GETTING THOSE KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL?
September 3, 2009
I know this time of year either brings peace or dismay to families. For me the kids starting school is a double edged sword. I love spending the day time with them enjoying all of the outdoor activities but at the same time I like them to have a structured schedule to keep them on track. Hopefully this article by Jason Womack, MEd, MA and Joe Bruzzese, MA will be helpful to ease the children back into the school year. For more information go to www.ThinkForwardTV.com
Leading the Way into the New School Year
Tips to Help Parents Save Time and Help Children Grow
By Jason W. Womack and Joe Bruzzese
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Step 1: Create Opportunities for Your Children
You may need to release your grip on having things done your way, and promote the growth of someone (your child) taking on new responsibilities. In the beginning, you may need to invest more time explaining the task than it would have taken you to do the job yourself. However, this exercise is more of an investment in the person, the process and your family. This eventually frees up more of your time to graduate to a higher level of activity, or perhaps result in a few moments of free time. You may need to ask yourself, “Am I the best person for this task?” Doing so may create opportunities for your children to take on more responsible roles.
Step 2: Maintain Ongoing Communication
My good friend had a plaque made for her home that, which says, “Hope is not a strategy.” She explained to me that she couldn’t “hope” friends returned her calls, or “hope” that her children followed up on the tasks she gave them last week, or “hope” that her family found time to spend together. She challenges her children with growing responsibility as they earn it. As a parent, she maintains ongoing communication on each idea or task as if it were her own.
The key to doing this successfully is having a full inventory of everything you expect your children to take responsibility for and then to hold ongoing conversations so there is still time to act if an unexpected situation arises. It’s important, however, to avoid advice-filled lectures, which often bring conversations to an abrupt end.
Try the following lead-in question with your child, “How much time will you need to finish up with your projects this week?” Asking your children to talk about what they need in order to solve a problem shifts responsibility away from you dictating what needs to happen, and keeps the conversation moving in a positive direction. At the end of the conversation, you will have a clear idea of your child’s goals and the plan for achieving them. In addition, your child leaves the conversation feeling acknowledged for the effort and responsibility he or she has taken.
Step 3: Hold Family Meetings
The final key to successful leadership as a parent is the family meeting. Scheduling a consistent time to meet with your family allows for an ongoing review of your family’s progress. Reviewing progress provides a valuable opportunity for you to talk with your children about how things could be done differently in the future—a learning strategy that results in real change. Each time your family meets, your children build on their past success and consider opportunities for change in the future.
Here are some ideas to make your family meetings successful.
- Begin the meeting with acknowledgements. Everyone has an opportunity to acknowledge the person seated to the right for something positive. You don’t need to return the acknowledgement but would continue the round by acknowledging the person seated to the right of you. Beginning the meeting with acknowledgements puts everyone in a positive frame of mind, lets everyone know that their efforts are valued, and sets the stage for a productive and collaborative discussion.
- Encourage your children to come to the meeting with ideas and questions of their own so that the meeting is truly a “Family” meeting rather than a “Mom and Dad Meet with the Children” meeting, a model that many families seem to slip into.
- Post a piece of paper or a white board where all family members have the opportunity to add questions or ideas for the upcoming meeting. A few rules need to surround the agenda though in order to keep it from becoming a laundry list of items that you skim through. Perhaps you can choose to allow everyone to add one question to the agenda. This ensures people bring the item that is their biggest concern.
- To handle any frustration that arises during the meeting, have a rule that any member of the family can call for a timeout and in doing so can freely state his or her frustration or confusion. However the person who called the timeout must add the following question after sharing his or her feelings: “How can we change what we are doing so that there will be less frustration or confusion?” This helps lead to even better communication in the future.
Make It a Great School Year
Great parents understand both the big picture with respect to their child’s development, and how to shift responsibilities that empower their children to step up to new roles. Great parents know that when everyone has a vested interest in the family, and people are acknowledged for their contributions, real change happens. Goals are exceeded, and family members are excited and engaged in moving forward.
Implement these three ideas and you will be on your way to making this year a successful school year for the whole family!
PUT THE HOUSE ON A CLUTTER DIET
August 6, 2009
Focus onsmall changes you can make now. Focus first on having good morning and evening routines, since those support you throughout your day and affect you and your family the most. You can start with the morning “To D.E.W.” list: Dishes, Eating, and Wash. In the evening you can focus on the “Triple S” routine: Start the dishwasher so the dishes are ready to put away in the morning, Straighten up do clutter control of flat surfaces and the floor and Set for tomorrow gather whatever you need for the next day.
Then you can focus on the organizing projects that have the largest impact on your daily life, probably the lkitchen, utility room and bedroom. You want to get the most frequently used areas figured out first, with all of the systems that support them, then move on to projects such as the spare room or the garage that have less impact on your day.
The prescription: Get three boxes. Label them “Keep, Toss, Give away:. What do you do if you still have too many things in your “Keep box?” Think about this, does the stuff you keep in your box keep you in the past or does it make you focus on the future? What is the worst thing that could happen if you did not have a particular item?
When you embark on a journey of personal change – which is what getting organized is for many people – one of the pitfalls is the idea that you are either good or bad. You will have up and down days, but don’t just give up. You want to be leaning towards improvement over time. Ultimately you end up growing and improving when you know that you dont have to be perfect every day. T
Special thanks to Lorie Marrero author of “Clutter Diet”, for more information please go to her site at www.clutterdiet.com
What is the Value of My Home?
June 25, 2009
What is the Value of My Home?
Over the past few months many clients have
struggled with the question of “What is the
value of my home?”
WHO KNOWS??!!!
This answer is as good as any in this market considering all of the short
sales, foreclosures, and distressed property sales in the market. However;
before you settle on a value number for your home, make sure you ask
yourself WHY you are asking this question. There are many ways to look at
the so called value of your property!
Let me explain!
Are you considering selling your home? If you are, remember that your
home will typically sell for an amount that a buyer is willing to pay you for it.
No matter how much we all jump up and down, no buyer in their right mind
-in this market- is going to pay us what we think our home may be worth.
If you are considering listing your home for sale, your best bet is to seek the
advice of a professional Realtor® before doing so. They can provide you
with valuable information that you MUST have before deciding on the final
listing price.
Are you considering refinancing? If you are, an appraisal will most likely
be initiated with the transaction. The appraiser will give the lender, in the
appraisal report, an opinion of what they consider to be the current market
value of your home as of the date the property was inspected.
Couple of things about the appraisal:
You’ll most likely NOT agree with the appraiser’s value assessment. But, if the
number they come up with works, and you are able to proceed with a more
favorable rate and financing term, don’t get too bent out of shape with the value. It’s just an opinion.
You’ll most likely NOT agree with the comparable sales that the appraiser chooses
to compare values with your home. Appraisers have strict guidelines that must be
followed before a comparable can be chosen. One of the most important being
“recent sales in your most immediate area”. With all of the short sales and
foreclosures going on in many subdivisions, this guideline can be a real value killer.
Once again, if the number they come up with works, and you are able to proceed
with a more favorable rate and financing term, don’t get too bent out of shape with
the value opinion in the appraisal. It’s just an opinion; it’s NOT what you may be
able to sell your property for at some point in the near future.
Are you trying to dispute your property’s tax assessor’s value?
Typically, the county “Tax Assessor’s Office” assigns an “Appraised Value” and/or an “Assessed Value” to your property.
This value or number is used to calculate your annual property tax. It’s not a number that should be used to list your home for sale. Nor is it a number that a lender is going to use to consider lending you money on the property.
If you’re looking at the tax assessor’s property valuation and thinking, “Man, there is noway my home will sell for this amount”, then you may want to consider filing a dispute valuation with the taxing authority. Be prepared to fill out the necessary paperwork and provide them with evidence to support your claim. Be prepared to stand in line along with all of the other thousands of property owners that are currently disputing their property value.
Are you trying to determine if you have enough homeowners insurance? If this is your goal, you really need to call your insurance agent and let them help you with this. At a minimum, you want to always make sure that your home is insured for at least 100% of its estimated replacement cost.
Replacement cost is NOT:
The market value of your home.
The home’s purchase price or the cost of the land.
The outstanding amount of your mortgage.
Resources
Are you looking for general home sale statistics?
I’ve listed below a couple of the most quoted sources in the media for home sale statistics. There is a bounty of information at both of these, so be prepared to be overwhelmed.
The National Association of Realtors
(http://www.realtor.org/research
/research/ehsdata)
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
(http://www2.standardandpoors.com
/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.
topic/indices_csmahp/ 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
1,1,0,0,0,0,0.html)
Are you looking for general home sale statistics?
I’ve listed below a couple of the most quoted sources in the media for home sale statistics. There is a bounty of information at both of these, so be prepared to be overwhelmed.
The National Association of Realtors
(http://www.realtor.org/research
/research/ehsdata)
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
(http://www2.standardandpoors.com
/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.
topic/indices_csmahp/ 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
1,1,0,0,0,0,0.html)
Are you looking for general home sale statistics?
I’ve listed below a couple of the most quoted sources in the media for home sale statistics. There is a bounty of information at both of these, so be prepared to be overwhelmed.
The National Association of Realtors
(http://www.realtor.org/research
/research/ehsdata)
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
(http://www2.standardandpoors.com
/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.
topic/indices_csmahp/ 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
1,1,0,0,0,0,0.html)
Are you looking for general home sale statistics?
I’ve listed below a couple of the most quoted sources in the media for home sale statistics. There is a bounty of information at both of these, so be prepared to be overwhelmed.
The National Association of Realtors
(http://www.realtor.org/research
/research/ehsdata)
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
(http://www2.standardandpoors.com
/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.
topic/indices_csmahp/ 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
1,1,0,0,0,0,0.html)
A WEEK IN REVIEW TO KNOW WHATS GOING ON OUT THERE
June 9, 2009
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| In the week ahead May retail sales could receive a boost from tax cuts while the Fed’s beige book may reflect the improved outlook. The trouble spot appears to be in the bond market as higher yields there pushed mortgage rates higher. $65 billion in new supply this week may exacerbate the interest rate trajectory. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The ISM manufacturing index rose to 42.8% in May led by new orders which bodes well for future production. Manufacturing is still contracting albeit at a slower pace. Looking ahead, manufacturing declines should continue to moderate this year with the possibility of mild, positive growth late this year or early next year.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, in testimony before the House Budget Committee, said he expects economic growth to resume later this year but indicated that it probably won’t be robust. The Fed Chief also spoke directly to lawmakers about reducing the size of the budget deficit, now at nearly $2 trillion, warning that the Fed will not print money indefinitely to fund government spending. The Chairman did not address the Fed’s balance sheet, securities purchases or the 1 point jump in the benchmark 10-year yield since early April. Maintaining low interest rates of course is essential to future economic recovery.
The MBA mortgage applications index fell 16.2% to 658.7% for the week ending May 29. The sharp decline last week was entirely due to a 24.1% decline in refinance applications related to rising mortgage interest rates. Contract 30-year fixed mortgage rates surged 44 basis points this week after remaining below the key 5.0% level the last two months. In a hopeful sign the purchase index gained 4.3%.Not All Yard Sales Are Created Equal
June 4, 2009
Not All Yard Sales Are Created Equal
Summer is one of the most popular seasons for holding a yard sale. But simply holding a yard sale doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll end the day with lots of extra money in your pocket. If you’re planning on clearing out your clutter this summer, here are ten tips to help make your yard sale a success:
- Start your yard sale earlier than other yard sales in your area so shoppers will start their shopping day with you.
- Don’t schedule your yard sale on a holiday weekend or during a big event in your area (like a sporting event or festival).
- If it rains, take down your signs and reschedule your sale so you can maximize traffic on the day of your sale.
- Before your own yard sale, visit other sales in your neighborhood to get an idea of typical prices.
- Place all of your items (except for large items) on tables so shoppers don’t have to bend.
- If you plan to sell electrical items, have an outlet and extension cord handy so you can show shoppers that the items work.
- If you want to sell larger ticket items, look for those items in a local circular and then attach the ad to your item so shoppers can see that they are getting a great deal.
- If you have a variety of items that men would like, place them on their own table. If married couples stop by your sale, both parties will enjoy looking.
- Advertise your sale ahead of time in your local newspaper classified section, on community boards at your local food stores, and online at places like www.Craigslist.org.
- Wait until the morning of your garage sale to hang signs in your neighborhood, and make sure you take them down that day to avoid any fines from your homeowner’s association or your town. You don’t want to have to use all the cash you earn to pay a fine!
And remember, a successful sale is also a safe sale. Keep money in a pouch around your waist instead of in a cash box (which could get stolen while you are helping shoppers), don’t accept checks (which could bounce), and never allow strangers inside your home to use the bathroom or telephone.
Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to having less clutter in your home, and more cash in your pocket!
Set up a designated study space. Provide plenty of light and space for books and supplies. Set up a basket system for fond old homework and review for tests.
Color code subjects. Buy school supplies for watch subject in a different color so your child can see at a glance which folder, notebook, and binder has to do with which subject.
Create a cubby hole at home. Place a crate near your front door so your child can keep his backpack and other school items in one spot. Teach them to put anything they need for the next day in that place as well.
Keep a family calendar. Track everyone’s activities on a prominent and accessible calendar, encouraging your child to write his own entries and reference the calendar when making plans.
Set a good example. If you are keeping things neat and organized in your own life, your child is more likely to follow suite. If he has trouble making “to-do” lists, sit down and make one alongside him.
Introduce checklists. Whether it is as simple as “3 things to do before I go to bed” or “what to take on vacation”, creating and referring to lists together will develop your child’s ability to strategize tasks and organize his time.
Use containers and closet organizers. If there is a place for everything, she will find it easier to locate items, keep neat, and clean up. Build “pick-up” time into the daily routine.
Start the day with a smart breakfast. When your child begins the day with a breakfast high in fiber and whole grains, he can focus on school work throughout the morning.
TRY YOGA TO RELAX AND STRETCH
April 30, 2009
Yoga Offers Escape from Daily Grind
By Kristine Hansen
Print Article
RISMEDIA, April 22, 2009-(MCT)-Yoga’s gentle, healing nature can alleviate stress. Sitting, lying or standing on a mat forces the body to slow down and moves the brain away from life’s distractions to a point of mental clarity.
“The human brain does not multi-task very well,” says Carlyle Chan, professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa, Wis. “The people who say they do so are not exactly accurate. When you are at the office and your phone rings, you get distracted. That’s just the way the brain is structured.”
“Yoga focuses the mind on something else and helps you reset,” Chan says. “The more you do it, the more effective it is.”
In today’s frenetic world, where finding time to visit a studio might multiply the stress, an at-home practice could be good medicine.
Before flowing through poses in your living room, take a few classes with a certified yoga instructor. The more confidence you have in the poses and postures, the better chance you’ll be able to focus and practice with safety.
To ensure you have props for yoga at home, invest in a mat, strap, blocks (either wood or foam) and a thick, woven blanket. Practice in your bare feet and wear comfortable, tighter-fitting clothing.
“Start today. Don’t wait until you have the perfect setting,” says Marietta Pucillo, owner of Yama Yoga in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. “As long as it’s a place to give you peace, it will be OK. Accept that wherever you are today is perfect. That’s the principle of yoga, anyway.”
Here are some ways to create a yoga space at home:
Clear out a dedicated space- Whether it’s a spare bedroom or a new area that opens up when you move the coffee table, the space should be free of magazines, toys and other clutter. Keep the room’s temperature warm so muscles are completely relaxed. You should be able to reach your arms and legs in all directions and not touch any walls. Linoleum or hardwood flooring is fine if you are on a mat, Pucillo says, but rugs or carpeting is better for postures and sitting poses.
Set aside a specific time- Instead of just adding “practice yoga” to an evolving to-do list, pick a time of day and stick to it. Incorporating yoga into your morning routine or bedtime rituals is one option. Not scheduling a time – but showing dedication – works, too.
Invest in a virtual instructor- As lovely as it would be to hire a private instructor to drop by every week, that probably isn’t economically feasible, but many respected yoga instructors lead virtual classes on DVD. Buy a few different videos so you don’t get bored with the same routine.
Say no to distractions- It can be easy to become distracted, even if you view something out of the corner of your eye, but you must not give in to distractions. Don’t have a phone in the room either. If the phone can’t be moved, turn the ringer off during your session.
© 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
IS THERE ANY STIMULUS FOR YOU??
April 27, 2009
Give Me Money… That’s What I Want
The Beatles weren’t singing about the US economy, but they may as well have been. Earlier this year, the government unveiled its new $787 Billion Stimulus Plan to infuse the economy with money and confidence. That’s some serious money!
But have you ever wondered who’s actually getting that money. what types of projects may be funded. and how it impacts your state and local community?
Here’s your answer: StimulusWatch.org!
StimulusWatch.org was built to help the government keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly and to add transparency and accountability to the process.
At StimulusWatch.org, you can find and review projects that are candidates for funding by federal grant programs. You can even sort the projects by activity, expense, and need.
Better still, you can access a list of projects by state, so you can see how the Stimulus Plan may impact your state and local community – including costs, number of jobs, and exact locations! Simply select your state and review the projects under consideration. You can even add comments about the value of the projects listed!
It’s convenient, interactive, and easy to understand – check it out today!
Making A “New” Home Affordable
April 23, 2009
Making Home Affordable
Homeowners were lent a hand this week by the Obama Administration’s newest effort to help families remain in their homes. The ‘Making Home Affordable’ program was created to help as many as 9 million homeowners who want to stay in their homes, but are struggling with their finances.
As with most legislation of this type, some of the details are still pending and subject to further clarification – but I would invite you to call me so we can begin to discuss how they might benefit you.
There are two important elements of this program:
One part of the program will be available to 4 to 5 million homeowners who have a solid payment history on an existing home loan owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Many of these homeowners have been unable to refi and take advantage of lower interest rates because their homes have lost value. This plan allows for rate and term refis up to a 105% loan-to-value, which will help many homeowners take advantage of today’s lower rates or refinance an adjustable-rate home loan into a more stable product, such as a 30-year fixed rate loan.
To qualify, the home must be your primary residence and have a loan balance not exceeding $729,750. While there are still a few unknowns in the mix, this program will help a large number of homeowners cut their monthly expenses and benefit from the lower home loan rates available today.
The second part of the program will help up to 3 to 4 million at-risk homeowners avoid foreclosure by reducing monthly home loan payments. This program lets home loan servicers modify eligible loans for those who have experienced financial hardship. The plan is designed to help these at-risk borrowers decrease the payment amount on their existing loan.
Help Is Here
The housing and job markets continue to be hard hit by the contraction in the economy. But combined with earlier measures, such as the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers, the Making Home Affordable program may actually have some legs to help the housing market and economy overall.
Regardless of which opportunity may be right for you – the best first move is to pick up the phone and let’s start talking. Julie Shook RE/MAX Masters 419.467.7653 or email me at julieshook@bex.net
Stimulus Plan: $15,000 Housing Credit, Real Estate For Sale ..
ORGANIZATION CAN LEAD TO SCHOLASTIC SUCCESS
April 20, 2009
Organizational and time management tips.
Space. Parents should work with their children to create a study place in the home that is consistent, organized and inviting. A common mistake is to encourage children to do homework in their room. Instead, have them do homework at the dinning room table or a clean desk outside of their own room. www.ikea.com
Time. Set aside a consistent block of time for homework without distractions, after school or dinner. If your child is hard-pressed to finish homework each night, monitor how much time is spent on texting, Facebook or the computer.
Plan. Encourage use of a daily planner. Have your student set a plan of action before tackling homework each night.
Organize. Create a system to track paper flow to and from school. Binders should contain see-through pocket folders and dividers so assignments do not become out of sight, out of mind.
Get help. Know when to turn to a professional . If your child’s disorganization is becoming a source of family tension and bickering or is affecting his or her grades, consider seeking help from an expert.
