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From all of us here at More4kids, Happy 4th of July. The Fourth of July celebrates the birth of the United States of America. Founded July 4th 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, America is celebrating its 232nd birthday this year (2008). 

It is a time for families and friends not only to come together and have fun, but also a time to honor our Veterans and men and women who are putting their lives in danger every day for us, and those who have made the biggest sacrifice for our freedom with their lives. Try to throw your politics aside, and let us all take a moment to think about, and be grateful to all who wear the American uniform, and to our police and firefighters who protect us day in and out. They all deserve our recognition and thanx, more than we can put in words. And don’t forget the spouses and families of those in uniform. It takes very special people to be part of a military family, and our hearts, thanx, and recognition should go out to them too.

No matter whether you travel across the country to celebrate our nation’s birthday, or decide to stay at home in your own backyard, there are many different ways to make this a very special holiday.

All that is needed for a fantastic Fourth are three key ingredients:

1. A Plan
2. Preparation
3. and much, much Enthusiasm.

We’ll provide the plan to get you started!

Ready? Set?

Not lets get the ball on the road and get going!

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Any parent knows that grocery shopping can get pretty expensive, especially when buying food for an entire family. As a mother of two I know how much groceries can cost each month, especially when buying everything from breakfast to dinner and even snacks. As kids grow bigger so do their appetites. They can all add up to a pretty penny, and can cost a family hundreds of dollars a month to keep everyone in their household satisfied. There are many ways to save money on groceries, but it requires smart shopping and a little dedication.

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Separation anxiety can be a very traumatic thing for both parents and children.  Often times, parents feel a sense of anxiety when leaving their child for the first time.  And in some instances, the children can feel the sense of anxiety and it will actually raise their own anxiety.  However, there are a variety of different steps you can take and work through the anxiety.  Typically speaking, separation anxiety begins around the ages of 8 months to 18 months.  And while it may seem like a terrible ordeal to go through, your little one will learn some valuable lessons.  Your child will learn that while you may leave, you will always return. 

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by Jennifer Shakeel

In today’s society it is hard for an grown adult to have high self esteem, so imagine what it is like for a child. Bombarded by images on television, in magazines, billboards as well as the radio that very few people can live up to. It is important that we are teaching our children how to like who they are as people. Liking yourself is what self esteem is.

There are a number of books you can read and books that you can get for your child that all talk about self esteem and how to improve it, but if you are interested in what works the best then you need to take a look at what you are doing as a parent. The best role model in the world is you. How you talk to your child, and respond to what they say has a huge impact on their level of self esteem.

I will never forget the day that my daughter came home and asked me if I thought she was fat. I asked her why she would ever think she was fat, “I don’t look like Britney Spears.” I looked at her and told her that she was an absolutely beautiful 5 year old that had way more going for her then Miss Britney did, and so far I have been right. Yes, I said five years old… she was in kindergarten. It broke my heart really.

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By Dr. Caron Goode

One of most frustrating stages of toddlerhood can be when a child learns to master the word “no.”

Between the ages of 15 and 30 months, a toddler begins to realize that he is a separate person from his parents; a person who has his own will and his own mind. As this realization sets in, a child begins to discover his independence and begins to practice asserting this independence to all who will listen. It’s this stage of development that is usually marked by a child singing a seemingly continuous chorus of a loud and proud “no.”

Although on the surface it may seem that the child is being defiant and difficult, a young child who is constantly saying “no” is in a monumental phase of early childhood development. When parents aren’t coached to recognize this stage for what it is, the result can be frequent power struggles between parent and child.

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Today’s teenagers are constantly subjected to various types of anxiety and stress. Doing a good job parenting can be a challenge in these situations. As parents, church leaders, teachers, activity directors, and any other type of individual that deals directly with teenagers, it is essential to know and understand the amount of stress this age group faces, as well as the potential anxiety that may be experienced. As a parent, it is often difficulty to approach a teenager and discuss the topics of potential anxiety and even basic stress. However, it is not only our responsibility as parents, but necessary for the emotional intellect of our teenage children.

What is Teen Stress?

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Parenting and being a parent is probably the hardest job a person can have. It involves long hours, sacrifices, and constant adaptability. It is also the most rewarding job any person can have. The method of raising children changes over the years as more and more information is provided and more studies into what works and what does not are presented. There is one thing however that does not change no matter what parenting style you have chosen to use with your children and that is the battles you will have in regards to authority.

It is the nature of children to rise up against their parents on issues when they are younger to see what they can get away with as they grow older to gain their independence. As a parent it is important to know when to stand your ground and when letting the child make the decision for themselves is appropriate.

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And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

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According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, the United States had 902,270 public charities in 2006. You can choose to give you money to help build houses for the poor, find cures for diseases, protect endangered animals, or help children learn to read. The problem isn’t finding a charity to support, but narrowing down your options and choosing the one you find most worthy.

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Schools out and summer is finally here. How are you going to keep your child occupied and at the same time stimulate their young minds? Summer can be a fun and exciting time for children and their families. Generally, a break is given over the summer months and educational lessons are ceased until the fall. If you are a homeschooling parent, and interested in supplementing your childs education, it is important to know and understand that while the traditional lessons do not fit into the scheme of summer, it does not mean that learning has to cease. There are many fun summer projects you can do with your child! Here are some fun summer activites and projects for your child. If you are at a loss for extra projects and activities, this may the right read for you!

Plant a Garden

Planting a garden is a very popular fun summer projects for homeschoolers. The family can decide together what type of garden is to be planted. They may choose to plant an herb garden, a flower garden, or even a vegetable garden. Then, all of the supplies should be gathered and everyone should play a large role in creating and planting. Family members should also take the time to assist in the maintenance of the garden as well. Not only can children enjoy learning about how things grow, they can develop a sense of accomplishment once they see their gardens grow! Don’t forget to take plenty of random pictures while the children care for the new garden!

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As a parent one of the most nerve racking experiences we have to do is find a reliable and trustworthy babysitter. Someone that we can believe will do a good job taking care of our child or children whether it is for a few hours on an as needed basis or someone the is going to care for them daily while we are working.

Here we are going to offer a number of tips for you to help you interview a potential babysitter. I recommend asking these questions whether you are looking at hiring a teenager or an adult.

First, do a prescreening call prior to setting up an interview with the potential babysitter. During this prescreening phone call you want to ask the following questions when interviewing a potential babysitter:

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For many families, adoptions are a way of getting the baby they have always dreamed of having.  However, adopting an infant can often prove to be very difficult.  In the United States, infants are often hard to adopt. Therefore, many people turn to international adoptions.  In many cases, adopting internationally can be very successful and fulfilling. 
After you have made the decision to adopt, you must next decide what country you would like to adopt a child from.  In order to pick a country that will work with your needs, you will want to make sure you do sufficient research.  Each country has its own rules and regulations that must be followed.

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It is the parent’s responsibility to help teach and prepare our children for what lies ahead in their lives, to show them what the values of Green Living, and learning about the earth are really all about. These Green Living Tips are targeted more to the parents than to the children, simply because the child will be at such a young age. Whatever a parent does with their kids will be as much fun for the parent as for the child.

When a parent starts teaching their children while they are young, it sets in their mind and most of the time, the things you teach them will always be with them. If you live in a rural area, and you have a garden spot, give your child a small space for them to grow something of their own. For instance, Don’t just plant vegetables, make it fun for the youngsters, let them plant things that they would like, even if it is something like gourds, or watermelons. A parent would take the time to make sort of a game with their young ones, buying some seeds, showing the child how to plant them and then taking their child outside often to check the progress of the plants. Once the plant blooms, if it is a flower, the child will get to see and smell the work that they have put into this project. If the plant was a food source, the child will get to taste the fruit of their hard work. There is not only gardening in the spring, but there are fall veggies that can be planted. You can even sit down with your children and let them help pick out the flowers and vegetables for next years garden.

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There are many fun, family crafts and projects that can be pursued when it comes to arts and crafts. Many families use their computers and other electronic devices to assist them when it comes to creating a project. Now, there is a new product on the market that I have found to be extremely fun and productive when it comes to creating fun projects with my children. This product is called Cricut. When pronounced, it sounds like you are saying “cricket”. This is a cutting system that is electronic based. However, the upside is that it does not require an actual computer. Here, I will tell you a little about how you can create fun family projects – the easy way!

Today we are going to be reviewing the features of the Cricut. It is a revolutionary machine that actually cuts an assortment of materials in many different ways. No more buying special printer paper or messing with patterns that can be really difficult to work with! Now, you can just insert the material, decide on how you want it cut and go from there. There are many exciting projects that you can choose from when it comes to cutting with this particular tool:

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