Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts

12.4.12

How to beat The Claw

The Claw machineSquatting menacingly in the corner of your favorite restaurant, movie theater, supermarket or bowling alley, the claw machine is a harsh mistress. There's something unmistakably hostile about its steely, three- or four-fingered grip, and something immeasurably frustrating about the feeling of horror and loss you get as your prize slips from your tenuous grasp at the very last second.

Don't despair. Instead, even the odds a little. Follow these simple tips, and you can't lose.

Study your machine

The more tempting and desirable the prizes, the lower the chances you'll win. Expect machines with expensive prizes to have claws that move faster, grip looser, and generally do everything possible to foil your attempts to snag their contents. If all you want to do is win something, machines with cheaper prizes are a better bet.

Another good idea? Look for machines that aren't packed tight with prizes -- a little space can go a long way. It's also worth sizing up the pile of goodies. Are they stacked in such a way as to make it hard to pull them apart? If the prize you want is tucked under another toy, it's going to be that much harder to grab, as the claw typically isn't strong enough to dig a toy out from underneath other objects. Perhaps a little strategic repositioning is in order before you tackle the big prize -- or perhaps there's another machine with a more favorable arrangement.

Timing is everything

Don't be afraid to take your time. Depending on the machine, you'll likely have a total of 15 or 30 seconds to hit the all-important "Drop" button. There's no harm in taking almost all of that to make sure your alignment is dead-on. Plan to hit the button when there's about five seconds left on the clock, and you'll have ample time for the machine to haul out whatever you've snagged.

Use a spotter

Having two eyes is overrated. Unless you're some sort of ping-pong prodigy, your depth perception probably ain't all that -- and if you want to boost your chances of snagging that awesome claw-machine prize, you're going to need some way of augmenting it. Some sort of cybernetic implant would be ideal, but if you can't swing that, find yourself an accomplice.

How's that going to help? You look after the side-to-side alignment, and have your partner stand around the corner of the machine and take care of the front-back direction. No matter how lousy your depth perception might be, as long as your spotter is on the ball, you'll drop the claw right on the prize every time.

Watch and wait

But that might not be enough. According to a report on the British show Brainiac, some claw machines are configured so that four times out of five (or nine times out of ten) they'll deliberately grab the toy with a greatly weakened grip. Only on that lucky fifth run will it use enough force to actually keep hold of the prize. In other words, they're rigged.

True? False? Nobody seems to know for sure -- except the manufacturers, and you can bet they're keeping a tight grip on the info. Still, if you're sizing up a busy machine, it may make sense to watch other players and see if there's a pattern to their wins and losses.

13.1.12

Symptoms and How to detox from technology?

detox from technologyThese are symptoms identified as showing your tech habits might be unhealthy:

You can’t go more than a few minutes without checking your smartphone for email or texts.
You log onto Facebook many times a day so you won’t miss an “important” post.
You feel your phone vibrate and whip it out of your pocket and discover it was a case of “phantom pocket vibration syndrome.
You excuse yourself to the restroom specifically to check in with your online world.
You sleep with your cell phone next to you and say you are using it as an alarm when, really, you want to be able to check texts that come in during the night.

How to detox from technology

Most people can benefit from stepping back. Start with 15 minutes of going without checking emails, texts, or social networking sites. Then enjoy using your tech toys for a one-minute "tech break" — a time to use technology. As you discover you aren’t going to miss anything drastically important and start to feel more at ease and focused, you can increase the time between tech breaks.

Rather than fighting kids' compulsion to be connected, it’s more productive to help them gradually expand the time they can stay focused on something other than their mobile device or computer. For example, ask your child or teen to put down their device during a family meal but assure them that they can have a one-minute tech break every 15 minutes afterwards. Gradually increase the time between tech breaks. This strategy is even being implemented in schools where some kids’ anxiety about checking their devices can make it difficult for them to focus in class.

28.11.11

The Only 2 Financial Rules You Need Live By

Financial RulesThere's a lot of great advice out there to saving money. But if it overwhelms you, start with just these two simple rules and you'll be on your way to financial independence.

1. Pay Yourself First: The Best Kind of Cliché

"Pay yourself first" is a very common piece of financial advice. It's simple enough to follow, but that doesn't make it easy.

If you can save $200 per month at a 6-percent interest rate, you'll have more than $200,000 in 30 years. At the very least, you'll have a great savings fund at the ready for whatever life may bring. But how can you come up with that cash when you barely have any money left between paychecks?

The answer is to take that money off the top. And yes, it'll sting a bit at first.

2. Practice Mindful Spending

Having some leeway in your paycheck isn't a given, but I think many people have more wiggle room than they realize.

This is what I mean when I say that I think $10 is a lot of money. When I decide to buy something, it's a decision, not an impulse buy. I want to spend my money on things that really have value for me, not just things that are convenient or appealing at the moment. So while I can buy something nice once in a while — without guilt — I have a hard time going out for lunch or buying (you guessed it) a latte.

Less expensive purchases are an easy mental hurdle to get over because they're so small it seems that they could hardly amount to anything. The truth is, these seemingly insignificant purchases can easily amount to, or exceed, that $200 you may be aiming to save.

18.7.11

First Photos of Beckhams' Baby Girl Harper Seven

Harper SevenDavid Beckham posted a photo on his Facebook page showingwife Victoria getting some rest with their newborn daughter. "I took this picture of my two girls sleeping," he wrote.

Victoria, 37, also tweeted a picture Sunday of David, 36, tenderly holding their newborn daughter. In the black and white photo, David cradles Harper Seven and sweetly touches her nose with his. She's "Daddy's little girl," Victoria explained.

Harper Seven was born July 10 at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. David and Victoria also have three sons: Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, 8, and Cruz, 6.

On Thursday, the fashion designer tweeted that "baby Harper is the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen. I have fallen in love all over again!" "We feel so blessed," she added. "And the boys love their baby sister so much."

12.4.11

Introducing World's First Facebook Bullying Alert System

Facebook Bullying Alert Systemwhat a concerned father can do when he want to stop abusive behavior such as bullying? He developed the world's first bullying alert system for Facebook! NHS consultant Paddy Clarke's software scans walls and inboxes for trigger words and phrases such as 'gay' and 'fat' and alerts parents when they appear. The father-of-four came up with the idea after reading a string of cyber-bullying horror stories.

Mr Clarke, 48, said he hoped his system - called 'Know Diss' - will keep children safe from online bullies. He said: 'Bullying has now gone from the playground into children's homes. 'Kids feel safe sending an abusive message in their rooms. It is pretty awful.

'Cyber-bullying is very topical at the moment, particularly following some tragic cases where young people have taken their lives because of it. 'It is hard to believe but this software is the only one in the world to search through text on social networking sites to protect children.

'Know Diss is a very simple concept. It is also a partnership between parent and child because one cannot sign up without the other.' Mr Clarke, a consultant in pain relief at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester, joined forces with friend Alan Saul to design and implement Know Diss, which costs £12 for a yearly subscription.

31.8.10

Don't Leave Your Baby too Long, They stressed Out!

Baby stressThey may have barely mastered sitting up by themselves. But six-month-old babies become stressed out when they don't get the attention they feel they deserve.

Levels of the stress hormone cortisol soar when they are ignored by their mother, and even a day later they are worried about the same thing happening again.

A baby who is deprived of its mother's love for just two minutes is anxious about being ignored again the next day, a study found. Experts in child development said that repeated episodes of stress could have a huge effect on a youngster's health and on his or her course in life.

To investigate whether six-month-olds are capable of anticipating trouble, the Canadian researchers invited 30 mothers and babies into their laboratory and divided them into two groups.

29.7.10

Friendship A Prescription for Good Health

friendshipDo you know that having good friends can do wonders for your health? Research shows! A life of booze, fags and slothfulness may be enough to earn your doctor's disapproval, but there is one last hope: a repeat prescription of mates and good conversation.

A circle of close friends and strong family ties can boost a person's health more than exercise, losing weight or quitting cigarettes and alcohol, psychologists say.

Sociable people seem to reap extra rewards from their relationships by feeling less stressed, taking better care of themselves and having less risky lifestyles than those who are more isolated, they claim.

A review of studies into the impact of relationships on health found that people had a 50 per cent better survival rate if they belonged to a wider social group, be it friends, neighbors, relatives or a mix of these.

The striking impact of social connections on well being has led researchers to call on GPs and health officials to take loneliness as seriously as other health risks, such as alcoholism and smoking.

20.5.10

Study Says Soothing Moms Lower Her Kids Stress Hormones

Did you know that children overflow with love and attention from his or her parents, especially mothers, will grow up into a happy, intelligent, and more healthy person.

Latest research by University of California, Los Angeles, United States shows that early childhood experiences have a long-term health effects, particularly on the risk of inflammation which is an immune reaction by the body when attacked by disease. This study concluded that Mom who cares her kids will help them grow with less stress hormones that tied to disease.

To know the biological mechanism that occurs, the research team took blood samples from 53 adults who grew up in an environment with low socioeconomic status. Half of the respondents admitted having a close relationship with their mother, While the rest said rarely had that kind of attention.

In the group that has close ties with their mother, was only found little genetic marker of inflammation. Genetic marker is a molecule that indicates that the gene has been actively into proteins, in this case proteins that contribute to inflammation.

8.12.09

How does laughter heal?

laughter heal"Clown is like aspirin, only he works twice as fast," said the late Groucho Marx, a comedian star whose words are often quoted. Why did he say that?

1. Laughter relieves anxiety. Therefore, one can not laugh and feel scared at the same time. It is physically impossible. Laugh also minimizes the source and size of our fear.

2. Laughter eases the sense of solitude. Because, laughter makes us want to socialize with other people and ease the sense of solitude.

3. Laughter reduces aggression and conflict. People who laugh do not be rude to others.

4. Immune system become stronger with a laugh, stress hormone levels were reduced, the heart and circulatory system healthy, and the muscles become more relaxed.

5. Laughter is the source of heart-healthy exercise, especially for those who are in elderly period. In addition, laugh also will make a special breathing pattern and is good for the health of respiratory organs.

6. Laughter works like a good virus because it spread rapidly. Spread to the whole world with laughter will reduce the anger and violence.

7. Our mental health will be better with a laugh. Stress is reduced, as well as anger and worry. It has a positive effect, feeling happy and positive attitude increases.

8. We become more creative and able to solve the problem because of laughing. It has also proven can increase job satisfaction. We can work harder, but felt comfortable. In short, productivity increased.

9. Everyone can laugh. Humans are born with a talent to laugh. Sense of humor is not really necessary to if it is just for a laugh.

10. Laughter is a natural process that reduces the pain, both physically and emotionally. This is a natural remedy from the body itself. Multiply laugh and you will find that it only takes a little drug to enjoy life.

16.10.08

Allergy medications: Know your options

Because you can't always avoid allergy triggers, you may need medication to help alleviate allergy symptoms.

Allergy medications are available in pill, liquid, nasal spray, eyedrop and skin cream (topical) forms. Some are available over-the-counter while others are available by prescription only.

The best medication or combination of medications for you depends on your symptoms, what other health conditions you have and what other medications you take. Certain allergy medications work better for some people than others. You may need to try a few different medications to determine which ones are most effective and have the least bothersome side effects.

To choose the best allergy medications for you, learn what's available to treat your symptoms — and work with your doctor to figure out what medications is best for you.
Options for allergy medications

There are several types of medications used to treat and prevent allergy symptoms. Medications are available in pill and liquid forms, nasal sprays, eyedrops and skin creams.

* Corticosteroids help prevent and treat the inflammation associated with allergic conditions.
* Antihistamines block histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.
* Decongestants relieve nasal and sinus congestion.
* Leukotriene modifiers block the effects of leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.
* Cromolyn sodium prevents the release of histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

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15.2.08

Teach Your Child to Escape or Prevent an Abduction

"Kid Escape" is a method that you can teach to children to help them learn how to escape from someone who is trying to abduct them. Practice these steps with your child at home. It could very well save his or her life!

Steps

For children aged 12 years and under:

1. Teach your child how to react if anyone grabs a hold of him or he and tries to get your child into a vehicle:
* The first thing is to get down as low to the ground as possible. Start wiggling and twisting and climbing down the would-be abductor's body until you can reach the person's ankles. Keep moving and squirm, turn about and climb right down the body.
* As soon as you reach the ground, wrap your arms around one of the attacker's ankles, and wrap your legs around the attacker's other ankle. Try to lock your body around the attacker's legs and ankles the best that you can.
* Realize that the attacker will be trying like mad to get the you off him or her. If the attacker manages to actually break free from you, don't try to get up and run. Stay on the ground, and just try to scoot yourself backwards away from the attacker. Do this as if you are walking like a crab. If the attacker tries to grab you again, just grab a hold of his or her legs again.
* If your are on the ground on your back, you can always just kick at the attacker wildly.

For older kids aged around 12 years and older:

Teach your child that the would-be abductor can be tackled as follows:
* The best thing for you to do is grab onto your attacker as if you're giving him or her a big bear hug. He or she will immediately start trying to push you away.
* Try to bite your attacker's shoulder as you hang on.
* The closer you are to the attacker's body, the harder it is for him or her to hit you or grab a hold of you.
* As soon as the attacker breaks the connection between the two of you, just run as fast as you can.

Tips

* It's important for you to scream as loud as you possibly can during the entire attempted abduction. You want as many people as possible to notice what's happening.
* Teach your child to yell things like, "I DON'T KNOW THIS PERSON!" and "I'M BEING KIDNAPPED!" This will get people's attention very fast, rather than them thinking your child could possibly just be someone's bratty kid screaming for candy.

13.2.08

Get Your Two Year Old to Stop Crying and Go to Sleep Alone

There are a million books on this subject, and there is no easy way to get your child to sleep though the night unless they are ready. One thing you must never do is to get frustrated in front of your child. If they are upset, they will never go to sleep. Keep in mind our child did not sleep completely through the night until he was over a year old. Also, if your baby is breast-feeding, or still taking a bottle at night, this probably will not work

Steps
  1. Put your kid on a schedule. ie. dinner, play, bath, books, bed-time. Try to do things consistently and at the same time every night when possible.
  2. Announce it is time to go to bed and to give kisses (unless they are too young to know what you are talking about, in which case, good luck.) Take them to their bedroom.
  3. Turn out the lights but DO leave some kind of night light on, then rock, or sing, or do whatever you do before putting him/her in bed.
  4. Put them in Bed.
  5. Soothe them a little by rubbing tummy or back or whatever. Soothe, but don't stimulate. Make it as boring as you can.
  6. Did they fall asleep? Didn't think so.
  7. Try to sneak out of the room.
  8. If they cry for you, go right back to them, don't let them cry.
  9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 until they fall asleep.
Tips
  1. This is not something that happens overnight. Sometimes you will get to the door, close it, and they will call for you. It is important to always go back and soothe them some more and don't let them cry.
  2. Some people will tell you to let them cry it out and this may or may not have quicker resulults, but If you don't want to submit your child to this heartbreak, you are left with the hard way. As were we.
  3. When you go back to soothe, try to do it while they are in the bed without taking them out of the crib. Only take them out if they are extremely upset.
  4. Try not to get angry at your child. It is perfectly normal for them to not sleep through the night. Every child is different.

12.2.08

Get Your Children Away from TV (2)

Does it seem that the kids have forgotten what the garden looks like or the park across the street? Is their conversation dotted with TV show lingo and do they base their next week's schedule around what's on TV? And the big question - are your kids glued to the TV all the time? If so, time to take control and give them a new lease on life that does not revolve around the box.

Here are some more tips
  1. Make it a rule that there is no TV watching before homework is done. Unwinding after school should be relaxing, not getting hyperactive in front of the TV.
  2. It can be a good idea to get kids out of TV during summer first. Summer TV is usually re-runs and fairly drab. And it is much easier to get out of doors during summer! Once the routine is in place for summer, gradually replace indoor TV as the months get darker with indoor activities, like games and reading. Continue going to museums, skating rinks, and indoor sports places as you did during summer.
  3. A good rule-of-thumb for TV watching is : No TV for children under the age of 2. The TV can never be a substitute for learning about the world around them; One to two hours and no more per day for children aged over two. Also suitable for adults.
  4. Place your TV in the closet. Removing the TV from the center of your living space communicates that it is no longer the center of your lives.
  5. Sell your TV. Want to go over the top? Want kids that love to read? Want kids that pay attention in school? Want to foster creative and self-entertainment? Want to spend more time communicating, playing, etc.? Want to be the person giving the values instead of all the strangers with their strange ideas from television land? Want to set your kids up for a much healthier lifestyle? You can always watch a movie on your computer screen, a movie you selected.
  6. Disconnect the cable. Most cable providers have several television stations geared toward children, and many have television stations that show cartoons all day. Without "children's TV stations," your children may actually look forward to getting up on Saturday Morning to watch cartoons.
  7. Buy or rent the television programs that you want to watch and watch them after the kids go to sleep. Many network programs are also available on demand on the internet within a week of airing on television. By doing this, you can watch television on your own schedule without exposing your children to your shows.
  8. Discuss your TV reduction with your kid's friend's parents. If they know what you want for your kids you can help stop TV watching away from home.
  9. Not letting children watch television may save you money. Children are very susceptible to influence from television commercials. Without commercials, you children may not be as brand conscious, and they won't request things in television commercials they don't see.
  10. Reduced exposure to commercials will have many benefits for your children: reduced desire and impulses to eat junk food or sweets, reduced desire/impulses to buy the latest toys and other fads. A good way to do this is to get them alot of Disney movies, they usually are good quality, and contains important life lessons, and there is no commertials on it, or only let them watch Disney channal, it has very little advetisments and the advertisments usually are about there own movies, not junkfood and toys.
  11. Do not replace the TV with the computer or video games. If you allow this, you may well be setting the kids up for an alternative addiction. Try to allow everything in moderation and with clear limits.
  12. It is a good idea to monitor what your children are watching. If you don't, you won't know what they are seeing and this can manifest itself in very negative ways if they are witnessing violence, sexually explicit content, or even just too many advertisements. Remember, TV viewing must be quality, no matter what. More importantly, monitoring what they watch keeps you involved in your child's life.

11.2.08

Get Your Children Away from TV (1)

Does it seem that the kids have forgotten what the garden looks like or the park across the street? Is their conversation dotted with TV show lingo and do they base their next week's schedule around what's on TV? And the big question - are your kids glued to the TV all the time? If so, time to take control and give them a new lease on life that does not revolve around the box.

Steps
  1. Tell the kids that the TV free-for-all is at an end. Explain to them that the level of TV viewing has reached a point of no return and that other activities in life are being neglected. Then tell them that the TV time is going to be regulated from now on. There will be whining, there will be arguing and there will be the typical clever rationalizations that kids are famous for. Stick to your decision - TV time is being axed!
  2. Develop a TV reduction plan. In consultation with your kids, sit down together and plot TV viewing time. Get a copy of the weekly TV schedule from your regular paper or magazine. Ask the kids which shows they like the most. Then tell them that those are going to be the only programs they can watch. Also consider allowing a time limit of 1 - 2 hours per day (or less, especially on school nights) of viewing and no more. If there are more programs than hours alloted, the kids will be forced to choose.
  3. Turn it off. Only permit the TV to be on when the program is being watched. Do not allow it to run as background noise. It will distract the kids and draw them back to it even if the program is not one that interested them initially. One option is to use an adapter to control the TV's power supply, only allowing them to watch at certain times of the day.
  4. Go cold turkey for the whole family. All for one and one for all. One drastic measure is to get rid of the TVs. Yes, it is drastic but if you have a family that is highly addicted to TV, it may be the only way to kickstart this plan. Give the TVs to a family member or friend to keep for a week to a month whilst the whole family goes cold turkey and relearns what they used to do before the TV was invented. One word of warning - do not turn to the internet, video games and other sources of electronic entertainment in place. Instead, bring out those old board games, playing cards and jigsaws to do together as a family.
  5. Take TVs out of bedrooms. Just because a TV is affordable and keeps the kids out of your hair does not mean that having TVs in bedrooms is acceptable. Bedrooms are for peace, rest and quiet play. TVs do not instill rest and peace, especially not kids' programs, which are deliberately aimed at keeping kids interested through energizing them. Keep the TV (or TVs) in public areas only: somewhere that is easy for you to monitor. If you have a larger family, you may need to consider an additional TV to avoid too many sharing clashes but in the main, sharing and compromise are two important skills to be teaching your kids.
  6. Do not keep a TV/DVD/VCR in your vehicle. It's amazing how many parents rely on a DVD or VCR in their vehicle to keep the kids "quiet". Road trips or car errands are a great time for kids to draw, read books, play with Barbies or Transformers, talk with parents, listen to music, or just watch the surroundings out the window, etc. Kids don't need to be entertained all the time.
  7. Provide alternatives. Kids are learning about their world everyday. Make sure that most of their learning comes from self-experience and not from being told about things via the medium of TV. To assist their self-exploration and to perk their curiosity, provide a range of alternative activities. Keep an activity cupboard packed with activities such as: Science kit projects (erupting volcanoes, magnets, 3D models, electronics kits, weather forecasting kits, natural discovery books and kits etc.); Craft, art and drawing materials.; Board games, playing cards, marbles, miniatures, Lego bricks, building kits, etc.; A good library of kids' books aimed at their ages, across a wide variety of subjects.
  8. Encourage outdoor and sporting activities. Keep a good supply of balls, bats, rackets, shuttlecocks, jump ropes, Frisbees, bikes, and other outdoor objects handy. Go to the parks, the pool, or the football field and be active together. Encourage older kids to go by themselves and play sports with friends. Enroll kids of all ages in sports classes, either team or individual, depending on your kids' expressions of interest.
  9. Go on outings together. Visit museums, parks, science centers, aquariums, zoos, amusement parks, mini-golf, the cinema, the beach -- anywhere that gets them away from the TV. Travel on the train to the end of the line just to see where it goes and come back again. Help out with volunteer projects. Do a variety of things that encourage the kids to explore their world and see, touch, taste, smell, and hear it for themselves, senses that no TV program can ever truly stimulate or replicate.
  10. Reward adherence to the TV reduction plan. Once the TV reduction plan has become routine and the kids are watching less TV (only their allotted programs), reinforce their changed focus with rewards. The rewards might be activity based, such as going to an amusement park or the theater or they might be material, such as new clothes, books or CDs.
  11. Set a good example. It should go without saying that your behavior matters. What you do will demonstrate to the kids what is okay to do. Watch less TV yourself, remove any TV from your bedroom, participate in the kids' activities, and be active in sports, fitness, and exercise. You will not only be setting your kids a great example but you'll be doing yourself a favor, too. Just see how much more time emerges in your day when you restrict the TV viewing!

9.2.08

Create a Great Homework Environment

Success begins with the homework environment. Parents want their children to get good grades in school. Unfortunately, not every parent knows how best to help their children meet academic challenges, including completion of homework assignments. So, how do parents maximize their child’s chances for success in school? Start by creating a home environment that is conducive to homework and learning.

Steps
  1. Set goals. Help your child set attainable goals for each class and help her identify what will need to be done to reach each goal. For example, to get an A in American History she will need to turn in all her homework, participate in class, etc.
  2. Know your child. There are visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), and haptic (doing) learners. If you help your child work within his style, he will work more effectively.
  3. Create a homework zone. Set up an area in your home for studying, complete with a dictionary, paper and pens. Make sure the area is free from potential distractions and that study tools are at your child’s fingertips to keep him/her focused on homework.
  4. Develop class files. Develop a color-coded file for each of your child’s classes. Make separate tabs for homework assignments, exams and projects, so your child can refer back to class materials when studying for comprehensive tests.
  5. Set Weekly Milestones. For big projects or exams, get a large calendar for your child’s desk area and help him set short timelines to ensure projects and studying aren’t left until the night before. Celebrate with your child when each milestone is met.
  6. Also have a calculator handy. It's easier for your child.
  7. You might also want to get a laptop. They're great if your child forgets his/her books. Most school books have online versions. Laptops are also great for looking up definitions.
  8. It also works to bribe your kid. Get a big poster of whatever your kid wants and hang it above their work area. If your kid gets good grades take the poster down and get them the actual item.

Getting Kids to Eat

Getting kids to eat can be like trying to nail jelly to a wall.
Here are some techniques that really work.
  1. Cook with your kids. Get your kid involved in preparing their food. They will feel far more involved when it comes to sitting down if they made the salad, put together the bread and cheese, and helped set the table.
  2. Be calm and uncomplicated. You should never punish a kid by withdrawal of food. Also, question the psychology behind rewarding good behaviour with bribes of favourite foods. If you separate the issues of behaviour and eating, then you keep the child's relationship with food easy to understand. Likewise, keep your own hang-ups in mind, and don't pass them onto your kids. It is unwise to ban foods as "bad stuff" or "temptations". Even decadent, fat-rich food can have it's place in your child's diet, in moderation of course.
  3. Follow the 10 times rule. Recent research from America suggests it might take a kid up to 10 tries of a new foodstuff before they learn to like it. So if you want them to try carrot, then you need to stick at it. But how do you get them to even try a new food? Let's face it, carrots do look a bit weird. You could always try the 'no thank you' bite? The rule is, your kid is allowed to say' no thank you' to any food they like, as long as they have one bite of it first. This is a great way of getting your kid to try things. Gradually your kid will find that some things aren't so bad - even carrots.
  4. If they have a favourite food, tell them they can have it after they finish everything else.
  5. Other ideas. If you make the food look appealing, young children can sometimes be enticed into eating it- you could try making the food into the shape of a face. And one final idea for those last mouthfuls is a game of aeroplanes.