Parenting & Pregnancy

Have You Become a Drug Dealer by Default?
 

One of the more alarming statistics in the United Kingdom and in many other countries the world over is the number of young children oftentimes very young children who are becoming involved with and who are using drugs. Of course, when a parent hears about the growing prevalence of drug use amongst children children these same parents imagine these youngsters getting ahold of drugs through other children, including older children, and from evil drug dealers that hang out ’round school play yards.
 

While these certainly are situations through which children get drugs, the stark and horrible reality of drug use and children in the 21st century is that many, many youngsters actually are getting the drugs they use from their parents’ own medicine cabinets at home. In short, if you have children, you run the risk of literally although unwittingly becoming a drug supplies to them.
 

In order to ensure (as best as any parent can) that your children are less likely to obtain medications from your own home there are some steps that you need to keep mind. First and foremost you must frustrate the ability of your children in being able to get their hands on any prescription medications that you have in your home. If you are a responsible parent, you lock away guns that you might have in your home. You need to understand that prescription medications can be lethal as well. Therefore, you really do need to keep prescription medications under lock and key.
 

Moreover, you need to keep track of the prescription meds that are in your home. You need to know how many doses are contained in a particular prescription and if some turn up missing you need to take action immediately.
 

As an aside, you also need to do your best to keep the lines of communication open between you and your children. Of course, this can be the challenge of a lifetime communicating with kids. But, you really must make the very best effort to keep the lines up and running.
 

In summary, you need to understand the risk that is presented by prescription medications. And, you need to take any all steps that are available to you to put up a wall between your children and the medications that you must keep in your home. In the end, the health and indeed the lives of your children depend upon your proactivity.
 

Avoiding Getting Blinkered: Consider Different Points of View on Raising Your Baby
 

If you are like more than a few parents, you likely have spent at least some time considering different books and DVDs designed to provide you with parenting information. If that is the case, do not make the same mistake that many people have made in this day and age. Specifically, just because you read it in a book or watch and hear it on a DVD does not mean that it is gospel truth.
 

By way of the information presented to you in this blog post, you are provided with elementary advice about how you can make the best use of information that is contained in books and on DVDs. By reviewing these materials, you will become a wiser consumer of the various types of advice that you can receive from books and DVDs about raising and rearing your children in the 21st century.
 

The fact is that there absolutely is nothing wrong with reading parenting books and viewing parenting DVDs. However, you would be best served by not wedding yourself to closely to one source of information.
 

When all is said and done, when parenting books and DVDs are closely considered, in many instances there are helpful tips, pointers and suggestions that can be gleaned from a number of different products of this nature. In other words, you really should took an approach that involves you contemplating what is offered in these books and DVDs, consider whether it makes sense generally and consider whether it fits into your own accepted concept of what will make you a good parent.
 

The fact is that very few people are devoid of their own innate parenting skills and abilities. Moreover, most people certainly are intelligent enough to foster their own ideas and thoughts pertaining to parenting. In the end, by using books and DVDs the result should not be merely to mimic the behaviour described in these products. Rather, books and DVDs should inspire you to be more thoughtful and proactive when it comes to the parenting of your children … today and in the future.
 

Parenting books and parenting DVDs are two of the many tools that you will want to consider utilizing as you work at your parenting skills, as you strive to improve the relationship that you have with your children.
 

Understanding Your Maternity Rights
 

The government of the United Kingdom has taken some significantly proactive steps when it comes to the maternity rights of mothers. As a matter of public policy, the government recognizes the importance of a mother being able to spend quality time with her baby during the early months of that child’s life. Therefore, if you are expecting a baby, it is important for you to know what your maternity rights are.
 

During your pregnancy, there are a variety of different laws that do protect your rights at work. These laws are designed to ensure that you have the ability to take off work to obtain appropriate medical care and attention during the course of your pregnancy and so forth.
 

As of 2007, a mum has the ability to take 39 weeks of work with pay following the birth of a baby. At the conclusion of this time period a mum has the right to go back to work at the same or comparable position.
 

Moreover, if a mother so desires, she can take additional time of 13 more weeks off for maternity leave without jeopardizing her job. However, this additional time will be without pay. If you desire to take this additional time, you must notify your employer in advance of the the expiration of the 39 weeks of leave with pay that you initially were entitled to following the birth of your baby.
 

Taking 39 or 52 weeks off following the birth of your baby presupposes that you worked up until the time that you gave birth. Many women are able to do so which gives them the chance to spend as much time with their babies as possible.
 

Some women cannot continue working until the end – or don’t want to do so. Therefore, if you so desire, you can begin your maternity leave at 11 weeks before you due date. Of course, it is also possible that you have a job that really doesn’t allow you to work effectively during the latter part of your pregnancy. In any event, you are protected.
 

If you are self employed, you may qualify for maternity leave which is paid directly to you by the government. You will need to make sure that you make appropriate application for these benefits in a timely manner.
 

By knowing your rights, you will be in the best position to be prepared for your new baby and to spend quality time with your baby after he or she joins you in the world.
 

Tags: maternity, maternity rights, maternity leave

Children who attend daycare or playgroups cut their risk of the most common type of childhood leukaemia by around 30%, a study estimates.

Researchers reviewed 14 studies involving nearly 20,000 children, of which 6,000 developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
 

It is thought early infections may help the body fight off the disease.
 

The University of California, Berkeley study will be presented to a leukaemia conference in London.
 

This is the kind of research that brings us a step closer to understanding the causes of this complex disease and how we can prevent it Edward Copisarow Children with Leukaemia

Leukaemia is the most common cancer found in children in the industrialised world, affecting about one in 2,000 youngsters.
 

ALL accounts for more than 80% of leukaemia cases among children, and most often occurs in those aged between two and five.
 

Scientists believe that for most types of childhood leukaemia to develop, there must first be a genetic mutation in the womb, followed by a second trigger - such as an infection - during childhood.
 

However, it is also thought that contracting some childhood infections - which are often readily spread in environments such as playgroups where children are in close contact with each other - may prime the immune system against leukaemia.
 

Conversely, if the immune system is not challenged in early life, this is thought to raise the risk of an inappropriate response to subsequent infections, making the development of leukaemia more likely.
 

Source BBC NEWS
 

A 73-year-old Austrian man has confessed to imprisoning his daughter in a cellar for 24 years and fathering her seven children, police have said.

Police said Josef Fritzl also confessed to burning the body of a baby that died after birth at the house in Amstetten, in the province of Lower Austria.
 

Authorities are caring for the woman, now 42, and her six surviving children. Police have released photos of the man’s basement which show a concealed network of tiny windowless chambers.
 

The woman, Elisabeth, disappeared aged 18 on 28 August 1984 when, according to her testimony, her father lured her into the cellar, drugging and handcuffing her before locking her up.
 

She is reported to have been made to write a letter which made it look as if she had run away.
 

The head of the criminal affairs bureau in Lower Austria, Franz Polzer, said Mr Fritzl had admitted sexually abusing his daughter repeatedly during the time he imprisoned her.

Mr Polzer said Mr Fritzl had told investigators Elisabeth had given birth to seven children, including twins in 1996, but one died shortly after being born and that he had thrown the body into an incinerator in the building.
 

The surviving children are now aged between five and 19 years
 

The cellar rooms, covering an area of approximately 60 sq m (650 sq ft), were equipped for sleeping and cooking, and with sanitary facilities.
 

A reinforced concrete door was built into the wall that separated the “dungeon” from the house and electronically locked - the code known only to the suspect, who provided his captives with food and necessities, police said.
 

Elisabeth had not been seen in public since August 1984

Three of the children were kept in the cellar with their mother and had never seen daylight, police told a news conference.
 

The other three children were adopted or fostered by the suspect, after he forced Elisabeth to write a letter saying she could not look after the baby, according to police.
 

His wife, Rosemarie, with whom he had seven of their own children, appears to have been unaware of the alleged crimes.
 

The case came to light when the eldest of the children in the cellar, 19-year-old Kerstin, was seriously ill and had to be taken to hospital.
 

A television appeal by medical staff for the patient’s mother was seen by Elisabeth on a TV set in the cellar and she urged her father to let her go to hospital.
 

Police arrested Mr Fritzl shortly afterwards and took all the children into care.
 

“If you look at him today, you would hardly believe he was capable of doing these things. This man led a double life for 24 years,” said Mr Polzer.
 

He said it was incredible that it had been kept secret for all that time.
 

Both the father and Elisabeth say no one else had access to the cellar, according to police, who are appealing to anyone with information about Mr Fritzl to contact them.
 

Source BBC News
 

When your baby was still in your tummy, you had all sorts of wonderful images in your thoughts. You imagined cradling him in your arms, hugging him warmly, and kissing his little cute nose. Little did you know that a part of all this wonderful things is the dreaded reality that babies cry and they do it with all their might. Of course, your baby’s crying was not able to diminish your love for him.
 

In fact, you love him even more. But you surely wish that there were some way that you can magically make him stop wailing. The good news is you do not have to own a magic wand to put a stop to your baby’s crying spells. All you need is proper knowledge about babies and crying, and these simple tips on how to calm your crying baby:
 

First of all, you want to know: why does your baby cry?
 

Babies cry for many different reasons, the primary reason being they cannot talk and that crying is their only way to communicate. So when they are hungry, tired, thirsty, uncomfortable, wet, sad, bored, scared, or in pain—they only know one thing to express all these different emotions, that is to open up their mouths wide and let out a loud cry.
 

One thing that could help you a lot in dealing with your baby’s crying is to know that his cries mean different things. Yes, there are some hints in his crying (plus in his facial and nonverbal cues) that will tell you what it is that he’s crying about. Recognizing these hints will help you respond immediately to his needs.
 

Here are some examples. When your baby is crying but his diaper is dry and it’s been three to four hours since his last feeding, it’s likely that he’s just hungry. If he’s tired, his crying will be like a whining sound accompanied by rubbing of eyes, decreased activity and yawning. Now, if he’s uncomfortable, it’s likely that your kid will be squirming or arching his back while he cries. Quickly search for the source of his discomfort and take it away from him. When your kid is in pain, his cry is sudden and shrill.
 

Tips on how to calm your baby:
 

•  Hold on to him. Whatever it is that your baby is crying about, one of the most effective ways to pacify him is to give him a warm and comforting touch.
 

•  Breastfeed your little one. Breastfeeding does not only satiate your kid’s hunger but it also has a soothing and calming effect on him.
 

•  Distract your baby. Offer your kid various baby toys preferably those that are new to his sight and has bright and visually stimulating prints and colors. like educational baby toys. This is a good way to provide diversion especially if your kid is just bored or lonely.
 

•  Rock your tot gently. What baby is not fond of repetitive rhythmic motion? Put him on his rocker or sway him gently and it will make him forget all about his fussiness.
 

•  Let your kid listen to some soothing music. Lullabies have existed since time immemorial for a good reason. It’s because they are able to do wonders in calming a fussy baby and make it easy for him to doze off to dreamland. So if your baby is crying because he’s tired and sleepy, let him listen to soft and peaceful lullabies.
 

There are many reasons why your baby cries but there also many ways on how to calm him. As a parent, it is your duty to be able to recognize hints in his cries and respond immediately to his needs.
 

Tags: crying baby, baby’s crying, calm your baby, calming your baby, crying

Parent-Child Bonding: Crucial Aspect in a Kid’s Development

By Wendi Garcia

Child experts reiterate how the right kinds of kids toys contribute to the developmental progress of your kid. This has been proved by countless studies and is accepted as a fact by almost every parent. The right kind of educational kids toys indeed play a significant role in the honing of a child’s potentials and skills which are necessary for him to grow up as a mentally and physically healthy individual.
 

But this is not to say that it is suffice that you bombard your kid with every educational toy there is and leave him to play with them. Do not expect that the toys will turn him into a prodigy overnight. Toys help improve your kid’s skills but they cannot do this on their own. They will not be able to do the job without your help as a parent, without your constant guidance and support.
 

Here are some ways on how you can ensure that you are able to maximize bonding
and learning time with your little one:
 

•  Spend a part of your day with your child. Household chores and office work may take the top spot in your things to do. But you have to remember that among all these tasks, taking care of your kid should always be your number one priority.
 

It is highly recommended that before you do any tasks for the day, you should first spend quality time with your kid, teaching him while playing with him. This is very important because if you put quality time with your kid at the very end of the day, you may be too exhausted and too drained to even lift a finger, thus the purpose of quality time will be wasted.
 

•  Always make bonding time a fun time. As a parent, it is easy for you to get into that strict disciplinarian mode when you’re teaching your kid. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, if possible try to lighten things up by not forcing learning into your kid and making him feel that playtime is a chore. The educational value of playtime is a natural process that need not be forced.
 

•  Insert valuable lessons during playtime. As mentioned earlier, learning takes place naturally during play but of course, it would also help to make it a point to inculcate priceless lessons into your kid’s playtime especially moral values such as respect, courtesy, honesty, and many others.
 

•  Practice utmost patience. It’s easy for kids to get bored. One minute they want to play this game, the next thing you know they’re gearing towards another. Sometimes, you can’t help but get exasperated. But you must strive hard to be patient all the time because your kid needs you to play with him and make him learn about things.
 

Needless to say, parental attention and guidance are indeed a crucial aspect in a kid’s development. It is up to the parents to reinforce and nurture proper learning while playing with their toys. It is your duty to oversee that their kids are in the right path of developmental progress both in terms of the physical and mental aspects.
 

Dr Rob Hicks and Yoplait registered dietitian Elphee Medici offers exclusive advice on nutrition for your child
 

Being a parent these days isn’t easy.  Not only do you have to be a chauffeur, a counsellor, a cleaner and an expert chef but now you also have to be a nutritionist as well.  Although getting your child to eat 5 portions of fruit and veg every day is important it’s not the only factor to consider when it comes to your child’s diet.  Research by Petits Filous shows that 9 out of 10 parents think their child is getting enough calcium, but parents are unclear how much calcium children actually need. 74% of parents wrongly believing that 2 portions of dairy a day offers sufficient calcium for their child when in fact at least 3 portions of dairy every day will meet calcium needs to help develop strong bones.
  

If you’re worried about whether or not your child is getting enough calcium, click below to watch an exclusive video hosted by Dr Rob Hicks and Yoplait registered dietitian Elphee Medici. They will talk you through ways of making sure your child gets enough bone building calcium in their diet, explaining which foods are good sources of calcium and how easy it is to meet all your child’s daily calcium needs through three portions of dairy every day. As well as all this Dr Rob Hicks will also be explaining the benefits of ensuring your child gets plenty of calcium in their early years as well as hints and tips to help your children develop strong healthy bones..
 

Click here to watch the video
 

For more information visit calciumeveryday.com
 

Tags: parents nutrition confusion, strong healthy bones, healthy bones, calcium, daily calcium, child’s diet, yoplait, nutritionist

The mother of Shannon Matthews has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged in connection with the nine-year-old’s disappearance.

Karen Matthews, 32, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, faces charges of child neglect and perverting the course of justice.
 

The second charge states she “repeatedly concealed information” in relation to Shannon’s whereabouts.
 

Ms Matthews was remanded in custody until 16 April.
 

Shannon vanished on 19 February and was found 24 days later after one of the county’s largest missing person hunts.
 

The details of the child neglect charge state that she “wilfully neglected or abandoned” Shannon “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health”, between 18 February and 15 March.
 

The second charge states that Ms Matthews “repeatedly concealed information in relation to the whereabouts of Shannon Matthews in interviews and other contacts with officers with the West Yorkshire Police and claimed to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.”
 

Source & Full Story BBC News
 

Madeleine McCann’s parents have welcomed a libel settlement and apology from Express Newspapers.
 

In a statement the McCanns said they were pleased that the newspaper group had admitted the “utter falsity” of the “grotesque” stories written about them.
 

The newspaper group has paid £550,000 to the Find Madeleine campaign.
 

The Daily Express and Daily Star have issued front-page apologies admitting the stories were inaccurate.
 

The Express said it accepted that a “number of articles in the newspaper have suggested that the couple caused the death of their missing daughter Madeleine and then covered it up”.
 

A similarly worded statement appears in the Daily Star.
 

The Star said it was making a “wholehearted apology to Kate and Gerry McCann for stories suggesting the couple were responsible for, or may be responsible for, the death of their daughter Madeleine and for covering it up”.
 

Tags: madeleine mcCann’s, libel settlement, find madeleine campaign, madeleine mcCann’s parents apology

If you think your baby or child is ill, you likely will want to appropriately take his or her temperature. In this regard, many a parent does not know exactly to to appropriately and accurately take the temperature of a baby or a child. In this regard, there are some different types of thermometers that can be used to take the temp of a baby or a child. Each has a different process for use.
 

The American Academy of Pediatrics sets forth the manner in which you should properly take a baby’s of child’s temperature.
 

Rectal:
 

This year, the government announced that it is establishing a ‘Youth Culture Trust’ for school pupils to attend ballet, opera and classical music concerts and broaden their musical experiences. But for children not yet old enough to attend school, what are the best ways for their parents to help develop their enjoyment of music?
 

The popular UK preschool TV channel, Nick Jr, has teamed up with one of the UK’s leading developmental music psychologists, Keele University’s Dr Alexandra Lamont, to come up with some top tips for parents wishing to actively encourage their under-fives’ burgeoning musical tastes.
 

1. Share your favourite music
 
Reliving your favourite musical experiences and enthusiasm with your child can go a long way. You could tell them the story behind the music, such as where you first heard it, and why you like it. Don’t be put off if your child doesn’t seem to appreciate your treasured tunes at first – even adults often don’t like being exposed to new things - so try repeating unfamiliar music a few times to see if they will come to enjoy it.
 

2. Use music from their daily routines
 Take note of your child’s routines outside the home, for example when they’re at day-care, nursery or being looked after by relatives, and incorporate them into your shared activities.  Many young children experience a great deal of music at nursery, listening to different kinds of music or singing along to songs. Why not make the most of this by singing the same songs on car journeys or playing similar music at home.  Young children love repetition!
 

3. Notice their musical tastes
 Be attentive when your child expresses an opinion about music, see how they respond to different tunes - in and outside of the home - and share those situations with them.  You could use their favourite nursery rhyme to play a game together or settle down and sing along to their favourite television theme songs.
 

4. Try lots of different musical genres
 Test out lots of different styles of music until you discover one that your child really responds to. This could mean that they move around a lot to the music or stop moving and listen intently; young children are more likely to stop moving if they experience a new style they haven’t heard before which interests them.  Don’t feel that you should only play them music aimed at young children – children can enjoy all kinds of music.
 

5. Get physical with music
 Actively enjoying music means getting active! Try playing different musical games involving clapping, dancing, swaying, rocking and changing your actions (and those of your child) when the music changes its mood or speed.  Sing and dance together to music on the radio, or hold your child on your lap and listen to some soothing music together.
 

6. Make the most of their favourite tunes
 Start with the familiar as a way of introducing your child to new genres of music.  When you know what they like, you can broaden their musical taste by trying things that are closely related.  For example, if your child enjoys the theme song to their favourite television programme, listen to the instruments that are used and try to find other kinds of music that also use those instruments.
 

7. Keep going and keep it fun!These are just a few ideas to get you started.  All children respond well to music, so keep going until you find a particular kind of music that will get them going or, alternatively, calm them down.  Do remember that music is something to be enjoyed, so having fun is the most important thing!
 

Joanna O’Connell, mum to four-year old Jack and Charlie, aged three, from Gerrards Cross in Bucks, says, “My sons absolutely love music and they enjoy singing and dancing along. Jack loves the theme tunes to his favourite shows, Roary the Racing Car and Fifi and the Flowertots, whereas Charlie prefers the more traditional songs such as ‘The Wheels on the Bus’. Both boys also enjoy singing along to my CDs in the car. I’m really keen to encourage their interest in music as I think it benefits their development, and I particularly like the idea of listening to which instruments are used in their favourite music.”
 
“Music is something to be shared at all ages,” says Dr Lamont. “It really doesn’t matter what kind of music it is, but getting to know music together is a great way of connecting with your children. As well as loving the repetition of their favourite songs and programmes, young children have amazingly diverse musical tastes which you can nurture and encourage”.
 

Nick Jr is an award-winning dedicated preschool TV channel available on Sky TV (channel 615) and Virgin TV (channel 715). Join in with songs, stories and exclusive clips of Nick Jr shows online at http://www.nickjr.co.uk/video/
 

Tags: preschool, music, develop your child, nick jr, fifi and the flowertots, roary the racing car, musical games

In this day and age, the reality is that you cannot personally spend all of your time directly and personally caring for your baby. It is likely that you will have other commitments that will require you to spend some time away from home and away from your baby. With that in mind, it might become necessary for you to have to engage the services of a babysitter from time to time.
 

Selecting and hiring a baby sitter is a very important task. Therefore, you must approach the hiring of a baby sitter seriously and with due deliberation. In this regard, there are some steps that you should follow when it comes to hiring a babysitter to care for and watch over your child in your absence.
 

Perhaps the most effective, efficient and fundamental step that you need to take when it comes to finding and selecting a babysitter for your baby is to ask other mothers and fathers who they use to watch over their own children. The best information that you can obtain is the recommendation from another parent in regard to the babysitter that he or she uses for a babysitter.
 

You certainly will want to get references from a potential babysitter. You will want to contact the individuals that are listed as references by a potential babysitter. Again, the prior experience of a babysitter will be invaluable to you in determining whether or not a person will make a good sitter for your youngster.
 

In this day and age you really cannot be too safe when it comes to selecting someone to watch over your precious baby in your absence. Therefore, you may even want to take the step of doing something of a background check when it comes to an individual you are considering as a babysitter for your young one.
 

Finally, when using a babysitter, you will want to closely monitor your baby to make sure that there are no signs that anything improper or inappropriate is going on in your absence. You need to pay close attention to your child when a babysitter is involved in the picture. In addition, you may want to consider obtaining a so-called nanny-cam, a video device that records what is going on between you baby and a babysitter in your absence.
 

Tags: baby sitter, baby sitters, babysitter, babysitters, hiring a baby sitter, nanny, selecting a babysitter

How to Take a Temperament
 

All babies and children are different. There is no point comparing one child to another of the same age, as the likely hood is that they will develop at different rates. According to recent research a child’s temperament and their personalities are clearly shown at a the very young age of four months old. These personality traits shown extremely early, affect the way in which we will be as adults.
 

The differing levels of certain things will be shown and I will try to show you how different some babies can be.
 

A babies level of activity can be seen early on, for example, one baby may find they want to be on the move constantly and finds it hard to stay still for any length of time. Another baby may want to just sit and relax for long periods of time and will find it hard to be motivated.
 

A babies level of sensitivity can also be seen early. One baby may not be affected by bumps and bruises and continue regardless, whereas the other baby may be so sensitive to even small things like being shown something they are not familiar with.
 

You could set some babies schedules and routine by a clock. They feed at the same time every day, nap every time at the same day and stick to this steady routine. The other end of the scale are the babies whose routines depend on how they feel and what is happening that day, in other words, no one day is the same.
 

Some babies are so laid back, these particular babies will be content with giving you a smile and a gurgle when they are happy, or maybe just a little whine when they are upset. The other babies will scream in anger and frustration when they are upset or scream with pure happiness when something they like happens.
 

Some babies from the moment they are born are inquisitive, they want to constantly touch and feel new things and love to explore their surroundings with their hands or feet. Other babies are content with waiting to see what they are and become familiar with the object or person before venturing for it.
 

There are babies that are in a routine and can adapt to changes in the said routine easily, and of course the other end of the scale are the babies that get easily upset when anything changes, even very small things.
 

There are babies that are extremely persistent and if they see something they want or like they will stop at nothing to get at it. Then there are the babies that will just easily give up if they meet any obstacles.
 

A Babies mood can vary greatly from one to another but there are great voids in between each one. There are the babies that are happy generally all the time, then there are the babies that always seem to be in a bad mood.
 

Tags: Childrens Temperament, Childrens Personalities, Childs Temperament, Childs Personality

As a parent of a young baby, the thing that drives me mad the most is without a doubt my daughter whining! Children whining will feature high on any parents list of the most irritating things a child can do. They do it from being young babies well into being teenagers, it is a fact of being a parent that we will at some time have to listen to our child whine. Of course their age depends on what exactly they are whining about but for all ages it is a form of communication.
 

Punishing a child for whining will probably more likely end up with more whining or tears. He might stop whining for a while when punished or even if the need is met, but more than likely they will end up whining again but for something different. Whining could be the child telling you they need something, they do not always do it to just get on your nerves, although it can feel that way!
 

Whining can be a sign that your child feels disjointed from you in some way and you need to give them back a sense of security. While your tidying the house or dealing with another child in the household, the child being left alone does not understand you have to do these other things. Why not let them help you do the chores or look after another sibling, this can help them feel useful and they may not get bored for at least another ten minutes! If a child feels disjointed from you and then you ask them to do something, they can become little balls of anguish. Even small tasks can feel mammoth to a child feeling like this.
 

To try and combat this, think to yourself what your child needs so much he has to whine for it. More often than not, it is not a material need, he wants you and your attention. You have an amazing connection with your child from the moment he is born, but bear in mind sometimes these connections can be way laid sometimes. Make sure you make time for your child or children, all children need one on one attention and you must find time for this somewhere in the day. A confident child comes about from feeling close to the people they love and feeling cherished and important. Once your child feels connected again, he will start to convey his wants and needs without feeling the need to whine for it.
 

Try to give the child what he wants when he is whining for something, showing him that you are there for him may help to ease his concerns. This may only be a quick fix to the whining though, as if he is not satisfied that he is close to you by you doing what he asked, he will whine for something else instead. If this happens you must then decide to set boundaries for this type of behaviour. Instead of just saying no to his requests try something a little more light hearted. No can be a scary word for a child and as much as we would like them to, they do not really understand no, or why they cannot have what they want.
 

No matter how you approach it your child will whine and there is no permanent fix for children whining. You just have to think about how to deal with it when it happens and you might be able to do to stop the whining when it does happen. So therefore, there is no cure as such for whining. You juts have to be close and connected to your child to stop them feeling so vulnerable.
 
 

Tags: daughter whining, whining, child whine, Punishing a child, children whining

One of the most heartbreaking things a parent can be witness to, is siblings fighting and being unable to sort out their differences. Parents are really tested when they have their second child, differences and arguments are bound to occur. There are ways to deal with fighting siblings and to help them learn from their experiences and differences. They are both your children and you love them the same. Remember though they are not the same, they will have different levels of understanding and have differing personalities.
 

Fighting may be a common occurrence in a household with two or more children, but it does not always have to be this way. For example a younger child can learn so much from an older sibling. They start to learn how to interact with others, how to be a loving and caring friend, sharing and taking turns is a large part of learning to exist in a household together. A younger child can also learn to talk sooner as they listen more carefully to their older sibling. Not only can a younger sibling learn from an older one, but it can also work the other around. A younger sibling can learn how to care more for others, learn responsibilities and the such like.
 

Fighting between siblings can bring about a lot of tension between other members of the family. As a parent you will know it is hard to keep your cool in stressful situations like siblings fighting between themselves. To try and diffuse the situation, its so important to keep calm yourself. There is no point and will prove fruitless if you join in the screaming as well. Try not to take sides within the fights, but talk to your children at the same time and separately to try and find out the cause of the problems. Then you can always sit down altogether and come up with ways to avoid similar situations in the future.
 

It is also important to allow your children to try and work out their problems without your intervention. Try suggesting ways they could sort it out between them and leave the room, they may just sort it out themselves. Do not underestimate what your children are capable of, they are amazing creations of yours and may surprise you by sorting it out by themselves.
 

You could try and diffuse the situation by sitting down with your children and playing with them. They will forget what they fighting about and start playing nicely together again. Also try praising them all the time when they are playing nicely together. Instead of telling them off when they do not play nicely together, tell them how good they are when they do play together. All you are doing if you shout at them for not playing nicely is reinforce the negative behaviour.
 

The best solution is praise the positive, ignore the negative.
 

Fighting siblings are a fact of life and there will always be differences of opinion that will in turn lead to arguments and fights, this is not unusual and you are not the only parent going through it. Try and go through these situations and use them to your advantage. How you help your children deal with the issues they have, will help them be more stable and individual adults.
 

If you think carefully and take yourself out of the situation to think it through carefully and stay calm, you too will have a happy, contented household.
 
 

Listening to What Children Want
 

We soon become programmed as parents to give our children everything they need in life. We soon realise after they have just been born that they have different cries for different needs. We learn to deal with these things and this continues for long into adulthood.
 

Children need lots of things, often things that are not material to develop into well rounded adults. Such things as unconditional love, warmth and security, people to interact with, they need to be shown respect for their abilities and their opinions, need to play to learn and such things as that.
 

Children have needs for things that are there all the time, such as need for food, drink, love and reassurance. These things happen no matter how much time or love you give to your child, they are just there and will always be there. You can listen to how your child is feeling and reassure them everything will be OK. How we respond to our child’s needs effects them later on. If you leave your child crying in the cot for ages, then of course the child will stop crying eventually not because they are bored but because they have realised their needs will not be met. This can be emotionally damaging to a child as they start to understand that you will not meet their needs if they are crying or upset.
 

Often even after you start meeting the child’s needs they will still have feelings of fear from when you left them crying before. Babies in particular have no other way to express their needs other than by crying, it is important to remember that before leaving them crying on their own. They are crying because they need something, it may only be a cuddle or some attention, but it is vital that whatever it is, you give it to them. They will feel more secure and probably need less as they know you give them what they want in terms of affection and comfort.
 

It is vital that toddlers and older children are spoken to about their needs. Let them tell you what it is they want and try and sort it out between you. This gives you an opportunity to connect and your child must feel like they are able to talk about their specific needs without being punished. If a child is punished for wanting their mummy or daddy or needing a cuddle, in the future they may start to withdraw and become unable to express such feelings that are vital to a child’s emotional well being. Let your child express how they feel and what they actually need and they will soon start to confide in you more and needing you less and less. This is important to a child’s development and they need to start exploring the world around them in their own special way.
 

Children learn through the act of imitation. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. If we want our children to be responsible children and adults then we must act responsibly ourselves.
 

How can it be difficult to tell your child you love them? Well for some people it is incredibly difficult to share and show their emotions, even to their own children. For the people who grew up in a loveless household or were just not told they were loved, it can be a stressful and difficult time saying I love you.
 
We all need to hear I love you form someone close to us at some time or another. It reaffirms our place in society and we feel needed and wanted.
 
Just because you cannot express your feelings to your children, does not you do not feel it deep inside. You can feel love and show it in different ways. These are just as important as telling your children you love them. From your potential previous experiences, you may find it difficult to say the words, from fear of being rejected. If you feel this way it may feel uncomfortable saying I love you, so start by writing it down. Leave your children little notes around the house to start slowly. Your little bundles of joy will love the fact you are leaving them secret messages and will respond positively. This will in turn make it easier to eventually say I love you and really mean it.
 
When you add the words I love you to actions and thing the children do to make it all too difficult. For example, saying I love you when you play nicely or I love you when you eat all your dinner tells the children you only love them when they do something, this could set their expectations unrealistically. Instead why not say I love it when, not I love you when. You love your children no matter what they do, do not let them think otherwise.
 
I love you is a very powerful sentence and remark and should be used daily, so many people say they used to say it all the time, then it just dwindles down to whenever they want something or special occasions! Where applicable tell your partner everyday you love them in front of your children. This will make the children more comfortable in saying to you and each other. Also it will make you feel more comfortable telling your children. Saying I love you should come naturally and with practise it will.
 
Try not to attach a want or need when saying I love you to your children. For example; I love you but can you just do this for me. If a child does do want you want it is making them work for your love and the children will be aware of that, you want unconditional love not love that has to be earned.
 
 If you find it hard to say I love you think about yourself for a moment. Do you actually value and love yourself. If you love yourself and give yourself some time to yourself to reaffirm your body and mind, you may just realise that if you love yourself a little more, you can start projecting love to others more easily.
 
 

A baby was born in a McDonald’s restroom in Vancouver, and the mother didn’t even know she was pregnant. It was evening shift last Friday at the fast-food restaurant at State Route 500 and Gher Road when employee Danille Miller suddenly felt ill and ran for the bathroom. Her 16-year-old co-worker, Jaynae Herrera, followed.
 

 ”I was like are you pregnant?” Herrera asked.  ”Because she was in the bathroom, and I’m like, are you pregnant? She says, I don’t think so. A couple minutes later, she says the baby is coming out, and that’s when I started freaking out.”
 

Herrera, with the assistance of a 911 dispatcher, helped her deliver baby Austin Laddusaw, and both mother and baby are fine.
 

Miller said, “I was so shocked I couldn’t talk. I was shaking the whole time. I didn’t stop shaking until three the next morning. My sister stayed the night with me.” 
 

It still amazes me that a person could not know they are pregnant, till the day off the birth!!!
 

Article From KOIN.com
 
 

Bullying is sadly a part of our chi