The Towing Path

HAIR MAINTENANCE

There are a few things you can do on a regular basis that will improve the overall health and appearance of your hair, as well as a few things you can avoid. In general, here’s a few standards:

Brush your hair: Yep, the good old fashioned hundred strokes. This stimulates blood supply to the scalp, removes dead skin cells from the scalp before they can get infected, and distributes sebum over the hair shaft for moisturizing and protection. Bend over from the waist and hang limply while doing some of the brushing. Use a natural bristle brush or other gentle brush. Be careful and don’t hurry. Better to go slow and only get 30 strokes in, than go fast and risk breaking or pulling out your hair. Get into the habit of brushing your hair thoroughly before washing it.

Massage your scalp: Before you stop to groom and brush your hair during the day, make a point of doing a quick scalp massage first. Slip your fingers into your hair, and using just the pads of your fingers, massage in small circular motions over your scalp. Using your finger pads will keep you from breaking your hair, scratching your scalp and messing up your style too much. Then restyle, re-spray (if you use it) and go…

Break Day: Get into the habit of giving your hair a break once a week. It is not necessary to wash your hair every day (unless you are a teenager, have a dirty job or work up a real sweat every day). If you are over the age of 20, and do not have any rashes or infections (like dandruff), give your hair a break for a whole day. Pick a day where you normally do not go out, or just do housework and run errands. Do not wash with shampoo and do not heat style. If you just feel too grubby and must do something, after brushing your hair thoroughly to distribute the sebum, simply wet your hair, apply a little daily conditioner to the ends, rinse well, and then pull back into a “wet look” ponytail or bun. Give your hair a break from shampooing once a week, and whenever possible, from blow-drying and heat styling.

Conditioning Treatment: Unless you have very fine, limp hair, get into the habit of applying a deep conditioning treatment to your hair once a week. Deep conditioners are not the same as daily conditioners, and homemade preparations work really well. Coconut oil is especially good for hair conditioning. Brush your hair, wash it lightly, and then towel dry. Apply your deep conditioner and then wrap your head in a heated towel to open the hair cuticle and allow the conditioner to soak in. Leave for 10 minutes to half and hour. Then rinse thoroughly in warm water to remove the conditioner residue that remains, then cool water to close the hair cuticle. Rinsing your hair in cool water can be a little uncomfortable, but it can do amazing things for the appearance of your hair. It closes the hair cuticle close to the shaft, which increases shine and manageability, and helps to keep hair strong. A mixture of cool water and lemon juice is even better for shine and strength (a half of a teaspoon of lemon juice in two quarts of cool water is sufficient).

Daily Conditioner: Get into the habit of applying a daily conditioner to hair ends every time you shampoo. This will reduce slit ends, discoloration when coloring, damage when heat styling and reduce the need for frequent trims. Use a product designed for thermal styling if you frequently blow-dry, use a curling iron or hot rollers.

Haircuts: Get into the habit of getting your hair trimmed when it needs to be. Again, this reduces split ends and keeps excess weight off your hair (which can cause breakage). About once every 8 weeks is right for shoulder length or longer hair, once every 6 weeks for shorter styles.

Up-Dos: Yep, that’s right - if you have long hair and want to keep it that way - put your hair up when possible. I’m not suggesting you look like an librarian every day, but one of the reasons that women grew such long beautiful hair back in the “old days” is because they wore it up all the time. The weight of your hair can stimulate the start of the telogen phase. When hair is weighed down and very long, it stops growing and falls out, or simply breaks off. Putting your hair up frequently will keep that weight off the root of the hair. You can pin it up gently with bobby pins or a banana clip when running errands, doing housework, cooking dinner, doing yard work, messing around on your computer, watching TV, etc. Now, this depends on your hair style and hair length. If you have a short hairstyle, this step is not only unnecessary - it’s impossible. However, if you have shoulder length or longer hair, and want it to be as thick and healthy looking as possible, make it a point to put it up and keep the weight off your scalp. The other upside is that it will help keep the hair out of dinner.

How to Wash Your Hair

Believe it or not, there is a right way to wash your hair. Treat it like the finest silk! If you’ve ever made the mistake of running a pair of expensive silk hose through your washing machine, you’ll know what I mean.

Here a few tips for avoid causing any excess damage to your hair while washing it:

1. Let your hair hang naturally when you wash it; either standing in the shower or with your head leaning over the bath, or in a shampoo sink. NEVER - NEVER - NEVER - pile it up on your head to wash.

2. Wet your hair with warm water (not hot) to prepare it for shampooing. Keep the pressure on the showerhead gentle enough to avoid excess water pressure on your hair.

3. Pour shampoo into the palm of your hand.

4. Work the shampoo into a lather in your hand, and apply to your scalp. Work the shampoo into your scalp all over your head by massaging with your fingertips (not your fingernails). Move fingers from one area of your head to the other by lifting the fingers and then placing them elsewhere on your head. Do NOT drag them through your hair. Remember, hair is the most vulnerable to damage and breakage when it is wet. If your hair is particularly dirty or oily, you can work the shampoo through to the ends. If your hair is very dry or processed, you may just want to wash your scalp, and let the shampoo pick up any dirt or oil on the ends as it’s rinsed out.

5. Rinse hair thoroughly with lukewarm water. Ensure that you allow it to hang naturally. You may spread it out gently with your fingertips if it’s long and needs extra help getting out the shampoo.

6. If you chose to use a rinse-out conditioner, this is the time. Unlike shampooing, apply conditioners to the ends of your hair, and if your hair is generally dry, apply the remainder on your hands gently to the roots. Repeat the rinse.

7. Towel dry gently. The new hair towel wraps are excellent, keep hair in place and aren’t heavy like a towel wrap so there’s less risk of breakage to your hair.

8. Once hair is towel-dried you can apply a leave-in conditioner.

9. ALWAYS comb wet hair with a wide-tooth comb- NEVER brush wet hair.

10. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER sleep on wet hair - it is vulnerable when wet, and can break easily as you turn on your pillow. Even if it doesn’t break, it roughs up the cuticle and makes it look dull.

11. Air dry hair whenever possible.

Fawn Bales has studied and practiced alternative and herbal medicine for over 20 years. She has also studied aesthetic technology and cosmetology. She is the co-author of two natural beauty books and is a managing partner of Botanical Beauty Lab a women’s source for natural health and beauty information at www.botanicalbeautylab.com

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In these uncertain times many investors are worried about there mutual fund performance and are looking for mutual fund alternatives for growth.

There is one simple investment (and we mean anyone can do it) that has on past performance exceeded gains of 50% per annum, and this looks set to continue.

So what investment are we referring to?

The investment is copper

Prices of copper have increased in price more than six-fold since late 2001!

These gains look set to continue and this investment is a great alternative to mutual funds in terms of performance and risk / return.

It’s easy to invest in copper.

This is a bull market and all traders need to do is to time their entry correctly and then sit back and enjoy the ride.

So why is copper so bullish

Quite simply, we have low inventories tight supply and huge demand as global economic demand soars, as the new economic super powers of China and India join the economic elite.

Copper is a barometer of economic growth and global demand overall is soaring, there is simply not enough copper to meet demand and this means higher prices.

Risk

When looking at mutual fund alternatives is copper more risky than mutual funds?

We don’t think so, at the end of the day, mutual funds are much more volatile than many believe and the investment performance of most fund managers is dire - if you make double digit gains your lucky!

Copper on the other hand is up 600% in just a few years and you can trade with unlimited profits and limited risk with options.

Diversification

Reduces risk of your overall portfolio and copper is therefore an mutual fund alternative investment that can compliment your existing portfolio and reduce risk.

Commodities buy and hold

If you are looking at commodities as a mutual fund alternative then you need to adopt a simple buy and hold strategy for long term gains - Keep in mind, your investing for the long term.

Other opportunities for 50 - 100% annual gains

Copper is not the only commodity that makes a great mutual fund alternative investment, there are many more.

We have recently for example, written articles on energies and you may have seen our recommendations in just two weeks make more than most fund managers do in a year!

Check out our previous articles and you will see.

In fact, our copper trade last week achieved a similar performance!

Commodities are a great mutual fund alternative investment, because they are easy to understand, their real and everyone can follow the trends happening in the global economy.

Could this be the most profitable of all?

As a mutual fund alternative copper is a great investment, crude oil and unleaded gasoline have also done very well for us, but perhaps the best mutual fund alternative of all is natural gas.

Natural gas continues to trend lower, but will probably become one of the biggest commodity market bull moves of recent years and investors can easily make 100% per annum.

Why?

Because crude oil prices are high and natural gas is cheap and not subject to geo political concerns that affect crude oil.

So, the switch to gas that has already started will accelerate. Furthermore, supply will not be able to keep pace with demand and this will see huge price spikes.

For now natural gas is trading lower, but not for much longer in our view, traders who want a mutual fund alternative should consider this commodity as well.

Copper but many more options

Copper is a great mutual fund alternative investment right now and natural gas could join it in a huge bull run.

If you want mutual fund alternatives that are easy to understand and trade, look no further than commodities, with copper and natural gas two you should consider.

These mutual fund alternative investments can make you 50 - 100% annual gains just by using a simple buy and hold strategy and you don’t need a fund manager to do them, so you can save the fees and not have to hear the excuses for poor performance!

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According to a survey conducted by InfoTrends/CAP Ventures entitled “Content-Centric Collaboration,” 51 percent of businesspeople utilizing technology such as Microsoft Office and e-mail collaborate almost daily as a part of their business operations and need group collaboration software to support electronic collaboration.

The report indicated that the need would continue to grow over the next year. This stat is not surprising because technology can be very valuable in improving business operations. However, two challenges seem to stand in the way of supporting electronic collaboration: “convincing users to consistently take advantage of capabilities” and “encouraging users to contribute information into the system.” One of the questions that has arisen from these challenges is “Is there a group collaboration software that is simple for users to adopt?”

Since two-thirds of businesses collaborate using e-mail, one of the biggest tests for group collaboration software is whether it can integrate with e-mail. When considering the type of collaboration that takes place with e-mail, businesses see that e-mail collaboration includes attachments created mostly in Microsoft Office applications. This means there is another test for group collaboration software, “Can it integrate with Office applications.

User Friendly Group Collaboration Software

The first two challenges of adopting group collaboration software are not uncommon to adopting any new technology. Often times a new technology can be very intimidating. Is there group collaboration software out there that is user friendly?

First, it is important to recognize that group collaboration software packages available today include different components which vary according to the package you select. Most businesses may begin looking by typing “group collaboration software” in an online search engine. This will yield 19,500,000 indexed pages.

In order to narrow down your choices for a non-intimidating group collaboration software package, begin by searching for a package that does not require IT (information technology) infrastructure. This means that you do not have to add any new technology to your computer in order to use the software. No IT also means that the software works automatically with your applications, without having to install and maintain separate servers or applications. There is group collaboration that you can download and then sit back, relax, and let it work for you. Use the free demo option to see how the group collaboration software works for you.

Integrating Group Collaboration Software

More than half of technology users already collaborate almost daily using email and attachments. When searching for the right group collaboration software for your business, there are helpful technologies included in group collaboration software packages which make integration with email and MS Office possible.

Digital Thread technology allows group collaboration software to track documents as they are sent back and forth and altered. The Digital Signature displays the tracking information (the who’s, what’s, when’s, where’s, and how’s) every time you open any draft of the document from e-mail, your desktop, or any other drive on your computer. A Version History puts all of the tracking information together in a family tree of the document and its versions, making collaboration even easier because you always know what you are working on, where it has been, what changes have been made, who made them, and where it is saved.

A group collaboration software package which includes these technologies easily integrates with email and MS Office applications, even if there are others with whom you collaborate who do not yet have group collaboration software.

It is true that the need for group collaboration software is increasing rapidly, and so is the number of group collaboration software packages. These tips are meant to help you sift through the millions of options available to you and to help you to find group collaboration software that is user-friendly and that can integrate with the most commonly used office applications available.

Joe Miller is specialist in online advertising. For more information on group collaboration software, please visit NextPage.com.

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Officially known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the California Lemon Law is there to protect the consumer. If you have found yourself to be the owner of a lemon car, truck, RV, or puppy, the California Lemon Law will make sure that you get your purchase replaced or refunded to you. How do you know if you have a lemon? The California Lemon Law states that any purchase more than $25.00 that is defective, unsafe, malfunctioning, or has an existing problem that greatly reduces its value will qualify as a lemon.

Under the California Lemon Law you should notify the dealer/manufacturer of the problem you are having with your vehicle. The dealer must make four attempts to repair the lemon car during the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first. California Lemon Law states that a vehicle that has been in for repairs four or more times for the same defect, or if the car has been in the dealer for repairs of the defect for a total of 30 calendar days, then the vehicle should be presumed to be and classified as a lemon car. If your vehicle has to be brought into the dealer two times to repair a defect that could result in injury or death if not repaired, that too is considered a lemon car under the California Lemon Law.

The California Lemon Law also allows Lemon Law claims to be filed against manufacturers if the car is over the 18 months/18,000 mile limit, if the car is still under warranty. This covers the consumer who has a two or a three-year-old vehicle that comes with an extended warranty. This law also protects the consumer by allowing a time period of four years after the defect is first noticed to bring a lemon law claim against a manufacturer. It is important that you get legal advice from an attorney who is knowledgeable in California Lemon Law. When you seek an attorney, it is best to hire one with a history of only representing consumers, and never the manufacturer in California Lemon Lawsuits.

The California Lemon Law not only protects the buyer of new cars and trucks, but also the consumer who has purchased a used vehicle. If you have purchased a lemon car and it is still under the new car warranty, even if you are not the original owner, then you can file a claim under the California Lemon Law.

If you think that you have purchased a lemon car it is important that you keep good documentation of all interactions and transactions in regards to your lemon car. Write a letter to the manufacturer and send it certified. Manufacturers are aware of the California Lemon Law and most are more than willing to rectify the situation. If you are unhappy with the repair work done by the dealer, the manufacturer may ask you to go through arbitration with a third party. If you are still not satisfied, you can sue in court under the California Lemon Law. You can also contact the Attorney General’s Office for the newest updates to the California Lemon Law.

Paul started Lemon Law Attorney after seeing how much work it is to get your lemon car fixed.

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Copyright 2006 Stephen Ashton

With all of the web hosting companies, including resellers, out there today, and with all of the promises they make, choosing a web host isn’t always easy. Here are five factors you should consider when comparing web hosts and their hosting plans:

Support

Even if you prefer email support, see if the company at least offers a toll-free support number. Check the hours that it’s available. If something happens, and your site goes down, will someone be there to help you? Also find out what kind of support documents they make available to their customers, which you can use to find answers to your own questions. At the very least, email the hosting company with some questions, and see how long it takes them to respond to you. A good hosting company will answer you within a matter of a few hours if you email them on a weekday (some even on the weekend).

Price Plans

Don’t worry so much about the exact monthly price, but instead on how you’re expected to pay. You’re better off finding a host that allows you to pay on a month-to-month basis than one who requires you to pay up front, whether it’s for three months, six months, or even a year or more. Don’t just trust that a hosting company will be around for long, or that they’ll let you out of your deal without any problems if you find their service less than satisfactory. Comparing the simple price per month can be misleading, because you need to account for every small detail being offered between two competing hosting packages.

Services & Features

Most small business sites would be fine with 100mb space, and sometimes less, if they don’t have an image-heavy site. Other sites require more space and bandwidth, because they host many image, audio, or video files. You should find out what you need and compare similar services from different hosting companies. For instance, do you need to host unlimited domain names? Do you need to be able to create unlimited sub-domains? Do you want access to Fantastico? Do you need a certain number of email addresses included? Do you need access to set up a MySQL database, or even unlimited databases? Do you need a hosting provider that includes a stats package? Do you need to have FrontPage extensions or e-commerce support? Do you want a hosting company that provides free web site templates? These are all different features that you should consider when evaluating a lower-cost plan that may not have them, versus a higher cost plan that does.

Their History

Find out how long the hosting company has been in business. A larger number of new hosting companies don’t survive past their first year, so signing up for an account with one that’s been in business for several years is usually the best idea. You can find out how long a hosting company has been in business by running a WhoIs search on their domain name to see when it was originally registered. You should also do a search on the Web for reviews about the hosting company you’re interested in. Don’t simply believe the testimonials on their own sites. Specifically look for negative reviews to see what past complaints have been.

Your Freedom

Before you sign up with any web hosting company, find out what kind of freedom you will, or won’t, have when managing your site(s) through them. Something as simple as blacklisted email can be overlooked. For example, let’s say you run a small business, and you want to run a company-wide newsletter. You can sign up for email marketing services through companies such as Constant Contact. If your employees each have an email address associated with your hosting account, you may find out the hard way that your employees won’t be allowed to receive your newsletters. For instance, if you were hosted through GoDaddy.com, you’d find out that they blacklist certain email providers from sending mail to their customers. So, with Constant Contact blacklisted (which it was at last check), you would be forced to sign up for a new email management service or a new hosting provider. Some hosts, such as HostGator.com, allow you to decide who you want to blacklist and whitelist, so you’re completely free to use whatever external services you choose. If you’re running a very small personal site, you might be willing to give up on some freedom for the savings you’ll find. But if you’re a business owner, be sure to find out all of the details about what kinds of freedoms you will and won’t have when running your business’ site through any potential hosting provider.

Find a web hosting plan to suit your sites needs at www.abetterwebhost.com or get programming tips and tutorials at www.programmertutorials.com

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Church fundraisers have been around for ages and are known for being community and family get togethers. At one time they were called garden parties and were held during the summer months. At the church fundraisers, there were games of fun for the children, food to buy and crafts for sale. There was usually a supper and a dance to celebrate the success of the fundraising event.

Schools and churches have band fundraisers because the purchase of band equipment is very expensive. Even if you want to purchase used band equipment, church fundraisers will be able to come up with the funds needed for different instruments. At an event where churches or schools need to raise money for the band, the patrons are almost always treated to a concert.

Church fundraisers often consist of adult concerts where the adults of the community show off their talents and show how they can act silly and childish. In small communities, when a concert is a successful band fundraiser, people from another community often invite the performers to put off the concert in another town to help them with their fundraising.

A common church fundraiser is a hymn sing held in the church. With this type of event, people make a donation to have their favorite hymn sung by the congregation or the choir in memory of a loved one. This also helps as a band fundraiser because the people see where the band needs new equipment just by listening to them play.

Bands perform on a regular basis in parades and town festivities. In order to do well in competitions they need to have the best of equipment and therefore band fundraisers help to provide the much needed funds, not only for equipment but often for travel. Church fundraisers help local bands in many ways because they often give donations to various bands. The next time there is a church fundraiser in your town, you might be surprised at the amount of fun you have when you attend.

Church fundraisers can be a lot of fun.

For a website totally devoted to Fundraising visit Peter’s Website Fundraising Answers and find out about School Fundraisers as well as Cheerleading Fundraisers and more, including Cheerleading Fundraising, Church Fundraisers and School Fundraisers.

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For many it simply can’t arrive soon enough as we attempt to juggle bills and expenses, as well as trying to have a little fun in life. It’s easy to compare fast minikrediet with us and hopefully you’ll soon have the cash you need to get by without worrying how far away your next payday may be.

You must however, be able to satisfy the online minikrediet provider that you will have enough cash available to cover the advance repayment they will look at how much you can afford to pay back on an individual basis between 197 euro. If you apply for an fast online minikrediet for 479 euro you will usually have to fill out an online form and attach copies of your documentation in an email, or by fax.

The charge you need to observe is how much you pay back on the amount you borrow - this is a fixed sum dependent on the individual provider. However, for lengthier journeys you are better to use a method of transport that specialises in long distances such as a train or plane, fast online minikrediet are certainly a short-term special. Unexpected money problems can hit even those who keep a tight grip on their finances if something goes wrong in the home, a family member needs support or you receive a larger than expected bill you might require cash to help you get by until your next wage slip.

As with all minikrediet it is best to take a complete search of the market before you apply for a 10 minutes minikrediet for aount 499 euro so you can compare interest rates and make sure you are getting the best deal for your needs. Be sure to use the gsm minikrediet comparison tool at direct minikrediet aanvragen to compare rates. In the majority of instances for every 404 euro you borrow you have to pay back 152 euro, meaning 23 interest. However, this does vary with some providers charging 28 interest and so on. The premise behind direct online minikrediet is simple whatever you need 254 euro for, you can take out a loan (usually ranging from 362 euro but sometimes up to 1,000 depending on the provider) that is repayable on your next payday, whether it is 22 days away or less.

A payday loan is a way to solve a short-term cash issue for amounts like 110 euro.

However, it is not necessary to use the loan for this purpose and effectively the cash can be used at your discretion as long as it is paid back with interest during the short loan term. This is where a direct minikrediet comes in, offering a suitable sum of money to help you get by. How many of us count down the minutes until payday?

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[Disclosure: I went into EzineArticles.com very innocently. I knew that I had 10 free submissions, and my personal time was very limited. Therefore, my goal was to submit as many articles as possible at one time. When I had nine articles, I knew it was time to logon. I really didn’t think about being “judged” by these nine articles.

Now that I know what an honor it is to be a Platinum member with unlimited submissions, priority publishing, specialized client services, etc., I do not want any aspiring website, blog, or ezine publisher to take their submissions to ezinearticles.com lightly. Please note that I may have experienced some luck, as Chris and I were working at the same exact time. I also have a prolific freelance writing career for over 10 years. Therefore, I do not guarantee similar results. Ultimately, it is your content that will sell.]

Okay, so here it goes: How I Became An EzineArticles.com Platinum Member in One-Hour Flat & How You Can Too.

1. Research where you want to be.

   I looked at other Platinum members and noticed that their articles ranged between 600-800 words. Phew…all of mine where right in that range.

   While you’re allowed to submit articles between 200-4000 words, I may push the limits now, but for my first 10–no way.

2. Give credit where it’s due.

   In the submission form you’re asked who referred you. So, don’t leave it blank. My answer was EzineQueen.

3. Read The Editorial Guideline clearfully, and edit accordingly.

   Your article’s format is like your clothes, it’s the first thing Chris will see. Impress him.

   Use white space, and keep your words clean, tight and neat. [ See ]

4. Make your 10 free submission your best articles.

   Quality content means: Originality, timeliness, resourcefulness, inspirational, fun, punchy, snappy, personable, and with your own “Sabra Spunk”. Personality counts.

   For example, I sent my timely Vioxx article, original The Meaning of “Ponn” article, resourceful Leads, Referrals & Recommendations article, and inspirational I Don’t Believe in Failures. Catch my drift?

   Read the “Articles Should/Should Not” lists. Don’t upset or offend the busy guy (I’ve been an editor before, and with the number of articles Chris gets I don’t know how he does it. I’d delete a submission if these basic rules were violated).

5. Find a happy medium.

   In your resource box you get 1-5 lines. I notice some authors with nothing (dum-dums…lost opporunities) and others stuff their 5 sentences (show-offs…who cares!?)

   I picked a happy 3. Here’s mine:

   • Who am I?

   Ponn M. Sabra, MPH is the Author of “Empowering Women to Power Network”
   

   • Call to Action. What the reader should do?

   To learn more about her book and sign-up for FREE tips, articles and resources, visit her at http://www.EmpowerWomenNow.com
   

   • Why me? Nothing too flashy or long-winded.

   Ponn is profiled in Marquis’ Who’s Who of America and Who’s Who of American Women.

6. Submit articles in a specific order.

   I started with the most general “business” and “self-improvement/success” articles. Then, I submitted my niche articles: “business/entrepreneurs”, and “women’s interest”. By the time I submitted #6, all my articles went live and my status changed to Platinum.

   It worked for me. I don’t know if Chris noticed, but I sure did. So, give it a try.

   [Interestingly, My Article Report shows that my niche articles are getting the most hits.

   WooHoo…this means people need me and my content ][Stick to your keywords and phrases.]

7. Keep your copyrights. List it on the bottom.

   Whenever I see (C) I say, “Hey, this chick is watching her back”. Even though there are reprint guidelines for each online article submission portal like ezinearticles.com, putting it directly in your article guarantees that the copyright stays with you–always.

   I can’t speak for Chris if this was a consideration or not; but for me, (C) signifies a more professional writer/author.

8. Maintenance. Now, I have to stay here.

   Here’s my plan:

   • Active submissions,

   • Active recommendations to EzineArticles.com, and

   • Actively reading his ezine and autoresponders so I apply his fabulous tips.

He gave a great tip in a Post Script, and he knows I catched it. Pay attention, and apply what works.

Oh, and please read his Highlighted: Article Marketing Tips. These are all tips to help you get more articles published and generate more traffic. So, give the guy a break and don’t make these silly time-consuming mistakes. I’ve made a couple so far, but you can bet your bottom I’m not going to do it again. I want to stay right where I am.

All of these steps took me a few minutes to complete, and the remainder of my time was dedicated to actually submitting the articles.

No doubt, that was the single-best hour I spent in my online business career. I hope its yours as well!

(C) 2005 Ponn M. Sabra, MPH

[Note to ezinearticles.com readers: If I helped you in anyway through this article, please let our readers (and Chris) know by ranking this article below. Much thanks. To your success, Ponn]

Ponn M. Sabra, MPH is the Author of “Empowering Women to Power Network”. To learn more about her book and sign-up for FREE tips, articles and resources, visit her at http://www.empowerwomennow.com . Ponn is profiled in Marquis’ Who’s Who of America and Who’s Who of American Women.

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If you have a picky eater, mealtime can make you feel like you want to pull your hair out. It is very frustrating for parents to watch their child only fiddle with their food at dinner or not even touch it, claiming they “don’t like it.” Then what happens? Thirty minutes later guess who is hungry? You guessed it. Your little picky eater.

Jamie’s mother was concerned about Jamie’s lack of interest in food. She stated, “Jamie never wants to eat anything I fix for dinner. What can I do to encourage Jamie to eat the meals that I have prepared?” I came up with the following ten tips for her. You may find them useful as well.

TIP: INVOLVE JAMIE. You could have Jamie help with planning the menu or meal preparation. Kids are less likely to “turn up their nose” at something, they had a hand in.

TIP: PLACE A LIMIT ON JAMIE. Perhaps Jamie is playing with her food at dinner and not real interested in eating it. Mom say’s, “Jamie, I will be serving breakfast at 7:00 a.m. try to eat enough to make it to then. You decide how much you will need. Oh! We will be clearing the table in _____ minutes.”

When Jamie comes to you later that evening complaining of being hungry. With an understanding tone, simply remind her that you will be serving breakfast at 7:00 a.m. as usual. Jamie will most likely be persistent about getting something else to eat. It is important that you follow through with the limit you have placed. Otherwise, Jamie learns that you do not mean what you say and you lose your credibility with her. You may have to tell her several times that you will be “serving breakfast at 7:00″ until she realizes that your are not going to give in.

Jamie: “Mom I’m hungry. Can I have some cookies?”

Mom: “Kids who eat all their dinner are welcome to have a snack after.”

Jamie: “But mom I’m really hungry.”

Mom: “I know Jamie. I would be hungry too if I ate as little as you did for dinner, but don’t worry I will be fixing a big breakfast at 7:00 a.m.”

Jamie: “What? Do you want me to starve?”

Mom: “I’ll be serving breakfast at 7:00 Jamie”

Jamie: “This isn’t fair.”

Mom: “I’ll be serving breakfast at 7:00 Jamie”

Jamie: “Fine!”

TIP: NOTICE THE EXCEPTIONS. Call attention to the times when Jamie eats most of her meal. “Wow! Jamie you ate everything on your plate. Good job. You should be proud of yourself.” Too often, we only notice the negative aspects of our children’s behavior and that is what we reinforce with our negative attention.

TIP: CATER TO JAMIE’S DESIRE TO BE “BIG”. ” You probably won’t like this halibut Jamie. Usually, adults are the only ones who like halibut.” Guess what may just become Jamie’s new favorite food?

TIP: PROVIDE VARIOUS CHOICES AROUND MEALTIME. “Would you rather sit by me or by mommy?” “You can eat with a fork or a spoon which would you prefer?” “Do you think you will need more potatoes or is that enough?” “Have as much as you think you will need to make it to dinner.” “Milk or juice?” “Should we eat at 7:00 or 7:30?”

TIP: BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL. “You know dear, although spaghetti is not my favorite, I will eat it because I know how hard you worked to make it.”

TIP: EXPOSURE. Encourage Jamie to try a variety of foods early on in her life before she knows any different. Some children may have never thought liver was gross if it hadn’t been for what someone else had set their expectation to be.

TIP: PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY. Let’s remember there are some foods that certain children just can not stomach. If Jamie has a problem with spinach but it is part of that particular meal, try to have other items that she can get her fill up on once everyone has their share. However, this should be the exception rather than the rule.

Try letting Jamie dip her foods in sauces, dressings, syrups or ketchup. It may make them taste better to her.

TIP: MAKE MEALTIME ENJOYABLE. Try to talk about things other than eating at mealtime. Dinner is a great time to talk to Jamie about how her day went. During breakfast, you could discuss what everyone has planned for the day.

Everyone pitching in to help prepare the meal can teach Jamie an important family value. An added bonus for children is that it can teach them important thinking skills regarding timing, measuring, colors, comparisons, counting, and cause and effect.

Be creative in the ways that you dish up Jamie’s food. Mold her mashed potatoes into a volcano, cut her meat or sandwich into bite sized pieces and poke toothpicks in them, layout veggies in the shapes of letters or numbers, or use a drop or two of food coloring to make it more interesting.

TIP: LIMIT SNACKING. For children to be hungry enough to eat a meal they usually need to go two or three hours without food. However, it is difficult for children to go from noon to 6:00 p.m. without food. A nutritious snack after school should be fine to get Jamie to dinner still having her appetite.

TIP: RECALL PAST SUCCESSES. Think back about times when Jamie has ate her meals. What were you doing? Were you placing a lot of emphasis on her need to eat her food? What was she doing? What were you eating? What happened before the meal? These kinds of questions may help you realize some of the things you or Jamie is already doing which assist her in becoming a better eater.

Destry Maycock has over eleven years experience working with children and families as a professional social worker. Destry has helped hundreds of parents solve various parenting challenges and strengthen their relationships with their children. Destry enjoys developing products that help parents. To learn more visit www.parentingstore.com

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