Home and Family - Kids

Autistic Child Care

2008-08-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

by: Mary Rose

Autistic child care should start as early as possible. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears before age three and in some cases as early as 18 months. It is a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain in areas of communication and social interaction. Although the characteristics might be the same, each person is very unique. Autism is a spectrum disorder whose characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations from mild to severe.

An autistic child can be identified very early. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child. Normally a child of 12 months is expected to babble, say a few words, pick up gestures like pointing and share emotions like smiling with parents. In some cases, the baby seemed different from birth, unresponsive to people or focusing keenly on one item for long periods of time. The first signs of an autistic spectrum disorder can also appear in children who seem to have been developing normally. When an engaging, babbling toddler suddenly becomes silent, withdrawn, self-abusive, or indifferent to social overtures, something is wrong. Autistic child care is best done if the condition is diagnosed before the age of three. The best approach towards it is to count the child's strengths rather than the weaknesses.

People use different terms to describe individuals within the autistic spectrum, such as autistic tendencies, high or low-functioning autism, or autism spectrum. Whatever the term, an autistic child can learn and function productively given the appropriate educational plan. Visual and not verbal clue should be focused in building an exhaustive module, to reach out to individuals falling in the spectrum of autism. We need to break routine way of teaching to encourage flexibility and stress on unambiguous communication. We must teach the autistic child life skills in a way that they can easily recall or relate to.

Visual augmentation helps a child communicate better. Autistic child suffers from social deficits like speech impairment, problem in understanding others' perception and context and normally communicate in a way that is not understood by others. We have to teach them to communicate in socially identifiable way. Structure makes tasks predictable, reduces anxiety in the child. One can develop a concept using visual gestures. This helps the child which is struggling to recall the sequence. An autistic child's behavior is often mistaken as unruly. But it is only when the child is unable to communicate, it responds aggressively.So, we need to equip the child with better tools to communicate. Structured teaching can be beneficial to help the child pick up life skills.

Awareness has to be created to enable families to carry out autistic child care in a better manner. They need to have access to better medical management of the related disorders like aggression, hyperactivity and irritability. Parents need to learn to communicate and give out unambiguous instruction to their wards. There should be support for employment and opportunity for autistic individuals in the society.

About The Author
Mary Rose has authored several books including books related to children and child care.For more information logon http://www.casanads.com/bm/children.htm

What Kids can learn from the Martial Arts

2008-08-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

What Kids can learn from the Martial Arts
by: James Liu

Martial Arts are becoming more popular as the years go on and they do provide us with the skills that we need in order to protect ourselves form others. However, when it comes to kids and Martial Arts, some parents are wary of whether or not a Martial Arts school is for them. How do you know if your child will like the school and just how do you know it will teach them all of the right things?

Martial Arts and What They Teach Our Kids

There is a misconception that Martial Arts schools teach our children to fight. Obviously all Martial Arts consist of some kind of physical activity, but it is purely taught so that our kids can protect themselves against harm.

In a world packed full of danger it is always a good idea to get our children to be able to look after themselves. At the end of the day there is only so much a parent can teach their child but once they get out into the open world, they are literally on their own. That means that they need to be able to protect themselves and Martial Arts schools do help them to do that.

Now, there are obviously going to be some kids who just want to cause trouble. However, generally Martial Arts are only learned by those who are serious about the practice. All Martial Arts require some form of focus and kids who are just out to cause trouble and fight all the time will not be able to stick with Martial Arts for long.

Martial Arts schools never teach children to fight. If anything they teach the opposite, as using the skills that you have learned through Martial Arts to just simply fight, is opposed.

So just what are Martial Arts schools teaching our children then? Well, they teach them to look after themselves, to stay focused, to have a higher self confidence and overall to keep calm. There is definitely nothing sinister going on and Martial Arts classes are extremely safe to leave your children in. You just have to make sure that you find a good school and that you do not get sucked in by the many fake Martial Arts schools out there.

Overall Martial Arts schools are good for our kids and they do not teach anything dodgy. If you do have a child enrolled in a Martial Arts school and you are not particularly happy with the attitude they are developing, then you should really consider swapping schools. It is all a matter of doing your research and finding one to suit you and your child. You should eventually find one and you can rest safe in the knowledge that your child is bettering themselves and learning to become more protected against the world.

About The Author
James Liu

For more information, please go to our site: http://www.ocjj.com

How To Handle Student Loans Appropriatly

2008-08-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

How To Handle Student Loans Appropriatly
by: Michael VanWormer

From The Desk Of: Michael VanWormer - Internet Research/Webmaster Homebizshowroom.com

Dear Student,

It is often said that the most effective debt management strategy is to be debt-free. But, in order to pay for your college education, you may need to take out student loans.

Student loans are applied by many people these days. It is for the hope that student loans can greatly support their education. Well, that is primarily the purpose of student loans, but there are some instances that getting student loans is what lead people to be buried deep in debt. This is common among those who failed to repay their debts or those who actually escape from their obligations.

Now, planning for successful repayment involves a lot of considerations. The planning should start before you place and strike your pen on your first promissory note. Just as you are making a commitment to your career by way of investing time and money in higher education, you should also make a commitment to your financial future by way of effectively managing your student loans from the beginning.

Here are the most recommended tips and tactics that may help you handle your student loan debt effectively and repay the loans successfully.

Tip #1: Do Your Own Research

Always note that not all loans are the same. Some of them, such as the ones provided by the Indiana Secondary Market for instance, offer benefits during school as well as after graduation in the form of repayment incentives, while other do not. They will pay the 3 percent origination fee normally charged on Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans, and this process actually means more money for the books, school supplies and living expenses. And, after you graduated, there is a chance that you will be qualified for reduced interest rates especially when you ready your payments up on automatic withdraw. So, with the differences in student loans, it is necessary that you do your research before signing the first promissory note.

Tip #2: Pay Attention to the Mail

Typically, every borrower receives important information regarding the student loan he or she took out. The mail usually comes in before, during and after school. So, it is somehow important that you read all of the materials you receive carefully. In case, you have questions, the source of the materials is available to welcome you with your questions. Don’t hesitate to ask, and never ignore the correspondence or you may miss out a very vital deadlines or details about your loans.

Tip #3: Be Organized

When taking out student loan from a particular institution, it is always best to save all of your student loan documents and correspondences. This makes you aware of what exactly you’ve agreed, what is expected from you as a student loan borrower, and how much you have borrowed. At the start of the student loan process, you may find it unnecessary to keep all the documents, but when the repayment period is approaching, there is a great possibility that you may refer to some or all of these documents.

To makes things easier for you, begin by setting up an easy to use record-keeping system where you can store your student loan documents and correspondence. As you may know, there are a number of books and software products on personal finance to help you get started. Whatever you may use, whether file folders, binders, portfolios, or envelopes, it is a good idea that you set up one folder for every type of loan or account you have and keep the items sorted accordingly.

Here is what you should keep:

· Important documents like your student loan applications, promissory notes, disbursement and disclosure statements, as well as loan transfer notices.

· Copies of all correspondences between you and your student loan lender, loan holder, and/or servicer, including your school’s financial aid office.

· Addresses and telephone numbers of your lender, loan holder, and servicer. These must be maintained up-to-date.

· The name, the date and time of the conversation, as well as a summary of what you have discussed. These must be considered especially when you are speaking with anyone regarding your student loans as these may be valuable for future reference or clarification.

Also, when setting up your record-keeping system, be sure that it is comfortable to use. This means a system that you will find easy to maintain over the life of the loan. This record-keeping system must also be secured from theft or fire. Many experts also suggest that you should keep all your student loan related documents and correspondences until all the education loans you’ve taken have been fully repaid.

Tip #4: Be present at All Required Entrance and Exit Sessions

When you take out student loan, you will be required to complete student loan counseling sessions. This is often considered when you first obtain the loan and upon graduation. Also, it is worth noting that some schools these days offer this on-line and the sessions will not require a great amount of your time. However, they will provide you with a great deal of information on your right and responsibilities as a borrower.

Tip #5: Learn to Manage Money like an Expert

It has been said that if you live like a professional while you are in school, you will live like a student once you’ve finished your degree. In other words, it is important that you know very well how to handle your money while you are attending school. This will help you lessen the total amount you end up borrowing, and in turn, the amount you will responsible for repaying.

Here are some of the tactics that are worth considering:

· Develop realistic budgets for while you are attending school and even after you graduate. This will allow you to borrow not more than you need, giving you a great chance to repay your loans.

· Learn to live as cheaply as you can. Always remember that you are just a student. You will enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle once you’ve graduated especially if you lessen your borrowing while you are in school. Some of the most recommended ideas for how to be thrifty include getting a roommate, renting a movie instead of going out to the theater, as well as bringing your lunch from home instead of eating out. Be thrifty as possible.

· For any credit card bills you receive, try to pay the full amount due.

· Establish a budget for yourself and follow it. While you are in school, it is important that you know how to resist the urge of using credit cards or your student loan funds to purchase things that are included in your budget. Don’t just buy unnecessary things.

· If possible, explore work-study or other part-time employment. As often said, it may give you an opportunity for you to study or obtain valuable professional experience, other than help cover overheads.

Tip #6: Maintain at least Half-Time Enrollment

Considering a half-time enrollment is highly necessary in order for you to qualify for an in-school deferment. The half-time enrollment normally takes six credit hours. Regarding your school’s requirements for half-time status, see your financial aid officer.

Tip #7: Take Advantage of Tax Savings

Some of the student who takes out student loans qualifies for tax credits. To see your own status, check with your tax advisor. The credits are actually based on your qualified tuition payments, and they can help reduce the amount of Federal tax you pay. Now, if you are paying interest on a student loam, you may also be able to take a deduction on your Federal tax return for those interest payments. Therefore, to obtain the full benefit of the credits as well as the deductions, grab the opportunity of employing the additional tax refund to pay down your student loan debt, or perhaps to handle your educational overheads.

Tip #8: Repayment Tips

As you enter the repayment period, note that being aware of your student loan obligations is very crucial. This is where the student loan default usually happens. It occurs when you fail to pay back the loan as agreed or meet the other terms of your promissory note. The promissory note for each of the loans must then be referred prior to your graduation or before you leave school so that you know what your rights and responsibilities are in repayment.

Here is what you should do as you enter the repayment period:

· Send your education loan payments when due every month, for the full monthly payment amount or more. This must be done regardless of whether or not you receive a bill.

· Note and understand the repayment options provided by your student loan lenders. With some available options, there is a possibility that you can lessen the total cost of the loan by making a high monthly payment. Other options may even lessen your initial monthly payments and may make it easier for you to pay back your leans early in your career.

· Understand the deferment as well as forbearance. In case you need them, just learn to exercise your options.

· Remember that the loan consolidation and its repayment options have its pros and cons. So, understand them.

· Keep your school, lender or servicer informed of your whereabouts. Contact them immediately if you change your name or address; have questions about billing statements; have problems making your scheduled payment on time; or if you want information on or application for deferment or forbearance.

· Read, note and understand all the correspondence you receive from your student loan lender, loan holder, or servicer. And, respond them promptly if asked to do so.

For Further Information

If for instance you need further information regarding your student loans, always remember that the financial aid staff at your school is probably your most important resource. However, there are also some consult publications from federal and state governments, lenders and scholarship granting organizations, and financial ad guidebooks that are available from your local bookstore. They are great enough for you to start your own search.

About The Author
Hello, My Name is Michael VanWormer, 45 years of age and a webmaster of 3 years. Ever since my children started college, I felt compelled to help others with some information about student loans and how it to make it easier preparing the first time around. It takes some legwork, and added responsibility on your new student!

Teen Drivers - Distractions and Other Risk Factors

2008-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Teen Drivers - Distractions and Other Risk Factors
by: Valerie Nay

Obviously, there are some pretty big differences in the danger factors between teen drivers and adults -- not the least of which are inexperience, risk taking, immaturity and greater risk exposure.

The good news is if we are paying attention, we can help kids stay more focused on safety as they navigate the teen driving years (and possibly reduce our own risks as fellow drivers).

The Facts:

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the crash rate per miles driven is four times higher for 15 to 20 year olds than for drivers over age 20. The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration reports that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for younger drivers, and that distracted driving is a factor in one out of every four crashes.

What’s Behind It?

A recent policy statement “The Teen Driver” from the American Academy of Pediatrics cites these reasons teens are at greater risk:

* Lack of driver experience
* Young age at licensure
* Failure to use safety belts
* Inadequate hazard-perception skills
* Distraction (cellular phone, food, drink, music)
* Transporting teenaged passengers
* Nighttime driving
* Speeding and reckless driving
* Fatigue
* Unsafe vehicle choice
* Alcohol use
* Drug or medication use
* Inadequate parental limit setting
* Unlicensed or revoked license
* ADHD

The Distractor Factor!

The study also reports a direct correlation between the chances of being in a car crash to the number of teen passengers. 16- to 17-year olds have a 40 percent higher risk of crashing when they have one friend in the car, 50 percent higher with two friends, and four times higher with three or more teen passengers!

The IIHS & NHTSA recommend the following for parents:

* Don’t rely solely on drivers' education – it may be convenient but typically it doesn’t do as good a job as a parent can at focusing on safety attitudes and decision making.
* Know the law – Restrictions on beginning drivers vary by state.
* Restrict night driving – it requires more skill and is generally more recreational – creating distraction and more risk taking.
* Restrict passengers – especially multiple teens. Nights are worse than days but passengers are always distractions for a beginning driver.
* Supervise practice driving – spread it over six months, continue even after full licensure and include night driving and a variety of other driving situations.
* Remember that you are a role model – practice safe driving yourself to increase the odds your child will drive safely.
* Require safety belt use – don’t assume, but insist that your child wear a safety belt at all times.
* Prohibit drinking – adopt a no-tolerance policy. Even a small amount of alcohol is an impairment to a teen.
* Choose vehicles for safety, not image – select cars with the best protection in a crash and avoid cars that encourage speeding.
* Make sure your child has emergency contact information with him or her at all times -- especially in the car.

Some parents use a written driving agreement to outline their expectations, set penalties and establish graduated driving privileges in advance. The elements of a driving agreement can include obeying laws, practicing safe behaviors and even maintaining the car.

About The Author
Valerie Nay is the founder of http://www.EmergencyContacts.com and writes a free monthly newsletter full of valuable information to help you and your family stay safe.

Planning A Child Care Startup?

2008-08-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

by: Dean Forster

A person, thinking about child care startup may very well be looking forward to a profitable business in the form of a child care center.

Setting up a child care center, is a flourishing business but it also requires a lot of dedication. The certain factors involved may be the cost of starting it altogether, making a business plan and looking after legal requirements.

These centers can also be started in spaces that are otherwise unoccupied during the entire week or within a school that has surplus space. If a child care center is set up within a school, it brings the advantage of having well coordinated programs.

After the location is decided, child care insurance is the next essential step. This is very crucial for starting a child care business. These centers offer dedicated services to working parents. Hence, these should provide a safe environment to the children. And, insurance works as an added security measure.

As this is a very fast growing industry, proper management is very important. This is also required to give the center, better recognition. As there are a number of child care centers, people will generally prefer the one that has a better management system. Therefore, better management system results in a flourishing child care center and great profit.

A management application is especially designed for childcare management that could be obtained before starting up the child care center. This software is easily accessible at a number of online and offline resources. This software provides complete, user-friendly and integrated modules that help in managing child records, billing and various accounting operations, available city subsidies, payroll records, direct deposits and preauthorized payment records. Find out more about childcare management at http://www.childcare-management.com

The child care software that maintains the records updates automatically. This helps the parents and family members understand the child's progress. It also provides an opportunity to them to observe the activities of the child. For the various child care institutions, security is of utmost importance. This security can be protected by using this software.

Finally, a business broker can be a good source of information. He could provide detailed information regarding a child care center like the availability of the area, its price, current market requirements and so on. He could not only provide you information but also help you strike the best possible deal of the infrastructure. Information of the brokers regarding a child care startup may also be found through a search on the internet.

About The Author
Dean Forster

Learn more about Childcare Management software, courses and daycare training at http://www.childcare-management.com

Kids and Money - Why Is It So Hard?

2008-08-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

by: Jenny Ford

We learn so many things as we grow up. We learn how to walk, talk, and get away with not doing our homework. We learn how to play complicated games, many of them involving pretend money.

So, why is it so hard for us to learn how to manage money?

Why do so many people struggle to make ends meet, even on reasonably high incomes?

Why do so few people manage to provide sufficiently for themselves in retirement?

It’s not rocket science. We know what it takes. And there are some people doing it. So why isn’t basic money management as widely understood as basic geometry?

Imagine what life would be like if making money came as easily and naturally as riding a bike or tying your shoelaces. Imagine graduating high school with a permanent, secure, passive income already in place. You wake each the morning to find more money has appeared in your account overnight! If you want to travel, you do. If you want to paint, write, or do any other creative activity, you do. You choose your occupation based on what you love to do, not the burden of having to pay the bills. You have all the time you need to socialise with your family and friends, to stay in shape, and to practice your spirituality.

This world is not a pipe-dream. It’s not unrealistic. The world is alive with opportunity, more so now than ever before, and the opportunity is expanding exponentially.

With the right knowledge and attitudes, today’s kids can capture their share of that opportunity, and set themselves up for life.

So, why isn’t everyone doing it?

Because not everyone’s parents have the right knowledge and attitudes to pass along to their kids. Some of those who have the knowledge and attitudes are still setting themselves up in life, working long hours, and find it difficult to break the knowledge down into terms their kids can understand.

What can we do about it?

As parents, we need to be conscious that financial education ranks up there with education about nutrition, health, and communication. We must educate ourselves, so that we can educate our children.

There are many places to go on the web to get that vital financial education.

The Cash Smart Kids program (http://www.cash-smart-kids.com) provides lessons for the kids, plus additional reference material for their parents.

The Rich Dad website (http://www.richdad.com) is rich in content, and contains information about the Cashflow series of educational board games.

There are numerous e-Books, ezine articles, and offline financial publications with an online presence.

And, of course, there are dozens of relevant books in your local book store.

About The Author
Jenny Ford is an expert in educating children about business and wealth creation. She is one of the founders of http://www.Cash-Smart-Kids.com, and her blog can be seen at www.RaisingEntrepreneurs.org.

She holds an Honours degree in Psychology, a Diploma in Training and Assessment Systems, and an Advanced Diploma in Business Management. She is the mother of three young entrepreneurs, all of whom started successful businesses when they were nine to twelve years old.

Teen Summer Camp Explains How Failure Leads To Success

2008-08-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Teen Summer Camp Explains How Failure Leads To Success
by: Jim Hartley

Teens at our academic summer camp, SuperCamp, find out an important life lesson when we talk to them about how failure leads to success. Our failures provide us with valuable gifts—they give us the information we need to learn so that we can succeed next time.

The only path to success is stepping out of your comfort zone and being willing to risk. What keeps us from taking risks? The view that failure is a negative and the fear that failing will cause us shame and guilt. How would you act if you knew that failure is virtually your only path to success? We know this because nearly all successful people failed a lot. But they learned, tried a new way, and went on to succeed.

If you hear the word “failure,” what emotion does it evoke in you? Guilt? Shame? Inadequacy? Not a pretty picture. Failure is the label we stick on unsuccessful ventures. It’s practically synonymous with incompetence. The word alone brings up feelings of shame and humiliation.

When we fail, we automatically send ourselves bad messages. We discourage ourselves from trying again, because if we try we risk another failure. It’s true that when you give up trying, you don’t have to face failure anymore. But you’ll have close to zero chance of achieving success. In order to really succeed, you’ve got to be willing to fall on your face a few times.

You didn’t start out being afraid of failing or hating to fail. When you were tiny, failure didn’t weigh you down with emotional sludge. When you failed as a toddler learning to walk, you had a good cry then you stood up, dusted yourself off, and kept on going. But somewhere along the way you learned that trying and not succeeding was bad. That it meant trying was bad. That it meant you were bad.

Your failures by themselves aren’t so terrible, for the most part. It’s how you think about them that gives them the power to shut you down.

When you fail, you experience two types of consequences: internal and external. The external consequences are what happen in the world as a result of your failure. The internal consequences are what happen inside you: the emotional impact of your failure. That math exam you botched your sophomore year? The external consequences were a bad grade and maybe a stern lecture from your parents. The internal consequences were those persistent little demons that whispered, “You’re no good at math. You’re too stupid to do this.” The bad grade came and went—the little voices stayed.

Because our society views failure in a negative way, we learn to avoid trying new things. Instead of risking failure, we fall back into the comfort zone of the familiar, the tried and true. In order to avoid humiliation, we let fabulous opportunities pass us by. But if you’re going to harness the power that lies within your failures, you’ll have to change the way you think about them. Learn to see them for the gifts they are.

Failure is not just one possible path; it’s practically the only path to success. It’s necessary. It’s required. You can’t succeed without learning. And in order to learn, you have to risk failure. Learning doesn’t happen in an atmosphere of fear. Why not? Because fear shuts down the experimentation process. People don’t take risks when they’re afraid. They won’t try something new. And what is learning if not trying new things? You can’t succeed if you can’t grow. You can’t grow if you can’t learn. You can’t learn if you can’t fail.

Of course, there’s a huge difference between appropriate and inappropriate risk. Not all risks are of equal value; not all risks are worth taking. Deciding the value of a risk is a skill like any other. Weigh the rewards of each risk against its potential outcomes, and look at the circumstances in terms of its impact on your inner vision.

You have to risk failure in order to learn anything. Whether you fail or not, risk-taking alone is a powerful learning tool. But the actual experience of failing is the fastest way to learn. Failure vastly improves your odds of success, particularly in the long run, because it tells you what to do—and what not to do—next. When you diagnose your failures and figure out where you went wrong, you’re teaching yourself, literally by trial and error, how to go right. Failing is a great way to learn and grow.

Treat your failures as gifts. Whenever you fail, the universe has just handed you a piece of wisdom. Don’t let it go to waste. Mine it for all it’s worth. Ask yourself:

• What happened?

• What did I learn?

• What will I do differently next time?

“Life is a series of outcomes,” says Simone Carruthers, psychologist and business consultant. “Sometimes the outcome is what you want. Great. Figure out what you did right. Sometimes the outcome is what you don’t want. Great. Figure out what you did so you don’t do it again.”

The only time you’ve really failed is when you fail to learn from your mistakes.

Affirmations for FAILURE LEADS TO SUCCESS:

• I’m not afraid to make mistakes.

• When I make them, I take the time to learn from them.

• I believe failures are opportunities for growth.

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” —Henry Ford

SuperCamp summer programs fill up fast. Parents, go to http://www.SuperCamp.com now to learn about enrolling your son or daughter while space remains. Age-specific programs are available for students in grades 4-12 and incoming college freshmen. At the website, you also can get a free eBook that gives you an inside look at what works with teens from a world leader in youth achievement, SuperCamp co-founder Bobbi DePorter.

About The Author
Jim Hartley works for Quantum Learning Network, a company that focuses on children and teen education and life skills.

http://www.qln.com

Improve Your Child's Eating

2008-08-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

By: Art Gib

As a child, I vividly remember my mother telling me that I must stay at the table until I finished my plate of hamburger casserole. I ate enough to satisfy my hunger even though I disliked the food, because I was hungry. However, the combining factors of disliking the food and not being hungry anymore made it a seemingly impossible task to finish my plate. The portion was too big, and I didn't need that much food. I didn't know how to explain this to my mother, so I responded by smashing the food, hiding it under my potatoes, and sneaking some of it under the table to the dog. I felt bad that my mother was frustrated with me, but I just couldn't finish it.

Sound familiar? If you are like most parents, you are concerned with what and how your children eat. Whether you're worried about your child's weight, appetite, or food preferences, you're not alone. Rather than focusing on the problem with your child, it may be helpful to focus on yourself'what behaviors you are doing that may be impacting your child's eating.

All children have a desire to eat. If your child isn't eating, eats too much, or refuses to eat food with the essential nutrients they need, it probably has less to do with their desire or ability to eat, and more to do with your feeding relationship with your child. What you need is to evaluate the division of responsibility of your child's eating.

Ellyn Satter, a notable dietitian, has studied and written extensively on maintaining a division of responsibility essential to a child's successful eating, and a parent's successful feeding. In Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family, she explains it as an understanding of the role that both you and your child play in your child's eating. This includes the child's habits and nutritional needs, the kinds of food provided to the child, and the expectations that parent and child have for each other. Parents who are too controlling or casual, however well-intentioned their actions may be, can inadvertently undermine an otherwise successful feeding relationship with their children.

Understand that you are responsible for what food is provided to your child, when it is provided, and where it is provided; contrary to many parents' beliefs, your responsibility ends there. Your child-not you-is responsible for how much he eats, and for deciding whether he eats at all.

Parents must provide a balance of love and limits for their children in order to best encourage proper eating habits. Have realistic and developmentally appropriate expectations for your child's behavior, and for the food they eat. According to Satter, it can take a child an average of 10-20 tastes before he begins to like a food. If you give up too easily, you could limit your child or deprive him of his right to learn how to appreciate new foods. Give your child options of several foods at once, and let him choose what and how much he will eat.

Children are incredibly good at naturally regulating their diet, and getting the nutrients they need. Encouraging them and allow them to choose without forcing them. This creates the right environment for your child to eat, try new things, and develop a taste for nutritious foods. Healthy snacks provided at appropriate times will also help balance your child's eating patterns.

Instead of being forced to stay at the table until I finished it, my mother could have understood the division of responsibility and allowed me to eat the portion of food that I knew was right for me. Of course, if I had come back twenty minutes later asking for a snack because I was hungry, then my mother could provide appropriate choices and limits for me. Having an understanding of her role as the provider of the food, and my role as the eater, could have helped us both avoid a lot of frustration and upset stomachs.

The bottom line is to allow your child to take control of his own eating, after you have provided appropriate choices and limits. This will encourage good eating habits, and help him become more like a grown-up in what and how he eats. Your child notices your behaviors and attitudes toward food, and is apt to adopt them himself. Make family mealtimes a positive experience for your child, and he will likely make them a positive experience for you.

Information about the Author:

Art Gib writes and contributes to many baby, child, family and parent online publications including HugaMonkey. Art is an avid baby sling supporter because of the positive impact it can have on families. For more information regarding baby slings, visit www.hugamonkey.com.

Parents to Blame For Children's Comprehension Woes?

2008-08-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Parents to Blame For Children's Comprehension Woes?
By: Michael Ford

Are you to blame for your child's poor performance in school?

Does your child actually understand what they are reading? Poor comprehension is a major contributor to bad grades and frustration at school. It is often assumed by teachers and school systems that if a child does not have good comprehension by the fifth grade they never will. This is completely false.

Comprehension means understanding what you read. Not just saying the words, but truly understanding the meaning and being able to explain what you have read to someone else.

According to The National Adult Literacy Survey, National Center for Education Statistics: Nearly 50% of the Americans surveyed cannot read well enough to find a single piece of information in a short publication, nor can they make low level inferences based on what they read.

According to ACT(The independent, not-for-profit organization American College Tests, Iowa, 2005), Only Half of ACT Test-Takers Have College-Ready Reading Comprehension Skills

Many children and adults assume that everyone has the same understanding problems they do. Some assume they simply can't read well, quit trying, and go on with their life. They do not realize that there are methods to improve comprehension.

Unfortunately, many students never receive the training they need in elementary and middle schools. The teachers may cover the basics of reading but never spend time teaching students comprehension methods. Teachers often assume that children either get-it or they don't. This type of teaching has led to many frustrated students falsely assuming they are less intelligent than others. They were never taught to read like other students. The result is that they have no interest in reading and do poorly in school.

When a child enters high school, the teachers do not have time or interest to re-teach them how to read. Students are then bombarded with more reading requirements and expected to understand more advanced materials. They simply do not have the skills do perform well because they cannot understand what they are reading.

Who is to blame for this? The school systems can take some of the responsibility, but ultimately it is parents who have failed their children.
We all know that children whose parents read to them at a young age do better in school, but have you ever wondered why this was so? Parents are actually teaching reading and comprehension skills to young children. Even if the child is not old enough to read, parents can model skills for them that they will use later. The interactive experience helps a child build reading skills which makes them more prepared when they begin school.

Parents often misunderstand how this teaching works. The parent may read mechanically to the child which results in a bored, fidgety child who only learns that reading is boring and something they want to avoid. The parent thinks they are helping the child but they are actually damaging the child's ability to read in the future.

A parent with poor comprehension may read poorly to a child and cause the child to become confused. This in turn teaches the child that reading is confusing and hard to understand even for adults.
Parents must learn how to read properly to their children and how to model good reading habits.

Parents must

*Model good reading habits
*Show a child that reading can be enjoyable
*Demonstrate how to extract meaning from the words beyond the literal meaning
*Stimulate a child's imagination using associations with written words
*Make reading enjoyable

By showing your child that reading can be fun and interactive, you can open a new world to their child. Comprehension skills can improve your child's school performance, increase their chances of attending college, and make their adult lives much more fulfilling by opening paths to better careers and to pleasure reading.

Information about the Author:

For more information, visit my website www.speedreaderx.com/comprehension.htm and you can discover how to improve your comprehension plus how to read to your child the right way. By Michael Ford creator of the Ultra Mind Improvement Studio

How to Build Self Confidence in Children

2008-08-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

by: Paul Hata

It has often been said that what your child does at thirteen very much decides what he will be doing at thirty. And this does hold some truth! If a child learns to hold his head high no matter what comes, he will most certainly sow seeds of happiness, success and prosperity that he can reap when he becomes an adult. It is the duty of every parent to create an atmosphere where their child can learn to be self-confident, responsible and courageous. As parents, you have the duty to believe in his capability, encourage him to take initiative and you will be positively amazed at what he can do!

Be Self-Confident As A Parent
Children learn through imitation. As a child spends most of his time with his parents, he grow up becoming like them. Hence a self-confident parent unconsciously instills the self-confident nature as a life skill in the child. A child is a great observer and thus it has been said that a child is the father of man! Observation forms the first half of learning while doing forms the second half. So if he observes you idling, not completing your tasks on time, getting confused at the last hour and the resulting fights and bouts of your temper, he might never know the right way to handle situations. He will also most likely be struggling with ill habits like procrastination, laziness and indiscipline.

Give Time For Your Children
Spending time with your children is something that can never be over-emphasized. As working parents, it is often very tempting to place your child in a daycare so that you can have ample time for other chores. Many a time, we conjure up excuses of having to earn a living, providing the best for our child so on so forth to justify our actions. However, what the child needs most of all is you and your time. His treasures are the games you play with him. The long walks you share with him, the time you spent in tutoring him and the way you tell him what he means to you. This imbues a sense of security in the child that makes him automatically confident. He knows that he has nothing to worry about. Once your child gets strong and self-confident, he will not need your money, as he will have the aptitude and strength to go out and earn for himself. As the old proverb goes, give a fish to a man and you take care of him for one day. Teach a man how to fish and you take care of him for a lifetime. That is how it must be!

Be A Loveable Family
The best thing a father can do for his child is to love his mother. Nothing else works better. Should there be problems between you and your spouse, children are the ones who suffer the most. These little souls are very sensitive and watching parents yelling at each other cuts deeply into his heart and can create long lasting scars in them. A baby is the most amazing gift that nature can present to you - he is your flesh and blood. It is a great responsibility to take care of him. Love is the most basic essential ingredient of a home. For where there is love, happiness and prosperity is not far away.

Have Trust In Your Children
It is natural for parents to be concerned about the safety and security of your child. However, do make it a point that you do not overprotect him. It is not possible for you to be with him everywhere and he has a responsibility to make his mark in this world by himself. Faith is the best encouragement. Being trusted can at times be a greater compliment than being loved.

Entrust your child with small tasks. Nothing is as grand for a child than being given the responsibility to handle a task. He feels honored and his self-worth increases. Begin by guiding him to complete the task successfully and soon he will have his own unique way of handling things. Nature has given him wings of imagination so do not clip them. Encourage him and let him fly!

Information about the Author:

Paul Hata is active in various community and social programs aimed at providing access to education and training to all regardless of race or religion.Access 1000s of Educational, Training and Degree Programs here - www.worldchristianpages.com and www.christianworldpages.com

7 Helpful Parenting Tips for Today

2008-08-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

By: Matt Chang

The worst thing that can happen is that you become your parents! Right? Remember thinking that you would never become like your parents, and when you grew up and had kids of your own, you'd be cool and hip, and your kids would love you. Then what happens? You become your parents right? All of the same things that stressed out your parents are now the same things that stress you out. Well, that's okay things happen and now you realize why your parents were the way they are. The bottom line is you really want to be a good parent and here are seven solid tips that you can use to help improve your parenting skills.

1. Spend time with your children. Yes, life is tough and finding the time to spend with the kids is sometimes really hard to do. But at the end of the day kids really just want to spend time with their parents, and the parents have spent time with their kids are the ones that can make a very positive impact. If you have more than one child, find ways to spend time alone with each of your children. Make a habit of taking one child with you when you do the grocery shopping for instance so that you can spend some time alone together. Give each child a chance to feel special. In much the same way a neglected puppy becomes a problem puppy, your children need attention. You don't need to spend money on them, you don't need to find all kinds of things for them, you just need to be there with them.

2. Communicate with your children. They say that 90% of communication is listening, so listen. Be genuinely interested in whatever news they care to share with you about whatever might be happening at school or with their friends. Try not to have any preconceived notions your children talk to you. Sometimes you may want to jump into the conversation but your children well appreciated if you can just allow them to talk. Take the time to explain things to your children and give them reasons. Make sure they understand and when you need them to do something clearly outline your expectations. Involve your children in the discussion and be open with them. Parent soar able to express themselves to the children often have better relationships with them. Children who participate in decisions are more motivated to carry them out.

3. Build your child's self-esteem. Be a cheerleader. If you have kids and they feel that you are rooting for them, and they'll be loyal to you and look up to you. Your words and actions affect your child's self-esteem. Praise your child's accomplishments, no matter how small. Let your child do things independently. Be generous with your praise, but make sure that it is sincere. Look for the good and call attention to it. But that does not mean to ignore the problems either.

4. Discipline your child. Be consistent with discipline and set limits. When you set an expectation you need to make sure that you hold yourself accountable. Your children will be confused if you are inconsistent with their expectations. Established guidelines and follow them.

5. Be a good role model. Do not live by the model do as I say, not as I do. Children are smart and they pick up quickly on hypocritical behavior. The last thing you can do is say one thing and do another. Once you lose your credibility with your children it may be difficult or impossible to regain.

6. Show that your love is unconditional. As an effective parent, you are responsible for correcting and guiding your child. This child is you, and you are the child. There is a genetic and biological connection between the two of you. The matter what happens, your child will always be there and you will also be there. Understand that your child will make errors just like you did when you were growing up. There is a phrase and the phrase goes... It is what it is. Remember, there are things you can control and things you cannot control, make sure you know the difference.

7. Recognize your own needs and limitations. While you are a parent and they are your children, don't ever forget that you are a special unique individual. You need your own space and you need to respect that and provided for yourself. You also need to teach your children that they need to respect you as an individual also. You are their parents, but you're also a special and unique person. If you can get your children to understand that, and can respect your own private time while you respect theirs, ultimately you should have a great relationship.

Information about the Author:

For a great selection on baby car seats, visit buybabycarseats.com They have a large selection of Britax car seats and also Graco car seats.

Always Reinforce Good Behavior In Children

2008-08-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

By: Kim Patrick

My children were angels this morning. Horray! It so makes the morning go easier when things run smoothly of a morning. Two of my kids were up and dressed before 7am and all ready for school - lunches packed, hair combed, teeth brushed, beds made. What a breath of fresh air to get up to that.

Then came the question, "Mum, since I am ready for school, can I please go on the computer?" Now, generally I have a rule and that rule is that nobody gets to go on the computer before school. Usually if I let one child go on it will distract the others and everyone ends up being late for school. But today my kids had done so much so quickly and excelled themselves so I wanted to let them know that good behvaior is always noticed and will be acknowledged in some small way every time.

I said to my two boys, "OK, what is your plan? I need to be on the computer by 8am so between the two of you there is only one hour. How are you going to plan your time wisely? I put the onus on them to sort out who would go first, how long their turns would be, as the last thing I wanted on a Monday morning was an argument before school.

The boys put their heads together and chatted and came up with their plan. They came back to me and Sam said, "Kieren's going on now until 7.30am and then I am going on until 8am". I listened to their suggestion and reminded then that I would need the computer promptly at 8am and that I didn't mean 10 past 8am.

The boys agreed that they could stick to those rules so off they went happily. They had worked really hard to get ready for school so early and deserved to be rewarded. Now here's the thing: my kids did deserve recognition for their outstanding efforts this morning in preparing for school. I decided that I was prepared to bend the rules and allow them to go on the computer. That was my choice and I made it. If parents make the rules they have the right to bend them also.

I'm not saying that it is always OK to bend the rules but sometimes it is OK. When kids see that you are kind and compassionate and not just some big authority figure they will respond to you much better. My kids have left for school now and they were off the computer before 8am for me.

So they have proven trustworthy in this one area. So, next time they come to me of a morning and ask the same question, what do you think my answer might be? I think I am very likely to say "yes" again. why? Kieren and Sam have proven that they can be trusted with the computer in the morning.

We need to remember to give our children plenty of opportunity to earn our trust and my kids earned my trust this morning. I was really proud of them and I hope they felt proud of themselves as well - there was no fighting over the computer; they played nicely and the morning went very smoothly.

I am glad I chose to give my kids a liberty today. It was a liberty well deserved. and I wouldn't mind betting my kids will come home from school and thank me for letting them on the computer this morning.

The main thing that my kids can learn from this experience is that there are good consequences from good behavior. My kids were well behaved and received an unexpected reward for their efforts. And that is how the real world operates.

Information about the Author:

Kim Patrick is a single mother with four children, living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. She is author of the book, "Get Your Child To Behave In 30 Days Or Less". Her web site is: www.mychildcanbehave.com

Faking Confidence for Greater Child Safety

2008-08-05T02:47:00.000-07:00

By: Joyce Jackson

Confident kids are safer kids. It's common sense and no special safety secret. Kids who are confident are naturally less of a target for predators and criminals, even the bullies at school.

Confidence belies and underlying, subconscious message that says, "I'm not easy. I'm not going down." Confidence takes care of thwarting the majority of potential threats from other people your child can face.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids today that are not confident. They shrink from contact with adults. They bow their heads and look at their feet when they talk with others. They feel just a little less important than other kids and they fail to make eye contact with even the smallest of other children.

If your young child is not very confident, then teach then to pretend they are confident. Yes, this is a very sensitive issue with most parents. No one wants to admit their child lacks self-esteem. In doing so one admits they have not built it into their child from birth. Who wants that kind of responsibility or admittance of failure?

However, you need to make a difficult assessment. Again, if your child is not confident, then teach them to pretend they are. Teach it as a game. Call it the "Feel Good Feel Bad" game.

Ask them if they want to play a game. Get excited, get their attention. Play it with them. Have your child walk around the room and at the command of "Feel Bad!" have them hang their heads, shuffle around and moan. Actually ask them to go back to a time when they might have been sick or sad, and remember what that feels like in their bodies. In doing so, we can actually begin to see some of the
children sagging in their posture.

After a few minutes of this ask them to remember a time when they were really, really happy and excited. Perhaps it was their birthday. Perhaps it was Christmas Day, opening presents. Whatever it is, we take them there in their minds for a brief few moments and have them bounce around feeling happy. You can see them physically straightening up as they envision their happy, exciting moments.

Through a series of "Feel Bad!" and "Feel Good!" commands you expose them to the way these two states feel and the bodily sensations that each of them create. You want them to be able to differentiate between physically feeling good and feeling bad.

More importantly, when you see they understand the difference, you can then teach them to pretend they can "Feel Good" even when they don't. What you are really doing is getting them to turn feeling good on whenever they want to do it.

This means they can at least project confidence even though they may not feel that way for any number of reasons. You can now get them to "Feel Good" and appear so (meaning appearing more confident) especially when they are outside or alone.

If you can get your child to appear confident even when they don't feel that way they become less of a target for predators. Kids can learn to fake out predators with these simple games. They give a child an extra edge of safety whenever they may find themselves alone without Mom or Dad.

It is also possible that if your child can begin to feel good when they need to or want to, they tend to like how it feels. They slowly begin to gravitate more and more to those good feelings we show them. It means they can really take hold if parents reinforce these ideas at home.

Information about the Author:

Joyce Jackson is a child safety expert, #1 bestselling author, consultant, speaker and trainer. For her extensive website and information see www.KeepingKidsSafeToday.com.

The Dangers Of Buttons And Beans

2008-08-05T02:46:00.000-07:00

By: Victor Epand

If you go in to any toy store today, the chances are very high that every toy that is stocked complies with all current legal requirements for safety. There are, however, places where toys that do not meet this criteria are sold, and especially if you are purchasing toys from abroad, you need to be careful because laws in different countries will vary, as will standards. If buying over the internet you have to be especially careful in this regard.

However, what is just as important as checking that toys meet current safety standards is to think about the age requirements and suitability, as it is quite possible to purchase a toy which meets with all current legal safety standards, but which is aimed at children older than yours. Since children develop so very quickly during their early years, a matter of months can make a good deal of difference when looking at toys and how suitable they are. In some cases, toys are clearly not suited to younger children, but no age tag has been placed on it. It is important, therefore, that you take care when choosing toys for your own, and other people's children, and that when your child is given a toy by a doting relative or friend, you check out any potential issues with it straight away.

One of the most common problems are toys with small parts that could become a choking hazard. Small children, babies and toddlers especially, have smaller throats and windpipes, and this fact, coupled with their natural tendency to put things into their mouths represents a real danger. Small children begin to learn about the world around them by using their mouths much more that you'd imagine. Everything goes in the mouth for them to explore its texture, shape, size, taste and other attributes - it's a natural learning process. Teddy bears and other stuffed toys will be treated in the same way.

However, one thing which small children particularly enjoy is feeling the difference in textures from one part of a toy to another, and so button eyes on a teddy bear, for example, will be sucked and fiddled with much more than the rest of the toy. Although the buttons or eyes will seem to be fixed fairly well, the cotton thread holding them on will be subjected to a good deal of moisture and fiddling, and this will break down the fibres quite quickly, and lead to the button becoming dislodged. It is advisable to cut off any buttons or eyes from stuffed toys if being given to a small child to play. You can either choose only those toys with eyes and features drawn on, or sewn as patches of material, or replace the buttons and eyes with these yourself, or simply sew them back on when the child is older.

Similarly, many stuffed toys now have bean bag inserts in their bottoms or paws to help them sit up and be posable. Again, this represents a hazard as the toddler will be drawn to the feel of this unusual texture, and if the bag inside splits and the child gets a seam open, then they could easily choke on the beans. Remember, a child is often left alone for long periods of time at night, whilst surrounded by all these stuffed toys, and so it is very important to be very aware of these dangers, and take care to prepare the toys for safety, or remove them until the child is older.

Information about the Author:

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about kids toys, dolls, and video games. You will find the best marketplace for kids toys, dolls, and video games at these sites: www.4kidstoys.info , www.dollsgamestoys.info , and www.usedvideogamesell.com .

Mentoring Your Child For True Safety

2008-08-05T02:44:00.000-07:00

By: Joyce Jackson

As a parent, your child's safety from sexual predators depends on you. Your know that, especially when they are young, you are always there to protect them.

As your child grows, they need to learn various safety techniques so they can begin to keep themselves safe. Even the youngest of children need to begin to learn these skills, kids as young as four years old.

You can put your child into safety classes or have them watch a video about safety techniques. The most important thing, however, the crucial piece, in making it work, are you, the parents, taking the responsibility for insuring it is all put into place.

You must own the responsibility for keeping your child safe. Its not enough anymore to yell as they walk out the door, "Don't talk to strangers!" You must make sure they learn how to keep themselves safe from all kinds of potentially dangerous situations when you are not around.

When you're out with your youngest children you hold their hands, talk to them and make sure your family group stays together as you scour the mall, trot through the zoo or head to your table at the restaurant.

What happens when your child is playing in the yard when you're inside, at school when you're at home, walking the dog down the street or walking home from the store, is what really matters. Your child must have the ability to keep themselves safe in today'ss world prowled by sexual predators, when you are not around. And, Mom and Dad, it is your responsibility to make sure they have this "keep themselves safe" ability.

It means you must stand up and grab hold of an incredible power waiting for you to command and control. It is called the "Power To Keep Your Child Safe." Sometimes we call it mentoring.

Mentoring your child goes beyond parenting. It gets into making a positive difference by influencing your child to be the best they can be as a person. Mentoring means you maximize your commitment. It means doing what needs to be done. It means when you're tired, sick or fed up you still take the time and patience to insure your child is safe for their entire lifetime. Being responsible means teaching your child to be safe in a constant and consistent series of small steps everyday.

Is it easy to do? That depends on you. What is your commitment to your child? What is your commitment to your child's safety? If you answered resoundingly, "100%!" then it will be easy for you.

Your child's safety for an entire lifetime can be simple and easy with a few tips to added to the mentoring skills you already possess.

If you have not gone beyond basic parenting then we'll help you make the jump into true mentoring. It is one thing to understand responsibility. It is another to own it. Owning it is harnessing its power. Simply put, you own your child's safety. You make it work. Show and guide your child every step of the way in what to do and how to do it. Own the responsibility in making sure they understand it and learn it. Help them learn for a lifetime how to keep themselves safe from sexual predators when you are not around.

Information about the Author:

Joyce Jackson is a child safety expert, #1 International bestselling author, speaker, consultant and trainer. For her extensive website and information see www.KeepingKidsSafeToday.com.

The Fifth Secret To Safe Kids

2008-08-05T02:42:00.000-07:00

By: Joyce Jackson

We knwow that certain things, confidence, empowerment, positive praise (what we call 'catch them being good') and listening skills are four important elements in teaching your child to keep themselves safe.

"Repetition" is the fifth and final secret to teaching kids to keep themselves safe. This last Secret is probably the most important of all. We can teach your kids in the classroom. We can put all of our information into a book for you to read. However, it is all useless unless you use it and apply it, day in and day out at home.

Especially in younger children, where there is no mental capacity to create and build on memories, repetition is a crucial learning tool. True learning for your child, no matter what their age, however, comes with repetition. That is your job. You need to do it at home.

Repetition does not need to be boring, either. Make games out of things you want to teach. Use fun words and phrases your child uses when talking about safety. Fold in your child's favorite toys, cartoon characters or things they like into activities you do several times a week. These are simple yet exciting skills for
reinforcement activities. It's repetition with excitement. What a great way to learn for any child!

Working with our techniques is also something to do a few times a week. Stay away from daily practice routines as if this was a sport as this is the surest way to bore your child and lose their attention. Make learning safety fun. Make it exciting. Fold in the whole family and enjoy learning about true safety for a lifetime together. Below are the five elements of safe kids.

1. Build confidence.
Confidence and a positive self image are crucial in good child safety. Confident kids are less of a target for sexual predators. Not only do they stand taller and keep their heads up higher, they represent a problem, a less than easy victim for sexual predators.

Confident kids project "struggle" for any predator trolling for kids and more often than not, predators will pass them by. More often, predators will choose kids that appear weak and sad, a child in need of a friend. These are the kids that hang their heads, shuffle down the street and have a hard time looking anyone in the eye when they talk to them.

2. Empowerment.
Empowering your child to take care of themselves is one of the most powerful Safety Secret we can offer you.

Empowerment means you teach them to make choices, good choices, for themselves. When you mentor them as a parent you actually guide them into learning to make good, positive choices for themselves on their own. When they can do this, they will truly be safe for a lifetime.

3. Catch Them Being Good.
Building confidence, building a solid self image in your child, builds safety. Capitalize on this and highlight the good things they do more often than the bad things. As a matter of fact, focus on highlighting as many good things as you can rather than making a big deal about the bad things they may do.

4. Listen.
Listening to your child goes beyond the standard, "Yep. Un huh. Sure." These kinds of responses they get daily. True listening, the kind that allows your child to feel like they are really being heard and understood, is a special parenting skill.

5. Repetition.
Especially in younger children, where there is no mental capacity to create and build on memories, repetition is a crucial learning tool. True learning for your child, no matter what their age, however, comes with repetition. That is your job. You need to do it at home.

Any one of these safety secrets will allows your child a higher measure of safety. Together, they are very powerful and can help teach your child to be safe for their entire lifetime.

Information about the Author:

Joyce Jackson is a child safety expert, #1 bestselling author, consultant and speaker. For her extensive website and information see www.KeepingKidsSafeToday.com.

Summer Learning

2008-08-05T02:41:00.000-07:00

Summer Learning: 8 Fun Ways to Keep Your Kids Learning All Summer Long
By: Jamie Jefferson

Most kids look forward to three months of nothing but fun and games, but, as a parent, you know that learning should take place year round.

And while it can be hard to get your child's attention among all the swimming pools, video games and television shows that they'd rather be spending their time on, it's important that you keep the learning going (at least at some level) during the summertime. That way, when they return to school in the fall, they'll be enriched and ready to learn.

Here are eight fun ways to keep your kids learning all summer long, including some educational websites your kids will love.

1. Start your summer learning adventure by heading to your local library. Most libraries offer reading programs each summer that challenge your child to read. They may have flyers to help your child stay on track and reading suggestions divided by age group. Taking a weekly trip to the local library will be a great family activity to look forward to each week.

2. Instead of letting your child sit in front of video games all summer long, why not make the process educational? There are many educational computer games and games for video game systems that allow your child to have fun and can help them keep up to date with their basic skills at the same time. Keep in mind though that too many computer games, educational or not, will reduce your child's activity level, so make sure to use the video games in moderation.

3. Check out some free learning websites for kids. Three to try: Funbrain.com, math.com and abcteach.com (which has printable worksheets). If your kids prefer online communities, try Webkinz.com, which requires the purchase of a webkinz toy; ClubPenguin.com, which is geared for 6 to 14 year olds and is free to play but also has activities that required a paid membership; and WhyVille.net, a free online community for pre-teen and teen boys and girls.

4. Summer is a perfect time to discover, or re-discover, the unique learning opportunities in your neighborhood. If you haven't been to the local museum or other historic location within driving distance of your home, now is the time to do it. Make sure to talk about the history, science or other subject you'll be learning about so your kids can get the most out of the experience. Big metropolitan museums, zoos or landmarks are also great destinations during the summer. Even though gas is expensive, a road trip every now and then may be just what the teacher ordered.

5. Allow each of your children to choose a comprehensive workbook that they can work on a bit each day. Some workbooks cover math, reading, social studies and science. You might want to work out an incentive program to make sure they get their worksheets done each day. For example, each worksheet equals one ticket. Once they reach five tickets, everyone is rewarded with a few hours at the pool or a run through the sprinklers.

6. Play some educational, age-appropriate games, such as Scrabble, Boggle or chess. Purchase some family favorites in travel editions so the kids can play them on car rides and on vacation.

7. Learning during summer vacation can also take a more formal role in your child's life. If there was a subject your kids struggled with during the school year, now is the time to get tutoring or enroll them in a program to help them catch up. Make the experience fun by balancing their study time with some good old-fashioned family fun.

8. Vacation is the perfect time for sharing non-traditional lessons with your child that expose them to concepts they won't find in regular school. If they learned about plants this year in school, help them plant their own garden so they can see the concepts in action. Reinforce their knowledge of fractions and measurements by having daily or weekly cooking lessons with you in your kitchen. Many schools have had to cut back on arts and music, so summer gives you the perfect opportunity to let your child's creative side flourish.

If you tried to pack all of these ideas into one summer, you'd have a tired kid on your hands! Pick a few to try and keep the learning going throughout summer. By making learning fun, your child won't realize they are learning at all.

Information about the Author:

Jamie Jefferson writes for www.momscape.com and www.susies-coupons.com, where she shares book warehouse coupons: www.susies-coupons.com/schol.htm - and Limited Too coupons: www.susies-coupons.com/girls.htm

Today's Dangerous World For Children

2008-08-05T02:39:00.000-07:00

By: Joyce Jackson

Today's world is a dangerous place. Today's dangerous world is very different than anything seen before. It's dangerous for adults. It is very dangerous for our precious children. This sad truth is a reality however, one that you must accept and deal with in order to keep your child safe from sexual predators.

Many parents today just don't know how to keep their kids safe in a modern world. There is nothing wrong with that. They grew up themselves with their parents warning of "Don't talk to strangers!" when they were a child heading out the door to play. It was truly useless information to the child back then as it is today, but somehow made the parents feel their children were safe.

Many parents, although they are adults now, still think like this, today, however, this kind of thinking can not only keep your child unsafe, it may put them at risk as a target for sexual predators. This kind of thinking can really endanger your child.

"This guy has to be a bad stranger," or "Stay away from weirdoes!" seems like it has to help. The sad news, however, is it is useless. The fact is, many parents today have no idea how to keep themselves safe let alone teach their children safety from sexual predators.

Telling your child not to talk to strangers or telling your child any neighbor can be trusted is a recipe for danger. If you go around like this you are playing with odds that you child will not be the one ever approached by a sexual predator. That is roulette with your child's life. So, we'll help you change your ideas about child safety. We'll help you teach your child to be safer in today's world with a little education and knowledge.

Let's continue with understanding the problem of sexual predators today. Let's understand just how big the problem really is. The FBI states on their February 2007 website statistics:

-1 of 5 girls will be sexually molested before her 18th birthday.
-1 of 6 boys will be sexually molested before his 18th birthday.
-1 of 5 children has been propositioned for sex over the Internet.
-2 of 3 sexual abuses are perpetrated against teenagers or younger children.
-90% of sexual assaults are committed against someone the perpetrator knows.
-The median age for male molestation victims under 18 is 9.8 years old.
-The median age for female molestation victims under 18 is 9.6 years old.
-There are 400,000 new victims of sexual assault every year.
-There are over 550,000 registered sex offenders in the US.
-There are over 100,000 sex offenders that fail to register in the US.
-76% of serial rapists claim they were molested as children.
-Over 40% of male juvenile delinquents were molested as children.

These statistics are unacceptable. Some studies show in the last three years an increase in sexual abuse statistics, as well.

The problem with statistics is that is neutralizes the affects of abuse on the people that are touched by it. Statistics make the victims depersonalized and faceless. The victims, the children, are the ones that really suffer and abuse will affect them for a lifetime. Abuse affects all that it touches, too, including family and friends. Some victims struggle their entire life to overcome the horror of abuse.

Statistics are fine to make our point. But the real point is the poignant stories of the victims. Even in our field, we are constantly struck by the number of individuals who come up to us and tell us their stories of their lives and the negative effects foisted upon them by sexual predators.

Information about the Author:

Joyce Jackson is a child safety expert, #1 bestselling author, consultant and speaker. For her extensive website and information see www.KeepingKidsSafeToday.com.

Teaching Kids about Money

2008-08-05T02:38:00.000-07:00

Teaching Kids about Money - Do You Know these 7 Key Facts?
By: Theresa Markham

Almost everywhere you go, you can hear parents say: "I want to start teaching my kids about money while they're young, so that maybe they'll grow up and avoid making the same mistakes I did, maybe they'll be both wealthy and grateful." It makes sense that teaching kids about money is on almost every parent's mind.

There are several money gurus for adults (Robert Kiyosaki - "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," David Ramsey - "Total Money Makeover", David Bach - "Automatic Millionaire," to name a few). Of course, most parents with young children who are learning from these gurus eventually get around to wanting to impart this new-found wisdom to their children while they're still young.

Also, there's the huge number of conscientious parents who are in debt and who are on a path of getting rid of their debt. And then, there's the self-aware parents who have become introduced to, and may be continuing on the path of, replacing a poverty-focused mentality with an abundance mentality (e.g. The Secret, Law of Attraction, and various faith-based and secular abundance teachings).

Of course, America is very well-poised to finally leave the poverty mentality of The Great Depression, as the third or fourth generation is being born now. Finally, Americans are extricating themselves, bit by bit, piece by piece, of the deeply embedded beliefs and language of The Great Depression, which are negative and counter-productive to building financial wealth.

Maybe you read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," and a light bulb went off about how you look at money, and now you are at a loss of how to teach your children about money. Maybe you don't yet know how money works or what ROI means, and don't have the time to go through a long learning curve, but want to capture the opportunity to teach your kids about money now while they're young.

Here are 7 key points that you must know when teaching your kids about money:

1. Financial Wealth is created when your money makes money (rather than you making money).

2. ROI means Return On Investment. It is your Return On Investment - that is, the money that your invested money makes for you - that defines your wealth (rather than your earnings or your capital gains). For more teaching on this topic, read or listen to "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," and/or play "Cash Flow 101," to learn about getting off of the Rat Race.

3. Thinking that you'll get out of debt and become wealthy when you work harder, get a raise, make more money, have greater commissions, or make some landmark profits in your stock trading account, are just lies that the 20st Century American society has created. Wealthy parents know differently. Wealth is created by ROI, which comes from having your money make more money for you.

4. Giving is part of gaining. When you have Returns On Investments, it's important to keep the flow of money circulating - by more investments, more spending and more donating (charitable giving).

5. Good children's banks have 4 parts - Investing, Donating, Spending, Long-term Savings (to buy Christmas/holiday gifts, birthday gifts, Father's/Mother's Day gifts, etc.), and properly take care of money (rather than scrunching up bills and jamming them into a tiny slot). Why 4 parts and not 3? Try dividing up Grandma's $20 bill birthday gift to little Jimmy by 3.

6. Allowance only works if you have a complete plan to teach wealth habits to your children. Allowance alone, without more, won't do it. Allowance and chores are a dangerous combination. Gratitude in children doesn't depend on whether kids have to do chores in order to get an allowance - it depends on a lot of important things, but not that.

7. Children actually ignore you when you start talking to them about money (a.k.a. trying to teach them). Children learn by doing. Children get strong wealth habits by doing the same thing over and over and over - in an interesting and creative way.

If your family's plan for teaching your children about money is lacking in any of these 7 areas, fear not. There are lots of resources on the web and in bookstores to help you get your children on a good financial wealth path.

Find the one that works for you, with your style and where you're at in life. Now you're armed with these 7 essential points to evaluate which tools will be best for you to teach wealth habits to your children, even if you're not (yet) wealthy.

Information about the Author:

Theresa A. Markham, Esq. is the author of "The Kids' Bank Book: How to Teach Wise Money Management to Your Children with Fun, Ease, Smiles and Laughter," and donates 10% of the net profits to Champ House. She offers the Book and other info about raising wealthy kids at www.KidsBankBook.com.

Why Piggy Banks Fail to Teach Wealth Habits to Kids

2008-08-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Why Piggy Banks Fail to Teach Wealth Habits to Kids
By: Theresa Markham

We've all done it. We have a young child or grandchild and we think, "Let me buy him/her an adorable little piggy bank that they'll love and feed, and then the child will grow up and understand the value of a penny saved is a penny earned."

It sounds good. It makes sense. It should work. But, it doesn't. Why not? Because piggy banks teach negative, dysfunctional and counter-productive money beliefs, that we just do not fully realize or comprehend until we're into our busy 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s and trying to raise a family. These "piggy bank habits" are completely contrary to "wealth habits."

What are some of the negative and very limiting money beliefs that piggy banks teach? Let's take a look:

- Put all of your money here in one place
- Let it sit there being useless
- Ignore this bank, ignore your money
- When you want your money, then you must dig, scrape, bang, and break into the bank to get to it to use it
- If you want to count your money, you must dig, scrape, bank and break into the bank to get to it to count it
- When you do finally get to your money, you may find that maybe you have enough, or maybe you don't - it's a wild guess

Think about this:

Would you like to run your household finances with these beliefs? What if someone told you that you had to manage your household finances in this way?

You would tell them, "You're crazy!" This system would result in complete frustration, chaos, aggravation and dysfunction if it were applied to your household finances.

In addition to teaching negative money beliefs to our children, piggy banks are completely impractical and "disrespectful" toward today's money. Piggy Banks may be cute and adorable, but they are completely lacking in the basics that a bank needs to allow us to work with our money and to allow money to work for us.

Ever try to put a coin into a piggy bank after it's been jammed with the birthday gifts of $5, $10, $20 and $50 dollar bills? Ever try to put one of those bills into a piggy bank's little slot?

Piggy banks teach disrespect for large sums of money, and for the currency in general. Piggy banks teach children to just crumple money into a little ball and shove it in. As good parents, we teach kids to make their bed, fold and hang their clothes neatly, keep their homework organized, but, when it comes to money, the piggy bank teaches kids to just crumple their money and shove it in.

So, then, why do we train up our children to deal with money in a manner that is destined to fail for them when they try use it as adults?

The answer is simple - because that's what we were taught as children, and that's what is marketed to us. We do have choices. One of our choices is to do something different, and thus, to teach something different about money to our children.

We can choose to set up banks for our children that teach:

1. Separating money into compartments for different uses

2. Investing - so that your money makes money for you

3. Donating - so that your money can help others improve their lives

4. Spending - in an amount that fits within a budget and a plan

5. Saving for Big-Ticket Items - so that large expenses are planned for, rather than a surprise

6. Taking care of the physical money well - with a neat (and fun) place for coins and bills

7. Counting money regularly to mark progress toward goals, and to make decision making easier

8. The concept of Return On Investment (ROI) - which even many adults don't yet know

9. Compound Interest - which many adults know, but don't yet full understand

10. Wealth Habit Muscles - if a child regularly works with a 4-part wealth-building bank (instead of a piggy bank) when he/she is young, then he/she will have a strong wealth-building muscle when he/she becomes an adult (instead of the debt and rat-race muscle that is so prevalent today)

Piggy Banks - cute small silent insidious programming devices with huge negative debt-ridden consequences. Your mission as a parent is to disable the device and replace it with a tool that builds wealth and character. Now you are armed with insightful information that enables you to take the action you need to raise wealthy kids - even if you're not wealthy (yet)!

(c) Copyright Theresa A. Markham, Esq.

Information about the Author:

Theresa A. Markham, Esq. is the author of "The Kids' Bank Book: How to Teach Wise Money Management to Your Children with Fun, Ease, Smiles and Laughter," and donates 10% of its net profits to Champ House. She offers the Book and other info about raising wealthy kids at www.KidsBankBook.com.

When Your Child Is In An Accident

2008-08-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Lessons You Learn When Your Child Is In An Accident
By: Linda Dipman

I watched as my three year old grandson was wheeled out of the emergency room fastened tightly to a gurney with a huge head brace encircling his tiny head. I arrived on the scene just in time to tell him that I loved him as men with medical equipment ushered him out to an awaiting helicopter. He was being flown to a larger hospital where a specialist for his kind of head injury was waiting to perform an operation on his brain to save his life. Both of his parents had tears streaming down their faces as they helplessly watched their beloved child being flown away.

It was just a typical trip to the grocery store with his mom and 2 year old sister. Except this time instead of walking beside mom in an orderly fashion he thought he would help himself to a few choices of his own. Mom quickly took control and Chad was lifted into the back of the grocery cart and told to sit down. Chad became defiant and in a split second he perched himself on the edge of the basket only to lose his footing and fall backwards onto the cement floor below.

Anyone who has ever been a parent has had to deal with childhood accidents of all kinds. Broken bones, lacerations and of course the occasional bug bite that causes an allergic reaction once again forcing you to rush to the emergency room. It's just part of life, but how we react to the accidents illustrates to everyone whether we learned from the incident and changed our approach on how to protect them in the future!

This is the formula that every good parent must come to understand in order to once again walk into their child's future without fear! The key to activating the knowledge that teaches every parent how to protect their child from an accident.

Parenthood is one of the most difficult jobs that two people will ever undertake. As a parent you must learn how to love beyond your ability to understand why, discipline in ways that take consistency, imagination and fortitude and protect your precious child from all of the horrors of life. This process alone can make any parent question their ability to stand up to the challenge of a child who knows how to take everything you think you know and make you feel like you know nothing at all!

This is the genius of the Almighty God on how he uses a small child to teach parents Spiritual wisdom. Knowledge that can't be anticipated unless you have the responsibility of raising a child. A wisdom that produces insight in the hearts of those who cling to God in order to teach their children how to live the right kind of life. Most of all a God that demands you depend on Him in order for you to have success in your family.

Isaiah 41: 10, "Do not be afraid -I am with you! I am your God-let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you."

This is what it takes to be the kind of parent that survives raising a child. This is what it takes to face a world that is filled with twists and turns that can drive any sane person fearing their ability to survive till the next problem. This is the reason as a parent you need God as a supernatural fighting force for your family. You must read your Bible so you know how to react to problems. You must pray about everything! And you must raise your children with Christian knowledge and loving discipline. Most of all you must understand that there will be times that you will fail!

In order to teach your children you must listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and do whatever the Spirit tells you to do. God equips us with the knowledge we need so we will never give up on our children. He gives us the ability to handle whatever problem Satan throws.

We live in a teaching world. A world surrounded by an unseen spiritual world of good and bad forces. A world of spirits that enter the minds of men and influence them on their quest to find the answers to what is good and what is bad.

Satan the demon of all evil will use rebellious behavior from a child to make a parent fill totally incapable of doing a good job. He will work in the minds of moms and dads making them get angry and discipline in the wrong way. He will destroy a marriage by having a child play one parent's emotions against the others.

In order to protect our children we must understand who we are fighting against. Satan is the god of this world and his goal is to destroy families and make parents and children play the blame game when a child is in an accident. He wants to make us see our children as opponents and to hate them when something bad happens to them. The devils goal is to separate us from God by having us blame Him when we face something hard.

When Satan takes away the saving power of Jesus Christ then he has defeated families and rendered them helpless to do his will. He loves chaos and turbulence. He lives to replace love with hate. He does everything possible by influencing the hearts of men to give into their desire to roll up in a ball and become depressed and hate their families for causing the problem in the first place.

As parents we must understand the great game of life and our real opponent; Satan. God answers prayers when we give our problems to Him. But on the other hand everything that happens to us is a test. A test that teaches us endurance. A test that makes us better parents.

I Corinthians 10: 13, "Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out."

Parenting is the hardest job but it is also the same kind of role that God plays in each of our lives. God takes the bad things that happen to us in life and teaches us a multitude of different things. Like how to keep our cool when we face a difficult accident. How to stop blaming our mates. How to love unconditionally when a child is rebellious. How to pray in an emergency! He teaches us who our real friends are! Is your friends going to stand by you or are they going to blame you for the accident. Which of your family members you can count on, etc.

We live in a world where we must go through things in order to learn. But with God we can overcome all the things that happen to us. There may be a moment of sorrow, but in time Jesus changes it to a story of celebration of how you survived a horrible accident with victory.

Satan wants to isolate us from God and destroy the peace of a family. God on the other hand takes the accident and shows us how to defend ourselves against it happening in the future. God reacts in love and gives insight and knowledge to parents that are reaching out to Him for comfort and help. He tells us to pray the Lord's prayer and to pray for protection from Satan!

Just one week before Chad's head trauma his two year old sister rolled out of bed and broke her collar bone in two places. My son and his wife were panicked over their children's accidents. They did everything possible to correct both problems by putting guard rails on their beds to having another person present when shopping. Nevertheless they still had to go through the pain of feeling helpless to their children's suffering, but they learned valuable lessons on how to protect their children in the future.

Both children and parents survived their accidents for God answered all of our prayers because we ran to Him in our time of need. I was very proud on how our entire family rallied to their support. Each of us learned many valuable lessons, my other son and his wife put guard rails up on their young daughter's bed. And all of my adult children, learned the danger of shopping carts and standing children, even if it's just for a few seconds so they can see the toys on the higher shelves.

My daughter-in-law loves her children very much but unfortunately she learned other lessons from her children's unexpected accidents. She had been running a day care for the past three years and after the accident many of the parents took their children even though no child had ever been harmed in her care. This is the reason why every person needs to understand Satan's role in the game of life. We will at times fail according to the world, but when we put our trust in God, He will never abandon us and judge us like the world. He is our help and shield against Satan, who is the real enemy of children.

Information about the Author:

Linda C Dipman author of The Game of Life It's Almost Over outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents: And His Love Shone Down, my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. Lovinghandsministry.com

Getting Kids Clothing At A Discount

2008-08-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

By: Remy Na

If you have children you would know how expensive kids clothing can be. Shopping for kids clothing can be a total nightmare, especially if it is school re-opening time you are shopping for back to school items including uniforms, shoes and backpacks. What’s more, kids seem to want the latest in fashions when it comes to clothes and backpacks and that age just keeps getting younger every year. Years ago, kids were easily pleased; today, the much loved game of ‘tag’ has taken on a whole new meaning as kids vie with each other for designer labels.

If you have been feeling overwhelmed lately with the mounting costs of clothing and accessories, here are a few suggestions that will help you can save money the next time you go out shopping for kids clothes:

Shop Discount Stores For Kids Clothing

Take a look at some discount stores that feature designer goods at lower prices. You can sometimes save up to 50 percent at some of these stores. The hottest backpacks are usually those with characters on them or sports backpacks. You can usually find them at the end of the season at these discount stores, along with high end kids clothing that is marked down considerably.

The problem with shopping at discount stores for kids clothes is that what is in one year is out the next. This rings true especially when it comes to backpacks. Backpacks that feature certain characters may be all the rage one year, but be considered passé the next year or worse still....babyish. You can save money at discount stores for younger children, however, who are not yet in tune with the latest fashions.

Shop Flea Markets For Kids Clothing

Indoor flea markets often have the latest kid’s clothes and styles in backpacks and accessories. The problem is that they are usually fake items from China. Still, can your kid tell the difference? Sure, the quality will not last but as kids clothes often go in and out of style rather quickly and kids tend to wear down their clothes quickly as well, it should not really matter at all.

Shop For Used Kids Clothes Online

Used clothes stores for kids clothes and accessories are sprouting up all over the United States and more and more people have no qualms at all about buying their clothes second hand. If your kids are really young, you are in luck. Small children tend to outgrow their clothing before they can out wear it. The only drawback with shopping for used clothes, either online or off line is that your child will not usually get a chance to try then on.

Shopping For Kids Clothes Online

Along with used clothes online, you can find the latest kids clothes and backpacks at many different online stores. You can usually find up-to-date, new items that your kids will love and will not end up sending you to the poorhouse. Sure, you do not have the luxury of trying on the clothes, but if you are looking for the latest fashions in kid’s clothes, especially when it comes to designer duds and backpacks, you will not get any better prices than online.

There are many different online shopping outlets that make shopping for kid’s clothes and accessories a breeze. Best of all, you can let your fingers do the walking while you shop from home, no more do you have to drag your kids with you when shopping for kids clothes.

Information about the Author:

Ready to find online outlets that I spoke of ? You can get discounted womens clothing at rock bottom prices on our well known and trusted estore with thousands of options for women, men and kids. For all your discounted hats and accesories do visit our site.

Parenting A Child With Depression

2008-08-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

By: Eddie Hudd

Depressed children demonstrate many similar characteristics as adults who are depressed. Not everybody accepts that children can suffer from depression, especially if the youngster appears to have a happy and stable home life. However, it is a fact that the childhood years are a time in everybodys life when depression can take hold and affect you without you even realising.

To be able to understand childhood depression, you must first have a definition of depression in mind. Many folks say they are depressed when they have an especially unpleasant or sad day, but there is an essential difference between these short-lived feelings of misery and a genuine depressive disorder. Clinical depression is a continuous, pervasive sense of sadness, fear, and anxiety. If this type of true depression is left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues and even suicidal thoughts.

The general assumption amongst most adults is that children who are well fed, looked after properly and have a stable home life have no reason to be depressed. However, the reality is that early life is not completely the happy-go-lucky frolic we imagine it to be. Many youngsters feel tremendous pressure from their peers and society as a whole, to be something they are not in order to fit in. Additionally others feel that they must attain a certain degree of perfection in order to satisfy the important adults in their lives. Children have very little control over their own lives, and this can be very frightening for them in a sense that they have a difficult time understanding. It is in these situations that many children wind up being depressed.

Although scientists have a very limited understanding about the functioning of the human brain, they do know that certain chemical imbalances can lead to depression, which shows itself as an emotional response. Consequently, it is the imbalance that has to treated which often involves medications and relaxation techniques that balance out these chemicals.

Children who are depressed will often have continual feelings of sadness or be constantly tetchy. They will often express or exhibit a low self-image with statements such as 'I am no good' or 'I am so stupid' that seem to come out for no obvious reason. They will find it difficult to concentrate on any one thing and they may loose sleep, or start to sleep too much. There may also be a dramatic increase or decrease in their appetite and activity levels. Physical symptoms can often manifest themselves in the form of a continual stomachache or headache that have no obvious triggers. Other changes in the child's normal routine or behaviour can also be signs of depression. Of course, the depression may be triggered by an obvious event such the death of a close relative or pet, a change of school or a sudden move. However, when the symptoms of depression persist for an extended period that is when it becomes dangerous.

If you, as a parent, suspect that you child is suffering from depression, it is important to seek immediate help from a doctor that has experience of dealing with depressed children. They may prescribe some form of medication or counselling for your youngster.

The most important thing to do as a parent is to be proactive and ensure that your child gets the necessary treatment, so that he or she can live an exciting and fun filled life; the sort of life that childhood is made for!

Information about the Author:

To learn much more about Healthy Living for Children, visit www.healthylivinganswers.com/childrens-health/ where you can find this and much more, including whether or not Parents are to Blame for Childhood Obesity

5 Steps to Internet Safety for Kids

2008-08-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

By: JR Lang

While the Internet has certainly brought a wealth of information, convenience and has a made the world a much smaller place, the Internet has its liabilities and especially so for children and teens. The responsibility of protecting children from online dangers lies with parents. There are several steps you can take to provide Internet safety for kids.

One solution, which many choose, is to completely restrict their children from using the Internet. This solution is not always the best option. One, the Internet is here to stay, it is an important part of everyday life, and its use is a skill that is often required by schools and in the work place. Also, if you just tell your kids that they cannot have or use then Internet then you eliminate the opportunity to teach them how to use it safely. So, if they do use it when they are away from you, at a friends house or school then they will not have the tools they need to stay safe. Having talks and discussions with children about the risks is important, and as a parent you should set certain limits give them the information they need to stay safe and keep the conversation open in regards to Internet safety.

The following are 5 hands-on steps you can take to teach, limit and restrict children while they are online and therefore provide Internet safety for your kids.

5 Steps to Internet Safety for Kids: First of all have a conversation with your kids. Explain to them, in as much detail as their age will allow some of the dangers that exist online. For example, that strangers in chat rooms, are just that, strangers. That they should never agree to meet anyone, give out their names, phone numbers, address etc. The same conversation that you had with them about not talking to strangers applies even more so when online, so use that and extend it further. Please remember that most of these steps will only apply to computers you have at home. When your children are away from you they will have access to other computers and that is when those conversations will be the guidance that ensures their safety.

Secondly, there is software available, which can help to protect your children from any content that is not appropriate for them. Software like, Microsoft Windows Vista Parental Controls, helps parents to manage, monitor and administer the use of the computer by kids. The software, Windows Live OneCare Family Safety, filters certain chosen information and even a childs' searches can be blocked for certain keywords.

Third, all web browsers allow for parental control settings. You can make personalized adjustments from the browser to set limits that you desire and to insure your childs' safety.

Fourth, you can increase childrens' safety by creating Limited User Accounts for your children from your Administrative Account. This restricts children from changing system settings, installing any new software which includes chat programs, games, etc. You can see the help section of your Operating System for detailed instructions on how to create User Accounts.

Fifth, be active and be a snoop. Yes a snoop, keep track of the websites that children are surfing. You can view all websites that they visited in the History List or Cookies from the web browser. You can even see email addresses, correspondence and downloaded files.

Always remember that these are concrete steps that will provide Internet safety for your kids and protect them while they are online and still allow them to get the benefits of using and learning to use the Internet.