Mi Choza De Nipa

Cover of Parenting (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Calliope Hummingbird / Stellula calliope - female feeding two chicks (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) While I am not agreeing to everything written in this article, there is much to learn from the facts of life, as presented here. I still teach my kids that it's not what they do, or what they achieve that makes them. They are who they are, no matter what.  Many kids raised in nice environments end up as rascals, criminals, and some kids raised in not nice environments end up being better, more educated. We do our job as parents, and that is where the thin line has to be drawn and adhered to. This article is more for parents, by the way. ----- BY PAMELA DRUCKERMAN I RECENTLY spent the afternoon with some Norwegians who are making a documentary about French child-rearing . Why would people in one of the world’s most successful countries care how anyone else raises kids? In Norway, “we have brats, child kings, and many of us ...

Nick D'Aloisio on stage at CES 2014 (Photo credit: Yahoo UK Media Relations ) 20-July-2014 ----- by Peter Catapano Parents who spent their own formative years with textbooks, pencils and typewriters can tell you that our technological age can be a confusing place to raise a child. But some things never change. Parents still want the best for their young. It's likely that the couple who raised Nick D'Aloisio , a 17-year-old British high school student, are pretty pleased. Nick recently sold his news-reading app, Summly , to Yahoo for a price reported to be in the tens of millions of dollars. Nick's mother and father apparently had no special knowledge of technology but nurtured their son's early interest in it. While money doesn't signify a lifetime of good parenting, it reduces the urgency of the question of what Nick will do to make a living. This is not the case for almost every other young person entering the work world. "There is incr...

This is just sad... ----- Posted: 08 September 2011 PARIS: Parents who lose a new baby run a high risk themselves of dying prematurely, according to a British study published on Thursday. Investigators delved into a random sample of national death registrations for the years 1971 to 2006. They compared deaths among parents who had been bereaved in the first year of a child's life or whose child had been stillborn, against deaths among parents whose baby had survived beyond the first year. Bereaved parents were between two and four times likelier to die or become widowed in the first 10 years of the child's death compared with non-bereaved counterparts. Mothers in particular were at threat. Bereaved mothers in England and Wales were four times likelier to die prematurely, and bereaved mothers in Scotland six times likelier, than women whose child had survived beyond the first year of life. The risk for mothers lessened slightly over time, but was still si...

Image by MoonSoleil via Flickr NEW YORK   |   Thu Mar 3, 2011 ( Reuters Health ) - Parents who have a hard time getting their babies and toddlers to sleep at night may also often have trouble at mealtime, new study findings suggest. So-called behavioral insomnia , where a young child regularly resists bedtime or has trouble staying asleep, is common -- seen in up to 30 percent of children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. A similar percentage have problems at mealtime, ranging from being an overly "fussy" eater to having a full-fledged " feeding disorder" - in which, for instance, parents can't get their child to follow any regular eating schedule, or the food refusal affects a child's weight. It might not be surprising to many parents that sleeping and eating issues often go hand-in-hand. But the new study, published in the journal Pediatrics , is the first to show this may be true. Among parents of 681 healthy kids 6 months to 3 years old, I...

From Focus on the Family Some children are just born clingy. No matter where mom is, they have to be right there by her side, usually hanging on for dear life. Over time it can get pretty frustrating – especially if they show no signs of letting up. Children who cling tend to be more shy and insecure. When they get into a new situation or feel cranky, clinging is their way of communicating that they’re uncomfortable. The worst thing you can do is to get frustrated and pry them away. Instead, take a few minutes to hug and reassure them and then talk to them about what they’re feeling. Tell them they can stay close but they can’t cling. You might promise a special time together later if they’ll let you get your work done. Above all, don’t worry. “Clinginess” is a phase that almost always passes in time. From TODAY, Voices - Friday, 03-Sep-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta Living with children: The clingy phase (seattletimes.nwsource.com) Some parents analyze too...

By Focus on the Family It’s the balance between the positive and the negative that provides the benefit. To illustrate, if you place the cable on the positive  pole of a car battery , nothing happens. Then take that cable off the positive and put it on the negative pole. There’s still no electricity . But what happens when you hook up both the positive and the negative poles? It’ll curl your hair, if you have any left. Understanding the interaction between these two forces is very useful to the task of raising children . There’s a time for affirmation, closeness, tenderness and love. That’s what nourishes the spirits of our kids. But there’s also a time for correction and discipline and even occasional punishment. Mums and dads who try to be eternally positive, ignoring irresponsibility, defiance or selfishness in their kids, will deprive their kids of the benefits of correction. But those who are oppressive and accusatory can also create serious behavioral problems. So w...

By Dr Bill Maier When is the best time to tell a child that they were adopted ? I get asked this question often from adoptive parents, and my answer is always the same: As soon as they’re old enough to understand. Obviously, it’s important to use age-appropriate language. When the child is two or three, make sure they understand how special they are to you. Say to them: “Mummy and daddy chose you over all the other children in the world.” When they’re a little older, you might start explaining the difference between a biological and an adoptive parent. A four-year-old could be told that some kids have two different mums — one who took care of them inside her tummy, and another who took them home from the hospital to love and care for them. Adoptive kids will find out sooner or later. And if you’ve kept it a secret, they’ll wonder what else you haven’t told them. So, be as honest as you can from the earliest age. From TODAY, Voices - Wednesday, 14-July-2010 ----- Re...

By Dr James Dobson If you have checked out the parenting section of a bookstore lately, you’ve probably noticed hundreds of authors who want to tell you how to raise your children . Have you ever wondered if they really know more than you do? As a psychologist , I believe parents can learn from the specialists. But there is one thing a book will never provide, and that is one-on-one support from mums and dads who are going through the same thing. Our grandparents took it for granted that friends and family would always be there to help. But things have changed since then. These days, the best piece of advice I can give a new parent is: “Yes, read those books, but don’t stop there. Contact your local support group, hospital or family service centre and ask about parenting support groups .” You might find the encouragement and information our forefathers derived from large and loving families. Beyond that, I recommend that you go with your own instincts. You know more than...

By Dr Bill Maier “Mum, I don’t feel good. Can I stay home from school today?” It is a phrase some parents hear far too often. Some children get sick so often that their parents don’t know when to believe them. They’ll complain of a terrible stomach ache in the morning, but be running through the house by noon. Are they crying wolf , or crying for help? When children don’t want to go to school, there is usually a reason behind it. They could be avoiding a test they haven’t studied for, or trying to get out of doing homework. Maybe they enjoy being pampered, or crave mum’s attention. Or they could be avoiding a school bully. If your child has a habit of faking sickness, talk to him about what’s going on in his school. Ask him questions like: “Who do you enjoy hanging out with?” or “What’s your least favourite class?” You may open the window to a world of pressures you knew nothing about. From TODAY, Voices - Wednesday, 16-June-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta ...

By Dr Bill Maier Dr Kevin Lehman, a psychologist in the United States , has conducted extensive research on birth order in a family and has some interesting findings. He has, for example, found that middle children , that is not the eldest or the youngest, usually grow up to be well-adjusted and easy-going adults. These children are often the diplomats of the family and learn early how to get along with different personality types . However, middle children also tend to keep their thoughts and feelings inside and will often avoid conflict at all cost. These characteristics can cause problems later in life, especially when they get married. When raising a middle child , teach him or her to open up and talk about what is going on in his or her life. Parents are urged to spend a lot of one-on-one time with them, just to make them feel special. Most important of all, they must never compare them with their other siblings. From TODAY, Voices - Monday, 31-May-2010 ----- ...

Image via Wikipedia by Dr James Dobson One of the most difficult responsibilities parents face is the task of letting go. When children are young, parents should be deeply involved in their lives, providing love and protection and authority. But when those boys and girls grow up and reach their late teens and early twenties, the door must be fully opened to the world outside. Teenagers are more likely to make the proper choices when they aren’t forced to rebel in order to gain their freedom. The simple truth is that love demands freedom. But, the key point is that a sudden release of parental guidance and direction at the end of childhood carries dangerous implications for the adolescent. Grant independence little by little, as our kids are able to handle the new responsibility. The final release should represent a small step toward freedom, rather than a tumble off the cliff into anarchy. We need to cut loose the strings of authority over a period of about eighteen years,...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr Bill Maier At the age of 19, many children head off to university , and parents tend to think their job is done. But just because your kids are older doesn’t mean they don’t need a parent anymore. You’ll always be mum and dad — it’s just your role that has changed. For 19 years you’ve disciplined and directed your kids, but now it’s time to become their adviser and friend. Trying to control them after they’re grown will only push them away. But all children need comfort, advice and encouragement — even if they are grown up. Give your kids the freedom to become their own people. It takes a lot of restraint to allow your children to make their own decisions, but it’s the only way that they’ll learn true independence. Be their friend, and be there when they need you, but beyond that, learn to let go. From TODAY, Voices - Wednesday, 24-March-2010 ----- Blogged with the Flock Browser Related articles by Zemanta Common Mistakes in Parenting (...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson Fences make good neighbours. Sibling rivalry was responsible for the first murder on record when Cain killed Abel. And it has been going on at a furious pace ever since. While conflict between brothers and sisters occurs in virtually every family, it is possible to lessen the antagonism and create a more family-friendly atmosphere at home. The key is for parents to enforce a reasonable set of boundaries between warring factions. Someone said: “Fences make good neighbours”. And I agree. Let’s suppose the man next door and I lived in a rural village 100 years ago, without policemen and laws . We would be more likely to fuss with one another than in a civilised society where laws are known and can be enforced. So it is with children . When the older child can make life miserable for the younger boy or girl, or when the younger one can break the toys and mess up the things of his big brother or sister, then hatred is a natural outgr...

By Dr James Dobson Sheltering a child from the consequences of his own actions now could help create an immature adult later. One of the prime objectives during the pre-adolescent years is to teach the child that actions lead to consequences, and yet this connection is often interrupted. A 10-year-old steals candy from a store and he’s caught and released to his parents, and nothing happens. A 15-yearold takes the keys to the family car and the parents pay the fine for his driving without a licence. All through childhood such loving parents in their misguided efforts to shield the child from pain have stood between his action and the natural consequences that flow from them. It’s possible under these circumstances for a young man or woman to enter adulthood not really knowing that life can bite. He may become a grown-up adolescent constantly needing his parents to bail him out of trouble. So how does one break this scenario? By linking actions to consequences. If Jane carele...