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Now that you’ve taken the big step, booked your ski vacation and reserved your spot in the beginners skiing class (as discussed in Part 1 of the series), its time to take a look what you’ve actually let yourself in for.

So what exactly will your first skiing lesson try to teach you?

Tip # 2 – Learning Control

The most critical skill in learning to snow ski is that of control. Remember, you’re adding a hefty amount of extra length to your feet – being able to control your feet and moving on them will keep your behind dry and your pride intact.

Rather start out with shorter skis than longer ones. Although there are disadvantages such as less glide in using shorter skis, this gives you the opportunity to get the basics right and then upgrade your ski length as your skill improves. Once you have the skis on, use your poles as a balancing device while moving your weight from side to side on your skis. This side to side motion is what will eventually guide you down the mountain slope at a speed that you feel comfortable at. The shortest route to the bottom of the slope is straight down – but this is neither advisable at beginner level, nor necessarily the best way to get to the bottom! So make sure you’re comfortable with shifting your weight from one foot to the other while on the skis.

Probably the most important skill to learn control of is how to STOP without doing yourself some major injury. The easiest and best way to slow your momentum is to point the toes of your skis towards each other and spreading your heels apart – much like a slice of cake. NB – but whatever you do, DON’T let the tips of your skis cross each other – it’s a surefire way of ensuring a wet and uncomfortable tumble.

Another important skill is learning balance. And the best time to practice is while you’re still on flat ground! The trick is to practice balancing on one ski at a time. Lift one ski a couple of centimeters off the snow and shift all your weight to the other leg. Observe how your body adjusts to maintain your balance on just one foot – and remember, your ski-poles are there to help you. Now try skiing on just one leg to get used to being in balance, whether you’re on two feet or only one. You won’t go haring down the mountain on one foot though – this is just an exercise to get you used to your own sense of weight distribution and balance. It is advisable to be comfortable skiing on one leg (practice doing this on both) before you become proficient in skiing on two.

Now that you’ve put on your skies, practiced shifting your weight from side to side, found your balance on your skis and learned how to stop your forward momentum, you’re almost ready to face your first down hill ski. But first, you’ll have to master one more critical skill that everyone needs to learn … how to get up when you fall.

Yolande runs the website [http://www.skiingtips.org] that provides infomation on skiing for the beginner to the advance skier.

Part 3 of Beginner Snow Skiing Tips for the beginner [http://www.skiingtips.org/Taking-The-Plunge-Snow-Skiing-Tips-For-The-Beginner-Part-3.php] can be found on the website

If you’re looking for information on Ski Resorts visit World Ski Resorts [http://www.worldskiresorts.info/skiresort_articles/index.php]

In this article I will introduce my personal definition of play, but acknowledge that play is basically indefinable because it is so vast and variable. I examine free flow play and the obstacles to play, and the purpose and value of play. I examine one small group of students working definition of play as a developmental tool that helps children develop holistically and other aspects of our definition, ie a developmental journey, play being accessible to all, and the aspect of fun and enjoyment in play. Alongside this, this article examines structured and unstructured play, including theorists views and I include some of my own observations and examine the play content in them.

Before I extend on group’s definition of play, I would like to state my own theory about play, and explain what I mean stressing again, that play is basically indefinable because of its flexible and vast nature.

My theory is that play is fluid. It can take many forms, have many meanings, express itself in many ways, but it cannot be contained in a box or shape and labelled as ‘play’. If play is taken out of one context and into another it changes its shape and purpose, and the way it moves and performs. All of it is play in its many facets, and all of it is of equal value, because it meets the differing needs of the child at the time it is being played.

Play is fluid so therefore cannot be defined purely as one aspect or another, and as water is fluid, so is play – it changes its shape to its environment, circumstances and players, taking on different forms, expressions and meanings to the players concerned. It has intrinsic meaning to the children and may change direction at any moment, according to the children’s needs and personality etc. Bruce verifies that play is like fluid and free-flowing,

She stated: “the whole point about play is that it cannot be pinned down. It flows. It is on the move.” (Bruce 2004:154)

Free-flowing play can be limited by obstacles such as time, adults, relationships, routines, outcomes, interferences, circumstances, environment, or disability, and may not flow in the natural direction a child may wish to take it if limited by any of the above obstacles. However, because play is fluid, it can continue where it was left, or be restarted and flow in entirely different direction if obstacles do not restrict play.

Props may be used during free flow play which then takes on a symbolic characteristic, and children may engage in role play or socio-dramatic, plus rough and tumble, all rolled up into one, making it difficult to untangle and define! Children do not need adults to direct free-flow or fluid play, only to keep them safe from harming themselves or harming others. This may be viewed as an obstacle by children (and so it is) but as long as adults are not being ‘over-protective’ or ‘over-restrictive’ and children understand the need for safety rules (they tend to like rules in play anyway!) then the

obstacle or interruption is only a temporary obstacle, that children can overcome and move one, because their play is flexible and fluid.

The purpose or value of play, as mentioned is intrinsic to the child and players and appears to be part of children’s developmental journey. Bruce (2004:149) describes play as a process with no productive end. Play helps children develop in a holistic way, developing their social interactions, language skills, co-operation, understanding of how the world works, and personal, social and emotional development. Play is a tool that brings knowledge and experiences together. Vygotsky viewed play as a vehicle (or tool) for social interaction. Bruner believed roleplay was a vehicle (or tool) for learning about society’s rules and conventions. Piaget believed play unifies children’s experiences, knowledge and experience. Frobel, Steiner, and Issacs were the biggest advocates of holistic development. Frobel believed learning and development is holistic, involving the child, other adults and the environment, and that childhood is a stage in it’s own right. Steiner based his principles on Frobels and developed a programme involving

play. Issacs believed play was central to the overall development of the child.

Play is as an important of children’s developmental journey – it becomes a tool by which children learn to develop in a holistic manner, it enables them to understand themselves, other people, their community and the world around them. Play also enables children to act out experiences, past and present, and enter into fantasy worlds. Bruner believed that play is process-led rather than task orientated, but also believed it prepares children for adulthood. (Fisher 1996:97) We are all on a lifelong journey and the journey, and the journey for me may be different to your journey. We may start at the same place, but go in different directions, and we may meet again but be different people, because life (and play, as part of that process) shapes the people and character we become. The journey of developing and learning is a long, slow, and ongoing process throughout life – a developmental journey which starts at birth and finishes at death, and play in its many fluid forms, becomes part of the process.

If play is structured, directed or initiated by adults, play takes on a different role. If play has a goal, target or outcome for a child to achieve, often children do not view this type of play as play, but as work…. they view

work as teacher-directed and play as choice, sitting down as working, and being active as playing (Wood & Attfield, 2005:17). However, a divide between play and work cannot easily be made. Children learn in and through play, whether it is teacher initiated or child initiated. Frobel, Steiner, Issacs, Piaget believed play should not be directed. Miss Boyce believed in a mixed approach, including free flow play and a more structured timetable for teacher-directed sessions. Montessori, demonstrated skills to children and did not believe in freeplay. Brunner saw play as a process but also believed adults need to scaffold children’s experiences in order to help them progress to the next stage, as did Vygotsky, who advocated adults working alongside children to build on / scaffold their understanding to move them onto the next stage. McMillian also believed in a structured environment that was planned to support children’s needs, and which integrated subjects such as maths, science and literacy.

Whether play is adult led or child led, children will learn many skills through play such as; co-operation, negotiation, other people’s views, social skills, language skills, fine and gross motor skills may improve and other skills may

be mastered, thinking and cognitive skills are used and improved, so therefore children will learn through play whether there is an intended outcome or not! My own observations of children’s play confirmed this. Children learned through many different types of play, structured and unstructured. Structured play helped children develop more in the cognitive realm whereas unstructured play helped children develop more in the creative, language, physical and personal/social realm.

If they do meet the outcomes (which they should do if the resources, processes and intensions are aimed at the right level…) then this is an added bonus! If planned and resourced correctly by practitioners, play can help children meet targets within the Foundation Stage or Key stage 1, covering all aspects of the curriculum from Personal, social and emotional development through to creative development.

Adults can improve the quality of children’s play by providing a rich variety of resources, and well planned structured play, indoors and out, needs sensitive scaffolding for children to progress or learn new skills and knowledge. Adults also need to provide plenty of free flow play, and time

to complete tasks. If adults aim to intervene as little as possible in free play, this will provide a better outcome for children.

In structured play the teacher/adult has used play as a ‘tool’ (others call it a vehicle or medium) but may not be viewed as play in its purest form. Play cannot be categorized into ‘play’ or ‘not play’ (because play is fluid and takes many forms) but may be better defined as ‘more pure play’ or ‘less pure play” (Wood & Attfield 2005:4-5) Wood and Attfield further define pure play as unstructured, active, fun, a process, pretend, child invented and child-choosen. Linden states, “Circumstances can prevent or restrict play. Constraints may be placed by adults or the environment limits children’s experiences. Alternatively, developmental problems, disability or illness can shape the possibilities for children.” Play may be hampered (children may have obstacles to play) if they have any form of disability or cultural, language, social or economic differences. Children (like adults) tend to be exclusive, uncertain about things or people they don’t understand or are not like them, unless they are informed/educated that all children have an equal right to play and should be granted access and opportunities to play.

Children need adults to be good role models demonstrating equality by provision and adaptability to children’s needs. Children need adults to provide different types of play or different ways of playing, so that children can access it. Some children may need more adult support to access play, especially if there is some form of disability or complex needs. These children may access play differently, but all children have the same right to develop in a holistic way that all children do. All children need the ‘tool’ of play for their own development; because play is fluid, the way the tool is used may be different.

I observed a young boy (of about 8 years old) and other children aged between 6-10 years in a social club setting. All the children, except the little boy of 8, were engaged in locomotive play. They were chasing, tickling, rolling, dancing etc throughout the night, mainly in small groups of children. The play looked chaotic but was not out of place in the setting. The adults observed this play and did not intervene. The children appeared

to have no purpose or intension but to enjoy themselves, and the value to them was in participating in the fun, making up games and dances, enjoying social activities together and passing time in an enjoyable way.

The other little boy of 8 however, did not join in any of the play, he merely acknowledged the other children. Instead of playing with the other children, this little boy stood in front of the band that was performing, and appeared to be conducting them (using a toy), virtually all night. He was engrossed in his play/work. Later on when the band had a break, he circled around the

hall floor, (walking on his toes) making ‘car-like’ movements. At this point the boy may have been involved in role play. However, his first play was very difficult to understand (possibly role play or practice play?) This little boy appeared to have special needs along the line of Asperger’s syndrome (noted from previous study and personal experience) I suspected Asperger’s syndrome because he did not communicate with the other children, contact them, play alongside them, or join in their play. When they came near him once during locomotive play, he visible repelled / moved himself clearly out of their way. He couldn’t or didn’t access any type of social, co-operative or

parallel play, but preferred his own solitary activity and the type of play he engaged in was repetitive. Although his play didn’t make sense to me, it was meaningful to him. He appeared to believe he was truly directing the band (though they ignored him and continued their performance) however he was engrossed in roleplay or practice play and appeared to enjoy what he was doing. His play was intrinsically valuable to him and he had as much right to play in this way as the other children had to play in their way. Linden Stated “Play stems from children’s own perception of the world and how it works… play is a very personal, creative activity… within children’s understanding, their play is meaningful in it connection to non-play reality. (2000:43).

I also observed other types of play in other settings with younger children. The type of play I observed included socio-dramatic (2-3 year olds involved in playing with dolls, prams and accessories, going shopping etc); exploratory play (2-3 year olds exploring playdough and cutters, moulding, shaping, cutting etc); creative play – free painting, mixing paints, making patterns and pictures and epistemic play (2-6 year olds involved in table top games,

including sounds game, snakes & ladders and alphabet jigsaw). The learning processes during these observations was vast, from social skills, co-operation and concentration to language skills, physical skills, fine motor skills, mathematic skills, creative skills to cognitive skills, being used, extended and enhanced in play to the benefit of the child/ren concerned.

Play however, is not just a tool that enables development, play in itself is fun and has value in itself. Play is as valuable to the child as work is to adults. Fisher (96:103) stated “Play has its own intrinsic rewards, it is done spontaneously and voluntary and it is thoroughly enjoyable.” If play is self-chosen, self-motivated and directed, then it can only be enjoyable. Theorists such as Lazarus and Garvey hold this view; indeed children would not engage in play so readily if it were not so! Linden (2001:44) stated, “children play for play’s sake. The activity is an end in itself and is not undertaken for an end product.”

Conclusion

In this article I have stated my theory of play as being fluid, and other aspects or definitions of play and its value in children’s development. Included in this are some theorist’s views of play, and observations of children’s play and what they are gaining from it, noting however, that defining play in all its elements, is very difficult! Play has many facets and functions it is impossible for one or two statements to adequately state what play is or does and many theorists hold differing views, reflecting this difficulty.

Play has become a tool in the Early Years sector and education and it is key to understanding how children think and feel. It has become clearer to me that play is crucial to children’s social and emotional development, and other aspects such as language skills, cognitive skills and understanding the world in which they live. It has also become clearer to me that the least amount of time adults intervene in children’s play, the better! (Though of course there is a time when structured play is appropriate). Play is enjoyable and motivating and a tool that develops children holistically and plays is fluid in that it fulfils many different roles that aids children in their developmental journey.

http://childsworld.info

Ruth Grigg

You mentioned “…your page ranking.” What is page ranking and how do I get my pages ranked in law firm Internet marketing?

You don’t have to do anything to get your web pages ranked in law firm Internet marketing. It happens when the search engines send their spiders out to read your site. Google Page Rank is the standard on the Internet for success since 47% of the people on the Internet go to Google to do their searching and the other major search engines (Yahoo and MSN) use similar models as Google. If you rank high at Google you will rank high anywhere. The Google Page Rank system is from 0 to 10 with 10 being high and 0 being low. Probably more than 98% of sites on the Internet are ranked 0, 1, or 2. I do recommend you go to Google and get a Google Tool Bar since then you can see the Google Page Rank they have given you and every other web page you ever visit. This is a very useful tool in law firm Internet marketing. First it tells you how you are doing with your website. Next it tells you how well your competitors are doing with their websites, which tells you what you need to do to get a higher Google Page Rank so you are above them in the search engine results. Finally, it tells you how well your vendor has done for you in law firm Internet marketing and if you are searching for a new vendor it can tell you if they know what they are doing since they should show you sites they have built that have good Google Page Ranks. For sure that vendor’s site should have a good Google Page Rank don’t you think? There is another ranking system called Alexa that is not one you need to be as aware of based on Alexa toolbar users (well over 10 million of them last I knew) and where they are going. You can get their toolbar at Alexa.com. Alexa ranking is based on the lowest number being the best and the highest number being the worst. A low number is under 500,000 thus indicating a website that is in the top 1% of all websites in the world in terms of the traffic that comes to their site. For example CNN.com is #26, GE.com is 4,719, Google is #3, Yahoo is #1 and MSN is #2. The poor Alexa ranks are in the millions with most websites on the Internet being Alexa ranked “no data” not being at all unusual. You site is likely to be “no data” ranked, as are most lawyer sites by far. So be more concerned about your Google Rank.

You have been talking about “competitors” a lot in. Who are my competitors in law firm Internet marketing?

Your competitors in law firm Internet marketing are those people who are trying to rank high at the search engines for the same keywords as you are trying to rank high on. If your down the street lawyer competitor knows nothing about keyword research and how to build a law firm Internet marketing system then he will not be much of a competitor for you on the Internet. Fortunately or unfortunately most lawyers are doing it all wrong with vendors who are over charging and under delivering. You have a great opportunity to get out in front of the pack and stay there because by the time they wake up you will be so far out in front they almost certainly won’t be able to catch you in law firm Internet marketing.

Some way back you mentioned “RSS”. What is RSS in law firm Internet marketing?

RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication”. Trying to stay up with all the new information on the Internet is clearly difficult given the size and growth of the Internet. What if you had a really simple way to get the new information posted at your favorite websites or get their newsletters without them getting caught in spam filters? That is what RSS is designed to do. You sign up on the web site of one of your favorites for RSS and they will send information (text, audio or video) to your RSS news reader on your computer or to your web based news reader (I use Yahoo.com). Where can you get these news readers? Here are some options:

For Windows

Newzcrawler.com

newsgator.com/NGOLProduct.aspx?ProdId=FeedDemon

awasu.com/

For Mac OS X

newsfirerss.com/

newsgator.com/NGOLProduct.aspx?ProdID=NetNewsWire

For Web Based

bloglines.com/

http://my.yahoo.com/

newsgator.com/ngs/default.aspx

While this technology is still new it is growing. Some Internet marketing experts think it will overtake email as the “killer application” on the Internet in a few years since it fixes the spam problem and reduces the number of newsletters coming to people’s in boxes. It is good but probably not that good. Right now I would put it on your site as a useful tool in law firm Internet marketing if you offer a newsletter or add content regularly since people who use RSS are going to be very interested prospects if they sign up on your site using RSS.

You said earlier “over charging and under delivering.” What should I expect to spend on an Internet marketing site with a vendor that can deliver excellent results?

You may or may not have to “start over” if you have a site now. Also know some vendors charge by the hour, some by the project and some a mixture of the two. If you are looking for a “value vendor” (one who is not the cheapest but also not the most expensive) to build a new website with all of the factors I have spoken about in place you will need to expect to spend from $8,000 to $12,000 for the new website. At this level of spending the website should have 20 pages or maybe a few more in total with the entire “on site” SEO in place. The fee for the site should include the services of a Webmaster (think of this person as being much like a “general contractor” who is building your dream house), keyword researcher, web designer, technician, and website copywriter. If you are looking for someone who is going to do the ongoing webmaster role (think here of having a professional Internet marketer on you team) taking you from where you are now with an existing site to excellent results then work with you ongoing to assess your current website circumstances in detail, make a plan for how to improve your circumstances via your current vendor, manage your current vendor so they implement that plan (or if necessary make the recommendation to you to leave your current vendor as well as find you another more appropriate vendor) you can expect to pay around $70 to $90 per hour to get a quality USA based person to do the job for you.

If you want to view his in depth “Internet Marketing Guide” you can go to http://www.CannonFireMarketing.com. Richard’s guide will take you much, much deeper than this executive briefing can. Richard is one of twenty-five SBI Certified Webmasters that you could “shop” if you desire at: http://directory.sitesell.com/certified/index.html. In the interest of full disclosure Richard built my medium size site (and growing) and has been a valuable addition to my team. Ken Evoy, MD, that I mentioned earlier, developed the CTPM model of Internet marketing that currently serves over 30,000 primarily small businesses with their Internet marketing needs, founded and owns the SBI system.

That is more than I expected to spend on law firm Internet marketing. Are there other options?

Yes. If you don’t currently want to budget for $8,000 to $12,000 you could begin with a 10 to 15 page site but be sure to do the keyword research (Richard Cannon can do this for you and is a master at it, one of the other SBI Certified Webmasters or maybe your current vendor). The lower number of pages would bring the cost down considerably. Later you can add pages (a must in law firm Internet marketing – like a page per month for solo and small firms). You could also go to guru.com (a virtual marketplace complete with a mediated process) where you can find cheap vendors (think India, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa and Europeans here at $12 to $50 per hour) as well as value vendors (think $50 to $100 per hour in the USA). If all you want is a “brochure holder” type of site (so you don’t look behind the times) you can get one of those built without the keyword research for maybe as little as $800 to $1,000 by a value vendor or half that or less by a “cheap vendor”, however, you will likely “throw that away” when you decide to move up to law firm Internet marketing type site. If you really, really want to go inexpensive you could go to Yahoo.com’s home page and scroll down on the left side of the page to “small business” and click on that where you can buy something as a decent brochure holder type of site at a cheap price per month.

OK friends, we have completed part two on law firm Internet marketing. In part three we will cover should you have a vendor that has done lawyers websites in the past over a “plain” vendor, why do I keep mentioning the number of pages on a site, how to avoid overpriced vendors, what your domain name should be, intellectual property issues to consider and more. So keep on reading with part three to learn more on law firm Internet marketing.

You can download free now the 125 page Report titled “31 Proven Law Firm Marketing Strategies” by Henry Harlow and much more. You can increase your income; reduce your work hours as you serve your clients better than ever – guaranteed. http://www.Law-Firm-Marketing-Coach.com

The economy is on the rise, and America is once again feeling confident in our nation. With the renewed confidence, spending is also on the rise. Supplies of all kinds of goods are dwindling down, and suppliers are restocking them. How does goods of all types get to the suppliers? You guessed it, the over the road truck and driver. One indication of a strong economy is how many tractor – trailers are moving freight up and down the roads. As of lately, that number is sharply on the rise. The tractor that pulls that load has to be in top operating condition at all times. Enter the diesel technician.

Diesel engine repair is more than a person and a tool box. These techs. are highly trained, and extremely knowledgeable in all the different systems found on a class 8 semi truck. Long gone are the days of a mechanic walking out to a truck with a hand tray of tools. Modern diesel engine repair technicians most often start a proper diagnosis with a lap top computer. Like a skilled surgeon in their field, the problem is quickly identified, and a repair is made correctly the first time. Experience plays a major role in this repair process, and a technician with years of experience is a good person to be friends with. This type of experience is highly sought after in the world of truck repair. Competition between businesses that employ these people is, not surprisingly, quite fierce. Because of the knowledge base a diesel engine repair technician is equipped with, they can usually write their own ticket as where in the country they wish to work.

Along with the knowledge a diesel technician has, their home away from home is the tool box they own. Not your standard tool box found in most home garages, this type of tool box is usually three to four times larger. With all the specialty tools required to diagnose problems, storage for these expensive items is very important. While the wage that a diesel engine repair technician receives is well above the minimum wage requirements, keep in mind that the tools used are also purchased by the technician. The investment made by a highly trained diesel engine repair technician will easily run into six figures. A good rule of thumb at a repair facility is that if one has to borrow a tool from someone else more than twice, it should be bought and put into personal inventory.

The down side to being a diesel engine repair technician is that it is hard on a body. Everything on a class 8 truck is big and heavy. Brake drums alone weigh in at close to one hundred pounds. Ask a gear man the weight of a 15.5 inch clutch. Then ask them where it goes. Lifting one of these monsters in a confined space certainly builds character, to say the least. Cylinder heads, pistons, crankshafts, intake and exhaust manifolds. All are on the larger scale and need to be wrestled around on a daily basis by the diesel engine repair technician. These people have brawn to go along with their brains.

Next time you see a tractor – trailer moving needed freight down the road for our nation, think of all the diesel engine repair technicians that keep them rolling. Everyone of these people in the trucking industry are viable partners, and we need all of them.

To consult with a top team of diesel engine repair experts, follow this link
http://diesel-docs.com/

Glenn is a go to work Dad looking to supplement his household income.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility. This is because apart from making sure that your pet is well fed, properly groomed, and properly trained, there are a number of special needs for your pet, so they will live a long and healthy life. One way to make sure your pet is healthy is to give them plenty of exercise. The good news is that there are quite a number of good sources of the pet supplies that you need to make sure that the pet are met. This means that you can easy gain access to the pet dishes, pet toys, pet beds, and pet food that you need. One example of such a source is a friendly pet store.

Pet stores are some of the best sources of pet supplies. This is because pet stores also ensure that people who buy pets from them also gain access to the supplies that they need to properly take care of their pets. As a result, a typical pet store can provide a pet owner with a wide selection of pet supplies, which include pet toys and pet food, which can help him take care of his pet. Moreover, most pet stores provide pet supplies for almost all types of pets, which make also makes them the more convenient option for people looking for pet supplies.

In addition to these, pet stores can also provide pet owners with the best tools that can help them take care of their pets. This is because the people who run pet stores have vast experience in taking care of pets, which include knowledge on which brands of pet supplies can give the best results. In relation to this, the personnel in pet stores are also trained to answer any questions that pet owners may have with regard to the pet supplies, which can be very helpful especially for first-time pet owners.

Given that pet owners need to make sure that their pets are provided with the supplies that they need to be able to live long and healthy lives, pet owners need to gain access to high quality pet supplies. Fortunately, there are quite a number of sources from which pet owners can get the pet supplies that they need. One of these include pet shops, which is considered an ideal source of pet supplies because of the high quality pet supplies and the helpful information on pet care that people can get from them.

Pets [http://www.Pets-source.com] provides detailed information on Pets, Pet Supply, Pet Services, Pet Health and more. Pets is affiliated with Pet Memorial Markers.

Childcare is often one of the main responsibilities and concerns for the young parents. There are formative age groups of children from babies to small children that need the proper care and attention of their parents. Moreover, in case of the absence of children, there is a need for a professional care and nurture paying attention to their safety and dietary requirements.

The above facilities can be availed from childcare providers that are there in the UK as well as in the other countries of the world. These are trustworthy and professionally trained organizations that are capable with proven standards. This is ideal for working parents and for those who wish to be reengaged to their professional life after pregnancy and childbirth.

In addition, if the parents are working there are childcare vouchers that their employers can provide them to help them make the arrangements easily. A system for tax benefits comes with the vouchers that can save on tax credits for the employees especially those who are parents of small to very small children.

These are ways of saving on your total tax credits on the entire salary or the gross salary amount. Here is how it works. There are deductions that are made from your salary of an amount up to 250 pounds a month for childcare. These vouchers can be redeemed for the services of any childcare provider that you deem fit for your little one. You can also make a weekly deduction of the same.

Now, the tax that you are paying for your salary every month will be on the amount after the deductions of the childcare vouchers. There are certain tax benefits in this for your employer as well.

Benefits in Tax Credits

The fact that childcare provider services are very expensive seems an attractive option to have been excluded from taxable incomes of parents. There are benefits that employers have in the exemptions from national insurances as well as certain other forms of taxes.

For parents there is a saving that comes in the form of one of the most important expense of their life. Acquiring any childcare support service like hiring a nanny, childcare centers and even workplace nursery among other options available is an important responsibility.

Childcare vouchers help them to provide the best there is available for their child’s age group and healthy benefits.

It is often a matter of concern among young and new parents that childcare providers are usually very expensive in the UK and in other countries as well. Thus, one of them opts to be at home to take care of the child.

However, child vouchers that come with a tax saving are seen as very helpful benefit that helps them to get the best services for their child while saving on taxes amounts. This has been a serious encouragement for parents to return to their professional life.

For more information on childcare vouchers, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the tax credits!

This article goes into the basics of tennis for beginners. What are the first things you have to do when starting to play tennis? At what age should you begin? And what’s the best tennis racquet to begin with?

To start, one of the best ways of learning to play tennis is to use your body’s natural abilities. If you do this the right way, you will build up thousands of natural muscle connections. It will ensure that you can keep on developing and never run into a dead end along the way.

First Steps to Take

Three things are crucial to me when it comes to tennis for beginners:

Step 1 – In case you have never had previous tennis coaching, then find yourself a tennis coach who can teach you the fundamentals. Only when you have learned the basics of tennis, you can move on to more advanced stuff.

Step 2 – This is about really delving into tennis through reading, watching tennis games, and practicing tennis as much as you possibly can. My favorite motto is “sleep, drink, eat tennis”.

Step 3 – Now it’s time to learn specific baseline tactics and other tennis drills for beginners. The goal should be to develop as quickly as you possibly can. Your focus should be to win – playing tennis is not the same as hitting balls!

When to Start?

What is the best age to start playing tennis? The answer to this question really depends on your goals. If you really want to become part of the top 100 tennis players in the world, then you should start as young as possible. Remember that a famous tennis player like Andre Agassi picked up a tennis racquet before he could even walk. Boris Becker won Wimbledon at the age of 17, and Rafael Nadal was winning professional tournaments at age 16. One exception is Vince Spadea, but even he started playing tennis at the grand old age of 14.

The reason for this, is that young children can effortlessly develop their coordination just like young children can learn any language without effort.

However, don’t let these sobering facts stop you from starting to play tennis. Even if you don’t become a top 100 tennis player, tennis is still an excellent way to develop mental strength and fitness. And don’t forget that for talented amateurs, Europe has leagues that pay you to represent their club. Also, many tennis players who don’t make it to the top, still get good paying jobs as tennis coaches.

Your First Tennis Racquet

When you buy your first tennis racquet, it doesn’t have to be a professional racquet. But unless you are particularly light or young, it should be an adult racquet. If you weigh under 80 pounds, you should go for a junior racquet, meaning any racquet under 27 inches.

Particularly, you should try to avoid the following:

Racquets with a head size under 100 square inches. Racquets with a larger head size make it easier to hit the ball and such racquets also give the player more power as they have a larger sweet spot.

“Head light racquets” that have their weight based in the handle, as they are particularly meant for advanced players and not for beginners.

Racquets that start to weigh in at under 280 pounds. Very light racquets are meant for players who are very light themselves. However, once you start off with a very light racquet, it is typically hard to change to a proper one later. So it’s better never to start with a light racquet in the first place.

Aluminium racquets for beginners are the cheapest and can already be bought for $30 to $70. As you advance, you can switch to a graphite racquet which are available in the $80 to $330 price range.

Max Gregor is the editor of How-2-Tennis.com, a complete information resource for beginning and advanced tennis players. Find more about tennis terminology at his site.

Is it really necessary to be careful when you’re dining out? Can’t you just splurge when you eat out and watch your intake when you’re at home? Not if you want to lose weight! According to the National Restaurant Association, American restaurants bring in over 500 billion dollars in sales annually! Imagine what that figure must be worldwide! With grocery prices soaring, the majority of mothers working outside of the home, and so many people working long hours and living hectic lives, is it any wonder that we don’t cook anymore?

The problem, of course, is that with the growing obesity problem, and all the health-related issues that come with it, people are going to have to learn how to make wise choices when eating out in restaurants.

There’s absolutely no reason to give up restaurants! Let’s face it; their sales will probably continue to soar! Just follow these quick and easy dining out tips to help you make wise choices and you will be successful on your weight loss journey.

• Follow the new 5-4-3-2-1 Diet when dining out. No foods are off-limits!
• Plan the meal out in your mind before going to the restaurant. You might not be familiar with their menu, but you’ll be able to guess the basic choices. Go through step by step, from wine and appetizer to dessert, visualizing how you want the evening to go. When you sit down and look at the menu, remember your plan.
• Split a meal with your dining companion. Save money and have room for dessert!
• If no one wants to share a meal with you, put half to two-thirds in a “to-go box” for the next day.
• Order an appetizer as your meal. Add a small salad with the dressing on the side.
• Be specific when ordering. Ask questions and make requests.
  The restaurant is there to serve you and most are happy to do so. They want repeat customers!

  Order all dressings and sauces on the side so that you can dip your fork and control your portion. Order your food grilled, broiled, or roasted–never fried!

• Limit yourself to one glass of wine.
• Share one dessert with the whole table, or skip dessert entirely!
• A good dining out tip is to ask the waiter to keep the breadbasket or chip basket. If your dining companions want these things, then decide ahead of time exactly how much you will have and stick to the plan!
• Eat SLOWLY and savor your food. Put down your fork between bites. Chew well. Remember that it takes approximately 20 minutes for you stomach to register that you’ve eaten enough. Assess how you feel and stop eating when you’re no longer hungry.
• Eat with intention! Be a good listener and focus on your companions instead of your food.
• If eating in a fast food restaurant, never super-size. Ask the people at the counter what the healthiest choices are. Most have been trained to provide this information.
• At a buffet, use the salad-sized plates for your meal. Stay away from the salad bar with the exception of the fresh lettuce that you fix yourself. No creamy dressings! Don’t load your salad up with croutons, sunflower seeds, and cheese. Add only vegetables or beans. The other “salads” are loaded with fat and calories. Stay away from them. Choose meat from the carving station and add some vegetables. Allow yourself one small dessert.
• Never show up at a restaurant starving. If your hunger is over the top, eat a small salad before leaving home.
• Know that foods described as “smoked”, “barbecued”, or “teriyaki” are going to have high sodium and anything “breaded”, “sautéed”, “au gratin”, “scalloped”, or “creamed” is going to be high in fat.

Use these simple dining out tips to help you enjoy your restaurant experience. There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a guilt-free meal and continue to lose weight!

Gail M. Davis teaches teens and adults alike how to eat healthy and successfully lose weight. You’ll find practical weight loss tips along with information about the new 5-4-3-2-1 diet plan, and much more throughout her site.

PHP web programming services are now much in demand as PHP offers a wide range of advantages like low development cost and high performance. PHP is a script based server side scripting language whose main focus is development for the web. It provides design structure to promote rapid application development and can solve scenarios quicker than some other languages.

Custom PHP programming is a time and money saving strategy. The code written in PHP is simple and easy to understand. It can be embedded directly into HTML coding. It is flexible in database connectivity and can be used in all major operating systems and supports most web servers. It can be used for command line scripting and is very helpful in developing content management systems.

PHP based websites offer more room to grow as PHP adds more functionality to your website and allows your site visitors to interact with you through scripts. It’s easy to add content and additional pages to a PHP base website without doing much editing. The language provides a more effective way to make changes to your website without working on every page involved.

If you have a limited budget, PHP web application development might be a wise choice for your project and its success.

Our PHP development efforts are put towards creating and deploying highly competitive and reliable web solutions that will succeed in the market.

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The Image: Jacques, the manager of a huge large pipe manufacturing business describes team dynamics.

“A pipe, no matter how thick or long it is, is only as strong and reliable as its thinnest, weakest part. All our pipes come out looking great on the surface. It’s only when we put them through our scanners that we can see whether the pipe is fit for shipping. So, too, like our teams. We only know how competent, strong and functional they are under the stresses and strains of everyday manufacturing demands. Sometimes they just blow up!”

What A Team Is: A group of individuals working in sync, with competence and motivation to accomplish a common objective. A high performing team has a dynamic, sometimes conflicted, energy that propels it forward in the service of achieving its purposes.

A Group is Like: A bunch of people on a bus. All heading in the same direction. Driven by the bus driver. People don’t talk with each other. They get on and off as they please. The only commonality is the vehicle.

Key Action Words/Phrases of A Team: Accountability. Self-responsibility. Conflict. Problem-solving. Clear Objectives. Formal leader. Informal leaders. Celebration. Temporary. Individual roles are critical to and subordinate to team goals.

“I” is each of the parts that forms the “we” that pull together to make it about the bigger “us.”

Working Images of Teams: Cirque de Soleil. Top Gun. An aircraft carrier. A surgical team. A flash mob dance.

Dysfunctional Groups: The Senate. Detroit Lions Football Team.

Each individual on a team is responsible for the approach, achieving the assigned goals and the internal processes that helps or hinders progress.

Business is a team sport. Actually life is a team sport — a fact which many people ignore at their peril.

A team without a leader is like a child without a supervising adult. The best teams are self-governed and enforce their own peer-based discipline and they have a formal leader to guide them. The Miami dolphins without Don Shula would not have had a no-loss season. Microsoft with Bill Gates? Apple sans Steve jobs?

A team generates and regulates a sense of unity among its disparate individuals. It also leverages individual performances into team accountability and outcomes.

Without an effective management team a company will not likely be able to develop its teams.

Incompetence flows downhill.

Policies and corporate strategies do not a high performance team culture make.

Managers, as team leaders, have the tension-filled, opposing challenge of exercising the right authority and inclusiveness. That’s the art.

It is best when a team sets its own goals and processes based upon the inputs from its members. That’s the science.

A well-mixed team made up of individuals with differing style and skills, and who are committed to the team, can produce for the organization.

A high functioning team is flexible enough to shift – sometimes smoothly, sometimes with turbulence — leadership roles among the members to fit the situation.

To get your FR.EE Instant Copy of — A TASTE of GENIUS — an introduction to building team competencies and motivation for fun and profit. Go to http://www.subject2change.ca

From Dr. Jim Sellner, PhD.,DipC. — working with Zoomers & Super Zoomers managers to experience more joy, health and a sense of abundance.

Due to the growing number of double-income families in America, the need for childcare providers is constantly on the rise. Just take a look at the statistics: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in their May 2005 Databook, 11.6 million children under age 5 were in some type of regular childcare arrangement every week.

In the 2004 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a whopping 63% of children under age 5 are in some type of regular childcare arrangement every week.

How does this impact our society in general?

These statistics show that more than half of preschool-age children spend a majority of their waking hours in the care of non-family members. According to records, these children spend an average of 36 hours per week in a private or public childcare facility.

These figures become significant when we consider that the first few years in a child’s life are the so-called ‘formative years.’ These are when kids’ brains imbibe a lot of inputs from his environment. Thus, the people with whom he spends much of his waking hours impact his development significantly.

And because childcare is inevitable for double-income families, single parents, and couples who don’t have the luxury of having other relatives to look after their children, childcare providers must be selected with great care.

Quality childcare is important so that the child will be positively influenced intellectually, morally, and socially. A well-trained childcare workforce is important so that the kids left in childcare would eventually perform well in academics as well as have fewer behavioral problems as they grow up.

Childcare facilities must provide quality programs that are both safe and enjoyable for their wards. This means that the overall environment in a childcare center must come as close as possible to the environment that the child has in his own home – surrounded by caring adults who are deeply concerned in his welfare.

Many childcare agencies aggressively encourage childcare providers to obtain early childhood education courses, or at least enroll in continuing childcare education [http://www.bestchildcareguide.com/category/infant-day-care-centers], so that they come well equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for their jobs.

Even as some teenagers and working students are found worthy to be excellent childcare providers, studies made by the Center for the Childcare Workforce show that the amount of formal education possessed by a childcare provider is still the strongest predictor for his or her ability to facilitate developmentally appropriate activities for children under his or her care.

You can also find more info on child care and childcare center [http://www.bestchildcareguide.com/category/a-childcare-center]. Bestchildcareguide.com/ is a comprehensive resource to know more about child care.

The roar of the crowd as the cars rush by, the sense of excitement in the air. Is it the Indy 500? No, it is RC racing! RC racing, or remote control racing also known as radio control, is a quickly growing hobby segment that appeals to both young and old, and men and women.

RC cars are popular at a hobby level, for creating and putting the cars together, or even taking it to the next level with professional tuning and racing. You can purchase RC cars as a kit in an unassembled form or completely assembled and rtr or ready to run condition.

What Types of RC Cars Are There?

The selection for RC cars is huge and growing every day. You can choose cars in almost any body type that you desire, in any color and any style. However, there are a few main distinctions that you will need to make before you choose any car for the first time.

You can choose from:

1) Gas powered or electric

2) On road racing models or off-road models

3) Assembled or non-assembled

4) Car or Truck

These are the main choices, however once you choose what type you are looking for, you will still have many style choices as well as engine choices to make.

Gas Powered or Electric?

The biggest decision that will have to make when you choose an RC car is whether it is powered by nitro gasoline or an electric battery pack. There are pros and cons to both types, and ultimately you need to decide what type of power is best for your needs and what you want your RC car to achieve.

Electric RC Cars

Electric remote control cars are an excellent choice if you are just getting started in the world of RC cars. They are typically easier to care for, and much easier to maintain than their gas powered counter parts. An electric car will make a great starter car because they are generally less expensive than a nitro car, so you can take the time to practice and perfect your driving skills before laying down a lot of money.

Electric cars are run on batteries. The batteries are assembled into battery packs that usually have a recharging capability. This is much more cost effective than cars that require new batteries. However it can also be time consuming having to recharge your battery pack, so if you do not like to wait, a spare battery pack is likely a good investment.

You can purchase electric RC cars for any budget, so you should choose a car that is suitable for your needs. Electric cars typically go slower than a nitro car, however you can purchase electric cars that will achieve high speeds.

It is important to remember when you buy a new electric car you must break in the motor slowly in order to extend the motor life and allow the engine to achieve its full potential. When you break in the motor, you simply start running the car at a slower speed and gradually bring it up to speed. If you do not want to take the time to break in an engine you can purchase cars ready to run. In most cases, these cars are ready to go and the motors are already broken in.

Nitro Gas Cars

RC cars that run on nitro gasoline are the most popular and fastest growing segment of remote control cars. With nitro vehicles, you can buy the popular trucks that will take jumps at high speeds and go off road driving. Alternatively, if speed is more your thing, look for the racecars that are meant to speed along pavement, tracks or other prepared surfaces.

As with electric RC cars, you can purchase ready to run cars or kits in varying states of assembly. Nitro RC vehicles typically run faster than electric vehicles and you can find some that will go 70mph right out of the box.

Gas powered RC vehicles run on a specially formulated fuel made especially for RC cars. Most nitro vehicles have a pull start engine similar to a lawnmower for easy starting. Because nitro cars are more complex than electric vehicles, it is important that you follow the instructions carefully. You can purchase nitro starter kits that come with everything that you need to get started. This is a great way to go for beginners when you do not want to leave anything out.

As with electric cars, it is very important to break in your engine unless of course you purchase a ready to run kit, which should be ready to go straight out of the box.

Which Way to Go

No matter if you choose the nitro gas powered version or the battery powered RC vehicles, you will have a great selection available to you, and of course, you will have a lot of fun. Why not try a few of each? With so much variety out there, it is almost impossible to settle on only one RC vehicle.

© 2005 [http://www.rc-cars-now.com]

About the Author

Kevin Brown is successful author and publisher of many informative websites including [http://www.rc-cars-now.com] . His websites offer tips and advice on a wide array of topics including rc cars [http://www.rc-cars-now.com], trucks, boats and more.

Cheap maternity clothes are available in plenty and the variety of clothes that are available can be amazing especially if you are shopping online. Most expectant mothers do not like to buy too many clothes during their pregnancy as they do not expect to wear their pregnancy clothes post-delivery.

While some expectant mothers have the knack of looking good in their partner’s shirts, it is more practical to buy clothes that are designed to make a pregnant woman feel comfortable and relaxed. A search on the Internet can help you locate some great online stores that sell discount maternity clothes. It is especially convenient for those expectant mothers who are not keeping fit enough to go out shopping and hence feel they are missing out on the fun of shopping for their maternity clothes.

Selecting Cheap Maternity Clothes

Pregnancy and child birth require sound financial planning too as it can be an expensive affair to give birth to a baby. If you had planned your pregnancy you may be prepared for it financially, but in the event when you were surprised, the resulting expenses may be a surprise too! Pregnant women feel the need for better fitting clothes during the second trimester when their bellies start to expand. It can be a great idea to start shopping for some trendy maternity cloths during the second trimester.

While opting for cheap maternity clothes you have the choice of visiting the various local consignment stores or just relax at home and shop online. Many are amazed at the variety of stylish maternity clothes that are available at amazingly low prices. It may be easy to get carried away and buy a whole lot of cheap maternity clothes but it is always better to opt for buying a few clothes each month as you are growing bigger with every month.

It can be fun to shop online but in this case you have to ensure that you get the right fit and that the stores accept returns in case you pick a wrong size.

Cheap maternity clothes are available in all sizes and you may get great deals on tops, jeans, lingerie, beach wear, sun dresses, office wear and lots more. Just be sure that the cheap maternity clothes that you pick are easy to maintain and are of a soft and comfortable material.

Many online stores offer maternity clothes at great rates during sales so you can make a new wardrobe of cheap maternity clothes that are of great quality. Most stores offer discounts of 50% to 60% and you may purchase clothes valued at $30 for even under $5! Some stores claim that their maternity clothes can be worn post-delivery too.

It is the time for you to relax and enjoy the experience of motherhood. With the help of Internet, it is possible to get amazing clothes dirt cheap! So stop worrying about your growing need for clothes as there are quality cheap maternity clothes available!

Gone are the days when the would be moms were seen in the loose outdated cloths. With the cheap maternity clothes you can look as graceful and stylish as ever, even during your pregnancy time. Today you can select from the vast variety of affordable maternity clothes and enjoy the parties with the trendy maternity cloths, funky maternity cloths and the special occasion maternity clothes for the special party.