Carry on with Life

Exams stress and kids

2012-02-15T00:05:00.000-08:00

Exams are about to begin and the stress to score high is showing up on the faces of kids and parents. However, stress can result in bad performance and grades. Parents need to take some steps so that their kids memorize their lessons and perform without much stress.

Drinking water during the studies helps in memory retention. Therefore, ask your kid to drink water frequently in between.

Breathing exercises helps to shed stress from the mind. Teach your kids some easy breathing exercise so that he or she can feel stress free and fresh.

Short breaks between the studies to eat or to play help kids to refresh themselves.

Longer duration of studies exhausts the child and reduces retention of memory.

Encourage your child to think positive. Positive atmosphere at home is helpful in keeping the kid calm and confident.

Sound sleep is also necessary for children. Irregular routine of sleeping makes the child weary and irritated.

Last but not the least; formulate an agreeable time table for studies and other activities so that kids can enjoy and also prepare for exams without feeling the burden.

Ask questions from your child!

2012-01-17T01:01:00.000-08:00

Many of the behavior issues related to kids are merely because of communication gap. We simply refuse to switch off our cell phones or internet. Just listening to half of what she wants to say, we presume the whole situation and dismiss it as another child talk.

This year let us be more interactive and patient towards our kids. Ask more questions from your child to understand her better. Talking to her patiently will feel her cared for. That would help her to settle down her insecurities and would make her feel confident.

Try this tip. Next time your child comes to you, ignore your phone call and interact with her. She is likely to feel better after having a hearty talk with you. Probably, there will be lesser behavior problems in the child as well.

Welcome your kids in year 2012

2012-01-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

A very Happy New Year to all of you.

Let us welcome the year with cheers, hope and faith in ourselves and in our kids. Last year, you must have had some apprehensions which may have settled down by the end of the year.

This year as well, you must be having some agendas and issues to tackle on parenting front. Let us start with a positive note that we will be able to deal with our parenting issues in a more positive and composed way.

kids will take time to learn new things and habits.Giving them space and encouraging hand will help them to grasp faster.

Happy parenting in 2012:))

Thank you, kids

2011-12-30T00:54:00.000-08:00

One more year is ending, giving way to another wonderful year. Throughout the year, we made every effort to make life special and beautiful for our family, not to forget the little efforts of our kids to make us smile. In tough times, they understood us and did everything to make things easy for us. Their silent cooperation comforted us.

For every little effort and gesture by our kids, they deserve appreciation and a big hug. I would like to thank my kids for understanding me better and loving me unconditionally.

Gradually, the kids have crossed many milestones. They would continue to surprise us with their questions, performances and gestures. Let us not forget they are taking crucial lessons from life at their own pace.

Have a great journey with kids in the New Year as well!

Carry on with life:))

Some wonderful momentsof this year with kids

2011-12-12T00:08:00.000-08:00

The year is about to say goodbye. Some of the special moments of this year will always remain with us. Some of them taught parents to be better while others witness the growing care of kids for their mom and dad.

Some moments of this year, I would like to share here.

In this year, I got my driver’s license and many times took my kids for drive. Every time I drove, my kids applauded and clapped for me. Their happiness and motivation helped me to improve my newly acquired skill. One such time, when I was travelling with my daughter, she all of a sudden started clapping for me and said she wanted me to drive often. This was one of the most memorable moments.

This year I started blogging and have been enjoying sharing my perspective and feelings. It has prompted my son to write articles as well. Though I have placed restriction on using computer, yet occasionally I allow him to write. It is good, as it will improve his writing and computer skills.

Sometimes, the concern of the kids really touches you so much. A few months back, I was travelling with my kids in metro and there was only one empty seat. I asked my kids to sit but my son persisted to me to sit there and he kept standing throughout the travel. I thanked and admired him for his gesture.

These are just some of the moments that I have shared. You can also share your wonderful moments of this year. We are waiting to hear from you.

Skin protection of kids in winter

2011-11-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, here we have some quick reminders that would help to protect the skin of the kids in winter.

Avoid hot water baths and prevent kids from bathing for long time. It would help the skin to stay happy as hot water bath for long time makes the skin dry and itchy.

As soon as the kids come out of the bathroom and their skin is still damp, apply a good moisturizer. It will help to keep the skin soft and avoid dryness.

Apply lip balm regularly to avoid chapped lips of kids. Ask the kids not to lick their lips, as it will make the skin drier.

Generally, kids pick and rub their nostrils because the skin inside is dry. Moisturize the skin inside the nose in order to avoid blood nose. I apply Vaseline petroleum jelly in the nostrils and then squeeze the nose gently so that the jelly spreads evenly.

Wearing socks can help the kids to stay warm. It also helps their skin to remain soft and does not get dry due to cold temperature.

Head massage on the weekend increases the blood circulation and make the hair of the kids soft and silky. The dry and cold weather badly affect the kids. Therefore, oil massage of the head and body is a good way to protect the kids.
take adequate precautions and follow home remedies to protect kids from eczema.

These are some simple tips to protect the skin of the kids in winter.

Have happy winter season!

Winter protection tips for kids

2011-11-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

The arrival of cold weather brings many serious health problems with it. Especially children are easy victims of cold, cough and other infections. However, with timely care and precautions, all these problems can be handled and children can enjoy winter season with smiles on their faces.

Here are some quick winter protection tips to safeguard the health of your little one.

 Stay indoors. Make sure the kids spend a very limited time playing outdoors. Encourage them to play some indoor games. Moreover, prevent them from switching between indoors and outdoors. This may cause cold and infections to the kids.

 Dress them suitably. While one layer of winter clothing may be sufficient for mild dip in temperatures, the kids require multiple layers of warm clothes in freezing weather. In extreme winters, the kids require sweatshirts, pullovers, jackets, mittens, socks, woolen caps, scarves, and warm pants and so on. Therefore, the clothing should be appropriate to safeguard kids from changing temperatures.

 Choose clothes wisely. Woolen clothing is the best to keep kids warm and safe. Go for waterproof and wind proof clothes that provide extra protection to kids especially when they are going outside the home.

 Keep your home warm and safe. Ensure that your heating equipment is in working condition and use them in extreme winters to avoid ailments like hypothermia in kids.

 Always carry extra pair of socks, gloves, blankets and jackets while driving with kids.Travelling in winter season may not be suitable for kids. Hence, it is better to stay prepared if driving out is compulsory.

 Adult supervision is must when kids indulge in winter sports. Make sure that kids are equipped with essential winter sportswear like snowboard pants, jackets, helmets, etc.

 Just in case, kids get wet while playing outdoors then immediately change their clothes and provide some hot drink like hot coffee or soup to them.

 Provide nutritious and balanced diet to kids so that their immune system remains strong in winter. Foods like dairy products, vegetables, fruits and dry fruits are good source of energy and keep the kids healthy.

 In case kids fell ill, consult a doctor and start treatment early for fast relief. Ailments like cold, cough and flu should not be underestimated and proper medication should be provided to kids in time for health safety in winter season.

Cleanliness habit in kids

2011-10-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

Kids often fell ill because of bad hygiene.They play in mud, splash dirty water on each other and sometimes avoid proper bath.Moreover, they seldom remember to wash hands before picking up their favorite food.Mothers keep on chasing their kids to make them clean and tidy but after a while, they come back again with dirt and germs. Such things can have serious influence on the health of the children.

Good hygiene and cleanliness are important aspect of education of kids. It is important to educate kids about the importance of clean skin and body. Whenever they are finished with their playing with mud or clay, they should be given bath if required. Proper handwashing is must to keep the hands, fingers and nails clean.

Generally,nails get dirty quickly. Therefore, keeping the nails trimmed regularly is of great importance.Dirty nails are the cause of various stomach infections and health problems. Under the guidance of an adult, a child must wash his hands thoroughly to get rid of germs.

The need for cleanliness is higher in summer and rainy season as the germs and infections grow faster in these two seasons. Eczema and acne are two skin issues which can be controlled with proper cleanliness habit.

Bathing time can be converted into fun time for the kids if they avoid bath. Splashing water on each other is an enjoyable activity. Also, one can create a small bath pool in the house so that kids are attracted to take bath.

Kids learn fast if taught with example.Set a good example of your in front of them and follow all the rules of staying clean. The kids would imitate you for sure.
Also reward them for their efforts to stay clean.

Importance of festivals for kids

2011-09-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

It is the time to enjoy and celebrate festivals.Many of us like the festive season and enjoy the rituals attached to them. Some others like the idea of getting holidays because of festivals and they enjoy the break from their daily schedule.Our kids also enjoy the festive season and look forward to break from school and studies.

However, the kids hardly understand the importance of these festivals.Why these festivals are celebrated?

There is a mythological story or a significant history event behind these celebrations. In absence of the awarenes in this regard, the enjoyment of these festivals is incomplete.Many times,kids enquire about the historical aspects of the festivals.Making them aware about the past will surely help them to enjoy their present.

Nowadays, many comic books are available which revolve around mythological stories and tell about the reasons for celebration of a particular festival. Reading these history based story books serves many purposes at the same time.It not only helps kids to learn about their history but it also provides them the essential moral values.The moral of the story helps the kids to understand the human values.

Another way to guide about festivals is by way of cartoons.There are available many cartoon films CDs based on the lives of different mythological heroes, which may provide the answers to many questions of the children.The kids would love to watch these cartoon films and get to know about their past.

Awareness about history is an important aspect of education of kids.It hleps them to differentiate between wrong and right, good and bad and pros and cons of various things that come up in life.

Natural Disasters and Kids

2011-09-19T03:34:00.000-07:00

Kids are highly sensitive to their environment and any severe change affects their psyche deeply. News of hurricane, earthquake, floods, cyclone, landslide, etc makes them anxious and confused. They feel threatened when they hear about mass devastation caused due to a natural calamity.

At such time, several questions pop up in a kid’s mind and if answered timely, he or she can feel secure and prepared for any adverse situation. It is better to have an open discussion on these tough issues and to educate the kid about them. Some kids may ask about the reasons behind these natural calamities while some others may get scared. Still, some others may not bother themselves with such issues.

Awareness about a natural calamity is the first step. This is the best way to calm down the child and satiate his curiosity.

Secondly, reassure the child that natural calamities do not occur often and it is a rare phenomenon. This will help in removing his fears and restore his confidence.

The kids should be educated about the ways they can respond to such calamities. Like, it is better to come out in open in case of earthquake. In addition, a proper guidance in school and at home will help the child to prepare for the worst.

Parents are the best guide. Their own response to a given situation set the benchmark for their kids. Therefore, the coping capacity of kids is directly related to that of parents.

Finally I regained my sanity!!

2011-09-13T01:01:00.000-07:00

It has been an exhausting week for me as my daughter fell ill and became very irritable. She used to cling to me and would not leave me at all. Even going to bathroom was difficult as she would bang on the door till it was opened. She avoided her favorite foods and ate very less. Her weight reduced.

That made me feel like screaming at the top of my voice. I did that sometimes....
But what actually reversed the situation was my story telling technique. I used to narrate stories to pillows and toys ( believe me its true!).And she used to join me and listen the story with full attention. That helped in controlling her tantrums and mood swings. During that moment, I would make her eat something or indulge her in some game so that I could take some break from continuous howling of hers.

I also realized that behaving like a mother would not help me every time. I used to behave like a kid and made faces and did everything a kid would love to do.
For every gesture and nice behavior of hers I clapped and appreciated.This would make her feel happy.
Now both of us are back to our routine and she is enjoying life as usual. I just have a look at the past and realize what I have learnt and what I can do to handle such situations in a better way.

Positive impact of story telling on kids

2011-09-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Recently,I discovered a latent talent of mine.I have this amazing talent of making up stories to my kids related to my life. This art of mine helps me to achieve my motive of distracting the attention of my child to the desired object or action.

For the past few days, my 3 year old daughter has become cranky and fussy. She would cry without any reason and at times refuse to go to school. She would demand something which is not available or cannot be prepared at once.

Her reluctance to go to school surprised me because she used to be so excited and prepared to go to school even on weekends. Now this sudden change was not easy to get rid of. So today when she showed her tantrums, I decided to handle it differently.

I told her a story when I used to be small and avoided school. I told her that my teachers and friends cried and missed me and they called me to come otherwise they would not have their lunch. The story was spontaneous and I kept on adding things to divert her mind. In the last, I told her that my Mother helped me in dressing up well and sent me to school.Then I asked her whether she wants to be dressed properly or shabbily while going to school. She said that she wants to look beautiful. So we went to her almirah to find a beautiful dress which she would wear to school!!

The whole purpose of making the story was to divert her attention and convert her moody attitude into happiness.
Story telling is a great tool through which children can acquire new habits or learn human values. It is an easy way to motivate children and to handle their mood swings. Either develop a story of your own or read out from a story book. Both have positive impact on the kids.

So try this tool taday and let me know how this art helped you in dealing with kids.

Developing reading skill in toddlers

2011-08-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

Reading skill is an important part of child development. It may seem to be an easy job but actually, it requires careful effort to develop the skill in toddlers.

Toddlers like to learn and do new things. Their enthusiasm for new things and skills help them to become better in different tasks. For motivating them to read, the role of parents is inevitable. Similarly, with young kids, the parents have to help in developing reading skills.

There can be various opportunities where parents can encourage the reading habit in toddlers without any stress.

• Read out loudly the labels of their favorite pack of eatables. Show them the pack and tell details about it. This would make the child curious about the written words.
• Encourage story-telling habit. Narrate a story and use some new action words. Repeat the exercise daily so that the child learns and uses new words.
• Reward them with story and picture books. Sit with the child, point out the pictures in the book, and tell their names. It would develop their vocabulary.

• While in bus or in park, show them the various symbols and signs and explain their meanings.

• Read out the big captions written outside a shop or on the street.

• Combine learning with playing. Buy educational toys and games for the children. They are a lot of fun and sharpen skills of the kids.

• Introduce alphabet in a playful manner. The parents can use colorful blocks of alphabet that would capture the attention of toddlers.

An encouraging reading atmosphere and full participation of parents will go a long way in development of reading skill in toddlers.

Importance of freedom of speech for kids

2011-08-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

Often kids are considered too small to express their minds on a given situation or issue. They are merely sent to another room or instructed to keep quiet in a discussion. Is such kind of deprivation to speak good for their development? Is freedom of speech necessary right for adults and not for children?

Certainly not.Given them the opportunity to think and take a stand, young minds can definitely produce some great ideas and results.

Compare two sets of kids treated in two different ways. Under one condition, the kids have to follow rules and to abide by the instructions. They are not expected to think and decide but simply follow the path decided by their superiors. In other condition, the kids live in an atmosphere of free speech.They get opportunity to come up with new thinking and ideas. They are encouraged to take their own decisions.

The first set of kids grow as submissive and indecisive lot who wait for approval to take their decisions.On the other hand, the kids with freedom of speech are confident, social and leaders in their own way. They can come up with out-of-the-box ideas and have the guts to handle any situation with optimism.
Therefore, the freedom of speech is an important aspect for every home atmosphere to make kids into independent and confident adults. Encourage and appreciate the views and thoughts of children from today!!

Special bond of brother and sister

2011-08-12T00:43:00.001-07:00

Relationships are important aspect of life. One of the most beautiful and cherished relation is that of a brother and sister. The sometimes sweet and sometimes sour bond between brother and sister can become more special with the guidance of their parents.

It is normal between siblings to have differences, fights and insecurities. As they grow, they learn to adjust and live together. The long years of bonding and companionship takes a turn when these siblings turn adults and choose different paths of their lives. Nevertheless, they can nurture a perfect soulful bond provided their parents shower extra attention and effort on this aspect.

The bond of a brother and sister can have lots of twists and turns. There can be phases of non-tolerance towards each other. With these simple and small efforts, the parents can erase the negative aspect of this beautiful bond and help in building a more trustworthy and lasting relationship.

• Be fair and impartial among all the siblings. The equal behavior and guidelines for the kids reduce the negativity and promote harmony in the house.

• Avoid comparisons among siblings. It helps in reducing sibling rivalry and children feel equally loved and cared.

• Appreciate the unique quality of each child. This makes the siblings acknowledge and accept the qualities of each other and learn to respect each other.

• Display of strong family ties sets a good example in front of the kids. The values and atmosphere of the family have a great impact on the younger generation. Therefore, practice healthy bonding with other adults in order to preach positive values to the children.

• Encourage kids to sort out their issues on their own. Let them evaluate and resolve their differences. It would strengthen their relationship.

• Celebrate the beauty of relationship of the kids. Just like Father’s day and Mother’s day, the kids can have a special day for themselves on which they can express their feelings and exchange cards and gifts.

Raksha bandhan is one such festival that celebrates the genuine and eternal bond of a sister and brother. The day refreshes the memories of childhood and renews the true friendship between brothers and sisters.

Treatment of acne in kids

2011-08-03T00:11:00.000-07:00

In kids, the problem of acne is primarily due to hormonal changes. The body of a teenager witnesses many changes from within. This has a reflection on the skin of the growing kid by way of acne. The presence of acne on the skin affects the kid mentally as well.

The problem of acne goes beyond the skin. It adversely affects the self-confidence of a teenager and his or her social life as well. The teenagers are more conscious about their looks and personality. Acne on skin makes them feel vulnerable and ugly. In such situation, the proper guidance on acne can ease the situation. It is actually the motivating role of parents and family that makes the difference.

Moreover, the teenagers and parents may resort to home remedies for acne cure. Some of the remedies are here below:

Rub a tomato slice on the face of the child. Wash the face after 15 minutes. This will remove the dirt and excess oil from the skin and make it clean. Use this remedy daily.

Another remedy for acne cure can be applying mixture of sandalwood powder and rose water on the face until it dries. Then, wash off. The acne prone skin will look more fresh and clean.

Besides the above home remedies, follow some necessary precautions to keep acne away.

Therefore, there is no need to worry about. Stress in kids can only aggravate the problem and will not contribute to acne cure. With settling of hormones, the acne also disappears.

Protect kids from acne problem

2011-07-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

Acne problem is a reason to worry for kids. In their teens, the kids become conscious about their appearance and a simple white head can lower their self-esteem. The prolonged presence of acne thus constantly troubles the young minds.

In severe cases of acne, kids even shy away to meet their pals and avoid socializing with the outside world. Therefore, the effects of acne are not limited to physical beauty. It is a much deeper problem for a kid in his or her teens.

To counter acne, one must understand the facts related with acne. The parents and kids must know the difference between various kinds of acne. Accordingly, the treatment may differ. In addition, the parents can ask kids to follow some guidelines to stop acne at the initial stage.

With following basic tips to prevent and deal with acne, the affected kids can surely smile and blow away their blues.

 Water is the main element that helps in acne. So, drink plenty of water. It helps in flushing away the toxins from the body and making the skin healthy.

 Wash face with plain water and mild face wash twice a day in order to remove excess oil and dirt.

 Excessive sweating also helps in building up of acne. Therefore, always wash face after sweating and after physical activity.

 Avoid scrubbing face as it may deteriorate acne problem.

 Use oil free cosmetics and skin products. The water based products are soft on the acne prone skin and do not clog the pores.

 Hair products can harm the skin of the face; it is advisable to keep them away from the face.

 Wash hair on regular basis so that oil present in hair does not block the pores of the skin. Also, keep the hair away from the face.

 Do not pick or squeeze pimples.

 Avoid over exposure of sun.

 Use water based sunscreen before moving out of the house.

 Avoid oily and processed foods.

 Wear cotton clothes to avoid breeding of bacteria.

 Prefer home remedies to chemical based products to treat acne.

These simple steps are essential to protect the skin of growing kids from acne.

ACNE AND KIDS

2011-07-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

Acne is a common problem among kids in their teens. It is due to changes in hormones in teens that show up on skin in the form of whiteheads, blackhead and pimples. However, it is not easy to accept the presence of acne and often teenagers are depressed because of this.

To know about the solutions for acne, it is important to understand some basic facts related to it. The skin of a human body has innumerable pores that contain oil glands. These glands produce oil required by the skin and hair as well. During teens, the hormones become overactive that results in excessive production of oil by the oil glands.

Too much of oil on skin block the pores and when combined with dirt and bacteria, it gives birth to acne. The blocked pore when emerges as a bump on the skin then it is called whitehead. In case this whitehead is open, then bacteria and dirt may penetrate and make the bump darker. Then it is blackhead. A pimple is a red bump on the skin that is infected and more difficult to cure.

Both genders experience the problem of acne in their adolescence. It can appear on those parts of body that have overactive oil glands. Mainly face, neck, shoulders, chest and back of teenagers get acne.

In case parents have experienced acne in their teens then, their children are likely to face the same. However, some trigger points may worsen this skin problem such as:

• Frequent consumption of oily foods

• Unhealthy diet and faulty lifestyle habits

• Too much sun exposure

• Using wrong type of cosmetics and skin products

• Inadequate or improper skin care habits

• Touching and squeezing the acne

• Stress

There is a lot of scope to avoid and prevent acne. Find solutions to treat acne here.

Home Remedies For Eczema in Kids

2011-07-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

Eczema is surely one skin problem that keeps the sufferer away from leading a normal life. Sometimes, any amount of treatments and medicines just seem to be inadequate to solve this problem. Different solutions from different people and doctors do not provide a lasting relief. In such situation, the eczema sufferer can definitely rely on natural treatments for this skin problem.

Firstly, the natural treatments contain ingredients from the nature itself and harmful chemicals are absent. Secondly, these treatments are safe and do not have major adverse effects on the user.

Vitamin E cream

Apply Vitamin E cream on the eczema-affected skin. It will reduce itchiness and swelling. The natural anti-oxidants present in the vitamin E cream are good at their job to reduce the eczema flare-ups.

Grape seed extract

To prevent the itchiness due to eczema, use grape seed extract. The grape seed extract contains flavonoids that prevent and relieve itchy feeling.

Flaxseed oil

The constant usage of the flaxseed oil on the skin makes it healthy. The oil is the right option to cure eczema. Remember, the amount of dose may differ person to person and the usage should be on continued basis.

Blueberry leaf extract

The anti inflammatory properties of blueberry leaf extract reduces the swelling and itchiness on the eczema skin. The extract is easily available in lotion form and provides instant relief.

Coconut oil

The cooling properties of coconut oil make it suitable for eczema sufferers. It immediately relieves the person from inflammation and discomfort. It is easily available and economical unlike some oils like primrose oil.

Besides adequate precautions for eczema, these home remedies are also essential to control the problem in kids.

Ways to counter eczema in kids

2011-07-11T01:28:00.000-07:00

Eczema has severe effects on the mental and physical health of a child. It refers to a skin condition where the afflicted child experiences skin inflammation on the tender areas of the body like face, hands, wrists, scalp, knees and neck. It causes rashes, itchy and dry skin, and lesions on the skin.

The affected child scratches and rubs the inflamed areas that further worsen the skin condition. Sometimes the skin has red, little bumps that ooze and are painful. Eczema in babies, as young as couple of months old, is difficult to handle and cure. Both parents and their baby experience mental trauma in this skin condition.

Moreover, this skin problem is a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. When a baby has itchy, scaly and dry skin, there is a need to check the medical history of the family to understand the hereditary role in this condition. A doctor will also ascertain the allergens that may trigger eczema in affected infant or child. These allergens can be:

1. Certain detergents or soaps
2. Certain foods like eggs, nuts, etc
3. Lotion, cream and perfumes
4. Stressful situations
5. Some type of fabric like woolen
6. Changing temperature conditions
7. Dust, parasites and pet hair

As the infant grows, the child may have lesser instances of eczema flare-ups and it may totally disappear as the little one crosses his teens. However, until that time, the condition has serious effects on the affected child. Continuous itching and irritation is a nuisance for the child. Many times, it is avoidable and easy to resist. Just follow these simple steps to beat eczema in kids:

1. Moisturize the skin of child regularly. It helps in controlling the itchiness. Use unscented lotion or natural products that have no side effects on the skin.

2. Keep the skin clean. It is crucial to keep the affected skin clean. Therefore, give bathe to the baby/child frequently to combat eczema.

3. Use unscented products for bathing. Find out if the soap is suitable for the baby. Switch over to mild and unscented soap if any flare up is there after bathing.

4. Usage of clean towel and bedding is equally important. Dirty fabric may carry dust mites and bacteria that may pass on to the skin. Hence, proper care in this regard is essential. The detergents should also be scent free and mild otherwise that can trigger the skin problem.

5. Clean and soft clothing for the child is also crucial so that the skin is not irritated or inflamed because of the cloth. Use soft cotton clothing to keep the skin happy of the child.
6. Home remedies are alternative and no side effect way to treat and beat eczema. Try today!

RAINY SEASON AND KIDS

2011-07-04T03:46:00.000-07:00

Rains definitely provide the much-needed break from hot and humid summer. Everyone including kids enjoys the rains and some even like to get soaked in the rainwater. It appears that the sun and clouds are playing a hide and seek game. They take turns to provide light and water to the people of the land.

However, the season also brings many types of illness and serious diseases along with fun and relief. In absence of good hygiene and precautions, these diseases can trap and attack the immunity system of the patient. The children are the easy prey of the diseases and likely to recover slowly.

Cold is a common problem in rainy season. However, not a very serious one, yet prolonged problem of cold and cough can make the child weak and lower his or her immunity levels. Early precautions and treatment is the right solution.

There are different kinds of viruses in the air in rainy season. The hide and seek game of temperature and rains give birth to various infections and illness. Eye infection is yet another problem that may cause stye, conjunctivitis, dry eyes and blurred vision in some cases. Poor hygiene and presence of viruses in atmosphere is the primary cause of eye infection. The parents need to combat both in order to safeguard the kids.

Malaria and dengue are also prevalent in rainy season. The main reason of these diseases is presence of mosquitoes. It is better to take prior precaution rather than risk your child’ health and repent later.

Water borne diseases need a special mention in this list. Often hygiene and carelessness lead to such diseases.

Some necessary tips to avoid diseases in rainy season are here below:

1. Dress the kids as per the season. Use of gumboots, raincoats and umbrellas are must to protect the kids from dirty water and prolonged wetness.

2. Even if the kids get soaked in rainwater, give them a quick wash at home with antibacterial soap and pat dry. Let them sit in warm temperature in order to avoid cold. Also offer them hot milk/ coffee/soup.

3. Washing hands prior to and after eating is a good habit, which kids can learn through example and daily reminders. Use of medicinal soap for hand wash after toilet is mandatory. This habit can surely avoid many infections.

4. Keep the nails of kids trimmed to avoid dirt penetration. Moreover, prevent kids from nail biting as it may attract illness.
5. Always drink adequately filtered and purified water. If possible, use boiled water to avoid diseases like cholera.

6. Prefer bottled water to tap water when eating out in restaurants.
7. Avoid prior cut foods or uncooked foods like fruits and salads. It attracts severe stomach infections and cause digestion problems.

8. Control the tendency of eating out at roadside food stalls. They are most likely to be unhygienic and contaminated with pollutants.

9. Stop kids from touching their eyes and face with dirty hands. It may cause eye and skin infections.

10. Use mosquito coil, repellants creams and net to keep the mosquitoes away. Pesticide treatment is a good solution to solve the pest and mosquito problem during rainy season.
11. Do not let children play in dirty water as it may cause skin problems.

12. Enhance immunity system of kids with proper diet and lifestyle that includes leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, milk products and cereals. A strong body can fight infections and viruses better.

Body and skin care in rainy season is equally important for kids and adults. Proper care is the only way to enjoy the rainy season without any problem.

My daughter's birthday

2011-06-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

Last week we celebrated our daughter's birthday.It was awesome. We enjoyed the whole day and the birthday party. The party had all the ingredients which could make it interesting and memorable.
My son helped me to organize the party efficiently.He actually sat with me and prepared the list of things that we require. Whether it was booking the cake or selecting the birthday dress for his sister, he did with me patiently and enthusiastically. His company actually kept me going.

Even more, he gave good ideas to make the party successful. Along with me he prepared the list of eatables/snacks and the required party items. My daughter is still too young to participate. She has turned three and is good at enjoying the party.

We bought the party decorations items and other stuff in advance. On the D-day, all three of us cleaned the house and decorated it with balloons. My children did a good job in blowing the balloons.They were determined to surprise their father with the decorations.
We had bought the CD of latest songs and it was a good decision. My son had already told me about the favorite songs of his age group. And surely they were a hit. The friends of my kids danced and anjoyed. We also had a round of the game"passing the parcel". It was fun.
The main attraction of the party, that is cake was liked by all. Me and my son had done a good job in selecting a beautiful cake for my daughter.
At the end, the return gifts were given to the children.We took care that gifts were age appropriate and useful.
The party was a success and it was all because of teamwork put in by all the family members. It was an opportunity to teach the kids about the importance of team effort. It also made my son realize the importance of time management.

Now, it's your turn to share your experience with kids.How did you tackle a particular situation? Or how did you fix a bad habit of your child?

Kids and me

2011-06-09T01:43:00.000-07:00

Vacations are on and I am having a fantastic time with my kids. All day we do different interesting activities to keep ourselves engaged. There are no hard and fast rules. Nevertheless, some guidelines are there that everyone has to follow.
Being a cricket fan my son chose to learn the sport in these holidays. For that, he has to wake up on time and get ready to leave for the classes. So, both of us are happy. On the other hand, there is no fixed timetable for my daughter who is going to be three years old.
Television viewing is limited in our house and that rule is applicable to everyone. I do not allow my kids to watch cartoons for long. If you want to know how much I apply this rule on myself then I would like you to know that I hardly get time for entertainment.
Both my son and daughter love to draw and color. It helps them to unleash their imagination and enjoy their time. Creative handwriting is yet another way to let the child imagine, think and express his feelings. I give weird and funny topics to him to make the activity interesting.
Indoor games are a great way to keep the kids occupied. Some games are equally relevant for all ages like code breaker, scrabble and housie. Both of us enjoy these games.
I have prepared a detailed chart and pinned that on the board. It highlights the daily activities of my son. The chart also clarifies the time he devotes to creative activities in comparison to the leisure time. That helps my son to balance between different activities.
My daughter is a true copycat of her brother. She does whatever my son does. She would follow him in every way and in every sense. Therefore, there is less need to train her or guide her.
Both of my children are sweet enough to help me in daily chores. With their little hands, they clean the furniture and keep their toys back in place.
These holidays have been fun filled and learning experience for my kids. This time has also made me more patient and tactful while dealing with kids.
I have shared my experience with kids during these holidays. I wish to know your experience, thoughts and ideas to make the vacation memorable and enjoyable.

Summer safety tips for kids

2011-05-23T03:55:00.000-07:00

The scorching sunrays are harmful for your tiny tots. The kids are likely to suffer dehydration and exhaustion in summer. Therefore, it is crucial to safeguard the kids from the heat and harmful sunrays.

Often, kids refuse to stay indoors. They insist on playing outdoor games and this negligence can prove to be detrimental for their health. Even if they stay indoors, the kids can still feel the brunt of the burning sun.

Thus, what can the parents do to counter the damaging effects of the sun? Well, the parents can follow these simple tips to protect their darlings from the summer heat.

• Persuade the kids to drink plenty of water and liquids. Prepare homemade squashes in different flavors. Children will just love to have them.

• Remember to carry water bottle while going out in sun. Intake of water at regular intervals is important for kids to safeguard them from dehydration.

• Juicy fruits and salads provide the necessary nutrients and help in fighting the heat. Kids who take at least two servings of fresh fruits are likely to stay fit in summers.

• Apply sunscreen liberally on kids so that their skin is safe from the ultra violet rays of the sun when they are outside.

• Use of sunscreen is important even when the kids are going to swim. Reapply the sunscreen every 2-3 hours to protect the skin of kids.

• Sunglasses, caps and hats are mandatory for kids to keep their eyes and skin safe from direct sunlight.

• Umbrellas are essential too. Keep the kids in shade as much as possible.

• Loose fitted clothing helps the body to breathe and minimize sweating.

• Bathing helps in lowering the body temperature.

• Use anti bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers regularly.

• It is better to stay indoors between 11a.m. to 4p.m., as sunrays are harsh during this period.

• In case the kids suffer from sunburns, use home remedies to minimize the problem.

These tips are must for kids in summer. With ongoing summer vacation, the kids are likely to stay outdoors and the above steps become all the more important to implement.

Travelling with kids

2011-05-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

The moment the vacations begin, first thing that comes to the mind of children is of travelling. Both parents and kids look forward to a nice trip in vacations to a new place. The purpose is to get a break from the daily routine and to have many fun moments together.

Absolutely, every family should go out for a trip at least once a year. This is the time when kids can enjoy with their parents and other family members. Moreover, they discover a new place that makes the trip even more exciting. However, it requires sincere research and effort on part of the parents to make the family trip successful and without any disappointments.

The parents should consider following aspects before planning a trip in the vacations:
 The weather of the destination: It is important to know the temperature and climate of the destination at the time of the trip. Accordingly, the family can pack suitable clothes and accessories. In case of unpredictable climate, one should take along several pairs of clothes and at least an extra pair of shoes. The rains can wash away the high spirits if the trip is not properly planned as per climate.

 Budget of the family: The family should pre plan the extent and type of trip as per its budget. If planning for pocket friendly trip, then parents should opt for visit to nearby hill station or a short trip to a theme park or resort. In addition, the budget is a decisive factor in determining the mode of transport and the type of stay.

 The best means of travel: Parents have to choose diligently the mode of transport. They may go for a road trip, or via air or by train or use public transport to reach the destination. The decision depends on the location and on the budget constraints of the family.

 Kids’ friendly place: Kids are most likely to enjoy places that offer facilities and entertainment specially designed for kids.

 Precautions for kids: In case of toddlers and babies, it is essential to carry loads of diapers in order to avoid any accidents. LOL. On the serious note, remember to leave a piece of paper in the pocket of kids mentioning the name of parents, their contact numbers and the name of hotel. Always carry photographs of kids and other family members.

 Health concerns: Keep in mind if the child is suffering from any serious ailment and carry the necessary medicines. Moreover, the family should carry a medical kit bearing some necessary general use tablets for emergencies. Consult doctor for any necessary vaccinations required before travelling abroad. In addition, do not forget to eat and sleep well while holidaying in the favorite destination.

 Luggage and baggage packing: Avoid overloading your luggage. Focus on the essentials and must haves. Smart packing is essential to avoid additional fees on luggage and to maintain control over your travel.

 Passport and other important documents if travelling overseas: Always carry copies of passport along in case of trip to foreign country. Check the air ticket or rail ticket, credit cards and/ or other essentials like identity proofs are in place.

 Places to visit on the destination: Check out the special attractions of the destination place and if possible carry the local map along for guidance. Verify the popular and economical mode of transport for convenient travel around the place.

 Advance hotel booking: Book the hotel room in advance to avoid any disappointment at the last moment. Moreover, find out the best option of stay like renting an apartment or sharing a family room in hotel instead of taking two separate bedrooms.

These are bare minimum travel tips. Depending upon the location, there can be more pointers that may require attention of the parents for full enjoyment with kids.
For example, planning for a trip to Disney World can become a memorable experience if organized carefully. A well-structured strategy can minimize the costs and save a lot of hard-earned money.

Similarly holidaying at cruise can be a magical experience if cruise related tips and precautions are ascertained and implemented.
To make a trip successful, the parents have to keep in mind the above aspects.

Summer jobs for kids

2011-05-16T23:14:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation is the time to relax and have fun. However, not all kids are amused with having fun all the time. Some kids want to learn and gain experience. Yet some others want exposure to the world unknown to them and earn some good pocket money as well in the process.

Even parents want their kids to do some serious jobs and become responsible during their vacation. They encourage their kids to take up some responsibility and carry it out sincerely. There is a multitude of benefits for encouraging kids and teens to go for summer jobs.

Summer job is a good utilization of time and energy of kids.

It provides necessary real life exposure to kids who are otherwise busy in studies and entertainment.

The kids acquire new skills and learn new things.

The kids learn to sell their services and thereby improve their communication skills.
Each completed task boosts the confidence of the kid.

Kids become more responsible and sincere towards themselves and towards others as well.

Summer job is an easy way to make some money by kids.

Kids learn to value money and use it wisely as well.

In nutshell, the parents should encourage kids to take up some tasks and fulfill them earnestly. In fact, the parents can guide kids about the fine nuances related to the job and prepare kids accordingly. They can give valuable tips on communication and self-marketing.

There is a list of some jobs for kids for summer vacation:

Gardening: kids can help their neighbors in watering the plants and maintain the lawn or garden. It is easy and does not require very long hours of hard work. Just a couple of hours daily can fetch good pocket money.
Pet care: dog walk or feeding the pets is again an enjoyable and easy job for kids. The prime requirement for this job is genuine affection for animals and will to treat them well. Moreover, this is whole lot of fun where kids can play with the pet while taking good care of them.

Gift-wrapping: it is an interesting job involving creativity and little hard work. A kid needs some basic things like wrapping paper, ribbons, tape and scissors. The demand of job may not be regular but it pays to be creative and scrupulous.

Crafts work: if the kid is good at making craft items, wall hangings or doing best out of waste materials, then his or her talent can be paying in the coming summer holidays. He or she needs to display the collection of his or her art and crafts work at his backyard, may be on weekly basis and invite friends and neighbors. He will surely gain popularity and some bucks as well.

Join a departmental store: Growing kids can join some store and offer their assistance in some odd jobs. They may also join some restaurant for gaining exposure in customer care and marketing.

Computer jobs: kids of next generation are smart and active. They can do an array of computer jobs and work from home comfort. It is surely a lucrative and intelligent way to spend summer vacation and earn some quick money.

Tutoring: Teaching is a good summer job option for older kids. The kids can tutor younger kids on different subjects and skills. This will boost their self-esteem and make them more skilled.

These are some of the options for summer jobs. There can be many more ways for kids to earn money in summer vacations depending upon their talent and interest.

NOTE: the nature and extent of jobs of kids are governed by the respective laws of each country and must be followed.

How to keep kids busy in vacations

2011-05-04T04:17:00.000-07:00

Vacations are the most awaited and cherished time of the year for kids. As soon as the vacations are declared, one can see beaming faces coming out of the school. From that moment, the kids look forward to lots of fun, leisure and relief from studies.

It is a well deserving break for kids. However, the parents are often in a dilemma about what their kids can do in such a long period. The purpose is to make the holidays enjoyable, refreshing and yet educational for kids.

In long vacations, the timetable of the children goes upside down. It used to be early to bed and early to rise. However, in holidays, it becomes late to bed and late they shall rise. Gradually the excitement of kids fades because of idleness and they become troublesome and cranky. The extreme weather makes them stay indoors. In addition, there are limited options of activities and enjoyment at home.

Nevertheless, some homework and planning on part of parents can make things much better. The parents can discuss the interests and likes/ dislikes of children. Then accordingly, they can formulate a timetable that is acceptable to all. The following activities will be interesting for kids during their vacations:

Exercise and sports:

The kids will enjoy exercising, cycling and playing team sports like cricket and football with their friends. That ways their mornings and evenings will not remain idle and they will also follow a healthy daily routine.

School activities:

Schools organize various activities and programs in vacations. These would be of interest for children as they get to enjoy their favorite activities along with their school friends.

Summer camp:

During holidays, various summer camps are conducted for children, which are full of fun and creative as well. Activities like art and craft, handwriting improvement, dance classes, music and cooking are the most sought after. On the other hand, some kids prefer swimming, taekwondo, football, skating and similar activities.

Outdoor camps:

Older kids and teens may go for outdoor camps that include camping on hills, trekking, river rafting and many other such adventurous activities. This gives a different kind of exposure and confidence to kids.

Indoor activities:

At home, the parents can provide interactive workbooks for fun and educational purposes of kids. They can buy storybooks and interesting activity books especially for use in vacations. All these are also available online.

Other options:

Vacations are the time when bonding between the parents and kids can become stronger. Both of them can play board games, enjoy watching kids’ movies together, decorate house with self-made craft items and finish household chores together. Picnics are a great way to get a break. Even better is the idea of a family trip to a new place where everyone can enjoy.

Implement these fun ideas today and enjoy vacations with kids whole-heartedly.

Having fun with kids:))

2011-05-02T01:32:00.000-07:00

Parents are too much engrossed in carrying out their responsibilities that they often forget the importance of having fun with their kids. The duties and deadlines are part and parcel of life. But the childhood of the kids is for short period. After that the kids get busier with their studies, friends and other activities. The parents and child interaction time also reduces as the child grows older.

Besides taking care of kids, the parents must learn to have fun with their kids. It will make the childhood memories of the kids special and moreover, the bonding between the two will strengthen.

Having enjoyment time with children refreshes the memories of the parents of their own childhood. The joys and fun of that time can be revived with simple fun activities carried out by parents along with their kids. Having fun helps in numerous ways like:

It reduces the stress levels of parents and helps them enjoy simple things of life.

Fun time brings parents and kids closer and eases tensions between them.

Through fun moments, parents can teach valuable lessons of life in a joyful manner.

Sharing memories and moments with parents makes the childhood a pleasurable experience for kids.

By way of fun time, the parents learn the importance of having fun breaks in between their tight schedules.

Fun time provides the dose of enthusiasm and energy to kids as well as their parents. Therefore, the parents should take out some quality time for kids on regular basis and have lots of fun.

Now what all can be done in short intervals of fun time? Let’s find out here and put these into practice from today itself:

Children like to copy their mothers and wish to help her in kitchen. Why not? Select a simple and funny recipe and let your children participate with you in making it! They would surely enjoy their task and that too without considering it as a task.

Involve yourself in art activities with kids. You don’t have to be an artist. Just join them and start coloring with them and see how their enthusiasm levels shoot up. It may remind you of your childhood as well.

If weather permit, have a picnic in the nearby garden or go for outdoor sports with your kids. You can opt for the game you used to play as a kid and see how your stress vanishes in the air.

Playing dough is a good idea as it helps kids unlock their creativity. Motivate them and join them in making different shapes and figures out of dough. The smile on the face of your kids is more important than anything else.

Read out story to your kids and use a different voice for each character. The kids will definitely enjoy your participation and effort and you will have a million dollar time when you will see big smiling faces of your kids.

Once in a while you can enjoy playing video games with kids. All kids love these games and if you are going to join them then the excitement level will surely soar high.

Gardening is yet another activity which kids may enjoy. While watering plants, you can surprise your kids with splashing some water on them and having some pure fun!

Arrange a play date with a family friend and let the kids play with their age group. Meanwhile adults can also play some game of their choice. It would be even better if both kids and adults play together and enjoy games like tug of war or any ball game.

These intervals of fun time are vital to keep the life interesting and exciting. It is better sometimes not to bother about the mess and indulge in real fun with kids. And do not miss to click those memorable moments with kids!

Assure good performance of kids at school

2011-04-27T03:21:00.000-07:00

Parents worry so much about the performance of their kids at school. They actually strain themselves a lot and also put undue pressure on their children to make latter perform well. However, in spite of their pressures and effort, some kids do not perform as per expectations.

Are the kids responsible for underperformance? Or is the school not doing enough? Or maybe, the parents are making too much of fuss. Let’s find out.

There can be multitude of reasons due to which some children do not perform as per expectations.

Outdated teaching methods The school may be following outdated teaching methods and aids which lack innovation and fun. It makes learning a boring process for kids and they sometimes do not understand the concepts well.

Lack of motivation by parents The lack of adequate attention and motivation also makes the child lose interest in studies. Sometimes the parents put the onus of education on teachers and school and shrug off their responsibilities. This irresponsible attitude of parents makes the children careless towards their studies and hence poor grades in school.

Burden of over expectations Conversely, some parents over burden their kids with their expectations. Excessive discipline and lack of appreciation for hard work discourages the child and make him lose focus.

Absence of pleasant atmosphere at home The kids are sensitive and easily get affected by their surroundings. Fights between parents, divorce, death or illness of parent/ close family member are some of the reasons which affect mental status of the child and may affect his performance at school.

Bullying in school The victimized kids are often less bold to counter the bully. The continuous bulling in school can badly influence the concentration and studies of such kids.

Too much of electronic media If the kids are over exposed to internet,mobile phones or T.V., they may lose their concentration and avoid giving enough attention to their homework.

Lack of sleep The adequate sleep of the child is important to refresh the brain. Sleep helps in mental and physical development and therefore if deprived, the performance of the child gets hampered.

Health issues Lack of nutritious and whole some diet may make the child weak. Good diet is important for mind and body as well as for their proper functioning. Therefore diet and health have a great effect on the performance of the child.

Performance anxiety This is yet another reason for poor performance in school. Sometimes even bright students are not able to put in their best because of the increased anxiety levels and nervousness in them about their own performance.

Learning disabilities Some children suffer from problem of learning disabilities which may interfere with their learning process. There can be different forms of learning disabilities and if not discover on time, may continue to cause difficulty to such children at school.

Lack of good performance of child in studies is therefore an indication of some other major issue which needs attention. In case there is low performance or dip in grades, the teachers and family should try to understand the mental status of the child. They should try to discover the possible reason for the poor performance.
Here are mentioned some general guidelines which may help the parents to improve the performance of the child in school.

Appreciate the hard work of the kid even if the results are below expectations.

Take active interest in studies and homework of the child.

Coordinate with teachers and other parents about the education policy in the school.

Help your kid to get organized and make time table which accommodates enough time for homework, play time and sleep time.

Take good care of the diet and health of the child.

The parents may introduce their own interesting assignments and workbooks to help children in their studies.

Limit T.V. and computer viewing as it can distract the children.

Avoid getting anxious as it may make the child nervous.

Encourage child to share his feelings and point of view about school, studies, and other things.

In case of child with learning disabilities, seek professional guidance and act accordingly.

Forgive the mistakes of the child and give him chance to improve.

Always motivate your child in calm and positive way to achieve his goals.

These steps will surely help parents and their kids to bring out the best in kids and enhance their performance.

How to deal with anger in kids?

2011-04-25T01:52:00.000-07:00

What happens when you refuse to comply with the demands of your 9 year old? He yells, throws things and slams the door on your face. And that’s how he reacts most of the times.
Have you seen the tantrums thrown by a kid in the shopping complex when her mother does not buy her favorite chocolate pack?
Now review another situation. A toddler repeatedly bangs his head and howls when his friend did not hand over his ball. Even worse, he bites and hits the other children when he does not get toys of other children to play.

All the above examples reflect growing frustration and anger in kids. Either they want immediate compliance to their demands or they will throw fits and have a meltdown in full public view. In all the cases, if anger problem is not dealt with in time, there are chances that:
• The relationship between the parents and kid would deteriorate
• His behavior will cause embarrassment to parents in front of relatives, friends or public
• The kid may hurt himself physically
• He may become violent and harm other children
• He may have problems in communicating his emotions in right way
• He may lose his friends and feel dejected at social level like in school, parties, etc
• He may grow up as a defiant and aggressive adult

So, uncontrolled anger can have multiple negative outcomes on the kid himself and on the society as a whole. Therefore it is mandatory to deal with the problem at early stage so that child can learn to manage his anger.

Parents often look for help and counseling for treating anger in their children. However, most of the times they can deal with this problem on their own and make their kids learn anger management. With their support and attention, the child can learn to express his anger in a more amicable manner.
The following tips will surely help parents to teach anger management to kids:

The first thing about anger which both parents and kids should understand is that anger is not bad. It is an emotion and it’s natural to get angry about unpleasant instances. It is the expression of anger which needs to be learned.

Be a role model for your kids and express anger in a healthy way. Your own way of displaying anger has large impact on the mind of the kid. He or she is likely to follow your footsteps. Therefore, be more constructive and calm when you are angry.

Educate your child about the signs of anger. Tell him his face gets red or his body gets tensed /stiffened when he gets angry. That would help him to know when he is getting angry and about to explode.

Teach him ways to manage his anger. Like he may do reverse counting from 20 to 1 to lower his anger.

Bullying by other kids is one reason of anger in kids. Teach him to become assertive and confident. This will help him in displaying his anger constructively.

Make your child write about the ways he can handle his anger like deep breathing or reverse counting or drawing to vent the bad feeling.

Always listen to your kids about the way they feel. Your attention will help them express and deal with anger in a better way.

Avoid showing violent scenes to the kids on T.V. or computer.

Teach the kids to respect the feelings and decisions of others.

Anger management is important for healthy development of the child and hence parents must inculcate this quality in the child from the very beginning.

Is your kid getting bullied?

2011-04-18T00:56:00.000-07:00

Is your child showing reluctance to go to school? Does he make excuses like headache to avoid going to school? Does he appear nervous or scared all the time? Or is there a significant drop in his grades? Is your child getting weaker in spite of healthy meals you packed in his lunch box? Do you feel that your child is behaving differently?

Kindly do not overlook these signals. These may be due to bullying and the child is not being able to handle or deal with it.

Bullying is a deliberate act or series of acts to humiliate or torment a child. There can be physical, verbal or mental ways which make the child uncomfortable, depressed or edgy. The bullying nowadays is not limited to schools. It has gone to further levels like bullying through mobile phones and via internet. It is much more than simple teasing or funny remark made out to the child.

Usually, the purpose of bullying is to have a sense of control or importance over others. Sometimes bullies do it to seek attention of others. At other times, victims of bullying also become bullies as they think it the right way to behave with weaker children or new students in the school.

There can be serious after effects of bullying on the mental as well as physical health of the victim. The child can have negative feelings and emotions because of getting bullied. He may feel left out and alone. Sometimes, the victims get depressed and lose self confidence. The victimized children therefore go through a tough time and at this point the support of teachers and parents is crucial to bring hope and confidence in the victims.

Parents can provide their love, affection and support and help their child to deal with bullying in an assertive manner. They should encourage the child to share the incident with them. It is important for the victimized child to pour out his emotions and feelings. And with the support of the parents, he can review his own feelings and trauma and deal bullying in a positive way. The parents can take following measures to deal with bullying of their child:

Listen to the child and comfort him with your love and support. Appreciate him for sharing his experience.

Educate the child that it is the bully who is on wrong side and he should not be the one feeling guilty or embarrassed about the incident
.
Help your child to be confident and assertive (not aggressive). Explain him to use such words in front of the bullies that reflect confidence.

The parents can narrate their own experience of getting bullied in school and the way they dealt with it. This way the child will understand that he is not the only one and that such incident can be stopped with courage.

In case of serious incidents, it is better to report the same to the teachers and counselors in school and discuss with them to resolve the problem.

Also the incident can be brought to the notice of the parents of the bullies so that such misbehavior can be controlled.

The timely action and support of the parents is extremely essential to stop bullying and safeguard their kids from mental and physical distress.

Are mobile phones really safe for kids?

2011-04-14T03:49:00.000-07:00

Mobile phones are the favorite and widely used medium of communication. It has become practically impossible to stay mobile and connected as well with the world without a mobile phone. And you would agree kids are not behind in this sphere as well. Kids want and demand a separate cell phone for themselves. And indeed it has become a necessity for kids as well!

As most of the tween and teens are on their toes attending different classes and activities or catching up with friends, it is important to keep a track of their whereabouts and their plans for the day. Mobile phones serve the purpose to keep the kids stay connected with their parents. Besides, to stay in tune with the rest of the world like friends, teachers, activity classes and others the cell phones are the constant companion for kids.

Though mobiles are the friendly gadgets, yet there are some probable dangers which may affect safety of kids. Parents should be aware of such safety concerns and accordingly protect their kids from such dangers arising from use of mobile phones.

Cell phone radiation is considered as dangerous. And in case of kids the threat is more serious.

Sharing of personal number with strangers can be risky as well because the same can be used for illegal purposes.

Use of cameras in mobile phones has deteriorated the security of the kids as anyone can take snaps and use in whichever way. Moreover the sharing of videos and photos on mobile phones may put the reputation of the user at stake if the data is located by some criminal or anti social people.

Internet installation on mobile phones opens up whole lot of ways which can lead to cyber bullying and harassment of kids. The profiles updated of teenagers can be misused and exploited for unlawful purposes.

SMS and texting may pose yet another kind of threat in form of bullying and sexting which may mentally torture the kids.

Too much usage of mobile phones results in inflated bills which may be difficult to digest by parents.

In view of the above threats, one can easily conclude that mobile phones have some concrete threats along with some sensible benefits. Taking away the cell phones is not the right solution. However, conscious safety measures can minimize such threats and maximize safety of kids. Some of the easy to implement means of protection are stated below:

Educate the child about probable threats and unlawful means that can be adopted by criminal minded people.

Ask the kids to share their number with friends and known people only.

Avoid disclosing the mobile number on the social networking sites or other kind of websites as the number can be misused for exploitation.

In fact, avoid providing internet facility on cell phones as it is difficult to safeguard the kids while they are outside homes and using internet for socializing or surfing.

Kids should be educated to use camera facility diligently and protest if somebody else photographs them without permission.

Kids should be instructed to use mobiles only when required in order to stay protected from radiation and also keeping the bills at lower side.

Provide only such features in the phones which are useful for kids. Feature such as GPS technology have a flip side as well and it's better to miss it on kids’ cell phones.
These basic safety measures for usage of cell phones by kids are compulsory and important to protect them.

Shrink greedy attitude in child

2011-04-09T01:41:00.000-07:00

Kids of this generation are much more materialistic and greedy than ever before. They put themselves and their wants over and above everything. All their minds can think of the ways in which they can get access to latest luxuries, gadgets and things of their interest which may not be a necessity for them. More and more kids nowadays focus on themselves and their demands. They are least concerned about the requirements and feelings of other family members and people around them.

This kind of greedy attitude if continues erases the space for feelings and empathy for others. Plus they will not able to put a line on where to stop and get hold on their temptations. The uncontrolled temptations and greed on the whole make the child become unappreciative of numeral gifts and facilities of life and whine about the things to be possessed.

And for that children cannot be blamed. Most of the times, parents are responsible for greedy nature of the children. The latter are flooded with gifts, games and gadgets. These material things are often attached with happiness and as substitute of precious quality time of parents. The underlying message thus is materialism scores over human relationships.

Besides, there are other reasons for growing greediness in kids like rise in consumerism. Advertisers see kids as targets and revolve their marketing strategy around them. These soft targets are the prime reason of purchases of not just kids stuff but also electronics, gadgets and many non essential items. The peer pressure adds on to this greedy habit.

Parent intervention is crucial to control the greedy nature of the child. There can be various ways to make child give up greediness and become judicious in temperament:

Avoid bribing the child to motivate them.

Do not shower them with unnecessary gifts and things that they really don’t need.

Ask your kid to add his latest demand to his list which can be given on his birthday or some special occasion. This helps in delaying and controlling their temptations.

Educate your child about the tactics of advertisers to trap young kids and prompt them to buy. Help your young consumer to find out the best product which meets his requirement.

Teach your child to read labels of products and the value they provide.

Sharing is important aspect of a family. Ask your child to share toys with siblings and friends.

Teach the importance of money to children.

Encourage the child to donate things to needy people. This will evoke sympathy and affection in child for fellow humans.

Spend quality time with kids and avoid using gadgets as replacement. This will make child value the relationships.

Last but not the least, review yourself. If you have a materialistic attitude then your children are likely to follow you and become greedy as well.

Appreciate the good aspects of life and facilities that have been endowed upon your family. Make your child aware of these things so that they grow as humble and sensible citizens of the world.

Save money with kids

2011-03-31T23:43:00.000-07:00

You are working day and night to meet ends and secure bright future for your kids. You want to provide all the facilities to your children which as a kid you wanted to have but could not avail. Why not! But in the process, it is important to make kids aware of the most crucial thing which make the world go round and that is MONEY, honey.

Money matters are important aspect of living. Parents often keep the issues relating to money and it's saving with them. And the children remain unaware about how their needs and wishes are met and from where the money comes to fulfill these demands. As a result, the kids are not able to learn about some hard aspects of their life; firstly the hardships suffered by the parents to provide a happy life and secondly the importance of money management.

Teaching money matters may seem to be a difficult task to parents. But it is not so. The concept of money can be introduced to a child as soon as she learns to count! And as the child grows older she can be taught about different denominations and coins and which coin is bigger than the other. Later the parent can move over to the concept of the earning money by way of doing job and spending it on needs.

You can make your child learn about money and its importance by:

Take an active interest in teaching the money concept to the child and give him or her information about currency and coins.

Tell the child that by way of money, important daily items of house can be purchased.

Take the child along for grocery shopping and show him labels and prices of various items. Also teach him to purchase things wisely so that money is not wasted on unnecessary items.

Educate him to differentiate between needs and wishes and help him to prepare his shopping list on the basis of mandatory items required for his daily needs.

Provide allowance to kid based on his weekly or monthly needs. Ask him to jot down his expenses so that he can keep a track of inflow and outflows of money on his own. Make him save a small amount of money out of his allowance.

Avoid associating allowance with the fulfillment of daily house chores by the kid.

A teenager can be further taught about the importance of saving money and need for a bank account. He should be taken along to bank to make him learn about various bank transactions.

The growing children should be involved in open decisions on finances and ways to make vacation trips and purchase of big items like an A/C or refrigerator as economical as possible.

Encourage the child to donate old toys and clothes and other articles so that these are put into good use.

Make the child aware about the disadvantages of taking loans and dangers from a credit card.

All these steps will make the child money conscious and prompt him to save money and use it judiciously. The money management concept will have lifelong benefits and protect the child from financial hazards throughout life.

Ensure internet safety for kids

2011-03-22T03:28:00.000-07:00

Internet has become the most popular medium of communication, information and entertainment in the world. Not only adults but kids are also tempted to stay online for hours whether required or not. Though it has served several purposes yet its perennial presence is posing serious threats to the children who are largely unaware of the harmful consequences of the internet.

Parents have an inevitable role to play in the growing years of children. It is the duty of the parents to monitor the length and depth of involvement of their children in the internet world. They need to understand the multiple negative effects of online overexposure. Barring a few of them, even large number of parents may not know the impact of computers and internet on the lives of their children. Here are some of the bitter truths about unlimited internet access on the kids:

The kids become addictive to online games including violent games which can make them aggressive.

The kids may visit or view some objectionable content or website in the absence of their parents and can have wrong influence which may be undesirable or unsuitable for minors.

Even if the kids do not surf the undesirable websites, these sites can pop up and expose the kids to content of pornographic nature which is actually dangerous.

Chatting has become quite a rage. But the flip side is the person communicating with the kid is a complete stranger. He may pretend to be of same age kid residing in same location but he may actually target the young children in his obnoxious motives to seduce innocent minds.

Blogging is new way of expression. Children resorting to such means do not understand their limits and may cater private or confidential information to the whole world including the criminals.

Internet exposure is resulting in loss of activity time or interaction time and loss of childhood moments as the kid prefers internet over social life.

Many physical ailments may crop up because the kids stay hooked to computers and online games which takes away the fun or sports time out of their life. Also excess use of computers may result in severe pains in joints, hands and neck in early age.

Total avoidance of computers and internet is not the right solution as it is the vast source of educational information. Also the internet is a part of daily homework of the students. But some concrete steps can be taken to ensure internet safety of the kids and adolescents.

The parents should maintain a good amount of control on kids while they are on internet. There should be time limit for playing online games. Besides, the kids can be given access in the presence of parents only. The kids should be taught about netiquette and certain dos and don’ts while being online. And the parents should keep an eye on the websites visited log so as to ensure safe surfing by the kids. Constant monitoring and check is compulsory to safeguard the kids from getting victimized to some unethical medium.

Computer monitoring and internet control software is an efficient way to protect the child from peril from internet. Since round the clock vigil is not possible, this software is a necessity to support the parental control on internet monitoring.

Safety concerns for kids

2011-03-15T23:10:00.000-07:00

Children are soft targets to many unwanted situations and risks. At home, school, malls, parks, etc the children are exposed to a variety of safety risks. In absence of adequate safety measures and education, they are unable to protect themselves from these hazards.

Crimes like abduction, murder, sexual abuse, trafficking is at all time high. With wrong intentions anti social elements pick small kids and teenagers leaving behind parents and family to suffer for whole life. Sometimes the kidnapped child is traced on time and returned to the family but sometimes the child is never found. Such cases of abuse and murder later on are increasing. Most of the times, these risks can be avoided and safety of the child can be ensured if adequate precaution and measures are taken.

Parents should be observant and educated about the safety measures so that their kid is secure at all times and at any place. They can also teach their kids the ways in which the latter can act prudently in an unfavorable situation.

Safety Guidelines for parents

The parents should be aware about the daily schedule of the child and changes if any.

They should know the names, addresses and contact numbers of the friends of the child.
They should get in touch with neighbors and obtain their contact numbers and stay connected.

Before choosing a baby sitter, verify her whereabouts and credentials. Go for the one who has been recommended by your friends and relatives. Also take feedback of the child about her experience with the baby sitter.

Always accompany the younger kids in the malls, parks, streets or any other crowded areas. Do not leave them alone.

Make sure the child carries his identity card while going to school and all his belongings are properly named along with contact numbers.

Parents should create a friendly atmosphere where kids and teenagers can share their feeling and experiences freely and can feel secured and safe.

Safety tips that parents can teach to their children

As soon as the child is able to understand, he or she should be taught his name and then his address, parent's names and contact number. He should be able to use the phone in case of emergency.

Always visit only those friends and neighbors who are approved by parents.

The child should be taught to take permission before leaving the house and tell about the place of visit.

He or she should go along with an adult or friend before going to nearby market or going to school or any other place.

The child should be educated about the course of action in case he gets lost in a mall or any other place.

If a tween or teen is pressurized to have drug or alcohol then he should be able to refuse it.

Also the child should be given proper guidance for the situation where any stranger approaches him for directions or lure him or touch him or compel him to eat something. It can be dangerous.

A child should be encouraged to use tried and tested bus routes and roads to reach their destination.

These basic safety tips can prevent many unforeseen and undesirable situations and keep the children protected.

Prepare your child for the real world

2011-03-07T02:44:00.000-08:00

Let us do a reality check. Our children are surrounded by all sorts of entertainment. Gadgets, television, movies, malls, internet, ipods, fancy toys and so many other things which take them away from the real world. Throughout their school life, the children demand and get things done for them. They are living in some kind of dreamland with golden spoon in their mouths. After that they are suddenly introduced to the world which is new for them.

There are thousands of children on streets who either beg for their next meal or are forced to work when they should be playing while our kids either spill or leave their plates half finished. The latter ones hardly need to stand in queues or travel in public transport or walk. They have the latest models of cars and wish for private aircraft. Trains and buses are so outdated stuff!

We brought up our children with so much protection and luxury that they don't know what does hardship means. However, out there is a selfish and biased world which is unkind to the novice entrants. Survival of the fittest is the rule and means to stay ahead. Everybody is pushed into a never ending race, a neck to neck competition and perpetual struggle of ego and power.

Now consider another aspect. The front page headlines reads that a teenager assaulted by a neighbor. And your young boy is having a look at that piece of news. What would you do? Take away that paper or ignore the question in the eyes of your child that what actually the news mean?

Just one more instance to ponder. One of your close family members is having a life threatening disease. Would you conceal or would you make your child aware about the reality? Do you have the guts to make your child face the reality about life and death? Or maybe you don't want him to feel the pain. Or are you scared of all the questions that he will ask about these sensitive issues of life.

Who is supposed to enlighten the child about these critical and sensitive issues? These are just some of the questions which have been narrated. There are just too many things which need to be explained to the child which as a parent might not have caught our attention. May be we have thought of discussing these subjects with our kids when they grow up.

It is important to prepare your child for the real world and make him wiser. He may be a good artist, player, singer or student. May be he is very intelligent and sensible. Still he needs your experience and wisdom to take the world in his stride.

The writer is not a preacher. These are just a thought process which has come across and shared with all of you. Here each one of you is welcome to come up with your own experience where your child has come up with a certain sensitive issue and the way you handled it.

Evoke physical activeness in your child

2011-03-02T23:50:00.000-08:00

Being physically active and fit is important for complete development of the child. The parents should inculcate the inclination of child towards a physical activity of his choice so that from the beginning the child maintains a good physical health. The involvement in any physical game not only assures fit body but it also leads to mental and social well being.

Electronic exposure like television, mobiles computers and video games have replaced simple things from life like playing in the park, joining any sport or bonding with the friends face to face. This has brought about laziness and lack of vigor in the children. This trend has direct effect on the physical as well as mental health of the young generation. The diseases like obesity, heart problems, depression and diabetes are affecting the youngsters.

Physical activity has vast impact on the health and personality of a child. Firstly a physically active child is healthier than his counterparts and stays away from hazardous diseases. Secondly, when these healthy kids grow up, they are more likely to lead a healthy and happy long life with few chances of diseases.

Moreover, a physical activity boosts the self confidence of a child, increases attentiveness in the child and instills the team spirit values. These children are capable of acquiring better social skills and also perform better in other spheres of life.

As a parent it is our duty to motivate the child to involve in some physical activity. By setting up our own example as active and fit people, we can inspire the child to follow the same.

Give up your sedentary lifestyle and join any physical activity like daily walk, cycling or any other which you enjoy. Encourage group physical activity in which the child would happily join.

As per the age of the child, play any game with your child on daily basis. Like playing on swings and running around are enough for a two year old. For seven years and above, it is crucial to make them join some more energetic sport like football, cricket or badminton.

Limit television viewing and set aside a fixed time for physical activity for the child in daily routine.
Give your child the freedom to choose any activity whichever he likes.

Appreciate your child for being physically active and fit.

Inspire your child to opt for walking and cycling instead of using transport. Likewise use stairs instead of lifts. That would build up the stamina and keep lethargy at bay.

Gift them sport items like football or a racquet instead of gadgets.

Being physically active has lifelong positive effects on a person. Introduce this good habit early in your child for healthy future.

How to socialize shy kids?

2011-02-23T01:22:00.000-08:00

Some kids are naturally extrovert and mingle well in their age group while some kids are shy and enjoy their own company. The former group later on in life faces fewer problems in adjusting with the world. But the shy kids do not have developed interaction skills and also have adjustment difficulty with the people. This certainly is not desirable and healthy for kids.

Though most of the times genetics are blamed for shy attitude of the child, yet there are many more reasons which make the child shy and recluse. With following dos and don’ts the parents can make their child more friendly and social.

Shed your shyness first. The children of shy parents are likely to be introvert and less social. Therefore, change this trait of yours and be more outgoing and friendly. This habit of yours will definitely benefit your kids. The children will be exposed to new places, people and situations thereby making them more extroverts in nature.

Invite the child in neighbor. Get in touch with your neighbor and invite their child at your place for small party or snack time. The first meeting shall be short involving some snack and chat time. The children may be encouraged to play some time and if they do not seem to be comfortable then meeting should be ended on a happy note.

Plan the visit of your child to nearby house. With cooperation of your neighbor you can plan meeting of children at their place. The parent should accompany the child initially and let the children meet like this for some time till they get friendlier with each other. When they start enjoying each other's company then the parent can move out from that room for some time still well in reach in case of any discomfort between the kids.

Participate in family gatherings. Family get to gathers are safe way for kids to get social. The kids can meet their family members and cousins and learn to be more social. It is a great way to hone the social skills of your child through family meetings and outings.

Enroll your kid in some play group. Classes like those of dance, crafts, music, skating help the child to become more social. He or she tends to meet more kids of the same age and that helps him or her to give up shy nature.

Be supportive and loving towards your child. Too much of discipline and control erodes the confidence of the child and make him withdrawn and apprehensive. Discipline your child but at the same time provide support and space as well. Children nurtured with love and favorable atmosphere will be more confident and socially adaptable.

Encourage off line socializing. Restrict socializing over internet and telephones. Also limit the television viewing of your child. Instead ask your child to meet friends face to face frequently. You may organize their meetings at home or in park or such other attractive places like zoo, museum or mall where they can have fun together.

Socializing your kid goes a long way in making your child socially comfortable and acceptable also. With your time, patience and effort you can alter the child to be friendly and extrovert.

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Help your elder child to welcome the new one!

2011-02-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

The arrival of a new baby in the house is a matter of happiness and joy. Along with that come some adjustments and arrangements that need to be done prior and after the arrival of the baby. However, it takes a lot of adjustment and understanding on the part of elder child to share his or her parents with the younger one. It is not at all an easy thing to accept this fact.

With proper care and guidance from the parents and other family members, this kind of stress of an elder child can be eased and he or she can be set in the mood to welcome the baby with full enthusiasm. The parents need to take the initiative as early as the news of pregnancy is discovered. And they should consider it as a crucial aspect to motivate and prepare their elder son or daughter for the arrival of his or her sibling.

What all can be done to educate and inspire your child to accept his or sibling with pleasure has been summed up below:

First thing you can do is to tell your child is that he or she is a special gift you have received from God. Further you can add that as a baby he or she was very tiny and not capable enough to do things that he or she can do now. The exercise will make your child sensitive towards babies and curious as well.

Secondly, you can show him or her babies in the family and neighborhood and explain him or her that a baby is totally helpless and dependent on his parents and elder sibling for everything.

Now you can disclose to him or her about the arrival of the younger brother or sister in the house. And go on telling him that previously he was the smallest now there will be someone who would be smaller to him and dependent on him for all the needs. All this will help in developing an emotional bond between the elder child and the baby even before the latter arrives.

Educate your child that God will send the baby in the hospital and mama will have to stay there for a while. Since the elder child may not have seen phases of separation from mother for few days, it is required to mentally prepare him in advance for the delivery time.

“The gift” sent is meant for the elder child and his parents will take care of the gift as he or she will be too small to do anything.

Include the child in preparations like purchasing clothes and accessories. This will create an interest in him and make him feel that he is very important for his parents.

Ask the child to choose a nickname for the baby as he is going to be the elder brother of the new baby.

After the arrival of the baby, make your elder child do small things like selecting the clothes or handing over the diaper for the baby.

Meanwhile you can seek the help of your spouse and other family members to give proper time to your child in your absence.

Make sure you buy gifts for the elder one along with the baby whenever you go out for shopping. You can take your family in confidence that while shopping for the baby, remember to bring something for the elder child also.

Another important point to implement is to take out exclusive time for your elder child and listen to his feelings and likes or dislikes. A nice hug or kiss and some special moments will assure him that he is still an inseparable aspect of your life.

Encourage sibling love and reduce rivalry

Kids are the lifeline.

2011-02-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

Our life is incomplete without our kids. They fill the atmosphere with their laughter and giggles. Their presence makes everyone smile and cherish those moments. Whenever they shower their selfless love and hugs on us, it seems that nothing is more precious or important than this.

We visit our childhood with our kids. With them we relive those moments of play and enjoyment which we had experienced when we were kids. Our learning process takes a new start with our kids. Moreover, our kids also teach some new chapters of life to us.

In their absence our life is so incomplete and dull. They are our inspiration, our companions and our lifeline.

The minor towers next to the citizen.

How to transform your defiant child into a cooperative one?

2011-02-08T08:28:00.001-08:00

The non compliance mode of the child on a constant basis puts the parent in a fix. Every time the answer one hears is in negative. The growing temper tantrums and defiant attitude of the child as young as two make the parent go crazy. The frustration of mother and father only spoils the atmosphere as they are not able to reach at the right solution which can bring about an amicable environment in the house. The child is too small to understand the reason behind the instruction. On the other hand, the parents fail to see beyond the disobedience and ultimately yell and feel helpless at such times.

It goes on like a vicious circle which takes away the happiness from the family and what stays behind is stress at both the ends. It is quite a common scenario of most of the families where the parents do not know how to restore happiness and peace at home.

But there is one guy who knows and understands how to perfectly fill these gaps between the parents and children with some simple changes in parenting and get desired results too. Just imagine the situation where your two year olds does not say no and just follow what you say immediately without a frown. Those daily stressful moments of feeding your kid if turn into moments of pleasurable eating can make whole lot of difference! What you would find is smile on everybody’s face without much effort. This is POSSIBLE.

Chris Thompson, an engineer and a father as well, presents you what all you parents were missing in your process of child raising. In his personal and professional life, he has used such techniques which actually build the relationships stronger and happier with ease. He would provide you with perfect skills and techniques which would

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How I induced the healthy eating habit in my son

2011-02-07T00:27:00.000-08:00

Well I had and still have my share of pressures in making my son eat healthy foods. Although he loves eating fruits and some vegetables, yet he needs a wholesome diet for all round development. By the age of three, he was comfortable with fruits and accepted pulses. But I felt a much healthier diet was required. Given his moodiness and less desire to accept new dishes, it was quite difficult to introduce new recipes and vegetables to him.

Getting strict was not working. And no amount of persuading and cajoling was working either. At that point of time I decided to change my strategy and to address the issue in a different way.

My son wanted to be tall like his father and would often stand on the chair and pretend like him. At that point him, I thought of testing my new way of persuading him. I told him if he really wants to be tall then he should eat French beans as the vegetable is quite long. Similarly I showed him ladyfinger and told him that his father used to eat ladyfinger and French beans when he was small and that is the secret of his height! Guess what! He was convinced and from that day itself these vegetables are his favorite.

I would like to share more experiences with you and may be you can also benefit from them.

While still in preschool, my son complained of being bullied by one of his classmates. And the complaint actually became a regular feature despite of all the communication with the school authorities. When my son again complained after returning from school, I explained to him that stronger children usually bully the weaker ones. If he could become stronger in some ways then the boy would not dare to bully. These words worked like magic indeed. I introduced more new vegetables to him and he tried them so that he could become stronger and be able to fight back.

After a couple of years I remember, I made a simple dish. Not at all time consuming or difficult. I added some sugar and a pinch of rock salt in yoghurt and mixed it. (A little bit of rock salt is good for health as it provides the essential minerals.)Then added some slices of fresh fruits like banana and apple to it (you can also add pieces of mango or pomegranate or any other of your choice) and later served it at dinner. But I didn’t offer it to my son. Out of curiosity he asked me why I didn’t give it to him. I told him that it was my favorite. Instead of cajoling him to try it, I showed that I was excited to have it more. That prompted him to try this new recipe and later he asked me I could make it once more for him!

I remember another small incident which stopped him from eating chips daily. On his way to cycling, when he was five, with his grandma my son would often demand chips from the store on the way. To avoid his tantrums, his demand was met daily. One day I went with him and as usual he asked for chips. Instead of saying “no” I offered an alternative to him. I told him that he needed a pair of sports shoes which would make him cycle faster. But the shoes were costly and required him to save money. I explained him if he could avoid that pack of chips for few days then I would use the money saved for buying his sports shoes. The trick worked! He complied and later on I fulfilled my promise.

Parenting is an ongoing process and it would be wrong if I say that I have no difficulty in raising my children. Do tell me what do you think about these experiences of mine and you are heartily welcome to share your experiences and views.

How to make your child eat healthy meals happily?

2011-02-02T22:52:00.000-08:00

Mothers are always in search of healthy recipes which their children will relish and ask for more. They take all the pain to do whatever they can to try out new dishes for their kids. Alas! The child takes just a second to push aside the dish innovatively and painstakingly prepared by his mother. Obviously it is quite upsetting that the child is not getting all the nutrients that he must take for satisfactory development. All the efforts seem to go in vain.

The habits developed at the early stages of life have long lasting effects. Healthy eating habit is one such rewarding habit. It ensures balanced growth and development of the child. Plus, it also protects the child from many health hazards like heart problems, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Besides it makes the child active, confident and happier. The overall quality of life gets a boost if a child is a happy eater and not a fussy eater.

Making a child eat what is best for him is definitely a grueling exercise. He does not understand the benefits of healthy eating. But parents know and can make all the difference. When the kid does not cooperate or argues on the choice of meals, the only way is to bring about a change in the ways to make him eat health foods.

Always keep fruits, vegetables and healthy drinks ready. Keep fast foods and empty drinks out of the kitchen. In case of hunger pangs, children will obviously have what is available in the kitchen.

Plan your menu in advance and involve the kids too. Make them aware about the labels of the food products and energy / calories derived from the food items.

Teach kids about the importance of healthy food items and their role in our lives. Tell them what they are getting from fruits and vegetables which they will never get from chips, chocolates, sugary drinks and other junk foods.

Prefer dining at home with the kids. Make the dining time a fun filled experience which children can look forward to day after another. They are more likely to enjoy eating in a caring and happy environment.

Curtail your intake of fast foods and sugar drinks. Prefer milk, homemade soups, fruit juices over soda and other processed drinks. The children will do what their parents practice at home.

Even if you have to dine out at some restaurant or party, choose healthy foods for yourself. Be a role model for your children.

Learn new exciting and easy to prepare healthy dishes and snacks. Avoid making same boring dishes which are tasteless and not exciting enough.

Keep the body requirement of your kids in mind while preparing meals.

Also understand the use of various ingredients which can aid in further development of brain and body of the kids.

The change from fussy eater to happy eater may be slow but possible. It actually depends more on the attitude and strategy of the parents than on the kids. Forcing the kids or having a battle on the table is not the solution. Instead transform yourself, your ways and your style of cooking to attract the children to the dinner table.

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Healthy kids are happier kids!

2011-02-02T00:13:00.000-08:00

Giving a balanced and tasty diet to the child is of prime importance for a mother. It is a tedious job to make something different and yet healthy and which is acceptable by her little darling also. It’s a regular tussle between the mother and the child for what to eat and what not to eat. While kids prefer some junk food or snacks, the mothers go for healthy meals which would provide nourishment to the child.

At many times parents also have to surrender and accept the unhealthy demands of their children. Just to make them happy temporarily, they ignore the importance of a healthy diet and shower them with diet cold drinks and junk foods which fill up the stomach but seldom fulfill the energy requirement of the child.

Balanced diet is crucial for child growth irrespective of his age. The daily food intake of the child should fulfill the requirements of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates. All of these if consumed in right proportions will have good effect on physical and mental health of the child. A wholesome meal will make a child energetic and strong. The child is likely to be more enthusiastic and motivated in every sphere of life in comparison to those children who are under nourished or wrongly nourished.

Make sure that daily diet of a child includes servings of whole grains, vegetables, dairy products, fruits, cereals, water and some protein foods. There should be at least three complete meals and two snacks time in a day. The whole day diet should be planned in such a way that all the above food groups are provided to the child in optimum proportions. The purpose of a diet chart is to promote all round development of the child which comes through right kind of diet.

A diet which includes too much of processed foods, sugary fluids, soda, salt and transfats are incomplete and harmful. The child is likely to develop severe diseases later in his life like diabetes, obesity and heart problems subsequently leading to unhappiness and depression.

Also, when the diet of a child lacks the necessary nutrients, it may lead to weak bones and body structure, fatigue, mood swings, health issues and disinterest in daily life routine.

Therefore consciously choose healthy foods for your family. Plan your diet and be a role model for your kids. Prefer eating at home and pick healthy food items for yourself. The kids are most likely to follow your footsteps and learn to adopt healthy eating habits. Healthy family is definitely a happier family!!

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Raise optimistic and happy kids!!

2011-01-27T03:12:00.000-08:00

Some kids are happy and cheerful naturally while most of them need to be trained to achieve a positive attitude. Well this behavioral approach of kids has huge amount of impact on their future life and on their personality. Like, one child with the habit of grumbling and blaming will be irritable and dejected most of the times. Whereas a child with happy disposition will have positive frame of mind and learn to take things in stride.

Despite of having a pessimistic attitude, a child can be taught to look at the brighter side of a situation and stay happy. It requires continuous and combined effort on the part of parents. With parents on their side and as their role models, children can grasp the art of feeling happiness within and see life in brighter perspective. Pay attention to some of the tips mentioned below and raise happy kids with pleasure.

Acknowledge and celebrate success. No matter how small is the task, recognize the sincere effort of the child and appreciate him whole heartedly. This will boost his confidence in himself and make him happy.

False appreciation is detrimental to child’s nature. Hollow acknowledgement send wrong message to the child. Appreciation in absence of success or achievement makes the child arrogant and weak to deal with failures. In situation of failure he should be taught to learn from his mistakes and move on.

Avoid giving names to the child. Words like lazy, loser or shy if frequently used for the child can make him one of them. Use positive words for the child and encouraging tone so that he is motivated to work hard. Positive language will have positive effect on the mindset of the child.

Help child to face failure positively and prepare him for future. Acknowledge the bad feelings of the child about the failure. And also tell him it is absolutely okay if he could not achieve something this time but he can do it next time. An unbiased assessment of the situation with the child will reveal the points where he can improve and succeed subsequently. Boost his morale by reminding him of his previous accomplishments.

Evaluate yourself. Study your own reaction to negative situations and failures. The child is likely to imbibe those negative words and emotions from you. Therefore evaluate yourself and adopt a more healthy and positive attitude. The kids shall learn faster from your deeds than from your preaching. Also take credit of your achievements and celebrate with kids.

Optimism has its good effects on the health, performance, mindset and quality of life of the child. Optimistic children can deal with stress in a better way and are happier in comparison with pessimistic children. Therefore gift your child an optimistic attitude and happiness for lifetime.

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Make your child goal driven

2011-01-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

Your child needs your encouragement and guidance at every phase of life. Surrounded with so many choices it is natural that he or she may get distracted and confused. At small age the child does not have the vision and goal for his life. But you can have! Your involvement and interest in the daily routine and life of your child can prove to be valuable for making him successful.

Having a goal to achieve drives a child to learn and perform better. The goal may be very simple and small like coloring a picture beautifully. The habit of setting goals and accomplishing them too will make the child develop skills faster. With each accomplishment the child will become more confident, self driven and happier.

Often a child gets distracted from his present activity and leaves the task unfinished. One after another unaccomplished activity makes him less happy and less confident. On the other hand, your initiative to teach how to set goals will bring interest and add liveliness to otherwise somber atmosphere. The child will participate actively and perform his best to achieve the goal.

While setting a goal for the child, it is important to understand the interest of the child. Devote undivided attention to the child so that he feels loved. Discuss with him on the issues that interests him. Ask him what he wants in life and listen to his talk uninterruptedly. Now assure him that how important he is to you and in the same way his goals. Encourage him to write down his goals on a paper and try to explore the ways with him to achieve those goals. The whole process of goal setting will bring the feeling of self worth, confidence and delight within the child.

It will be a good idea to put the goal setting paper on the board with further mentioning the small steps that can lead to goal accomplishment. With each completed sub-goal, put a tick mark against the step. Each fulfilled step will fill the heart of the child with pride and happiness. He would then be driven to complete the goal without losing the focus. Slowly goal setting and completion of task will become the habit of the child.

Avoid imposing your goals on the child. Let him follow his dreams. And whether the goal is achieved or not support him for his effort and sincerity. Beginning with small goals, get over to long term goals slowly. This will help the child to gain focus and control over his life.

The path of success begins with planning and goal setting. Teach your child the importance of goals and make him goal driven through various activities and exercises. The process may be slow but important for your child development. As a parent you may need guidance on how to make your child goal driven. We have the solution. Click the link below and get all the help to make your child successful.

goal setting for kids

Appreciate your child often

2011-01-19T01:43:00.000-08:00

Appreciation is the desire of every human being. Everybody wishes to be appreciated and acknowledged for their deeds. The same rule applies to children. A child is delighted and motivated if he or she is appreciated for good behavior or action. A genuine praise induces the child to continue the good deed.

Appreciation inculcates in child the difference between the right action and the wrong one. He or she then understands what kind of actions is expected from him or her. It also builds up the confidence and self esteem of the child. Simple words like “well done” makes the child happy and stimulated to do better. He or she will make effort to follow the right action in order to get attention and affection of the parents.

Most of the times, it is the behavior of the parents which may or may not trigger the child to do better or behave appropriately. Indifference on the part of parents lowers the self esteem of the latter. The child would then do everything (which you may not approve!) to seek the attention of his parents. Therefore it is better to pay attention to your child at the right time and acknowledge his efforts.

Garvit always keeps his books back in the shelf after reading them. It was not so before. But it was continuous attention and recognition of his parents for every good act that he developed this habit. Every time he keeps his things well in place he gets a hug with appreciation like, “you have done a great job, my dear.” These words proved to be magical for him and he repeats the right action.

Another way to appreciate a child is to provide his favorite thing if he achieves certain level. For example if he displays good social manners at a social gathering then he may be rewarded with his favorite chocolate. In case the child performs well in guitar classes, he can be rewarded with his favorite toy. All these are very small but effective motivational tools for children.

Appreciating other children for good behavior at times also inspires children to repeat the good action in order to get appreciation of their parents. Children wants love and for that they may go far to get it.

Parents may also adopt points system in which points are given for good action and points may be deducted for each unapproved act. The chart of the same may be placed on the wall for easy view. Against those points the child can be awarded some gift. This activity shall act as instant encouragement to the child to obtain the gift as well as appreciation from the parent.

Appreciation is the valuable method in building the character of a child. Reprimanding the child or neglecting his accomplishment can make him irresponsible and ill mannered. On the other hand, appreciation will definitely prove to be a beneficial tool for child development.

Forgive and forget your child’s mistakes

2011-01-14T05:14:00.000-08:00

“To err is human and to forgive is divine.”

We have often heard this saying but practiced seldom. Mostly the mistake becomes too prominent in parent’s vision than the feeling with which the action is done. You must have observed children at many times try to behave like their parents and elders but end up making a mess. We as parents are too obsessed with fault finding that we tend to ignore the genuine effort made by the child to learn new things!

Like elders, the kids try to do their things on their own. In their effort to clean their room, they might break some fragile object and get hurt. Now a common reaction of parent is to stop him from cleaning and scold him for the damage. But an in depth view of the situation will reveal the feeling of the child to help his parent and get appreciated in return. The first situation can discourage the child for future. While a more compassionate situation would be to go ahead and demonstrate the child the way the task can be accomplished with minimum mistakes.

A joint effort of the child and parent provides happy learning experience to the former. Children feel attracted to new things and try to experiment with them. While they experiment they might damage the object of their interest. Like, a new camera may attract a kid. And he wishes to operate it so that he can take pictures of his sibling. Instead of scolding him, the parent can help him to take few snaps so that his desire is fulfilled under supervision and without any loss. That ways he can learn faster a new concept with confidence.

Sometimes we parents just expect too much from children. The latter may not be able to carry that burden of expectation and may feel victimized and less motivated to try something new. A simple statement like” you are good for nothing” or “can't you do such a simple thing” erode the self esteem of the child. One needs to understand that the child tries to do his best possible. It just happens that he or she may get distracted or not enough driven to complete the task successfully. The support of parent not only motivates the child but it also makes him emotionally secure that they are loved in spite of their failings or mistakes.

Your reaction to the child's mistakes can transform his behavior. A strict and impatient attitude can make child run away from his or responsibility and may hamper his interest to learn. On the other hand, a supportive and forgiving environment facilitates the child to learn from his mistakes and learn faster.

Children learn faster and acquire new skills quickly in comparison to elders. If they are given the right guidance and freedom to make a mess they will certainly prove to be fast learners. My two and a half year old daughter refuses to take help from me for her lunch. Initially, I was scared of spilling and spoiling her dress. But slowly I rectified my attitude and instead I show her how to hold the spoon correctly. With a nice example of her mother to learn from, my little daughter has learned to eat on her own with care.

Children deserves your quality time

2011-01-06T03:19:00.000-08:00

Parents are the world of children. The life of children begins with parents and throughout life parents remain the most crucial aspect of their life. No matter how much the children get mingled in the society, the importance of parents and their valuable time for the children can never shrink.

The sight of mother brings tears of joy in the eyes of a baby. He is elated to see his mother and looks forward to stay around her all the time. In the same way, loving hug of father makes the child feel secure and safe. He needs both the parents to feel complete. The presence of both the parents boosts the confidence and enthusiasm of the child.

Imagine a young kid who is about to perform on the stage. His eyes search for his parents. The moment he traces them his eyes sparkle and he is motivated to do better. But the absence of parents disheartens the child and affects his self esteem. Lack of enough time or excessive monitoring both hampers the child development.

The kids who get proper attention of their parents grow up as more confident and emotionally secured adults. While those who do not get sufficient time and attention lack zest for life. But that does not mean one should leave all the work and other priorities of life behind. A child does not require 24 hours attention. All he or she requires is the quality time of parents.

Take time out to listen to him or her. A good conversation time or playtime fills happiness in the atmosphere. You must have heard that a family which eats together stays together. Share at least one meal time with your son or daughter. A light hearted talk at dinner table helps release stress levels and induce cheerful mood among the family members. Reading story together at bed time is yet another way to strengthen the parent child bonding.

Remember to fulfill your promises. Avoid making promises which you cannot fulfill at all. So if you have promised a visit to zoo at the weekend then try to make it possible. The times spend together will last long in the memory of the child and will bring the latter closer to the parents. In case of any unforeseen circumstance, assure the child that the promise will be fulfilled soon.

The child expects special treatment from his or her parents. He or she deserves it too but in optimum proportion. The purpose is to make him or her bloom with delight. Therefore make sure that you devote quality time to your child now onwards!

Curiosity is the first step towards development

2011-01-02T23:34:00.000-08:00

Curiosity is an obvious and healthy quality of a child. Every child tries to understand the things around his or her surroundings. A toddler picks up anything from the floor and tries to explore it. A small child opens up his brand new toy car to know what it contains although the action is not so appealing for his parents. On the other hand a growing kid throws a volley of questions to his or her parents regarding anything or everything. The parents often get annoyed with this type of attribute and sometimes snap kids for their inquisitive nature.

A child is new to this world. He does not understand many aspects and concepts of life. For balanced and all round growth of the child it is very important that he is exposed to various facts of life and gain knowledge about them. Parents are the first and lifetime teachers of the child. Through their eyes a child sees the world. By holding their hands, a child walks the path of education and development.

The inquisitive nature of a child is his first step towards development. That reflects his preparedness to learn new things. When a kid asks a question that means he or she is observing and responsive towards his or her environment. His or her curiosity should be patiently satiated. The parents should take out time for the child for conversation wherein the child should be motivated to speak up his doubts, questions and thoughts. Thereafter the parents should come up with appropriate reply.

Sometimes the parents feel short of time or tired to answer the spontaneous question asked by the child. At that moment he should be softly reassured that his curiosity will be answered soon. Inappropriate answers and rebuke should be avoided.

Kids should be made self sufficient to quench their curiosity levels. Gift them picture books, dictionary, encyclopedia, science based books wherein their questions will be answered and many new information will also be rendered. They should be exposed to various places and situations like zoo, museum, historical places, get to gathers, prayer meetings, worship places, parks, malls and such other places where they can gain knowledge.

Parenting is not a kid’s job. It requires active involvement and evolvement also. Before dismissing a question of your child, remind yourself that you are depriving your child an opportunity to grow and develop.

Be a kid yourself!

2011-01-01T00:41:00.000-08:00

As a parent, we need to set an ideal example of good behavior and good habits. We have to be careful in our words and deeds. The children will automatically follow the path we tread on. However, it should be borne in minds that it is a gradual process of learning. The parents often expect kids to behave like adults. While this is not easy for kids, but it is easier for parents to be kids themselves and make learning process enjoyable.

A few days back, rains forced my seven year old son to stay indoors. Reluctantly, he obeyed and started watching cartoon. It is not an easy task to deviate him from his favorite pastime. Any ways I let him watch cartoon for half an hour and then cajoled him to play some game with me. Both of us had great time playing indoor games. Instead of behaving like an adult I enjoyed being a kid myself. Getting naughty and doing things in kids’ way is fun. During all this time, I overlooked the mess that was created. My son was surprised to see the change in his mother as there were no scoldings or directions to clear the mess.

At the end of the game both of us cleared the mess together and happily as well. Being kid taught me to be happy and cheerful without specific reason. The incident also taught my growing kid to make most of the available time and also to take good care of his things.

My child taught me to be patient and considerate while making him learn new lessons of life. You can also come forward and share your experiences in the journey of parenting.

No one can teach Parenting

2010-12-31T23:27:00.000-08:00

After the initial euphoria and hesitation attached with the child birth, begins the real job of parenting. Learning to hold the baby and watching the baby crossing every milestone with a smile is a new experience. When she starts recognizing you and her eyes searches for you, those moments can’t be described in words. Each moment with the baby teaches you how to be a good parent.

You have seen your parents and definitely imbibed some parenting skills from them. You have also seen how other parents act and react and deal with their children. But still you can’t learn enough about parenting. Your kids can surely teach you some good lessons on how to raise them well. Amazing isn’t it?

Every child is unique. Though the habits and tantrums of two children may look similar but dealing with each of them may require different parenting style. Therefore, it may not be in the best interests of the child to treat him or her in the way your neighbor or your friend does.

The psyche and intelligence of every child is different from the other. It is crucial to understand the mindset and personality of the child before reacting. And it is when you draw closer to your child while playing, studying, and working or just conversing then you get know more about his/ her feelings, thoughts, insecurities, dreams and so on.

Develop a close bond with the child and let him speak his mind. Then you would come to know the mistakes you made in understanding him and dealing with him.
Step by step and year after year, you would evolve as a parent. Your journey of parenting would take many turns and many ups and downs. Every moment and phase will teach you to become a good parent.