Close Relationships Between Parents and Children

Everybody with kids dreams of having close and lasting relationships between the parents and children. Being a parent does not necessarily mean that you will have great child parent relationships.

As with all relationships, they take a significant amount of work to develop and stay strong for the long haul. There isn't a relationship in the world that can be guaranteed to withstand the test of time but by following these parenting advice, you will have a better chance of success with your precious kids.

Choose the Right Glue

All too many people believe that bonding with their kids is complete by the time that they are out of diapers. The truth is that parents and children continue bonding throughout their lives. Sitting together, cuddling and spending quality time should not stop because the child has learned to use the toilet.

All relationships grow and change with time but using the right bonding agent will help it to last a lifetime. Love mixed with respect, care, fun, understanding and trust is the perfect recipe for creating an unending bond for the parent child relationships.

Just Play People

One of the best ways to get to know what is going on in your kid's life is to simply take the time to play with them. Playtime allows them to connect, have fun and actually strengthen the child parent relationship without even working at it. Being a parent doesn't have to be all about rules and discipline. The best relationships are forged through play.

Time for Talk

So many people are simply too busy worrying about what is going on with their business lives to take the time to ensure that their family relationships are in good shape. Let's face it; by the time many people arrive home from work, they simply feed, bathe and put their kids to bed. Do people really think that this way of life will create a strong bond between parents and children?

One of the keys to a lasting parent child relationship is communication. Talking with your kids as well as truly listening to what they have to say is important. Your child might take a bit longer to be able to express his feelings or problems but being a parent, you must be willing to put everything else aside and pay close attention to him. Allowing him the time to communicate with you freely and completely about anything under the sun will help to establish a bond that cannot be broken.

Don't Spoil the Child

Proper behavior is important to parents and children need to know their boundaries. Many parents would rather avoid recognizing and correcting inappropriate behavior than taking the time and energy to correct it. This causes the child to run amok and in effect, shows the child that the parents do not care about his behavior nor want to ensure that he grows up to be a responsible member of society.

Discipline should be handled by parents and children who have guidelines and rules actually thrive better than those that do not. Kids respect their parents when they set rules and thus, the child parent relationship thrives because of them.

Unruly kids show no respect to others or to the property or feelings of others. Fair and just discipline helps to delineate the roles of both parents and children and allows each to have genuine respect for the other. Without discipline, the family will be in for a world of trouble in the future. Remember, discipline shows your kids that you truly love and care about them.

Parenting Book- Learning to Become Parents

Out of the desire to become good parents and enforcing effective parenting techniques, it is no surprise that parenting books are some of the best-selling books today. Many books on parenting are authored by renowned professionals who are experts in the different areas of psychology.

Reading a parenting book can be helpful especially to new parents who are in the struggle of practicing good parent techniques that take into account fostering relationships, respecting, and loving your child as an individual. However, parent readers need to take note that authors themselves can have contradicting ideas when effective parenting is concerned. Moreover, when reading a parenting book, you need to understand that discussions should apply to your own dealings with your child. As such, it should discuss or counsel what applies in your situation.

It is easier to distinguish whether your baby is behind or advanced his/her developmental milestones, in the same manner that it's easier to cope with some delays. In contrast, parenting is more complex as a child grows older, in which parents have to learn to respect differences, provide unconditional love in spite of these, as well as display positive responsiveness as in the case of helping children cope with separation, divorce, etc. This is how a parenting book can help parents cope with children.

There are thousands of books that discuss effective parenting, although for credibility reasons, it's better to stick to a book authored by an expert. Critical-mindedness is key to reading a parenting book since it is possible that you may not agree with all that the author said in his/her parenting book.

Parenting books

"Discipline That Works: 5 Simple Steps" is a parenting book written by Joyce Divinyi. Discipline is a broad subject that parents need to learn themselves before applying it on their children. Parents need to put a demarcation line between discipline and control. In this book, the author teaches parents how to validate extroverted children and valuing introverted children.

"The Black Parenting Book: Caring for Our Children in the First Five Years" by Allison Abner, Anne C. Beal, and Linda Villarosa is a comprehensive resource written by three mothers of African American descent, all of whom have laid a solid ground in writing. This book provides advice on childcare, and addresses important issues like caring for black children's hair, and inculcating dignity out of black skins.

A parenting book need not have the colorful language typically found in best sellers. Instead, it should be informative to the point of touching what is occurring in real-life parenting.

What Are the Negative Effects of Being a Single Parent?

Being a single parent is on the rise worldwide. Though opted for by few, most are associated with traumatic experiences of marital disharmony or death of the partner.

Children share the trauma. Memories of custody related court proceedings leave them bewildered. Their home is suddenly disrupted and their beliefs and bearings are injured. Lifestyle changes that follow are mingled with pain, gloom and depression.

Incomplete family unit

The family is incomplete without both the parents. Emotional turmoil swallows all. Guilt feeling haunts the separated parent and children. Both strive to keep each other happy. The commitments mount.

A single parent feels torn between the demands at work place and responsibilities of home. In trying to meet these ends the fun is forgotten. Parents struggling single-handed to provide all the children's needs, smilingly shun away personal desires.

Psycho-social effects on children

Childhood is lost in the midst of efforts and obligations. Children mature out prematurely. Their ability to integrate the precious inputs for healthy childhood development is masked.

In spite of the single parent's best intentions, children feel deprived of positive stimulus. "Make-do" attitude takes better of them and their education suffers.

Single parent family is an accepted norm in modern society, yet a social bias prevails and children fall victim to it. The urge to prove themselves often turns them towards dangerous sports, bad company and substance abuse.

Being a single parent is a fight against the rules of nature

Children need both the parents. Each parent's parenting style differs. Fathers help children to face challenges successfully and mothers give them care and emotional stability.

Moreover, parenting is a combination of instinct and art developed subconsciously over years of being parented. A single parent, even with best of efforts, often fails to compensate for the missing partner's influence.

Single parenting goes through swings of ambivalence, and fluctuates from indulgent and protective parenting to corrosive and stringent disciplining. Either way, affectionate democratic parenting gets concealed by conspicuous duty bound parenting.

A single parent finally succumbs to the mounting stress. Loneliness hovers. Desire for new relationship is aroused.

Child abuse

Child abuse is most frequently seen in single parent families. Parents handling responsibilities single-handed get more and more insecure emotionally, socially and economically. Unable to withstand the strain, in fit of emotional upheaval, they happen to ill treat children, the core of their struggle.

Child abuse has many faces; inability to provide for the needs of a child to over indulgence into child's demands. Whatever the form of abuse may be, children are snatched away by the law and put in foster care; supposed to be better for their upbringing!

Emotional trauma

Hardly able to endure the pain of one missing parent, they are snatched away from the other as well. The image of their parents, the basis of their very existence, is blemished. Their self-concept and self-esteem are battered.

Accepting a step parent was hard enough and now foster parents; total strangers in another new surroundings. Can this be home? Someone else in place of own parents! How can these strangers be better than my parents? What did my parents lack, that they have?

Children defy the system and the authorities. Emotionally and psychologically shattered they often land up in reform homes.

Children need secure upbringing in nurturing care of both parents. Single parenting is leading us towards a lame society of disturbed youths.

Could the endurance that we exhibit as a single parent be used more constructively rather than destructively? There is a lot to ponder!

3 Things to Keep Discipline in a Family Business Environment

Don Errico manufactures metal fasteners at the midsize company started by his immigrant grandfather and great uncle back in the late twenties. The two orphan brothers and their toddler sister arrived at Ellis Island as stowaways on the Saturnia. They were bound for New York from Naples, Italy in May of 1928 bringing along a single beat-up suitcase and the tattered clothing they wore at sea.

Determined to succeed in America, Don's grandfather Giuseppe took several odd jobs at local businesses just to earn enough money for scant daily food rations and tenement shelter on the lower east side of Manhattan for his two younger siblings.

At one of his jobs, Giuseppe lucked out and became a tool and die apprentice at a precision metal stamping shop. The German born shop owner took him under his wing, taught him the trade and eventually made him a limited business partner. Since Hans had no family of his own, Giuseppe was willed the business upon his partner's death. By then, Giuseppe had brought his brother, sister and brother-in-law into the shop to make it a family-owned business.

By the early 2000's, The Hans-Giuseppe Manufacturing company had grown to become a $150 million dollar business with 168 employees - a traditional midsize family-owned company with several family members running or working in several departments.

Giuseppe worked long and hard simply to put food on the table and roofs over the heads of his struggling immigrant family. Even when he later on brought other family into the business he presided over a hard-working and no-nonsense business day from arrival to departure. As the company grew and added family outsiders, there was never any favoritism shown toward any family member in the business. Strict dedication to the job and fairness to everyone prevailed at all times.

The company culture under the next generation of Giuseppe's family began to change as the first American born kin brought along a different set of family and personal priorities, which included going off to war and returning to raise a future generation of better educated (than themselves), professionally-oriented children.

By the time Don took over the family business in the late 1980's, his teenage children were already beginning to express more modern career interests and displayed a significantly altered vision of personal success from those of the early family founders.

In recent years, Don's two sons and three nephews have joined the company in junior manager roles since college graduation. They brought with them their Generation Y reputation for seeking instant gratification and pushing back on traditional business formalities.

Older generations of co-workers have often interpreted their behavior as evidence of prima-donna-like entitlement. Don was often unfairly criticized for letting his younger family members to "get away with murder" at work; while others felt they were under a different set of rules that the family brats didn't have to follow". Obviously, this caused undue tension and occasional friction inside of the company. Don was perplexed and needed to do something as the family-business patriarch.

Here are a few ways for the family-owned business Patriarch or Matriarch to keep things under better control as the family generations change:

1. Honestly evaluate the managerial and professional strengths that family members bring, or don't bring, to the firm. Don't put family members on the payroll if they're not working in the company or can't make a real contribution to the business. I know one company in Illinois, Darley & Company, that has several family members who are part of the company but many others that aren't because they were 'not a fit' for the business.

2. Don't create two classes of employees-family vs. non-family. Be careful not to show family members special treatment. In my meetings with many family business owners, I've heard of family members who were fired for non-performance.

3. Create clear and firm guidelines and structures which clarify the relationship between the family and business - and stick to enforcing them, uniformly.

Family business experts concede that family ownership does have its privileges. But you have to really be careful and run the business in such a way that it's fair, it's transparent and it doesn't hurt company morale. Don is learning this lesson while trying to adapt his family-owned business to the changing realities of generational cultural shifts.

Kids and Remarriage - So What Do You Tell Them?

Marrying again with kids in tow can complicate your life. On the one hand, you have found your perfect match at last, and want to spend the rest of your life with this person. On the other hand, you don't want to take any false step that will harm your kids' future. Breaking the news of this remarriage to your kids can be hard enough. But don't make it harder for them by dropping the remarriage bomb on them out of the blue.

How to Break the News of Remarriage to your kids?

Instead of breaking the news to your kids suddenly, you need to introduce the new person in your life to your kid's right at the beginning. Tell your kids and let them know how much you love this new person and also make your kids understand that this new adult relationship will not change the relationship dynamics between your kids and you in any way.

Include your kids in your plans. Take your lover and your kids out to the movies or to restaurants, make them spend time together so that they become comfortable. And then slowly introduce the news of remarriage to your kids in the gentlest possible manner.

If your kids are already friends with your new love interest, and spending time together doing fun things, they won't really be surprised at the news.

Be the first to Break the News

However, it should always be you who should break the news to your kids. If your kids get to hear about your remarriage plans from other peoples' mouths, they may feel angry, upset, and insecure and may indulge in violent behavior.

Age of Kids

If your kids are very young, explaining the concept of remarriage can be very difficult. But you have to do it and you can ask your ex-spouse to help you out. Explain the situation as clearly as you possibly can.

With teenagers, you have to be more concerned about timing. Try to avoid freaking your teenage kid out when he/she is busy with exams or heart breaks. Try to seek out a peaceful place and time when you can discuss this issue with your kid without getting interrupted. Try to answer all their questions.

Your adult kids may have guessed long back that you were about to get married once more, so they will already be mentally prepared to hear the 'news'.

Acceptance

All kids do not respond to their parent's newfound happiness in the same manner. While some kids cut off their parent completely and take months or years to accept the remarriage and a new person in your life, others welcome your love interest with open arms.

Be ready to deal with angry, emotional outbursts, accusations, rebellious anti social behavior, tears, drama and refusal to accept this remarriage.

Some kids, on the other hand, become quiet and reflective and withdraw from society. After all, kids have every right to fantasize that their moms and dads would reunite one day. When that doesn't happen, they react violently or in strange ways. You have to be very patient, give them time to accept this new situation and before moving on with life.

It is important to remember this is not a one time "talk", a sigh of relief that it's over and then on with your life. Kids need time to process this information and depending on the age of the child and how they are receiving the news profession help may be necessary.

Fathers, Turn Your Hearts Toward Your Children

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children..." - Malachi 4:6

Let me share four ways a father's heart is turned to his children. How does a father reach a child whose heart is turned from the father? How does a father reconcile with his children and teach his children to reconcile with God? The child learns how to have a relationship with God by learning how to have a relationship with the father. We who are fathers are the windows through which a child sees God. God's primary purpose for a father is that He would pattern godliness and holy living before his children so they might know who the Heavenly Father is.

1. Fathers, know when to lay down the law and know when to give grace to your children. Why is it we are so often convinced that more is better. We are admonished to do everything in moderation. We should apply the same laws of moderation when disciplining our children. Too much or too little can be most destructive. Laying parameters gives security to the child. Trust me, he/she doesn't want total freedom. Drawing a line in the sand gives your child a sense of security they desperately need. But know this; your children will learn the grace of God when grace is demonstrated by their fathers. Ask God for wisdom to know when to show grace.

Fathers, your children were born in sin. Your mission in life should be to teach your children how they might be freed from the bondage of sin. A strict set of rules and regulations in your home will not deliver your children from sin. Rules never transform the heart, relationship transforms the heart. The relationship you have with you children is far more important than a set of 'do's and don'ts'.

2. Fathers, learn to talk with your children. Step out of your world and into theirs. You may hate their music and their tattoos and you may be confused by their desire for body piercings. Ask them what they like about the music. Ask them why they want a tattoo. You can refuse them permission to participate in certain things as long as they live under your roof but let them know you are interested in them. The worst thing you can do to a child is ignore them. Moms are much better with communication skills than dads are but it is crucial for us to talk to our children.

Josh McDowell asked this question to a large number of youths: "Who can you go to when you are experiencing difficulty in your life?" Dad was number 48 on the list. A child who doesn't feel comfortable talking to his father is a child whose heart is turned away from his father.

3. Fathers teach your children. "For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children." (Psa. 78:5)

Most fathers never seem to grasp the scriptural concept that it is the father's responsibility to teach his children. We are so trusting when we hand the souls of our children off to others. Fathers, you send your kids off to school for 1,260 hours every year. A teacher you probably don't even know has seven hours daily with your child. How many hours a day does your child get you? It's our God-given responsibility to know what others are teaching our children. If you take the time to find out you may not be pleased.

A child's character and set of values has already been formed by age seven or eight. It's a father's responsibility to teach his children and he must do it while they are young.

4. Fathers must protect their children. Jesus said, "A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it..." A father must set a hedge about his family. He must build a wall to protect his family from drugs, immorality, sexual predators and pornography. Talk to your children about the dangers of these sins.

Fathers, it's your job to filter the internet in your own home so your children are not accessing filth that may corrupt their minds and destroy their souls.

Fathers, it's your job to know what kind of music is saturating the grey matter between their ears. Music is extremely powerful and it will mold their minds and pattern their souls.

Some fathers are weak. Some fathers can't act as spiritual guardians of their home because they lack spiritual power. They have unconfessed sin in their lives. The first step to becoming a good father is becoming a good son. The key to having a good relationship with your children is to have a good relationship with your Heavenly Father.

One day we will stand accountable for our children before a just God. It is a fearful considering how imperfect we all are. I want to rear my children in the fear of the Lord and hear "well done, good and faithful servant."

Kids and Remarriage - So What Do You Tell Them?

Marrying again with kids in tow can complicate your life. On the one hand, you have found your perfect match at last, and want to spend the rest of your life with this person. On the other hand, you don't want to take any false step that will harm your kids' future. Breaking the news of this remarriage to your kids can be hard enough. But don't make it harder for them by dropping the remarriage bomb on them out of the blue.

How to Break the News of Remarriage to your kids?

Instead of breaking the news to your kids suddenly, you need to introduce the new person in your life to your kid's right at the beginning. Tell your kids and let them know how much you love this new person and also make your kids understand that this new adult relationship will not change the relationship dynamics between your kids and you in any way.

Include your kids in your plans. Take your lover and your kids out to the movies or to restaurants, make them spend time together so that they become comfortable. And then slowly introduce the news of remarriage to your kids in the gentlest possible manner.

If your kids are already friends with your new love interest, and spending time together doing fun things, they won't really be surprised at the news.

Be the first to Break the News

However, it should always be you who should break the news to your kids. If your kids get to hear about your remarriage plans from other peoples' mouths, they may feel angry, upset, and insecure and may indulge in violent behavior.

Age of Kids

If your kids are very young, explaining the concept of remarriage can be very difficult. But you have to do it and you can ask your ex-spouse to help you out. Explain the situation as clearly as you possibly can.

With teenagers, you have to be more concerned about timing. Try to avoid freaking your teenage kid out when he/she is busy with exams or heart breaks. Try to seek out a peaceful place and time when you can discuss this issue with your kid without getting interrupted. Try to answer all their questions.

Your adult kids may have guessed long back that you were about to get married once more, so they will already be mentally prepared to hear the 'news'.

Acceptance

All kids do not respond to their parent's newfound happiness in the same manner. While some kids cut off their parent completely and take months or years to accept the remarriage and a new person in your life, others welcome your love interest with open arms.

Be ready to deal with angry, emotional outbursts, accusations, rebellious anti social behavior, tears, drama and refusal to accept this remarriage.

Some kids, on the other hand, become quiet and reflective and withdraw from society. After all, kids have every right to fantasize that their moms and dads would reunite one day. When that doesn't happen, they react violently or in strange ways. You have to be very patient, give them time to accept this new situation and before moving on with life.

It is important to remember this is not a one time "talk", a sigh of relief that it's over and then on with your life. Kids need time to process this information and depending on the age of the child and how they are receiving the news profession help may be necessary.

How To Help Your Kids Study For an Exam

If you are a parent, I am sure you care for your kids' academic performance and you also want your kids to do well in their exams. Unfortunately, exams remain the conventional method to test a kid's understanding of what they have learnt. Some kids may feel some form of exam stress. I am not sure about you but as a parent, I feel the same too.

In Singapore, all Primary 6 students are required to sit for a public exam known as the Primary School Leaving Examination ("PSLE"). If you are not familiar with our education system, it is commonly accepted by parents here that a kid's future will depend on his PSLE result. After all, Singapore is a competitive society and only kids with above average PSLE results will be able to go to better secondary schools, which will pave the way for them to get into junior colleges and the universities.

Even though my eldest son is only in Primary 5 now, I start feeling some form of exam stress too as a parent. I cannot imagine that it is just one year away before he sits for his PSLE. I care for my son's future and wonder how I can help him study for his exam (and that includes his PSLE). I went through a similar education system in Hong Kong and sat for different kinds of public exams before. I think it is time I can share my experience with him. In this article, I am going to share with you 3 great tips and hopefully you will find my sharing insightful.

It is the kids' exams and not ours

It is natural for parents to be concerned with their kids' academic performance and exam results. I know some parents will demand their kids to achieve certain scores in the exams. However, as it is our kids' exams, it is my view that we should not impose our own expectation on our kids as a command. Instead, I encourage both parents and their kids to get together and talk about their own expectations. Effective communication between parents and kids should always be a dialogue and not a monologue.

How to set a bigger goal for exams

I also know some parents will just tell their kids to study hard for the exams and let the kids find out what the meaning of "studying hard" is. Here is something I find useful. I am aware that my son is a visual learner. Thus, I gave him a picture of a dartboard and asked him to write down his goal for the upcoming PSLE. The reason why I did this was to identify if there was any expectation gap between us. He said that he was aiming at 60% whereas I thought he could achieve at least 80%. Hence, there was indeed an expectation gap.

During my discussion with him, I noticed my son was fine with the idea of getting 60% and going to an average secondary school. Of course this was not what I wanted to hear. I encouraged him to set a bigger goal by helping him to identify additional benefits of doing so. I know one of the hot buttons for him is to make his mother upset. Therefore, I encouraged him to aim at getting a better score in his PSLE so that his mother would be very proud of him. Once he saw this connection, he accepted my suggestion and wrote down a bigger goal on the picture of the dartboard.

How to help our kids to build his confidence

Do you agree that sitting for exams can be a challenge to our kids? As a result, a kid must not only believe in himself that he can do well in the exam, he must also be confident at all times. However, here is a common problem among the parents, i.e. giving their kids the negative labels. Did it happen to you when you were a kid? While others may say it is a vicious cycle, I say we have to stop it. It is important for our kids to feel that we are always supporting them.

Imagine your kid is an average student in his class and he did not do well in his mid-term exam recently. Should you give him the negative labels, for example, stupid, useless, not paying attention? Instead of giving him these negative labels, you can say something like "I see you put in effort in this exam and I know you can do better in the final exam if you put in more effort." Do you see the difference here? Encouragement from parents is a transfer of positive energy to their kids and this allows them to feel the love and support. This is an effective confidence booster to the kids.

I hope you will find my sharing useful to you, especially if your kids are preparing for their major exams like my son's PSLE. Remember, effective communication between you and your kids is important. If you notice your kids are experiencing some form of exam stress, listen to them and support them, and allow them to feel our love.

5 Wonderful Toys For One Month Old Baby

Is your newborn one-month old now? Are you looking for some toys to please your little angel? If you said yes, you should consider reading the post below. Here, we list some wonderful toys for 1 month old baby.

A one-month-old baby tends to become more expressive than a newborn. She learns to coo and gurgle when she sees her mother and family members. Vision and hearing sensations begin to improve, so she responds to colors and sounds. So, you should try to get colorful and sound imitating soft toys for your little angel. We have made a list of some wonderful toys for one month old baby that will help you entertain your baby.

1. Skip Hop Treetop Friends Crib Mobile:

As a one-month-old baby spends most of her time in the crib, crib toys are the best for your baby. Skip Hop Treetop Friends Crib Mobile is an incredible musical crib toy to engage your baby as she lies on her back in the crib. The music box offers your baby an amazing changing view of tree birds of multiple colors and shapes. Her excitement will be priceless.

2. Deardeer Baby Infant Animal Wrist And Feet Rattles

Babies tend to enjoy moving their hands and feet up against their face and in the air, while they lay on their backs. Keep the baby entertained by tying a soft toy wrist rattle that makes a noise every time the baby moves or swings the hand.

You can also try the foot rattles, which the baby can see when they lift their feet in the air while sleeping on their back. Get a set of these four admirable rattles to tie them on your baby’s wrists and feet to keep them engaged when inside the crib or the cot.

3. Munchkin Twisty Figure 8 Teether:

Teethers can be great toys for 1 month baby. The munchkin twisty teether is a safe, and amazing colorful soft toy for your dear little one. The toy sports figure eight in the combination of seven different colors, and it possesses four different teething surfaces. The teether promotes the development of sensory and motor skills of your little angel. The soft toy is easy to grasp, hold, and chew.

4. Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy:

Melodious sounds fascinate a one-month-old baby. The Baby Einstein Musical Toy can be an amazing entertainer for your dear baby. The musical toy features seven baby-friendly classical melodies and possesses volume control to adjust volumes. The toy is colorful and easy to grab for babies. The musical toy helps promotes the auditory development of your baby incredibly.

5. Fisher-Price Soothe and Glow Seahorse Baby Soother – Blue:

A month old baby likes when you place exquisite soft toys near her to allow her grab it and play. Fisher-Price’s Soothe and Glow Seahorse Baby Soother can be an incredible soft toy for 1 month old baby. When your little one cuddles it, its belly will glow gently and play music and ocean sounds for about five minutes amusing your dear little angel. You will see a delightful expression on your baby’s face as she sees the glow of the seahorse toy and listen to amazing ocean sounds.

Now that you know five marvelous soft toys to please and engage your one-month-old baby, choose one and delight your dear little one with it.

Did you buy a soft toy for your one-month-old baby? How did your baby enjoy playing with it? Share your wonderful experience with other moms here. Leave a comment below.

Buying Personalized Kids Gifts

Giving gifts is an easy and wonderful way to make kids happy. Everyone loves to receive gifts, especially kids. It makes them feel special. But when you sit down to actually decide on buying a gift for a particular child, you can easily get confused as to what that kid might like or dislike, have or want and you can be at a loss.

One easy decision can make this very easy and that is to gift personalized kids gifts. Personalized presents are very effective in winning hearts and giving happiness, especially for kids.

Children love to see their names on their belongings. It gives them a sense of happiness, security and pride. Personalized gifts, whatever they maybe, are sure to win the receiver's approval and you can be certain that by gifting personalized kids gifts, you will be on the 'likes' list of the kid and his/her parents always.

What to Choose

Choosing a personalized gift can be easy if you can find out from general talk with the parents about the kid's behaviour and daily activities and what he/she loves to do. For instance if a child likes to play with knowledge improving toys, you can choose a jigsaw puzzle with his or her name on it or a set of building blocks with his/her name.

If you are not sure of his/her likes and dislikes, you can easily choose an object that the kid is sure to come in contact with daily, like personalized baby plates or mugs or even kids school bags and pencil boxes. This way you can be assured that your gift will be used regularly and that it will help the kid.

How to Choose

After you have decided on the object that you are going to personalize for gifting, you should try to find out his/her special interests. This knowledge will help you select the colour and pattern or design of the gift. Like if you know the child loves cartoons, you can select patterns like Mickey Mouse or Goofy. You can decide the colour of the gift to be the kid's favourite one if you know which one it is.

Personalized kids gifts are treasured and cherished by the family even after the kid is grown up. It is often kept as a memento to be smiled at later on in life. You must realize that therefore, it should be something good to see. It should have an appealing effect.

In case you are not able to find out the kid's preferences, you can play safe by choosing bright colours and by avoiding dull and gloomy ones. This is sure to work with most kids. You can also choose patterns like hearts or balloons that all kids love.

Special Thoughts

If you want your gift to be useful to the kid, you can put more thought to it and can help the parents bring up their kid easily. Kids usually make trouble while eating or drinking.

By gifting personalized baby plates or kid's plates, you can be sure that the child will eat up the food just to see his/her name on it! You can also gift personalized kids aprons and gloves. These will help the kid improve his hobbies like baking and gardening. This way, by giving personalized kids gifts, you will not only make him/her and the parents happy, but will also be active in helping the kid grow up!

Creating a Safe Environment for Kids to Play and Learn

It is our responsibility to create safe environments for our kids where they can play and learn. One of the challenges that we face is how to keep the kids entertained and content. In this article we will be looking at the use of play rugs and carpets as a method of creating safe, secure and entertaining play areas.

Kids carpets have improved considerably and one is spoiled for choice. The carpets and rugs that are used for kids and play areas have been manufactured in such a way that it is durable, safe for kids and easy to clean. Play carpets are available in a variety of designs, colors and shapes.

Types of Play Areas that you can Create:

The Puzzle Room
Create a fun play area with the use of puzzle rugs, kids puzzles and puzzle games. This type of play area will keep kids entertained for hours and they will learn about shapes and their hand and eye co-ordination will improve.

The Travel Room
Allow kids to travel the world in their imagination by creating a travel themed room. Use one of the world atlas themed play rugs, world charts against the walls and educational toys. Games can be played based on locations on the atlas and kids can learn about the world, various cultures and their own uniqueness.

The Kids Town Room
Town and city themed rooms are ideal for boys. They can play with their toy cars and use the roads printed on the rugs. Lego sets and building blocks can be used with great success to entertain the kids and allow them to create their own towns. Let them set-up their own shops and play act.

The Artist Room
Every kid is an artist in his or her own right. Sheets of white paper, crayons, clay, water based paint and crayons themed kids rugs can create an area where kids can build, paint, draw and create. Allow kids to express themselves, have fun and improve their self confidence.

The Alphabet Room
Alphabet themed play areas are great for kids that are learning how to read and write. Make use of alphabet themed play rugs, alphabet cards and word games to entertain your kids. It has been proven through studies that kids absorb and retain more information when they play.

The Numbers Room
Is your kid the next Einstein? Create a numbers themed room filled with games, rugs and toys that are based on numbers. Kids will learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide whiles having fun.

The Animal Room
It is important that kids learn about nature and all the different types of animals in this precious world of ours. Animal themed play rugs, animal toys and games with an animal theme can create a great play area where kids can learn about nature and animals. Let the kids watch educational DVD's or read animal related stories to them and ask them to identify the animals on the rugs and posters.

The Sports Room
Involve dad and ask him to help create a sports themed play room for the kids. There are baseball, football field and multi sports themed kids rugs available. Fill the room with a variety of sport themed games and toys. Place posters of sports heroes on the walls and allow the kids to choose their own heroes.

Christian Rugs
Create a play room where kids can learn about Christ and have fun at the same time. A wide variety of joy and Christian themed rugs are available. Read to your kids from the bible and ask them to draw pictures related to the story.

It is possible to create play areas for kids through the use of posters, pictures, kids area rugs, games and toys. Kids will be able to learn and play simultaneously in a safe and secure environment. With the variety of kids rugs, joy carpets and carpets for kids available in the market you can change any are into an amazing play area for kids. Invest in your kids and their future by creating play areas where they can learn, have fun and be unique.

How To Care For Your Baby's Teeth

When to start brushing your babies. Most parents believe that they need to start with proper dental care only after the first teeth have broken through. But you should actually start much earlier. A gentle cleansing of the gums of the baby is beneficial for a good oral health.

· In addition, your child gets used to it and will have their teeth brushed as soon as they grow

Learn to open your baby's mouth properly. Some babies may struggle if they try to open their mouths to clean the gums or brush their teeth. It is very important that you do not use any force to open your mouth as you could hurt your baby.

· If you're having trouble, you can try opening his mouth to give him the pacifier and instead put your finger or toothbrush in it.

· It's not a good idea to get your baby to open his mouth to something edible because your baby will be very frustrated if he does not get it afterwards.

Learn to properly cleanse your baby's gums before the first teeth come. You can use a clean, damp wash mitt to clean your baby's gums. But it can not be that easy to handle. Some parents feel more comfortable using their finger. When you use your finger, it is of the utmost importance that your hand is clean before you put it in your baby's mouth.

· There are special cleaning tools that you can buy to clean your baby's gums. These are made of soft rubber and usually have small, soft bristles on the surface.

· They are designed to be pushed onto the end of an adult's index finger so that the bristles are on the inside of the fingers. This allows easy handling inside the baby's mouth.

Do not use toothpaste. At this age, it is not really necessary to use toothpaste, even toothpaste for toddlers. Instead, one should only wet the gum cleanser (brush, cloth, or finger) before putting it into the baby's mouth.

· You should make several movements through the mouth while gently rubbing the gum surface.

· Of course, it is important not to move too close to the neck. Otherwise, the baby could start choking and possibly breaking

Brush your baby's teeth right after the breakthrough. You should continue to clean your baby's gums using the same methods, even if the first teeth are already coming. But do not forget to clean your teeth as well. Once a few more teeth have arrived, you can invest in your first baby toothbrush

Get a baby toothbrush. Look for a baby toothbrush with a small and soft head and rounded bristles that easily adapt to your baby's small mouth and little teeth. The brush must have a long handle, so it is easy to hold and easy to handle in the baby's mouth

Learn to properly position the toothbrush to effectively cleanse your baby's teeth. The best way to brush your teeth is to put your baby face-down on your lap. This makes it easier for you to move your arm and clean your teeth properly.

Brush your baby's teeth twice a day. You should clean your baby's teeth twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening. Place a pea-sized portion of toothpaste on the toothbrush, cleaning the inside and outside of the teeth in a gentle circular motion.

· If you can, gently pry your baby's tongue to remove the bacteria. Just do not go too far down the throat with the brush. Otherwise, you could stimulate your baby's gag reflex.

· If you're using a fluoride-free toothpaste, you do not need to worry about it if your baby does not spit it out because it can be swallowed safely.

Help your baby to bite as painlessly as possible. During teething, your baby's gums will swell and hurt. You can alleviate these symptoms by doing the following:

· Gently massage the gums with your finger. Make sure your hands are clean before you do that.

· Give your baby something to bite and chew on, such as a teething ring. Do not give him anything with small parts that could suffocate.

Take your baby to the dentist when it is one year old. It is recommended to bring your baby to the dentist for his first birthday.

· At this stage, your baby already has some teeth that the dentist can examine to see if they are developing properly.

· The dentist will also check for any cavities or gum diseases and will advise you on proper oral hygiene.

Make sure your baby does not eat too many sweets and starches. Sweets and starchy foods can cause cavities in the teeth.

· Sweetened drinks such as fruit juices can cause the decay of your baby's teeth. The sugar of the juice produces bacteria on the tooth surface, which can lead to cavities.

· When you buy baby food, make sure it does not contain any extra sugars. If you are doing the baby food yourself, do not add sugar.

· Do not give your baby any juice or other sweet drinks before going to bed. If your baby wants to drink before bed, give him milk or water.

Tips

· Let your child drink water after each meal. This removes some of the food from your teeth and gives your teeth a little fluoride.

· Discard your baby's toothbrush after three months, or when the bristles begin to curve and break.

· In addition to proper oral hygiene, proper nutrition and a visit to the dentist are part of proper dental care.

· When the baby begins to eat solid foods, it is important to think of a good diet so that his teeth, as well as the rest of the body, remain strong and healthy and grow well. Sweets, ice cream and other sweets should not be part of his diet.

· If you're having trouble, you can try opening his mouth to give him the pacifier and instead put your finger or toothbrush in it.

· It's not a good idea to get your baby to open his mouth to something edible because your baby will be very frustrated if he does not get it afterwards.