The worst business advice I ever received was...
"If you want it done right, then do it yourself!"
1. I don't have enough time in a day to do everything myself.
2. My most successful products have been compilations of other people's ideas & stuff.
3. When you Joint Venture with others you get to use their lists too! That's HUGE leverage!
4. I don't need to be 'qualified', I can hire someone else who is!
5. I'm in business for myself so I can have time to enjoy my time with my husband & kids!
Cheers...Amanda van der Gulik...Excited Life Enthusiast. ;o)
http://www.AllowanceSecrets.com
http://www.GetUnstuckForKids.com
http://www.CleverDoughKids.com
http://www.TeachingChildrenAboutMoney.com
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Find out what I learned when I met Melissa Gilbert, aka 'Laura Ingles'...
Melissa Gilbert Meets Amanda van der Gulik
Last week I had the unique opportunity to meet Melissa
Gilbert in person. You may know her as the little girl
who played Laura Ingles in the famous TV show, "Little
House on The Prairie" based on the "Little House" books
written by Laura Ingles Wilder.
WOW, what a wonderful experience.
First of all I have to tell you a little bit of background
here. I have been absolutely in love with the whole "Little
House" books and the TV series since I was a little girl.
There is just such a sense of complete happiness and
comfort to them that give you a true feeling of peace.
I just love that.
Last Christmas my sweet husband, gave me the complete
TV series as my Christmas present. What joy. ;o)
I was over the moon.
Since then we've been watching one espisode each night
at dinner time with our kids as well as reading a chapter
or two of the "Little House" books for our homeschooling
english classes.
So we were thrilled to find out that there was a musical
as well and that Melissa Gilbert was playing 'Ma' in the
musical.
We went to the show and it was incredible, I highly
recommend it. It's in Toronto playing at the Cannon
Theatre right now, and it's moving to other cities
as well, if it get to a city near you, go and see it.
You'll be so delighted by it. The girl who now plays
Laura is incredible.
Anyway after that show I asked if we could meet Melissa.
She wasn't doing any signing but the lady at the door said
she'd let us out the back entrance where the stage crew
leave after work and then it was just let up to chance
whether or not we would see her.
It was absolutely freezing out and we had little children
with us, so we wouldn't be able to wait out long, and we
wouldn't be allowed back inside once we were let out.
So I got the kids all bundled up after a quick trip to the
bathroom with them all and out we went.
Well, it was exactly one minute after we were let outside
that the stage door opened and out came the full cast.
It was thrilling to see Melissa in person. And there were
only 4 other fans waiting outside to see her, so our timing
couldn't have been better.
It was cold and I knew she was tired after just doing
two shows back to back in one day, so I didn't want
to take up too much of her time. The other fans all wanted
autographs, but I wanted something more personal to
remember her by. So I asked for a photo.
She was so sweet to our kids, you can tell that she is a
natural with kids. We told her that we had come from
New Zealand and that caughter her interest. Then my
little girl told her that we had seen all of her 'Little
House' shows and movies and she was so sweet, bending
down and speaking directly to my daughter.
Anyway, just wanted to share with you how you can have
your dreams come true if you believe.
I didn't tell you this yet, but I had hoped to meet Melissa
in person but didn't really expect it to happen until I took
my kids to the bathroom before heading outside.
I found myself saying, "oh I hope we'll get to meet her" and
then I noticed what I was saying and quickly corrected myself.
I told myself, "I'm so happy and grateful now that Melissa
and I have met, she was so sweet with my kids and we have the
most amazing photo of her with us. What a treat that was."
(I am learning the principles that make the Law of Attraction
work, so as a LOA student I am always ready to adjust my
thoughts into present, positive tense, and it's amazing how
that has positively affected my life so far.)
So I didn't even feel surprised when it came true just as I
had immagined it. I felt incredible gratitude but not surprise.
I wish for all of your dreams to come true also.
Here's to your and your child's MASSIVE SUCCESS!
Cheers...Amanda van der Gulik...Excited Life Enthusiast!
http://www.AllowanceSecrets.com
http://www.GetUnstuckForKids.com
P.S. If you'd like to go to Melissa Gilbert's show, here's
the website: http://littlehousethemusical.com/
Building self esteem intentionally in children - by Joe Rubino
"Studies show that self esteem is the most important ingredient responsible for attaining success and happiness, developing effective communication and creating rewarding relationships. In this continuing series, building upon past articles SelfEsteem and More SelfEsteem , here are 10 additional ways that parents and teachers can champion children to build their self-esteem..."
You can see the 10 ways here:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-30453-Massachusetts-Health-and-Happiness-Examiner~y2009m11d24-Building-self-esteem-intentionally-in-children
You can see the 10 ways here:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-30453-Massachusetts-Health-and-Happiness-Examiner~y2009m11d24-Building-self-esteem-intentionally-in-children
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
"New credit card laws may save the day for college bound teens" by Patti Handy, snippet from her blog
Patti says, "Credit cards can be a man’s (and woman’s) best friend…or worst enemy. They can save the day when an unexpected expense occurs, a flat tire at 2:00 am blows, or a medical emergency hits you from behind. In the event of an amazing sale at your favorite store, this little piece of plastic can become your biggest nightmare.
For college bound teens, credit card companies have, in years past, made it very easy to obtain credit cards. According to a recent Sallie Mae study, college students carried an average balance of $3,173 on their credit cards last year, a record high since the first analysis in 1998. A whopping 82 percent revolved a balance each month.
On May 22, President Barack Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure, or Credit CARD, Act of 2009 into law. Among many changes, one in particular is geared towards those college kids.
Effective February 2010, consumers under age 21..."
Read the rest of Patti's article on Patti Handy's blog at:
http://teenscashcoach.com/blog
For college bound teens, credit card companies have, in years past, made it very easy to obtain credit cards. According to a recent Sallie Mae study, college students carried an average balance of $3,173 on their credit cards last year, a record high since the first analysis in 1998. A whopping 82 percent revolved a balance each month.
On May 22, President Barack Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure, or Credit CARD, Act of 2009 into law. Among many changes, one in particular is geared towards those college kids.
Effective February 2010, consumers under age 21..."
Read the rest of Patti's article on Patti Handy's blog at:
http://teenscashcoach.com/blog
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Young High-Tech Entrepreneurs Get Noticed : NPR
Young High-Tech Entrepreneurs Get Noticed : NPR: "Companies large and small are discovering that they can't ignore Internet product reviews and social networking sites — and some of the new voices that must be heeded are very young.
The headquarters of OmniTechNews.net is the cramped bedroom of 12-year-old Robert Clarke in Redmond, Wash. He and his two elementary school pals, Carson Fujisaki and Lucas Reif, are taping their latest video podcast product review.
Clarke is in a T-shirt and shorts. He smoothly and confidently runs through the pros and cons of some new headphones from the company Skullcandy; 2 1/2 minutes later, it's a wrap."
The headquarters of OmniTechNews.net is the cramped bedroom of 12-year-old Robert Clarke in Redmond, Wash. He and his two elementary school pals, Carson Fujisaki and Lucas Reif, are taping their latest video podcast product review.
Clarke is in a T-shirt and shorts. He smoothly and confidently runs through the pros and cons of some new headphones from the company Skullcandy; 2 1/2 minutes later, it's a wrap."
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
FREE Book: "Allowance Secrets To Give Or Not To Give?"
The number one questions parents always ask me is whether or not they should give their children an allowance.
I had my own strong opinion on this subject, but realised that my opinion may not work for every parents, so I asked over 20 of the top kids money management experts, life coaches, and successful entrepreneurs to give me their personal opinions on whether or not they beleived we should give our children an allowance or not.
Well, they all jumped at the opportunity to share their information and tips with me.
I spent over 5 months putting this book together!!
And now I've decided to give that book away for FREE!!!
Yup, you heard me right, I'm going to give it away for nothing, no cost, nadda! ;o)
Grab Your FREE Copy:
www.AllowanceSecrets.com
Why would I do that?
Simple, it's the best way I know how to empower as many parents and kids in our world that I know.
You'll love it and then you'll tell your friends and family about it and so the good news will spread, and what can we use more than good news in an economy like this one?
So what are you waiting for, go grab your copy (over 200 pages crammed full of valuable tips, tricks, age-specific, step-by-step money lessons for your kids on not only allowances but also how your kids can best manage their money.
Grab Your FREE Copy:
www.AllowanceSecrets.com
You're going to love it!
Cheers...Amanda van der Gulik...Excited Life Enthusiast!
P.S. Pay It Foreward! ;o) You're family and friends will love you for it.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
How to Teach Your Children about Responsibility: 5 Tips For Ages 5 -12; Part 2 By Susan A. Haid
Author/Producer, Lily’s Truth, www.lilystruth.com
Every time I mandate that my three children, ages 3 to 10, help with the dishes, housecleaning, laundry, pets or some other mundane task, I prove to myself over and over again how important these experiences are for my children. Of course, their contribution makes my life easier. However, I clearly see that they are not only quite capable of accomplishing these tasks, they are learning to take responsibility for their own life in the process.
Here are five tips to teach kids how to take responsibility around the home and for their developing lives.
1. Help kids learn how to organize and manage their belongings. We need to require that our kids clean their rooms, make their beds, put their own laundry away, keep track of their homework and school projects, sports gear, musical instruments and so on. Once in a while, we can give them a hand, but kids should know that they are the ones ultimately responsible for these duties.
2. Help kids become active contributors to life at home. Every member of a home should contribute to the upkeep and management of the home. Age appropriate duties should be assigned to each family member, and once every week or two, the family should work together to accomplish these tasks. Duties such as dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, wiping down the countertops, raking leaves and even cooking are jobs kids of all ages can participate in. These duties give our kids the skills to become competent contributors as adults.
3. Help kids learn to set boundaries so they honor their own needs as well as respect the needs of others. This is a fundamental lesson parents need to teach their kids. It’s OK is many circumstances to say no. We want our kids to stay in touch with what they may need and give them the skills to meet them. We also want our kids to be aware that everyone has the right to set boundaries when they are appropriate and necessary. This is a basic survival skill.
4. Help kids learn to be accepting of differences. Having nonjudgmental conversations about the differences we encounter in the viewpoints, lifestyle, beliefs and ideas of others is a basic tenet of building a philosophy of acceptance and compassion in our kids. These are great conversations to have because they ultimately help our kids get clear about who they are, what they think and what they believe. This also means that our kids should have a safe place to express their individual views even if they are different from our own.
5. Help kids accept the outcome of their choices and create new ones.
It is the ultimate empowering experience when kids make their own choices and have their own resulting experiences. As parents, of course we need to be aware of what our kids are choosing so that we can intervene if it is necessary to do so. Although it is often difficult to give up control, we simply can’t make every decision for our kids. This deprives them of their experiences, the consequences of which are far less during childhood compared to adulthood. As often as it is reasonable to give our kids the authority to make choices for themselves, we should do so and understand we are respecting their individuality, honoring their learning process and building their knowledge of and confidence in themselves.
These are basic requirements that have worked well in my home so far. I respect the rights of my children to live freely and happily. As their mother, I want my kids to have the skills to manage their lives very well without me or without the help of anyone else if they choose. I want to help my children become empowered and sovereign. By giving them reasonable responsibilities and expectations, I hope to provide them with the simple knowledge about how to successfully manage their own lives after they leave home. And ultimately, I want them to soar!
For more helpful information about empowering children, or for more information about Susan A. Haid and Lily’s Truth, visit www.lilystruth.com.
Every time I mandate that my three children, ages 3 to 10, help with the dishes, housecleaning, laundry, pets or some other mundane task, I prove to myself over and over again how important these experiences are for my children. Of course, their contribution makes my life easier. However, I clearly see that they are not only quite capable of accomplishing these tasks, they are learning to take responsibility for their own life in the process.
Here are five tips to teach kids how to take responsibility around the home and for their developing lives.
1. Help kids learn how to organize and manage their belongings. We need to require that our kids clean their rooms, make their beds, put their own laundry away, keep track of their homework and school projects, sports gear, musical instruments and so on. Once in a while, we can give them a hand, but kids should know that they are the ones ultimately responsible for these duties.
2. Help kids become active contributors to life at home. Every member of a home should contribute to the upkeep and management of the home. Age appropriate duties should be assigned to each family member, and once every week or two, the family should work together to accomplish these tasks. Duties such as dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, wiping down the countertops, raking leaves and even cooking are jobs kids of all ages can participate in. These duties give our kids the skills to become competent contributors as adults.
3. Help kids learn to set boundaries so they honor their own needs as well as respect the needs of others. This is a fundamental lesson parents need to teach their kids. It’s OK is many circumstances to say no. We want our kids to stay in touch with what they may need and give them the skills to meet them. We also want our kids to be aware that everyone has the right to set boundaries when they are appropriate and necessary. This is a basic survival skill.
4. Help kids learn to be accepting of differences. Having nonjudgmental conversations about the differences we encounter in the viewpoints, lifestyle, beliefs and ideas of others is a basic tenet of building a philosophy of acceptance and compassion in our kids. These are great conversations to have because they ultimately help our kids get clear about who they are, what they think and what they believe. This also means that our kids should have a safe place to express their individual views even if they are different from our own.
5. Help kids accept the outcome of their choices and create new ones.
It is the ultimate empowering experience when kids make their own choices and have their own resulting experiences. As parents, of course we need to be aware of what our kids are choosing so that we can intervene if it is necessary to do so. Although it is often difficult to give up control, we simply can’t make every decision for our kids. This deprives them of their experiences, the consequences of which are far less during childhood compared to adulthood. As often as it is reasonable to give our kids the authority to make choices for themselves, we should do so and understand we are respecting their individuality, honoring their learning process and building their knowledge of and confidence in themselves.
These are basic requirements that have worked well in my home so far. I respect the rights of my children to live freely and happily. As their mother, I want my kids to have the skills to manage their lives very well without me or without the help of anyone else if they choose. I want to help my children become empowered and sovereign. By giving them reasonable responsibilities and expectations, I hope to provide them with the simple knowledge about how to successfully manage their own lives after they leave home. And ultimately, I want them to soar!
For more helpful information about empowering children, or for more information about Susan A. Haid and Lily’s Truth, visit www.lilystruth.com.
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