Gardening can provide a wealth of learning opportunities for children. Not only does gardening open their eyes to thinks like soil nutrients, the different characteristics of different plants, the effects of the weather on the environment and how food is grown, it also helps them gain a sense of responsibility. Caring for their own plants is a good way to teach children to take responsibility for their belongings and to learn about what is required to take care of another living thing – making plants a great stepping stone on the way to having their own pets.

Of course, it is easy to see how growing plants and flowers can be a beneficial learning experience for children, but that does not mean that all plants and flowers are appropriate for children to grow. Some plants and flowers may be to difficult for little ones to tend, while other plants and flowers be able to be downright dangerous. For your children to get the most out of the experience of gardening, carefully selecting the right plants and flowers is the key.

When choosing plants and flowers for gardening with kids, there are a few factors you need to consider. First and foremost, consider safety. Plants and flowers can often be poisonous, and depending on the age of your child, this factor can be a serious issue. If your little one is still of the age in which they want to put everything in their mouth, shy away from poisonous plants. Next, consider the amount of work that goes into caring for the plant or flower. Choose one that requires an age appropriate amount of work for your child. You want to encourage their success in the garden, so err on the side of caution and don’t give them more than they can handle. In addition to these concerns, you of course also have to take into account all of the regular gardening considerations, like choosing plants and flowers that are appropriate for your area and the size and placement of your garden.

One great way to go with kids in the garden is choosing food plants. Tomato plants, green beans, squash, watermelon, strawberries – all of these food plants are relatively easy to grow, and your child will get a kick out of seeing the food go from “their” garden to the dinner table. Depending on your area and the size of your yard, a fruit tree can be perfect for a child. They need little work after planting, and your child will enjoy watching it grow in size as well as picking the fruit.

If you don’t want to go for food plants, or if you want to add other plants into the equation, consider going for easy to grow flowers with great scents and brilliant colors. Easy to grow flowers include marigolds, sunflowers, hyacinths, and Gerber daisies. For even more great smells in the garden, you can plant herb alongside the flowers. Rosemary, lemon balm, thyme, basil, parsley, oregano, and more all mix in well with a flower garden, and your child will be able to both smell these plants and see them used in the cooking.

Last but not least, consider exotic carnivore plants for your garden. What child isn’t mesmerized by a Venus fly trap, snap dragon or firecracker plant? Your child will love to play with these plants and show them off to their friends.

Safety comes first in the garden when you are working with children, but there is a world of options out there for safe and fun kid friendly plants and flowers. Your child will carry the knowledge they learn working in the garden with them for the rest of their lives.

Learning to survive an attack is not only traumatic for many women, if often feels like it is going completely against the grain. Many of us still feel the urge to be polite and employ passive behaviors, especially when we are dealing with people that we do not know well and find ourselves in an unfamiliar environment. However, if you ever feel like you are under the threat of attack, listen to this instinct. Even if you are wrong, it is always better to be safe than sorry, especially in the case of potential attack. Here are some ideas to keep in mind that can help you move beyond passive behavior to taking an active role in your health and safety.

Got the urge to be polite? Resisting the urge for everyday behaviors

Let us say that you are not under the appearance of any threat, but you have a feeling in your gut that tells you otherwise. This is your instinct, telling you something. Yes, there is always the chance that you may be “imagining” something, or that you are merely on edge, but do you really want to take that chance? Many women still feel the urge to be polite or to downplay their instincts. If you find yourself in a bar, at a party, or wherever you may be, and you find yourself feeling threatened by someone, don’t be afraid to get away from them as soon as you can. You should discard the urge to be polite, no matter how difficult this may be. Follow your urge to stay safe, instead.

Feeling paranoid? Fighting back feelings of indecision in a crucial moment

Another common type of passive behavior that many people engage in is the feeling that they are being paranoid, and usually overly so. While there is always the chance that you are being paranoid, it is best to err on the side of caution. If you are not sure, it can help to get some kind of second opinion from someone you can trust. If you are truly at a loss about something or someone that you perceive about a threat, ask a trusted friend for their opinion. But again, never be afraid to trust your own instinct.

Learning to say “NO”

One of the hardest things for many people to do is to be forceful, especially with strangers or people they don’t know very well. Let us say that the guy at the bar won’t stop hitting on you. You are probably flattered at first, then slightly annoyed, then really annoyed. If you have made it clear that you are not interested, don’t be afraid to give a very forceful no. Predators may often seek out people who appear indecisive and not in full control of themselves. Avoid leaving any doubt in their mind that you are not interested, and make it clear that you are in full control of your person.

Avoid situations where you are not fully aware of your surroundings

This is where a night of too much drinking and carousing can be a problem. Drinking excessively causes you to lose control of your surroundings. This makes you much more vulnerable to attack. In the mind of a predator, a person who is relaxed, laughing and who appears to be having fun may be sending “mixed signals” when they reject advances. This is, of course, is a disturbed way of reading a situation. Predators will often justify violent actions by pointing to the presence of passive behavior, and taking advantage of it. Avoid this kind of thinking by remaining in control of your body and staying attuned to your environment.

Winter holidays, and perhaps all holidays in general, can overwhelm individuals; especially those who are trying to lose weight. Excess is a part of the holidays, big meals are cooked and caution is thrown to the wind when it comes to eating. Many people, even those on diets are more easily drawn to unhealthy foods and use the holidays as an excuse to eat – and potentially to gain back some weight that they worked so hard to lose. Other individuals may have been fit and healthy prior to the holidays, but as with other individuals, if the fit people have no indiscretions when it comes to eating, they may put on additional weight that they were not prepared for before the holidays.

First of all, it is important for dieters to make sure that they do not just go to holiday parties without a plan. This can be overwhelming and lead to an individual not eating healthily. Although some people may want to ignore sticking to a diet because of the holidays, the best thing to do is to have a plan ready for when they go to parties. This helps to insure that the individual has a plan for eating and staying in control of their weight.

This does not mean that people should be ignoring their holiday favorites when it comes to food. Certain foods and drinks are only available during holiday seasons. In the winter, for example, there are plenty of stores that carry eggnog. This is a delicious drink for many people, although not one of the healthiest. The biggest thing to consider over the holidays is that things can be had, but in moderation – just like every other season and time of year. One should not deprive themselves of the things that they like the most. When this happens, individuals are more likely to completely ignore their diets. If they feel like they have already lost because they ate something that they really love, but which is not healthy for them, they may feel like the battle is already lost and there’s no point in denying themselves any further. People need to realize that they can have the delicious treats they love, just in moderation and not a pan of cookies at a time.

Dieters can make a mental list of what they like and what they want to sample at the beginning of the season. This way, when they see foods they know whether or not they planned to eat them. Individuals who like a food most will remember the food and be consciously aware that they want to eat it. This way, if they see another food that is not healthy or naturally good for them, the person can decide not to eat it because they are waiting for the food that they remember which would probably taste better to the dieter if it is a favorite snack or meal. Remember, dieters are human and no one is perfect. Just because a person makes a mistake does not mean that they should be punished, especially if a dieter is trying to make it through the tough holiday season.