14 things I learned in ACC255

1) how to create a blog (blogger.com)
2) how to create and edit a website (webs.com)
3) how to use chitika to add advertisement spots on my page (s)
4) how to use google analytics to track use of my page (ie how many visits per day, avg tim espent on my page, etc)
5) how to paste codes into my webpages (ie using the "custom HTML" edit button)
6) how to create cafepress products for my site
7) how to use clickbank to find relevant info to post on my site
8) how to submit my sites to search engine databases
9) how to submit my articles (or short versions) to EZine article databases
10) how to create a PayPal account
11) how to create a contact widget and post it on my page
12) how to use keywords to maximize my visibility to my target audience
13) how to create a privacy policy and put in on my page
14) how to create a landing page

Sesame Street- can it make a difference?

We all know what Sesame Street is. We all know the lovable characters. But do we really know the benefits of having our kids watch Sesame Street? It's been around since before my time; Now with over 4000 episodes. Not only does it teach our kids the basic academics, such as numbers and letters, but it also teachers them about the vast diversity among the human race. After they learn all this, does it make a difference? Recent studies have shown that kids who watched Sesame Street growing up have significantly higher GPA's in school. So, yea, it does make a difference! We all know that watching too much TV is bad for our kids. However, a little bit won't hurt! In that little time that we do allow our kids to watch TV, it should be used as a leaning experience. Even listening to counting in the background can be beneficial! We have been watching Sesame Street since my son was about 1 year old (he is almost 4 now). He doesn't necessarily sit down and watch the hour long program, but he takes in what he is hearing as he is playing around the house. I was not aware of the benefits watching Sesame Street can have when we first started turning it on for our son. But now I'm sure glad we did! It's a show that he's interested in, and can have fun with while learning. We now have quite the array of Sesame Street products around our house! We also play Sesame Street computer games which I've provided a link to below! GO LEARN!

SESAME STREET (.ORG)

Choosing the Right Potty Chair For Your Toddler

I've talked before about potty training and the difficulties you can encounter during the process. One of the toughest issues to face during potty training is getting and keeping your child interested! Some kids are already interested in using the "big-kid potty", yet others need the extra frills and encouragement. Every child is different and should be catered to accordingly. Shortly after my sons' third birthday, (keep  in mind that my son is a little farther behind than most), we decided that he was finally ready to start potty training. He now realized when he was going potty in his diaper, so I figured this was our time to start. We were so excited- I was ready for my big boy to start using the big boy potty! Much to my surprise, he showed no interest. We would sit on the potty and as soon as he got his diaper back on he would go! Then I realized that my son would need a little more encouragement (and possibly fun!) when going potty. So, we decided to get him his own potty chair. When I first started looking online for potty chairs, I was overwhelmed with the vast array of choices. To narrow it down, I figured out the theme that would most interest my son- Sesame Street! Now I needed to decide between a potty seat that simply lays on top of the regular toilet, and a potty seat that had it's own chair. Because my son wasn't interested in the regular potty, we opted to get him his own potty chain. We ended up purchasing the Sesame Street Elmo Adventure Potty Chair SS ELMO POTTY CHAIR .
Of course, Elmo is my sons' favorite Sesame Street character, but they also have the Sesame Street Abby Cadabby Magical Potty Chain for the little ladies SS ABBY POTTY CHAIR . They also had a few other Sesame Street Potty Chairs that we looked at including: SS FOLDING POTTY SEAT , SS SOFT POTTY SEAT AND STEP STOOL. I think we made the right chhoice because my son now gets super excited when I tell him it's time to go potty! The bottom line here is to choose the right potty equipment for your child. They may need some extra encouragement, so give it to them!

How Important is Your Child's Sleep Schedule?

Now that the kids are out of school for the summer, it's easy to let their good sleeping habits fade. During the school year, my son goes to bed at 7:30pm and wakes up at 6:30am- which equates to 11hours of sleep (perfect for my almost 4 year old!). Now that summer has come around, we-like many other parents-think it's OK to let our son stay up "just a little later" and sleep in "just a little later" because it's summer! An article from the MotherLoad blog brought my attention to this matter MOTHERLOAD- SUMMER SLEEP . Of course, we've all heard before that sleep is important to run a functional life. But do we really believe that? In the crazy hustle-bustle of the fast life these days, it's easy to let our sleep patterns dwindle. If we, as parents, don't have a grip on our our sleeping habits, than how can we manage our child's sleep habits? First a foremost, it is extremely important for us to understand the benefits of good sleeping habits for us and our children. These benefits can be physical, emotional, cognitive, and many others. More specific benefits of sleep can be found at The New York Times "Well" site SLEEP BENEFITS. These benefits can dramatically influence our children's behavior. Often times, children can be misdiagnosed with ADHD simply because of a lack of sleep (as erratic sleep patterns). To maintain a healthy lifestyle, good sleeping patterns should be adopted. Certain elements can effect your sleep adversely and should be avoided. Other factors can be found at FACTORS AFFECTING SLEEP . Once you understand how sleep affects you and your children, certain steps can be followed to achieve more and better sleep! These steps can be found at STEPS TO BETTER SLEEP .

Getting your child all the help they can get!

As parents, we want our children to be successful in life. How we define "successful" may be different for everyone, but the same general ideas probably overlap between those definitions. I want my son to be able to access all the tools he needs to succeed in whatever he chooses to pursue. My job as his mother is to give him opportunities to succeed. Sometimes, they need a little help along the way. When my son was only a few months old, we were told that he needed Physical Therapy. I still remember sitting in that room with the lady that did his evaluation, so angry that she was saying that MY SON needed help. I was angry, and worried, and scared. What did this mean for my son? After just two weeks with his physical therapist, I realized that this was our saving grace. My son is 4 now, and has over the years taken part in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and feeding therapy- all of which have had a drastic affect on my sons every day life. I can't express enough our gratitude to all of the people who have helped my son along his journey in life, and how thankful we are for each and every person that has touched me and my sons heart. My son now has the tools he needs to succeed in life! SO my advice for you today, is to embrace every opportunity you have to better your child's life. Whether it's some sort of therapy, or tutoring in school, or any academic challenge, or anything!- Help you child succeed in whatever ways you can! Trust me, you will be glad you did!

MomsWithAnswers Apparel !!!!

You may be asking, why on earth would I want a MomsWithAnswers T-shirt, or any other item for that matter? It's simple really. I'ts not about the design- although the design is pretty sweet if I do say so myself! It's about what it represents. I am striving to be a good person; to be a nice person; to be a helpful person; to be a kind person. I'm striving to change the way we, as a people, treat each other. Every act of kindness goes a long way. This is my way of being kind, and giving what I have. I am a mom, above anything else. My son is my life. I'm good at being a mother, and want to share my knowledge with other mothers who may need a little guidance. I've talked before about my older sister who has 3 kids of her own. I think the reason I am so open to giving advice to other mothers is because my sister was so EXTREMELY helpful when I had my son- and still is today! We all need help sometimes, and if I can help someone else by giving advice on something I've already experienced, than that's what I'm going to do! That being said, both my blog and my website represent so much more than my trying to be kind and giving advice to others. MomsWithAnswers represents giving what you have to give. MomsWithAnswers represents people being kind and helpful to each other from the simplest ways to the most elaborate ways. Show your support be purchasing MomsWithAnswers apparel which can be found at the link below. Among this apparel is T-Shirts (Baby-Adult), Sweatshirts (Youth-Adult), Teddy bears, Blankets, Hats, Bibs, water bottles, pillows, tote bags, thermoses, and more!

MWA APPAREL

Potty Training

I just cleaned up three "potty-messes" in the last 45 minutes! My son will be 4 in October and still isn't potty trained. Granted he does have a metabolic condition that has put him behind in many areas-including developmental delay, but gosh darn-it, it's time! He KNOWS when he is going "potty" and has even held it before when I realize he needs to go and rush him to the toilet. So I would say it's a good time to start. My older sister has three kids of her own and swears that the way to do it is to just put a potty chair in the living room and make them sit on it every half hour or so (maybe I should try every 15 minutes with my son!). I think I'll give it a try, but in the meantime, I think I should be researching this a little more. Every child is different, and what worked for my sister's kids may not necessarily work for mine. Not to mention, maybe trying a few different things at once is a better way to go? Well, I started my research and so far have come across an overwhelming array of information on potty training. I've narrowed it down to a few potty training books that seem compelling to me. I've provided links to these books below. What I've found most compelling is a short video that seems to be quite informational. I've also provided a link below for the video. I've you've used these products before, let me know how they've worked out for you! Otherwise, I'll give you a recap once I, myself, have used them! Good Luck :)


PAINLESS POTTY TRAINING Click Here!
HOW TO POTTY TRAIN YOUR CHILD IN HOURS Click Here!
POTTY TRAINING Click Here!