Getting a job is harder than ever now that the entire country is affected by corporations filing bankruptcy, the failing economy and the foreclosure crisis.

Now you not get only get your credit checked you get your social networks checked and used as part of the interview and evaluation process.

Almost everyone uses the Internet and set up a public profile on a social network site to find old friends or make new friends. Networking on the internet makes our personal lives public.

Social networking sites create a “permanent record” on the Internet which can be viewed by almost anyone.

Why are employers looking at your social networking sites? What are they using this information for? What does it have to do with your work ethic?

Is it a legitimate reason for looking at your social networking profiles to determine your qualifications for being hired?

In an article witten by Josh Catone / March 21, 2008

On the pro side, Greg Fish argued that social networking profiles aren’t resumes and companies should not use them when determining if an applicant should be hired. “A public profile is a vehicle for casually interacting with others in an informal setting, on personal free time,” he wrote. “When companies use these profiles to find not only a professional but also an ideological match for a job, they’re misleading themselves and building ill will with talented prospective employees, who might decline to apply for a job for fear a comment about China on their blogs makes them persona non grata.”

On the con side, Timothy Lee said that there were plenty of legitimate reasons for employers to look at social networking profiles of prospective hires. “Employees in sales, public relations, and customer service function as representatives for the companies they work for, so employers have a legitimate interest in ensuring potential workers won’t embarrass the company,” he wrote.

Social networking brings the world closer together and was meant to create connection. Connection is a good thing

Employers are trying to find a perfect match for the positions they offer with the goal of creating a strong pool of individuals that will get the job done and fit into the company culture,

A position that is highly visible in which you will be representing the company your personal conduct could play a big part in how employers see your qualifications if you have questionable photos on a social network site.

Some have even been fired based on what employers found on a social network site.

When looking at your credit history, if you do not have a great credit score a repossession, foreclosure, bankruptcy or delinquent bills can reduce or completely eliminate you from consideration.

If you could get a good job, it may be possible to clean up your credit history – at least this is logical thinking. Many people have foreclosures and bad debt now due to no fault of their own.

What are they looking for?

Employers Look for Responsibility

If an applicant is under consideration for a position handling money, disbursing money or in charge of equipment, running a credit check is a way to determine trust and integrity. If you have a lot of debt that has been unmanageable, you may not be trusted to take on the company budget or petty cash pool.

If a person is truly financially desperate, an employment credit check is believed to potentially identify the possibility of financial problems that may adversely affect an applicant’s performance on the job.

An employment credit report provides insight into an applicant’s financial responsibility by listing any aliases, bankruptcies, liens, judgments, credit cards, loans, mortgages, collections and summaries of the individual’s payment patterns. Reports may also contain previous employers and addresses.

A good job can create stability for families to live decent productive lives for the pursuit of happiness. Employers are looking for stable individuals that can manage their finances, personal life and public persona

We are all looking for stability in a climate of instability where personal profiles are scrutinized, homes are foreclosed due to unfair lending practices, businesses get bailed out due to mismanagement, millions get laid off, and health care is not affordable, as the mainstream media tells us everyday how bad it really is.

Copyright © 2009 African American Family Connection, All Rights Reserved

Family Reunions will be extra special this year with so much to celebrate!  Yes we do have a lot to celebrate because we have all been through some tough times financially and all we have left is to cherish our family ties.

Everyone is holding it together the best way they can by cutting back and making adjustments in the way we live. We can’t take anything for granted anymore!

Jobs disappear, companies downsize and even close, people have lost their homes and unemployment is not making ends meet.

Well what is there to celebrate?

The reason to celebrate our family values and connections is the reason why we work to have a life that we can share with someone. The most important someone is family. Why do we want to survive? It is all about family, whether it’s a blood relation or a family connection created out of circumstance.

Unless you are living in this world completely alone and isolated from everyone, your reason for living is for your family.

Sure they drive you nuts and get on your bad side more often than you want to admit, hell they may even be completely dysfunctional and you must ask yourself, “inst it great that somebody loves you?”

We all desire to be loved and cherished by someone because we do not live in this world alone. We come from a family, a group of people that ties us to this existence here in this world. Nothing can replace or duplicate that.

So what can we do to celebrate if there is an economic crisis and we have lost almost everything?

We can become creative and discuss different ways of connecting even if we cannot be together in the same place. Here are some suggestions;

1. Make group phone calls, on specific days every week with a different group of family members. Hearing each other’s voice and getting caught up is soothing and strengthens the connection.

2. Utilize technology through online cameras and programs like Skype to stay in touch and see each other’s face. Seeing each other’s face gives you some comfort that the persons you don’t see frequently are really okay.

3. Join a site to exchange pictures and other information about events like births, school projects, birthdays, anniversaries, travel photos, awards, etc. Keeping up with the events in your daily lives helps the miles to disappear.

4. Set times to pray together and be of the same mind for the safe keeping and well-being of your families. Send out an email to each other that you would like to be in prayer with them at a set time of the day.

5. When a family member is ill and cannot travel, put your money together and send the one family member that is available to go to visit that person. A visit from a family member when there is a health crisis or any crisis is comforting and healing to the Spirit.

6. Write letters or send cards, not electronic cards, real paper and pen letters or cards written by you. The onslaught of technology had made us lazy about writing and using snail mail. It is still a great feeling to get a letter in the mail.

7. Send actual pictures in the mail of the children and of yourself. Everything is on the computer nowadays and it is not the same as having an actual picture to display with the family group of pictures that you will see every day. This keeps the people you love close to you because you think of them whenever you see the picture.

There are alternatives to having a family reunion if a lack of finances is the issues or being able to travel is a hindrance to getting everyone together.

It is vitally important to keep family ties strong all the time and especially when times are tough. Don’t try to carry your burdens all alone, that is what family is for to share the load.

Cherish you family even if they are far away.

Prosperity of the spirit comes about only with focused action and intention. It is not like cashing a check and seeing the goods you purchased.

Every action is not a transaction there is not a tangible exchange or payoff for every thing we do in life.

We operate in a system of values that is supposed to come from our family through the people that care for us and raise us.

We learn to be honest individuals functioning as productive people  responsible for representing our family as good citizens and respectable representations of our parents.

Struggle and trauma can make us feel empty and disconnected from our very own family, like an outcast that one understands.

There is a divine intelligence that points us to a higher self and connects us to a new awareness of our spiritual traditions. This is what prosperity of the spirit feels like when you can be honest, forgive and let go of past hurts.

The book by Iyanla Vanzant “Tapping The Power Within” was a major rite of passage into my most authentic self. I identified with her about not seeing any images that looked like me in popular culture and even in my family.

The women in my immediate family, my mother and my sister were both two shades lighter. My body type was flat-chested lanky and skinny with stilt-like legs and a bump in the back.

Reading about how the Goddess appeared to Iyanla reminded me of dreaming and feeling like what was happening in the dream carried over into the waking world.

At that time I had no idea the difference between soul and spirit or religion and spirit and felt mostly weird and isolated inside of myself.

Nothing in my life prepared me for what I discovered about myself as a unique individual with a special connection to my inner self.

I recommend this book for anyone that is ready to relate to the origin of your ethnic identity. Seeing your ethnic identity will give you the confidence to be naturally beautiful and start believing that you are beautiful.

As women we want to feel empowered in all that we are and all that we do yet we are afraid of rejection so we resist truly knowing ourselves.

We become defined by the conventions of our family identity and the religion we practice even the way our peers treat us create our identity to some extent.

If you are ready to take the journey here are a few things to expect;

• Be ready to look into the mirror to really see yourself
• Learn to meditate and pray more purposefully
• Conscious breathing
• Forgiving and releasing
• Rituals and Altars
• Spiritual cleansing and purification

Don’t let any of these points frighten you. It is a powerful journey of connection.

This is one of the tools I use daily so I want to share it with my readers. Purchase this book and read it several times, it will change your life, and you will be glad you did.

Get “Tapping The Power Within” by Iyanla Vanzant and develop tools to reinvent yourself to be the person you have always wanted to be.

http://sn.im/tappingthepower

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Life is full of the traps we set for ourselves

My Grand Daughter sets traps for me! These colorful cards, puzzle pieces, coasters, toys, and shapes with pictures of the basic meanings and definitions of life are laid out like bread crumbs all through the house leading in out of the kitchen and living areas or up the stairs leading to my room.

Due the type of  family values that have been instilled in me, my first instinct of course is to pick these items up and admonish her for leaving her things all over the floor. I resist giving in to my instincts  to clean and organize every minute of my life because to me that represents control of my environment. I choose to create a new connection with her every chance I get!

Giving in to my compulsory obsession with cleanliness and order is less important than the opportunity to reinforce family values of acknowledgment of the teaching moment she offers me.

It means something to her for me to acknowledge her creativity.  When I allow myself to get caught in the trap its means success for her that the trap has worked.  So to say “hey, what are these cards and puzzle pieces and toys doing all over the floor?”

This statement gives this five year old such a sense of satisfaction that I noticed her and something she did to get my attention because I am usually so busy doing something important. To get any reaction to her traps makes her chuckle and smile to herself like it’s a private joke that only she understands.

We are creating memories and teachable moments between us! We are reinforcing our family values.

I love it! It keeps me grounded in reality and my family values so I cannot get too caught up in the day to day tendency to take life too seriously. To be open and aware of every moment in its unique unfolding gift is a thrilling expectation of something new to behold in amazement of just being alive.

Traps! Life is of course full of traps, the ones we set unwittingly for ourselves when we set aside our family values to achieve our goals and survive in the midst of what we are constantly being told is a bad time financially for everyone.

It is true that there is financial struggle and it could be that the Universe is telling us that this is time to smell the roses and reset the focus of what we value the most in life.  I want my grand daughter to have great memories of her time with me, not how hard it was.

Be patient with the process of your life, we tend to be in a hurry to get to the end of the day before we really let the day begin. I resist knowing the outcome all the time because that is fear based behavior. Fear of the outcome! Worrying is not operating in Faith.

I trust my Faith in God, The Higher Power, the Most High, Allah, Jehovah, Krishna, Buddah, The Force, The Source the Breath of Life!

To operate in faith and be conscious of the sweetness and simplicity of my life is the best gift I can give to myself everyday. In this process, I am Peaceful, loving, interested, aware, emotional, feminine, flexible, teachable always smiling from the inside.

Traps set on the floor could annoy me as too many children’s things creating clutter and messiness or remind me of my values.

Family values are the most important part of my relationship with my family members because it  is part of our family code of conduct.

Every family has its own code of conduct and way of being together. What works for one family may or may not work for another.

A few examples in my family
1. We hug and kiss hello and good bye almost every time we see each other, sounds extreme to you, it’s normal for us.
2. We never take anything from each other without permission, never assume that it’s okay, they won’t mind. Some families have issues around this respect of boundaries.
3. We actually eat together at the table with no television just music and cook meals together. Most families today eat in front of the television and they don’t cook together, the responsibility falls on mom most of the time in most families.
4. We don’t talk negatively about people we are connected to. We admonish each other about being critical or negative.
5. We do not fight we talk until there is a solution. My children were not permitted to hit and hurt each other when they were young, disagreements were resolved through problem solving.

Sounds simple, yet it has its own complexity in the process.

Having a sense of simplicity today is important due to the amount of stress and anxiety everyone is feeling about the economy.

If you are watching too much news or listening to too many messages about how bad things are then you are setting yourself up for a trip to the land of cynicism and uncertainty.

That is not a nice place to visit because once you get there it is difficult to find your way out, which leads to depression.

We as mothers must refrain from being too obsessed with controlling every aspect of every person and every part and parcel of our lives. This takes away from actually living and being present in our lives for the simplicity of seeing how happy it makes a five year old to set a trap and see Gram actually caught in it.

It does not hurt to play along and be focused on the joy of the moment instead of correcting it and aligning it with what works in you life to make feel safe and in control.

If you get what I am saying, then share your family values. What works for you? How do you appreciate your living and be healthy while you are doing it?

If you’re determined to beat the odds with the current economic crisis then you, like many other Americans will be using Food Stamps. There have been many stories in the news lately about a new class of people using Food Stamps that have never had to use them before.

First you must let go of the stigma attached to using Food Stamps because it is not just for poor low income people. Millions of people use food stamps and there is no shame in needing some assistance when times are hard.

1. Don’t shop when you are hungry. You’ll end up spending a lot more money Eat a good meal first, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your list.

2. Make a list of what you need to buy, go through your pantry to make a list of staple items like rice, sugar, beans, peanut butter, spices, etc. This is essential due the fact that when you run out of all the things you like to eat, you can still make a meal out what you have.

3. Stock up on staple items. An example of a few staple items would be rice, spaghetti, macaroni, egg noodles, peanut butter, jam, canned tuna, spaghetti sauce, and canned beans and soups have a long shelf life as well.

4. Try some new recipes instead preparing the same meals every week, look up recipes online and add some variety to our collection of regular meals that your family loves.

5. Do some research on creative snacks, lunches for you, your spouse and for your children. This is important because lunch time at school or at work is an important break in your day and making the meal interesting can boost your self esteem and give you the energy to get through the day.

6. Planning meals ahead of time gives you sense of being organized and eases the stress of the daily tasks of deciding what’s for dinner. Make lunches interesting and add some love by adding some variety to satisfy your tastes and avoid making you feel deprived when you see what everyone else is eating.

7. Pack a lunch so that when you are at work and everyone is going out to buy lunch and you start feeling deprived. Everyone is getting food that smells great its fried and full of ingredients you cant identify. The advantage to your health is that you know what you are eating and what’s in it, you are much better off. I know you are shaking you head saying no, I want what they are eating. Trust me you will be proud of yourself later.

8. Search for a community food pantry or food bank from a church in your neighborhood to supplement your supply. Receiving social service assistance can be a great way to stretch you cash. Starting out with this in mind will teach you to be more conscious of what your reason is that you are taking advantage of a service that is designed to keep you fed and healthy.

9. A common misconception that people might have about using Food Stamps is that people look at you funny in the grocery store when you are paying for your food. All you need to do is make your purchase, and make sure that you don’t look around for the approval or opinionated looks of others.

If you have ever been behind a person using food stamps and the shopping cart is spilling over with frozen food entrees, junk food snacks, multiple boxes of processed food and everything is name brand items, you think to yourself “that is really wasteful”.

Instead of judging and complaining consider that they may not know how to shop So if you really want to make the most of your Food Stamp subsidy consider follow these tips gain the greatest benefit and save your hard earned cash.

Starting a Business with a New Baby by Lisa Mullins

If you have recently had a baby, you may think that this means that you may have to put your dreams of running business on hold. I started my business when my middle son was 4 months old and currently I have a 5 month old five and a half years later. With some careful planning and preparation, you can make your dreams of owning a successful business become a reality.

If you have a determination to start your own business, there are some important things you need to know before you begin. The following tips will help you to succeed in business.

1. An important factor when you have a baby and want to start a business is making sure that you have informed your family of what you would like to do. The reason why this is important is because family support will be very important. You will need to discuss the income considerations, hours of operations, start-up costs, etc. Since you recently gave birth, this is also subtracting from your monthly budget. It is also important that your hours of operation and office space be respected whether the space is a room or a closet. If you don’t make sure your family understands, then you run the risk of family members feeling neglected, disputes over money or someone feeling as though they are contributing more to the family in terms of time. It will also lead to productivity problems due to disruptions and distractions.

2. Another important consideration for starting your own business with a small child is where you decide you will work. It’s critical that you choose an area that you are comfortable in but can also accommodate your baby because you need to have your baby at the minimum at ear shot if not in eye view. If you make sure that you are fine and have your baby within reach, then you’ll will minimize the time away from your work area and not worry about something happening to your baby.

3. You don’t have to send your child to child care of hire a baby sitter in order to run your own business. I have a total of seven children and I have never used daycare or a baby sitter since starting my business in 2003. All you need to do is to set up a schedule, and make sure that you stick to it. I found that I am most productive from 4 am to 9 am and again from 9 pm until bedtime. These are also the times that my younger children are asleep. This makes a perfect time to do my tasks that I need to concentrate on. So, set your schedule at times you will be most productive and have little distractions.

4. Instead of complicating your business start-up efforts by jumping in head first, be sure you first have a plan. Understand the business you are trying to start. Know that it will take time and dedication. Understand your competition and know that there may be some times that you may not be able to spend as much time with your family as you would like.
5. Schedule what is important to you first. I attend school plays, award ceremonies, soccer games, school parties, etc. I never miss any of these because I consider these things important to me. So treat those activities as appointments and schedule them first.
So if you really want to start your business with a new baby, follow these tips to maximize your chances for success.

Lisa Mullins, marketing manager to top realtors, focus on keeping the pipline of realtors filled with qualified buyers and sellers. Visit http://www.Reliable-Business.com and get your free copy of the RB Lead Generation Toolkit

I met an elder in line at the market and we connected while we discussed issues relating to life and attitude due to the long lines. Since we were going to be waiting, we decided to make small talk.

He was a pleasant happy person that seemed to be thankful about life and talking to him was great because it reminded me how important it is to be patient.

He made me feel calm and patient because he made the best of a challenging situation. It was no problem for him even though every register had a long line, babies were crying, and people were grousing.  His attitude and presence was an act of kindness to me and I am grateful that we crossed paths.

As we looked around, everyone looked so angry and unhappy about having to stand in line to buy food. Instead of being thankful that they could buy food as the elder mentioned in some countries people cannot buy food.

He said, “This is the best country in the world and we are so fortunate to live in this country because things are different for people in other parts of the world.”

Things have been hard for all of us due to unemployment and the way the economy is affecting everyone. Being happy about finally being able to buy food and being patient about the process is not too much to expect.

Even though everyone is struggling financially it does not cost us anything to be kind and considerate to each other and smile or nod and be a positive force.

Remember to be thankful and mindful that grousing and being grumpy is a choice. If you should find yourself waiting in line and complaining, find something to be thankful for and practice patience.

Five things to consider to practice patience:

1. Eat before you go to the grocery store so that you will not shop hungry and your blood sugar level will not drop from lack of energy.
2. Understand that everything takes time and enduring whatever the circumstances may be builds character and makes you stronger
3. Demonstrate that you have tolerance for other people it the world. Everything is not fast and on your terms.
4. Complaining is rude and no wants to hear it. Whining out loud will not make things go any faster. It is just an adult throwing a tantrum.
5. Practice your faith and don’t just give lip service about being a good person

It is time we put our best behavior forward in every way.

One positive thought creates a thousand positive vibrations – John Coltrane

Having trouble making ends meet?

Can’t pay for your prescriptions, buy food, put gas in the car or keep the utilities on any longer. It’s just too hard and money will only stretch so far!

Have more month left than money?

Many people struggle with this issue. One of the best ways to save money and truly stretch your dollars all the way to the end of the month is to live a more frugal lifestyle.

Yes, frugality is key. Being frugal with one’s life does not mean that you will live a life, doing without and hoarded away. Frugal living is actually very freeing. Frugal living frees up your finances to work harder and smarter for you o that you in turn do not have to work so hard to actually bring in an income.

In a time where 40% of Americans live beyond their means, meaning they spend more monthly than they make, finding ways to save and learning to be more frugal sounds like a winning idea.

There are a few key concepts that one must adopt in order to begin living a more frugal lifestyle.

Smarter money management. A person must begin to not only spend less money, but also manage the money they have in a smarter way. This can take some time and discipline but will truly pay off in the end.

Spending less. A person must also learn how to spend less than they make. This can be a difficult process for some who have spent more than their paycheck for a long time, however if they adopt some frugal living ideas they can be doing this in no time.

Saving. With the money that they save through not spending as much, they can begin to put away money into savings; another key to frugal living that will help a person to get ahead.

Continuing the process. Continuing to spend more and save less is key.

Adopting some key concepts to frugal living can truly change the way you live your life, and the way that your money works for you. Become different from the norm and begin a smarter, more frugal lifestyle today.

About the Author:

Cara Mirabella is a WAHM with one toddler from New Jersey. She owns and manages TheHouseholdHelper.com – a site dedicated to saving your time, money and sanity when managing your household. She has written several articles, reports and e-books including Frugal Living: How To Stretch Your Hard Earned Dollar.

Ten attitude adjustments that could change everything…

Have you ever had a moment in your life when everything around you just seemed negative, hopeless, and doomed?

Why does this always happen to me? (Sometimes it’s not about me)

Why do things have to be so difficult? (What have I done to contribute to these current circumstances?)

What’s the point of me trying so hard when all I ever do seems to end up in a complete disaster? (I have yet to see “complete disaster”)

There is hope even when it seems like there is “no hope” when you are exhausted and all of life’s challenges seem to show up all at once. Remember you have been here before and survived even that event when it felt like a “complete disaster”.

As I write this, I am having one of those days when it is truthfully my fault that things are distorted. Everything in life stems from a duality of stopping or starting and doing or not doing. I am either imagining the worst or speaking it into creation, so I need to stop thinking it, stop speaking it and start creating the reality I desire. Stopping and starting. Stop going into a tail-spin about people, places and things…. Start imagine your life the way you want it to look.

Imagine your life as perfect and everything is the way you want it to be. You are running a successful business from home which is financially sound and growing or your job is a rewarding experience that allows you to live well and you are respected and highly regarded in your professional and social circles. Your family and personal life is satisfying and fulfilling because you are surrounded by supportive people and you feel happy about the kinship ties you have. Financially you are generating income that allows you to travel and live the lifestyle you enjoy while you save and invest and meet monthly expenses while living the life you always imagined you were deserving of.

Our lives look the way they do because it is the life we have imagined for ourselves. Not everyone lives in the lap of luxury and even a humble home is a heavenly sanctuary. It is not a requirement that our lives look like we are living well on the surface. It is more important that we are humble and grateful for the life we have now and create the life we want.

How grateful are you? Do you take the for granted and complain all the time in spite of how your life looks? Do you have a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation?

Gratitude, appreciation, or thankfulness is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. The state of being grateful is an appreciative awareness and thankfulness, as for kindness shown or something received. Gratitude isn’t words, it’s emotion.

It’s opening our heart to experience that lets our energy flow out in a particular way like a vibration that makes it easier to manifest our desires. An interpersonal exchange or acknowledgment for what is, instead of underscoring what is not.

When you examine the unwanted aspects of your own life, can you refrain from complaining about the undesirable circumstances that cause you to be stressful or overly concerned with the outcome. Many of us are so fearful of unseen circumstances, we continuously imagine the worst case scenario in everything.

We think we are being cautious by anticipating what could happen so we will not be caught off guard when or if something happens. We want to be prepared for the worse in case things don’t go the way we planned. The truth is that a part of us knows that we can try to control every moment of our life, and unpleasant things will happen in spite of our best effort.

Being happy and developing the tools to manifest happiness means to focus on the beauty in the little things of life. Deliberately and consciously focusing on the beautiful things in your own life like the people in your life, the opportunities you have, your health, your family, art, literature, music, and nature can keep you so busy that you find there is no time to be anything but grateful.

Being present in the moment to your space in time as you prepare to meet the world beyond the walls of your home is an exercise in itself. As a part of a regular practice try these ten attitude adjustments everyday, it could change everything.

1. Look for something to laugh about every day, even when it seems like there is nothing to laugh about.
2. Make an earnest effort to see the good in others, instead of pointing out their faults and weaknesses; stop keeping score.
3. Be truly grateful for each loving deed done for you by others, no matter how insignificant it might appear to be.
4. Enjoy life to the fullest, and don’t take any part of it for granted, each day is a gift.
5. Forgive others for their wrongdoings, even immense ones, and put the past behind you, yesterday cannot be changed.
6. Reach out and help the people less fortunate than you, be mindful to not judge, support their dignity and encourage their self-worth.
7. Allow yourself to be as loving and caring as possible, practice kindness and develop it as a virtue you are proud of.
8. Always and constantly say “thank you” for whatever comes from the efforts of another person or favorable consequences.
9. Remember to breathe deeply every moment, because we constantly hold our breath in contraction to the stress of events our our everyday living.
10. Please drink water, to flush out toxins which can be created by holding on to negativity and tension.

To be at peace with what cannot be changed.

“If any individual is compassionate and altruistic, wherever that person moves, he or she will immediately make friends.” – The Dalai Lama

Learn how to live peacefully with all people and with our planet. Master the skills to deal with anger and negative emotions. Cultivate techniques to nurture open-heartedness and compassion.

We have an opportunity to improve the way we respond to life’s circumstances and spread more joy in the world. We can start with our personal view of life and how we treat others. Gratitude can and will create a sense of well-being. There are tools available online. Try one of the books below, I recommend “The Art of Living: A Guide to Contentment, Joy and Fulfillment”

Grand parents are the salt of the Earth! We have raised our families and worked for most of our lives to take care of ourselves and our families to the best of our ability. Providing safe shelter, clean living conditions, healthy food, a balanced environment free from abuse or neglect, was my goal for my children. Maintaining this level of clean drama free living requires discipline, focus and determination to live life with a consistent level of devotion to giving your children the best life you could.

In our 50’s, 60’s and beyond we should be able live the life we have earned and do whatever we want to do in our retirement years. For some this is not until until the late sixties or even 70’s, now retirees work part time either out of necessity or to stay active. It is not so easy to retire nowadays unless you have a sound financial plan in place to cover the cost of living a comfortable existence.

Health care, housing, food, life insurance, transportation, are essential whether you are a married or single retiree. We don’t want to be a burden to our children, we want to live the “golden years” when you can travel, indulge in your favorite hobbies, become a serious gardener and play with our grandkids when we want to.

Different circumstances prevail when you have health issues that require you live with or near your family. Depending on the level of self sufficiency and your family’s attention to your needs, keeping the family connection benefits the grand parent more. Parents with aging parents and raising children at the same time is referred to as the “sandwich generation”

Times have changed the way families manage raising children, supporting an aging parent, or an aging parent supporting their children’s family and raising their grandchildren. Grandparents become the stand-in when a parent is ill; a parent dies; a parent is away in the military; or a child with behavior problems needs to be in a different environment other than their parents home.

Grandparents can also become the guardians for their grandchildren due to neglect because of drug or alcohol abuse and incarceration. The drug epidemic in the U S has devastated the black community. The criminal justice approach to drug use has contributed to the increasing numbers of African Americans subjected to the criminal justice system. This increase is attributed to a system that disproportionately incarcerates African Americans for drug abuse and other minor violations. Instead of being steered into treatment programs most of the people being locked up in America’s prisons are African American drug offenders.

A woman worth her salt will not go off and live a life that does not include the health and well-being of her family. How can you have a life when the lives of your children and grand children are in jeopardy?This is not sacrifice, this is necessity because our children and grandchildren are a reflection in part of our contribution to the world. When we raise good citizens that become students of life who cherish life and pursue knowledge for the betterment of humanity, we/I feel that we are fulfilling our service to something greater than ourselves.

Taking all of these reasons into consideration add financial hardship which makes it more strategic to share households with three to four generations. Aging parents benefit from living with their family, and childcare is less of an issue when the children can stay with grandma or grandpa before and after school. If grandma wants to take care of grandchildren and are not being forced into it because of laziness and neglect on behalf of their own children, this works out for everyone to be a good arrangement.

Not all grandmothers do want to be obligated to raising children again and will not live in the same household, it does not mean they do not love being with their grandchildren or that they care any less than anyone else, they want their freedom and feel they are entitled to make that choice. It is our children who should be raising their own children with grandparents nearby for support and guidance.

When you have moved from your parents house gone to college or gotten married, then raised a family in that order, you may have never lived alone your whole life. Getting to the age of retirement when your children are adults, you may desire to have your first experience at living completely alone.

When President Barack Obama’s grandmother passed away, we all felt the sadness in his heart. We also saw the values she instilled in him to press forward. On the eve of the biggest contest of his life, his grandmother passed away. In the midst of his grief and relentless pursuit of the presidency, the family persevered and privately endured their loss. That is what grandmother’s do, they instill courage and determination in those they love so in the face of adversity, they can continue on.

If you are a grandparent caregiver, you know raising grandchildren is not easy. Grandparent caregivers face many challenges. However, amid these challenges, caring for grandchildren has rewards.

Challenges Facing Grandparent Caregivers

• Poverty. Poverty is a major problem for grandparent caregivers.
• Delaying retirement or quitting work early. Grandparents make sacrifices to raise their grandchildren. They quit work in order stay at home with a baby, or continue working well past the age of retirement to support their family.
• Inadequate housing. Like many grandparents, when Karen and Stan brought their grandkids home, they did not have any spare bedrooms so the kids had to sleep in their room.
• Inadequate transportation. Karen and Stan also didn’t have a vehicle to carry all of them. Stan sold his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in order to purchase a mini-van. Still, Karen and Stan seem well off compared to others. Many grandparent caregivers do not have any vehicle.
• Poor health. Grandparents who care for their grandchildren have poorer health than those who do not.