When it occurred to me, I felt that all those past behavior and tactics that I’ve used and employed were all wrong. You see, this is the conclusion we can draw when looking at advertising and marketing and parenting.

In Advertising and Marketing, you’re always trying to get people to believe you, your company and have faith and trust in your products or services. You’re trying to use tactics, imageries, words to lure your customers into your dock instead of the competitors’.

In Parenting, you’re trying to get your children to behave in a way that you believe he or she should – the way that you think is best for him or her. You’re trying to induce good behavior and habits.

In advertising and marketing, there are two methods we can use…the Push method and the Pull method.

The Push method is the very crude method of selling and marketing. That’s like PUSHING something into someone’s mouth, yes, imagine that. Essentially, what the Push method is all about is using a very aggressive and upfront method of promoting a service or product. Just like the insurance salesman who comes to your door and refuses to go away!

With the Pull method, we’re trying to achieve the same thing but with a different method. You’re enticing them, teasing them, make them think and decide. You’re luring them and telling them that they SHOULD think about it. You’re pulling at them using very subtle hints and methodologies. You’re not in their face but you’re trying to get into their minds and their hearts. This is what the Pull method (the gist of it, anyway) all about.

In parenting, you don’t have to guess which method works better….but yes, the Pull method. Like the insurance salesman at your door, if you are using an aggressive method of trying to get your children to behave, you might have to accept the fact that every day could be a battle. Your children may fight you because of the way the lessons are being taught. On the other hand, if you use the pull method, they might end up thinking that they made the decision all by themselves!

So, the next time you want to pick up the cane or raise your voice, think of the insurance salesman at the door who refuses to go away!

Marsha Maung is a freelance graphic designer and copy writer who works from her home in Selangor, Malaysia. She loves nothing more than blowing bubbles in the park with her 2 kids, Joshua and Jared. She designs apparel and premium items at allmomstuff.com allmomstuff.com and is the author of “Raising little magicians”, and the popular “The Lance in freelancing”. More information can be found at marshamaung.com marshamaung.com

Why Rent an Inflatable Trampoline?

Renting an inflatable trampoline is easy, and it can provide hours of entertainment at your next event. I know you have seen them, just think of your last major picnic or harvest festival. Yup, there was one there, usually filled with kids, sometimes with balls or balloons for added pleasure. Just think, neighborhood parties, special events like graduations or other celebrations are great times spent with the kids or adults all burning off the extra cake or punch energy, and you can sit back and relax.

Where to Rent An Inflatable Trampoline

Party rental stores and sports stores are the obvious first stop for your rental. They supply them to dozens of birthday parties and company picnics every week and will have the most information and best staff to help you in setting up your party rental. The key is to make sure you give yourself and the store you’re renting from enough time, so as you will have it on the day it is needed. Don’t wait until the last second, or you might not find what you’re looking for.

How to Set Up An Inflatable Trampoline

First, find a level flat spot preferably on smooth grass. Remember, do not set up the trampoline on cement. Doing so will simply increase the risk of injury, and that will ensure a fun filled day ends the wrong way. Next, lay it out flat and be sure to smooth out the top part.

Second, most come with a pump or air fill, be sure to make sure of this when renting one. Hook this pump up and plug it in. It is that easy. Now continue to set up your party, the inflatable trampoline will be ready in about 3 hours, sometimes less. It might be a good idea to set it up the night before. To take it down, just reverse this process, fold it up neatly for the next person, and put it back in its case. That’s it, but be sure to have lots of fun.

Setting up party favors and the like is akin to making sure everyone has a good time, and adding an inflatable trampoline is a really good way to see that everyone has a good time. So long as you’re careful and plan ahead, you and your kids will have a great time.

Feel like a kid again! Get tips on buyingatrampoline.com buying a trampoline, buyingatrampoline.com/water_trampoline/ water trampoline and buyingatrampoline.com/trampoline_replacement/ cheap replacement trampoline parts at BuyingATrampoline

There’s nothing to do today. I’m so bored!

Why do I have to clean the kitchen again? I cleaned it yesterday morning.

Is it my turn to use the car?

My room isn’t a mess. That’s my stuff. I can’t throw out my stuff!

Why do they make us go to school at 7:45 in the morning? Can’t we just sleep in?”

Ah, the life of a teenager. My sister said it wouldn’t be easy. Our neighbors tell me, “Take it like water off a duck’s back.” Uncle Bob says, “Kids are spoiled these days.” My father suggests, “Just do the best you can.” Dale Carnegie writes, “Never criticize, condemn or complain.”

I’m sure there is at least one right answer among these but being a comedian I keep my sanity by finding humor in this ever-growing list of grievances. Remembering my own teenager years, I felt I had a legitimate list of complaints. Every bump in the road that seemed out of my control upset the apple cart. Being well on the other side of this transition, I am amazed and humored by the trauma that can be found in everyday living for a teenager.

Being a mom, I know my place well in society when accompanying a teenager. When I drop my daughter off at a movie, I have to stay low and out of sight as if we are on some sort of undercover drug operation.

There is an “up” side. When I go out with a friend, I am so happy to be out in public with someone who is not embarrassed to be seen with me.

We live one block from the school. Being a trained mom, I know I dare not venture outside of my house when other teenagers are walking to school. Nobody can be seen with “MOM” – that is so uncool. No more hugs and kisses “good-bye” in the driveway. No more helping with backpacks or school lunches. I laugh at the thought that I am now a troll mom living in my troll house. I realize that one wink of the eye could ruin my teenagers rank among fellow teenagers. … This troll has power!

Do you think my husband is intimidated by his lack of cool? Hardly. He holds the keys to high school life in the pocket of his terrycloth robe. One too many complaints from the teen gallery and he threatens to run out the front door – his dog fur covered robe blowing in the wind with a striped boxer short teaser.

Fellow trolls – love these days of transition. Remember your own transition to adulthood. It’s a tough time and like it or lump it, appearance and status in Teenland is everything. We all know it – been there, done that. It’s so much fun being on the other side – fuzzy slippers, bleach-stained t-shirt, sans makeup, knowing who’s really in control!

Sally Edwards is a professional keynote speaker, corporate humorist, author and clean comedian. Sally Edwards brings her clean comedy to trade shows, fund raisers and corporate events.

comedybysally.com comedybysally.com

“People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.”
– Anonymous

“A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.”
– Anonymous

“Let us not drink to the past, but to the future.”
– Anonymous

“The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows.”
– George William Curtis

“The New Year, like an Infant Heir to the whole world, was waited for, with welcomes, presents, and rejoicings.”
– Charles Dickens

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
– T.S. Eliot

“Be at war with your vices; at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” bellaonline.com/articles/art14071.asp” target=”new
– Benjamin Franklin

“New Year’s eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.”
– Hamilton Wright Mabie

“The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year’s Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you’re married to.”
– P. J. ORourke

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
– Edith Lovejoy Pierce

“The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months!”
– Edward Payson Powell

“Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.”
– Lord Tennyson

“It wouldn’t be New Year’s if I didn’t have regrets.”
– William Thomas

“Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you … but your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others.”
– Unknown

“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other.”
– Unknown

“Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits.”
– Unknown

“Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to.”
– Bill Vaughan

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”
– Bill Vaughan

“It Depends on Us… Another year lies before us like an unwritten page, an unspent coin, an unwalked road. the pages will read, what treasures will be gained in exchange for time, or what we find alone the way, will largely depend on us.”
– Esther Baldwin York

Resource Box – © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp” target=”new BellaOnline Quotations Zine – A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like – love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it – bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp” target=”new online

Glow parties are catching the eyes of some very vigilant party planners prowling around for the next unique birthday party decoration idea. So what exactly is a ‘glow party’? Well it’s a party where everything from the streamers to the napkins to the cake, glows! Glow sticks lying around, glow-in-the-dark moons and stars hanging from walls and ceilings, glowing lights everywhere and glowing candles on a glowing cake all make for an extraordinary birthday party! Kids and adults alike will be utterly impressed and amazed at the sight of the decorations…literally! And the best part is that the party can be held in the day! All you need to do is turn out the lights and instantly you will have a room full of decorations that will take your breath away!

Now this idea for a birthday party décor might be a little outrageous for those neat-freaks out there, but birthday parties are no time to be routine and uptight! Loosen up and have some real fun with a Paint Party. It’s a theme birthday party, but it is certainly the best theme party anyone could have! Your main decoration; paint! Adults will love it, kids will love it even more and who knows, you might even be tempted to have paint parties year round! Paint parties can be organized in many different ways. For the neat/clean freaks, you might want to opt for an open area such as a park, but for those of you who like a little adventure you can host this birthday party in the back yard.

Just to let you know, this type of paint is specially made for occasions like this, so they are non-toxic, they do not stain and they are 100% safe to use. But one way to throw a really great paint party, is to decorate the space you choose in a military style, with forts and traps and even off-the-ground safety places, and let the paint fly! You can use paint ball guns, but many people find that it stings too much and plus those big jumpsuits really hold you back. So a great substitute is paint guns, which work like water guns but made to squirt paint which is much thicker than water. Paint bombs made from balloons and even paint tankers with hoses attached to buckets of paint and stationed at various locations. The things you can do when throwing a paint party are limitless, just remember to wear goggles!

And lastly, this type of birthday party needs some decorations that are not so birthday-party-run-of-the-mill stuff. It calls for big speakers, loud music and lots of Rock n Roll merchandise! Throwing a ‘Rock Star for a Day’ birthday party is not for the faint of heart because it will definitely involve awesomely loud music, mosh pits, stage diving and crowd surfing. And there are many ways to pull this kind of party off, the best being to rent a local music studio or underground venue and decorate it as though it was made for Rock! Shredded posters, pieces of torn jeans, stains on the wall and even a little fake blood here and there won’t hurt. But if having your own exclusive rock n roll birthday bash isn’t enough then get a real live band to perform! There are tons of undiscovered local bands out there, so find one in your area and let them rock your socks off! Who knows, they might even do it for free.

Find more great gift giving tips and ideas at giftsandtoys.info/ giftsandtoys.info a website offering tips, advice and resources on topics such as choosing giftsandtoys.info/baptism-gifts.html baptism gifts, birthday gifts and even giftsandtoys.info/maternity-gifts.html maternity gifts.

Flat Wash Technique – The flat wash technique is one of the more basic and common of the various techniques. The flat wash technique is usually used when large areas of the canvas need to be covered. You will want to lay out the watercolor wash evenly and uniformly. First you will need to dampen the area of your canvas where you will be applying the watercolor wash. Make certain to have an adequate amount of water and pigment available before your start. If you should have to stop for any reason, it will be difficult to match your layers. It is better to have more than less available. The angle at which you apply the watercolor wash is important. If the angle is too steep your wash will run down the paper. If the angle is too level, then you won’t have enough movement. Use a large brush for this technique and start your first stroke at the top of the paper. Continue applying the watercolor wash going down the paper, but alternate sides as you move down.

Glazing Technique – The glazing technique is when you apply a thin transparent color over a completed dry layer of color. This technique creates some very interesting blends of new color. You will need to use a non-staining, transparent color for this watercolor technique. You should use a soft brush and don’t apply that much pressure.

Wet In Wet Technique – Wet in wet is simply applying a wet wash over a wet surface. You start by evenly wetting the paper with a brush or spray bottle. Have a sponge handy to absorb any excess water. You want your paper to be evenly saturated. Then apply your watercolor.

Dry Brush Technique – With the dry brush technique, your paper is completely dry. You then apply a fairly dry pigment with very little water to the paper.

The dry brush technique should only be used where you want to draw focus or create texture in your painting. It’s always a good idea to use various watercolor brush techniques in a single painting. This results in a more interesting painting.

Lifting Off Technique – Artists use this technique when they want to remove watercolor from a certain area of the panting. It is usually done by first wetting the area that needs to be removed with a clean sponge and then absorbing the color with a tissue. If you find that the color does not come off right away, then let the water soak in a bit longer and try again. If you still are unable to remove the color, then dampen a bristle brush and gently scrub the area. You should use extreme care with this watercolor technique, as there is a risk you can damage the paper.

I hope this article on watercolor techniques has helped. Happy Painting!

Ralph Serpe is webmaster and founder of CreativeSpotlite.com. Visit Creative Spotlite today for more creativespotlite.com/watercolor-lessons.htm” target=”_blank watercolor techniques, including free step by step demonstrations by experienced watercolor artists.

This puts a lot of pressure on the shower planner. She often feels that she must throw a huge bash — but this isn’t necessarily true.

Yes, you can host a fun, memorable baby shower with a lot less effort (and stress) than you might expect.

Obviously, you’ll need to devote some time to planning the shower. But don’t over-plan. For example, if you’ve attended a successful shower at a certain location in the past, it’s usually perfectly acceptable to host your shower there as well.

Even though some of the guests might have attended a shower there before, this isn’t necessarily a problem. Baby showers tend to be more casual than other types of events. Therefore, you don’t need to have each shower in a new location.

Also, don’t be too formal. For example, planned seating arrangements might be a bad idea. The guests seated away from the mom-to-be might feel slighted. Better to have an informal setup, where all the seating is arranged around the guest of honor in the middle.

Similarly, don’t go overboard on the decorations. The point of a shower is to have fun, after all. Large, expensive centerpieces and other decorations will be out of place when your guests are playing games involving diapers or Winnie the Pooh.

The above is also a good reason to keep to a reasonable budget. Keep the shower fun, and nobody will care how much you spent.

So how can you keep it fun? Shower games are a great way to do this. First of all, some of the guests might not know each other, and a game or two should break the ice nicely. In a 2-3 hour shower, you’ll have time for several games. Make sure they are designed to get the guests off the couch and interacting with each other.

Finally, don’t ask too much of your guests. They’ll all be harried enough trying to pick out a good gift for the new mom, and making it to the shower on time. Your shower will be more successful if you don’t expect the guests to bring food, decorations, props for the games, and everything else.

Otherwise, you’ll find that some guests will forget some of their items, or just not have time to prepare everything. If you try to keep their workload minimal, your shower will go a lot more smoothly.

Overall, the most important thing to remember about your shower is this: keep it fun!

Marisa Meidle has both attended and hosted plenty of baby showers. For more of her ideas, visit her squidoo.com/freebabyshowergames Free Baby Shower Games page.

1. I have a room just for sewing, right next to the kitchen and away from
the bedrooms. I can dash in there and sew a few seams whenever I find
(literally) a minute. I bound a quilt during the commercials on a movie on
Sunday night – the TV was on in the kitchen, so I knew when to go back.

2. Put your sewing pressing on the ironing board at the end of each sewing
session, alongside your clothes ironing. When you iron some clothes, get
your sewing pressing done too.

3. Put a small table next to your favourite comfortable chair and ALWAYS
have some hand-sewing on it. So if you sit down for even a few minutes you
can get a little hand-sewing done without having to hunt for something to do
first.

4. Make up an attractive bag with a full sewing kit and a small hand-sewn
project in it. This is your “take anywhere” project, and you pick it up
whenever you think there is any possibility that you could be stuck
somewhere and can get some hand-sewing done. I keep mine on my small table
next to my chair, so that I only have one hand-sewing project to worry about at a time.

5. Keep all your sewing tools (scissors, rotary cutter, etc) in a central
place like a basket (I use a big pencil case). And keep this basket next to you as you sew so that you always put the tools back in it. That way you
will never have to waste time searching for tools. Also, you can grab this
quickly as you rush out the door late for a class! Also, I keep my bobbins
in three separate bobbin cases – marked “polyester”, “cotton” and
“quilting”. The plastic bobbins have “p”, “c” or “q” written on them too,
so I always know what I have in my hand.

6. Use zip-lock bags to store all the bits and pieces of each project.
Even if you have to pack it all away at the end of the day, you won’t waste
time searching for anything. If you are using any special threads, trims,
etc, put these in the zip lock bag too.

7. Binding can be almost completely sewn on by machine (sew on the front as
normal, fold it to the back so that the binding overlaps the first seam by
about a quarter of an inch, pin well, then ditch-stitch from the front). It
doesn’t give as neat a finish as hand-sewing, and you might have to finish
off the corners by hand, but it is quick.

8. When you buy the fabric for the quilt top, or when you start a project
from stash fabrics, buy or set aside the fabric for the backing and the
batting as well. Store these with the top while it is in progress. When
the top is finished, the next step – without stopping for breath! – is to
baste the quilt and then start quilting. If you pack the top away because
you have to go out and get batting and backing you might never get back to
it. A quilt is not a quilt until it is a quilt – it is a quilt top and,
unless you want to use it for a tablecloth, it is not finished!

9. Keep your tools in good condition. When you put a new blade in your
rotary cutter, buy the next one. Nothing slows you down like a blunt cutter
(two cuts instead of one). Have your scissors sharpened regularly. Keep
your different types of pins in different containers so you don’t have to
hunt through one big pin tin for the right sort of pin. Change your sewing
machine needles regularly (I use a new piecing needle and a new quilting
needle for every second quilt). Clean the fluff out of your sewing machine
after every quilt.

10. Look after your patterns. The small zip-lock bag most patterns come in
are seldom large enough to keep it all in after you have opened it up and
pored over it, and never big enough to hold all the templates and little
scraps of paper you add when it is an applique pattern. Put the pattern in
a large zip-lock bag and keep it all together, rather than trying to squeeze
it all back in the original bag (trust me – it’s hard enough for me to fit
my paper-hungry patterns in the original bag before you buy it, let alone
after you have opened it up! ). If you can’t fit all the bits and pieces
in the bag you might leave some out and then that wastes time in looking for
them later.

Christine Abela
Gecko Gully quilts and socks: geckogully.com/ geckogully.com
Web site development: geckogully.com/websites/ geckogully.com/websites
Once-A-Month Cooking: geckogully.com/oamc/ geckogully.com/oamc
Gifts: geckogully.com/gifts geckogully.com/gifts

One thing that parents can model is to value ‘effort’ and ‘risk’. Kids whose parents praise things like ‘trying,’ ‘giving their best effort’ and ‘finishing what they’ve started’ seem to have kids who try, give their best effort and finish things! While competition is a great teacher, there are also times that it is as important to reward participation as achievement.

Rewarding the courage to compete builds confidence and helps to combat the stigma attached to losing. People often forget that losing is nature’s best teacher. High achieving adults we’ve interviewed confirmed that adversity and struggle (e.g. ‘losing’) taught them what they needed to do to win the next time!

Kids shouldn’t be afraid of losing. Hug and praise them no matter how well or poorly they do. Go easy on the sympathy if they lose. Soft-pedal the congratulations if they win. In either case, ask them what they learned or what they’ll try next time.

Remember, your offsprings’ ‘won/loss’ record is not a reflection of your parenting skill– but their attitudes, values and ethics are. Whether they win or lose you can teach them to show the same respect for everyone who competes, to push themselves toward improvement and give to their best.

As with so many aspects of being a parent, it’s all in how you approach it.

Andrea Patten is the co-author of What Kids Need to Succeed: Four Foundations of Adult Achievement which is now available on Amazon.com

For more information about ‘The Four Foundations’ please visit whatkidsneedtosucceed.com whatkidsneedtosucceed.com

“…because you’re not raising a child – you’re raising a future adult”

What makes me so sure? I come from a home with nine divorces. My mom struggled with alcoholism, my dad was a bartender, and my stepfather produced pornography for a short time… needless to say, my family was crazy! Today, I am a happily married minister and conference speaker. I speak to well over 100,000 people a year.

Maybe this sounds familiar to you. The statistics speak for themselves. At present, more than 70 percent of the world’s families suffer from generational dysfunction and conflict. Often when the dysfunction is handed down to the next generation, the cycle repeats itself with greater severity. Parents struggle to keep their families from eroding as they helplessly watch their children – or themselves – fall into familiar patterns of self-destruction. Fortunately, there is a way to change your future.

So, how did I get from point A to point B? I had to leave my excess baggage behind. This is the simple five-step process I went through:

1. Learn to see things from a different perspective. I must realize that change is not only possible, it is part of my forecast. It will happen!

2. Learn where my destructive behavior comes from. I must identify my destructive habits and their origins.

3. Learn to start new and healthy habits. I must begin to replace those old destructive habits with new and healthy ones.

4. Learn to forgive and be forgiven. I must ask forgiveness of everyone I have offended and extend forgiveness to all who have offended me.

5. Learn to make friends who build me up instead of tear me down. I must form a group of trusted confidants who will push me to be a healthy person instead of pull me down to a lower level.

No matter what type of family you came from, you can overcome generational dysfunction. If you dread looking in the mirror one day, only to see one of your parents staring back at you, you can prevent what seems inevitable. You can become the parent you always wanted to have, instead of the parent you had while you were growing up.

It’s never too late. Change is within your power. When you break the cycle, you will enable your children to continue your success, and start a new trend of generational function in your family.

Jason Frenn is the author of Power to Change, an inspirational book that lays out his five-step process for personal transformation in greater detail. Visit him online at frenn.org frenn.org or summitbooks.net summitbooks.net