfaction. Poor organisation can slow down production, which can be costly over time. It is amazing at how much disorganisation can drag down industry productivity and increase costs.

Investing in this shelving will make use of so much unused space. This will eliminate the need to have to relocate items. This will help create a safer environment. Not moving items will help prevent accidents and injury. At the same time, people can focus more on their work instead of rearranging products.

The sturdy construction of metal shelving makes it possible to hold up to 450+ pounds of material. Certain shelves can be turned into bins. This is great for assembly lines. Workers often need access to very small parts. Ten-gauge metal shelving is used for lightweight storage within offices. Open shelving is great for cramped areas. Everything can be reached from both sides of the shelf. Twenty-gauge shelving is capable of holding a lot of material. It can easily support up to 450 pounds. 20-gauge steel is ideal when it comes to reorganise storage areas.

It is easy to find shelving that is good for lighter materials such as boxes and office paperwork. Long span and wide span metal shelving is also called industrial strength. This is because it is designed to hold very heavy items. Some shelving units can take up an entire wall. This makes for great storage, while maximising free space.

Shelving is great for holding chemicals. This is due to the fact that it is corrosion resistant. Rivet shelving is great for lightweight materials that do not require extra support. This is shelving that can be obtained at minimal cost.

These are the least expensive shelves that you can buy. The man hours that are saved when a company is organised is tremendous. The overall benefits are amazing. Most people never add this up. Once they are organised, it is easier to see where your money has been going.

Metal shelving is a great investment for any business. You can make your surroundings more productive. You can add safety and appear more professional. Employees will be happier without the added stress of disorganisation, which can really take a toll after awhile. Most businesses will notice an increase in money due to productivity. It is also easier to keep track of inventory in order to order what is needed. This will ensure that you are never out of products or have too many.

Metal shelving is durable and versatile. It can fit anywhere and be used for a wide range of storage needs. This kind of shelving can accommodate any home or industrial setting. There really is metal shelving to accommodate any organisational needs.

Libra - Your Partner and the Sake Cup

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I'm told of a Japanese custom that sums up the spirit of Libra: If you are dining with a partner in a Japanese restaurant, you are not to fill your sake cup. Instead, your partner fills it for you when it is empty. In turn, you fill his.

You work with the cooperation of others to accomplish your goals. And likewise, you cooperate with others to help them accomplish their goals. And if we all did that there would be no room for aggression and strife: Libra's utopia.

We use Virgo's energy to polish and refine our raw creativity. But then our skills must find an application. We need other people to work with and to work for.

The Sun enters Libra at the autumn equinox, a time when daylight and darkness are perfectly balanced. Balance is the purpose of Libra's symbol, the scales; grace and balance are the goals of Libran people. We keep adding and subtracting from both sides until both sides are equally balanced.

And so, Libra is associated with justice, mediation, and judges who balance the competing claims of both parties in a legal proceeding.

Balance is critical in our healthy functioning. We do not function well when our bodies are out of balance. We suffer when our lives are out of balance.

When energy is in balance, there is an easy flow. The Tarot is a big fan of balance. There are many cards that speak to the desirability of balance: Temperance, The Lovers, and all of the cards with the numeral two, for examples.

Harmony is the byproduct of balance. And with harmony comes beauty. A fine sense of style, taste, and design is a gift for those in whom Libra's energy is strong. And so you find many Libran designers of all types.

Beauty is nothing more than the harmonious placement of shapes, color, and texture. When we call a person's face beautiful we mean that the face's shape and its features are classical. They blend together. Features are even, neither too large nor too small. Balanced. Beautiful.

Likewise a beautifully decorated room has a pleasing mix of shape and color.

While balance, or more specifically, inner harmony is important for all of us, it is critical to the proper functioning of Libra. Librans use the refinement of outer harmony as a way to generate inner harmony, their ultimate goal.

Libra is a cardinal sign. It initiates action. Like the partner in the Japanese restaurant it does so working through and with others. And so it excels in areas that require excellent people skills such as counseling, teaching, mediation and diplomacy.

Libra often sees itself as one half of the scales, needing another half to give it completion. People with a great deal of Libran energy put a particular value on one-to-one partnerships of all kinds, particularly marriage.

Too often, Libra is so concerned about keeping the peace that it doesn't properly take care of its own needs. The charming Japanese custom doesn't work unless your guest keeps your sake cup full, also.

If a Libran has too much difficulty getting his own needs met, he may resort to less than pleasing, indirect means. The term passive-aggression was created to describe frustrated Librans.

Sometimes a beautiful façade masks a rotten interior. And, too often, Librans think appearances are everything. But there is a remedy for this. It is called Scorpio.

Maintenance for Garden Tillers

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* First, for safety sake, disconnect the spark plug when you are performing any maintenance on your tiller.

* If it's broke, fix it. A broken bolt or support can seriously weaken and stress the whole garden tiller. If you don't get the broken tiller parts fixed quickly you may soon be buying more than the one part due to stress failures.

* Replace any worn or broken belts, or chains, if so equipped. Also adjust any loose belts as they can cause needless wear on the gears and the tiller engine itself.

* Change your tiller's spark plug at the very least once a year.

* Oil should be changed as recommended by the tiller manufacturer.

* You should be keeping the air filter and pre air filter clean during the season. Try to replace the tiller's main air filter at least once per year. Most tiller pre air filters can be reused until they cannot be serviced any longer.

* If you haven't drained the fuel from your tiller and can't find the time, add some fuel stabilizer to keep the fuel from breaking down during the Winter. Make sure you run the engine for a short period, about 5 minutes, to distribute the stabilizer throughout the fuel system.

* If you will be draining the garden tiller's fuel tank over Winter, drain as much fuel as possible, then start up the tiller and let it run until it totally runs out of fuel. Unscrew the bolt on the bottom of the carburetor bowl and remove the bowl. Clean out any dirt particles and spray the inside of the bowl with carb cleaner. Replace the bowl.

* While you're at it, now would be a good time to replace the tiller's fuel filter and check any fuel hoses for cracks or leaks. Should you find any, replace the hoses that are damaged.

* If you know where all of the grease fittings are on your tiller, get out the grease gun and fill these fittings until you start to see the new grease pushing out the old grease. If you don't know where all of the grease fittings are on your garden tiller, they should be noted in your tiller manual.

* Check the blades of the tiller tines. If you have a lot of rocks in your soil, the blades may be pretty dull. The tiller tines are pretty easy to remove and sharpen on most garden tillers. If they need it, sharpen them, but wear a pair of leather gloves to prevent cutting yourself. If the tiller tines are bent, you really need to replace them.

* If your garden tiller is dirty, give it a good wash. Rust may form from moisture trapped between dirt and the tiller surface. Carb cleaner can be sprayed around the engine area to remove oil and grime. Not really done for aesthetic purposes, but to help you more easily locate any leaks, should they develop.

Medela Swing Breast Pump Review

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This pump is the best I've ever used. Here's why:

It's totally portable, so I can take it to work in the nice looking travel bag (which actually doesn't look TOO much like a breast pump bag). Even out of the bag, the thing is tiny (easy to toss into a large pocketbook if you needed to).

The Medela 2-Phase Expression Technology is a must have. It feels so natural, and gets more milk than any other pump I've used in the past. The speed and suction is completely adjustable and it makes pumping actually kind of enjoyable.

The breast shield is very comfortable. It's soft and smaller than most others. There are also only 4 buttons to control the entire pump. It's ridiculously simple to figure out.

Though I really love it, for the sake of review, there are some things that could be improved upon:
For a single pump, it is a little bit loud. Not ridiculous, but if you need something quite I would recommend a manual pump. It is however quieter than the Pump In Style or the Isis Uno or Duo.

Being a single pump, pumping does take a bit longer. If you need to be done quickly every time a double pump might suit you. I have found though that it pumps quicker on one breast than a double pump does on one breast (the double of course, pumps both at the same time, making the whole process faster).

It's definitely a good investment for light to moderate pumping. Everyday, multiple session pumping may be a bit of a stretch for the tiny pump, but I'm sure it could hold up pretty well (Medela pumps are known to be very durable). I am a huge advocate of it and I'm sure you will be once you try it.

Praise and Worship - Release the Power of God in Your Life

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You will release the supernatural power of God in your life when you learn to praise Him with all your heart. By sincerely worshipping Him on a regular basis, you will begin to experience victory in every area of your life (2 Corinthians 2:14). Many Christians are living defeated lives because they have never learned how to tap into the power of praise and worship.

Worshipping God demonstrates your love and faith in His ability to take care of your problems. When you keep your motives pure and praise Him because you love and desire to please Him, He is able to release blessings in your life. Here are some of the benefits you'll experience as a result of praising God.

You will have greater peace in your life. By praising God, you release your faith in his ability to take care of you and your needs so you'll worry less and sleep better.

Your family will be blessed for your sake- some examples of this may be your husband and children being protected from harm, your husband getting a raise at his job or making decisions that impacts your family in a positive way.

As you faithfully continue to praise God, increased blessings will start to appear in your life (Psalms 84:11). The suit you have been wanting goes on sale, your spouse buys you the music CD you've been wanting or your friend gives you a gift certificate to your favorite bookstore.

When you worship God and obey His word, your needs will be met. Eventually, you will no longer struggle to make the house payments nor worry that your electricity may be shut off.

You'll see increased answers to your prayers. Praising God with a sincere heart, gives you favor with Him and increases your confidence in his willingness to bless you.

Establishing a lifestyle of praise and worship is an essential part of living a victorious Christian life. Make the commitment today to obey His Word and consistently give Him your heartfelt praise. No matter what your present circumstances, He wants you blessed in every area of your life.

Supporting Grandparents Who Raise Their Grandchildren

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There are many reasons why a Grandparent may suddenly find themselves raising their grandchildren, but whatever the individual situation the experience is never trouble-free. Many grandparents, in their twilight years, have wound down from the parenting mindset and suddenly needing to re-enter it can be a shock to the system.

Many issues are created, such as having to understand a youth culture the grandparent is largely separated from, or struggling to remain as active as a young child may need. Yet the path of raising a grandchild can be a blessing and something to treasure, so the gap between the two emotions of joy and worry needs to be bridged. The greatest thing about doing this is that no grandparent raising their grandchild needs to ever be alone.

There are organizations in existence that are specifically designed to give help, aid, guidance and whatever else is needed to a grandparent suddenly charged with raising their grandchild. An important first step is to request a fact sheet, which provides all the information on policy, benefits and support services that will aid the situation.

These factsheets have been put together by the leading organizations that support grandparents raising grandchildren, including the Child Welfare League of America and Generations United. They are designed to be a one-stop-shop for all the essential information any grandparent raising their grandchildren should need. These fact sheets come in both state-specific form and national form, the advice being to get both. They are the first step any grandparents should make toward equipping themselves for the task in hand, and can be found on the internet or via any of the charities and organizations that helped prepare it.

It is then important to contact the American Association of Retired Persons, who has specially appointed advisors to help with all legal issues regarding a grandparent becoming the primary care giver. For example, without acknowledged legal status a grandparent cannot enroll their grandchildren at a school or make medical decisions on behalf of their grandchild. The American Association of Retired Persons have a contact center designed exactly to help ease these issues and get all legal documentation in place, they can be reached by telephoning 1 - 800 - 434 - 3410, and have offices in Washington, DC.

When the practical issues are taken care of, the emotional side of care, giving to a grandchild comes in to play. This may be the most difficult aspect of caring for a grandchild that a grandparent faces, as unlike the legal documentation there is no swift answer. It is therefore important to seek support from people in a similar position and those who can guide you. Many turn to their church group, or find a local support group to attend. Social services should be able to help put any grandparent in touch with others in their situation, eliminating the feeling of struggling alone.

With an estimated three million children being brought up by their grandparents in the United States, this is an area that has been identified as needing support and it is generally being provided. If a grandparent is struggling, they are never alone. With the help and guidance of the many national and state appointed organizations, the joys of raising a grandchild will soon outweigh the negatives.

Scavenger Hunt - Education and Entertainment

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For the sake of creativity in teaching use something old and keep it new. Scavenger Hunting is a great way to teach. Not only will your students be able to learn something new but, enjoy the time doing so. During the years teaching I would look for alternative ways to teach valuable lessons. Some were not so fun but imperative. When the opportunity came that the lesson could be fun I took full advantage of the opportunity. Although, maybe your looking for entertainment. If so, a Scavenger Hunt is great way to do so whether your guests are young or adults people get a kick out of something of an adventure. Putting together a theme is easy.

- topic
- supporting ideas
- conclusion

The last party I attended was at Christmas and we made hard candy. I've remember this for years isn't getting together and making memories that last a life time what it's all about? I haven't had a better hostess than my one friend that made every party something to remember. From birthday party playing twister and disco for 21st, to Halloween contest carving and costumes. These are memories cherished.

Scavenger Hunts for use with Education, Corporate, and Kids

The benefits of scavenger hunts are

- great for relationship-builder,
- active way to get to know a topic,
- city, resort, or backyard.

A theme from science, math, history is used in all sorts of settings.

Great way to

- build skills,
- problem-solving,
- creativity,
- time management,
- prioritizing
- decision making.
- team work
- motivation.

Scavenger Hunts are used

1. on the Internet,
2. while traveling in other counties,
3. in a car,
4. school competitions,
5. parties,
6. corporate use,
7. or with films.

Never Stop Learning For Your Mind's Sake

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The American psychologist Robert Sternburg has described three levels of intelligence: the analytical, which we use to solve problems; the creative, with which we tackle new problems; and the practical, which helps us to master our lives. For many years now, neurobiologists have studied the way our thinking has evolved. They have divided the brain into compartments, in which thought activities, such as "formulating", "recognizing" or "hearing" or located. Their work has given us a much clearer idea of the ways we think. According to the neurobiologists, our thinking platform are formed during the first years of life. Comparisons between children growing up in different environments, for example, one lacking in stimuli against one with more has shown that those in a less stimulated environment have less developed intelligence. An environment completely devoid of any external stimuli prevents the formation of neural paths, or nerve connections, in the brain.

In 1900, the French psychologist Alfred Binet (1857 to 1911) developed the first method for measuring intelligence. Since then, procedures for measuring individual thinking capacity, known as IQ tests, have been used all over the world. However, the questionnaires of IQ tests only capture intelligence relating to language, logic and mathematical thinking. The ability to solve problems or create new things, which many deem to be the actual nature of intelligence, unfortunately cannot be measured in this way, just as there is no way to measure a person's social competence.

It is an accepted fact that people have different types of intelligence and this has to do with the processing of information in the brain. For example, logical and rational matters are stored differently to intuition or vivid imagination. People with highly developed analytical abilities like mathematicians will generally solve difficult problems in a very different way and will use different areas of the brain as compared to artists. These varying thinking structures can make communication more difficult, for example, between women and men. But because of these varieties of thinking, human cultures are rich in its diversities.

Did we indeed evolve from our primate ancestors into such extremely complicated and highly intelligent human beings? The experts hold differing views on this question, but most agree that communication must certainly have played a very important role. Humans are social beings who live together in large communities. As the communities grew and the relationships within these communities became more complex, communication would likewise become more difficult. So as the communities that were formed by our ancestors increased in size, there was a corresponding increase in human mental capacities. Eventually, humans developed two powerful communication tools: language and writing.

Even if the basics of intelligence are laid down in our genetic blueprint and are formed during the first years of our lives, human mental development is certainly nowhere near its conclusion. Human beings also distinguish themselves by their ability to learn new things up to the end of life. There are no real limits to human memory and intelligence. Using special memory techniques many have been able to remember large amounts of information. Such memory training are obviously helpful for students to brush up their study skills and accelerate their learning. However research have shown that by learning such memory skills to improve memory and using them throughout their lives, people have been able to stave off dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

If you stop thinking, your mind will start to deteriorate' but if you stay active and train your brain regularly, you'll be surprised how clear your thinking will remain, even in old age. So do yourself a favour, never stop learning and never stop thinking, even and especially in old age.

Tips For Living Together For the Sake of the Children

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Many people decide they will stay together so their children will have two parents in the home. If you and you spouse do not get along and have decided to remain in the same household here are a few tips to keep peace and harmony for the sake of the children.

Avoid getting into arguments over anything in front of your children. This will not accomplish anything but make everyone miserable.
Do not flaunt the fact that you are seeing someone in front of your spouse. Discreet is the word that needs to be emphasized. If this has been worked out and both of you have agreed that it is going to be ok to see someone else the best thing is to keep it under wraps. Your children will not be happy about it and you will end up doing more harm than good by announcing this.
Young children are more concerned with their parents being together sometimes more so than older ones. The parents that are going to stay together to raise their children should still attend functions such as parent/ teacher meetings and class recitals together so they can show a united front for the sake of the children. This should always take precedence over anything else.
Time spent with grandparents can still be feasible. Maybe instead of the grandparents visiting your home, the kids can go to them for a change. This can be explained to your parents or his ahead of time so as to take care of any confusion. They will still get to enjoy their grandchildren and the sense of normalcy remains for the children.
There is no need to get into details with children, especially younger ones. They will not understand and this will just confuse them. For the time being just knowing they have a regular family as long as there is no bickering and fussing constantly will make them happy.
Holidays are a hard time for parents when they are not together so if you are staying together for your children, the holidays should be celebrated as you always have. This will allow the children to have a good holiday and you will be glad you did so when your children are older and have had the time to look back over the times they remember from childhood. Everyone wants their children to remember a happy childhood.

These are just a few of the tips that will make the time spent with your children a little happier and will keep from upsetting their routine. The important thing is the kids because they will not know the sacrifices that were made for them until they are older. But when they do realize what was done in order to provide them with a happy home life while they were growing up, this will show them again just how much they mean to the both of you and how much they are loved.