Captive Mommies

by Terri Seymour

1. Make your house come “alive” with silk flowers, plants and trees. Fill a pretty glass vase for a colorful centerpiece or fill an empty corner with a rustic birch tree.

2. In my kitchen as an alternative to expensive wallpaper borders, I use inexpensive grapevine garlands. I used four garlands and ran them all along the top of the walls. Quick, easy, inexpensive and the effect is great!

3. For an inexpensive wall grouping, find a calendar with beautiful scenic pics or flowers or animals, whatever fits your decor. Put 4, 6 ,8 or more of these pics in some nice frames and group them together on a wall. The effect is surprisingly pretty!

4. Find some colored bottles, jars, etc. you might have lying around or scout garage sales. Fill these bottles with polished stones, colored beads, seashells, or anything else you like and arrange them on a table or shelf. Use different shapes and sizes for a more dramatic effect.

5. Go wild with baskets. Baskets come in many sizes, styles and colors and can be used for extra storage in any room. Use them in the bathroom for cosmetics, toiletries, towels, etc. In the kitchen they can hold utensils, recipes, or food items. Try them for magazines, books, or movies in the living room or bedroom. In the kids’ room they make great places for toys, books, video games. The possibilities are endless!

6. One thing I would recommend for any home is candles. Candles are an inexpensive way to lighten, brighten and enhance any room in your home. Candles come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and scents. You can create a cozy, relaxing mood or you can spice it up and energize your mind and soul. Candles are much more than a decoration!

7. Arrange a grouping of family photos on a table or wall. This is one of the best ways to warm your home. Use frames in different sizes and styles to make the grouping more unique and interesting.

8. For organization, buy plastic storage tubs/boxes in pretty colors. Use them to store and organize your linen, toys, off-season clothes, memoirs, etc. Stack them in a corner for a pretty look.

9. Decorate an old wooden bench or trunk. Put a decorative pillow or cushion on it and place it by a window for an instant window seat!

10. Use your imagination! Anything and everything can be used for home decorating if you are creative with it!

———————————————————-
Terri Seymour has several years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 resell ebooks, wholesale gift business opp, free affiliate programs & a free ezine with bonus report: 77 Ways to Get Traffic! mailto:subscribe@seymourproducts.com
———————————————————-
Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory
———————————————————-

by Catherine Harvey

A birth of a child is one of the most important events that can happen in someone’s life, and most people take all the precautions to make sure the child has got all the items and products that will help it have the best start to life. These items may include all different types of baby wear for all weather and seasons as well as bottles and nappies. Most of these items, particularly baby wear, are bought before the baby is born to allow no panicking with the birth and pregnancy being already stressful.

There are many different items that a baby needs when it is born to have a happy and enjoyable life. There are many websites and shops that will offer baby wear and other important items and products as well as advice to young and new mothers about making sure their new born baby’s life can be as happy as possible.

Above all things, a baby needs to have fun and enjoy day to day life. This is why all shops offer a wide selection of baby toys. These range from doorway bouncers where the baby can happily bounce away safely to mats with soft toys where the baby can sit and enjoy playing and holding the soft cuddly toys.

Safety is key in a young baby’s life and there are many items on sale to ensure the baby is not in any danger. When traveling whether on foot or by car the baby needs to be in a secure safe place and many items are on sale today that do that. For example, car seats will allow a baby to travel very easily and be very safe and comfortable at the same time.

Buggies and prams are also available that will allow parents and carers to push the baby around when walking instead of driving. This makes it a lot easier for the baby to travel and helps with day to day life and hassle. Other products that are on offer allow parents to be able to monitor when the baby is sleeping or when they are left alone. These baby monitors are very useful products as they are able to let the parents know whether the baby is okay and is in no difficulties.

Because a baby is very high maintenance and have a lot of needs during the day the parents have to carry a lot of equipment around with them if they choose to take the baby out for the day. This is where the changing and carry bag comes in very handy for parents and allow them to carry all the necessary changing items, baby wear and spare bottles and other products. This means all the baby’s stuff is in one place and is easy to find in an emergency.

A stable bed time is also key to a baby’s growth and health during its early years. The most common and in some cases only option is a cot for the baby to sleep in. These come in many different sizes and shapes with some being more luxurious and comfortable than others.

These also affect the price with the larger and more comfortable cots being more expensive. Mobiles that hang above the cot and soothing music can also help the baby go to sleep and eases the stress of bedtime dramatically. This is because there is less chance that the baby will wake up and cry and helps the parents have a nice relaxing evening and enjoy some peace and quiet.

————————————————————-
Baby expert Catherine Harvey talks to shopping expert James Parker about what you can expect to purchase in the way of baby wear and equipment for your newborn.
————————————————————-
Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Tabatha Jones

Women, this is a must read for your spouse. Pass it on for your sake, and even more, his. Don’t let fear keep your partner from experiencing this life-changing event.

Sadly many women would prefer that dads stay out of the delivery room. In a survey taken by The Royal College of Midwives, 38% of women said they would rather have someone else in the delivery room with them. One in six mothers claimed men got in the way, while four in ten fathers admitted they felt “fairly useless” during the birth.

Many men wouldn’t dream of not being there but find that when they are actually in the room, they’re redundant. Some men are scared but consider how she feels. It isn’t much to ask for you to stand by her side. You can do that literally, just stay by her head if you get grossed out easily and are worried about fainting.

Men, prove to us women you aren’t just useless in the delivery room. Your spouse will be grateful and it will bring you closer together than anything else you have ever done. Most important is to pay attention to what she wants. Some women want to be left alone during labor. If that is the case then leave her alone. Communicate with her and let her know you are there for her if she needs anything.

What you can do to stay busy and to help her:

* For some women the most important thing is to hold her hand so she knows she’s not alone.
* Give her words of encouragement and support. Ex. “You’re amazing,” “You’re doing a great job,” and “I never knew you were so strong.”
* Show her love. Tell her “I love you,” “You’re so beautiful.”
* Remind her why she is in this pain. “We are going to be parents soon,” “You’re going to be a great mom.”
* Get her a cold rag and wipe her forehead.
* Feed her ice chips.
* Message her feet or hands.
* Bring a CD player and be her DJ. Making her a CD of her favorites would be cute.
* Be the photographer.
* Get her a gift before she goes into labor and give it to her. It will distract the pain and make her really happy. A mom necklace would be nice.

What NOT to do:

* Never, and I mean NEVER tell her “Don’t Yell”. Leave that to the nurses. Let her hate them for it.
* Absolutely no TV. If a TV is in the room don’t think about it unless she ask.
* Don’t get in the way of the nurses or doctor.
* Don’t bring food in the room. She won’t be able to eat so don’t tease her.

The decision about whether or not to attend the birth of your child is a personal one that should be made prior to labor pains. Men should discuss their feelings with their partner and both should select the option that will best suit them as a couple.

If you absolutely CANNOT see yourself being present for the delivery of the baby, consider a couple of alternatives. You can arrange to have another labor partner present so that if it all gets to be too much, you can leave the room either for a short time or until after the baby is born. You can choose to be present just for the labor or conversely just for the birth. You can also come in directly after the baby is born to celebrate the new life.

————————————————————-
Maternity Clothes, News, and Articles by Mommy Appelseed
————————————————————-
Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory

by Pascale Vandenbroucke

If you’re a mom, you know there is nothing more rewarding than that look of adoration in your little one’s face. As a mom, you’ve made it your business to love, protect, and care for your children, better than anyone else. Because life can get so hectic, personal fitness, for busy moms like yourself, is often sacrificed to spending quality time with your kids. However, what many women don’t realize is that they can get an effective workout and enjoy one-on-one activities with their children at the same time.

Fitness for Busy Moms with Babies

When your child is an infant, workouts for two can be as simple as finding a gentle workout video that uses a baby carrier as part of the program. The carrier should, of course, be placed on your front. If your baby is young and can’t support his or her head, the carrier must allow you to have your child facing you. It should also provide the proper support to safely hold your little one’s neck and head.

Strength-training fitness for busy moms is possible as well. A great place to start is “peak-a-boo crunches”. Placing your baby facing you on your lap while you do standard crunches allows you to play peak-a-boo with every upward, tummy-tightening motion. If you want to strengthen you arms, chest, and back, try some “playful push-ups with baby,” by placing your baby between your arms, so his or her face is directly under yours. As you do your push-ups, each time your face moves towards your little one’s, share kisses, blow raspberries on his or her cheeks, or make a funny face. Start with three sets of 8 – 10 repetitions for each activity, at least 3 times a week. Work up to 15 repetitions.

Fitness for Busy Moms with Toddlers

If you have a toddler, carriers and simple strength training exercises likely won’t engage your little one. Luckily, there are other fun activities you can do together, and fitness for busy moms with one- to three- year- olds can take a number of forms. If your toddler is younger, pushing him or her in a stroller while you go for a brisk walk or jog is a simple way for both of you to get fresh air and enjoy the out-of-doors. To further involve their children in the activity, some moms have them kick their legs along the way.
While stroller activities are an effective method of fitness for busy moms, they are not quite as helpful for the kids. A more interactive choice of exercise is to engage daily in activity songs together. Songs that involve actions, like clapping, galloping, waving arms, and spinning around are endlessly fun. Some favourites are “ring-around-the-rosie”, “I’m a little tea-pot”, and “The Hokie Pokie”.

Fitness for Busy Moms with Preschoolers

Once your child is four and is gaining stronger motor skills, it’s quite possible that your preschooler will enjoy dancing along with your own fitness routine. Online workout programs provide you with a number of fun activities, brought right to your home. Some online workout programs allow you to choose shorter programs, especially well-suited to parents whose children’s attention spans are still developing. Choose a program that appeals to you, but one with high energy. While the majority of online workout programs aren’t designed for children, your child may enjoy mimicking your motions or simply moving along to the music.

Aside from online workout programs, you and your preschooler can also go for walks together, chase each other, and, of course, play active games and sing action songs. A trip to the local zoo, a stroll through the park, and a kite-flying excursion are all every-day things that you can do to add fun and fitness to your time with your child. Whether you choose indoor games, outdoor activities, or online workout programs, physical fitness for busy moms with preschoolers can be both fun and effective.

Whatever you choose to do, getting active with your children will ultimately benefit both of you in the long run. By keeping your body healthy, you are ensuring you will be in the best state to care for your kids, and, at the same time, you are providing them with a positive role model for life-long, physical fitness. You are also giving your children opportunity to be active while spending time with their mom! Fitness for busy moms like you may be difficult, but, when done deliberately with your children in mind, it can be a valuable addition to any weekly routine.

————————————————————
Pascale Vandenbroucke is the Creative Director for Workouts On Demand. The website offers over 90 full-length online workout videos with everything from Toning and Kickboxing, to Yoga and Pilates, to Step Aerobics and Cardio Hip Hop and much more. Watch the workouts on your computer or download workout videos to your hard drive. And with new exercise videos added every week, there is always a new workout available so you can get the results you have wanted.
————————————————————
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

by Denise Willms

I always knew I wanted to homeschool our children. When I was in high school, I babysat for a homeschooling family, and they had such exciting projects going on. Later, when I was student teaching in university, I discovered a more important reason to homeschool. It simply wasn’t possible to meet every child’s needs in a classroom setting.

My husband, however, took some convincing. He hadn’t had any exposure to homeschooling families, and thought homeschooling our two kids would put too much responsibility on me.

We ended up putting our eldest child in a public school, but three years later, he was so unhappy, we were ready to try anything. We took him and his younger sister out of public school and tried homeschooling. It’s made such a positive difference in our lives, we plan to homeschool both our children all the way through high school.

After homeschooling for five years, my husband has become one of the strongest homeschooling advocates I know. In fact, when I feel frustrated and suggest that we consider public school again, he completely shuts me down. He sees what a difference homeschooling has made in the lives of our children and our family.

Now, none of this is to say that I believe public education is not as good as homeschooling. Homeschooling is not the answer for everyone. However, homeschooling is the right choice for my family.

If you believe homeschooling is the right choice for your family, but your husband doesn’t agree, there is no magic pill that can make him change his mind. I do, though, have some suggestions that may help.

1. Pray. One of my favorite Christian authors, Stormie Omartian, says in her book, Power of a Praying Wife, that before talking to your husband about anything, you should talk to God about your husband.

If you believe that God wants you to homeschool, spend time with God and ask Him to reveal that to your husband as well.

2. Get involved in your child’s school right now. I had always been involved in our children’s education, but when our son’s problems became more serious, I volunteered in his classroom every week. I got along well with his teacher, and she was concerned about him too, so this arrangement worked very well.

I was able to see the classroom environment first-hand, and see how my son’s behavior compared to the other students. Because I was in the classroom so frequently, I was able to explain to my husband what was happening, and where the problems lay. This helped him understand my desire to homeschool our children, and why I believed our son would do better in a homeschool environment.

Volunteering in a classroom isn’t always possible, but if you can, I recommend it. If you’re thinking of homeschooling, seeing how your child functions in a classroom can help prepare you for what’s ahead. And, if you’re ultimately not able to homeschool, you’re building important relationships with your children’s teachers and showing your children how much you value their education.

3. Explain to your husband why you want to homeschool. Does your husband know why you want to homeschool? Or does he think your desire to homeschool is a passing whim? Present your reasons and see if you can explain what’s on your mind.

This is where I found volunteering in my son’s classroom so helpful. I could explain to my husband what I observed in the classroom, and how homeschooling could make a difference in our son’s learning.

4. Explore other educational options. No matter how much you want to omeschool, it’s important to remember that homeschooling is not for everyone. I’ve met several moms who insisted on homeschooling their children, and a year later, realized it was the wrong choice for their family.

Homeschooling is hard. Being unhappy with your current schooling arrangement is not a good enough reason to homeschool. Explore your other options as well before deciding homeschooling is the only alternative that will work for you.

Consider private schools, online schools, or maybe even an afterschool tutoring program. If your husband doesn’t agree to homeschool, perhaps he’ll be more open to one of these options.

5. Find current research about homeschooling. Gather facts about homeschooling to show your husband. Not to shove in his face and prove your point, but so you can be prepared when he does ask questions about homeschooling.

Find out how local homeschoolers perform on standardized tests; learn if homeschoolers are admitted to your city’s university (usually they are); look for homeschool groups you can join to meet other homeschooling families, and for your children to meet homeschooling friends. Then, when your husband does ask questions about homeschooling, you’ll have all the answers you need at hand.

None of these suggestions will guarantee your husband will change his mind about homeschooling. But they will help you communicate with your husband about both your desires for your children’s education, and help you make educational choices that will work for your entire family.

—————————————————————-
Would you like to learn more about homeschooling? Visit http://www.WAHM-Articles.com to read articles written by real homeschooling parents about their own homeschool experiences.
—————————————————————-
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com