Which Type of Day Care is Right for Your Child?

With so many two-income household families, the need for childcare is rapidly growing. Family daycare centers are cropping up left and right and it seems as though they have a never-ending supply of customers. While many people prefer the larger daycare facilities, many others have gravitated toward the smaller in-home day care provider. Neither is the "correct" choice. It all depends on what is right for the child and his or her family.

There are several benefits to using a family day care provider as opposed to a larger institution. 

• Often children receive more personal care.
• Children are cared for in a family environment.
• Since a family daycare is run in the provider's home, a home daycare center may be in the same town or neighborhood as the family seeking day care.
• If the provider has children of her own, it may be beneficial to the other children attending daycare there as they may feel like part of the family.
• Another advantage of using a family day care is that usually there are a much smaller number of children. Even though the adult to child ratio might be the same as a large center, there are often only one or two adults and so therefore fewer children. One benefit to this is less spreading of communicable diseases simply because there are fewer children to spread them.  Many children have reoccurring ear infections that don't clear and eventually require tubes.  This is particularly difficult to avoid in a day care center.

Some family day care providers run their daycare more like a pre-school while others just go about their daily lives bringing the children along with them to the grocery store, mall, bank etc. It is best to interview a family day care provider before enrolling your child to be sure she provides the type of care you are most comfortable with.

One potential issue that can arise in family daycare situations is that a small child may begin to call the provider “mommy" from copying the provider's children. They may get so attached to the provider that they resist leaving to go home and often have to be carried kicking and screaming out of the daycare provider's home. Yet, with that, many home care providers treat all the children just as they would their own, providing comfort, care, and love. This is what most parents like about family daycare.

For every benefit to a family owned daycare, there are equally as many benefits to a larger daycare facility as well.

• There would be no lack of playmates and most centers usually have separate rooms to group children in the same age range.
• Also, these facilities are usually well stocked with "industrial strength" toys and equipment for both indoor and outdoor play.
• Many have more daily structured activities and a focus or "theme" of the week.
• Conveniently, larger childcare Institutions regularly supply parents with the proper information to claim childcare expenses on their tax returns. Some private family day care providers aren't experienced with this and some may even object. Laws may vary by state but if you are entitled to claim childcare deductions on your taxes then you should discuss this with your childcare provider up front.
• Children in more formal day care settings also seem to adjust easily to a school schedule when they move on to kindergarten. Parents may already be referring to the child's daycare as "school." Some child care facilities even have nursery and pre-school classes as well which prepare the child even more for kindergarten and elementary school.

The other option not yet discussed is having a nanny or babysitter that will care for your child right in your own home.

• This can be convenient if you need to leave early in the morning for work. A nanny or sitter comes to your home and so your children don't need to be woken up if they need more sleep.
• Your child is sure to get one-on-one attention or attention shared only with siblings. 
• In addition, many nannies can take children to activities and playgroups, run errands, and possibly help prep dinner. 
• Nannies also become like a member of the family and children often feel just as comfortable with them as they do with other family members.

These advantages help the family enjoy quality time when they are together.

The nanny option is not without its drawbacks.  Nannies may only make a commitment for one year.  So you may need to be prepared to start the search process again.  Also, if you have obtained a nanny privately, you may need to take time off from work if the nanny is sick or goes on vacation.  If obtained through an agency, the agency may be able to get you a replacement until your nanny can return to work.

No matter which type of child care provider you choose, just be sure to check them out thoroughly first, checking references and touring the facility while children are there being cared for. Discuss vacations, late fees, meals, any allergies or special needs your child may have and any other questions you can think of to aid you in making the right choice for your child. For a list of babysitter, nanny, and au-pair agencies worldwide, please see our parents and guardians page.

Best of Luck!

 

Can You Really Eat What You Want and Still Lose Weight?!!!

by Lisa McLellan

Have you ever found yourself wondering, "How does she do it?" when you see a thin woman enjoying ice cream or another rich dessert and she doesn't look guilty and doesn't seem to gain an ounce? How does she do it?

Well, I'll tell you my secrets... I am about 5'6" and I have never been over 125 lbs with the exception of being pregnant. No, I don't starve myself, I don't have a "fast metabolism," and I don't "diet" ever. This is what I believe:

For starters, I practice the ol' "everything in moderation" idea. I eat cookies, candy, and ice cream whenever I feel like it, BUT, I have 3 average size cookies - not 7, I have a few small pieces of chocolate - not a king size candy bar, and I almost never have anything larger than a small or "kiddie"ice cream cone.

Next, I don't eat unconsciously. This means not eating in while watching television, driving, reading, working, or any other activity that takes your mind off of eating. Eating needs to be kept at the dinner table, in the lunchroom or any other appropriate place and should be the only thing you are doing at the time. What happens when you try to do something else at the same time, is that your hand unconsciously continues to put the food into your mouth until it is gone. You never get a chance to feel full because your attention is somewhere else. The result is that you often over eat.

"Seconds anyone?" Not me! At least not until I've waited 5 minutes. When you've just had a delicious meal and you would like a second helping simply to please your tongue, take a look at the clock first. Check out the time, then wait five minutes. If you still want a second helping then, have it. Chances are, within that five minutes the food you've already eaten has had time to hit your stomach and you'll no longer feel the need for a second helping.

Several years ago I threw out all of my stretchy waist pants. People don't usually grow out of their clothes overnight. First, your clothes start getting tight, then it is difficult to button or zip your pants. Then comes the day when the button won't reach the hole or the zipper just splits if you don't heed those warnings. If you wear stretchy waist pants all the time, you won't have those little cues to tell you to slow down and lay off the unnecessary snacking. You'll just slide into the next size larger, and the next, and the next.

And last but not least, I increased my activity level each day. Hold on - I didn't say "I started going to the gym every day," I said "I increased my activity level." I set my goals small and easily attainable. I started with one minute of increased activity per day. This might sound silly, but it keeps you positive and feeling good about yourself when you attain your goal each day.

If I got into bed at night and realized I had forgotten to do my one minute of increased activity, then I would wave my arms in the air for 60 seconds and I was done, without even taking my head off the pillow! Now if I had gone for a 15 minute walk that day....well then I had reached my goal 15 times over! WOW, this is easy! Get it?

One more thing, I DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST! I don't have to eat a big breakfast, but I try to get in the habit of having a little something every morning. It gets the metabolism rolling!

The healthier you eat, the better off you are, but keeping extra weight off doesn't have to mean punishing yourself!

 

HypnoBirthing® - The Most Peaceful, Comfortable, Natural Way to Birth Your Baby!

Some people might be wondering how the words peaceful and comfortable could possibly be used in the same sentence as natural birth. This isn't fiction, a misprint, or a mistake, it is HypnoBirthing® and it is a wonderful alternative to what many facilities teach as natural childbirth classes.

HypnoBirthing® the Mongan Method, was developed by a woman named Marie Mongan who refused to believe that childbirth is a medical event and that dangerous medications and/or anesthesia need to be used for a woman to give birth. She has developed this beautiful method of natural childbirth to help woman all over the world enjoy shorter, easier, and more comfortable childbirths while being awake, alert, and in control. Childbirth is a natural event, not a medical event.

Her method is based on basic ideas. Most of us have heard of the "fight or flight response" where when a person is faced with what they perceive to be a threatening situation, the body responds by sending hormones called catecholomine to the body to prepare it to fight or run away. The way the body prepares itself, is by sending blood away from the organs not used for self defense and delivering it to the arms and legs so that the muscles get plenty of blood and oxygen to help the body run faster or hit harder. This is an automatic response.

Since the digestive system and reproductive system play no part in the body's physical defense against danger, these systems are temporarily deprived of blood and oxygen until the perceived danger or threat has passed. Muscles which are deprived of blood and oxygen cannot function properly.

From the time most women are little girls until they are adults, they hear horror stories of childbirth. Some women almost seem to try to out do each other with stories of pain and complications of their own or a friend's birthing experience. They compare hours of "hard labor," emergency procedures, and drugs or other interventions used. By the time women are of child bearing age, most will absolutely cringe at the simple thought of giving birth.

Marie Mongan explains how this fear sets the body into "fight or flight" mode at the first sign that the birth is about to occur. The loss of blood to the reproductive organs causes the muscles to almost freeze or lock in position at a time when we need them most. The muscles of the uterus work in two directions to help to move the baby down and out. When the muscles are deprived of the oxygenated blood they cannot work properly and the cervix cannot open to allow room for the baby to pass through and the body feels pain.

By training yourself to relax your body, you remain completely in control. You prevent the blood from leaving your reproductive organs therefore providing the muscles with what they need to do their job. The result is a more comfortable, relaxed, and beautiful childbirth. An experience you'll never want to forget.

This was a very brief overview about the basic idea behind HypnoBirthing®. Please check out their website at www.hypnobirthing.com for more information or to find a practitioner in your area.

___________________________________________________________________________

Could Your Beloved Pet be the Cause of Blindness in Your Child?!!!

 

Blindness in your child, caused by your beloved cat or dog - a horrifying thought for any parent but nonetheless a very real threat. Each year up to 100 children suffer partial blindness from a parasitic infection called Toxicariasis. This infection is caused by round worms residing in an infected dog or cat's intestine.

The most common way in which children become infected with Toxicariasis, is by playing in dirt or sandboxes where dogs or cats have left their waste. The eggs from the parasite travel from the fecal matter to the dirt. Then the parasite is ingested when the child who has been playing in the contaminated dirt inadvertently puts his fingers in his mouth or nose. Once the eggs have been ingested, they hatch inside the child's intestine and the larvae travel to the lungs, liver, brain or eyes.

Often times the infection goes undetected, as the symptoms mimic those of other more common illnesses such as cold or flu. Symptoms may include fever, coughing, wheezing, and rashes. Other symptoms that also may or may not occur with the infection are liver symptoms, recurrent pneumonia, and eye lesions. Most infections clear up on their own but some require steroids or anti-parasitic medications.

The best way to prevent infection is by teaching children to wash their hands often, especially after playing in dirt or petting animals. Also, cover sandboxes tightly when not in use. And finally, even very young puppies and kittens can be infested by roundworms as they can be passed on by their mothers, so if you own a cat or dog, have them wormed regularly.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

Marriage Success Secrets Revealed by Happy People

All of us have experienced feelings of rage, insecurity, fear, or some other “negative” emotion that was triggered by a certain “look” from someone else? If this is something that happens with a chance encounter, like from the waitress waiting on your table as you drive several states away on vacation for example, a waitress that gives you a look that just doesn't’t “settle” well with you. While it may not be comfortable, it’s not like you have to see her every day.

However, if this look is frequent and consistent, showing up on a regular basis from someone you see daily, this might present a challenge. Encounter this “look” from a spouse or significant other on a regular basis, and you have the makings of what we refer to as a “tussle” here in the Midwest.
Unfortunately, all too often our misinterpretation of the facial expressions of others leads to long, arduous, and more importantly, unnecessary turmoil. Odd as it may seem, many of those who have been married for years, have never correctly identified the non-verbal messages offered by their spouse.

This is a one of the most important “marriage secrets” around. The main reason for these chronic misinterpretations can be discovered by examining the “split” as some call it, in the human mind. The recognition of these facial expressions occurs first, at the unconscious level, just below the threshold that would allow us to “notice” and make clearer distinctions.

Therapists and counselors who have been divorced are often ridiculed for offering marriage “advice” to others. But let me share something with you, if you truly want to learn how to enhance your marriage, find someone who has been divorced, or who has had a very rocky marriage at one time, but then turned things around and now enjoys a truly fulfilling relationship.

Forget about finding a couple that has always had a wonderful relationship, and asking them how they do it. Why? It’s really rather simple. The key is awareness; success is a very poor teacher.
When a relationship is ideal, we rarely stop to question why things are running so well. Instead, we just enjoy the fruits of our unconscious labor and almost always struggle when asked to disclose the real strategies behind our success.

Those who have turned things around on the other hand, have been “prodded” by the pain of their previous condition, to discover and bring into their conscious awareness, the patterns of behavior that were responsible for their marital agony. Then, they maintain that heightened state of awareness as they strategically incorporate new and improved behaviors and habits, thus affording them the opportunity to tell others exactly what they do that fosters the marital bliss they experience.

Those who are the happiest in their marriage and/or relationships have mastered the skill of “reading” the face of those they are close to. While this topic alone could take an entire book to cover every aspect of successfully interpreting the non-verbal signals of others, you don’t have to know everything there is to know about it, to be able to benefit tremendously.
John Gottman, the world’s foremost researcher on successful marriages offers these four keys to think about that will amplify your people reading skills and your ability to take your relationships to unbelievable levels of unity and bliss:

1. Identify what the persons face looks like when they are in a neutral state: You have to have a baseline to work from. It’s a whole lot easier to distinguish one expression from another, and more importantly, what it “means”, when you know what a “clean slate” face for this person looks like.

2. Realize that people usually experience more than one emotion: What you observe on the face of another is often a confusing mixture of several different emotions at one. If they are trying to conceal their feelings, it gets even trickier. Therefore, thinking, “They’re mad, sad, happy, etc. may only be partially true; it may also be that those emotions are very brief.

3. Don't mistake habitual facial features as temporary emotion signals: Some people are “blessed” with mouths that have down turned corners, and they appear to be unhappy just about all of the time. Clearly identify the natural expressions that might have been easily misinterpreted as meaning something that didn't do much to enhance the feelings between the two of you.

4. Slow down, and really LOOK: Since most emotions are very brief, and therefore speed the corresponding expressions past us in somewhat of a blur at times, it’s important that we develop our observational skills over time with practice, just like we do with any other worthwhile endeavor.

Look, really look at the face of the other person or loved one when you are interacting with them. When you’re uncertain what a look “means” ASK THEM what it means, or what they were feeling just then. As obvious as that seems, it’s amazing how many people never do it. They’re so certain that they already know what it means, that they don’t ever validate it with a simple question.

You’ve probably already thought of several situations where you wound up arguing with someone you love, simply because on an unconscious level, the look on their face triggered something deep inside you; perhaps the memory of an abusive parent, or a bully at school, and the similar look on their face as they were taunting you.

With associations like this taking place, especially outside of your conscious awareness, it’s a given that you’ll be needlessly enduring upsets and arguments, over and over again.

While there are many other, far more powerful marriage secrets that the happiest couples utilize, the best place to start is with the very simple, but incredibly effective fundamentals. As the fundamentals go, ceasing to allow loved ones facial expressions to thrust you into overdrive is as basic as it gets.
Enjoy making these discoveries, stretching your awareness of the impact a simple look from another can have on you, and watch what happens to your relationships!

© Copyright 2007 Vincent Harris-All Rights Reserved

Vince Harris is an expert on communication and has often been referred to as the "Human Whisperer!" He is also an expert on persuasion, motivation and accelerated behavioral change. Visit his website today at www.VinceHarris.com to get your copy of his free eBook.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

Music Matters!

For decades there has been a growing amount of research indicating the benefits of music to the young student. Math, science, spatial relation and reading skills have all been identified as benefactors of music education. I would like to introduce what I believe is yet another benefit of performing music. 

 

I changed my career as a pediatric emergency room nurse to Optometrist because of my fascination in the ocular manifestation of systemic disease. The eye is the most representative cubic inch in the body of your general health. It can show the presence of hypertension, diabetes, impending heart attacks, AIDS, parasitic infections, and too many others to list.  Over the years of examining students’ eyes I have also come to recognize how the visual system reflects the potential for sports and academic performance. Poor performance on various tests during the eye examination can be strong indicators of poor performance on the field or in the books. Enhancing vision performance skills enhances sports and academic performance.

There are many vision therapy centers devoted to improving life’s performance by improving vision skills. Music achieves many of the same skills that vision therapy achieves, and with some significant advantages. Depth perception skills, accommodative rock, hand eye coordination and other vision therapy goals are all developed while practicing music skills. Music demands laterality skills, smooth, accurate versions and saccades (movements of the eyes) and fine visual motor skills, while providing precise auditory feedback. Music organizes the entire brain and neurological system in a way no other human activity does.
The vision therapy centers provide students with excellent results that can improve almost all areas of life especially reading. After thousands of dollars and hours of practice the vision therapy student masters vision skills. After thousands of dollars and hours of practice the music student gains most of the same vision skills and has acquired one of life’s most precious talents.  Performing music develops vision skills and prepares the student for all other aspects of life more effectively than any other method. Music matters not only to the brain but also to the soul. As an optometrist who recognizes the value of music I want to leave you with this most important note. Dr. David G. Milliken

Milliken Eye Care
7 New Driftway Scituate MA
781-544-0000
www.Millikeneyecare.com

__________________________________________________

Communications and Leadership Key to Controlling Canine Behavior

By Jason Santos

According to research from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, many of the pets brought to shelters are surrendered because of behavior problems that their owners believe to be permanent. Approximately 70 percent of these animals end up being "put to sleep," making death from behavior problems the leading cause of pet mortality, ahead of trauma and disease. This means thousands of dogs are euthanized every year – the vast majority unnecessarily.

Many dog owners buy a dog with the intention that he will be a member of the family, only to discover that the dog becomes the de facto head of the household. A dog’s instinctual behavior is to challenge the pack member above him and in turn be challenged by the dog below. Within the mixed human-dog pack, dogs behave the same. This can lead to undesirable behaviors such as charging the door when the doorbell rings, barking, jumping, pulling on the leash and even biting – which are top reasons dogs are mistreated and euthanized.

Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, was started in Australia in 1989 by Sylvia and Danny Wilson, expert dog trainers and authors of several dog training books. Sylvia was head of an RSPCA shelter and studied the behavior and communication methods of dogs for years. She was saddened by the number of dogs she saw being maltreated, abandoned and euthanized for behavioral problems, which she knew was due to a lack of consistent leadership. This became the basis for creating the unique, natural training techniques that teach owners how to train their dogs through the use of voice tones and body language, all geared toward putting the owner in control through effective leadership. These techniques have propelled Bark Busters' phenomenal growth – now with more than 330 offices in 10 countries, including 230+ offices in the United States.

With more than one of every three households owning a dog in the U.S., thousands of people are looking for help to solve their dog’s behavior problems. Understanding the keys to pack behavior and following a few simple guidelines can help owners establish leadership and begin controlling a dog’s behavior:

• Because dogs crave strong leadership, if they don’t get it from their owners, they’ll try to take charge. That leads to bad behavior such as barking, jumping, aggression and pulling on the leash—each examples of the dog taking charge. The owner needs to win all challenges to demonstrate leadership.

• There are several ways to establish leadership. First, ignore all requests from the dog, such as nudges to be petted or played with. To do so, break eye contact. Then, when the dog has “given up,” call him back to you to be petted or to play. When he responds to you, versus you to him, he sees you as the leader. If he misbehaves, such as chewing on a child’s toy, correct his behavior with a forceful, low-toned growl (“BAH”). As soon as it stops, offer pleasant, high-toned praise. The dog will understand its mistake and respect you as the pack leader.

• In the wild the leader always leads the pack—literally. Establish your leadership by always leading your dog—up and down stairs, through doorways, and especially on walks. Remember, the leader always leads.

Most dog owners simply accept the disruptive or aggressive behavior of their dogs because they think it’s normal or don’t know how to change it. Learning about pack leadership and canine communication is incredibly interesting for most dog-lovers. Gaining a better understanding of the dog psyche strengthens the human-canine connection, and learning how to communicate effectively with your dog in a language it understands – voice control and body language – is a critical step in establishing leadership and control, which can eliminate many behavioral issues. Through effective training, many dogs can be saved from being abandoned or unnecessarily euthanized.

Jason is a dog behavioral therapist and trainer with Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company. Bark Busters trainers, who have trained more than 350,000 dogs worldwide, are renowned authorities in correcting dog behavior with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers a written lifetime guarantee. For more information, call 1-877-500-BARK (2275) or visit www.BarkBusters.com.