How to Make House Rules that Stick

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It is noteworthy that the digital age has simplified lives beyond description and made the world a smaller place; however, it is also a great distraction to kids and adults alike. If rules were an important part of child discipline from the ancient times, in today’s digital age, they have become quite a necessity. But then there’s this other thing about rules, making them stick!

Being Objective and Rational about Setting Rules
It is human psychology (perhaps curiosity of what the consequences will be) to wonder what happens if we do something we’re not supposed to. The first thing that comes to a child’s mind when you instruct them not to do something is, “why not?”! Why is it forbidden, what is the big deal? Remember this basic psychology while setting house rules, especially for kids. Any prohibition without explaining the reasons behind it will only lead to building up of the curiosity and eventually flouting the rule. Allay the suspense about the consequences of flouting the rules. Explain why the rule exists in the first place. The child needs to see the consequence as a result of his/her own actions.

Strategy to Build House Rules
Now let us build out a strategy for coming up with clear and unambiguous rules that will stick. At the core of this strategy should be the objective, that house rules must be meant to promote togetherness and an atmosphere of peace and order. From a discipline standpoint, rules should serve more as standards and not punishments. The idea behind setting any rule must be to encourage children to develop a sense of responsibility. Children need to make sense of the rules such that they follow it on their own, even when you’re not watching. Rules should NOT serve as virtual leashes to hold back children from anything! If you do that, the harder you pull the leash, Newton’s law of motion will ensure an equal but opposite reaction.

  • The Fewer, the Better: Refrain from writing a rule book. You know what happens to those books, they’re pretty useless unless you’re arguing in a court of law or running a redemption center for convicted felons. Having a rule in place for every imaginable circumstance in the house, is a recipe for disaster. Keep them simple and more importantly, keep them few. Keep in mind your child’s maturity level and the values you want to pass on to him/her as the foundation for your rules. If you’re a single parent, or living with a partner who’s not related to the kids (stepfather or stepmother), if the kid has siblings or if he/she has special needs, all these “special” situations will make your rules unique to your family. Select the most important matters to make rules about.
  • Get Rid of “Because I said so” and “For your own good”: If you want your kids to stick to the rules, involve them in setting them up. Yes, let’s leave babies and toddlers out of this of course, but as soon as children begin to understand things around them, make them participate in the discussion about setting up rules. If you have allotted an hour every day for watching television, explain to the child why you think it’s a proper duration. Tell them what they’d have to do for the rest of the time. Allotting time for homework, playing with friends, etc., must be done with the child’s participation. This will not only make the child familiar with the rules but also make them aware that you’re taking into consideration his/her needs. A participative process will automatically lead the child to think that he/she has a say in your scheme of things. You can also explain the need to have a particular rule and the consequences of flouting the rule, during this discussion. The rules will then become more effective.
  • Write it Down, Put it Up, Stick it On: Once the list of rules (as small a list as possible) is ready, make an artwork out of it and ensure that the kids get to see it easily while going about the house. Enlisting their help in making a poster out of it or hanging it up behind the door to their room will convey the “fun element” about rules while clearly communicating the seriousness about sticking to them. Revise or revisit the rules whenever needed, not very frequently though. After a few months, when you see that the kids are taking to certain rules quite easily and without supervision, you may compliment them for it and remove that rule from the list. You just need to emphasize that while you’re proud that the rule needs no reminding, it is still an unwritten rule. These actions will enable the kids to place you in their circle of trust and they’re more likely to continue following the rules without constant supervision.
  • Do Not Underestimate the Power of Positive Reinforcement: Has it ever happened that you have been driving your car safely for several years without breaking any laws and the one fateful day that things go wrong and you inadvertently make that small error, you’re pulled up and treated like a regular offender? You would perhaps say to yourself, “so much for not making a single mistake all these years!”. How great it would be if someone lauded us for sticking to the rules just as enthusiastically as they would punish the act of flouting. Well, while that may or may not happen with traffic rules, at home you can be the harbinger of change. Observe your kid’s good behavior as intently as you look for goof ups. Recognize their efforts at regularly sticking to the rules. Be generous in advertising their good behavior in front of your spouse and/or other relatives.
  • Set an Example, Watch Yourself: It is a common occurrence that parents who set rules about obedience and respect openly misbehave with their own elderly parents or even strangers. Children exposed to such ambiguity have no second thoughts about flouting the rules. If you have a rule about not shouting or yelling stuck on your child’s study room soft board, you need to ensure that some errant driver sliding into your lane while driving does not make your child witness your nasty road rage. If you’re inconsistent in your own behavior, be prepared for a power struggle, especially with preteens and teenaged children.
  • Teach your Child that Freedom Comes with Responsibility: Enforcement of rules is possible only if there are distinct consequences to flouting them. Ensure that your kids understand that the consequence is the price they have to pay for flouting the rules. Do not position the consequence as a “punishment”. Keeping the rules positive means, not following the rule will result in a minor or major inconvenience. Just like you’d get a speeding ticket for speeding over limits in traffic, let the consequences be clear and non-violent but adequately inconvenient to the kid. Ensure to communicate the consequences well in advance and start with warnings before strictly enforcing the rules. Everyone needs a “warm up”. Remove “harshness” or “negativity” as much as possible. Also, tone down or tone up the inconveniences based on the kids’ reactions to them. Ensure that none of your consequences for flouting the rules border on abusive parenting. For example, take off that rule that says – “if you don’t get home by 11 at night, make arrangements to stay elsewhere until morning”. For younger kids, do not have a rule that says; “if they don’t eat their vegetables, they’ll have to stay hungry”. There can be no positive learning from these kinds of flaming threats. Let helping with minor household chores or cleaning up their own room, etc., serve as consequences for disobeying rules.

Some Best Practices
A lot of young kids understand better when rules are laid out in a “Dos and Don’ts” fashion. Be tuned in to your kid’s reactions to the rules and consequences. If the kid is unable to make sense of the rules or thinks that the consequences are unfair, have a discussion with him/her without being condescending. If you have more than one kid around the house, make sure that most of your rules stay the same for all of them. If you have a teenaged kid with a curfew limitation that exceeds the younger child, explain why it is so. The aim of having rules is to promote harmony within the family, nobody should feel left out. Trust your kid and do not indulge in excessive monitoring of his/her activities. Don’t come across as someone who’s waiting for the kid to make a mistake! Don’t keep on nagging the kid and reminding the rules at all times. Avoid never-ending, unachievable consequences, don’t make the situation hopeless for the child. Another common mistake parents often tend to make is to hold a lasting grudge for certain actions by the child; for example, giving the child the silent treatment lasting several weeks for an act of misbehavior that occurred some time in the past. This is highly ineffective in correcting the misbehavior. Make sure that the result corresponds to the act of flouting the rule. Don’t blanket the consequence over everything else that the child does!

The key to making rules work is constant positive reinforcement and ensuring that the child is not left alone to deal with the harsh consequences of his/her actions. The aim of having rules is to steer the child towards self-discipline and civil behavior. Teaching the child to behave within the domain of reasonable boundaries needs patient effort. Establishing rules can be very helpful in the process of disciplining children. However, as with all fruits of labor, this one will be sweet and worth all the trouble. With these tips on how to make house rules that stick, hope you can coach your child to become a responsible and independent human being.


Buzzle: Children & Family

The Four Main Factors When Picking A Web Host

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A web host is a place where webmasters can safely store their web sites and distribute them via a web server over the HTTP protocol on a very high speed internet line.

It’s important to know how to choose the right web host. So what are the most important factors?

• Uptime
• Cost
• Resources
• Managed or non-managed

These are the four main factors.

So let’s look at each one in turn. Having close to 100% uptime is most important for either very large high traffic sites or VPN internal websites which need to be used by staff for vital company purposes around the clock. You are almost guaranteed over 99% uptime if you don’t go for the cheapest type of shared hosting you can find.

This brings us to the next factor, cost. I love going for cheap webhosting but there is a trick to it in order to get good quality at a n affordable price. As for resources usually you only need very little unless you are providing an extremely high traffic site or are offering video based content.

As for managed services, this is very necessary unless you have the skills yourself to run a web server on Linux or Windows based operating systems. Take a look at Web Hosting Hub as a good example of a cheap web host which is reliable and despite it’s low prices still has a customer support element to it.

As I have the skills to design and develop my own websites my favorite type of hosting is cheap VDS (virtual dedicated server) type solutions. Buying a VDS (also known as VPS) is a good way to keep away from the amateur reseller web hosts out there.

Simple Ways to Store Tomatillos

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Tomatillos or jamberry, whose binomial name is Physalis philadelphica, is a key ingredient in Latin American sauces and Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are available year-round in most supermarkets. However, the main season is May through October. Used for a variety of salsa and sauces, the tomatillos, unlike tomatoes have a distinct aroma like lemon grass and a tangy tart taste. Known to be a rich source of vitamin A and C, and those of you who are calorie conscious, it’s good to know that they are relatively low on calories too. Not dwelling more on the detailed description of the fruits, let’s move on to how to store them.

Storing Tomatillos

It’s a known fact that storing and preserving fresh food and vegetables gives them a longer shelf-life. I bet there isn’t anyone who hasn’t heard of storing things for a rainy day. Whatever be the reason, storing food especially when it is purchased in bulk is a norm followed diligently. Here are a few ways to store tomatillos.

Storing the Plant
I might be sounding crazy but hey, if you grow your own tomatillos, then this might sound an easy option for you. You need not pluck the fruits from the plant, all you have to do is uproot the plant itself and hang it upside down in a cool and dark room. Keep away from moisture though or you might end up spoiling the fruit. All said and done, you can remove and use the fruits as and when required.

String Them Up
This may be a time-consuming task but well worth the effort; besides, you can always get your kids to do this stuff, if you have your hands full of chores. As you know, these fruits look like little lanterns with their husks and stocks still on, all that you need to do is, tie them up together and hang them in your kitchen. It will give a decorative look to your kitchen as well as make it relatively easier to use.

Use Wicker Baskets
Ever observed how your Gran used to store vegetables like onions and garlic in wicker baskets? Your Gran certainly knew how to store things and keep them ventilated. Purchase a wicker basket that can be hung in a corner and place the berries with their husks still on, in the baskets. By doing this, your tomatillos will last for about 2 months and you’re only needed to stretch out your hand into the basket.

Stuff them in the Crisper
Ain’t it nice to simply stuff things into the refrigerator and simply let it do the preserving? Your only task is to peel the tomatillos under running water to get rid of the sticky residue, dry and place them in a paper bag or a bowl lined with paper towel, and into the crisper section. This way, the tomatillos will last for a minimum period of two weeks to about a month, that is, if stored when they are still raw.

How about Freezing?
The best possible way to store food for a rainy day is to freeze it, and why not do it for the benefits of locking in vitamins as well as for that of a time-saving measure. Before stacking into the freezer though, ensure you wash and dry them, and place them on a flat tray or better still, in a cookie/muffin sheet. Once frozen, remove from the sheets and simply throw into a zip lock pouch for future use. You can store them for almost a year like that.

Blend and Store
One swirl in the food processor and you are done; your purée is ready to be stored in a jar in the refrigerator. Only remember to throw in some spices and salt to make it last for a longer time. Use as and when required as a sauce to give your dishes that extra zing. You can also fill your ice tray with the purée and once frozen, store them in pouches and use them to prepare an authentic Mexican salsa.

Why not Canned Tomatillos?
Although cooking tomatillos may result in a slight loss of flavor, you can pressure cook the tomatillos and preserve them for future use. For those with an insatiable appetite, you can also prepare jams and marmalade with tomatillos and stack them away in the fridge. And for those of you, who enjoy a late night snack, all you’ve got to do is, head to your refrigerator and help yourself to a serving of tortilla with a generous serving of tomatillo marmalade. Now that’s what I call bliss!

What if you are expecting guests and have planned to prepare Mexican cuisine but you suddenly find that the stored tomatillos have turned foul despite the efforts to store them? First and foremost, stop fretting, as you can use substitutes for tomatillos and prepare your dish. Besides, it is always good to stack and preserve food, like in the ant and the grasshopper story where, the ant wisely saves for a cold day.


Buzzle: Food & Drink

Romney’s Tax Returns Create Negative Buzz

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Many voters and political pundits are up in arms about Mitt Romney’s income taxes and, more specifically, his income. Romney is near the very top of the so-called 1% and his tax rate is decidedly lower than individuals making far less per year than the former Massachusetts Governor. Workers whose primary income is from their salary can be taxed at rates upwards of 35% percent of their taxable income. But when the vast majority of income is from dividends and capital gains on various forms of investments, then the top tax rate is only 15%.

President Obama is already planning on alluding to Romney’s income and his tax rate during the State of the Union Speech later tonight, as he calls for “fairness” in income tax rates for Americans. Of course, Romney’s big crime in this instance isn’t that he did anything wrong, it’s simply that he made too much money – at least in the eyes of the public. Ironically, in decades past, a presidential candidate who was already a multi-millionaire would be looked upon favorably as someone who achieved great success outside the political office.

But in today’s economic climate of gross income inequality and the rapid demise of the working middle class, people like Mitt Romney are viewed negatively by the vast majority of voting Americans. After all, how is it right that Mitt Romney makes more in a single day than the average American earns in an entire year? Mitt makes more in a week than what is required to qualify for the notorious top “1%” of Americans. It’s those numbers – and not his tax rate – that are impossible for people to handle. It’s alright for professional athletes to make tens of millions of dollars per year, but America can no longer tolerate it from their presidential candidates.


Buzzle: Breaking News & Reports

How to Flirt with a Guy You Like? Here is What You Must Follow in Order to Flirt Effectively

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A lot of women feel that it is only the exceptionally beautiful women who get to flirt with the men that they like. Truth is that flirting has nothing to do with the beauty level. It’s all about attraction and building attraction. Here is what you need to do when you want to flirt with a guy you like.

Watch your appearance
You are the way you look. That is what others think of you. So if you look attractive then people will think of you as an attractive person. When you want to flirt with a guy you have to give him that physical incentive to be receptive to your advances. So highlight your best features and look great.

Be playful
You will need to work on your attitude if you come across as an opinionated and high strung individual. Flirting requires some elements of fun so you need to learn to relax and be playful. Armageddon isn’t happening tomorrow so relax and learn to see the lighter side of things.

Have a positive body language
You might be nervous and shaking like a leaf from inside but when you want to flirt with a guy you have to have a confident exterior and display a positive body language. You can flirt using body language as well, such as the eye flirting, bringing his attention to your features by touching yourself etc.

Establish touching
A very important part of flirting is breaking the no touch barrier. Make the move and play innocent games such as comparing hand sizes or touch him while you are laughing. Make it seem all innocent and he will totally dig you.

Learn how to compliment
Complimenting a guy the right way is the key to effective flirting. Guys love it when women admire them but you also have to maintain the upper hand by not looking too pleased with him. So compliment him for the things that you truly appreciate. Don’t be the gaga woman and he will be into you.

Be genuine
Being genuine is another thing that you need to do. When you are true to what you actually are then you have unadulterated fun. It is then that flirting also becomes fun. So don’t try to lie or hide stuff about yourself. Be fearlessly female and he will fall for your moves.

Tease him
Flirting also involves teasing. Learn to tantalize a man’s imagination by using innuendos. Use your imagination and tease him so that he not only thinks of you as a hot woman but also doesn’t negate your intelligence.

Pay Close Attention Here-

Now listen carefully! Take 2 minutes to read the next page and you’ll discover a stunning trick which will show you- How to Captivate a Man, Make Him Fall in Love with You — and Give You The World. There is a set of easy to follow psychological tricks which shows any woman how to be irresistible to men. I strongly urge you to read everything on the next page before it’s too late and time runs out- Click Here


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Cannibalism in Animals

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‘Cannibalism’ is defined as the act of any animal consuming members of its own type or kind, including the consumption of mates. The definition is good enough to make one feel squeamish. Though rampant in many animal species, it is the intrigue of cannibalism that arouses a lot of curiosity among us. This article sheds some light on the mystery that is ‘cannibalism’.

Cannibalistic Animal Behavior
When we talk about something that defies the limits of decadence, humans are bound to come into the picture. The word ‘cannibalism’ finds its origins in Spanish. The Carib people, a West Indian tribe once infamous for their practice of cannibalism, were called Canbales by the Spaniards, thus establishing a human connect. Thankfully, sanity prevailed and cannibalism is now considered as a criminal activity, barring a few South Pacific islands.

Animals, on the other hand, have a completely different perspective towards cannibalism. We often think of food shortage as the main reason behind it, but we couldn’t be more wrong. Several species indulging in cannibalism do it with a specific purpose in mind. For instance, felines do it to garner female attention, whereas golden eagles do it for reasons of personal survival. All reasons apart, there are about 1500 species indulging in some type of cannibalism.

Praying Mantis Redback Spider Great White Shark African Lion Polar Bear
Praying Mantis Redback Spider Great White Shark African Lion Polar Bear

Survival Cannibalism
From the moment they are born in the wild, the animals begin their struggle for survival. They start by eliminating their siblings, thus ensuring themselves of an extra helping of food. Cannibalism is also used to display dominance over other species at times.

Often, human interference is also seen as a possible cause of disturbance in the ecological balance. As we encroach on to their habitat, animals in the wild find it tougher to search for food, sometimes forcing them to indulge in cannibalism.

♦ The great white sharks are an example of creatures indulging in cannibalism to establish dominance. Often, peculiar bite marks are observed on smaller white sharks that are found dead, indicating the involvement of bigger sharks.

♦ The golden eagle usually lays two eggs that hatch a few days apart. The one that hatches first turns out to be the stronger one, grabbing on to most of the feed that comes their way. In cases of extreme food shortage, the stronger chick does not hesitate in making a meal out of its weaker sibling.

♦ Spotted hyena cubs are an antithesis of cute, furry creatures, even though their appearance may lead you to believe otherwise. Born ferocious, they start practicing their hunting skills on their brothers and sisters. The timid ones are mostly mauled to death, even as the adults try to separate them. This prepares the young ones to develop leadership qualities, and keeps the population in check as well.

♦ Polar bears have been observed to possess cannibalistic tendencies, but of late, it has been forced upon them, all thanks to the climate change. The melting of the sea ice leaves them helpless on islands for a prolonged time period, with zero access to food. In desperation, they turn to consuming their offspring in order to aid survival.

Sexual Cannibalism
Zoology defines sexual cannibalism as the consumption of a mate before, during or after copulation. It is girl power all the way, as it is the female who is responsible for it most of the time. Scientists have come up with varied explanations (some conflicting ones as well) to justify the existence of sexual cannibalism. It occurs rarely when compared to survival cannibalism, and is mostly found in spiders and scorpions.

♦ Any discussion on sexual cannibalism is incomplete without the mention of the praying mantis. When the female mates on an empty stomach, she happily bites off her mate’s head to kill those hunger pangs. However, this doesn’t happen as often as it is portrayed to be. Praying mantises are also known to indulge in elaborate courtship rituals, with the males taking considerable efforts to woo the lady. In other instances, the males have been observed to be prudent enough to avoid courting a hungry lady.

♦ The black widow spider gets her name because of the very act of sexual cannibalism. Along with the redback spider, these girls are known to take advantage of their superior size and turn their mate into dinner. But here comes an interesting twist. Unlike the praying mantis, these male spiders readily sacrifice their lives to gain an advantage or two. Males that readily become a meal end up fertilizing more eggs. Also, having consumed a male, the female is known to reject future alliances. Talk about being turned off!

Filial Cannibalism
Filial cannibalism is when the parents consume their young ones, or when the adults eat up members of their own species. The causes of filial cannibalism remain shrouded in mystery. In filial cannibalism, the offspring can be gobbled up entirely, or in part. The consumption of the entire brood delivers them from parenting duties as they soon get frisky and give birth to a healthier set of progeny. Interestingly, filial cannibalism has quite a few advantages. Species who are party to this act mainly do it with the purpose of quickly gaining nutrients. It is also seen as a way to get rid of unhealthy offspring or to free a female of her parenting duties in order to make her available for mating.

♦ It is commonly observed in teleost fish families, where the eggs are eaten for their nutritive value, and are seen as an immediate source of energy. It is sometimes done to declutter an unmanageable brood.

♦ The female praying mantis is a seasoned cannibal, known to feast on her mate, post copulation. Mommy dearest also doesn’t hesitate to chomp on her eggs, more so if she has spent a lot of time fasting to protect them. It is hard to find a bigger contradiction in the natural world.

♦ It is a known fact that lions are the most aggressive among all other felines. It is also true that the lion devours cubs to get female attention. The idea behind this is to spread their progeny, and eliminating those belonging to others. Killing the cubs also presents them an opportunity to mate, especially when available partners are hard to find.

Intrauterine Cannibalism
Oophagy or intrauterine cannibalism can be called egg eating in simple words. While the embryo undergoes development, it starts eating the unfertilized eggs, thus nourishing itself. Adelphophagy is slightly different, as this is where the stronger embryo makes a meal of the weaker embryo.

♦ The endangered sand tiger sharks are one of those deceptively calm sharks that are not known to attack humans unnecessarily. To find proof of their aggressiveness, you must go back to their embryonic stage. These sharks eat up their brothers or sisters, having already developed sharp teeth along with a good appetite. This leads to the birth of only two pups, despite the presence of several eggs.

♦ The shortfin mako shark feasts on the eggs as it develops, thanks again to their sharp teeth. Nutrition happens to be the objective here as well.

The slightest mention of cannibalism manages to elicit outraged reactions every single time. However, it is not against the natural scheme of things, in cases where animals are involved, mind you. Whatever the cause, cannibalism among animals is here to stay for a long, long time to come.


Buzzle: Animals & Pets

Starting a Boat Detailing Business

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Maybe you’re a new resident of a lake home and would like to find a way to contribute to your new community in a positive and lucrative way. As a lake resident, a lot of business opportunities present themselves that are tied into lake living. Chances are if your familiar with the lake living lifestyle and own a boat, you are familiar with cleaning the boat and the tediousness of the whole task. As a former lake resident myself, I’ve been hired to clean and detail a number of boats owned by my surrounding neighbors on Little Muskego Lake. Those opportunities turned out to be regular seasonal work for not only myself but a few of my older children. The best part is that it costs little to nothing to begin the business, other than some sweat off your brow.

When I was approached to take on a boat detailing task for the first time, I wasn’t quite sure where to start. I was a new Little Muskego Lake resident and had not been too familiar with the inner structure of many watercrafts. However, the Little Muskego Lake resident and boat owner that hired me was kind enough to familiarize me with the inside of his boat, telling me exactly what he expected once I completed the task.

Well, eureka! This fellow was quite pleased with the job once it came to fruition, which pleased me to no end, knowing that it was the first time ever tackling such a endeavor. Here are some of the guidelines I followed to achieve boat detailing success to have return customers every time the new summer season rolled around.

Procedure

First, create a schedule that works for you as the owner. You’ll need to have concise times for your work to get accomplished, keeping in mind that most all boat owners will want to use their boats on weekends and after work during the week. I found I needed to be very flexible when I started due to this, but as a stay at home mom, that was manageable, making this the perfect income earner for me.

Be open to taking out an ad in your local community paper letting the lake community know what you’re up to. You can also post flyers throughout town where the boaters frequently go

It doesn’t hurt to look into getting some business cards drawn up as well. Business cards are so handy and you can pass numerous cards to each customer so they may pass on the info. Don’t forget about free advertising that you can soak up on Craigslist.

Special offers are a great way to drum up business. Let your customers know that you’ll do a free gig for each friend referred to you by them. You can also talk to a few boat dealers by offering to clean a few boats at a boat show in an exchange for referrals. Offering first time discounts in a draw too.

If you want return customers, be sure your work is impeccable. Provide them with great service each time they hire you. Be fair with pricing, show up on time, and you’ll find business growing as a result.


Top rated – Lifestyle – Voices from Yahoo!

How to Draw a Cartoon Dog

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Dogs are one of the most common pets around the world. They are faithful animals who give us company and never fail to bring a smile to our lips with their funny antics. This is the reason they are commonly depicted in cartoons or caricatured. Don’t you feel like drawing your own cartoon dog as a tribute to your pet dog? Or perhaps you are a budding sketch artist and want to try your hand at canine sketches. Whatever be the reason, we shall learn how to draw cartoon dog step-by-step in this Buzzle article.

Cartoon Dog

Steps to Draw a Cartoon Dog

Drawing cartoon dogs is very simple and can be a fun activity when bored. All you need to know is the trick and create your own funny canine friend. The animation given above will give you a quick idea regarding the steps to be covered in our task to draw a cartoon dog. The steps given below is like a puzzle which helps you to draw a cartoon dog in few easy steps where kids can easily draw them by just looking at the illustration.

Before you start drawing a sketch of a cartoon dog, you will need a pencil, paper, an eraser and colored pencils to color the sketch. To begin with, you need to first draw a freehand sketch by following the steps as given below.

Step 1: Body and Head
Let us begin with the head of a dog. Draw two overlapping ovals that will form the head and snout as shown in the figure 1.1. Next, draw two similar-sized adjacent circles to form the body.

Cartoon Dog 1.1

Figure: 1.1

Step 2: Connect the Shapes
You need to give a definable shape to the body and head. First, complete the body by connecting the two big circles with curved lines. Next, connect the head to the body in a similar fashion, as shown in the figure 1.2.

Cartoon Dog 1.2

Figure: 1.2

Step 3: Legs
To draw the legs, make two elongated shapes for front legs and another two slightly behind them for the hind legs. At the end of these elongated shapes for legs, draw four little ovals for the paws. Now, give the front legs a slender shape and the hind legs a slightly broad shape at the top to define the thighs.

Cartoon Dog 1.3

Figure: 1.3

Step 4: Other Detailing
Draw curved shapes for the ears and bushy shaped tail. You can make your ears standing or droopy and tail narrow or slender. Now draw oval-shaped eyes and nose. Add more detailing like the mouth, tongue and hair. Refer figure 1.4.

Cartoon Dog 1.4

Figure: 1.4

Step 5: Final Step
Erase the unwanted lines on the sketch. Fill up other details, like adding patches on the body of your dog or drawing a belt on its neck. Make your dog look more attractive by coloring it with your favorite color shades as shown in figure 1.5 and figure 1.5.1.

Cartoon Dog 1.5

Figure: 1.5

Adding Color to Your Cartoon Dog
You can add any color your want to your picture. Color your dog black and white, brown and yellow, or any other color combination. Have fun by adding beautiful colors to your dog’s coat.

Cartoon Dog 1.5.1

Figure: 1.5.1

Moreover, here is an additional activity for kids. You can use the sketch below, for your kids coloring activity. To get a print of the dog sketch, all you need is to just click on it!

Cartoon Dog 1.5.2

Figure: 1.5.2

Voila! There you are, ready with your cartoon dog. Do not get disappointed if your sketch does not turn out to be the way you hoped. Keep practicing, and follow these sketching tips and tricks, soon you will master the art of how to draw a cartoon dog step-by-step. Have fun creating a caricature of your Rover! Bow, bow…


Buzzle: Arts & Literature

Hiragana Mnemonics

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Unlike the English writing system (which is composed entirely of the 26 letters of our alphabet), the Japanese writing system consists of three groups of characters which are primarily syllabic. This feature can lead to the creation of some fun mnemonics. The following are a few of my personal mnemonic ideas for characters from the hiragana group. They have been effective in helping me commit the sound and character sets to memory, and I hope these can inspire you to create some of your own as well.

Shi. This resembles the shape of a hook, much like a mirrored J. One purpose of a hook is to catch fish, and so I relate this to the the expression that tells others to be quiet in order to avoid scaring away the prospective fish: “Shhh…“

Tsu. Tsunamis can be powerfully devastating forces of nature. Tsu is a curved character that could easily be the outline of a fingertip directed east. This curve also seems to mimic an ocean wave racing towards the shore. For greater emphasis, one can imagine an observer who is so overwhelmed by the sight of a giant wave that he can only stutter and point, unable to finish the complete word: “Tsu…tsu-tsu!“

To. While the previously mentioned characters require only a single, curved stroke, this one uses two. The first is a short, straight line that imagine to be a sharp object such as a splinter or nail. It seems to stab downwards into the second stroke – a curve that resembles the outline of a “toe” pointed west.

No. This reminds me of an incomplete no symbol (the red circle with a line drawn across its diameter). If you skew the symbol a few degrees and leave a bit of the circle unfinished (open space) on the right side of the line, you get something that would appear more like the character.

Ko. This might not be too helpful because it involves the application of a Chinese word: “kou.” It sounds similar and means mouth. I envision the first, smaller horizontal stroke as an upper lip, and the second longer horizontal stroke as a lower lip.

These are only a few out of many, and what works for some may not work for others. However, these are simply to serve as examples or ideas to help you come up with our own fun ways of remembering characters in the Japanese writing system.


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Kid-friendly Recipes for Winter

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Everyone loves comfort food, especially in the cold and snowy months of winter. When it gets colder outside, we all crave something that will stick to our bones and keep us warm. When we think of comfort food, we often think of recipes that are expensive and difficult to make, which can lead us to want to order pizza every night, just for something gooey and warm. Next time you think you might want to hit the speed-dial for the pizza delivery guy, however, try these great recipes that will stick to your bones and that the whole family will love.

Alfredo Sauce with Bowtie Pasta and Veggies

Alfredo sauce is surprisingly easy to make, and won’t drain your wallet, either. Start by boiling water and making your favorite pasta according to the instructions. Bowtie pasta is great with this sauce because it holds the sauce well, and it’s bite-sized for the kids to eat easily, but you can use whatever pasta you want. While that is going, melt half of a stick of butter over medium heat, then add one cup of heavy cream. Simmer it together for a few minutes, and then add a cup and half of parmesan cheese and garlic to taste. Whisk it together, and then add some dried parsley to taste. Spoon it over the pasta and add whatever veggies you have available.

Baked Mac and Cheese “Cupcakes”

Baked mac and cheese is always a winter favorite. It fills you up and tastes really, really good. To make baked mac and cheese a little more kid friendly (and portion friendly!) just take your favorite recipe and, instead of baking it in a casserole dish, bake it in muffin tins. You can even go a step further and add a crust by crushing your favorite, cheesy crackers and mixing them with butter and cheddar cheese. Press the crust into the muffin tins, bake it for five minutes to get it crispy, then prepare your baked mac and cheese and spoon it on top of the crusts. Then, bake the mac and cheese and enjoy.

Beer Chicken

Beer chicken is delicious, and non-alcoholic, believe it or not. The alcohol cooks off while the chicken is cooking, and what’s left just serves to make the chicken really moist and tender. Take four chicken breasts, bones removed and skin on. Coat them in flour and brown them in a pan with a little olive oil. Then, put the pieces of chicken in the slow cooker and add half a cup of beer in it. Cook it on high for about three or four hours and, voila, you have delicious chicken. Serve it with asparagus or broccoli and wild rice for a true winter meal.

Ravioli Casserole

Ravioli casserole is truly like the lazy man’s lasagna. If you’ve ever tried to make lasagna before, you know it is very difficult and time-consuming. By using ravioli instead of layering cheese, meat, and noodles, you can take the prep time down to about half. Use whatever kind of ravioli you choose, and whatever kind of sauce you choose, as well as whatever kind of cheese goes with your ravioli. Make the ravioli according to the instructions on the package. Then, make your sauce. Spoon one-third of the sauce on the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, then layer half of the ravioli on top of the sauce. Follow this with half of the remaining sauce and top that with cheese. Then, layer the remaining ravioli, sauce, and cheese – in that order – on the top. Bake it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.


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