My Precious Kid® - Precious Kids Newsletter
October 2005

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Subjects: Homeschool / Adoption / Parenting / Work at Home
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Thank you for subscribing. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/preciouskids/ We hope you will enjoy this edition of our monthly newsletter. It brings articles and information on parenting, adoption, homeschool, home business and more!

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PARENTING

Guilt Free Parenting
By Kimberly Chastain
http://www.christianworkingmom.com/

I don’t know about you, but I do guilt very well. At times, it seems like I can feel guilty for almost anything. Also, as a parent I mess up routinely. I can be short with my temper and my words are not always pleasant. Also, there seems to be a new parenting article out daily that tells you how to parent and of course it feels like to me anyway that I always come up short. My hunch is I am not the only one that feels that way. So, how do I have the audacity to come up with an article entitled, “Guilt Free Parenting”? Actually, it wasn’t totally my idea. God placed the idea and burden on my heart to share it with you.

Let’s look at Psalm 139:16, “Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” Basically, before you were born God marked out your days and may I add also your children’s days. God has a plan for you and He has one for your children as well.

What does all of this have to do with guilt free parenting? I’m glad you asked. God is truly in control of your life and your children’s lives as well. We cannot always see His hand or plan, but He is there. That means on our worst parenting days God is still working His plan in our lives and in our children’s lives in spite of us. There have been so many times in the Bible where at first glance God’s plan did not make sense and then on later inspection it made perfect sense. So, when we are not doing a good job of being parents, God is still working in our lives and our children’s lives.

I want to quickly say this does not give us permission to say, “I don’t have to parent, God is in control.” I’m not saying that at all. What I am saying is quit beating yourself up when you feel you have not done a good job or had a less than stellar parenting moment. God does not expect us to be perfect parents or have perfect children. If He expected that or required that we would not need Jesus.

May I suggest when you have that guilty feeling or bad parenting moment run to God and readmit how much you need Him. Also, rest in Him and thank Him that He is still in control and His plan will happen. Sometimes I even say, “God these are your children too and I know you love them even more than I do, please help me. Give me strength to be the parent you would have me be.”

Guilt Free Parenting means relying on our Abba Father and trusting Him to guide us in parenting our children. It means we won’t be perfect, but we can rest assured that God is still working out His plan in all of our lives. To me Guilt Free Parenting means realizing how deeply I need God and His wisdom in every area of my life and how I need to run to Him daily for strength and encouragement.

Can I promise you that if you truly realize how God is in control of your life and your children’s life that you won’t feel guilty? I wish I could. I have to admit I still feel guilty from time to time. I’m learning and resting in my Abba Father who loves and cares for me and who has a perfect plan for my life and for my children as well. I’m so thankful I’m not parenting alone, but with someone who is the Perfect Parent. So, are you willing to try Guilt Free Parenting for a change? I think you will like living without guilt.

© 2004 Kimberly Chastain - About the Author - Kimberly Chastain, MS, LMFT is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She was recently featured in the book the Myth of the Perfect Mother. She is the author of “Help, I Just Can’t Say No” and Pearls of Encouragement for Christian Working Moms. To schedule a free, initial coaching session visit http://www.christianworkingmom.com .

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SPONSORS

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is approx 200 pages, full color, gloss, and packed with support and fun! Contests and a multitude of product reviews abound, as do excellent columns like Creation Answers with AiG's Ken Ham, Resource Room for special needs homeschooling with Christine Field, Diana Waring's HisStory column, our Finishing the Race (High School) department, and Show and Tell – where readers share their own detailed methods and curriculum choices. And don't forget our lengthy Teachers' Lounge where homeschool parents hang out and talk homeschooling! Jenefer Igarashi chats each issue as well, and Dr. Ruth Beechick drops in from time to time. Keep up with mainstream news with Zan Tyler and Amelia Harper.

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HOMESCHOOL

Busy, Working Parents --- 7 Ways To Homeschool Your Kids
by: Joel Turtel

If you’re a single parent or a married couple on a tight budget so that both parents have to work, you may worry about finding the time and energy to homeschool your children, but it can be done. It comes down to planning and scheduling your time.

Most home-schooling parents teach their children about two to four hours a day and turn out well-educated kids. So the problem is how to squeeze in about ten to twenty hours a week for home-schooling. Here are some suggestions:

1. Can you change your work schedule so that you can work in the afternoon or at night and teach your children in the morning?

2. Can you work part time, leaving yourself time for home-schooling?

3. Can you find a job in your local neighborhood so that you don’t waste one to three hours commut-ing every day?

4. Can you work from home? Computers, the Internet, fax machines, and e-mail all make working from home relatively easy. Thousands of companies now offer this option to their workers. You could offer to work for slightly less money if your boss resists this arrangement.

5. Can you start a simple-to-run home business that would give you more free time.

6. Can you do all your home-schooling on weekends? If you can arrange concentrated six-to-ten-hour sessions on Saturday and Sunday, you’ll be free to work at your job during the rest of the week. Or you might try a combination of weekday and weekend home-schooling sessions.

7. If you have no other alternatives, home-schooling could be done in the evening, say from 7 to 10 P.M., or a combination of weekday nights and weekend sessions. 8. If you’re married, get your husband or wife to help with the workload. Both parents should be involved in home-schooling if possible.

In my book, "Public Schools, Public Menace," I describe 22 ways that parents can homeschool their children, even if both parents work. Almost a million parents now homeschool their kids, and most of these parents work. You can do the same. Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst. He is also the author of "The Welfare State: No Mercy For The Middle Class."
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com , Article Copyrighted © 2005 by Joel Turtel

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HOME BUSINESS

How to Advertise with Flyers
© Terri Seymour of www.seymourproducts.com  

When you first start out on your business venture, money is usually tight but you still need to advertise. One of the most affordable, yet very effective, ways to begin your advertising campaign is with flyers. Flyers are simply full page ads that are distributed directly
to your potential customers. There are several ways in which they can be distributed.

You can either make the flyers yourself or have them made professionally, which might not be in the budget. ;-) There are several points to remember when designing your flyer, just as in writing ads or any other sales copy.

1. You want your flyer to get people's attention, so don't just use your boring, standard white paper. Use bright, alive and cheerful colors to bring out the message you are trying to
convey.

2. The flyer's purpose is to sell, not to let everyone know your name. The flyer is not a business card. On the flyer, you want to highlight your problem solving product/service.

3. Use incentives and/or closing dates to get people to act NOW!

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4. Adding a few testimonials to the flyer can also be very effective. Highlight comments of past satisfied customers. List your qualifications as well, making sure to set yourself apart from other similar companies.

5. Another good idea is to encourage referrals. Having a statement such as, " If you are not in need of our product or service, please pass this along to someone who is." You
might be pleasantly surprised at how many customers this one line can bring in!

6. Don't forget about the back of your flyer. Take advantage of this space as well. List some of your specials, sales, more testimonials, incentives, etc.

7. Do not stop at one try. You MUST follow-up!

8. Test your flyers as well. Use different incentives, headlines, paper colors and see which ones get the best response.

9. Distribute your flyers in targeted areas. If you offer a business opportunity, try distributing them at the unemployment office. If you offer weight loss products, visit the local gyms and exercise studios.

Post your flyers on Public Bulletin Boards found in grocery stores, community centers, banks, post offices, laundromats, etc. Hand them out outside of targeted buildings such as
stores, unemployment office, restaurants, etc. Never push your flyers on anyone. If they hand it back, smile and accept it back. Do not block doorways or sidewalks! If handing flyers out in stores, malls, etc., be sure and get permission. Parades and other public events are great places to hand out flyers. Do not engage in conversation, just smile and offer the flyers. If they do not take it, move on. You can also distribute your flyers door-to-door. Leave the flyers on the doorknob, not in mailboxes! Talk with apartment building owners, real estate offices. People just moving into the area are always in need of this type of information.
Check with your town's ordinances. Leaving flyers on people's cars might not be allowed in your city. Be sure and know all local laws before starting your flyer campaign!

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Find tons more tips, information and articles at http://www.SeymourProducts.com  Terri Seymour and her husband Terry also offer a no-cost, non-MLM home business opportunity. They strive to help you build a successful home business. Take advantage of the tips, support, resources, and more for your home & business.
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RESOURCES

FREE Xerox Printer
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Merchant Account
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Join 1ChristianWAHM
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SPONSORS

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