1. See What the Word Says

All uncertainty is removed if God’s Word says something against what you are deciding. Make your decisions based on what GOD wants and you will have peace.

You may be thinking; “God’s Word does not specifically tell me everything I need to know…like should I take that new job.”

Well, maybe not “specifically.” However, as you read and study God’s Word and get to know Him more, you will soon realize that His Word really does have something to say about pretty much anything. His Word is life and it WILL speak to you in all situations…IF you know it and IF you are willing to hear.

God will use His Word to help us see our motives. Are they pure in the decision? Many times, He will reveal any heart issues we have.

So, to answer the previous question; there could be a clear answer to the job issue. What are your motives? Is it more money? Will you be leaving your kids more? Maybe you have a contentment issue? Hmmm…

2. Pray. What is the Holy Spirit saying to You?

This ties in with knowing God’s Word. The Holy Spirit will remind you of Scripture.

Pray! Include God. Ask Him what HE wants you to do in the situation. WAIT for your answer. Do not make the decision until you are certain and have peace. If rushing is involved, perhaps you already have your answer and are not happy with it!

Trust God. His Spirit dwells within you. His sheep hear His voice. He WILL answer you. TRUST that He will. He may make us wait to teach us something. To help us examine our motives and reveal heart issues to HELP us.

3. Seek godly Council

This is more valuable than you may think. You will get different perspectives from those who are not emotionally involved. They may be able to give you insight that you would not have had. It expands your understanding of the circumstances that you are in.

The act of seeking council is an act of humility. Pride will keep you from seeking godly council. Do not think that you know everything.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

Also, you need to be VERY careful WHO you seek council from. Have they experienced what you are? Are they spiritually fit and mature in the Lord? They should NOT be emotionally invested. (ex. parents are not good marriage counselors)

4. Your Experiences

Is this a familiar experience? Have you been down this road before? Someone once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

If nothing changes nothing changes.

Think about the Israelites going around and around the mountain. If they would have listened to the Lord and STOPPED making the same WRONG choices maybe just maybe the trip would have taken the 11 days it was supposed to take instead of FOURTY years!

5. Pros and Cons

This is an easy one. Simply make two lists. Write down the pros and cons of the decision results. What do you find? More questions? Well, you better wait. Clear answer? Well, maybe you know what to do now?

The point is do not jump into any decision. Take your time. Read the Word. Pray. Seek God. Seek godly council. Look at your past experiences. Be certain before you jump.

Let’s Pray;

Daddy God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for only wanting the best for me. Thank You for loving me. Lord, I ask that You help me in every aspect of my life. Help me to include You in my decisions. Help me to slow down and seek Your face. Send me people that I can trust to speak in my life. Help me be all that You created me to be. I love You, Daddy. In Jesus Mighty Name.

Copyright Lara Velez, All Rights Reserved
For Further Study and Application
Dig Deeper

Take the time to look over these steps and be ready to apply them in your decision making. Find godly people who will speak honestly into your life. Make a commitment to seek God and LEARN His Word, so you will KNOW what it says in YOUR situations.
Scripture Study

Next, study the Scripture references from this devotional to help you gain a better understanding of the Word. You may also want to search for more!

Here are the reference verses:

* Psalm 19:7-14
* Psalm 15
* Proverbs 15:12, 22
* Proverbs 16:18
* James 1:5-6
* 1 Cor 2:9-10

Copyright © Lara Velez, All Rights Reserved

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and Author’s bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE! You may NOT add “no follow” tags to the links. Period. About the Author: Lara Velez is a Christian wife and homeschooling Mother of two. She is a published writer, web designer (designedbylara.com), and Mom of Faith (momsoffaith.com). She enjoys cooking, writing, scrapbooking, and web design.

Frequently, though, parents stop reading aloud to their children once they can read well on their own. Parents often don’t recognize the value in continuing to read aloud to their children.

However, it’s important to read aloud to older children and teenagers, even once they can read well on their own. Being read to helps older children and teenagers continue to learn and understand language, recognize patterns, and is entertaining.

Build Your Children’s Vocabulary

First of all, reading aloud to older children and teenagers can help improve their vocabulary and writing skills. Choosing to read more advanced books than students would read on their own not only keeps their attention during story time, but it also introduces new vocabulary.

For example, most elementary school children wouldn’t use words such as “scrupulous” and “paltry” in their own writing, but after hearing them used in Pride and Prejudice, they may be willing to try. They’ll also hear and learn more advanced ways to put words and sentences together in their own writing.

Improve Oral Reading Skills

Reading aloud to older children and teenagers can also help improve their own oral reading skills. When you read aloud to older children, read with expression and give the characters unique voices when they speak.

If you’re a woman, it may feel silly to give The Three Musketeers’ D’Artagnan an arrogant male voice, or if you’re a man, equally foolish to give life to Kitty’s exclamations of devotion, but you will certainly keep your listeners’ attention.

Giving each character a unique voice also helps listeners keep track of who is speaking in complex conversations. Most importantly, you will be teaching your children how to use expression in their own reading.

Reading Together Can Become Quality Family Time

If you make story time a regular part of your regular routine, it can become enjoyable family time. When children are older, it’s hard to find time to enjoy being together as a family. Kids are often too busy with homework or their friends to spend time talking to their parents. Story time can become a favorite part of the day that everyone looks forward to.

To keep story time interesting, choose books your listeners will enjoy. If you have a child who is an animal lover, try novels like White Fang, The Call of the Wild, or a book by Farley Mowat. A science fiction lover will enjoy almost anything by Jules Verne.

Story time can also become an opportunity to teach history, discuss issues, and share your values with your children. Children and teenagers can learn about the Civil War in The Red Badge of Courage, racism in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and the French Revolution in The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Celebrate completing a difficult novel by watching the movie or attending the play based on the novel. It may not be the giggles you shared over Green Eggs and Ham, but it’s fun just the same.

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Denise Willms is a homeschooling mom of two and owner of an article directory just for moms, WAHM Articles. Submit your best articles for women at WAHM Articles and they’ll be read by hundreds of mothers and home business owners, and could be published in their websites, newsletters and blogs.

You can make meatloaf with ground beef or ground turkey. Ground turkey is a healthier, lowfat alternative to ground beef. Meatloaf is also a great way to use ground meat you pick up on sale.

Several meatloaves can be made at one time. You can freeze them either before or after they are baked. To bake a frozen, uncooked meatloaf, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 1/2 hours (do not thaw out first). To bake a frozen, cooked meatloaf, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool completely before freezing.

Basic Meatloaf Recipe

1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
3 slices bread
1 large egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. catsup OR barbeque sauce OR chili sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients except the catsup together. Spread the meat mixture into an ungreased loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3-inches or shape into a loaf in an ungreased baking pan. Spoon catsup onto the loaf and bake, uncovered, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until done. Drain off the excess fat and serve sliced on a heated platter.

Olive Meatloaf

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 c. chopped onions
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 bacon slices, halved
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. each: basil, oregano and salt
1 can (6 oz.) pitted black olives, drained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

In large bowl, mix all ingredients except olives, tomato sauce and bacon. Mix in olives, reserving 5 for garnish. In a 9×12-inch baking pan, shape mixture into a 4×12-inch rounded loaf. Pour tomato sauce over loaf. Lay bacon slices across loaf. Bake in 350 degree oven 1 hour and 15 minutes. Garnish with reserved olives.

Turkey Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground turkey
1 env. Lipton onion soup mix
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. bread crumbs
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c. ketchup

Mix first 4 ingredients. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Divide the meat loaf in half. Place half in the pan and put grated mozzarella cheese on top of the mixture. Place the rest of mixture on top of cheese and seal edges. Spread 1/2 cup ketchup over the top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until done.

Italian Style Meatloaf

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (6 oz.) hot Italian sausage or spicy bulk sausage
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 egg, beaten

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Place in loaf pan (4 1/2x 8-inch). Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour; drain.

Crock Pot Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 lb. sausage
2 med. onions, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 c. bread or cracker crumbs
1 1/2 c. milk

Soak bread or cracker crumbs in milk. Mix meat, seasonings, and soaked crumbs thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream and mushroom soup. Make meat mixture into loaf and pour the sour cream-soup mixture over top. Bake in crock pot 10 to 12 hours on low.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at www.creativehomemaking.com.

Personally, I don’t care much for chocolate, so I prefer that no one gives me any of that. And I’m not too into flowers either. Wow, do my kids have it hard! They can buy me some healthy protein bars and I’ll be happy:-)

Let’s take a look at some Mothers Day gifts and you can decide which your mom would like.

Flowers – many moms love flowers – the smell, the look and everything about them.

You can take her out to a nice lunch, brunch or dinner. Breakfast may be a little early, especially if she goes to church. But that’s another idea – go with her and then take her out to breakfast.

How about a book by one of her favorite authors or a title she doesn’t already have in a series she likes?

We have to mention the classic – chocolates!

Spa time is nice, whether it is actually at a spa or a gift basket filled with spa items. Either way, it is a time she can have for herself.

If you know her taste in music, you can buy her a music CD. That is something a lot of moms don’t buy for themselves but would really enjoy.

Jewelry makes a nice gift, and since it’s Mothers Day, a Mother’s ring or bracelet would be perfect.

Since it is now spring, a bucket or basket of gardening tools, gloves and seeds or flowers to plant would be a great gift.

Does your mom have a favorite TV series? See if you can find it on DVD and give her a season’s worth of shows. She’ll love it!

Whatever you decide, the important thing is to let your mom know how much you appreciate her and are thankful for all she has done. That is the real gift. These other suggestions are just a bonus!

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

If your mom likes gift baskets, you have to see our beautiful selection at Mothers Day gift basket

Spring is a time of renewal, and for many of us, a time for cleaning and organizing our homes. The melting of winter into spring is a great time to bring order to your abode after the inevitable chaos the hibernation season brings. But spring cleaning can be a daunting task, particularly if you tackle it alone. Simplify and speed your organizing day by enlisting your family to help. Don’t think your kids will participate? Make it a fun event and you’ll have volunteers you will enjoy spending the day with.

Like many organizing activities the key to success is to plan ahead. Pick a date you can dedicate the whole day to both the work and fun. Make certain you have the supplies you need, including handy snacks and drinks. Work in teams of 2 or 3 and then switch halfway through the day. Don’t forget to choose some up-tempo music to keep the energy levels up, and make certain each member of the family enjoys listening to their favourite CD during the day.

Most kids have four basic possessions – clothing, toys, books and school related papers. These items are forever changing and accumulating. The change of season is a great opportunity to sort through the excess taking up valuable space in your home. To keep your kids interest in check during your spring organizing day, give one or two of the following ideas a try.

Let’s begin with making room in the closets. Tell the kids you’re having a fashion show and let them try on all of their clothes (no, not all at once!). What doesn’t fit gets handed down to a sibling or packed into a box for donation. Sort what does fit into outfits and stack in drawers. Have your child make a list of new clothing needs for the next shopping excursion.

Create a treasure hunt for younger children by hiding chocolate coins or an appropriate incentive among their toys. Send your child to find the treasures while collecting any toy found on their search. When their basket is full, have them pile the toys in the centre of the family room. Afterwards, sort the mess into “keep” and “part” piles, and find permanent homes for the toys that are staying. Separate the remaining toys into separate bins for garbage, donations and garage sale items. Take the time to deliver these bins to their destination. The last thing you want is for these items to clutter up your garage, or find their way back into the house!

Next, locate all books and spread them on the floor – parents too. Donate as many books as possible to a local daycare or charity. Toss ripped and damaged books. For the keepers, make certain there is adequate storage in your home, without creating unwanted clutter.

Kids collect a tremendous amount of school memorabilia throughout the school year. Keep arts and crafts and miscellaneous papers from school in one large under bed storage bin or bankers box. Near the end of June have your child sort through the bin, keeping only 25% of the pile. Put a few special items out on display, either in frames or on a peg board. Store the rest in a pocket folder decorated by your child. Help them create a wonderful keepsake by including favourite moments, friends, teachers and photographs.

Finally, at the end of a productive day, reward your team with dinner out at a favourite restaurant. Allow them to choose the sweetest dessert they can find on the menu. They deserve it! If you are too exhausted to leave the house, order in pizza and enjoy a good movie. Tell your kids how much you enjoyed spending time with them, and congratulate your family on “Spring Success”.

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If you would like to use this article for your website or newsletter, please forward it in its entirety, and include the information below. Sylvia Daoust, Professional Organizer, is the owner of Sort it Out, a company focused on creating streamlined homes and businesses. We provide organizing solutions to fit your needs and your budget…with support every step of the way. Visit www.sort-it-out-today.com and receive 2 gifts that will help you stay on top of everything!

But juggling a home business with homeschooling usually doesn’t look as peaceful as it might sound. In fact, this is a more likely scenario:

You’ve planned to do a math lesson with your children at 9 am. Since you have a few minutes of peace while the kids are finishing breakfast, you decide to fit in a quick email check.

There’s an email from a prospective client, who wants a proposal from you right away, for a juicy contract. There’s still 20 minutes before you had planned to start your school day, so you start to reply.

Well, one thing leads to another… the computer is slower than usual, someone spills a bowl of cereal in the kitchen, the cat decides to throw up on the couch, and by the time your email is sent, it’s an hour later.

Still, not bad, you tell yourself, and you settle down with the kids to begin their lesson.

Halfway through the first page of math problems, you hear a new email coming in. Thinking it might be about the email you just sent, you tell the kids, “I’ll be right back.”

Now he wants to talk to you over the phone. Can you call him as soon as you get this email? You pick up the phone and start dialing.

In the next room, the kids are frustrated with the math problems and starting to throw pencils and erasers at each other. While the phone’s ringing, you call out to them to quiet down and just read a book instead.

Your call is answered, but it’s a little hard to hear the reply over the fighting that has ensued. Your children have suddenly decided they have to read the very same book, at the same time. Their arguing has gotten the dog riled up, and now he’s barking too.

You mumble something about needing to call back later, apologize, and hang up the phone. By the time you get the dog outside, the kids calmed down enough to focus on their lesson, it’s time for lunch and you need a nap.

There are a few steps you can do to be sure your days don’t end up looking like this.

Schedule time for work and time for school. When it’s time for school, give your kids 100% of your attention. Then when it’s time for you to work, give 100% of your attention to your business. Problems arise when you try to multi-task because you’re won’t be able to give proper attention to either your kids or your business.

Teach your children how to work independently. There will be times when you won’t be available for your kids because of your business. So, it’s important to give your kids opportunities to learn to work independently. If you have a phone call that goes long, or if you are busy with an important project, the school day won’t automatically fall apart. Even young children can work independently for a short time.

Enlist the help of other homeschooling parents. See if you can work out a childcare exchange, for times when you need the kids out of the house. Then you can return the favor when they need help.

Be flexible. No matter how well you plan your day, always expect the unexpected. Organize your day as best as you can, but be willing to change your schedule at a moment’s notice.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Work at home mom extraordinaire Michelle Shaeffer publishes The Muses Brainstorm, a weekly ezine with tips to help you balance, manage, and market your home based business. If you’re ready for inspirational guidance and bright ideas sign up free at www.thesmallbusinessmuse.com

Ha! Any real work at home mom will tell you that just isn’t so. In fact, keeping the kids out from underfoot while you work, and still making time to spend with them every day, is usually an ongoing challenge.

Here are some of the strategies that I’ve used, and that other moms have shared with me over the years, to manage the kids when you work from home.

Send the kids to a daycare or dayhome. I know, you want to work from home so you don’t have to send your kids to someone else for the day. But if having them home is keeping you from getting your work done, this can be a lifesaver. The good news is, because you won’t be commuting, and because you have control over the hours you work, they may not have to go to daycare as often or as long as if you held a job outside the home.

Hire a mother’s helper. Is there a teenager in your neighborhood who would like to earn some extra cash by playing with your kids for a few hours each day? They don’t cost as much as a dayhome provider, and there is the added benefit of your children staying in your own home.

Work around your children’s schedules. Some moms find it most practical to work whenever they’re able to… during nap times and late at night.

Switch with your spouse. If you have a supportive spouse, a popular approach is to switch roles with him when he comes home from work. Have him take care of the kids while you do your work for the day.

Movies and TV. I hate to recommend using movies and television as babysitters, but if used carefully, these can be a great help!

Teach children to work independently. I was homeschooling my children when I began to work from home. I would give them work to focus on for several minutes at a time, while I did my own work. They learned to work independently, and I was able to work at home while homeschooling my children.

Most importantly, yield to reality. For some work at home moms, your business may not take off the way you want it to while your children are still young. If being available for them is a priority for you – as it is for me and many others – there will probably be times when your business will be shortchanged so you can fulfill your children’s needs. The good news is that as your children grow, they will need you less and less, giving you more time to focus on your business.

And when that time comes, you will miss the days when young children vied for your attention.

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Denise Willms is a Publicity and Marketing Virtual Assistant and work at home mom of two teenagers. Do you want to know more about how you can work at home too? Visit www.wahm-articles.com and search for work at home articles on the topics you’re most interested in. While you’re there, go ahead and subscribe to the weekly WAHM Tips newsletter. You’ll get new WAHM expert articles delivered to your inbox each week!

I also like to make my own special treats for my family. Here are three of my favorite Easter treats to make for kids… no matter how old they are. These treats all have two things in common: they’re easy to make and they’re all made with jello.

Enjoy!

Easter Flowers

2 pkgs of jello in your kids’ favorite flavor
1 1/4 cups boiling water
4 small paper cups
4 large marshmallows

To create the flower pots, make the jello by dissolving the powder into the bowling water. When it’s completely dissolved, pour it into the paper cups. Refrigerate the cuts until the jello is firm, probably about 3 hours.

To make the flowers, cut each marshmallow into five pieces to make flower petals. Put the petals together in a flower shape. You will have to squeeze them together tightly so they stay. For decoration, you can press sprinkles onto the petals and put a candy in the center of the flower.

To assemble your flower, put a toothpick into the center of the marshmallow flower. Then place the toothpick into a straw. Now you have a pretty Easter flower on a stem.

Peel away the paper cups from the jello pots. Place the pot on a serving plate and plant your flower in the center of your pot.

Jiggly Easter Eggs

2 large packages of jello, or 4 small packages
2 1/2 cups boiling water or juice

Mix the jello powder with the boiling water or juice. Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch pan. Chill until firm, usually around 3 hours.

When the jello is set, dip the pan in warm warm for about 15 seconds. Then use your favorite Easter cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Lift them out of the pan. Make sure you keep your jiggly Easter eggs in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them.

Popcorn Bunnies

1/4 cup butter
6 cups miniature marshmallows
1 pkg (85 g) jello powder
12 cups popped popcorn

Microwave the butter and marshmallows until marshmallows are puffy. Then add the jelly powder and mix well. The marshmallows will melt while you stire.

Pour the marshmallow mixture over your popcorn. Stir quickly and coat all the popcorn.

To shape your popcorn into bunny shapes, make one popcorn ball for the bunny’s body. Then make a smaller one for the head. Finally, finish off the bunny by adding two ears. You can add candy or raisins to make a bunny face.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Denise Willms is a freelance writer and virtual assistant, and a work at home mom to two teenagers. Do you want to know how you can be a successful work at home mom too? Denise publishes free work at home articles at www.WAHM-Articles.com While you’re there, be sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter, WAHM Tips. It’s the weekly email that helps moms earn more from home!

That ultimately is what it comes down to. How bad do you want success working from home? What are you willing to put into it to make it happen? Are you willing to never give up? These are all important questions you need to answer before becoming successful working from home. So, what you honestly need to do is sit yourself down and ask yourself: What am I willing to sacrifice to achieve success working from home?

When you finally decide that you are ready to make that commitment, that is where you will need to find the balance between working at home, your family, your life, your job, etc. This is where many get stuck, frustrated and give up. This is the ultimate test and obstacle to achieving success working from home. What are you going to do when the times get tough? Are you ready to knock that wall down?

You can find the balance. It is there if you put forth the effort to creating it and allowing it to be active in your life. That is why the below tips will help you if you really commit to them and to working at home.

Here are the top 5 tips to achieving balance:

1. Create a schedule. There is always the right time for certain things. Write down, type up or buy a planner. Stay consistent 3 to 5 days a week working your work-at-home business or job. Work it around your family and life but also make it a priority. It must come first just like many other things in your life. Write the to do list at what time each day you need to do work-at-home tasks, family time, etc. so you can achieve a successful schedule.

2. Stick to what you plan. With a job outside the home many tend to think they do not have a choice in making their job a priority. You need to have this same mentality with your work-at-home business or job. It must be a large part of your life but not take over your life. That is simple when you stick with what you plan, schedule and stay focused on the tasks at hand. After setting up your daily schedules for the week, stick to them and that way you still allow the important things like family and life to come first while achieving the tasks you need to get done to make working at home a success.

3. Learn how to sacrifice. I know it is exciting to know that your favorite show will be on, that the new movie in the theaters is coming out, that much needed nap is calling your name and so many other things we do to utilize our time and money. Think about all the things we purchase on a monthly basis from pizza to that cute purse we want to the couple extra things at Walmart we didn’t need get. Sacrificing is a concept that many should understand when working at home or even not working at home. No matter what we will have to sacrifice something, sometime. That is life. Do you want to sacrifice that little bit now to not have to sacrifice all that time and money later? Or do you want to sacrifice the rest of your life as you keep procrastinating the important things that need to be done now to achieve success? It is your choice to decide what is important in your life and follow through with it.

4. Allow the small things to fall away. Don’t focus on the things you cannot control. Do not allow things that are not so important in your life determine how you feel, what you achieve each day and how you approach life’s situations. We seem to focus so much on what we cannot control or change, that we do not realize that there are so many things we can focus on that will allow us to change or control our future, our purpose, or life. Let the past go, let the hardships go… move forward, stay focused, stay positive and just do whatever it takes to making your goals and dreams possible.

5. Work on personal growth and development. Staying inspired, encouraged and happy allows you to balance life and work-at-home. It teaches you what is important in life, your purpose and how to achieve your goals without stress or worry. Learning who you are, what you want, how you can help others and all around what your purpose is will allow freedom and happiness into your life. Which in return achieves balance.

In result of doing all of the above you will come to realize how much simpler it can be working from home if you just allow it to be simple.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Jennifer May is a proud work-at-home Mom with Ameriplan® and also is the Founder/Owner of www.TheWAHMGuide.com. She has experienced years of searching for work from home and is now successful from this experience. She has made it her goal and purpose to help as many as she can find and grow work-at-home successfully. She also shares true work-at-home jobs, home based businesses, research, tips, advice, personal experience and more. She has a passion for helping others and changing lives! She shares extensive resources, listings, knowledge, advice and tips in her Work from Home Mom Website www.TheWAHMGuide.com.

Don’t we all want our children to grow up to become kind, thoughtful, responsible adults who make a difference in the lives of others?

As parents, how do we accomplish such a task?

Perhaps looking toward Valentine’s Day themes can inspire ways to help our kids grow up into the adults we envision in our favorite dreams for their futures. Can we not spread the important notions honored on Valentine’s Day throughout the rest of the year?

1. Get started by saying “I Love You” more often. In today’s hectic world, we don’t always stop to say “I Love You” enough. It’s as important to say it as to hear it. If we want our kids to express their love freely and say it more to the people who matter to them, it starts with the example we set as parents. So, if we remember to say “I love you,” chances are our children will, too.

2. Make time throughout the year, not just on Valentine’s Day, to do something nice for the people you love. It doesn’t have to be flowers or chocolates, but anything that will make someone smile – a thank you note for a favor done, a donation in their name to their favorite charity, a plate of sandwiches on moving day. Giving of yourself is often the greatest gift. Get your children involved and they will learn how satisfying it feels to do something nice for someone else any time of year. Be sure you show them the gift of an item or action is the best part of giving when it is made without the expectation of receiving something in return. There is truth to the old saying that it is better to give than to receive.

3. Enjoy yourself often. Life doesn’t always have to be serious. Today’s Valentine’s Day activities are often meant to be silly and sappy, not to be taken seriously. Approach life this way and have fun with it. And take your children along with you.

4. Help your children find pleasure in the small things. On Valentine’s Day, we’re happy with a few chocolates or pretty flowers. If our children see life is not all about material items, they, too, will take the time to stop and enjoy simple pleasures.

5. Remember, everyone, male and female, can use a few more hearts in their life. If they are on the list to show our affection on Valentine’s Day, they should be on that list every day of the year. If your kids see you expressing your affection to your loved ones on a regular basis, that will become their example to follow.

Valentine’s Day is a day of hearts and giving. We can help our children make it last all year.

About the Author:

Jennifer Kirkpatrick is a busy mom of two and an entrepreneur who creates and sells unique items for kids of all ages. Visit her online store Pipsqueak Boutique for great baby gifts. And check out her clothing line, Define*Me Clothing for fun personalized kids clothes.