Mi Choza De Nipa

By Dr Bill Maier The secret to a healthy marriage does not lie in how you avoid conflict , but in how you learn to resolve it. In a relationship, avoiding conflict is not healthy. That’s called living in denial . The key to building a strong bond with your spouse is to have a good system of conflict resolution . Dr Neil Clark Warren has some great tips for keeping conflict in line. You begin by seeing marriage as a partnership. Couples who view themselves as two individuals in a relationship are setting themselves up for trouble. Marriage should be seen from a “we” view, instead of an “I” perspective. When clashes occur, they should be handled quickly and decisively. You deal with it, then get past it. Never see it as a personal matter, but a decision you need to work through before moving forward. When resolving an argument, always have a give-and-take attitude. Remember that all partnerships demand a lot of compromise. From TODAY, Voices – Friday, 22-May-2009 Related articles by Z...

By Dr Bill Maier So what does it take to make a strong marriage ? Most people would say "love", and they are partly right. Love is critical to a successful marriage and most people would never get married without it. But young love is often nothing more than infatuation , and that is not enough to keep a couple together. So what about a love that is deep and mature — is that what it takes? Some might say "yes", but even the deepest love will not keep a marriage from being tested. The strongest marriages do not rely on infatuation or even love to keep them strong. They build their relationships on commitment. The difference is that commitment is an act of the will, not an emotion of the heart. It is two people saying to each other, "I know there will be tough times in our marriage and that we will not always feel like being together. But in spite of how we feel, we will commit to doing whatever it takes to make this marriage work". From TODAY, Voices – Thur...

By Dr Bill Maier It is the middle of the night and you wake up in a cold sweat . Your heart is racing and your mind frantically works to figure out what is wrong. No, this is not a bad dream ... you are probably having an anxiety attack. Extreme anxiety is more prominent than you might think and people who struggle with it often do not know what to do or where to turn. Some stress is irrational and can become so severe that it leaves a person largely immobilised for weeks at a time. In these cases, it is almost impossible to overcome it without professional help. But other types of stress can actually make us stronger. Everyone goes through times of trial and confusion, and anxiety is a natural response . A healthy dose of concern can often help us work through a problem, or motivate us to change. The key is knowing when anxiety has gotten out of hand. If you go through long periods of depression or laziness on the heels of a stressful situation, you might want to see a doctor. Fro...

EARLY PUBERTY Consult a doctor to rule out problems that could be linked to early puberty EVELINE GAN, eveline@mediacorp.com.sg AT AN age when most kids’ worries rarely go beyond homework and playtime, nine-year-old Liza Ang has to grapple with a very different set of problems. They include having to put up with unsightly armpit hair and learning how to use a sanitary pad: She started menstruating early this year. Understandably, Liza’s earlier-than-usual sexual development left her mother, Mdm Emily Peng, baffled and anxious. “Obviously, I was shocked. I noticed that she was showing signs of puberty months earlier but I didn’t think she would get her period so early,” said the 48-year-old sales coordinator, who added that Liza’s older sister got her first period only after she turned 13. Liza isn’t alone in her early growing-up woes. In 2004, a nine-year-old Singaporean girl gave birth to a boy after she was impregnated by a schoolmate. The baby was eventually put up for adoption....

By Dr Bill Maier “Just five more minutes, Mum, please?” How many times have you heard that from one of your “sleepyhead” school-aged kids? Mornings have become the new battle zone in a lot of houses. But here’s one surefire way to put an end to the “getting-ready-for-school” battle. Are you ready? Let your kids get up on their own! I know, I know, you’re thinking: “But they’ll be late for school and it’ll affect their grades.” But my friend Dr Kevin Leman says it won’t take long for them to get the message! The problem with forcing kids to get up is that it removes responsibility, and kids need to be held accountable for their actions. Tell them you’re only waking them up once, and then stick to it. The first time they oversleep, you might even call their teacher and explain your plan, and suggest an extra measure of discipline. The first step in raising responsible kids is to let them feel the consequences of their actions. Like my friend the Marine drill sergeant says, “ No pain, ...

By Dr Bill Maier You walk into the room and the first thing you see is lipstick all over the walls and furniture. And there in the middle stands your toddler grinning from ear to ear. You don’t know whether to cry or pat him on the head for being so creative? You have to love toddlers . They’re filled with energy and enthusiasm. But they also tend to get into a lot of trouble, especially when parents are distracted. It’s easy to get angry and frustrated at their childish behaviour. The key is patience. A toddler’s natural curiosity can often lead to broken lamps and colored walls, but instead of getting mad, learn to redirect their energy toward constructive things. Keep plenty of art projects and coloring books on hand. Learn to nurture their talents, not to suppress them. Remember, the best way to keep toddlers out of trouble is to keep them busy and supervised. From TODAY, Voices – Monday, 18-May-2009 Related articles by Zemanta Warning: Pet Doors Can Let Out ...

Posted: 18 May 2009 0407 hrs Barack Obama SOUTH BEND, Indiana : US President Barack Obama sought "common ground" in the decades-long culture war over abortion during a controversial address on Sunday at one of America's most prestigious Catholic universities. Obama delivered the commencement address for graduating students and received an honorary degree at the University of Notre Dame, pitting him headlong into the nation's bitter debate over an issue that he has tried hard to finesse. A few hundred activists lined the streets leading to the school's entrance holding signs with graphic pictures of aborted foetuses and denouncing Obama's support of abortion rights. Obama acknowledged that "at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable" but said the nation must find a way to "remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonising those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side....