Kid Stuf

There’s no doubt that parenting can be a tough ask. And what makes it even more difficult is the fact that children can sometimes become aggressive and start biting, pushing or even pulling one’s hair as well.

And while this can really embarrassing for the parents involved, there are a few things that one must understand in order to help their children rid themselves of the aggression that can only isolate from their friends and siblings as well.

Firstly, you must understand that children do not like to be aggressive or mean but actually want to have a nice time with their friends and family. A large part of this desire to socialize with others in the form of play is due to the fact that they feel a connection with others in the normal way. But when this connection is lost, this is when they begin to feel isolated, lost or tensed, and this is when they express themselves aggressively.

For example, if someone close to them like their mother is paying attention to the new baby in the house, and they see one of their friends happy, this is when they automatically lash out at the other kids.

And often these feelings of isolation and fear can happen even if one’s parents are warm and loving as they are the ones who are closest to the child, and in doing so, they can identify why the child behaves in the way they do, and thus guide them away from these problems.

Tips to Help Children Who Are Teething
A baby will usually start teething anywhere between three months and eighteen months old. These are just some of the symptoms to watch for: running a slight temperature, excessive drooling, gums appear slightly discolored, a constant need to rub the gums. This is a stressful time for the child and the parent. Here are some of the things you can do to help yourself and your child through this time. A fever reducer for infants can be used to help with any fever. Put a wet wash cloth in your freezer overnight. In the morning add some water to the washcloth and give it to the child. The cold wash cloth will feel good on the gums and help with the excessive drooling. A pain reliving swab for the child’s gums and a gentle gum massage will also help provide temporary relief. Always consult the child’s Pediatrician for any questions or problems.

Tips For Child-Proofing Your Home
There are many products available to the consumer for child-proofing your home. Here are just a few items you may want to consider using: Safety latches and locks for your cabinet doors, Corner and edge bumper guards for your furniture, Outlet covers and plates for the electrical outlets in your home, Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every floor of your home to alert you to any fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, A safety gate to help prevent a child from falling down stairs.

Your two-year old used to be a sweet little one, but now he or she has these little habits that really want to make you tear your hair out. They don’t call it the terrible twos for nothing. Why are temper tantrums common among toddlers? Firstly, two year olds begin to see the world a little differently, and start to recognize feelings: happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, and the like. These emotions are new to them, and temper tantrums are actually a form of coping for them. Secondly, the toddler years are when children recognize their independence. They begin to want to make choices and assert them. They don’t always get what they want since parents decide for them hence the tantrums are a manifestation of their opposition. Tots usually grow out of their tantrum years in a few months, but parents need to be very careful when dealing with them. Here are some tips:

1. Ignore. When you child starts to throw a tantrum, do not show any sign of anger, panic or worry, because if you do, you are only encouraging behaviors and allowing your child to manipulate you.
2. Time-out. Just because your child is throwing a big one doesn’t mean you should be the one to bend. You are the parent, and therefore the authority. When your child throws a tantrum, for instance in public, or becomes violent towards other children, give him or her a time-out. He or she should face the wall for some time until he or she has calmed down.
3. Give simple instructions. Tantrums may occur because a child is confused. If you are telling your child what to do, use simple words. Do not pile instructions one on top of the other because it only frustrates the tot even more.
4. “It’s not you, it’s what you did”. Always tell your child that you’re not angry at him or her, but angry at what he or she did. This is help foster a better relationship between you two, and will prevent feelings of rejection or shame.
5. Positive reinforcement. When your child is angry and makes an effort to not throw a fit, recognize and reward this good behavior. You will be surprised how quickly he or she forgets about throwing tantrums. 
6. Finally, set a good example. Do not slam doors when you are angry, or shout. If you need to discuss something with a grown-up, do so without having to raise your voice, or worse, use profanities.

There is really nothing more exciting (and stressful) for parents of two-year old tots than toilet-training.  But most parents rush to their pediatrician, constantly worrying about whether they’re doing it right. “Why isn’t my child responding?”, “Am I being too harsh?”, “Am I being too lax?”, “Have I bought the right potty?” and other questions plague pediatricians, but the truth is, toilet-training is much like any skills that has to be learned: It requires personal readiness, and in this case, of the toddler. Readiness is the answer to the many other concerns that parents have about toilet-training. To know whether you child is ready to be toilet-trained, watch out for these signs:

1. You have to change his or her diapers less often. This means that you child’s bladder capacity and control is increasing, and that he or she can stay drier for longer periods.
2. Your child becomes aware that he or she is peeing. He or she will also begin to express discomfort staying wet or soiled. He or she may attempt to remove his or her diaper on his or her own. He or she will most likely adopt nicknames for number one and two and be able to say what he or she is doing at the moment.
3. He or she can pull his or her pants up or down. There are certain pull-up diapers meant for toddlers. These can promote a child’s ability to pull his or her trousers down or up. This is a good sign that your child is ready to be toilet-trained.
4. Your child can sit still for short periods of time. As your child gets older, his or her attention span also increases. If he or she can sit still, especially when peeing or pooping, it’s a good sign the potty will be a friend to him.
5. He or she can follow simply instructions such as “go to the bathroom”, “pull down your pants”, “sit”, “stand”. It is also imperative that he or she must be able to walk or run on his or her own. That’s because the toddler needs to learn how to get to the potty when the urge comes.

Medical experts report that out of the 3.5 sports related injuries that are treated in children each year, nearly half are preventable. There are some steps parents can take to ensure their children are as well equipped as possible before hitting the playing field or court.

The best way to prevent injury is to make sure the child is wearing properly fitted equipment. Wearing protective gear that fits and is fastened correctly can prevent concussions, breaks, sprains, and stress injuries. It’s also important that they wear the correct shoe for their sport and that it fits well. 

Other typical injuries come from over extension and over exertion. Be sure the child uses the correct form and stance and that when making a repetitive motion that they have plenty of rest in between sets. Injuries such as tennis elbow can be prevented by following these steps.

Another common condition that child athletes are treated for is dehydration. It is critical on the parent and coach’s part to ensure the child maintains hydration for the duration of their practice sessions as well as games. It is important to give fluids before playing as well. Generally, 85 pound children should drink at least five ounces of water every twenty minutes. A 130 pound child should drink at least nine ounces every 20 minutes.

Taking small preventative measures is the best way to maintain the safety and health of child athletes. When an injury does occur, it’s imperative that it be treated right away.

(NYSE: TOY) Toys R’ Us has addressed the holiday season with optimism for an annual increase in profits. After suffering a famine last year in toy sales, the company expects to make a massive comeback, hiring over 45,000 new workers to handle big holiday season shopping events.

Toys R’ Us holds a monopoly over toy sales in America, outnumbering other stores both in sales and number of locations disproportionately. Former competitors such as KB Toys have collapsed into obscurity, retreating to the national Toys.com.

When polled, 81% of buyers said that they will be shopping in-store as opposed to online for their children’s holiday gifts. 97.2% of these buyers indicate that this is due to door buster deals and bundles, which are only usually offered in store and not online.

Some stores like Kmart have begun offering exclusive online coupons on a first-come, first-serve basis, allowing users who log on early and remain in line to purchase the cheapest deals and pick up their bundle in a local store in time for Christmas.

Toys R’ Us recently expanded their electronics section, adding over 500+ new products for the holiday season. This is due to the fact that electronics have outsold traditional toys massively over the last few years. The toy vendor has considered partnering with a carrier to create a custom phone service for young teens and children in the past, but there have been no further announcements regarding this plan.

It is sure to be a holiday season to remember for the kids, with all kinds of new toys in stock and the sparkle of Christmas magic just a few short weeks away.

Some parents would rather have their kids not watch television. Some do not even have a TV, while others battle with their children about how they watch too much of it. Here are some helpful hints on finding a healthy balance:

How much TV is not too much TV?

This depends on the family. An hour of TV per day would suit some families, while unlimited TV might not hurt certain families, considering the choice of programmes being watched.

Keep in mind that TV requires no physical activity. Do your children engage in a lot of other non physical activity? If most of their day consists of it, then you might want to cut down on it and urge them to spend more time playing and participating in more physical activities.

You can use TV as a quick morning activity, before your kids move onto more physical stuff during the day.

If your kids are very active, then use TV time as a wind down time, giving them a bit of time to relax before bed time. Keep in mind that you must monitor the programmes they watch very closely.

Which shows can they watch?

If you are unfamiliar with the programmes your children are watching, take time to watch a few episodes and determine if they are suitable for them. Some cartoons and family TV shows might look fine, but could possibly contain crude or sexual themes that are inappropriate for your children. The most popular children’s shows are not the most acceptable always.

Technology is one thing children these days are always in touch with. Seven-year olds get mobile phones for their birthdays, and toddlers know how to work a PlayStation Portable. Then there’s the computer, and of course, the World Wide Web. The Internet is one of the friendliest things a child can come to know. It has everything amusing, and is always a great short-cut for tedious homework from school. It’s also loaded with fun and games where your child can interact with peers. But these technological advancements can also cause a drastic decline in your child’s positive development.

Enter cyber-bullying. Simply put, it is when your child is getting bullied, by someone using these forms of technology, or by the technology itself. Parents can mistake the signs for normal phases and shrug them off, only making the child’s trauma deeper.

• Watch out for these signs, and help you child confront his or her cyber-bully and regain his or her confidence:
• Your child stays away from the telephone, the computer, cellphone and other technological devices for communication.
• Your child gets extra anxious and fidgety when he or she receives a text message, or gets a call or an email. Notice the increased flitting glances, sweating, and fidgeting as well as the attempt to avoid the text, call, or email. You will also notice evading mechanisms such as pretending to be asleep, going to the bathroom, etc.
• He or she withdraws from social circle and refuses to interact with family and friends.
• He or she may have declining grades in school, and may not even want to go to school and other extra-curricular activities.

Keeping children relaxed and calm during holidays is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to help you:

#1 – Do not overcrowd their schedule. If you feel their activities for the day are too much, cut it out. Try to avoid activities that go on for a long time, as this might not only affect their temperament, but could make them feel uncomfortable.

#2 – Celebrations should have lots of activities. Give your children the chance to choose what activities they want to do with the whole family. Give them enough of time to bake cookies, make presents, cards, decorations, etc.

#3 – Keep them physically active. Ensure that holiday time has lots of time to play. This is one surefire way of getting your child to de-stress, and also to get a good night’s sleep.

#4 – Children should play outdoors whenever possible, as sunlight helps kids to sleep better.

#5 – While vigorous activities must be carried out, it is also important that your kids learn a few relaxation skills. Get creative with it and turn everyday games into delightfully relaxing games for your children. It will help them wind down after a tiring day.

#6 – Some children might not like bedtime due to various fears. Help them overcome it with fun activities. You could get them to draw a picture of what they are scared of. Then you could fold it until it is really small, lock it up in an old box and throw it away.

#7 – Assign a ‘quiet’ time with the whole family, where you can spend a certain part of the evening reading stories, singing or even listening to music.

#8 – Bedtime. Keep to this routine no matter where you are. You must never let any kind of activity affect your children from getting a good night’s rest.

When bringing up children, instilling a sense of discipline in them is very important. This should start from an early age. It is very important that your child understands that bad behavior does have its consequences. This decision to punish your child must be made after careful consideration and much thought; after all it is an important decision to make.

Keep in mind that varied types of behavior call for various kinds of punishments. As you go along the way, you will be able to differentiate between them. If your child is caught hitting other children in school, the best punishment would not be to spank him back at home. Each situation must be handled with much thought, care and tact. It is important that you understand that a single type of punishment will not work across the board. Instead, each and every type of mistake must be handled individually. No matter what mistake your child makes, ensure that he knows that it will have a consequence, no matter how small.

By enforcing disciplinary action on your child, your goal should be to promote good behavior, rather than put a stop to him misbehaving. Your child will also be able to tell if you are angry or upset with him and his behavior. This means that at some points you might not have to say or do anything at all. A simple reassurance towards good behavior is important. Telling your child you are disappointed with them and their behaviour is also a good method of handling a small incident.

If bad behaviour continues and is almost impossible to put a stop to, then, discipline should be made more severe. How you choose to punish your child is up to you and the method you have decided to utilize when bringing him up. This might not be the easiest decision to make, but ensure you give it a lot of thought.