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By Robin J. Derry
Every year Social Security's Office of the Chief Actuary publishes a list of the most popular names. It's become somewhat of a Mother's Day tradition. This list compilation started in 1997.
The list is derived from 4.2 million Social Security card applications in 2006. You can go to the Social Security site and view the 1000 most popular names plus the most popular baby names by state.
Top Boys Names for 2006
1. Jacob - Hebrew - Meaning: Supplanted
2. Michael - Hebrew - Meaning: Who is like God
3. Joshua - Hebrew - Meaning: God rescues
4. Ethan - Hebrew - Meaning: Strong, firm, impetuous
5. Matthew - Hebrew - Meaning: Gift of God
6. Daniel - Hebrew - Meaning: God is my judge
7. Christopher - Greek - Meaning: Bearer of Christ
8. Andrew - Greek - Meaning; Man, warrior
9. Anthony - Latin
10. William - Germanic - Meaning: Will, desire, protection
Top Girls Names for 2006
1. Emily - Latin - Meaning: Rival,emulating
2. Emma - German - Meaning; All-containing, universal
3. Madison - English - Meaning: Child of Maud
4. Isabella - Hebrew - Meaning: God is my vow
5. Ava - Germanic - also Hebrew - Meaning "life"
6. Abigail - Hebrew - Meaning: Father in rejoicing
7. Olivia - English - Meaning: Elf army
8. Hannah - Hebrew - Meaning: Grace, favor
9. Sophia - Greek - Meaning: Wisdom
10. Samantha - Aramaic - Meaning: Listener
Baby Naming Trends for 2007
63% of 5,000 voters preferred a unique name. 19% named baby after a family member. Names from the Bible were third with 10%. So the move is away from traditional and popular to "unique".
Baby Naming Tips
Always consider the baby's last name. Say the two names together - how does it sound.If the baby's last name is long ... how many syllables? A short first name will likely sound balanced.If the baby's last name is short ... a long first name will sound goodA name that will last the baby's entire life ... one day that name will be on a resume.Common names ... your child may go through school being know as John P or Mary HMiddle Names ... often honors a family member. But check on the initials - Gregory Oliver Dalton becomes G.O.D.Name meaning ... check into it. It may be important to your child.
Baby Strollers: http://www.wise4living.com/babystroller/
Infant Car Seats: http://www.wise4living.com/babyseat/
Author Robin Derry is publisher for http://www.wise4living.com/ a specialty knowledge site that gives insights and solutions on beauty and hair restoration, body health, household, sport, travel, footwear, education, certified financial divorce analysts, spendthrift trusts and family law legal needs, surround sound headboard and slipcover design, gazebo for hot tub designs, digital hearing aids, plasma and LCD TV stand design trends, wall mount and TV ceiling mount systems, cat fencing, underground dog fence solutions, wireless and radio dog fence technologies, dog runs and deer fence pet containment fences, outdoor deck planter box designs, deck lighting solutions, outdoor deck railing ideas, advice on building deck stairs, home and gardening projects such as decks and deer fencing, HDTV and home entertainment systems, specialty academic camps.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_J._Derry
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
3 Foolproof Ways to Keep the Kids Entertained This Summer
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By Kristen King
School’s out in just a few more weeks. Are you ready for three solid months home with the kids? Here are some ideas to keep them entertained – and you sane – all summer long.
Enroll your kiddos in a community summer recreation program. Most towns have at least one, and they run anywhere from a week to a month. Drop the kids of at 9, and get four hours to yourself for housework, errands, or lunch with the girls while your offspring play outside, create crafts projects, and go on educational field trips. The cost is just a couple hundred dollars, but the value is priceless.Take advantage of your local library. Whether you’ve got toddlers or teens, your area public library offers a variety of programs and events to help them socialize and enrich their minds in the air-conditioned hallowed halls of “that place with all the books.” Reading challenges will guarantee you some peace and quite while they try to get through more books than their sibling/cousin/best friend and win the prize. And don’t forget to check out adult programs at the library, too!Surprise the family with inexpensive day trips. If you’re anything like me, you live near a ton of historical or otherwise interesting attractions that you’ve never visited. Check out the county museum or the hole-in-the wall art gallery down on Main Street. Hop in the car and head to the nearest city or cultural center for a matinee theatre performance.There are probably dozens of events and attractions in your area that you never think about because, hey, you live there, but they’re worth checking out with the kids – and they can make for a fun and inexpensive date, too!
Kristen King is a freelance writer-editor and consultant from Northern Virginia, and the host of b5media's http://www.LivelyWomen.com, a daily blog dedicated to helping women live whole, healthy lives. Visit Kristen online at Lively Women or at her professional website, http://www.kristenkingfreelancing.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_King
By Kristen King
School’s out in just a few more weeks. Are you ready for three solid months home with the kids? Here are some ideas to keep them entertained – and you sane – all summer long.
Enroll your kiddos in a community summer recreation program. Most towns have at least one, and they run anywhere from a week to a month. Drop the kids of at 9, and get four hours to yourself for housework, errands, or lunch with the girls while your offspring play outside, create crafts projects, and go on educational field trips. The cost is just a couple hundred dollars, but the value is priceless.Take advantage of your local library. Whether you’ve got toddlers or teens, your area public library offers a variety of programs and events to help them socialize and enrich their minds in the air-conditioned hallowed halls of “that place with all the books.” Reading challenges will guarantee you some peace and quite while they try to get through more books than their sibling/cousin/best friend and win the prize. And don’t forget to check out adult programs at the library, too!Surprise the family with inexpensive day trips. If you’re anything like me, you live near a ton of historical or otherwise interesting attractions that you’ve never visited. Check out the county museum or the hole-in-the wall art gallery down on Main Street. Hop in the car and head to the nearest city or cultural center for a matinee theatre performance.There are probably dozens of events and attractions in your area that you never think about because, hey, you live there, but they’re worth checking out with the kids – and they can make for a fun and inexpensive date, too!
Kristen King is a freelance writer-editor and consultant from Northern Virginia, and the host of b5media's http://www.LivelyWomen.com, a daily blog dedicated to helping women live whole, healthy lives. Visit Kristen online at Lively Women or at her professional website, http://www.kristenkingfreelancing.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_King
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Aggressive Behavior
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By Theresea Hughes
Far to many of our little darlings can be over energetic and without warning become frustrated then angry, in their state of rage the lovable teddy is not safe, toys are thrown just as tossing a ball, not to mention even throwing themselves to the ground.
Why? Because they are unable to compromise or reason, and by throwing teddy or other objects is much the same as throwing the tennis ball.
We as parents need to change this behavior as soon as possible by firstly talking to the child, explaining his aggressive behavior is a concern, and then explain to your child the acceptable behavior expected in the future.
Parents need to work together with the same rules and be consistent to enforce the guidelines, to ensure your child is on the way to appropriate behavior.
Note: If your child’s aggressive behavior continues and seems to be controlling his daily play and is disruptive to friends, family members and yourself, seek a professional opinion and advice
Prevention Is The Cure!!!
Keeping a close eye on playtime with friends. Put a stop to any aggressive behavior that may be present in the playtime, so as the child is not learning to display the same behavior in the future.
Don’t Be The Aggressive Roll Model…!
The age-old expression of monkey see monkey do, comes into play here.
If our children see us hitting or throwing things around while we are angry, they then get the idea that this behavior is acceptable because mum and dad do it, so for our children to change, we the parents must also change and be the responsible roll model.
Explain Why Aggression Is Not Acceptable…
To help your child realize how hurtful aggressive behavior can be for both sides, the aggressor and the victim, and how that type of behavior hitting, kicking, biting or bulling can make the other child feel.
Other Ways To Solve The Problem…
When aggressive behavior begins, talk to your child let him know there is other ways to deal with this unacceptable behavior, such as asking for help, letting someone know the problem instead of getting angry.
Positive Rewards…
Praise your child when getting along with others, like playing fairly, taking turns or sharing, always be definite about what you’re praising.
The more you praise your child with positive attention the more positive behavior will be repeated.
Keep It In The Past…
If you keep telling your child about their earlier incident doesn’t teach them acceptable behavior, because it then reminds the child how to be aggressive again.
Time Out…
If the aggressive behavior continues, further steps are needed and Time Out may be necessary, to reinforce your message with their behavior not being accepted.
What Not To Do…
There are two things to remember that you don’t do: Firstly, don’t use aggression to stop aggression.
Hitting your child or any other physical contact with your child will only teach your him to do the same to others in the same way.
Secondly: don’t let off steam when your child does, getting angry with your child when he hits only proves he can use aggression to have power over you.
About the Author: Article contributed by Theresea Hughes, creator of http://free-toddlers-activity-and-discipline-guide.com a site dedicated to providing parenting resource articles for toddlers activity & child discipline with positive parenting tips, free kids games, recipes, arts & crafts.
Source: www.isnare.com
By Theresea Hughes
Far to many of our little darlings can be over energetic and without warning become frustrated then angry, in their state of rage the lovable teddy is not safe, toys are thrown just as tossing a ball, not to mention even throwing themselves to the ground.
Why? Because they are unable to compromise or reason, and by throwing teddy or other objects is much the same as throwing the tennis ball.
We as parents need to change this behavior as soon as possible by firstly talking to the child, explaining his aggressive behavior is a concern, and then explain to your child the acceptable behavior expected in the future.
Parents need to work together with the same rules and be consistent to enforce the guidelines, to ensure your child is on the way to appropriate behavior.
Note: If your child’s aggressive behavior continues and seems to be controlling his daily play and is disruptive to friends, family members and yourself, seek a professional opinion and advice
Prevention Is The Cure!!!
Keeping a close eye on playtime with friends. Put a stop to any aggressive behavior that may be present in the playtime, so as the child is not learning to display the same behavior in the future.
Don’t Be The Aggressive Roll Model…!
The age-old expression of monkey see monkey do, comes into play here.
If our children see us hitting or throwing things around while we are angry, they then get the idea that this behavior is acceptable because mum and dad do it, so for our children to change, we the parents must also change and be the responsible roll model.
Explain Why Aggression Is Not Acceptable…
To help your child realize how hurtful aggressive behavior can be for both sides, the aggressor and the victim, and how that type of behavior hitting, kicking, biting or bulling can make the other child feel.
Other Ways To Solve The Problem…
When aggressive behavior begins, talk to your child let him know there is other ways to deal with this unacceptable behavior, such as asking for help, letting someone know the problem instead of getting angry.
Positive Rewards…
Praise your child when getting along with others, like playing fairly, taking turns or sharing, always be definite about what you’re praising.
The more you praise your child with positive attention the more positive behavior will be repeated.
Keep It In The Past…
If you keep telling your child about their earlier incident doesn’t teach them acceptable behavior, because it then reminds the child how to be aggressive again.
Time Out…
If the aggressive behavior continues, further steps are needed and Time Out may be necessary, to reinforce your message with their behavior not being accepted.
What Not To Do…
There are two things to remember that you don’t do: Firstly, don’t use aggression to stop aggression.
Hitting your child or any other physical contact with your child will only teach your him to do the same to others in the same way.
Secondly: don’t let off steam when your child does, getting angry with your child when he hits only proves he can use aggression to have power over you.
About the Author: Article contributed by Theresea Hughes, creator of http://free-toddlers-activity-and-discipline-guide.com a site dedicated to providing parenting resource articles for toddlers activity & child discipline with positive parenting tips, free kids games, recipes, arts & crafts.
Source: www.isnare.com
Friday, May 11, 2007
Employment After a Baby - Solving the Daycare Issue
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By Richard C Myers
There are many reasons why you, a parent, want or need to get back to work, whatever your reason, on of the biggest worries will be how to solve the day care issue. It is not really fair to expect other family members such as grandparents or parents to look after your child so you will need professional day care -- unless your employer is forward-thinking enough to provide a creche for its staff's children. There are several options open to you; day care facility, a child minder, au-pair or a nanny. But which is best for you?
Unfortunately, that is not an easy question to answer, it will depend on a variety of factors, not least how much you can afford and what services are available in your area.
Day care facilities offer certain advantages over nannies in that your child will get to interact with more children of similar age, as well as adults, developing their social skills. They will also interact with different adults during the day. With a nanny, the child will be interacting with predominantly one adult and will meet and play with fewer other children.
Whichever you choose, avoid being hasty, don't just go with the first one you find. Check them out - a good day care facility will be able to provide evidence of staff training and will not be shy to show you round. Try to visit when other parents will be there and make the opportunity to talk to them. Get their feelings about the place. A Nanny or au-pair will be able to provide you with references, but these alone are probably not enough to allow you to make the decision. Interview the candidates and probe to find out how you feel they would cope with emergency situations. Also try to get to talk with their previous employers and find out how they were and why they left. Using an agency can be helpful here as they should already have done the necessary vetting of the staff on their books.
So, in short, when going back to work, don't rush into the organisation of your child's day care, check it out carefully and only make the decision when you are satisfied with the service and credentials offered.
Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only, we can not accept any liability for any decision you make.
Visit http://www.superbabysitting.com for free babysitting tips, advice and how to claim a first aid book and babysitters handbook.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_C_Myers
By Richard C Myers
There are many reasons why you, a parent, want or need to get back to work, whatever your reason, on of the biggest worries will be how to solve the day care issue. It is not really fair to expect other family members such as grandparents or parents to look after your child so you will need professional day care -- unless your employer is forward-thinking enough to provide a creche for its staff's children. There are several options open to you; day care facility, a child minder, au-pair or a nanny. But which is best for you?
Unfortunately, that is not an easy question to answer, it will depend on a variety of factors, not least how much you can afford and what services are available in your area.
Day care facilities offer certain advantages over nannies in that your child will get to interact with more children of similar age, as well as adults, developing their social skills. They will also interact with different adults during the day. With a nanny, the child will be interacting with predominantly one adult and will meet and play with fewer other children.
Whichever you choose, avoid being hasty, don't just go with the first one you find. Check them out - a good day care facility will be able to provide evidence of staff training and will not be shy to show you round. Try to visit when other parents will be there and make the opportunity to talk to them. Get their feelings about the place. A Nanny or au-pair will be able to provide you with references, but these alone are probably not enough to allow you to make the decision. Interview the candidates and probe to find out how you feel they would cope with emergency situations. Also try to get to talk with their previous employers and find out how they were and why they left. Using an agency can be helpful here as they should already have done the necessary vetting of the staff on their books.
So, in short, when going back to work, don't rush into the organisation of your child's day care, check it out carefully and only make the decision when you are satisfied with the service and credentials offered.
Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only, we can not accept any liability for any decision you make.
Visit http://www.superbabysitting.com for free babysitting tips, advice and how to claim a first aid book and babysitters handbook.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_C_Myers
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Infant CPR Is The Greatest Skill Any Parent Can Poses
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By Livia Monroe
Infant CPR refers to administering resuscitation to any child under the age of 12 months and is much more effective that the CPR rescue technique in the case of adults. This effectiveness is due to the fact that child’s body is capable of responding to CPR aid immediately after the heart collapses. For this reason, it is absolutely vital the CPR aid is applied in the shortest possible time, even prior to calling the ambulance, because those seconds of resuscitation are very likely to save the infant’s life.
First and foremost, it is very important that you follow the standard steps when administering an infant CPR, because the process must be thorough and accurate. The first thing to be done in infant CPR is a verification of the child’s responsiveness, by patting the infant’s back and feet. This is a very clear test which will tell you whether to start or not the infant CPR procedure. This way, if no response comes from the child, such as crying, stirring or moving, it is vital that you check if the airway is functioning properly. In many cases of heart arrests in infant care, the tongue can obstruct the breathing channels.
The technique of clearing the airway in infant CPR is similar to the standard CPR aid, with the specification that the head must not be tilted too far back, because of the lack of muscular strength of infants’ necks. Furthermore, if no response comes as a result of the airway step in the infant CPR, it is obligatory that you pass to the next stage and increase the level of oxygen by mouth-to-mouth breathing. You do not need any specific CPR supplies at this level, because the main strategy is to cover the mouth and the nose of the infant and try to pass oxygen into his body.
Very importantly, the infant CPR is based on a stimuli-response basis, so you need to let the child breath out the air after your mouth-to-mouth intervention. However, if the infant CPR proceedings taken so far show no response, it is compulsory that the pulse is checked, in order to establish whether the infant’s heart is beating or not. Keep in mind that panic is the worst enemy of the CPR aid, because when applying what you learned in CPR trainings you need to be fully aware and attentive to the physical responses given by the infant.
The step in the infant CPR procedure that implies chest compression is the key factor in infant care, because it is at this stage that the body of the child must respond to the pressure made to his chest. The compressions must be made at exact intervals of time, so that the heart of the infant can enter a certain rhythm. At this point, the infant CPR rescue attempt should have proved in some way effective, meaning that the blood circulation is re-established and the pulse comes back to normal.
However, it is imperative that a call is made to the emergency services and the ambulance, to put the child under infant medical care, and to make sure the infant CPR procedure has been fully carried out. Lastly, the infant CPR technique can be learned as an “ABC” of child care; where “A” is standing for airway, “B” for breathing and “C” for circulation. Once you have passed through all of these steps, the little victim will have regained his senses, ready to enjoy life.
Livia Monroe writes about critical health issues affecting women in their pregnancy, and the early growth phase of children.
Infant Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Aid.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Livia_Monroe
By Livia Monroe
Infant CPR refers to administering resuscitation to any child under the age of 12 months and is much more effective that the CPR rescue technique in the case of adults. This effectiveness is due to the fact that child’s body is capable of responding to CPR aid immediately after the heart collapses. For this reason, it is absolutely vital the CPR aid is applied in the shortest possible time, even prior to calling the ambulance, because those seconds of resuscitation are very likely to save the infant’s life.
First and foremost, it is very important that you follow the standard steps when administering an infant CPR, because the process must be thorough and accurate. The first thing to be done in infant CPR is a verification of the child’s responsiveness, by patting the infant’s back and feet. This is a very clear test which will tell you whether to start or not the infant CPR procedure. This way, if no response comes from the child, such as crying, stirring or moving, it is vital that you check if the airway is functioning properly. In many cases of heart arrests in infant care, the tongue can obstruct the breathing channels.
The technique of clearing the airway in infant CPR is similar to the standard CPR aid, with the specification that the head must not be tilted too far back, because of the lack of muscular strength of infants’ necks. Furthermore, if no response comes as a result of the airway step in the infant CPR, it is obligatory that you pass to the next stage and increase the level of oxygen by mouth-to-mouth breathing. You do not need any specific CPR supplies at this level, because the main strategy is to cover the mouth and the nose of the infant and try to pass oxygen into his body.
Very importantly, the infant CPR is based on a stimuli-response basis, so you need to let the child breath out the air after your mouth-to-mouth intervention. However, if the infant CPR proceedings taken so far show no response, it is compulsory that the pulse is checked, in order to establish whether the infant’s heart is beating or not. Keep in mind that panic is the worst enemy of the CPR aid, because when applying what you learned in CPR trainings you need to be fully aware and attentive to the physical responses given by the infant.
The step in the infant CPR procedure that implies chest compression is the key factor in infant care, because it is at this stage that the body of the child must respond to the pressure made to his chest. The compressions must be made at exact intervals of time, so that the heart of the infant can enter a certain rhythm. At this point, the infant CPR rescue attempt should have proved in some way effective, meaning that the blood circulation is re-established and the pulse comes back to normal.
However, it is imperative that a call is made to the emergency services and the ambulance, to put the child under infant medical care, and to make sure the infant CPR procedure has been fully carried out. Lastly, the infant CPR technique can be learned as an “ABC” of child care; where “A” is standing for airway, “B” for breathing and “C” for circulation. Once you have passed through all of these steps, the little victim will have regained his senses, ready to enjoy life.
Livia Monroe writes about critical health issues affecting women in their pregnancy, and the early growth phase of children.
Infant Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Aid.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Livia_Monroe
Bullying in School and Destroying the Creative Geniuses
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By L. Winslow
Many folks understand that unchecked bullying in school can really torment a young child if these events continue unchecked. Some bullying is part of growing up and it is as if they kids are merely establishing pecking order, theoretically nearly all species do this, so we should not be too taken aback. Yet, we need to understand why these things occur and eliminate chronic bullying in school.
Often when kids are bullied they avoid the rest of the groups in school and thus do not participate in all the activities. And perhaps during lunchtime they seek refuge in the library or wait until the very last minute to get to school or stay later and walk home a different direction. Maybe they run home a different way? All this to avoid bullying, which is getting more out of hand as violence in schools goes unchecked, as these choose students go out of their way to prevent being attacked.
Indeed, avoidance is a choice and those who choose to give up, have made that choice right? Of course as some students who have been bullied point out if they do not avoid the bullies they might get their nose broken and this has happened more than once. Is that the answer?
Should parents and teachers intervene or should they allow the kids to work out their differences? Perhaps a combination might be best and we also need to understand that a person is responsible for them selves and should not expect anyone to rescue them, they must rescue themselves.
These are all things we must consider because bullying in school is a fact of life and it will not go away until the kids choose to stop. Perhaps you should talk to your children about bullying and give them some pointers on defense.
If your children are the ones doing the bullying then perhaps you might explain to them that that person they are bullying may grow up and be someone very important someday - you just never know and our society needs them is much as they need you. They should be able to understand that. Kids aren't stupid.
L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur. Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Winslow
By L. Winslow
Many folks understand that unchecked bullying in school can really torment a young child if these events continue unchecked. Some bullying is part of growing up and it is as if they kids are merely establishing pecking order, theoretically nearly all species do this, so we should not be too taken aback. Yet, we need to understand why these things occur and eliminate chronic bullying in school.
Often when kids are bullied they avoid the rest of the groups in school and thus do not participate in all the activities. And perhaps during lunchtime they seek refuge in the library or wait until the very last minute to get to school or stay later and walk home a different direction. Maybe they run home a different way? All this to avoid bullying, which is getting more out of hand as violence in schools goes unchecked, as these choose students go out of their way to prevent being attacked.
Indeed, avoidance is a choice and those who choose to give up, have made that choice right? Of course as some students who have been bullied point out if they do not avoid the bullies they might get their nose broken and this has happened more than once. Is that the answer?
Should parents and teachers intervene or should they allow the kids to work out their differences? Perhaps a combination might be best and we also need to understand that a person is responsible for them selves and should not expect anyone to rescue them, they must rescue themselves.
These are all things we must consider because bullying in school is a fact of life and it will not go away until the kids choose to stop. Perhaps you should talk to your children about bullying and give them some pointers on defense.
If your children are the ones doing the bullying then perhaps you might explain to them that that person they are bullying may grow up and be someone very important someday - you just never know and our society needs them is much as they need you. They should be able to understand that. Kids aren't stupid.
L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur. Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Winslow
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Work or Stay Home Mom Dilemma, Why Not Do Both!
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By Bee Ryan
Are you a work at home mom? If so, why did you choose to become one? If you want to be a work at home mom, what is your reason?
Why we become work at home moms varies from mom to mom. Some moms want to be home with their kids, but need to generate an income. Some have always wanted to be their own boss or have flexibility in a telecommuting job. While others, like me, want something to call our own and make a little money while doing it.
There are many reasons and thousands of options for moms. The key is to find a work at home job or business that you love and can build and grow. When you love what you do, you cannot help but be successful.
Being able to work from home brings together the two most important factors for moms. Working from home means moms can be home with their kids and not miss the important moments and still be able to contribute to the family finances and focus on a grown up endeavor. Work at home moms can achieve a great sense of pride in themselves by being able to take an idea and turn it into a successful business.
In the past, the choice was go to work outside the home or stay home. There was no in between. Many moms who worked felt they missed out on seeing their children grow up. Moms who chose to stay home, may have felt some regret once their children were grown and they didn’t have the skills necessary to go back to work after being home for so long. Today, this does not have to be the case. Moms can have it both ways by working from home if they so choose. Spending time with their kids and building new skills and a business.
Working from home is a challenge. Finding a balance between taking care of the children, the house, and growing a business is no easy task. It takes a lot of planning and organization, but when you find a system and make it work, it’s the best of both worlds.
Mom2Mom Magazine, http://www.mom2momlounge.com is an online magazine written by moms for moms. Find mom-relevant issues, insights, product reviews, fun ideas, fashion and beauty, family travel, health, recipes, humor and more. Each issue is filled with realistic, quick and easy reads that matter to Moms.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bee_Ryan
By Bee Ryan
Are you a work at home mom? If so, why did you choose to become one? If you want to be a work at home mom, what is your reason?
Why we become work at home moms varies from mom to mom. Some moms want to be home with their kids, but need to generate an income. Some have always wanted to be their own boss or have flexibility in a telecommuting job. While others, like me, want something to call our own and make a little money while doing it.
There are many reasons and thousands of options for moms. The key is to find a work at home job or business that you love and can build and grow. When you love what you do, you cannot help but be successful.
Being able to work from home brings together the two most important factors for moms. Working from home means moms can be home with their kids and not miss the important moments and still be able to contribute to the family finances and focus on a grown up endeavor. Work at home moms can achieve a great sense of pride in themselves by being able to take an idea and turn it into a successful business.
In the past, the choice was go to work outside the home or stay home. There was no in between. Many moms who worked felt they missed out on seeing their children grow up. Moms who chose to stay home, may have felt some regret once their children were grown and they didn’t have the skills necessary to go back to work after being home for so long. Today, this does not have to be the case. Moms can have it both ways by working from home if they so choose. Spending time with their kids and building new skills and a business.
Working from home is a challenge. Finding a balance between taking care of the children, the house, and growing a business is no easy task. It takes a lot of planning and organization, but when you find a system and make it work, it’s the best of both worlds.
Mom2Mom Magazine, http://www.mom2momlounge.com is an online magazine written by moms for moms. Find mom-relevant issues, insights, product reviews, fun ideas, fashion and beauty, family travel, health, recipes, humor and more. Each issue is filled with realistic, quick and easy reads that matter to Moms.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bee_Ryan
Thursday, April 26, 2007
A Guide to Pregnancy
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By Anupriya Jain
A guide to pregnancy is an invaluable tool for all first time mothers, who rely on advice that at times, may be misleading. Pregnancy is a period fraught with uncertainty and anxiety concerning the new life within you. This article is an informative guide to pregnancy for all would be moms.
The First Trimester
The first trimester of pregnancy covers the first three months lasting from week one to week twelve. By week four, the process of creation of a new life would have begun with the fertilization of the egg. This period sees organ development. The fetus is susceptible to infections and drugs.
Hormone changes are most evident in the early part of pregnancy. Morning sickness can be triggered through food odors, cigarette smoke and perfumes. Some women have morning sickness at night!
From week nine, tummy bulge becomes prominent and you may even feel movements within your body. The end of the first trimester generally sees the end of morning sickness.
The Second Trimester
The guide to pregnancy now dwells on the period that spans from week thirteen to twenty-seven. Considered the easiest phase of pregnancy, your baby’s heartbeat could be heard around the fourteenth week. The rapid growth of the internal organs and simultaneous covering of the fetus in fine hair called lanugo take place. The baby’s gender can be figured out through an ultrasound.
You may experience slight contractions- this is the uterus getting ready for the task it has to perform during delivery. By week twenty-four, your baby acquires fat deposits that help regulate body temperature post-birth. In addition to sensing light and darkness, your baby is now able to hear sounds from the outside world.
The Third Trimester
Week twenty-eight to forty make up the third and last trimester. Guide to pregnancy highlights the developments that take place during this period.
The brain, eyes and your baby’s head are almost fully formed. By the thirty-second week, only the lungs remain to grow completely. Your baby’s fingernails would have grown fully. The baby is now able to open and shut his/her eyes.
By week thirty-six, the baby could weigh up to four pounds and measure up to sixteen inches. The baby could be born anytime between weeks thirty-seven and forty. You are all prepared now for the imminent arrival.
We hope that the week-by-week guide to pregnancy may address a few of your doubts and concerns. This article has touched only the periphery of this fascinating topic. However, the best guide to pregnancy can always be your doctor and never forget to consult him/her to know more specific information regarding your pregnancy status.
Anupriya is the editor of free pregnancy resource http://www.pregnancy-period.com.
This site has been developed as your guide to pregnancy.
It explains various pregnancy stages and useful tips to enjoy your pregnancy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anupriya_Jain
By Anupriya Jain
A guide to pregnancy is an invaluable tool for all first time mothers, who rely on advice that at times, may be misleading. Pregnancy is a period fraught with uncertainty and anxiety concerning the new life within you. This article is an informative guide to pregnancy for all would be moms.
The First Trimester
The first trimester of pregnancy covers the first three months lasting from week one to week twelve. By week four, the process of creation of a new life would have begun with the fertilization of the egg. This period sees organ development. The fetus is susceptible to infections and drugs.
Hormone changes are most evident in the early part of pregnancy. Morning sickness can be triggered through food odors, cigarette smoke and perfumes. Some women have morning sickness at night!
From week nine, tummy bulge becomes prominent and you may even feel movements within your body. The end of the first trimester generally sees the end of morning sickness.
The Second Trimester
The guide to pregnancy now dwells on the period that spans from week thirteen to twenty-seven. Considered the easiest phase of pregnancy, your baby’s heartbeat could be heard around the fourteenth week. The rapid growth of the internal organs and simultaneous covering of the fetus in fine hair called lanugo take place. The baby’s gender can be figured out through an ultrasound.
You may experience slight contractions- this is the uterus getting ready for the task it has to perform during delivery. By week twenty-four, your baby acquires fat deposits that help regulate body temperature post-birth. In addition to sensing light and darkness, your baby is now able to hear sounds from the outside world.
The Third Trimester
Week twenty-eight to forty make up the third and last trimester. Guide to pregnancy highlights the developments that take place during this period.
The brain, eyes and your baby’s head are almost fully formed. By the thirty-second week, only the lungs remain to grow completely. Your baby’s fingernails would have grown fully. The baby is now able to open and shut his/her eyes.
By week thirty-six, the baby could weigh up to four pounds and measure up to sixteen inches. The baby could be born anytime between weeks thirty-seven and forty. You are all prepared now for the imminent arrival.
We hope that the week-by-week guide to pregnancy may address a few of your doubts and concerns. This article has touched only the periphery of this fascinating topic. However, the best guide to pregnancy can always be your doctor and never forget to consult him/her to know more specific information regarding your pregnancy status.
Anupriya is the editor of free pregnancy resource http://www.pregnancy-period.com.
This site has been developed as your guide to pregnancy.
It explains various pregnancy stages and useful tips to enjoy your pregnancy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anupriya_Jain
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
What Minerals Does A Breastfeeding Mother Need?
Return to All Articles
By Robin OBrien
A well-balanced diet is important for a breastfeeding mother as all her baby's nutrients come from her breastmilk. Minerals are the building blocks needed for your baby's development, now and for her long-term health.
Breastfeeding is the best way to give your baby all the nutrients she needs to grow and thrive. And, as a breastfed baby gets all her minerals from her mother's milk, it's important that a breastfeeding mother is getting her daily quota of minerals; you get out what you put in. But, if you're like many women, your diet may be less than ideal following the birth of your baby. You're mostly likely feeling tired and busy but a nutritious diet is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby. The good news is that a healthy diet is not too difficult to achieve; eating meat, dairy products 5 fruit and vegetables every day is all you need do.
Amongst other nutrients, such as vitamins and protein, minerals play an important role in your baby's development. A nursing mother should be aware of what minerals are important and what part of her diet provides these minerals.
Calcium is vital for the development and healthy maintenance of bones. Calcium is important for both a breastfeeding mother and her baby. Your baby is growing very fast and, at the same time, her bones are hardening. Calcium is needed for this to happen. Milk is one of the best sources of calcium, so if you like milk, now is the time to drink plenty of it. Milk is not only a good source of calcium but it's also a good source of protein, zinc, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12. Yu don't have to drink full-fat milk either; skimmed and semi-skimmed milk contains the same nutrients but with much less fat.
When breastfeeding your calcium requirement is the equivalent of drinking 1 2/3 pints of milk. So, if you drink plenty of milk and other dairy products you'll be getting all the calcium you need. Don't despair if the thought of consuming of that much dairy produce is off-putting or if you're a vegan, calcium can be found in non-milk foods.
The following are equivalent to consuming a third of a pint of milk:
2 sardines from a tin of fish in oil
One-sixth of a pack of tofu
1 glass (7oz) of calcium enriched soya milk
5 dried figs
6 medium slices of white bread
48 whole almonds
4 tablespoons of cooked spinach
Zinc is present in every part of the body and has a wide range of functions. It helps with the healing of wounds and is a important component of many enzyme reactions. Zinc is vital for the healthy working of many of the body's systems. It is particularly important for healthy skin and is essential for a healthy immune system and resistance to infection.
Zinc is not stored in the body so it needs to be replaced from the food we eat. Only about 20% of the zinc present in the diet is actually absorbed by the body.
The following foods are rich in zinc:
Red meat
Sardines are an especially good source of zinc!
Wholemeal bread
Baked beans
Cheddar cheese
Fruit yogurt
Pumpkin seed
Tahini paste
Peanut butter
Babies who are breastfed suffer far less iron deficiency in later life. Iron is important in the first year of life. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, pigment that is found in our red blood cells. Haemoglobin carries oxygen around our bodies. Foods that are rich in iron are:
Lean beef, lamb and kidney
Dark chicken or turkey meat
Sardines
Eggs
Baked potatoes
Red lentils, chick-peas, baked beans, kidney beans
Green vegetables like broccoli, peas, spring greens, spinach, curly kale
Dried fruits like apricots, prunes and figs
If you eat a well-balanced and varied diet you will get all the minerals you require for breastfeeding your baby. The above minerals are not the only ones required for both you and your child but they are the most important. If you have doubts you should ask your doctor. Breastmilk is an amazing food source; it maintains the right amounts of nutrients required for your baby during its growth, even in women whose diet is not perfect.
Visit breast-feeding-information.com to find out more about a healthy breastfeeding diet. You can also learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding as well as getting advice on what is the best nursing bra for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
By Robin OBrien
A well-balanced diet is important for a breastfeeding mother as all her baby's nutrients come from her breastmilk. Minerals are the building blocks needed for your baby's development, now and for her long-term health.
Breastfeeding is the best way to give your baby all the nutrients she needs to grow and thrive. And, as a breastfed baby gets all her minerals from her mother's milk, it's important that a breastfeeding mother is getting her daily quota of minerals; you get out what you put in. But, if you're like many women, your diet may be less than ideal following the birth of your baby. You're mostly likely feeling tired and busy but a nutritious diet is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby. The good news is that a healthy diet is not too difficult to achieve; eating meat, dairy products 5 fruit and vegetables every day is all you need do.
Amongst other nutrients, such as vitamins and protein, minerals play an important role in your baby's development. A nursing mother should be aware of what minerals are important and what part of her diet provides these minerals.
Calcium is vital for the development and healthy maintenance of bones. Calcium is important for both a breastfeeding mother and her baby. Your baby is growing very fast and, at the same time, her bones are hardening. Calcium is needed for this to happen. Milk is one of the best sources of calcium, so if you like milk, now is the time to drink plenty of it. Milk is not only a good source of calcium but it's also a good source of protein, zinc, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12. Yu don't have to drink full-fat milk either; skimmed and semi-skimmed milk contains the same nutrients but with much less fat.
When breastfeeding your calcium requirement is the equivalent of drinking 1 2/3 pints of milk. So, if you drink plenty of milk and other dairy products you'll be getting all the calcium you need. Don't despair if the thought of consuming of that much dairy produce is off-putting or if you're a vegan, calcium can be found in non-milk foods.
The following are equivalent to consuming a third of a pint of milk:
2 sardines from a tin of fish in oil
One-sixth of a pack of tofu
1 glass (7oz) of calcium enriched soya milk
5 dried figs
6 medium slices of white bread
48 whole almonds
4 tablespoons of cooked spinach
Zinc is present in every part of the body and has a wide range of functions. It helps with the healing of wounds and is a important component of many enzyme reactions. Zinc is vital for the healthy working of many of the body's systems. It is particularly important for healthy skin and is essential for a healthy immune system and resistance to infection.
Zinc is not stored in the body so it needs to be replaced from the food we eat. Only about 20% of the zinc present in the diet is actually absorbed by the body.
The following foods are rich in zinc:
Red meat
Sardines are an especially good source of zinc!
Wholemeal bread
Baked beans
Cheddar cheese
Fruit yogurt
Pumpkin seed
Tahini paste
Peanut butter
Babies who are breastfed suffer far less iron deficiency in later life. Iron is important in the first year of life. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, pigment that is found in our red blood cells. Haemoglobin carries oxygen around our bodies. Foods that are rich in iron are:
Lean beef, lamb and kidney
Dark chicken or turkey meat
Sardines
Eggs
Baked potatoes
Red lentils, chick-peas, baked beans, kidney beans
Green vegetables like broccoli, peas, spring greens, spinach, curly kale
Dried fruits like apricots, prunes and figs
If you eat a well-balanced and varied diet you will get all the minerals you require for breastfeeding your baby. The above minerals are not the only ones required for both you and your child but they are the most important. If you have doubts you should ask your doctor. Breastmilk is an amazing food source; it maintains the right amounts of nutrients required for your baby during its growth, even in women whose diet is not perfect.
Visit breast-feeding-information.com to find out more about a healthy breastfeeding diet. You can also learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding as well as getting advice on what is the best nursing bra for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien
Is There An Error Proof Pregnancy Test?
Return to All Articles
By Terry Edwards
Pregnancy testing has come a long way. It no longer takes a doctor visit and waiting days for the results. You can now purchase an over the counter pregnancy test and have your results in as little as five minutes. But do you know how home pregnancy test work? Do you know the best time to take a test? This article will answer these questions and give some good advice about error proof pregnancy tests.
The home pregnancy tests that you can buy today work by detecting hCG, which stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. This is a hormone that is secreted by the placenta shortly after a fertilized egg implants itself into the uterine lining. This implantation takes place about six days after fertilization. Then the amount of hCG starts to increase very rapidly. In fact, it doubles every two days. By the time you miss your period, the amount should be detectable in your urine. But if you want to increase your chances of an accurate result you should wait at least a week after you miss your period to take a pregnancy test.
It is important that you read all of the instructions thoroughly before you take your pregnancy test. These tests were designed to be very simple to use, but you should be familiar with the testing process and how long you should wait before you read the test. Some test require that you pee into a cup and then place a few drops of urine on the testing stick, while others let you pee directly onto the testing stick. It is very important that you follow the testing instructions to the letter if you want an accurate result.
All home pregnancy tests will have a control box that shows that the test is working properly. This should not be confused with a positive result. Make sure that you know where the control box or control line should be. If your control line does not show up on your test, throw your test out and get another one. The absence of a control line means that the test is not working properly and will not give you an accurate result. Always check the expiration date on the box. If it is expired throw it away and get a new test.
It is always a good idea to test the first morning urine. This is when your urine is the most concentrated and would have the highest levels of hCG. Over the counter pregnancy tests will say that you don't have to wait for the first morning urine to get a result, but if you want to be absolutely sure, testing the first morning urine is a good idea. The hCG could be diluted at other times during the day, especially if you drink a lot of water or other liquids.
If you have a negative result and still think you might be pregnant, wait a few days and do another test. Sometimes ovulation may have occurred later in your cycle. If the test is still negative and you don't have a period, see your doctor.
The most important things to remember when using an over the counter pregnancy test is to read the instructions and make sure that enough time has passed since your missed period. If you do these two things, your home pregnancy test can really be an error proof pregnancy test.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.
By the way, you can find out more about Error Proof Pregnancy Tests on our blog, as well as much more information on what to expect each week during your pregnancy at http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Edwards
By Terry Edwards
Pregnancy testing has come a long way. It no longer takes a doctor visit and waiting days for the results. You can now purchase an over the counter pregnancy test and have your results in as little as five minutes. But do you know how home pregnancy test work? Do you know the best time to take a test? This article will answer these questions and give some good advice about error proof pregnancy tests.
The home pregnancy tests that you can buy today work by detecting hCG, which stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. This is a hormone that is secreted by the placenta shortly after a fertilized egg implants itself into the uterine lining. This implantation takes place about six days after fertilization. Then the amount of hCG starts to increase very rapidly. In fact, it doubles every two days. By the time you miss your period, the amount should be detectable in your urine. But if you want to increase your chances of an accurate result you should wait at least a week after you miss your period to take a pregnancy test.
It is important that you read all of the instructions thoroughly before you take your pregnancy test. These tests were designed to be very simple to use, but you should be familiar with the testing process and how long you should wait before you read the test. Some test require that you pee into a cup and then place a few drops of urine on the testing stick, while others let you pee directly onto the testing stick. It is very important that you follow the testing instructions to the letter if you want an accurate result.
All home pregnancy tests will have a control box that shows that the test is working properly. This should not be confused with a positive result. Make sure that you know where the control box or control line should be. If your control line does not show up on your test, throw your test out and get another one. The absence of a control line means that the test is not working properly and will not give you an accurate result. Always check the expiration date on the box. If it is expired throw it away and get a new test.
It is always a good idea to test the first morning urine. This is when your urine is the most concentrated and would have the highest levels of hCG. Over the counter pregnancy tests will say that you don't have to wait for the first morning urine to get a result, but if you want to be absolutely sure, testing the first morning urine is a good idea. The hCG could be diluted at other times during the day, especially if you drink a lot of water or other liquids.
If you have a negative result and still think you might be pregnant, wait a few days and do another test. Sometimes ovulation may have occurred later in your cycle. If the test is still negative and you don't have a period, see your doctor.
The most important things to remember when using an over the counter pregnancy test is to read the instructions and make sure that enough time has passed since your missed period. If you do these two things, your home pregnancy test can really be an error proof pregnancy test.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.
By the way, you can find out more about Error Proof Pregnancy Tests on our blog, as well as much more information on what to expect each week during your pregnancy at http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Edwards
Monday, April 23, 2007
Old Wives Tales for Telling a Baby's Gender
Return to All Articles
By David Beart
There's one question that seems even more pressing than Hamlet's philosophical “to be or not to be?” At least for expecting moms and dads, that is. It is: “will it be a boy or a girl?” In today's day and age, the answer to that question is not quite as difficult to answer as Hamlet's. That doesn't mean it's all that easy either.
With a trip to the doctor's office, a soon-to-be-mom can find out the sex of her baby via an ultrasound, or through other means like chorionic villus sampling and amniocentisis. Chorionic villus is a diagnostic test that can cause problems in pregnancy and should only be administered if absolutely necessary (it is used to determine if the baby is likely to have have genetic abnormalities). Amniocentisis is another diagnostic test with slight risks. Ultrasounds are more popular, as they can be performed at any stage of pregnancy and unless there is routine exposure of the baby to an ultrasound, it is likely a safe method. However, an ultrasound is not meant to only help determine a baby's sex and in fact, it is not always accurate (especially during the early stages of pregnancy).
Thus, there are a slew of ways that have been devised to figure out whether an unborn baby will be a boy or a girl – some may have logical backing, but most – if not all – are completely baseless. But probably the most interesting methods of determining a baby's sex stem from old wives tales. So what are these tales and which ones have a grain or two of truth to them?
Well, the only real truth we know about old wives tales is that they are just that – rumors that have passed from generation to generation. Thankfully, they are innocuous rumors, unless of course one takes them too seriously and starts picking out clothes and furniture for a boy baby, only to greet a little girl on the operating table. Hopefully, the new parents kept those receipts. Another truth we know about old wives tales is that their origin is sketchy – who thought up each tales is pretty much unknown. But they sure are fun.
So, whether or not you're having fun playing the guessing game about your own baby or are just plain curious, here is a list of old wives tales to think about.
Do you sleep on your left or right side at night? If you prefer your right, then you just might be having a boy! If you sleep on your left, a girl could be on the way. Even the dryness or softness of your skin can help you predict your baby's sex – if you have soft hands, expect a girl; dry hands, a boy. Moreover, many pregnant woman crave interesting foods, but supposedly the specific kinds of food you crave can indicate what sex your baby is. If you constantly want salty foods, like french fries, you're due for a boy, whereas if you have a taste for sweets, like chocolate pie, prepare for a girl. And the old wives tales hardly stop there. Do you feel clumsy or elegant as a pregnant woman? If you're dropping your keys and stumbling over pairs of shoes, you might have a baby boy on the way, but if you feel graceful on foot, it's probably a baby girl. Even the size of your breasts can be a factor. It's common to have asymmetrical breasts, so by examining which breast is larger, you can also put the clues together to your baby's sex. If a pregnant woman's left breast is bigger, it's a girl; if the right breast is, it's a boy.
Furthermore, according to these recycled wives tales, morning sickness is not a symptom of every pregnancy, but only of those pregnancies of women who are carrying a girl. In other words, nausea means you better decorate the nursery pink. In fact, there are a bunch of signs you can look out for if you're having a girl. While soft hands mean you're having a girl, so do pesky breakouts on your skin.
And if you're craving citrus fruits, or become rather plump in your face, or experience several emotions throughout the day, then you are having a girl.
You can also guess your baby's gender by the way they sit in your uterus. You will feel heaviness in the lower area, if it's a boy, and if you feel pressure higher up, if it's a girl. As well, do you feel the baby in your front or in the middle? Boys, apparently, tend to take a seat up front, while girls prefer to situate themselves all around the middle.
As fascinating and fun as these tales are, they are just that – tales. They have no scientific substance to them whatsoever and should only be used for entertainment purposes! Especially considering that a lot of these tales (and these are just a handful of them) seem to be born of cultural stereotypes of boys and girls, not any clear logic, they should be approached with a healthy dose of skepticism.
But considering how ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate, why not play the guessing game? Ideally, it's best to wait far into the pregnancy to get an ultrasound or simply expect for the unexpected, but in the meantime, ask yourself – do you want a sweet cookie or some salty fried chicken?
David Beart is the owner of http://www.professorshouse.com. Our site covers such topics as raising children, family, relationships, dating and marriage.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Beart
By David Beart
There's one question that seems even more pressing than Hamlet's philosophical “to be or not to be?” At least for expecting moms and dads, that is. It is: “will it be a boy or a girl?” In today's day and age, the answer to that question is not quite as difficult to answer as Hamlet's. That doesn't mean it's all that easy either.
With a trip to the doctor's office, a soon-to-be-mom can find out the sex of her baby via an ultrasound, or through other means like chorionic villus sampling and amniocentisis. Chorionic villus is a diagnostic test that can cause problems in pregnancy and should only be administered if absolutely necessary (it is used to determine if the baby is likely to have have genetic abnormalities). Amniocentisis is another diagnostic test with slight risks. Ultrasounds are more popular, as they can be performed at any stage of pregnancy and unless there is routine exposure of the baby to an ultrasound, it is likely a safe method. However, an ultrasound is not meant to only help determine a baby's sex and in fact, it is not always accurate (especially during the early stages of pregnancy).
Thus, there are a slew of ways that have been devised to figure out whether an unborn baby will be a boy or a girl – some may have logical backing, but most – if not all – are completely baseless. But probably the most interesting methods of determining a baby's sex stem from old wives tales. So what are these tales and which ones have a grain or two of truth to them?
Well, the only real truth we know about old wives tales is that they are just that – rumors that have passed from generation to generation. Thankfully, they are innocuous rumors, unless of course one takes them too seriously and starts picking out clothes and furniture for a boy baby, only to greet a little girl on the operating table. Hopefully, the new parents kept those receipts. Another truth we know about old wives tales is that their origin is sketchy – who thought up each tales is pretty much unknown. But they sure are fun.
So, whether or not you're having fun playing the guessing game about your own baby or are just plain curious, here is a list of old wives tales to think about.
Do you sleep on your left or right side at night? If you prefer your right, then you just might be having a boy! If you sleep on your left, a girl could be on the way. Even the dryness or softness of your skin can help you predict your baby's sex – if you have soft hands, expect a girl; dry hands, a boy. Moreover, many pregnant woman crave interesting foods, but supposedly the specific kinds of food you crave can indicate what sex your baby is. If you constantly want salty foods, like french fries, you're due for a boy, whereas if you have a taste for sweets, like chocolate pie, prepare for a girl. And the old wives tales hardly stop there. Do you feel clumsy or elegant as a pregnant woman? If you're dropping your keys and stumbling over pairs of shoes, you might have a baby boy on the way, but if you feel graceful on foot, it's probably a baby girl. Even the size of your breasts can be a factor. It's common to have asymmetrical breasts, so by examining which breast is larger, you can also put the clues together to your baby's sex. If a pregnant woman's left breast is bigger, it's a girl; if the right breast is, it's a boy.
Furthermore, according to these recycled wives tales, morning sickness is not a symptom of every pregnancy, but only of those pregnancies of women who are carrying a girl. In other words, nausea means you better decorate the nursery pink. In fact, there are a bunch of signs you can look out for if you're having a girl. While soft hands mean you're having a girl, so do pesky breakouts on your skin.
And if you're craving citrus fruits, or become rather plump in your face, or experience several emotions throughout the day, then you are having a girl.
You can also guess your baby's gender by the way they sit in your uterus. You will feel heaviness in the lower area, if it's a boy, and if you feel pressure higher up, if it's a girl. As well, do you feel the baby in your front or in the middle? Boys, apparently, tend to take a seat up front, while girls prefer to situate themselves all around the middle.
As fascinating and fun as these tales are, they are just that – tales. They have no scientific substance to them whatsoever and should only be used for entertainment purposes! Especially considering that a lot of these tales (and these are just a handful of them) seem to be born of cultural stereotypes of boys and girls, not any clear logic, they should be approached with a healthy dose of skepticism.
But considering how ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate, why not play the guessing game? Ideally, it's best to wait far into the pregnancy to get an ultrasound or simply expect for the unexpected, but in the meantime, ask yourself – do you want a sweet cookie or some salty fried chicken?
David Beart is the owner of http://www.professorshouse.com. Our site covers such topics as raising children, family, relationships, dating and marriage.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Beart
Exercising During Pregnancy
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By P Banas
Exercising during pregnancy, pregnancy exercises,dad
Pregnancy can be a challenging phase for your spouse. Maintaining a healthy posture will help her keep back problems away. An exercise routine will especially help her to keep fit. Your spouse can begin an exercise routine even if she has never really exercised before. Walking, swimming, pre-natal yoga, and simple aerobics are ideal forms of exercise during pregnancy.
These are some of the things your spouse may need to remember if she is starting an exercise routine:
•All exercise programs should be begun gradually. Starting with about 15 minutes, three to four days a week is sufficient.
• She should resist the temptation to overdo it.
•She should avoid jogging, unless she used to jog regularly before her pregnancy.
•She should avoid doing sit-ups and other exercises, which involve lying on the back as they may decrease blood flow to the uterus.
•Exercises that involve standing in the same place for long periods can also decrease blood flow to the baby. It is better to keep moving or changing positions frequently.
•She should avoid strenuous forms of exercise, such as riding a bike.
•She should wear loose comfortable clothing and avoid overheating.
•She must drink adequate amounts of water to avoid dehydration.
•She should eat healthy foods to make up for calories lost during exercise.
•If, after exercise, she notices symptoms such as fatigue, pain, nausea, vaginal bleeding or discharge, or pelvic contractions, she should contact her doctor immediately.
Disclaimer: The above information is commonsense reflection drawn from general experience. If you are looking for expert medical advice, please consult your doctor.
About AuthorsResource Author is an expert author for dad and women related advices for e.g. Exercising during pregnancy . You can contact anytime for kids or parenting related issues.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P_Banas
By P Banas
Exercising during pregnancy, pregnancy exercises,dad
Pregnancy can be a challenging phase for your spouse. Maintaining a healthy posture will help her keep back problems away. An exercise routine will especially help her to keep fit. Your spouse can begin an exercise routine even if she has never really exercised before. Walking, swimming, pre-natal yoga, and simple aerobics are ideal forms of exercise during pregnancy.
These are some of the things your spouse may need to remember if she is starting an exercise routine:
•All exercise programs should be begun gradually. Starting with about 15 minutes, three to four days a week is sufficient.
• She should resist the temptation to overdo it.
•She should avoid jogging, unless she used to jog regularly before her pregnancy.
•She should avoid doing sit-ups and other exercises, which involve lying on the back as they may decrease blood flow to the uterus.
•Exercises that involve standing in the same place for long periods can also decrease blood flow to the baby. It is better to keep moving or changing positions frequently.
•She should avoid strenuous forms of exercise, such as riding a bike.
•She should wear loose comfortable clothing and avoid overheating.
•She must drink adequate amounts of water to avoid dehydration.
•She should eat healthy foods to make up for calories lost during exercise.
•If, after exercise, she notices symptoms such as fatigue, pain, nausea, vaginal bleeding or discharge, or pelvic contractions, she should contact her doctor immediately.
Disclaimer: The above information is commonsense reflection drawn from general experience. If you are looking for expert medical advice, please consult your doctor.
About AuthorsResource Author is an expert author for dad and women related advices for e.g. Exercising during pregnancy . You can contact anytime for kids or parenting related issues.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P_Banas
Friday, April 20, 2007
5 Keys to Raise Good Kids
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By Lela Iskandar
Raising good kids is no easy task. Some parents leave the job to Elmo and the scriptwriters at Sesame Streets while others leave the responsibility to teachers.
For kids, teachers and TV icons may often achieve hero-like status and are always seen as a good role model to imitate. If you leave it like that, you’re leaving the golden opportunity to teach them your values.
It’s sad that most parents forget that it's what they encounter at home that counts the most. If you fall into this category, it’s time to take back the responsibility of raising good children.
If you want to raise good kids, these 5 parenting tips may help:
1. Praise Good Behavior
Too little praise devalues and depresses them, whereas too much praise pumps them full of unrealistic expectations. What you need is just the correct dose of praise. And more importantly, praise the right behavior.
Too many parents nowadays praise or reward their kids for lying. Asking your kids to tell the bible salesmen that mommy is not home and rewarding it with "Thanks!" or candies is the wrong way to nurture your little ones.
Praise only good behavior if you want your kids to behave. And criticize or punish bad behavior. This way you’re giving them reward at the correct place and your children will learn that bad behavior is not tolerated.
At the same time, there’s another thing about praise you need to remember. If you caught yourself sounding like a fake, you probably are pumping the kids unneeded praise. Praising kids is like watering your plant; you need just the right amount to nurture your plant. Too much kills it.
2. Decide Your Values
Social skills are the one important skill we always take for granted. We put our kids in school to learn how to read, write or excel in math. We spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars in books, educational toys or cd to make sure they are at par with their peers when it comes to intelligence and educational skills.
Unfortunately, we spend little time teaching them social skills, assuming this will just falls into place. Thus, many academically talented kids are socially challenged. That's why many parents are surprised to know that their kids end up being a school bully.
Don't neglect your kid’s social needs. Teach them about making friends, tolerating others, handling people and all the other social skills no textbook can teach. Spend time talking to them, it’ll change many things.
3. Take Advantage of Teachable Moments
Kids learn better when they see something in action. Thus, when there are teachable moments, grab the opportunity to educate your kids. This is one of the most neglected aspects of parenting.
When you see bad or unwanted behavior occurring in front of you, take your time to tell your kids why he or she shouldn’t behave like that. And when good things appear before your eyes, make sure your kids are also watching and grab the opportunity to educate them.
What appears in front of their eyes is more readily absorbed than countless nag by you or their teachers. As some say, action speaks louder than words.
4. Limit on Electronics
Pay attention to what they watch or play. Almost every year you'll read a news story about kids who jumped from their balcony trying to imitate Superman or injure themselves while trying a wrestling maneuver.
We are living in a time where visual stimulation is more than enough. A lot of kids don't go spending time playing baseball anymore because they can play it in their living room, thanks to Playstation or X-Box. Instead of reading a book, they’re surfing the net.
Put a halt on this problem. Limit their "electronic simulation" intake. If you restrict TV or their computer time, they'll eventually discover something to do that doesn't require buying more things. Not only this means saving you money, it could also save the children from unwanted influences.
Get your kids to the park or enroll them in a sports team. Spending 10 minutes playing soccer will be far healthier and more rewarding that spending 10 days perfecting soccer maneuver in a pc game.
5. Be Firm
Letting your kids to have her own way after crying and whining tells her that she can get away by making other people's life miserable.
Some parents will relent because they want to avoid a scene. However, in keeping with their terms, you’re teaching your children that fussing work. Thus, the next time they want something you’ll see the same tactics used.
One way to tackle this is by making them promise to you that they will not ask for anything, even before stepping out of the home. Teaches them about the importance of promise and the kind of action you will take if they break it.
Your job as a parent is to help your children. Having good kids is not an accidental thing. It takes time, patience and skills. The most important thing is you take the time to learn and apply them to your kids.
If you want to be a proud father or mother, start teaching your kids the right values when there are still small. Do not waste the golden opportunity to teach them while they’re absorbing your ideas without much resistance. Start while they are small and you wouldn’t have a big headache when they’re big. It’s as simple as that.
For more inspirational parenting tips and wisdom, head on to inspirational quotes for parents section at the Famous Inspirational Quotes website. To teach good values to your kids, head on to the inspirational quotes for kids section.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lela_Iskandar
By Lela Iskandar
Raising good kids is no easy task. Some parents leave the job to Elmo and the scriptwriters at Sesame Streets while others leave the responsibility to teachers.
For kids, teachers and TV icons may often achieve hero-like status and are always seen as a good role model to imitate. If you leave it like that, you’re leaving the golden opportunity to teach them your values.
It’s sad that most parents forget that it's what they encounter at home that counts the most. If you fall into this category, it’s time to take back the responsibility of raising good children.
If you want to raise good kids, these 5 parenting tips may help:
1. Praise Good Behavior
Too little praise devalues and depresses them, whereas too much praise pumps them full of unrealistic expectations. What you need is just the correct dose of praise. And more importantly, praise the right behavior.
Too many parents nowadays praise or reward their kids for lying. Asking your kids to tell the bible salesmen that mommy is not home and rewarding it with "Thanks!" or candies is the wrong way to nurture your little ones.
Praise only good behavior if you want your kids to behave. And criticize or punish bad behavior. This way you’re giving them reward at the correct place and your children will learn that bad behavior is not tolerated.
At the same time, there’s another thing about praise you need to remember. If you caught yourself sounding like a fake, you probably are pumping the kids unneeded praise. Praising kids is like watering your plant; you need just the right amount to nurture your plant. Too much kills it.
2. Decide Your Values
Social skills are the one important skill we always take for granted. We put our kids in school to learn how to read, write or excel in math. We spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars in books, educational toys or cd to make sure they are at par with their peers when it comes to intelligence and educational skills.
Unfortunately, we spend little time teaching them social skills, assuming this will just falls into place. Thus, many academically talented kids are socially challenged. That's why many parents are surprised to know that their kids end up being a school bully.
Don't neglect your kid’s social needs. Teach them about making friends, tolerating others, handling people and all the other social skills no textbook can teach. Spend time talking to them, it’ll change many things.
3. Take Advantage of Teachable Moments
Kids learn better when they see something in action. Thus, when there are teachable moments, grab the opportunity to educate your kids. This is one of the most neglected aspects of parenting.
When you see bad or unwanted behavior occurring in front of you, take your time to tell your kids why he or she shouldn’t behave like that. And when good things appear before your eyes, make sure your kids are also watching and grab the opportunity to educate them.
What appears in front of their eyes is more readily absorbed than countless nag by you or their teachers. As some say, action speaks louder than words.
4. Limit on Electronics
Pay attention to what they watch or play. Almost every year you'll read a news story about kids who jumped from their balcony trying to imitate Superman or injure themselves while trying a wrestling maneuver.
We are living in a time where visual stimulation is more than enough. A lot of kids don't go spending time playing baseball anymore because they can play it in their living room, thanks to Playstation or X-Box. Instead of reading a book, they’re surfing the net.
Put a halt on this problem. Limit their "electronic simulation" intake. If you restrict TV or their computer time, they'll eventually discover something to do that doesn't require buying more things. Not only this means saving you money, it could also save the children from unwanted influences.
Get your kids to the park or enroll them in a sports team. Spending 10 minutes playing soccer will be far healthier and more rewarding that spending 10 days perfecting soccer maneuver in a pc game.
5. Be Firm
Letting your kids to have her own way after crying and whining tells her that she can get away by making other people's life miserable.
Some parents will relent because they want to avoid a scene. However, in keeping with their terms, you’re teaching your children that fussing work. Thus, the next time they want something you’ll see the same tactics used.
One way to tackle this is by making them promise to you that they will not ask for anything, even before stepping out of the home. Teaches them about the importance of promise and the kind of action you will take if they break it.
Your job as a parent is to help your children. Having good kids is not an accidental thing. It takes time, patience and skills. The most important thing is you take the time to learn and apply them to your kids.
If you want to be a proud father or mother, start teaching your kids the right values when there are still small. Do not waste the golden opportunity to teach them while they’re absorbing your ideas without much resistance. Start while they are small and you wouldn’t have a big headache when they’re big. It’s as simple as that.
For more inspirational parenting tips and wisdom, head on to inspirational quotes for parents section at the Famous Inspirational Quotes website. To teach good values to your kids, head on to the inspirational quotes for kids section.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lela_Iskandar
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Discover The Truth About Pregnancy Myths And Wives Tales
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By Terry Edwards
It seems to happen to anyone who becomes pregnant. Inevitably someone will give you some advice and tell you a pregnancy myth or an old pregnancy wives tale. I'm sure you have heard many of them, right? Let's take a look at some of the most popular pregnancy myths and beliefs and see if we can sort out fact from fiction and discover the real truth.
Isn't it amazing at how everyone seems to know everything there is to know about pregnancy? From curing morning sickness to labor and delivery, everyone and their brother has some kind of advice or cure. Morning sickness is a good place to start. One of the oldest boy or girl pregnancy myth says that if you experience a lot of morning sickness then you will have a baby girl. Of course there is no medical basis for this myth. In fact, I had very little morning sickness with my daughter and later had severe morning sickness with my son!
Heartburn is another area that seems to generate a lot of myths about pregnancy. The most common one being that if you are having a lot of heartburn then you will have a baby with a full head of thick dark hair. You just have to laugh at this. Of course that case of heartburn has nothing to do with your just eating 3 supreme tacos from Taco Bell that you had been craving all day!
Your baby's heart rate is yet another area that produces several pregnancy myths. It is said by some that when you go in for a pregnancy well visit and your doctor listens to your baby's heart, if the heart rate is high then you will be having a girl. If it is low, then it's a boy. I will leave this to your own thinking as to whether this is fact or fiction.
One of my favorite pregnancy wives tales is how you are carrying your baby. You may have heard this one before. This boy or girl pregnancy myth says that if you are carrying your baby low it is a boy. If you are carrying high then it will be a girl. The scariest part of this is that there are people in the world who actually believe this.
Having to listen to these pregnancy myths can be good for a laugh or two, but just don't go out and buy your baby's new clothes based on them. To really get a good idea of whether you are having a baby boy or girl during your pregnancy is through an ultra sound. But even then, there are cases when it could be wrong. The one and only absolute positive way of knowing? When you deliver.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.
You're pregnant? Congratulations! You can find out more about what to expect Week By Week Of Pregnancy as well as the many different pregnancy issues that can come up by visiting: http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Edwards
By Terry Edwards
It seems to happen to anyone who becomes pregnant. Inevitably someone will give you some advice and tell you a pregnancy myth or an old pregnancy wives tale. I'm sure you have heard many of them, right? Let's take a look at some of the most popular pregnancy myths and beliefs and see if we can sort out fact from fiction and discover the real truth.
Isn't it amazing at how everyone seems to know everything there is to know about pregnancy? From curing morning sickness to labor and delivery, everyone and their brother has some kind of advice or cure. Morning sickness is a good place to start. One of the oldest boy or girl pregnancy myth says that if you experience a lot of morning sickness then you will have a baby girl. Of course there is no medical basis for this myth. In fact, I had very little morning sickness with my daughter and later had severe morning sickness with my son!
Heartburn is another area that seems to generate a lot of myths about pregnancy. The most common one being that if you are having a lot of heartburn then you will have a baby with a full head of thick dark hair. You just have to laugh at this. Of course that case of heartburn has nothing to do with your just eating 3 supreme tacos from Taco Bell that you had been craving all day!
Your baby's heart rate is yet another area that produces several pregnancy myths. It is said by some that when you go in for a pregnancy well visit and your doctor listens to your baby's heart, if the heart rate is high then you will be having a girl. If it is low, then it's a boy. I will leave this to your own thinking as to whether this is fact or fiction.
One of my favorite pregnancy wives tales is how you are carrying your baby. You may have heard this one before. This boy or girl pregnancy myth says that if you are carrying your baby low it is a boy. If you are carrying high then it will be a girl. The scariest part of this is that there are people in the world who actually believe this.
Having to listen to these pregnancy myths can be good for a laugh or two, but just don't go out and buy your baby's new clothes based on them. To really get a good idea of whether you are having a baby boy or girl during your pregnancy is through an ultra sound. But even then, there are cases when it could be wrong. The one and only absolute positive way of knowing? When you deliver.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.
You're pregnant? Congratulations! You can find out more about what to expect Week By Week Of Pregnancy as well as the many different pregnancy issues that can come up by visiting: http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Edwards
Pregnancy Signs - How To Deal With Common Pregnancy Signs
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By Juzaily Ramli
You wake up one day, just like any other day, and you feel like something is not quite right with your body. You feel that your breasts are a little swollen and tender. Perhaps your period is coming. But then you find that you cannot stand the smell of coffee, or oranges, or any other food for that matter.
Perhaps you are ovulating, and your hormones are experiencing some changes. And then there are the very frequent visits to the bathroom. Add to that little aches and pains that you're now experiencing. Then you think, it could be nothing more than the signs that your monthly period is on its way. But wait a minute, you haven't had your period this month.
Now that would finally be the answer to your symptoms. Once this finally dawns on you, you realize for the first time that you could be pregnant! Signs of pregnancy at this stage would be hard to miss.
There are many common and uncommon pregnancy signs of that you could experience in the first and second trimester of your pregnancy. One very misleading sign is light bleeding or spotting that happens to a pregnant woman. When a woman is spotting, it is tricky to determine that it is a sign of pregnancy. This is because spotting or light bleeding occurs very early in the stages of pregnancy and usually happens during the time of the woman's monthly period.
Thus the woman might think of spotting as her monthly period and will not think of it as a sign of being pregnant. Why does light bleeding happen at this stage? Most of the time, when the fertilized egg implants itself in the endometrial lining of the uterus, light bleeding occurs.
This is very early in the stages of pregnancy that the woman will not realize that she is pregnant, unless she decides to take a pregnancy test when she feels that her flow is too light. Otherwise, she will not find out about her pregnancy until a few more weeks when she realizes that she has missed her period.
Another sign that a woman is pregnant is the frequent trips to the bathroom. To begin with, it is not unusual for a woman to have to urinate often. That is why this is another sign that could be missed as a sign of being pregnant. However, when the woman feels like she should have her own bathroom next to her at all times then something is probably amiss.
It could be a way for the pregnancy to make its presence albeit subtly. It is not impossible for a woman to miss this sign of pregnancy as it occurs as early as one to two weeks after the egg has been fertilized, which is much too early for the woman to have missed her period. Frequent urination is one sign that will last throughout all nine months of the pregnancy.
The one sign of pregnancy that everyone dislikes is the irritability. Irritability is the result of the sudden changes in the woman's hormones. This could also be the result of having to deal with various other changes that will happen to the woman's body during pregnancy.
It is also understandable for a pregnant woman to be irritated as she has to deal with other issues like heartburn, nausea and the frequent urination. Dealing with these issues can make most people a little cranky. The good news with irritability is that it only lasts in the first trimester of pregnancy and will usually fade in the second trimester.
By the second trimester, the hormone changes will become more stable and the pregnant woman has adjusted herself to some of the changes that her body is going through. Among the things that can help the pregnant woman in these difficult times is a lot of patience, plenty of good food and nutrition, and pregnant-friendly exercises. The pregnant woman should also get plenty of rest.
Pregnancy is not permanent. It is a nine-month period which will lead to the birth of a beautiful baby. In coping with these nine months, a little patience goes a long way in helping the expectant mother feel better in dealing with these pregnancy signs.
Juzaily Ramli owns a pregnancy website that discusses everything related to pregnancy and childbirth.
For more info on signs of pregnancy, please visit: Pregnancy Signs
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juzaily_Ramli
By Juzaily Ramli
You wake up one day, just like any other day, and you feel like something is not quite right with your body. You feel that your breasts are a little swollen and tender. Perhaps your period is coming. But then you find that you cannot stand the smell of coffee, or oranges, or any other food for that matter.
Perhaps you are ovulating, and your hormones are experiencing some changes. And then there are the very frequent visits to the bathroom. Add to that little aches and pains that you're now experiencing. Then you think, it could be nothing more than the signs that your monthly period is on its way. But wait a minute, you haven't had your period this month.
Now that would finally be the answer to your symptoms. Once this finally dawns on you, you realize for the first time that you could be pregnant! Signs of pregnancy at this stage would be hard to miss.
There are many common and uncommon pregnancy signs of that you could experience in the first and second trimester of your pregnancy. One very misleading sign is light bleeding or spotting that happens to a pregnant woman. When a woman is spotting, it is tricky to determine that it is a sign of pregnancy. This is because spotting or light bleeding occurs very early in the stages of pregnancy and usually happens during the time of the woman's monthly period.
Thus the woman might think of spotting as her monthly period and will not think of it as a sign of being pregnant. Why does light bleeding happen at this stage? Most of the time, when the fertilized egg implants itself in the endometrial lining of the uterus, light bleeding occurs.
This is very early in the stages of pregnancy that the woman will not realize that she is pregnant, unless she decides to take a pregnancy test when she feels that her flow is too light. Otherwise, she will not find out about her pregnancy until a few more weeks when she realizes that she has missed her period.
Another sign that a woman is pregnant is the frequent trips to the bathroom. To begin with, it is not unusual for a woman to have to urinate often. That is why this is another sign that could be missed as a sign of being pregnant. However, when the woman feels like she should have her own bathroom next to her at all times then something is probably amiss.
It could be a way for the pregnancy to make its presence albeit subtly. It is not impossible for a woman to miss this sign of pregnancy as it occurs as early as one to two weeks after the egg has been fertilized, which is much too early for the woman to have missed her period. Frequent urination is one sign that will last throughout all nine months of the pregnancy.
The one sign of pregnancy that everyone dislikes is the irritability. Irritability is the result of the sudden changes in the woman's hormones. This could also be the result of having to deal with various other changes that will happen to the woman's body during pregnancy.
It is also understandable for a pregnant woman to be irritated as she has to deal with other issues like heartburn, nausea and the frequent urination. Dealing with these issues can make most people a little cranky. The good news with irritability is that it only lasts in the first trimester of pregnancy and will usually fade in the second trimester.
By the second trimester, the hormone changes will become more stable and the pregnant woman has adjusted herself to some of the changes that her body is going through. Among the things that can help the pregnant woman in these difficult times is a lot of patience, plenty of good food and nutrition, and pregnant-friendly exercises. The pregnant woman should also get plenty of rest.
Pregnancy is not permanent. It is a nine-month period which will lead to the birth of a beautiful baby. In coping with these nine months, a little patience goes a long way in helping the expectant mother feel better in dealing with these pregnancy signs.
Juzaily Ramli owns a pregnancy website that discusses everything related to pregnancy and childbirth.
For more info on signs of pregnancy, please visit: Pregnancy Signs
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juzaily_Ramli
Pregnancy Symptoms - First Signs of Pregnancy
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By Michelle Dixon
Could you possibly be pregnant? There are many fictional characters that are asked by an "old lady," “When are you due sweetie?” Even when the fictional character had no idea she was pregnant! In real life that does not happen very often.
The best way to find out for sure if you are pregnant is with a pregnancy test, of course.
Yet, you might not have had a chance to buy one. There are several first pregnancy symptoms and signs you can look for that are not absolute indications of pregnancy, yet may lead you to go ahead and buy a pregnancy test even before you have missed your period.
Your Breasts May Become Tender. Tenderness in your breasts or the feelings of heaviness or swelling may be the very first sign of pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes your body is suddenly going through.
Feeling Unusually Tired. Another first pregnancy symptom is feeling overly tired when you normally should not be tired. Again, hormone surges, especially progesterone, play a part in making you feel tired or fatigued.
Slight Spotting Earlier Than When Your Period is Due. Some women experience slight spotting a day or two prior to when their normal period is due. The spotting can be attributed to the egg attaching to the lining of the uterus. The spotting is normally much lighter than a regular period.
An Increased Sense of Smell, Leading to Slight Nausea.. Some women experience a usual increased sense of smell from foods cooking, perfume, etc., which may lead to the feeling of Nausea.
Moodiness and Headaches. Unusual moodiness can be attributed to those inflated hormones that go with pregnancy. Frequent headaches may be blamed on the increased blood circulation due to (once again) hormone changes.
The above first signs of pregnancy are good indicators, yet can also be caused by a number of other physical changes in your body. Although, if you have missed a period and are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it might be a good idea to buy a pregnancy test and find out for sure if you are pregnant. That way, you can begin prenatal care as soon as possible.
By Michelle Dixon, Copyright 2007. Michelle Dixon writes about many different types of health and fitness subjects. For more information regarding A Healthy Pregnancy & Childbirth please see http://www.e-pregnancyguide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Dixon
By Michelle Dixon
Could you possibly be pregnant? There are many fictional characters that are asked by an "old lady," “When are you due sweetie?” Even when the fictional character had no idea she was pregnant! In real life that does not happen very often.
The best way to find out for sure if you are pregnant is with a pregnancy test, of course.
Yet, you might not have had a chance to buy one. There are several first pregnancy symptoms and signs you can look for that are not absolute indications of pregnancy, yet may lead you to go ahead and buy a pregnancy test even before you have missed your period.
Your Breasts May Become Tender. Tenderness in your breasts or the feelings of heaviness or swelling may be the very first sign of pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes your body is suddenly going through.
Feeling Unusually Tired. Another first pregnancy symptom is feeling overly tired when you normally should not be tired. Again, hormone surges, especially progesterone, play a part in making you feel tired or fatigued.
Slight Spotting Earlier Than When Your Period is Due. Some women experience slight spotting a day or two prior to when their normal period is due. The spotting can be attributed to the egg attaching to the lining of the uterus. The spotting is normally much lighter than a regular period.
An Increased Sense of Smell, Leading to Slight Nausea.. Some women experience a usual increased sense of smell from foods cooking, perfume, etc., which may lead to the feeling of Nausea.
Moodiness and Headaches. Unusual moodiness can be attributed to those inflated hormones that go with pregnancy. Frequent headaches may be blamed on the increased blood circulation due to (once again) hormone changes.
The above first signs of pregnancy are good indicators, yet can also be caused by a number of other physical changes in your body. Although, if you have missed a period and are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it might be a good idea to buy a pregnancy test and find out for sure if you are pregnant. That way, you can begin prenatal care as soon as possible.
By Michelle Dixon, Copyright 2007. Michelle Dixon writes about many different types of health and fitness subjects. For more information regarding A Healthy Pregnancy & Childbirth please see http://www.e-pregnancyguide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Dixon
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
All The Amazing Eczema Secrets – Probiotics For Infant Eczema
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By Dane J Stanton
Eczema can be a terrible skin disorder for many infants and it often creates a feeling of irritability in the child as well as the parents. It is a terrible condition of the skin that researchers and medical professionals alike do not know the exact cause of although some experts have pointedly suggested allergies to be a main contributor of the condition. This is where probiotics infant eczema comes in to play because many professionals are beginning to believe that probiotics may help stave off infant eczema. In order to properly understand probiotics infant eczema let’s examine a little closer the cause and effect relationship.
Infant Formula Probiotics Eczema
It is studied and documents that probiotics infant eczema found in children that were being breast fed, in other words, the parents are doing all the right things for the baby that is known to be healthful and beneficial are still developing eczema. As studies will continue to be conducted and more information will be available on this subject, they was a study on probiotics infant eczema in which a team of professional medical researchers and scientists performed on a group of babies in the age group of four months, give or take a week or two.
All of these babies were being breast-fed and had developed infant eczema. They were all taken off the breast milk diet and placed on an infant formula diet that probiotics infant eczema seemed to react positively. Positively in the way that most of the babies showed a clear regression in the inflammatory allergic reaction that was believed to be giving the babies the infant eczema in the first place. Naturally, the babies had varying degrees of infant eczema and each one reacted differently however the babies did react in a positive manner towards the treatment. Probiotics infant eczema seems to be the key to keeping infant eczema at bay.
Of course, much more research and documentation is required before producing any concrete results however this is a great breakthrough in treating infant eczema as it doesn’t typically react well with any other treatments and therefore the professionals tend to try and treat infant eczema through diet as opposed to harsh chemical ointments and lotions that may irritate a baby’s delicate skin even more than the original case of eczema. Probiotics infant eczema will be studied more in the near future and in the meantime if you desire more information on the subject, simply type it in your search bar, as there is several published case studies.
If you want to learn more about eczema treatment. You'll find the best tips on everything to do with the cause of eczema
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_J_Stanton
By Dane J Stanton
Eczema can be a terrible skin disorder for many infants and it often creates a feeling of irritability in the child as well as the parents. It is a terrible condition of the skin that researchers and medical professionals alike do not know the exact cause of although some experts have pointedly suggested allergies to be a main contributor of the condition. This is where probiotics infant eczema comes in to play because many professionals are beginning to believe that probiotics may help stave off infant eczema. In order to properly understand probiotics infant eczema let’s examine a little closer the cause and effect relationship.
Infant Formula Probiotics Eczema
It is studied and documents that probiotics infant eczema found in children that were being breast fed, in other words, the parents are doing all the right things for the baby that is known to be healthful and beneficial are still developing eczema. As studies will continue to be conducted and more information will be available on this subject, they was a study on probiotics infant eczema in which a team of professional medical researchers and scientists performed on a group of babies in the age group of four months, give or take a week or two.
All of these babies were being breast-fed and had developed infant eczema. They were all taken off the breast milk diet and placed on an infant formula diet that probiotics infant eczema seemed to react positively. Positively in the way that most of the babies showed a clear regression in the inflammatory allergic reaction that was believed to be giving the babies the infant eczema in the first place. Naturally, the babies had varying degrees of infant eczema and each one reacted differently however the babies did react in a positive manner towards the treatment. Probiotics infant eczema seems to be the key to keeping infant eczema at bay.
Of course, much more research and documentation is required before producing any concrete results however this is a great breakthrough in treating infant eczema as it doesn’t typically react well with any other treatments and therefore the professionals tend to try and treat infant eczema through diet as opposed to harsh chemical ointments and lotions that may irritate a baby’s delicate skin even more than the original case of eczema. Probiotics infant eczema will be studied more in the near future and in the meantime if you desire more information on the subject, simply type it in your search bar, as there is several published case studies.
If you want to learn more about eczema treatment. You'll find the best tips on everything to do with the cause of eczema
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_J_Stanton
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
How Do You Get Your Children To Listen
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By Christobel Llewellyn
One easy way is to find quality kid’s music they can fall in love with. It works every time. Learning something naturally is really the best way.
The Body
Did you know that the “listening” part of our brain is the first to grow and is fully functional at 20 weeks in utero? However, a human being has to wait more than 7 months after this before their eyes work. Nature obviously thinks listening is more important that seeing. This is interesting especially now that we live in a totally visually obsessed world.
Learning
There are electronic screens everywhere. Children like adults have different styles of learning – visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Not all are visual therefore if we expose them to good quality kid’s music they will be able to absorb this with whatever style is their strength.
Our Very Own Memory Stick
With each new kids song they hear, their brain will grow a memory stick to store this information. All the while they are using their auditory facility and all the while it’s being strengthened. With each new memory stick, their brain is growing bigger and more capable. Whether they use this for learning music or not, this memory stick is there fully functional for the rest of their lives.
Brain as a Computer
It’s not just the memory stick that the brain grows……using their most natural way of learning, each child gets a faster processor to go with it. Every parent knows that a computer is only as good as it’s memory and speed. More memory and more speed is what we pay for. What’s so amazing about our very own computers ie. Our brains, is that our memory capacity is unlimited.
Physical Sound
Music is one of the few things in this world, in fact the only thing we have that uses both sides of our brain. It goes through our emotions bypassing the intellect so you don’t have to be bright to benefit. Because sound is physical…..it penetrates our brains in an instant. What we get our children to listen to is crucial as this is stored and used for life.
Parents want the best
All parents want the best for their children. All parents want their children to listen. Music is the easiest, most natural way.
Christobel Llewellyn is a mother of three and professional musician. She is the founder of KINDERJAZZ The Big Swing Band For Little Kids and is passionate about introducing children to quality kids music. Check out her web address at http://www.kinderjazz.com to get more information of how children learn and how powerful music is when used in this process. KINDERJAZZ has no less than 5 kids CDs teaching children about music and encouraging them to learn an instrument. It's all done via a Big Band and amounts to a lot of fun. There are
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christobel_Llewellynhttp://EzineArticles.com/?How-Do-You-Get-Your-Children-To-Listen&id=498107
By Christobel Llewellyn
One easy way is to find quality kid’s music they can fall in love with. It works every time. Learning something naturally is really the best way.
The Body
Did you know that the “listening” part of our brain is the first to grow and is fully functional at 20 weeks in utero? However, a human being has to wait more than 7 months after this before their eyes work. Nature obviously thinks listening is more important that seeing. This is interesting especially now that we live in a totally visually obsessed world.
Learning
There are electronic screens everywhere. Children like adults have different styles of learning – visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Not all are visual therefore if we expose them to good quality kid’s music they will be able to absorb this with whatever style is their strength.
Our Very Own Memory Stick
With each new kids song they hear, their brain will grow a memory stick to store this information. All the while they are using their auditory facility and all the while it’s being strengthened. With each new memory stick, their brain is growing bigger and more capable. Whether they use this for learning music or not, this memory stick is there fully functional for the rest of their lives.
Brain as a Computer
It’s not just the memory stick that the brain grows……using their most natural way of learning, each child gets a faster processor to go with it. Every parent knows that a computer is only as good as it’s memory and speed. More memory and more speed is what we pay for. What’s so amazing about our very own computers ie. Our brains, is that our memory capacity is unlimited.
Physical Sound
Music is one of the few things in this world, in fact the only thing we have that uses both sides of our brain. It goes through our emotions bypassing the intellect so you don’t have to be bright to benefit. Because sound is physical…..it penetrates our brains in an instant. What we get our children to listen to is crucial as this is stored and used for life.
Parents want the best
All parents want the best for their children. All parents want their children to listen. Music is the easiest, most natural way.
Christobel Llewellyn is a mother of three and professional musician. She is the founder of KINDERJAZZ The Big Swing Band For Little Kids and is passionate about introducing children to quality kids music. Check out her web address at http://www.kinderjazz.com to get more information of how children learn and how powerful music is when used in this process. KINDERJAZZ has no less than 5 kids CDs teaching children about music and encouraging them to learn an instrument. It's all done via a Big Band and amounts to a lot of fun. There are
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christobel_Llewellynhttp://EzineArticles.com/?How-Do-You-Get-Your-Children-To-Listen&id=498107
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Practical Help For Kids With ADD
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My son, Sam is six and has ADHD and is on Ritalin. Everything is a battle with him. He fights. He swears. He kicks and screams and cries. Have you any tips on how I can handle him better? I always seem to be on his case. Any advice you can give would be appreciated. Thank-you. Karen.
Dear Karen,
This is a question many parents are asking these days. The struggles and frustrations you may be feeling at times are shared by a lot of parents I work with. That fact doesn’t necessarily make it easier, but it may help to remind you that your feelings and reactions are quite common and in essence…you are not alone!
Having said that, let’s focus on what you can do to make things better. Each tip that I offer is just that…a tip…it’s not the whole story. So please use this article as a foundation for these important strategies. It will get you and your kids started in a new and healthier direction.
The diagnosis of ADD brings with it a GIGANTIC story. The folklore of that story varies; depending upon which book you read and which expert you consult. For this brief discussion, let’s pay minimal attention to the “folklore.” Why? Because it pulls your energy and attention into a sphere of mental and emotional thoughts that are mostly out of your control. That can make you feel more and more out of control!
Instead, I will ask you to focus on your source of power…which is your own actions. This seemingly subtle shift brings you back to the only world you can really control…and that is your own.
So, rather than discussing your son…let’s talk about parenting your son. Here are five essential tips for reducing these frustrating moments with out of control behavior that you son exhibits at times.
TIPS FOR PARENTING THE CHALLENGING CHILD
1. Don’t take his actions personally. It’s not about you.
If you do his misbehavior personally, you will get caught up in “reactive parenting.” This will only make things worse. Likely you have seen the result of reacting with threats, yelling or even spanking. If you fall into this pattern with your son, he actually feeds on that energy. (Why he does that…well that’s another story. For now, just notice the truth in this conclusion.)
When you aren’t reactive, you can now be proactive. You can be mindful. You can be creative. You can be effective. You can even be a terrific parent who uses the tough moments to teach critical lessons. This of course…is only the beginning. Next, …
2. Make a list of “Weeds” and “Seeds”
What do I mean? Weeds are the actions, behaviors and emotions you would rather not have in your home. This is the negative stuff you want to get rid of. Write it down (in a private place).
Seeds are the actions and behaviors you value. This is the stuff you want to nurture and grow. Write it down, and BE SPECIFIC.
Contemplate these two lists as you consider this: Regardless of how or why your son carries the ADD diagnosis, his behavior (good or bad) expands based upon the amount of attention it gets. Many of the classic ADD behaviors tend to PULL you into them. You then give those “Weeds” lots of your energy. Thus, the weeds just multiply.
This leaves little opportunity to give energy to the “Seeds” of success and happiness. If you want things to get better, you must turn this dynamic around first. The success of every other strategy and approach will depend upon how this fundamental is handled. So, the next step…
3. Make a commitment to starve the “weeds”
Make sure you walk away for all the weed-like behaviors in your home. If it’s not threatening health or safety, walk away. Starve that weed.
When you do, things will get worse for a while. That’s right. It will get worse BECAUSE the weed is used to getting fed, and it will be screaming to pull you in. DON’T DO IT! When your son tantrums, you need to walk away…and stay away. You must resist getting pulled in, and instead…
4. Patently wait…and obsess on catching every “seed” you can find.
When you son’s tantrum is over, then casually walk by and touch him on the shoulder. Or you could just smile, or give him a “thumbs up.” Contrary to many of the books you read, it really doesn’t matter how you water the “seeds of healthy behavior”…. it’s just important to make sure that these moments start getting MOST of your energy.
We can predict the quality of your relationship with your son, as well as his success in school, based upon how this pattern unfolds. You have control…not on whether he tantrums…but on whether you feed the tantrum with your energy. Your energy is like water to that weed…. you keep feeding it…it keeps growing.
I didn’t make up the rules. It just works that way. Finally…
5. When and where you set limits, do so with action, not with words.
Up to this point, you may think that I’m a softie when it comes to consequences. I am not.
Consequences are critical in the learning process. Use them to teach limits, and make sure you don’t use feeble threats. Make your action speak the dominant message. When your son’s actions do pose a threat, or he is out of control, teach him with a firm consequence. Not a lecture. Not a frustrated look. Not a threat. Use action to teach these limits…especially for your son with ADD. He will thrive on these learning opportunities.
However, he will not get these critical lessons if you skip step three and four. These earlier steps create the environment where you son can now learn from his choices. You can learn more about the use of effective consequences on my website, at www.TerrificParenting.com.
In closing, keep in mind that this will not be easy. But it helps to remember that this is a learning process that takes time for you and your son to master. Don’t expect magic in three days. But you can expect real results in a few weeks, if you remain true to these fundamental principles. Best of luck Karen.
Dr. Randy L. Cale is a licensed psychologist and offers parental coaching through his website http://www.TerrificParenting.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Randy_Cale
My son, Sam is six and has ADHD and is on Ritalin. Everything is a battle with him. He fights. He swears. He kicks and screams and cries. Have you any tips on how I can handle him better? I always seem to be on his case. Any advice you can give would be appreciated. Thank-you. Karen.
Dear Karen,
This is a question many parents are asking these days. The struggles and frustrations you may be feeling at times are shared by a lot of parents I work with. That fact doesn’t necessarily make it easier, but it may help to remind you that your feelings and reactions are quite common and in essence…you are not alone!
Having said that, let’s focus on what you can do to make things better. Each tip that I offer is just that…a tip…it’s not the whole story. So please use this article as a foundation for these important strategies. It will get you and your kids started in a new and healthier direction.
The diagnosis of ADD brings with it a GIGANTIC story. The folklore of that story varies; depending upon which book you read and which expert you consult. For this brief discussion, let’s pay minimal attention to the “folklore.” Why? Because it pulls your energy and attention into a sphere of mental and emotional thoughts that are mostly out of your control. That can make you feel more and more out of control!
Instead, I will ask you to focus on your source of power…which is your own actions. This seemingly subtle shift brings you back to the only world you can really control…and that is your own.
So, rather than discussing your son…let’s talk about parenting your son. Here are five essential tips for reducing these frustrating moments with out of control behavior that you son exhibits at times.
TIPS FOR PARENTING THE CHALLENGING CHILD
1. Don’t take his actions personally. It’s not about you.
If you do his misbehavior personally, you will get caught up in “reactive parenting.” This will only make things worse. Likely you have seen the result of reacting with threats, yelling or even spanking. If you fall into this pattern with your son, he actually feeds on that energy. (Why he does that…well that’s another story. For now, just notice the truth in this conclusion.)
When you aren’t reactive, you can now be proactive. You can be mindful. You can be creative. You can be effective. You can even be a terrific parent who uses the tough moments to teach critical lessons. This of course…is only the beginning. Next, …
2. Make a list of “Weeds” and “Seeds”
What do I mean? Weeds are the actions, behaviors and emotions you would rather not have in your home. This is the negative stuff you want to get rid of. Write it down (in a private place).
Seeds are the actions and behaviors you value. This is the stuff you want to nurture and grow. Write it down, and BE SPECIFIC.
Contemplate these two lists as you consider this: Regardless of how or why your son carries the ADD diagnosis, his behavior (good or bad) expands based upon the amount of attention it gets. Many of the classic ADD behaviors tend to PULL you into them. You then give those “Weeds” lots of your energy. Thus, the weeds just multiply.
This leaves little opportunity to give energy to the “Seeds” of success and happiness. If you want things to get better, you must turn this dynamic around first. The success of every other strategy and approach will depend upon how this fundamental is handled. So, the next step…
3. Make a commitment to starve the “weeds”
Make sure you walk away for all the weed-like behaviors in your home. If it’s not threatening health or safety, walk away. Starve that weed.
When you do, things will get worse for a while. That’s right. It will get worse BECAUSE the weed is used to getting fed, and it will be screaming to pull you in. DON’T DO IT! When your son tantrums, you need to walk away…and stay away. You must resist getting pulled in, and instead…
4. Patently wait…and obsess on catching every “seed” you can find.
When you son’s tantrum is over, then casually walk by and touch him on the shoulder. Or you could just smile, or give him a “thumbs up.” Contrary to many of the books you read, it really doesn’t matter how you water the “seeds of healthy behavior”…. it’s just important to make sure that these moments start getting MOST of your energy.
We can predict the quality of your relationship with your son, as well as his success in school, based upon how this pattern unfolds. You have control…not on whether he tantrums…but on whether you feed the tantrum with your energy. Your energy is like water to that weed…. you keep feeding it…it keeps growing.
I didn’t make up the rules. It just works that way. Finally…
5. When and where you set limits, do so with action, not with words.
Up to this point, you may think that I’m a softie when it comes to consequences. I am not.
Consequences are critical in the learning process. Use them to teach limits, and make sure you don’t use feeble threats. Make your action speak the dominant message. When your son’s actions do pose a threat, or he is out of control, teach him with a firm consequence. Not a lecture. Not a frustrated look. Not a threat. Use action to teach these limits…especially for your son with ADD. He will thrive on these learning opportunities.
However, he will not get these critical lessons if you skip step three and four. These earlier steps create the environment where you son can now learn from his choices. You can learn more about the use of effective consequences on my website, at www.TerrificParenting.com.
In closing, keep in mind that this will not be easy. But it helps to remember that this is a learning process that takes time for you and your son to master. Don’t expect magic in three days. But you can expect real results in a few weeks, if you remain true to these fundamental principles. Best of luck Karen.
Dr. Randy L. Cale is a licensed psychologist and offers parental coaching through his website http://www.TerrificParenting.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Randy_Cale
Monday, March 19, 2007
Naming Your Baby
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By Rob Ross
So you are planning or currently pregnant with your baby and have no idea what to name him or her. You have so many options and so many sources available to you. This article is meant to give you a few ideas on where to look and how to decide.
Method one: Your family history.
You have plenty of names available to you in your family tree. Some couples name their children after their own parents or grandparents. What a great way to honour your roots and where you came from. This is a great way to name your baby, so long as you like the names of your parents and grandparents. So what if you don't like your choices?
Method two: Buy a book.
There are hundreds of books available with lists of baby names sorted into various categories. The benefit of these books, is that you literally have tens of thousands of names at your fingertips. These books can be found in most libraries, bookstores and even online. If you like the idea of having a large selection of baby names to browse though, but don't want to buy a book, you're in luck. There's a third option.
Method three: Visit a baby names web site.
There are several web sites on the Internet that are dedicated solely to baby names. The benefit of these sites is that, unlike a book, you can search for baby names and select options to list more specific types of names. The most common choices are to search alphabetically, by nationality and by gender.
Either method you choose, naming your baby can be a wonderful experience. Your child deserves the best you can give. Following one of these three methods will enable you to select a name for your baby that you will be proud of.
Rob Ross is the creator of a website listing over 8,000 baby names. Visit Baby Names for your baby name search.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Ross
By Rob Ross
So you are planning or currently pregnant with your baby and have no idea what to name him or her. You have so many options and so many sources available to you. This article is meant to give you a few ideas on where to look and how to decide.
Method one: Your family history.
You have plenty of names available to you in your family tree. Some couples name their children after their own parents or grandparents. What a great way to honour your roots and where you came from. This is a great way to name your baby, so long as you like the names of your parents and grandparents. So what if you don't like your choices?
Method two: Buy a book.
There are hundreds of books available with lists of baby names sorted into various categories. The benefit of these books, is that you literally have tens of thousands of names at your fingertips. These books can be found in most libraries, bookstores and even online. If you like the idea of having a large selection of baby names to browse though, but don't want to buy a book, you're in luck. There's a third option.
Method three: Visit a baby names web site.
There are several web sites on the Internet that are dedicated solely to baby names. The benefit of these sites is that, unlike a book, you can search for baby names and select options to list more specific types of names. The most common choices are to search alphabetically, by nationality and by gender.
Either method you choose, naming your baby can be a wonderful experience. Your child deserves the best you can give. Following one of these three methods will enable you to select a name for your baby that you will be proud of.
Rob Ross is the creator of a website listing over 8,000 baby names. Visit Baby Names for your baby name search.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Ross
I'm A Stay At Home Mom, How Can I Socialize My Preschooler?
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By Susanne Myers
Most children these days attend some kind of preschool program before entering mainstream education in kindergarten. Preschools have changed since I was in school. Now, they are geared towards preparing the children academically. When children stay home, they miss this and the process of getting to know other children.
If money is an issue, keeping a child at home instead of sending them to preschool seems like a good idea. You don’t have to pay for child care and you can make sure of your child’s surrounding environment. Unfortunately, your child will also miss out on playing with other kids their own age.
Most states offer federally funded preschool programs. If you enroll in one, there is no cost passed on to the parent. Your child receives preparation for kindergarten for free. Some even provide transportation within their own districts. The waiting lists for these programs can be long so you should get your child on one as early as a year before they are ready.
Federally or state funded programs are regulated. These preschools teach counting, color and shape recognition, drawing, physical skills like clapping and waving, and social skills like sharing. These are things that all children need to learn.
A stay at home parent can teach these skills, too. The problem is that the way a parent demonstrates the skill is not a realistic interpretation of how things will be with another child. At the age of two through four, children are self-centered. The universe revolves around them. If Suzy has a toy and Johnny puts out his hand to take it, Suzy may draw back and hold on tighter to her toy. What will Johnny do? He may cry or he may try to pull the toy from Suzy’s arms. An adult will not demonstrate this when teaching their child how to share.
Parents should consider sending their children to preschool at least two or three days a week. What do you have to lose? A free program costs you nothing, but your child has everything to gain. Learning how to interact with children their own age will prepare them for kindergarten. Preschool can give them the social etiquette necessary in relationships throughout their life. Children who interact with others are less selfish and more prone to situational problem solving. They learn the option of playing together as opposed to hogging a toy and not sharing it.
If you are a parent that is dead set against preschool or there are no preschool options in your area, you can introduce socialization into your child’s life if you are resourceful. Play groups offer children the chance to interact with other children. Local churches offer children’s groups. Neighborhoods that have stay-at-home mothers with small children can organize park days for playtime. While the mom’s get a much needed break, the children can learn to play together in the sandbox.
Get your child involved in sports. Tumbling or gymnastics groups not only teach physical skills but also camaraderie and team work. Kids can get involved with pee-wee soccer or T-ball. When situations arise between your child and another, you will have to be the one to explain to your child the right way to handle it.
All of these options are good alternatives. But, unless they are done on a regular basis, your child will not get the constant interaction that is needed with learning new behaviors. If you have younger children at home, it could become a burden for you to take on your preschool age child’s socialization all by yourself.
If you are concerned about the quality of your preschool, look into getting your child placed in another program. When it comes to giving your child a well-rounded education, check all your options. Socialization may seem like a small thing now, but not doing it could affect your child for the rest of their life.
For more information on raising your toddler or preschooler visit http://www.parentingzoo.com/articles/toddler.html and then take a moment to visit ParentingZoo.cm at http://www.parentingzoo.com and sign up for our online parenting magazine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanne_Myers
By Susanne Myers
Most children these days attend some kind of preschool program before entering mainstream education in kindergarten. Preschools have changed since I was in school. Now, they are geared towards preparing the children academically. When children stay home, they miss this and the process of getting to know other children.
If money is an issue, keeping a child at home instead of sending them to preschool seems like a good idea. You don’t have to pay for child care and you can make sure of your child’s surrounding environment. Unfortunately, your child will also miss out on playing with other kids their own age.
Most states offer federally funded preschool programs. If you enroll in one, there is no cost passed on to the parent. Your child receives preparation for kindergarten for free. Some even provide transportation within their own districts. The waiting lists for these programs can be long so you should get your child on one as early as a year before they are ready.
Federally or state funded programs are regulated. These preschools teach counting, color and shape recognition, drawing, physical skills like clapping and waving, and social skills like sharing. These are things that all children need to learn.
A stay at home parent can teach these skills, too. The problem is that the way a parent demonstrates the skill is not a realistic interpretation of how things will be with another child. At the age of two through four, children are self-centered. The universe revolves around them. If Suzy has a toy and Johnny puts out his hand to take it, Suzy may draw back and hold on tighter to her toy. What will Johnny do? He may cry or he may try to pull the toy from Suzy’s arms. An adult will not demonstrate this when teaching their child how to share.
Parents should consider sending their children to preschool at least two or three days a week. What do you have to lose? A free program costs you nothing, but your child has everything to gain. Learning how to interact with children their own age will prepare them for kindergarten. Preschool can give them the social etiquette necessary in relationships throughout their life. Children who interact with others are less selfish and more prone to situational problem solving. They learn the option of playing together as opposed to hogging a toy and not sharing it.
If you are a parent that is dead set against preschool or there are no preschool options in your area, you can introduce socialization into your child’s life if you are resourceful. Play groups offer children the chance to interact with other children. Local churches offer children’s groups. Neighborhoods that have stay-at-home mothers with small children can organize park days for playtime. While the mom’s get a much needed break, the children can learn to play together in the sandbox.
Get your child involved in sports. Tumbling or gymnastics groups not only teach physical skills but also camaraderie and team work. Kids can get involved with pee-wee soccer or T-ball. When situations arise between your child and another, you will have to be the one to explain to your child the right way to handle it.
All of these options are good alternatives. But, unless they are done on a regular basis, your child will not get the constant interaction that is needed with learning new behaviors. If you have younger children at home, it could become a burden for you to take on your preschool age child’s socialization all by yourself.
If you are concerned about the quality of your preschool, look into getting your child placed in another program. When it comes to giving your child a well-rounded education, check all your options. Socialization may seem like a small thing now, but not doing it could affect your child for the rest of their life.
For more information on raising your toddler or preschooler visit http://www.parentingzoo.com/articles/toddler.html and then take a moment to visit ParentingZoo.cm at http://www.parentingzoo.com and sign up for our online parenting magazine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanne_Myers
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Taming the Toddler Tantrum – How to Turn Drama into Cooperation
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By Shelly Walker
This morning we had one of those toddler melt-downs. She was sitting on my lap at the computer looking at a picture of a baby flash across the screen. I needed to get up; she wanted to look at that baby some more. She had already decided what she wanted (to look at the picture) and how she wanted it (on my lap) and there was literally nothing I could do to change her mind. We melted.
The truth is that these things will happen when you have a toddler around. They’re working so hard to become independent people; but they don’t have the life experience and skills to do what they want to do. What a frustrating time for them – and us! The good news is that there are some simple ways to minimize the fuss and maximize the fun as your toddler works to develop those skills that he needs to be a successful human being.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is this: every tantrum has a real reason behind it and it’s up to us as parents to look behind the melt-down and find the root cause. Usually it’s one of the following: hunger, exhaustion, frustration or fear. When your toddler melts, it’s up to you to address the root cause, not necessarily the behavior itself. Telling a screaming toddler to “stop it or you’ll be in trouble” does absolutely nothing to mitigate the true cause of the tantrum. If anything, that kind of attitude only adds to your child’s frustration.
Here are some ways to avoid tantrums and some ideas on how to tame the tantrums that do occur:
• Keep to your schedule. Being on a regular schedule helps a toddler to feel secure. Having that security gives her the space to make new ventures in her little world. Also, being on a regular schedule means that you will limit the number of melt-downs that occur because of hunger and exhaustion. Here’s what a toddler schedule could look like: Wake up. Change diaper. Eat breakfast. Have play time with care-giver. Have snack. Have nap (if on a two-nap schedule) or more play-time (if on a one-nap schedule). Change diaper. Have lunch. Have reading time with care-giver. Have nap. Change diaper. Have play time with care-giver. Have snack. Have play time with care-giver. Change diaper. Have dinner. Have play time with family. Change diaper. Go to bed. And, for you stay-at-home parents who are wondering how to get your chores done… Toddlers love to help around the house! “Play time” could be sorting laundry, shopping, washing windows, gardening, sweeping, doing the dishes and cooking! As long as it doesn’t include power tools, include your toddler in your day. Also, keep nap-times sacred to (gasp!) ME-time. Read, nap, meditate, garden, write, paint -- use this time every day to feed your soul. This will keep adult-tantrums to a minimum.
• Be sensitive about transitions. Many tantrums happen because the child is not being prepared to switch tasks: he’s simply expected to stop what he’s doing and move on to the next thing. Imagine being in his world: one minute you’re happily stacking blocks then someone walks in and drags you to the car to go shopping without warning. How rude! Keeping to your schedule means that your toddler will be prepared to make smooth transitions from one activity to the next. But sometimes things happen and we have to be more flexible. Give your child a catch-phrase that you use during the day when it’s almost time to switch to something else. For our family, we give a five-minute warning. “Faith, in five minutes it will be time for nap.” Another phrase that works well for some families is, “We’re almost done with _______, and next we’ll be doing _______.” I’ve noticed that first-borns especially like to be well-informed on what’s going to happen next. Giving a warning helps your toddler to end one task so she can move on to the next gracefully.
• “Me do it!” Nothing makes a toddler angrier than when his care-givers won’t let him do things for himself. Create opportunities for him to have the independence he so desperately needs.
Make sure he has clothing that is simple to put on. Minimize buttons, snaps and over-alls. Make sure he has shoes that he can slip on himself.
Get him a set of toddler-sized house-cleaning tools. If he has the tools, he will use them!
Make sure he has stools at sinks so he can wash his hands and “help” with the dishes.
When he’s attempting tasks that are beyond his skills and strength, help him tactfully. “How about if I just hold this part of the box and you hold that part and we’ll carry it together?”
Sometimes, it’s okay to let him try and fail. How will he know what he can do if he’s not allowed to try the limits of his potential?
• Keep your sense of humor and an open mind! One evening at tooth-brushing time, my daughter decided that she simply wasn’t going to brush her teeth. We tried everything: we put on her favorite toothpaste (toddler toothpaste – without fluoride), we let her start by herself, we tried forcing her to let us help, we tried joking with her and tickling her to get her to open her mouth, we tried singing with our mouths wide open so we could trick her into opening up. Nothing worked. She went from stubborn to giggling to frustrated back to stubborn. Finally I remembered watching her try to spit in the sink after she’d seen her dad spit. I said, “Faith, do you need to spit?” Immediately, she got back in the game. She spat then she let me brush some more so she could spit again. We kept up this cycle of brushing and spitting until her teeth were clean. Enrolling cooperation is much more effective than forcing your will onto your toddler. I’ve become the master of marketing – to my children any way. I’ve learned how to manipulate their prejudices and preferences to get them to do what I want them to do, like try new foods, take showers and even brush their teeth. You know your children inside and out. Use that knowledge and your creativity to help tame the tantrums.
• Remember the four things to look for then your toddler does melt down. Is he hungry? Tired? Frustrated? Afraid? Your toddler is too young to control his emotions and he is just learning how to behave in situations. His behavior is a reaction to some internal event. Dig down and address that internal cause. Let him feel understood and loved as you help him to learn appropriate ways to handle his emotions.
Remember to keep cool in the heat of the moment. There’s no point in getting angry or embarrassed. Simply address the root cause of the tantrum in a loving, peaceful way. She’s not misbehaving; she’s just reacting in a totally appropriate toddler fashion to something that is very real for her. Love her, guide her and watch her blossom!
Straight talk from the mom who’s been where you are and knows how to help your family: Shelly Walker is the mother of two beautiful children and the author of Awakened Power and the upcoming book Parenting Keys. Shelly is passionate about children and believes that every child deserves healthy, happy parents.
For more information, go to http://www.parentingkeys.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelly_Walker
By Shelly Walker
This morning we had one of those toddler melt-downs. She was sitting on my lap at the computer looking at a picture of a baby flash across the screen. I needed to get up; she wanted to look at that baby some more. She had already decided what she wanted (to look at the picture) and how she wanted it (on my lap) and there was literally nothing I could do to change her mind. We melted.
The truth is that these things will happen when you have a toddler around. They’re working so hard to become independent people; but they don’t have the life experience and skills to do what they want to do. What a frustrating time for them – and us! The good news is that there are some simple ways to minimize the fuss and maximize the fun as your toddler works to develop those skills that he needs to be a successful human being.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is this: every tantrum has a real reason behind it and it’s up to us as parents to look behind the melt-down and find the root cause. Usually it’s one of the following: hunger, exhaustion, frustration or fear. When your toddler melts, it’s up to you to address the root cause, not necessarily the behavior itself. Telling a screaming toddler to “stop it or you’ll be in trouble” does absolutely nothing to mitigate the true cause of the tantrum. If anything, that kind of attitude only adds to your child’s frustration.
Here are some ways to avoid tantrums and some ideas on how to tame the tantrums that do occur:
• Keep to your schedule. Being on a regular schedule helps a toddler to feel secure. Having that security gives her the space to make new ventures in her little world. Also, being on a regular schedule means that you will limit the number of melt-downs that occur because of hunger and exhaustion. Here’s what a toddler schedule could look like: Wake up. Change diaper. Eat breakfast. Have play time with care-giver. Have snack. Have nap (if on a two-nap schedule) or more play-time (if on a one-nap schedule). Change diaper. Have lunch. Have reading time with care-giver. Have nap. Change diaper. Have play time with care-giver. Have snack. Have play time with care-giver. Change diaper. Have dinner. Have play time with family. Change diaper. Go to bed. And, for you stay-at-home parents who are wondering how to get your chores done… Toddlers love to help around the house! “Play time” could be sorting laundry, shopping, washing windows, gardening, sweeping, doing the dishes and cooking! As long as it doesn’t include power tools, include your toddler in your day. Also, keep nap-times sacred to (gasp!) ME-time. Read, nap, meditate, garden, write, paint -- use this time every day to feed your soul. This will keep adult-tantrums to a minimum.
• Be sensitive about transitions. Many tantrums happen because the child is not being prepared to switch tasks: he’s simply expected to stop what he’s doing and move on to the next thing. Imagine being in his world: one minute you’re happily stacking blocks then someone walks in and drags you to the car to go shopping without warning. How rude! Keeping to your schedule means that your toddler will be prepared to make smooth transitions from one activity to the next. But sometimes things happen and we have to be more flexible. Give your child a catch-phrase that you use during the day when it’s almost time to switch to something else. For our family, we give a five-minute warning. “Faith, in five minutes it will be time for nap.” Another phrase that works well for some families is, “We’re almost done with _______, and next we’ll be doing _______.” I’ve noticed that first-borns especially like to be well-informed on what’s going to happen next. Giving a warning helps your toddler to end one task so she can move on to the next gracefully.
• “Me do it!” Nothing makes a toddler angrier than when his care-givers won’t let him do things for himself. Create opportunities for him to have the independence he so desperately needs.
Make sure he has clothing that is simple to put on. Minimize buttons, snaps and over-alls. Make sure he has shoes that he can slip on himself.
Get him a set of toddler-sized house-cleaning tools. If he has the tools, he will use them!
Make sure he has stools at sinks so he can wash his hands and “help” with the dishes.
When he’s attempting tasks that are beyond his skills and strength, help him tactfully. “How about if I just hold this part of the box and you hold that part and we’ll carry it together?”
Sometimes, it’s okay to let him try and fail. How will he know what he can do if he’s not allowed to try the limits of his potential?
• Keep your sense of humor and an open mind! One evening at tooth-brushing time, my daughter decided that she simply wasn’t going to brush her teeth. We tried everything: we put on her favorite toothpaste (toddler toothpaste – without fluoride), we let her start by herself, we tried forcing her to let us help, we tried joking with her and tickling her to get her to open her mouth, we tried singing with our mouths wide open so we could trick her into opening up. Nothing worked. She went from stubborn to giggling to frustrated back to stubborn. Finally I remembered watching her try to spit in the sink after she’d seen her dad spit. I said, “Faith, do you need to spit?” Immediately, she got back in the game. She spat then she let me brush some more so she could spit again. We kept up this cycle of brushing and spitting until her teeth were clean. Enrolling cooperation is much more effective than forcing your will onto your toddler. I’ve become the master of marketing – to my children any way. I’ve learned how to manipulate their prejudices and preferences to get them to do what I want them to do, like try new foods, take showers and even brush their teeth. You know your children inside and out. Use that knowledge and your creativity to help tame the tantrums.
• Remember the four things to look for then your toddler does melt down. Is he hungry? Tired? Frustrated? Afraid? Your toddler is too young to control his emotions and he is just learning how to behave in situations. His behavior is a reaction to some internal event. Dig down and address that internal cause. Let him feel understood and loved as you help him to learn appropriate ways to handle his emotions.
Remember to keep cool in the heat of the moment. There’s no point in getting angry or embarrassed. Simply address the root cause of the tantrum in a loving, peaceful way. She’s not misbehaving; she’s just reacting in a totally appropriate toddler fashion to something that is very real for her. Love her, guide her and watch her blossom!
Straight talk from the mom who’s been where you are and knows how to help your family: Shelly Walker is the mother of two beautiful children and the author of Awakened Power and the upcoming book Parenting Keys. Shelly is passionate about children and believes that every child deserves healthy, happy parents.
For more information, go to http://www.parentingkeys.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelly_Walker
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Parenting - The Right Way To Communicate With Your Children
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By Donald Saunders
Communication is a fundamental part of our day-to-day lives and, within the family setting, it is vital for parents to learn to communicate effectively with their children. This is not always as easy as you might think and there is certainly a right way and a wrong way to approach the subject.
One of the biggest problems we face with communication in general is that people vary so widely in so many different areas that there is no single way to communicate with others which will fit everyone in all circumstances. This means that there is no simple rule of communication which we can learn and apply. However, studies, together with many years of experience, do show that there are a few methods of communicating which are generally effective and which work better than others.
The first and most important rule in communicating with our children is honesty. Children are not stupid and they will very quickly spot a situation in which they are being lied to.
Now this doesn't imply that you must answer every question that is put to you in a totally frank and open manner. There are some things that your children don't need to know, and indeed shouldn't know, and you have your own right to privacy. How much information you share with your children will depend upon their age, their ability to understand the information being imparted, their level of genuine interest in the information and your own level of comfort in sharing such information. The secret however is to share that information with your children as and when it is appropriate, but not to evade the issue by attempting to lie your way out of it.
The second important rule of communication is to pick the right time to communicate with your children. For example, let's suppose that you are concerned about recent behavior with regard to other people's property and feel that your children need to understand that they have to respect other people's belongings.
Simply sitting them down and talking to them about the problem would be one option, but it is unlikely to have the impact you would wish for. However, waiting a while and watching for an example of the problem to arise outside of the family could yield excellent results. Witnessing an example on the television or while out shopping could provide just the right moment to open a discussion on the issue, perhaps along the lines of, "Hey, did you see what he just did?" and then inviting the child's comments with something like, "What do you think of that then?"
The important point here is that the issue becomes the subject of a relevant discussion within a real life context in which the child has the opportunity to express his or her point of view, as well as discovering what you think about the issue. The child will benefit far more from this approach than from a simple 'lecture' on the subject.
The third secret to good communication with your children is that of listening. Communication is very much a two way process and it's often easy to forget this fact.
One of the biggest problems in many households arises out of what children views as hypocrisy. A case of parents saying one thing and doing another, or telling children to behave in a certain manner while doing just the opposite themselves. The problem however is that, while the children see this and interpret the parents actions in this manner, the parents themselves don't always spot the problem.
Children see a great deal and are affected by everything that goes on around them but, unless you take the time to listen to them, how can you ever know what they are thinking and how they are feeling.
An excellent approach is often referred to as 'Stop, look and listen' and it is extremely effective. If one of your children needs to speak to you then stop what you're doing, look at the child and listen while he or she speaks. Giving your children your clear attention sends a powerful signal to them that you are interested in hearing what they have to say and that their thoughts, views and opinions are valued.
These are just a few of the basic rules of parental communication but they are extremely important and should form the foundation on which you build your own method of effective communication with your children.
Parenting4Dummies.com provides advice and information on child parenting and on a wide range of topics including only child parenting, the skill of parenting teenagers, step parenting, divorced parenting and the science of parenting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Saunders
By Donald Saunders
Communication is a fundamental part of our day-to-day lives and, within the family setting, it is vital for parents to learn to communicate effectively with their children. This is not always as easy as you might think and there is certainly a right way and a wrong way to approach the subject.
One of the biggest problems we face with communication in general is that people vary so widely in so many different areas that there is no single way to communicate with others which will fit everyone in all circumstances. This means that there is no simple rule of communication which we can learn and apply. However, studies, together with many years of experience, do show that there are a few methods of communicating which are generally effective and which work better than others.
The first and most important rule in communicating with our children is honesty. Children are not stupid and they will very quickly spot a situation in which they are being lied to.
Now this doesn't imply that you must answer every question that is put to you in a totally frank and open manner. There are some things that your children don't need to know, and indeed shouldn't know, and you have your own right to privacy. How much information you share with your children will depend upon their age, their ability to understand the information being imparted, their level of genuine interest in the information and your own level of comfort in sharing such information. The secret however is to share that information with your children as and when it is appropriate, but not to evade the issue by attempting to lie your way out of it.
The second important rule of communication is to pick the right time to communicate with your children. For example, let's suppose that you are concerned about recent behavior with regard to other people's property and feel that your children need to understand that they have to respect other people's belongings.
Simply sitting them down and talking to them about the problem would be one option, but it is unlikely to have the impact you would wish for. However, waiting a while and watching for an example of the problem to arise outside of the family could yield excellent results. Witnessing an example on the television or while out shopping could provide just the right moment to open a discussion on the issue, perhaps along the lines of, "Hey, did you see what he just did?" and then inviting the child's comments with something like, "What do you think of that then?"
The important point here is that the issue becomes the subject of a relevant discussion within a real life context in which the child has the opportunity to express his or her point of view, as well as discovering what you think about the issue. The child will benefit far more from this approach than from a simple 'lecture' on the subject.
The third secret to good communication with your children is that of listening. Communication is very much a two way process and it's often easy to forget this fact.
One of the biggest problems in many households arises out of what children views as hypocrisy. A case of parents saying one thing and doing another, or telling children to behave in a certain manner while doing just the opposite themselves. The problem however is that, while the children see this and interpret the parents actions in this manner, the parents themselves don't always spot the problem.
Children see a great deal and are affected by everything that goes on around them but, unless you take the time to listen to them, how can you ever know what they are thinking and how they are feeling.
An excellent approach is often referred to as 'Stop, look and listen' and it is extremely effective. If one of your children needs to speak to you then stop what you're doing, look at the child and listen while he or she speaks. Giving your children your clear attention sends a powerful signal to them that you are interested in hearing what they have to say and that their thoughts, views and opinions are valued.
These are just a few of the basic rules of parental communication but they are extremely important and should form the foundation on which you build your own method of effective communication with your children.
Parenting4Dummies.com provides advice and information on child parenting and on a wide range of topics including only child parenting, the skill of parenting teenagers, step parenting, divorced parenting and the science of parenting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Saunders
Monday, March 12, 2007
Tips to Help New Parents Care for Their Baby
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By Janice Cheng
Being a new parent is a wonderful time in your life, but also one that is full of questions. You will find that no matter what you ask, you will get several different opinions from doctors, friends, and family members. Sometimes this advice is well received, and other times it is overwhelming. Most new parents second guess their own decisions at times. That is normal. Remember that you know your baby better than anyone else. Each child is unique, so what works well for someone else many not work well for you and your child.
It is very important that you remain calm while caring for your new baby. They can sense other people’s feelings. If you are tense and nervous they will feel it and react to it. A baby thrives in an environment that is safe and secure. You can help your baby adapt to its new environment by talking soothingly and by establishing a regular daily routine.
Eating is a very essential part of a baby’s life. You and your partner should make the decision together about how the baby will be fed. Some parents prefer breastfeeding while others are comfortable using a bottle and formula. Make sure the nutrients your baby is getting agree with their system. You may have to try various formulas to find one that your baby is able to digest comfortably.
Safety is very important with a newborn. Never leave them unattended no matter how small they are. A baby can learn to turn over or wiggle to the edge of a bed before you know it. Keep the home free of clutter as well so that you don’t run the risk of tripping while your baby is in your arms.
Janice Cheng is a mother of two and the editor of ParentWonder. The site offers parents and parenting tips. She also publishes a newsletter and a public blog for parents. For articles or to blog, visit her site at http://www.parentwonder.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Cheng
By Janice Cheng
Being a new parent is a wonderful time in your life, but also one that is full of questions. You will find that no matter what you ask, you will get several different opinions from doctors, friends, and family members. Sometimes this advice is well received, and other times it is overwhelming. Most new parents second guess their own decisions at times. That is normal. Remember that you know your baby better than anyone else. Each child is unique, so what works well for someone else many not work well for you and your child.
It is very important that you remain calm while caring for your new baby. They can sense other people’s feelings. If you are tense and nervous they will feel it and react to it. A baby thrives in an environment that is safe and secure. You can help your baby adapt to its new environment by talking soothingly and by establishing a regular daily routine.
Eating is a very essential part of a baby’s life. You and your partner should make the decision together about how the baby will be fed. Some parents prefer breastfeeding while others are comfortable using a bottle and formula. Make sure the nutrients your baby is getting agree with their system. You may have to try various formulas to find one that your baby is able to digest comfortably.
Safety is very important with a newborn. Never leave them unattended no matter how small they are. A baby can learn to turn over or wiggle to the edge of a bed before you know it. Keep the home free of clutter as well so that you don’t run the risk of tripping while your baby is in your arms.
Janice Cheng is a mother of two and the editor of ParentWonder. The site offers parents and parenting tips. She also publishes a newsletter and a public blog for parents. For articles or to blog, visit her site at http://www.parentwonder.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Cheng
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