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Sourced from freedigitalphotos.net It can be incredibly frustrating if your toddler turns her nose up at everything you prepare. Not only have you wasted time, effort and money when her dinner ends up in the bin, you may also be worried that she’s not getting the nutrition she needs. Here how to cope with a little one who’s forever pushing her plate away. Has your toddler always been a  fussy eater , turning away from the merest hint of anything green and wrinkling her tiny nose at your lovingly prepared fish bake? Or has she suddenly taken to rejecting the food she previously couldn’t get enough of? Either way, a picky eater is overwhelmingly annoying, frustrating and, at times, worrying.  In truth, there are very few toddlers who can’t eat what they’re being offered – most of them simply won’t eat. Research indicates that a third of parents worry about their toddler not eating enough, and around 40% indicate they have a fussy eater in the family.  T...

Online shoppers, get ready. Retailers, get set. The countdown to the Frenzy has begun! 24 hours only, starting Tuesday November 20, 7pm sharp! Hundreds of retail brands, hundreds of unbelievable deals in one place! Wherever you are when Click Frenzy starts, at the office, on the couch, in the pub or at the cafe, get online and get a deal! Online retail in Australia is experiencing surging growth year-on-year, with no end in sight. Australian shoppers are becoming increasingly comfortable shopping online like their US and UK counterparts. Online retail is a $20+ billion source of revenue, and the only sector of retail experiencing double digit growth.

From freedigitalphotos.net Reusing items is a great to reduce your environmental impact, save money and reduce the amount of material that you send to landfill. Sometimes it’s a waste to throw things away! If your items are still in good condition, you could: reuse them yourself give them to friends donate them to charity give them away through a “swap” event or online sell them.

From freedigitalphotos.net 1. Too much salt in your soup? Simply cut a peeled potato in half and place it in the dish - let it simmer for 15-30 minutes and it will absorb most of the saltiness. This also applies for casseroles, stews and curries. 2. Rest steak after cooking. This allows its juices to spread out and be absorbed back into the meat producing the maximum amount of flavour. 3. Keep the rind of an orange after peeling and add some of it a cup of black tea for a sweet citrus sensation. 4. Let risotto sit for a few of minutes. Once your risotto has reached al dente stage and you’ve mixed in your butter and parmesan cheese, let it set for a couple of minutes - this will ensure its not too sloppy on the plate.

Rule 1: BE POPULAR, BUT NOT THAT POPULAR Even though Facebook is all about having friends and connections don’t have too many. The average is 120 and the limit is thought to be 5000; that’s when Facebook gets suspicious that no-one can be that popular and may look into your account. Rule 2: KEEP IT REAL If you use an alias and have a kitten as your profile photograph you’re asking for trouble. Facebook wants authentic not fake information, as fans of Cosplay (people who enjoy dressing up as fictional characters) found to their cost in the US recently. Pages were deleted because they were using the names of TV, movie or comic book characters.

I have to share this story with everyone.  I am so touched by it.  It let me remember what is truly important in my life. THE other day, my teenage daughter asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.'Do you remember my first ever day at school?' she said innocently. Read more: http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/why-the-day-i-died-taught-me-how-to-live/story-e6frfkp9-1226518099503#ixzz2CMXMd9Xf Read more: http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/why-the-day-i-died-taught-me-how-to-live/story-e6frfkp9-1226518099503#ixzz2CMXMd9Xf There was only one honest answer I could give. ‘I’ll never forget it, Ruby. You started school on Thursday, September 5, 2003 - and it was the day I died.’ As my sweet-faced five-year-old was putting on her uniform for the very first time and skipping into school to meet her new teacher, I was fighting for my life on an operating table three miles away. I may have been unconscious - but what happened somehow remains burned into my brain w...

Sourced from freedigitalphotos.net Write a shopping list and make time to go to the shops each week Commit to eating only what is in the fridge for a week at a time Shop online Try visiting growers markets or fresh food markets for fruit and vegetables Buy bulk meat from butchers

As the price of fresh food continues to soar – statistics show the price of vegetables has risen by 18 per cent and fruit by 25 per cent from March 2010 to March 2011 – many of us find ourselves asking which produce will give us more bang for our buck. In particular, price hikes in broccoli, bananas, tomatoes and lettuce have left us searching for new staples. Is bok choy as good for us as broccoli? Is that overpriced lettuce now a waste of time? "Some fruit and vegetables are more nutritionally dense than others, but they all have value and we should try to get a wide variety," says Aloysa Hourigan, senior nutritionist with Nutrition Australia. As the amount of people avoiding fresh food altogether is reportedly now at 30 per cent, Hourigan says we need perspective on the cost and value of healthy food.

From freedigitalphotos.net There is nothing like a routine to settle a child. The mantra, ‘bath, bottle and bed’ is often heard in my house! Try a few until you find a routine that works for you. Lavender essential oil is a proven nervous system relaxant and soothes frayed nerves. Pop a drop on a tissue and tuck it into a pillowcase, or put a few drops in a steam diffuser. Oats have been used for hundreds of years as a calming food, so offer porridge or Bircher Muesli (if you’ve introduced nuts to your toddler’s diet). I also recommend putting a cup of oats in a stocking or baby’s muslin, tying it to the hot water tap and allowing the bath water to run through it. This creates a milky bath with soothing, anti-inflammatory effects. 

From freedigitalphotos.net Juice: The natural sugar, fructose, results in an unnecessary energy hit.  Artificial food colourings and preservatives: These have long been linked to hyperactivity. A study found three-year-olds and eight-year-olds who drank a drink containing additives and the preservative sodium benzoate were hyperactive. The three-years-olds were far more sensitive to the stimulating effects and symptoms appeared in as little as one hour after ingestion.  Too much salt: Excess salt causes a child to wake up in the night, so aim for low-salt (120mg/100gr) products.

From freedigitalphotos.net Fill up on omega-3 essential fatty acids: These are found in oily fish such as salmon and tuna, avocado, nuts, seeds and cold-pressed vegetable oils. For more easy tips check out our article on how to get your toddler to eat more fish .  Give them protein at dinner: This helps stabilise blood sugar levels and prevent him waking three or four hours after going to bed.  Add zinc to their diet: Zinc-deficient toddlers may be difficult to settle so add sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, tahini – perfect in Bliss Balls – and pumpkin seeds to their diet. Lamb and beef are also good sources of zinc. 

From freedigitalphotos.net There aren’t many of us who haven’t witnessed a toddler meltdown in a supermarket aisle. As most parents of a toddler will know, doing the weekly supermarket shop can be a stressful, tantrum-prone event (and that’s just for Mum and Dad). However, there are ways to make the whole experience a pleasant, even educational one. Try these tips to help you. Shop when it’s quiet, if you possibly can – early mornings are great for this. You’ll get round in extra-quick time and your toddler will be well-rested and less likely to be cranky and start trying to scale the trolley sides. Just make sure he’s had breakfast and that he’s firmly strapped in! Woolworths has specially designed trolleys to accommodate your newborn and/or toddler, and little bottoms will appreciate it if you pad the seat with your jumper or a stroller blanket. If your toddler’s not comfortable he’ll soon let you know about it! Bypass the toy and confectionery aisles unless you a...

From freedigitalphotos.net Fish is a fantastic source of protein for little ones but they're not always as keen as we are to try seafood. Here are some ways to tempt their tastebuds. Keep it simple Start wary toddlers off with mild, sweet-flavoured fish such as ling or salmon. Using tiny star-shaped pasta mixed with a simple creamy sauce and some flaked fish is a good introduction to seafood. Add frozen peas to the mixture for a burst of colour and veggie goodness. If you reserve some of the fish mixture before adding the pasta and top it with mashed potato you’ve got an instant first fish pie to freeze for another day! Mix it up Adding different textures to your toddler’s plate can help too.

The Reserve Bank decided to keep interest rates on hold this afternoon, despite economists' expectations that it would cut the official cash rate by 25 basis points. In a statement, governor Glenn Stevens said growth is growing close to trend, and noted that interest rates have declined to below medium-term averages – and the world outlook has improved. "While the impact of these changes takes some time to work through the economy, there are signs of easier conditions starting to have some of the expected effects." "Business demand for external funding has increased this year, the housing market has strengthened and share prices have risen in line with markets overseas," he said. Stevens also noted the exchange rate remains higher than expected, especially given the weaker global outlook.

Go to comparison sites like www.goswitch.com.au to get cheapest energy plan. Go to iSelect to get the most competitive private health cover. Join a toy library rather than buying toys. Eat homemade meals - way cheaper than eat-out. Use www.kidspot.com.au to find out about free events. Join a playgroup . For a low annual fee you and your kid(s) can meet new friends. Go to secondhand children's items markets like bumble bee , Gumtree , or use eBay to buy items. * More saving tips here .

Share a few great web sites with everyone: Savings Guide Australia Savings Guide Australia is all about helping Australians save money. Driven by numerous contributors and self confessed budgeting addicts , the aim and goal of the site is to provide a cost free resource for people wanting to learn how to save money and minimise their expenses. Gone are the days of ruthless spending, people are learning that the only way to get ahead in life is by being proactive and taking control of their finances. This means saving money, reducing debt, minimising bills, making investments and learning ways to aggressively grow their savings.

Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 4 hours (setting time) Ingredients 2 tsp honey 500g creamy vanilla yoghurt 3/4 cup strawberries 3/4 cup blueberries 8 wooden ice-block sticks Method

A really interesting flash! Enjoy. You need a more recent version of Adobe Flash Player .

Lifehacker is one of the best sites providing tips for technology and for life.  This article was extracted from the site. 10. Use The Latest Wi-Fi Technologies One of the best ways to make sure your network is as fast and reliable as possible is to use up-to-date hardware. We’ve gone through the basics of router hardware before, so check out the first lesson of our networking Night School for the full lowdown. The main thing you need to know: Wireless A, B, and G are old and slow, and wireless N will give you the fastest speeds around. Note that you’ll need both a wireless N router and a wireless N card in your computer if you want the full speed boost.

Cannot believe I did know about this web site until now. iFixit They make it easy for you to fix things yourself with the online step-by-step repair guides , troubleshooting tips , and thriving community of repair technicians who want to help. Or, check out the teardowns section — sneak-peeks inside the latest gadgets.

THE FRIEND WHO'S COOLER THAN YOU The world changes quickly and some people are just that little bit better at keeping up with what's hip than we are. Like those friends who know that NO ONE EVER says "hip" any more, for instance. We like to be around these people, because they're a beacon of cool. Cool things just flock to them. These are the people who help you to open your eyes, have a flow-on effect for introducing you to other cool people and help to unstick yourself from the rut that's all too easy to get bogged in. "These people enrich your life by exposing you to things that may have otherwise have passed you by," says Bertolucci.