With the renewed call to "responsibility" and "putting away childish things" proposed by President Barack Obama, just how does that translate to family life?  What changes, be them mental or physical, are American families ready and willing to take to move the country forward along with President Obama's efforts?

Here are some ideas you and your family can consider in keeping with the challenge set before us in yesterday's Inaugural Address:

1. Carefully evaluate your finances and budget.  I know you probably have already done this.  However, there are some of you out there who have been avoiding this and now is not the time to have our heads in the sand.  Start keeping records, then force yourself to look at them at least once a week.  Are they in keeping with your goals?  Are they moving your family forward?  Are they real?  Minimally you will know where your money has been going.  At most you will have the full picture of what you need to change.
2. Talk to your children about what it costs to run a family.  Discuss expenses like house payments, insurance, utilities, food, clothing, fuel, transportation, medical care, etc.  Let them know that leaving lights on costs money and means that you don't have that money for other things.  Ask them how they might be able to help with reducing some of the expenses of the family.  They will have creative and useful ideas.
3. How and in what way can you and your children volunteer in the community?  Even the youngest of our children can help alongside you depending on the activity you select.  Our financially challenged communities can use your help in a large variety of ways, some known and some unknown.  Here is a great resource for your teenage volunteers Teenager's Guide to the Real World.  This link has a long list of volunteering opportunities.

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