Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Feb 9, 2012, 3:41 pm
Valentine’s Day is devoted to the celebration of romance, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a fun celebration for the entire family. For the most part children merely have a small party at their public school celebrating Valentine’s Day by giving and receiving cute kid friendly Valentine’s...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Feb 8, 2012, 3:08 pm
A new study was released last month illustrating that pharmacists answer plenty of questions about prescription medications, but not as many about over the counter products. Think about it: you have access to a knowledgeable medical professional, and all it costs you is time at the pharmacy to get y...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Feb 7, 2012, 2:28 pm
As a proactive parent or teacher, you will undoubtedly be involved with the fundraising activities that go on throughout the school year. Many schools rely heavily on fundraising activities in order to purchase important equipment that enhances school life for many children. If you are seeking new w...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Feb 6, 2012, 6:19 pm
If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, or know of someone who is, then you are probably well aware of the stereotyping that goes along with the bike. However, if you are just looking into riding, or your loved one is, then you might want to know the truth behind it all. Motorcycle riders have had to f...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Feb 4, 2012, 12:49 pm
СВЕТИ ГЕОРГИMan has always been fascinated by fire, and kids are particularly so. Several years ago, my friend’s child, a curious, mischievous boy was playing with some matches in the garage. He accidentally ignited an old rag and the fire quickly spread to boxes stored in the garage. T...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Feb 3, 2012, 7:43 am
“Mom and Dad, I think I need to move back home.” Parents everywhere are hearing that confession more and more often from their college grads. Grown children returning to the nest after college is a phenomenon fueled by the combination of accumulated student debt, poor job prospects, and low-pay ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 31, 2012, 12:56 pm
We’ve all heard the statistics. America is fat and getting fatter. Nearly 20% of kids under 12 are obese. In 1980, that number was 7%. That’s a 3-fold increase in the last 30 years. Wow. If you’re a parent of young kids, I know what you’re thinking. It’s the same thing I was thinking when ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 27, 2012, 4:25 pm
Welcome to the January 28, 2012 edition of parenting link roundup. Sue Waters presents 10 Frightening Facts About Teen Drivers posted at Confessions from the Crib. Courtney Sperlazza presents Hope cannot change the world posted at Weekly Psyche. Paul Taylor presents 10 Signs the Sitter Should Fir...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 26, 2012, 5:51 pm
So, the younger boys have needed some orthodontic treatment for quite a while. We bit the bullet a couple of months ago and had them evaluated. Each needed an appliance installed to straighten out their bite and avoid surgery in the future. This has not been an easy process. Both boys were less tha...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 25, 2012, 5:11 pm
Pre-kindergarten is the first formal classroom education that children between the ages of 3-5 attend. The purpose of a pre-kindergarten is to familiarize children with typical school atmosphere. As kindergartens are meant to be academically oriented, children are gradually introduced to school sche...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 23, 2012, 2:47 pm
One of the 9 year olds made a comment the other day that something or other was black, and his twin immediately accused him of being racist. What????!? I called them over to chat, and eventually determined they’d learned from older brothers that talking about colors like brown or black was racis...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 22, 2012, 5:10 pm
Almost everyone nowadays owns a laptop. The only problem with this is that most people are never taught the proper ergonomic techniques associated with owning one. It can be unhealthy for your wrists and joints if you are not properly positioned when using your laptop. It can lead to even more sever...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 20, 2012, 11:14 pm
Hullooooo, Heroes! Today I bring you a bit of fun for your Friday, while we enjoy a relatively mild winter so far. We’ve only had a week or so of cold and snow, yay! That’s definitely worth a smile in my book. I don’t like cold. Welcome to the January 20, 2012 edition of fun for your frida...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 19, 2012, 1:11 pm
Being a new mom is an exhilarating experience. No one can rival the extent of love a mother feels for her new born baby. Once the heady initial days are over, a new mother faces new challenges which she often finds hard to cope with. If you are a young mom, you may know the feeling. The issue most y...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 18, 2012, 12:04 am
Yesterday I published my review of the Jockey Tech Terry Performance Sports Bra and Purex Crystals fabric softener. Today, we have a giveaway! Jump down to the widget below and use one or more of the ways to enter. Good luck! Winner to be chosen by random drawing on 1/25/2012 by random drawing. ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 16, 2012, 4:21 pm
Be sure to check out the end of the post for a special offer from Jockey and Purex! Did you know that fabric softeners can contain oil which should not be used on performance sportswear and underwear? I had no idea! It turns out that oil can prevent the wicking process, which reduces the effectiven...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 15, 2012, 2:39 pm
Soooo yea. Teenagers. I’m still wrapping my mind around the whole concept of parenting two of them. Thankfully, while they do drive me a little batty, for the most part they’re not terribly awful as of now. I’m learning that I need to think back to my own experiences and development to figure ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Jan 13, 2012, 2:12 pm
When children develop passions about school subjects, it is a moment of both pride and comfort for the parent. Encouraging a child to flourish in their favorite subject is one of the greatest joys of parenting, and can expand a child’s talents exponentially. Unfortunately not every subject can be ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Nov 2, 2011, 4:28 pm
(Editor’s note: please welcome Elaine’s advice on getting kids to eat healthier. Thanks Elaine!) With obesity on the rise, it’s more important than ever to teach your children the steps needed for living a healthy lifestyle. Many parents try to do this by forcing children to try new foods. Th...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Nov 1, 2011, 1:27 pm
Last month, the Million Moms Challenge was launched. The challenge is to raise $100,000 to help moms around the world. They share some pretty shocking statistics: Every 90 seconds, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. Most of those deaths are in the developing world. 1 in 5 women in Af...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 31, 2011, 7:27 am
(Editor’s note: Please welcome Shelley’s very sage advice for those of us who need more time. Thanks, Shelley!) Planning Ahead Creates More Time – No Magic Needed Have you ever wished there were more hours in the day to get things done? Would it make any difference or would you still be wan...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 30, 2011, 1:10 pm
Please welcome Carol with some wisdom for parenting while working from home AND keeping your sanity. Thanks, Carol! When you work and you have kids, what you really have is two full-time jobs. Throw in a daily commute and it’s no wonder you’re lacking sleep and you can’t find a minute to your...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 29, 2011, 12:38 pm
Please welcome J.J.’s suggestions for getting kids to write thank you notes. Thanks, J.J.! Any parent knows that getting children to complete even the simplest tasks such as putting pajamas in the clothes hamper or turning a light off when leaving a room is near impossible. How then are we expect...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 28, 2011, 10:15 am
Good Friday, Heroes! This has been a busy week. How about you? Here….nuts. Crazy. I’m just glad it’s Friday. Because now we can do the crazy nuts weekend. Yay us! Wait. Maybe I should be worried instead. There’s more to do this weekend than there are hours to do them in. Eek. Nah....
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 27, 2011, 11:25 pm
Howdy, Heroes! Did you know that October is Family History month? Yup. It is. The good folks at Archive.com have created a super interesting graphic that celebrates our diversity and heritage. It also has suggestions for ways to get involved with your own family. Check it out! What will you do...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 26, 2011, 7:55 am
Please welcome Jason with his account of being a first-time dad. Thanks, Jason! Becoming a new parent is one of the most exhilarating and apprehensive times that any of us will ever face in our lifetime. I personally had always wanted to have children of my own, but wanted to wait until the time wa...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 25, 2011, 2:33 pm
Insurance isn’t the most breathtaking of topics, but it is an important one. I heard a statistic yesterday: 7 out of 10 people do not have a will. I wonder how many people have enough insurance? There are a lot of insurances you can get, such as car insurance, health insurance, mortgage insurance...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 24, 2011, 12:02 am
... it out! Sentry Safe also did a live demonstration of one of their ... was privileged to watch. They burned a safe at 1500 degrees for ... it), the contents inside were only a little warm. I was surprised. ... have been discussing is getting each boy his own lock box. Because ... and I just ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 23, 2011, 10:51 am
The Halloween Drawing Game allows your guests and your kids to have fun and show off their artistic and reading skills. This activity works much like the classic game Pictionary, and is a great activity for family time near Halloween. Each participant gets a chance to draw. The Halloween Drawing Ga...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 22, 2011, 7:36 pm
Please welcome Carol with some suggestions for low-stress Halloween costumes. Thanks, Carol! Halloween is a fun and exciting time for children; a night when they get to play pretend as spooky ghosts and ghouls and run around the neighborhood shouting “Trick or treat!” in order to collect as man...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 21, 2011, 2:16 am
Fun Friday, heroes! Today begins an annual tradition for me: the quilt retreat. Ohhhhh, I so look forward to this weekend every year. What fun thing do you do to relieve stress? Welcome to the October 21, 2011 edition of fun for your friday. Lisa Hood presents The 10 Best Diss Songs in History p...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 20, 2011, 11:56 am
(Please welcome Laura with some startling conclusions about childhood obesity. Thanks, Laura!) By now, we all know that obesity is causing health problems left and right for children and adults alike. But a recent study revealed that in addition to the obvious health implications, obesity is also c...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 19, 2011, 7:27 am
I had a moment of inspiration the other day after yet anOTHer argument between the boys. Because seriously…there’s only so many times I can stand listening to the same. old. conflicts. After getting angry myself (and having to take me on a cool-down walk around the block), I sat the boys down a...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 17, 2011, 6:49 am
(Editor’s note: please welcome Madison, talking about helping children overcome their fear of speaking in public. Thanks, Madison!) Trying to get your child to write out and then actually give a speech can be difficult. Getting ready to speak in public can be just as frustrating as writing out an...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 16, 2011, 10:41 am
(Editor’s note: Please welcome Courtney, with plenty of free software resources. Thanks Courtney!) As parents, we have plenty of expenses to keep the family wheel turning. Spending money on software for fun projects or staying organized or keeping our computers safe, just may not be high priority...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 15, 2011, 9:12 am
(Editor’s note: please welcome Jack with suggestions for making baby’s room safe and conducive to sleeping. Thanks, Jack!) A new born baby is one of life’s true precious gifts. New parents never get bored of showing off the latest addition to the family; however it isn’t all plain sailing i...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 14, 2011, 11:27 pm
Good Friday, heroes! This week I spent more than a little time arguing with The Mercenary over one thing or another. Wednesday I was sitting on the stairs as he was walking up and I said something to the effect of, “I love you enough to fight with you.” He bounded up two more steps, looked dee...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 13, 2011, 10:15 am
–Philip J Reed, on behalf of Westwood College Here’s a brief experiment: think about the word “cyber-bullying.” Think about all the images that term conjures up for you. Think about the news reports, the torment, and the tragic endings. Think about everything that comes to your mind when yo...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 11, 2011, 6:10 am
Did you know that Kleenex has a new line of tissue? It’s called Cool Touch, and actually feels cool to the touch when you use it. I have no idea how they manage that, but it’s really amazing. You may have noticed that the blog got rather quiet last week. That’s because I had a terrible cold a...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 10, 2011, 9:11 am
(Editor’s note: please welcome Andrew’s guest post with some strategies we can all use to keep our kids safer. Thanks, Andrew!) KIDS are the most curios people on earth. They can ask questions hundreds of times a day. As a way to satisfy their curiosity, they may do surprising things. Our gene...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 9, 2011, 11:28 am
I needed to find a way to blow off some steam. Like all of us, I know about the standard recommended stress-busters; exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep, etc. Like some of us, I actually do many of those things, but I find one component is still missing. Just like homework, housework, and...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 8, 2011, 10:22 am
Phew, I’ve gotten SO many links sent in over the past month or so! Here are plenty of parenting resources for your reading pleasure. Roxanne says: We recently published an article 10 Things Nannies Don’t Usually Do for Families. Paul reports: We would love to share with you an article that we...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Oct 3, 2011, 8:52 am
(Editor’s note: This article is by Brett Oliveira of BuyMoreContacts.com. At BuyMoreContacts.com, you can order contact lenses online at discount prices. BuyMoreContacts offers a variety of contacts, including lenses such as Acuvue Oasys Toric and Proclear Multifocal.) To maintain the health of y...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Sep 30, 2011, 3:39 pm
Good Friday, Heroes! Today for my Fun For Your Friday smile, I bring you a comic as shared by my mother. I laughed out loud on that one. Welcome to the September 30, 2011 edition of fun for your friday. Holly presents !! Outrageous Funny Picture for Today. Wild, Weird, Wacky, Whatever! FunnyChix...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Sep 29, 2011, 2:16 pm
(Editor’s note: please welcome an entry from the Jaime at the Green Golly project. Thanks!!) “Music is important for the development of cultural understanding; it nurtures growth – spiritual, physical and intellectual growth – all of which lead to the greater enrichment of humanity.” Viv...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Sep 27, 2011, 4:48 pm
It’s okay to take your time choosing an appropriate consequence when a child misbehaves. Sometimes this feels like bad parenting, but that’s just not the case. As the older boys are aging, I’m finding it more and more difficult to figure out how to handle misdeeds in a way that is humane and w...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Sep 26, 2011, 6:40 am
(Editor’s note: Lima shares some night-time sanity-saving strategies. Thanks Lima!) Bed-time can be battle-time for many parents. Settling your children down with a nice bedtime story seems a simple enough idea in principle. But when your child has dragged themselves into the living room for the ...
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Amy LeForge posted an article on Earnest Parenting - Sep 23, 2011, 1:22 pm
Hello, Heroes! Today I am taking the younger boys to the city of Grand Rapids to see some of ArtPrize, an amazing art competition that was begun here 3 years ago. Essentially, the public gets to vote for the artwork and choose the winner. This is offensive to some, as they don’t believe the publ...
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