Teaching Kids about Money

Money and finances is a serious issue, one that we need to teach our children about.  I think about how to instill financial values a lot, especially as my kids are getting to the age where they will be managing their own money soon.  I recently wrote an eBook, Cutting Through Money Clutter: A Guide to Managing your God-given Resources and I included my thoughts on teaching our kids about money.  Here is an excerpt:

1. Be respectful. Two years ago our boys were scared that they were not going to get any
large electronic presents at Christmas. That is because they had not been doing a good job
of showing respect for the things they do own. It came to a head when my hubby found
the plugs to the DVD system in our van soaking in a cup of soda in the backseat. We
reminded them of how much money the DVD system cost by explaining how many hours
their dad had to work to buy it – lessons like this make sense to children who are still
thinking in the concrete phase. We do not automatically replace items when they are
broken because of misuse or lack of respect for the item. We feel they need to learn that
money is valuable and therefore the things you spend your money on have value and
need to be respected.
2. Be thankful. Another thing that it is important for kids to grasp is that the money does
not belong to us in the first place. Everything we have is a gift from our Heavenly Father
and needs to be treated as such. Therefore, tithing has been a concept they have
understood from a young age, as well as giving to those less fortunate. Having an attitude
of gratitude is a must in this house, or the purchases {for wants, versus needs} will cease
until thankfulness reappears!
3. Be content. We are blessed financially. However, recently the influx of medical bills
from my condition has affected our discretionary income. Our boys are old enough to
understand the relationship between increased expenditures and decreased extras. This
teaches them the value of being content with what they have and prioritizing whether
they want the name brand pair of shoes or a less expensive pair and extra money to go to
the movies. Even from a young age, children can be taught that contentment should not
be dependent on what you can afford but what you have that you cannot put a price on –
family, time, health, etc.

I recently found out about a prepaid card from American Express.  I immediately thought of what a great tool a card like this can be in teaching the concepts of budgeting to my teens.  Two years ago we began giving our boys a certain amount of money and letting them do their back to school shopping on their own.

We start by going through their clothes and donating what doesn’t fit anymore.  Then I assist them in making a list of what they will need for the upcoming school year.  My husband and I decide on a figure, based on what each kid needs and then they get that amount of cash in an envelope.  It is amazing how well they prioritize needs versus wants when they are holding the money in their own hands.

This prepaid card from American Express would be a great tool for this type of budgeting exercise.  I could load the amount of money allotted for their shopping and they could use the card.  This would help them keep track of transactions, handle receipts and much more.  Because the card is prepaid with a certain amount of money, my kids can learn how to use a card without fear of overdraft charges or their credit being negatively impacted.

This card offers benefits as well, including fraud protection.  The card can also be used more than once, you can load the card from your computer or your phone.  There is also an online feature where you can view transactions, etc.  This can help your kids learn about online banking.

All in all, I think this card is a great tool for teaching kids about handling money.  My son that is headed to basic training in October will be leaving with one of these cards so that my husband and I can load it as needed while he is gone.

How do you teach your kids about money?

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of American Express and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

MTV Cancels Raunchy Show

If anyone ever says that public outcry and bad press doesn’t have an effect I want you to laugh, shake your head, and tell them about the MTV show “Skins.” This raunchy show not fit for anyone – let alone the teenage audience it was aimed at – won’t be making an encore appearance this season.

When the show first aired I brought you coverage of this sex, alcohol and drug filled show aimed to show what “real” teen lives are like. This show was so distasteful that it immediately began receiving criticism and complaints. Part of the problem is that it was aimed at 13-18 year olds and depicted activities illegal for 13-18 year olds; not to mention the activity that is illegal for people of all ages. And oh yeah, let’s not forget the underage cast members depicting these activities they are not legally allowed to do in real life.

I, personally, think the problem began when they decided a show that is a “hit” in the UK would be a good idea for the US. Anyone that has paid any attention to the culture of the UK knows that words like “morals” and “values” have little meaning there. The loose sexual culture of the UK is well documented and hardly disputable.

But there is still a core majority in the US that care about morals and values. So when smut peddlers like MTV try airing garbage like “Skins” that portrays marginalized teenage behavior while telling us it’s normal, average teenage behavior, you can bet there will be a backlash.

The writing on the wall was there for “Skins” when a host of major advertisers began pulling their support for the show. Advertisers know that if you upset the consumer by what you support they will shop somewhere else (Considering the bad press Taco Bell and GM have had recently it’s no surprise they dropped their support of the show).

A rep with the Parents Television Council – the organization that blew the whistle on “Skins” commented on the shows’ demise:

“I’m not sure if it comes as much of a surprise, but it’s a message for MTV and other cable networks that there are some lines that aren’t meant to be crossed. Life would be easier if MTV and other networks would take the concerns of parents and families seriously before even beginning production on something like this.”

It’s good to know that people still care what is put on television. I hope more parents will pay attention to what their kids are watching and take a stand against shows that will serve to demoralize and undercut family values.

I also hope MTV will pay attention to the shows and movies that are seeing broad spectrum support in America: family shows and movies. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you want to have long-term success you need to keep it clean and fun for the whole family.

Hopefully the music isn’t too loud over there at MTV to hear the message.

Nathan A. Cherry lives in Bunker Hill with his wife and two children. He is a contributing blogger for the Family Policy Council of West Virginia as well as Eastern Panhandle Moms. Nathan is the Connection Pastor at New Hope Church in Inwood West Virginia where he serves to connect folks into places of service both within the church and in the community.

Groupon Deal-Fun at Summit Point Raceway

My boys love to ride go-karts!  We even used to own one before we moved into a neighborhood. Groupon has an awesome deal for Summit Point Raceway today.  They offer a half-day go kart camp for kids where they teach safety skills and driving basics on a professional track.  Sounds like so much fun.  AND, the Groupon rate is 50% off the normal price so your child can attend this camp for just $75.  Click on the Groupon box above for this and more local deals!

February is Dental Health Month

According to the American Dental Association, growing a healthy smile starts from birth.

If you have an infant in the house {like our 5 month old Sweet Pea}, you can wipe the gums with a clean, dry gauze pad or baby washcloth after each feeding.  As their first teeth appear, you can use an infant toothbrush and water.

As your kids get older, make sure they see the dentist regularly for cleanings and check-ups.

Flossing is important for removing plaque from between teeth and can help to prevent cavities.

With teens in the house as well, I am trying out the new Reach by Design toothbrushes on my boys {ages 14 and 13} for the next two weeks.  We are also trying out the Reach Total Care Whitening Floss, made with with MICRO-GROOVES technology.  Shred resistant floss is important when teens are using it.

What do you do to keep your families smiles healthy?

*I was provided the Reach products for review at no cost to me.  I was not compensated for mentioning them in my article. *

Moms need to educate girls about dangers of abortion

It is up to mothers to protect their daughters from the hidden dangers caused by abortion. We know for sure that Planned Parenthood, the abortion industry, and even many doctors will mislead and give faulty information on this issue. One particular hidden danger of abortion is it’s link to breast cancer; something not widely known or reported in mainstream media.

 

Many on the pro-life side believe that such a link is more than evident and plenty of empirical evidence proves the claim. Abortion advocates continue to shrug their shoulders and deny the reality of the deadly link.

Recently a microbiologist by the name of Dr. Gerard Nadal decided to post every study concluding the existence of the abortion-breast cancer link on his blog. He plans to post one a day until he has posted them all, according to a report from LifeNews.com.

What makes this so interesting is that he will publish studies by both abortion opponents and advocates alike. What is more interesting is that both groups are finding the link to be true.

The very first article he posted was a study by Julie Palmer and Lunn Rosenberg called “Induced and Spontaneous Abortion in Relation to Breast Cancer.”  The conclusions of this study are remarkable considering that Drs. Palmer and Rosenberg are staunch abortion advocates. (Click here to read the article, “The ABC Literature #1”)The following is related:

“Palmer and Rosenberg are not unbiased researchers, which makes their findings even more relevant for women. Instead, they are abortion advocates who have testified as expert witnesses on behalf of abortion businesses in lawsuits challenging the states of Alaska and Florida because of their parental notice or consent laws.
Their study, supported by U.S. National Cancer Institute grants, examined 1,835 women ages 25-64 years with pathologically confirmed, invasive breast cancer and 4,289 women aged 25-64 admitted for nonmalignant or malignant conditions.
Nadal says the study found women who had never had children and who had one case of an induced abortion raised their abortion breast cancer risk by 40 percent.”

So the conclusion is that women who have had an abortion are 40% more likely to develop breast cancer. Despite this fact many abortion advocates continue to say that there is no harm to women in having an abortion. Such obvious neglect in the concern for women’s health and the maternal mortality rate is reprehensible; nearly criminal.

How can such a deadly secret continue to exist? It’s all about the benjamin’s. Abortion is a multi-billion dollar industry and organizations like Planned Parenthood get billions in tax money. For this reason they don’t want the deadly truth to be known. They know their entire existence depends on abortion being advertised as “safe,” and even “healthy.” But the truth is much deadlier.

Moms must be willing to take up the mantle of responsibility and teach their daughters the moral and physical consequences of abortion. If mother’s refuse to do so the consequences could be catastrophic.

At some point the evidence has to become so overwhelming that it would be impossible to ignore. Dr. Nadal says there are hundreds of studies showing the link between abortion and breast cancer. For me, it would take just a few to deter me from such a life-changing decision; hundreds should be enough for even the most skeptical of skeptics. Sadly, some still refuse to believe what is best for women.

You can follow Dr. Nadal’s posting of articles showing the link between abortion and breast cancer at his blog: www.gerardnadal.com  

 Nathan A. Cherry lives in Bunker Hill with his wife and two children. He is a contributing blogger for the Family Policy Council of West Virginia as well as Eastern Panhandle Moms. Nathan is the Connection Pastor at New Hope Church in Inwood West Virginia where he serves to connect folks into places of service both within the church and in the community.

West Virginia Chooses Title V Funding for Abstinence

Despite the outrage of Planned Parenthood and NARAL, states are pursuing abstinence-only sex education funding from the federal government. Even though President Obama sought to completely defund abstinence-only programs, not only do they still exist, but many states are turning toward them and seeking their help.

In 2009 a total of 29 states participated in these morally responsible programs that seek to teach students that abstinence is the only sure-fire way to avoid STD’s and unplanned pregnancy, according to a recent article by Citizenlink.com.

Of these participating states five chose not to reapply for the programs.

However, at least eight new states have applied for 2011 funding.

Citizenlink had this to say on the decision of Virginia and Minnesota to seek abstinence-only funding:

“The state chapters of Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice were outraged after learning that Republican Govs. Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota opted to forego the government-preferred Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) funding for the abstinence-only funding option.
Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, did not mince words when defending McDonnell’s decision.
‘Despite the rhetoric from the economic loser in this decision – Planned Parenthood – recent studies have shown that abstinence education effectively helps teens postpone risky sexual behavior,’ Cobb said.”

Planned Parenthood and NARAL are indeed the losers here.

I am pleased to see that West Virginia has been on the list of states participating in this funding and education option, and has continued to stick with it.

Having recently become involved with the Young Lives program of the Eastern Panhandle and area director Jill Bevins, I can clearly see the need for abstinence education. And, after spending some time with Ms. Bevins learning more about her organization I quickly saw a very real passion she and her volunteers have for this often forgotten, ostracized group in society. 

I was saddened to learn that Berkeley County (where I live) has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the state of West Virginia. In an area full of affluence it further proves that values must be taught regardless of socio-economic status. Just because you live in a middle class, or upper middle class area doesn’t mean teen pregnancy isn’t going on; it’s not just an issue in lower socio-economic or minority areas.

I want to underscore the message and value of abstinence education in our public schools. There is absolutely no other way to be 100% safe against STD’s and unplanned pregnancy than to abstain. No other method even compares. This method, however, calls on students to exercise restraint in the midst of a sex-crazed society that says there should be no rules regarding sexuality. A devious message to be sure.

In fact, the reason Jill Bevins and Young Lives of the Eastern Panhandle have more than 30 pregnant high school and middle-school girls they are currently helping is because parents, schools, government, and society have fed them a spoonful of lies. It’s a medicine that is easy going down but leaves a bitter taste later on.

For more information on the Young Lives of the Eastern Panhandle Organization contact Jill Bevins by clicking here.

 Nathan A. Cherry lives in Bunker Hill with his wife and two children. He is a contributing blogger for the Family Policy Council of West Virginia as well as Eastern Panhandle Moms. Nathan is the Connection Pastor at New Hope Church in Inwood West Virginia where he serves to connect folks into places of service both within the church and in the community.

VIDEO: This Chick is Serious About Life

By Nathan A. Cherry

While most 13-year olds are hanging out at the mall and texting about their latest crush, 13-year old Lia is amassing a massive following on Youtube for her pro-life videos. But this teen superstar is not simply stating rhetoric or following someone else’s’ script. She is intelligently arguing her case for the rights of the unborn in a way many adults three times her age can’t stand against.

Lifesitenews.com commented on her recent video: “She points out that textbooks on embryology clearly state that life begins at conception and human development begins at fertilization. ‘At conception, a new life with its own unique DNA begins,’ she explains. ‘All of the body parts of the mother share the same DNA, the mother’s DNA. But an unborn baby has an entirely different DNA. He or she is separate from the mother.’”
While pro-abortion advocates argue that the unborn don’t have the same rights as others because they depend totally on their mother for care, Lia says, “Really if we take this argument to its logical conclusion, we should be able to kill those who are on welfare, because they depend on the government. We are all dependent on someone to a degree and no one goes around saying that those who are more dependent aren’t human or are somehow less human than others.”
She concludes by asking “Is it possible to be a human and not a person?”
Honestly, I think many people could learn a lesson from this teenage defender of life. At only 13 she is by far more educated and outspoken about the right to life that every unborn child has than many pastors, teachers, and parents I know. It shouldn’t be hard to stand up for the unborn and fight to protect America’s most vulnerable citizens, yet many seem to find it difficult. But if a 13 year old is so proud that she spends her time studying and making videos, the least we could do is to cheer her on and support life ourselves.
Watch this fierce defender of life in her latest video below. (If video doesn’t load please click here to be redirected)

Nathan A. Cherry lives in Bunker Hill with his wife and two children. He is a contributing blogger for the Family Policy Council of West Virginia as well as Eastern Panhandle Moms. Nathan is the Connection Pastor at New Hope Church in Inwood West Virginia where he serves to connect folks into places of service both within the church and in the community.

Keeping your child safe online

As a parent, your children’s safety is your first priority. But in today’s digital age, what can a parent do to protect their kids online as well as off?
 
These days, your teens’ “friends” aren’t just the kids hanging out in your family room – they’re also the hundreds of contacts on their online “friend” and “buddy” lists. Did you know that more than 50 million teens (ages 13-17) are online worldwide? Or that the average number of “friends” on a list is 130? The totals are much higher for many teens.
 
SafeSocial, a new AOL product that launches today, can help you protect your children, even if you aren’t a social media expert. SafeSocial helps you:
 
·         Find out where your child has online accounts
·         Know who your child is “friends” with online
·         Get notified if your child is in a conversation about violence, suicide or drugs
·         See photos your child has posted online, and others’ photos in which your child has been tagged
 
Another benefit? You can monitor all this activity without being a “helicopter parent.” Your child will have to agree to be monitored, but you won’t need to connect with them on the social media accounts, or hover over their shoulders in person.
 
We think SafeSocial and its ability to help keep kids safe online would be of great interest to your readers. “Overall, social networking is an integral part of many teenage lives and an opportunity for your kids to learn to express themselves in a creative and responsible fashion,” says Regina Lewis. “It’s too big a trend to ignore. You can embrace it with SafeSocial on your side.” 

Reginal Lewis also offers the following tips for keeping your child safe online:

These days, your teens’ “friends” aren’t just the kids hanging out in your kitchen and family room, they’re hundreds of contacts on their “friend” and “buddy” lists. More than 50 million teens (ages 13 to 17) are online worldwide and the average number of “friends” is 130. For many teens, these numbers are even higher. It’s not unusual to have more than 500 “friends” and more than 1,000 profile photos.

So, how can you realistically keep up with your child’s vast circle of “friends” and ongoing status and photo updates?

1. Become a “Friend”

For starters, you can become your child’s online. They’ll need to accept your friend request. This can be easier said than done. In some cases, you may get push back. It’s your call how strongly you press.

There are more private alternatives. A new product called SafeSocial lets you privately see everything you would as a “friend” and even more. Many kids prefer this route. Remember, you’re not “spying” on them; you’re simply doing your job as an informed and involved parent.

2. Curb the Comments

If your child is reluctant to accept you publicly as a “friend,” be sure not to push your luck by excessively commenting on their page once you are granted access. Grandparents can be over-commenting culprits, too. Often teens find this “embarrassing” and it may even lead to having them “un-friend” you. It happens all the time.

3. Get a Report Card

The new parenting tool SafeSocial offers a time-efficient and thorough way to keep tabs on your children’s social networking without being too intrusive. It delivers an easy-to-read report card providing a 360 degree view of their overall social networking— what they’re saying and doing and who their friends are.

This answers one of the biggest issues facing parents all over the country—feeling like you need to spend hours each week monitoring your child’s online activity and still not really being sure if you’re seeing everything (they can filter your view) or what you might be missing (what’s happening on their friends’ pages).

4. Watch the Friends

All friends are not created equal. Some your children may know well, some they may barely know at all. You can get a good feel for their entire list via SafeSocial’s Friend Engine, which takes an extensive look at your kids’ friends and checks them against more than 50 databases to see if they may not be who they say they are. You’ll be alerted when an adult becomes a friend of your child, when someone looks suspicious or has no or few other mutual friends with your child.

5. Loaded Language and Photos

Specific words that may come up in strings of conversation— sex, drugs, alcohol, suicide and so on and suggestive or violent language will be flagged, so you can hone in on the suspect dialog versus reading every post. This helps prevent missing something inadvertently.

You can even opt to be immediately notified via an email alert. This piece could prove priceless in protecting your children’s safety and managing their reputations.

While every conversation and image is archived, you can adjust the settings to simply view those that are called out. This lets you give kids more privacy as they mature. You will also see all photos, including those other people post of your child. Young people tend to push the envelope with photos and videos, so checking out this section of the report card is critical.

Overall, social networking is an integral part of many teenage lives and an opportunity for your kids to learn to express themselves in a creative and responsible fashion. It’s too big a trend to ignore. You can embrace it with these new tools on your side. For more information, visit www.safesocial.com,  http://www.safety.aol.comand www.reginalewis.com.

AOL Consumer Advisor Regina Lewis (www.reginalewis.com) is a national TV and radio contributor and Internet trend expert. She knows the tips, tricks, secrets and shortcuts for making technology work for you.

 
For more information, make sure to visit SafeSocial.com

This information is provided courtesy of the Global Influence Network.

Local church hosts fun event for teen girls (and their moms!)

Saturday, July 31st, 35 girls and 19 moms enjoyed a wonderful time of laughter, music, drama’s and motivational speaking courtesy of Unbound Ministry, who traveled to the Eastern Panhandle for this event from North Carolina.

We were reminded we are all princesses in God’s eyes:

There was awesome worship

Great giveaways

and most of all, fun with friends!

If you are interested in more information about the Beauty Within Tour or First Baptist Church, Martinsburg simply click on the links.

Photos courtesy of Bridget Covell, Beautiful Beginning Portraits.

Not Everyone is Doing It

Martinsburg, WV –Parents have a responsibility to train and equip their children for what they will face in the world outside their home. One of the biggest battles pertains to sexual activity. Our children are constantly bombarded with images and messages of sex every day from a society, media, and entertainment industry that can’t spell values, much less hold one.   

The good news is that not everyone is listening to the deceptive cultural package being propagated by liberals and Planned Parenthood that would have us all believe that sex is completely common and normal for teens and even adolescents as young as 13 and 14.

In fact, recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show a decline in “sexual activity among teens since 2007, and the lowest overall percentage of teens that are sexually active since 2001.” The 3.5 percent decrease can be linked to young men abstaining for moral reasons, according to the article at Citizenlink.org. Some would say that it is hard to believe that males are the ones more likely to abstain on moral grounds. But perhaps young men are simply tired of stereotypes portraying them as irresponsible dead beats only concerned about pleasure; maybe they have parents teaching proper values.

Maybe teens and young adults are smart enough to realize they have been fed a government concocted lie regarding sex. Paul Birch of the Institute for Research and Evaluation says no evidence exists to prove that sex is healthy for teenagers; contrary to some government produced reports.

Birch said “The truth is that there’s really no social, scientific evidence that I’m aware of, that exclusively demonstrates that having sex is a healthy behavior for youth to be doing at this stage in their life.”

These reports stand in sharp contrast to a recent report from the UK where statistics show higher rates of repeat abortions among the younger generations of women. The trend can be blamed, says Dr. Peter Sanders of the Christian Medical Fellowship, on “values free” sex education. You know, the kind of sex education currently being pushed by our government over abstinence education.

Sanders told Lifesitenews.com “It is increasingly clear that abortion is simply being used as a form of contraception by a growing percentage of girls and women, and that tired policies of values-free sex education, condoms and morning-after pills are not working.”

These findings underscore the absolute necessity for parents to begin the dialogue about sex and abstinence with their children long before anyone else does. By refusing to teach kids or even broach the topic parents are asking for someone with different values to train their children; a clear abdication of parental responsibility. If parents remain silent at critical moments in child development, they cannot be shocked or angry when their child engages in behavior that is outside their values system. Children need clearly defined values that are taught and modeled within the home.

Now is not the time to clam up and let someone else do the talking, mom and dad. Now is the time to be direct and honest with your children and instill the values you want to see carried into their adult years.

  Nathan A. Cherry lives in Bunker Hill with his wife and two children. He is a contributing blogger for the Family Policy Council of West Virginia as well as Eastern Panhandle Moms. Nathan is the Connection Pastor at New Hope Church in Inwood West Virginia where he serves to connect folks into places of service both within the church and in the community

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