Safety Seats

Is your child's safety seat as safe as it should be? The scary truth is that four out of five safety seats are used incorrectly, with an average of three mistakes per seat according to a report from the Washington, D.C.-based National Safe Kids Campaign. For a complete car-seat recall list, and to find out what you can do to insure your child's safety while riding in your automobile , check out the January 2003 issue of Parents magazine by clicking on http://www.parents.com/.

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Family Fun

Take a grumpy kid, a pair of fuzzy socks, buttons, glue and a couple of days indoors. Put them all together and what have you got? A weekend project that the whole family can enjoy. Whether it's crafts or creative cooking, you'll find instructions and ideas by logging on to http://www.familyfun.com/.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the most commonly diagnosed disorder of childhood. It is estimated to affect three to five percent of school-age children and occurs three times more often in boys than in girls. On average, about one child in every classroom in the United States needs help for this disorder. Learn the facts about ADHD at http://www.ivillage.com/.

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Calm You Children's Fear of Flying

In the wake of the recent attacks, how do we sooth our children's anxiety about flying?

• Allow them to talk about their feelings and their fear, giving them truthful and realistic reassurance. When asking how they can be safe over and over. Parents need to answer patiently every time.
• Stay in close touch with your children when you travel on business. Tell them you will call every morning and every night. Have the older children call you if you anxious.
• Give the children a calendar to mark off the days you will be gone. Ask if you can "borrow" something for the trip. The Barbie or the matchbox car may help lessen your anxiety also
• Avoid general blame. Explain that is was a small group of people. It is important to avoid labeling any particular ethnic, religious or cultural group.

Safety will be on the minds of your children in the recent months and it may not come to surface until they have to face it. It is important for us to make sure they are not afraid.

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Car Safety

Here are a few ways to keep small passenger in line and safe!

• Establish rules of the road: before the first carpool, get together with other parents and discuss basics; where kids meet each day, no-food laws, and staying seated until the car stops.
• Strap them in! Infants (to 20 pounds) in rear facing seats until age 1. 1(21 to 40 pounds) and older forward facing seats. 41 to 80 pounds in booster seats and over 80 car seat belts.
• Keep diversions handy: take turns with music selections and make it clear that car-friendly toys are to be shared.
• Practice Crowd Control: Never hesitate to pull off the road to settle rowdy kids or arguments. Kids don't like to sit still so they put pressure on others to behave.

http://www.parenting.com

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How Much is Too Much Television?

The best way to handle television and videos is to think of them as refined sugar…. enjoy without consuming excess.

• More than an hour or two a day is too much. It is better that you keep the television out of the child's room and off during mealtimes.
• For children under two use 15 minute increments. More than that and little minds go on autopilot.
• It is also good to watch television with you child. Children whose parents watched television with them and in moderation scored higher academically as with those who watched unsupervised with unlimited access.
• Watch programs and not television. Rather than sit and watch whatever is on use the TV listing to select what your child is going to watch and turn off the set when the program is over.

http://www.womencentral.com

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Is Your Baby's Personality Formed by Nature or Nurture?

A child's personality if shaped in part by environmental factors such as her relationships and experiences. But many behaviors- such as a tendency to wake up with a smile or a penchant for throwing tantrums when things don't go her way- can be connected directly with inborn temperament.

There are nine traits to identify and infant's temperament:

1. Activity level
2. Sensitivity
3. Regularity in sleep and eating patterns
4. Adaptability to change
5. Approach to new people
6. Mood
7. Distractibility
8. Intensity of reaction when pleased or displeased
9. Length of attention span

If you feel your child has a few difficult traits, look for the silver linings. Replace negative terms such as "stubborn" with more positive ones such as "determined".
There are three categories, "difficult", "easy" and "slow to warm"
It is important to keep track of these traits to be able to nurture your child.
Remember no single trait can determine a child's temperament.

http://www.parenting.com

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Making Learning Fun

Some of the best toys and games to help your children learn are right there in your house - and your imagination.

• Musical Pots: Give them a wooden spoon and some pots and pans and with a little coaching they will make noise on high chairs, floors or any surface that can make a nice racket.
  Benefit… Self esteem builder. Simple actions can have big results and get attention!
• Feeling Fun: Let your baby touch several objects of varying textures such as sandpaper, silk scarf, wooden blocks and stuffed toys.
  Benefit…encourages them to explore and appreciate differences, learning all about the world.
• Playing Painter: Give your child an unused paintbrush and a cup of water with or without food coloring. Use grocery bags on the kitchen floor or the sidewalk outside.
  Benefit…Hand eye coordination and motor skills.

http://www.parenting.com

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Surprising Things Babies Teach Us

It is sometimes true we can learn more from our babies than other adults. There are many things I have learned from my nephew, Blake. Little ones aren't merely sponges they are teachers.

• Art of Paying Attention: Walking, talking, laughing and being happy. There are so many events that take place it seems there is no way to be there for it all. It is amazing how much babies have to share. The trick is to always pay attention even when tempted to turn away.
• Ability to Think You are Great: Life is all about making decisions. Yes or no. Respond or ignore. We don't always make the right or easiest choice. Work can be a brutal challenge and our self-confidence can sometime wobble like a 12 month olds first steps. Then unprompted and unexpected a wee little voice says, "I love you". Suddenly I am the greatest person in the world! He thinks I am great and he is smart enough to tell me.
• The Pleasure of Trivia: Never before have I been so knowledgeable on Disney, Pikachu, Proper technique for landing a rocket made out of sheets or How to say "I love you" in sign language. I have learned more from this someone who up until three weeks ago had no schooling to speak of.
• Meaning of Life: We all hear stories of those who regret they never lived or experienced all they wanted to before death. I have learned to sometimes eat dessert first, never hide your feelings and always go for the hugs!!

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Ten Habits of Great Dads

Here is a list of ten things men can do to help themselves be more involved.

1. Be more active- take action and don't wait for your children to come to you.
2. Get more practice- Listen and watch Mom for her ideas and thoughts on raising your children and get better by doing those things.
3. Take pride in the special way you are with your kids- every father is different and be proud of the way you interact with you kids.
4. Be emotionally available- don't keep the relationship all fun and games. Talk about emotions and feelings.
5. Be a partner not a helper- Share the household duties with your children
6. Be available more than the weekends- don't miss out on the other five days of the week or you will miss out on most of their lives.
7. Show respect for your partner- your children will watch how you treat your spouse. They will pattern your behavior.
8. Be aware of the need to communicate- if you don't like the household routine and status quo with your spouse let her know you want to share that parenting role with her.
9. Know your legal rights- stay current on the latest changes in the legal rights of fathers. Family and Medical Leave Acts and Parents Rights
10. Stay involved after separation or divorce- less than 15% of father have shared or joint custody and may end up fading out of the picture.

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Successful Strategies for Working at Home

Juggling family and career is challenging no matter where your office. But, if you're working at home, experiment to find what works best for you and your family. The big question: Will you accomplish more if you set uninterrupted weekly business hours, or can you manage a less predictable schedule?

Tips for working-at - home Mom:

• Try to resist urge to minister to every cry. Find someone you trust to help with childcare in home.
• Take regular breaks to feed and be with your child.
• Set specific hour not to be disturbed and make friends and family aware.
• Get organized. Develop a system of filing and "must do" in and out's.
• Swap childcare with other parents. Work with neighbors and family to have time to concentrate on the most serious tasks.
• Set realistic goals. Don't overbook yourself.
• Be sure to make time for yourself. Away from work and children.

http://www.womencentral.com

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Country Life or City Life?

Increasing number of people are moving from large cities to small towns. Many are seeking less congested conditions, lower costs of living, and a slower pace. Others are searching for closer family ties, better schools, safer streets, or deeper community connections. Take a moment to separate fact from fantasy. Test these common perceptions against the facts of any town you are considering.

"It's Cheaper" - Look at housing prices and rates such as cable and telephone. Remember if it is cheaper to live, employer pay less

"It's Safer" - In most cases small towns experience less crime. However, there can be property crime in developing areas. Check the town's statistics.

"Pace is Slower" - Time does move slower in many small towns, but that may be hard to live with when you need your house painted right away and there is only one painting firm in town. Think about preplanning in these scenarios.

"It's Friendlier" - The lifeblood of a small town is the goodwill of those who live there. Still this interdependence can sometimes feel stifling, because there is less room to be anonymous.

"Less Congested" - You'll find less traffic. But in areas on the suburban edge, traffic from a new housing project can put a strain the country. Test a community by driving through during commute hours.

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Newborns and Hand washing

Washing your hands frequently around newborns is a must. A healthy newborn does not have to be kept away from other people. However, a new baby is more susceptible to viruses and bacteria, so it's best to keep her away from people who may be ill. You should avoid exposing your newborn anyone who has symptoms of a cold- coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge or fever. And since people who don't know they are sick can also spread germs, it's completely appropriate and not rude to make everyone wash their hands before touching the baby. Even if they are not showing signs of illness, they can't be sure that they haven't come into contact with someone who is ill. Some viruses can live for up to eight hours outside the body.

Dr. David Geller M.D.

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Teen Attitude: What's it to you?

Parents of adolescent children hear plenty of lip. "What's it to you?" and "Whatever". Then there is the "look". Many parents today react to teen attitude in the wrong way. Some get angry and others try to control their teen.

Adolescence's often are on an emotional roller coaster. Their bodies are being flooded with hormones, and they get angry and upset easily. They are trying to separate from their parents and become more autonomous, but still they desperately need their parents.
Parents misinterpret surliness as aloofness when actually it's vulnerability. They are going to be withdrawn and they are going to flip. They are going to test you to see of you will hang in there with them while they are floundering.

Tips on dealing with teen attitude"

• Do not get angry, but remind teens who they are. "You are a better person that that".
• Enough is enough. Let them know when they have gone too far.
• When you do lash out at your teen in anger, don't be afraid to apologize.
• Continue to show kindness, respect and thoughtfulness. Be patient.

http://www.msn.com

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Working Parent Guilt

Raising children in these busy times is a tough juggling act. And no matter how much time you spend with you kids, you always wonder if it's enough. On NBC's Today Show, Ellen Galinsky, from families and Work Institute, shares some advice to help parents navigate these busy times.

Look at guilt as a fever - a symptom that tells us that something is wrong. Instead of pushing it aside, which could be risky and lead to more serious consequences.

Look at what is causing you to feel conflicted. While guilt has many triggers, most can be traced to a gulf between realities of life and our expectations- on other words all the "shoulds" that govern our behavior. The mother of a whining three year old feels that if she were raising her child right, he wouldn't whine.

Ask yourself if your expectations are too high. If you decide they are too high, modify your behavior. Bring expectations in line with reality. If your expectations are too low you may need to make changes in your behavior.

The bottom line: If you ignore guilt, it will eat away at you. If you give in to it, and then overcompensate by indulging your kids or never disciplining them, you can hurt them in the long run. But if you pay attention to your guilt and see it as a signal to examine your assumptions and how you are parenting, it can be a positive force, a way to become not just a better parent, but a more content one too.

NBC's Today Show

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Second Incomes: Twice the World, half the Return

Couples that can live prosperous on one income can, by virtue, live really, really well. That second income, even if modest can pay for fancy vacations, luxurious automobiles and lots of restaurant dining.

However if the income of the second is a lot smaller, it can make no difference at all. The main culprit for the financial failure of second incomes is the tax systems that penalize second incomes as well as the high cost of quality childcare.

Often when you take a hard look at the cost of commuting, childcare, dry cleaning, it may be costing you more money to work. Taxes are only the beginning of the story. Other major costs include:

Child Care- be sure to deduct this from your earning. Cost can range from $4000 to $25,000 a year.

Commuting- Figure about 30 cents a mile (fuel and maintenance, wear and tear). That's $1,125 if your commute is 15 miles.

Lunches- Coffee, snacks as well as breakfast and lunch can cost an average of $6 a day (and you probably spend more) can total up to $1,500 a year.

Other Meal- Working couples tend to eat out more. Give the kids lunch money instead of making lunches. Put down another $1000 for that.

Appearances: Business attire, dry cleaning and ever the right kind of car can fall into this category. This can run from $250 into the thousands.

Other Spending: Working parents, induced by guilt, tend to spend money on unnecessary items for children. Take out, groceries from expensive convenience stores.

Also on the bright side, discovering that a second income really does not contribute to finally freedom, can free a spouse to learn a new trade, go back to school or stay with the kids.

MSN Health

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Strict Parents, Healthy for Teens!

"Parents should not look to Washington, or the statehouse or city hall. They ought to look in the mirror and say, 'What am I doing to fight drugs'?" said Joseph Califano, Chairman of the Columbia University- based National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

Parental neglect "quadruples the likelihood their teens will smoke, drink or use drugs," Califano says.

In it's sixth annual survey of teenagers, the center focused for the first time on a parents role in abetting teens' risky behavior. It also found that 61% of 12-17 year olds are at risk of abusing cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. Results are based on the telephone interviews of 1,000 teens, randomly chosen from a group. They were asked about their smoking, drinking, or drug taking histories: the habits of their friends: and the household rules set by their parents.

"Hands On" parents consistently took 10 or more of the these action, which included: turning off the TV during dinner: banning music CD's with offensive lyrics; knowing where their children were after school; imposing curfews; assigning their teens regular chores; eating dinner with their children at least six nights a week.

"Half Hearted" parents set about half the rules; the largest group 55%, said they lived in these households.

"Hands Off" parents covered about 18% of the group. They followed five or fewer of the rules

About two thirds of the children say they can find drugs in their school. More teens find that marijuana is getting easier to find, even a cigarettes are getting harder to buy.

MSN Health

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Can We Afford Harvard? How to Save for College?

Eighteen years from now, tuition and room and board for a four-year college education will cost close to $85,000 at a public University and just over $200,000 at a private school. And this doesn't include the cost of books, transportation and other day-to-day expenses.

To meet those costs, you'll need to put about $115 a month (for a public institution) or $284 (for a private school) starting from your Childs birth date, in an investment product that will give you an average pretax rate of return of eight percent.

http://www.americanbaby.com

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Family Finance 101

With a new baby coming into your life, there are many financial considerations to take into account. If you're expecting, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Insurance

Do we have enough?
How much will or family need?
How do we add to our existing account?

Employment

What is my partner's policy for leave at work?
What benefits does law entitle me to?
How long can my partner afford to be out of work?
Do our employers offer flexible spending accounts?

Home and Car

Is our home large enough?
If not, how much home can we afford?
Is our home insured?
Do we need a different car to accommodate the new baby?
Do we have six months expenses set aside for emergencies?
Do we have retirement?

Personal Issues

Do we have a will?
Who would we want our children's legal guardian to be?

http://www.americanbaby.com

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