Parenting tips: Learn why your elder one owns up fast

If you find that your elder one often confesses wrongdoings even if he/she stands to face punishment, he/she is not alone. According to researchers, the elder kids are more likely to confess their misdeeds than their younger siblings.

Researchers from the University of Maryland conducted a study on four-to-nine-year-old kids about a series of hypothetical situations in which children committed misdeeds and then either lied or confessed.

The result found that four-to-five-year-olds were more likely to connect positive emotions to the act of lying and negative emotions for confessing their wrongdoing.
On the other hand, the seven-to-nine-year-olds more often associated guilt with lying and positive emotions with confessing.

“The goal of the study was to investigate the emotions that children associate with lying and confessing,” said Craig Smith, lead research investigator.
The study also tested whether these emotions were connected to children’s tendencies to confess or cover up misdeeds in real-world situations.

The researcher also explained how to deal when a child comes forth with a offence.

“Convey that you’re going to listen without getting angry right away. As a parent, you might not be happy with what your child did, but if you want to keep an open line of communication with your child, you can try to show them that you’re happy that your child has told you about it,” Smith explained in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

This open communication becomes even more critical when the child is a teenager and must grapple with adult issues such as whether to confide in a parent or conceal issues like calling for a ride home when alcohol is involved or substance abuse.

PARENTING TIPS

Guide to Easy Parenting

First time Parents often wish bringing up kids was easier. Well, here's a good news: It is!! And it always has been; given the right attitude. Nobody knows it better than the old school. The new breed of parents has taken their task so seriously, that it has taken away all fun from it. Here are top ten tips for your makeover from an idealistic, stressed out parents to being a fun friend for your child.

1. Kids are precious; but we don't put them in lockers. You can't safeguard every fall. Keep your worries realistic.
2. Don't take parenting too seriously. It is a life long relationship with your children, it has to be some fun too. He does't have to have a fixed daily calorie intake to be healthy.
3. Every rule has exceptions. Except rule no. 3. If you really need a break, it's okey to find a less than ideal babysitter in Television, hot water bathtube, or a packet of chips!
4. Rewards and Incentives are your best friends. They are better than even diamonds.
5. Loosen up your housekeeping. Do not expect your glass center table to be shining all the time when your three-year-old doll likes to play-dough there.
6. In stress situations, give them concrete idea of time, count from 1 to 10 before blowing it out. Instead of saying, “keep it back” ten times, try “If you do not keep that bowl back till I finish my counting till ten, you'll get a timeout.
7. You can not guarantee the success or character of your children, parents are just one important factor in it. We have to accept things we can't change. If your girl is shy and introvert, stop pushing her to be the star of the class. Less than champion children are not just okay, but great, sometimes even better. Don't fret over little stuff like mastering nursery rhymes. Don't burn them out. Your kids would be nearly as perfect as you

yourself are.
8. Don't measure your success by theirs. It will,undoubtedly,bring you a lot of pride, but your success as a person is not solely dependent on your success as a parent. For that matter, If a child is success in the material world, it dose'tnecessarily mean that a
parent has been successful in parenting.
9. Do not be available always. Set limits. Act yourself as an adult and treat them as a kid. Kids today are very smart and understand quickly the extent to which they can use their parent. While loving, cherishing and talking care of the kids is a beautiful work to do, set aside strict limits for you. Do not sacrifice everythings you loved to do for the sake

of your child.
10.Prioritize what values do you believe is a must in your child. Concentrate on them and live with the other netural personality traits of your child. A child is a lovely gift, love and cherish it, trying ti improve him all the time is simply spoiling the natural beauty of thi gift.

One Word to Address Childhood Obesity

I am asked fairly often how best to “approach” the issue of childhood obesity. The question is posed by patients in the clinic, on-line, from the microphone during Q&A sessions at conferences, and even by clinical colleagues. There is good reason for sensitivity on the topic. There is, I think, a certain wince factor associated with the term “obesity” in the first place, although that may have waned over time as constant exposure has desensitized us.

And second, any decent adult appreciates the vulnerability of a child. Confront a delicate issue badly, and delicate feelings can wind up badly hurt.

All of which might suggest the answer is elusive, or subtle, or complicated. But in fact, I think it is none of the above. I think it’s accessible, blunt, and simple as can be. I think the best approach to childhood obesity can be expressed with just one word. That word is: love.

Generally, the content here will be data driven. If you return here often, as I hope you will for new and updated information, you will quickly get used to hyperlinks leading to diverse reference material, peer-reviewed research papers in particular. But this is something of a case apart. There is certainly relevant literature to cite, but I confess this is more from the heart. This has as much to do with being a parent as a physician, and more to do with 25 years of interacting with real people in my clinics than reading research data about people I’ve never met

Love is the right approach.

Parents of young children are notoriously oblivious to the actual weight status of their children. Why? Because acknowledging “obesity” in a child is thought of as a blight on all concerned: the parent’s parenting, the child’s body. But ignoring a problem never fixes it, and unaddressed, obesity in early childhood portends a diminished life: fewer years of life, less life in years.

No loving parent wants that. So the reason to recognize and react to obesity is- love.

There is no blight associated with protecting those we love from anything that can harm them. There is no shame, blame, guilt, or judgment involved in defending our kids from a threat. Look for, and react to early hints of childhood obesity for reasons having nothing to do with pride, or shame, or body image; success, or failure. Replace all that with love. If you love your children, do all you can to protect them. We as parents (or grandparents) are not to blame for the fact that we live in a world of dangers that can find our children, rampant obesity and its sequelae among them. But we are always responsible, with love as our motivation, for doing all we can to protect them.

Similarly, parents of older children are apparently somewhat misguided about the weight status of their children, as the kids are themselves. Again, this is because weight is encumbered by considerations of success and failure, pride or shame.

Parents don’t know how to broach the topic with their older, or even adult children. Grandparents don’t know how to broach the topic with their kids, to address concerns about their grandchildren. Parents don’t know how to tell grandma to stop dishing out junk food.

Love is the answer in every instance. The loving parent can say to a child of any age: “I love you, and I am concerned that your weight may be affecting your health. I want you to have the longest, best life possible- because I love you. How can I help?”

Any parent can say to any grandparent: “I know you love your grandchildren, and I know that treats may seem a good way to show it. But the best gift we can pass along is vigorous health and vitality; healthy people have more fun! Please work with me to give this child we love the longest, best life possible.”

And for that matter, any doctor can say to any patient: “My job is to protect your health every way I can. I am concerned that your weight is a threat to your health, so I would like to discuss it with you- and discuss how we can address it together. Is that OK?” If you ask this question, and mean it- I’ve never met the patient who would say “no.”

Finally, we all know the adage: in unity, there is strength. One of our great blunders in addressing obesity is to isolate ourselves, and one another. Adults go on “diets” and leave their kids behind. Parents want guidance to address the obesity in a child, rather than recognizing that families generally find health (and/or lose weight) most effectively together. A family working together to be healthy for the long run avoids all of the potential stigma and shame of a lone child being “treated” for obesity. Eating well and being active are good for all concerned, whether there is a need for weight loss, or not. Commit to health as a family, because no child is an island. Because in unity, there is strength. Because you love one another.

The one word defense against blame and shame; stigma and blight; judgment and isolation- is love. If love is our motivation, and informs our methods- we simply can’t go too far wrong.

10 Newborn tips for new moms

Try and try again

While you are learning what your baby will respond well to – when it comes to putting him to sleep, feeding time and even play time – don't be afraid to try different techniques. If she is fussing while you are rocking her in your arms, try putting her up against your shoulder; if you put her down and she starts crying, offer her a pacifier or try putting her in the infant swing. While you are getting used to your babies likes and dislikes, you may need to test out several different things before you find what really makes her smile.

Let your baby tell you what she needs

Instead of forcing a schedule on a newborn, feel out her needs for a few days. Let her eat on-demand without applying an "every two hour" schedule. She may need to eat more often than that, especially in the first few weeks.

Don't overexpose

While you don't have to rush your baby home from the hospital and keep him isolated in the house for the first two months of his life, it's not a bad idea to limit his exposure to big crowds and lots of other kids, especially during flu season.

Listen to your gut

As a new mom, you may get more advice on how to raise your child than you ever hoped to hear! Take it all with a grain of salt —just because grandma put her kids down to sleep on their stomachs, doesn't mean you should too. Things have changed! Ultimately, you know your baby best. Listen to her clues and your own instincts.

Get some zzz's

Lack of sleep might be one of the most difficult parts of new motherhood! So if baby goes down for a morning snooze, follow suit and lie down. Even if you don't actually fall asleep, the downtime will replenish you.

Make sure baby's car seat is properly installed

Your baby's safety is paramount, and having a car seat won't protect your baby to the fullest extent if it's not installed properly. Contact your local fire department to see if they can install it for you.

Be prepared

One thing's for sure: you never know what to expect when it comes to a newborn! When you leave the house, make sure you are equipped with an extra change of clothes for baby, plenty of diapers and wipes, an extra towel, pacifier and a bottle of milk or formula in case she gets hungry earlier than you anticipated.

Get some alone time

Every day, carve out some time that is just for you. Between feeding, changing and trying to get your baby down to sleep, you may find yourself emotionally depleted. Take a quick bath, read a magazine for 10 minutes or paint your toenails while baby enjoys the swing or bouncy seat.

Stay calm

If you are feeling frustrated, take a time out. Put baby in the crib or another safe spot and take a 10-minute breather. If you're stressed, baby will pick up on your tension.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

They don't say, "It takes a village…" for nothing! Raising a baby is hard work, but you don't have to go it alone. Enlist your hubby, your parents and your friends to help out when things get tough.

Are You An Over-Protective Parent

Has anyone ever asked you if you are an overprotective parent? Well, in a majority of cases, you may not know what answer is to be given to this question. So, if you are still unsure about the signs of an overprotective parent, you must read this article to know more.

Being protective means you love your child and also give your child his/her freedom of choice. Whereas, being an overprotective parent means that you love your child, but don't allow him/her to move out of your set boundaries.

Overprotection can have just the reverse consequence of your actual intention. Being an overprotective parent, you may think that you are offering a protective shield to your kid; however, it can have an opposite result. Thus, before it is too late, read on to know about the various signs of being overprotectiv.

You Escort Them Wherever They Go

If you always go along with your kids everywhere they go, then you are being an overprotective parent. If your kids are going somewhere with other trusted acquaintances or family members and you cannot leave them because of your infinite apprehensions, then you are most likely to be an overprotective parent.

You Are Too Probing

Being a responsible parent you already know the normal activities of your kids on a daily basis. However, if you are adamant on knowing each and every detail about them every day, then it can be a problem. This is also a sign of overprotection, which can create a bad impression on your kids' mind that you don't have faith in them.

You Build Too Many Protected Zones

If you create a lot of safety zones for your kids, then they will never be able to recognise the outer world. Your kids are in their growing phase when they need to interact with many other kinds of people. It is essential for them to make friends and join in a variety of activities to experience the real essence of life.

You Don't Allow Them To Take Their Decisions

If you don't allow your kids to take their own decision, they are likely to be deficient in the crucial life skills. They will lack the decision-making skills. They will not be able to take important career decisions or other life-changing decisions. This can also result in a low self-esteem and low confidence level in their future course.

You Never Allow Your Kids To Fail

There is no doubt that any kind of failure is upsetting. But, the fact is, we all have to face failure at some or the other point in life. For instance, your kid has been allotted a project, which needs to be done and submitted within a day; and he/she is not worried about it at all.

In such a situation, just tell him/her once and turn your back, and there's no need to keep reminding him/her again and help him/her do the project. If even after telling your kids, they doesn't listen, let them face the results.

You can be rest assured that the next time your child will definitely show some responsibility. Let them face the failure, so that they can deal with it in the future.