Real Life Solutions

Spring Allergy Symptoms in Children and What to Do About It

Spring has sprung and so has the pollen.  Seasonal allergies affect millions of children each year.  Find out the symptoms and what you can do to relieve them.

The substances that cause allergies are called allergens.  Allergens can be anything from pollen to molds and fungi to dust.  These allergens are carried through the air until they land on your child.  Pollen is the reproductive spores of plants.  Allergy symptoms can occur from the pollen of weeds, grasses, trees, and mold. 

Sensitivity to these allergies is what brings on the histamine response.  This is the body’s reaction to the allergens being present in the child’s system.  Allergens enter the body through the mouth, the eyes, and the nasal passages.  Your child may experience:  sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, chest congestion, coughing, and/or sore throat.  A child suffering from allergies may display one or more of these symptoms at a time. 

Allergies are often confused with colds and therefore misdiagnosed.  Cold symptoms usually include fatigue, fever, and body aches.  If any of these symptoms are also present, then your child is probably not suffering from seasonal allergies.

Pediatricians can run tests to find out the exact type of allergen your child is allergic to.  Blood work can be done to ferret out the offending allergen.  More commonly a skin-prick test is performed.

The spin-prick test is not painful to the child.  It involves lightly scratching the skin with different types of allergens.  This test is usually done on the back.  If the skin becomes red and swollen in certain areas, the doctor can determine what allergen is attacking your child.

Once the allergen is identified, the doctor will come up with a course of treatment. Prescribing medication such as Singulair, Allegra, and Advair, will block the reactions in the body that cause allergy symptoms.  It will take a week or two for the medications to fully circulate throughout the body.

There are practical things that you can do at home to safeguard against allergies.  Keep windows closed.  A good breeze will fill your home with pollen from the outside.  Use the air conditioning in the spring and summer if it gets warm inside.

Take a bath at night during allergy season.  The water will wash off any pollen spores and other allergens accumulated during the day.  Also make sure to use allergen proof covers on mattresses and pillows.

Allergies are a nuisance, but they don’t have to ruin your life.  Follow a few guidelines to keep your home safe from offending allergens.  Take your child to the doctor to properly diagnose his/her allergy condition and receive treatment options.

For more help raising happy and healthy kids, be sure to claim your free subscription of  Health & Fun tips.

For moms who work from home, balancing the home and business sides of their lives can feel downright impossible, especially when the reason they began working from home was so they could spend more time with family. However, many home businesses actually fail because moms don’t manage to balance business and home life. How can you juggle your family’s needs, your business needs and occasionally find some time for your needs without being a super hero?

The first thing any mom should do to achieve balance is to get the family involved. If your children and husband support you, you will find that they interrupt less often and are more likely to pitch in to get household chores done. You’re probably thinking that will happen the day the moon turns to blue cheese, right? However, if you mention that you need to get a major project done and will be able to buy a pizza and rent a video when you are paid, you may be surprised at how quickly everyone pitches in to help out.

If you have young children, they may not be able to understand the concept of waiting for a reward. To get your younger children involved, try explaining what you are doing in very simple terms and having them help you. Set up a small desk or table for your toddlers and add crayons and paper so they can help you with your work by drawing some pictures or writing a letter. Children that are a bit older can put stamps on envelopes and seal them, paperclip papers together or do other simple organizational tasks.

Of course, no matter how supportive your family and friends are, they are not going to be happy if you work 15 hours a day. Make sure that you ask for uninterrupted time to do your job or run your business, but also make sure that you schedule time for your family and friends. While you are making up that schedule, don’t forget your significant other. If you sit at your computer all evening after the children are tucked away for the night, you may end up with some serious relationship issues!

Once your family and friends are involved and you’ve scheduled time for them in your life, it is time to consider a few ways to make the most of your valuable work time. While you may be tempted to work non-stop during the time you have dedicated to your business, you should actually try to take some breaks. Taking a half-hour walk or having lunch away from your desk can really help you recharge your mind and keeps your body from growing stiff and tired. When you sit back down, you can do so with a clearer view of your goals and fresh energy and focus.

Also, don’t be afraid to make a “to do” list for your business. Write the four or five items you absolutely must do on your list and promise yourself that you will get them done before you visit your favorite forums or check your email. This can really help you get more work accomplished in less time.

So, although you may not have super powers, you can still have a home life, a business life and some time for yourself. The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath, ask your family for some help and try out a few of these great ideas for balancing your life.

Aritcle by Aurelia Williams -

I am dedicated to helping moms maximize their time. Visit my report at Finding More Family Time,  you’ll discover EXACTLY how to find more time for your family AND get everything else done too!

I know many moms out there are looking for ways to earn a little income at home (either full time or part time).  Well, Real Life Solutions has a page dedicated to Work At Home Ideas.  Be sure to check it out, you may see something that you like.

Take care and let me know if you see anything that sparks an interest in you

Don’t let the fact that school’s out deter you from doing some education things this summer. Learning can be fun!

Whew! The dog days of summer are here, and it’s time to mosey on outdoors. But you can still hear the kids whining, “What can we doooo?” Well, there are several things you can do, if you feel like getting creative. Don’t let the fact that school’s out deter you from doing some education things this summer. Learning can be fun!

Go on a nature walk.

Pack a light back-pack with drinks, a snack, a clear jar and a lid for collecting fun things, a change of clothes for the kids (optional, if you’d rather travel light), and books on birds and trees, if you have them. Find a safe place to roam, whether it’s a local park or your own backyard! Look at the trees, talk about the shapes of the leaves, how old you think the trees are, or maybe what each part of the tree does to keep it healthy. Watch some birds, and see if you can identify them. Talk about how they fly south for the winter. Examine bugs and collect a few to watch for a few days. Sit quietly and just listen to nature with your eyes closed. Look up at the sky and identify cloud shapes, tell each other of what they remind you. Enjoy your snack, pack up the back-pack, and tell your kids about your childhood summers during the walk home.

Hone those reading skills.

Why not make use of your local library? Make it a weekly trip, and let your kids each pick out 3-5 books. Visiting the library is a great way to teach children to care for things that they borrow and return them on time to the owner. Plus, making the transition back to school in the fall will be so much easier if they’ve made a habit of reading over the summer, especially if they’re choosing their own books.

Do you have a nearby children’s museum?

These are really growing in popularity, so chances are good that if your city doesn’t have one, a neighboring city does. What a nice day trip for you and your crew! Museums are great learning environments because they combine fun activities with interesting facts, all geared toward kids’ minds.

Learn about camping.

If you don’t have a tent, find a big blanket and some lawn chairs. Put the chairs in a circle, place the blanket over the chairs, give your kids some “equipment” and let them have their own kind of fun right in your backyard.

For a break from the learning, how about some water fun?

Fill a bucket of water and give your kids paintbrushes. Tell them you’d like them to paint the driveway. They’ll have a blast and stay cool at the same time. This is a lot of fun, and it helps your children “express” themselves without getting crayon on your walls! Don’t forget the things that you did as a kid to pass the summer days, too. Did you jump in the sprinkler? Fill a tub with water and play with water toys?

Whatever you do, enjoy the time with your kids. As fast as time flies with kids, it always seems to go faster in the summer!

Mia Cronan is an at-home mother of five children, ages 12, 10, 8, 5, and 2, living in northeast Ohio. She owns and edits http://www.mainstreetmom.com the magazine for modern mothers with traditional values. Mia can be reached at mia@mainstreetmom.com

MainStreetMom.com is the flagship site of http://EMCWebs.com.

I know 1st hand how frustrating it is return home after a busy day then slave over the stove or to rummage through the cabinets when you have hungry, impatient tummys waiting.  Visit http://reallifesolutions.net/personal/quick-dinner-ideas.html for your quick and easy dinner ideas.

A nice tie into this is learning how to do a little meal planning so that you actually spend less time cooking and more time really enjoying yourself and your familly. I am an avid meal planner and wrote this easy to follow article on how you too can plan your meals and free up your precious time: http://reallifesolutions.net/personal/meal-planning.html

As you know, I love hearing your feedback. Do you have any of your own personal tips that you’d like to share with me?  If so, just e-mail me and I am all ears

Here is a great resource – The Healthy Express Cookbook: 101 Fresh, Light & Quick Dinners.  Offers you healthy, home-cooked meals that are super fast to prepare — visit http://reallifesolutions.net/Cookbook.HTML to learn more

Your words, your dreams, and your thoughts have power to create conditions in your life.

What you speak about, you can bring about.If you keep saying you can’t stand your job, you might lose your job.If you keep saying you can’t stand your body, your body can become sick.If you keep saying you can’t stand your car, your car could be stolen or just stop operating.If you keep saying you’re broke, guess what? You’ll always be broke.If you keep saying you can’t trust a man or trust a woman, you will always find someone in your life to hurt and betray you.

Menu Plan Monday ~ May 5th

Well here we are at another week -  I can’t believe that May is in full swing.

Nothing fancy this week for us here:

Tonight:  Spaghetti

Tuesday: Baked Chicken, Scalloped potatoes, salad

Wednesday: Left Over Spaghetti, salad

Thursday:  Tacos

Friday: Pizza night

Every mom deserves a break. You can’t always take a day off just for you. However, you can pamper yourself any day of the week, right at home. These quick pampering tips for moms are sure to give you a quick boost!

Listen to your favorite music – When was the last time you bought yourself a new CD of your favorite artist? Turn on some motivating music for yourself. Listen to music to relax or pump up the volume and dance while you do the laundry.

Light some candles – Gather a few scented candles and light them for a soothing effect. Be sure to keep a few of the scents you like best on hand so you never run out.

Bubble bath – Fill your bath tub with hot water. Squirt in some nice-smelling bubble bath. Scents like lavender, mint and vanilla contribute a calming aroma.

Rose petal soak – Instead of using bubble bath or bath salts, drop some rose petals in your water just before you get ready to soak.

Rose petal foot soak – Soak your feet for twenty minutes in warm water with rose petals. The smell from the rose petals have a calming effect and the foot soak is sure to be a treat for mom’s tired feet.

Manicure and pedicure – What mom doesn’t deserve a nice pampering manicure and pedicure! Plan a special day out alone for this special treat. If you can’t afford to pay for this, invite a girlfriend and take turns pampering each other.

Save face – Buy an inexpensive tube of facial mask and soothing cream. Give yourself a facial while relaxing in the tub or soaking your feet in a rose petal foot soak.

Mother-daughter pampering – All moms need special pampering, but don’t forget to include your daughters from time to time. If you have a younger daughter, use some of these pampering tips we’ve provided for a fun mother-daughter night. Take turns giving each other facials and manicures, rubbing lotion on your feet or combing your hair. If you have an older daughter, save and plan for a special mother-daughter pampering day at the spa.

For more ideas on taking a break and giving back to yourself – visit Journey To Joy

You have a family budget in place. Now the hard part begins—sticking to your family budget.

 With the demands of all the wants and needs of kids, it can be challenging to keep a close eye on your money matters. Here are some simple tips to save money and help you stick to your family budget:

* No satellite – On average, the least expensive satellite package can run anywhere from $35-$40 per month. Multiply that times twelve months and you end up with a whopping $420-$480 per year! Do away with this single bill and your family can save almost $500 every year. Now that’s an incentive!

* Limited video rentals – Many families choose to rent movies for a family night instead of going to the movies. While rentals are a huge money saver, it can still get expensive if you go overboard. Limit your rentals to two every two weeks, for example.

* Return videos early – Another cost that adds up quickly is overdue rental fees. For the cost of a few past due days on one movie, you could purchase that movie and watch it forever if you wanted to. Write yourself a note so you won’t forget to return your movie rentals on time. Even better, try using an online video rental service like Netflix. You’ll pay the same each month, pay no late fees, and get new movies every time you return one.

* Plan meals before shopping – Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. You will want to buy everything you see on the shelves. You may think it’s silly, but you will be amazed at the results if you try it.

* Buy off-brand products – Most off-brand products taste much the same as their counterparts. There are a few, like mayonnaise for example, that taste slightly different. For the most part, if you are trying to stick to a budget, buying off-brand products can save you a lot of money. And don’t forget to clip and use coupons, too!

* Bring your lunch to work – Once again, let’s do the figures. If you spend a minimum of $5.00 per day on lunch (that’s a cheap lunch!), at the end of the week, you’ve racked up $25.00. With gas prices on the rise every day, that extra $25.00 could come in handy if you drive to work, too. Instead of eating out, fix your lunch to bring with you.

* Drink water – Sodas are easy to grab and run with, but water is much healthier for you. Instead of spending money on canned drinks, buy a family-size pack of bottled water. You’ll save money and drink healthier.

Some Awesome Resources for you:

Living On One Income – Here are some tips for those that are living on one income.

Refinancing Your Home Mortgage Loan – Refinancing your home is a great way to save thousands of dollars over the length of your mortgage loan. Here is an article that can help you.

Establish Credit – There are many ways to establish credit and to start  building a good credit history. Here is a resource for you.

Women and Money – learn how to make money work for you instead of the other way around.

Financially Surviving a Divorce - Even though you may hope that divorce is something you never have to face, it’s smart to start planning ahead if you’re being plagued by marital problems.

Creating a Household Budget – Easy to follow steps to create a household budget.  

Creating a Family Budget and Sticking to it – Great easy to follow steps on how to stick with a budget

Saving Money at the Grocery Store – Looking for ways to cut your grocery bills in half? Take these easy steps to save money on groceries.

Tips To Save Money – Looking for ways to cut your overall Bills in half this article is for you.

Hello there,

I hope this message finds you all well.

Think small! Yes, I know we accustomed to being told to think big, but for just a few moments, I would like you to think small. Take a moment to look at yourself. Not just the outside, but also on the inside.

Look at your life, your personality, your habits, home, etc. and just think of one (or a few) small positive changes that you could put into action today and do it. So, if your change is to simply walk to the post office instead of driving there, start today. If your change is to eat more fruits and vegetables, do not put it off, start today.

It is amazing how just one or a few small positive changes that we make can transform into very positive habits for our future.

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Action Step
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Make a list of some positive changes that you can make in your life and start to incorporate them into your daily life. Keep adding new and positive changes and be sure to take notice of how these changes make you feel.

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Real Life Coaching Freebies
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There really is nothing like coaching. The best way to learn about it is to experience it yourself! I would love to introduce you to the world of coaching in a free, no strings attached session. If you are interested, simply e-mail me at info@reallifecoaching.net