Puppy LoveWritten by Wendy Yeager
Everybody loves puppies. Who can resist those cute little faces and wet noses? Puppies can be a lot of fun, but they also come with a lot of added responsibility.More than five million puppies are born every year in United States. In fact, one in every three families owns one or more dogs. A female dog carries her puppies for a term of approximately 60 days before they are born. Puppies are born blind, deaf, and with very little sense of smell. Their eyes stay closed for about 10-15 days. By four weeks old they have complete vision. A puppy’s sense of smell and hearing develops quickly. Puppies have 28 temporary teeth, which start to appear around 3-4 weeks. Their 42 permanent teeth begin to emerge around four months. Be sure to have plenty of chew toys for your puppy. Puppies need to chew to stimulate loss of their baby teeth and to help place their permanent teeth. Puppies like to stay cuddled up close to their mother and siblings to stay warm and feel secure. Because puppies are somewhat dependent on their mother and need to learn to get along with other dogs, they should stay with their mother for at least eight weeks. A new puppy should be chosen with great care. A new owner must not think only of himself, but also about people
| | 5 Tips for Successful GrandparentingWritten by Don Schmitz
Building on cherished connection between grandparents and grandchildren is a life-long privilege. As grandchildren grow and mature role grandparents play in lives of their grandchildren changes but principals remain true at any age. 1. Boundaries are necessary for control and safety. All children need and must learn to respect boundaries. Being clear about expectations before an activity begins frees you and child to enjoy event and ensures safety of everyone involved. If you observe boundaries are being violated, don’t be afraid to remind your grandchildren again. Restate rules as many times as necessary. Writing rules and posting them or bringing them along is a good idea. If a rule is violated during activity, ask child to repeat or read rules again. 2.Gift giving is not a requirement of grandparenting. Establish a practice with your first grandchild and stick with it; what you do for one doesn’t necessarily have to be done for all. Financial and family situations change as our children grow. If a family experiences loss of a job or divorce, don’t be afraid to make temporary changes. Gifts are gifts especially when they are unexpected. Surprise gifts are best. Gifts don’t have to cost a lot. Research supports fact that “time together” is best gift we can give. Travel provides time for grandparent and grandchildren to discover and appreciate each other’s gifts. 3. All rules must be consistent with parents’ wishes. Anything you do with and for your grandchild needs to be discussed first with parents. After all, parents make rules and effective grandparents support them.
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