One rule to follow in all private sales is to use a traceable method of payment like PayPal. PayPal is a third party which will ensure payment and receipt of product from both parties. Do not use Western Union in any online transactions, or any other non traceable forms of payment! There is no guarantee you'll ever get items you paid for when you use this method as it is meant to be untraceable!

So now let's discuss second option of buying used baby clothes online -- non private sellers or online used baby clothing stores. There are over 50 stores currently running online who specialize in selling used baby clothing. As with all things online there are stores which are shabbily run due to poor web design skills and such to no fault on part of store, they just don't have skills to make process simple and enjoyable for you. They have great items and competitive prices and if you don't mind a little extra effort when placing an order they do have more security than average private seller -- especially since you know where they are going to be when you need them. There are a handful of sites which are a little better for service - for example you do not need to email them detailed descriptions of items you'd like, mail them a money order or some such and then wait for them to receive it before they even send you items these sites often have PayPal as an option and some even have shopping carts if a little confusing to use. There are an even smaller number of high service sights who offer credit card payment options, low shipping costs and things similar to those offered by online stores in general. Quite a few of all three levels of sites have quality guarantees for a week or so after you've received your order -- one even offers a full year quality guarantee! This ensures that items you buy from them have been inspected thoroughly by people who have a more universal understanding of words "in great condition" and it is in their best interest to satisfy as they ideally would like you to come back and tell others! Shopping with these stores can be fun and you can save tons while getting quality you are looking for!

Should you choose more dangerous route of shopping through private sellers with ebay and non ebay sites please take care and remember to never use a non traceable form of payment, don't be afraid to ask numerous questions -- if something seems off in their responses trust your gut -- there will always be another seller. Should you choose to explore option of purchasing through an online used baby clothing store I wish you all fun of shopping for baby clothes at bargain prices (doesn't that mean you can buy even more?!) with none of hassle or risks associated with private sellers and added benefit of quality guarantees! Happy Shopping! I will cover more on this issue in later posts.

Through our discussions that night, we were able to tap into what was it about my son that made him such a great guy to hang out with over years. It was his ability to genuinely care about others and his intuitive compassion for everyone that made him more than just popular, but a real friend to all. He's kind of guy who always sticks up for smaller kids and looks after lost children. Once I reminded him of who he used to be, he realized how much of his focus had turned inwards towards himself instead of outwards towards those whom he cared about. He said that he'd gotten so wrapped up in his new cool friends and in his public image at school that he hadn't even understood what his old friends were talking about when they said he was cold and uncaring now. Turning his attention inwards had caused him to alienate many of his closest friends and family. Now he suddenly felt very much alone in world. Luckily, it hadn't been happening for very long before I'd blown up at him and made him look at it. He was able to quickly readjust back into caring person he used to be and was able to feel loved and supported by his friends and family again. He passionately dove back into his friendships.

He learned that you can treat your brother like garbage and he's always your brother and you will have to see each other at family gatherings whether you ever learn to be close or not. Friends on other hand, can and will walk out of your life if you are cold and uncaring towards them. Family will eventually just shrug their shoulders and excuse your self-absorbed behavior as just way you are, friends won't. I find it's friendships that we love and nurture like family that last forever as if they were family. And, it's family members that we love and nurture like friends that we form strongest and closest bonds with.

They say that we learn our social skills from our siblings, but I'm not so sure about that anymore. My stepmother wasn't a very nurturing type and when we were younger my sister and I were not very close. So through my girlfriends, I got that female connection that I just couldn't get from my family. My girlfriends became my surrogate family and taught me a lot about how to really be there for someone else. My sister and I have only recently become friends in last few years. We are forming a different kind of bond then what we had when we were children. It's much better now. I would never treat my friends way I used to treat my sister!

Copyright 2004, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow's Edge