Pets does improve kids behaviour

After one week having Jessie in our midst does show some changes in our kids - Ivan and Reanne behaviour. Most noticeably is that our kids have demonstrate caring and empathy by showing concern over Jessie well being i.e whether she eats well, needs to play and needs to ease herself.

vetStreet.com write about the Five Ways Pets Are Great for Children, which include:-

Pets may prevent allergies

Pets may help prevent obesity

Pets may improve grades

Pets teach responsibility

Pets teach unconditional love

Another article by UK Pet Health Council - The benefits of pet ownership for children also echoed the benefit pets will give to kids. It said that research proving that pet ownership has considerable educational and therapeutic benefits for children. Studies demonstrate children who interact with animals have higher levels of self esteem, have greater empathy and better social skills. 

Hope to see more positive behaviour improvement from our kids. 

Tool to inculcate reading habit

I find it very interesting when I found this reading application Meegenius while venturing with Google Chrome browser.

MeeGenius digitizes children's stories, classic and new, and adds features such as word highlighting and audio playback for easy read-along

MeeGenius adds a whole new dimension to story time, making books fun and easy to read along with, while also promoting reading comprehension skills. MeeGenius is made for the modern family on-the-go - with all books stored in one place whether at home, in the car, or on vacation.

After downloading the iPhone/iPad application or visiting www.meegenius.com, Google TV, or the Google Chrome Web Store, users have access to introductory books for FREE, with additional books available within the MeeGenius storefront. MeeGenius offers a collection of childhood favorites, such as "The Three Little Pigs," "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and "Jack and the Beanstalk," in addition to new and exciting titles. Additional titles from well-known authors and publishers are being added on an ongoing basis.

Strongly recommend it for your kids. Try it!

Ivan goes to kindergarten

This new year 2010 begins with a new adventure and journey for Ivan.

It is Ivan first time ever going the school attending kindergarten. Going to be 4 years old soon, he attended the kindy just few blocks away from our house. So it was a great convenient to mommy to fetch Ivan to and fro minus the town traffic jam and longer distance.

First day was a great struggle for Ivan. He cried not wanting to go to school when we prepare him in the morning. Then he cried after we left him at the school. Parents were asked to leave the school compound for the school session to start to avoid prolong longing by the children for the parents.

Well after 5 days, things have improve quite a lot. Most of all he begins to like going to school especially the foods and friends of course. Ivan would shared to me each time I came home from work what he ate that day during snack time. And he would said, "I didn't cry".

A great start of the new year for Ivan.

Ivan accompanied by his class teacher

Ivan at outside kindy compound when mommy fetch him after class

Eating right guideline for Ivan

This is what it looks like for Ivan eating right guidelines as recommended by USDA (United States Department Agriculture) MyPyramid Food Guidance Systemn for preschool children. This guideline was based on Ivan's profile i.e. age, height and weight.

Here it said limit Ivan food intake up to 1200 calorie per day that include grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and meat & beans.

A lot more info is being offer to help and promote healthy dietary and eating habits.

Check it out here: MyPyramid.gov

Learning to write

Toddlers all develop at different rates, but here are some tips on how to encourage his writing. To gently coax your kid in writing:

Let him watch you write often. "He'll see the value of the printed word," Adair says.

Help him develop the fine motor skills to hold a pencil. Play dough, puzzles, and lacing boards all build up finger strength and dexterity.

Provide paper and crayons, markers, or a pencil. When you're waiting outside his brother's karate class, hand him some paper and a marker so he can get a feel for the fundamental tools.

Help him practice basic shapes, such as squares and circles. Then do the letters in his name: Put your hand over his and make them together, with a pencil or with your fingers in sand. Later, make connect-the-dots outlines of those letters and encourage him to trace over them. He'll be writing his moniker in no time (and yours, too!).

At what age should discipline begin?

There should be no physical punishment for a child younger than 15 to 18 months old, regardless of the circumstances.

An infant is incapable of comprehending his or her “offence” or associating it with the resulting consequences. Some parents do not agree and find themselves “swatting” a baby for wiggling while being diapered or for crying in the midnight hours. This is a terrible mistake.

Other parents will shake a child violently when they are frustrated or irritated by the incessant crying. Let me warn those mothers and fathers of the dangers of that punishing response.

Shaking an infant can cause serious neurological damage, which can occur as the brain is slammed against the skull. Do not risk any kind of injury with a baby!

Especially during the first year, a youngster needs to be held, loved, and calmed by a soothing human voice. He should be fed when hungry and kept clean and dry and warm. The foundation for emotional and physical health is laid during this 12-month period, which should be characterised by security, affection, and warmth.

This article was written by Focus on the Family Malaysia (www.family.org.my) and the Questions and Answers are extracted from “Complete Family and Marriage Home Reference Guide” by Dr James Dobson with permission.

Reanne 'rabbit' teeth

At 16 months, Reanne teeth is much more visible. Look at the cute 'rabbit' teeth she has. She now has a total visible 6 nos. teeth; 4 nos. on upper and 2 nos. on lower. To be precise, those teeth are primary incisor teeth. Based on the chart above, Reanne teeth is coming out all right. Her Canine teeth (beside Incisor) is starting to be visible also. Soon more teeth to bite.......foods.

Special Parking Lots

A photo speaks a thousand words don't they.


In our house, there are 3 additional cars.......toy cars. The cars have a dedicated parking lot by making used of the children grandpa's aquarium storage space.

During busy day, all 3 cars will be roaming around the house from kitchen to living area. Pretty hectic scene with traffic all around. The busiest car is non other than Ivan's car. Did I mentioned also that the children like to swap their car among each other. Kids!

Talk more and gesture more

Don't just talk to your toddler — gesture, too. Pointing, waving bye-bye and other natural gestures seem to boost a budding vocabulary. Scientists found those tots who could convey more meaning with gestures at age 14 months went on to have a richer vocabulary as they prepared to start kindergarten. And intriguingly, whether a family is poor or middle class plays a role.

Anyone who's ever watched a tot perform the arms-raised "pick me up now" demand knows that youngsters figure out how to communicate well before they can talk. Gesturing also seems to be an important precursor to forming sentences, as children start combining one word plus a gesture for a second word.

University of Chicago researchers wondered if gesturing also played a role in a serious problem: Children from low-income families start school with smaller vocabularies than their better-off classmates. It's a gap that tends to persist as the students age. In fact, kindergarten vocabulary is a predicter of how well youngsters ultimately fare in school.

One big key to a child's vocabulary is how their parents talked to them from babyhood on. Previous research has shown that higher-income, better-educated parents tend to talk and read more to small children, and to use more varied vocabulary and complex syntax.

It's not just that richer parents gesture more, stressed Peggy McCardle of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which funded the work.

"It's that there's a greater variety of types of gesture that would signal different types of meaning," McCardle said. "It sure looks like the kids are learning that and it's given them kind of a leg-up."

Whatever the parents income maybe, I believe don't ever let money become the stumbling block for our child well development. We just gotto find other creative ways to do it.......so talk more and gesture more.

Out of this world DSLR!!!

As I have just learned today from my Mind Mapping course, a child's brain (kindergarden level) can achieved 95% creativity compares to any age range. Being a daddy, I see it manifesting in my son, Ivan's imagination.

I guess it must been the daddy influence (love of photography), Ivan have develop his own as well. More than that.......he developed his very own DSLR camera! It's really no joke about it. See by your self. We didn't teach him. He must have been observing a lot since there is a lot of photographers with DSLR around anyway (except mine.....which is a pro-consumer DSLR). He combine several different type of his toy to made one CAMERA. Maybe should protect and patent his invention for property intelligent right :)

Really blow your mine away on how their imagination can really be.

Music trial class

Finally today we managed to bring Ivan to attend a music class. But not quite there yet. You see it's only a trial class given by the school for parents and their children to have a feel of it and of course part of the marketing strategies (lets not go unto that).

We have long intended to have Ivan attending some form of music class due to his keen interest into drums. If I am not mistaken Ivan has been 'drumming' before he turn 2 years old by banging things around using modified 'drumsticks' from his toys. My father in-laws even hand made him four pairs of drumsticks to promote his interest. Without fail every time when visiting his Ah Kong, he will look for his drumsticks to play with his grandfather.

To cut the story short, we decided to let him try out Yamaha Music Kids for children which are 3 1/2 years old. The lesson specially designed to make your child's initial encounter with music education fun and enjoyable. The course combines the dynamism of music with physical and mental activities to stimulate their musical senses and prepare them for the varieties of music education ahead. It's a 6 months programme that exposes children to fun with singing, fun with keyboards & listening, rhythm training and music appreciation. And it is a parent participation class as well.

So I was there to accompanied Ivan to attend the 30 minutes trial class along with five other kids and their parents. One thing very prominent is that, I was the only male daddy around. The rest was female mummy parents. How odd. Speak about torn among roses. The teacher straight away goes into a introduction lesson of sing along with actions, playing percussion instruments and story telling. Ivan quite distracted by the organ instrument in front of us (every participant will sit in front of an organ). Most of the time he will watch what the teacher do and say in front of the classroom. Unfortunately his was not active in participating the action instructed. Story telling time also he refused to sit in front of the class with the teacher unless I accompany him. New to the environment I guess.

Somehow he was chatty about his experience after finishing the class while we were heading home. He was also eager to share of his new found experience with mummy and my parents. Upon asking him whether he would like to go again, he would say yes. Ask whether he likes the class and he would say yes again. Well, I think we will give him a go ahead attending the lesson beginning the new class at Jan 2009. We'll see how it goes from there.

The why factor

His eyebrows shrunk as he frown. Even the lip also frown as he ask "Why......"

Of late that's what Ivan has been asking about almost everything that can be think of inside the little kid's brain. "Why that" Why this" "Why cannot" "Why huh?" For example our refusal on his certain request will then be ask why. Or ask us why when given him certain specific instruction to follow. Even more challenging was being asked why on our given answer to his earlier question. Quite a daunting task for a parents.

If we ignore him it will deprive his interaction and learning skills. If we try to answer him most often we afraid don't know how to answer his innocent questions or how best to answer his curiosity. So by God's grace and patience, lets hope mummy and I can prevail this why factor period with lots of answers. Oh Lord, how huh?

Baby teething

Baby teeth usually begin to appear between 5 months and 7 months of age. Infants may continue to get baby teeth until they are about 2 1/2 years old.

The Lucile Packard Children's Hospital offers a list of common symptoms of teething, and some warning signs that something may be wrong.

Normal signs:

• Additional drooling.
• Frequent chewing or sucking on the fist or fingers.
• Swelling or puffiness of the gums.
• Being unusually fussy.

Unusual symptoms:

• While some discomfort is normal, teething shouldn't cause your baby to have a high fever.
• Teething also shouldn't cause cold-like symptoms or diarrhea.

Sleepy child

Children need plenty of sleep to keep them healthy and happy.

Take note of these warning signs that your child may need a daily nap, courtesy of the Nemours Foundation:

• Acting sleepy during the day.
• Acting cranky or fussy late in the afternoon.
• Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning.
• Difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, impatience or aggression.
• Problems concentrating on school work or other tasks.

Once upon a time....

Reading is a fun activity for you and your toddler, and it helps your child build important language skills.

Here are suggestions for reading to your toddler, courtesy of the Nemours Foundation:

• Read at a scheduled time each day, such as before bedtime.
• If your child asks you to read a certain book, read it -- even if it's the same one you read every night.
• Read slowly, so it's easy to listen and understand.
• Use lots of expression in your voice when you read.
• Encourage interaction while you read, including clapping, singing, and using puppets to act out what you're reading.
• Substitute your child's name for the name of one of the book's characters.
• Look at the pictures, ask your child to name certain objects, and ask lots of questions.

I feel a bit guilty of not reading to Ivan for some time already. At home already got a lot of books, some we bought and most inherited from others. Lazy daddy....... shy to say own self also didn't read up much. Yeap, lets pick up the books and shows the way of good example. No, no, no excuse.

Outdoors good for kids' eyes

Parents now have another reason to shoo their kids outdoors to play, along with making sure they get enough fresh air and exercise. In a study, Australian researchers found evidence that children who spent the most time outdoors were the least likely to suffer from myopia, also called nearsightedness or shortsightedness.

"Our evidence suggests that the key factor is being outdoors, and that it does not matter if that time is spent in having a picnic or in playing sport," Dr. Kathryn A. Rose told Reuters Health. "Both will protect a child's eyes from growing excessively, which is the major cause of myopia."

Myopia has become increasingly common in recent decades, with more than 80 percent of people in some highly-educated groups being nearsighted, Rose of the University of Sydney and her colleagues point out in the journal Ophthalmology. Work that requires a person to focus on something close up -- for example reading -- has been proposed to cause nearsightedness, they add.

I definitely prefer not to have my kids to develop specky eyes like me and mummy. Well, more reason to leave my couch potato behind.

TV Time

Further to previous post on the importance of TV time for kids, here are some practical ways to make TV screen time more productive.

• Limit the number of TV-watching hours:
  • Stock the room in which you have your TV with plenty of other non-screen entertainment (books, kids' magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.) to encourage kids to do something other than watch the tube.
  • Keep TVs out of kids' bedrooms.
  • Turn off the TV during meals.
  • Don't allow your child to watch TV while doing homework.
  • Treat TV as a privilege that kids need to earn — not a right that they're entitled to. Tell them that TV viewing is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.
• Try a weekday ban. Schoolwork, sports activities, and job responsibilities make it tough to find extra family time during the week. Record weekday shows or save TV time for weekends, and you'll have more family togetherness time to spend on meals, games, physical activity, and reading during the week.
• Set a good example. Limit your own TV viewing.
• Check the TV listings and program reviews. Look for programs your family can watch together (i.e., developmentally appropriate and nonviolent programs that reinforce your family's values). Choose shows that foster interest and learning in hobbies and education (reading, science, etc.).
• Preview programs. Make sure you think they're appropriate before your kids watch them.
• Use the ratings. Age-group rating tools have been developed for some TV programs and usually appear in newspaper TV listings and onscreen during the first 15 seconds of some TV programs.
• Use screening tools. Many new standard TV sets have internal V-chips (V stands for violence) that let you block TV programs and movies you don't want your kids to see.
• Come up with a family TV schedule. Come up with something the entire family agrees on. Then post the schedule in a visible household area (i.e., on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. And make sure to turn off the TV when the "scheduled" program is over instead of channel surfing for something else to watch.
• Watch TV with your child. If you can't sit through the whole program, at least watch the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show.
• Talk to kids about what they see on TV and share your own beliefs and values. If something you don't approve of appears on the screen, turn off the TV and use the opportunity to ask your child thought-provoking questions such as, "Do you think it was OK when those men got in that fight? What else could they have done? What would you have done?" Or, "What do you think about how those teenagers were acting at that party? Do you think what they were doing was wrong?" If certain people or characters are mistreated or discriminated against, talk about why it's important to treat everyone fairly despite their differences. You can use TV to explain confusing situations and express your feelings about difficult topics (sex, love, drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, behavior, family life). Teach your kids to question and learn from what they see on TV.
• Find out about other TV policies. Talk to other parents, your doctor, and your child's teachers about their TV-watching policies and kid-friendly programs they'd recommend.
• Offer fun alternatives to television. If your kids want to watch TV but you want them to turn it off, suggest alternatives like playing a board game, starting a game of hide and seek, playing outside, reading, etc. The possibilities for fun without the tube are endless — so turn off the TV and enjoy quality time with your kids.

The Idiot Box

Background TV Distracts Kids From Play

Having the television on in the background while pre-schoolers play with their toys disrupts their efforts to sustain attention, even when they don't pay much attention to it, and may harm their development, researchers report in current issue the journal Child Development.

Pediatricians recommend no TV for children under age 2, yet studies show that three quarters of very young children in America live in homes where the TV is on most of the time, notes the research team led by Dr. Marie Evans Schmidt of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital Boston.

Even if young children aren't watching the TV, it may be distracting them from their play and depriving them of developing critical attention skills, a new study says.

When children aged 3 and younger played in a room with a television on that was tuned to adult programming, they played for about 5 percent less time than when there was no background TV. More importantly, when there was no background TV, the children's play was more focused with longer play episodes, the study found.

"Background TV is a disruptive and distracting influence. Our evidence is that TV keeps the children from sustaining their attention at a time when developmentally, they're beginning to organize their attention skills and sequencing behaviors," said study senior author Daniel Anderson, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

This finding speaks loud and clear to me to start minimize Ivan & Reanne exposure to TV time be it intentionally or not. For their development sake, got to make this adjustment promptly. It's easy to say than done as I am a TV addict myself and so are my parents :P.

Bringing them out to play at the nearby open park adjacent from our house should be a good start. Next convert my TV time to reading time with the children. As one of my friend said, if you can spend time watch TV why can't invest time in reading. Gotcha!!!

Note: Article abstracted from Yahoo New

Weaning

When to begin

The current UK advice is to stick to breastmilk (or formula if your baby isn't breastfed) for the first six months. But babies' needs are individual - some need food a little sooner, and others are fine on milk only for a little longer.

You can offer your baby a range of foods, as long as she can manage them. A lot of parents begin with purees, but this isn't essential. From around six months onwards, your baby can use her fingers and hands to bring food to her mouth, and this 'baby-led' weaning approach is a good way of helping her learn the connection between taste, appearance and texture.

First tastes can include:
a. Mashed vegetables such as parsnip, carrot, courgette, potato or yam
b. Mashed fruit such as pear, cooked apple, banana and mango
c. Rice, cornmeal, millet or baby rice mixed your baby's usual milk

If the food is hot, make sure you stir and test it before giving it to your baby. Don't add any foods to a bottle with milk, as it could cause your baby to choke. Don't force-feed her - if she doesn't seem to want the food, try again another day. Your baby should still be having breastfeeds or 600ml (one pint) of formula milk a day.

Weaning advice
a. Don't rush your baby - give her as much time as she needs to feed
b. Make sure you're both relaxed before you start to feed
c. Feed your baby on your lap or in a high chair
d. When introducing new foods, try to mix them in with familiar ones
e. Go at your baby's pace and don't be upset if she refuses the food - she'll get used to the idea
f. Weaning can be a messy business so make sure you're prepared to get your clothes, flooring and your baby very dirty indeed

The next few months
a. Try to increase the amount of food your give your baby - give her solids for two of her meals each day
b. Don't add any salt to your baby's food - if she's eating food prepared for the whole family, make sure her portion has been set aside before seasoning
c. Small amounts of sugar may be required to take away the sharpness from fruit such as gooseberry and rhubarb, but avoid adding sugar to food and drinks

Preparing your own food for your baby is cheaper than buying ready-made jars, because it can be made in bulk and frozen, and you know exactly what the ingredients are.

Other foods to try
Add other foods to the vegetable, fruit and cereal:
a. Pureed meat (including liver) and poultry
b. Pureed lentils (dhal) or split pulses
c. Milk products (full-fat yoghurt, fromage frais, custard), unless your family has a history of eczema or other allergies

Can babies eat everything?
If your baby is six months or older, there are no foods she can't have, unless you know she's at risk of allergy. Stick to breastmilk or formula milk as a drink until your baby is a year old (cow's milk is fine in cooking, or to mix with other foods).

It's probably wise to avoid honey until your baby is one because of the very small risk of botulism.

Don't add salt or sugar to your baby's food.

Bought baby foods
Pre-prepared jars or packet foods are convenient, especially if you're visiting friends or travelling and need to take something for your baby. If you do give her ready-made food, try to mix it with fresh foods.
a. Choose 'sugar-free' foods or those that don't contain added sugars or sweeteners (check the label)
b. Check the seals on cans and jars haven't been broken and they haven't exceeded their sell-by date
c. Check they're suitable for your baby's age
d. Buy gluten-free and egg-free food for babies under six months
e. Check drink labels carefully, even baby drinks labelled 'low sugar' or 'no added sugar' often contain some sugar and may harm your baby's teeth

Drinks
a. Breast milk
b. Infant formula can be used for babies up to one year and beyond
c. Once your baby's teeth have come through, try to cut out a bedtime bottle to avoid tooth decay
d. Water is the best alternative drink to milk - avoid bottled water as it can have higher mineral and salt contents
e. Citrus fruit juices can be used after six months - they're a good source of vitamin C but are acidic and have a high sugar content, so try to dilute with water
f. Squashes, fizzy drinks, flavoured milk and juice drinks are unsuitable for babies because of their sugar and additives
g. Tea and coffee aren't suitable drinks for babies or young children because they reduce iron absorption and cause tooth decay if they've got sugar in

Note: Article abstracted from BBC Parenting

Sound of Music (Part 2)

The following explain greater on the influence of music. I definitely agreed with Joshua that music is from God. And God definitely loves music since He calls us to worship moreover with instruments.

The Healing Power Of Music - Its Effect On Body And Mind

Sound is energy. Sound moves in waves and is measured in frequencies and volume. Don Campbell, a music lecturer, believes that sound waves have an effect on the body’s cells and tissues. He theorizes that music affects the body’s processes when we absorb energy from sound, causing slight changes in our breathing, pulse rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and other internal body rhythms. Sounds can have a charging and liberating effect. In certain cases, they load the brain and even the body with positive charges. Campbell cites a number of health areas influenced by music.

Music contributes to the recovery of premature babies

A Florida study of 52 newborn babies with a low birth weight demonstrated that playing music to them contributed to a rapid increase in their weight, and shortened their stay in the hospital by an average of five days (as compared to a group of similar babies which were not exposed to any musical stimulus).

Breathing

Listening to music whose sounds are long and slow usually makes breathing deeper and slower, allowing the psyche a chance to relax.

Heart rate

The heart also responds to musical variables such as frequency, rhythm, and volume. The heart tends to increase or decrease its rate depending on the music`s rhythm. The slower the music, the slower the heartbeat. A slow heartbeat creates less tension and soothes the spirit.

Blood pressure

Music can alter blood pressure. By playing recordings of pleasing music every morning and evening, people with high blood pressure can train themselves to lower their blood pressure - and keep it low.

Music helps alleviate pain and improve mood

The brain creates natural relaxants, called endorphins, which can reduce pain and promote a feeling of natural well being. Researchers at the Addiction Research Center in Stanford, California have found that listening to music enables the body to create these substances, thus improving mood.

Immune function

Music and sound can boost immune function. Scientists explain that a particular type of music can create a positive and profound emotional experience, which leads to secretion of immune-boosting hormones. This helps contribute to a reduction in the factors responsible for illness.