Meet The Twixters!
September 30, 2006
There is a new stage of development for parents to consider.
The stages of development are roughly the following: children move from infancy, to early childhood and onwards to middle childhood. These stages take roughly the first ten or so years of life. Our children then move into a long stage known as adolescence (with a number three sub-stages) that is a transition phase into adulthood. That’s it, right?
No, it seems that we have another phase that links adolescence with adulthood. The twenty-first birthday used to signify a move into adulthood and all its accompanying privileges and responsibilities. Now the years from 18 until 25 and beyond seem to have become a distinct stage of life, where young people seem to have lodged for a while, staving off the responsibilities of full adulthood. This phase has been dubbed the Twixter stage.
This group has been on the radar for some years but it seems only now that they are reaching significant status of a sub-culture. They have been variously dubbed ‘permakids’, ‘boomerang kids’ and ‘adultescence’. Their babyboomer parents don’t want to grow old ? they don’t want to grow up.
Whos Your Daddy? How to be a Great Dad in 5 to 7 Minutes
September 30, 2006
I am a dad. I have been now for over 8 years. And I suppose I don’t know just everything there is to know about being a dad, good bad or otherwise.
I have learned a couple of things though.
My wife, Susan and I had been married for about 6 years before my daughter, my oldest child Andrea was born. I cut the umbilical cord and almost immediately began to wonder how I was going to teach her. How could I lead her. How was I going to be the all knowing FATHER figure, I was sure I was supposed to be.
I wondered if I would have the wisdom in me to guide her through life’s biggest decisions.
How could I lead her as she chose a career when I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to be when I grew up?
How could I instill in her the wisdom necessary to choose a husband when my own wonderful marriage was a series of happy accidents, blind commitment and amazing providence.
How could I help her find her way spiritually and morally. The questions I anticipated were just so DEEEEEPPPP! And I was just so shallow.
Play the Ball, Not the Man!
September 30, 2006
As parents and teachers, sometimes we want to praise, at other times we need to rebuke. Either way, how do we put our point across with maximum effectiveness?
Adults entrusted with the character training of children have few weapons in their armory as powerful as praise. Just how powerful, we all know from our own experience.
If we don’t use this tool as much as we should, it’s probably because we haven’t trained ourselves to recognize opportunities to do so. It’s a skill that must be learned, like any other.
But a weapon that’s not controlled is, of course, an instrument of destruction.
Praise is not something to be administered haphazardly. On the contrary, it has to be perfectly targeted. And the most effective praise is specific, appropriate and objective.It is targeted not to the personality of the recipient, but rather to his or her achievements.
Baby Strollers - Frequently Asked Questions
September 30, 2006
Baby Strollers are one of the major purchases you will make for your baby. There are different types of strollers and in each category there are a variety of models. This may leave you with a variety of questions. Some frequent questions along with their respective answers are listed below. They deal with everything from the handlebars to the wheels and what is appropriate for newborns to older children. Your needs, how and where you will use the stroller as well as your budget will determine the strollers you will have to choose from.
Q. What are the different types of baby strollers available?
There are single, double, and triple strollers. Jogging strollers also have single and multi-seating strollers. Strollers with multiple seats come in Tandem where one seat is directly behind the other. Stadium baby strollers have the rear seat slightly higher than the front enabling both children a view of the scenery. Some strollers actually allow you to place your children in different positions such as facing one another. Another Tandem stroller is the double-decker where the rear seat is significantly higher than the front seat.
Q. What is a height adjustable handle bar?
The POWER of Your Words
September 29, 2006
Words are truly powerful things. They are something that becomes a part of us, our history, and our legacy. From my own life experiences, I have understood how words, simple words said in passing to a child, can leave an impression and help manifest a future purpose.
As a writer, I was born with words and stories of hope. When I was four, my mother let me construct words on a typewriter, always encouraging me to create more. Through the years, she gave me the words of strength, hope, and love that pushed me to become the first person on both sides of my family to graduate from college. When I was in college, my English professor, Dr. Joanne Dempsey, told me one rainy day, “One day, you will be a writer.” I’ve kept these women’s powerful words in my heart and have, in turn, tried to give words of hope and encouragement to others.
The POWER of Reading
September 29, 2006
Reading to your child at a young age is one of the most effective tools for expanding his mind and instilling a lifelong love of learning. Reading a good book allows your child to travel to places she has never been, to meet people she has never met, and to develop an understanding of how to deal with a variety of physical and emotional situations.
Reading to your child also helps you develop an emotional connection. Whether you have her cuddle up in your lap, nestle with him while he is winding down for bed, or read to her while waiting for food in a restaurant, you are connecting. Reading to your child from an early age will also help him be successful in school. Reading out loud will help him learn language and become familiar with words. Reading is the foundation for developing an understanding of conceptual information and it sparks imagination!
The Essential ‘To Do’ List For Your Prom Night
September 29, 2006
The Essential ‘To Do’ List For Your Prom Night
by: Jason Anderson
In the lead up to a once-in-a-lifetime event like your prom night, it can be easy to forget to organize something. The easiest way to prevent this is to plan ahead. Remember, the day of the prom will be very busy - get as much organized before the day as you possibly can!
Here are some of the things you should organize beforehand so you don’t accidentally turn one of the greatest nights of your life into a disaster.
Check opening hours - make sure you know when shops, etc that you will have to visit on the day are open. More than one girl has gone to pick up her dress on the day of the prom, only to find that the shop doesn’t open on a Saturday!
Research photographs - make sure you get a price list from the school before the night of the prom, so you know how much photos at the prom will cost (you can easily spend between $30 and $130 - even more). Check with the photographer before the night to find out what payment options are available - many will accept checks or credit cards, which is much safer than carrying cash.
Girls Gone Mild
September 29, 2006
Voices!
So many voices crying out for adherence and so many people confused about values, virtues and life.
What voices are calling out to you and what voices are you listening to?
My daughter is just now enjoying her first year in life. As I listen to the voices calling out to young ladies these days, I can’t help but wonder what the popular trend will be when she has to decide which voices she will lend an ear to.
As she enters young adulthood, I hope this is what she finds.
I hope the popular trend of the day is a video craze called, “Girls Gone MILD!”
No, that’s not a misprint!
I hope it is popular because it depicts women in the following ways:
* As more than full-of-brandy eye candy and toys-for-boys
* As pillars in the community instead of pillows for the community
* As being more concerned about innocence lost than being “not that innocent”
* As valuing their bodies and it shows by how they use them instead of showing them using their bodies to be valued
* As valuing being wanted for a lifetime of nights and not just a night of a lifetime
* As adhering to the belief in moral decency instead of the belief that it is indecent to be moral
* As being applauded more for lifting their skills to the world than lifting their skirts
Communication Mistakes Parents Often Make - And Easy Ways To Correct Them
September 28, 2006
As parents, we love our children and want to do the best for them. At times, however, the pressures of living every day create stress and distractions for all of us. We can easily fall into communication habits that are not effective, especially when we need to discipline our children or teenagers, or to talk with them about sensitive issues.
If we can talk with our kids more effectively - if we can find ways to understand them better and get them to really hear what we are trying to say - then we can work together to create more peaceful and satisfying relationships.
So how do we change those communication habits that aren’t working for us?
First we need to understand what is not working.
Let’s look at five of the most common mistakes parents make in trying to talk with their children. We say “trying,” because these mistakes actually create barriers to good communication.
Mistake #1: Poor Environment
By this we mean conditions around you that interfere with communication.
Choosing Names For Twins
September 28, 2006
There are many reasons for treating your twins as individuals rather than a pair. But if you must choose names that go together here are a few suggestions.
But first, always make sure the first name goes with the surname, and watch out for the initials - spell out baby’s initials to make sure you are not increasing her chances of being teased or bullied. Also, keep it sensible; we came across twins the other day named Mercedes and Porche - admittedly the babies will probably cost about the same as the cars by the time they leave home, and perhaps Daddy would have preferred the cars?!
OK, now to the suggestions.
Names With The Same Meaning:
- Tammy and Tasmin - both mean ‘Twins’
- Sadie, Sarah and Zara - all mean ‘Princess’
- Mia, Mariah and Marianne - all mean ‘Wished for child’
- Saffron, Yasmin/Jasmin, Daisy and Rosie - all are flowers
- Shona, Sian, Sinead, Siobhan, Joanne(a), Jack and Ian - all mean ‘God has been gracious’
- Cheryl and Charity - both mean ‘Dear’
- Carl and Brian - both mean ‘Strong’
- Archie and Patrick - both mean ‘Noble’
