Creating a Family Resolutions Book

Today on WUSA 9 our Events Coordinator, Anna Snead demonstrated a craft for creating a Family Resolution Book. Most people think that resolutions are only for adults but really it’s a motivational and skill building tool for everyone especially kids. It can improve your child’s self esteem, build family communication as well as teach goal setting. I am a big fan of goal setting and how that can help children throughout their lives.

Anna selected this activity and you should consider starting it in your family. If you do, let us know how it works for you. I think it would be a lot of fun. I wish my kids weren’t all grown. Maybe I will do it with my grandkids?


Activity: Family Resolution Book

You will need:
-A photo album or scrapbook
(you could also use heavy paper as the cover pages)
-Photo of each family member
(if your child wants to draw each member of the family, that might also be good)
-Lined flash card or ruler
(use these if you choose to draw your own lines directly on paper)
-Pen/marker
-Decorative supplies (optional) – stickers, glitter, etc

Instructions:
1. Take or get a picture or headshot of each family member. Or you can let your children draw each person.
2. Glue each one on a separate page in your book.
3. Glue one flashcard onto each page or draw three lines under each photo.
4. Each family member can write down 3 resolutions (more or less optional) on their designated page that they will try to keep throughout the upcoming year.
Examples: Finish my homework before dinner. Clean my room at least once a week. Cook dinner at least 4 times a week for the family (mom or older children). Exercise 3 times a week. Raise my grades one point each semester. Help dad with the yard work weekly. Wash the dog every week. Have a positive attitude.
5. Decorate each page as desired.
6. Discuss the resolutions as a family. Make a list of ways each person can support the others at the back of the book. If, at first, certain family members struggle to find resolutions sit down before starting this activity and brainstorm together in a constructive (and friendly!) discussion.

**Over the next year, each month try to take out the book and see how each person is doing with their resolutions.

Anna had another idea for the book that I thought was very creative. She suggested video taping the family telling their resolutions. Then video tape the discussions through out the year. This would be a great video record of your children and you could post it on YouTube!

Here are some benefits Anna listed for this activity. I can think of more.
-Family Bonding and communication
-Goal setting
-Learning how to be more supportive of each family member
-Self Improvement

Does your family have any traditions similar to this? Do they work?

Let us know what your family does for New Year’s resolutions.

Happy Parenting, Brenda

Fun Holiday Craft Becomes Traditon

The holidays mean family gatherings and big meals. Why not include the kids in the table decorations this year with a variety of fun and festive crafts? It will keep them busy and you’ll have decorations that you can treasure for years to come.

Today Liz McConville, Resource Editor for FAMILY Magazine was on WUSA9 News Now with Peggy Fox demonstrating crafts for table decorations

Why should we involve our children in the preparation of the holiday meal or decorations? I know it helps with the work, but does it do anything for them? YOU BET! Kids love it and it really helps them develop.

Helping benefits kids in many ways –
Raising self-esteem & learning life skills
Develop a sense of tradition (being part of a group)

Here are the crafts that Liz demonstrated along with materials and detailed instructions.

Candy Cane Napkin Rings

Materials:
• 1 sheet of construction paper
• Red glitter glue
• White glitter glue
• White craft glue
• Paintbrush
• Scissors or cutting board
• Tape

What to do:
1. Lay down the construction paper lengthwise
2. Starting at the bottom of the far left corner draw a line of red glitter glue from the bottom to the top of the paper. Skip about one inch and repeat. Continue all the way across the paper.
3. Repeat step 2 with the white glitter glue, drawing the white lines in between the red lines. Your line won’t be touching.
4. Using a paintbrush gently spread out the first line of red glitter glue, careful not to touch the white. Repeat for each red line.
5. Clean out the paintbrush and repeat step 4 for the white glitter glue. All your line should be touching, or at least very close to each other.
6. Allow the sheet to dry completely. This can take several hours.
7. Once dry, fold in half like a greeting card and gently crease. Use scissors to cut along the crease.
8. Hold one of the pieces so that the strips are going horizontally. Cutting from the bottom upward, cut in half and then in half again to create four strips. Repeat this for the other half-sheet. This will result in a total of 8 strips.
9. Turn strips over so that the glitter side is facing down. Carefully fold along the long edge, both sides, to create a more finished look. Glue the folded sides to the back. Repeat for all strips.
10. Roll each strip into a circle; the ends should overlap by about an inch. Secure the overlap with a piece of clear tape.
11. Insert napkins.

For more craft ideas like this one check out: http://crafts.kaboose.com/candy-cane-napkin-rings.html.


Angel Place Cards

Materials:
• Paper Cups
• Napkins
• Lollipops
• Chenille Stems
• Paint, optional

What to do:
1. Fold a napkin back and forth as you do when you are making a fan.
2. Take a paper cup (painting the cup in optional) and turn it upside down
3. Place the napkin on the top (bottom) of the paper cup and with the stick end of the lollipop push the stick through the layers of the napkin and through the cup.
4. Make a halo out of a chenille stem and attach it around the angel’s head or push the straight section of the halo through the same hole made for the stick of the lollipop.
5. The name can either be painted on the cup or a round card with the name can be glued to the halo.

For this craft and more crafts like it check out http://crafts.kaboose.com/angel-place-cards.html.


Silverware Stocking

Materials:
• Stocking template
• Scissors
• Felt
• Patterned fabric
• Hot glue or fabric glue
• Rickrack
• Beads
• Beading cord

What To Do:
1. Use the template to cut two stocking shapes from the felt, then cut the cuff and toe shapes from the patterned fabric. The cuff is a long rectangle with the two long edges folded under and ironed for a clean look.
2. Glue the two stocking shapes together at the edges, leaving the top of the stocking open. Fold a 6-inch length of rickrack in half and glue the ends just inside the stocking’s top. Glue the cuff and toe in place.
3. String beads onto the cord. When the string of beads is long enough to form your letter, knot both ends. Draw your letter onto the stocking with glue, and then press the string of beads onto it.

For this craft and more crafts like it check out http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-gifts-cards-decorations/christmas-decorations/christmas-table-toppers/silverware-stocking-800820/.


Do you have any crafts you like to do for table decorations? Do you let your children help with this? We do name plates at our house and the little kids are in charge. It is a hoot. Maybe this year we will use one of Liz’s ideas. They look adorable!

Happy Holidays!

Brenda

Award Winning and Educational Toys and Games

With the holidays just around the corner, you’ve probably started making your shopping lists.

Today, during the WUSA9 MomsLikeMe.com segment, Amy Bevins, Assistant Editor and Toy Expert for Washington FAMILY Magazine, shared a few great ideas for this holiday season.

Here are a few standouts from Amy’s article on Award Winning and Educational Toys and Games in this month’s Washington FAMILY magazine.

Go Go Sports Girls from Dream Big Toy Company are one of my favorites for all ages. These sports themed dolls give a positive message about healthy bodies along with being absolutely adorable.

Cornerstone made by Good Company Games, has become one of my family’s favorite games and the most requested. It is kind of a cross between Jenga and Blokus, combining strategy and adrenaline as you build the towers and outsmart your opponents.

If you are looking to get kids and adults up and moving, Djubi is perfect and brings a great new twist to the game of catch. You use the hook to launch the balls and the net to catch them.

Q-BA-Maze is as much fun to create as it is to play with. You join the pieces to make a marble run. It is almost like a kinetic art sculpture and is so fun whether you follow the patterns or create your own masterpiece.


Funny Business from Gamewright is an absolutely hilarious game of mixed up mergers that the whole family can play. It is all about having fun and competition takes a backseat.

Sprig Discover Rig from Sprig Toys is a kid-powered eco-friendly truck that is made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastic and is so appealing to kids for imagination adventures.

The cute Muddy Pigs from Munchkin are perfect for a tub time. With a little warm water their muddy spots magically wash off.

Lastly, Chickyboom by BlueOrange appeals to all ages. There’s more science and math than you’d expect and it really draws in kids and adults alike.

Amy’s article, “Award Winning and Educational Toys and Games,” is filled with lots of wonderful holiday ideas and is in the December issue of Washington FAMILY Magazine. Pick one up or view it online at www.washingtonFAMILY.com

Many of the featured toys have won numerous national and international awards, meaning they were a hit with kids, parents, testers and industry experts. Groups like the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy, Parent’s Choice and AblePlay give awards to toys and games that meet criteria for standing out among their peers. Each one is tested for quality, safety, playability, value and most of all FUN!

To learn more about the Toy Awards; visit the FAMILY Magazine web extras on our homepage.


What great ideas do you have for gift giving this holiday season?

Training to Eat for the Holidays

The holidays are fast approaching. This wonderful time of year is filled with good fellowship, food, and fun….and lots of calories and overindulgence often leading to weight gain and weight loss resolutions. How can we make this year different?
After this segment be sure to log on to DCMomsLikeMe.com. FAMILY Magazine publisher, Brenda Hyde, will be online to discuss this topic inside the Washington FAMILY Magazine Group.
Today, Judy Caplan, Registered Dietitian and author of the children’s book Gobey Gets Full – Good Nutrition in a Nutshell (www.gobefull.com), shared tips on “Training to Eat for the Holiday” during the Moms Like Me segment on WUSA9.
Judy suggests:
If you put some simple practices into play now, you can avoid that beginning of the year regret. She calls this “Training to Eat for the Holidays.”
Tip One: Make awareness part of the holiday spirit. Ask yourself, “Where do I want my weight to be to on January 2nd?” Jot the answer down on a piece of paper and post it where you can see it every day. For example: “I want to weigh 135 on January 2nd.” Now don’t lose sight of that goal.
Tip Two: Set into motion actions that will lead to achieving your goal. For instance, continue your exercise program. If you don’t have one, now is the time to start. Don’t wait until the first of the year to begin. Exercise is a great calorie burner. Exercise also increases endorphins which promote a sense of well being, something you will need lots of at this stressful time of year.
Tip Three: Set a carbohydrate limit for the day. Allow yourself a daily total of four to six carbohydrate servings. Since there will be sweets and alcohol everywhere, each time you eat a cookie or have a drink over the holidays, you have to subtract some other carbohydrate from your diet that day, so plan ahead. Here are some other examples of one carbohydrate serving:
One slice of whole wheat bread
½ of a hamburger bun
8 stick pretzels
3 Hershey kisses
¼ of a medium order of French fries

Keep a food log. This helps you know how many carbs you have eaten and how many you have left. One strategy is to limit carbs during the week and fill up on lots of salads and fresh veggies, limited amounts of whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Use two servings of fruit each day to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Here is a sample menu:
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with spinach and low fat cheese, topped with salsa and sliced avocado
Or
¾ cup oatmeal or whole grain cereal with sliced fruit and skim milk plus one teaspoon ground flaxseed
Or
2 slices (40 calories each) whole grain bread with 1T. natural peanut butter and fruit spread
*Coffee or skinny latte

Lunch: Large salad with lean protein – grilled chicken, low fat cheese, shrimp, salmon or lean beef. Add sliced avocado or toasted nuts.
Vinaigrette dressing (preferable made with olive oil)
Or
If you did not have carbs at breakfast (oatmeal, cereal, toast) sandwich on whole wheat bread with nitrite free turkey with olive oil mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle (if non meat, eater make with low fat cheese)
Or
Fresh cut up veggies with 1/3 cup hummus plus 5 Triscuits or 20 Wheat Thins

Dinner: Fresh salad with vinaigrette, lean protein of your choice, and steamed or roasted veggies (non starchy)

Snacks: Use your two servings of fruit for snacks. Add 12 raw almonds with each fruit serving
*Coffee is a calorie free food but can lead to hunger pangs, so limit intake.

Tip Four: Have a plan before you attend a party because once you get there good intentions can quickly fly out the window. Alcohol, besides adding calories, diminishes your ability to stay focused on your goals. Set a number of drinks for the night and stick to it.

You never want to go to a party hungry. Telling yourself you won’t eat all day so it is okay to indulge at the party is a formula for disaster. At the party avoid fried food, any appetizer that sits on bread, creamy dips, and limit sweets and alcohol. That leaves veggies and protein. Save the carbs for your set amount of alcohol or a bite or two of something yummy.

For more articles and resources about how “Training to Eat for the Holiday,” visit the Washington FAMILY Magazine

American Girl Craft for Merriment in Georgetown

Today on WUSA 9 we demonstrated a craft that we will be doing at the
Merriment in Georgetown on December 6.

If you don’t know about Merriment in Georgetown, you should check it out.
It is going to be a great event with a special book signing with Valerie
Tripp, author of the American Girl books. Here is a link to more
information.
http://www.merrimentingeorgetown.com/


The American Girl Felicity Merriman, described as the colonial girl living
in Williamsburg, VA, was the inspiration for FAMILY Magazine's craft we
will be doing where we will be making silhouettes.

A silhouette or a shadow picture was very popular during the 18th Century.
It was the only method of capturing someone's image before cameras were
invented other than an expensive self-portrait.

This craft would be great for kids to do for grandparents. It is very
personal and a great keepsake.

INSTRUCTIONS

Materials Needed:
-Black construction paper
-White regular or thick paper
-Scissors
-Glue
-Tape
-Flashlight or lamp
-White chalk or white colored pencil
-Ribbon
-Glitter
-Doilies (optional)
-Buttons (optional)

1. To make a silhouette, sit the subject 12-18" in front of a wall, facing
parallel to it.

2. Shine a bright light on them, so their shadow falls on the wall. You
may need to adjust the light until you get their shadow as sharp and
detailed as possible.

3. Tape a black piece of construction paper on the wall where the shadow
is falling. You should see it clearly on the paper. 4. Now, carefully
trace the outline of the shadow using your white chalk or colored pencil
including everything even their eyelashes. The subject must sit very
still for it to work.

5. Once you've completed the tracing take the black piece of paper and cut
out the picture you made along the white lines. Do this CAREFULLY!

6. Paste your silhouette onto the white piece of paper.

7. To finish off your project make a fun ribbon frame cutting a strip for
each side of the paper and glue it on. Doilies can be used in place or
along with the ribbon to give the picture more of a winter holiday feel.
Decorate your frame with buttons, glitter, or anything else you'd like.
Enjoy!


Do you have a favorite American Girl Doll in your house? We would love to
hear from you.

Happy Parenting -- Brenda

Thanksgiving Traditions

With Thanksgiving coming this Thursday, there’s lots to do. This morning, on WUSA9 News, reporter Peggy Fox and Liz McConville, the Resource Editor for FAMILY Magazine talked about some really fun crafts you can do with your kids for Thanksgiving.

In our family, we love traditions. A couple of years ago my grandkids made name place cards for our holiday table and then assigned where each person would sit. We use these cards every single year (Christmas and Thanksgiving) just adding the new people when there are new ones at our holiday table. The kids get the place cards out and talk about when they made them. They also talk about how much better they can write now! But it is fun and really gives me a warm feeling to hear the conversation when they are arranging the table and assigning seats. It is a hoot!

Some of Liz’s decorations are really cute and such good ideas I think we will incorporate them this year.

Finger Stamp Place Cards
Materials
• Card stock
• Nontoxic stamp pads in brown, red, orange, and yellow
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• Paint markers

Instructions
1. For each bird, fold a piece of card stock as shown (ours were roughly 3 by 4 inches). Set out nontoxic stamp pads in brown, red, orange, and yellow. Using your thumb or index finger, stamp rings of yellow, orange, and red, and a brown turkey body.
2. Glue googly eyes in place, then use paint markers to draw on a beak, snood, and feet and to write a guest's name below the bird.

For more crafts like this one, check out: http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-nameplates/finger-stamp-place-cards-673438/


Indian Corn Napkin Rings
By: Amanda Formaro

What you'll need:
• Green construction paper
• Scissors
• Tissue paper: yellow, orange and burgundy
• White craft glue
• Pencil with an eraser

How to make it:
1. Cut construction paper vertically in strips about 1.5” wide. Each strip will yield two napkin holders.
2. Cut each strip in half to get 2 napkin holders.
3. Cut tissue paper into 1” squares.
4. Cover a 1” section of the construction paper strip with white craft glue.
5. Twist a square of yellow tissue paper around the pencil eraser and push down onto the glue. Remove pencil, leaving the tissue paper on the construction paper.
6. Repeat step number 5 with tissue paper, alternating orange and burgundy for every 2-3 yellow.
7. Cover entire strip of construction paper, leaving only ½” at the end without tissue paper.
8. Bend into a “ring” and glue together.
9. Let dry completely then carefully insert a napkin.

For more crafts like this one, check out: http://crafts.kaboose.com/indian-corn-napkin-rings.html


Why not decorate the table with these festive crafts that the whole family will enjoy making as well as using in the future?

From all of us here at FAMILY Magazine we wish you a happy and joyous Thanksgiving.

Brenda

Gifts to Go

With the holidays just around the corner, you’ve probably started making your shopping lists.

Today, Amy Bevins, Assistant Editor of Washington FAMILY Magazine, shared a few great ideas for this holiday season on the Moms Like Me segment on WUSA9.

Here are her choices for Gifts to Go,” items that are lightweight and inexpensive, making them perfect to mail, give in gift exchanges or use while your family is traveling. You can find many more toy ideas in the current issue of FAMILY Magazine. Go to our web site for a list of locations where you can pick up the magazine.

If you are looking for a stuffed toy, here are two great choices.

Normally you wouldn’t think of plastic water bottles as cuddly, but Fuzz That Wuzz stuffed animals from Mary Meyer Corporation are actually made from recycled plastic bottles. Swingzzz Monkey has more than 20 different Fuzz That Wuzz friends, including a moose, an elephant, a bear and a snowman.

Lubies, made by Rocket USA, are a wonderful combination of a soft, stuffed ball and a snuggly friend. So you can combine a little toss and catch with a sleepy time pal. There are over 20 Lubies available, including a flamingo, a panda, a shark and even a Thanksgiving turkey.

Here are three great things to keep kids busy while you are traveling.

YamSlam from Blue Orange Games is a fun, fast-paced game that combines a little Yatzee-type action with intriguing poker chip scoring for a great mix of luck and strategy. Best of all, the dice roll quietly in the game case and everything stores neatly, making it a perfect on-the-go game.

Gallison Mudpuppy makes wonderful magnetic figures for keeping kids entertained. Each one has several backgrounds and lots of outfits for imaginary play, all of which store in a tin box. Depending on your child’s interest, Mudpuppy makes sets from monsters and robots to fairies and mermaids.

Adams Cube by ThinkFun is a 6-in-one brain teaser puzzle cube. Best of all, the puzzle pieces store inside the cube, making it perfectly portable. It’s great for kids who love a challenge.

And if you need to wiggle, the JellyFlyer, by Noodlehead Fun can be tucked in a pocket, purse or backpack and pulled out wherever there room to play frisbee. Because it is made of soft silicone, it can be used indoors and it won’t hurt little fingers. Amy’s family loves things like this for long car trips. They pull them out at the rest stops and get everybody moving to shake out the wiggles.

For more great ideas, you can find Amy’s article “Gifts to Go” on the Washington FAMILY Magazine web site, www.washingtonFAMILY.com

What suggestions to you have for some holiday “Gifts to Go?”

Nutrition and School Performance

As parents one of our major concerns is how well our children perform in school. Our worries often lead us to consult therapists, tutors, and other specialists. Good nutrition is another important, powerful tool to help our kids reach their potential. Studies show that certain types of fats in the diet might actually improve brain function.

Today, Judy Caplan, Registered Dietitian and author of the children’s book Gobey Gets Full – Good Nutrition in a Nutshell (www.gobefull.com) and Nutrition Editor for FAMILY Magazine, shared tips on Nutrition and School Performance during the FAMILY Magazine and Moms Like Me segment at 9AM on WUSA9 News Now.
Judy suggests:
Take a look at your child’s overall food preferences and assess the quality of fats in his/her diet. Some studies show that increasing healthy Omega 3 and monounsaturated fats in your child’s diet is good for brain function.
Why do we want to feed kids more fat?
Fats are important for brain function and hormone development, but not any type of fat. It needs to be healthy fat from Omega-3-fatty acids and monounsaturated fat. The problem is many children get too much of the wrong fats called trans or hydrogenated fats. Some researchers think this imbalance might play a role in decreased brain function.
What foods contain these healthy fats?
Monounsaturated fats or MUFA’S are found in olive oil, olives, sesame seeds, avocado and nuts like almonds, pistachios, and peanuts. Salmon, tuna, and sardines are high in Omega-3-fatty acids. Ground flaxseed is also high in Omega 3’s.
What is a hydrogenated fat and why should they be avoided?
Hydrogenated fats are solid at room temperature. Oils start out liquid. Food manufacturers shoot hydrogen into the oil to make it solid. Food companies rarely hydrogenate the healthy fats like olive oil and sesame oil because of expense and taste, but rather the cheaper and less healthy oils like corn oil and soybean oil. Eating too much trans fats and too little healthy fats can cause a ratio imbalance of the healthy and unhealthy fats and researchers think this discrepancy causes problems.
How does this translate into eating?
Kids need more nuts and natural nut butters, the kind with the oil on top (refrigerate after opening). If your school has a no nut policy, then serve those foods at home. Cook with olive oil; pack olives as a snack; dip veggies in hummus made with tahini or sesame paste; snack on guacamole and baked chips. Serve more fish – smoked salmon (nitrite free) on a whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese; grilled salmon, pan seared halibut, grilled shrimp, and other fatty fishes like tuna, though experts currently recommend limiting tuna to a few times a month due to elevated mercury levels.
What should be avoided?
Avoid anything with hydrogenated fats or partially hydrogenated fats. These fats are found in commercially fried foods like French fries, nuggets, and in commercially prepared products like frozen foods, cereals, candy and baked goods. It is also recommended to cut back on saturated vegetable fats like palm kernel oil as well as excess amounts of animal fat. Generally kids will benefit from a more plant based diet with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, moderate amounts of protein, and a little junk just to keep them happy!

For more articles and resources about “Nutrition and School Performance,” visit the FAMILY Magazine web site – www.washingtonFAMILY.com.

Work at Home Parents

Have you ever considered that President Barack Obama is a work-from-home dad?

In today’s economy many moms and dads are looking at work-from-home options so that they can still be home with the kids but also develop their career or maybe just bring in some extra income for the family.

President Obama is an extreme example, and most work-from-home parents are moms.

There are over 120 million women in the workforce. Over 18% have children under the age of 18 and work one or more days a week from home.

According to Odesk.com, an online job source for work-from-home workers there are over 33 million people working from home. Odesk.com has thousands of job postings in over 70 categories for online and work-from-home job seekers.

On the www.ratracerebellion.com web site they list 111 job categories for those searching for a work-from-home opportunity. And by the way, Washington area entrepreneurs Christine Durst and Michael Haaren run this web site.

FlexJobs.com has over 50 categories with all of their jobs are hand-screened telecommuting/work-at-home jobs

Having workers that are home based reduces overhead expenses, allows access to talented workers who may not be available locally, provides off-hours support and helps retain employees. Many companies are becoming fans of telecommuting.

FAMILY Magazine started as a home-based business and still has many home-based employees.



Work-from-Home Web Site Resources

http://www.mompreneursonline.com
http://www.ratracerebellion.com
http://www.Homewiththekids.com
http://www.flexjobs.com
http://www.odesk.com
http://hbwm.com
http://www.wahm.com

Data on women in the workforce -- http://www.bls.gov/cps/wlf-databook2009.htm



Here are some examples of traditional work-from-home jobs:

Virtual assistant -- $15 to $100 per hour

Small businesses hire virtual assistants to help when they can't justify a permanent employee. The company I use for technology support just hired a virtual assistant to take all his incoming calls while he is out working on his clients computers and networks.

The International Virtual Assistants Association was co-founded in the 1990’s by Christine Durst of www.ratracerebellion.com, began with 28 members and has grown to more than 600, who charge from $15 per hour to more than $100 per hour.

Medical transcriptionist -- $20 per hour or more

Good transcriptionists are in very high demand. Expect initial earnings of less than $10 per hour, but some transcriptionists earn $20 or more per hour.

Translator -- $20.74 per hour

Home-based translators with hard-to-find language skills are not held back by geographic location. The site, Homewiththekids.com has 21 categories of jobs and within the translator listing there are 15 companies searching for translators.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-09, which groups translators and interpreters, notes a projected employment increase of 24 percent over the 2006-to-2016 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the mean annual wage for a translator is $20.74 per hour. Some industries have significantly higher wages for translators. It depends on the type of translation.

Web developer/designer -- $10 to $150 per hour

Of the more than 15,000 new monthly work-from-home job postings on Odesk.com, Web developers are in the greatest demand. There is a large range for income in this category. It seems to vary depending on your level of experience. $10 to $150 per hour.

Call center representative -- unknown

While some Web sites, such as Alpineaccess.com, actually hire representatives, most use subcontractors. The pay may be by the minute rather than by the hour, so you may not be paid for time you spend waiting by the phone. It was very difficult to find a salary range for this. Most of the companies wanted to pre-screen you before you could find out what the salary range was.

Writer/editor -- $5-$20 per post, $50 per article

Writing jobs would include traditional writing as well as blogging. A list of blogging opportunities, for which the pay range is less than $5 per post to more than $20 per post, can be found at Homewiththekids.com.

Other Jobs –
Tech support specialist
Travel agent
Teacher or tutor

*****SCAM ALERT*****

There are so many work-from-home opportunities that it is hard to tell which ones are real and which ones are scams, cons and other ways to swindle people out of their money. Christine Durst of www.ratracerebellion.com suggests watching for these positive indicators of "real" employment:

* The hirer is an established company.
* The ad includes the company name and does not have applicants reply to a blind e-mail address.
* Human resources personnel are available for questions.
* There is mention of information commonly associated with "real" employment (benefits, vacations, policies, etc.).
* There is an application and interview process, not simply an e-mailed offer.
* The employer can detail the job duties and expectations.
* References/work samples are requested.




FAMILY Magazine started as a home-based business and we have supported working from home moms for years. There are good businesses out there that need a workforce but don’t want or need to have the “brick and mortar” building to go along with it. Search carefully and you might find the perfect match.

Happy Parenting, Brenda

Nutritious Halloween Treats

With Halloween approaching it’s hard to avoid candy. It feels like it’s everywhere. For parents, it can be worrisome with fears like cavities and childhood obesity. But there are spooky treats out there that you can make with your kids and don’t have to be full of sugar and candy.

This morning on WUSA9, Peggy Fox and FAMILY Magazine’s Liz McConville made great treats for kids that are easy to make and delicious to eat. These are simple enough for your child to make them and nutritious enough that you don’t have to worry about all that sugar.

Cup of Worms

What you will need:

Chocolate pudding
Gummy worms
Cocoa power or hot chocolate mix
Chocolate sprinkles
Clear plastic cups

How to make:

1. Make the chocolate pudding (already made- full recipe on www.washingtonFAMILY.com) and let it cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.
2. Next put individual portions into the clear plastic cups. Don’t worry about smoothing out the top, it should look rough.
3. Sprinkle cocoa powder and sprinkles on top of each cup.
4. Put a few gummy worms in the cup.
5. Lastly place in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Vampire Fangs in Blood

What you need:

8 large Red Delicious Apples,
1/4 cup of lemon juice,
1 tbsp. Of sugar,
1 10 oz. Of strawberry or cherry sauce.

How to make:

1. Wash, peel and core the apples.
2. Cut each apple into 8 pieces.
3. Dip the cut apples in lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
4. Cut the apples into long narrow triangles and redip them in the lemon juice and lightly sprinkle them with sugar.
5. Arrange the fangs in a bowl with the sauce in the middle.
6. Make sure to sprinkle some of the “blood” on them.

Spider Pretzels

What you need:

2 round crackers
2 teaspoons of smooth peanut butter
8 small pretzel sticks
2 raisins

How to make:

1. Place the peanut butter between the two crackers and insert the pretzel sticks into the filling so they look like legs.
2. Take a little bit of peanut butter and place two eyes on the top of the cracker.


For more crafts and recipes, make sure to check out www.WashingtonFAMILY.com for other great ideas.

Do you have any other ideas or recipes you would like to share? Please send them along. Liz might even use one of your recipes in the FAMILY Magazine weekly eNewsletter!

Happy Parenting, Brenda