Top 5 Tips New Parents Need to Know from BornFree:

BornFree is the leading chemical free/BPA-free baby bottle line

1. Get your home in order before the baby arrives: Clean, organize, and find a place to store all baby products, so they can be easily accessible.

2. Find the places that are open all night and who will deliver to your home – keep a running and accessible list of nearby pharmacies, grocery stores, etc. and have these numbers readily available.

3. Keeping your baby safe is the most important. Products that are BPA and chemical free are essential.

4. Try and lock down a sleep schedule ahead of time to adjust to both your needs and your baby needs. Taking turns between parents is a great way to ensure both parties are tending to the baby while taking care of their own health as well and getting as much rest as they possibly can.

5. Read up beforehand and don’t be afraid to ask your pediatrician questions before the baby even arrives in your home such as what to expect for feeding, sleeping and general care of your child.

About Born Free (www.newbornfree.com )

BornFree has developed a range of products baby bottles, cups and accessories that is totally free of the potentially dangerous chemicals Bisphenol-A (BPA), Phthalates and PVC. BPA is a known estrogen mimicker that is used in the production of polycarbonate plastic. According to researchers, BPA may cause developmental and neurological problems if it leaches from plastic. Reports suggest that small amounts of BPA may leach into food or beverages stored in polycarbonate containers, especially when the contents are heated. In addition, BornFree’s cups and bottles feature the unique BornFree venting system, designed to reduce colic and ear infections.

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From the website:

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There are great groups to join including: Homeschooling, Book Club, Travel Club, Get Fit, Grocery Savings, Connect with Parent Experts and More. Are you thinking about starting to blog but don’t know where to start? Start a blog on Everything Mom! They are great. My blog over there is Mom Maven’s Memos, come check it out.

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TEACHING RESPONSIBILITY IN AN IRRESPONSIBLE MARKET
By Rick D. Niece, Ph.D., author of “The Side-Yard Superhero”

In a downward spiraling economy, people look for others to take the blame. Finger pointing solves little. Now,
more than ever, we need to take responsibility for our actions. We need to understand that our current actions
affect more than our present situation. Our actions today reflect as models for our children.
As president of the University of the Ozarks, I receive a variety of communications from students’ parents. I am
surprised when they seek out the president on behalf of their sons and daughters. I expect college students to
speak for themselves. I believe responsible children grow up to be responsible adults, and this world needs
responsible adults to lead, guide and influence us.
Teaching begins and ends with parents, so here are six positive recommendations to instill responsibility in
your children.

1. Build Work Ethic
When I was nine-years old, I took over a newspaper route, a route I kept until I entered college. I was
proud to be a miniature entrepreneur. My 72 customers waited anxiously for me to deliver their daily
newspaper. My customers depended upon me, and if I let them down, I let myself down. That
newspaper route helped me grow into being a responsible adult with a strong work ethic.
2. Assign Household Chores
Responsibility can begin at an early age. Assign children routine tasks to complete around the house.
The following chores involve nothing unreasonable or barbaric: make the bed; tidy the bedroom; carry
out the trash; empty the dishwasher; mow the yard; rake leaves; dust, sweep, and mop (not mope).
3. Encourage Saving Money
When children earn money, insist they save some of it. The savings can be for short-term purchases like
video games and clothing, or toward long-term goals like summer camp and college. When children
save their own money, it gives the purchase special meaning.
4. Adopt a Pet
When something depends upon us, we become responsible. Pets—from goldfish to golden retrievers,
turtles to gerbils— require regular and reliable maintenance. But lessons of responsibility are not
learned if Mom or Dad becomes the one who cares for a neglected pet.
5. Foster Reflective Thinking
The power of reflective thinking dates back to Socrates. The concept is a simple one: the more we think,
the better we learn. Children make good decisions and bad decisions. As adults, we can help them think
about why they did what they did, and how the consequences affect them and others.
6. Model Values
We are children’s role models. We are models of honesty and truthfulness, examples of ethical behavior
and integrity. We are the superheroes of ordinary life, and our heroics are as powerful and protective as
our fictional counterparts. We teach that dishonesty and deception have unpleasant consequences, that
unacceptable behavior is unacceptable. But we cannot be worthy examples if we do not model proper
values ourselves. Be diligent. Children are watching.
Rick D. Niece, Ph.D., author of The Side-Yard Superhero, currently serves as the president for the University of the Ozarks
in Clarksville, Ark. He, along with his wife Sherée, work to provide intellectual and cultural enrichment for the 675
students of the University, preparing them for graduate school and professional employment success as well as establishing
lifelong values. For more information, please visit www.RickNiece.com. The report is reprinted here with permission.

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