Kids Want Power And Control - How Can You Give It To Them And Still Maintain Your Authority?

When our kids misbehave or act out, there's a reason. It can be any number of things. One is purely to get attention and the other common reason is to gain control and power. As human beings we all want to feel we have some control over our lives and if we don't we'll find a way to get it. People of all ages have the same basic needs. So how can we give kids control, without them walking all over us?

When I was studying the S.T.E.P. program (Systematic Training To Effective Parenting) in the mid '80's I was introduced to the notion of offering children choices. It was new to me as I don't remember anyone ever offering me a choice when I was growing up and I don't remember learning about choices when I was studying early childhood education. We did though learn many ways to be firm but gentle with children.

What do I mean by offering a child a choice and why is it so powerful? When they're very young, say two or three years old we can show them two plastic cups; a blue one and a green one and ask: "Do you want the blue one or the green one?" Or you can say: "Do you want to sit in this chair or that chair?" or "Do you want to wear your green pajamas or your blue pajamas?" It makes them feel they have some power and control and consequently are less likely to gain it in inappropriate ways. It also tells them their likes and dislikes matter to you. As well, children who are given choices learn to start thinking for themselves. They become less reliant on other people to make decisions for them.

As children get older we can start offering them more than two choices, keeping in mind that all the options you're presenting must be acceptable to you. You can say: "Here are some choices for lunch; vegetable soup, peanut butter sandwich or grilled cheese sandwich." Or you might say, "Do you want to play a game tonight? We could play this, or this, or this. Choose one." If you're having a difficult time getting your child to do something, you can say: "I need you to clear your plate away. Do you want to put it on the counter or in the dishwasher?"

As children approach their middle and teen years you can continue to use choices. You can say: "I'd like your homework done before 8pm. Do you want to do it at the kitchen table or in your room?" Or you might say: "I need some help in the kitchen. Would you like to empty the dishwasher, sweep the floor or fill the dishwasher?" Offering a choice significantly reduces arguments around tasks that need to be done around the house.

One of the problems parents might encounter with choices is that their kids don't want either or any of the choices you're offering. If that's the case, the next choice becomes: "Do you want to choose or would you like me to choose?" The majority of the time, kids will make a choice and that will be the end of it.

Using this simple tool you'll find you can eliminate many power struggles and arguments. Children are as human as the rest of us and need to feel they have some control over their lives. We want to give it to them in appropriate ways so they don't try and gain it in inappropriate ways.

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How to Control Your 3-Year-Old's Aggressive Behavior

Are you experiencing aggressive behavior in your 3-year-old? Is your 3-year-old calling all the shots? Do you feel exhausted and just don't know what else to do? If your answer is yes, and I bet it is... As you continue reading this article, you will learn how to end the power struggles, the aggressiveness and gain back control over your child behavior.

Majority of children are not able recognize their own strength or even the full consequences of their actions; and in a world where they are often being told what to do, where to go and how to behave, it does not seem all that unreasonable that they may sometimes need to speak out and be heard.

-As you may already know, controlling feelings and emotions is a learned skill and can be very difficult to master in some adults, let alone children. For whatever reason your 3 yr old throw the outburst, one thing to always keep in mind is to not interact with power and anger of any sort or you will end up with a child that is very defensive and will fight whatever you ask him not to do.

-The good news is there are better ways to deal with this kind of aggressiveness that can create a win-win situation for both of you using proper child management methods. Nagging or punishing children for acting aggressively can make it more likely that they will act that way in the future. Imagine, if you will, a 3 yr old quietly piecing a puzzle together or even playing a video game. She/he has almost completed the puzzle/game but cannot get the final pieces/play to come together.

-Throughout this quiet half an hour the parent has been around but has said absolutely nothing. Nothing, that is until the child becomes obviously frustrated and throws the puzzle/game across the room and begins screaming or swearing loudly. At this point the parent intervenes by reprimanding the child and sending him/her to their room. You know where I am going with this right?

-It would appear that the parent has done everything appropriate in this situation, except for the fact that the only attention this child received during the time period was negative. If this is commonly the case, the child may begin to feel that any attention is better than no attention and as a result may continue to act out disruptively in daily activities.

-When dealing with aggressive children, it is worth the effort to praise even the smallest attempt at proper behavior, while paying very little if any attention to negative conduct. Praise can be a very strong motivator.

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Teens 6 Pack Abs - 4 Tips On How Teens Can Achieve A Great Looking Tummy

Having the perfect tummy is what most self conscious teens want in today's society. Whether its because they are a little over weight and want to lose a few pounds, or whether its because they want to achieve and maintain a fit and healthy body, teens with 6 pack abs are conscious about having this type of asset. In this article, I will discuss some of the more important exercises and tips for teens to achieve their goal in getting that perfect tummy.

There are many methods in which teens can achieve this goal. Some methods will suit you and some will not. It is simple a case of trying these methods to seeing what works best for you.
Below is an exercise and some tips to try out for yourself.

1. Crunches -

This is probably the more common exercise you will come across when looking to get 6 pack abs. This is what you need to do. First, you need to lie down on the floor with your finger tips touching the temple section of your head. Then as you breath in, left your shoulder and upper back towards your legs about 6 inches off the floor. You will feel an uncomfortable tightening on your stomach area. This is your abdominal muscles area getting exercised. Then breath out as you slowly bring your upper back and shoulder to the position you originally had them

Repeat this exercise a number of times until you feel the need to stop and take a break. I would suggest that for your first attempt, that you aim for 10 repeats in one session before you take a break. Then you can repeat that session 10 times with little intervals between each one. If you achieve this, you will have done 100 crunches! This will normally take anywhere between 20-30 minutes depending on the persons current level of fitness. This is a great exercise and by doing this alone will help you achieve a 6 pack.

2. Try not to eat bad fats -

Eating the wrong kind of fatty food will seriously have a bad affect on all of your hard work from
the crunches you have been exercising with. We need fats to stay alive, but there is big difference
between good fats and bad fats. If you want to maintain the six pack you work hard on, you need to make sure that you are not eating saturated fats. Saturated fats come in all forms of fast foods like McDonald's and burger King to name a few. So beware of your intake on saturated fat. The lower the intake the better.

3. Eat more foods that contain protein -

If you are serious about building your six pack abs, you will have to eat foods that are rich in
protein. Protein is a proven muscle builder. It can be found in such foods like fish, meat and the
white part of the egg. Protein is excellent for boosting your 6 pack abs.

4. Stay clear of alcohol -

As a teen its tempting to drink alcohol! However, by doing so will damage your gut and it decreases
the time it takes for you to gain a 6 pack! You see it is impossible for your liver to metabolize fat
and alcohol at the same time. Your liver will first get rid of the toxic substance which is alcohol
first. The alcohol will hurt muscle growth and so it is a negative aspect to have if you want to
flatten your abdominal muscles. For us men, it will also lower our testosterone level also.

If you can take these tips and techniques I have shown you, you will make a good start at achieving the tummy you want. However, there is more to the puzzle, read about a professional trainer with over 13 years of experience that has help 10's of thousands of people in more and 100 countries world wide achieve the 6 six pack they have always wanted! For more info, click on the links below.

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3 Gift Ideas For Twin Baby Boys

Looking for the perfect gift for twin baby boys? You should never run out of ideas. There are plenty of gifts you can find in baby shops and online stores that the twins (and their parents) will adore. But if you need some hints, here are some of our gift suggestions:

1. Diaper cakes

No, these aren't gifts you buy for twin baby boys with a sweet tooth. Diaper cakes are exactly that: a gift set made with diapers and arranged to look like a cake. These gifts are perfect for twin baby boys because they don't only contain a lot of much-needed diapers, many gift shops who make them even throw in some really great extras. Many of these cakes look so lovely when done that it's almost difficult to take them apart.

Depending on the size you order, a diaper cake can have as many as 70 or a hundred diapers in one pack, which are probably enough to make a 3- to 4-tier diaper cake. There are enough diapers in these cakes to make changing twin baby boys easy, fun and convenient. Diaper cakes may also include baby booties, small stuffed toys, matching twin caps, pacifiers and coordinating blankets for the twins.

2. Twins baby gift basket

Want to give everything to twin baby boys in one go? Baby gift baskets for twins are the best choice because they have two of every in-demand gift. Twin baby gift baskets are ideal as shower gifts, first birthday gifts, Christmas gifts or any special occasion gift.

You'll also like the fact that twin baby gift baskets are theme and color-coordinated, making your choice a lot easier. A baby bath kit, for example, will have a pair of matching washcloths, a bottle of shampoo, other bath products, two rubber ducks and some Q-tips. A twin baby bedtime kit, on the other hand, will include a pair of pillows, blankets, matching caps and mittens and probably a bedtime story book.

3. Reading time

Twin baby boys are always twice the fun, so why not give them some fun reading materials for their bedtime? Some titles you might want to take a look at: Twin to Twin and Early Reader Books' Twin Series.

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Soy Milk May Be Tied To Infant Deaths

Although the autopsy is inconclusive and tests on the food are not yet complete, a porridge made of EdenSoy Extra soy milk and cornmeal may be responsible for the deaths of two infant brothers living in Brooklyn.

When their mother attempted to wake them, shortly after noon, she found they were unconscious and took them to the hospital. Both were pronounced dead on arrival.

Initial thoughts were that the twins had been overcome by a gas leak, but tests showed no leak.

Because medical examiners also found no evidence of choking as a result of consuming the food, or any signs of foul play, the police instead began focusing on what the infants had eaten. The police cleaned out two nearby supermarkets of EdenSoy milk and cornmeal for testing.

New York Times October 21, 2005 Registration RequiredNYNewsDay.com October 22, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comment: If you ever wondered why I'm so concerned about the health dangers tied to the rampant use of soy products -- especially in processed foods -- this kind of incident is exactly the reason. In my view there just simply isn't any justification to ever use soy formula or worse, soy milk, in infants.

This isn't the first time soy milk has been investigated for its toxic side effects. Separate incidents in California and Arkansas prompted the FDA to issue a 1990 warning against using soy milk as a formula substitute. Most brands have followed the tougher FDA labeling guidelines, except EdenSoy, says Dr. Kaayla T. Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food.

In fact, the deaths of three infants prompted the Israeli Health Ministry to issue a health advisory earlier this year, recommending babies not be fed soy formula -- except as a last resort -- and severely limiting a child's intake of soy products.

Without question the best food you can give your infant is breast milk and this should be your primary choice if at all possible, as it is the healthiest source of milk you can give to your infant. I believe very strongly all soy formula should be avoided andis not fit for human consumption.

If breastfeeding is not an option,the best article I ever read on the topicis one published in a recent edition of the Weston Price ogranization. I am on their board and was able to obtain reprint rightsfor their article onhealthy alternatives to breast milk and commercial formula from Sally Fallon to run it in our newsletter. I would strongly encourage you to review thismulti-part series in this issueif you are unable to breastfeed.

When making the alterntaive to breast milk described in the article, ideally, it would be best to use raw milk as the base (other ingredients to add are described in the article). The best way toget it is tofind a local dairy farmer in your areathrough your local health food store orthe Real Milk Web site. Raw milk is a safer and farhealthier alternative to pasteurized milk.

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Baby and Toddler Bedtime Battles

Most children do not have an actual sleep problem and are not predisposed to being a 'bad sleeper'. What children develop is a 'sleep association' that interferes with their normal sleep cycle. A sleep association can range from being rocked, cuddled, having a drink or sung too in order to fall asleep. The child requires this same stimulus when they wake in the night, this often requires a parent or guardian to intervene, therefore disturbing their own sleep and the 'no sleep' cycle continues to spiral.

There are several techniques that can be implemented in order to help children eliminate nighttime wakings for many of the associations that they develop. It is important to keep a baby or toddler on a daily schedule; what they eat and drink during the day as well as the amount of sleep they acquire and at what time all have a major impact on the child's as well as the parent's nighttime sleep.

If your child is experiencing any sleep problems at bedtime or during the night and you are drained from lack of sleep it may be time to contact a sleep consultant. Dawnn Whittaker of Cheeky Chops is a Baby Contentment & Sleep Consultant and has successfully helped numerous parents solve baby and toddler bedtime battles.

A Tip from Dawnn Whittaker: Keep a log of the amount your child eats sleeps and drinks over a 24 hour period and at what time. Study this information over a period of time and it may help you eliminate night feeding or indicate what is causing them.

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The History of New Home Sewing Machines

A New Home sewing machine that you can find in the market these days could have been manufactured a long time ago and may be considered as a collector's item or a mechanical sewing equipment such as one of the modern models.

In any case, be assured that the New Home sewing machines still work wonders for any sewer.

The start of New Home company began around 1860 when major manufacturers of sewing machines started to battle each other out in pursuit of obtaining lead in the market and securing patents.

That's when Thomas White came up with what could be the first New Home sewing machine, which he called the New England. Soon his business expanded, despite the many downs that he had to face then, and survived until this day.

Over the years there are already several New Home models that have been released and sold to the public.

There is the model no. 914, which was one of the first New Home sewing machines that were manufactured. It still had a treadle, a hand crank, and a wheel. You needed to step on the pedal and turn the crank for the machine to work and start creating some stitches.

The body, though made of solid metal frame, was elegantly finished. It also came with a cabinet, where you could store the no. 914 model once you were done using it. There was a drawer where you can place a number of much-needed accessories such as threads, bobbins, and scissors, to name a few.

Then there was the model 915, which was basically following model 914. There wasn't any difference between the two, except that the former had a cover, which could protect the sewing machine itself from dust and from constant movement. Perhaps one of the first half-case sewing machines was the no. 4 New Home sewing machine.

It was still ornamented, but the body was primarily made of nickel. There were also a number of included attachments and which you could make use immediately.

Newer types of sewing machines from New Home include the 104D, which is actually a mechanical model. It has an additional feature, which is a carry handle so you can conveniently bring this with you anywhere you go.

There are also twin needles that you can find included in the sewing machine, so you can sew two colors at the same time. Moreover, there are feed dogs, which will then help you the creation of stitches so they don't end up puckering or stretching the fabric. Meanwhile, another mechanical model is the L-373. There are 13 built-in stitches, as well as a buttonhole feature.

Having a New Home sewing machine means that you have a very solid machine which may not be as technological or as advanced as other sewing machines, but it can last for a very long time. They do make perfect collectibles, or as heirlooms to your children and even to your grandchildren.

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