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Play with your kids - it helps!

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife Here is one article that outlines the need for parents not be just parents, but to be parents and go down to the level of their children when playing. There's no such thing as branding as "child's  play" when it comes to rearing kids - better kids. Read on... ----- A new study suggests that positive interactions between parents and kids can discourage personality disorders later in life. The research said that spending time with a child by reading with them, helping with homework or teaching them organizational skills helps to foster better psychological health in adulthood. "The strong interpersonal connectedness and social skills that children learn from having active, healthy engagements with adults fosters positive psychological development . With it, a child develops his or her affiliation system - their connection to the world of people," said lead study author Mark F. Lenzenweger, of Birmingham Univ...

Older Brother: Responsible, or a Bully?

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Image via Wikipedia Here is a report that says something about older brothers. My older brothers weren't, so will the number of children studied really a sufficient part of the whole to be considered a representative of all? Anyway, read on... ----- Older Brothers More Likely to Bully FRIDAY, Nov. 5 ( HealthDay News) — Older brothers are more likely than older sisters to bully younger siblings, a new study finds. Italian researchers looked at 195 children, aged 10 to 12, who had siblings that were no more than four years older or younger. Children with older brothers were more likely to report being bullied at home. Boys were more likely to bully if they had a younger brother or sister. Older sisters were more likely to bully a sibling based on the quality of their relationship, rather than their age, according to the study. The findings appear in the British Journal of Development Psychology . “It’s likely that older sisters are raised to be responsible and ...

US begins first trial with human embryonic stem cells

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Here is where the battle between morality and legality is pronounced - even in this high-technology era, the question remains. Does it mean that you can, then you will? -----   WASHINGTON - US doctors have begun the first tests of human embryonic stem cells in patients, treating a man with spinal cord injuries in a landmark trial of the controversial process, the Geron Corporation said on Monday. The patient began the pioneering treatment on Friday with an injection of the biotech company's human embryonic stem cells, as part of a clinical trial that aims to test safety and efficacy towards regaining sensation and movement. The treatment took place at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia, a spokeswoman for the hospital told AFP, declining to give further details due to patient privacy concerns. The Phase I trial is expected to involve around 10 patients. Participants in the human trials must be severely injured and start treatment with Geron's product, GRNOPC1,...

Youths with eating disorder also inflict self-injury

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WASHINGTON - Around four in 10 US teens with eating disorders also intentionally harm themselves, and the rate could be higher because clinicians don't routinely screen for self-injury, a study published Thursday shows. "These are very high numbers, but they're still conservative estimates," because doctors and other care-givers don't always ask young patients about self-injury, said Rebecka Peebles, a lead author of the study conducted by researchers from Stanford University and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital . "If you see an innocent-looking 12-year-old boy, you don't even think of asking about self-injurious behaviour . We ask 97 per cent of children 12 years and up if they smoke cigarettes; we need to get that good with screening for self-injurious behaviour," she said. For the study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers examined the records of 1,432 patients, ages 10-21, who were admitted to the eating diso...

Unprotected sex on the rise among Singapore youth

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Is Singapore becoming "more open"? Or simply following the downward path of the surrounding influences? ----- SINGAPORE: New survey data released in conjunction with World Contraception Day shows that unprotected sex is on the increase among young people in Singapore. Sixty-one per cent of 200 sexually active young people between the ages of 16 and 19 surveyed in Singapore have had sex without contraception with a new partner, a 12 per cent increase from the previous survey done in 2009. The multi-country survey, which is supported by a coalition of 10 international organisations with an interest in sexual health, said there is a significant disconnect between young people's attitudes to accepting responsibility for contraception and what they are doing in their day-to-day lives. It added that the results also highlight that confusion around contraceptive options is still widespread, with highly unreliable contraceptive methods , such as the "withdr...

Nature or nurture

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From Focus on the Family For decades, behavioural scientists have been arguing over whether environment or genetics plays the bigger role in shaping the human personality. In the early 20th century , child developmentalists were convinced that babies were born devoid of personality and that experience set the course for human behaviour . One of the most influential proponents of that view was Dr JB Watson. He told mothers that they could produce any kind of child they wanted, simply by manipulating his or her environment. Dr Watson said: “Never hug or kiss your children and never let them sit on your lap. If you must, kiss them once on the forehead when you say ‘goodnight’, shake hands with them in the morning, and remember that when you’re tempted to pet your child, that a mother’s love is a dangerous instrument.” Millions of parents accepted those notions. But we now know hereditary factors play a greater role. In fact, recent studies indicate that 70 per cent of the perso...

Tell him how you feel

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From Focus on the Family If you appreciate all your husband does for the family , then make sure you tell him. Men may come across as tough as nails, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to hear how much we mean to our wives and children . It’s nice to know that our families value the things we do. Tell your husband how much you appreciate the way he provides for the family. And be specific. Let him know that you notice the sacrifices he makes by putting his family first, instead of his own interests. Thank him for being such a good leader in the home and an example for your kids. Above all, support him in all he does. You may not always agree with the decisions he makes, but he needs to know that you trust his judgment. From TODAY, Voices - Thursday, 09-Sep-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta RICHARD HIMMER | Two Parenting Tools That Say "I Love You" More Effectively Than Words (kitsapsun.com) Five Basic Needs of Children (brighthub.com)