Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

11 Important Tips On Teen Dating

1 ACCEPT THAT DATING IS NORMAL Whatever your parents think, teen dating is normal. You cannot learn everything that you need to know in a classroom situation. You will have experienced some interaction about family life at home, but it is important that you develop your skills, in situation where you have to give and take.2. LEARN WHEN TO COMPROMISE AND WHEN TO BE ASSERTIVESometimes You need to. . .

Should the Dad Attend the Birth of His Baby?

Not so long ago a dad-to-be would pace up and down outside the labor room and would be admitted only after the birth. Modern practice is to assume the dad-to-be should be at the birth to offer support. But an increasing number of dads, moms and midwives would prefer he stayed outside.Some of the reasons given are:• Some moms feel the loss of dignity and 'not feeling attractive' is sufficient re. . .

A Parent's Instruction Manual

Just when we seem to have parenting techniques that work with the first child we discover that they don’t work with the next. Wouldn’t it be great if children were born with instructions? When you understand your children’s perceptual styles, you’ll discover they really are born with an “instruction manual.” Each of us is a unique combination of the Four Perceptions: Audio, Feeler, Visual, and. . .

The John Wayne vs Apron String Approach to Parenting

My husband and I have different views on parenting. He likes to recount a scene from an old John Wayne movie, "Hondo", where a young boy doesn't know how to swim. Raised solely by his mother who was never able to teach him, the boy was afraid of the water. Hondo, in true John Wayne manner, picks up the lad and flings him out in the middle of a pond. And guess what? He swims. Had to. Or h. . .

Character Building by Designing Parents

Think carefully about what your child needs when you teach right from wrong. Research reveals 92% of high school students say they are satisfied with their own ethics and character, yet 1/4 admit stealing within the past year. (Josephson Institute of Ethics) You gave your child the gift of life. Give your child character too. The method below offers you a 3-D Character Building Activity. I reme. . .

Letters to Santa Claus...Where Do They Actually Go?

In anticipation of the most magical time of year, a child poetically articulates on paper exactly what she wants for Christmas, pleading her case as to why she overwhelmingly deserves everything for which she is asking. Then, with the greatest of care, she places her magical letter into an envelope, writes "To Santa Claus" on the face, attaches the postage stamp Mom gave her to use, and carries. . .

Unusual Baby Names - A Popular Trend

Parents today seem to be favoring unusual baby names. At one point in history, over half of the children born were given popular names. No more. Today's trend is to break with the traditional. Your picking a name because you love it, not because of what everybody else thinks of it. A name is central to a child's earliest sense of identity. It's often the first word he or she learns to read and . . .

Wise Ways To Discipline

First of all there are some very important factors to consider for discipline to work well. Without them, your efforts to effectively teach your children will ultimately fail. 1. INFLUENCE: You cannot teach what you do not live. For example, you cannot teach your child not to yell at you, if you yell at your child. Much of what our children learn is through observation and imitation. Our babies. . .

Ready Your Child For Reading

It's never too soon to start your child on the path to reading. Simply talking to your infant and toddler helps her develop the vocabulary she will need as she enters school and begins to read. As you point and name objects, she will begin to understand the meaning of words, and will eventually begin to incorporate those words into her vocabulary.The U.S. Department of Education recommends begi. . .

Potty Training Your Baby From Age 3 Weeks

A new mom will quickly learn when baby is telling her that he is tired or hungry. Baby will also tell you when he is about to soil his diaper - or 'eliminate' in the jargon. The signs are usually a grunting and moving into a certain position. My son used to get this far away look on his face and he would be very noisy so that everyone around him knew what was on the way!Many moms in America are. . .

New Internet Filter and Kid Safe Web Browser Keeps Intern...

Finally there is a solution for parents and grandparents who want to allow their children the freedom to surf the Internet without the fear that they may stumble across the “wrong things” online. Children’s Educational Network has designed a very unique, free Internet filter and parental control multiple themed “Kid Safe Browser” which is the gateway to what they call TUKI.Most everyone with c. . .

Is Change Really About Behaviors in Public Schools?

Much is written about behaviors in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. The question is to ask is it really the behaviors that need to be changed? Are not behaviors the desired end result? Doesn’t our society long for young people whom demonstrate the behaviors of respect as well as being engaged students? Would not our schools be far better off with students whose behaviors . . .

Dressing Baby For The Winter

Jackets and coats make a huge difference!When most people think of baby clothes they conjure images of cute sailor suits and frilly pink dresses or perhaps little white “Onesies,” soiled with spit-up Isomil formula. Rarely do they think of heavy winter coats and wind resistant jackets. In a cold climate, however (or on cold days in a warm climate), babies need the protection of a coat or jacket. . .

Kids Activities: How To Make Your Own Puppet Theaters And...

Your kids can make a puppet theater and an assortment of puppets all by themselves.Materials Needed a table for the theater a cloth that can cover the front and sides of the table, leaving the back exposed some stiff white cardboard or colored paper depending on the type of puppet they want to make pencils and coloring materials scissors glue sticky tapeI admit that this theater is nowhere near. . .

Budget Baby Layettes

Getting what you need for your newborn without going brokeIt’s been said time and again that babies cost a pretty penny. Although little Brad or Jennifer won’t hop out of the birth canal and start demanding servants and expensive electronic gadgets, they do represent some additional expenses that can be wallet-draining when considered all at once. Fortunately the expenses do not have to be incu. . .

Caring For Baby’s Clothes

New parents are full of concerns about what regular household activities may pose a threat or present problems for their newest family member. At some point the question about the best ways to wash baby clothing will arise. Parents typically ask whether there is a certain type off detergent that they should use, whether it is safe to wash baby clothes with the rest of the family’s clothing and . . .

A Parent's Guide to Online Gaming, Part 2

In part one we talked about online gaming and your children, including FPS games and exposure to violent content. We wrap up this series by talking about RTS games, MMORPGs and the additional threats of addiction and social predators.RTS stands for Real Time Strategy. Strategy because these games generally take a much larger perspective, casting the player as a general or commander of an army o. . .

The Truth About Giving Advice

All of us want to help, protect, and shield our children from life’s daily disappointments. How can we give constructive advice, to a child, without being remembered as one of their worst critics? Any negative comment we make has a “ripple effect” and can turn into long-term hostility. Unfortunately, some adults will criticize a child far too often and any “good intentions,” are turned into a v. . .

Black Tie Baby Occasions

There is almost nothing that new parents enjoy more than taking advantage of the opportunity to get their babies all dressed up in the cutest and most endearing outfits that they can find and bring them out in public for the entire world to gaze upon and coo at. So, when a formal family event comes up while their infant is still in his or her infancy, the parents must jump at the chance to get . . .

Parenting: How to Help Your Firstborn Become Friends with...

It’s normal for a firstborn child to feel upset and unwanted when a new baby arrives. He or she is used to being the only child and had the family’s complete attention so far. So when your second bundle of joy arrives, he can easily feel jealous because he sees a most of the attention going to the new arrival. Remember that the big brother or sister will need plenty of attention when the new ba. . .

So You Want to Know the Truth about Child Birth and Labor?

Labor and childbirth was an amazing, positive experience for me, both times. I am very fortunate, I know. But I do believe that if you prepare yourself through education (reading books, reading articles like this one, taking prenatal classes, etc) and taking good care of yourself while you are pregnant, you will have a far greater chance of a pleasant birth experience.There are many things you . . .

Baby Strollers - On A Budget

Since you got the news, you have begun gather the things your new bundle of joy will be needing. If this is your first baby you may be overwhelmed by all the decisions at first. The type of stroller you will use for your baby is one of the biggest decisions you will need to make.Your budget is the first thing to consider when you are choosing from among the many different types of strollers. St. . .

Baby Food: Healthy Choices You Make That Matter To Baby

Once your baby is past 6 months old, milk alone is just not enough. Your baby needs solid food. In fact, between the ages of 4 to 6 months, babies should start getting used to eating solid foods. Start with a taste of baby food. Just 1 teaspoon in the beginning. Some babies might love these new tastes while other babies may hate it. Don't fret if your baby refuses these new foods. You could c. . .

Learning To Understand And Live With ADHD

Helpful Hints On How To Manage Your Childs ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that can afflict children. People suffering from ADHD have symptoms such as: 1) They have a low level of concentration and a very poor attention span. 2) Their memorizing powers are low and they have poor concentration. 3) The are very impulsive and do things without thinking. 4) Thei. . .

100 Top Baby Names

I found it very interesting researching the top 100 baby names for this article, because although my husband and I thought we were going for unique baby names during my pregancy, both our daughters' names are on the list! I guess we are not as innovative as we thought we were.Every year, the US Social Security Administration compiles a list of the most popular baby names. You can search their o. . .

Back to School Strategies

I've spent the last two weeks getting ready for school. Not for me to go to school, but for my two girls. Of course, there was the requisite new school clothes shopping. Not only do I have girls who like clothes, but my older daughter grew six feet this summer, or so it seems! Nothing fits!Then, there's the whole school supplies issue. "No, you can't have a new backpack. This one is only two ye. . .

The Importance Of Learning And Discovering New Things

The world of parenting is intriguing and new. Every day you have the opportunity to learn and discover new things. Why is this important? As much as your children will grow during there lifetime, you grow too. You have the opportunity to learn right along with your children!You can learn to re-discover the mystery and uniqueness of the world at large. As your children discover the joy of rain d. . .

Good Ways To Foster Communication With Your Teen

The teenage years are confusing for parents and teens alike. Kids that once seemed open and full of sharing suddenly withdraw.As a parent, your primary concern may be fostering communication with your teen. Most parents struggle to get something other than a one word response from their teenager. It’s important to understand that you have to be delicate when approaching your teenager. You want . . .

Recognizing A Baby’s Sleep Patterns

It’s true, the number one milestone most parents seek look forward to is the day (or night) their newborn starts sleeping through the night. You don’t have to suffer endless night after night without sleep however, even with a newborn. Baby’s actually follow certain sleep patterns, and if you get to know what these patterns are you’ll start sleeping more soundly and better the times you do have. . .

World Of Warcraft, Could It Be Killing Our Teens

The parents of a teenage son who committed suicide just over a year ago claim that their son become addicted to the massively multiplayer online role-playing game, World of Warcraft. They believe that as a result of this addiction he took his own life. Now these parents are suing World of WarCraft developers Blizzard Entertainment, blaming the game developers for the tragic loss of their son.Th. . .

How To Make Your Own Baby Food

Those little containers of baby food sure are expensive once you start totaling up how much you use in a day. Now you are probably wondering how you could possibly save money on baby food (besides those $.25 coupons). Well, you can’t save money on those little containers, but you can on baby food itself. How? Make it yourself! It’s really not as hard as you think. Do a search on the inter. . .

Baby Name Bracelet: The Perfect Gift For A Newborn Baby

It happens all the time: someone close to you, a friend, a family member, a close colleague, has a baby and you have no idea what to give them. You feel guilty, you fish around for the usual clichéd presents: the booties, the mobiles, the picture books. You yawn and wish there was something you could give that would show how truly happy you are for the parents of that bundle of joy, and this is. . .

More Tips to Personalize Baby Gifts

By the time you finish reading this, you will know how one can buy baby gift items that will stand out from all the others through personalization. In the market today, one has a wide range of options to choose from. Unique baby gifts and baby gift baskets of the highest quality are available. One might want to buy baby shower gifts. A range of unique and creative baby gifts and accessories . . .

Spitting Up – And Other Joys Of Motherhood

If you have a newborn, he or she is going to spit up. Some babies do it more than others, but they all do it. There are several reasons why, and some things you can do to minimize spitting up. Newborns spit up more than older babies, in part because their esophagus is not mature yet, and in part because they tend to have a lot of mucous to clear, and when they clear it, the milk comes up, too. . . .

Teens and Sleep Needs

Sleep is nature's way of renewing and maintaining balance-physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Teenagers need about 9.5 hours of sleep each night. It is thought that sleep requirements increase for teens because the hormones that are essential for maturing bodies are released mainly during sleep. Yet studies show that most teenagers only get about 7.4 hours of sleep a night. This is not e. . .

First Menstruation Ritual

A menarche (first menstruation) ritual can make this time easier and more meaningful for both the young woman beginning menstruation, and her mother. Such a ritual comforts the young woman and lets her know that her feelings are natural and have been shared by women throughout time. It focuses the attention of the community on the young women's needs at this time in her life. And it instructs t. . .

Oh, You’re Good For Nothing

I don’t believe in good for nothing.I was walking down the aisle of a large supermarket when I heard a mother hissing to her crying child, “Good for nothing! Nothing! You better stop this now or I will leave you with the police man”. Not that I am angel when it comes to being a parent to my kids. Sometimes, I falter too and I will yell and shout and throw a massive, scary temper and my kids wou. . .

Planning A Baby Shower From Start To Finish

Planning a baby shower is one of the loveliest gifts you can provide a mother to be. But where do you start?If you are a first time planner or an experienced planner, you can benefit by following some simple strategies to ensure your baby shower goes off without a hitch.Here’s what the experts recommend when it comes to baby shower planning:1) Decide when the shower should be held. Most are hel. . .

Your Children Are On Their Own Soul's Journey

In a phone session with Gerald, one of my clients, he expressed to me that he was feeling very sad about his son, Luc. Luc, 29 years old, was not doing much with his life, and Gerald was berating himself for how he had parented Luc. “I should have spent more time with him. I should have motivated him more. I should have been a better role model. I should have been more firm with him.” On and on. . .

Your Children are on Their Own Soul's Journey

In a phone session with Gerald, one of my clients, he expressed to me that he was feeling very sad about his son, Luc. Luc, 29 years old, was not doing much with his life, and Gerald was berating himself for how he had parented Luc.“I should have spent more time with him. I should have motivated him more. I should have been a better role model. I should have been more firm with him.” On and on . . .

Family Meetings: Parents Help Your Kids Discuss with This...

Do sarcasm, put-downs, and pouting keep you from holding Family Meetings? Do you want your kids to speak up, to listen, and to be respectful? Do you want them to become people of character? In his book, Character Is Destiny, Senator John McCain said, “It is your character alone, that will make your life happy or unhappy…and you choose it.” Parents, if you want your children to be happy, help th. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 3

11-21-2000Wow, this has been an amazing few days! I left Los AngelesSaturday afternoon at 3:20 PM PST, and flew 10 hours to Frankfurt Germany. I had a two and a half-hour layover followed by another six-hour flight to Almaty Kazakhstan, which is where I am now. I arrived around 3:00 AM and was met at the airport by the most wonderful woman, Galiya, who works for my agency and is handling the ad. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 4

11-23-200011:00 AM Yesterday was the best day yet with my little girl. The caretakers tell me she is abit spoiled and can get cranky when she's not happy (as I've noticed!). I think I discovered the source of her discontent. Hunger! I brought cheerios and some baby cookies for her, and she LOVED them. She was very happy munching away. I need to learn the Kazak word for "chew" as she just kept p. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 5

11-27-2000I just got Alison to sleep. This is the toughest time of the day… well, last night and tonight anyway. She fights going to sleep… climbs all over the bed (no crib here), and sobs mournfully. I did a bit of reading on toddler adoption, and they do go through a mourning phase. It makes sense. They’re all of a sudden taken from everything and everyone they’ve ever known, and can’t possib. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 2

11-13-2000Once signed up with my agency, I received the information on their Russian program and instructions for assembling my dossier compiled into a red binder. At the time (July 1999), the only region Focus on Children worked with in Russia was Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East. I started learning about that region while assembling my dossier. The process of putting together my dossier t. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 10

12-12-2000It's Tuesday, December 12, about 12:20 PM and I'm still in Kazakhstan! I should have been in Moscow by now, but Alison's visa didn't come through in time. We had our exit interview at the U.S. Embassy here in Almaty yesterday afternoon, and our coordinator, Galiya, misunderstood when she was told that Alison's passport was ready, she thought that meant that her exit visa was ready too. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 11

12-17-2000It's Sunday afternoon, December 17, and Alison is napping. So while I have a few moments on the computer, I thought I'd continue detailing the journey home, while the details are still somewhat fresh in my mind. I think I left off where I found out at 9:00 PM Monday night that I wasn't leaving Kazakhstan for Moscow that night at midnight because Alison's exit visa hadn't come through.. . .

Alison's Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 12

12/22/00It's taken me almost 48 hours to write this my adoption journal entry, as now that we're home, I seem to have no time to get on the computer at all. Alison is doing very well, though I think she's a bit confused about where we are now (I keep telling her, "we're home!"). Our flight from Florida to L.A. was only delayed an hour (nothing after my Frankfurt experience), and using all my mi. . .

Baby Advice – Separating Truth from Fiction

New mothers get a ton of advice. Total strangers will walk up to you and give you their opinions on how to get rid of that cradle cap. Your mother-in-law will look at you with disapproving eyes and tell you that she had your husband sleeping through the night when he was two weeks old. Your next door neighbor will have an amusing anecdote about how a teaspoon of Jack Daniels absolutely cured . . .

Family Meetings: 3 Behaviors That Don't Work

There are 3 behaviors that can upset any Family Meeting. As a kid, I had all three. In fact, my grandmother called me a “Butinski”. I’ve never seen it spelled but it sounds like: But-in-ski. I was always butting in on the conversations between my mother and grandmother. I thought I’d have to wait forever if I didn’t speak up. Of course, I didn’t care for my cranky grandma and she didn’t care fo. . .