Encourage Your Kids to Talk and Listen
Children have the right to feel and express their emotions, but they need to do so in healthy ways. Help your kids learn to express their feelings through words, not by yelling or behaving aggressively. When they are old enough to talk, teach them words that they can use to express their emotions, both positive and negative.

Teach your kids to listen. Express your own emotions so they will understand that everyone is entitled to express his or her feelings. They will also learn that different individuals can experience and react to the same situation in different ways. This can help kids learn to look at situations from other peoples perspectives and to empathize.

Positive reinforcement is an effective way to teach children healthy behaviors. If you observe your child expressing emotions in a positive way, listening and seeking to understand others, and looking for common ground, offer praise and encouragement.

Help Kids Learn by Playing
Children learn a tremendous amount about the world around them by playing with other kids. Encourage your children to get to know their peers. Invite neighbors and classmates to your home for playdates. If they hit it off, work with other parents to arrange a schedule of visits to each childs home so they can form friendships.

Encourage the children to use their imaginations to dream up scenarios and figure out how they would handle them. They can also recreate situations they have witnessed at school, at home, on TV or elsewhere. If they think someone didnt handle a situation well, ask them to act out how they think it could have been handled better. Figuring out ways to respond to difficult circumstances in the context of play can prepare kids to deal with conflict in real life.

Teach Kids to Resolve Problems
If your child has a conflict with a sibling or a peer, encourage them to work together to find a solution that works for everyone. Little kids will need help understanding the concept of compromise. Seeing parents and other adult family members model positive behaviors can teach kids to look for solutions.

Sometimes its not possible to resolve a conflict, at least not in the moment. Let your kids know that its ok to walk away, take a break to calm down and think, and then work to address a problem later.

Teach Kids Important Lessons Early in Life
As much as we may want to avoid them, conflicts will occur. Teach your kids to express their emotions in healthy ways and to allow others to express theirs. Model positive behaviors in your interactions with other people to teach children valuable lessons.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Clear the space. This may seem obvious, but it’s an often-overlooked step in the cleaning process. Clear your furniture (picking it up, not dragging it) so you can access the full plane of your floor.

Vacuum. Use a vacuum to pick up surface dirt and pet hair that will interfere with your mopping. If your vacuum has a crevice accessory, put it on and get in the tough to reach spots, like corners and baseboards.

Mop. Going with the grain, mop your floor from wall to wall, including your baseboards. If your floor is sealed with polyurethane, you can use simple dish soap for a little extra cleaning oomph.

Buff. Using a clean cloth or dry mop to buff the floor until it sparkles. Once fully dry, replace the furniture and enjoy.

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Credit cards are helpful and convenient.

Unless you use them wisely, though, you could find yourself in financial trouble.

Charge responsibly by using a credit card only for items you need, rather than want, and for emergency situations.

Dont max out cards, or risk jeopardizing your credit score and future loans.

Try paying your full balance every month to avoid wasteful interest charges.

Always pay credit card bills on time. Missed payments could hurt your credit score for several years.

Take advantage of cards that offer rewards like frequent-flyer miles and hotel points. But dont spend more just to earn perks.

Ultimately, smart charging will help you avoid financial missteps.

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Gray. This is an extremely versatile color; the shade options are endless and it matches with just about everything. Additionally, gray is a soft, peaceful color, so you’ll be bringing tranquility into your baby’s life from day one.

Seafoam green. Gentle and mild, this neutral color is both fun and soothing.

Orange. While an entirely orange room may be overkill, choosing a neutral white or gray with bright coral accents or a single tangerine wall is lively and fun.

Navy. While technically in the blue family, this deep rich color doesn’t scream “boy” like a powdery baby blue. Offset it with yellow or orange accents.

Beige. Don’t think ‘brown’ when you hear beige. This soft, buttery color is calm, neutral and pairs well with bright yellows and oranges.

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Ask questions. Don’t just smile and nod. Make your conversation partner feel more heard by asking questions that are relative to what they’re saying. Ask for more details to dig deeper and listen fully.

Repeat what you heard. Every few minutes, repeat what you heard so you know you’re retaining important information. This will also help you avoid accidental miscommunications.

Wait to offer a solution. When we’re listening to a friend with a problem, our go-to response is often to fill silence with a solution, but sometimes, we just need to feel heard and understand. You can even ask your friend if they’re looking for a solution or just space to vent.

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From breathtaking gardens to verdant outdoor living areas, here are a few reasons to invest in your landscape design.

Curb Appeal

Working with a professional landscape designer is a guaranteed way to increase your homes curb appeal.

Better Views

Whether youre using lush plantings to create privacy or designing formal gardens, you can easily improve the views throughout your home.

Improved Outdoor Living

Your landscape design should meet your lifestyle. That might mean a lush entertaining area, a beautiful garden, or incorporating a playground for the kids.

Increase Property Value

According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, landscape improvements can return 100-200 percent of their cost when a house is sold.

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But not all mobile apps are the same, and knowing what’s available can make it easier to choose a credit card and find the features you want in an app. Of course, that’s after you’ve found the card with the best interest rate and rewards you want.

A 2018 satisfaction study by J.D. Power ranked the best apps on five factors: ease of navigation, appearance, clarity of information, range of services and availability of key information. Here are the top five credit card apps based on the results:

American Express
This was the only app to receive a rating of five out of five. The American Express mobile app allows users to track transactions, check monthly statements, redeem rewards and explore card benefits. Fraud notifications can also be set.

Chase
This app rated three out of five in J.D. Power’s satisfaction survey. It can be used to review and pay Chase credit card bills, access rewards information and set up notifications. The app also allows you to view your VantageScore credit score, as well as secure messages from Chase’s customer service team.

Citi
Citi also scored three out of five, with an app that allows users to view a summary of their main account information before signing in. Your credit card can be locked if your card is lost or stolen, and you can request a replacement card through the app, as well. You can also view transactions and pay your bill, as most other credit card apps allow. Citi also allows users to dispute unauthorized transactions, view and redeem rewards, and check their FICO credit score.

Bank of America
Allowing common services such as paying your credit card bill, viewing transactions, accessing your FICO score, getting account alerts and redeeming rewards, the Bank of America app scored a three out of five.

Capital One
This app received a rating of four out of five. Along with allowing users to review transactions and statements, view and redeem rewards, pay their credit card bill, and set up purchase notifications, the Capital One app has two top features that users say they want: the ability to instantly lock a card if it’s lost or stolen, as well as the ability to unlock the card and continue using it if it’s found.

Capital One also allows users to sign in using a pattern traced with a finger instead of typing in a password. Additionally, the app provides access to the company’s credit monitoring service and VantageScore credit score.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Credit and debit card fraud totaled $4.5 billion in 2016, according to a report by iovation, a provider of digital intelligence for fraud prevention.

A debit card can be a smart way to shop if you dont want to carry cash or use a credit card and pay interest on unpaid balances. But they come with a few drawbacks.

First, a debit card is linked directly to your bank account, so anyone with your card information can instantly withdraw all of the money from your account. Second, debit cards dont have near the amount of protections that credit cards do for consumers.

If your credit card is lost or stolen, or the information on it is stolen, you cant lose more than $50 in unauthorized transactions if you report it to your credit card issuer. A debit card carries the same protections, but if reported more than two days later, you can be liable for all of the money withdrawn illegally.

Avoiding Debit Card Theft
In addition to data hacks such as at Uber that should worry consumers about their personal information being used by fraudsters, criminals can hide skimmer devices inside gas station pumps to steal credit and debit card information.

When using a debit card, only withdraw money from bank-affiliated ATMs. They have a higher level of security than independent ATMs at gas stations or other businesses. Be sure to cover the keypad when entering your information.

Shred your bank and credit card statements so that thieves cant pull your data from your trash can, and check your accounts and statements daily to make sure all of the transactions are legitimate.

If you can limit yourself to only spending as much as you can afford, then only use a credit card and put your debit card away. Only use your debit card for cash withdrawals, since a debit card offers much less financial protections than a credit card if stolen.

Dont open emails that come from someone or a site you dont know. Phishing emails often use a phony website to lure victims to give up their card or bank account numbers, so never give out this information to anyone who asks for it, unless the email is coming from a trusted source.

Sign up for fraud alerts from your bank and credit card company. If you think youve been the victim of identity theft, institute a credit freeze to prevent anyone from opening a new account in your name.

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These five gardens will add natural charm to your home…

Formal Garden

Though they require effort to keep perfectly manicured, they recall a bygone era of grandeur that always impresses.

Container Garden

A low-key option that works anywhere, fill pots, planters or reclaimed materials with greenery and flowers.

Japanese Rock Garden

Also known as a Zen garden, if you enjoy meditating, this will be your new favorite place.

Kitchen Garden

Grow your own fruits, vegetables and herbs right outside your home and live sustainably.

Flower Garden

From a classic rose garden to overgrown wildflowers, flower gardens can be designed to suit any personality.

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Obviously, people know they need home insurance. But typically, those who own homes dont understand the policies the same way that they would their car insurance, and thats why many people pay more than they need to.

Typically, a policy will cover the actual dwelling and some of the other structures on the property, such as a fence, garage and driveway. Personal property is also usually covered, and regularly covers the contents inside the home, although there will be a higher cost for high-value items like jewelry or antique paintings.

Thankfully, there are some steps one can take to lower their homeowners insurance.

Eliminate unnecessary coverage. The easiest way to reduce your monthly payment is to find things in your policy that you just dont need. If the property value of your home has gone down, you can insure it for less. As long as you have enough to cover the structure of the house and its contents, youre golden. Some people have flood insurance without living anywhere near a flood zone. Sure, something out of the ordinary can happen, but this is something that you might want to consider removing.

Remove things causing an uptick. Do you have an old treehouse or wooden shed in the yard? If these arent being put to use, get rid of them because they must be insured and it adds up. Same with a swing set or trampoline, the latter of which can really skyrocket your premiums.

Shop around. Just because you started with one insurance company doesnt mean you need to remain loyal. Look around at other companies and see what sort of deal you can get. Often, you can find a better rate and it doesnt take much effort to switch. And if youre planning on leaving, just talking to your current carrier about the reason might persuade them to lower your premiums so you wont even have to do any paperwork.

Bundle your policies. Savvy people understand that by bundling a car, home and even life insurance policy with one company, rates are lower. Insurance companies appreciate people who trust them for everything, so its a win-win for both sides.

Protect your home. Just as drivers who dont get into accidents see rates lowered, those who protect their home from damage can equally be rewarded. Simple things like putting in smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and alarm systems can help your bill decrease. Talk with your insurance agent about what savings you can get.

Keep in mind that while most people take out insurance for the price they paid for the home, even if your home was to burn down to nothing, you would still have the land, and thats part of the value. A good insurance agent can help you decide exactly how much you would need in the most extreme circumstances, which may even be lower than what you currently have.

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A spouses poor credit score wont hurt yours, and credit reports for both people dont merge when they get married, but continued poor credit habits by a partner can affect each persons credit score if they have joint accounts together, such as a shared credit card.

Here are some ways to help your partner improve their credit score without jeopardizing yours:

Check Credit Reports
You first need to know how big the problem is before you can fix it. Start by helping your partner pull their credit report, check for errors and report them so they can be fixed.

Youre entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three credit reporting companies. Free reports can be ordered at annualcreditreport.com or you can call 1-877-322-8228. Your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth will be needed to verify your identity.

Tackle Debt
Paying off student loans, credit cards and other forms of debt can improve a credit score, especially if your partner has made late payments in the past. Paying bills on time is one of the best ways to improve a credit score.

Create a family budget and look for ways that both of you can cut expenses. Reducing debt and not taking on more can give your financial lives some breathing room and will ultimately make it easier to buy a home or meet other financial goals together.

Get a Secured Credit Card
For someone with middling credit, a secured credit card can help them improve their credit score without going into debt.

Secured credit cards only allow the user to spend as much money as they deposit in the account. The cardholder puts down a deposit thats usually as big as the credit limit. If they default on payments, the bank keeps their deposit.

Like a regular credit card, payment activity on secured credit cards is reported to the credit bureaus. A consistent payment history will steadily improve a credit score.

Share Credit
There are a few ways to add your spouse to your credit card without hurting your credit score.

One is to apply for a credit card together. The card issuer will review both of your credit histories. Each person will be required to have their own income, so dont expect a large income from one person to be enough for approval.

Another option is to add your spouse as an authorized user on a credit card you already have. Then, the accounts history will appear on your spouses credit report, so make sure the card you have has a good credit history.

Whichever way you share credit, discuss with your partner how theyll use the card, payment limits and payment habits so that problems dont crop up.

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If you’re a first-time homeowner, you likely have a list of renovations.

Address these three areas in your first year:

• Your appliances
• Insulation, and
• Landscaping

Appliances with the Energy-Star rating can save you on your utilities.

According to one study, one energy-efficient machine can save you $50 a year.

Check your insulation.

If you have an attic, check for gaps, and fill in where needed. This can make you more energy-efficient, leading to more savings.

In most cases, insulation pays for itself.

Lastly, evaluate your landscape.

If you can, plant trees in your yard. This can cut your energy expenses, and boost your home’s value.

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