Hard to believe we are already seeing candy corn and costumes popping up in our favorite stores. Like it or not, Halloween is just around the corner and there’s a new DVD to get your little ghosts and goblins ready for the big night.

The Halloween Spooktacular is another compilation DVD from HIT Entertainment. It includes five episodes from characters like Barney, Thomas the Tank, and Angelina Ballerina. Each one of the animated shorts has a Halloween theme and some, like Fireman Sam, teach valuable lessons your child needs to know. Read the rest »

Know C.H.A.O.S? Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome?

Hi Geralin,

I’m not sure if you will get this letter in time or not. I hope so.

I would love to hire a professional organizer, but there is no way I can afford one. All the TV shows are inspiring, the magazines are fun to read and books are helpful, but, I have very specific questions about very specific issues unique to my home, my kids, my lifestyle and my way of doing things.

I’m Jewish and the holidays are right around the corner. It’s my turn to have the family visit. Read the rest »

Children play hard and get dirty, so their bodies and clothing need to be washed often. It’s also important to keep the house clean, especially the floors, where toddlers crawl and children play. Careful cleaning should reduce odors, dirt and dust, but unfortunately, the opposite is sometimes the case. For example, a conventional vacuum cleaner may spew out allergens in its exhaust, and a sponge or mop contaminated with bacterial growth can make the broom closet or surfaces you wipe stink. (image of magnified bacteria digesting skin scale on a stinky sponge - (c) J. May 2008) Read the rest »

Picture this: Carrie Couponer is standing in the check out line at the grocery store when she realizes she can’t find the coupons she had planned to use.  She knows she cut them out of the paper. She thought they were somewhere in her purse hiding among the hand sanitizer, loose change, 50 pens and lip gloss (which was free at CVS last week with the sale and manufacturer coupons!).  Where are those coupons?  By the time she finds them, she has long since left the store with the higher priced items.  Sound even remotely familiar?  Read the rest »

Have you ever found yourself trying to make plans with a friend, just play with the kids, or do something fun for yourself, only to find your planner so full that “maybe next month” is the best you can do? If so, you probably have that old Ado Annie syndrome… you’re “just a girl who cain’t say no.”

We all want to feel like great parents, accomplished at work, and like we’re giving back to the community. It is human nature to want success and to please others. It’s good to feel that way – to be ambitious, to be busy, and to get things done. But how much is too much? “Yes” is a good thing – in moderation.

Productivity doesn’t mean filling every moment of every day with tasks that further some agenda. Prepare yourself for upcoming burnout if your schedule is so full that there isn’t time for family, friends and yes — YOU. Read the rest »

If you have ever taken your pooch for a jog through the neighborhood or a play date at the dog park, then you may have dealt with a soon-to-be aggressive situation. It’s not uncommon for dogs to meet enemies, so you should not worry if your pooch is not playful with all canines. However, you should know how to identify a tension-filled situation and how to avoid one.

Like many other aspects of your pooch’s life, prevention is key. For example, if your pooch has never been to the dog park, then it is unwise to leave the leash at home. Even the most lovable, socialized dogs can encounter a foe, so you cannot leave your pooch’s wellbeing in fate’s hands. Instead, you should be responsible in all of your dog’s actions. Anytime you are exercising your dog where other animals may be present, you should at least be carrying a leash. But, carrying a leash is not enough. Many owners have never had to use the leash; therefore, they do not know how to properly use one. An animal that has never experienced a leash will have just as many problems as the owner. So, make sure you have control over your dog when he is on a leash. Read the rest »

Do your children interrupt you when you’re talking? Does the house seem completely quiet until you pick up the phone, and then your children immediately demand your attention? Have you ever attempted to have an important conversation with your spouse, but the kids couldn’t seem to leave you alone? If so, then you’re experiencing a common frustration for many parents: the interruption disruption.

So what can parents do about this situation? How do we get our children to stop interrupting without sending them the message that we don’t want to hear what they have to say? Read the rest »