In the eighties, very few macho men were pushing a pram yet alone carrying an infant in a baby carrier strapped to their hairy chest. In those days, men still considered and expected women to feed, change diapers, push prams and carry babies.

I am a bit of a  feminist and got into an argument many a time with husbands and wives when asked my opinion on gender roles. My views were completely different and I argued that men should play an active role in child development from birth.

Today more and more dads are seen pushing prams, carrying infants in baby carriers, doing household chores and the weekly shop. Three cheers! for feminism. I was a stay at home Dad myself when I lost my job. My wife was the sole breadwinner. The joke bandied about by friends was that I was a  kept man.

Memories of the Baby Sling

I remember the first baby sling as it was called in those days, 1981 to be precise. It was a blue baby sling from Mother Care. I bought it in Oxford Street London. I proudly walked down the High Street with one toddler strapped in the pram, the other standing behind him on the pram and my baby daughter strapped to my hairless chest in the baby carrier.

I could not care less who was staring. I was a Super Dad with my groceries tied to the handles of the pram and the pamper nappies stuck underneath the pram tray. The kids thought it was fun as  I whizzed down the hill making a sound of a fire engine. “Some more please Daddy“, they would scream.

I would clutch my chest gasping for air making those weird noises Dads do when they are interacting with their toddlers. My children would shriek with laughter as I fell to the floor. What great memories they were. My reversal role as a hands-on dad was the most rewarding experience of my life. I would urge any Dad to do it for a couple of months perhaps a year. More about that later…..

How quick the years fly, my adult children have flown the nest and have started their own families. I now have four beautiful grandchildren.  My eldest son recently had a baby son, and my instinct as a Dad kicked in. I did a little research on what baby carriers were on the market. I was amazed at the range of baby carriers on Amazon. One particular brand that impressed me was the Choice of  Baby Bjorn Baby Carriers and it’s range of  Baby products.

Why should men walk around with babies in baby carriers?

According to Björn Jakobson who developed the baby carrier in the seventies,  stated that  “Carrying a newborn close to your heart is like being in seventh heaven,” I am not so sure I was in the seventh heaven  when I carried my toddlers around in a carrier, what I did  experience was a feeling of closeness and intense love with each of them.

I felt protective towards them being so close to me. It also made them feel secure. I was beginning to understand a little bit how protective mothers can be towards their children

When I had them in the carrier  I would talk and sing to them in a soothing tone, occasionally those laser-sharp eyes would gaze into my eyes with the most angelic smile and my heart would melt. Yes! I loved carrying them around in the carrier wherever I went. It felt very good having them close to me and I could not understand why other Dads were not doing it. I felt they were missing out on quality time with their baby.

Connecting with Your Baby

Babies need lots of body contact during the first few months  – I remember when my children were born they would hold onto my index finger for dear life. After their bath, I put them on their tummy and placed them on my chest, it was probably my heartbeat that put them to sleep almost immediately.

I think having your baby close to you in a baby carrier is a substitute for when they were in the womb and is actually helping them adjust to the outside world. Our body heat, our heartbeat and the sound of our voices become familiar to our baby and makes them feel secure. A baby needs physical close contact which is just as important as sleeping and eating.

Would I recommend a Baby Carrier?  A most definite Yes!!

From personal experience as a hands on Dad, I would urge you to invest in a baby carrier as soon as possible. Not only do you gel with your baby but it will give you that special quality time if you are at work full time and you don’t get a chance to interact with them.

Grab every minute you can with them they grow very quickly and you wonder where the time went. I went shopping with them and of course, I could move around in crowds effortlessly with my hands-free while Junior was fast asleep dribbling on my chest. The love and joy they bring you are priceless – You will treasure those precious memories you spent with them long after they have left home.

Which Baby Carrier is best for the Baby?

It can be quite daunting finding the right baby carrier. BABYBJÖRN has a range of baby carriers to suit all tastes. BABYBJÖRN carriers are ergonomically tested for your baby and can be used from birth onwards. Click on the carrier guide to find the most suitable carrier for your baby and useful tips for brand new parents which will help you overcome that anxious feeling of being a parent.

Bjorn Baby Carrier Review

Product Name: Bjorn Baby Carrier

Website:   https://www.babybjorn.com/baby-carriers/         
Price:     £49.99 –    £119.99         
Overall Rank:  60 out of 100

The Good & the Bad

The Good:

PRO: Good support, excellent weight distribution, easy to get on and off

The Bad:

CON: It’s a bit bulky

Who is  Bjorn Baby Carrier suitable for? You can use a baby carrier as soon as your baby is born! … We recommend waiting until your child is 12 months old before you carry them on your back

Click  here : Bjorn Baby Carrier  Manuals and Instructions
Click here :  Bjorn Baby Carrier Support

Watch Video Review on Björn Baby Carrier

Effective Steps to a Successful Online Business

I want to spend a few minutes sharing something valuable with you that will save you months of guesswork and stress.If you are contemplating starting an online business.Read this information it will help you understand how to start an online business.I will explain how you can make money online.

It does not matter what level you on whether you are a beginner or you have some internet experience but you are not getting the desired results you had hoped. I would love to share how a web business works. When I started I was stumbling in the dark trying to find my way around the internet world, I eventually found the perfect online business.

The First Step Find a Niche

Before you can even make money you have to find a profitable niche – I can see your mind working overtime, don’t alarm yourself, readers, you probably wondering how you are going to sell or what your website will look like let me explain further I will break this down in stages

What is a niche?

It simply means we find an area online where people are spending time and money. You may be an expert in that field whether its an offline business or a hobby where you feel you have the skills and technique to teach people online.

You may have knowledge about an existing job that you are passionate about or you can find a profitable niche that suits you. There are literally thousands of niches to choose from and as an example here are a few profitable niches.

Weight loss is always a winner, weight training, cake making, events planner how to write your own book etc.Do a google search and see how many profitable niche hobbies there are, you will be amazed. The list is endless. Don’t overthink how you going to find a profitable niche, we will show how its done at Wealthy Affiliate. How to make money online will be the first lesson we cover

Build a list

What is a list I hear you ask? As an example, you collect email addresses of readers who are interested in cake making.This is done by building a website and you capture the email address of a prospect who lands on your landing page. I hope you are following me so far, as you can see its a process. Building a list is the lifeblood of any internet business.You offer products or services to customers through your affiliate link on your website.

                         Understanding the Money Making Process

My Reasons for Joining Wealthy Affiliate

All I ever wanted was to design my own website and earn a passive income. After many false starts, I am pleased to announce that I have achieved both. What you are seeing now is my very own creation of a website I can call my very own. I am so proud that I can actually design a sleek looking website and so can You.

Expert Training

The training is a step by step process by an expert internet coach and the Founders of the company have rolled up their sleeves and created Bootcamp training courses for members. Wealthy Affiliate caters to the newcomer or advanced marketers. The focus is on teaching you how to create a commanding internet business. Wealthy Affiliate runs 52 weekly classes per year.

Any passion can be turned into a livelihood. You will be taught how to monetize on any idea, hobby or passion. Come as a blank page and bring your enthusiasm with an idea and turn into a profitable business.

Your learning experience is live and interactive. You can engage and communicate directly within the lessons and get help with any questions that you may have. Live Chat, Live Classes, Live Interaction, and Live Expert Help are all big components of your educational experience at Wealthy Affiliate.

Join today! It will be the best decision you ever made. 

Websites

Wealthy Affiliate has the most Sophisticated Website in the World. You must have a solid foundation to build a successful business. Watch your business grow when you create your website with the SiteRubix website platform at Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate has some of the most useful and integrated tools for website analysis, management, ranking, and security. It is so easy to use, and great fun. Building websites have never been this amazing. You can build your website within a few minutes, it’s that simple and easy.

You will have your own website online for the whole world to see. Do you remember how long it took to build a website about a couple of weeks.?  Now ! all it takes is just a few minutes and you can see it in front of your very eyes. There is no time wasting on the technical side of building your website. You can focus your attention on your business straight away.

Website security is a big part of running a successful business. You are in good hands with our SiteRubix website platform at Wealthy Affiliate. We go above and beyond the call of duty with your website and have created a line of defence against some of the most sophisticated attacks that can happen to your website.

All websites are monitored 24 hours per day, offer full redundancy, daily snapshot backups, and if there is any suspicious activity it is dealt with immediately.

Click here: Build Your Free Website Here Today Scroll  Down to the Bottom of the Page

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Compare Domain Prices and Hosting Prices 

The Wealthy Affiliate Community will blow You away

I have never ever come across such a caring community who will bend over backward to help you with a problem. They have become my family and friends online. Building an online business when you starting out on your own can be quite daunting.

Getting help when you need it can be quite tricky sometimes. You never have to worry about that problem at Wealthy Affiliate. I am part of that community. We truly care about You and are always there for you night and day.

We have members from all over the world and you build an instant rapport with them the moment they connect with You. You can share your stories with members worldwide. This one of the best international platforms for sharing and caring about others needs.

Conclusion

The proof is in the pudding that’s another way of saying (it is in the eating) what it means literally is that you can only judge the quality of something after you have tried, used, or experienced it. This is a not bold statement when I say that members are earning a huge amount of money. And It’s Happening Every Day.

What is your idea of success? $10/day? $100/day? $1,000/day, More? It’s entirely possible with the education, the websites, and the community you are going to be able to take full advantage of at Wealthy Affiliate.

Every single day there are new member success stories being posted. There is no upper limit to the level of success you can achieve, it just takes a little bit of elbow grease and hard work.

Thanks so much for allowing me to explain how internet marketing works. I have just touched the surface. if there are any questions that I have not answered contact me on my contact page

Meet the Founders of Wealthy Affiliate

Read my post:    The Benefits of  becoming an Affiliate Member 

Virtually any hobby can create profits without tremendous overhead or ridiculously high start-up costs. What’s even better, you aren’t required to have a specific product to sell! In fact, you can make your knowledge of your hobby your product.

To cash in on your hobby, choose a hobby that you enjoy and are skilled at. Then, monetize your hobby by selling a product or service. You can also make money by teaching or sharing knowledge. Once you begin making money from your hobby, you will need to manage your new business.

Selling Your Services and Products

Provide materials for your hobby. One way to think about monetizing your hobby is to consider some of the things you spend money on while participating in your hobby. For example, are there any materials that are required? Perhaps you could make money by selling the materials necessary to participate in your hobby.

• If your hobby is jump rope, you could try selling specialty ropes, such as beaded ropes, wire ropes, rope handles, double dutch ropes, etc.
• Provide materials for your hobby. One way to think about monetizing your hobby is to consider some of the things you spend money on while participating in your hobby. For example, are there any materials that are required? Perhaps you could make money by selling the materials necessary to participate in your hobby.
• If your hobby is jump rope, you could try selling specialty ropes, such as beaded ropes, wire ropes, rope handles, double dutch ropes, etc.

Sell products online or at a craft show.

If you have decided to make money from a craft-based hobby such as candle making, sewing, knitting, or painting, you can sell your products online through craft websites such as etsy.com. Alternatively, you could set up a booth at a local craft show, church sale, or farmers market.

Create a freelance business. 

You can also sell your services by doing freelance work for already established companies. If you enjoy writing and reading, you could create freelance articles for magazines, or engage in editing and proofreading for a variety of publications and websites.

Alternatively, if you are an expert in web design or social media, you could help create websites for small businesses or run social media accounts. Try reaching out to small businesses and let them know about the services you supply. If you’re a writer or artist, you could try submitting some of your work to a local newspaper, magazine, or contest.

Start an Online business

If you’re ready to be in charge of your own destiny, but don’t have the capital to buy a franchise or open up a storefront, consider starting an online business. When your store is online, you can reach millions of customers instead of whoever happens to wander in – plus, you don’t have to pay for retail space. However, like with any business, you’ll need an excellent product and a solid marketing plan.

Teaching and Sharing Your Knowledge

Consider teaching your hobby or skill. Some hobbies, such as playing an instrument, speaking a foreign language, writing, and drawing require some level of skill.

You may be able to monetize your hobby by teaching others these fundamental skills. For instance, you could provide in-home lessons or partner with a community or recreation center and start teaching classes.

Share your knowledge in a book or blog. 

You can also make money by sharing your knowledge or passion through writing a book or blog. For example, if you have a passion for sports, cooking, parenting, sewing, dog training, reading, etc you could start a blog that focuses on that topic. As you get more followers some companies will pay to place ads on your blog. You could also self-publish a “how to” book that teaches a specific skill.

• Before starting a blog, research other similar blogs to see if there is a niche market available that you could tap into. You may find that there are multiple blogs about cooking, but few that focus on gluten-free cooking.
• To attract advertisers to your blog try writing product spotlights, partnering with other small companies to do giveaways, and ask your readers to give feedback on certain products.

Start a vlog. 

You can also make money through video blogging. If you are great at video gaming you could create a youtube channel or vlog that shows others how to beat video games. Once you have enough views you can start earning money from advertisements that play before your video. Alternatively, you could create demo videos that teach how to sew, knit, or cook.

Managing Your Business

Advertise on social media. A cheap and easy way to advertise your new business is through social media. For example, you could create a Facebook page, an Instagram account, or a Twitter account. This way you can promote your business for free and easily reach potential customers. Begin by following all of your friends and family. Then, you can expand your business through word of mouth.

• Make sure that you post frequently on social media accounts.
• Connect with other similar businesses to help spread the word.
• You can also advertise your small business through your local newspaper, a website, or message boards.

Keep financial records. 

You are required to keep track of any personal income you earn from freelance work. As a result, you must maintain financial records of any cheques or cash you receive. You should also keep track of any business expenses.

For example, if you need to purchase any supplies keep the receipts. These can be filed with your taxes and will help to reduce your taxable income. If your business grows, you may want to consider hiring an accountant or bookkeeper to track your finances.

Set realistic goals.

When you are creating a new start-up business from your hobby, it is important that you understand your goals and then build from there. You are likely not going to begin earning a lot of money in the beginning. As a result, you should keep your regular job, until your hobby begins earning enough money that you can afford to live.

Unfortunately, childhood obesity has become an increasing problem over the last few years. Children, like adults, now have very high BMIs, are significantly overweight and are even developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. If your family dines out on a regular basis, it’s important to try to choose a healthy kids meal.

This will help ensure your child is consuming adequate nutrients daily in addition to consuming foods that will support a healthy weight. Review all choices on restaurant menus and use your best judgment so that you and your child can choose a healthy kids meal.

Choose a family-oriented and child-friendly restaurant. 

To make choosing a nutritious kids meal a little easier, try to pick a restaurant that is kid or family oriented. They may have more options or allow more substitutions and changes.

• Many fancier or expensive restaurants may not have a kids menu or serve foods that many children would actually want to eat.
• In addition, the chef may not be as willing to make substitutions and changes to the meals or items served.
• Look for a restaurant that has a children’s menu available already. You may want to do some research online or call the restaurant to see what types of menus and foods are available.
• Also, consider asking if the chef is willing to make changes, substitutions or serve smaller portions of items on the regular or adult menu.

Choose a nutritious source of protein.

Everyone needs to consume adequate amounts of protein. Children also need adequate protein. It’s essential for the growth and development of their bodies.

• Start by telling your child to pick out a protein or meat. Give them a list of options or choices that you’ve already pre-selected. This will limit their options and keep them on track.
• Although many kids menu’s offer a fried or high-fat source of protein (like chicken tenders or a hot dog), consider giving them the option of ordering something of the appetizer list or main entree list.
• Grilled, steamed, baked or poached protein options are generally lower in fat and calories. These will be the best and most nutritious choice for your child
• If you can only order a fried or high fat source of protein, that’s OK. Focus on having your child select a more nutritious side.

Always include a fruit or vegetable. 

Both fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. These are essential food groups and should be eaten at each one of your child’s meals.

• Once your child has selected a main dish or source of protein, move on to the side dish. Again, giving them a pre-selected menu or list will help keep them focused. If you’re not offering french fries, buttered pasta or macaroni and cheese they won’t know its available to order.
• Since both fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and very nutritious, you can give your child multiple choices. Emphasize the need for a healthy side if they’ve selected a higher fat or less healthy main dish.

Ask for whole grains. 

Another important point to focus on when ordering your child’s meal is selecting a nutritious grain. Going for 100% whole grains is the most nutritious choice and will offer your child a good dose of extra fiber.

• 100% whole grains are much higher in fiber, minerals, and even protein compared to refined grains like white rice or plain pasta.
• Review the menu and check for whole grain options. If you can’t find them, ask the wait staff if they offer whole grains over the refined grains.
• Many restaurants now offer whole grain bread, whole grain noodles or pasta and brown rice as sides. If your child is interested in having one of these options, go for the whole grain versions.

Limit meals that have high-fat options. 

Kids meals are notoriously famous for some fried foods. Try to limit the items you order that are higher in fat. They’re usually higher in calories and low in beneficial nutrients.

• Whether it’s chicken nuggets, french fries, a grilled cheese or a hot dog, you might not find the best bets on these kid menus. Try to avoid ordering these types of foods for your child’s meal.
• Ask instead if there are any grilled or lower fat options. For example, do they serve grilled chicken tenders? Would they offer a baked potato? These are better and more nutritious options for your child.

Choose Sugar-Free Beverage Options. 

Foods aren’t the only unhealthy item that may be featured on kids menus. Be wary of high calorie, sugar-laden beverages that are often featured on kids menus as well.

• Kids know that restaurants offer a variety of beverages. They may start asking for chocolate milk, lemonade or even soda knowing these options are available. Skip these sugary drinks in favor of something unsweetened
• Again, give your child a menu of choices they can pick from. Leave out options like chocolate milk, lemonade, sweetened tea, sodas, juices and mixed drinks like a Shirley Temple.
• Instead, offer items like water or skim milk. Both of these options are the only drinks children should be drinking. However, an unsweetened tea or the occasional 100% fruit juice isn’t bad.

Teaching Your Children About Nutritious Meals

Read the entire menu. When you go to a restaurant with your children, it’s important to help them review the entire menu. They (or even you) may go straight to the kid’s menu without looking at what else the restaurant offers.

• To find the healthiest or most nutritious option at restaurants, make sure you’re aware of everything that they offer. If you only look at the kid’s menu, you’ll limit your overall options.
• Start with the kid’s menu. Review it and see if there’s an option there that you think would be appropriate for your child. Some kids menu’s offer items like grilled chicken, salmon, and steamed vegetables.
• Review the other parts of the menu. This is an especially good idea if your child isn’t picky about their food choices. You may find something on the appetizer list or sides that are more nutritious than what’s offered on the kid’s menu.

Give your child choices.

When you’re out to eat with your child, you’re most likely going to be the one scanning the entire menu for a nutritious option. Get your child involved in the meal-making decision by giving them a select list of options to choose from

• Scan the menu and come up with 2 or 3 choices that would be appropriate for your child to have. Present these to your child and allow them to choose one of these options.
• If you let your child choose their meals without your influence, they may end up choosing those standard higher fat or fried kids meal options. If you tailor their choices down, they’ll be limited in what they can order.
• Also, if you see a vegetable, fruit or lean protein you know your child already loves, offer this up as an option. This can help entice them to make a healthier choice.
• Consider letting your child choose one nutritious item and one favorite item. If your child is asking for the chicken nuggets, don’t fight them on it. Ask that they skip the fries and choose a more nutritious side.

Show them how to monitor portions. 

Kids might not understand the concept of portion control. This is a great teaching point for you to emphasize when you’re out to eat with your family.

• Kids might get excited about having a lot of options when you go out to eat. They’re probably not given many options at home. They may want to order a few things that they don’t get to eat on a regular basis.
• If your child is asking for a few items, talk to them about how their eyes can sometimes be bigger than their stomach. It’s important to only choose a protein and a side when you’re out to eat.
• If your child does want to try more than one item, ask them if splitting those items with a sibling or a parent would be beneficial.

Allow them to choose a kids meal.

You might not want to let your child choose one of those standard fast-food meals with a toy. However, consider allowing your child to choose these meals and talk to them about why these can be a good idea.

• Many fast food restaurants are now offering a fruit as a side with their kids meals. You might get a small fruit salad, a clementine or sliced apples with the meal.
• Kids meals also feature smaller than “small” options. You get kid-sized chicken nuggets or fries which are automatically portion controlled.
• Teach them that these may be good options because they can enjoy some of their favorite foods but still consume a well-balanced meal.

Encouraging Children to Eat Nutritious Foods

Lead by example. Regardless of what habit you’re trying to get your child to pick up, you’ll be most successful if you lead by example. If you’re not choosing a healthy meal at a restaurant, your child most likely won’t either.

• When you’re out to eat, make sure that you choose a healthy option. This will show your child how to order, but also ensure you’re having a nutritious meal as well.
• If you’re craving something higher in calorie (like a cheeseburger) skip a higher calorie side and order something a little more nutritious. This can teach your child about compromising when you order a favorite item.
• The more consistent you are with making healthy choices and offering them healthy choices, the more they’ll come to fall into this routine.

Talk positively about nutritious foods. 

You may choose to go out to dinner so you can indulge in some of your favorite foods – especially if you don’t cook them at home. Instead of talking about unhealthy foods, talk positively about healthy and nutritious foods in front of your children.

• Like being a role model, your children hear the comments you make about foods. Avoid talking negatively about healthy items. For example, don’t talk about how you don’t like vegetables or don’t think they taste good. Your children will pick up on this and mimic this behavior.
• Focus on saying encouraging words about healthy eating. Talk about how vegetables taste delicious or you enjoy eating fresh fruit for dessert. This will help your child understand the importance of healthy eating.

Serve nutritious and well-balanced meals at home. 

 

If you want your child to make healthy choices at restaurants or to ask for more nutritious foods, make sure you’re setting that example at home. If children are used to eating items like macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets on a regular basis, they’ll continue to ask for those foods when you go out to eat.

• Set the basis for healthy eating with home cooked meals. If you’re normally serving lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains, this will become your child’s normal way of eating. They’re more likely to ask for similar items at restaurants.
• Also, don’t treat restaurant meals differently than home cooked meals. Many people treat eating out as a special occasion or a time to treat themselves to higher calorie or unhealthier foods. Your child will catch onto this so treat home cooked and restaurant meals similarly.

Widen your child’s food horizons.

Another great way to get your child to eat healthier options at restaurants is by introducing them to new foods. You can try going to ethnic restaurants to help expose your child to new foods.

• Your child may not always like the traditional healthy and nutritious foods that are offered at restaurants. Plain steamed broccoli or grilled chicken may not be very tempting.
• Try taking your child to a new restaurant or an ethnic restaurant where they’d be exposed to some of these same nutritious foods that are prepared in a very different manner.
• For example, they may not like steamed broccoli but enjoy vegetable tempura. They may also enjoy a curry dish or even pasta primavera with vegetables. Ask your child if they’d be interested in trying some of these new dishes.

 

How to Space Clear a Room

Decluttering simply means to remove mess or clutter from a place that is not being used. There are so many tv programmes on space clearing and Feng Shui. Does it work? – You bet it works, not only will your house feel lighter and brighter but so will you and the rest of your family.

Space clearing is a holistic technique, possibly derived from Feng Shui practices, where the organization of your environment helps to provide you with harmony and inner balance. Space clearing has been reported to lead to quality of life and even health improvements in many individuals.

De-clutter the room you are about to space clear

• In other words, make it as simple and clean as possible.
• Take as long as necessary to calm and center yourself.
• Take time and think carefully about what you want this space clearing to achieve, such as a better, healthier atmosphere, improved sleep, and overall health or maybe the start of a happier, calmer, more fulfilled time of your life; it is completely personal to you.
• Do this by yourself, making sure that children and pets are not present, as they have a tendency to add to clutter!
• Wear comfortable clothing and if possible stay barefoot. Open all the windows to allow fresh air to circulate as you work.
• Optionally call in whatever angels or divine beings are appropriate to you and your situation. Obviously this step is only useful if you believe in such beings.
• Use bells or cymbals in each corner of the room and in the center to shake up and disperse the stagnant, stale energy. If you don’t have access to a bell, a metal pot and spoon is just fine!
• Light your smudge stick or incense carefully and walk around the room, holding a fireproof container under the stick to catch any ash. Many believe that tracing the figure 8 can bring in an extra divine element.
• Finish the space clearing, with either a bowl of salt placed in the middle of the room you have just cleared, or you can place small bowls of salt in each corner to absorb any residual negative energy.
• Light a candle, at the same time stating your wish for the space clearing.
• Thank all the divine beings who have helped you, if they did.
• Place your flowers where you can enjoy them and relax.

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For more information on Space Clearing, Karen Kingston’s Books are available on Amazon