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Imagine 'peeking' at your growing baby - whenever you want! In pregnancy days are full of wonder, expectation and curiosity. Download the most popular pregnancy screensaver around and watch a baby grow to your due date! ExpectantSee is a screensaver program that lets you visualize pregnancy right on your PC. The pictures move and change, growing toward your due date. Plus you get practical information about your pregnancy milestones. You will learn facts based on your stage of pregnancy and see animated illustrations that grow and develop along with your pregnancy. Learn more about ExpectantSee

Featured Article:

7 Tips for Hiring a Babysitter
by Thomas Haller and Chick Moorman

You've heard the advice. "Take some time for yourselves. Create a date night. Hire a babysitter and spend quality quiet time together." Your friends have told you that. So have your closest relatives. Perhaps a counselor has recommended the same thing.

So you're convinced and ready to proceed. Get out the phone book and call a sitter. But wait! It's not that easy. Finding a babysitter who has a similar parenting style to your own is no easy task. More and more parents are finding this out and struggling to find a compatible, reputable babysitter, even if it's for a few hours a month. Some, aware of the recent news stories about incompetent child care, are consumed with fear and anxiety around leaving their children in the hands of a complete stranger.

If concern about quality babysitting is on your heart and mind, the following tips can help you in your search as well as relieve anxiety while you're out.

1. Do your homework. Take your time in this important search. Ask neighbors, friends, co-workers for recommendations. Check and double check their back ground and reputation. Find out if the person you are considering has taken child care classes, infant CPR certification, or training of any kind. There is no need to rush into finding a babysitter. Take your time.

2. Look outside your immediate family. Resist the temptation to let an aunt or cousin watch your children without giving the same scrutiny to them as you would a stranger. Cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who baby sit have all been known to molest children. Being a dear relative does not exempt someone from incompetence, a poor attitude, or consuming self-interest.

3. Consider hiring a younger babysitter that you can train. Begin by hiring a "mother's helper" to come to your home to play with your child while you are home. You can observe the young person's interaction with your child, offer suggestions when situations arise, and model how you want the care of your child to take place. You can then extend the length and breadth of the young sitters role as their experience increases.

4. Clarify the babysitter's role. Be specific and direct about your expectations for them. Remind your babysitter that safety is your primary concern while your child is in their care. You do not want their focus scattered on other responsibilities. You may have to tell your babysitter that your child must be in view at all times. Point our specific dangers, such as where the poison chemicals are kept in your home, the steep back steps, or the closeness of the road to where some neighborhood children play ball, etc. Leave the number for the poison control center by the phone, both upstairs and downstairs. Show the babysitter where you keep the ipecac syrup in case vomiting needs to be induced. Remember safety first.

5. Instruct the babysitter to ignore the phone and television. These are obvious distracters. It only takes a few seconds for a child to enter into a dangerous situation. Remind the sitter that you are hiring them to interact with your child and be the adult present in their life while you are gone. One cannot be fully present while watching TV or talking on the phone.

6. Leave your babysitter a list of fun activities that your children like to do. Set it up so that your children enjoy the babysitter coming over to play with them. Make it an event to remember with fun games and activities. If the babysitter doesn't want to get down on the ground and play with your kids, get a different sitter.

7. When you find a good babysitter - keep them happy! Find out their favorite snacks/food and have them available. Write a thank you card to your babysitters a couple of times a year. When you can, give them a bonus, extra money, holiday or birthday gift. Do what you can to show your appreciation.

Consider positioning your babysitter as a valued member of your family. They can be an valueable part in helping you raise your children. The steps you take to find that person can give you a much needed parenting break, ease your anxiety and create fun for your children too.

Thomas Haller and Chick Moorman are the authors of Teaching The Attraction Principle to Children. They are two of the world's foremost authorities on raising responsible, caring, confident children. They publish a free monthly e-zine for parents. To sign up for it or to obtain more information about how they can help you or your group meet your parenting needs, visit their website today: www.personalpowerpress.com.

New & Featured Articles

What Dad Can Do for Mom
In this month's Nurture Mom column, Rick and Jan Hanson share a top ten list addressed to a father on ways he can help support mom.

Back Up Your Child's Diet by Alan Greene, MD FAAP
You know that it is wise to back up your computer's hard drive; it's also wise to back up your child's food drive with a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. This simple habit could improve your child's health and even intelligence. Learn more from pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene.

Into the Mouths of Babes: Eight Easy Tips for Feeding Your Kids
Since summer is when most of us start craving juicy, fresh fruits and veggies, now is a great time to experiment with some fun, healthful food tips for you and your family. Learn more in this month's Medicine Mom column.

When Your Child is the Bully: Five Important Issues to Address
If a teacher calls home with concerns that your child is bullying other students or teachers, should a parent be upset with the teacher, or should they immediately take their child's side? Perhaps it's time to consider there might be some truth in what the teacher is saying. Learn more from Derek Randel.

Top Tips For Exercise Motivation by Tracey Mallett
We all need a little help to get motivated sometimes! Life is hard and we are tired at the end of the day. Who wants to work out? Here are some tips to help you keep you motivated!

Kid-Friendly Treat: Jewels in Snow
Many believe that the gemstone garnet got its name from the pomegranate. The tiny arils of this fruit resemble the garnet's deep-red color and shape. This recipe mixes the deep-red arils into cottage cheese creating the look of garnets buried in a blanket of snow. Try this simple dish for breakfast. Your kids will love it!

Invasive In-Laws
This month's "Dear Mr. Dad" column by Armin Brott focuses on one of those difficult issues new parents face. What can you do when your in-laws freely give their opinions on the best way to raise your baby and it conflicts with your ideas? Armin shares his expertise on how to handle this delicate situation.

Helping My Child When I Was Diagnosed with Cancer by Cathy Nilon
When Cathy Nilon was diagnosed with Stage 2-b invasive breast cancer at age 43, she frantically searched for a book to help her young son understand what she would be going through in order to get well. Unfortunately, there was nothing suitable that would hold his attention. Here are some tips that got them through their painful journey.

Spotlight On . . .

Stork Clubs - Due Oct/Nov/Dec 2008
Are you expecting a Fall baby? Meet other moms who are due the same time and want to share their experiences with you!

Just a reminder - if you are pregnant, we would love to give you a free membership to our message boards no matter when you're due date is. We have the warmest and most supportive Stork Clubs on the internet and would love to have you join us. To take advantage of this offer, visit http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/pregnancy/membership.htm.

. From the Bookshelf:

A Home for Dixie: The True Story of a Rescued Puppy
By Emma Jackson
With full-color photographs by Bob Carey
If you love dogs and/or are contemplating adding a new puppy to your family, you will LOVE A Home for Dixie. Written by 15 year old Emma Jackson, this book is the true story of an abandoned puppy who not only finds a loving home, but a new best friend in Emma. WONDERFUL book!

Journal Updates

  • Nicole's Pregnancy Journal
  • Elizabeth's Pregnancy After Loss Journal
  • Julie's Pregnancy Journal
  • Marisa's Pregnancy Journal
  • Carrie's Twin Pregnancy Journal
  • Barbara's Pregnancy Journal
  • Christy's Pregnancy Journal
  • Katie's Pregnancy Journal
  • Laura's Pregnancy Journal
  • Heather's Parenting Journal
  • Tara's Working Mom's Journal

On Our Other Sites in the StorkNet Family

ExploringWomanhood.com:
http://www.exploringwomanhood.com

Hairy Problems
Too much hair (on the chin), too little hair (on the scalp), falling hair, thinning hair, greying hair - no matter what the complaint, many women notice something happening to their hair during menopause. As hormone levels shift during the menopausal years, hair responds to the changing hormones by changing texture, falling out, or by growing in "odd" places. Here are remedies for those who want more hair, and for those who want less.

VA Loans - Thank You for Your Service
The VA home loan guaranty program allows lenders to offer long term affordable housing with zero to low down payments for veterans. It's one of the benefits you receive as an acknowledgement of gratitude for your service. Learn more from mortgage specialist Kristin Abouelata.

Married Romance:
http://www.marriedromance.com

How Can I Get My Partner to Change?
How much energy do you spend trying to get what you want from your partner? Most conflict is stuck in power struggles that result from each person trying to control with some form blame, anger, resistance, withdrawal, or compliance. When you stop your side of the power struggle and start to take care of yourself, as well as open yourself up to learning with your partner, the possibility arises for great change to occur.

Pregnancy Week By Week:
http://www.pregnancyguideonline.com