Gifts for kids in this age group should be safe, help them meet milestones, and encourage them to use their bodies. “They will climb anything in their way. They love to use push and pull objects like a shopping cart or a pull train,” says Dyan Hes, MD, a pediatrician and medical director of Gramercy Pediatrics in New York City. “They are just beginning to enjoy pretend play and will often serve you tea or bake you a cake....
When it comes to computer-themed books for kids, consider your child’s interests, age, and a book that will be read more than once. We carefully considered reading levels, age recommendations, material, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best books for your computer-loving kid. Our Picks “The Magic School Bus Gets Programmed” “Why Doesn’t My Floppy Disk Flop?” “Personal Computers” “Edward Roberts and the Story of the Personal Computer” “A Kid’s Guide to Creating Web Pages” “Game Programming for Teens” “Career Ideas for Kids Who Like Computers” For children who’ve seen only today’s computers, learning that the first computers were big enough to fill an entire room is fascinating!...
When it comes to adoption, here are some things that hopeful LGBT parents should consider. What Countries Can LGBTQ Couples Adopt From? As more and more countries begin to recognize same-sex marriage, LGBT families are increasingly looking towards international adoption as a way to start or expand their families. There are many countries around the world that allow LGBTQ couples to adopt children. Some of these countries include: The United States Canada Australia Many European countries Columbia Brazil The Philippines...
Kids will occasionally do or say something that is hurtful. And while it is important to address the behavior, it is inappropriate to label them a bully. Instead, try to distinguish between hurtful or unkind behavior and bullying behavior. For something to constitute bullying, it must contain three elements: an imbalance of power, a repetition of hurtful behaviors, and an intention to inflict harm. In other words, kids who bully usually are bigger, older or have more social power than their targets....
Resize Your Lawn For many Americans, a manicured rolling green lawn is what “the yard” is all about. However, lawns are the most unnatural part of the landscape. The “perfect” lawn requires regular mowing, watering during dry spells, and lots of chemicals: fertilizers, pesticides, weed killers, and more. Increasingly, people are deciding to minimize their lawn, replacing it with paths and garden beds filled with plants, shrubs, and ground cover....
The Five-Paragraph Essay: Mr. S, my high school English teacher, would drop dead from the irony of my recommending this to others, but I must admit that being forced to write this way made me a better writer. The five-paragraph essay is the traditional academic model for essay writing that will be expected in college and is pretty self-explanatory. It consists of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs that develop the thesis of the paper, and a conclusion....
How Parents Can Help Their Children With Rhyming Skills What you can do to help develop your child’s rhyming skills at home. Rhyming Books Read rhyming books to your child. If possible, try to have reading time at least once a day. As always, reading time should be a fun and enjoyable time for both of you, and it helps to build reading activity into part of a routine. Reading before bedtime is a good way to introduce the activity into your child’s day....
This lack of understanding is often called the “empathy gap.” Working to close this empathy gap is one of the best ways to improve bullying policies and prevent bullying. In fact, efforts to advocate on behalf of victims will not be effective unless people truly comprehend how painful and traumatic bullying can be. Here is an overview of the effects of bullying and how victims can recover. Social and Emotional Impact Kids who are regularly targeted by bullies often suffer both emotionally and socially....
Definitions of Coming of Age The coming of age milestone is an important one, and can also be a difficult transition, as some children are hesitant to leave childhood behind. There are many different ways to define the expression “of age.” For example: Acquiring a legally significant age (in the United States, either 18 or 21) Confirming an individual as a responsible adult within a religious community Experiencing a moment of epiphany in which childhood is set aside Puberty (or, in some cases, loss of virginity) Taking responsibility for oneself and one’s personal choices...
Are cramps after an embryo transfer a good sign or a bad sign? What about spotting? Are there IVF early pregnancy symptoms to know about? We’ve got answers to these common questions. Cramping After Embryo Transfer Cramping can strike fear in the hearts of some IVFers and hope in others. Fear, because they worry this is a sign their period is coming or that maybe the cycle has failed. Hope, because maybe cramps are a sign of implantation and maybe they’re pregnant....
Get your paper and pen ready to start your hospital bag checklist. Even if it only has a few items on it at first, start now, don’t wait until your due date to start creating your list. Make sure the person who will be responsible for helping you pack it, including elements that have to be packed right before you head into hospital, are involved from the start. Unleash Your Inner Planner Whether or not you love compiling lists, get stuck into this process....
There’s conflicting information out there about gonorrhea during pregnancy being linked to miscarriage. Some research has linked untreated infections to an increased incidence of miscarriage, and at least one study has found that having untreated gonorrhea can be linked to increased risk of a preterm birth. Having an untreated infection while giving birth can cause life-threatening complications for the baby, and untreated gonorrhea before pregnancy can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy....
And, while they try, scientists can’t replicate it in a laboratory. There’s just no man-made equivalent. Only a mother can produce it for her child. Here’s how your body makes breast milk. Overview The structures that make up the female breast protect, produce, and transport breast milk. If you’re thinking about breastfeeding, you may be wondering how it all works. It may be easier to understand when you know about all the parts that work together to make it happen....
Summertime is a beautiful time for kids to play and have fun, but it’s also a wonderful time for reading. Middle schoolers are in the midst of a time in their lives that is filled with hormones, emotions, and a greater awareness of the world outside of their small part in it. Reading can help middle school students explore the world and challenging issues from the comfort of their homes....
The major barriers to achievement by students with disabilities in our society continue to be attitudinal barriers, stereotypical thinking, and a lack of understanding of special education and its role in our schools. The truth is that many individuals with disabilities are capable of achieving a high degree of success academically and professionally. We need to banish our stereotypical images and view each student as an individual who brings his or her special abilities and talents to the classroom....
But when the big day finally comes, when weeks or months of waiting finally come to an end and it’s time to take their sweet bundle of joy home, many parents feel utterly freaked out. Even though you can’t stand to leave your baby and you can’t wait to bring them home, it’s easy to feel unprepared when the day comes. The NICU is an overwhelming place. Parents are in a very unnatural role, sitting on the sidelines as nurses and doctors care for their babies....
Cribs are often one of the first big purchases that parents of twins will make for their babies. They’re also one of the most expensive items for babies, costing anywhere from one hundred to over a thousand dollars—times two for twins! So before buying cribs for twins, parents will want to do their homework and carefully consider their options, especially when money is tight. Before you shop for cribs, here are some important considerations....
Effort: Quick and easy - no sewing required Materials: Green dress (from a thrift store) Old nylons Black shoes Blonde wig and bobby pins Fake blood 3 black crows from craft store Hot glue gun Scar kit (optional) Instructions: Cut small holes in dress here and there. Apply blood lightly around holes. Pull back hair on wig and fasten. Then tug it ’til messy. Apply a bird to the back like it’s pecking at your head....
