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By Farrell Seah
In 1975, a pediatrician named Allan Walker reported a startling link between formula-fed infants and the occurrence of infectious diseases like neonatal meningitis and food allergies. In that report, he suggested that the this link was due to antigen absorption through the intestinal walls, and that breastfeeding infants for the first three months of life would prevent this absorption and decrease their susceptibility to disease.
He concluded that the passive immunity provided by colostrum and breast milk might play an important role in protecting infants from infection and disease by blocking the passage of pathogens and toxins through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream. Dr. Walker's report initiated decades of further research, and we now know that he was right.
Colostrum and breast milk do much more than provide nutritional support. They also provide developmental support that is necessary for the maturation of the gastrointestinal tract, and immunological support that is vital for the continued growth and strengthening of the immune system.
Colostrum is the first milk provided to breastfeeding newborns during the first few days of life. This special milk is yellow to orange in color, thick and rather sticky, and very easily digested. It is richer in proteins than mature breast milk—both nutritional proteins for utilization in the body, and non-nutritional proteins that remain in the gut to aid in its closure to pathogens and toxins.
Infants who receive colostrum early and often have mature digestive tracts that are more robust throughout their first six months of life, and strong immune systems that are better able to resist infection and disease. Colostrum is the perfect source of nutrition for infants, providing them with the nutrients required to ensure proper growth and the development of the brain and nervous system.
Colostrum changes gradually to mature milk during the first two weeks after birth. During this transition period, the breast milk will become thinner in its consistency and whiter in its appearance. The concentration of antibodies in the transition milk will begin to decrease, while its overall volume will begin to increase.
The antibodies and other immune factors in mature human breast milk do not disappear completely; in fact, immunological protection against viruses and bacteria continues to be passed along from the mother to the baby as long as the baby continues breastfeeding. Like colostrum, breast milk is the perfect source of nutrition for infants, and tailor-made to their changing needs over time.
It contains an optimal balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat for energy, and it provides the digestive enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and hormones for a baby’s optimal health and continued growth.
Most commercially prepared formulas are based on non-fat bovine milk, whey protein, or soy protein. These formulas must be fortified with carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals in order for them to match the nutritional content of colostrum and breast milk.
But the active antibodies and other immune factors contained in human colostrum and breast milk cannot be added to these formulas, and they cannot provide the same developmental stimulus or immunological protection. As a result, babies receiving fluids other than mother's colostrum/breast milk for first three days of life have an increased incidence of diarrhea during their first six months, and formula-fed infants are more prone to a variety of common infections to which they are particularly vulnerable.
Click Here to Find Out More About Bovine Colostrum At :
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Farrell_Seah
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
How to Treat Common Ailments in Newborns
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By Adwina D. Jackson
When your baby arrives, the days will be so much happier. However, you must also be prepared for bad situations.
Your newborn baby is very likely to face some of the common health problems in her early days. Moms usually get overly worried and panic finding their precious newborns sick.
Below are some of extremely frequent problems your newborn baby may face, with some easy, simple and effectual solutions to them.
1. Problem: Sticky Eyes
Most of the babies suffer from this problem, wherein a thick, sticky, yellowish mucous is secreted from baby’s eyes.
Solution:
Sticky eyes are generally the outcome of blockage of lacrimal ducts (the tear ducts) in the eyes. Babies have fine lacrimal ducts so they are blocked easily.
All you need to do is dab some cotton wool in slightly warm, sterilized water (water boiled for 20 minutes and then cooled) and massage the corners of your baby's eyes. Use different cotton wool for each eye to prevent cross infection. You may even consider applying cool tea. Place a tea bag in boiling water and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Let the water cool down and then wipe the corners of the eyes using cotton wool. You can also gently massage around the eyes with your finger to help free the tear ducts.
2. Problem: Spitting up and Vomiting
Solution:
First, it is important for the parents to understand the difference between the two. Spitting up generally occurs soon after feeding or sometimes up to an hour after they are fed, while real vomiting means throwing up of a large amount of the feeding and it is often forceful.
Spitting up is a normal phenomenon and goes on its own as your baby’s diet changes, i.e., with the introduction of solid foods in her 5th month.
Vomiting generally occurs due to inability to burp, when your baby is full, or when there is excess of mucous in stomach. Try burping your baby more often and feed her smaller amounts. Also, avoid playing with her vigorously. Another thing you can do in such a situation is to put the baby to sleep or give her few drops of gripe water. Even if she has vomited most of the feed, you do not need to feed her again immediately after she has vomited. Try to put your baby to sleep as sleep alone do wonders in making her well. You may wake her up a little sooner than usual for the next feed. However, if your baby is repeatedly vomiting, has green-tinged bile or blood in the vomit or is running a high temperature, take her to the pediatrician.
3. Problem: Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a common problem in newborns, caused because of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms of gastroenteritis include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, and aches. It is a contagious disease caused by bacteria and spreads through oral-fecal route. It usually occurs in babies suffering from immuno-suppression. The symptoms generally appear within four to 48 hours of exposure to bacteria and usually last for a day or two but in severe cases can persist for up to seven days.
Solution:
The major critical consequence of this problem is dehydration due to excessive fluid loss by vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration can be fetal. You, therefore, need to administer adequate amount of fluids to your baby. You can give your baby an electrolyte solution created for children (ask your pediatrician for a recommendation). Various unflavored/flavored oral dehydration solutions, commonly known under the brand names Pedialyte, Infalyte or Kaoelectolyte are available. However, consult with your pediatrician before you administer these fluids to your baby.
Continue breastfeeding or formula feeding, as that too would help preventing dehydration, and often alone are enough to keep your baby hydrated.
Warning! Never give your baby any anti-diarrhea medication because it can have potentially serious side effects and generally is no good treating gastroenteritis.
4. Problem: Baby Jaundice or Neonatal Jaundice
Baby Jaundice or Neonatal Jaundice refers to yellowing of baby’s skin and white of the eyes on second or third day of birth. It is a very common problem in newborns, affecting about 80-90 % of babies during their first week of life.
Solution:
Baby jaundice is caused because soon after birth, baby's liver is not efficient enough to dispose off a yellow pigment called bilirubin, formed by normal metabolic breakdown of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. As a result, bilirubin accumulates in the blood giving yellowish appearance to baby’s skin and eyes. Most of the babies do not require a treatment of jaundice, as it tends to clear up on its own when baby’s liver starts functioning efficiently.
You may fasten the recovery of your baby by the following:
• Give your baby a little exposure to sunlight in the early morning or late afternoon. Never expose your baby to the strong rays of the midday sun as it may cause sunburn.
• Feed your baby as often as possible as it would help excretion of excess bilirubin via urine.
You should always call your healthcare profession as sometimes bilirubin levels may be very high and your baby might have a specific treatment, Phototherapy. In this treatment, a baby is placed naked (with her eyes covered) in a special crib and is exposed to controlled amounts of ultra violet light. Ultra violet breaks down the pigment levels in the skin and helps recover jaundice. In another version of treatment, the baby is wrapped in a fiber-optic blanket called a bili-blanket or bili-pad. You may hire a bili-blanket with your doctor’s prescription and treat your baby at home.
5. Problem: Common Cold
Almost every baby suffers from runny nose very now and then. This is a mild viral infection that occurs very frequently in babies because their immune system is not very well developed yet.
Solution:
There is no medicine, which can kill the virus causing common cold and cure cold. However, you can comfort your baby and prevent infection go worse by ensuring that she gets plenty of rest and by giving a plenty of fluid (frequently feeding the baby).
You can ease her congestion by:
• Administer a few saline drops in baby’s nostrils to loosen up the mucous and after a few minutes suck the saline using a rubber bulb saline.
• Washing baby’s nose with warm water containing menthol or eucalyptus oil may also help unclog her nose. You can even make her inhale steam, either plane or containing eucalyptus oil vapors.
• You can make her sleep with head slightly elevated by placing a towel under crib’s mattress. This will help prevent postnasal drip.
• You can apply petroleum jelly outside her nostrils to lessen irritation.
• In case your baby is running temperature as well, you can give her infant's acetaminophen. Never give your baby aspirin because it makes babies susceptible to Reye's syndrome.
Warning! Never use nasal spays on babies unless prescribed by your healthcare professional.
6. Problem: Colic
Many babies have crying attacks in the evening, usually between 6 pm and 9 pm. They cry loudly, stretch their legs up and turn bright red. These attacks are termed as ‘colic’ and can last for hours.
Solution:
Colic or crying attacks are generally caused when the babies have excess of gas in their tummies. In this case, you can consider doing the following:
• Ensure that your baby is not swallowing air from a bottle.
• Burp your baby frequently even while breastfeeding.
• Try giving your baby gripe water, other herbal remedies including as weak teas brewed from fennel, chamomile, or carom (ajovan) seeds.
• Some babies also get gas due to inability to digest lactose, a constituent of milk (lactose intolerance). Changing baby’s milk can make the baby do better.
• If you breastfeed, try changing your diet since it has an influence on milk you produce. Try eliminating spicy foods, beans, potatoes, high-fiber grains and caffeine and see if your baby does better.
• If your baby is on formula, you can try Soy based formula as it is hypoallergenic.
You can make your baby calm by making her suck a pacifier, gently massaging, talking outside for a walk. You can also try feeding your baby since many babies cry and fuss from hunger.
7. Problem: Twitching, Acne and Dry Skin
Solution:
Most babies tend to jerk while asleep. This kind of twitching arises because their nervous system is still developing and does not require any treatment; it tends to disappear once baby’s nervous system is fully developed.
Many babies get acne, usually towards the end of the first month. This is particularly distressing to many new parents. The acne is most probably caused due to exposure of baby to her mom's hormones when inside mom’s womb. Treatment normally requires cleansing baby’s skin by clean, wet washcloth. If required gently wash your baby's face with mild baby soap once a day and avoid laundering the crib sheets in harsh detergents.
Some babies have a very dry skin that usually peels off especially on the hands and feet. You can massage/apply baby lotion. Put some baby lotion on cotton and gently apply on baby’s skin. However, since in some cases, it may be a severe condition called eczema, it is advisable to seek your doctor's advice.
Hope you get these tips helpful!
About the author: Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her guides about Newborn Guide at http://insparenting.com/guides/newborn-guide/ Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on http://insparenting.com/
By Adwina D. Jackson
When your baby arrives, the days will be so much happier. However, you must also be prepared for bad situations.
Your newborn baby is very likely to face some of the common health problems in her early days. Moms usually get overly worried and panic finding their precious newborns sick.
Below are some of extremely frequent problems your newborn baby may face, with some easy, simple and effectual solutions to them.
1. Problem: Sticky Eyes
Most of the babies suffer from this problem, wherein a thick, sticky, yellowish mucous is secreted from baby’s eyes.
Solution:
Sticky eyes are generally the outcome of blockage of lacrimal ducts (the tear ducts) in the eyes. Babies have fine lacrimal ducts so they are blocked easily.
All you need to do is dab some cotton wool in slightly warm, sterilized water (water boiled for 20 minutes and then cooled) and massage the corners of your baby's eyes. Use different cotton wool for each eye to prevent cross infection. You may even consider applying cool tea. Place a tea bag in boiling water and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Let the water cool down and then wipe the corners of the eyes using cotton wool. You can also gently massage around the eyes with your finger to help free the tear ducts.
2. Problem: Spitting up and Vomiting
Solution:
First, it is important for the parents to understand the difference between the two. Spitting up generally occurs soon after feeding or sometimes up to an hour after they are fed, while real vomiting means throwing up of a large amount of the feeding and it is often forceful.
Spitting up is a normal phenomenon and goes on its own as your baby’s diet changes, i.e., with the introduction of solid foods in her 5th month.
Vomiting generally occurs due to inability to burp, when your baby is full, or when there is excess of mucous in stomach. Try burping your baby more often and feed her smaller amounts. Also, avoid playing with her vigorously. Another thing you can do in such a situation is to put the baby to sleep or give her few drops of gripe water. Even if she has vomited most of the feed, you do not need to feed her again immediately after she has vomited. Try to put your baby to sleep as sleep alone do wonders in making her well. You may wake her up a little sooner than usual for the next feed. However, if your baby is repeatedly vomiting, has green-tinged bile or blood in the vomit or is running a high temperature, take her to the pediatrician.
3. Problem: Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a common problem in newborns, caused because of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms of gastroenteritis include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, and aches. It is a contagious disease caused by bacteria and spreads through oral-fecal route. It usually occurs in babies suffering from immuno-suppression. The symptoms generally appear within four to 48 hours of exposure to bacteria and usually last for a day or two but in severe cases can persist for up to seven days.
Solution:
The major critical consequence of this problem is dehydration due to excessive fluid loss by vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration can be fetal. You, therefore, need to administer adequate amount of fluids to your baby. You can give your baby an electrolyte solution created for children (ask your pediatrician for a recommendation). Various unflavored/flavored oral dehydration solutions, commonly known under the brand names Pedialyte, Infalyte or Kaoelectolyte are available. However, consult with your pediatrician before you administer these fluids to your baby.
Continue breastfeeding or formula feeding, as that too would help preventing dehydration, and often alone are enough to keep your baby hydrated.
Warning! Never give your baby any anti-diarrhea medication because it can have potentially serious side effects and generally is no good treating gastroenteritis.
4. Problem: Baby Jaundice or Neonatal Jaundice
Baby Jaundice or Neonatal Jaundice refers to yellowing of baby’s skin and white of the eyes on second or third day of birth. It is a very common problem in newborns, affecting about 80-90 % of babies during their first week of life.
Solution:
Baby jaundice is caused because soon after birth, baby's liver is not efficient enough to dispose off a yellow pigment called bilirubin, formed by normal metabolic breakdown of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. As a result, bilirubin accumulates in the blood giving yellowish appearance to baby’s skin and eyes. Most of the babies do not require a treatment of jaundice, as it tends to clear up on its own when baby’s liver starts functioning efficiently.
You may fasten the recovery of your baby by the following:
• Give your baby a little exposure to sunlight in the early morning or late afternoon. Never expose your baby to the strong rays of the midday sun as it may cause sunburn.
• Feed your baby as often as possible as it would help excretion of excess bilirubin via urine.
You should always call your healthcare profession as sometimes bilirubin levels may be very high and your baby might have a specific treatment, Phototherapy. In this treatment, a baby is placed naked (with her eyes covered) in a special crib and is exposed to controlled amounts of ultra violet light. Ultra violet breaks down the pigment levels in the skin and helps recover jaundice. In another version of treatment, the baby is wrapped in a fiber-optic blanket called a bili-blanket or bili-pad. You may hire a bili-blanket with your doctor’s prescription and treat your baby at home.
5. Problem: Common Cold
Almost every baby suffers from runny nose very now and then. This is a mild viral infection that occurs very frequently in babies because their immune system is not very well developed yet.
Solution:
There is no medicine, which can kill the virus causing common cold and cure cold. However, you can comfort your baby and prevent infection go worse by ensuring that she gets plenty of rest and by giving a plenty of fluid (frequently feeding the baby).
You can ease her congestion by:
• Administer a few saline drops in baby’s nostrils to loosen up the mucous and after a few minutes suck the saline using a rubber bulb saline.
• Washing baby’s nose with warm water containing menthol or eucalyptus oil may also help unclog her nose. You can even make her inhale steam, either plane or containing eucalyptus oil vapors.
• You can make her sleep with head slightly elevated by placing a towel under crib’s mattress. This will help prevent postnasal drip.
• You can apply petroleum jelly outside her nostrils to lessen irritation.
• In case your baby is running temperature as well, you can give her infant's acetaminophen. Never give your baby aspirin because it makes babies susceptible to Reye's syndrome.
Warning! Never use nasal spays on babies unless prescribed by your healthcare professional.
6. Problem: Colic
Many babies have crying attacks in the evening, usually between 6 pm and 9 pm. They cry loudly, stretch their legs up and turn bright red. These attacks are termed as ‘colic’ and can last for hours.
Solution:
Colic or crying attacks are generally caused when the babies have excess of gas in their tummies. In this case, you can consider doing the following:
• Ensure that your baby is not swallowing air from a bottle.
• Burp your baby frequently even while breastfeeding.
• Try giving your baby gripe water, other herbal remedies including as weak teas brewed from fennel, chamomile, or carom (ajovan) seeds.
• Some babies also get gas due to inability to digest lactose, a constituent of milk (lactose intolerance). Changing baby’s milk can make the baby do better.
• If you breastfeed, try changing your diet since it has an influence on milk you produce. Try eliminating spicy foods, beans, potatoes, high-fiber grains and caffeine and see if your baby does better.
• If your baby is on formula, you can try Soy based formula as it is hypoallergenic.
You can make your baby calm by making her suck a pacifier, gently massaging, talking outside for a walk. You can also try feeding your baby since many babies cry and fuss from hunger.
7. Problem: Twitching, Acne and Dry Skin
Solution:
Most babies tend to jerk while asleep. This kind of twitching arises because their nervous system is still developing and does not require any treatment; it tends to disappear once baby’s nervous system is fully developed.
Many babies get acne, usually towards the end of the first month. This is particularly distressing to many new parents. The acne is most probably caused due to exposure of baby to her mom's hormones when inside mom’s womb. Treatment normally requires cleansing baby’s skin by clean, wet washcloth. If required gently wash your baby's face with mild baby soap once a day and avoid laundering the crib sheets in harsh detergents.
Some babies have a very dry skin that usually peels off especially on the hands and feet. You can massage/apply baby lotion. Put some baby lotion on cotton and gently apply on baby’s skin. However, since in some cases, it may be a severe condition called eczema, it is advisable to seek your doctor's advice.
Hope you get these tips helpful!
About the author: Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her guides about Newborn Guide at http://insparenting.com/guides/newborn-guide/ Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on http://insparenting.com/
Monday, September 25, 2006
The Five Stages Of Teething
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By Robin OBrien
Baby teething is a major baby development milestone. The timetable of teething is different for each baby, although the vast majority will begin the teething process around the same age and the appearance of teeth will usually follow a certain order.
The appearance of milk teeth is the precursor to weaning; a physical manifestation of a child's burgeoning independence. Most children sail through the whole process but for some it can be a distressing and painful time. Many parents can feel helpless and somewhat taken by surprise when their baby begins to cut its first teeth. Understanding the physical changes and anticipating when, and how, is the key to helping your baby.
Stage 1. Teething discomfort can start well before teeth even come through - your baby is born with a set of 20 teeth hidden beneath the gums. Just before they erupt you should be able to feel the indentations of the teeth by running your finger along your baby's gums.
Stage 2. Usually, when your baby is between seven to twelve months old, the first four front teeth erupt through the gums. These teeth are called the incisors. It is usually the upper two teeth that emerge first. Although they look cute, and make every parents heart flutter when seen for the first time, they can hurt as they come through.
Stage 3. The appearance of the first molars usually takes place when the child is between thirteen and nineteen months old. The first molars sit just behind the canine teeth.
Stage 4. Somewhere between sixteen to twenty-two months of age, the canine teeth emerge - however, the first molar teeth can appear before the canines.
Stage 5. The second molars are just about always the last to emerge. This occurs around twenty-five to thirty-three months of age. These are the largest of the teeth; some children find the emergence of these to be the most painful.
During each stage of teething your baby will want different aids in soothing its discomfort. Cooling hot gums during stage one is a great relief, whereas finding the best object to chomp down on is preferred for the remaining stages. To ease hot gums you can purchase teething gels or simply give your child a pacifier or ring that has been cooled in the fridge. If you want to give your child a nursing ring to ease discomfort, you may need to purchase different types for each stage of teething. You can easily find these in most baby retail stores. Read the back of the packaging to tell if the ring is suitable for your child's teething needs - during early teething you'll want a teething ring that your child can chew its front teeth on, but during the final stages of teething, you'll want to purchase one that is most suitable for the back teeth.
Finally, your child will be in possession of all its teeth and you can then rest easy. Or can you? Just when your child has got all its milk teeth (deciduous teeth) it will start loosing them again, to be replaced by adult teeth. The first teeth to fall out are usually the front four teeth; this starts around the child's sixth to eight birthday. The rest of the other teeth fall out in pretty much the same order as the appeared; front teeth first, second molars last.
Robin O'Brien is founder of a website dedicated to baby teething. There, you can learn everything from teething symptoms to natural teething remedies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
By Robin OBrien
Baby teething is a major baby development milestone. The timetable of teething is different for each baby, although the vast majority will begin the teething process around the same age and the appearance of teeth will usually follow a certain order.
The appearance of milk teeth is the precursor to weaning; a physical manifestation of a child's burgeoning independence. Most children sail through the whole process but for some it can be a distressing and painful time. Many parents can feel helpless and somewhat taken by surprise when their baby begins to cut its first teeth. Understanding the physical changes and anticipating when, and how, is the key to helping your baby.
Stage 1. Teething discomfort can start well before teeth even come through - your baby is born with a set of 20 teeth hidden beneath the gums. Just before they erupt you should be able to feel the indentations of the teeth by running your finger along your baby's gums.
Stage 2. Usually, when your baby is between seven to twelve months old, the first four front teeth erupt through the gums. These teeth are called the incisors. It is usually the upper two teeth that emerge first. Although they look cute, and make every parents heart flutter when seen for the first time, they can hurt as they come through.
Stage 3. The appearance of the first molars usually takes place when the child is between thirteen and nineteen months old. The first molars sit just behind the canine teeth.
Stage 4. Somewhere between sixteen to twenty-two months of age, the canine teeth emerge - however, the first molar teeth can appear before the canines.
Stage 5. The second molars are just about always the last to emerge. This occurs around twenty-five to thirty-three months of age. These are the largest of the teeth; some children find the emergence of these to be the most painful.
During each stage of teething your baby will want different aids in soothing its discomfort. Cooling hot gums during stage one is a great relief, whereas finding the best object to chomp down on is preferred for the remaining stages. To ease hot gums you can purchase teething gels or simply give your child a pacifier or ring that has been cooled in the fridge. If you want to give your child a nursing ring to ease discomfort, you may need to purchase different types for each stage of teething. You can easily find these in most baby retail stores. Read the back of the packaging to tell if the ring is suitable for your child's teething needs - during early teething you'll want a teething ring that your child can chew its front teeth on, but during the final stages of teething, you'll want to purchase one that is most suitable for the back teeth.
Finally, your child will be in possession of all its teeth and you can then rest easy. Or can you? Just when your child has got all its milk teeth (deciduous teeth) it will start loosing them again, to be replaced by adult teeth. The first teeth to fall out are usually the front four teeth; this starts around the child's sixth to eight birthday. The rest of the other teeth fall out in pretty much the same order as the appeared; front teeth first, second molars last.
Robin O'Brien is founder of a website dedicated to baby teething. There, you can learn everything from teething symptoms to natural teething remedies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Basic Baby Swaddling Tips
Return to All Articles
By Alice Williams
Things go in and out of fashion and swaddling is definitely one of them. For millennia babies were swaddled but a couple of hundred years ago the idea that it was "bad" to restrict a baby's movement began to rapidly take hold in the Western world.
It was still out of my fashion when my daughter was born, but when my grandson was born I bought her a book that explained the benefits of wrapping a baby tightly. Why? Because there’s nothing like a decent night's sleep for both parents and baby.
Swaddling works because babies are born too soon! You’d think that nine months would be long enough but all those complex neurological processes really need longer to mature (about three months or more). Babies need to be born at nine months otherwise their heads become too large to pass through their mother's pelvis.
As a result babies are born at a time when they aren’t quite ready for the outside world. Naturally placid babies cope by switching off and are able to sleep most of the time. But many babies find life outside the womb more difficult. It’s too bright and distracting and they can't control their flailing arms and legs which they find distressing.
What they want is to be warm and restricted. Think how squashed a baby is for their last few months in the womb. Such a restricted environment may seem like a nightmare to you and me but to a baby it's what being safe and secure is all about.
Swaddling reproduces this feeling of being tightly restricted. The result is a more relaxed and less stressed baby. And that means a baby that’s more likely to sleep. Remember young babies need lots of sleep and so do their parents!
Here are a few tips that will help you with swaddling.
Practise before your baby is born. There is an art to good swaddling so you’ll need several goes before you learn how to do it well. Learning on a crying, wriggling baby is difficult. Borrow or buy a baby-size doll. If you need to repeatedly re-swaddling to get it right, dolls don't complain.
Swaddling needs to be tight. The most common reason a swaddled baby fails to calm down is because they don’t feel restricted enough. It seems strangely cruel to adults, and this is why they often swaddle on the loose side, but tight is good.
Choose your swaddling blanket wisely. You don’t want the material too thick as it'll make the folding difficult. Don’t choose silky material either as it's too slippery to keep in place.
If you buy a pre-formed swaddling blanket check that it does actually swaddle. They are often designed to fit a variety of different size babies resulting in a loose fit. You need something that swaddles not snuggles a baby.
Keeping a swaddling blanket tightly in place can be difficult especially if you have a wriggly baby. Parents have used anything from safety pins to duct tape. Strategically placed pieces of velcro can be an easy solution. If your swaddling blanket keeps coming undone find something that you feel comfortable with but always make safety your top priority.
Alice Williams runs http://www.baby-burp.com which provides all sorts of information about babies including baby swaddling.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Williams
Other Recent EzineArticles
By Alice Williams
Things go in and out of fashion and swaddling is definitely one of them. For millennia babies were swaddled but a couple of hundred years ago the idea that it was "bad" to restrict a baby's movement began to rapidly take hold in the Western world.
It was still out of my fashion when my daughter was born, but when my grandson was born I bought her a book that explained the benefits of wrapping a baby tightly. Why? Because there’s nothing like a decent night's sleep for both parents and baby.
Swaddling works because babies are born too soon! You’d think that nine months would be long enough but all those complex neurological processes really need longer to mature (about three months or more). Babies need to be born at nine months otherwise their heads become too large to pass through their mother's pelvis.
As a result babies are born at a time when they aren’t quite ready for the outside world. Naturally placid babies cope by switching off and are able to sleep most of the time. But many babies find life outside the womb more difficult. It’s too bright and distracting and they can't control their flailing arms and legs which they find distressing.
What they want is to be warm and restricted. Think how squashed a baby is for their last few months in the womb. Such a restricted environment may seem like a nightmare to you and me but to a baby it's what being safe and secure is all about.
Swaddling reproduces this feeling of being tightly restricted. The result is a more relaxed and less stressed baby. And that means a baby that’s more likely to sleep. Remember young babies need lots of sleep and so do their parents!
Here are a few tips that will help you with swaddling.
Practise before your baby is born. There is an art to good swaddling so you’ll need several goes before you learn how to do it well. Learning on a crying, wriggling baby is difficult. Borrow or buy a baby-size doll. If you need to repeatedly re-swaddling to get it right, dolls don't complain.
Swaddling needs to be tight. The most common reason a swaddled baby fails to calm down is because they don’t feel restricted enough. It seems strangely cruel to adults, and this is why they often swaddle on the loose side, but tight is good.
Choose your swaddling blanket wisely. You don’t want the material too thick as it'll make the folding difficult. Don’t choose silky material either as it's too slippery to keep in place.
If you buy a pre-formed swaddling blanket check that it does actually swaddle. They are often designed to fit a variety of different size babies resulting in a loose fit. You need something that swaddles not snuggles a baby.
Keeping a swaddling blanket tightly in place can be difficult especially if you have a wriggly baby. Parents have used anything from safety pins to duct tape. Strategically placed pieces of velcro can be an easy solution. If your swaddling blanket keeps coming undone find something that you feel comfortable with but always make safety your top priority.
Alice Williams runs http://www.baby-burp.com which provides all sorts of information about babies including baby swaddling.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Williams
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Tuesday, September 19, 2006
How To Choose A Good Potty Chair
Return to All Articles
By Susanne Myers
Your child is starting to show some interest in potty training and is at the right age. So you race to the store to get your little one a potty. If you’re like me, you didn’t realize how many options there are these days when it comes to potty chairs. You will find little potties that sit on the floor, inserts for a regular toilet, character-based potty chairs and even models that come with sound and light effects. Which one will be right for your child?
Narrow down your search by deciding if you would like to go with a portable model that can sit on the floor, or a potty seat insert that will sit on top of your regular toilet. Using one of the inserts will make cleanup a snap since all you have to do is flush and occasionally wipe the seat. Some kids seem to be afraid to “go” in a regular toilet at first though. Since these toilet inserts are rather inexpensive, this may be a good start for you just to try it out. After your child gets used to potty training, she will start using the insert. Plus this model is very portable. You can take it with you when you go visit grandma.
If you suspect your child may be scared of the “big potty”, start with a simple and inexpensive plastic potty that you can sit in the bathroom. Look for a model with a stable base and a little spatter guard in the front.
If your child is a big fan of a particular character like Dora The Explorer ™ or Elmo ™, you may want to purchase a potty chair with a sticker of her favorite. Of course you could also adorn any basic potty with a few stickers. This will make it a lot easier to convince a stubborn toddler to give potty training a try. Just tell her Dora send the chair and said it was time to get out of diapers.
If you have a few days or even weeks to choose a potty chair, shop around. You can find some great sales on potty chairs both at your local department and discount stores and of course online. Shopping around can make a huge difference if you (or your child) have your heart set on a more expensive model.
Now put that potty chair to good use and start getting your child potty trained.
For a free ecourse on potty training and plenty of potty training advice visit http://www.mypottytraining.com I look forward to sharing my best potty training tips with you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanne_Myers
By Susanne Myers
Your child is starting to show some interest in potty training and is at the right age. So you race to the store to get your little one a potty. If you’re like me, you didn’t realize how many options there are these days when it comes to potty chairs. You will find little potties that sit on the floor, inserts for a regular toilet, character-based potty chairs and even models that come with sound and light effects. Which one will be right for your child?
Narrow down your search by deciding if you would like to go with a portable model that can sit on the floor, or a potty seat insert that will sit on top of your regular toilet. Using one of the inserts will make cleanup a snap since all you have to do is flush and occasionally wipe the seat. Some kids seem to be afraid to “go” in a regular toilet at first though. Since these toilet inserts are rather inexpensive, this may be a good start for you just to try it out. After your child gets used to potty training, she will start using the insert. Plus this model is very portable. You can take it with you when you go visit grandma.
If you suspect your child may be scared of the “big potty”, start with a simple and inexpensive plastic potty that you can sit in the bathroom. Look for a model with a stable base and a little spatter guard in the front.
If your child is a big fan of a particular character like Dora The Explorer ™ or Elmo ™, you may want to purchase a potty chair with a sticker of her favorite. Of course you could also adorn any basic potty with a few stickers. This will make it a lot easier to convince a stubborn toddler to give potty training a try. Just tell her Dora send the chair and said it was time to get out of diapers.
If you have a few days or even weeks to choose a potty chair, shop around. You can find some great sales on potty chairs both at your local department and discount stores and of course online. Shopping around can make a huge difference if you (or your child) have your heart set on a more expensive model.
Now put that potty chair to good use and start getting your child potty trained.
For a free ecourse on potty training and plenty of potty training advice visit http://www.mypottytraining.com I look forward to sharing my best potty training tips with you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanne_Myers
Monday, September 18, 2006
How to Stop Breastfeeding
Return to All Articles
By Robin OBrien
So you've decided to stop breastfeeding? But how best to stop? Especially as many children refuse to stop and demand that you continue nursing. There are many techniques, one of which should best suit you and your child.
Ask for advice as to how to go about weaning and you'll receive a variety of answers. Some responses range from just plain silly to potentially dangerous. Some people will recommend that you just change to bottle feeding whilst others will even recommend taking some form of 'drying-up' meditation; please avoid medication and there are better ways than switching to bottle feeding.
One school of thought - one that was quite common in our grandparents' day and is still common in some cultures - is for mother to take a vacation away from her child. The idea being that mother is far enough away not to hear her baby's cries and that when the mother returns after a week, the baby will no longer want to be nursed. There are some serious drawbacks to this method. The first being, that many children will not have forgotten about breastfeeding and will demand it upon mother's return. Secondly, and most importantly, is the emotional impact on the child when separated from mother. Adults may refer to the time spent away as 'separation', but the child will see it as desertion. There is nothing an adult can do to explain a mother's absence from a child less than 3 years of age. Each child has a threshold when it can endure a mother's absence; after this time a child will begin to mourn for the loss of its mother. The emotionally and psychological damage on a child shouldn't be underestimated. The damage can be life long. Many institutions and organisations now realise the harm done when a mother and child are separated; one only has to look at how many hospitals provide bedding for a child should the mother spend time in hospital. Weaning by separation is a risky strategy: avoid it.
Another 'quick and easy' method is to sabotage the sweat tasting breast milk. Mothers can purchase a foul-tasting liquid which is painted on thumb or nipple. In other cultures, mothers use various herbs and spices to bring about weaning. Igorot mothers in the Philippines have used ginger or chilli-pepper sauce. In the Eighteenth century is was quite common for mothers in European countries to apply mixtures containing alum, mustard or wormwood. Applying this type of quick-and-easy method of weaning is risky. For one thing, applying such mixtures must be painful for mother as well as child. Breastfeeding is as much about giving your child comfort as it is about giving nutrition. Breastfeeding is teaching your child to trust you, its mother. By suddenly, offering a bitter, foul-tasting liquid instead of the usual sweet, delicious milk will seem like a betrayal to some children. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Greek physician Soranus expressed disapproval of the practice, citing the injurious effect of the sudden change, and that the bitter or evil-smelling substance could injure the child's stomach. Of interest is that the taste of breast milk changes when the mother becomes pregnant; many older children who were breastfeeding at the time have told how the once delicious milk changed to something less tasty. Although we don't know for sure, it may be Nature's way of weaning one child in preparation for the next. Anyhow, it doesn't always work as many children continue to happily suckle during pregnancy.
Ignoring a child's crying is hard for a mother. Nature has programmed children to cry when in discomfort or in need of something, and for parents to respond when their children cry. But ignoring a child's crying can be a good thing. This isn't to say we completely ignore our child's tears, rather, by occasionally not giving in, we are teaching our children a valuable lesson: we don't always get everything we want in life. We teach this lesson often to our children; by refusing to buy candy and the supermarket checkout, or by not letting them watch television past their bedtime. The secret is patience. You make the call; when to ignore a child's crying and when to respond. At first you can ignore the crying for a set time before soothing your child by nursing. Eventually you can allow your child to cry itself out, but to offer your breast the next time he cries. Given time, your child will come to terms with the diminishing amount of nursing she receives, and if you provide other stimuli and rewards the needs for mother's breast will fade out completely.
Robin O'Brien is found of Breastfeeding Information.com, which is dedicated to promoting breastfeeding. The site provides help and support for mothers with breastfeeding problems and gives tips on breastfeeding in public.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
By Robin OBrien
So you've decided to stop breastfeeding? But how best to stop? Especially as many children refuse to stop and demand that you continue nursing. There are many techniques, one of which should best suit you and your child.
Ask for advice as to how to go about weaning and you'll receive a variety of answers. Some responses range from just plain silly to potentially dangerous. Some people will recommend that you just change to bottle feeding whilst others will even recommend taking some form of 'drying-up' meditation; please avoid medication and there are better ways than switching to bottle feeding.
One school of thought - one that was quite common in our grandparents' day and is still common in some cultures - is for mother to take a vacation away from her child. The idea being that mother is far enough away not to hear her baby's cries and that when the mother returns after a week, the baby will no longer want to be nursed. There are some serious drawbacks to this method. The first being, that many children will not have forgotten about breastfeeding and will demand it upon mother's return. Secondly, and most importantly, is the emotional impact on the child when separated from mother. Adults may refer to the time spent away as 'separation', but the child will see it as desertion. There is nothing an adult can do to explain a mother's absence from a child less than 3 years of age. Each child has a threshold when it can endure a mother's absence; after this time a child will begin to mourn for the loss of its mother. The emotionally and psychological damage on a child shouldn't be underestimated. The damage can be life long. Many institutions and organisations now realise the harm done when a mother and child are separated; one only has to look at how many hospitals provide bedding for a child should the mother spend time in hospital. Weaning by separation is a risky strategy: avoid it.
Another 'quick and easy' method is to sabotage the sweat tasting breast milk. Mothers can purchase a foul-tasting liquid which is painted on thumb or nipple. In other cultures, mothers use various herbs and spices to bring about weaning. Igorot mothers in the Philippines have used ginger or chilli-pepper sauce. In the Eighteenth century is was quite common for mothers in European countries to apply mixtures containing alum, mustard or wormwood. Applying this type of quick-and-easy method of weaning is risky. For one thing, applying such mixtures must be painful for mother as well as child. Breastfeeding is as much about giving your child comfort as it is about giving nutrition. Breastfeeding is teaching your child to trust you, its mother. By suddenly, offering a bitter, foul-tasting liquid instead of the usual sweet, delicious milk will seem like a betrayal to some children. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Greek physician Soranus expressed disapproval of the practice, citing the injurious effect of the sudden change, and that the bitter or evil-smelling substance could injure the child's stomach. Of interest is that the taste of breast milk changes when the mother becomes pregnant; many older children who were breastfeeding at the time have told how the once delicious milk changed to something less tasty. Although we don't know for sure, it may be Nature's way of weaning one child in preparation for the next. Anyhow, it doesn't always work as many children continue to happily suckle during pregnancy.
Ignoring a child's crying is hard for a mother. Nature has programmed children to cry when in discomfort or in need of something, and for parents to respond when their children cry. But ignoring a child's crying can be a good thing. This isn't to say we completely ignore our child's tears, rather, by occasionally not giving in, we are teaching our children a valuable lesson: we don't always get everything we want in life. We teach this lesson often to our children; by refusing to buy candy and the supermarket checkout, or by not letting them watch television past their bedtime. The secret is patience. You make the call; when to ignore a child's crying and when to respond. At first you can ignore the crying for a set time before soothing your child by nursing. Eventually you can allow your child to cry itself out, but to offer your breast the next time he cries. Given time, your child will come to terms with the diminishing amount of nursing she receives, and if you provide other stimuli and rewards the needs for mother's breast will fade out completely.
Robin O'Brien is found of Breastfeeding Information.com, which is dedicated to promoting breastfeeding. The site provides help and support for mothers with breastfeeding problems and gives tips on breastfeeding in public.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
Friday, September 15, 2006
Tips on Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum
Return to All Articles
by Carrie Lauth
Now that you’ve made the choice to homeschool your child, you’re faced with thousands of curriculum choices. How do you know what is right for your family? Here are some tips to help narrow down your choices and guide you to the best curriculum for your child.
Consider your objectives
Think about why you chose homeschooling. What is the most important benefit in your estimation? Are you concerned about the quality of your child’s education? Do you want to mesh your child’s secular education with religious instruction? Is it important to you that your child be accepted into a good college, or are you more concerned with teaching your child entrepreneurialism or respect for the earth?
What is truly important to you and how do you want to impart that to your child?
Answering these questions can help lead you in the right direction in regards to what curriculum to choose.
Consider your situation
Do you have 3 or more children? Do you work part time or have little support? It’s going to be especially challenging for you to spend time educating. A curriculum that requires minimal teacher preparation and supervision might be best, for instance the “All in One” style of homeschool curriculum versus unit studies.
What about your financial situation? If you are short on funds, you may lean towards an eclectic style. You can find homeschool materials cheaply or even free via the Internet, and even yard sales, thrift stores and online auctions. Conversely, if money is no object, you can go all out and pick a curriculum that includes all the craft and science project materials as well as hard bound books your child will be reading during the year. Teacher support via Internet or phone may be available also.
Consider your philosophy
Do you believe in a classical education philosophy that dictates a lot of copywork and memorization, or are you a proponent of a more experiential, hands on or informal style of learning? If you choose a curriculum that doesn’t mesh with your beliefs about education, you’ll find yourself frustrated and likely your child will be unhappy too.
There is no one “best” choice. You should be congratulated for being willing to invest the time and energy to educate your child at home. Don’t stress out about curriculum choices. As a home schooling parent you are free to change things whenever you want to. Finding the right curriculum for you and your child isn’t that hard once you know what you truly want from your home schooling experience.
Carrie Lauth is a homeschooling Mom of 4 and the host of www.NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com For more homeschooling resources, visit: www.Natural-Moms.com/homeschooling_articles.html
Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com
by Carrie Lauth
Now that you’ve made the choice to homeschool your child, you’re faced with thousands of curriculum choices. How do you know what is right for your family? Here are some tips to help narrow down your choices and guide you to the best curriculum for your child.
Consider your objectives
Think about why you chose homeschooling. What is the most important benefit in your estimation? Are you concerned about the quality of your child’s education? Do you want to mesh your child’s secular education with religious instruction? Is it important to you that your child be accepted into a good college, or are you more concerned with teaching your child entrepreneurialism or respect for the earth?
What is truly important to you and how do you want to impart that to your child?
Answering these questions can help lead you in the right direction in regards to what curriculum to choose.
Consider your situation
Do you have 3 or more children? Do you work part time or have little support? It’s going to be especially challenging for you to spend time educating. A curriculum that requires minimal teacher preparation and supervision might be best, for instance the “All in One” style of homeschool curriculum versus unit studies.
What about your financial situation? If you are short on funds, you may lean towards an eclectic style. You can find homeschool materials cheaply or even free via the Internet, and even yard sales, thrift stores and online auctions. Conversely, if money is no object, you can go all out and pick a curriculum that includes all the craft and science project materials as well as hard bound books your child will be reading during the year. Teacher support via Internet or phone may be available also.
Consider your philosophy
Do you believe in a classical education philosophy that dictates a lot of copywork and memorization, or are you a proponent of a more experiential, hands on or informal style of learning? If you choose a curriculum that doesn’t mesh with your beliefs about education, you’ll find yourself frustrated and likely your child will be unhappy too.
There is no one “best” choice. You should be congratulated for being willing to invest the time and energy to educate your child at home. Don’t stress out about curriculum choices. As a home schooling parent you are free to change things whenever you want to. Finding the right curriculum for you and your child isn’t that hard once you know what you truly want from your home schooling experience.
Carrie Lauth is a homeschooling Mom of 4 and the host of www.NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com For more homeschooling resources, visit: www.Natural-Moms.com/homeschooling_articles.html
Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Free Potty Training Tip: Advice To Help Your Child's Development
Return to All Articles
By Mike Jerry
A free potty training tip or two may be just what you need to
make this step in your child's development a little bit easier.
Potty training is a challenge because, if you think about it,
the idea of using a toilet for waste management is a rather
abstract concept. To adults, this may seem like a simple task
that requires no more thought than walking or breathing but to
a child, this can be a great challenge. They have to answer
questions for themselves such as "Am I doing this right?", "Why
can't I just go in my diaper like I always have", or "What is
the purpose of all of this?". Therefore, it is only natural for
a parent to seek advice on how to make this whole process go by
more smoothly.
Initiating the Training
First, to train a child to use a toilet, you have to be
patient. As such, you should not begin toilet training until
you know you're going to have a few days to dedicate much of
your time to this task. Think of it like housebreaking a pet.
When you housebreak, or housetrain, a pet, you use many
techniques to aid in their learning. Among these techniques is
positive encouragement. Just as with a pet, you will want to
give your child great amounts of positive encouragement to make
them feel good about the fact that they are learning to use a
toilet properly. Fortunately, it is much easier to potty train
a child than it is to housebreak a pet, because children are
capable of cognition, allowing you the following advantages.
Demonstrations
If you're looking for hints or tricks to making this process
easy, demonstrating is what you need to learn to do. Take a
doll or stuffed animal and use it to demonstrate how potty
training activities work. This will show the child how they
need to sit, which is important for them to be able to do it
right. Also, throughout your demonstrations, talk about how
great it is that the toy is doing it right (which will make
your child want to excel, as well). Finally, do not chastise
your child if they can't figure it out right away, because that
can lead to anal-retentiveness (neat freak) or
obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Potty Training Tips
Here are some other tips to consider during this process. Do
not make your child feel ashamed of the waste products he or
she is producing. This can lead to your child feeling
self-conscious about using the toilet. Also, make sure that the
training toilet that you use is not too large or too small for
your child because you want your child to be as comfortable as
possible throughout this process. Finally, keep in mind that it
can take a few weeks or longer for your child to finally be able
to use the bathroom on his or her own. Patience is a necessity
for any potty training parent.
There are no secrets to making this process easier. Of course,
there are things you can do to make it easier, but in
actuality, you are simply teaching your child a life skill that
they will have to learn, eventually. No matter what, do not give
up and remember to guide your child every step of the way. After
all, once training is complete, you will never have to worry
about it ever again.
About the Author: Potty training your child is a challenging
task that can be made easier if you use the tips and tricks
learned from parents who have gone before you! For articles and
resources that can really help visit us at:
http://www.greatpottytrainingtips.com/
Source: http://www.isnare.com
By Mike Jerry
A free potty training tip or two may be just what you need to
make this step in your child's development a little bit easier.
Potty training is a challenge because, if you think about it,
the idea of using a toilet for waste management is a rather
abstract concept. To adults, this may seem like a simple task
that requires no more thought than walking or breathing but to
a child, this can be a great challenge. They have to answer
questions for themselves such as "Am I doing this right?", "Why
can't I just go in my diaper like I always have", or "What is
the purpose of all of this?". Therefore, it is only natural for
a parent to seek advice on how to make this whole process go by
more smoothly.
Initiating the Training
First, to train a child to use a toilet, you have to be
patient. As such, you should not begin toilet training until
you know you're going to have a few days to dedicate much of
your time to this task. Think of it like housebreaking a pet.
When you housebreak, or housetrain, a pet, you use many
techniques to aid in their learning. Among these techniques is
positive encouragement. Just as with a pet, you will want to
give your child great amounts of positive encouragement to make
them feel good about the fact that they are learning to use a
toilet properly. Fortunately, it is much easier to potty train
a child than it is to housebreak a pet, because children are
capable of cognition, allowing you the following advantages.
Demonstrations
If you're looking for hints or tricks to making this process
easy, demonstrating is what you need to learn to do. Take a
doll or stuffed animal and use it to demonstrate how potty
training activities work. This will show the child how they
need to sit, which is important for them to be able to do it
right. Also, throughout your demonstrations, talk about how
great it is that the toy is doing it right (which will make
your child want to excel, as well). Finally, do not chastise
your child if they can't figure it out right away, because that
can lead to anal-retentiveness (neat freak) or
obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Potty Training Tips
Here are some other tips to consider during this process. Do
not make your child feel ashamed of the waste products he or
she is producing. This can lead to your child feeling
self-conscious about using the toilet. Also, make sure that the
training toilet that you use is not too large or too small for
your child because you want your child to be as comfortable as
possible throughout this process. Finally, keep in mind that it
can take a few weeks or longer for your child to finally be able
to use the bathroom on his or her own. Patience is a necessity
for any potty training parent.
There are no secrets to making this process easier. Of course,
there are things you can do to make it easier, but in
actuality, you are simply teaching your child a life skill that
they will have to learn, eventually. No matter what, do not give
up and remember to guide your child every step of the way. After
all, once training is complete, you will never have to worry
about it ever again.
About the Author: Potty training your child is a challenging
task that can be made easier if you use the tips and tricks
learned from parents who have gone before you! For articles and
resources that can really help visit us at:
http://www.greatpottytrainingtips.com/
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Friday, September 8, 2006
Grandparenting Grandchildren
Return to All Articles
By Lance Winslow
More and more grandparents are caring for grandkids these days and well one has to ask if that is really fair, because it seems that the grandparents although responsible also need their own peace and quite and deserve a somewhat less problematic family situation at home. Raising kids and teens in this current up and coming generation is not similar to back then and kids have so many different needs, desires and complications.
September 10, 2006 is National Grandparents day and well they deserve their own day indeed. It is estimated that over six million kids and teens live with their grandparents on a permanent basis and that is huge number considering there are nearly sixty million grandparents still living in the present period. In fact that number will only grow due to the fact people are living longer too. It use to be that grandparents were living with one of their offspring in old age, but now more grandchildren are starting to live with their grandparents instead?
It would seem that we need to give these grandparents an award for all they do. Because if you consider grandparents taking on the responsibility of kids on a fixed income then you have to consider the lessening of their quality of life as well. This sacrifice should be rewarded and people should not have kids unless they can afford them. We have to stop and take a look at how all this is progressing and how it changes the American way of life and what those demographic shifts mean for the future of our civilization. Consider all this in 2006.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow
By Lance Winslow
More and more grandparents are caring for grandkids these days and well one has to ask if that is really fair, because it seems that the grandparents although responsible also need their own peace and quite and deserve a somewhat less problematic family situation at home. Raising kids and teens in this current up and coming generation is not similar to back then and kids have so many different needs, desires and complications.
September 10, 2006 is National Grandparents day and well they deserve their own day indeed. It is estimated that over six million kids and teens live with their grandparents on a permanent basis and that is huge number considering there are nearly sixty million grandparents still living in the present period. In fact that number will only grow due to the fact people are living longer too. It use to be that grandparents were living with one of their offspring in old age, but now more grandchildren are starting to live with their grandparents instead?
It would seem that we need to give these grandparents an award for all they do. Because if you consider grandparents taking on the responsibility of kids on a fixed income then you have to consider the lessening of their quality of life as well. This sacrifice should be rewarded and people should not have kids unless they can afford them. We have to stop and take a look at how all this is progressing and how it changes the American way of life and what those demographic shifts mean for the future of our civilization. Consider all this in 2006.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow
Thursday, September 7, 2006
Getting Your Preschooler Ready To Learn To Read And Write
Return to All Articles
By Stephanie Foster
I recently took a class with my daughter I found very educational, and I thought I would share some of what I learned with you. The class was aimed at 3-5 year olds and was on helping preschoolers get ready to learn to read and write.
Obviously, and as any parent these days knows, one important thing to do is read regularly to your kids. However, only about half of the activities each day had to do with reading to the kids. The rest focused on helping the kids build the skills they will need as they learn how to read and write.
Muscle development is very important, but you can’t just expect a preschooler to develop their hand and finger strength out of the blue. First they need to develop their larger muscles. The first class they had us doing wheelbarrows (holding the kids by their legs or ankles and having them walk on their hands) or throwing a balloon for the kids to hit with a stick they held with both hands, one hand on each end.
Tactile play was also very important. Play dough, sand, salt, even shaving cream were all used as example of things to use to encourage kids to do things with their hands. The different sensations really engaged the children’s curiosity.
Some of the activities encouraged the kids to create their own stories. They warned all the parents to not change their children’s words as they wrote them down. Sometimes they would have stamps or magazines to cut up to make pictures for the stories the kids would tell and have their parents write down, but there would also be crayons or markers so the kids could draw their own pictures.
Making a book for your child is pretty easy. Take a couple pieces of paper, fold them in half, then staple the folded ends together, keeping the staples near the edge. Most of the children loved creating their own books.
One very important thing I noticed during these classes is how differently each child learned. Some of it was very distinctly related to age; the younger children simply had no interest in some of the activities, but there were always plenty of options.
These classes really emphasized that you are teaching your child skills that will help them learn to read and write even when you are not actually teaching them anything at all about their letters. There are many skills that must be learned first.
Everything I learned in the class was something that could easily be done at home. One of my daughter’s favorites, for example, was the day they had us fill a balloon with flour, then tie it off and let the kids squeeze it. Of course, my daughter wondered why I couldn’t make the balloon big, and I don’t know if she really believed my explanation. But she did have a blast squeezing it, which builds those hand and finger muscles so necessary for learning to write.
Helping your preschooler get ready to read and write is really not terribly difficult. Just take a little time and encourage them to play with things that build the muscles they will need and, of course, read to them every day.
Stephanie Foster has enjoyed being a stay at home mom since before her children were born. You can learn more about being a stay at home parent at http://www.homewiththekids.com/family/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Foster
By Stephanie Foster
I recently took a class with my daughter I found very educational, and I thought I would share some of what I learned with you. The class was aimed at 3-5 year olds and was on helping preschoolers get ready to learn to read and write.
Obviously, and as any parent these days knows, one important thing to do is read regularly to your kids. However, only about half of the activities each day had to do with reading to the kids. The rest focused on helping the kids build the skills they will need as they learn how to read and write.
Muscle development is very important, but you can’t just expect a preschooler to develop their hand and finger strength out of the blue. First they need to develop their larger muscles. The first class they had us doing wheelbarrows (holding the kids by their legs or ankles and having them walk on their hands) or throwing a balloon for the kids to hit with a stick they held with both hands, one hand on each end.
Tactile play was also very important. Play dough, sand, salt, even shaving cream were all used as example of things to use to encourage kids to do things with their hands. The different sensations really engaged the children’s curiosity.
Some of the activities encouraged the kids to create their own stories. They warned all the parents to not change their children’s words as they wrote them down. Sometimes they would have stamps or magazines to cut up to make pictures for the stories the kids would tell and have their parents write down, but there would also be crayons or markers so the kids could draw their own pictures.
Making a book for your child is pretty easy. Take a couple pieces of paper, fold them in half, then staple the folded ends together, keeping the staples near the edge. Most of the children loved creating their own books.
One very important thing I noticed during these classes is how differently each child learned. Some of it was very distinctly related to age; the younger children simply had no interest in some of the activities, but there were always plenty of options.
These classes really emphasized that you are teaching your child skills that will help them learn to read and write even when you are not actually teaching them anything at all about their letters. There are many skills that must be learned first.
Everything I learned in the class was something that could easily be done at home. One of my daughter’s favorites, for example, was the day they had us fill a balloon with flour, then tie it off and let the kids squeeze it. Of course, my daughter wondered why I couldn’t make the balloon big, and I don’t know if she really believed my explanation. But she did have a blast squeezing it, which builds those hand and finger muscles so necessary for learning to write.
Helping your preschooler get ready to read and write is really not terribly difficult. Just take a little time and encourage them to play with things that build the muscles they will need and, of course, read to them every day.
Stephanie Foster has enjoyed being a stay at home mom since before her children were born. You can learn more about being a stay at home parent at http://www.homewiththekids.com/family/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Foster
Friday, September 1, 2006
5 Important Points for a Successful Potty Training
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By Adwina D. Jackson
Potty training should not be an exasperating moment for both the parent and the child. As a parent, you know it’s not easy to potty train your child. Sometimes it’s even more frustrating for the child himself. You need to learn important things that are necessary to obtain a successful potty training.
These things include whether your child is ready to potty trained, which time is the best to begin it, and the most fun way to potty training. Read the details below:
1. Pre-Potty Training
Before starting to potty train your child, it’s best to get to know about the things that can make potty training successful. You can call it pre-potty training, which means finding out and recognizing the signs whether your child is ready for the training or not. These signs include:
• The ability to hold urine for long periods of time
• The ability to follow 1-2 directions at a time
• Knows when urination or bowels movements are about to start
When he shows these signs, it means you may start the training now. During this time –or better earlier- you need to set up a plan for the training process. Though there are some different opinions of how to potty train, it’s important that you choose the best method most effective for you, your child, and the family.
2. Knowing When Your Child is Really Ready for Potty Training
It can be difficult to find out when is the best time to potty train your child. It is as if the child who has the decision for it. Generally, children are ready to begin potty training between the ages of 18 and 24 months. You’ll know when they are ready because the signs will be there.
These are some of signs to look for:
- shows an interest to use the toilet
- tries to imitate other people in the house using the potty
- is able to tell you that they need to go potty or tell you they went already
- is able to pull their pants up and down by themselves
When they show the signs, it’s time for you to begin introducing them to the potty. It’s important to get a comfortable potty chair for your children so that potty training becomes a fun activity for them.
3. Start a Night Potty Training When Your Child is Ready
After you’ve finished your child’s day potty training, you can try to introduce him to the night training. This process can happen quickly for some children and more slowly for some others. Don’t push them to do it, as potty training should not be frustrating. Letting him stay dry during the night could be a harder effort for parents. As the first step, tell your child that he is allowed to wear a diaper or pull-up during night sleep, but take him first to the bathroom and let him to potty. Tell him to not to drink too much water before sleep. Putting the potty in his bedroom is also a very good idea, in case he needs to use it when he wakes up in the middle of the night.
4. Make Potty Training Fun
Making the training fun is easy if you can take some time to be creative. Children love things that are fun and interested to them. One of the tips to create a fun potty training is by using Potty Training Doll. It is a drink & wet doll, which can be used to help make toilet training fun and easy by demonstration.
5. Important DON’Ts in Potty Training
Make sure your child is well supported during the training. You should also maintain a positive attitude toward him if you want to ensure success. Here are some of DON’Ts in potty training your child:
- Don’t start the training before he’s ready.
- Don’t put too much pressure on the child.
- Don’t try it in a stressed environment.
- Don’t yell at the child or punish him if he makes mistakes.
Hopefully those points are effective for you and your child. Enjoy your potty training experience!
About the Author: Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her free e-mail guides about Easy Potty Training Tips at http://insparenting.com/reports/potty-training.php. Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on: http://www.insparenting.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adwina_D._Jackson
By Adwina D. Jackson
Potty training should not be an exasperating moment for both the parent and the child. As a parent, you know it’s not easy to potty train your child. Sometimes it’s even more frustrating for the child himself. You need to learn important things that are necessary to obtain a successful potty training.
These things include whether your child is ready to potty trained, which time is the best to begin it, and the most fun way to potty training. Read the details below:
1. Pre-Potty Training
Before starting to potty train your child, it’s best to get to know about the things that can make potty training successful. You can call it pre-potty training, which means finding out and recognizing the signs whether your child is ready for the training or not. These signs include:
• The ability to hold urine for long periods of time
• The ability to follow 1-2 directions at a time
• Knows when urination or bowels movements are about to start
When he shows these signs, it means you may start the training now. During this time –or better earlier- you need to set up a plan for the training process. Though there are some different opinions of how to potty train, it’s important that you choose the best method most effective for you, your child, and the family.
2. Knowing When Your Child is Really Ready for Potty Training
It can be difficult to find out when is the best time to potty train your child. It is as if the child who has the decision for it. Generally, children are ready to begin potty training between the ages of 18 and 24 months. You’ll know when they are ready because the signs will be there.
These are some of signs to look for:
- shows an interest to use the toilet
- tries to imitate other people in the house using the potty
- is able to tell you that they need to go potty or tell you they went already
- is able to pull their pants up and down by themselves
When they show the signs, it’s time for you to begin introducing them to the potty. It’s important to get a comfortable potty chair for your children so that potty training becomes a fun activity for them.
3. Start a Night Potty Training When Your Child is Ready
After you’ve finished your child’s day potty training, you can try to introduce him to the night training. This process can happen quickly for some children and more slowly for some others. Don’t push them to do it, as potty training should not be frustrating. Letting him stay dry during the night could be a harder effort for parents. As the first step, tell your child that he is allowed to wear a diaper or pull-up during night sleep, but take him first to the bathroom and let him to potty. Tell him to not to drink too much water before sleep. Putting the potty in his bedroom is also a very good idea, in case he needs to use it when he wakes up in the middle of the night.
4. Make Potty Training Fun
Making the training fun is easy if you can take some time to be creative. Children love things that are fun and interested to them. One of the tips to create a fun potty training is by using Potty Training Doll. It is a drink & wet doll, which can be used to help make toilet training fun and easy by demonstration.
5. Important DON’Ts in Potty Training
Make sure your child is well supported during the training. You should also maintain a positive attitude toward him if you want to ensure success. Here are some of DON’Ts in potty training your child:
- Don’t start the training before he’s ready.
- Don’t put too much pressure on the child.
- Don’t try it in a stressed environment.
- Don’t yell at the child or punish him if he makes mistakes.
Hopefully those points are effective for you and your child. Enjoy your potty training experience!
About the Author: Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her free e-mail guides about Easy Potty Training Tips at http://insparenting.com/reports/potty-training.php. Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on: http://www.insparenting.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adwina_D._Jackson
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