Family rules are for everyone in the family. The rules you establish for your family’s benefit are the single most important aspect of helping your child learn right from wrong. The purpose of family rules is established so that both parents and children have consistent guidelines that help each family member know what behavior is expected and what isn’t expected. Family rules are there to encourage a sense of responsibility for each person’s behavior and it also helps a family get along well with each other.

Family rules teaches your child what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Family rules are important because everyone in the family has rights. They have the right to be listened to, to be treated with respect, to state their viewpoints, and to live in a world free from violence. Family rules help the family have equal rights and input into how the family operates.

Often parents believe children need rules, but they don’t. Children quickly see the injustice when parents are able to do something, but the child gets punished for the same action. You’ll hear children say, “that’s not fair,” or ‘how come you can do it, and I can’t?” These are valid concerns because your child knows you can’t explain away these injustices by just saying, “Because I said so.” Parents who seek to control their child sometimes say, “Always do as you are told.” This statement truly only reflects the parents’ inadequacy and authoritarian feelings. Children then learn not to take responsibility for themselves, not to think for themselves, and often blame others for their mistakes and actions.

Infants are too young to understand family rules, but by the time your child is two years old, your child understands good from bad, can use words to express how they think and feel, and can contribute to establishing the rules. Two year olds are also capable of following family rules.

Here are five ways to establish rules for your family:

1. Everyone should participate. Gather your family around the kitchen table. Suggest to your family that since everyone lives under the same roof, they might as well have rules that apply to everyone.

2. Make a list of rules desired. Encourage each family member to share a list of behaviors they feel are a problem. Then talk freely about the issues your family should work on. No blaming or fault finding, just gather ideas to get started. Then on a large piece of paper, create a list of rules for the behaviors you would like to see, instead of the behaviors that now exist. The written list should have two columns - What To Do and What Not To Do.

3. Keep the rules simple and very specific. For example, “no running in the house” is too vague because what if there’s a fire - certainly everyone should run out of the house. Instead be very specific by stating this rule: No playing (football, kickball, baseball) in the house. Play (football, kickball, baseball) in the yard. Now you’ve stated What Not To Do and What To Do. For every “what not to do,” there has to be a “what to do.” If your child is always shouting throughout the house, the rule should be, No yelling and screaming. Speak more quietly. Allow your child to yell and shout in his own room with the door closed. This will help your child get out his frustrations, without harming another family member. This is the way to substitute what has been going on, with what you really want to go on inside your home.

4. Create a consequence and reward for each rule. Rules are best kept when there is a consequence attached to the action. When your child chooses to misbehave, then there should be some form of discipline to follow. When your child works at correcting his behavior, then a satisfying reward should be given. The rules can only have meaning when your family understands that discipline and rewards are what makes the rules more meaningful.

5. Limit Family Rules to five rules to start. Five rules is a very good place to start. This short list of rules will help your child remember the rules and practice them daily.

After your family starts to pay attention to the Family Rules set up and you notice that the behavior is no longer a problem, drop the rule and add new rules. Gather your family around the kitchen table and have a “rule dropping” party. Tell your family members that even though a rule is being dropped, it doesn’t mean the rule is no longer important. It just means that the rule is not needed anymore because the behavior is no longer a family problem. Whenever a new problem behavior appears, have another family meeting and start from Family Rules #1 above. In a very short time your family will share a deeper bond of understanding and hopefully, will realize that having Family Rules actually benefits each family member.

Copyright 2006 Linda Milo and Empowering Parents Now. All rights reserved.

Linda Milo, aka, The Parent-Child Connection Coach, has a simple philosophy: “Raising healthy children takes more than the right expectations, or knowing appropriate ways of disciplining or rewarding your child. Parenting children is also a deeply emotional experience that requires you, the parent, to maintain an awareness of your own needs”.
For a FREE parenting newsletter and a FREE 45 minute consultation on parenting skills and facing daily parenting challenges, go to: http://www.empoweringparentsnow.com or e-mail Linda at: linda@empoweringparentsnow.com.

WHEN A PARENT IS DEPLOYED by Ann Scaling Tucker

When a parent is deployed with the military it can be very
traumatic for the children left behind. Having things for them
to do, that makes them feel a part of the family and helping the
parent who is gone, is really important.

Here is a list of things you can plan that should help ease the
pain of having mom or dad gone.

We all have happy and sad feelings about our parent leaving. It
is important that we talk about them with our families. Have the
child (children) make two lists. One with YOUR HAPPY FEELINGS
and one with YOUR SAD FEELINGS. Sit down and discuss these lists
and explain the feelings that they don’t understand or answer
questions.

Get a map and place it on the wall and show the kids where mom
or dad has gone. They can stick a pin in it or place a small
flag on the map. They might get a sheet of stickers and put them
where the parent is, where they are, where the grandparents are,
etc.

Get the kids a tablet with lined paper and show them how to
write letters to the parent. Here they can also use stickers and
draw pictures.

Make a list of things that kids can do to cheer the family up
like: do some chores, write letters, sing a song they wrote,
tell their best joke and add your ideas to the list.

You might want to take a calendar and mark special days and
holidays that will be happening while the parent is gone.

If the child (children) are old enough to write, suggest they
keep a journal (buy them a book to write in). Then when the
parent comes home they can share the journal with the parent.
That gets the parent caught up on events and thoughts the kids
had while they were gone. Another thing you could do is tear out
the page and send it to the parent each week.

You might have a cookout and invite other friends whose mom or
dad is also deployed. You could also invite a new family that
just moved into the neighborhood.

If you have a major holiday, i.e., Thanksgiving, while the
parent is gone, turn on the tape recorder during the dinner so
mom or dad can hear the conversations. Have the kids make a list
of all the food that you had to eat. Take lots of pictures to
send. Have everyone say a special message to the parent.

Have the kids write a poem and send it. Have the kids make a
secret code, write a message in the code and send both to the
parent. Another neat letter to send would be made of words cut
from the newspaper or magazines.

Take pictures of important events: new haircuts, birthdays,
parties, etc. Let the kids take pictures. Have them take
pictures of the family pets and tell a story to go along with
the pictures.

Always remind the child that whether it is mom or dad that is at
home or away….they are always a family.

Concert tickets are big business and sometimes hard to come by. There are many ways of ensuring you get to see your favourite artists. Here are 10 Tips to consider when looking to purchase concert tickets.

1) Find out in advance where the band or artist is going on tour. Check the bands website for this information.

2) Search the main website to see if tickets are still available. One will be designated the main vendore for concert tickets, so check with these.

3) Join the bands fan club if they have one ( most do ). They often make tickets available to members first.

4) Have a look on ebay to see if the tickets you are after are advertised for sale

5) If buying from someone on ebay check their seller feedback/reputation first. Make sure you know how and when you will receive your tickets following payment.

6) Search concert ticket broker websites

7) When purchasing tickets on the internet, make sure the connection is secure and verified when entering credit card details.

Beware of fraudulent concert ticket sellers. Try to find a marketplace that offers a guarantee on transactions for peace of mind.

9) Avoid scalpers. These are the ticket touts that will try to sell you tickets on the street. They are best avoided.

10) Have a look at stubhub.com and tickets.com as possible alternatives to the more well known ticketmaster.com

Okay, so remember, buy early, watch out for fraud and try to get the best price possible. Look at all the different online concert ticket vendors and compare prices. Try to use a marketplace that offers some guarantee on transactions undertaken and avoid desperate last minute buying from ticket- touts. Most of all, enjoy the concert!

Article by Nigel Farley of http://www.concert-ticket-information.com ( The Online Resource For Concert Ticket Buying Information )

Television, one of the greatest entertainment devices ever created.

Back in the day, people were outstanded by the capability of being able to watch broadcasts in black & white.

People were amazed by the technology of being able to watch live broadcasts from across the world, films and sports all whilst not having to leave their homes.

Then came along colour!

Obviously, we have come a long way since then, what with the capabilities of computers and the internet, video calling and other technological advances, having colour television all seems a bit primitive.

Since colour television there also have been some more advances for our viewing pleasure.

There was the VCR, giving people the choice of recording their programmes or buying video’s for their kids.

Then came along DVD. DVD produced improved quality in audio and visual a normal VCR cassette couldn’t compete with, as well as separating the films into scenes and sections, and adding extras.

Now with digital television widely becoming the standard, we have LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) & Plasma screens, again improving picture quality whilst saving space. But it doesn’t stop there.

The new technology that again, will improve the viewing pleasure is ‘High Definition TV’ or HDTV for short.

So, what is HDTV?

HDTV is the latest generation of digital TV, providing life-like picture quality, at least four times superior to current standards. It will provide extremely clear and fine picture detail with richer colours, improving the visual experience.

At launch, HDTV is thought to be available from BSkyB. In order to view programmes broadcast in ‘High Definition’, a soon to be released HDTV Sky Receiver with Sky+ technology will be required. In addition, the benefit of High Definition will only be apparent through a HDTV television (ideally plasma or LCD).

Please note, not all Plasma & LCD televisions currently available are HDTV compatible. It is expected to become available in the first quarter of 2006.

TV Aerials Aerials & Satellites are one of the UK’s largest TV Aerial & Satellite TV Installation Companies, providing a rapid and professional service, seven days of the week. Please visit our website for further information.

It is important to be a very careful consumer when it comes to home improvement contractors. For instance, I had a case where my client, an elderly and blind woman, signed a contract and paid $30,000.00 to a home improvement company that disappeared with all of her money! Unfortunately, the company was a scam operation, my client lost her life’s savings and it will take some time in court before my client may ever see her money again however, her mistake will be a lesson to all of you because this article explains how to protect yourself from home improvement fraud.

Before signing any contract with a home improvement company, first ask that company for its license number and check it out with your State or County Consumer Affairs’ Business License Division. Find the License Division on the web or call information and get their number. You want to find out (1) the name and address of the company associated with the license number given to you, (2) if the company is currently licensed and the license expiration date and (3) whether any complaints have been made against that company. The answers to those questions will help you determine if you want to proceed with signing a contract. Make sure both the contractor and the company he works for are licensed to work in your State.

If your going to sign the contract then make sure certain things are included pursuant to your understanding and as required by your State’s Home Improvement Business Law. The contracting company’s name, address and phone number should be printed on the contract. Also, it is important that the contracting company’s home improvement license number is printed on the contract and that it is not different from the number you called and inquired about with Consumer Affairs. Lastly, make sure that all of the work to be performed is listed in the contract and that the approximate start and end dates of work are included. You should put a penalty clause in the contract regarding the contractor’s failure to timely complete the work because contractors are notorious for starting jobs and then leaving for a few days or weeks to do other jobs while you sit and wait in your dismantled kitchen for him to return. Once the contract terms are satisfactory then the contract should be signed by both you and the company’s representative.

An example of a consumer protection law is New York’s General Business Law 771 (”GBL”) requiring all home improvement contracts shall be in writing and contain certain terms of payment, fees for services and materials and start and completion dates, among other terms. GBL 771 is a consumer protection statute to prevent the misunderstandings between contractor had consumer and to protect the consumer from overreaching of the contractor, such as charging for work that was not agreed upon. GBL 771 limits the contractor who disregards its written contract requirements to satisfactorily proving to a court each and every item of work he did and the reasonable value of each item by detailed invoices, timesheets and proof of hourly rates, among other proofs. So, if the contractor who failed to put your home improvement work in writing attempts to collect $20,000.00 from you, he has to prove the value of his services in detail before scaring you into paying an amount you had no idea about. New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act and the Home Improvement Act protect the consumer even more by denying the contractor from recovering any monies if he violates any of the consumer laws AND he will pay three times the amount of damages (called treble damages) to the consumer for his failing to obtain proper permits or licenses or any other violation of those laws.

Lastly, protect yourself by not paying 100% upfront. Most contracting companies ask for a deposit upon your signing the contract. I suggest that you put down as little as possible and arrange a payment schedule with the company where you will pay a certain amount as certain work is completed. Of course, always get a receipt, signed by the company and stating the date and amount of any monies paid to the company if you pay anything in cash.

This article is certainly not all inclusive and is intended only as a brief explanation of the legal issue presented. Not all cases are alike and it is strongly recommended that you consult an attorney if you have any questions with respect to any legal matters.

Any questions and/or comments with respect to this topic or any other topic, contact:

Law Offices of Susan Chana Lask

853 Broadway, Suite 1516

New York, NY 10003

(212) 358-5762
Susan Chana Lask, Esq. c 2004

About The Author

Susan Chana Lask is named in the media as New York’s “high powered attorney”. She practices sucessfully all civil, criminal & appeals cases in State & Federal courts nationwide. http://www.appellate-brief.com

scl@appellate-brief.com

So adult sex toy are on the lips of every sexy girl these days, either speaking about them in the toilet, at the art gallery or on the telly. But which adult sex toy is the fav, with the vast choice to pick from surely a researcher had to find out the best one.

Sex Bomb asked over one hundred and twenty UK shoppers in August what their best adult sex toy was along with other personal questions.

If you love sex toys you should try out Large Vibrators

It was discovered that the most best adult sex toy for UK shoppers was the vibrator, and they just liked it! UK ladies were so excited by the idea of a extra huge vibrator that many of them would use it straight after coming home from work. The best kinds of vibrator were the Jessica rabbit vibrators as they help to stimulate the clit hood as well as inserting into the vagina.

The second most popular adult sex toy was the exciting dildo dong. Dildos are similar to vibrators except they don?t have batteries or vibrate. Dildos come in all shapes and sizes from 6 inches to twelve inches. They can come with suction cups to have an excellent experience hands free and can easily attach to a bath or toilet set. Dildos have been a firm top seller since the 90s and looks like they will be around for a long time.

So it was decided that the vibrator was the winner and the dildo came in second place, with some many sex toys out there it was difficult to know which type of vibrator was the most exciting for women to try. The classic vibrators are battery powered and shaped like a male’s penis. Standard vibrators are shaped just like the proper thing and use batteries for power. Classic vibrators can be made up of plastic, vinyl metal or silicone. Classic vibrators can either be slipped in or placed against your vagina to get the feel. Sex bomb stock a wide range of classic vibrators.

The greatest way to use classic vibrators is to make sure it is very clean before use, make sure it is not too big for your vagina, and also make sure that you do not use it every Sunday night and you do venture out on a date to the nightclub.

Meeting a bank’s loan requirement with poor credit is practically
impossible. Although banks and credit unions approve loans for short-term
cash flow problems, these financial institutions are not very eager to do
business with a bad credit applicant. Fortunately, there are other
alternatives for acquiring quick cash.

Fast, Instant Personal Loans

Payday loan companies are the place for getting fast, hassle-free cash
for emergencies. If you need an immediate car repair, or need to pay a
utility or medical bill, cash advance lenders are willing to help you.
Upon completing a loan application, these lenders will confirm stated
information, and approve your application within minutes with no credit
check or collateral.

Getting Approved for a Cash Advance

The requirements for obtaining a short-term cash advance loan are
realistic. Unlike banks and credit unions, which have strict lending
criteria, cash advance companies make an effort to help people during hard
times. Thus, they offer funds to people who really need it.

To begin the loan process, you must locate a suitable cash advance
lender. Each company is different. Some offer short-term loans, which are
due within two weeks. Then again, some loan companies offer 30-day
loans. Go online and compare cash advance lenders. Research companies and
inquire of lending fees and loan terms.

When you have located a lender, complete the online application form.
Even though these loans do not involve credit checks, you will need to
meet basic requirements. For starters, you must be at least
18-years-old. Secondly, payday loans companies ask that all application have the
same employer for at least 60 - 90 days.

Furthermore, payday loan companies request that applicants earn at
least $1000 a month. In some cases, the minimum monthly salary is $1500.
Lastly, all payday loan applicants must have a valid checking account.
This is very important because funds are automatically deposited and
drafted from your checking account.

Of course, the cash advance company will verify all information stated
on your application. Once employer and banking information is
confirmed, and your application approved, the lender will deposit the money into
your banking account. On the due date, the funds are electronically
drafted from your account.

View our recommended lenders for
Bad Credit Payday Loans online.

Baby bedding and accessories are manufacturered by dozens of designers. But little information is available to help consumers understand the differences between the competing brands. Kidsline, just one of these manufacturers, has a unique set of design, price and value characteristics that should be considered by anyone thinking of purchasing a Kidsline crib bedding set.

Kidsline may be the most commonly known brand of baby crib bedding; many of their patterns can be seen in prominent national chains. At any given time, Kidsline offers between 40 and 50 different crib bedding patterns. Kidsline crib bedding is moderately priced and is generally accompanied by a host of coordinated accessories. Their designs are very colorful and cute and are generally appropriate for those who are seeking a “juvenile” look for the nursery. For a more sophisticated or elegant look, Brandee Danielle or Glenna Jean crib bedding would be more appropriate. Kidsline crib bedding is generally 100% cotton and made in China.

One of Kidsline’s more positive features is it’s widespread availability. Sold through many national chains, you will not find all of their patterns in any one store, but you will find their product line well represented throughout the country. Their merchandise is also widely available online. This makes Kidsline bedding a frequent baby gift registry item for people who do not shop via the internet.

Most of Kidsline’s patterns are sold as 6-piece crib sets (including a quilt, bumper, ruffle, sheet, valance, and diaper stacker) with prices ranging from $120-$200. The pieces of the crib sets can usually be purchased separately, although there is a substantial price penalty if purchased separately and may not be a viable option at “offline” stores who would not normally carry the separate pieces. Be careful, however, that a $150 crib set does not inadvertently evolve into a $400 nursery collection after adding the cost of the many accessories that are available.

If you can think of a possible nursery décor accessory, Kidsline probably makes it to coordinate with their crib bedding sets. Buying and using them all in the nursery would likely be overwhelming and expensive - mobiles, blankets, pillows, wall borders, drapes, wall art, lamps and shades, hampers, diaper disposal covers, clothes pegs, switch plate covers, nightlights, drawer knobs, picture frames, quilt clips, rugs, basket liners, and more; but an appropriate selection of coordinated accessories can do wonders to spread the theme of the crib bedding throughout the nursery.

Kidsline’s patterns are generally very colorful and cute - just the thing if you prefer a very bright, cheerful, and “babyish” nursery décor. The host of accessories can further enhance this mood. Kidsline crib bedding is usually made from 100% cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabrics that are machine washable. Kidsline appears focused on maintaining low prices and therefore does not usually incorporate premium quality fabrics into their designs, as you will find in more expensive collections.

Canadian customers of United States internet retailers should beware when purchasing Kidsline crib bedding. Because it is generally manufactured in China, importing it into Canada from the United States can add as much as 18% to the listed price. Make sure that you are fully informed of the total price before buying.

Robert Meier is President of Baby Supermall, an internet retailer of Infant Bedding, Kidsline Bedding, and Nursery Decorations.

Is a telemarketing service the right way for you to promote your business? I am as guilty as anyone of complaining endlessly about telemarketing services calling at the worst times. After all, telemarketing is probably the most controversial advertising technique ever. However, sometimes a good telemarketing service, believe it or not, can help your business. We know that telemarketing can be effective, but there are now many legal concerns about using it. With that in mind, there are some things you should do to ensure that a telemarketing service will be the right way for you to promote your business.

Any telemarketing service will know that there are many new laws in place. These laws regulate the use of phone calls as a means of marketing based on the time frames. One of the big complaints with regard to telemarketing is that they either call too late, too early, or during family time. The other concern is that your telemarketing service calls only individuals who have not said they don’t want to receive the phone calls. Make sure the company you decide to use is of high standards and pays close attention to detail.

There is good reason to select carefully when going with a telemarketing service. For one thing, you want to keep your company from a bad reputation. If customers are bothered by your phone calls, then the image hit is a hard one. It can terribly tarnish the name of the company you have worked so hard to build. However, there are good, smart, and effective telemarketing services that will allow you to promote your business effectively without killing your image.

What it comes down to, then, aside from finding the right telemarketing service whether or not you want to go that route. Some people are just fundamentally opposed to telemarketing in any form and thus would not use it no matter how effective it may be. That decision is one you will have to make for your business based on your personal feelings about such a controversial means of marketing a business. In addition, you should factor in the cost of using a telemarketing service versus how much money it can help you make as well as how efficiently the company works. The overall use of telemarketing can be effective, but you need to decide if it will be in your situation and under your feelings.

For many businesses, big and small, telemarketing services can be a necessity. They can be used with a lot of success as well. If you do think you might use a telemarketing service to advertise your company or your service, make sure you use a company that will screen employees as well has hire and train them effectively. If you keep those simple things in mind, a telemarketing service just might be the way for you to promote your business.

If would like to find more of my personal articles on telemarketing services, please feel free to visit my website on telemarketing!

One of the primary reasons why people fail to execute their goals is they set forth unrealistic or overly complex goals. Most of us have the tendency to look at the finish line without paying much consideration to the distance between the end point and us. Here are a couple examples to illustrate this point:

• My goal is to lose 80 pounds by next year.
• My goal is to lose 8 pounds a month each month until I reach the grand goal of 80 pounds.

Or how about this one?

• My goal is to save up enough money to take a cross-country vacation next summer.
• My goal is to save $30.00 each week so that 50 weeks from now I will have accumulated $1,500.00 for the vacation expenses. I will do this by using grocery coupons, downgrading my cable plan and dining out one time less per week.

The majority of us lay out our goals in the general manner exhibited by the first statement in each of the two examples above, but unfortunately they are so aimless and expansive that unless you are particularly motivated and disciplined chances are good you will give up long before you reach the goal.

On the other hand, if you break down your expansive goals into an assortment of smaller goals that are easily achieved, you will find yourself far more focused and motivated. Each time you reach a milestone (the conclusion of a smaller goal), you will experience the jubilation of success and be one step closer to your end goal.

Breaking large goals up into manageable pieces also plays a bit of a trick on the mind. What would be your natural answer to the following question?

• Is it easier to lose 80 pounds in 10 months, or 2 pounds each week?

The thought of losing 80 pounds is horrifying… that’s a lot of weight. Two pounds is much more manageable. Right? But if you break the numbers down, you’ll find that two pounds a week for 10 months will result in the loss of 80 pounds, which is exactly the same as your expansive end goal.

By breaking up your large goals, you allow your mind to focus on the easily achievable midpoints such as two pounds a week. At the end of each week if you see that you didn’t reach your goal of two pounds, you’ll know something needs to be tweaked if you are to succeed with your end goal. On the other hand no matter how frustrated you become with your diet, if you see that you are losing just two pounds every week you’ll know that you are well on your way and as such you will remain far more motivated throughout the process.

No realistic goal is too great as long as you break it down to easily achievable and detailed interim goals.

Copyright 2005 Goals and Motivation.com

About the Author

Jeffrey Rolo is an experienced human resources manager, business owner and also the owner of Goals and Motivation.com, a website offering a free 20+ page guide on goal setting. Visit http://www.goals-and-motivation.com to view this guide as well as other articles about goals and management.