Keeping Your Children Safe From Crime

Statistics show that crime against young children by strangers is rare. Even so, these seven tips can help protect your child:

1. Tell your child to avoid talking to people they don't know when you're not around
2. Make sure your child knows never to walk away with anyone without first telling the person in charge
3. Make sure your child understands that they should always tell you if a stranger approaches, and never to keep this secret
4. If your child gets lost, they should ask for help from a police officer, another grown-up with children or someone working at a nearby shop
5. Have your children learn their address and telephone number by heart
6. Try to keep your children within your sight or another adults whom you trust
7. Use reins for your toddler - these will keep your child nearby even if you get distracted

DirectGov.com

Making Parent–Teacher Conferences Work for Your Child

Parent teacher conferences are very important. Whether your student is doing well or needs to improve, sitting down with your student(s) teachers is vital to their education.

It demonstrates that you are paying attention to them and what they are involved in. Do not fall into the "You don't have too," or "I'm fine, don't worry about going," or even "conferences are dumb and the teacher hates me" trap. It's the tendency for most teens to down play conferences and especially if they're struggling.

Getting to know teachers is important. Asking them questions, even if it's "why does my son think you hate him?" Or, "she's getting an A but do you feel she understands the work." Any question is good and setting up a dialog about your student(s) education is important.

I stay in close contact with my son's teachers. I also volunteer on Monday and Friday to help out with lunch. This keeps me involved in school and my son's grades and behavior reflect my involvement.

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Nine Things To Do Instead of Spanking

By Kathryn Kvols

Research confirms what many parents instinctively feel when they don't like to spank their child, but they don't know what else to do. The latest research from Dr. Murray Strauss at the Family Research Laboratory affirms that spanking teaches children to use acts of aggression and violence to solve their problems. It only teaches and perpetuates more violence, the very thing our society is so concerned about. This research further shows that children who have been spanked are more prone to low self-esteem, depression and accept lower paying jobs as adults. So, what do you do instead?

Does It Pay For Mom To Work?

The phrase "It costs money to make money" is certainly fitting when used to describe the second income of a working parent who has dependent children. The "working tax" on a second income includes additional income taxes, childcare costs, work-related expenses, and additional household expenses...CBS News

I think it's important these days to have multiple income steams. There are so many opportunities with the Internet at our fingertips. I'm a big fan of affiliate programs because you can usually do them from home. I have several, some high commissions and a few low commissions. The possibility is out there we just have to search it out.