Pregnancy, Baby Care, and Activity

by: Sadie Chenton
Reading is the most important skill a child will ever learn. By developing an interest in reading, and thereby developing the desire to learn to read, you will be giving your child the gift to all knowledge. A child who loves to read and reads well can learn ANYTHING!
The interest in reading is developed at a young age. Make time to read bedtime stores. Make time at other time of the day, if possible, to sit and read to your child. Simple, easy to understand children's books with colorful pictures as best for the youngest children.
Not only can you point to the words you are reading as you read, but you can help the child learn recognition of objects and colors by interacting during the reading of the book. Point to the picture of a duck and tell the child, "This is a duck. The duck is yellow". After a few times of doing this, point to the duck and ask the child what that picture is and what color the animal is. Every soon, after grasping language skills, the child will not wait for questions, but tell you "that duck is yellow!"
Select books that teach a lesson about life. Books that teach children how to interact with other children without fighting; books that teach about giving or sharing, are good selections. Books that teach about responsibilities - how to cross the street, never to get in a stranger's car, never to steal, and so one - are also great choices.
Children's classics are excellent choices and may well become family heirlooms that you child will read to their child years down the road. You will soon develop a child that can't wait to learn to read.
I'd like to share a small personal antidote with you. I was raised as a child who was taught an interest in reading. When Mother cooked, she sometimes got out a book and it told her what to do to make good food. When Dad wanted to know when the Christmas Parade or another event was going to occur, he read the newspaper. I had realized that you could learn anything you needed to know if you could read. Mother had taught me to read a few words, and I could go through some of my favorite books by memory, but I couldn't pick up a big book and read it.
I went to school on my first day of 1st grade and came home crying my eyes out, telling Mother I wasn't going back to that bad school. After much questioning and concern on Mom's part, she finally dragged out of me that I considered the school bad because I had not learned to read on the first day! She had to explain to me that by the end of the school year, I would be able to read.
This short story is to emphasis that you want to raise the kind of child who truly can't wait to learn to read. A lifetime of reading provides not only knowledge, but fun, relaxation, and true job.

by: Jared Winston
If your child is a Dora the Explorer fan, you probably have bought, or are planning to buy, any of the available Dora the Explorer games. These games are educational in nature, just like the TV show itself, and help children develop their abilities while having fun. There is a whole line of Dora the Explorer games designed that are designed to focus specifically on certain skill sets of your children.
For children aged 3+, I recommend the fun Color Forms game. It helps your little kids recognize important concepts as color and form, and even numbers. This easy game's goal is to collect all different colored pieces and get to Abuela’s house. Children can choose between four different characters (Dora, Boots, Tico the squirrel and Isa the Iguana), and can be played in three different ways: By colors (age 3+), by numbers (age 4+) and even by both colors and numbers (recommended for age 6+). The game's cards are big enough to appeal any child, and they contain descriptions in both English and Spanish. As all Dora the Explorer games, your children will sometimes face the villainous fox Swiper, who will try to steal all of the collected colored forms from your kids. This game is especially interesting if there are three or more players.
For single players, you should probably choose a Dora the Explorer videogame. These games keep your kids entertained while helping then develop their skills. I recommend the Lost City Adventure videogame (for kids aged 3-6), in which your kid must help Dora find her missing favorite teddy bear. Dora and Boots must travel to the Lost City, the magic place where every lost object ends up. In the way, Dora will also help some of her friends find their lost items. This game helps your children develop his/her thinking and math abilities, as well as his/her problem solving skills.
Another great videogame in the Dora the Explorer games series is the FairyTale Adventures videogame. In this game, your child will help Dora in her quest to wake Boots from a magic spell. In order to do so, Dora must become a true princess! The game will take your preschooler kid in a journey through Fairy Tale Land, where classic fairy tales take place. Dora’s quest to become a princess involves puzzle solving and also playing songs from the TV show. This game will allow your child to improve his/her puzzle solving abilities and thinking skills. The game's play pack even includes a small cute Dora the Explorer doll.
Of course, there are a lot more Dora the Explorer games available to choose from. They represent a great way for your children to learn and improve useful skills. Bringing home an educational Dora the Explorer game for your children will not only be a great surprise for them, but will also be highly beneficial for their development. Besides, children just love Dora the Explorer games!
Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

by: Alison Palmer
Raising children is a confusing business. There are times when any parent or caregiver can use additional parenting advice. There are many books available to parents to help get through the day-to-day issues.
Every child is different, and every parent is different, too. Because of this, there are no cookie-cutter solutions that will work for everyone. The best suggestion is for you to review all the solutions you discover and take a few quiet minutes to think about them. Modify the suggestions to best suit your family, and don't be afraid to try out more than one until you discover the best answer.
Here are some tips:
1) Tell your children that you love them. Don't just show it by buying them things. Verbalize it and show them by hugging them.
2) Be involved in your children's lives - go to their concerts, games, and plays. This should be your highest priority.
3) Involve your children in family decisions.
4) Do not ever say "Because I said so" or "Because I am the parent". Instead always rationally explain your reasons for making a decision. Not only will children then understand and comply easier, but it will help them to develop their own reasoning skills.
5) Actively participate with your children in activities outside of the home.
Do not hesitate to share the ups and downs of parenting with another parent. You may be surprised to find that they are experiencing some of the same joys and frustrations as you.
One popular mistake parents make is asking instead of telling. The way you phrase your words determines whether your children see your request as optional or required. Take away all wishy-washy phrases from your vocabulary. When you want your child to do something or stop doing something, make a clear and specific statement that leaves no room for confusion.
Many parents start out on the right track, but are derailed by an incredibly persistent child. It seems that when children couple their youthful energy with an extraordinary ability to pinpoint their parent's weak spots, the result is usually disaster.
If you are doing your job as a parent, there are many times when your decisions will not be popular with your kids. When your child is nagging, whining and pleading with you, it is a sure sign that you have made the right decision. It is also a sign that you need to disengage from your youngster and teach him you will not be easily swayed by his persistence.
Your most important goal as a parent is not to make your children happy on a short-term basis. It is to raise capable and responsible human beings. There are many times when your children will be unhappy with your decisions.
Today there are more parents than any other generation of parents in history. There is an incredible amount of information and knowledge about parenting advice you can get from friends, books, and the internet. Take advantage of this information. Read and take note. And be confident in your actions.

by: Yana Mikheeva
Ancient Greeks considered that a man who couldn’t read, count and swim – was illiterate. Your terror has coped with the first two skills already? Has he learned swimming already? Not yet? Then, no matter where you have a vacation this summer: at the warm sea or at the health center with a pool, in a canoe tour or at your mother-in-law’s country place – give your child several lessons of a real literacy.
It’s necessary to learn swimming on deep water, so that your child wouldn’t get used to pull down his legs and stand up on the bottom. While not observing this rule, a child’s period of transfer from shallow water to depth is being delayed: he can already hold on the water and dive, but still is afraid to swim in depth. However, avoid any extreme: don’t throw a child that cannot swim into the water. You can throw one and he’ll get out, and another will start sinking and after you take him out, he’ll never go into the water again. But even the one who gets out receives shock, a trauma. Your child doesn’t need this. So, let’s learn swimming in depth, but holding a pool’s side, berth or father’s hand in the beginning.
Should you use an inflatable rubber buoy or no? It’s better without it, but in inflatable armlets. A buoy relaxes; a child can pull down his legs, thinking that he’s still swimming. Armlets prevent a child from sinking, but make him hold his legs and body aflat on the water. And a child should get used not to pull down his legs.
Foam plastic plates are worse than armlets. When a child learns to hold himself on water gradually, you can proceed to a flexible stick for aqua-aerobics. These sticks are called noodles. Children like them as they are bright and colored, they hold body on water well, they can be bent anyway, clutched under armpits, hold behind the back… , this way arms and legs will be free and it’ll be easy to swim using such stick.
The best time for learning swimming in 6 y.o. A child already understands what do you want from him, his coordination is good enough already, and there’s no fear yet and it can be easily subdued.
Firstly we’ll be swimming on a tummy. Holding a pier, side or father, we’re learning moving legs. Legs are knocking the water, like while swimming the crawl: toes are stretched, turned inside slightly, knees don’t bend almost. Now we’ll show what arms should do. Arms execute circular motions, like in breast-stroke. And you shouldn’t be confused with such different styles, this way children can learn swimming easier.
Train a child to breathe out into the water at once. In the beginning, he can put only his mouth into the water. Eyes and nose are still above the water. He should form a habit – as soon as water touches his mouth – we breathe out into the water. Then we get used to put mouth and nose, then mouth, nose, eyes into the water. We breathe evenly, not too deep: half- breath, half- outward breath. Breathe in, look where we’re swimming, pull down the head, and breathe out into the water. Let a child hold firstly a pier, buoy, parent’s hand. And buy him eyeglasses to protect eyes.
Five - ten lessons – and you can see your child can hold in water confidently wearing armlets, swim on his tummy, breathes out into the water. So, it’s time to turn to his back. It’s easier to swim on back: a child doesn’t have to breathe out in water, he can look around while swimming, and use only his legs to swim… Children like swimming on back, but only after they learn swimming on tummy, as although it’s more difficult to swim on a tummy, it’s still more natural. Observe your child holds head, tummy and legs aflat. Let him imagine he’s lying of a sofa. As soon as he feels such position, he’ll learn swimming on back. A child can relax his arms, but also he may rake up slightly.
Don’t be in a hurry to put off armlets, wait till your child learns holding on water confidently. Let him swimming on a tummy, back, diving, swimming by breast-stroke and the crawl, wearing armlets… Then try to loosen armlets by half. If a baby says: “I cannot swim, I’m sinking”, this means it’s not time to put them off yet. Let him swimming wearing them, or try to putt off one by one slowly.
After 30 lessons while swimming, any child, even the shyest one, will swim independently. Have no doubts!
However, in general, it’s better to join a section, so that to form a good skill. When a child can already swim by overarm, for example, it’ll be difficult for a trainer to teach him again.

by: Yana Mikheeva

Women are greatly interested in the nature of paternal feelings to a baby. Do they appear by themselves or with the time being? What’s the difference between maternal and paternal feelings? How can a woman influence father’s attention to a baby? May be lack of such attention lies in man’s uncertainty in his paternal talents? And in general, how should these paternal feelings peep? Let’s try to study out these questions from the very beginning.

Pregnancy is a man’s affair

The bases of relationship between father and baby are developed during the period when a baby is in mother’s tummy. It’s hard for a woman to bear pregnancy successfully without her man’s support and empathy. However, a woman can face man’s incomprehension of the depth of changes, occuring with her. On the one hand, there’s a stereotype “pregnancy is not a man’s affair” in our society, on the other hand, a man doesn’t feel any signs of pregnancy by himself.

Don’t be despaired. This problem can be solved, probably, a man just doesn’t know about the importance of his “engaging” into pregnancy. Tell him about the importance of man’s attention for your baby’s correct development. Start attending pregnancy preparatory courses together. Fortunately, there’re more and more men now, who strive to engage into their baby’s life long before his birth. A word-combination “pregnant father” doesn’t surprise us already, now it is a reflection of a real situation, meaning that while a woman is bearing a baby, a man “is bearing a woman”. Taking care of her well-being and comfort, he creates the best conditions for his baby development. A “pregnant father” usually presents at the process of childbirth, feeling himself not like a helpless watcher, but as an active participant of the event. Many of them say that this participation in childbirth was the brightest and happiest event in their life.

The language they both understand

The first contact between father and baby is an important event of their relations. It’s desirable, that the contact would happen during the fist days of baby’s life. During this period, baby’s relations with the the world around are being developed instinctively, and father’s figure is very important at that moment. It’s clear, that a young father feels hesitating and confused while the first meeting with a baby. But this can easily be corrected right at this moment. Let father take a baby in his hands, press to his breast, it’s desirable, that this contact would be “skin to skin” one, praise for the efforts a baby took during the birth. This is necessary both for father and new-born baby.

During the first months of baby’s life, “pregnancy” still takes place, just on “outer” level. A baby is still completely dependent on a mother, and a man feels he’s not already so necessary to his baby. However, now a father gets a wonderful opportunity to try on a “tummy” on himself – bear a baby in a “kangaroo”-rucksack. Many men do it with pleasure, being really proud of such a burden and receiving the first lessons of relations with their baby.

Quite often, new-born babies’ fathers just don’t know about their paternal role during this stage of baby’s life. To avoid estrangement between father and baby, tell husband to do exercises with a baby or teach a baby swimming. This is very useful for baby’s development. Explain him, that because of these turns of breast-feeding and home matters, you just cannot find time for this, and a man will gladly take such task. This way he’ll find approach to a baby, begin to feel his necessity and see the result of his efforts – baby’s joy. So, body language will become their language of communication. This is a good gain for years.

Father is the best stimulus

Maternal love is unconditional, however, father’s love should be deserved. This is an important life stimulus for a baby. Growing up, a child begins to need a paternal guidance, authority and approval. The above-mentioned doesn’t mean a father loves his child less, than a mother does. A man just needs to see a decent continuation of himself in his baby. He pays attention on up-bringing in his child the qualities, which will help him coping with problems during life. First of all, this is self-dependence. As for a baby, a special pleasure for him is to demonstrate his achievements to his father, even if these are just his furst steps or scrawling on paper.

However, sometimes a child is just not ready to do what his parents wait from him. So, it’s very important to help a man to correct his expectations to the level of baby’s age possibilities. If you see a baby cannot cope with the meccano his father has just presented him, drop him a slight hint, that one can also build good cities playing with bricks. Paternal love should give a baby a constantly growing sense of hiw own power, not putting out baby’s self-confidence.

Sometimes a woman faces a temptation – to use a child’s wish to please his father in her educational purposes. If you disobey, I’ll complain your father of you. Don’t be in a rush to intimidate a child. Such method can deprive you of child’s respect to you, and it can also deprive your child of initiative. Moreover, it’s not quite necessarily that your child’s behavior, which made you sad, will make a father sad too. For example, what seems to be an obstinacy for you, will be a self-dependence for a man.

We cannot stay at home

Growing up, a baby begins learning the world around, and there’s no better guide, than a father, in this trip. Usually, men prefer leading active way of life and spend time outdoor with a child with great pleasure. When I left my 1 y.o. daughter with her father, I was lost in conjectures as for where they would go that time. May be they will go to a husband’s work or at his friend’s place? May be they will visit some modern exhibition or toy shop? And may be they will go cycling? My husband’s imagination was just inexhaustible.

Althouth this brought me much worrying, i saw my daugther really likes this trips. And I tried to understand that staying at home playing different quiet games – is not just for them. And it’s better to give both father and child a freedom of choice of the way to spend their time together. Don’t be sad if the routine was broken and your child ate some fast-food instead of home soup. In return, your baby received lots of new impressions, experience of communication with other people, and the main thing – he received a sense of confidence in his father’s defence.

Father is like a holiday

Communication with father gives baby a feeling of holiday. And this is not because fathers spend little time with children, how many women like explaining this event sometimes. The matter is that a father represents other pole of human life, than a mother does. If a mother’s image assosiates with house, where a child lives, then a father’s image is more connected with the world out of this house. Father is a world of traveling, world of things, created by man’s hands, world of thought. Maternal love gives a child a sense of safety, paternal one helps him orienting in the world around.

A sense of holiday comes from importance and brightness of the impressions, which a child receives due to his father. Sometimes the commonest things are being discovered from a new, unexplored side, due to a father. A sofa turns to be a plane, a pencil turns to be a screw-driver, and a pan turns to be a drum. Only a man can look with an unconcealed delight while a baby is disassembling a TV control panel or pushing different phone buttons with enthusiasm, being glad at baby’s in-born talent for engineering.

It’s quite difficult for a woman to overcome the fact that sooner or later her child will separate from her. But this is where the sense of growing, self-dependence and spiritual development is. Woman’s wisdom is in not preventing her child from growing up. Respect his necessity to communicate with father and become more and more independent. Maternal and paternal love in combination create ideal conditions for a child’s development. A famous American psychologist wrote: “Mother is a house we are leaving, and father is the one who teaches a child to learn his way to the world”.

by: Chiamin Lau

“Why does my Baby cry? What can I do?”

Every new mum and dad ask themselves frantically when their newborn cry. Most parents with newborns carry the expectation that being good parents mean having happy babies all the time (Smiling babies is what everyone usually see in all the baby magazines…)

The reality is that babies have to cry.

Remember: Crying is the first form of baby talk. Crying is a normal event in the lives of all babies. When a baby comes out of the womb, the first thing she does is cry.

It is the only way your baby communicates with you from the start. She (let’s assume this is a baby girl) may be hungry ;she may be wet; she may be too warm or too cold; she may be just bored….There are many reasons why babies cry and it will not be long for you to distinguish between the different cries. As you and your baby get to know each other, you will sometimes be able to tell the difference between each kind of crying. You can then try to give her what she needs.

Taking care of your baby when she cries will not spoil her. It will help your baby feel loved and secure. Smile, touch and talk to your baby as often as possible. Do this when you feed her, change her diaper or give her a bath. Your baby will learn that she can rely on you to take care of her.

One of the common causes why babies cry is hunger: sometimes even if it seems you have just fed your baby, she could still be hungry. Whether you are feeding your baby on a fairly regular schedule or according to her desire, you will soon get a good idea what her feeding pattern is like. There are certain times in the day she wants more to eat, this should help you to decide the unusual crying is due to hunger. If she stops crying after another feed, you will know she is trying to tell you that she is hungry. However, sometimes if your baby cries after feeding, it can be due to indigestion. Babies swallow air, and then they suffer from wind, just like anyone else. Do burp your babies regularly to expel swallowed air. There are a few checks you can do to lessen the problem – check the teat hole, too big a teat hole can cause too much air intake while feeding. Also you can try to hold your baby upright as much as possible during burping. This helps to expel swallowed air too.

Fatigue is another common causes why baby cry. When young babies have been awake for unusually long while or they have been over stimulated (being with strangers, by being in a strange place), they can become irritable and tired. They might cry a little earlier or later than the normal nap schedule. Instead of being easier for them to fall asleep after a busy day, it may be even harder. If you try to comfort them with more playing, more talk, it may make matters worse. Some young babies may just have to cry (the crying can be frantic and loud) before they can fall asleep. Therefore, if you know there is more activities ahead in the coming day (traveling or festive season with lots of other people in the house), you may have to try to tailor the sleeping times to suit the day’s activities.

And naturally, if your baby is unwell, she will cry.

Sometimes this is as simple as too much heat or coldness in the room. If she feels too warm or too cold, she becomes restless and she will cry. Babies need to rest comfortably in a room with good ventilation.

If it is sickness like a cold with nasal blocking, your baby will not be able to sleep well and will go on crying till the passage for better breathing is opened.

Or it can be a case of nappy rash when a tight and wet nappy is kept her for a long time. For some babies, rash can also be caused by some allergic reaction to the elastic material of the nappy. When the rash appears it causes soreness and she become sleepless and cry.

Constipated babies with hard stools may cry when they get the urge for stool. Some babies will hesitate to pass stool because of pain. Therefore it is important to ensure your baby has regular bowel movements.

That being said, I think almost all babies will have some fretful moments during the early weeks, though some babies can be excessively fretful. We may not really know are the causes, indigestion or irritability, and though this may not be a serious issue, this is definitely going to create a lot of stress for you! Go ahead and try a few things – a pacifier between feedings, tug your baby snugly in a blanket, and if possible, go for a car ride, it works like magic for fretful babies. You can also try to play some light music. Make soft noises, such as cooing, to let your baby know you are there and you care. Talk to your baby. This helps to calm your baby down.

But sometimes despite all your efforts, your baby might just cry more than others do.

Don’t despair and be too hard on yourself, it is important to give yourself a deserved break. Try to arrange for someone to mind her a few hours, or even a few minutes will do you good. You might be surprised to know some babies can sense the tension in their parents, and in turn they cannot relax themselves too. Therefore it is important for you (and for your spouse and your baby too) to make effort to leave the house for a few hours at least once a week so that you will not get too exhausted or even depressed. Your baby does not need two worried parents to listen to her at the same time.

Remember, do your best to keep a sense of balance (though this may sound like an impossible task ) by not putting 100% of your time on your newborn as ultimately this will help your baby and the rest of your family in the long run.

by: Jennifer Barnett

Baby showers can be fun times. It may be one of the last times for the mother-to-be to enjoy a relaxing get together with family and friends. Once the baby arrives, things will be hectic. However, it may also be a somewhat awkward time if her family and friends do not know each other well. One of the best ways to break the ice between everyone is by playing a fun shower game! Baby shower games are generally inexpensive and just require a little planning. Here are a few examples of fun games you can play at the next baby shower you host.

Baby Photos

This is a simple game, but it can get everyone in the "baby" mood. Ask the baby shower attendees to bring a picture of themselves as a baby or toddler. Take each picture and post it on a large piece of poster board, assigning each photo a number. When all the guests have arrived, give each one a nametag so everyone knows everyone's name. Then give each guest a piece of paper and let everyone guess who is who in the baby photos. The person who is able to identify the most baby pictures wins!

Baby Songs

Divide the party into two groups. Assign someone in each group to be the recorder and have them think of as many songs with baby in the title. Set a time limit of 5 minutes. Whichever team is able to list the most songs wins. To add more fun, make the losing team sing a song chosen by the winning team from their list.

Bottle Suckers

Some baby showers have men and women both attend, and this game is great for those type of showers. Fill one 4-ounce baby bottle with juice for each attendee. Have them all drink at once, timing them to see who finishes the fastest. It is good fun to see grownups sucking from a baby bottle. You can even trick the father-to-be by giving him a nipple with a small hole, so it takes him longer to drink the bottle.

Pillow Talk

This one is a little risqué, so if there are older relatives or men in the room, you may want to avoid it. However, if it is just the girls, it is super fun. Do not tell the mother-to-be what is going on, just have someone write down what she says when she opens each gift. Once all the gifts are open, have someone read back what she said, explaining that her comments are "what she said on the night the baby was conceived." It makes for some hilarious innuendos!

Baby Food Tasters

This one gets everyone in the mood for the new little addition. Purchase ten jars of baby food - all different varieties. Print out a sheet that lists each flavor and post it somewhere in the room. Cover the bottom of the jars with foil and print a number on each one. All guests should have a plastic spoon, a paper plate, and a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Pass around each jar of baby food one at a time and have each guest place a small spoonful of the baby food on their plate. Have them taste it to try to guess what food it is. On their sheet of paper, have guests write down the number from the jar and what flavor that they think they are tasting. Sweet potatoes are usually hard to identify, so you might want to get a jar to try to fool everyone. Be sure to have your camera ready for the faces everyone will make when tasting the baby food.

Mom's Waistline

This one is fun if the mother-to-be is not too sensitive about the size of her ever-expanding waistline. Get a roll of ribbon and ask each guest to pull out as much ribbon as she thinks it will take to cover the mother-to-be's waistline. Cut off the ribbon and try it around the mom's waistline. The guess who comes closest to the actual waist circumference wins.

Test Drive

If it is a pretty day and you plan to have the baby shower outside, this is an entertaining game to play. Set up an obstacle course in the yard, put a doll in the stroller and have each guest run the obstacle course. Time each guest, giving them a 5-second penalty for collisions and a disqualification if the doll falls out of the stroller. Whoever completes the course in the fastest time wins.

Many entertaining games can be played at a baby shower. Just be sure to bring the camera to record all the fun for the mother-to-be to enjoy for years to come.

by: Rachel Incoll

The question of whether allowances are right or wrong, is one that has been argued for many generations. Now it’s your turn, as a parent, to decide whether or not an allowance is the best way to educate your child about financial responsibility. There are many reasons given on why a regular payment of money to a child should or shouldn’t be done – ultimately I believe there is no right answer, it is up to each individual family to decide what is the best option for them. Through many years of working with parents and educators, these are the top seven reasons I keep hearing on the question of why should kids get allowances.

1. They learn to be wise with how they spend their money. It may help to teach them how to prioritise their spending, & learn from an early age what things are a waste of money.

2. They learn how to save money. Having a regular amount of money, may make it easier for them to establish good saving habits, as a certain percentage of the money from each payment can be placed into a savings account/piggy bank. Without an allowance, any money they receive, may simply be spent, with nothing going to savings.

3. They learn how to donate their money. A certain percentage of their money can also be allocated to donations to the needy, hopefully encouraging your child to be more thoughtful of others, & not greedy with their money.

4. They will learn how to budget their money so it lasts between payments. Eventually, most children will learn to be careful how they spend what limited money they have, so they don’t run out of money. This will only happen, if the parent doesn’t give in to the initial whining for more money when the mistake is first made!

5. They can learn to make mistakes with small amounts of money. Kids will learn how to manage their finances responsibly far quicker through being allowed to make mistakes themselves (and suffering the consequences), rather than being told how they should be managing their money by someone else. Parents need to be there to guide their children on how they should spend their money, but not dictate (unless there could be serious consequences from their mistakes).

6. They may stop nagging you for money. The idea is, if they are receiving a regular amount of money, and they have a good understanding of how to budget it then they will never run out of money, so won’t keep pestering you for more. Realistically, it will probably never put a complete end to the nagging for money, but it should reduce it.

7. You may end up forking out less money. If you sit down, and add up how much money you give your child during the week & how much you spend on items for them (e.g. clothing), it may actually work out cheaper to give them an allowance, and make them responsible for a lot of their purchases.

As I mentioned earlier, an allowance isn’t necessarily the best option for every family, but these are some of the reasons why many parents & educators believe an allowance is the only way to go. Some families though, may not have enough room in the family budget to provide their children with a regular payment, or may simply not believe in it for their own personal reasons. Either way you choose, I have seen with my own eyes, children from each side of the fence who have grown up to be exceptional money managers, and likewise children who seem to have no idea. Ultimately, it comes down to how much guidance a child receives from their parents/guardians on money – whether through an allowance or not.

by: Alison Palmer

If you are like most parents, you probably want to raise healthy, smart kids. You may already have some ideas on how to achieve this. Here are some parenting tips that will help parents ensure their children develop to their full potential.

One of the parenting tips that work best is giving your children quantity and quality time. When you spend time with your kids, try to engage them in meaningful conversations. Try to build fun and healthy communications and relationships while the kids are young.

In many homes, parents do not really talk to their kids when they are young. But when the kids become teens, these parents desperately want to talk to their teens. But the opportunity is not there anymore. Try not to become average parents. According to statistics, an average American parent spends less than fifteen minutes a week in serious discussion with their children.

Practice and develop good habits. It is important that you push your kids to exercise their faith and put into action the lessons that they have received. For example, it is one thing to learn about charity and caring, but it is another thing to volunteer some time to visit nursing homes and serve the elderly. Or participate in building a house for the poor.

Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher, said that virtues are acquired by the development of habits. At first it may feel like a duty to maintain good habits but it will become easier as time goes by, and soon they will exercise good habits effortlessly.

Be a good role model. It is hard trying to teach children something when we do not do it ourselves. When they hear you lying about something, what kind of message are you sending to your children? Because action speaks louder than words, your kids will probably imitate our good and bad habits more than listening to our words.

Be involved parents. Involved parents are parents who monitor their kids’ media consumption, know whether the teachings in school are in line with their values and are acquainted with their friends. You should have a good rapport with your kids. Nobody is perfect but the more you become involved in your children’s lives, the better your chances of raising them to be good citizens.

Have a strong and healthy relationship. Having a strong and healthy marriage or relationship is not only good for you but also for your children. A thriving family unit is a good deterrent for anti-social behavior.

One thing for sure: it is hard enough to raise a child with two parents, let alone a single parent. Research shows that two years after a divorce, many boys have trouble concentrating, do poorly on intelligence tests, and have difficulty with math. Should your relationship break down ensure that your children continue to have full support from both parents.

Get connected with other parents. We need support and encouragement from other parents and you’ll no doubt learn new parenting tips from them. It is good to know that you are not the only ones who may be struggling. You can encourage one another to hang in there and continue to do the right thing.

by: Susan Heming

Schools behave badly sometimes. Systems and people are imperfect, so it’s really unavoidable. However, some schools behave badly more often than others. The purpose of this article is not to bash schools, but to acknowledge that parents are often disadvantaged in the power stakes and can be left feeling alienated, talked about and treated with disrespect. The parents most likely to end up feeling this way are actually caring parents who try to address issues with the school on behalf of their children. This usually doesn’t go down too well, as these parents are simply causing a problem from the school’s point of view. Schools play by their own rules a lot of the time and those rules can be applied with partiality and changed on a whim.

Parents who are feeling let down by a school in how they or their children are being treated, need to seriously consider whether the problem is cultural. If the school culture is such that your concerns are dismissed, gossiped about or generally belittled, you need to consider whether or not you should change schools or look for an educational alternative. It does need to be acknowledged, though, that teachers and administrative staff may well believe they are right and your problem is fundamentally one of viewpoint. If it is a significant difference in point of view, however, it still comes back to culture and is not likely to change.

My children are in a Christian private school. My experience has been that there are teachers who have behaved well and those who have behaved badly at times. That is to be expected.. The fundamental mistake I have made in dealing with the school is in believing the advertising material that initially influenced me. The promise of a Christian environment, where children are nurtured and supported and where parents are partners, was alluring to say the least. However, it is a mistake to treat a Christian School differently than you would any other school, because it is no different.

The difficulty in deciding how to respond to schools when an impasse has occurred lies in the overall assessment of the benefit of that educational environment for your children. For me, my eldest daughter is in year 12 and it is her final year. Has the school been good for her? In many ways, yes! She has a great circle of friends. She is in a safe and moral environment. She has had some very good teachers over the years. Yet, the work load is very high and on the whole the school’s ability to convert that high standard to good university entrance results is poor. Have I made the right decision to stay? From a purely educational perspective, probably not. From my daughter’s point of view, she has probably made some good friends for life. Priceless!

My daughter is studying the NSW HSC (Higher School Certificate). It is the make or break final year and the university admission index given with it, if desired, is what allows access to university courses. The HSC is a rigorous course. All Board of Studies Assessments must be in writing and everything is very legal, but class work requirements do not have to be in writing because they don’t count towards the HSC.

Year 11 in many ways was a trial run for this, but the marks don’t count towards the HSC. In her extension English class, in year 11, class work (including non assessment essays and assignments) was collected without prior notice and on a day when my daughter was away. She was never told. She asked if she had missed anything and she was told she had not. You can imagine the shock when we got the half year report, with a mark of 36% on it. Her only assessment mark was 36 out of 40. You can see that the class work was given a mark of 60%. I addressed this with the Director of Studies, who told me the teacher had been unwell and she would get it marked. I got no response, but the final report indicated the class work had been marked but only given a bare pass. We decided that since it didn’t count we’d let it go at that, but we wanted the work back to see how it was marked. We asked, we waited and we asked again. Finally, my daughter received back three pages out of the one and a half inch pile of papers taken from her folder in my presence, with the comment that that was all the teacher said she was given. At around this time, my daughter sat an Advanced English exam. It was lost. Just hers. I didn’t find out till the Christmas holidays. By the time she went back to school, I was concerned that the school’s actions had the potential to derail her HSC year.

I made an appointment, wrote a formal letter and asked for the work back or an explanation. I was assured very nicely that the teacher’s motives were only good, and paranoia in me was implied. However, it has been at least 6 weeks now since that interview. There has been no response to my meeting. The year 11 work was not returned and no explanation was offered. We are well into year 12 now and the lost test was retaken. My concerns about the school’s organization and management of the HSC year, and their competence in teaching to the requirements of the syllabus and not overloading students with unnecessary work has not diminished. My options? Absolutely none. It’s too late to do anything but provide as much help external to the school as possible.

My daughter is basically an A level student in English, in courses that have high standards and rigorous requirements. So you would think that my concerns would be clearly understood by the school. This, however, is not the case because the culture of the school defines their integrity and honor as support and defense of their teachers. The religious mindset actually causes the individuals involved in a dispute to be offended that anyone could even think they might have done something wrong. This effectively means that from their point of view, they are always right.

Parents come up against strong group dynamics in a school. You will know if this is occurring in your child’s school if one of two things happens: if you are actually abused or disrespected and dismissed when you are trying to communicate, or if you are spoken to politely (if a little condescendingly) and promised action that never materializes.

What can you do? Carefully consider all aspects of the situation. Overall, your child might be much happier at their school than they would be anywhere else. However, your child’s desires cannot be the only consideration, though they are very important. Children do not always know what is best for them. No-one likes the upheaval of moving schools, but as parents we also have more experience than our children, we know that good credentials are very important in this modern world and we do not want to see our children sabotaged by an unhelpful environment. Sometimes we just need to make a tough decision.

by: Steven Stosny, Ph.D.

Your children learn how men should behave in relationships by watching you. Even if you do not live with their mother, they are keenly aware of the way you interact with her. Most divorce and domestic violence happens to men and women who grew up without a father modeling healthy relationship behavior. Here are 10 tips to help you model the way you want your daughter to be treated in her adult relationships, and the way you want your son to treat the woman he loves.

1. Value their mother: Children value themselves and others more when they feel that their mother and father value one another.

2. Perspective-taking (seeing things through someone else’s eyes): Show your children the importance of respecting the perspectives of people they love, even when they disagree with them.

3. Cooperation: Show how to participate willingly in work, problem-solving, or task-accomplishment.

4. Negotiation: Show your children how to work out solutions to problems that respect one another’s perspectives.

5. Resourcefulness: Never stop trying to make things better.

6. Motivation to improve: Approach disagreements with the attitude of making them better, not worse.

7. Compassion: This gut-level reaction to your wife’s pain, discomfort, or anxiety includes sympathy, protectiveness, and willingness to help but not control. It recognizes that your wife is different from you, with her own temperament, set of experiences, beliefs, values, and preferences.

8. Good will: Learning a positive attitude toward the people they love will greatly improve your children’s chances of having good relationships. Think good thoughts about your wife, and always give her the benefit of a doubt.

9. Affection: Showing affection toward their mother makes children feel more secure.

10. Relationship investment: Successful relationships require that people care about and occasionally do nice things for one another.

http://compassionpowr.com

by: Chiamin Lau

“Why does my Baby cry? What can I do?”

Every new mum and dad ask themselves frantically when their newborn cry. Most parents with newborns carry the expectation that being good parents mean having happy babies all the time (Smiling babies is what everyone usually see in all the baby magazines…)

The reality is that babies have to cry.

Remember: Crying is the first form of baby talk. Crying is a normal event in the lives of all babies. When a baby comes out of the womb, the first thing she does is cry.

It is the only way your baby communicates with you from the start. She (let’s assume this is a baby girl) may be hungry ;she may be wet; she may be too warm or too cold; she may be just bored….There are many reasons why babies cry and it will not be long for you to distinguish between the different cries. As you and your baby get to know each other, you will sometimes be able to tell the difference between each kind of crying. You can then try to give her what she needs.

Taking care of your baby when she cries will not spoil her. It will help your baby feel loved and secure. Smile, touch and talk to your baby as often as possible. Do this when you feed her, change her diaper or give her a bath. Your baby will learn that she can rely on you to take care of her.

One of the common causes why babies cry is hunger: sometimes even if it seems you have just fed your baby, she could still be hungry. Whether you are feeding your baby on a fairly regular schedule or according to her desire, you will soon get a good idea what her feeding pattern is like. There are certain times in the day she wants more to eat, this should help you to decide the unusual crying is due to hunger. If she stops crying after another feed, you will know she is trying to tell you that she is hungry. However, sometimes if your baby cries after feeding, it can be due to indigestion. Babies swallow air, and then they suffer from wind, just like anyone else. Do burp your babies regularly to expel swallowed air. There are a few checks you can do to lessen the problem – check the teat hole, too big a teat hole can cause too much air intake while feeding. Also you can try to hold your baby upright as much as possible during burping. This helps to expel swallowed air too.

Fatigue is another common causes why baby cry. When young babies have been awake for unusually long while or they have been over stimulated (being with strangers, by being in a strange place), they can become irritable and tired. They might cry a little earlier or later than the normal nap schedule. Instead of being easier for them to fall asleep after a busy day, it may be even harder. If you try to comfort them with more playing, more talk, it may make matters worse. Some young babies may just have to cry (the crying can be frantic and loud) before they can fall asleep. Therefore, if you know there is more activities ahead in the coming day (traveling or festive season with lots of other people in the house), you may have to try to tailor the sleeping times to suit the day’s activities.

And naturally, if your baby is unwell, she will cry.

Sometimes this is as simple as too much heat or coldness in the room. If she feels too warm or too cold, she becomes restless and she will cry. Babies need to rest comfortably in a room with good ventilation.

If it is sickness like a cold with nasal blocking, your baby will not be able to sleep well and will go on crying till the passage for better breathing is opened.

Or it can be a case of nappy rash when a tight and wet nappy is kept her for a long time. For some babies, rash can also be caused by some allergic reaction to the elastic material of the nappy. When the rash appears it causes soreness and she become sleepless and cry.

Constipated babies with hard stools may cry when they get the urge for stool. Some babies will hesitate to pass stool because of pain. Therefore it is important to ensure your baby has regular bowel movements.

That being said, I think almost all babies will have some fretful moments during the early weeks, though some babies can be excessively fretful. We may not really know are the causes, indigestion or irritability, and though this may not be a serious issue, this is definitely going to create a lot of stress for you! Go ahead and try a few things – a pacifier between feedings, tug your baby snugly in a blanket, and if possible, go for a car ride, it works like magic for fretful babies. You can also try to play some light music. Make soft noises, such as cooing, to let your baby know you are there and you care. Talk to your baby. This helps to calm your baby down.

But sometimes despite all your efforts, your baby might just cry more than others do.

Don’t despair and be too hard on yourself, it is important to give yourself a deserved break. Try to arrange for someone to mind her a few hours, or even a few minutes will do you good. You might be surprised to know some babies can sense the tension in their parents, and in turn they cannot relax themselves too. Therefore it is important for you (and for your spouse and your baby too) to make effort to leave the house for a few hours at least once a week so that you will not get too exhausted or even depressed. Your baby does not need two worried parents to listen to her at the same time.

Remember, do your best to keep a sense of balance (though this may sound like an impossible task ) by not putting 100% of your time on your newborn as ultimately this will help your baby and the rest of your family in the long run.

by: Angie Hewerdine

It’s amazing how messy a baby can be, and how much mess a parent is capable of dealing with! I used to be squeamish. You know... the type of person who would gag if someone else even hinted that they felt like throwing up. That was before I became a Mom. Now, I can handle any bodily fluid with ease.

Shortly after my second child, Ruby, was born it was obvious that she would give my stomach a run for it's money. Ruby was a reflux baby, diagnosed at just one month old.

Gastro esophageal reflux occurs when the contents of the stomach are pushed back up into the esophagus and expelled. Reflux in infants is associated with frequent spitting up, upset stomach and persistent hiccups. Apparently, Reflux is common among infants, but to this day I still have not met a baby that could out-shine my Ruby! My baby didn't just dribble, she gushed!

I remember holding up a box full of bibs at my baby shower, remarking that we would never be able to use them all. Use them we did, and often. So often we bought dozens more. I was washing up to 2 loads of bibs and urped upon clothes each day. We would go through 4 or 5 shirts in a single afternoon.

I had to warn people about Ruby's 'problem' before I let them hold her. I figured that way they couldn't blame me if they got wet. When they did get 'hit', I always came back with the retort 'Don't worry, it's breast milk. It won't stain!’ Words of comfort , indeed.

I wondered if it was something in my milk that was making my baby's insides rebel. Perhaps my love of garlic and onions? Our pediatrician assured me that this was not the case, and she prescribed Zantac and Metoclopramide for my baby – two very grown up drugs for one very small human. At first I was very skeptical. I tried to cut back on the medication, hoping that the reflux had run its course, but within hours of her not receiving her meds, Ruby was at it again, thoroughly soaking the spaces around her small body.

It always tickled me to see how little her vomiting actually phased her. She'd blow chunks midway through a smile, and still be grinning when she was finished. The medication helped, but by no means did it stop her from throwing up. We just got used to the mess and took precautions. We walked around with towels over our shoulder. We carried extra clothes, not only for Ruby, but for me as well. Burp cloths became known as ‘barf cloths’ and we never went anywhere without at least ten of them.

Over time, the condition eased up, as her little body continued to develop. We have been able to take her off the medication, though my baby geyser still erupts at least 3 times a day. I no longer cringe at the familiar sound of liquid hitting the floor. I just hope she outgrows it before Kindergarten! Cleaning up messes is just part of being a parent. With Ruby, I got more than I bargained for, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

by: Adam Cox

Maybe It's Not Autism?

Most would agree that public awareness and access to medical information is critical to public health. Destigmatizing mental illness and focusing attention on under-diagnosed problems has been a particularly important stride of the past 30 years. Yet sometimes, publicity leads to anxiety. As an acquaintance said, “if the disease-of-the-week doesn’t kill me, the worry will.”

Recently, a parent contacted me with concerns about his 7 year-old son, who was quiet, introverted, and highly focused on a few hobbies. "Could he be autistic?," he asked. While the boy did not meet the diagnostic criteria for autism, or an autism- spectrum disorder, his father was voicing a concern psychologists and pediatricians are hearing more commonly these days. News of the nation's autism epidemic is everywhere. On a recent drive, I noted almost as many “Autism-Awareness” auto decals as those saying, “Support Our Troops.”

Don’t get me wrong—I’m glad that there is increased public awareness about autism and there is indeed cause for concern. In some states, there are several times more children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders than just a decade ago. Asperger's Syndrome (sometimes known as high-functioning autism) seems to be particularly prevalent, with estimates of its occurrence ranging from 1 in every 166 to 500 births. Although there are several theories as to why we are seeing such an epidemic, as of yet, no single theory has achieved scientific consensus among researchers.

Lack of social communication skills is a core trait of all types of autism. However, I wonder if we are too quick to assign communication problems such serious diagnostic labels. A brief checklist of the communication problems common to boys included on my website and in my recent book Boys of Few Words: Raising Our Sons to Communicate and Connect may help you decide if your son is simply struggling with the kinds of expressive challenges found among many different types of boys.

By all means have your child professionally evaluated if you have serious concerns. But make sure the professional you visit understands the psychology of boys, and can tell the difference between a syndrome like high-functioning autism and something more manageable, like a nonverbal learning disability. More than once, I have encountered a child who seemed locked in his own thoughts, unwilling or unable to join the social world around him. But not every case was an autism-spectrum disorder--a thorough evaluation can reveal a wide range of potential causes for lack of social interest and communication skills.

The good news is that with time, relationship, and strategic encouragement, the great majority of kids can learn to connect with others, and even enjoy it! Finding the key that unlocks a child's mind and heart requires patience and a steadfast belief in the power of your own love and concern. And of course, one practical expression of that concern is to strive to get an accurate assessment of the challenges your child faces, so your interventions will help.

I believe the autism epidemic is real and deserves the analysis of the country's best medical minds. Children who have autism or a related problem benefit from early professional diagnosis and intensive intervention. Yet I also believe that the constant buzz about autism has led to many of us being hypersensitized about whether our child "has it." Just as an energetic 5 year-old may be misconstrued as hyperactive, a stoic 7 year-old may be thought of as having some variant of autism. Yet stoic boys are no more a new phenomenon than energetic pre-schoolers.

As our world changes, so do our expectations of children. The problem is people take longer to change and evolve than society. That difference in tempo should not be the reason for a neurological diagnosis. It's a little like getting mad at a computer that doesn't run fast enough to operate new software. The computer is running as fast as it can – as fast as it was made to do – yet software is evolving too quickly for the computer's capabilities.

For more information about autism and Asperger's syndrome, you might want to contact The Autism Society of America, The National Institute of Mental Health, or check my website's Resources section for links to these and other organizations that can provide more information about Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and other child development concerns. If you have questions about a child, please seek qualified professional advice. Help begins with accurate diagnosis and early intervention.

Let your child listen to whatever he likes, says Pratt. Try out your favorites, or classical music (the old standby), or spice things up with Brazilian or African tunes. Anything with a good melody will do, although slow songs may work best for bedtime and fast ones for play. In the morning, play classical music (choose something pleasant and happy, such as a tinkly piano concerto from Chopin or Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") so he'll wake up in a light and upbeat mood.

Older kids may also enjoy a song that has a narrative they can follow, such as "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," or "Miss Mary Mack." Encourage your toddler or preschooler to move to the music and express his emotions..

When it comes to playing tunes for your kids, think cheerful and simple. You may want to stay away from head-banging rock, grunge music, or rap. Animal studies show that constant exposure to chaotic, discordant music alters the brain's structure, says Pratt. Even plants seem to abhor this type of music, she argues. Ivy growing on a home where classical music was played all day long flourished better than that on houses where occupants blasted hard rock.

Your musical selections don't have to be recorded ones, either. Break out into song once in a while. Tongue-twisting tunes, such as "The Name Game" ("Nina, Nina, bo-bina, banana, fana, fofina, mee-mi-momina, Nina) are fun. Learn entire ditties as a family, and sing them on car trips or on gloomy days when you're stuck at home. (babycenter.com)

Let your personal preferences be your guide. If you like classical music and your baby appears to enjoy it too, go with that. Play your favorite songs (schmaltzy or not), or spice things up with Brazilian or African tunes. Anything with a good melody will do, although slow songs may work best for bedtime and fast ones for playtime.

You may want to stay away from head-banging rock, grunge music, or rap. Animal studies show that constant exposure to chaotic, discordant music alters the brain's structure, says Dr. Pratt. Even plants seem to abhor this type of music. Pratt says ivy growing on a home where classical music was played all day long flourished better than that on houses where occupants blasted hard rock. When it comes to playing tunes for your kids, think cheerful and simple. (babycenter.com)

• Instead of the television, make the stereo, or a musical instrument, the most important fixture in your home. "You're sowing a seed," says Rosalie Pratt, a professor of music medicine at Brigham Young University. Dance around with your baby to a jazzy tune, and snuggle in for a love song. Think of your family's daily life as a movie that needs a soundtrack. Having songs playing all the time will help cultivate your child's interest in music, she explains, so that as he grows, he'll have an ear for it.

• Play music at bedtime. Associate specific songs with the end of the day to train your child to sleep. Keep the sound and tempo slow, and the room darkened. But avoid putting on a go-to-sleep tape and leaving the room so your baby can fall asleep to it. "When the songs end, your baby may wake up and need you to come in to start the music up again," says psychologist Jodi Mindell, a Philadelphia pediatric sleep expert and author of Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep. Instead, play a few songs for your child then turn the tape or CD player off before he falls asleep.

• Sing to your baby. Don't worry about how you sound — your child won't critique your technique and will love the effort and attention. Your renditions shouldn't be limited to lullabies — sing songs during playtime, too. Stack a tower of blocks and knock it down as you croon "London Bridge." Even a simple game of peekaboo can become musical theater when you sing the words out loud. Make funny faces and gestures to keep your child engaged.

• Let your child make his own music. Your child may also enjoy banging on a drum, piano, or xylophone, but only for the fun of it at this age. Children don't benefit from playing an instrument until they're at least 3 years old. That's when brain circuits for music training begin to mature.
(babycenter.com)

The jury's still out on this question because not much research is available. Some experts claim that learning to play an instrument makes kids smarter in math, but that conclusion is based on research that focused on older children, not babies and young toddlers. For instance, one study found that piano lessons may enhance children's spatial reasoning skills (the ability to understand three-dimensional space), but experts tested only 3- and 4-year.
Babies seem to be able to tell a melody from speech, even if they aren't sophisticated enough to know anything about music. For example, Norman Weinberger, a cognitive sciences and psychology professor at the University of California at Irvine, says in one study, babies as young as 4 months old seemed to know when researchers played the "Happy Birthday" song incorrectly. (babycenter.com)

Toddlers and preschoolers have lots to gain from listening to music. It's fun, for one thing, and it also encourages movement, which is important for young children who are perfecting their motor skills. "Kids learn through movement," says Rosalie Pratt, a professor of music medicine at Brigham Young University. "When you see them at play, they're not talking, they're moving. This is how they pick things up."

Music helps you bond with your child, too. It'll move you to dance a jig or belt out a tune, much to the thrill of your little one. Imagine the joy you'll share swaying to the beat of a lovely melody (try Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"). Or how much fun he'll have jumping with you in an energetic musical number ("The Chicken Dance" will leave you rolling on the floor with laughter).

Some experts go so far as to say that exposure to music makes children smarter, but hardly any data exists to validate this point. "The science is in its infancy," says Gordon Shaw, a physics professor and neuroscientist who studies music and brain development at the University of California at Irvine. (babycenter.com)

Definitely. Think about how music affects you — how an upbeat tune fends off the blues and soft music helps you fall asleep. Your baby is no different. Lullabies have a proven track record for soothing infants — ask any parent who has resorted to singing them when the baby wakes up at 2 o'clock in the morning. "I remember rocking my son to sleep to the tune of 'Snuggle Up,' " says Rich Ham-Kucharski of Canton, Michigan, father of Alex. "When we didn't play music, he would fight sleep."

Music may even help strengthen premature babies. Researchers from Brigham Young University studied the effects of music on 33 premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. Cassette players piped voices of men and women singing lullabies into each baby's isolette for 40 minutes a day for four days. When doctors examined the babies on the fourth day, they found that babies who were exposed to music gained more weight, and had lower blood pressure and a stronger heartbeat.

Music can benefit you, too. It has the power to lift your spirits, soothe your frayed nerves, and move you to dance. And music helps with bonding. Imagine the joy you'll share with your child when you sway to the beat of a lovely melody (try Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"). Or how soothing it will be for you and your baby when you sing him a lilting lullaby ("Hush Little Baby" is always a winner). (babycenter.com)