Category: Kids
-
Helping Your Teen Learn to Drive Safely
By Jamell Andrews Because driving is such a routine thing for so many adults, we tend to forget what a serious act it is to get behind the wheel. A car is a massive, potentially dangerous piece of machinery, and operating one comes with a world of adult responsibilities. So it is hard for many […]
-
How to Get a Child Off the Couch and Active
By Jamell Andrews Getting kids away from their TVs, computers, and gadgets is one of the greatest challenges today’s parents face, and it is not getting any easier. Many parents understandably want their kids to be up to date with all the modern technology, but for every gadget and game our children gain, something is […]
-
Leaving Your Child Home Alone
By Lisa Pecos In the early years of a child’s life, parents are forced to do whatever they have to do to make sure the child is supervised at all times. But once the child reaches a certain age, the issue starts to become fuzzier. Most well-behaved kids reach a point-generally in their preteens or […]
-
Kids and Homework: What Can Parents Do?
By Jamell Williams When sending our kids to school, we expect the majority of their education to take place during the six or so hours per day when they are actually in the classroom. But for parents, it is important to realize that education needs to be reinforced in the home. This means not only […]
-
The Negative Effects of the Media on Teens
By Lisa Pecos Today’s kids plug into media at an earlier age than their predecessors, and the amount of media they consume is staggering compared to the habits of past generations. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average child between the age of eight and 18 consumes media for seven […]
-
Hosting a Princess Tea Party
By Chris Molnar Oh the princess tea party — it’s practically a rite of passage for little girls everywhere. At some point your daughter will embrace this phase and celebrate it for all the dainty beauty that it is. This makes for the perfect theme of a party and your little princess can truly celebrate.
-
What to Do About a Shy Child
By Jamell Andrews Most children experience some degree of shyness in certain social situations. For example, some young kids are naturally afraid of grownup strangers, and some are shy around kids of the opposite sex. For others, the problem can be more general; they may seem to lag behind their peers in social development, and […]
-
Setting and Enforcing Kids’ Bedtime
By Jamell Andrews For parents, getting kids to go to bed at certain times is one of those ongoing struggles that over the years can reach epic proportions. Kids have a powerful, seemingly inborn desire to guide their own sleeping patterns, and for parents there is just no easy way to subvert this force. Granted, […]
-
Spread Your Wings and Fly…
In the early evening I would sit outside under the tree near our house and watch the birds. One day I saw a Blue Jay come and chase the other birds away if they got to close. I noticed that every time she did that, 2 little Blue Jays would fly up and eat the […]
-
It’s OK to be Different
Our son Michael was potty trained at nine months and spoke in sentences at 12 months old. At age two, he would listen to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite over and over. When a friend gave my husband and I tickets to see the Nutcracker one holiday season, I cringed! Mike did stand up comedy at the […]
-
A Parents’ Guide to Childhood Stress
We like to think that a child’s world is all lightness and fun, but there are dark sides to the childhood experience. Especially in this age of increased expectations, rigorous study, and intense competition for educational opportunities, kids are increasingly dealing with stress in addition to all the traditional sources of bad feelings in children. […]
-
8 Tips for Teaching Your Kids Good Manners
After a generations-long decline in the emphasis on manners when raising children, many 21st-century parents are rediscovering the importance of instilling values of politeness and decorum in their kids. Children who have good manners are better behaved in general, but they also tend to go far in the world because they know how to ingratiate […]
-
Are You a Helicopter Parent?
Over the past several years, the phrase “helicopter parenting” has emerged in the media as a term for parenting styles that involve excessive intervention, attention, and guidance on the part of parents toward their children. The term is metaphorical; the parent is a helicopter constantly hovering over the child. It is often used pejoratively, and […]
-
What to Do With a Child Who Whines
Pre-verbal children use crying to get what they need. After learning to talk, many children have trouble breaking this habit. In fact, some develop a rather complex system of sounds and gestures that sometimes includes crying, sometimes pouting, sometimes tantrums, and sometimes a loud, whiny voice. For parents, as much as we love our children, […]
-
What to Do if Your Child Stutters
Stutters or Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder most commonly affecting children between the ages of 2 and 5, though it appears in people of all ages. There are many forms of stuttering, which itself is only one of a variety of similar speech disorders. It usually involves the involuntary repetition of […]
-
Should I Vaccinate My Children
Childhood vaccines are used to protect children from a range of serious illnesses such as polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, and meningitis. Practically everyone in the medical community unequivocally advocates vaccination for young children, but the issue has become complicated in recent years. For new parents, it is difficult to ignore the recent controversies generated by […]
-
How To Keep The Internet Safe For Your Kids And Home
By Liz Krause When it comes to the internet, gone are the days when parents know more than the kids – or so it seems. The fact of the matter is, although a child may know how to use the internet faster and quicker, it is the parents’ responsibility to protect them from the dark […]
-
How To Cope With Sibling Jealousy
Sibling jealousy is incredibly common. To the older child it can be an overwhelming and confusing feeling when confronted with a young sibling and parents need to be patient and understanding.
-
Developing Your Child’s Important Motor Skills
Many parents do not realise how important the development of their child’s fine and gross motor skills are in terms of their academic and physical performances. There are lots of games and activities which parents can do with their children to enhance their motor skills.
-
How Safe Are Sunscreens Ingredients?
When people go to the store to buy sunscreen, they assume that the products they purchase are safe and effective. Whether you purchase sunscreen for trips to the beach, lounging poolside, or for everyday protection against the sun’s rays, you probably expect to be able to rely on your sunscreen to protect you from sun […]
-
Summer Problems Caused By Nature
The sun is shining, the days are longer and you have waved goodbye to coughs and colds but summer brings its own little irritations. Here are some tips to help.
-
A Look at ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. The parts affected control concentration, attention and impulsivity.
-
First Day of School
To overcome the fear of the first day at nursery, playgroup or school is a big step for your child. Talking to your child about it can help them prepare and alleviate some of their fears. They will naturally be anxious of the unknown so explain and describe where they will be going and for […]
-
Understanding Asthma in Children
Asthma affects the small tubes (airways) that carry air in and out of the lungs, also known as the bronchi. The airways of the lungs are more sensitive in children with asthma. Something that irritates your child’s lungs is a called a trigger. Triggers cause the airways to narrow, inflame the lining of the airways […]
-
Building Confidence in Children
Are you helping or hindering your child’s self-esteem and feeling of confidence? Say your child tries to carry their bowl of food and a beaker of juice across the room, then trips and spills everything. Do you say ‘I told you not to do that! Now see what you have done!’ It is tempting but […]
-
The 6 Most Important Parent-Child Talks
No one said parenting was going to be easy. As children grow up, countless issues can arise, and as parents it is our job to try to guide our children through these times to the best of our abilities. An essential part of this job is to talk to our children about serious issues that […]
-
Helping Kids deal with Anger
Anger is something that kids learn. From too much violence on television, to video games, the internet, and music, violent images and words surround us all. While adults can listen to or view these things without having them directly impact the way they behave or treat others, children are an entirely different matter.
-
The Importance of Teaching Kids About Money
These days, too many people do not learn about money and finance until it is far too late. Americans now hold more debt than ever before, and this is at least in part due to the fact that many of us have had no financial education. Sadly, this has led to millions of cases in […]
-
Understanding Kids with Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is a condition that is often associated with diabetes. It is characterized by low blood sugar (glucose) levels. Hypoglycemia itself is not a disease, but an indicator of some other health problem. It is a very dangerous condition for kids simply because our brains need a steady supply of glucose in order to function […]
-
Dyslexia in Children
By Jamell Andrews Dyslexia is an impairment of the brain that causes difficulty with translating written images into language. It is one of the most misunderstood learning disabilities in the United States, and it is also the most common one. It is believed that dyslexia affects approximately 15% of the United States population, though everyone […]
-
How to Beat the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
By Marc Courtiol According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 20 percent of American children between the ages of 6 and 11 are now obese, and 18 percent of young people between ages 12 and 19 meet the criteria for obesity. These numbers are startling enough on their own, and […]
-
Avoiding Sugary Cereals
When I was little, every Sunday, my mom used to drive my brother and I to my grandmother’s house, where she would take us to church. After church, we always stopped by the local grocery store and somehow, someway, my brother and I would finagle our way into each getting a box of cereal. And […]
-
Signs Your Child May Have ADHD
By Jamell Andrews Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is believed to affect about 4 million kids in the U.S. and millions more throughout the world. Over the last several years, ADHD has often been seen a trendy diagnosis, with many people dismissing it as a mere personality trait rather than a problem that warrants treatment. But while […]
-
Parenting Through Play
by Ben Johnson Anyone who has spent any amount of time around children know that all kids love to play. My three year old daughter will spend hours with a stuffed animal in one hand and a toy dinosaur in the other. I don’t always understand what each one is saying, but based on the […]
-
Getting Kids to Eat Healthy Foods
By Lisa Pecos According to the USDA, kids between the ages of 9 and 13 require at least six servings of fruits and vegetables per day, with each serving being either a half cup of fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables or a medium-sized fruit. Kids between 4 and 8 need about five servings per day, […]
-
Packaged Fruit–Does it Count as a Serving?
I try to keep fresh fruit on hand at all times, but I’m lucky–my kids love it and they eat right through it. Here today, gone tomorrow–that’s our fruit bowl. So, on the days when there isn’t anything fresh to pack in the lunches, I reach into the cupboard for eating fresh fruit at all. […]
-
Signs of Depression in Children and Teens
By Marc Courtiol While childhood depression can be triggered by events such as changing schools, divorce, moving, or a death in the family, there is a genetic component to depressive mood disorders, and some children are more predisposed to these feelings than others. In past generations childhood depression was often dismissed as normal growing pains, […]
-
Flavored Milk–Do You Use It?
I have a 21 month old daughter that isn’t milk’s biggest fan. She’ll drink a little bit, but not nearly enough to get her day’s worth of calcium in. So one morning, I thought I’d give her some chocolate milk to see what would happen. She didn’t drink it–she guzzled it! Ever since, it’s chocolate […]
-
Your Family and Understanding Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection that results from inflammation around the brain and spinal cord coverings (or membranes). It occurs most often in children (including teenagers) and young adults, though it can pose a risk to some older adults who have weakened immune systems.
-
Understanding your Child’s Temperament
By Jameel Andrews When children have personalities that are drastically different from their parents or siblings, it frequently causes a bit of frustration for everyone else, particularly the parents. If you find yourself becoming frustrated because you do not understand the temperament of your child, there are some steps you can take that will help […]
-
Easing the Pain of Family Springtime Allergies
By Jamell Andrews For many of us, springtime brings a lot more than warm weather and extended hours of daylight. It also brings chaotic allergies because of pollen, dry air, and gusting winds that blow everything around even more than usual.
-
What to do if your Child is being Bullied
By Anna Rekal Bullying can come in a variety of different forms, and it can start as early as preschool. Children may be picked on or teased, or they may be forced into certain behaviors or activities in order to avoid being beaten up or have their lunch money stolen.
-
5 Parenting Tips for Communicating with Children & Teens
There is nothing that adequately prepares us for the most important job there is—parenting. Children and teens do not come with an owner’s manual, and most of our training is on the job. With our own parents as our most prominent role models, we tend to repeat what we have learned about parenting from them. […]
-
Raising Happy Children
By Jamell Andrews Raising happy children does not have anything to do with the material possessions that you give to them. Regardless of how many toys kids have or how much you try to shield them from the harsher aspects of life, the ability of children to be happy as they grow up is largely […]
-
Do Kids NEED Cell Phones?
By Cyndra Neal This is a question that many parents find themselves wondering about, often when their children are as young as eight or nine years old. Kids are asking for technological gadgets at increasingly early ages, claiming that they need things like cell phones, video games, iPods, and laptop computers.
-
Understanding and Fighting Childhood Obesity
Over the past 30 years, childhood obesity has been steadily on the rise among children aged 6 to 19. In children between the ages of 2 and 5, about 14% of them are now classified as being overweight. Approximately 20% of kids aged 6 to 11 are overweight and 19% of kids between the ages […]
-
Your Teenager Could Have Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression that affects teenagers at the same time every year. For the majority of the United States population, the most common time of year for the onset of SAD is fall or early winter. Though some teenagers are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder in the spring […]
-
Are You Aware of Eating Disorders in Adolescence
By Wendy Wood Do you suspect that your child has an eating disorder? By watching your child’s eating habits you will soon find out if he or she, in fact, has an eating disorder. Here are is a list of tips, tricks and methods for learning more about your child’s eating habits in hopes that […]
-
Guess How Children Learn
Children thrive in nurturing environments, so it is important that they be introduced to learning opportunities at a very young age. In fact, the earlier you start introducing your kids to different learning tools, the better off they will be in the long run.
-
Old and New Natural Ways to Prevent Colds
By Marc Courtiol If you are a parent to a baby or toddler, you are undoubtedly used to your little one having several colds each year. In fact, it may even seem like as soon as your child has finally gotten over a cold, another one mysteriously appears not far behind. While your first instinct […]
-
Getting your Kids to Eat Healthy Foods
By Jamell Andrews Parents often have meal time battles with their children. The kids decide that they do not like what you are serving them, or they just decide that they would rather have something else. Whatever the reason, one of the worst things you can do as a parent is give in to your […]
-
Parents! Rid your Home of Harmful Allergens
For those of us who suffer from allergies, sometimes getting through the day can be a daunting task. Symptoms ranging from itchy, watery eyes to a constantly runny nose contribute to making our lives miserable when our bodies are assaulted by allergens that they simply cannot deal with.
-
Understanding Adult ADHD and Children ADHD
The first thing to understand about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is that it is a neurobiological condition. After depression, ADHD is the second most common mental health disorder in adults, affecting about 5% of the United States population.
-
Soy and Health Issues in Children
Many people have turned to soy alternatives in the belief that these foods and beverages are healthier for their children. However, consistent research over the past several years has indicated that soy products may ultimately cause more harm than good.
-
Are Sunscreens Harmful for Kids Health
When choosing a sunscreen for your kids health, the greatest urge may be to simply grab something off the shelf of your local drug store. There are a variety of sunscreens that are specifically marketed for children, but in reality the formulations of these sunscreens are not really that much different than the ones you […]
-
The Declining Quality of Children’s Diets and What to do About It
According to the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, children between the ages of two and nine have diets that are less than desirable. This is an extremely important issue because poor eating habits that start early in life are likely to continue into adulthood, resulting in a host of health problems that might […]
-
Math Anxiety: Are You Passing Yours On To Your Child?
by Donna Verry Dee Karen Greenburg of Mesa Arizona hated math as a child and she sees history repeating itself with her daughter, Angela. “She’s very frustrated with math,” says Greenburg of the second-grader. “She mostly dislikes doing drills and timed tests. I think I may have passed that on to her through my poor […]
-
Why I don’t like parent education:
By Evan Steele As a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, parent educator, and parent, I have had the opportunity to be on “both sides of the couch,” and observe the current state of parent education. The following are some thoughts about what help is available, especially as it relates to difficult (ADHD, ODD, etc) children.
-
Surprising Secrets to a Successful Summer
by Toni Schutta You’re probably busy planning every detail so your kids can have a memorable summer packed with vacations, summer camps, sports activities and more.
-
Get Your Child to Listen the First Time!
By Toni Schutta Shut the TV off. I said shut the TV off. I said SHUT THE TV OFF!!
-
Help Your Child Get Organized For School!
By Susan Kruger Disorganization is the greatest complaint made by teachers and ranks as a very close second complaint from parents (rivaling fights and arguments over homework). Every teacher can tell stories about bright and intelligent students who are failing classes because they lack the organizational skills to keep track of their assignments. School counselors […]
-
Parental Decisions Regarding Bed-Wetting and Diapers
By Colin Ellison This sharepost is a response to Guest’s comments on my sharepost “Bed-Wetting: Should Older Children, Adolescents, and Teenagers Be Required to Wear Diapers?” I realize what I’ve said is very controversial and goes against the grain of most people’s thinking(both professional and non-professional) on this subject. The point of my original sharepost […]
-
Psychosocial Difficulties of Parents with Young Children with Severe Disabilities
Author: Dr Bindu Chawla, Associate Professor of Education , Touro College, Graduate School of Education, New York. Introduction: Being a parent has never been easy. Parenting is the job with no preparations and vacations. Senel and Akkok (1996) reported that children with disabilities have special needs that require more attention, greater vigilance and effort from […]
-
We All Have Our Quirks – Rare Phobia
By Sylvia Wells The road to recovery is not always apparent, especially when you don’t realize there is something that requires recovering from. It wasn’t until about a year after my son developed a rare phobia that I finally realized he had a real and serious issue. My son has a fear, or should I […]
-
A JAB IN THE DARK. Are our children being over vaccinated?
By Sara Mulholland, Empowa Pty Ltd. Triple Triple Antigen, Triple MMR, Triple Hib, Triple Hep B, Quadruple oral Polio, Meningococcal C, Pnuemococcal, Varicella, boosters and more boosters. When will it end? Sara Mulholland examines the evidence.
-
Clubhouse on Wheels – Childcare
By Sylvia Wells In this hyper-stimulating world we live in there aren’t many places you can go to enjoy quiet time with your children. That is why I make the most of my time in the car with my kids. There are no distractions, (and no escape), it’s a great time to reconnect and get […]
-
Attention Deficit Disorder: So Much More Than Just a Lack of Focus
By Eric Hale In this day and age, terms like ADD (attention deficit disorder) and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) are a regularly used part of kids’ vocabulary. In fact, teens these days seem to know more about disorders than I learned in my college level psychology course. These terms are used so frequently that these […]
-
PARENTS AS TEACHERS TRAINING PROGRAM PROVIDES A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS IN FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD OBESITY
‘High 5 for Kids’ Offers Professionals Tools to Help Improve Eating and Fitness Habits of Preschoolers By Maya Lunnemann ST. LOUIS (June 26, 2008) – Despite a reduction in childhood obesity rates recently, early childhood professionals continue to reinforce awareness among parents about their role in encouraging nutrition and fitness of their young children. Parents […]
-
Mommy, My Skin Hurts. I Don’t Feel Good.
Exposure to the sun is associated with all forms of skin cancer, but the most common type of skin cancer is basal skin cancer. Frequent severe sunburns and intense sun exposure in childhood increase the risk of basal cell skin cancer. Basal cell skin cancers usually appear on sun-exposed areas, most commonly the face and […]
-
Baby Pet Envy – Getting Your Loved Ones to Coexist
Many new parents think pets and the new baby just don’t mix. If your pet shows behavior unbecoming to “man’s best friendâ€, with a little preparation and insight your first “furry baby†and you new baby can cohabitate safely.
-
The truth about spanking: new evidence suggests that parents should spare the rod – Living Well Parenting
by Lori L. Tharps Tonya Andrews, * 28, remembers being spanked a lot as a girl. Andrews’s father spanked his children for any infraction, ranging from being disrespectful to not eating their food,…