These Childhood Development Facts Will Shock + Amaze

1. If babies’ bodies grew at the same rapid pace as their brains, they would weigh 170 pounds by one month of age.

2. 60% of all the energy a baby expends is concentrated in the brain. Birth-to-three is the fastest rate of brain development across the entire human lifespan.

3. The average child will grow in their baby teeth by three and lose them before turning thirteen.

Primary Teeth Development Chart
Upper Teeth	When tooth emerges	When tooth falls out
Central incisor	8 to 12 months	6 to 7 years
Lateral incisor	9 to 13 months	7 to 8 years
Canine (cuspid)	16 to 22 months	10 to 12 years
First molar	13 to 19 months	9 to 11 years
Second molar	25 to 33 months	10 to 12 years
Lower Teeth
Second molar	23 to 31 months	10 to 12 years
First molar	14 to 18 months	9 to 11 years
Canine (cuspid)	17 to 23 months	9 to 12 years
Lateral incisor	10 to 16 months	7 to 8 years
Central incisor	6 to 10 months	6 to 7 years

Food for thought: According to Truedent Family Dentistry, in Miami, FL, “Dental decay usually traces back to a high amounts of sugar in the diet and improper brushing habits. By teaching your child to brush regularly and limiting his intake of sugar, cavities can become a thing of the past." Your kids' health is an investment in their future. Not only that but teaching your child good health habits will save you large medical bills in the future.

4. Babies whose parents frequently talk to them know 300 more words by age 2 than babies whose parents rarely speak to them.

5. By age 1, a child typically understands about 70 words, but can only speak only a handful of them. At about 18 months, your toddler's spoken vocabulary starts to explode, adding new words at the astonishing rate of one every two waking hours.

6. When your toddler announces, "Mine!" while clinging to his truck in a playgroup, it's not so much a selfish refusal to share as it is a cognitive achievement. The declaration of "mine" is his way of saying he understands that you — and the other children — are separate from him.

7. Music boosts learning. Singing, listening to, and playing music improves spatial orientation and mathematical thinking.

8.  A baby has 300 separate bones at birth but by adulthood only 206. Why?

Because some bones, like the skull, fuse together later.


9. Until the age of six or seven months, a child can breathe and swallow at the same time. -
 75% of adults reading this will try to do it!

10. The average 4-year-old asks 437 questions a day!  (No big surprise there!)

Sources:

Scholastic.com
Web MD Oral Care

Parents. com

Michigan.edu

World Health Organization

6 Sanity Saving Survival Tips For New Moms

I have no doubt that every mother will agree with me when I say, during pregnancy, the only thing you get more of than stretch marks and bad gas, is parenting advice.  Between the always ready to share been-there-done-that mothers, parenting books, and online resources, the information available today for new mothers is overwhelming. What's more, you never know what to believe since one book will contradict the next, and what one mother swears by, another mother will insist did not work for her baby. Weeding through all of the advice can be daunting, to say the least.

Looking back, I wish I was given more advice on how to deal with becoming a mother, and less on the three million different ways to rock a baby to sleep. I needed to know about the self-doubt and the failures that came along with motherhood, or that having a baby would take a huge toll on my marriage and personal life if I let it. After talking with numerous other mothers, I realized we all struggled with the same issues; things it seemed no one bothered to warn us about in between lessons on feeding, changing and rocking our newborn to sleep.  I've put together a list of the top six things we all agree are so important for new mothers to know.  Things we wish we didn't have to learn the hard way.

Ollie and I at his 6-month well-baby checkup.

1. Listen to your instincts, not Dr. Google. With so many parenting resources available, most contradicting the next, don't get caught up thinking these resources know your child better than you do.

For example: If you know your baby is hungry feed him. Who cares if it has only been two hours and the book says wait for three. Screw that! Feed your baby. There is no reason to let your baby get hysterical trying to follow the guidelines.

I cannot stress this enough, trust what your gut and heart are telling you, because 9.5 times out of 10, they are spot on right. Every minute you second-guess yourself you and your baby will suffer.  Go with your gut first. Always.


2. The decision between nursing or formula feeding should not become bigger than World War III. First of all, Breastfeeding is NOT "Plug and Chug!" Nursing is hard. Extremely hard. There is no plug in and feed feature to it. It takes time, a fair amount of discomfort and practice for both you and your baby to get the hang of it. (I mean weeks, not days) Ask for help. Find a lactation consultant. Be prepared for a possible battle that will take all of your inner strength to make it through...

Second, BREASTFEEDING MAY NOT BE FOR YOU. THAT IS OK! You, or your baby, may have a medical condition keeping you from being able to nurse. You may hate it. It may just not be right for you. This is VERY common, do not think you are a failure.

Plain and simple-You will either nurse or you will not. Regardless of what you do, your baby will be beautiful and wonderful and smart and articulate. Do what is best for you and your child. Do not let anyone make you feel otherwise. You are NOT! a failure. DO NOT LET THIS RUIN YOU!

3. Listen to your baby's cues. While babies can only communicate through body language and crying, within the first week you will begin to notice behaviors and different tones of crying that are clearly trying to tell you something.  Babies will give you cues for hunger WAY before crying, including things like REM, finger sucking and reaching with arms and legs. When you notice any or all of those cues feed your baby pronto, or the blood-curdling screaming will be next! If your baby is tired some of his cues might be pulling at his ears, yawning and or quick jerky movements. 

Pay close attention to those different cues and within a week or so you will easily be able to decipher what it is your baby is trying to tell you, and most likely before he even starts crying uncontrollably.

4. Do not get caught up trying to be the perfect mother. There is no such thing! In order to be the best mother to your baby, all you have to do is try your best.  Parenting is filled with both triumphs and failures.  Do not be hard on yourself, or get discouraged if you fail.  Just like with everything else, practice makes perfect. If you fall down, stand up, dust yourself off and try something else.

Above all, do not be afraid to ask for help!  If someone wants to bring over dinner, let them.  If someone wants to come over while you take a nap and shower, let them.  Graciously accept all the help you can get, because chances are the person offering the help has been in your shoes before and knows a little help goes a long way during those first few months.

5. Don't forget to take time for your partner. It is so easy to lose sight of your relationship with your partner during those first few weeks and months of parenthood.  Between the exhaustion from the sleepless nights, the demanding feeding schedule, and your normal household or work activities, it can be hard to find quality time to spend with your partner, however, it is crucial that you MAKE time.

For example, Every single day during those first few weeks, make it a point to be affectionate, say I love you if possible eat a meal together and then during that meal try to talk about anything but your baby.

The key is not to build a new life around your baby, but to blend your baby into your existing life together.

6. Don't forget to take time for yourself. It is absolutely crucial that you take time for yourself on a daily basis. Every day you need to make it a point to take a shower, put on clean clothes, and eat at least two wholesome meals. Then aim to leave the house for no less than 10 minutes, at least every other day. Even a walk around the block does wonders. Just get away from that baby to rejuvenate, or you will crash and burn.   

From one first-time mother to another... Motherhood is a journey filled with ups and down. In the wee hours of the morning, when you have survived for days on little to no sleep and you are sure you cannot survive one more minute... you can. You will. Just keep repeating, This Too Shall Pass, until it does... Hold on tight to every moment and enjoy the ride, because it really does go by so quickly.  And don't listen to the doctors and nurses about those first smiles being gas induced, your baby is stoked to see you. ~April

Motherhood is such an amazing blessing that is so incredibly rewarding.  

How to Survive Being Married... With Children.

I once heard the leading cause of divorce is marriage. I'm now convinced, it's children that lead the pack to divorce. It's so hard to stay connected mentally and physically to your partner when your children are physically stuck to you while mentally destroying you.

We have watched many happy couples during the first few years of becoming new parents struggle with balancing their relationship and being parents. Sadly, many of those couples are now divorced. Now, infidelity, abusers, liars and fu@kwits are one thing, but for the couples that just fell out of love, I get it. The Aussie and I have had many, many ups and downs in our relationship since becoming parents.

Today, we are celebrating seven gloriously years of marriage. (Think: War & Peace meets dirty porn. Kidding... maybe...) It's been amazing, hard, annoying, fulfilling and as much as I want to throat punch the fu*ker sometimes, I am so happy and blessed to call him my partner in life. In honor of our seventh wedding anniversary, we wanted to share a few tips we've learned the hard way about being married with children.

1. It takes so much friggin' work. During the days leading up to our wedding, we asked people about the secret to a long marriage, all of them answered almost word-for-word, It's not easy, it takes work. They were right. Marriage is anything but easy. Marriage takes loads of compromise, putting yourself second, but not all the time, accepting an opposing opinion, alternating weekend days so you both get a morning to sleep in... Basically, when times get tough, you have to work through the issue as a team. You know, the whole United We Stand, Divided We Fall, thing, it applies to marriage big time.

2. Talk to each other, not at each other.  Communication is Key. You have to talk to each other, and not just about the shit that annoys you about each other. Talk about your day, current events, the neighbors, whatever, just talk. A couple of years ago we fell into a nonverbal funk. We both knew we were drifting apart, so we agreed to spend at least 10-15 minutes each night after our son went to bed talking. We migrated out to the porch, sometimes walked around the house, sometimes had a beer. To this day, we go outside together at night regularly. It's really nice.

3. Affection is what sets you apart. Nothing beats hella good intimacy in a marriage. I once read that the fastest way for couples to reconnect is to have sex every day for 30 days straight.  I can definitely get down with that. The couples that stick together, well, stick together.

4. Date Nights Are Not Optional. Date nights are essential for staying connected. Especially, if you have children. You have to get out monthly and be human together. Not parents, humans. The people you are deep down inside underneath the baby spew, yoga pants, football games, practices, and recitals. Leave all that shit at the door and go out like two kids about to wreck the town. TIP: Can't afford a babysitter and dinner? (Who can anymore?) Order takeout and have a picnic in the yard, set the patio table with candles or make a carpet picnic and play music.

5. Be Independent. There is more to life than each other. It's unhealthy for one half of the partnership to live only through the other. Both of you need friends, events, and hobbies outside of your marriage. No one likes to be smothered. TIP: At least once a month go out independently with friends, retail therapy, a walk...

6. It's Not Supposed To Be Onesided. It's not fair for one half of the partnership to be in charge of dealing with all the crappy stuff. No friggin' way should only one person always cook, clean, change diapers, drop off, pickup, control the TV, wake up early with the kids on the weekend... Nothing brings on resentment faster. Write out everything it takes to keep the ship sailing smooth and work together to share the responsibilities. Both of you deserve to sit down at the end of the day.

7. Say, I love you and makeout, every day.  Love and affection are such an integral part of marriage. Every single day take at least a moment to appreciate each other and your relationship.  Tell your partner in life, I love you. Look into each others eyes and reconnect. Makeout. Be there in the moment with each other. Let everything else fades away. Because, in the end, that's one of the magical things about your partner, when you're together, the world melts away.


How do you keep the marriage fresh? Were you surprised about the huge amount of stress children put on the happiest of marriages? Me too. I've written many articles over the years about the ups and downs of marriage here.

Potting Training? Warning, There's A Sick Twist At The End...

Below is a repost from my days of potty training. I came across it and had to reshare it for both the parents currently potty training, and for the parents, like me, that enough time has finally passed that we can look back and laugh about the hell ride Potty training rollercoaster.

I love being a parent. It's the most amazing and insane experience in the world. Of course, it didn't take long (4.3 seconds) to realize being a mother was going to be scary, incredibly hard and beyond rewarding. It also didn't take long to learn that wishing for milestones was dumbassery.

I couldn't wait for my baby to learn to crawl, so when he finally did it, I cheered and clapped... and then lost him!  In seconds, he would disappear around a corner or under a table. It turned out, crawling brought new challenges.

Then, bored with crawling, I wished for walking.  #epicfail

Walking brought on falls, bumps, and eventually running, which proved to suck. The kid can outrun me.

Talking.  OMG!  I couldn't wait to hear his voice. #Fail

Then, one day, the word 'No' Popped out causing me to immediately regret my wish for talking.

So, now, here we are at potty training...

Hell yeah, I wished for it. Surely, there could not be any downsides to being out of diapers!  #Wrong #fail

My friends, having a newly potty trained toddler is SO FREAKING GROSS!


Having a newly potty trained toddler really means:

• If my child is lazy, slow, preoccupied or just can't-be-bothered, he will go where he stands.  

• My toddler is OBSESSED with the bathroom and toilet. He's desperate to play in it like it's a pool. 

• Learning to, "pee like a bog boy standing up," is the equivalent of turning a pee filled fire hose on without holding it. 

• I have to clean the bathroom at least once a day. Needless to say, I'm now buying disinfecting wipes by the PALLET.

•  The butt wiping doesn't stop with diapers, in fact, sometimes it's messier.  Especially when he tries to do it on his own first.

• I spend more time in the bathroom then any other room of my house. If I'm not wiping ass I'm cleaning it up or trying to keep my toddler out of it.

• He's obsessed with potty language and humor. The other day he sang an entire song comprised of ONLY the words Poop, pee and butt. (This also may just be a boy thing since FTD still does the same thing.)

It's ridiculous the amount of time my kid spends obsessed with hanging out in the bathroom. If he's not trying to pee in the potty, he's trying to play in it. For the past two days, I have been laughing about the sick twist potty training pulled out. I was so sure it would all be OK once he was trained.

Oh how freaking wrong I was.

So, what words of wisdom do I have for those following in my footsteps?  Start stocking up on disinfecting wipes, because those little fingers are going to manhandle the potty.

The Three Most Common Harmful Oral Health Habits for Kids

Today, Dr. Peter Markov, a pediatric dentist and owner of VK Pediatric Dentistry in Arlington, VA, shares common harmful oral health habits many parents are guilty of and his best advice for proper pediatric oral care.

#1 Wrong toothpaste

An often-easy mistake to make is using the wrong toothpaste. Although this can take a while to show effects, it will definitely take its toll on teeth in the long run. The toothpaste aisle can be overwhelming with so many options but the main two things you want to look for include the ADA (American Dental Association) stamp of approval and to make sure the toothpaste contains fluoride.

#2 No Mouthguard?!

There’s no excuse for your child not to wear a mouthguard while playing sports. Even though mouthguards may not be the coolest fashion accessory, it does prevent teeth from being knocked out, chipped or damaged. When a child is in mixed dentition (Usually from age 7-12), they are undergoing quite a bit of change in their mouth. While custom mouthguards are thinner and more comfortable, they are also much more costly.

We usually recommend getting a less expensive moldable mouthguard and changing it every season or every other sport (otherwise you will be getting custom guards every 6 months) while a child is at this age to protect their teeth without breaking the budget.

#3 Chewing On Everything In Sight. Teeth Are Not Scissors!

While kids are bored, they tend to chew on anything in site including nails, pencils and paper clips. This might satisfy your child’s tactile sensations, but it’s a fast way to cause damage to teeth. An easy alternative that you can give your child is a gum that’s sugar-free and contains xylitol. This can help satisfy their attention and prevent nasty habits from developing. For more information, please read this article on tips for teething.



Never let your children open packages with their teeth - it will break down their tooth enamel and can lead to chipping or fractures. Although this sounds like common sense, you’d be surprised how many children use their teeth to open packages, wrappers, or cans. Although it may not cause damage every time, there is the potential it chips a tooth.

About the Author: Dr. Peter Markov is passionate about children and children’s oral health. He firmly believes that prevention is best when it comes to kids' dentistry and hopes this post helps you make educated and healthy oral health decisions. His practice, VK Pediatric Dentistry, provides comfortable, convenient, and quality kids dentistry for infants, toddlers, children, and teens in Arlington, Mclean, Falls Church, Alexandria, and the surrounding cities of Northern Virginia.

Too Much Comfort Food This Winter? 5 Tips To Get Clean For Spring...

I am of the school of thought that the word "DIET" is a filthy nasty word. One that is is not allowed to be used in my house. EVER!  I think diets are gimmicks that trick people into thinking that it will be the answer to their poor nutrition and weight loss prayers. NEWS FLASH: Diets are pure bullshit! What happens when they end? Because all "diets" end. All I ever learned on a diet was that they turn me into a starving raging bitchface, and even though I lost a few pounds of water weight, I usually gained it back in real fatty-fat-fat pounds binge eating once the diet was over. Total. Bull. Shit.

I also think diets help to breed food-obsessed people. If you spend every minute of your day starving and obsessing about food, then eventually that will completely consume you. No. Bueno! That's why this month is all about learning healthy nutrition and preparing meals and snacks that will make you feel full and energized for more than 30 seconds. 

Here 5 things that will get you clean for spring...

1. DRINK MORE WATER!  This is the MAIN challenge. I truly believe just drinking 8 glasses of water a day will make you lose 5 pounds this month! Along with gaining great skin and better sleep! Seriously. Those 8 glasses a day are going to change your life. Promise. I'll tell you why on Tuesday...

2. Make at least one NEW healthy meal for dinner each week.  I do this on Sundays since I have time to prep and follow the recipe. By the end of the month that will be four great meals, almost a week's worth... who knows, maybe you will keep up the habit until that is ALL you cook for dinner!

3. Stay active. Hopefully, last month's challenge helped teach you to incorporate some sort of movement into your day, even if it was not a full-blown workout. 

4. Visit a healthy lifestyle website/Facebook page/ Pinterest board/ magazine at least once a week to learn a few "who knew" facts about nutrition and exercise.  I LOVE SELF Magazine the most. (No one paid me to say that, I have had a subscription for YEARS!)  There is also Shape, Fitness, Women's Health, Men's Health and for us moms, Fit Mom Diet is a website full of inspiration from other moms sharing their stories and healthy recipes. I know a few of you out there are Gluten-free, check out their recipe for Gluten-free pizzas! For the kids check out the greatest website, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org! Knowledge is POWER.

5. Think of your body as a fine-tuned machine.  Everything you put in has to be good for the machine, or it will fall apart and stop working. The same goes for your family. Make healthy choices.  Carrot chips instead of Lays. Grapes instead of gummy worms. Choose a healthier cereal this month.  Clean out those pantries. I think you will be shocked to find healthy choices are cheaper than you think. You can get two bunches of bananas or a pound of grapes for the same price as a bag of name-brand potato chips! 

Your mantra for the month is: If I eat like Crap, I will Feel Like Crap!  

To learn more about the 30/30 Challenges 

CLICK HERE!

These Spring + Summer Staples Every Family Should Have

With Spring on our doorstep (Northern Hemisphere people of course!) and summer around the corner, I thought I would share my 10 MUST HAVE things that make frolicking in the sun with my family much easier.

Full disclosure, while a couple of the things on this list I did review on the blog, not one company is behind this list. The following 10 things are 100% MY FAVORITE SPRING/SUMMER 2015 PARENTING Game Changers!

1. A waterproof travel blanket for trips to the park, firework shows or late nights at a friend's house with a cold sleepy kid. Look for a blanket that fits in the trunk of your car in its own carrying case. I LOVE the Adventure blanket from Tribe Provisions.  It has an attached bag that makes unpacking and repacking a breeze.

Tribe Provision Go-anywhere Adventure Blanket (Black-Gray)

2. A small portable cooler bag.  Two years ago I was asked to review the Pack-It cool portable lunch/cooler bags.  I nearly passed up the offer, but my sister insisted that she heard great things so I tried it. Since I have used it more than any one of the things on this list! I cannot recommend enough a bag like the Pack-it cool.  Basically, it's a bag that you store in your freezer until you need it.  I use the crap out of ours for all kinds of stuff.  This bag keeps Popsicles frozen while at the zoo!  The best part is that it's cheap $15-50 depending on the size.  MOM TIP: Freeze a small washcloth inside of it for cooling off kids, wiping up messy faces and adding an extra level of cold!  DO THIS !

They are in stores everywhere.  For a store locator click here. 

3. Homemade popsicles!  Last summer when Ollie became a Popsicle junkie, which turned his poop BRIGHT GREEN, I thought I better read what the hell is in the store-bought Popsicles.  My friends, I felt like I needed to go to confession to report my sin of pumping my toddler full of things I couldn't even pronounce! I decided then that I would make all of Ollie's Popsicles moving forward.  I bought cheap molds and got to work. OMG! Not only does he love the Popsicles, but I also pump them full of healthy things like Probiotic yogurt, frozen organic fruit and juice, and when he's not looking, every veggie I can blend up small enough! DO THIS!  (Last year's Popsicle how-to is Here, I'm writing a new one for this year with new recipes coming soon!)

4. Super Safe Bug Spray! With all of our outdoor frolicking, by mid-June, if we don't have a great bug spray we become bug food. (SO GROSS!)  Bug spray is essential, but after doing the research on safe bug spray for babies/toddlers, I found not many were available.  Last summer I fell in LOVE with Honest Company's Bug spray.  It's super safe for the whole family, yet extremely effective! Even FTD who insisted on using his Deet soaked crap until it ran out, had to admit that the Honest Bug Spray was just as effective, if not more. Now it's the only spray we use! 

To buy it now, click here! 

5. SLAB O' Water! I keep a case of water in my trunk all year long, but especially in summer.  I go to Costco, buy the biggest one I can and store it in my trunk. Water is not only essential to fight dehydration, it cleans feet, toys, shoes, hands, scrapes and other assorted kid-mishaps in a pinch! 

6. Attachable (Clamp-On) umbrella!  This one is huge for me. FTD and I both have very fair skin, so naturally, so does my child! Since Ollie was a little baby I would push him around with an umbrella on his stroller for extra protection.  I still do.  You can pick them up at Big Lots, or Amazon.  They are SO worth it! 

Here is a super one on Amazon- ($20) Sport-Brella Versa-Brella All Position Umbrella with Universal Clamp, Firebrick Red

7.  First Aid Kit- Chances are, if you're the parent of a toddler, you're already packing band-aids, but with the summer running, jumping, scrapes and falls, make sure you have a full (travel size) first aid kit handy in your bag/car.

8. Outdoor Tub O' Toys. With a toddler's attention span lasting all of 10 seconds, I try to keep a tub full of outdoor toys ready.  I go to the Dollar Tree (Dollar store) and load up on outdoor toys and arts and crafts like chalk, sponges for water painting the sidewalks, and anything else that will make playing outside fun.  I'm determined to keep my kid playing outdoors for as long as possible.  Stupid video games...

9.  Sun protective clothing. I swear by UV clothing. It's so worth the investment (about $50) I do long sleeve top and long shorts. It takes the fear out of a long day outside.

This outfit is from http://www.coolibar.com

 10. SUNBLOCK!!!!!!!!!  There is no one thing more important. Now, that being said, there are four million sunblocks on the market, but when it comes to sensitive skin, there are only a few I trust. I ALWAYS check the Environmental Working Group's Annual Sunblock report, where thousands of sunblocks are tested and rated for skin safety. When it comes to Ollie, I try to stick to the absolute safest rating possible a Zero or One.  I really cannot recommend enough that you check your sunblock's rating before slathering it on your kid.  Click here for a list of last year's, (I will post the second EWG releases their 2015 Sunblock report!)

And for those squirmy little ones, I LOVE Honest Company Sunblock stick, It's the best!!

Are there any products you can't live without?

How To Avoid Spring's Door-To-Door Solicitor Scams

I love Spring. The weather warms, flowers bloom, trees release their new crop of leaves, neighbors peek their head outside to say, Hi!, and even the ice cream truck makes a few passes on the weekend. Spring also brings a few unwanted pests: mosquitoes, flies, ants, door-to-door scammers solicitors. Luckily, the first three can be mitigated easily enough, Door-to-door salespeople (D2D), on the other hand, not so much. 

No offense to the legitimate door-to-door solicitor (D2D), I get it everyone has to make a living, but for the most part, I'm skeptical of all D2D sales. For good reason... 

1. There are many horror stories reported throughout the US about dodgy door-to-door solicitors that scam people out of money, or case the house while the unsuspecting homeowner blabs-on giving ample time to make mental notes on valuables and return later, or worse, some are assaulted and robbed.  

2. The movie American Honey. It's SO TRUE! (And also, Sasha Lane, is AMAZING!!!)

Below are great tips I found while researching an article on "How To Avoid Door-To-Door Solicitor Scams."

First and foremost, I cannot stress enough the importance of creating boundaries with your child(ren) around answering the door, and what they should say when/if they do.  The rule in my house is, if you don't know who it is, DO NOT answer the door. NO EXCEPTIONS. ZERO! My son is to say, "I have to go get my mommy and daddy." Even if daddy is not home, we have him say that. I feel safer if the person thinks my husband is home.

Now, for when we answer the door:  

• DO NOT let them into your home for any reason. Rain, sleet or snow, they made the decision to get out in it, let them live with that decision. Some bank on a bad day as an easy way to get in. 
• Ask to see identification (Business card, credentials) before speaking with them about anything. No reputable company would send people door-to-door without identifying materials. A shirt does not count, it could have been purchased at a thrift store.
• Do not allow them to use your phone, even your cell phone outside.They may run off with it. 
• Do not give them money. Not even girl scouts ask for money upfront. ALWAYS Check charities and businesses out at BBB before making a contribution or a purchase.
• If you want a magazine subscription, even the BBB recommends that you subscribe to it directly instead of purchasing a subscription from a door-to-door magazine sales representative. 
• Don't be pressured or intimidated into ordering a product that you don't want or need because your check will be cashed immediately and you will have no recourse for obtaining a refund.
• Do not provide any personal information.  
• Don't fall for common tactics used to gain your trust. Many will say that they live in your neighborhood and that your neighbors have already given contributions or purchased their products. Don't take their word for it. Ask for a neighbor's name.
• It's your house, you have the right to tell them no thank you, ask them to leave and close the door. In that order in three seconds or less. It's part of the job. 
•  Peeping is NOT ALLOWED! If you observe them looking in windows, trying doors or entering back yards call 911 immediately. 
• If you have any doubts they are legitimate, call the police and let them decide. Call immediately when the activity is occurring so officers can respond to the area and try to locate the subject and determine if they are legitimate.   
• If they become aggressive, irate or hostile you can call 911 immediately. 

Or... 

You could just post a NO SOLICITING sign. Believe it or not, they still hold up in court. 

18 NASA Endorsed Air-Purifying Houseplants

With winter settling in and your home and office windows sealed shut, the air inside is destined to become a dust cloud of stale air. Fear not, here are 18 NASA endorsed, Air-purifying Houseplants.

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FUN FACT: According to NASA, certain common indoor plants provide a natural way of removing toxic agents while neutralizing the effects of sick building syndrome. And it's not just the plant, the micro-organisms in potting mix (soil) remove benzene from the air. All you need is at least one plant per 100 square feet of home or office space.

FIRST! Find out what's lurking in your air, then choose the right plant for your needs.

SECOND: Use the above to match the perfect plant, below!

Here are actual pictures of the plants...

The following is a sort of cheat sheet to find which plant is best for various toxins and how to care for it.

To see specific plants and care instructions, check out my Houseplant Air Purifier Pinterest Board, Here.

NOTE: Certain houseplants may be toxic to your pet(s), please check plants for warnings before purchasing.