Ways to answer our child curiosity about sex

"MOTHER, from where the little brother was born?". Have your child ask this? The attitude and the right answer will be the first step for you to give insight to the child about sex effectively.

You might think to delay talk about sex after the age of your child's big enough. But then, when a friend, relative, or your neighbor get pregnant and have babies, Child's curiosity led him to ask where babies come from.

The first time the question arises, perhaps you've turned her attention by saying, " Hey, look! Is that Dora the Explorer? ". However, until when you act like that? The delay will not eliminate their curiosity.

It is not enough to just answer that question, because he could kept asking, asking, and asking, in accordance with the development of the brain and the level of understanding. Sheknows give you tips on how to answer questions about the sex of your child.

Understanding questions

The first step to answer child sex question is, ensure that you understand what he asked. According to Dr. Susan Bartell, a family psychologist and author of "The Top 50 Questions Kids Ask".

Ask one or two questions before you give an answer also lets you see how much he already knew. You may be surprised to discover what he already knew from friends or relatives. This is when you fix incorrect information he had got.

Use age-appropriate language

If your child asks about where babies come from, it's time for you to answer. For starters, he might be ready to hear, "when a mother and father loved each other, they lie very close together and they make a baby," says Dr. Bartell. "If you feel compelled to explain the specific, for example, 'A mother has Miss V and the fathers have Mr.P. The father put it into Miss V's mother, and they can make a baby."

It is important for you to ensure that he should not share this information with anyone without your permission. "Be firm and strict about this," warned Dr. Bartell.

If he violates the rules, show the attitude that you do not like the fault now. In addition, "Please tell other parents what you have for your child. Let them think, that it was time the children learn about sex," he added.

Not supposed to say

Dr. Bartell asserted, do not give a clear answer, obviously fictitious, such as involving "storks", and do not say that the baby grows in the mother's abdomen and stopped there. "Your child may worry that she might become pregnant spontaneously. Explain that babies grow in a special place, which belongs only to adult women," she said.

When you talk with your child, Dr. Bartell recommended, ask lots of questions to ensure understanding. "Talk slowly, and stopped when their curiosity was satisfied. Do not tell them more than necessary at this stage of development," says Dr. Bartell. There is no reason to use the word "sex", unless he asks.

Special circumstances

If sex is the question asked by your foster child, give an honest explanation. He may be looking for extra assurance that he included in your family. Involve a large family to provide the correct information. Above all, he wanted to know that he was wanted and loved. So, make sure you tell them as often as possible.

Reward for the Child, is it necessary?

Children will be delighted given a gift, especially if they have done a commendable thing. However, what if the kids just want to do everything because there are rewards?

"I thank you for the toy, I was thrilled. Tomorrow I'm going to be a toy even more if I return the toy to its place. But if Mom does not give what I wanted, I'd better not have clean my toys."

It has become a habit for six-year-old child is doing something because there is a reward from his parents. Once because the mom did not want to make the child has a bad habit because it would only do something about the rewards, the child even rage, angry, and disappointed all day.

Finally his mother relented and was still giving the child something for good behavior he has done, in accordance with what he wanted. Psychologists say, that rewards or awards can be given when the child has positive behavior or achieve something that is expected.

The benefits of giving rewards to children are to teach them what a good boy and bad boy, to encourage children to repeat the good behavior, make children feel valued and rewarded. Awards can also foster self-confidence of children and the child's internal motivation, such as feeling proud of yourself and feel satisfied with the success of yourself.

However, there are several things that must be considered in the granting of rewards for children, for example, do not be so excessive as to give rewards. It is because if too much given then rewards will lose its meaning, among other rewards could be turned into a kind of wage. Therefore, in the provision of rewards, also grow a child's internal motivation so that over time dependence on rewards (external motivation) will be reduced.

For example, in addition to praise from parents, parents also can say 'well, would you also proud of yourself because you can already trying hard to get this result. giving rewards for not too much, and the rewards do not have to be good. What is important for children, instead of attention from parents.

Start from small things, such as a pat on the shoulder, smile happily from their parents, thumbs up, applause, hugs and soft kisses. Rewards should not be given too often to children, so that it can be said to provide rewards to make children a challenge.

Make it a challenge to get the rewards to be less meaningful, not too easy to get, for example, after three days of sleeping alone, the child will get her favorite sticker.

Some Psychologist also suggested to make the token system, where children have to collect a certain number of points, can be exchanged with new rewards, such as the child will get one point each time to help the mother in the kitchen. Having collected 20 points, he can trade them in time to watch TV

Also worth noting is to avoid giving rewards in the form of cash rewards. By giving money, then will make a child become misguided and mean wages.

"Giving rewards to your child can use a comparable system for each child, but can be distinguished depending rewardnya desire of each child.

Overcoming toddler's delinquency

Children, especially toddlers, desperately need attention from their parents, try to notice if a parent just busy doing something and as ignoring the toddler, a toddler will do anything to attract the attention of the mother or father.

And it is usually in the form of mischief or acts of nuisance, so usually the parent anger was hooked. When the circle of this process is always repeated, busy parents, childrenacting and parents become angry, then returned to the bustle, what a child might feel is disappointment. Not to mention the sayings pitched out of parents mouth.

For example "bad boy" or others. Speech like that, other than there's no point because it will not improve the child's behavior, also formed a negative self concept in children. There are several possible ways to overcome the child's misbehavior which repeated. By expressing compassion, for example, Toddlers always want more attention from parents.

They will be happy if parents show an expression of affection. For example, by holding, rubbing his head or just talking with gentleness. You also need to have patience with the mischievous toddler. Parent's patience is required when educating children.

Patience from parents sometimes can make a child understand that what he was doing is wrong. In contrary violence will increasingly child behaviors to resist and rebel. That is why this work need extra patience from parents.
Although toddlers do wrong, do not immediately snapped them. Because it will hurt her feelings. This can cause resentment to the child when he/she grew up. Revenge on the child will also affect the nature of her future as adults. Your baby will become irritable person and like to do violence. Be angry if the child actually has one, such as spitting on mother or father. However, before gently give advice because the child will touch the soul with gentleness.

How To Overcome Bed-Wetting Habbit

OVERCOMING bed-wetting habits in children is not easy. Cooperation is needed between parents, children, and doctors. In addition, the necessary wisdom, patience, and understanding parents.

So many complaints from parents who worry about their child's bedwetting habits. Moreover, children still bed-wetting after passing the age of 6-7 years. Certainly would be a big question for parent.

What is bed-wetting? And why it happened and how to train them to stop bedwetting?

Bedwetting in a medical term is enuresis, the urine out unconsciously in his sleep at the age where child should have been able to control the desire to urinate. Sometimes the definition of incontinence is also used to describe children who failed to control expenses in the urine when they are awake.

In fact, the teenagers and parents incontinence are also common. But for children, bedwetting is often a very embarrassing thing. As for parents, this can be a frustrating experience.

More than 50 million children worldwide aged 5-15 years were still bedwetting. One in four children still bedwetting when they were 3.5 years of age. Meanwhile, at the age of five years, one in five children still bedwetting and at the age of six years of falling into one of 10 children. Usually enuresis will stop when the child reaches the age of puberty. The boy get more bedwetting than girls.

"This is a hidden problem of childhood because people tend to not talk about it outside the house, so most kids think they are the only one with problems," said pediatrician from Washington DC, United States and author of "Waking Up Dry" Dr. Howard Bennett.

In fact, state of stress can also trigger secondary bedwetting. It was formerly regarded as bedwetting habits psychological problems. However, now known that biological factors play a role bigger. Can be ascertained also, it is declining in the family.

More than 75 percent of children who have parents with bedwetting problems, also will have the same problem.

"The story about these genetic problems to the child will make her better," advises Bennett.

Bed-wetting can also be a symptom of a serious illness such as diabetes or urinary tract infection, especially when there is a child who had never wet the bed. Bed-wetting is not a child's mistakes. Unfortunately, some parents still think that the bed-wetting comes from a lack of discipline, and can be cured by punishment.

What to do if the child bed-wetting, do not show resentment, anger, or even panic.

Discuss with the kids. There are many cases where children stop bed-wetting after talk of caution. Give support to children, this is the most important actions.

Never embarrass a child or other children to compare with, even if the child had not bed-wetting give him gifts of praise about his success in front of many people, so he's more motivated.

Ask your child to change the bed linens and clothes at night, when the child is already able to do it. Then, install an alarm clock that will ring 2-3 hours after the child was asleep, so he can wake up to go to the bathroom.If necessary, buy an anti bed-wetting alarm suitable for children aged five years and over.

This alarm has a moisture sensor which worn directly on the underwear. In the first drops, a buzzer buzzing, wake the child. Gradually the child learns to wake up when they feel the urge to urinate.

Which should also be noted by parents is, incontinence can be cured himself. A bed-wetting child requires patience, passion, and confidence of parents that the problem is only temporary. Usually between 7-12 years of age often cure, and only few children who continue to experience it through adolescence.

One thing interesting, breastfeeding (breast milk) can prevent ongoing incontinence in children. A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics states that babies are not breastfed are more likely to bed-wetting than breast-fed babies.In addition to preventing incontinence, breast milk is also known to work to reduce the risk of diarrhea, respiratory infections, ear infections and other infections that occur in infants.

Four Steps to Handle Kids Bad Behavior by Laura Kaine

The cause why this article is not about "dealing with bad kids" is merely because bad kids do not exist! The issue is their behavior, the one dads and moms develop without being aware of it, the one they must improve. I have to underline that because dads and moms nearly always believe they just have to say "no" to make kids bad behavior stop. Kids have to understand things before doing a change in how they react. The first thing they have got to understand is that their parents' love for them is unconditional and that it's their bad behavior this is punished.Kids bad behavior has for main cause their dads and moms behavior. It's not simple to accept, I understand that, but you shouldn't feel guilty about it. You are not born moms and dads and you are doing your best with what you know. You must acquire way more communication tools. If you feel ready to do something about your kid's bad behavior, making use of the following 4 steps will be effective:

1.Be the grownup you would like your little one to become. Watch your words and reactions, keep your promises. Don't ignore the tiny things you tell your child. He probably takes really seriously what you say. You're an example, the image of the adult world for your kid, you are a reference. Always bear that in mind. Without rules, your kid can not figure out what's wrong and what's right. When dealing with kids bad behavior, we can't blame the young children. It would be unfair and pretty unnecessary.
2.When you say "no", don't expect a change in your child's behaviour but rather clarify what you say no to. You can and must have a firm tone of voice to be listened to but keep your voice down.
3.Go over that issue with your little one before the bad behavior occurs. It is always better to prevent such behavior to happen than having to make it stop. When you go out somewhere with your child, just before leaving the house, tell him how you expect him to behave. To help your kid rethink his behaviour and change it, talk about the consequences of each behavior when your kid is quiet and willing to listen to you.
4.Justify your role and the reason why you are the one who settles the principles. Mainly because you're the parent, you know what's good for your kid and you love him. Discuss the rules with him to help him understand and accept them. Kids bad behavior is quite often the result of a misunderstanding of the boundaries and punishments by the little ones. They just find it unfair. You have to make really clear to your little one the consequences of his behaviour.

If you're consistent and patient and try not to loose your temper, applying those advices will be effective. If your kid's bad behavior is strongly anchored and that the situation really is out of your control, implementing a parenting method could be your best option. It'll give you a parenting guideline, easy-to-apply method and support. Kids bad behavior can be overcame with the right communication tools. It's not a fatality.

5 Key Advices for a Desperate Mother

I do know that we can lose our peace of mind when we're a mom. At some point, we just feel and know that things aren't anymore under our control. Maybe you understand what went wrong, perhaps you don't even recall the way that happened, how this routine made of tantrums and screams settled into your life. I think that the instant we are tempted to google "desperate mother", is when we feel like we have tried all kinds of things and that we're powerless and tired and maybe worried we might not love our child enough. It's a shocking thought, but it can happen too, it is a reality.

What I want you to do, dear desperate mother, is to look at things in perspective, take some time to think and understand that your child is a child, that he will not adapt himself to you if you do not change your own behavior, reactions, words. What you need is good communication skills, know which errors you make and what you can do to improve things. Being a desperate mother isn't a fatality because there's always a solution.

Here are my 5 crucial advices:

1 - Don't ever give in. Your child thinks in a simple way. When he gets what he wants by yelling or insisting, he'll keep acting the same way. When he realizes you don't give in, never change your mind when you make up your mind, he will have to accept it because then he will know that tantrums are useless.

2 - Speak with your child. Take that time. Value what he does, what he tells you, don't make him have to grab your attention by being annoying. Make clear to him what you do, what you feel, where you are taking him, how you expect him to behave. Talk to him about his bad behaviour during quiet moments, don't wait until the tantrum occurs to clarify that it's a bad attitude. Express compassion, even when you don't give in, tell him you understand his frustration or anger.

3 - Don't spank, stop yelling. Stay calm and always keep your voice down. Yes, as a desperate mother, it seems impossible and you are half-right, it can be pretty complicated but it's a essential advice I'm giving you here! The way your child reacts means that it's a way of expression he has chosen probably because you did not give or express any alternative. When you are mad at someone and begin quarrelling and that person remains very calm and talks in a quiet voice, what do you do? You calm down. When your kid screams, make sure he understands he has other alternatives, that he can express his emotions with words just like you. Same thing when he hits you or bites.

4 - Don't ever label your kid as a liar, a cheater, a bad child... You don't accept his behavior but you love him and you believe he can act differently. Make this clear or he may believe in that label and act on it for the rest of his life, just like the label "desperate mother" isn't going to help you understand and modify the situation.

5 - Be coherent and persistent. Reward a good behavior, clarify what is wrong and right. Make your child choose a good behaviour by showing him what it can bring to him, the trust you can put in him, the things you can share.

Were you expecting something more simple? Come on, parenting is not simple but with the proper communication tools, you can modify the situation, have your peace of mind back and your personnal life, have youngsters you can count on and trust. It is at your reach. You can go from a desperate mother to a glad one. A great number of dads and moms experienced that. I did. Good luck ! By Laura Kaine

Can Children Be Spoilt With Too Much Love?

From the moment babies are born, parents often receive warnings from well-intended friends and family members not to carry their babies too often, and not to give in to their crying. From the moment they are born, parents are warned to start training their babies to be "independent" or they will grow up to become clingy, dependent children. Parents who fail to heed this advice risk "spoiling" their children and setting up "bad habits" that will be difficult to break later on.

Many parents worry about spoiling their children and easily fall prey to flawed advice. Instead of heeding their own instincts to pick up their babies when they cry, they try to ignore their babies' needs. Such practices not only damage the relationship between parent and child, but it has a detrimental effect upon the baby's development.

The First Fallacy - Babies Should Not Be Carried Too Often

Firstly, babies need to be carried as much as possible. They need to be touched and held. This need is as important to their growth and development as food, water, a clean diaper and sunlight. This need was evidenced at the end of the Second World War when many infants were left parentless. In order to determine what were the best methods for taking care of orphaned babies, a Swiss doctor traveled around Europe studying the different environments that these babies were raised.

In some parts, he saw babies being cared for in American field hospitals with their pristine conditions. Nurses attended to the babies' basic needs by the clock - they were fed special infant formula and returned immediately after to their stainless steel cots. In other parts, babies were deposited at remote mountain villages where they were cared for in the arms of the village women, surrounded by other children and animals. They drank goat's milk and ate from the communal stock pot. These infants lived in conditions that could hardly have been considered hygienic. Yet the results of the study were surprising - it was found that the children who lived in the villages thrived better than those raised in the scientifically-managed hospitals.

It was concluded that:

* infants need frequent skin-to-skin contact from two or three significant people
* infants need movement of a fairly robust kind, e.g. being carried around, bouncing on a knee, etc.
* infants need eye-contact, smiling, colourful and lively environment, and sounds, such as singing, talking, etc.

Far from needing to be carried less, we should be carrying our babies more!

The Second Fallacy - Crying Babies Are Manipulating Us

Babies cry to communicate their needs to their parents. Without the ability to cry, they lose their ability to articulate their needs. Parents who deliberately ignore a baby's cries are unwittingly teaching their baby that their needs are not important. It creates distrust and gives a child a bleak outlook on life - that no on can be relied upon, not even parents.

One common reason why parents might allow their babies to "cry-it-out" is when they are attempting to "train" their baby to sleep alone. It is common for babies to fight their parents' desire for them to sleep alone. Babies aren't aware of the world the way we are. They are primitive beings with a strong instinct for survival. In the wild, infants who lost their parents are eaten by predators, therefore the instinct to be close to a parent or bigger person is a very normal one.

Babies don't know that they are safe in their cribs and that their parents are just in the next room, so they cry. They aren't trying to manipulate their parents. They are articulating a real need that parents should fulfill.

Changing Relationship as Children Grow Older

Even as babies grow older, they still require the attention, love and physical closeness of their parents. Providing these does not spoil them or make them clingy, dependent children. On the contrary, a strong and secure relationship between parent and child serves to help children become more independent as they grow older. They are less afraid to take steps on their own because they are secure in the knowledge that they have a safe place to return to.

You cannot spoil a child with love, touch and tending to their calls for help. Such responsiveness is imperative to a child's healthy development, however, the manner in which you respond may change as a child grows older and begins to test boundaries - such as crying as a means to get their way. How you respond to a child should be age-appropriate with the understanding of how a child feels. Remember that the process of growing up provides children with lots of challenges and it is important listen openly and to be able to see their situation from their perspective.

As your child grows older and his or her personality begins to develop, you may also find that different approaches work with different children. While there is a need to take into consideration individual differences, it is important to realize that children need appropriate limits that must be adhered to. Such limits provide a sense of safety and security for your child. Remember, it is your duty to set the limits and your child's to test them. By being firm and consistent, yet kind as you enforce the rules, you are teaching your child how to become a responsible member of society. You are also creating a secure environment for your child to grow up in.

Six Tips To Help Your Overweight Children Lose Weight

Childhood obesity has more than tripled over the past 40 years. More than 30% of children and teens are overweight and 20% are classified as obese. Most parents wait for their child to grow out of it, encouraging them to be proud of who they are. That is certainly noble in theory, but being overweight increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol levels, and premature heart disease.

It can certainly be a challenge for parents to provide children with opportunities to lead a healthy lifestyle. You never know what they could be stuffing down their mouths in the school cafeteria or at their friend' house. That is why it is so important to teach proper nutrition in the home. They will not learn about it in school, not even in health class. The more you practice good health at home, the better choices they will make out in the world.

Here are a few weight loss tips to get your children started on the road to good health.

Children Lose Weight Tips #1: Be The Example Yourself

If you are overweight or obese yourself, you are setting a bad example for your children. Be a responsible parent and go on a diet. Yes, YOU! Children often mimic what their parents do, and if you are fat, they will think it is OK to be fat. It is a rare occasion that I see fat children with skinny parents, and vice versa. How often do you see fat kinds with skinny parents, or skinny kids with fat parents? Not too common.

Children Lose Weight Tips #2: Pack Their Lunch For Them

Do not hand over a five dollar bill for your child to purchase a lunch themselves just because you are lazy in the morning. Nine times out of ten they will spend it on junk food because you are not there to tell them no. If you want your children to eat properly, do the most you can. Pack their lunch so they are forced to eat it. If that is all they have, they will suffer through it and come out better in the end.

Children Lose Weight Tips #3: Think Ahead

Kinds want to grow up fast but they do not think of the consequences once getting there without planning. Studies show that if a child remains obese by the age of 10-14, they have nearly an 80% chance of remaining at a dangerously heavy weight through adulthood. Let them know that, especially if it scares you (which it should!). A childs weight is the most important predictor of whether or not the child will become an obese adult. Nearly 65% of obese adolescents will still be obese as adults, even if neither parent is obese.

Children Lose Weight Tips #4: Eat Together

When I was a child, it was a rare occasion that my family ate dinner in separate rooms. Do not let your child heat up a burrito and slam it down in their room in front of their computer or television. It is important to monitor their eating and make sure they are paying attention to the luxury of having dinner, especially if they are trying to lose weight. Eating together as a family is an activity that will help everyone follow a healthier lifestyle.

Children Lose Weight Tips #5: Fix Them A Healthy Breakfast

You know this is the most important meal of the day, so handing over a sugary pop-tart to your child on their way out of the house is extremely counter-productive. And do not even think about stopping off at Starbucks and buying them a fatty latte either. A healthy breakfast at home does not have to be time consuming. I make a soy based protein smoothy every morning that provides me with the best nutrition possible. It takes me literally 2 minutes to make it in the blender.

Children Lose Weight Tips #6: Introduce Healthy Snacking

Children are quite active with school, sports and other extra-curricular activities. It makes sense that they need a boost of energy in between meals. Stock your cupboards and refrigerator with healthy snacks instead of processed trigger foods. Cut fruits and vegetables so they can grab them just as they would a candy bar. Protein bars and soy nuts are a great alternative to cookies and chips. Premix flavored water with green tea to give them natural energy boosts instead of providing high sugar soda and sports drinks they are not healthy.

Helping a child to develop lifelong healthy habits can be rewarding in so many ways. Introducing healthy alternatives into your child's diet is not rocket science. Try the Children Lose Weight tips listed above to prevent resistance to healthier eating. As a parent, you are responsible for what, when and where your children eat. It is up to you to help your children adopt a healthy lifestyle.By William Winch

Child's Creativity

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5 Ways to Get Your Child to Listen to You

Your Child Won't Listen to You? You've tried reasoning, you've tried punishing, you've tried bribing, you've tried humor - and nothing seems to work? Well, there is hope. Do you think your child is shutting you out and you're not sure why? Here are 5 Ways to get through to your child.

1. Listen to your child. No matter how insignificant their little problem is, it is paramount to them. As an adult, it is difficult to put away our own problems and just listen, but it must be done or your child will continue to be one of those problems. When you listen to your child, you validate their importance. Ask your child how their day went, and really listen. Are there other issues going on? Is your child being bullied at school and is afraid or ashamed to talk about it? If he is, you need to make your child feel safe with you, so she can bring it up. If you want your child to listen to you, you need to listen to your child.

2. Watch their facial expressions. Often they will tell you what they want with facial expressions. Why does he pout when his sister walks in the room? Why does she cry when her big sister is playing with someone else. There are great clues there. You shouldn't assume he is pouting because he is agitated with his sister - he may want something from her and doesn't know exactly what it is and is pouting because he feels out of sorts about "it." Put yourself in their shoes. When they talk to you, are you responding with love and caring in your voice? Or are you always short, curt and demeaning. Think about how you would like to be spoken to, and respond in kind. Not only do your children admire you, they mirror you. If you see a quality in them you dislike, think about where they learned it, and change yourself.

3. Let them make decisions. How often do you make decisions for them? You decide what they eat, what they wear, what they're going to do......OK, so it is important they are guided, but once you teach them the difference, give them some healthy options. Take her to the library and let her choose 5 books to read. You'll be surprised to learn just what she's interested in.

4. Make sure they are eating healthy. Do they snack or gummy worms, or apples? Most kids will choose a healthy snack over unhealthy. Don't even buy the junk food, and allow them to go into the frig all they want for that apple, carrot stick, cheese, hard boiled egg, or small handful of peanuts. Keep plenty of bottles of pure water on hand. Make sure they eat a healthy breakfast that has protein and keep the sugar intake low. No sugar ladened cereal for breakfast - give them oatmeal with peaches in it instead. Let them make their own fruit smoothie in the morning. Let them cut up the fruits and vegetables. With your supervision, they will learn to love to eat healthy. And so what if they make a mess? Just calmly tell them, "ok, now let's wipe up the counter so the bugs won't come, and here, let's wash your dishes off."

5. He won't clean his room or do his homework? He's always procrastinating? Don't just bark the command, "go clean your room!" or "do your homework!" When was the last time you offered to help your youngster clean his room? Make a game out of. "C'mon Johnny, let's see how many worms or frogs we find in your closet." Or how about this, "Janie, show me your homework - let's see what you're doing." Often times, the child's homework may be somewhat challenging to you. Admit it! Ask your child to teach you! When student becomes teacher, they they learn too. And your child loves you. When you show even the smallest amount of interest in what they're doing, they will excel.

Time is the best gift you can give your child. And with time comes a better understanding too. You may spend a few more minutes now interacting with your child, but it will pay off in the long run when your child becomes happy, healthy, successful, and independent.

The Benefits Of Bedtime Stories For Children

Do you want an easy way to bond and connect with your children? All it takes is a book and a little time. One of the favorite activities for many families is reading stories to the younger ones just before they go to sleep.

You only have to think back to some of your own childhood to remember how much you looked forward to hearing a story. Children have very vivid imaginations that take flight when they hear a book being read aloud. To them this story becomes so real that it seems to be taking place in front of their eyes. Parents will often be faced with the plea for “Just one more page, please.” It can be difficult to say “No” to a child’s eager request and it is very satisfying to a parent to realize how much happiness they are creating for their little ones with a simple story.

While you don’t have to wait until the evening hours to read to your child, there are many benefits that accompany the beloved childhood ritual of bedtime stories.

1. Children enjoy listening to stories as they prepare for sleep. This helps them settle down quietly for the night. Listening to the familiar and much loved tones of their parent’s voice is very soothing and comforting.

2. Bedtime stories stimulate the imaginations of children and may even help them become more creative. Children whose parents read to them on a regular basis score higher on most standardized tests at school.

3. When parents or older siblings read to younger children it fosters a love of books and will make kids want to learn how to read.

4. Reading bedtime stories helps young ones develop a large vocabulary.

5. Parents that spend time reading to their children are creating warm memories that will last a lifetime. You can be as campy or as “over the top” as you like when pretending to be different characters in the story. Use funny voices or different facial expressions and really put some emotion into the words and your child will believe you to be the most brilliant actor in the world.

6. One of the most rewarding experiences for a parent is when they can share their own favorite bedtime stories with their own children. Many of the stories your parents read to you were some that your grandparents, or great-grandparents, read to them. You might even consider bedtime storytelling to be a way of continuing a family tradition.

7. Reading and listening to stories engage more areas of the brain than video games or television. If you want to initiate curiosity and thinking skills in your children there is no better way to do it than with books.

Shy Child? Five Ways To Help Them Make Friends

Most parents like to think of their children as social butterflies, but there are some children who are so overcome with shyness that they're unable to properly function in social settings.

Take Amy, for example. As a nine-year-old child, she excelled at schoolwork, earning nothing but straight A's and accolades from her teachers. However, when it came to interacting with her peers and adults, Amy often retreated behind a book, or became so embarrassed at having to answer questions that she would stutter or turn red.

Shyness is often a problem for children who, for some reason or another, find it difficult to interact socially with those around them. Everyone has had bouts of shyness at one point or another; but when it starts interfering with how your child interacts with his or her surroundings then it's time to make a change.

Want to learn how to help your child cope with shyness? Here are some expert tips that will have your son or daughter overcoming social anxiety in no time!

Don't Enable Or Exaggerate His Or Her Shyness. Parents often forget what it's like to be young and suffering from shyness, so they'll often do one of two things, they'll either talk for their child in order to minimize their suffering, or they'll put their child in stressful social situations to "shock" them out of shyness. Don't make this mistake! Rather, gradually introduce your child to different degrees of social scenarios. Start off with conversation with family then move on until your child is able to hold a conversation with a complete stranger. Don't accept monosyllable answers as conversation, either!

Cut Out Technology. These days, it seems like cutting computers and video games out of a child's life is tantamount to cruelty; however, some research suggests that these electronic toys can actually hinder your child's social development. Limit your child's online or gaming time and then encourage them to play with friends or siblings.

Try A Little Role-Play. Often, shyness is escalated when your child expects certain reactions from social situations; for example, your child may so fear embarrassing himself or herself while answering a question in the classroom that he or she won't raise a hand at all. If this sounds familiar to you, pretend to be a teacher and ask your child various questions. Once your child realizes that he or she is unlikely to embarrass himself in front of the classroom, he or she will be more willing to contribute.

Make Play Dates. It can be hard for your child to find common ground with his or her peers when suffering from shyness, so help your child out a little by arranging play dates with other children who share his or her interests. If your child enjoys reading, sign him or her up with a junior book club; if he or she enjoys playing sports, get your child to sign up for a team. Conversation will flow more readily when your child is surrounded by like-minded children.

Enlist Neighbourhood Aid. Know a few mothers around the block? Enlist their help by arranging play dates with neighbourhood children. Having a few friends around the block will get your child out of the house more and interacting with more children his or her age

As you can see, shyness can be easily overcome with love, support and a bit of discipline. Yet if your child suffers from the kind of shyness that actually prevent him or her from functioning as a normal child, ask your child's school if they offer any counselling services, it may be that your child suffers from social anxiety disorder, which should be treated by a licensed professional.

Improving Self Confidence In Children

Improving self confidence in children is one of the many things that a parent will want to improve on.

Not many parents know improving self confidence in children will actually affect their growing up from toddler to adulthood.

This takes time, education, effort and burning desire for any parent to at least see their children to be able to make something out of them and improve as their life progress.

Improving self confidence in children is not easy and should be start when they are young. This is the best time as they will intimate their parents.

So by cultivating an image of self confidence, you will pass on this image to your child and this will assist them in improving self confidence. But when you are doing this, make sure that it is an image that they should be proud of and not be gloating over it. This will help them increase in their self worthiness.

And when your child reaches his or her teen hood, building and improving self confidence in children is to really set them free in a controlled environment. This can be done when they reached the age of 13 and ends in 20. This enables them to grow naturally and confidently while you keeping track on what they are doing.

So that, both of you benefit on each other progress and respect.

This not only dramatically improves self confidence in them but also they will feel that they can handle situations and thus they will move on to bigger things in future without your interference and confidently.

As a parent, building and improving self confidence in children can also be working and communicate with them on their dreams, goal and direction of lift. Plan a monthly session to sit down with them and reflect on what they had done so far and how will they want to achieve and how to go about it from where they are now. This type of practice will increase their responsibility in life and also improving self confidence in them as time goes by.

So being a parent, one must have ample space for your child to grow, so that, building and improving self confidence in children will be effective and you will be one happy parent to see your child grow from a toddler to adulthood taking care of each decision responsibly and with confidence.

know Your Child, Listen To Him

Parents are often heard complaining to their child, "Why don't you listen to me?" But why do parents forget that it's a vicious circle. How good you are at listening to your child will determine how well he responds when you talk.

Pay full attention : Don't be distracted by T.V. or the book you are reading. Don't just hear, but listen to him attentively to make him feel important.

Be patient : Children cannot be expected to be articulate. Give him ample time to express and help him ascertain his feelings.

Don't deny his feelings : If your child says that he is hurt after falling from the bed, don't tell him he is not. A child needs his feelings to be accepted and respected.

Sensitivity works better than logic : When a child talks about an upset, don't interrupt him with logical or philosophical explanations. Rather hug him, hold his hand and let him speak his heart out.

Listening adds confidence: Children begin to trust their feelings, believe in their perceptions when parents listen to them. This goes a long way in making a child a good conversationalist, a confident personality and the one who likes to listen to his parents.

Listening helps in understanding your child : Know your child's needs, discover his interests, help him to come out of his problems and complexes by listening to him. Listening to your child will help you to become not only a better parent but also a friend much closer to your loved one.

Help Your Child Learn To Share

Parents are left at their wits end while figuring out why their child can’t share his toys with his friends. But parents should know that children are possessive by nature and have their own insecurities which stop them from sharing their toys and vie for attention. It is their duty to help the child develop the attitude to share.

The habit of sharing develops over a period of time: You have to be really patient because the attitude to adjust and share doesn’t develop overnight. Guiding the child once and expecting him to follow it would be too much. Always remember that your child is still in the process of learning to share.

Create opportunities for peer group interaction: The more your child gets to spend time with his age mates, the more he’ll learn to share. There may be a few unpleasant situations but both you and your child will learn from them. So take your child to the places of friends or relatives, parties or family get together and invite his friends over to your house.

Encourage your child to share: When a child experiences the joy and benefits of sharing, he is naturally motivated to share his things with his friends. Make your child experience this over and over again. Make him distribute sweets in his class or amongst his friends on occasions. Bake a cake for him and send to school to distribute in the class. Cook french fries in lunch so that he can share with his group.

Appreciate and never criticize: Praise your child whenever he shows signs of good behavior. At the same time don’t lose temper if he refuses to share. And worse would be to label or criticize the child for being selfish or uncivilized.

Be a role model: If you share your things comfortably with other members of the family or show such a behavior when it come to your friends, your child will surely follow your footsteps. Set an example from your own life while dealing in all kinds of relationships may it be friends, neighbors, relatives or your colleagues.

Top Ten Nutritional Tips for Children

eFitness for Life has put together a top ten list of nutritional tips for children.

1. Set a good example and keep your child active. Children learn by example, and if their parent is healthy and active, chances are they are too. Make activity fun for your child, and enrol them in as many sporting activities as you can afford.

2. Make sure your child eats their breakfast. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It will give them the fuel they need throughout the day. Make sure you guide them towards making healthy breakfast choices, such as oatmeal or whole grain cereals.

3. Keep your child hydrated, especially if it’s hot outside or they’re engaged in a sporting activity.

4. Make sure your child gets enough protein and carbohydrates in their diets. Foods that are good sources of protein and carbohydrates include fish, poultry, meat, cheese, milk, beans or legumes.

5. Provide healthy snacks after exercise. Instead of handing them a chocolate bar, hand them a piece of fruit instead.

6. Provide variety in their diet. If your child is eating the same things day after day, chances are that they’re missing out on some nutritional building blocks. Besides that, they will get bored with their diet. Instead, have them help you choose meals that are healthy for the entire family. This will help them make better choices in the future.

7. See a nutritionist. They can help a great deal when it comes to planning meals for you and your growing child.

8. Try to make home cooked meals as opposed to eating out. Fast food is generally not a good way to instil good eating habits in your child.

9. Throw out the soda and limit the juices. Soda is jam packed with calories and juices are typically full of sugars. Instead, give them water.

10. Teach your child about proper portion sizes. Most people eat way too much food at each meal, which contributes to massive weight gain in both adults and children.

Nutrition is important for both children and adults. Together you can make your house a healthier environment, where everyone can reap the benefits. Don’t allow poor nutrition and inactivity to ruin your child’s health. Together we can make a difference that will last a lifetime.

TEACH KIDS TO ENJOY WALKING AS AN EXERCISE

Far too often parents find themselves exasperated when they attend to go walking with children especially if the children are young.

There's no getting around it:Since the children's legs are shorter, they will walk slower than you do. They might also want to use the walk as a time for adventure and exploration, which further slows down their pace. One solution is to allow more time for each walk, so you can let the children walk at their own pace and enjoy yourself. You might also concider setting aside time for two walks, one on your own and one with your kids. If you have only a limited amount of time for a single walk, you can walk with the child during your warm up period and then push the child in a stroller when you pick up pace. When walking with the family, make sure to vary your route, even if you merely walk in the opposite direction every other day. You might also encourage the children to invite one or two of their friends along or have them walk the family dog. One more useful variation: let one of the older children lead another child who shuts his or her eyes. This is an activity that is often used by teachers to heighten a child's awareness of his or her surroundings and developing the non visual senses. Be sure, however, that you keep an eye on them as they do this. You might also try walking together to go out to dinner, to go shopping or to go to religious services. When walking along a road where there are no side walks, walk on the right side of the road, against the traffic. Teach children the rules of traffic, such as obeying traffic lights and crossing the street at cross walks. And, as in driving, teach them to watch out for the other guy. Finally, make sure the children wear light coloured clothing. If they are wearing dark clothing, have them wear bright arm bands or hats. That way motorists will notice them. Will you be able to talk your children into walking with you and staying on a walking programme? Yes, provided you set an example yourself, and support your children with positive feedback and encouragement as they adopt more active habits. In this way you'll be able to maximise the health and happiness of your family's future generations. Don't push your children into walking, however. Nagging won't do much good, you'll just turn off fitness. Try to encourage an atmosphere of cooperation, togetherness and a sense of adventure. Show them how much you enjoy your walks and they'll be more likely to follow your example.

Raising Confident Kids

As a parent one of the biggest goals we set is to raise happy confident kids. This is a journey that starts when they are babies and continues throughout their lives. There are some things that we can do to make sure that our kids have the confidence they need to be happy and proud of themselves.

It is vitally important to encourage children when they have successes in their lives no matter how big or small those achievements might be. Whether it is taking their first steps, tying their shoes for the first time or graduating from high school our reactions, our encouragement and support as parents is what will mean the most to them.

There are some positive reinforcing words that can become a part of our vocabulary that will let children know that they are supported, encouraged and loved. The best thing we can do is make sure that they know they are loved unconditionally. This can be achieved by making sure the words "I love you" are a part of their daily lives. Never have any type of "but..." at the end of that sentence. Being loved no matter what they do, what they say or what happens will give them the knowledge that they are important and cared for and loved always.

When a child does something that we don't appreciate it is important to make sure they know it is the action we are displeased with. We always love them, just not everything they do. They are always loved, appreciated and supported even when things don't go right. You can dislike what they do but still feel the same wonderful feelings about them as a person. It should never be a response of "You're bad" . The things they do may not be supported but they always are.

Positive reinforcement when they do good things can be our best tool to get them to continue doing positive things. If a child feels supported and gets attention for doing good things then that will be where they put their energy. If they only get attention when they misbehave then they will look for attention however they can get it. So it is important to focus on their successes.

No matter how small the achievement might seem to someone else it is a big thing to them. Below is a list of words and phrases that can encourage kids to have confidence in themselves and know that the grown ups in their life have confidence in them too.

That was excellent! Good job! Well done! Awesome! You can do it! Yea, you did it! Terrific! You are really smart You did great Keep trying, I Know you can do it Great effort Thanks your help was appreciated I am proud of you That was hard, you did so well You are really good at that You are so creative, well done It's so much fun spending time with you You are so thoughtful, thanks! Wow, you are awesome! You tried so hard. You'll get it next time Keep up the great work! I love your enthusiasm. You are so talented! You are such a great help.

No matter what words you use, your kids will remember the encouragement, love and support you show them. It will give them the confidence and strength to try new things and know that it is okay even if they don't do well the first time.

They will know that they are talented in lots of areas of their lives and they will carry your confidence building statements through out their lives. Whether you are there or not they will know that they are capable, smart and talented in many things. 

How To Teach Kids About Money

A good place to start teaching children about money is by demonstrating that money is used in exchange for goods and services, showing them that in making their own purchases they are in fact trading with the shop owner and receiving the product in exchange. As an example, next time you are shopping, try to have the exact change for the product and give it to your child. Let your child hand over the money to the cashier and after you have left the shop, have a chat about how the money paid for the item.

It is important to always approach teaching children about money with openness and honesty, giving a constant and clear message. Explain to them why they can or cannot have certain items they wish to buy. You can’t always say yes to a request for money and if it has to be a no, it does few favours being over indulgent, but equally the ‘because I said so’ clause has little educational merit.

Before long your child will have a basic understanding of money. When this happens you may wish to start explaining the bigger picture. You might consider showing children how the whole family benefits from money via a visit to the supermarket. Once there pick out two similar products, perhaps a well known brand and an own label and allow the child to make the choice. If they choose the supermarket’s own brand, allow them to make a further purchase with the saved money. This might be a useful starting point for a discussion about value vs. price.

Consider also the type of signals about money that your child picks up on. You may feel it's important to let your child know family money matters are private, and not for discussion outside the home. If however, as parents you talk in hushed tones over bills and bank statements, your child may deduce that finances are something to be secretive and furtive about. Similarly, if they pick up some stress and anxiety over money, this too is a value that can be carried forward into adult life.

7 tips to help teach children about money

1) Fun, fun, Fun - make a game of both saving and spending. If only spending money is fun then they will not associate any pleasure with saving.

2) Routines - When they receive money as presents or from the tooth fairy establish a routine, like putting some or all of it in their piggy bank or savings account. They will most likely take these traditions forward into their own families.

3) Consistency - If you pay pocket money in return for helping around the house make sure they actually do the work. Even very young children can be responsible for tidying away their own toys or clothes. It’s a good idea to pay a set amount on a regular day but encourage their entrepreneurial side by giving them the opportunity to earn more if they seek it.

4) Look after the pennies - Turning off the lights, saving their pennies and giving small donations to charity collections are small things that they can do to create positive habits which may last a lifetime. Ensure that you explain why you are doing it and what the benefits are. Charitable giving can illustrate to your child that there are others less fortunate and introduce the idea to be grateful that they have more than enough.

5) Consequences - When your children ask for something, rather than say no. Ask them if they would like to buy it from their own money and explain what the consequences are. You may find that they are more reluctant to spend their own money than they are yours!

6) Praise, praise, praise - We may learn by our mistakes but by praising we reinforce positive behaviour and will encourage children to do the right thing out of choice ‘because it feels good’. This can be applied to saving, spending wisely and giving to charity.

7) Spend and save - when your children are receiving pocket money, teach them to save either some or all of it. It is always a good idea to let them spend a little however, as this encouragement will stand them in good stead later in life.

Things to Consider Before Hiring a Teenage Nanny to Watch Your Toddler

Babysitting or nanny services are typically provided by teenagers looking to earn extra spending money. It is common practice for most parents to hire the services of a high school or college student to watch over younger children. School-age kids may be easier for a teenager to manage but there is a lot of debate on whether or not it is proper to get a teenage nanny to look after a toddler.

The upside and the downside of a teenage nanny

On one hand, a teenage babysitter is great because she can keep up with the energy of an overactive child. Teenage nannies are energetic and fun because of their youth. They also charge cheaper compared with older nannies.

On the other hand, teenagers may not have sufficient experience in handling toddlers. Two- to three-year old kids have different needs and handling them is quite different. An inexperienced teenager may not be able to attend to the needs of a toddler. But this doesn’t mean that teenagers, in general, do not make for suitable nannies for younger children. If you’re looking to hire a teenage nanny to watch your toddler, here are some things you might want to consider.

Extensive experience

It would help if you hire a teenage nanny with sufficient experience. Teenagers who have younger siblings are more likely to come with decent childcare skills. Ask your candidate if she has younger siblings or relatives that she babysits. It’s also important to consider hiring somebody who has completed babysitter training or somebody who knows first aid and CPR. Red Cross babysitting courses are regularly offered to teenagers so it would also be a good idea to consider candidates with such certifications.

If the teenager has already babysat for other families, you may want to ask for references and contact the other parents. This is a good way to determine just how capable the candidate is.

Your children

If you have another child aside from your toddler, hiring a teenage nanny may not be a good idea. School-aged kids are already a handful and combining one with a toddler may be more than what the teenager can handle. However, if you only have a toddler who needs to be looked after, an experienced and trained teenage nanny should suffice provided that she is mature enough to care for the child.

Location

Some parents do not mind having a teenage nanny watch over their toddlers particularly if she lives nearby. If your potential babysitter just lives a few blocks away and she can easily call someone like her mother or another adult for help in case of emergencies, she would still be a suitable candidate for the job.

Interviewing the candidate

The interview is crucial to your decision to hire a teenage nanny for your toddler. This is where you will be able to determine if the applicant is mature enough to handle a child as young as yours. How she answers your questions would be indicative of her competence.
By Doreen Lee