September, 2010

Parenting — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

Effective Toddler Discipline Through Positive Language Communication

First-time parents will most likely have a hard time dealing with the behavior of their toddlers. If they are not well-informed of the knowledge of how to discipline their toddlers correctly, it can really be stressful. Toddlers can begin to exhibit problematic behaviors by the time they reach two years old. They are not called “terrible twos” for nothing. The behaviors associated with temper tantrums can probably be experienced up to their seventh year. It is really important for parents to be equipped early on with the necessary techniques for them to have a head-start disciplining their toddlers.

One important aspect that parents need to know in toddler discipline is the proper use of language when communicating with their toddlers. The choice of words can make a big impact. It is important to use positive words most of the time when talking to your toddlers, especially when you are making your discipline talk.

Studies have shown that you will have a higher success in getting your message understood not just by toddlers, but also with adults, if you use positive words instead of negative terms. Notice how a simple “Do not do that” is not always effective in stopping your toddlers in doing something bad? You might be more successful if you just tell me what to do instead. Just like adults, toddlers will more likely listen if we tell them what to do, rather than telling them what not to do.

Parents should also refrain from describing their toddlers as bad, troublesome, naughty and other negative terms. Toddlers can be affected psychologically that can lead them to behave more negatively. It can also lead to low self-esteem.

Gardening — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

Controlling Plant Pests Organically

Gardening has been done for generations without the use of these harmful chemicals and there is no reason why the same can’t be done today. Border planting and interplanting crops in specific combinations can help eliminate many varieties of insect pests in the garden. Here are just a few:

Marigolds rid the soil of nematodes and Mexican bean beetles. Grow marigolds where tomatoes and eggplant are to go next year. In the fall, dig in the plant residue or leave as a mulch through the winter. The factor that kills the worms is produced slowly in the roots of the plants and is gradually released into the soil. The good effect of interplanting marigolds may not show the first year.

Nasturtiums deter aphids, squash bugs and striped pumpkin beetles. Grow them between vegetable rows and around fruit trees.

Rosemary deters cabbage moth, bean beetles and carrot flies. Plant around your vegetable garden.

Sage deters cabbage moths and carrot flies. Plant with rosemary, cabbage and carrots. But keep away from cucumbers.

Chives keep Japanese beetles at a healthy distance from raspberries and grape vines.

Onions deter most pests.

Mint deters white cabbage moths and ants. Plant alongside members of the cabbage family.

Soybeans shield corn from clinch bugs. Plant in alternate rows with corn.

Garlic repels aphids from roses, fruit trees and cabbages. Plant the cloves near these flowers, fruits and vegetables.

There are also several homemade insecticides that are useful. Common plant oils, food stufs and household items can be very effective in the treatment of insect infestations. They can be used as sprays, dusts, bait or as rinses and baths.

To make a spray from plant oils, chop or grind the plant and add an equal amount of water. Strain, if necessary, and mix with emulsifiers such as fish oil and liquid soap. As oil tends to separate out, use the spraying solution as soon as possible. Some remedies you can make at home:

A strong soap and water solution sprayed on infected plants will rid them of aphid and mites.

Garlic oil spray is effective against onion flies, aphids, thrips and ermine moths. Onion and chive solutions are also effective.

Mineral oil applied to corn silk with an eye dropper when the silks have turned brown will eliminate corn earworms.

Table salt sprinkled on slugs and snails is lethal.

Hot pepper, salt and sour milk spray has proven effective on cabbage maggot.

Paper or tin collars placed around plant stems and forced down into the soil will prevent cutworm damage.

Parenting — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

An Evening with the Kids: Making It Interesting

The kids came home early from school and school had already been called off for the next day. Snow was up to 4 inches and it didn抰 look like it was going to stop any time soon. For those of you who think nothing of 4 inches of snow, this is quasi city living where school superintendents are pressured into calling off school just so they aren抰 blamed for forcing anyone to drive in adverse weather.

With weather that bad, I wasn抰 going to be doing much work myself. Why would I? That抯 the benefit of being a mother and my own boss at the same time. So, I had a night with the kids in store. I was looking forward to it, but I had to pull out all the stops to make it quality time. I think a growing trend has been to slow down and enjoy the quality of life we have built for ourselves. The thing is that once we slowed down, we had no idea what to do. Here are a few things my kids and I came up with that night!

Of course it was still early in the day, so the first matter of business was to get the kids into plenty of layers so that we could all go outside. Making snow angels, snowmen, and snowballs was on the agenda. You can抰 have a snow outing without some decorations. Then, you can抰 wrap it up until you抳e had a no holds barred snowball fight. It makes you thirsty for hot cocoa.

I had the kids walk in the backdoor, strip down to their long johns and march upstairs to change while I made hot cocoa. Most people don抰 know it, but a smidgen of salt actually brings the flavor to the surface. Try it next time! By the time the kids were in warm, dry clothes, I had the fire burning in the fireplace and steaming cups of hot cocoa for the three of us.

We sat in front of the fireplace laughing about our snowball fight and how many times we had fallen on our bums. The fire made the ends of our fingers tingle as they warmed, but we felt completely warm deep down to our bones. It was the fireplace that gave us our next idea.

We just so happened to have a half a bag of marshmallows left over from the holidays. We went back outside to find our sticks, but it didn抰 take long. Before long, we each had a nice sized stick with a sharp point widdled into it. Our blankets stretched across the floor, we sat in front of the fireplace and toasted marshmallows. The fireplace turned into a campfire in our imaginations. That抯 where we got another great idea.

The coffee table was pushed into the foyer and a few chairs were moved to make room for the tent where we were going to sleep for the night. We slipped into our sleeping bags and watched a DVD while the crackling fireplace lulled us to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night with one of my children curled up in my left arm and the other child behind me resting her head on my right side. We were as close as we have ever been!

On any particular night, quality time can be arranged. Life gets in our way, but it doesn抰 have to be that way every day. And the best thing about it all is that you don抰 have to make great elaborate plans. When you make them simple, you have more time to enjoy each other!

Our Ventless Gel Fireplace was basically the center of everything we did that night. You may not have a fireplace and you may have forgotten how great such an addition can be. If you don抰 have a fireplace, check out Ventless Gel Fireplaces. The cost effective alternative to wood burning, Ventless Gel Fireplaces are your answer when you want to add a touch of class to any special moment.

pregnancy — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

Top 3 Sexual Tips to Help You Get Pregnant Fast

As you all know sexual intercourse is one of the key ingredients in order to get pregnant. There are other factors such as timing and health. All of these need to be correctly balanced in order to conceive.

For the purpose of this article I am going to go over sexual positions in order to improve your odds of getting pregnant.

Tip Number One

Missionary position is best. Now I know the missionary position can be conceived of as being boring. We have all seen those old movies and we all know the history of women’s sexuality throughout the years.

However when it comes to getting pregnant the missionary position is said to be best. The reason the researches deem this as the case is due the ejaculation position. In this position the sperm is closest to the cervix.

During ejaculation it is also wise that the female remain still as this will help with delivery. So to round it off, incorporate the missionary position to improve your odds of getting pregnant.

Tip Number Two

Let’s talk about what is referred to as the plough. This takes place when the male during intercourse thrusts in the inward and upward movement at the same time. The female in this position places her legs upward around the male’s buttocks. The male enters her from the front and she can as this occurs close her legs tighter.

Tip Number Three

Avoid stress as this does not help your objective when it comes to getting pregnant. Do not make sexual intercourse into some routine. Variety is very important along with the motivation to actually have sex in the first place. If either partner is disinterested then this could affect you ability to conceive. So spice and build it up so that both of you are aroused, excited and desire to have sex.

To conclude, you can talk this over with your partner so as to make sure that you both enjoy love making by basically telling one anther what turns you on..

pregnancy — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

5 Early Signs of Pregnancy

Extremely early signs of pregnancy- are there any? Yes no doubt there are the signs which very early indicate that one is pregnant. The fertilized egg implants itself after about seven days of conception. The moment implantation happens, the early pregnancy signs begin to appear. The hormone level start to change and the body start reacting to these new hormonal levels.

The initial anxieties of pregnancy are completely over shadowed by the overwhelming and unpleasant symptoms known as morning sickness.

The term ‘morning’ can be misleading as the symptoms often continue throughout the day. Morning sickness can, of course, start before you know you are pregnant, almost as soon as conception has occurred. It may be what alerts you to the fact that you have conceived.

These early pregnancy symptoms can be quite distressing especially if you are still reeling from the discovery that you are pregnant. Where there are mixed feelings about the pregnancy and thoughts of possible termination, this can be intensely distressing as the sickness brings a constant reminder of the reality of the pregnancy.

The onset of morning sickness can be very sudden. It is not unusual to go to bed wondering why you don’t feel any different yet and to wake up feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus. All manner of symptoms, physical and emotional, can occur in early pregnancy and are explained by the umbrella term ‘morning sickness’. The list below features a range of experiences women report:

Tiredness

Tiredness/exhaustion: the tiredness of early pregnancy can be worse than the sleepless nights after the baby is born. Women may find themselves wanting to sleep much longer or more often than usual and yet sleeping may have little impact on the feelings of tiredness and lethargy. It’s not unusual to spend a whole day in bed and still feel tired! This can be very disabling and the early weeks of pregnancy can seem unending. You may begin to worry: how will I cope with a baby if I can’t cope with feeling tired now? Fortunately this malaise does lift as the pregnancy progresses.

Nausea

Nausea and vomiting: along with tiredness, the persistent sickness that some women experience can be the most debilitating part of pregnancy. It can affect all aspects of your life, making carrying on with everyday life almost impossible. Despite its debilitating effects it is only in extreme circumstances that vomiting leads to medical intervention or hospitalization. There is in fact little that can be done to stop vomiting in pregnancy and most women simply try to endure it and adapt their lives as much as possible, hoping that the symptom will soon pass.

Food Cravings

Strange tastes, going ‘off’ foods or cravings. Many women report a metallic taste in their mouths. Classically women reject certain foods or develop preoccupations with particular foods. There may be good adaptive reasons why women ‘crave’ certain foods, perhaps their bodies are identifying their nutritional needs. However, the preoccupation often with one item makes this seem unlikely. In extreme cases non-food items such as coal have been the object of cravings, which would be hard to explain in physiological terms.

Headaches

Headaches, general aches and pains.

Mood Swings

Tearfulness, angry outbursts, anxiety symptoms. Nevertheless at the time these feelings can be confusing for both parents-to-be especially in a planned and wanted pregnancy.

Remember to take care of yourself even before becoming pregnant. Avoid drinking and quit smoking. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Besides the above mentioned 5 early pregnancy signs try to learn as much as you can because only with proper knowledge you can assure a healthy pregnancy thus a healthy baby.

Parenting — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

About Emotional Child Abuse And Neglect

Any child who experience any form of physical or emotional maltreatment is likely to bear emotional scars. For this reason it is necessary to use the following broad definition. A child is emotionally abused if he/she is:

(1.) Under the age 18

(2.) Subjected to non-accidental, serious physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation

(3.) He/she undergoes serious physical or emotional neglect caused by acts or omissions of the child鈥檚 parents or other persons responsible for the child鈥檚 welfare.

It is important to note that there are also other forms of child abuse as well. Emotional or psychological abuse is the least understood and hardest to prove form of child abuse though. Nevertheless, emotional child abuse and neglect may be the most common and damaging forms of child abuse.

It is generally agreed that a child suffering in any of the following areas may be a victim of emotional neglect:

(1.) Inadequate physical care

(2.) Absence of medical attention

(3.) Inadequate medical care.

(4.) Cruel or abusive treatment

(5.) Improper supervision

(6.) Exploitation of the child鈥檚 earning capacity

(7.) Unlawfully keeping the child out of school

(8.) Exposing the child to criminal or immoral influences that endanger her/his morals.

You must understand that any type of child abuse, such as physical or sexual abuse, can also involve emotional abuse or neglect. 90% of the time, parents are responsible for committing child abuse, including emotional abuse and neglect. Fathers and mothers are nearly equally responsible for committing emotional child abuse and neglect. Of course, caretakers and other family members can also commit emotional child abuse and neglect.

The reasons why parents emotionally abuse their children are many and complex. Mostly because parents have different circumstances and personalities, and children vary widely in their health and behavior. Most neglectful parents are isolated and have difficulty forming relationships or performing the routine tasks of daily life. Many of these parents are also burdened by anger and sadness because of unmet childhood needs and difficult current circumstances. Due to all of these reasons, neglectful parents find it hard to constantly recognize and meet the needs of his/her children.

Here are some common traits and themes that are found within most neglectful parents:

(1.) Most neglectful parents are unable to plan.

(2.) Most neglectful parents are indifferent to their behavior toward their children.

(3.) Most neglectful parents lack knowledge about how to meet their children鈥檚 needs.

(4.) Most neglectful parents have had unhappy childhoods.

(5.) Many neglectful parents are experiencing financial or emotional stress.

(6.) Many neglectful parents are socially isolated and have few or no friends and little contact with relatives.

It is true that in many cases, unhappy parents project their day-to-day frustrations onto their children.

Crafts-Hobbies — Comments Off
29
Sep 10

Temari Balls – Unusual Handmade Christmas Ornaments

If you are looking for different ideas for making your own Christmas ornaments – why not consider the Temari ball. Temari is an old Japanese folk art, that originally started making toys for babies using old kimono threads. Today the art is strong and there are many ways of making and decorating Temari balls. Using Temari ball as handmade Christmas ornaments is an unusual Christmas idea.

What is Temari?

Temari art is based upon an ancient Japanese craft of using old kimono silk to make toys for babies. The old kimonos would be reduced to threads. The threads were used to wrap around a ball made of anything (wood chips, rice, old fabric even paper. The idea is to completely cover the ball first on thick threads then in thinner threads to give you a ball shape with a textured finish. then the work of making the design starts. The design is embroidered onto the ball using traditional methods. Any kind of thread can be used silk colors or gold and silver thread.

Handmade Christmas Ornaments

For a Christmas decoration, a design is worked out first, with a theme of say snowflakes or possibly a flower design could be used with Christmas colors. Then the design is embroidered onto the ball using traditional techniques. The result is an unusual decoration to which a ribbon to hang it and tassels to embellish it can be added. There are many ways to create your own unique Temari Christmas Ornament. Making a new design instantly makes your Christmas ball different, changing the colors on the design gives you another look.

Making your own Christmas decorations can be a pleasure or a chore depending upon your perspective. If you enjoy a challenge and are confident in your craft skills, making a Temari Christmas ornament will give you pleasure as well as provide an interesting Christmas decoration for years to come.?/p>

pregnancy — Comments Off
29
Sep 10

Get Pregnant & Conceive – An Essential Ingredient For Creating a Baby, Fertility & Getting Pregnant

Getting Pregnant- Essential Ingredient for Pregnancy

Getting pregnant has some core ingredients that are so obvious they are often overlooked. Let us focus first on the wisdom of the male body.

The male contribution to conception and pregnancy is very often undervalued. While a woman’s body is much more involved in the development of the baby, a man’s input is essential to allow this to happen.

But sperm alone is not what a man brings to the equation. He also brings a beautiful message from creation. In order for a man to contribute his sperm to create a baby, he must experience a high level of excitement.

Ejaculation will not occur unless excitement and pleasure are present in the experience. In other words, excitement and enjoyment of the physical are fundamental to creating new life.

They are not side effects, they are part of the energy of creation from which we all came.

Getting Pregnant- How You Can Enhance Your Fertility

You can use this insight to support your fertility now. In your quest to become pregnant and have a baby you can make room for excitement in your fertility plan.

How about choosing to allow more excitement into your life and relationship so that this life giving ingredient becomes part of your fertility story. This might include allowing more fun and spontaneity into your love making but it would also include opening up to a little more adventure in life outside the bedroom. How can you begin to add more of that special ingredient for getting pregnant into your life now?

Crafts-Hobbies — Comments Off
29
Sep 10

History of N Scale Model Trains

N scale model trains were first introduced in the early 1960s. Most historians credit the K. Arnold & Company with the introduction of the first commercially available N scale models. During the 1940s and 1950s, several companies led the charge to develop a smaller train scale. It was during this period that K. Arnold & Company helped drive standardization through the introduction of its Rapido coupler. By allowing other manufacturers to use the Rapido design, model train enthusiasts were able to couple together rolling stock from different manufacturers.

N scale trains have a large following globally and are only second in popularity to HO scale trains. This popularity can be attributed to several reasons. First, in countries such as Japan, N scale is the most popular scale due to limited space in the homes. Second, other hobbyists actually do not select these trains due to spatial limitations. Instead, they prefer to work with this scale and build a more complex and visually appealing model display.

Recently, this type of model has even become more popular in Australia. One of the reasons contributing to the growing popularity in this country has been the availability of local prototypes. In the past, Australian modelers could only choose from American, British, and European prototypes; Australia had no local prototypes available for the N scale. The creation of local Australian prototypes is now a burgeoning niche market that has been fueling the demand for N scale models in Australia every year.

Another interesting trend is the use of N scale trains and accessories with larger such as HO. For instance, N scale train and structures may often be included in an HO or larger model train layout to create the illusion that objects are further away than they really are. The smaller objects will be strategically placed in the background to create this forced perspective, creating additional depth to the overall display.

One of the most notable N scale projects was built in 1978 by Gordon Odegard. Dubbed the Clinchfield, this layout measured 6 feet by 13 feet. This layout was especially noteworthy due to its modular design and its use of aluminum and Styrofoam to reduce the overall weight among other features. The Clinchfield layout has received numerous accolades and has been displayed at a number of model train shows.

Although the N scale is not the smallest, it certainly is one of the more popular scales. Since its initial commercial introduction, the N scale model train is one that has provided countless hours of entertainment. Given its worldwide adoption and popularity, there is no doubt this scale will continue to provide pleasure to future generations of hobbyists.

Parenting — Comments Off
29
Sep 10

Top 6 Tips to Help New Parents in Hard Times

Our world is changing faster than ever. Disastrous weather, home mortgage crises and a plunging stock market have brought increasing instability to our homes. Pregnant and postpartum new mothers who are already dealing with massive fluctuations in hormones and brain chemistry are among the most at-risk during difficult times. The external world conflicts with their strong internal drive to create a safe “nest” for their babies.

Creating a stable home environment may be the “impossible dream” during rapidly changing world events. Parents may find themselves overwhelmed and underprepared, wanting to do right by their families but struggling to find the resources to do so. Babies and young children are acutely sensitive to the stress level in parents. Helping mothers and fathers find some mental and physical relief can provide a more secure, calming environment for the developing minds and bodies of their children. Here’s what to do:

1. Focus on the moment. There may be a hundred problems that you need to cope with. You cannot possibly tend to them all at once. Just focus on one at a time. Most importantly, check if you and your family are safe for now. If not, ask yourself what you need to do to assure the most basic needs are met, and follow through. If you are safe, even for the night, breathe and allow a moment of gratitude for even the smallest blessings.

2. Be Honest. Ignoring your emotions or hiding your feelings can work against you. Whether you are mad, sad, glad, scared or some confusing combination of these, please know that it is O.K. for you to feel whatever is going on inside.

3. Make a Connection. You may not know it yet, but you are in good company. Reaching out to others and sharing your story can bring healing and comfort. Sometimes this is possible face to face, but other options are available. Consider connecting with an online support group. Knowing that just a single person or small group cares about you, even if they are long distance, can provide strength for you to carry on.

4. Nurture Yourself. Ask yourself what you love with each of your senses. What do you love to hear? What do you love to taste? What do you love to feel? What do you love to smell? What do you love to see? Write your answers down, and be creative. Spa days, massages and fancy dinners are great, but the object here is to find small but meaningful ways to nurture yourself every day. You may be surprised to find the variety of simple, inexpensive ways to bring pleasure through multiple senses. A cup of favorite tea or coffee can nourish your sense of taste, smell, touch, and even sight if you take the time to focus and enjoy it. Stroking a cat or dog can be tremendously soothing, nourishing your sense of touch and bringing a sense of connection at the same time. It is possible to become aware of beauty even in some of the harshest environments.

5. Attend to the Basics. You need to eat, sleep, breathe and drink water every day. Remembering these small, simple steps will increase your your health and vitality when you need it the most.

6. Ask Others for Help. This is no sign of weakness. On the contrary, you prove your competence by asking for help for yourself and your family when you need it. Do you need help finding information, food, housing, resources, or a supportive network? People might not know what you need unless you tell them. Don’t let your pride interfere. Give yourself permission to ask for help and increase your chances of finding the resources you need.

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