Articles written by Lynn Dancey Rudkin

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About me - Lynn Dancey Rudkin

I've been blessed with a career that spanned the gamut of newspaper / magazine writer and editor, substitute teacher and technical writer. Armed only with experience as advertising manager for my high school yearbook and less than a year of college, a local

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Health & Fitness > Therapy & Counseling How to conquer clutter: 1 of 27

When you can't move down the hallway without turning sideways to get where you want to go, and every horizontal surface is covered, it's time to clear out clutter. If there's no visible carpet to vacuum because of magazines, toys and unsorted, mismatched socks strewn everywhere, something needs changed. If you are a co...
Education > Early Childhood Ed Tips for getting your child ready for kindergarten: 1 of 10

Kinder kids have the world of excitement and new experiences ahead of them, and can look forward to their first venture into formal education with excitement or dread, dependent on how well mom and dad approach the experience. Observant, careful parenting makes the difference. Confidence that your child will have a happy exp...
Personal Finance > Budgets & Saving Easy ways to cut your budget: 2 of 14

With mortgage or rent, car payments, utility fees, insurance for car/home and health, shoes and clothing, prescriptions, medical care, home and auto maintenance, groceries and a multitude of other demands all slappinig us in the face, we can easily lose sight of the fact that we can use simple ways to save money for major pu...
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss Dealing with grief: Loss of a family member: 1 of 5

Losing one treasured family member or friend can be emotionally draining: The grief that envelopes a person after losing several in a short time can plunge even the most sane person into deep despair. Tears and the overwhelming hopelessness of feeling like you are all alone and life isn’t worth living, that nothi...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption Adoption: An adoptive mother's view: 1 of 5

On our way home from a family gathering at my cousin's the day after Christmas, our 4-year-old very seriously asked, "What's my birthmom's name?" We were stunned. He said it again. We replied, "Her name is Jennifer," and casually inquired, "Why do you want to know?" And then he was off on another tangent, seemingly having fo...
Health & Fitness > Infectious Diseases How to contain the spread of swine flu: 3 of 11

Quick: Name the top twelve carriers of viruses, including swine flu. Answer: all ten fingers and two palms. Parents for generations have lectured their children ad nauseum to Keep those hands clean, and that Cleanliness is next to Godliness. That advice seemed to work for containing swine flu, also known as H1N1, as it does ...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption Would you stop your adopted minor child's search for biological parents?: 2 of 7

A resounding yes to this thoughtful query. Had the question not included "minor," the answer would have been just the opposite. Why did the birthmother, or possibly the state, place her child? Was she emotionally responsible? Financially secure enough to bring up a child? There's no doubt that our birthmother loved the child...
Education > College Life The most common things students forget to pack for college: 3 of 10

Packing for college is more challenging than pulling together everything you need for a vacation. You probably won't be living in Siberia, and stores will be nearby, but just because you have access doesn't mean you want to run there right off the bat to stock up on living essentials. You're on your own, possibly for the fir...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption A look at the costs associated with adoption: 2 of 6

If a couple waited until they could afford children, there would be few babies brought into the world. That said, most people are fortunate in being able to conceive almost on demand, with the bulk of costs paid by insurance, and take home their baby, all in less than a year. Thousands of others face years ...
Home & Garden > Home & Garden (Other) Ways to keep a home secure from break-ins: 2 of 4

Our home should be a safe haven, protecting the family and our property from undesirable persons intent upon dashing off with everything of value that we own. Unfortunately, that usually means we have to do more than keep doors and windows shut and secured with builder-grade locks. In 2009, an estimated 2,199,125 burgl...