Search Results for: tag elderly parents

Disadvantages of Kinship Adoption

My last blog wrote about kinship adoption and its advantages. Of course, there are disadvantages as well. The disadvantages include the muddling of relationships within the family. A birthmother may resent her parents or sibling for being able to raise the child when she cannot. She may have trouble letting go of the parental role if she sees her birth child at the family home or at family gatherings. The adoptive parents may also feel resentful, since they likely did not set out to adopt a child. They may feel that the birthparent’s lifestyle forced them into the situation of … Continue reading →

Things to Know About the Measles Outbreak

If you’ve spent any time at all on Facebook or Twitter lately, you’ve undoubtedly come across a multitude of people talking about measles. Some people are more tactful about sharing their views about vaccinations than others. No matter what your personal viewpoint happens to be, there are some things you should know about the measles outbreak. There is a measles outbreak going on. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that there were at least 102 reported cases of measles in 14 states as of February 1, 2015. CDC Director Tom Frieden warns that the United States could see a … Continue reading →

Low-Cost Ways to Do Good This Summer

Doing good for others can be a worthwhile experience for the whole family, not to mention a lot of fun. This summer, why not think about ways that you can lend a hand. There are plenty of different things to do that will give back to the community, and many of them involve the outdoors. That is a great deal for family fun, all while you bless others at the same time. It is a fallacy that you must have a lot of money or offer monetary charitable contributions in order to make a difference in someone’s life. Try one … Continue reading →

Prince William Speaks Out Against Poaching

We all know how altruistic Princess Diana was. I remember how before her death, she campaigned for many charities including those for the homeless, sick, elderly, and children. She also toured land mines in Angola – pretty uncharacteristic for a princess if you ask me. Earlier this week, I blogged about Prince Charles and how he narrated a new documentary titled Harmony: A New Way of Looking At Our World, in which he talks about ways to stop climate change and find new ways to protect our environment. So, with two parents so involved in social issues, how could Prince … Continue reading →

Opportunities To Serve

I recently wrote about children needing to learn to respect their elders. We need to take advantage of all teachable moments. As a single mother there may already be so much on your to do list that one more thing will push you over the edge but we are their first teacher and need to be aware of it. Our children will learn by what they see us do. If we are rude to salespeople, waitresses or telemarketers we are telling our children it’s ok to be rude to other people. It’s hard after working all day, coming home to … Continue reading →

Too Much Mom

Mothers are the heart and soul of the family unit. However, in many clans the ties between mother and child go beyond binding and bleed into the gagging category. Such is the case with an Italian mother and son who have recently been generating a ton of media coverage. According to reports, 39-year-old Stefano fell in love with gorgeous Marianna. The two married in a lavish church ceremony in December, but now, just four short weeks later, Marianna has filed for divorce. The reason: Stefano’s attachment to his mom. Court documents state that Marianna wants out of the marriage because … Continue reading →

Scrapbooking Your Family Tree

During my genealogical research, I have accumulated quite a few old photos and heirlooms. Some I received from relatives, both near and far, and others I’ve had passed on to me specifically to include in my genealogy records. One elderly lady I met was so happy to give me some photos she had of my ancestors (who were also related to her in some manner) because she was afraid they would be thrown out after she died, since they didn’t have any meaning to her immediate family. I was honored to accept them. She passed away a few months ago. … Continue reading →

New Government Study Says You Aren’t Exercising Enough

How many minutes of exercise did you complete today? If you didn’t participate in at least 22 minutes of moderate physical activity then health experts say you didn’t do enough. The government is cracking down on couch potatoes by issuing new physical activity guidelines for Americans. In a report released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, experts say adults should be participating in at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity such as brisk walking or 1 hour and 15 minutes per week of a vigorous-intensity activity such as jogging or swimming laps in … Continue reading →

What Do You Hold Onto?

‘You can never tell what’s inside a person’s private heart and soul, but you can tell a lot about a person by what they hold onto over the years.’ This quote comes from a movie ‘Thicker than Water,’ starring Melissa Gilbert. After her father’s death, she is handed a box by the housekeeper Abigail who has been with the family for many years. Inside the box she finds those things sends her looking for secrets from her father’s life. In the process she learns a lot about her family and herself. Melissa Gilbert has been a favorite actress of mine … Continue reading →

Would You Donate Your Baby?

That’s exactly what five sets of parents are doing all in the name of social science. . .or reality television. I’m not sure which. The Baby Borrowers is a new television show (based on a show already airing in Britain) in which five couples, ages 18 to 20 try to weather the storms of adulthood with a real baby. They have to set up a house, take care of a real baby, and one of them has to get a job. They are fast tracked through the stages of adulthood. . .with a baby, then a toddler, then a sassy … Continue reading →