Home And Family

Building a positive and healthy relationship between parent and child is one that requires work and effort to make it strong and successful. Parenting is a tough and exhausting job, and maintaining close relationships and open communication helps to ensure parents and their children stay connected through all ages and stages of development.

The importance of strong, healthy bonds between parent and child cannot be overstated, because these bonds serve as the foundation upon which all other life relationships are formed. If a child doesn’t learn how to connect emotionally with a parent or other caregiver, that child will probably encounter difficulty in connecting to people in all sorts of relationships for the rest of his or her life.

Temperament plays a significant part in a child’s efforts to reach out to other people or responding to others efforts at connection. It’s helpful for parents to understand the balance of how temperament affects emotional bonding and efforts to impact emotional connection with healthy authoritative parenting. Consciously or not, parents teach their children about relationships through interaction and example.

Teaching children about the value of healthy relationships will help them as the move into the middle school and high school years. At this age, when it comes to the complex tasks of negotiating peer relationships (friendships, cliques, dating, etc.), children will draw from what they have been taught to try to negotiate and survive. Not knowing how to emotionally connect may cause difficulties, ranging from fleeting feelings of sadness and/or alienation to teen depression.

Also, parent-child bonds can benefit tremendously from rituals of emotional healing. What signals does your family typically use when one or more of you is ready to negotiate a cease-fire and start repairing hurt feelings? Are there words or gestures that everyone understands to mean “I’m sorry” “Let’s talk” or “I forgive you”? Gestures of apology might be a hug, or a few minutes together in a rocking chair. These small gestures go a long way in building healthy relationships.

Focusing on family relationships is an investment into the foundation and paradigm of your child’s future relationships as well.

Parents would want only the safest places for their children. When choosing a daycare center where you would be leaving your child most of the time, you have to ensure that they strictly follow laws, regulations and rules on safety as well as for producing a conducive learning environment for your child.

You need to check whether your provider is able to meets the requirements needed for fire safety. There should be fire alarms and smoke detectors scattered all throughout the center as well as clearly marked fire escape plan that staff and parents can refer to. You should also check whether the mats and cots mattresses used in the center are fire retardant. Centers should also carry out fire drills to ensure that everyone can do what needs to be done. You may also check with the local authority for other regulations that applies.

For class sizes, you have to check that newborn children until one year are infants having exclusive needs and care requirements. Most providers keep a little higher rates for infants. 12 months until 2 and half years old are considered as toddlers. Two and half year olds up to four or five are considered as kindergarten.

You may check with your local authority regarding the stipulations on how many children can a care provider should handle as well as the space needed for each child in the facility. Parent should how many children are in the care of a provider at a certain time and what are the ages of the children. You can also check with local authorities regarding the rules applied in your area.

Most providers have this quite usual practice of paying for sick days and being absent. Parents are not really paying for the service but for the slot reserved as the service for your child cannot be used or occupied by another child. This allows child care providers to generate some budget according to the number of children that they watch and pay for: staff, food for the kids, toys as well as other supplies.

If you think this is a serious matter, you should therefore find a center charging only for the actual day that your child is there. You can opt for smaller home facilities as they don’t charge for sick days

Aside from these, you may also check the minimum age for a child to be legally left home alone and unsupervised as this usually differ from state to state. Being home alone also means the right age of child watching another even if the other child is a sibling. What you can do to find the legal age for a child to be left unsupervised in your area is by contacting your area’s department of social services dealing with child care. You should not simply believe in what your friends tell your or your neighbours as they could have outdated or erroneous information. You may also check out the required supervisory conditions such as availability of a neighbour, contact numbers as well as if it is needed that the older kid should have some training of some kind.

1. Netflix

Sign up your pal for this movie subscription service and they’ll receive an email notifying them they’re ready to go. They can even watch a movie over the Internet immediately!

No shipping or late fees. I use them and love them.

2. Zappos.com

Zappos sells shoes and accessories for the whole family plus housewares and sporting goods.?The best part is, shipping and returns are FREE. They even have a 365 day return policy.

Their gift certificates don’t expire or lose value, unlike some other shifty company’s. The only thing is that I had trouble finding the right page, so here is their email form: zappos.com/n/giftcert.cgi.?They’ll get an email with a gift certificate for the amount you specify.

3. Wall Street Journal

I actually think this is a great gift for anyone:燽usiness men, women, non-business types, college students… I’m a stay-at-home mom with little to no interest in Wall Street but I started reading my husband’s WSJ and now I look forward to it every morning.?They even have a Saturday edition now.

They’re running a GREAT deal right now– $119 for a year. That’s over 80% off. A subscription to the online-version only is $103.?Sign them up and they’ll receive an email that says a gift is on its way.

Really any newspaper or magazine makes a good email gift, provided they have an online component.?Think of your gift person’s interest and Google that + magazine, such as “rock climbing magazine”. 燛ven if there’s no online version, they’ll certainly have a website where you can get your friend a subscription.

4. iTunes

This is a great last minute gift for anyone. There is a way to email an iTunes gift certificate but in my opinion Apple makes it kind of difficult. Here’s how:

1) Go to iTunes.com.
2) If you don’t already have iTunes on your computer, click the blue Download Now button.

3) From there go to the iTunes store.

4) Look for the “Quick Links” box.

5) Click “Buy iTunes Gifts”Amazon.com

It’s pretty straightforward from there.

5. Amazon.com

An oldie (by Internet standards) but a goodie. An email appears in their Inbox with a code they can use to redeem the amount you pay.

They may not get their actual gift today but they’ll get their gift certificate and be able to start shopping. Whee!

Plus they just started a new program where you can download videogames to your PC and play them immediately.

As a parent, are you aware of the effect a lack of proper sleep can have on your toddler? You probably know it isn’t healthy for them but do you know in what areas it will affect them? If parents don’t get their toddler sleep problems under control and ensure their toddler sleeps through the night some of the affects could be as follows:

1. Slower brain function. Your toddler will start school around the age of 3. Earlier if you put him in nursery or pre-school. His lovely brain all fresh and new is not able to give him its full capacity for learning because he has not had enough sleep, either from falling asleep too late or from disturbed sleep in the middle of the night. School time means waking up very early for parent and toddler. Not enough sleep will make this task of waking early extremely difficult, as your child’s body feels like it has not had enough rest, also causing the above problem during school time. So this has a double affect. Difficulty in waking up early for school and slower brain function during learning time at school.

2. Diet and Eating. Toddlers will often have less appetite from being over tired. This is not to say they just won’t eat but it can be the culprit to his eating poorly or not eating enough for his age. This in itself carries with it other health and nutrition issues. It is also likely that due to being tired, his body will crave more carbohydrates and sugary foods. This causes weight gain, which houses a whole list of illnesses.

3. Weight problems. A toddler who watches too much TV and lacks sleep is 16% more likely to be overweight, say professionals. As you may know, obesity in children is a major focus in the health world right now. These toddlers tend to only want snacks, usually while watching TV, but when it is time to consume a meal, they are not bothered. Overweight and too much sugar in the diet can lead to diabetes, which is on the rise in children.

4. Physical Fitness. A Toddler who lacks sleep is less inclined to be physically active enough for their benefit. They don’t have the energy to keep up with other kids their age, making them feel inadequate and uninterested in physical activity. This contributes also to weight gain. Physical activity also helps them sleep better, as their body is tired and needs the rest. Basically, physical activity helps to tire them out giving you and your toddler a better chance at getting a good night’s sleep. Get your toddler physical!

5. Immune System. Lack of sleep lowers your child’s immune system. The same goes for lack of exercise and being overweight.

Toddler sleep problems can be addressed in several ways. Either by following several steps on a regular nightly basis including a solid routine prior to bedtime, or choosing a professionally designed baby sleep program. Either way, make no mistake that it is imperative toddlers get a good night sleep on a regular basis in order for their body to operate to its full potential. While you are working through this stage with your toddler ensure to boost his immune system to help his body fight off illnesses.

Plant Tomato Seed – Tips on How to Successfully Plant Tomato Seeds

Do you think planting tomatoes is that easy? For people who already know the techniques behind tomato planting, it is kind of easy. However, it will be difficult but challenging for those who still want to start planting tomato seeds.

Here are the few tips on how to plant tomato seed:

1.Avoid crowding of the seedlings.

If you are trying to plant tomato seed, you should be able to give the seedlings room to branch out. Transplant the plant when they get their first true leaves and move them into 4″ pot two weeks after the transplant.

You must remember that close conditions inhibit the growth of your tomato plants.

2.Tomato plants must have enough lights.

Tomato plants need strong direct sunlight or they must be 14-18 hours under grow light. You must place the young plants just a couple of inches from the florescent grow light. If you decided to plant the tomatoes outside, you should look for the sunniest part of your vegetable plot.

When you want to start seeds indoor, it will require some types of supplemental lighting. The choice of the plant lights will depend on the number of the seedlings you are starting with and the area you need to light.

You can choose from a single lamp bulb up to the 1000 watt high intensity lights. You can purchase a ready-made movable set-up or you can also set up a simple shop light system.

3.Your tomato seedlings need a fan!

In order for the tomato plants to develop strong stems, you should make it a point that you provide a breeze on them for 5-10 minutes. That will be through the use of a fan. Tomato plants need to move and sway in the breeze.

4.You must preheat the soil in the garden.

You must know by now that tomatoes love heat. Therefore, before you intend to plant, you should cover the planting area with black or red plastic a couple of weeks.

The idea of covering the planting area with red mulch is much more advisable. It is scientifically proven that red mulch reflects and bounces far-red light wavelengths back up into your tomato plants.

This presence of red light wavelength hastens the growth of tomato plants via the reaction with a specific pigment in the tomato plants (pytochrome).
However, enough sunlight and right temperature are also some factors to consider in producing good tomato plants.

5.Bury the tomato plants!

It is a good thing if you bury the tomato plant all the way up to a few leaves. This way, tomatoes are able to develop roots along their stems. You can dig a deeper hole to bury it.

Or you may also simply dig a shallow tunnel and lay the tomato plant sideways. It will then straighten up and grow toward the sun.

6.Remove the leaves of tomato from the bottom.

When the tomato plant has reached 3″ in height, you should remove the leaves from the bottom 1″ of stem. It is due to the fungus problems that are developed on the first leaves.

These parts of the leaves get only minimal amount of sunlight and soil borne pathogens can be unintentionally splashed up onto them.

7.Pinch and prune tomato plants!

You should remove and pinch the suckers that are developed in the crotch joint of the branches. These will not bear fruit and will take energy away from the rest of the plant. You can thin the leaves to allow the sun to reach the ripening fruit.

However, you must be very careful in doing it because you should remember that it is the leaves where photosynthesis occur and thus, where the production of sugar happens. Hence, it gives flavor to your tomatoes.

8.Regularly water the tomato plants.

While the plants are developing you should water them regularly and deeply. If you did not water them regularly, it will end up to blossom end rot and cracking. If you lessen the water once the fruit begins to ripen, water will coax the plant into concentrating its sugars.

These are the tips on how to successfully plant tomato seed. You must be very observant with all these things so as to have good tomato harvest at all times. Planting tomato seeds is never easy but it is also not difficult to do so, as long as you are guided with the right things to get done.

Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a woman’s breasts. Breastfeeding can be enjoyable for both you and your baby.

Breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. Breast engorgement is caused by congestion of the blood vessels in the breast. The breasts are swollen, hard, and painful. Breast milk has the right amount and quality of nutrients to suit your baby’s first food needs. Breastfeeding (nursing) your baby can be a comfortable and relaxing experience, though nipple soreness should be expected, especially during the first weeks of breastfeeding. Breast fullness is the gradual accumulation of blood and milk in the breast a few days after birth and is a sign that your milk is coming in.

Breast fullness doesn’t impair efficient breastfeeding because the breast tissues can be easily compressed by the baby’s mouth. Breast infections most commonly occur in mothers who are stressed, exhausted, have cracked nipples, plugged milk ducts, breast engorgement, who have skipped feedings. A breast infection (mastitis) causes flu-like symptoms such as aching muscles, fever, and a red, hot, tender area on one breast. Breast infections most commonly occur in mothers who are stressed and exhausted, have cracked nipples, plugged milk ducts or breast engorgement, have skipped feedings, or wear a tight bra. Symptoms of yeast infection in the mother are deep, pink nipples that are tender or uncomfortable during and immediately after nursing.

Breast infections most commonly occur in mothers who are stressed and consume have first-rate nipples, plugged milk ducts or breast engorgement, have skipped feedings, or wear a tight bra. Breast engorgement (congestion with blood ) is caused by congestion of the blood vessels in the breast. Breast fullness is the gradual accumulation of blood and milk in the breast a few days after birth and is a sign that your milk is coming in. Pain, stress, and anxiety can interfere with the reflex. Breast milk is safe for the baby and continues to be the best source of nutrition — even when you have a breast infection. The breasts are swollen, hard, and painful. The nipples cannot protrude to allow the baby to latch on correctly, and nursing is difficult.

There are many relics available from the tiki craze of the 1940′s, 1950′s, and 1960′s. Collectors enjoy the kitschy, often over-the-top nature of such items. They can also be used to decorate your home or bedroom.

By far the most popular collectible is the tiki mug. In fact, several books have even been written specifically about them. They are the most instantly recognizable feature of retro tiki culture, and were used in themed bars and restaurants across this country. Because of this, they are still readily available in antique shops, thrift stores, and similar locations. Since they are so popular, tiki mugs can also be purchased new, especially in souvenir shops or those offering tiki d閏or. Usually ceramic, with tropical colors, the serious collector may see a staggering variation among available designs. These mugs are great to display, but even better to keep at your bar to serve tropical drinks, as they were meant to be used.

Bar menus, drink stirrers, coasters, and other relics of popular tiki bars, including Trader Vic’s, Don the Beachcomber’s, and numerous local restaurants once located in nearly every city across the U.S., are also popular with collectors. As the restaurants from the heyday of the craze began closing, items from these establishments, including signs, ashtrays, and anything else with the name of the bar or restaurant, quickly became hot commodities among those lamenting the demise of these fun and unique places. Today, items from famous tiki restaurants are some of the rarest and most sought-after tropical collectibles.

If you look hard enough, many different tiki-themed items can be found, especially in advertising, due to the popularity of tiki memorabilia at that time. Matchbooks, calendars, and other ephemera remain popular among collectors. Those who collect tropical memorabilia often collect postcards sent from Hawaii and similar locations during the time period of the tiki craze because they often depict retro scenes with huts, masks, or totems. Surprisingly, vintage Hawaiian shirts can also be quite collectible, as can vintage tiki-themed souvenirs from Hawaii and other island destinations. Other themed souvenirs come from the Enchanted Tiki Room or the Polynesian Resort, two Disneyland attractions.

Tiki music from this era is preserved on records bearing exotic-sounding names by artists like Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, and Les Baxter. These records, known for their island beats, usually have tiki or island-themed covers, too.

Other popular tiki items include carved masks and statues. These are sought after by collectors who want their own home to have tropical style. They don’t need to be vintage or rare to be enjoyed by many who simply want to bring a little island style to the mainland.

Today, the area of tiki collectibles is growing rapidly, in part due to the revival of the culture. As new tiki-themed bars and restaurants begin to open, more and more people will be drawn to the charm of vintage collectibles, and more items will be available for new collectors to add to the d閏or in their homes. People collect tiki memorabilia mainly because they love the imagery involved with the commercialization of tiki culture.

You have to avoid these mistakes if you want your face painting designs to have great visual impact.

1. Wrong paint

You paint using non toxic paints thinking these are safe on the face and the sitter comes out in a bright red rash.

Solution: use only FDA approved (or similar national body in other countries) face paints. Allergic reaction to these is rare whereas other paints can cause rashes and even permanent scarring. Be extra careful when applying face paint close to the eyes. Only wash brushes and sponges in hot water, never alcohol or detergents, as these too can cause allergic reaction.

2. Colors run into each other

Solution: allow one color to dry completely before applying the next color. And, thoroughly clean brush or sponge in hot water before applying another color.

3. The base color is streaky

Solution: use less water to thin the paint. Only use quality face paints for your face painting designs.

4. Painting dark colors first

Unable to correct mistakes when adding lighter color on top of dark colors without wiping clean that area and starting again.

Solution: start with the lightest colors working up to the darkest colors. That way you can paint over any small mistakes you have made.

5. Detail is too thick and bold

Design has lost its proportions because shapes and lines are in the wrong thickness.

Solution:for fine detail you must use a thin brush. It’s best to use a minimum of three brushes in face painting – thin, medium and large.

6. Face paint is not sitting well on skin

Solution:thoroughly clean face with a moist wipe to remove any grime or excess oil. And, if necessary use a make up band to keep hair off the face. Use the best quality face paints you can afford.

7. Face paint cracks soon after it dries

Solution: apply face paint in a thin layer. You can always apply another layer to build up color density.

The Overstreet Comic Book, in the realm of the comic world, is the proverbial bible. Within its pages lies the guidelines that can make or break a collection for its lines reveal a pricing guideline for the colorful panels that make up comic books.

A comic book price listing seller such as Overstreet becomes the tool for novice and professional to judge the value of his or her hard work and dedication.

For reasons other the obvious use as a reference book, the Overstreet Comic book is sought by collectors as a historical landmark within the cartoon book universe. It is interesting to take past publications and see how little or much a particular series has changed in value and storyline.

Bloggers, collectors and novices can examine the hundreds of titles currently out in the market today as well as see what the rarest comics go for. There is a vast difference between a couple of dollars upwards of thousands for early issues.

There is plenty of information in a book on collecting comics that never gets old, even in an pricing guide. Many contain a lot more than just how much comic books tend to cost.

The Overstreet Comic Book, for instance, has a lot of historical information in it that can be valuable for collectors, and that is what makes an old cartoon book price guide an item that’s still important to have.

Before you start thinking about throwing away an old cartoon book price guide, consider what may have been going through people’s minds in the early days of comics when they threw them out like old magazines. Some people did that, you know, just tossed them or gave them away as soon as they finished reading them, because they were considered cheap pulp reading.

Books on collecting comics can be worth a lot more than the most recent information in them, just like an actual comic book is more than a story you have or have not yet read. The value is in the item itself, not just in the information it contains between the covers.

When it comes to child birth; every couple wants to do the best possible care for to be mom and the baby. Recently there has been lot of emphasis over inclusion of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet for pregnant women. There are three major types of omega 3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Amongst these three DHA and EPA are more readily absorbed by our body and are very good for brain and nervous system development.

Omega 3 fatty acids cannot be generated inside our body so they have to be compensated by external food sources. Foods like oils, flaxseed are rich sources of ALA. Once taken by our body, it gets processed to DHA and EPA. Since this conversion is not very effective it is recommended that pregnant females should take DHA and EPA directly.

Fish oil is a direct source of essential DHA and EPA fatty acids. Also fish oil in pregnancy should be taken in form of supplements and not in form of fish or any other sea food. This is to make sure that you and your baby are safe from various contaminants like mercury and lead present in the sea water.

Studies have shown that Omega 3 in form of supplements has immense positive effects on the developing baby inside the womb. Here is a list of benefits for the baby that is growing inside the womb-

1. Human brain is mass of tissues and fat, a large portion of fat is omega 3 fatty acids. A regular dose of fish oil in pregnancy has a direct affect on the fetal development of brain.
2. Fish oil also helps in healthy development of retina of the baby.
3. Babies whose mothers were on a regular dose of Omega 3 were born much healthy, had lesser sleep disorders.
4. Such babies while growing up showed better concentration and lesser anxiety.
5. It was also found that such kids had higher IQs compared to the ones whose mothers were not in Omega 3 supplements while they were pregnant.

For a developing fetus the only source of food and energy is what mother eats. Whatever you eat during pregnancy is also absorbed by your baby. So be very careful when it comes to including a fish oil supplement in your diet during pregnancy. Do consult your physician before you start any kind of supplement because he/she is the best person to decide the right dosage for you.