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Showing posts from August, 2011

Give Your Child the Gift of Self-Esteem

http://www.brainy-child.com/article/self-esteem.shtml By Cassie Simons Much has been said about the "gifted child" but in truth every child is born with unlimited potential. As expressed so well by Orison Marden: "Deep within man dwell those slumbering powers; powers that would astonish him, that he never dreamed of possessing; forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action." This statement can be true for your child. Not just if he's a "gifted child" but any child. Indeed, perhaps we should consider a "gifted child" to be a child whose parents have gifted him with a high self-esteem. Children with high self-esteem are happier and more successful. Low self-esteem is common in children who are performing badly at school, have behavioral problems and suffer from depression. The Newborn The "helpless" newborn baby actually comes into the world well equipped with the power to get what she wants. Not on

Families That Think - Creating the Proper Family Environment So Our Kids Can Think for Themselves.

http://www.brainy-child.com/article/child-can-think.shtml   Dr. Elisa Medhus Do we want our kids to use their noggins wisely and independently, or do we want them to be little ventriloquist dummies parroting the thoughts of the pop culture and their peers? Not really a hard choice, is it? But where do we start? Creating the proper family environment so that our children are comfortable with who they are is the foundation we must first lay down if we're to raise self-directed kids. After all, if they aren't at ease with their own sense of self, how can they trust their own choices? Instead, they'll rely on outside factors to guide them-outside influences that may be corrupt and destructive. Let's take a look at how we have all been inclined to shape the family milieu in a way that fosters external over self-direction as well as some ways we can correct these nasty habits. Three parenting behaviors promote external direction in our children: modeling externally dir

Confident Children - Avoid Overparenting

http://www.brainy-child.com/article/avoid-overparenting.shtml Michael Grose For many years underparenting was perhaps the biggest problem facing children. Recently there has emerged another type of parenting that, whilst never as harmful as underparenting, can be detrimental to children's healthy development – that is, the trend by many of the current generation of parents to overparent their children. Overparenting occurs when parents solve children's problems rather than give them the chance to overcome problems themselves. It occurs when parents allow children to avoid legitimately challenging situations so they won't be inconvenienced. It also occurs when too much control or too much order is imposed on children. Overparenting is predominantly a mindset. It is a belief that children can't overcome difficulties themselves and they can't cope with discomfort or disappointment. It comes with increased affluence but it can occur in any socio-economic group.

Multiple Intelligences

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http://www.brainy-child.com/article/multintelligences.shtml Have you ever wondered why Tiger Wood is so good in golf and others not? You might say because Tiger Wood has 'talent'. With Dr. Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI), he will tell us that this is in fact 'intelligence'! Hailed by educators throughout the world, Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University has redefined the concept of intelligence. His work not only has challenged the traditional view of intelligence as a unitary capability that measured by IQ tests but also has given rise to a new definition of intelligence and a new approach to learning and teaching. The view championed by Dr. Howard Gardner that intelligence is multifaceted and dynamic - expanding far beyond the linguistic and logical capacities that are traditionally tested and valued in schools. Gardner has argued that intelligence consists of eight relatively autonomous intellectual capacities,

Is Your Child Gifted?

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http://www.brainy-child.com/article/gifted-child.shtml I read with great interest an article in TimesAsia with titled 'Superkids'. It profiles seven of Asia's most gifted youngsters. Abigail Sin (10 years old) is Singapore's most celebrated young pianist; Chandra Sekar (12 years old) from India is the world's youngest Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Ai Fukuhara (14 years old) is now training for upcoming Olympics at Athens and is considered the Tiger Woods of Japanese table tennis. And the list go on..... these profoundly gifted young people come from all ethnic groups, races, economics levels and geographic areas. Many parents would wonder, are   gifted children   born or nurtured? The Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines the term "gifted" as:        1. Having great natural ability        2. Revealing a special gift. "Gifted" children have been defined as those "who by nature of outstanding abilities are capabl

What is Cholesterol?

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Cholesterol is a type of fat that is a normal component of most body tissues, and is required for good health. Yet, high levels can increase the risk of developing diseases e.g. heart disease. High cholesterol levels are asymptomatic, and in many cases, the first sign of any problem is a serious health issue. To help reduce the risk of this occuring, cholesterol levels are measured by a simple blood test. Your healthcare professional can organise this for you, along with other measurements of your cardiovascular health, such as blood pressure testing. LDL and HDL Cholesterol is transported through the blood stream in particles known as lipoproteins. The two most important varieties of lipoproteins to be aware of are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). High levels of LDL-cholesterol can lead to fatty deposits in the artery walls, referred to as atherosclerosis, or 'hardening of the arteries'. Atherosclerosis makes the blood ve

Saturated, Monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated Fats: What's the Difference?

By Christopher Hobbs and Elson Haas   What do the terms saturated, unsaturated , and monounsaturated fats mean to your diet and health? These words describe how many hydrogen atoms occur in a molecule, or fundamental unit, of fats and oils, compared with carbon atoms. A fatty acid molecule is one of the building blocks of fat, and the more hydrogen than carbon that it has, the more saturated it is. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature. (Think of bacon grease or a block of cheese.) The less hydrogen than carbon, the more liquid it is. (Think of canola or sunflower seed oil.) Here are some more fats facts: Saturated fats (margarine, butter, and coconut oil) are not healthy to use regularly because they contribute to heart disease. Unsaturated fats (sunflower seed, safflower, and corn oils) are healthier for your heart. Monounsaturated fatty acids (olive, sesame, and canola oils) are the healthiest for daily use. One drawback of polyunsaturated

How Much Exercise Is Enough for Weight Loss?

By Jane Kirby, RD and The American Dietetic Association 10 of 10 in Series: The Essentials of Healthy Weight Loss Combining exercise with a diet is the best way to lose weight. But how do you know if you are exercising enough to reach your dieting goals? The current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most — and preferably all — days of the week. That amount is enough for most people, and it’s a good starting point. But for weight loss, you need to expend a minimum of about 200 to 300 calories a day on a minimum of three to five days a week. How do you define moderately intense? You can count your heartbeats to determine how intensely you’re working, but the American Heart Association’s conversational pace rule is the easiest way to determine whether you’re setting the right pace. If you can talk