Wednesday, October 31, 2012

All the Information You Need to Buy the Gift of a Baby Bracelet


The arrival of a new baby into the family evokes a strong desire to express your most loving welcome. It has long been the norm, and not just in Western Societies, to give something special for the baby, and sometimes also, a gift for the mother.

Babies are often given an inordinate amount of goods for various reasons: to pamper the newborn, to help her mother care for her, to amuse and entertain her and to pretty her up. Oftentimes, when the gender of the baby is known before the birth, the baby is given gender specific gifts at a Baby Shower. But emotions run over when the baby actually arrives. We want to hand-make or buy the newborn something really special. How nice it would be if we could give an item that will be kept by the little recipient her whole life, something that will still be in perfect working order when she grows up and has her own family.

Baby jewelry has become a popular gift for both girls and boys. The most popular baby jewelry gifts are, and have always been, baby bracelets.

Why? Because baby bracelets can often be worn for a much longer time than a clothing item. Often a baby bracelet will have an extension for growth, enabling the lucky recipient to wear her bracelet for up to 18 months, perhaps longer. Most items of baby clothing are outgrown within 3-6 months. By that time, are not usually in a fit state to be kept, or given to the next generation. But after Baby grows out of her bracelet, it's still in excellent condition, as pretty as the day it was received, and is the perfect item to become the family keepsake. Her photos and baby portraits will record her wearing your gift and when she grows up, she will still have your precious gift and can give it to her own baby.

If you are buying for a newborn, you can choose a baby bangle or bracelet as tiny as 12cm long. If it has an extension for growth, this often allows for another 2cm. For a baby, this can mean another 6 months or more, even during this period of rapid growth.

If you're buying your gift as a Christening gift, she might be 6 months old or more. 13cm would be a minimum size, with an extension to 15cm. This should keep her wearing your gift until well after her 2nd birthday. If you want to give her a bracelet for her first birthday, length of 14cm, with an extension to 16cm is ideal. This will serve her right up until school age.

One important tip: Babies should not be put down to sleep wearing a bracelet. If the bracelet fits properly, it's less likely to catch on something and break. A baby can be surprisingly strong. A broken bracelet can mean small pieces can be put in her mouth and become a choking hazard. These gifts are for when she's awake and supervised.

Common Treatment Options for ADHD


ADHD is a behavior disorder usually diagnosed in children, although some adults can also show milder symptoms. It manifests as the child's inability to focus on one single action or object for a normal amount of time. Untreated, ADHD can have serious negative consequences in the long-run (social, psychological, academic).

Parents with children who suffer from ADHD already know that there is no treatment out there which can make this disorder magically disappear. They can only resort to the few options available that reduce their child's symptoms short-term. Commonly, there are three wide known treatment methods: medication, behavior therapy, and both of them combined. However, there are also other recently developed alternatives to traditional behavior therapy. Let's have a look at the whole list of treatments available:

· Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions (CBI)

Although its efficacy has not yet been established, this form of behavior therapy aims at developing self-control in children with ADHD. They are taught to self-instruct and self-reinforce whenever they find a breach in their behavior. In this way they can stop themselves, and, in time, be able to control their impulse behavior and inattention.

· Clinical Behavior Therapy (CBT)

This is a popular program of behavior treatment, widely applied in the classroom, but also at home. The purpose of CBT is first of all to train parents, teachers and caregivers how to implement contingency behavior management. Usually there will be a report card that records the targeted behavior in children and rewards accordingly.

· Direct Contingency Management (CM)

CM is an intensive behavior modification program, standardized for treatment facilities or classrooms. It uses positive (rewards) and negative reinforcement (privilege loss, time-out) to encourage wanted behavior, and to discourage impulsivity or inattention.

· Intensive Behavioral Therapies

This program combines CBT and CM, aiming at developing self-control and social skills within a friendly, safe and fun environment. This form of therapy is commonly held within summer camps, during which children have to attend a behavior intervention class and parents witness their progress.

· Combined Pharmacological and Behavioral Interventions

This form of treatment has been found by the scientific community to be the best approach so far for ADHD. One major advantage is that it reduces the time spent by parents and teachers in order to change a certain behavior, while the dose of medication can also be gradually diminished.

· Medication Treatments

Stimulants have been evaluated as the best medication available for ADHD treatment today. Basically, there are two major classes of stimulants: methylphenidate and amphetamine products. They can prolong attention span; they can improve self-control and behavior, while giving a real boost to social functioning. It is known that stimulants kick-in after 30 minutes and their effect lasts up to 12 hours.

What Happens at a School Appeal?


Most people are scared stiff at the idea of making a school admission appeal. And it's easy to see why. For a start, there's a lot hanging on it... their child's future. The whole situation is often accompanied by a feeling of guilt, "It's my fault, I should have realised... " and a general sense of having let your child down.

So what does happen on the day? Many expect to be interrogated and put on the spot. However, panel members almost always go out of their way to make everybody present as comfortable as they can be. Appeal hearings are overwhelmingly polite and straightforward. The school or local authority explain that they are full and can't take any more pupils and then the parents say that this is the only school that will do. It is quite rare for there to be an argument over facts, for example, where someone lives.

An appeal is heard by a panel of usually three [sometimes five] panel members, who must be independent of the local authority or school. They should be aware of the names of the people appealing and are under an obligation to report any connection with an appellant. If a panel member only realises a connection when they recognize an appellant by sight, the Chair must asks all parties if they wish to go ahead or to have their appeal postponed until that family can be heard by a fresh panel on another day.

Every panel must have at least one lay member [someone without direct experience of schools management] and at least one member with experience in education or who is familiar with educational conditions in the area. One of the members of the Panel will act as Chair. It is their responsibility to establish an atmosphere that is not too formal, where parents are put at their ease whilst keeping the meeting purposeful. The Chair will introduce everybody and make sure the admission authority and the parents are treated fairly and equally.

The admission authority will normally have one person presenting their case. Occasionally, there may be a representative of the school present to answer questions that arise.

The order in which things happen is not fixed [note appeals into KS1 - infants classes- do differ] but usually follows this pattern:

1. the admission authority is asked to explain why the child has not been offered a place;

2. questions are asked by the Panel and by parents;

3. parents are asked to give their case;

4. questions for the parents by Panel and admission authority;

5. summaries by admission authority and parents;

6. appeal is brought to a close.

The Panel make their decision in private and both sides are informed by letter. The Panel's task is to decide whether the admission authority has acted properly and followed its own arrangements and if it has demonstrated that admitting another child would be prejudicial, then [excepting KS1] to balance the strength of the admission authority's argument against the strength of the parents'.

An Indispensable Secret to Success in Life


Is learning important in life? Of course, no learning and you've got a population of complete morons. Can one learn without reading? Yes, maybe a little but being literate is absolutely crucial, especially in Western societies.

Frederick Douglass, who eventually became a good friend of Abe Lincoln's, was born into slavery and forbidden an education by law. He was taught reading by an abolitionist sympathizer, and at every opportunity he began furthering his education by reading what he could and talking to people more knowledgeable than himself. He escaped slavery in 1838 and went on to become a great writer, orator, and leader in the abolitionist movement.

Considered by some of his teachers to be too thick-headed for school, Thomas Edison was taught at home by his mother in his early years. Eventually this self-taught scientist would himself become a technological explosion, holding more than 1000 patents and pioneering such technology as the electric light and the phonograph.

Schooled by his father till late teen years, David Ben-Gurion became a passionate reader, studying philosophy and ancient Greek in order to read philosophy texts in their original form. He was a chief architect for the state of Israel and became its first Prime Minister in 1948. At the age of 16, John Bartlett became employed as a clerk at the Harvard University bookstore. He became so well-versed in great literature through his own self-education that he became a voice in campus activities. In 1855 he published what is today titled Bartlett's Quotations.

Born into poverty in Harlem, James Baldwin survived through high school, after which he set out on a voracious enterprise of self-education. He became a celebrated novelist, essayist, playwright, and an important figure in the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s. He was author of The Fire Next Time and Go Tell It On the Mountain.

Reading is absolutely crucial. According to 21st century stats, forty-three percent of adults in the United States. read at or below the "Basic" level. This accounts for roughly 93 million individuals. Twenty-six percent of children who were read to three or four times in the past week by a family member recognized all letters of the alphabet. This is compared to 14 percent of children who were read to much less frequently. Where parent involvement is low, the classroom mean average is 46 points below the national average. Where involvement is high, classrooms score 28 points above the national average-a gap of 74 points. So if our parents don't read much or read with difficulty, how can we expect our children to read or even care about reading. Parents and grandparents, whether you're a reader or not, please get your children great books so they can become readers. It's a key to success!

Sterling Silver - Baby and Children's Jewelry


Since the beginning of time, parents and friends have adorned babies with jewelry for a variety of reasons. At first, these pieces may have been created from wood, bone, feathers, stone or shells, but as the centuries rolled on, baby and children's jewelry was made of precious metals and stones. The reasons for adorning their babies with jewelry changed over the centuries, from a display of wealth, to show his or her caste, or place in society to reasons we adorn our children today: to show our love for them and a desire to have them looking their best.

In more recent times, for example, Victorian times, gold was mainly used in baby jewelry, particularly baby bracelets and baby brooches, and these were often set with gemstones such as rubies, garnets or sapphires. The jewelry was frequently engraved with the word "Baby" or the child's date of birth or Christian name. As machines took over a lot of handicrafts, pieces were made in larger quantities and were less personalized. During the 20th century for example, gold in baby and children's jewelry was still popular but there was less engraving.

Today, personalizing jewelry for both adults and children, has become popular again. Children's ID bracelets have renewed popularity. But times were changing and the cost of gold was going through the roof. Slowly, sterling silver became known and accepted. In the past ten years, most baby and children's jewelry is made of sterling silver. The reasons are obvious: cost mainly, but also as a beautiful, viable alternative to gold. The popularity of sterling silver has soared and at least 50% of all jewelry sold, is sterling silver.

Sterling silver needs little attention to maintain a beautiful shine. Over the years, you may need to use a jeweler's cloth on sterling silver, but no more so than gold pieces. Some items need no maintenance at all. For example those items that are Rhodium plated or Platinum plated or, a newer invention, plated in e-shine (and other brand names.) These coatings protect the silver from tiny dents and scratches. It's these dents and scratches which dull the shine, even if they aren't visible to the naked eye.

Babies and children these days, acquire quite a collection of jewelry especially in their early years. Why? Because they look adorable in it, and they love it, It's just as important to an outfit as the right shoes to match the dress, for example. More often than not, her children's bracelet, or necklace or earrings, will be of sterling silver, sometimes set with cz stones in place of gemstones. They look every bit as beautiful as kids' jewelry in centuries gone by, but much less expensive - hence why the gift of baby jewelry or children's jewelry is as popular as it is.

Thomas the Train Toys


The shake and go Thomas provides unlimited enjoyment for children, and is recommended for children who are three years and over. Children can now act out their favourite race scenes from the movie by conducting their own mini tournament.

This toy is made of high quality materials to ensure every child's safety. The size also makes it an ideal toy for small children as they can easily grip and shake Thomas the train toy.

Not only is this a fun Thomas the train toy, but your child will also gets lots of exercise, shaking the car and running after it, using some of his surplus energy. Your child can be creative and build his own race track for his Thomas train to run along.

If you're looking for something special for a Christmas gift or a birthday gift, then give the gift of a Shake and go Thomas inspired toy car. It's an engaging toy that will definitely catch your child's attention. The more you shake these Thomas the Train toys, the further they will go!

With Thomas, children learn how to become loyal to their friends and persevere in everything they do.

What do the Thomas characters teach our children?

Children learn good attitudes and morals when watching the Thomas the Tank engine series. Children relate to Thomas and his friends, they observe how the characters get into trouble and the consequences they face. They learn about emotions and how to express them in appropriate ways, they learn to look after themselves and to respect others and they learn that it is important to follow instructions.

Here are some character traits that stand out...

Thomas is friendly, fussy and cheeky, and often gets into trouble trying to do more than he is capable of.

Henry has a good attitude and gets on well with others and is respectful. He loves nature.

Percy is a happy engine, enjoys his work and is often a bit cheeky.

Diesel is learning to be more agreeable with the other engines.

Spencer must learn to listen to advise and follow instructions.

James has a healthy self esteem and is reliable and a hard worker.

Harold loves to come to the rescue of his fellow engines and is a good friend to Percy.

Annie and Clarabel are Thomas' faithful coaches and they work together well.

Edward is old and wise.

Gordon makes mistakes and always learns from the consequences.

James thinks he is a really splendid engine and better than he really is... which always gets him into trouble.

Children love Thomas the Tank Engine, and here are some of the best Thomas and Friends toys for your child.

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