Making a paper doll chain is a perfect activity for dads and children on a sleepy afternoon. It is simple and does not require either time or money. Most importantly, it will be an exercise in creativity that the children will surely enjoy.

Things you will need:

* Some cardboard or hard paper

* A pair of scissors

* Pen, crayons, markers, and color pencils

* Glue

* Colorful paper or fabric scraps, buttons, beads, ribbons, sequins, and stickers to decorate the dolls

Steps to make the doll chain:

* Cut out a broad strip of the cardboard or paper. This could be about 10 cm high and as long as you want to make your doll chain.

* Fold about 6 cm of one end of the strip. At the point where the folded end overlaps, fold the strip again, but in the other direction. Go on making similar, alternating folds, so that the entire strip is folded into accordion style panels.

* Hold the folded panels bunched up tightly, with the top panel facing you. Help your children to draw the outline of a doll on this top panel, with the hands and legs spread out so that these extend to the panel borders.

* Carefully cut around the doll, taking care to retain the folds where the hands and legs touch the borders.

* Now unfold the strip to see your chain of dolls, joined by their hands and legs.

* Let your children decorate the dolls using the crayons, markers, color pencils, pieces of fabric, beads, ribbons, etc.

* You can even help your kids cut out little shapes from fabric scraps that they can use to create colorful dresses for the dolls.

You can use this chain to decorate the walls of your living room. You could even stick it around a lampshade, hang it as a mobile, or use it to decorate your child’s door.

Paul Banas is a founder of www.greatdad.com. He writes articles on raising kids, baby names, baby sign language and many more topics related to dads.
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If your parenting methods include abuse of any kind; physical, sexual, emotional or verbal, please get help to stop as soon as possible. Adults are supposed to safeguard and protect the young among us. You may be repeating patterns learned in your family of origin or not know any other methods of parenting.

I have included a number of different approaches to discipline that won’t damage the spirit of your precious children, but none will work if you haven’t acknowledged that what you were doing in the past was harmful and that your family deserved a more nurturing environment. I am not a psychologist or a counselor, but I know there are good ones out there who can assist you in shifting your paradigm of discipline to a more loving and respectful relationship.

You owe it to your children and yourself to break the bonds and cycle of abuse and get help. Change is possible; I see it every day in families I work with. You are a good, kind and loving person or you wouldn’t be reading this book and attending these classes, so I encourage you to take the steps that will change the lives of your children and their children.

You can do it. I believe in you.

A list of talking points to help you discipline without damage is listed below.

• The meaning of the word discipline

• Is your love unconditional

• Be both firm and kind in discipline

• Adults also need time out

• Teach them that mistakes are never final

• We all need boundaries

• Consistent does not mean rigid

• Discipline but never punish

• Catch them doing things right

• Teach without anger, shame or blame

• There is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” child

• Issue a warning, but mean it

• Spanking and screaming are not effective teachers

• Eliminate “Who’s at Fault?”

• Be aware of your body and facial language

• Treat each child as an individual

• Be careful of abusive adjectives, they really hurt

• Recognize effort and improvement

• Don’t punish them for telling the truth

• Deal with problems in private, praise in public

• Distinguish between minor mishaps and major problems

• Teach them to forgive and ask for forgiveness

• Be curious not furious-Ask questions

(c)Judy H. Wright aka Auntie Artichoke is a family coach and parent educator. She has written over 20 books and many many articles on building relationships on respect and open communication.

Please join us each Thursday for free teleclasses and radio shows at http://www.ArtichokePress.com You will be glad you did.

If your family is having problems or behavior situations that can not be helped with an article or book, please go to http://www.DisciplineYesPunishNo.com for a program that will transform your family. I recommend it to all my parenting classes.
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Hey, Daddy!  Will You Play With Me?”

The value of time spent with a child can never be measured by merely counting up the minutes.  In today’s society, as both parents are frequently working outside the home and television, computers, and video games dominate a large percentage of a family’s free time, it is more important than ever for parents to spend intentional quality time with a child. 

Whether a mother works out of the home or not, she will tend to spend a significant amount of her day directly interacting with her children.  Fathers, even extremely devoted dads, spend significantly less time with their children, and much of that is spent taking care of domestic responsibilities such as home work, baths, cleaning, and so forth.  While little girls have the example of their mom to mimic to help them develop into your ladies, the best role model for little boys is typically not quite as available.  Because these young boys need all the help they can get in growing into fine young men, it is imperative that fathers devote time to their sons. 

Sometimes, this task is easier said than done.  Dads are often not natural nurturers and can easily fall into the trap of watching a ball game or a movie on the television and call that quality time.  That is not good, quality time that will produce the desired results.  Lyn’s Toy Shop is here to help you along. 

Lyn’s carries a variety of toys that would be ideal for bringing father and son together in interactive play.  A natural choice is football.  For little feet, there are even miniature footballs that are perfect for fun active play between a father and his son.
For days that are too cold or wet or when an indoor activity is more appropriate, why not settle down together, and play a board game.  Having the side focus on the game will make it easier for conversations to open up, which will encourage your son to feel comfortable expressing his thoughts and feelings as he witnesses his dad doing the same.
For a more challenging activity, you might consider embarking on an origami project!  Both the zoo animal and the dinosaur origami kits are sure to be an absolute blast as you and your son witness the transformation of a regular piece of paper into a ferocious beast!
Or you may feel that since mom is teaching the girls to be the princess of the palace, you ought to get your little guy used to be king of the castle.  Lyn’s Toy Shop has a foam castle construction kit that can provide hours of play and fun for you and your miniature man.

It will take a little effort, but planning intentional quality time with your son will pay off in the end in ways that you could never believe.  If you aren’t convinced, then go talk to about a hundred guys or so whose fathers didn’t think spending time with their sons was particularly valuable.  They are easy to find.  Just ask the next police officer that you come across what the address is of the nearest jail!  Now, you don’t ever want to have to visit your son there, do you?  I didn’t think so, so … What are you waiting for?  Get playing!

Lyndsey Cornelius is the owner of -
www.lynstoyshop.co.uk and
www.city-slickers-uk.co.uk
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Character is the set of qualities that make somebody distinctive. It is the outward manifestation of what you believe inside your mind and spirit. It is your nature, personality and moral fiber. Your character is the attitude and mindset which indicates to others who you are and what you stand for. Character, values and standards are not inborn or inherited, they must be learned, accepted and believed by the person.

Belief System Reflects Actions

if your parents called you lazy, you can either incorporate that label as a part of your character and indeed become lazy. Or you can choose to believe that even though you did not pick up your jacket as a child or occasionally forgot to take out the trash, overall, you are not lazy but actually ambitious and are committed to being a team player.

You know that you can be counted on. That you are honest and hard working as a general rule, even if now and then you do something that appears lazy to others. You work on reinforcing those positive beliefs rather than wallowing in negative labels given you by others.

List of Positive Character Traits

As you read through this small list of admirable character traits, check the ones that you believe are a part of your inner guidance system. Do your children know that you feel strongly about these attributes and? Perhaps you should share with them the qualities that make you the person you are today.

Appreciative

Courageous

Committed

Compassionate

Confident

Dependable

Fair

Faithfull

Flexible

Friendly

Generous

Gentle

Grateful

Honest

Humble

Integrity

Kind

Loving

Loyal

Optimistic

Patient

Persistent

Resourceful

Respectful of all

Responsible for choices

Self-control

Sincere

Tolerant

Trustworthy

Truthful

Warm and welcoming

This is a partial list of character traits and values that could change our society and the world if they were incorporated into the lives of each person.

As teachers, parents, coaches and adults who work with youth on a daily basis, we have an opportunity to mentor the next generation.

The best teacher is a role model.

Children, neighbors and coworkers are watching what we do, much more than what we say. If we feel that character is important, do we show that belief in action? Do we follow our own spiritual compass? Do we want them to do as we do or just as we say?

Praise Character Strengths and Choices of the Heart

In order to encourage those in our circle of influence and our own belief system, we need to recognize and acknowledge the correct choices made daily. Rather than say “Good Job” when your son carries in the neighbor’s groceries, look for the basic character trait he exhibited. How about saying “wow, you are really a thoughtful person. You saw that she needed help and you offered. You have a kind heart.”

Character strengths and choices of the heart can be transferred to many situations and used to reinforce positive action. By complimenting and reinforcing the value system, we encourage self esteem and confidence.

Good luck in your endeavors to find the golden nuggets of character, values and standards in your heart and the hearts of others in your circle. When we look for and encourage strong and noble characters, we will have a better family, neighborhood, community, nation and world. And isn’t that what we are all about?

Judy H. Wright aka Auntie Artichoke is a family coach and parent educator. She has written over 20 books and many many articles on building relationships on respect and open communication.

Please join us each Thursday for free teleclasses and radio shows.Sign up for free eBook on verbal and nonverbal communication at http://www.ArtichokePress.com You will be glad you did.

If your family is struggling with issues that can not be solved in an article or book, please go to http://www.DisciplineYesPunishNo.com for a parenting program that will transform your family.
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After a long week in work one is too tired to do cleaning during the weekends. To help us relax during the weekends the clean up services has emerged. It helps to clean up carpets which are hard to clean, furniture and even windows.

For domestic cleaning the clean up service provide a weekly, fortnights or monthly cleaning depending on the needs of the client. To choose a company one must be careful as there are a lot of people that are crooks and disguise themselves as the cleaners either to steal or do a substandard work. One must remember some factors before choosing a suitable cleaner to do the job.

Points to remember

Price – To know the proper fee charged the client must go through different company cost for comparison so that the cleaners do not charge an obscene amount for the small work executed. We should be also careful where some companies charge too low in that case these companies may provide a substandard work due to inexperience or fraudulent.

Insurance – The Company that has insurance policy is the right company as the company may pay back the sum for the damage cost by the crew whether intentional or unintentional.

Cliental feedback – To know the company thoroughly one should ask the company for the list of the clients so that contact is made to them to enquire about the company. As the company may at times exaggerate about the company profile in that case the older clients are able to make an unbiased comment on the company.

Recruitment of People – The people recruited should be trustworthy as they are cleaning the house when the client is not present.

In this high tech world cleaning process has evolved. With the necessary equipment the cleaning becomes easy and smooth. One does not have to worry about cleaning as companies have emerged to help us in cleaning.

These cleaners not only help to clean things but they make sure that they handle things with care and in a hygienic way. This enhances the appearance of the house and even keeps the investment of the assets safe and immaculate. They can handle tough to clean areas with ease and make them bright.

Types of cleaning services

In the present market the cleaners are divided into two groups – residential or consumer cleaners and commercial cleaners. The consumer cleaners focus cleaning on windows, carpets etc. While janitorial services cover the commercial and industrial areas.

With the help of the internet cleaners can be located and comparison also can be made at a glance.

If one is unable to search for these cleaners then with the help of search engines cleaners can be located with proper key word inserted.

Still wondering to know more about cleaning service business? Visit http://www.opuslettings.co.uk and get every detail that you wish to know about cleaning service business.
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