Helpful Tips for Avoiding Colds and Flu

Cold and flu season is here; and none of us want to be sick. So, what do we do to avoid those nasty germs that seem to be lurking everywhere? We compiled some common sense tips that will help you stay healthy.

Wash your hands. Let’s say that again. WASH YOUR HANDS! This is one of the best tips that we can give you. Wash your hands often throughout the day. Don’t just give your hands a quick rinse under the faucet. Using warm water and soap and washing for at least twenty seconds will kill germs. If you can’t wash your hands, then use hand sanitizer. Keeping a small spray bottle of alcohol in your purse or your car is another helpful hint. Every time you return to your car take a moment to liberally spray your hands with alcohol. Follow with moisturizer if they get too dry.

Even with lots of washing, hands are still germ breeding grounds. Avoid putting your hands near your mouth or nose. This may take some effort on your part to break a habit; but getting through cold and flu season without getting sick will make the effort more than worthwhile. Of course, if you are sick and are coughing or sneezing be sure and cover your mouth so that you aren’t spreading your germs. After a cough or sneeze is the perfect time for a good hand washing.

We all know work and public places are probably the best places to pick up germs that cause all kinds of nasty viruses. At work, don’t handle door knobs, keyboards, telephones, files, or anything else that is unnecessary. While shopping, avoid touching anything that you don’t need to touch. If you visit a public bathroom, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet after washing your hands. Also, use a paper towel to open the bathroom door to get out. If you need to sign paperwork use your own pen, not one provided by a coworker or clerk. If you bring your lunch to work or eat out, try and have something that is eaten with a spoon or fork rather than your hands. If you do eat a sandwich wrap it in a napkin.

If you come in contact with someone you suspect has a cold or the flu be sure and wash your hands or use a sanitizer as soon as possible. If someone at home gets sick wipe down all the surfaces they come in contact with using a disinfectant cleaner or alcohol. Wash pillows and bedding they have used. More hand washing is in order, too!

To read other tips for staying healthy in the cold and flu season, check out “Preventing Cold & Flu: How Doctors Keep Germs at Bay”. Be well!

Procrastination…Why Do We Do It?

We know we need to take care of “it”; but we put it off. Why? Procrastination is defined as putting off doing something out of habitual carelessness or laziness. Some psychologists say it’s a way to cope with anxiety associated with starting or completing a task. Aside from the obvious lack of productivity, other problems associated with procrastinating are extra stress and guilt in our lives. So, what do we do about it? The following tips may just help you be less of a procrastinator than you thought possible.

Own your procrastination. Admit you are a chronic procrastinator. The first step to changing any bad habit is to admit your guilt. Don’t be too hard on yourself; just say “I am a procrastinator; and I don’t want to be anymore”. You may be in denial; however, deep down you know if you consistently put off tasks. Acceptance is powerful. Once you admit to yourself you have a problem, you can begin to take steps to resolve it.

Take the blame. Believe it or not, we all make a choice to procrastinate. It’s easy to be defensive; and put blame where it doesn’t belong by always claiming someone else is at fault. Some of us even blame it on our parents by saying things like “My mother was a procrastinator, too”. Taking responsibility for your own actions; and realizing your procrastination lies squarely on your own doorstep is very important.

Identify the problem areas. Write down all the ways in which you procrastinate. Making a list helps us clearly identify where we need to focus. Do you put off paying bills, returning phone calls, cleaning the house? How about postponing dentist or doctor appointments? Do you Christmas shop on Christmas Eve? All the tasks you put off need to go on the list. When you have your list you will know where you need to improve.

Set clear cut goals. We need to have a well defined goal in mind. Saying “I will not procrastinate anymore” is not as powerful as “I will not procrastinate on cleaning the house today”. Saying that you will not procrastinate anymore sounds like a daunting task that can make you feel helpless. Making a plan for yourself by defining the task and the time frame gives you control; and also, makes you feel powerful.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Procrastination like all bad habits can be eliminated from your life with dedication and time. If you falter, don’t beat yourself up; just start again. Each time you complete a task that you would have put off in the past you will feel good about yourself. That feeling will give you the power to eliminate procrastination from your life once and for all.

For more useful information read Procrastination: Ten Things To Know

Tips for Bringing Home Baby to Big Brother or Big Sister

Welcoming home a new baby is a thrilling experience for parents and siblings. However, siblings can start to feel left out when they see how much attention gets lavished on the new baby. Following is some useful information that will help avoid sibling rivalry.

During the pregnancy include the older children in making the necessary preparations for the new baby. Allow them to voice their opinions on things such as nursery décor or baby names. Encouraging their input makes them feel involved and important.

Take advantage of sibling preparation classes offered at some hospitals.

Let siblings know what to expect. Having Mom away in a hospital for two or three days can be scary for some children if they don’t expect it.

Talk with them about their role as a big sister or big brother. Refer to the new baby as “our baby”. Let them know how lucky the new baby is to have them as a brother or sister.

Tell them the new baby won’t be able to do much at first; so they won’t be expecting a playmate right away.

Take out the older child’s baby book and baby photos. Have the whole family spend some time reminiscing about their baby years. This will help to create a bond with the new baby because they will feel they have something in common.

Sometimes older children appear to regress when a new baby arrives. This childish behavior may be the result of feeling stress. Don’t shame them for this behavior. Be sure and praise their milestones such as learning to tie shoes or mastering a new lesson at school.
Having a new baby in the house usually creates a certain amount of stress for everyone. Mom and Dad can be very serious simply because they are losing precious sleep. Try and lighten the overall mood by being silly, telling jokes, or watching a funny movie. Laughter goes a long way toward making everyone feel better. Show your love for them too.

Enlist the help of grandparents. Grandparents are the perfect people to give extra attention to the older children when Mom and Dad are busy with the new baby. Grandparents can take the older children on special outings to movies, playgrounds, etc. Grandparents are generally glad to baby sit with the new baby while Mom, Dad and the older children have a much needed night out.

No matter how hectic things get, both Mom and Dad should set aside some one-on-one time for each older child.

Let the older child be involved in the new baby’s care as much as possible. Depending on their age they can assist with things like baths and dressing the baby. Let them pick out the outfit the new baby will wear to come home from the hospital.

The most important thing to remember is everyone especially older children need time to adjust to a new baby. A little patience and understanding is usually all it takes to help a sibling adjust to sharing Mom and Dad’s attention. For more things you should know about adding a new baby to your family click here.

Labor Day Travel Tips & Useful Information

According to AAA more than 34 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this Labor Day holiday. Most will travel by car; but about 5% will fly. Whether you are traveling by car or by plane this weekend, being prepared will make your trip more enjoyable. Following are some tips that will help you have a great time.

Helpful Hints for Hitting the Road

Before you leave check your car’s fluid levels and wipers. Also, it is very important to check out your tires for wear and proper tire pressure. Low tire pressure can cause a blow out and ruin a holiday getaway or worse. Don’t forget to check your spare, too. Plan your route. Knowing the roads and exits to take ahead of time helps avoid accidents. Take along a map even if you have GPS in case of a malfunction. Use Google Maps to print the map you need. Another good resource for maps is AAA. Leave early when there is less traffic on the road. Avoid rush hour if possible since this is when traffic is heaviest. Drive during the day when it’s safer because visibility is better. Also, you are less likely to encounter a drunk driver as they tend to be more prevalent at night. Stop when you get tired. Remember large trucks have blind spots. If you can’t see the truck driver in their mirror, then they can’t see you. Don’t cut in front of large trucks. Due to their size and weight, they take longer to stop. Be sure to lock your car every time you leave it, even it it’s just for a short rest stop. Returning to your car to find it or your belongings missing is sure to spoil your good time. Take along hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes and use them when you leave each public place. A small spray bottle filled with alcohol also works well. Follow use with moisturizer. Put together a do it yourself travel kit with books, magazines, travel games, puzzles, sticker books, video games, small toys, etc. for your passengers. Keeping the kids busy usually makes for a less stressful trip. Bringing snacks and drinks will decrease stops and save money.

Things You Should Know if Taking to the Air.

Get to the airport an hour and a half before your flight. Have your ticket, boarding pass, ID, etc. in hand when needed. Don’t over pack. Most airlines charge for extra bags or overweight bags. Don’t put valuables in your checked luggage. Always place these items in your carry on bag. Put at least one change of clothing in your carry on bag just in case your luggage is lost. Always carry on any medication you need. Be sure your carry on bag is within the airlines’ size limits. If it’s too large, you may be asked to check it when you board the planeRemember to drink fluids to stay hydrated while you are on the plane. Move around a bit if possible during your flight. Taking your MP3 player, portable DVD player, and your laptop computer along is a great way to pass the time if you have a long flight. Be sure to put these items in a padded laptop computer bag to protect them. Be prepared to take these out of the bag at security check points.
Attach a unique luggage tag on all your bags to help you identify them. A brightly colored ribbon tied onto the bag handle also works well. You will be glad you did when you are trying to locate your bags among the sea of bags at baggage claim

Whether driving or flying make a conscious effort to enjoy all aspects of the trip. Expect to wait. Be patient. Don’t let little hassles and your emotions ruin your getaway. Be polite and courteous to people you encounter along the way. Remember you catch a lot more flies with honey than vinegar.

Hubcaps and Gravy hopes this information is useful to you; and wishes everyone a safe and Happy Labor Day!

A Guide to Safer Internet Shopping

How do you know when a website is trustworthy? What can you look for to help determine a website's credibility? Here are some tips and things you should know:

•Look toward the bottom of the page; and see what is there. Usually, websites put their policies and trust seals at the bottom of the page in the footer area. Are there any links to their policies? Are there any trust seals anywhere on the page? This is where you can start to find information to build trust. No trust seals, No trust!

•Click on a trust seal to see what they have to say. Examples include VeriSign, McAfee, Go Daddy, etc. Does it tell about encryption? Does it name the site you are looking at or the website host? Is it actually a link to information? Just having the image on the page isn’t good enough!

•Do they have an accreditation seal such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB)? If it is a BBB seal click on it. The BBB has information about the company and a grade. The company has to adhere to the BBB’s code of business practices to keep their accreditation.

•Look at their privacy and security policies. BBB members have to adhere to and post strict polices to keep their accreditation.

•Do they use PayPal for payment? PayPal has a very good service for your protection. You can have an account with them so you are not always giving out your credit card information. At Hubcaps and Gravy you can use Paypal with your card; and we do not have access to your credit card information!

•Is there contact information on the site including address, email address and phone number?

•At the checkout page, look at the URL. Does it start with HTTPS? The “S” means your information is encrypted and secure.

•Don’t be influenced by fancy bells and whistles of any website. Check Them Out!