MAKE A NOTE!! -- May 2nd, 2001
CIRCULATION - 13,617 (From Around the World! :-)
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A Free Twice Monthly (1st and 3d Wednesday of each month) Ezine with (Hopefully) Useful Info on a Wide Variety of Topics
NEXT ISSUE TO BE PUBLISHED ON/ABOUT MAY 16TH, 2001
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NOTE: Each entry has a suggested "POST IT..." location at the end. We recommend that you print out the ezine, cut out each entry, & post it in these locations to make it easier for you to find when you need it. And if you like what you read, be sure to pass it on to someone else who can use it.
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Helpful Phrases for Parents
Here are a few nuggets of wisdom, from parents wiser than I, that may save you some time in disciplining your children. From Mary A., when you want to make sure your children are focusing on you when you are speaking to them, "What color are my eyes?" They will usually get close enough to see the color, answer, & then you know they are focusing on you. If a child continues to want to argue, backtalk, or keep asking a question until he gets the answer he wants..."Asked & Answered". If a child says something he shouldn't, or forgets to add "sir" or "madam" after responding to an adult, the parent could say, "Excuse me?" This is better than just giving them the correction because they actually have to think of what they should have said & get into the habit. If you give a child a time out & they continue to argue with you, start adding minutes until they go to the chair quietly..."5 min...6...7..". They will learn pretty quick to stop arguing unless they enjoy the chair. This also works with other punishments; if you are grounding a child for a day & they argue about it, "2 days...3....4". If a child complains about chores (or being bored if you like), then add to them. "Empty the dishwasher"..."Aw, Mom"..."and fill it when you are done." Remember it is important to let the child discuss these things as long as they do it respectfully, aren't making excuses, & aren't just repeating the same old arguments that you have already rejected. Many people think that if they just explain things in the right way, it will convince the other person of the "error of their ways," unfortunately there is just no convincing some children (or people for that matter). If any of you readers have pearls of wisdom in this area of shortcut phrases, be sure to email us and we'll do a part II. POST IT...on your fridge.
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What is Your Guilt Telling You?
What do you feel guilty about? Not sure? What things do you feel the need to justify? Do you find yourself trying to convince others that you have made the right choice in a relationship/living arrangement, breast/bottle feeding, stay-at-home mom/working mom, day care/public/private/home school, jobs, purchases, habits, or clothing? If someone tells you what choice they have made, with no explanation, and you feel the need to launch into a 20 min explanation of why you could never make the same choice & why you made yours, that is usually a sign that you do not feel comfortable with your decision. Otherwise, there would be no need to convince anyone else. Why continue to torture yourself? Examine the things that eat at you, look objectively at ALL the evidence from BOTH sides. If you find you are feeling guilty because deep down you know your choice was wrong, then start taking steps towards the right choice. Don't be afraid to admit you made a mistake. Otherwise, you should be able to see that the right choice was made & stop feeling the need to get support from others who may disagree with you. POST IT...on a BIG piece of paper to keep a list of the evidence.
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Extra Effort=Extra Savings
While I am all in favor of time-savers, sometimes a one time extra effort can save a tremendous amount of money. When you are in the market to hire a service person (lawn care, maid, laundry, dry cleaners, kennels, mechanics) use that phone (or email). First ask everyone you know in the area for recommendations, this is the best source for good people. Call the people recommended & also all those in the yellow pages & ask for estimates/prices. A good time to do this is after business hours & just leave a message on their machine. If they aren't good about calling you back, then that may indicate bigger problems elsewhere. Ask for references AND CALL THEM! While this may be very time consuming for a day or two, once you find a good person, then it will probably save you money AND also save you the hassle of going through several bad people to finally find the good one. But just in case, it never hurts to keep the list if the first person does not work out. How much can this save you? When I was looking for someone to do our yard, I called 50 people, only 34 returned my call. Out of those 34 that did return my call, only 26 actually showed up for the estimate appointments. Of the ones that did show up I got estimates anywhere from $75-$525 (this is not a typo) for the first time they did the yard, and $25-$80 for return visits. I ended up going with someone at the bottom price who came recommended & he has done a wonderful job all these years. Now imagine how much money I might have ended up spending every year going with the first number I picked out of the book. POST IT...inside your phone book.
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How Much Alcohol?
Now that the weather is nicer & more of you will be throwing barbecues/parties, don't forget that the host does bear some legal responsibility when it comes to drinking & driving. Courts have found hosts legally & financially accountable when the host knew someone had had too much to drink & did not try to prevent them from driving. This web site has one of the best Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Charts I have seen. As they say on the web site, while it is better not to drink at all if you plan to drive or have a designated driver, the next best thing is to watch the amount you (or your guests) drink. The chart is a guide to give you an idea of how many drinks you can have in certain amounts of time, with a certain weight, & still be safe. Remember that there are a lot of other things that can affect alcohol absorption, they discuss these on the site. I am not advocating maximum (safe) consumption here, I personally choose not to drink at all, but if you do drink (or furnish drinks for your guests), please do so responsibly. Check it out at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs69duichart.htm. If you do not have web site access, check with your local law enforcement office or Department of Motor Vehicles for a BAC Chart. POST IT...with your party recipes & on your computer.
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Recipe: MeMa's 'Mater Soup
In honor of Mother's Day, here is a favorite of my mom's from her mom. In a large pot, combine 1 large can crushed tomatoes, 2 cans(crushed tomato can) of water, 1/2 bag frozen cut okra, 2 tblsp margarine, 10 saltine crackers crushed, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to boil, & it's ready to eat. Great to reheat in the microwave w/cornbread on the side. POST IT...in your recipe box.
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Back Issue Treasure: June 14, 1997 Issue (Florist/Balloon Tips, More Parenting Tips, Easy Flag Dessert, etc)
Another winner from our very first year in circulation, this issue has lots of helpful info. For those of you getting ready to order flowers/balloons for Mother's Day we have tips to save you time & money. Throwing a barbecue? Then you'll want to check out the easy Flag Dessert. There are also more parenting tips, how to protect against heat injuries, and how to get rid of that mildew on your shower curtains. Click HERE to check it out.
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Final Words
JOKE (Church Bulletin Blooper from Thomas D.)
"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
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QUOTE
"What is courage, but faith conquering fear?" --Mary Slessor, Scottish Missionary to Africa (1849-1915) (To learn more about her, go to http://www.heroesofhistory.com/page58.html )
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AT&T's Community Port
AT&T has a site about WorldNet members, like us, who have created their own personal web pages. If you think our site deserves to be featured on AT&T's Community Port , send them an e-mail about it, at communities@att.net. Be sure to include the page's URL http://home.att.net/~make-a-note/index.htm and why you think our site is special.
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