Summer Studying

August 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
WASHINGTON - AUGUST 18: Education Secretary A...
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Summer is a time for kids to enjoy the sun and get an incredible amount of exercise. However, you still want your children to keep their thinking caps in tip-top shape. They may be less frustrated with their schoolwork in the beginning of the year if they don’t have to relearn or remember from scratch all the things from the previous year.

Summer reading. Many schools assign or recommend a book list for the summer, noting that students who keep reading do better when they return to school in the fall. If your child’s school recommends a list, use it. Even if you do not follow it as closely as they recommend, just try to make sure that your child is reading for a half hour at least a few times a week. For some children, they will read much more than this without any prodding at all, for other children, you may need to create a reward or barter system, such as, “if you read for a half hour today, you can stay up a half hour later tonight.”

Math is another subject that children should continue to brush up on over the summer. Unfortunately, it is also not enjoyable to almost any child ever. Try to create a rewards system for this, too. If you just can’t get yourself or your child to remember or focus, it is probably worth signing them up for a weekly tutoring lesson, or a class that will just keep what they learned fresh in their minds. Some schools or park districts will offer this.

Reading and math are two of the most important areas to get your child to keep studying throughout the year. While it may not be fun, you are probably giving your child more opportunities and less frustration in the end if they study only once a week. And with public libraries offering free book clubs, schools offering free or inexpensive tutoring, summer studying is more than possible.

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Finding the Perfect Name

August 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Naming your baby is one of the first impactful things you will do for her. After all, it’s the name she will love or hate for the rest of her life. How do you choose what to name your baby?

First, It has to resonate with you and your spouse. You have to like the way it sounds (does “Jack” sound too abrupt for you?), but you must also consider the connotations the name will have. And not just what do you remember about the name, but what about your spouse? Was “Jessica” an ex-girlfriend? Can he recover from the “Allison” who kneed him in the crotch when he was a shy little five-year-old? If not, you have to give it up and move on. You will find another name you both like equally well.

Next, consider how your name will resonate with your child. You obviously can’t know if your child will be an outgoing person who would die for a name “Zelda,” or if he will be a shy little guy who will want a name like “John,” so he’ll blend into the woodwork. Whatever you do, you don’t want your child to feel punished by their name. When considering a name, think about why your child would cherish it or want to own it as theirs.

Finally, you have to consider the meaning of a name. First determine how important a name’s meaning is to you. Is it enough that if you didn’t like the meaning you would ditch the name? We have come a long way from the Shakespearean era, when the meaning of names was hugely important, and when Shakespeare characters were always named pointedly for their meaning, such as Juliet, whose name means “youthful,” in the story of Romeo and Juliet, two very young lovers. There can be something beautiful in the significance of a name’s meaning, nonetheless you should decide how important it is to you.

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Babies in Your Wedding–Who says little ones can’t be flower girls or ring bearers?

July 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Can you incorporate those little ones in a wedding? While some people say four years old is as young as a flower girl or ring bearer should be, anything is possible.

Of course, if a toddler can hardly walk, making it all the way to the altar could take ages, or just might never happen. Even older children could be easily distracted. That’s why most sites recommend that a parent is at the end of the aisle with a reward (like a piece of candy or a toy).

But even your eight-month-old can be in a wedding. You can have an adult carry them down (preferably a parent or other familiar adult, so the baby doesn’t become frightened or upset), or why not get a wagon or a baby carriage? A bride in Chicagoland had both her baby-to-toddler flower girl and ring bearer sit next to each other in a wicker antique baby carriage, and had the junior bridesmaid push them down the aisle. It was the perfect aww-factor—both sat up and looked around, soaking in the attention and giving everyone a good look at just how adorable they were. Even if the wedding is more casual, a red wagon would carry one or two little ones easily.

And while you do still need discretion, even older children can be finicky. Your baby just might wake up on the wrong side of the bed that day and be in no mood to cooperate, but an older child’s personality is equally important. While two one-year-olds were perfectly behaved, another Chicago bride had to forego having her five-year-old niece in her wedding, although she was old enough to participate. While her sisters were cooperative, this little girl could be downright ornery when she wanted to be, and even growled at strangers. So think outside the box: a docile infant or toddler would be an easier addition to a bridal party than a very grumpy kindergartener.

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Why It’s Worth Being a Mom–It’s their unconscious affection that makes kids so adorable

February 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Image of Shiraz wine and a stuffed animal.
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Everyone has great stories from their children. What are some of the most endearing things children do? They tell you they love you more than their special stuffed animal or toy (you know, the one they can’t fall asleep without).

They’ll even risk a scolding in order to spend time with you. Your little boy will sneak downstairs (after him and his brothers were put to bed), just because he wants more time with you and your family. And sure, he’s supposed to be asleep, but all he’s doing is curling up next to you while you talk with your brother and his wife. And with his shock of red hair, blue eyes, and shy little smile, you just can’t send him away.

It’s so amazing to see children’s creativity and knowledge growing, too. One girl will just love taking pictures. As a toddler, you’ll be able to see her mind working as you show her how to aim the camera and take a picture. When you upgrade and let her help you take a picture with your nicer camera, you’ll get to see her amazement and excitement at the flash that pops up and makes a loud “click,” and you’ll get to help her learn to aim the camera by herself, and teach her how to be careful with it.

Sometimes the most endearing things they do will be so artless and unconsciously affectionate. They’ll hover close by you when around new people because they know you are the one who keeps them safe. They’ll show you around their make-believe house, or they’ll reach up and give you a big kiss goodnight.

Some stories and times might be crazy or even unpleasant, like the little girl who pees on the hardwood floor and then stomps in it with her Sunday shoes, but then she’ll bring you a bouquet of flowers from the yard and melt your heart. And in the end, it is not so much what your child does that makes you love them, it’s simply the fact that they are yours.

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Baby Gadgets

February 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Infrared remote control.
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When googling “baby gadgets,” the search engine returns with over 20 million results. Apart from that there are dozens of stores dedicated strictly to finding the most amazing and ingenious toys and contraptions to keep your baby happy, healthy, and safe.

Baby bouncers and swings are probably the most common items found in people’s homes. Baby bouncers can now come with music, or can automatically swing or rock by themselves. Strollers, too, are more hi-tech, with remote-control brakes to stop a runaway stroller, or even climate controlled strollers that ensure that your baby never gets to warm or cold.

Cribs and bottles are two other baby staples that can be updated. Now cribs can be climate controlled as well, or even portable. One crib now on the market is based off of a hospital incubator and given handles and wheels for easy mobility. Bottles, too, can now detect temperature and let you know if your baby formula is too hot or cold.

As for safety, every supplier has a packet of baby-proof locks for cabinets and stove top knobs, as well as cushions for sharp corners. New devices are appearing, though, such as a helmet for toddlers that will protect them when they trip and fall.

There are even cutting edge baby monitors that tell you why your baby is crying. WhyCryÒ is a brand that will interpret your baby’s crying into one of several reasons, including hunger, stress, or irritation. Even the iphone has an application for keeping an eye on your little one; one application will call you when it hears your baby cry, and another app claims to be able to translate its cry as well.

Education can begin even younger now with programs that claim to teach your baby to read, or computer programs and television shows that entertain and educate your infant at the same time. Other advanced or unique toys are the plushies of extinct animals, and the origami paper planes (although these might be more interesting to a parent instead of their baby!)
Source: trendhunter.com

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