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Children are explorers and adventurers, and while that’s a great way to learn about the world, it can put them in danger if the parent is not diligent about making the home a safe environment.

Many parents install hi-tech video/audio systems and alarms (don’t forget to update your contents insurance to cover these expensive items) to monitor their child, but for small children the greatest dangers in the home are from being scalded by hot water, falling and striking their heads on a sharp object, eating something poisonous and choking—all hazards that are potentially present in most average homes.

Here are some ways to make sure your home is safe for your young child:

• Check your water heater and set the maximum temperature to no more than 120 degrees—and never leave a young child unattended in the bathroom.
• Consider having only rounded tables and soft furniture until the child is older and more stable-footed.
• Make sure all poisonous materials are in a lockable cabinet if at floor level—better yet, store these items in a locked upper cabinet.
• Keep all small items that might become a choking hazard out of the reach of young children. If you have older children and they have small toys like building sets or marbles, make it a house rule that those items remain in their rooms with the door closed at all times.
• Cover all electrical outlets with child proof caps.

You can also visit the Policy Expert website and read an article in their insurance resource library called “Keeping Kids Safe at Home” for some good child safety pointers.

While it’s not possible to predict and avoid any and all dangers that a small child might stumble into, taking care of the above items will go a long way toward making your home safe.

 

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Family time is a vital part of building solid relationships between you, your spouse and your children. It is often something that is overlooked when families are overwhelmed with busy schedules and events.

Setting aside time each week for your family to spend together is one of the most important things that you can do, apart from choosing adt home security to watch over your loved ones. Pick one night when everyone can be at home and do something together. This is a fun, relaxed period of time to interact, play games, eat out together and just enjoy one another’s company.

This is a great way for a step parent to start to bond with step children, which can often be an awkward experience for both. Blended families need this kind of time to start building positive relationships that are important when dealing with problems, behavior issues and obstacles that children face while growing up. Children learn about the new parent and a repoire is established that is necessary for trust and communication to occur.

This is not a time that should be spent in front of the television. The activities planned for this family get together needs to involve face to face interaction and doing things actively together. Television turns a focus away from this type of healthy interaction. Get out of the house and go shopping together, play miniature golf or go for a hike in a local park. You can even volunteer together for a cause. This can be a cheap, fun time to spend together without any expectations. Make use of this invaluable way to bring your family closer together.

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Video gaming is big business. The industry has come a long way from the Atari 1600 (if you are old enough to remember those) and the first Nintendo. Video gaming offers gamers more options, greater graphics and more realism. Gaming has even come to smartphones.

With digital technology and phones such as the LG Android phone, gaming on cellular devices has really taken off. When gaming was first introduced to cellular devices, it was very limited. Old-style arcade or board games with limited graphics were the norm, but with digital smartphone technology and 3D graphics, the possibilities are endless. Gamers have their choice of where to play their games. Virtually almost any game that can be played on a gaming console can be played on a smartphone.

Smartphone companies are offering bigger screens with HD capability, as well as different keyboards to gamers. Supplementary controllers that attach to smartphones for gamers are starting to be offered.

Have a game downloaded to your smartphone that you do not have on your gaming console? No problem, hook your smartphone up to your TV and stream it. The same game you play on a smartphone screen can be played on the flat screen at home. The only drawback? If you are a gamer who routinely throws your console controller down when you lose, don’t try that with a $300 smartphone!

Who knows, in the future, gamers may not need their consoles. They may just need a smartphone, digital technology and 3D graphics!

Luckily, you can do a few things as a parent to prevent your children from developing this type of attitude towards money and finances. Here’s a look at some examples of what parenting experts have recommended parents do in this type of situation.

Monthly or Weekly Allowance

Parenting experts recommend that you give your children a monthly or weekly allowance for doing basic chores around the house. This allowance money can be used for buying video games, seeing a movie or purchasing some Apple Bottom Clothes.

It must be made very clear to the child that you will purchase necessities like food and clothing, but luxury items can only be bought with their allowance. This will require your child to learn how to save and they will soon value the importance of a dollar.

Require Your Child to Start a Savings Account

Requiring that your child start a basic savings account can help them learn the value of a dollar. When you give them their allowance, have them sit down with you and determine how much they want to put away in savings. This will help them learn budgeting, saving money and the importance of money.

Following these guidelines will help you teach your children the importance of money and learning how to save.

Vital to the baby’s development will be the supervision that is provided by a pediatrician. Savvy parents begin screening their child’s prospective pediatrician early on in the process. You will want to know which checks (such as for hearing) the pediatrician carries out routinely. Therefore, the physician you choose should be one who holds compatible views about the nurturing of an infant in the early stages.

Similarly, if you are embarking on adopting a baby, amid the excitement and anticipation lies the concern that your new family member is going to receive the best care. Finding the right pediatrician is important, since after the pregnancy calendar has served its purpose, Baby will be making visits every two months simply for standard checks, as well as possible further appointments should health issues need attention.

The earlier such interviews begin, the sooner you, your partner and/or others in supporting roles will be in a position to weigh up the merits of different doctors. Most advisors say that during your pregnancy calendar you should schedule the interviews sooner than the seventh month. Earlier, is preferred. Then, equipped with the answers to your questions, you can make a truly informed and unhurried decision

Some girls will know exactly what outfits and styles they want for their doll, other girls will browse the options for hours before determining the perfect outfit. Luckily, American Girl doll clothing can accommodate both the girl and her doll.

Summer wardrobes can be as extensive or as versatile as your imagination. Whether you are looking to dress your doll in a special outfit for each event, such as the 4th of July, a family picnic or a day at the beach, or looking for some basic mix-and-match pieces that can cover any day of the week, it is out there. Some girls even like to wear outfits that match with her favorite doll. Whatever type of wardrobe fits your family, daughter and doll can be created.

In addition to a seasonal summer wardrobe, you can purchase accessories to go along with the outfit, era or season. For example, Kanani, the 2011 limited edition doll, is from Hawaii, so one accessory for her is a shave ice stand. Some girls are so attached to their dolls and looking alike that they even get the doll’s ears pierced, which is only done in select locations. Girls want to have their dolls do everything they do. Your daughter’s love for her American Girl doll will last, so investing in seasonal wardrobes will keep everyone happy and entertained. The only limit on the creativity is your daughter’s imagination.

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A fun idea for your child’s birthday, is to have a costume party. This allows all of your children’s friends to wear their favorite Halloween costumes once more. Here are some ideas for planning a cool costume party for children.

Choose a Theme

One fun way to plan the party is to have a theme. There are many themes to choose from: super heroes, specific time periods, jungle animals, Hollywood, Disney movies, and more. Be sure to include your child in ideas on what the theme should be—they will be really excited. You can have so much fun with children’s costumes once you have chosen a theme. The ideas are truly endless.

Invitations

Since there is  a little more planning needed involving guests for a themed party than a typical party, be sure to send out the invitations with enough time for parents to get their child’s costume. One potential hitch is someone dressing up in the same costume as your child. For example, if you’re doing a superhero party, and your son is Superman, you probably don’t want any guests dressing the same. After all, your child is the guest of honor. If this is the case, be sure to mention on the invite which character your child will be dressed as.

Costume parties can be a lot of fun, but they’re also a lot of work for you and your guests’ parents. However, they will still be something your child will never forget. It may just be his or her favorite birthday!

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Teens and cell phones are just one of the latest and greatest duos that seem nearly inseparable.  Teens have better access to people and information that they may not be mature enough to handle without a cell phone.  But instead of looking at a cell phone as the catalyst for teen behavior, as parents, we can use these neat little gadgets to keep track of their activities and monitor who they spend the most time with.

The Android Zio is one of many new phones on the market that will allow you to keep track of the whereabouts of your teens. In addition, the phone – thanks to detailed cell phone bills – also can monitor who your teens are talking too or texting on a regular basis.  You can access this information through your cell phone or android zio when you are out and about, or you can monitor them while you are at home via your personal computer.  While many people may say that this is a invasion of privacy, we must keep in mind that we are talking about teens and monitoring their activities with a cell phone is about the only way a parent will get to see what their teen is up too.

Technology has come a very long way over recent years, and now with this new monitoring function, we can help keep our children out of trouble by simply knowing who they are spending their time with and where they are.  So embracing this new monitoring technology is not only smart, but it could potentially save a life.

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Teaching your child to be financially responsible with money is one of the best lessons that you can give them. This process should start at a young age in order to make the greatest impact.

One of the best ways to start instilling good habits in your child is to be a good financial role model. Sit down and discuss your family’s budget with your child and make them a responsible party in planning it. You can use your own checking account as a teaching tool as well. Sit down and show them how to balance a checkbook, explain its function and how to spend money responsibly. Their learning starts with the example that they see you setting.

Also, consider taking them to the bank and opening a savings account for your child. Have him or her help to keep track of how much money is deposited and doing it themselves. This gives them responsibility and an early hands on experience in saving for the future. It is also critical to discuss with them the responsibility and risks that come with having a credit card. They need to understand how easy it can be to overspend, causing debt and problems with credit.

This is important as children become older, enter college and are out on their own. The temptation to spend freely with plastic can be curbed and they will be better able to regulate their own spending. The time you spend early on teaching good financial habits will lead to a lifetime of responsible spending.

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Dating is one of the central aspects of a teenager’s life as they begin to explore relationships outside of family and friends. This is a time of memories, risks and parental guidance. This makes this time a more manageable one for both parent and child.

When teens start to date, they must have a good foundation on which to base their choices. This is why it is essential that parents start communicating with their teens early on about sex, relationships and making wise choices. When parents talk openly about these subjects with a teenager, there is a greater chance that the child will in turn come to them with questions and problems. It is better that they learn about these things at home rather than at school from unreliable sources such as friends. They are able to make better choices when they understand risks and consequences for certain actions.

This is important when hormones start to rage and emotions get out of control. Parents should also keep close tabs on their teenager’s daily activities and plans. Know where your child is going, who he or she is with and set a firm time to be at home. This helps you to keep tabs on your child and help to protect him or her from risky situations When you create an atmosphere of trust, open communication and establish boundaries your teenager will weather this time much easier. It also helps to reduce the worry you often have about the choices that your teenager is making.