Nail biting

August 2nd, 2006

Nail biting is one of the most widespread bad habits among children. Children can bit their nails because of many reasons: for example to relive stress or from force of habit .Nail biting is known as the most common of the so-called “nervous habits.” The statistics say that about a quarter and a third of students still bite their nails.
Nail biting is a good way to release the intense. Practically all children try to cope with their fears by nail biting. This can happen before some exam or it can be a simple situation: a child feel shy at a party or in a new company at school. If the reason is so, then there is nothing to worry about, as most of the children stop to do it on their own. But if the problem of nail biting goes on, there are some simple ways out of this situation.
The first step is to address your child’s worries, try to think of its reason. Sometimes it is difficult to make your child talk about it but nevertheless you must try to make contact with your child and in a gentle voice ask what makes him anxious.
If your child doesn’t want to stop biting himself, you can’t do anything to prevent it, because it is impossible. Like many bad habits, nail biting is unconscious. Sometimes we can do so not realizing what we really do. In any case you aren’t to punish your child. You should explain the consequences of doing so. Tell your child about the amount of microbes. Living under nails; try to explain that hands lose their attractive look if a child bites nails.
It happens sometimes that your child can be teased by his classmates (or friends) because of his bitten nails. At that case a child is nearly to stop doing it but only with your help and support. You should talk to him and explain that your love does not depend on the look of his nails, then move on to some possible ways out.
Encourage your child to be more aware of when (at what circumstances) he bites his nails. Talk over with your child some special secret reminders and every time your child starts biting use them.
Some children really succeed when they have some stickers on their nails and so when they are going to bite their nails they see a funny sticker, so they aren’t grow on as a beautiful picture will disappear.
Nevertheless there are cases when you should consult your doctor, e.g. if nail biting is accompanied by other “nervous habits” or when a child bites his nails till blood appears.
In general the more your child will feel your support, the better he will succeed.  

Child’s teeth

July 28th, 2006

By the time of 3 years old your child should have a mouth full of milk teeth that he can brush himself. It is a start point for him to self care. But nevertheless you should help your child brushing his teeth until he is 6.
Let’s see the development of teeth of a child from the very beginning. Everything begins in the tomb. While you are pregnant tooth buds, that are the foundation for milk teeth, appear in a mouth of your unborn baby. The first teeth appear mostly when your child is between 4 and 7 months, though there are cases when babies are born with teeth.
The first teeth that appear are usually those that are called middle teeth. This happens either at 3 months or when your child is one year or even more. Everything is connected with the development of your baby. The last teeth appear at the age of 2. These teeth are situated at the very back of baby’s mouth. And finally at the age of 3 your child is lucky to have 20 milk teeth that is the final number of milk teeth.
The appearance of teeth happens in different ways. Some children practically do not pay attention to this process as nothing worries them. But most babies experience discomfort that is connected with a strong pain. There are some symptoms that exactly exist when teeth erupt. For example irritability, gum swelling, drooling and sleep problems are among them. Undoubtedly these symptoms can relate not only to teeth. That’s why check with your doctor in any case if something worries your baby.
The order of appearance of milk teeth is like this: first the bottom middle teeth, then the same at the top of a mouth and then milk teeth appear along the sides and back.
Then the milk teeth will fall out but this doesn’t happen until your child is 6.
Your role in teeth eruption is really very big. Of course you can’t anything to make these very teeth appear but you can help your baby to cope with a pain and ease sufferings. Give your baby something to chew. Very effective way to ease baby’s pain is massaging his gums. You should wash your hands and then rub the gums with your finger. Try to do it firmly. You can also give a baby something cold to eat.
Your doctor can advise you some medicine in case if nothing else helps a baby. But be attentive with the use of pain relief gel that can bring harm to the health of your baby if you use it too frequent and too much.
When your baby has just have a full set of teeth it is time to keep them clean. During the first year you needn’t even brush them. You can simply wip the teeth with wet washcloth and this will be enough.
You shouldn’t put a baby to bed with bottle because the remnants of milk can lead to so-called bottle rot. But there is another way to avoid this is to make your baby get used to cup instead of bottle. This should happen when your child is about a year and can firmly hold a cup in his arms. The necessity of this is explained that a baby is likely to finish drinking in a short time and can prevent the prolonged exposure to sugars that vividly come because of sipping a bottle for a long time.
When your baby is 6 months you should ask your doctor to examine the teeth. Your first visit to a dentist should happen when your baby will be a year old.
At 18 months your child is ready for learning teeth brushing. You should use a soft toothbrush and a non-fluoridated toothpaste as dentists recommend not to use it until your child is 2 or 3 years old. Your main aim at this moment is not to brush the teeth in certain direction but to clear out food particles. If tour child doesn’t like the taste of a tooth paste just change it. Frankly speaking there is no need in toothpaste with your child if he doesn’t eat much food that contains sugar.
In any case call your doctor if something is wrong with your baby. Be wise and try to support your child and ease his pain by doing everything you can.

The pros and cons of pacifiers

July 28th, 2006

Frankly speaking it is up to you and needs of your child whether to use a pacifier or not. That is why let your baby be your guide. All of us know that babies like to suck. A baby, who seems to want another bottle of milk, though he has just been fed up, need something else to suck, so you can offer him a pacifier. At this case a simple pacifier can help your baby to satisfy his needs and wants. The use of pacifiers for soothing a fussy baby can work just as well as reading, cuddling or singing. You should not give a pacifier if your baby does not want it. Give it when your baby really needs it or your child can unlikely become dependent on this thing.
If you have fed your baby, played with him but he is still fussy, go on cuddling him. You can offer a baby a pacifier if it is not a substitute for your care and upbringing. In any case this should be done for your baby’s benefit not because you want so.
It is recommended to avoid pacifiers in case you are breastfeeding and your baby cannot suck well. A pacifier base is thinner than the base of a nipple so if you offer a pacifier first, you are likely to have some problems in future, such as nipple confusion.
Recent researches have shown a real advantage for babies who are allowed to suck pacifiers as they (babies) grow better.
As a conclusion it is important to notice that you should carefully check a pacifier’s quality before you are going to give it to your baby.

Expansive gadgets for a child

July 25th, 2006

Very often there is a problem in a family: a child asks for expensive things that his classmates have like brand-name clothes, some modern toys. It is a simple situation as young children always like to boast and to show their supremacy. As a parent you should be wise and first of all think of the things you can really afford. And then try to explain to your child why you cannot buy this brand-name shirt. Never say “no” to your child’s requests. You should say “no” when his requests exceed your guidelines. It makes a big difference how you will say. This word can become either a bridge between you and your child or it can become something that’ll make him closer to you. If you say “no” in an angry voice and start to cry without any explanation, your child may feel as if you do not understand him at all. The best thing you can do in this situation is to explain and to look with favour on child’s wishes. You can say like this: “I wish you could have everything you want but you cannot have these expensive shoes. We want to spend money on good food or on some useful things or to go on some trip. ”You do not have to give some wonk explanation, you only should let you child know in a few words what your thinking is. He (the child) must understand that he is brought up in a family and that he has to consider the needs of the whole family.
The main thing you should pass on to your child that all material things are much less important than love, respect and attention. You should have enough patience to listen to your child attentively when he will tell you not for the first time that he cannot live without this modern shirt, trousers and so on. This is just feelings. Your child won’t die if you don’t buy him one more toy that is so popular among his classmates at this moment. Letting him tell about his wishes and requests, you make him closer to you. As parents we must encourage children when they can cope with their emotions and feelings or vise a versa: we must teach them how to do it if they are not able. Your child must be assured that his life won’t change if you don’t buy him the thing he dreams about.  

Children and moblie phones

July 21st, 2006

The fastest growing group of mobile phone users is children and young people. This growth is encouraged by mobile phone companies which have lots of benefits from selling phones to children. For example children are mostly interested in such additional appliances, as video-camera, mp3- player, that modern mobile phones have.
Experts warn that parents should ensure their children use mobile phones only when the mobile phone is absolutely necessary because of the potential health risks. They should limit children’s unnecessary use of mobile phones. At the same time there is still no proof mobile phones are unsafe. No one can say exactly whether mobile phones are dangerous or not. But because of the fact that they have been used for a relatively short time and the possibility of health risks still remains. The use of mobile phones should be forbidden for children under eight years old.  It is recommended for parents who have children aged between 8 and 14 make their own judgments about the risks and benefits of mobile phone’s usage. There is no absolute evidence now that a mobile phone causes some serious illnesses but various studies have raised serious concerns. If these risks really exist, children are people who will mostly be affected. The younger children are, the greater danger is.
German study has hinted at an increase in cancer around base stations, while a project supported by the European Union had shown evidence of cell damage from fields typical of those of mobile phones.
According to the latest researches the risk of ear tumors increases by four times for people who use mobile phones ten years or more. The researchers that took place in Britain showed that the radiation of mobile phones was able to damage DNA in human cells.
90 % of schoolchildren have mobile phones worldwide. But most of them as well as their parents ignore the fact that there are some unknown effects of microwave radiation that are made by phones. This radiation greatly effects on developing brains. An average child spends up to 45 minutes a day making calls. Certain researches that took place among 1000 pupils have shown that 941 of them are children under 16 years old. 77% of children use their phone for less than 15 minutes a day, about 5 % of children use their mobile phones for more than 45 minutes but only 11% of young generation realize a bad influence of a mobile phone on their health. Text messages are sent and received by 96% of the children surveyed. 
 But of course it is up to parents to decide whether to buy a mobile phone for their children. They ( parents) must weigh up and compare the possibility of still unknown health risks with the security benefits to children, carrying a mobile.
Let us think why mobile phones are so popular among children:
-         first of all mobile phones give them the sense of ownership;
-         children can use mobiles where and when they like;
-         young users can portray an image to others;
-         many phones are provided with breathtaking games , music, Internet access;
-         lots of mobile phones can be used as digital cameras, radios, mp3- players and so on;
-         owning a mobile phone for some children provides a status among friends;
-         a mobile phone gives a child constant communication with friends and relatives. As we all know all children enjoy communications.
The benefits or immediate communication is a necessity: we feel safer when we know that our child can contact if he is in trouble. All in all the use of a mobile phone is convenient.
But when the mobile phone becomes not just an essential item for communication but instead something that takes control of a child’s life parents have a right to be worried ( if for example teenagers can do nothing but sitting by their mobile phones, waiting for calls or text messages).
 If you are thinking of buying your child a mobile phone try to set some rules to your child such as:
When they can use it;
Who to give a phone number to;
How it will be funded;
Only to reply to people your child knows.
At that very moment we have no exact things to worry about. We should know the measure in all and do abuse the use of mobile phone and then everything will be all right.

Reading books…

July 20th, 2006

As Joseph Addison said long time ago “reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body”. But to my mind this saying does not apply to the present generation. This happens because children nowadays are interested mostly in computer games, mobile phones and TV. An average child spends three hours a day in internet café or computer club.
Doctors consider that the best lullaby is reading. But instead of this children watch TV or phone their friends.  Nowadays most information for education children get from Internet. They practically do not read paper books, only few of them visit libraries. But from my point of view nothing will substitute paper books and the pleasure we get while reading and holding the book in our arms.
The best way to develop the habit of reading is to cultivate it in childhood. Parents should read to children to children, keep a home library and as a result children will get interested in books.  

How can we cope with child’s school problems?

July 19th, 2006

How can we cope with child’s school problems? They are so different that sometimes it is very difficult even for specialists to cope with them. Sometimes parents have not enough patience and understanding. But of course most of all children suffer from school problems. If these problems follow one after another a child simply give in as he/she begins to consider himself helpless and unable and all his/her efforts seem useless. Psychologists are convinced that the results of education depend not only on someone’s abilities to accomplish a task but also on assurance in its accomplishment. But if failures follow one after another finally any child says:”I will never accomplish it.”
Here I can give some piece of advice that can help the parents to cope with difficulties if they exist:
1. First of all we should not despair if some school problems appear. But if this happens we should not show this to our child as if this problem is our personal problem. Our main task is to help a child.
2. You should be ready for a long-term work with your child as he can not cope with his problems himself.
3. Your main help is to support him and to assure his strength. Try to release the feeling of intension and fault for the failures. If you pay attention to your child only only to ask how he is you create a foundation for new problems.
4. Forget the question: “What mark have you got?” Do not make him immediately tell you about school affairs if your child is upset. Let him tell you when he wants to tell you himself. Children in most cases do so when they are sure in parents’ support.
5. Do not discuss the problems with a teacher when your child is present. It is better to do this without him. Do not admire the success of other children too much.
6. You should take interest in homework accomplishment only if you constantly help your child. You must have enough patience when you work with your child as it is very hard to overcome any difficulties. It is very important to be totally absorbed by your child. None must disturb you. It is also very important with whom your child will do his homework. Mothers are gentle-hearted, but they have not enough patience and they are too emotional. Fathers are crueler but they are quieter at the same time.
During preparing the homework a child must stop to have rest every half an hour. It is very important for the health of your child.
7. Try to support your child if he does not succeed at school and always encourage him if he shows even  insignificant good results. It is very important for every child to know that his parents notice his success.  But from the other side your child must not get used to your encouragement.
8. A child with problems at school should have a strict day regimen as it is very important in overcoming his problems.
9. Try to spend  with your child as much time as possible and you maybe can avoid most of existing problems. 

History of pampers

July 14th, 2006

Right at the end of XIX century in the city of Milford, that in American state Nebraska, in modest Millz family the boy was born. He has received a proud name Victor from his parents. The childhood of our hero is noted by a little essential achievements.
Further there was a military service on the American fleet, concurrent on time with the first world war, then  he worked as a welder. He studied at George Washington’s university at chemical technology.
From the moment of the ending of study (1926) and before retire (1961) Millz was working at  Procter and Gamble company, showing miracles of an ingenuity in a post of the leading chemist-technologist.
Nevertheless his life did not consist at all of one work. The daughter was born, and after some decades Millz became the grandfather. As there was not one grandson, Millz had to help her daughter in his free time. We can imagine the thoughts of a grandfather who had to pull out wet diapers from his own grandsons, wash and dry them.
Millz has created an idea that it was possible not to wash them. It was  necessary to throw out! And on this idea of the great chemist we shall for a short while stop our attention. The idea of a disposable diaper was born not because grandfather Victor wished to improve a life of the grandsons. The essence of  Millz invention has been dictated by man’s egoism, elementary aspiration to facilitate a life to himself.
So, house torments of Millz have led him to mobilize several employees that the idea has received a practical embodiment.
The primary goal was a creation of a folded lining with high absorbing ability. And this lining was planned to place in plastic cowards of the special form.
First models  Millz has tested on his own grandsons. In general he tested everything on his family. His wife and daughter perfectly remembered that time when everybody was cleaning their teeth with a tooth-powder, and they did it by a liquid tooth-paste that was thought up by Millz.
Home tests have confirmed a perspectivity of idea, so then it was necessary  to create an experimental batch and to look how the American population would react to a new product.
The population has reacted extremely negatively and the idea of disposable diapers was  nearly to die.
It was difficult to think up conditions for tests more adverse. Disposable diapers have tried to use in the summer in the city of Dallas when the temperature did not fall below 90F. It is rather easy to imagine now the reaction of parents who, in the described weather conditions, have been proposed, to dress on the child plastic cowards. And few agreed daredevils very quickly stopped experiments with babies as the irritation of a skin arose almost instantly.
But as it is known bad result is also a result. Fortunately, developers didn’t feel utterly discouraged. As a result, March, 1959 became date in the history of the mankind which has marked first successful mass use of disposable diapers.
The experimental batch has been prepared for this time from 37 thousand diapers. Founders have refused the dense plastic that nearly has not ruined good undertaking, the product became softer, the lining absorbed a moisture is better, moreover it was offered at once two variants  on buttons and on stickums. The city of Rochester of state of New York was the place for experiments. Two thirds of the families, that participated in experiment, have admitted that fact, that new disposable diapers, for certain, are not worse old and habitual reusable. They liked the model with buttons more.
There were two tasks : first, to think up of the product name and and the second thing was to create the equipment for mass production of disposable diapers.
With the first task not without difficulties of course, but coped quickly enough. Having touched set of variants, a diaper was named “Pampers” using as a basis an English word “pamper”, that means “to indulge”. Some people like other variants of translation more - “to cherish, “coddle”, but it does not change an essence of business. 
The second task was much serious. Some technologists even assure, that, at least, in long-term history  of Procter and Gamble there was nothing more difficult than that. At first sight all is elementary: there are three layers which should be stuck together. But when from a lining the heap of a dust is formed, and this dust incorporates to glue and scatters in all the sides any equipment very quickly stops to be the equipment. Nevertheless, the technology of product could finally be improved, and pampers  began the victorious procession all over the world. Firstly it (procession) was not so such impetuous, and the main brake of this promotion was the price of a product. Pampers liked parents, but, in view of the price in 10 cents for a unit, economical Americans were ready to continue washing.
And only after the volume of production grew in some times, the price has satisfied all - both buyers and manufacturers. The ripened revolutionary situation has predetermined a full and unconditional victory of disposable diapers over greater pleasure of all progressive mankind.

Children: a new target of advertising

July 13th, 2006

TV is the powerful mass media involving both adults and children. It is also a favourite kind for children for spending their free time watching TV. Thus it is necessary to consider, that each fourth child from eight till twelve years has his/her own TV. As a whole advertising (children’s and adult together) makes 10 % of all screen time.
It seems, anybody does not doubt any more that the modern industry of advertising actively maintains children.

Last researches show, that children define about half of all family purchases that makes more than 90 billion euro a year at a level of the country.

Researches of social psychologists have shown, that children till 8 years
-      do not always distinguish television advertising from other transfers and are not capable to distinguish its convincing purpose;
- illegibly enough trust TV advertising;
- wish to get the advertised goods and finger in this occasion of parents; while growing the child looks through 350 000 rollers
Many advertisement makers think that it is not useful to try to catch a recognition of people with already settled sights and persuade them to buy products . It is much more favourable to involve in itself the young audience easily perceiving all new, with not settled tastes, habits, with even not generated style and a way of life. The generation, since young years brought up in spirit of adherence to the certain brand, will keep the attachment during all life.
Thus, the modern child who has not issued yet as the person, not always still able to distinguish bad from good, harmful from useful, already knows, than it is possible to satisfy the thirst, what beer correct where to find guarantees and what to do, if there is no tooth-brush…

Not the secret, that the majority of adult televiewers does not like to look advertising rollers.
And small children practically do not have feeling of irritation because of the same advertising clips which repeat infinitely. The same teleroller they are ready to look repeatedly and with indefatigable interest. Kids from 4 till 6 years, and not so solvent adults continue to watch TV during translation of advertising blocks.

Psychologists consider that, ”small children are involved first of all with movement on the screen and a bright picture, instead of sense of the advertising message. The stream of the semantic information is perceived by them unconsciously. It is based on physiological feature of recognition: the attention of the person is focused on changes in surrounding space, instead of that is constant. Without additional strong-willed effort the person cannot long concentrate on stationary object. The weariness and attention collects is switched spontaneously. And on the contrary, the more changes, the stronger attention to them.
Modern advertising is characterized by dynamism. The child completely falls under authority of advertising. In advertising clips visual images vary so quickly, that the attention of the child simply has not time to get tired and obediently follows them.
Always remember that the unique purpose of any advertising - to force you to buy something. According to this purpose also perceive all “creative” attempts, even if they deliberately noncommercial as in such kind they can be especially dangerous. If to follow even only to this piece of advice half of television advertising will not cause in you anything, except for bewilderment.
There is a lot of debates about the impact of advertising on children’s mind.  There are people who think that there is some useful information for children in any advertisement that helps their developing mind. Some advertisements are funny and as everybody knows laugh prolongs our life.  Children get used to such notions as price, money, work. But I agree with people who think that advertising mostly brings harm for children who take the first steps in their life.

The birth of a child

July 12th, 2006

The birth of a child is an important event at all points, including a psychological aspect. As a rule, all members of a family are looking forward to the birth of a child. But it also happens that there is some kind of anxiety as we worry about the future of our child. The attitude to a child should be found in personality of his/her parents, in their experience and impressions of their own life. One of the most efficient source is the impression of a childhood and experience in relationships with their own parents. If our childhood was happy and we always were surrounded by people who loved and took care of us, then it is obviously that during all our life we will have a belief that to be a child is wonderful.  No wonder, that people with good light childhood, when they become adults, more often are eager to have their own children and always wish them to have a similar pilgrimage without the mistakes that have already been done by their parents. Young parents usually follow the same principles in upbringing of their children as they sometime experienced themselves. From my point of view it is not right in some way, cause we raise a new person who cannot be the same as we are. Of course we obtain some experience while we bring up our child, while different relations with other parents. We also can obtain some experience from TV-programs. We also should take into account an experience in relations with friends and relatives, an experience of our wife or husband. If young people experience satisfaction in their intimate feelings, if their love has a supraliminal direction, then we can say for sure that very soon they would like to see continuation of their happiness in a child. About the thing what a child means to young parents we can judge if we take an example of a couple that does not have its own children and who take a child from a children’s home for example. There we can see a willingness to have someone, whom we can give our love and care, who will be the affirmation of a simple fact that the highest destination of a family consists in the continuation of mankind. A baby, who is unable to survive in the world without his/her parents, homuncular defenceless child just because of his/her nakedness allows two beloved people to outlast a joy of revelation , satisfaction and tremor, anxiety and care that are generated by a flourishing life of a child. This very child gives the parents the possibility to outlast amazing feelings that we cannot compare with anything else, enriches the internal world of the parents in some way and also gives some kind of life experience that can be obtained only in joint life of the parents and their children. With the appearance of a child, a family unit develops and becomes stronger and with the growth of a child the parents also progress and acquire inimitable life wisdom that is peculiar only to a human being.

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