Here are some tips and suggestions on how to make a warm and friendly answering machine recording for the family phone.

Discuss among family members who will deliver the message on the tape. It is advisable to have only one person do the recording, but if you wish to have more than one speakers, then go ahead.

Kids may be allowed to be included in the recording as long as they can speak clearly.

As this is a personal phone, you can be as cretaive as you want as long as it’s clean and wholesome. Some business contacts will also be listening to the message so the message should be clear and concise. Inside jokes and mature content are out of the question.

Write a script to follow and consider the time alloted for the recording. Never give out too much personal information and don’t forget to ask the caller to leave their message, name, and number for return calls.

Practice, record, and edit as needed.

It is not that difficult to teach or convince children to do household chores.

They key here is start them young and to explain to them the importance of doing these chores. Children can be quite reasonable, if can only explain things properly to them.

Teach your kids responsibility. They should know that in order for everyone to enjoy priveleges in the family, each one needs to do his or her own part. Make sure that the appropriate chores are assigned to everyone (consider age and safety).

Explain the reason for the task. Expecting children to obey blindly is no way to ensure that you get their full cooperation. By explaining to them the consequences of their actions can help them understand that what they’re doing is relevant and important.

Create a list or a chart that displays each family member’s task and when these tasks should be implemented. You can also discuss a rewards system with your children. You can pay them for finishing tasks well. Consider this as simulating work and income.

Make it fun. Show to them that doing these chores should be done out of love for the family, and not because it’s a tedious task.

Here are some tips on how to make sure that your children are safe in your vehicles while you are driving:

Children should be seated in a car seat placed in the vehicle’s backseat. The front-passenger seat is reserved for children who are of 13 years of age and older. This is becase air bags can cause injury to younger children.

Make sure that you have the right car seat appropriate for you child’s age and weight. Follow all directions and instructions in setting up a car seat, and in placing a child in the seat.

Avoid playing loud music so you will be able to hear your child while you’re driving.

If there is no other adult to supervise over your child, make sure that you stop at one place so you can feed your child. Your child might choke on food and water if you leave these with him or her.

Have you (and your partner) have decided to raise an only child? This can happen for so many reasons, but whatever it is, here are some things that can help you raise your child without any siblings:

They say the having siblings can teach social values such as sharing, compromise, etc. However, you can provide opportunities for your child to learn by letting them interact with other children. This can be by means of playdates with friends’ children, or by entering them to pre-school.

Build close relationships with relatives. Your child’s cousins, especially those close his age, can help your child learn how to interact with other people.

Encourage your child to make friends. Some only-children can become shy at first so you need to be there to encourage your child. Allow your child to go with friends in supervised outings.

Try not to spoil your child. It’s very easy to do so since you don’t need to worry about sibling rivalry, and your attention and finances won’t have to be split among other children.

Be close with your child. Any child, only or with siblings, should always feel loved and cherished by his or her parents.

Many parents find bringing their children grocery shopping as troublesome. But why not turn the chore into an opportunity to bond with your kids?

Choose kid friendly store where they have specialized buggies and carts. This way, you don’t waste yout time chasing your kids around, and focus more on the shopping.

Keep your kids comfortable and make sure that they’re not hungry or cranky. If the kids re not in a good mood, might as well not go shopping. Much easier to eat leftovers or get a take-out then take cranky kids out.

Schedule your grocery trips so you avoid the rush hour and days where a lot of people are buying their stuff. It is better to do your shopping at a more leisurely pace, not to mention when the aisles are free and the lines at the checkout counters are short or even nonexistent.

Get kids involved. Let them tick the items off your list. Or you can let them pick items to get from your list. It can also be a good chance to teach your kids about health and nutrition, math, and other practical lessons you can think of.

Taking care of one baby is difficult enough, but how do you do it if you’ve got twins!

Although it will be difficult at first to get both babies on schedule, they will eventually get the hang of it. Feed them, and let them nap at the same time. Otherwise, you’d be seeing to their needs 24-7 and that would lead to inevitable exhaustion.

Don’t be fooled by the word, twins. You still have two different individuals to take care of. Make an effort to observe your babies and you will easily find out their personalities. Use them to your advantage.

Find help and take help. You are not superwoman. Great if you have a partner who is willing (and who should be willing) to help. Find a qualified babysitter who is great with kids. You can enlist the help of your mother or a very close friend. The last thing you would want is to burn out. Who would take care of your babies then?

It’s normal for kids to feel jealous if they have a sibling on the way. If this is the case in your family, here are some tips to ease the hurt and jealousy of your older children.

Tell your children early on and assure them that your love for them will never change. And as older siblings, you would need their help to take care of the new baby as well.

Involve your children even from the start of the pregnancy. If they are old enough, you can take them with you when you go for scans so they can see how a baby develops. Let them help you choose clothes or toys or even in decorating the nursery. They are curious and use this curiosity to curb their jealousy.

Spend time with them as much as possible even after baby is born. Let them meet their new sibling and again, you can involve them with your tasks, such as feeding the baby, or changing diapers, etc. The last thing they need is to feel isolated and see you spend almost all of your time with the new baby.

Be strong. Take it all in before you start reacting. Angry words cannot do anything right now. Instead of placing blames, try to figure out what happens next.

Learn to accept the situation. Knowing that you’re in denial will not make you an effective support system for your daughter.

Discuss with your daughter what the options are. Your daughter is afraid and try to help her get through those fears so she can plan actions that would best suit her situation.

Keep busy. Instead of being overwhelmed of the problem, keep yourself busy by helping your daughter cope with the more practical side of being pregnant such as going to the doctor, buying clothes for herself and the coming baby, or making sure she is eating right.

Keep sane. Have an emotional support system for yourself. It can be your partner, your own parents, or a best friend. They will help you deal with the situation, and to keep your emotions in check as well.

There times when parents have no choice but to bring children with them to grocery stores, malls, and other crowded places. If you, as a parent, have fears about losing your kids while you are out, here are some tips on how to keep your children in your line of sight.

Dress your kid in something bright. This will help you spot your kid just in case he or she gets away from you.

Sew a patch on your children’s clothing (pants or at the inside of the back of your child’s shirt) which contains an emergency contact information. This is in case your child cannot memorize it on his or her own.

For mobility as well as security, you can always bring a stroller for your child. Instead of carrying him or her, which can be bothersome, when you are shopping, have them sit on their stroller. Just remember not to leave the stroller anywhere.

Hold your child’s hand. This might not work well for children who are active and who like to run a lot.

One alternative is to get them children’s leashes. There are already children’s leashes available. For those who are not bothered by the idea, a children’s leash won’t hurt your children and they may even be designed to not look like leashes.

You can also buy a walkie-talkie that you can use to communicate. Just make sure that your child knows how to use it.

Adults underestimate the intelligence of children and their ability to adapt. If you’re worried that your change in financial situation would hurt your children, well, it would only do so if you do not explain this properly to them and not preparing them for the change in the lifestyle that they’re used to.

This depends on how old your children are. Of course, it is still necessary to talk in a manner and to use words that your children can understand. The important thing, however, is to make sure that you are honest.

Find a time when all the family members are there. Sit and discuss what’s going on. Explain why you need to change things in the household and how everyone’s help is needed to make things work. Try to answer the questions as patiently and as honestly as possible. You can also ask suggestions from your children. Getting them involved will make them feel that you’re all in this together and their opinions are valued.

Help put your children’s mind at ease. Make sure that they know that although this may go on for a long time, it is not permanent and that you and everyone else are trying to work on the matter (make sure that you are). Tell your children you love them and re-assure them that change is inevitable, your love for them and your support is always there.