Archive for the ‘Early Childhood’ Category

A Word About Custody Rights for Mom and Dad

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

During the 1990s virtually one in every three births were to an unwed mummy, this virtually rivals divorce as a pathway to youngsters entering into a single parenthood family. Calls concerning marriage, living together, dissolving the union, additional childbearing and whether to retain or relinquish custody of the youngsters create unintended shifts in the lives of these children.

There is rising evidence that changes in childhood living agreements might be linked to the unfolding grown up existence course and to the changes in life of the youngsters. The socialization perspective on the results of a family structure gives stress to the importance of having both oldsters instead of only one parent for satisfactory supervision, control of the children and support both emotionally and financially.

A study done in early 2005 called the Frail Families and Kid Wellbeing Study explored, among other things, whether reinforcing parents’ relationship abilities to determine if they’d any effect on the parent-child relationship. This was done both with married couples and with non-married cohabitating parenting couples. Part of the report found that role overload is more sure to be experienced by a single parent who has less resources for supervising youngsters than a two parent family, whether they are married simply cohabitating.

Most unwed folks assumed they will be married by the time the age of three however there are many variables that prevent these marriages from taking place their 4 children are raised in families that might or might not have two parents presence however if the union between two parents dissolves and there’s a normal custody battle. In most situations, almost 85 p.c of the time mums are given custody to the child especially if they’ve been the first carer and in a number of cases the mummy keeps first physical custody of the child because she has not given the daddy’s name on the birth certificate. This can lead to a parental interference and mental damage to child custody fathers who have been left out of the kid’s birthright.

Custody battles between single couples should be like those of married couples however mostly the mum is more of a carer being a single parent especially if the daddy isn’t around or has not been around in the courts would award custody to the first carer which in this example would be the mother.

Fathers are winning some ground in custody front especially with groups like “Mad Dads” and other pa coalition groups which take up the cause for pops who desire custody of the kids. In a number of cases, not a matter of wanting custody it’s a matter of monetary stability and a dedication to spending more than simply time with the child or children. A family court system does not appreciate either parent excessively using nannies or day care services however they are realistic in the fact that they know a parent wants to work to put food on the table.

Other Useful Site for Child Custody Fathers:

Advice for Child Custody Fathers
.

For legal and parenting information forchild custody fathers, visit childcustodyfathersguide.ikeamax.com.

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It All Begins At Home: Lessons Learned By Early Home Business Opportunities

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Throughout most individuals’ lives, great home business opportunity has always begun at home. Many times it began with a brainstorm at the dinner table. “Mom, I’m bored,” one child might whine. Dad might pipe up with a quick response: “Do something with your time. Why don’t you try to make a little money. Go make some lemonade.” Thus a great business idea begins.

Childhood breeds a cacophony of home business opportunity. Though the chance might begin with a lemonade stand, soon children move unto bigger ventures like pet sitting, lawn mowing, and leaf raking. Young entrepreneurs will consider the needs of a parent and “volunteer” for small compensation. As children, people can easily learn the relationship between a job and money. Performing a job well results in the desired cash.

As childhood blossoms into adolescence, the said individuals learn all kinds of new lessons. Their business ventures branch out as their own abilities and freedoms grow. They begin their own versions of daycare, caring for children either at their own home or at the child’s home. Thus they create another home business opportunity. They might volunteer to wash the neighbor’s car in their driveway or even consider what services they can offer neighbors. With a little pavement pounding and a great product, like those lovely fundraiser goodies all teenagers must sell for whatever clubs they belong to, said teenagers learn the value of marketing.

Today collegians take advantage of their own version of the home business opportunity, or for them, dorm business opportunity. Some engage in illegal activities such as betting pools on things like the NCAA tournament. Others will charge for their legitimate tutoring services. In either of these cases we can see the common thread: the business man or woman saw a need and found a way to make a dollar while meeting it.

We would all like to think that these little business ventures were just childhood play, but in actuality, they were the training ground for taking a hold of a great home business opportunity. Consider the lessons that said children and teenagers learn from their experiences. They gained marketing experience, by learning how to color their product and how to present themselves when attempting to sell it to another individual. They learned ingenuity by considering the needs of those around them and seeking a way to meet them for modest compensation. They learned the value of hard work as they often saw their piggy banks fullness correlate with the amount of effort they put into their home business opportunity.

Thus as we consider home business opportunities, be they peddling Avon products or beginning an eBay business, we should consider the valuable lessons that we gained from our childhood business experiences. When we do this, every drop of sweat spent both contriving and selling an idea before and during puberty will be well worth it.

Jim Biscardi is owner of Dynamic Wealth Systems, LLC and writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic Jim recommends you visit: www.DynamicWealthSystems.com

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What did your childhood teach you about making money online

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

When we were children we never have the same fears that adults have and this is one of the great advantages of being young and carefree. This is often why we have so many accidents as children compared to as adults because we now see the dangers as they head in  our direction without letting them stick to us.

But when you look back at your childhood what has it taught you in business?

Think about how you made money as a child to topup your pocket money and imagine if today you could turn them into little income streams. The more you have of these income streams the richer you will become and the closer you will get to financial security. As a child we had income streams too except we were simply too young to realise the potential that they brought to us.

I had lots of income streams from the age of seven onwards though at the age of eight (my sons age) I certainly had the most. Unlike other children in my class at school I could afford to buy myself nice little treats, feel all grown up by taking my own spending money on holiday with me. But the most special part of it all was to have the independence that it brought to me.

One other reason that children do so well with their income streams is because the cute factor melts the adults hearts in an instance and when I was little boy did I know this.

Back to me age eight it was the year 1990 and having parents that were both self-employed meant that I was around them as they were generating their own businesses giving me ample opportunities to catch in on their customers. My first income stream came when we moved house and they bought two blocks of luxury holiday flats at a seaside town in Yorkshire (England). Saturdays were extremely busy with new arrivals and the old customers leaving. It was a real madhouse from 7am right through to 4pm and there were suitcases in every direction. So I became the eight year old luggage assistant getting the luggage into the different flats for them and earning £1 per suitcase and I moved a fair few.

On top of this though with a shop across the road I would also be paid for getting the essentials in for them such as milk, bread, tea and coffee. Again this topped up my Saturday afternoon rather nicely and I was able to make serious money for someone of my age. I would also strip all the beds in the flats during cleaning time and make some extra money via my mum and this added up when you have twelve flats sleeping from anything from two through to eight.

But my income streams didn’t stop there – I was lucky enough to have parents that also ran a record shop and video rentals. This really is a kids dream imagine having access to constant videos and CDs whenever you wanted them without having to spend a penny. What I noticed though was that my Dad didn’t have many sales with the childrens range even though Disney was red hot parents only seemed to want things for themselves and never came in the shop with their kids in tow always when they were at school.

So I realised that something was missing here – my Dad wasn’t targeting his market he was just concentrating on people buying them on their behalf and this clearly wasn’t working. So instead I took the videos to school and rented them out to children in the playground who ranged from age seven through to age eleven. I even had a little book with all the details in it for all my orders. Lets just say my Dad was very impressed and for my very first joint venture in business I got the usual 50% cut. I also sold all of his ex-rental copies that he wanted rid of at a later date.

But this is the most important thing that I learnt…

Accounting!

We had this amazing guy called Jim who has since passed away but he taught me everything I needed to know. Like is often said about children they really do soak up information like a sponge and as a child I was no different. I used to sit there and watch him for hours doing my parents books. By the age of ten I could of giving an accountant a run for their money. I know it all and through school I was top of the class due to my home experiences. The thing is when you learn these skills early on you can take them much further compared to learning new skills at college or university. It also taught me how to learn to count in my head and not rely on calculators. It also means that I do all my own accounts now for the business without the worried expense of hiring an account that doesn’t understand the make money online niche.

The big question is:

What did your childhood teach you about making money?

I learnt how to spot income streams and do my accounts but even using a childhood hobby to create niche sites will do the trick. Also remember as a child there is no fear bring this with you into adulthood – if you worry too much about an income stream you will never make money online. You want to lose the fear and just see how it works with income streams online there really isn’t much money to pay out so if it doesn’t work just move on to the next one until you get it right. Then when you find the ones that work repeat it over and over again until you are financially secure.

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The Crazy Rise Of Childhood Obesity

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Statistics have shown that for children between the years of 2 and 5 and adolescents between 12 and 19, the rate of obesity has doubled since the 1970s. For children between the ages of 6 and 11, the rate has tripled. Almost one third of all children today are at risk for becoming overweight. Sixteen percent of them already are.

Are boys more prone to rise in child obesity?
When it comes to boys and girls, the rates of child obesity are similar. The rates have increased since the 1960s for both sexes. In the last years of the previous century, over 29% of all boys were at risk for becoming overweight, while 27% of all girls struggled with the same problem.
Of course, some groups are more affected by this phenomena than others. Among boys, those who are of Mexican American descent tend to have a greater problem with obesity, with over 42% of boys in this group being affected by the problem. Among girls, the problem is more serious for those of African descent.

Why childhood obesity should not be taken lightly
The problem of children being obese is a grave one, in that it can have lasting effects on one’s emotional and physical health. In the year 2000, it was estimated that about a third of all children born in the United States are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes in their lifetimes. These children are developing Type II Diabetes and high blood pressure at an early age. They are placing themselves at increased risk for heart disease and other obesity-related diseases. Their weight also makes them the target of bullies and children who insult and taunt them about their weight. This can ruin their self-esteem and put them at risk for depression.

Lack of physical activity – a major cause of child obesity
One of the sad facts of our time is that young people have fewer and fewer chances to be physically active. In elementary and primary schools, quite often there is a lack of space and equipment for serious physical education, not to mention fewer and fewer teachers with specialized training in this area. Children spent the vast majority of their time at school sitting down behind a desk. The vast majority of six to eight year olds are allowed only thirty minutes of regulated physical education in their weekly school curriculums! The game fields and playgrounds are being sold off or abandoned. At home, children are discouraged from playing outside due to their parents’ concerns with safety.
Along with lack of physical activity comes the convenience of fast food. There are fast food restaurants virtually around every corner, and they have easy access to snack foods full of saturated fats and sugars. In addition, obese parents are more likely to have obese children. The reason for this is two-fold. First, obese parents probably pass down their poor habits to their children. Second, genetics plays a role in obesity.

Individual obesity control plans work best for children
For children dealing with obesity, it is best to evaluate the individual’s situation, taking in to consideration environmental, genetic, and metabolic concerns while treating the arising physical and psychological damage that has arisen. An obese child’s eating plan should also come with an exercise plan. Long term counseling is often needed to deal with self esteem issues relating to obesity that can affect the child’s performance in the real world.
It’s important for parents to be role models to their children and emphasize the importance of physical activity and healthy eating. Parents can create healthy environments for their children by doing regular physical activities, such as biking, swimming, or walking together. They should encourage their children to participate in sports, dance, martial arts, and etcetera. This allows children to develop an appreciation of physical activity and enjoy exercising.
When it comes to eating, parents need to implement diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. They can make eating enjoyable and healthy by preparing food together and eating together as a family. Fast-food should be limited and reserved for special occasions. Way too often, we reward ourselves for a job well done with food.
Child obesity can easily be controlled. The process can be made fulfilling by using creative ideas. Look for other ways to reward your children for doing a great job, such as a special shopping trip or a day with just mom or dad. Not only will the kids feel appreciated, it will contribute to their well being in the long run.

Joanne Williams is worried about child obesity
and the effects it will have on this generation. It is a passionate subject as both her children were considered obese for a while. She has written extensively on this subject and shares her thoughts at child obesity

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A Childhood Memory

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

 

                       He said,” Take care of your granny for me, Ok? “and “Always remember I love you.” These were the last words my papa said to me. It was early and I had to brush the knots out of my overly curly hair and get out of the bathroom. After all, there were important things to get done before heading off to school. As I started my way down the hall to my room, my grandfather called my name. He was my grandfather, but I called him Papa. I rushed to the door of his bedroom. He laid inside on his larger than life bed Smiling and patting a small section atop the covers next to his side. I crawled ever so carefully onto the huge bed and sat silently looking into his shiny blue eyes.

      Papa then took my tiny hand into his and grinned bigger than ever at me. We began to have our morning talk; this was our tradition each morning before we began each day. Papa wasn’t usually still in bed. We talked of my day ahead. Math was getting easier and I was learning to be quiet during class time, with a little urging from my teachers. He pointed out the two went together. The old being quiet and paying attention, and you will learn a thing or two speech was popular between the two of us. He asked me to sing him a song. I Come to the Garden was one of his favorites, and I was more than happy to chirp out my version just for him. I could feel his hand tighten around mine as I sang. I thought I saw a hint of a tear in the corner of his eye. I wasn’t quite sure if the song touched his heart or my voice was touching his ears a little too loud. I softened my voice and finished my song for Papa.     

       He thanked me and began rushing me off to breakfast and on my way to school. I slid slowly down the monster of a bed he lay in. Tilting my toes toward the floor and griping the covers till I could feel floor beneath my toes. As I walked under the doorframe, not in, yet not out of the room: he said those two sentences to me. He spoke in a quiet gentle voice with a matter of fact tone. I looked back, flashed my biggest smile and said, I will and I love you too.”    

        A quick breakfast and a short walk to school was as any other day before. Before I knew it, the day was almost over and I was sitting in Math class. Half working division exercises and half gazing out the window, I noticed an unusual amount of cars entering my grandparents’ drive for a middle of the afternoon. One quick reminder of my time left to finish my class work and my attention was brought anxiously back to division. Recess and then off to the library for study time and my day learning would gladly come to an end. I sat in a corner quietly reading as I heard my fathers’ soft gentle voice. The librarian walked over to me after speaking with him and told me I could go home for the day.   

         As I climbed into the car I discovered I was not the only one leaving early for the day. My two brothers and a cousin were crammed into the backseat, talking loud and planning their afternoon adventures. My dad sat down in the drivers seat. It seemed as if time stood still. The boys became silent as my dad gripped the steering wheel with ghost like fingers and his entire body began to shake. I knew, without him explaining a thing, I knew. My papa had gone to Heaven as I sat there in my Math class that day. I knew how important his last choice of words was. I realized how my singing, ” I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses, and the voice I hear falling on my ear, ” must have been the true reason for the tear I believed to have witnessed.       He left me with a lesson on being more attentive and allowing myself to learn. I did help take care of granny until she went to be with him in Heaven. Heaven is where I believe them to be. In believing this I find comfort. I can still hear his voice from time to time and I know in my heart and soul, he will… always love me. 

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What Precisely Defines A Childhood Obesity Epidemic?

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Doctors have noticed that there is a childhood obesity epidemic. Some consider it a medical condition. To that it is one that is slowly taking over our children and teenagers. Everyone has their own unique body structure and size, but there are times when our body likes to store more fat then needed. This is what obese is considered. When a doctor is looking for obesity they measure the child’s weight and look at the guidelines for their age and height to determine what is ok and what is not.

Doctors have always said to exercise. Children get that by playing and being themselves. Becoming obese means that they are eating and eating and not burning off the food that they have eaten.

Some of the children studies have seen that are at risk of becoming obese were children/teens that watched more than 2 hours a day of deletion and played hours of video games that didn’t make them move around, ate more fattening foods and sugar filled drinks and those were just a sample of the issues that can help cause obesity.

Children don’t see the outcomes on their bodies because they have obesity issues, physically and psychology issues are on the rise. For example:

1. Early menstruation cycles, and puberty

2. Always tired

3. Liver disease

4. Suicidal thoughts

5. Asthma

6. Teased and bullied

7. Lack of social skills

8. Poor self esteem

Doctors and parents are starting to work together to make sure that children are getting all the major food groups. As well if you have a child that likes video games, challenging games like the Wii fit will use your child’s activities to beat levels, and there are more games like that coming available. Schools have also banded to together to create healthy meals for cafeterias and get rid of vending machines that carry pop and make all of them carry water and juice.

If parents take the time to make sure that their child takes healthy food as a lunch or even at dinner time, they might fuss in the beginning but will eventually give in and eat and there is nothing wrong with that at all. It is all a sacrifice when it comes to changing our life styles but it is for the better.

We are not the only ones to blame but it is important that we help to change it. For our futures and our health. There was a time where it was weird to see obese people because we didn’t have computers and people spent their days outside in the summer and in the winter. Shoveling, raking and doing other activities and so did our children. It is so important that we understand that our children learn by our example.

If we pick up and change and then ask our kids, they will do the same thing. It is easier to change if you see that your mom and dad are doing the same thing. Even if they are young and get mad, turn off that TV and get the kids to go and play outside and get some sun. We need to be the boss and teach them the way things were before the electronics. Save those for the too cold and rainy days!

This generation is troubled by a new challenge, the childhood obesity epidemic. Many parents don’t realize that they are making things worse for their kids. Learn how to get help and manage your kids lifestyle at http://www.dietsolutionprogramreview.com

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Divorced Dads Tips: The Difference Between Parental Alienation Syndrome & Mommy Manipulation!

Friday, March 19th, 2010

DISCLAIMER: The following is NOT legal advice, nor is it a substitute for legal advice. If you are in Family Court you will need legal advice, so please see a lawyer.


We’ve seen a number of cases over the years of Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) over the years. To be clear: It is not a recognized medical syndrome. And, it is often overused and inappropriately by divorced dads, it can torpedo their case fast simply because it is a simplistic overstatement of the true facts.


It’s a phrase now that is embedded into the legal speak that goes on in Family Courtrooms everywhere when access/visitation denial by anything from a mildly angry to an extremely malicious mother. And therein lies the problem. By not characterizing the seriousness of the problems appropriately and accurately, a divorced dad loses credibility when he doesn’t distinguish between:


(a) Manipulation and/or alienation;


(b) Moderate, severe, extreme, fanatical forms of manipulation;


(c) Moderate, severe, extreme, fanatical forms of alienation.


Accurately portraying through evidence which pigeonhole your child’s symptoms seem to suggest tends to demonstrate reasonableness on the fathers part, which naturally confers credibility on that evidence because it does not come across as a distortion or exaggeration of the facts.


When a malicious mother ramps up her campaign of hatred to the point that the children are seized with an OVERWHELMING irrational fear of the father following separation and/or divorce PAS becomes a distinct possibility, but it is unlikely beforehand.


So what is overwhelming fear?


It does not include any fear that is superficial. The typical kind displayed by many children who either can and/or can’t explain their fear, but don’t act in a manner consistent with those fears.


Here’s an example of consistency that borders on fanatical: A child who is cowering in the corner, even when fully protected in a supervised access center with social workers, still refuses to try and have a relationship with their dad.


Usually children such as these have been so poisoned by a mother ingratiating the child into their world view through parentification: The process where a child is made a confident of a mother and where sharing of how dangerous daddy is takes place in a sophisticated and subtle way that is far beyond a child’s abilities to understand, appreciate and fend off.


At the simplest level, manipulation that is not constantly sustained lacks depth, because it lacks consistent reinforcement at every opportunity possible. I would characterize this as the typical tactic of an overwrought mother not necessarily wanting revenge, but who is venting inappropriately through involving their child in their tirades and rants.


Malicious Mommy Manipulation Syndrome begins here and ends when a mother is including hatred and anger with sufficient force to influence a child towards PAS.


I’ve used the above framework to discern for myself what level of manipulation and/or actual alienation is taking place. Alienation always relies upon some form of HUGE lie told to frighten the child such as: your Dad will kidnap you and you will never ever see me again. Then when Dad is tired of you, he will abandon you God knows where. Then some stranger will find you and kill you.


That would terrify any child. And that is where real PAS begins from my perspective.


I remember a conference we had for the National Shared Parenting Association about 10 years ago where there was a young woman, she was about 21 years old, came to speak with us after we did our opening remarks. She was in absolute tears. Her mother had told her that her father was a monster.


This lady was in her mid 20s and for most of her childhood into early teenage and early adulthood, she was told her dad is a monster. I guess when she went out on her own she mustered up enough courage to try and find him and she did. Here was the real shocker. He is a wonderful man, which basically means she was betrayed by her mother. We told her: “You know you are very brave and good for you that you mustered up the courage to go and find your dad and you are reconnecting with him.”


The biggest challenge she is going to face now is learning how to forgive her mother, if that is even still possible. She might not be able to. This is the cost of what happens in divorce. Sometimes children are forced to make a choice between their parents. No child should ever have to do that.


It is not appropriate to wage war over your kids but it is appropriate to wage peace. The best advice that we can give you is to choose happiness over perfection. You and your kids will have a better time for it and likely a better person as a result.


When you face a really difficult situation that seems as if your kids are manipulated or alienated remember this formula when describing it to the Family Court Judge:


Is what you are seeing exhibited in your child:


(a) Manipulation and/or alienation;


(b) Moderate, severe, extreme, fanatical forms of manipulation;


(c) Moderate, severe, extreme, fanatical forms of alienation.


And match your evidence closely to what you describe.


Remember all manipulation and alienation is wrong, but the key to resolving it in Family Court is vigorously exposing it accurately. That’s the beginning of any Family Court Game Plan where these are the main issues facing your children.


Finally, be patient. This form of abuse is difficult to detect, and to prove. It takes time. However having a management system for the diagnosis of the problem will often lead to its solution.

Danny Guspie – Executive Director of Fathers Resources International can help you learn the successful strategies of fathers who have won in Family Court. Join us on our weekly calls at

DivorcedDadWeekly.com where we will share with you what works for successful divorced dads.

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It’s Never Too Early To Save The World

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

Calling all Mums, Dads, Teachers and Schools!

Do you want to educate your students on a topic that excites and entertains them? Do you want to let your students or children feel that they can make a difference? Do you want them to understand the current social issue such as global warming and conservation?

Not-for-profit and national organisation, the Australian Orangutan Project (AOP) is launching a comprehensive educational program, Colour It Orange that provides all the essential resources for you to make it all happen.

The purpose of AOP is to conserve and preserve orangutan habitat in Indonesia and Malaysia, and to assist in the rehabilitation and care of orangutans in care centres.

With a desire to encourage the young children to become an environmentally conscious generation, Colour It Orange is specifically designed for early childhood and primary students aged between 5 and 11. A program aimed at secondary school students plans to be developed in the near future.

Whether your class is a group of kindergarten or a group of grade 6′s, AOP provides various fundraising activity ideas such as dress up in orange clothes day, writing, drawing and/or painting competitions as well as a comprehensive pack of worksheets and classroom activities.

All the worksheets and activity packs for this program have been produced by teachers who have closely worked with AOP to ensure the accuracy of the content and relevancy to the educational system, as well as to the age group.

A diverse range of subjects such as habitat destruction, climate change, conservation, animal extinction and indigenous cultures of Indonesia are also covered through the worksheets and activities. By not only focusing on the orangutans but also on related issues, your students will learn that by helping the orangutans they are also involved in preserving our remaining natural rainforests, which in turn will stagnate the effect of global
warming throughout the world.

To be involved in the program, you simply register on the AOP website http://education.orangutan.org.au. Once the registration is processed, you can download the educational packs that suit your students. Furthermore, a welcome pack including a DVD, poster, flyer, fundraising ideas, parent letters and all necessary forms will be
sent out to you. There is no cost to register or participate.

The education website is designed specifically for students, it contains factual and relevant information to assist with school projects as well as competitions, photos of orangutans and blogs for them to enjoy and learn more about orangutans.

To register your class with Colour it Orange program or for further information, please contact Vicki Carter on

1300 RED APE (1300 733 273), email info@education.orangutan.org.au and/or visit
http://education.orangutan.org.au.

Director of Affinity Marketing.

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Tips for Single Dads

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010


There is a preceived sacred bond between mother and child. While the latter can live without the father without much of a problem, absence of mother in early childhood can pose tremendous problems for a kid.

No father can offer the tenderness, affection and emotional care to a child like a mother can. This is how God has meant it to be. The genes of a baby and mother are hot-wired for each other. Neither can live in peace without the other.

Still, there are divorce cases where fathers have to be perforce assigned child custody. There can be any number of reasons for this, such as when a mother may be mentally instable, involved in drug abuse, may be incarcerated, may have abandoned the family for a new lover or she simply may be interested in going her own way with no strings attached.

Men and household chores have historically been total strangers. This is because since times immemorial, there has been a division of labour between husband and wife. The former has always gone out to work and earn bread, while the latter has remained at home and tended to children and kitchen. In the modern world, this arrangement often goes topsy-turvy. Women go out to work while men have to take care of the children when their mom is not around.

When men get child custody after divorce, they get it both ways – not only do they have to go to office every day for work, they also have to manage the house and the children. They are forced to do the work of both the parents with no one to help them.

It is a shock for the kids too. For them it is a strange feeling to look up to their dad for every big and small need. It remains an uneasy arrangement for the first few months. But time is a great teacher and gradually, the kids as well as their father come to terms with single-fatherhood and begin to accept the situation as it exists.

The biggest problem for dads is managing the kitchen. Single fathers have to take some cooking lessons in a hurry. Kids need nutritious food as their body is growing up. They just cannot have fast food on a regular basis. So it is essential that you download some good recipes from the Net or thumb through a recipe book and try to master the dishes on weekends.

Also, it is a good idea to include lot of fruit and vegetable salads in the menu. These do not require a lot of preparation but are still full of vitamins and other nutrients. Meal times are when you should enforce a little discipline and tell the kids to carry their utensils to the kitchen and clean up the table.

Laundry should be done on Sunday every week. Putting clothes through a washing machine on weekdays will add to your headache and you may become tired or reach office late the following morning. You should buy enough clothes and school uniforms of the children to last at least five days without washing.

Kids have to go to school every morning. You as single dad would have a major role to play in this daily ritual. Try to get up an hour before the kids to take care of their lunch. Also, make it a point to have everything ready the night before. Their school uniforms should be ironed, their shoes polished and their bags ready beforehand.

Bringing up daughters can be a bit tricky for single fathers. You have to respect their privacy but still have to be their confidante. It is better to take the help of a friend’s wife or some female relative in bringing your daughter up. You should take her out shopping regularly and buy clothes of her choice as you won’t be able to judge yourself what clothes she should be wearing.

As a single father, you can never replace mothers. Even trying to do so is futile. Kids can relate to you only as a father and male presence in their lives. The place of a mother in the family can never be filled up by you. It is much better to try to be a good father and give your best to the welfare and healthy upbringing of your children. The bond formed between you and your children in these early years can lay a foundation for a very strong relationship between all of you that will last a life-time.

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you want to find out more about a solicitor managed divorce see http://www.managed-divorce.co.uk

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Early Childhood Lesson Plans: Start Reading Earlier

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

It was just a short time ago an 18-month-old girl made the papers by demonstrating her grasp of the English language — she was actually able to read and iterate written words. While most babies are babbling and making a word or two at this stage, this child was reading cereal boxes at the store.


Many parents wanted to know what their secret was. Well of course it probably had something to do with genetics, it also had something to do with their early childhood lesson plans and habits they established. Both parents were linguists and decided to read and play videos on sign language with the child. Little did they know that these little lessons built amazing thought and speech pathways in the child’s brain, and before they knew it they were on Good Morning America having her read flash cards, blowing viewer’s minds.


Beginning Tips


So the previous lesson is definitely an extreme. Just because your child is not reading at 2 is definitely nothing to worry about. Fostering a normally bright child comes at a slower pace, and reading should be part of the good habit formation at home. Here are some tips when you first start:

- Start as soon as possible, the earlier the better

- Read as if you are excited about the story, it will fall over on the child engaging them

- Be habitual about the time you read, children remember this and find this groove to get into, possibly even reminding you when it’s time

- Talk to your librarian about books that are a good match for your children, they can even help you establish reading as part of your early childhood lesson plan

- Put the books in proximity with the rest of you children’s toys, ideally with the cover facing them so they will be consistently interested

- Books on the go is great, pull one out at the Dr’s office, riding on the commuter train, hanging out at the park etc.


It’s never too young to read. It may seem odd but some experts actually think that reading while the child is in utero may be a good shoe-in for reading as a baby, toddler and beyond. That may also be a good way for connecting the parent’s voices while still in the womb. At least it’s good habit for the parents, especially if one of the parents is not an avid reader. You know the cliche, like father like son, well this may be true regarding the parent’s reading habit, and if the child picks this up later in life by copying the example parent.

Scholastic (http://www.scholastic.com/ect/) helps parents put together early childhood lesson plans with a quality material they have, either on-site or from their educational experts directly. They are one of the oldest children’s book publishers as well. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer.

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