In today’s hectic world, it’s not always easy to find ME TIME. In fact, sometimes we might feel guilty about wanting a bit more of it. But in reality, without time to unwind or to pursue our own interests we can end up a tightly wound ball of nerves ready to explode. That’s not goof for you or your family.

Download this free guide and learn:

• The benefits of me time.
• Re-evaluating how you’re currently spending your time.
• Finding the time YOU need.
• Pitfalls to avoid.
• …and more.

Click here to download your free printable guide (PDF Format)*

This Guide is Brought to You By:

This guide is generously provided by Journey to Joy, your guide to a more fulfilling life as a mom.

*You will need Adobe Acrobat Viewer to read this file. You can download it for free here.

Snoring is often the source of many jokes. In truth, it can actually be the hallmark of a rather serious health problem known as sleep apnea. There are different types of snoring, and not all who snore suffer from sleep apnea.

If you’ve tried lifestyle changes such as losing weight and quitting or reducing smoking and alcohol consumption in addition to changing your sleeping position – all without results, then you may want to consult with a physician to rule out sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition in which you literally stop breathing several times throughout the night while sleeping. In some cases, the duration of an interruption is over a minute and the interruptions can occur as many as hundreds of times during any given night.

This condition can be fatal, so it’s important that you consult your doctor if you suspect that your snoring is more than a moderate irritation. You should also feel that your sleep is far less productive and feel tired throughout the day if you suffer from sleep apnea.

The good news for those who suffer from sleep apnea is that there are many treatments that are available that do not involve surgery. Chances are that your physician will want to try the less invasive methods before resorting to surgical procedures that may or may not be necessary in order to properly treat your case of sleep apnea.

The first step your doctor is likely to take is to identify the specific apnea that plagues your sleep. There are three different types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Obstructive is the one you will hear the most about, since it’s the most common one.

Once your particular apnea is discovered, you and your physician will work out a treatment plan in order to correct or minimize your apnea. Common treatments for obstructive sleep apnea include behavioral changes such as diet and exercise, medications such as nasal sprays with steroids, thyroid replacement therapy medications, and weight loss medications, dental appliances and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, which are devices that deliver constant air pressure through a facemask in order to keep the airways open.

While these devices and treatment options are not one size fits all, they can be highly effective when used either alone or in conjunction with other treatment options. Physical fitness tends to be a big problem for those with sleep apnea.

The cycle is vicious with the result of the apnea being a lack of energy that would be required in order to burn off the necessary calories to achieve weight loss. Talk to your physician if you’re overweight and suffering from sleep apnea. He or she may be able to prescribe medication for weight loss that will assist with both. The worst thing you can do for sleep apnea is to do nothing.

By Aurelia Williams, author of Understanding Your Teen

Ah, dating. It’s a part of every teen’s life. It’s also a source of stress for most parents when their child reaches this pivotal point. It doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are a few tips to help you keep the fear at bay when your teenager starts dating.

Age: More than a Number

Just because it seems like everyone other parent on the planet is letting their teen date, doesn’t mean you have to. Especially if your teen isn’t ready. Keep an eye out for signs that your teen is really ready to date. Dating shouldn’t be based on age alone. Take into consideration maturity and not just physical maturity. Emotional and mental maturities are more important when your teen starts dating.

Open Communication

Keep the lines of communication open. Talk to your teen and be honest about your feelings. Listen to their feelings as well. You might be surprised to find that they are just as scared as you are. Also, don’t immediately go off the deep end the first time you hear the phrase “Check her out!” or “He’s hot!” Be there for your teen when they experience the good and the bad of their dating experiences.

Groups Dates

If you are uncomfortable letting your teen go on a one on one date, try letting them go with a group the first few of times. Even if the group is split up in pairs, it still allows your teen to feel like he/she fits in, but you’ll have the safety of knowing that it’s not just your teen against one other if something were to go wrong. Public places, such as bowling alleys or miniature golf courses are a great option for group dates.

Respect all Around

Teach your teen to respect the opposite sex long before they begin dating. Remember, they can’t respect someone else before they respect themselves. Make sure your teen truly respects him/her before allowing them to date.

Rules

Set rules before your teen begins dating and stick with them. The days of courting and getting permission may be gone, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to know who your teen is with, where they are going, how they are getting there, and when they’ll be home. Set a curfew that you feel comfortable with and keep in mind any laws in your area when doing so. Just because your town’s curfew may be midnight, doesn’t mean your teen should stay out that late if you aren’t comfortable with it. However, an 8 o’clock curfew won’t go over well at all and will likely lead to rebellion from your teen at some point. Find a happy medium that you are both comfortable with.

Need More Help?

Here are two guides to help you reconnect with your teen, so you can help them with the rocky road of being a teenager.

1. Real Life Guidance to Understanding Your Teen shows you how to accept what you can and cannot control in your teen’s life, how to cope with mood swings, keeping the lines of communication open.

2. Real Life Guidance to Helping Your Teen in High School includes practical suggestions to help your child find his/her identity, avoid bullies, handle peer pressure and more.

Grab them both to be armed with the easy-to-follow advice at your fingertips. They’re available for instant download, which means you can get the help you need any day of the week, even if it’s the middle of the night.

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RSV or respiratory syncytial virus causes respiratory infections among infants and small children. Is your newborn at risk for RSV?

Most likely to occur during the winter months, RSV is characterized by cough and cold like symptoms. However, an infant who is exposed to anyone who has a cold can develop a severe infection in their lower respiratory tract. Because newborns are susceptible in the first few weeks of their being born, developing RSV can result in their having to be hospitalized.

If you notice your baby is having problems breathing; appears to be less active and listless; is not too interested in eating; take the baby to your doctor as soon as possible. Your pediatrician will prescribe medication immediately. If your doctor feels that your baby merely has a stuffy nose or cough, treatment may not be required as the RSV is not severe.

In order to ensure your baby does not become infected with RSV, keep the baby away from anyone who has a cold. Since RSV affects adults as well, it is advisable to ensure that anyone who comes in contact with your baby has clean hands and, if necessary, wears a face mask to avoid transmitting any kind of infection to your baby.

Keep in mind, too, that once RSV has cleared up, it is unlikely any damage to the lungs has occurred. During the winter months, keep your child at home. Use preventative measures to ensure anyone with a cold or virus does not come in contact with your baby. While all newborns are at risk for different types of infections, in addition to RSV, the rule of thumb is to wait until the baby is a few months old before venturing out.

As a mom, you may have other children attending school. Try not to take your baby to a school or any other public place where germs and other factors can be a contributory factor. Keep your home relatively free of germs and if any symptoms begin to appear, call your doctor.

By Aurelia Williams, author of Getting out of the SuperMom Trap

Mothers are expected to possess huge hearts, big shoulders, a minimum of 3 hands, all the answers and the list goes on! What many mothers forget is they are not born with super hero powers to handle all of those things at once.

Mom = Stress. It’s a fact of life. Reducing stress is of the utmost importance to everyone, but especially mothers – and precisely why I put together my guide for moms on Getting out of the SuperMom Trap.

You know stress can lead to depression, heart disease, and an unhealthy mom. Did you also know your stress, if not handled correctly, can have a negative impact on your children too?

The most important things in a mother’s life, her children, are also the most influential. Children are sponges and everything Mom does they will, at some point in time in their lives, mimic. If children see their mother constantly stressed out, they will be more inclined to follow those patterns. What you do today can determine the kind of life your child will lead tomorrow, including how you make it a point to reduce stressful situations.

Mothers tend to overload themselves, which in turn overloads their children. Adults move at a much faster pace and their bodies are more adept to handle the speed of life. Children, on the other hand, are not able to function this way, which can lead to developmental and behavior problems in the long run if constantly pushed to keep up with an adult’s quicker pace.

Studies have shown a mother who is under excessive amounts of stress will hand out harsher punishments than one who is not. Prolonged stress can cause a mother to get to the point that she feels overwhelmed and will not stop to think before handing down discipline. This type of behavior teaches children it is ok to let your mood control your life as a parent

Children need to feel a sense of security and know that their mom is there to help them work through and understand the stressful times in their lives. If children are not taught what stress is and why it is a part of their lives, they will never learn how to reduce it, therefore leading them down a path of unhappiness and unhealthy choices. Give them the tools early about how to deal with stress and more importantly, how to reduce the amount of stress that occurs in their lives.

There is no one who lives an entirely stress-free life. In fact, you shouldn’t want your children to have a life with absolutely no stress. The day will come that a stressful situation occurs and they will have no idea how to cope with it, which is cause for an extremely negative outcome.

As a mother you must show your children that stress does not have to control your life. Mother’s have a tendency to try and do it all; even when they know they are not capable. STOP! Make a point, each day, to reduce your stress levels. Eliminating just one stressful situation can make a world of difference in the way you feel and how your children handle stress as adults.

Need More Help?

Sometimes removing stress and the overwhelm is easier said than done. Pick up your copy of Real Life Guidance to Getting out of the SuperMom Trap. It includes practical ideas to help you get rid of the guilt, the stress and enjoy your life. Click here to learn more and instantly download your copy.

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The biggest problem organic gardeners face is dealing with pests. An infestation of aphids or cutworms can absolutely devastate a garden! You can have an entire row of plants wiped out in days, or even hours.

It’s important to try to prevent infestations, rather than just treating them once they occur. You can do this by spraying your plants with solutions that deter many of the most common garden pests.

There are many organic solutions available, but you can make your own by using recipes that can be found in most organic gardening books. Most of them will be sort of like a tea, made with things like hot pepper sauce and garlic.

When you can, you should try to plant species that are native to the area in which you live. These plants have natural immunity to many common diseases in the area. There are also plants that are pest-resistant, and won’t have as many problems with pests as other varieties.

If you plant early enough, you may be able to avoid the worst part of the bug season. Insects have just a short period of each year in which they will be active and eating your plants. If you plant early, you may be able to harvest before those insects terrorize your plants.

You should do everything you can to encourage natural insect predators like ladybugs, praying mantis, ground beetles, and birds. Some types of plants like mint and rosemary can attract many beneficial bugs that can help you keep other insects under control.

You should keep a close eye on your plants to spot potential problems before they get out of control. If you see a hornworm on your tomato plants, pluck it off quickly and drown it in soapy water. By watching your plants daily, you have a chance to stop these problems before they become too difficult to handle.

If you’re having trouble with a particular pest, you can take pictures and then try to identify the pest. Go online and try to search for it. If you can’t identify it, you can take your pictures to your local county extension office or library and ask for help identifying it.

Once you’ve identified the pest, you can ask your extension office for advice with regards to controlling it. Just be sure to tell them you’re an organic gardener, and ask them if they have any ideas for you.
You may be able to prevent some pests by installing netting over your plants. Although this is probably a last resort, you may be able to save your plants from utter devastation if you have a particularly bad season of beetles or other such bugs.
Just remember, netting will also prevent beneficial insects from reaching your plants, so if some pests make it through, it may be harder to detect them and for predator insects to control them.
Pest control is a very difficult part of organic gardening.
If you lose a crop to insects, you may be tempted to abandon organic gardening and rush out to buy a chemical spray. A lot of organic gardeners experience this! Don’t feel bad. It can certainly be very frustrating to deal with pests, especially when you’ve worked very hard to take care of your plants all season.

But just remember, organic gardening has so many benefits that it’s really worth it to go through all of the extra work. Your family will be rewarded with healthy food that is safe to eat!

Click here for organic pest control

By Aurelia Williams, author of Finding More Family Time

As a parent, you are familiar with the concept of “family time,” but have you ever sat down and thought about why it is important and the benefits it brings to both you and your children’s lives?

Many of today’s families are very busy. Most households need two incomes to survive. Some parents even hold down two or more jobs in order to make ends meet. Many parents feel out of balance when it comes to their working and family time and it’s one of the reasons I created the Finding More Family Time guide.

These feelings can lead to stress and anxiety. As you know, stress and anxiety lead to other health problems, such as head aches, irritability, depression, high blood pressure, and other ailments.

The time your children spend with you gives them many benefits. Spending time as a family provides your children with feelings of love, support, security and safety.

The various activities you engage in during family time provide your children with opportunities to learn new behaviors and skills. For example, teach younger children the alphabet by making a game out of it. If your elementary age child is learning about pollination, go for a walk and point out the many types of flowers you find.

Spending time with your middle school and high school aged children allows you to stay connected with them and to help them ward off peer pressure. When your child feels a connection to you and the morals you have taught them, they won’t have a high need for acceptance from peers. Your teen will be able to take pride in themselves and stand up for their own convictions.

Spending time together as a family can also be beneficial to your marriage. It’s no secret that the nation’s divorce rate is quite high. Family time isn’t just about a parent spending time with their children; it’s also about spouses spending time together. When both partners are actively making time for one another, the marriage will be stronger and less likely to fold.

While the importance of family time is clear; it isn’t always easy to find the time needed to enjoy family time. There are resources to help you, such as the report “Real Life Guidance: Finding More Family Time.” This report goes over many ways to help you find more family time and it also provides some fun (and inexpensive) ideas for how to spend your time together.

Need More Help?

Find even more family ideas in the Real Life Guidance to Finding More Family Time Guide. This practical guide will show you how to set reasonable expectations for all family members, balance work and life, get organized and more. Click here for more info.

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By Aurelia Williams, author of Finding More Family Time

You hear the complaints everyday from different people about how busy their lives are with work and after school activities. They never have any family time together because everybody is just so B-U-S-Y.

Rather than falling into the category of the “busy family who does not talk to each other,” simply take 30 minutes a day to reconnect with your family members. Here are some simple ideas you can use to form a family bond (and there are more in my instantly downloadable guide, Finding More Family Time):

1. Turn off the television. Focus your full attention on your spouse or child. Having someone’s undivided attention will boost your self-esteem no matter what your age.

2. Take a walk down memory lane. Laughing at the old-style fashions in the photo albums is a fabulous way to relive funny moments or to honor a beloved relative who has passed away.

3. Worship together. Daily prayer brings joy to the soul, helps us become more compassionate toward others and helps us to understand that life is precious.

4. Prepare meals together. Teach your kids that “the kitchen is the heart of the home.” Let your older children plan the dinner menu once a week and assign each family member a job so everyone has a chance to help.

5. Eat dinner together. Sit together at the table with no other distractions and learn about everyone’s day. Approach these discussions with openness and you will likely learn about the important events in your child’s life.

6. Plan an adventure. Head off for parts unknown with a map, a picnic lunch and a full tank of gas. Laugh when you make a wrong turn and hand off the map to see if another sibling can find their way home.

7. Go on dates. Parents should plan regular “dates” with each child individually. Sharing one-on-one time with each child makes him or her feel like they don’t have to compete with a sibling in order to be heard.

8. Enjoy the great outdoors. Taking the dog for a walk or riding your bikes around the park will give your family extra time to talk as well as keep the family healthy. To keep the activities new and fresh, let each family member choose an activity.

9. Exercise together. Working toward a common health goal as a team is easier than tackling a large goal all by yourself. Many gyms offer family memberships and you can share your experiences and your successes along your way to good health.

10. Plan a family fun night at home. Entertainment and quality family fun does not have to cost anything. Pull out some dusty board games, teach the kids a new card game or have dinner and a movie.
As the old saying goes, take some time to smell the roses and put your family first. No activity should be placed above spending time with the family. What a shame it would be to raise a child to adulthood and yet not truly know that person.

Need More Help?

Find even more family ideas in the Real Life Guidance to Finding More Family Time Guide. This practical guide will show you how to set reasonable expectations for all family members, balance work and life, get organized and more. Click here for more info.

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Product Name: Rainforest Jumperoo by Fisher Price
Where to buy: Amazon.com

Description: This product is a stand alone jumper to keep baby occupied while mama gets dinner ready, does some laundry or just takes a little break.

Review Submitted by: Michelle Morgan, Leawood, KS
Rating: 10
Michelle’s Review: My daughter loves this toy. She received it as a gift from grandma when she was four months old. It only took me about 10 minutes to put together.

My daughter can touch on the lowest setting and bounce a little. She is fascinated by the activity toys and lights. I love that it can be set up in any where, easily breaks down for travel, and that there are controls for the lights and music. It is very sturdy.

This toy is great. I would recommend it for anyone with little ones. We will get a lot of use for now and as she grows. Instead of being set up in a doorway it can go anywhere in a room. It breaks down for easy travel. It is rainforest themed with lots of bright colors and rainforest animals. The tray has three different activity sections with great lights and music. The seat swivels all the way around to allow access to all the activities. Two leaves attach at the top on each side with a toy can and a frog hanging down. There is control panel for the music and lights.

Learn more and read reviews: Click here.