2012 January — MomRN

Cool contest for kids to win $5,000 for their business idea

January 19, 2012 By MomRN Leave a Comment

Parents, does your kid want to someday run her own business? Think your kid might have what it takes to be an aspiring entreprenuer? Does he have a unique idea for a product or service? Want him to learn how to start and grow his own business? Want her to win $5,000?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you will definitely want to check out a very cool contest by CreditReport.com (the Credit Report People) and Warren Buffett where your kid could make $5,000 if he or she has the winning business idea!

The Grow Your Own Business Challenge can be found on the Secret Millionaires Club kid’s website. The site features cartoons, videos, teaching tools, resources, and more for teaching kids all about financial literacy and entreprenuership. The site even has a section where kids can ask millionaire businessman, Warren Buffett, for his advice on finances and business. How cool is that?

The contest is designed to encourage kids to think like entrepreneurs by figuring out a product or service to offer and who their target market would be, create a financial plan, then draw the product on paper or describe the service to be provided, choose a name, logo, and marketing message, and tell how the business would give back to the child’s community through supporting a community program or cause.

Kids ages 7 – 16 in the United States are eligible to enter, either as an individual OR in teams of 2 to 4 members. Parents and teachers are encouraged to help kids sign up and fill out the necessary entry information.

IMPORTANT: Entries must be submitted no later than this Friday, January 20th at 12 noon EST.

To enter kids need to sign up here: http://www.smckids.com/learnandearn/user/48160/edit

On the entry form, kids will be asked to answer the following questions:

How did you come up with your business idea?

Who and what will you need to get started?

Who will your customer be?

How will your idea work?

What goods or services will your business sell?

How much money do you need to set up your business?

How do you plan to raise that money?

How do you plan to prepare, sell, or market your services?

What makes your new business different than other new businesses?

What makes your business likely to succeed?

How can you raise money for community programs by creating your new business?

In addition to the grand prize, there will also be prizes for finalists, semi-finalists, and even teacher awards.

For more information, all the details, and official rules of the contest, please visit the Secret Millionaires Club site for kids.

I highly encourage parents and kids to check out the site and the contest. You’ve heard me talk several times on the Ask MomRN Show about the importance of teaching kids about money, financial literacy and responsibility and we’ve even talked about kid entrepreneurs who are already growing their own businesses. Here is an awesome opportunity for kids to learn and to have a chance at winning $5,000 to help them achieve their dreams.

Good luck!!!

Filed Under: family, Giveaway, kids, parenting

Kids and cable television: Parental controls and monitoring

January 19, 2012 By MomRN Leave a Comment

It is becoming quite difficult for the majority of television watchers to ignore the benefits offered by HD cable services, or really any kind of modern cable provider or streaming service. Not only do such services provide extensive lists of new channels, exciting new viewing opportunities, and options for high definition displays, but they also offer far more customization potential that can really help you to turn your television into your own private entertainment domain. This aspect of modern cable services is particularly useful for parents who are seeking to monitor what their children can and cannot watch on television, as advanced packages and products offer plenty of tools and possibilities when it comes to parental control.

One of the best benefits of expansive cable packages, for parents, is actually in the range of available programs itself. While one side of this argument can say that more channels leads to more inappropriate programming for kids to find, it can just as easily be said to lead to more appropriate programming. Generally, kids do not find inappropriate or mature programs because they’re looking for them – they find them by accident, or because they’re bored. So, naturally, if you have a large cable package, you will have more access to shows meant for kids, and you may be able to dissuade your children from wandering much with the remote control, without actually having to enforce restrictions.

Of course, you can still impose restrictions if you so desire, and this tends to be easier with more advanced cable and satellite packages. In most cases, you can simply go through your cable offerings and select either channels or genres, or even individual shows, that you want blocked from your children. From that point on, a password will be required to watch these programs. This may seem a bit strict to a lot of parents, but it is in some cases a necessary security, and again, if you provide enough suitable entertainment for your children, they shouldn’t mind.

Securing these advantages for yourself and for your family may be more simple than you expect. As HD TVs and expansive cable packages have become more popular, many people resist the switch because they feel like such luxuries will be expensive and unnecessary. However, prices have come down on many of these products, and it is becoming increasingly normal for people to indulge in them. It may cost you a bit extra, but for specific concerns such as parental controls, you will be glad you’ve upgraded.

(MomRN’s note: This is a guest editorial post. Thank you to cabletelevision.net for offering this information to our readers.)

Filed Under: family, kids, parenting Tagged With: cable, children, kids, programs, television

Nationally Syndicated Daytime TV Talk Show Seeking Guests

January 8, 2012 By MomRN Leave a Comment

Want to be on national television? Have you always dreamed of being a guest on a well-known talk show? A nationally syndicated daytime talk show is looking for guests and if you fit their criteria, you just might be who they choose to be on the show!

Are you a mom of a teen? Do you think that teenager might be lying to you about something or not telling the whole truth? Are you willing to see if the “human lie detector” can help you?

If so, the “Anderson” show wants to hear from you! A producer with Anderson Cooper’s new daytime talk show asked me to share the details of their guest search to help them find the perfect guests for this episode (so like me, they must know how fabulous y’all are) and being a fan, I’m happy to help Anderson and his show’s staff.

Here’s all the details they sent me to share with you:

NATIONALLY SYNDICATED DAYTIME TALK SHOW

Do you have a suspicion someone in your life isn’t being completely honest with you?

Do you think your partner could be cheating?

Or your son/daughter might not be telling you the whole truth?

Has a friend or family member been acting strangely, but denying that anything is wrong?

We have a nationally-known “human lie detector” here to help you separate fact from fiction, and get to the bottom of whatever suspicions you may have.

Email us ASAP at TVPRODUCER6@GMAIL.COM if you, or anyone you know, is interested — we can’t wait to hear from you!

MomRN’s note: Just a word to the wise, as radio talk show host and producer, I know from experience how overwhelmed producers get with an avalanche of emails, so if you want to reply to the guest search, please only do so if you match what they are looking for and please don’t spam them with “Did you get my email?” follow-up emails. If they think you are the right person, I’m sure they will be in contact with you. With that said – good luck! And if you DO get on the show, please let us know! It would be so exciting if one of our incredible readers made it onto the show and we’d love to tune in and see you!

Disclosure: This post has not been sponsored or in any way compensated. This is not a contest, just a search for guests for an episode. There is no guarantee of being chosen for the show and the sole decision lies with the producers. As much as MomRN would like to help you get on the show, I cannot. In fact, I’d love to be on the show too but I don’t think either of my teens are lying to me about anything right now so I don’t qualify. At least I hope they’re not! But if they ever need me for another episode – I’m so there!