Giving “the talk” to your child does not have to be traumatic for either of you. You know your child better than anyone. Communicate to them the way they will be most comfortable. Try having a conversation through make believe, music, art or even story telling. No matter what way you decide to connect, your child should feel loved. Let them know you care about them and want the best for them.

What should you talk to your children about?

Drugs & Alcohol

Before you begin your conversation, educate yourself. Using the internet, books or other resources, learn about drugs so you can help answer any questions. A great way to approach the subject of drugs & alcohol is to simply ask your child what they know. This will give you the opportunity to provide them with factual information. Make sure they completely understand the information you are giving. If you have to talk to your children about a drug problem, don’t shy away from rehab and courses at freedomdrugrehab.com/therapeutic-training-routines-course/.

Sex

It is recommended to start your discussion about sex and sexuality early. If your child has passes early childhood and you still haven’t given “the talk” it is not too late! Many parents wonder how much they should divulge to their kids. Sexuality includes how male and female bodies work, puberty, reproduction, different types of relationships, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and how to prevent pregnancy. Let you child know exactly what sex is. This doesn’t mean describing absolutely everything in detail; keep your discussion age-appropriate.

Education

Children should know from a young age the importance of an education. Ask them how they feel about school, what their favorite subjects are and encourage them to pursue what they love. When children understand how education can affect their future, they can make better choices. Be proactive in your children’s school. Show that you are invested in their future and they will most likely follow suit.

Safety & Security

Although this talk doesn’t involve the possibility of embarrassment, it is still vital to the well-being of your child. Discuss possible scenarios with solutions. For example, if there is a fire, who do you call? The fire department. Who should you call if you’re lost? The police.

No matter what “the talk” entails, having these discussions with your child can greatly affect their future. Choose to talk with your child, not at them & good luck!

Author Bio: Annette Hazard wrote this with Stanley Martinson. Annette often writes about family and health issues, and is a mother of one.

The post The Difficult Conversations You Need to Have with your Kids appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

The Animal has suddenly realized that Flash is a live human who isn’t going anywhere. So, the 2 year old varies between sweet moments of saying, “Hi” to his younger brother and then jealousy because Flash has a cool baby toy.

Miss Sassy Pants is counting down both the days to the end of school and the removal of her cast. I am actually counting down the cast removal with her — that thing is getting ugly!

So, it’s time for reporting victories:

Non-Scale Victories

* The entire family went to our local town festival this weekend and had a great time. My mom was gracious enough to hang with Miss SP while the boys came home for naps. But, Flash did really well, and the Animal had a blast on the playground!

* I went grocery shopping and didn’t buy ice cream. Woah.

Scale Victories

* I’m down another pound. That brings me to a total of 25 lbs lost in less than 4 weeks. Woot!

This coming weekend, we celebrate both Flash’s 1 month birthday and the Animal’s 2 YEAR birthday. Wow. I cannot believe how quickly time flies.

How was your week? And what are your plans for Memorial Day weekend?

The post Mamavation Monday: Quick Update appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

Image courtesy of Sura Nualpradid/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Questions to consider:

What is the physician’s care philosophy?

Care philosophy refers to the physician’s approach to caring for children. During the early weeks following birth through the first years of childhood, there will be decisions you must make regarding your child’s upbringing. Topics such as co-sleeping and antibiotic use will require careful consideration. Understanding your potential pediatrician’s approach to these topics will help you find the best fit for your child and you.

Is the pediatrician readily available?

Access to consultation or care is one of the biggest topics to consider when looking for a pediatrician. If your child wakes up with a fever in the middle of the night, you will likely be concerned and want to speak with your doctor. Will yours be available? Also, how easy is it to schedule an appointment? It is important to ask these questions before choosing a pediatrician to avoid frustrations and concerns further down the road.

Does the doctor encourage questions?

Asking questions about your child’s development and health is natural and should be encouraged by your pediatrician. If you have questions regarding your child’s care, you should be comfortable asking the pediatrician for further information or clarification. Also, your pediatrician should offer necessary information—you should not feel like you have to request details about your child’s health. Your pediatrician should also direct you to supplementary information if necessary.

What is the provider’s reputation?

One of the greatest resources you have when selecting a pediatrician is your social circle. If you have friends with young children, ask if they are familiar with the pediatrician you are considering. Feel free to ask them which pediatrician they visit and why they chose him or her. Asking these simple questions can quickly narrow down your list of potential providers and help you make the right choice.

This article was written by The Longstreet Clinic in North Georgia, a fully-integrated multi-specialty medical group, offering quality services and healthcare for patients, families and the community.  The Pediatricians at Longstreet Clinic are committed to delivering the highest quality care for children, from the age of newborns to adolescents.

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You know my mom’s blog Cluttered Genius,so here I am little Miss Sassy Pants with my own blog post.

My mom just had a baby boy named Flash. His room is themed old signs and old cars.

I now have 2 little brothers (or should I say little bothers). Well, I really do not like 2 screaming heads –  the Animal when he wants a cookie and does not get one and Flash when  he is hungry.

It was better when there was only 1 screaming head instead of 2. Flash is sometimes quiet but most of the time awake and screaming.

Now there are 3 kids, and mom wants 1 more. I really want to have a sister to play with instead of 2 little brothers.

Well GOD gave us Flash, and now I have to live with it. Even though its not fun, I think I CAN live with it!

Here are my tips for kids with littler siblings:
1. Always help your mother.
2. Never try to hurt one another.
3. Even though you get into fights sometimes, make up with something fun.
4. Always be awesome. Be good to your littler siblings.

Show Miss Sassy Pants some love in the comments, or help her with her list of tips for older siblings!

The post A New Addition: from Miss Sassy Pants appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

1. Build Your Relationship with Your Teen

A strong relationship with your teen is the best way to prevent the use of alcohol. Take the time to spend quality time with your teen by planning time to do activities one-on-one. You don’t have to do anything expensive or extravagant, but make sure that you are relaxed and in a receptive mood. Love and guidance are still important to teens, even though they may not show that they still need your care.

2. Talk About Drinking Alcohol

Communicating openly with your teen about what you expect is the best way to share your beliefs and values about using alcohol. Teens who know what their parents expect have the tools that they need to resist peer pressure. Set up a time when you are comfortable and relaxed to speak to your teen about drinking. Even young teens can benefit from sharing ideas about how to handle peer pressure or what to do when they are in a situation where alcohol is present.

3. Get Involved

Introducing your teens to alternative activities is an opportunity to reduce the risk of your teens using alcohol. Teens can join a sport, learn to play a musical instrument or begin a new hobby to reduce the chances of being exposed to alcohol use. Remember to let your teen choose the activity that is right for them. Consider taking them to speak with a DUI lawyer and learn about the full repercussions of their possible actions.

4. Host Your Own Party

Hosting a party is a simple solution when your teen wants to have fun with their friends. The party can be as simple as serving snacks and playing popular music. Set some ground rules beforehand to ensure everyone knows what to expect. For example, decide on the number of people that can come to the event and then expect your teen to stick to the number. Online RSVPs make it simple to plan a party and your teen will love sharing the event with friends in a safe environment.

Jayla Barnsen is a freelance blogger from Eugene, Oregon. She is a lover of the outdoors and spends all of her spare time hiking Oregon’s many National Forests. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University.

The post 4 Easy Tips to Keep Your Teen From Drinking appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

1. Nutrients

Shopping in the grocery store can be a struggle, however, with the menagerie of processed foods and preservative packed snacks. The few items you can find that are fresh and organic tend to come at a high price tag.

By growing your own food, you can ensure that the preservatives and hormones are left on the grocer’s shelf. When growing your own food, you know exactly what’s going into it, which allows you to avoid all those nasty pesticides used by commercial farms.

Organically, Home-grown fruits and vegetables are more likely to contain a higher amount of nutrients than those grown commercially. For example, the tomatoes you purchase in the store most likely have been picked before they are ripe. They then use a gas to artificially ripen them or freeze them in order keep a longer shelf life; this leaves them with fewer nutrients than they would’ve had if they had grown to maturity.  Use an organic compost or topsoil such as humus compost to achieve lush and plentiful crops this very season.

2. Time

Imagine making a salad with fresh lettuce from your garden, and a tomato picked right off the vine. Growing your own vegetables, fruits, and spices allows you to access fresh ingredients while cutting out a major step… driving to the store.  How many times have you found yourself creating a menu and needing to make a grocery store run for a single spice or item?  By having a plethora of items right in your backyard, all you’ll need to do is step outside to access the most delicious, freshest ingredients available.

Furthermore, these fruits and veggies make the perfect quick snack for your family!  Just grab the fresh watermelon from your patch or slice a tomato for a good ‘ol tomato sandwich.

Image courtesy of anankkml/
freedigitalphotos.net

3. General Wellness

Gardening is both fun and rewarding, and maintaining something even as simple as an herb garden can help to improve your family’s overall wellness.  Gardening is an activity in which you can get the whole family involved.  Getting everyone outside and moving is good for blood circulation and a great source of exercise. It has been said that one hour of gardening can burn as many calories as a 3.5 mile walk. The best part is that you don’t even realize you’re getting a workout! Being in the sun also helps your body produce more vitamin D, which is good for strong and healthy bone growth.

4. Appreciation

It is so easy for members of the family to have a lack of knowledge about where their food comes from and what a process of eating a hearty meal truly is.  When something takes more thought or work, it is always much more appreciated as opposed to when something is simply handed over.  Having your children help out in a garden will likely even get them excited to try more fruits and vegetables, because they have seen them grow from start to finish.

5. Save Lettuce… aka Cash

One final benefit of starting your own garden is the effect it will have on your pocket book. Think about how much money you spend on fresh vegetables and fruits every time you go into a grocery store. It’s a pretty hefty sum. Having a garden will allow you to be self-sufficient for those products that are so vital to your family’s health. Food will taste better, your family will be healthier, and you’ll be able to save a fortune in grocery store bills. So grab a packet of seeds and get outside, and see what gardening can do for you and your family!

This article was written exclusively for Cluttered Genius by Soil3, an organic compost that helps build soil’s components and provides nutrients for topdressing lawns, compost for vegetable gardens, and raised garden bed kits.

The post Why Start a Garden? appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

When a child comes into your house, he/she would certainly dispel the feeling of gloom and fills it with laughter and joy. Children are the true blessings and gifts for any parent. They have someone to pass down the family’s heritage and heirloom. Earlier a man’s riches were determined by the number he children he has and is still considered in many Arabian states.

The true joy of holding a child in your arms is wonderful. To look into the eyes which trust you completely is awesome. You are your child’s superhero who does great amazing things for him/her. It doesn’t matter what they do, you always try to give the best you can afford. Children are a major part of a family. It defines and completes a family. The tiny hands are very essential when it comes to complete a family.

Image courtesy of Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot/
freedigitalphotos.net

Supporting your children is the major duty which you should take care. You have to provide all the need of your child and if you are a single parent, it could be touch to cater the demands of a growing child. When you are unable to provide financial needs of your child, take help of child support agency who are ready to help you. Contact them on child support phone number which is easily available on the internet.

Children add warmth and bring in their brand of sunshine into your life. They are the true treasure for any parent. You can pass on the legacy of your family and without children you cannot continue your family generation. Those small smiles, silly fights, loud laughter, the complete trust are something which you can only find in a child. They give you total new perspective to everything you see and do.

When you have children at home, you become a bit more responsible. Your duty and responsibilities increase making you a better individual. As a person, as a mother or a father even you grow along with your children. They help you mature as a person adding to your character and personality.

It doesn’t matter whether your child is of 6 years of age or 50, he is still your little boy or she is still your little princess. A child never grows up for his/her parent. They are cute and can’t stop yourself from cuddling them, showering them with affection or pampering them. You can fight the whole world when it comes to your child and can withstand anything for them.

They are really very important for any family to be complete. They bring joy, happiness and fun into any family they go.

Sophie Samuel is a blogger from London in UK. She loves kids and therefore loves to write articles related to children.  As a single mother, she took up writing as her profession to meet the educational expenses of her kids and the family. She says that child support agency has helped her much in upbringing her kids and she recommends the same to any single parent looking for guidance. For any guidance during emergency situations regarding her children, she calls in the child support phone number for assistance. 

The post Importance of Kids in the Family and your Life appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

One lucky reader will win a handcrafted wallet of their choice for Father’s Day. You must be 18 years or older to enter. This giveaway is open to the US. Giveaway begins 5/16 and ends 5/30. Enter the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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With Miss Sassy Pants (eight years ago), I just used the hand-written announcements that were popular.

But, times have changed a bit since then, and it’s now all the rage to print special announcements with pictures of the baby. When the Animal was born, I used a basic printing option through my local drug store. For Flash, I was lucky enough to have the chance to print with Paper Culture.

Paper Culture offers multiple products including baby announcements, baby shower invites, stationery, address labels, and even bamboo wall art. The options they have for printing are widespread. In fact, I had a lot of trouble choosing a design for Flash’s announcements.

I finally settled on this design. Something about the little footprints made me love it:

Next, I needed to upload and set the picture that I wanted. I was determined with this baby to take my own newborn pictures, and I think I was relatively successful. Working with the design portion of Paper Culture’s website was very easy! Here is my finished product. I’m sort of in love:

I just received his announcements at the beginning of this week, and I love them. They are very high quality and almost as thick as a paper coaster you might find at a restaurant. I love that they are more than just a printed photo.

When I was checking out, Paper Culture informed me that they were going to plant a tree in honor of whomever I chose. Paper Culture promises to be eco-friendly, and this is just one feature of ordering from them that I truly appreciate.

Another great option with Paper Culture is the use of their FREE Mailing & Addressing service called Mail & Message. I could have entered the names and addresses of my recipients, and Paper Culture would have taken care of the rest for me. The only thing I would have paid would have been the cost of the stamps. I didn’t opt for this, but this is such a helpful option. It’s also eco-friendly as it cuts down on the amount of paper or product being used (to mail the customer the product first rather than sending straight to a list of recipients).

You can find Paper Culture in multiple places! Be sure to check them out:

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/paperculture
Facebook (over 130,000 fans): http://facebook.com/paperculture
Twitter: http://twitter.com/paperculture
Blog: http://paperculture.com/blog

Disclaimer: I received a voucher for free product in exchange for this post. However, all opinions are 100% my own.

The post Paper Culture Review appeared first on Cluttered Genius.

Often, saving money increases satisfaction more than shopping itself, depleting the possibility of buyer’s remorse and leaving us with a sense of excitement about our purchases. There are several savings methods available to buyers, who are willing to take the time to search, organize and plan their shopping. Aside from the obvious outlet malls and discounted retail stores, the following are ways in which you can enhance your saving opportunities.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Mailer Coupons

Coupons are created and sent out by companies all the time through the postal service to draw the attention of consumers. Usually, this happens when they have the need to push last season’s inventory in order to make space for the new inventory that will be arriving. Keep an eye out for these, because they have a tendency to get lost in the rest of the junk mail.

Registered Email Promotions

Most companies are aware that social networking and an online presence are extremely important in this day in age. They have made it extremely easy to go on to their websites and social media pages and register or join to receive exclusive email promotions as a preferred customer. For example, many companies offer coupons on their Facebook page. By pressing the “like” button, a coupon pops up that you can print from your home computer.

Online Coupon Codes and Printable Coupons

There are all kinds of promotions that are floating the internet. From birthday discounts, to free shipping and buy one get one frees, promo codes often heavily influence a buyers decision to purchase. When shopping online, these promo codes are entered at the end of the shopping experience when you are ready to check out. Most promo codes reduce the price of the merchandise or offer free shopping.

Sales and Clearance Options

Clearance items exist on most all retailer websites as items that may be from a past season, have limited availability or that the company no longer wishes to carry. Either way, this usually means “big” savings. Sales, too, offer extensive savings, predictably on holidays and as seasons change.

Cash Back Savings

Many innovative shopping sites, like ebates.com, offer a percentage of cash back on purchases made through them. Although the percentage may not always seem like much, every dollar counts when your looking for maximum savings.

Combine any of these savings methods with another one, or even two, and be surprised at how much you will gain without seeing your money go. Some sites, like Fatwallet, make smart shopping easy for consumers by presenting all possible promotions for any given store and allowing the consumer to conveniently stack these promotions ultimate product savings. Utilize savings resources, so you can shop, stack, save and then… smile.

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