AmacamA » Home and Family

Is Your Family Really Benefiting When You Work at Home?

AmacamA — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:33:09 +0000

By: Stephanie Foster

You’ve beaten the obstacles and found a way to work at home, whether by finding a job or starting a home business. But is your work getting in the way of time with your family? It may be time to make sure you are finding balance between working at home and your family.

Let’s take a look at some easy things you can do to ensure that you are spending time with your family.

1. Make time for play. Family activities are a great way to relax away from work. It can be as simple as taking a walk or going to the park, or it could be a full day excursion to a museum, amusement part or beach. You don’t have to leave the house, of course. You could play games, make cookies or do other fun activities around the house. The point is to simply have fun as a family and have time to talk to each other.

One way to start is to plan a family night. Tell everyone they have to be home on a particular evening each week and do things as a family. Even if you just rent a movie to watch together, it’s something you’re doing together.

If you’re married, make sure you plan a regular date night with your spouse. Frequency may depend on how old your children are and how often you can get babysitting, but it is important for your marriage to have time as a couple.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have fun with your family. Just make time for fun.

2. Be there for your children’s activities. If your children are involved in sports, acting, singing or other activities, make sure you are there for all the games, performances or other important events. It will help your children to know that they are very important to you.

3. Set rules and enforce them. If your children understand when they can interrupt your work you will be able to get more done in less time, giving you more time for your family.

Of course, you need to be consistent. If kids get away with breaking the rules some of the time, they will test the rules often. Consistency will save you time in the long run, even if you aren’t sure you want to spare the time at a particular moment.

4. Pay attention to what kind of attention each child needs. Every child is different. Some demand attention while others are so quiet it’s easy to forget that they need you too. Make sure you spend time with each child as an individual.

5. When the kids come home from school, take some time to talk about their day. They will appreciate your interest. You should also make sure they understand their homework and start it at whatever time they do best at finishing it. Some do best starting homework immediately on getting home, while others do better if they can play for a while first. Be aware of your child’s needs.

6. If your work is something the children can help with, let them be involved. If not, you can still at least talk to them about what you do. This sets a good example for your children by helping them to know what working is really about.

It’s easy to get buried in the needs of your work when you work at home. A little bit of planning can go a long way toward making working at home a wonderful experience for all. Your family is why you decided to work at home, so don’t let your time with them get put aside.

Author Bio
HomeWithTheKids.com is a resource for work at home moms and dads. It is run by Stephanie Foster, a mom who has worked at home since early 2002. For more advice on working at home, visit www.homewiththekids.com/wah.htm

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Post from: AmacamA

Is Your Family Really Benefiting When You Work at Home?

Horse Classifieds great for Horse Buying Research

AmacamA — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:33:08 +0000

Buying a horse can be a very time consuming endeavor, with all the different horse breeds and skills to choose from. The more you become familiar with the process of buying and selling horses, the better your chances will be to end up with the horse to fit your needs. There are many avenues to look for the horse you want, like a local barn, tack shops, newspaper classifieds, and now you can go online and look through thousands of horse for sale classifieds. Take your time and don’t get to overwhelmed. If you make the selection process in a hurry, you might make an unwise purchase. Plan to take from one month to one year to find your ideal horse. Understandably, if you are without a horse, one year mite sound like a very long time, but you can use this time to become more knowledgeable about what you want by taking lessons.

The first thing you must determine is what you really want from a horse, and to what extent you will be using him/her. Will the horse be a trustworthy companion or wonderful Dressage prospect? Buy taking the time and comparing the different classified ads presented to you, will help determine your priorities. Be sure to use the advanced search features each online classified horse website has to offer, this will help you to narrow down your search results.

Once you have found the horse you want, its always a good idea to get a professional opinion when you are buying a horse. Whether or not you use an agent to help you select your horse, you should always have a basic veterinary pre-purchase exam performed. When you seek out professional advice, pay for it and then listen to it! When your instructor or veterinarian cautions you about a horse, it is for a reason. When seeking advice, it is best to a well-respected professional that has no vested interest in the horse sale.

Here is a breakdown of what to look for when a horse is for sale:

* does the horse fit your needs

* what skills does the horse possess

* does the horse have a good temperament

* do comparisons of other similar horses

* does the horse fit the selling price

* get professional advice

* are there any lessons with the sale

* make sure to have pre-purchase vet exam

* can you afford the upkeep on a horse (such as boarding, feed, and veterinary care.)

Stay focused. Keep in mind that you are selecting a horse for a particular reason or desired skill. There are many decisions and compromises lying ahead, so it helps if you set your priorities clearly at the outset.

If the overall purpose of the horse is to teach you how to ride rather than to carry you to the winner’s circle, then the selection process will emphasize different traits to fit your needs. If the horse is intended to be a long-term project rather than a stepping stone, you may need to invest more time, effort, and money in your purchase. Remember to take your time and use the tools at your disposal, such as online horse classifieds, you will thank yourself in the end.

About the author:

About the Author:

Sean Russell – Owner and Operator of MyEquineSource Horses for Sale Classifieds

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Post from: AmacamA

Horse Classifieds great for Horse Buying Research

Little Pony – Big Problem

AmacamA — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:20:46 +0000

Anyone who owns a horse or pony knows that acquiring the equine is just the start of your problems! Take Ben, for instance.

Ben arrived in the village with my sister who had just come to live on the hilltop on the opposite side of our 14-acre goose green to my own cottage. They say that size isn’t everything, and my sister’s Shetland pony proved the point. He, Ben, measured all of 36 inches to the withers (the highest point of his shoulders), but in his mind he was as big as a Thoroughbred horse with the courage of a lion. He also liked mares. The fact that most of them were considerably larger than he was just didn’t enter into it as far as he was concerned. As soon as one came into view he would start snorting, stamping and showing off, galloping up and down behind the fence as they passed. When they looked down their noses at him and walked on he obviously thought it was their loss. That was until he got his come-uppance from my palomino pony.

It was a nice summer’s day. Bees buzzed, birds sang, and my sister decided to take Ben for a bit of road work. As usual in the holiday season the village green was swarming with holidaymakers, some playing games, some enjoying picnics and some just sitting. A couple of local lads were playing round on motorcycles and one young man was washing some mud off a pick-up down by the stream.

I took my palomino filly, Kerry Dancer, out of the stable and tethered her on the hill in front of my house then walked over the green to join my sister who had stopped to let some admirers have a closer look at the little chestnut pony. Ben ignored us all and munched happily at the lush grass. Suddenly his ears pricked and his nostrils flared. He’d scented Kerry Dancer. Rearing up with a stallion-like screech he set off over the green at a flat out gallop. We were all completely taken by surprise. My sister hung on to the lunge rein for the first 30 feet or so down the hill ending up on her backside in the middle of the stream before she finally gave up and let go. Released from her annoying encumbrance Ben’s speed increased.

People scattered right left and centre as he set out to prove that the shortest distance between two points was a straight line. As the risk of being trampled to death passed most of them joined in the growing crowd chasing after the miscreant.

From Kerry’s point of view the approaching stampede must have been a hair-raising sight.

First was Ben, closely followed by a mini-pick-up, a couple of motorbikes, several push bikes, a gaggle of people on foot, three sheepdogs, a terrier, a Labrador, an English setter, me, and my sister, sodden from the waist down.

What else could any self-respecting filly do? As Ben screeched to a halt in front of her she swung round and planted two hind feet fair and square in his chest.

Ben was unhurt but devastated to find that, having at last encountered a filly with no intervening fence to get in his way, his attentions were not wanted. Rejection hit him hard. Head down, tail drooping he turned and plodded back across the green – small, pathetic and almost lost in the crowd of erstwhile pursuers.

Ben’s depression didn’t last long. See below to find out more about his further adventures.

For more stories about Ben visit http://www.percydale.com/Horse Tails or Email pets@percydale.com

For anyone interested in enjoyable and successful horse-training Theodora recommends ‘The Kikkulu method of horse training’ by Ann Nyland. For more details Click Here!

About the author:

Theodora Cochrane is a successful entrepreneur. Visit http://www.percydale.com for more information. Her hobby is the countryside and she has a lifetime’s experience of looking after all sorts of animals from pet mice to horses.

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Post from: AmacamA

Little Pony – Big Problem

Are You Working On Your Child’s Sight Vocabulary?

AmacamA — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:19:18 +0000

What is sight vocabulary?

While many words in the English language can be read by emerging readers through various decoding skills or represented by picture, there are some words that simply must be learned by sight. In order to become a reader, your child must be able to instantly recognize these “sight words”. Also known as “service words” these words are pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and verbs which cannot be learned through the use of pictures.

Why is sight vocabulary important?

Sight words are service words which are necessary for understanding sentences. A reader who knows the Dolch words will recognize the majority of the words in a typical selection.

It is estimated that between 50-75% of all words used in school books, library books, newspapers, and magazines are sight words. In 1948, Edward William Dolch, Ph.D. presented a list of 220 words, excluding nouns, that were common to the beginning reading programs of the day in his book, Problems in Reading, The Garrard Press. Today the list of high frequency sight words is commonly referred to as “The Dolch List”.

The 100 most common words actually make up about 50 percent of the material we read! The 25 most common words make up about one-third of our written material. So you can see how mastering a list of sight words can be a huge part of teaching a child to read.

How do you teach sight vocabulary?

Many beginning readers learn “sight words” by reading them repeatedly in context. It is important to remember that learning the Dolch words in isolation, does not make a “reader” because sometimes a child can read the words from a list or flash card and not recognize the same word/s in a book or story. However introducing and reinforcing “sight words” through various activities is an important part of a strong balanced reading program and can help to boost a child’s motivation and confidence.

First it is important to note that you do not need, and should not, focus on teaching a child all 220 words at once. Begin with a smaller, more manageable list, and gradually add to that over time.

The Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary of 220 words is divided into 11 lists and can also be broken down to lists for various levels from preschool through Grade 3.

As students are introduced to new sight words, they should see them, say them, and spell them. Brain research suggests that as we involve more senses in acquiring knowledge, we are better able to retain and recall that knowledge.

One of the very best ways for children to become comfortable with high-frequency words is to have them engage in lots of reading. As your child read books that are easy and/or predictable, they will be exposed to high-frequency words hundreds (if not thousands) of times. The context of the sentence will help them recognize and practice these important words.

About the author:

Deanna Mascle shares her list of Sight Word Resources and other Reading Strategies at http://YouCanTeachYourChildToRead.com

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Post from: AmacamA

Are You Working On Your Child’s Sight Vocabulary?

Model Train Scales

AmacamA — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:17:32 +0000

When you get into model railroading, you quickly learn about model train scales. Every model train that is produced has a scale letter associated with it, such as: HO, O and so forth. The scale let’s you know how true to life it is and more importantly, the physical size of the train itself. The scale refers to the size in comparison with the real thing. For example, 1:220 means the real version of the model train is 220 times larger. If you are a newcomer to model trains, the amount of space will be the first factor in determining which scale to go with. For the hardcore model railroader, mixing scales is a great joy when space permits. Let’s take a look at some of the model train scales and minimum space requirements.

Z Scale trains are 1:220, which means they are very small. I call these “cute” trains and they are perfect for those with an extremely limited space. As with any scale, you can expand the layout as large as you want to go.

Next up is the N Scale, which is 1:160. N scale trains are semi-popular and are great if you want your focus to be on your layout and not the train itself. They are small as well, so you can fit these trains into minimal space.

HO Scale model trains are 1:87 and the most popular scale of model train with model railroaders. They offer a good level of detail and allow you to fit a nice size track into an average size space. I like HO scale trains because they blend in great with any type scenery and you get a good balance as a result.

The O Scales, my favorite, are 1:48 and very popular as well. Lionel has been making great O scale model trains for many decades. These model trains are larger and require a good amount of space for a proper layout. It is possible to setup a small oval track in about a 5-foot by 5-foot area. Although the track will seem small because of the train’s size, it is better than nothing. If your layout is smaller, the O scale train will dominate the view.

There are a couple other scales, such as S and G, but these are the main ones I choose to discuss in this article. Only you can decide which scale is right for you. Some, with limited space, prefer the O scale model trains, even though they dominate the layout, because of their detail and size. O scale trains are “meatier” and are really great for pacifying the children.

All trains have a variance in quality so one scale is not necessarily more expensive than another. Although, I have found O scale model life to be a little bit pricier. You really can’t go wrong with model railroading. It is highly rewarding and wholesome. In the end, you might find yourself collecting model trains across the entire scale spectrum. Get out there and ride the rails!

About the author:

Jason A. Martin is a model railroading enthusiast. You can read more about Model Trains at TrainTraffic.com.

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Post from: AmacamA

Model Train Scales

Buying Your First Model Train Set

AmacamA — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:16:25 +0000

Selecting the right model train can be a difficult task for the newcomer to the model-railroading hobby. There are so many trains out there, each in a different size. In this article, I am going to discuss a couple important things to know before buying your first model train. I know firsthand how that very first trip to the model train store can feel. After reading this article, you will have a better understanding of what to look for.

Space and Scale

Before you even think of building a model train set, you need to know just how much space you’ll have for it. When you purchase a model train, it has a “scale” associated with it. The scale informs you of the size of the train. The majority of model train enthusiasts love the HO scale because it takes limited space for a regular setup and the detail is nice. If space is at a premium for you, look into N scale trains. These can be run in the smallest of spaces. One of my favorites is the O Scale, sometimes called O Gauge, trains. These are big boys and come with great detail. If you have at least a 6 foot by 6 foot space, you can setup a decent O scale layout. O scale model trains and accessories are typically more expensive, but they are worth it in my opinion.

Requirements

It is possible to setup your own model railroad piece by piece or to buy a complete kit. Generally, a complete kit will lack the frills associated with model railroad setups like scenery, but you can be up and running in minutes. If you end up buying a ready-to-run complete set, you can add-on to it easily by simply buying the parts you desire. Also you can run other trains on the track. Just make sure to buy the same scale as your setup. For example, if you bought a HO scale set, you want to buy HO model trains in the future.

Some Things to Look For

When buying your new model train, look to see if it is DCC enabled. This is a big one. You want to have your train DCC enabled, if possible, so you can run other trains at the same time with ease. Should you decide one train is enough for you, this is less of an issue, in my opinion. However, you never know. Your model train store will only have a very small fraction of the model trains and accessories that are out there. Don’t feel like you have to buy what they have. The Internet is full of model train stores.

Finally, I recommend that you look for a model train store in your area and go talk to them. You can learn a lot very quickly by talking with someone in person who cares about the hobby. While hobby stores are ok, a store dedicated to model railroading is far superior in every aspect. The probability of finding someone who really knows about model railroading in detail at a general hobby store is minimal at best.

About the author:

Jason A. Martin is a model railroading enthusiast. You can read more about Model Trains at TrainTraffic.com.

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Post from: AmacamA

Buying Your First Model Train Set