Samsung Takes Note Of Apple’s Passbook And Fires Back With Its Own Wallet App | TechCrunch

Samsung Takes Note Of Apple’s Passbook And Fires Back With Its Own Wallet App | TechCrunch

Adobe Debuts Photoshop Touch For Phones, Bringing The Full Power Of The Tablet Version To Your Pocket | TechCrunch

Adobe Debuts Photoshop Touch For Phones, Bringing The Full Power Of The Tablet Version To Your Pocket | TechCrunch

HOW TO STOP YELLING AT YOUR KIDS

When you first become a parent, you look at your tiny baby and think there is no way you could ever get angry or yell at this beautiful tiny creature.  But before long that small baby grows and you find that there are more days where you are frustrated with him than you would like.  When you find yourself in those moments of utter exasperation, here are 10 things that can help prevent you from yelling at him.

1. Set clear boundaries.  When rules are not clear in the house, children have a really hard time following them.  If you have said in passing several times, “Take off your shoes when they are wet,” you may assume that your child has heard you and will remember that.  So when it rains and he walks on your clean floor with wet muddy shoes you get upset because you “told” him not to  a dozen times.  However, to a child this is a vague and ambiguous rule.  By setting more concrete rules, you help your child understand what is expected of him.  Then he will be more likely to remember the rule.
2. Set simple consequences.  Sometimes parents threaten consequences that they themselves do not want to follow through on.  If you tell your child if he does not clean up his room by 5PM he will not get to go to get to go to his friend’s house, then you better be okay with him not going to his friend’s house.  If you are threatening that consequence because you know going to his friend’s house important to him, but had made your own plans, you are more likely to yell at him when he is being slow to clean his room.  However, if you set a consequence that you can live with and is not complicated, you will have a much easier time enforcing that consequence without yelling and getting upset at your child.
3. Speak to your child on his level.  If your child is young, it can be intimidating to hear you standing above him giving commands.  There is a good chance that a child of just about any age will not even fully hear you if you are not face to face with him.  Getting down on his level might even mean that you make sure that you use words that you know he understands. If a child is given instructions and he does not fully understand, remember or comprehend them, how can he follow them?  When this happens it is not the fault of the child for not hearing, but the fault of the parent for not speaking in a way he can understand.
4. Be sure your child understands what you are asking of him.  After you clearly tell a child what you expect of him, you need to confirm with him that he fully understands what you just said.  You can do so by asking a simple question of, “I want to make sure we understand each other.  What am I asking of you?”
5. Respond every time a rule is broken.  It can be very difficult to stop what you are doing to deal with your child every time a rule is broken.  However, the longer you let a set rule be broken, the more your child will continue to do the offense.  You will then have a breaking point where you will come running to the situation.  At this point, you will be frustrated and less likely to be able to contain that anger.
6. Remind your child only ONE time of the rule.  Often, parents think they are doing their child a favor by giving two, three or more chances to make a broken rule right.  This does nothing but lead to confusion from the child and frustration from the parents.  Each time you return to the child to remind him of the broken rule and let it slide, you get more and more frustrated, which leads to you finding yourself at the end of your patience.  Your child sees these repeated empty warnings and it confuses him.  He has no way of knowing when you are serious about the rule and when you will let it go.  By holding yourself to the ONE reminder only, you avoid building your frustration and you help your child understand that you mean what you say.
7. Immediately deliver the consequence. Once that rule has been clearly set, he knows the consequence for his choice and has been given one warning. If he breaks the rule again, the consequence must be enforced.  When you are able to consistently follow through on what you said you would do, it makes the situation less emotional and therefore helps you to keep your cool.
8. Ask him to remind you when you yell at him.  Some parents do not fully understand the way their voice sounds to their child.  If yelling is a habit that you are serious about breaking, you can give your child permission to inform you when he feels you are yelling at him.  This can seem unwise, because no parent wants their child to “talk back” to them.  However, it can work if some ground rules are put in place.  The child must use a phrase agreed upon like, “Mom, it makes me sad when you yell at me.”  You will also have to discuss the difference between raising your voice and yelling.  There are times that it can be appropriate to raise your voice at a child.  However, parents also need to realize that what may seem like a slightly raised voice to you can sound incredibly scary to your child.
9. Respond kindly when he yells at you.  It can be very difficult to hear your child scream at you and not respond in a similar manner.  However, responding with equal or greater volume does not help the child learn not to yell and it does not help you avoid yelling either.  Instead, when your child yells at you, say to him, “When you talk to me like that it seems as if you do not care about me.  Please talk to me like I am someone you love.”
10. Take a “parent” time out.  It’s not unusual to send a child out of the room when he yells in order to give the child space to calm down and regroup.  Parents often need this as well.  Leaving the room and separating yourself from the situation for a short time can help you gain clarity to deal with the issue in a more calm way.  This also provides an excellent example for your child when he gets angry.

It may be impossible for the average parent to never yell at their child.  However, it is possible to make the event infrequent.  These steps will not only help you avoid yelling at your child, but they will also help your child follow the rules more consistently.

Source: (http://www.gonannies.com/blog/2013/10-steps-to-stop-yelling-at-your-kids/).

15 Ideas for Motivating Your Child to Do Well in School

It’s no secret that your child’s academic performance can directly affect her future, but it’s difficult to get kids to think about such long-term goals in relation to a task they don’t find particularly enjoyable. Helping your child to reach her full potential is one of your most important jobs, but it can also be one of the most challenging you face as a parent. These 15 tips can help you find ways of motivating your child to be the very best she can be, even when she’s struggling at school.

1. Get Involved – Open a line of communication with your child’s teacher, work directly with her to make a difference and stay involved with her academic life to affect positive change. It’s almost impossible to make a quantifiable difference in your child’s performance at school when you’re just shouting orders from the sidelines.
2. Support Independence – Helping your child when she truly needs it is important, but so is fostering a sense of independence and faith in her own abilities. Encouraging an independent, can-do attitude will almost always have better results than making her feel as if she can’t succeed without your help at every turn.
3. Maintain a Positive Attitude – Even if you worked for weeks to prepare for a test that your child ultimately received a bad grade on, maintain an upbeat attitude and refuse to dwell on past failures. Instead, emphasize all of the steps you’ll take together to get better results next time.
4. Praise His Efforts – When you know that your child is doing his best, it’s important to praise his efforts regardless of the grades that he gets. Embracing strengths and weaknesses lets your child know that his effort has value and that your love isn’t conditional upon his report card.
5. Provide Corrective Feedback – Underscoring every mistake and using them to browbeat your child will only make him more upset, but providing constructive, positive feedback when he slips up can help him to avoid those mistakes next time.
6. Know Your Child’s Individual Needs – It’s natural to want to believe that your child is an undiscovered genius in all aspects of life, but it simply isn’t likely to be true. Just like their adult counterparts, every child has his own areas of strength and weakness. If he’s a great speller but tends to struggle with math, spend extra time studying the numbers and offer plenty of praise for his grades on a spelling test.
7. Create a Homework Schedule Together – Kids feel more ownership over a schedule they helped to create, and as such are more likely to respect it. Working out a homework routine together and giving your child plenty of input can cut down on struggles when it’s time to crack the books.
8. Offer Incentives – There’s a difference between incentives and bribery, even if the line is a fine one. You may understand the long-term rewards of doing well in school, but a young child only sees something unpleasant and unrewarding. Offering incentives for strong efforts can help your child connect hard work with recognizable results, something that will come naturally as he gets older and understands the impact school and education will have on his adult life.
9. Reward Extra Effort – Some kids struggle in school because they’re genuinely having trouble with grasping the material, while others fall behind out of a disinclination to do the required work. If your child falls into the latter camp, work with her to provide rewards for expending extra effort. For instance, an extra 30 minutes of study time gains 10 more minutes of leisure time before bed.
10. Live in the Moment – You look at your child’s fifth grade report card and see a college admissions letter. She just sees the grades she got this term. While it’s important to keep the big picture in mind, it’s also essential to live in the moment and work on one step at a time.
11. Set Attainable Goals – Expecting your child to go from a failing grade to the honor roll in one term simply isn’t reasonable, and her failure to reach that unrealistic goal you’ve set for her will only increase her frustration. Setting a series of smaller, more attainable goals will help her improve over time under less intense pressure.
12. Communicate the Importance of Schoolwork – Berating your child about her future and the damage she’s doing by failing to perform academically probably won’t help much, but calmly explaining the role that her education plays in the rest of her life could be effective. Make sure that you talk about the reasons why good grades are important, rather than simply demanding that she get them.
13. Look for Everyday Learning Opportunities – Work on simple math skills at the grocery store or sound out words by reading a menu together. Every day you can find a variety of real-world applications for the skills your child is trying to learn, and helping her to find them will not only hone those skills, but will also make it easier for her to understand their uses.
14. Encourage Resilience – Learning to bounce back from a disappointment is an essential coping skill for everyone, regardless of their abilities. It’s especially important for young children that are struggling to keep up with their peers academically, as the experience can be a humiliating and disheartening one.
15. Avoid Self Comparisons – Telling your child that you were great at reading when you were her age and that you don’t understand why she’s struggling doesn’t encourage her to do better, it only makes her feel worse about herself. Avoid the urge to draw comparisons, and remember that your child is an individual completely separate from you.

15 High Risk Foods to Avoid Feeding Young Kids

The World Health Organization recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first year of life, which means that they shouldn’t eat or drink anything except breast milk for a full year. While these guidelines are recommended to parents around the globe, they’re not always adhered to. Pediatricians may recommend an amended diet in some cases, as breastfeeding may not be an ideal fit with the lifestyle of a growing family, and there can be extenuating circumstances that exclude some families from this recommendation. It’s never a good idea to feed a baby solid food if she’s too young to support the weight of her head without assistance, but these are 15 of the foods that won’t be suitable even for toddlers.

1. Raw Sprouts – The manner in which sprouts are grown can leave them susceptible to contamination in a variety of ways, making them a risky choice for young children.
2. Hot Dogs – Hot dogs may be one of the quintessential kids’ foods, but they’re also one of the most dangerous. The very structure of a hot dog makes it a choking hazard, especially for young children whose chewing and swallowing reflexes are still developing. Before serving hot dogs, they should be sliced lengthwise and then chopped.
3. Honey – Reaching for an all-natural sweetener is admirable, but honey can cause botulism in children younger than one year of age. It’s best to avoid giving a child honey until he’s well into his second year in the interest of playing it safe.
4. Peanuts – Choking hazards aside, peanut allergies are among the most common and the most deadly food sensitivities. Introducing such a high-risk food to young children, especially those with a family history of peanut allergies, could trigger a dangerous allergic reaction that leads to anaphylactic shock.
5. Tree Nuts – Tree nuts are another common allergen that double as a choking hazard. Until kids’ sensitivity to foods has been established in a controlled environment and he’s old enough to manage round, crunchy foods, tree nuts shouldn’t be on the menu.
6. Whole Grapes – It’s perfectly acceptable to feed young children grapes. In fact, these naturally sweet snacks are far preferable to candies and processed sweets. The round shape and smooth skin do make them dangerous choking hazards, though, which is why you should always cut them into smaller, more manageable pieces before feeding them to little ones.
7. Shellfish – On the list of common allergens, shellfish ranks fairly high. It’s also one that has the potential to be deadly in cases of exposure when there’s an allergy.
8. Certain Types of Fish – Fish is rich in a variety of nutrients and compounds that are beneficial to human health, but some varieties are known to harbor high levels of mercury. The contaminant can build up in the bodies of frequent pescetarians, which can be particularly problematic for kids. Be sure that you research the safety of a particular variety of fish in terms of mercury risk before feeding it to your growing toddler.
9. Cow’s Milk – It’s natural to assume that cow’s milk is a reasonable substitute for formula or breast milk in a pinch, but that’s just not the case. The stomachs of babies under one year of age simply aren’t ready to process cow’s milk.
10. Soy Milk – Soy milk can cause gastrointestinal problems for small children, and doesn’t contain enough calories or nutrients to sustain a growing baby. Soy is also one of the more common allergies, so it’s wise to skip the soy milk altogether until your child is a bit older.
11. Eggs – Limiting kids’ exposure to common allergens when they’re small can prevent scary or even dangerous reactions, and eggs are among the food items that commonly cause sensitivity issues.
12. Chewing Gum – Chewing gum is sweet and fun for little ones, but the motion of chewing and swallowing saliva can confuse growing digestive systems that equate the chewing action with eating. Gum can also pose a choking hazard for little ones.
13. Marshmallows – The soft, sticky consistency of a marshmallow makes it a very risky food for small children because it can so easily become a choking hazard. This is especially true of the larger varieties, which can completely block a child’s airway.
14. Gummy Candies – Processed sugars and artificial additives aside, gummy candies become a chewy, gelatinous mess in kids’ mouths, which can become a potential choking hazard.
15. Nut Butters – Even if you eliminate the potential allergen risk of peanut and other nut butters, the consistency is still difficult for developing jaws and throats to manage. Nut butters are a leading cause of choking among small children, so it’s wise to hold off on this kid classic until your little one is a bit older, or to spread it thinly on crackers or bread if serving to older toddlers.

Naked Guy Gets Locked Out of Hotel Room2

The Internet has made one naked guy extremely popular after photos and video of him being locked out of his hotel room were posted on the Internet and of course went viral.

Naked Guy Gets Locked Out of Hotel Room

The naked guy: Never do this in a hotel!

scroll down for video

The Internet has made one naked guy extremely popular after photos and video of him being locked out of his hotel room were posted on the Internet and of course went viral.

The video was filmed by security cameras, showing the man going outside of his room to leave the room service tray on the ground.

I guess he didn’t expect that something “bad” was about to happen. To be honest, I have no idea what was this guy thinking when he got out of his hotel room with no clothes on in the first place.

Either this is his first time in a hotel room or he is just playing silly.

Nonetheless, the “awkward event” starts when he puts the tray down, he looks at his door confused and realizes that he just locked himself out. He tries to open it and of course he fails.

He quickly covers his privates because two people walk by and then waits for the coast to be clear in order to enter the elevator.

In the elevator he meets a mother and her son who get out of the elevator right away. Then he makes his way through a crowded lobby and gets to the reception desk where he asks for a key and goes on to explain that he got himself locked out of his room.

The man asks for his ID, to which he responds that he has no ID as he has no clothes on.

Then he is asked for his drivers license and once again he tells the guy that doesn’t have that too as he is a naked man.

I mean, come on people. The guy is naked!

Yep, that really happens in the video below, but some viewers believe that this entire footage was a set up!

WATCH VIDEO: Naked Guy Gets Locked Out of Hotel Room!

- See more at: http://blog.jokeroo.com/index.php/2013/02/26/naked-guy-gets-locked-out-of-hotel-room/#sthash.ysKnRZhz.dpuf

30 Blogs with Spice Inspired Secrets You Can Use to Improve Your Health

Prior to the invention of modern medicines, herbs and spices were used to treat various conditions, and have been used to treat illnesses for thousands of years.  While the spices may not have cured everything, these people were onto something.  Spices help the body function better and improve your overall health.  Some spices are multi-taskers, so don’t be surprised if you see some spices in multiple categories.  Take a look at these 30 blog entries to get an idea of which spices might be able to help you.

Heart Health

Heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death in men and women, so if you can eat your way to better heart health, wouldn’t that be worth a try?  These five blog posts will explain the different spices and how they work in your body to improve your heart health.

• 3 Spice Bottles That Protect Your Heart and Reduce Inflammation
• New Research: Which Herbs and Spices Improve Your Health
• Spice Up Your Health
• Eating for the Healthy Heart
• Spices May Really Be the Spice of Life

Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation in your joints and body as a whole can cause you a lot of pain.  However, taking typical over the counter pain relievers can have adverse effects on your kidneys.  Adding spices to your daily food intake could reduce or eliminate the need to take over the counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Herbs and Spices That Improve Your Oral Health
• Spice it Up
• How to Improve Your Health? Try Using Spices!
• Spice it Up
• 5 Healing Benefits of Ginger

Kill Bacteria

Several spices have anti-bacterial properties that can help improve your immune system.  By eating these spices your body can more easily ward off the germs that can cause colds and the flu.  You may be able to stay healthier simply by adding some extra spice to your diet

• How Curry Spice Helps The Immune System Kill Bacteria
• The Top 10 Super-Spices that Protect Your Body
• The Health Benefits of Cinnamon
• How Curry Spice Helps the Immune             System Kill Bacteria
• E. Coli Bacteria Easily Killed with Spices Like Garlic, Clove, Cinnamon, Oregano, and Sage

Improve Immune System

Spices eaten to boost the immune system aren’t weird or unusual spices that you have never heard of, they are common spices, such as ginger, curry, cloves and nutmeg.  Many of these spices show up in winter dishes naturally and can help you fight off unwanted germs.

• Herbs and Spices to Boost Your Immune System
• Need to Boost Your Immune System? These Foods Will Help!
• How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally
• 7 Spices to Boost Your Immune System for the Winter
• The Top 10 Super Spices that Protect Your Body

Mood Elevator

Cinnamon is one of the most common mood elevating spices, and one that almost everyone has in their kitchen right now.  If you get up in a bad mood, why not add some cinnamon to your oatmeal or toast?  Cinnamon isn’t the only mood elevating spice; saffron has actually been shown to reduce symptoms of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome).

• 7 Foods to Change Your Mood
• Spices for Depression They Seriously Can Spice Up Your Mood
• Spice Up Your Mood Baby!
• Spice Up Your Health with These 5 Common and Healthy Spices
• Spice for the Health of It

Improve Libido

You’ve probably the heard the saying “add a little spice to your life.”  Now you can add a little spice to your sex life.  If you find that you aren’t in the mood as much as you’d like, you might want to try adding some heat to your food.  Spicy food will increase your libido, so you can heat things up in the bedroom as well as in your food.  Try some of these spices for yourself and see if you get any results.

• Spices to Spice You Sex Life
• Spices, Male Enhancement and Increased Sex Drive?
• How to Increase Libido and Lose Weight
• 10 Spices to Raise Your Sex Drive
• Four Spices That Increase Sex Drive

HOW TO PROPERLY PLACE EMPLOYEES

1. Put 400 bricks in a closed room.

2. Put your new employees in the room and close the door.

3. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours.

4. Then analyze the situation:

a. If they are counting the bricks, put them in the Accounting Department.
b. If they are recounting them, put them in Auditing.c. If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks, put them in Engineering.
d. If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order, put them in Planning.
e. If they are throwing the bricks at each other, put them in Operations.
f. If they are sleeping, put them in Security.
g. If they have broken the bricks into pieces, put them in Information Technology.
h. If they are sitting idle, put them in Human Resources.
i. If they say they have tried different combinations, they are looking for more, yet not a brick has been moved, put them in Sales.
j. If they have already left for the day, put them in Marketing.k. If they are staring out of the window, put them in Strategic Planning.
l. If they are talking to each other, and not a single brick has been moved, congratulate them and put them in Top Management.
Finally, if they have surrounded themselves with bricks in such a way that they can neither be seen nor heard from, put them inGovernment.

Ten Reasons Kids Should Sleep in Their Own Beds

It’s the middle of the night and you’re awakened by a sleepy-eyed child mumbling something about monsters under the bed. Then comes the request, “Can I get in bed with you?” At this point, you have three options. Say no, turn over and try to ignore the whining and tears that will inevitably follow, take the little darling back to her room and assure her that there are no monsters and risk having to spend the next hour or so cramped in a bed made for munchkins or toss back the covers and hope you don’t get kicked in the back too much as you invite your little visitor in.

Once in a while this might be okay, but on a regular basis, sleeping with the kids gets old fast. Even though different cultures may view co-sleeping differently, there are several reasons why kids should sleep in their own beds.

1. Keeping it Safe – When it comes to infants, sleeping with your child can be dangerous. There have been cases where a parent has inadvertently smothered their baby by rolling over on the child during sleep. While it may be convenient to keep baby in bed for feeding, it is best to put him back in his crib or bassinet afterward.
2. Get Some Sleep! – Yes, Mom and Dad, this means you! It may seem like it’s worse to let your child cry herself to sleep every night, however, with proper sleep training, it won’t be an every night experience. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need at least seven hours of sleep. The ramifications of sleep deprivation are not pretty and will definitely have adverse effects on other areas of life. Starting off the day as a grumpy parent is just one of them.
3. Making Sure Your Child Gets Enough Sleep – On one hand, it may seem like he’s getting a wonderful night’s sleep while you are wrestling the covers back from him or taking his elbows and feet out of your side. On the other hand, consider that your child may be having a difficult time getting to sleep in the first place and is then waking up in the middle of the night to come to your room. He probably is not getting the quantity or quality of sleep he needs either. Now there’s a grumpy kid in the house to contend with along with a grumpy parent.
4. Setting Much-Needed Boundaries – Sharing a bed with the little one is a game most parents play reluctantly, but they get coerced into playing by children who simply don’t want to sleep alone. These kids figured out that if they play their cards just right, they will be able to work their way into Mom’s and Dad’s bed and sleep there cozy comfortable all night, thus demolishing any boundaries parents have managed to set.
5. Avoiding Co-Sleeping Stigma for Kids – For older kids, sleeping with parents can be a source of embarrassment and shame. Toddlers don’t have peers that will humiliate them for sleeping with their parents. School-aged children are susceptible to all kinds of ridicule from peers, and the older they are the worse it can get.
6. Establishing a Firm Routine – Part of setting boundaries for kids is having a regular routine. The routines establish a framework that kids come to rely on. They know what to expect and they know that the rules will be enforced. This is especially important for children who require more structure.  Having a regular bedtime routine gets your child prepared for entering a good night’s sleep. It can also be a quiet time of bonding for you and your child, making co-sleeping unnecessary.
7. Maintaining Your Own Privacy – You have a right to privacy in your bedroom. Night visitors can spoil romantic interludes and once the mood is broken, sometimes it can be difficult to get it back. It’s virtually impossible if your night visitor is there to stay!
8. Helping Your Child Learn to Self-Soothe – If your child becomes dependent on sharing your bed in order to sleep properly, what happens when you cannot be there? There may be times when circumstances arise in which you will not be available to sleep with your little one. It is far better for your child to learn to sleep in her own bed than to have to worry about how she will get to sleep when you’re not there to sleep with her.
9. Helping Your Child to Embrace Growing Up – In many homes, the arrival of the big kid’s bed is a quite a big deal. It signals a rite of passage in a way. It’s the movement from babyhood to being a big boy. Helping your child see this as a positive, important step in growing up and encouraging him to sleep in his own bed will help him in his discovery of autonomy. With your encouragement, he will also feel very proud of himself for taking on the challenges of being a big kid and learning to sleep alone.
10. Avoiding a Crowd – When one child becomes accustomed to sleeping with you, the rest of your brood could easily follow suit. You could find yourself with a very crowded bed and a lot of sleepless nights, or children that feel excluded because they’re not in on the slumber party.

Sleep training at an early age can lead the way to restful sleep for you and your tot. There will, of course, be times when your presence is called for out of compassion for your youngster. Consoling your cherub in the face of night terrors, bad dreams or monsters in the closet and cuddling with your little one till he falls asleep is therapeutic and comforting. For the long haul though, and for your own peace of mind and cheery disposition and that of your child, everyone should sleep in their own bed.

Source: (http://www.nannycare.org/blog/ten-reasons-kids-should-sleep-in-their-own-beds/)

Telltale Signs Your Child is Being Bullied

Bullying is a problem of epidemic proportions, and can affect every aspect of a child’s life. While visibility around the issue has been raised as the most severe cases make national news, there is still a prevailing idea that bullying is part of childhood and is only a sign of “kids being kids.” Parents of children who are frequently the butt of bullies’ jokes know that the problem is much more severe than mere child’s play. If you’re concerned that your child may be the target of schoolyard or cyber-bullying, here are some signs to be on the lookout for. 

1. Withdrawal from Activities – Has your child lost interest in extracurricular activities he once enjoyed? This could be a sign of your child being bullied. If he once loved his after-school clubs or teams and now actively avoids them, there could be harassment taking place that makes him reluctant to attend.
2. Eating and Sleeping Habit Changes – Noticeable changes in your child’s eating or sleeping patterns can indicate that she’s under some sort of stress, which could be the result of being targeted by bullies. She could have a lessened appetite because of the thoughts running through her mind of her tormentor. If she’s eating more at home than usual, it could mean that her lunch is being stolen. Her sleeping habits could have changed because she now has nightmares about the person picking on her. There are a variety of potential causes for these changes, so they should be investigated.
3. Irritability – Being picked on can put anyone in a bad mood, so try to look for the root of increased irritability or a shortened temper after school. Bullies wear on a child’s self-esteem, and a child with low self-esteem can lash out from that added tension.
4. Avoiding School – The occasional faked stomach ache is a common ploy to get out of school for a few hours of sleep or to miss a test she’s not prepared for, but regular attempts to get out of going to school may be a sign of a child who’s actively avoiding her tormentors.
5. Decrease in Grades – It’s difficult to concentrate on school work and getting good grades when that mean kid in class keeps kicking your chair or making fun of you. Your child’s grades might be suffering, not due to indifference to school, but due to a bully constantly nagging.
6. Fidgeting – If your child used to sit still very well and for long periods of time but now seems to fidget, it could be because of a bully. A physical bully may spur the “flight” half of the “fight or flight” instinct, causing them to be hyper-aware of their surroundings and always ready to bolt.
7. Unwilling to Discuss School – A child who avoids answering questions about his day or answers evasively could be hiding the fact that someone was picking on him. The part of the school day that has the longest impression on your child right now may be the fact that someone doesn’t like him and he’s being made fun of. It’s tough to remember the exciting parts of the day when your child’s thoughts are consumed by the torment of a classmate.
8. Acting Out – Increased aggression and violent outbursts can be an indicator of bullying, as kids who spend their days being harassed seek an outlet for their frustrations. Any sudden personality change should be cause for concern, but a turn in a more aggressive direction should be addressed immediately.
9. Being Mean to Younger Siblings – Is your child starting to pick on your other children? If so, she might have a bully she’s dealing with when you aren’t there. It’s natural to want to unload your burden onto someone else in the same way it was unloaded onto you. Your child could just need to get her anger out of her but doesn’t know how to, so she resorts to doing the same thing to her younger siblings that is being done to her.
10. Unexplained Bruises or Injuries – Physical bullies do still exist. If your child comes home with bruises or injuries that are not linked to the regular rambunctiousness of a child, it’s time to get concerned. Yes, it’s possible that he fell down on the playground, but it’s also possible that he was pushed down by a bully and is scared to tell you about it.

The shame and embarrassment that can accompany being bullied is often enough to keep kids quiet about their troubles, especially if they’re afraid that they’ll be subjected to retribution for tattling. Be patient with your child and let him know that you’re on his side, and that you’ll find a solution to the problem together.Source:  (http://www.nannyagency.net/blog/10-telltale-signs-your-child-is-being-bullied/)

Rules New Soccer Moms Should Follow

It’s exciting watching your kids play soccer for the first time. As they progress, you probably find yourself become more immersed in the game as well. Then, when they really get into it, it can become a little harrowing because you realize you are becoming a soccer mom. Don’t be ashamed of that title! Live it up and enjoy those games with your kids.

1. Learn the Game – When you don’t understand the rules of the game, it’s more difficult to cheer your little ones on. So, get cracking on learning the basics of soccer. This will also come in handy if your child doesn’t completely understand it yet either. You can sit down with her and explain what the different positions are and what penalties mean.
2. Don’t Take It More Seriously Than Your Kids – Almost nothing is worse than that parent standing on the sidelines yelling at the referee for a “bad call,” especially when the kid is beet red with embarrassment. If your child realizes that he stepped out of bounds or made an illegal play, he knows he should be sitting out or is deserving of that penalty. Shouting and drawing more attention to the mistake only breeds humiliation and resentment.
3. Remember That You are Not the Coach – Always remember that you are not the coach. For one thing, the actual coach will appreciate it. There is a difference between cheering for your child and coaching her. When she’s out on the field, she needs to be able to hear what her coach is telling her so that she can run the correct play without worrying about disobeying you if your opinions don’t match up.
4. Celebrate in Your Own Way – Everyone has a way to celebrate victories. Create one for yourself and your child. It’ll be a treasured memory when he gets older and looks back on his days as a young soccer player.
5. Remember That Loss Happens – Keep in mind that every team loses at some point. When it happens to your favorite team of pint-sized players, don’t be harsh toward your child, the coach or the referee. It’s a fact of life that things don’t always go as planned. The loss of a game is also a great opportunity for helping kids understand that losing sometimes is a fact of life that can be overcome.
6. Keep a First Aid Kit Handy – Soccer can be a bit brutal. Chances are, your kid will get kicked occasionally or will sustain a few cuts and bruises along the way. Make a habit of having a basic first aid kit nearby. Those multicolored bandages will come in handy.
7. Clear Your Schedule – Brand new soccer moms may not realize how many afternoons, evenings and mornings can be filled with practices and games. So, make sure you keep your schedule open for all of the events and practices. You’ll want to be there for your kid as often as you can, and he will appreciate having you there.
8. Get Used to Doing Laundry – No sport is clean, but soccer produces some of the dirtiest clothes imaginable. Grass stains, mud and sweat will cake your kid’s clothes. You’d better get used to doing the laundry a little more often than you did before you were a soccer mom.
9. Ignore the Stereotypes – There may be a negative stereotype attached to “soccer moms,” but you don’t have to be that person. If you drive a van, so what? Don’t let the negativity of others get you down. Just remember, you are there to cheer on your child, not worry about what others think.
10. Keep Snacks Handy – Running around will work up an appetite. Keep healthy snacks handy for your child to nibble on after a game or practice.
11. Be the Hydrating Machine – Hydration is the key element to any form of exercise. Make sure your child stays properly hydrated throughout games and practices. No one wants to rush to the hospital for dehydration.
12. Be Open to New Friends – You just met a whole new group of parents that you may never have met otherwise. Be open to becoming friends with them. You’ll be seeing each other a lot during the soccer season and you all share at least one common interest.
13. Reinforce Rules about Not Kicking Balls Inside the House – If you don’t want broken lamps scattered around your house, you might want to reinforce any rules you may have about no kicking balls indoors. It’s easy on a rainy day for your child to be tempted to kick the ball around due to boredom, but there’s a time and a place for that, and it’s not inside.
14. Encourage, Don’t Discourage – Always be a positive force for your child. If they lose a game, keep it upbeat. If they are called out of a game, turn it around so they can see the positive side of the situation.
15. Think About the Off Season – Keep in mind that during the winter months, there are often indoor soccer teams available for kids to join. So, if your kid doesn’t have a winter sport she plays, just take her to an indoor soccer practice. She’ll love it!

Source: (http://www.babysitters.net/blog/15-rules-new-soccer-moms-should-follow/)

HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOU’RE READY TO HAVE KIDS AND WHEN YOU’RE NOT

Few decisions in your life will be as important as the decision to have a child. Figuring out when you’re ready to leave the carefree days of child-free youth behind you to accept the mantle of parenthood and the incredible responsibility that comes with it isn’t easy, especially when your biological clock is ticking in your ear. Before taking the plunge into parenting, there are some things you should consider to make sure that you’re ready to accept such a life-changing responsibility.

Consider Your Long-Term Goals

When you’re mulling over the idea of procreation, one of the first things you should consider are your long-term goals and how becoming a parent would affect them. If you’re dreaming of a trip to Machu Piccu or of backpacking through Europe, doing so with an infant in tow may be more of a challenge than you think. Carefully consider the impact that having a child would have on your career, if it’s pertinent, and the way that you’d like to live your life. When the biological urge to reproduce hits, it’s easy to lose sight of the future you’ve chosen. After the birth of your child, however, all of your priorities and dreams will shift to accommodate the new life you’ve created. Before you start trying to conceive, it’s wise to consider how parenthood would affect those goals and which, if any, you’re willing to sacrifice in order to have a child.

Evaluate the Health of Your Relationship

It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a child will save a foundering relationship, but that’s almost never the case. If you’re looking to parenthood as a means of salvaging your connection with another person, you should stop that line of thinking in its tracks. It almost never works, and it’s far too large of a responsibility to place on the tiny shoulders of a child. Having a baby won’t fix a broken relationship; it’ll only bring another person into an already dysfunctional situation.

Think About Your Living Situation

The trendy-but-tiny downtown loft you’re currently living in might be perfect for the lifestyle of a child-free couple, but may not be ideal when you bring a baby into it. Take your living situation into careful consideration before you start trying to have a child. If your current home is not conducive to raising a child and you lack the plans or means of moving into something more suitable in the reasonably near future, it may be best to wait a bit longer before having a baby.

Finances, Finances!

There’s an old adage asserting that people who wait to have children until they can afford them never have kids, but there is some truth in the idea that you should wait to have a child until you’re reasonably secure in terms of your finances. The cost of prenatal care and childbirth alone can be financially devastating for a couple without health insurance, not to mention the ongoing and exorbitant expense of diapers, formula and other necessities. If you’re living from paycheck to paycheck and eating nothing but instant noodles to make ends meet, you may not be in an ideal place in your life for parenthood.

How Healthy Are You?

The physical health of both you and your partner is something that should be taken into consideration before you start talking about having children. The toll that pregnancy and delivery can have on a woman’s body is nothing to sneeze at, and both parents will need to be able-bodied and healthy in order to properly care for and meet the needs of a demanding infant. It’s not impossible for parents with health complications to raise children, but it is significantly more difficult in most cases.

Why Do You Want to Have Children?

Before you start trying to have a baby, you should think about the reasons why you want to in the first place. If you’re looking for someone to love you unconditionally or are under the impression that kids are part of life’s natural progression, whether you want them or not, parenthood may not be the best choice for you. When it comes to unconditional love, parents almost always give more than they receive. Children are demanding, and they grow into teenagers who will almost invariably think that you’re an overbearing millstone around their neck. They’re also not a status symbol or a wish-fulfillment vehicle. The most important thing for prospective parents to consider before having a child is their motivation for doing so in the first place.

Source: (http://www.housekeeping.org/blog/how-to-know-when-youre-ready-to-have-kids-and-when-youre-not/)