Laugh More Research has shown that laughter has an effective and specific role in the reduction of tension resulting from stress. It is nearly impossible to feel tense while laughing. The better the laugh, the lower the tension and the more long-lasting the relief. Long after the laughter has ended, body tensions continue to decrease. Laughter is better than a quick fix. Your stress level may stay at its reduced state for as long as an hour after a good laugh....

How Are Students Assigned to Ability Groups? Students are usually assigned to groups based on a review of data such as their grades, results on standardized testing, and performance in class. Once placed, students can be moved into higher level groups if their skill levels increase. Students can also move into lower skill level groups should the need for more intensive remedial instruction arise. What Type of Instruction Happens in an Ability Group?...

Luckily, it’s generally safe to eat crab during pregnancy as long as it’s eaten fully cooked and in moderation. However, if you have never tried crab before, you may not want to try it for the first time in pregnancy. Shellfish allergies are common in adulthood and you do not want to risk an allergic reaction while pregnant. Learn more about how to safely consume crab while expecting. Eating Crab During Pregnancy Crab can be part of a healthy prenatal diet....

Salmon can be a good choice because it has a fairly low mercury content and it doesn’t have a strong fishy taste that may turn you off if you experience food aversions during pregnancy. As long as you eat well-cooked salmon and keep weekly consumption consumption, this fish is nutrient-rich and safe while you are expecting. Eating Salmon During Pregnancy Eating two to three servings of fully cooked salmon per week is safe and provides a variety of nutrients during pregnancy....

These DNA tests go back in time and provide you with detailed information about your ancestral past. DNA tests can also provide important health information, including whether you may be at risk for a variety of diseases or other maladies. But, if you want to know your child’s genetic predispositions, they will need their own DNA testing. You may wonder whether it is safe to get a DNA test while you are pregnant....

Overview Garlic (Allium sativum) is a commonly used ingredient found in many recipes all over the world. But, garlic is more than just a flavoring for food. Throughout history, the medical benefits of garlic are well noted. The actual origin of garlic is not known. However, the use of garlic dates back at least 5,000 years to ancient Egypt. It was found in King Tut’s tomb, and there are records of its use in ancient Greek, Roman, and Chinese medicine....

We can cover some of the basics here, but you’ll want to do some more reading before you seriously get into candle making. This is one craft where you may find a kit is a good investment; it will give you all the things you need to make your first candle and see if it’s something you and your child want to pursue. A good candle-making kit is available through the Lark Books catalog....

5 to 10 minutes Materials Empty jarToothpicksWaterAn avocado seed Directions Extensions Sprout several seeds and give them as beautiful, natural gifts.Make a daily watering chart and let your child check off each time that he cares for his plant.

Quick TipKeep a record of comments or situations that indicate difficulty. Include date, comment made, by whom, and situational details. Obstacles to Getting Professional Help If a parent is not ready to seek help, he or she will often rationalize or ignore comments and recommendations. Guilt can be a major deterrent to seeking help. Some parents are hobbled by simply having waited so long. Fearing that they overlooked obvious signs and ignored others’ warnings, they agonize over having used potentially damaging parenting techniques, worried that it is not too late....

You should always chat with your baby to help her learn to talk. But did you know it’s just as important to talk to your toddler, too? Talking helps him learn language skills and lets him know what he says is important. What to do: The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them....

Researchers looked at how children aged two through seven spent their time with their grandparents. They found that grandparents who watched their grandchildren over a 40-hour time period allowed them about two hours of screen time. More: An Open Letter to Grandparents: That Was Then, This is Now The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to one hour of high-quality programming per day. Grandparents, who have long been known for spoiling their grandchildren, are exceeding this limit....

While friendships can occasionally be difficult, tweens need friends and having friends will help them deal with all the challenges associated with middle school. Below are some common friendship problems your child might encounter in middle school, along with a few simple solutions to help solve them. Being Excluded For many tweens, their biggest fear is being socially excluded or ostracized from friends and peers. Tweens desire to be a part of a group, and without one, they feel lost....

Condensed or evaporated milk hold up a little better than regular milk and cream, if you want to use these in your dishes instead. Stock holds up even better; that’s why the cream soup recipes in this book use stock as a medium to cook the ingredients, then the cream is added to smooth out the flavors at the end of the cooking time. Slowing Down Family Favorites Once you feel comfortable with your slow cooker, you’ll probably want to use it to prepare your favorite recipes you now cook on the stove or in the oven....

I realized how much different my life could have been if I had realized that I was lactose intolerant, or if my parents had recognized the relevance of my signs and symptoms. Now, as a parent myself, I’ve been especially careful to look out for any signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance in my own children as early as possible. Toddlerhood is a time when many signs of lactose intolerance can present themselves, as many parents start to introduce milk to their children....

When you’re potty training a puppy, his crate should be big enough for him to stand up, turn around, and lie down. It should not be bigger than that. Most dogs don’t like to sleep where they eliminate, so you don’t want to give your puppy room to potty at one end of his crate and go sleep at the other end. How long should a puppy stay in a crate?...

Whether you’re drafting an initial parenting plan, or you’re trying to make sense of the schedule presented to you by the court, the sample calendars displayed here will help you better understand your kids’ visitation schedule options. This is probably the most popular child visitation schedule, especially for newly separated parents. It’s often a good option for situations in which the non-custodial parent works a typical 9 to 5 Monday through Friday schedule....

Types of Herpes While it was previously considered more common for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) to cause cold sores on the lips—also known as fever blisters—and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) to cause genital herpes (genital area, anus, thighs, etc.), both strains can cause infections in either area of the body. Both forms of HSV stay in your body forever, and symptoms can recur. But with a strong immune system, they remain in a dormant state....

More: 5 Phrases to Say to Your Anxious Child About Schools Reopening Try to stay relaxed yourself. Remember that children develop at different rates, especially in the early years. However, if you are worried about your child’s performance at school, be proactive: Make an appointment to discuss your concerns with the relevant teacher who will be able to give you accurate feedback and make suggestions for how you can best support your child’s learning....