Posts Tagged ‘childs’

Turn your child’s room into a happy bright creative space

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Creating a healthy and happy atmosphere in a child’s room is not an easy task. Do you know what common mistakes parents make in choosing furniture and decor for their kids? What must be avoided and what should be included?

We should consider safety and ecology-friendly concerns. We should think ahead and choose the best mattress for child’s tender spine. With regards to the bed, chair, cupboard and table we should give preference to strong and child-friendly furniture for kiddies’ rooms. So each and every piece of new furniture should undergo our test whether it is strong enough and child-friendly.

Children are fountains of energy! And we must remember that children’s rooms are not only for sleeping, but for active life, games, fun and even sport… we should foresee so many factors. For example, walls: kids might draw pictures on it. So walls should be easily washable. Some parents prefer wall-papered, reasoning that they are more economical and ecological.

Other parents prefer glossy-paper-walls, since they are stronger, and can be washed and even painted several times. The variety is really vast and it allows parents to choose exactly what they like. As long as the colours are eye-friendly for a little person.

It has been scientifically proven that the children develop better if the walls are in pastel colours. It is even influencing the health of the children – they get sick less often, are less stressful and more productive with their homework. While bright colours and large figures, on the contrary, will bring tiredness and neuroses. Since a child’s room is a private space of your little ones where they should rest from the emotions of the day, the colours of the walls in children’s rooms should NOT be too bright.

If pastel tones seem to you too dull and not attractive, then you can choose good accessories, such as teddy bears, colourful lamps, hanging elements or paintings. But it is not recommended to decorate walls with creatures from cartoons or movies, especially modern ones, because it might influence negatively on the child’s psyche. Much better and healthy for the body and for the mind to choose images of nature: for example, fruits – bright, natural multicolours, they will perfectly bring a huge difference into children’s world.

Moreover, fruits can introduce a child to the alphabet and healthy food. Each fruit can contain a smiling face. My close friend shared a very innovative idea on how to introduce fruits and vegetables to the child in the best entertaining manner. Very easy and creative: with the help of magical and healthy fairtytales. It should be narrated to the little one on a daily basis. Preferably it should be an individual story on each fruit that is a part of the room’s decoration. The fairytale should, in an easy and entertaining form, explain to the child about the fruit’s life-story and health benefits. The main aim of this methodology is to introduce little ones to the world of nature and to develop in children the love for healthy food. Besides, the child will feel very comfortable in his room, being amongst good friends – fruits, as these stories will live in his imagination for years.

When choosing the furniture, parents generally are divided into two groups. The first group declares that independence is above all. They are prepared to change almost all items of furniture every second year.

The second group of parents prefer long-term things. Absolutely all – from clothes to furniture should be carefully chosen for years to come. ,For example, longer sleeves and trousers pipes are normally bought up oversize and rolled up. Always having an excuse that today everything is too expensive and child can wear the same shoes 2-3 years if they put in it extra pair of thick socks.

Anyway, again, it depends on an individual’s preference and choice but a professionals would recommend a golden middle road. Bed and chair – these are the two main items that should really be changed relevant to the child’s growth. A tiny tot requires a small cozy bed,a bigger child would prefer a bed with many shelves where he or she could store toys and accessories. The teenager needs a good bed suitable for an grown-up, relevant to his new ‘adult’ status at school, college or home. The chair should be chosen just as carefully, preferably according to the child’s taste. If a child’s elbows are at table-height, then you can be sure that this chair is appropriate for him.

A bookshelf is a essential part of a child’s room and should be very functional. When a child is still small, the bookshelves can be used for his clothing, later it will be an ideal place for keeping his toys, then books. There will never be enough books as long as they are beneficial for child’s mind and heart. We should always be very careful in choosing the right literature for your little treasure.

Let your little one to have the world of good books full of knowledge, kindness, good morals, the world of fairytales and wise storiesHealth Fitness Articles, that are being narrated by loving parents.

Even the most advanced and exclusive interior without kind words can be replaced by the loving atmosphere created by caring and affectionate parents.

Are Daybeds Good for a Child’s Bed?

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

Babies: Your Personal Parenting Style and Your Child’s Sleep

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Good mothers and fathers come in many styles. Each one of us has different strengths, interests, and values that make us great parent. Don’t let yourself become discouraged or disappointed when others ‘give you advice’ that doesn’t seem to mesh with who you are. Maybe you’re not a roll around on the floor kind of parent with your child.� Maybe you’ve decided to hang back and let your little one explore. That’s great! As long as it works for you and your child, nobody should be able to convince you that your method is incorrect or wrong. Once you recognize and embrace your own personal parenting style, you can stop trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations and get on with the business of enjoying being a parent.

It’s important to keep in mind too, that these well-meaning advice givers don’t know your child as well as you.� They aren’t there with your child night and day, watching him grow, learn, explore, play, eat, and sleep.� Only you know what’s best for your child, and you know what works best in your household and for your lifestyle.� As with anything, figuring things out along the way will involve trial and error.�

So when you receive yet another unsolicited piece of advice regarding your child’s napping or nighttime sleeping habits, keep both your and your child’s personal style in mind.� You’ve done the legwork, you’ve experimented, and you’ve learned together what works and what doesn’t work.� The cues should come from your instincts regarding your child and from your child directly.� There’s no such thing as a hard-and-fast rule for sleep habits among children other than it is needed! As your child grows, his cues may change, but as long as you stay in tune with himHealth Fitness Articles, his sleep habits shouldn’t have to suffer as a result. And neither should yours.

Choosing a Toddler Car Seat — How to Ensure Your Child’s Comfort and Safety

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Most children are ready to start using a ‘toddler’ car seat at about six months of age, until they transition into a ‘booster’ car seat at approximately 2 years of age. Toddler car seats are forward facing, and typically use a combination of the car’s seat belts or a special anchoring system, and a separate harness, to secure the car seat and the child. Many toddler car seats allow the child to ride in either an upright or a reclined position, and some models raise the child up sufficiently to be able to easily see out of the vehicle’s windows while in the upright position. Child car seat manufacturers are bound by very strict guidelines, and you may be surprised to find that some of the more expensive car seats don’t provide any better level of protection than those which are more moderately priced. Child car seat manufacturers are bound by very strict guidelines, and you may be surprised to find that some of the more expensive car seats don’t provide any better level of protection than those which are more moderately priced.�

Toddler car seats come in three basic varieties: (1) those that can be used only as a toddler car seat, (2) those that can be used both as an infant car seat and a toddler car seat, and (3) those that can be used both as a toddler car seat and a booster car seat. Seats that are designed to be used in two different modes are called ‘convertible’ car seats.

Convertible infant/toddler car seats can be used for children from infancy (with the car seat in the rear facing position), into their toddler years (with the car seat turned around and used in the forward facing position), until they are ready for a booster car seat. In the rear facing mode, these types of car seats can typically be used with a child up to about 25 lbs, and then used in the forward facing position until the child reaches about 40 lbs. These types of car seats have a larger seat than an infant only car seat, and many come with padded inserts for use when the child is still small.

Convertible toddler/booster car seats are forward facing, and typically use both the car’s seat belts and a separate harness during the ‘toddler’ stage, and just the car’s seat belts during the ‘booster’ stage.

Where to Shop:

GalaxyOfStores is an Online Shopping Center for THOUSANDS of different products for the whole family.

Please visit CHILD CAR SEATS for more information about car seats, as well as a great selection of car seats, strollers, and travel systemsArticle Search, and visit the GalaxyOfStores.com HOME PAGE for all of its great products.

Cure Your Child’s Winter Blues with Penguin Activities and Celebrate the Season!

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Brrr! Winter is the coldest season of the year. Water freezes to become ice, snow, sleet, or icicles, creating a sparkling wonderland. Many plants and animals become dormant or hibernate. People bundle up in hats, mittens, and boots. It’s a time for enjoying outdoor activities like ice skating, sledding, and building snowmen or indoor activities like drinking hot chocolate, make craft projects together, curling up with a book by a toasty fire, or going to see a good movie like “Happy Feet,” an uplifting story about a tap-dancing penguin named Mumble. Give winter boredom the boot and learn about penguins with kids crafts and activities.

Penguins range in size from the fairy penguin which only gets about 9 inches tall to the emperor penguin which can reach lengths of up to 3–4 feet. Although penguins are birds, they do not fly, at least not in the air. Penguins spend most of their time underwater looking for dinner (fish, squid, krill, and crustaceans). All penguins live below the equator, from the Galapagos Islands to Antarctica. That’s why you’ll never see a penguin and a polar bear together—except on the Coca Colaฎ commercials.

To learn more about penguins visit your local library to find penguin movies and books and try these penguin-inspired crafts and activities:

Potato-Stamp PenguinCut a large and a small potato in half lengthwise. Paint the large potato half black and then stamp it on blue craft paper. Paint wings on black body and let dry. When dry, paint small potato half white and then stamp it on the black penguin body. Cut a beak and feet out of orange craft paper and glue on penguin. Add wiggly eyes. Make an ice landscape with torn craft paper, tissue paper, or cotton balls.

Fingerprint Penguin

Stamp thumb into white paint and make one large “thumbprint” tummy on a piece of blue paper or cardstock. Next, stamp index finger into black paint and make fingerprint wings on either side of the tummy. Then, stamp tip of pinkie finger into the black paint and make a fingertip head on top of the penguin. Use a toothpick to make two white eye dots. Allow to dry. Finally, use the toothpick to add a beak and feet with orange paint.

Penguin Egg Walk

Explain that emperor penguins have to carry their eggs and babies on their feet. This is not an easy task. Have children take off their shoes and try to walk around with an egg on their feet. (Make an egg out of a white sock filled with rice or cut a big egg out of white paper.)

Here are some other great art activities to do with your children outdoors:

Make Penguin Snow SculpturesHave children create snow penguin sculptures and paint with snow paints. (Mix food coloring and water and fill small containers with the mixture.) Children will enjoy exploring the effects that the paint makes on the snow.

Don’t forget to fill those little tummies with a treat fitting for a penguin:

Penguin Snack

Krill (a Ritz cracker covered with cream cheese and topped with a tiny shrimp)

The days may be short and the world covered in whiteFree Web Content, but you don’t have to suffer from the winter blues! Visit www.KidsSoup.com for a blizzard of other fun winter and penguin crafts and activities.

Becoming Informed About Your LD Child’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

All too often, children with learning disabilities are seen through their weaknesses.

Like anyone else, however, they have many strengths. It is of the greatest importance to focus on the strengths that your child has and show them to other people. It will not only to help others who are involved in her life understand her better, but it will help the child herself know that she is loved and valued for who she is.

I always found that one of my biggest questions was, “How do I see all of my daughter’s strengths, in addition to her weaknesses, so I can get a picture of her as a total person?” The answer lies in what is called ‘quality time.’”

Here are some important way is to spend quality time with your child.

1)Do things with her. What activities do you both like? Do things with her that she likes to do, and ask her to do things that you like to do.

2)Go places with her. You don’t have to travel far. Just go outside, or downtown, or to the mall, or to a movie.

3)Sit quietly with her. Silence says a lot.

4)Hear her when she speaks. Don’t just listen – hear what she has to say.

5)Listen to and try to understand her frustrations.

6)Talk with her to find out about her likes and dislikes.

7)Know what is going on with her outside the home. Allow her to talk about it without being judgemental.

8)Provide a safe, understanding atmosphere that allows her to express her feelings and preferences.

9)Provide positive feedback when she talks about the good things she does.

10)Provide a structure that allows her to make mistakes and learn from them.

Allowing your child to have friends play with her at home can give great insight into your child’s strengths and weaknesses. When we allowed Michele to have friends over, we could see that she was a great organizer of creative activities and was very social, but we also saw that she got very defensive at times. Having this information allowed us to know what to help her with. We also communicated this information to her teachers, so we could all work together on this issue.

Providing an opportunity for positive, open communication with her teachers and the other professionals that work with her allow you to get a picture of her strengths and we. There may be times when there will be disagreement, but these issues can always be worked out. Listen to the opinions of the others on the team. And don’t be afraid to add your viewpoints. It is only through this honest, open communication that you will be able to see the total picture of your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

To get a good picture of her academic strengths and weaknesses, the school is the place to go. As your child’s parent, you are entitled to have access to her records at school. You have probably received copies of that information, but you do have the right to view what is in her records in the school office. Past and current report cards give you some information, as do any notes, reports, etc., that have been written by her teachers. The results of special education testing are also great indicators of what she does easily and what she struggles with. All this information should be in her school file. If you don’t understand what those results or reports are trying to say, talk with the special education professionals who do understand it.

Remember, your child is not just a partial person. She is not just made up of weaknesses. She is a whole person. Her strengths are a large part of her.

Value her strengths; work with her on her weaknesses. But you can’t do either of these things unless you know what they are. Take charge. Find out.

For more plain talk about learning disabilitiesComputer Technology Articles, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.

Choosing the perfect area rug for your child’s playroom

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Kids are more prone to getting the carpet dirty. Of course you already know that! The best way to combat this is to select a carpet with a lower pile. This will help make the carpet easier to clean should it get dirty because the vacuum can get right down there a get all the dirt out. As a general guideline aim for a pile to longer than 1/3 of an inch. An added bonus if a low pile is the increased durability it brings.

Note the fiber the rug is made out of. Is it natural or synthetic? Synthetic fibers such as nylon or polypropylene are made from a type of plastic. We recommend these types of fibers are they are more durable and can help avoid stains.

Also take note of where you are buying it. If you choose to purchase the rug online make sure you check out the merchant before buying. Confirm that they have a return policy in case you are unsatisfied with the rug. Also check their shipping charges, some merchants charge more than others. One final tip is to check weather or not they charge taxFree Web Content, if your buying an expensive rug this can equal substantial savings for you.

Motivation… The Key to Your Child’s Educational Success

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

The mind learns optimally when appropriately challenged in an environment that encourages taking risks. However, under perceived threat, the mind does not perform as well. This makes it harder to learn when you are nervous, stressed, or not feeling well.

Before a child learns to talk, they experience emotions. Emotions are another source for improving memory. People are better at recalling stories that held strong feelings. The emotional context plays an important role in the learning process. People with excellent memories have multiple interests. We naturally remember what we are interested in. As a parent, it is crucial to teach your child the value of learning.

Motivation is the key to learning. You can help your child to discover this thirst of knowledge before they even enter school. Here are some key steps in preparing your child to be a stellar student:

1. Fill your home with reading. Read to your child daily. Fill your home with reading material such as novels, newspapers, and educational magazines. A child is influenced by their surroundings. When a son or daughter sees a parent reading at a young age, it makes an impression. As parents, we can foster that with a love for learning. Parents are the most important modeling agent in a child’s life.

2. Encourage your child to explore his or her interests. If you have a son who loves animals, offer him some educational books about animals. If he’s young, allow him to explore the world Of the National Geographic Magazines. You could also direct him to some websites that explore animal facts. You’re enthusiasm over your child is motivation in itself.

3. Provide play opportunities that offer different types of learning styles. Play is one of the most powerful vehicles through which children master new skill, concepts, and experiences. This will help them solve the challenges they meet in school. Through the use of blocks, your child will develop his or her creative expression and problem solving skills. A cash register would help them recreate their own experiences. However, boxes of various sizes can be great toys that encourage your child to be creative in his or her creations.

4. When your child starts school, make sure that they are organized. An organized folder lends To an organized mind.

5. Celebrate achievements. Reward your child for large and small achievements, whether it’s finishing a book or completing a major assignment in school. Positive reinforcement encourages a child to continue to challenge themselves.

6. Use everyday event as learning opportunities.Encourage your child to explore his/her world. Continually ask questions and make connections that build upon their existing knowledge. The brain learns through associations.

As a central role modelPsychology Articles, moms and dads have the responsibility to create an environment that fosters a love for learning.

Time-out sucks…away your child’s emotional security

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

One of the most commonly used parenting techniques in current day used throughout schools, homes, and day cares is “time-out”. “Timeout” is based primarily on a way of thinking that implies children act out for attention. Therefore, if a child is acting out ‘for’ attention, you don’t want to reward the child but rather give the child ‘time-out’ to think about their negative behaviors, thereby making better decisions next time. Considering that educators and professionals are still teaching and writing about this technique as though it were a ‘new’ alternative behavior discipline method, let’s ask the question: What makes “time-out” any different than standing with your nose in the corner, sitting on the dunce chair, being sent to your room, or having to sit in the naughty chair? Can someone please tell me the difference?Bishop T.

D. Jakes says, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always be where you’ve already been!” If the dunce chair or standing with your nose in the corner didn’t work when we were children, then why do we think by dressing it up as something seemingly more contemporary, that it is going to work now? Many of you may be saying, “But it does work. All I have to do is start counting to three and my child stops their behavior to avoid time out,” or maybe you’re saying, “If it’s good enough for Super Nanny, it’s good enough for me.” Have you seen the new King Kong flick? Well, to a two-year old, an adult looks something like Kong did to the blonde, an utter giant.

Wouldn’t you sit in a chair for two or three minutes if King Kong told you to do so?

Wouldn’t you stop your behavior if you knew that if you continued, you would lose the loving support of your most secure attachment figure? Help me understand how it makes sense to send a child whose behavior is clearly communicating that they are unable to manage their current emotional state, to go sit by themselves to sort through their upset emotions, alone. “Time-out” does not recognize the developmental and regulatory struggles a child is demonstrating in the midst of their behavior of acting out. Consider for a moment that rather than a child acting out ‘for’ attention, he is in fact, acting out because he ‘needs’ attention.

Read that sentence again.

It can make all of the difference. Instead of sending the child off to sit in a chair or be isolated, bring the child into you for a period of time. Have him sit next to you, hold your hand, stand beside you. Say to the child, “When you are feeling better you may go back and play.

” In other words, allow the child to determine how much time-in that he needs. Important point:

It is not imperative that you touch the child during this time. A child that does not want to be touched, or reacts violently, should not be touched. In that moment, the child is in survival mode and feels very threatened. Keep your distance, but indicate to the child that you are nearby and will stay so, until the child feels safer.

“Time-in” can be a very effective alternative to “time-out”. “Time-in” teaches compassion, regulation, the ability to create internal calm in the midst of stress, and understanding.

Before providing “Time-In” for your child, give some to yourself. Take a moment, find a quiet corner, take four deep breaths, and find your calmComputer Technology Articles, peaceful self. Now you are ready to help calm your child.

Copyrightฉ 2006 Dr. Bryan Post. All rights reserved.

A Child’s Self Image

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

So, what do you say to your child when they ask you if you think they are overweight, fat, or whatever adjective was used by another child when taunting them. As hard as it is, you will need to convey to your child that everyone is different. How we look and grow will depend on how we take care of our bodies. Explain to them how body types are dependent upon family, eating habits and physical activity. Also be sure to tell them that they are and will be growing and changing until their teens. If you have pictures of yourself or others in childhood and then adulthood show them those pictures to give them an idea of changes that occur.

Please be sure to talk to your child and do so carefully and seriously about this. It is very very important that your child realize he must eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, to take his/her vitamins and to drink their milk. Don’t just ignore this discussion. Children are growing up faster and faster today and becoming aware much earlier in life of their body image. How children and adults view themselves is one of the classic signs of anorexia and other eating disorders.

If you feel you are not qualified to handle their questions, please consult a professional to do so.

Copyright 2005Find Article, DeFiore Enterprises