Family Beach Vacation: Tips for Travel With Kids

Summer is the perfect time to take the kids to the beach for a vacation. If you are looking for a family-oriented beach resort, there are plenty to choose from in most coastal U.S. and Canadian towns, and with a little planning you can find one to suit your family and your budget.

Obviously you will be looking for a beach resort that is kid-friendly, and possibly even pet-friendly. While most of this information is available online, you may also wish to call your choice of hotel or motel directly to be sure, and also to find out if there are any catches (maximum four people to a room, for instance) or extra fees (some poplar areas such as Miami and San Diego charge resort fees, parking fees, etc.).

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Ideally, you'll find a great beach resort that caters to kids and may even offer planned activities and programs. If you're going somewhere a little more exotic such as Bahamas or the Caribbean, you'll find many all-inclusive resorts that are wonderful for kids, such as the Beaches resort family.

Family Beach Vacation: Tips for Travel With Kids

To make the most of your beach family resort vacation, here are some tips. Look for resorts that include a lot of extras in the price, such as:

• A premium location directly on the beach, or complimentary shuttle to a nearby safe and clean beach


• Activities geared towards your kids' age/s. Sports, kids' clubs, lessons and other fun activities are available at better family beach resorts.


• Extras such as beach towels, beach and water toys, umbrellas and lounge chairs, etc.. At adults-only hotels these are often at a premium, but for travel with kids you'll want to have as many amenities as possible included in your price, or things will quickly get expensive.


• Multiple pool areas and possibly special water features like lazy rivers and waterslides


• Food - many resorts include breakfast or even discounts toward food. It doesn't hurt to ask for these at check-in even if it's not listed as included.


• Babysitting, especially for evenings, if the adults may wish to have a little grown-up time. Some resorts offer daycare or nannies, or can suggest options.


• Restaurants and/or venues that cater to kids' tastes, with basics like hotdogs, mac'n'cheese and ice cream. You may also want to sour a local grocery store to pick up healthier items such as fruits and vegetables and drinks cheaply. Look at sites like Tripadvisor for consumer reviews.


• Suites or room styles made for families, with plenty of space, sleeping room and possibly adjoining doors. Some offer extra cots or pull-out couches to accommodate more kids.


• Investigate the safety precautions (lifeguard on duty? first aid nearby?) and layout of the resort (are there lots of jagged steps and rocks or is it flat and easy to navigate?). Some destinations are just naturally far more kid-friendly than others.

One further note on the type of beach; different types of beaches may be more suitable for different age groups, eg. teens might love large waves and slightly rougher water for learning to surf, sail or windsurf. Small children and toddlers may require calmer waters. Have a great time on your family beach vacation, and remember to wear sunscreen!

Family Beach Vacation: Tips for Travel With Kids

Numerology's Family Number - How You Treat Your Friends and Family

Want to know how you generally interact with your friends and family? Numerology can show you how you tend to interact with family and friends. We just need to calculate your Family number.

Calculating your Family Number

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Your Family number comes from a specific branch of Numerology I call Yantra or Magic Square numerology. It consist of constructing a Magic square using your birth date numbers, and then interpreting the values in the specific boxes in the square.

Numerology's Family Number - How You Treat Your Friends and Family

Your Family number is found by taking your Life Path number, adding (2), and then reducing the result by fadic addition. We don't reduce the master numbers (11 and 22) if they come up.

For example, actor Johnny Depp was born on June 9th, 1963; so his Family number would be calculated as follows:

Life Path number = (6 + 9 + 1963) = (1978) = (25) = (7)

Family Number = (Life Path + 2) = (7 + 2) = (9)

The Family Number values and their meanings are listed below.

Family Number (1)

You place your own wants and needs ahead of the wants and needs of your family. You are self-sufficient in matters of family, and will satisfy your own desires first. People tend to find you demanding, and selfish in your relationships with them. This is a blind spot for you; as you do not see these qualities in yourself.

Family Number (2)

You have a great need to be surrounded by loving friends and family. You draw security and inner peace from the harmonious bond of many friends and love ones around you. Your happiness hinges on their happiness, so you go out of your way to make others happy. You can never have too many friends.

Family Number (3)

You tend to take on the role of organizer when dealing with your family and friends. You like coordinating parties, get-togethers, and other group outings. You prefers casual conversation and relationships with most people, and try to avoid deep involved subjects. You also tend to avoid doing the dirty work; being responsible for the group's actions.

Family Number (4)

You tend to take on the work of dealings with family and friends; volunteering to keep everyone in contact, maintaining the directory of addresses and emails for your family and group organizations. You live on praise for your efforts, and tend to annoy people by telling them all the work you're doing. You fulfill an important role with your friends and relatives, but it's not always one they love you for.

Family Number (5)

You like to surprise your family and friends with your actions. You're likely to arrange a surprise party for a friend, or to call them at odd hours. You might suggest a road trip to some exotic locale, or a shopping spree at the spur of the moment. The fact that your ideas may be expensive or impractical seldom stops you. You create a lively atmosphere for the group.

Family Number (6)

You are very caring and supportive of your family and friends. You are so devoted to their well-being that you will make great sacrifices, doing whatever it takes to protect them. This can be taken to a fault; you tend to be over-protective of others and quash their attempts at independence.

Family Number (7)

You are loving but detached from your family and friends. Expressing your deepest feelings is very difficult for you. You need time on your own, away from your friends and family, in order to deal with your personal thoughts. You also tend to be a perfectionist around your close friends; they find it annoying, but they put up with it.

Family Number (8)

You are driven to succeed in business and finance with your friends and family. A family owned business or a partnership with close friends is an ideal place for you. You may tend to become a workaholic in these situations; pull back and spend some pure leisure time with friends and family when the time arises. You are also the person in your family most likely to inherit money.

Family Number (9)

Though you love your family and friends, you are more likely to help a perfect stranger than a family member. You are called to many humanitarian causes; churches, charities, and the like. You will tend to ignore the needs of family or friends until they cry out for help. Then, you tend to come charging to the rescue. Once the crisis is past, you will return to your old habits. You tend to make friends easily; usually with those who will call on you for help.

Family Number (11)

You glamorize family life and friendship to the point where reality never measures up to your dreams. You are constantly dealing with disappointment when reality and human nature let you down. You enjoy helping those you care about, and show amazing intuition when it comes to sensing when something is wrong with your loved ones.

Numerology's Family Number - How You Treat Your Friends and Family

Large Breed Dogs That Make Great Family Pets

There are many breeds of large loveable dogs that make wonderful family pets. They are not well suited for small homes, apartment or condominiums, as they require more space to roam and exercise. A large home with a big backyard or country living is ideal. Large dogs are often very social and great with older children. These loveable monsters can knock over smaller children accidentally. Make sure that whatever breed of large dog you might consider, always learn as much about the breed as possible. Anybody that chooses a large dog should be prepared to train it well, to prevent injury to others, teach them manners and socialize there pet. When a small dog jumps up to greet you, it is far different from a sixty-pound dog. Also, remember that dogs are social animals and want to live with the family, not outside by themselves. Your dog will need a lot of exercise so if you are a couch potato, you may find a toy breed of dog more suitable for your lifestyle. Bored dogs can develop some bad habits and destructive behavior so exercise, long walks and playing are a necessity.

Large dogs eat more so cost more to feed. You must supply your dog with a high quality food, balanced specifically for larger breed dogs and the same for large breed puppies. Large breed dogs are usually much rougher on their toys, so make sure any you purchase are durable, big and sturdy.

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Some people have referred to Afghan Hounds temperament as cat like because they love to be petted and then go and lay down for a nap. Terrific with children of all ages, they love to clown around and show off. These loyal, gentle and kind dogs are extremely loyal to their human family. Afghan hounds have a wonderful, long, luxurious coat but do require frequent grooming. Approximately 27 inches high, their average lifespan is around thirteen years.

Large Breed Dogs That Make Great Family Pets

The intelligent German shepherds are great with older children when raised with them. Training and early socialization is necessary, along with a large fenced yard for exercise. Extremely intelligent, these large dogs are very loyal.

English setters make wonderful family pets that are great with children. They are very gentle but let you know when a stranger knocks on the door. Be prepared to spend time brushing them a few times a week and trimming every six or eight weeks. They require well-fenced, large yard.

Saint Bernard's are great big loveable family dogs. Although they have a deep bark, they are not good watchdogs. They require a large yard to exercise. There are two varieties, which are the shorthaired and longhaired. Both require weekly grooming to control their shedding. Because of their weight and large size, Saint Bernhard's are prone to hip dysplasia. Their life expectancy is around eight or nine years.

The Newfoundland is a great big cuddly bear of a dog, good with children and very protective. Because of their calm, tolerant nature, they made wonderful family pets. As with most of the large breed of dog, a secure fenced yard is necessary. Because they do shed, brush them a couple times a week.

Large Breed Dogs That Make Great Family Pets

How to Complete a Blank Family Tree

Completing a blank family tree is a great way to start researching your family history. It provides a way for you to organize your information in a structure that clearly shows your relationship to your ancestors. For this article, I will focus on a 3-generation family tree. I will explain the structure of the family tree, how to fill it in, and how it can be used to organize your family lines going back as many generations as you desire.

Family Tree Structure

Family Nature

A 3-generation family tree can easily fit on a 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper. With the paper positioned lengthwise, it will be divided into 3 columns. Moving from left to right, the first column will contain a single box that will be used to hold information about yourself. This box is labeled #1. The second column will contain two boxes stacked vertically. The top box will hold your father's information and is labeled #2. The bottom box will hold your mother's information and is labeled #3. The third column will contain four boxes stacked vertically which are labeled #4 through #7. Boxes #4 and #5 will have the information about your paternal grandfather and grandmother, respectively. Boxes #6 and #7 will have the information abut your maternal grandfather and grandmother, respectively. An interesting observation about this type of structure is that, with the possible exception of box #1, odd numbered boxes indicate women and even numbered boxes indicate men.

How to Complete a Blank Family Tree

Filling Out Your Family Tree

Now that you understand the structure of the 3-generation family tree, it is time to begin filling it out. Family research always begins with yourself. Box #1 will be used to collect this information. On the first line, put your full name. Note that women should always be listed by their maiden name. Below your name, you can include additional information such as the dates and locations of your birth and marriage.

Once you've completed the first column, you can move on to the second column. This column will contain the information about your father in box #2 and your mother in box #3. As before, start by listing their full name in their respective box. You can then add the dates and locations of their births, marriage, and deaths. If a particular space doesn't apply, leave it blank. Repeat this process for your grandparents in the third column.

Once you've finished listing each person's information, you should label this page as "Chart No. 1."

Organizing Your Research

In order to document your family lines further back in time, you will need to fill in additional family tree charts. The ancestry for each of the boxes in column three of Chart No. 1 can be continued on a new chart. For example, let's trace back your paternal grandfather's family line. In Chart No. 1, your paternal grandfather's information is listed in box #4. Next to that box, we will put a "2" to indicate that this family line will continue in Chart No. 2. In Chart No. 2, we note underneath the chart number that box #1 on this chart is the same as box #4 on Chart 1. Using this method, we are able to tie the two charts together. You can then continue to fill in this line of ancestry. Repeat this process as many times as necessary.

Completing a blank family tree is the first step in researching family history. With this information in hand, you are now ready to dig deeper into the life stories hiding behind each name as you uncover your family history.

How to Complete a Blank Family Tree

How Does Divorce Affect the Family? 3 Ways

Marriage is by all accounts a sacred institution. When people say their vows on their wedding day, that vast majority of them are quite serious when it comes to "until death do us part."

The seriousness with which most people take their own marriage is why it is so painful for the typical married person to consider the possibility of divorce when things are going badly.

Family Nature

Why Divorce Can Sometimes Look Like the Only Logical Option

How Does Divorce Affect the Family? 3 Ways

Every marriage experiences its ups and downs, good days and bad days. But, many marriages also go through much more serious rough patches. The husbands and wives in these marriages find themselves constantly fighting about this and that. When things get really bad, there can be infidelities, lying and going behind each others' back.

If your marriage is experiencing problems of a serious nature, sometimes divorce can feel like the only viable way out of your pain and discomfort. As with anything else in life, when something becomes really painful, we will do almost anything to get ourselves out of the pain. In the case of marriage, most people see divorce as the only logical way to make things better.

The prospect of getting a divorce is even harder to consider for people who have kids or who worry about the opinions of extended family members about a would-be divorce. And, these concerns about how the family would react are genuine and well-founded.

How Divorce Affects the Family: 3 Ways

If you are wondering, "How does divorce affect the family?", here are 3 ways that it can:

1. Divorce can defuse some of the negativity caused by constant fighting or discord: The act of divorce itself is stressful, but a sure result will be that the couple will spend much, much less time together - likely going on to lead separate lives. Any negativity that was being generated from day-to-day interactions as a couple will immediately go away.

2. It forces the family to question the bonds of marriage: On the downside, everyone who loves, knows or cares about the affected couple will question their own faith in the institution of marriage when they find out about the divorce. This is a normal reaction to divorce, reminding us that it affects not only the couple, but everyone they know.

3. It can cause the kids and extended family to be confused about where their allegiance lies: Children of the married couple, as well as extended family members like parents, siblings, aunts and uncles may go through a time of being confused about whom they should support during and after the divorce. The situation forces them to make difficult decisions about where their allegiance lies.

Divorce can affect the family in many ways, good and bad. The 3 ways that divorce can affect the family described above are some of the most typical ways. There are of course many variations on this theme, but these are the main ways divorce affects the family.

How Does Divorce Affect the Family? 3 Ways

A Lesson on How to Make Your Free Family Tree Template

A family tree template helps you to organize your family members in ascending order, starting from the oldest family member and to the youngest till date. The family tree template resembles a tree.

The branches of the tree indicate the children. The purpose of a family tree is to establish the link between generations. Several computer software help to build a family tree. A free family tree template can be created just with the help of paper, pencil, ruler, marker and a poster board.

Family Nature

The Steps To Draw Free Family Tree Template:

A Lesson on How to Make Your Free Family Tree Template

•The 1st step includes some research work to be done. Find out the names of your ancestors, their date of birth, their date of marriage and the day on which they died (if necessary). It is a basic rule to include the mentioned things: your details, the details of your parents, your 4 grandparents, and 8 great grandparents. If you wish to, you can stretch back the past further.

•Organize the index cards and set them in order. Place your card on top. Then place your dad's card below that. Then keep your mom's index card. The next in order, your grandfather's card comes. Then your grand mom's card comes next. Repeat this pattern for every individual you know.

•Place the poster on a horizontal area. The longer side of the paper is to be used as the width. Take your pencil and a ruler along with that. Make a box at towards the bottom of the board (the rectangular box should be centre aligned). Fill up this box by writing your name in it.

•Make another box a little above your name. This should be left aligned. Write your dad's name inside it. Another box should be made at the same level and towards the right. This box is meant for your mother.

•Draw a line from the centre of the perimeter of your box. Diverge the line in 2 directions - towards the right and towards the left. Connect this line to your father's box and to your mother's box respectively. This line should connect the upper part of your parent's boxes and should touch them at the centre.

•Following the above mentioned pattern, make 2 more boxes above your father's box. These boxes are meant for your grandparents (from your father's side). Connect them with s line in a similar way.

•Repeat this process and connect your mother to her parents.

•Repeat this pattern for every one you know.

•Once you have made this basic outline, trace this template with a marker. Fill in the boxes with the details you have gathered.

Your family tree diagram is made.

A Lesson on How to Make Your Free Family Tree Template

What is the Best Family Tent For a Family Camping Trip?

Camping can be an economical way to get a family vacation, but if you want it to be a pleasant one, you need to choose the best family tent for your needs.

Today, since everyone seems to be pinching pennies due to the serious economic downturn, there are many people who cannot afford going on holidays. Hotel prices are extremely high in most tourist destinations, especially when it comes to families with kids. Camping can prove to be a great solution for those who want to go on holidays on a budget. It is fun, easy and can be a great opportunity for kids to connect with nature. Let's see what you should look for when choosing a family tent.

Family Nature

First of all you need to buy a lightweight but durable tent. A family tent should not be heavy, because you will need to carry it all the way to the camping site. You also need plenty of room so as to have where to sleep and store all your gear.

What is the Best Family Tent For a Family Camping Trip?

Tents are usually sold based on the amount of people they can accommodate, therefore, if your family consists of 4 people, the best family tent for you which will allot you enough space is a tent meant for 6 people. If you want to buy a tent for four people, keep in mind that you might not have enough space to put your clothes and gear.

Moreover, you need to make sure that you buy the proper tent for the right season. Some tents can be used all year round, while some others are specifically made for winter or summer. A three season tent is probably the best choice, since going on winter holidays with the family is highly unlikely.

One of the most important factors you need to check is the ease of installation; some tents are way too complicated. You need to buy a tent that will not require an hour or two of your time. Setting up and pitching your tent can prove to be a daunting task, unless you check its installation manual in advance.

What is the Best Family Tent For a Family Camping Trip?

Tips in Writing a Family Reunion Invitation

Crafting the best looking family reunion invitations can be both challenging and at the same time engaging. This is because there are a lot of things that can be placed in the card to make it the most eye-catching invitation to be sent out to your family members.

For one, the pictures that you can use should be general in nature and they should be given careful selection since there might be family members who do not approve the image. Yes it might be fun to check on the images that you haven't seen in ages but it is still important that you make the right choice in picking the right picture for your family reunion invitation.

Family Nature

The basics of writing a family reunion invitation are pretty simple. You just have to prepare the paper, the content of the invitation, the picture that would be used for the invitation and most importantly the overall design for the family reunion invitation.

Tips in Writing a Family Reunion Invitation

While the other factors are pretty important, the design and the content speaks volumes about the invitation that you will be handing out to your relatives in the near future. So how exactly will you write a family reunion invitation and what are some of the key pointers that you should remember while drafting the invitation.

Start writing an initial draft - Doing a draft will save you a lot of time in the future and it will also help you keep track of the important details.

Keep it Short and Simple - Avoid putting in too many words in your invitation. Remember that you are writing an invitation for your family members and not drafting a college level thesis nor are you submitting an investigative report on the economic crisis. It is better to keep everything simple because it also makes the invitation accessible for everybody in the family from kids who can already read and understand to the family elders who are already having a hard time reading.

Put depth in your content - Don't just put random words in the invitation. Make every word count for your readers.

Describe things - Don't just put digits and other stuff in the invitation without thinking what it would mean. Describing the event will give them a heads up on what they should expect when they arrive at the venue. Digits should also be kept at a minimum and as much as possible should only be limited to just the address and all the important things.

Catch Attention - While most invitations have a set standard of things that can be placed in front of the invitation card, it wouldn't hurt to look for creative things to place on your invitation. This not only grabs the attention of your relatives who might not be inclined to read the missive but it will also help the people who are already excited about the event.

These are only some things that you should really consider when writing your very own family reunion invitation. There are other things that might be applicable in this shortlist but there are still a lot of things that you can add.

Tips in Writing a Family Reunion Invitation

Six Good Reasons to Take a Family Vacation

When I was young, family vacations with my parents consisted of driving for a week from place to place in a hot stifling car. My parents had the knack of picking the hottest week of the summer to do so. In spite of that, we still had fun, managed to find interesting sites to explore and those are the memories that I still have.

I discovered the joy of travel to far reaching destinations on my own by the time I turned 18. Jumping on a plane and heading off to Brazil, Europe or cruising the Caribbean, has turned into a life long passion my whole family now enjoys with me.

Family Nature

Family vacations have evolved over the years. There have never been more choices, more variety and more options available for family vacations as there is today. Especially since 9/11, the focus on family and community and played a strong role in our society. The travel industry has noticed and has geared up for families. From all-inclusive vacation packages and cruises, which are equipped with kids clubs and special activities; to resorts that supply a nanny for your stay, it's never been a better time for families to travel.

Six Good Reasons to Take a Family Vacation

Still not sure? Here are just a few of the benefits of taking a family vacation:

1. The family that plays together, stays together.....

It is a time to get away from it all. Away from work, the phone calls, the kid's activities, the daily to do list. This is a great opportunity to spend time as a family and get to know each other. Go for a hike, build a sandcastle, explore a museum. There is more time to talk and spend time together without the daily distractions.

2. Teach your children well....

Travel is an excellent learning tool for kids. They can have the opportunity to learn about things first hand they may have learned in school, read about or saw on TV. Any destination can offer this learning experience whether it is a few hours drive away from you home or in Europe. Family vacations will teach children about different cultures, food, history, geography, climate, environment and so much more. The best part is that it's way more fun for them then learning it through homework!

3. New experiences they will never forget.....

Family vacations provide a whole new venue for experiences that your kids never would have had otherwise. We took a family cruise last winter, and it was my 9-year-old son's first cruise. We told him all about the ship and showed him pictures but I don't think he could quite grasp what it was really going to be like. We landed in Fort Lauderdale and as we were driving to the port, we could see our ship in the distance. He was excited but still very nonchalant. Once we got to the port and pulled up alongside the ship, he looked up and up and up at the enormous ship, his mouth dropped open and he gasped in amazement. That reaction was worth the price of the whole trip and is something I know our family will always remember.

4. Life is an adventure, especially on vacation....

Even if you are not particularly brave there are still many ways to experience the adventures that lie in every corner of our planet. It may be as simple as going to the zoo at your destination and seeing the animals that are local to that habitat or taking a jungle tour though the Amazon. There is so much to see and do, pick the adventures that appeal to your family and do them together.

5. You kids won't be kids forever....

Doesn't seem like yesterday that the teenager that just borrowed your car, was in diapers and day-care? Most parents agree that time seems to fly by quickly and those babies are grown before you know it. There will come a time that your children will have lives of their own and sad as it may seem, spending time with Mom and Dad will not be anywhere near the top of their list. Take the time for a family vacation while they still want your company.

6. Time to kick back and relax......

Now this part is important. One of the main reasons to take a vacation is to get some rest and recharge. It is important for everyone so don't over do it. Try and schedule an active day followed by a more relaxing day. It's hard to do in some destinations where there is so much to see and do like Disney World, but trust me. The kids will be less tired and cranky and it will give you a reason to come back to the destination again!

I know this all sounds so good, it makes you want to book that trip you've been putting off doesn't it? Well, I will add in a dose of reality here and include a few negatives. There are some natural stresses to travelling. Planes get delayed, kids get cranky, families can have too much of a good thing and get on each other's nerves. The list can go on, but don't let that discourage you, the advantages are too numerous to ignore.

So whether you choose to pack the kids in the car or fly to more exotic destinations, the benefits are the same. As far as memories go, we tend to remember the good things; the time spent together as a family, the new things that were discovered, the new friends we made, the places we saw. This is what your children will remember and, the fact that you were there with them to enjoy it.

Six Good Reasons to Take a Family Vacation

Family Relationship Tips - How to Improve Family Bonds

With current busy schedules and other events that you should attend to, you may seem to neglect your family. Every time you see each other would only be early in the morning or late at night. This can really affect the relationships and dynamics that a family should have. If you feel this way, then here are some tips you can do to improve family relationships.

Cut Back on Busy Schedules

Family Nature

Even just for one hour, it can make all the difference. You get to spend a lot of time with your family members if you find some time. Surprise them while they think you're busy and you will really bring smiles to their faces. Family time is hard to find when you are busy doing errands, especially if you're working. In order to make sure that you develop your family relationships well, cut back on busy schedules and make some time-this can be a good start to family fun.

Family Relationship Tips - How to Improve Family Bonds

Make Way for Family Vacations

How else would you enjoy some family bonding time? Family vacations are great getaways from the busy lives you're all leading, and making way for the quality time you need to catch up on. Explore the different beach or mountain resorts with your family to redevelop the bonds that have been breaking away due to lack of time. You can really get to know each other much better when you spend time alone with your family.

Call or Text Each Other More Often

Oftentimes, you may not see each other for the majority of the day. It can't hurt to text your brother or father asking them how they are. You can even call them time to time to just talk. These moments may not be for long-but the impact they give can really last long. A simple message asking "how are you?" can really develop relations with your family members. Keep in touch with your family members in order to improve bonds with them.

Family relationships are taken for granted most of the time. You might simply say hello to your parents or siblings before going off to wherever you're needed and that's that. You should learn how to develop the relationships with your family through cutting back on busy schedules, making way for family vacations, and calling or texting each other to help improve family relationships. A family is very important, and you should value yours.

Family Relationship Tips - How to Improve Family Bonds

Celtic Symbols Family

The ancient Celts had no written word, nor did they need it. Instead they symbolized their world in ways that were easily understood by all. Apart from symbolizing relationships, they represented the things in the world around them in their symbols too. However more personal relationships within tribes were symbolized by means of designs or shapes which is today considered a form of artwork.

The Celts used symbols to communicate to each other particular meanings, but also used them to illustrate their spirituality or as a means of projecting an image to another. Celtic warriors decorated their bodies in battle with symbols they deemed most appropriate individually, yet their body art had a twofold reasoning behind it.

Family Nature

The first reasoning was personal while the second was meant to instil fear in their enemies. For instance, warriors might decorate their bodies with a particular animal that they hoped to gain the powers of in battle. They might also use symbols that indicated brotherhood, a bond that existed between each warrior on the battlefield. Many symbols used called on the Gods and Goddesses to bestow protection, power and courage.

Celtic Symbols Family

Family Symbols

Celts belonged to different clans or tribes and used symbols to show this. They were a people who possessed superior craftsmanship and were able to capture their symbols in delicate pieces of jewelry. Apart from warriors who painted or tattooed symbols onto their bodies, the Celts also etched and sculpted their symbols in stone or wood.

These symbols were either meant to depict or express the connection of families or clan status yet were also meant to depict the relationships within a family unit. Symbols also paid homage to their interconnectedness with nature, the universe, their Gods and Goddesses too.

What is known and understood regarding these personal symbols is sketchy yet their meanings are for the most, agreed on by scholars.

Common Family Symbols

The most common symbols used to indicate family are those for brothers, sisters, father and daughter relationships and the Celtic symbol motherhood. Apart from indicating the relationship many of these symbols were used as a way to worship or revere these figures.

While many symbols were portrayed accurately, for instance animal figures of the Sun Cross, family symbols were depicted by means of shapes and designs, swirls and knot work.

Motherhood symbol

A mother's love was symbolized by the triquestra - two hearts which are intertwined with one unbroken line. .

Celtic symbol brother

Brotherhood was symbolized by an arrow which was painted on a warrior's body.

Celtic symbol sisters

Sisterhood was symbolized by the triskele or the trinity (the number 3). This is usually shown in knot work.

Celtic Life

Celtic clans were in essence an extended family, they shared a very strong bond with other clans or tribes yet each kept their own customs, traditions and beliefs. Not all members of the clan were equal though and each had held their own status and purpose. At the center of a tribe was the family unit which was held in high esteem. Children were not reared by their own parents; instead they were reared by foster parents who were often the brother of the birth mother.

During pagan times the Druids played an important role in Celtic life. They acted as advisors, teachers and healers and as ambassadors in time of war. The Druids held the status of Priests and as such were responsible for the passing of knowledge. They led a very spiritual existence and it is to the Druids that many symbols owe their existence.

Celtic Symbols Family

Information on Lime - Family Rutaceae - Fresh Juice is Used to Counter Diarrhea

Lime - (Mexican and West Indian lime) Citrus aurantifolia

Lime is used in alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments such as, bilious headaches, brightening dull hair and detoxifying the body.

Family Nature

Although we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.

Information on Lime - Family Rutaceae - Fresh Juice is Used to Counter Diarrhea

Botanical Classification: Family Rutaceae

Genus and specie: Citrus aurantifolia

Other names:

Sour lime as well as Mexican or West Indian lime.

Description of the herb lime:

It is a small tree with light green, ovate leaves and white flowers, followed by ovoid green fruits with a sour pulp.

Parts used:

Leaves, fruit, peel and oil are used.

Properties:

It has cooling and astringent properties.

Therapeutic uses:

Internal use:

Internally, with leaves infused as a herbal tea, it is helpful for bilious headaches. The fresh juice is also used to counter diarrhea.

External use:

In folklore lime is sometimes used externally to lighten the skin, but can be irritating and should be avoided. A few drops can be added to the final rinse water while washing hair to brighten otherwise dull hair.

Aromatherapy and essential oil use:

Lime essential oil will energize a tired mind, while banishing apathy and anxiety. It stimulates the digestive system, detoxifies the body, cools fevers and is useful in treating rheumatic pain.
On the skin, it has an astringent action and helps to clear congested skin and stems bleeding from minor cuts.
The therapeutic properties of lime oil are antiseptic, antiviral, astringent, aperitif, bactericidal, disinfectant, febrifuge, haemostatic, restorative and tonic.

Safety precautions and warnings:

Lime oil can cause phototoxicity if the skin is exposed to sunlight after application, but this effect is not found in oil obtained by cold expression.

Information on Lime - Family Rutaceae - Fresh Juice is Used to Counter Diarrhea

Fun Family Photography

Family photography need not be a hassle to anyone, and least of all to you, the photographer. All it needs is a bit of planning. The first thing to do is to find a location. There should be enough space to pose for everyone and natural light can be used. The choice of an outdoor venue will be ideal as long as the weather holds up. The background for the photograph should be simple, uncluttered and complimentary to the pictures that you hope to take.

Lighting the family photographs
Family photographs are no different from others where lighting is concerned. Just ensure that they are not squinting with too much light or are covered in shadows. Family photographs are for recording purposes and as such needs to be very clear. Taking the photographs in natural light is best. Early morning or at sunset seems to give the best results and if it is indoors light from a window can illuminate the picture.

Family Nature

Have a relaxed atmosphere
Get the family to relax and then start taking the photographs. You can ask al the family members to make the funniest faces possible and then keep on taking after they have stopped. This way you will get natural smiles and a relaxed group of people.

Fun Family Photography

Posing can be traditional in some of the shots while in others you can ask them to be just comfortable and not think of stuffy poses. Make it fun. Encourage interaction among family members. They can put their arms around each other or children can be seated on another's lap. This way it is easier to get natural looking photographs which are definitely more interesting than the strictly posed ones.

As the photographer you should know how to make the shot interesting. This can be done with seating them at different levels for a more dynamic look.

Photo angles
The photographs can be taken from different angles like a step ladder where you are looking down on the group and as they look up you will get a good photograph with good facial features. Other angles can be tried along with the traditional eye level.

Fill the frame
The best family photographs should not have any outside distractions in them. An easy way to ensure this is to have the frame filled with the family. This will center the focus on the faces of the family members

Individual portraits
Take fun portraits of each individual member of the family. This way you will be able to make a digital collage and with a bit of creativity will end up with an exceptional photograph. Individual portraits can be posed with a favorite toy or a pet or near a car. This way it will be like a story about each person's character and can be really exciting to look at.

So, you can see that there are endless possibilities for making lovely memories by taking family photographs. If you need any of these pictures to stand the test of time convert them into black and white images.

Fun Family Photography

What Are the Different Examples of Family Trees?

The most basic of family tree layouts is often one that is depicted by the traditional and simple boxes connected by straight lines; while this is certainly a good introductory example of family trees, it is certainly not the only way to depict family history.

The basic layout, with its simple boxes and lines design might be very restrictive in terms of the amount of data that can be added to it; however it is an ideal way to introduce children to genealogy. The simple lines connecting boxes on a standard sheet of paper is easy to follow, and easy for children to complete by themselves. For a fun project to involve your children in your genealogy hobby, sit down with them and explain how a family tree works while allowing them to fill in their family's information in each of the boxes. This art project, while simple in design, can make an interesting piece to display on a wall and go a long way towards instilling a sense of family pride in children.

Family Nature

A family tree depicted on poster board is definitely a good method to visually represent a few generations of family history; however, by making use of one of the available genealogy software packages, you will find several additional ways to create, maintain, and even display your family history. With genealogy software, a hobbyist has the ability to venture beyond the basic boxes containing names and dates. The software will allow for a much more detailed project to be built over time.

What Are the Different Examples of Family Trees?

Using a good, and user friendly, software package that allows for access to extensive genealogy resources and databases will not just allow a genealogy hobbyist the ability to expand their project by adding documents, photographs, and other related data, but it will often also allow for great exposure to additional examples of family trees. Most makers of genealogy software will make a large amount of data available to users; from discussion forums, helpful hints and tips, to the online viewing of projects completed by other genealogy hobbyists. It can be incredibly helpful to see how other hobbyists display their projects; not only will you see how others manage the large amounts of data that they manage to gather, but there is often a good chance that exposure to projects belonging to others will provide you with clues leading to additional material for your own project.

If you are sold on the idea of having a physical representation of your tree, you could take advantage of the many printing options available with genealogy software. Most of them will allow you to choose from a wide array of customizable themes to ensure that your printed family tree meets your exact specifications.

A family tree is a representation of you and your history. It can, therefore, be anything that you envision \ it to be. From the most basic representation comprising of simple blocks to the most comprehensive digital representation comprising of photographs, documents, and even home videos; your family tree is all about you so it should encompass everything that you wish it to. Be creative and have fun with it!

What Are the Different Examples of Family Trees?

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

I've been climbing my family tree for many years, and I have to tell you that it used to be much harder than it is today - - thanks in part to the many free family tree templates available on the Internet. Once you start entering names in each generation you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much easier it is to keep track of everyone.

Since climbing your family tree (called genealogy) is about connecting one generation to the previous generation (i.e. you to your parents, your parents to their parents) it's critical to make sure each person is entered on the correct branch of the tree.

Family Nature

Although you may think keeping track of everyone is easy, consider this: The number of your direct ancestors doubles with each generation (2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents). And this doesn't even include aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters. By the time you go back 10 generations you have over 1,000 direct ancestors. Keeping all those people straight without having them on a chart or tree template is almost impossible.

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

There are two basic types of charts that you'll want to download.

The first is a pedigree chart. A pedigree chart tracks your family back generation by generation, starting with you.

The second is a family group sheet. This chart contains information about a single family unit (husband, wife, kids).

The pedigree chart is like a wide-angle lens - it gives you the whole picture; a family group sheet is like a zoom lens because it zooms in on one small bit of the tree.

If you own genealogy software you probably already have access to free family tree templates. But if you don't have software you can easily find templates by using your favorite search engine and looking for search phrases such as "family tree templates", "family tree forms", "pedigree chart", or "family group sheet".

Or, you can download these two forms plus lots more for free over at the website for Family Tree Magazine or Family Tree Templates.

Once you really get into climbing the family tree you'll probably want to download even more templates for things like

a research log (keeps track of websites you searched) a correspondence log (keeps track of who you e-mailed for information) cemetery form (write down tombstone inscriptions) scrapbook forms (to make family tree scrapbook pages) circular, bow tie, and hourglass forms (pedigree charts)

One of the best things about getting started in genealogy is having a high level of excitement and anticipation about who and what you'll find. Use templates to record your finds and you'll be on your way to climbing higher and higher up the family tree.

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

Is Mutual Respect Necessary For the Family Environment?

Mutual respect is extremely important for a healthy family and upbringing of children. What exactly is mutual respect? It is not something that comes overnight and can be created in a single day just because you want a perfect family. It should be inculcated from day one. Mutual respect in not something that exists only between married couples. It is present among everyone who is part of the family. It should be part of a person's nature and then only it will automatically reflect in all other relationships the person has. Children, parents, grandparents and spouse all need and deserve respect.

The term respect and the concept of it actually is introduced at a very young age. The sense of respect remains with you for the entirety of your life. If you notice, the secret of any successful relationship is mutual respect. It develops a steady flow of love, support, understanding and friendship between two individuals. It means that two individuals in a relationship have to respect each others feelings and space and thoughts. When there is lack of respect in a relationship, there is anger, cruelty, selfishness and hatred for each other. Even if one person lacks the respect, it is very difficult to carry on with the relationship. Every person feels hurt when their views and feelings are not respected.

Family Nature

In a family environment, the lives of other family members depend on this respect for a cordial and welcoming relationship. Mutual respect is, therefore, very critical for the upbringing of children as well as for leading a healthy marital life.

Is Mutual Respect Necessary For the Family Environment?

Is Mutual Respect Necessary For the Family Environment?

1950s Family Life

When looking back at past eras, the 1950s is looked upon by some as an idyllic time in American history. The nuclear family headed by a male breadwinner was the desired norm and televisions shows such as Father Knows Best and I Love Lucy were popular. However, there was a dark underside during this era. Women were treated like second-class citizens and some were living unhappily married because their financial and educational options were limited.

The media, in collusion with the government, and family sociologists constantly espoused the virtues of family and children and women, who wanted more out of life, were looked upon as freaks of nature. However, some women during 1950s expressed dissatisfaction with their lives and an unarticulated longing for a life beyond their children and husbands. Some of these wives were forced out the workforce after World War II and felt resentment that their only option for financial stability was marriage. This unarticulated longing would lead to a major social upheaval towards the end of the 1950s and would be the beginning of the second-wave feminist movement. This movement caused a shift in family values and altered family structure for future generations to come. The 1950s Family Experiment would be short-lived but fondly remembered.

Family Nature

Several factors lead to the forming of the nuclear family. By the end of the 1940s, the divorce rate dropped sharply; the age of marriage feel to a 100-year low; and the birth rate soared. Women dropped out of the workforce as soon as they become pregnant and some young women had two or more children in diapers at once. Also during this time, the education gap between young middle-class men and women increased and job segregation for working women and men peaked. Limited educational and job opportunities for women made them more dependent on marriage for their financial well-being.

1950s Family Life

Young, newly married couples were encouraged to sever their family ties and put all their emotional and financial eggs in the small basket of the immediate nuclear family. Women were told by experts that all their energies should be used for their husbands and children, not aging parents and other relatives. Psychiatrist Edward Strecker and various colleagues argued American boys were infantilized and emasculated by women who were old-fashioned "moms" instead of modern "mothers".

Modern mothers placed their parents in nursing homes; old-fashioned mothers took their parents in at the expense of their own "important" nuclear family. A modern mother was not supposed to have friends, a job, or anything or anyone that would take attention from her husband and children. She was also supposed to grant early independence to her male child. It is no wonder that many women who believed in this advice and put it into practice ending up abusing alcohol or tranquilizers over the course of the decade.

Women were encouraged to confine themselves to a very narrow definition of "true" womanhood by a variety of sources such as family education specialists and marriage counselors, columns in women's magazines, government pamphlets, and above all television. These experts told women during the 1950s that their greatest role on the planet was to be wives and mothers. The role of a "real" woman was to have no interest in a higher education or a career and women were taught by these experts to pity women who had the nerve to want a life beyond being a wife and mother.

Televisions shows such as Donna Reed, Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It to Beaver, and Father Knows Best showed women how much easier their lives would be if their families were like those families and the I Love Lucy show warned women about the perils of what happened to a woman who wanted a career or if she schemed behind her husband's back (Coontz 38), The mothers on Leave It to Beaver and Ozzie and Harriet were immaculately dressed with pearls around their necks. Their homes were clean and their children never got into trouble. However, on I Love Lucy, Lucy usually looked terrible by the end of the episode. Her hair was at times standing on top of her head and her clothes filthy from her weekly adventure. Women and their families watched these shows and tried their best to emulate the perfect and bright lives shown to them on a weekly basis.

However, towards the end of the 1950s, a dramatic shift occurred. Cultural values changed dramatically and the children of these women found the social immortality of their parents sickening. Many young adults and their mothers would march in the streets to protest against sexism, racism, and militarism. Minorities and women began to receive the civil rights that were rightfully due to them and more and more women entered the workforce, forcing a dynamic shift in childrearing practices. By the 1970s, husbands and wives had begun to share household duties and women were no longer bound to their homes.

The concept of family has changed and sometimes it was for the best, sometimes for the worst. Although women have more rights, divorce is commonplace in our current society and many children live in one-parent households. Women are still discriminated against in American society and some us still do the majority of household work regardless of how many hours we work per week or if we have a house-husband. But we now have opportunities that would not have been imagined fifty-years ago. Children do not have to see their mothers treated like chattel and we almost had a female President of the United States. Nothing remains the same - ever. The constantly changing landscape of the American family owes a lot to the women of the 1950s.

1950s Family Life

Healing Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

People in families usually have patterns of behaving. In our families, we develop routines and rituals and we react to similar things in similar ways each time. For example, it could be that children are expected to get up by themselves for school, make their own breakfast, pack their lunches and walk to school or get the bus while their parents are getting ready to go to work. Or it could be that, whenever the family sits down to eat, the father is the one to talk about his day and, if one of the kids tries to talk, he is shushed or told not to be so selfish and to listen to his father. Or maybe, when a child comes home from school, Mom is there to welcome her with a snack, listening to whatever happened that day.

Each of these habitual patterns of behavior create feelings and beliefs in children. In the first family, maybe one child will feel "everything is up to me; I can't expect anyone to be there for me or help me." Another child might feel free to create her own routine and feel "my parents trust me to do this; they don't limit me." In the second family, one child might become afraid of the father while another becomes angry that he is not allowed to express himself. In the third, one child might feel taken care of and listened to while another feels intruded upon.

Family Nature

Whatever the reaction, it is created by a combination of the parents'/siblings'/relatives' habitual behaviors and the child's interpretation of these behaviors and the beliefs that the child develops as a result of these interpretations. Most parents don't deal with children in consistently positive ways. Many parents actually cause pain in their children and in some families, there is emotional abuse, physical abuse or sexual abuse.

Healing Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

Childhood Family Patterns Create Adult Relationship Patterns

Our childhood family patterns seem to follow us around as we get older, whenever we're in close relationships or in groups. For instance, the main problematic patterns of our childhood often recur when we are part of a couple. The grown child in the first family above may get together with someone who is kind of distant or super-independent and doesn't take her into account when making decisions.

In groups at work or social groups, similar patterns often show up too. For example, in the second family above, the grown child's boss might be authoritarian and everyone is afraid to call him on it.

One thing that seems to be true is that these patterns happen over and over again in one's life. When they are painful patterns, people's relationships are negatively affected and they feel alone or angry or hurt much of the time.

What to Do to Heal Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

One way to look at the recurrence in adult life of painful childhood patterns is to see that they are opportunities to relate to the same patterns in new ways, which transforms the patterns and creates healthier ways of relating. There are various methods and techniques that can transform these patterns.

Process Work Role Play

Process Work is a larger modality, in which role play is one technique. Using this technique, you pick the family member you had the most trouble with as a child. You remember a typical painful event, or a specific painful event. If there's another person there with you (say, a therapist), decide which of you will start out being you and which the "troublesome" person. Each of you speak from that viewpoint, and then you switch roles and speak from the other viewpoint. You try to get as much down to the essence of what was really going on as possible, saying things that are deeply true (even though the actual people never would have admitted these thing nor would they admit them now). If you're alone, you can switch back and forth between the roles yourself, though this is a bit harder.

Creating Therapeutic Stories and EFT

Childhood family patterns often hang on stubbornly and keep showing up in our work lives and adult family relationships. One creative way to begin the transformation to a different pattern is a creative combination of EFT and Process Work. The way this works is to note down in detail the pattern that keeps happening, and the way it affects you. For instance, someone may grow up in a family where the parents left the children to fend for themselves-from a young age, they had to make their own meals, dress themselves and get themselves to school. The way this might have affected one of the children is to become super responsible for his siblings. As an adult, the pattern might repeat itself so that he would find himself living with roommates who rely on him to shop for food, keep the place clean and also find themselves regularly short on money because they are unable to budget, thus leaving him paying for more than his share of the bills. At work, he may find himself a peer of other employees, but doing most of the work with little credit nor adequate remuneration.

Combining EFT and Process Work, we use the pattern of behavior and the way it affects the person to create a metaphorical story-a fairy tale outlining the problem pattern-using fairy tale characters. We use EFT to focus on each part of the story; EFT Tapping helps the story to unfold and it helps a solution to emerge. Using all of what arises, we then translate the story back into the person's current life and explore how the new pattern can be brought into the person's life.

Healing Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

Cancer in Your Family - How to Talk to a Family Member Who Has Been Diagnosed With Leukemia

Having cancer is a life changing event that is extremely difficult to overcome. When one of your children is diagnosed with cancer, it can almost kill you to know that there is not much you can do.

I am a cancer survivor, and I know that is was very hard for my family to see how sick I was. Now my stepdaughter has been diagnosed with leukemia, and it was like being kicked in the stomach when I heard the news. It has just been a few days since we found out, so I am still in shock from it all.

Family Nature

When you are dealing with someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer or any other life-threatening disease, be careful what you say to them. It is so hard to find just the right words, so sometimes it is best not to say too much right away. I was tempted to say something to her about not having to worry, because we would find a way to make it all go away, but I know that is not true. I wanted to tell her that we would go to every hospital and spend as much money as it would take to get her well, but that is not the reality of the situation.

Cancer in Your Family - How to Talk to a Family Member Who Has Been Diagnosed With Leukemia

So for now she knows that her family loves and supports her, and that she will have the choice of what kind of treatment she gets, and which doctors and hospitals she will go to. This gives her the respect that she deserves and the ability to have control over something that she really has no control over at all. That is the least we can do.

Also, we will not start treating her any differently. There will be no meals delivered, laundry done, or offers to baby sit with the children. That would be insulting and insinuate that she is no longer able to care for her own family. She is still working and wants to be independent. That is the word she used when she told us.

My stepdaughter is a nurse, so she knows what to expect. The rest of us will wait to see what she wants to share with us and wait until she asks before offering any help, whether that be emotional or financial in nature. Just knowing that we are there for her, respecting her decisions in all of this, is the most loving way that we can be there for her during this difficult time in her young life.

Cancer in Your Family - How to Talk to a Family Member Who Has Been Diagnosed With Leukemia

Oboe Family

The forerunners of the oboe family can be traced back to Sumerian and Egyptian times. In medieval days the family of instruments known as shawms were double reed instruments very similar in nature to the modern oboe but much simpler and with a much coarser sound.

It was in the 16th & 17th centuries when the oboe as we know it really began to develop. The baroque oboe was, at that time, often referred to as the "hautboys" from the French "haut bois" meaning high-wood. This became corrupted to Hoboy and from this the modern name of oboe evolved.

Family Nature

The early oboes first developed some simple mechanisms with just three keys added for the little fingers. This was developed further into, first, the seven-keyed and then the ten-keyed instrument of Guillaume Triebert in the early 19th century. The mechanism of the oboe continued to develop through the input of such makers as Boehm, Barret and others. Since that time the instruments have gradually acquired more and more keys with most players today using what is usually referred to as a full Gillet system.

Oboe Family

In addition to the oboe itself, there are 3 larger instruments in the oboe family, the Oboe D'Amore, Cor Anglais and Bass Oboe. All are transposing instruments and have their origins in instruments of the 16th & 17th centuries.

The Oboe D'Amore (alto oboe in A) was widely used in the time of J.S. Bach and it is in the performance of his works that we usually encounter this member of the oboe family today.

The Cor Anglais or English Horn (tenor oboe in F) developed from an instrument called the Oboe di Caccia. The origin of the name English Horn is a bit of a puzzle as the instrument is neither English, nor is it a horn. We find this instrument especially in orchestral writing right through from Baroque times to the present day.

The Bass Oboe (in C, transposing an octave) is the lowest of the oboe family and is derived from an early double-reed instrument called the Heckelphone. The Bass Oboe is rarely used but does crop up in scores by Richard Strauss and in Holst's famous piece, "The Planets".

The oboe family is closely related to that of the bassoon which has a similar, but much larger, double reed. Both instruments also have a conical bore. The sound of oboes and bassoons playing together is a particularly satisfying one with the sounds blending so naturally.

The oboe sound is one of the most distinctive of all the orchestral instruments. It is a sound quality which is consistent throughout the whole of the oboe family of instruments although the lower instruments have a slightly more mellow sound than the oboe itself.

Oboe Family