In Honor Of World Health: Improve Your Health IMMEDIATELY With This

It's World Health Day which means lots of articles on diet and nutrition. Okay, but those can take some time to render an affect on your body. 

There's something your can do RIGHT NOW to avoid getting sick and spreading germs:

LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY WASH YOUR HANDS

Washing Your Hands IMMEDIATELY Reduces Your Chances Of Getting Sick!

Hopefully, this is something you do every day, but are you doing it to maximize the amount of germ killing you're doing? Here are some tips to remember:

WHEN TO WASH YOUR HANDS

Before:

• Preparing food or eating
• Touching your eyes (whether to put on make-up or inserting or removing contact lenses)
• Treating wounds, giving medicine, or caring for a sick or injured person 
  
  
  
  

After:

• Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
• Using the toilet or changing a diaper
• Touching an animal, their toys, leash, or waste products
• Touching dirty laundry
• Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands
• Treating wounds or caring for a sick or injured person
• Handling garbage, household or garden chemicals, or anything that could be contaminated — such as a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes
• Touching exercise equipment at the gym
• Coming home from work or school
• Getting off public transportation
• Shaking hands with others
  

HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS

1. Wet your hands with cold, running water. Using warm or hot water doesn't increase germ killing, and it actually raises your odds of skin irritation (source).
   
2. Apply liquid, bar, or powder soap. Don't use anti-bacterial soap – it costs more and is no more effective at killing germs than regular soap, plus it contains chemicals that can actually damage your health.
   
3. Get a lot of lather going! Lathering and scrubbing creates the friction necessary to lift the dirt, microbes, etc. from your skin. Make sure you get the backs of your hands, under your fingernails, and the space between each and every finger. Scrub for at least 20 seconds (or two rounds of The ABC Song).
   
4. Rinse well and dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel before using a towel or your elbow to turn off the faucet.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

SO WHAT ABOUT HAND SANITIZER?

Hand sanitizers are great, but only when soap and water are not available (don't be lazy – go to the sink!). Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol and remember to:

• Apply enough to your palm to wet your hands completely (source).
• Rub your hands together, again vigorously, covering of the surfaces and getting in the nooks and crannies until your hands are dry.
  
  

Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are another effective option if used properly.



For a fun, catchy tune on how to wash your hands, watch the YouTube video below:

HAPPY WORLD HEALTH DAY! 

Now go wash your hands!

Happy Housewife's Day - So What DOES A Housewife Do?

With today being Housewife's Day, granted an archaic term because no one is the wife to a house, I thought I'd touch on what exactly a stay-at-home spouse and/or parent does. 

A housewife does NOT watch soaps & eat bon-bons all day!

As the mother of two, with both children in school, I can attest to the fact that the image that we do nothing but watch soaps and eat bon-bons is a load of crap! 

I'm busier most days that many people with office jobs. Some of what I do is:

• Clean the house
  
  
• Organize the house (closets, basement, store room, etc.) and KEEP them organized in spite of my family
  
  
• Cook (or in my case, burn food)
  
  
• Shop for food, run errands for the family (go to the pharmacy, pick up birthday gifts, go the dry cleaner, take the car in for maintenance etc.), and call/wait for contractors
  
  
• Research purchases and family-related matters (diet, medical conditions, contractors, etc.)
  
  
• Phone and argue with insurance companies over legitimate claims that are disallowed

• Volunteer at the school
  
  
• Prepare my lesson plan for the lessons I teach at Sunday school
  
  
• Visit elderly relatives
  
  
• Catch up on the kids' scrapbooks (I'm only 1 year behind now)
  
  
• Do home repair (painting, masonry, etc.)
  
  
• Am on-call for sick kids
  
  
• Patch clothes/turn stain garments into wearable ones
  
  

Once the kids arrive home, there's making sure homework is done, scheduling/supervising playdates, chauffeuring them around (to playdates, activities, doctors'/dentist appointments, etc.), making snacks/lunches for the next day, filling out school forms, and supervising chores. Oh, and obviously there are no sick days or personal days in this job.

Sure, I take care of myself and exercise and, yes, I occasionally sit down to read a book, but most of what I do is for the family. Add to that “looking for a part-time job” (we can always use the extra money) and the fact that I write two of my own blogs while contributing to two others, and I'm darn busy. When my daughter was home, as any stay-at-home parent knows, the task of caring for another human being was all-encompassing and exhausting.

I am not the wife to a house - I am a stay-at-home spouse

Could I do all that stuff if I worked outside the home? Yes, but like those of you who do work, I'd be rushed and wind up doing many of those tasks on the weekend. As it is, because I do stuff during the week, my family is able to spend quality time together without scattering to do errands on Saturdays and Sundays. (Honestly – my undying admiration is with all working parents!)

All of us get one shot at raising these kids and I'll be damned if I'm going to screw it up! The Teen is growing up waay to fast and will soon be in college. When my kids come home, I relish the time I have with them, even as I get one ready for gymnastics and chauffeur the other to his own activities. I want to be home for my son as he struggles through puberty. I want to SEE who he's hanging with, where he's going, and what he's doing.  I want to be on call for when he finds himself in a situation he cannot handle.  Similarly, I love volunteering at the school and catching a glimpse of my daughter. She lights up when she sees me because she knows I'm there purely for HER.

The Teen needs more supervision NOW when the temptations to get into trouble are at their peak!

Being a stay-at-home spouse is certainly undervalued by society. Those of us who don't earn money are often paid lip service (“Oh, I could never do what you do” people say condescendingly) by those who do. “Money” equals “value” and those who don't make money are seen as being of less value. I even had one guy call me a “freeloader” for not working! 

Those of us who stay-at-home DO work and what we do is important.

We are busy, productive members of society. It's time to be proud of being a “housewife.” Happy Housewife's Day to all of my fellow stay-at-home spouses! 

Read more about “What A Mom's Work Is Worth” here (http://www.salary.com/mom-paycheck/) at Salary.com.

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Thank you for reading!  

How To Find & Hire A Good Contractor

Last night, we were at a friend's house discussing home renovation projects. This is a common topic whenever we visit another family's home, since we're all trying to improve our nests to make them more attractive and functional. It got me thinking about the most daunting challenge new home buyers face: finding good, reliable, contractors.

We've all had experience with tradespeople because no matter how handy you/your family might be, at some point you're going to have to hire someone to work for you. I've spent hours researching and calling contractors and even more time waiting, endlessly, for people who promised they'd show up and never did. The fact that they don't show up, that they're forfeiting business in this economy, boggles my mind. As friends and neighbors discuss home projects, we vehemently dish on who NOT to hire even more than who's good! I think the stat is for every person you tell about a reputable firm, you're going to tell 10 people about a disreputable one. I've found that to be true. People may be secretive about recommending someone, because once you've found a firm or person you trust it's like you're sitting on a mound of gold. But folks are extremely vocal about companies they don't trust because they want to get the word out about these shysters.

According to New Jersey's Acting Director for the Division of Consumer Affairs Steve Lee, “When contractors fail to comply with the law, or the terms of their contracts, consumers can be left with costs in the tens of thousands of dollars and a house full of unfinished improvements.” No fooling. Anyone who has been hosed by a contractor knows how difficult it is not only to get retribution, but to fix shoddy work done by an inept buffoon. So how do you find and hire a good contractor?

1. Do your research. Ask around and get personal recommendations from people. Look at sites you trust that post reviews and ratings. Really READ the reviews and don't just go by the number of stars they've merited. Also search for the company's name with words like “scam,” “rip-off,” or “complaint.”
2. Look for qualifications, like licensing. Not every state requires this for all work, but you should check with your local building department or Division Of Consumer Affairs (here's link to an Index of State And Local Consumer Agencies: http://www.usa.gov/directory/stateconsumer). If licensing is required, ask to see a copy of the contractor's license to make sure it's current.
3. Compile a list of prospects. There's a language to some repairs, terms you may not know. Having at least three possible contractors allows you to compare prices and become more knowledgeable about the work they recommend.  Ask why they're recommending something. When you have a question about anything, don't be afraid to ask.
4. Get estimates in writing. Ask one why his/her prices are higher than someone else's. And don't be afraid to ask them to meet a lower price.  Contractors may be willing to negotiate to get the business. We've saved thousands of dollars doing this. Just be kind and professional.
5. Ask how many projects like yours have been completed in the last year so you can see how knowledgeable the firm is with your project.  You don't want them learning while they're working on your house.  
6. Find out whether a permit is required and who is responsible for getting the permit(s). 
7. Get a list of references and don't be shy about calling them. Ask the clients whether the work was completed on time, if there were unanticipated costs, whether the workers/foreman showed up on time and whether they cleaned up after themselves.  After a recent roofing project, I was delighted to see the workers painstakingly going over my patio and lawn with magnets to make sure there weren't any nails around.  
8. Ask what type of insurance the contractor carries and tell them you want to see copies of insurance certificates to make sure they're current.  A reputable contractor won't mind producing this.  Without insurance, you may be liable for injuries and damages that happen during the project.
9. Find out if subcontractors will be used and make sure they have the proper insurance coverage and licenses, too.  Again, you need to be protected. 
10. Understand your payment options and do NOT pay cash. Similarly, try to limit your down payment even if the contractor isn't thrilled with this. Our town limits the amount of money requested as a down payment. Contact your municipality or local consumer agency (see the link above) to find out the law in your area.
11. Get a written contract even if your state doesn't require one.

For more information on how to hire a contractor, visit:

• The Federal Trade Commission's website: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0242-hiring-contractor#Finding
  
  
• ThisOldHouse.com: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20539027,00.html
  
  
• Lifehacker: http://lifehacker.com/5578353/how-to-hire-a-contractor-without-getting-hosed

After the work has been done, if you're happy with the contractor, remember to recommend him/her to your friends. A lot of these people get work via word-of-mouth. Get the word out and make sure your friends tell the contractor that you've recommended them. Reputable tradespeople work hard, often in all kinds of weather and under difficult conditions. They deserve all the praise they merit!

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Please note that this article was used as a reference in the writing of this post.

Thank you for reading!

Returning To The Workforce – Scary, Daunting, But Do-Able

 
Staying at home with the kids is a choice that many of us make. It involves sacrifice and is more than a little aggravating sometimes, but for those who choose it, we feel it's worth it for the kids. The scarey part of giving up your career, of course, is trying to get it or some semblance of it back. Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a seminar given by Lauren Markon of Career Connections (www.careerconnectnj.com). Ms. Markon is an expert in helping people become workforce ready. Here's what I learned from her and from attending that seminar.


We began with attendees going around the room and explaining what we'd done “in our former lives.” Previous occupations included a teacher, lawyer, nurse, college administrator, and yours truly, a humble marketing professional-turned writer. We realized that there are many barriers to returning to paid employment including:

• fear (of failure or, even, success)
  
• insecurity
  
• lack of focus
  
• lack of money for childcare
  
• age
  
• gaps on one's resume
  
• mental health issues, including depression and anxiety
  

There's also the fact that some of us just don't know what we want to do or are dismayed by the lack of options out there (i.e. an abundance of clerical jobs we're overqualified for or the sad fact that those of us with experience may be relegated to salaries lower than people who have just graduated college). Tackling those issues is critical before one can even think of re-entering the workforce. It may be as simple as building up your confidence or even a bit more difficult, as in getting some short-term therapy for mental health issues.


Once some of the issues are behind, it's time to get ready to jump back in. Identify your resources like workshops, professional associations, etc .and get any training you may be lacking in the form of classes, whether in-person or online. One website that I didn't know about is the one for the Goodwill Community Foundation (http://www.gcflearnfree.org) which offers free lessons in dozens of topics including technology, social media, computers, job development, and more.


Markon's website, as well, has oodles of really useful information that any job-seeker will relish. Begin networking with other people and don't be shy about letting your social circles know that you're looking for employment. Oh, and moms: lest we think we cannot network, we do it all on the time on the blacktop and while waiting for our kids who are in classes. How often are we just standing around chatting and sharing info about our kids, teachers, staff, etc.? It's time to share with those same people information about your job search and let them know you're looking for work.


Get your resume together and don't forget that volunteer experience counts and can fill the gap caused by staying at home with the kids. Make sure you have a cover letter you're comfortable with (again, resources to help you are at www.careerconnectnj.com) Let people you trust critique your resume and then get set up on Linked-In. If you aren't fluent in Linked-In, there are many books you can borrow from the library that will get you up to snuff.


Make sure you have the proper clothes to wear while interviewing. A novel idea that came out of the seminar was having business cards printed up showing your name and contact data on the front and bullets from your resume on the back that you can give out when you meet a person who can help you.
And don't forget to rehearse your interviewing skills, preferably with a professional who can give you helpful advice on how to land a job. Then, with your confidence up and the tools you need at the ready, start looking for a job.


While you're looking, volunteering for a position you might be interested can help with visibility and training. Years ago I found a great opportunity via the site: http://www.volunteermatch.org which helped me apply for a position that allowed me to learn and offered an enormous e amount of flexibility.


Re- entering the job market is difficult, but not impossible. With preparation, patience and dedication, you can find a job that will make you happy.