Parenthood HQ

Whether you’re hosting a baby shower for the first time or not, chances are you’ve got some questions regarding the right baby shower etiquette. You want to create a truly special time for the guest of honor without any unintended faux pas. This guide was specially created to help you do exactly that.
The real basics

• Take the wishes of the mom-to-be into account at every stage. That includes the games, food, invitation list and all other aspects of the baby shower.

Ritalin has been shown through the years to be very effective in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms. Although it has potential side-effects which many families would like to avoid, we have seen it help a lot of people. More recently, other interventions such as EEG biofeedback training have shown themselves to be very useful in treatment as well. A great deal of energy and money has also been invested into the development of non-prescription treatments for ADD ADHD.

As a pregnant woman, you may experience sex drives much like your moods. Up and Down! Some women claim that they have no sex drive at all during pregnancy, and others, say their sex drive is better during pregnancy. With changes to your body happening so quickly, your moods and dives may also change just as quick!

Here are some common questions often asked by pregnant women with helpful answers!

Is it safe to have sex during all trimesters of pregnancy?

In 1996-97 we were contracted by VAXA International of Tampa, FL to provide clinical, “real world” information on the effectiveness of their product called “Attend.” Their product was a homeopathic nutraceutical medicine, meaning that it contains homeopathic medicines, plus nutritional medicines. The product has over 70 selected ingredients including specific amino acid combinations, essential fatty acids, phospholipid complexes, vitamins, minerals, and more.

Becoming a stepmother can undoubtedly be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, experiences in a woman’s life.

Every family’s circumstances are certainly different in some ways. There are numerous uncontrollable factors, which will inevitably effect your relationship with your stepchildren, like: whether the children have a living biological mother; whether they have any contact with their biological mother; how long ago and why their biological parents are no longer together; etc…

Consider the following seven suggestions to help you be the best stepmom you can be…

What parent hasn’t gone into a son’s or daughter’s room and wondered, "Where did I go wrong? How could I have created someone who creates such a mess?"

At this point it is essential to recognize that not everyone is born organized, just as not everyone is born with a talent for art or mechanics. But anyone can learn the basic principles of organization given sufficient motivation and instruction. These principles will serve as a sound basis for personal growth and development throughout life and will contribute greatly to a more peaceful living environment for the entire family.

Great baby shower decorations are more about using your imagination than your pocketbook! You can create a wonderful party mood with simple, high-impact arrangements. This article details some of the best ideas for baby shower decorations.
Use balloons artfully
Balloons make it feel like a party! Always have balloons at your events. Here’s a money-saver tip — your local 99¢ store will usually have balloons at a much lower price than most party stores.
A basic use of balloons is to create color spots around the room or area where you’re holding the baby shower. Tie a bunch of helium balloons to an anchor. Use baby items like booties, soft toys or baby bottles filled with water as anchors. Always use an odd number of balloons in a bunch.
If you have multiple tables, get a few baby items like shampoo, lotions, bottles, diaper packs, wipes, refill packs, baby formula packs, soft toys, etc and place them in the center of each table. Tie a bunch of balloons to them. Each table now has a color spot.
If you have large gifts like strollers or cribs, tie balloons to them to create a special look. Choose balloon colors according to the sex of the baby. If that’s not known, use both pink and blue balloons.
Use balloons to decorate mommy’s chair. Tie balloons in bunches to her “throne” and treat her like royalty! Also add streamers, satin bows and ribbons to her chair to give it a special look.
If you’re using a specific table for gifts, make sure it has several balloon bunches floating over it. That helps to create a focal point for the gifts.
How to use tubs and umbrellas for baby showers decorations
Use baby tubs as a punch bowl. Get one of those tubs that look like a whale. Fill it with clear punch and put in a small rubber ducky. The tub makes a wonderful present for mom-to-be after the shower.
Here’s another way to use the tub — fill it with individually wrapped presents. That can include diapers, shampoos, lotions, washcloths, etc. For an added effect, put some balloons into the tub too — they will look like floating bubbles! And fix a rubber ducky atop one of the balloons using ribbons.
You know what’s a perfect fit for any baby shower? Umbrellas. After all, it’s a shower, right? Here’s how you can use them.
Collect several different umbrellas from your home. Open them up, fix streamers in various colors (not just pink and blue, though those are fine too) to the umbrellas. Next, fix the umbrellas so that they hang upside down from the ceiling, and the colored streamers flutter above your heads. This makes a great sight!
You can also fill up umbrellas with balloons or even yarn in pastel colors. Hang them upside down at strategic points.
More baby shower decorations that enchant
Here’s a centerpiece idea that’s perfect for these celebrations — baby shower cakes. Not sure what those are? Baby shower cakes (also called diaper cakes) are essentially diapers arranged in multiple tiers to look like a cake, with many small baby products tucked into them. They’re very eye-catching gifts, just right for baby showers. Place one on a table as a centerpiece.
Here’s how to make your tables more appealing. Place small boxes of different heights on them. Drape baby items like receiving blankets over them. Your tables will end up with a more interesting look and feel thanks to varying levels.
Spice up your tables by sprinkling confetti on them that says “It’s a boy” or “It’s a girl.” If the baby’s sex is not known, use both.
Instead of piling gifts onto tables, try using a large item like a stroller or a baby crib to display gifts. This is just right for a baby shower!
Another tried and tested idea is to string a clothesline across the room. Use wooden clothespins to hang cute baby items from the line. Use diapers, baby clothing, booties, socks, bibs, hats, toys and other such items. These products make excellent gifts to mom-to-be after the shower.
Alternatively, hang disposable diapers on the clothesline and using permanent marker, spell out the baby’s name. If the name is not known yet, just write ‘BABY SHOWER’. Clotheslines with names and baby items on them are quite common at showers, yet they invariably become a conversation piece — they look quite cute!
If you’re having a baby shower around Christmas, try this one. Buy an artificial Christmas tree and decorate it with little baby items. Like diapers, clothes, booties, socks, small bottles of lotions and so on. Use twinkle lights as well. This is a wonderful centerpiece for the room.
You can even do miniature trees on each table, similarly decorated. It creates a lovely effect.
There are no limits to the number of ways you can create dazzling baby shower decorations. Combine the above ideas, add your own twist and create an unforgettable shower!

1. They can make mistakes under your guidance

2. They will learn how to save for the future

3. They will learn that money doesn’t "grow on trees"

4. They will appreciate what they have

5. They will learn to make choices and set priorities

6. They may stop nagging you for money

7. There will be less friction in your household

8. They will learn healthy financial behaviors

9. They will learn your values

10. You can teach them that it isn’t all "about the money"

Although many parents become frustrated as they try to maintain an open line of communication between themselves and their children, regardless of age, there are three quite simple ways to attempt to achieve this goal effectively.

1 Talk to your kids. Every day. More than once a day. Every morning before school. Every afternoon after school. Every evening (preferably as you sit down TOGETHER at the dinner table). Every night before they go to bed (preferably as you ARE THE PERSON who tucks them in, says goodnight, sees them get in bed in their pajamas etc…)

Once your little boy/girl goes off to school, you may find that your “special talks” occur less frequently… You may become disheartened by the mere fact that your child now has new friends to share his daily stories with…

To prevent yourself from losing your mind and losing touch with your child when he/she goes to school full-time, try the following five exercises in communication.

1) Make it a point to ask your child about his/her day as soon as you see him/her after school. (Do not accept a “nothing” response - rephrase your question as many times as needed to get a “real” response: for example: What did you learn today? or What was the best part of your day today?)