My Precious Kid® - Precious Kids Newsletter
June 2005
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Subjects: Homeschool / Adoption / Parenting / Work at Home
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My Precious Kid® - Are your children protected? In a car accident? At school?
In daycare? Our line of children's ID products can give you peace of mind!
Children's Safety is our priority. ID cards, Car Seat Cards, Pet ID, ID
Bracelets, ID Scopes, Medical Release Cards, First Aid Kits, Chore Charts
and so much more.
http://www.MyPreciousKid.com plus Baby Slings, Taggies,
Shopping Cart Covers, and more!
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WORK FROM HOME
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PARENTING
Call me Mama
By Kay Green, www.MyPreciousKid.com
Copyright 2000-2005
I have always known I was meant to be a mom. As soon as I was big enough to pack a baby on my hip I borrowed babies anywhere I could find. At age 10 I started baby sitting. I cared for my niece and god-daughter whenever possible. At age 23 my husband and I had our first child. That beautiful baby girl made be know even more that I was destined by God to be a mother. Oh the joy of holding that precious bundle.
I was also blessed to attend the birth of 7 other precious babies over the years. Those children even though not birthed by me, became special children in my life. What a gift to be able to be present as new life emerges from within. The marvel of what God has created in us, through us.
God blessed us with 2 more children (a boy then a girl) in the next 5 years. I delighted in loving them, training them, teaching them, investing in these precious lives. MY precious husband continues to give me so much help and support in being the parents our children need. I LOVE being a mother. And my three precious children have taught me so much about love and joy.
Twelve years after the birth of our 3rd child we adopted a new born. That baby girl taught me even more about mothering. I learned that mothering is not about blood tie but about heart tie. I learned that I could breastfeed an adopted daughter in the same way I nursed my birth children. I learned that through prayer and careful watching I had the insight on how to parent this child, who was so different than my other three.
I learned that I can be an advocate to get the medical help needed for my child. I knew this child had an issue I could not put my finger on. I was certain something was out of alignment for her. I prayed and watched and pressed for information. I finally asked my doctor for testing to rule out some sensory issues. That testing brought the key to this child that I had been looking for. Through the process we gained so much wisdom and tools for being even better parents to this precious child.
I thank God everyday for the privilege of being mama to 4 incredible individuals. And I thank God for a husband who treats me with such respect and support. My family has given me so much joy and love in life. They have taught me things about myself. They have stretched me and caused me to reach farther than I knew possible. They have challenged and encouraged me. I am the person I am today because of these 4 people who call me Mama.
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VACATION
Vacation Safety
By Kay Green, www.MyPreciousKid.com
Copyright 2000-2005
You are going to Disneyland (or other vacation) with your children and want to make sure they are safe. We can help protect your children and give you peace of mind too. We have recently been linked on the http://www.wdwinfo.com/ Disneyland forum boards as a great product for Disneyland traveling families. Below are my favorite Disneyland travel ID products plus some ideas for keeping your children safe while there.
Q: During summer vacation to Disneyland, I am concerned with keeping my children safe. What do you suggest I do if they get lost?
A: As concerned parents, there are several things we can do to protect our children at Disneyland or on vacation.
1. Have each child (ages 0-18) wear a physical ID at all times.
2. Play the "What if ..." game with your children. If you ask my toddler, "What if Mommy gets lost?" (they never think they are lost) she will tell you, "Find another mommy, take off my shoe (or bracelet or scope) and ask the mommy to call you!"
3. Make a game of remembering what color each of you is wearing to Disneyland each day. If you are at a large group, wear matching T- shirts to help identify your group.
4. Have a plan: If we get separated, stay where you are, and Mommy will find you. If you are scared, ask another mommy to stay with you and call me.
5. Have a photo ID of each child in your wallet. In case of separation, you have a photo and description to help others looking for the child. Each adult with the group needs these.
6. Have multiple family contacts and telephone numbers in the glove box, in your purse, in backpacks, on shoe stickers, on strollers, etc. Add numbers for family members not traveling with you (grandma, sister, uncle, brother).
7. Every child and teen should carry an ID card with family contact numbers, cell phone numbers plus a medical release signature. Put it in their wallet, in their backpack and on their car seat and stroller.
8. Teach the child to drop to the ground and scream loudly, "He is not my daddy/mommy. HELP!" if someone tries to take them.
See our many other safety and travel items for your families Disneyland vacation. We offer back packs, sports packs, safety books, baby sling, adult safety products, pet safety products and much more. We also have some combination packs of these items for even better pricing. Family Safety Products
If your child has a hard time traveling bring along a favorite toy of lovie. That will make the vacation more pleasant for everyone. Taggies® make a wonderful sensory blanket with little satin tags around the edge. Many children find this comforting while traveling.
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My Precious Kid has won the much coveted ADDING WISDOM AWARD at
http://www.addingwisdomaward.com/
"I have worked with Kay in previous years and have enjoyed getting to know her and the importance of her I.D. items for kids. Her passion for this heartfelt endeavor is incredible. In fact, when a little girl was separated from her mom in one of the largest malls in America last year, she was quickly reunited when the security guard found one of Kay's I.D. bracelets on the 4-year-old. Need I say more?" ~ Jodie Lynn, family columnist, CEO of www.ParentToParent.com and author, Mommy-CEO
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CHILD SAFETY
Car Seat Sharing Safety
Can I pass my child's car seat on to a friend?
By Kay Green, www.MyPreciousKid.com
Copyright 2000-2005
Your daughter has outgrown her car seat. A friend is in need of a car seat. Can you safely pass it along? What things should you look for?
"If the car seat was made in the last 7-8 years, there should be an expiration date on it. My daughter will be 6 in May, and her car seat expires in October of 2005. That was the date imprinted on the car seat." says Cris of
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"Always ask if it has ever been in a car when there was an accident (sudden force can damage the plastic even though it is not noticeable to the naked eye) and is it less than 6 years old. The plastic does deteriorate over time, and 6 years is the longest you can use a car seat. We had car seats for my oldest granddaughter, who would have been 7 last Sept., and we couldn't use them for the newest baby because they were too old." Says Anita of
http://www.blessedenterprises.org
THE TEST - These are both valid points.
Before passing on a car seat I like to do the following:
1. Be certain the seat was never in a car accident
2. Check the age of the seat
3. Check with the seat manufacturer for recalls
4. Check for any breakage or tearing
If the car seat is free from accident, recalls, and breakage and the seat belts are strong then you can pass the car seat onto a friend. If your seat does not pass the test then please do not pass the car seat along.
IN AN ACCIDENT - If you own a car seat that is ever in a car accident please mark the plastic of the frame with a permanent marker "IN ACCIDENT - DESTROY" then break it down and put it in the garbage. Your own car insurance will almost always pay for a replacement car seat after a car accident. Call them to request this. Do not risk putting your child in a car seat that could have underlying damage that puts your child at risk.
RIGHT SIZE - Be sure your child is in the RIGHT size car seat. Every car seat comes with weight and height requirements for that seat. Please follow them. I have often seen children riding in car seats clearly not the right size for them. I saw a 15 month old child in an infant carrier car seat. The mother insisted that because he was under 20 pounds she could not move him to a front facing. She was right. BUT what he needed was a rear facing convertible car seat made for a child of his height and weight. His head was all the way to the top of the car seat. It needed to be no less than one inch from the top of the seat.
CAR SEAT ID CARD - Always have an car seat ID card attached to your child's car seat. This card should have your child's name, age, weight, height, medical info, 5 contact numbers for family members and a medical release signature. This card can make the difference in getting quick care or finding a family member to come get your child in an accident where you can not care for your child.
We as moms love to share our baby items with friends. With car seats it is very important that we carefully look at all the criteria before passing along car seats to be certain the child we want to share with is safe as well.
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Car Seat Sunshade Attachment - The Protect-a-Bub™ Car Seat Sunshade Attachment easily ties to any car seat. No canopy is required. The Car Seat Sunshade Attachment helps to shield your baby from the sun and glare while you travel. It is made from our UPF 50+ rated breathable fabric providing 98+% protection from the sun's rays. The Car Seat Sunshade Attachment protects baby's head and body from harmful UVA and UVB rays and is designed to fit both forward and backward facing car seats. It has ties on both sides of the shade that easily tie to the car seat and can be left attached when not in use. The Car Seat Sunshade Attachment eliminates the need for flimsy car window shades that can obstruct the driver's view.
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RESOURCE for Home Business
MERCHANT ACCOUNTS 101
By Kay Green
Copyright 2005 -
1. WHAT is a Merchant Account?
A merchant account is the service you hire to enable you to accept credit card payments for your site. It can be through paypal (limited processing), your local bank, or a processing company like Concord. Most will allow you to accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
2. WHY do I need an merchant account?
Without it you can not accept cards for payments to your business. Studies show that customers spend up to 36% more when they pay with a credit card. I highly suggest accepting paypal and also having a regular merchant account to accept all other cards.
3. WHERE do I set up with a merchant account?
Apply with a merchant account (there will be a list at the end). Usually there is a credit check. You will need to give them your bank account numbers since they will deposit your funds into your account?
http:///articles/creditcards.html
4. FEES of a merchant account
One is the discount rate. This is the percentage of the sale they take out before depositing into your bank account. This is usually 2.5-5.5% of each transactions. Ask the merchant account service what there rate will be for you. It will vary depending whether you take cards that are in your presence or just cards online or over the phone..
Then there are transaction fees. These are usually 15-30 cents per transactions. These are taken out of your bank account at the end of the month.
Then there is usually a statement fee. This is usually $5-20 per month. Some services may also have a minimum in fees each month. Ask your service if they require a minimum in fees.
There will also be an added rate when you take business credit cards and other "mid-qualifying" cards. This is usually an extra 1% on some transactions. This is also taken out at the end of the month.
5. CONTRACT - Is it required?
I suggest NOT signing up for a merchant account that requires a contract. You want to be able to shop around if fees change. Fees can change when visa/MasterCard makes an increase. The merchant company then passes that on to you.
6. PROCESSING - How do I process the cards?
Most merchant account allows processing one of three ways.
TERMINAL - A terminal allows you to punch in the credit card numbers into a terminal on your desk. This is plugged into a phone line and it set up to automatically go to your merchant account number. AT the need of each day I do a batch processing (entering numbers) and the amount for the day is deposited into my bank account minus the discount rate. The fee for the terminal may be one time or may be a monthly machine lease. I bought by first refurbished terminal from the processing company for $100.
GATEWAY - A gateway service is in addition to your merchant account. It allows you to take and process credit cards in real time online. When your customer buys and enters their credit card info on your web site it processes it immediately. If your customer puts in wrong information then the card is denied and the customer knows immediately. With a gate way there is no need for a terminal. The gateway usually also comes with an online terminal where you can enter numbers and transactions of cards to take for phone orders or at away events. The gateway will have a set up fee ($25-250) plus a monthly fee ($10-30).
TOUCH TONE - punching the numbers, and your merchant account number into the telephone. Not all merchant accounts allow this option because of the possibility for error in entering numbers.
7. GATEWAY - What are the benefits?
WRONG INFO - no need to track down a customer who entered wrong info when paying. It will not let the transaction go thru until the customer corrects the info
FAKE INFO - the people making fake orders with fake numbers will no longer be able to
KEY STROKES - When you have 20-30 orders a day entering each of those transactions be hand can take a lot of time. The auto processing of the gateway eliminate that for you. The processing happens and is deposited into your bank account even if you are not home.
VERIFICATION - The gateway verifies that the card is real, matches the persons billing address and has the card in hand (CVC code on the back of the card).
8. WHO should I sign up with?
Do your home work. Compare rates. Ask questions? Do not sign a contract. Check here for some company options
http:///articles/creditcards.html
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