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Children of Divorce Often Suffer Unnecessarily – How to Avoid Mistakes!

by Lillie Hunt

With almost half of the marriages in the U.S. ending in divorce, there are a lot of children who become afflicted with psychological, physical and social problems, which are almost entirely preventable. While you might have tried every avenue of trying to renew your relationship, went to marriage counseling or spoke with your religious adviser, sometimes there’s just no viable answer. Whatever the reasons, sometimes it’s better for every one concerned, including your children, to get a divorce and go your separate ways. When children hear or see their parents fighting all the time, they know you’re both unhappy and they become unhappy as well.


Your divorce doesn’t have to damage your children. Your divorce does not justify and or excuse your child’s negative behaviors. As a parent, you have a choice what you expose your children to. Choose not to expose your children to conflict. Choose not to expose your children to negative comments, thoughts, and beliefs about your ex.

Source:
https://sanduskyregister.com/news/25539/your-divorce-doesnt-have-to-damage-your-children/

If you find you and your spouse simply cannot resolve your differences, there are a few things you must do to promote a positive outcome for your kids. Children of divorce commonly feel that the divorce is their fault. Unless you handle your divorce in an apparently amicable manner, at least in front of the children, you’re going to fuel a host of problems for the kids, both now and later.

It’s essential that both parents sit down with the kids and make it crystal clear that the situation is not their fault. Let them know that adults are capable of making mistakes, and that both you and your spouse are just no longer able to communicate or get along, due to mistakes on both sides. Perhaps you married too young, before you were psychologically prepared for marriage, or grew apart over the years, developing into your own adulthood, taking different directions. If this is the case, this might be appropriate to mention during your discussion. The most important element of your talk should be to eliminate the blame game. Never bad mouth your spouse to your children. Otherwise, children of divorce often take the blame on themselves, while others blame one parent or the other, leading to some serious problems that will follow them for years.

Children of divorce also commonly feel guilt out of their own feelings of loyalty to one parent or another, which may be simply age related. Young girls may still be more attached to Mom, while older boys might favor Dad’s position, blaming Mom for the divorce. This is why it’s so important to nip such thoughts in the bud. Let the children know that you will both love each of them forever and that you know that they love both of you. Explain that, while you and your spouse will not be living together, you expect that the kids will be sharing time in each of your homes.

Divorce is always painful. You never planned on your relationship ending in divorce. However, you and your spouse are the adults and you must give all of your support to the kids now, if you hope for them to continue with healthy relationships of their own, both with friends and their parents. Children of divorce are so vulnerable. It’s up to you to make this transition to a new life as easy as possible, for their sake.

Children of divorce, handled improperly, can lead to childhood anxiety, insomnia and even depression. Discipline problems can creep into the mix as well.

You may find it helpful to obtain a book on child psychology or child development, of the self-help type. If you can afford it, a session or two with a child psychologist may be of immeasurable help in guiding your kids along a healthy path.

You owe this to your kids. With the right care, children of divorce can be happy and well adjusted individuals whose love for each of you is unconditional.

Playing The 20 Questions Game

by Lillie Hunt

You probably remember the 20 questions game from when you were a kid. Almost everyone I know played one version of it or another as a way to pass the time. In my family, we would typically play 20 questions games on long road trips as a way to not get too bored and antsy. First the person questioned would think of something. Then the questioner would always ask the same first question: : “Person, place, or thing.” After that, they would have to find out what the other person was thinking of with only 19 other questions.

You’re probably getting your fair share of couch time as more and more places close down life as we know it, insisting residents to stay at home and practice social distancing from others in order to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Source:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willmcgough/2020/03/20/cant-travel-play-these-games-instead-during-covid-19-and-social-distancing/#1565224c3e62

Although the 20 questions game was one of my favorite games at the time, I never would really would have guessed that it would go through so many incarnations. Nowadays, there are many different 20 questions games that you can buy, in addition to the one that you can play without buying anything. For example, there is the 20 questions electronic game. This is basically a computerized version of the game. The computer has you think of something within a certain range such as music or sports, and tries to guess the answer with less than 20 questions. It is amazing how often the computer is right.

Of course ,there is also the 20 questions board game. I was a little bit skeptical about this particular development at first, but once I tried it, I really like it. It is a lot like the original game, except it involves solving riddles instead of just guessing something. When you get a right answer, you move a certain number of spaces. There is more to it than that, but that is, more or less, the gist of it.

Still, even though all of these games have their appeal, the most versatile 20 questions game is still the one you can play by yourself with your friends. It is great because it requires nothing but your mind and imagination to play! Once you become an adult, it can be pretty easy to forget about all of the road trip games you played as kids. Still, if you can remember them, it can be a lot of fun to bring them back. Some of them wear better than others (I have found that “I spy” is kind of distracting when you are trying to drive) but they all have their charm. Best of all, you can teach the 20 questions game and your other favorites to your own kids!

Beauty Blog

by Lillie Hunt

Need advice on putting your best face forward? Beauty blogs provide all you need!

When you browse the cosmetic, hair color, manicure and other such beauty product aisles, do you feel overwhelmed by the shelves stocked with hundreds of products? I sure do. Unless you’re a professional beautician, it’s certainly hard to figure out which products are right for your skin tone and which will do the job as promised. You don’t want to waste your money on an inferior product, or spend more than you need to. Worst of all, choosing a hair color product can turn into a nightmare – once you’ve done the deed, there’s not much to be done – except, perhaps to go to a professional salon and see if they can straighten out the mess. More money spent.

We love these products, and we hope you do too. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of the revenue from your purchases. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!.

Source:
https://www.eonline.com/news/1132297/ulta-s-21-days-of-beauty-sale-is-all-available-online

Fortunately, there are hundreds, if not thousands of excellent beauty blogs online, maintained by professional beauticians who are up to date on all the latest products, posting frequent reviews of various beauty products, as well as how-to types of articles, such as how to apply eye shadows, hair streaking techniques that work and proper methods for makeup removal. It’s their business, so you’ll find reliable information you can use today. You can read beauty questions and comments from the beauty blog readers which can also offer valuable beauty tips and tricks.

How about the latest trends in makeup, such as the mineral-based powders? These are a bit pricey, but give beautiful results that are far more natural looking than the old ‘foundations’, don’t clog your pores and give your skin a fresh, vibrant look. However, knowing how to choose the best shades and which brushes are used to apply these powders does take a little know-how. Rather than take a chance on wasting money with a shade which won’t work for you or waste the product by fumbling the application, visit a beauty blog to find all the answers!

Women love to mess with their hair color, even though a home application may not come out anything like the lovely model on the box. Now what? Having once experienced a disaster when I decided to put a few subtle streaks in my hair, I certainly wish beauty blogs had been around then! Obviously, I did something wrong, because the streaks turned a very unattractive shade of green! I ended up making an immediate trip to the salon. The best they could do was to cover it with a rinse. The resulting color was an all-over bluish gray, which I had to live with for quite some time. Hair color technology wasn’t then as advanced as it is today, but if I’d been able to investigate the pitfalls and proper techniques of streaking hair by clicking through to a good beauty blog before rashly proceeding on my own, I would have saved myself many tears and much money.

Teens don’t often consult Mom about makeup, hair coloring or any other beauty topics, probably because they think Mom is back in the dark ages and have no concept of what’s in style. This makes the beauty blogs an especially good resource. The professional beauty blogger has the scoop on what’s popular with every age group and often caters to younger visitors. Teens who take advantage of the beauty advice and secrets available on such blogs might well surprise Mom with their expertise in beauty products.

Whether you’re young or more, ahem, mature, visit the beauty blogs for expert advice that doesn’t land you in some of the predicaments described above!

Five Effective Techniques For Breaking Bad Habits

by Lillie Hunt

No one of us is perfect. No matter who you are, you must have at least one bad habit. However, breaking bad habits often seems difficult, whereas no one ever tries to break good habits. Obviously, good habits are desirable, while bad habits are not. This may appear to be a no brainer, but it’s just a bit of common sense if you analyze how any habit, good or bad, is formed.

Yes. Exactly. Symptoms are not habits.
The idea that they are is what drives the Neuro-typicals to try to help us by telling us to just don’t be distracted, just don’t engage in perseveration, just don’t speak without thinking, grab without asking, do without considering consequences.

Source:
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/adhd-man/2020/03/a-bad-habit-to-break/

When either type of habit is cultivated, it becomes second nature after many repetitions. You don’t spend time thinking about brushing your teeth or hair, you simply do it. Both repetition and behavioral triggers are key. Given this premise, let’s take a look at five techniques you might use in breaking bad habits.

  1. Let’s say you’ve got a habit of letting your bad temper get the best of you and you’re quick to snap at family members and others. Most often, people with this habit don’t think before they speak. Just as parents give a recalcitrant child a ‘time-out’ to calm down, so you must modify your behavior so that when you’re ready to explode, you -impose a ‘time-out’ period for a little reflection. Removing yourself from the situation for just a few minutes is sometimes all you need.
  2. If your bad habit is one of indulgence, such as food, alcohol or smoking, it’s compulsive behavior triggered by situational factors. Breaking bad habits of this type require that you identify triggers that precede the indulgence. Carry a small journal to record events preceding the undesirable habit. Stressful conditions often precede this type of bad behavior. Other keys are pure and simple habit, such as the smoker who lights up with the first cup of coffee in the morning, or grabs a smoke to be able to concentrate better. Once you identify your triggers, you can take steps to actively avoid them. Recognition also empowers you in your efforts to break bad habits.
  3. When you know what prompts you to exercise your bad habit, replace each trigger with a countering behavior. Retrain your brain, breaking bad habits with a positive replacement behavior. For example, if you’ve had a stressful day, instead of reaching for the food, alcohol or smoke, do something different. You know stress leads to the bad habit. Go out for a short walk. Fresh air, a look around the scenery or a chat with your neighbor may be all the respite you need to resist your temptation. Over time, the new behavior replaces the old response.
  4. Join a forum or online message board dealing with your specific bad habit. There, you’ll meet people who know how you feel and can offer both the voice of experience and support.
  5. Join a community support group if you enjoy the social interaction. The benefits are similar to the online groups.

Good luck to you. You can succeed in breaking bad habits.

Infant Car Seat Cover

by Lillie Hunt

Babies are adorable but they are messy little creatures as well. We’ve all seen a baby spit up a bit as they burp and if that happens while they are in their car seat it can create a stain that’s difficult to clean. Trying to clean the surface of a baby car seat is a difficult task and it seems one that too many people find themselves doing each day. There’s an easy way to fix the problem and that’s by purchasing infant car seat covers.

Car seats are one of the most critical pieces of gear parents with young kids need, but they’re also one of the most overwhelming items to buy.

Source: https://www.businessinsider.my/best-car-seat

There are several different styles of seats designed for transporting an infant. Most allow the parent to detach the seat itself from its base within the vehicle. This makes transporting the baby so much easier. You simply unclip the seat from the base and take the baby with you. The baby can remain in the seat while you are out as they tend to be very comfortable.

In the past many parents have recognized the need to keep the seat covered just in case the baby has an accident or burps up. Quite often you’d see a large receiving blanket or a baby towel lining the car seat. This was not only unattractive but it could cause a safety concern if the covering was too large for the seat. With infant car seat covers that isn’t the case, as they are built to fit and they come in many prints.

Some moms and dads have found it useful to buy more than one covering. Doing this allows them the luxury of having an extra on hand should the need arise. They can remove the soiled infant car seat covers and instantly replace them with another. After washing the dirty one, it’s all set to be used again when need be.

There are so many adorable patterns to choose from that many fashionable moms seem to struggle with which is best. Some suggest buying infant car seat covers that have a colorful and busy pattern on them as this will stimulate the child’s eyesight. Babies do rest their small heads to the side when sitting in a car seat so they will be able to see the infant car seat covers, but with any luck they’ll drift off to sleep quickly, so the pattern won’t matter to them.

If you haven’t purchased one and you have a newborn now is the perfect time to go out and get one. You’ll appreciate how easy it is to install and you’ll also love how simple it is to clean up when the baby spits up in their car seat. After all, all new moms and new dads have better things to do with their time than scrubbing a car seat. They have a new baby to get acquainted with.

Lighted Make-Up Mirror

by Lillie Hunt

Vanity, it’s always my favorite sin! So I stole that line. You have to admit, it’s a catchy one. It certainly applies to our species more than any other. Actually I don’t think we’ve ever found another species affected by vanity. It’s a human thing. We get up each day, shuffle into the bathroom and make ourselves look as pretty as possible. We definitely don’t want the world seeing us at our worst. Most of us prefer to present a flawless image that can be adored by many we come in contact with. This is why we work so hard on our teeth, skin, hair and bodies. All play a significant part. When we’re lacking in one aspect, we leave ourselves open to ridicule. This is something we must avoid.

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

Source:
https://people.com/lifestyle/fancii-lighted-compact-travel-mirror-amazon/

After all, we have to keep that self esteem in tact. My wife is a primary example of someone who tries their best to look amazing. I can’t help but joke about her lighted make up mirror.

We men do have it a bit easier. We don’t bother with make-up, jewelry and infinite shoes. Less is often more where we’re concerned. Don’t get me wrong! We trim our hair and nails; we shave and slap some pomade in the dew, but we certainly never require a lighted make up mirror. Thank the dear lord! I purchased a high-end lighted make up mirror for my wife around seven years ago.

She was ecstatic at the sight of it. This is great. I want her to have nice things and be able to groom herself the way she pleases. However, now that she has her lighted make up mirror and has used it for years, she can hardly travel without it. This is a bummer. I guess it’s just one of those many girl things I simply don’t comprehend. Can’t a bathroom mirror offer the same reflection? Won’t it suffice for a few measly days? According to my wife, the answer to that is a resounding NO.

Okay, it’s clear that a lighted make up mirror can ease the make-up application process. Any fool can see this. After all, it magnifies the face up to 10 times. That’s quite the close up. On the other hand, women have to remember that they once did fine without these as well. Ss can someone please remind my wife?

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

by Lillie Hunt

Steven Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” made a big splash with this self help book, perhaps due to his savvy analysis of shared principles and characteristics of people who were truly effective in their lives. His analysis of these 7 habits of highly effective people boiled down to just seven characteristics, which gives hope to us all! Let’s take a brief look at what he found.

The first on his list of 7 habits of highly effective people is to ‘be proactive’. This habit was given first place because he found that all people were essentially proactive or reactive. Proactive people accepted the consequences of their own actions and realized that we always have choices. Reactive people tended to believe things just “happened” and their choices made no difference. Before progress can be made on the other six habits, the reactive person must make the switch to a proactive frame of reference.


Consider gifting yourself or your loved one the perfect gift this Christmas from our list of top 5 books for budding entrepreneurs.

Source:
https://www.eu-startups.com/2019/12/top-5-books-to-give-startup-enthusiasts-these-christmas-holidays/

The second of the 7 habits of highly effective people is to ‘begin with the end in mind’. This means identifying your dreams, the end goal. You must define what will be fulfilling to you,whether in career choices or family life. Many successful careers ultimately prove unfulfilling, offer no true personal satisfaction, simply because the person failed to identify the end goal.

The third habit of the 7 habits of highly effective people builds on the second habit. Until you’ve identified your goals, Covey maintains you will not be able to distinguish what is important or unimportant to your end goal. The third habit is ‘first things first’. This habit deals with effective prioritizing and time management.

Fourth is ‘think win-win or no deal’. This is a revolutionary concept when you realize that in any dispute, there are solutions that will truly benefit both parties, without compromise and with both satisfied with the resolution.

Fifth in the 7 habits of highly effective people is ‘seek first to understand’ which is a profound observation. When two people talk, their goal is usually to be understood by the other person. A more fruitful strategy is to try first to understand the other person. When the other person sees you do want to understand his position, doors magically open to real understanding.

Sixth, we have ‘Synergize’. This is a creative brainstorming technique to find ‘win-win’ solutions. Using the technique results in creative solutions better than any individual participant might have thought.

‘Sharpening the Saw’, the last of the 7 habits of highly effective people, addresses four dimensions of humanity which must be exercised: body, mind and spirit, and – added by Covey – the interpersonal. Regular physical exercise, enrichment of your knowledge and spiritual contemplation or meditative practice are also necessary habits to be a highly effective person.

These 7 habits are a model for improved relations with other people, successful outcomes and personal satisfaction. We might all benefit from the lessons in this book.

Child Car Seat Safety

by Lillie Hunt

Child car seat safety is one of the most important issues for new parents. Before I had my first kid, I had no idea about child car seats. I did not know about child car seat safety ratings, forward facing and backward facing car seats, or even the fact that there is a right way and a wrong way to set up a kid’s seat. Now I know it all, but many parents don’t bother to find out the facts. For example, did you know that many police stations will offer a complementary child car seat safety check? It is true, and I suggest that you have it done if you haven’t yet.

Many organizations recommend that a child only travel in the front seat of a vehicle from the age of 13.

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327330.php

The thing is, there is more to child car seat safety than meets the eye. Correctly installing a car seat can be a pretty difficult matter. Everything has to be adjusted perfectly. If the straps are too tight or too loose, the child will not be protected from crashes. In addition, child car seat safety requires that the child seat be installed in the back. Even if you want your child to sit up front with you and be able to enjoy the view, you really can’t. Many parents mistakenly think that their child will be just as safe in the front seat, but this isn’t the case.

Safety for kids is really one of the most neglected areas of parenting. Child car seat safety is not the only thing that many parents don’t know about. I have always thought new parent should have to take an infant child safety standards course when they are pregnant with their first kid. It isn’t that the parents don’t mean well, it is just that they don’t understand that there are issues to parenting that can’t be tackled with common sense. Child car seat safety is one of the most obvious ones, but there are many others as well.

If child car seat safety is a difficult issue, those bikes with child booster seats in them are an even bigger one. Personally, I think they should be off the road. I understand why people like them, and I respect that parents desire to take their kids along with them on their morning bike ride. Nonetheless, I can’t think of anything more dangerous. Just one tiny bump by a car, and the bike will be overturned. The parent will probably emerge unharmed except for a scratch or a bump, but the child could be outright killed!

Tips on Crossword Puzzles

by Lillie Hunt

It seems that word puzzles have been around for decades. In the back of many newspapers you can find a daily crossword puzzle and if you are adventurous you may even attempt to solve it. These puzzles can easily become addictive and once you’ve completed one you’ll be yearning for more. Crossword puzzle magazines are made to help satisfy those who love problem solving.

Many people who have an interest in these brain teasers shy away from doing them because they fear they’ll look foolish if they can only fill in two or three of the answers. Ironically sometimes you only need a few answers to complete the entire puzzle, so that should never be a deterrent. Also, there are crossword puzzle magazines designed for every skill level so anyone from a beginner to someone who has been doing them for years can find one just for them.


“This is kind of like golfing with Tiger Woods, I would think,” said avid golfer and ESPN Senior Vice President, Original Content Rob King, reflecting on his just-completed 12 minute and 19 seconds official time to tackle last Friday’s New York Times crossword puzzle.

Source: https://www.espnfrontrow.com/2019/12/the-king-kimes-ny-times-crossword-challenge-you-never-knew-you-needed/

With the introduction of the Internet many publications now offer online, downloadable versions. This is true for many of the popular crossword puzzle magazines as well. If you have Adobe Acrobat on your computer you can purchase one of the magazines at your skill level, download them and complete them. This makes it very easy to correct mistakes as you’ll no longer be searching for an eraser as you can just use the backspace key on your computer when you change your mind about an answer.

Some avid puzzlers will tell you that having this option available has been very helpful to them. The main reason is that completing a puzzle can take quite a bit of research. If you’ve got the crossword puzzle magazines on your computer you can easily look up possible answers and then fill them in the puzzle.

There will come a time when you’re going to want to move up a skill level and take on more challenging puzzles. With the available crossword puzzle magazines this is easy to do. Most offer a one time fee to download a particular skill level of puzzles. When you feel the urge to tackle something harder, you simply pay the fee again and you will have access to advanced puzzles.

The first time you are able to complete a puzzle you’ll feel incredibly accomplished. It will actually spur you on to try harder and harder puzzles. It’s one of those interests that tend to last the entire lifetime of a person. That’s because a good crossword puzzle is captivating.

As a parent you probably are constantly looking for fun ways to get your child to learn. Finding crossword puzzle magazines designed for children can be a great teaching tool. In fact, when a parent is helping their child with a word puzzle, everyone is bound to learn something.

Waterproof Make Up

by Lillie Hunt

If you are like me, you never know when you might end up crying your eyes out. I know I am perhaps overly emotional, but I do tend to tear up over the silliest things. Some say I have a big heart while others call me a sentimental fool. No matter what the case may be, I do need to wear some waterproof make up when I am away from home. You just never know what is going to happen or when you may need it.

The most common type of waterproof make up is mascara. Most women buy this on occasion, but then throw it away because it is so hard to get off. This is something that makers of waterproof mascara have been working on, however, and some brands actually work better than they used to. Don’t mistake this with smudge proof make up, as that will still run if you cry hard enough. I just found this out the hard way this past summer. Upon the news of a health scare of a friend, my smudge proof smudged right down my face.

Party season is in full swing and if you’ve already bagged your outfit, you might be looking to amp up your makeup. Anything goes for Christmas and New Year parties but simple tweaks like glitter eyeshadow (biodegradable, of course), red lipstick, fluffy lashes and a classic smoky eye always tend to reign supreme.

Source: https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/makeup-that-lasts

The makers of waterproof make up know that mascara is the biggest problem, and I can attest to this. Even if I am not crying, I always end up with mascara smudging all over the place. I have tried the waterproof make up but I always found I pulled out eyelashes when I tried to take it off. They are working on it, and some brands are supposed to flake off on their own without leaving any sort of smudge on your face or hands when it is removed.

There are other types of waterproof make up you can get as well, though they are not as common. I know that I would like to try waterproof eyeliner but I have not been brave enough to try it yet. This would be a great waterproof make up product if it really would work. My eyeliner always either wears off too fast or is all over the place. I don’t know what it is about me, but I am tough on make up. If someone could come up with a waterproof make up that totally performed and was easy to remove, I would be a customer for life. Not only would I be a constant and loyal customer, I would tell everyone I knew to buy it. There are some things that a woman just needs, and make up that does what it is supposed to is one of those things.