School Bus Safety Tips for Children

School bus is one of the safest modes of travel for children.If your child is using school bus,teach him some important and good rules to follow.
Safety Rules

• Every child should know about the danger zones and should always stay away from them.
• Teach children about the rules while crossing the road.
• When your child is near the school bus he should have the attention of  the driver.
• Never allow children to play near or around the school bus.
• When crossing in front of the bus,children must measure and take atleast 10 big steps in order to identify the danger zone.

Getting On the Bus

• Always reach the bus stop 10 minutes before the actual pick up time.
• Find a safe place away from the road and wait for the bus.
• Wait for the bus to stop before getting on board.
• Board the bus carefully holding the side rail carefully.
• Do not push or shove your friend.
• Find a vacant seat and sit on it quietly.
• Keep your school bag on your lap.Remember not to keep your bag at a place where other children can trip over.
• Never put your hand,arms or head out of the window.
• If you are standing,hold on to the safety rails tightly.You should also face the front of the bus.
• Do not distract the driver.
• Always listen to and follow the instructions given by the driver.

Getting Off the Bus

• Get off slowly holding the handrails.
• Do not push or shove your friends.
• After getting down you must walk and not run.Go right home.
• Never go behind the bus or stand in front of the bus.

Safety Rules for Parents

• If possible,accompany your child to and from the bus stop.
• When crossing road,always hold your child's hand especially if he is under 10.
• Before crossing,be sure you check the traffic lights and flash signals.
• Wait for the traffic to clear or stop before you cross the road.
• Walk across the road and turn your head both ways to watch and listen to traffic.You must walk and never run on the road.
• If you are driving,always slow down near school bus stop areas and places where children are standing and playing.

Motion Sickness Prevention Tips for Children

It can be distressing for parents to see their children not feel well and have frequent motion sickness.Children from 5years to 12years are more susceptible to motion sickness.

What is Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is caused by a disturbance of the inner ear where there is a conflict between the vestibular inputs and visual inputs.These conflicting messages are sent to the brain which results in imbalance and thus leads to motion sickness.
Motion sickness can occur in air,sea,bus,car,roller coaster or from playing video games.

Symptoms and Signs

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Pale skin
• Cold sweat
• Fatigue

Remedies for Motion Sickness

• Always ask the child to look at a distant point,at the horizon or focus his attention somewhere out of the window.
• Have a plastic bag ready.Wiping your child's face with wet towels will also make him feel better.While traveling in air keep the air sickness bag ready for the child.
• If traveling by car,let your child sit in the front seat.This helps him to focus and keep his eye in tune with the motion of the vehicle.If in a bus,choose the middle seat.
• Give your child a pillow or use the head rest to avoid unnecessary head movements.Your child should keep his head as still as far as possible.
• Calm your child.Anxiety can make the problem worse.Tell your child that he is not the only one and he will get over it as he grows a little older.
• Always carry lots of liquids while traveling.Frequent vomiting can cause dehydration in children.
• Give your child small sips of water or electrolytes if he's vomiting.
• Motion sickness can get worse if your child is on empty or full stomach.Avoid giving big or greasy meals to your child before travel.It is a good idea to have a light snack before the motion.
• Avoid drinking and eating during short trips.
• Make frequent stops.Take short breaks when the child starts complaining about feeling sick.
• If you are flying,request for a seat near the airplane wing.This helps to reduce the turbulence.
• Try covering the windows as bright sun can make nausea worse.
• Fresh air can also help prevent nausea.Try and open the windows whenever possible.

Useful herbs and medicines

 Before starting any therapy make sure you consult a health care professional or doctor about the exact dosage and method of treatment.

Herbs

-Ginger

-Peppermint

-Black Horehound

Homeopathy

-Cocculus

-Sepia

-Tabacum

-Borax

-Petroluem

-Nux Vornica

Other Medicines

-Promethazine

-Antihistamines

-Scopolamine

Wonders of Oats and OatMeal

Oatmeal is one of the healthiest foods known for its high nutritional values.Oatmeal has been approved as a heart friendly food as it lowers cholesterol and lowers the risk of heart diseases.

Types of Oats and Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a whole-grain cereal made from ground oat groats.It has very low fat content and is rich in soluble fibers called Beta-Glucan.
Oatmeal comes in several forms:

• Instant Oatmeal-It is dried and precooked.It often contains sweeteners and other flavours as additive.
• Rolled Oats-This old fashioned oats is steam processed and rolled into flakes.This helps the oats to stay fresh for a longer time.Rolled oats are used as an ingredient in muesli and granola.
• Steel-cut Oats/Irish Oatmeal-The oat groats are chopped into small pieces using  large steel blades and are usually roasted.

Nutrition

• Vitamins-Oatmeal is a good source of B-complex vitamin.Vitamin B is water soluble and is important for metabolic functions.
• Minerals-Oatmeal cereal is a rich source of magnesium, zinc,iron,manganese and selenium.It also contains calcium,potassium and phosphorous.Magnesium supports the immune system and zinc promotes healing and growth.Phosphorous and calcium are good for bone and teeth.Iron helps to create red blood cells and thus prevent anemia.
• Protein-One cup of cooked oatmeal has 6 grams of protein.It provides all the energy required by our body.
• Carbohydrate-A cup of cooked oatmeal contains 28.08 g of carbohydrate.

Health Benefits

• Soluble fibers present in oats and oatmeal lower the LDL or bad cholesterol in the body.
• Phytochemicals in oats and oatmeal  can lower the risk of developing cancer.
• Avenanthramides, a type of antioxidant are present in oats.This helps to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
• Insoluble fibers in oats help to stabilize blood sugar and this can help patients with diabetes.

 Tips to make your Best Oatmeal

• Oats can be slow cooked and even reheated.Reheating does not reduce the nutritional value of oats.
• Instant oatmeal usually has higher glycemic index,you can add a little fat free or low fat milk and a few nuts to lower the glycemic index.
• Steel-cut and rolled oats are considered superior to instant oats as they contain more fibers and nutrients.Steel cooked oats take atleast half and hour to cook while rolled oats can be cooked in 15 minutes.Add 2 parts water to one part oat while boiling.
• You can add soy milk or low fat milk to your oats to get more calcium.
• Pieces of fresh fruits like strawberry,kiwis,apple,banana or chikoo can be added to the oats.You can also add dried fruits like raisins.
• Add a dash of Cinnamon,pumpkin seeds or even cocoa to make your oats topping  more delicious.

 

Turmeric- The Amazing Health Food

Turmeric(Curcuma Longa) is a sharp tasting spice derived from a root and is commonly used as a culinary spice in South Asia.This spiceccomes from the underground stem(rhizomes) of the turmeric plant.It has a sharp,woodsy taste and pungent aroma.It has been widely used as a traditional remedy to cure many ailments in Ayurvedic as well as Chinese medicine.

Potential Nutrients
The main nutrient in turmeric is Curcumin which is consumed in diets and is used as herbal remedy in many countries.Curcumin  in turmeric has strong antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti cancer and cortisone -stimulating properties..
Other compounds include ascorbic acid,carotene,polysaccharides and ar-turmerone.These compounds also have medicinal properties.

Health Benefits of Turmeric

• It helps to stimulate the gallbladder and improve bile flow.This helps in treating many gastrointestinal problems.
• It helps to remove bloating,gas,heart burn and acid reflux.
• It can be applied on the skin to treat wounds,insect bites,eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions.
• Turmeric has as a powerful anti-inflammatory property which helps to relieve symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases.
• Some medical studies have also proved that curcumin in turmeric has several anti-cancer properties.These studies suggest that curcumin should be considered as an anticancer agent and must be included as part of daily diet.Some studies have also shown that curcumin inhibits the growth of certain tumors.
• It has the power to thin blood and reduce the ability to form clots.This helps people with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• Research has also shown that use of turmeric or curcumin might protect against Alzheimer's disease, stomach ulcers and heart diseases.

How to select Turmeric
It is advisable to buy turmeric powder from reputed manufacturers.Go for organic brands if possible as this will ensure that the product is free from adulteration.

Storage Tips
Store in a cool and dark place away from heat and direct sunlight.Always store in a dry and clean jar and seal the lid after use.

Precautions

• Pregnant women should always consult doctors before taking turmeric supplements.
• If taken in high doses it may cause nausea and diarrhea.
• People suffering from liver problems,gallstones and jaundice should not take turmeric.
• Turmeric may have possible interactions with some drugs,so it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any curcumin supplement.

How to Nurture Spirituality in Children

 Irrespective of your religion and background,spirituality defines your values and is a source of inspiration and stability for you.
 Children,Spirituality and Happiness
Spirituality is the way we experience and relate to God.Though religion and spirituality are both different things we all need to remember that all living bodies belong to the spiritual world that is governed by spiritual laws.
Spirituality is important for children because it brings them happiness.A recent study shows that children who are more spiritual(inner belief system) are more happier than those who report a certain level of religiousness.Developing a strong sense of personal worth in children will make them more happier.

Help your Child grow Spiritually
Parents should not limit their child's spirituality to visiting places of worship or just talking about God.
Here are a few practical tips-

•  Be a supportive spiritual companion to your child by modelling love,kindness,compassion and forgiveness.
• Help your child understand the spiritual laws and the mysterious movements of the divine forces.
• Encourage your child to ask questions about his everyday life experiences.
• Talk to him about his feelings and thoughts.
• Choose a special place to sit with your child everyday for a few minutes and enjoy the silence and stillness together.
• Encourage your child to sit with you or silently watch you while praying.
• Sing a special song or make prayer a part of your child's bedtime routine.
• Whenever you take your child to your place of worship,explain what is happening and give him time explore more.

Luke 10:21...“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 

God indeed has a unique relationship with little children and children too are capable of enjoying the presence of God.Help your children in their spiritual journey and with a little encouragement from you they will surely share the love and presence of God.

Parenting is the Key to Children's Brain Development

According to psychologists parenting begins even before the child in unborn.A mother talking,reading and singing to the unborn child creates a mother-infant bond early on.Even after the child is born,parent's interaction plays a very very important role in child's brain development.This goes a long in shaping the child's brain and affecting his psychological state.Some studies have also shown that children who have received responsive and sensitive care from their parents in their early years grow up to be more confident and successful individuals in their lives.Recent advances in brain research has shown that the brain development in children is not only dependent on genetics but is also determined by the child's experience.

Child's Developing Brain -A Miracle
Research shows that the first three years are vital to the child's brain development.The child's brain responds to the continually changing experiences in different ways.These experiences help the child to understand and remember things.This also tunes the brain and strengthens connections.Some studies have proved that the complex interaction between the child's genes and environment plays a critical role in brain development.Both genes and environment play different roles.Genes are responsible for creating potential in a child,whereas environment gives brain the experience that comes from the way he interacts with his parents and family.How Parents can Enhance Healthy Brain Development?

• Love,Warmth and Touch- Be gentle and caring with your children.This gives them a sense of security,and reassurance.
• Create a Safe Environment for your child-Give your child a rich and stimulating environment by providing him with various age appropriate toys.
• Say No to Stress and Abuse-It is difficult to control children who experience stress and are abused.Parents should try to reduce their own stress and protect their children from abuses.
• Provide an Enriched Learning Environment-Do a variety of interesting activities regularly with your child to boost brain development.This includes simple day to day activities like singing,playing,story-telling and reading books together.
• Do not Overstimulate your Child-Too much stimulation can frustrate the child.It can also cause stress.

Parents are the child's first teacher.Open new windows of learning for your children by loving them and providing a safe and secure environment to them.These opportunities will not only nurture their developing brain but will also allow them to grow up to be better individuals.As parents we must ensure that every child receives the positive experiences in their early childhood.

Positive Benefits of Video games

We have all read news reports about the negative influences of video games.It is true that these games can have some bad consequences on the child's behavior but there are also a lot of positive benefits.Video games engage children in many learning activities which help children learn certain skills.Computers are an important social tool in today's modern world and children should be given enough opportunities to play with them.Some studies have also shown that video games can teach children with attention deficit disorders to modulate their brain waves associated with focusing.With proper training these children have shown to improve their social and organizational skills.

Positive Benefits for Children

• As Educational Tool-These games are fun and exciting for children so they stimulate learning.
• Spatial skills-It develops spatial abilities in children by helping them visualize objects in two and three dimensions.
• Goal Setting-Goals are set in every game and they need to rehearse these goals.
  
• Maths skills-They see their scores while playing and hence learn some basic maths skills.
• Language skills-They learn how to follow directions and read certain words like 'Go','Stop','Start'.
• Social Skills-Children can talk about their passion with their friends in school and can make new friends who share a common interest.
• Decision-making skills
• It teaches Strategy
• Teaches children with Computer skills
• It teaches Memory and Mapping
• Multitasking
• Quick Reasoning and Critical thinking

 Caution for Parents

• Always remember that your supervision is a must if your child is very young.

•  Children must not be allowed to play these games for a long time as it can interfere with their home-work and other daily responsibilities. 

• You must monitor the effects of these games on your child's behavior.If you don't want him to play violent games then it's okay to be a little strict.
• Engage your child in other activities by interacting with him, reading books,sports and even watching television.This will not make him addicted to these games.

Tips for Choosing Video Games

• Check the ratings of the game and pick the ones that is acceptable to your family.
• Look for games that involve strategy making and activities that stimulate your child's brain.
• Choose a game that is appropriate for your child's age.
• Encourage group play by picking games which involve multiple players.

 If taken in moderation video games have a great potential.They don't just add entertainment value but can stimulate the little brains in a big way.

Healthy Beverage Choice to prevent Childhood Obesity

 How serious is Childhood Obesity?
The increasing number of childhood obesity cases is a cause of concern in many families globally.A recent survey says that the number of childhood obesity cases have almost tripled in the last 30 years.Obese children and adolescents are at a high risk of developing long term health problems later in life.In addition to major health problems,obese or overweight children may also have problems with their emotional health like low self-confidence and self-esteem which can lead to diminished academic performance and sometimes depression.
Parents must help children understand that just like food,our choice of beverage can affect our health and nutritional intake. Consuming healthy food and beverages in moderation can help children live a balanced lifestyle.
Why are Beverages added with sugar Unhealthy?

• High intake of beverages sweetened with sugar not only causes obesity but it also lowers the intake of certain important nutrients like vitamin A,magnesium and calcium.Low levels of calcium can cause weakened bones in children and even lead to osteoporosis later in life.
• Too much sugary drinks also causes dental problems like tooth decay and cavities.

Easy and Healthy Beverage Options for Young Children

• Water-Water is the perfect beverage for children.Whether pain or flavored,it keeps children hydrated and also helps to fill them up.

Ideas to encourage children drink more water
-Children imitate what adults do.If you drink plenty of water so will your children.
-Give children fresh lime or lemon juice.(see recipe in summer coolers for children post).
-Always encourage children to carry water bottles with them.

• Milk-Milk is the next best beverage option.It contains calcium which is good for your child's bones.Consider giving low-fat or fat-free milk.Soy milk is a good alternative to cow's milk.Give children plain milk, but you can occasionally give them flavored milk like chocolate milk.

Tips to encourage children drink milk everyday

• A glass of refreshing cold milk for breakfast is a good option.
• Make delicious smoothies with the your child's favorite fruit.Try to control the amount of sugar.Honey is a great natural sweetness.

• Vegetable Juice -They are an excellent source of antioxidants,fiber and essential nutrients.Carrot juice and tomato juice are some good choices.

• 100% Fruit Juice-Give children a glass of 100% fruit juice instead of fruit drinks.You can add honey to sweeten the juice but no sugar please.Remember to put limit on juices by following the recommended limits for children

-Infants-No juice

-6months to1year-2to3 ounces per day

-1year to 5 years-4to6 ounces per day

-5years and above-not more than 8 to12ounces per day

 As your child grows up talk to him about his likes and dislikes and explain why he should avoid sugary drinks.Don't forget to treat him for the healthy choices he makes.

Making small changes in lifestyle and instilling healthy habits from an early age will help your child make better and healthy beverage choices in future.

Develop Early Number Sense in Children

 Developing number sense in children can help them excel in Maths

 Why Maths is Important for Children?
How do you respond when your child asks you why he needs to learn maths.Do you have a positive way to explain or is your approach negative?
Just like reading skills,developing early math skills in children is equally important.Maths can help children solve real-life problems.

• Reasoning and Logic-Maths teaches children reasoning and connecting ideas logically.
• Maths in everyday life-While shopping we check the weight and size of food packets.This is where we apply maths.We use maths in our kitchen by the amount of ingredients we need to make a recipe.

What is Number Sense?
Number sense is the ability of a person to understand numbers, their operation and also the ability to use this understanding in various flexible ways.It is as important to maths learning as phonemic awareness has been to reading.Young children develop number sense by visualizing and exploring the basic counting technique.This gradually helps them understand number size operation and place value.

 Maths and Number Sense Relation
It is often said that number sense is universal but it may take years to learn maths ability.Number sense takes root at an early age.Some preschoolers may seem to have well-developed understanding of counting techniques acquired through  informal interactions with parents or family members
Researchers have tried to link the two and find out if developing number sense in children can actually improve their maths ability later in life.

Advantages

• Children with good number sense have the ability to develop their own procedures for numerical operations.
• Can easily recognize number patterns.
• Have a good sense of numerical magnitude.

I would like to give you a simple example of  how two children of the same age group(one having a good number sense and the other without developed number sense) figure out biggest number between two given numbers(say,3 and 7)
Child with not so advanced number sense knows that 7 is bigger than three,but the other child knows that 7 is 4 bigger than 3.
This is where maths and number sense both are used automatically.

Games to Develop Number Sense in Children

•  Number Guessing-Put a few crayons in a box and ask your child to quickly guess the number of crayons.
• Counting-Ask your child to count the objects on the table,number of toys in a basket and so on.
• Sorting-Teach him fractions by giving him a bread,cut it into half and spread jam on one half.Then say one of two pieces that is 1/2 piece has jam.

How Pretend Play affects your Child's Brain

Pretend Play - An effective tool for cognitive development
Let me first tell you what cognitive development in early childhood means and how it is associated with pretend play in children.
Cognitive Development:It is the changing process of perception,thought and learning that starts from infancy to adulthood and thee abilities are associated with reasoning,problem-solving and memory.
Young children discover new things by manipulating toys and various objects while playing and while doing so they are developing  mathematical thinking, language and social skills.

Pretend Play and Child's Magical World of Imagination
Parents know that play is a vital component for optimal development of children but most of them are unaware of the power of pretend play.Pretend play is the cornerstone of a child's world where he is free to explore numerous possible combinations of emotions and ideas.Science has confirmed that such type of play has important positive effects on child's learning abilities.Since it involves role taking and improvisation it helps in cognitive development in the child's early years.Child's language and social skills too are built through such play.Some studies have also associated pretend play with certain cognitive strategies like problem solving,self-regulation and understanding rules.

What Children Learn

• Builds Courage
• Promotes Social Skills
• Teaches Language and Communication Skills
• Develops Problem solving abilities
• Helps Emotional Development
• Boosts Confidence and Self-Esteem
• Develops Abstract Thinking
• Helps visualize things through imagination
• Builds Leadership Qualities

How Parents Can Encourage

• Choose a Theme-Give him a theme.You can talk to your child about his super-hero ,imaginary character or anything that excites him and play some games with him.You can also give your child a situation and ask him how he would like to react if his super-hero wanted your child's help.
• Inspire- Your job is to convey the child a sense of involvement, but remember to step back once the play is underway.Let your child imagine and play in his own direction.
• Time and Space-Choose a play space for your child where he can play as long as he wants to without you asking him to pick up and organize toys.Let him create a little mess so that his imagination can run wild.
• Give some Props-Provide your child with various toys,blocks ,empty boxes and costumes of super heroes.He can also play with his favorite hat o sunglasses.
• Do Not Interrupt-This is very important.Resist all urges to interrupt your child's play and never try to clear up the space or try to fix things while he is playing.

There is enough evidence to support the various connections of pretend play and cognitive development.Children who do not get the opportunity to experience such play might show delayed progress in certain academic areas like mathematics, science and literature.These children may also show diminished multidimensional skills.Hence,parents must encourage and provide a rich environment to stimulate the brain of young children.

Sleep Tricks for Children

Help your child have a Good and Sound sleep
Sleep is the power source of our body.It recharges our brain and keeps our mind alert.Young children need to have enough sleep.It is  important for their growth and brain development.Good sleep restores energy in their little bodies and it also helps parents get some free time.With long working hours for  parents and packed schedules for school and other activities regular sleeping habit in children is pushed back.We often think that children missing naps and late bed times is no big deal but the consequences can greatly affect their psychological wellbeing.
Children and Sleep
Sound and good sleep is very important for growth and  development of children.There are a few things which are essential for healthy sleep.

•  Quality of sleep-This means uninterrupted sleep.It is essential for the development of child's nervous system.
• Length of sleep-Sufficient amount of sleep is important.This varies with the age of the child.
• Naps-Naps are different from sleep.Children should have a regular nap time.Yes,timing plays an important role here.A good nap helps your child to be more alert.

 Sleep Disturbances in Children
At any stage if your child has problems with sleep then the consequences can have a negative effect on him.Sleep deprived children will find it difficult to concentrate in classrooms and will also have problems in their social relationships.

Signs of Sleep Disturbance  

-Your child is drowsy or finds it difficult to stay awake through the day .                                      

-Snores or breathes with pauses in night.                                                 

-Frequently wakes up or does not sleep well though the night         

Consequences of Disturbed Sleep
-Lack of concentration.
-Learning problems due to poor memory.
-Mood and behavioral problems.
-Poor performance and delay in learning
-Injuries and accidents


Action Plan for Parents
Here is an age by age guide mentioning the hours of sleep required by children and how parents can help them sleep through the night.
Newborns
-Put the child to sleep when he is sleepy and not asleep.
-Do not cover your kids with blankets and bedsheets.It might cause SID(Sudden Infant Deaths)
-Let your child sleep on his back.This is again to avoid SID.
-Encourage your child to sleep in the night.
Infants
-Infants usually require 9-12 hours of sleep during might
-3 to 4 naps of 1 to 2 hours duration is common.
-Be consistent with the day time naps and bed time schedules.
-Sooth the baby by making the room sleep friendly.
Toddlers 
-Toddlers require 12-14 hours of sleep.
-Nap times also reduce to 1 nap in the day for about 2-3 hours.
-Consistent sleep-routine is important .
-Encourage your child to sleep independently.He can pick his favorite stuffed toy or pillow and sleep with it.
Preschoolers
-Most preschoolers need 11-13 hours of sleep during night.
-Some preschoolers even stop taking day time naps.
-Make the room a dark and quiet place for your child.
-Do not keep gadgets like computers in the bed room.
-Don't forget that sticking to the bedtime schedule is important.
School going Children
-Make bedtime sleep quiet and enjoyable by letting  children pick a story book for bedtime story,taking a warm bath before going to bed,brushing teeth and putting on their night pajama.
-Remember to stay on track and explain to your child the importance of regular bedtime routine.

It is the responsibility of every parent to instill good and proper sleeping habits in children.Infusing this habit will help us raise healthy,happy and more sociable children.

Music Can Improve Kid's Brain Development

Music Lessons for Brain Development in Young Children

Music is loved by people from all cultures and young children naturally love music.When my son was 14 months old he used to hum to the beat of the songs i played on my laptop.I'm not saying that all children who love music will grow up to be prodigies but as parents there is a lot we can do to stimulate different areas of the child's brain through music.

Research says
There is evidence that a child can respond to sound and music inside a mother's womb.Trillions of nerve cells are sprouting every day in an unborn child's brain.After birth,the child's brain is still not completely developed.The early years in a child's life are a period of incredible development.
It has been discovered that music training can significantly improve brain development in young children.Several studies and research have also established the fact that music lessons can also help young children improve memory.
Researchers have used brain-scanning technology and found that young children who took music training over a period of one year have shown different brain development as compared to children who did not get any music training.After a year children with music training performed better in memory tests that is correlated with maths,intelligence and literacy.
These changes were observed in musically trained children in the age group of four to six years.

Memory,Intelligence and Music
Music enhances two specific types of reasoning skills in young children.

• language Analytical Reasoning- It is required while solving equations,and seeking quantitative results.

• Spatial Temporal Reasoning-It is used specifically in activities like playing chess.This type of reasoning is used while visualizing and transforming objects in time and space.Required while solving calculus and algebra.

Music for children with developmental issues
Researchers have also found that music can be used as an effective strategy in children with developmental issues like dyslexia and autism.There is enough evidence that children with autism can benefit immensely by musical therapy.Music can help these children cope better in stress,better self-regulation and also improved improve communication and interpersonal skills.

Parents Role
From birth to age six is a period of rapid development in children and music for them is a way of knowing..Introduce your child to the magical world of music through songs,rhymes and hand clapping activities.
Parents must provide a rich learning environment for children to nurture their musical abilities.If your child is not ready for music lessons you can still sing different songs and rhymes with him and dance.Put on some good music with energetic beats and dance with him and ask him to imitate your movements.
Casually introduce your child to musical instruments.Help him make his own musical instrument.Use rice,beans,rubber bands and old shoe boxes to make a guitar or drum.
Sing a song with your child when your stuck in a traffic jam or simply play songs while you are in the car.
Edewcate  is a great website that has some of the best collections of rhymes and songs for little children.It's my personal favorite and my son simply loves it.
 
Some Interesting Facts
-Musically trained children score higher in SATs.
-Piano lessons in preschoolers helped them score 34% higher in Spatial Temporal testing.
-Children who learn by rhythms are usually good at learning fractions.
-Students who are band members are good at maths and language.

Multiple Intelligence in Children

 How to discover your child's learning style:

 Discovering Multiple Intelligence in children can help both parents and teachers find fields where children can excel.
According to Gardner's theory,intelligence is-

• ability to solve new problems

• ability to solve problems in real life

• He has identified 8 different types of intelligence

-Verbal/linguistic- Children are good storytellers and can write poems and stories.They can even create word games and write jokes.

-Mathematical/logical- Children are good at organizing facts and can solve story problems by analyzing facts.They also like to create and find patterns.

-Musical- Children like to compose  melodies or learn in a rhythmic pattern.They can even change the words to a song.They also learn to play and sometimes create musical instruments at an early age.

-Kinesthetic/Bodily- These children are good at role playing.They perform well in plays and skits and also like putting together puzzle pieces.
 
-Visual/Spatial- These children pretend to be someone else and love playing with shapes and colours.They are also good at creating diagrams and charts and even maps.

-Naturalist-They are nature lovers.They love to collect leaves,flowers and watch tress,sunshine and clouds.

-Interpersonal- They are people smart children.One -to-one communication is something that comes naturally to them.They are also team players.These children love to work in groups.

-Intrapersonal- Such children are said to be self-smart.They are usually good at describing about themselves and their feelings.They also have clear thinking strategies and good concentration spans.


As parents you too can discover your child's learning style and thus find out his category of intelligence.
By observing your child you can figure out what interests him the most.Every child has a different style of learning.
Some learn by exploring their environment and some may simply prefer learning by listening to stories read to them.

There are several websites where you can discover your child's intelligence profile by simply taking a quiz.There are also websites where children themselves can take multiple intelligence tests.These tests can help them analyze their strengths and weakness.You can talk to your child's teacher and discuss ways to help him improve in areas where he is lagging.No matter what the results are,your child can have one or a combination of two or more intelligence but finally its all the intelligences at work that make us who we are.

Money Smart Kids

Good parenting comes with a great deal of responsibility.Teaching kids about money isn't always easy,but it is the duty of every parent to raise financially-fit kids.
Talking about money to your children and teaching them how to save and spend wisely is the key to building a healthy relationship with money.
A child who has been taught to make wise money decisions can also handle financial responsibilities with confidence.
Here are a few kid-friendly guidelines:

1 Be a good role model
Before talking to you kid about money you must make sure that you talk about money with yourself.Your approach in handling financial matters will help you educate your child about money.
Positive money practices like responsible spending and saving will also help your child understand money matters better.

2 Be patient with your kid

If your kid makes wrong buying decisions or overspends,do not argue or scold him.Instead make your conversation positive and listen to him.

3 Encourage saving
Whenever your kid gets an allowance or gift encourage him to put a part of the money in a piggy bank.You can also open a savings account at a bank and take the child to deposit the money there.

4 Give a modest allowance
Whenever your child helps you or other members of the family with some work reward him with allowance.Do keep in mind that the money should be a modest amount so that your child does not fall into harsh spending habits.

5 Help your kid find work
You can help your child find a part time job locally.Help him prepare for the application process and the interview.
For younger kids,instead of handing over the allowance you can ask them to help you with some chores.

6 Invest in stocks
This is a very good way to make money and create wealth too.Open a custodial account for your kid and teach him how to pick good stocks and invest in them.He can invest a part of his allowance in stocks and see his money grow with time.

7 Plan family money nights
Play board game like monopoly and discuss about stocks and other investment options.

8 Involve your kid in making family budget
Ask him to make a shopping list and explain what to include and why you need to avoid the unnecessary items.This will help him understand how a budget works and will also help him make disciplined financial decisions in future.

9 Giving back
This is a very important lesson which every kid must be taught.Encourage him to donate a part of his allowance to the poor and needy.Explain why contributing money to the homeless or child charity is more important than buying expensive gadgets.
Such contributions also teach social responsibility to kids.

Once your kid learns the virtues of saving,he can spend and invest wisely which will ultimately help him create wealth.

Early reading skills in children

 RAISE AN EARLY READER

Learning to read is one of the most important milestones in your child's life.
Literacy begins at birth and is developed through everyday interactions with your child like pointing out, singing songs and story telling.
Reading to young children is one of the ways to build literacy skills and also prepare them for school.
Several research studies have shown that children who have been read to at home are well prepared to read and write in school as compared to children who have not had any experiences of listening to books read aloud.
Many people believe that children are ready to learn to read and write in kindergarten or first grade,but that's not true.Literacy skills actually starts in the earliest months of the child's life.
Helping your child to learn to read at an early age has several benefits.

Early Language development for Infants to 1 Year:
Read to your infant.Yes,books are important at this stage.Reading aloud will help your child find patterns in the sounds he hears.
Choose books with big texts and with just one object or person are the best.You can buy chubby books with puppets and peepholes.
Bring home cardboard books which can take rough handling.
Babies learn from repetition.Interact as much as you can and talk about whatever is new.

1Year to 2 Years:
By this time your child would have grasped a few words read to him and his listening vocabulary too must be large now.
At 1 year your child is ready to hear proper words so keep talking to him and make story time your everyday routine.
Introduce books with short sentences.Ask him to point to the object of his interest and describe it to him.You can ask him questions like "What's this?","Where is the cat?".
Read the same book over and over because children love repetition.
Keep him interested in your conversation by asking him questions throughout the day.

2Years to 3 Years:
At 3 years your child would have mastered nearly 1000 words.He's learning new words each day and is gradually increasing his vocabulary.
Keep reading his favorite story books.Let him pick the book he wants to read and both of you can enjoy the book.Try connecting the stories to the real world by asking questions.You can include your child's friends or family members in the story and try making up new stories together.

4Year to 5 Years:
Your child's vocabulary is blossoming and he is on the verge of reading.This is a stage where kids are talkative so encourage him by prompting along and asking him questions.
Keep exploring by talking to him and adding new books to his existing collection.

Here's a list of a few interesting children's book:

1)Big Little
by Leslie Patricelli;Ages-0-5

2)Twas the Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore;Ages 0-5

3)Dr. Seuss's ABC
An Amazing Alphabet Book-by Dr. Seuss
Ages 0-5

4)I Love You, Good Night
by Jon Buller and Susan Schade;Ages 0-5

5)Peek-A-Moo!
by Marie Torres Cimarusti ;Ages 0-5

Helping your child develop early reading skills will not only instill confidence in him but it can help your child develop critical thinking skills too.