It seems the more advanced the online technology, the more trickery there is online. It may be hard to believe, but there are people who spend their time dreaming up ways to hack into strangers' computers to swipe their identities and simply wreak havoc with their files. What is even more upsetting, is that a lot of times these troublemakers target youngsters and it is not their accounts they are looking to corrupt, but the kids themselves.
What do online predators actually do?
Basically, online predators scope out internet chat rooms, message boards, emails, and instant messaging to find vulnerable children. When they find a likely target, they will contact them and do whatever it takes to capture their attention and earn their trust. For example, they will find out the child's hobbies, the kind of music they like, and they express an interest in the kid's problems at home and at school. Then as soon as they have established a relatively strong bond, they will change the nature of the conversation. The safe and mundane topics of conversation will eventually become more intimate and sexual in nature.
As a parent, how can you protect your children when they are online?
The easiest piece of advice we can give is to monitor your children's computer use whenever possible. We know that it is not possible to keep an eye on your child 24/7, so here are some additional tips:
-Tell your kids in advance about the danger of online predators. Keep an on going dialogue and encourage your entire family to ask questions about online safety.
-Keep the computer in a common area rather than in your kid's private room.
-When your child is online, take a seat next to them and watch what they are doing. If any website or email looks suspicious, divert their attention or delete the message together.
-Tell your kids not to respond to any emails or instant messages that are from strangers.
-Until your children are old enough to truly comprehend the dangers that exist online, do not let them participate in chat rooms or discussion forums.
-Likewise, until the kids are old enough, have them use a family email that you can easily monitor.
In addition to these tips, there are online tools that will help you keep your kids safe online. To find these tools check out your Internet Service Provider (also called an ISP), which often offers security devices for free. Next, try your local computer store and ask about the types of software they have that will block and filter unwanted messages and websites. And also check out your web browser, which may have parental controls that you can manually switch on and off.
Unfortunately, even if you have done everything imaginable to protect your children from online trouble, sometimes a predator will slip through the cracks. If this happens, do not blame yourself or your kid. Take a deep breath and approach the problem with a level and logical head.
Some warnings signs to watch for include:
-Your child may spend a crazy amount of time online.
-You are suddenly fielding phone calls from strangers who are asking to speak with your child, or your child is suddenly receiving packages in the mail from strangers.
-Pornography pops up on the family computer.
-You notice that your child is withdrawing from his or her usual activities.
-You find out that your kid is using someone else's online account.
Finally, there are a lot of helpful services on the internet if your kids do wind up having trouble online. The best advice is to deal with the problem directly and as soon as you can.
Understand The Concept of Parenting - How To Be Good Parent Efficiently
Have you ever noticed that everything is a battle with your child? If it is, then one of three things is happening. Your child, you or both are in a competitive need cycle. What is a competitive need cycle?
As humans, we are all born with five basic needs that we are genetically programmed to attempt to meet. They are survival, love & belonging, power, freedom and fun. Without getting into the detail of the developmental model described in Nancy Buck’s book, Peaceful Parenting, power and freedom combine to make the competitive need cycle.
When people are in a competitive, need cycle they are most strongly driven by the need to gain more power and freedom in their lives. With a parent and child, this is typically represented by the parent refusing to consider to allow their child to do something. The parent is attempting to meet the power need by keeping his or her child safe and the freedom need by extricating him or herself from the worry of wondering about his or her child while the child would be engaged in the forbidden activity.
The child, on the other hand, is attempting to meet the power need by having new experiences and exploring the world and to meet the freedom need by gaining time away from restrictive parental supervision. When a parent and child are both in their competitive need cycle, naturally a power struggle ensues.
I have four examples of situations and possible solutions if you, the parent, are willing to consider focusing on your cooperative needs of love & belonging and fun instead. Why do you, the parent, have to be the one to it differently? Because it is you who are dissatisfied with the situation. Whose behavior can you control? Hopefully, you understand that you cannot control your child’s behavior as much as I know you’d like to at times. The only person’s behavior you can control is your own.
Since it is you and not your child who is reading this article, I’m talking to you about what you can do to improve the situation.
Staying focused on changing your child will only lead to your frustration and a break down of your relationship. You won’t be successful at long-term change in your child. He or she may acquiesce while in your presence but there won’t be the required internal motivation to change required for any long-term transformation. So, let’s look at what you do have control of---the way you respond to your child’s push to meet his or her power and freedom needs.
Rebecca:
The first situation I want to talk about involves ten year-old Rebecca. Rebecca’s parents came to me frustrated over the fact they were unsuccessful enforcing Rebecca’s bedtime and she would frequently be grumpy because of lack of adequate sleep. They also were hoping for some down time to spend some quality time with each other without children around.
After, evaluating what was really important, the parents spoke to Rebecca about no longer enforcing her bedtime. They explained that she could go to bed whenever she pleased as long as she was able to get up in the morning, get to school and be relatively pleasant with family members. However, there would be a household quiet time that would begin at 9 PM. At that time, everyone needed to be in his or her own bedrooms engaged in quiet activity.
These parents couldn’t wait to tell me how great it worked! Since Rebecca had no parents fighting with her to go to bed, she could no longer meet her power need fighting with them. Consequently, she began to go to bed when she got tired and stopped fighting sleep. Steve and Mary were able to get the quiet couple time they needed so everybody won.
Veronica:
The second situation involves my friend, Denise, and her daughter, Veronica. Veronica is 11 years-old and wanted to have her hair highlighted like all her friends do but Denise was opposed to the idea. While discussing the situation with me, Denise realized that she was concerned about the maintenance costs of highlights and the damage that will be done to her daughter’s beautiful hair if she starts applying chemicals to it at her early age. Of course, Denise had explained none of this to Veronica.
What she did say was, “No, you are too young to have your hair highlighted. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you should.” Does that sound familiar? What I suggested instead is that she tells Veronica her concerns.
Denise started by saying that she wanted to revisit their conversation about highlights. Denise agreed to Veronica’s initial request to be given the highlights as a birthday gift. But then, she asked Veronica what her plan was for upkeep. Denise explained that she would have to have the highlighting process done every two months or so and that it would cost approximately $60 each time. Denise offered to give Veronica money for helping out doing extra chores around the house.
Since Veronica had agreed to this before and failed in the follow through, Denise asked another question. She said, “Veronica, I know you have agreed to do extra chores in the past and you didn’t consistently follow through. If history repeats itself and you don’t have the money you need for the highlights, are you prepared for what your hair will look like once the roots grow out?”
She also discussed with Veronica the concern for the health of her hair. She said that starting to put chemicals into one’s hair at eleven did not bode well for maintaining healthy looking hair into adulthood.
Denise marveled at what happened next. She said that what had been a heated battle between them for months turned into a non-issue. Veronica decided she no longer wanted highlights in her hair. She realized that she probably won’t do the chores to earn the extra money needed and that she doesn’t want to look “weird” while her hair is growing out. It’s amazing what happens when we align ourselves with our opponent’s resistance. It’s a concept that has been taught in martial arts within the physical realm for centuries but it can easily be applied to the mental realm in parenting just as easily
Carrie:
The third scenario involved a mother’s horror when she learned what her eight year-old daughter had done. This mother, Linda, sent her daughter, Carrie, to swim camp. Carrie had been a swimmer for quite some time but this was the first time she was actually exposed to older swimmers at camp.
She learned from them that a good way to shave time off her record is to shave the hair off her entire body. Now what hair could an eight year-old have? It didn’t matter---Carrie was determined to shave everywhere except the hair on her head. Linda, in horror, forbids her to do it.
What was Linda concerned about? It was a multitude of things. First of all, her daughter was too young to start shaving. Secondly, she was concerned that if she began shaving, then her hair would grow back very dark and course. (Of course, this is an old wife’s tale that many of my generation was exposed to.)
Linda was shocked to learn that despite her refusal to allow Carrie to shave, Carrie later went into the bathroom, took a dry razor to her skin, and shaved anyway. Unbelievably, at her next swim meet, she had the best time of her short life to that point. Did shaving help her or was it the power of her belief that the shaving helped? I can’t answer that question. However, the point is that what actually happened was worse than the original fears Linda had about Carrie shaving.
Had Linda listened to the desires of her daughter and she was willing to consider the request, she may have spoken to a pediatrician and learned that her second fear was unfounded. Then she might have been able to assist Carrie to shave safely instead of with a dry razor and no supervision at all.
What parents often fail to realize is that just because they tell their child no does not mean that their child will dutifully obey. Often a “no” means that their child will proceed stealthily without parental permission anyway. When this occurs, the child is doing something the parent doesn’t approve of and the parent has no idea and therefore, no opportunity to discuss the possible dangers and concerns.
My Children & Their Friends:
I used to see this a lot when my boys were older. They would have friends whose parents were quite strict and would not give permission for them to attend parties where it was known there would be alcohol and no parental supervision. On the surface, this makes perfect sense. What responsible parent wants their child at a party drinking without any adults to intervene if there is a problem?
However, in refusing their child permission to go, what I often saw was that same child telling their parent that he or she was going to stay overnight at a friend’s house. Then that friend would tell his or her parents that he or she was going to stay at the first friend’s house. In essence, what resulted was two children out all night, doing God knows what, without any adult having any information about what was happening.
My approach with my children when they would want to go to a party was to discuss the things I was afraid of. If they had an explanation for what they would do to handle the problems about which I was concerned, then I would generally allow them to go. If they couldn’t address certain situations, then they would not be permitted to go until there was a reasonable plan in place to address my concerns.
The main things I was concerned about were not drinking and driving. What would they do if offered drugs? What would they do if someone showed dangerous signs of having too much? What would they do if violence broke out or things got out of hand? What would they do and what did they expect me to do if the party were raided by police? Over time, we discussed all of these situations so that I was satisfied that my children could handle them if they ever came up.
This resulted in me having peace of mind and generally, enough information about where my children were going to be and what they were going to be doing to satisfy me. It is not an easy way to parent and it sure doesn’t guarantee that your children will always make the best decision.
What it does do, however, is it stops making you the person your children have to fight in their attempts to get their needs met. It keeps your relationship with your children strong and influential. It allows you, as the parent, to discuss situations and possibilities you normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to discuss. In addition, it helps your children to become better decision makers, problem solvers and to anticipate circumstances before they arise.
As humans, we are all born with five basic needs that we are genetically programmed to attempt to meet. They are survival, love & belonging, power, freedom and fun. Without getting into the detail of the developmental model described in Nancy Buck’s book, Peaceful Parenting, power and freedom combine to make the competitive need cycle.
When people are in a competitive, need cycle they are most strongly driven by the need to gain more power and freedom in their lives. With a parent and child, this is typically represented by the parent refusing to consider to allow their child to do something. The parent is attempting to meet the power need by keeping his or her child safe and the freedom need by extricating him or herself from the worry of wondering about his or her child while the child would be engaged in the forbidden activity.
The child, on the other hand, is attempting to meet the power need by having new experiences and exploring the world and to meet the freedom need by gaining time away from restrictive parental supervision. When a parent and child are both in their competitive need cycle, naturally a power struggle ensues.
I have four examples of situations and possible solutions if you, the parent, are willing to consider focusing on your cooperative needs of love & belonging and fun instead. Why do you, the parent, have to be the one to it differently? Because it is you who are dissatisfied with the situation. Whose behavior can you control? Hopefully, you understand that you cannot control your child’s behavior as much as I know you’d like to at times. The only person’s behavior you can control is your own.
Since it is you and not your child who is reading this article, I’m talking to you about what you can do to improve the situation.
Staying focused on changing your child will only lead to your frustration and a break down of your relationship. You won’t be successful at long-term change in your child. He or she may acquiesce while in your presence but there won’t be the required internal motivation to change required for any long-term transformation. So, let’s look at what you do have control of---the way you respond to your child’s push to meet his or her power and freedom needs.
Rebecca:
The first situation I want to talk about involves ten year-old Rebecca. Rebecca’s parents came to me frustrated over the fact they were unsuccessful enforcing Rebecca’s bedtime and she would frequently be grumpy because of lack of adequate sleep. They also were hoping for some down time to spend some quality time with each other without children around.
After, evaluating what was really important, the parents spoke to Rebecca about no longer enforcing her bedtime. They explained that she could go to bed whenever she pleased as long as she was able to get up in the morning, get to school and be relatively pleasant with family members. However, there would be a household quiet time that would begin at 9 PM. At that time, everyone needed to be in his or her own bedrooms engaged in quiet activity.
These parents couldn’t wait to tell me how great it worked! Since Rebecca had no parents fighting with her to go to bed, she could no longer meet her power need fighting with them. Consequently, she began to go to bed when she got tired and stopped fighting sleep. Steve and Mary were able to get the quiet couple time they needed so everybody won.
Veronica:
The second situation involves my friend, Denise, and her daughter, Veronica. Veronica is 11 years-old and wanted to have her hair highlighted like all her friends do but Denise was opposed to the idea. While discussing the situation with me, Denise realized that she was concerned about the maintenance costs of highlights and the damage that will be done to her daughter’s beautiful hair if she starts applying chemicals to it at her early age. Of course, Denise had explained none of this to Veronica.
What she did say was, “No, you are too young to have your hair highlighted. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you should.” Does that sound familiar? What I suggested instead is that she tells Veronica her concerns.
Denise started by saying that she wanted to revisit their conversation about highlights. Denise agreed to Veronica’s initial request to be given the highlights as a birthday gift. But then, she asked Veronica what her plan was for upkeep. Denise explained that she would have to have the highlighting process done every two months or so and that it would cost approximately $60 each time. Denise offered to give Veronica money for helping out doing extra chores around the house.
Since Veronica had agreed to this before and failed in the follow through, Denise asked another question. She said, “Veronica, I know you have agreed to do extra chores in the past and you didn’t consistently follow through. If history repeats itself and you don’t have the money you need for the highlights, are you prepared for what your hair will look like once the roots grow out?”
She also discussed with Veronica the concern for the health of her hair. She said that starting to put chemicals into one’s hair at eleven did not bode well for maintaining healthy looking hair into adulthood.
Denise marveled at what happened next. She said that what had been a heated battle between them for months turned into a non-issue. Veronica decided she no longer wanted highlights in her hair. She realized that she probably won’t do the chores to earn the extra money needed and that she doesn’t want to look “weird” while her hair is growing out. It’s amazing what happens when we align ourselves with our opponent’s resistance. It’s a concept that has been taught in martial arts within the physical realm for centuries but it can easily be applied to the mental realm in parenting just as easily
Carrie:
The third scenario involved a mother’s horror when she learned what her eight year-old daughter had done. This mother, Linda, sent her daughter, Carrie, to swim camp. Carrie had been a swimmer for quite some time but this was the first time she was actually exposed to older swimmers at camp.
She learned from them that a good way to shave time off her record is to shave the hair off her entire body. Now what hair could an eight year-old have? It didn’t matter---Carrie was determined to shave everywhere except the hair on her head. Linda, in horror, forbids her to do it.
What was Linda concerned about? It was a multitude of things. First of all, her daughter was too young to start shaving. Secondly, she was concerned that if she began shaving, then her hair would grow back very dark and course. (Of course, this is an old wife’s tale that many of my generation was exposed to.)
Linda was shocked to learn that despite her refusal to allow Carrie to shave, Carrie later went into the bathroom, took a dry razor to her skin, and shaved anyway. Unbelievably, at her next swim meet, she had the best time of her short life to that point. Did shaving help her or was it the power of her belief that the shaving helped? I can’t answer that question. However, the point is that what actually happened was worse than the original fears Linda had about Carrie shaving.
Had Linda listened to the desires of her daughter and she was willing to consider the request, she may have spoken to a pediatrician and learned that her second fear was unfounded. Then she might have been able to assist Carrie to shave safely instead of with a dry razor and no supervision at all.
What parents often fail to realize is that just because they tell their child no does not mean that their child will dutifully obey. Often a “no” means that their child will proceed stealthily without parental permission anyway. When this occurs, the child is doing something the parent doesn’t approve of and the parent has no idea and therefore, no opportunity to discuss the possible dangers and concerns.
My Children & Their Friends:
I used to see this a lot when my boys were older. They would have friends whose parents were quite strict and would not give permission for them to attend parties where it was known there would be alcohol and no parental supervision. On the surface, this makes perfect sense. What responsible parent wants their child at a party drinking without any adults to intervene if there is a problem?
However, in refusing their child permission to go, what I often saw was that same child telling their parent that he or she was going to stay overnight at a friend’s house. Then that friend would tell his or her parents that he or she was going to stay at the first friend’s house. In essence, what resulted was two children out all night, doing God knows what, without any adult having any information about what was happening.
My approach with my children when they would want to go to a party was to discuss the things I was afraid of. If they had an explanation for what they would do to handle the problems about which I was concerned, then I would generally allow them to go. If they couldn’t address certain situations, then they would not be permitted to go until there was a reasonable plan in place to address my concerns.
The main things I was concerned about were not drinking and driving. What would they do if offered drugs? What would they do if someone showed dangerous signs of having too much? What would they do if violence broke out or things got out of hand? What would they do and what did they expect me to do if the party were raided by police? Over time, we discussed all of these situations so that I was satisfied that my children could handle them if they ever came up.
This resulted in me having peace of mind and generally, enough information about where my children were going to be and what they were going to be doing to satisfy me. It is not an easy way to parent and it sure doesn’t guarantee that your children will always make the best decision.
What it does do, however, is it stops making you the person your children have to fight in their attempts to get their needs met. It keeps your relationship with your children strong and influential. It allows you, as the parent, to discuss situations and possibilities you normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to discuss. In addition, it helps your children to become better decision makers, problem solvers and to anticipate circumstances before they arise.
Child Safety at School - How Safety They Are?
As a parent, have you ever thought about whether your child's school was designed and built with security in mind?
To raise awareness of school safety and security issues, the National Crime Prevention Council - best known for its icon McGruff the Crime Dog - developed the "Be Safe and Sound" initiative. The initiative offers tools and tips on how schools can be made safer and more secure for students and staff.
There are several basic measures that schools can take to help ensure a secure learning environment for children. The National Crime Prevention Council offers the following guidelines:
* Visitors should be required to sign in or show proper identification.
* Unmonitored doors should be locked from the outside at all times to prevent unauthorized persons or items from entering the building unnoticed.
* Students entering and exiting the school property should be monitored.
* The receptionist should be equipped with a panic button for emergencies, a camera with a monitor at another location and a high-security lock on the front door that can be controlled.
* Access to identification badges, office keys and codes should be restricted and a process for reporting missing badges and keys should be in place.
* All doors should have high-security locks or electronic access control units. This applies especially to closets that have private information or hazardous materials, as well as outside doors and basements.
* Motion-sensitive and constant lights should be used outdoors.
* Dark places around the building should be illuminated and shrubs should be cut back so light can penetrate these areas.
* Stairwells and out-of-the-way corridors should be well-lighted.
* All doors should be solid. Sheet steel should cover both sides of the back and basement doors.
* Door frames and hinges should be strong enough to prevent them from being pried open.
The National Crime Prevention Council suggests that parents talk to their children's principal and work with the school's PTA to encourage the school to implement these measures. If they remain concerned, they can team up with other parents to insist that their local school board make building security one of its top priorities.
To raise awareness of school safety and security issues, the National Crime Prevention Council - best known for its icon McGruff the Crime Dog - developed the "Be Safe and Sound" initiative. The initiative offers tools and tips on how schools can be made safer and more secure for students and staff.
There are several basic measures that schools can take to help ensure a secure learning environment for children. The National Crime Prevention Council offers the following guidelines:
* Visitors should be required to sign in or show proper identification.
* Unmonitored doors should be locked from the outside at all times to prevent unauthorized persons or items from entering the building unnoticed.
* Students entering and exiting the school property should be monitored.
* The receptionist should be equipped with a panic button for emergencies, a camera with a monitor at another location and a high-security lock on the front door that can be controlled.
* Access to identification badges, office keys and codes should be restricted and a process for reporting missing badges and keys should be in place.
* All doors should have high-security locks or electronic access control units. This applies especially to closets that have private information or hazardous materials, as well as outside doors and basements.
* Motion-sensitive and constant lights should be used outdoors.
* Dark places around the building should be illuminated and shrubs should be cut back so light can penetrate these areas.
* Stairwells and out-of-the-way corridors should be well-lighted.
* All doors should be solid. Sheet steel should cover both sides of the back and basement doors.
* Door frames and hinges should be strong enough to prevent them from being pried open.
The National Crime Prevention Council suggests that parents talk to their children's principal and work with the school's PTA to encourage the school to implement these measures. If they remain concerned, they can team up with other parents to insist that their local school board make building security one of its top priorities.
Child Obesity - How To Train Your Children For Eating
With your busy day to day schedule with work and things to do at home, you often don’t notice some of the things that are right in front of you every day. At times, you may sit back and suddenly realize that your child has grown eight inches taller or that his/her hair has gotten longer. It’s often little things like these that happen each day that seem to go unnoticed for periods of time. Perhaps you’ve been starting to notice that your child has been putting on a little extra weight, or maybe you’ve noticed it for some time now and it’s become a cause for concern. If your child has developed an overweight problem there are some steps that you can take to help them to start getting their weight back under control.
To start with, take your child to your family doctor for a routine checkup. Your doctor can determine whether your child has an under functioning thyroid or any other medical problem that may be causing the weight gain. Once cleared of any medical conditions, the doctor may suggest a certain type of weight loss diet and or exercise program for your child to follow.
At home, you can start to encourage your child to develop healthier eating habits. You can buy more fruits for snacking rather than the usual high fat ones found in the snack isle. You should even let him/her pick which fruits you buy so you know they are ones that they will eat. Also, rather than buying soda for your child to drink, buy sports drinks like powerade or various fruit juices. Also, try to get your child in the habit of drinking more water, and use the sports drinks and fruit juices for occasions like lunch or dinner time.
Plan healthy meals every day, and plan out your child’s portions wisely, and make sure your child never skips breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make your child hungry and looking for less healthy things to eat later in the day. Also try to avoid eating fast food as often as possible. Eating healthy meals at home can help your child start to learn to develop better eating habits. If it becomes a regular household routine, he/she will be more likely to “go with the flow” and start to enjoy eating different healthy foods.
Never use food as a reward for your child to get them to eat healthy. By telling your child that you will give him/her a slice of cake for desert if they eat all of their vegetables, you are in effect telling them that the cake has a higher value than the vegetables. The cake becomes the “pot of gold” you get for reaching the end of the rainbow.
Another thing you can and should do is to encourage your child to get more physically active. Encourage him/her to join an activity at school such as basketball or track. Find out what activities are offered through the community such as swimming or volleyball, and try to find one that your child might enjoy.
Make time to go on bike rides with your child or to take walks through the local park or hiking trail with them and make these things a weekly event you do with them on a regular basis. Have your child help you wash the car every weekend. Give them some household chores to do and make these chores their responsibility every week. The idea is just to have them doing things that will keep them active and moving.
If a reasonable amount of time has gone by after you’ve changed your child’s eating habits and gotten him/her more active and you don’t see them reaching a healthy weight, you may want to consider a weight control treatment program. Many of these programs will have a variety of people on staff who are experts in specific areas such as doctors, registered dietitians and fitness trainers. They can collectively asses your child’s individual needs and formulate an overall plan to best deal with the problem. They can also help you learn how to keep up the healthy eating and exercise habits for your child after the program ends. Your family doctor can refer you to a treatment center that will best suit your child’s needs.
Remember that the first step is simply the fact that you recognize if there is a problem with your child’s weight. Being in denial about your child’s weight problem if there is an obvious problem existing only serves to lead your child to unwanted, potentially dangerous health problems as time goes by. Taking steps to help your child with this sooner, leads to a healthier life for your child later.
To start with, take your child to your family doctor for a routine checkup. Your doctor can determine whether your child has an under functioning thyroid or any other medical problem that may be causing the weight gain. Once cleared of any medical conditions, the doctor may suggest a certain type of weight loss diet and or exercise program for your child to follow.
At home, you can start to encourage your child to develop healthier eating habits. You can buy more fruits for snacking rather than the usual high fat ones found in the snack isle. You should even let him/her pick which fruits you buy so you know they are ones that they will eat. Also, rather than buying soda for your child to drink, buy sports drinks like powerade or various fruit juices. Also, try to get your child in the habit of drinking more water, and use the sports drinks and fruit juices for occasions like lunch or dinner time.
Plan healthy meals every day, and plan out your child’s portions wisely, and make sure your child never skips breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make your child hungry and looking for less healthy things to eat later in the day. Also try to avoid eating fast food as often as possible. Eating healthy meals at home can help your child start to learn to develop better eating habits. If it becomes a regular household routine, he/she will be more likely to “go with the flow” and start to enjoy eating different healthy foods.
Never use food as a reward for your child to get them to eat healthy. By telling your child that you will give him/her a slice of cake for desert if they eat all of their vegetables, you are in effect telling them that the cake has a higher value than the vegetables. The cake becomes the “pot of gold” you get for reaching the end of the rainbow.
Another thing you can and should do is to encourage your child to get more physically active. Encourage him/her to join an activity at school such as basketball or track. Find out what activities are offered through the community such as swimming or volleyball, and try to find one that your child might enjoy.
Make time to go on bike rides with your child or to take walks through the local park or hiking trail with them and make these things a weekly event you do with them on a regular basis. Have your child help you wash the car every weekend. Give them some household chores to do and make these chores their responsibility every week. The idea is just to have them doing things that will keep them active and moving.
If a reasonable amount of time has gone by after you’ve changed your child’s eating habits and gotten him/her more active and you don’t see them reaching a healthy weight, you may want to consider a weight control treatment program. Many of these programs will have a variety of people on staff who are experts in specific areas such as doctors, registered dietitians and fitness trainers. They can collectively asses your child’s individual needs and formulate an overall plan to best deal with the problem. They can also help you learn how to keep up the healthy eating and exercise habits for your child after the program ends. Your family doctor can refer you to a treatment center that will best suit your child’s needs.
Remember that the first step is simply the fact that you recognize if there is a problem with your child’s weight. Being in denial about your child’s weight problem if there is an obvious problem existing only serves to lead your child to unwanted, potentially dangerous health problems as time goes by. Taking steps to help your child with this sooner, leads to a healthier life for your child later.
The Problem That Most Parents Will Face These Days
Like most parents, my partner and I work hard to develop our children into healthy, well adjusted people. We want them to have the skills to persue whatever objectives they choose for themselves in this world.
None of us are perfect parents and we all learn from the past. The purpose of this article is to pass on one of our experiences. It had a profound effect on the way we approach the parenting game.
A few years ago, our two children were aged two and four. Over a period of weeks one of our boys had become increasingly naughty. His behaviour was rubbing off on his brother. Mum and dad had explored the usual discipline options but nothing seemed to work.
Eventually, as my partner and I discussed the boys behaviour, we decided that there must be a trigger. If we could find it, we thought we could perhaps effect a change for the better.
We wound back the clock to the time when the behaviour change emerged, then looked at what we had all been doing at around that time.
As it turned out, the onset corresponded with a time when my job was being restructured and my partner was as worried as I about the outcome. We were both focussed on ourselves and quite naturally were exhibiting signs of stress.
The result of this pressure, was that we had very little time for our children and they were not getting the attention they needed from us.
We decided to try an experiment. We set aside all our other priorities for the weekend and spend time with boys. Nothing special, just being with them and giving them quality time.
Their behaviours changed almost instantly. And it was a change for the better.
This small experience had a profound effect on the way we approach parenting. We learned that the behaviours of our children are significantly affected by our own behaviours.
We are now a lot more careful about the amount of time we spend with our boys. When there is a behavioural change from them, we look to ourselves first then check the external influences before we choose a course of action.
Parenting is a wonderful journey, full of twists turns and surprises. I hope that by sharing this small part of our life it will help you in yours.
None of us are perfect parents and we all learn from the past. The purpose of this article is to pass on one of our experiences. It had a profound effect on the way we approach the parenting game.
A few years ago, our two children were aged two and four. Over a period of weeks one of our boys had become increasingly naughty. His behaviour was rubbing off on his brother. Mum and dad had explored the usual discipline options but nothing seemed to work.
Eventually, as my partner and I discussed the boys behaviour, we decided that there must be a trigger. If we could find it, we thought we could perhaps effect a change for the better.
We wound back the clock to the time when the behaviour change emerged, then looked at what we had all been doing at around that time.
As it turned out, the onset corresponded with a time when my job was being restructured and my partner was as worried as I about the outcome. We were both focussed on ourselves and quite naturally were exhibiting signs of stress.
The result of this pressure, was that we had very little time for our children and they were not getting the attention they needed from us.
We decided to try an experiment. We set aside all our other priorities for the weekend and spend time with boys. Nothing special, just being with them and giving them quality time.
Their behaviours changed almost instantly. And it was a change for the better.
This small experience had a profound effect on the way we approach parenting. We learned that the behaviours of our children are significantly affected by our own behaviours.
We are now a lot more careful about the amount of time we spend with our boys. When there is a behavioural change from them, we look to ourselves first then check the external influences before we choose a course of action.
Parenting is a wonderful journey, full of twists turns and surprises. I hope that by sharing this small part of our life it will help you in yours.
How To Teach Your Children About Money - The Guide About Money For Children
I firmly believe that if we'd been taught more about investing and basic money management in high school (and younger!) my generation wouldn't have some of the financial troubles that they do. I was lucky enough to have parents who taught me those lessons at home, but many of my friends weren't so lucky. I don't think much has changed for our own children. The schools just don't have the time or resources to focus on basic money skills so it's up to us as parents to educate our children.
We have to teach by example. If our children see us spending money on credit cards they think that the little plastic card is all you need to get your heart’s desire. We need to show them that the little plastic card produces a bill each month that must be paid. Pay it in full so they can learn the habit early.
Some people are hesitant (or refuse) to involve their children in their financial affairs. Up to a certain age I would agree. But at some point you need to involve your children at least a little bit so they can learn the process of money management and it will help keep you accountable for your actions. Having to explain your frivolous purchases to your children can quickly alter your own habits.
Your ultimate goal is for your children to be better off than you are. If you don’t teach them about how to manage money they could easily become worse off in their adult years. Don’t burden them with ignorance. If you don’t feel qualified to show them proper money handling skills then enlist the help of qualified professionals or family members who are skilled with money. The goal is not perfection. It’s basic education and hopefully preventing the already catastrophic credit card debt from spilling over into the next generation.
My favorite example of teaching money management within the home was setup by the Dilley family. They had sextuplets several years ago and learned a way to teach their children good behavior and money management at the same time. The kids earn Dilley Dollars for doing their chores and good behavior. The dollars are redeemable for video game time or can be converted to real money (50 cents real money for every Dilley Dollar) which can spent on real things. The kids are taught to save some of it and they learn to appreciate what it takes to make money in this world.
Whatever system you come up with, stick with it. Make your children accountable for their own spending habits and be accountable to them for your decisions. Admit your mistakes and do your best to lead them down the right financial path. Stick with the consequences of poor judgment. Of course you are the parent and make the final decisions, but the more you can involve them in the money processes of your household the better off they’ll be when they step into the real world on their own.
We have to teach by example. If our children see us spending money on credit cards they think that the little plastic card is all you need to get your heart’s desire. We need to show them that the little plastic card produces a bill each month that must be paid. Pay it in full so they can learn the habit early.
Some people are hesitant (or refuse) to involve their children in their financial affairs. Up to a certain age I would agree. But at some point you need to involve your children at least a little bit so they can learn the process of money management and it will help keep you accountable for your actions. Having to explain your frivolous purchases to your children can quickly alter your own habits.
Your ultimate goal is for your children to be better off than you are. If you don’t teach them about how to manage money they could easily become worse off in their adult years. Don’t burden them with ignorance. If you don’t feel qualified to show them proper money handling skills then enlist the help of qualified professionals or family members who are skilled with money. The goal is not perfection. It’s basic education and hopefully preventing the already catastrophic credit card debt from spilling over into the next generation.
My favorite example of teaching money management within the home was setup by the Dilley family. They had sextuplets several years ago and learned a way to teach their children good behavior and money management at the same time. The kids earn Dilley Dollars for doing their chores and good behavior. The dollars are redeemable for video game time or can be converted to real money (50 cents real money for every Dilley Dollar) which can spent on real things. The kids are taught to save some of it and they learn to appreciate what it takes to make money in this world.
Whatever system you come up with, stick with it. Make your children accountable for their own spending habits and be accountable to them for your decisions. Admit your mistakes and do your best to lead them down the right financial path. Stick with the consequences of poor judgment. Of course you are the parent and make the final decisions, but the more you can involve them in the money processes of your household the better off they’ll be when they step into the real world on their own.
Use Spelling Games To Increase The Intelectual of Your Kids
The following spelling games can be used by parents -- or teachers -- to reinforce spelling in children.
SPELLING GAME 1: USE BOARD GAMES, SUCH AS MONOPOLY
Play any game that is normally played with dice with the child -- Monopoly, for example. The parent can continue to move her token forward in the normal way by throwing the dice, but the child must orally spell a word to move forward.
To select words that can be used, the parent can use words from the child's schoolwork that he often misspells. She must make word cards of these words. It is best to use not fewer than 20 words and not more than 30. When playing a board game, the same 20-30 words can be used, or if the child already knows how to spell them, other words can be selected. The parent must thoroughly shuffle the word cards, and then put them in a pile upside down on the table between the two (or more) players.
When it is the child's turn to play, the parent must take a word from the top of the pile and then say the word aloud. The child must spell the word. If the child spells the word correctly, he may move his token the same number of spaces as there are letters in the word. For example, for a word of seven letters he may move his token forward seven spaces. The word card is then put aside. If, however, he misspells the word, the parent must show the word to the child, and the child must spell the word aloud three times while looking at the word, and then three times without looking at it. Then the word is put at the bottom of the pile, so that it will come up again later. If the child misspells a word, he may also not move his token for that turn.
SPELLING GAME 2: HIDE AND SEEK GAME
Use the letters of a particular word, and build new words with these letters. For example, if one decides to use the word “difficulty,” one would write this word on a piece of paper and put it in front of the child.
The aim of the game is that the child must make a list of all the words he can think of using only the letters of the chosen word. It can also be played as a competition, meaning the parent can play it with the child, and at the end, the one with the largest number of correctly spelled words, wins.
There are always many words that can be formed in this way, and in an indirect manner the spelling of the chosen word is practiced, while many other words are also tested for spelling. A few examples of words that can be formed from the letters of “difficulty” are: if, left, cult, cliff, fifty, duty, etc.
Note that each letter may be used once only. The letter f appears twice in the word “difficulty,” and therefore a word like “fifty” is acceptable. “Dull,” however, is not acceptable.
Some examples of words to be used: alphabetical; misunderstanding; occasionally; postponement; mayonnaise; multimillionaire; credibility; determination; education; friendship; generosity; hippopotamus.
SPELLING GAME 3: WORD JUMBLES
Another interesting method of practicing spelling is by making word jumbles. The child then has to sort out the confused letters to come up with a word, which he has been taught before.
Words must be selected from the child's schoolwork. Use a piece of paper, and write the word jumble on the paper. For example, if the letters “hergun” are written on the paper, the child must rearrange them to form the word “hunger.”
SPELLING GAME 4: NAME, SURNAME, ANIMAL, AND CITY/TOWN
To play this game, the parent and child will both need a piece of paper and a pencil. Write the 26 letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper, and select a letter at random. The parent and the child must now, as fast as they can, write down a name, surname, animal and town that starts with the selected letter. The one that finishes first gives the other party only 5 seconds, before shouting "Stop!" and then all pencils must be put down.
Ten points are awarded for each correctly spelled word. If both parent and child had exactly the same word under one of the headings, for example, both had the same animal, only 5 points will be awarded if the word was correctly spelled.
Say, for instance, the letter "d" was selected:
Names: Douglas, Danny, David.
Surnames: Davis.
Animals: dog, dinosaur, deer.
City/Town: Dallas, Durban.
SPELLING GAME 1: USE BOARD GAMES, SUCH AS MONOPOLY
Play any game that is normally played with dice with the child -- Monopoly, for example. The parent can continue to move her token forward in the normal way by throwing the dice, but the child must orally spell a word to move forward.
To select words that can be used, the parent can use words from the child's schoolwork that he often misspells. She must make word cards of these words. It is best to use not fewer than 20 words and not more than 30. When playing a board game, the same 20-30 words can be used, or if the child already knows how to spell them, other words can be selected. The parent must thoroughly shuffle the word cards, and then put them in a pile upside down on the table between the two (or more) players.
When it is the child's turn to play, the parent must take a word from the top of the pile and then say the word aloud. The child must spell the word. If the child spells the word correctly, he may move his token the same number of spaces as there are letters in the word. For example, for a word of seven letters he may move his token forward seven spaces. The word card is then put aside. If, however, he misspells the word, the parent must show the word to the child, and the child must spell the word aloud three times while looking at the word, and then three times without looking at it. Then the word is put at the bottom of the pile, so that it will come up again later. If the child misspells a word, he may also not move his token for that turn.
SPELLING GAME 2: HIDE AND SEEK GAME
Use the letters of a particular word, and build new words with these letters. For example, if one decides to use the word “difficulty,” one would write this word on a piece of paper and put it in front of the child.
The aim of the game is that the child must make a list of all the words he can think of using only the letters of the chosen word. It can also be played as a competition, meaning the parent can play it with the child, and at the end, the one with the largest number of correctly spelled words, wins.
There are always many words that can be formed in this way, and in an indirect manner the spelling of the chosen word is practiced, while many other words are also tested for spelling. A few examples of words that can be formed from the letters of “difficulty” are: if, left, cult, cliff, fifty, duty, etc.
Note that each letter may be used once only. The letter f appears twice in the word “difficulty,” and therefore a word like “fifty” is acceptable. “Dull,” however, is not acceptable.
Some examples of words to be used: alphabetical; misunderstanding; occasionally; postponement; mayonnaise; multimillionaire; credibility; determination; education; friendship; generosity; hippopotamus.
SPELLING GAME 3: WORD JUMBLES
Another interesting method of practicing spelling is by making word jumbles. The child then has to sort out the confused letters to come up with a word, which he has been taught before.
Words must be selected from the child's schoolwork. Use a piece of paper, and write the word jumble on the paper. For example, if the letters “hergun” are written on the paper, the child must rearrange them to form the word “hunger.”
SPELLING GAME 4: NAME, SURNAME, ANIMAL, AND CITY/TOWN
To play this game, the parent and child will both need a piece of paper and a pencil. Write the 26 letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper, and select a letter at random. The parent and the child must now, as fast as they can, write down a name, surname, animal and town that starts with the selected letter. The one that finishes first gives the other party only 5 seconds, before shouting "Stop!" and then all pencils must be put down.
Ten points are awarded for each correctly spelled word. If both parent and child had exactly the same word under one of the headings, for example, both had the same animal, only 5 points will be awarded if the word was correctly spelled.
Say, for instance, the letter "d" was selected:
Names: Douglas, Danny, David.
Surnames: Davis.
Animals: dog, dinosaur, deer.
City/Town: Dallas, Durban.
Baby Sleep Patterns - What You Should Know
It’s true, the number one milestone most parents seek look forward to is the day (or night) their newborn starts sleeping through the night.
You don’t have to suffer endless night after night without sleep however, even with a newborn.
Baby’s actually follow certain sleep patterns, and if you get to know what these patterns are you’ll start sleeping more soundly and better the times you do have a chance to get some sleep!
Baby’s don’t actually sleep at the same intervals adults do. They actually sleep very unsoundly. Their sleep is full of interruptions because their sleep cycle is not yet fully developed, thus they wake more often during the night.
Generally grown adults spend about six hours every night in deep sleep. This is the really restful phase of sleep you require to feel fresh and new in the morning. Usually time permitting another 2 hours are spent in light sleep.
Baby’s generally have twice as many light sleep cycles as adults though, and their deep sleep cycles are much shorter than adults.
Baby’s also have to LEARN how to fall back asleep, it is not a skill that comes naturally. Whereas adults might zonk out the moment their head hits the pillow, a baby will actually lie there looking for something to soothe them back to sleep.
Newborn’s actually sleep a lot, approximately 16 to 18 hours every day, but they don’t enjoy this sleep all at the same time.
Most baby’s will sleep in increments of only two to three hour intervals. Sometimes their internal sleep clocks are also confused from being in the womb, and they mistakenly believe that night is day and day is night. This means that they’ll spend more of their time sleeping during the day than at night!
Here’s the good news, your baby’s sleep patterns will eventually changes, usually by about the time they are 12 weeks old. They will start sleeping about 14-16 hours per day, and many of those hours will be spent sleeping at night.
What can you do in the meantime to feel more refreshed?
- Sleep when your baby sleeps. No matter what time of day, take a nap whenever your baby does catch some zzz’s.
- Open the blinds and keep things bright during the day. This will help change your baby’s clock around so they spend more of their time sleeping at night and not during the day.
- Sleep near your baby at night. This will help comfort them and allow them to sleep more easily. There are many co-sleeper products available that allow you to sleep with your baby safely at night. Consider trying one until your baby is about 12 weeks old, when they are old enough to start sleeping on their own.
- You can teach your baby to be a good sleeper with a little time and a little patience, armed with a little bit of knowledge about their sleep patterns!
You don’t have to suffer endless night after night without sleep however, even with a newborn.
Baby’s actually follow certain sleep patterns, and if you get to know what these patterns are you’ll start sleeping more soundly and better the times you do have a chance to get some sleep!
Baby’s don’t actually sleep at the same intervals adults do. They actually sleep very unsoundly. Their sleep is full of interruptions because their sleep cycle is not yet fully developed, thus they wake more often during the night.
Generally grown adults spend about six hours every night in deep sleep. This is the really restful phase of sleep you require to feel fresh and new in the morning. Usually time permitting another 2 hours are spent in light sleep.
Baby’s generally have twice as many light sleep cycles as adults though, and their deep sleep cycles are much shorter than adults.
Baby’s also have to LEARN how to fall back asleep, it is not a skill that comes naturally. Whereas adults might zonk out the moment their head hits the pillow, a baby will actually lie there looking for something to soothe them back to sleep.
Newborn’s actually sleep a lot, approximately 16 to 18 hours every day, but they don’t enjoy this sleep all at the same time.
Most baby’s will sleep in increments of only two to three hour intervals. Sometimes their internal sleep clocks are also confused from being in the womb, and they mistakenly believe that night is day and day is night. This means that they’ll spend more of their time sleeping during the day than at night!
Here’s the good news, your baby’s sleep patterns will eventually changes, usually by about the time they are 12 weeks old. They will start sleeping about 14-16 hours per day, and many of those hours will be spent sleeping at night.
What can you do in the meantime to feel more refreshed?
- Sleep when your baby sleeps. No matter what time of day, take a nap whenever your baby does catch some zzz’s.
- Open the blinds and keep things bright during the day. This will help change your baby’s clock around so they spend more of their time sleeping at night and not during the day.
- Sleep near your baby at night. This will help comfort them and allow them to sleep more easily. There are many co-sleeper products available that allow you to sleep with your baby safely at night. Consider trying one until your baby is about 12 weeks old, when they are old enough to start sleeping on their own.
- You can teach your baby to be a good sleeper with a little time and a little patience, armed with a little bit of knowledge about their sleep patterns!
How To: Guide For Your Children Dental Health
When it comes to caring for an infant, most parents are well aware of the need for routine pediatrician visits as part of their baby's health care regimen. What's less well-recognized is the importance that early and regular dental care plays. For optimal oral health, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that dental visits begin with the appearance of a child's first tooth as an effective way to kick-start a lifelong program of preventive dental care.
One Baby Tooth + One Pediatric Dental Visit = Zero Cavities
"The 'first-tooth visit' lets the pediatric dentist check for proper oral and facial development, see if the teeth are growing in properly, and detect early tooth decay," says H. Pitts Hinson, president of the AAPD. "It also gives the dentist a chance to walk parents through a complete program of home dental care for the child."
Tooth decay, even in the earliest stages of life, can have serious implications for a child's long-term health and well-being-and it's becoming more of a problem every day. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention comparing the dental health of Americans in 1988-1994 and 1999-2002 found a 15.2 percent increase in cavities among two- to five-year olds. In addition, the U.S. Surgeon General has identified tooth decay as the most common childhood disease.
A possible contributor to this trend is the fact that only three out of five children visit a dentist at least once a year. While parents may avoid taking a child to the dentist to save money, studies show that children who have their first dental visit before age one have 40 percent lower dental costs in their first five years than children who don't, making preventive care a sound health and economic decision.
Without preventive care, the impact of tooth decay on child development can be striking. A study in Pediatric Dentistry showed that children with cavities were significantly more likely to weigh less than 80 percent of their ideal body weight. Even more disturbing is evidence that the effects of poor oral health may be felt for a lifetime. Emerging research suggests that improper oral hygiene may increase a child's risk of having low-birth-weight babies, developing heart disease or suffering a stroke as an adult.
No one is better-equipped to care for primary teeth than pediatric dentists. Pediatric dentists complete two to three years of advanced training after dental school, preparing them to address the unique needs of infants, children and adolescents-including those with special health care requirements. Having the first dental visit in an office designed for kids before the onset of any tooth problems establishes trust and confidence in dental care in children that can carry over into adulthood.
One Baby Tooth + One Pediatric Dental Visit = Zero Cavities
"The 'first-tooth visit' lets the pediatric dentist check for proper oral and facial development, see if the teeth are growing in properly, and detect early tooth decay," says H. Pitts Hinson, president of the AAPD. "It also gives the dentist a chance to walk parents through a complete program of home dental care for the child."
Tooth decay, even in the earliest stages of life, can have serious implications for a child's long-term health and well-being-and it's becoming more of a problem every day. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention comparing the dental health of Americans in 1988-1994 and 1999-2002 found a 15.2 percent increase in cavities among two- to five-year olds. In addition, the U.S. Surgeon General has identified tooth decay as the most common childhood disease.
A possible contributor to this trend is the fact that only three out of five children visit a dentist at least once a year. While parents may avoid taking a child to the dentist to save money, studies show that children who have their first dental visit before age one have 40 percent lower dental costs in their first five years than children who don't, making preventive care a sound health and economic decision.
Without preventive care, the impact of tooth decay on child development can be striking. A study in Pediatric Dentistry showed that children with cavities were significantly more likely to weigh less than 80 percent of their ideal body weight. Even more disturbing is evidence that the effects of poor oral health may be felt for a lifetime. Emerging research suggests that improper oral hygiene may increase a child's risk of having low-birth-weight babies, developing heart disease or suffering a stroke as an adult.
No one is better-equipped to care for primary teeth than pediatric dentists. Pediatric dentists complete two to three years of advanced training after dental school, preparing them to address the unique needs of infants, children and adolescents-including those with special health care requirements. Having the first dental visit in an office designed for kids before the onset of any tooth problems establishes trust and confidence in dental care in children that can carry over into adulthood.
How To Make Sure Your Children Stay Health and Fit In The Long Term
American kids are making headlines. But, the news isn't something to cheer about. Turns out they are becoming more overweight than ever before.
Today, about 16 percent of children ages 6 to 19 are overweight, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the number is steadily increasing.
The dangers of being overweight in childhood are the same as in adulthood: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, the precursors to type 2 diabetes and even some forms of cancer.
Experts say children need at least one hour of physical activity each day. Is your child this active?
Parents play a big role in shaping children's eating and physical activity habits. Helping your child maintain a healthy weight requires a long-term commitment with modifications the entire family should embrace.
Here are a few suggestions from the experts at NIDDK.
* Set a good example. Plan family activities, like hiking, biking, dancing or basketball. Include children in active chores like walking the dog, washing the car or mowing the lawn.
* Don't forget the fun factor. It is likely that younger kids will respond better to exercise if it doesn't feel like exercise. Try climbing a jungle gym, throwing a Frisbee or playing chase. For older children, encourage physical education classes or urge them to do activities that they like and will do every day.
* Cut down on screen time. Television viewing and other screen usage can hold your child's interest for hours, which may discourage physical activity and increase calorie consumption. Reduce your child's screen time by encouraging other behaviors such as playing outdoors or moving around during commercials. A few minutes of physical activity at a time can certainly add up.
Taking a pledge as a family to live a fit and healthy lifestyle is one of the best gifts you can provide your child.
Today, about 16 percent of children ages 6 to 19 are overweight, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the number is steadily increasing.
The dangers of being overweight in childhood are the same as in adulthood: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, the precursors to type 2 diabetes and even some forms of cancer.
Experts say children need at least one hour of physical activity each day. Is your child this active?
Parents play a big role in shaping children's eating and physical activity habits. Helping your child maintain a healthy weight requires a long-term commitment with modifications the entire family should embrace.
Here are a few suggestions from the experts at NIDDK.
* Set a good example. Plan family activities, like hiking, biking, dancing or basketball. Include children in active chores like walking the dog, washing the car or mowing the lawn.
* Don't forget the fun factor. It is likely that younger kids will respond better to exercise if it doesn't feel like exercise. Try climbing a jungle gym, throwing a Frisbee or playing chase. For older children, encourage physical education classes or urge them to do activities that they like and will do every day.
* Cut down on screen time. Television viewing and other screen usage can hold your child's interest for hours, which may discourage physical activity and increase calorie consumption. Reduce your child's screen time by encouraging other behaviors such as playing outdoors or moving around during commercials. A few minutes of physical activity at a time can certainly add up.
Taking a pledge as a family to live a fit and healthy lifestyle is one of the best gifts you can provide your child.
How To Caring Your Baby - The Best Guide
Bringing a new baby home is a time for great joy and celebration. There are so many exciting experiences waiting for the happy family. But, it doesn’t take long for mom and dad to discover that caring for a newborn baby, while joyful, can be demanding and exhausting. They also discover that their baby definitely has a mind of his or her own and will make his or her presence felt in a hundred and one ways - not all of them amusing. As most parents will tell you, it’s all a matter of practice and patience.
Feeding your baby: The first you will need to make is whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby. Research shows that, in most cases, breast milk is the best food for your baby. But some mothers cannot or prefer to not breastfeed. Baby formula is a healthy alternative. Always remember to burp your baby gently after a feeding. While feeding from a bottle, make sure your baby is not taking in air bubbles. A newborn baby will need to eat every few hours around the clock so be prepared for interrupted sleep. When your baby is ready to accept semi-solids and solids, introduce one food at a time. Allow him or time to get used to each food. Avoid baby foods with additives.
Diapering: You will need to decide if you are going to use cloth diapers or disposable diapers. If you decide on cloth diapers you may want to consider using a diaper service. Each option has its own pros and cons. Parents usually make a decision based on time, convenience, environmental concerns and financial considerations. The best advice I’ve received is to avoid a puritanical fascination for any one type of diaper. I use a combination of cloth and disposable. I use cloth at home and disposable diapers when I’m running errands with the baby, visiting friends and relatives, or traveling.
Bathing and Grooming: That first bath at home can be scary for a parent. Until your baby’s umbilical cord stub falls off, only give sponge baths. A baby bathtub makes giving your bath easier and safer. Before placing your baby in the water, test it will your elbow to make sure it’s not too hot or too cold. Never leave your baby unattended while he or she is in the bath. After the bath, bundle your baby up in a nice fluffy towel and dry him or her thoroughly. Make sure the umbilical area is dry and that the eyes, ears and nose are clean. You may need to clean these with a wet washcloth, but never insert buds into them. Trim your baby’s nails just after a bath.
Sleeping: Experts recommend putting your baby to sleep on his or her back. It’s not uncommon for a baby to wake at least once during the night until he or she is about a year old. The younger the baby, the more times he or she will wake during the night for feeding and changing. Feed, change, and comfort your baby when he or she wakes up at night but don’t turn those “awake” periods at night into playtime or it will be harder for you to get your baby to the point of sleeping through the night.
Common health problems include colic, diaper rash, cradle cap, skin rashes and ear infections. Many of these problems need just a little extra care and patience. Call your doctor with any concerns or questions. If your baby is in pain, take him or her in for a doctor visit.
Traveling: A common question of parents is when it is safe to travel by air with a baby. You should wait at least two weeks after the baby is born to take him or her on a trip that includes a flight. After that, most experts say it is safe to travel by air with your baby as long as your baby is not sick. When traveling, pack all the items you need along with plenty of extra clothes and diapers. If traveling by air, call the airline to make arrangements for taking your baby’s car seat or carrier and stroller (a combination car seat/stroller works great) on the plane.
Safety and comfort are two of the most important things to keep in mind when you handle your baby. It is a good idea to have a fairly regular schedule for bathing, feeding, playing and sleeping. Your baby will always respond to a warm, loving environment. Hold your baby, cuddle him or her and respond to his or her cries. It is impossible to ‘spoil’ a little baby. Let your love overflow. Most of all enjoy early parenthood - kids grow up very fast.
Feeding your baby: The first you will need to make is whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby. Research shows that, in most cases, breast milk is the best food for your baby. But some mothers cannot or prefer to not breastfeed. Baby formula is a healthy alternative. Always remember to burp your baby gently after a feeding. While feeding from a bottle, make sure your baby is not taking in air bubbles. A newborn baby will need to eat every few hours around the clock so be prepared for interrupted sleep. When your baby is ready to accept semi-solids and solids, introduce one food at a time. Allow him or time to get used to each food. Avoid baby foods with additives.
Diapering: You will need to decide if you are going to use cloth diapers or disposable diapers. If you decide on cloth diapers you may want to consider using a diaper service. Each option has its own pros and cons. Parents usually make a decision based on time, convenience, environmental concerns and financial considerations. The best advice I’ve received is to avoid a puritanical fascination for any one type of diaper. I use a combination of cloth and disposable. I use cloth at home and disposable diapers when I’m running errands with the baby, visiting friends and relatives, or traveling.
Bathing and Grooming: That first bath at home can be scary for a parent. Until your baby’s umbilical cord stub falls off, only give sponge baths. A baby bathtub makes giving your bath easier and safer. Before placing your baby in the water, test it will your elbow to make sure it’s not too hot or too cold. Never leave your baby unattended while he or she is in the bath. After the bath, bundle your baby up in a nice fluffy towel and dry him or her thoroughly. Make sure the umbilical area is dry and that the eyes, ears and nose are clean. You may need to clean these with a wet washcloth, but never insert buds into them. Trim your baby’s nails just after a bath.
Sleeping: Experts recommend putting your baby to sleep on his or her back. It’s not uncommon for a baby to wake at least once during the night until he or she is about a year old. The younger the baby, the more times he or she will wake during the night for feeding and changing. Feed, change, and comfort your baby when he or she wakes up at night but don’t turn those “awake” periods at night into playtime or it will be harder for you to get your baby to the point of sleeping through the night.
Common health problems include colic, diaper rash, cradle cap, skin rashes and ear infections. Many of these problems need just a little extra care and patience. Call your doctor with any concerns or questions. If your baby is in pain, take him or her in for a doctor visit.
Traveling: A common question of parents is when it is safe to travel by air with a baby. You should wait at least two weeks after the baby is born to take him or her on a trip that includes a flight. After that, most experts say it is safe to travel by air with your baby as long as your baby is not sick. When traveling, pack all the items you need along with plenty of extra clothes and diapers. If traveling by air, call the airline to make arrangements for taking your baby’s car seat or carrier and stroller (a combination car seat/stroller works great) on the plane.
Safety and comfort are two of the most important things to keep in mind when you handle your baby. It is a good idea to have a fairly regular schedule for bathing, feeding, playing and sleeping. Your baby will always respond to a warm, loving environment. Hold your baby, cuddle him or her and respond to his or her cries. It is impossible to ‘spoil’ a little baby. Let your love overflow. Most of all enjoy early parenthood - kids grow up very fast.
How To Plan and Arrange Your Children's Birthday Party
Having the best children's birthday party shouldn't be a stressful thing. Follow the timeline below and your child and you will be the hit of the neighborhood.
About a month before your party you'll want to:
Talk with your child and choose a party theme and/or decide what your “entertainment” will be for the party. This will help you determine your party budget as well.
Create the guest list. Don't forget to include friends from school, the neighborhood as well as relatives and more distant friends.
Choose a party date and time. Most children's birthday parties are generally one to two hours long.
Order the general party supplies: tablecloth, tableware, decorations, etc.
Think about games. Keep the ages and personalities of the children as you plan your activities. And sometimes shorter and simpler parties with one fun activity are best and least stressful.
Two weeks prior to the party make sure you:
Decide on your menu. Are you just having cake and ice cream? Is the party at a mealtime and do you need to order pizzas or are you cooking yourself, etc.?
Mail the invitations. You will probably need to call everyone that doesn’t RSVP. People will forget and will appreciate the reminder call
Ask for help. If you think you might need some help for party day, ask a couple of the moms of the kids who are invited to stay and help. Most people would love to, you just need to ask.
One week before party day you should:
Bake your cake and freeze it. Knowing the cake is done will be such a stress reliever on the big day!
Prepare and freeze any other foods that can be made in advance.
Get an exact guest count. Call any guests who have not responded.
Two days before the party don't forget to:
Get any last minute food items and don't forget candles, matches and FILM!
Check your batteries in your camera and video recorder.
Purchase a small helium tank from your local party or craft store. It's a great thing to keep your children busy the morning of the party too!
Make up a party timeline for the party day so you don't forget anything.
One day before the party remember to:
Take out food and cake from the freezer.
Do any decorating that you can do in advance
Finish any food preparation that can be done ahead of time.
On the morning of the party day make sure to:
Fill your balloons with helium.
Prepare any foods and beverages that could not be made ahead of time.
Write out your timeline for the day so you don’t forget anything.
You don't want to miss out on the memories you'll have with the pictures, so ask a relative or trusted friend to be responsible for the picture taking.
Relax and enjoy this great day. And then get ready for next year!
About a month before your party you'll want to:
Talk with your child and choose a party theme and/or decide what your “entertainment” will be for the party. This will help you determine your party budget as well.
Create the guest list. Don't forget to include friends from school, the neighborhood as well as relatives and more distant friends.
Choose a party date and time. Most children's birthday parties are generally one to two hours long.
Order the general party supplies: tablecloth, tableware, decorations, etc.
Think about games. Keep the ages and personalities of the children as you plan your activities. And sometimes shorter and simpler parties with one fun activity are best and least stressful.
Two weeks prior to the party make sure you:
Decide on your menu. Are you just having cake and ice cream? Is the party at a mealtime and do you need to order pizzas or are you cooking yourself, etc.?
Mail the invitations. You will probably need to call everyone that doesn’t RSVP. People will forget and will appreciate the reminder call
Ask for help. If you think you might need some help for party day, ask a couple of the moms of the kids who are invited to stay and help. Most people would love to, you just need to ask.
One week before party day you should:
Bake your cake and freeze it. Knowing the cake is done will be such a stress reliever on the big day!
Prepare and freeze any other foods that can be made in advance.
Get an exact guest count. Call any guests who have not responded.
Two days before the party don't forget to:
Get any last minute food items and don't forget candles, matches and FILM!
Check your batteries in your camera and video recorder.
Purchase a small helium tank from your local party or craft store. It's a great thing to keep your children busy the morning of the party too!
Make up a party timeline for the party day so you don't forget anything.
One day before the party remember to:
Take out food and cake from the freezer.
Do any decorating that you can do in advance
Finish any food preparation that can be done ahead of time.
On the morning of the party day make sure to:
Fill your balloons with helium.
Prepare any foods and beverages that could not be made ahead of time.
Write out your timeline for the day so you don’t forget anything.
You don't want to miss out on the memories you'll have with the pictures, so ask a relative or trusted friend to be responsible for the picture taking.
Relax and enjoy this great day. And then get ready for next year!
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