March 2010
Posted March 22, 2010
New Guidelines for Introducing Fish?
Don’t hold back giving your kids potatoes or fish! Why you ask? Well according to a study published in 2010 issue of Pediatrics introducing food to your child late may increase their risk of food allergies.
The study which observed about 1000 children showed that the late introduction of food increased the chances that the child would be allergic to it by the time they were 5 years old.
The evidence that was the strongest was in foods such as eggs, oats, wheat, potatoes and fish.
We all know it can be difficult to get kids under five to eat much of anything, but trying your best to introduce them to all food groups would be for their benefit. Another thing that came out of the study was there was no direct link between a parent’s allergies and their childs.
Posted March 10, 2010
Kids and Company: It’s time to get along
March 10. 2010
by Glain Roberts-McCabe
Founder & President, The Executive RoundTable Inc.
My opinion…I’ve had 3 conversations this week that have reinforced my opinion that one of the biggest challenges for female leaders who choose to have kids are other female leaders who choose not to. It’s all “sisterly” supportive until, as an exec with kids, you start to want to put family first. As one colleague said ‘they look at you like your crazy because you actually want to put your kids in front of your career’.
Sadly, I find this mindset particularly prevalent in female boomer leaders. As a GenX exec, I hope that my generation is a little more accommodating and understanding of our colleagues (both men and women) who are choosing to make their kids a priority. If organizations want to win the supposed ‘war on talent’, they’ll need to get creative and supportive in how they engage and retain Gen X and Y mommies AND daddies with ambition, or expect a continued increase in entrepreneurialism. Flexibility is the new currency for ambitious people with talent AND kids.
Related article:
http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=theexecutiveroundtable.wordpress.com&url
Posted March 8, 2010
Instilling a Love of Reading
by Lianne Castelino www.whereparentstalk.com
It's a common plea heard by many parents these days - "my son/daughter doesn't read enough". Goodness knows I've said it plenty of times!
With all the electronic paraphernalia taking over our lives, reading often seems like a lost art. Fear not, here are some great tips to create your own little book worm:
1- Turn off the tv. (Even just 20 few minutes a day makes a huge difference)
2- Designate a time (eg. after dinner) as quiet time.
Every member of the family should get a book and read.
A child tends to copy what they see their parents doing. If they see you reading, chances are they will too.
Read aloud to younger children in a separate quiet spot.
3- Get older children to read to younger siblings as part of their responsibilities.
4- Let your kids "EARN" gaming time by reading first.
Eg. 20 minutes of reading = 20 minutes of gaming
5- Visit the public library at least once a week. Stay a while and explore.
6- Create a family reading club. Discuss books after completing them.
For every book read - offer a compensation or reward.
To earn the reward, ensure that each book is accompanied by a one paragraph summary. (You need to ensure they are actually reading and that they understand what they are reading).
7- Make 20 minutes of reading a day a family staple.
8- Don't be picky about what your child reads. A newspaper, novel,
the comics, horror stories, the Bible - as long as they are reading.
9- For fussy or new readers - try audio books. These also work well
for long car trips.
10- Build a family library of everyone's favorite books.
With a 12, 10 and 5 year-old, activities, sports, music and every other thing jam-packed into our schedule, it is challenging to incorporate reading daily, but like so many other facets of parenting - I've learned it's about creating a habit. Once you start, it's builds steam, becomes a priority and then before you know it - a habit is formed!
The importance of reading cannot be overstated. Reading bedtime stories to your child is just the beginning of an important lifelong journey and an important habit they will cherish!
Posted March 8, 2010
Your Teen's Attitude and You
by Andrea Howick www.whereparentstalk.com
You were able to survive the “terrible twos” but what about the dreaded terrible teens? Dealing with your teenagers attitude can often seem like a never ending battle. The slamming doors, the rolling eyes and feeling like everything you say is just going in one ear and out the other. Experts say the key is respect, and setting clear expectations.
But why do teens seem to have this carefree “I don’t care” attitude?
Well, according to Dr. Paul Ciborowski, professor of counseling at the Long Island University says this is part of the stage of development they are in. He says teens are extremely egocentric, their first thought is almost always, "How does this affect me?" They are extremely influenced by the "me" factor and often have difficulty seeing things from another's perspective.
We have compiled some do’s and don’ts with dealing with your teen:
DO get to the bottom of your child’s bad attitude. Often times, teens don’t know how to express their anger properly and will bottle up their feelings. What is going on that could be causing it? Are there troubles at schools? Find a good time to sit down with your teen and discuss, be sure to LISTEN and not judge.
DON’T take it personally. Your in the same boat with millions of parents of teens everywhere. It often probably feels like you are the only target of your child’s anger but by not taking it personally you won’t be acting defensively and closing the door to open communication.
DO remember that this is typical behavior for a teen. Parents need to emphasis the importance of respect. Teens should understand that if they have a problem they can discuss it with their parents, but they should be able to do it in a nice way.
DO set clear boundaries and remain consistent in dealing with your teen.
DON’T let your own emotions get the best of you. It can be very difficult dealing with a teen. But take some time before you react to your teen’s behavior if you need too, so you can remain calm and consistent.
Share with us your own experiences dealing with your teen. Do you have any more tips you could add? We want to know!