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Why is an Early Teacher-Student Bond Important for Growth?

Teacher student

The education that normally children receive during their early stages is meant to shape the rest of their live in many ways.  By giving them the right kind of education, the children are able to develop their self regulating skills and enhance their ability to follow directions and maintain a self discipline. Thus an early education helps in shaping the future of a child.

Now parents undoubtedly play a crucial role in giving a shape to the future to their children. They help in developing the emotional competences in them which acts as a firm foundation for their future achievements both in terms of academics as well as an individual.  A proper guidance helps them in becoming an active member of the society and inculcates moral values in them. Thus the influence of parents creates a lifelong impact on children because they are their first teachers.

But if we think practically, the real struggle begins outside of their homes. Once the child gets enrolled in a pre-school, that’s when life actually happens! Since it is the first time when these children face a world away from home, things may get difficult for them.  They are out and about exploring the world, not sure exactly why they are doing this! And that’s when teachers come to the rescue.

A teacher is like the second guardian of the children. They play an important role in guiding the children as they step into a world so unfamiliar to them.  It is a prime responsibility of the teachers to support these children in terms of both social and economic competence. Under the guidance of the teacher the children get to have early experiences with following a routine, mating discipline, playing with other kids, experiencing new kind of emotions and other stuff.

Now since children at this age are very sensitive and everything is new to them in preschool, it is necessary to have a good teacher student bond during the early education period. When there is a healthy relationship between a teacher and the children, they will able to be more interactive and open to newness that they will be experiencing every single day of their early education.

Therefore a secure relationship is a must between the two. This can happen when the parents start making their children a little bit aware of what is going to happen once they will be enrolled in preschool, what they can expect and what changes they may face while will be different from home.  By making them aware of these little things before they start going to their preschool, will help them in bonding with the teachers and their classmates more easily.

Once a good bond is established between the children and the teacher, it will help them in becoming more interactive and will also help them in excelling in all fields of life like social, essential and academics. 

The early teacher student bond is built up on trust. When this relationship is healthy, the student will be more willing to follow the instruction of their teachers and be on the right track. Similarly even the teachers will be able to predict the thinking of these children and according can take calculated risk which will help them in getting comfortable with the newness around.

Thus early teacher student bond matters a lot for the proper growth ad development of the children.  It not only helps them in becoming emotionally strong but also brings out the confidence in them with which they can face the world.




Top 5 Questions to Ask Before A Paternity Test

Although paternity testing has now become a standard way to determine if someone is or is not the father of a child, there are many doubts about how it all works. With that in mind, here are some researched answers to commonly asked questions.

  • What type of test kit is the best?

Since there are so many test-kits now available for DNA testing in the marketplace, it can be hard to decide which one to use. The best way to make a decision is to do research on the manufacturer. If, as an example, you were to use YourDNA, you would find many online resources to learn more about the company and their paternity test kits.

  •  How accurate are paternity tests?

Although paternity testing has developed a reputation for accuracy, it is still technically possible for an occasional error to occur. Unfortunately, when this does happen, those concerned may never realize that an error has been made.

There are two ways to eliminate errors, even if they are unlikely to occur:

The alleged father and the child can have their DNA tested in three independent locations. If even one location shows a negative result, then the man is not the father. While a positive result could be due to an error, a negative result is conclusive.

The most accurate tests are those that use tissue or blood samples from the alleged father, the mother, and the child. The accuracy ranges from 90 to 99 percent.

  • What is the highest level of accuracy possible?

If your test comes back as 99.99 probability, it means that the accuracy is between 99 percent to 99.9999 percent. It is not possible to get 100 percent, because an absolutely perfect criterion is not used in DNA testing. If the result is a 99.99 probability, the chances that a man is the biological father is about as certain as you can get.

  • Is it possible to not know if the tester is the father?

Although a negative result shows that a man is not the father and a positive result shows that a man is probably the father, it is possible for a man to not know either way. 15 markers are used to determine results. While most tests show either “not excluded,” which means “yes,” or “excluded,” which means “no,” it is also possible to get another answer: “inconclusive.” An inconclusive result is due to one of two reasons: the sample did not have a high enough level of DNA or the father and child’s DNA is not unique enough to match them up. Both problems—insufficient DNA in the sample or insufficient DNA uniqueness—can be resolved by also getting the mother’s DNA. With more variables to work with, the medical technologists will be able to get to a “not excluded” or an “excluded” determination.

  • Is a mother able to get a DNA test done while she is still pregnant?

A DNA test requires a comparison between the child’s DNA and the father’s DNA. This can pose a problem, then, if the child has not yet been born and is still a fetus in the womb. Technically, it is still possible to get enough of a DNA sample from the child but it is not recommended. The child’s DNA can be obtained through chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis, but both are invasive procedures, which carries the risk of a miscarriage. For this reason, if though the risk is a small one, it is not recommended by the medical profession.

The answers to these common questions are useful to know before taking a paternity test.




Easy Fireplace Maintenance—Love the Heart of Your Home

Your fireplace can easily be described as the heart of your home; a cozy source of heat, smell and crackle. Spending family time around a fire, or decorating a fireplace, is part of the joy of the winter months. Taking proper care of your home’s fireplace is also extremely important, not only for cleanliness reasons, but also for optimal safety. A well-maintained fireplace lasts a lifetime. For homeowners with wood burning fireplaces at home, here are several easy maintenance tips to keep in mind:

Remove Ashes Regularly

fireplace

Homeowners should routinely clean their fireplaces and keep them free of ashes and other debris to ensure optimal performance. Keeping your fireplace free of ashes also minimizes the risk of fire hazards, and keeps dust levels at a minimum. To keep your fireplace clean, invest in the right type of tools including like heat-resistant brushes, shovel and fireplace tongs.

Prevent Smoke from Coming into Your Home

If smoke from the fireplace is continuously coming into your home, that’s an indication that something is wrong with your fireplace. If the interior of the fireplace is clean, make sure there isn’t any creosote or soot build-up in the chimney. Debris may get stuck up in the chimney and affect how smoke exits your home.

Being selective about what you burn inside your home is also an easy way to avoid unnecessary exposure to smoke and ashes. When starting a fire, make sure the damper on your fireplace or chimney is completely open. Avoid using too much newspaper when staring your fire, make sure the wood you’re using is completely dry and is not treated with paints or stains.

In some situations, a faulty damper could be the culprit. In need of advice from a professional? Online hating experts such as WeLoveFire.com can help with the troubleshooting process.

Examine Your Chimney

Your chimney should be routinely cleaned and verified to make sure it isn’t blocked or allowing harmful gases to enter your home. Most insurance companies may ask to verify your chimney before insuring your home. If ever you are in doubt of the condition of your chimney, it’s crucial that you have your fireplace and chimney inspected by a professional. It’s recommended to do so annually, or at least biannually if you can’t afford it. A professional would be more capable of assessing the structural soundness of your fireplace and chimney.

Cleaning your chimney every year is a great way to ensure your chimney is free of creosote build-up, avoiding the main cause of chimney fires. Creosote can be removed yourself using a good chimney brush, or by hiring a professional chimney sweeper.




Financial Obligations to Prepare for When Getting Divorced

Divorce

Whether you see the divorce coming because you initiated it or you were blindsided by the request when your partner said it was time, going through a divorce is tough. Even when you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse are amicable and work together to keep the situation as stress free as possible, there are still many financial obligations to consider and prepare for.

Child Support

Unless you and your spouse can come to an agreement without court intervention, the court will use a formula based on the amount of income you earn and the amount of time the children are in your custody to calculate the amount of child support you owe. This payment will be due every month, and will have to go through the courts to be modified in the event that circumstances change. Each state has their own rules and formulas for how the child support amount is calculated.

Alimony/Spousal Support

In many states, it’s still possible to request alimony or spousal support. This is especially the case for parents who have opted to stay at home with the kids rather than work. If you’re the spouse that’s responsible for the payments, you’ll need to plan accordingly. If you’re the spouse receiving the payments, you’ll still need to prepare for how you’ll earn income outside of that because in most cases, it’s not enough to live on. Each state also has its own rules about how to request spousal support and how it’s calculated.

Division of Assets

Who’s keeping what? If one spouse stays in the marital home, there’s the issue of getting the other spouse off the mortgage, which requires refinancing. If your credit or income isn’t good enough to stand on its own, you may have trouble. Who’s responsible for the mortgage while you wait for the home to sell, if both of you plan on living elsewhere? What about the cars and the loans on them? What about the joint checking account? Savings accounts? 401ks? Credit card debt?

While the courts will generally advocate a 50/50 split of all property – physical and otherwise, if the two of you cannot agree, this too, will go to court dragging out the process. If you don’t have a lawyer, this can easily get too complicated to handle on your own, which brings us to the next point.

Legal Fees

While it’s possible to get a divorce in your state without hiring a lawyer, you will likely have to pay a fee to the court for bringing up the case. Some states allow you to file indigent, which waives the court costs associated with the case.

In a high-conflict divorce where the two of you cannot decide on how to handle custody and child support or the division of assets, you will have no choice but to hire a lawyer to assist you. No matter how you cut it, lawyers aren’t exactly affordable. Your area may offer legal assistance for your divorce case if you have a low income, but you may still be responsible for a portion of the bill, depending on the types of programs available.

Savings for Unexpected Expenses

Unexpected expenses are going to occur whether you’re married or not, but they can hit a bit harder when you’re working with less because you no longer have access to the income you once did. Though in the perfect world you’d always be able to count on child support and alimony payments coming in on time, that may not always be the case. Divorce can, but does not have to, spell financial ruin for you and your spouse. Preparing as much as you can in advance helps ease the burden for both parties.




The Things Nobody Tells You About Moving

Moving house checklist

There are plenty of reasons why people decide to move: new job opportunities, a need for bigger or smaller space, lifestyle changes, etc. And when it comes to moving, most people already know that it can be a stressful situation packed with a lot of experiences and events that you may not have expected. However, instead of forcing yourself to be out of the loop when it comes to moving, it’s important for you to be as prepared as possible. In order to do that, here are the things nobody tells you about moving.

Be prepared before you put your house up for sale.

Moving isn’t something you can just randomly do and expect it go smooth. Instead, you need to be prepared before you put your house up for sale. That’s because you will need to do a variety of things, such as find a realtor, update and small issues that may be around your home, prepare for a home inspection, and understand all the costs and time involved. If you are really serious about moving, then be sure you are fully aware of how the process will likely work and what steps you need to take in order to move forward. All of this information can help ensure you have a better overall experience when it comes to your move.

There are a lot of people involved in the process.

While you may think you only need to deal with your realtor, there are actually a lot more people involved with your move than you may anticipate. First, you need a realtor to help you find a home. Then, you’ll need a mortgage broker to help you find the necessary funding for that home. Once you find a home and sign a contract, your mortgage broker will send all your information to an underwriter who will likely need more information, documentation, etc. in order to approve it. All of this paperwork will then also need to be viewed by your real estate lawyer, and the seller’s lawyer, before you can even schedule a closing.

Strategize your packing.

You may look around your house and think you don’t really have that much stuff to move, but once you start actually putting stuff in boxes, you’ll find that you own a lot more than you realize. This is why it’s necessary for you to strategize your packing in any way you possibly can.

  1. Go through closets, basements, and attics ahead of time and purge anything you no longer need.
  2. Honestly look at your belongings and furnishings and determine if these are all things you’ll need/use in your new space; if not, get rid of them.
  3. Pack one room at a time to be sure you are organized with your boxes.
  4. Use a recording system to keep track of what items are in what boxes so you’ll know where to find certain things when you need them.

Moving will cost money.

Even if you plan on doing everything yourself and making a profit on your home’s sale, it’s important to understand that moving will cost you money. However, that doesn’t mean it needs to be expensive; instead, find the best ways to save on moving costs, such as saving boxes or asking stores to take their shipping boxes off their hands; asking friends or family members for help; and even moving during the off-season. If you have a very tight budget, it’s really important that you are fully aware of what moving will cost so you can ensure you don’t get into a bad financial situation in order to do it.

Moving will take time.

While you will hope for a quick sale and to find the new home of your dreams with ease, chances are moving will take more time than you anticipated. Whether you have to sell your current place in order to move or if you are just looking to purchase a home for the first time, you need to understand the process, which goes something like this.

  • Find a home you want to purchase.
  • Put an offer on it.
  • Haggle back and forth with owners.
  • Agree to a price.
  • Sign contract.
  • Send over escrow money.
  • Wait for mortgage company, banks, brokers, and lawyers to approve all paperwork.
  • Schedule an inspection.
  • Negotiate inspection findings, if applicable.
  • Schedule closing.

Even in a good real estate market, it could take almost  two months to close on a house, and that’s assuming everything goes well. Make sure you are aware of this so you can plan your move accordingly.

While you may have your reasons for moving, it’s still very important that you fully understand what you’re getting into so you can be more prepared for the overall experience.




Shepherds Pie Dinner with Manwich Thick & Chunky

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Manwich for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Family meal time is important. It’s often the only time in a day that we all come together to reconnect after busy days at work and school. Coming together around the table lets us talk about not just our days but about family matters, events coming up and of course to share laughs. Making sure we have hearty, healthy and delicious meals encourages more time gathered around the table. One of my latest meal creations came from the help of Manwich with this Turkey Manwich Shepherds Pie.

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I’ll be honest the idea of a Manwich sloppy joe sandwich is not my favorite. Strictly due to the mess involved I avoid making them and serving them. What I do enjoy is the slight bbq tangy flavor that comes from the sauce so I knew I had to recreate a family favorite with a Manwich twist. I turned to Manwich because I trust them to provide easy weeknight meals without artificial flavors or preservatives.

Over the last 2 weeks the temperatures dropped, it’s definitely not summer any more. The cooler nights invite more comforting meals and to my family there isn’t much more comforting and belly filling than shepards pie. My regular recipe is very simple but I knew I could kick it up TONS with the addition of Manwich Thick and Chunky. The texture was just right for this recipe.
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Manwich Shepards Pie #Recipe @socialspark #ad #manwich

Manwich Shepards Pie #Recipe @socialspark #ad #manwich

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Manwich Shepards Pie

Ingredients

  • 3lbs homemade mashed potatoes
  • 1 1/3 lb ground lean turkey or beef
  • 1/2 chopped onion
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • Manwich Thick and Chunky
  • shredded cheese optional

Directions

Start with a creamy delicious homemade mashed potato base. Mine consists of 3lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, 3 tbls butter, 3 tbls sour cream, 3 tbls cream cheese and warm milk.

In a large skillet over medium heat cook down your onions and ground meat, season with salt, pepper & oregano. Add frozen corn and Manwich Thick and Chunky and stir to combine.

Preheat your oven for 350°.

In a large casserole dish spread your prepared mashed potatoes and top with the meat mixture. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top for extra flavor.

Bake in a 350° for 30-40 minutes until the dish is hot and bubbly. Serve alongside steamed broccoli or your own favorite veggie.Manwich Shepards Pie #Recipe @socialspark #ad #manwich

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The meal was well received. I already knew the kids loved sloppy joe sandwiches but I didn’t expect such rave reviews. I really liked this dish too and will be adding it into our winter meal rotation. I’ve even going to check out the other Manwich recipes because I already know it’s good for so many other things.

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Shopping #MyMixx app from Acme Markets

When you look through your grocery store ads each week how many MUST HAVE items do you see?  This past week during my weekly shopping trip and I found Eggo Waffles (box of ten) on sale for $1. There are always lots of things for $1 at Acme Markets but this is by far one of the best finds ever when scrolling through the MyMixx App.Acme Markets MyMixx

Eggo Waffles on sale Acme Markets #MyMixx

Waffles are a staple in our house much like bread and milk are in other homes. Waffles are eaten everyday by someone and are used for breakfast lunch and dinner.

The sale ad at Acme Market is a like a treasure hunt. I love sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and my list to put together everything we need. The new MyMixx app makes things even easier these days too. I don’t always have the time for a leisurely scan of the sale ad but now I have it at my finger tips when I’m not at home.Acme Markets MyMixx

Not only did I stock up on our go-to breakfast food I also snagged 12-count case of snapple for $5.99.  Rob and I love their Diet Raspberry and Diet Lemon tea and this price is too good to pass up.

Back to School happened for us this week too. I hit up the deli department and got lunchmeat for the next couple of weeks for just $3.99/lb.  I freeze lunchmeat and cheese so we always have it on hand and I’m not running to the store on Sunday night.Acme Markets Sale of the week #mymixx #sale

Find these and so many more great prices on the products you eat and use each day at Acme Markets.

Come over and enter to win a Acme Markets $100 GC here on the blog.




NyQuil and DayQuil when you can’t take a day off

The cold fall and winters months but a beating on our family. Each of us, except Shaun, got sick in different ways as cold and flu season was running rampant around the nation. Shae suffered through 4-5 croupy coughs and congestion filled episodes before a steroid was administered to get her through a night. Rob and were switching between cough and congestion medicines, tea and throat drops just to get through the day. I endured 2-3 sleepless nights of coughing and tossing and turning.

Now how I forgot about the tried and true Nyquil and Dayquil is beyond me. New products are coming out every season and tout themselves as the new best thing and as consumers we want that new best thing. New remedies are tried and may or may not work or treat one symptom and not another but since we’ve spent our hard earned dollars on it we want our value from it. Vicks Nyquil is what I call an all-in-on treatment for the everyday cold and flu-like symptoms. We’ve all heard the commercial; the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching stuffy head, fever so you can rest medicine.

My favorite Nyquil Spokesperson

The original may not have the best flavor but there are new options out there, Soothing Cherry Flavor and Vanilla Cherry Swirl. I wish I had this in our cabinet 2 months back when I was reading Facebook on my phone instead of sleeping at 3:20 in the morning.
nyquil for coughs and colds
Daytime cold relief is a must have for busy moms and dads too. Yes I stay home while the kids are at school but that doesn’t mean my task list isn’t a mile long. Rob doesn’t have the luxury of calling in sick whenever he pleases. He has to muscle through the aches and misery while dealing with clients, co workers and a commute. Dayquil is offers the same relief as his nighttime cousin in a non drowsy formula. Stock up on both now. The seasons are changing and in our house that means lots of coughs to come.

Nyquil and Dayquil are #1 pharmacist recommended brands for adult cough/cold/flu relief and sold at most retailers where other similar product are sold.

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”




Are You Picky When It Comes To PJ’s?

Not sure if all women are the same but I know one thing that Melida is really picky about is having nice PJ’s and nightgowns and I recently found nice nightware from Figleaves.

Not sure why she is so particular about what she wears to bed because she is going to bed and no one other than me sees her.   I on the other hand could care less what I wear to bed and funny thing is I only own two pairs of PJ’s and thay are flannel for when the winter months hit.  During the summer I typically wear shorts to bed unless it is extremely hot then I just sleep in my underwear (sorry if that was TMI, HAHA).  The same place I saw the cool nightware for Melinda did have some nice stuff for me.  Figleaves mens underwear are pretty nice and offer a different selection than I am used to.  I try to keep it pretty simple and basic because again they are just underwear, LOL.  Maybe I am over simplifing it but I have other things to worry about then my sleepwear and underwear.

Are you picky about what you wear to bed or are you like me and wear whatever?

I Disclose




Horses and a Farm Seem Like a lot of Work

I know a few people in Delaware who own horses and they tell me they are the best animals to own and are really friendly. A few times the kids have asked if we could get a horse or a pony. UM NO!

I know if we owned a horse the kids would absolutely love it but I have a few problems with owning a horse.  The first is space because living in a townhouse probably isn’t the best place to board a horse.  The second is food because from what I understand horses eat a TON of food on a daily basis.  The third is clean up because a horse would be like every other animal we own and either Melinda or I would be the ones to clean up after a horse.  Also, when you need a shovel to clean up after an animal they may not be the best family pet.  Fourth is clothing because I am sure you don’t just jump up on a horse and ride it in shorts and a t-shirt. You see real horse riders wearing a helmet, boots and chaps.  Luckily you can get chaps from Equestrian clearance because from what I saw they aren’t cheap.  I was also thinking if we did ever get a horse I would also get Equestrian clearance dog coats because they make a dog look so much more sophisticated. LOL.

I don’t think we would ever get a horse but Melinda on numerous occasions has mentioned she would love to buy a farm and live on it like a farmer meaning crops and farm animals.  I guess if Melinda’s dream ever did come true why not get a horse.

I Disclose