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Planning a baby shower is the perfect way of expressing
“Congratulations,” or “We’re happy for you,” or “Best wishes”
when a newborn has been added to the family.

Aimed at further boosting the parents-to-be’s excitement for the
future member of their family, the baby shower is usually hosted
by a close friend or relative, at any time during the last
months of the pregnancy.

Just like any other party, a baby shower requires careful
planning to ensure that it will go as smoothly as possible, and
be memorable for everyone. Although there are no rules cast in
stone in preparing for a baby shower, there are some helpful
tips to follow to help the host organize every aspect of the
event.

1) Decide on the location.

Most baby showers are held at the parent-to-be’s house, since
the expectant mother’s health needs to be considered. It is
recommended for small, intimate parties, with only the closest
friends and family members. Guests also tend to be more
comfortable if the party’s setting is at home.

If the expectant parents love the outdoors, a barbecue party at
their garden, or a local park may also be an option. Naturally,
the weather must be considered - baby shower does not literally
mean soaking the guests in the rain.

For less complications, the host may reserve a secluded area in
a restaurant or bar. It may be more costly, but at least the
decoration, food and drinks, as well as the post-party cleanup
will already be taken care of.

2) Choose the party’s theme.

For easier decoration ideas, a theme may be decided upon.
Consider the expectant parents’ favorite movies or hangouts.
Another option is to decorate the party site by re-creating the
place where they had their honeymoon, such as a cruise ship, or
Paris-inspired café.

Since the party will also be a celebration of the future baby, a
childish atmosphere may also be considered. Choose cartoon
characters, bright colors, and other designs depending on the
baby’s gender.

3) Finalize the menu.

The party’s menu will depend upon the time of the event. In most
baby showers, the host serves finger food, pastries and other
baked goods for convenience. However, if the event will be held
during lunch or dinner time, heavier meals will naturally be
served. Alcoholic drinks may also be prepared, depending on the
guests’ preference.

4) Design a fun program.

Contrary to what most people believe, a baby shower is not only
limited to mingling around, gift giving, eating and drinking.
Fun games may also be included, such as charades, or those which
will bring back the guests’ childhood memories. Remember that
the main point is to make sure everyone will have a good time,
and various games will surely liven up the event.

5) Create the guest list and send out invitations.

Prepare a list of the expectant parents’ closest friends and
family members. Make sure to seek their approval before sending
out invitations, to avoid any embarrassing mistakes later. Bear
in mind that it’s the parents’ event, and not the host’s, so
their choice of people should matter the most.

Ready-made baby shower invitations are readily available in gift
shops and craft stores. However, homemade invitations may also
be used to provide the host’s personal touch.

Send out invitations out two to four weeks before the party to
give time for the guests to fix their schedule. Baby shower
invitations follow the same format as any other invitation — it
indicates the date, time, place, attire preferred, gift
registry, if any, the host’s contact numbers for RSVP. Just to
be organized, prepare a final list of attendees a few days
before the baby shower.

Copyright 2006 Paula Rothstein

It is devastating enough to consider the “body burden” being
carried by adults in this increasingly polluted world but to
even consider that your child is carrying a substantially
heavier load of toxins than yourself is difficult to
acknowledge. Belief would require action.

The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of
heavy metal and chemical exposure notable in infants, toddlers
and children and the resulting toxic overload they are forced to
carry. It is information every parent, pregnant woman or woman
thinking about becoming pregnant should fully understand.
However, I will tell you in advance that I have recently
discovered a natural health supplement that is elegant in its
simplicity, effectiveness and ease of application. It involves a
recently introduced product that works as a heavy metal
detoxifier, completely safe for all ages, including infants. It
is positioned to become one of the most important nutritional
therapies of this new century capable of having a profound
effect on our children’s health. The name of this unique new
product is Natural Cellular Defense, brought to market in August
2005 by the company of Waiora.

Although there have been products capable of removing heavy
metals from the body in the past, there were risks involved,
such as the possibility of doing damage to the kidneys in the
process. Additionally, lighter metals such as calcium and
essential minerals would be removed as well, requiring the
individual to over-compensate with increased supplementation
that was difficult to measure and effectively isolate the
toxins. However, Natural Cellular Defense is a very effective
system that never causes damage to the kidneys and has no
affinity whatsoever for the lighter, essential minerals, such as
calcium. It also has the ability to remove a variety of
chemicals and pesticides, not just heavy metals. Natural
Cellular Defense also has a strong impact on regulating the
immune system, balancing pH levels and suppressing tumors. Best
of all it is completely safe. However, you do need to make sure
the individual stays well hydrated so that the toxins can
effectively pass through the body.

WHY CHILDREN ARE AT A GREATER RISK TO TOXIC OVERLOAD.

It is easy enough to understand that a body, substantially
smaller than our own, would inevitably react more strongly to
the same amount of toxins. Coupled with rapid development, an
infant or child is extremely vulnerable to environmental
interference and their normal behavioral patterns put them at a
higher risk. During the first months and years of life,
children’s organs are developing rapidly, making them more prone
to functional damage. The nervous system continues to develop
throughout childhood and therefore is especially vulnerable to
toxic chemicals in their personal environment as well as food
and water. And just like their young bodies more readily absorb
nutrients, they also readily absorb toxins.

In that first year of life, a child’s ability to metabolize,
detoxify, and excrete toxins differs substantially from that of
an adult. Children also may be more susceptible to some toxins
because their liver and kidneys are not fully mature and cannot
detoxify and excrete harmful substances as readily as adults.

THE DANGERS OF LEAD POISONING

Children in particular are susceptible to lead poisoning because
it can accumulate in their nervous system as their bodies grow
and develop. Although death by lead poisoning is uncommon,
dangerous levels of lead in children may cause serious health
problems, including lowered intelligence and poor school
performance. According to the most recent CDC estimates, more
than 400,000 children ages 1 to 5 years living in the United
States have levels of lead in their bodies high enough to cause
concern. When lead was used in our gasoline, it is estimated
that over 68 million children were exposed to toxic levels of
lead. Its toxic legacy continues to affect us even today.

MERCURY AND ITS AFFECT ON CHILDREN.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin which is highly damaging to the
brain and nervous system. Exposure can hurt the child’s ability
to concentrate; it can affect their language skills,
socialization skills, hand to eye coordination and even their
vision. Exposure to low levels of mercury can permanently damage
the brain and nervous system and cause behavioral changes. You
should also note that mercury is a persistent bioaccumulative
neurotoxin which means it does not break down naturally.
Although the government has been actively trying to prevent
studies that link thimerosal used in vaccines to the increased
incidences of autism, the connection is too strong to deny any
more.

The number of cases involving childhood disorders such as
autism, ADD, ADHD, and certain types of cancers, have been
rising steadily and these conditions have all been linked to
high levels of toxicity. This is not to discount the genetic
predisposition for these conditions but rather to make you aware
that early toxic overload plays a part in triggering this
condition.

TOXICITY AND ITS AFFECT ON FETAL DEVELOPMENT.

The National Academy of Sciences in July of 2000 filed a report
establishing the risk of mercury exposure to fetal development
is so great that at least 60,000 newborns each year could be at
risk for learning and developmental problems from mercury
exposure. In fact, one in 12 women of childbearing age in the
U.S. have more mercury in the body than the Environmental
Protection Agency considers safe for a fetus’s development,
according to the latest data from the Center for Disease Control.

In a study spearheaded by the Environmental Working Group (EWG)
in collaboration with Commonwealth, researchers at two major
laboratories found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and
pollutants in umbilical cord blood from 10 babies born in August
and September of 2004 in U.S. hospitals. Tests revealed a total
of 287 chemicals in the group. The umbilical cord blood of these
10 children, collected by Red Cross after the cord was cut,
harbored pesticides, consumer product ingredients, and wastes
from burning coal, gasoline, and garbage.

TOXICITY TEST RESULTS OF THREE CHILDREN.

The following test results are provided as a way of
demonstrating that your child could indeed have high levels of
toxicity. I encourage you to visit
<http://www.optimalwellnesstest.com> for information on
available testing.

This information was provided to me by an acquaintance who
became concerned that his children suffered from higher than
normal toxicity levels. To put the numbers in perspective, this
family consumes organic food and the children were never
vaccinated. The test procedure was performed immunoassay. The
toxicity level was determined by a formula measuring metals in
circulation (saliva), and being eliminated (urine).

Children’s ages are 7, 9 and 12 . Summary as follows: Heavy
Metals Tests: Pre and Post Waiora Natural Cellular Defense
product:

12-13-2005

Each sample was tested for Aluminum, Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, and
Arsenic.

A simple number pattern was used because this is not an official
study. The simple number pattern is:

0 - zero levels of this metal 5 - Abnormally high levels of this
metal 10 - Could be lethal or very harmful levels of this metal

Samples Before: 11-14-2005

Samples After: 12-5-2005

Time on NCD: 21 days

Child#1 (age 7)

Aluminum: Before NCD 7 - After NCD 3; Mercury: Before NCD 6 -
After NCD 3; Lead: Before NCD 5 - After NCD 2; Cadmium: Before
NCD 4 - After NCD 2; Arsenic: Before NCD 3 - After NCD 0.

Child#2 (age 9)

Aluminum: Before NCD 6 - After NCD 2; Mercury: Before NCD 6 -
After NCD 2; Lead: Before NCD 7 - After NCD 2; Cadmium: Before
NCD 3 - After NCD 0; Arsenic: Before NCD 3 - After NCD 0.

Child#3 (age 12)

Aluminum: Before NCD 6 - After NCD 2; Mercury: Before NCD 7 -
After NCD 3; Mercury: Before NCD 5 - After NCD 1; Lead: Before
NCD 7 - After NCD 1; Cadmium: Before NCD 4 - After NCD 2;
Arsenic: Before NCD 5 - After NCD 5.

FINDING A WORKABLE SOLUTION.

Although the statistics on childhood toxicity on the surface
appear daunting and the need to get a handle on our exposure to
toxic chemicals urgent, we should remember that for every
problem there is a solution. Without a doubt our industrial
nation needs to take responsibility for their actions and to
that end, governmental agencies need to do a better job at
enforcing this responsibility. We need to find an alternative to
mercury based vaccinations. Parents should do their best to
limit exposure. Additionally, it is increasingly important for
women wishing to become pregnant to engage in a detoxification
program before trying to conceive and to that end, Natural
Cellular Defense could be of great assistance. Most importantly,
we must help our children already damaged by pollutants and
chemicals by providing them with a serious and workable
detoxification program. Natural Cellular Defense is a product
that offers one very important and viable solution to toxic
overload.

Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on products, from vitamins to face creams, to stop aging. We worry about many things such as losing our memory, teeth, eyesight, hearing, sex drive, and ability to get around. Women can have special concerns about osteoporosis (thinning bones) and menopause. As we age, staying active and involved helps us to have a positive outlook on life. A healthy diet and regular exercise can ease common conditions like arthritis and can help prevent or control heart disease and high blood pressure.

In a society that places much value on youth, a woman’s body image can be affected by aging in many ways. Physical changes such as weight gain, hair loss, and wrinkles can affect a woman’s self-esteem. Menopause can be a stressful time for women due to hormonal changes. Osteoporosis can lead to broken bones and fractures, affecting a woman’s independence. Women can often have two stressful roles - as caregiver and caretaker - raising children and taking care of elderly parents. Women can also feel lonely and less useful as they age, leading to depression. But aging is not all gloom and doom. It can offer women new opportunities in life and a new outlook. It is important to keep a positive attitude about aging.

About the Author

Judi Singleton publishes ten blog a week if you would like to read more articles by her please go to http://www.motherearthpublishing.com for a list of her blogs.

Pocket bikes can be comfortably cradled under your arm and are
capable of splendidly fast speeds. They are usually powered by
gas-powered engines. The smaller industrial- motored models used
by Junior class racers are capable of speeds upwards of 45 mph.
Open class machines reach blistering speeds over 50 mph. Pocket
bikes can be built with many of the features common to regular
bikes, such as disc brakes in the front and rear, racing tires,
fairings, lightweight aluminum alloy cast perimeter frames and
swing arms. Originally, pocket bikes were solely made by
specialty manufacturers who sold them at expensive prices. As
their appeal has grown, however, affordable pocket bike imports
have become available to a much larger group of motor sport
enthusiasts. They are great for adults and children alike, for
the family or individual who enjoys outdoor fun on two wheels.
Nothing beats the Pocket bike for economy, ease of transporting.
Enjoy them just for riding around your neighborhood, but for
racing as a team sport. Start your own club or join one. You’ll
be a welcome addition to such a tight group.

Flu pandemics occur with predictable regularity, generally about
three per century. The last major one was in 1918 when
approximately 50 million people died. There were two more of
less serious magnitude in 1957 and 1968.

Today there is a new, extremely virulent strain of virus
ermerging in Southeast Asia which is already responsible for
killing dozens of people. So far those infected have contracted
the illness directly from birds but health officials are
concerned that if and when the virus mutates so that it can be
passed from human to human it will lead to a worldwide pandemic
far more severe than that of 1918.

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst…

Addressing the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) 46th
Directing Council meeting in Washington on September 27, 2005,
WHO (World Health Organization) Director-General, Lee Jong-wook
stated that there will be another influenza pandemic and failure
to prepare for it appropriately will have “catastrophic
consequences”.

“There is a storm brewing that will test us all. We must
anticipate it and prepare to the very best of our combined
ability,” he said.

Perhaps it won’t happen. Perhaps it will all fizzle out and die
away.

Let’s hope so.

But are you prepared to take that chance with the well-being of
your loved ones at stake? As parents, do we even have the right
to take that chance?

What You Can Do to Prepare Now

Fortunately there are a number of steps that every one of us
can take to minimize the risks to ourselves and our families.

And let’s not kid ourselves…we won’t be able to count on the
government for help. Hurricane Katrina taught us that.

Keep Informed. If and when the virus mutates so that it is
being spread from human to human, it is likely to start in
Southeast Asia. Pay attention to the news. When you hear that
this has taken place, it’s time to act. We might have two or
three months before the pandemic reaches North America, but with
international travel so fast and easy it could be much sooner.

Do not travel to areas where you know the flu virus is found.
The Center for Disease Control has a website that will give you
this information. It’s at
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm

Prepare your Children for Homeschooling. Most outbreaks get
their start at schools. You can be certain that the schools will
be closed. And even if they’re not, you should give very serious
thought to keeping your children at home.

Minimize Contact with Others. The virus can be transmitted for
two days before a person is showing any symptoms and for a week
after symptoms have disappeared. You never know who isn’t and
who might be infected.

Wash Your Hands. Did you know that sneeze particles can travel
across a room at 600 miles per hour? If the person sneezing has
the flu, everything in that room is covered with flu virus. And
when you touch anything, the virus is transmitted to your hand.
Eventually it will be transmitted to your mouth. Your only
protection is to wash your hands, well and often. Each washing
should involve vigorous scrubbing with soap for at least 20
seconds.

Stock up on Food and Water. Most supermakets only have enough
food for about a week. It’s critical that you stock up on enough
food to last you for the duration which could be 3-4 months.

Update your Will. Hopefully this won’t be necessary but not all
of us are going to survive.

Get a Flu Vaccination. There is no vaccination yet for this
particular strain of flu but a vaccination will give you
protection from contracting any other flu which could weaken
your system, making you more prone to fall victim to the dealier
avian strain.

Buy Enough Anti-Viral Medication for Every Member of you
Family. Currently the only drug that can help mitigate the
effects of the avian flu virus is oseltamivir, otherwise known
as Tamiflu. The world supply is very low, and not nearly
adequate to provide sufficient protection for everyone, so you
should stock up on this drug immediately. You can buy it online,
but do your shopping because the price varies considerably. And
once a pandemic strikes, it will be impossible to get at any
price.

Life Insurance. Make sure your life insurance is adequate, and
check the fine print. Some policies have clauses that don’t
cover you in the event of a pandemic.

Stock up on face masks. You will need to wear these when you
absolutely have to come into close contact with others. It’s
likely that any public businesses or government offices that
remain open will make it mandatory that you wear a mask before
entering. Make sure that your mask has a rating of N100. The
more common N95 masks will not give you enough protection.

Prepare a quarantine room. If anyone in your family becomes
stricken, he/she should be immediately moved to a location that
is isolated from the rest of the house. This room should be as
far away as possible and should be stocked with food and water,
medical supplies, sanitation facilities, communication, cleaning
tools, entertainment (books, radio, TV, etc.)

Communication. There’s a good chance that TV and radio stations
will no longer be able to broadcast if there is a power failure
in your area. A good quality battery operated radio, capable of
receiving short wave stations will enable you to stay informed
of developments in the outside world.

Power. There could be an extended interruption to your electric
power. You should consider alternative lighting and heating
methods. Battery, propane, kerosine, and gasoline generators are
possible options.

Protection. New Orleans showed us how quickly civilization
breaks down under catastrophic conditions. And that was mild in
comparison to what we could be facing in a pandemic. The bottom
line is this: most people won’t take the necessary steps to
prepare for disaster. And once it hits, they will be panic
stricken. And they will do anything to try to save themselves.
Which includes trying to take whatever you have that they might
want.

You will need to have some means toprotect your family. If you
own firearms, makesure you are stocked up with ammunition.
Remember, you won’t be able to call a patrolman if you find an
intruder on your property.

Find a Place in the Country. If you live in the city, you will
be surrounded by anarchy. Catastrophes such as this always lead
to civil disorder. If you can escape the city you will be much
safer. If you don’t have one, consider purchasing a trailer. If
you can’t afford it, consider a tent.

“Up to one billion people could die around the whole world in
six months…. We are half a step away from a worldwide pandemic
catastrophe.” Dmitry K. Lvov, Director, D.I. Ivanovsky Institute
of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Whether or not it will happen this year, and whether or not it
will be as catastrophic as many virologists are predicting, one
thing is clear: There WILL be a pandemic of unimaginable
proportions some time soon.

We can either bury our heads in the sand and hope it won’t
happen, or we can begin taking immediate steps to ensure that in
a worst case scenario, we’ve given ourselves and our loved ones
the best possible chance for survival.

New parents face many problems and issues that they are expected to understand and deal with immediately. Unfortunately, newborns do not come with an instruction book so here are a few topics that you may need to know about.

Bathing your baby: Until your baby’s umbilical cord falls off one to two weeks after their birth, only give her sponge baths. A cotton ball or cotton swab dampened with alcohol can help to dry the umbilical stump or follow your pediatrician’s directions. After the stump falls off, you can give him a bath in a sink or shallow tub.

Caesarian delivery: A caesarian is usually performed to make delivery safer for you or your baby. C-sections can be done for many different reasons including stalled labor, complicated labor, problems with the baby that may make delivery difficult, or other problems. It does not matter if you deliver vaginally or by a caesarian section, you are still a mother with a beautiful new blessing.

Circumcision: Many doctors agree that there may be some benefit to circumcision, but it may not be absolutely necessary. It may help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections and eliminates just about any chance of penile cancer. Circumcision does not cause long-term emotional problems for your child.

Crib death (SIDS): Many studies have been done regarding SIDS. Although the cause of SIDS has not been definitely defined, there are some correlations that have been made between SIDS and the following things:

Male babies are more likely to die from SIDS than females

Prematurity makes it more likely

Minority children are affected by it more often than non-minorities

More children of young, single mothers die from it

Children who live in a home with one or more smokers are more likely to be affected

Some people say that sleeping with your baby can reduce the risk of SIDS, but the American Academy of Pediatrics disagree with this statement and go on to say that there is a greater risk of SIDS in babies who co-sleep.

Back sleeping is what most pediatricians recommend for babies to decrease the SIDS risk. The reason for this is widely debated between health experts. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician.

Melida Cohen is the author of “Baby’s First Year: Everything You Should Know but probably don’t” Visit www.CareForMyBaby.com to get a free copy of her baby care newsletter or visit her blog at www.CareForMyBabyBlog.blogspot.com to chat with other new moms.

Please stay with me for this two part article about how our
environments add enchantment to every day living.

I remember when I was a child how much I loved my grandmother
Silverman’s things. They were not just the functional plastic
items, earthenware and stuffed sofas that most families had when
I grew up. All of the furniture and things in her apartment were
‘alive’ with romance, magic and beauty.

For instance, there was statue of a beautiful lady that stood in
her hall. Actually, she was a ‘bust’. That meant that her
shoulders, a bit of her bosom, and of course her head were all
carved in ivory. She was so wonderful, with perfect features and
a delicate smile. She rested forever on a black marble column
that had streaks of light colors running through it. I loved her
and I wanted her to be mine! I begged my grandmother, “Please,
may I have that statue someday?”

She promised it to me, but reminded me that the reason it was
white on black was that originally there had been two statues.
Over the years, each had fallen over. The base of one broke and
the head of the other, so I would need to be careful and always
watch that children did not fall near the statue. They could
hurt themselves or break her. Even with the warning, I wanted
her. I promised that I would be careful.

Her furniture also had such presence. The front hall chair was
carved dark mahogany. It was big and shiny and very heavy. It
felt like it had meaning, not just a place to sit. Perhaps
fascinating people had sat in it; perhaps stunning women in long
white dresses holding parasols, even.

Likewise the buffet cabinet was full of smells–various liquors
and chocolates that had left strange and appealing perfumes over
many years. It had a real presence. After all, there was a
garden of aromas inside as pungent and real as the flowers
outside.

Everything she had was so intense. She had beautiful colored
glass plates in greens and blues. She had silverware that had
mother-of-pearl handles. She had real linen tablecloths. She
even had a set of the Book Of Knowledge, filled with endless
stories, poems and answers to my most remote questions.

Yes, her apartment was to me, an entrance way to beauty, fantasy
and knowledge. It was Feng Shui before there was such a thing in
our country.

That was then, and now is now. I am happy to report that Ms.
Statue is in my living room as proud as ever. I have fake
flowers in front of her to make it hard to get too close to her!
So far there have been no accidents. The buffet is a resident
also, now holding our small liquor supply. The silverware is
here, used on only the most special occasions. The colored
plates and the linens are gone, but the Books of Knowledge are
right behind me in the computer room.

My grandmother helped me find beauty and welcome it as a
permanent being into my home. She helped me feel good about
putting beautiful things together and living with them everyday.
By the way, her hall chair is my patient’s chair in my office.
So indeed it has heard many a story and keeps all its secrets!

Come back next week to read how my Virtual Assistant, Rebecca,
put beauty, meaning and form into her home. Her story is
different from mine, as each of ours are, but it is the same in
the sense that it is her way of building enchantment into her
life.

The bathroom has a bad reputation in feng shui, and in some ways
this is deserved, as you will discover. But it’s not all
negative. Comfort, cleanliness, and convenience are key
ingredients to good feng shui, and our modern bathrooms provide
them all.

One of the challenges posed by the modern bathroom is that
there’s no good place for it in the ba gua* [the feng shui map
of a space], which long predates indoor plumbing. We can look at
the ba gua and see at a glance that the Family area would be a
good place for the living room, that a home office is
well-placed in the Knowledge, Wealth, or Career sectors, and
that the Marriage corner of the house is a great place for the
master bedroom. But where does the bathroom go?

The bathroom is a little out of place anywhere, although some
locations are more troublesome than others. The thing to keep in
mind is that bathroom plumbing has a draining effect wherever it
is located.

Some very difficult bathroom locations are next to or above the
front door and on the second floor directly above the kitchen.
These locations are particularly difficult because:

- A bathroom in the front hall, close to the door, can drain chi
away before it has a chance to circulate through the rest of the
house.

- A second-floor bathroom above the front door floods the main
entry to your home with negative energy.

- The water energy in a bathroom above the kitchen will
extinguish the hearth’s fire energy, and flood the entire
kitchen with negative energy. This is potentially damaging to
both health and prosperity.

The worst location for a bathroom is in the center of your home,
where it will destabilize the energy of the entire home. If you
suspect that the bathrooms in your house are affecting important
spaces, there’s no need to panic. Use these simple feng shui
remedies to help keep your health, wealth, and happiness from
flowing down the drain:

- Problem: bathroom in an important feng shui area (wealth,
fame, marriage, etc.) Solutions: a full-length mirror on the
outside of the bathroom door helps deflects chi so it won’t be
drained away; keep sink and shower drains closed when not in
use; keep the toilet seat/lid down when not in use.

- Problem: bathroom in the center of the home Solutions: paint
the walls red, and place a stone, large crystal, or other
earth-type object (such as a heavy ceramic bowl, vase, or
statuette) in each corner to help stabilize the energy; a mirror
on the outside of the door is highly recommended for this
bathroom location.

- Problem: bathroom over the front door or over the kitchen
Solutions: hang a faceted crystal in the center of the room;
place a three-inch round mirror on the ceiling directly above
the toilet to visually reverse the downward flow of water (use
double-sided tape to hold the mirror in place); place earth-type
objects in the corners of the room to stabilize the energy; add
an image such as a bird or tree to the downstairs area below the
bathroom to help lift the energy there.

Bathrooms are places for purification and cleansing, so a clean,
sanitary bathroom strengthens and supports this important
energy. A dirty bathroom, on the other hand, emphasizes the
negative qualities of this room. If your bathroom occupies any
of the more challenging locations described above, it is
essential to keep it sparkling clean, tidy, and well-lit.

After implementing the necessary precautions described above,
you can further improve the chi of the bathroom by making it as
pleasant a space as possible. This is where you begin and end
the active part of each day, so the more attractive and inviting
you can make it the better.

Most of us live hectic, stressful lives, and are in serious need
of soothing places where we can relax and unwind. A clean, tidy,
nicely appointed bathroom invites you to soak your worries away
in a hot bath with lavender-scented bath salts. Make this
pampering experience even nicer with candlelight, soft music,
and a pile of fresh fluffy towels with which to dry off.
All-white bathroom decor can seem cold and clinical; add warmth
with pastel-colored towels and accessories, colorful scented
candles, and attractive artwork.

Excerpted from “The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Feng Shui” by
Stephanie Roberts (Alpha Books, 2004)

© 2004 Stephanie Roberts

*To learn more about the feng shui ba gua and how to use it
effectively in your space, click
here.

Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say
that plush is a soft material that children love very much and
that plush toys are so adorable, that you can’t resist them.

I agree, but what do doctors have to say about it? Are plush
toys the best for children?

Plush toys are very popular nowadays. A lot of people believe
that plush toys are one of the best child toys.

Children themselves love to play with plush toys. They love
these toys because they are soft and lovely at touching. Nobody
can deny this.

Plush toys may pose a threat to a child’s
health.

But the thing that most people don’t know is that plush toys
aren’t the safest toys on the market. In fact, they are
potentially dangerous for your child’s health.

The reason for this is that plush toys absorb huge quantities of
dust. This amount of dust is the ideal environment for the
developing of some microscopic insects. These insects can
produce, among others, bronchitis asthma, a severe form of
allergy.

If you don’t believe me, take a plush toy that you have and
smack it a few times with a ruler or with something similar. And
don’t worry, it won’t hurt the toy!

If you don’t see a cloud of dust coming from the toy, look at
the ruler. Can you see a thin layer of dust? Of course you can.
And it’s not only dust, it’s also a large number of microscopic
organisms.

That’s why plush toys aren’t recommended for children under the
age of three. If your child is mouthing objects, the risk is
higher.

How to make sure a plush toy will be a great
toy.

Don’t get me wrong. Playing with plush toys is great, but adult
supervision is needed, so that the child doesn’t put the toy in
his mouth.

One way to avoid any accident is to periodically clean the toy
and store it in a place without dust.

If you buy plush toys for babies, the hygiene must be stricter.
Choose smaller plush toys (yet big enough to be impossible to
swallow), so that cleaning to be easy.

Plush toys are also great for decorating your child’s room. I
bet you’ve seen rooms decorated with plush toys. Especially girl
rooms.

The atmosphere they create is wonderful. Plush toys used to
decorate a room are usually huge. Big Panda plush toy bears are
very common.

Original article located at http://ww
w.child-toys-guide.com/plush-toys.shtml

Pester Power - Are we raising ‘wanting machines’?

Ok so it’s coming up to Christmas and despite our every effort
to the darling teenagers in our lives, this time of year has
turned into nothing more than a shop front.

I have to say, I was shopping the other day with my 7-year-old
and we saw a Bratz House. We looked at it and I was astonished
at a price tag or £189. I could not believe it, for a plastic
house! This was great as it allowed for us to have a
conversation about money, however my heart went out as I know
that many Parents will be pestered and pestered for that house
and Parents all over the country will give in to make their
children happy. The power of advertising!

What has happened, we appear to have created a group of Parents
who cannot say no. Parents seem unwilling to set limits or draw
the line anywhere. Is it that they feel more guilty as so many
of them are working such long hours, is it that our kids have
just got better at asking, or is it that the advertising is just
so good that we just cannot say no?

Whatever the reason, I have to say that I am concerned that we
are raising a generation who are ‘wanting machines’, who respond
to the marketing aimed right at them. They are growing up with a
distorted sense of entitlement and we risk the next generation
becoming self-centred and self-absorbed and growing up into
adults that simply do not care.

And the figures are staggering.

According to market research, Families of 3-12 year olds now
spend $53.8 Billion annually on entertainment, personal care
items and reading material, $17.6 billion more that 1997.

And there is another worrying thought, does over-indulgence have
a bad effect on school performance and relationships? Kids who
get their own way most of the time are very demanding and much
less likely to be able to form long-lasting, sustainable
relationships with people.

So what do we do?

1.Get clear what you want as a Parent

Most of us are so clear about trying to please our children and
give them what they want that we forget about what we want. And
I don’t mean material things, I mean what you want out of life -
what do you want as a Parent, what is your purpose for being a
Parent. Now it may be that your purpose is to give your children
absolutely everything they want and if that is the case, you are
on course. If however, like me, your purpose is to raise a
responsible and independant young adult who is caring and
compassionate, what you are doing may be against where you
really want to be.

So next time they say, “Mum can I have……?” check in with
what you want as a Parent and see if it fits.

2.Set a limit

I know it may seem obvious, but most Parents don’t do it. Set a
limit you are willing to spend on your child and let them know.
Tell them that you want to feel good about Christmas too and
that you are only willing to spend this much because Christmas
is about so much more. Be very clear that no matter what, you
will not go over that limit.

3.What do they really think it will give them?

If they still continue to pester and pester, ask this question,
“What do you think having that will give you?” I know you may
stump them, but they will answer and if they don’t know, then
why do they want it in the first place? When they tell you what
they think having that thing will give them, ask them how they
can get more of that into their lives now. When we do this we
realise that actually we did not want the thing, but only the
quality we thought the thing would give us.

4.Encourage entrepreneurism

Now this one will really stop them, if they continue to ask, say
that you are not prepared to pay for it and ask how you can
support them in getting it. Now first they may turn to all the
illegal things and they may need some prompting. You may need to
ask how they can get the money; encourage their creativity.
Maybe they will sell things on E-bay, train others how to use
Excel or build websites for others.

5.Giving vs. receiving

I play this game all the time with my 7-year-old. I teach her
about giving and receiving and how they fit together. How, if
you want to let something into your life, you need to let go of
something in return. So when she asks for something, I ask what
she wants to give in return. Now I don’t do this to be mean or
have her think about lack, I have it to open her up to the fact
that money moves - it is not stagnant. I want her to understand
the concept of giving and not just that of receiving. I can tell
you, it has an amazing effect, She often changes her mind, she
realises that she does not want it that much so she leaves it.
When she wrote her Christmas list this year, the first thing
that she asked for was something for someone else. So use this
concept, start a system of giving versus receiving. They may not
respond at first. but keep trying it. Use it yourself first,
start showing your child how you yourself incorporate it.

So this Christmas make a stand, decide that you are going to
raise a responsible independent young adult who cares about
others and is not just a ‘wanting machine’.