Applesman Story

You ever wonder where you can find the complete dvd collection of Family Matters? Well look no further DVD 4 Play has the complete series of Family Matters. DVD 4 Play is an online one stop shop and entertainment store for dvds offering an vast and wide range over the years popular television series you are searching for. Series come packaged exclusively in a complete bundle. We strive to provide a highly organized, competitive pricing service to our valued customers. We are proud to offer family matters in the inventory of dvd series.

Family Matters is an American comedy sitcom of an all African American family, middle classed everyday family living in Chicago. The show was a spin off of Perfect Strangers which Family matters aired from September 22nd 1989 to May 9th 1997 which was aired ABC. Then Family Matters was moved on September 19th 1997 to CBS which aired it until July 17th 1998. Now you can find the complete series of Family Matters on DVD 4 Play, no excuses missing out on watching this favorite sitcom of yours. You can play the complete Dvd series of Family Matters any time you wish to, without any interruptions in the comfort of your home or over at a friends house.

Family Matters aired 215 episodes and was the 2nd longest United States Sitcom with a cast of All African Americans, which surpassed The Jeffersons which was another famous American comedy sitcom. What made Family Matters so hot and funny was when Steve Urkel played by Jaleel White was introduced midway through the first season which became the focus of the sitcom. Who could not laugh when Steve Urkel entered centre stage with his big glasses and short hiked up pants above his waist? That voice oh that voice only he could carry that high pitch voice and is god awful laugh. If you do not remember him then dvd 4 play has the complete series for you to remember him clearly.

Now what was the name of the family in Family Matters that Steve Urkel annoyed so much? The family name was the Winslow\’s. The family consisted of Carl (Husband), Harriett (Wife), Eddie (The older Rebellious Son), Laura (The second oldest Intelligent Daughter and of course Judy (the youngest daughter). Of course there are other characters in Family Matters but you will have to watch the complete series to find out who they all were. At dvd 4 play you will find the compete series of Family matters to find out who the entire cast was and what role they played.

After many years of running the sitcom Family matters the show was taken off-network syndication in the fall of 1993. Many other networks aired the sitcom but with many things from song or credits being cut short during the airing. Why wait every week to see an episode of Family matters when you can get the complete series at DVD 4 Play and enjoy each and every episode at your convenience.

DVD 4 Play: offering highest quality of selection in ANGRY BEAVERS DVD , COSBY SHOW , EVERWOOD DVD, MAVERICK DVD, MATLOCK DVD AND THIRTYSOMETHING DVD .

For many families the household budget can be an intense source of familial conflict. Not everyone always agrees with how the money should be spent or how it should be managed. More often then not the rest of the family reluctantly defers to whoever brings home the most pay when it comes to financial decision making, but many times this can cause resentment towards that person.

Money is an important part of any family’s life and many times family peace and cohesiveness are threatened by the lack of a sound financial plan that has little or no direction. By including everyone in the decision making process and setting a list of priorities and goals that everyone agrees on you can bring peace and harmony to the family money situation.

Here are four steps to bringing peace to your family budget:

1. Set Priorities – Priorities and goals are not necessarily the same thing. These are things in your family’s life that you want to focus on in the long term. This could be anything from purchasing a new home, college savings, or any other long term financial plan. The goals you set in step 2 are specific targets you need to hit in order to bring your priorities to fruition.

Do not set to many priorities. No more than 2 or 3 at the time. Remember these are long term plans that will have a positive impact on your family’s life. As you and your family set your priorities write them down and keep them conspicuous. This will give your entire family the focus they need to meet these plans.

2. List Your Goals- Once your priorities are set you can start listing the goals that will support the priorities. Goals are specific and measurable conditions that are met in such a way that they bring you closer to fulfilling your priorities.

When you set a goal it should be a target that is achievable with a sound financial plan that starts with the family budget. A goal can be paying off a certain debt in a certain amount of time or saving a set sum of money in a year’s time. If you set one to two goals per priority you will find yourself staying focused on the task at hand.

3. Meet Your Goals – Once you have set your priorities and goals it is time to start working towards them. The first step is the implementation of the family budget. This will allow you to track the family money, both income and expenses. It can be as simple as writing it down in a notebook or you can buy personal accounting software that helps you manage your family finances. Which ever method you use it is imperative that you track your family’s money with a budget.

4. Periodic Evaluations – From time to time check to see how you are progressing towards your goals and priorities. This is something the whole family can do together. As you check off goals met it will give you and your family member a certain feeling of satisfaction. As you meet your goals and then your priorities re-evaluate your current situation and set new ones that can be met.

The main engine of development of a child is the accumulation of human values from the family. Human values broadly defined, has several aspects, including love, respect for elders, kindness, co-operation, honesty, politeness, patriotism, sympathy and empathy are considered to be a key determinant of developed personality. The personality of a man is depended upon the family in which he lives which is portrayed in a family tree. Better formation from the family generates the child’s mental growth and there by benefits the society.

“Education which does not teach us to discriminate between good or bad, to assimilate the one and eschew the other is a misnomer,” said Mahatma Gandhi. The purpose of education is not only to make our children literate and merely develop individual skills but to make them appropriate human beings with positive and integrated elements of their respective societies. Thus such values as punctuality, cleanliness, respect for elders, helping the less fortunate, team work and discipline, give the socially integrated citizens a better place to live on this earth. We know the process of social integration begins in the family. Researchers observe a positive relation between family and society. As family is the cradle of social life, we can say that good social beings come from good families. A person’s character, skill and social awareness are determined by the family which he or she lives. The training from the family should be a means drawing out the best of the body, mind and spirit in a child. The experience in the family should be joyous to the child. Then only the child can develop a positive attitude towards society. On the other hand a child who experiences any kind of hardships from the family has a chance to develop negative attitude towards him and society, which may end up his or her life as anti-social or unscrupulous. Here the role of family to bring up the child in the proper channel can in no way be under looked.

Milton in his ‘Paradise Regained’ has said, “The childhood shows the man as morning shows the day”. Wordsworth expresses the same fact though less poetically but more cryptically when he says “child is father of the man”. Both the poets positively assert that childhood lend itself to prediction that tomorrows man is there in today’s child just as the future tree is there in today’s seed, invisible to the naked eye. If the skills and capabilities in the child be properly channelized we witness great personalities – genealogy – who challenge the dynamic world. The lives of much great man illustrate this point of view. Napoleon had built forts of snow as a child, Nelson as a child never knew what fear meant, Macau lay talked printed words even as a child of two years. These people and many such kept up their childhood promises and became great men in later life. We can undoubtedly say that such personalities will derive only from a better home-environment where family values and traditions are practiced. Family tree sites like generationdb.com help to keep track of our own family history and genealogy.

But we also see a number of boys and girls who score brilliant ranks in schools and colleges and show great promise, but soon vanish in the wilderness of shapeless future. Nobody knows what had happened to them except perhaps their own near and dear ones. Like drops of rain that falls on desert sand they disappear. The complexities of life, the problems that face them perhaps overwhelm them. Their facilities disintegrate by degrees and they move to obscurity. They are the people who need guidance. Better home-environment would keep their inner light burning.

The mind of a child is something like a piece of wax which can be easily fashioned into any shape we want, the only thing is, and it needs the skilled hand of a master artist. The virgin mind that is not ravaged by the complexities of life is ready to receive; whatever is planted will grow; thorns or flowers; gardens or grasslands. Give it to a Jijibai or Moropanth. The world will witness ‘Sivajis’ and ‘Lakshmibahais’ give it a Dhritarshtra, the world will be plagued with Duryodhanas and Dussasanas.

This brings out the importance of the family-environment that shapes the mind of a growing child. A happy home as seen on a family tree created on generationdb.com with loving parents will definitely contribute the healthy growth, while a suffocating atmosphere in the family might crush the fair promises. The fast disintegrating family life, as a result of pseudo-civilization which has rung a death knell to many time tested values is at the root of the crisis of character and growing unrest all over the world. In short the role of parents in a child’s overall development is definitely a crucial one. We have lots of tips for taking it further. Don’t criticize or compare the child with others, encourage the child in any of his or her creativity, praise the child in success, provide honest answers to the child, be patient to the child, parents should try to build a genuine relationship with the child, try to understand the feelings of the child, share the happiness and sorrows, satisfy the child’s social and psychological needs and we will witness challenging personalities.

Family photos are perfect for showcasing the occasions of happiness that a family goes through over the years. Most families preserve these photos in albums, but the process has been done to death already. Families nowadays prefer to carry the memories with them wherever they go, whatever they do. The best way to help them to do this is by giving them family photo gifts made with photos of those happy moments that the family members have enjoyed over the years.

If you want to make your gifts to the family members really special, the first thing that you will have to do will be to get some photos of the happy moments the family has lived through. Once you have those photos, there are many ways of transforming those photos into gifts that would last a lifetime. Here are some great ideas for doing that:

Digital photo frames – Forget regular photo frames; no matter how unique these may look, it is a highly overused idea now. Go for digital photo frames instead for a unique choice. Digital photo frames have memory sticks built into those that can hold up to 1,000 photos. Personalize the cover of the frame with a family photo, and you have made a gift that is unique and stylish at the same time. This is one gift that the family will cherish for years. Photo lockets – Lockets or pendants with photos of family members mounted into those are great gift items that are appreciated by most people. Simply collect some small-sized, candid family photos and have lockets or pendants made with those photos. This will make a highly personalized, unique gift item that family members will love to wear. T-shirts – Customized t-shirts with family photos printed on those are great gifts. These are great for any occasion, and most family members will proudly wear these to the college or a day out with friends. Calendars – Family photos make great additions to calendars. Get 12 family photos centered on occasions that are special to everyone in the family. Get a personalized calendar made out of those, having one photo for each month. This would make an excellent gift that the family members can use throughout the year.

Family gifts are hard to choose, because you have to find something that quite a few people would like. But, when chosen carefully, these gifts are cherished by family members for years to come, thereby preserving golden memories for future generations.

As you know I put a lot of store on the impact of birth order on a child’s personality development (find out more).

But birth order doesn’t tell the total story.

Genetics plays a part. Natural talent and temperament is genetic.

Broad environmental factors including your neighbourhood and peer groups also play a part. A safe neighbourhood with plenty of child-friendly adults and positive peers are important for well-balanced development.

The family frame also plays a big part in what sort of adults your kids will become.

The family frame is the total family environment that kids experience. In many ways, the family frame is similar to the brand of a product or service. It is a reflection of how others perceive you and what you stand for as a family.

The following four aspects contribute to your family frame or brand:

The family atmosphere: What’s the atmosphere like in your family? Is it serious or is it fun? Is it a place where encouragement rules or is it a critical, negative place? Is the atmosphere terrific or toxic?  Is it a tense place where everyone walks on eggshells or is it a place were humour and relaxation are common? The atmosphere is about mood and mindset. You can impact on the atmosphere by consciously adopting the mood and mindset you want. If you want an upbeat atmosphere then you need to set the tone yourself…….. Shared values and attitudes: What behaviours do you value most highly? What type of kids are you trying to raise? To discover your shared values step back and look at what your kids have in common. If they are all independent, even your most dependent child, then independence is a family value. If all your kids are tolerant of others then tolerance is a family value. Values and attitude are both modeled and taught and reflect parental priorities. Parenting style: Your parenting style will influence the family frame. For instance, a permissive style, where anything goes, often produces a chaotic family style where respect for other is lacking. The preferred style that fits today is an authoritative style that is akin to a guided democracy or a benign dictatorship (find out more). Family rituals and traditions:  Rituals and traditions are those habitual, repeatable, unique behaviours that bring you together as a group and also identify you as a family.  They include mealtimes, celebrations, birthdays and other traditions that are unique to your family. Rituals not only anchor your kids to their family but they make quite a statement about what you value. My family, for instance, is BIG on noisy, all-in discussion type mealtimes which is reflective of our family as a place to speak out, but respect others at the same time. In many ways, rituals are rep[resentative of family-life.

So take a minute or two to reflect on your family frame. What are the values your kids have in common? Think about the rituals and traditions you are establishing. Reflect on your parenting style and that of your partner.  Think a little about the regular family atmosphere that exists.

These all make up your family brand and will leave a lasting impact on the type of adults your kids will become.

Going Home Again: Family Communication Tips for Adults

You’re an adult now – really you are! Your employer thinks you’re an adult. Your friends have no doubts about your age and adulthood. You pay your bills, maintain a busy calendar, negotiate your rent or mortgage, and accomplish other “adult” tasks. And – most of the time – you actually believe you are an adult…

Then the phone rings, there’s a knock at the door or you are in the process of honorably fulfilling that adult responsibility – a visit to your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins or other extended family members – and suddenly you seem to shrink to small-child stature. While the law says you officially became an adult at a specific age, you may not really feel “grown up” until several years later. But, someone forgot to tell your family! Your parents (and others who saw you grow up) still see you as a child. You are still, to your family, a kid. No matter how successful you are, your family may have a tough time forging a new relationship – with the adult you now are. That’s normal and happens to most of us. 

But, another thing happens in families. Over the years, family members develop and rehearse – over and over – a family script. Each person has a role and is expected by others to be consistent in acting out the lines dictated by that role. You might have had the experience of predicting what your parent will say before the words actually can be heard. However, when one person significantly changes the script, everyone else is likely to be surprised and to try mightily to get the offender back on track.

For example, maybe you were always considered the shy, quiet one – the one who would just go along, rather than make waves. But, that’s not the adult you now are. You’ve learned how to be assertive and have (mostly) overcome that shyness. So – you go home and try that new assertive you on your family. You’ve now tweaked that script and changed the rules – without telling anyone. You probably won’t much like your family’s response, as they try to get back the child they once knew – the one who doesn’t cause such problems. 

The harder your family works at getting back the old you, the more likely it is that they will be successful. That is, unless you know how to educate your family about the person you’ve become. If you don’t, you will probably leave each of these interactions feeling, once again, like the child you thought you’d left behind. You might feel guilty at having contributed to the family discord, angry at being discounted, frustrated at “failing” one more time with your family or just sad that the progress you thought you’d made seems to have disappeared – at least, for now.  

The bottom line may be that what could have been a pleasant, non-conflicted interaction has now turned into the “same old thing” you went through as a child. And you may end up (no matter what age you now are) needing some time and help to feel, once again, like the competent adult you really are. 

Keep reading if you’d like some tips for dealing with those family communication challenges.

 

12 TIPS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE ADULT FAMILY COMMUNICATION

 1 – Remind yourself (often!) that it’s normal for your family to forget that you are an adult!

 2 – Prepare for phone calls and visits, so that you don’t have to improvise on the spot.

 3 – Make a list of the positive characteristics of the mature person you now are. Include the tasks of adulthood – especially those you think your family doesn’t recognize in you. For example, a list might include items such as these: financially responsible, good parent, successful at living independently, stable friends, able to speak up when necessary, etc.

 4 – Include on your list, even the small positives in your life, such as paying off a small debt, telling a friend something difficult, etc.

 5 – Write each item on a small card, to review when you need reminders of who you’ve become.

 6 – Take some alone time (before a phone call or visit) to remember your successes – and how good that feels. Notice your body probably feels different and less tense, when you stay in touch with the competent, confident you. Remember that feeling – you’ll need it later.

 7 – Practice using positive self-talk, using your cards if necessary, to get back the good feeling that comes from remembering your successes.

 8 – Before each interaction with a potentially problematic family member, use that self-talk and the remind yourself of how confident and competent you really are in most of your life. If anything happens in a conversation to cause you to revert to that child-like feeling, excuse yourself for a minute (bathroom visit, urgent phone call, etc.), and use that time to read those cards! Then return to the conversation.

 9 – Don’t change the rules, alter the script, without telling the other person. If they don’t expect something different, they’ll work even harder to get things back to “normal.”

10 – You might want to try this format for explaining your changes to your family: First, acknowledge what is happening. Then explain what you want or plan on doing.

11 – Include some version of appreciation for their efforts in each statement.

12 – Try something like this to announce a rules change: “I know I’m sounding a little different (acknowledgement), but I’d really appreciate it if you’d hear me out on this (what you want).” Or, “I know you’re concerned about me (acknowledgement) and I really appreciate that. I promise to let you know if I need some help (what you plan on doing).”

 

These are only a few strategies for more effective communication with your family. If you’d like some help figuring out why you’re having such a tough time with your family, and if you would like to develop a more extended “tool-box” of strategies for more effective communication with family members, this might be the time to seek out some professional help. I offer consultation and counseling – and a free phone consultation to help you figure out what your next step should be. Give me a call now at 310 475-1759 or visit my website for more information.

 

  

  

  

A family reunion is a where family members can renew bonds and ties, meet new additions to the family, keep updated on each others’ lives, and simply have fun. If you have been tasked to plan the next family reunion, one of your goals may be how to make the event as fun and enjoyable as possible for everyone.

A family reunion is one big party, so you want to keep the boring-o-meter down throughout th event. But how exactly can you keep everyone entertained and high on the fun? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Theme It!

Get your guests all psyched up weeks or even months before the family reunion by coming up with a family reunion theme. You can have a family reunion with a Hawaiian theme. When you send out the invitations, let your guests know about the theme so they can come in their best Hawaiian get-ups. Just think about how excited your guests will be when they arrive at the venue and they are greeted with a lei placed around their necks by ushers and usherettes dressed in traditional Hawaiian costume and the place is decorated with a tropical theme — a tiki hut or tiki bar, drinks served in cups and glasses made from coconut husks, tropical fruits one the buffet table. There are plenty of themes out there that you can use for your own family reunion. Get online and check out the various family reunion web sites for more ideas.

2. Get the Icebreakers Out Pronto!

As soon as your guests arrive at the family reunion venue, get the icebreakers out! There’s bound to be guests who aren’t familiar with the rest of the family. Prevent your guests from feeling uncomfortable by introducing a few icebreakers like “Human BINGO,” “I Am a Turtle” and “Bring Me” before the family reunion officially starts. Consider this part of the event as sort of a warm up; you are getting the guests comfortable and relaxed.

In “Human BINGO,” each bingo card contains certain traits and characteristics of someone in the family. It can be an eye color, something accomplished or a physical characteristic (e.g., mole on the face, hair dyed red, long hair, etc.). Give each family member a bingo card and every one looks for family members that correspond to the traits and characteristic in their card and have them sign the card. The first person to complete his or her bingo card wins. This particular icebreaker is a wonderful way of helping new family members acquainted with other members of the family.

In “I Am A Turtle,” the young family members draw a thing that represents them. It can be an animal or an object. The older family members then try to explain how the animal or object drawn relates to the young member. This particular icebreaker is a wonderful way to connect the younger and older generations.

In “Bring Me,” the young family members do what the game host tells them to find for and bring to him. So when the game host say, “Bring me a red handkerchief,” the first one who brings it to him gets a price. The only rule here is that participants are not allowed to get the items from their immediate family members (parents and siblings). The items must come from their other relatives. This particular icebreaker is wonderful way to initiate mingling among family members.

3. Bring Out the Games!

Most family reunions last more than a day, with some requiring overnight stays. You may have activities like nature hiking, day trips to the city or dance night all planned out, but you still need to keep everyone entertained in between walks, meals and dances. Young and old can engage in some friendly family reunion games such as “Generation Sack Race,” “Family Tug of War” and “Musical Chairs.”

In “Generation Sack Race,” pair younger family members with the older ones. For instance, pair 12-year old Billy with his Uncle Ronnie. Together, they stand inside a sack and race hopping to the finish line.

In “Family Tug of War,” have two families pull on opposite ends of a thick rope. Make it challenging and exciting by having them tug with a puddle of mud or water between them. The family who pulls the other family into the mud wins.

In “Musical Chairs,” have the older family members sit on chairs arranged in a circle while younger family members go around the chairs while the music plays. The chairs should be one less than the number of younger family members in the game. When the music stop, the young ones scramble to sit on an older member’s lap. A younger member gets eliminated. When the music resumes, one chair and one older family member have been removed. The game ends when one of the two remaining younger family members sits on the lap of the remaining older family member.

There are plenty of other games you can use for your family reunion. In fact, you can put your own twist on some of the games so that they become relevant to the event. For more game ideas, visit some family reunion ideas.

4. Entertainment to the Max!

Keep everyone’s energy level up by bringing in some entertainment. Hire a live band or hold a dance party if you are holding the family reunion in a hotel, pavilion or function hall. You can also enlist the participation of family members themselves. Cheer up the children by doing a puppet show, holding an afternoon of arts and crafts just for them, or doing a storytelling session. If there are singers and dancers in the family, have them do their own numbers.

You can make your family reunion fun, exciting and memorable from the time guests arrive to the time you all bid your goodbyes. You have plenty of resources available at your disposal; don’t hesitate to check them out, especially family reunion websites. Good luck!