Science Horizons

I have no idea with other countries, perhaps I should research on this later, but in my country, the Philippines, since 1995, the last week of September each year is dedicated to the family, the Filipino family, for clarity. Although specifically, the celebration is a FAMILY WEEK, activities are spread over the entire month thus, sometimes the event is referred to as the Family Month. Organizers highlight the event with activities consistent with the main objective of strengthening the Filipino unity, solidarity and stability, in view of its socio-economic contribution to national development.

Among the many activities conducted for this event, the one that strikes me most is the premium placed on wellness of children particularly in the babyhood age. Perhaps, these could be measures undertaken to reverse the malnutrition situation in the country. One of the effective though simple measures is breastfeeding. In 2006, the Philippines, as reported by UNICEF, landed in the Guinness Book of World Records, when almost 4,000 mothers ” along with their babies ” have helped to set a world record for simultaneous breastfeeding beating the previous Guinness world record set by 1,135 women in Berkeley, California.

Why do I discuss about breastfeeding when I am supposed to tackle gifts for babies? Simple ” I find breastfeeding the best first gift that a mother must and need to give her baby. I dont need to narrate the importance and the benefits of feeding the little angel from the breast of her own mother ” there are millions of references on this readily available on the websites of medical and nutrition experts.

Besides, I am not an expert who can explain the specific vitamins, minerals, etc . that the breast milk offers ” I will leave that to you childs pediatrician. What I know and greatly appreciate is that the act of breastfeeding promotes physical and emotional bond between a mother and a child. A special bond which grows beyond boundaries of time and age. Picture out a baby clothed in a mothers embrace while getting her sustenance from the mothers breast. Is it not awesome? Will you yourself not revel in the experience of caring for a baby in similar manner?

While we are on the subject of physical and emotional bond between a mother and her baby through breastfeeding, I am inspired to share with you a poem which although does not literally speak about breastfeeding, it universally captures the reasons why we must care for children. This is written by Mary Botham Howitt, and it goes:

God sent children for another purpose than merely to keep up the pace ” to enlarge our hearts; and to make us unselfish and full of kindly sympathies and affections; to give our souls higher aims; to call out all our faculties to extended enterprise and exertion; and to sing round our firesides bright faces, happy smiles and loving, tender hearts.

To mothers I say, whatever your circumstances, whether or not caring for a child led you to metamorphose into a woman with ill-fitting shirt and jeans – thanks to extra pounds gained or lose – remind yourself that these are just fleeting trappings of slipping into motherhood.

Just keep on holding your baby with her soft head a perfect fit under your chin, her tiny hands splayed out like small pink starfish against your arms, her wispy curls lifts with the breeze, and her face creased and rosy in the morning. Laugh at how the sunshine makes your baby sniff and squint ” LAUGH OUT LOUD!

Edie Mindell Pregnancy and Family Planning babies, baby showers, birthdays, Children, gifts, Holidays, Parenting, parents, pregnancy, Pregnancy and Family Planning, Shopping, toddlers, toys, trends

This is your first Christmas as the proud Grandparent. There is no greater joy than that of greeting a new baby, except perhaps that joy of greeting a new grandbaby. Grandparenthood is a special club that encourages reckless spoiling of those beloved creatures. There was no true maxim than that of: many a child is spoiled because you can’t spank Grandma.

If this year is your first year celebrating Christmas as a grandparent, congratulations! Not since the magical days spent with your own children will the Holidays seem so full. There are however a few pitfalls that new grandparents are susceptible to. For a joyous celebration that won’t create ill will here are a few tips to follow.

Holiday Gift Giving

This is the season of giving, and it is so much fun to give gifts to a toddler or baby. Baby clothes are so much fun to pick out and wrap. Toys are much more exciting to purchase and watch being unwrapped than the offerings for adults. It is easy to go overboard.

Remember, gifts are often expected at Christmas time, and they are very appreciated but an over abundance of gifts rivaling the collection of Ritchie Rich is not likely to engender the appreciation of the new parents. Try to set a limit for yourself. Your grandbaby does not need every single toy or pair of shoes you lay eyes on.

If you are not sure what the limit should be have an honest conversation with your grandbaby’s parents. When everyone is on the same page from the beginning there is much less chance of hurting feelings or over stepping some unknown boundary.

Special Gifts

When it comes to specific gifts some are just off limits to grandparents. This means that perhaps your daughter-in-law feels it a parental right to purchase her baby girl that all important first doll. Perhaps it is the unknown wish of your child to present his or her own baby with a keepsake quilt.

The problem with these special gifts is not so much the desire to be the one to give it to the baby, but the symbolism behind it. The flip side of the special gift scenario is that of contraband gifts. Perhaps guns or overly frivolous Barbies have been placed on the no-no list by the baby’s parent. As the grandparent you may have no idea what these special or contraband gifts might be.

Again it is time to discuss gift options with your grandbaby’s parents. No grandparent wants to become the stereotypical ‘in-law’. Keeping communication lines open will ensure that Christmas is a time of fun giving and spoiling that leaves everyone with feelings of love and respect.

Edie Mindell Infants and Toddlers babies, Children, christmas, gifts, grandparents, Holidays, Infants and Toddlers, Parenting, parents, Shopping, toddlers, toys

Don’t fancy the idea of crowds and traffic? Do your shopping online. If you have had it with traditional holiday shopping you are not alone. Even the most fearless and most organized holiday shopping divas tire from the endless crowds and cheesy holiday music. Luck for us in this day and age there is another option: internet shopping.

Internet shopping is sweeping the nation and is quickly become a very normal occurrence. Yet as any shopping diva knows there are a few ins and outs that can greatly increase your success.

Shop Savvy

First off, just because you can shop from home in your undies does not mean that you need any less preparation. You are a shopping diva, after all, and just because you are taking your list into cyberspace instead of retail space does not eliminate the need to check it twice. Once you have prepared your list with the utmost care, then you are ready to shop.

Shop Safe

With identity theft being an ever-growing threat, one of the first things an internet shopping diva needs to know is how to make her funds secure. There are a few ways to do this. One of the first ways is to make certain you only give out credit card information on secured websites.

Check if the site is secure by looking for a padlock icon on your browser window. If there is no such icon, the site is not secure and you shouldn’t give out your information. Never ever give out credit card information in email. Email is not secure.

Other security measures include using the same credit card to make all your online purchases. This card should carry a low spending limit. That way if your information is stolen the culprit can’t rack up huge bills. Also using just one card eliminates the question of what card was used when or if you need to contest a charge.

Shop Smart

One of the great things about taking the shopping online is that there are tons of review websites. When shopping in person at Holiday Toddler Toy Emporium, the only review you are likely to get about a toy is from the box, fellow shoppers or the teenage sales clerk. These resources often leave much to be desired.

Not so with online stores. Reviews are plentiful, detailed and have real life experience. This kind of information at your fingertips will help you avoid poor purchases.

Shop Savings

Hesitate to shop online because you think the cost is too much? This is not true. You can use the same coupons online as in the store for cost savings. In addition to coupon savings you rarely need to pay sales tax on online purchases. This is a savings of on average 8% right back into your pocket.

Shipping costs are a concern, but if you shop early you can avoid high express shipping rates as well as the trip to the post office when you need to send your three-year-old nephew his Christmas gift.

Edie Mindell Infants and Toddlers babies, Children, christmas, gifts, grandparents, Holidays, Infants and Toddlers, Parenting, parents, Shopping, toddlers, toys

If you have children under the age of four years old, you are surely in the need of a baby stroller. Baby strollers come in handy in many situations that you will find yourself in as a parent or grandparent. Keeping a young child at your side when in public is a definite challenge that you will surely win when you have a baby stroller.

If there are no carts offered at the place that you are going to spend the day, taking the baby stroller will be a blessing. If you do not have a stroller you, one of two things will surely happen. You will either hurt your back and feet by carrying the child all day or you will spend most of the time chasing them around. Either way it will be very tiring.

Carrying them is even harder if they want down and want to walk on their own. The inventor of strollers came up with a back saving invention.

There are several different styles of baby strollers. If you are looking for a small, compact stroller try an umbrella stroller. The umbrella stroller is very small and easy to collapse. It is very easy to get the child in and out of the umbrella strollers as well.

Because the umbrella stroller is made to be so small, they are also not very strong. You will find that pushing your child through a grassy field or over rough pavement will be a challenge. This is because the wheels on an umbrella stroller are also small and light weight. Traveling on a surface with obstacles is almost impossible with an umbrella stroller.

There are larger strollers that have larger wheels and are more bulky. These types of strollers are good for traveling on almost any surface because the wheels are typically a lot larger than the wheels on an umbrella stroller. They also have some great designs that will make things easier for you.

There are a lot more assets to owning a larger stroller as well. The storage space under the seating area could be used to hold shopping bags, your purse, or even snacks for the child. They also usually come with a cup holder for their sipping cups or bottles.

A newer model of stroller is called the running stroller. The running stroller usually has one larger wheel in the front and two smaller ones in the back. They are built to be more aerodynamic for the athletes that want to take a run with their little ones. The child will be secure in the running stroller and you can get the much needed exercise.

When you have a child, your body just does not return instantly to the figure that you had prior to being pregnant. This is why the running stroller is perfect for the new mother that loved to take evening or morning runs daily. No need to have someone watch your little angle while you run, just take him or her with you.

When you are a parent, anything that you can do to make the experience of a trip more pleasant is worth the investment. Having baby strollers is a great idea and a nerve saver. If you do not already have one, invest in one today.

Kathy Lewis Home babies, baby, baby stroller, child, Children, Family, Home, mother, outdoor, parent, parents, stroller, strollers

Little girls do love their dolls. They love to play and dress them and take them places, as if they really were their mommies.

I have a daughter that first began her love affair, with a certain doll, when she was only 18 months old. The relationship was a bit rocky at first as my little mommy pulled her baby’s hair and competed with the doll for bottle and binky use. Yet as the weeks passed the love my baby had for her baby grew to complete devotion.

She fondly named the baby doll Bah-Bah-Toe (don’t ask, I don’t know) and they have been inseparable now for several years. The cementing moments of the relationship occurred when Bah-Bah-Toe was given her own dollhouse. At first this was a humble dwelling that consisted of nothing more than a few cardboard boxes stacked and taped together.

At Christmas time that year, when my daughter was 2, the idea of getting her a brand new doll was down right blasphemous. Bah-Bah-Toe reigns supreme. One evening as my husband and I observed our little mommy lovingly reciting a story to her precious baby and tenderly tucking her into one of those cardboard rooms it struck us: Bah-Bah-Toe needs a real house.

Finding the perfect dollhouse for our daughter and her baby was not too difficult but was a decision that required some care. There are so many options out there. The first thing to consider is size. In our case the house needed to be able to inhabit the doll we already had. For those who may still need to populate the new residence the size concern is moot. Yet size is still an issue. Tall dollhouses pose a tipping threat and a climbing temptation for little ones. The last thing you want is the dollhouse to become memorable because of your child’s King Kong impression and the ensuing trip to the ER.

Dollhouses that are overly intricate, ornate or small similarly don’t work for toddlers. Those gorgeous Victorian ones are great, but a toddler will destroy it before the sun sets on Christmas day. Those with fine detail and small furnishings also pose a choking hazard. What a toddler needs is a dollhouse that isn’t too big, and isn’t too small. There are several varieties on the market that your daughter will be thrilled to call her own.

Many dollhouses come with just that: the house. Other brands come with a load of extras including play figures, furniture and clothing for the dolls. Price and your existing collection of accessories is a great way to decide what you need for your daughter’s Christmas wishes to come true. If you have many dolls already, then a house by itself is probably the way to go. For those just beginning their doll collections, a house that comes with extras will have a higher price tag up front, but when you factor in the cost of buying extra pieces separately, it might be the better deal.

Our little mommy has grown so much we hardly recognize the 2 year old who squealed with delight as she tucked a baby named Bah-Bah-Toe into her new house for the first time. Yet she still loves that doll, and her dollhouse where her doll baby lives.

What joy she has gotten from those toys and what a great investment they have been in the growing of her imagination.

Edie Mindell Infants and Toddlers babies, christmas, gifts, grandparents, Holidays, Infants and Toddlers, Parenting, parents, Shopping, toddler, toys

It is always a nightmare for parents to lure their children to attend school. Your children have to receive education from school because it is obligatory and it is important. You will feel extremely irritated when you encounter this problem.Don’t worry, here are some key tips that can you do to stop this nightmare.

There are a lot of potential reasons for why your child does not like school. Thus, to help your child like school, your must first identify the true reason for why they avoid school and then use some tricks to help them overcome the problems. To guide you through the process, below are some common reasons for why children do not like school.

Firstly, some children get bored at school because classes are too easy for them. For the case of these smarter kids, as the teacher often has to slow down the class to give more attention to the less capable ones, the smarter kids might simply lose their interest in class.

Secondly, If there are great discrepancies between the learning style of your children and the method of teaching, they may dislike school. The curriculum, the school environment, the method of teaching and even your children’s mode of learning may affect the your children’s fondness of school. Once you have identified the reasons, you have to make certain adjustments in order to correspond to their needs.

Next, children sometimes encounter social problems. A poor relationship with peers may attribute to the reason why your children dislike school. When your child comes across such problem, you have to think carefully whether you should offer help or allow your child to solve this by themselves. You are encouraged to pay more attention on your kids and be sure that you are aware of such problem.

Building up your children’s self-confidence is a way to deal with such problem. You can encourage your children to participate various extracurricular activities which enable them to develop positive friendships. You may also seek help from a counselor. If there is no significant improvement in the situation, the ultimate solution would be changing schools.

Children feel pressurized when they have tests and exams, even at a young age. Marks are becoming more important. It would be better if you can figure out the sources of “pressure” and find ways to alleviate your children’s pressure.

If pressure is the reason, try to educate your child that his/her value doesn’t just come from test scores. Tell them school is a place for him/her to learn, but not a place to compete. Try the suggestions mentioned above and you might find that you no longer have to force your child to school anymore.

If you like the reference about Early Education, I believe you would find more inspiration when you send a free online birthday cards and Free e-cards

Steve Chan Education bored, Children, Education, enjoy, free, parents, peers, pressure, Psychology, school

Being a parent for the first time is filled with surprises. You’re going to make mistakes no matter how many parenting books you’ve read. Eventually, you’ll begin to wonder whether you truly know what you’re doing raising a small child. To be sure, parenting is an exciting and distressing experience that can make anyone question their own wisdom. In this article, we’ll describe a few popular blunders that new parents make so you can identify them before they ensnare you and your partner.

Letting Your Relationship Atrophy

With a new baby in the house, there’s very little time to enjoy the luxury of spending quality time with your partner. After a hectic day chasing your little one, the last thing you want to do is explain the tedious details to someone else. It’s tiring and you’ll have the feeling that you’re boring your partner. But, this kind of communication is vital for you both. It’s your chance to connect with one another, often after spending the entire day apart.

Thinking You Can Do It Alone

It’s natural to think you can take care of your baby, get the sleep you need, clean the house, and handle your endless “to do” list. In reality, parenting is an exhausting job. Get beyond thinking that asking a friend or family member for help is a sign of weakness. If help is offered, accept it. Having a friend watch your little one for a few hours can help you get the sleep you desperately need. That sleep will make you feel more energized when you’re caring for your baby.

Overdoing The Nursery

Sure, designing your baby’s nursery can be fun. You and your partner can infuse the room with your personal taste and creativity. Having said that, a lot of new parents fall into the trap of buying every imaginable product advertised. First, that quickly becomes expensive. Second, taking a minimalist approach today pays dividends later; you’ll have more room to maneuver without unnecessary toys and furniture getting in the way.

Not Sifting Through The Advice

You and your partner will begin receiving parenting advice long before your baby even arrives. Some of it will be good; some of it will be bad. Take most of it with a grain of salt. As long as you’re consulting your pediatrician and have read a few reputable “baby books,” you’ll have access to the answers you need. Most new parents discover their instincts are good.

Having and raising a child implies significant responsibilities for both moms and dads. Because there are so many decisions to make and the parenting work never seems to end, it becomes too easy to commit avoidable blunders. Nurture your relationship with your partner and ask for help from friends and family when you need it. Don’t overdo the nursery. And sift through the advice you receive from others. Eventually, you’ll be able to help other new moms and dads avoid making the same mistakes.

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Jennifer Ransome Parenting Children, moms, motherhood, Parenting, parents

A band of guinea pigs who defend the world against evil? Sure, why not? You could probably use those at your child’s next birthday party. You never know when some villain will try to break up the celebration. Check out all the cool G-Force birthday party goods and find out how you can be protected.

To get the action going you’ll need to send out some G-Force Invitations. Your operation may start out top secret, but once you mail these everyone will know that a huge celebration is about to begin. Like any protective agency, it’s important to be prepared.

Start with the G-Force Deluxe Party Pack and you are already well covered in the decoration and dessert serving zones. With a complete package of plates, cups, activity placemats, and more you can serve knowing your tasty offerings are safe. Then, dig out the balloons, crepe paper rolls, and all the rest to show the world that your party rooms are covered by the best animal heroes.

To keep all your secret agents at your table peaceful while you set up, be sure to stock up on G-Force Tattoos. The kids will be so busy putting on these easy-to-wash off designs, they won’t have time to start a riot.

Oh, by the way, don’t forget those G-Force Cone Hats, either. What’s a party without hats? The package includes 8 cardboard hats with elastic chin straps and feature the characters from the terrific new film. Naturally, that character is decked out with all the high tech gear needed to communicate with his pals.

While you’re laying out all the gear your team members need, don’t forget to distribute a G-Force Party Favor Kit for each one. Each green-and-white striped box contains a G-Force mystery pad and decoder, a sticker sheet, a Snap-n-Glow pop, a telescope, and some black slime. They’ll need some time to investigate their kit bag, so greet every arrival at the door with their own box.

Those sticker sheets (like the tattoos) also are available separately, along with Green Telescopes. The 7″ long plastic looking glass is perfect for scouting out the enemy. Kids can use the tattoos to identify who is on the good guys team and who is with the bad guys.

Use the G-Force Mystery Water Paint Boards to let everyone practice how to uncover a hidden message. This set of 4 paint boards make it easy to keep everyone really sharp as they try to solve the mystery. Just wet a finger and rub to reveal a secret message. Then, gather all the secret agents around to plan the next step.

Your mission is now well on its way to a successful ending thanks to the oh so cool G-Force birthday supplies. You’ve sent the message about where to meet. You’ve got all the food and decorations you need. You’ve got tons of gear to prepare all the agents to meet their objectives. Now, go save the world!

Looking to buy kids party supplies for your child’s next birthday party? Look no further! Buy G-Force party supplies and other partyware at kidzbirthdaysupplies.com.

Patti Lauwers Children babies, birthday, Children, Family, Home, kids, parents, party, teens, toddlers

Give the best gifts and still have a sane holiday without endless shopping. These tips are sure to come in handy when you are holiday shopping for babies and toddlers this season.

Does this sound familiar to anyone: The past several years have seen a veritable baby boom in your family. You and your siblings or siblings in law seem to have all been drinking the same water because you have all been blessed to become parents in the recent past.

This boom of babies has been most welcome by all, especially the delighted grandparents. As you all moved into parenthood together you have navigated certain new boundaries and still maintained a harmonious and loving family.

The advent of Christmas!

Now the blessed season of Christmas is knocking on your door and a whole new worry emerges. You would love to give a gift to each and everyone of your nieces and nephews from the oldest toddlers to the newest baby. Yet this gift giving bonanza is fraught with certain difficulties.

You and your siblings, while tied by strong family ties are not in the same places financially, in gift giving ideas and shipping distances. These differences make it difficult to know what type of gifts are appreciated or offensive.

The gift issue

All families at some point go through this same type of growing pain when grandbabies begin to arrive. You want to show your love, yet have no desire to be the one who trumps other’s gifts if yours are more expensive or numerous. Worse yet your gifts end up making someone else look like a Holiday Humbug because you arrive with arms laden with gifts and all they have to pass out is hugs and kisses.

Get on the same page

To this end it is time to fill your role as a parent, sibling and as an aunt or uncle and broach the subject openly. Feelings will not be hurt if holiday gift giving plans are discussed openly among parents. This might not be the easiest conversation to begin, but it is much better to talk about it before seasons of gift giving blunders stack up and create hurt or resentment.

Get the ball rolling

To get the subject out into the open can be done any one of a number of ways. It is best to do it at a time when most of the family is gathered together in one place. Making sure as many people have a say in the initial conversation will ensure that no one feels backed into a gift giving corner because they weren’t able to help set the ground rules right from the start.

Shopping for toddlers and babies at Christmas time should be full of fun. Discussing openly gift giving plans with your family will make sure your gifts are received in the same spirit of loving holiday fun.

What you just learned about baby presents is just the beginning. To get the full story and all the details, check us out at http://www.simplyuniquebabygifts.com for your unique baby gifts. You will love the personalized baby gift basket.

Edie Mindell Infants and Toddlers babies, Children, christmas, gifts, grandparents, Holidays, Infants and Toddlers, Parenting, parents, Shopping, toddlers, toys

You’ve seen them. In fact, you may even exhibit some of the same tendencies. The constant gossiping with other mothers, the frumpy clothing, and the latest baby gear are all signs of stereotypical “new mom” behavior. Some experts suggest it’s due to an overwhelming need to connect with other mothers who can empathize with them. Others contend the reason is because new moms are busy; parents with new babies have very little extra time (which may explain the frumpy clothes).

The problem is that if new mothers fail to take care of themselves, it can affect their mood and their energy levels. An exhausted and frustrated parent may be unable to provide the care and tenderness a young child needs. Below, we’ll describe a few of the most prolific new mother stereotypes so you can see if you’re in danger of falling into any of them. We’ll also offer a few tips for breaking free.

Are You Typecasting Yourself?

One of the most common roles is that of the Frumpy Mom. Her clothes might escape the laundry a few days too many and her hairdryer may have remained turned off for the past several weeks. There’s nothing wrong with a comfortable style, but a fine line separates “comfortable” from frumpy.

The Supermom is another stereotype. Eschewing a slow-paced lifestyle, she works full-time, always has time to spend with her baby, maintains a flawlessly clean house, and rarely has a hair out of place. For the Supermom, slowing down might put more time into her hands than she knows what to do with.

The Gossip can be found with other new moms at parks, picnics, and other functions. If there’s something to hide, she’ll find it and spread it around. This is one of the easiest stereotypes to fall into. If you whisper into another mom’s ear about the poor rearing standards of someone else, you may have just crossed the line.

Breaking Free Of Common Stereotypes

Suppose you’ve noticed a few traits in your behavior that fit the above descriptions. There are easy ways to break free. First, make a commitment to not gossip with the other mothers. It’s a hard habit to break, but once you do, you’ll be better for it. Second, apply a little image control. That means keeping your hair appointments and putting on a little foundation and lip gloss when you leave the house. Third, if you’re an overachieving mom, get used to letting a couple of things slide every once in awhile. The world will not end.

The common stereotypes that new mothers fall into can dilute the enjoyment of spending time with your baby and others. Once you identify the problematic traits, you can take steps to break free and truly enjoy the delights of motherhood.

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Jennifer Ransome Parenting maternity, moms, motherhood, Parenting, parents