If family resorts, reunion cruises, city bus tours and Broadway shows are out of your league, here are some tips for a more down-to-earth, inexpensive family reunion that will be memorable and affordable for the entire family.

Choose a park

I'm not talking about Disneyland or SeaWorld. I'm talking about a good, old-fashioned city park with a nice pavilion and restroom accommodations. City parks usually include such amenities as children's playgrounds, tennis and volleyball courts, baseball and softball fields, horseshoe pits, off-leash dog allowances, swimming pools, and water hook-ups. City parks help you tailor your reunion to the features available.

Some parks can be reserved for no fee or at least a reasonable fee. Make sure you reserve early. Choose a central location near motels or hotels for out-of-town relatives and don't make the mistake many families do in heading to high altitudes for reunions - this makes it difficult for older family members who may struggle with heart or lung issues. Get more information about available parks in your area by going online.

Save money by using the Internet

You can eliminate the cost of mailing reunion announcements by contacting family members through email, an online reunion group or even your own website. Relatives can reply via email or join the reunion group and accept or decline the invitation. Even if certain family members cannot attend the reunion, joining a group you have created for the event on a social media site allows them to stay connected and feel a part of the reunion, despite not being able to attend. Be considerate, however, of family members who may not be Internet-savvy. Consider mailing announcements to the heads of each family and have them pass the word to the rest of their descendants.

Families should make their own accommodations

As the reunion coordinator, don't make accommodations for out-of-town relatives and include the cost in the reunion fees for everyone to absorb. Local families will not pay an expensive reunion fee if they are just coming for the day and dinner. Those bringing motor homes or trailers will not want to pay a large fee for accommodations they will not be using. Provide out-of-towners with information on options such as local campgrounds or hotels and motels located nearby, but let each family handle their own accommodations.

Plan a theme

Creating a theme and planning the reunion around it builds excitement and makes the event twice as fun! Possible themes include:

• Sports Day

• Western

• Safari

• Pirates

• Hawaiian Luau

• Dog Days

• Under the Sea

• Fiesta Time

• Family History

Choose a venue based on its available features to support your chosen theme. For example, host your reunion at a baseball or football field for a "Sports Day" theme; use a swimming pool for an "Under the Sea," "Hawaiian Luau" or "Pirates" theme; hold your event at an off-leash park for "Dog Days"; or choose a park with a horseshoe pit for a "Western Day" or "Family History" theme. Choosing a theme also helps you create announcements, plan the menu, and pick games, prizes, and music. See http://www.family-reunion.com for other reunion theme ideas.

Delegate food assignments

Don't try to provide and cook all the food yourself. Delegate! Plan the meat or main dishes and have everyone else bring side dishes, desserts, snacks, rolls, drinks, and so forth. Families are more willing to bring a dish they can afford than pay high reunion fees. Plan food around your theme or just give food items creative and fun theme names. For our "Pirates of the Caribbean" family reunion, we provided Deep Fried Bird (turkey), Volcano Potatoes (mashed potatoes piled high with cheese) and Grog (soft drinks and water).

Consider non-holidays

Holidays can be a difficult time for families to come together for a reunion. Many couples must take turns going between in-laws or share holidays with both sides of the family. In addition, divorced couples often share custody of their children and may not be able to have their kids join them on certain holidays. Try to book reunions around non-holiday weekends. More families will be able to attend, and you'll actually have more funds available to make the reunion a success.

Raise money for future reunions

Another way to keep costs down is to hold a fundraiser at your reunion for the next year's event. This provides money ahead of time so that the family in charge doesn't have the burden of financing the reunion from their own pockets in advance of being reimbursed at the time of the reunion. To raise money, hold an auction, silent bidding or raffle. Ask family members in advance to bring items for the event.

Don't over-plan

Families like to get together to visit and catch up with each other. Don't pack so much into your reunion that you keep everyone too busy to relax and enjoy each other's company.

So there you have it. Spend the time upfront on a solid plan to help avoid extra expenses. Choose an inexpensive location like a park and book it early around a non-holiday weekend. Center the reunion on a fun theme your family will enjoy. Delegate food and activity assignments to reduce your burden and cost, and remember to include activities that will generate money for the next reunion. If you are still overwhelmed, consider purchasing a book on the subject or researching further on the Internet. Whatever you decide to do, make your reunion fun and have an enjoyable time planning it.

The post How to plan an inexpensive family reunion appeared first on FamilyToday.

Early Diagnosis

My son was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of two. A doctor put him on a psycho-stimulant medication (e.g. Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate). He continued with some form of this medication until the age of 15. Through the years, he was diagnosed with additional co-morbid conditions: depression, dyslexia, dysgraphia, Irlen Syndrome, learning disabilities, impulsivity, social dysfunction, Oppositional Defiance and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). At the age of nine, he was diagnosed with Autism.

Puberty and Increased Anxiety

Let's face it. Puberty is a difficult time for most children. But as puberty descended on my son, he became increasingly aggressive. His doctor continued to increase the dose of psycho-stimulant medication, but his behavior escalated. A therapist mentioned Anxiety Disorder and suggested I speak with my son's prescribing doctor. Each time I brought up my son's increasing level of anxiety, the doctor dismissed it as a symptom of his other conditions.

Teenage Culmination

At the age of 15, my son became completely unstable. His obsession with Lego building spiraled to the point he didn't stop for food or sleep. He was failing school, becoming increasingly violent with others and damaging property. Again, his doctor increased his psycho-stimulant medication. After he tried to harm his brother, we rushed him to an emergency room where he had to be sedated three times and put in lockdown with a security guard. The on-call psychiatrist suggested an in-patient program at a neuropsychiatric center.

Inpatient Program

Through inpatient care, my son received new testing. He was reassessed with a primary diagnosis of Anxiety Disorder, then Depression and Autism. His inpatient doctor explained that the large quantity of psycho-stimulant drugs had driven my son to a wired state of frenzy in which he'd used the obsession of building to curtail some of the raw, hyper stress racing through him at a constant rate. The doctor took him completely off all psycho-stimulants and implemented a positive behavioral plan. The results were astonishing.

The Aftermath

Does my son still have difficulties? Yes. Is he still on medication? Yes. I do believe there is a place for medication in treatment. What we have learned is when a child has anxiety disorder and is on a stimulant medication, all other mood medications may not be effective.  Now that my son is off stimulant drugs, the other mood medications appear to work more effectively. His ADHD behaviors are not being addressed, but his ability to control behavior and mood has greatly improved.

Facts about Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety Disorder affects one out of every eight children, and they are at a higher risk to engage in substance abuse, perform poorly at school, and avoid social situations. It can affect their decision-making capabilities, concentration, perceptions and ability to function in life. It develops from a complex set of risk factors; including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder are also diagnosed with depression.

Diagnosing Anxiety Disorder

To properly diagnose this disorder, a child must experience a constant, exaggerated worry, fear, apprehension, or distress for over six months. They must also have at least three of the following symptoms: restlessness, easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension or difficulty sleeping. This anxiety will affect physical health as well, with symptoms such as trembling, achy muscles, headaches, nausea, vomiting, stomachaches, shortness of breath, diarrhea, depression or Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

The Categories of Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety Disorder can be broken down into the following categories:

• Generalized anxiety

• Panic disorders

• Obsessive compulsive disorder

• Post traumatic stress disorder

• Acute stress

• Social phobia

• And other specific phobias

It is a complicated issue and contains many of the same symptoms seen with other disorders but must be treated separately. Most importantly, educate yourself and then your child's doctor about this complicated disorder. If your doctor is not familiar with the testing and treatment approaches available, seek other help. It could be critical to the well-being of your family, and it might save you from some of the challenges my family has experienced. An excellent resource is Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Visit: http://www.adaa.org today.

The post Could your child have Anxiety Disorder? appeared first on FamilyToday.

It makes you want to give up eating meat all together. However, according to The National Chicken Council, protein is key to the human diet, especially for younger people because the body uses it to create new cells and maintain or repair existing cells. The body also uses protein to produce enzymes, which help catalyze processes such as, digestion, metabolism and storage of fat.

Chicken consists of high-quality protein that contains 8 essential amino acids and a relatively low amount of fat. In addition, fat in chicken is mostly unsaturated which protects against heart disease.

So, one alternative is enjoying more chicken dishes. Chicken costs around one-fourth of the price of beef. In addition, the best price on chicken is going to be a whole chicken. The less the butcher has to do to prepare it, the more inexpensive it will be. Does the thought of preparing a chicken dish have you running scared? Take a look at this easy, fast way to bake a whole chicken. You'll wonder why you didn't do it years ago.

Roasted Chicken

• 1 quart buttermilk*

• 1 whole roasting chicken

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon salt

• String to tie legs

Clean out cavity, removing neck, liver, etc. Soak whole chicken in buttermilk overnight. Preheat oven-safe skillet in the oven at 450°. Wash chicken and pat dry. Brush with olive oil then sprinkle with salt. Place in preheated skillet. Tie legs with string. Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Breast temperature should read 120°. Turn off oven continuing to cook for an additional 30 minutes (really). Don't open the oven. After 30 minutes, the breast temperature should read 160°. Remove. Wait 10-20 minutes to carve. Enjoy.

*Soaking chicken in buttermilk is not mandatory. However, it does make for a very moist chicken.

If this recipe didn't get your mouth watering, consider these top 20, 5-star whole chicken recipes from allrecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/recipes

If you are feeling adventurous, consider watching this video on how to cut up a chicken and explore the numerous recipes choices available online. Video: http://allrecipes.com/

The post Looking for an easy, fast way to cook a chicken? appeared first on FamilyToday.

Kelley Blue Book

at http://www.kbb.com. You have two options: Select a specific make and model to research new car safety features and crash test ratings; or select a category of vehicles (i.e. Wagon, SUV or Minivan) and discover expert ratings and owner ratings on all different makes.

Edmunds

at http://www.edmunds.com. This site provides numerous family and safety articles as well as links to where you should go to find out car safety ratings. Just click on "How to Check Car Safety Ratings" to learn more. Two of the major links on this site are The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

If you are looking for a safe "used"� family car, check out the section on About.com at http://usedcars.about.com/od/safetyratings/ig/Safe-Used-Famiy-Cars. They have compiled a list of the top ten safest used cars for families under fifteen thousand dollars—a handy and convenient resource if you're looking to save time.

The NHTSA website provides consumer complaints related to safety of specific vehicles. Go to http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems and click on consumer complaints to get an idea of whether a car is a good investment or not.

The Center for Auto Safety at http://autosafety.org also provides detailed information about auto recalls.

Ask Friends

Once you have checked out these websites and narrowed your search to a particular model, consider asking friends, family and other car owners about their experiences driving a particular make.

Test Drive

Now that you know the exact make and model you are interested in purchasing, make sure you test drive each vehicle. In my family's case, we found a minivan online which described it as "roomy."� Upon test driving it, we found that our six-foot seven-inch son did not fit into the passenger seats comfortably, and we had to start the process over.

Get a Vehicle History Report

Ask for a detailed vehicle history report (CARFAX). However, it's important to understand that these reports do not contain accident information that was never reported. Consider taking the vehicle to a trusted mechanic who will thoroughly go over it to discover any evidence of prior accidents.

Take Your Time

Finally, take your time in purchasing your new or used vehicle and research it thoroughly. Don't let a salesperson pressure you into making a fast decision.

Following these tips can make the search for a safe family car frustration-free. Try them the next time you're looking to buy a new family vehicle.

The post Looking for a safe family car? appeared first on FamilyToday.