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Research Confirms the “Parenting Happiness Gap”

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There has been debate over which group of people are happier: parents, or people who do not have children. In general, this argument relies on individual people’s perceptions based on their own experiences. Research has confirmed that the “parenting happiness gap” exists. The correlating factors that make parents less happy than non-parents has a lot to do with where the parents live. The “parenting happiness gap” is a phrase that sums up a reality that may surprise some people. No matter what country you live in, or what stage of life you may be at, people who do not have … Continue reading →

Help for Families in the “Diaper Gap”

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Families with newborns quickly learn that diapers are expensive. Many families struggle to be able to afford enough diapers for their babies. This leads to difficult choices like whether to spend money on food, diapers, or utility bills. The Obama administration has a plan that utilizes technology to help solve this problem. Nearly one in three Americans cannot afford to purchase enough diapers for their babies. In some cases, parents cope by stretching the length of time between diaper changes. This can lead to serious health problems for babies and parents. Babies can end up with urinary tract or staph … Continue reading →

Insurance Blog Week in Review – January 1-7, 2012

Things move pretty quickly on the Insurance Blog. There is the potential that you may have missed something that you would have liked to read. The Insurance Blog Week in Review is designed to give you a quick view of everything that was added there this week. It is an easy way to catch up! Americans With Health Insurance are Less Likely to Smoke A Gallup poll finds that Americans who have health insurance coverage are more likely to have healthier habits and are less likely to smoke than are Americans who don’t have health insurance. But, why is this … Continue reading →

Gaps in Health Insurance Coverage Halt Preventative Care

Many of us have experienced a time when we were “between” coverage for health insurance. The prevailing assumption is that people can “catch up” on the health care they missed once their new insurance policy kicks in. A new study shows that this belief is not a realistic one. There are plenty of reasons why a person can fall into a gap between having health insurance coverage. The majority of people who can afford health insurance are getting it through their employer. If you change jobs, then you lose your health insurance. You might not be able to get coverage … Continue reading →

This Could Be the Year the Money Runs Out

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Last year, President Barack Obama created a fund that was to be used to help subsidize the cost of health care for retired people who did not yet qualify for Medicare. The idea was that this fund would be there until 2014, when a national system of health care was set up. However, it looks as though this money could completely run out before the end of this year, 2011. Right now, the federal government is paying 80% of the insurance costs for retirees who are between the ages of 55 and 65. One must be at least 65 years … Continue reading →

Black Friday Started Early This Year

Can’t wait for the Black Friday sales? Neither can many retail stores. Some are so anxious to have crowds of shoppers visit them that they have started their Black Friday sales today, on Thanksgiving. I cannot help but wonder if this early start will become the new way to do Black Friday sales. Here is a quick overview of what stores started early, on Thanksgiving 2010. According to the Huffington Post a few of the major retailers started their Black Friday deals early last Thanksgiving as well. I think this has the potential to make some shoppers anxious. You end … Continue reading →

The Gap Year

Instead of going straight from school to college or opting not to go to college but into a trade, a gap year can also be a good choice. This is where the young person goes to another country and works. It not only gives them a chance to travel and see another culture but it helps give them some idea of what they want to do before they go to college or university. It helps broaden their outlook and helps them grow up. Some young people I know have gone to schools where they have become a teacher’s aide, or … Continue reading →

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Thrift Store Bargains

Is the Christmas music still playing in your home or have you already moved on from the holidays? I’ve been encountering a little bit of both in the past two days. There is a desire both too hold on to Christmas as it has come too quickly, and a desire to prepare for the new year. One way that folks are moving on and preparing for the new year is by getting all of their last donations in before the calendar hits 1/1. This way, everything can be taken off of taxes for the year. This is true not only … Continue reading →

Hot and Spicy Singapore Rice Noodles with Shrimp

In keeping in the Olympic spirit I have been sharing recipes for some popular Chinese dishes. The local Chinese restaurant in my (very small) town came up with the clever idea of passing out recipes to patrons who dine at their eatery during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Last week my friends took me out for Chinese food to celebrate my birthday and we left the restaurant with a folder full of recipes. Some of them were for familiar dishes and others were for ones that we had never sampled until that night, such as the one below. According to … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Month in Review: July 2008

Two of my three children are summer babies. That is, they were born in the summer and had their first months surrounded by sunshine streaming in the windows, the sound of birds chirping, and days spent wearing nothing but a diaper and a “onsie.” I made sure that they had Fourth of July outfits ready, even though one of them arrived a week after the holiday. I guess he just wasn’t interested in the parade. Do you have a summer baby, too? We had a lot of new information to share this past month, such as recall notices and new … Continue reading →