Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Planning A Child Care Startup?

By Dean Forster

A person, thinking about child care startup may very well be looking forward to a profitable business in the form of a child care center.

Setting up a child care center, is a flourishing business but it also requires a lot of dedication. The certain factors involved may be the cost of starting it altogether, making a business plan and looking after legal requirements.

These centers can also be started in spaces that are otherwise unoccupied during the entire week or within a school that has surplus space. If a child care center is set up within a school, it brings the advantage of having well coordinated programs.

After the location is decided, child care insurance is the next essential step. This is very crucial for starting a child care business. These centers offer dedicated services to working parents. Hence, these should provide a safe environment to the children. And, insurance works as an added security measure.

As this is a very fast growing industry, proper management is very important. This is also required to give the center, better recognition. As there are a number of child care centers, people will generally prefer the one that has a better management system. Therefore, better management system results in a flourishing child care center and great profit.

A management application is especially designed for childcare management that could be obtained before starting up the child care center. This software is easily accessible at a number of online and offline resources. This software provides complete, user-friendly and integrated modules that help in managing child records, billing and various accounting operations, available city subsidies, payroll records, direct deposits and preauthorized payment records. Find out more about childcare management at http://www.childcare-management.com

The child care software that maintains the records updates automatically. This helps the parents and family members understand the child's progress. It also provides an opportunity to them to observe the activities of the child. For the various child care institutions, security is of utmost importance. This security can be protected by using this software.

Finally, a business broker can be a good source of information. He could provide detailed information regarding a child care center like the availability of the area, its price, current market requirements and so on. He could not only provide you information but also help you strike the best possible deal of the infrastructure. Information of the brokers regarding a child care startup may also be found through a search on the internet.

Learn more about Childcare Management software, courses and daycare training at http://www.childcare-management.com

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Different Ways For Kids To Make Money Regardless Of The Age

By Damon Jennings

There are a number of ways for kid to make money, many times depending on the age of the kid. If the kid is a teenager, it can range from working at the mall to working as a receptionist at a salon parlor. If it is a younger kid, you have to be a little more creative. But regardless, there are a number of ways to make money as a kid.

To start with, let's discuss ways for kid to make money if under the age of thirteen. At this age, most retail stores and businesses do not hire. Typically you have to be around fourteen or fifteen to begin working at actual businesses. While this will limit your choices, it does not eliminate the possibility of working altogether.

If you live in a climate that snows during the winter, a great way to make money is by shoveling your neighbors' driveways. Is it a lot of money? It will not make the kid rich, but it will give them the necessary cash to have some fun and buy video games. Another similar option is to rake the neighbors' lawn during fall. Labor work is the best way for kids to make a decent amount of money from surrounding houses.

As soon as you become a teenager, the options expand significantly. The most obvious choices are retail or within the food industry. Retail stores can range from working inside the mall, working at a sporting goods store, or working at an entertainment store. As for the food industry there are a lot of options. This includes working fast food, working as a waiter/waitress at a restaurant, or even being a cook.

Although not the most enjoyable job option, many do not consider the possibility of door to door sales. There are several businesses and company's looking for people to sale door to door. Selling subscriptions to the newspaper can be a great way to pick up money on an incredible hourly rate. The downside is that you cannot work too many hours because you will only have success when people are home from work.

One way for kid to make money that is growing at an exponential rate is internet marketing. There are several ways kids can make money on the internet, but it is essential that the parents watch over to make sure that the kid does not fall for any scams. But there are thousands of surveys to be filled out for money, article writing directories that pay for articles and many other rather simple methods to making money.

There are tons of ways for kid to make money, but sometimes you have to be a little more clever. It typically depends on the age, but the options are there if you are willing to take the time to research and look.

Damon Jennings is owner of Motivation4EffectiveLeadership.com and writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic Damon recommends you to visit: Easy Way For Kid To Make Money

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Free Child Day Care from DirecTV

For a time back in the sixties, standard TV programming was
actually pretty good at times. Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fud were
stalking each other in the mornings and in the evenings there
was Bonanza and Gun Smoke to look forward to, along with other
shows like Hawaii-Five-O, featuring detective McGarrett, who
coined the phrase, bookem Danno!

So kids could be set in front of the TV and were content to
watch Mr. Magoo Drive his car through houses and Yosemite Sam
puff on cigars that Daffy Duck had hidden fire crackers in. Then
it became too expensive to make great programming and the
studios began to cut corners and budgets and the results were
painfully obvious.

You cant just sit you kid in front of your TV any more and just
walk away, or you might find junior watching a lesbian make out
scene on some soap opera, when you return to check on him. The
cartoons are computer generated crap now that can turn your kid
into a spaz if he or she watches them too much.

There is one good solution to the TV programming quality dilemma
and that is DirecTV with its great fool proof parental control
function that comes installed with all the other great functions
in the free Hughes receiver that they give you when you join
their family of TV viewers. The free receiver comes with the
free Hughes satellite TV system that is delivered and installed
at no cost to you.

The digital video recorder, that comes installed in the
receiver, has a full one-hundred hours of memory in its
computer, so you can prerecord loads of great childrens shows
and cartoons that can play for over four solid days straight.
Kids will love the great high quality programming that DirecTV
has for them, that not only is entertaining, but also is
educational and helps to sharpen their thinking ability while it
entertains them.

The Hughes receiver is so easy to operate that even your child
will soon be able to use it. The parental control function lets
you have full control of what junior is watching, even while you
are in another room though, so you dont have to worry about the
lesbian make out scenes that little Tommy and his buds might
find amusing.

DirecTV programming packages have a wide variety of topics for
you to choose from, so everyone in your home will have lots of
shows and movies at their disposal, any time they like. DirecTV
has free installation in up to four rooms in your home and will
give you all the receivers you need to connect up to four TVs to
satellite programming, at no cost at all.

There are no hidden charges, or added fees in this introductory
offer and you only pay for the programming you watch and nothing
else. With separate TVs everyone can watch their own
programming, all at the same time on their own TV set. Look to
DirecTV and their great childrens programming, to help you keep
your child occupied, entertained and educated.

About the author:
Written by David Johnson. Find more information on Dish Network Deal as well as the top Dish Network Promotions

Interactive Wall Ideas for Kids' Rooms

"Don't write on the walls!"

Well, why not? Kids' spaces, whether it's your little one's
bedroom, a play area for your home daycare, or just a place for
the grandkids to hang out, should encourage imagination and
creativity. And yes, that may even include writing on the walls!

However, before you set the kids loose with a box of crayons,
here are a few ideas to try:

1. Chalkboard paint - The things they do with paint now! Yes,
if you have a few hours to spare, you can transform a bare wall
in your home into a chalkboard, so the kids can create, erase,
and create some more...

2. Chalkboard paint alternative - If you don't feel like
painting, but still like the idea of a chalkboard, you can also
pick up peel and stick chalkboard panels. For ideas check out
WallCandy® Arts - they make standard rectangular chalkboard
panels, as well as other shapes, including circles and jungle
animals (yes, elephants, giraffes, and even hippos).

3. Dry erase boards - If your children are a little older, and
you feel "safe" entrusting them with markers, consider
installing a dry erase board. Create, erase, and create some
more - this time without the chalk dust.

4. Magnetic paint - There's more than one way to add an
interactive element to those bare walls, and magnetic paint is
another ingenious alternative. Unfortunately, most common
refrigerator magnets do not work well on magnetic paint. Use
flexible rubber sheet magnets instead. The kids can even make
their own magnetic shapes after a quick trip to the hobby store.
Also, if you can't decide between chalkboard paint and magnetic
paint, check out Magnamagic™, one of the more popular magnetic
wall paint manufacturers, for magnetic chalkboard paint.

5. Felt board walls - Felt boards are popular with toddlers and
preschoolers, and it's easy to make one yourself. Using spray
adhesive, affix a large piece of felt or flannel to thin
plyboard, then anchor securely to the wall. You can then
purchase pre-made felt shapes or if you are feeling crafty, make
your own.

That's just a start. For more ideas, take a trip to the hardware
or craft store, or visit the children's murals area of Wall Murals 1-2-3.



About the author:
Dawn Hall is the owner of Wall Murals 1-2-3, a site offering practical, easy to understand how-to instructions
and advice for do it yourself wall murals, as well as
theme-based ideas & inspiration and reviews of mural products.

Children's Parties - an adults survival guide

Children's Parties - An Adults Survival Guide

You would think, wouldn't you, that the main aim of a Children's
Birthday Party or, for that Matter, any Children's Party, was to
make sure that the "little darlings" have a lovely time.

Well, I'm going to let you into a secret, It's Not.

The primary objective of a Children's Party is to ensure that
the adults present stay alive and maintain some perceptible
level of sanity and that the house the party is held in remains
an insurable piece of real estate.

No matter how much money you spend on entertainment for your
children's birthday party - bouncing castles, magicians, The
Rolling Stones, live elephant rides - the "little darlings" are
going to prefer climbing anything that projects from the outside
of your house, smothering the cat with 'silly string', feeding
the $1700 pedigree dog play-dough or hurling sticky food at
passing old aged pensioners.

The older children, those over the age of eight, will be behind
the garden shed smoking your lawn clippings.

If you are unfortunate enough to have a swimming pool, the water
in it will be the colour of very weak tea by the end of the
festivities and you'll have to get the hazardous waste experts
in to sanitize it for you and stop it being a mortal danger to
indigenous wildlife.

The most popular entertainers, at children's parties, are the
clowns. I'm sure that you've all heard the song "The Tears of a
Clown". That song was written by an entertainer at children's
birthday parties.

You can never hire a clown for a mid-week party as they're all
in specially set up, Mental Health Department Funded, Clown
Sanatoriums receiving intensive electric shock treatment to get
them ready for the next Saturday afternoon's gig.

I feel sorry for the poor mothers who have to officiate on these
perilous occasions. Hours and hours spent baking delicacies only
to find that the guests prefer throwing and wearing the food
rather that eating it. It would make any mother wish that she'd
piled the table high with half-bricks covered with icing and
hundreds and thousands.

If the party started at 2pm, by 3.45 all the mothers are huddled
together in the bathroom taking turns at swigging from the
gallon flagon of cooking sherry. They're safe in the bathroom,
the kids won't want the bathroom, why should they? There's a
perfectly good swimming pool outside.

The fathers are, of course, doing their best. They've either
gone fishing or are in the pub watching the football.


I suppose that I should, at this point, start giving you some
ideas on how to stop this chaotic event turning into a full
scale disaster that necessitates the mobilisation of the
National Guard and all other emergency services.

Let's have a look at a few 'damage control' ideas.

Firstly it is a terrific help if you, or someone close to you,
has a military background.

Planning is the name of the game for these fiascos. They have to
be planned, well in advance, with military precision. I wouldn't
go so far as to suggest snipers on the garage roof, but just
about everything short of that.

One of the major problems is to make sure that the children's
party keeps ALL CHILDREN occupied at ALL TIMES. There
must never be any lull in the proceedings. Un-occupied children
cause havoc. It was un-occupied children that caused the
downfall of the Roman Empire, the Black Plague, both World Wars,
Country and Western Music and the invention of the musical
doorbell.

Keep them occupied! The children's birthday party must
flow like high grade lubricating oil. It is essential that as
one organised activity ends, another starts. Never, ever, give
the "little darlings" time to think of what they'd 'really' like
to be doing.

Allowing children to decide what 'they' want to do is inviting a
disaster of monumental proportions unless the orange juice has
been liberally laced with valium. Your children's party will
make the American Revolution look like a casual disagreement
between two three-toed sloths.

Bored children at a children's birthday party would mean the end
of civilisation as we know it. Keep them busy, give them no time
to think, heaven help us all if boredom sets in.

Make a timetable, have all the weaponry required for each
activity prepared and in cardboard boxes, in chronological
order. For example - sack race 3.10 start - 3.20 finish - egg
and spoon race 3.20.03 start and so on.

Did you notice? Only 3 seconds between events, any more than
this and boredom sets in. Goldfish have a three second memory
span, children, at children's parties, have a three second
'un-occupied quiet time' span. Any longer than three seconds
and, well, you get the idea.....

You can give each of the children an empty cardboard box to take
home with them. Just tell them it's a special present. This
saves a lot on cleaning up after the party.

Military planning is also required when it comes to setting up
the area for this funfest. No, not the kind of military planning
that goes on in the White House, REAL military planning.

Make sure that the food area is well away from the activity area
otherwise the food area WILL BECOME the activity area.

If you have neighbours, make sure that the area is well secured.
It is not good for future relations, or the value of the real
estate, to have hordes of un-leashed, sugar filled little
children carrying out an unrestrained rampage through the
neighbouring properties. The street will look like Baghdad in
three minutes flat.

Electrified razor wire immediately springs to mind, or half a
dozen hungry Rottweilers, but maybe your local hardware store
doesn't stock that sort of child restraint. After all, not
everybody lives in Texas.

We now come to the food. I've always found it a good idea to
make everything 'individual and soft'. Portion control
eliminates arguments and soft foods eliminate the need for sharp
objects at the table. Children arguing and sharp objects are not
an especially healthy combination.

More substantial food should be limited to things like French
Fries, hot dogs and other finger food. I call this 'delayed
action' food. The children love it and manage to eat five times
their daily recommended calorie intake in one afternoon. It's
not until they get home, happy, but tired, do they throw up all
over the Ikea.

When serving the refreshments at a children's birthday party,
it's always a good idea to cover the surrounding area, say 500
square meters, with industrial strength plastic. Just in case of
spillages. Little fingers can be clumsy fingers.

It is a golden rule at children's parties, that one of the
"little darlings" will actually be a real brat. He/she won't
join in with anything and will generally leave you at a loose
end about what to do. Some people suggest keeping a few
colouring books or videos handy, just for this sort of
emergency.

Personally, I find handcuffing the little terror to the washing
machine and then closing the sound-proofed laundry door to be
the most effective method of dealing with the situation.
However, each to his own.

To re-cap. Keep them occupied, soft food in individual
portions, Rottweilers, colouring books (or handcuffs) and plenty
of mind numbing games and activities.


Oh, one last thing. If you're looking to be absolutely secure
and trouble free, you will find the telephone number of your
local chapter of the Hell's Angels in the yellow pages.

To see more of this fascinating insight into the world of the
pre-adolescent psyche - please follow me to
PARTY CENTRAL

About the author:
The author is a Grumpy Old Chef and is totally uninteresting as
a person.

His articles, however, are very interesting.

Strange, isn't it?

Visit him at home CLICK
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Are Your Expectations Too High For Your Kids?

It doesn not matter whether it is academics or sports or both,
of course parents what the kids to be better than other kids.
Whether it is something simple like making their beds or drawing
a picture to achieving something more difficult like hitting a
home run or winning in gymnastics, young children want very much
to get their parents approval and find happiness in doing so.
But how much pushing is too much? Push too far and their spirits
will break and they will be set up for disappointment.

Parents who are too competitive often expect to many things from
their children. When a child is going through school and
participating in outside activities, the parents are less
concerned about the happiness of the child than they are about
good grades and winning. An example is when a parent expects an
A in every class even though the child has worked hard to get a
B. For these parents, mistakes are not an option. Rather than
accept that there could be other factors involved, these parent
have a need to put the blame on somebody because their child
'failed'. Even worse is when the parents demand reasons from the
child, who might not know why they were not able to meet their
parents expectations.

For What Reason Do Parents Demand So Much From Their
Children?


Family background: Following in the parents footsteps and
'family tradition' has importance to most parents. One example
is if a child comes from a family of lawyers, it is likely that
the child will be expected to be a lawyer, too, even if the
inclination or aptitude is not there. Continuing the family
'legacy' is important for most parents. High achieving parents
fail to see why their children should not have the some
abilities that they do.

Economic stress:: Sometimes kids are forced to be high
achievers by parents of average incomes so they can qualify for
grants and scholarships to reduce the out of pocket expenses of
college.

Children owe it to them:: There are many parents who
think that giving a child everything will translate into that
child succeeding. So, of course, they have no reason not to
excel.

If another child can do it, why can't mine?: Self-doubt and envy
are often the result of hearing the boasting of other parents
about the successes of their children. This results in parents
pushing their kids harder.

Effects on Children:: Instilling competitiveness can be
constructive: children will strive harder and find out for
themselves what they are actually capable of. Another advantage
is monetary gain. Scholarship grants and other good offers are
awarded for good performance when high school and college levels
are reached. Of course, a certain amount of popularity and
prestige will be there, too, because of the 'shining ability of
the child'. Though there are benefits in encouraging
competitiveness in our kids, experts are in agreement that the
positives can be outweighed by the possible negatives. Below are
a few of them:

Children are misled:: knowledge and its acquisition are
no longer seen as goals when a child is under too much pressure.
Whether the child learns anything that will have value to him or
her is overshadowed by the grade becoming all important. The
child will also become a disagreeable competitor.

Frustration comes easily to children. Just one or two mistakes
and children who are highly pressured can become immensely
unhappy. A small setback can cause children to begin blaming
themselves. They will not be able to sleep at night. Every
mistake is seen as failure and the end of everything. Children's
self-perception can be damaged by a mindset that makes grades,
awards and other such achievements the measure of the personal
worth.

Children become fearful: Children might be afraid of
being punished when they don't quite come up to standard when
expectations are set too high. Support and guidance are
necessary early on when children have problems in some subjects
of areas. But out of fear of being a disappointment to their
parents, they will not say, "I am having trouble getting this".
Because no action is taken, there is no resolution. Because they
fear failure, children become unwilling to take any risks,
explore or try anything new, so their development is stunted.

Children become overly dependent on parents; When parents put
too much pressure on children, they become unable to think for
themselves. Their happiness with their efforts depends on mom
and dad being happy. Every move they make must be approve of by
their parents.

Children become isolated socially: When parents brag all the
time about their children, other often do not receive it well.
As a result, a wall is often created between the children and
others, such as friends, community, school and sometimes even
relatives. This can result in the development of an unhealthy
inferiority or superiority complex in a child. When a child
constantly has it drilled into him or her that he or she is
better than everyone else, other children will ostracize him or
her. By the same token, when a child feels inferior to other
children, he or she will pull back into a shell. Children
measure self-worth with accomplishments: "I am perfect, so mom
and dad love me," or "They don't think I am as good as everyone
else" are the kind of messages children get when parents compare
them to others. So children begin to feel a need to succeed so
they will feel accepted and loved. Self-doubt so develops into
severe anxiety without anyone noticing. This can then lead into
such serious problems as eating disorders, power struggles and
depression, even in young children.

Whether or not they get accolades, children should know they are
loved. Preschool children should have more guidance in mastering
skills that are age appropriate to lay the foundation of later
learning rather than focus on getting awards and medals. The
right to play is as much a universal right to children as having
shelter, food and education. So insuring that children have time
to relax and play is something that is important for parents to
make sure of. Be confident of your children's lead: Be there to
hold your childrens hand as he or she learns at his or her own
pace. Success in adulthood is not guaranteed by the
accomplishments made in infancy, toddler or preschool years, so
that must be kept in mind.

Loving and accepting children for who they are, is what parents
can do best for their children. Let your child be who he or she
is and let them find their own way to achieve their best. Every
child is different. Each child's own way of growing, learning
and thinking deserves respect. When it comes right down to it,
the guidance and values parents give a child will determine the
true measure of the child's greatness.



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10 Kid-Friendly Attractions in Los Angeles

With gorgeous weather year round and lots of exciting
attractions, Los Angeles, California is the perfect vacation
destination for families. Where else can you step onto the set
of your favorite movie, relax on a sun-kissed beach, and shop
alongside celebs on Rodeo Drive? Here, travel experts at Smart
Destinations, creators of the Go Los Angeles Card, recommend
their favorite family-friendly places to visit and things to do
on your next trip to Los Angeles.

1. Aquarium of the Pacific features more than
500 species in 19 major habitats highlighting the marine life of
the Pacific Ocean. Explore sunny Southern California and Baja
Pacific, the frigid waters of the North Pacific, and the
colorful reefs of the Tropical Pacific. The Southern California
and Baja gallery showcases seals and sea lions in an
up-close-and personal indoor/outdoor setting. The Northern
Pacific gallery is home to puffins and other diving birds which
nest overhead and "fly" underwater, while the sea otters frolic
in a nearby habitat. The Tropical Reef Habitat, the aquarium's
largest exhibit, introduces visitors to a coral lagoon with
colorful fish, as well as sea horses, sea snakes and mysterious
sea dragons. Go Los Angeles Card users gain free entry before
5:30 pm.

2. The Sony Pictures Studios Tour gives tourists
a rare glimpse of old Hollywood's glory days and an insider's
view of a state-of-the-art motion picture studio where movies
like The Wizard of Oz, Spiderman, and Men in Black were filmed.
Depending on availability, you may also get to visits the sets
of shows such as "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune."

3. The Zimmer Children's Museum encourages
interactive learning, creative self-expression, and imaginative
play through "please touch" exhibits and art activities. Music
Island introduces kids to music and lets them create a virtual
drum loop and create their own original music. Western Wall
recreates the Western Wall in Jerusalem (the Kotel) and invites
visitors to share their hopes for the future. Discovery Airplane
lets kids navigate a plane simulator as they fly over distant
destinations like Israel, Mexico, and more.

4. The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana
houses 120 exciting hands-on science exhibits on two floors,
including Dynamic Earth, Techno Arts, Discovery Stadium and
Quake Zone. Play a game of Virtual Volleyball, make music on a
Laser Beam Harp, climb a Rock Wall, watch an indoor Geyser
erupt, ride out an earthquake in the Shake Shack, and more.
Visit the life-size dinosaur exhibit featuring an interactive
walk-through Argentinosaur that explains life sciences. The
center hosts BubbleFest in April, Spooky Science in October, and
a new exhibit each summer.

5. Kidspace Children's Museum is an
interactive indoor and outdoor learning center offering exhibits
like Bugsy's Diner, where kids learn about mantids, cockroaches
and more. Also, search for fossils in The Dig, create
nature-inspired artwork in N'Art, or ride a tricycle through the
Wisteria Courtyard.

6. Golf N' Stuff Family Fun Center offers
four challenging miniature golf courses set against imaginative
settings like a castle, a haunted house, an old western ghost
town, a Californian mission, a tree house, and more. The park
also offers exciting rides including go-karts, bumper boats,
bumper cars, and a kiddie train, plus arcade games and lazer
tag.

7. Guinness World Records Museum in
Hollywood chronicles record-breaking facts and feats ranging
from the Largest Work of Art to the Lowest Limbo. You and your
kids will experience racing at 240 mph in the world's fastest
Formula One car and explore the world's most fascinating natural
phenomena, human feats, animal acts, and more.

8. Wild Rivers Waterpark is Southern
California's biggest waterpark with over 40 water rides and
attractions. It's the perfect place to "chill out" with the kids
after a long day in the California sun. If you dare, go to the
top of the seven-story Wild Rivers Mountain. Relax on Explorers'
Island with a lazy inner tube float down a warm river,
refreshing spas, and scaled down rides and wading pools for
little adventurers. Open late May through September.

9. The Hollywood Museum features 10,000 artifacts and
articles from Hollywood's past, including Rocky's boxing gloves,
Marilyn Monroe's dresses, Indiana Jones' whip, and more. Housed
in the historic Max Factor building, the museum pays homage to
Hollywood's Golden Era with a beautifully restored Art Deco
exterior and opulent interiors. Newer additions to the museum
include Nicole Kidman's costumes from Moulin Rouge and Paris
Hilton's party dresses.

10. The Museum of Tolerance is a great way for older
kids (some of the exhibits are recommended for 12+ and others
are for all ages) to explore issues of prejudice and
discrimination through hands-on exhibits and role playing.
The Children of the Holocaust exhibit brings the
Holocaust to live as visitors walk through a simulation with
sound effects, photos, newscasts, and more. Finding Our
Families, Finding Ourselves
celebrates the multicultural
diversity of several notable Americans and encourages visitors
to explore their own heritage.


About the author:
Susan Johnston is currently the copywriter for
Go Los Angeles Card,
which offers over 40 of LA's best attractions, tours,
activities, and more on one easy-to-use smart card and for one
price based on the number of days purchased.