Tag: Family

Going Away Gifts

If you know someone who is leaving and you may not see them for ever again, it is better to present a going away gift. That may help cherish and remember the memories. Since it is a small world, there are still chances of seeing them in the circle of life.

Going away gifts or send off gifts vary from simple gift cards or personalized memorabilia. A picture of them with you can be a good gift or a personalized message on a cup is good too. You may give them a gift card to the store they like, but they may not have access to the store or online shopping. A simple greeting card would serve the purpose of getting your message across.

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A wall painting with flowers or pets is a good choice if they are nature lovers. A craft kit or a do it yourself kit may engage them for a while at the new place. Be sure they have enough place for your gift in their luggage. Or you may overload them with the bulkier items.

Ready to eat food items, chocolates, pastries may be gifted to use instantly but cannot be stored long time. You can think about what they like most or what your vision for them would be and gift the items. Remember that they are overwhelmed by the leaving and may not process the emotion behind your gift right away. But, may be when they look it back it at later they may find it sweet.

A humorous quotation, art, story or, poem may also help you transfer your message. It will be a pleasant experience for you and the receiver if you do not make a lot of fuss about your gift. You can keep it simple and sweet and keep the encounter memorable.

International Women’s Day 2012

World is celebrating the 101 st International Women’s Day on March 8 with seminars and events everywhere. Women have emerged as a global power fighting for their rights and demanding equal status in the society. Women bring a lot of difference in daily lives as well in global developments. The female is needed every where but has been limited most of the time.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 since 1911. Global events and seminars mark the celebration of women and their success. Women have been encouraged to vote, lead, manage, and negotiate in political, business, health, education, sports, military, and family among other areas. Special privileges and reservations have been given to women for bringing up the status of the girl power.

China, Nepal, Cuba, Russia are some of the countries which declare March 8 as a national  holiday. While in some countries such as China only women get a national holiday on March 8, some other countries such as Bulgaria celebrate Women’s day as Mother’s day.

Women presidents, Prime ministers, Home ministers, and other representatives bring empathy and leadership in the politics. In corporate sectors, women are largely encouraged to take up high positions as they bring a great deal of patience often required for these jobs. Education for girls and employment for women has been a common agenda for most of the nations. Parents consider girl as a crucial asset for the family and respect women in the family to a a great extent.

Women networks in workplace a common for many multinational companies to address women issues and encourage women. Support groups have been established to bring awareness among women about right and wrong and other abuse aspects. Women courts have been providing special legal and family justice for women in many parts of the world.

Areas of Improvement

However, women in some countries such as Saudi Arabia cannot drive or cannot travel alone, while in USA women do not have a right to have an abortion. Some countries such as Afghanistan are rated as most dangerous place for women. Rapes, abduction, abuse, discrimination, and murder of women is still a common phenomenon. Women safety is a prime concern for most countries. Lack of  basic food, shelter, and clothing is still prevalent in most parts of the world.

Women organisations have been helping women for their growth. Women must get education and be independent by getting a job. Fighting for the rights and demanding justice and respect must be a women’s responsibility. A woman should respect herself and gain confidence in self to shine in the world. Putting others first and letting self down is not a solution and the right example in all cases. Communication and networking skills are a must for a successful career. Personal safety and awareness of surroundings is the necessity of the modern world.

Finally, respecting other women, spreading love, and appreciating womanhood also give a positive approach to the daily situations. Do respect women in your family, workplace, and in your community to celebrate the International Women’s Day.

Putnam Museum – Fun in the Exhibits

Putnam museum is offering unique events and fun opportunities this holiday season. Visit Putnam this Thursday and Friday for a Pyjama party. Further, December 26th thru Dec 30, Putnam is hosting special events for all.

Putnam Museum

Putnam is a venue for different exhibits and shows for Quad city residents. They encourage fun and learning and is a great place for the IMAX movies.

Pyjama Party

Putnam is hosting the pyjama party this Thursday and Friday from 5pm to 10pm. Each ticket costs $10. Audience can watch Polar Express in 3D and get their flashlights ready for a total lights out experience.

Fun in the Exhibits

Putnam is arranging family friendly activities in the exhibit halls from Dec 26th to Dec 30 from 1pm to 3pm. The events are free with the museum admission $7.

  1. December 26th – Travel around the world on Map-it Monday
  2. December 27th – Explore the gadgets on Tech Tuesday
  3. December 28th – Encounter hands on science experiments on Weird Wednesday
  4. December 29th – Solve puzzles and numbers on Think tank Thursday
  5. December 30th – Visit live animals and birds on Friends of Nature Friday
Visit the museum during the special events to make most of the holidays. Get a free pass at the public library and have more fun. 🙂

Kids and Money: Why Children Need Money

Parents argue that why do the children need money when they are willing to buy everything for thier children. In contrast, children think having money is cool and they can buy whatever they want. Well, it all depends on the family circumstances on how early one can teach their children about money. Experts suggest the sooner one introduces money to a child, the better the child gets at finances when they grow older.

Teaching Money

The age old piggy bank system does not seem to working in the modern days. All children are looking out for immediate gratification and instant rewards. Why the kids are fascinated about money? It may be the fascination towards the power of money to buy anything or the mess adults make around finances or savings. Parents may wonder why children need to get money when they are struggling very hard to earn it.

Children see a toy as a need while parents might think, it is a waste. 🙂 Teaching money to children is as important to teach any other basic life skills. Initially, counting the coins and identifying and grouping them might be a good idea to start with. Handling small amounts of money to save in the piggy bank or purse helps them understand the importance of saving.

Handling Money

Being money smart can be taught to children by actually handling them some money, say, ten dollars. Allowing them to spend and observing how they take care of the cash will help parents in giving feedback. As it is a small amount, some mistakes may be permitted to facilitate their learning. By learning their spending patterns or saving habits, parents can help the children improve their money skills.

Handling money for children in turn for small chores around the house is a traditional and good idea. Depending on their age children can be appreciated and rewarded for minor chores such as putting the toys away, sorting laundry, throwing waste, unpacking groceries, keeping their room clean and so on. Older children may be allotted additional tasks such as vacuum cleaning, lawn mowing, snow blowing, raking leaves, baby sitting, and so on.

The minimum age at which children can start earning is 14 and it may vary by state. While handling money in return for chores, parents must always emphasize that education is the top priority for children and that earning comes only at a later stage in life.

Spending and Saving

Spending the money appropriately and identifying the change is a good skill for children. Basic math skills can be put to use while children learn money management. Children can be supervised while performing small transactions such as ordering their food, buying their favorite toys, choosing their video games, and so on. Calculating and handling change is also a good skill to be taught to children.

Letting the children save their money (which is hard :)) in a piggy bank or a bank account for future use is a good idea. Keeping track of the money initially through a small note book is suggested so that every body has a track of the money. Accounting and budgeting can also be introduced to children apart from buying and saving.

While financial management is the constant learning for most adults, it is also crucial for children. Children learn by observing parents and might want to exercise their own money management techniques. Sometimes parents may be surprised to hear the ideas from children that they could never think of. 🙂

Disowning a Child

Most believe that all children are equal and are treated equally by parents. But, most parents have a personal favorite to whom they may or may not bestow gifts. In contrast, some parents who are disgusted by their children’s choices may even disown them barring from all their properties and inheritances.

Parents versus Children

Some children make their parents proud through their achievements while some others may bring embarrassment and shame on the family through their failures. Regardless of the child, most parents treat children fairly and try to support even in their old age. All children will be equally fed and provided education with some minor adjustments and based on the financial situation of the family.

Children during the young ages look up on the parents as role models and try to learn from them. As life progresses children get busy with studies, jobs, families, which is inevitable and is expected. During the entire process, how efficiently one is balancing parents and siblings expectations differs. While all may not manage equally, most of us feel related and belonged while speaking to a family member or sibling.

Disowning

Disowning siblings or children is a common phenomenon in families. Due to changes in lives or personal choices many family members may not stand each other and try to avoid each other. Disowning formally involves barring all communication and inheritances which may be further distressful.

Why some chose to disown a child or family member is a individual decision. But, the common psychology may have been in the interest of the child. Many poor families disown their children so that they may find a better family. In modern days, children who marry out of the parents choice or who are drug addicts or have committed serious crimes are all being disowned by parents.

Disowning is an extreme choice and must be done only in severe circumstances. While the disowned may face depression and loss, the dis owner may feel satisfied by being able to do what they wanted to do. Disowning may sometimes provide relief from the emotional burdens. 🙂

Nowadays, some children too are disowning their parents once they become major. Would you disown your children if they acted out of your beliefs and wills?

Spring Cleaning? Involve Everybody in the Family!

Spring is around after the long winters. Spring cleaning of the house is a mandatory to allow freshness and a clean house. It is a better to clean the house room-wise. Further, involving all the family members increases the ownership and the task becomes more fun. Of course, cleaning  must be a family affair, not a single person’s responsibility. 🙂

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning helps to allow bright light and cool air in to the house. It is better to clean:

  1. All the windows – mesh, glass, frame, blinds
  2. Kitchen – Rearranging the cabinets
  3. Floor – carpets, wooden floor, vinyl floor
  4. Clothes – Store the winter and bring out the light clothes
  5. Vacuum cleaner – Clean the bag and the filter
  6. Footwear – Store the snow shoes and rain boots and take out the flip flops
  7. Books – Dust and rearrange the book shelves
  8. Beddings – Wash all the blankets, pillow covers, comforters, bed skirts
  9. Garage – Check for water and rearrange all the boxes
  10. Car – Throw out the waster and wash

It is better to clean the house from top and vacuum all the dust on the floor at the end. Spring is also the time for throwing away old clothes and getting new ones! 🙂 While buying new clothes, keep the cost and style in mind. You may still need some light jackets due to the rains, storms, and winds.

Involving Entire Family

Mostly cleaning ends to be a one person’s job. It would be fun if all the people in the family are involved as increases the ownership making it less messy. Dividing the regular chores such as loading and emptying the dishwasher and laundry, grocery shopping, cooking and serving among the family members is good.

Spring cleaning involves throwing away all the waste and rearranging everything. Avoiding mess and clutter is a dream of every  home which is possible with a combined effort. Happy Spring Y’all 🙂

Wapsi River Environmental Education Center

Located in Dixon, the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center (WREN) offers a range of activities and opportunities to explore the nature. Schools and families can visit the center for field trips and picnics. Next Saturday, the center is hosting a free day time event for family fun and nature study.

The Wapsi Center aims at conserving the nature and developing a comprehensive educational programs. The center has an Eco center with nature study and exhibits. Environmentalists and naturalists flock the center for information and research.  The center has pool, picnic shelters, cabins, camp grounds, and beach for the visitors at an affordable price.

The center maintains trails for exploring the nature and the Wapsi river. Wildlife and grasslands can be viewed around the center which include some of the endangered ones. The center offers hunting lessons for enthusiastic learners. The different recreation and learning events hosted by the center include:

  1. Eagle watching
  2. Deer hunting
  3. Maple syruping
  4. Skiing
  5. Bird feeding
  6. Recycle crafting
  7. Nature hiking
  8. Paper making
  9. Gardening
  10. Flower preserving

Further, the Wapsi center offers community projects and partnerships for conserving nature. You can reach the center at 31555 52nd Avenue in Dixon, IA  52745. The contact number is 563 3283286. You can subscribe for their quarterly newsletter and events for more information.

Five ways to be happy

Researchers worldwide show the following five ways to be happy. Neither wealth nor stocks bring happiness, but here is the surprise aspect of happiness.


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Yes, family is the most important secret behind happiness. Denmark and Singapore happen to be some of the most happiest countries in the world. You need not be living there, but here are some tips to be happy wherever you are:

  1. Take small frequent vacations
  2. Be religious
  3. Spend more time with family
  4. Focus on good things in life
  5. Pamper yourself

Apart from these, taking part in community activities, contributing to charity events, hanging out with friends, eating healthy, working out, and staying fit contribute to happiness.

My personal best tip for being happy is taking short vacations during long weekends instead of the long vacations during holidays. The entire idea of planning and going to a new place is the best part! 🙂

Is money the only method to maintain relationships?

Yes. It seems in the current recession era, money is the only way which can help maintain relationships. If you have money, I can be friends with you. Or else, you are not my friend. If I give a gift to you, only then, you know I love you. Why money is the only predominant factor in relationships?

Any relationship, be it wife and husband, parent and child, brother and sister, cousins, or  friends, is currently being evaluated with how much one is spending in it. One is able to maintain relationships only if capable of spending enough in a relationship. Most relationships are getting commercialised. The importance a person gives us is being decided based on the money or gifts being exchanged.

Communication and not spending enough time may be some of the reasons for such trends. Most family members or friends may not communicate often. Due to which it is extremely difficult to decide whether a person has changed a lot or remained same with time. So, in order to compensate this gap, exchanging gifts or spending money is essential. With which, you are establishing that things have not changed much and you still value the other person.

In addition, living distantly and not meeting often, is another reason for the trend. The thirst to work and earn more leaves less time for family and freinds. To compensate this gap again, spending money is essential. Working parents do not get enough time to spend time with their children and so they keep on buying gifts for their kids. On the other hand, working people do not get time to spend  with their aged parents. And again resort in spending money to compensate the gap.

Finally, what has begun voluntary money spending has become mandatory in relationships. Now, the current trend is, only if you have money, you can talk to me about anything. Or, else the relationship is not smooth. Watch out people. 🙂

What men want?

What men really want is not yet known. Why always hooked up to the internet, when beautiful wife and kids are waiting? Why so crazy about sports, when day to day issues are piled up? Why so engrossed in world issues, when home matters are unaddressed? Why always like mother’s dishes, despite wife cooking for years? Why gossip more than women and sound not interested when someone wants to talk?

Women are still trying to solve the mysterious ‘mankind’. Here is an insight of what men really want.

Priorities

A man defines himself by what he is, what he does and how much he earns. The remaining matters are rather trivial. Unlike a woman, a man places himself first ahead of the family and kids.

The career is of utmost importance to a man. The office politics and the urge to grow higher in the career consumes most of a man’s thoughts. The busy schedules and unending meetings and work take priority in life. After a while, some men even forget to celebrate the smallest happiness in lives.

Expectations

So, in their busy work and life, what men expect from a women? The basic needs are love and support which women offer. Apart from these two basic needs, food is the next big thing. Laundry and house hold chores are the next. If you can take care of the driving and all other kids related activities, that’s even better.

Basically, men are happy if left alone with their work and personal stuff. They are so self-centered and occupied that they expect straight questions and answers. Men do not engage in long convoluted discussions, which they can not figure out. As it is they are preoccupied with office stuff, so they expect women to be straight and direct in asking demands.

Special Occasions

So, what about special occasions in the family. There are minimum sentiments and the occasions are thought with practical reasoning. As in how much it costs, what others expect or what is the gift and how much is the budget for the occasion.

Some men even forget their own birthdays and family member’s special days. If someone else can take care of these things, it is really good for them.

Fixing

Men are raised to fix things. So, when there is any problem, men think about fixing the issue and taking care the problem does not reappear. Sometimes, women want to just share and do not expect a solution.  But, most men are good at suggesting and fixing stuff as the quality is inbuilt in them.

In fact, men are simple and equally vulnerable and expect a direct conversation. They are not as complex and as confused they actually seem. 🙂

25 tips for a happy marriage

The New York post listed twenty five tips for a happy marriage. While I think only one best tip works, ‘Silence’. Enduring the partner’s good and bad requires a lot of patience and the only way to express self is remaining silent.

While exerting your wishes and wants on the partner, it is also important as how far are we prepared to receive the other person’s wants.

The priorities of both the members may vary, but the common goal must be peace and happiness. Enjoying the small moments, while working for the bigger goals is essential to keep the marriage going.

Silence in most of the tense and unpleasant situations avoids conflict and ugly fights in front of other family members. It is better to resolve the issues in private. Or, giving some time to let the matter settle down may help.

Finally, it is not him versus her but it is the overall happiness of the family that is most important consideration in marriage. Regardless of who the bread winner is or who the intelligent person is, all the feelings and needs of the members must be prioritized before establishing individual’s interest.