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Kids Can Barter Too

“You mean I can trade chocolate cake for Lego Friends?” my daughter asked following our conversation about the benefits of bartering. “If you can find a Lego-loving chocoholic who’s willing to part with some of her sets, then you’re in business.” Little did I know that my response would turn my 8-year-old into the next Kyle MacDonald. Cash is tight for my third grader, but the kid makes up for her empty wallet by coming up with some solid bartering bargain chips. Or, in her case, cake. Bartering is not just for adults; rather, kids can get in on the … Continue reading →

Family Friendly Volunteering

When you can’t always afford to pay for family fun, you can make your own by volunteering! How Can Volunteering Be Fun? First of all, helping others often puts things in perspective. Benefiting people or even animals that are not as fortunate as you are can make anyone appreciate all that they have. Often it forces even children to look around and start enjoying the blessings they already experience. Volunteering really makes us feel good. It is fun in itself. Studies have shown that people who volunteer tend to me more joyful and happier in life. Isn’ t that a … Continue reading →

Holiday Gifts from the Heart

The holiday season is an ideal time to teach kids about the importance of giving.  This year, though, consider doing one better by giving your children the opportunity to take a hands-on approach to gift-giving. There’s no need to break the bank purchasing expensive holiday presents for loved ones when you can use your creativity and other talents to craft a slew of special treats.  Show kids that by putting their heart into making a personal present for a loved one they will be giving a giving a gift you can’t put a price tag on. Some simple ideas include: … Continue reading →

Money Saving Idea: Throw a College Trunk Party

A college trunk party can help your student gather all of the items that he or she will need for college, keep you on budget and give everyone a reason to celebrate the milestone of going into higher learning. Friends and relatives enjoy college trunk parties, because it gives them a chance to wish their student well, all while giving them a tangible way to help during this exciting milestone. At a trunk party, guests celebrate and bring gifts that a college student might need, such as gas cards, bedding, school supplies, dorm decor, etc. First, purchase a large college … Continue reading →

Preparing Pets For A New Baby

As you prepare for the arrival of your baby, it is important to make sure that others in your family are also prepared to welcome the new arrival. Pets are an important part of many families, and the arrival of a new baby is a big adjustment for them. In order to keep both the human and animal members of your household happy and safe, check out these tips for preparing your pet for a new baby. It can be helpful to think of your dog or cat as an older child who, up until now, was your only child. … Continue reading →

VPI Has Advice About Pet Noise Phobia

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Does your dog get really frightened by loud noises? How well did he or she cope with the fireworks last Independence Day? VPI pet insurance has some advice about pet noise phobia. It is entirely possible that your dog is suffering from this disorder. Some dogs don’t appear to be very phased by the loud noises caused by firecrackers. Others spend the entire holiday celebration cowering in fear and filled with anxiety. A friend of mine had a dog that required a veterinarian to prescribe it a doggy tranquilizer every Independence Day weekend. Not every dog has this extreme a … Continue reading →

I Want A Dog – Part 2

As promised, I’m continuing on in my exploration of the issue of bringing a pet into the family. Is there a “best time” to get a pet? If so, how do you know when that time has arrived? To find out more, I looked to animal experts for advice. The ASPCA web site is a wonderful resource for anyone considering getting a pet, whether or not you have children. On that site, I found a helpful guide to which pets are best for children in which age group. It probably goes without saying that infants can not take care of … Continue reading →

When Veterinary Euthanasia is O.K.

In an old episode of “The Office,” Dwight puts his girlfriend Angela’s beloved cat in the freezer. He does so because the cat is ancient and has so many medical issues that it’s barely alive. Dwight lives on a farm, and as he tells a devastated Angela, “sometimes farm people have to do what city folk are too weak to.” Obviously Dwight’s actions on the show are horrible (and played for comedic effect), but they raise an interesting question: Dwight genuinely thought he was doing what was best for the cat and he did it in what he considered a … Continue reading →

In A Sea of Couples

Sometimes I feel like the odd man out. It seems that everywhere I go people are coupled up. All the kids have father’s in the home, it may not be their birth father, but they have a male presence in their home. It makes me sad that we don’t have that. It also makes it hard to go places, I’m always the only single person. I’m not sure how that happened, I know lots of single women but it seems that when I see them, it’s because a bunch of us single women get together. Considering how common single parents … Continue reading →

A People Dog

My dog is a people dog. She loves people. If she can hear someone, her tail wags and butt wiggles until she’s able to see that person. Sometimes her enthusiasm gets a bit out of control; she jumps, she barks, she rolls around, until she’s able to bask in that much-desired attention. All of this is great, right? Definitely. However, Chihiro’s deep love of people – seriously, I know a lot of families with dogs and I go to the dog park and I’ve met few other dogs as desperate for human attention as Chihiro – seems to come at … Continue reading →