[WATCH] GOPRO HELPS YOU SEE THE WORLD IN THE EYES OF A TODDLER


For a child, everything is new. Refresh your view of a mundane day through the lens of a toddler! Continue reading..





Thumb sucking, nail biting may combat allergies

Does your child suck her thumb or bite her nails? A long-term study suggests these “bad” habits might actually have a plus side: lasting protection from common allergies. Researchers followed a group of more than 1,000 children in New Zealand from birth through age 32. They asked the parents to report their children’s thumb-sucking and nail-biting habits at ages 5, 7, 9 and 11. Then they tested the children for allergic reactions using a skin-prick test at age 13, and again in adulthood at age 32.

This Is Why You Should Never Let Your Dog Lick You!

You might think it’s cute – that big, wet and slobbery tongue reaching out from your canine’s jaw and affectionately lapping at your face. But what if I told you there was something quite sinister about it?
No, I’m not saying your beloved Fido is trying to harm you. Your little (or big) furry friend genuinely is trying to display affection. Too bad the same can’t be said for all the bacteria on the dog’s tongue.

Too bad the same can’t be said for all the bacteria on the dog’s tongue.

8 Essential Skills You Never Learn In School -- Thus Should Teach Your Child

Here are eight vital life skills that children aren’t taught in school:

1. Independence: Teaching children, a little at a time, to be independent, can show them that they can make decisions on their own. Letting them make their own mistakes can teach them valuable lessons they’ll carry with them.

2. Compassion: Compassion is needed to work well with others, to care for other people and to find happiness through making other people happy.

3. Individuality: They need to be taught that we come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and it is perfectly OK to be unique.

4. Welcoming Change: Teaching children that change isn’t something to be afraid of – just something to prepare for – can help them in so many aspects throughout their life.

5. Happiness: Many parents coddle their children in an attempt to keep them happy and safe, but it can make children rely on their parents for their happiness. Teaching a child from an early age that they can be happy on their own, by things like playing, reading and imagining, is a valuable life lesson.

6. Finding Passion: Many people struggle with finding their passion. Helping a child find what he or she is passionate about by allowing them to try a bunch of different things can help them find a source of lifelong internal happiness and motivation. Encourage the adventure, but let children decide on their own, where they find passion.

7. Asking questions: Teaching children that asking questions is a good thing, can encourage their curiosity and help them continue to seek knowledge in different aspects of life.

8. Solving problems: Constantly solving a child’s problems for them won’t help them as they grow. They need to know that they can solve problems on their own. New skills, a new environment, a new job – they’re all just problems to be solved. Modeling problem solving and allowing children to come up with their solution ideas can help them develop confidence and let them know that whatever comes their way, they are capable of handling it.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A KID LEAVES TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

Logan Laplante is a 13 year-old boy who was taken out of the education system to be home schooled instead. As a result, he was given the opportunity to receive an education tailored to his interests and his unique style of learning – something traditional education is not always able to offer. In a pretty remarkable show of wisdom, particularly for someone so young, Logan has said that when he grows up he wants to be happy and healthy. At a TEDx talk in 2013, he discussed how hacking his education is helping him achieve that goal.

“IS MY CHILD TOO YOUNG TO BE DEPRESSED?”

Dr. O’Neill then explained the typical symptoms of childhood depression: Lack of joy, abandoning play, self-isolation, saying things are not fun, negative talk (I am stupid, no one likes me, I can’t do things anymore), lack of energy, inability to enjoy their favorite activities, inability to stay focused or participate in child-oriented activities, crying easily, being inconsolable.

Dr. O’Neill then explained the typical symptoms of childhood depression: Lack of joy, abandoning play, self-isolation, saying things are not fun, negative talk (I am stupid, no one likes me, I can’t do things anymore), lack of energy, inability to enjoy their favorite activities, inability to stay focused or participate in child-oriented activities, crying easily, being inconsolable.

9 Reasons to Feel Great (Not Guilty!) About Being a Working Mom

You're a working mom. That very likely means you've left the house nearly every day feeling guilty about your decision to be a working mom. "Am I selfish for abandoning my child?" "Is it cruel to put my baby in day care every day of the week?" "Are all the stay-at-home moms right?" But in honor of Working Parents Day tomorrow, stop the second-guessing and pat yourself on the back for making a decision that you very likely already know is best for your family.

Navigating Your Identity as a Parent and an Educator

Tips for Parent-Educators: These are the top things I wish someone had said to me as I offered my first born to his first school.

1. Be a parent, first and foremost. That's what your kid needs most from you.
2. Proactively build a relationship with your child's teacher at the beginning of the year. Don't wait until there's a problem to sit down with them.
3. If a teacher doesn't ask about your child's strengths and interests, share those.
4. Also share anything you think the teacher should know about your kid that would help them be effective, such as that your kid is an introvert and won't often participate in whole-class discussions. (Again, hopefully they ask this question, but if not, share it.)
5. If your child complains about being bored, class being too hard, not being treated well by peers or adults, listen to your child. Don't hope it'll get better. Go to school and talk to people. Observe classes.
6. Don't be afraid of talking to the principal. Don't be afraid of making requests. You can do this kindly and thoughtfully, but your job, again, is to advocate for your kid.