Business News

Fort Hood: Talking to Your Kids About Bad News

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:24:09 GMT

The horrific killings at Fort Hood last week have dominated the headlines, and it's been hard to shield my five-year-old son from the news. Even so, I wonder is it a good idea to protect your children from what's happening in the world around us? I asked Suri Roth, a former teacher and young mom to two daughters, for her thoughts. Roth is the founder of the country?s only national newspaper for kids, The Current Events.

As a parent, how do you determine if an event is age-appropriate to discuss, such as the death of a major figure?
It really depends on the child. Is the child aware of this event? In some instances these events pass right over children and they have no interest in knowing. It's important to determine if the child really wants or needs this information. It is certainly less complicated to deal as a parent on a one-to-one basis with children about a tragic event such as death. Children are most affected by these events if they had a relationship with the deceased. Some children find it comforting to know that the person or people involved not in pain anymore. I have found that with my own kids the primary concern is the "pain factor," and "can it happen to us?"

I like to draw on what Kathie Scobee Fulgham, daughter of an astronaut who died on the Space Shuttle Challenger, shared with other children whose parents had died in terrorist attacks or space disasters. Kathie describes seeing the shuttle explode over and over again on the TV screen and virtually seeing her dad dying over and over again. She said that each time brought more confusion and pain.

Today Katie shares with children of disaster victims that "the same way your brain doesn't register immediately when you break your arm," the victims don't feel the pain and don't know what is happening. I talk to my children about this concept and find it very helpful.

However, covering bad news, such as fire or terrorist attack, tends to dominate the headlines. Should we shield our children from those discussions?
We can't - in most instances, that is. I would certainly not draw attention or describe the details of events that can be frightening to children. Children pick up on what's happening around them and sense tense situations. It is best to talk to them about the situation so that they feel secure that they are getting the information from a safe, age-appropriate resource and that they don't have to look for answers on their own, or try to make sense of events on their own, which often leads to misunderstanding and unnecessary fears and anxiety.

The point is to give them the information that they need and not extraneous information that can be harmful. I often focus on what is being done to prevent a given situation from happening in the future, and what steps we are taking as a family and a nation to prevent this from reoccurring. For example, pointing out the volunteerism that took place after 9/11 gives children a sense of "we're not alone" and helps them shift their focus to positive, and in some instances courageous, actions taken by fellow Americans.

What kinds of news events spark the best conversations with your own family? Sports? Local? National?
I think it is my passion for imparting knowledge that drives these discussions in our home. It's my tone, my attitude such as: "I came across an amazing news item today...it was about such-and such," and my children are all ears! Then come the follow-up questions which lead us to explore the topic on a deeper level.

How can schools do a better job of incorporating current events into the curriculum?
In the Information Age, where we are today, current events are a crucial part of education. Textbooks are typically a few years behind and in many instances the information is outdated. If educators make an effort to tie in the news across the curriculum, learning comes alive and becomes relevant.

I can't think of a better way to spark students' interest in government than to present the headlines of what's happening in our government now. The same applies to all content areas. For example: "What is currently happening in the region being discussed in your history class?" "Are there any scientific studies being conducted in the field your science class is exploring now?" By incorporating current events in classrooms we provide our students with a foundation for lifelong learning that they can apply to their everyday lives.

What's the best way to get kids engaged in the world around them?
Tune into their natural curiosity. What are their interests? Build on them!

For more tips on talking to children about bad news, check out this article from the Portland Examiner.

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Holiday Shopping Tips for Busy, Budget-Minded Parents

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:50:29 GMT

We know you?re busy, and we know you want to save money. With holiday shopping around the corner, here's a list of tips from Michelle Madhok, founder of SheFinds.com and MomFinds.com, to help you get your gifts quickly and at a savings. Because much as the kids may love them, Madhok's ideas about holiday cheer don?t always include big-box toy stores around December.

Shop Online. Only.
Avoid the holiday mayhem entirely. Schedule time with each child to cybershop ? most stores will save the contents of your shopping cart for a few days, so you can revise according to your budget when all the kids are done. Kids will love the special time and the fact that they get to control the clicks, but you?ll have control over what ends up in the cart.

Pare Down Your Search
If you have some idea of what you want to buy but aren?t totally sure, Pronto is a great place to start. The shopping search engine is accurate and user-friendly, and with photos and price ranges for all the results. Start in their toys and games or baby sections, and keep refining till you have a few choices in your preferred criteria.

Subscribe, Don?t Buy
If your little ones tend to have fickle toy tastes, try giving a toy rental subscription to RentAToy or BabyPlays. They?re like Netflix for toys, and the same logic applies: They reduce the clutter that comes with an enormous toy collection, and keep things interesting with new toys when your tot tires of the current one.

Get Cash Back
A no-brainer for saving during a big shopping season: shop through a cash-back service like Bank of America?s Add It Up program, which gives Bank of America customers up to 20% cash back on purchases from participating retailers. The Bank of America program has over 300 retailers, like Land of Nod, so it might make sense to check the list before deciding where you?ll buy a given toy. You can even take advantage of double cash back offers from retailers like Apple Online Store and BestBuy.com.

Set Yourself Up For Deals
Know where you?ll do some of your shopping already? Sign up for that retailer?s e-mail newsletter list, and you?ll be the first to know about sales, spend-and-save offers, and free shipping ? sometimes they?ll even throw in a coupon code. Toys R Us, Babies R Us and Target are particularly good for big brands like Fisher Price and Mattel; Giggle and FAO Schwarz have great selections of European and Eco toys.

First Lady Michelle Obama on Work-Life Balance

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:11:32 GMT

At South High School in Denver, during a Q&A session on Nov. 16, First Lady Michelle Obama made these insightful remarks on juggling her public job as first lady with her private job as mother to Sasha and Malia.

Question: What is one of the most difficult things of being First Lady?

MRS. OBAMA: The most difficult things of being the First Lady? Wow. There are a lot of advantages. I mean, let me begin by saying that. I came into this position having absolutely no idea what to expect. But I can say that it has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this role, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. From the moment we started campaigning, the ability to travel around the country and to meet people -- whether they were voting for my husband or not -- who were open and engaged and thoughtful and caring and patriotic and loyal, you're just reminded that this is a really solid country, doing really good things.

So over the course of the campaign I got really pumped out about wanting to do my very best in whatever way for this country -- for kids, for military families, for mothers struggling. It's just, I get pumped up to try to make sure that I'm working my hardest and that I'm not taking anything for granted.

But with that, you know, comes the challenge of having a role that's very public and raising kids and making sure that my girls don't get lost in all of this -- because they're young and they didn't make this choice.

So the President and I are always balancing the role that we play in public with making sure that home is home and that we're present and accounted for, for our kids -- not as Michelle and Barack Obama, but as mom and dad. And that means that on a day like this, I leave in the morning, I come back before they go to bed. That means when they have an event it takes precedent over everything -- whether it's a school play or a soccer game -- they know if I can be there, one of us, we will be there, and we will be there not signing autographs or taking pictures, but being mom and dad. I do it by making sure that I know what my kids' homework is and that I'm asking them questions, and I know who their teachers are, and I know who their friends are, and they still feel like they have a life.

So striking that balance sometimes is tough. And because I care so much about my kids, I want to make sure that they come out of this as whole as possible. So you're always struggling with making sure that you're doing right by the country, but you're also doing right by your kids.

Latest India News

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:26:08 GMT

Over 10,000 women participate in a fabric-painting event for womens right in Chennai In an attempt to get registered in the Guinness Book of World Records, over 10,000 women participated in a fabric painting event organised here on Monday by scribbling and painting on a five kilometre long cloth.

Best Places to Raise Kids

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:49:38 GMT

BusinessWeek is running its annual list of the best city or town for raising kids in each state in the nation. The rankings are based on a calculation using a number of criteria, such as schools, housing costs and crime rate. The overall winner? Tinley Park, Illinois:

Tinley Park, with its top-rated schools, low crime, beautiful parks, relatively affordable houses, and easy access to jobs, is the winner of BusinessWeek's Best Places in America to Raise Kids. Working with OnBoard Informatics, we chose a winner for each state, but the Chicago suburb?only an hour south of last year's winner, Mount Prospect, Ill.?scored the highest. Named after the village's first railroad master in the 1800s, Tinley Park has two train stations, which carry commuters to Chicago in 45 minutes. Single-family homes for sale in Tinley Park start at $166,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bath house spread over 1,200 square feet to brand-new four-bedroom house for $630,000. All three of the main high schools serving Tinley Park are ranked in the top 100 in the state. And the students are closely tied to the community and often stay there after graduating.

I know nothing of Tinley Park, but New York's winner certainly gave me pause--Tonawanda, right next to Buffalo. My mother grew up in Tonawanda and my grandmother lived there until the day she died at age 96, which I guess makes it a good place to grow old. But when I think of all of New York State, it probably wouldn't be my first choice for raising kids. Then again, as a western New York native, I do like to see that part of the state get it place in the sun, in part because it doesn't get a lot of sun.

The list always stirs up a lot of controversy. Check it out and let us know where you would prefer to raise your kids.

A Fond Farewell to Working Parents Readers

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:35:53 GMT

This is a week to give thanks-and to say goodbye.

After six years at BusinessWeek and four years as a lead writer on this blog, I will be leaving BusinessWeek on Dec. 1.

Working Parents was started by my colleagues Amy Dunkin, Anne Tergesen and Toddi Gutner, based on the conversations we had about our families-usually on Monday mornings. Since the blog's launch in January 2006, we've been successful in our mission to "lead a broad discussion of the issues and day-to-day concerns of working parents, offering up interviews with work/life experts, examinations of relevant research, and personal accounts of bouncing between separate, sometimes conflicting worlds."

Some of my favorite posts How Mac 'N Cheese is Like a Cigarette and Honoring a Wonderful Life were written by my colleague Cathy Arnst. A post I wrote on The Motherhood Penalty went viral. And I constantly refer back to an interview with Leslie Morgan Steiner, author of Mommy Wars.

I feel especially appreciative that I was able to ride the BusinessWeek train for as long as I did. I'm also thankful to McGraw-Hill, which owned BusinessWeek for the past 80 years. The corporation has a commitment to work-life issues, incredible benefits, and an impressive women's network. A flexible work schedule kept me sane during the past five years. In addition, my BusinessWeek managers and peers were especially supportive during a rough period when my son had seven surgeries. For that, I am eternally grateful.

I'd also like to thank the other bloggers out there who keep the conversation alive. Special shout-outs to Cali Williams-Yost, Marci Alboher, The Sloan Work and Family Research Network, The Families & Work Institute, The Juggle, The Motherlode and countless other thought leaders out there.

Although my time at BusinessWeek has come to a close, I'll be blogging about parenting issues and work-life topics in the future on MommyTracked. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving.

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Archives: Where They Praise (or Bash) You

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:53:09 GMT

Latest India News

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:07:11 GMT

Asia-Pacific region has one of the worlds worst gender gaps: UNDP While Asia and the Pacific can take pride in the regions vibrant economic transformation in recent decades, this has not translated into progress on gender equality.

Q&A with Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:47:48 GMT

Ever since the Oakland-based East Bay Express published an explosive story called Yelp and the Business of Extortion 2.0 a year ago, Yelp Inc. CEO Jeremy Stoppelman has been dealing with charges that the company has a bad habit of shaking down small businesses. The scheme, say critics, is that Yelp ...

An Uptick in Hiring by Smallest Employers

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:01:00 GMT

As Congress continues to shape a jobs bill, data from payroll companies suggest that small businesses have started to hire

Real Estate's Link to the Small Business Credit Crunch

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:17:00 GMT

Small business owners, who often borrow against homes and offices, are suffering from the vicious cycle that's keeping credit tight and pushing real estate down

How Many Jobs Do Small Employers Create?

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:58:00 GMT

Latest India News

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:07:14 GMT

Nirupama Rao to visit Sri Lanka today Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will visit Sri Lanka today on a three-day official visit in a bid to boost bilateral ties between the two countries.

Not a Consultant, an Interim Executive

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:11:08 GMT

Interim executives fill managerial roles. To get the most out of them, companies must find the right match and acknowledge internal problems

Revisiting the Face of 'Necessity Entrepreneurship'

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:24:33 GMT

Last March we profiled 26 ventures hatched by the newly unemployed. Amid signs of economic recovery, we check in with each of them

French Stocks: BNP, EADS, Eurotunnel, GDF Suez, Sanofi, Thales - BusinessWeek

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:43:00 GMT

March 9 (Bloomberg) -- France?s CAC 40 Index gained 6.47, or 0.2 percent, to 3,910.01. The SBF 120 Index advanced 0.1 percent. The following shares rose or fell in Paris. Stock symbols are in parentheses. Aufeminin.com SA (FEM FP) dropped 78 cents ...

Hunterdon County Chamber Announces March Panel on Strategic Marketing - MyCentralJersey.com

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:04:00 GMT

The Women's Business Forum of Hunterdon County announces its second educational panel, Marketing in Today's Diverse World. This lunch n' learn program will be held at Stanton Ridge Golf & Country Club in Whitehouse Station, NJ from 11:30 am to 1:30 ...

Erie. Pa. News, Sports, and Events for Thursday, March 4, 2010

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:59:45 GMT

Congratulations to Logistics Plus, Fluid Engineering, and Insurance Management Company for being chosen as this year's winners of the Award of Excellence, to be presented by the Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.A The awards will be presented at the 2010 Celebration of Excellence at the Bayfront Convention Center on April 22.A The theme of ...

Fixed Mobile Convergence - TMCnet

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:40:00 GMT

Santa Ana, CA, Mar 09, 2010 (PRWeb.com via COMTEX) -- Nine innovative healthcare companies have been named Finalists and will vie to win three 2010 Innovations in HealthcareSM ABBY Awards at the 12th Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards Event ...

Hunterdon County Chamber Announces Women's Leadership Summit in ... - MyCentralJersey.com

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:47:00 GMT

Would You Like to Develop the Leader From Within? If so, the Women's Business Forum of Hunterdon County would like to invite you to our first annual Women's Business Summit on Wednesday, May 19th from 8:00am to 3:00pm at the Grand Colonial in Hampton ...

Davie voters to decide three council races - Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:47:00 GMT

Voters heading to the polls Tuesday will decide the outcome of three races that have been nasty from the get-go. Six candidates are battling for three council seats in a year when budget woes, a tough economy and redevelopment challenges are playing ...

Storied NY village Seneca Falls weighs dissolving - Forbes

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:54:00 GMT

SENECA FALLS, N.Y. -- A tax squabble is forcing voters to decide next week whether to dissolve the boundaries of a central New York village known as the birthplace of women's rights and the inspiration for a classic Christmas movie. The March 16 ...

Hess, Dorothy M.

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:57:40 GMT

News Death Notice HESS, Dorothy M. 94 of Springfield died February 3, 2010 in the Trinity Retirement Community, Beavercreek.

NTK (Need to Know) - Omaha World-Herald

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:02:00 GMT

News of note: ? A rock slide that dumped boulders the size of buses on a major highway in western Colorado could will shut down traffic for weeks. Interstate 70 near Glenwood Springs was closed in both directions Monday. A detour that forced cars ...

Cash for old bangers revs SME growth

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:23:07 GMT

Car sales were up by 26 per cent last month compared with February last year, largely due to the success of the government’s car scrappage scheme, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Paul Everitt, chief executive of the SMMT, says: ‘Scrappage has generated eight consecutive months of growth in the new car market and we expect its benefits to stretch beyond the scheme’s closure later this month.’

Jonathan Visscher, at the SMMT, says the scheme has boosted the small business sector: ‘The wider knock-on effect of its success is that many smaller companies in the supply chain have seen an increase in sales. However, when the scheme ends in March the boost will fade and by the close of the year we expect the industry to be down.’

David Lacey, managing director of The Fleet Department, adds: ‘Without doubt it has benefited all concerned. The government has made more VAT on its sales, the motor industry has achieved sales at a difficult time and also small manufacturing businesses have benefited.’

The scheme, which pays motorists £2,000 to trade in an old car for a new one, accounted for almost one in five car sales in February.

Small businesses hit by ‘stealth’ tax

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:57:08 GMT

SMEs are being hit by a furtive tax increase, says the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The FSB has discovered that nearly half of SME business sectors have seen a rise in the level of flat rate VAT

Flat rate VAT is charged to the smallest businesses with a turnover of less than £150,000 and aims to minimise the red tape by providing a slightly lower VAT rate depending on the sector the business operates in.

John Wright, national chairman of the organisation, says: ‘When VAT was lowered in December 2008 many rates stayed the same and some were reduced by up to 2.5 per cent. What has become apparent is that after VAT was put back to 17.5 per cent in January this year, nearly half of the flat rate schemes have seen the VAT level rise above the pre-decrease level.

‘While a few sectors have seen a decrease, the majority of businesses will see their rates rise, which is unacceptable at a time when cash-flow is limited.’

HMRC denied that the increases in some of the flat VAT rates represent a stealth tax: ‘This is a more accurate re-calculation of what different sectors should be paying,’ a spokesperson said.

According to HMRC, 31 per cent of current users have seen an increase in the flat rate, while 51 per cent have seen no change and 18 per cent have seen a reduced rate.

Profits fall in business services

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:14:41 GMT

Small businesses in the consultancy and business services sectors have seen profits fall during the last six months, finds a survey.

Some 52 per cent report a decline in margins compared with 18 per cent who have seen increased profits, says banking group Santander. 

However, of the 218 businesses surveyed, 72 per cent remain confident for the first half of 2010.

Andy Homer, spokesperson for Santander Corporate Banking, says: ‘Confidence in [these] sectors remains high despite the continuing squeeze on profits. Firms are beginning to feel more positive that we are officially out of recession and it is encouraging to see high levels of positivity.’

a Pollya Adams remembered

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Ruby Pauline "Polly" Adams, who was a fixture as she worked in her downtown family business, The Adams Store, for 80 years, died Sunday afternoon at Greencroft.

‘Rocky road to recovery’

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:54:49 GMT

Recovery will be slower than originally anticipated with a double-dip recession likely, warns the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

BCC chief economist David Kern says: ‘The UK’s economic prospects remain uncertain, our recovery is fragile and risks of a relapse are high. Threats of a double-dip recession are greater in the near future than the dangers of higher inflation.’ 

The BBC says GDP growth is likely to average at just under 2 per cent per annum over the next four or five years, considerably less than the 2.7 per cent average growth recorded in the period 2003-07. 'Against this background, it is vital to ensure that wealth-creating businesses have adequate capacity to respond to an upturn in demand when the recovery strengthens,’ adds Kern.

David Frost, BCC director general, says that the government must use the forthcoming Budget to encourage a business-led recovery: ‘If it fails to do so, the recovery will take longer to gain momentum and may even slip into reverse. New business taxes must be avoided and unnecessary red tape suspended.'

The predictions come as lobby group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) calls for the government to balance public finances by 2016, two years earlier than planned, in order to create economic stability.

Richard Lambert, director general of the CBI, says: ‘It is critical that this Budget provides credibility and direction on the public finances, and creates the right conditions for businesses to drive economic growth.’

Confusion over loan refusals

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:09:03 GMT

Banks are leaving small businesses in the dark about reasons for loan refusals, a survey has found.

Some 21 per cent of small businesses denied bank funding do not know the reason why their applications were rejected, according to credit reference agency Graydon.   Phil Orford, chief executive at the Forum of Private Business, says: ‘Business owners are rightly expected to present proper financial information in order to boost their credit ratings so it is fair that lenders also communicate effectively and provide detailed reasons when finance applications are refused.’

Of the 750 SMEs surveyed, 19 per cent believe that access to finance will be the biggest hurdle for them this year, while 11 per cent cite weak financial performance as their main concern.

Martin Williams, managing director of Graydon, says: ‘The fear for business owners is that funding problems will continue throughout 2010. Recent reports that the Royal Bank of Scotland is lobbying the government to lower its business lending targets have done little to allay such concerns.’  

According to Graydon, 41 per cent of applications during the second half of 2009 were refused on the grounds of insufficient security, 28 per cent because the business sector was deemed too high risk and 27 per cent on the basis of poor credit scores.

SMEs lose faith in politicians

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:20:32 GMT

Small businesses believe that the government has failed them during the last 18 months.

Some 76 per cent of London business owners say Westminster has done little to help, according to research from accountancy firm Shelley Stock Hutter.

Of the 166 polled, 29 per cent say there is no credible contender for the role of Chancellor, while 35 per cent say they are backing George Osborne and just 9 per cent Alistair Darling.

Bobby Lane, partner at Shelley Stock Hutter, says: ‘Start up businesses have been particularly affected with most routes to funding blocked. The attitude of both the government and the banks is clearly stifling Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit. Ultimately, SMEs need to be reassured that they are working in an environment that will encourage them to prosper; maybe then they will put their faith back into politicians.’

Small businesses owed £5 billion

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:47:34 GMT

Bad debt has affected nearly half of all SMEs, according to research from business services firm CreditPal.

Over the last two years 43 per cent of small businesses have been left with an average of £7,500 owed to them as a result of trading partners or customers going bust. The firm estimates this could total around £5.3 billion in debts.  

Chris Poll, CEO of CreditPal, says: ‘The amount left owing to SMEs as a result of company liquidations is shocking and threatens the survival of some UK businesses. It is imperative that companies take every step to mitigate their exposure to the risk of defaulted payments, especially as the economy climbs out of recession when the need for cash is even greater.’

Of the 540 small businesses surveyed, London-based SMEs were worst hit by defaulted payments, with those in Scotland faring the best.

According to chartered accountants HW Fisher & Co, the number of businesses going bust is expected to rise dramatically later this year.

The total amount of company insolvencies was 19,077 in 2009, compared to 15,535 in 2008.

BHSU gets grant for Women's Business Center

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:22:00 GMT

The U.S. Small Business Administration is giving the Black Hills State University Foundation in Spearfish a $750,000 grant to establish the South Dakota Womens Business Center.