Genealogy research and tracing my family tree history has been an interest and hobby of mine for several years. October is Family History Month and there is no better way to celebrate but to begin creating a family tree of your own with names, stories, photos, vital records, birth dates, marriages, divorces, deaths etc for a complete family history of your ancestry and roots.

Genealogy or ancestry research can seem rather daunting for a beginner, especially when you consider the time it takes collecting family documents and records kept in old Bibles, going to libraries checking through large volumes of books and files, family history databases, charts and vital records reports.

Then there are the newspapers, obituaries, cemeteries, tombstones, census records, church records, land and property records, deeds of ownership and much more. It would be great if diaries, personal letters, Bible notes and photos were all we needed to build a family tree, and it would make the process of building a family tree pretty easy.

Free Family Tree Makers

When I first started searching for information on relatives and ancestors to create a family tree online to pass onto my children and grandchildren, I wanted to collect as many details as I could for free. There are genealogy search engines and websites that provide information about family records and data for little or no cost at all (Geni.com), to get help in finding your family tree history and create a family tree online, or you can use family tree software on your computer.

MyHeritage.com is also a free family tree maker that allows users to create and print a family tree for free, but after trying it for awhile I chose Ancestry.com instead. Some “free” tree maker sites are really just a free trial period, where after a certain period of time, your free trial runs out and you must become a paying member to continue using the site. Personally, I would much rather go with a well known, highly respected and user friendly website or trusted genealogy software on my computer than to risk having to start all over again.

Even though you don’t need to become a paid member of a genealogy research site such as Ancestry.com in order to make a family tree, perhaps with the help of the free family tree finder from the Mormon Church Genealogy records site (LDS) or Yahoo Groups, it sure helps to have thousands if not millions of genealogy researchers doing much of the work for you.

To get an idea of the amount of information you can gather with or without the help of genealogy software for PC and Mac users, or family history sites on the internet besides those already mentioned, here is a list of some kinds of records hobbyist and professional genealogists use in their research:

• Vital records – birth records, death records, marriage and divorce records

• Adoption records – which, if you’ve ever gotten stuck while researching your family tree, adoption records can make genealogy research very difficult

• Church records – baptism/christening, confirmation, bar or bat mitzvah, marriage, church membership and funeral records

• Court records – civil and criminal records

• Emigration, immigration and naturalization records

• Medical, military and conscription records

• Ship passenger lists

• Hereditary and lineage organization records

• Newspaper articles, occupational records, oral/dental records,

• Passports, schools and colleges attended, alumni association records

• Social Security, pension and tax records

• Voter registration, wills and probate records

• Deeds, land and property records

Family Tree Genealogy Software

Family tree software programs are available in compatible Windows versions and for Mac users to run on the Macintosh operating system, making your genealogy research a simple and easy process. Be sure the program you choose is not an old version and that it allows you to import Genealogical Data Communications, also known as GEDCOM files, and offers upgrades. Reviews of genealogy software for Mac users say Reunion 9 is the best family tree program, and while MacFamilyTree by Synium was given good mention, most preferred Reunion 9 overall.

Reviews for PC users show Family Tree Maker to be at the top of the list of genealogy software, easy for beginners and experienced family tree researchers to use. Legacy Family Tree tied for second place with RootsMagic. Software programs like Personal Ancestral File and The Master Genealogist weren’t given the best marks all around, with most recommending Family Tree Maker overall.

Surname Origin and Last Name Meanings

Have you ever wondered what the nationality of your surname is or what the origin and meaning of your last name is? Do you know what your family crest or coat of arms looks like? Discovering the origin and meaning of your last name is fun too, and you can get a lot of detailed information about your surname by using a free surname finder online.

Reading surname histories and discovering the meanings behind your family name, family crest or coat of arms symbols, shield and colors is very enlightening and fun. Being of part German descent, reading the history of the German coat of arms featuring an eagle with colors similar to that of the Flag of Germany in black, red and gold offered a good history lesson for me, which is now included in my family tree.

If you ever need a translation of the motto, flags and banners for your coat of arms or family crest and what they all mean, Wikipedia has a complete list of coats of arms articles, motto’s, emblems and descriptions that include Presidents and Vice Presidents from every state in the U.S., Canada and other countries.

Common surnames such as Miller, Jones, Brown, Smith and similar last names can make researching genealogy and creating a family tree tedious, time-consuming and overwhelming while trying to find past relatives and ancestors, which is why I personally recommend Ancestry.com to create a family tree online.

The list of things you can do with a family tree are virtually limitless. You can design or make a coat of arms that matches your family tree, look at coat of arms pictures and clipart online where you can download a printable copy of your coat of arms for your records, and even purchase a coat of arms plaque to hang on your wall at home as decoration.

I’ve learned a lot about my family history since I started a family tree online a few years ago, and I have found and met cousins and distant relatives who use RootsWeb, even connecting with them on Facebook and sharing family stories. If you haven’t already started your own family tree, I would encourage you to start a family tree today. You never know who you might find in your family line, and just how easy and fun it is to make some interesting discoveries along the way.

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reSTART internet addiction treatment center for computer internet and video gaming addicts, people who are addicted to the internet or playing video games, has opened its first rehab residential treatment program in the U.S. Commonly referred to as Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), the reSTART treatment center opened its doors in August 2009 with its first patient, 19-year-old Ben Alexander of Iowa City.

reSTART, described as a 45-day video game and Internet addiction recovery program, is located in Fall City, Washington, about 30 miles east of Seattle. An admitted gaming addict, Alexander became so addicted to the online fantasy game World of Warcraft that he would spend more than 16 hours a day glued to the computer game, skipping meals and sleep for the sake of playing the game.

In an interview with Time, Alexander says he became so addicted to playing video games that “It was pretty much all I was doing when I was in college.” After unsuccessfully trying to wean himself off of the addictive game and nearly failing school, he “had a moment of clarity” and asked his dad for help. Before discovering reSTART, Alexander checked into an addiction treatment center in Eastern Washington but that didn’t help, and then went to a wilderness adventure program in Utah, all to no avail.

Internet Addiction Treatment Centers

Ironically located less than 15 miles from Microsoft’s Redmond Headquarters, the Heavensfield Retreat Center (reSTART) is a 5-acre wooden retreat with a 3,500 square foot craftsman house, Western red cedar treehouses, chicken coops, and goat pens. For a whopping cost of just $15,500 for the 45-day stay (including application, screening and treatment fees) internet and gaming addicts are cut off from the web… cold turkey.

The reSTART website (www.netaddictionrecovery.com) says inpatient treatment for internet addiction includes working with a therapist, a recreation coach, yoga and exercise instructors, nature hikes, household chores, career development and other activities in an effort to “reprogram” patients and rid them of their addiction to the internet or online gaming.

Even though Internet addiction or video game addiction is not yet included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) doesn’t make these addictions less serious and real, especially in the lives and families affected by Internet Addiction Disorder.

Unfortunately, Internet addiction is not recognized as a separate disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, and treatment is not covered by insurance. But there are many treatment centers for internet addiction in China, South Korea and Taiwan — where Internet addiction is taken very seriously — and many psychiatric experts say it is clear that Internet addiction is real and harmful.

ReSTART is run by psychotherapists Cosette Dawna Rae and Hilarie Cash, authors of Video Games & Your Kids: How Parents Stay in Control, who believe Internet addiction and gaming are no less addictive than other seemingly harmless activities, such as gambling. Since helping her first patient overcome an addiction to a role-playing computer game fifteen years ago, Cash re-focused her practice to treating patients who are compulsive Internet and gaming addicts to the point where their they stop eating and sleeping properly, risk losing their jobs, marriages and relationships are ruined, plus various potentially serious health problems (including death). The harmful effects of internet addiction or video game addiction cannot be ignored any longer – if you or your kids are showing symptoms of addiction, act now.

The signs of internet or gaming addiction cannot be ignored, and if you or your children are addicted to video games or the internet itself, can you afford the cost of going to reSTART or any other internet treatment centers that pop up around the U.S. or other countries?

Think about it. How much time do you or your children spend online, whether it be social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, online virtual worlds like Second Life, silly Facebook games like Yoville or Mafia Wars, amongst others? Could you, someone you love, or your children be addicted to the internet or video games and not even realize it?

It’s time to get a life. A real life.

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Childhood obesity in children and teens who are considered overweight or clinically obese is on the rise, according to research studies on the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents in the U.S. Child obesity statistics speak for themselves, with the term “childhood obesity epidemic” creating concern for parents and health officials, as well as city and state government officials searching for ways to reduce and even prevent obesity in children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over nine million kids and teens between the ages of 6-19 years of age have been diagnosed as being overweight or morbidly obese, an alarming number that has tripled since 1980.

The CDC reports that over the past three decades child obesity rates have more than doubled for preschool children between the ages of 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years.

Childhood Obesity Statistics

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Resources, overweight kids and teens have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, which jumps to 80% if one or more parents is overweight or obese themselves.

In the U.K., parents of overweight school kids are to receive a letter from schools telling them their child is underweight, a healthy weight, overweight or very overweight. Included in the letter are tips and advice on getting kids to eat healthy, the risks of being overweight and physical activities their child can do to lower their weight and risk factors.

In 2008, child obesity statistics show a dramatic increase in the U.S. obesity rates per state, showing only one state (Colorado) with a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-two states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; six of these states (Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

Child Obesity Definition

What is obesity? The definition of child obesity and overweight is simple and easy to understand. “Obesity” means an excess amount of body fat, or body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, while “overweight” is defined as a body mass index of 25 or higher. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height, which provides a good indicator of unhealthy body fat and weight that may lead to serious health problems.

Most health professionals use published guidelines based on the body mass index, or a modified BMI for age, in order to measure obesity in children. Other professionals classify fat or overweight kids as being obese if they have a body weight ratio of at least 20% higher than a healthy weight for a child of that height, or a body fat percentage above 25% in boys or above 32% in girls.

Childhood Obesity Facts

The facts about childhood obesity cannot be ignored, and some parents have actually been arrested and charged with child abuse and neglect because their teen is morbidly obese, creating a firestorm of controversy around the country. The health risks and long-term effects of obesity in children are numerous, with very serious consequences, such as:

• Coronary heart disease

• Type 2 diabetes (also referred to as adult-onset diabetes)

• Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)

• Stroke

• Liver diseases, gallbladder diseases and asthma

• Sleep apnea (interruption of breath while sleeping) and respiratory problems

• Orthopedic problems/Osteoarthritis (breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)

• Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)

Causes of Childhood Obesity

What causes obesity and overweight in children?, you may wonder. According to the Mayo Clinic, obesity in children is caused by kids eating too much, eating the wrong kinds of foods (ie. junk foods, high calorie, high fat, high sodium) and not getting enough exercise. Television commercial ads intentionally marketed to kids and school cafeteria food menu items deserve to share at least part of the blame for increased obesity trends in children.

Genetic disorders and hormonal causes appear to play a part in some cases but are far less common than lifestyle issues and poor eating habits, and is not commonly viewed as a viable excuse. Genetic diseases, such as Prader-Willi syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome, affect only a very small percentage of children, but the primary cause of child obesity is poor eating habits and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Lack of regular, “natural exercise” is a major contributing factor in childhood obesity rates. Children who spend too much time watching television programs, playing video games too much or internet surfing for hours each day, have a greater risk of being overweight or becoming morbidly obese than kids who regularly engage in active play or sports.

According to research studies, “children’s food preferences and food-intake patterns may be shaped largely by the foods parents choose to make available to children and persistence in presenting a food that initially is rejected.”

The same study found that “picky eaters were breastfed for fewer than 6 months,” suggesting that breastfeeding that lasts longer than 6 months may help prevent kids from becoming picky eaters in the first place. Recommendations for dealing with a picky eater are to prepare one healthy meal for the entire family, and if he or she does not want to eat the meal prepared, don’t force them to eat it but don’t give the child something else to eat.

Weight Loss Diets for Children?

Child obesity prevention programs, weight loss camps and diets for kids under 13 years of age (and older) are popping up all over the U.S., but are diets for children safe? These programs are hoping to stop the obesity epidemic from growing and help kids learn about proper nutrition, food choice, self esteem, portion control and getting enough exercise.

National weight loss programs and grants are being put into place to help children achieve and maintain a healthy body mass index, or BMI, and lower their risks of health problems. These obesity programs also help parents of overweight or obese kids learn how to promote healthy lifestyles and eating habits, and how to give helpful support and encouragement effectively.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid for kids program called MyPyramid for Kids offers printable meal tracking worksheets in Spanish and English to help preschoolers (ages 2-5 years) and older kids (ages 6-11 years) keep track of their food choices and level of physical activity, as well as providing tips for parents and families.

We Can! or “Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition” is a national education program developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help prevent childhood obesity in youth ages 8–13. We Can! focuses on programs and activities for parents and families as a primary group for influencing youth. The program provides turn-key resources and programs for parents, caregivers, and youth to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce screen time.

Fad diets are a dime a dozen, and that includes “diets for teens” and even “diets for kids” who are overweight, so before you go signing your kid up for any diet programs – research diet scams and talk to your family doctor to make an informed decision for your child.

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The New York Times has released a new list of the best selling children’s books which includes picture books and chapter books that children of all ages love to read. Reading over the list of the best selling children’s books, and how some books remain on the top sellers list for several weeks, you can clearly see that kids books are still a favorite pastime.

These books may or may not make it on the list of best selling children’s books of all time, but if nothing else, some of these books at least deserve to be on the top of the list of most popular children’s books and added to your Christmas gift list for kids that like to read.

Here is the Top 10 list of best selling children’s picture books and chapter books, according to the NY Times, for a total of 20 children’s books.

Best Selling Children Picture Books

1. Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth. (Ages 4-8) 32 weeks on the best seller list!

2. Gallop!: A Scanimation Picture Book by Rufus Butler Seder. (Ages 4-8) 95 weeks on the best seller list!

3. Marley Goes to School by John Grogan. (Ages 3-8) 6 weeks on the best seller list!

4. Goldilicious by Victoria Kann. (Ages 5-8) 15 weeks on the best seller list!

5. Oceanology: The True Account of the Voyage of the Nautilus by Ferdinand Zoticus deLessups. (Ages 9-12) 1 week on the best seller list!

6. Swing! by Rufus Butler Seder (Ages 4-8) 47 weeks on the best seller list!

7. The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinckney (Ages 4-8) 1 week on the best seller list!

8. Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library! by Vicki Myron (Ages 4-8) 1 week on the list of best sellers!

9. Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire! By Jane O’Connor (Ages 4-7) 19 weeks on the best seller list!

10. Truckery Rhymes (Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown) by Jon Scieszka (Ages 3-8) 2 weeks on the best seller list!

Best Selling Children Chapter Books

1. Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins (Ages 12 and up) 1 week on the NY Times best seller list!

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Ages 12 and up) 52 weeks on the best seller list!

3. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins (Ages 14 and up) 2 weeks on the best seller list!

4. Sent (Missing) by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Ages 8-12) 2 weeks on the best seller list!

5. L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad (Ages 14 and up) 12 weeks on the best seller list!

6. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Ages 12 and up) 6 weeks on the best seller list!

7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Ages 10 and up) 49 weeks on the best seller list!

8. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Ages 14 and up) 46 weeks on the best seller list!

9. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (Ages 14 and up) 12 weeks on the best seller list!

10. Daniel X: Watch the Skies by James Patterson and Ned Rust (Ages 12 and up) 6 weeks on the best seller list!

Getting children or teens to read more often, and off of those addictive video games or vegetating in front of the television set for hours on end, is a very good thing.

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Yes, this is MY blog and I will blog or write about whatever I want, thank you very much. I almost titled this post, “Telling It Like It Is is Not For the Faint of Heart”, which on some levels is very true.

Over the last several months there have been an increasing number of what I refer to as lurkers, spammers, trolls, haters, naysayers and perverts emailing me and attempting to leave pathetic comments on posts.

Some of the worst offenders are those arriving from those pesky “DoFollow blog lists”, where newbie bloggers show up like a bat out of hell, dive-bombing this site in hopes of getting a link back to their site by leaving a pathetic “great blog, keep it up” sort of comment. If you have a blog of your own, you are likely well aware of these pests.

Telling It Like It Is has a comment policy and privacy policy like all/most other blogs and websites have, including a “mark as spam” button and a “delete” button, which I use quite frequently. If “DoFollow” dive bombers wish to continue wasting their time targeting this site for a backlink, knock yourselves out…but if you ever decide to check back to see if your “comment” was approved…you’ll be sadly mistaken.

Running a close second behind the dive bombers are those who are none too happy that I continue to write about child sexual abuse, especially the articles that tell kids and victims to tell they are being sexually abused now or were sexually abused by someone in the past.

I have received emails and attempted comments from people who are not happy at all that the Protect Our Children Act was passed. Now, readers, you tell me…what kind of person would NOT want me or anyone else having the “audacity” to be telling kids to tell someone they are or were sexually abused? Think about that for a minute, then come to your own conclusions.

Blog Post Ideas – Being Audacious

Blog post ideas for Telling It Like It Is come from a large number of sources, which I will get to in a minute. I rarely if ever experience writer’s block (so far), and I write blog posts with audacity and I’m proud of it. My blog is not a “feel good blog”, nor is it a “beat around the bush” blog, and it is certainly not a “tiptoe through the tulips” kind of blog.

I work hard at being an audacious blogger, and the articles about sexual abuse, abusive relationships and the numerous helping vs. enabling posts are emotionally difficult for me to write. I write them anyway and will continue to do so. I am passionate about the topics I write on this blog, even though there are thousands of bloggers who write better than I do, with perfect spelling, grammar, sentence structure and phrasing on every single blog post published.

“If you’re not afraid to be rejected, you keep putting your hand up. If you’re not afraid to be ignored, you keep putting yourself out there. If you’re not afraid to be criticized, you do exactly what you want. If you’re not afraid to make contact with someone more successful than you, you’ll create your own opportunities.”

I am not afraid. I will not be deterred.

I am not a social networking know-it-all, but I put myself out there anyway, meeting and making connections with fellow writers and bloggers in an out of my own “niche”. I am not a “Pro Blogger” by any stretch of the imagination, nor do I feel the need or pressure to become one. I make mistakes while writing and creating blog posts (especially when trying a new and unfamiliar html-type code thingamagig), such as I did on the how to plan a wedding article, turning it into a complete fiasco until I was able to fix it. Oh well…, live and learn as I go.

Okay, blog post ideas…, where I get mine. Aside from the fact that I read a lot, be it books, magazines, news articles online or offline etc, there are a variety of places I go to get my blog post ideas to avoid writer’s block. Here is a short list of those places, in no particular order.

Woopra – If you have a blog or are considering starting a blog, you MUST get Woopra. Woopra, by far, is the most comprehensive, information rich, easy to use, real-time, LIVE Web tracking and analysis application I have ever seen. Woopra provides so much unique information about visitors to your blog/website and how they arrive at your site, it will blow your mind. And it’s free! Woopra’s ability to track keywords/search terms (amongst other things) people have used to arrive at my blog or specific blog posts has already provided me MANY ideas for blog posts, and it’s only getting better by the day.

Google Alerts – Google Alerts are email updates received in your inbox of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, blogs, video, etc.) based on your interests or topics. Email updates from Google alerts can be received “as it happens”, “once a day” or “once a week”, whichever you prefer. I currently have two blogs and am in process of building a third, and receiving email alert messages based on my keywords of choice has brought about more blog post ideas than I could ever have imagined.

StumbleUpon – Wikipedia describes StumbleUpon as an “internet community that allows its users to discover and rate Web pages, photos, and videos”. Basically, StumbleUpon users choose to rate (or not rate) a web page, blog post, pictures or video by way of the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” feature from the StumbleUpon toolbar, which can result in massive amounts of web traffic from online friends or peers. StumbleUpon is sort of like word-of-mouth advertising from referrals. Online friends and peers have sent me links to articles with messages suggesting I do a blog post on that subject, but in my own “Tell It Like It Is” writing style. One such post was the Miley Cyrus Going Topless “rant” that caught the attention of the New York Times and LA Times, because I was being audacious and bold!

Twitter, Facebook, Google Adwords Keyword Tool,  Google Trends and Blogs I’m subscribed to by RSS Feed or email have also brought numerous blog post ideas already found on this site, and still more to come. With the numerous categories and topics I can cover within my blog niche, I would be hard-pressed to run out of things to write about and I have no intention of ever doing so. That’s how I roll.

If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to Telling It Like It Is FREE updates by email or RSS Feed, comment or ask questions on posts of interest to you.

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This is a guest post from Sherri at Serene Journey, where she shares tips, tricks and philosophies on enjoying life a whole lot more.

When kids move away from home it can be bitter sweet. There are no more family breakfasts around the dining room table and no more fighting for the shower first thing in the morning (at least I’m sure that’s what my folks would tell you). Yet you are excited for them to get out there and experience life, see the world and grow into their own person. There are several things I want to teach my kids before they leave home and one of the most important lessons is on frugality.

I have made the transition from relatively spend happy to quite frugal over the past several years. I only wish I had adopted my frugal way years ago! Here are some key lessons I’ve learned, or aha moments if you like, when it comes to frugality, timeless lessons that every kid should be aware of.

1. There is a difference between want and need. It seems pretty obvious that things we want aren’t necessarily things we need but the lines can blur and the distinction is sometimes fuzzy. Food, clothing, and shelter are all necessities – you actually do need these things. However, spending money on steak and lobster every night, haute-couture clothing and a 10,000 square foot house are self-indulgent wants.

Experiment with your child. The next time they “NEEEEEED” something start a dialogue – ask them questions about why they need it so bad, talk through different scenarios and worst possible outcomes if they don’t get the item. Try looking for alternatives to purchasing the item i.e. can you rent it, borrow it from the library or use a friends? Sometimes the alternatives aren’t immediately obvious but they often cost a lot less.

2. Sleep on it…for a month or so. Keep track of things you want – absolutely everything, then commit to not buying anything on that list for at least a month maybe even two or three. This does two things.

1. It removes all impulses purchases. It allows you to keep an eye out for sales and discounts. Keeping track of what you want also allows you to prioritize purchases and save up enough money to cover the cost (i.e. not putting it on a credit card).
2. Sleeping on it allows you to see if you really want the item or if it was just something you thought you might like in the spur of the moment. After a month or two has passed there are generally two outcomes; you either still want the item or you don’t. If you still want it then it’s likely a good purchase for you and a wise way to spend your money. If you no longer want the item on your list, you’ve saved your money and can put it towards the next item on your list.

3. Use cash. I’m a big advocate for using cash as opposed to credit. It’s a lot more difficult to part with physical money than it is to hand over a piece of plastic. Using cash in combination with sticking to a budget will cause you to think twice about parting with $20 on one lunch when all you have is $50 in the budget for the entire month. You’re less likely to go over budget if you spend using only cash. While it’s sometimes not as convenient to use cash as it is to use a credit card it can actually save you a lot of money in the long run.

4. Make do with what you have. Everyone likes to have new stuff, but buying items just for the sake of “new” is certainly not in your best interest. It helps if you look at the practicality of an item and not just the aesthetics of it. Take an old paint splattered hammer, for example, while it doesn’t look pretty it still does the job of pounding nails into the wall so you can hang pictures. So why spend the money on a new one? The same goes for oven mitts, tea pots, furniture, and laundry baskets.

Can you also make do with what you have by multi-tasking an item you already have around the house. As an example, instead of buying a stand that keeps the gardening bags open so you can put the clippings in, use a plastic storage container that you already have kicking around the house. They are light weight, easy enough for you to drag around the garden and when it’s full just tip the bin into a bag and you’re done. It takes a bit of creative thinking but making do with what you have is a great way to live frugally.

5. More is not better. Abundance seems to be the “in” thing. But with many possessions comes more responsibility, clutter, stress and can even add complexity to everyday life. Frugality, to me, doesn’t mean living without or even being a minimalist. Living frugally means being aware of where your money is going, making smarter choices on how you spend it and making do with what you have where it makes sense.

Acquiring more and more, bigger and better may seem to be making your life better, easier or more efficient. In actuality, a lot of times the exact opposite is true.

Teaching kids how to live frugally is important but isn’t only a lesson of theory. We should really try to lead and teach by example. Try making a small change today and committ to introducing one frugal lesson in your home. You may just find you benefit a lot from it as well!

Please share your thoughts in the comments as well as other important frugal lessons to teach our kids.

Read more of Sherri’s articles on enjoying life at Serene Journey.

Photo courtesy of: s2photo

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Is childhood obesity child abuse? Should parents of overweight or obese children be criminally charged with child abuse or neglect, where parents may be found guilty of child abuse and sentenced to jail time for having an overfed or obese child? When does parental indulgence become child abuse or neglect? Who is responsible when children are overweight or clinically obese, and should governmental agencies get involved?

A report by USA Today has attracted national attention to the case of a 555-pound teenage boy in South Carolina, whose mother was arrested in June and charged with criminal neglect because of her son’s weight. 14-year-old Alexander Draper is now in foster care, pending the outcome of charges against his mother, 49-year-old Jerri Gray.

“Jerri Gray was doing all she could to help her son lose weight, her attorney says. But something had gone terribly wrong for the boy to hit the 555-pound mark by age 14. Authorities in South Carolina say that what went wrong was Gray’s care and feeding of her son, Alexander Draper. Gray, 49, of Travelers Rest, S.C., was arrested in June and charged with criminal neglect.”

If your child or teenager is overweight or clinically obese, could your child be taken away from you, followed by you being charged with child abuse or neglect? Jerri Gray’s attorney, Grant Varner, says this case could open the door to criminal charges against parents whose children become dangerously overweight.

“If she’s found guilty on those criminal charges, you have set a precedent that opens Pandora’s box,” Grant Varner says. “Where do you go next?”

Childhood obesity is on the rise all across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many states have begun to take legal action against parents. According to a 2008 report published by Child Welfare League of America, state courts in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, New Mexico, Indiana and California have been trying to decide what to do about obesity in children.

In all of those cases, except the one in California, courts expanded their state’s legal definition of medical neglect to include morbid obesity and ruled that the children were victims of neglect, the report says. Criminal charges were filed only in the California and Indiana cases, but the parents weren’t sentenced to jail time in either.

Childhood Obesity – Child Abuse?

Linda Spears, vice president of policy and public affairs for the Child Welfare League of America says criminal charges should be a last resort. “I think I would draw the line at a place where there are serious health consequences for the child and efforts to work with the family have repeatedly failed,” she says. “What’s more often needed is a structured plan of action that’s accountable to a court. Most of the time, the health problems tied to childhood obesity don’t become chronic until adulthood, which makes it difficult to charge parents with child abuse”, Spears says.

Obesity in children is not just a problem in the U.S., with children of all ages developing health problems because of poor nutrition, over-consumption and inactivity, and many countries around the world are working hard to combat child obesity. In a 2007 New York case involving an adolescent girl who weighed 261 pounds, the court ordered nutritional counseling, cooking classes and gym workouts.

35-year-old Nicola McKeown, mother of 8-year-old Connor McCreaddie, almost lost custody of her 200-pound child in 2007 for feeding him too much. Authorities involved in the case called a “child protection conference” to consider removing him from his home, claiming “Child abuse is not just about hitting your children or sexually abusing them, it is also about neglect.” The meeting concluded with an agreement for health officials and a dietician to continue trying to help the family deal with Connor’s obesity, rather than removing him from the family home.

The USA Today article raises the question of a possible “Pandora’s Box” scenario. “What about the parents of every 16-year-old in Beverly Hills who’s too thin? Are they going to start arresting parents because their child is too thin?” Will parents of anorexic or bulimic kids be next on the list of the “fat police”?

• As a parent, when was the last time you took close inventory of the foods, snacks and drinks found in your kitchen, to determine whether or not changes are needed in your family’s diet?

• What personal eating habits are you teaching your children based on what you typically consume as the parent?

• What grocery store aisles do you spend most of your time and money while grocery shopping? The outer aisles with fresh meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables etc, or the inner aisles with high calorie, high fat, low nutritional processed foods and snacks? Are you and your family “junk food junkies”?

Where governmental agencies and health officials will draw the line between childhood obesity and child abuse is still unclear, but what is clear is that parents are primarily responsible for what their children consume and in what amount. School cafeteria meals have improved over the years, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. When parents overfeed their child to the point of obesity, parents puts the child at risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke etc, and are ignoring the health risks associated with overeating.

Characterizing child obesity as child abuse is stretching things a bit, but it appears the days of parents claiming their child is just a picky-eater and won’t eat healthy foods with proper portion control may be coming to an end. At least from a legal standpoint, because “Big Brother” is watching. According to the Institute of Medicine, NINE MILLION children in the United States over the age of six are considered obese, referring to obesity in children as “An Epidemic of Childhood Obesity”.

“The increasing number of obese children and youth throughout the United States has led policy makers to rank it as a critical public health threat. Since the 1970s, the prevalence (or percentage) of obesity has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. At present, approximately nine million children over six years of age are obese.”

Children learn what they live. Parents have to educate themselves about the importance of eating healthy themselves, be good role models for their kids, in order to teach their children good eating habits, nutritional food choices, portion control and exercise to live healthy lifestyles.  Children and teenagers spend a lot of time sitting – watching television, playing video games and browsing the internet, rather than getting natural exercise on a regular basis.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle, while also eating the wrong foods and in the wrong proportions, leads to obesity and health problems. Many parents have wisely chosen to buy Wii Fit for themselves and their children, and when combined with healthy food choices, the results of losing weight and improving their overall health is a benefit the whole family can enjoy. We really don’t need governmental agencies to tell us this, do we?

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Barbie alternative? Appropriate dolls? Parents are looking for an age-appropriate alternative doll for their little girls to enjoy, especially since Barbie dolls and Bratz dolls, Dora the Explorer (amongst others), have been “updating” the clothes these dolls are now wearing to include inappropriate, racy, “sexy” outfits on dolls for young kids. Meet the Only Hearts Girls by Only Hearts Club, a great alternative to Barbie dolls and Bratz girls. Not only are the Only Hearts Club girls baby dolls that look real, but the Only Hearts girls are appropriate toys for young kids to play with.

What is Only Hearts Club? Only Hearts Club (OHC) is a family owned and operated company dedicated to creating a positive message to children through its line of realistic baby dolls and toys, and have been making dolls for 5+ years. Only Hearts Club Dolls are 9-inch dolls that look and dress like real little girls from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Realistic Baby Dolls That Look Real

Len Simonian, toy and lifestyle expert and president of Only Hearts Club said, “Dolls influence the image and behavior of young girls. From Bratz to Barbie, to Hannah Montana these companies each portray vastly different images through the marketing and ‘lifestyles’ of their dolls.” Simonian added, “Parents and grandparents can play a big hand in determining what dolls their kids buy. It’s up to us as parents of young girls to do our own due diligence about each brand’s messaging.”

The Only Hearts Club mission is to keep young girls age-appropriate while encouraging positive, conscious choices, turning Only Hearts Club into a multi million dollar business. The eight (8) life-like dolls, dressed like real girls, are each supported by its own book with the messaging, “in difficult life situations always do the right thing”. Each doll has its own personality and interests, all with the common goal of true friendship and a pledge to be nice to others.

Only Hearts Club were the winners of the 2006 Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Product Award as well as the 2007 Winner of Platinum Award, and has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, as well as in magazines including Good Housekeeping, In Touch and Family Fun.

Only Hearts

Only Hearts dolls are adored by girls because the dolls look like real girls, like themselves and their friends, dress in cool fashions, and because their pose-ability encourages play. Only Hearts Club are loved by parents and grandparents because the brand delivers a wholesome image (cool, yet age-appropriate fashions) and positive message to their girls. The brand is called the Only Hearts Club because it is a group of girls who have formed a club with a promise to one another to “listen to their hearts and do the right thing.”

The Only Hearts company has received countless messages from parents, saying how thankful and thrilled they are to have found a doll that their daughters think is cool and love to play with, and that also provides such a positive influence, especially in light of all the messages and images with which their girls are bombarded in today’s world.

In a Reuter’s interview with the Only Hearts Club president regarding the sexualizaton of children, Len Simonian said, “The sexualization of young girls is currently a huge concern. 10 is the new 15 and 8 the new 13. At Only Hearts Club we work against today’s television and music video culture where girls as young as 6 years old are told to wear revealing clothing, act sexy and chase boys.”

Only Hearts dolls are simply adorable for young girls, as are the other Only Hearts Club toys, furniture and accessories, which includes Only Hearts Club books and a complete equestrian line named the Only Hearts Horse & Pony Club, Only Hearts Club Li’l Kids, and a line of mini plush Only Hearts Pets for kids sold separately.

I’m not sure why, but I noticed there are no 9-inch Only Hearts Club boy dolls in the collection, except for a new boy doll named Trevor in the Only Hearts Club Li’l Kids collection. Hopefully Only Hearts Club will come out with some larger boy dolls soon, because I have a young nephew that would love to have one.

Other Barbie alternatives to consider are the Madame Alexander dolls, Marie Osmond dolls for young kids, and the Corolle dolls and accessories for children.

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Parents’ Television Council is angry about the American Idol Season 8 Finale results show, aired on May 20, saying American Idol crossed the line of decency and cautioned FOX that the popular “family-friendly”, “family-hour”, prime-time show may alienate viewers. Parents Television Council (PTC) is a self-proclaimed, non-partisan Watch Dog group, founded by Brett Bozell in 1995 as an “education organization advocating responsible entertainment, to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media”.

PTC President, Tim Winter, says the “finale of American Idol demonstrated all the aspects that make television great — a months-long competition coming down to two finalists with a Cinderella story ending. Unfortunately, it also demonstrated what’s wrong with television when Fox decided that gratuitous shock value in front of a huge family audience is a good thing, rather than a bad thing. If Fox isn’t careful, they will alienate the family audience foundation upon which the success of Idol has been built.”

PTC voted American Idol on Fox the worst TV show of the week, followed by Family Guy in the number 2 spot. Vote For The Worst, probably the bane of American Idol’s existence, flippantly reported: “PTC is angry that Kara DioGaurdi took her dress off, Bikini Girl made an appearance, and the Black Eyed Peas performed a song with swear words in it.” VFTW concludes that PTC’s concerns about Katrina Darrell’s return as the Bikini Girl showing off her “new enhancements”, and the Black Eyed Peas performance of “Boom Boom Pow” with sexual lyrics and profanity means “they’re just homely old shrews who need to get a life”.

According to Reuter’s write-up on PTC, Americans would have to be living under a rock not to have noticed the steady “increase of sex, violence and profane language shown during the traditional, early-evening “family hour” of broadcast television viewing”, where families with young children and tween/teens gather around their television sets for “family-oriented” programming. But, perhaps parents and concerned citizens are all just “old shrews who need to get a life” as VFTW would have you believe.

According to a study by Parents Television Council, entitled The Alarming Family Hour…No Place For Children (PDF), instances of violence during family-hour broadcast TV had increased by 52.4 percent since it conducted a similar study in 2001, while the amount of sexual content grew by 22.1 percent, amongst other concerns. The “Family Hour” time slot includes television programs starting between the hours of 8 and 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and between 7 and 9 p.m. on Sundays, in the Eastern (EST) time zone (7 to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in the Central time zone).

The PTC summary says “The American public is overwhelmingly concerned. In a March 2007 Zogby Poll, 79% of respondents agreed that there is too much sex, violence and coarse language on television. Other surveys have shown that parents are so fed up that they would welcome more government regulation to rein-in television content. However, through responsible self-regulation, the entertainment industry might eliminate the need for further legislative or regulatory action.”

Not surprisingly, TV Watch, a group opposed to “increased government regulation of television broadcasting”, quickly criticized the study saying PTC used “faulty analysis, biased methodology and suspect omissions to influence the debate and raise money” as part of an ongoing effort to influence regulators and lawmakers to take family viewing decisions out of the hands of parents and give them to the government.

Jim Dyke, executive director of TV Watch, says parents have the “means to control and monitor what their kids watch, with the use of the “V-chip” feature built into TV sets that allow parents to set controls based on program ratings”. Television ratings and movie ratings claiming TV programs and movies are appropriate for children should only be viewed as a guide for parents, as programs become more “edgy”, “hip”, “keeping up with the changing times”, etc.

Parents of young kids, under the age of 17, if you and/or your kids watched the American Idol Finale Results Show, raise your hand. Were you at all surprised, even shocked by any of the performances or lyrics? Did you put your trust in FOX and American Idol big-wigs to choose child, tween/teen appropriate songs and performances for your family? American Idol ratings scored an all-time low for the Idol finale results show, the lowest rated finale EVER in the show’s history, where Kris Allen was crowned the new American Idol over fellow contestant Adam Lambert. The reasons for the low ratings are up for debate.

Some parents felt they were blindsided by Flo-rida’s Right Round performance on American Idol, never having heard of the rapper before the show aired, only to discover the lyrics left parents of younger children scrambling for the remote. Where will FOX draw the line between “staying current” and being over-the-top? Time will tell, but parents would do well to do their research ahead of showtime to find out everything they can about performers, songs being sung, and the associated lyrics and make an informed decision of whether to watch or not.

“Increased government regulation”? How about just enforcing decency laws already on the books? PTC’s FAQ’s page clearly states that they’re in agreement that parents are primarily responsible for their child’s television viewing habits. However, PTC makes this analogy regarding joint responsibility for television content:

The fact that parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s upbringing does not free the entertainment industry from taking responsibility for their product. The assertion that the sole responsibility lies with parents is a self-justifying claim usually made by people who wish to evade accountability. It is much like pumping sewage into a town’s river, while maintaining that parents are responsible for protecting the health of their own children. Parental responsibility is the beginning, not the end, of the story.

Regarding the question, “If you don’t like something on television, why don’t you just change the channel?”, PTC says this:

Television is the most public and powerful means of mass communication. It drives changes in social customs, speech, and attitudes, especially among youth. Because of its pervasiveness and persuasiveness, opting out is an entirely inadequate response to the dramatic rise in the amount of televised graphic sex, obscene and profane language, and gratuitous violence found on television today. These depictions affect everyone, including our children’s classmates and friends. Vulgar television means a more vulgar society; sex-saturated television means sexualized children stripped of their innocence; violent television results in desensitization to violence.

TV Trends columnist, Chritopher Gildemeister, writes in his article entitled “Networks Change Their Tune on TV’s Influence” how FOX (supported by CBS, NBC, ABC, the ACLU and others) told the Supreme Court (regarding the 1978 FCC vs. Pacifa decision) that “the broadcast networks should not be subject to decency laws. This would mean that the networks would be able to use any foul language they want, in any amount, at any time of day – no matter how many children are watching. In fact, the networks went so far as to say that broadcast decency laws are a violation of the First Amendment.”

The results of a June 2007 TV Watch Poll (PDF-opens in new window) is quite telling, as far as the percentage of parents who actually monitor their children’s television, computer and internet use versus those who don’t. Some parents are seriously slacking in their responsibilities towards their children. I don’t subscribe to the idea of increased government regulations, but I do believe media marketers as a whole have grave responsibility in what is being projected towards children and teens on TV, magazines, clothing styles, movies etc, and that existing decency laws should be enforced.

What do you think? Was the Idol Finale Over the top, too controversial, too “sexy”, too……something? Why do you think the American Idol ratings are so low?

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Heard about the new Study Ball? The Study Ball and Chain contraption is an electronic device intended to make your kids study and do their homework. I heard about this study ball prison-style thingy on the radio this morning and couldn’t help but laugh outloud. Seriously? Parents really need the Study Ball to get kids to study and do homework?

The Study Ball’s red digital display counts down the “study time left”, then the electronic ball beeps and unlocks when study time is up to release your child from “jail”. The Study Ball weighs 21 lbs, making it difficult for kids to stop studying and doing their homework, so they can of course go play video games and watch television.

The Study Ball cannot be locked for more than 4 hours at a time, and comes with a safety key to allow unlocking the device when desired. The Study Ball and Chain is sold online at Curiosite (www.curiosite.com) and costs about $115.00.

The website says: “Quite often, students who are having problems concentrating tend to get up every ten minutes to watch TV, talk on the phone, take something out of the fridge, and a long list of other distractions.

“Were they to dedicate all this wasted time to studying, they would optimise their performance and have more free time available.

“Study Ball helps you study more and more efficiently.”

Study Ball Designer Emilio Alarcon came up with the idea after a friend likened revision to being in jail.

He said: “Studying can be fun and enriching if you do it once in a while, but no one likes to study for days on end, especially not with an exam date looming overhead.

“The project was born of a conversation I had with a friend who was studying for a civil service exam.

“He said ‘I haven’t left the house in a week, this is like being in jail’.”

Wow. I bet kids won’t be adding this to their BillMyParents want list anytime soon. The old-fashioned “ball and chain” goes techie! What do you think about the Study Ball? Would you buy it?

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