6 Fun Steps to Live Longer

There is one thing you can do that will help you in the life quest more than anything, it’s to enjoy life, it’s a present, you do have the choice to enjoy every minute of it, and accept everything it gives you as a teaching.

Here are some suggestions that may help you:

• Laughter is good for you it’s official. Numerous studies have shown that the more you laugh the better you are likely to feel and the longer you will live. Nobody is quite sure why this is the case, although there is evidence that laughter releases positive hormones and endorphins in the brain and body, so that the reason for the resulting change in mood is primarily chemical. Do whatever makes you laugh and it will benefit you.

• Drink red wine, it is packed with resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant. This works to protects your body against the effects of aging. One or two glasses of red wine a day can help keep your body feeling young.

• Eat dark chocolate, it is made from cocoa and contains a large amount of antioxidants that protect your body from aging too. Eating chocolate may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol while providing an energy boost.

• Relax; always go in the opposite direction of stress. While stress brings harmful health effects, relaxation helps our bodies to rest, heal, and function better.

• Turn exercise into play, physical games and sports are great way to keep both your body and mind healthy. Simple exercise routines are excellent for maintaining balance, flexibility, endurance, and strength.

• Finally, get a good sleep; it is an essential body function. The health benefits of sleep include more energy, better immune functions and many more.

Birthday Cake Ideas for Girls

Girls can be particularly picky when it comes to the perfect birthday cake. It can be tempting to give up and make them the usual (boring) birthday cake. Instead, think of symbols that your daughter likes, such as butterflies, princesses or flowers. Then roll up your sleeves and recreate the symbol into the shape of a cake.

A Butterfly

Butterfly cakes are simple to make. Bake a large sheet cake. Cut a butterfly shape out of the cake, and set aside the extra scraps. (Your daughter will appreciate snacking on them later.) Ice the middle of the cake with brown icing, and each wing with your daughter's favorite color.

Use other colors of icing to decorate the wings with several large circles. Add two gumdrop eyes and a thin licorice mouth, and your butterfly is ready to soar right into your daughter's heart.

A Castle

If you're willing to put in the effort to make a triple-decker cake, you can create a castle for your princess's birthday. Make three layers of cake, each one progressively smaller than the last. Stack them in descending order, and ice them with white or pink frosting. Place several sugar cones upside down on the cake to act as turrets. (If you'd like, stick princess-type flags through the pointed tops of the cones.) Decorate the rest of the cake with small gummies and other candies.

A Flower Pull-Apart Cake

Cupcake cakes are easy and fun, and nowhere near as messy as regular cakes. To make a flower pull-apart cake, ice several cupcakes in pink icing and one in yellow icing. Surround the yellow cupcake with the pink ones, and put the candles into the center cupcake. When the time comes to blow out the candle, pull the cupcakes apart and hand them to each of the guests. The birthday girl may choose to eat the yellow one, because it was the center one, or she might want a pink one instead.

How to Care for Mums

1- Choose the area of your garden where you wish to plant mums. Mums are beautiful when they line a sidewalk entrance to your home. In the fall you will be able to find mum plants at many local stores, Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and other major chains sell these colorful flowers. You may also purchase mums from your local growers. Plant mums in the morning. That way the newly planted mums will have a full day of sunlight. Ensure that that there is good drainage for your plants to survive during the winter months.

2- Mums may also be used as a decorative accent to your porch. When using the plants in containers, remember that the potted mums need to be watered every other day.

3- Newly planted mums should be watered at least three times a week. If you have established mums, these do not require additional watering unless there is a drought, normal rainfall should be sufficient for the welfare of your mums.

4- Fertilizing should be accomplished every month. The soil of the plants should be fertilized with a general purpose fertilzer and top dressed with compost. Fertilizers may be purchased from local stores such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Lowe's, follow the directions on the back of the fertilizer bag. When planting in the fall the mums usually do not require fertilization, however it is wise to look at the plant regularly, if the new plant looks weak, add a liquid fertilizer like Miracle Gro.

5- Pinch back the mums starting in the spring and continue through the summer months. Pinching will encourage branching and the development of bushy plants. Monitor the growth of the branches, when the new growth on the branch reaches approximately six inches, pinch half off of every branch. Take the branch between your fingers and break off around half, or you can use a small shear to cut the branch. Allow the plant to grow another five to six inches before you repeat the pinching.

6- Cease pinching as the summer ends because the plant will slow it's growth. The mums will start to develop flower heads near the end of the summer. The mums should start to show new blooms starting near the end of August and flowers should last until late November.

7- In late November or early December, before the first frost approaches make sure that the soil is very moist. Use mulch or straw around the plant roots to protect the plant bulb through the winter months. In the spring remove the dead mum material and mulch that you put down in November. Replace the old mulch with a hardwood or cypress mulch when the mum begins to show new growth .

How to Keep Your Marriage Happy and Healthy

1- Communicate. It can't be said enough: Communication is key to a successful marriage. Talk through situations instead of building up resentment and frustration. Work through problems as a couple instead of taking sides, belittling one another and yelling.

2- Accept your spouse the way he is. Some people get into marriage thinking they can mold or change their spouse. This is setting the relationship up for failure. Instead, accept your spouse's flaws and learn to live with them. For example, if your husband is grumpy in the morning because he isn't a morning person, love him anyway.

3- Ignore the small stuff. Although marriage is full of obstacles and challenges, focus on the important things. Forget the little issues that don't matter in the big scheme of married life. Work through obstacles as a team.

4-  Take time to show your spouse that you appreciate her. Focus on things that your partner does well or that please you, and let her know. For example, if your wife has been home all day with the kids, give her a gift certificate for a spa visit or manicure.

 

5- Plan weekly "dates." Although you are officially married, continue dating: One day a week, hire a babysitter and go on a date. Avoid talking about stressful issues such as work, money or kids on your date. A date doesn't have to be an expensive affair; a picnic in the park or a romantic dinner would work. Time with each other can reinforce those loving feelings.

6- Plan time for yourself. Spending time with friends is just as essential. Being away from your spouse will help you appreciate him.

How to Choose & Keep Friends

1- Pinpoint the purpose of the friendship. Choose funny, charming individuals for social outings, vacations and similar activities. Choose loyal, steadfast individuals to be there when things get rough. Gather a variety of friends for these purposes, rather than relying on only one or two to fulfill all your friendship needs.

2- Engage with these friends on their level. Invite social friends to activities like movies, concerts and restaurants. Invite friends with whom you share a deeper connections to events like personal retreats, family gatherings and protest rallies.

3- Give back to these friendships -- do not expect them to be one-sided. Treat your friends to the occasional dinner, movie or outing of their choice. Give them emotional support and feedback when they need or request it. Tell and show your friends how much you appreciate them and how grateful you are to have them in your life.

4- Let go of friendships that are not working -- this will not only allow you to change and grow as a person, but will give you more time to choose and keep friendships that are working out well or have more potential to do so. Likewise, distance yourself from abusive, manipulative or coercive "friends" -- these are not good choices for social companions.

Tips & Warnings

* If it is clear that someone does not wish to be your friend, do not continue attempts to socialize with him. Send a message that you are willing to consider a friendship if he changes his mind, and let him take the next step. In the meantime, set your sights on friendships that are two-sided or reciprocal.

* Do not expect friends to give you emotional support of which they are not capable. For instance, don't expect your flighty friend to go to a relative's funeral; likewise, do not expect a somber friend to appreciate a silly movie.

How to Be a Good Husband to Your Wife

1- Make friends with your in-laws. You may have married your wife, but her family is along for the ride. A little bit of kindness and effort when spending time with them will make all your lives easier. If its difficult, grit your teeth and limit your time together. Surely you can keep smiling for a few hours.

2- Communicate with your wife would keep her needs in mind when you make decisions. Going for a quick drink after work without letting her know may seem harmless, but if she is waiting for you to come home you could return to an upset wife and a miserable evening if you fail to inform her of your plans. Nothing you do just affects you so think about your wife. How might she feel about it? Give her needs priority.

3- Speak with her as an equal. Acknowledge her ideas and viewpoints as you would those of a friend.

4- Help your wife with chores and don't make a fuss if she asks for your help. There are enough issues and dramas in life without making more. If you can't help, explain the reason why to her clearly and kindly.

5- Ask her nicely if you'd like her help with something. Don't demand it as your right. The more demanding you are the less likely she is to want to help you.

6- Admit it when you make mistakes and don't be too proud to say you're sorry. An imperfect husband is much easier to relate with and forgive.

7- Give her gifts and make thoughtful comments regularly to show your wife that you appreciate her. All those little touches around the home, the meals she cooks just the way you like them, take effort and a little appreciation is all that's needed to keep them coming.

8- Give your wife constructive criticism. Stand up to her and don't be scared of her. She may have days when her hormones make you terrified of challenging anything for fear of a huge row, but keeping quiet when she needs some gentle and constructive criticism won't fix anything. If your buddies stepped out of line or upset you, you would let them know in the way that only a buddy can and then get on with your friendship. Making up with your wife is much more fun.

9- Kiss your wife without trying to take it further. Intimacy isn't just about sex and if you remember that and learn to enjoy a kiss or a hug for its own sake you will be rewarded with a relaxed and physically comfortable wife who feels free to express her love for you without the knowledge that it only ever goes one place.

10- Talk with your wife about her goals and encourage her to fulfill her potential. She may have talents or skills she's shy about or she may feel that she isn't capable enough to progress in a career or hobby. Nurture the aptitude that you see in her. A fulfilled woman is a happy woman and a happy woman is lovely to live with.

11- Talk about your emotions and share yourself. You wanted to share the rest of your life with her so do it. Men have emotions, too, and she wants to know how you feel about pretty much everything.

12- Laugh together. Every issue seems easier to deal with if you can laugh at the irony of life.

How to Be A Good Wife

1- Keep nagging to a minimum. This rarely works and doesn't help the relationship. If you need him to do something, ask nicely and with respect.

2- Welcome him home with a smile and a hug instead of a sour face. Listen to him talk about his day, especially if it was a difficult one.

3- Plan little surprises for him. They do not have to be elaborate and can be as simple as getting him his favorite snack to let him know you are thinking of him. Or, plan a surprise date night with him.

4- Give him his space. Encourage him to go out and hang out with his friends for a break or engage in a hobby or sport that he likes.

5- Cook him his favorite dishes once in a while even if you would rather eat something else.

6- Express your love and appreciation often. Find time to be intimate even though you may be tired; it's an expression of your love for him.

7- Join him in activities that he's interested in. Watching Sunday football may not be something you would choose to do, but it's doesn't hurt to show an interest from time to time.

How to Overcome Bullying

Overcoming Cyberbullying

1- Ignore the cyberbully by not responding to text messages, emails or instant messages. Cyberbullies want you to engage with them; responding will only encourages them to further harass you because they know they have control over your emotions.

2- Save all messages sent by a bully including chats, blog posts and text messages. Messages sent on the Internet can be traced by the police and Internet service providers through the bully's Internet Protocol address. Keeping a record will show how often the bullying occurs, when it occurs and by whom.

3- Report the cyberbully to the authorities including the local police and the victim's school if he is a student. Many state senates have passed bills that require school districts to expand their bullying policies to include cyberbullying, according to the Social Safety website.

Overcoming Workplace Bullying
4- Document the bully's harassment against you in a journal. Keeping a record will show how often the bullying occurs. According to the Bully Online website, recording the pattern of bullying is important because it reveals intent and a bully can't explain away a pattern as easily as a single incident.

5- Talk to your coworkers to determine if they are experiencing bullying by the same person. If they are, work together and have them also keep records of the bully's behavior.

6- Research your company's policy to see if the bully has violated any rules with their bullying. Also look for laws against harassment or discrimination that the bully has broken. The Workplace Bullying website suggests consulting with an employment lawyer to help determine if any laws were violated.

7- Contact the bully's most senior boss and using your journal as evidence, as well as your coworkers' journals, explain how the bully has violated company rules or laws. The Workplace Bullying website recommends speaking in a unemotional and concise manner and to describe to the boss how the bully is disrupting the company's productivity.

8- Describe to the boss what actions you want taken against the bully such as a transfer or disciplinary action.

Overcoming School Bullying
9- Report the bullying to your child's school. Find out what policy the school has that address bullying before insisting on immediate actions to protect your child. Meanwhile, keep a journal of the bullying incidents.

10- Meet with the parents of the bully with a mediator or law enforcement officer present. Show the parents a journal of documented harassment their child has made if they refuse to believe your claims.

11- Meet with the superintendent or school board commissioners if the conflict it not resolved by contacting the school or meeting with the parents. If the child is being physically bullied, contact local law enforcement.

Tips to Stand Up to a Bully

1- Humanize the bully. He is human just like you are, and he has things that bother him. Find out what bothers your bully and focus on that any time he tries to intimidate you. In realizing that he's dealing with his own problems, you may gain confidence you didn't know you had.

2- Outnumber the bully. Rarely does a bully only have one victim, so gather forces. There is power in numbers. Your group can stick together and stop the bully in his tracks.

3- Be kind to him. Most bullies get their joy in watching you suffer, so be kind to him instead to knock him off his footing. It may not work the first few times, but if you show him that he doesn't have control over your moods, he may eventually leave you alone.

4- Ignore the bully. Most bullies are simply trying to get attention, so turn your back on her. When she realizes you won't listen to her, she will eventually give up and go away. If you continue to ignore her, she will eventually lose interest in you and move on to someone else.

5- Tell someone in authority. The truth is that some bullies are just too mean for any of the previous tactics to work. Instead of allowing yourself to continue being victimized, you should immediately tell someone in charge what is happening. No one should be allowed to intimidate you in any way.

* If you or someone else is being hurt, tell someone right away.

* Surround yourself with friends so you are never alone with the bully.

* Don't try to fight the bully yourself. Chances are, someone will get hurt and you could get in trouble. In addition, fighting tends to just encourage the bully to continue his behavior.

Tips to Stop Bullying on Facebook

1- Create a Facebook account for yourself. If you want to protect your child on Facebook, you must be on the site yourself.

2- Require your child to be your Facebook friend. This allows you to see all activity on her page. You can see who she is friends with and the types of comments are being left for her. This will nip a lot of bullying on Facebook right away. Kids are generally smart enough not to leave comments that parents are going to read.

3- Insist on knowing your child's password for Facebook and make sure he understands that you will use it to sign into his account on occasion. This is necessary to check for bullying by private message. While most activity on Facebook is viewable by all your friends, private messages are not.

4- Search for bullying groups on Facebook. Type in "groups" in the search box at the top of the Facebook homepage. That takes you to the Groups homepage. From there you can search the groups for your child's full name. It has become a trend on Facebook for kids to set up "I Hate So-and-So" groups that are used to bully a child.

5- Immediately report any groups or messages that appear to be bullying your child on Facebook. Click on the group name and then scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click on the "Report Group" icon.

6- Report a single person's bad behavior by clicking on "Report This Person" on that person's profile screen. Since you must be friends to see the person's profile page, you must be signed into your child's account to do this. But don't worry; the reporting is done anonymously, and no one will ever know your child was the one to report bad behavior.

Tip
*Children under the age of 13 are not allowed to have a Facebook account. Do not allow your child to lie about her age to gain access; it violates the terms of use.

Tips to Enhance Parenting Skills

1- Accept the fact that you are going to make mistakes. There is no such thing as a perfect parent, so recognizing you cannot get everything right can alleviate much of the stress you feel.

2-Interact with other parents to swap tips and stay in the loop about important issues your child may experience. Preschool play groups, parent-teacher associations and school fundraising organizations are excellent places to meet like-minded parents.

3- Read books about parenting. There are many parenting books and you should be able to find some at the library or borrow some from another parent. These books can provide you with additional viewpoints on parenting issues, such as play time, discipline, bed time routines, homework and more.

4- Stick with what works for you. If you find that your parenting methods are helping your kids to be well-rounded and well-adjusted, then you are probably doing many things right. Take in the tips that help your family and discard the ones that don't seem to work. Use the tips and ideas from other parents and books to enhance your natural strengths.

5-Focus on communication. One of the most important and most difficult aspects of raising kids is keeping an open line of communication. Being able to talk to your kids about a wide array of topics improves your relationship with your children, making parenting little smoother.

Improving Parenting Skills

1- Take a parenting class. Parenting classes are available through local colleges and universities. You can learn about children and discipline, child development, parenting styles and more. You may also be able to take a parenting class through the church you attend. There may be parenting classes offered in your community, so be sure to check your community class schedule. Typically, there is an expert or teacher to answer questions you may have and teach you how to improve your parenting skills. There will also be other parents like you going through similar parenting challenges.

2- Join a parenting support group. It may help to talk with other parents and find out their parenting styles. Consider joining a support group such as MOMS Club (Moms Offering Moms Support) or MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers). In these groups, you will have opportunities to talk to other parents while your children play together. It is a great place to network and improve your parenting skills.

3- Read parenting magazines. Consider subscribing to magazines about parenting topics and issues. Magazines such as "Parents" and "Parenting" are great resources for learning about nutrition, discipline, family fun, parenting concerns and more. You can typically subscribe to these magazines for a reasonable fee.

4- Read parenting books. Go to your local library and check out books on parenting styles. The Love and Logic Institute offers some great books on parenting. Dr. Sears is another well-known author who writes books on parenting. Ask your librarian if she can recommend any titles.

5- Take a break. When you become overwhelmed and exhausted, it affects your parenting abilities. Consider hiring a babysitter and going out for a night on the town with your spouse. You may also decide you want to hire a "mother's helper" - somebody who helps you with the children and helps you around the house. Taking a break is vital in helping you to "recharge" your parental batteries. Even if it's only for ten minutes, take the break!

You Can Solve Parenting Differences

1- Acknowledge that your parenting styles are different. Recognizing that your differing styles of parenting are causing trouble between you is an important first step in finding good solutions.

2- Agree to disagree. Parenting partners do not have to agree all the time. It is simply a myth that parents have to be in agreement in their approaches and present an united front to the children. When the two of you accept that you do have different approaches, you will find yourselves suddenly more together and cooperating.

3- Remember, harmony isn't everyone signing in the same note. Harmony is a combination of a higher and a lower note. This contrast provides the pleasing sounds. The harmony in a family comes from incorporating individual styles and preferences. Harmony is created by contributing your own special skill.

4- Balance each other. In Bill and Peggy's household, Bill is easygoing and Peggy is strict. They balance each other. They talk about their differences openly and they don't try to change each other. Their kids can easily understand that their parents are different, and thus have different parenting styles. This gives them a larger flair for life. You don't have to agree with your partner, but don't spend your time arguing about which is the best approach. It is your arguing that the children will use and exploit.

5- Support each other. In the past, whenever Emily came running to her mother complaining that her father was scolding her again (usually because her room was a mess), her mother allowed herself to be manipulated and would then run to the father and scold him. Now she simply holds Emily and says, "Your father does like you to keep your room clean, doesn't he?"

6- Follow Mom's Way and follow Dad's way. Sometimes families do things the way Dad wants it done and sometimes they follow Mom's way. Tell your children, "Sometimes we do it Dad's way and sometimes we do it Mom's way." This gives children experience with all kinds of ways of doing things. In life, children need a wide range of skills, and doing things differently is one way to practice. There is nothing wrong when a mother and father have different approaches, because children need to learn how to cope a variety of styles. By managing the differences they learn about relating and gain skills for managing a variety of people.

7- Talk openly. Talking openly in the family about differences that exist between mother and father can be a fun game. You'll be surprised by what the children have noticed about both of you.You and your partner can learn a lot from your children--provided you give them a chance and they feel safe. Try this: ask you kids who is the strictest and listen to their observations.

Learn How to Stop Fighting About Parenting

1-Accept that you will fight. Disagreeing and quarreling are natural occurrences in parenting. Often, parents have differing styles; one is strict while the other is lenient-so the first thing to do is to accept that you will fight and have arguments. Fighting is a way of realizing that there is a problem that needs to be solved. The good news is that with practice the two of you can learn to air your differences so that the entire family wins.

2- Realize, first of all, that life might be more enjoyable without fighting. When the fight is over think about how you might have handled it differently. Thank your partner for bringing the concerns to your attention.

3- Realize there is nothing wrong with being wrong occasionally. Think about what you can learn from the disagreement and be willing to be wrong some of the time. When you can say, "I was wrong on that one," you take the shame out of it.

4- Realize you don't have to justify yourself or defend yourself. Instead of defending yourself you might say, "I'd like to think that over."

5- Stop trying to be right. Memorize these two statements and use them: "You might be right" or "I could be wrong." In the middle of a heated argument these sentences can cool the fire down quickly. Talking about hot subjects without taking things so personally will prevent the disagreement from expanding.

6-Practice giving your spouse credit for his or her parenting. Say, "I am so proud of how you handled that" or "You did such a good job."

7- Give your partner specific praise. Thank them for all the little things they do. Acknowledge the sacrifices they're making for the family. Parenting is difficult; there are many challenges. Tell your partner, "I'm glad we're in this together."

8- Try to see your partner's point of view. Say, "I'd like to understand your point of view." If you haven't ever said that, try it; the magic phrase will bring you closer to a solution.

9- Watch out for disapproving looks. Your facial expressions matter. Studies show that partners who roll their eyes and click their tongues in disapproval ignite the flames of upset. There's little chance to resolve disagreement positively if one partner is sighing and rolling his or her eyes. Make sure that your nonverbal messages and body language match what you are trying to convey.

10- Make complaints and requests positive. We're all sensitive to criticism and put downs. Instead of saying, "Don't leave the dishes in the sink," say, "I appreciate it when you put the dishes away." Instead of saying, "You never help with the kids," say, "It really means a lot to me when you read a bedtime story to the kids." Tell your partner often, how much you appreciate what he or she does for the family.