Urine is probably the top ‘worst’ stain of all. While working in nursing homes, I noticed how fast the sheets and other washable fabric seemed to wear. This was due to the washing techniques used to remove urine and feces. In most facilities, anything that can be washed is put through a very hot cycle with a huge amount of bleach. If you have a loved one in a long term care facility, now you know why their clothing ends up looking older before it should!

If you are a parent or caretaker of someone who is incontinent, then you will need to know how to remove urine stains/odor. We all know that babies leak, but there are also children who have issues with bedwetting and older people who have incontinence problems outside of their clothing.
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How often do you really clean the coils on your fridge? Once a week? Maybe once a month? Or if you are like thousands of others, you have forgotten that your fridge has coils.

Your appliances will last a lot longer if you give them a regular cleaning. Once a month, you should break out the hose attachment to your vacuum and get all of the dust, hair, and crumbs out of or off your appliances. Start with the refrigerator it is the most important. Your food needs to stay cool, so always clean the fridge first.
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Almost every parent is aware of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). If you are not familiar with SIDS, it is when a baby between the ages of 0-12 months dies without any known cause. Even with an autopsy a cause is still unknown at this time.

There are things you can do to reduce the risk of SIDS with your baby. Recently researchers discovered that the use of fans in the room where a baby is sleeping reduces the occurences of SIDS by a whopping 72%! A fan increases ventilation which may reduce the CO2 buildup that can collect around a baby’s face. Try using a fan, even a ceiling fan, on low. It will also give you more peace of mind.
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Hi! It has been a while since I have updated here at Family Resource. You are probably wondering what in the world happened.

Well, yours truly added another little DirtMonkey to the zoo. Yes, crazy as your favorite (I hope I’m your favorite!) blogger is, she has a new baby boy. That brings the count of children up to 5. I have to admit he is a cute little thing.

The past month has been one of recovery from a c-section, taking care of various illness in the other children and myself. These events have led me to decide that a good portion of the first months in 2009 here at the blog should center on health.
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For those of you who visit Family Resource and have a child who is in the autism spectrum. This also works well for Fragile-X children. Feel free to print out and modify this to your needs and for sending to family and friends.

Posted via permission of this blogger:
Fragile What?!
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If you plan to let your children travel with a friend or family member this holiday season, there are a few things you should do to prepare for the trip. It may come as a surprise, but there are parents who do not take proper precautions when sending their children off for a special trip. Do not be one of them!
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How often do you wash clothes? Laundry is a huge ‘money sucker’ and I am not just talking about the energy costs. The more often you wash something, the more wear it gets. It isn’t just having clothes on that ruins them, it is the detergent and drying action. Yes, even line drying can add wear and tear.

Fading, missing buttons, zippers that won’t zip, and ruined decorations. Yikes! All of this just from washing alone.
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While checking out my favorite blogs I saw that former Family Resource blogger, Jennifer Chait has posted links to the W.A.T.C.H. 2008 top ten Worst Toy List.

Jennifer states that there are some pretty suspect toys out there this year. For more on her post and for a link to the list, visit her blog, Tree Hugging Family. You will also find tons of green living news, perfect for those of you who are very eco-conscious.

When choosing toys for your children:

Check the age appropriate information. Never buy any toy for a child under 3 with small parts. If your child is older and still mouths items (some special needs children do this) do the same check. Remember, if it can fit into a toilet paper tube, it can fit into your child’s mouth.

You get what you pay for. Sometimes the plastic in low cost toys have chemicals (like lead) that are harmful. If you can afford it, stick with name brands. Even a visit to the thrift store if you are low income will bring better results than brand new, low quality toys.

eBay, Amazon, and Overstock dot com are great places to find holiday deals. Amazon offers used items. Do not be afraid to buy something used if it is in excellent condition. Often these items were not really used, just purchased and not wanted.

Gift cards for kids can be a great idea. Kids get to carry their own credit card’ and choose their gift. If you are buying for a relative’s child, check out all of the really cool decorated gift cards out there. Some are really neat!

Above all, have fun. Do not stress over gifts. The more love you put into your gift, the more important it feels to the child. Years later they will remember the thought, not the toy in the junk box.

It is almost Thanksgiving, but the media has been saturated with Christmas marketing. This year the onslaught has been a little earlier, probably due to the state of the economy. If the retailers advertise longer, they stand to possibly break even this year. Or so it would seem.

Here are my top picks for young children this Christmas. Look for more post on top gifts according to age, coming soon.

Fisher-Price Elmo Live
Elmo is always poplar with the littlest ones. Red, fuzzy, friendly, and so curious, what’s not to love?

Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera
Kids love taking pictures. This tough camera is perfect for any kid who is tough on toys. As a mom of small ones, I can verify this toy will save your camera and make your little one happy.

Little Tikes Giddyup N’ Go Pony
No barn? No problem! This guy doesn’t eat, clomp up your hardwood floor, or leave behind little ‘presents’.

Playskool Kota My Triceratops Dinosaur
Much like the Little Tikes pony, this guy doesn’t leave you a pile of dino poo to clean. That is a plus in any era, Jurassic or not.

KidKraft Large Play Kitchen
A wonderful, sturdy kitchen. The appliances are separate, unlike many play kitchens on the market in this price range. Colorful and nicely sized.

In the past year or so a very popular scam has hit the United States, targeting anyone who checks their mail. The scam involves a check so real that even banks do not catch on. The checks almost all have identical numbers on them, depending on the account they have been ‘drawn’ off of. The account numbers are real, the companies are real, and the money is even real, if you can get away with cleaning out your account before your bank freezes it.

Basically, if you take one of these checks to the bank, it will clear. But, you will be responsible for paying back any of it you spend and face possible jail time if you do not. The letters accompanying the check states you need to deposit the check into your bank account, let it clear, and then mail the company listed in the letter a handling or processing fee.

You would be amazed at how many people actually do this. So many that the Federal Trade Commission was astounded! (At least, the representative I spoke with). Most of the letters and checks are coming from individuals in Canada, so at this time the FTC has been having trouble pursuing the case.

Much like any scam, if you or a loved on gets a check in the mail with a letter asking you to deposit it and send back a small processing fee, get in contact with your postmaster. Do not, under any circumstances, deposit it into your account!