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Is Your Child Being Bullied?
May 16th, 2010
A lot of us parents think that once we drop our children to school, we can rest assured that they are safe. Even though there are so many dangers surrounding them every day, a school is certainly a sanctuary that can offer safety and security to children. However, this is not always the case. One of the dangers that your child can be facing is bullies in school. A bully is almost a staple in every school and many children’s lives. There is always that one student who is a meaner or bigger than the rest who gets his or her pleasure from torturing others. Here are some information that you need to know about bullying and how you can resolve the situation.
Currently, bullying is a big problem that is getting more serious every day. According to studies conducted in every school, almost 50% of the children in a school are bullied at one time or another. Back in the day, bullying was concentrated in the school grounds. Nowadays, technology and the cyber world have extended the playground of bullies. Electronic harassment, cyber bullying and other forms are not uncommon headlines today. Here, we discuss common types of bullying, how to detect bullies and how to deal with them.
Physical bullying is the type bullying where the child experiences violence on the physical level. Kicking, punching, hitting the child with items are considered as physical bullying. In some cases where, you might also witness how the bully intends to destroy the items of your child. This case is still considered as physical bullying.
Verbal bullying is when the bully engages to name-calling and insulting your child verbally. Racial slurs, taunting, spreading rumors and teasing are all forms of verbal bullying and can have a very serious effect on sensitive children.
The last one is cyber bullying. In this type of bullying, your child will receive harassing emails or instant messages and intimidating or threatening web sites or blogs.
The moment that your child hesitates to go to school or seems to be afraid of the school then chances are he is being bullied. In order to avoid going to school, the bullied child will make up reasons such as stomach aches and other illnesses. Lack of concentration and interest in doing homework are also clear signs that something could be bothering your child. If you are noticing these symptoms on your child, it’s important to take immediate action before it’s too late. Children who are being bullied have higher rates of depression, anxiety, low self esteem and other mental conditions.
Studies also show that the child being bullied has a great tendency of committing suicide and you only have to look at the news to see how these grim findings become reality.
So how do you address a bullying situation? The first thing you need to do is encourage your child to open up to you about the matter so you can gauge the depth of the situation. If the bullying is a cause of alarm, notify the schools. Getting in touch with professionals on children’s welfare is also a great idea.
Essential Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Pregnancy
May 13th, 2010
Pregnancy is one of the unique experiences that a woman can go through in her lifetime. There are so many matters that you need to consider before and during your pregnancy. Among these matters, nutrition (especially minerals and vitamins) are very important. Your health during pregnancy and the health of your baby will be affected by these vital matters. Ultimately, it’s in your best interest to make sure that your diet included the nutrients you need for a safe and healthy pregnancy. Here, we discuss some essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins that you should incorporate in your diet.
Vitamins
Vitamin A and beta carotene help the growth of teeth and bones. You can find this vitamin in potatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and pumpkin.
Vitamin D is responsible for body’s ability to use calcium as well as phosphorus. Like Vitamin A, Vitamin D also has an effect on the growth of bones and the teeth. Vitamin D can be found in sunshine during certain hours of a day. So it’s highly recommended that you spend plenty of time outdoors during the early morning. Be sure to drink and eat plenty of milk and fatty fish.
Vitamin E is responsible for the forming and developing the body—namely the red blood cells and muscles. Foods that are rich in vitamin E include spinach, vegetable oil (in moderate amounts), fortified cereals and nuts.
Vitamin C helps the body develop its immune system and absorb iron. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant which protects the tissues from damage. Vitamin C can be gained by consuming citrus fruits, strawberries, potato, tomato, green bean, bell peppers, papaya, and broccoli.
Vitamin B1 or Thiamin is able to regulate the nervous system and can provide you with energy. Rice, pasta, organ meats, pork, egg, nuts, wheat germ, fortified cereals, and berries are good providers of Vitamin B1.
Vitamin B2 or riboflavin promotes healthy skin, eyesight, and energy. Good sources include meats, egg, and fortified cereals. These foods are also rich in Vitamin B3. If your pregnancy is causing you some indigestion then you can sooth your stomach with foods that are rich in Vitamin B3.
If your morning sickness tends to be severe or frequent, you can improve your condition by giving your body enough Vitamin B6, which can be found in a variety of foods. These foods include oats, brown rice, bran, nuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, nuts, pork, chicken, liver, spinach, egg, soybean, beans and carrots.
Minerals
To start caring for the baby inside you, folic acid supports the placenta, prevents spine bifida and other neural tube defects. Green leafy vegetables, spinach, beans, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, pasta, fortified cereals and orange or orange juice are all rich in folic acid.
Aside from strengthening bones and teeth, calcium is also responsible for preventing the blood clots and improving functioning in nerves and muscles. Milk, cheddar cheese, dark green leafy vegetables and juices are all tasty sources of calcium.
Iron is responsible for production of hemoglobin. Iron prevents anemia, low birth weight and premature birth or delivery. You can gain iron by consuming beef, pork, spinach, dried beans, dried fruits and oatmeal or grains that are fortified with iron.
Cheap Date Ideas for Parents
May 11th, 2010
There are certain things that take place after marriage such as pregnancy, parenting, saving for the future and pursuing careers among others. In the middle of these things, couples forget about each other and the bonding between them grows weak day by day. However, there are ways to keep the bonding strong between couples and one of these ways can be dating. That’s right–just because you’re married doesn’t mean you can forget about going out on dates. Dating nowadays is not cheap. An ideal romantic date might be expensive and ultimately, both of you will sacrifice and decide to spend the money over more important matters. Here are some affordable ideas for your next date with your spouse.
Date during lunch time or breakfast time
Working couples are tired by nine in the evening and it’s often difficult for them to arrange a date by that time. It’s inevitable that couples would rather get some rest for the next day instead of dressing up and going out. This becomes a problem because we consider dinner as the only ideal time for dating, but guess what–lunch time can be an ideal time as well. Prices on the menu are affordable and you are energetic enough to have a great time with your partner. In addition, you are less likely to drink by lunch time and this can save you more money. Since your kids are in school, both of you can just enjoy spending time with each other without worry. During breakfast time, the prices on the menu are even cheaper than lunch time. Just imagine starting your day with your partner having a nice and quiet breakfast. What a way to start the day, right? It might not sound romantic to many couples. However, you might want to consider these options if you have time and money constraints.
Date after dinner time
If you used to be the life of the party or if you and your spouse used to set the dance floor on fire then there’s nothing wrong with reliving your party days once in a while. If you have a free weekend night on your hands then why not hire a babysitter to take care of the kids for the night? To make the most of your date night, try to avoid going to hot trendy clubs that are brimming with college party kids—unless you want to have vomit on your shoes by the end of the night. Instead, go to a more mature and classic club that caters to consumers your age. These clubs are bound to have better facilities, better drinks and better music. If you’re not the partying kind, you can also spend Saturday night having an intimate date right in the comforts of your home. You can send the kids to your parents for the night or take advantage of their slumber party in the house of another friend. Dating at home can be versatile: you can enjoy a quiet dinner for two, drink champagne out in the patio or rent a movie that you can watch while cuddling close to each other.
Strengthening Your Marriage
May 8th, 2010
Marriage is complex world that everyone must carefully think about before entering. The fact that most marriages today end in divorce goes to show that not many people think about their decision to get married. This fact has made a lot of people hesitant about marriage or any serious relationship that could lead toward marriage. However, this doesn’t mean that all marriages are doomed to end. Whether you are about to walk down the aisle or you have been married for quite a while now, it’s always good to know the potential problems that lie ahead and how to surpass them. Here, we discuss the basic concepts that can strengthen and improve your marriage.
Respect and acceptance
The fundamental law of a marriage or any serious relationship is respecting each other. There is no doubt that you and your spouse love each other, but oddly enough, respect doesn’t always come automatically with love. Naturally, this leads one to question the authenticity of the love in the marriage. Respect is all about honoring your spouse as an individual—with individual feelings, opinions and thoughts. Just like respect, acceptance is also a necessary ingredient in any successful marriage. Unfortunately, only a few couples succeed in mastering this act. A lot of people who are in a relationship seek to change their partner somehow. Even though it’s good to bring out the best in our partner, you eventually have to see people for who they are and make the decision and if your personalities are compatible or will clash down the road.
Listening and communicating with each other
As marriages last longer, the quality of communication between the couple also deteriorate. Individual careers, children, chores, finances and other concerns build up inside the marriage that the couple often does not have time to tall about their feelings. If you and your spouse rarely speak to each other except to ask and answer questions or give orders then this is a sign that you need to start working on your communication again. Remember during your first dates or the early days of your marriage where the two of you will talk for hours? All in all, one of the most important foundations of a strong marriage is communication.
Passion and romance
Just like communication, passion in a marriage can also wear out as the couple stays together for a long time. After all, who has time for romance when there are groceries to buy, bill to pay and children to raise? Couples are usually preoccupied with these domestic concerns that they end up not paying attention to each other anymore. To solve this, make it a priority to have at least one date night a week, no matter how busy or stressed out you two are. Dates don’t even have to involve going out. Your romantic date can be as simple as sitting together out on the patio, opening a bottle of champagne and rediscovering why you loved each other. Do your children make it impossible? Send them over to a slumber party or to a relative who can take care of them for the night.
Tasty Recipes for Summer
April 19th, 2010
As we are moving close to summer time, everybody’s preparing for this season of fun under the sun. Summer brings its own special activities such as its own food recipes. It’s going to be hot, humid and storms will take place in some places. Indeed, in hot and humid weather, certain foods can be really refreshing such as ice cream, a cold drink and more. These refreshments would really make you feel that summer time is the best time of the year.
Aside from desserts and drinks, there are so many recipes for summer that might interest you. Here are some recipes which can make your summer a memorable time for you and your family.
Let’s start with making a salad, a butter bean salad to be more specific. To prepare for this type of salad, you need:
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
5 Tbsp. olive oil,
¼ tsp pepper,
Chopped parsley (parsley can bring a lot of taste and a good aroma in salad so put in as much as you want)
2 (15 oz.) cans butter beans (rinsed and drained)
11 oz. corn can (drained)
14.5 oz. can zesty chili diced tomatoes (drained)
Small red onions chopped (not more than 3 pieces).
Simply prepare a big bowl and combine vinegar with olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure you mix it well. Afterward, add the parsley and start mixing again. It’s good to consider that you should mix parsley in the bowl well and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix them well, chill the bowl for two hours before serving and enjoy the salad.
Some people might not want to spend so much of time cooking in their kitchen. Eventually, they will decide to dine out and often this act can be a part of a lifestyle. If every material is ready and laid out on the kitchen table in an organized way, cooking can be much easier and faster than what you think. So make sure that you always carry out an organized approach in cooking. Now we move on to the main dish which is lemon thyme grilled chicken. Here are the ingredients you need:
4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (if you are serving more people then simply add to the amount)
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
3 cloves of garlic (minced, always keep in mind that garlic can bring a very good taste to your food so if you want to add a bit more flavor then its completely up to you)
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
3.5 tsp. lemon juice (it would be great if you use real lemon)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
To prepare this meal, you will first place the boneless skinless chicken in a bowl and pour lemon on the chicken breasts. Make sure the chicken and lemon juice are mixed well. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover the bowl and chill it in your refrigerator for 1-3 hours. Prepare the grill while the chicken is in the refrigerator. Initiate the fire a quarter of an hour before you bring out the chicken. Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side. Ultimately, it’s up to you how you want your chicken—some prefer their meat well-cooked while other prefer it rare and a bit juicy
With these two recipes, you will surely enjoy your summer time meal. To lean more about summer recipes, do some research online.
Fun Summer Activities for Your Kids
April 19th, 2010
Summer time, summer time.
Summer as a season has its own advantages and people and families are excited about this time of the year. Everybody has a plan to accomplish and if you have a family, you certainly have plans of going somewhere or doing something with your family this summer time.
Traveling in summer time is one of the most popular activities and kids love it. There are numerous locations that you can travel to and visit. Some prefer to take a break from the heat of their environment and travel to cold places and spend summer there and some prefer to travel from their cold environment to warmer places. No matter what place you and your family choose to spend your summer time in, you need to consider taking the right measures for your travel. One great factor that you might want to consider is to travel light. No matter what sort of transportation you are using to reach your destination, traveling light can be a great advantage on your part. You will be able to carry your load everywhere you go. Make sure to choose the right items based on the environment that you and your family traveling to. Consider choosing the right spot so your kid or kids can enjoy a lot of activities such as swimming in the sea and skiing in cold mountains.
Aside from traveling and other sorts of activity to entertain your kids, kid’s summer activities can take place in your own house such as planting a garden. However, in some places, the weather can make it challenging to plant a garden so plant a garden with respect to your environment. Here are some plants you might want to consider growing: potato, tomato, cucumber, peas, carrot, turnip, sunflower, squash and etc. To learn about how to plant these plants in your backyard and what sort of environment is suitable for each plant, you can always conduct your research online.
Other kids’ activities that you might want to consider are watching any sports game or movies since these can be quite entertaining and fun. A car race can really keep them frozen in their chairs. Baseball games can make your kid jump in his chair from excitement and a sci-fi movie can help their imagination grow. For your child, anything can be entertaining as long as you provide enough guidance during the activities. One of the main things that kids love about these activities is the snack that you provide them with. So as long as you provide a tasty snack, you can expect that they will be on their good behavior and enjoy the activity at hand.
Aside from entertainment in summer time, reading a book can be a great activity to be introduced to your kid. So many parents tend to forget the joys of reading when they were young. However, if you just take the time to remember your own childhood, you might recall how somebody would read some stories for you while you would take a look at the pictures in the book and you will feel like you’re in a new different world. To lean more about kids’ activities this summer, you can surf the net for more ideas.
Decorating Your Children’s Bedrooms – Fun Project For the Whole Family
April 10th, 2010
Designing a kid’s room might not be the priority of some parents but if you value the comfort, safety and happiness of your children then you will put a lot of time and planning in creating a good space for them. There are so many factors and items that you need to consider if you want to design your child’s room. Often, this task can be quite confusing. In this article, we point out at some fundamental factors and items that you need for designing your kid’s room.
Materials used in the room
We are all affected by the environmental crisis nowadays and this matter has caused so much conflict all over the world. Whether you’re a devoted environmentalist or you just wish to try a greener lifestyle, consider using efficient materials when designing your kids’ room. For instance, look for energy-efficient features when shopping for lamps to be used in the room.
Materials used on flooring, ceiling and window glasses can have a lot of effect in conditioning the room temperature. You will be able to adjust the temperature of the whole house or room by simply replacing the old materials with new and efficient materials. To learn more about these materials, you can always conduct your research online or talk to your local contractors
Another important factor that you need to keep in mind when putting together your kid’s room is the durability of the furniture. For example, you don’t want to purchase a bed only to see it worn down after a year’s use. You want furniture that will last even as your children grow older. If the room you are designing is for more than one child, then durability of the furniture becomes even more important.
Decoration of the room
From lava lamps to stuffed animals, accessories are part of the decoration in your kids’ room. The best way to find out how to decorate the bedroom is by asking your child what sort of accessories and decoration he wants in his room. If you recall your own childhood, you will remember that kids love to be involved in decisions-making, so enlisting their help will certainly make them feel confident and valued.
Design, Colors and Theme
To make decorating the room easier, it’s usually best to start with a theme so you can start decorating and buying items based on this motif. The theme of the room should be something that your child is interested in. For instance, if you have a little boy, popular room themes would include sports, space, cowboys, robots and such. Themes like fairies, princesses and Barbie are popular among girls. If you prefer a gender-neutral theme, you can go for animal safari or a nature theme. Although you probably want to go all out with your chosen theme, be sure that you decorate the room in such a way that your kids can change the design of the room once they get too old to be sleeping with their favorite cartoon characters. As for colors, it’s generally recommended to go for brighter hues since they can make the room brighter and more inviting.
Going on Vacation with Your Kids
April 8th, 2010
If you are preparing to have a vacation with your family then there will be matters that you will need to consider–where to go, what items to pack, how to reach your destination (airplane or car?). Many parents worry about traveling with their kids because they fear that it will be full of hassle. The truth is, with enough preparation, your vacation with your kids can actually go smoothly. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you are planning to go on a holiday with your kids.
Where to go
Naturally, the first thing you need to do would be to choose a destination where you and your family can go. “Fun for the whole family” is the phrase that you need to keep in mind when deciding where to go. You might also want to establish what you want your trip to be. Do you want the vacation to be fun and relaxing, educational, adventurous or all of the above? Based on this decision, you can easily narrow down your choices. For instance, if you want your kids to have fun, then go to popular family places such as Disney Land or any other amusement park. For an educational trip, visit historical sites and museums. For an adventure, have your kids try out camping or any new sports. When planning your itinerary for the day, make sure you make the activities short and varied. Since kids have a short attention span, it will be better to avoid activities that last the whole day long.
What to Pack
Packing for kids is another preparation that can be tricky if you don’t know how to do it right. If you are traveling with a baby, the first things you need to pack would be all the baby essentials—such as diapers, bottles, etc. The same goes for small toddlers. If your little one is used to drinking on his sippy cup and has a security blanket then you need to pack all these for the trip. Packing for older kids is easier and you can even enlist their help to give them a sense of responsibility. Keep your destination in mind when deciding what children’s clothes to bring. For instance, if you are going to tropical Hawaii, then your kid won’t need his snow boots.
How to get there
Lots of preparation is done before an airplane can take off—such as double-checking the engine, cleaning the cabin, etc. You should carry out the same meticulous process if you are traveling with a car. Always update and upgrade the items in your tool box and make sure they are compatible to your car. Have your car checked out by elite team of mechanics since you do not want to run into a conflict on your way. Prepare food supply enough for the passengers (your family) as well as enough activities for the kids. Children can get pretty impatient on the road (or on the sky if you are going by plane) so it’s important to have something that will entertain them during the travel hours.
Working Moms, Are Your Children Eating Healthy?
March 24th, 2010
Parenting is one of the greatest tasks that you will have to face in your lifetime. The task of being a mother is so demanding and consuming that for most women, it becomes their main career. However, if you are one of the many women who are trying to balance your job with being a mom then these new findings may interest you. A British study showed that a working mom can actually create an unhealthy environment for her children. According to the case studies, children who have full-time moms who stay at home are healthier than those whose mothers are working. This health discrepancy between children became most evident in the aspect of nutrition.
The fact is kids love to eat without giving any thought to nutrition. You’re not likely to see an eight-year-old choosing spinach over ice cream any day soon. When the mom is not around to provide food guidance then the child will simply devour anything he pleases—soft drinks loaded with sugar, bags of potato chips, candy bars, etc. Needless to say, unhealthy diet or food in the early ages can threaten the health of the child in future. And it’s not just the diet of the child that suffers. Lack of exercise is also rampant among kids who have working moms. They tend to use the computer and watch TV for longer periods of time. Unsurprisingly, they also spend less time walking to school.
It’s also not a surprise that working mothers have less time to spend with their children. Most of their days are dedicated to their jobs and we all know how tiresome working everyday can be. If you’re a working mom then you probably get home every day wanting nothing better than to take a few hours to rest. And the time you take to rest further subtracts from the time you spend with your child.
According to studies, almost more than half of the female population in the United States and United Kingdom join the work force shortly after giving birth. This study about working moms and kids’ nutrition is probably igniting an understandable outcry from working mothers everywhere. After all, with the current economic crisis, unemployment for men has grown more than it has for women. Because of this, many moms have no option left but to look and apply for a job in order to ensure the financial stability of their families. Unfortunately, there are many cases when the health of the family is overlooked.
So what can working moms do in order to maintain their job while maintaining the health of their kids? Organizing your time would be a great idea. No matter how tired you are when you get home, set aside an hour every day to spend time with your kids and be sure to teach them the importance of a healthy diet. If you don’t have time to prepare dinner, order take-out from a restaurant that serves healthy food. Enjoying outdoor exercises like a walk in the park or biking are also great ways to spend some quality time with your kids while ensuring exercise for everyone. If you have money to spare then hiring a maid would also be a great option. Be sure to train the maid to follow a healthy diet program when cooking for your kids. If you have other ideas how busy mommies can squeeze in healthy eating for their kids then be sure to share your thoughts!
Bad Parenting: Root of Society’s Loss of Civility?
March 24th, 2010
Civility, by definition, means perfunctory or formal politeness. Unfortunately, this politeness is something that we are seeing less and less of everyday. From Rep. Joe Wilson’s rude retort during Obama’s speech to Kanye West’s stunt to upstage Taylor Swift at an awards’ show, it seems that American culture is indeed losing civility. The origin of this problem must be uncovered or else the future generations of our nation are in grave danger. Just imagine a chaotic world that has no definition of respect. Ultimately, violence will conquer every nation and basic human values such as respect will be unheard of.
One of the real reasons behind America’s lack of civility is failed parenting. For so many parents, this fact can seem unacceptable or preposterous. However, the truth is that parents are responsible for the growth of every future generation. A recent incident that occurred in a school bus is a perfect example of how children today are rapidly losing their civility. A teenager was unexpectedly beaten up over a place to sit on the bus. What’s shocking about the video is not just the unprovoked violence, but the apathy of most of the other passengers who just sat and watched. Some even encouraged the fight.
In cases such as these, one cannot help but think that parenting and the home life of a child are the factors to blame. Everyone knows that the smallest organization in society is the family. Families are the foundation of every nation. Almost every single member of society has his roots in some kind of family. Every politician, scientist, teacher, student, doctor, nurse, business man and news reporter that make up a society all hail from their own families. We need to understand how important parents are and how each individual’s attitude in life is molded at home.
If you are a parent then you obviously have your work cut out for you. Do not hesitate to act now because there is no better time than the present to instill good and humane values into your children. Not to do this basic parenting task would be a crime toward your family and toward society in general.
“Family first” is a phrase that you’ve probably heard and read a million times before. We’ve done the talk, now are we ready to do the walk? Are we ready to make drastic changes in the environment that we create at home?
Creating a good home life for your children is not as hard as you think. The ingredients of a good home are usually loving parents who are good role models for their kids, children who are respected and are in turn taught how to respect others as well as open communication lines between parent and child. A child who came from a home where respect is practiced will usually reflect the same value in society. On the other hand, an individual who has been exposed to a chaotic home life where rudeness and violence are a daily part of life is likely to carry out these attitudes outside the home.
However, there are still some parents who insist that factors outside the home such as peer pressure and pop culture are the main culprits in today’s lack of civility. What do YOU think?
