Encourage Your Kids To Want More

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So your children are getting to that age now where they are being asked about what they want to do when they're older. Yes, they grow up so soon! But don't panic, they're not quite there yet. You still have time to fill them up with your own personal knowledge and wisdom before they venture out into the big wide world and find their own.

Here's how you can do just that.

Encourage them to study hard.

It's important to let your children know the reason they should study so hard. It's no good just saying "It's for the future!" - They know that already. Their teachers probably say it to them every three minutes, so much so that it becomes meaningless. If you want your child to study harder - tell them why. Explain to them the pros and cons, and what can and can't happen if you get a good education under your belt. Most children won't respond well to you getting frustrated with them - it'll just make them close themselves off even more. They're growing up now, so speak to them like the 'almost adult' they think they are, and you can expect a whole different response.

Encourage them to get a part-time job.

They have to start somewhere, and one of the easiest and most popular lines of work to get into is catering. Whether that be someone working in the kitchen cleaning up dirty dishes, or on the other side waiting on guests, taking their orders, and making sure they're happy. You can find basic tips for applying to work at Red Lobster and application information found here. They don't have to want a career as a waiter or waitress, but just getting out there and having to work, and then to see money in their hand at the end of the night will install a drive in them that any parent wants their children to have. It's telling them - look what you get if you work hard - see how it pays off? Remind them that they can find something that pays well, that they actually love waking up early for - if they train hard enough.

Encourage them to make the most of every opportunity.

Teach your children the importance of taking every opportunity they get. This can mean anything from a job, work experience, or even a trip away. The more knowledge and life lessons they get to have, the more they will grow as a person and have a better understanding of who they are and what they want. It's no good putting the pressure on them to make a decision now - while it's good for them to think about their future - you don't want to put fear into them about how the next chapters of their life are going to go. They grow up so fast, so enjoy it while they're young. Have fun with them. Take them away to different places, and share new experiences together as a family before they’re ‘too old’ for that.

Brillo To The Rescue On Production Day

  I like to do all my cooking for my website one day a week. I call this day production and usually, I am making two or more recipes so my kitchen can get quite messy. That is fine by me as I would rather make one big mess one day a week and get all my pictures out of the way, freeing my time up for other things. This week, I chose Saturday for production day and I had four recipes to create. I know it is best to clean up as I go but I find it easier to clean at the end. The above picture shows just some of the dishes that I used today.  The picture is not the best as my kitchen has awful lighting. The only window in the kitchen is by the table and is far away from my sink. When we built the house, 20 years ago I had no idea that I would be taking pictures of my cooking. So for now, all my pictures happen in the office which has the best natural night.

        Sponsor Post: I received cleaning items from Brillo to help facilitate this post.

  I may not have the best light in my kitchen but I do have the right tools that I need to create all my recipes. I also have some fantastic items to help me clean up the mess. I just love using sponges and Brillo pads to conquer my mess after a busy long day of cooking. I find sponges so much easier to use than paper towels and dishcloths. They seem to scrub better and I love how they dry faster.

Brillo Estracell Sponges are made from a polyester-type material which rinses cleaner and dries faster. The unique cell structure eliminates the breeding conditions for bacterial growth, unlike traditional cellulose sponges. These qualities make Estracell more sanitary.

 I love using Brillo Steel Wool Soap Pads on the baked on mess on my dishes. I did not have any of those dishes today but when I make egg or pasta dishes, the Brillo Pad gets all the gunk off. My husband loves to bring the steel wool pads camping with him as he uses them to get his grill clean.

 The blue sponges pictured above are the Brillo Estracell No Scratch Scrub Sponge with Wedge Edge. These sponges are great to use on my non-stick cookware and they also do a great job on my counter tops. I have granite counter tops and when I use flour, as I did today for bread making, they can be difficult to clean. The flour just sticks to my counter and a dishcloth does not get it off. The  Brillo Estracell sponge scrubs the grime off without scratching my granite.

The Wedge Edge reaches deeper into those tough areas with its unique shape to clean cracks and crevices on countertops.

I could go on about all the wonderful things that Brillo Sponges and Pads can clean but I have a dirty kitchen to clean. So go to http://www.brillo.com and find out more about these Brillo Products and more.

Healthy Patriotic Drinks For The 4th of July

Looking for some healthy drinks for your 4th of July party?

 The 4th of July is a perfect time for a summer get together with family and friends. The weather is perfect for an outdoor meal. Do you like to barbecue in the summer? Most people put a lot of planning into the meal but forget about the drinks. This year, I have some festive drink ideas for your get together and the best part is they are healthy low-calorie drinks. These drinks combine my family’s favorite low-calorie natural drinks.

Patriotic Punch
For this fun concoction, start with Cascade Ice Blueberry Watermelon sparkling water. Next, muddle strawberries and blueberries just a bit to release the flavor and serve over ice. If you want to make it an adult beverage, add a splash sparkling wine. Garnish with strawberries and blueberries and get ready to watch some fireworks!

Red, White & Mixed Berry
 For this yummy drink, start with Cascade Ice Mixed Berry sparkling water over ice. Add some frozen raspberries to enhance the flavor and keep your drink cold. Garnish the glass with some fresh mint for the perfect touch and serve!

Fresh Firecracker
Take two parts Cascade Ice Lemonade sparkling water and add in one part club soda. Stir well and serve over ice in a cold glass. Decorate the rim of the glass with sugar crystals, or add in a rock-candy pop for the kids for a festive look!

Cascade Ice Sparkling Waters are not only low calorie, but they are made with natural ingredients too. The above drinks just use a couple of the many different flavors of Cascade Ice Sparkling Water. The selection of different flavors is amazing. These delicious drinks taste great by themselves also. So this 4th serve some festive patriotic low-calorie drinks at your summer barbecue.