Head Lice and the No Nit School Policy

There are many public schools that have very strict “no nit” policies when it comes to dealing with head lice. Though it may seem extremely unfair that your child is sent home a second time, even after you have treated them for head lice, the policy is aimed an eliminated the spreading of lice to other children. Many school officials, including school nurses may lack the expertise necessary to determine if nits are active or inactive, therefore if they spot nits in a child’s hair they send them home until all the nits have been removed. This is why it is so important that parents use meticulous care during the nit removal phase after head lice treatment. There is some controversy over the “no nit policy” implemented at schools. Excluding children based on nits in the hair that may not even be a live infestation can actually have lasting emotional problems for that child. On the other hand, it is reassuring for the parents of other children, that a child that is infested with head lice won’t be allowed back in school to spread it to others. Despite the fact that there is some opposition to the “no nit school policies” there are some advantages to it. For communities to actively control head lice infestations, there has to be a universal protocol when dealing with it. This is one way to help prevent head lice from becoming epidemic in school or daycare settings. With the “no nit “ head lice policies, those who are responsible for checking to ensure a child is free from head lice will not have to guess if the nits represent a new infestation, they simply don’t allow the child back in school Though it is true that a child who is isolated due to a head lice infestation may have some emotional problems due to the isolation, the problems that may be posed because of ridicule by classmates and friends could be much worse. All this is not to mention that most healthcare specialists believe that the number one cause of a re-infestation is failure to remove nits from the hair. Nit removal is very inconvenient, but necessary. Not only does combing the hair with a nit removal comb ensure that head lice and their eggs are removed, failure to do this can result in having to repeat the treatment several times, multiplying the inconvenience of treating head lice.

Folding Chairs - A Great Gift Idea

As a general rule, people do not think of furniture as a good housewarming gift.  Of course, that is, unless the person receiving the gift are younger and just starting out on their own.  Although this is a reasonable group to gift furniture like folding chairs and a table, many established families also would appreciate a flexible way to increase the seating capacity of their home or backyard. 

Giving a gift to a friend, relative, or loved one is a very kind gesture but can be difficult to the right item.  Finding the prefect gift to give often takes a lot of time and money. If you are in need of a gift for an individual who loves the outdoors then you should consider purchasing a folding chair set for their yard.  Many of these sets are collapsible and allow for easy storage when the outside season is over.

Folding chair sets were first developed to allow for flexible use during informal get togethers.  The original name for these sets were "card" tables.  This was no doubt due to the popular use of folding tables to double as a card table when friends would come over for a visit.  Today, a folding chair and table set are often considered a valuable and important piece of furniture if only because of the great flexibility and ease of use. 

Before selecting a folding chair set, the actual use should be considered.  If it's to be used outside or in weather, a longer lasting. more outdoor type of finish should be considered.  If the gift is for campers, then a smaller stow away type is in order.  Camping chairs are usually multi-foldable to shrink the overall footprint size making it much easier to carry.  If the intent is to give something that can be set up and left in a room, consider the esthetics of the design.  Many folding chair and table sets now use some high quality finished and are quite acceptable doubling as full time game or homework areas.

Folding chairs are generally made using a steel frame with a semi-rigid back and bottom for comfort.  The better quality chairs have a powder coat finish that is hard and will last several years without difficulty.  Be prepared that as with almost anything, you get what you pay for. Be certain to try out the chairs for comfort.  The better quality ones have more back support and more cushioning on the seat.

Once you have made the decision to give a folding chair set as a gift you will need to find an a store who sells them. Since folding chairs are typically a lower cost item, discount stores are a good bet along with larger furniture stores.  Another option is online.  With the rapid growth of online commerce, you will probably be able to find a higher quality chair set at a lower cost on line.  The trade off of course is that you cannot touch or use the chair to check for quality.

Overall, a good quality folding chair set is not only a good investment but can be a great gift for almost anyone.

Giving Your Cat the Safest Place to Come Back To

When one thinks about cats as pets, the image that comes to mind is of a big furry cat lying down in his cat bed with a big plate of milk by his side. Cats have been known to be lazy, aristocratic interior house pets but that is not necessarily a rule. Most cats are very active, natural born hunters, who like to wander freely. For those, you might want to consider acquiring outdoor cat houses. Many owners, when they have the habitation facilities for it, choose to give their cats the liberty to live outside and enjoy the freedom of having somewhere safe and comfortable to come back to when they feel tired of wandering. A great way to keep your cat coming back after his adventures is by providing them with comfortable outdoor cat houses. If you own a big house with a spacious garden, outdoor cat houses might be the way to provide with cat with proper housing in a safe environment. Outdoor cat houses should be very sturdy and safe; preferably made of durable non toxic materials. They should protect your cat from rain, cold, wind and snow if it comes to that. On the other hand, they should not be excessively warm and they should be able to adapt to warmer weather. Remember that the cat should always feel conformable inside his own house, so he won’t need to wander outside in order to find a comfortable place to stay. Most outdoor cat houses are made of isolated wood, which should have received a specific treatment to make them water and wind proof. They usually contain vinyl doors, in order to make it easy for your cat to go in and out and still keep the outdoor cat house warm and protected. The floor should also be taken care of in a proper way, in order to isolate the complete house. If you really want to add a special treat to your cat, you will be amazed at the amount of outdoor cat house toys you can find, to put inside your new cat house and give your cat another good reason to keep coming back to his safe place. Other popular outdoor cat houses include models made of synthetic materials that are specifically fabricated to withstand very cold or very warm weather. When buying synthetic outdoor cat houses make sure they are not made of toxic materials and that they are actually safe for your cat. There are several outdoor cat houses available in the market today, and by doing a market research you will see you can find the perfect one within your budget as they come in all sizes and types of finishing’s. You can go for a more modest version or, if you have the financial means, there are several luxury outdoor cat house models available. Cats are free and independent animals. They are feline hunters by nature and they were not made to be kept inside the house at all times. Keep your cat happy by providing him the opportunity to be free and safe at the same time. If he knows that by coming back he will find a perfect and safe place to be, he won’t need to go wondering for comfort. Outdoor cat houses are a great choice for the true cat lovers.

How To Choose The Right Home Theater Seating

Have you just bought a wonderful surround-sound home entertainment system but no decent home theater seating to sit on to watch the latest rented DVD? Do you always have to squeeze next to the cat and your daughter who likes to hog the old sofa like it was her bed whenever she watches anything on the screen? Do you have to constantly pause the DVD to get your tomato juice from the kitchen benchtop because there is no place to put your drink without fear of spilling it on your white carpet? And does your back suffer terribly even only after 30 minutes of watching your favorite sitcom? Home theater systems and home theater seating - the suburban preoccupation of the decade If you've answered yes to any of the questions above, then despair no more. In the past five years or so, home theater seats have surpassed the comfort and support provided by the traditional movie theater seat. Home theater seating can range from actual movie theater seats with beverage holders to more plush reclining club chairs and home theater loungers with footrests and built in wireless bass audio. But how do you choose a good home theater seating? Below are some tips on how to choose a home theater seating that is just right for you. Tips on how to choose the right home theater seating 1. The first thing to ask yourself is how many will you normally seat? - If you prefer your home viewing to be strictly limited to yourself and your only daughter, then you will only need a seating for a small group of three. - If you are planning to invite the whole neighborhood, then you may need to create one or more rows of grouped seating just like in a real theater. You can choose to have single seats carefully placed in your home entertainment or rumpus room or build a group of 2, 3 or 4 chairs. 2. The second and equally important question is will your current home entertainment or rumpus room have space enough for your home theater seating plan? It would be wise to allocate a room or part of a room that is spacious enough for your home entertainment area. Or if you have the budget and the inclination - you may want to add a special room for this specific purpose. 3. A very important priority in any home theater seating is comfort as you may need to be seated for an average of 90 to 120 minutes for a full length feature movie. Answering the following questions may help you to judge whether the home theater seating you are choosing will give you the level of comfort that you need. - Does the footrest extend before the backrest reclines? This is important so that your body remains supported and your movie viewing and line of sight is kept intact. - Are the armrests wide enough to rest your arms and provide the right balance? - Does the seat and back offer both firmness and flexibility? Does the seat provide high density foam cushions to provide both comfort and back support? - Does it provide full support from head to toe? 4. What style of home theater seating will fit your decor? After all, theater seats should be part of the home theater and should enhance its overall decor. Do you want an upholstered home theater seating or do you want to see some of the timber's natural woodgrain enlivened by an oil finish? Do you want supple, luxurious leather or the warm caress of velvet? What colors complement your decor - the girly-cute pink of custard; the regal low-maintenance ruby of pomegranate or the uptown classy brown of biscuit? 5. Was the home theater seating constucted using techniques that have been proven to result in stronger and more durable loungers and seats that can withstand everyday use, such as using kiln-dried hardwood base frames and cushions made of high density 2-lb foam. 6. Last but not least, how much do you want to spend for your home theater seating? Whatever your budget, there seems to be a home theater seating for everyone's fancy: - whether its the $4,700 three-seater Rodeo Leather Lounge with built in wireless bass shaker, recliner, footrest and wide armrest rolls for the ultimate in home theater experience, - a vintage movie theater seat which had its previous home from a local movie house and which you've just bid successfully on ebay for $99, - or somewhere in between.

Florida Relocation

New Yorkers are buying homes in Florida (particularly in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach) at a record pace, either as a second home or permanently relocating to the sunshine state. This brief overview is intended to give readers from New York an idea of what to expect when embarking on the process of shopping for a home in So. Florida.

Although home prices have skyrocketed in the last 5 years, relative to NY prices, you can still buy a lot more house for your dollar in Florida. Homes in South Florida are currently selling pretty quickly with the average time on the market being about 30 days. If you are working with a real estate agent here and are serious about buying something, be prepared to make a trip down here on short notice. If you leave it until your next trip in a couple of months, chances are the home will no longer be available. Homes here typically sell anywhere from full asking price to $10k or $20k below asking price. Often times, homebuyers from other areas make offers of 10% below the asking price, only to loose a few homes before understanding that sellers here consider this insulting and typically won’t even respond with a counter offer. With 1,000 people per day making Florida their permanent residence, the demand for housing continues to increase while there is limited supply. For this reason it is anticipated that prices will remain strong for the foreseeable future.

Real Estate taxes are calculated using a millage rate which is applied to the assessed value of the property. Although the millage rate varies from one area to another, as a rule of thumb, your annual Real Estate taxes will be 2% of the value of your home. Property is re assessed every time it changes hands, so when you buy a home, you should expect it to be assessed at or about your purchase price, therefore your annual taxes will be about 2% of what you paid for your home. There are several tax exemptions available to Florida residents, the most significant one being the Homestead Exemption which is available to all permanent Florida residents. This exemption lowers your assessed value by $25k and shields your property from creditors, but more importantly homestead properties are protected by the Save Our Homes tax cap which limits the amount your taxes can increase by 3% annually. Since property values have been increasing about 25% annually, it is extremely important to file for homestead exemption as soon as you close on your new home. At the same time, since many current homeowners are paying a fraction of what they would if their homes were not protected, when looking at homes, you should pay no attention to what the current owner’s taxes are, instead you should calculate your new tax based on your purchase price. If you are discouraged by the high real estate taxes in Florida, don’t despair, there is good news yet - Florida has no income tax. When living in NY, you pay Federal, State and possibly City taxes on the money you earn. In Florida, while you still pay Federal income tax, there is no state income tax at all.

Most single family homes in Boca Raton are built in planned communities and are governed by homeowners associations. Townhouses or condominiums are similar but are governed by condo associations. In either case, the governing body will be responsible for maintenance of common areas and will impose rules on homeowners regarding the upkeep of the homes. Homeowners are required to pay monthly assessments to the association to cover the common costs of the community, which vary depending on what the association is responsible for. If you purchase a home in Country Club, membership in the club may be mandatory. Country Club membership typically entails an up front equity contribution to the club ranging from $20k to $100k and yearly membership dues ranging from $2k to $15k.
Your mortgage company will require that you maintain an insurance policy on your home equal to at least the amount of the mortgage or the replacement value of the home whichever is less. They will require that you have hurricane coverage and if you live in a flood zone, then flood insurance as well. Flood zones are determined by an elevation survey and while you may not be required to carry flood insurance, the incremental cost above your standard policy is minimal and it is worth having it anyway. There are several factors that will affect the cost of your homeowners insurance most of which are a function of the age of your home. Homes that are more than 20 years old are significantly more expensive to insure. Homes that where built after the new hurricane code was put into effect in 1998 are significantly less costly to insure due to the changes in how the homes are built including the requirement for storm shutters.

If you are relocating and seeking permanent employment in Florida, keep in mind that due to cost of living differences between NY and So. Florida, you need not earn the same dollar amount that you are currently earning in NY. As a rule of thumb, your FL salary should be approximately 80% of your NY salary. In other words, if you are earning $100k per year in NY, you need to earn $80k here in order to lead a similar lifestyle.

Home shopping can be an exhausting experience, especially when doing it long distance. With more than 16,000 Realtors in Palm Beach County, it is important that you select the right Realtor to work with. Make sure you are working with someone who is a full time Realtor, not a part timer who has a license and tries to make a deal here and there. A Realtor who is Internet savvy will make the process a lot easier by communicating with you via email, sending you listings, pictures and even virtual tours. It is also important to understand that unlike New York where Attorneys handle the contract, here in Florida contracts are prepared and executed by the Realtor, so a competent and professional Realtor can make all the difference.

Every Mom Needs A Break Before The Breaking Point

It’s probably no secret to you that today’s mom is busier than ever. It doesn’t matter if you’re a career mom trying to balance work and family or a stay-at-home mom trying to run the household and manage the many activities your children are involved in. This hectic pace often translates to isolation and leaves you little time for anything else. I’ve been working closely with stay-at-home mothers since 2002 and it’s no secret that most moms will do everything they can to provide the best for their families, often at the sacrifice of their own happiness. We lose contact with friends, don’t take care of ourselves like we used to and seemingly lose our true sense of self. Still, it’s not easy when we have heavy demands on our time and sometimes the only spare moments we have are when everyone is finally in bed and the house is silent. When the house if finally silent, take the time to read a good book, call an old friend or put in that exercise DVD you’ve been promising yourself you’d try. And never be afraid to ask for a break. Ask a trusted friend or family member to watch the kids for a while and go do something fun for a few hours. The kids will be just fine and you’ll be a much happier mama when you return. That’s good for the whole family! Recently, I spoke to Life Coach Aurelia Williams of RealLifeCoaching.net and she told me, “Being a busy mom, it can become so easy to fall into the mommy guilt trap where you start to neglect yourself. Many moms feel guilty if they take time for themselves and end up taking care of everyone else around them and pushing their own needs aside. This ultimately will leave you feeling burnt out, stressed out, truly unhappy and sometimes resentful. During the journey of motherhood, it is easy to lose ourselves along the way and inadvertently cut off or not seek out the support and camaraderie of other mothers.” Aurelia also urges you to give yourself “time to unwind, socialize and bond with others, especially other moms.” This allows you to truly rediscover yourself – you know the woman you were before all those wonderful kids came into your life? When you socialize with other moms, you can gain support, ideas and tips to help you with deal with certain parenting and relationship concerns from others who feel just like you do or have dealt with the same issues. Even when you’re busy, you can always connect with other moms during your children’s activities. Start chatting with other moms at your child’s soccer practice or after her piano recital. Social opportunities are available to you many times in the day – you may just not notice it.

How to buy a used car

Think of buying a car as a game of poker, the seller is your opponent he may be bluffing he may not, but just as you would at a poker room in a casino you have to try to read the seller like you would in a poker room in a casino. Always remember to keep your eyes and ears open, when talking to someone about a used car. Make sure to ask lots of questions. In a casino you are risking your money, in hopes of getting a big return, but when buying a car you just want to get your moneys worth, you want a car that will be reliable and dependable. You do not want a car that wont start on cold days or that stalls until its been running for a half hour. Make sure to check the undercarriage and under the hood for rust. To a car rust is like cancer. Once rust is found it will spread unless it is cut off and replaced. Under the car and in the engine compartment you will find some rust it is only natural, but you want it to only be surface rust. This means if you take a wire brush to the rusted area you will brush off the rust and get to clean metal. Next make sure to check the body of the car, for waves and any bubbling in the paint, this would indicate that the car was in an accident or some rust was incorrectly repaired. It is not uncommon for someone selling a car to have rust spots sanded down and painted over to give the car a fresh look, but what will happen is after a month or two the paint will start to bubble as the metal begins to rust again. Next, look at the motor and mechanical parts under the hood of the car. The engine should be relatively clean from motor oil. If you see large buildups of oil in an area then chances are a head gasket will need to be replaces because of an oil leak. All electrical and rubber parts should be checked for cracks. Cracks in rubber parts means that the rubber is old and dried out and will probably need to be replaced eventually. Make sure to ask the owner if he has all the receipts for any work that has been done to the vehicle. Another important piece of advice is to make sure to take the car for a good test drive. Do not be afraid to drive the car a little hard with the owner with you in the car, chances are they will understand, if they object then maybe there is something with the car they are trying to hide and you should move on to another car. Many people will tell you that buying a used car is a gamble but if you take a good hard look at each car, and not get impulsive to buy, you can remove any gamble and guarantee yourself a jackpot of a car.