Author: Nicky
As long as your child is eating a well-balanced meal from the Food Guide Pyramid, they probably do not need any supplement minerals or vitamins. However, if you have a picky eater on your hands it will not hurt to give them a multi-vitamin that includes the items they need. In addition, children that do not drink at least 17 ounces of Vitamin D fortified milk will need Vitamin D supplements or calcium. Iron is a very important mineral that prevents anemia. Sources for iron include meats, legumes, fish, fortified foods such as cereals and breads. When girls begin to have their period they will more than likely need an iron supplement. Some examples of vitamins that include iron are Flintstones Children’s Chewable Multivitamin plus Iron, Poly-Vi-Sol Vitamin Drops with Iron, Pokemon Children’s Multiple Vitamin with Iron, Fer-In-Sol Iron Supplement Drops and Feosol Tablets and Caplets. Calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth. Children that do not drink milk or eat dairy products such as ice cream, cheese, and yogurt may need this mineral supplement. Children that have an allergy to milk or milk products will more than likely need a supplement with calcium. However, remember even calcium supplements will not give your child enough calcium for their growing bodies; they will also need calcium fortified foods such as calcium fortified orange juice. Some good vitamins or supplements with calcium include Calcium Gummy Bears, Herbasaurs Calcium f
or Kids, Flintstones Children’s Chewable Multivitamin plus Calcium, and Scooby-Doo! plus Calcium. Fluoride is very important for the growth of your childs teeth. If you want your child to have healthy teeth then they should be drinking fluoridated water. If they drink plenty of tap water in most towns and cities across the US, they are more than likely receiving enough fluoride. If you are not sure if your water contains fluoride, you can give them bottled water, which includes fluoride. There are a few fluoride supplements that are very good for giving your child what they may be lacking; however, too much fluoride can stain their teeth. If you need a fluoride supplement then you should purchase Poly-Vi-Flor. If you would rather use multivitamins, you can rest assured that most infant multivitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D. They also have other vitamins and minerals such as iron, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E. Some of the most popular infant multivitamins include Tri-Vi-Sol Drops, Poly-Vi-Sol Drops, and Gerber Vitamin Drops. Multivitamins for older children are usually in chewable form and contain the same vitamins and minerals only regulated for the growing child. Some of the most recommended include Centrum Kids Chewable Vitamins, Flintstones Children’s Chewable Multivitamin, Pokemon Children’s Vitamins, Bugs Bunny Children’s Vitamins and Scooby-Doo! Complete Multivitamin.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Benefits of Omega 3 Fish Oil For Children
Author: Michael
"How soon can I start my kids on omega 3 fish oils?" I’m asked this question all the time. People read about the wonderful benefits for children of the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil, but there never seems to be any guidelines on when to start. A lot of people are surprised to learn that I start supplementing my children’s diet with high quality, pure fish oil as soon as they turn six months old. The kids were all nursed up until that point and my wife was supplementing her diet with fish oil while pregnant and nursing. This is so important because the omega 3 fatty acids, especially DHA, will make a HUGE difference in a child’s brain development, motor skills, language skills, thinking skills, vision, ability to sleep at night and much more. So how do you give fish oil to a 6 month old? Here’s how we did it. We pierced the capsule, squeezed a small amount onto a baby spoon and popped it into their mouths. It’s fun to watch a baby adjust to the taste of fish oils and it actually doesn’t take them long. With a little encouragement and lots of smiles, they’ll be reaching for the capsules faster than you can give it to them. A little word of caution: don’t wear nice clothes in the beginning. One of our children loved to make raspberries with their tongue after taking the fish oil and it would go everywhere. It was
hard to get mad though, because he looked so cute when he did it. If your kids are past the baby stage, don’t despair. It’s not too late to start giving them fish oil. It just takes a little more commitment and creativity to get the job done. If your children can swallow capsules, you won’t have any problem. As long as they don’t drink any hot liquids (like tea) right after taking their fish oil, they shouldn’t burp the taste. If they’re not able to swallow capsules yet, you can try giving them the fish oil on a spoon and then following up very quickly with a spoon full of applesauce or mashed banana. Just be sure to have your backup food ready to go before you give them the fish oil. You can also give them a drink of water to help wash it all down. It may not be pleasant the first few times, but if they see that you’re not going to give up, they’ll get used to it pretty quickly. And when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of how important the omega 3 oils are to your child’s health. If you’re not eating fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines or anchovies at least 3 times a week, your family is not getting enough omega 3s. Believe me! The results are worth the effort. You will see a big difference in your child’s overall health, mental and physical abilities. Don’t wait another day to start.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
"How soon can I start my kids on omega 3 fish oils?" I’m asked this question all the time. People read about the wonderful benefits for children of the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil, but there never seems to be any guidelines on when to start. A lot of people are surprised to learn that I start supplementing my children’s diet with high quality, pure fish oil as soon as they turn six months old. The kids were all nursed up until that point and my wife was supplementing her diet with fish oil while pregnant and nursing. This is so important because the omega 3 fatty acids, especially DHA, will make a HUGE difference in a child’s brain development, motor skills, language skills, thinking skills, vision, ability to sleep at night and much more. So how do you give fish oil to a 6 month old? Here’s how we did it. We pierced the capsule, squeezed a small amount onto a baby spoon and popped it into their mouths. It’s fun to watch a baby adjust to the taste of fish oils and it actually doesn’t take them long. With a little encouragement and lots of smiles, they’ll be reaching for the capsules faster than you can give it to them. A little word of caution: don’t wear nice clothes in the beginning. One of our children loved to make raspberries with their tongue after taking the fish oil and it would go everywhere. It was
hard to get mad though, because he looked so cute when he did it. If your kids are past the baby stage, don’t despair. It’s not too late to start giving them fish oil. It just takes a little more commitment and creativity to get the job done. If your children can swallow capsules, you won’t have any problem. As long as they don’t drink any hot liquids (like tea) right after taking their fish oil, they shouldn’t burp the taste. If they’re not able to swallow capsules yet, you can try giving them the fish oil on a spoon and then following up very quickly with a spoon full of applesauce or mashed banana. Just be sure to have your backup food ready to go before you give them the fish oil. You can also give them a drink of water to help wash it all down. It may not be pleasant the first few times, but if they see that you’re not going to give up, they’ll get used to it pretty quickly. And when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of how important the omega 3 oils are to your child’s health. If you’re not eating fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines or anchovies at least 3 times a week, your family is not getting enough omega 3s. Believe me! The results are worth the effort. You will see a big difference in your child’s overall health, mental and physical abilities. Don’t wait another day to start.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Help Your Children to be Kind to the Environment
Author: Stephanie
Many children today don’t learn to think at all about the environment. Others do, of course, but if there’s no example set, what else can be expected? This is something important for all parents to consider, although it can be easier for stay at home parents such as myself to set the example. I consider keeping to the facts to be one of the most important things you can do. You want your children to trust you, and if they find out you exaggerated, there goes some of that trust This can be challenging. Trying to explain the issues at age appropriate levels is not easy. You can start off at a fairly young age, however. Preschoolers can be great about turning off lights and asking before throwing items in the trash or recycling bins. They love helping in the garden. All very simple, very preschooler friendly. As they get older you can discuss some of the more serious issues. Why we don’t want to produce more garbage than we have to, for example. You can also get into why you have to be more careful about disposing of things such as electronics and batteries. Then there are endangered species, rain forests, air quality and water quality issues you can teach about. E
xactly when each is appropriate can depend on the interests of your children. Some will love animals intensely at a very early age and may want to learn about endangered species early. Others will not. Perhaps the most important thing you can teach your children is what they, as individuals can do. It can be hard to realize how much just one person can do. Discuss the big choices as well as the little ones that can mean so much. Little choices can include such things as merely deciding to recycle, picking which items to buy and so forth. Bigger choices can include the car you drive and how you power your home. Especially as they approach high school age, it can be good to encourage your children to become more actively involved in the issues that particularly interest them. I do strongly encourage you to allow them to pick their own causes, rather than your own pet cause. The main thing is that they participate, not that they do only what you think is most important. Getting involved can start at a very early age. If you make it just a fact of life, children can learn to think about the environment as they grow. The younger green habits start, the easier they should be to live with.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Many children today don’t learn to think at all about the environment. Others do, of course, but if there’s no example set, what else can be expected? This is something important for all parents to consider, although it can be easier for stay at home parents such as myself to set the example. I consider keeping to the facts to be one of the most important things you can do. You want your children to trust you, and if they find out you exaggerated, there goes some of that trust This can be challenging. Trying to explain the issues at age appropriate levels is not easy. You can start off at a fairly young age, however. Preschoolers can be great about turning off lights and asking before throwing items in the trash or recycling bins. They love helping in the garden. All very simple, very preschooler friendly. As they get older you can discuss some of the more serious issues. Why we don’t want to produce more garbage than we have to, for example. You can also get into why you have to be more careful about disposing of things such as electronics and batteries. Then there are endangered species, rain forests, air quality and water quality issues you can teach about. E
xactly when each is appropriate can depend on the interests of your children. Some will love animals intensely at a very early age and may want to learn about endangered species early. Others will not. Perhaps the most important thing you can teach your children is what they, as individuals can do. It can be hard to realize how much just one person can do. Discuss the big choices as well as the little ones that can mean so much. Little choices can include such things as merely deciding to recycle, picking which items to buy and so forth. Bigger choices can include the car you drive and how you power your home. Especially as they approach high school age, it can be good to encourage your children to become more actively involved in the issues that particularly interest them. I do strongly encourage you to allow them to pick their own causes, rather than your own pet cause. The main thing is that they participate, not that they do only what you think is most important. Getting involved can start at a very early age. If you make it just a fact of life, children can learn to think about the environment as they grow. The younger green habits start, the easier they should be to live with.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Five Ways You Can Help Your Child Succeed in School
Author: Jim
It’s unfortunate that school holds such a revered place in society. I don’t say that because I feel education is unnecessary. On the contrary, I’m a teacher (15 years) and I believe in the power of education to transform lives and benefit society. I’m referring to the fact that parents and kids look at school performance as the ultimate gauge of self worth. Get good grades, get into a good college, get a better job and have a better life. What a chain of events! And you see? It all starts with good grades. I won’t write the chain of events when your child gets poor grades. It’s enough to stop trying. So, with this approach in mind, I’d like to add a little bit of calm and practical advice for parents to use with their kids so that school can become just another piece of the puzzle. Tip #1 - Decide how YOU feel about the role of education in their lives. Ask yourself, "Do I believe in the chain of events?", "Do I believe poor grades determine success or failure?", "Do I believe a healthy, well-rounded, happy child can be successful?" These questions are important because if you say them but don’t believe them, your child will feel it. You’ll let out your true feelings without even knowing it. So, decide now what your philosophy of education is and communicate it to your child. Tip #2 - Find what subjects interest your child. This way you can begin to build on their strengths. It’s important to pay attention to weaknesses a
s well but I think we get lost in this area. There’s way too much focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. Tip #3 - Talk about how someone succeeds in anything. If you’re being honest with yourself, you’ll know that hard work and interest are the only things needed to succeed. In your child’s life, they need to learn that good things come to those who follow what they like to do. Then, they won’t mind working hard. Tip# 4 - Be positive. Be aware of the words you use when as you go through the day. Are you optimistic or pessimistic? What do you do when things get tough? How do you react? Your child will see all these things and learn from you. When you show you can be calm and look for solutions, your child will do the same. Tip #5 - Love your child for what they are. You may be an avid reader while your child doesn’t like to read. You may be an athlete while your child likes to draw. What are you going to do? If you want a healthy, well-adjusted child, you’ll let it be and thank the heavens you have a wonderful child who brings joy to your life. Nothing else is needed. Love makes the world go round. Love helps everything your child does. As you can see, you have a lot to keep in mind if you want your child to succeed in school. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Are there more things to know? Absolutely. Will your child’s educational experience be more satisfying and rewarding? Absolutely. Do it for them...do it for yourself.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
It’s unfortunate that school holds such a revered place in society. I don’t say that because I feel education is unnecessary. On the contrary, I’m a teacher (15 years) and I believe in the power of education to transform lives and benefit society. I’m referring to the fact that parents and kids look at school performance as the ultimate gauge of self worth. Get good grades, get into a good college, get a better job and have a better life. What a chain of events! And you see? It all starts with good grades. I won’t write the chain of events when your child gets poor grades. It’s enough to stop trying. So, with this approach in mind, I’d like to add a little bit of calm and practical advice for parents to use with their kids so that school can become just another piece of the puzzle. Tip #1 - Decide how YOU feel about the role of education in their lives. Ask yourself, "Do I believe in the chain of events?", "Do I believe poor grades determine success or failure?", "Do I believe a healthy, well-rounded, happy child can be successful?" These questions are important because if you say them but don’t believe them, your child will feel it. You’ll let out your true feelings without even knowing it. So, decide now what your philosophy of education is and communicate it to your child. Tip #2 - Find what subjects interest your child. This way you can begin to build on their strengths. It’s important to pay attention to weaknesses a
s well but I think we get lost in this area. There’s way too much focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. Tip #3 - Talk about how someone succeeds in anything. If you’re being honest with yourself, you’ll know that hard work and interest are the only things needed to succeed. In your child’s life, they need to learn that good things come to those who follow what they like to do. Then, they won’t mind working hard. Tip# 4 - Be positive. Be aware of the words you use when as you go through the day. Are you optimistic or pessimistic? What do you do when things get tough? How do you react? Your child will see all these things and learn from you. When you show you can be calm and look for solutions, your child will do the same. Tip #5 - Love your child for what they are. You may be an avid reader while your child doesn’t like to read. You may be an athlete while your child likes to draw. What are you going to do? If you want a healthy, well-adjusted child, you’ll let it be and thank the heavens you have a wonderful child who brings joy to your life. Nothing else is needed. Love makes the world go round. Love helps everything your child does. As you can see, you have a lot to keep in mind if you want your child to succeed in school. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Are there more things to know? Absolutely. Will your child’s educational experience be more satisfying and rewarding? Absolutely. Do it for them...do it for yourself.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
How Your Children’s Inner Dialogue Affects Their Ability To Learn
Author: Jim
Kids are born winners. They feel they can do it all. In kindergarten, everyone raises their hand, everyone tries a new activity, and everyone wants to try again when they can’t do something the first time. Yet, as time goes by, they begin to lose this fearlessness and they start to doubt themselves. They doubt their ability to give the right answer, they doubt their ability to perform and they doubt their ability to learn. They become like wilted flowers that stop showing their beauty. One of the causes is the negative thoughts in their heads. By the 2nd grade, kids hear negative comments 7 times more than positive comments. That means for every "Great job!" they hear, "You don’t know what you’re doing, you can’t do that, let me do that, what are you doing?" Get the picture? The bad news is, if something isn’t done quickly, your children will develop ingrained thoughts of inferiority, insecurity and failure. They’ll slowly lose their identity and begin to fall in with the wrong crowd. The good news is, it’s fairly easy to turn around and it costs nothing but your desire to have happy children. Here are three ways to begin to help your children achieve like they used to; 1 - Be a positive role model. When you have difficulties doing something say, "I can do this. And if I can’t I’m smart enough to find someone who can help me." You see
, your kids watch you and register how you react to difficult circumstances. Maybe it’s a flat tire, maybe it’s hooking up the DVD player, who knows. Just remember, the words and attitude you use are being transmitted to your kids. 2 - When learning something, show your child how you need to keep trying. Don’t let frustration get the best of you. Show your kids that patience and persistence pay off. Use positive phrases as you figure things out. 3 - When you’re successful at something, share your joy and your expectation that you knew it would work out. Make a point to reinforce the mindset you had from the start that helped you achieve your goal. This way, your kids will see the learning process up close and will be able to use it themselves when you’re not around. You see, your kids need to re-connect with their innate magic, their innate ability to feel powerful. And that comes from an inner belief that nothing is impossible. Don’t forget, schools separate them into achievers and underachievers, society calls 2nd place the first loser. All these things add up. Don’t let your comments at home make it worse. You can change that by giving them a blueprint for success they can use anywhere at anytime. And it all starts with the words and phrases that they hear swirling around in their heads. Make sure they are words and phrases that empower, not destroy.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Kids are born winners. They feel they can do it all. In kindergarten, everyone raises their hand, everyone tries a new activity, and everyone wants to try again when they can’t do something the first time. Yet, as time goes by, they begin to lose this fearlessness and they start to doubt themselves. They doubt their ability to give the right answer, they doubt their ability to perform and they doubt their ability to learn. They become like wilted flowers that stop showing their beauty. One of the causes is the negative thoughts in their heads. By the 2nd grade, kids hear negative comments 7 times more than positive comments. That means for every "Great job!" they hear, "You don’t know what you’re doing, you can’t do that, let me do that, what are you doing?" Get the picture? The bad news is, if something isn’t done quickly, your children will develop ingrained thoughts of inferiority, insecurity and failure. They’ll slowly lose their identity and begin to fall in with the wrong crowd. The good news is, it’s fairly easy to turn around and it costs nothing but your desire to have happy children. Here are three ways to begin to help your children achieve like they used to; 1 - Be a positive role model. When you have difficulties doing something say, "I can do this. And if I can’t I’m smart enough to find someone who can help me." You see
, your kids watch you and register how you react to difficult circumstances. Maybe it’s a flat tire, maybe it’s hooking up the DVD player, who knows. Just remember, the words and attitude you use are being transmitted to your kids. 2 - When learning something, show your child how you need to keep trying. Don’t let frustration get the best of you. Show your kids that patience and persistence pay off. Use positive phrases as you figure things out. 3 - When you’re successful at something, share your joy and your expectation that you knew it would work out. Make a point to reinforce the mindset you had from the start that helped you achieve your goal. This way, your kids will see the learning process up close and will be able to use it themselves when you’re not around. You see, your kids need to re-connect with their innate magic, their innate ability to feel powerful. And that comes from an inner belief that nothing is impossible. Don’t forget, schools separate them into achievers and underachievers, society calls 2nd place the first loser. All these things add up. Don’t let your comments at home make it worse. You can change that by giving them a blueprint for success they can use anywhere at anytime. And it all starts with the words and phrases that they hear swirling around in their heads. Make sure they are words and phrases that empower, not destroy.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Teach Your Children to Respect You
Author: Ineke
The most important value you will ever teach your children is: to respect their parents. And since you cannot pass anything on that you do not incorporate yourself, you will have to start by first respecting your children. If they do not feel treated like a human being, worthy of respect and love, deserving of your attention, then their cooperation will be in short supply. First, you show them respect. Second, you teach them to respect you. So how to go about this in practice? What to do if your children complain about the food, insult you because you are picking them up from the gym 10 minutes too late, or if they do not want to clean up their own mess? Let us have a look at these situations one by one: 1. Are the kids complaining about the food? Do you hear a bwerk when they see what is in the casserole? Well, you are no fool, are you? You just spent one hour in the kitchen preparing that meal. Before cooking, you spent one hour at the grocery store buying the food. Before that, you spent many hours on the job, earning the money to pay for that food. So you now start asking yourself, did I not give enough of myself for this meal? Yes, you did! You do not owe it to them to prepare a warm meal every day. But you do owe it to yourself to get some respect from those for whom you make all these efforts. Enough is enough! You did your part of the deal, now it is up to them. Teach your children to say thank you for every meal. If they have no thank you on offer but only muster a bwerk, then you are not making dinner for at least two days! Soon they will be begging you for a warm dinner, and God knows they will be very grateful when they finally get one on the third day! Never continue delivering a service that is not appreciated. You would be a fool to do that! How does it feel to be toiling away behind the stove, all the while fearing your efforts and goodwill will not be appreciated? This is no way to live! If they appreciate neither your efforts nor your cooking, then make them go without for 2 or 3 days, and see what happens. 2. Are the kids insulting you just because you are ten minutes late when picking them up from the gym? Then stop picking them up from the gym for a few times! Make it clear to them that they have to appreciate your effort of taking them and picking them up. Do not start an argument with them, for that does not work. Do not keep explaining time and time again that they should respect you, but rather show them by taking action. If they are unable to see the difference between the important facts (you are there to pick them up) and the unimportant facts (being ten minutes too late), then let them feel the difference. Next time around, simply do not take them to the gym, so they will become aware of the difference and learn to appreciate what you are doing for them. Do not settle for being treated like a slave. You are worthy of respect! Show them what it means to be a person who respects himself. Respect yourself and others will respect you. 3. Are the kids complaining that there is nothing to eat in the house, while the kitchen cupboards are bulging with food? What they mean, of course, is that THEIR favorite food is not available in large enough a quantity. Do your kids have this kind of complaints? Okay, here is what to do: stop going to the grocery store for a while. That way the kids will have to first finish all the food in the fridge an
d in the cupboards (or go do some household shopping themselves, also an enlightening exercise). This also makes for an economical cleaning up of all those half-finished packs of crackers, biscuits, cheese, and the like. Then comes the next phase where there really is nothing left in the cupboards. Now is the time to go to the grocery store, and you can bet on it that they will appreciate the new arrivals! They will feel like there is so much to eat, while in fact there is less food than when they were complaining there was nothing to eat. 4. Are the kids putting tons of ketchup on their food, continuously ignoring your warnings to be more economical and eat healthier? Stop arguing about it, for that does not work. Instead, stop buying ketchup all the time! For example, buy one bottle of ketchup per month and clearly tell your children that they will have to do with this one bottle for the whole month. When the bottle is done, it is done, till next month comes around. If necessary, buy a bottle for each child and label it. That way your children will learn to regulate their ketchup behavior. 5. Are the kids ignoring your orders to put their shoes in the designated place? Do they go on leaving their shoes all around the house? Tell them this will be the last warning, and that from now on, any shoes found scattered around will be launched into the back yard. And then, stick to your promise! I had to do this once with the basketball shoes of my son : I launched them outside. As it happened, that night it was raining cats and dogs. The next morning he cried, What do I do now? My shoes are all wet! I said to him : son, this is your problem. Believe me, I had to do this only once! Once your children know that you will do as you say, then you will not have to do it. They will respect your word! 6. Are their rooms a mess? You want the mess to be cleaned up? Do not do it yourself! Your teenagers should clean up their own mess! So instead of arguing about it, tell them that they have to clean up their room before dinner on Saturday. That way you are giving them plenty of freedom to chose their own timing. Come Saturday evening dinnertime, go check if the room is tidy. If not, then there is no dinner for that child. After all, this was the deal: room to be cleaned BEFORE dinner. They can still clean their room right there and then, and have dinner when they are done, but as long as the room is not clean there is no dinner. You could also say : you clean your room and after that you can go out with your friends. Be consistent and do as you say. This is where many parents stumble when dealing with their children: they argue too much. They go on explaining the same thing dozens of times. Do you really think the kids did not understand what you were saying? If you have said something two times, then that is enough. After the second time, you should ACT and not TALK. Do not argue with them! Never argue with a child. You are the parent, you are the one who decides. You can negotiate with your child, but do not feel you need to explain yourself. Kids have much more energy than you do, and sooner or later you will give up (or give in) because your energy is spent while theirs is not. They know that and they will win the battle! Do not get tempted to go into endless discussions with your child. Learn to act after the second warning. Be consistent! That is the only way to get respect.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
The most important value you will ever teach your children is: to respect their parents. And since you cannot pass anything on that you do not incorporate yourself, you will have to start by first respecting your children. If they do not feel treated like a human being, worthy of respect and love, deserving of your attention, then their cooperation will be in short supply. First, you show them respect. Second, you teach them to respect you. So how to go about this in practice? What to do if your children complain about the food, insult you because you are picking them up from the gym 10 minutes too late, or if they do not want to clean up their own mess? Let us have a look at these situations one by one: 1. Are the kids complaining about the food? Do you hear a bwerk when they see what is in the casserole? Well, you are no fool, are you? You just spent one hour in the kitchen preparing that meal. Before cooking, you spent one hour at the grocery store buying the food. Before that, you spent many hours on the job, earning the money to pay for that food. So you now start asking yourself, did I not give enough of myself for this meal? Yes, you did! You do not owe it to them to prepare a warm meal every day. But you do owe it to yourself to get some respect from those for whom you make all these efforts. Enough is enough! You did your part of the deal, now it is up to them. Teach your children to say thank you for every meal. If they have no thank you on offer but only muster a bwerk, then you are not making dinner for at least two days! Soon they will be begging you for a warm dinner, and God knows they will be very grateful when they finally get one on the third day! Never continue delivering a service that is not appreciated. You would be a fool to do that! How does it feel to be toiling away behind the stove, all the while fearing your efforts and goodwill will not be appreciated? This is no way to live! If they appreciate neither your efforts nor your cooking, then make them go without for 2 or 3 days, and see what happens. 2. Are the kids insulting you just because you are ten minutes late when picking them up from the gym? Then stop picking them up from the gym for a few times! Make it clear to them that they have to appreciate your effort of taking them and picking them up. Do not start an argument with them, for that does not work. Do not keep explaining time and time again that they should respect you, but rather show them by taking action. If they are unable to see the difference between the important facts (you are there to pick them up) and the unimportant facts (being ten minutes too late), then let them feel the difference. Next time around, simply do not take them to the gym, so they will become aware of the difference and learn to appreciate what you are doing for them. Do not settle for being treated like a slave. You are worthy of respect! Show them what it means to be a person who respects himself. Respect yourself and others will respect you. 3. Are the kids complaining that there is nothing to eat in the house, while the kitchen cupboards are bulging with food? What they mean, of course, is that THEIR favorite food is not available in large enough a quantity. Do your kids have this kind of complaints? Okay, here is what to do: stop going to the grocery store for a while. That way the kids will have to first finish all the food in the fridge an
d in the cupboards (or go do some household shopping themselves, also an enlightening exercise). This also makes for an economical cleaning up of all those half-finished packs of crackers, biscuits, cheese, and the like. Then comes the next phase where there really is nothing left in the cupboards. Now is the time to go to the grocery store, and you can bet on it that they will appreciate the new arrivals! They will feel like there is so much to eat, while in fact there is less food than when they were complaining there was nothing to eat. 4. Are the kids putting tons of ketchup on their food, continuously ignoring your warnings to be more economical and eat healthier? Stop arguing about it, for that does not work. Instead, stop buying ketchup all the time! For example, buy one bottle of ketchup per month and clearly tell your children that they will have to do with this one bottle for the whole month. When the bottle is done, it is done, till next month comes around. If necessary, buy a bottle for each child and label it. That way your children will learn to regulate their ketchup behavior. 5. Are the kids ignoring your orders to put their shoes in the designated place? Do they go on leaving their shoes all around the house? Tell them this will be the last warning, and that from now on, any shoes found scattered around will be launched into the back yard. And then, stick to your promise! I had to do this once with the basketball shoes of my son : I launched them outside. As it happened, that night it was raining cats and dogs. The next morning he cried, What do I do now? My shoes are all wet! I said to him : son, this is your problem. Believe me, I had to do this only once! Once your children know that you will do as you say, then you will not have to do it. They will respect your word! 6. Are their rooms a mess? You want the mess to be cleaned up? Do not do it yourself! Your teenagers should clean up their own mess! So instead of arguing about it, tell them that they have to clean up their room before dinner on Saturday. That way you are giving them plenty of freedom to chose their own timing. Come Saturday evening dinnertime, go check if the room is tidy. If not, then there is no dinner for that child. After all, this was the deal: room to be cleaned BEFORE dinner. They can still clean their room right there and then, and have dinner when they are done, but as long as the room is not clean there is no dinner. You could also say : you clean your room and after that you can go out with your friends. Be consistent and do as you say. This is where many parents stumble when dealing with their children: they argue too much. They go on explaining the same thing dozens of times. Do you really think the kids did not understand what you were saying? If you have said something two times, then that is enough. After the second time, you should ACT and not TALK. Do not argue with them! Never argue with a child. You are the parent, you are the one who decides. You can negotiate with your child, but do not feel you need to explain yourself. Kids have much more energy than you do, and sooner or later you will give up (or give in) because your energy is spent while theirs is not. They know that and they will win the battle! Do not get tempted to go into endless discussions with your child. Learn to act after the second warning. Be consistent! That is the only way to get respect.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
How to Teach Anger Management to Your Child
Author: Paul M.
Most of us recognize the continuing escalation of violence around us, due to intolerance, and many of us blame it on somebody else. Parents teach their children, all the time, and when one of us displays "road rage," while our child is in the car, we teach a brand new skill set. Although, road rage is inappropriate behavior, at any time, and can get you killed, most children who are exposed to it, will duplicate the actions of their parents, when they are old enough to drive. So the first step, is to set an example and, possibly, use some of these ideas, for yourself. Studies show that anger causes atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaques in the arteries, that is a major factor in developing high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and premature death. Also, during a "temper tantrum," adrenaline and blood pressure levels rise beyond normal. This behavior is more dangerous to parent’s bodies due to the normal "wear and tear" already existing. Now, you may be convinced that anger can kill you, but let’s look at one more factor. You could hurt someone else, find yourself in prison, or get yourself killed due to inciting violence against others. There are other people, who are having difficulty dealing with anger management too. Back to our children: All children need exercise and they are naturally full of energy. Look at any other species, and you will see the same behavior. Should we drug our dogs, cats, and parrots, when they display youthful exuberance? Children have to run, jump, and shout. So let them play in the back yard, in a park, and get them involved in sports, Yoga, dance, or martial arts. You will never regret letting your child enjoy life, constructively learn in the process, and just be a kid. For all of us, there is a time to be quiet and a time to shout. Children need years to learn this, so let
’s keep them active in the process. Keep them away from the television, Internet, and video games, except for "rainy days." Coloring books, board games, and reading are also good activities for rainy days. A heavy bag is a great tool for letting anger out. You and your child can use it together. You can learn to punch and kick it, for the aerobic benefits, as well. If you have a friend who is a boxer or martial artist, you could get some pointers. After just a 20-minute session, I guarantee you, and your child, will have dealt with anger - there will be little, if any, left. Teach your child forgiveness, through your own example. I am not asking you to let people "walk all over you." However, let grudges go; life is really too short to keep a feud going. You can also control your child’s "circle of friends," just by getting him or her involved in, group activities such as: League sports, dance, yoga, or martial arts. The parents who have their children in these activities want the best for them and are willing to sacrifice their time, or money, to get it. This will keep your child busy, happy, and active, with a pre-selected crowd of friends, who have parents that care. This is a "win - win" situation and well worth the investment. This is not to say that every child you run into, at these functions, will be perfect, but in the above mentioned activities, all of them are structured, adult-supervised, and rules for behavior are in place. This form of organization becomes a habit, your child will follow these guidelines, and bring them home. Here is another idea that will help. Have your child take care of a pet or a plant, every day. Children love to care for animals or plants, but they still need supervision. The result of this will be, your child learns compassion. Compassion will keep anger "in check" every time.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Most of us recognize the continuing escalation of violence around us, due to intolerance, and many of us blame it on somebody else. Parents teach their children, all the time, and when one of us displays "road rage," while our child is in the car, we teach a brand new skill set. Although, road rage is inappropriate behavior, at any time, and can get you killed, most children who are exposed to it, will duplicate the actions of their parents, when they are old enough to drive. So the first step, is to set an example and, possibly, use some of these ideas, for yourself. Studies show that anger causes atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaques in the arteries, that is a major factor in developing high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and premature death. Also, during a "temper tantrum," adrenaline and blood pressure levels rise beyond normal. This behavior is more dangerous to parent’s bodies due to the normal "wear and tear" already existing. Now, you may be convinced that anger can kill you, but let’s look at one more factor. You could hurt someone else, find yourself in prison, or get yourself killed due to inciting violence against others. There are other people, who are having difficulty dealing with anger management too. Back to our children: All children need exercise and they are naturally full of energy. Look at any other species, and you will see the same behavior. Should we drug our dogs, cats, and parrots, when they display youthful exuberance? Children have to run, jump, and shout. So let them play in the back yard, in a park, and get them involved in sports, Yoga, dance, or martial arts. You will never regret letting your child enjoy life, constructively learn in the process, and just be a kid. For all of us, there is a time to be quiet and a time to shout. Children need years to learn this, so let
’s keep them active in the process. Keep them away from the television, Internet, and video games, except for "rainy days." Coloring books, board games, and reading are also good activities for rainy days. A heavy bag is a great tool for letting anger out. You and your child can use it together. You can learn to punch and kick it, for the aerobic benefits, as well. If you have a friend who is a boxer or martial artist, you could get some pointers. After just a 20-minute session, I guarantee you, and your child, will have dealt with anger - there will be little, if any, left. Teach your child forgiveness, through your own example. I am not asking you to let people "walk all over you." However, let grudges go; life is really too short to keep a feud going. You can also control your child’s "circle of friends," just by getting him or her involved in, group activities such as: League sports, dance, yoga, or martial arts. The parents who have their children in these activities want the best for them and are willing to sacrifice their time, or money, to get it. This will keep your child busy, happy, and active, with a pre-selected crowd of friends, who have parents that care. This is a "win - win" situation and well worth the investment. This is not to say that every child you run into, at these functions, will be perfect, but in the above mentioned activities, all of them are structured, adult-supervised, and rules for behavior are in place. This form of organization becomes a habit, your child will follow these guidelines, and bring them home. Here is another idea that will help. Have your child take care of a pet or a plant, every day. Children love to care for animals or plants, but they still need supervision. The result of this will be, your child learns compassion. Compassion will keep anger "in check" every time.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Teach Your Child to Live for Maximum Potential
Author: Paul M.
At times, everyone feels a little depressed about life, and children are no exception. Just like you, children often experience "the same old grind." They get up for school, day care, or camp to travel the same road each weekday. Some children even look forward to weekends in the same way their parents do. How can you put some excitement into life and teach your child to be successful? Sometimes, parents have to be spontaneous and break the routine up a bit for "family time." Make it a point to eat together and spend quality time doing new things. Never say negative things about your life or how boring life is for you. Children can really tune into this, and they always copy their parents. They reflect negative thinking and can hold themselves back by worrying about the risk of failure, just like an adult. Instead, teach them about the endless opportunities that arise in every day life. Life is full of challenges, and your child has to learn to overcome the fear of failure. This is where you come in - by measuring your child’s progress. You should always point toward his, or her, past successes for positive reinforcement. Re
member the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare?" Teach your child that slow and steady always finishes the race. As an adult, you know that finishing anything is a "bench mark" along the road to progress. A child will give up on a challenge, when they are too far out of their "comfort zone." Giving up is a last resort. For example: Look down the road at the many challenges your child will face in college, military service, or at work. You want to establish a "track record" of success now. Even when challenges and problems have your child in a state of fear, you are obligated to encourage your child to move forward and do their "personal best." Every successful person has had to face their own fear, in order to see the endless daily opportunities that life has to offer. Teach your child that life is full of excitement - by making the choices of exploring and trying new things, as long as they are reasonably safe activities. The experience of learning is more important than the chance of failure. The end result will be that your child has positive memories of accomplishment, and the knowledge that he or she can always count on you.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
At times, everyone feels a little depressed about life, and children are no exception. Just like you, children often experience "the same old grind." They get up for school, day care, or camp to travel the same road each weekday. Some children even look forward to weekends in the same way their parents do. How can you put some excitement into life and teach your child to be successful? Sometimes, parents have to be spontaneous and break the routine up a bit for "family time." Make it a point to eat together and spend quality time doing new things. Never say negative things about your life or how boring life is for you. Children can really tune into this, and they always copy their parents. They reflect negative thinking and can hold themselves back by worrying about the risk of failure, just like an adult. Instead, teach them about the endless opportunities that arise in every day life. Life is full of challenges, and your child has to learn to overcome the fear of failure. This is where you come in - by measuring your child’s progress. You should always point toward his, or her, past successes for positive reinforcement. Re
member the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare?" Teach your child that slow and steady always finishes the race. As an adult, you know that finishing anything is a "bench mark" along the road to progress. A child will give up on a challenge, when they are too far out of their "comfort zone." Giving up is a last resort. For example: Look down the road at the many challenges your child will face in college, military service, or at work. You want to establish a "track record" of success now. Even when challenges and problems have your child in a state of fear, you are obligated to encourage your child to move forward and do their "personal best." Every successful person has had to face their own fear, in order to see the endless daily opportunities that life has to offer. Teach your child that life is full of excitement - by making the choices of exploring and trying new things, as long as they are reasonably safe activities. The experience of learning is more important than the chance of failure. The end result will be that your child has positive memories of accomplishment, and the knowledge that he or she can always count on you.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
14 Simple Rules for Raising Successful Children
Author: Jamie
Successful parenting means taking the time to understand what our children need to be fulfilled, confident, and happy. Of course, that’s no small task. Here are 14 guiding principles: 1. First and foremost, recognize the true gravity of your task. Parenting successful, emotionally happy children involves a great deal of important, mindful work – and huge, sweeping swaths of time. The first step is to accept that fact- and to embrace the role of parent as one of the most important roles anyone has ever taken on. 2. Have a ball. Just because our task is immensely important…that doesn’t mean it can’t also be great, great fun. Life with a family is a magnificent adventure- not simply a hassle filled with laundry and dishes. Remind yourself of this as often as necessary. And when the daily work of parenting starts to feel like drudgery, it’s time to devote a day (or, at the very least, an afternoon) for intense family fun. Get some tickets to a ballgame and relax. 3. Spend a lot of time with your children. When you do so, children recognize that they are worth lavishing with time, praise, and attention. 4. Exhibit healthy, successful habits. If you want your kids to be healthy, fit, kind and compassionate, you‘ll need to live that way, too. Treat your mind, body, and soul with the utmost respect. Model caring, kindness, and compassion by working together (as a family) on a volunteer project a few hours a month. 5. Listen well. Strive to be honest, open, and attentive with your spouse and kids. When your children are speaking, get down on their level, ask questions, and really listen to their point of view. True listening does wonders for your children’s self esteem, and it helps them to grow into good listeners themselves. Minimize social contact with adults who are continually “shushing” the children. 6. Show your children that you are genuinely interested in them. Make sure to let them know – through your words and behavior – that you care about what they like to do, even if that’s altogether different from what the rest of the family enjoys. Get involved in activi
ties that interest your child. Whatever it is, learn the lingo and sit down to learn from your child. 7. Try not to criticize, but work with your child on mistakes in a respectful way. Never criticize in front of other adults or children, including siblings. Work to understand their unique point of view. Taking the time to do so sends a message that you accept and trust their decisions and that their opinions are valuable and important. 8. Don’t label your kids – even when those labels sound harmless. Try not to tell your children that they are shy or overly dramatic or too sensitive. Respect the person whom they are and the adult they are becoming, while respecting all the stages they will grow through to get there. 9. Choose your battles very carefully, and allow natural consequences to teach the lessons themselves whenever possible. 10. Be accepting of your children’s friends. Encourage your children to invite their friends over. 11. Be enthusiastic. Make sure your face lights up when your children come near you. 12. Share family stories, whether through a family journal, a scrapbook, or by simply telling one another over and over again about the memories that you treasure. Read aloud at all ages and stages. Cuddle up under a blanket in the evenings to read silently, each with a different book. Ask your kids to make up stories and tell them aloud – or create illustrated books to share. 13. Treasure all the generations. Revere the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Show your children that family is something they can count on for their entire lives. All this can be distilled into one simple rule: Never let the big picture fade from view. In other words, make sure you have identified your true goal as a parent and live from that frame of mind. For example: My only goal as a parent is to raise happy, kind children who trust themselves and who enjoy peace of mind. If, this week, they decide to eat Top Ramen every night for dinner and sometimes forget to put their shoes in the closet, so be it. Enjoy the joyful journey of this tremendous task of parenting.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Successful parenting means taking the time to understand what our children need to be fulfilled, confident, and happy. Of course, that’s no small task. Here are 14 guiding principles: 1. First and foremost, recognize the true gravity of your task. Parenting successful, emotionally happy children involves a great deal of important, mindful work – and huge, sweeping swaths of time. The first step is to accept that fact- and to embrace the role of parent as one of the most important roles anyone has ever taken on. 2. Have a ball. Just because our task is immensely important…that doesn’t mean it can’t also be great, great fun. Life with a family is a magnificent adventure- not simply a hassle filled with laundry and dishes. Remind yourself of this as often as necessary. And when the daily work of parenting starts to feel like drudgery, it’s time to devote a day (or, at the very least, an afternoon) for intense family fun. Get some tickets to a ballgame and relax. 3. Spend a lot of time with your children. When you do so, children recognize that they are worth lavishing with time, praise, and attention. 4. Exhibit healthy, successful habits. If you want your kids to be healthy, fit, kind and compassionate, you‘ll need to live that way, too. Treat your mind, body, and soul with the utmost respect. Model caring, kindness, and compassion by working together (as a family) on a volunteer project a few hours a month. 5. Listen well. Strive to be honest, open, and attentive with your spouse and kids. When your children are speaking, get down on their level, ask questions, and really listen to their point of view. True listening does wonders for your children’s self esteem, and it helps them to grow into good listeners themselves. Minimize social contact with adults who are continually “shushing” the children. 6. Show your children that you are genuinely interested in them. Make sure to let them know – through your words and behavior – that you care about what they like to do, even if that’s altogether different from what the rest of the family enjoys. Get involved in activi
ties that interest your child. Whatever it is, learn the lingo and sit down to learn from your child. 7. Try not to criticize, but work with your child on mistakes in a respectful way. Never criticize in front of other adults or children, including siblings. Work to understand their unique point of view. Taking the time to do so sends a message that you accept and trust their decisions and that their opinions are valuable and important. 8. Don’t label your kids – even when those labels sound harmless. Try not to tell your children that they are shy or overly dramatic or too sensitive. Respect the person whom they are and the adult they are becoming, while respecting all the stages they will grow through to get there. 9. Choose your battles very carefully, and allow natural consequences to teach the lessons themselves whenever possible. 10. Be accepting of your children’s friends. Encourage your children to invite their friends over. 11. Be enthusiastic. Make sure your face lights up when your children come near you. 12. Share family stories, whether through a family journal, a scrapbook, or by simply telling one another over and over again about the memories that you treasure. Read aloud at all ages and stages. Cuddle up under a blanket in the evenings to read silently, each with a different book. Ask your kids to make up stories and tell them aloud – or create illustrated books to share. 13. Treasure all the generations. Revere the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Show your children that family is something they can count on for their entire lives. All this can be distilled into one simple rule: Never let the big picture fade from view. In other words, make sure you have identified your true goal as a parent and live from that frame of mind. For example: My only goal as a parent is to raise happy, kind children who trust themselves and who enjoy peace of mind. If, this week, they decide to eat Top Ramen every night for dinner and sometimes forget to put their shoes in the closet, so be it. Enjoy the joyful journey of this tremendous task of parenting.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
Sanity and Time Saving Child Feeding Tips
Author: Teresa
1. Remember that you as a parent or caregiver decide what your child will eat. Your child will decide if he or she will eat it and how much. Once this is realized, a significant amount of pressure will be reduced. 2. Scheduled meal and snack times are necessary. Routine is extremely important. Do not let your child graze, as it will diminish his or her appetite at mealtime. 3. Do not be a short order cook! Always preparing something separate for your child will become expected. Remember that you are in charge of what your child eats. 4. Food jags are common in young children. Children will go through times where they want a specific food item on a daily basis for a week or two and then begin to refuse it. Be patient and in a few days or a couple of weeks, they will come back to it. The key is to remember that food jags are normal and making a big deal out of it will cause more problems. Instead, work with your child on trying new foods. 5. Repetition is the key. Children generally need to be offered a new food item 10 to 20 times before they will even try it. Tastes for specific food items develop over time. 6. Reward children with praise, activities, stickers, small toys, outings etc. rather than with food. 7. Eat together as a family as much as possible. Enjoy your time together. 8. Do not make eating a battle. Try not to nag, argue, bribe or coax. Generally speaking, it will cause more feeding issues in the end. Eating is to be pleasurable and seen as a positive experience and not as a negative experience. Positive mealtimes encourage eating as well as conversation and learning. 9. Do not pressure your child to cle
an his or her plate. Research indicates that children are born with good control of their eating. Children will eat when they are hungry and will stop when they are full. Children who are forced to eat more than what they want can lose their natural ability to control their food intake and hunger is no longer what makes them eat. This can also lead to eating issues and eating disorders in the future. 10. Average time to allow for snacks is 10-15 minutes and for meals 20-30 minutes. Your child should have been able to eat or drink what he or she wanted in this period. Remove any remaining food and your child from the table and wait until the next scheduled meal or snack time before offering food or drink again. 11. Avoid eliminating certain foods. An environment where certain food items are denied often backfires. Instead, encourage balance, moderation and variety. 12. Be a good role model. You cannot expect your child to want to drink milk if you are drinking a soft drink. 13. Watch portion sizes. Remember that when eating out, most child portions are much larger than they should be and really could be 2 to 3 servings for your child depending on their age and needs. Split meals between children or take home part of it for another meal or two. 14. Approximate serving size for children 1-3 years of age as a rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon per year of age. Additional amounts to be provided according to appetite. 15. Try foods in different ways such as cooked, raw, canned, fresh, frozen, sliced, chunked etc. You will never know which way your child prefers it and it could mean the difference of your child eating it or not.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
1. Remember that you as a parent or caregiver decide what your child will eat. Your child will decide if he or she will eat it and how much. Once this is realized, a significant amount of pressure will be reduced. 2. Scheduled meal and snack times are necessary. Routine is extremely important. Do not let your child graze, as it will diminish his or her appetite at mealtime. 3. Do not be a short order cook! Always preparing something separate for your child will become expected. Remember that you are in charge of what your child eats. 4. Food jags are common in young children. Children will go through times where they want a specific food item on a daily basis for a week or two and then begin to refuse it. Be patient and in a few days or a couple of weeks, they will come back to it. The key is to remember that food jags are normal and making a big deal out of it will cause more problems. Instead, work with your child on trying new foods. 5. Repetition is the key. Children generally need to be offered a new food item 10 to 20 times before they will even try it. Tastes for specific food items develop over time. 6. Reward children with praise, activities, stickers, small toys, outings etc. rather than with food. 7. Eat together as a family as much as possible. Enjoy your time together. 8. Do not make eating a battle. Try not to nag, argue, bribe or coax. Generally speaking, it will cause more feeding issues in the end. Eating is to be pleasurable and seen as a positive experience and not as a negative experience. Positive mealtimes encourage eating as well as conversation and learning. 9. Do not pressure your child to cle
an his or her plate. Research indicates that children are born with good control of their eating. Children will eat when they are hungry and will stop when they are full. Children who are forced to eat more than what they want can lose their natural ability to control their food intake and hunger is no longer what makes them eat. This can also lead to eating issues and eating disorders in the future. 10. Average time to allow for snacks is 10-15 minutes and for meals 20-30 minutes. Your child should have been able to eat or drink what he or she wanted in this period. Remove any remaining food and your child from the table and wait until the next scheduled meal or snack time before offering food or drink again. 11. Avoid eliminating certain foods. An environment where certain food items are denied often backfires. Instead, encourage balance, moderation and variety. 12. Be a good role model. You cannot expect your child to want to drink milk if you are drinking a soft drink. 13. Watch portion sizes. Remember that when eating out, most child portions are much larger than they should be and really could be 2 to 3 servings for your child depending on their age and needs. Split meals between children or take home part of it for another meal or two. 14. Approximate serving size for children 1-3 years of age as a rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon per year of age. Additional amounts to be provided according to appetite. 15. Try foods in different ways such as cooked, raw, canned, fresh, frozen, sliced, chunked etc. You will never know which way your child prefers it and it could mean the difference of your child eating it or not.
Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/
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