I am of the “quality, not quantity” philosophy. But quality will only get you so far; proper maintenance of your possessions is a very important component to getting the most value out of the quality products you buy. I’m starting a new weekly “column” of sorts where I’ll share a maintance tip that I employ to help keep my house and my possession in tip-top shape.

Having remodeled two bathrooms in the past year, proper bathroom maintenance is a high priority around here. I sure don’t want to put out that kind of cash again for a very long time! At least not for bathrooms

The most important maintenance consideration for bathrooms is to avoid any situation which will allow, or even worse encourage, the growth of mold and mildew. And an important weapon in the fight against mold and mildew is your average, everyday mild-mannered bathroom fan.

My contractor kept telling me that bathroom venting fans cannot pull moisture out of a room. I politely smiled and nodded and went about my business leaving him to install the new fans.

The truth is he was absolutely correct — bathroom fans cannot and will not pull moisture (steam) out of a bathroom. But they can do something even better — they can keep the steam from even forming.

The right time to turn on your bathroom fan is before you get in the shower. The fan keeps the temperature in the room cool so steam doesn’t form. I’m sure you’re familiar with what a steamy bathroom is like — moisture on every single surface: the walls, the mirror, the ceiling. The warmth and moisture content of steam is like steroids to mold and mildew. Don’t feed the monster! Use your bathroom fan!

The Son is still sick and The Husband was able to pick up The Daughter from practice so I stayed home all day and didn’t spend a penny! Of course, I’ll make up for it tomorrow

I got such great feedback on my basketball shoe dilemma that I’m turning to my readers with another puzzle.

The Son takes weekly cello lessons. His teacher is a young man who recently completed his graduate degree in music performance. He’s terrific — not just in general as a music teacher but also in that he’s a perfect fit for my quirky-might-have-Asperger’s son. The teacher never takes offense at The Son’s lack of communication or eye-contact and doesn’t lose patience with him when it’s obvious that not much energy went into practicing that week. In addition, on the odd occasion when the next student is late or absent, the teacher has extended The Son’s 45-minute lesson to an hour without asking for additional pay.

Each 45-minute lesson costs $26.25 and we don’t pay for weeks during which The Son does not have a lesson. So, my question is this: how much and in what form should we give the teacher as a Christmas/appreciation gift/bonus?

– opinions of tutors or private-lesson teachers are particularly appreciated but all feedback and opinions are welcome –

Based on what I’ve read in articles and books about children and allowance, encouraging and/or requiring one’s child to set aside a portion of their allowance for charity or tithing is a common practice. I make no judgement on this practice. I respect each parent’s right to choose how to teach their children how to handle money. However, I have chosen not to adopt the practice and I’m going to share with you the reasoning behind my decision.

The church we attend is my choice and weekly attendance is my decision. The children attend a Christian church because I am a Christian. We attend church on a weekly basis because I say so. My children go with me because I say that their attendance is not optional.

My children see me write a weekly check to my church. They’ve also seen me write additional checks — sometimes to support specific purposes and sometimes just because I have some extra funds. They’ve seen me donate my time and energy to the church. They’ve accompanied me to weddings, baptisms, and funerals. They participate in events, eat at pot-lucks, attend religious instruction, and go on Easter Egg hunts. But at this point, they are members because I am a member.

I feel that when my children are grown they need to be given the freedom to follow their own paths and engage in their own seeking. If they find comfort in the same teachings that I do, so be it. If they find fulfillment elsewhere, so be that too. They may choose a completely different faith — my paternal grandfather was Jewish. They may choose, as two of my own siblings did, to not have no religious affiliation at all. They will make those decisions, as adults, in freedom. And once they’ve chosen their path, in freedom, they will support and participate on a social and economic level of their choosing. As adults.

May the Peace be with you also.