A Scholarship Program For Single Moms - Deserving Mothers Can Return to School

Author: Walter Sigmore
Today, getting a college degree is very costly. Thousands of dollars are spent in order for one to have a degree. For many who cannot afford an education there is an option called student loans. But availing a loan means being indebted, and education should be not be equated to having a debt for it then becomes pointless.

Lack of education is the main reason why many single moms around the country suffer from poverty. They could not get high paying jobs because getting one requires having a college degree. But this problem is now being addressed by the present administration. Through the efforts of the Government single, moms may now go back to school and reach their dreams of a better future.

The Administration is helping single moms stand up again through the Pell Grant. These grants provide a number of different scholarships for deserving individuals up to the amount of $5100. People who are financially unstable or those who earn less may apply for a scholarship under the Pell Grant so that they may improve their lives and those of their loved ones. Mothers may use the Pell Grant as a vehicle for their success. Through the grant moms may now give their children the lives which they deserve.

Persons who have not completed their years in college and have very low income may apply for the Pell Grant. The grant can be availed in at least 5400 colleges and universities around the country. Educational standing, necessary academic expenses, expected family contribution and the like are the factors to be considered in determining the amount granted to a scholar of a grant.

Obama's vision of alleviating the lives of single moms and freeing them from the bondage of poverty may come into realization through the Pell Grant. As moms get their college degrees, a new window opens for them. They may now have the career they've always wanted, they may now provide for a better life and future for their children. Through educational grants their dreams may be fulfilled. Today, we have tons of scholarship programs available to moms both from public and private institutions.About the Author:

Did you know you can get a $10,000 scholarship for moms just for registering? Apply right now for free: http://scholarshipformoms.info.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Scholarship Program For Single Moms - Deserving Mothers Can Return to School

Prenatal Vitamins and Why They Are Important!

Author: Gerald Fitz

When you are going to have a baby, suddenly health becomes more important than ever. You worry about complications and whether the baby is getting everything he or she needs. You also have to worry about your personal health so your body is prepared for the physical demands of pregnancy.

Multivitamins are beneficial to health at all points in your life, but there are times when they are just downright essential and pregnancy is one of them. Pregnant women need up to 50 percent more vitamins each day than the average adult. Calcium, iron, and folic acid are a few of the most important vitamins during pregnancy.

We’ve all heard that taking calcium gives us strong bones. Calcium is actually stored in the bones themselves to strengthen them. Your baby needs to get calcium from you in order to develop his or her own bones and jumpstart some of the muscles. If you are not taking enough calcium during pregnancy, your body will pull out the needed amounts from your bones. This weakens your bones and over time can cause you to develop osteoporosis. You actually need the same amount of calcium when you are pregnant as when you are not. It is just more vital that you have enough when you are pregnant and when breastfeeding.

Another risk during pregnancy is becoming anemic. This occurs when you have a decreased amount of red blood cells circulating in your blood stream. Since red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, anemia essentially slows the flow of oxygen in your body or cuts some off completely. In mild cases it can cause you extra fatigue and weakness, but in more severe cases you can cause damage to your heart. You are much more likely to become anemic during pregnancy which is why iron is essential and available to you in prenatal vitamins. Unlike calcium, your iron needs go up significantly during pregnancy. You need the extra iron to create the baby, placenta, and extra blood. Iron is especially needed in the later stages of pregnancy and if your body does not have the capacity to keep up with the iron needs, you become anemic. Sometimes in pregnancy, women get strange cravings for things like dirt, ice, paper, or wax. This is called pica, and is often one symptom of an iron deficiency.

Folic acid is also essential to the fetus because lack of it is directly linked to birth defects in the brain and spine such as spina bifida, when the parts of the spine do not form fully. Folic acid is most needed the first month of pregnancy before many women realize they are pregnant, so it is important to always be on top of folic intake. It is recommended that women take a supplement for folic acid because it is difficult to get the needed amounts from daily diet.


Choosing a good multivitamin during pregnancy is key. There is a risk in overdoing vitamin intake, so stick to one multivitamin a day, and it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor to get a sense of what your individual needs are. There are great prenatal vitamins out there to help keep you and your baby safe and some are even starting to taste good! Chocolate flavored prenatal vitamins are now available to help manage those chocolate cravings and to provide essential vitamins, including iron and calcium for pregnancy.

About the Author:

For more info on women's multivitamins, visit MyTopForm.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Prenatal Vitamins and Why They Are Important!

Pregnancy Miracle - Help Getting Pregnant

Author: Chris Jensen

Many couples dream of the day their first child will be born. Some have little trouble with this process while others will find that they need help getting pregnant. Regardless of the steps involved, the end result can be one of the greatest moments in your life. If you find yourself struggling with conception here are a few simple tips that may help.

First and foremost, enjoy the journey. Parenthood is a fun and rewarding experience, the process necessary to get there should be just as enjoyable. Relax, do not keep your life on a strict schedule. Do what feels natural, when it feels right.

Many believe that excessive stress can cause a change or interruption if the monthly cycle of a woman. The quality of your health is also important. If you need help getting pregnant, see your primary care physician.

There are a number of medical condition that will make it impossible for you to get pregnant and others that, if you have them, you should not get pregnant. You must be sure that you and your partner are healthy medically.

Healthy eating is a given. But there are some foods that may increase your chances of conceiving. Zinc has been recommended for both men and women that are struggling with conception. Iron is another necessary component to achieving conception. It has been shown that women low in iron have a harder time conceiving. But the most important dietary advice it to eat a healthy well balanced diet.

The final tip when searching for help getting pregnant is to exercise. This will increase your energy level, decrease your weight if necessary and give you an overall healthier lifestyle. In addition, it has been proven that women that exercise and are in good physical health do better during labor and delivery.

About the Author:

This author has been producing great articles on Pregnancy Miracle and Help Getting Pregnant.

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Financial Assistance for Single Mothers: What Opportunities Are Out There For Single Mothers?

Author: Michael Lee

Being a single mother can be quite challenging. Not only do you have only yourself to care for your kids, but you also have to earn money for your children’s needs. But life isn’t as tough as you might think. There are lucrative opportunities out there that offer financial assistance for single mothers.

The trick here is knowing where to look for said opportunities. As a single mother, your job opportunities are limited. After all, who’s going to take care of your child when you’re off at work? The opportunities for financial assistance for single mothers that I’m talking of are those that can easily be found through the Internet.

Working from Home

Working from home is the perfect set up for single mothers in need of financial assistance. You have more control over your time and schedule.

If you need to feed the baby, you can take a break from work. Once the baby is asleep, you can easily return to where you left off.

This might sound rather unconventional to most people, since earning money typically means going to the office. However, that is not the case anymore. Times have changed. These days, there are plenty of opportunities for work online.

Freelance Writing Job Opportunities

A great way to avail of financial assistance for single mothers is to do freelance writing. There are a lot of parenting magazines out there that would be interested in your story.
There’s no harm in sending your story to a magazine and asking if they would accept freelance writers.

You don’t have to stick to parenting magazines or columns either. Many people are searching for freelance writers to write their content for them; and some of them are willing to pay a good amount for quality articles or reports.

You could search for a variety of writing work at freelance job sites. These include:
- Craigslist.org
- Elance.com
- Freelancewritinggigs.com
- Sunoasis.com
- Rentaghostwriter.com
- Poewar.com

Blogging

There are many other ways to earn money online. Blogs, for example, are quite popular and can earn you a lot of easy money on your spare time.

As a single mother, you already have the tools to make your blog interesting. If you don’t think it at all too personal, you can share your experiences as a single mother online. It does its share of spreading important information (for other single moms out there) and does the job of taking care of the bills.

Getting companies to advertise on your blog is one thing. However, you may also use your blog to ask for financial assistance for single mothers like you. Some people are more than ready to help you with your financial needs if you can give them something beneficial in return.

Starting out, you might not be able to earn as much as veteran bloggers out there. But as long as you write interesting topics, attract lots of people to your blog, and monetize it (by promoting affiliate programs, putting adsense or 3rd party advertisements), you’ll be earning a stable income more than enough to meet your needs.

It might be a little challenging to look for financial assistance for single mothers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything. You have the power to achieve whatever you want, as long as you have a drive and a purpose.

About the Author:

If you want to easily earn $10,000 or more every single month through freelance writing jobs, then go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover the secrets to earn massive amounts of money continuously… even if you're not a gifted writer. You can also make money blogging on your spare time

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Things You Can Do With Outgrown Baby Clothes

Author: Christina Taylor

During the first few months of the baby's life, their growing rate seems to be astonishingly fast that newly-bought clothes which fits them just right will no longer fit them after a week or two. Parents will often find themselves shopping for new items every month, unless of course if they decided to purchase bigger clothes for their baby. Basically, the baby clothes didn't even have time to wear out and looks good as new as the time we parents first bought it. However, we should not worry about the stacks of baby clothes that took a lot of space on our closet; we can either get a part of our money back with these gently-used baby items or save us money by giving it as a gift or donation to people in need.



If you plan to add more baby to your family, then you can keep the outgrown clothing for your next child. This is will surely save you a lot of money from buying new sets of clothes. Store them properly in plastic or zip lock bags and label them according to a child's age. You can also indicate if the clothes are good for summer wear or is it classified under winter clothing so that you won't have to open everything just to look for specific clothes appropriate for that season. Storing them properly keep the clothes clean and fresh. This will also keep the durability of the clothes.



If you and your husband decided not to have more kids, you can give the baby clothes to other family members and close friends who are expecting to have a baby soon. You can even use it as a present for a baby shower since the clothes looks brand new. This gesture of yours will surely be appreciated by relatives, close friends and colleagues who feel financially loaded with all the baby essential they have to buy for their child. However, make sure to ask their opinions about hand-me-downs since there are also parents who are not favorable with the idea.



If you don't know anybody who needs baby clothes, you may donate them to charity groups. You may search for orphanages online and select which charity group you would want to send the baby clothing to.



You can also conduct yard sales or post signage on your front lawn, advertising gently-used baby clothes. This is a good way to get a part of your money back. There are a lot of practical parents out there who will surely be interested in the items that you will sell. You can also make use of the internet by enlisting your items online through eBay or other exchange sites. You can even create your own site where you can sell second hand items aside from the baby items and manage it from your own home. You can provide a pick up point for interested buyers if you feel uncomfortable giving your home address to strangers.




So fret no more! You'll definitely have several spaces in your baby closet in no time at all.

About the Author:
Choose the best baby clothing comparison site in the United Kingdom, Amongo.co.uk and get some product reviews about The Cozy Bear Company baby clothing and other well-known designer made baby clothes.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Things You Can Do With Outgrown Baby Clothes

Weight Loss and pregnancy

Weight loss after pregnancy is always a hard task for most of the women. In this article I would articulate the simple techniques to lose weight in an easy weight. The first and important point to jot down is that dieting never helps you to lose fats. If you will lose weight, it would just help you to lose your muscles and your overall health would starts to decrease. You would need to put slight effort to lose weight. I know most of the new mothers would feel that they do not have enough time for exercises or to do any other tasks especially after pregnancy. It is highly important and they can do it while the baby is napping. If they would go for a walk for about 30-45 minutes, they would starts to feel that they are losing weight. At the same time, new mothers should take healthy diet. Intake of healthy diet is extremely important for them. Avoid or reduce the intake of junk food out of your diet because it is not just for your weight but will also be harmful for your new born child. For the pregnancy period, or straight away after that, link up with a support network of new mother in the locality. This will make you feel good as it allows you to share all of your concerns and gain useful tips from other mothers, who have faced the same problems in the past. I know it is not easy for women during the pregnancy period to do a lot so I would recommend you to follow the above mentioned tips to avoid extra fats on your body for a longer period of time. Please consult your doctor before starting any new diet plan but would be crucial for your health and the health of your kid.


About the Author:


Thomas writes articles and guides for people who want to lose weight. Take a look at newest Weight Loss Tips and Articles on my blog.

Baby Bedding For Baby Girls

Author: Johnson McBrady

Are you anticipating for the mastered trot bedding set that fits with the theme of your baby's room, but have not been competent to find anything that meets your fantastic? Well, it can be a tall labor acquiring just the right colors and designs, and have them co-occur, with the flavour and ambience of the greenhouse you have exploited so hard to make. One of the best affairs you could do to helper your do is bring house a Caden Lane baby bedding set.



New Arrivals Inc. Gypsy Baby Three-Piece Crib Bedding

Instantly this can be for a span of intellect, firstly you are bound to find a matching themed bedding set in no clip, and can use Caden Lanes grand alternatives of colors, themes and designs to custom-make your baby's nursery, making it the net concern. That is why, here at Pure and Honest kids, you will find a practiced range of Caden Lane baby bedding sets, allowing you to mix and match however you please, until you get exactly what you are quick for.



If you are expecting for a baby bedding set for your low boy, the Caden Lane Hudson cot bedding set is what you need to give your baby boys room that great faultless concern. Well you might as well do it Straightaway, before he grows up, since it's likely that you will never see his room so neat and mastered again. This is a four piece set from Caden Lane and has a great experience to it, with the use of Blues and a concern of green, the Caden Lane Hudson cot Bedding set is all you will need to assistance you attain that personal look for your baby boy's nursery. Thanks to the pure cotton crucial, these sheets are easily machine washed and can be as good as new, with no hazard of color loss or damage, making them the ideal shining for you and your baby.



A popular superior of baby bedding for girls in the Caden Lane baby bedding collection, is the Caden Lane Ella cribbage bedding set. This beautifully designed crib bedding set, will establish just the mastered tone for your baby girl's glasshouse, and will allow you to play with all the pinks and whites in the international, when it comes to the greenhouse's interior décor. Not only that, this Caden Lane bedding sheet is so spectacular, that it will be the center of tending, which means that it will be the cold stage for your little Princess to shine.



The outstanding use of light pink with white is just clamming, yet with a casual blend of elegance as well. The Caden Lane Ella is a four piece set that adds up in pure cotton, so there is no troubling about quality and comforter. These are just some of the many Caden Lane baby bedding sets you will find for your baby's trot, so do be through in your search for that cold cot set. Furthermore for a clear variety visit Pure and Honest Kids, passing you exactly what you need, when you need it.

About the Author:
Caden Lane Baby Beding: in colours the baby baby girls love the most only at http://www.pureandhonestkids.com/

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7 reasons not to mess with children.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.


Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.

The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?'

The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.



A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'

The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'



A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to 'honour' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?'

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'



One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?'

Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Mommy, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'



The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'



A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, 'Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.'

'Yes,' the class said.

'Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?'

A little fellow shouted,
'Cause your feet ain't empty.'



The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

'Take only ONE .. God is watching.'

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.


A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'

Are You Enmeshed With Your Children?

Family & Parenting,Relationships,Self Improvement


The Encarta World English Dictionary defines "enmesh" as "to entangle somebody or something in something from which it is difficult to be extricated or separated."

Are you entangled with your children in a way that is limiting both you and your children?

Parents may enmesh with children when they want control over their children and they want their children to take responsibility for them. By over-involving themselves in their children's lives, they hope to tie their children to them in such a way that their children feel guilty over their parent's pain and responsible for it.

There are various ways a parent may enmesh with his or her children:


When parents don't have a strong sense of their own identity, they may over identify with their children. This means that they are over-invested in their children's performance, such as their children's grades, sports, or talents. We've all seen the enmeshed father at his children's sports events, yelling at the coach or at the child, or the enmeshed mother of a child who is on stage, screen, or doing commercials. The parent who screams at a teacher for their child's bad grade is another example of an enmeshed parent. The parent who insists that their child goes to med school when the child really wants to be an artist is another example. Rather than supporting the child in following his or her heart, the parent threatens a withdrawal of approval to control the child.


When a parent is devoted to being a victim and not taking responsibility for their own feelings, they may cry, yell, blame, and in various other ways "pull" on their children to make the parent happy. A parent who sits in a chair with a miserable look or walks away crying pathetically is pulling on his or her child to connect with them and fill their emptiness. Since they are taking no responsibility for themselves, they are a bottomless pit, and nothing the child does really helps. Eventually the child may shut down to the parent, distancing themselves because they don't want to be controlled and they don't want responsibility for their parent's feelings. The parent ends up getting the opposite of what he or she wants.


A parent can also make a child responsible for his or her physical health. "If you do that, you will give me a heart attack," is the kind of guilt-inducing statement that this parent may make.


Some parents get their sense of identity by being right. They not only believe they are right, but they believe they have the right to impose their views onto their children. Rather than supporting their children in being true to themselves, they make their "love" dependent upon their children following their religion, their politics, their sports, their interests, or their values.


Some parents use money and things to gain the control they want. By threatening to withdraw financial support, they attempt to force their children into becoming what they want them to be. They want to be able to brag about their children as their way of enhancing their own diminished sense of self.


Finally, a parent may be enmeshed with their children because they are taking responsibility for their children's feelings. Rather than taking care of themselves and role-modeling personal responsibility for their own feelings, they are over-involved with making sure their children are happy - trying to take away every sadness, every hurt, or every moment of boredom.

Enmeshed, over-involved parents often want to blame their partner or someone else when their children don't perform to expectations, or their children pull away, or rebel with drugs, alcohol, or an eating disorder. This parent wants to deny the fact that he or she has been a poor role model for taking personal responsibility for his or her own feelings and wellbeing.


Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and “Healing Your Aloneness.” She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: www.InnerBonding.com or email her at margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.

Creating Unique Nicknames Out of Baby Names

Author: Wyatt S Doolittle

Parents usually invest time and effort in finding the perfect name for their babies. It is common that once a name is given to a baby, an appropriate nickname also follows. While there are a lot of uncommon and unique names for babies, the idea of combining two names for a baby is also common. Sometimes, one of these two names or the initials of the two names become the nickname.






Nicknames are given to shorten a name or a manner used to eliminate the formality in addressing a person. Babies are given nicknames to call them in an affectionate or more personal manner. Babies tend to have cute and fun nicknames. Depending on what is their real name, parents can always come up with something cute and affectionate to call their babies aside from their given names.





Some common baby nicknames that parents use to call their baby girls include Lily for Lilibeth, Jessie for Jessica, Annie for Annette, Lizzie for Elizabeth and Ella for Michaella and for baby boys, Bernie for Bernard, Mickey for Michael and Willy for William. Some parents with babies that have name combinations use the initials to come up with a nickname for their babies. Examples of these are; MJ for Mary Jane, JR for John Robert and RJ for Ronald Allen.






Coming up with a nice nickname to call your baby sometimes require a little creativity and a lot of affection for the baby. Some nicknames just come spontaneously like calling a baby girl Little Missy or a baby boy Little Mister for that sense. Some parents or even relatives and friends come up with their own nicknames for the baby thus creating a wide variety of nicknames. It is even surprising to know sometimes that a baby is called differently by different people despite of having a given name by his parents. This is how nicknames are, they are informal, spontaneous and more often than not, just elements of fun and affection. They are different adaptations of a person’s real name.






Giving your baby an appropriate nickname lessens the chances of people naming your baby any other way. Nicknames are sometimes used to make fun of a certain name or person. Parents should be careful in giving their babies nicknames as this may connote something else to other people. In creating baby nicknames, the integrity of the baby’s real name should be preserved.

About the Author:

Steve works for MTBBN where you can search Baby Names, Unusual Baby Names, and Top 100 Baby Names.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/creating-unique-nicknames-out-of-baby-names-395891.html

Savor Every Minute of Parenthood

Author: Rachel Nunez

Parenthood is such a wonderful thing. Holding a tiny, squirming baby in your arms, borne from love that you yourself cultivated is indeed one of the highlights of life. Endless possibilities await your little bundle of joy from the moment he opens his eyes for the first time.



In a couple of months, your baby will be babbling with you, trying to talk with you. Then they'll start wiggling their feet and stomping around the place while saying that magical first word that captivates every loving mother and father's heart. And before you know what hit you, they've already turned eighteen, are making their own decisions in life, and flying out of the nest to make their own mark in destiny.



So here's a quick bite for a parent to chew up and digest for a moment: time flies.



In the short span of a person's life, it is childhood that leaves the deepest impressions in the mind of a growing child. These impressions often stick like super-glue with them their entire life, and are also as hard to remove as super-glue. With that in mind, what really matters is the impression you are going to leave your child as they grow older.



Will they remember you for being the loving daddy that carried them around his shoulder as they squeal in joyous abandon inside the toy-section of a kid's store? Or will they remember your angry, uncalled-for barks as you scold them for even just staring at that very same kids store because you're too busy to care? Will they remember you as the caring mother who tenderly dresses the cuts and scrapes they get while playing in the yard? Or will they remember you knocking them around because they got mud on their clothes for the nth time and screaming at the top of your lungs for something so trivial?



It all boils down to love.



Believe it or not, even an unborn infant inside its mother's womb can feel if it is loved or not. A baby born from an unexpected conception, an angry and bitter mother in an equally angry and bitter environment will be born and grow up with more problems than a baby that's expected and cared for in a loving environment.



This may all sound so daunting and seemingly impossible. But truth be told, you don't need to be the perfect parent. There is no such as a perfect parent. Mistakes are made along the way, and these mistakes will come your way sooner or later. What then matters is that you know how to correct your mistakes soon enough that your child would understand and become stronger with you.



A parent who truly, genuinely loves his or her child will take the necessary steps to make sure that their child would grow up strong, healthy, with character, a healthy outlook on life, and most importantly, knowing what love is. A person can never truly love unless he himself knows what love is. And that is the greatest gift any parent can give their child.




Children are only children for such a short time. So whether it's a quick trip to the kids store or simply just horsing around with them, make sure you make the best of those precious few years you've got being a full-time parent. You sure won't regret it when the time comes.

About the Author:
For more tips and information about kids store, check out http://www.thekidstoystore.com/sebyca.html.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/savor-every-minute-of-parenthood-765760.html

Nutrition for the Hyperactive Child

Here is something I have personal experience of, not as a parent but as the hyperactive child in question. I had a real sweet tooth as a child, as many do and found quickly that sugar was followed by even more sugar to get the same sweet taste fix. For breakfast I loved sugar frosted cereal augmented by a heavy dusting of sugar, castor sugar if possible as it has a finely ground nature made it soak up milk and give that too, a sweet taste. You get the picture. Obviously I had the judgement of a child too and thought nothing wrong of feeding my addiction.

No wonder then that I found it hard to concentrate in class, got bored easily and could never sit down to homework when I got back home. Since studying nutrition I am utterly convinced that fined sugar is nothing more than a stimulant that has no right to be in the food chain. It is that simple, read my article 'reasons to go sugar free. to find out.

But what can we do with a sugar addict child that does not see the need to eat greens or some nice oily fish. It is true that when you are young food is just food. You eat what you like the taste of and are less interested in its nutritional properties. Well what I suggest is simple, you must start a gradual process of weaning off sugar as soon as possible. Slowly replace sugar with more natural and slow to digest sources of sweetness, honey, black strap molasses and fruits with their natural complex sugars. Ensure that a steady supply of natural fats and oils is in the diet in the form of fish, seed oils and vegetables such as avocado. I find the easiest and most fun way to do this is a form of deception! I smuggle avocado and oils such as hemp oil into smoothies, you would be surprised that avocados and oils give an apple and banana smoothie a delicious creamy taste. Once in a while I will even throw a handful of raw spinach leaves in there too! In a powerful commercial blender the result is a smooth tasty drink that is attractive to kids and stubborn adults alike.

Look out for high sugar content in production food and avoid them, check the ingredient panel on the side and if sugar is in the top 4 ingredients, put it back on the shelf. To sweeten tea and breakfast cereal try using honey or blackstrap molasses, these are more complicated sugars and take longer to digest, avoiding the highs and lows of blood sugar rushes associated with refined sugar.


This is a gradual process with the end result of a more calm and rational child with stable energy and a greater ability to focus and learn. It is a terrible waste that a child may get frustrated with learning and give up on themselves feeling that they are stupid, only because they are lacking correct nutrition, nothing more. So next time the pressure goes on for a junk food take away with a bucket sized soda, think of the consequences.

Pregnancy Tips: Nutritional Diet and Prenatal Vitamins

Congratulations! In nine months you're going to be a mother, BUT it will never be an easy task. Your body will physically experience changes, your moods will swing, your senses will be sharp, and you'll crave for a lot of things -- and food.

As an expecting mother, what you EAT matters to your unborn baby as he or she is dependent on you for nourishment. In pregnancy check-ups, your doctor might tell you this mantra: you are what you eat, and what your baby eats. Clinical studies show that what you eat has a connection to your baby's health and growth, which is why during pregnancy, it is essential that you make 'healthy food choices' and 'healthy habits'. Healthy habits like exercising, 'quitting on smoking and alcohol, and taking up pregnancy vitamins are as essential as eating nutritional diet.

In the beginning of your pregnancy, you will experience adjustments significantly about food. And since you are eating for two, you will be eating twice the serving of your usual food intake, or in a more-frequent-basis.

Pregnancy Nutrition

Eating the right means knowing what foods to eat and what to avoid. Ideally, as an expecting mother you need 300 extra calories a day in addition to your recommended daily calorie intakes or allowances.

When you strictly follow a healthy pregnancy nutrition diet, as recommended by your doctor, it can counteract the baby's risks low birth weight, susceptibility to infections and birth defects. On your side, following the recommended diet can provide positive effects against fatigue, morning sickness, constipation, leg cramps and later on an easy child birth and post-partum depression.

For pregnant mothers, the USDA approved Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Reference Intakes should strive to consume the following servings: 6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta; 3-5 servings of vegetables; 2-4 servings of fruits; 3-5 servings of milk, yoghurt and cheese; 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts; 8 8-ounce glasses of water; You should also limit caffeine containing beverages to no more than 2 cups per day.

Nevertheless, try to consume -- in moderation -- foods groups rich in protein, carbohydrates, fats and Protein and Amino Acids is the building material for muscles, teeth and bones; and instrumental in normal growth patterns (build and repair cells) and immune system antibodies. Minerals, like Calcium and Zinc, are critical to maintaining healthy bones and promote healing and easy delivery, and like Iron, which supports blood circulation.

Foods to AVOID are those that has risky levels of mercury like swordfish, shark meats, mackerels, and others that might put you and your baby at risk of bacteria-related problems like raw

Pregnancy Vitamins

Prenatal supplements provide extra nutrients and boosts for expecting mothers. Pregnancy vitamins like Folate/ Folic Acid can minimize risks of hemorrhoids and constipation, or alleviate nausea or vomiting due to morning sickness.

There are literally dozens of prenatal supplement brands available. Don't buy impulsively. Ask your doctor. Every woman has different needs. For example, an expecting woman has anemic tendencies; her doctor might prescribe her to take iron supplements.

To give you an idea, these are the ideal vitamins and minerals supplements you need while expecting: Vitamin A: 4,000 to 5,000 International Units (IU); Folic Acid (Folate): 600-1000 micrograms (mcg); Vitamin D: 200-400 IU; Calcium: 200-300 milligrams (mg); Vitamin C: 85 mg; Thiamin: 1.4 mg; Riboflavin: 1.4 mg; Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine): 1.9 mg; Vitamin B-3 (Niacin): 18 mg; Vitamin B-12: 2.6 mcg; Vitamin E: 15 mg; Zinc: 11 mg; Iron: 27-60 mg.

Pregnancy Reminders


Follow your doctor's instruction throughout pregnancy. Take your pregnancy vitamins each day or as required by your doctor. Should you have concerns about your pregnancy, ask and discuss with your doctor.

Sunnie Southern is the Senior Product Manager of Nutrition for DuetDHA.

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Are You Searching for Jobs for a Stay at Home Mom?

If you are looking for jobs for a stay at home mom, the solution may be literally at your fingertips.
First of all, congratulations on your decision to stay at home to take care of your children. No one can take the place of a parent in guiding, teaching, protecting and loving their child.

While the emotional and spiritual satisfaction of staying at home is tremendous, there can be extra financial challenges in a one-income family, especially in this time of recession—and considering the predicted depression. That is why more and more women are looking into jobs for a stay at home mom.

If you find yourself wondering how to increase your income without having to work outside the home, here are some suggestions:

Take inventory of your skills. Make a list of what you’re good at doing, and what you love to do. What have your strengths been throughout your life that you might be able to apply? Do you bake the best brownie in the world? Are you proficient in a second language? Do you make creative party favors? How are your typing and proofreading skills? Do you have a unique creation that others may want to purchase? What skills have you excelled at in past careers or employments? As you make your list, think outside of the box and include everything that comes to mind.

Find a market for your skills. Visit your local gourmet or gift shop and see if there may be a place for your items. Check for ads on Monster.com, Craigslist, and other employment sites; someone may need your skill and provide the opportunity for telecommuting. Make a list of magazines that accept articles from freelance writers. Look online for sites that already sell items similar to yours and may want to add yours to an already established online store. Sell your creations on eBay.

Market yourself. Post your skill on Craigslist and other work sites, on social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace. Email all your friends and family members; let them know what you’re looking for or selling. You might be surprised by the opportunities that might come from them and the folks that they know. Wrap those brownies in cellophane, add a sticker and some ribbon and take it to your appointment with the buyer of your local specialty shop. Publish photos of your creations, with prices.

Find work that will allow you to earn the most money. Your time with your children is precious. Don’t settle for something that in the long run may bring in so little income that it’s not worth your time. Currently, one of the best jobs for a stay at home mom isn’t a job, per se. It’s a home-based marketing business. You don’t need any marketing skills or previous experience. You do, however, need to find the right company to work with—one that provides all the support and assistance you need, and does a good deal of the heavy lifting for you. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection, and you can set your own hours and spend more time enjoying your family.

Alfonso Alvarez is a business coach and mentor based out of Los Angeles, CA, that assists serious entrepreneurs in building a profitable online business with multiple income streams. Alfonso is a proud husband and father, who enjoys world travel, real estate investing, and horseback riding.

For more information and to contact Alfonso, visit: http://ProsperousAlliance.com/