about

Hi I'm Dee. I'm 23 and married. I've worked in health care as well as office settings but am now a home-maker. I'm knowledgeable in a variety of subjects but don't mind doing a little research if asked about something I don't know about. Most of my friends come to me for advice. I read several advice columns and would like to help you also.

I'm not judgemental. Your life is yours to live it as you choose. I believe asking for advice is good, but ultimately the choice is yours. You WILL NOT find a hurtful or smartass answer here.

If you have a question that you would like to keep private, you can email me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

advice

I'm eighteen years old and a high school graduate. I frequently help babysit my younger cousins (ages 2-12) for free or at a low price, and I am fairly used to the quirks, likes and dislikes, of behavior of my relatives.

A family friend has asked me to babysit their 7 (I think 7) year old son for about eight hours this Thursday (I write this on Sunday). I like the kid and he seems to hero-worship me, so I'm fairly certain I'm going to accept. However, he has a reputation for wild behavior, so I am going in guarded.

My problem is, while I've played with him and helped to babysit him before, I've never been the primary babysitter. While my mother will be home that day, I really want to be as self-sufficient as possible.

So, I was looking for some pointers for babysitting non-family. I'm thinking that I'll start him out on cartoons, since he'll be arriving at my house about seven, and break up the rest of the day with semi-healthy snacks every 2-3 hours, and blocks of toys, drawing, and video games. Movies if I get REALLY desperate.

If you could give me tips, crisis management techniques, and ideas for free or low-cost crafts and games, I would greatly appreciate it. Movie rental suggestions are also welcome, although my budget is very small, and my selection is limited to a single small store.

First all talk to the family friend and ask them the child's likes and dislikes, any allergies, and activities they like. Some parents also limit tv time and certain snacks so that would a good thing to ask.
Wild behavior can be curbed by keeping the child busy with activities. If there's a park or playground nearby, maybe you can add that to your list. Cards (go fish, crazy 8s) are also good for keeping them busy. Reading a book goes a long way too.

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My sister used to cut flour tortillas into fourths, put cinnamon on them and stick them in the oven. When she would take them out, they were crispy little cinnamon chips. I was wondering if anybody knows if there's a recipe for this (I just want to know what temperature and how long to cook them).

Cinnamon Tortillas

Yield: 4 dessert servings

4 flour tortillas, 7" size
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
Cut tortillas into bite-size triangles. Stir together melted butter, cinnamon and sugar, until blended. Brush or toss tortillas with cinnamon/butter/sugar mixture. Place tortillas on baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees F until lightly browned and crisp.

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What do i do when i have an abuse of mother, who has mode swings, and is VERY abuse of somtime, its starting to be more abuseive than not, i am scared to tell anyone cause i know that it will come back to her and she will hurt me, like last week i didnt do my chores and she twisted my wrist, and now i have a sprained wrist.

please help!

If your family will not do something, then you need to go to a trusted adult. Talk to a teacher, a school counselor, or even a friend's parent. Abuse is not something you should have to deal with and something needs to be done.

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What do i do when my mom just cares about her boyfriend and she never wants me and my sister around, and all she says to me and my sister is that were imbarssments, and i hear her having sex all the time with her boyfriend, and i found a vibrater in her room! what do i do i feels like i dont even have a mother!! when i was sick with the flu she didt come home til 6 o'clock in the morning I was rushed in emergancy room, thanks to my sister calling the ambulance! what do i do I NEED HELP!

Ps-she doesnt even make us dinner or anything

Try to sit down with your mom and tell her your feelings calmly. If she still refuses to be a part of your lives and be a mother, then you need to talk to a trusted adult. What she's doing is called neglect.

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ok so today my dad invoted me and my bro to go the the batting cages. I went for fun and plus i love baseball. SO i was doing awesome on hitting the baseball and everything but my dad never even payed attention to me. Then he was like why dont you try the softball. and i didnt want to but he made me anyways. But it serioucly screwed up my baseball hitting and i sucked at softball and he was encouraging me there. But like i said he never watched my hitting the baseballs... he was totally ignoreing it. Is he one of those dads that thinks girls cant do sertain sports? i mean i hate softball... but its like he doesnt give me a chance and theres no way im a girly girl... plz help!! sorry that its so long..

There is fast-pitch softball which may be more to your liking. Some leagues also have girls baseball. Have you saw the movie "A League of Their Own"? If you haven't ask your dad if he'll watch a movie with you and then pop this into the VCR or DVD player. Many men have misconceptions on what women can do so showing them that you can do it too will help. I myself played football with the guys when I was younger and my dad was proud as can be since he played high school football.

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I think I’m suffering from depression. And my relationship with my family is going down hill. I feel like I’m such a burden and I feel like something is seriously wrong with me. I want to tell my parents but it’s just so hard to tell them how I’m feeling. I’m 17 and I love my parents very much but I can’t live with them and get the help I need. I'm not sure if I should tell them or just let things go on the way they are and be miserable?

You should sit down and talk to you parents. Depression can have some lasting effects on your life so getting it treated immediately is essential. If you don't feel that you can talk to your parents, write a letter telling them what you're feeling and that you would like to get help. Another option is to talk to a friend's parent, a teacher, a doctor, or your school counselot. They can all help you get the help you need. Good luck.

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I am 13 and I want to start making my own money instead of having to rely on my parents so much. I'm pretty sure I can't get a REAL job anywhere yet, but I was wondering if there are any other ways. I already know mowing lawns and babysitting but it hasn't worked so well... thanx!

You already have the basics down. Try walking dogs, pet-sitting, helping the neighbor bring in groceries, cleaning, or even organize a yard sale. Good luck.

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i used to be a cutter right? And at some times i still am. I went through a lot in my childhood and am just recoving from a consequential 3 years of depression. But thats not the problem its this: i have this crazy compulsion with picking at my skin. it has nothing to do with cutting, and i dont think it has anything to do with depression. Like, i do it all the time, even when im happy. theres no emotion at all attached to it, except sum kind of bizzare need, i guess. i cant help it. i did it like a little bit before, but no its so much worse! once i start i cant tear myself away. i make myself bleed. i cause scars and i hate it. Does anybody know anything about this? Anything similar? Any ideas? i'll rate high for good answers.

Cutting and picking at your skin could be signs of a compulsive disorder or signs that you want to harm yourself (you may not even realize it yet). Talk to a parent, a school counselor, your doctor, or even a trusted adult so they can help you get some help with this issue.

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Are romantic fantasies a bad thing? In the 6th grade, (I'm going to 7th I just turned 13 in late may.) kids were "going out." I thought it was silly and immature, (and absolutely hilarious to watch) especially because they took their relationships so seriously and thought they were "in love". But the worst part of it is that I (in my most private of thoughts) sometimes get romantic fantasies that are equally if not more ridiculous! And I acually enjoy them. I try to avoid them because they're so ludicrous, but I can't. omg I'm soooooooooooo embarassed. Am I equally as silly as them? Am I judging them unfairly? Is this normal for 13-year-old? It would be really nice if someone could give me some info!!!

x0x0

♥ Anneliese ♥

It's human nature to want love and companionship. For you to have "romantic fantasies" is completely normal and nothing for
you to be embarassed about. You are to the age that you will be looking for romance. Quit worrying and enjoy the fact that you're growing emotionally.

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i just found out my bf is gay! i don't have anything against gays but i mean... it's my BOYFRIEND! what should i tell him and how should i react. this is really hard for me!
please help!
I rate high

Ok if he's with you, he's probably not gay. It is possible he's bisexual. Chances are that it was just youthful experimentation and means nothing. Sit down and calmly tell your bf what you found out and your feelings on it. Note I said calmly. He may be as shocked as you to find out, sometimes these things are just malicious rumors.

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okay I had a plant and it was growing real good then my cat that is allowed to go out side knocked over the whole pot and now my flowers are gone what should I do and saying not to let the cat out is not a option because we have a dog door and I am really disapointed what should I do

A bigger pot may be all that's needed to keep the cat from tipping your plant over. Also rubbing some ammonia around the outside of your pot will keep the cat away.

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this guy i met a while ago who lives like 30mins away from me really liked me. like alot. he told me he loved me and stuff. we were always texting, IMing, talking on the phone 24/7. we live 30mins away and cant drive yet. but we happen to be going camping with are families the same exact days. last time we went we hooked up. and weve been so excited to see eachother again. last nite he tells me he likes someone from his area. and that he didnt wanna hook up with me at camping. and on his myspace he took pix of us down. and changed his blog that used to say he loves me to he loves nichole now. i havent talked to him since =[. im really upset cause he totally lead me on. and now i have to see him monday for a week..help?

The best thing to do is put him out of your mind. Find a guy in your area or just have fun being single. The best revenge on a guy who dumped you is to act like it doesn't bother you.

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ok so this kid was on my computer and found out my ip address. he hacked my computer, im not worried about him givin me viruses cuz i know he wonlt but i dont want him lookin through my things. so does anyone know how to change it. and if i change it is it still possible for him to hack my computer.
ill rate 5s

Contact your ISP and tell them what happened. They can look into the matter for you and even change your IP address if needed. Also, make sure you have a good firewall and anti-virus with both set on high security to prevent this from happening again. Go to windows update and make sure your computer is up-to-date. It's not foolproof but it will stop a majority of the hackers and they'll move on to an easier system.

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okay, even though i give out advice i need it for my room,

my room is being painted blue, and chesnut stained floor, and a mission kind of furnitur, its all dark, like everything, now i neeed things liike a bedspread or something like so, does anyone know here to get things like that??

x0o

brok3n

Since your room is dark, you need a bedspread in either a light or bright color. Dark furniture is nice (I have it myself) but without some brightness thrown in it will make the room seem small and even darker. I'm not sure of your tastes in bedding so I will just direct you to jcpenney.com where they are having a great sale (20-50% off) right now on bedding. Also curtains in light or bright shades will help. Try a couple throw pillows either on the bed or around the room to brighten it up. Hope this helps.

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What do i do when im 14 and already fingering my self, i get soo horny all the time i dont know what to do i cant find any guy whos my age and will have sex wit me, i just wanna know how it feels, i dont care I need a girl or a boy just help!

At 14, it's completely natural for you to begin feeling sexual urges and experimenting. Sex is something you should hold off on for a bit. Playing with yourself is fine, it gives you a chance to explore your body and learn what pleases you. That in turn will make it easier to guide someone to your "hot spots" when you decide to take the step into sex. If you do decide to have sex, please talk to a trusted adult (or even me, I'll be glad to help) so you can learn the risks of early sexual activity and how to protect yourself from STDs and pregnancy.

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my friend is giving me a really hard time, because i didn't go somewhere with her, she makes fun of me and my myspace http://www.myspace.com/x333333

and she makes fun of me because she really doesn't know me... like she makes fun of that i don't have a bf at the moment, she acts like my time keeper, she schedules things for me, she hurts me, and she gets me in trouble, ALOT.. so how can i make her calm down and stay the way we were or not? help mee!!

o and yeah, she really REALLY needs some help, i didnt go somewhere with her and she is like "you know what? im never talking to you, dont call me, dont im me anymore, and dont even think about me, or visit my myspace, or even look at my things, i sware to god, if you do, you won't be alive by the next day" so she really needs help, badlyy, MENTLE PROBLEMS? maybey?

x0o PLEASE HELP MEEE PLEASE!!!


form - - being bullied

A true friend would not get mad at you for not going with her somewhere or make fun of you. If you feel that this is someone that you do want to be friends with, sit down and talk to her and tell her that while you appreciate her help, you prefer to schedule your own time, and that her remarks are hurtful to you.

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what are some ways that i can tone up my stomach other than cruches..cause i know those work...i just want some other things i can also do. and my back...what excersies can you do to tone up your back and legs too. and i dont like to run so please dont say that. please! :)

Squats (stand behind a chair holding the back of the chair and squat down keeping your back straight) will tone your legs. Since you don't like to run, walking will provide the same benefits. Bicycling will also tone your legs and backside. I have a wonderful exercise bike where the arms move with the pedals which tones not only the legs and backside, but also the arms and I've noticed some toning in my stomach. An easy ab exercise that you can do anywhere is simply contracting the muscles in your abs and holding for 5 seconds then releasing. Once you get used to that you can contract and release at a faster pace. These can be done anywhere-in class, in the car, while watching tv, etc.

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Ok i want my lip peirced reallll bad on either the right or the left . I dont know bout the middle... its possible. But any way... i want to know if its safe or if any thing could happen. Like ive herd it can damage nerves or sumthin like that or cause a gum disease, I Dont Know I just want to know for sure. Or if theres any thing i can do to keep it from doing any thing wrong. Please help THANKS (rates high)

There is a risk of infection by piercing your lip since the mouth is full of bacteria. Also since most people tend to play with their piercings at first you can transfer more bacteria to your mouth. It can also cause nerve damage if not done correctly. If you do decide to go ahead with the piercing, go to a doctor or a licensed piercer for the procedure. These people are trained in how to avoid the nerves that could cause damage and also avoiding infection. Hope this helps.

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okay this might sound superweird but i have like pimples on my ass dose anyone know how i can get rid of them?
please no smart asses i rate high
thanks a trillin

First of all go to the store and buy a good quality loofah and a cleanser with salycilic acid.. The loofah will get rid of the dead skin clogging your pores. The salycilic acid will help break down the pimples. Also, keeping the area clean and dry will help.

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