DATE: 12/05/2007 11:03:14 / MOOD: in love

Much before the existence of pills and the modern antibiotics, Mother Nature offered a bountiful home remedies to cure all ills. Here is a ready reckoner for these home remedies that will come in handy while tackling your family's common illnesses. So the next time you or anyone at home is feeling under the weather, head for the kitchen cabinet instead of your medicinal kit. Listed below are a host of remedies for some common ailments.  
 
•    Cough

Add a gram of turmeric (haldi) powder to a teaspoon of honey for curing dry cough. Also chew a cardamom for a long time.

•    Cold

Mix a gram of dalchini powder with a teaspoon of honey to curb a cold. Prepare a cup of tea to which you should add ginger, clove, bay leaf and black pepper. This should be consumed twice a day. Reduce the intake as the cold disappears.

•    Hiccups

Take a warm slice of lemon and sprinkle salt, sugar and black pepper on it. The lemon should be eaten until the hiccups stop.

•    Toothache

Chew a clove or dip a piece of cotton wool in clove oil and place on the aching tooth for best results.

•    Itching

Apply neem oil to the affected area. Or make a fresh paste of some neem leaves and apply externally. Boil neem leaves in the hot water used for your bath. Also eat a teaspoon of neem juice along with sugar for quick relief.

•    Injury

For any cut or wound, apply turmeric powder to the injured portion to stop the bleeding. It also works as an antiseptic. You can tie a bandage after applying haldi.

•    Bodyache

Boil ten tulsi leaves in one cup of water until the syrup is reduced to half a cup. After cooling, add salt to the liquid decoction. Take this mixture daily to stop body ache.  Alternatively take half a gram of dalchini powder with one-teaspoon honey at least twice a day for best results.

•    Physical weakness

In order to reduce weakness and increase blood circulation, make a dry fruit milkshake made out of ten dry grapes, five  dates and two dry figs along with a glass of milk. Have it once or twice a day to feel fresh and energetic.

•    Diabetes

The best remedy for this disease is the bitter gourd, better known as 'karela'. Eat this vegetable as often as you can or have at least one tablespoon of karela juice daily to reduce blood sugar levels in your blood and urine. Besides, take ten tulsi leaves, ten neem leaves and ten belpatras with a glass of water early morning on an empty stomach. It will work wonders in keeping your sugar levels under control.



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DATE: 11/30/2007 10:39:33 / MOOD: in love

Your new baby needs a name to begin his journey into life. Read about the serious business of choosing the right name for your baby.

Getting ready to bring a new baby into the world involves a lot of preparatory work. Your baby needs his own clothes, accessories, toiletries, toys, etc. One of the most important requirements though is his own name. Your baby's name will identify him in a crowd and be a word which he will associate himself with for the rest of his life. Your child will not choose his own name. You, as his parent, will select it for him. With such an important decision to make for your child, deciding on a name for your baby should take into account the following factors.

Uniqueness
Would you like your child to have a rare and unique name? Remember that this name will then make him stand out in a crowd. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. He will easily recognize when he is being called. At the same time, rare and complicated names have immense potential for misunderstandings and mistaken pronunciations. Teachers and caregivers may unintentionally mangle your child's name if they have difficulty speaking it aloud.

At the same time, do not give your child a name that is too common. Varsha regrets the name she gave to her son Anil. There were five boys with the same name in her son's class at school. Everyone kept getting confused. For the entire year, her son would proudly introduce himself as Anil B whenever he met someone. Even at home, he would only respond if she called him by the same name.

A good tip is to go for a blend of rare and common names. If you have a common surname, consider giving your child a slightly unusual name to make it easier for him in school and later on, at the workplace. On the other hand, if your surname is uncommon, give your child a reasonably well known name. 

Heritage
Your baby's ancestry and religion is a big part of who he is. Many parents name their child keeping these parameters in mind. It is perfectly all right to choose to name your child after a god or religious figure. Many religions also have guidelines as to how to go about naming your baby. Sometimes, you may like a name that does not fit into the traditional category. Do not be disheartened. Perhaps you can use it as a middle name. Another trend that is catching on is to name a baby based on Numerology. This is believed to help the child achieve success as he becomes older.

Many families also follow a tradition of naming children after elderly or recently deceased members of the family. Some people also tend to name the first-born son after his father and then suffix the name with 'Junior'. This creates a potentially confusing situation in the home. Merely calling your child Junior may seem fine at first but is that what you want him to be known as when he is thirty years old? It goes for choosing names of elderly family members. Your child will have to bear the brunt if you decide to stick him with a name that went out of vogue over fifty years ago.

Memories
Some names may be associated with bad memories. Hence, it is best to avoid using them for your child. The name you select may be a nice name but if you had a nasty colleague with the same name, think twice. Are you going to be reminded of him every time you call out to your child? If there is a possibility of that happening, then discard the idea of using that name. Both parents must agree on this subject. If either parent is uncomfortable with a potential name, drop it. At the same time, do not press your partner for an explanation as to why he does not like the name.

Do not be browbeaten by other people when it comes to choosing your baby's name. After all, you are the child's parents. Ultimately, it is up to you and your spouse to choose a name that both of you are happy with.

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DATE: 11/28/2007 09:13:43 / MOOD: in love

Naming the new arrival in your family can be a trying experience. Here are a few hints to make your job easier.

Yashoda and her husband Gautam were overjoyed at the birth of their baby. They were deciding on their baby name. However, friends and members of the family soon swamped them with their suggestions. From parents to distant relatives, everyone had their own opinion. Gautam finally got so exasperated that he banned visitors from even bringing up the topic.

Naming your child can be a wonderful experience for both you and your husband. There is a special feeling when both of you sit down to pick out a name for the child you have created together. Choosing a name for your baby is also a serious decision. After all, the name you select will have an impact on your child and on you for the rest of your lives.

Think it Over
Always remember that your child has to live with his name for the rest of his life. Therefore, he should be named only after giving some thought to all the possible alternatives. Some parents like to wait until they have given birth before they think of choosing a name. Do remember that childbirth is a painful and exhausting process. In the moments just after you have given birth, are you sure that you are capable of taking a rational decision about your baby's name?

A woman is usually not very aware of her thoughts just after childbirth. Besides, what sounds cute at that time might very well turn out to be a mistake later on. For example, would you want your child to go through life being called Honeybunch?

Try it Out
Another point to remember is to try out how the entire name will sound when it is called out. A good name is always easy to pronounce. This is not just for other people but also for the child himself. Put the name and surname together to see if it can be spoken out easily. Sometimes, the name and surname put together may come out as a garbled mess, especially if they have the same syllables. Make sure you choose a name that can be clearly spoken.

A good way of testing out a potential baby name is to stand at the doorway of the kitchen and call out the name loudly, a few times. Pretend that your child is older and you are calling him for dinner. Does the name make you uncomfortable? If yes, think about how it will sound if you shout out your child's name while he is with a group of people. Select a name which both you and your child will be comfortable with, when you are out in public, a few years down the line.

Make it Short
Try to avoid choosing a name that is too long. Many parents give their children names that are three or four syllables long and are disappointed when other people shorten the name. If you give your child a long name, there is no doubt that at some point in his life, the child is going to have his name shortened. This sets a stage for your child to inherit potentially embarrassing nicknames. While a nickname need not remain with a person for the rest of his life, it could still put your child in a situation where he does not like his name. If you would still like your child to have a long name, pick one that is easy to pronounce.

Also take a look at your child's initials. Many parents give their child perfectly normal and innocent sounding names until the initials of each name are put together. Then they discover that the initials spell out something embarrassing. Such initials could be used to tease your child during his school years and sometimes, even later on.

Finding a suitable name for your child need not be a harrowing experience. It just needs some thought and a little careful consideration.

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DATE: 11/27/2007 10:37:42 / MOOD: in love

Children are prone to interrupting

Children are definitely not born good conversationalists. As a matter of fact, their self-absorption leads them to conduct monologues rather than dialogue. They feel that whatever it is they want to say is of earth-shattering importance and everyone, particularly parents, should stop whatever they're doing and lend them a ear.

Thus, you will find children blithely interrupting their parents' telephone conversations, meetings, conversations with their friends and their work. Parents who are trying to discuss some important issue or working on files that they have brought home from work find their children intruding on their thoughts, conversations, time and space.  

You may indulge your children a few times, but not every time they interrupt you. At some point your annoyance is going to get the better of you and you will snap at them. Soon, this will become a habit and they will turn a deaf ear to your protests and continue to interrupt you thinking that it is their right. You have to get the message across that your existence and that of other people in the world does not revolve around them. They must understand that they cannot expect other people's unqualified attention as their due. In fact, they can only expect that if they return the favour and listen to what other people have to say too.  
 
Teaching your children to be polite

•    Be a good listener yourself. Listen to your child and guide her so that she knows when she should be listening.
•    Instead of nagging her or being short with her when she interrupts, develop a less aggressive way of telling her that she has to wait. May be you can lay your hand gently on her arm or request her in a firm, but kind tone to wait.
•    Remember that she is a child after all, so don't have unreasonable expectations and make her wait for a long time before you get back to her. It is well known that patience is a virtue that is rare even in adults.
•    If she has forgotten what she wanted to say in the interim, do not be dismissive and say that it could not have been important to begin with.
•    Tell your child not to interrupt you when you are on the telephone by speaking. Suggest to her that she could tug at your arm or communicate her need to speak to you in some other non-verbal fashion. Tell her that you will acknowledge her need to speak to you by gesturing that she wait so she knows that you have heard her.
•    If your child still refuses to learn, then when she interrupts your telephone conversation the next time, remain calm and ignore her. If possible, go into another room and lock her out.
•    If you know that you're about to have an important conversation and want to be safe from interruptions, give your child advance warning that you're going to be busy for a little while and give her something like a colouring book or a puzzle that will occupy her for some time.
•    You can play a game with your child where you take turns interrupting each other while the other is trying to say something. This way your child will learn just how annoying it is to be interrupted.
•    Your child will learn good manners if you exhibit them yourself. Hence, if you have to break in on any conversation, make sure that you say "Excuse me…"
•    Do not forget to praise your child when she lets you get on with your work or conversations without interrupting you.


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DATE: 11/19/2007 11:59:40 / MOOD: in love

What things will I need for diapering?

There are a few essentials you will need to keep next to the changing table: diapers and diaper-saving tape or cloth nappies (if you prefer); baby wipes or moistened cotton wool balls; and ointment to prevent diaper rash. (There should be a duplicate set of these in your diaper or stroller bag.) It's always best to keep extras of everything on hand since you will go through it all quickly.

Are cloth nappies better than disposable diapers?

Cloth nappies are certainly better for the child than disposable diapers, because the child's bottom gets much more air making it more comfortable and reducing the chance of diaper rash.  (Placing nappy liners inside cloth nappies makes them similar to disposable diapers because they can prevent moisture from touching the baby's bottom).  But cloth nappies could very easily lead to diaper rash if certain precautions are not taken, such as changing the baby's nappy soon after she passes urine or stools.  Cloth nappies also turn out to be significantly less expensive than disposable diapers since they can be reused.
 
How often will I need to change her?

At first your baby will have to be changed often, since she will probably have a bowel movement and wet frequently. To change the baby, place her on her back and thoroughly clean the genital area with water-soaked cotton balls. Apply ointment, then diaper.

If the infant's navel is not yet healed, be sure to fold the diaper underneath it to avoid irritating this sensitive area. Sometimes the tape gets greasy and the diaper won't stay closed; use a piece of diaper-saver tape to salvage the diaper. Before bedtime, use a liner to keep her extra dry and comfortable.


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DATE: 11/14/2007 13:02:52 / MOOD: in love

Certain instructions encourage obedience, while others do just the opposite. Here's how to ensure you raise an obedient, well-behaved child.

Give clear instructions

One of the most common mistakes parents often make is to give their children instructions that are not very clear or succinct. So when the child fails to follow the instructions, the parents resort to punitive or other disciplinary methods.

When parents give their children instructions, they should make sure that they are very clear with what exactly they want their child to do. If they are vague, then their children too may not pay much attention to the instructions. In this manner parents themselves are sowing the seeds for further disobedience. Telling your child that he must go to bed after dinner every night is vague. In addition, your child may be tempted to eat later or slowly in order to stay up later. Giving your child a certain time for bed is more specific.

Give instructions that are less likely to be disobeyed

If you want your child to finish off his homework by a certain time, let your child know by exactly what time he should start it. If you say you want it done by 7:30, chances are he may start his homework by 7:25 and it will not be done by the deadline specified. You have just sowed the first seeds of disobedience in your child. Instead, if you tell your child that he should start his homework at 6:30 without specifying the time he should complete it, there is less scope for disobedience.

Give choices

Give your child a choice at every step. So taking the above example, your child may want to watch his favourite show at 6:30 that day. Ask him if he wants to do his homework now and then watch his favourite show on television later, or if he wants to play now and skip the show. You need to be in tune with what your child likes to do at what time, so you can help him plan his schedule. He may not realize that the show is coming on today, and if you don't remind him, the temptation to disobey will be very strong when he realizes that his show is going on, and he may beg and then fight with you if you don't let him do his homework 'just a little later' after the show. On the other hand, if you give in, he may stop taking your deadlines seriously. Hey, parenting isn't easy! But a little bit of beforehand research will save a lot of future heartache and headache.

Go step-by-step

When giving your child instructions, pay attention to what you hope to achieve, and what will cause him to achieve this. For example, your child is late to school everyday and you want him to reach school on time. You have tried waking him up every morning, but your commands fall on deaf ears. Now you decide to try the rewards strategy. Should you tell him that if he reaches school on time everyday for 10 consecutive days, you will buy him the toy he wants? No! A better strategy would be to tell him that if he wakes up at a certain time every morning for 10 consecutive days, you will buy him the toy he wants.

Use gimmicks

Get him a calendar so he can mark the days he wakes up on time. This way he can see for himself how many days are left! These few gimmicks will make your child take your challenges more seriously.

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DATE: 11/01/2007 13:08:50 / MOOD: in love

Stubborn as a mule

"Mummy, I don't want to take the injection," said six-year-old Akash as he darted into the bathroom and locked himself in. His mother Reena was at her wit's end trying to figure out a way to persuade her son to come out and go to the doctor's clinic. In another situation, eight-year-old Pradip refused to eat unless all the peas were taken out of his plate.

Some children can put mules to shame. When they decide to dig their heels in, no matter how much you cajole and threaten them, they just won't budge. This can be a truly frustrating experience for harassed parents just trying to go about the business of raising good children.  It becomes a battle of wills with both sides waiting to see who will give in first. While some children are more stubborn than others, all children display stubborn behaviour at some time or another. And most parents find that they are at a loss in such situations. Their instinctive reaction is to react with anger as they feel that their child's behaviour is a challenge to their authority. However, they soon find that anger only serves to fan the flames.
 
Stubbornness is not necessarily negative

Stubbornness in children has always been viewed as a negative trait by their parents. But may be they should attempt to look upon it in a more positive fashion. A child's stubbornness may just be his way of demonstrating that he can think for himself and that he can assert his thoughts and beliefs. Stubbornness gives them a feeling that they have a measure of control over the situation, which in turn, boosts their self-esteem. Parents should also make a push to understand the root of their children's stubbornness. Stubbornness can have a range of causes. It may vary from irrational fears to resistance to change or just a simple attack of rebellion.
 
The strategies

In the face of stubbornness, parents have just a few disciplining options. If the battle is about an issue of values or safety, parents should be prepared for a real battle of wills because there is no way that they can afford to budge from their stand in such a scenario. Do not get angry or argue. Simply state your stand, the reasons for it and the consequences of disobedience. Then follow through. Hopefully, your child will just throw in the towel. If the issue is not serious, there is no harm negotiating with your child and arriving at a compromise. In some situations, it is even surprisingly effective to just let go. Suddenly faced with no opposition, which constitutes a reward in itself, the child's rebellion will have the wind taken out of its sails.
 
Some useful tips

* Identify the problem and involve your child in seeking a solution. You will cease to be the enemy and she will feel that you are both on the same side.
* If you want your child to do something, try to time your request so that it does not interrupt her while she is doing something else. This is one way of avoiding conflict.
* If your child is not very happy about change, give her adequate notice so that she knows what to expect and is willing to cooperate.
* Be assertive when asking your child to do something. You are not asking them for a favour. Also, make clear the consequences of non-compliance.
* Keep in mind that your requests should be reasonable.
* Praise her when she is cooperative and well-behaved.



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DATE: 10/31/2007 12:01:46 / MOOD: in love

All parents love their children, but what many don't realize is that they don't need to do all their child's work for them in order to prove their love.

All parents love their children, but you don't need to do all your child's work for them in order to prove your love. If anything, you are causing more harm by increasing your child's dependability on you, and inhibiting her ability to do things by herself.

Don't do your child's work for them

I've known of parents who sit up all night completing their child's projects while the child is fast asleep. Similarly, I recently met a mother who was sending off Rakhis to her daughter's brothers and cousins in the name of her daughter who was at home lounging around in her sleepwear.

Parents sometimes do everything for their children because they want their children to focus on their studies. Remember though that the best students often excel not just in studies, but in extra-curricular activities as well. They are also organized, and chances are that these students do all their work themselves, without their parents having too constantly tell them what to do.

Of course, all children are different. Very intelligent children are sometimes not hardworking enough because everything comes so easily to them. A child may be poor at studies but may excel in sports, debates or may be very creative.

Encourage hard work

If your child does badly in school and you turn a blind eye since you have a family business you can hand over to your child, you are essentially giving your child the message that not only is education unimportant, but neither is it important for your child to work hard to accomplish something. If your child doesn't work hard and strive to improve his grades, why do you think he will work hard to grow your business?

True, this is not always the case, and students who have done very badly in school have proved to be exceptionally successful. However, the attitude of the parents is important. If schoolwork is not given stress in the house, some other form of hard work should be encouraged - either in sports, art, or some other extra-curricular activity.

Don't push too much

Irrespective of where a child's talents lie, you as a parent should try and encourage your child to do all his work himself. Such habits are fostered at a young age. Having the maid do all your work for your child is not necessarily a bad habit, but your child should take the initiative to get things done, either by himself or through others. The difference here is that the push should come from your child, and not from you. It is better to let your child take a few falls in the beginning and learn by himself, without you trying to cushion his falls. So, you can take the initiative to enroll your child in tennis lessons, and encourage him to participate in a match, but then don't push your child into going for practice. You can remind him that he needs more practice, and that the match date is drawing closer, but leave the decision to him. If your child is not regular with practice, he may be badly defeated in the match and this will teach him to be more regular with practice. Alternatively, your child may give up and try something else, but you will need to tell him that he needs to be dedicated to do well - and teach him this at the beginning, before he gets the impression that there are short-cuts to success.



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DATE: 10/25/2007 12:02:55 / MOOD: in love

Sangita stared at her mom wide-eyed.  She looked at her mom making dahl, roti and cutting the salad. She asked her mom if she could help, but her mom refused. Sangita insisted and insisted and her mom finally allowed Sangita to help. As it turned out to her mom's surprise, Sangita was quite the little helper. Letting your children cook with you can open a whole new world for them!

Cooking helps children develop skills such as counting, decision-making, measuring and creativity. It also helps your child develop qualities such as patience and open-mindedness. These skills and qualities will not only assist them in school, but will help them throughout their lives. Believe it or not allowing your child to cook will help your child be a less fussy eater.   
 

Let's start at the very beginning...

The tools that you should introduce to your little beginner chef are the microwave, toaster oven, waffle maker, blender and many aprons. These little chefs probably are keen on helping you make salads and soups; things that may seem simple to them, but are quite complicated. They might also want to cut things.  Guess what? Let them cut!  Butter knives can cut boiled eggs, bananas, mushrooms and olives. You should have a special butter knife just for your children's use. This will help to arouse their interest in cooking even more. Beginning chefs will even love to spread butter and jam on bread. These little cooking exercises will make them feel very proud of their cooking abilities.  

For our semi-advanced chefs, the tools you should introduce them to are a microwave, electric frying pan, waffle maker, bread maker and the stove. Your semi-advanced chefs will love to experiment, but make sure they taste everything they make. This will ensure that they realize what dishes they have cooked taste good and which do not. Also let your children make something on the stove once a week, such as boiling pasta or making a cheese sandwich. And as always be careful and be fully alert when your child is cooking on the stove.  

It is very important that your children go shopping with you for food. This is a great way to introduce them to buying food and how much to buy of a certain product. It will also introduce them to new food and arouse their interest in trying them.  

Cooking with your children will be a lot of fun. You should be open-minded, patient and make it an enjoyable experience for you and your children. Of course, remember to ensure yours and your children's safety. Little children are very impressionable so give them a good taste of what cooking is all about!

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