January 2^nd is National Pet Travel Safety Day, and there’s no better time to educate pet parents on how to keep their four-legged companions safe while hitting the road or flying the skies. Celebrity pet expert Harrison Forbes shares the following tips to ensure Fido and/or Fluffy make it to their destination comfortably and safely.

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What to Give...The Hard-to-Buy-For People on Your Christmas List!

We all have those people on our gift-giving list that are impossible to buy for.  We rack our brains trying to figure out the perfect gift for them every year.  Here are some great suggestions for those difficult loved ones:

1. The Friends with Expensive Tastes: "Think small, but deliver big," says Robyn Freedman Spizman, author of The Giftionary.  If she likes designer duds, get a designer wallet or key chain.
2. The Friend Who's Struggling: Parents appreciate knowing that their children can continue the activities they love.  So spring for soccer lessons or the YMCA membership (check with parents first).  Or offer to babysit.
3. The Friend Who Has Everything: "People love gifts that offer them a better way of doing something," says Spizman.  What does she do regularly?  Does she cut flowers with scissors?  Try a travel mug or rose clippers.
4. The Person Who Never Likes Anything: More of what you're sure she does like:  a certain scent, etc.
5. Mom and Dad: Hobby gifts.  Ask someone with the same hobby what's the best gift he's ever gotten.  A runner might tell you about a great wrist key holder; a knitter, an extravagant yarn.

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No matter what your New Year's resolutions are, chances are there's an app that can help you stay on track.  Here are some FREE apps that can give you a little extra motivation this January:

• Get Organized with Cozi Family Organizer – If you want to simply family life by planning dinners in advance, keeping the kids on track with their homework or starting a chore chart so the whole family can help keep the house tidy, Cozi is your key to success, with free apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android that can help the whole family simplify and organize their schedules.

• Drop those Holiday Pounds with Lose It! – Lose It! lets you set goals and establish a daily calorie budget, then helps you stay on track each day by recording your food and exercise to stay within your budget. If you need a little extra motivation, add friends so you can celebrate your victories and hold each other accountable.

• Step up the Cardio with RunKeeper – Track your workouts (indoor or outdoor), map out running routes, and share your progress with friends to keep your fitness on track this year.

• Save Money with SmartyPig –If you have a savings goal in mind—a house downpayment, a big vacation, or next year’s holiday gifts, a free SmartyPig savings account can help you set the money aside, and even allow your friends and family to contribute.

• Stop Smoking with Quitter – Quitter provides extra motivation by tracking how long it’s been since you smoked, and how much money you’ve saved, to help you kick the cigarette habit for good.

With these free apps at your fingertips, 2012 can be the year your New Year's resolutions stick.  I hope you all achieve your New Year's goals for a healthier, happier 2012.

“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”  This saying may seem obvious, although today’s youth seem to think the opposite. Who can blame them though – unlike the baby boomers the new generation of youth have grown up in a time of economic prosperity and are used to being coddled by their parents.  In 2011 alone, over 85 percent of college graduates will be moving back home (Huffington Post).

Recently, the economic situation has shown us that anything can happen at any given moment and we (and our children) need to be prepared. Though it may not be possible to teach a pre-schooler the complexities behind 401Ks and credit cards, it is possible to start teaching children the importance of money at an early age.

Chicago Healers Practitioner Julie Murphy Casserly (CLU, ChFC, CFP) stresses the importance of instilling good money habits in children as early as possible and offers easy conversation topics to address the issue at every age.

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Along with family, friends, and festivities, the holiday season is a time for new beginnings and new resolutions.  As we approach a new year, it is important to reflect on what we have accomplished in the past year and where we would like the future to take us. Terri Savelle Foy, a Life Coach, and author of Make Your Dreams Bigger than Your Memories, travels around the country speaking to audiences on the importance of setting and keeping goals.

Here are some valuable tips on how to make and keep your 2012 New Year’s resolutions. According to Terri, 4 out of 5 people who make New Year’s resolutions this month will eventually break them.  In fact, 1/3 won’t even make it to the end of January!  In order to achieve your goals, Terri stresses the importance of not repeating the same mistakes as last year.

"If you struggled in an area last year, make up your mind that you will defeat this thing and get in the best shape of your life," said Terri.  Here are some guidelines that Terri suggests to remember as you start thinking about your goals:

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The New Year is fast approaching. Many of us will make all kinds of well-intentioned improvements. This is also an opportunity to encourage our children to make some resolutions of their own.

Academic resolutions can be a good start for many school-aged children.  Similar to other New Year pledges, an academic resolution is aimed at dealing with areas that need improvement.  And just like those other resolutions, now is always the best time to start.

Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring services to children of all ages and skill levels, offers parents and families the following tips to kick-start a successful New Year:

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