I really like this article

By: Christine Larson source-workingmother.com
Like so many of us, Lisa Glover makes a lot of the right money moves. This 40-year-old single mom pays her bills on time, puts a little cash aside each month for retirement and saves for her 4-year-old daughter's education. But that's as far as she gets. The bigger goals, like buying a two-bedroom condo and building an emergency fund—well, the money never seems to stretch that far. "I've been living in financial denial," Lisa admits. Like Lisa, most moms find the money for ballet lessons and iPods but forgo building an investment portfolio. A 2005 survey by OppenheimerFunds found that women usually do their household's budgeting and bill paying but leave the investment decisions to someone else. Lack of confidence is one reason: Fourth-quarter results, interest vs. yield, compounding—who has the time or energy to learn all that jargon? In a 2006 study by Prudential Financial, two thirds of women graded their financial literacy a C or below. "But if we really want to take care of our families, we need to become smart investors," says Georgette Geller-Petro, a financial planner with AXA Equitable. The good news is that we're
already better at investing than we realize. Men tend to chase the market, buying and selling impatiently rather than buying smart investments and holding them for a long time. One study showed that married men traded 45 percent more and earned 1.4 percent less in average annual returns than married women. To help more women gain confidence and know-how, we introduced three working moms to financial planners from some of the country's most respected firms. What they learned can educate and inspire families at every income level.Single MomLisa Glover, 40, Newmarket, NH Job: Researcher/planner for efficiency programs for a power company Child: Gillian, 4 Household income: $61,000 ($55,000 salary plus child support) Retirement savings: $14,000 in her 401(k) College savings: $1,000 Outside investments: None Emergency fund: None
Goals
Buy a home
Build an emergency fund
Save for retirement
Save for Gillian's college education.
Lisa Glover thought she was doing just fine—until her car broke down. Her $61,000 annual income went a long way in her affordable New England town. But when her vehicle needed $500 in repairs last fall, she didn't have any money to cushion the blow.
What she did have was $2,000 in credit card debt, plus student loan payments. Lisa dreams of buying her own home and of having enough money to contribute to her daughter's college tuition and to retire—but she keeps experiencing small setbacks. "I know I could be doing so much better," she says. We asked leading financial planners Georgette Geller-Petro and Beth Botti of AXA Equitable in Stamford, CT, to come to Lisa's aid. The duo analyzed Lisa's spending patterns and long-term goals and came up with some surprising findings. First, it was clear that Lisa was spending too much: She had only about $50 left at the end of each month. While her $700 monthly day-care expense was a necessity, her constant impulse buys—usually toys and clothes for Gillian—weren't. She deposited 6 percent of her monthly salary into a retirement plan and another $50 a month in a college fund, but she invested those savings poorly. She poured the retirement money into aggressive growth funds rather than diversifying the account, which would have offered more protection. Worse, she had no estate plan, no emergency fund and only minimal life insurance. In other words, Lisa had no peace of mind. Here's what her advisors recommended:
Will Lisa must appoint a legal guardian and make financial provisions for Gillian in case something unexpected happens.Life insurance A 20-year term life insurance policy with a death benefit of $325,000 (cost: about $50 a month) will provide for Gillian in the event of Lisa's premature death.
Housing If Lisa bought an inexpensive apartment, she would be able to reduce her housing costs and pay less for a mortgage than she now pays for rent. She'd diversify her investments, add to her tax savings, realize her dream of home ownership and build equity to help finance her daughter's college tuition. Retirement savings Lisa should move the money currently in her 401 plan's S&P 500 index fund into its "Lifestyle 2030" fund. Lifestyle funds, also called target date funds, are now offered by many companies, including Vanguard and Fidelity. They automatically allocate assets based on a target retirement year. There's nothing wrong with S&P 500 index funds, but most of us need more than just large U.S. company stocks in our portfolios. Advisors usually recommend mixing large and small domestic stock funds, international stock funds and bonds. Some advocate mixing value and growth funds.
Choosing a variety of bonds and funds can provide growth with less volatility. For someone more than 20 years from retirement, lifestyle funds pick relatively aggressive investments. But the best part for Lisa is that she can "set it and forget it"—she won't have to keep checking her portfolio to make sure she has the right mix of investments. "In an ideal world, we'd all manage our own portfolios, but the reality is that our kids have runny noses, our offices get crazy, and suddenly, two years later, all our money is still in the S&P 500," says Geller-Petro. "The more you put on autopilot, the greater your chance of success." College savings/Emergency fund Lisa should create an emergency fund with three to six months' salary. When that's done, she can restart her contributions to Gillian's college account.
The bottom line
Talking to the advisors was a wake-up call for Lisa. "I felt shocked to see I was only saving fifty dollars a
month," she says. "And I was surprised that they recommended I stop saving for Gillian's education. But I see there are more important things to do with our money right now." Within days, Lisa started checking real estate ads. "I thought we'd just keep getting by like everybody else," she explains. "But this shows me that I can do so much better. I can make choices that will make us much more comfortable and stable than we are."

Just for fun!

Craft By: Christy Ezelle

For a cute Easter egg "Chia Pet," make a hole in each end of a raw egg with a needle, piercing all the way down to the yolk. Turn the needle back and forth to gently swish the yolk and break it up. Using a small drinking straw, blow air through one end of the egg until all the contents are out. Carefully remove and discard the top quarter of the eggshell, then gently rinse the shell and let it dry. Draw a face on the shell. Place three damp cotton balls inside and sprinkle a pinch of alfalfa seeds over the cotton. Keep the cotton damp, and in two or three days the seeds will begin to sprout. As the sprouts grow, kids can give their pet a "haircut."

Helping our bright kids flourish

I love this article. Why? Because it's related to a point that a lot of moms don't know how to handle or even recognize.
By: Susan Gerstenzang
At preschool pickup, you've noticed your child uses a lot more words and complete sentences than her peers. On the way home, she runs your mind ragged with questions and wants to know how to do everything. And oh, that wild imagination! Precocious, yes, but is it more? If you suspect your child is gifted but think it's better not to make too much of it, you might want to rethink your stance.
When you find out a bright child is gifted, you can manage her life and learning in a way that helps her thrive, says Barbara Klein, PhD, the author of Raising Gifted Kids. And if, like some gifted kids, she's anxious or hyper due to intense feelings or bored due to lack of stimulation, early testing can help you understand and accommodate these behaviors. "Try to have a child tested by age five," advises Dr. Klein. "Early testing may be more accurate since the child hasn't been in a formal school setting where she might have begun downplaying strengths to fit in."
Be sure to have your child assessed by a psychologist who specializes in testing gifted
children. Ask your pediatrician or preschool director for recommendations. The test will not only identify strengths, it will also reveal weaknesses—kids can be gifted in some areas and not others. "Knowing what your child is good at and also where she might need support helps you plan her education," Dr. Klein says.
If you're worried that identifying your child as gifted will turn her into a social outcast, Dr. Klein suggests the opposite may be true. "Many gifted children get along well with peers, while some have trouble making friends because of their maturity or intensity." If interactions are a problem, testing your child can lead to her being placed in programs or schools with peers more like her, and that will foster interaction.
To flourish, a gifted child needs to be in the right school. "Her originality must be cultivated so she can develop into her true self," says Dr. Klein, who recommends parents search for preschools and elementary schools in which children learn not through conformity but through independent and group proj-ects. This proj-ect-based-learning approach keeps talented kids engaged and relating to others through shared activities.
With a gifted child, you may be in for a wild ride of heightened emotions and perfectionism. So don't go it alone. Busy as you are, find and join a gifted-children parenting group to share ideas and offer support. Like every child, yours needs to be embraced and nurtured for who she is, so she can explore the depths of her talents and abilities. Signs of Brightness
From American Mensa, a membership organi-zation for the highly intelligent, here are some indicators of giftedness in young children. For more, go to www.us.mensa.org/giftedchildren.
Talking at an early age, with a minimum of baby talk.
Unusually retentive memory, including vivid early recollections and memorization of trivia lists.
Interest binges, like nothing but dinosaurs for a solid month.
Intense curiosity—and thousands of questions—about many things.

Moms, take care of yourselves!

You may be eating plenty of food, but your body may not be getting the nutrients it needs to be healthy. Nutrient-rich foods have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients but are lower in calories. To get the nutrients you need, choose foods like

Vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber — and they’re low in calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight and your blood pressure.
Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber that can help lower your blood cholesterol and help you feel full, which may help you manage your weight.
Eat fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout, and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.

Important tip all women should keep in mind to keep fit

Use up at least as many calories as you take in.

Start by knowing how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight. Don’t eat more calories than you know you can burn up every day. Increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to match the number of calories you take in. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week or — best of all — at least 30 minutes every day. Regular physical activity can help you maintain your weight, keep off weight that you lose and help you reach physical and cardiovascular fitness. If you can’t do at least 30 minutes at one time, you can add up 10-minute sessions throughout the day.

Awesome vacations for the family!

Six active & awesome vacations that will thrill every member of your family
By: Susan Gerstenzang, Caroline Howard, Abigael Maryan, Abigail Mitchell, Teresa Palagano and Alison Whittington, Photo: Tom Bol Photography
Adventure: an exciting or remarkable experience. We took this definition to heart as we explored active—and inspired—family getaways. Where did our search take us? To exquisite mountain paradises and stellar seaside settings. From kayaking to cavorting with dolphins, from hiking to hunting fossils, these adventures are worth traveling for.
Sarasota, Florida
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Grand Teton National Park Wyoming
Acapulco, Mexico
Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Center
Park City, Utah

Smart nutrition tips for women

You may be eating plenty of food, but your body may not be getting the nutrients it needs to be healthy. Nutrient-rich foods have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients but are lower in calories. To get the nutrients you need, choose foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products and fat-free or low-fat dairy products most often.

Vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber — and they’re low in calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight and your blood pressure.
Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber that can help lower your blood cholesterol and help you feel full, which may help you manage your weight.
Eat fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout, and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.
Eat less of the nutrient-poor foods.
There is a right number of calories to eat each day based on your age and physical activity level and whether you are trying to gain, lose or maintain your weight. You could use your daily allotment of calories on a few high-calorie foods and beverages, but you probably wouldn’t get the nutrients your body needs to be healthy. Limit foods and beverages that are high in calories but low in nutrients, and limit how much saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium you eat. Read labels carefully — the Nutrition Facts panel will tell you how much of those nutrients each food or beverage contains.
As you make daily food choices, base your eating pattern on these recommendations:
Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
Select fat-free, 1 percent fat, and low-fat dairy products.
Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means one drink per day if you’re a woman and two drinks per day if you’re a man.
Follow the American Heart Association recommendations when you eat out, and keep an eye on your portion sizes.