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When you’re a parent it’s a difficult decision to know whether to send your child to daycare or not. We have provided many of the pros and cons of sending your child to daycare for your consideration. In our opinion, nothing replaces the day-to-day interaction that you can provide with your child. We also believe that some interaction with other children either through occasional daycare, part-time, or through play-groups and other educational learning programs are invaluable. We also recognize that Mom or Dad also needs to have a break and occasional daycare can provide that for them. What we don’t believe in is a baby or toddler being in someone else’s care for eight hours or more a day everyday! That’s not fair to your child. So with all that in mind, please consider the pros and cons listed below. And may you make the right decision for your children and yourself.

UPSIDE of Daycare:

· Always more than one person available to watch, care for, supervise, and feed your child

· Interaction with other children

· Develop social skills at an early age

· Kid’s days are pretty much scheduled, routine, and consistent

· Daycare centers don’t call in sick

· Kids receive a lot of mental stimulation

· Your house stays neater (although my son can make a mess in minutes)

· The kids enjoy the change of scenery and toys

· Cost is less than for a nanny

· English-as-second-language kids have more exposure to English

DOWNSIDES of Daycare:

· Nighttime baths vs. possibly every other day

· Laying out their clothes

· Packing nutritious lunches vs. fast food snacks

· Morning rush to get out of the house on time

· Allow extra time to make the stop and drop-off

· Your child screaming, “Mommy don’t go!!”

· The guilt and bad feelings because you’re leaving them behind

· Less one-on-one attention from caregivers

· Potential personality conflicts at the center between parents and staff

· Potential personality conflicts between the children

· Ethics taught are the centers or the caregiver

· Values taught are the centers or the caregiver

· Possibly no ethics or values taught at all

· Political influences are those at the center/school

· Less bonding between parent and child

· Child learns early on that you won’t be there for them when they need you

· You don’t get to see and experience all the “firsts” that your child goes through

· You can NEVER recapture those things you miss

· When your child has a boo-boo you’re not there to make it better

· When your child is excited about what she/he has learned, you’re not there at the moment they want to share it with you

· When they’re not feeling well you leave them to someone else to care for them

· When they’re sick no one will baby them like you will

· More exposure to health issues: ringworm, lice, and colds/flues

· You’re not there to kiss away their tears

· You’re not there to waylay their fears

· You’re not there to set their wild ideas back on track

· No opportunity to have a spontaneous day

· No time to do “nothing at all” together

· To experience the joy of holding and watching your child sleep for hours (hopefully)

· You’re not there to teach them to climb a tree

· To explore the bugs and insects

· To plant a seed and watch it grow

· Playing “what do you see in the clouds”

· Less time to go to the beach, woods, hiking, swimming, biking, skating, etc.

· No time to just “play”

· To be your kid’s playmate

· To experience getting to be a kid all over again with your child

· Seeing and experiencing life through the eyes of your child

· No time to make pancakes in the morning

· No time to bake real cookies

· Not there to put a band aid on the invisible oweee

· Not get to see your child’s imagination develop

· Not get to see their personal development as much as you could

· Don’t get to see them beaming with pride at their BIG accomplishments

· Infants and toddlers spending 6-8-10 hours a day away from Mom or Dad

· The cost of daycare is an added expense: financial and emotional

When you work, at the end of your day, you just won’t have the energy, patience or the time to spend with your child in the manner you should or would like to. Your job becomes the first priority and the child the second. They get what’s left over if there is anything left to get. How do you like it when you are second fiddle to someone you care about and love?

Parents say, “Oh, they don’t mind. He likes the babysitter a lot. He’d rather I went to work.” That may be true, but chances are he’s never experienced having you at home full-time to know what that is like. There can’t be a comparison! Children so love unconditionally, they will put up with even the worst of circumstances and still love their parents. Because children only want to be loved, cared for and valued themselves.

Ask yourself this question: “If you chose to continue working when you have a choice not to, why did you have the children if you didn’t want to raise them yourself? I know some people truly don’t have a choice. But many choose to continue working even though they could make do on one salary or move to an area where they could manage financially. Our society has become so accustomed to having two incomes; we no longer think we have a choice not to work. Imagine this, in one year; if you spent five dollars less per day you will save $1825. That’s one less cup of special coffee per day. If you spend ten dollars less per day, you will save $3650 per year. How much do you spend per day on lunches in your family? A large delivered pizza can easily run close to $20. One fast food meal for a family of four could easily be close to $25 or more. Where could you save money? The question is, are you willing to for the sake of your kids?

Add up all the possible costs of day care and compare to the costs and benefits of working. The most important cost of all to consider is that special time spent with your children. What is the cost to them? In a recent interview of Jane Fonda with 60 Minutes’, Lesley Stahl, Fonda said, “I was not a good mother. And then, you end up paying for it later.”

According to 60 Minutes, Jane created a school program to persuade teenage girls not to get pregnant, and to teach girls who are pregnant how to be better mothers. She created this program because of the mistakes she’s made in her own life, and because of the mistakes her parents made raising her.

“If you don’t have a parent or an adult, a teacher or a mentor … really see you, really love you, ‘Yes, there are things you do I don’t like, but you’re fantastic, you’re good enough. I love you.’ If that never happens to a child, the child assumes it’s her fault and tries to compensate for it,” says Fonda.

Don’t make the mistakes you have experienced or you have seen others experience just because you don’t look far enough ahead. Look at the bigger picture, look ahead ten years or so and imagine what life will be like with your children later on.

I say this, “If you don’t have time for your children when they’re young, they won’t have time for you when you’re old.”

Copyright 2005 Eln Albert Best known for her expertise in Interpersonal Communications, Eln Albert works with those that want to be at their best when influencing others. Eln is a Professional Speaker and Author. For more information on how to be the best influencer as a parent or a boss go to http://www.ElnAlbert.com Check out other articles by Ms. Albert and subscribe to get her free “The Magic of Influence” e-newsletter. In addition, she also offers free teleseminars and free team building exercises. You have permission to publish these articles electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the signature box is included. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eln_Albert

During a tough economy people do not spend as much on photography. In fact, when families sit down to decide what expenditures are discretionary; photography services are often the first ones to hit the ax. This puts great pressure for photographers to find some income streams to tide them over until business begins to pick up again. Performing editing work for other photographers is one way to increase their revenue streams. Some tips on how to do this are as follows:

1. Make your backend processing as efficient as possible. Unlike being the photographer who goes out and takes pictures of high end clients, the profit margins on editing are based less on artistic training and reputation and more on efficiency. One of the positive off shoots of taking the route of survival in the photography business is when the economy does turn around and your usual clients start purchasing again, your editing will be much more efficient and you will be better prepared to take advantage of the market upswing.

2. Identify photographers who do work that are similar to yours. You likely have a very distinctive artistic style. While that style might not come out in routine work such as photo selection and color correction, it will come out when other photographers ask you to design books or prepare 20 top notch images for their client. You may have the ability to adapt to different styles. That’s great if you do. However, you will likely be more efficient and enjoy your work more if you are working in a style that is close to your natural. It is also easier to convince other photographers to outsource the work to you when you can show them how similar your work is to theirs.

3. Create a list of photographers you know who may have excess work and approach these people about performing their editing work. Photographers who for personal or professional reasons - a new baby, marriage, new business, expanded and successful marketing effort etc., have excess work. Approach them a portfolio and your availability and pricing information. 

While doing editing for others may not be your dream job, it can help you weather tough economic times while fine tuning a skill which will contribute to the satisfaction of your own clients when they begin spending again.

Vanessa has an extensive photographers knowledge of many Orange County Wedding locations such as locations in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, tustin and San Diego. She instructs Newport Beach Photographers in techniques and shoots many Laguna Beach Weddings. Vanessa is a Orange County Wedding Photographer who works with a number of Laguna Beach Photographers Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_Honda

Landscaping around your pond is a something that you can accomplish with your entire family. Ponds can help to add beauty and interest to any backyard, no matter what size yard that you have. You can easily find a pond that will fit the size and feel of your yard. Landscaping around your pond is easy and fun to do. If you need a place to rest and relax, then you can add fish and plants to your pond area to make it into the refuge that you need and want.

Pond Planning

When starting your pond planning, you may want to consider purchasing one of the many pond kits that contains everything that you will need to install your pond or you can decide to create your own pond that meets your specific needs and purchase the supplies on your own. You need to keep in mind certain things before you begin digging your pond. Finding the right location for your pond is the most important part of planning.

You need to choose a site for your pond that gets at least four to six hours of sunlight each day. Water plants usually need full sun to thrive, so keep that in mind. To eliminate leaves and debris from your pond, you may want to place the pond away from trees. You also want to stay away from electrical sources for obvious reasons.

Viewing Your Pond

When you are trying to find the right place for your pond, make sure that you choose a place where you can enjoy it from inside of your home, too. This will give you a focal point that you can enjoy even when the outside weather is not conducive to being outside.

The Shape of Your Pond

There are many different shapes that you can consider for your pond landscaping design. You will want to ensure that it fits your space and your desires to increase your satisfaction. If you want a formal landscaping area, then a square or rectangle shaped area is best. A more casual, informal styled pond would include more unusual and curved shapes in its design.

Landscaping Around Your Pond

After you have installed your pond, then you want to consider how you are going to landscape around it. The landscaping around the pond will be dependent upon your personal tastes and desires, but there are many different ways that you can landscape it. You will find that there are many different landscaping ideas for this area, including brick, stone, or even flowers.

Finishing Touches

Adding fish and plants to your pond can help to increase that relaxing feel that you want. It is important that you add these things carefully though, because your fish will reproduce and your water plants will grow. If you don’t consider that now, then your pond could quickly become overloaded.

This project may take you quite a bit of effort and time, but you will find that it is well worth the effort. Your pond and landscaping will be a place that you will enjoy for many years to come.

Andrew Caxton is the author of many articles on different web publications, with subjects like lawn care published online for http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com A website with tips on landscaping Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Caxton