Prepare Kids for Their First Haircut

Preparation is the key. One of the things you can do to get children ready is to first give each other pretend haircuts. Make believe that you are going to the beauty salon and spend some time working on each other’s hair. If they are fearful of what’s going to happen you could always use a doll as an example. This imaginative play helps set up the expectations of what a haircut will be like. If you can also let you kids see you getting your hair cut, it will help them to see that the process does not hurt and can be fun.

Make a Mental Map of Haircut First

Before even starting, decide how you are going to cut the hair and think through what you will do first, what will follow, and how you will finish. Once you start cutting, you may not have as much sit still time as you would like. So you need to prioritize the parts of the haircut in your mind before the child is sitting in the chair. Any good haircutting/clipper set will have instructions on how to cut hair (some even come with a DVD!).

Tools for Cutting Hair

Make sure you have all the equipment you know you will need. This will typically include:

• clippers (see below on buying advice)
• a towel
• a comb
• scissors
• a spray bottle of water
• hair clips to hold back the hair

Give Them a Mirror

If the child is old enough, I would encourage you to give him a hand-held mirror. Children will sit still longer if they can see themselves, and watch the progress. Playing fun music in the background also helps.

Give Them a Reward

Cutting kid’s hair at home can be a challenge. Just remember to make the experience fun for the kids, and they will cooperate as much as their age allows. Knowing that they are going to get an ice cream after the event will always help smooth the process!

Advice On Buying Clippers

We found 3 different hair clippers all priced around from $50 to $100 that tended to get the best overall ratings from consumers. The first one was the Oster Fast Feed Clipper which is lightweight and compact and has twice the power of magnetic clippers. You can go from size 000 to size 1 with an simple blade adjustment giving the person giving the haircut options. The Fast Feed comes with 4 comb attachments, oil and cleaning brush, and size 000 blade. The motor is quiet, yet powerful enough to cut through wet hair.

The next popular clipper is the Wahl Pro-Chrome Hair Clipper Kit, which features a high-speed PowerDrive motor making quick work of wet or dry hair. The high-carbon steel blades never need to be adjusted and it comes with 10 guide combs and an adjustable taper control. Most of the Wahl kits also come with 2 hair clips, barber’s cape, neck duster, scissors, and combs. They also offer a 5 year limited warranty.

Lastly, we found several comments from salon employees who say they currently use the Babybliss Forefex Pro clipper on their clients and they wouldn’t change for anything else. The taper control lets you get the exact cutting position required on all head shapes.

The best place to shop for these clippers is on ebay or amazon, where you will find these and other products (with plenty of customer reviews) at considerably less than the retail market price.

For a start, remember that it’s always worth avoiding tantrums if you can do so without compromising your own limits. There will be times when you must force your child to do something they don’t want to or forbid something they enjoy. That being the case, do it as tactfully as you can. When you can see that he or she is getting angry or upset about something, try to make it easier for them to accept.

Put yourself in their shoes’ it can’t be easy being a toddler, rocking wildly between those anxious and angry feelings. And it sure isn’t easy being a toddler’s parent, either, striving to stay on the centre of that emotional see-saw and to hold it in equilibrium. But there is help.

The best method I’ve come across for dealing with “toddler problems” is that by the linguist, Chris Thompson, which retails at a very reasonable $29 (considerably less than many inferior products on the market). Chris’ “Talking To Toddlers” uses a technique called “neuro-lingustic programming” (NLP) and he has used his training in languages to create a toolkit of “word usage” to help parents with toddler behaviour.

“Talking To Toddlers” is a 12 lesson audio course that comes on CD or downloadable MP3 format. It also comes with an accompanying printed manual and a bunch of bonus materials. He shows how you can make people feel differently about things, or to persuade them to do or not do something, by using the right language. Bringing his 15 years of experience and understanding in this field to realm of toddler behaviour, he shows you how to apply these tools directly to parenting problems in a way that works extremely effectively on toddlers. In it he covers things like:

• The absolute Dos and Don’ts when it comes to toddler tantrums

• How to handle toddler behaviour

• The common toddler problems and how to respond appropriately

• What to do when your toddler does have a tantrum

For example, Chris tells us why there is no virtue in challenging children with absolute “dos” and “don’ts” or in backing them into corners from which they can only explode in rage. He provides excellent advice and tips that really help parents and toddlers avoid the difficult moments and bond much more easily.

Chris is a true professional in his field; he’s not only a trained linguist who specialises in NLP technique, but he is also a family man and father who speaks from personal experience. His programme brings his 15 years of expertise on the matter to you in an easily understandable format and the techniques he teaches are simple to implement. If you are interested in what Chris has to say, you can even sign up to receive a FREE audio lesson.

The good news is that your toddler will – over time – learn how to manage things better and his or her frustrations will become less extreme as they learn how to deal with life’s challenges. In time, children get past the toddler stage and turn into young kids. So whatever happens, you know that this is just a phase and there is always light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, however, Chris Thompson’s “Talking To Toddlers” is a great manual full of practical and easy to implement strategies that genuinely work.

At the end of the day, there is a lot of information around on how to cope with toddlers… and with so much advice out there, it’s hard to really find the “nuggets”. There are many sources of information so have a look around and I’m sure you’ll find something that suits you and hopefully helps with those challenging years.

Happy Parenting!

Despite the advances in modern medicine, for a number of reasons, getting pregnant today is harder than ever before. Why? Because in today’s world we can make a conscious choice about whether or not to have children, and we can also choose when we will have them. Today many factors including career, travel, a desire for independence and the urge to experience more of life prior to settling down and starting a family, have caused women to delay, or in some cases completely avoid settling down and starting a family at a young age. This in turn has made getting pregnant harder.

Obviously, the first thing a woman needs to consider in order to get pregnant is her health. The healthier you are, the more chance you have of conceiving. So first and foremost, you need to concentrate on maintaining as healthy a body and lifestyle as possible. Beyond that, your chances of falling pregnant depend on a number of factors including:

• Age of the couple (in particular the age of the woman)
• Timing of intercourse (with fertile periods)
• Lifestyle habits of the couple trying to conceive

In Beth Kiley’s book “Personal Path to Pregnancy”, she details a number of excellent strategies and tips for maximizing your fertility and improving your chances of getting pregnant by up to 50%. For example, she covers:

1. what to do before you conceive

2. exercises to complete to help boost fertility

3. how to work out when you are most fertile

4. what steps you can take to give yourself the best chance possible of getting pregnant

5. diet and vitamin supplements for pregnancy

6. reflexology, massage, and Chinese medicines for getting pregnant

7. the top tips for getting pregnant

In addition to the things you should do when trying to get pregnant, what I liked about Beth’s book was the way she also covers what you shouldn’t do. Plus she goes into a section about the man’s role (which is, obviously, a very important factor). If you are interested in what Beth Kiley has to say, you can even sign up for FREE and receive a weeks’ worth of tips and advice that you can start implementing immediately.

Beth is a true professional in her field; she speaks from experience, she doesn’t make wild claims or silly promises and her books are far more comprehensive and practical than much of the competition. Also she is quite happy to give away FREE advice (which nobody else is prepared to do) and let you decide if you think her expertise on the matter is going to help or not (you never know, you may even find that she provides the answers you need in her free emails so you won’t need to spend a cent). If you do decide that you are interested in her book, it is by far the best priced product of its kind on the market, retailing at only $29.77.

At the end of the day, there is a lot of information around on how to get pregnant… and with so much advice out there, it’s hard to really find the “nuggets”. It could be something as simple as balancing your hormones, monitoring your diet, or not using certain types of lubrication (yes, I know, I couldn’t believe it when Beth Kiley told me that things like Vaseline and KY kill sperm!). There are many sources of information so have a look around and I’m sure you’ll find something suits you and hopefully brings you closer to your dream of having a baby.

Good luck!

You can also enter your email address to receive a FREE copy of the much acclaimed eBook “Diet & Nutrition For Kids”. The retail value of this eBook is $29 and it is a fantastic, hands-on reference tool, which covers the following topics:

• A Balanced Diet
• 20 Nutritional Tips for Children
• The Food Pyramid
• Dealing with “Fussy Eaters”
• Improving Children’s Eating Habits
• Children and Dieting
• The Main Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Snacks and Food for School
• Sandwich Fillers
• Healthy Deserts

…and much more.

By entering your email address you will also get our Practicing Parents Blog newsletters and have access to all our latest articles, booklets and other products reviews and services. And remember, all of this is FREE. Why do we take your email? We will never share your email address and, believe me, we hate spam as much as you do! We take email addresses so that we can verify the request for our eBooks are genuine.

Sign up now and you will then receive a confirmation email with a link to the eBook within a few minute

OK, so on to today’s post! A balanced diet is essential for growth and good health and today we are going to discuss some great strategies parents can use to promote a sensible approach to food. In my experience, they key here is to make sure that children understand how their bodies work and why it’s so important for them to eat healthy foods 

Make Food Fun And Healthy

I know it’s easy to say “no junk”, but that’s not the fway to engage with your kids. Sure, you should cut down on junk and convenience foods and aim to sit down to eat as a family and stock the larder with plenty of healthy snacks (like fruit, raw vegetables, whole grain bread, crackers and cereals). But don’t impose a complete ban on sweet or fatty foods. Being too restrictive will probably backfire and the occasional treat won’t do any harm.

By staying light-hearted and enjoying food, you will encourage children to be experimental with their foods; trying new things and not being afraid of what’s on their plate.

I make a note of enjoy eating together as a family and keeping the focus on fun and conversation. We don’t insist that the kids eat everything on their plates, but we also don’t offer alternatives. And of course, they don’t get desert if they don’t eat their mains! By being good role models – by eating healthily and showing that we’re happy with the way we are – we encourage our children to be relaxed and realistic about food and how it will affect their bodies and overall fitness.

Fortunately, our kids are active and well developed, but if you do have children who are overweight, remember that it is common for them to go through a stage of being a bit chubby and they will slim down when they have a growth spurt. If, however, you are still concerned, a ‘whole family’ approach with healthy eating and an active lifestyle at its heart should sort things out, but do get help if the problem persists. In particular, watch out for binge and comfort eating, which could be the signs of a developing eating disorder.

The 10 Tips For Healthy Eating

Breakfast is a very important meal

Our bodies always need energy, and after a night’s sleep, energy levels are low. Cars, buses and trains cannot run without fuel. So, whether you are off to school, or out and about at the weekend, start the day with breakfast. Plenty of carbohydrates is just the ticket: try cereal with semi-skimmed milk, fruit or yoghurt, toast or bread, perhaps with lean meats.

Eat lots of different foods every day, variety is the recipe for health

You need over 40 different kinds of vitamins and minerals every day for good health. Since there is no single food that contains them all, it is important to balance your daily choices. In fact there are no good or bad foods, so you do not need to miss out on the foods you enjoy. The best way to make sure you get the right balance is to eat a wide variety of foods each day.

Which group would you tip for the top? Base your food on carbohydrates

Many people don’t eat enough carbohydrate foods, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. At least half the calories in your diet should come from these foods, so it is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Try whole-grain bread, pasta and other cereals to give you extra fibre. Have you tried baking your own bread? It’s good fun and smells wonderful!

Gimme five! Eat fruits and vegetables with each meal and as tasty snacks!

Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should all try to eat 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and banana as snacks and two vegetables at meal times then you have already reached your total. How many different kinds can you spot in the supermarket? Why not try some new ones?

Food is Fun… Enjoy your food

Sharing a meal with family and friends at home or at school is a great way to enjoy food. It is fun to see other people’s choice of food – what sandwich fillings do others have? Have you tried having a different filling every day? Check out your lunch box or dinner plate. How many different kinds of fruit and vegetables can you spot?

Fat facts. Too much saturated fat is not good for your health

Eating too many of those tasty, fatty foods (such as butter, spreads, fried meats and sausages, pies and pastries) might not always be so good for your body. So remember, a big helping of potatoes, but go easy on the butter. Although we need some fats to get all the nutrients we need, it is better for our health if we don’t eat too much of these foods and get knocked off balance. So, if you have a high-fat lunch, choose a low-fat dinner.

Snack attack! Eat regularly and choose a variety of snacks

Even if you eat regular meals during the day, there will still be times in between that you feel hungry, especially if you have been very physically active. Snacks can fill the gap, but should not be eaten in place of meals, only as an extra. There are lots of different snacks available. Your choice may be crisps, nuts and other packet snacks, chocolate bars, cakes and biscuits. On other occassions, you may prefer a sandwich, some fresh or dried fruits, or perhaps sticks of vegetables like carrots and celery. Whichever snack you enjoy, remember it is always good to include a variety of different types to keep things in balance.

Quench your thirst. Drink plenty of liquids

Did you know that more than half of your weight is just water? So as well as giving your body all the food it needs each day to keep healthy, you need at least 5 glasses of liquids a day. It is particulary important if the weather is very hot or if you have done lots of exercise, to have plenty to drink to prevent dehydration. Usually – but not always – your body will tell you this, by making you feel thirsty. Plain tap water is great of course, but bottled water, fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk and so on, can all be okay too.

Care for those teeth! Brush your teeth at least twice a day

Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Eating foods high in sugar or starches too often during the day can play a part in tooth decay. So don’t nibble foods and sip drinks all day long! However, the best way to keep a nice smile is to brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothepaste. Also, after brushing your teeth at bedtime, don’t eat any food, or drink anything but water!

Get moving! Be active every day

Just like a bike may become rusty if it is not used for some time, our muscles and bones need to be kept moving too. Activity is needed to keep your heart healthy and your bones strong. It can also be good fun. Try to include some form of activity every day: it may be just walking to school and running up the stairs. However, games like skipping and football at break times are good fot giving the body a workout. Swimming is a particularly good sport for keeping you healthy.

More Food Advice

Finally, make sure you read the labels. Nutrition labels can be a great source of information helping you to make wise choices. Learn to read them and understand the different categories. If you didn’t already know, then remember that the healthiest fats are unsaturated (olive, canola or soy oils, for example) and when choosing your proteins, go for lean or low fat meats like chicken, turkey and fish. Also, make sure you get some of your protein from non-animal sources such as nuts, chick peas, kidney beans and soy products.

The other thing to be aware of is ensuring you get sufficient calcium for your bones. You can get these through dairy products like milk cheese and yoghurt. Combine these with grains, fruits and vegetables and you will feel the difference in no time at all.

Nutritional guidelines will vary a bit for the different members of the family. Adult bodies have different needs than those of teenagers, tween, school aged children, toddlers and babies. For more information, download our FREE eBook on food and nutrition for children. In it you will find recipes, food facts, cooking activities you can do with children and lots more. From there, you will be able to formulate a plan that maximises everyone’s capacity for robust health and optimum energy.

Here’s to the health of you and your family!