Parenting
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Developing Healthy Skin Care Habits in Your Children
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"What Would You Like to Do?"
My 8-year old son, Jamie, loves to spend time with me. Even today, one of his friends called to see if he could come to his birthday party after school. Jamie had to think about it because he had planned to play a card game with his mom after school. "Mom, can we play on Friday," he asked. "Sure," I said "I can make that work!" His eyes lit up as he realized he would get the best of both worlds (party time with friends and alone time with mom).
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A Portrait
by Andrea Simanson
What do you want your family to be like?
What is it like right now? If you had to describe your family or paint a picture of them, what would it look like?
Here’s a picture of our family. It’s actually a portrait.
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Can You Prevent Children From Catching A Cold…or Worse?
The common cold is something that all children will experience and in spite of advancements in medicine they have not yet found a way to prevent it. However you can cut down on the number of colds your child gets by helping them to be as healthy as possible.
Statistics show that a child may catch a cold about 8 times a year and will normally last about a week. There are approx 200 know cold viruses, but the most common one is known as the Rhinovirus. They have not been able to come up with a vaccine for a cold due to the number of viruses that can cause it.
The cold virus is easily spread by sneezing and coughing and kids don't understand about germs and what they can try to do to avoid them. The cold virus can also be picked up easily by touching a contaminated object and then touching their own nose or mouth. Once they've been exposed to the cold virus they will develop symptoms in 2-3 days. There are medicines on the market that help your child feel better while they have a cold but they don't actually cure the cold.
If you take the child to the doctor and get a prescription be sure to follow the recommended dosage. Decongestants can help reduce the swelling of the nose lining while antihistamines will help to dry up the runny noses and reduce the sneezing. If they are also experiencing headaches or muscle pains you can give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Be sure to give them lots of liquids and be sure to include some hot drinks and food as this helps to ease their sore throat, coughing and helps to clear out the mucus. Chicken soup really does help to treat a common cold. Other options could be to use a humidifier or put them in a steamy shower. You should keep them in bed the first couple of days of a cold to give their body time to rest and fight off the cold.
The way to help your child stay well is to feed them a healthy diet, get adequate sleep and exercise. These things will help to build up a good immune system and your child won't get sick nearly as often.
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Childminders and Contracts
Golden rule for parents before committing to a childminder is to have a contract in place. Start as you mean to go on, have everything defined, crystal clear and signed off on before you proceed. Same thing applies to a crèche (more on that later). Many savvy childminders will already have a version of a parent handbook/contract itemising their terms and conditions, however, all too often, both parents and childminder enter into a vague, verbal relationship which can easily end in tears.
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Common Parenting Issues
How can I deal with a child that is shorter than other kids his age? Children all grow at different rates and there always seems to be that one child who is behind the others. If your child comes from a family of normal height, it is most likely just a matter of delayed growth so rest assured that he will catch up eventually. If there are existing medical problems, or hormonal deficiencies, it is possible that your child will remain short. You should talk to your pediatrician to have tests done if you have concerns about your child’s size.
What should I do to stop my child’s lying? Young children do not know the difference between right and wrong and fantasy and reality. So, why would you expect them to know the difference between the truth and a lie? The best way to handle lying is to start at a very young age, impressing upon your child that the most important rule is that they always tell you the truth. You should explain to your child the reasons why lying is a bad behavior – and never let your child go unpunished when you catch them in a lie. It is important to be consistent, and to let your child know that lying is NEVER acceptable. And be sure to reinforce this by setting a good example. You can’t expect your child to listen to you if you’re caught in a lie!
How can I help my child make new friends? Some parents become overly concerned when their school aged child is more interested in spending time alone than he is in spending time with his peers. Know that this is not uncommon, and that many children simply prefer alone time to social groups until they get close to the teen years. However, if you suspect that the reason your child is having problems making friends is because of a personality issue then you should start addressing it as soon as possible. Figure out what the problem is, whether it is because your child is bossy, hyper, cannot follow the rules or if the problem is poor self control. One you determine if there is a problem, you will be close to a solution.
How can I help my child develop self-esteem? Some children seem to be born with a high self-esteem. Yet others seem to continuously struggle through childhood with a very low self-esteem. Somewhere in between lies a balance, and that is what most parents hope to help their children achieve. If you want your child to have a healthy sense of self-esteem, you need to give him or her positive feedback at every opportunity. You can do this by providing your child with the chance to participate in activities where they are able to excel. Then be sure to celebrate your child’s accomplishments, even the small ones.
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Dealing With Teething, Money, Playdates, Disagreements And Reading…Phew!
How can I help my teething child? Teething is one of those things that most first-time parents fear. A teething child will spend time going back and forth between cranky and miserable and this definitely takes a toll on both the child and the parents. To ease the pain of teething, consider giving your child a cold, wet washcloth to suck on. This will ease the pain and distract the child. Most pediatricians advise that you stay away from numbing agents, which can reduce the suckling instinct and reduce the amount that your child will eat while they are teething. If your child is running a fever, or has a runny nose, it is probably a sign that something else is happening because these are not signs of teething. Read on »
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Discoveries That Change Lives - Allergies
Our son, Andy, had eczema from about 3 months old until we pinpointed specific food allergies and eliminated those foods from his diet. Just shortly after his first birthday, his skin cleared up beautifully. The foods were the underlying cause of the eczema. I wish I had known this when he was 3 months old. I would have avoided these foods myself, since I was breastfeeding, or would have switched him to soy-based formula. It sure would have simplified life for all of us.
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Eating Out with Kids: Restaurant Behavior
From The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) by Elizabeth Pantley
Children can be both excited and bored when at a restaurant. They can find it difficult to sit in one place for the length of time necessary to order, wait, eat, and pay for the meal. This problem is one that improves with age, development and practice. With a good game plan, you can help your children learn how to behave appropriately in a restaurant so that you can all enjoy the experience.
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Getting Kids To Eat Healthy
What can I do to make sure my child is eating healthy? It is easy to make sure that your pre-schooler is eating healthy because you’re responsible for all of their meals and snacks. The difficulty begins when your child starts school, and you no longer have control over what they are eating and when. If you start teaching your child how to make healthy food choices from an early age, you are setting your child up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits. Keep plenty of fruits and vegetables on hand for healthy snacking, and restrict refined sugar as much as possible from day one.
How should I deal with a picky eater? Young children will frequently become picky eaters, or go through phases where they want to eat only specific types of foods. This is really nothing to be concerned about. These phases tend to come and go and unless they last for an extended period of time there is little chance of them becoming problematic. As long as your child is healthy overall and is within a normal weight and height range, your pediatrician will most likely tell you to just wait out the phase and not worry. Pay attention to what your child is eating over the course of a week or month, and you are likely to discover that she is eating a healthy diet in the long run.
How do I decide whether to give my child vitamins? A good multi-vitamin is a smart choice for children and adults. Many of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need are not easily absorbed from the foods we eat. So supplementing is a good idea. There are many different varieties, containing different combinations. You should opt for a children’s formula, and consider asking your pediatrician for a recommendation.
How should I deal with a child who will not eat three meals a day? Understanding and patience are your best allies in this situation. As any pediatrician will tell you, it is very common for young children to eat only one or two full meals over the course of a day. Instead of eating the rest of their food in sit down meals, they often tend to “graze” on smaller portions throughout the day. This may be because your child does not need as much food as you’re assuming. The average toddler only needs a few tablespoons at each meal. To make sure your child is getting enough to eat, help her to make healthy choices throughout the day by keeping on hand baskets of fresh fruits, cut up vegetables and other healthy snacks in portioned containers.
How can I get my child to try new foods? Every parent dreams of having a child who is willing to eat just about anything. However, most wake up to the nightmare of children who are quite restrictive in the foods that they will eat without an argument. The solution starts with the first foods that you feed your infant, and continues throughout your child’s early years. Some parents will have a rule that their children must try one bite of every food being served. Other parents concentrate on providing a large variety of tasty foods, hoping that their children will start to try new things. Either route is a good idea, it really just depends on whether you are bothered by a picky child. The other alternative is to wait it out, knowing that in most cases, a picky child will grow up to be an adult who is willing to eat most foods.
How can I decide which vaccines my child should receive? In most cases, your child should be immunized according to the American Academy of Pediatrics immunization schedule, because this is the list of immunizations that most schools require for admission. There are some cases where for medical or religious reasons, a parent will decide not to immunize.
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Healthy And Safe Travels During Pregnancy
Providing you undertake proper planning and advice, travel during pregnancy is not a problem. To ensure that you and your baby remain healthy during travel, you need to consider the stage of your pregnancy, your current physical condition, and any restrictions or problems you and your doctor have discussed.
Ensure you don’t miss any important physician visits or tests while away by scheduling them before you go. These can include Rh immunoglobulin injections (for Rh negative blood types), ultrasounds, glucose screening tests and regular prenatal, physician visits. So, you’ve performed the above, your doctor says you can go, you need to compile a list of phone numbers and contacts to bring with you. Using this list other travelers or health care professionals can be guided should you encounter any pregnancy related health problems. Read on »
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Kids And TV
Television today is still a “baby sitter” both for adults and preschoolers. When people are bored or simply want to rest, they watch TV. Some are not really interested to watch at all. They need the TV to put them to sleep. As soon as you turn it off, they wake up.
With the remote control, watching TV can be a dizzying experience. I get confused with what characters go with what plot. What with that mysterious hand switching channels during commercial breaks, you find yourself following several shows at the same time. Sometimes you have to shout, “stop!” and confiscate the remote control. “Please decide which program you want and stick to it”. Read on »
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New Stage of Life - Chorelist Update
One thing I've found in our family is that chores (responsibilities) need to be evaluated and updated on a regular basis in order to keep people interested and motivated about successful family life.
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Parenting Advice: Unwind Time
Do you like to unwind when you get home from work? What is it that helps you unwind? Is it relaxing on the couch, talking with your spouse, enjoying a refreshing beverage or snack, taking a walk, doing the dishes? Think about it for a moment.
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Pregnancy
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The Heart of a Parent
There is no job as important, rewarding, or life changing like that of parenthood. What an awesome joy and responsibility it is to hold a new life in your arms. How you handle this responsibility will not only affect your life but also a future that you will never see.
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Tips for that First Day at Childcare
The first day at crèche, childminder, playschool or preschool is a big one for both you and your child. It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time. Here are a few tips how best to prepare both of you for the big day and help make that transition a smooth one.
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Top 3 Must Have Books for Your Baby or Toddler
By: Amanda Compton
Reading is one of the most important things you will do with your baby or toddler. Make reading to your baby or toddler a part of your daily routine whether it be in the afternoon before naptime or during late evening before bedtime.
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