AAA And Minnesota Safety Council Promote Child Passenger Safety Week

February 11 to 17 is being observed as the Child Passenger Safety Week and in connection with this, the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Minnesota Safety Council has teamed up to promote the importance of safely securing child passengers on their seats.

Their effort to educate parents on how to properly secure their most precious cargo is due to the fact that a large number of child passengers are not properly secured. This fact is one of the foremost reasons why automobile accidents are still the number one cause of death for children ages four to fourteen. In contrast to that however, for the past twenty years, 7,500 lives have been saved by properly installed child car seats.

In 2005 alone, an average of five children below 14 years old were killed in automobile accidents every day. Aside from that, 640 children were injured every day for that year. The figure is so alarming that the AAA Minnesota/Iowa will be working hard to educate parents and caregivers as well on how important is properly restraining a child to the toddler?s safety.

Gail Weinholzer, the director of public affairs for the AAA Minnesota/Iowa, stated that they will not only work hard during the Child Passenger Safety Week but throughout the year as well. The automobile lobby group has also teamed up with the Minnesota Safety Council to promote the new web site developed in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The main concern of the coalition is to increase the awareness of parents with children aged four through seven. This is due to the fact that of all the toddlers in the US only ten to twenty percent are not properly secured to their car seats or may not be using booster seats at all. The AAA and the Minnesota Safety Council would like to point out to parents that children aged four to eight who are properly secured to their booster seats are more likely to avoid severe injuries or even death in the event of a crash.

The Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia has quoted a figure of 59 percent survivability of children properly restrained on their booster seats over those who are only protected by the a seat belt.

To help parents protect their children in the event of a crash, the AAA came up with simple tips for them to follow. The tips are easy to follow just like it is easy to read a Volvo repair manual. One of which is to place infants on rear facing child safety seats in the backseat for as long as the seat can accommodate the child. They advised to use rear facing child safety seats until the child is at least a year old or weighs a minimum of 20 pounds. When they outgrow their rear facing seats, children should be secured to a forward facing child safety seat but should still ride on the backseat. Children must use this seat until they are approximately four years old or weighs at least 40 pounds.

When the child has outgrown their forward facing child safety seats, parents are advised to provide booster seats for them. They must still ride in the backseat though until they are old enough to be restrained properly by the vehicle safety belt. Usually at the age of 8, when they have reached a height of four feet and nine inches tall, they can now use ride on the grown-up seat at the back. Proper installation of the seatbelts should also be checked by parents. They may also opt for safety devices that will prevent the child from accidentally or intentionally unbuckling the seat belt.

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. She is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.

Are You an Entrepreneur Whos Not Afraid to Think Outside the Box and Make Some Money?

Its called Companion Air, my client Sarita bubbled. She wants to take a trip and doesnt want to leave Rudy, her dog, at home. So there she is, with lots of money and time, staying home.

I LOVE MY DOG AND I WANT TO TRAVEL

What is Companion Air? ( http://www.companionair.com ) Stress-free travel for pets and owners is our mission, says founder, Rick Roof. We dont think any pet should be considered cargo.

Sarita, like many of my clients, is middle-aged, has disposable income, and is ready for her time. The kids are raised, shes got her 401k, shes ready to have some fun. She loves Rudy and wants him with her, or shes not going. Finally someone decided to help her spend her money and set her free!

Companion Air listened, and so are some other providers.

IM SINGLE AND I WANT TO CRUISE

I like to cruise and Im single. Am I the only one? Its true you dont see a lot of singles on cruises but maybe its because no ones invited them. Could it be because there are no singles fares? The only cruiseline Ive found that offers a true single-rate, not double-occupancy, is Carnival.

AND I LIKE TO DANCE

Theres music all over cruise ships, and I like to dance. It makes me sad to sit there and watch all the couples dancing. The QEII is among the cruise lines offering Gentlemen Dance Hosts, available for dancing every night from 8 pm to 1 am.

AND I DONT WANT TO HEAR KIDS CRYING

Tom and Julie went on a cruise the last week in July. Not that great, said Julie, when I asked her. Crying babies, kids splashing in the hot tub, a toddler at the table next to ours, and worst of all, a million teenagers. Watching a dude with an ear ring in his nose and purple hair writing on the corridor wall with a lipstick is not my idea of relaxing.

Never again, she added.

Celebrity (http://www.celebritycruises.com ) listened. They offer the Celebrity Escape. Every now and then, they say, grown-ups need a little getaway of their own, and what better way to truly relax than on a Celebrity Escape cruisewhere all of the guests are over the age of 21.

I HATE SECOND-HAND CIGARETTE SMOKE AND I WANT TO CRUISE

Nancys thrilled to have discovered the Carnivals Paradise. Its non-smoking and they mean business. They check your luggage before you get on, for tobacco items, and if youre caught smoking on-board, you get kicked off. She has terrible allergies and from now on thats her ship.

IM SINGLE AND DONT WANT AN APARTMENT OR CONDO

Chin, another client, has plenty of money but he doesnt want to spend it on a house. He lives alone, he travels a lot, hes beyond showing off, and he has no intention of sharing a wall with someone else.

On a recent drive from my home (San Antonio) to Austin, I saw an amazing site: three billboards advertising three different housing developments in beautiful locations with houses starting in the $40s.

WHATS NEW? THE UNIMAGINEABLE

I never wouldve dreamed of being able to take Rudy with me, says Sarita. I never even thought to ask.

I never thought Id find a house for $40,000 in a decent neighborhood, says Chin.

Your consumers have many questions they havent thought to ask for because they didnt think it was possible. And whats possible?

When I was growing up in the 50s hang on, theres a purpose to this Im delivering paradigm shift here, dramatic paradigm shift:

Milk was put in bottles and delivered to your house 3 times a week. You never locked your house door or car door. You left your keys in the ignition. The dry cleaner delivered and just walked in and put the clothes in the living room. Someone put gasoline in your car.
There were no female lawyers or doctors.
There were no fast-food restaurants.
There was no daycare. There were hardly even babysitters.
I never went inside a toy store. My mother didnt have a car; Dad took it to work every day. Stores werent open at night or on Sunday.
Grocery stores delivered.
You tipped the guy who carried your groceries out to your car.
Pediatricians came to your house.
1% of the kids in high school had braces.

WAYS I COULDVE MADE A FORTUNE

In the late 60s when I was in college, the only hair dryers were those bonnets you put over your head that took forever. One day I decided to stick my head under the blow dryer in the bathroom. My hair dried fast, had body, and looked cute. The idea spread around the dorm.

In the late 60s there was a strange restaurant in Durham, N.C. It made to-go breakfasts eggs and sausage on buns and biscuits, etc. It was extremely popular. You stood in a line forever. I wondered why no one else offered breakfast-to-go like that. It never occurred to me or anyone else that the Hardees down the road could do that as well as the burgers. No one was connecting the dots. And whos to say Durham was the universe?

HUNCHES INKLINGS

Theres some need out there you arent conceiving of you could capitalize on. Keep your mind open and consider possibilities.

I WANT TO BE COMFORTABLE WHEN I FLY

Breta is happy with Southwests new policy about large people. Its controversial, I know, but Bretas experiences have made avoiding having someone spill halfway over into her seat her number one priority. She now flies Southwest all the time.

I DONT WANT FIBERGLASS IN MY HOUSE

My client, Ray, is wealthy and a very discriminating consumer. He wanted to build a house, and didnt want fiberglass insulation, so he was stalled out. He called the other day. I found it, he said. Prodex insulation ( http://highr.net ) its got the fire rating, waterproof, radiant barrier, energy-efficient, all that, AND no fiberglass.

Someone was listening.

And look at that list he rolled out. Todays consumer knows a lot. Are you addressing this?

INVENT & ACCOMMODATE

Im a coach, and everyone negotiates fees with me. When I started licensing my products, I thought Good. I can just list these on my website and I wont have to mess with all that. They click, they order. Wrong! The emails continued. People simply like to negotiate these days, and expect to be able to. So I accommodate.

In response to consumers, I now offer one-shot coaching. Many clients accomplished what they wanted to in one session, so I just made it an official option. Other clients dont want to schedule their session. They sign up for a month but want to call on an as-needed basis. I now call it putting me on a retainer.

CONCLUSION

1.Listen to your clients. As in hear them.
2.If somethings a hassle in your business, figure out why. Then accommodate. 3.When they hassle you, your clients and customers are telling you what they need and what theyd pay for if you offered it. 4.When youre the consumer, speak whats on your mind, i.e., If you did what X does, or provided X, Id buy from you. Or Have you thought of? 5.Push the limits. There were no female lawyers in 1965. No fast food restaurants in 1970. No coaches in 1980. Whats not in 2003 you could make happen?

Susan Dunn, Internet Marketing Coach, EQ Coach. www.webstrategies.cc, www.susandunn.cc. Web strategies, branding, web design, article-writing service. Don't just have a web SITE, have a web STRATEGY. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc

Preparing Your Home For Toddler Safety

Children from age one to age three are considered toddlers. It is a time of learning their environment. It is a time for them to explore every corner of every room and everything in between. Remember that the world is new to them and they want to get to know it.

Exploring is a good thing. It is a natural part of their growth. As your toddler explores they gain knowledge, independence, and confidence. It teaches them to use all five of their senses. It teaches them how to put things together, how things work, and enlarges their world moment by moment. They should be encouraged to explore your home, within limits of course.

It can be very difficult to keep up with your toddler and they can get from point A to point B in the time it takes you to turn around for just a second to do your normal daily chores. So you need to have confidence that your home is safe for your toddler to explore, even when you aren?t watching them.

In this article, we will explore areas of your home and help you identify danger zones, then help you fix them so your explorer is safe in his new adventures. Remember, in every room of the house, get on your hands and knees and look at the world from your toddler?s point of view. This will give you a better perspective on the dangers that lurk there.

Let?s start where your toddler starts his or her day, their bedroom.

Is the glass in your toddler?s bedroom made of tempered glass? Non-Tempered glass is dangerous, because it does not break into the tiny pieces that safety glass does. If your toddler?s windows are non-tempered, you can either have new window glass installed or apply security film to them. The film is a much less expensive solution and binds the pieces of glass together if the window is ever broken.

Also, window locks are an essential item to have throughout the house, including your toddler?s room. They allow a window to be open, but not too far. Never leave the window open more than four inches. Gates with vertical slats can also help prevent your toddler from falling out of the window. Screens will not hold them!

Placing your toddler?s bed or crib in the proper place is also important. Experts recommend the space between the bars be no wider than two and three-eighths inches apart. Do not place your toddler?s crib or other furniture under the window or near baseboard or other heaters.

Items left in the crib need to be at a minimum. Make sure your toddler cannot stack or use those items to get out of their crib. You might be surprised how inventive your toddler can be when he or she wants to get somewhere. You?ll turn around and find them in some of the most impossible spots you can imagine.

Look around for any cords or other dangerous items. As your toddler gets more mobile these items present a great danger to them. Make sure you tie all cords and similar items well out of their reach. Any item that is longer than seven inches can be a danger to your toddler. Make sure they cannot get to them and remember your toddler will be more inventive and curious than you might think.

Of course, all medications, baby powder, lotion, and other items must be kept out of reach or stored in a childproof cabinet in your toddler?s room.

Do not use extension cords in your toddler?s room or anywhere else in the house where they can reach them. The danger of strangulation or electrocution is very real and should be taken seriously. Make sure you buy protective covers for all outlets. Having the outlets installed higher up the wall, out of reach of your toddler is an even better solution and much more convenient for you.

Hiding outlets behind furniture that your toddler cannot move or get behind is another solution until you can do more. The advice on electrical outlets also applies to the rest of the house so I won?t be covering that again for every room.
Parents and toddlers both spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so we?ll go there next.

Emergency phone numbers should be located everywhere there is a phone, including the kitchen. In a time of stress it is difficult to think straight or find phone books and the phone numbers you need, so keep them handy at all times.

Not just for toddler safety, but for all homes, there should be a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Take care of that right away, especially if you are a parent.

Toddlers love to climb into things like cabinets, your dishwasher, stove, and refrigerators. Make sure the dishwasher is always latched. Use childproof locks on your cabinet doors and on your refrigerator. They even make latches for your oven.

Speaking of the oven, maybe the most dangerous spot in the kitchen for your curious toddler use a stove guard to protect them. A stove guard keeps them from being able to reach the burners. Cook on your back burners whenever possible. If the controls for the stove are placed on the front of the stove, you will need to remove them.

Train yourself to not use any lower cabinets like under the sink to store hazardous products. Even soap is dangerous. Many soaps contain lye and can poison your child. This applies to all rooms where you store products, including the laundry room. Remember, if it can be reached, it will be reached.

Now do the same for all sharp objects like knives, forks, scissors, pizza cutters, and ice picks. Train yourself to put these items away every time you use them.

If you keep liquor in the kitchen or have a bar in your house where they are kept, make sure your toddler cannot reach it. The tiniest bit of alcohol can make a small child very sick and too much could prove fatal.

Ok, you get an idea of what to do in the kitchen, now let?s head for your bathroom.

A huge number of accidents occur in the bathroom each year affecting both adults and toddlers. It?s a good thing to keep that in mind when preparing your bathroom for safety.

Overhead door locks are available to be purchased and used to keep toddlers out of rooms that are not in use. You should buy these and install them on all bathroom doors.

If you have any low cabinets, get childproof locks for those the same as it was advised for you to do in your kitchen. All medications, ointments, shampoos, soap, and other products should be kept out of your toddler?s reach.

Do not leave hairdryers, electric shavers, radios, and other appliances plugged in. It?s a good idea to keep those out of reach as well because the cords are hazardous to your toddler.

Fire Departments recommend that your water temperature should be set at 120 degrees. Setting your hot water heater higher than that produces the danger of scalding.

Water safety applies in the bathroom, the same as it does for any pool area. A child can easily drown in your bathroom. It only takes two inches of water to create a drowning hazard. Do not leave the tub full of water and buy locks for your toilet seat. Not only can those save your toddler from drowning, it can also help you avoid the headaches of learning the types of things your toddler can find to plug the toilet with.


Your toddler should never be alone in the bathroom. If you are bathing them and have to leave, dry them off and take them with you. Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes.

Your toddler will also spend a lot of time in your family room, den, or living room, so let?s explore that area before we allow them to.

Do you have plants? These seemingly harmless and decorative plants may pose a very dangerous problem for your child. Are you sure that none of your plants are poisonous? Look up information about your plants in an encyclopedia, online, or consult a poison control center to be sure.

Do you have a fireplace? You can purchase guards for fireplaces at many stores. Glass fire screens are not acceptable. They get very hot and can burn your toddler if they touch it. Make sure you create a safe area around the fireplace and that your toddler cannot get into it. Where they can go, they will and the fireplace is an obvious hazard, whether it is lit or not.

Make sure all the doors in your house are safe. If they have metal doorstops, replace them with doorstops that are made entirely of rubber. Doorstops are inviting to young children who play on the floor.

As difficult as it sounds, all furniture should be placed away from the windows. Windows pose a danger to your toddler and they will climb the furniture before you know it.

Is any of your furniture easy to tip over? Floor lamps and other items, which can be turned over easily, are dangerous. Either get rid of them or secure them to a wall somehow.

Also, if your furniture in any room of the house has sharp corners, something needs to be done about it. Either purchase furniture without sharp corners or buy cushions that can be placed over the corners. You can also make your own. Just be sure it?s well padded so the corner cannot cause serious injury.

If you have a home office, I could write a whole article about the dangers for your toddler there. Use the overhead door locks to keep your toddler out of your office if possible. That?s the best advice and might save you having to do a lot of work over again after your toddler gets through with it.

Do you take your toddler into your bedroom?

Make sure all lower drawers and cabinets have childproof locks on them, closet doors have overhead locks, and any chests or other items are also locked.

Jewelry is especially dangerous for your toddler to get their hands on. Cosmetics can be poisonous. Sharp objects like manicure sets or sewing kits can also be dangerous. Again, make sure all cords are tied up where they are out of your toddler?s reach.

Do you have older children? Let?s see what hazards wait in their bedrooms.

You are probably careful about the types of toys you buy for your toddler, but are you careful to make sure they don?t get their little hands on the toys you buy for your older children? You will need your older children to assist you in keeping their toys out of your toddler?s reach. This is a very difficult task, but you have to remember toys made for older children can harm younger ones.

Are there stairs in your home?

You will need to purchase gates for the top and bottom of the staircase if you have a toddler in your home. This is a must. They should have vertical slats no more than two and three-eighths inches apart and should be sturdy and secure. Finding a way to bolt them to the walls is best.

If your banisters have more than four inches of space between supports, then you will have to solve that issue as well. You can use particle board, plywood, plastic or other sheeted product to cover those areas and keep your toddler from slipping between supports and onto the stairs alone.

This article in no way covers all the things you will need to do to make your home a safe place for your toddler to explore, but it is our hope we have gotten you in the right frame of mind to find the rest on your own.

About the Author:

Saviz Artang is the creator of the popular and fun toddler PC game Alphabet Fun with MaeMae and Jakey at http://artangco.com. Saviz is a happy father of two and an educational game creator. Saviz and his wife Carrie and their two kids live in Savage MN. (artangconsulting@hotmail.com)

Frugal Baby

 



Frugal BabySubmitted By: Carrie Lauth  

How can I be frugal and have everything baby needs?

Good question! I think the key is to identify what babies truly need. The advertisers would have you believe that baby needs fancy expensive stuff that will keep you in debt until baby's in college. Not true. Babies need very little in order to be happy. And those things are, in order of importance:

A Momma to love

Nutritious food

To be kept warm

Something to cover their bottoms

Pretty simple eh?

Free Food for Baby

The newborn baby has only three demands. They are warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence. Breastfeeding satisfies all three. - Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, author of Childbirth Without Fear.

The interesting thing about the first 3 is that they can all be met at the same time with breastfeeding! You can't get much more frugal than free can you?

Not only does breastfeeding save you money that you would have spent on formula, bottles and such, but you will save money on Doctor bills. Formula feeding carries risks: Increased ear infections, respiratory illness, increased incidence of certain cancers, long term implications for obesity, diabetes, and I could go on.

Baby Clothes

My best tip for obtaining baby clothes frugally is to make it known that you welcome hand-me-downs. Most Moms hate throwing away perfectly good baby stuff. When babies are young, they almost never wear things out before they are outgrown. If someone gives you things, accept it gratefully and thank them. Even if the stuff isn't as good as you would like and you end up donating it to charity, you still send a message that you aren't too proud for used things. And truly, it has nothing to do with charity. Obtaining used things is better for the environment. And you can put the money you save to better use. Why not start a savings account for your little one and add to it when you use creative frugality to save money? Your child will thank you later!

EBay, thrift stores and consignment shops are also good places to find baby clothes frugally.

Experts agree that babies don't really need shoes when they're learning to walk because it's best for their toes to grip the floor. If it's cold and baby's tootsies are frozen, use soft leather baby shoes. They're flexible and the healthiest, safest choice.

Saving Money On Diapers

The most frugal way of dealing with this issue is to forgo diapers altogether the way women around the world do. It's called elimination communication and basically involves watching for baby's elimination cues (and they do exist, even in newborns) and holding her over the potty so she can take care of business. However, if you're not so inclined, the next best thing is cloth diapers.

Ask people to give you cloth diapers at your baby shower instead of those cute but impractical outfits. A lot of the cloth diaper companies that sell online have baby registries. Buy the high quality cloth diapers if you plan on using them for more than one child. They will likely last you for years. I recommend Fuzzi Bunz.

More Frugal Baby Ideas

Frugality is mostly about what you don't buy than what you do, so I suggest thinking about what you can do without. Do you really need a crib or bassinet? Why not let baby sleep with you? It works for 90% of the population. Do you need a baby swing? Why not wear baby on your body in a sling? It promotes bonding, keeps baby happy, you burn extra calories and get things done too! Everybody wins. :)

Does baby really need those educational toys and gadgets? You know, Einstein didn't have flash cards. All the stimulation your baby needs is you! Talk to baby, read to baby, sing to baby, let baby watch your daily activities from his spot in the baby sling, and breastfeed your baby.

The best baby toys are things you have around the house. (Ever noticed how babies and toddlers would rather play with your keys than any expensive toy?) Babies would rather bang on pots and pans with wooden spoons than just about anything else. Save empty plastic food containers that would have been thrown away, and toss them into an empty cabinet down low in your kitchen. This will provide hours of frugal fun for baby!

One exception:

Baby car seats are best obtained new...don't risk taking a chance on a used car seat that looks fine but that may have been involved in a fender bender.

Baby's needs are truly few, and the best things you can give your baby are free.

Article Tags: babies, baby, things

The hottest tip on getting a web site listed quickly by Yahoo Inktomi MSN FAST Altavista and Hot

Anne-Marie KillerEvery webmaster knows that the free search engines are a major source of traffic.

They also know that applying all the SEO techniques in the world will not in itself get their web pages spidered, indexed and listed. Yes, sure, a perfect page, once indexed and listed will surely rank high for its keywords but unless it is found by the spiders, it is pretty useless.

It is no secret that the process of a web page being found by the spiders can be helped by placing links to that web site on other web sites (e.g. by doing a links exchange with other web sites, by putting one's URL in one's signature file when posting on a forum, by writing and submitting articles for free distribution and placing one's URL in the author's resource block etc.) All of this will surely work but it can take months before anything happens. The webmaster has no option but to be patient and wait...and wait...and wait.

Now there is something very easy and very effective one can do to speed up this process. Actually, using this method, will get a web page indexed and listed in less than 48 hours. And the whole process is controlled by the webmaster. It is easy, fast in terms of setting it all up and what's more it is free!

Here is what one does:
Go to http://www.blogger.com and sign up for a new account (free - they even host the blog on their server at no cost)
Give your blog a name.
Navigate to 'Settings' and then choose 'Site Feed'
Check that the 'Publish Site Feed' option is set to 'Yes'
Copy the 'Site Feed URL' to the clip board (you can paste is some where .. you're going to use it when you've set up your my.yahoo account)
Save your changes
Navigate to 'Posting' and create your first entry.
What should you write? Anything, actually - your words do not make that much of a difference. what is important is that you add the URL of each page you want listed to the blog. Remember to add them as live links (to enable all the spiders to follow them!) As a suggestion, why not make your blog a log of this experiment?
Publish your blog by hitting the 'Publish' button.

Sorry, we're not done yet...

Now you have to go to http://www.yahoo.com and open a My Yahoo! account. Just follow Yahoo's very clear instructions.
Click on the 'Add Content' button.
Click the 'Add RSS by URL' link.
Paste the 'Site Feed URL' you've copied earlier in the 'URL' field and hit 'Add'.
You have just added your site's news feed to your My Yahoo! account.

Mmm, you don't know what a news feed is? I've written a document explaining it all. You can read it here: http://perfect-party-ideas.blogspot.com/2005/01/what-is-orange-xml-or-rss-icon-i-see.html

Last step: go to http://www.pingomatic.com
Enter your blog's name and URL (similar to mine: http://www.perfect-party-ideas.blogspot.com)
Select all the services to ping (of which My Yahoo! is one) and click the 'Submit Pings' button.
Navigate back to your My Yahoo! account and refresh your browser.
Scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll see your blog's feed appearing.

Your job is done - the spider bait is ready!

Now for a bit of excitement. Start watching your web site's stat's to see how quickly the spiders find their way to your web site. You could even throw a free stats counter on your blog and watch the spiders visiting your blog.

Next step: Play log-and-ping every day or so. More often if you have the time! Whenever you feel like it, add another posting to your blog. Remember to throw in some links to specific pages on your web site.

Let me know how successful you were - use my 'Contact Me' page on my web site.

About the author:

Anne-Marie Killer is a mother of two step teenagers and a toddler. She is the webmaster and owner of Perfect Party Ideas
Read her blog where she documents the process of setting up Perfect Party Ideas



Web-site designing Pillars (part2)Pavel LenshinWEB-SITE DESIGNING PILLIARS (part 2)

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copyright (c) Pavel Lenshin
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USABILITY

Usability is what makes your WS pleasant to deal with.
While everyone defines personally for her(him)self how to
make design nice to look at, memorable (in respect to
branding) and serve customer/business needs in the best way
possible, the technical side of usability can and should be
corrected using the standard requirements.

SOURCE CODE OPTIMIZATION

Firstly about the four problems that come to my mind with
dirty HTML source code:

1. Potential cross-browser conflicts as some particular
useless Tags (a piece of HTML source code) may be neglected
by one browser but create some visual errors, when viewed in
other browser.
2. The more useless HTML Tags web-page has, the more drive
space it occupies.
3. As the derivative of the previous problem, the more size
of that web-page, the longer it takes to visitor to load and
view it.
4. Search engines like plain and clear textual information
for easy search and scan. By having a lot of useless pieces
of HTML code, you prevent SE spiders to proper index your
web-pages. The result is the obvious decreasing of your
Search Engine rankings. That is why Meta Tags correcting is
not the only thing you should pay attention to.

Statistic shows that more then 85% of all WSs online demands
graphics or HTML code optimization. That is actually a
common problem, the core of which lies in the use of highly
popular home web editors like FrontPage or other.

The winner among the worst is well-known Netscape
Composer, due to the extremely dirty HTML code it
generates while editing old or creating new web-pages. If
you have ever used Composer and no one have cleaned those
web-pages afterwards, they definitely contain a lot of HTML
garbage.

Based on my own experience every 50Kb Netscape Composer's
web-page can be easily optimized to the 40Kb file size or
less, as a simple result of the deleting junk HTML tags. If
you implement Cascade Style Sheet and HTML compressor you
will get the same, but clean & shiny web-page totaling
25-30Kb (40-50% space savings) with the enhanced visual
effects.

The example above shows saving on a single web-page, but if
we speak in terms of 50-60 pages WS, that occupy (without
graphics) 3-5Mb of hard drive space, the potential savings
as a result of HTML optimization may reach 1-3Mb.
So if you are experiencing the lack of hard drive space with
your hosting provider, the solution to that problem lies in
simple WS optimization. It doesn't only save a lot of space,
but, as we know, eliminates potential cross-browser
mistakes, helps SE spiders to properly index your web-pages
and make your visitors' surfing more quick and smooth and
therefore pleasant.

GRAPHICS OPTIMIZATION

When we speak about poorly optimized graphics we get two
problems: more occupied space and worse load time. Given
that the first obstacle may be overcome by acquiring
personal server with several Gigabytes of hard drive space,
the letter problem will continue to exist as the majority of
web visitors have low speed dial-up connection.

To make your graphics optimized on the basic level, you
should save it in the proper graphic format. Many popular
pictures of eBook covers can be easily optimized simply by
re-saving .JPG format into .GIF or vice versa depending on
particular file. That tactic alone can bring 15Kb file to
occupy 7-10Kb in the matter of 2 min.

The basic math shows that 10 optimized pictures (without
HTML optimization) on a web-page are capable to decrease the
overall size of it from 120Kb to 70Kb with no visual loss in
the quality of picture. Are you aware of statistics how many
visitors leave your site just because they are tired to wait
until all pictures load? It doesn't mean that you have to
simply delete these pictures completely as some people
suggest, what it does mean is that they are better to be
optimized because in case with eBook covers, they proved to
triple selling potential and their absence will be hardly
compensated by new visitors.

To choose the right format, follow one simple rule:
If the target picture is more likely to be a photo, with
many colors, unshaped objects and different lights, this
file should be saved in .JPG format. If, on the contrary, a
picture is more likely to consists of a number of vector
objects like circles, triangles, squares, doesn't have too
many colors or similar to some drown comics, then .GIF
format is the best to use.

If it is hard to determine, then save it in both formats and
compare quality/size ratio. Not much work, big effect.

Having semi- or fully professional graphic editors will
allow you to get even better results by selecting
compression rate, smoothness, sharpness of edges if we
speak about .JPG format; or palette, colors, rate of
transparency, animation features etc. if we deal with .GIF
format.

Today's technological opportunities are vast, so it is you
to decide how deeply you want to dive in.

CROSS-BROWSER &
SCREEN RESOLUTION OPTIMIZATION

The numbers are the following:
- 2% have outdated 14'' with 640*480 pixels in width and
height respectively.
- 49% of web-surfers use 15 monitors with preferable
standard screen resolution of 800*600 pixels;
- 45% surf the web with 17 monitors with reasonable
1024*768 resolution;
- 4% of users enjoy 18-19 monitors with 1152*864-1280*1024
screen settings.

What should these numbers tell you? The very simple thing
if you created the WS on your 15 monitor, don't assume that
it will look as good on other monitors as on yours.

Let me draw several notes here about the tendency that
monitor market will follow in the nearest future.
First is that all 14 monitors are gradually going to their
deserved eternal rest. Even the share of notebooks with 15
TFT screens growing exponentially. There are even several
new versions with 16 active matrixes. Don't also forget
that notebooks' 14 TFT screen have almost the same diagonal
inches as usual 15 CRT (Cathode-ray tube) monitors.
Secondly, the number of 15 monitors is also decreasing, due
to growing number of 17 monitor owners that is the third
point.

One sentence conclusion of the above statistics is that your
WS should look fine, at least, under 800*600 and 1024*768
resolutions. This is a market demand to your WS and, as we
know, you better not joke with The Market.

Without going deep into theory, there are two ways:
- more simple;
- more complex.

Both correct, both satisfy the demand above but the letter
way, given it is more complex, usually perfectly fits any
screen resolution, whether it is 14 or 21 and more
favorable to WS space usage.

The easier way would be to make the borders of your web-page
(tables of your web-page) to be fixed with certain number of
pixels.
The most popular settings are something between 650 to 750
pixels just to fit that 800 pixels width screen under the
most popular 15 monitor 800*600 resolution. If you go that
way your web-page will have the same look under different
sets of resolutions.
If we try to see it at 14 monitor with 640 pixels in width,
the unpleasant horizontal scroller would appear because our
fixed setting in 700 pixels is wider then 640 and it just
won't fit in it. If, on the other hand, we look at our
imaginable site under 1152*864 or 1280*1024, it will look
too narrow, as it will occupy only 60% of the screen width
(our 700 in comparison to 1200 screen pixels width).
Why does this designing way simpler? You just won't have any
problems building it: no need for resolution or
cross-browser optimization, as fixed pixels are read
correctly under almost every browser.

The more complex way is to have width of one or several HTML
tables columns on your site to be set in percents like 75%
or 100% and, therefore, poses the ability to automatically
broaden or narrow according to the specified percents,
depending on what screen resolution the site is being viewed
under.
If you have 600*800 screen settings (the screen width is 600
pixels) and one of the table width of your site is set to
100%, then this particular table along with all included
text and graphic will narrow to 600 pixels, if we set the
monitor to 1200*1024 resolution, i.e. having 1200 pixels
wide, our site's table will stretch to the specified 100%,
in that case, 1200 pixels.
That's why it looks more attractive under different
resolutions but demands additional optimization, including
cross-browser optimization, as Netscape Navigator browser
has some problems with proper interpreting of percent
settings in multi column tables. Which way to choose depends
on the tasks and your preference.

I wish you endless creativity and no more then 70Kb per page

------------------------------------------------------------

About the author:

Pavel Lenshin is an Internet entrepreneur, web-developer and
marketer, founder of the entrepreneurship portal, where you
can find discounted Internet services, marketing solutions,
FREE ebooks, FREE reports and finally uncover innovative
business strategies through FREE NET Business Magazine.
Visit: http://asbone.com


Web-site designing Pillars (part1)Pavel LenshinWEB-SITE DESIGNING PILLIARS (part1)

------------------------------------------------------------
copyright (c) Pavel Lenshin
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It is a hot opinion that it's the words that sell, not a
design and that you should invest all your money into
writing a good sales copy and what is left (if anything)
into web-site. I can give you 99 out of 100 that authors of
these claims are copywriters, web-designers usually don't
write articles. It is like asking football player what game
he enjoys more: football or hockey? :0)

I don't want to argue that statement about the importance of
copywriting, on the contrary, I think that it is totally
true, but under one condition your Web-Site (WS hereafter)
is already implied to make your visitors feel, at least,
comfortable.

It could never be counted, how many times I closed down the
browser without reading a single word, just because of the
amateurish and clumsy look those WSs had.

No need to emphasize on importance of the professional WS.
It is obvious, at the same time you won't read there, that
web-design is everything and that professional sales letter
or text message is nothing, because it is like answering the
question what is better to have skin or heart cancer? To
my mind, it is better to be totally healthy.

Business WS usually plays the role of virtual office, shop,
informational dep., marketing dep. and service dep. It is a
main representative and the core of your business the
final proof, the image of your company is based on.

-----What it is all about-----

The target is set to make your WS as good as it can
possibly be. Here I pointed the crucial pillars of designing
a professional looking WS. You will not find there basic
HTML teaching or how to use particular web-editor. The
knowledge of HTML will help, but is not compulsory, as
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors will make all
HTML coding work ehind the scene for you.

You require general understanding of what HTML is and
ability to use one or several WYSIWYG web-editors, that is
three hour learning process. The feeling of style and taste
is also advisable; otherwise you will have to consult a
designer.

The problem with design How to.. is that WS design is 90%
creative work, where is no two identical WS (unless copied),
that is why there cannot be any step-by-step study, the same
way there is no step-by-step study on how to paint a
masterpiece paint.

What we can teach is how to hold a brush, but it is you,
who should paint Mona Lisa and become Leonardo da Vinci.

-----What your WS should look like?-----

+ Stylish. Consider it as an exterior and interior of your
whole off-line business premises, starting from hall
(main-index web-page) and ending with your personal office
(about me web-page). It has to have its unique feel and
style. Don't also forget about branding features your WS
represent.

+ Clear structure. Imagine a shopper who wants to make a
purchase at your offline store, but in order to enter it, he
has to go through warehouse, service department and all
kinds of office premises. Don't allow your web visitor feel
like that shopper.

+ Harmonically allocated design elements like graphics and
text. The WS is united entity and your brand. Every element
on the WS is to be blend with exterior, no separated
elements or graphics like a number of flashy banners.

+ High usability standards and complete WS optimization
including clear HTML code and optimized web graphics that
are similar to clear shop. The more dirt your web-pages
contains, the more time it will take to load them, the more
potential errors it may show in different browsers, and the
harder it will be for Search Engine spiders to index your
WS. We will discuss these issues later on.
Pay also attention to broken links, as it is similar to wall
behind the door of your off-line shop. Let your visitors
find good resources with your help, rather than an Error
404 Page not found.

+ Absence of grammatical errors. It concerns grammatical
correctness of textual information. The importance of
correct grammar is clear, no one wants to deal with
uneducated people, especially if they represent businesses.

-----What programs you will need-----

First of all you will need to equip yourself with right
armament, that are mostly WYSISWG (What You See Is What
You Get) web-editors. The download links and short
description you can find below:

Macromedia Dreamveawer -
http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/ - considered
to be the best WYSIWYG HTML editor. Ideal for beginners as
well as professional users. Anything you can only imagine
has already been included :0) 30 days trial version.

EzyPage - http://www.ezyware.com/ - very simple drag&drop
web-page creator for beginners. Although it has several very
interesting features build in like dropdown menu or
scrolling table. Free distribution.

Stepzilla - http://www.stepzilla.com/ - the software's
motto - step by step to the web - tells everything for
itself.

1st page 2000 v.2 final - http://www.evrsoft.com/products/ -
very pleasant HTML editor for beginners as well as advanced
webmasters. Has ability to choose the interface that will be
more suitable. Available HTML cleaning option, XML
converter, build in FTP-client and preview function. A lot
of ready to use Javasript, VBScript, DHTML, Perl
applications. The software is being distributed for free.

Hot Dog Professional -
http://sausage.com/products/index.html - three HTML
editors - HotDog Junior for kids, PageWiz for beginners and
Professional ver.6 for advanced users. Convenient interface
with easy to access HTML functions. Includes CSS editor,
checker for tag errors and many others. All three editors
allow to download 30-days trial version.

CoffeCup HTML editors - http://www.coffeecup.com/software/ -
another offer with several versions of softwares for
beginners as well as advanced users. Pre-made JavaScript
applications libraries, Flash effects, font creator, HTML
code cleaner, FTP-client, and many more. Collection of
web-pictures, backgrounds, icons. Available 30-days trial
PRO or free version.

AceHTML 5.0 Pro - http://www.visicommedia.com/ -
professional HTML editor. DHTML ? JavaScript libraries.
Build in CSS editor, HTML, JavaScript, CSS checker, supports
XHTML, XML, Perl and WML documents. HTML code optimizer,
link checker. Available 30-days trial version.

-----PILLARS OF PROPER DESIGNING-----

TASKS DEFINING.

You next step after setting up the appropriate web-design
program is to set the list of tasks your site should solve.
You should answer the following questions:

1. Are your WS a sales letter or a content rich project?
Depending on your answer you have or don't have to pay
attention to the structure and flexibility of navigational
menu, as it may bring new challenges, as your content-rich
WS will grow. Consider to reserve WS space to future
informational blocks like announcements, exclusive offers,
visitors voting, polls, that you may like to include
sometime in future. Don't make the page layout look too
tight, as you will require redesigning the whole page just
to insert a small table for visitors' voting.

2. What kind of integrated services you are planning to use?
Whether it is going to be shopping cart, discussion board,
chat or separate section totally devoted to the WS
newsletter, it should fit overall site layout and design.
Think in prospective, as it will take several hours now, but
avoid several weeks of headache in the future. Make sure
that the foundation of your online empire will bear all
possible additional storeys, without need of demolishing the
whole uilding and strengthening the foundation.

3. What market sector your WS belongs to in general and what
product/service you are going to offer in particular? If
your WS is an entertainment portal, full of flash games,
casino offers and reviews of upcoming PC games, it is
obvious that design and layout plays extremely important
role as a representative of more than 50% of all
information. Be sure that boring graphics in that case would
cut the roots of your WS growth. If, on the other hand, you
are working at corporate business-to-business online sector
(B2B), there is absolutely no need in complex graphics
elements or flashy stars in the top-left corner. Online
businesses always experience lack of time, therefore, they
need quick answers of who you are, what you are and why are
you, rather than waiting till your welcome 300Kb flash clip
will load. The answer to efficient finding partners among
businesses is textual and to the point information that is
easy to access and that is, usually, represented in business
white-gray-black color scheme.

VISUALLY FINISHED.

Anybody can do that, although the broader imagination you
have, the simpler it will be. What you need is comfortable
seat, paper and a pen. Put your feet on the table, close
your eyes and imagine your WS.

Let me only tell you one of my favorite jokes concerning
technique mentioned above.

There was a group of foreign visitors coming to see a very
prosperous and profitable company.
At the end of their excursion one of the visitors asked
their guide:
You know, your company is really perfect, with the best
technology I've ever seen, everybody is working very hard,
but, tell me, who is that man in the biggest room on the top
floor doing nothing but relaxing on the soft armchair with
his feet crossed on the table, sipping Cola and listening to
music?
Oh, that man came up with the idea last year, that earned us
$1.000.000, and, as far as I remember, during that time he
was also sipping Cola with his feet on the table.

So follow this man and don't allow anybody disturb you
during this work!

Don't make any mistakes about it. You may be surprised, but
it is the most challenging and crucial part of your WS
creation. The brighter efforts you put into your paper, the
more beneficial result you will get. No need for degree in
painting, just basic elements on paper as a background of
your future WS building, the rest in mind.

Don't be afraid to experiment! It's a pleasant time spending
anyway. Remember all great works of all times are
considered to be masterpieces, only because they, firstly,
perfectly reflect the depth of their creators' souls and,
secondly, they are unique in their nature. There is no
masterpiece based on well-known standards. They are good in,
let's say, decreasing production costs, but they are not
welcomed in the art creation process, which the design
surely is.

On the other hand, you should always keep in mind that the
experiment ends exactly when the web-surfer disappointment
starts.

ELEMENTS.

The key point, while visualizing your full color WS, is to
decide what and where will you place 3 basic elements:
1. Header.
2. Navigational menu.
3. Space for main text.

The following list represents possible WS elements that you
consider to have as a result of previously conducted Task
Defining. Designer should also reserve a proper place and
harmonically blend them with the rest of WS elements:
1. Banner ads;
2. Menu mirror at the bottom;
3. Additional text for news column, announcements,
testimonials etc.;
4. Email forms, visitor polls, questionnaire etc.;
5. Any other items you consider to include.

It must be stressed that all the main elements of the WS as
well as any other WS items, which should be added at your
sole discretion ought to be put in mind while visualizing,
and therefore written down on paper to be sure there is no
forgotten element left behind. If it occurs at the next
stage you will have to start from the very beginning as
there is no way to move further. So don't quadruple your
work with your own hands. Make sure you have put every
present into the box you want to receive on Christmas. ;0)

WS STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT

Draw the scheme of your WS structure. How you are planning
to arrange, link and create logically relations between
sections or stand alone web-pages. It is easy to navigate
four-page sales letter WS, but everything changes when we
are exploring 100 spontaneously linked WS. It is easier to
get out of Sahara desert rather than to find what you need.

Your navigational structure could be linear or functional.
There are unlimited number of variations, just pay close
attention and follow one simple rule:
The more difficult for you to write a WS structure, the
more difficult it will be for potential user to navigate
it!

It doesn't depend on number of web pages rather then logical
sequence and connection of different parts or sections of
your site.

COLORS

I've also read numerous times, that Headlines is what the
visitor sees first, when comes to your site. Wrong! The
first thing a surfer sees on the WS, while it loads, is the
color and, sometimes, design appearance. Don't underestimate
the importance of color influence. With the help of color
play you can easily create a feeling of excitement or grief
even before s/he will see the first letter of your Headline.

One note should be also mentioned: try, if possible, to
avoid main colors green, red, yellow, blue. They are very
Day-Glo and very annoying while using them in the company
Logo sometimes considered to be enticing.

Don't use aggressive color scheme, make it to be polite
to your customer's perception. By doing so, you don't, at
least, make your visitor be irritated. Just experiment with
hues and brightness and you will get the color you need.
Follow this rule if you are not intend to sell clown noses
in the circus tent. :0)

Text color is also ought to match the background color.
Please, avoid red text on green color, dark blue on black
etc.

(to be continued...)
------------------------------------------------------------

About the author:

Pavel Lenshin is an Internet entrepreneur, web-developer and
marketer, founder of the entrepreneurship portal, where you
can find discounted Internet services, marketing solutions,
FREE ebooks, FREE reports and finally uncover innovative
business strategies through FREE NET Business Magazine.
Visit: http://asbone.com

Celebrity Chefs Lead Stellar Culinary Careers

Charismatic and creative chefs have impacted culture since the 1880s, when France's Antoine Car?me rose to stardom as chef for Napoleon and European royalty. Less than a century later, American Julia Child recreated the world's understanding of French Cuisine through her cookbooks and television appearances, paving the way for a slew of celebrity chefs in the 1990s and into the next century.

Celebrity chefs earned their fame by starting with culinary school degrees or cooking in their parents' kitchens. Some supplement culinary school or formal culinary education with natural talent and magnetic personalities to earn public success. Celebrity chefs and their cooking wisdom are available everywhere including a television network devoted entirely to culinary arts and shelves of cookbooks at the local bookstore.

Julia Child: American Chef Turns French

Julia Child, born in 1912 in Pasadena, California, got her start in cooking in the late 1940s after a career in advertising and public relations. Already a graduate of Smith College, she enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu culinary school when her husband was assigned a job in Paris. She later opened a cooking school, L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes, and published the famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking with two colleagues from Le Cordon Bleu. Child became one of American's first celebrity chefs and enjoyed a long career of television appearances, teaching, and writing.

Rocco DiSpirito: Reality Cooking

New York's Rocco DiSpirito is one of celebrity chefdom's best educated stars. He enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America at age 16, where he earned a culinary school degree with honors. He later studied at the Jardin de Cygne in Paris, and spent two years studying regional French food and wine. Rocco rounded out his culinary education with a business degree from Boston University. DiSpirito is known for his fusion of French and Asian styles, and he has opened several popular restaurants. His television credits include the reality show The Restaurant and selling Rocco Cookware on QVC.

Bobby Flay: Natural Culinary Talent

Bobby Flay began his culinary career at age 17, when he was hired at Joe Allen's restaurant in Manhattan. Allen was so impressed with Flay's cooking abilities that he paid for Flay's culinary education at the French Culinary Institute. After receiving his culinary school degree, Flay became famous for his unique blends of Spanish and American cuisines. Flay owns four restaurants, including Bolo in New York, and appears regularly on the Food Network and the Early Show on CBS.

Emeril Lagasse: Kickin' Cooking up a Notch

Known for popularizing Cajun and Creole cooking, Emeril Lagasse first learned about cooking from his mother as a young boy in Massachusetts. He received his culinary school degree from Johnson and Wales University, and worked as head chef at Commander's Palace in New Orleans before opening his own restaurants there and in other U.S. cities. He also is a famous TV personality, getting his start in 1993 on the Food Network. The word am has become synonymous with his name.

Nigella Lawson: Writing Her Culinary Career

Unlike most celebrity chefs, Nigella Lawson began her culinary career as a food writer. She earned a language degree from Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford, England and got a job writing a restaurant column for Spectator. She now writes for several major culinary publications, including Gourmet and Bon Appetit, has published a number of bestselling cookbooks based on her motto, To achieve maximum pleasure through minimum effort. Today, she hosts several successful TV cooking shows such as Nigella Bites.

Jamie Oliver: Life-Long (and Naked) Chef

Jamie Oliver began his culinary training at age eight in his parents' popular pub in England. He worked on his culinary education at Westminster Catering College through age sixteen, and he got his celebrity break when he appeared on a documentary about the British caf? in which he was working. Television producers called him in the next morning, and he began starring in the enormously successful Naked Chef. He has since written several Naked Chef books, taken his live cooking show on the road, and opened a popular not-for-profit restaurant. Jamie's dedication to public service and to making culinary education accessible has won him many fans.

Wolfgang Puck: Charismatic Culinary Talent

Originally from Austria, Wolfgang Puck was one of the first super chefs to establish a cooking empire. His interest in cooking was first sparked by his mother, a hotel chef. Puck received his culinary education as an apprentice in the master kitchens of top French restaurants in Europe. His charismatic personality and cooking talent led to television appearances, popular cookbooks, and wildly successful business ventures. Spago, his famous Los Angeles-based restaurant, revolutionized California pizza with its menu of gourmet toppings.

Gordon Ramsay: Villain Chef or Hero Helper?

England's Gordon Ramsay has become one of the most notorious villains of celebrity chefdom, known for both his outstanding cooking skills and abrasive personality. His soccer career was cut short with an injury at age fifteen. He began cooking four years later, working with top chefs in London and Paris before becoming head chef at Aubergine in 1993. Ramsay's infamy has spread to the U.S. in his reality television show Hell's Kitchen. His culinary career continues to flourish with new restaurants and another television series where he provides on-the-spot culinary education to struggling restaurant owners.

Rachael Ray: Much More Than 30 Minutes of Fame

Culinary entrepreneur Rachel Ray began cooking at her mother's side as a toddler. Her family owned and worked in restaurants in the northeastern United States. Ray learned about gourmet foods working at the candy counter and the fresh food department at Macy's. She opened a prestigious gourmet food market in New York but left to pursue a culinary career in the Adirondacks. She managed restaurants and taught her 30-Minute Meals cooking classes, which catapulted her to fame when she was featured on the local news. Ray now is the author of New York Times bestselling cookbooks, publishes her own magazine, and appears regularly on television.

Sources:

Rocco DiSpirito, About.com
BobbyFlay.com
Julia Child, Chef2Chef
Emeril Lagasse, Emerils.com
Every Day with Rachel Ray
Jamie Oliver, Food Network
Rachel Ray, Food Network
Rocco DiSpirito, Food Network
Jamie's Kitchen
Jeff Smith, Seattle Times
Bobby Flay, Star Chefs
Julia Child, Star Chefs
Nigella Lawson, Style Network
Celebrity Chefs, Travel-Quest
Celebrity Chefs, USA Today
Celebrity Chefs, Wikipedia
Bobby Flay, Wikipedia
Emeril Lagasse, Wikipedia
Gordon Ramsay, Wikipedia
Nigella Lawson, Wikipedia
Wolfgang Puck, Wikipedia
WolfgangPuck.com

About the Author:

Joe Taylor Jr. is a columnist for www.CulinaryEd.com. Joe also coaches musicians, entrepreneurs, and other adults who want to shift their careers. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ithaca College.

Camping with Toddlers

Camping with Toddlers

When you take toddlers camping with you it requires a little more work and responsibility on your part as a parent or guardian. This doesn't make the camping experience any less fun, it just takes some more attention to detail. Here are some areas of concern when you take a toddler camping.

During Setup

If the toddler is asleep when you first arrive and about to setup the campsite, great! Keep the toddler buckled into their car seats with the windows rolled down a fair amount; just check in on him or her frequently. However, if awake, they are usually very excited and will want to wander about so have someone watch them at all times. During setup, everyone is usually too busy running around and may not notice the toddler crawling nearby.

Diaper Disposal

On most campgrounds, a garbage bin is usually available near or even at each individual campsite for easy diaper disposal. Although disposable diapers are the convenient choice, using cloth diapers with you when camping is certainly manageable. Bring a large plastic bag with you in case a trash bin isn't nearby. This way you can hold the soiled diapers in there until you get a chance to make a trip to the next dumpsite. Just don't wait too long, nobody likes to be around a bag full of dirty diapers for very long.

A Crawling Toddler

Always remember that toddlers love to explore, this is especially true when camping. Dress the toddlers appropriately and keep an eye out for anything that may be a hazard as camping has many of them; sharp sticks, ant hills, poison ivy, etc. You can always spread out a quilt or blanket on the ground to define their play area. You can use lawn chairs to build a perimeter around this area. But, regardless of how safe you think it is, always have an adult watching the toddler.

Bathing Options

When out camping, a toddler can easily get him/herself dirty in a hurry. You have seeral options when it comes to cleaning your toddler. A bath house, if available, is one method. If there are shower stalls accessible to the disabled, there may be a tiled bench that you can use to sit and hold the toddler while you both rinse off. Using a large rubber bin at the campsite is also an option. Just heat up some water using a camp stove or the fire and fill the tub with it.

Toddler duty

Assigning and alternating someone on toddler duty while camping would be an advisable option to keep a toddler out of trouble. Make sure to keep the toddler away from the campfire but confine them within the campsite. Also, make sure the toddler doesn't get tangled among the many ropes used around the campsite.

Toddlers are great joys at home as well as camping and I'm sure that they enjoy the company just as much as we do. Give a child the chance to get to know nature at such a young age will assure that they love the outdoors just as much as you. Enjoy and stay safe!

Don't miss John Dee's article on Choosing Campgrounds

About the Author

John Dee also writes articles in other subjects such as Fishing, Exercise and Websites