Cutting Grocery Costs without Cutting Nutrition

Simple, healthy, and affordable ways to weather the rising price of food

Karen Collins, R.D., American Institute of Cancer Research

Grocery prices are projected to increase again in 2008 – that’s following 2007’s highest annual increase in 17 years. But surviving these tough economic times doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good nutrition. Some simple strategies can help you cut food costs and eat more healthfully, too.

Kid of the Month

Nicholas is Kid of the Month

8 Ways to Connect with Your Teenager

By Sandra Magsamen

...Hug, sing, dance and tell your child you love them. Even if your teen acts as if they can't stand it, she promises you it's something they love and need. Use these other suggestions as ways to connect with your teenager...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

by Jeff Kinney

It’s summer vacation, the weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. So where’s Greg Heffley? Inside his house, playing video games with the shades drawn...

Make the most of your weekend

by Charlotte Latvala

• Too much free time can be just as nerve-racking as an overload of scheduled events

• If you run errands over the weekend, make them enjoyable with silly games

• Put your children to sleep at their weekday bedtime

• Have a sitter take the kids while you enjoy an afternoon alone in your own home

It’s playtime! The best of big outdoor toys

Get active! These fun toys will appeal to both parents and kids this summer

by Stephanie Oppenheim - TODAYShow.com contributor

What was your family’s favorite summertime game? For my less-than-athletic family, it was badminton. While we probably weren’t very good at it, I can still hear the laughter and it remains one of those happy “every summer” childhood memories.

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Consumer: parenting news

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Click here to join the SingleMom.com forums. Share your tips, resources and experience with other single mothers. Post your own story in the Amazing Mom forum for your chance to win a gift card.

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Foreclosed Homes Are Selling For As Little As $10K OR LESS!

Parenting Articles

Help Hiring a Nanny

Choosing a person to help care for your child is not a decision parents take lightly, so finding a nanny can be a grueling and nerve-racking task. However, there are some basic measures you can take to ensure you find the right person for the job. Nannies4hire.com gives us their answers to frequently asked questions parents have about getting - and keeping - a great nanny.

How do I go about writing a job description for a nanny?
What type of duration are nannies willing to commit to?
What should I ask the nannies that I interview?
Can I ask for references from previous employers?
Once my nanny arrives, how can I help us start working together?
How can I resolve differences over how my nanny works without offending him/her?
... SuperNanny.com answers your questions.

Tips to calm your child's first-day jitters

Parenting & Family, msnbc.com

Is your little one or teenager nervous about heading back to school?

by Ruth A. Peters, Ph.D.
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 4:21 p.m. CT, Wed., July. 23, 2008

The first day of school is quickly approaching, and kids are anticipating that event with mixed anticipation and apprehension. Old pros, although understanding the routine and structure of the day, still experience a bit of the first-day jitters as they wonder who will be in their classes and how they will fit in socially during the school year.

Parenting & Family, msnbc.com

A teaching moment or the start of years of therapy? Plus, when Viagra fails

by Brian Alexander
MSNBC contributor
updated 8:58 a.m. CT, Thurs., July. 31, 2008

Will you spend the rest of your life paying for therapy if your kid walks in on you having sex? Is the pill to blame for one wife’s low libido? And when Viagra doesn’t work, what are other options besides the little blue pill? Got a question?

Some Fun Ways To Teach Your Child How To Read

Debbie Glasser, Special to The Miami Herald

"One of the best ways parents and teachers can help preschool children get ready to read is to introduce them to the printed word,'' said Laura Justice, associate professor at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. "Pointing to the letters and words on the pages - not just the illustrations - can go a long way in helping young children understand how print works.'' The ability to read requires an awareness of a unique code: Print runs from left to right. Letters are different from words. Titles tell the name of a book.

Learning to read is a skill. Loving to read is a way of life. Reading brings us closer together; it can take us to places far away. Reading is the key to achievement and imagination, to understanding and to aspiration. A book is a science laboratory, an art museum, a guided tour through history, a great friend. Books put the magic in the carpet ride.

It’s no secret that kids imitate their parents. Show your child that reading matters – to you. Show them just how irresistible a good book can be.

What We’ve Been Reading will feature new book reviews, spotlight what librarians around the country are featuring on their shelves, and offer groupings of book reviews about subjects near and dear to children of all ages.

Reading to Babies, Toddlers and Young Children. The Why? The What? And The How?

by The Child Literacy Centre

Reading to your child is the single most valuable thing you can do. Why?

• It gives experience of different types of language, rhythms and sounds

• Research shows that pre-school children who are exposed to plenty of language (books and conversation) tend to do better at school

• it teaches about many topics which wouldn't come up in conversation

• it is a wonderful way to bond with your child

• it is very calming

WARNING: READING must be FUN, not WORK!

by Michele Germain, LCSW - www.thejillprinciple.com

When their parents date, it creates anxiety in children and teens. The changes and losses they have gone through often cause them to feel jealous and insecure. They may become uncooperative, withdrawn, and rebellious or over attached to you. Each child, depending on age and personality, will react differently. But it is important to understand that they are struggling with two main feelings. Being single with children has it own set of challenges can be demanding and exhausting. And as a single parent you can be confused as to how to parent and date at the same time. Keep in mind that communication is always the goal. We want to let go of blaming, angry outburst, silence withdrawal or acting out, all of which can occur in families, either by you or your children. Being sensitive to one another, respectful of your needs as well as your children´s needs is what will bring families together. Healthy talk is the way to get there.

Parenting Insight? Like Everyone, You’ll Learn to Trust Me

by Darcey Blain

Always one for offering an alternative point of view, I’d like to introduce my new column, Kids All Around Me. I’m not your typical parent living the average family life. I’m actually a forty-something, single mom living in an apartment with my teenage son, three cats and a pet mouse (the last of three mice we adopted last summer – the other two are in plastic bags and cardboard box caskets in our freezer waiting to be buried in the spring). I’m not kidding. This is my world and, honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’m rarely bored and few would consider me dull. So, a parenting column? I know this stuff, really.

We Know How To Do Birthdays Right

by Darcey Blain

I’m exhausted. I just returned to my nice, quiet apartment after spending the afternoon at my niece’s seventh birthday party. Don’t get me wrong, I truly enjoy hanging out with five children between the ages of three and seven years for an afternoon. (Maybe enjoy isn’t exactly the right word, but it’s very close.) I’m just incredibly grateful when I can say good-bye, get my hugs and walk out the door with my 14-year-old and go home.

Talking to Your Kids about Drugs

by Amanda Bach

As a single parent, each much harder for you to have anytime to spend with your kids; Drug is a tough issue & sooner or later, you have to talk with your kids about it.

Are Your Children Ready For School?

by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, MSW, CSW, CCH, CRT

To adequately prepare your child for school you need to prepare your child to protect him/herself from cunning sexual abuse perpetrators.

by Meg Dendler from Spirituality.Com

I’m Captain Hook.

I thought this as I watched Finding Neverland, which depicts how Scottish playwright James Barrie (played by Johnny Depp) comes to write the much-loved play Peter Pan. I couldn’t avoid seeing the parallels between Barrie’s inspiration for the villainous Captain Hook and how I act with my own children. I was horrified.

Watching this brilliant film really opened my eyes to something I had let slip away in the past few years: the appreciation of childlike qualities. The movie, based on real events, follows Barrie as he forms a friendship with four young brothers who have just lost their father.

I'm adopted and that's okay

by Jodie Swales from Spirituality.Com

When I was 18 years old, I learned that I was adopted. The news upset and confused me. I was relieved to hear my brother was really my brother— at least I had one real relative, I thought. But I began to feel so lonely. And even though for the sake of my adoptive parents I tried my best to pretend that nothing had changed, I still had a lot of questions.

Who were my birth parents? How could they give up my brother and me? Were they still alive? These questions pulled on my spirits like lead weights.

by Sandra Scott from Spirituality.Com

I couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth—well, almost couldn't. I was sitting next to my friend Barb, while we watched our daughters' varsity soccer game. Her loud, angry criticisms, directed towards the field, went way beyond the line of civility. And I must admit, I had been guilty of this less-than-stellar behavior myself.

When my daughter first started playing soccer as a pre-teen, it was all about fun. She enjoyed it, and so did I. And for the most part, the only calls from the sidelines were shouts of encouragement.

by Beth Carey from Spirituality.Com

Her already short skirt hiked up even higher when 14-year-old Anna slung her backpack over her shoulder. Her mother, Dara, watched with dismay.

A mother/daughter trip to the mall the day before had been a trying experience. That skirt was the only one Anna wanted. Dara thought it was just plain too short, but compromised by saying Anna could have the skirt if she used her own money. Deal! Now Anna was wearing it to school the very next day.

Helping a Lonely or Rejected Child

written by Lawrence J. Cohen

When a child comes home and says, "No one likes me" or "everyone hates me," it can be hard for parents to tell the difference between temporary exclusion versus ongoing rejection.

• Before you intervene in your child's social difficulties, ask yourself some questions about your own history.

Where did you stand in the group in term of popularity? What were your friendships like at that age? Do you and your child have different temperaments when it comes to socializing?

written by Dr. Clare Albright, Psychologist and Parenting Coach.

Most people have more training before they receive their driver's license than before they become a parent. Educating yourself on how to communicate effectively with your child can be the key to achieving your parenting goals. If you do not have children of your own, these 10 tips can help you whenever you are around children.

• 1. Draw children out to speak about the things on their minds. You can 'prime the pump' by talking with them about their favorite foods, toys, movies, video games, etc.

The Most Expert Parenting Advice

by Susan Webb from Spirituality.Com

I've come to the conclusion that I'm a good parent. But I didn't always believe it.

When my son was about six months old, he spit up a lot no matter which formula I fed him. (I tried breast-feeding him when he was born, but he wouldn't have it.) Lacking confidence in my own judgment as a new mother, I prayed, read magazines, consulted the birthing hospital, asked many of my friends for their opinions and tried all of their advice. But I soon found their ideas conflicted and trying to do them all just made me more anxious. And, he still spit up all the time!

Divine Daycare

by Laura Matthews - from Spirituality.Com

My kids know from daycare.

Between the two of them, they were in ten different childcare situations before the age of five. The stresses and changes in my life -- divorce, moving across country, several different jobs -- required their care situations to change frequently as well.

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9 Cash-Saving Tips That Pay Big Bucks

complaintsboard.com

The expression "a penny saved is a penny earned" doesn't cut it these days. But saving a few dollars here and there can add up...

Get Matched to an Online School

Create a festive Thanksgiving table on a budget...

Try out these Thanksgiving recipes from tasteofhome

You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options

How Life Works

If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.

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Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis

OPRAH.com

Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...

Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?

A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.

The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip

By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman

... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.

Finding last-minute tuition money

There's still time to find funds for this semester's college tuition. But you'll have to move quickly.

By Gerri Willis

It's only a couple of weeks or even days until school begins. And if you don't think you'll be able to get a handle on your college tuition bill, here with your guide to last minute money.

Short-term Payday Loans

econ4u.org

...Which are more expensive, late fees or short-term loans?...
A short-term payday loan can be a better option than overdraft fees, reconnect fees, late payment fees or a damaged credit rating when the loan is repaid promptly. However, these loans are not suited for longer repayment periods... Being realistic about budgeting can help avoid the need for short-term borrowing.

Health insurance doesn't have to cost a fortune. Click here for quote.

Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan

by RealSimple

Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with the extra set of keys to your house?

How to save $10,000 in 2009

By Liz Pulliam Weston

If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that $10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as: Housing, Transportation, Food.

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The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget

by Renee Rayles

A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has

little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and then.

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32 and Counting? Finding Your Happily Ever After Today

by Gi Gi

The author talks about the struggles a single mom goes through and the discovery that you can have HEAT (Happily Ever After Today) just as you are, being single, taking care of your kids...

Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors

Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another equally-invested adult.

Tight Pockets - Optimize Your Auto Insurance Rates Today

Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity

20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.

TheOnlineMom.com offers parents and consumers a guide to the top-rated, age-appropriate, kid-tested and parent-approved tech toys and gifts.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
by Jeff Kinney

For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...

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Online Education Advantages: Explore the online experience with us in a real online classroom. Hear from former students and experts about online education. Learn the value of a distance learning degree.

What they play: Kids and video games

Parents, are you left in the dark? Arm yourself with these three tips

by John Davison, WhatTheyPlay.com

Call it a generation gap or a digital divide, if you're a parent who is a little clueless about what video games are appropriate for your child, you are not alone. John Davison, one of the founders of What They Play, offers tips that help take the mystery out of the video games your children are playing.

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How to answer six of kids' toughest questions

When kids stump you with one of these six questions, you can rely on these answers.

Questions, such as: Why didn't I get invited to that party? Where do people go when they die? How do thunder and lightning work? Where do rainbows come from? Why do we have to move?...

Is it harder to raise boys or girls?

by Paula Spencer

• Boys may not listen as well as girls because their hearing isn't as good from birth

• Girls are rigged to be people-oriented, while boys are more action-oriented

• Girls tend to grow up less confident and more insecure than boys

• Boys are harder to raise early on, but girls become more difficult as preteens

My Story as a Single Mom

by Gail Showalter

Author Gail Showalter is looking for stories from single mothers to use as examples in a book that will reveal how personalities affect the different ways we handle difficulties. This submission should tell of a situation that you found yourself in as a single mother. It should tell what you did and relate that to your own personality and temperament. In other words, why you did what you did when another person of a different temperament probably would have done it entirely differently given the same circumstances. To find out more about the submission, CLICK HERE.

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