What Baby Really Needs From Daddy

When you're a new dad, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not connecting enough with your newborn. "Every bit of research that we have says that the more time men spend with their children, the better it is for the dad and for the child," says Jerrold Lee Shapiro, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and author of Becoming a Father, The Measure of a Man. "It's about just being in the same room with them." He urges men to form their own relationships with their children—the earlier the better. The baby doesn't belong only to Mom, after all.

According to Shapiro, another common mistake is for new dads to get so overwhelmed by financial concerns that they start working more hours or at another job. "They then lose time connecting with the baby, because they are so into the protect-and-provide mode," he notes.

Read more advice from Jerrold Lee Shapiro, Ph.D. on being a new dad.© 2009 The First Thirty Days, Inc.

Where Your Kids Can Eat Free

Where Can My Kids Eat Free?

Want to feed the kiddos for free- here is a list of restaurants I have found that offer free food to your kids. Offers can vary by location so we always recommend that you call ahead and confirm with your local establishment.
A
Applebees –Kids eat for free on Monday Nights. 1 free kids meal per adult entree purchase but additional kids are only $1.00. Locations can vary.

B
Backyard Burger – Kids eat free on Tuesday and Thursday after 4 pm with adult entree purchase.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s – Kids 10 and under eat free from 4-8pm on Tuesdays with adult entree purchase.
Bennigan’s – Kids eat free on Tuesdays with one adult entree purchase.
Bruster's Real Ice Cream- kids who are under 40 inches receive a free baby cone

C
Captain D’s – Kids eat for free at on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Limited to 2 free kid’s meals for each adult dinner purchased.
Champps Americana- For every paying adult two children can eat free
Carrow’s – Kids 10 and under eat for free on Wednesday and Thursday.
Chik-fil-a- On Tuesdays when you purchase a combo meal you get a free child's meal
Cici’s Pizza – Kids 3 and under eat free 7 days a week.
Culver's- Children receive a free cup of custard with their meal

D
D'amico and Sons- Kids eat free on Sunday Evenings
Damon’s Grill –Kids 12 and under get a free kid's meal on Thursdays. 1 free per adult entree.
Denny's- Kid's eat free on Tuesdays and (some locations) Saturdays. From 4-10 PM
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit – Kids 12 and under eat for free on Sundays . 1 adult entree and a child’s drink is a required purchase.

F
Famous Dave's- Kids eat free on Tuesdays (could vary by location)
Friendly’s – Kids eat free on Tuesdays (adult meals have discounts on Tues, as well) Can vary by location.
Firehouse Subs – Kids 12 and under eat free from 4-9pm on Wednesdays and Sundays . One per each adult purchase.
Fuddruckers – (not free but cheap) 12 and under can eat for .99 (drink is included) from 4-9pm on Mondays and Tuesdays. Locations my vary.

G
Gatti Town Buffet – Kids 10 and under get a free kids’ buffet on Wednesday. 1 free child per adult buffet purchase.
Godfather’s Pizza – Kids 10 and under at Godfather’s Pizza buffet free from 11am - 2pm and 5-8pm on Tuesdays.
Golden Corral- Kids eat free on Tuesday Nights

H
Holiday Inn- Kids eat free with a paying adult

I
IHOP- kids eat free Everyday
Islands – Kids eat free on Mondays,Tuesdays and Wednesdays

J
Jason’s Deli – Kids eat free at Jason’s Deli on Sundays.

L
Lonestar Steakhouse – Kids 12 and under eat free On Tuesdays-all day. 2 children per adult entree.

M
Macaroni Grill- Kids get a free drink and ice cream with their meals.
Moe’s Southwest Grill – kids eat for free on Mondays with the purchase of an adult entree.

O
O'Charley's- Kid's 12 and under eat free every evening.
On the Border Mexican Grill- free sundae with kid's meal purchase

P
Perkins – Kids eat free at Perkins all day on Tuesdays.
Piccadilly – Kids 6 and under eat for free Monday-Saturday.
Pizza Hut- Kids eat free on Tuesday Evenings- may vary per location
Pizza Street – Kids 9 years and under eat free from the buffet on Tuesday from 5-8pm.
Planet Sub – Kids eat free on Tuesdays and Sundays with each adult meal purchased.
Ponderosa Steakhouse – Kids eat free from 4pm to close on Tuesdays.

Q
Qdoba Mexican Grill – Kids eat free at Wednesdays (some locations) and Sundays (some locations) .
Quaker Steak and Lube – Kids eat for free 5pm to 10pm on Mondays.

R
Red Robin – Kids 10 and under can eat for free on Monday and Tuesday from 5-9pm
Rock Bottom Cafe – Kids 12 and under eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays
Ruby’s Diner – Kids 12 and under eat for free Ruby’s Diner after 4pm on Tuesday (call to make sure your Ruby's is participating.

S
Salsarita's – Kid's eat free with purchase of an adult entree.
Shari’s Restaurant – Kids eat free on Saturdays and Sundays from 4-9pm.
Shoney’s – Kids 4 or younger eat free everyday with an adult entree purchase.
Souper! Salad! – Kids 4 and under at free and kids 5-12 eat for $2.49 on Sunday.
Space Aliens – Kids 10 and under get a free kids pizza along and 10 game tokens on Tuesdays with the purchase a regular price adult entree.
Steak n’ Shake – Kids can eat free on Saturdays and Sundays with a purchase of an adult entree valued $9 or more.
Sweet Tomatoes-Kids under 2 eat free

T
Texas Roadhouse – Mondays or Tuesdays (check your location) kids 12 and under eat free.
Texas Land & Cattle – Kids 12 and under eat free on Saturdays from 11am - 4pm. 2 free kid's meals for each adult entree.
TGI Friday’s – Kids 3 and under eat for free on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe – Kids eat free on Sundays (participating locations).
Tony Roma’s – Kids 12 and under eat free on Tuesdays.
Tumbleweed SouthWest Grill – Kids 12 and under eat free on Sundays. 1 kids’ meal free for each adult entree.

Z
Zebbs Grill & Bar – Kids 10 and under eat free on Sundays with each adult meal purchased.

Dealing With Change

We often forget to take care of ourselves when we’re wrapped up in change, but that's when we most need to focus on the S.E.E.D: Sleep, Eat, Exercise and Drink (water). Maintaining your health by getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking lots of fresh water and moving, moving, moving will give you the strength and vitality to move forward through change without getting stuck.

When you move, your life force starts flowing again and you feel empowered. Your emotions move through you, rather than staying stuck in your head. Most importantly, your energy and self-esteem improve, so you’re better able to handle stress.

Which Way Should the Ceiling Fan Turn?

My dad was explaining to me that in the summer the fan turns one direction and in the winter, the fan should turn the other way. However, he couldn't' remember which way the fan should turn and when. Woman's Day June 2009 put out a quick article that saved the day:

During the summer, the blades should turn counter clockwise, blowing air down to cool you. In Winter, they should be turning clockwise, circulating the hot air in the room. To change the rotation, turn off the fan, find the little switch on the side and flip it.

Anti-Aging Stretching

I found this article in Woman's Day June, 2009 and liked the point it made.

"Getting regular exercise is crucial-and stretching is especially key for those of us who spend most of our day in a chair. 'Siting puts pressure on your discs in your spine and shortens and tightens the front of your body which can make you feel older,' says Chris Frederick, a PT in Arizona. Stretching alleviates those problems."

Hungry? Drink Water

The next time you reach for food, consider that you might actually just be thirsty. “Often, people don’t recognize that they’re thirsty and they eat, instead,” suggests Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, or “Dr. Batman,” author of Obesity, Cancer & Depression: Their Common Cause & Natural Cure. We really want water, but somehow our signals get confused.

Many of us—99% of Americans by the age of 70—are dehydrated without even knowing it. According to Dr. Batman, your body’s cries for water can show up as irritability, anxiety, depression and fatigue and many other disease symptoms, such as pain. “When your body is dehydrated, it cannot get rid of the acid content inside the cells,” Dr. Batman explains. “The brain translates this acidity situation into pain at the location of the excess acid.”

We attribute our symptoms to other causes without considering a simpler one—dehydration—with an even simpler solution: Drink more water.

© 2009 The First Thirty Days, Inc.

How To Improve Your Sleep

I have several friends, including myself, where sleep doesn't always come easy at night. I was sent this article and it includes the same information I have read in several magazines, so I thought I would post it.

If you haven't been sleeping well, the solution may be simpler than you think. Before you turn to addictive sleep medications, try these all natural bedtime remedies:

1. Write it down. Get worries, fears, and tomorrow's "To Do" list out of your head and onto paper.
2. Avoid alcohol before bed. Alcohol may put you to sleep, but it will also wake you up several hours later.
3. Finish vigorous exercise five hours before bed. It can take that long for your core body temperature to drop in order to fall asleep.
4. Create a restful environment. Keep your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and clutter-free. Consider using a white-noise maker.
5. Avoid stress inducing activity prior to sleep. Answering emails, paying bills or watching stress-inducing TV will keep your body restless.
6. Utilize relaxation techniques. Release the stress of the day with light stretching, soothing music, aromatherapy oil, deep breathing, meditation or a combination of these activities.© 2009 The First Thirty Days, Inc.

Daily Advice

I think it's nice to share some advice every now and then that is applicable to many people. I got this in one of my emails by "Ariane's Change Secrets" I subscribe to.

* If you don’t have high expectations for teachers, classes, parents, boyfriends/girlfriends, etc., whatever happens is a bonus. Being disappointed by unmet expectations is what hurts the most.
* Compare and Despair. The minute you compare yourself, you're setting yourself up to get depressed.
* Write down three accomplishments that you're incredibly proud of. When you're feeling down, remember, you're the person who got them done!
* Someone else in the world would do anything for your life, school, friends and clothes… even on your worst day.
* Do the thing that scares you. Nothing feels better than being courageous.
© 2009 The First Thirty Days, Inc.