I know that every parent wants to bring his child up with a healthy lifestyle. While this is a good idea, I must stress that you do not take this thought too far, specifically in the case of food. If you’re
not careful, being “too healthy” with your child might actually put your child in a worse position.

I’m not an expert, but I’m a teen. I know what’s going on among my peers. I also have seen the effects of parenting, both good and bad, on a child. One of my friends is a classic example of parenting with good
intentions but bad results. My friend’s mother insisted on completely keeping him away from “junk food”. At home, there were no soda, no cookies, no ice cream, no chips, and no snacks (except organic
crackers). He was never allowed to have the slightest piece of junk food, which incurred negative results. Now, when he is out with his friends, or at the movies, his mom is not there to stop him from
eating all the things he was “deprived” of in younger years. All of the snacks and sodas he wasn’t allowed to have taste like heaven to him now, and he can’t get enough. Given the chance, he will drink an entire 2-liter bottle of soda.

How do you keep your child eating healthy without having it backfire this way? I suggest that you not completely ban snack foods/drinks. My parents wanted to limit our intake of soda, but rather than take it
away from us, they allowed us to have it on special occasions and our own family “pizza nights”. Now, we have soda available at our leisure, but my sisters and I seldom choose to drink it and keep it as a
luxury. You never can control everything your child eats, but teaching a child the right habits will set her up for a healthier lifestyle.

Shyness may seem endearing at times, but it also presents a lot of drawbacks for a person. Most people are shy when they are kids, but they learn to outgrow this shyness through exposure and social interaction. However, there are kids who carry their shyness through adulthood. Their lives will contain sequences of missed opportunities because they become too shy to go after what they want. Anything you do to ease your kid’s shyness right now can help him have a better future. So, how can you help your kid get over his shyness? Here are some helpful hints:

Identify the source of your kid’s shyness. Is your kid shy around unfamiliar people? With groups? During parties? Knowing the cause of shyness is the first step to resolving it.

Teach social skills. Giving kids the opportunity to interact with other kids their age will help them develop communication skills outside of home. Early on, you can arrange playdates where your kid can have fun while learning at the same time.

Become their role model. Children learn a lot by observing people around them. They try to mimic their parents’ behavior because they consider their mother or father the example they should follow. When you are with your kid, practice being friendly around other people and be more open to social interaction.

Emphasize creativity. Letting your kid know that there is more than a single way to success will help him think creatively. Provide him with positive or negative feedback when necessary. This will develop his self-esteem so he will be able to deal with disappointments and setbacks later on.

Provide a step by step guide to change. Help your kid overcome her shyness by breaking down the seemingly monumental task into smaller steps. Every success she achieves aids in the process of developing her self-confidence.

If you want your infant to be a genius baby who starts to speak your language super early in his or her life, do not baby-talk to him or her. All of that “goo-goo-gah-gah”ing to your baby is not going to help. In fact, it might even confuse the kid!

You see, all humans are programmed to learn phonemes. Every baby has the capability to know every phoneme in the whole entire world. For those of you who do not know, phonemes are the basic “units” of speech. They are the most basic speech sounds such as “a” or “i.” To go even further, morphemes are groups of phonemes. Morphemes are smallest units of speech that actually convey meaning such as “ed” or “er”. Different countries and different languages all have different phonemes and morphemes. But, believe it or not, every baby in this world is born being able to pronounce and “understand” every phoneme. Yes, your baby can speak Japanese.

But seriously now, by baby-talking to your child, you are not teaching him the right phonemes of the, for example, English language. You are probably harming your child because she will try to learn how to pronounce those phonemes rather than true ones.

You know how some people can roll their Rs or how the Dutch and the Germans have that raspy “ghh” zest to their language? Babies in those countries are not taught how to do that, they learn from the people around them. Speaking of other languages, it has been suggested that parents of newborns play foreign music when their child is around so that the child can hear the other phonemes. This may make learning a new language easier for the child later on, because they already have been introduced to the language. S

Babies are extremely intelligent, they just can’t verbalize it.

“I’m bored!”

Are those typical words in your house?  At this point in the summer, it seems likely that many households are resounding with that same sentence.  Although the kids won’t admit to wishing that school would start soon, they have become bored with the laziness of summer.

To help solve the problem of boredom, here are some suggestions for family fun:

• Pick fruits at a pick-your-own farm, and then create some recipes with them.
• Go to a minor league baseball game.  Our sister site, Buzzer Eagle, highlights all of the benefits.
• If it’s a rainy day, bake cookies, then watch a holiday movie with warm cookies and cocoa.
• Attend a craft fair, allotting each child a set amount of money to buy a souvenir.  Read about our adventure on Good Life Review.

What do you do to cure the end-of-summer blahs?  Add a comment with your ideas.

Living in New Hampshire, blueberry picking is a summer tradition.  In my childhood home our backyard was bordered by woods.  Walking deeper into these woods, I was able to find wild blueberry bushes.  I have many fond memories of summer mornings, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and pants, with one of my brothers accompanying me to pick blueberries.  Swatting at mosquitoes and itching new bites, we would pick berries until our coffee cans were full.

Now that I am the mom of four children, I look forward to taking them blueberry picking.  Unfortunately, our yard is not bordered by wild blueberry bushes, so we need to travel to a pick-your-own stand.  Conveniently, we live only a quarter mile from Durocher Farm.

On a recent Saturday morning, my husband, two of the children, and I got dressed and headed to the blueberry farm. I chose a large bucket in which to carry the bulk of the berries, and everyone else took a small bucket.  After being told where the best picking was that day, we walked deep into the field.  Each of us chose a bush at which to start picking and began filling our buckets.  While picking, I was able to have separate conversations with each of the kids, giving me brief periods of desired one-on-one time.

After 20 minutes of picking, we had gathered about 5 1/2 pounds of blueberries.  This would be enough for nibbling and some homemade recipes.  We paid for our fruit and returned home with the kids happily munching on handfuls of blueberries.

While blueberry picking is a quick parent and child adventure, it is endearing to me.  Not only does it bring back wonderful memories of my childhood, but it creates new memories for me, my husband, and our children.

School will be starting soon. Are you ready?

I’m not just talking about new crayons and backpacks. Children need time to adjust to a new routine. Start helping them get ready for a smooth back-to-school experience today. Here are a few things to consider:

• Sleep. Many children stay up later in the summer, and the long daylight hours can make early bedtimes difficult. Start your children on a school night schedule, gradually easing their bedtime back by 15 minutes per night.
  
• Waking up. Summertime is a time for sleeping in, but kids need to have enough time to get ready for school. Begin waking your children in the morning. Insist that they get dressed early, and finish breakfast on time. If they’ve grown used to watching cartoons while eating, and you don’t allow this on school days, start breaking the habit now.
• Food. Many children get into the habit of snacking throughout the unstructured days of summer. When they arrive at school, they won’t have this luxury. Begin giving them afternoon snacks at the same time they will be arriving home from school. If you help their stomachs get used to waiting until 3:30 for a snack, it will make it easier for them to make it through afternoon lessons on an empty tummy.
• Friends. Decide when you will allow your children to play with friends, and let them know now what the rules will be. Will you let them play directly after school? Or only after homework is done? Will phone calls be allowed in the evening, or is the phone off after 7 pm? Your child might complain, but you will likely have fewer problems enforcing curfews if your kids know what to expect.

It can take time to adjust to a new schedule, but if you prepare now,it will be easier for the whole family.

Your baby is growing up. He can walk, talk, and stack blocks. He’s fully capable of helping out now, too!

Giving preschoolers chores is good for their self esteem. They become contributing members of the family, and most little ones love to help out. Imitation comes naturally, and you’ll be providing valuable life skills while spending quality time together.

Their new chores don’t have to be difficult, but a toddler or preschooler can help out in almost every room of the house.

Laundry: Let your child help fold washclothes or match socks. They can begin to put their own clothes away and also start to dress themselves!

Kitchen: Small children can mix and stir batters and sauces. They love to dump things, and can add ingredients after an adult premeasures them. Older toddlers even can be taught to carefully cut up soft food, such as bananas or canned peaches, with a plastic knife. And all preschoolers love to help wash the dishes!

Play Room: It’s time to start teaching your child to pick up after himself. Begin instilling the habit of putting away a toy as soon as she is finished using it. Picking up toys is also great practice for fine motor skills and the pincer grasp, both necessary for writing. You’ll have a clean floor, and your child will have a headstart in school!

Bedroom: A toddler can help make her own bed, or at least put the pillow in the correct place. Make it easy, and ditch the complicated dust ruffles and pillow shams. Get a slumber bag or simple comforter, and show your preschooler how to straighten it on the bed.

Letting young children help out around the house may take a little extra time, but it is well worth the effort to have a happy, independent child!

Parents inevitably leave an impact on their children’s social, emotional, and mental development whether they are aware of it or not. Parenting is a highly complex undertaking that involves many individual behaviors that work together to influence the child. But looking at specific behaviors in isolation may be deceptive.

Research over the last several decades suggest that individual parenting practices are actually less important compared to the broader pattern of parenting. Thus, the concept of parenting style is born; it captures two important aspects in parenting, including responsiveness and “demandingness”. Four parenting styles have been determined and they are as follows:

Indulgent parents – also known as “permissive” parents; parents who use this style are more responsive than demanding. They are quite lenient and don’t require their children to act in a mature behavior. Indulgent parents also typically try to avoid confrontation with their kids and allow great self-regulation.

Authoritarian parents – these types of parents are highly demanding, but they are unresponsive. They want obedience, and they expect to be obeyed without question. Authoritarian parents provide structured environments with clear rules.

Authoritative parents – they are both responsive and demanding. They monitor their children, but they are not intrusive. Their disciplinary techniques are more supportive than punitive. Their aim is for their children to grow to be socially responsible but assertive, self-regulated but cooperative.

Uninvolved parents – these parents are low both in demandingness and responsiveness. Uninvolved parent are usually also neglectful parents. Their children may sometimes feel rejected and neglected.

So what parenting style do you fall under? A lot of people want to fall into the “authoritative” parent category, but only a few of them succeed. But who is to say which parenting style is the best? Ask well-rounded individuals who they think are the best parents in the world; chances are, they will say their mother or father is the best parent.

As a woman, I enjoy the occasional indulgence of a spa treatment. I have taken my 10 year old daughter for pedicures a couple times in her young life. She also has found these treatments to be delightful.

With a new 11 year old daughter in my life, I decided that the three of us should enjoy a morning of pampering. Reviewing the menus of local spas, I found one that offered a Mommy and Me package. Each of us would get a pedicure, mine including a paraffin dip, and a hand massage. The package typically is for a mom and one child, but the spa willingly accommodated 3 of us.

My 11 year old daughter had never been to a spa before this and was the more excited of the two. Upon arrival, each of us was given a glass of water in a goblet, which was quite a thrill in and of itself for the girls. Within minutes, our three aestheticians met us in the waiting area and brought us to the nail room. The girls chose the same shade of nail polish for their toes, climbed into their chairs, and got ready for their treatments.

The aestheticians were very kind to the girls and offered them entertainment magazines and checked that the water temperatures were fine. The girls enjoyed the massaging chairs and warm, bubbling water. I sat alongside them, soaking my feet, and listening to them giggle.

While only hand massages were part of the package, the aestheticians generously offered to do a quick fingernail painting for each girl. They happily agreed to this.

With freshly painted toenails and fingernails, the girls walked around the pond behind the spa while my treatment was finished. The spa owner reminded them that they had “princess hands” and to be careful of their wet polish. The girls loved this and strolled carefully on the lawn.

This definitely was an indulgence, but one that I feel was worth every cent. The girls were pampered, and we got to spend a day together. I plan to make this a yearly event, just three girls having a morning of fun.

Bad breath is nothing to be embarrassed about unless you don’t do anything about it. Bad breath in children is a common condition; it is not necessarily a symptom of a serious health problem. Some of the most common causes of bad breath in young children include:

Improper brushing

Breathing through the mouth

Dehydration

Infrequent eating and drinking through the day

Bacterial activity

The solutions below can help alleviate bd breath, so be sure to give them a try:
Ensure that the child drinks a lot of fluids throughout the course of the day. Less fluid will lead to less saliva and a drier mouth. This can create a bacterial breeding ground, which ultimately will cause bad breath. In addition, frequent snacks and drinks will flush away odor-causing bacteria.

Knowing proper brushing techniques is important. Also, you need to make sure that your child brushes his teeth frequently and regularly. Young children may need your help but letting them know the importance of brushing not only their teeth but their tongue and the sides of their mouth will benefit them through adulthood.

Immediately treat allergy and cold symptoms by suctioning your child’s nose with a nasal aspirator. This will help prevent mouth breathing and decrease nasal drip, which can cause bad breath.

When you notice that your child still has bad breath after four or five days of thorough brushing and after following the recommendations above, it may be best to contact your doctor. You should be concerned, particularly if you see green nasal discharge from the nostrils; it can be a symptom of infection because of the presence of a foreign object in the nose. On the other hand, call your dentist if you see tooth decay or gum bleeding.