Articles written by Linda J Banks

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About me - Linda J Banks

I am a 30-something year old woman who was recently laid off. Being unemployed after 15 years of work has been interesting to say the least. I decided to try my hand at writing and have been enjoying tremendously.

My family includes a hubby, two boys and an

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Health & Fitness > Medicine Development Children and medication: Generation "Med"?: 2 of 35

Would Tom Sawyer have been medicated? Tom Sawyer was a very intelligent boy who also had a streak of orneriness, was inattentive at school and was prone to impulsive behaviors. We laugh while reading his antics, but in today's world, like approximately 25% of school-age white boys, he might have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD ...
Celebrations & Holidays > Birthdays Creative ways to celebrate your children's birthdays without giving a birthday party: 3 of 22

Celebrate your child's birthday in a unique fashion. As someone who is an introvert, I don't relish the thought of a birthday party either as the recipient or a sponsor. Birthday parties have become very expensive and stressful with some families trying to outdo other families. It is amazing, but some birthday parties for we...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Methods How to be a good parent: 4 of 20

I was almost the loser mom of Mrs. Robertson's kindergarten class. Let me tell you the story. One day, my kindergartner comes home with an invitation addressed to "mom" for breakfast tea and cookies at the school. Every kindergartner made the invitiation out of the requisite construction paper and glitter. Unfortunately, as ...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies Parental tips: Showing children how to overcome their "I don't care" attitude": 2 of 10

"I Don't Care!" When those words come out of your child's mouth, what he is really saying is he thinks YOU don't or shouldn't care. When this happens, it's easy to become very upset at the illogical thinking your child is engaging in. But - I think it's extremely important to remain calm and remind yourself that you are the ...
Health & Fitness > Cancer Getting through cancer: 1 of 5

Having a spouse with cancer. Shortly after my second son was born, my husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He starting having pains in his groin area and one of his testicles was swollen. At first, the doctor thought it might be an infection and put him on antibiotics. Within several days, when the antibiotics weren...
Education > Financing College Ways to pay for college: 1 of 4

How to Pay For College Depending upon the source, the costs of college are increasing anywhere from 4% to 10% per year. Even at the lowest 4% rate, many students can't afford college without an overwhelming amount of debt, payable upon graduation. And even if parents help out, when one or more children are in college at the ...
Sports & Recreation > Baseball Coaching & Skills How to be a good Little League baseball coach: 7 of 17

A spectator's perspective: What I know about baseball could fit into a coach's pinky, but what I know about the attributes of a good coach was taught to me through two separate incidences. The first incident was when my son was in little league on the 6-7 year old team. He had a teammate who was slow, not only mentally but p...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Thoughts on immigration to the United States: 44 of 92

Everyone has got a thought regarding immigration. Secure the borders! Let everyone into the good ole' US melting pot! So on and so forth. The debate isn't going to end soon and I have no wish to discuss situations where if everything was perfect, this is how it would be. The fact is that nothing is perfect. Without discussio...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Toddlers Tips for managing defiance in toddlers and preschoolers: 2 of 4

"I don't want to hear a peep out of you!" Those words actually came out of my mouth towards my two year old son. After many successful bedtimes, he was suddenly starting to test limits. The bedtime routine was the same every night. But - one night he decided to see how much he could get away with. His defiance of bedtime was...
Food & Drink > Desserts Recipes: Apple dumplings: 2 of 4

My Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings My 94 year old grandmother gave my then-13 year old son this recipe when she moved into an assisted living facility. My kids LOVE this recipe and it's easy enough to make. Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 2 cups water 2 tbsp butter 2 1/2 cups flour 4 tsp bakin...