If you have children, you want to be around to see them grow up. They in turn want to have you around as long as possible.

You probably want to live long enough to see your grandchildren grow up, too. They say that being a grandparent is the reward we get for being a parent.

If you are a parent, you also care about the health of your children, those already born and those not yet here. You want to give them the healthiest start in life that you can.

If you smoke, you are depriving your children in both these ways. You have a smaller chance of seeing your grandchildren, and you are risking the health of your children, both those already born and those not yet born.

If you smoke while pregnant your unborn child has a greater chance of being stillborn. Even if you stop smoking after you get pregnant you are less likely to have a stillborn baby than if you smoke throughout your pregnancy. Stop smoking for your unborn baby's sake.

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What family has not gone into debt to buy a home or a car. If you have not had the need before, the time will probably come when you want to buy a house and need to get a loan.

When that time comes you will need to learn about two different types of loans - secured or unsecured. What are the differences between these two types of loans and what are the pros and cons of each for the borrower and for the lender?

A secured loan is one in which the money borrowed is guaranteed to be repaid or some asset will be forfeited. The most common example is a home loan. The borrower agrees to repay on the terms of the contract, and if he or she defaults, the lender can legally claim the home as compensation.

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Do you have children who have been asking for a dog? Not every family should have a dog, but if the circumstances are right, getting a dog can be a great experience for a child.

First, what do you need to consider before choosing a dog? You need to have a yard for the dog. It is possible to have a dog in an apartment with no yard, but you will have to take the dog out for several walks every day.

If you have a small yard you will need to choose a dog that does not need a lot of room to exercise. There are some dogs that need a big yard, such as Border Collies and Australian Shepherds. These kinds of dogs go crazy if they are cooped up in a small yard.

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