Lets Protect Our Children
October 29, 2006
There are software programs that you can purchase to keep your children from accessing undesirable websites. There are two good ones, Cyber Patrol and Net Nanny.
There is also software that will create a log of all the sites that have been visited by your PC. It allows you to check on the sites your children are visiting.
You can also use your History Button on your web browser.
If you are running Windows 98, you can set-up a “Content Advisor” rating system to control how much of Web sites a person can view according to it’s levels of language, nudity, sex and violence.
To do this, you would go to the ’start’ button– ’settings’ — ‘control panel’. Double-click the ‘Internet icon’, then click the ‘Content Tab’ and the ‘Enable’ button.
When you click on the ‘Enable’ button, you will have to set a supervisor password. Be sure to write it down somewhere because you will need to type it in every time you change the Content Advisor settings.
Select the ‘Rating Tab’, click on each category and set a rating level. If you select all categories at ‘Level 1′, it will bar all access to the web, except the most child-friendly sites. Click ‘ok’ when you have finished.
The Parent Teen Relationship: How Effective is Yours?
October 29, 2006
It was the homework that did it. Each night became a challenge in how I was going to get my son, a non-academic, to do his homework. I tried patience, encouragement, and teaching, all to no avail. I moved on to bribery, threats and punishment, still no success. Finally I tried anger, frustration and tears, but still no joy. At the end of my tether I knew it was time for a change.
Looking back on my behaviour I could see how I had changed from a calm, encouraging parent into a demanding, controlling tyrant. This was a true wake up call; I could not believe I had turned into the very thing I hated to see in others. I asked myself, “what is more important, homework or the relationship with my son?”
The parenting relationship is a tricky one; one that needs to continue to evolve over time. It is made doubly tricky by the fact that the child uses this relationship as a role model for future relationships. As a child they see that adults have the control and power in a relationship; as they grow into adolescents they want this control and power for themselves. No wonder there are so many battles between parents and teens.
Baby Safety & the Family Dog
October 28, 2006
I recall how wonderful the baby swing in particular, was for moments of peace and quiet as well as much needed arm rest. A recent article (http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/parenting/02/23/baby.swings.dogs.ap/index.html) addresses valid concerns about dogs and mechanical swings. It is important to keep in mind that all dogs react differently and supervision is a must all the time!
I have seen first hand a variety of reactions to baby equipment by different dogs. Some dogs become desperate to chase and catch the moving swing while others seem to find it soothing. A human moving in the air is not normal to dogs and can be quite confusing even though the swing is grounded. It is important to know your dog’s reaction to different situations and stimuli. Here are some things to take into consideration:
1. Does your dog love to chase ANYTHING and everything?
2. Is your dog reactive to sudden motion?
3. Does he startle easily?
4. Is your dog sensitive to noise? If so, loud, soft or sudden? High or low pitch?
Why Scrapbooking Moms are the Secret Weapon in the War on Terror
October 28, 2006
There is a front line and a back end to every successful war effort. Rosie the Riveter was an icon during World War II and she was symbolic of the strong American woman who took command of the US economy and war manufacturing; without her there would have been no Allied victory.
We are once again embroiled in a bitter war and just like those times in the 1940s, the time of ending is uncertain. There is one thing that is different-women are involved in both the front lines and the back end and this can only be a good thing for America.
Regardless of which side of the political fence you stand upon in regards to the current war-you cannot disregard the sacrifices made by soldiers and the loved ones who bear the burden of their absence and, God forbid, their loss. But we must ask ourselves what is all of this sacrifice for?
There are many possible answers to this but here is what I think-the purpose of life is to constantly renew itself. This hypothesis is evidenced by the cycles of nature that occur around each of us every minute of every day we live. If this assumption is correct then it is our children and our children’s children that are the vehicle of human renewal and are therefore the objects of our protection.
Stress is No Kiddy Matter
October 28, 2006
Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives that we used to live as kids. This, I am absolutely sure of?.if there’s nothing else in this world that I am confident about. Kids live such stressed lifestyles now that I feel that it’s not even worth being a kid anymore and in fact, I’d rather be an adult, if I had a choice. Kids between the ages babies to 4 years old and during the preadolescent ages are the most susceptible to stress and stressful situations.
First off, let’s examine the kind of life that the stressed kids live each day, I believe, in most of our societies.
There’s school, there’s tuition (Math, English, Art, Science?etc), and then there’s tuition (swimming, drama, mandarin, French, Japanese, Spanish, dance, tennis), and then there’s also homework (which most working adults no longer have)??and some parents even give their kids more homework at home at their own accord, as if the homework given by schoolteachers are not enough. Blagh!
Smoking During Pregnancy
October 28, 2006
If you have been drinking up until the point when you become pregnant or smoking it is also vital that you stop doing so immediately. Many women worry that they consumed a few alcoholic drinks prior to learning they were pregnant. If you are concerned you should talk with your healthcare provider. Chances are that everything will be just fine as long as you stop immediately. At this time there are no recommended safe limits of alcohol to consume during pregnancy, thus it is best that you avoid alcohol all together.
Smoking is equally as harmful for a mother during pregnancy. Smoking can also affect your unborn fetus, potentially contributing to birth defects or respiratory problems later in life. Did you know that when you smoke your baby is receiving less oxygen than they normally would? This can cause your baby to grow less rapidly than they might normally, and may also contribute to preterm labor, which can be potentially life threatening for your infant.
Let Kids Help
October 27, 2006
One fantastic way to get your children involved in what they are eating, is to have them help. A great way to start is to let them make up their lunch for the next day. Obviously you will need to set some guidelines. For example, when I turned 9 I was allowed to make up my own lunch. In my girlfriends’ houses they were 10 and in some others 11. However, we all felt very important and grown up that we were allowed to make up our own lunch. Again, my mom had certain guidelines. We had to pick a lunch meat, fruit or yogurt and bread to put it on (white, wheat, rye or a roll; today wraps are another alternative). As I got older however, I cut down to a half sandwich as I found I didn’t always finish a full sandwich. I continue to eat lunch this way today, a half sandwich and some fruit.
Large meals make people full and sleepy, and they cut down on employee’s productiveness. Think of what large meals do to your children at school. We want our children alert so that they can learn, not falling asleep at their desks, so let’s keep those lunches on the lighter side. You can do this if you provide them with a good breakfast.
Healthy Eating Alone Is Not The Answer
October 27, 2006
Along with eating healthier we need to be more active. The two go hand in hand. Healthy eating + physical activity = a healthier mind and body.
You will need to be a good role model for your children. Don’t look for the closest parking space. Take the stairs, rather than the elevator or escalator. If your children have bicycles and it is safe, rather than driving them everywhere, tell them to ride their bikes or walk. I can remember walking everywhere as a child. Yes, I agree, it was safer back then, but we still had our share of bad people too. So use your best judgment and encourage your children to walk or ride their bikes. If your children see you walking the length of the parking lot or taking the stairs they will follow your example. In fact, I would go so far as to say if they tell you they want to take the escalator or elevator, or ask why you are parking so far away, tell them since you didn’t get to do all of the walking you thought you would today and you want to be sure you get it in, you are walking instead of riding, or parking up close.
The Cost of Competition on Kids
October 27, 2006
The subject of competition is one that provokes some pretty strong feelings in the United States. In fact, even hinting that competition might not be such a great thing can cause one to be labeled un-American.
The prevailing belief is that competition is good for everyone ? that someone without a strong competitive nature is just a wimp. That being competitive is human nature and to be noncompetitive is to have been born without a necessary gene.
But is it human nature, or is it learned behavior? The research shows that, given a choice, most preschoolers prefer cooperative to competitive activities. This would seem to indicate that dog-eat-dog is not a natural inclination. And in a New York Times essay, Nicholas Kristof told a hilarious story about trying to teach the game of musical chairs to a group of five-year-old Japanese children, who kept politely stepping out of the way so others could sit in their chairs. This would certainly seem to indicate "dog-eat-dog" is taught in some societies ? and not taught in others.
Feng Shui Fertility: Six Ways to Create More Baby Chi
October 27, 2006
Today, feng shui is used for everything from arranging office cubicles to gaining more recognition at work to helping aspiring writers become more prolific. But what if what you want is a baby? When you are trying to conceive, feng shui can be another tool in your fertility arsenal.
Fertility is such a delicate thing because it can be affected so easily. This is where feng shui can come help. Feng shui can help create a more balanced, harmonious ? and relaxed ? environment for conception to occur.
Obviously, the first place to look at is the home. Perhaps there is some kind of energy blockage. Another consideration is the personal feng shui are the parents. This is the feng shui that is related to gender and birthdate.
Unlike western thought, feng shui for parents places the most emphasis on the father and not the mother. The father must have what is called "descendant’s luck." This is where personal feng shui can be called upon to help improve this type of luck.
Renowned feng shui writer, Lillian Too, credits every book to her daughter Jennifer, whom she says was conceived after a feng shui master visited her home and saw that a tree was blocking her front door. The master told her that once the tree was removed she became pregnant.
