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What should you do when siblings fight?

That opening line sounds all too familiar doesn't it? Picture this. You are sitting in the front passenger seat in the family mini van reading a magazine while you are on your way to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Your kids are quiet in the back until you hear, "Mom, he's bothering me!" Your son is throwing small wadded up pieces of paper into your daughter's hair. What do you do when your children are fighting?

My children are still little but they do fight on occasion. It isn't anything near what I described above, but they do get on each other's nerves. My oldest (daughter age 11) likes to touch and get in her siblings faces until they start whining. She usually says that she just wants to give them a hug or kiss. She just hasn't learned how to keep her hands to herself. What do I usually do about this situation? I just tell her to stop and keep her hands to herself. But so far this doesn't always work.

My middle child (daughter age 33 mos) is turning into a tattle tale. If her brother or sister start doing anything that she thinks is wrong she'll tell you so. She also likes to yell at her sister. For example, Courtney loves to sing to her MP3 player and this drives Ciara nuts. If Courtney isn't singing a song that Ciara likes she will tell her to be quiet or sometimes she'll even say, "Shut up, Courtney!" We don't tolerate those words spoken from our two-year-old so a time out usually follows.

Our youngest (son age 15 mos) loves to follow his older sister around. He has also figured out how to get her upset. This usually involves food. If Ciara is eating a snack or drinking something from a sippy cup, Conan will follow her around until she sets that snack or sippy cup down. Once she does that he snatches up the beverage or food item. Of course this gets her upset. War over the juice box has begun. But how do you punish a one year old? My husband and I usually get a good chuckle when he steals her snacks. We are just starting to teach him right from wrong. But this is a hard concept for little ones to understand.

What do you do when your children fight?

(This article was originally published in December, 2008)


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Turkey Enchiladas

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes, serves 6

1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 cup cubed, cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 cup shredded Colby/Monterrey Jack cheese; divided
1/2 cup chopped green chilies
1 cup sour cream
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cond. cream of chicken soup; undiluted
1/4 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 in) warmed

In a large skillet saute onion and green pepper in oil until tender; remove from heat. Stir in turkey, 1/2 cup of cheese and chilies; set aside.

In a saucepan combine sour cream, soup, coriander and cumin. Cook and stir over low heat until warm; stir 1/2 cup into turkey mixture. Spoon about 1/3 cup of turkey filling down center of each tortilla; roll up tightly. Place seam side down in greased 9x13 inch pan. Spoon remaining soup mix down center of tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

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Delivering a baby is hard work and being a new mother can be exhausting. Blood loss during delivery and your child keeping you up at night can also make you feel tired. Fatigue can not be avoided after having a baby. Here are some tips that will help you make your fatigue easier to handle.

Ask your family or friends for help. They certainly would love to help you out all you need to do is ask. If someone tells you they want to help you out be specific. Tell your friend that you would like her to pick something up at the store for you, help with the laundry or watch the baby for a couple of hours so you can rest.

Sleep when your baby sleeps. This tip has been around for centuries and there is a reason for that. Don't use this time for chores. You need your rest too.

If you have an older child set aside some quiet time for the older child. Have him do puzzles, color or read so you and the baby can rest.

Take it easy. Don't leave the house for an extended period of time. Put off major household projects until the baby is older.

Limit your visitors. When you are feeling well rested you will have plenty of time for people to meet the new baby.

Eat a healthy diet. Make sure you are eating the right kinds of foods. Foods rich in protein help fight fatigue.

If after trying these tips you still feel tired talk to your doctor. This could be a thyroid problem. If you had a thyroid problem before or during your pregnancy this could continue after the baby is born and you should speak to your doctor about it right away.

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Getting toddlers to eat her vegetables at the dinner table can be challenging. If this sound all too familiar I have a few pointers for you.

When your child is still young is the best time to teach him or her healthy eating habits. If you are concerned that your toddler is not getting enough nutrients due to refusal to eat vegetables do not substitute with juices. Vegetable juices do not have the same amount of fiber or nutrients that veggies do. The best way to get your child to eat his vegetables is to never give up. Keep offering vegetables. You might have to offer your child the same veggie ten times or more before he will eat them. You could also get creative by slipping vegetables in other foods. Make veggie burgers. If your child loves macaroni and cheese add some corn or green beans to it. Pureed veggies such as pumpkin and zucchini are great to add to your baked goods. If these tips don't work right away have some patience and keep trying. You might have to introduce these vegetables a few times before your child gets used to it.



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Hand washing is very important to fight germs and help prevent the spread of infections. You should teach your kids at a young age the proper way to wash their hands. Here are some hand washing tips from Mommydocs.com.

Please keep in mind that hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the
spread of germs and illnesses. Believe it or not, there is actually a correct
way to wash hands. Follow these steps to help you and your family stay
healthy.

• Wet hands with clean, warm water
• Apply soap (it does not matter whether you choose to use anti-bacterial soap or regular soap, both are proven to be effective when used correctly)
• Lather the soap over the hands and vigorously scrub all aspects of the hands including the fronts and backs of the hands, the wrists, between the fingers, and under the fingernails
• Continue scrubbing for at least 20
  
  seconds (it takes this long to loosen up the germs)Many recommend using a timer or having a young child sing a 20 second song in order to ensure proper length of scrubbing
• Rinse hands with warm, running water to remove all soap
• Dry hands with a clean towel or a paper towel
• If possible, use the towel to turn off the water from the sink, and to open the door (this will help prevent germ contamination to your just washed hands. If the paper towel dispenser is not automatic, be sure to push the lever and get some paper towel out before washing hands. After washing, you will just have to tear off the paper towel and contamination of your clean hands can be avoided.
• Alcohol based hand sanitizers are a great option when soap and running water are not available. Just be sure to use a product which contains at least 60% alcohol. If the hands are soiled (meaning they have dirt or residue on them) then washing with soap and water is the preferred method.
  

Directions for alcohol based hand sanitizers are as follows:
o Apply an appropriate amount of the product to the palm of the hand
o Rub into both hands, being sure to cover all aspects of the hands and
fingers
o Be sure to continue rubbing in the sanitizer until it has completely
disappeared and hands are dry (this is especially true when using on
children). Also, please keep the alcohol based hand sanitizers out of
the reach of children!!

Hands should be washed:

• Before eating meals
• Before, during, and after preparing foods (in particular uncooked meat/chicken/etc.)
• After using the bathroom (both at home and in public restrooms)
• After changing a diaper
• Before serving food
• After going to the store
• As soon as a child arrives home from school or daycare
• After touching pets or any type of animal
• After wiping your nose, coughing/sneezing, or touching the face
• After touching the trash
• After coming in contact with someone who is sick or touching any open areas of skin

For more health information for parents visit Mommydocs.com.

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re you ready to start potty training your little one? Here is a checklist of items you will need if you are going to begin the process.

1. Potty Chair - since your child is too small to use a regular toilet, this chair will allow him or her to be more comfortable while learning the ins and outs of toilet training.

2. Toilet Trainer - this device is for kids that want to try and go to the bathroom like big people. Just put the insert over the rim of the seat and it will make the toilet opening a smaller.

3. Flushable wipes - These wipes are pre-moistened and help keep soiled areas clean. You can buy them at most supermarkets and drug stores.

4. Training Pants - trainers are like the minor leagues of potty training. Not quite regular underwear but a step up from diapers.

5. Potty Training Chart - Many school teachers use charts to show improvements in academic performance. This chart works the same way but it is used to measure strides in potty training.

6. Rewards - If you want to reinforce a positive behavior, rewards are one of the best ways to go about it. When someone is rewarded for performing a task they are more likely to perform it again.

7. Time - make sure you have the time to dedicate to potty training. Arrange to have time at home for a week or two, so that you can make a concerted effort to get potty training off a good start.
Don't confuse your child by making them use strange bathrooms at the start of the training period.


Looking for more potty training tips? Check out the Healthy Moms new Guide to Potty Training.



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First of all what is search engine optimization? Wikipedia defines search engine optimization as "the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a website from search engines via 'natural' search results."

Your blog essentially is a website. Like all websites if you are looking to earn money with it you need to increase your traffic. One way you can do this is through search engine optimization.

Before you begin optimizing your blog for the search engines you need to ask yourself what types of visitors do you want to target? If your target audience is parents for example, what are some popular topics that parents search for on Google? The terms that you come up with will be your key words. Write down all these key words because they will be important.

Next determine which key word is what we call your primary key word. This will be the overall theme of your blog. For Healthy Moms our primary key word is "Moms." Make sure your blog contains that primary keyword in the title. All the other keywords that you came up with can be used in sub domains. To ensure that those keywords are in your sub domains make sure you place them in your post titles. For example if one of your key words is "potty training" a title of one of your posts could be, "Potty Training Tips for Busy Moms."

The sub domain of that post would look something like this: http://www.thehealthymoms.net/2009/05/PottyTrainingTips If your blog is hosted on Blogger long titles will be shortened so be sure to place your keyword at the beginning of your title.

Now you are ready to optimize your blogs post or what I like to refer to as your article. I like to use this handy free key word tool from Word Tracker.

This tool will help you to determine what your secondary key words will be. First type in your primary keyword, that is the keyword that is in the title of your article, then click hit me. Here is a list of keywords that are related to the term potty training. Next to that keyword you will find how many times a month (on average) that term is searched.

It looks like potty training boys is second on the list. Next we will visit Google and do a search on our own. We want our article to appear on the front page of Google. When we type in "potty training boys" in Google we come up with 211,000 results. Anything below 300,000 is pretty good. That means that you don't have as much competition.

I would include an paragraph in your article about potty training boys. You could even make the term bold and use it as a headline for the paragraph. Something like this:

Potty Training Boys

Potty training boys can be much more challenging than potty training girls. They can sometimes take a lot longer to train than their female counterparts...

If the other terms that came up in word tracker are relevant to your article you can go ahead and repeat the process with those words.

Okay so now you optimized your articles for the search engines but when you search for those terms yourself your blog still doesn't appear on the front page of Google. Now what? You need to get high quality back links to your site. What the heck are back links? Back links are simply one way links to your website. This will also improve your Technorati ranking.

One way to obtain these links is to visit as many blog directories as possible and submit your blog. Many of these directories are free and only require that you link back to them. Another way you can get links is by having blogs with a similar theme to yours link back to you. I like to visit Google Blog Search and search for blogs using my main keyword. (This is the keyword found in the title of your blog)

Then you need to contact these bloggers and become their friend. One way to do this is sending them a note saying that you enjoy reading their blog and your blog is very similar so you were wondering if they could add your blog to their blog roll. You could also request a link exchange or if you are really looking to increase your traffic offer to write an article for the other blogger to publish on his or her blog. Make sure when you send the e mail to the other blogger you compliment them on their blog and mention that you are a reader. Blogging is all about building relationships.

Make sure you are updating your blog frequently. Blogs that are updated a couple times a week or less are often left behind by the search engines. You should make sure you are publishing a new article at least once a day. If you know that you are going to be busy next Thursday if your blog is hosted by Blogger you can schedule an article to run on that day.

Make certain that you keep your original domain. Sometimes bloggers change platforms. The two most popular being Blogger and Wordpress. If you decide to do this do your research to find out what you need to do to keep your domain before switching. This will ensure that you keep your original readers and subscribers.

I hope these tips help you to increase your blog's traffic and earnings. Happy blogging!

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Cascia Talbert and husband Chris welcomed a new baby boy born on December 17, 2010. Camrin David Talbert joins siblings Courtney, Ciara, Conan and Christopher John.

Weighing 5lbs 12oz Camrin was welcomed into the world via C section at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane, Washington.

"We are so happy that Camrin is healthy even though he is very small, remarked Cascia, "He is a wonderful Christmas gift and welcomed addition to our family."

Cascia plans on returning to blogging regularly on January 10, 2011.


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Carbon monoxide is known as the "silent" killer because you can't see, smell nor taste it. Over 1,000 deaths related to carbon monoxide poisoning are reported in the US each year. (Wrong Diognosis.com)

Most families are not aware of this nor do they know how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. If you suspect that you have a carbon monoxide leak here are some symptoms of exposure to watch out for:

• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Light-headedness

Make sure you get the victim exposed to fresh air right away. Get everyone out of the house and open all the doors and windows. All appliances should be turned off and transport everyone exposed to the emergency room right away. (Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.com)

Follow these simple guidelines from Underwriters Laboratories to protect your family and yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide leaks are most common when the home is closed up. Usually it is due to a malfunctioning appliance that runs on fuel. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm.

Kidde Battery Carbon Monoxide Detector

Statistically only about 50% of US households have a carbon monoxide detector or alarm in their home. Carbon monoxide related deaths are so high due to the symptoms of exposure being very similar to influenza. Most of the deaths occur at night. Someone in the home isn't feeling very well so he decides to lay down but never wakes up. The only way to prevent that from happening is by installing a carbon monoxide detector.

If you suspect that you have a carbon monoxide leak in your home it is best to contact a professional who knows how to look for leaks. It could be coming from your water heater, furnace or chimney. Have these things inspected at least once a year to prevent leaks. Carbon monoxide could be leaking from your chimney if you see black streaks of soot. If soot is falling down that means there is something wrong higher up. A yearly inspection can prevent leaks from your chimney.

Visit Underwriters Laboratories for more information on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.



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We all know what happens to our waistlines during the Christmas Season. With all the parties and family gatherings high calorie sweet treats and cocktails are all too tempting. Before you know it the fat and calories add inches to your mid section.

Crystal Light and The Healthy Moms Magazine want you to enjoy this Christmas without those unwanted extra calories. The Healthy Moms Magazine has tried and tasted these recipes and encourages you to serve them at your next Christmas party. Feel free to print out the recipe cards below.






























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*Disclosure: I received samples of Crystal Light from Kraft Foods in exchange for this article. All opinions are accurate and 100% mine.

Stocking stuffers are usually the last gifts purchased before Christmas. With only a few days left, The Healthy Moms has put together a list of our favorite health and beauty aids perfect for stockings this year.

Everyone loves to have irresistibly kissable lips, so why not give this perfect little gift to a friend, family member, or even yourself? To celebrate the winter season and help bring the holiday spirit, Softlips is offering their limited edition Holidays 5-Pack of lip conditioners- Sugar & Spice, Winter Mint, Sugar Cookie, Sugar Plum Berry, and Mint with a Hint of Vanilla.

Packaged in a festive, blue sachet, the new Softlips limited edition winter flavor gift pack is affordable, makes for the perfect stocking stuffer or a final touch on a gift attached to a ribbon. Each irresistibly, delicious flavor is reminiscent of the holidays, helping to protect lips with SPF 20 and great moisturizing properties.

Now through out the holiday/winter season, the Holidays 5-Pack is available exclusively in the new Softlips online store, www.softlips.com, for $9.99.

Softlips is also available at these retailers:

Conair Hair Brushes: Great hairstyles start with a great brush! It’s a gift that will always be used. Detangle wet and dry hair of all lengths with the Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Small Porcupine Round Brush or Conair Gel Grips Cushion Brush. Each helps smooth, style, and straighten hair. The Conair Gel Grips Cushion Brush conforms to the shape of your hand for easy styling, and the flexible cushion base prevents hair breakage. The Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Small Porcupine Round Brush utilizes finely crushed tourmaline, a gemstone that naturally releases negative ions, infused into the nylon bristles and ceramic barrel of the brush. The ions tighten the cuticle layer and seal in natural oils, reducing static electricity, leaving hair shiny and silky.

The brushes are available nationwide at mass market and drug store retailers.

Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder: For the active people in your life, give the gift of “booty beauty!” with Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder! “Monkey Butt” is the slang term for the soreness, itching, and redness that affects one’s backside as the result of friction and sweat. While Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder is ideal for motorcyclists, racers, and athletes, its soothing treatment can aid any one who has experienced the discomfort and irritation associated with the friction of clothing on skin. It’s also a great for keeping your snow boots and Santa costumes dry!

Unlike other powders, Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder contains calamine and talc which gives it a cooling sensation instead of the burning that you might get from other products. The only other ingredient present in Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder is a light fragrance.

There’s also a special Lady Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder! This lightly-scented version still delivers the same great results as regular AMBP, but the calamine is combined with cornstarch (vs. talc) for a more silky, feminine texture. Perfect for keeping those pantyhose dry, while whipping up the holiday meal!

For more information about Anti Monkey Butt^® Powder visit www.antimonkeybutt.com.

Scunci Hair Accessories: Good things come in small packages especially with scunci hair accessories, which can take your hair from drab to fab in seconds. Here are two of the latest lines from scunci!

If you’ve tried every hair tie, hair band, and clip imaginable and still nothing seems to stay put in your hair, here’s the solution! New Evolution™ hair ties, hair bands and clips, are the latest expansion of the scunci® No Slip Grip line! This great collection utilizes new technology to create hair ties, hair bands, and claw clips that won’t come out until you take them out! The hair bands and hair ties now have a new “jelly” look and feel to them that is perfect to hold your hair comfortably all day, and the traditional claw clips now have inner teeth to create a tighter, stay-put grip.

Want to try something fun and festive for the holiday party, but are worried you might lack the styling skill? Try the scunci® Upzing™ double combs! Easy to use, comfortable enough for every day, and sophisticated enough for special occasions, the Upzing accessory is perfect for all hair types. It has a lasting hold and can be used to create dozens of styles, ranging from polished ponies to glamorous up-dos. It is composed of two hair combs attached to a fabric or beaded elastic for the stunning look. Slide, stretch and “zing”: three easy steps to a stunning new style.

Scunci Upzing and Evolution products are available nationwide at mass market and drug store retailers.

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*Disclosure: I received samples of all the products mentioned above in exchange for this review. All opinions are accurate and 100% mine.