Financial problems: make your partner your first contact

Professionals who offer advice to people in financial difficulty state how important it is to maintain active and open communication with those with whom you have a financial relationship with.

This is usually taken to mean creditors, your mortgage lender, your bank, and your landlord, but if you are married or in a committed long-term relationship, the person you should have the closest financial relationship with is your partner.

Regardless of how you have decided to run your financial lives together - be it completely joined, completely separate, or somewhere in between - you still have a commitment to one another in every area of your life.

It’s no surprise that money can cause all sorts of relationship problems if not dealt with openly and honestly, and yet a survey last year showed that many people would not share their credit score with their partner.

That’s just one example.

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Computer games can help adults bond with their kids, casual gaming survey reveals

According to a recent worldwide casual gaming survey, 70% of family members have seen educational benefits of their children and grandchildren playing computer games, while a whopping 92% say that casual games provide an opportunity for them to bond with them.

PopCap Games commissioned the survey and found some other interesting statistics that suggest not all video games are bad, either educationally or in terms of isolating kids.

Casual games provided the following observed benefits: improved hand-eye coordination and mental dexterity (68%), improved learning, such as pattern recognition and spelling (60%), mental workouts/cognitive exercises (51%), strengthened memory (48%), stress relief and relaxation (44%), and confidence building/affirmation (37%).

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Half of menopausal women settle for less sex, poll reveals

More than half of US women aged 35 and over are having less sex during the menopause than before. In addition, 76% of those in a committed or long-term relationship said that sex was an important part of their relationship, yet just 45% were satisfied with the amount of sex they have.

“Women today, specifically the boomer generation currently entering or experiencing menopause, are much more open about their needs and seek information more than previous generations, so it’s surprising to me that so many women would settle for a less than satisfying sex life as a result of menopausal symptoms,” said Karen Giblin, founder of the Red Hot Mamas Menopause Management Educational Programs.

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Pennsylvania parents reminded of safe haven law

Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare yesterday reminded expectant and new parents that the State has a “Safe Haven” law which allows them legally and confidentially to ‘turn over’ unwanted infants to any hospital, up to 28 days old, as an alternative to abandonment.

While it sounds a very harsh way of putting things, it’s much kinder to both mother and baby in a situation where they feel they simply cannot keep the child, to be able to hand the baby, unharmed, to a responsible organisation without fear of prosecution.
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High child care costs mean 1 in 4 women delay or decide against having children

One in four women have decided against having children altogether, or are delaying having one, because of the high cost of quality preschool and child care, according to the anti-crime organisation “Fight Crime: Invest in Kids”.

28% of women aged 25-34 have delayed starting a family or decided against having a second or subsequent child.

Law enforcement leaders are calling on Congress to increase support for child care and Head Start. Research shows that when at-risk children receive quality child care and Head Start, they are less likely to end up in trouble with the law when they grow up.

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5 ways to celebrate National Grandparents’ Day

September 9th is “National Grandparents’ Day”, and members of the Los Angeles Jewish Home, the largest group of 90-year-olds in the US, have come up with their top five tips on how people of all ages, with or without grandparents, can mark the day.

1. Visit: If you don’t have one, visit residents of a nearby home and perhaps share a meal or conversation. Sixty percent of nursing home residents never have a visitor. The enriching benefit for young and old of such interaction is incalculable.

2. Write a note: If you can’t visit, send an old-fashioned note or card. Though computer use is on the upswing with seniors, remember that “good writing is clear thinking made visible;” and everyone likes to receive something personal — like a poem or artwork — in the mail.

3. Call: And if you forget to send a note in time, give a call. In a world of text messaging, taking the time to call goes a long way.

4. Ask questions: Grandparents are usually the ultimate repository of family history. Knowing it is being passed down to future generations is often a comfort to everyone in the family.

5. Adopt: People of all ages are willing to make new friends. Many seniors are not fortunate to have a family nearby. There are thousands of seniors who would love to be a foster grandparent.

8 things NOT to do to a professional nanny

The new movie “The Nanny Diaries” has the founder of the first and only English nanny school in America a bit perturbed about how nannies are portrayed.

Sheilagh Roth, founder and executive director of the English Nanny & Governess School in Chagrin Falls, OH, says, “Professional nannies — those trained for the role of nurturing and rearing children through childhood — would never, never tattle about what goes on in the personal lives of her employers.”

Here’s her list of eight “No-nos” for employees.

1. Respect: Don’t treat nannies as live-in slaves. They are professional child-care experts, not housekeepers, maids, or family chefs. Verbal abuse is not tolerated.

2. Duties: Don’t expect them to be on call 24/7. Duties outside of normal hours are considered overtime. Nannies sign contracts spelling out duties, benefits, and compensation.

3. Authority: Don’t allow other family members to give orders. Nannies report directly to the heads of the household.

4. Privacy: Don’t discuss the nanny’s private life. Nannies are trained to be discreet about your family matters and expect the same courtesy. Nannies should have separate and private living quarters.

5. Communication: Don’t abdicate child development responsibility. Open dialogue is essential for discussing the child’s developmental progress.

6. Vacation: Don’t automatically expect the nanny to accompany the family on vacation. Expect to pay for travel and overtime.

7. Exclusivity: Don’t expect the nanny to baby sit for your friends or relatives.

8. Clean-Up: Don’t expect your nanny to clean up after your parties or mishaps.

Nanny-Governess.com

Parents believe their kids’ mobile phone use is “out of control”. Enter OmegoMobile

This post was first published at Tech Digest

Parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s use of mobile phones.

Research published today suggests that over four in five British parents (81%) are worried about their children being contacted by strangers, of having their mobile phone stolen, or being a victim of cyber-bullying. That’s despite 71% saying that the phone would be vital in the case of an emergency.

Conversely, 58% of children would hate to have their mobile phone taken way.

The research leads nicely to OmegoMobile, the mobile phone for kids which has been designed to address the concerns of parents.

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It’s good to talk: 30,000 words a day from 0 to 3 will bring academic success

Children under the age of 3 need to hear 30,000 words from their parents and caregivers to ensure optimal language development and academic success.

The Power of Talk research study has found that, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic factors, kids who converse regularly with their parents do much better educationally.

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Singles with pets can reduce your chances of finding love by up to 40%

Pet-owning singletons looking for love may be disappointed, as research from a leading UK dating agency suggesting that chances of finding a successful human love interest is reduced by up to 40%.

Key findings of the research included:

• Nearly half of all singles — 6.1 million — now own a pet.
• Singles spend £5.6 billion each year pampering their pets.
• One in four men wouldn’’t date a woman with two or more cats.
• A third of women won’’t date a man who shares his pillow with a pet.
• If push came to shove 25% of singles would choose their pet over a new partner.
• Nearly two thirds of singles say they really love their pet and think of him/her as a member of the family.
• The main reason for the dating dilemma is purely medical: pet allergies.

Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and PARSHIP’s dating and relationship expert commented, ““People invest a lot in their pets emotionally, but whilst some singles may see their pets as surrogate partners or children, this research shows that these people are in the small minority. Rather than the stereotype of a spinster with several cats, the reality is that many singles simply enjoy owning a pet but they would probably put their human relationships first.”

Kids’ top holiday essential: a favourite book

Good news for any parents worried that children today are only interested in technology and the Internet: a new survey by gogoblin.co.uk suggests that children’s number one packing priority is a book.

The latest Harry Potter book may well have played a part in the survey results. 57% said they’d definitely be
taking a book away with them, compared to 35% who’ll take a games console and 31% who’ll take sports equipment.

Music is quite popular, with 30% saying they would take their ipod or MP3 player. Only 16% will definitely be taking board games, although card games are quite popular, with 30% packing those. Something to cuddle at night is a must for half of children, who clearly want a home from home at bedtime.

Jane Manson, CEO of gogoblin.co.uk, said, ““I think that the results of this survey are really encouraging! However much we think we have a nation of high-tech kids, the fact that the good old book is still the must-have to take on holiday for children is great news. It’’s an accepted fact that adults want a good read while they’’re relaxing on the beach, but obviously it’’s something the whole family like to do to unwind. And with gogoblin, children can always have the books that they want on their wish list so parents can make sure that they get them something they will really want to read on holiday!””

Gogoblin supports the WorldVision charity, which works alongside communities in almost 100 countries in their struggle against poverty, hunger and injustice, irrespective of their religious beliefs.

    

Parents warned on dangers of sun damage to children’s eyes

The sight charity Eyecare Trust is warning parents that they should protect their children’s eyes from the sun, or put them at risk of permanent damage to their sight.

A child’s eyes are at greater risk of damage from ultraviolet light because the pupils are larger and lenses clearer, which means up to 70% more UV light reaches the retina than in an adult’s eye. As it is, eyes are ten times more sensitive to UV light that skin.

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