Downsizing: A Bittersweet but Necessary Journey in the Home

Some times of change can be difficult especially regarding financial downfalls, resulting disability, terminal illness, even the death of a loved one. The issue is downsizing is your home; the reason for it is to diminish a need for maintenance while increasing convenience. Let’s face it: a large home, especially with a big backyard, can be hard to keep up. Take apartments, for example: what really do you have to maintain? Your dishes, your laundry, your groceries–that’s it! None of the other traditional responsibilities exist with maintaining a home.

You almost can’t dodge the benefit of downsizing your home; however, there are problems to overcome. Go ahead and shutter when you think about it: yes, you have to get rid of some of your stuff! It’s a terrifying thought, but a necessary one if you want to successfully convert from a large home to even a sizable apartment similar to Virginia Beach apartments, for instance. Never fear, though; there are some tips to help you through that bittersweet journey. Take note.

First off, in your home start with the rooms you use the least. If generally you and your family are not in a guest room much, chances are you can probably do away with pretty much almost everything that happens to be stored in it. Secondly, it’s important to focus on your large items, such as furniture, before you deal with your knickknacks. To make things less stressful, be sure to have a sorting system, so you’re not overwhelmed. Lastly, above everything else, take regular breaks, start early, and do not rush. The world won’t end if you don’t finish quick enough, and you definitely can allow yourself to rest during the whole journey.

Because it is an emotional one; one you have to be prepared for. Use these tips wisely, and you’ll do just fine with downsizing your home–hopefully changing it from “bittersweet” to just “sweet.”

Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah: The Life of a Christian College Freshman

A teen singing.

Image via Wikipedia

Don’t feel embarrassed. As Christian parents, you have every right to be worried for your teen heading into college. It can be an intimidating place, no doubt. And whether you like it or not, you remember what it’s like: secular, indulgent, even religiously open. That’s the university life, no matter how you slice it. Teens heading into it break away and discover many things about themselves–some bad, maybe some good. But the important thing is they discover it. What is a teen to do, though, when they don’t want to experience those things, but the temptation is there? Parents, take note:

  • Join a Christian Fellowship group. Have your teen do the research. Countless groups exist that are devoted to God, and it can be a foundation for strong faith in your child.
  • Go to church. That is an obvious one, but remember–it’s just your child going (unless he or she lives nearby). Instill in him or her the desire to go independently.
  • Start a Bible Study. Friendship in college is one of the beneficial aspects. Bible study is no exception. Meeting like-minded students is important in enjoying your child’s education.
  • Do your devotionals. This actually might be harder than it looks, especially with a load of schoolwork and the stress. Keep encouraging your teen. It’s amazing how ten minutes can calm a soul.
  • Stand up for your beliefs. Courage is important not only for facing the real world in general, but living the life of a Christian. Make sure your teen is prepared for the onslaught.
  • Ask for help. Tying in with church, fellowship groups, and bible studies, asking for help is important, because backsliding can be a dangerous thing.

Reassure your teen, too, that a college campus isn’t a necessity. With the help of EarnMyDegree.com, your teen might actually find an online university. The bottom line, though, is as a parent, you’re not alone. So keep the faith. Your children will be just fine.

Stirring Ambition in Your Child: The Talk About College

As any parent knows, fostering the inner gifts are important in your children. Think of music and dance lessons, art classes, extracurricular activities, camps. It’s obvious. We can say all the time that the purpose for all of that is to provide diversion and focus in a kid’s life; because kids get easily bored. Forget the Xbox, Wii, or Playstation 3, because boxes and bikes do a real number on a child. Stimulation of enjoyment is definitely heightened in a little one’s mind.

It would then stand to reason that when it comes to college, you have to start early in planting a seed of desire. Talk to your high school student–as early as the age of 16–about college. Stirring the ambition, the passion, of some of their favorite things to do will inevitably prepare him or her for the future in college; and the earlier the better.

There are several reasons why it’s a good idea to get talking about it. One, your child may have better opportunities toward scholarships if they already have their mind set on where they want to go. Better craftsmanship on the gift or talent they have will definitely lead to turning more heads on the college front. Is your son or daughter good at basketball? Good–bring it up, get them involved in camps, have them try out for the team, keep them motivated, keep them excited. The more they play, the better they’ll get; the better they get, the better chance of landing a scholarship.

Moreover, your child doesn’t have to get intimidated about the enormous choices of schools given the resources of today such as eLearners.com providing a comprehensive list of online universities. Narrowing schools down over time (once again, the earlier the better) will help your child feel more confident about leaving high school.

It’s important to start early. Get your child involved as soon as possible. Why? Because his or her future depends on it.

Things to Pack When a Teen Travels Solo

Traveling solo is a big event for a teen as well as the teen’s parents. Reduce anxiety by carefully packing the essentials in an orderly fashion. You want to consider documentation, health, and entertainment in your packing.

* Backpack – Whether your teen is going on a flight, a bus trip, or a car trip, a backpack is an ideal carrying tool. It fits under seats and in overhead compartments.

* Cards – It isn’t safe for a traveling teen to carry too much cash, so consider using a prepaid credit card. This card isn’t attached to a bank, and allows your teen to purchase items as if it were a normal credit card. If funds get depleted, the card won’t work, and there won’t be any penalty such as overdraft fees. You can add cash to the card from anywhere using PayPal or by using one of the over 150,000 retail locations.

* Relevant Documents – Make copies of all your teen’s identification. Place one set of copies in your teen’s luggage, separate from the originals. Keep another set at home. Email copies of the information. Remind your teen to keep their travel and personal information private.

* Contact Information – Create a plan for communication. If your child is going on a trip, make sure both the teen and you have the chaperone’s contact information in your phones. Also keep a hard copy. Other contacts you might want to add to the phones and lists are taxis and shuttle companies, hotel number, the host’s number, the teen’s doctor’s number, and the airline number if applicable.

* Medications – Don’t forget to pack medications ranging from prescriptions to minor pain relievers and band-aids. If you use prescription medication, copy the original prescription, and keep the medicine in clearly labeled bottles. Your teen should also pack an insurance card in case of injury or hospitalization.

Educational Alternatives for Your Child

NEW YORK - MARCH 30:  A student reads on a dot...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Do you have a troubled child who is struggling academically? Whether these problems are behavioral or sociological, the fact that he or she is struggling in school presents some real problems. It may be possible that your child has been expelled and now you need to find an alternate solution. Or you may have just decided that finding an alternative to the present educational situation is the best thing you can do to help your child succeed academically.

Charter Schools
Charter schools are institutions that are actually part of the public school system and they meet all the academic requirements set down by the individual state’s board of education. Troubled students may excel in these schools because they usually provide a more individualized approach as well as smaller class sizes.

Alternative Disciplinary Schools
These schools are designed for students who have been expelled from their schools. Your school’s administrators may choose to send your child to one of these schools. These schools may have smaller learning environments to provide additional support for students or they can be large “boot camp” type facilities.

Online Learning Options
You may want to look at an online learning situation where your child can engage in his or her studies in an electronic environment. You may find that your child needed a different learning environment to find his or her academic success. These types of programs can also be used as one type of home schooling. You may find that through these types of programs, you will become more involved with the learning as you help guide your child through these programs. You will find that you may be more in control of your child’s educational pursuits, as you will be overseeing the program on a day-to-day basis.

Whatever you choose for your child, keep in mind that the first alternative may not work. Do not get discouraged — discuss your options with professional educators and keep trying.