Category: How to Raise Kids

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Nando Caporicci on Being a Dad for a Child with Autism

What to Expect When Raising a Child with Autism

Being a parent of a child with autism can be very stressful. Your natural instinct is to care for your child the best way you can. You want to be there for them and make sure that all is alright. When you are the father of a child with autism there are challenges to face that many do not understand. It is that feeling that is hard to know unless you are dealing with the same things. There are a number of things that make parenting a child with autism different.

Knowing What to Expect

Nando Caporicci states that one of the hardest things about being an autism parent is that you never know what to expect. There is always that chance that something may trigger a reaction at any moment. This makes any parent tense and stressed at all times. Most autism parents like Nando Caporicci will learn to understand what triggers your child’s meltdowns. It is also important to know what kind of meltdowns the child has. High functioning autism is different from Asperger’s. Sometimes a meltdown can be violent while other times the child shies away and wants to be alone. There must be a course of action to help the child calm down and work through the meltdown.

Strict Routines

One thing that many parents have noticed with parenting children with autism is that there must be a strict routine in place. There must be a system that the child goes by. This will make matters easier for them. Also, remember to have the routine or schedule where the child can see it. Make it visual as well with small pictures on it so that they understand. This is especially good for those who don’t know how to read yet. Put times by it to go by so they know what time is what. One thing to remember when it comes to a routine is that you must abide by the schedule. One wrong move or being late by just a few minutes can throw off the whole day and cause them confusion. An autistic child processes things differently. That means a schedule that is not followed can be devastating to them.

Strict Diets

There are many different diets out there today. Ultimately autism is a sensory disorder. This is also something that comes into effect with the way things feel. There are some autistic children who will never eat anything crunchy. They only want smooth things like applesauce. There are other children who want crunchy things and won’t touch mashed potatoes. Knowing and understanding their eating habits are important. There are some parents that limit certain products in their child’s diet such as casein and gluten. Whatever is best for the child is what should be done.

Vacation

Every family wants to go on vacation. Going on vacation when you are raising a child with autism is a little different though. There are certain steps that must be done to make sure that you all enjoy the time away. The first thing is understanding that vacation to you means going away and having fun. A vacation to a child with autism means change. Many children with autism don’t do well with change. There are a few things that can help with this step. Create an itinerary. Remember the itinerary has the same rules as a schedule. They must be followed so that your child stays on track. If you are traveling, however, things happen and can throw off a whole trip. Don’t put times down on the itinerary. Make sure to use pictures. You have plenty of time to go over the itinerary before you leave for your trip as well. Let them study it so that they are prepared. Take things from home that are familiar to them as well. Bring their pillow and blanket or favorite toys. Also, remember that a child with autism has a hard time being idle. They need to have something to do at all times.

Being a parent of a child with autism can be tough but it is also rewarding. Nando Caporicci reminds everyone that you are not alone. With a little bit of extra leg work your child can have the same experiences as every other child. Remember to be patient with them. Whatever you are feeling, they are feeling tenfold. Always give them understanding, time and your love.

 

How To Teach Children To Brush Their Teeth Regularly

Tooth decay among children is one of the main cause of concern when it comes to pediatric oral health. In fact, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions that children ages 2-11 have, according to a recent study.

A dental practitioner, Karl Jobst DDS Grove OK, helps us to understand the causes of tooth decay among children:

  • Overconsumption of sugar – children tend to prefer eating sweets compared to other foods at a young age. As a result, cavities emerge which result in tooth decay.
  • Lack of proper oral hygiene habits – children are still starting to develop habits that they will carry on at an older age. When children are inconsistent with brushing their teeth, cavities and tooth decay may occur as well.
  • Genetics – some children are just prone to oral health issues which are passed on hereditarily. Conditions such as sensitive teeth or poor enamel structure can affect the teeth’s integrity.

Understanding this, Dr. Karl Jobst DDS Grove OK shares with us his best ways to teach children how to brush their teeth regularly.

How To Teach Children To Brush Their Teeth Regularly

 

  1. Incorporate toothbrushing as a part of the morning and nightly routine

Teaching your children how to brush their teeth regularly involves including it as one of the main parts of the morning and nightly routine. For example, a daily routine would be something such as: making the bed, taking a shower, brushing teeth, and getting dressed. If children understand that it is part of the routine, they will most likely keep the habit regularly.

  1. Praise when necessary

Perhaps you’ve been having problems with your child’s consistency in brushing his or her teeth, and there was a single instance where they did it by themselves. A great way to acknowledge this is to give verbal praise for the work well-done. For example, you can say encouraging words such as “Great! Your smile is so white because you brushed your teeth today!” or “I’m proud that you brushed your teeth all by yourself!”. These verbal praises have a strong effect on children which encourages them to brush their teeth more regularly.

  1. Make them aware of the effects of brushing and not brushing their teeth

At some point in a child’s life, they will begin to ask the purpose and reason behind things. For example, a child may ask “Why do I have to keep on doing this every day?”. An answer such as “Because I said so” may not be effective anymore. It may be time to sit them down and help them understand the effects of not brushing their teeth, such as having cavities, and their teeth falling out. You can supplement this by showing stories or pictures as well. This way, you can educate your children and at the same time, they will be motivated to keep the habit, too.

  1. Have a routine check every now and then

Some children may try to get away with pretending that they have brushed their teeth. To prevent this, you can try having occasional routine checks such as asking them to smile or checking if their breath smells fresh. This way, you can see if your child really did brush their teeth, and you can also give them reminders to go back if they lied or pretended to.

One of the key ways to help kids develop good oral habits is to start them young. When parents teach consistency and give positive reinforcement, children are more encouraged to do their part.

 

Hunter Law Group: What Your Children Should Expect After a Divorce

Broken Marriage Contract
Divorce can be very stressful for the whole family. Parents should be sure to minimize the impact on their children.

In our current times, the rate of divorce is on the rise. Blended families and single parents are the new norm in our society. Although that is the case, divorces are not easy, especially when children are involved, because it usually affects the children even more. Hunter Law Group, who have the best personal injury attorney in Tampa and the full range of services covering family law, recommend the following things that your children should expect after your divorce.

How you speak to each other as divorcees

Your children should not hear you saying mean things to each other. Your children love both parents and when speaking badly about your ex-spouse happens in-front of them, it becomes harder for them and not your ex. You children should not be placed in such an awkward situation. Your children are expected to maintain their relationship with each parent, and neither parent should try to corrupt each other’s opinion.

Both parents support each other even in their differences

If you try to criticize your spouse, it tends to work oppositely. Children are loyal, and when you criticize your ex-spouse, they can easily get angry with you. Always remember that children are innocent in a divorce. Avoid criticizing each other in front of your children; they should be able to see parents who support each other, and if there is a disagreement, as parents, you can come up with a solution in a calm way.

Children should have an easy time with both parents

Avoid making your children pick sides, it is not fair to them and they are the ones who are going to suffer. Avoid tracking the time your kids spend with your ex-spouse because it can never be 100% fair when it comes to spending time with kids. Children should be able to see unconditional love from both parents and they should never feel like it was a negative experience spending a lot of time with the other parent.

Your children should not participate in any undertakings of your divorce

A divorce is a stressful time for the whole family. As parents, you should protect your children from becoming embroiled in conversations that directly impact their lives. Children should be able to go through their normal duties without strain, and they should never bear the brunt of financial arguments from either parent.

Children should feel your love and care

Avoid using money to entice your children to love you more. As divorcees, you should concentrate on being stable and loving your children regardless of the financial status of each parent. Children should be able to feel cohesion in how they live even if both parents live separately.

Children expect to see both parents

Never restrain your child from seeing the other parent unless their safety is in question. If you do this, your child will grow up resenting you. Hunter Law Group points out that although your ex-spouse might feel hurt because the children are being kept away from him/her, it will hurt your child even more. Your child will never understand your reasons; they will only understand that you are the reason they can’t see the other parent. To avoid this kind of resentment, your children should expect to see either parent as much as possible without restraint.

Your children should see both parents as stable

If you want to share the problems or issues you are going through with someone, Hunter Law Group suggests that you get a counselor. Your children should not be exposed to your problems and your struggles. Talk to a counselor when it comes to these kinds of conversations. Your children only need you to be their stable parent and their mentor so that they can grow up to be a well-adjusted member of society.

Your children should expect to see both parents communicate well

Avoid using your children as messengers. Ensure that lines of communication between both of you are open. This is the best way to avoid any conflict, and it ensures that no confusion will be present and there will be little room for miscommunication like when a third party is used to relay a conversation, which usually ends up being the kids. Avoid this kind of communication setup because it hurts your children and they can grow up in a stressful environment.

Your children should see you happy

Divorce is really tough, and it takes a lot of energy out from both parents. No matter the case, your children need to see you happy. Your mood has a direct impact on how your children feel. If you seem stressed all the time, your children will feel stressed even more. Your children should be able to see you happy and enjoying life, which will also trickle down to them. Ensure that your children have fun with you and they live to remember the memorable times.

 

Considering Individual Tutoring for your Child

It’s common for children to struggle with some subjects. Nowadays, there are more students in schools, and the academic standards are getting tougher. This has made it difficult for children to handle rigorous course content. It’s always important for students to master the concept of a subject. If a kid fails to understand a critical concept, he/she may fall further behind. What’s more, they may struggle with the same subject in future. When you notice the grades of your child are dropping, it would be wise to consider individual tutoring. Here are a few tips on how to go about it.

Pick Professional Educators

It might not be a very good idea to ask your elder child to tutor his/her younger sibling. But you can go for professional teachers from reputable tutoring institutions such as Groza Learning Center. They’re capable of handling the academic struggles of any student. The tutors also know the best ways to keep lessons interesting to help your child stay active. Teachers are trained to tailor lessons to suit the academic needs of each child they deal with. They also offer special attention to each child to ensure that they get the concept and develop a liking for the subject.

Recover lost skills

As kids grow, they learn new skills. However, the child might lose their ability to retain new info due to illnesses and various psychological conditions. It’s advisable to consider tutoring sessions for your son or daughter during winter and summer breaks. These sessions help children to keep the skills they acquire over time.

Look for individualized tutoring in reading and math

Reading and math are some of the essential subjects for children in their earlier stages of school. Kids who have a problem with reading and math are likely to struggle with sciences and other subjects that require computation and skills in reading comprehension. To help you child understand math and reading, you need to consider individualized support. The tutor will assess the skills of your child and create a plan to help deal with your kid’s weaknesses. Great reading and math skills lead to better grades.

Get help with home projects

Teachers use projects to help their students learn how to conduct research as well as organize their work. Many a time, little time is allotted for these activities as they are considered homework. Although this is an excellent mode of study, some students aren’t able to finish their homework after a long day in school. Therefore, it’s ideal to consider after-tutoring programs for your child.

Parents should address academic struggles early to avoid further delay in the development of a kid. Groza Learning Center and other tutoring institutions offer benefits that children might not receive at a regular school. They focus their attention and effort on the learning needs of your child. It’s recommendable to get individual tutoring right after school. This is usually the best time for kids to take in new information. It’s also the best time to understand the academic needs of a child. With the best tutoring services, you’ll never have to worry about your kid’s grades.

Dr. Raouf Farag’s Tips for Fostering Creativity During Early Childhood Development

It is widely known that fostering creativity during early childhood development is absolutely imperative, so parents are frequently looking for additional strategies with the goal of further developing a child’s precocity to the greatest degree possible. So, in addition to providing access to some of the traditional resources designed for enhancing creativity, what else can be done?

dr raouf farag raising childrenAccording to Dr. Raouf Farag, one of the most important steps in fostering creativity is to ensure that there is more than enough unstructured time allotted each day in which children can direct the activity themselves. Without any externalstructure in place, children are free to act and explore their creativity in a more holistic way and are more likely to benefit in terms of their future creative development. However, since self-directed activity can sometimes lead to quite a mess, the New South Wales obstetrician suggests identifying a dedicated space in which there is greater freedom for creative or artistic exploration.

Another suggestion involves a greater focus on the creative process. Parents should understand that the process involved in creativity is far more important than evaluating its outcome. In fact, even an attempt to encourage creativity with some sort of external incentive can actually suppress creativity, so parents have to focus on creating the conditions for creative expression with the minimum amount of external interference.

When it comes to creative problem solving, it is similarly critical to allow kids to independently arrive at a solution through a process of their own design. Once solved, it is entirely appropriate to ask questions about how the child decided upon the particular process they used and to discuss if there are any alternative methods that could have been just as effective in achieving a similarly ideal solution. This strategy encourages children to think about the many possible solutions for problems of any kind just by accessing their creativity, allowing them to recognize the many different paths that can be taken to achieve a similar result.

The arts have long been recognized as especially critical is fostering creativity, so parents should continue to encourage children to participate in all of the various aspects of the arts and to give their children total freedom regarding the preferred means of participation. Additionally, parents have to set a good example in this regard, which can be accomplished by spending time reading literature, acting out scenes from a play or working on a canvas with oils or acrylics. This sort of example reinforces the value of the arts, and, particularly when done poorly, demonstrates that failure should not discourage future creative efforts in any way.

Ironfish Reviews Potential of Property Investment as a Vehicle for Ensuring Financial Security for Future Generations

Securing their own financial future as well as the financial future of their children is one of the most commonly cited factors motivating investors to explore a wide range of investment opportunities, and many investors have found an outstanding option for securing their family’s financial future through the use of shrewd property investment strategies. As a company dedicated to assisting investors in developing an exceptional property investment portfolio, Ironfish reviews property investment strategies on a regular basis in order to educate and inform its clients regarding the best possible approach for generating the kind of results they are seeking.

For investors seeking to secure their financial future, it is unbelievably helpful to have access to the support provided through a company like Ironfish. With the guidance provided through a comprehensive step-by-step system for property investing as well as the help provided by a dedicated local property strategist, investors who wish to maximize the return on their initial investment can do so with the creation of a property investment portfolio assembled based on the specific goals they have outlined.

This means that even the busiest of investors can experience a benefit similar to the results achieved by those who have made a full-time career out of this type of investment strategy, which should hold an obvious appeal for investors who are primarily concerned with ensuring a stable and secure financial future for their children through a comprehensive investment strategy.

Kareem Elsirafy Knows Developing Leadership Skills Should Begin Early

It is perfectly natural to always want the very best for our children, and it is certainly not uncommon for parents to go to great lengths to ensure that their kids have every advantage as they grow up. Cooperation is one of the most common skills parents focus on teaching kids at a very early age, but there should be equal attention paid to developing leadership skills as well. Of course, there is a very fine line between leading and dictating, so a tailored approach to teaching leadership is often most ideal.

“During the early stages of development, play is the best way to promote cooperative behavior while providing the opportunity to cultivate leadership skills,” said Arturo Alvarez Demalde. “Just like in the military, leaders can be developed through a number of cooperative activities in which the most vocal and supportive participants are able to get the most out of those around them.”

The belief in this concept has been reinforced by Kareem Elsirafy, who noted that the games children play are great for developing leadership skills. While some children will be naturally suited for leadership, other children can benefit from positive reinforcement from their parents. After a youth sporting event, for example, a parent may explain to their child how to be supportive of teammates who made a mistake or how to set a good example during athletic competition. These behaviors can even be modeled or practiced at home, with parents providing examples of the kinds of communication strategies used by those in leadership positions.

The Fragile Dreams of Children

Children are incredible with their dreams and imaginations. Did you know that the most powerful question in the world is asked daily by a 3 year old? That question is, “Why?” This is the question that truly provokes answer and searches for knowledge and reasoning. Children have dreams of doing big things and becoming someone important in life. We have all heard children say something like, “When I grow up, I’m going to be a firefighter,” or, “When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut at NASA!”  My child told me they wanted to be in charge of their own construction business like Ralph Slaske of Slaske Builders. Never once have we heard a child say, “When I’m all grown up, I want to work at a bank.”

What happens to our dreams as children? Where do they go? Where does the passion to reach for the sky and do the unbelievable go? For many of us, it could be our parents to blame for hitting us over the head over and over with their own realities. When someone doesn’t believe in themselves and fail to reach their dreams and potential, they have the tendency to bring others down with them and say things such as, “Don’t be silly. What makes you think you can do that?”

As parents, we want to see them succeed, but we also don’t want to teach them reality, that is, reality as WE believe it to be. Why can’t your child be an astronaut? It’s been done before and is still being done. Why can’t your child run their own business? Why can’t your child become the best doctor in the universe? We have to be careful not to crush that little glimmer of hope, but we do anyway and have the audacity to scold them when they aren’t living up to our expectations and then belittle them when their expectations of themselves is beyond those for ourselves and dreams are bigger than our dreams. Parents, we need to make up our mind what we want for our children.

Peter Lik Would Agree—Don’t Touch!

One of the many things I try to teach my children is do not touch what does not belong to you. I remember being taught this lesson and it has gotten me out of trouble many times when I was tempted to touch something. My mother was an old school woman and would carry a ruler in her purse just for that reason. Any time I got the urge to reach out and touch something in a store, my mother was quick to whip out the ruler and tag my fingers with it. Ouch!

In the same respect, I do my best to make sure my children know not to touch what isn’t theirs. This lesson in discipline has been shown to demotivate stealing in various young adults as well as preventing accidents such as dropping and breaking things. Could you imagine how upset I’d be if one of them had the nerve to touch any camera or equipment that belongs to a photographer like Peter Lik?

Children Are The Future?

The children we are raising will someday run things?  God help us.  The same spoiled little brats will have to rise to the occasion and run the world? untitled (86) untitled (85) We will have to be tolerant and let them learn from their mistakes.  After all we weren’t born smart either.  It seems that today children are particularly ill prepared to lead the country much less the world.  The world is such a mess that it will require the future leadership of skilled leaders to pull us through.  I am guardedly optimistic but I will be waiting and watching to see how the leadership goes.  Createurs De Luxe is a look at the future of the world.