Diabetic Neuropathy is nerve damage caused by poor blood circulation that is a consequence of diabetes. This means that any nerve within the body can be damaged and lead to a malfunction of that nerve or group of nerves. As nerves and the nervous system control and regulate many of the bodies vital organs and everyday functions this means that signs of diabetic neuropathy can manifest anywhere in the body. This article will pinpoint common symptoms and highlight ways to prevent and treat diabetic Neuropathy.

Diabetic Neuropathy is classified into four types. The types commonly describe the nerves affected and their related body areas.

Peripheral Neuropathy concerns the extremities of the body - the feet, hands, legs and arms.

Autonomic Neuropathy applies to the autonomic nervous system which controls the everyday functioning of the heart, stomach, urinary tract and other body functions.

Proximal neuropathy concerns the thighs, buttocks and hips.

Focal neuropathy is concerned with specific nerves or groups of nerves that appear to ‘flare up’ suddenly causing pain. Focal neuropathy can occur anywhere in the body and effectively means focused or specific nerve problems.

Each of these types of neuropathy have different signs.

The most common form of neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy and primarily concerns the feet and hands. Common signs of diabetic neuropathy in the feet are numbness or insensitivity to pain. If your feet are constantly feeling ‘pins and needles’ then you should see a doctor.

The feet are also more prone to cuts, bruises and infections because the nerves do not communicate damage or pain to the body. Careful monitoring and care of the feet is a must for diabetics.

Hands are not as prone to nerve damage problems as feet because they are often uncovered and are easier to monitor and care for but they can still be susceptible to cuts and bruises and can lose sensitivity.

Autonomic neuropathy commonly causes stomach problems. This could mean that food is not processed effectively which may lead to constipation, cramps or bloating. The autonomic nervous system also controls the urinary tract which could lead to urinary tract infections or incontinence.

The autonomic nervous system controls the respiratory and cardiovascular systems too, so problems with blood pressure and circulation can occur however these are often hard to detect for the individual and can be caused by other diseases other than diabetic neuropathy.

Proximal neuropathy applies to the hips, buttocks and legs. Commonly there will be pain in these areas and weakness that may make it hard to move from a sitting position to standing without help. Proximal neuropathy is often a consequence of long term diabetes and other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are likely to exist beforehand.

Focal neuropathy is a sudden bout of pain in a localized area. This is a consequence of a group of nerves malfunctioning. The pain can be anywhere in the body but is often in the head or torso regions. The pain will eventually recede over a few days to weeks.

The best way to treat diabetic neuropathy is to try to prevent it. This means maintaining blood sugar levels at a normal rate as often as possible. The more that the blood sugar level is normal the less chance for it to damage the nerves. This means eating healthy and sugar free foods. It also requires regular exercise. For relief from the pain, doctors will often determine the area affected by the neuropathy and then prescribe the appropriate analgesic.

Eating right and getting regular exercise is the best way to combat diabetic related health complications. For ideas and advice of the best diabetic diet plan and ways to improve your health visit http://www.diabeticdietsplan.com. Adrian Whittle writes on many diabetic related health issues including diabetic cooking and diabetic testing supplies.

Water pollution refers to the changes in the physical, biological, and chemical conditions of any body of water which harmfully disrupts the balance of the ecosystem.

Like any type of pollution, water pollution results when an overwhelming amount of waste coming from different sources of pollutants can no longer be accommodated by the natural ecosystem. Consequently, when the wastes are not destroyed as fast as they are produced, they make it unfavorable to humans and many other organisms. But that’s not all. Learn more about what causes water pollution.

There are actually many specific reasons behind what causes water pollution. However, it is important to familiarize yourself with the two main categories of water pollution. Some pollution comes directly from one’s specific location. This type of pollution is called point source pollution such as sewage pipes that empty polluted water into the river and farmland. Meanwhile, non-point source pollution is pollution that comes from large areas like gasoline and other dirt from highways that go into the lakes and rivers.

What are the causes water pollution? Who are the culprits who should be responsible for the harm brought by their pollutants? How do these sources of pollution pollute different bodies of water?

One major cause of water pollution that has caused serious environmental and health problems are the pollutants coming from chemical and industrial processes. When factories and manufacturers pour their chemicals and livestock wastes directly into streams and rivers, the water becomes poisonous and oxygen levels are depleted causing many aquatic organisms to die. These wastes include solvents and toxic substances. Most of the wastes are not biodegradable. Power plants, paper mills, refineries, automobile factories dispose waste into the rivers.

The heated water from the power plants is called thermal pollution. This kills aquatic animals and plants by reducing the oxygen content of the water. Power plants use water to cool their machineries, thus changing the temperature of the water.

Aside from thermal pollution, there are also organic and inorganic pollutants. The organic wastes include refuse from slaughter houses, fish and meat canning factories, and leather tanning companies, manufacturing plants, pesticides and crude oil companies. Since organic wastes are decomposed by microorganisms, much of the dissolved oxygen in water is used up and the waster begins to stink.

Inorganic wastes include toxic and corrosive substances like acids, heavy metals, mercury, cadmium and lead which can impair the normal body processes. Battery manufacturers, mining, paper mills increase the concentration of mercury making the water dangerous and poisonous for most living things.

Another cause of water pollution is from pesticides. Farm pesticides poison aquatic plants and animals. Animal manure, chemical fertilizers, phosphate detergent pollute water by supplying excess nutrients. This pollution is known as eutrophication. This greatly increases the growth of algae in water thereby decreasing the amount of oxygen level in water causing the death of many aquatic organisms.

Water is also being polluted by garbage specifically plastics and other plastic-like substances. Some plastic like nylon can entangle fishes and other marine animals. Plastics that have broken down into tiny pieces can be eaten by sea creatures which may cause their death. Since plastic is non-biodegradable, it will continue to kill more fishes.

One more cause of water pollution is sewage coming from households. Since no one wants to live in a polluted area, near a dumpsite or landfill, the wastewater and untreated sewage are carried away from the home polluting different bodies of water. Most developing countries practice this type of sewage disposal. Even modern countries carry poorly treated sewage to canals leading to major bodies of water. The danger is when the sewage pipes gets broken and waste contaminates the drinking water. When this happens, the breakage will open a wide array of water borne diseases that will surely pose peril to consumers.

Last among the causes of water pollution are personal care and household products. Shampoo, lotion, moisturizer, hair dye, bleach, laundry detergent, fabric softener, and many others contribute to water pollution. Human waste is not the only thing that goes to sewage. These products also join the wastewater to contaminate the streams, rivers, and lakes.

Although the world abounds with water, only three percent of it is potable. Included in the 3% source of potable water are the streams, spring, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls that are continuously being threatened and contaminated by the different factors that cause of water pollution. If the sources of water pollution are not controlled, this basic necessity will eventually become a rare commodity only a few can afford to have.

For more information now go to: http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com
http://www.stopearthdestruction.com/What-Cause-Water-Pollution.html

If you’re tired of failing with your marketing, this article will give you some highly effective, yet unconventional ways to increase the response your marketing produces.

To show you what this wonderful new business marketing system has to offer, let me give you an excerpt of an actual page from this course.

First, let me define the term “target” marketing. Target marketing is specifically introducing and reintroducing your particular product to those business or individuals who are most likely to want or
need it. When discussing target marketing, Guerrilla Marketing 101 goes into this phase of marketing with
some wonderful examples and gives the new business owner deliberate steps to take.

It states: There are two steps to target marketing, which is also referred to as niche marketing. The
first is to define your target, and the second is to find ways to reach them. Once you have accomplished
these steps, you can incorporate this information into a guerrilla marketing campaign that will give you the
most bang for your buck (or more likely, your efforts).

So, how does a new business owner find their niche? There are some simple guidelines to help. Consider
things like gender, age, marital status, location, climate, marital status, and how will you service the
customer’s transactions?

Once you determine who you want to target your advertising to, it’s time to decide how you best want
to reach them, whether it will be public advertisement, news media, or one of many other methods.

There are many ways to advertise your business but it’s important that you choose one that is best
for your business.

As you can see Guerrilla Marketing is a great way to break free of the mold of advertising that just
doesn’t produce. Take these tactics to heart and make sure that you give them a try in your business.

You can get more quality informations in this 5-part minicourse “How To Formulate A Successful Internet Marketing Strategy”. http://www.revolutionarymarketingstrategies.com

Every spring, as the snow melts and the chairlifts stop running, ski resort real estate markets experience a significant rise in the number of new listings coming on the market. This makes the season between Easter and Memorial Day the time of year when prospective real estate buyers have the greatest number of properties to choose from. The reasons for this are as follows:

Many ski resort property owners hold their ski homes and condos for occasional personal use while renting them out to vacationers for most of the year. Although most ski resorts are increasingly becoming year round destinations, the majority of real estate rental income is still being made during the winter months. Many owners put their properties up for sale after they have made their winter rental income with the hope of not having to pay the carrying costs of the property during that time of year when rental income is somewhat lower.

Also, even those ski resort property owners that have their resort homes and condos primarily for personal use typically do so for the purposes of family ski vacations. As kids grow up, parents get older, and grandchildren become part of the family, vacation choices and residence needs change. After one last ski season in a particular residence, many families choose to put their property on the market with the intention of upgrading to something larger, downgrading to something smaller, or cashing out of the ski resort environment altogether.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, spring and summer is the time of year when the most potential real estate buyers are looking for something to purchase. This is true across the American real estate market in general but is especially true in ski resort markets for the following reasons:

While most people first visit a ski resort area during the wintertime, they need to experience that area during the spring and/or summer as well before making the decision to purchase something there.

Also, since a great deal of ski resort real estate is held for rental income purposes, and since the ski season is the time of year with the lowest vacancy rates, this is also the time of year that prospective buyers are the least likely to be able to gain access to a home or condo that might be of interest to them. If a property is being rented out to a vacationer, the rental management company handling the property will not allow access to anyone else as doing so would certainly generate complaints form the guests. Prospective buyers know this and therefore schedule their property viewing appointments during those times of year that they are most likely to gain access.

Finally, in addition to the simple matter of availability mentioned above, driving around looking at property in winter conditions is not always a particularly pleasant experience. Many people would much rather spend their vacation time on the ski slopes than in the car during this time of year.

And in the case of vacant land, snowshoes are often required to walk a property in the wintertime and engineering reports like wetland surveys and septic system studies need to be preformed in the spring and summer anyway.

For all of these reasons, on both the buying and selling side of the equation, the springtime and early summer is the time of year when most ski resort real estate listings come on the market with a corresponding increase in sales as well.

Copyright 2007 - All rights reserved by Ted Amenta

Notice: Publishers are free to republish this article on an ezine or website provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright, and ALL links remain intact and active.

Ted Amenta is a Realtor® with Resort Brokers in Breckenridge Colorado, helping people buy and sell Summit County Real Estate. Summit County Colorado includes Breckenridge, Keystone, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Copper Mountain, Blue River, and Wildernest.

Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. are growing in population rapidly and as more people move into the area, a question that is asked more and more frequently is - what is the quality of my drinking water?

Individuals and families are naturally concerned with their health and drinking water is an important element of maintaining good health.

Unfortunately, the quality of the water in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. is very poor and is getting worse. Contaminants, bacteria, minerals and chemicals in tap water are masked with heavy doses of chlorine and tap water, in addition to being unhealthy, tastes and smells terrible.

Regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not eliminate contamination but merely sets maximum levels of contaminants that can enter the human body and cause long term damage.

Well water is also contaminated but there is no Federal or state agency that regulates well water.

What is the Story With Tap Water?

Tap water is municipal water that is usually pumped from nearby rivers and then processed to meet EPA guidelines. The processing is usually done through a waste water treatment plant with heavy amounts of chlorine added to kill remaining bacteria that processing does not catch. It is important to note that EPA guidelines are just that - they establish minimum amounts of allowed contamination that may eventually be harmful to both adults and children.

In Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. the drinking water is pumped mainly out of the Potomac River and at least one waste treatment plant.

Contaminants that may be present in this source water include:

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic waste water discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

Contaminants also include pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses.

In addition contaminants may include organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities also affect local tap water.

What is the source of water in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C.?

The water in the Potomac River, Anacostia River, and Rock Creek flows into the District from outside jurisdictions. For example, the Potomac River begins in West Virginia, while the Anacostia River begins in Maryland. The quality of water in Northern Virginia and the District is thus affected by activities throughout the watershed.

Storm water runoff from commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural sites, point source pollutants from wastewater treatment plants and industrial discharges, and combined sewer overflows from as far away as West Virginia and Pennsylvania all contribute to the quality of water in the District and Northern Virginia.

What About Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s)

CSO’s frequently occur when natural events like flooding overcome the capacity

of waste treatment plants and raw sewage is pumped back into the water source like the Potomac River.

During periods of significant rainfall, the capacity of a combined sewer may be exceeded. When this occurs, regulators are designed to let the excess flow, which is a mixture of storm water and sanitary wastes, to be discharged directly to the Anacostia River, Rock Creek, the Potomac River, or tributary waters. This excess flow is called Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO).

Release of this excess flow is necessary to prevent flooding in homes, basements, businesses, and streets but it adds bacteria and contaminants as potential threats to tap water.

Since a portion of the tap water comes from sewerage treatment plants CSO’s can adversely affect the quality of our receiving waters in a number of ways:

CSO’s contain material which contributes to high bacteria levels in the receiving waters. Organic material in CSO’s can contribute to low dissolved oxygen levels, which can contribute to a potential for fish stress or fish kills, especially in summer months; and, debris in CSO’s such as plastic bottles, Styrofoam cups (otherwise known as “floatables”) contribute to poor aesthetics.

How Safe For Drinking is Well Water?

Well water, a popular alternative to tap water particularly in Northern Virginia is subject to the same ground water contaminants, chemical discharge waste and organic waste as tap water but is not regulated by any Federal or state agency in any way.

In addition to emitting foul sulphur odors and sediment from the water Northern Virginia well water contains significant amounts of iron in the rock in some areas, particularly the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, resulting in iron “staining.” Sulfide in ground water is also found in parts of the Valley and Ridge where coal or natural gas is present produces an obnoxious odor.

Ground water that is a source of well water also can be contaminated by human activities. Bacteria from septic systems, and nitrate from both septic systems and fertilizer applications, are among the most common contaminants. Since well water is not subject to regulation, the potability and suitability for drinking, of a private well is the responsibility of the homeowner and many private wells are contaminated.

Treating Drinking Water From Wells

The Sate of Virginia strongly recommends treatment of well water with chlorine to kill bacteria in well water and, in an effort to overcome the obnoxious smell and taste of chlorine, de chlorination. Again, this process is not controlled by any state or Federal agency.

Two general kinds of water treatment are disinfecting and conditioning. To ensure that the supply is free of harmful bacteria, water is disinfected.

Objectionable tastes, odors, and matter are then removed by conditioning.

Well Water Disinfection Methods

Drinking water is most commonly tested for coliform bacteria, which live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. Coliform bacteria in a well are usually the result of a faulty septic system or contaminated surface water entering the well or water delivery system.

Materials and tools used in well construction are frequently contaminated with bacteria that live in the soil and these can be introduced into the water system while constructing the well, installing components of the piping system, or servicing any part of the water supply system. The State of Virginia strongly recommends that the water system be disinfected following construction and after all well repairs.

Chlorination is used to disinfect private supplies because it destroys bacteria within a reasonable contact time and provides residual protection. However, ordinary levels of chlorination are not always effective in destroying Giardia cysts, which cause a severe gastrointestinal illness. Super-high levels of chlorination, boiling and filtering are the only effective methods to destroy or remove these cysts.

High chlorine concentrations can have objectionable tastes and odors, and even low chlorine concentrations react with some organic compounds to produce strong, unpleasant tastes and odors.

To eliminate these offensive tastes and to remove excessive amounts of chlorine, the water is then dechlorinated. Activated carbon filters are the most common devices used to dechlorinate water, remove objectionable chlorine tastes, and reduce corrosion of plumbing systems.

How Safe is Tap and Well Water for Drinking?

Municipalities, well owners and even the EPA claim that tap and well water in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. is perfectly safe for drinking but one must wonder. Consider the source of tap water in light of sewage treatment, heavy chlorine additive and waste discharge in the Potomac River and one starts to wonder. Also consider that well water is subject to most of the contaminants of tap water but is unregulated as well.

Is Drinking Bottled Water an Alternative to Tap or Well?

Yes and no depending on the type and quality of the bottled water. Purified water is considered by many experts to be the best.

The popularity of bottled water has grown tremendously as Americans seek healthy lifestyles and better tasting water. But not all bottled water is healthier than the tap or well alternative.

Up to 25% of all bottled water on the market is merely tap water repacked in plastic bottles and bottled water that is not purified often contains minerals and other contaminants that may be harmful to your health. These contaminants are not only unhealthy and affect the taste of the water but limit storage life for emergency supplies of drinking water.

Purified water however, using a distillation and oxygenation process, provides the water drinker the safest and best tasting alternative to contaminated tap and well water in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C.

Distillation removes the pure water from the contaminants and oxygenation creates a fresh, light water taste.

Pure water is fundamental to creating a healthy lifestyle and good health for you and your family.

Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O an Ultra Pure bottled water company located in Chantilly, Virginia. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water and bottled water delivery go to the Element H2O website.

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This is a game review of Lemmings, which I think is one of the best Playstation 3 downloadable games that is currently available through the Playstation 3’s online store service.

(X) Reviews

Lemmings : 9/10

My Overview

Lemings is by far the most amusing and mentally challenging title out for the PS3 via online download.

To complete a level in Lemmings, you must lead a certain number of lemmings to a goal given a certain number of ‘costumes’ that you can put them in. Each ‘costume’ gives the lemming a particular duty, or power. You can dress them in these to make them become a digger, a roadblock to stop the other lemmings, a climber to scale walls, a bridge builder, and more.

The game is amazingly entertaining, and a great game to play as a group. The online scoreboard also lends a certain degree of competitiveness that adds to the overall impression of the game.

My Complaints

1. Some of the levels are EXTREMELY challenging, this is not a game for your four year old, so don’t expect a lot of gameplay for the younger gamers in the family.

2. On my particular brand of 1080i LCD television (Westinghouse 37″), I have to adjust the screen width every time I start the game, it cuts off maybe five percent of the screen on both the left and right, which is not much, but you really need to see the whole screen for this game. Watch out for this, this is the only PS3 title that I’ve had a problem with. You can adjust this from the game’s menu easily.

My Tip

Use the ‘zoom’ and the ’speed up’ feature (both are controller buttons) to be more accurate and to speed up gameplay. Also, just restart the level if you fail, and you will, it’s actually full of many amusing death animations. (Poor lil’ guys!)

My Rating

9/10

Cedric offers Video Game Tips for You as well as a variety of other tip topics which can be found on his website: Tips-For-You.com. Please stop by and suggest a topic for the next tip to see your Name In Lights on the top of that topic page!

Pay close attention to this article because it contains marketing tactics that you have probably
never heard of.

Let me briefly mention some very basic principles covered in the unique marketing system.

Ironically enough, guerrilla marketing skills are used both in large corporations and small business. However, even though large corporations have originally grown from small businesses using guerrilla marketing methods, they find the system itself is better suited for the smaller business.

It’s also interesting that the principle that guerrilla marketing was based on from the beginning still works
today. It’s been determined that it works because it is founded on how consumers react to a product rather than on experience or guesswork.

When using guerrilla marketing methods, it is best to combine a number of skills by using the same principle in various ways rather than to rely completely on only one method.

This means that you have to be open to different ways of doing business, advertising and getting clients.

Stay on the cutting edge by using current technology,budgeting your time and resources, and making the most of your creative abilities rather than on spending money.

As you can see from these few tips, Guerrilla Marketing technique can be invaluable to promoting a successful and profitable business.

Not only is this system necessary to any new business owner, the plan it initiates is in some cases cost-free, and in this day and age that is rare. It is the most inexpensive marketing system and yet, it
produces the greatest results in terms of profits. The best part; It doesn’t require an entire lifetime to
reach your goal.

Sure, it shows you how to gain new customers, but more importantly it shows you how to keep the ones you have. When a business has faithful customers, that business is going to grow. It’s that simple.

You can get more quality informations in this 5-part minicourse “How To Formulate A Successful Internet Marketing Strategy”. http://www.revolutionarymarketingstrategies.com

Today we’re going to talk about the different kinds of goals and what this means to and for you.

It is just as important to understand and act upon the different kinds of goals that you have as it is to have goals in the first place. I am sure you will agree that all aspects of your life are inter-related, yes? The physical part of your life, your health, body condition, your environment whether it’s home, work, or where you play, affects the spiritual or metaphysical areas of your life which is also related to and affecting your financial situation in life, or at the very least reflected in and by it.

When one area is lagging, the others are affected.

This is why it is imperative that you not only focus on one area of your life and goals. One affects the other, and success in one area will affect your ability to attain success in another.

It’s often not easy to separate your goals, even when you try, so why waste the effort? Why not use that to your advantage?

Maybe we could categorize our goals more simply into three very basic groups: physical, financial, and emotional. Much easier to see the inter-related factors when they are viewed like this, isn’t it?

Physical goals can be for your own physical needs, health related such as losing weight, being stronger, more fit, or something like stopping smoking.

Financial goals aren’t always about your bank account either. Financial goals here are any that are related to money in your life. That can be reducing debt, reducing spending or costs, improving income, savings, or investments. They might also include the ‘reason’ you are trying to reach that goal; purchasing a new home, the car you dream of owning, taking vacations, visiting friends and family, more time to spend with your family, taking up or spending more time with hobbies, giving more to your church or community or other causes, caring for your family,

Emotional goals are the toughest to define, but perhaps the easiest to affect change. A goal such as “I want to be happy” isn’t a real goal, you first need to define what makes you happy, what you think would make you happy. Personally, I’m not a big believer in ‘making’ anyone, even myself, happy though. I believe it is a simple choice we make and not a choice made by others for us. That, my friend, is just an excuse and a way to not accept responsibility for ourselves, our actions, or our situation.

If we are to attain happiness then, is it solely through our own efforts? By our own making? Or are you mistakenly looking for someone else to ‘make’ you happy?

Emotional goals might be aimed at your relationships, personal, professional, spiritual. A goal to be in a happy marriage, or to control your anger, or to not be manipulated by others, is an emotional goal.

They are all part of what makes you be you. The person you are now, the person you want to become.

So, take your notebook and write across the top Physical Goals, Financial Goals, and Emotional Goals.

Then list beneath each one the things you are trying to attain in each.

Next, write at least one reason ‘why’ you must reach that goal.

Notice how many times one goal from another column relates or reflects goals in another? Even the ‘why’ will be repeated.

Now, write at least one thing for each that you can begin to do, today, that will move you along that path to attaining that goal.

Prioritize the list then choose the top 3 from each column. They can be inter-related, that’s even better. One goal helps you reach the other.

Set a time limit where possible, then dedicate yourself to reaching that goal

Take action. Rinse and repeat.

Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: http://www.PowerMeUp.com Read more articles on Personal and Professional Growth and goal setting at http://www.SelfHelp.PowerMeUp.com

If you have small children, chances are child care decisions are an important part of your reality. After all, most of us work for a living, and we can’t always rely on family. For most parents, the search for an ideal child care setting is difficult. Sure, there are loads of pamphlets and ads for you to read through, but often they lead to an unsatisfying and confusing end. You obviously want to make the best decision for your family, and the following guidelines will give you some direction.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of a daycare centre vs. home based daycare.

When you walk into an in-home provider’s home, it’s easier to get a sense of atmosphere. What is your immediate gut feeling? Is the space bright and cheery? Does it have a pleasant odor? Does the child care provider seem calm and pleasant? If there are children present, what is engaging them at the time, and do they seem happy? In a daycare facility, it’s often harder to use your intuition, as the environment is more corporate, so your sense of things is altered.

Since the in-home provider is residential, odds are they’re closer to your home. This is a wonderful opportunity for more time with your kids, and less time driving them around. Also if it’s closer, the fuel savings over time would be a bonus.

In someone’s home, there are usually fewer children. This means your child should receive more individual attention and is less likely to get lost in the shuffle. The home setting is often less strictly scheduled too, so if your child enjoys a certain activity, he/she could spend more time on it. The setting in a home isn’t as institutional as some daycare centres, so it may be more welcoming — especially to a shy child.

In an in-home facility, the overhead is lower, therefore the cost is usually lower as well. This benefits parents on a budget. Another benefit over a daycare centre is flexibility. It’s often easier, and cheaper, to arrange early/late pick up’s/drop off’s in someone’s home.

Of course there are some disadvantages to having your children in an in-home setting. For instance, there may be other people who have access to the home and therefore may be near your children. It’s wise and well within your rights to meet these people to get a feel for them. You can also ask about drug activity, smoking or drinking habits, or the criminal history of these people. You can ultimately only go by the child-care provider’s word.

Another disadvantage is the awkward feeling of just dropping in at unscheduled times. This is important in order to see the home when you’re not expected. You can even discuss this with the provider before hiring them to alleviate any hard feelings.

Something else to look for is whether or not the home care business is licensed. If now, ask yourself why? Are they not up to standard or is it simply a matter of not wanting to go through the often multi-layered process? If it’s the former, there may be safety issues at hand. If it’s the latter, are they in childcare for the enjoyment or strictly the money?

These are only a few ideas to consider before placing your children in the hands of other people. The task may seem daunting, but in the end, your children will be safer and happier, and you will in turn feel good about your decision.

Glenn Cutforth is a writer, graphic designer and publisher of quality eBooks at

Maxx Publishing http://www.MaxxPublishing.com

Family life can be filled with many complications and
dilemmas. For a great source of information and advice on dealing with Raising Kids visit

MaxxFamilyLife.com at http://www.MaxxFamilyLife.com

Making a List . . .

One of the things most common among the most successful people, in my experience, has been that they all make lists. To-do lists, and check lists.

Today, we are going to focus on our ‘check list.’

For any task that has several steps it is very helpful to maintain a checklist for the specific items.

If you’ve ever visited a public restroom you have likely seen that little list on the door, right?

From the greatest of tasks to the most menial, having a checklist is a great way to make sure that things are done, done properly, in the best sequence, and on time.

When I was a university student, I worked as the manager of a bakery. These checklists were key to every day being as successful as possible.

The list also provided a way to delegate work, and a contact point (ie. who was responsible) for when things were not done as they should have been.

While individual checklists will certainly vary greatly, we can summarize the basics here to get you started.

If it is necessary, list the times for when tasks are to be started or completed by. This is a good way to keep things on schedule.

Another great thing about checklists is that it makes you automatically schedule your other work and duties around the things that are already scheduled.

That is, if say for instance, you have ‘check email at 9am’ on your list, then at 8:30 when you realize you need to ‘check your printer paper’ you will know you must do that now, before your next scheduled task.

Not all checklists need to be so rigid. In fact, some of your list will be better off left to ‘do today’ or ‘this week.’ But for the most part, it will make you more productive to set a specific time for starting and finishing these tasks.

Checklists will also help you later as you expand and are delegating more of your work, even your goals, to others.

But we’ll save ‘delegation’ for another time.

Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: http://www.PowerMeUp.com Read more articles on Personal and Professional Growth and goal setting at http://www.SelfHelp.PowerMeUp.com