Hubby Not Helping Out At Home? Send Him To School

Are American husbands a washout at cleaning the house? Better at watching the game than watching the kids? Spark-free at igniting romance?

The sad but true answer to all the above questions is "yes": In a new survey, 60 percent of women said husbands could use some lessons at helping out around the house. Hearing their plight prompted a leading consumer brand to find a way to help.

Eight husbands were recently sent to Brawny Academy-a training camp for husbands who require domestic guidance-where their lessons in the ABC's of pitching in at home will be captured in a reality show produced exclusively for the Web.

"My husband gave me his credit card for my birthday and told me to go pick out my own gift," said Andrea Kiley, wife of Brawny Academy participant Michael Kiley. "He is a terrific guy in many ways, but he needs some basic training in taking care of the kids, the house-and me!"

The eight men's experiences will be captured in an entertaining series of "webisodes." In each segment, the husbands-chosen from across the country-learn tools and techniques they can use to be more helpful around the house. The intensive nuts-and-bolts training covers key chores, giving the guys a better clue about cooking, cleaning, caring for children and fixing things around the house.

The husbands' stay at the academy also includes some fine-tuning of their personal skills, showing them how to communicate better and spark romance with their wives.

"American wives are fed up with their spouses falling down on the job at home, so Brawny decided to help out by teaching a few of them how to be like the Brawny Man: strong and versatile," said Steven Sage, Georgia-Pacific Vice President of Marketing, Towel and Napkin Categories.

Congratulate To Spread Joy

Congratulating everyone for any achievement has become a norm. You pass graduation congratulations will pour in. Get a new child, same story repeated. Get engaged, get married, get a job, a new house, promotion, what ever, congratulations will come in avalanche if you have a big circle of friends and family.

What is the effect of such a message on the sender and the recipient? Let us consider.
In our life, whenever we achieve anything, we need acknowledgement. If no body acknowledges our achievements, we feel useless. For example, consider that you are the only person left on the earth and you get a very large diamond. There is no body else to congratulate you. What will you do with the diamond?

We need acknowledgment. We want to share our joy. We want people to celebrate with us. Without that all is useless. That is why people who have a very small circle of friends and family feel lonely. Similarly those who congratulate feel good. They are sharing some body else’s joy. That is a selfless act. Such acts always give us joy. Whenever you send a congratulatory message, examine your feelings carefully. You will find that you feel good.

Sharing others joy and grief, both connect us. We are all social animals and our satisfaction comes out of that connection. Please send as many Congratulation ecards as you can to make the recipients happy.

My Dryer is Tearing My Clothes – The Inside Scoop

I took some clothes out of the dryer the other day and noticed that one of my shirts was torn and my favorite t-shirt had a hole in it. Since the shirts were fine when they went in the dryer and ruined when they came out, I figured it must have something to do with the dryer. I called a service technician to find out why my dryer was damaging my clothes.

What I found out was surprising, and if I knew then what I know now, I could have diagnosed and repaired the problem myself. So here's the inside scoop if you have the same problem and would like to save your clothes and a few dollars.

If your dryer is tearing your clothes, you need to check three parts; the drum glides, the drum seals, and the drum support rollers. To check these parts, open the dryer's cabinet by removing the front or rear panel. Remember to disconnect the power to your dryer before beginning any repairs.

The glides support the drum and are located at the top or bottom of the bulkhead (the bulkhead is located at the front of the drum). When the glides wear, the drum tilts to the front of the dryer creating a pinch point between the top of the drum and the dryer wall. Your clothes can be torn if they get caught in this pinch point.

Glides are not difficult to replace. They are held in place by screws, rivets, or grooves. It's best to replace all of the glides - they can be worn out even though they look fine.

Having checked the glides, now check the drum seals. They are located around the circumference of the drum and keep clothes from getting trapped between the drum and the dryer wall. Your clothes can be torn if they get caught between the spinning drum and the dryer wall.

Not all dryers have two drum seals. Some dryers have one seal.

Examine the seal for signs of wear or damage. You don't need to remove the drum to check the entire seal, but you do need to remove the drum belt to relieve the tension on the drum. After removing the belt, turn the drum and examine the seal.

If the seal is worn it's not difficult to remove, but it takes some effort. The seal is secured to the drum with an adhesive. Before you replace the seal, make sure you have the adhesive you need – not all seals come with adhesive.

To replace the seal, remove the drum from the dryer's cabinet. With the drum removed, peel back the seal and scrape off the old adhesive. Scrape off as much adhesive as you can because the new seal bonds better to a clean surface.

Place the new seal, stitch side down, in the same position as the one you scraped off. Apply a small amount of adhesive under the entire edge of the seal. Allow the adhesive to dry for a few hours before reinstalling the drum.

While waiting for the adhesive to dry, check the rollers located at the back of the dryer, underneath the drum. If the rollers are worn, you dryer's drum will tilt, creating a pinch point between the drum and the dryer wall. Your clothes can be torn if they get caught in this pinch point.

The left roller tends to wear more than the right one but you need to replace both to keep the drum from tilting. It's easy to replace a roller because you only have to remove a screw or clip. Your new rollers may come with lubricating oil. Apply one drop of oil to the hub (center of the roller). Too much oil will only attract dust and lint and limit the life of your rollers.

Now that you have the inside scoop, you can prevent your dryer from ruining your clothes. Save your clothes and your money with these simple repairs.

5 Simple Tips on Preparing your Family Pets for a Disaster

Disasters can happen anywhere at any time. The public doesn’t usually get a lot of notice before a disaster strikes, so you must be prepared in advance and know what to do quickly if there is an emergency.

Here are 5 simple steps that you can take to prepare your pets and reduce the level of stress and worry for your entire family to a minimum.

Tip #1. Get a Pet Emergency Supplies Kit.
Have it readily accessible and make sure it consists of at least the following items:

• Pet first aid kit that will cover your pets’ emergency medical needs. If your pets take any medications, add some extra supplies.


• Food (in water proof container) and water, 3-day ration.


• Collars with ID tags - make sure the information is current and updated. You might consider microchipping as permanent identification as collars get lost.


• Safety harness and leash.


• Sanitation Items.


• Rescue Pet Decals – to alert rescue teams to save your pets inside the house.


• Comfort toys and blankets to take with your pets if you have to evacuate.

Tip #2. Pack a picture of your pets in case you get separated.
It will help rescue workers to identify and reunite you with your pets faster.

Tip #3. Get your pets familiar with their carriers or crates.
Usually, pets associate them with visits to the vet and become stressed at the first site of them. Let your pets play in the carrier or get them some treats to make the transition easier when the time comes.

Tip #4. Know your pets hiding places in and out of the house.
At the first warning of a disaster, you might consider putting them in one room in case you have to leave in a hurry.

Tip #5. Have a Family Emergency Plan Ready:

• Map out a get-away plan: how you pack your pets, where you go.


• Check with the nearby shelters, veterinary hospitals, and hotels to see if they would take your pets in an emergency.


• Develop a pet care buddy system – arrange for friends or extended family to take your pets in if you must evacuate in a shelter that doesn’t allow pets for health issues. Instruct your caretakers on the location of the emergency supplies kit and anything else you might find useful.


• Learn about various disasters that could strike your particular area. You might have to wait home longer before getting an order to evacuate, so get some extra supplies of food and water.


• If you have to evacuate, take your pets with you if possible.
  

5 Movies From Your Childhood To Share With Your Kids

Brand new movies are great! It’s so much fun standing in line at the theater, breathing in the buttery popcorn smell, giddy with anticipation when a new movie is released.

My children love watching the latest and greatest movies, but I just grin when I hear my children singing the songs I used to sing as a kid – “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “Tomorrow”. Hearing their little off-key renditions is the best music to my ears.

Have you introduced your children to the movies you enjoyed when you were younger?

Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
The Robinson family gets shipwrecked near an island. With hard work and togetherness, they build a majestic tree house. They are faced with many trials - wild animals, weather, and pirates, but their ingenuity carries them through. Great family values!

The Parent Trap (1961)
Twin daughters are raised not knowing about each other, each living with one parent. They unexpectedly bump into each other at summer camp, put two and two together, and work out a scheme to get their parents back together again. This movie is just plain good fun.

Mary Poppins (1964)
Mr. and Mrs. Banks are both so preoccupied with their own interests that their children, Jane and Michael are unhappy. When the magical nanny, Mary Poppins enters their lives, she brings the family closer. Between the penguin scene, the chimney sweep dance, and the magic, your children will be entranced.

The Sound of Music (1965)
The hills are alive with the sound of music. Your home will be alive with the sound of music once your kids watch this one.

Annie (1982)
Oh, how we love Annie! The music, the dancing, the wealthy Mr. Warbucks, and a happy ending. It doesn’t get much better than that!

These five movies are a must in every family library. Share the memories, and sing the tunes. It’s ok if you’re a little off-key. I won’t tell.

"Pushy" Deaf Kid's Mom

There are some things that we as persons, born on this planet, have no control over. Our own birth defects are included in that scenario. While there are those who believe that we ourselves choose what obstacles we must face and overcome in this life, prior to our earthly birth, I am not one who buys that. I did not choose to be born deaf.

Be that what it may, I was entered this world with a 70% hearing loss in both ears. It didn’t take my Mother long to recognize my hearing deficiency. She had been born a hearing impaired person too. My Mother determined that her child would not hide his deficiency, as she had been allowed to do.

Mom, as a child, had many siblings. Most of her sisters were older than she so hers were hand-me-down clothes. Poor, nearly deaf, she had taken a back seat in classrooms in an effort to not call attention to herself and her perceived inadequacies. Always, when called upon by a teacher, Mother would say, “I don’t know…” As she later told me, “The alternative answer would have been even more humiliating, I didn’t hear!”

I would never be allowed to make such an unwise determination. Every year, the first day of grammar school, Mother would march me before the teachers and tell them, in no uncertain terms, “This boy can not hear. I want him in a front desk, and I don’t want him moved around the room!”

As any otherwise normal kid would, I hated it. I asked her, “Why do you have to make such a big thing about this? I hear alright,” I insisted.

“Of course you do,” was her reply. “Because, I love you, I want you to hear what your teachers say and not have the articulation problems that I’ve had learning to form your own words correctly.

I didn’t really comprehend, until later, the significance of the second part of Mother’s answer. But yeah, I knew that she did love me. Even though I often resented the seating restriction, I was ever to be found occupying a front desk.

As a direct result of my “Pushy Mother’s intervention,” I was not distracted by classroom conversations which were not part of the curriculum. I couldn’t get away with anything because the teachers would catch me. And, I learned to properly pronounce most words because I “Heard” them. Mother’s vocabulary was excellent, her speech clear, as she had invested many childhood hours in a dictionary, looking up words that she felt she might need with emphasis on pronunciation. In grade school, I was spared that responsibility which I would not have taken upon myself anyway.

It wasn’t until high school that I learned to be stupid in my selection of where to sit. I never even considered that perhaps misunderstanding assignments, or not hearing what instructors actually said, had something to do with how hard I had to struggle.

Later, I was witness to what might have happened to me if not for having a “Pushy Mom.” A cousin inherited the same type of hearing loss I was born with. His mother didn’t bother to be pushy on this issue. He was shuffled along through school and treated like someone with a learning impairment. No wonder, for when he spoke he sounded retarded.

For a while, as an adult, I sold hearing aids. When I checked my cousin’s hearing, it was virtually identical to my own. Only then, did I fully comprehend and appreciate the wonderful gift my mother had given me by being “Pushy.”

If you have a child that doesn’t have excellent hearing, consider becoming a “Pushy Parent,” if only on this one issue. It is one thing that you can do for your child ~ on this planet ~ to level the playing field while he or she is too young to appreciate it.

Online shopping tips

Online shopping has become very common among people who know that it saves their time and money both. It doesn’t means that you start searching endlessly for bargains online because there are many other easy ways too.

It may be anything for which you shop online ranging from clothes, gifts, computers or electronics you will always look for some bargain or sort of reasonable discount. A discount coupon is indeed a smart way to save money at the same time it is also available easily. Gone are the day’s when you had to wait for the Sunday newspapers and magazines to clip these coupons. Now you can get discount coupons from various online websites and entertainment coupon books.

Online discount coupon sites provide great rebates, offers and bargains to the shoppers however you need to take the following safety tips if you are a beginner:

1. You should stay away from online coupon websites that ask you for your personal information so as to print your discount coupon. Because you have a chance to get 100 of spam mails fro each discount coupon they give.

2. Keep away from discount coupon sites that have too many pop ups attached to it since they are annoying and can download viruses to freeze your computer.

3. Online printable coupons and coupon codes are free, so do not think of paying to any of the online coupon sites who provide you with these coupons.

4. Many websites offer freebies or deals which you may find irresistible but remember that there is nothing wrong in freebies but you should be vigilant and not naive. Don’t waste your time in idiotic scams.

5. Never complete online surveys to get free stuff or discount coupon codes unless they are from any of the reputable companies.