Mi Choza De Nipa

Image by paulmorriss via Flickr By Dr Bill Maier Becoming a mother for the first time is a major milestone. But how do you know if you're prepared to be a good mother? Most women are elated when they find out that they're expecting their first child. Then they have nine months to worry about what kind of mother they will be. They often look back on their own childhood and wonder how their positive and negative experiences will affect their ability to bond with their baby. It's a real concern — and not entirely unfounded. How our parents related to us has a huge influence on how we will relate to our own children . Those who struggled to get close to their parents will likely struggle. It's not a foregone conclusion, but something to think about. If your memories of childhood are painful and bitter, I encourage you to seek a good counselor, just to make sure you don't repeat those negative habits. From TODAY, Voices – Wednesday, 15-Jul-2009 Related articles by Zema...

By Dr Bill Maier Feeling overwhelmed by an "out-of-control" schedule? Maybe it's time you learned to say "No". If other people see you as a person who will agree to anything, you will constantly end up being the first one they ask when they need a volunteer. There's always some new project at school or work that needs doing and it's easy to feel obligated to step in and help, particularly when you don't think anybody else is doing it. The trouble is, most people who do all the work are the ones who have the least free time to help. And that's not healthy for anyone. We shouldn't ignore our own well-being in order to please others. Sometimes, the only way to unclutter a schedule is to learn that magical little word, "No". Then stick to it, even if they try to make you feel guilty. As one wise friend used to say: "If they have the nerve to ask, I have the nerve to say no." From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 14-Jul-2009

Image via Wikipedia By Dr Bill Maier There's no easy road to financial success but there is a proven one! And that's what every kid should learn. Have you ever heard of the "10-10-10-70" rule of budgeting ? It's a concept that's guaranteed to raise money-wise kids for years to come. Here's how it works: Each month young kids can be given a small allowance of one dollar in coins . Then take four containers and label them "Giving", " Saving ", "Investing" and "Spending Wisely ". Ten cents goes in the "Giving" jar, to be given to a local charity. Ten cents goes into the "Investing" jar to be invested at regular intervals. And then 10 cents is for "Saving" and this one should go into a savings account for the future. That can be used for personal goals. The rest, 70 cents, can be used for spending on things they need. Start this habit young and watch your kids grow up into "money-sav...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson Do you know your child's learning style? It's easy to determine, and knowing that can help you communicate better. Cheri Fuller defines three learning styles . Many children are visual learners . That is they learn mostly by looking and seeing. And they have an easy time visualising things. Other children are auditory learners. They learn best by hearing information and verbalising it. The third type and perhaps the least understood, is the kinesthetic learner. Kinesthetic learners need to touch and feel and handle things. However, this type is most at risk in school because the classroom experience is usually targeted for visual and auditory learners. Sitting at a desk all day is a stressful experience for kinesthetic learners and their restlessness is often diagnosed as a behavioral problem. Watch your child for a week or so. Know your child's learning type and use that as a channel to communicate what you want to teach him. Fro...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson It's amazing how many problems in our lives can be eliminated by this simple prescription: Get some rest! The late, great football coach, Vince Lombardi , once said: " Fatigue makes cowards of us all." How right he was. Physical depletion renders us less able to cope with the noisiness of children; with a broken washing machine , and with the other minor irritations of everyday living. Perhaps this explains why men and women who are overworked often become cowardly, whining, griping and biting to those they love. I think many today need to make rest a priority. Each of us requires a certain number of hours of sleep, and we should make certain we get it. We should turn down invitations to serve on yet another committee, or late dinner dates, or even promotions, if we know our reserves are already depleted. We might even carve out an entire day, setting it aside for recreation in the best sense of the word: A walk in the park or a l...

Image by carf via Flickr By Dr James Dobson If there's one lesson parents need to learn most urgently, it's to guard what they say in the presence of their children . Many times following speaking engagements, I've been approached by a mother about a problem her child was having. As mum was speaking, I noticed the subject of the conversation standing just behind, his little ears stretched as he listened to a candid description of his faults. I visibly flinch when a parent unintentionally disassembles a child's esteem this way. It's not just insensitive parents who do this. I once referred a bright nine-year-old boy to a neurologist because of severe learning problems. After giving the boy an examination, the doctor called in his parents, and discussed the details of the boy's brain damage in front of his little patient. It was as if he could not hear those words, or comprehend the insult they carried. Sensitivity is the key. It means tuning into the thoughts...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson One of the most difficult choices parents must face is deciding when to let children suffer the consequences of their actions and when they need rescuing. The road to success is fraught with failures. Every winner has at one time felt the pain of defeat. Our children must go through hard times for them to grow. Yet, it is tough to stand back and watch them struggle. Our love for them makes us vulnerable to their needs. Life brings pain and sorrow to little people. And we hurt when they hurt. When others ridicule them, when they feel lonely, when they fail at something important, when they cry, when physical harm threatens them. These are the trials that seem unbearable to those of us who stand and watch from the sidelines. We want to protect them from life's sting, to hold them within our embrace. Yet, there are times when we must let them struggle. Children can't grow without taking risks. Toddlers can't walk without falling down. S...