Kid Stuf

If you have a shy child, then you probably know how uncomfortable your child gets amongst a lot of people in social settings such as in school or even the playground. If you were a shy child as well, then it would be easier to relate to them. Shy children lack largely in confidence and are quite unwilling to speak to unknown people and even children of their age. Bringing a shy child out of her shell can be quite a task, but it is important that you make an effort to do so for the sake of your child and their future.

One great idea is to have a forward, outgoing child spend a lot of time with your one. This might hopefully wear off on your child, and might bring her out of her shell. Or else, if you pair your child with another child who is twice as shy, your shy child might try to nurture the other and thus as a result become a bit more outgoing.

Another way to bring your child out of her shell is to get them involved in a lot of activity. These could be anything from sports to playgroups or whatever they take a fancy to. Do not force them into activities they do not like. All you want is for your child to make one or two close friends who will influence her personality positively.

Even at home, encourage your child to speak up and take part in conversations at the dinner table. Make her feel a valuable member of the family and that her opinion counts as well.

Getting your kids to actually do their chores can prove to be quite a task. There will always be constant arguments about whose turn it is, and so on. The first thing you should do is put up the weekly schedule on a board. That way, everyone knows what each one’s chores are and thus, there can be no arguments about it or any such confusion.

Sometimes, doing your own chores can be difficult. But it is important that you carry them out, in order to set an example for your kids. Ensure that every member of your family carries out their chores, and get the older ones to lead by example. Ensure that everyone understands that factors such as work, age and other such schedules will affect the amount of chores designated to each individual.

With children, it is important that you give them ownership of their chores. For instance, if your children wanted a fish bowl, then feeding the fish, cleaning the bowl, changing the water should all be on their list of chores. Give them a sense of responsibility. To create a good example, add one of the ‘fish bowl’ chores to your list, in order to show importance and your recognition of ownership towards their pet.

Rewards are also a good way of getting children to do their chores. While this is not an encouraged practice, it does help. Perhaps you could put up a chart that recognizes their efforts, and award stars or stickers for a job well done. Ensure to keep the chart duly updated and that everyone in the family is on it.

To make chores more fun, liven it up. Play some music while chores are being carried out. For younger kids, even setting a timer can be a good way of instilling that everyone has a fair share of work around the house.

While a ‘family bed’ is considered quite normal around the world, a better option might be to teach your children to get used to sleeping in their own beds from an early age. If you find this a challenge, here are a few tips:

Once you enforce the ’sleep in your own bed’ rule, do not give in when tantrums are thrown. Instead, stand your ground. They will get used to it sooner or later.

Try to find out the reason why your child is reluctant to sleep in his own bed. At an early age, simply asking the child for reasons might not prove to be fruitful or give you any clear insight.

Use your child’s action figures or dolls in order to find out why he/she is showing such reluctance. Play out a story with his toys representing members of the family, enacting normal, everyday family stuff such as meals, driving and other such situations. Approach the situation of bedtime casually, and hopefully, your child will speak up. If not, you could speak for the characters which might motivate your child to speak as well.

Let your child draw or paint while talking to you about bedtime issues. Give your child lots of time and space, and remember to be very casual about it. Do not let an ounce of negativity into the conversation. Just let them speak when they are ready.

The most common reason among children is that they have night-related fears, which might involve being afraid of the dark, monsters or even jealousy of other brothers and sisters. Ensure that you take time to address these problems sensitively.

If your child is afraid of the dark, help him overcome it. Give him a little nightlight in his room, or even a bottle of ‘monster spray’ to kill any monsters that might be lurking around in the dark.

When moving your child to his own bed, do it in stages. Spend the first few nights with him in the room, then add in the night light, or even their favorite stuffed animal and play his favorite songs before he goes to sleep.

Sending your child off to school is exciting. Remember though, that it could have its problems – especially at the school playground which has its fair share of bullies, bouts of teasing and mean kids. The figures also back this up quite well, with the National Education Association stating that 160,000 children miss school due to the fear of being threatened or attacked by other kids. If your child also faces these problems, here are a few tips on how to deal with it:

1. Listen. Get the facts right. Ask your child to tell you the whole story – do not interrupt. Listen to the entire spiel, all the time, figuring out what happened, the kids involved, when the teasing began and the most important – why your child was teased. If it turns out that it is harmless, then monitor how your child keeps reacting to the teasing – if it does not stop, that is where you can offer some advice on more effective methods.

2. Strategy. Talk about a range of different bully-proof strategies with your child and help him/her choose a few they are comfortable with. The most successful ones include:

- Being assertive. Teach your child that an eye for an eye is not the best way to solve the problem. Instead, teach him to stand up to the bully and use a firm voice asking the bully to stop. “I want you to stop bullying me” or “Why would you say something like that?”
- Agreement. Help your child to come up with statements that agree with teasing statements put across by the bully. After a while, the bully might just get tired of it and leave your child alone.
- Ignore. This is the best way to deal with teasing. Teach your child to act nonchalant and look uninterested.
- Reply. Showing that you will not let the bullying get to you, is one way of telling the bully to back off. Teach your kid to reply every tease, such as if the bully says “you are an idiot” – your child could say, “Ya, so?” or “Oh thanks!”

3. Practice. Once you and your child have settled on a technique, then practice it as many times as your child wants, and until he/she is comfortable with it. Make sure you instill in your child that he/she should stay calm through the entire confrontation.

If you have an extra room in your house, maybe you should consider turning it into a playroom for your kids. It is a perfect gift to give them, and will also give them their own ’space’. Here is another fun idea, so why not put it together yourself? Here are some pointers:

Playroom theme
Choosing your child’s favorite cartoon as a theme is always a popular choice – and this could mean a pink room for a Barbie lover or even a bright yellow Sponge Bob room. Keep in mind though, that your children’s taste is bound to change quite frequently, so choose wisely, or simply opt for a neutral color on the wall. This is a better choice, especially if the room is going to be shared by two or more children.

Personalize the room with pillows, posters, rugs and other knickknacks that go with your child’s favorite cartoon characters or whatever they like, be it airplanes or balloons. You can do the walls up with their paintings, hang up a few photographs – do whatever you like.

Furnishings
Keep it absolutely simple. Playrooms for children do not need anything ornate or decorative. Just make sure there is a bookshelf that your child can reach as well as a table and chair for them. A bean bag or a nice big rug will make up their play space on the floor.

Toys
Choose toys and other things that your child is interested in, not what interests you. Here are a few things that could be considered essential:

-Books
-A box of old, funky clothes to play ‘dress up’
-Puzzles
-Blocks
-Dolls
-Cars
-Board games
-Art supplies such as crayons, paint, paper, glue, etc.
-Clay

Having a second baby is as rewarding and fulfilling as it was to have your first one. Your first born, however, might need a bit of preparation as to what should be expected. There are a lot of changes that will take place once your second child is born.

First of all, handling two children might be a bit too much to cope with at the beginning. Try to organize yourself before the second baby is born. Once it is, keep in mind, just like the last time, the time you have is going to fly by, sleeping and eating is going to change rapidly every day – while a lot of other things that will change will also depend on your older child.
Keep in mind that since you also have to care for your older child, you will get tire a lot faster than expected. The first two months after the baby is born is going to be very tiring and very demanding. It is during this time that you should work out a feeding and sleeping schedule for your infant while also checking in on your older child’s needs and emotions.

Helping Your First Child Adjust

- Let the older child pick out stuff for the new baby room.
- Find a toy that belongs to your older child that he might like to share with his new brother/sister.
- Perhaps you could get your older child a special chair he can sit on while you feed the baby.
- Special time with just you and your older child is very important, even if it means a trip to the grocery store. At these times, your partner can take over the baby.
- Read stories, play games and watch movies that will help your first born understand the new addition to the family.
- Prepare your child for the change. Explain that the new baby will cry a lot and sleep a lot and needs a lot of attention. Assure him/ her that even though the new baby will be around, you will still have time for him and that you love him.
- Give your older child a bit of responsibility as the ‘big’ brother/sister.
- During the arrival of the new baby, try not to change too many things in your older child’s life. Keeping things the way they used to be will help in a big way.

Potty training a child can be frustrating. Patience with your child is of absolute importance. Do not even attempt to force your child to use the potty, as it will only push your child to refuse to do so. Once your child gets the idea of using the bathroom, and if he does not make it in time, do not make a big deal out of it. Instead, help him clean up and hope for the best the next time around. Another important factor to keep in mind is to ensure that your child is dressed in clothes that are easy for them to remove – so they do not soil themselves in the process.
Here are a few tips and tricks that you could try:

-Use a soft toy or doll and demonstrate how potty training works. Explain how he needs to sit on the potty, etc. Praise the doll on doing everything right; which in turn will make your child want to do it right as well. It might take a few times until your child gets it right – be patient!

-The potty you use for your child should fit just right. Make sure it is not too big or small for him, because you want your child to be comfortable.

-Make a potty chart and award a star for every time your child goes to the potty in the toilet. Work out your own rewards system. Perhaps, you can buy him a big present like a tricycle, a pet fish or anything once he reaches 100 stars.

-Getting your son to ‘do it the way daddy does’ can be difficult. Try turning it into a game of sorts. A few Cheerios in the potty and get him to aim when he pees. Reward him every time he gets it right.

A majority of children do not get adequate amounts of fruit and vegetable and thus lack vital vitamins and minerals. Such deficiencies depending on its intensity could affect children’s academic performance, growth levels, their health and sometimes even result in them overly aggressive behaviour patterns.

Here are a few items that MUST be included your child’s meals in order to ensure a ‘balanced diet’:

- Bread, rice, pasta and other such starchy foods
- Fruit and vegetables – the more they eat, the better
- Protein-rich food – fish, meat, eggs, lentils, beans
- Yoghurt, milk, cheese and dairy products – ensure that these are consumed daily

Here are the most essential vitamins and minerals that your child should be getting in his/her meals everyday:

Vitamin C – Synthesizing collagen and blood vessels, brain functions, effective antioxidant, iron absorption

Vitamin A – Healthy skin, teeth, production of pigment in the retina of the eye – good eyesight, antioxidant

Vitamin D – Absorption of calcium into the body Sunlight

Iron – Formation of blood cells which aid the transportation of oxygen in the body

Folate – Production of new cells

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) – Efficient functioning of the brain, mental health, functions of the immune system Oily fish, Flax oil
Calcium – Formation of bones and teeth, regulation of muscle contraction, assistance towards normal clotting of blood

Fibre – Healthy bowel movement patterns

Water – Prevents dehydration and constipation

Plastic is one of the most common materials in everyday life. From disposable packaging to display cases that show off our most valuable assets, plastic has an almost infinite range of uses. But what exactly is plastic composed of?

Scientifically speaking, all varieties of plastic are polymers. Modern plastics companies almost exclusively use synthetic polymers these days, although organic polymers also exist and were important in the early days of plastic’s history. A polymer is essentially a molecule in the form of a long chain, made up of smaller building blocks that are referred to as monomers. A polymer that is formed of only one type of monomer is referred to as a homopolymer. Polyethylene and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) are two very common types of homopolymers.

Plastics are not the only type of polymer that we use. Rubbers (often referred to as elastomers in today’s market) are also considered polymers.

Are your children fussy about what they wear to school? Is every morning a constant argument about what they wear? Perhaps your preschooler does not want you to pick his clothes for school and wants to pick them himself? This can be very stressful, especially if it happens every single day.

Now is the time to put a stop to it. Not only does it stress you out, but also your children. Eliminating this issue will not only keep your mornings stress free but also help your children understand that they are not mature enough to make such decisions.

First, re-organize your child’s cupboard and ensure that t-shirts, shoes, jeans, and other accessories are easily accessible. Next, start a routine and make sure you stick to it. Do not even consider letting your child make clothing decisions as it is just not a good plan. Choose your kid’s clothes the night before and do not change your mind the next morning. Keep everything ready for the next morning, all ironed and wrinkle-free.
If getting your child dressed is another difficult task, perhaps you can tell them that they can have some ‘play’ time if they get dressed on time every morning. This should be initiative enough to get them to stick to your schedule.

This is the opportunity for you to exercise your control as a parent. If you do and your child respects that, then things will get much easier around the house. You can keep making choices concerning your child’s clothing until you think they are old enough to make them on their own.
You can occasionally let your child perhaps wear her favorite pink T-shirt on Monday, but instill in him/her that the final decision is always yours. This is also a great way to teach them to color coordinate and match accessories as well.