What's Up Blog

Is it possible to make money in the comfort of your own home by using the internet? I have looked and looked all over the internet in search for a way to slowly make some money and save it for the holidays. What I have found has been overwhelming. There are about 349,000,000 results when typing in the phrase ‘Work At Home’ into Google search engine. About 99% of those are just scams trying to take advantage of those who legitimately want to make money on the internet. Some of the results will direct you in the right direction and help you find a stay at home work program.

Some of the work at home type programs do work but there is so much required from you and the responsibilities of running a home based business is overwhelming. Working in areas like AVON, Marykay, and selling on Ebay has been working for many people but those who can not make it work are a greater majority. Many of the work at home programs are all about getting rich overnight without having to do much work. Stay away from those because they are mostly pyramid scams that will just take your money and leave you with a very expensive lesson. So, where do people turn when they want to make some extra cash on the side in order to save for the holidays? Is there a way to make real money online or is it all scams?

There is a way to make some extra cash in your spare time. It is not a get rich scam because it is impossible to make that much money with only 24 hours in a day using this program. This program is all about taking on jobs from companies that want to outsource work. The amount that can be made ranges from .01-10.00 per job. You are not going to get rich but if you have a few hours a week to spend on the internet you can accumulate a good amount of money by the time the holidays come around. I have personally been working on some of the programs and have earned a good amount of money. I do not expect to buy a new car from the income but I do expect to have some good gifts for the family this holiday.

If you are interested in the programs I have found then just leave a comment saying you would like a list of some of the programs. The programs I have been using are completely free. I do not endorse the programs and in no way make any money for supplying you with the list that I have created. I have made the small list just to help those people who have some extra time on their hands and want to be more productive.

The days of “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father knows Best” are over but why does the belief that children should be taught manners die as well. Manners are something that are taught and then reinforced. The school where my children attend have a special time separated to teach kids the basics of having manners. What I have noticed is that in many cases the lessons of manners are lost on kids who have no reinforcement from their home life. We should not blame the children if they lack manners since manners are learned from parents but we should look closely at ourselves. The lessons we teach our children are more powerful in actions. Our children, no matter their age, will always be watching what we do and begin to realize if what we say is not the same as what we do. Lets us look at some of our actions in manners that will have a lasting impression on our children.

Acknowledge people of all ages

We sometimes think that the conversations we have with other adults are all that matter and have very little regard to what children have to say. Many times the things our children have to say are not that important but we need to remember that what our children have to say at the moment they say it is extremely important to them. Manners dictate that we must acknowledge our children by giving them our complete attention. The lesson learned will be that everyone matters and we give our attention to those who ask of it. We would be considered rude if we treated adults the way we treat children when it comes to communication. Children would want for us to talk with them and not just at them.

The 6 key phrases of manners

Saying please, thank you, excuse me, hello, good- bye, and sorry are key phrases that we must use in our daily language. By using those 6 key phrases in our daily language our children will begin to pick up those words and use them as well. The 6 key phrases must be taught in a lesson but then the reinforcement will come in the form of our actions. Let us teach our children to say the key phrases so that manners can be carried with them into adulthood.

Manners through body language

What we say through our words is only part of what we are trying to say. Our body language can sometimes shout louder than our words. We must always be conscious of not only what we say but the body language we make known while talking. If our children come to us with a story that is almost the same story they told us half hour ago make sure they still feel important by controlling our body language. We should not have our arms crossed and eyes wondering around but we should give them the attention that they deserve.



Mother’s day can be one of the most beautiful holidays that has ever

been invented. Many believe that Mother’s day has become too commercialized and has lost the true meaning. The true meaning is that we celebrate our mothers to the best of our abilities without having the world arou

nd us telling us how to celebrate. We can look to every society throughout history and see that love is always followed by a gift, but it is up to the giver to know and understand the recipient to determine the gift. To all the mothers from Eve to today they deserve the best that we as the family can give. For all that life throws at you, during the most difficult times and the pressures of ou

r world mothers still hold their heads up high as true examples to their children. God has given you the ability to turn a frown into a smile, tears into laughter, and fear into love.

Parents this is a call to take advantage of this holiday to teach our children some very important valuable lessons.

Giving from the heart is an art that needs to return to the home. Our children watch the same commercials that we watch and the choices for gifts can be very challenging. The giving of the gift is not the meaning of Mother’s Day but why we give the gift should envelop how we feel toward our mothers. Teach our children to spend some quality time with their mother and pick up on clues to what she wants and not let the commercialized world tell them what they need to get mom.

Resourcefulness can be a valuable lesson that brings out the creativeness in all children. Have a child sit down and just come up with reasons why they love and appreciate their mothers. By sitting still and thinking their hearts become soft and their emotions come to life with an attitude of creativeness. My daughter shut her self in the room for a while and came out with a song that she made up herself. She is only six and the entire family now has that beautiful song in their heads and my wife will always have it in her heart.

Prioritizing is a lesson that can be taught at an early age that will be carried throughout their lives. Why we celebrate will help our children realize how important our mothers are. For a day out of the year nothing in life will matter and mom will be lifted to the place she should have been all year. When deciding what special events we should do for Mother’s day my children decided to do what ever mom wanted from us without questioning. The decision was made to listen and take action unconditionally when mom had a request. As the day goes on, the lesson of putting mom high on the priority list of life will continue.

Develop a clear routine

The routine you develop either good or bad will follow you throughout your education. Make sure you start to develop a dedicated time frame to not only do homework but also do some research. Going back to school involves lots of reading and that can be very difficult with a house full of distractions. Setting some time aside to go to the school library or if you are going to school online then a public library will help develop good habits to stay a step ahead in your education. If for some reason the options to go out are out of the picture then find a quiet place in the house and either inform everyone to give you some uninterrupted time or wait until everyone falls asleep. The ultimate goal is to start getting use to having homework and research, not only for you but for the people in the house who need to find ways to adjust to the new changes.

Eat healthy snacks while studying

Sitting in front of a computer for a long period of time doing an assignment will make you want to get up from time to time and reach for the nearest snack. I have seen some parents begin to gain weight by reaching for the potato chips or the doughnuts instead of something healthier. I have created a routine where I make myself a cup of tea during my first break of doing an assignment and I also have a bag of baby carrots handy just in case I need a snack. Keep in mind that while working on an assignment you mind will be so focused on what’s in front of you that you forget to reach for a healthy snack so prepare in advance.

Ask for help

People think that asking for help is a sign of weakness and would rather fail a course than reach out and admit that help is needed. Many schools have great programs to help in just about any subject. The most popular subject that has colleges and universities scrambling to hire tutors is math. I have been a math tutor before and I have noticed that many people just need to get past the fear of asking questions. Some of the people I have tutored begin their question with “This may be a stupid question but….” It is the fear of asking that may hold you back from getting the education you need and want so its time to conquer that fear and ask for help.

Let everyone know

When I went back to school as an adult I was afraid to tell everyone what I was doing. For some reason I felt ashamed that I was starting school so late and felt that people would judge me. When I started telling people the opposite was true. People started to congratulate me and encourage me by saying that it will soon be worth it. By letting people know I was going to school helped when I had an assignment to do and yet all my family and friends wanted to go out. They began to understand that going to school was important and were not offended when I had to leave early from a family gathering to catch up on some homework.

Everyone knows that to lose weight we need to exercise and eat healthy. But, not everyone knows the hidden secrets that can help add to the weight lose while we exercise and eat healthy. Below is a list of simple changes we can make in our daily lives for a healthier life.

Bring the color blue into your life more often.

In marketing I have learned that the color blue is never used to encourage people to eat. The color blue has a negative psychological effect toward the fast food market. In order to use the color blue there has to be a balance in how to use it in the home. Some have said to over use the color blue as in wearing blue, painting the kitchen blue, and so on. There should be a limit in the amount of blue to use. A blue table cloth or blue plates will make a difference and with out realizing it you will feel less hungry. I know it sounds crazy but in marketing it has a proven track record.

Have a vegetable platter ready

Having a platter dedicated for cut up raw vegetables out on the table an hour before lunch or dinner, will begin to curve your appetite. The way it works is that, when dinner is about an hour to be served, everyone in the house is now very hungry so they start to congregate around the kitchen. If a platter of vegetables is laid out on the table the family can have a healthy snack while preparing their stomachs to take on less food during the meal. This works wonders and the family will receive the vitamins needed from the vegetables.

First four ingredients on the label.

This next step should be a rule especially for all parents. We need to read what is on the box not just the fancy and fun advertising that marketers have created but the fine print that gives all the nutrition information. We should always direct our eyes to the first 4 ingredients in every food product we purchase. Make sure that sugar in any form is not present in the first 4 ingredients. Sugar has many names in the food world. Sugar is also know as Corn syrup, Dextrose , Fructose, Glucose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and many others.

No eating after a certain time

I have decided to not eat after seven in the evening. The difference that this is making has been amazing. The trouble with setting a time frame is not taking preventive actions to stop easting after the allowed time. I have taken a couple of psychological methods to help me to stop eating after seven. When seven o’clock comes around I make sure I am not near the kitchen and that I have a semi full belly from dinner. Then I wait about an hour by keeping myself busy like playing with the kids, talking with my wife or writing a blog post. After the hour is up I add water the tea kettle and wait for it to whistle. Then I make my favorite tea and have a relaxing night talking with my wife, watching a show, or surf on the web. After about a week the routine becomes a habit and the smell of the tea and the whistling of the kettle creates a psychological pinpoint of stopping hunger pains.

Add a dash of concentrated lemon juice in your daily water

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is very difficult for those who are not use to drinking water. I have learned that adding a dash of concentrated lemon juice that I buy in a bottle and keep in the fridge will make it easier to drink. Drinking water is a necessity and finding creative ways to do it is very important for those who have a hard time.

Detach emotions from eating.

Eating while emotional is a very dangerous combination for many people especially for parents. The high stress of caring for children can take its toll. Some people have a tendency to reach out to food when the emotions begin to get the best of them. When eating while emotional, the body does not have a switch to turn off the hunger since eating out of emotions is not tied to actual hunger. The best thing to do is detach emotions from eating by forming new habits like becoming more active, or reading a book, or even playing a video game when you feel the fake pains of hunger caused by emotions.

Allow me to describe a scenario. When both parents want to go out on a date night it is time to call the babysitter and make arrangements for the time and amount that needs to be paid. When the husband wants to go out for a guys night out most wives have no second thoughts on who is going to take care of the kids. But, when it is time for the wife to go out some fathers are no longer looked upon as the father who shares in the responsibility of raising the children with his life partner. The father is now looked at as the babysitter who needs a list of instructions and emergency numbers just in case something goes wrong. What has happened with our society when we look at the father as a babysitter and not as the child’s parent? No mater what has happened the father must find a way to become more than his child’s babysitter and return to the position where he rightfully belongs. Below is a simple list for father who need help in finding ways to care for his children when his wife wants or needs a night out with the girls.

Create a fun and entertaining environment

A father must know what his child’s likes and dislikes are so planning for a few hours of alone time with the children should be thought out in advance. Planning the time with the children sitting in front of the television is not quality time for a father and a child. Plan something that will be interactive like boardgames, arts and crafts, or some sort of sport. The more interactive and physical the better because you will benefit when the children are tired and knock out when the misses comes home. The activities must also be memorable for the children because they will be less likely to complain to mom when she comes home about how bored they where when she was gone.

The right food is also important

The right foods that will not cause upset stomachs and is healthy at the same time will be a big plus for the children and will also get you some great brownie points that you can later collect on. Make the meal and snacks into an event. Allow the children to participate in putting together the meal and serving it at the table for all to eat. Remember to make the meal fun while still being healthy. I personally like to buy as many different fruits as I can then cut them up and have the kids make a fruit bowl then add a little lemon juice and chilly powder. My kids love it and they have the satisfaction of knowing that they made their own snack.

Perception is your best friend

As a father you want the experience for your kids to be the best you can possibly make it and you also want your wife to come home to a positive experience. The only way that your wife can come home to a positive experience is for you to create a perception that it was easy and that the night was the most natural experience you can have even though you are tired and have been wishing your wife would come home for the past few hours. The perception is created by having your wife come home to a clean house, your kids asleep in bed, and you patiently waiting without a sweat on your brow. The way that this can be accomplished is by being proactive the entire night. If you make a mess with the activities make sure you clean up with the kids before moving on to the next item. When making the snacks make sure to wash the dishes as you go so that it wont be a giant pile by the end of the night. Be creative in how you create the perception.

The big question is why do you as a father want to go through all the hassle to make the night a successful night? The right answer is because you are the father and it is your responsibility, but the other answer is that nothing turns a woman on more than her man taking on the responsibilities and taking the position that rightfully belongs to you. Good luck fathers!