The Management Consulting Group

Daunting is not the word to use when organising baby shower games because it really can prove to be fun for all involved with the planning. But if not going according to plan then daunting it can be. Shower parties are no ordinary gatherings they are a celebration where more detail and preparation is needed for everything to run smooth.
The host of a baby shower plays a very important role when it comes to making decisions. So careful planning of all activities for on the day will definitely need a considerable amount of thought if perfection is to be achieved.

After planning the food menu/decorations and speeches it is time to think about what games to play. If this occasion is to be a happy joyous fun filled event with guaranteed laughter then a sure way of this happening is to choose the right baby shower party games.
Not all guests participate in the games but the biggest majority do. Activities as such are relevant in livening up the occasion.

Shower ideas for games can be found freely on the internet and the good news is most are free, so definitely worth considering if on a budget. I stress not all free baby shower games is every ones cup of tea.

The downside to free games are the print outs are not quite as eye catching as the games you would find on the shelves down at your local store. At the end of the day it is a game and it is free.

It would be worth talking to the mother-to-be to see if she has any objection to using free baby shower games.
Depending on your guests, unattractive print outs may not be an issue as long as the concept of the game produces fun and laughter. If impressing is first and foremost in your mind then stick with the professionally devised games because free baby shower games normally lack class materials. It is best you choose another option if you are out to impress.

What you have to remember is you only get what you pay for meaning, if you have found a shower game for free then do not be surprised if no artistic measures have been taken to make the presentation look good. If you decide that these type of games are not for your baby shower event then you will find a wide variety of good quality ones in the shops.
Baby shower games dont have to look good to give of laughter to all those who participate as long as they disperse pleasure that is all that matters. Think back to your childhood days and the games you enjoyed playing that left you with memories of hilarious moments. Bring back those moments and share them with your guests. Play the fool if need be. If it gets laughs then do it.

A fabulous site for all baby shower essentials http://www.little-babyonline.com. Babies need nurturing from an early age in learning for themselves. Proven results for all ages at http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com.

If you’ve wondered how your teenager can “do homework” while talking on the phone, instant messaging and watching TV all at the same time - you’re not alone. Lots of parents and stepparents are asking how to handle a generation that is media-saturated.

A new study of 8-18 year olds by the Kaiser Foundation portrays “Generation M” as always wired to media. Four hours a day are spent with television and nearly 2 hours with music. Nearly seventy per cent of all kids have a television in their bedroom and thirty-one per cent have a computer. Today’s youth are efficient multi-taskers - cramming 8 hours of media exposure into only 6 hours.

Even though ratings systems have been put in place to help parents monitor children and media use, few of them are using them. Only 6% of kids said their parents use the V-chip. Only 10% of children said their parents check video ratings and 14% check music ratings scores.

And they are using that laxity to access media meant for older audiences. Forty-five per cent of them went to an R-rated movie without their parents. 31% of them pretended to be older to get into a website, 20% listened to music that they know their parents would not approve of. Sixty-five per cent of seventh to twelfth grade students have played the violent and mature-rated “Grand Theft Auto” video game. A little more than half said that their family has no rules about TV watching, even though it is the most common form of media accessed by today’s kids.

When my husband and I got married, the first dispute we had about our new home was not over who would mow the lawn or wash the dishes - but whether or not the kids would have TVs in their bedrooms. Asking his ex-wife to tighten up how her household ran was not an option. We ended up compromising - we got the house rules we wanted in exchange for the TVs. With the kids spending much of their time in a “no media rules” home, we felt it better to push engagement and dialogue with them - because the media floodgate was already wide open.

In an ideal co-parenting world, both households sharing joint custody of the kids would have the same rules about media use. These rules would be agreed on ahead of time by the parents and enforced by everyone, including the stepparents. But If you’re like us and know the other household the kids live in won’t make its rules consistent with yours, you have to come up with a creative solution that addresses reality.

We took a two-pronged approach to the kids and media use - strategic positioning and dialogue. Conveniently, no cell phones will work in our house, limiting chatting with friends to the land lines or the one public computer. We make a point of talking to the kids about television shows and movies. Like most, we don’t use the V-chip, but we check ratings on music and movies.

The computer the kids use to Instant Message their friends sits in the living room in a high-traffic zone by the big screen TV - a guaranteed kid magnet that is easily monitored and promises no privacy. If they are chatting online we ask whom they are talking to and what they are talking about. My husband periodically asks them what web sites they visit and talks to them about their surfing and chatting. It’s not nosy - it’s just asking.

And we do have rules about what’s appropriate content and when people can go online. A few times a year we deliberately pack the whole crew up for a weekend camping trip - and leave Instant Messaging at home.

If you want to get a leash on your child’s media use - the solution may not be to shut it off - which will only make them access the media where you can’t see it - but to start talking instead.

Dawn Miller writes a column on life in blended families at http://www.thestepfamilylife.com

After my daughter was born, I sat down and looked over all of the unnecessary and unused items that I had accumulated during my pregnancy. A baby “backpack” to carry my child around in (turns out she absolutely hated it), swaddling blankets that promised that baby would be so comfortable that she would sleep all night (which she still has not) and many other items.

For reasons unknown, I purchased these items because I thought they would make me a better mother. Now that my daughter is older and I have become a little wiser, I have compiled a list of absolute necessities for a new mom. Hopefully, this will help you save time and cash when shopping for your new baby.

Onesies (creepers)

Plain onesies are the best item of clothing for baby. They are usually inexpensive so you can buy a variety of sizes without breaking the bank and they are comfortable clothing for baby. Make sure that you purchase the appropriate type depending on the weather at the time your baby will be born.

Pacifiers

I recommend purchasing a couple of different types of pacifiers. See which ones your baby prefers and then purchase more according to babys preference. Three to four pacifiers are sufficient: one for the diaper bag, one for the car and a couple in the house are all you need.

Bottles

Some babies like a faster flow nipple when others prefer a slow flow nipple. Purchase a couple different types of nipples and see which one your baby prefers. Also, I recommend purchasing five to ten bottles so you are not constantly washing bottles.

Diapers

I have found in talking with other new moms that most babies fit comfortably in preemie diapers for the first week or two after being born. With this in mind, purchase one package of preemie diapers and one package of size ones. The selection of sizes will keep you from having to run to the store to buy the next size up or down in diapers.

Car Seat

Before purchasing a car seat be sure to research safety and customer reviews for car seats that you may purchase. Prepare a list of reliable seats to bring with you when you register for or buy the car seat.

Pants/shorts

If you are going to take your baby out of the house, make sure that you have pants and/or shorts (depending on the weather) to properly cover up your child. I recommend at least seven pair of pants/shorts for baby.

Socks

Socks are necessary to keep little feet warm! Have seven pair of socks on hand so you can limit doing your little one’s laundry to once a week.

Bassinet/Co Sleeper

Before baby is born discuss your sleeping preferences with your partner. Some new parents prefer co-sleepers while others prefer cribs or bassinets. Be sure to research your picks before purchasing or registering.

A Few Toys

Have a few toys on hand such as rattles or small toys with lights. These will help develop your new babys senses. However, do not go overboard. Your baby will be more interested in sleeping than playing so save your money until baby is older.

Blankets

Someone told me that you can never have enough blankets for your newborn and boy were they right! Blankets get dirty fast so make sure you have enough on hand. I would recommend anywhere from 10-20 blankets for baby in a variety of thicknesses and textures.

Some optional items that I found useful are as follows. Remember you do not need these items for your baby but some people find these things helpful.

Baby Swing

You may want to let your little one try a swing before you buy it. Some babies don’t like swings!

Movies

Again, try one of these out before you buy a whole set. Typically babies will not be interested in made for baby movies until they are three months old.

Diaper Bag

If you cannot afford a diaper bag in the beginning, a large purse or even a grocery bag can serve as a diaper bag in the interim.

Stroller

If you do not plan on taking your baby out very often or if you cannot afford a stroller do not worry. Many stores offer shopping carts with baby chairs or just carry your baby when you bring baby out. If you decide to purchase a stroller be sure to research all of your options before you buy one.

Amanda is a writer for The Craft Cafe http://www.thecraftcafe.com. Find card making, scrapbooking, free printable projects, recipes and more at The Craft Cafe http://www.thecraftcafe.com.

Your Child The Grandparent

At the turn of the century the life expectancy of an urban dweller in the UK was around 50 years, today our children may have a life expectancy as high as 100 years. Medical advances may preserve them through illness for longer. They will spend more of their lives as older people, but possible have more health problems associated with unhealthy living. The way that we raise them will impact upon the quality of their lives, and patterns set today may protect them from a lingering but unhealthy older age.

At the moment 60% of people over the age of 50 are taking four or more prescription drugs. A majority of this medication could be made unnecessary through adherence to a healthier lifestyle, changing eating and exercise habits. If we educate our children to be active every day, and to eat a balanced diet ,we are instilling in them habits which should last a life time, and make that lifetime last longer.

The western lifestyle encourages over consumption of calories from low-quality unhealthy foods high in fat, salt and sugar. Heart Disease, Cancers and Strokes are the biggest killers. A huge proportion of these deaths can be avoided by changing eating and exercise habits. These are also concerns that bad health is impacting on the fertility of westerners and that our children could suffer infertility along side ill-health.

Obesity is expected to overtake these problems as the West’s biggest killer, and as American foods, TV and habits spread around the world so will the associated deaths from unhealthy living. It is up to us to make a stand against these worrying trends, and prepare our children for the long healthy lives that they deserve. All efforts that we make now are a pension fund that our children will draw from when they are grandparents.

Kid-Junk and the Propaganda Machine

£500 million is spent on advertising to children, in an industry that is worth £41 BILLION a year. These people are out to make as much as they can, which means using the cheapest ingredients, that last the longest, and selling them in ways that our children find irresistible. Most of this advertising comes to our children though television where they may see 10 food adverts an hour. Of these 10, 95-99% will be for unhealthy foods which offer little or NO nourishment, and are high in fat, salt additives, preservatives and other chemicals and sugar. Children’s innocence and gullibility is exploited because they cannot differentiate between advertising and programming until approximately 10 or 12 years old. They actually believe what is told them.

TV advertising is the single most important factor affecting what our children eat. In much of Scandinavia, advertising is banned during children’s programming. Here our children are bombarded, and to make matters worse, watching TV is massively linked to obesity, so they are inactive and requiring junk food at the same time- a double whammy against their health.

Kid-Junk is often advertised as containing added nutrition, so that parents loose the loop hole of saying- ‘but it isn’t good for you.’ Whilst rushing round Tesco’s taking a business call, calming a baby and arguing with school child, we grab for vitamin-enhanced cereal, and calcium-enriched cheeses believing that we may be doing them some good. Do not be fooled, these things are labelled to trap us, what they really represent is poor quality over-processed pap, which has some chemically processed vitamins and minerals added because there is nothing good there in the first place. The cheap additives may be in a form that is not readily absorbed by the child’s body, and will contain dangerous anti-nutrients which are. The uncomfortable fact is that if you want the best for your child you need to remove these products from their lives. Here are some ways of doing this;

• Don’t buy them.

• Provide your child with cynicism; let them know how BAD they are.

• Make them feel proud of making an informed choice.

• Provide exciting alternatives.

• Choose TV channels with no advertising- cbeeebies etc

• Minimise TV watching and encourage healthy pursuits.

• If you have to cheat; throw the Sunny D in the toilet (where it belongs) and fill the carton with fresh orange, put the bran flakes in the Chocolate Frosties cereal box. I am ashamed to admit, but my youngest thinks that bran flakes are made of chocolate, and I may have encouraged this falsehood.

• Remember that children can enjoy the look and taste of real food, and the more that you provide it the more they will get used to it.

Your Child the Caveman

Our bodies have adapted cope
with survival in a harsh environment. Although we achieved civilization thousands of years ago, our bodies have not evolved to adapt to this change. If we placed our child back in the distant past they would have eaten less sugar, salt and fat in a year than they now eat in a week or less. Our child would have eaten a diet of a little meat and fish, mostly vegetable matter, fruit, berries, nuts, seeds and fruits, roots, and starchy vegetable matter. They would only have drunk water, and possibly a little goats’ milk, and they may occasionally sample the splendour of honey. In addition to that they would have been in a state of constant movement, playing, working, foraging, but rarely staying still.

I think that this child from the past is a useful tool for understanding what our child’s eating and activity profile should be if they are to reach optimum health. There would have been no slouching on a sofa in front of the TV, no Pizza Flavour Cheese string, and pink panther wafer biscuits. Our imaginary child may not even recognise these things as food. Our children need a diet rich in whole foods, in raw foods, and home cooked foods. They need to explore the pleasure of foraging for food, growing it and making a mess with it. We need to get back to the camp-fire and share family food times together, making eating a natural and loving social event where the family will interact and bond. This way people eat slower, and eat less allowing their body to feel full and satisfied.

Do not presume that they will reject real foods, things that we may expect them to dislike may be a source of amusement and interest; show them how to scrape the fishes flesh from the bone, let them gnaw on a spare rib or a chicken drum-stick, get the barbeque out and skewer some tiger prawns. More adventurous kids will relish picking seafood out of shells, and beheading prawns, you just need to give them a chance to find their cave man. Never presume that they can’t cope with certain foods, always give them a chance to experiment, and reward them richly with praise.

If you are doubtful about the validity of a food, ask yourself how far-removed it is from its natural state, could you make it yourself, would it have existed a hundred years ago or more? If the answer is no then the chances are that it is not very healthy.

Leading the Way

From their first moments your child has looked to you for everything, and you are the biggest influence upon their lives. You need to lead the way and set a shining example by eating well and exercising, informing your child that this is the only way to live. A healthy diet and active life will protect the family against many illnesses, and send your child into later life with an understanding about how to look after their body correctly, and how to care for their children as well. Here are some ways to become healthier as a family;

• Eat together and bring family and friends together through food events as well.

• Couple this up with healthy activities, organise a party or picnic and organise team-sports how ever silly to get people moving. I have seen grown women go crazy trying to win a hula-hoop competition. Make exercising fun.

• Go family foraging; visit pick-your-own farms, farm shops and market. Pick blackberries, sloes, mushrooms (get them checked) and wild foods together, children love finding things and it shows them foods in their natural state. Try the Farmers Markets.

• Cook together, the kids can help prepare and cook foods, and will love making their own lunchboxes and teas. Let them fry some fish, pod some peas, peel some carrots, make their own pizzas.

• Let them organise tea parties or dinner parties and barbeques for friends, encouraging them to design a healthy and funky Jamie Oliver menu.

• Organise more active family pursuits, go on bike rides, pony treks, sculpture trails (Leigh Woods and Forrest of Dean), kite flying, racket sports, French Cricket.

• Make the most of your garden, grow stuff, get out there together and work, get a basketball hoop.

• Make sure that YOU get out there and exercise, go to a yoga class or play badminton in the evenings. If they see you participating in a healthy lifestyle then it will always seem natural to them.

Vikki Scovell BA(hons) PG DIP is a fully qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach. She is a qualified Nutrition Adviser and runs successful Community Exercise classes. Vikki is a consultant in Healthy Eating and Exercise initiatives to schools in the independent sector and publishes School and General Healthy Living newsletters.

To find out more log on to http://www.getfitter.net, or http://www.corporatechill.com

This is one of the most common questions asked of me by parents of teenagers who have ADHD.

“Should I let my teen drive when he turns 16? He seems so immature. But it would mean so very much to him.”

Wait. Where did our wisdom as parents go? Should we let an immature 16 year old, with poor impulse control and poor judgment get behind the wheel of a 3000 pound vehicle and drive at 65 miles per hour through town? Ummm, no.

Since ADHD teens typically have emotional, physical, and developmental delays of from 3 to 6 years, compared to their peers, allowing a 16 year old with ADHD to drive your car is roughly the same as letting an 11 year old drive your car. You can expect to get the same results. What would you expect the results of an 11 year old driving your car around the city be? Tickets? Accidents? Yes!

And teenagers with ADHD have 400% more tickets and traffic accidents than do teens without ADHD. This is exactly the results that you would expect to get because of the developmental delays.

Hyperactive ADHD’er are stimulated by speeding. And speeding results in tickets and in accidents.

Inattentive ADHD’er tend to get lost, and tend to run out of gas often, and tend to not watch out for the “other guy.” They will have more than their share of fender benders in parking lots. Be sure they always have a charged cell phone with them so that they can call you when they run out of gas, and are lost.

Try to wait until your ADHD teen is at least 18 before you let them drive, if you can. It is a SAFETY issue for them, and for others. To learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and your teen, visit us at the ADHD Information Library at http://www.ADD101.com.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library’s family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

Approximately 30 per cent of women who smoke in Britain continue to smoke during pregnancy. Cigarettes affect the mothers’ circulation, which in turn will affect the baby. The baby in the womb is totally relying on mother to supply oxygen, nourish and filter out any dangerous chemicals.

• ” The placenta (afterbirth) is the lifeline between mother and baby. When a pregnant woman smokes, oxygen in her blood is replaced by carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas, which robs muscles, brain and body tissues of oxygen making the baby’s heart work harder. If the baby is deprived of oxygen it will suffer from its effects, which is known as hypoxia. The affect of hypoxia happens over a long period of time. The most immediate affect for the baby is his/her movements inside the womb slow down and heart rate speeds up as the baby tries to get more oxygen. There is a reduction in baby movements for up to thirty minutes after the mother has smoked a single cigarette.

• ” The placenta supplies the baby with nutrients; smoking increases the chance that the baby will be born smaller than expected. (Low Birth Weight Baby). Research suggests that some women see a low birth weight baby as an advantage, however there is so much evidence to the contrary. If the baby is smaller at birth it will continue to be smaller throughout its subsequent development. Low birth weight babies are more likely to need intensive care.

• ” The placenta acts as a barrier/filter for certain substances. Unfortunately it cannot keep all of them away and many get through. Nicotine, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals in tobacco smoke are passed on to the baby. There are 4000 chemical in cigarettes of which there are more than 30 known carcinogens. A German study showed traces of NNK, (nicotine-derived nitrosaminoketone) which is one of the strongest cancer causing agents found in tobacco products. It was detected in 22 of 31 newborns of mothers who smoked during pregnancy.

Effects of Nicotine

Nicotine travels through the bloodstream to the brain, and then is delivered to the rest of the body.
80 % of nicotine is broken down to cotinine by enzymes in the liver. A build up of cotinine can act on the womb causing it to contract, or go into labour. Many chemicals, including nicotine, can readily move from the mother’s bloodstream into the foetal blood supply. (This is why physicians are so cautious about what over-the-counter or prescription drugs women take in pregnancy.) If you smoke while pregnant, your child will be exposed to almost the same level of nicotine as you. That means that once he or she is born and is no longer getting nicotine intravenously, the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal will likely set in.

Clinical studies have reported that nicotine concentrations in the placenta, amniotic fluid and foetal serum were consistently higher than maternal serum values when measured at various stages throughout pregnancy

Nicotine alters a smoker’s blood pressure, heart rate, and even their metabolism. Nicotine moves right into the lining of small blood vessels causing them to narrow thus reducing the blood flow to the womb and subsequently to the baby. Nicotine can inhibit the production of prostacyclin, a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation, in arteries. Studies have shown that nicotine increases uterine vascular resistance and reduces uterine blood flow, possibly by an action on catecholamine release. Smoking acutely and chronically reduces placental blood flow, presumably through an effect of nicotine.

There is, evidence that nicotine impairs foetal growth and can lead to an increased risk of spontaneous abortion and premature delivery. A likely cause of foetal growth retardation is induction of foetal ischaemia (reduced blood supply) and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) as a result of the effect of nicotine on the placental circulation.

Nicotine from cigarettes or replacement therapy has potential adverse effects on human health.
Over 8 million women smoke in the UK. Research amongst female smokers shows that 74% would like to stop smoking but despite these attempts most women continue to be dependent on nicotine and experience difficulty in overcoming their addiction to the drug.

Pregnant women who smoke are often highly motivated to quit, especially during early pregnancy, but many continue to smoke. Smoking amongst expectant mothers in the UK is surprisingly high at 23% and only 3% of people stop smoking successfully when relying solely on willpower.

There are increased risks in pregnancy when the mother smokes. The risk of miscarriage is 27% higher in smokers. Perinatal mortality (defined as still-birth or death of an infant within the first week of life) is increased by about one-third in babies of smokers. The risk of a low birth weight baby (200gramas 7oz) is three times higher. Furthermore, the more cigarettes a woman smokes during pregnancy, the greater the probable reduction in birth weight.

Recent research suggests that cigarettes can reduce the flow of blood in the placenta, which limits the amount of nutrients that reach the foetus. There is a 35% increase in cot deaths associated with smoking in pregnancy. Maternal smoking is associated with a higher risk of children’ s cancers. Infants of parents who smoke are twice as likely to suffer from serious respiratory infection than the children of non-smokers. Smoking during pregnancy can also increase the risk of asthma in young children.

Maternal smoking in pregnancy has been associated with behaviour and attention deficit disorders. Mothers who smoked more than a pack of cigarettes were significantly more likely to have an offspring with conduct disorder. Substance abuse is higher among children of mothers who smoked in pregnancy and also impaired child-rearing behaviour. Smoking in pregnancy may also have implications for the long-term physical growth and intellectual development of the child. It has been associated with a reduced height in children of smoking mothers as compared with non-smoking mothers, with lower attainments in reading and mathematics up to age 16 and even with the highest qualification achieved by the age of 23.

On average, smokers have more complications of pregnancy and labour, which can include bleeding during pregnancy, premature detachment of the placenta and premature rupture of the membranes. Some studies have also revealed a link between smoking and ectopic pregnancy and congenital defects in the offspring of smokers. Women are more likely to experience vomiting, urinary infections, thrush, to feel unwell and have more hospital admissions. There is also evidence that smoking interferes with women’s hormonal balance during pregnancy and that this may have long-term consequences on the reproductive organs of her children.

In December 1998, the UK government set a target to reduce the percentage of women who smoke during pregnancy from 23% to 15% by the year 2010; with a fall to 18% by the year 2005. This will mean approximately 55,000 fewer women in England who smoke during pregnancy. This target has not yet been achieved.

http://www.quitsmokinghowtoquit.com/Pregnancy.html

1 Tobacco Advisory Group, Royal College of Physicians Nicotine addiction in Britain [London: RCP; 2000]

2 Foster K, Lader D, Cheesbrough S. Infant Feeding 1995: Office for National Statistics [London: The Stationery Office; 1997]

3 Luck W, Nau H, Hansen R. Steldinger R. Extent of nicotine and cotinine transfer to the human foetus, placenta and amniotic fluid of smoking mothers. Dev Pharmacol Ther [1985; 8: 384-95]

4 Ahlsten G, Ewald U, Tuvemo T. Prostacyclin-like activity in umbilical arteries is dose-dependently reduced by maternal smoking
and related to nicotine levels. Biol Neonate [1990; 58:271-8]

5 Resnick R, Brink GW, Wilkes M. Catecholamine-mediated reduction in uterine flow after nicotine infusion in the pregnant ewe. J Clin Invest [1979; 63: 1133-6]

6 Bridgewood A et al. Living in Britain: Results from 1998 General Household Survey from the Office for National Statistics, Social Survey Division [London: The Stationary Office, 2000]

7 Smoking Kills (A Government White Paper on Tobacco) [1998]

8 Parrot, S Godfrey G, Raw M et al. A Guidance for Commissioners on the Cost Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Interventions [Thorax 1998; 53 (Suppl. 5, part 2): SI-S38)]

9 Royal College of Physicians Smoking and the Young [London, 1992]

10 Werler MM, Pober BR, Holmes LB Smoking and pregnancy [Teratology 1985; 32: 473-81]

11 Larsen, L.G. et al. Stereologic examination of placentas from mothers who smoke during pregnancy. Am J Obstet & Gynecol. 2002; 186: 531-537

12 Anderson HR, Cook DG. Passive smoking and sudden infant death syndrome: review of the epidemiological evidence [Thorax 1997; 52: 1003-9]

13 Lindsey Jarvis, Office for National Statistics. Smoking among secondary school children in 1996: England [London: The Stationery Office, 1997]

14 Hecht SS, Carmella SG, Chen ML, Salzberger U, Tollner U, Lackmann GM. Metabolites of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen
4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (nnk) in the urine of newborn infants. Abstract Papers Am Chem. Soc 1998

15 Gilliland, F.D. et al. Effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy and environmental tobacco smoke on asthma and wheezing in children [Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001; 163(2): 429-436]

16 Landgren et al. (1998)

7 Wakschlag et al. (1997)

18 Fergusson et al. (1998)

19 Naeye RL, Tafari, N. Risk factors in pregnancy and diseases of the newborn [Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins; 1983]

20 Fogelman, K.R. and Manor, O. British Medical Journal 1988 [297: 1233-1236]

21 Poswillo, D and Alberman, E. Effects of smoking on the foetus, neonate, and child [OUP 1992]

22 Haddow, J.E. et al. Teratology [1993; 47: 225-228]

23 Golding, J. HEA Smoking and pregnancy conference [1994]

Maria Leahy

Medical Director, NicoBloc SRN, R.M, Dip Man MA Marketing, ISO Auditor/ Assessor, Cert Health & Safety, CPC
Maria Leahy is a fully trained midwife nurse. She was also a supervisor of midwives in the South East Thames Region until 1996. She is currently employed as Assistant Programmme Director of the MHB GP Training Scheme (Eire). Experienced in the field of smoking cessation at all levels and represented the MHB on the National Board of STAG (Smoking Target Action Group) until December 2001. Educated to a Masters Degree in Marketing, and has lectured for the past 4 years (part-time) on the BA in Health Care Management in the Athlone College of Technology (Eire). Maria has also been appointed by the Irish College of General Practitioners as an assessor of GP training practice nationally. She was instrumental in attaining the first and only ISO accredited GP training scheme in Ireland to date. Since Jan 2002 she has been the Medical Director for Rosen Holdings where she has facilitated the setting up of a trial using NicoBloc with pregnant smokers.
http://www.arkomax.com

Have you considered hiring a doula for added support during labor? Wouldn’t it be easier for a mother to have someone nurturing, guiding, suggesting and comforting throughout the entire childbirth process? Doulas have your best interest at heart because they work for you not the hospital.

WHAT ARE DOULAS?

• Specially trained women helping women through childbirth.

• Offer a continual presence vs. the hospital staff coming and going.

• Provide pre-natal visits to go over birth plans and birth desires.

• Give suggestions to help facilitate labor progress.

• Massage, encourage and guide a woman throughout labor.

• They have a bag full of labor aids that help eliminate the discomforts during childbirth.

WHAT DOULAS DON’T DO:

• Vaginal exams, or medical interventions.

• Deliveries

• Speak up for the woman; rather encourage her to voice her wishes

• Take over Dad’s role

WHAT’S IN IT FOR BIRTH PARTNER?

• The birth partner can participate at his own comfort level.

• When he wants to be the main partner, he has an assistant. He
can go to the bathroom, eat or even sleep if he needs to without compromising the woman’s comfort.

• Women love when their partners are nurturing during labor. This is taught by the doula’s example. Bonus points for Dad.

• Doula’s can provide education and knowledge through out the labor, explaining procedures, etc. This can reduce Dad and Mom’s anxiety.

THE BONUSES FOR HAVING A DOULA

• 50% reduction in cesareans

• 25 % reduction in the length of labor

• 40% reduction in pitocin

• 60% reduction in the need for epidurals

• 30% more likely to be breastfeeding 6 weeks post-partum

• Less incidences of post-partum depression

• More bonding with the baby

• Women experience a more satisfying birth experience

You may find a doula in your area by the internet, or by talking to your childbirth educator.

Julie L. Johnson is a wife and mother of three who has experienced every pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and breastfeeding situation there is and has lived to tell about. She is a Certified Lamaze Childbirth Educator, Certified Doula and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant practicing in Southern California. Her website http://www.birth-angel.com provides services and products to help ease the transition into motherhood.

Well mums and dads it looks like the days of the abacus is now a thing of the past. Remember how we would sit for hours teaching the children how to count with rows of coloured balls and how we would scroll down every sentence of the famous Janet and John book when teaching the kiddies to read. Just teaching the toddlers how to hold a pencil was an ordeal.

We all want what is best for our children, but trying to self educate them can be very time consuming for the busy working mum or dad
There is now a solution for all concerned parents wanting a better education for their family with the help of online education. The internet is the most powerful tool that we have in our lives today for learning and gathering information.

Mums and dads you do not have to be computer educated to be part of this major break through, where your children get to improve and better themselves with online education knowledge. You can never know too much.

Education is the key to securing a better future job or career for each of us. Without the curriculum vitae and qualification papers, do not expect to get your foot over any employer’s doorway. To be honest I feel a person can not be judged by a piece of paper, but I am afraid to say that this is how the system works, no papers no job.

Online education is by far the best option for anyone of us wanting to advance forward and move up on the ladder of success. Learning in your own time is a major bonus especially where the kiddies are concerned; no one enjoys being told what to do and when to do it.

This may be the answer why most pupils do not enjoy or excel in their chosen subjects at School College or any training programme, all because they are programmed against their will.

Internet babies as I call them have a great chance of learning from an early age if mummy and daddy introduces them to the computer with movie tutorials;

Let the World Wide Web tutor your children to get on in life. The internet is very safe, so as a parent you have no worries, you get parental control over what the kiddies can and can not do when learning to surf the internet.

Give your child the best gift ever to lead a rewarding life and that is the knowledge on how to survive.

Adults this is privacy deal where you can learn to read and write should you not have had the chance in the early years.

Children many moons ago were forced to work down the mines from the early age of eight or in the mills, just to put a crust on the table. This is the 21st century where the kids get to put a loaf on the table with the right education, and to acquire this then the safest bet is the internet.

Talking of years gone by I remember being told how my son was a genius for his age at the age of five, how proud I was? I had never heard of the internet so I raised him with love and affection like mothers do. This son with a Mensa IQ now digs holes for a living. Sixteen years later I had my second son, only this time the internet was first and foremost in my mind. This son has qualifications in computers where he actually engineers the ins and outs of the internet. I will always be the very proud mother of both. Information Page http://www.benidormbeaches.com

I would like to recommend a site that I found useful in giving successful results for information on how to educate you and your family. www.allaboutonlineeducation.com

As many mothers know, a baby shower can take many hours of work to create the perfect party. So, how do you show your appreciation to the hostess? Why not give her a thank you gift? A baby shower hostess gift can make the hostess feel extra special. The hostess gifts do not have to be costly. It’s the thought that counts. Show her your appreciation for the time and effort that she has put into the baby shower with some of the following gift ideas.

Jewlery. You could go in with some other people that will be attending the baby shower and buy a nice bracelet or earrings. These are sure to make her feel special.

Cook books. Anyone who enjoys putting together a party probably also loves to cook, so why not find her a unique and fun cook book. Look for something out of the ordinary. Everyone has cook books, but she’d probably enjoy some recipes with a new twist.

Chocolates. Every girl loves chocolates. Splurge a little and look for the chocolates that are in a special box. You might even consider getting her chocolates and a rose.

Wine and cheese. This gift isn’t just popular in Italy. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys entertaining guests. Look for a special variety of cheeses that she can serve at her next get together or just for a relaxing evening.

Candles. These would be nice gifts for almost any occasion. With so many scents to choose from, you’re sure to find something the hostess will enjoy.

Gift certificates are also another great gift. Find out what her favorite restaurant, spa, or store is and this can be a simple gift that she is sure to love.

If homemade gifts are one of your talents, this could be the perfect gift for your hostess. These are extra special because of their personal touch.

Make her feel special by placing the gift in a basket or using some special wrapping paper. A baby shower hostess gift is a simple and thoughtful gift that she’s not soon to forget.

Alli Ross is the granmamma in residence at the
Baby Names Box,
where you’ll find over 20,000 baby names and their meanings .

One of the challenges for parents with a gifted child is to encourage them to develop a range of interest outside the academic sphere that not only rounds them out but stops them from being isolated from their peers
Gifted children are a diverse group of kids who are talented in specific areas such as mathematics, language, sport or music. Some gifted kids are mutli-talented excelling in a variety of areas.

Gifted children tend to be passionate and single-minded about their interests focusing their energy on the topics that absorb them, often to the exclusion of other activities.

Just as all children need to have a balanced diet to remain in good health they need a balance between work and play to make sure they develop good social networks and maintain emotional health. That means that parents need to guide these children towards leisure-time options that they wouldn’t normally consider.

Work from strengths

One way to encourage a gifted child to be more well-rounded is to get them to lead with their strengths. In other words, it maybe that a computer whiz meets up with other like-minded souls but extend the meetings to activities away from the computer. Or an artistic child can be encouraged to develop her literacy skills by adding simple stories to their illustrations.
Balance for gifted children doesn’t necessarily mean that they spend an equal amount of time in every area but making sure that they don’t become isolated as a result of their gift. Parents may need to be part social director gently insisting that children set aside time for play and other social activities.
The courage to be imperfect

Gifted children are often low risk-takers in areas or endeavours that are not their passions or strengths. Used to automatically excelling they fear doing things poorly so exceptionally capable children can be reluctant to attempt unknown or different tasks. Often exceptional kids give up when they are not automatically good at something. It takes some personal courage to step into the unknown and actually attempt tasks where they don’t automatically excel or feel that they can control.

It helps to be direct with these children about their perfectionism. Discuss with them that it is normal to be strong in some areas but not as capable in others. Also these children need to understand that learning in areas they feel uncomfortable can take much longer and require more effort than they are used to. It can be quite a shock for talented kids to find that something doesn’t come easily to them!

Parents can push too hard

Some gifted young children slow down their learning when they start school as they focus their time and energy on making friends. In terms of fitting in to social settings this is essential however parents who are proud of their child’s achievements can become quite anxious at this apparent shift in interest away from learning. It is time like this that parents need to step back and follow their child’s lead and recognise that different stages of development require children quite naturally to focus on different interests and events.

Making friends

One of the most difficult tasks for a parent is to engineer circumstances so that children can make friends. Some children make friends naturally while others can be slow to warm up around their peers. Some gifted kids can have difficulty making friends among their own age group as their language or level of interests don’t match. In short, the world they inhabit, their interests and the language they use can be so foreign to their peers that they have little in common.

Peers have a strong influence on gifted children, encouraging them to try new activities and move away from their passions for a while. Parents need to take an active role in encouraging peer group interactions - organising joint play sessions with young children and providing extra-currucilar activities for school-aged children. Often children become less involved in solitary activities when they begin to interact with their peers who exert a strong influence on their activity preferences.

Being part of the family

Family life can be a great leveller for gifted children. A sibling can bring a talented child back to earth, letting them know that they may be a star at school or in sport but their talent pulls no rank at home. Jobs need to be done, games can played and big heads can be easily deflated. Sometimes in families talented children can be given special privileges or compensation from doing chores. This is unhelpful as the normal processes of family-life helps gifted children stay firmly grounded and not get carried away with their own passions.

A well-rounded young person

Talented kids can become self-absorbed in their interests and passions to the detriment of developing broader interests and in some cases social interactions. With a little coaching and prompting parents can help children achieve balance in their lives so that they don’t become isolated and rely on a narrow set of interests for their identity and self esteem. The prime aim of parents, regardless of their children’s talent is to help them become confident, well-rounded members of whatever groups they belong to.

Michael Grose is Australia’s leading parenting educator. He is the author of six books and gives over 100 presentations a year and appears regularly on television, radio and in print.

For further ideas to help you raise happy children and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au . While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids newsletter and receive a free report Seven ways to beat sibling rivalry.