Parenting Blog

These days it’s tough to find a person who doesn’t carry a cell phone. Cell phones have become an essential part of our day to day lives. Even young children are given their own cell phone. Parents are given a sense of security knowing that their kids always have a way to contact them in case of any trouble. But recent studies suggest that carrying a cell phone actually increases risky behavior, especially in teens and college kids.

The research showed that teens, teen girls in particular, who carry cell phones are more likely to take risks that they normally would not take. Teens are more likely to walk alone at night or travel to places they otherwise wouldn’t when they are carrying a cell phone. The reason for this trend is that kids feel safer when they have a phone on hand. They might tell themselves that if they get into trouble, they can call for help and everything will be all right. However, there is no evidence that this is true.

Cell phones are important for kids to have on hand, especially when they begin driving. If kids get lost on the road, run out of gas or get in an accident, cell phones are lifesavers. They provide a way out for kids who get into uncomfortable situations at a party or a friend’s house, and make your daily routine a lot easier. But there is no reason for us to believe that a cell phone makes you any safer when walking alone after dark, or that they make reckless behavior any safer.

Cell phones can actually make kids less safe if they are not being used responsibly. Chatting on a phone while driving is a widely recognized hazard, but doing so while walking or crossing the street causes a dangerous distraction that can lead to injury. A teen walking alone at night might pick up her phone to hear a comforting voice, but this act will prevent her from being fully aware of her surroundings.

It’s important that parents don’t use cell phones as an excuse to let their kids engage in activities they wouldn’t normally allow, like staying out a few hours later than usual. The same risks are still present even if your teen does have a way to contact you in case of an emergency. Talk to your kids about cell phone safety. Make sure they know to never answer a phone call when they’re driving. This is especially important for beginning drivers. Cell phones should never be an excuse to take unnecessary risks.

By the time they’re ready for school, kids know which sugary cereal is their favorite and which Lunchable they are hoping you have packed for them today, but the same foods that give them that burst of energy during lunch time also cause their brain to crash an hour later. While your child may not beg you for a sandwich on whole wheat bread, he’ll have a lot more energy and do better in school because of it. Here are some “brain foods” that will keep your kids’ minds going all day long.

Breakfast foods that are digested slowly, like those containing complex carbohydrates and protein, will keep your child full longer so he’s able to concentrate during all of his morning classes. Eggs are the perfect source of protein at breakfast, and there are so many ways to prepare them that you should be able to find one your child will enjoy. Make a “one-eyed Jack” by cutting a circle out of a slice of whole wheat bread, crack an egg in the hole, cook it together in a frying pan and let your kids top it with peanut butter and honey. Even whole wheat French toast will provide your child with the protein and complex carbs he needs. Instead of drowning it in maple syrup, try topping French toast with sliced bananas and strawberries. Oatmeal is also a powerful source of whole grains that, with a little creativity, every kid will love. If you’re making it on the stove, you can add dried fruit, walnuts, or cinnamon as it’s cooking. Adding berries or another kind of fresh fruit is a good idea. Strawberries and blueberries are proven to boost brain power. Packaged oatmeal is quicker and more convenient, but when you’re purchasing it watch the sugar content.

When you’re packing lunch, get your child’s input – he’ll be more likely to eat something he’s picked out himself. Switch to whole wheat bread (not simply “wheat” bread, make sure it contains whole grains). Peanut butter is great brain food, so spread it on sandwiches with jelly, honey or marshmallow fluff. Toast the bread first if your child hates the sogginess, but make sure it cools before you bag it. You can purchase individual servings of peanut butter – it comes in a six-pack of little plastic cups that are perfect for lunches. Bag some wheat crackers and sliced fruit along with the peanut butter so your child can make mini-sandwiches for lunch. Pack orange juice boxes, a powerful source of vitamins, or low-fat milk. Even the chocolate and strawberry varieties are a healthy, protein- and calcium-rich option.

Many parents believe that they are the greatest influence on their child’s identity, and in a perfect world, this truly is the case. However, recent studies in gender identity involving elementary school kids suggests that outside influences are playing a big role in many kids’ lives – namely, big business and advertising. Researchers had children respond to questions about gender identity and they found that media stereotypes played a large role in how kids viewed themselves.

Girls responded that they thought boys were emotionally reserved and that they weren’t allowed to talk about their feelings with their friends, while other girls readily shared their emotions. Many boys stated that they prefer female friends because it’s easier to talk openly with them. In a frightening discovery, researchers found that almost half of the nine year-old girls they interviewed admitted to having dieted or showed signs of having an eating disorder. That means that women are being influenced by unhealthy messages about body image from the time they are children.

Boys and girls are being taught that different traits are desirable for their gender. Boys are overwhelmed by media messages about competition, strength, and other attributes that characterize “manhood.” This is dangerous because too many of these messages promote violence, which probably explains why the majority of condemned criminals are men. On an even more disturbing note, aggression is often tied into messages about sexuality and romantic relationships that could breed domestic violence.

Besides increasingly unhealthy ideas about body image, girls today see women portrayed in the media as overtly sexual. These images are highly present in music videos, often times bordering on pornographic, though they also appear in magazines, commercials, ads and television shows. It’s not easy for girls to find role models. Young stars like Miley Cyrus (also known as Hannah Montana), admired by so many young people, are already concerned about body image. Fifteen year old Miley has admitted to thinking she looks “too fat” in photographs and that she wants to lose weight. The most prominent female stars aren’t talented musicians and gifted actresses, but junkies who frequent rehab clinics and plastic surgeons. Even the majority of female characters in movies play the “girlfriend” role while the male leads are portrayed with more humanity.

Many people don’t think that kids pick up on these stereotypes, but the fact is that they’re even more susceptible than the rest of us. It’s difficult enough for kids to form their own sense of identity without so many confusing messages being thrown at them about who they “should” become. Parents must teach their kids about harmful media stereotypes so they can develop the mental tools to combat them. Encourage your children to avoid watching, listening to or reading stereotypical media. Make sure that your kids are provided an environment where they can develop their innate traits, whether these traits are classified as “male” or “female,” without being made to feel inadequate by these false ideas.

When you are hosting a baby shower, the decorations that you select can really enhance your theme. There are several different elements that are put into creating the absolute perfect baby shower, and all of the baby shower decorations are what help to create the entire mood of the theme pertaining to the baby shower.

When selecting baby shower decorations, you need to remember that anything can basically be used as a decoration, so you can feel free to just allow your imagination to go completely wild. In order to help make your baby shower a fancy and fun baby shower, try the tips listed below:

First, you have to remember that blue, pink, yellow or green aren’t the only colors of choice that can be used for baby shower decorations. Nowadays, the traditional colors are beginning to fade out and there are several people that are turning to the brighter colors or the fashionable style colors based on the season…

Maybe you should go with a green or purple and then add a little splash of a color that is much brighter such as bright red. With baby shower themes, anything goes. The decorations that are perfect for baby showers are practical and simple. You should try decorating with items that can pull a double duty as party favors and decorations or maybe even gifts.

As balloon anchors, you can use unopened jars of baby food, which can be given to the expectant mother after the shower. If you want to create a mood, you can use candles that are lighted scented as decorations for the baby shower, and then pass them out as shower favors as all of the guest begin to go home.

One of the other ideas that you may be interested in is decorating the guest-of-honor chair with a clothesline of baby gifts. You can hang a clothesline up by attaching one end of the clothesline to the chair and then decorate the clothesline with clothes, blankets, bibs, booties, and hood towels.

Streamers as well as other decorations can be hung from an open umbrella right above the gift table and will look very nice. You can also set up a baby bassinet right in the corner of the room. Now that you have some basic ideas of what you can include in the décor at the baby shower, it is up to you to decide what you will and will not use.

Remember to let your creative mind run wild, let this be a baby shower that no one will forget. After all, it isn’t everyday that you get to throw a baby shower, these opportunities only present themselves once in a while.

The majority of people around the world, would really like to be very unique, so that they can stand apart for all of the other people. This is really where the overall importance of your own name comes into play. Occasionally, it is hard to have a name like Mark when each and every one of your friends share the same name. It is for this reason that some parents will choose to provide their offspring with really unique names.

So, where do all of the unique baby names originate from? There is a variety of different origins and sources of unique baby names. There are those names that originate from a mixture of two different names. One example of this would be the name Roma, which is a name that is derived from the very first syllables of Mary and Robert. If you would like, you can also use some of the existing words as very unique names like Jade, Sky, Raven, Peach, Ivy, Liberty, Apple and Jet.

A really good way of creating a name for your little one that will really stand out is to change the way that the name is spelled, for example: Karren, Briann, Charina, and Hanzel. Or, in the event that you love a place with all of your heart, such as your hometown, you may use that for your baby’s name as well.

You may want to name your child Brooklyn, Denmark, Chicago, Arizona, Denver or Singapore. There are several other different ways of coining some unique baby names as well. You could also use some of the inspirational words like Grace, Hope, Faith or Love. You may want to name your baby after some admirable characters like Brevity or Patience. If you are having a baby girl, you may want to name her after your favorite flower like Orchid, Daisy, Rose, Lily, Violet and Chrysanthemum.

All-in-all, the name that is given to your child is entirely up to you. No one can decide what you are going to name your child. They may offer up some suggestions but that doesn’t mean that you have to use them, just say thanks and carry on with your regular business. In the event that you want to use the names, that is fine to.

Once you have an idea of all of the names that you are interested in, you can see if you can combine them to make a first and middle name combination or you can just use the one for the first name. Today, there are many people that like to name their children after family members that they really loved.

My son is name after his grandfather and father so that way, his name is part of both of them.