Power Moms

FROM NBC/Neilsen: Call them 'Power Moms'... women between the ages of 25 and 54 with at least one child... who participate regularly in online activities. According to a Nielsen report...nearly 20-percent of the active Internet population in the U-S is the so-called stay-at-home mom.

Many of these 'Power Moms', according to Nielsen...may just comparison shop or go to several web sites before buying...or many will do standard household chores that formerly were done in person like banking.

These “power moms” are also 51% more likely than average Web users to provide frequent online advice on clothes and fashion, food and beverage products (39% more likely than average), home decorating (36% more likely than average), and health, dieting and exercise (27% more likely than average).

“We’re seeing women using online avenues like email, online forums, and social networking websites to extend a role they’ve long held as information seekers and relationship builders,” Chuck Schilling, research director, agency and media analytics, Nielsen Online, noted. “Moms, in particular, look to the Web to connect with other parents for tips and support, and they aren’t afraid of new technologies - this group is nearly 25% more likely than average to author a blog.”

In September, Scholastic.com and BirthdayExpress.com tied as the number one website, ranked by index, among the “power mom” demographic, with a composition index of 366 — more than 3.5 times the average.

General Mills, The Gap, and FamilyFun.com rounded out the top five sites that draw a high concentration of “power moms.”

I do comparison shop. I do not bank on-line-although I would like to. I just have read to many horror stories about stolen identity. I look up phone numbers/directions, email and post stories.What do you do on-line?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Reader Suggestions

A mom sent me this message with some great suggestions on topics we have been discussing the past year. I thought you might be interested in her ideas!

Jen,
You must begin watching/taping The Drs on ABC-TV from 3:00-4:00 pm. Earlier this week they discussed children not wanting to try new foods, let alone eating fruits and veggies. They stated you should make a game of it. So they had this table laden with fruits and veggies but separated by colors (reds, greens, oranges, etc.) and each child was to pick a food from a color group and try a small bite of it. It seemed to work but who can afford to buy all of that food and present it for just a few bites. I would recommend maybe 2 of each and go from there

I would also recommend going to Amazon.com and order the cook book by Jerry Seinfields' wife. Her recipes incorporate all sorts of fruits and veggies disguised (grated carrots in meatloaf) so the kids don't know they are eating them. I believe the book sells for about $10.

Also when fruits and veggies are in season, you might buy up what you can and freeze it for when it is not available. Of course, not all things freeze well and you have to go for the canned. Cubs Foods carries 40 oz packages of frozen fruits - apples, rhubarb, berries, pineapple, etc. that you can get year round. Just remove what you need and return to the freezer. Prices are kind of high in my opinion but where are they not? Aldi's is more reasonable in pricing than most grocery stores but even they have to pay for the price of gas, etc. too. Most canned fruits/veggies vary from 39 cents and up and they do carry the current crop of fresh fruits and veggies that are cheaper than most grocery stores.

And finally, today's episode of The Drs had two doctors (pediatrician and an allergist) who have a website www.mommydocs.com - practical advice for Moms by Moms. It was very informative. They had a color wheel of various colors (white, green, yellow, brown and red) for the most asked question from Moms - baby poop. White indicates possible liver or gall bladder problems; green is normal for newborns; yellow is normal for breastfed babies; brown is normal; and red might be blood. This site might be a good recommendation for your daily feature of NewsAnchorMom, in addition to recommending The Drs as must see TV for parents.~ Susan

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Afraid to wear shorts? Do you have unwanted hair? Embarrassed by unsightly varicose or spider veins? NOW is the time to get your legs ready for summer! You don’t have to be afraid to wear shorts because of unwanted hair or unsightly varicose or spider veins. Call 674-SKIN to schedule your FREE leg vein or hair laser consultation at Soderstrom Skin Institute, and you’ll be ready to show off your beautiful legs this summer!

Soderstrom Skin Institute is positioned to be a comprehensive, full service, skin care facility. Visit www.soderstromskininstitute.com to learn what Soderstrom Skin Institute can do for you.

Skipping Immunizations

Since we talked about kids having coughing spells this week, I thought I should probably post this story too. Kids who skip vaccinations are more likely to get whooping cough. I haven't met very many people who skip out on immunizations all together. Most of the parents with concerns just wait a little longer to get them and don't get them all at one time.

I would like to know what you think about the possibility of a swine flu vaccine by next fall. I am not saying it won't be safe, but I am concerned about getting a vaccine made and mass produced in such a short period of time. How could it be accurately tested that fast? I am no scientist, but I wondered if any other parents are concerned about this.

Here's the story about whooping cough (which I do remember reporting on in Illinois in the last few years):

Children whose parents choose not to give them immunizations have a greater risk of developing whooping cough. Although most children get the recommended vaccinations, pediatricians say it appears the number of parents opting out of immunizations is rising.

A new Kaiser Permanente study looked at the whooping cough vaccine -- and found unvaccinated children are 23 times more likely to develop the highly contagious bacterial disease. It causes uncontrollable and violent coughing spells and can be deadly in infants. The study did not look at side effects of the shots, or why parents declined the vaccine.

But researchers say they hope their findings disprove the theory that herd immunity -- protection because a large portion of the population has been vaccinated -- doesn't necessarily protect children from whooping cough.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Afraid to wear shorts? Do you have unwanted hair? Embarrassed by unsightly varicose or spider veins? NOW is the time to get your legs ready for summer! You don’t have to be afraid to wear shorts because of unwanted hair or unsightly varicose or spider veins. Call 674-SKIN to schedule your FREE leg vein or hair laser consultation at Soderstrom Skin Institute, and you’ll be ready to show off your beautiful legs this summer!

Soderstrom Skin Institute is positioned to be a comprehensive, full service, skin care facility. Visit www.soderstromskininstitute.com to learn what Soderstrom Skin Institute can do for you.

Mom Makeover Winner!

Congratulations! 48 year old Catherine Jackson from Putnam, Illinois is our Mom Makeover winner!





She was nominated by her daughter, Tara, who wrote:

"My mom has been fighting cancer for a good portion of her life. She battled childhood non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in her teen years. In 1998 she was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, and in 2004 she was diagnosed with a recurrence, this time stage IV and found in her lymph nodes. She will be battling this the rest of her life. Daily living is hard for her yet she continues to push herself to do things like gardening and caring for her farm animals, as well as spending time with her 3 grand kids. She also raised 4 kids on her own without any help. "

Here's what Catherine will be getting:

1. spa treatment at Soderstrom Day Spa
2. A new designer outfit from Belle Mie at Junction City
3. Hair cut, color and styling by Melinda Stoneking

We will be sure to show you Catherine's before and after shots so you can see the results of our mom makeover!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Afraid to wear shorts? Do you have unwanted hair? Embarrassed by unsightly varicose or spider veins? NOW is the time to get your legs ready for summer! You don’t have to be afraid to wear shorts because of unwanted hair or unsightly varicose or spider veins. Call 674-SKIN to schedule your FREE leg vein or hair laser consultation at Soderstrom Skin Institute, and you’ll be ready to show off your beautiful legs this summer!

Soderstrom Skin Institute is positioned to be a comprehensive, full service, skin care facility. Visit www.soderstromskininstitute.com to learn what Soderstrom Skin Institute can do for you.

Cough and Cold Warning

The American Academy of Pediatrics says you shouldn't be giving over the counter cough and cold medicine to kids under 2-years old. However, the bottle simply says, ask a doctor in the 2 year old column. That's because the medicine used be to considered safe for even the tiniest babies. After severe side effects, including death, the recommendation changed. Some pediatricians say not to give it to kids under 6 years old.

However, when your child cannot sleep because he is coughing constantly, it is hard not to give it to him! I know I have sat in bed and listened to my little one cough and sob and wanted so hard to give him medicine. Doctors say to use a humidifier, Tylenol and ibuprofen.

There is also the issue that some people are saying the kids who had bad side effects from over the counter cough and cold medicine were given too much. That makes some parents wonder whether they can give their child under 2 a small dosage. That's where this story comes in:

Figuring out how to soothe a sick child can be a daunting task for parents. Now, a new study shows that many caregivers are having trouble understanding instructions on the proper age for children to receive cold and cough medicines.

About a year ago, the food and drug administration came out with an advisory saying it was too risky for children under the age of two to be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines.
Now, a study shows that many parents are confused about how to read drug labels and still think it's appropriate for young children to take these medicines.

A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics looked at how well about 180 parents and caregivers followed instructions for children's cough and cold medicines. The medicines currently on the market are designed for children ages 4 and older. But the study found that the majority of parents misread the labels and

Responded that infants younger than two could use the medicines even though the box instructions recommend asking your doctor before giving the drugs to a baby under two years of age.

The researchers suggest that pediatric cough and cold products need new labeling with graphics that are less confusing and written instructions that are easier to understand. overdosing children on these medicines can be dangerous leading to convulsions, rapid heart rate and decreased levels of consciousness.

What are your thoughts about the recommendations for cough and cold medince? Do you give it your kids?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Afraid to wear shorts? Do you have unwanted hair? Embarrassed by unsightly varicose or spider veins? NOW is the time to get your legs ready for summer! You don’t have to be afraid to wear shorts because of unwanted hair or unsightly varicose or spider veins. Call 674-SKIN to schedule your FREE leg vein or hair laser consultation at Soderstrom Skin Institute, and you’ll be ready to show off your beautiful legs this summer!

Soderstrom Skin Institute is positioned to be a comprehensive, full service, skin care facility. Visit www.soderstromskininstitute.com to learn what Soderstrom Skin Institute can do for you.

Soothing a fussy baby

Soothing a crying baby can be daunting for a new mom.. So being prepared could be the answer.
One mom is learning how to calm her 2-week-old son by using a technique developed by pediatrician Harvey Karp. Karp says a common misconception is that newborns want peace and quite.. But really they miss the loud sounds and movement of their mother's womb.
He tries to recreate the comforting sensations with what he calls the 5 s's.

Swaddling is the first s, that's with the arms down at the side.
The second S is the side or stomach position.
The third is shushing and the fourth is a slight jiggle motion.
The last s is sucking and that's the icing on the cake.
Karps also says crying just gets started at about 2 weeks AND tends to peak at 6-8 weeks, so it's important to understand what works for you and your baby.

What worked to sooth your babies?

My first baby was a crier. The second one-not so much. I am hoping this baby won't be fussy, but I have a feeling....

-NewsAnchorMomJen

Afraid to wear shorts? Do you have unwanted hair? Embarrassed by unsightly varicose or spider veins? NOW is the time to get your legs ready for summer! You don’t have to be afraid to wear shorts because of unwanted hair or unsightly varicose or spider veins. Call 674-SKIN to schedule your FREE leg vein or hair laser consultation at Soderstrom Skin Institute, and you’ll be ready to show off your beautiful legs this summer!

Soderstrom Skin Institute is positioned to be a comprehensive, full service, skin care facility. Visit www.soderstromskininstitute.com to learn what Soderstrom Skin Institute can do for you.

How Much Kids Cost

FROM CNN: A new baby is perhaps the *greatest* investment of all.. And that's why parenting experts say it's important to know what to expect *before* you're expecting.

Experts say the ballpark figure of expenses for one kid is about 10 thousand dollars per year. If you add that up for18 years, that's 180 thousand dollars. So it may be time to rework your monthly budget.. To make room for a baby. "Look at how much you have coming in, where you can cut back and then see where you are.""You want to have around 5 to 10 percent wiggle room in your budget no matter what."

Shaw also says if you work, make sure you know what your options are regarding maternity leave and health insurance. Also.. Don't forget about childcare. If you plan to stay at home.. She suggests trying it out for a few months before getting pregnant to see if you can live on one income.

Uh, so can I afford three kids? Hmm... I think I need a side job at this rate! I think I will spend the next three months thinking about how to cut my expenses! Do you spend $10,000 a year on your kids? What age costs the most money?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Afraid to wear shorts? Do you have unwanted hair? Embarrassed by unsightly varicose or spider veins? NOW is the time to get your legs ready for summer! You don’t have to be afraid to wear shorts because of unwanted hair or unsightly varicose or spider veins. Call 674-SKIN to schedule your FREE leg vein or hair laser consultation at Soderstrom Skin Institute, and you’ll be ready to show off your beautiful legs this summer!

Soderstrom Skin Institute is positioned to be a comprehensive, full service, skin care facility. Visit www.soderstromskininstitute.com to learn what Soderstrom Skin Institute can do for you.