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If you want to help your child succeed in school, here are some tips. They might not make them actually smarter, but they’ll seem like it!

You need to eat together as a family. Especially dinners. This gives everyone in the family a chance to talk and discuss things. Little ones who just listen will benefit as well. Even if it’s just you and your child. That’s enough to spend some quality time having a conversation and talking. You would be amazed at how kids learn things just by listening and talking.

Have you ever helped at your child’s school? Why not? If you work, see if you can schedule some time off during school hours, or even help with an after-school function. The more your child sees you involved, the more they will be involved. Ask the teacher how you can help in school as well. Get involved in your child’s education!

That means getting to know the teacher. You should not just make contact during parent teacher conferences. You need to stay up on what your child is doing, what they are doing right, and what they need help or improvement in. You can’t help them if you don’t know.

If your family lives continuously with electronics, from wii games to television, and smartphones to internet, you need to unplug. These things can be a huge block to learning and studying effectively. Your child’s brain needs to power off and not be so electronically stimulated. Play outside. Play board games inside. Go for walks. Set aside some solid time each day to cut the power.

Read together. This is one of the best things you can do. You can read to your child and your child can read to you. A sure way to encourage reading and make a better reader!

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Summer means warm weather and visits to the amusement parks. Parents need to be aware of safety concerns when making visits with children. Here are some tips for safe visits.

Rides can be dangerous if you don’t take precautions. Long, flying hair is a safety hazard. Tie long hair back or keep it in a band to avoid it from being caught in dangerous places. Avoid any clothing with strings. These are hazards as well. They can get caught and trap a child. Kids don’t always watch what they are getting into. It’s not a bad idea for a grown up to ride beside the smaller kids if possible. Or pair and older one with a younger one. Two small children on a long ride by themselves is probably not a good idea.

Speaking of pairing up. Don’t let small children wander by themselves. The older children probably will not want to be tied to a younger child all day long. Be sure and stay within eye sight of your small children.

When you first enter the park, decide where to meet if you get split up. Decide where to meet for meals, snacks, and to check on each other. Show your younger children who they can talk to for help if they get lost. Everyone has cell phones now, so it makes it easier to stay in touch with kids that are old enough to carry them. Make sure the younger kids know your number by heart.

Here’s a good lost kid tip: Take a photo with your cell phone of what your child looks like at the park. That way, if they get lost, you have a picture that shows exactly how they look.

If you go to carnivals that are not permanent, like fairs and other events, the same rules apply. But parents should check out each ride carefully. These rides are generally older and may not look as safe as others. The attendants may not be that alert either. Use your best judgment when letting your kids go on these rides.

Amusement parks are a big part of summer fun. Don’t let things spoil your fun!

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If you are having a hard time getting your children to eat more vegetables, here are a few tips.

Kids like helping. So, get your kids to help you prepare a meal and prep the vegetables. They will love eating what they prepare.

Raise your own vegetables. It can be simple to start your own vegetable garden. From carrots to tomatoes. You don’t need a large plot of land, and some can be grown in pots in window with lots of sun.

Vegetables are crunchy and kids like that. That means serve them raw as a snack. You can even have a tasty dip to dip them in for even more fun and flavor.

Salads and soups are the perfect cover for vegetables. Your kids will love them and won’t know they are eating healthy.

Nothing wrong with a little butter or cheese on them to liven up the taste even more. Once a child knows vegetables are actually quite tasty, the less tricks you will need.

You can even do the opposite of raw. Cook or roast the vegetables until they are brown and crispy. Just like those snacks they get from a bag.

Show your kids that you love vegetables. Eat them yourself. Your kids love modeling your behavior.

Getting kids to eat healthy is every parent’s goal these days. Getting your child to eat more vegetables is a great way to get them to eat healthy!

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You should breastfeed or bottle feed if necessary, for at least four months before introducing solid foods to your baby. This is from a new study from the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you give solid foods before four months, your baby is six times more at risk to develop obesity by the age of three.

The risk would really be lessened by breastfeeding only for at least six months. Obesity in kids has become a big problem in the United States. This is not the only study that has shown that exclusive breastfeeding is best for your baby.

The bottom line is, do not start giving sold foods until at least six months of age.

You can read the whole study here.

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In a recent study by the Journal of Pediatrics, breastfed babies do better academically than non-breastfed babies. This occurs for babies that are breastfed for at least the first 6 months.

This is one of many studies that have shown some academic performance improvement, but this one showed boys benefit more than girls.

The study was done by the University of Western Australia in Perth. They studies 2,868 children for 10 years. Boys at age 10 scored better in reading and math than boys who were not breastfed, or less than 3 months. Reading scores were improved for girls. Other factors that could affect performance were controlled.

Critical to brain development is polyunsaturated fatty acids which breast milk is full of. There was speculation that because infant boys are more at risk, breast milk may help with their maturing. Other studies have shown that boys are helped by mother-baby bonding.

This study just confirms what others have said. That breastfeeding helps babies grow, and prevent many diseases and complications such as diabetes and asthma.

One more reason to breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months!

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Parents Magazine has come up with a list of the best cities in the United States for babies. Of course all lists are subjective and not all cities may suit your needs. The cities were ranked for things like child care, family safety, fun for you an baby, infant health, and money matters.

These were the top 10 cities for babies:

1) Scottsdale, Arizona.
2) Fort Wayne, Indiana.
3) Lincoln, Nebraska.
4) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
5) Portland, Oregon.
6) Madison, Wisconsin.
7) Phoenix, Arizona
St. Paul, Minnesota.
9) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
10) Boston, Massachusetts.

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If you are pregnant, then you know sleepless nights can be common. And even when you are able to sleep, you don’t get enough or feel rested. Here are some tips for pregnant woman to get more sleep!

Have a routine. Go to bed and get up at the same time. The more you can get your body’s clock to go to sleep at a set time, the better.

Be active and exercise. Being physical can help you sleep better through the night.

Your sleep position becomes uncomfortable. Change it. Experiment with different positions. Try and avoid sleeping on your back. Your baby can block blood flow to your heart. Put a pillow between your legs and sleep on your left side. They make pillows especially for this. Use a recliner and lean back just a bit. Elevate your legs a little. You don’t have to sleep in a bed!

Stomach problems can abound and damage sleep patterns. Your baby can cause pressure on your stomach. Find out what foods trigger heartburn and avoid them. Lying flat can aggravate acid reflux. Don’t eat before going to bed, but a couple of saltine crackers may help. Eat foods later on that have more protein.

Your baby is growing inside you. This means your organs, like your bladder, will feel squeezed. Drink less water as bedtime draws near. Getting up in the middle of the night to pee is a sleep killer.

Relax. It is stressful being pregnant and thinking about how you will handle a new baby. Learn to de-stress your life a little. Take quiet breaks with nice music. The more you have quiet time relaxing, the less stress you will feel. If you like yoga, go for it!

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After birth, immediate and prolonged skin to skin contact is essential for you and your baby. It is a time to not only bond, but give your baby comfort in transitioning from the warm womb to the cold world.

This skin to skin contact will help you recover as well.

It gives you and your baby a chance to bond.

Your baby gets to know you, your touch, your scent, your love.

Your baby will cry less.

This contact has been shown to stimulate breastfeeding sooner.

Don’t wrap your baby up in a blanket. Skin to skin is best.

Holding your baby close is a better warmer than artificial heat.

Don’t worry about germs. This exposure is actually beneficial.

You will get to know your baby’s signals sooner for wants and needs.

All this contact will cause lower stress in both you and your baby.

Holding your baby after birth will give you a sense of empowerment. That your baby is yours, needs you, and you are the one who can care for him or her.

Want to hear a remarkable story? A real story about the importance of skin to skin? A true story? A woman gave birth to a baby that was declared dead. Attempts were made to revive the baby, but to no avail. The mother wanted to hold the baby close as closure. A lovingly way to say good bye. The women held the baby close with skin to skin contact. A short time later, the baby showed signs of life. The woman gave drops of breast milk. The baby revived. This story is true. Read more about it here.

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In studies being conducted by UC Davis, breast milk sugars that cannot be digested are shown to play a vital role in your baby’s health.

This large part of breast milk has been debated for years as to its usefulness. Some have said it plays no role.

But now we are finding different. Since your baby is born with very little in an immune system, your baby needs help in maintaining health. These sugars come to the rescue.

The human body has no way of breaking down these complex sugars. As a result, scientists have been puzzled why they are there. Now they have zeroed in on their effect. These bacterium attract the bad guys. That is, viruses and other toxins that would normally be attracted to other bacteria are going for the breast milk sugars and excreted. These sugars act as a protective coating in the intestines.

This is just one more reason to breastfeed. When your baby breastfeeds, you are acting as a natural flusher of toxins. It’s not just a little. More than 20% of breast milk has these fighting sugars that promote good bacteria.

What more great things are yet to be discovered about breast milk?

Remember, breastfeeding is the best thing for your baby!

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