Invest in a futon cover to keep your futon clean. You can buy a cover online or at a local department store. The cover should protect the futon from stains and spills. You should wash your futon cover with your laundry a few times a month. If you use a cover, do not leave it on your futon all the time. When cleaning the futon, remove the cover for an hour before you begin cleaning. This will give the futon a chance to air out. If at all possible, use a frame for your futon. The closer your futon is to the floor, the more susceptible it is to dirt and debris. If you keep your futon on the floor, you will have to clean it more often.

Summary: Place a cover over the futon. Air out the mattress on occasion. Avoid placing your futon on the floor.

Stir the mixture thoroughly until the water becomes sudsy. Make sure the entire stain is covered with the mixture. You want the affected area to be soaked with the mixture. Try to soak up as much of the liquid from the soap mixture as you can with the paper towel. Vacuum over the area if you're having a hard time removing the excess liquid from the mixture. Make sure you rinse the stained area with warm water after you finish so there's no leftover soap. Dry the affected area with paper towel when you're all finished.

Summary: Mix teaspoon (2.5 mL) of dish soap with 1 cup (0.24 L) of warm water. Pour the mixture directly onto the stain. Blot the stained area dry with a paper towel. Repeat the dish soap and blotting steps until the stain is gone.

You can get simple items at a dollar store, such as crayons, stickers, coloring books and colored paper. If you pack scissors for any crafts, make sure that they are kid-friendly pairs. You may want to get a couple of different crayon sizes. For example, toddlers like play dough, playing with water, and drawing with large crayons. Preschoolers enjoy coloring, puzzles, and blowing bubbles. Grade school age children enjoy games, crafts, and many of the things younger kids like as well. " Pack a box or gift bag of small toys. This can be used as rewards for good behavior. Depending on the age of the kids you're babysitting, you can include play money as "reward bucks." The kids can spend it to play with an item from the box. Infants won't understand the concept of rewarding good behavior, but you can still include items for them to play with. They like bright-colored toys they can hold and make noise with, and soft items to feel such as plush toys. They also like to be read to from books with colorful images. Many kids like movies, so it's good to include a couple of kid-friendly flicks in your bag. Just make sure to get permission from the parents first before putting on the TV or popping a movie in. Hand puppets can be great entertainment for kids of all ages. Furthermore, since you will have a flashlight in your bag, you can put on a show with real and shadow puppets. Kids' card games are ideal because they don't take up much room in your bag, and they can be fun for many ages. You can also pack puzzles with large pieces. Make and bring a list of game ideas that can be played with little or no props, such as picture charades.

Summary: Pack craft items. Create a "treasure chest. Pack DVDs. Consider bringing a couple of puppets. Bring games.

For men ages 19-50+, you need 8 milligrams of iron a day. For women, you need 18 milligrams if you're in the 19-50-year range or 8 milligrams if you're over 50. Children aged 7-12 months need 11 milligrams, while 1-3-year-olds need 7 milligrams and 9-13-year-olds need 8 milligrams. Girls 14-18 need 15 milligrams, while boys need 11 milligrams. If you're eating a vegetarian diet, you'll need 1.8 times more iron than a meat-eater, so you may need to adjust your consumption. The RDA is the amount you need to ensure your nutritional needs are being met. If you're pregnant and between the ages of 14 and 50, you need 27 milligrams of iron a day. However, if you're lactating, your needs decrease: you only need 10 milligrams if you're in the 14-18 age range or 9 milligrams if you're in the 19-50 range. You need less iron while breastfeeding because you're not menstruating, which draws on your iron reserves, and because your body automatically draws on its stores of iron while you are breastfeeding. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid, found in citrus fruits and many other foods, helps your body to absorb non-heme iron, which is the iron found in plants rather than meat. The key is you must eat your vitamin C at the same time you consume iron, and it will help your body take in the nutrient. Try to consume as much as 25-100 milligrams when eating iron to increase your body's intake. Children 1-3-years-old need 15 milligrams a day, while those in the 4-8 range need 25 milligrams and 45 milligrams in the 9-13 range. Girls need 65 milligrams from ages 14-18, while boys need 75. Over 18, men can get by with 90 milligrams, while women can take 75 milligrams. However, as an adult, you can take up to 2,000 milligrams a day if needed. If you're pregnant, you need 80 milligrams (14-18-year-olds) and 85 milligrams if you're over 18; if you're lactating, you need 115 milligrams if you're 18 or younger and 120 milligrams if you're over 18.
Summary: Aim for the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). Consume more iron if you're pregnant but less if you're breastfeeding. Eat your RDA of vitamin C with your iron to increase absorption.