Articles written by Roberta Velyn

What is Helium

About me - Roberta Velyn

I identify first and foremost as a mother of three married to a father of three. We each have a child living abroad, so hope to do some traveling in the next few years.

I grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan (Canada) and attended a one-room school through grade

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Relationships & Family > Children & Divorce Tips for helping children deal with divorce: 1 of 101
A divorce can be terrifying for children, or it can be the beginning of an era of peace in a home where everyone has been feeling besieged. Your children may be sad or they may act out in anger. Here are some tips for helping children deal with divorce:1) Make sure the children have the opportunity for regular, frequent conta... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Working Parents Tips for organizing house chores so they do not consume weekends: 1 of 30
There are a great many things I'd rather do on the weekend than clean the house. Nonetheless, I do appreciate a tidy home, and am constantly in search of ways to keep my space looking its best without dedicating big chunks of time to doing chores. Here are some suggestions for simplifying household chores.1. LAUNDRY: Invest i... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies What do children learn by doing chores?: 2 of 52
"Learn to do by doing" is not only the 4-H motto - it's also one of the foremost reasons for having kids do chores. Sure it takes more time and effort to teach a child to do something properly than it does to do it yourself, but unless you're prepared to provide chambermaid, waitress, chauffeur, valet, and handyman services i... More..
Home & Garden > Cleaning (Other) Household tips for keeping your home germ free: 1 of 24
No home can ever be completely germ free; nor do we actually want it to be. Studies suggest that the high rate of allergies in western cultures may be due, at least in part, to too much cleanliness - children aren't being exposed to enough germs to build up their immune systems. For most of us that isn't an issue. We want our... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Development Issues Should children be exposed to people with special needs?: 1 of 23
Compassion and acceptance are not character traits - they are attributes that can be taught and learned. They are best taught by example, and best learned through experience. As a young teacher, I was challenged to cope with several special needs children in both K-1 and preschool classrooms. I can say, without reservation, t... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Presidential Elections 2008 Why some people don't vote: 3 of 56

There are many reasons - some significant and some trivial - why, in a democratic society, many people don't vote. Suffragettes of the last century might weep to see it, but not all of us treasure our right to vote.Dirty PoliticsAs one elderly lady said when asked if she was going to vote: "Oh, my, no. It just encourages them... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Teen Challenges Preparing your daughter for her menstrual cycle: 1 of 18
When should you introduce your daughter to the reality of menstruation? As a young mother, the question was something I hadn't even begun to consider when out of the blue, it was time.My daughter was six years old and my son almost five when I was pregnant with their sister. One day one of the kids asked a question about the ... More..
Health & Fitness > Health Testimonies Living with attention deficit disorder (ADD): 1 of 12
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe my husband doesn't have Attention Deficit Disorder. Maybe he's just lazy or careless or stupid, but being a teacher and having worked with children with ADD and ADHD, I've heard those adjectives used to describe students who were later diagnosed as having an attention deficit, so I'm pretty sure I'm liv... More..
Society & Lifestyle > North American Culture Does casino gambling on reservations help or hurt Native Americans?: 2 of 23
I am of the opinion that casino gambling on Indian Reservations in Saskatchewan does much to help First Nations people. Our situation here is somewhat different from casinos that I have seen in the United States. The first "legal" "Indian" casinos in Saskatchewan were planned as a major First Nations business initiative for t... More..
Relationships & Family > Elderly Parents & Care Tips for "being there" for your elderly parents: 2 of 17
As our children grow up and need us less, our parents are very likely to need more of our time, help and attention. However, "loosening the reins" to give our children more independence is very different from knowing when to step in and offer help to failing parents. My parents were, like many elderly people, reluctant to ask... More..