Our Best Advice

LAUGHTER AND JOY

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON - LAUGHTER AND JOY 

ALL OF US AT ISA STAFFING WISH YOU A HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND A STELLAR NEW YEAR IN 2009! And, go GREEN!

WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN OUR WEBSITE AND TIPS PAGE. STAY TUNED FOR MORE TIPS TO COME. DO PLEASE SEND OUR LINK TO OTHERS BY VISITING TELL A FRIEND TOPIC ON OUR WEBSITE.

LAUGHTER AND JOY – fun winter sports, family gatherings, solitary quiet time, or a sophisticated nightlife, the holiday season is time for sharing and taking a moment in gratitude for the year gone by. Over the years I’ve made it part of my ritual to “set the energy” for a New Year horizon, and bring closure to year-ending with laughter and deep appreciation. It’s important to remember that laughter is a human joy, and human love could not exist without it.

So our primary tip for the year ending is remember to laugh more! The same for opening the New Year! Laugh, tell stories, joke, and giggle, whoop it up a bit, and laugh some more.  Make children laugh, be sweet to everyone including animals, extend a helping hand and smile to strangers, help everyone that crosses your path laugh some more. If you feel angry, depressed, uncertain, frightened or simply ho-hum – laugh. Even if you don’t feel like it, it’s been proven when you start laughing “as if” -it’s irresistible. You start laughing at yourself, which is a great way to start a new year.

If you’re shy, challenge yourself. Suspend shyness for a month. Forget inhibitions by remembering that laughing with others is healing, a gift of life. You might find yourself feeling less shy as traction builds with a new direction. In the New Year, if you’re not pleased with added joy in your life, write me. I’ll give you an assignment of how to get over your humbug ways. Meanwhile, practice your smile, laughter, and joy! It’s a good, good thing.

Write a poem or Haiku for the new year and yourself. Here’s mine:

Laughter, Joy–year going, going, gone…!

Washing Hands

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Georgia O'keefe hands. Photo by Stieglitz

HANDKERCHIEFS make great gifts during the holiday season. You can find beautiful handkerchiefs for men and women at local vintage clothing stores, on line, and most department stores carry fine linen pocket kerchiefs in the men’s department. Wash your hands often throughout the day. At the very least wash before and after handling food, before eating (including snacks), after handling packages, animals, children’s toys, whenever someone around you is ill, shortly after shaking hands.

If you’ve got a cold but must work, do let people know right away. During times when we’re in recovery mode encourage others to wash their hands often for added protection, along with washing your own. People will appreciate your concern about their well being. Kids tend to mimic adults for their example habits, whenever washing a child’s hands wash yours too. Children enjoy when it’s together with you rather then having it solely delivered as disciplinary instruction. Don’t be afraid to encourage others around you to wash hands too. Tactfully explain you’re doing a “good deed of the day” reminder to help prevent flu.

Tags: handkerchief, kerchiefs, washing hands

Nanny, Childcare, Governess

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Eloise

Nanny in the beloved stories of Eloise, reminds us how important that role is in support of Childcare Services. A Nanny, Nanny Childcare or Governess may live in or out like other Domestic Help Workers, but more then any other staffing requirement directly affect the entire Family.

Nanny responsibilities and duties involve numerous things and quickly we see how varied Professional Skills that go along with Successful Excellent Childcare Services must be. One of the most important is to provide good open and candid communication with parents. Nannies, Childcare Providers, and Governesses, must inform parents in detail of each child’s developments, needs, or concerns. Sometimes there is a Baby Nurse or Nursemaid too. Communicate openly with all staff towards optimal team work. Parents seek to hire Childcare and Babycare Services of those who have special expertise, excellent references, and continue to keep up with the latest trends. check our TIPS pages frequently. Send your tips for us to add! WE greatly enjoy hearing from you: help@ISAstaffing.com

Today many Households require Knowledge of preventive health care, such as not feeding kids too much sugar and buying Organic Foods for the Home, School, or Party Events. Knowledge and wisdom is central to any JOB so always be ready to learn. Studies have shown that Parents and childcare workers need to know artificial food coloring is one of the most allergy and illness causing problems children are exposed to. Addiction to sugar or high fructose corn syrup that affect mood swings and child obesity has become an issue we need to learn more about. Such ingredients come with most processed foods. Preservatives added to packaged and canned foods may be the cause for a child diagnosed with illness like reoccurring flu or colds, Autism, ADD, HDAD, Asthma, a sleep disorder or upset digestion. Do keep track of how a child responds after eating. These and other maladies may be nothing more then reactions to chemicals added to make foods “look good”, or preserve them for longer shelf life. Don’t fall for it even if you’re rushed for time. Adults and children should minimize processed foods.

Bring the best Childcare to all Children whether they’re ones you’re responsible for or simply visiting the household, including friends at school or play dates. We need to lovingly care for each other’s well being in this world. Kids are our greatest collective treasure. Do buy fresh food to at least greatly reduce a child’s processed food intake. You’ll see improvement and a Happy Child quickly. To Preserve fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator for up to two weeks use biodegradable bags specifically made to prevent foods from spoiling. They’re sold in grocery stores to extent shelf life. Ask your market to order them for you or inquire at a Health Food Store or online. To learn more about well being for adults and children a publication I like is Well Being Journal available in your health food stores and on line.

Remind yourself consciously You are a Special Guardian and Teacher for all Children, as part of your daily meditation. Teach them to take a moment each day with you to get quiet and close their eyes, and imagine a beautiful place with fairies, a magical zoo, outer space, or the mysterious ocean (etc.), with a double rainbow worked into each new adventure. Guide a different creative story about traveling rainbows daily, or some other theme you can use repeatedly. Kids love continuity and will re-visit playing with toys they thought were “outgrown” only to rediscover and enjoy them once again. Create a Scrapbook Of Imagination to glue visuals and bits of things into. Find images and photos (Internet) of double rainbows and things you shared. It will help calm them down from the days hectic pace, while expanding their sense of wonderment. Your Energy will be greatly benefited too. Toys and video games are fun and stimulating but not the primary answer to expand and deepen a child’s Creative Imagination. Art projects are. We all need rest breaks, including kids.

Usually the Employer, Personal Assistant or Estate Manager oversees the Childcare Worker. If they’re unfamiliar with things you know, help them learn too. Remember to check our TIPS pages frequently and send a link to someone you know who might also enjoy them. Tell us your favorite “kids” story! WE always enjoy hearing from you: help@ISAstaffing.com

Give only your very best, and the world will always give its golden gifts back to you. We exist in Magic. A leap of faith, a courageous heart, and love  are good raw ingredients to bring into all childcare.

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

Tags: childcare, governess, nanny

Organic Wines

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Organic Wines

If you are a wine drinker, like to give wine as gifts or take to a dinner party, according to Chartrand Imports: many people find organic wines to be more easily drinkable and more flavorful than wines made by more industrial standards. The healthy soil contributes to a rich and full flavored wine, in balance and requiring no extra additives. Try to purchase wine from companies that support farmers who preserve their soil and their communities by avoiding the many chemical fertilizers and pesticides commonly used on grapes. It is critical that we all make every effort towards preservation of our precious soil. Sustainable farming assists using our soil optimally and prevents pesticide runoff from entering our rivers and oceans where it winds up. There is a very real threat to our oceans with “dead zones” already becoming a challenge to science for resolutions. Help protect our oceans in these simple ways by making purchases made with thoughtfulness to the environment.

Farmers who choose organic methods to obtain the ripest and richest grapes possible deserve our purchases for the great taste results, environmentally friendly efforts to protect us and the soil, and hard won organically grown ratings showing their wines reflect that proud dedication. Chartrand offers over 50 selected organic French, Italian and New Zealand wines, as well as wines from California and Washington State by mail order service to individuals, in most areas not served by their retailers. If you know of other organic wines you’ve enjoyed please send us the links.

Take advantage of on line services, and inform your friends to turn other people onto organic wine. Next time you’re at a party you can start round robin “confessions of ecco friendly” and “environmentally aware” stories of your own TIPS (or all those bloobers until you “saw the light”). Just let them know you found some here by giving them our link so they can find some more!! and thanks from us & mother nature if you do. 

Send a link to our HOT TIPS

Photo of wine/grapes: courtesy of epicurious.com

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

Tags: alcohol, liquor, organic, wine

Bamboo Plates

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Bamboo Plates

Single-use bamboo plates and serverware is a great way to replace disposable paper plates towards eco friendly use. They can be used for home meals, picnics, celebration parties, weddings, catered events, offices, or any other occasion where disposal paper or plastic dishes are utilized. Look for companies that manufacture a collection from sustainable bamboo in your grocery or cooking products stores.

What’s great about these products is that although they’re meant to be for single use, there is nothing preventing repeat use. Just wash with an eco friendly dish soap that’s biodegradable, which you can extend by adding water to the bottle when it’s half full. Use bamboo plates for children’s arts and crafts or your home art collection. I know someone who loved the look of bamboo so much they created a huge “found object” wall collage for their living room and a smaller one for their kitchen that was cost effective art, and a great design feature. There are so many beautiful bamboo products today to enjoy. Make at least one part of them part of your household choice to assist sustainable growth towards preserving our environment.

Photo: courtesy of All Occassion Veneerware ®

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

Tags: bamboo plates, eco friendly

Eco Friendly

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

• 

  Eco Friendly

  Bike, Carpool, Keep Tires Inflated:

  One-third of all traffic is commuters. Map out and use alternative transportation when possible. If you must drive, go slower with proper tire inflation. It saves both fuel and tires, and lowers emissions. It also saves lives.

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Compost: Reusing packaging material saves more energy than recycling. By avoiding extra packaging, you save both energy and landfill space. Yard and kitchen waste (leaves/grass/vegetable scraps) are 30% of trash. Reduce this amount by composting. Also be sure to re-use plastic bags. Better yet… refuse plastic bags when you really don’t need them. Take your own cloth bags and keep them in the car for shopping.

• Conserve Water: Don’t let faucets run. Never water your lawn at midday. Place a brick in older toilets. Take low flow short showers. If your tub is big enjoy bathing together! Run dishwasher only when full. Plant native or drought-tolerant plants instead of grass.

• Quit Smoking: Second-hand smoke is a major indoor air pollutant and health hazard. Work towards quitting. Big gain for your home and health.

• Don’t Use Pesticides/Herbicides On Your Lawn: Along with nitrogen fertilizer runoff, these are major water pollutants. Change your lawns for eco friendly plants and use environmentally friendly products.

• Keep Your Cat Indoors: Domestic cats kill over one billion small birds and animals every year. They upset natural balances and eliminate ground-nesting birds.

• Eat Less Meat - More Local Organic Food: Feedlots are a major source of organic pollution. Tropical forests are cut to raise beef.

• Lower Thermostat In the Winter - Raise It In The Summer: Wearing layered sweaters to moderate comfort and sleeveless/short sleeves in summer, saves on energy bills, grid overload, and reduces pollution.

• Dispose Of Paint, Chemicals, and Oil Properly: Don’t put batteries, antifreeze, paint, motor oil, or chemicals in the trash. Use proper toxics disposal sites. Don’t buy more than you need. 

• Consider Environmental Costs: Compare efficiency when purchasing new cars or appliances. Buy fewer things and choose sustainable products and food. Choose products with lower energy inputs. Pool resources. Donate and recycle rather then discard.

• Wash dishes by hand in a basin, then use the dish water for outdoor gardens. Make beautiful things grow. Wherever, whenever you can.

• Volunteer/Lobby For The Environment: Work locally and globally to save natural places, reduce urban sprawl, lower pollution and prevent destruction of wilderness areas for timber and oil. 

• Plant A Tree With A Child: Take walks in the woods, plant trees which store CO2. Give trees as gifts for children to plant instead of plastic toys. Teaching children to love and care for the planet is the most important thing we can do to insure our future. 

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

Tags: care, eco friendly

Furniture Care

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

 

How to properly care for furniture

There is a great variety of materials used for furniture today. The best general cleaning tip is to use a dry cloth to keep furniture dust free. Dirt grinds into furniture with wear aging it more quickly. Moist cloth could ruin metal into rusting. Polish is specific to the material so be careful not to use a generic one from your grocery store. To learn how to preserve and protect furniture look for the different types manufactured you can find on line, or ask at local stores what they recommend. Don’t buy off the shelf chemicals that could quickly ruin your furniture. Browse the web for the following catagories:

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS: Gaining popularity currently this furniture is made of lumber from certified sustainable sources, sustainable veneers, bamboo, or plywood and composite panels made from natural fibers.

RECYCLED MATERIALS: Gaining more popularity as more companies emerge to manufacture, the furniture is made of recycled plastics, wood, metal, glass, rubber, composites, compressed paper, fabric, cork, and mixed media.

MID CENTURY MODERN: Collected as the antiques of the future this furniture was made of materials such as metal, veneer, plastic, solid core, plywood, woven rope, mirror, glass, rubber, cork, compressed paper, leather, vinyl, and more.

ANTIQUES: Furniture that is over 100 years old is considered an antique. However, the value is further determined by what century it was made, where and how, who designed it, who owned it, whether it’s signed or stamped to identify origin, condition of wear, certifications confirming authenticity or appraisals that come with the piece, rarity, and desirability.

Photo credit: Partners Desk photo - courtesy of Macek Furniture, manufacturers and designers of sustainable design custom furniture.

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

 

Tags: care, furniture, wood

Cat Care

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

 

Caring for your cat.

IS YOUR KITTY BORED? OVERWEIGHT? GETTING INTO MISCHIEF?

Do remember to play, nurture, groom, and give your pet lots of it. Cats like to chase something and you can use many objects to play and exercise them at the same time. A Peacock Feather is long enough to attract attention and easy to find. Lasers are also popular, but if your kitty enjoys playing with a laser toy, stock up on batteries because you will go through them quickly. Remember to never point the laser directly into anyone’s eyes including your pets, which could cause severe damage. Some Kitties like to play simple fetching a ball of paper or hide and seek. I played with a cat for years that couldn’t get enough chasing a ball of yarn, which is still a great game among so many products out today. You don’t need fancy toys, but it might be fun for your cat to have variety. Search the internet for natural health products for your pets which are friendly to the environment, mother nature, and your animals.

Photo: courtesy The Cat Fancier’s Association.

It is important for CATS to have a stimulating environment to stay happy and healthy. We, as caregivers, can provide this by implementing some of the following tips. Daily exercise will keep your kitty in tip-top shape and from becoming overweight. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible for indoor cats to get just as much exercise and mental stimulation as outdoor cats. Interactive toys are a fun tool for exercise and also provide opportunity for you to bond with your kitty. Cats can become lonely and depressed if left alone all day indoors with no affection for them when you return home at night. As independent as the feline specie is, domesticated cats need attention.

Tags: care, cat care, pet care

Care for Ceramic Tile

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

 

Ceramic Mural

Care for ceramic tile has evolved.

Kids and young adults can design and produce ceramic tile wall murals for their bedrooms, bathrooms or other household areas. Possible subjects for murals are outer space, undersea life, animals and plants, Los Angeles and California history, world events, favorite sports, portraits of pets, dinosaurs, circus, flower gardens, world famous landmarks, or lessons in geography, science, architecture, design, or in a kitchen remodel or other domestic project.

Photo: courtesy of AMACO BRENT

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

It includes various products such as tools for steaming out dirt, bleaching products to brighten grout or remove mold, and green products which don’t include harsh chemicals as previous products did. However, plain old vinegar and baking soda mixed into a paste is great to use for removing mineral deposits, dirt, and brightening tile also. Simply mix the two ingredients in a small bowl adding vinegar to one small box of baking soda, stirring until paste consistency, and use an old toothbrush for the grout — or a small cloth to rub over tile until clean. Then rinse, and dry with clean cloth or a squeegee.

Tags: care, ceramic tile

Removing Smoke Odor

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Groucho Marx, one of our most favorite clients, poses with his favorite cigar (above). This photo was taken for NBC promotional photographs. Learn more about Groucho Marx

Eliminating the odor of stale cigarette smoke is an ongoing job. It permeates everything in the home and is not a healthy atmosphere to leave unattended. The tar and nicotine leave a film that binds the smoke to any porous material including walls, furniture, hair, and skin. Among other things, smoke does not only allow the odor to last indefinitely, but also discolors light-colored surfaces and fabrics. Some ordinary cleaning products leave a film that actually attracts tar and nicotine.

If the home has smokers, or there are going to be guests in the home who smoke, it’s best to address the problem from multiple angles: prevention, cleaning, neutralizing, and masking.

Quick Room Fresheners

Keep a stock of supplies on hand.

• Air and fabric neutralizer (not freshener) spray, such as natural Orange or Lemon
• Baking soda could be placed in discrete corners of a room behind furniture for a party
• Pine-scented cleaner, such as Super Pine cleaner (from RealGoods.com), a natural pine product
• Potpourri made of porous materials such as sea shells, use with essential oils added weekly
• Scented candles (made without a lead wick), preferably scented with essential oils
• Vinegar solution in a spray will remove stubborn odors that have set into fabrics

Complete as many of the following steps in order, and as time permits before guests arrive.

Start with public rooms. Spray the room, furniture, curtains and carpets with an air and fabric neutralizer. Do not spray directly on furniture, drapes or carpet unless you have tested ahead of time. Let only a slight mist fall from the air if you have not tested. Some people are scent sensitive so be alert to the affects of products you choose. Don’t spray in the Kitchen, it will land on food and alter taste, not to mention is unhealthy, but do light a candle instead. Or put mulling spices in a pot and cook on low throughout the party to fragrance the atmosphere.

Light a fire if you have a fireplace. Fall through spring you can add some dried lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit rinds. Throw them on the fire. As the Native American Indians do, you can also “smudge” a room by burning dried sage or rosemary stalks. After lighting the stalks spread their scent by walking around for the fragrance to infuse the room. These can also be thrown into the fire as well as pine needles from a tree if there is one in the garden. This fragrance also sets the energy in the room for harmony and healing.

Place fresh potpourri in each room of fruit rinds mixed with flower petals to which a bit of essential oils are added from the citrus family. This works to enhance the natural scent of the fruit, or add cedar and pine for a forrest blend.

Light scented candles but purchase those that are not too sweet smelling. A more neutral scent doesn’t dominate the room and allows other fragrances to be enjoyed alongside.

If needing an extra measure, soak a washcloth with cider vinegar infused with lavender, wring excess liquid, and wave the washcloth around the room to neutralize the odor.

Sprinkle baking soda onto the carpet before vacuuming.

Wipe kitchen surfaces with a vinegar and water solution.

Mop tile or stone floors floor with a pine-scented floor cleaner followed by a cedar room spray.

Daily Maintenance

Allow fresh air into the house every day. Sealing your house in the winter traps the smoke inside. Ventilating is healthy, and it will help you keep smoke odor to a minimum.

Place odor absorbing materials around the house in hidden locations: small bowls of vinegar, baking soda, charcoal, even kitty litter. Be sure to place the bowls out of the reach of children and pets.

Place a drop or two of essential oils on a cold light bulb. When you turn the light on, the heat will mix with the essential oil, and you’ll have a continuous, long-term source of fragrance that is both healing and refreshing. Use scents such as lavender, rose, cedar, amber, frankincense, or other wonderful combinations. Experiment and create. Essential oils are readily available in health food stores. Pour a few drops of essential oils or perfume on a handkerchief to hold during a party, a custom hostesses used for years when entertaining to scent the room as they moved in it. Men can scent a handkerchief with rosemary and eucalyptus or other choice blends for added energy throughout the evening.

Store clothes and blankets folded in muslin bags to which you add herbal sachets and cedar chips. But the best preventive care is to line closets in cedar wood for its time honored long valued benefits. Ensure that closet doors close well. A bottle of cedar spray kept in the closet allows for spraying daily to refresh the air or keep an air purifier in it to circulate and clean the air.

Keep a supply of scented candles on hand. You can purchase candles formulated specifically for removing smoke odors. Light the candles before you or your guests smoke.

If you don’t have any potpourri, or mulling spice, simmer a pot with water, citrus rinds, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove.

Fill the bottom of your ashtrays with amber or mint scent crystals, or charcoal granuals. Always have a supply of mints in a bowl near the ashtray which might help reduce smoking.

The object is to stay ahead of the smoke odors, and clean the residual film early and often. If you do those two things, you can live in a fresh, sweet-smelling atmosphere.

This advice brought to you by www.isastaffing.com

Tags: groucho marx, smoke odor