Signs your child is using drugs

Signs that your child is using drugs are numerous but often times unnoticeable because you aren't looking for them. What is truly scary is that kids under the age of the teen years are now drinking alcohol and doing drugs. You have to look for the signs when they start middle school. This is usually the typical age when children start using drugs. But they may start younger and some kids may start in their later teen years.

 TEN signs that your child could be using drugs:

1. Your child's behavior suddenly changes.  Don't let it slide and ignore her rudeness, or bad behavior. Your child could change her behavior from being very shy and quiet to suddenly becoming the life of the party. Again, you be the judge, and don't attack her, but ask questions. Spend some time with your child. Remember teens aren't the only ones using drugs, kids may start as young as in third grade if the drugs are available. A child can also access the drugs in a household from a drawer or a medicine cabinet. Be aware of where the drugs in your house are.

2. Your child suddenly has an entire new cache of friends to hang out with. If suddenly all her old friends are out, and strange friends show up at your front door, chances are she could be doing drugs. When the friends are drastically different than your child's old friends, and her personality, it is time to investigate. Go through her backpack. Look through her room when she is not home. Invite the friends over and do your best to listen to them talk with your child.

3. Your child  has become very secretive. She spends hours alone in her room, or she won't let you in her room. Start showing up at school to volunteer for what ever you can think of. Drive your child to school, offer to pick her up, instead of letting her ride the bus home. Find out what your child is doing during school, and who her friends are. She might just be trying to fit in by doing drugs. Help your child adjust to a new school by helping her join groups and activities.

4. When your child starts dressing differently and dyeing her hair, she could be doing drugs. Or she may be going through a phase. But if she wants to dress only in black and dye her hair black she might be doing drugs. Talk to her school counselor to see if anyone else noticed major changes with your child. Schedule meetings with her teachers.

5. Another sign that your child may be using drugs is that he has major ups and downs. Hormones play a huge role in this. But when this continues to be a problem, you need to take action. A sign of drug use can be your child pacing nervously during the time he usually is sleeping . He may be stoned when he comes home from school. Get your child involved with activities that he is interested in such as sports, debate team, or another groups that he finds interesting.

6. Another sign is your child loses a lot of weight very quickly. She could be using stimulants such as meth, or speed, that can make a person lose weight fast. Take her to the doctor for a checkup and check her eyes. Sometimes when a person is on drugs the eyes will tell by the iris becoming smaller or very large. Ask your family doctor what the physical signs of drug usage are, so that you can pinpoint them in your child.

7 Your child takes actions that are harmful such as cutting himself, or becoming the kid that runs out into traffic. He may be abusing his body, or getting into physical fights with other kids. Check his room, check your medicine cabinet. Check his Internet usage, whatever it takes to help your child, you need to take action now.

8. He becomes very depressed, or just the opposite-super happy and laughs at everything. He could just be having hormone issues, personal problems, or be depressed. But drugs could be playing a role. Ask if anything is wrong. Ask him to invite friends over to your house. Have his friends over for dinner, to find out what they are like.

9. Another sign is your child gets into trouble a lot at school. He may just be seeking attention, but he might be on drugs. Pay attention to your child. Take him places he likes to go to. Become the coach for his little league team or YMCA team. This way you can have bonding time with your child.

10. A sign that your child could be using drugs is that he suddenly hates you and your life partner, He hates you, your friends the neighbors, his life, the dog, the cat, his room, and his little sister. Every teenager goes through a period of self discovery, when they realize they are going to grow up to be just like you. But that does not mean he has to hate you and everything you stand for. He grew up in your home, he should be somewhat used to what happens there.

Ask his teachers if they have noticed any negative changes in your child. Always keep the lines of communication open with your children. Always ask how school was. Ask to help with his homework. Be involved with your child's life. Be apart of his life. Volunteer your time, for what he is interested in. Show up to his sporting games, and be supportive. Have dinner together as a family several times a week. Research has shown that having dinner together keeps families together, and healthy as a family unit.

How to cure a hangover

How do you cure a hangover? You either don't drink at all or you stop when you start feeling really good. Too late for that, huh?  Here are ten hangover cures: written by kate Johns

EAT A FULL MEAL

*Here is a hangover cure to use before you start pounding back those great tasting pilsners-eat a full meal.

*This will help slow down the alcohol from absorbing into your bloodstream.

*Make sure you eat a meal loaded with carbohydrates. Pasta and bread will soak up the alcohol, and help slow it down.

DRINK TONS OF WATER

*According to the Times Online, you should drink a lot of water the next day for a hangover cure.

*Drinking, alcohol causes your body to dehydrate, and then you will ache all over from the acid build up.

JUICE

*According to Ask Men.com, a hangover cure is to drink juice or take vitamins the next morning when you wake up with a terrible headache, and nausea from a hangover.

*Natural sugar in the juice and the vitamins will help to bring up your blood sugar levels making you feel a little more human.

TAKE A HIKE

*Another way to cure a hangover is to go for a short walk.

*This will help eliminate the lactic acid that builds up when you drink alcohol.

DON'T BE A SUGAR DADDY

*Avoid having a lot of sugar the night before, to avoid having to use a hangover cure. *It's the same as when you eat a ton of candy, you end up with a headache.

* Stick with beer.

ALCOHOL MINGLING

*Avoid mixing alcohol with beer, and cocktails.

*This is your mantra to say when drinking to stay safe: "Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you're in the clear."

HEADACHE CURE

*Reaching for headache medication is another hangover cure.

Although, avoid taking acetaminophen while drinking or the next day.

* Take ibuprofen instead.

*Alcohol when mixed with acetaminophen can become toxic to your liver. Your liver can't process it fast enough and you can end up with major flu symptoms, or even worse, dead.

CAFFEINE

*For another hangover cure, avoid caffeine the next day.

*Caffeine will just speed up your metabolism, causing you to be a wide-awake drunk.

GINGERALE

*Hangover cure number nine is to drink flat ginger ale the morning after a major bender.

*According to Askmen.com, flat ginger ale helps soothe your queasy stomach. Written by Kate Johns

JUST SAY NO

*Don't mix  rum, brandy and red wine  together, because they contain high concentrations of congeners that are compounds that make a hangover worse.

Of course you know the best hangover cure, right? Don't get drunk. Take it easy, don't mix drinks, eat a large meal the night before, and drink tons of water all night long to dilute the alcohol. COPYRIGHT 2012!!


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A Father's Day tribute to my husband!

My husband is the most wonderful, awesome, terrific, inspiring, father ever. My husband should win Father of the Year Award every year for what a great Dad he is.Written by Kate Johns
 

My husband is not one of those nut job Dads that loses his children at home, going on TV pleading for their very lives, when in fact the little cherubs are playing hide n seek in the garage attic. No, my husband is the real deal. He is an old fashioned, admittedly boring kind of guy, but he is the "Best Dad Ever."

When we first got married, my husband started the all out sponsorship drive for me to have his children. He started his campaign with,"When are we going to have kids?" I would answer with, "Never." My husband would tell people we were still in the negotiating stages.

When we became pregnant the father of my children was the happiest man in the world. When I gave birth to our firstborn child, who was a boy baby, my husband beamed. He held our son every chance he got. He held him so much, I told him to stop fearing he would spoil him. My husband gleefully took the overnight feedings while I lay in bed trying to sleep.When we had our second child, my husband happily took over night feedings, and managed to be quiet all day so I could hold our new baby and feed her during the day.
 

He has lost several jobs in his search for himself over the years. But that did not stop my husband, he pursued better jobs in an earnest effort to stay off the unemployment line.He cried when he would lose a job, and then say,that he felt badly for the kids. My husband was the guy that worked three or four jobs so our kids would have a roof over their heads, and food in their bellies.
 

He has protected our children through many years, always dependable, reliable, always there for them. When our oldest child was in college, he did a better job of calming our son down when school became too tough for him. Our son would call me , attempting to get sympathy and what he got from his father was a major motivational speech.

 

My husband has always been the man  right for the job of Father. He stepped into the role, ready, willing and able to give hugs, yell when necessary, and back me up when I need it. Hey, it may have taken him a couple of years to get the Father role down to perfection, but he did it, and never considered being a Dad a job too tough to handle. COPYRIGHT 2012!!

How to get your mother-in- law to like you

 

I've been married for twenty five years now. It hasn't been an easy twenty five years either. We have had more than our share of difficult times, We could very easily have become a divorce statistic. Somehow we managed to survive and thrive in our marriage.

When my husband and I were first dating I'll let you in on a secret; my mother in law didn't like me. She was polite enough to me, but I could tell that she didn't think I was good enough for her son. Even though she never would admit that, I could tell early on that she didn't think I was right for her son.

You can get your mother in law to accept you and perhaps even grow to like you.You have some serious relationship work to do. You must show your mother in law why her son married you. Get to work!

Show your mother in law your good qualities. Do what it takes to let your mother in law see what a terrific person you really are. Your husband married you for a reason. Now you need to let your mother in law know what that reason is.Be very kind to your new mother in law and her son while you are with them. Talk respectfully to your mother in law. Offer to help make dinner and clean up the kitchen after dinner. Keep your home clean, and take care of her son. This is her baby you have ripped away from her. You are the other woman!
 

Be kind to your mother in law. This may be the first time she has to accept a new daughter in law into her life.Think of it this way; your new mother in law, is thinking she is losing her son. But you can help her with those fears by becoming her new relative.If you have to, kiss her butt. Compliment your mother in law. Tell  her she looks great, and that her home is beautiful. Compliment her dinner preparation. Invite her to your home for a meal you will prepare.

Ask your mother in law to share your new life. Invite her to your home. Don't make her feel left out. Go over to her home and share an engaging activity together. Go to garage and rummage sales  together.Go out with your mother in law to dinner. Go out for lunch, or go to craft shows. Do something that she likes to do, such as playing tennis, walking, throwing parties. This way, you can develop a relationship with your mother in law by doing something the two of you enjoy doing.

Treat your mother in law with the utmost of respect. Do not boss her around. Do not talk behind your mother in law's back. You have become a member of your husband's family by marrying him. This means you may have gained so many relatives that it becomes a daunting task to remember their names. Always talk nicely to your mother in law and to her relatives. Even if they are rude to you, and disrespectful, do your best to keep it together. Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing.

Your mother in law may act like a pitbull in a fighting ring. But that doesn't mean you should stoop to her level. Always take the high road, by being kind to your mother in law. While many women luck out by gaining wonderful, loving, trusting mothers in law, some don't. Handle your mother in law with care, and hopefully sooner or later she will come around to see what a great catch you are.Copyright 2012, (c).

How to make your marriage better

When you have been married for awhile, you end up doing the same old thing. You start taking each other for granted. Your relationship status becomes the same thing. You have to spice it up, to keep the love alive. That's why you need to go on weekly, or at the very least monthly dates.
Even though you are living together, having many responsibilities, you must take time out of your hectic daily lives, to reconnect with your marriage partner.

Remember all those fun, thrilling dates you had when you were courting? Well going on dates with your spouse will make you feel like a giggly teenager again. Okay that's a stretch, but I promise it will make you feel renewed and happy. If not, then you need marriage counseling.

Going out on weekly dates when you are married gives the two of you time to reconnect away from home. You will be doing something different from watching the same old boring television programs. You will have time to spend with each other. Sometimes you need that time away from the sameness of home life. You certainly need time away from the stresses of home life when you have small children at home. Small kids usually demand constant attention with diaper changing, and "Mom look at me." Therefore you need to get away from it all to bring back the bond that brought you together in the first place.

Try to get away from it all at least once a month married couples! Dine out, go to a play, a movie, even going for a walk while the kids are being babysat by an adult will renew your love, and possibly even your passion. When you truly can't afford to go out for a night on the town, just try to do something different. Put the kids to bed early. Turn off the blathering idiot box. Turn your attention to your spouse. Do not do like my husband does, and hide behind a computer screen. Sit outside together on a warm sparkling night. Sit together on the couch enjoying cuddle time.

Put the effort into your marriage, ensuring a long lasting, loving relationship. By all means don't talk about finances while cuddling, or household chores. Talk to each other about each other, your dreams, something funny that happened during the day.Remember with half of American marriages ending up in divorce court, you can help raise the statistics. Copyright 2012, (c), written by professional author, Kate Johns.

 

Eight Personal Freedoms Americans have Given Up!

Americans are losing more personal freedoms every year. The government, Big Brother, whatever you want to call it, has been slowly taking away our personal freedoms away from us more every year.  And then the government charges us more taxes to have the pleasure of doing so.

Here are just a few of the freedoms that have been taken away from us:

1. Driving without a seat belt. That law came down in the early 1980's. You must wear a seat belt, or else get a ticket by a policeman for not doing so. There were even seat belt stop points where cops pulled people over to check and see if everyone had their seat belts on, and if the baby sitting in his car seat had a seat belt strapped onto the seat also.

2. Smoking in public. At first local governments made laws telling smokers they couldn't smoke at work. You would have to go outside to smoke , and get another break from working---kind of a reward to all people who smoked and a bit of unfairness to non-smokers.Then many cities administered new laws that people could not smoke at bars, or restaurants. Soon, every public place would not allow a smoker to light up.

3. How's this for taking away your personal freedoms? Some cities, neighborhoods in America have been enforcing this for many years; telling homeowners, condo and townhouse owners what kind of pools, fences, colors of homes, mailboxes, and other items they can have or not have at their very own homes. Where my in laws live their neighborhood association tells residents they can't have garage or yard sales.

4. Buying a drink larger than 32 ounces in New York City. Mayor Bloomberg is trying to make this a law of major big brother enforcement. If Bloomberg has his way, no restaurant will be able to sell a drink to anyone that is over 32 ounces.

5. Telling people they can't engage in certain activities in city parks, such as: roller skating, skateboarding, walking a dog, riding bikes. Usually it is the cities where there is no place for kids to skateboard, and ride bikes that try to restrict these activities. That's when kids will ride their skateboards on city streets, and walking paths, because they are bored, and have no other place to do so.

6.Using a cellphone while driving. Personally I can see allowing people to talk on their cellphones while driving. But texting takes more concentration, and should not be allowed while driving.  Sometimes texting should be banned while walking.

7. Allowing farm animals to live in the city. We lived in a medium sized city for 13 years, and a strange ordinance came about. The city declared that  farm animals such as chickens, pigs, goats, sheep etc, could not live in the city. Personally, I figured if they could find a decent place for decent rent then what was the problem?

8. Being politically correct. Why do we have to speak in politically correct language? It's ridiculous to have to think of longer words to say, that mean one thing. You can't say someone is FAT, you have to say, a person is on the slightly plump side.You  can't say anything anymore, for fear of getting sued, or hurting another person's feelings. You may say---'it seems like, or allegedly.' You can't say 'black person', anymore, you must say 'African American person.' So why is it still politically correct to say 'white person?' Shouldn't that be--"Anglo- American person?'

Seriously!! How many more personal freedoms will be taken away from us this year? Now that we can't own farm animals in the city, drink Big Gulps, or smoke at a bar, we might as well move to Australia, where freedoms are more prevalent. Copyright (c), 2012, written by Kate Johns

Does it really matter that Ellen De Generes is gay and is promoting J. C. Penny's? by Kate Johns

 A relative of mine recently said she was not shopping at J. C. Penney's anymore because they supported gay people. I told her  that didn't matter to me, and it didn't make a difference to me if someone who is gay or not gay supports a product.

What it comes down to is Ellen De Generes married her girlfriend Portia De Rossi, and they are openly gay. Ellen is the spokesperson for the newest marketing scheme Penney's came up with. Which by the way, the marketing scheme is not working for Penny's as overall sales continue to plummet. Sales have been down for J. C. Penney's for the last two years, when they devised a completely new ad/marketing scheme which makes absolutely no sense. (I'd rather get a coupon in the mail for ten bucks off, thank you!)

Really when you think about, Penney's is not supporting gay people---they have one openly gay woman being paid to do their ads, thus promoting the store. I guess you could say, Penny's is supporting two gay people then, because one is getting paid to publicly promote the store, and do ads for Penny's---thus also helping Portia live in a really nice house with Ellen.

Personally, it doesn't matter to me if a person is gay and works in a certain profession. Ellen De Generes is gay and has one of the highest rated talk shows on television right now. Her show is very positive, well done, funny, and makes light of life in general; just the way Ellen De Generes is.

Many people who work in the entertainment industry are gay----but many of these people have not expressed their sexual orientation openly as Ellen did back in 1997 on her TV show called, "Ellen." Tom Cruise has been questioned on his sexual orientation for many years. Singer Adam Lambert is openly gay and is living with his boyfriend. Many gay people also design the beautiful clothing we wear.

Millions of people are gay, and could be working or living right next to you. That's the way life is, and there's no changing what people are. If we all thought this way of not supporting a person or a business because someone was gay, then life as we know it would probably cease to exist. If people who are gay took the political stance of saying they were only going to buy products made by other gay people, not by any heterosexuals, then where would we be? We'd probably be thrown into a civil war with everyone fighting about utter ridiculousness.

No wait a minute, aren't we already at that point? With people arguing over petty things,that really do not matter when you think we only have so long on this planet, and we should make the most of that time spent enjoying life, not arguing about it. Maybe we should stop doing what most of the politicians are doing; arguing about nothing, staying away from real issues that matter. We need to live life, not imitate what politicians, and untalented celebrities are doing and not argue over nothing.

By the way, if you see me, do not pull my hair, or start bitch fight!!