by: Eddie Allen

In 1992, Becky Thane started an organization to assist at the military bases overseas. She knew there is nothing worse than finding a great coupon only to realize that it has already expired. She also knew that the bases were the answer to that problem. They accept coupons that have expired.

Military commissaries overseas accept manufacturer coupons for up to six months past their printed expiration dates. That means that coupons that are useless to you can still save overseas military families some money by your sending these coupons to them no more than 2 months expired.

Initially the OCP was run as a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity under the name ‘Overseas Coupon Project’. Acts of Congress in 2001 and 2002 increased active duty military pay. Congress also commited to keep military pay higher. This has brought the vast majority of active duty service families above the Federal poverty level. Because of these changes, OCP was unable to maintain non-profit status.

We still felt, however, that many military families appreciate and need our help. So, we restructured our organization and changed the name to the Overseas Coupon Program. At that time I (Edward W. Allen III) took over the program. I had been with OCP for 5 years as an assistant running the Western USA distribution under the old program.

The program is now at www.ocpnet.org and is run fully on the internet. Most Americans have access to the internet or to someone that can access it for them. This site gives information on how to participate in the program:

To adopt a base and gives the base address.

To cut, sort and dollar total the coupons and how to ship them

To report the totals to the OCP to be posted at our web site

You can contribute as an individual or organization. A typical sunday news paper may have over $100 worth of coupons.

The base staff and the OCP staff are all voluntary. We do the best we can with our small staffs. The bases will not always be able to contact you and acknowledge receipt. They concentrate on getting the coupons out.

We at the OCP also get busy with real life at times and cannot always get back to you immediately. Remember that we do try to work on this every day but real life sometimes gets in the way.

About the Article:
Find out more about sending your expired coupons to military families overseas at www.ocpnet.org.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests waiting to start solids until your baby is 4-6 months old. What many people do not realize however is that the four months is meant more for formula fed babies while the six months is meant more for the breastfed babies. Why do they say wait and what are the pros and cons of starting your baby on food other than breast milk and formula?

Breast milk is full of iron unlike formula so it gives a baby the full amount of iron that they need while they grow for a longer amount of time. Because formula lacks as much iron, a baby who is formula fed should start on baby food at about four months old, in order to supplement and get more iron. Breast milk is so amazing because it changes as your baby grows giving your baby exactly what he needs, when he needs it, including the right amount of iron. This is why breast milk is best for the first year. Because your baby gets the iron from breast milk that he needs he doesn’t need baby food for at least six months.

Is your baby ready for solids? There are many ways you can tell from your baby’s development whether or not they are ready to start solids. A baby’s weight and development are very important. Can they sit, can they pick up objects? These are all very important to consider. For more on introducing solids, please click here.

There is really no reason to rush your baby into starting solids. There are some parents that choose to wait till nine months or closer to a year before they start their baby on food other than breast milk. Baby food is meant to help get babies acquainted to other flavors and learn how to eat food, however until they are a year old breast milk or formula should still make up at least 3/4 of their diet. Don’t feel pressured to start your baby on solids. If you are concerned about whether or not you should or your baby’s health, ask your pediatrician at your baby’s next well-check.

By Nicole O’Reilly

It is truly amazing the development that a baby experiences in the first year of life. Every week seems to bring another milestone for parents as well as baby! The primary way a baby learns is through play and baby games, it is how they start to make sense of their world. By providing a nurturing and safe environment for our babies we help to promote this learning that aids their early development.

The main groups for baby development in the first year are

1. Cognitive- relating to learning and problem solving
2. Social-relating to language and interacting with others
3. Motor Skills-both fine and gross motor skills. Learning to crawl and walk as well as pick up small objects.

In the early months babies love their hands and are endlessly occupied just playing with them and putting them into their mouths. Once they start being able to efficiently grasp at objects they will enjoy being given new toys to explore with hands and mouth. Make sure these objects are baby friendly, there is a wide range of baby specific toys to promote learning and exploration at different ages.

Once a baby is able to sit and roll the world takes on a whole new appearance. She is now able to see her surrounding as others do, and rather than passively laying on her back she can move towards something if it interests her. She has gained control of her head and neck and can visually track an object before grabbing for it.

Around this time rosy cheeks may appear as the first teeth start coming through. Some babies sail through teething while others do not cope well at all. Provide plenty of different textures and shapes for chewing. Sugar free icy poles are available which you can hold for your youngster or portions of watermelon or other cool fruits that he will not choke on.

After the first six months babies become much more social, enjoying many more games, particularly those that involve clapping, singing or tickling. Very early in life babies are able to recognise games of anticipation and seem to love knowing that they are going to be tickled, as much as the tickle itself! They will love story time and enjoy the process of turning pages and exploring the textures found in many books. You will find them smiling and playing with those they know but often quite reserved around strangers.

The culmination of all these ‘baby steps’ in development is that by the time your child turns one he will be close to saying his first words and possibly pulling himself up in preparation for walking. Your once helpless and tiny baby is almost a toddler!

Enjoy the pleasure your baby gets from his play and enjoy your time spent playing with him. Your reactions and words of encouragement mean more than any milestone he may pass.

About the Author:
The place to go for all your games needs for 0-6 year olds is Kids Fun and Games. Educational baby and toddler games, party games, crafts, indoor and outdoor games, festivals and more.