Parent TrapsParent TrapsNews and current events related to family, mom's and dad's and kids. I also cover topics about working from home. As a Floridian, you'll also be subjected to my rants and raves about doing all this in Florida. 
Articles
My Pirate Name
2007-09-19 18:27:00 My pirate name is: Mad Grace Flint Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr! Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.part of the fidius.org network More About: Pirate , Rate , Irate
It's Talk Like A Pirate Day - Savvy!
2007-09-19 17:33:00 Avast, me hearties! Yo ho, drink that bottle O' rum! Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day! Every September 19 is time to celebrate all things piratey! So stop yer normal type writin' n' talkin' and sort and start Talking Like a Pirate! My mate over at zeldman.com has a great primer on what NOT to say on this glorious day!Now you kiddies, ya can't be drinkin' the rum, we know....but ya can talk like a pirate all day at school! Ask yer teachers to do the same!If ya be needin' teachin' lessons on piratin' check it out here!Other ways to celebrate:Watch all 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movies - 2 in the box, 1 in the movie theatreGo to Disney 'n ride Pirates of the Caribbean ride over 'n over 'n overwander the streets in yer garb and shout "savvy" and "avast" until ya see the cops comin'can ya say Cap'n Morgan?Now....let's go out and mutiny! ARRRRRGGGGH! More About: Savvy , Talk Like A Pirate Day , Rate
Crocs Shoes are Dangerous - Don't Lose a Foot!
2007-09-19 14:07:00 Croc shoes or similarly styled shoes are a proven hazard on escalators. Some children have lost toes or mangled their feet while wearing Crocs and getting their feet stuck in the escalator stairs. So take extra care if you are in a location with an escalator and maybe take the elevator or the stairs if you or your child wear Crocs around the mall. More About: Shoes , Foot , Croc , Dangerous
Madeleine McCann's Parents' Story
2007-09-18 19:55:00 I enjoyed reading this positive article about Madeleine McCann's parents at CNN. There's been so much negative press in the past few weeks, I feel bad for them. I still have a feeling that they are not involved in their daughter's abduction or absence in any way. Maybe I just think that it would be impossible for parents to behave in the forthright way that they have done if they were in the wrong. That's my opinion for now. I think that the focus still should be "where is Madeleine". More About: Story , Parents , Adele , Tory
Teaching Sportsmanship to Kids
2007-09-17 17:43:00 Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! I've finished the series on school safety and now will embark on a new series about character building. I'm not sure how many parts it will have but this is Part I. I will blatantly credit Publix for this information. I thought they put together a great article in their recent newsletter for the Publix Preschool Pals Club. Check it out!Teaching Sportsmanship to Kids For toddlers and preschoolers, team sports should be about playing hard and having fun, enjoying a healthy activity with their teammates as they learn to play the game. Even if you don't know the rules and regulations of every sport, it's important to educate your child about good sportsmanship.Whether you and your little leaguer are playing a game of catch in the backyard or sitting in the bleachers at the game, your actions speak volumes to your child. As a fan in the stands, be sure to always offer praise and encouragement to players on both teams. Another way to ... More About: Mans , Ports
Judge Reviewing Madeliene McCann Investigation
2007-09-14 15:30:00 The McCanns are denying any involvement in Madeleine's death. This week the Portuguese police gave a file to a judge outlining their investigation....we'll wait to see what happens now, it's all really gotten quiet since last weeks interrogations. More About: Judge , Investigation , Reviewing , Deli , Tiga
Would You Want Your Children to Play with This?
2007-09-14 15:16:00 Check it out, this toy is alive! Or seems to be. This guy has created robotic Zeno, who is an artificial intelligence robotic version of his 18-month-old son Zeno, who prattles and smiles as he bounds through his father's cramped office. "Robotic Zeno can't speak or walk yet, but has blinking eyes that can track people and a face that captivates with a range of expressions." Just creeps me out, I'm afraid!This is Steven Spielberg's AI movie come to life. I am not sure I would want something like that around, learning my name and responding me like my own child. But I'll bet there are some of you out there who would enjoy it...what do you think? I think I couldn't sleep at night with my artificial child blinking and waiting for me to wake up! Oooh! More About: Children , Play
Protecting Children From Sexual Offenders and Predators
2007-09-13 21:21:00 Part seven in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!Tips for Prot ecting Your Children From Sexual Offenders and Predators Talk to your children about following these rules:Stay away from any unfamiliar person who is trying to trick you or force you to go with him or her.Let your parents or trusted adults know about any suspicious persons or situations.Learn to describe people and vehicles.Know where to run and how to forcibly resist capture.Scream to be seen and to scare a stranger away.Stay with a buddy, a group, or parents at bus stops.Report anyone hanging around or passing by regularly.Accept a ride onl... More About: Enders
I'm A PayPerPost Fan!
2007-09-13 19:14:00 I only joined up with http://www.payperpost.com/ in April of this year. In just a few months, I have transformed from a know-nothing-about-blogging woman with zero blog experience, to a blogger with a site that is growing every day with increasing traffic generation.Since I started blogging for PayPerPost, I've made over $200 and it keeps on growing! I've really enjoyed looking for new ways to grow in both my business and in my writing skills. I was even a featured link by CNN.com recently! What a change!My husband I enjoy working on our sites together and we often brainstorm ideas. I have enjoyed communicating with new friends that I've made via the PayPerPost forums and other blog forums. I'm looking forward to earning more to help grow our media business throughout the year. We hope to eventually have a full-time job for both of us because of these media ventures! More About: Payperpost
I Look Like I Lost A Fight!
2007-09-13 03:25:00 I have bandages all over me! Well, I had a visit with the dermatologist today and had some hopefully, not-too-bad news. It turned out, Florida-raised girl that I am, that I have basal cell skin cancer on my right forearm (they froze that), a second "maybe" spot on my leg, one on my back and on my nose (all those were excised...or chopped off for those who like a cruder description). I'll find out if there's anything wrong with those spots after biopsies in about a week. The doc didn't seem too worried. But you never know.This gives me a chance to say to everyone with kids - USE YOUR SUNSCREEN! We've all heard it before, but now in my early forties, I am having tons of trouble because we didn't have sunscreen back in the 60s and 70s, at least nothing more than Hawaiian Tropic and Coppertone, both of which were trying to help you get a tan, not protect your skin. Just a gentle reminder, our kids don't ever have to have sun-based skin troubles. Take the extra few minutes. More About: Lost , Fight
Consultants - Be More Profitable!
2007-09-12 03:01:00 A lot of my readers here work for themselves; as entrepreneurs, work at home part-timers,business consultants, or as independent contractors. All of these jobs can benefit from Customercost.com's new online time tracking software .Every customer, client, patient, patron (or whatever you might call them) comes with associated costs. Whether it's time the support team spends answering their questions or hours burned on travel, the costs are there. Capturing those costs with Customer Cost Tracker allows you to analyze and understand them. And with knowledge comes power.It's really easy to use with nothing to install to get started. It's ready for you to use in your business in just a few minutes. Right now they will give you a free trial for 30 days, so there's no barrier to trying it out for your home business or consulting office. More About: Consultants , Profitable , Ulta
September 11th - Time to Reflect
2007-09-11 18:29:00 September 11th is a time to reflect. I won't say, "a time to remember," because no one will ever forget what happened that day. I'm reflecting because my youngest (aka Princess) daughter's age will always be the same amount of years that have passed since that fateful day. I was pregnant with her and she was born shortly after on December 31, 2001. So, every time they do a news stories about the parentless children of 9/11, I know just how old they are. I know what stage those children are going through. I get really sad about it all over again.My oldest daughter (aka Butterfly) sympathizes each year with me (she's only 8) but can't really seem to understand why it is so depressing each time. After all, she's lived with the spectre of war post-9/11 almost her entire life. She was two when it happened. I had her with me at a Ford dealership to get my service done and that's where we found out that all the planes were hitting the world trade center. I was so shocked, I still le... More About: Time , September 11th , September
New Mortgage? - Try All Electronic Closing
2007-09-11 17:56:00 Encomia is offering a new process that eliminates the use of tons of paper with its entirely electronic closing. By keeping it all electronic, everyone involved in the mortgage process, from bankers to lenders and customers, saves thousands of dollars.I know that when we get our next home mortgage , I'll be looking for this. We've had to wait valuable days on faxing and Fedex-ing of mortgage documents in the past. It is so overwhelming as a customer to sign pounds of paper at a big desk. I probably have some of my gray hair due to this from our last mortgage, just to make sure we kept our rate lock. The most significant area of change in the process is the closing, which takes place on a computer....yay! not at the big desk!Since electronic closing with Encomia enables electronic delivery of Disclosure documents and the paperless closing of the mortgage process, none of this will happen again. It looks like the the paperless age of doing business is finally catching on with the mo... More About: Electronic , Mortgage , Mort
School Safety Tips - Bullies and Bullying
2007-09-09 23:04:00 Part six in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!Bullying Everyone in and around the school is responsible for creating a culture of positive behavior. A frequent problem is bullying. Discuss with your child how this might affect them.What is Bullying?Unwanted and repeated written, verbal or physical behavior, including any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture by an adult or student that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment, cause discomfort or humiliation, or unreasonably interfere with the individual's school performa... More About: Safety , Tips , Bullies
Are Madeleine's Parents Really Guilty? Questions that Bug Me
2007-09-08 19:03:00 Are Madeleine McCann's parents really guilty of her murder/accidental death? Or are they victims of a flawed Portuguese justice system? All of the recent news of the past 24 hours just makes one's head spin. Would her parents really be in front of the Pope while hiding the fact they had killed their own child? And why did it take so long to talk to them as suspects? And why was the rental car they rented 25 days after Maddy's disappearance so suspect? Will the Portuguese Police confirm any of this that has come out from the family's spokeswoman? And what about all you readers of this blog who keep coming here searching for items about Madeleine's parents giving her sleeping pills? I get many hits here per day, yet the first I've even heard this heresay was yesterday on our news.Update - Now that her parents have left Portugal for England, what does this mean? Are they going to stay away from Portugal now, or just securing the twins before they press on? There are too many que... More About: Questions , Parents , Guilty , Adele , Ally
Trusted Places to Visit in London
2007-09-07 23:26:00 One of my favorite places to visit is London . I went with my mom when I was 24. I just decided I needed to go and booked the ticket. My mom couldn't stand it that I was going alone, and promptly added herself to my holiday. We did have a pretty great time, visiting lots of the arts, museums and of course, several london bars, but mostly the pubs. We had a great place we went to every day at the end of the day called Marquis of Cornwallis. I was pleased to see at TrustedPlaces .com that the pub is still there in Bloomsbury and apparently doing well. What a great way to check out the places that travelers and locals frequent and love.Note to self....I must go back! It's now been 20 years this year, since I went! More About: Visit
School Safety Tips - Walking and Biking Safely
2007-09-07 22:55:00 Part five in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!Tips for Walking and Biking Safely Walking and biking to and from school can be a great way to get exercise, interact with your children, and teach them lifelong traffic safety skills. Know your child's abilities and remember your child's limitations. Children under 10 are developmentally limited when it comes to judging speed and distance accurately.WalkingWalk with an adult or responsible older child at all times.Children under 10 should not cross the street without an adult.Walk on the sidewalk when there is one.Walk facing the traffic, as f... More About: Safety
Keeping the Love Alive for Ten Years
2007-09-07 22:53:00 I'm not a perfect wife (my husband will make me eat these words). But we'll be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary next April. We've managed through two lovely babies who are now brilliant school girls, 4 major moves (3 to different cities), counting when I left my hometown to follow my then fiance to his city, 3 major career job losses - one mine when I had Butterfly, the other two very big surprises and major hits to hubby's career and ego ;) And...moving in with in laws when we needed to. And 2 major surgeries this year alone.Still, I would never be one to give love advice to anyone. We have lots of compatibility though after all these years and despite facing every major disaster and life change those little quizzes always say will cause heart attacks - we're still here! More About: Love , Years , Alive
School Safety Tips - Parent Drivers & Teen Drivers
2007-09-07 14:49:00 Part four in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!Tips for Parent Drivers and Teen Drivers Going to SchoolTo reduce energy usage, pollution, and traffic congestion in neighborhoods, consider walking or biking with your children. If you need to drive, follow these safety tips:When picking up children in the afternoon, don't arrive too early and hinder the movement of traffic in the neighborhood around the school.Wait in a single line and leave room enough so an emergency response vehicle would be able to get through.Don't block driveways, mailboxes, disabled parking spaces, or fire hydrants, a... More About: Safety
Madeleine McCann's Mother Named Suspect
2007-09-07 14:47:00 This is a dissappointing turn of events for everyone. If the police really suspect Madeleine 's mother is a suspect, why did it take so long? We'll have to see what the outcome is here. More About: Mother , Adele , Suspect , Mccann
Madeleine McCann's Mother Interviewed
2007-09-06 21:53:00 I just saw this update today that Madeleine McCann's mother was interviewed again by the police. There are rumblings, again, that the police in Portugal may have uncovered new information. I will keep listening and post an update when I get one. More About: Mother , Adele , Mccann
School Safety Tips - Riders in Cars, SUVs & Trucks
2007-09-06 16:13:00 Part three in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!Tips for Riders in Cars , SUVs and Trucks :Drivers and passengers in vehicles must always use seat belts or car seats. Anyone transporting children needs a child safety seat, booster seat, or safety belt, depending on the children's sizes and ages.Preschool age children should always be restrained securely in a child safety restraint system, such as a rear-facing infant seat, rear-facing convertible seat, forward-facing convertible seat, or forward-facing only seat appropriate to their age and weight range. Note: We once had Butterfly at a day ca... More About: Safety
Mattel Toy Recall Confirmed - Barbie and Fisher Price Items
2007-09-05 15:48:00 A new Mattel lead paint toy recall is out today. Well, it's really fun to wake up and have to go to work handling customer service for the toy recall with new information in front of you, like we've done today. Thus far, I've handled a lot UK callers as they are also affected with the Barbie sets.With the Mattel Barbie accessories, Fisher-Price Geo Trax Train, and the Fisher-Price It's A Big Big World 6 in 1 Bongo Band only a tiny part of each set that is affected by lead paint. Mattel is replacing the affected accessories and throwing in a little bonus piece when you return the part to them. They aren't offering refunds or vouchers for this recall.Mattel is increasing product testing and more recalls may happen. This is a good thing, because they are going back and checking in more detail and more depth on the painted products.Barbie Play sets were in retail stores between October 2006 and August 2007. Some may still be at retailers, even though they were notified.Barbie Model... More About: Recall , Items , Fisher Price
Enter Your Best Costume in This Halloween Costume Contest
2007-09-05 04:06:00 I don't know about you, but I love Halloween ! Not the scary, bloody killer movie type Halloween, but the real, cool, old-fashioned, get dressed-up Halloween! Too bad you can't still go around and get grocery bag loads of candy as a grown-up...but we steal plenty from the kids! We're already planning our costumes and so wanted to take advantage of this cool contest at Star Costume s/Voodoo Music Experience.VME is having a rocking Halloween costume contest to pick winners to attend their 2007 VME in New Orleans on Halloween Weekend. Here's my entry! We had to write a poem, so here's my try to go along with the cool costume design entitled "Fantasm Princess". My costume is freakin' greatMy costume is vogueMy costume is not latePick my costume by jove!The VME will have killer bands and performers like: Rage Against the Machine, The Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco, Kings of Leon, Dr. John, The Black Crowes, Zap Mama, Common, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Toots a... More About: Contest , Enter , Ween
More Mattel Recalls Coming
2007-09-05 03:37:00 Looks like more Mattel recalls coming possibly this week according to anonymous sources. Some Barbie products and a Fisher-Price product. We shall see what comes out - I know I will be busy on the phone again handling the customer service calls if this does happen soon. More About: Ming
School Safety Tips - Part II During the Bus Ride
2007-09-04 14:50:00 Part two in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!During A Bus Ride : Always follow the driver's directionsNever distract the driver from driving unless their is an immediate emergencyRemain seated and keep the aisles clearEating, drinking and chewing gum are not allowedNever bring unsafe or unauthorized items into the busAlways wear your seat belt, when availableAlways keep your arms, legs and head inside the bus.Always show respect for fellow studentsKeep conversation at a reasonable level and remain quiet at railroad crossings.Riding the school bus is the safest way to and from school. Each ye... More About: Safety , Tips , Part
Las Vegas - Time to Relocate?
2007-09-03 21:29:00 My husband seems somewhat obsessed with poker. He does run a successful poker blog. I know he'd consider moving to Las Vega s in a minute. It would give him a real chance to see if he can play the way the big boys do. Perhaps we should check out Las Vegas homes for rent and the school systems and give it a chance?Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the USA. I'm not sure we could adjust quickly to the desert climate, but I'm thinking it might help our asthma that runs in the family. But at least we might check it out for Postie Con. Maybe we'll see you there. More About: Time , Loca
When Should You Test Your Child for Lead Poisoning
2007-09-03 01:14:00 There have been so many articles about possibilities of lead poisoning due to the toys recalled with lead paint. I found this guide for deciding if your child should be tested for lead poisoning.When Should Your Child Be Test ed for Lead Exposure/Poison ingDoes child have one or more toys included in the recent Mattel recall?Does child live in an area identified to be "high risk"?Does child now or in the past live in or visit a home (daycare, preschool) built before 1978? Does child now or in the past live in or visit a home that has been remodeled within the last year? Does child have a sibling or playmate with lead poisoning? Does child live with an adult whose job or hobby involves lead? Does child now or in the past lived near a busy street or highway? Does home's plumbing have lead pipes or copper pipes with lead solder joints? Does child's family use any home remedies that contain lead (arzacon, greta)? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes" or "I don't know" the ch...
Tips for School Bus Riders
More articles from this author:2007-09-02 22:53:00 I am going to run a short series on school safety each day this week. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools.At the Bus Stop:Students and parents need to be responsible for safety and proper student behavior going to and from the stop and while waiting for the bus.Students must stay off the road while waiting.Students must respect other people's property - nobody wants coke cans and candy wrappers on their lawn.Students must not push, shove, or engage in horseplay.Parents should supervise children at the stop.Students must arrive at the stop at least five minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time.Students must wait for and get off the bus only at approved stop locationsDuring Loading and Unloading of the Bus:Alw... More About: Tips , Rider , Riders 1, 2, 3, 4 |
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