Search Results for: topic tag inor

Does Elizabeth Warren Really Have Cherokee Ancestry?

Posted on by

The ancestry of Democrat Elizabeth Warren is still a topic that is raising questions. A few months ago, a genealogist determined that Warren did, really, have Cherokee ancestry. Shortly after that, there were blogs that stated that there wasn’t any credible evidence that this was so. Now, another genealogist says that Elizabeth Warren really doesn’t have Cherokee ancestry. In Massachusetts, the current Senator is Scott Brown, who is a Republican. Elizabeth Warren, who is a Democrat, is running against him for the Senate seat he currently holds. The winner will be decided in the 2012 election. It has become common … Continue reading →

Dealing with Irritations and Problems in Marriage

How important are the little things in marriage? They are very important. It is often the little things which when ignored can become monumental problems in marriage. The other day we were listening to 60s song on the local community radio station. And Mick made the comment it’s often the little things that end up over time being the straw that breaks the camel ‘back. The little things about that their spouse does that start to drive a husband or wife crazy. So of course, I asked whether there were things I do that annoy him. The two he mentioned … Continue reading →

Book Review: A Euro-American on a Korean Tour at a Thai Restaurant in China

Posted on by

The uniqueness of A Euro-American on a Korean Tour at a Thai Restaurant in China is that adoptive parent Chris Winston has not only encouraged her children to feel pride in their Korean heritage, but has made connections with Koreans and Korean-Americans on a scale most adoptive parents have only dimly imagined. Winston helped to begin both Friends of Korea, a regional group (in Sacramento) for adoptive families that welcomes anyone interested in Korea, and the Korean American Adoptee/Adoptive Family Network (KAAN), a national networking organization linking groups and individuals concerned with adoption from Korea. Winston and her husband had … Continue reading →

Now is the Time to Teach Your Homeschoolers About Politics

There could not be a better time during a presidential election to teach homeschoolers about politics and the elections process. It is just so easy to take advantage of this ginormous teaching opportunity presented during a presidential elections season. This also makes a great summer project since many kids are taking a break from their regular studies. So far, during the elections process, my kids have learned about the nomination process as we have followed the nomination process of the presidential candidates. They now understand delegates and superdelegtes, and even argue as to why the process needs overhauling. When they … Continue reading →

Middle School Homeschool Basics: Math

Middle school math, i.e. 6th 7th and 8th grade math are generally the same math concepts repeated at a slightly greater difficulty each year. It basically prepares students for algebra. If middle school students do, very well with middle school math they can start Algebra in 8th grade. Here are the concepts your middle school student must master (at 90% accuracy) before moving on to Algebra. Place Value: Students should be able to name place value up to a billion Decimals: Estimating, rounding, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and conversion to fractions Percent: Students should be able to calculate a percentage … Continue reading →

“The Good Wife’s Guide”

Back at the start of February my friend Christy (of saved the puppy fame) forwarded an email entitled “The Care and Feeding of a Husband.” It was one I had seen before, and one which has become both laughable and notorious. Why? Well, in case you haven’t seen it, the article’s title is “The Good Wife’s Guide” and it suggests several specific ways to be a good wife. Below are a few of them: • Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of … Continue reading →

Adoption Tax Credit

Many people who hear how expensive adoption is do not realize what a dramatic difference the adoption tax credit makes. The tax credit for adoption is $10,000. This is not a deduction where you deduct adoption expenses from your taxable income. This is an actual credit, meaning you pay less money in taxes. For most people, that means you will be getting quite a refund! This one-time tax credit is available to those who adopt internationally as well as those who adopt US infants or US children in foster care, unlike the ongoing monthly subsidies for medical or psychological care … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Interviewing a Homebirth Midwife

Apart from fees and insurance inquiries, there are many questions to consider when seeking midwifery care. Consider asking the following questions when interviewing a homebirth midwife: 1) How many births have you attended, and how many were successful homebirths? What is your rate of transfer? Do you transfer if the mom desires pain relief, or only in emergencies? 2) Do you have references that I can contact? (It is always a good idea to call a few of the references provided.) 3) What are your expectations of clients during pregnancy? (This will probably be included in the provided reading material. … Continue reading →

Five Ways To Create Family Traditions This Holiday Season

In a recent blog I wrote about the brawl that broke out at our local Wal-Mart as hundreds of shoppers fought for the chance to shell out $600 for a new PlayStation 3 game console. Two men were sent to the hospital while others sustained minor injuries. Not exactly a great way to start off the holiday season… In many cases those expensive PlayStations will be scooped up by parents who don’t want their offspring to be disappointed come Christmas morning. It may seem trite, but the truth is families can have a far more meaningful and satisfying holiday without … Continue reading →

The Five Steps to Group Development.

This is the follow-on article from How to Grow a Families Leader: The Eight Characteristics of Leadership. Using the example of Families.com as our group, how can we each develop the stated eight characteristics in ourselves? While Lisa Pietsch may be seen as the leader of Families.com (she’s the community manager), group dynamics would suggest that we each have a role to play in ensuring our group’s survival through a systematic understanding of group stages. Bruce Tuckman (educational psychologist) is honored with establishing the five stages of group development. How do these five stages fit Families.com? We have undergone two … Continue reading →