How Different Parenting Styles Can All Work

The most difficult job in the world is to be a parent and it's the one job that no one does any training for. New parents get tons of advice from family, friends and experts in the media. All this advice is sometimes contradictive and it's very confusing. Sometimes, you just have to follow your own instinct. After all, no one knows the child like his or her own parents. If a strong bond is forged between parent and child in the early years, the family will survive the difficult teenage years when they fight over the kids room valance, which will surely come. Parents have different parenting styles when it comes to the thorny issue of discipline. Debates rage on which methods are the best.

One of the constant arguments is over corporal punishment, to smack or not to smack. Smacking was commonplace when I was a kid and it was part of life. It was probably overused and some parents did it out of habit, rather than as a well thought out strategy to instill a sense of right and wrong. I tended to be smacked when I was being a nuisance rather than for the times when I was actually doing something bad. It was an unthinking response of the older generation, a lot of the time. Sometimes, it was calculated of course, and more like going to the Head Teacher's office to get the cane. The next generation started to question parenting styles and a lot of people rejected smacking altogether.

If smacking is outlawed in the home, what can replace it? There are different measures, which parents employ, according to their choice of parenting styles. Stopping TV for a week or two is one way, taking away the kids room signs, or grounding a child may do the trick. It's really a mercenary act of getting them where it hurts. Some kids will prefer a quick smack to being grounded and not being able to see their friends. Sending a child to his room doesn't seem to work like it used to. These days, children's bedrooms are full of the latest gadgets and home entertainment centers. It's not exactly a place of punishment or quite reflection!

Parents are very busy people, running a home and holding down jobs. It's tempting to give in to children's demands such as buying new kids wall decor when you come home exhausted from a day at work. Kids can sense weakness and know when to strike! Parenting styles may have relaxed over the years and no one wants to go back to the Victorian severity when children were seen and never heard. However, it's important that we don't tip too far the other way. We don't do our kids any favors by giving in to their every whim, and what they need most of all is our attention.

{Kids and Sign Language: Helen Keller; a Unique Personal Perspective}

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Almost certainly, you’ve heard about Helen Keller. She was a deaf and blind woman who, by persistence and dedication, was able to overcome her handicapsand led a full and successfullife.  Perhaps you have seen the acclaimed play “The Miracle Worker,” or one of the several film versions of the play.

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Helen and her Teacher, Annie Sullivan, were very famous in the early and middle decades of the past century.  Around 1902, Annie, twenty years old and herself partially blind, came to live with the the Keller family just before Helen’s seventh birthday, in a last-ditch attempt to discoverif there was any possibility of teaching Helen.  At that time, Helen wasmore like a wild animal than a child: destructive, willful, unmanageable, and completely unable to communicate.  However, Anniedetected the indications of an agile mind and a quick intelligence in Helen.  By isolating Annie from her family and immersing her in a flood of fingerspelling, within a few weeks’time Annie penetrated Helen’s wall of ignorance of the world around her and taught her that every thing has a name.  This was the breakthrough that opened the world to Helen.

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Helen became famous worldwide in recognition of her astonishing achievements in spite of her challenges.  She attended, and graduated from , college; she traveled throughout the world with Annie, her beloved Teacher; she became a friend of Presidents.  She even learned to speak and to address large audiences, although she was unable to hear the sound of her own voice.

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What is not generally known is that Helen Keller was born with hearing and eyesight.  She was a “normal” baby until the age of approximately eighteen months.  She then contracted a high fever which left her totally blind and deaf.  As anyone who has been in the company of an eighteen-month-old knows, they understand much of what they hear, and many of them are very verbal.  So, by the time Helen lost her hearing, she already had a good foundation of language development.  This undoubtedly served her well in her later endeavors.

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I think I have a unique perspective on sign language and kids.  I had the privilege of performing the role of Annie Sullivan, Helen’s teacher,in “The Miracle Worker” for more than ten years as part of an educational theatrical program.  For four of those years, while my daughter was in third through sixth grade, she played the role of Helen with me.  It was very exciting to share starring roles onstage with my own child!

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Both of my children are sighted and hearing.  Early on, I taught them fingerspelling and many of the formal signs, and observed benefits from those skills in their linguistic and social development and in their school progress.  However, the the one aspect that impressed me most of all during this remarkable time with my daughter was the knowledge that sign language made possible a life of fulfillment, success and fame for Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan.  Before Annie came to the Kellers, the family had regretfully contemplated “putting Helen away” in an “asylum,” and had even visited a few of them.  Back around 1900, asylums were horrific places, and certainly no place for a handicapped child.  Annie was just graduating from the Perkins School for the Blind at the time, and had no other prospects for her own future.  Annie and Helen were literally each other’s last and only chance.  They were made for each other.  How differently their lives would have turned out, had it not been for sign language!

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Tidbit of the week:  When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, what he was really trying to invent was a hearing aid.  His wife was deaf.

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Link:  http://signlanguageforchildren.com

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Choosing the perfect dolls house

Finding and buying the perfect dolls house for your little one can be hard work, there's so many different types and brands, do you go for a modern plastic one that your child can play with? Or why not look into getting a more traditional wooden dolls house that is more of a decorative peice. Many dolls houses can past down through family generations but this usually means that the child cannot play with it as it could be to valuable or delicate to play with.
So the only option is to go out and buy a new one, but even  then there are hundreds to choose from. Plastic modern dolls houses tend to be better if your child is a little mischievous and likes to throw things around as the house interior will be much more hard wearing and designed just for children. These also tend to be a little bit cheaper as they are produced in bulk with cheaper materials.
If you are looking to buy something that will last a number of years and is also pleasing on the eye then a wooden dolls house is for you. These grand pieces are hand made which gives each model a slightly unique look and feel.
Also consider the scale of the house, most dolls houses are 1:12th scale which basically means one inch equals one foot. 1:24th scale or half inch scale dolls houses where half an inch equals one foot are becoming increasingly popular although there still isn't as much choice as for 1:12th scale dolls houses, Old vintage dolls houses were normally 1:16th scale.
Most dolls houses are designed to resemble houses from a particular period in history. Common periods are Tudor, Georgian and Victorian and the pictures below show typical examples of period features such as the Georgian and Victorian window frames and the Tudor timber frame.
The furniture is the most important thing about the house and choosing it all is a big task and it will take you a long time to complete your collection.

The Best Board Games for Preschoolers

By the time children reach the age of three or four, they are ready to participate in one of the most cherished family events – game night!

Board games help your child develop social skills, learn basic math and language concepts and give you an opportunity to do something fun together. Your preschooler will need special board games selected for their age and abilities.

Check out these ideas to add to your game closet and build special memories with your child.

Classic Games
These games are perennial favorites that you probably remember playing as a child. They have all been updated for the next generation without losing the basic concepts that you remember.

Chutes and Ladders – This game is a family favorite even beyond the preschool years. Players move their pieces along the board and travel up ladders or slide down chutes (slides). The action is fast-paced as winners can fall to the middle of the pack.

Candyland – This bright and cheery game teaches preschoolers color recognition. Gingerbread man pieces are moved along the board by drawing colored cards. Kids learn how to match the colors on the cards to the colors on the board.

Hi Ho Cherry O – This game combines fun with math…not an easy task! Children spin the spinner and then get the chance to pluck adorable plastic cherries from the cherry trees.

Cranium Games
Cranium is a game for grown-ups that has been so successful it launched a game company with many different titles.

Cranium Cariboo – This game allows children to act out silly phrases, draw pictures and unlock secret doors. The fifteen-minute span of each game is perfect for small children. They learn numbers, colors, letters and shapes during game play.

Cranium Hullabaloo – This game really gets your kids moving. The concept is that your child will recognize shapes by jumping to different shape mats on the floor. A pre-recorded song plays from a music console that comes with the game and it instructs kids where to go. It also instructs kids to “Do a silly dance” and other fun activities in between the shape instructions. When the console says “Freeze!” the player on the special mat wins.

Old Favorites Get New Faces
Some games last decades without having an official package or board to play with. These games combine old favorites with new graphics and some twists on game play.

I Spy Preschool Game – This favorite car games gets a facelift as a card game for preschoolers. Instead of looking at things out in the world, this game brings the action indoors for one to four players. The players match the riddles on one set of cards to the pictures on another.

Kids on Stage Board Game – This variation of charades is easy for preschoolers to play and perfectly suited for younger attention spans. The actions are in pictures so kids can play without parent help. Everyone gets to act something out on every turn, so there’s no waiting!

You can find great prices on these and other games at the following online retailers: Target.com (Check for Target online coupons); WalMart (Check for WalMart promotions and price drops) and Amazon.com (Check for the most recent Amazon price drops.)

Three Money Making Ideas For Kids

Here are three money making ideas for kids. All of these possible businesses can be started with just a little bit of money. Of course, if the profits are reinvested they can become much bigger enterprises.

Fishing Worm Business

This might be one of the easiest of these money making ideas for kids to try. Of course, it helps if you are near an area where people fish. First, you should visit a bait shop or other place where they sell worms and nightcrawlers to see how much they sell for. Then locate the best lakes or streams where the fishermen are going regularly (make a note of the best times).

Where do you get the worms? Check the lawn after a rain, for starters. Also, in some areas there are hundreds of night crawlers all over the sidewalks after a summer shower. Dig under wet piles of leaves to find them too. You can start without any money if you save plastic butter tubs and coffee cans to sell the worms in, and later you can use your profits to buy nice Styrofoam containers with lids.

If you want to make more money, invest your profits into a good book on how to breed night crawlers, plus the equipment to start a little worm farm. Produce a steady supply and you might be able to sell them to a bait shop. Though they will pay less than the fishermen, you may make more because you can sell so many at once and spend more time "farming" worms than trying to sell them.

Sell Hand-Painted Rocks

Where we live here in Colorado, many people have painted rocks they use for decorative doorstops or paperweights. If you live in an area where you can get nice smooth rocks, you can make them yourself and sell them. Paint them with flowers, or with people's names, or look around at what other's have done. Your parents can help you buy the right paints, and set the prices for the finished rocks.

If you want a bigger business, you'll have to delegate some of the work Pay other kids for each good rock they bring to you, and find an artistic friend you can pay to paint them. That way you can get busy selling more. You might even get a gift store to sell the rocks for you if you give them a good percentage of the money from each rock.

Fix And Sell Bicycles

Older kids who like to fix things can get books that show how to repair bicycles.You can start by learning how to repair your own. See what people are paying for used bicycles, by going to yard sales and looking at advertisements in the classified section of the newspaper, and take notes. When you know what the bikes should sell for, you can start buying broken ones to fix.

Buy them cheap, and let everyone know what you are doing. People may give you old bicycles that they were going to throw away. Also, during spring clean-ups in some towns people throw away bikes, and you can take these from the junk at the curb, if that's okay with your parents. I once met a man who collected sixty bikes in one day in this way.

Of course you'll need to have a little money to buy parts and old bikes when you start, unless you have an old bicycle or two in the garage. Once you make your first sale, use the money to buy more bikes and any parts you'll need. Sell the bicycles in front of your home with a simple sign, or you get your parents to help you place an ad in the paper if you have some expensive or popular bikes.

Find more money making ideas for kids at http://www.unusualwaystomakemoney.com.

Is Your Family Ready for a New Puppy? 4 Things to Consider

Owning a dog can be a great experience for your family. If some of your most fond childhood memories include a family dog, you may be wondering if your children are ready to own a pet. Although most kids are excited about the prospect of having a puppy, few understand the responsibility of pet ownership. Go through the follow list of considerations before you take the plunge into the role of dog owner.

1. The age of your children.
Age is a big factor in determining whether or not your children are ready to own a dog. Small kids and puppes often don't mix. You should wait until your child is at least old enough to understand how to treat the animal with care. Even the most docile of breeds might snap if their ears and tail are consistently pulled.

2. Pet responsibilities.
You'll also want to make sure that your child gets involved with the pet care in an age appropriate way. Three- to four-year-olds can make sure that the puppy is fed and has clean water, with gentle reminders from mom and dad. Starting at age five, your children can start walking the dog and learning basic animal safety rules, such as not leaving things out for the dog to chew on. If your children are between the ages of seven to ten, they can be in charge of feeding all by themselves. Older children can attend dog obedience classes with the family pet and can take care of scooping up pet waste.

3. Your time commitments.
No matter what age your children are, the sole weight of responsibility for a puppy will remain with the parents. Be aware that you - and not the children - are going to be spending a lot of time caring for the animal, particularly at the very beginning. Read up on puppy care even if you've already raised a puppy. There are a lot of things involved in puppy care that you can forget over time. It's different than owning a grown dog.

4. Cost considerations.
There are a lot of supplies that you'll need to take care of your puppy so make sure you have the financial resources to get them. In addition to food, your puppy will likely need a crate or kennel, a stainless steel food bowl (puppies can chew up plastic ones), ear cleaning solution, a brush, nail clippers and chew toys. On top of these costs, puppies need more veterinarian care in their first year than they do later on. You'll need to pay for shots and neutering or spaying. And you may need pet medications. If you purchase your puppy from a breeder, there will also be costs to getting the dog in the first place. Click here for pet coupons and as pet food coupons.

If you've decided a puppy is right for you, congratulations! Raising a puppy can sometimes be a challenge, but it won't be long before the dog will be a cherished part of the family.

Baby Food Secrets!

There are definitely some foods that you should not feed your baby; particularly the ones which we know will bring on an allergic reaction. Even though your beautiful baby may want to try all the food in sight, and you would like them to try; it will pay to be disciplined about what you allow.

Particularly at family get-togethers, all the relatives (some of which had kids many decades ago) all have an opinion on what is best to give your baby. If any of the potentially harmful foods are being offered, it is okay to set a boundary with family and friends, and to politely explain that you are keeping a close eye on what your baby eats because of allergies.

The main offenders that often cause reactions in babies are eggs, cow’s milk, dairy products, soy, nuts (especially peanuts), shellfish, citrus fruit, and wheat (there are several types of wheat-some are okay).you really must avoid these foods as much as possible. When your child is age three, any potential reactions that they may have would not be as serious, and it is generally okay to start giving these foods one at a time in small amounts.

If baby experiences an allergy to a particular food, get rid of it.  The allergy may not be severe and baby may outgrow it, but don’t take any chances.  Severe allergies can cause an anaphylactic reaction.

If you notice a food causes a reaction - avoid feeding it to your baby.  It is possible that the reaction may be slight, but you don't want to take any chances, as a serious case could give rise to an anaphylactic reaction. By the age of three many babies have outgrown food allergies.

Bacteria makes diary products potentially dangerous.  Pasteurization has eliminated the majority of these organisms from cheeses, milk, butter, and eggs.  But, these higher in protein foods could still cause a reaction in baby so introduce only a little at a time when the time is right, usually after at least one year.

The bacteria in dairy products are particularly dangerous, although pasteurization has taken care of most of these organisms in cheeses, eggs, milk, and butter.  These foods are higher in protein and could cause some minor reaction in baby, so it is vital that only a small amount is given (mainly after the child reaches one year old).

There are many food stuffs that have not been pasteurized and are quite unsafe for almost all babies.  In particular products bought at food stands, and orchards have most likely not been pasteurized (apple juice and cider are notorious example) and so caution should be exercised in allowing these types of foods to be consumed.

Although these types of foods may not seem a risk for adults or for adult metabolisms, things are different for baby.  For them, small pieces of food could be somewhat of a problem. For babies, the smaller a piece of food is, the better. Even though some may want to give the baby part of a cracker or hot dog, this should be avoided. It is easy for pieces of food that are too large for a small child to become a dangerous choking hazard. Chips, crackers, and some biscuits have jagged edges that may easily cut the child's gums and can even get lodged in the throat when if they are not chewed thoroughly.

One food item to note in particular is honey. Even though it is very sweet, it is not for baby. 

It is the natural honey which puts your baby most at risk, because raw honey (directly from the honeycomb) contains Clostridium botulinum.  This is the dangerous bacterium which causes botulism. It is possible that raw honey could cause a baby to develop the serious condition of botulism.  It is important that parents take note of all foods which contain honey, and steer clear of these for your child's benefit.

Botulism is a form of food poisoning.  If baby ends up with this nasty illness, he or she will develop a case of constipation, lethargy, lack of appetite, and muscle weakness.  The bacteria can cause muscle paralysis, which can in turn lead to death.

Most people do not realize it, but botulism is a type of food poisoning, and if your baby develops it, they could develop the concerning symptoms like constipation, lethargy, lack of appetite, and muscle weakness. In the worst cases, the bacteria may cause muscle paralysis, and in some cases, can lead to death.

There are relatively few types of foods that could harm your baby. By excluding these your baby will be much safer, and their chance of developing allergies or other harmful conditions is greatly reduced. All good parents want what the very best for their baby and an excellent place to start is by keeping a close eye on the food we allow them to have.

Discover more facts about baby food.