According to Professor George Haycock, scientific adviser to the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death (FSID), "A number of research studies have suggested that babies who are regularly given a pacifier when put down to sleep, even for a nap, are less likely to die suddenly and unexpectedly than those who are not."
The advise from FSID is: if breastfeeding, do not begin to give a pacifier until your baby is one month old. Don't worry if the pacifier falls out when your baby is asleep and don't ever force your baby to take a pacifier. And never coat the pacifier in anything sweet.
Showing posts with label Parental tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parental tips. Show all posts
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Step to finding the right kindergarten
Sending your child to a kindergarten can be a very anxious experience. Kindergarten gives your child a head start in learning nit just ABC's, but life skills, too. The following tips can be great help in your search and evaluation
It helps to begin your research by asking other parents on their experiences, and nothing beats a site visit for peace of mind. The first thing to watch out for is the professional and teachers.
Small classes are good for learning, so there shouldn't be too many students in one class. Fifteen is a reasonable number. There should be one teacher plus one teaching assistant per class.
An insight into the syllabus is also useful. Ask to see the teaching materials to check their quality, as well as samples of students' work. If you can, watch how the children behave in class and conduct themselves toward the teacher.
Factor some non-academic criteria in your decision as well: make sure the kindergarten is clean and serves nutritious meals. Look whether toilet are designed for children's size and height. See how it pays attention to health and safety both inside and outside class,
Yee gives this lesser-known tips: If car are allowed to park in the premises, check whether they park tail in; this lets drivers look ahead when they leave and avoid accidents.
It helps to begin your research by asking other parents on their experiences, and nothing beats a site visit for peace of mind. The first thing to watch out for is the professional and teachers.
Small classes are good for learning, so there shouldn't be too many students in one class. Fifteen is a reasonable number. There should be one teacher plus one teaching assistant per class.
An insight into the syllabus is also useful. Ask to see the teaching materials to check their quality, as well as samples of students' work. If you can, watch how the children behave in class and conduct themselves toward the teacher.
Factor some non-academic criteria in your decision as well: make sure the kindergarten is clean and serves nutritious meals. Look whether toilet are designed for children's size and height. See how it pays attention to health and safety both inside and outside class,
Yee gives this lesser-known tips: If car are allowed to park in the premises, check whether they park tail in; this lets drivers look ahead when they leave and avoid accidents.
Boy and girl racers start young
Want your kids to grow into responsible drivers? Watch how you drive when they're in the back seat. Research at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, shows that, not only do young children absorb your driving style, but they are most influenced by parents of the same sex: So, fathers should be most careful with son in the back, and mothers with daughter. Depressingly, by age 11, gender stereotypes are already emerging, with boys drawn to speed and likelier to condone traffic violations.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Health and diet for children
Ensure proper nutrition for your toddler. We all need a balanced diet throughout or lives; it goes without saying that toddlers need it even more. You can find all the nutrients your toddler needs in many everyday sources.
The feeding challenge begins when he turns one and needs a diet emphasizing solids.
That's also when his appetite becomes unpredictable, but his body is constantly developing behind the scenes, so insist on your diet plan! A child who doesn't eat properly will catch one bug after another. A balanced diet ensures correct height and weight development and builds body resistance. This way, your child will not miss his important development milestones. Healthy body, healthy mind--mental strength will follow.
Essential elements :
Calcium and iron are vital to a child's growth. Calcium builds healthy bones and teeth. You child should have three portions of dairy product like milk, cheese and yogurt daily to satisfy his calcium needs. Don't skimp on fat-- growing children need the energy it contains.
Iron is vital to supprt brain development and a health bloodstream. Insufficient iron may lead to anemia, which can be discerned from a child's weak and listless look. Serve enough red meat regularly; if red meat doesn't figure on your family's menu, subtitue spinach, beans, pears or bread and cereals fortified with iron.
Complex carbohydrates in food like rice, noodles, cereals, bread, pasta and potatoes provide the energy to fuel his day, which is especially important once he starts walking. You can get needed protein from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and lentils. Fatty acids like DHA found in oily fish and selected milk formulas are important building blocks for brain development.
Don't forget to give five portions of fruit and vegetables daily, whether fresh, frozen or dried. They contain important vitamins and minerals which have many beneficial function. These can range from enabling growth, to strengthening the body's internal system, to purifying the blood.
Fruit and vegetables also contain fiber, which helps proper functioning of the intestinal tract.
Keep in mind that quantity of food is important. Many toddlers can't manage large amounts in one setting. Three small snacks and three small meals should get him through the day.
Now for things you toddler doesn't need; avoid processed food, extra salt and too much sugar. Avoid fruit juices-- they contain a lot of sugar that is bad for the teeth. Offer him water at mealtimes instead.
The feeding challenge begins when he turns one and needs a diet emphasizing solids.
That's also when his appetite becomes unpredictable, but his body is constantly developing behind the scenes, so insist on your diet plan! A child who doesn't eat properly will catch one bug after another. A balanced diet ensures correct height and weight development and builds body resistance. This way, your child will not miss his important development milestones. Healthy body, healthy mind--mental strength will follow.
Essential elements :
Calcium and iron are vital to a child's growth. Calcium builds healthy bones and teeth. You child should have three portions of dairy product like milk, cheese and yogurt daily to satisfy his calcium needs. Don't skimp on fat-- growing children need the energy it contains.
Iron is vital to supprt brain development and a health bloodstream. Insufficient iron may lead to anemia, which can be discerned from a child's weak and listless look. Serve enough red meat regularly; if red meat doesn't figure on your family's menu, subtitue spinach, beans, pears or bread and cereals fortified with iron.
Complex carbohydrates in food like rice, noodles, cereals, bread, pasta and potatoes provide the energy to fuel his day, which is especially important once he starts walking. You can get needed protein from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and lentils. Fatty acids like DHA found in oily fish and selected milk formulas are important building blocks for brain development.
Don't forget to give five portions of fruit and vegetables daily, whether fresh, frozen or dried. They contain important vitamins and minerals which have many beneficial function. These can range from enabling growth, to strengthening the body's internal system, to purifying the blood.
Fruit and vegetables also contain fiber, which helps proper functioning of the intestinal tract.
Keep in mind that quantity of food is important. Many toddlers can't manage large amounts in one setting. Three small snacks and three small meals should get him through the day.
Now for things you toddler doesn't need; avoid processed food, extra salt and too much sugar. Avoid fruit juices-- they contain a lot of sugar that is bad for the teeth. Offer him water at mealtimes instead.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Children life skills.
Teach simple task to build self-esteem. Building confidence and inculcating life skills should start from the day your child is born so that he learns independence early on. There are many opportunities and stages for nurturing the right attitude.
Begin with giving the love, encouragement and praise your child need when he is just a baby. Provide a strong and stable domestic environment for him to grow up in, and he'll develop the self-esteem needed to tackle the challenges of middle childhood.
Your child will start wanting a substantial degree of freedom from upper primary school. His challenges here will consist of mastering the skill necessary to get through each day. You role is in preparing him to deal with this independence.
First, he need to know how to survive. He should be taking responsibility for his nutrition and knowing all about safety in kitchen. Start with teaching how to make a simple meal and go with him when he buys his own ingredients.
Home task:
Job around the house can be fun and make your child feel valuable; there are many things you can do together here. Washing the car, planting the garden, and sorting the laundry are activities that will give your child a sense of environment accountability and appreciation of teamwork. He'll doing all these on his own before long.
Dealing with school is a vital life skill. Starting school and seeing all the new faces is never easy, with the myriad of personalities in a class and all the potential emotional health risk. Make sure you're there to lend an ear and support him through the early days, even if you feel he is confident enough.
Homework is the next challenge, where your child learns the importance of deadlines. Organization skill is important here, so encourage him to study when he gets home and relax only after he is finished. He should learn to sort his books and accessories, and responsible for his own meals.
Personal hygiene is important. At this age, it's often an uphill task to get your child into the bathroom. Make him clean his teeth morning and evening and see to it that he gets in the shower once a day.
Encourage your child to take the initiative. Resist the temptation to make his decisions for him. If you do that, he will never feel confident that when faced with a problem, he can solve it correctly. Offer him choices. Ask him what he would like- whether it's films at the cinema or choosing his birthday party programme.
Don't forget practical reward for completed jobs.Children will often start a job and stop when the novelty wear off. You'll encourage him to see a challenge through if you hand out small reward at the end.
Begin with giving the love, encouragement and praise your child need when he is just a baby. Provide a strong and stable domestic environment for him to grow up in, and he'll develop the self-esteem needed to tackle the challenges of middle childhood.
Your child will start wanting a substantial degree of freedom from upper primary school. His challenges here will consist of mastering the skill necessary to get through each day. You role is in preparing him to deal with this independence.
First, he need to know how to survive. He should be taking responsibility for his nutrition and knowing all about safety in kitchen. Start with teaching how to make a simple meal and go with him when he buys his own ingredients.
Home task:
Job around the house can be fun and make your child feel valuable; there are many things you can do together here. Washing the car, planting the garden, and sorting the laundry are activities that will give your child a sense of environment accountability and appreciation of teamwork. He'll doing all these on his own before long.
Dealing with school is a vital life skill. Starting school and seeing all the new faces is never easy, with the myriad of personalities in a class and all the potential emotional health risk. Make sure you're there to lend an ear and support him through the early days, even if you feel he is confident enough.
Homework is the next challenge, where your child learns the importance of deadlines. Organization skill is important here, so encourage him to study when he gets home and relax only after he is finished. He should learn to sort his books and accessories, and responsible for his own meals.
Personal hygiene is important. At this age, it's often an uphill task to get your child into the bathroom. Make him clean his teeth morning and evening and see to it that he gets in the shower once a day.
Encourage your child to take the initiative. Resist the temptation to make his decisions for him. If you do that, he will never feel confident that when faced with a problem, he can solve it correctly. Offer him choices. Ask him what he would like- whether it's films at the cinema or choosing his birthday party programme.
Don't forget practical reward for completed jobs.Children will often start a job and stop when the novelty wear off. You'll encourage him to see a challenge through if you hand out small reward at the end.
Money talks (How you handle money matters can rub off on your kids)
Sound money management habits can form a strong foundation for how children deal with other when they grow up. "As you teach children about money, they also begin to learn other important lessons such as decision making, priorities, responsibility and goal setting," says Brian Goh, senior vice-president of ipac financial planning (Singapore). Here are some money lessons in daily activities :
When at the ATM or when using your credit card.
To appreciate the value of money, kids need to know where it comes from. Explain that hard-earned money has to first be deposited into the bank before it come outs out of the ATM, and that purchases made on credit cards have to be paid for, in full, at the end of the month.
When grocery shopping
This is the best time to teach them how to make sound buying decisions. Have them help you look for items on your grocery list, and compare prices among different items. If you choose one brand of milk over another because it's on sale, explain the decision.
When giving them an allowance
Paying out allowances on schedule (like the first of every month) teaches children the value of honoring agreements. Help them put away a portion into savings even before they start spending it, and assist them in setting savings goals, like buying a new toy.
When shopping
Spending indiscriminately sends out a dangerous signal that we can get whatever we want, when we want. Instead, teach your kids the difference between needs and wants. For instance, when checking out the latest Plasma TV, explain that while it might be nice to have a new TV, it's not a necessity because the one at home is working just fine.
When planning a holiday
This is a great time to bring together concepts like budgeting, saving, price comparison, and balancing needs and wants. Money lessons are best absorbed when they are put to practical use, so do involve your kids in the decision-making processes of holiday planning- from picking a destination to scouting for deals
When at the ATM or when using your credit card.
To appreciate the value of money, kids need to know where it comes from. Explain that hard-earned money has to first be deposited into the bank before it come outs out of the ATM, and that purchases made on credit cards have to be paid for, in full, at the end of the month.
When grocery shopping
This is the best time to teach them how to make sound buying decisions. Have them help you look for items on your grocery list, and compare prices among different items. If you choose one brand of milk over another because it's on sale, explain the decision.
When giving them an allowance
Paying out allowances on schedule (like the first of every month) teaches children the value of honoring agreements. Help them put away a portion into savings even before they start spending it, and assist them in setting savings goals, like buying a new toy.
When shopping
Spending indiscriminately sends out a dangerous signal that we can get whatever we want, when we want. Instead, teach your kids the difference between needs and wants. For instance, when checking out the latest Plasma TV, explain that while it might be nice to have a new TV, it's not a necessity because the one at home is working just fine.
When planning a holiday
This is a great time to bring together concepts like budgeting, saving, price comparison, and balancing needs and wants. Money lessons are best absorbed when they are put to practical use, so do involve your kids in the decision-making processes of holiday planning- from picking a destination to scouting for deals
mum for daughter tips
Here are some simple dos and don'ts for mothers raising daughter
DO:
-Plan a fun outing for just the two of you . She's more likely to open up with no-one else around. Choose an activity that allows you interact, such as pedicres and lunch.
-Offer to help, even if you're rebuffed. The more often you let her know you're available-whether for homework or hair-styling- the more likely she is to take you up on it... eventually
- share some of the same hobbies- and use them as a reason to spend time together.
DON'T:
-Take it personally when she shuts you out. And don't give up trying for fear of being rejected: you never know when you'll catch her at time when she's open to your advice
-Try to be her best friend. This will lead her to expect a life without limits.
-dress like teenagers yourself. Nothing is less cool than a 42-year-old woman dressed like a 15-year-old. Especially when that woman's your mother.
DO:
-Plan a fun outing for just the two of you . She's more likely to open up with no-one else around. Choose an activity that allows you interact, such as pedicres and lunch.
-Offer to help, even if you're rebuffed. The more often you let her know you're available-whether for homework or hair-styling- the more likely she is to take you up on it... eventually
- share some of the same hobbies- and use them as a reason to spend time together.
DON'T:
-Take it personally when she shuts you out. And don't give up trying for fear of being rejected: you never know when you'll catch her at time when she's open to your advice
-Try to be her best friend. This will lead her to expect a life without limits.
-dress like teenagers yourself. Nothing is less cool than a 42-year-old woman dressed like a 15-year-old. Especially when that woman's your mother.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Study tips for kids and parents.
Here tips from Oxford Learning to get your kids through school and dreaded exams.
KIDS;
1. Listen and hear.-Pay attention in class. Jot notes on the main ideas. Make a note and ask someone to explain it to you if you don't understand something
2. Ace your homework.-Use a planner to enter homework as soon as it's assigned. Pick to do homework and study.
3. Study effectively-Divide material into units and assign each unit a day. Give yourself a three-day break before the test. Study in short bursts- 15 minutes at a time - take a five minute breater to exercise and refocus.
Use Oxford's SQRCRC method to study:
Survey introductions, heading and summaries for main idea.
Question: What do I hope to learn by reading this?"
Read for details.
Cover the work
Recite what you've just read
Check how well you have done.
PARENTS;
1. Help your child prepare a study schedule, and review it together every morning.
2. Create a special work enviroment that courages best effort and makes it easier for your child to get into study mode.
3. Get involved. Your interest show them that school is important
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