It almost sounds too good to be true, work-at-home while at the same time taking care of your small children? While you've daydreamed about this, you never really thought it was something you could actually do.

I started working at home for this very reason. I didn't want to have to put my baby in daycare. Fortunately, I found a business as a writer where I could do just that. However, not all home businesses are as compatible.

Here are 3 ways to make working at home with the kids around work for you.

1) Find a business you will LOVE running and will be possible with the kids around.

Sure, you might be able to get a job as a telephone order person for LL Bean from home. The only problem is your 5 month old may not agree.

Your first assignment is to figure out what exactly are your priorities. They could be anywhere from not wanting your kids in a daycare for 12 hours a day to wanting to raise your children yourself.

2) Daycare

There are days where I say to myself, "Liz, you could sure get a whole lot done if you didn't have your kids around the house all day long." However, that's why I'm here in the first place. My goal has always been to be here for my kids. So I work around their schedule.

It maybe totally different for you. A good friend of mine is a word processor. There is no way she could get the amount of work done that she does if she was having to watch her children all day long too. So she has someone come into her house to watch over her children.

You have so many options to make your home business work: full time or part-time daycare; a live-in nanny; someone that just comes into your home a few hours a day; bartering childcare with other work-at-home moms; getting your relatives to watch your kids jut a few days a week; hiring a 12 year old (they love playing with younger kids) to watch your kids just an hour or two a day. You have so many options, which one will work best for you?

3) Be creative

There are times when you have an important phone call and those charming children of yours are around -- what do you do? As that cute little show, Blue's Clues says, "It's time for the thinking chair."

A) Just don't answer the phone. Is it best that you talk to them with a screaming kid in the background or to call them back when things quiet down?

B) Get little Johnny his own little play phone/computer/desk. Kids love to pretend they are just like Mom and Dad. So play on that little factor. If you want, pull out the play phone, etc., only when you really need it.

C) Bribe them. I know, I can't believe I'm telling you this either. But I'll admit there have been times when I may have been on a phone call and raided the freezer for an ice cream bar for my girls. I may have even been known to give them a couple bars if it was a really long conversation.

D) One-on-one time. How many times have you said, "Just one more minute". I've said it way too many times. But those times that I've gone and taken a walk with my girls, had a tea party or played Playmobile... those have become wonderful memories; and when I'm done, they're more than happy to go off and play by themselves for awhile.

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About the Author

Liz Folger is the founder of http://www.bizymoms.com. Bizymoms.com is the leading online resource for work-from-home ideas. The site offers home-based business start-up kits, online classes, e-books, chats and enthusiastic support for moms who want to have it all - a family and a career. Visit http://www.bizymoms.com for more information.

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It was one of the most anticipated vacations ever. I had spent over 8 months researching and planning our Disney World vacaction down to the last detail. My 3-year old daughter had already given up napping, was potty trained, extremely adventurous, and was used to spending the occassional night away from home. All we needed was good weather and we were going to have a great time exploring the Disney parks togethernot!

She spent the first 3 days of the trip clinging to my leg and whining non-stop. She was afraid of many of the tame attractions. And what did she want to do more than anything? Swim. We had flown 1,000 miles to swim!

After speaking to a lot of other parents, my storys not unusual. So, whats the moral here? Well, its not dont take your toddler to Disney World. Because despite a rocky start, we had a great time. And you can too, with a few helpful strageies:

Leave your expectations at home. Every child is going to react differently to a Disney World vacation. If your child has not traveled much, being away from their familiar surroundings is completely overwhelming, even in a child-friendly place like Disney World. Your hope of spending long days in the parks hitting all the rides wont work with a child who is tired, hot, and out of sorts. Having a go with the flow attitude will serve everyone in your group much better.

Move at a more leisurely pace. Disney World is one of those vacations where you can come home feeling more tired than when you left. Youre up early to go the parks, walking all day, rushing to get to dinner reservations on time This type of pace is more than most toddlers who are away from home can bear. Plan a morning or two to sleep in. And dont try to see everythingchoose the top five attractions youd like to see at each park and see them first. Anything else you get to experience in addition is gravy.

Take a break from the parks every day for swimming and naps. Not only does it give your toddler a great time swimming and some much needed rest, its also a good strategy for dealing with the Florida heat. Get to the parks when they open, tour until noon or 1:00, head back to your hotel for a break, then hit the parks again around 4:00 or 5:00.

Stay in a Disney resort. In addition to their superior theming and service, the Disney resorts provide the best locations for easy commuting to and from the parks. Youll also find large swimming pools (some spectacularly themed), kiddie pools, playgrounds, and on-site laundry facilities. Several of the Disney resorts also have child care centers if youd like to have a grown-up night out.

Take advantage of what Disney World offers beyond the park attractions. Most of the Disney World resorts have facilities for boating and bike riding, in addition to elaborate swimming pools. Visit Downtown Disney to shop for kids of all ages. Go miniature golfing. Even inside the parks, theres much more to do than wait in lines for attractions. Watch the afternoon parade, take in the evening fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot or Disney-MGM Studios, or take in the live entertainment throughout the parks.

Go to a character meal. Disney World has almost a dozen different character meals where you can meet your favorite Disney characters as you dine. If your child is afraid of the characters, try going to a character meal with the face characters like the Disney princesses, which dont wear the large head masks that frighten many little ones.

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Toddlers are adults in the making, let's not forget that they are people too.

Its humorous and sad at the same time that our childs first word learned is usually no. I started to wonder myself if I knew any other word besides no when it came to talking to my child. I dont recall ever hearing stories of children needing therapy because all they heard is no as a child. So lets not feel so bad about having to say no a lot during those crucial curious years.
Toddlers are mini adults in the making, what a wonderful time to start molding them. Why not start teaching them about making choices and decisions? Instead of always saying no, maybe we need to explain to them the consequences of their actions, or maybe let them do something you normally wouldnt let them do. Of course as long as its nothing that could harm them or someone else. Instead of saying no, dont touch that candle, what if we said that candle is very hot, you could burn yourself, you dont want to hurt yourself do you? What if you said yes to finger painting instead of worrying about them getting messy, isnt that the fun of finger painting to begin with?
I have found that allowing my toddlers a little more freedom with decision making, they are more likely to clean up after they make a mess, or brush their teeth when its bed time. Toddlers are people too; they like to be able to choose what they will wear, what they will eat, and what they will play. If we are always saying no to our children, then our children want to always say no to us.
Let your toddler feel important, let them have a voice and let them become the adult they will one day be.

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Every year, a staggering number of children suffer horrific injuries from a dog attack. What is even more frightening, is that in many cases, the dog is known to the child.

Dogs are pack animals, where each dog understands its place in the hierarchy. Safe dogs are dogs that have been brought up to think that all humans, down to the smallest child, are above them in the hierarchy. Unfortunately, many dogs consider that children or adults that are not from their "family pack" are lower than them in the hierarchy and they consequently think they have permission to bite if the child or person does something that they don't like.

As we don't know how a dog is going to react to unfamiliar children or people, it is best to assume they may be nervous or defensive. As parents, we need to teach our children to behave appropriately around all dogs.

Children instinctively believe that a dog wagging its tail is friendly and can therefore be approached. However, no dog should be touched by a child without the owner's permission. A dog that has had little exposure to children could be nervous or afraid. If it is tied up or restrained in some way and is unable to "escape" from a fearful situation, the dog may bite out of fear. Likewise, encouraging children to "make friends" with it could also provoke the same reaction.

Never allow your child to approach or touch an unknown dog while it is eating, especially if it is eating a bone as this brings out the wolf in almost any dog. While children love to play with a dog, encourage them to be quiet and still around strange dogs. Noise and activity may provoke the dog to jump up at them.

Because of the dog's pack instinct, children should always try to stay "higher" physically than a dog to keep themselves in a dominant position. They shouldn't be encouraged to lie on the ground and let a dog jump all over them in rough and tumble play - even a little puppy. Supervise your children around strange dogs, even dogs you know quite well, as children are little balls of energy that can either over stimulate or frighten some dogs.

Dogs are fantastic animals and make great pets but they still have the ability to defend themselves or their family if they feel threatened. We need to be aware of this and treat them accordingly for the dog's well being and the safety of our children.

About the Author

Deborah Taylor has been an advisor on animal welfare matters for five years and has a blog on dog behavior training and related information.

There are myriad things that you can fancy with your child so many things in fact, that unless you will be living for a few days, you won't need time to do them all. Disneyland was designed for kids of all ages and toddlers are no exception!

Begin with Toon Town. Here is where you will find your toddler's favorite Disney Characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse. All of the Characters have homes in Toon Town, full of things that desire amaze your toddler, and make them guffaw.

Your toddler will absolutely enjoy the Disneyland Railroad. This is a great way to get about the parkland, because there are stations in New Orleans Square, Toon Town, Tomorrowland, and on Main Street. This will amuse your toddler, and give you a chance to see various sights and repose a bit.

Its A Small World is very proper for toddlers. Music and colors will have your child fascinated while you relish a relaxing ride across the water. The Storybook Land Canal Boats is additional good choice, as it will take you through the miniature villages that your child liking be quite well-known with from their story books.

Rides that you and your toddler must not miss comprise all of the rides in Fantasyland, King Arthur's Carousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Circus Train, and the Mad Tea Party. Rides that are apt for youngsters, but that may cause a little fear are the rides that are dark. These include Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring Trip, Alice in Wonderland, and Snow White's Scary Adventure. Buzz Lightyear is a popular ride for all toddlers.

There are other areas of the parkland that have attractions and rides that are becoming for toddlers. Remember that Disneyland is a place for kids of all ages. Pay attention to the level and age requirements for each attraction, and avoid engaging your toddler to rides that they will not be able to enjoy. This will only cause your child disappointment.

Stick to the areas where the toddler appropriate attractions are located as much as possible. As an adult, you realize that sundry rides are merely not unharmed for small people, but your small person will not comprehend this! Your Disneyland vacation have to be satisfying for everyone, and Disneyland has made sure that there is another thing for everyone at the parkland.

It is up to you to keep your child happy, and to keep them curious in the rides and attractions that they are meant to enjoy.

About the Author:

Chris Elliott is a toys expert who owns Child Toy Info, Dog Toy Secrets and Educational Toy Secrets.

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