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Is your little one ready for pre-school?

Preschool is the first step that introduces your baby to an institution of learning. After home, this is the second environment to which a baby is exposed to where he or she acquires new skills, learns new concepts and knows more about the world. It is here where the baby will meet new people from their own age group which will be the first step towards building relationships.

The concept of a play school or a pre school is relatively new in India and it is indeed your little ones first step towards mainstream education. Pre-schools are full of fun and learning. They have a lot of activities that encourage a child to learn. 

Almost all children between the ages 2-3 years are enrolled in a preschool and this is especially the trend seen in urban cities and the metros. This in metros has almost become like a prerequisite for getting admission in a school. Now-a-days parents don’t even wait for their child to turn two. In fact parents have to register their babies’ name well in advance.

However, parents must realize that if their child is not ready for going to a preschool, then it can become very stressful for them. Most parents today feel that their child should not be left behind and hence they hurry for everything without really looking at their child whether he or she is ready for the same or not. All children may not necessarily grow up and be comfortable with going to a pre-school at the age of two.

To avoid putting your child through stress, make sure that you prepare him or her for such an environment. Your child is ready for a play school when he can sit in one place patiently. Key thing here is to learn that every child will take his or her own time to grow up and learn and parents need to catch that and act accordingly.

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Baby Bathing Tips

Babies are a bundle of joy to every family. Every little responsibility associated with them becomes pleasurable and is cherished. Bathing them is one such responsibility which is often enjoyed by every new parent. But there are some things you should be careful of while bathing them so as to keep them safe and sound.

While giving them a shower, stay close to the baby at all times. Don’t ever look away from them even for a matter of a second. A bath chair will give your child additional support while in the bathtub, but it will not shield the child from injury or drowning. Follow some tips while using a bath seat or bath rings. Use them with children who are able to sit upright without you holding them. If the child is too small to sit upright avoid using bath seats.

Always keep all the bathing material ready before you bring the child into the bathroom so that you don’t have to leave the child and go to fetch soap or shampoo. Keep them out of the reach of children. The bath tub should be clean and dirt free so that it is hygienic and safe.

Use only products which are meant for baby hygiene. Don’t use the same shampoo for your baby as you do, since baby skin is way more sensitive than yours. Don’t scrub baby skin too hard as they could develop rashes and just pour water over their body gently.

Wipe the baby dry immediately after bath and apply baby powder on their skin, especially during summers to avoid heat boils and rashes. If any kind of irritation due to bathing products exists, change the product immediately and consult your doctor.

Use lukewarm water to give them a shower and let your baby enjoy the moment as much as you do.

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Overprotecting Mothers

Some parents tend to be very overprotective. But then we all know that ‘excess of everything is bad’ and so is over-protection. Extreme love has its own downsides and sometimes it leaves a life-long effect on kids. Too much care and concern can make your child quite dependent and he will coming back to you for every small thing. More than the fathers, it is mothers who tend to be overly protective. Fathers often have to maintain the image of head of the family and he is more concerned towards discipline and rules part whereas mothers love spoon feeding. However, it is not a general case but yes, you can see it quite often. Overprotective mothers can literally make a child crippled in sense of dependency and self-sufficiency.

Such over-protection can often lead to child becoming unable to fend for himself. They are not able to come out of trouble on their own because he has been provided so much of care that he starts believing that his mother will take care of every problem. His own thinking gets muted and this can have a very dangerous impact on kid once he grows up. This holds more prominence in case of boys than girls. Overall, this is not at all conducive to the personality development of a child.

There are several dangers of having an over protective mother. One of them is immaturity of child even at a later stage of his life. That becomes quite obvious because he is simply not able to think for himself and looks out to others whenever a problem arises. He will also shy away from taking any responsibility because he never had any firsthand experience of carrying a serious responsibility. An overly protected child will also have difficulty in facing criticism because he has always been a pampered one.  

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Common cold in children

Common cold as the name suggests is common among children. They are absolutely normal and can be dealt with. If it’s a mild cold, home remedies are more than enough to cure them.

Always remember that cold is most contagious from the 2nd to the 4th day once the symptoms start appearing. It is important to explain to your children the benefits of using a tissue paper every time the sneeze. Also, encourage them to wash their hands and face frequently to avoid spreading the germs. Keep their towels and clothes separate so that others in the family remain unaffected.

Some ways you can help relieve cold uneasiness consist of:

· Put saltwater drops in the nostrils to reduce nasal blocking. Saline drops are also available at any medical store or pharmacy.
· A cool-mist humidifier to boost air humidity.
· Apply petroleum jelly below the nose on the skin ease rawness.
· Give them hard candy or cough drops to ease aching throat (for kids older than 3 years).
· Give them a shower with warm water or a heating pad to relieve aches and pains.
· Make them take steam from a hot shower for easy breathing.

Don’t panic about your child’s diet, just ensure he eats when hungry and drinks ample of fluids like water or juice to help restore the fluids lost during fever or mucus production. Stay away from giving them caffeinated beverages which can cause repeated urination and add to the danger of dehydration.

If you think your child is suffering from more than a cold or is getting worse then consult a doctor. Cold will take it’s time to cure, just make sure your child gets plenty of rest, avoids any kind of forceful activity and intakes a lot of fluids which may help them feel better.

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Handling Sibling Rivalry

Sibling rivalry is a common occurrence in several households. On one hand, having two kids in the house has the advantage of both playing with each other and at the same time it runs the risk of them having frequent fights. When such situation arises, of course it is the parents that have to suffer from useless battles. But first thing that you need to understand is, it’s not only your kids that are fighting among themselves but it happens in every second home. So take bother to take unnecessary tension and try having a neutral role. You can also opt for some learning as in how to manage differences and get along.

As a parent, always keep your ears open in the sense that when kids are fighting try to observe how they are handling tensions. Sometimes, mutual fights are best way for kids to learn aspects like negotiations, agreements and co-operation. You can also have a firsthand experience of how child is handling issues. Step in only when things are getting out of control. Also try to differentiate between serious conflicts or mere annoying. Try to meddle only when things are getting out of hand, someone is getting violent and some items are crashing.

Sometimes, it is a wiser idea to divert the attention of warring kids to something more stimulating like video, TV or sports. Kids have fickle attention span so they might forget things in hurry if properly diverted. Parents can also act as moderators where you listen to both parties, hear out their concerns and then decide. Try to be fair-minded. Finally, teach kids to respect each other. These virtues have to be instilled from childhood only.

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Dealing with teenagers

It is said that the real art of parenting comes into practice when parents have to deal with their teenage kids. It is said that it is easier to handle a toddler than handle a teenager. As kids grow and taste their new found freedom, issues between parents and their kids are bound to arise. Parents and teenagers both go through a phase of change and evolution.

It is important to understand that teenage is about self realization. Although they are not completely equipped to handle themselves mentally, they are mature individuals. Constant disapprovals and grounding will make them more courageous to seek the forbidden fruit. Use a little compassion.

Parents should encourage sports. It is possible that your son/daughter is a home bird and enjoys art and culture work than the robust rugby. Accept him and love him for what he is. Talk to him about love and matters of heart so that he feels comfortable with you and believes that he can share things with you on such matters. Those pearls of wisdom ingrained at this age, will make him a mature person at home.

Teenagers love to help and it makes them feel important. Get them on to such kind of jobs. Give them space and time. Respect their friends, call them over, win them over with sincerity and never scold your children in front of their friends. Sometimes, parents need to step into their children’s shoes and think otherwise.

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Fast learning babies

A baby’s mind is constantly soaking information this is because everything is new and exciting for the baby and thus her five senses are always at work trying to absorb information and learn. The first few months are very crucial for a baby simply because this is when their emotional and well as intellect are developing along with the physical self as well.

Bonding is one way in the family through which a baby learns. Let your baby feel love, warmth through physical touch. You may wonder mothers having conversation with their baby inspite of knowing that they would not understand what they saying but this is one way mothers introduce and make the baby feel comfortable with the language. Also, you can show bright colored pictures to your baby. You can also read to him/her. This is one way your baby will start the beautiful process of learning and acquiring knowledge.

Babies may not learn at a constant rate. At the age of three or four, they may devour some ideas and may not like other ideas or may forget certain skills. If a baby is acquiring a new skill, he or she will put his or her energies on it entirely and learn. Create an atmosphere that is healthy for kids. Put up charts and pictures on the walls of your babies’ room through which they can learn.

Remember that a baby’s learning curve is just perpendicular. As your baby’s is growing in size and weight, he or she is also growing mentally and emotionally.

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First Day at School

Parents wait for their toddlers to go get learning in their school. However, many kids are nervous on the first day of school. There are ways to organize your kid for the big day! Make them read or read out books about school to them. Converse with other children about school, particularly siblings or vicinity friends. These specialists can assist answer any queries your child has. Visit their classroom earlier to the first day. Set up a standard bedtime at least 15 days prior to the start of school. Create an easygoing morning schedule to help your child get prepared. Choose school goods together, such as school bags tiffins and water bottles. Be prepared and say good-bye quickly. Kids are quick to “single out” signs of uncertainty by parents and may become sad. Bid them with a smile and assure them that it’s going to be absolutely great. Get a little time out at the end of the day and talk about your child’s big quest!

Even if your child is brave and confident he may have second thoughts about passing the entrance of the classroom. Shy and fear are few emotions every child tends to go through. It is important for every parent to make their children comfortable and give them time, to tell them that how wonderful school is, how they can make new friends there, share their toys, play with them and other things that would attract them towards school. Books with lovely images of school are available in the markets that create a liking in the minds of the children towards school. Parents can refer to these books and also try and communicate with other parents from the same class and introduce your children to their children so that they have a familiar ambience when they go to school.

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Family

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Cooking

Cooking

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