Natural Disasters and Kids

Kids are highly sensitive to their environment and any severe change affects their psyche deeply. News of hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, cyclones, landslides, 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!!

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.

Developing reading skills in toddlers and young kids

Reading skill is an important part of child development. It may seem to be an easy job but actually, it requires careful effort developing reading skills 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.
                                     

Developing reading skills in toddlers through full participation

Effective Tips to Develop Reading Skills in Toddlers and Young Kids

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

• Readout 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 written words and develop pre-school reading skills.

• 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 storybooks and picture books. Sit with the child, point out the pictures in the book, and tell their names. Speak loudly the names of characters while pointing towards the printed words. It would develop their vocabulary.

• Make their favorite storybooks easily available in the house so that they may reach out to the books whenever they want to.
• Let them hold the book properly. Teach them how to hold and turn the next page while reading.

• Instead of just reading the stories, bring out the characters live with playful narration. Besides, discuss the feelings of the characters and involve the child in discussion over the story to enhance his story comprehension.

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

• Sing nursery rhymes with the child and read them out, pointing each word you sing to the printed word.

                            Related post- 5 Things your Toddler Expects from you

• 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 the skills of the kids.

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

• Play 'guess the word' game with the child. Spell out simple words like R-A-T and ask your child to guess which word it is. This would help him to join the sounds together and name the word.



Develop reading in toddlers through picture books

• Include the alphabet challenge and puzzles to make the learning easy and fun.

• For kids beyond toddler age, entrust them with menu planning and ask them to choose a new recipe from the recipe book. While browsing through recipes, they will read out different names of the dishes, ingredients, and words related to cooking such as stir, garnish, etc. This activity would further enhance their vocabulary and develop reading skills in kids.

• Besides, ask the young children to write the words they have learned or weave them in a story of their own. They may choose characters from the storybook, a movie, or animated shows.

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

Related post: Five parenting tips to impress your kids

Importance of freedom of speech for kids

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 speak well 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!!

Protect kids from acne problems

Acne problem is a reason to worry for growing kids. In their teens, the kids become conscious about their appearance and a simple whitehead can lower their self-esteem. The prolonged presence of acne thus constantly troubles young minds. In severe cases of acne, kids even shy away to meet their pals and avoid socializing. 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. Its time to protect kids from acne problems.

Essential Tips to Protect Kids from Acne Problems

To counter acne, one must understand the facts related to 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 the 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 the 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.

                                                   H-Acne Formula 11ml
                                                   from: Healing Natural Oils

                                               

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

 Wash hair on a regular basis so that oil present in hair does not block the pores of the skin. Also, keep the hair away from the face. Ensure your hair are dandruff- free as this is another reason for acne on the skin.

 Do not pick or squeeze pimples. It may cause skin irritation, redness, and scarring of the skin.

 Avoid overexposure of the sun.

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

 Avoid oily and processed foods. Prefer natural foods like veggies, fruits, etc.

                                                             Cotton Shop


 Wear cotton clothes to avoid breeding of bacteria. Also, avoid tight-fitted clothing as they prevent breathing by the skin.

 Prefer home remedies to chemical-based products to treat acne. In case you choose skin products, go for 'noncomedogenic' ones only as they are safe.

Moreover, clean your eyeglasses frequently as they may cause clogging of pores with oil.

These simple steps are essential to protect from acne and experience naturally good-looking skin.

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Treatment of Acne in Kids

Ways to Treat Eczema in Kids

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 the face, hands, wrists, scalp, knees, and neck. Moreover, it causes rashes, itchy and dry skin, and lesions on the skin. That's why parents search endlessly for ways to treat Eczema in kids to provide relief to their kids.
   
                                                    

Signs of Eczema in kids

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. 

Inflammation, itchiness, dryness, and infections are the symptoms that normally a suffering person experiences in case of eczema.

Eczema in babies, as young as a couple of months old, is difficult to handle and cure. Both parents and their baby experience mental trauma in this skin condition.

The condition can even interfere with the sleep of young kids making the latter more uncomfortable.

Common factors causing Eczema in babies and kids

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. 

Even bedding and clothing can trigger eczema in babies and kids.

A doctor will also ascertain the allergens that may trigger eczema in the 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 types 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 are a nuisance for the child. Many times, it is avoidable and easy to resist. Just follow these simple steps to treat eczema in kids and babies:

Ways to Counter Eczema in Kids

1. Moisturize the skin of the child regularly. 

It helps in controlling the itchiness. Use unscented lotion or natural products that have no side effects on the skin. Daily use of moisturizing creams once or twice is advisable even if the rashes are gone.

Also, lock in the moisture by applying creams on the damp skin of the baby/ child after the bath.

Moisturize skin often to treat eczema in kids.

2. Keep the skin clean. 

It is crucial to keep the affected skin clean. Therefore, give bathing to the baby/child frequently but for a short duration to combat eczema. Use lukewarm water, not hot water.

Afterward, pat dry the skin, do not rub or scrub as it may cause skin irritation or inflammation.

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 occurs after bathing. Additionally, fragrance-free moisturizers should be used. Petroleum jelly is a good choice too to moisturize the skin of children.

4. The usage of a clean towel and bedding is equally important.

The fabric of bedding should be really soft and skin-friendly. Besides, the 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 they can trigger skin problems.

Moreover, avoid using fabric softeners.

5. Clean and soft clothing for the child 

This one is also crucial so that the skin is not irritated or inflamed because of the cloth. Use soft cotton clothing to keep the child's skin happy.         

6. Other Tips to Deal with Eczema in Babies and Kids

Always keep the nails of the children short to avoid scratching the skin. You may even make your kid wear gloves at night, as this would help avoid scratching by kids.

Sweating may also aggravate eczema symptoms in kids. Using light clothes and bedding is highly recommended. Besides, maintain a cool temperature in your home to avoid sweating, itching, and eczema symptoms.

Avoid drapes as well as carpets in the kids' room, as these may absorb allergens and cause flare-ups.

In addition, stress among children may also trigger itchiness and eczema in children. Help kids to stay calm and manage stress effectively.

7. Home remedies for Eczema cure in Kids 

Home remedies are natural alternatives with no side effects, and an easy way to treat eczema in kids. Try today! Though there is no permanent cure for eczema, home methods help to keep eczema in control.

Click to know Home Remedies for Eczema in Kids

8. Natural oils to treat Eczema flare-ups

Pure and natural oils that help to treat eczema in kids are also available, which one can use for improved results. Coconut oil is considered completely safe, especially the cold-compressed virgin one. 

Besides, oils such as lavender oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, neem, jojoba, almond, and olive oils are also said to reduce eczema inflammation. However, consult with your doctor first before using any of these.

Specifically created natural oil with natural goodness can also help to reduce eczema symptoms.

                                           

My daughter's birthday

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 of blowing the balloons. They were determined to surprise their father with the decorations.

We had bought the CD of the 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 enjoyed it. 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. We had selected a beautiful cake for my daughter.
In 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 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?