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Bringing up children can be a monumental project. An adjustment to your own daily routines is needed when you bring your first child home and realize how fussy your newborn can be. You can think of the next quarter century (or thereabouts) as a training ground for homing your parenting skills. Your pride will shine through the day your youngster proves his or her abilities as an adult, and it will overshadow any inconveniences you encounter now.

While there is a framework surrounding parenthood it’s up to the parent to decide what to put in it. It is a good plan to recognize that parenting methods will adjust with the necessities of time. We can learn from what worked with our own parents when determining what approach to take with our children, a few tried and true techniques are listed below.

Make Learning Fun

Everyone likes to have a good laugh. Making learning fun for you and your kids can lead them into a lifetime of learning which helps them make good choices. Try to find a humorous comic, or play charades as the first step to fun-learn, just make sure you don’t get bogged down in technicalities, using your own rules for a game makes it fun for all.

Work Smarter, Not harder

Parents need to examine different work opportunities in order to be a financially contributing member of the family. Children need to have time with their parents to the ability to find a different means of income can become essential. Some alternative work styles include starting your own business, working part-time, or working at home.

Individual Time

Parents need time to be alone, whether single or dual, parents need a night off now and then. Parenting partners might want to indulge in a romantic getaway, singletons or singles of a parenting duo may want to invest some time in a community club. A break away from the kids gives parents the opportunity to reflect on just how wonderful family life is. Your family will appreciate a more refreshed you when you return.

Feel free to add in your own ideas on parenting. Most parents are going to try different parenting strategies through the course of raising their families. You will always be enhancing your parenting skills. If you do decide to take different approaches to parenting, we suggest writing your approaches down. Your own track will show you what has worked previously, so you don’t keep making continuous wrong choices.

Parenting can be very exciting so let go. Enhancing your abilities will help you learn to teach your children to enhance theirs. You know you can handle it, because you already have your example, so don’t worry!

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While it is not quite correct to say that there is an officially recognized direct connection between these two diseases, most researchers agree that it is likely that there is. So bear in mind, that the official verdict that diabetes and gingival disease are interrelated has not come yet. However, most professionals feel that they are.

What is the problem exactly? Well, the problem involves an elevated inflammatory response. The way that gum disease can harm your body's way of dealing with sugar is as follows. Diseased gum tissue develops into a long-term chronic infection. As a result, you may find elevated levels of inflammatory response chemicals in the blood stream. One of the unfortunate results of inflammation is that the insulin receptors on the surface of the body's cells tend to become fewer. Without as many cell receptors for insulin, it is much harder for the body to process sugar.

You are left with high blood glucose levels and this troublesome. This is one of the proposed theories of how these diseases are interrelated. In fact, the way that gum disease is related to many diseases may have something to do with the long term chronic infection that this disease produces.

The inflammatory response is useful for short term problems. But when the response is chronic, the body is weakened in multiple ways. It is important to stop periodontal disease.

Perhaps a natural essential oil blend would be helpful. Maybe ora md would help.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have any dental health or health problem at all, visit your peridontist or dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment.The USFDA has not evaluated statements about any products mentioned in this article.

A family focused on a common goal, works together and talks together. Family projects bring all family members closer. Whether you choose to create a coloring book, make a garden, watch the night sky together or put together a time capsule, you will enjoy the camaraderie and conversation that develops.

Here are some great family project ideas that you might want to adopt – and who knows, some of these may well become a family tradition before too long.

SPOTTING SATELLITES

Did you know that there are over eight thousand artificial objects orbiting Earth? Over 2,500 are satellites, operative and inoperative while the remaining objects are orbital debris: parts such as nosecone shrouds, lenses, hatch covers, rocket bodies, and even objects that ‘escape’ from manned spacecraft during operations.

To spot satellites, grab a few lawn chairs and head for the garden. Depending on the evening you choose, you will see from one of many satellites passing overhead. These could range from communications satellites, to simply space trash. They look somewhat like really bright stars, passing overhead in a straight path. The first hour or so after sun down is the best time to spot them. There still has to be enough light in the sky for the satellites to reflect it – so dusk is the best time. When you spot a satellite - log what you see and keep a family record.

MAKE A COLORING BOOK

Make coloring books together. Print coloring pages from the Internet and create coloring books for relatives, friends, nephews, nieces or even for yourselves to be put away for a rainy day. You could also keep a book or two aside as something for younger children to do when they visit your home.

You really can't go wrong if you create a Disney coloring book because children of all ages love the many Disney characters from Mulan to Mickey Mouse and from Goofy to Mowgli. To get you started, at sites like Disney Coloring Pages you’ll find many Mickey and Friends coloring pagesto print and collate.

Create a cover sheet that reads ‘The Smith Family Coloring Book’ and perhaps add the words ‘To’ and ‘From’ if you plan to give it as a gift.

CONTAINER GARDENS

Container (terrarium) gardens are an ideal project for families living in the Gulf – indoor gardening is much more bearable than the outdoor variety at this time of year. Shopping for plants together on a cool evening and choosing a suitable container are all part of the fun. Because terrariums recycle their moisture, they need very little attention – and they actually thrive on neglect!

Any clear container can be made into a terrarium; the main requirement is that it be watertight. Choose something that is large enough to accommodate the plants, and has a cover or lid to keep the moisture from escaping. Jars, bottles and aquariums are some of the more common containers used. To begin your garden place a 2cm layer of small gravel on the bottom of the container and top it with a good potting soil. The number of plants you place in the garden will depend on the size of the receptacle and the plants. Plants such as miniature African violets, Aeschynanthus, Podocarpus and Fittonia do very well in containers, as do very small ferns and creeping figs. Try not to over plant and leave space for the plants to grow. Water your garden only very lightly and stand back to admire your work.  

PRESERVE THE PAST

A time capsule can be a great family project to commemorate a special occasion. Fill it with photographs and mementos and then decide how long you would like to put it away for. For instance, is it something you’ll want to look at in 5 or 15 years time? The next step is to choose a container and location for said box. 

Any waterproof, airtight and preferably fireproof container will do, there are even websites that will ship custom-made time capsules to you. If your stay at your current location is temporary then it is understood that the time capsule is best not buried in the garden! Ask everyone in the family to contribute a few items - clippings, photographs, drawings, hand prints, letters, arts and crafts, toys or just about anything else that fits into the capsule. Mark everything clearly so you or others will know where each item came from and who included it.   Finally, fill the capsule, seal it, and then put it out of sight and out of mind.

PAINT!

From an arts and craft supplier purchase a large canvas and a set of acrylic paints. Divide the canvas into 4, 5 or more sections depending on the number of people in your family. Use masking tape to ‘fence off’ each area and mark each square or rectangle lightly in pencil with the name of the artist for that area, for example Mum, Dad, etc.

So that you don’t crowd each other, it’s best that just two family members paint at a time. The effect is striking if only four complementing colors are used and if each person fills their area completely with paint, using stripes, zigzags, dots or whatever pattern they like best. When the painting is complete, and this may take more than one week-end, ensure it is dry before removing the masking tape – then marvel at your modern art and hang!

FOSTER A PUPPY OR KITTEN

Our family has done this many times and we all have fond and happy memories of each little guest. Animal Welfare Charities are always in need of foster homes and are happy when puppies and kittens go to families with children because to say that an animal has lived in a family environment is a great ‘selling’ point when a permanent home is sought.

TRACE YOUR FAMILY TREE

If you have little knowledge about your ancestors, a few old photographs and a consuming curiosity, make tracing your family tree a family project.

Enter your ancestor information at www.familytreesearcher.com and it will search family trees at eight online databases. This free service will create the best family tree searches based on your ancestry - the site also includes hints for researching your family tree further.

SLOW FOOD

Instead of heading for your favorite fast-food restaurant this week-end, stay home and prepare some slow-food together. If you really want to make it into a project you could even shop for the groceries together.

Even the youngest member of a family can help prepare a meal – a toddler can shake a salad mix together, wash potatoes and other vegetables and even help to set the table.

GAMES NIGHT

Take the phone off the hook, turn off the television, bring out a board game and what do you have? An evening of fun, learning and laughter that brings the whole family closer together. Family game nights are a wonderful way to spend quality time and create a family tradition that you and your kids will remember and cherish for years to come.To make it extra special, add snacks, invite other guests such as family friends or relatives, hold tournaments and always display the winner’s name on the fridge! 

Here are some favorite games to consider:

Ages 6-8: Sorry!, Monopoly Jr., Clue Jr., Scrabble Jr. and card games such as UNO.

Ages 8-10: All the above plus the Game of Life, Monopoly, Jenga and Frustration.

Ages 10-12: All the above plus Scrabble, Yahtzee, Cluedo and Pictionary.

Ages 13 and up: All the above plus Boggle, Atmosfear (teenagers love this DVD board game), Risk, Trivial Pursuit and card games such as Rummy.

School, work, phones, playstation games, the internet, television, friends - let’s face it – every family gets pulled in a million directions. Set aside some family time and pull yourselves together! Talk with each other and keep your precious family connected! 

I recently saw a product for gum disease that had a testimonial that said, "My gums look better after one brushing". That is total nonsense - sorry to say.

There is not a miracle cure that works after one application. I would RUN, not walk, away from any website that promises such nonsense.

As a matter of fact, when it comes to gum disease, there is not a single product that will work for everyone who tries it. Every body's chemistry and ever body's situation is different.

This is the same reason that makes medicine an art and not a science. There is no medication that works for everyone hands down. There are always exceptions.

Sometimes it requires products in combination to do the job. Or perhaps the right training and techniques are needed. At any rate, gum disease is not really a problem that is so easy to solve. Try Ora Md as one possibility

I've studied this subject for a while due to the need to solve my own problem and now I study it because it interests me. The body is a complicated organism and what works for one may not work for another.

I'm definitely an advocate of products that I have personally found to be useful, such as an ozone generatorfor ozonating water. But there is also some basics that need to be understood about gum disease. You need to understand what you are fighting so that you can be sure that it doesn't come back. You also need to be effective in what you are doing.

Sure you can throw a board over a broken window. But a bit more skill is needed to repair that window properly. Look to the links below for more information on what you can to do to stop gum disease and prevent it from coming back. Some products, like therabreath may have more value than others. Again, one size does NOT fit all.

Be advised this article is for information purposes only and does not intend to offer diagnosis or treatment advice. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other type of health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment.

help you deal with bad parents. What do you say to a parent whose kid left poop on the slide? Is it okay to suggest counseling for someone else's child? In this episode of The Lab, Daddy Clay and Daddy Brad travel to their local playground and offer their best parenting tips and advice to other moms and dads. DadLabs Ep. 94 The Lab. … advice child children counseling dad dads fatherhood helping kid kids parent parenting parents playground poop tips moms "the lab" "daddy clay" "daddy brad" …

Culture plays a large role in  many things - from what we eat to how we dress - and it even has an effect on the minutae of life - like whether or not drawing will enter into a child's repertoire of behavior.

For example, studies have shown that  Taiwanese-American and Chinese-American parents tend to plan more drawing time for their children than they  European-American  counterpart parents do. As a result of more time spent drawing, Taiwanese-American and Chinese-American children's drawings have been judged as being more advanced than those of their counterparts.

According to research carried out in 1983, when children are provided with drawing materials and encouragement they tend to create works that reflect their particular culture - and each culture has its own 'style'. For instance, French children are prone to spending a good deal of time on drawing, filling the entire page with large, colorful designs, drawings by Japanese children meanwhile tend to be more complex, harmonious and complete than drawings by North-. Children from the island of Bali on the other hand,  typically use many small marks to draw intricate, colorful designs which fill the page.

While many cultures use and value drawing as art, there are a few cultures that do not foster coloring of drawing at all.

The children from the island of Ponape have no prior drawing experience. Yet when  a recent study was carried out, those Ponape children that were given drawing materials  tended to draw  by starting in the center of the page making shapes that connected outward like  groups of linked bubbles - they also tended not to fill the page and used only one color per drawing.

When children from cultures that do not encourage nor include drawing in their children's early childhood are first introduced to the tools, they tend to experiment, scribble, or attempt realistic drawings right from the start. There appears to be great variation in first attempts. However, in general, it has been found that children tend to draw from a cultural perspective, imitating the designs reflected in fabrics, architecture or other aspects of the adult culture including symbol systems such as written letters or characters and numerals.

Culture therefore confines and defines  the art of children.

Children from 'First World' countries like the USA have many opportunities to draw and color and are encouraged to do so by their parents, teachers and other caregivers. Material is plentiful too with crayons, paper,  coloring books and even online resources in plentiful supply. Little boys tend to enjoy coloring pictures that represent what they sees every day such as cars, trucks and machinery while little girls enjoy coloring images of fairytale scenes and  princesses and at sites like Princess Coloring Pages you’ll find many printable colouring pages

With both encouragement and resources a-plenty, our children are very lucky to have both the means as well as the support to express themselves creatively through drawing and colouring.

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hydro floss

A lot of people have been wondering, why did the Surgeon General label gum disease as a 'silent epidemic' a while back? It is something we all need to wonder about, so that we can inform ourselves about the issue. Periodontal disease can lead to serious health problems. It could be related to problems which can ultimately result in death. There is absolutely no reason to take that kind of risk where your health is concerned.

So, why is gum disease considered a silent epidemic? It is not just because it can cause you to lose your teeth. It is not just because it can lead to heart disease. It is not just because gum disease has even been linked to certain types of cancer and other potentially fatal conditions and problems.

This is a silent epidemic because so many people have it without even realizing it. It is a silent epidemic because the symptoms are so innocuous in the beginning that it is far too easy for people to ignore them.

It is thus imperative that you go to great pains to take care of yourself and your teeth. Naturally, twice (or more) yearly checkups with your dentist are a must. Your dentist will be able to identify and diagnose gum disease in some of its earliest stages, when it is still reversible - but only if he or she has the chance. If you do not visit your dentist, your dentist cannot help you.

Perio Therapy is a brand of mouthwash that utlizes the power of oxygen to help kill the bacteria that can cause bad breath and gum disease.

You also have responsibility yourself. You should consider the need to brush your teeth at least twice a day, especially after meals. You may also need to think about flossing. The use of an oral irrigator would not hurt either. A lot of people underestimate the importance of flossing. However, it is a powerful weapon in the battle against gum disease.

How can you tell if you might have gum disease? First, check for blood when you brush and floss. That can be the first sign of gingivitis. Red gums, swollen gums, and sore, tender gums are signs as well.

This article is for informational purposes only. If you have gum disease or any other health condition, please visit your periodontist or physician for proper advice, diagnosis and treatment.