Your Beautiful Baby--Understanding Early Childhood DevelopmentWritten by Larry Denton
Your car came with one. Your TV has one. Even your cell phone has one. . . but when you have a little bundle of joy entering your life, an instruction manual does not come with delivery. Children are a special gift--full of love, adventure, hope and joy. Learning about developmental stages of children and what can be expected in each stage is vitally important to all parents. Since each baby is a unique individual with a distinctive personality, your child's development may vary significantly from what is considered normal. But there are some guidelines and certain behaviors that are fairly typical of all children. The primary task of a baby's first year is to develop a sense of trust in world and come to view it as a place that is predictable and reliable. Infants accomplish this by forming a close attachment to care givers. During very earliest months, infants have an inborn ability to "bond" to ensure their survival. They express it through sucking, feeding, smiling and cooing. Ideally, these behaviors stimulate a loving response from parents (or caretakers) who give baby much needed and desired personal attention. These pleasant interactions and consistent attention form parent-child bond and lay foundation for child's sense of trust. During this period, a consistently comforting and nurturing environment makes a child feel secure. The most valuable thing you can do at this point in your child's life, is to show, through attention and affection, that you love your child and that your child can depend on you to be there. If you generally respond to your child's cries, he/she will learn trust. If you hug, caress and smile at your child, he/she will feel contentment.
| | It’s Time to Start Thinking about Mother's Day Written by Janice Kaye
Mother’s Day is approaching fast. This year it falls on Sunday, May 8th, so you still have time left to come up with ideal gift for your Mom. And don't forget that Mother's Day is an ideal day to honor any woman in your life, not just your Mom. So don't forget your wife, your grandmother, your daughter, your mother-in-law, your niece or even a favorite aunt. With a little thought and planning now, you can avoid rushing out to buy usual flowers and candy that you give year after year. Buying perfect gift does involve some thought, but it is precisely this thought that will make her realize just how much you love and appreciate her. So consider her likes and dislikes, her interests and her personality. Ask any mom and she will tell you that it is best to avoid "useful" items that relate to any form of housework. Before your start your shopping spree, think about how much your budget will allow and then make sure that you buy best that you can afford. Stay away from mass produced items, and look for more original high quality hand-crafted items. Do you want to give one gift or a selection of cheaper products and have them combined into a gift basket? Don't forget that most stores, including online stores will be happy to gift wrap your gift for you, to save you time and effort. Never a convenient time to go shopping? Online shopping makes it easy to buy perfect Mother's Day gift at time most convenient for you – even if that is 3 A.M and you are in your wearing your PJ's. Most reputable online stores will allow you to order now, with a shipping date nearer to Mother's Day, and they will not charge your credit card until order is ready to ship. This will save you last minute stress and allow you maximum choice of gifts. Shipping should be cheaper too, as you will not have to pay for expensive overnight shipping. Does your mom live far away? Then have gift shipped directly to your mom, if you will not be able to deliver it yourself this Mother's Day.
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