Archive for December, 2006

Nail Biting Basics

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Nail biting in all its various forms is problematic behavior beset by peculiarity and contradiction. Technically speaking, the correct word for nail biting is ANONYCHOPHAGIA.
Nail biting typically begins between the ages of five and 10 and is common among children as well as adults. As many as one in three Americans bite their nails.
One of […]

Power Foods for a Powerful School Lunch

Saturday, December 30th, 2006

There isn’t a school day that goes by that I worry about my son’s lunch. Of course, I ask myself the usual questions: Is he eating what he has in the bag? Will he trade his apple for a cookie? Will the school lunch he’s ordering once a week be nutritious? He’s a kid! He’s […]

Childrens Books And Educational Toys - Can They Still Be Fun And Have Educational Value

Thursday, December 28th, 2006

It was no contest. Given a choice between a ball and a book, my son would never have cracked a book binding. Giving him educational toys was a lot like giving him medicine. He didn’t want any part of either one. Fortunately, things have changed a great deal in the 20-odd years since he was […]

How Children Learn

Wednesday, December 27th, 2006

Nurture and Teach
The single most important thing caregivers can do for a child is provide a nurturing environment. By doing this, we influence children’s brain development and their ability to learn. Introducing nurtured children to learning opportunities every day will help them become happy, well-adjusted adults. In all stages of child development, each experience builds […]

What Do Chinese Water Torture and Arguing with Children Have in Common?

Tuesday, December 26th, 2006

Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down onto a cold, hard table, unable to move any part of your body. You can’t see anything around you because your eyes are covered. You find yourself imprisoned by the enemy and you have no where to go for help. The room is silent except […]

Promoting Your Childs Motor Development

Monday, December 25th, 2006

Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can you, as an involved parent, do to help promote your child’s motor development? To help ensure she becomes a competent, confident mover who enjoys and therefore takes part in physical activity? The answer is: Plenty!
Practice is one of the most important factors involved in achieving […]

How to Create an Emotional Bond with Your Child

Sunday, December 24th, 2006

One of the most powerful tools that parents have for raising their children is the natural emotional bond that exists between them and their child. Children who feel close to their parents will have a strong desire to obey them. No child with this type of connection to his parents will want to risk hurting […]

The Different Types, or Styles, of ADHD

Saturday, December 23rd, 2006

Research literature, recent books, and common sense, all point to the fact that there are different types, or styles, of ADHD. In the past we referred to Attention Deficit Disorder: Inattentive Type, or Impulsive/Hyperactive Type, or a Combined Type. Today the diagnostic differences are a bit less clear, but the reality doesn’t change.
Dr. Daniel Amen […]

War Declared On Instant Messenger: How to Stop Your Child from Wasting Their Life Away Online

Friday, December 22nd, 2006

Hey Parents! I hate to tell you, but there is no such thing as "useful instant messaging". Your crafty child might try to take advantage of your lack of "Techie" know how when they say in that whiney voice… "But Mom?I’m IMing my friends about homework." Don’t buy it! They are simply playing up the […]

My Teenaged Parents

Thursday, December 21st, 2006

Frankly, as a single parent of young children, I struggled. But, as the single parent of teenagers, I stunk! Faced with the reality of children who could (and did) do whatever they really, really wanted to do, I was often baffled.
Functioning as the caregiver of two adult parents, I again find myself baffled. But I […]