Encourage Creativity Development in Children By Emily Watson

The art of creativity is vital in the development of children. Yes it is fun for children, but it also helps them to develop a variety of ideas and concepts about the world around them. The act of creativity helps all children communicate their inner thoughts and feelings by expressing these thoughts and emotions in visual and auditory ways.

Creativity can be engaged in a variety of ways. Children love to sing, create, move, and think is new and inventive ways and it is our job as parents and educators to help encourage the many expressions of creativity.

Benefits of Creativity Development

Creativity encourages a child to express him or herself and to understand the freedom involved in committing to a project they are in the process of creating. Creativity development provides a child a sense of ownership in their creation and fosters mental growth by encouraging the child to try new things, new ideas, new ways of thinking, and problem solving. As a child creates, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate the child’s uniqueness and sense of self.

Way to Encourage Creativity

It is not hard at all to encourage creativity in our children. With a little planning, thought, and a fun spirit, you can help blossom your child’s creativity and help them enter a world of unique expression and FUN!

Encourage Creativity Tip #1: Schedule it!

Set aside time each and every day for some sort of creative expression for your child. Let’s face it: life is busy with children and unless we make a conscience effort to do something, it may never get done! Put together a schedule where you can see it everyday and make sure your child is engaging in a creative activity each day.

Encourage Creativity Tip #2: Plan it!

Really work on providing one scheduled creative activity each day. There are hundreds of books out there that provide ideas for art projects and other creative activities for children that you can pull from. I have a book that provides all sorts of ideas for toys to make from items found around the home. Each night, I look forward to curling up with this little book and choosing a fun activity my children and I will enjoy together the next day.

Encourage Creativity Tip #3: Need some ideas?

First, take into consideration your child; their age, attention span, likes, dislikes, personality, etc. Tailor your scheduled activities around your child interests and you can’t go wrong! Some ideas my children enjoy are: playing dress-up, Playdoh, building blocks, coloring, pudding painting, finger paints, dancing to fun music, creating music with household items.

Encourage Creativity Tip #4: Join in!

It is rather easy and FUN to encourage creativity in children. What is fun as adults is to relax our own mind and enter the world of our child and see how their mind creates and perceives the world around them. It’s not hard to get your child excited about a variety of activities, especially when you’ve channeled your silly side and joined in on the fun!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374377&ca=Parenting

The Nutritious Kitchen: Healthy Recipes For Kids By Emily Watson

In the hussle and bussle of today’s world, finding and preparing easy and healthy recipes for kids can be a struggle! And then when you find them, there is so much that can goes into them: planning the menu, making the grocery list, driving to the store, doing the shopping, checking out in the long line, paying the bill, and driving home not to mention preparing the meal and sitting down to feast on your hard work.

Without missing a beat, the inevitable always seems to happen…the complaints.

“I don’t like this”.
“This looks weird”.
“I don’t like this color.”
“I want pizza!”
“Can I have a cookie instead?”

Nutrition plays a vital role in our children’s development, and we know this. But how easy is it to just grab a frozen pizza and call it a day! While tempting as it sounds, it’s our responsibility as parents to find healthy recipes for kids that can be prepared and enjoyed at the family table.

Below are a few healthy recipes for kids that have been a hit at my own family table. But before I get to them, let’s first discuss some tips on helping us plan some healthy recipes for kids and ways to get our kids excited for them!

1) Make a quick list of the foods your children love, hate, and are allergic to. With this in mind, it will be easy to pinpoint the recipes you’re targeting and onto the healthy recipes for kids your family will love.

2) When kids are invested in a project, they are more readily accepting. Find healthy recipes for kids that your family can contribute to. For example, get your kids involved in the selection of the recipes, let them help with the shopping, or get the kids help in preparing the meal and setting the table.

3) Select one new vegetable, fruit, or food to try each week. Make it a game with your kids. They may love it or hate it, but it will teach them to be open to new foods and experiences at the table.

With these tips in mind, here are a few healthy recipes for kids that have been a hit with my own. Give them a try and see if this could be a meal your family will love!

Healthy Recipes for Kids #1: Oven-Baked Carrot Fries

My kids love these healthy fries!

Oven-Baked Carrot Fries

1 ½ lbs. Carrots
1 tsp. Sugar
2 T Olive Oil
½ tsp. Salt
2 T Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
Pinch of Pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a shallow pan with foil. Peel each carrot and cut off the tip and the end off of each one. Cut carrots in half cross-wise, then cut length-wise, then cut length-wise again.
Combine the carrot sticks, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary and stir until they are evenly coated. Spread the carrots over the pan as much as possible.
Bake your carrots for about 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Serve them hot or cool them a bit to room temperature.

Healthy Recipes for Kids #2: Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a family favorite and is easy on Mom and Dad in both the prep and the clean-up!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

½ Onion, chopped
½ tsp. Garlic, minced
4 tsp. Cilantro, chopped
1 T Butter
30 oz. Chicken Stock
8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
½ package of Taco Seasoning
14 oz. can Mexican Style or Plain Stewed Tomatoes
4 ½ oz. can Diced Green Chilis
1 small can of Corn, drained
1T Worchestire Sauce
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (these can be frozen)

Put all the ingredients into a Crock Pot and cook on low for 8 hours. A half an hour prior to serving, pull out the chicken and shred. Put the chicken back into the soup and cook the remainder of the time (half an hour).

Serve with cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, and sour cream.

Healthy Recipes for Kids #3: Baked Spaghetti

Baked Spaghetti

1 lb. lean Ground Beef
10 oz. Whole Wheat Spaghetti
2 C Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
2 26 oz. jars of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce (make sure your sauce contains healthy ingredients and no sugars)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, drain and mix in your spaghetti sauce to the ground beef.

Prepare your pasta according to the packaged directions and drain.

Spoon one-third of your spaghetti sauce mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan and then mix the remaining spaghetti sauce mixture with the cooked spaghetti. Pour into the prepared pan and then top with the shredded cheese.
Bake for 25-35 minutes until brown and bubbly. Let baked spaghetti rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with a healthy salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374031&ca=Parenting

Health Benefits of Breasfeeding Your Baby By Beverly OMalley

The health benefits of breastfeeding are well established in the literature and also in history. Let's face it babies have been breastfed since the beginning of time.

Improved resistance to infectious illness:

Breastfeeding provides the infant with many immunological benefits and protects against infectious diseases. The mother's immune system is more mature than a baby's over time the mother has had the opportunity to build resistance to many disease causing pathogens. This protection is passed to the infant in the form of antibodies in breastmilk. Colostrum is particularly high in antibodies.

Mother's pick up microorganisms from their infants through their close physical contact and produce antibodies to any possible pathogens the baby might have picked up. In this way breastfeeding provides the baby with an ongoing external source of antibodies, that his own immune system is too immature to produce.

Better digestion:

Breastfeeding promotes the elimination of meconium which is the substance that is in the baby's intestines from life in the uterus.

Unlike commercially prepared formula the composition of breastmilk changes over the lifetime of the breastfeeding relationship and in this way breastmilk meets the baby's nutritional needs at every stage of life.

In addition breastmilk provides several protective factors for the infant's digestive system that protects against diarrhea type illnesses.

The baby's close physical contact with the mother through breastfeeding provides inoculation with the beneficial bacteria the infant needs to colonize the gut. These microorganisms provide the raw materials necessary for the manufacture of certain vitamins and the digestion of solid foods when the baby's digestion tract is more mature.

Early protection from allergies:

A baby cannot be allergic to breastmilk. The protein of breastmilk is 'species specific' and therefore the baby cannot be allergic to it. During the first few weeks of life the baby's gut lining is immature and permeable meaning it will allow certain large molecules (like protein) to leak from the gut. If these proteins enter the infant's immature immune system allergies are a possible result.

Breastfeeding protects against this by providing the infant with a substance called secretory IgA. This immunoglobulin in colostrum and breastmilk prevents the absorption of very large foreign molecules when the infant's immune system is immature.

The health benefits of breastfeeding are well known and pediatricians now recommend that breastfeeding be the main source of nutrition for the infant for the first year. The advantages of breastfeeding are so well established scientifically that it is recommended that breastfeeding continue well into the second year of life.

Beverly Hansen OMalley is a health promotion specialist and likes to write about health related topics that help people in their daily lives. She is the the owner of http://www.registered-nurse-canada.com where she explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of the nursing entrance tests for the US and Canada, comparison of registered nurse salaries across the country and what it means to have a nursing license.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372362&ca=Parenting

Colic, Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition - Fat is Where Its At By Beverly OMalley

Colic- what a word! This little five letter words strikes fear in the hearts of most new parents and brings to mind visions of sleepless nights, and endless frustration in trying to parent the new bundle of joy. Any parent who has ever had a colicky baby would not wish the same fate on anyone. Some people think that colic only happens to formula fed babies but this is not so. Breastfeeding is not a guarantee that your baby will be free of infant colic.

What is infant colic?

Colic is simply a word that means stomach pain. In the absence of any real scientific evidence the widely held belief is that infant colic results from intestinal cramping. Estimates are that colic occurs in about 20-30% of all babies at some time or another, most commonly in the first three months of life.

How will I know if my baby has colic?

Infant colic is easily identified by the baby's behaviour especially after feeding. The baby acts like she is in pain. Crying is often accompanied by vigorous leg movements and the child may spasmodically extend her legs during a bout of crying. Sometimes she will expel gas and have green stools. The baby's crying escalates as the discomfort increases and parents and babies alike become fretful. Nothing is more distressing that a baby who cannot be consoled.

Can a breastfed baby develop infant colic?

There can be no argument that the best source of infant nutrition is your own breastmilk, but even if you are breasfeeding, colic can still occur. There is absolutely no reason why breastfeeding should be discontinued if your baby is showing signs of infant colic. There are, however, things that you can do to change your breastfeeding technique and reduce the possibility and severity of the colic.

Breastfed colicky babies are very often good eaters, and have a good healthy pattern of weight gain. Parents often say that the baby seems hungry all the time but the more she is fed the crankier she gets. Some parents misinterpret this to mean the baby is not getting enough breastmilk and in desperation may switch to formula thinking that mom does not have enough milk. This is absolutely not the case.

In fact the breastfed baby who is experiencing infant colic is probably getting too much breastmilk, and too much of the wrong kind of breastmilk.

Here's why:

When you put your baby to the breast the baby starts to suck and a hormone is released that makes the milk ducts contract and breastmilk is literally 'squirted' into the baby's mouth. This is called the let down reflex and you might notice it as a slight aching that occurs within the first few minutes of the baby on the breast.

During breastfeeding the fat in the breastmilk clings to the sides of the milk ducts and is not released until the end of the feeding. Babies who have short feedings are often getting lots of the skim breastmilk (called 'foremilk') and not the fat rich milk at the end of the feeding (called 'hindmilk'). Because of the lack of fat hunger returns quickly.

Your colicky baby is actually getting lots of milk but the breastmilk does not have enough fat so she is not satisfied for very long.

The foremilk your baby is receiving has a high concentration of lactose and can cause intestinal cramping. Lactose is such a powerful stimulator of intestinal contractions that it is used in high concentrations for the treatment of adult constipation! Is it any wonder that the breastfed baby who gets lots of lactose in her feedings has intestinal cramping and diarrhea stools?

As a breastfeeding mom what can I do to help my colicky baby?

Your main objective will be to make sure that your baby gets more of the fat rich hindmilk. This reduces the concentration of the lactose and gives the baby the fat needed to create satiety. In other words the baby will be satisfied for longer if she gets more fat at each meal.

* express milk before the feeding. This starts the flow of milk and reduces the amount of foremilk that the baby receives.

* nurse only from one breast at each feeding. This makes sure that the baby completely empties the one breast and gets all of the fat rich hindmilk that lingers in the milk ducts until the end of the feeding.

* sit your baby up. This may require changing your usual position and using the 'football hold' . In the football hold the baby is held by your side facing the breast that the baby will feed from. If you are nursing on the right side, place the baby beside you, on your right side facing the right breast. Your right arm should go around the baby , along her back and hold her at the back of the head. You will need a soft pillow to create a little 'seat' for the baby so that she is more upright than lying down.

If these measures do not alleviate infant colic then you could try eliminating cow's milk from your own diet. There is lots of good anecdotal evidence to suggest that some infants show signs of improvement when mother eliminates dairy products. However, try the other measures first as they are more likely to bring about the best benefits for you and your baby.

You can and should continue breastfeeding your colicky baby. There is no reason to withhold the best possible source of infant nutrition from your baby if she has infant colic. Now that you know what causes infant colic, a few simple changes in your breastfeeding technique can make all the difference.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=373847&ca=Parenting

3 Ways to Manage Defiant, Aggressive Behavior in Teens By Jordan Adams

A friend of mine has been working with defiant and aggressive teens for quite a few years. Adam Jones is the president of the Harbor House Foundation, 'a ministry dedicated to the health and well being of parents and students.'

Through the years of working with struggling and aggressive youth, Adam learned very important truths for managing defiant and aggressive behavior in teens. I had the privilege of corresponding with him a couple days ago. I asked him, 'If you had to choose, what are the most important ways that a parent or guardian can manage a teen's aggressive and defiant behavior?'

Over the next couple of weeks, we will get more in depth on how these tips or strategies play out in your home. Here are the 3 valuable pieces of advice:

The Parent Should Always Control Themselves

Conversations and arguments WILL get out of control with your teen if you are not controlling yourself. A lot of the time, or most of the time, adolescents push their parent's hot buttons. For some it is intentional, and for some it isn't. Some teens act defiant and rebellious simply to inspire a reaction out of you. As a parent, you cannot react to your teen or their rebellious behaviors.

If you are always arguing with your teen, or if you lose your cool because your teen is openly defiant, you have just taught your teenager that it's OK to behave that way. Whether you see it or not, your teens look to you as an example, even if their harsh words don't say it.

A parent needs to always remember that they cannot control the actions of their teen. That problem alone causes hardships left and right. Parents cannot control their teens decisions. They can however guide, lead, and equip them to deal with their aggression and anger in a healthy way.

The Parent Needs to Recognize the Signs of Potential Aggressiveness in Their Teen

We'll break this down in future articles so that you will be able to fully understand the signs of aggression. While noticing and recognizing the signs is important, there are obvious triggers that anger teens. These triggers need to be identified by the parents so that they will be able to handle themselves when the triggers are present. Briefly, recognizing the signs of potential aggression in teens is often referred to as WAVE: wind up, agitation, verbal abuse, explosion.

If the Parent is the Source of the Problem, They Need to Remove Themselves

If the parent is not controlling themselves, and if the parent is instigating, this will cause a teen's behavior to be aggressive, defiant, and rebellious. An instigating parent is the worst ingredient for managing aggressive behavior in teens. Parents sometimes instigate their children because they don't know any other way of handling their aggressive behaviors. Most troubled teens take offense to such an attack. Adam also provided three points of focus for this one tip. We will study them soon.

Those points are prevention, intervention, and post-vention.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372477&ca=Parenting

The Baby Boomer Generation and Clutter Control By Beverly OMalley

The baby boomer generation are the children of the silent generation (born prior to 1945) and the parents of generation X (born 1965-1981). Baby boomers have exerted significant influence on the trends seen in modern societies simply because of the pressure of the population mass.

Born between 1946 and 1964 the baby boomer generation got this name simply because there was a population explosion following the second world war. Their parents (the silent generation born before 1945) were happy that the second world war was now over and there was a renewed sense of optimism that focused on families and creating homes to raise children. The resulting baby boom bulged the demographic profiles of many countries and the cohort of individuals born between 1946 and 1964 began aging together.

So what has this got to do with clutter control?

The generation cohorts are influenced by the significant social, political, and economic trends of their formative years and during this time the attitudes, values, and beliefs that influence their way of thinking are formed. In relation to clearing clutter the two influences that would exert the most pressure would be the home and the pop culture. Therefore it becomes necessary to understand how each generation has brought these influences to bear on the clutter control habits now being seen in contemporary homes.

It all started with the silent generation. They are the parents of the baby boomers and the grandparents to generation X (born 1965- 1981). The silent generation is sometimes called the veteran's demographic because the people in this generation were greatly influenced by the first and second world wars as well as the great depression.

With a strong view of authority influenced by the military model that suggested 'duty before self', the silent generation may to this day have difficulty with assertiveness such as saying no.

They grew up with very little variety or choices in consumable goods and were limited to what was available within a short distance of their home. Along with the purchase of goods was the expectation that the purchased item would last as long as it was needed. The silent generation grew up with the belief that if you throw something away you are a bad person because you are wasteful. Therefore throwing things away is never an option.

The mantra of the silent generation would be 'Use it up, make it last, wear it out, or do without!'

Over a lifetime the persistent pattern of thinking in the parents of the baby boomer generation led to the accumulation of more and more material goods in their home. Unfortunately their skill at clearing clutter and managing those goods did not keep pace with their skill at acquiring them.

So we can see that the homes where the baby boomer generation grew up were characterized by the accumulation of goods. This was a measure of success and reflected the growing economic prosperity of their parents as well as the changes in the variety of goods and services now available to them and marketed through the media.

The baby boomers were probably the first generation with a realistic expectation to 'do better' than their parents! Unfortunately they never learned clutter control skills from their parents. The ability to purge their possessions or even how to be happy without them was not something that the silent generation taught their children.

The clutter in the homes of baby boomers and their families is the direct result of the emotional attachment to their stuff and the lack of well developed clutter control skills. The clutter epidemic suggests that there is a legacy from the mid 1900's that is still exerting its influence in the homes of the baby boomer generation.

Stopping this epidemic means that the cause must be identified and understood before it can be mitigated. Clutter control cannot be achieved unless emotional attachments to material possessions are recognized and dealt with. The first step in clearing clutter is always learning how to purge possessions appropriately and without guilt.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372837&ca=Parenting

How do I Inculcate the Hobby of Collecting Toys in my Child? By Roy J Walker

Inducing collection as a hobby starting from their child hood would give your child a sense of belonging and the desire for possession. Both of theses feelings would in turn help your kid to be successful as he would have a desire for things in life. The girls are happier with their dolls and being with their mothers. It’s the father’s responsibility to induce the habit of collecting something or the other into their boys.

For inducing the habit of collecting something the fathers need to spend a lot of time with their boys and at the same time need to have a lot of patience as well. When it comes to boys the best thing to collect is toys. They are not only their favorites but have the required essentials for the process of growing up as well. They are not only entertaining but educational at the same time, also physical development is promoted. In case you looking forward to use toy collection as a habit or hobby for your boy it’s quite a nice option. But there are only few kids who have this as a hobby or habit. For the rest who show no interest the hobby needs to be induced.

As said to win a race, once must first learn to take small steps first. You don’t have to hop on the toy collecting hobby at the fist go. Understand your child and have patience as the process of inducing collecting as a habit is not a child’s play. Talking of collection as a habit – understand it’s easy to collect things that are available abundantly. The habit of collection would only be enjoyable if it gives a sense of completion to your kid.

To start have a very basic thing that you should ask your kid to collect. For example, once could start from round shaped pebbles. To make it even more interesting you could have a little competition for him. The kid could be told that both of you would be collecting a certain type of people and by the end of the week that who so ever would have more would be a winner. This could be made exciting by a winning price.

This would ensure that your kid would not only look forward to collect such pebbles but would want to have a huge collection. He has a target to achieve as by doing so his sense of completion would be the award or the prize that he gets form you. By talking about it and asking for the updates would keep the kid charged up for the competition through out the week. Ensure that you lose and your kid gets a prize. This would encourage him to look forward for such collecting events.

Slowly give up the competition and throw up challenges like – “let’s see if you could collect 100 coke bottle tops before Saturday”. You would see by Saturday he would not only have those 100 bottle tops but without you asking he would approach you to show his collection.

As guys would love toys - expose them to toy stores and places where they could find unique toys to add to their collect. By the passage of time you would notice that they would have take collecting toy as their hobby, making you spend when they are young & spending tons when they grow older.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=371424&ca=Parenting

The Classic Baby Gift By Stuart Sherm

A baby blanket is a classic gift and never goes out of fashion. Here are the some of the reasons why you can’t go wrong selecting this as your choice for a friend or loved one. If you’re looking for a product that is high quality, durable, functional, comfortable, and appealing to the eyes and touch, the plush baby blanket is the perfect choice. Available in a pretty sky blue, or a lovely calming shade of pink, and soon will be available in a beautiful neutral tone, these blanket are trimmed with satin in a slightly darker shade making an aesthetically pleasing contrast to the eye, and providing a variation to the sense of touch.

The softest material next to baby’s skin for the ultimate in comfort and contentment, your little one will rest sweetly and happily snuggled up under our soft, plush blankets. A bonus to purchasing one of these blankets is that they can very easily be personalized with the name and birthdates of the intended recipient, or whatever sentiment you wish, making them that much more of a thoughtful and special gift which is sure be a treasured favorite for years to come. The embroidery is a wonderful addition and only serves to enhance the thoughtfulness and care that was put into making the choice to give this item as a gift, without distracting from the other fine characteristics of this product.

These blankets also make a wonderful addition to say a gift basket that you might assemble with an assortment of other goodies for mother and baby, or you could even have a few on hand to be readily available for baby for car trips, or visits to Grandma’s house. That way, there’s no risking leaving the favorite behind by accident. How many times have we all done that? They are the perfect size for baby, not too big, not too small with plenty of slack to tuck into the edges of the bassinet, or around baby in the car seat without having too much extra material to make the situation bulky and uncomfortable. Of course, the blankets are bound to get soiled, but don’t worry; they are one hundred percent machine washable and dry able on the regular machine settings. Think back to your first blanket, or maybe it was a stuffed animal. Does it not recall to mind feelings of happiness and security and comfort? Maybe it went everywhere with you. A gift so soft, comfortable, durable and functional is guaranteed to be a favorite of both the very young and not so young.

So remember, when others go for the flashy new gift that gets used once and tossed in the toy and others opt for those clothes that baby grows out of before they even try them on your gift will stand the test of time. After selling them for more than seven years we can tell you that more and more moms re-buy them as gifts for their friends than any other option. Good luck in the baby gift purchasing endeavors.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372228&ca=Parenting

Keeping Daycares Fun and Fit By Kris Starliper

Playgrounds at your daycare facility are a great and fun way for your child to stay fit and healthy. Your child not only gets to eliminate excess energy while playing on the playground, but they get a lot of exercise while they are at it.

When was the last time you played like a kid on a playground? Running from the swings to the jungle gym works off a ton of calories. Swinging from the monkey bars not only is a great form of cardio but it also helps with upper arm strength which is something that kids especially have trouble with. If a child is sitting in a classroom all day a half hour of playing on a daycare playground helps to maintain a good work out regime. And the best part is that the child does not even know that they are working out, to them it is just fun play.

The best types of equipment for a daycare to have would be parallel bars that are low to the ground. This is a fun and safe way for children to work out their upper arms. Another great piece of playground equipment is a swing set. Pumping your legs back and forth to get the swing going really works out the leg muscles and helps with cardio.

Large toys that have climbing walls, slides, bridges, climbing ropes and other things that could be fun make believe for children are great for daycare playgrounds. It is a great way for children to get in cardio workouts. Running back and forth on the bridge playing tag is great for balance and cardio. Being able to use climbing walls and climbing ropes are a great way to work out the upper body and lower body of children.

Other toys such as steering wheels, binoculars and tire forts are great for a child’s imagination. When the kids are playing make-believe they are more likely to want to run around and have fun playing. It is important to remember that if children are having fun they will work harder. It is when children stop having fun that they stop working.

It is a good idea to have an indoor playground for rainy days. A safe place that kids can run around on indoors allows the children to still get their activity time even during the rainy months. However, it is important to sanitize these toys after children use them in order to keep germs from spreading. Plastic holds onto germs and without rain and the elements to wash the germs away indoor toys serve as a hotbed for bacteria.

Children are also more likely to put their mouths on indoor toys more than outdoor toys so daycare workers must make sure to kill those germs to keep the children healthy as well as fit. Daycare workers are with some children even more than their parents are so it is important to remember that the daycare worker is responsible for helping to keep children safe and healthy.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=371248&ca=Parenting

Wooden Toys Are Great Baby Gifts By Ned Marx

Still wondering what baby gift you can give to your child, to your niece, or to your friend’s son? The solution is very easy. You can go with books, cribs, clothes, and other stuff. But if you truly want to make children’s childhood really memorable and special, give them toys. With that being said, give them toys that would really stay with them throughout their childhood. If you are still wondering what type of toys that will definitely last a whole childhood, one word: WOOD.

Wooden toys are perfect presents for a baby shower gift, a birthday or a simple family get-together. One reason is the nonexistent threat of toxicity that is ever present in toys made of plastic and metal. Toxicity is big concern when picking toys for infant and toddlers, as they would tend to chew on their toys for long periods of time, especially teething babies. Another upside in picking wooden toys for children is that you can actually have it modified according to your specification. A wooden doll house or a wooden horse with matching names of its owners is great ideas for a personalized baby gift.

Durability is also a good reason why you should pick wooden toys over metal and plastic ones. Plastic toys are easily open to wear and tear damage and metal toys are vulnerable to bending, twisting, and moisture, which can cause rust. Rust can cause serious health problems. On the other hand, wooden toys are easy to maintain and with a little care and polish, they can last an entire childhood and can be preserved to be handed down to the next generation. What great gift can a parent give than a toy that has been with him or her during their childhood.

Say you have decided on making a wooden toys as part of your baby gift basket, there are certain things you need to look out for before making a purchase and give to a child. For one, make sure that what you pick does not have any removable sections or parts that can be a choking hazard. Toddlers have a penchant for wild and active imaginations, so pick wooden toys that aids them in this department. Toys such as wooden horses and cars, dolls and doll houses, and a few others fire up the imagination of young children. Such type of play also goes well with the cognitive, motor, and emotional development of children.

Always keep in mind that play will always be an essential part of person’s childhood, as most of the important lessons and skills are learned during this phase. It is during this stage they learn to explore the world around them learning to express themselves, and learn to bond with their families and with other children. Wooden toys provide features that really help children make most out of this stage in their lives. Durable, safe, and possessing the aspect of craftsmanship, wooden toys simply ranks as one of the best gift ideas one any person can give to children.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=371041&ca=Parenting

Helping to Set Boundaries For Kids By Emily Watson

As parents, it can sometimes be a challenge to teach our children about boundaries. In their world, the world is all about them so teaching our kids how to respect “the rules” and another person is vitally important. Teaching our children about boundaries is not only healthy, but will help set them up for success in relationships throughout their lifetime.

Below are some ideas in encouraging the learning of boundaries for kids:

1) Model healthy boundaries. Children learn more by what we DO than what we tell them to do. Act responsibly, ethically, and FOLLOW THE RULES throughout your own life in just the same way you would like your children to.

2) Make the rules you expect your children to follow clear and concise. Healthy boundaries for kids are dependent on this very step. If children are not sure of the rules and the standards of behavior that are expected, they’ll have a difficult time learning about boundaries! Sit down and have a clear conversation with your children on exactly what you expect of them. It helps, especially with younger children, to have those rules clearly posted in a visible place where they can be reminded of them on a daily basis.

3) Make sure your children are aware of the consequences that will take place should they break a family rule. Just as healthy boundaries for kids is dependent on children understanding the “rules”, it is just as important that they understand what will happen IF they decide to break a rule. When choosing a consequence for a behavior, make sure it is age appropriate AND appropriate for the offense, as well.

4) Be consistent and follow through with your expectations and consequences. If you decide a rule stands, it stands. You must, each and every time, mean what you say and say what you mean if you want your children to take you seriously. Your child must know that if they break a rule, the consequence WILL be enforced. Not all the whining in the world will change it!

5) Boundaries are dynamic and grow as the child grows. A long-standing family rule may need to evolve as your children grow and develop. For example: The standing family rule has always been that your child must hold your hand when they cross the street. That rule has always been enforced and worked great but now your child is 8. It’s time for that rule to evolve and allow your child some independence!

It is our responsibility as parents to set boundaries for kids that are age-appropriate and appropriate for each personality and family lifestyle. Children thrive and feel secure when there are clear expectations and consequences if those expectations are defied. It will take a lot of time and effort, but remember that the children you are molding will be tomorrow’s leaders. Teach your children to respect authority, treat others with kindness, and to respect another’s boundaries and you’ll have an adult who can change the world in wonderful ways!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374362&ca=Parenting

What You Need to Teach Your Kids About Money By Stephanie Hale

Most of us make sure our children learn how to read, write and make good life decisions to prepare them to become responsible adults. What most parents - and most schools - don’t do, is teach kids about money.

In many families, finances are a personal, private matter not to be discussed. As a result, children leave the nest without the essential skills they need to be financially secure and successful. Whether it’s out of ignorance or fear, this lack of communication perpetuates the cycle of ignorance when it comes to money skills.

You don’t need a degree in economics to teach the basics of money management. A few simple but valuable principles can go a long way in helping your child learn about financial responsibility. The information can help ensure they become self confident, economically independent adults.

What should you do?

Start Early–

Children can grasp basic money concepts by the age of 3 or 4. Once your kids are old enough to count you can begin talking to them about earning, spending and saving. Young children learn early on that money buys them things they want. Teach them that money is what’s valuable, not the toys it buys.

Teach Saving–

You can start by keeping coins in a jar or piggy bank where your child can visually watch their money grow. As they get older, take them to the bank and open a savings account in their name. Having kids set a goal of saving for something specific gives them the opportunity to learn delayed gratification and experience the satisfaction of reaching their goal.

Give an Allowance–

How much depends on the age of the child and what you feel comfortable with. You can assign household chores as part of the allowance to show how money is earned. Some families require a percentage of the allowance go toward savings and charity, and let the child decide what to do with the rest. Regardless of how you set it up, an allowance gives your kids practice handling and making decisions about money.

Share the Household Budget–

Routine things like grocery shopping and bill paying are great opportunities to teach children money concepts. Have them compare prices in the grocery store and show them the receipt. Let them see the bill for your mobile phone and talk about monthly expenses like car insurance and petrol. Sharing your budget will help illustrate the differences between wants and needs and how you make choices about money. When your kids are about to go out on their own for the first time they’ll better understand the expenses involved and what they can afford.

Encourage Older Kids to Get a Job–

An allowance doesn’t have to be the only way for kids to earn money. Start with a lemonade stand or let them sell toys they’ve outgrown at a yard sale. Depending on age, your kids might do yard work for neighbours or offer babysitting services. By holding down such jobs, kids learn about working, earning, saving, and investing money. It also gives them a sense of pride and self-confidence.

Teaching your children to manage money is a parental responsibility that will safeguard their future. By starting early, your efforts will bring them lifelong benefits.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=425258&ca=Parenting