Congratulations - youre a new parentSo youre a new parent? Congratulations! But have you thought about all the extra responsibility youve just taken on? Welcome to the world of parenting responsibilities.
Your life has just changed, and its not about to go back to the way it was. The best thing you can do is to adjust quickly to your new lifestyle. A good way to help this process is to share parenting responsibilities evenly between you and your partner.
There are several things that you can do to make sure you share your parenting responsibilities out evenly. One of the biggest things is to talk to your partner communication is the key to success.
It is very important that you tell your partner what you need them to do when it comes to sharing parenting responsibilities. Its imperative that you convey this to them clearly and tell them why.
It is one of your parenting responsibilities to raise your child to the best of your ability. In order to do this you need to discuss with your partner your views and opinions of all aspects of child rearing, including discipline. When you sit down and talk about it you may find that you share very different ideas on the way to raise a child. Its important you agree on how these things should be done.
You should also make a list of both household chores and parenting responsibilities and share them evenly between both of you. If you have older children include them in the household chores.
Part of your parenting responsibilities is to be consistent with discipline. Make sure you stand firm and dont overrule your partners disciplinary actions as this could cause your child to lose respect for their authority.
Its also very important to make time to spend just as a couple. Its not only one of your parenting responsibilities its a responsibility to your partner and to yourself.
Article by health writer Kate Wiley of http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.com and Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com
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Kate and Phil Wiley run the popular health sites http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.com and Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com
Saying "Yes" (so they wont know its no) guiding behavior for peaceful parenting Stephanie OlsenAfter this afternoons fiasco, Ive developed a new parenting philosophy: never deny your child anything.
"Yes, darling, of course you can take drugs (after you kill me and do away with my body)."
"Sure, dear - do start smoking! As soon as youve eaten these three packs of menthol cigarettes..."
"Of course you can have a chocolate bar, baby. When youre finished that broccoli, well walk over to the store and buy one."
"You sure can go outside honey! Once were done picking up your toys, well play on the swings together."
Keep direct negative replies at bay unless its imperative such as in a potentially dangerous situation. A curbside "Mommy, can I cross the street by myself?" needs to be dealt with instantly and distinctly. Discussion and education can take place later.
Of course, youve got to be right on the ball otherwise its quite possible that you may inadvertently agree to bungee-jumping directly the vacuuming is done. If youve erred, the back-up here to is belly laugh loudly (holding your sides for further effect), wipe your eyes and say: "My, my! Im just being so silly today!"
If youre in a non-critical circumstance but still need to say "no" (such as the invariable plea to stay up a little longer), try going sideways: "On the weekend, you can stay up till 10:00, but only if you go to sleep right now".
By using "no" less often, it will be taken more seriously by the kids when you do say it. In the same way, your qualified yes gives the child what she wants ("yes, you can paint") as well as what you want ("as soon as we put away these puzzle pieces"). Tasks assigned with your proviso should be done together as much as possible, to keep your positive-negative positive, non?
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Healthy child, happy parentNC(NC)Parents recognize the important benefits vaccines bring to their childrens health and happiness. According to a recent Ipsos Reid survey on childhood vaccinations, 95 per cent of Canadian parents feel that children still need to be vaccinated to prevent childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, tetanus, polio or whooping cough. Thanks to recent developments in new vaccines, there are now other serious common childhood diseases that are also preventable.
The leading cause of bacterial infection in kids less than two years old, infection with the bacteria s. pneumoniae can lead to pneumococcal meningitis, pneumonia, blood infections and common ear infections.
In the short-term, the consequences of infection can cause children to miss school and parents to miss work. About 34 per cent of parents reported missing work or other commitments due to a childs ear infection or tube procedure. In the long run, the consequences of infection can have a life-long impact on children, including hearing loss, learning disabilities, speech delays, paralysis and sometimes death.
Fortunately, a vaccine now exists to prevent infection with s. pneumoniae. Prevnar can be given to infants as young as two months of age and to children up to nine years of age.
Keep your kids happy and healthy. Make sure youre up to date on all the vaccines available for your children. Speak to your doctor or Public Health department for more information.
Is your child at high risk for pneumococcal infection?
Under two years of age
Attends daycare or preschool
Exposed to children who are often sick
Recently required antibiotics
Of African or aboriginal descent
Has as a weakened immune system or chronic disease
- News Canada
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News Canada
How to Encourage Creativity in Your Kids ARA(ARA) All children have some type of inner gift. Whether it is drawing, writing, making people laugh, or some thing else, child psychologists say it is the parents job to nurture that talent as soon as it is recognized.
Being encouraged to do something they like, and praised when they do it well helps with self esteem, which is one of the building blocks of success later in life, says Kristi Stoll, co-owner of PlanetGiggle, an online company with resources that encourage kids to find their inner gifts and talents. Stoll and business partner, Gidget Clayton, have made it their missions in life to encourage others to follow their dreams. Both left the corporate world after deciding to do just that.
My dream, for a long time, has been to create a world of people who know that life is meant to be fun and full of laughter, says Stoll. Last summer, Gidget and I packed up all our stuff and took an RV across the country seeking out kids with inspirational stories everyone should hear. Were in the process of writing a book called KidVision, and have posted portions of the stories online already, along with resources we have found for helping other kids achieve their goals.
Stoll credits her parents with helping her achieve her dream. They taught me I could do anything I wanted to do and that nothing stood in my way, says Stoll. To help other parents lead their children down paths that will help them develop their inner gifts, Stoll and Clayton have come up with some thought provoking, creativity building activities they can try.
* Host an Art Contest Party
If your child enjoys coloring or drawing, you may want to host an art contest party. Gather all the pens, pencils, crayons, markers, paint and paper you can find in the house, or go out and buy supplies, such as PlanetGiggles Artist Dream Box. It includes an assortment of acrylic paints, brushes, canvasses, pencils, drawing paper and a journal.
Once you have your supplies on hand, come up with a theme. Have the kids design a piece of artwork that fits that theme, using any format they choose. To make the contest enjoyable for all the participants, make sure each drawing receives a prize, such as most abstract work, most lifelike work, or most colorful piece of artwork.
* Treasure Hunt
To encourage your kids to explore the world around them, parents can initiate a treasure hunt. Make it exciting for them, says Clayton. Send them outside in search of a particular kind of leaf, a pine cone, lady bug or butterfly. Theyll have just as much fun finding all those things as they will studying them when they get back. On a rainy day, the game can be played inside. Stoll says you can send the kids in search of socks, paper clips, or a particular book, but dont feel limited to just those kinds of things. Be creative.
* Host a Story Writing Party
If your child enjoys writing, encourage them to invite friends over, and have a story writing party. Pass out blank books to each person with as many pages as you have people. Set a timer for ten minutes and have the kids start writing. After ten minutes, have them pass the book to the person sitting to their right, and reset the timer for another ten minutes. Keep doing it until everyone at the party has had a chance to write a page in each of the books; then hand them back to the person who started the story and let them see what their idea evolved into.
Theyll have to play off each other, which naturally encourages creativity, says Clayton. Parents can make the experience even more enjoyable by providing their kids with fancy paper and writing instruments, which they can find for purchase on PlanetGiggles Web site.
* Perspective How Do You View the World Differently Than Others?
To open your kids eyes to the differing views around them, have them play interviewer for the day. For this game, have them write down their answers the following questions, then go out ask the same questions of five other people:
What is your dream? What is your biggest fear? Name two people you admire most and why. Name two places outside the United States where you would most like to visit and why. Name three famous people -- living or dead -- you would want to meet and why. Do you like your school? Why or why not?
After they have interviewed all five people, look over all of the answers, and talk about how they differ from one another and from yours. For another way to explore the concept of differing perspectives, log onto www.planetgiggle.com/illusion/htm and have your child try out the ten optical illusions posted online, then get five friends to tell them what they see.
* Community Service Day
For kids who always seem to be stepping in to help others, seek out a community project that will be of benefit to your neighbors. A good way to get the ball started is to call all the kids in your neighborhood and invite them over for a planning party, says Stoll.
Chances are good one of the kids who comes to the party will know of an elderly neighbor who needs help painting their house, or of a vacant lot that needs sprucing up. Once you come up with a project, pick a date everyone agrees upon, then come up with up a list of everything youll need to get the job done. Have the participants pledge to bring at least one of the supplies so expenses wont get too out of hand.
After the project is done, write up a story about your experience and submit it to your local newspaper. You can also submit it to PlanetGiggle.com.
* Have a Giggle Party
And remember, laughter is the best medicine, so when people are feeling down, hold an impromptu party where the guest of honor is laughter. Stoll says you can invite as many people as you want, and ask each of them to bring along something they think is funny. Once everyone has arrived, she says, have them sit in a circle so they can see each other, and then start by having the host stand up and make the silliest face they can think of. Continue around the circle until all of the guests have also had a turn, then have everyone show off the funny thing they brought to the party.
During the party, hand out smiley face stickers, sit down on a whoppie cushion, or spray silly string into the air, all items available in the PlanetGiggle Giggle box, which you can buy online. Do whatever it takes to set the mood. Happiness is what makes life so fun, says Stoll.
You can log on to www.planetgiggle.com or call 310-864-5806 for more creative ideas and kits for projects, laughter, creativity, and dreams.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Healthy Lunchbox Makeover: Tips for Kicking off a Wholesome School Year ARAARA As the sunny days of summer melt into the crisp, cool days of fall, parents and children shift focus from swimsuits and summer camps to the more serious business of entering a new school year -- and this means school supplies, bus schedules, and school lunches become top of mind.
Though rushing to meet the hectic pace of another school year is inevitable, its important for parents and caregivers to make sure their kids are getting the nutrition they need to make it through the activity-packed school day.
Today, parents are looking for healthy choices for their childrens lunches, says Doug Degn, executive vice president for food and consumables for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The addition of products like fruit cups or baby carrots to the lunchbox are simple ways to make lunchtime healthier.
Degn and Wal-Mart Stores, offer the following tips for kicking off a wholesome new school year:
Start with the Basics
Peanut butter and jelly, turkey, ham, chicken salad, and tuna salad are healthful sandwich fillings loaded with protein -- but sandwich bread is equally important. Some wholesome varieties include:
* IronKids Wheat Bread is soft bread sweetened with honey for taste. One slice has three grams of protein and all the fiber of whole wheat; two slices have the same amount of calcium as a single glass of milk.
* Hero Kids Recipe Bread from Mrs. Bairds is the ideal bread for kids who prefer not to eat wheat because Hero Kids Recipe Bread provides more calcium and other nutrients than regular white bread.
* Natures Own Honey Wheat Bread is another alternative that is made with natural ingredients and doesnt contain preservatives.
Add a Side
Selections for wholesome side dishes are growing by the day in our increasingly health-conscious society, making it easier to include healthy lunch box selections. For example:
* Baby peeled carrots can often be purchased in snack pack sizes, some as small as three ounces.
* Fruit is another convenient and healthy option like apples, bananas, and grapes. Raisins or Craisins, a cranberry-raisin combination, are tasty dried fruit alternatives that are easy to purchase in bulk and remain fresh for days.
* If raw fruit and veggies dont do the trick, fruit cups like Motts Applesauce, Del Monte fruit cups, or Dole FruitBowls add a little bit of zing to a school lunch and are also easy to pack. Since these can be purchased in single servings, its easy to add in something healthy to a school lunch.
* Yogurt cups such as DANNON Danimals Yogurt, with vitamin D and calcium, are another healthful option.
That Little Something Extra
Filling up a growing boy or girl can be difficult, but instead of reaching for sugar or fat-laden foods that can weigh kids down at lunchtime, there are several alternatives that can be added to a school lunch or make great after-school snacks, including:
* Frigo string cheese is a fun way for kids to get calcium in their diets.
* Nature Valley Granola Bars or Kelloggs Nutri-Grain Bars can be eaten as dessert or make a healthy breakfast for families on-the-go.
Washing it Down
No matter how badly they want it, its always a good idea to avoid packing sugar-packed sodas in a growing childs lunch. There are many alternatives to soda on the market, many of which will, believe it or not, appeal to kids. And you can place frozen fruit drinks packaged in foil or cartons in the lunch box to keep foods cool until lunchtime.
* V8 Splash has more of the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E than orange juice and is now available in single-servings and has a light, fresh taste.
* Tropicana Pure Premium Healthy Kids Orange Juice is also available in a package of six, and Kool-Aid Jammers, available in ready-to-go pouches, are convenient alternatives to soda.
* Drinking water is a very good habit to learn at an early age, and many water bottle companies make kid-sized bottled water that are ideal for childrens lunches.
Many discount retailers, like Wal-Mart, sell a variety of foods and snacks to make convenient, inexpensive, and wholesome school lunches.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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