Khutbah Jumat Anak Shalih Adalah Aset Orang Tua

Oleh: Muh. S. Darwis

Khutbah Pertama

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِيْنُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهْ وَنَسْتَهْدِيْهِ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللهُ لَهُ نُوْرًا فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ نُوْرٍ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ. قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِيْنَ لَوْ تَرَكُوْا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَةً ضِعَافًا. (النساء: 9).
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ. وَأَحْيِنَا اَللَّهُمَّ عَلَى سُنَّتِهِ وَأَمِتْنَا عَلَى مِلَّتِهِ. وَبَعْدُ؛

Jamaah jama'ah rahimakumullah

Anak adalah buah hati bagi kedua orang tuanya yang sangat disayangi dan dicintainya.
Sewaktu bahtera rumah tangga pertama kali diarungi, maka pikiran pertama yang terlintas dalam benak suami istri adalah berapa jumlah anaknya kelak akan mereka miliki serta kearah mana anak tersebut akan dibawa.

Menurut Sunnah melahirkan anak yang banyak justru yang terbaik. Rasulullah Shallallaahu alaihi wa Salam bersabda:

تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَلُوْدَ وَالْوَدُوْدَ فَإِنِّيْ مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمْ.

Artinya: “Nikahilah wanita yang penuh dengan kasih sayang dan karena sesungguhnya aku bangga pada kalian dihari kiamat karena jumlah kalian yang banyak.” (HR. Abu Daud dan An Nasa’I, kata Al Haitsamin).

Namun yang menjadi masalah adalah kemana anak akan kita arahkan setelah mereka terlahir. Umumnya orang tua menginginkan agar kelak anak-anaknya dapat menjadi anak yang shalih, agar setelah dewasa mereka dapat membalas jasa kedua orang tuanya. Namun obsesi orang tua kadang tidak sejalan dengan usaha yang dilakukannya. Padahal usaha merupakan salah satu faktor yang sangat menentukan bagi terbentuknya watak dan karakter anak. Obsesi tanpa usaha adalah hayalan semu yang tak akan mungkin dapat menjadi kenyataan.

Bahkan sebagian orang tua akibat pandangan yang keliru menginginkan agar kelak anak-anaknya dapat menjadi bintang film (Artis), bintang iklan, fotomodel dan lain-lain. Mereka beranggapan dengan itu semua kelak anak-anak mereka dapat hidup makmur seperti kaum selebritis yang terkenal itu. Padahal dibalik itu semua mereka kering akan informasi tentang perihal kehidupan kaum selebritis yang mereka puja-puja. Hal ini terjadi akibat orang tua yang sering mengkonsumsi berbagai macam acara-acara hiburan diberbagai media cetak dan elektronik, karena itu opininya terbangun atas apa yang mereka lihat selama ini.

Jamaah jum’at rahimakumullah

Kehidupan sebagian besar selebritis yang banyak dipuja orang itu tidak lebih seperti kehidupan binatang yang tak tahu tujuan hidupnya selain hanya makan dan mengumbar nafsu birahinya. Hura-hura, pergaulan bebas, miras, narkoba dan gaya hidup yang serba glamour adalah konsumsi sehari-hari mereka. Sangat jarang kita saksikan di antara mereka ada yang perduli dengan tujuan hakiki mereka diciptakan oleh Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala , kalaupun ada mereka hanya menjadikan ritualisme sebagai alat untuk meraih tujuan duniawi, untuk mengecoh masyarakat tentang keadaan mereka yang sebenarnya.

 Apakah kita menginginkan anak-anak kita menjadi orang yang jauh dari agamanya yang kelihatannya bahagia di dunia namun menderita di akhirat? Tentu tidak. Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala berfirman:
artinya: “Dan hendaklah takut kepada Allah orang-orang yang sekiranya meninggalkan di belakang mereka anak-anak yang lemah, yang mereka khawatir terhadap (kesejahteraan)mereka” (An Nisa: 9).

Pengertian lemah dalam ayat ini adalah lemah iman, lemah fisik, lemah intelektual dan lemah ekonomi. Oleh karena itu selaku orang tua yang bertanggung jawab terhadap anak-anaknya, maka mereka harus memperhatikan keempat hal ini. Pengabaian salah satu dari empat hal ini adalah ketimpangan yang dapat menyebabkan ketidak seimbangan pada anak.

Imam Ibnu Katsir dalam mengomentari pengertian lemah pada ayat ini memfokuskan pada masalah ekonomi. Beliau mengatakan selaku orang tua hendaknya tidak meninggalkan keadaan anak-anak mereka dalam keadaan miskin . (Tafsir Ibnu Katsir: I, hal 432) Dan terbukti berapa banyak kaum muslimin yang rela meninggalkan aqidahnya (murtad) di era ini akibat keadaan ekonomi mereka yang dibawah garis kemiskinan.

Banyak orang tua yang mementingkan perkembangan anak dari segi intelektual, fisik dan ekonomi semata dan mengabaikan perkembangan iman. Orang tua terkadang berani melakukan hal apapun yang penting kebutuhan pendidikan anak-anaknya dapat terpenuhi, sementara untuk memasukkan anak-anak mereka pada TK-TP Al-Qur’an terasa begitu enggan. Padahal aspek iman merupakan kebutuhan pokok yang bersifat mendasar bagi anak.

Ada juga orang tua yang menyeimbangkan pemenuhan kebutuhan bagi anak-anak mereka dari keempat masalah pokok di atas, namun usaha yang dilakukannya kearah tersebut sangat diskriminatif dan tidak seimbang. Sebagai contoh: Ada orang tua yang dalam usaha mencerdaskan anaknya dari segi intelektual telah melaksanakan usahanya yang cukup maksimal, segala sarana dan prasarana kearah tercapainya tujuan tersebut dipenuhinya dengan sungguh-sungguh namun dalam usahanya memenuhi kebutuhan anak dari hal keimanan, orang tua terlihat setengah hati, padahal mereka telah memperhatikan anaknya secara bersungguh-sungguh dalam segi pemenuhan otaknya.

Jamaah jum’at rahimakumullah.
Karena itu sebagian orang tua yang bijaksana, mesti mampu memperhatikan langkah-langkah yang harus di tempuh dalam merealisasikan obsesinya dalam melahirkan anak yang shalih. Di bawah ini akan kami ketengahkan beberapa langkah yang cukup representatif dan membantu mewujudkan obsesi tersebut:

1. Opini atau persepsi orang tua atau anak yang shalih tersebut harus benar-benar sesuai dengan kehendak Islam berdasarkan Al-Qur’an dan sunnah Rasulullah Shallallaahu alaihi wa Salam , bersabda:

إِذَا مَاتَ بْنُ آدَمَ اِنْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثٍ، صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُوْ لَهُ.

Artinya: “Jika wafat anak cucu Adam, maka terputuslah amalan-amalannya kecuali tiga: Sadaqah jariah atau ilmu yang bermanfaat atau anak yang shalih yang selalu mendoakannya.” (HR.Muslim)

Dalam hadits ini sangat jelas disebutkan ciri anak yang shalih adalah anak yang selalu mendoakan kedua orang tuanya. Sementara kita telah sama mengetahui bahwa anak yang senang mendoakan orang tuanya adalah anak sedari kecil telah terbiasa terdidik dalam melaksanakan kebaikan-kebaikan,melaksanakan perintah-perintah Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala , dan menjauhi larangan-laranganNya. Anak yang shalih adalah anak yang tumbuh dalam naungan DienNya, maka mustahil ada anak dapat bisa mendoakan orang tuanya jika anak tersebut jauh dari perintah-perintah Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala dan senang bermaksiat kepadaNya. Anak yang senang bermaksiat kepada Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala , jelas akan jauh dari perintah Allah dan kemungkinan besar senang pula bermaksiat kepada kedua orang tuanya sekaligus.

Dalam hadits ini dijelaskan tentang keuntungan memiliki anak yang shalih yaitu, amalan-amalan mereka senantiasa berkorelasi dengan kedua orang tuanya walaupun sang orang tua telah wafat. Jika sang anak melakukan kebaikan atau mendoakan orang tuanya maka amal dari kebaikannya juga merupakan amal orang tuanya dan doanya akan segera terkabul oleh Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala .

Jadi jelaslah bagi kita akan gambaran anak yang shalih yaitu anak yang taat kepada Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala , menjauhi larangan-laranganNya, selalu mendoakan orang tuanya dan selalu melaksanakan kebaikan-kebaikan.

2. Menciptakan lingkungan yang kondusif ke arah tercipta-nya anak yang shalih.
Lingkungan merupakan tempat di mana manusia melaksana-kan aktifitas-aktifitasnya. Secara mikro lingkungan dapat dibagi dalam tiga bagian, yaitu:

a. Lingkungan keluarga
Keluarga merupakan sebuah institusi kecil dimana anak mengawali masa-masa pertumbuhannya. Keluarga juga merupakan madrasah bagi sang anak. Pendidikan yang didapatkan merupakan pondasi baginya dalam pembangunan watak, kepribadian dan karakternya.

Jama'ah jum’at rahimakumullah
Jika anak dalam keluarga senantiasa terdidik dalam warna keIslaman, maka kepribadiannya akan terbentuk dengan warna keIslaman tersebut. Namun sebaliknya jika anak tumbuh dalam suasana yang jauh dari nilai-nilai keIslaman, maka jelas kelak dia akan tumbuh menjadi anak yang tidak bermoral.

Seorang anak yang terlahir dalam keadaan fitrah, kemudian orang tuanyalah yang mewarnainya, Rasulullah Shallallaahu alaihi wa Salam bersabda:

كُلُّ مَوْلُوْدٍ يُوْلَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ، فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ. (رواه البخاري).

Artinya: “Setiap anak dilahirkan dalam keadaan yang fitrah (Islam), maka orang tuanya yang menyebabkan dia menjadi Yahudi, Nasrani atau Majusi.” (HR. Al-Bukhari)

Untuk itu orang tua harus dapat memanfaatkan saat-saat awal dimana anak kita mengalami pertumbuhannya dengan cara menanamkan dalam jiwa anak kita kecintaan terhadap diennya, cinta terhadap ajaran Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala dan RasulNya Shallallaahu alaihi wa Salam, sehingga ketika anak tersebut berhadapan dengan lingkungan lain anak tersebut memiliki daya resistensi yang dapat menangkal setiap saat pengaruh negatif yang akan merusak dirinya.

Agar dapat memudahkan jalan bagi pembentukan kepribadian bagi anak yang shalih, maka keteladanan orang tua merupakan faktor yang sangat menentukan. Oleh karena itu, selaku orang tua yang bijaksana dalam berinteraksi dengan anak pasti memperlihatkan sikap yang baik, yaitu sikap yang sesuai dengan kepribadian yang shalih sehingga anak dapat dengan mudah meniru dan mempraktekkan sifat-sifat orang tuanya

b. Lingkungan Sekolah
Sekolah merupakan lingkungan di mana anak-anak berkumpul bersama teman-temannya yang sebaya dengannya. Belajar, bermain dan bercanda adalah kegiatan rutin mereka di sekolah. Sekolah juga merupakan sarana yang cukup efektif dalam membentuk watak dan karakter anak. Di sekolah anak-anak akan saling mempengaruhi sesuai dengan watak dan karakter yang diperolehnya dalam keluarga mereka masing-masing. Anak yang terdidik secara baik di rumah tentu akan memberi pengaruh yang positif terhadap teman-temanya. Sebaliknya anak yang di rumahnya kurang mendapat pendidikan yang baik tentu akan memberi pengaruh yang negatif menurut karakter dan watak sang anak.

Faktor yang juga cukup menentukan dalam membentuk watak dan karakter anak di sekolah adalah konsep yang diterapkan sekolah tersebut dalam mendidik dan mengarahkan setiap anak didik.

Sekolah yang ditata dengan managemen yang baik tentu akan lebih mampu memberikan hasil yang memuaskan dibandingkan dengan sekolah yang tidak memperhatikan sistem managemen. Sekolah yang sekedar dibangun untuk kepentingan bisnis semata pasti tidak akan mampu menghasilkan murid-murid yang berkwalitas secara maksimal, kualitas dalam pengertian intelektual dan moral keagamaan.

Kualitas intelektual dan moral keagamaan tenaga pengajar serta kurikulum yang dipakai di sekolah termasuk faktor yang sangat menentukan dalam melahirkan murid yang berkualitas secara intelektual dan moral keagamaan.

Oleh sebab itu orang tua seharusnya mampu melihat secara cermat dan jeli sekolah yang pantas bagi anak-anak mereka. Orang tua tidak harus memasukkan anak mereka di sekolah-sekolah favorit semata dalam hal intelektual dan mengabaikan faktor perkembangan akhlaq bagi sang anak, karena sekolah tersebut akan memberi warna baru bagi setiap anak didiknya.

Keseimbangan pelajaran yang diperoleh murid di sekolah akan lebih mampu menyeimbangkan keadaan mental dan intelektualnya. Karena itu sekolah yang memiliki keseimbangan kurikulum antara pelajaran umum dan agama akan lebih mampu memberi jaminan bagi seorang anak didik.

c. Lingkungan Masyarakat
Masyarakat adalah komunitas yang terbesar dibandingkan dengan lingkungan yang kita sebutkan sebelumnya. Karena itu pengaruh yang ditimbulkannya dalam merubah watak dan karakter anak jauh lebih besar.

Masyarakat yang mayoritas anggotanya hidup dalam kemaksiatan akan sangat mempengaruhi perubahan watak anak kearah yang negatif. Dalam masyarakat seperti ini akan tumbuh berbagai masalah yang merusak ketenangan, kedamaian, dan ketentraman.

Anak yang telah di didik secara baik oleh orang tuanya untuk selalu taat dan patuh pada perintah Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala dan RasulNya, dapat saja tercemari oleh limbah kemaksiatan yang merajalela disekitarnya. Oleh karena itu untuk dapat mempertahankan kwalitas yang telah terdidik secara baik dalam institusi keluarga dan sekolah, maka kita perlu bersama-sama menciptakan lingkungan masyarakat yang baik, yang kondusif bagi anak.

Masyarakat terbentuk atas dasar gabungan individu-individu yang hidup pada suatu komunitas tertentu. Karena dalam membentuk masyarakat yang harmonis setiap individu memiliki peran dan tanggung jawab yang sama. Persepsi yang keliru biasanya masih mendominasi masyarakat. Mereka beranggapan bahwa yang bertanggung jawab dalam masalah ini adalah pemerintah, para da’i, pendidik atau ulama. Padahal Rasulullah Shallallaahu alaihi wa Salam , bersabda:

مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ اْلإِيْمَانِ. (رواه مسلم).

Artinya: “Barangsiapa di antaramu melihat kemungkaran hendaklah ia merubahnya dengan tangannya, jika ia tidak sanggup maka dengan lidahnya, dan jika tidak sanggup maka dengan hatinya. Dan itu adalah selemah-lemah iman.” (HR. Muslim)

Jika setiap orang merasa tidak memiliki tanggung jawab dalam hal beramar ma’ruf nahi munkar, maka segala kemunkaran bermunculan dan merajalela di tengah masyarakat kita dan lambat atau cepat pasti akan menimpa putra dan putri kita. Padahal kedudukan kita sebagai umat yang terbaik yang dapat memberikan ketentraman bagi masyarakat kita hanya dapat tercapai jika setiap individu muslim secara konsisten menjalankan amar ma’ruf nahi munkar, karena Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala berfirman:

Artinya: “Kamu adalah umat terbaik yang dilahirkan untuk manusia, menyuruh kepada yang ma’ruf dan mencegah dari yang munkar dan beriman kepada Allah...” (Ali Imran: 110).

Jamaah jum’at rahimakumullah
Amar ma’ruf adalah kewajiban setiap individu masing-masing yang harus dilaksanakan. Jika tidak maka Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala , pasti akan menimpakan adzabnya di tengah-tengah kita dan pasti kita akan tergolong orang-orang yang rugi Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala berfirman:

Artinya: “Dan hendaklah ada di antara kamu segolongan umat yang menyeru kepada kebajikan, menyuruh kepada yang ma’ruf dan mencegah dari yang munkar merekalah orang-orang yang beruntung.” (Ali-Imran: 104).

Untuk itu di akhir khutbah ini marilah kita bersama-sama merasa peduli terhadap kelangsungan hidup generasi kita, semoga dengan kepedulian kita itulah Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala akan senantiasa menurunkan pertolonganNya kepada kita dan memenangkan Islam di atas agama-agama lainnya. Marilah kita berdo’a kepada Allah Subhannahu wa Ta'ala .

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مُقِيْمَ الصَّلاَةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ، رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءَ. رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْحِسَابُ.
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِيْ هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِيْ وَلَكُمْ. فَاسْتَغْفِرُوْهُ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ، وَادْعُوْهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ.

Khutbah kedua.

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِيْنُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهْ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ. وَالصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ؛
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلاَئِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُّهاَ الَّذِيْنَ ءَامَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِيْمًا. اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَجِيْدٌ. وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَجِيْدٌ. اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ اْلأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَاْلأَمْوَاتِ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ. اَللَّهُمَ أَصْلِحْ أَحْوَالَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَأَرْخِصْ أَسْعَارَهُمْ وَآمِنْهُمْ فِيْ أَوْطَانِهِمْ. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
عِبَادَ اللهِ، إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْعَدْلِ وَاْلإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُوْنَ. فَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاسْأَلُوْهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُمْ وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ.

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How Parents Can Become Excellent Home School Teachers

Do you enjoy teaching? Do you like to sit with your child and help them learn to read. Do you enjoy putting puzzles together or going on trips to discover something new?

For parents who believe that home schooling is a valid way to educate your children, you may be able to become a teacher. This will allow you achieve your desire to be a teacher but also be responsible for your child's education.

As a home schooling parent you have the flexibility to teach the child in alternative and different ways. You are not regulate to teaching with the typical and normal set rules and regulations of the typical school system.

Additionally the parent is able to incorporate their own religious and, ethical and moral beliefs into the teaching curriculum. As the parent you can shape the values the child learns at home and not through the typical schools.

You should realize that it is a great responsibility to handle your child's education. Many parents believe they are not able to teach since they do not have degrees or certificates in teaching. This is not necessarily the case as you can have tutors instruct your child with subjects that you are not comfortable with.

These tips are some that you can use in order to become a good home school teacher:

1. Have a desire to teach your children 

You do not need a specific teaching certificate in order to become a home school teacher. What you need to have is the desire to teach your children. Many parents think that they must experience being a teacher or have a teaching certificate. This is not the case at all. Every parent has something to offer in the education of their children.

2. You have to believe that you and your child can home school.

Teaching your children how to learn things and how to achieve something in life will all be put to waste if you will not believe that your children can definitely achieve something and be successful. In this way, you will be able to teach things that you believe your child can do very well.

3. Understand your child's needs.

In order to be a home school teacher and in order to ensure quality education, it is best that do the research and gain a good understanding of home schooling.

Being a home school teacher does not necessarily mean you have to do what teachers do in other schools because learning in a typical school is different from home schooling. What is important is that you should have the desire and interest to teach your children. Any parent can be an effective teacher to their children. 

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Internet Moutains Not The Yellow Brick Road

Rick Beneteau a great author and the inovator of The Ezine Marketing Machine once wrote. "The road to success is often a steep and rocky one. There are mountains in your way, not on the roadmap that you must be prepared to climb."

This one small portion of a paragraph stuck with me more then anything else I have read on the subject of success on the Internet.

This story is not about Rick or about roads Though. It is however about the great mountains to success that lay in front of each of the brave souls that dare to travel the Internet marketing super highway.

With any mountain there are many dangers. With narrows, overhangs, cliffs, boulders, and loose rocks, dangers every one.

Even to the best-trained mountaineer one wrong calculation, a bad dission or the wrong hand placement can plumit them spiraling down to disaster, to their doom.

Of course there is a lot of wonderful safety equipment that the trained mountain climber can choose from to make there climb to the top a safe one. Also I am quite sure any intelligent mountaineer wouldn't ever think about climbing any mountain with out the proper education and a complete understanding of the terrain.

Just like that mountain. Marketing on the Internet has many dangers obstacles that could cause disaster for even the best of the Internet marketers. Anyone wanting to market anything on line should educate them self's and get to know the terrain before ever taking that first step.

In my opinion education is far and above the single most important element a new internet marketer should strive for. Let me just mention that the best place that I know of, for any person just starting or even the long term Internet veteran to get the very best in depth Internet marketing education is at Success University.

I wish some one had shared this information about Success University with me when I was first thinking about starting my Internet marketing career.
Believe me I have spent a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of money along the way just to end up full circle, broke and clueless. Unfortunately for me in one way or another I fell pray to just about every scam artist out there.

After about a dozen Make A Million Dollars Over Night and Get A Zillion Email Address By This Time Tomorrow scams I smartened up. Oh did I mention thick headedness runs my family.

My point to all of this is that the road to riches in Internet marketing is not the wonderful yellow brick road that 90% if the emails and webpage's that are sent your way each day will tell you it is. You can't get a million dollars over night. No matter what the experts say, unless maybe a rich Uncle dies, or you win the lottery.

The only true way to succeed on the Internet today is to have a solid plan that includes education and a lot of hard work.

The education part, Success University can help you with. The hard work, Well That's up to you. 

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Morphology - The New Technology Jargon

I chanced upon this book titled "The Morphology of Modern Linguistics" at the recently concluded 2006 World Book Fair in Singapore. Intrigued, I browsed Wikipedia, my favorite people's encyclopedia, for "morphology" which is featured under linguistics, mathematics and even biology.

What about technology, especially in the current midst of trend changes, and especially in the case of information technology?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is one obvious platform that experiences the technological morphology. No longer must VoIP users be confined to their own voices while talking to families, discussing business matters or conducting long-distance interviews. Voice changers could conveniently morph natural voices across many ranges, like age, gender, or both.

Another information front that epitomizes this new morphology concept is the personal absorption of multimedia clips. Forget the debate over Blu-ray DVD or HD-DVD; this is about the listeners and viewers being empowered to edit audio and video quality at will. More technically said, DVD morpher software offers an ability to morph music and movies, adding special audio and video effects to the tracks or removing unwanted scenes from favorite videos.

In addition to all the above, the latest I have heard of is that you could as well change your webcam image, without even a need for a webcam while live chatting. People are now able to add animated texts and pictures to the webcam image, or fake it with another face accompanied by real gestures and expressions, which is made possible by something that might be called webcam morpher.

The way computers are applied to the world has, since the vast construction of undersea fibre optic cables and the constant development of complementary software products, been transformed into more than just a routine work-study template, but an experience of networking and entertainment.

And, right in the heart of that phenomenal marvel lies the morphology of technology, which connotes the manipulation and modification of end-results by computer tasks.

About the Author:

Josh Nowell is a press correspondent for Media Morpher. He is an observer of technology trends and is keen on analyzing how technology could enrich the human life.

He could be contacted at media@audio4fun.com (Attention to Josh Nowell).

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Small Engine Vehicles: Should You Overhaul?

Spring and summer are the seasons of the small engine vehicle. It is during these months that the lawn mowers, landscaping equipment, and golf carts get their heaviest use. It is also during this time of year that they get the most attention. These vehicles can last for many seasons over many years when properly cared for. These engines need proper attention on a regular basis so that their performance can be maintained or fixed quickly before they evolve into bigger and more serious issues. There will be times when issues with the engine cannot be fixed by simple maintenance or small fixes. When this happens, a complete overhaul or replacement of the engine may be necessary.

It is important that the owner of one of these small engine vehicles check all other possibilities before overhauling or replacing the motor all together. Odd sounds in the engine or less than ideal performance can be fixed with oil or other fluid changes, carburetor fixes, or a thorough cleaning.

The following are signs that your engine needs serious help, and may require overhauling or reporting.

Noise
Excessive noise when the mower or cart is running is the first sign that something is wrong. Knocking or banging can be caused by a worn out engine or a piece that has worn out or is about to. Don't jump the gun, however. Noises happen. Investigate the engine through regular maintenance to see if these noises are new, understandable or fixable before going down the replacement or overhaul route. Unusual sounds may be fixed quickly. Persistent noises are signs of repair or replacement. 

Mechanical
According to Samuel M. Goldwasser of Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ, broken, damaged, or bent engine parts are a strong indicator that an overhaul is needed. These types of problems may cause your mower or cart to fail to start. If the engine is able to turn over and start, damaged parts may cause vehicle shaking or vibration. Some damaged engine parts may be possible to replace separately. Major pieces, however, may require a complete engine overhaul.

Compression Changes
Low compression is caused by low oil levels or strain on rings, valves or gaskets and will result in the inability to start or keep a vehicle started. Like an automobile, failure to remain started is a clear indicate that there are problems related to the starter system and/or engine cylinders. Low compression, according to Goldwasser, may not require a complete overhaul, however, but may require replacement of the rings or cylinder head.

Overhauling a mower or cart is something that some people are comfortable doing on their own. For those that feel boring holes into cylinders and carburetors is a daunting task, repowering your small engine with a small engine replacement kit may be a better alternative to overhauling your small engine vehicle yourself. These kits are rebuilt, higher powered small engines that come with all the necessary replacement parts and clear instructions for installing it. Either will save you money in comparison with replacing the entire piece of equipment, but one may be easier and more efficient than the other.

~ Ben Anton, 2008 

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Creating Online Communities

Looking for somewhere online to meet new people, discuss hobbies, plan events, or just have fun chatting? Online forums have been around for some time on the internet and often free and easy to setup. Forums are basically online discussion web sites where people share information and chat grouped around a set of topics. One example might be a local photography club. You could setup topics around types of cameras, locations for shooting, local events and meetings, printing tips, etc. Often there are administrators and moderators that help to keep the discussion orderly and on topic.

Some items to consider when starting an online forum include…

Cost – Often you can find them for free. There will probably be some advertising on the site, but don't most sites now a days?

Features – Does the forum support avatars, private messages, user levels, themes, etc.

Security – Is it possible to create forums that only register users can post in? Helps to avoid those spammers.

I cannot stress the last one enough. You should be completely able to control who is in your forums. One bad apple spoils the bunch. On that same note, it is common for a forums to have moderators. These are people that help enforce the rules in the forum. Make sure your choose your help wisely. When it comes to administrators, there should only ever be one. Administrators have the keys to the city and can set your forum ablaze.

Finally to make a forum a success you need to attract people to it to join. Obviously if it is for a church or some other established group, this is relatively easy. Tell your friends, family, club members. If you are starting from scratch, do the same. Tell people, show people, invite people. Check to see if your forum site is listed in search engines like google. Once you get past that initial setup and recruitment your will soon be on your way to having a forum that you and your friends can enjoy.

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Extreme Blogging- Uses and Benefits

Blogs. Most people have either heard of them, read them, or have created their very own. Blogs or blogging has become very popular across the internet recently. Blogging is seen as something to do for fun, for a hobby, or in thinking and reflecting on the experiences you are writing about. This holds truth as some of the most common uses for blogging are personal, yet few realize the power of blogging. Though blogging is a way to interact and connect with others, there are many other uses for it.

Blogging is a great way to share knowledge and gain knowledge. For example, if someone has a question they can ask it on their blog where they can potentially get a lot of good answers and suggestions. Blogging is a good way to communicate with others across long distances. Blogging is, of course a great way of self-expression and self-promotion. It can be a safe haven for some who are otherwise more inhibited to be able to speak their mind and give their opinions on a certain subjects without having to show their face. Blogging can be used to track experiences, somewhat like a diary or journal, where there are daily entries that are dated. Blogging can also be utilized in storytelling. They are used in campaigning to get the word out about whatever the issue may be. Imagine how many people surf the web and can potentially see your issue. Great things can happen with such a huge audience involved. 

Blogging can help in building community amongst different types of people. Blogging is also a great way to meet business partners. Some of the up and coming uses include opportunities in corporations and education, entertainment, health care, and government.

Blogging can also broadcast information, such as news rapidly one place to another. Therefore it's possible to learn about various events before they are even reported through T.V. and newspapers etc. Another benefit of blogging is that it can increase visits to a website, which is great marketing. What better way to get people to your site for free. Blogs are practical everyday tools, like email. The blogging boom is on and it's wise to get on board while it gains popularity. Whatever your blog is used for, it can help you out in a positive way. Blogging has definitely become professional in its use. So go out and start your blog! 

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Affiliates, How To Become An Article Marketer

If you're at all familiar with Article Marketing, then you know that the main thrust behind your articles is the bio box or resource box. This is where you put a link to a significant website that you're trying to promote.

But that can be a real problem when you're attempting to promote a product that isn't your own.

Affiliate links can be long and rather ugly, not to mention obvious. So it becomes pretty difficult to get your readers to see you as an expert when your links have all those "=", "?" and long arrays of numbers and codes in it.

To add to the problem, most of the article directories now strip out html coding in both the article body and the bio box and hyperlink your URL instead.

So hiding your long affiliate link behind some coded text is pretty much out of the question too. Which leaves you to post your articles with your affiliate link hyerlinked in your bio box. And as you probably know, it's awfully hard to hide something that's neon blue against a background of black and white.

There are, however,a few things you can do to hide the fact that you're promoting an affiliate product. Some of them have some potential drawbacks, but when you're desperate, anything is better than nothing.

1. URL Shrinkers:

Pros: These are usually free to use and can quickly change any link to a much smaller, cloaked link. You just have to paste your long affiliate link in the box and click one button to get a mini link that will take visitors to the same site.

Cons: Your new URL will have the link shrinker's domain name. If they are a popular service you might find your links timing out when their servers get over worked. < 

Seasoned marketers usually know what a shrunken URL means (affiliate link).

2. PHP Script Rerouters:

Pros: Allows you to create alternate links directly on your own domain. Good for Article Marketing because they usually have you place the script in a folder named "recommends" or something similar. So your link looks like . . .

"yourdomain.com/recommends/theirproduct"

Cons: You have to manually tweak php files and upload them to your server. Then you have to have a system where you can keep track of all your real affiliate links, what you've renamed them and where they are on your server.

3. Desktop Link Management Programs:

Pros: You fill in a few lines on a form, click a couple buttons and your new links are created and uploaded to your server for you. Your real affiliate links are stored in the system along with the name and location of your rerouted links. Plus you're able to easily modify the whole process.

You can create hundreds of links for one product, which is a big plus for article marketing because if you use an article submission program you can load all your different links into different bio boxes, which solves the html code stripping problem in the directories.

Cons: They don't come free. There's a price to pay for ease, speed and efficiency. Prices vary, but expect to pay at the lowest around $40.

In any event, there are ways to successfully turn an Affiliate Marketer into a high powered Article Marketer. Affiliate links don't have to look like affiliate links anymore, which opens things up for Affiliate Marketers to use this highly effective marketing venue. 

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The Basics of Mulch

Mulch is a term used in the agriculture and gardening industry to refer to a protective layer of covering placed on top of the soil to tame the effects of the climate. Mulch can be composed of natural or synthetic materials or the combination of both to form a wide assortment of covering substance.

Farmers and gardeners cover soils with mulch for various purposes. First it controls the proliferation of weeds by depriving them from sunlight and thus decreasing the chance for their germination. Next it helps retain water in the soil by slowing down the process of evaporation. Mulch also doubles as fertilizer when natural mulch materials break down into organic matter and nutrients which are beneficial for plant life. Certain materials of mulch can also repel insects that can be quite harmful to plants. Mulch also helps plants to grow by reflecting sunlight to the plants upwards, which increases the process of photosynthesis – the production of plant food. Mulch also helps provide a dry and clean surface for the thriving of fruits that lie on the ground such as melons, cantaloupes, and squash.

There are many materials used in making mulch. Some materials are used by themselves while other are used in combination with each other. Mulch may be made of organic residues such as dry leaves, hay sawdust, wood chips, shredded newspapers, grass clippings, straw, wool and other safe scrap materials; such materials can also become natural fertilizers as they decompose and break down. Mulch can also be made of compost, fully decomposed materials, too keep the nutritional requirements of the plants. When using compost as mulch, it is important to remove all traces of weeds and their seeds to prevent their growth. Mulch may also be made from plastic to protect the soil and maintain its consistency. This is especially helpful for large agricultural industries. Another a material for mulch are organic sheets, they serve similar purposes as with plastic mulch, but they are biodegradable and thus more environment friendly. Rock and gravel can also serve as mulch, they are most often used to retain heat in cold areas and seasons. Pine needles can also be used as mulch and they are helpful in adjusting the soil temperature, keeping the soil warm during spring and fall, and cool during the summers. 

The application of mulch usually occurs around the start of each growing season. If necessary, additional mulch is applied throughout the period. During the early stages of germination, mulch serves as insulator that keeps necessary heat within the soil. This helps seed to grow quickly and seedlings to grow rapidly as well. During the latter stages of plant growth, mulch regularizes moisture and temperature, keeping the plant and the soil in good condition for growth. At this point, mulch is also used to prevent the thriving of weeds. Mulch may also have certain aesthetic purposes. Shredded wood or other materials can be colored to look good in the landscape.

Mulch can be applied either manually or with the help of machines. Certain equipment may help applying mulch. For instance, plastic mulch can be laid down by a tractor as it forms planting beds in the field. Otherwise, mulch can be placed by the farmers and gardeners' hands.

There are other types and functions of mulch. They are such helpful components of landscapes as they provide many things that are beneficial to farms and gardens.
 

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Fundraising With Food

Fundraising with food has been a long time favorite for sports team fundraising. It is effective, provides something most people like and are willing to pay for, and the variety is vast. Whatever type of food fundraiser you choose for your team, there are three things you must do to get the most out of your efforts.

Food Fundraisers: Go For Mass Appeal
First, choose a popular product that will appeal to the greatest number of potential customers. Your choice should be appropriate to your target audience, be priced fairly, include a good profit margin, and be seasonally viable. For example, don't sell sweets while the Girl Scouts annual cookie fundraiser is in progress!

Once you choose a product or group of products, use publicity to get the word out. Use school publications, posters, and all the usual suspects.

Take it to the next level by issuing a press release on local radio and newspapers. Most local publications offer this as a free service for non-profit organizations. This will spread your reach beyond the team, their families, neighbors, and friends.

Prepare and Execute!
Secondly, design your plan for execution. Everyone, including your team should know your group goal, your stretch goal, and their individual goal. Create a sales script for the team. Rehearse it at practice in a role playing way.

Would you rather make a purchase from an unprepared athlete who mumbles at his shoes, or from one that is prepared with what to say and looks their potential customer in the eye while conveying the appropriate message?

That message should briefly tell what product they are offering, who they are raising money for, and how the money will be used. (New uniforms, equipment, trip to the play-offs, etc.)

Offer Sales Incentives
Offer incentives for top sellers. Rewards should be quality prizes, not junk. Many fundraising suppliers include prize incentives for top sales attainment. If there is an additional charge for incentives, or if the incentives offered are not appropriate for your team, ask local businesses to donate prizes.

Have a recognition party announcing the top sellers. Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done in the presence of their peers. If you tally your numbers daily, the top selling player has to run five less laps than the rest of the team.

Go Where The Money Is
As part of your execution plan, consider boosting your reach by selling your products from a table at a shopping center. These are customers that you may not reach otherwise, and can more than double your sales.

Approach the management of a shopping center for permission first. Then organize your volunteers in teams to cover the sales tables in shifts.

Advertise clearly at each sales table. In large print on posters, tell who is selling, what they are selling, and how the money will be used. Use not only multiple locations, but multiple tables at each location.

Give Extra Options
Third and finally, provide several ways the community can help your cause. Offering a variety of products helps ensure there is something that will appeal to everyone.

Or offer an overlay fundraising item. Not every customer will want the food products you have chosen to sell.

Offer a fundraising discount card in addition to your primary offering. Whether it is a two for one discount pizza card, or a fast food discount card, these can add substantial profit to your bottom line.

By offering your primary product and an overlay item, you could double the likelihood that a purchase will be made.

Don't forget the most obvious overlay: a donation.

If a customer does not want to make a purchase, always ask if they would prefer to make a donation to help your cause. 

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Being Creative With Your Fundraising Ideas

Have you realized just how much fundraising is going on these days? There is fundraising for little league, school fundraisers, and the college fundraiser, as well as church fundraisers. Day cares need more funds, hospitals need new equipment, and cheerleaders need to fundraise for their costumes. And to think up new fundraising ideas that will be successful is becoming more challenging every day.

On a good note, it shows that people do care how others live and cope with their lives. However, it also means that, because we are always being asked to donate to one good cause after another, we are not always able to help. Despite our best intentions, our own funds simply will not stretch that far.

However, if we request the donation of items instead of cash, that is often a relief to a potential donor. People will often gladly donate a can of food for a food drive, or a kitchen item they have never used for a sale, whereas they would not donate cash. And there are many kinds of fundraising ideas you can use to hold sales based on items collected.

For example, you could hold a toy drive that would give your organization toys to sell to support your work. Or what about a gardening sale? If you have some volunteers with green thumbs, they could easily grow some plant cuttings or start some seeds or bulbs growing ready for a plant sale in the spring or early summer, when the general public is looking to restock their garden after the winter.

Book sales are always well attended, but of course you will need to collect a lot of donated books to make this a success, as books do not generally sell for a high price. You could approach local publishers to see if they have any books that they could donate to support your cause. If they do give you some books, don't forget to write them after your event to thank them and also to let them know how successful you were and how much their donation helped you. Donors like to be thanked, and they are more likely to support you in the future if they know their gift has been appreciated in the past. 

Some groups like to ask for donated items and then they use these to make up some themed gift baskets which they then raffle, usually at another fundraising event. For example you may make up a bath basket containing some soap, hand towels and bath salts from your donated items. The trick here is to keep raffle tickets affordable, especially if you are expecting those that donated the items to be buying the raffle tickets!

You may find that some people are willing to volunteer their time rather than funds. For example an electrician may prefer to spend a half day checking the wiring in the new offices your non-profit group just moved into, rather than donate cash. As long as this benefits your non-profit organization, any donation is welcome, whether it is time or money, but make sure your donors know what the goal of your organization is, and how their assistance will help you. They may then mention it to their circle of friends, and this kind of promotion is very valuable.
 

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So Many Affiliate Programs! Which One Do I Choose?

You need to ask questions first before you join an affiliate program. Do a little research about the choices of program that you intend to join into. Get some answers because they will be the deciding point of what you will be achieving later on.

Will it cost you anything to join? Most affiliate programs being offered today are absolutely free of charge. So why settle for those that charge you some dollars before joining.

When do they issue the commission checks? Every program is different. Some issue their checks once a month, every quarter, etc. Select the one that is suited to your payment time choice. Many affiliate programs are setting a minimum earned commission amount that an affiliate must meet or exceed in order for their checks to be issued.

What is the hit per sale ratio? This is the average number of hits to a banner or text link it takes to generate a sale based on all affiliate statistics. This factor is extremely important because this will tell you how much traffic you must generate before you can earn a commission from the sale.

How are referrals from an affiliate's site tracked and for how long do they remain in the system? You need to be confident on the program enough to track those people you refer from your site. This is the only way that you can credit for a sale. The period of time that those people stay in the system is also important. This is because some visitors do not buy initially but may want to return later to make the purchase. Know if you will still get credit for the sale if it is done some months from a certain day.

What are the kinds of affiliate stats available? Your choice of affiliate program should be capable of offering detailed stats. They should be available online anytime you decide to check them out. Constantly checking your individual stats is important to know how many impressions, hits and sales are already generated from your site. Impressions are the number of times the banner or text link was viewed by a visitor of your site. A hit is the one clicking on the banner or text links.< 

Does the affiliate program also pay for the hits and impressions besides the commissions on sales? It is important that impressions and hits are also paid, as this will add to the earnings you get from the sales commission. This is especially important if the program you are in offers low sales to be able to hit ratio.

Who is the online retailer? Find out whom you are doing business with to know if it is really a solid company. Know the products they are selling and the average amount they are achieving. The more you know about the retailer offering you the affiliate program, the easier it will be for you to know if that program is really for you and your site.

Is the affiliate a one tier or two tier program? A single tier program pays you only for the business you yourself have generated. A two tier program pays you for the business, plus it also pays you a commission on the on the sales generated by any affiliate you sponsor in your program. Some two-tier programs are even paying small fees on each new affiliate you sponsor. More like a recruitment fee.

Lastly, what is the amount of commission paid? 5% - 20% is the commission paid by most programs. .01% - .05% is the amount paid for each hit. If you find a program that also pays for impressions, the amount paid is not much at all. As you can see from the figures, you will now understand why the average sales amount and hit to sale ratio is important.

These are just some of the questions that needed answering first before you enter into an affiliate program. You should be familiar with the many important aspects that your chosen program should have before incorporating them into your website. Try to ask your affiliate program choices these questions. These can help you select the right program for you site from among the many available.

If you would like to see some of the Affiliate Programs that answer the above Questions
go to http://www.work-home-profits.com
and have a look.

Warmest Regards,

Greg LLoyd
 

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Blogs' Way With Words Adds To Success Almost Immediately!

There are many ways to make your blog a successful one. Blog writers put a lot of work in their writing and for the most part, want readers to visit. But, there are thousands of blogs available for readers online. If you want to make your blog successful then you must consider what your reader wants.

A blog is an easy and instant way to share your thoughts and feelings with readers. It is easy to build readership to your blog when you are ready to share your writing with others. Because there are so many other blogs on the Internet, if you want your blog to be a successful one, it is important to help your blog stand out from the thousands of other blogs that are available to readers. A few simple tips can help make your blog add up to success.

Allowing your readers to leave comments is a great way to make your blog more successful. Even if you are posting random thoughts about your day, you will feel more accomplished if you know someone is reading your work. A successful blog will enable their readers to contact them either through email or through comment boxes on the site. In addition, a successful blog writer can gain more readers by doing the same for other writers. By visiting other blog sites and posting comments, a writer can encourage others to read their blog. In addition, your readers will feel important and included when you respond nicely to their comments. Even if someone responds negatively to your writing, a successful blogger will still thank the reader for his or her opinion. Communication is a great way to a successful blog.

Another way to make your blog writing successful is to look into track backs. A track back is the system used to notify a writer when another writer writes about their blog. It sounds confusing, but it is really simple. If you read a blog by someone else and decide for whatever reason to write about that blog in your own blog, a track back will tell the other writer about your blog. Usually, this will lead to that writer reading your blog and can evolve into communication. Over time, you can even link the blogs together and share readership. Track backs can help start communities of like-minded individuals and get others who might not have otherwise found your blog, to read your blog. Track backs can also increase the amount of traffic to your blog site 

Successful blog writers also make good use of tag boards. Tags are the links that help a reader navigate quickly through a site. Using keywords, a blog can list all entries containing certain keywords together. When a reader wants to read about that one subject, they only need to look at the tag board and select what they are interested in reading. Tagging is highly recommended for blog writers that want to increase their traffic to their site. This is also an important feature for business. Not all blog-hosting sites will offer this feature, but it can be downloaded to most blog sites. When you use this feature, or any feature that involves links to other blogs or websites it is always a good idea to check the links to make sure they work. Readers will become frustrated when the links available on your site are no good.

Another way to a successful blog is to write about what your reader wants to read. This can be done easily when you are able to link with other people with similar interest. For example, if you are a stay at home mom and want to write about your life with a two year old, do not try to get readers that are only interested in pet care. Visit parenting boards and communities and get others with the same interests to visit the site. In addition, make sure that your site is edited for spelling and typing errors before publishing and that you have updated your site frequently. Not updating your blog on a regular basis will lead you to lose readers to other sites that are kept up to date. Also, look into blog hosting sites that eliminates annoying ads or screen pop-ups. Most of the time, you might have to pay a small monthly fee for these ad-free sites, but if you want to build readership, this can be a small price to pay. 

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How to Get Your Child to Think for Themselves

Do you find that you are continually telling your children what to do? Brush your teeth, put your plate away, make your bed, don't forget your hat, put on your shoes…sometimes the list feels endless.

I don't know what it is about putting on shoes but I used to have battles with both my children to put their shoes on. I remember one time screaming at Jake to put his shoes on because I had told him, maybe ten times to do it, and he hadn't. He was playing or getting distracted or pretending he didn't know how. Then I lost it, he burst into tears and his shoes still weren't on. I'm sure the neighbours must have thought I was balmy yelling about shoes! Before I became a mother I would never thought that I could end up screaming about something so trivial.

After I thought about what had happened and I was shocked that I had exploded over such a simple thing but as any parent knows it's the simple things that trip you up. The positive out of all of that was that I knew there had to be a better way.

I started off by asking Jake to put his shoes on and then just expecting him to do it. I refused to repeatedly tell him what to do. That helped but it wasn't quite enough. Then I started asking him what he needed to do to get ready and after a short period of time, bingo! He got that going out meant shoes on. Sure there was the odd grumble but nothing like before.

If you're tired of being your child's personal alarm then try asking them questions instead. Questions like 'what do you need to do to get ready?' if you're going out somewhere. Or 'what do you do after you've finished your dinner?' when they get up and walk away from the dinner table with their plate and glass sitting where they left them. Or 'do you have everything you need?' when they are about to begin their homework or go outside and play ball

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الاسلام

الإسلام هو أحد الأديان الإبراهيمية أو الأديان السماوية، والمعنى العام لكلمة الإسلام هو السلام والاستسلام لله، أي تسليم كامل من الإنسان لله في كل شؤون الحياة

يؤمن المسلمون أن الإسلام هو آخر الرسالات السماوية، وأنه ناسخ لما قبله من الديانات؛ كما يؤمن المسلمون بأن محمدًا رسول من عند الله، وخاتم الأنبياء والمرسلين؛ وأن الله أرسله إلى الثقلين كافة، أي الجن والإنس. ومن أسس العقيدة الإسلامية الإيمان بوجود إله واحد لا شريك له هو الله، وكذلك الإيمان بجميع الأنبياء والرسل الذين أرسلوا إلى البشرية قبل محمد، كالنبي إبراهيم ويوسف وموسى والمسيح عيسى بن مريم وغيرهم كثير ممن ذكر في القرآن أو لم يُذكر، وأنهم جميعًا كما المسلمين، اتبعوا الحنيفية، ملة النبي إبراهيم، والإيمان بكتبهم ورسائلهم التي بعثهم الله كي ينشروها للناس، كالزبور والتوراة والإنجيل، بيد أن النسخ الحالية منها وفق المعتقد الإسلامي قد طالها التحريف وليست بالنسخ السماوية الأصلية، ذلك أن تلك الأخيرة ضاعت مع مرور الزمن لأسباب مختلفة، منها التأخر في تدوينها ووفاة حفظتها. كذلك يؤمن المسلمون بالملائكة وباليوم الآخر، وأن القرآن هو الكتاب المنزل من عند الله على محمد عن طريق المَلَك جبريل. والقرآن هو مصدر التشريع الإسلامي الأول وتعتبر سنّة النبي محمد المصدر الثاني لتشريع الإسلام. وللإسلام شريعة تطال جميع جوانب حياة الإنسان والمجتمع وتهدف إلى تنظيمها وتنسيقها وفق تعاليم هذا الدين، وهي تنقسم إلى ثلاثة أقسام رئيسية: الأحكام العقائدية، الأحكام التهذيبية، والأحكام العملية.

ينتمي معظم المسلمين اليوم إلى الطائفتين السنيّة والشيعية، وهناك أقليات تتبع طوائف أخرى. تعتبر إندونيسيا أكبر البلاد الإسلامية حاليًا، ويقطنها حوالي 13% من مسلمي العالم، أما الباقون فيتوزعون على الشكل التالي: 25% في آسيا الجنوبية، 20% في الشرق الأوسط،2% في آسيا الوسطى، 4% في باقي بلدان آسيا الجنوبية، و 15% في أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى. وهناك كذلك مجتعات إسلامية في عدد من الدول مثل الصين وروسيا، إلا أنها تعتبر من الأقليات في تلك الأنحاء نظرًا لارتفاع عدد سكان بلادها بصورة إجمالية. يصل عدد المسلمين اليوم إلى حوالي 1.57 مليار نسمة، وبهذا فإنهم يشكلون قرابة 23% من سكان العالم. ينتشر عدد كبير من المسلمين في الدول الصناعية وبشكل خاص الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا ودول أوروبا الغربية بفعل الهجرة بحثًا عن مورد رزق، وقد أدى ازدياد عدد المسلمين في تلك الدول أن يقوم البعض من أبنائها بالتعرّف والتقرب من هذا الدين ومن ثم الدخول فيه، مما يجعل عددًا من الخبراء يزعم أن الإسلام هو أسرع الديانات انتشارًا في العالم حاليًا.

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إيمان

كلمة إيمان لها أكثر من استخدام، ومعناها قريب من معنى "الاعتقاد" و"الثقة" والتأكد من فكرة ما، لكن بخلاف هذه المصطلحات فإن كلمة "إيمان" تشير إلى علاقة متعدية للشخص - بدل ان تكون داخلية - مع الإله أو مع قوة علوية.

كما يعرّف الايمان بأنه ما صدق به القلب ونطق به اللسان وعملت به الجوارح. وفي الإطار الديني يستخدم مصطلح الإيمان أحيانا للإشارة إلى الدين والمعتقد. يمكن ان يكون موضوع الإيمان شيء مجرد أو شخص أو شيء غير حي، أو مجموعة من المقولات التي تعرف غالبا باسم عقيدة دينية، لكن الإيمان يمكن أن يكون بمجموعة من الأفكار أو نسق فكري يشكل فلسفة أو حتى مجرد ممارسات حياتية انطلاقا من أفكار معينة قد تتعلق بالروح مثل المدراس الروحانية أو يمكن ان تكون مدرسة فلسفية مثالية أو مادية أو حتى فلسفات لادينية مثل الماركسية والشيوعية وأحيانا يكون الإيمان بالإيديولوجيات سواء الفلسفية أو السياسية مثل الاشتراكية الديمقراطية. الإيمان بالله: هو التصديق الجازم بوجود الله.

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