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Children may feel the same feelings when they grieve as adults, yet their responses can be very different. In addition, every day through the media, images of death, loss, grief and violence are presented to not only adult eyes, but also the vulnerable eyes and hearts of our children. Adults barely have the tools and experience to process what they see intellectually and emotionally. Imagine how the younger and more vulnerable among us deal with this!

In addition, children are deeply affected by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina. Not only do the children who have faced this storm directly need immediate consideration, but also those who are safely in their homes in other parts of the country need to be tended carefully. Because few have maps or experience dealing with the challenges they witness in others’ lives–and because many parents feel ill-equipped to guide their children through traumas such as Katrina, or the death of a loved one–change is scary.

Yet if adults can’t figure out how to handle change, how can our children move through their journeys of loss and change?

Loss and grief force inner and outer changes to take place in all of our lives, yet in a way we can direct. We can learn to use the energy of change not only to bring healing, but to encourage wholeness in a child’s physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional being.

Let’s look at ways parents can help their children deal with death, loss and grief, close to home as well as far away.

Dealing with Common Experiences

All children who encounter grief and change process them differently. But some feelings and experiences are common to almost everyone.

Infants, for example, don’t intellectually understand changes around them, but they sense changes in their life situations physically, emotionally, and spiritually. To assist infants in directing the energy of change, give them reassurance through your touch. Talk about what has happened. Act with a consistency to support the routines they know. Mostly, they need to know they can count on your support, that you’ll keep them safe and take care of their needs.

Supporting Toddlers in Crisis

When dealing with the idea of death, toddlers and young children through age five don’t understand the concept of permanence. They repeatedly ask when a deceased person will return. Children at this age learn through repetition and play, therefore they need you to patiently tell them over and over what has happened.

Many people make the mistake of using phrases such as “gone away,” “resting,” “sleeping,” and “taken to heaven,” which can confuse and scare children. It’s best to be as honest as you can with them. Include them in as much of the process as they care to participate in.

Children go in and out of grieving in a rhythm that follows their inner needs. If you notice them regressing behaviorally, that means they’ll likely benefit from more, rather than less, structure, including dependable routines. In addition, supply them with various play materials such as paper and art supplies, clay or puppets. Help them use these materials to work out their feelings and thoughts.

Supporting Older Children

Children aged six through ten begin to understand the permanence of death, yet they don’t want to acknowledge it. Like younger children, they may also desire to know literal and physical facts about illnesses, dead bodies, and disposal of bodies, though they won’t directly ask. It’s important to be honest and direct when explaining details. Again, find out “where they’re at” in their understanding of the situation. Once you do, give them only as much information as they require.

When in their pre-teens, children are in a transitional place of understanding and expressiveness. Peer pressure has begun to rear its weighty head; an inner battle concerning independence and vulnerability is raging. These children experience many conflicting emotions and their feelings of grief can certainly be confusing. Giving them honesty, support, and “space” to process the changes on their own are essential. Perhaps you can provide a journal, an age-appropriate book, or a support group of peers if they’re open to it.

Dealing with Mature Teens

As teens mature, their ability to grieve with their immediate families usually decreases. They tend to take their feelings and concerns to peers or to a trusted adult such as a pastor, teacher, or uncle. They could display more acting-out or risk-taking behaviors than younger children. As with the other age groups, it’s important to be honest, show your own feelings and vulnerability, and provide lots of love and support.

Guilt, a difficult emotion at any age, can be particularly evident in mature teenagers. Gently probe to see if they’ve attached guilt to the grief they feel. Provide reassurance that all their feelings are normal. Most of all, let them know that they did not cause the loss. Even very young children can have the perception that they somehow caused the event leading to the loss.

Each Child is Unique

This brief summary indicates a few common developmental differences in grieving children of select age groups. However, because each child is unique, understanding death and grieving varies from child to child.

Remember, grief is not an illness; it’s a normal response to loss. And most children move through their grief journeys without significant problems. But when grief becomes complicated by factors such as addictions in the family, traumatic death, history of abuse, multiple losses, and minimal family or community support, then children may require professional help. Also, the grief of a larger community, such as a nation focused on the aftermath of the hurricane, presents additional conflicting emotions. Engage your child in a discussion about what they see on tv, what their peers and teachers have said about the events, and most importantly, what your child thinks and feels. Ask questions without trying to ‘make it better.’

If a grieving child exhibits persistent destructive behaviors, prolonged depression or withdrawal, debilitating somatic complaints, or excessive anger, consult a grief professional. In fact, these guidelines apply to any loss–whether it involves a death, a move, a separation, a divorce, or a serious health challenge.

Be Sure to Talk With Them

Grief is a subject that often gets avoided or handled fearfully and briefly. As a parent, educator, and counselor, I encourage you to talk with your children about their loss or the ones they view in the media. Discuss what changes will result in their lives because of a loved one’s death or events in the world as completely as you can. If you provide structured education, children will learn to handle future loss and crises with confidence rather than fear.

Also, be sensitive to cultural differences in dealing with death and other losses. Remember, there is never “one way” to teach or do anything

Take Care of Your Own Needs

In your role as teacher, counselor, or parent, it can be easy to ignore your own needs. Naturally, you feel genuine concern about the welfare of children faced with a difficult loss, but your own feelings about life-changing events are just as important as theirs. If you don’t allow yourself to process them, you’ll be a less effective role model for your children.

In particular, take time to face your own discomfort about talking to the children about death and grief. If you’re aware of unresolved grief issues from your past, seek a trusted person with whom you can discuss your feelings. Look at this as a great opportunity to do some “inner housekeeping.”

Tools and Tips

Here are some ideas to guide you:

1) Breathing exercises go a long way to reduce the stress of loss and change. Breathe in . . . breathe out . . . aah.

2) Remember, it’s okay to show children that you’re grieving, too. Admit your own confusion, anger, or sadness about the situation; this gives them permission to feel and grieve themselves. When you show children how you take care of yourself during difficult times, they learn life-affirming ways to deal with crisis and change.

3) Have the children tell their stories. They can do this with words, pictures, or dramatization. You’ll find that it’s healing both to tell our stories and witness others’ stories.

4) Have children do sentence completions and then discuss what came up. Examples would be: “I wonder what…” or “I wish I could… ” or “I need you to know that . . . ” or “The hardest thing for me in my life right now is . . . “

5) It’s important for children to remember that they aren’t alone. A lot of help is available. Encourage them to think about all the things and people they consider to be their resources. Then have them make a picture or map of these resources using crayons, pastels, pencils, and markers. This map can contain favorite activities and people, pets, even spiritual helpers. It becomes a valued reminder and symbol of where they can turn when they feel low.

6) Due to circumstances, sometimes children don’t have the opportunity to say goodbye to their pets when they die. It’s hard for anyone to grieve without having a chance to say goodbye. Have your children write a letter to the pet or person who is gone, or ask them to draw their “goodbyes” if they can’t write them.

7) Encourage your children to draw their feelings or make a collage that represents death, loss, or change. They may prefer to write a poem about death, compose music, or make up a feeling dance.

When grieving, it’s important to balance the sadness, anger, and fear you feel with thoughts about the good things in your life. The same is true for children. Have them list all the things they feel grateful for.

9) Assure your children that the children directly affected by the hurricane have loving adults helping and watching over them. Let them know that you will do all in your power to keep them safe and that you have a plan in case something unexpected happens. Then make sure you DO have a plan.

10) Sometimes children feel badly about themselves during times of major change and loss. Have them make a collage of what it means “to be human.” Encourage them to depict positive and negative feelings as well as behaviors, which helps them see how a “whole person” looks. Discuss the fact that everyone grows and learns as a result of change.

11) Children, like adults, often fear what’s ahead. It’s easier to acknowledge and work with fear when they can “see” it, instead of putting their efforts into hiding it. Have them sculpt their fears with clay or another medium.

12) Help children understand that they have choices about what they think and say, and how they react and behave. Reinforce the idea that these choices determine what they get throughout their lives.

13) Children and adults feel helpless when faced with situations out of their control. Our natural tendency is to want to help those in dire need. Allow your children to help in some way. This will give them the feeling of being useful, and it helps them to grow their compassion. Ask them if they have any ideas, and if they don’t, you can make suggestions: collecting donations from friends, family, at school or in the neighborhood; making bags with needed items included–they could also write a personal note of support to include in each bag; organizing a fundraiser; collecting donations for the rescue of pets; getting their schoolmates to write poems, letters, drawings, songs, etc with donations; and of course, prayer. Have them visualize love, light, and hope being delivered to victims and their families with their prayers.

Listen Deeply

When you’re with children who are grieving, your primary resource is a good ear. That doesn’t necessarily mean your physical ears; it also includes your emotional, mental, and spiritual ears. Listening deeply helps you be present with them and pick up on their cues. It goes a long way toward healing–for everyone involved.

Beware. If you simply “go at them” with your knowledge about the grief process and impose “grief activities” on them, you risk losing their trust through poor timing. Know that with good tools, your ability to listen both to the children and to your own intuition, you’ll be guided to help them have a positive, even transformational, experience.

Marcia Breitenbach is a licensed psychotherapist, and author of The Winds of Change: A Guided Journey with Healing Music through Grief, Loss & Transformation and its accompanying CD of original healing songs. Visit her at [http://www.griefandlosshelpsongletter.com] and get your free report and free downloadable, inspiring songs.

The Image: Jacques, the manager of a huge large pipe manufacturing business describes team dynamics.

“A pipe, no matter how thick or long it is, is only as strong and reliable as its thinnest, weakest part. All our pipes come out looking great on the surface. It’s only when we put them through our scanners that we can see whether the pipe is fit for shipping. So, too, like our teams. We only know how competent, strong and functional they are under the stresses and strains of everyday manufacturing demands. Sometimes they just blow up!”

What A Team Is: A group of individuals working in sync, with competence and motivation to accomplish a common objective. A high performing team has a dynamic, sometimes conflicted, energy that propels it forward in the service of achieving its purposes.

A Group is Like: A bunch of people on a bus. All heading in the same direction. Driven by the bus driver. People don’t talk with each other. They get on and off as they please. The only commonality is the vehicle.

Key Action Words/Phrases of A Team: Accountability. Self-responsibility. Conflict. Problem-solving. Clear Objectives. Formal leader. Informal leaders. Celebration. Temporary. Individual roles are critical to and subordinate to team goals.

“I” is each of the parts that forms the “we” that pull together to make it about the bigger “us.”

Working Images of Teams: Cirque de Soleil. Top Gun. An aircraft carrier. A surgical team. A flash mob dance.

Dysfunctional Groups: The Senate. Detroit Lions Football Team.

Each individual on a team is responsible for the approach, achieving the assigned goals and the internal processes that helps or hinders progress.

Business is a team sport. Actually life is a team sport — a fact which many people ignore at their peril.

A team without a leader is like a child without a supervising adult. The best teams are self-governed and enforce their own peer-based discipline and they have a formal leader to guide them. The Miami dolphins without Don Shula would not have had a no-loss season. Microsoft with Bill Gates? Apple sans Steve jobs?

A team generates and regulates a sense of unity among its disparate individuals. It also leverages individual performances into team accountability and outcomes.

Without an effective management team a company will not likely be able to develop its teams.

Incompetence flows downhill.

Policies and corporate strategies do not a high performance team culture make.

Managers, as team leaders, have the tension-filled, opposing challenge of exercising the right authority and inclusiveness. That’s the art.

It is best when a team sets its own goals and processes based upon the inputs from its members. That’s the science.

A well-mixed team made up of individuals with differing style and skills, and who are committed to the team, can produce for the organization.

A high functioning team is flexible enough to shift – sometimes smoothly, sometimes with turbulence — leadership roles among the members to fit the situation.

To get your FR.EE Instant Copy of — A TASTE of GENIUS — an introduction to building team competencies and motivation for fun and profit. Go to http://www.subject2change.ca

From Dr. Jim Sellner, PhD.,DipC. — working with Zoomers & Super Zoomers managers to experience more joy, health and a sense of abundance.

Any parent with a shy child knows that being put in front of a large crowd and asking them to perform well is like a death sentence. Crying, panic attacks and failure are nearly a guaranteed result. There is a distinct difference between children who don’t like sports and those who just break down at game time. So, how do you get your child to enjoy team sports and participate in all that a team requires? The answer will depend on your child, but here is a great place to start:

1. Have a Talk with the Coach. This is the most important step to helping your child move forward. It is important that the coach understand your child’s issues and allow for them to be worked through. For instance, in the case of my child, she always did well in practice, but broke down at game time. She was actually one of the better players on the team, but just couldn’t pull it together for the games. The coach was very frustrated and assumed I was coddler her too much by not pushing her to stay in the game. After my talk with the coach, however, he just encouraged her to come to the first two games and told her she didni’t have to play. Then, he said she could just play one quarter (it was soccer). Having the coach understand why things are happening will change their attitude and allow the coach and child to communicate in a positive manner.

2. Encourage and Support Your Child. Don’t push too hard, but don’t let them quit either. Allowing them to quit will not help them in the long run. Even if it means only playing one quarter, or even one play of the season, they are on a team. Teaching them to work through hard times and knowing you are there to help them will build their confidence. The sense of accomplishment they experience will bleed over into other areas, like school.

3. Allow Them to Express Their Emotion. If they need to cry, let them. For a shy child to work through performing in from of large groups of people is a very bold and courageous thing. It takes a lot of energy and sometimes they need a release.

Whenever your child has issues, you must delicately balance encouraging them to be strong and finishing the task with allowing them to move at their own pace. Helping your child become more self-confident and overcome some extreme shyness is a process that must be taken step-by-step, but its one that every child can win.

You can find more parent related topics at my blog and website Every Kind of Mom.

C.D. Watson is the author of this article and enjoys sharing her views on a variety of popular topics. She is an entrepreneur and has written several hundred articles in her areas of expertise and life experience. Visit http://www.everykindofmom.com for more.

Education never ends – it is not said without reason. We are educated all our lives and getting an education not only is a great achievement but something that gives you the tools to find your own way in the world. Education is indispensable; little do we realize how much more it can bring to us in terms of worldly amplifications. Anyone can have propensity and the natural endowment for education. But one might not have the resources to finance their education. You certainly can’t let lack of resources impede you from advancing your prospects through education. Then you accidentally stumble upon the word ‘education loans’. Loans for education – you have never thought about it as a feasible arrangement. Education loans can open newer panoramas in regard to your education aspirations.

Education loans are open to all people in all its myriad forms. Education loans can realize your education plans or the education plans of your children. You can strengthen you own future and the future of your son or daughter with education loans. An extensive range of student and parent loans are presented under the category of education loans. There are many types of education loans. Discerning about the types of education loans will help you in making the accurate decision. The single largest resource of education loans is federal loan. The two main federal education loan programmes are the Federal Family Education Loan Programme and the Federal Direct Loan Programme. In the Federal Family Education Loan Programme the bank, credit union or the school is the lender. While the federal direct loans programme, the department of education is the lender.

Private education loans are offered to people so that they can provide financial backup to their education plans. Private education loans are not endorsed by other government agencies but are provided by other financial institutions. Private education loans programme are optimum for both undergraduate and graduate studies.

Formal education is requisite for future success. Though this is not a hard and fast rule, but education certainly helps you in gaining an upper hand. With universities getting expensive by each day an education loan will certainly give you an incentive to go ahead with your education plans. Each year while contemplating on your education plans the thought of finances almost invariably comes in. While working towards you degree, you are constantly plagued about paying for the education fees, books, and other living expenses. Education loans can provide funding for tuition fees, board and room, books computer, and even student travel. An education loan can help you with all these expenses. Education loans are sufficient enough to take care of all these expenses. If you have been forced to drop your education for any reason, you can still take up your education at any point of time. Irrespective of your age and also where you have left your education.

There are no specific eligibility criteria for education loans. Any person who is in need of sponsorship for education can find an education loan that befits his or her financial necessity. Loan amount on education loans vary with the kind of education you want to pursue. The repayment options with education loans will similarly accommodate your personal financial preferences. You can either repay interest amount while still in school or six months after graduation. Education loans offer upto ten years for repayments. The refund alternatives on education loans also include deferment, forbearance and consolidation. The various sites on education loans can give you innumerable repayment options and monetary remuneration.

Education loans will help you in planning your life after graduation. However, an education loan like every loan is a huge financial obligation. An education loans is generally the first substantial loan for most people and therefore the first major expense. Do not be completely dependent on your education loans for the funding of your complete education. Try to apply for any other financial sustenance like university grants, scholarships, fellowships, work study programmes and assistance ship and any other form of aid. This will certainly encourage a fluid dispensation of your education loans. You can start by going to the financial aid office in your school or university. It will provide you further insight to the kind of education loans, you must apply for.

Education is an experience of life. It is so rewarding in itself that it helps you to manage almost everything in your life. Education loans discipline your impulse towards education and training into a fruitful contrivance. The payoff is delicious in terms of improved quality of life. Education is expensive! Is it? With education loans it can’t be. Now, you don’t have to take the road in front of you. Make your own road with education loans.

Amanda Thompson holds a BachelorÂ’s degree in Commerce from CPIT and has completed her masterÂ’s in Business Administration from IGNOU. She is as cautious about her finances as any person reading this is. She is working as financial consultant for http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk To find a Personal loans,bad credit loans,debt consolidation loans that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk

The time has come. You have stopped by the pet shop every day on the way home from work to dote on the cute puppies in the window. Normally you return home with the thoughts of a cute puppy scampering down your hallways. Well, today you did it. You decided to purchase your very own puppy. However, before you bring your puppy home you need to be prepared. You need to purchase various dog supplies so that you can provide a welcoming home to your new dog.

What types of dog supplies do you need? There is a bounty of dog supplies available on the market today. The dog supplies range from basic necessities such as dog food to cute dog costumes. Dog supplies have become such a hot market today that numerous pet supply companies have popped up to meet any needs you have for dog supplies. This competition in the market place is a benefit to you because often times you can find great prices on dog supplies by doing a little market research.

Let’s first take a look at the basic dog supplies that you will want to have when your pooch arrives home. Basic dog supplies include: dog food, dog bowls, collar, leash, kennel/crate, and dog bed. Dog food is number one on the list because you shouldn’t feed your canine table scraps or your own dinner. You can place their food in regular bowls, but it is fun to search for a cute dog bowl. You can find dog bowls that even have their name on it.

Dogs have specific nutritional needs to need to be met so they grow up strong and have a healthy life. Proper dog supplies include the dog food that is geared towards their age, weight/size, and activity level. It is vital to maintain the proper weight for your dog’s size and breed. Table scraps and human food can lead to excess weight that is a detriment to your dog’s overall health. Not to mention they might have some unsightly waste products as a result of the human food.

When searching for dog food from your dog supplies list it is crucial that you find the right dog food. Check with a veterinarian, breeder, or dog shop owner for recommendations on the proper food. Dogs also will become used to their specific brand and type of dog food and if you suddenly change it they may suffer from upset stomach. Since they will be on the dog food for a long time it is a great idea to spend time finding the proper dog food for your pooch.

A dog collar and a dog leash should be next on your list of dog supplies. Many states require that you register your pet with the state. In addition you may need to demonstrate that your dog has had the required vaccines, such as rabies shots, and they must wear a tag on their collar regarding this. Also create a dog tag that has your dog’s name on it, your name, and phone number in case your dog ever gets lost.

Most cities require that your dog be on a leash through various leash laws. Keeping your dog on a leash is a smart idea especially when you head out to parks or walk along the road. You don’t want your pooch to bother other people or run out in front of an oncoming car. These scary situations can be avoided by using a leash to control your dog’s movement. Leashes are also a training tool which you can use to teach your dog the proper behavior for their daily walk.

Dog supplies have improved over the years especially regarding different types of leashes. Does your dog constantly pull away from you on the leash causing them to cough? If so, you can buy a least that doesn’t connect to just their collar, but is instead a harness that wraps around their entire body. You slip their legs through it. This type of leash can be much more comfortable for your dog, so consider it when looking for dog supplies.

If you leave your dog outside at all, whether you are home or not, you need to make sure that your dog is in a secure area. Therefore, you can keep them on a leash that is connected to a runner cord so they have a great area to run. Or you can provide a fenced in area for them to play in. Special things to note when looking for these types of dog supplies is that the leash should be a chest harness leash because you don’t want the dog to constantly run after passersbys and hurt their throat. If you have a fence then make sure that it is in line with your dog’s jumping ability. You don’t want your dog jumping over the fence the second you turn your head.

Next on your dog supplies list should be a dog kennel/crate and/or dog bed. Your dog needs a place they can call their own in your home. A dog kennel/crate helps a dog to feel safe, especially when you are gone. Refrain from using the dog kennel as a discipline retreat. You want them to look forward to their own space in your home.

These are the basic dog supplies you need to purchase before you pick up your new pooch. Later on, you can spend hours finding fun toys, dog chews, and dog costumes for your new best canine friend.

Visit the Dog supplies [http://www.dog-breeds-infosite.com] website to research dog breeds & get free tips on dog training, dog books, dog products & how to find dog sitters & dog walkers.

Due to the great variety of skis available, the beginner can easily become confused as to what equipment to get. Instead of buying a set of ski equipment right away, renting is a good option to consider. Here are some tips to help the beginning skier aong either path.

Renting Ski Equipment

Beginning skiers are usually better off renting their ski equipment, for the first season at least. It can be an expensive mistake to buy boots, poles and a full set of skis, when you don’t yet have the experience to choose the proper equipment.

Ski resorts usually have very knowledgeable staffs in their rental shops. They can be very helpful in choosing appropriate equipment for each skier. They will take into account height, weight, skiing ability and skiing style, as well as the current snow conditions. The rental shop staff has no interest in pushing one brand over another, because once you pay the rental fee you have your choice of any equipment in the shop. Of course, the staff does have an interest in making the skiing experience as enjoyable as possible. If you enjoy yourself, you are more likely to come back and rent from them again.

Renting is a great way to enable you to try out various types of skis and boots to see which you prefer. If you start with short skis, try a slightly longer pair each time to see what the difference is. Experimenting with skis from various manufacturers and skis made of different materials will help when it comes time to buy your own equipment. By then you will know exactly what works for you.

Buying Ski Equipment

After a couple of seasons of skiing, you will probably want your own equipment.

Information you’ll need to tell the sales person:

- how the skis will be used — on or off trail, groomed snow or powder, speed or stability

- your skiing ability

- your height and weight

- preferred length of skis

- for woman or man.

The staff in the ski shop, usually seasoned skiers, will help you make a good choice in your purchase. Be sure to give them as many details as possible about your skiing ability and style. This will enable them to guide you toward a suitable pair of skis for your needs.

Due to modern ski technology, skis can be designed so that one pair can suit a variety of conditions and styles. Of course, there are still specialized skis for specific purposes. The beginner to intermediate skier should probably get a pair of skis that can be used almost anywhere to try out different types of skiing as you progress.

Visit Ski snow to learn more. Ron King is a researcher, writer, and web developer visit Author Articles. Copyright 2006 Ron King.

Celebrities often choose unique and unusual baby names for their offspring. Some of the trendiest celebrity baby names and their meanings can be found here. These baby names can provide inspiration for choosing a unique name for your own baby.

Girl’s Names:

Apple: Origin: English, Meaning: Apple.

Celebrity Parents: Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Ava: Origin: German, Meaning: A bird.

Celebrity Parents: Reese Witherspoon, Heather Locklear.

Coco: Origin: Spanish, Meaning: Coconut.

Celebrity Parents: Courtney Cox Arquette and David Arquette

Ella: Origin: English, Meaning: Beautiful fairy woman.

Celebrity Parents: John Travolta, Ben Stiller, Eric Clapton, Mark Wahlberg & Rhea Durham.

Georgia: Origin: Greek Meaning: Female version of George, meaning a farmer.

Celebrity Parents: Harry Connick Jr., Harrison Ford, Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall.

Leila: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: Dark Beauty.

Celebrity Parents: Greta Scacci & Vincent D’Onofrio

Lola: Origin: Spanish, Meaning: Strong Woman.

Celebrity Parents: Kate Moss, Jennie Garth, Chris Rock.

Matilda: Origin: German, Meaning: Might, Power.

Celebrity Parents: Michelle Williams & Heath Ledger

Sailor: Origin: English, Meaning: Sailor.

Celebrity Parents: Christie Brinkley & Peter Cook

Shiloh: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: God’s Gift.

Celebrity Parents: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Sophia: Origin: Greek, Meaning: Form of Sophie, meaning wisdom.

Celebrity Parents: Francis Ford Coppola, Sylvester Stallone & Jennifer Flavin.

Stella: Origin: Greek, Meaning: A star.

Celebrity Parents: Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas.

Suri: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: Red Rose, Princess.

Celebrity Parents: Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes

Boy’s Names:

Banjo: Origin: English, Meaning: Banjo.

Celebrity Parents: Patrick and Rachel Griffiths

Bogart: Origin: German, Meaning: Bowstring.

Celebrity Parents: David “Puck” Rainey & Betty Rainey

Dashiell: Origin: Unknown, Meaning: Unknown.

Celebrity Parents: Alice Cooper. (Also, Mr. Incredible’s named his son Dashiell Robert Parr or “Dash”)

Indiana: Origin: English, Meaning: The country India.

Celebrity Parents: Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix

Joaquin: Origin: Spanish, Meaning: Abbreviation of the Hebrew name Jehoichin, meaning “Jehovah has established.”

Celebrity Parents: Kelly Ripa.

Jaden: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: Jehovah has heard.

Celebrity Parents: Will Smith, Christian Slater, Andre Agassi.

Liam: Origin: Irish, Meaning: Unwavering protector.

Celebrity Parents: Calista Flockhart.

Maddox: Origin: Welsh, Meaning: Son of the Patron.

Celebrity Parents: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Marlon: Origin: English, Meaning: Sea of Bitterness.

Celebrity Parents: Dennis Miller

Myles: Origin: German, Meaning: Millstone.

Celebrity Parents: Sherilynn Finn & Toulouse Hardy, Eddie Murphy

Oliver: Origin: Latin, Meaning: Olive Tree.

Celebrity Parents: Bridget Fonda & Danny Elfman

Presley: Origin: English, Meaning: From the priest’s meadow.

Celebrity Parents: Cindy Crawford.

Reed: Origin: English, Meaning: Redheaded.

Celebrity Parents: Ron Howard.

Ryder: Origin: English, Meaning: Knight.

Celebrity Parents: Kate Hudson & Chris Robinson

Seven: Origin: Unknown, Meaning: Unknown.

Celebrity Parents: Erykah Badu & Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000 of Outkast)

Article written by Trisha Jones, owner of the hip maternity and baby boutique, Stella Maternity, offering trendy maternity clothes and cool baby clothes. http://www.stellamaternity.com
Trisha also writes for the blog, S.M.N., the place to find news about celebrity babies and the latest trends in maternity and baby clothes. http://stellamaternity.blogspot.com

Today’s economy limits most consumers’ ability to replace large pieces of equipment, vehicles and furniture. To save money, consumers have to get smart, and sometimes creative. By identifying what problems are occurring that may be causing these things to not work properly, it is then an easy step to find less expensive solutions to make it work. Often times a simple repair or part replacement can make all the difference. Specifically for vehicles with engine trouble, the problem may seem beyond repair but if analyzed, a simple replacement kit or a repowered engine may be the best, low cost option available.

Small engine vehicles – lawn mowers, golf carts, trucksters, motorcycles, snow mobiles – are secondary pieces of equipment that are expensive to replace. When they seem to have engine trouble, replacing the entire vehicle is an expensive proposition. A replacement kit is typically the most cost effective alternative. But before going that route, it is important to identify exactly what is wrong with your current engine.

Small engine problems typically fall into two basic categories, failure to start and a problem running after the engine has started.

Failure to Start

There are a number of reasons a small engine might not start properly:

o Fuel line problems: Check to see that the fuel tank is full, that the fuel is fresh, and that the shut-off valve is closed. The fuel line or inlet screen could also be blocked or the fuel tank cap could be clogged.

o Carburetor problems: The carburetor could be blocked or the engine could be flooded. There might be problems with the spark plug. Check the choke on the fuel bowl as well – it could be set too high.

o Ignition problems: The spark plug contacts could be dirty, the plug gap could be set incorrectly, the lead could be faulty, or the kill switch could be shorted. These all require basic replacement or repair and are a snap with a proper kit.

o Compression problems: Check the valves, pistons, cylinder, or connecting rods if you suspect a compression problem. These could be dirty, stripped, or otherwise damaged, and would prevent the engine from starting properly or at all.

Problems Running

Problems running properly can pose more danger to your vehicle than an engine that simply wont’ start. If left unfixed, constant overheating or smoke emission can eventually ruin an engine and require a full-on replacement.

o Overheating engines: Lack of oil is one of the most common reasons for overheating. So is a dirty engine. Beyond that, there may be shrouds or cooling fans missing within the engine or the gasket could be leaking. The fuel mixture might be too lean, another carburetor problem. Cleaning or replacing the fuel tank vent and fuel tank screen can help reduce the chance of your engine overheating as well. These are all fixes that you can do yourself or with some simple repair kit that will cost far less than a new engine.

o Smoking: If the engine is emitting blue or white smoke then it is likely burning oil. If it is emitting black smoke it is a problem with the carburetor most likely. If it is neither the carburetor nor an oil leak, then it might be a clogged or dirty air filter.

o Knocking engine: If your engine experiences knocking it may indicate an excess of carbon in the combustion chamber, which would require you to clean carbon from the piston and head. The flywheel might also be loose. A faulty spark plug lead could cause engine knocking. This can be easily repaired or replaced.

o Spark Plug Misses: This could be caused by any number of things, including a faulty spark plug, faulty breaker points, an incorrectly set carburetor, or a weak valve spring.

It may appear that your small engine problems are large and will require a brand new small engine. Very rarely is this the case thought. To save money, take note of what exact problems you are having with your engine, test the areas we have outlined above and talk to a small engine specialist about steps to take to get the engine in working order again. The steps may be as simple as basic cleaning or part replacement to a slightly more complex but much lest expensive small engine repower kit. In today’s economy, none of us can afford to make unwarranted purchases like new engines if it is not necessary.

~Ben Nystrom, 2009

Ben Nystrom lives in Portland, OR and writes for Repower Specialists, LTD.
Read more about complete small engine repair kits available online by visiting the Repower Specialists site specializing in truckster, mower and golf cart engines and parts.