Pregnancy, Baby Care, and Activity

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.

A teen’s new year is not marked by the passing of a calendar year but by the start of a new school term. Each term marks a beginning, a different chapter in their growing lives and a fresh start. It’s also a time of new classes, teachers, classmates and the perfect opportunity to get organized.

Organization and school work go hand in hand. In order to excel academically you need to be organized. When it comes right down to it organizational skills may be just as important as reading, writing and arithmetic in creating a well rounded, self-sufficient individual.

What follows is a collection of priority and time management tips that will see teens sailing through the school year with less stress, reduced clutter and much academic success.

Start with a clean slate. The first step to organizing your school year is to de-clutter. Get rid of any school related items that clutter your personal space. Keep only what is useful and will be beneficial throughout the school year. Organize papers in separate folders and automatically purge things you’re positive you’ll never need again.

Rise and shine at the same time every morning. Having a consistent bedtime will help you feel refreshed when it’s time to rise in the morning. It’s wise to set your alarm with extra time to spare. If it usually takes you 30 minutes to shower and get out the door be on the safe side and allot yourself 45.

If you have trouble getting up despite your bedside alarm, move your alarm clock across the room so you’ll have no choice but to physically get out of bed to turn it off.

Lay out your clothes in advance. Listening to a weather forecast and taking a few minutes to prepare your wardrobe for the following day will save you a ton of time in the morning. Include accessories and footwear in your preparations.

Use an organizer. If you’ve got a student planner or agenda use it. Organizers that come complete with pocket folders, dividers and planning calendars are ideal. When you think of something you need to remember jot it down right away. If you wait until later you may forget. Also, consider using a separate homework folder for completed assignments.

For more time management and homework tips to help you manage your school year visit http://www.familysanitysavers.com/homeandschool.html

One calendar schedules it all. Plan all your school and personal activities using one calendar and one calendar only. That said, if your family uses a ‘master calendar’ for scheduling everyone’s activities you should share your activity dates and times on a need to know basis to avoid scheduling conflicts and missed appointments. After all, you won’t be able to borrow the car for your rugby practice if mom needs it to take your sister to dance practice.

Color-code same activities. Color-coding similar activities on your calendar makes for quick viewing e.g. highlight activities in blue, tests and study prep in yellow and your part-time job schedule in pink.

Compile a ‘to do’ list. It’s amazing the difference a list can make when it comes to accomplishing things. Just 15 minutes of writing down the tasks you need to accomplish the following day will find you not only more productive but more in control of your time.

Keep a balanced schedule. While you may be tempted to sign up for every extra curricular activity that sparks your interest, think twice. Taking on too much can really affect your grades and your social life. Look at your course load and how much studying is involved. Then prioritize your recreational interests. Only sign up for as many activities as you honestly feel you can manage.

Potty training is a major milestone for a toddler. We had bought a book called “Once Upon a Potty” for his first birthday and he enjoyed reading about Joshua using the potty. My mother bought him a DVD called “I Gotta Go!” which he enjoyed watching and singing along. My mother bought my son a potty when he was around 1.5 years old and I started sitting him on it from time to time.

But none of those things got him to use the potty everytime. The trick with him was M & Ms. I had talked to another mom at Kindermusik about how she got her son to go to the potty (he was a year younger than my son). She said she started giving him M & Ms everytime he went to the potty. When we got home, I started using her suggestion. You know what, my son started using the potty everytime the same day. Amazing! Within a couple of weeks, I stopped using the M & Ms and he kept using the potty.

Every child is different and they are all ready when they’re ready. Here is a small list of some of the signs they are ready:

1. 1. Able to understand and follow simple directions.

2. 2. Has bowel movements at regular times every day.

3. 3. Able to remain dry for about two hours at a time.

4. 4. Has a name for urine and bowel movement.

Most articles I read said that most toddlers are ready between 18 and 24 months, but it is not uncommon for some children to still be in diapers until they are 3 years old. And really, they don’t have to be in diapers. There are training underwear available for toddlers that are more like underwear, but have diaper protection. That’s what we used with our son until he would tell us everytime he had to go potty.

Of course, he is no longer using his potty; he has graduated to the big potty with a potty seat. He feels like such a big kid using the big potty and no longer wears training underwear at night. He wakes himself up to go potty. He is always proud of himself when he doesn’t have any accidents at night.

Potty training is not easy, and it takes alot of patience and understanding from us parents to help our little ones reach this milestone. Just take it slow and you’ll find the magic trick to help your toddler too.

Caring for your baby is certainly one of the most important things you need to consider once you became a new parent. There are many things you need to take into account in order to make sure that your baby gets all the attention.

1. Make sure that you feed your baby right. Deciding on whether you should breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby greatly depends on your personal decision and what your physician recommends. However, it has been shown that breastfeeding is still the best way to nourish newborn babies. Lots of benefits can be obtained through breastfeeding. Some medical studies have determined that breastfed infants have less hypersensitivity later in life compared with those who were raised with bottle feeding. This is mainly because the mother’s milk is known to contain natural enzymes and antibodies that can help fortify the baby’s immunity against infirmities. Aside from this, some doctors also believed that breast milk is responsible for superior intellect as he/she grows and becomes fully developed.

2. Practical sleep aid tips for infants. Sleep is crucial for babies because it has a direct effect on the child’s mental and physical growth. Newborn babies sleep for up to 17 and 18 hours a day. Parents should understand that babies sleep cycle could be pretty erratic. You may notice for a few weeks, your baby’s sleep may only last from approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours, and this can vary throughout a 24 period. But by the sixth week, you should see some signs of improvement as your baby’s sleep pattern becomes more structured. Newborns show signs of sleepiness by crying or rubbing their eyes. Newborns should be put down to sleep as soon as they feel sleepy. If you are not getting much sleep at night it may be a good idea to sleep when your baby does during the day if possible.

3. The proper way of bathing your newborn. Newborn babies need not be bathed on a daily basis. Bathing them two to three times a week is enough. Bathe your baby using sponge baths. This is imperative at first. Tub bathing your baby can only be done once the baby’s umbilical cord falls off to avoid infection.

4. Maintaining your baby’s optimal skin care. Newborn babies have smooth and delicate skin. For this reason, it is necessary that you use products that are especially made for babies. But before buying any baby product, it is best to consult your pediatrician. Most babies develop rashes from time to time and this is perfectly normal. However, if your baby seems irritated by a rash or has a fever, you should immediately seek advice from your baby’s doctor.

5. When to give the baby medicine. Like anyone else, newborn babies sometimes have special needs that require attention. When giving your baby medicine, it is important that you follow the advice of your baby’s physician. You need to know how to give the right dose prescribed by the doctor. It can sometimes be advised to start the baby with a small dose to ensure there is no adverse reaction to the medication.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and is not meant in any way to replace advice given by healthcare professionals.

Obesity in children has doubled for children between the ages of two and five since the 1970s. Alarming is an understatement; this is traumatic. Toddlers should not be overweight and according to an article I read today, nearly half of Americas children will be obese by the end of the decade. What could be the cause: accessibility to junk food and not enough exercise. But it’s not just America having this problem; every country in the world is having to deal with this epidemic.

If a child has two obese parents, chances are they will be obese due to heredity. Children watch and learn alot from their parents. If the parents do not eat balanced diets and/or get any exercise, the child may pick up those habits. We as parents need to set good eating and exercising examples for our children so they understand the importance of doing the right things for your body.

In today’s society, life has become much easier and as a result lazier. With TV, computers and video games, kids don’t spend as much time outside. Families don’t spend that much time at the dinner table together; the faster dinner gets on the table, the better. Home cooked family meals are quickly disappearing.

Another sobering fact about an obese child is all the health problems they will experience at a young age. Type 2 diabetes, liver diseases, heart disease, high blood pressure, and many more are supposed to be found in adults, not children. But there are more cases of these health problems showing up in children.

Parents need to pay attention to what their children are eating, not only at home, but also when they are away. We need to instill good eating habits early and set examples ourselves. Don’t buy foods with high fat content, sugar and artificial preservatives. It’s better to make cookies than to buy them from the store. Take time to make dinner, but don’t try to do it every night. Order out every once in a while.

We can change the future. Let’s help our children live long, healthy lives.