How important are manners and etiquette’s in this modern world and child development? Most of the good schools require kids to have proper child manners and child etiquette’s. “Military Schools” and “Private Schools” are very strict about this and most of them have extra classes to teach kids proper manners and etiquette’s. Not only that there are etiquette schools, etiquette classes and even etiquette consultants to teach, train and arm our kids as well as the adults with modern manners and classic etiquette’s.

Children are reflections of their parents. On special occasion’s, gatherings, parties or visiting friends and relatives parents expect their children to show proper manners and etiquette’s, be polite and respectful. Manners and etiquette’s cant be learn overnight its a gradual process and needs a lot of time and patience from the parents. Teachers as well as senior adults have noticed and raised the voice that, children now a days show very little respect and manners than previous generations. Parents manners and etiquette’s help develop childrens manners and childrens etiquette’s. When teaching child manners, do not overload a child with many lessons at once, deal with one or two at a time so that they can grasp it in full detail. Do not ever tell them “Do it because I say so.”, you have to explain them “Why it’s not right?”, What will be the benefits of doing the right things?”. Please don’t forget to praise them for doing the right thing, it will be just like, if you work very hard at your job and not being praised or rewarded for it.

Etiquette training starts at an early age, kids learn by observing things and behavior of people around them. Parents discipline and parents manners will set the right examples, you are the one who is their first influence, first learning example. If you talk with mouth full of food, they will notice that and assume its right to do so. Family manners and etiquette’s are all those little things that we do everyday, around kids at home or outside. If the parents do not force the family manners and follow them themselves it will make a big difference later in the kids life. Rules should be equal for everyone in the house, than only kids will respect you and each other.

The way they behave is the way they are treated. Remember the magic word “REWARD”, its the key to teaching manners to young kids. Reward doesn’t have to be financial or a gift. Reward can be your love to them, may be just a hug and a kiss, praising them for what they did, may be taking them along for a bike ride or shopping, may be allowing them to go and play with their friends. In the end for every good deed they need to be rewarded to understand the importance of doing the right things.

Parent’s role in teaching child manners

As I said before, kids learn by watching adults around them. Parents manners and family etiquettes, therefore play a huge role in teaching child manners and etiquette’s.

Respect:

Your parenting style has a lot to do with respect. Treating children with respect teaches kids to respect others and you. Talk kindly to your children and they will learn how to talk kindly to others and you. It is also helpful to talk to children regarding how to respond in specific situations to better prepare them for when these situations arise.

Sharing:

Share with your kids so they can understand the importance of sharing with others. Compliment them when you see them sharing with others.

Politeness:

Everyone in the family must practice “please” and “thank-you” policy in which, for example, no request is considered unless the person asking says “please.” When one of your children forgets, just say “Where are the magic words?”. They soon catch on. You can teach them to say “thank you” in the same manner.

Apologizing:

In the begining children are always shy to apologise, but before the age they become stubborn to apologise parents should encourage children to apologize, when they do something wrong. Apologies should be sincere. If they are not comfortable apologizing face to face, they should write an apology note. Good judgment should be used by the parent as to when an apology is appropriate.

Compliment:

Emphasize the right thing to do and compliment your children when they exhibit good manners, rather than criticizing them for using poor manners. Praise is a wonderful teacher. Tell your children how proud you are when you notice them being polite.

Model the manners:

Remember your child is watching you every moment and will learn to do everything that you are doing, so watch out for your own actions.

Instruct in small doses:

Teach manners in a step by step process. For example, telephone manners or telephone etiquettes, begin instructions with “hellos” and “good-byes,” then teach asking the caller to “please wait, I will go and get my mum” and in the end , guide children to take messages. Dining etiquettes or table manners are another important learning task. Try in small step by step process as well, for instance begin with how to sit properly on the table, to how to hold cutlery and in the end teach them how to set up the dinner table and serve the guests.Try step by step process with other manners as well.

Keep kids healthy:

Children tend to show bad manners or mis manners and etiquettes when they’re tired or hungry. Kids need proper sleep and nutritious foods to survive. If you think you will be having late night at the family gathering, make sure your kids have an afternoon nap to cope with the late night stress instead of misbehaving.

Be patient:

Don’t expect perfection overnight. As with any skill being taught, there will be mistakes along the way. Learning is a trial and error process. We all learn from our mistakes. Give your kids enough time and opportunity to learn and grasp new skills. As I said before young children or teen kids they are the reflections of their parents. As a parent we all want to give them the best, but sometimes we are not fully equipped with all the information. If you feel you are stuck with some questions feel free to take “parenting advice”. There are many “Child Care Services” that help young parents with free Parenting Advice.

Have a happy parenting.

It has been proven in many researches that on an average we use only 1/6th of our brain. At the chemical level, food is the brain’s primary link to its environment and to its evolution. What we eat affects the brain chemicals. This change in the brain chemistry than influences our mood, behavior, the thought processes and the emotional reactions. More we can find out about the food and brain connections, better dietary decisions we can make to enhance our brain performance. With the help of “brain training” and “brain exercises” and the combination of proper “brain food” and “brain nutrition”, we can dramatically improve a human brain to perform a lot better than any average human brain. Improved brain performance is not only good for adults but will help kids becoming smarter.

What’s in the brain?

About 2/3rd of human brain is full of fat. Its not just any fats but they are very specialized fats. One of the most common fatty acids is oleic acid, which is also the most abundant fatty acid in human milk and in our diet. Mono saturated oleic acid is the main component of olive oil as well as the oils from almonds, pecans, macadamias, peanuts, and avocados. These fats are composed in myelin which is the protective sheath that covers communicating neurons. The membranes of neurons are composed of a thin double-layer of fatty acid molecules, these layers allow oxygen, glucose (blood sugar), and the micro nutrients as their food to function.

Brain food

To build brain cells we need two essential fatty acids. Our body does not produce them, which means we have to get them from the foods that we eat.

• The first essential fatty acid we need is Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the foundation of the “omega-3″ family of fatty acids. Food sources of omega-3 include flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, sea vegetables, and green leafy vegetables.
• The second essential fatty acid we need is Linoleic acid (LA). LA is the foundation of the “omega-6″ family of fatty acids. Food sources of omega-6 include cold-pressed sunflower, safflower, corn, and sesame oils.

Since the time of birth, children’s brain keeps developing, consumption of information and knowledge is at a very high rate during the early years. During this period good “health and nutrition” and proper brain food will help them to develop brain power and brain health for the future. Three-quarters of a infant’s energy goes straight to the brain. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and AA (arachidonic acid) are both crucial to the optimal development of the brain and eyes. During pregnancy the mother supplies the developing fetus with these fatty acids, and she continues to provide this important brain food to her infant through breast milk. A study published by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have found that ” DHA was the likely breast milk nutrient that provided the improved academic outcome experienced by breast-fed children. Mother’s milk is high in DHA, and children who receive adequate amounts of DHA were shown to have higher IQs, as well as better vision than children who didn’t get enough DHA.”

Consumption of fish during pregnancy may also be beneficial for your babies brain according to a research published in Lancet in February, 2007. But in most countries doctors prescribe to stay away from the seafood because of the presence of methyl mercury in the fish. At the same time fish also contains omega-3 fatty acids which are very essential to the baby’s brain development. Parental advice is play it safe and take omega 3 fatty acids in the form of pills. From the health food shops you can get high strength odorless fish oil, fish oil supplements or fish oil capsules.

We know now that our brain functions on the good fat. In modern world our brain is going through the biggest shock of its life time of centuries. Most of the junk food we consume is full of TFA (trans fatty acids). TFA’s are not natural, they are man made and instead of helping our brains TFA’s are damaging our brain cells. TFA’s are known to disrupt brain communications. Avoid eating junk food. Now we know what we eat affects our brain. Lets look at the fresh fruits and vegetables. Most of the fresh food and vegetables that we buy are not organic they are full of chemicals through fertilizers and pesticides. When these chemicals are digested in our body some of them do make their way to the human brain. This can cause chemical imbalance in our brain and cause several illnesses. We can not completely avoid them as the structure of the market place. Try to buy the organic fruit and vegetables and don’t forget to wash them because they do get sprayed with chemicals to keep them fresh from the farm to the supermarket. Deficiencies or excesses of certain vitamins or minerals can damage nerves in the brain, causing changes in memory, limiting problem-solving ability, and impairing brain function. Scientists have just begun to understand how changes in particular nutrients alter the brain and how these neural changes then affect intelligence, mood, and the way people act. Always consult with a health care professional before starting a diet or nutritional supplement program. Small changes in diet can have large effects on our health.

Brain training exercises

Just like we do physical exercises to keep our body’s fit, we need to do brain exercises to stimulate our brain and keep it fit. We can not physically message our brain but we can stimulate it with the mind exercises. There are many brain training software’s available in the market for kids as well as adults. Right brain exercises are known to increasing brain power, stimulate brain cells and help brain development. Listening and playing music, playing board and puzzle games are good ways to start kids brain activities.

Here are some online free brain game sites for adults as well as kids.

• Brain Gym

• Brain Metrix

• Braingle

• Sharp Brain

• Mini Clip

Kitchen is a place of fun things to do with kids but at the same time it can be dangerous as well. If you are planning kitchen remodeling or kitchen renovations, consider children as well in your kitchen design, they will be spending a lot of time with you in the kitchen.

Whether its a contemporary kitchen or a modern kitchen and you don’t want to go out and spend a fortune on the renovations. With the help of an interior designer or a home improvement shop you can install kids safety features in the kitchen. Major cause of accidents in the kitchen is, young kids pulling out something from the kitchen cabinet or kitchen drawer and eating it or spilling all over themselves. Two things that I will suggest every parent to consider in their kitchen plans as kitchen gadgets are:

Cabinet knobs or Cabinet handles:

Cabinet latches or child proof lock have been the norm of the past. I saw some magnetic knobs for cabinets at a childcare center few weeks back, without the magnetic knob nobody can open the cabinet because there is nothing to pull it open. Very safe and easy to install, consider installing them. Child proof lock will be very expensive to install in every drawer and cabinet while cabinet latches do not last very long before your child figures it out how to open them.

Closet organizers:

As well as its for your convenience, it is also a child safety feature in your house. Closet organizers will allow you to keep the dangerous products away from your young child’s reach and avoiding any child accident.

Remember the toy kitchens that we used to play with when we were kids, they are still there and with lot better usability. Benefits of using plastic tools in the kitchen with kids is a very good start. Colorful tools attract kids in the kitchen and they think of them as toys and love playing with them. They also remove the risks of kids playing with the sharp and dangerous tools.

Here’s is a list of few safe tools for kids.

Pizza wheel: Great for chopping soft fruits, vegetables and processed meats. Good substitute for knife.

Egg slicer: Another great substitute for knife. Very useful for slicing eggs, soft fruits and cooked vegetables.

Brushes: Brushing marinades on meat. Glazing on pastries and muffins.

Plastic scissors: You can also use blunt scissors or craft scissors, good for snipping vegetables and cutting processed meats.


Rolling pin: Its not a dangerous tool, also available in plastic. Use for rolling dough for cookies, flat breads and cookie crumb for cakes.

Ice cream scoop: Very good portioning tool in the kitchen other than serving ice cream.

Cleaning scrub pads: Get rid of that peeler. Cleaning scrub pads with rough green surface are very good for scraping skins from carrots, potatoes, etc.

Plastic spatula: Good for spreading things around, making mash etc.

Whisk: Another safe tool as is, but plastic ones are also available. Great for mixing marinades, beating eggs, combining liquid ingredients for recipes.

Want some kids recipes. Try Google search.

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How is the dinner time like in your home?

Do the family members heat up their own meal in the microwave and have them whenever they feel like it?

Having meals together has become a thing of the past. Families used to gather around and have at least two meals together, breakfast and dinner. Blame it to the busy lives, independence or family conflicts. We are forgetting the benefits of family meal time, its a very effective way to keep the communications door open avoid conflicts and raise healthy and smart children. It’s the perfect time and place to reconnect and to show your kids that they are your priority. In the recent years, if you seek parenting advice or ask for family counseling, they will stress the need for family meal times. Many researchers have pointed out the health benefits, academic benefits and overall child development directly related to family mealtime.

Sitting across the table is where and when you can find out more about your children’s likes, dislikes, and daily life. Having this information can help you direct your children toward positive activities and behavior. Sharing family meals also offers nutrition benefits. Parents always serve as role models, observing you having healthy meals and nutritious meals, kids tend to do the same. Experts believe that if families would gather around the dinner table more often, the benefits to children such as improved academic performance and higher self-esteem would abound. Change the attitude, dinner table should serve as more than the dinner table, strike a conversation, talk about each others lives and each others day, and rediscover each family member.

Research shows that for preschoolers, family mealtime is one of the most important times to connect with parents. Good mealtime habits formed early will benefit children throughout life. Children spending more time at the family meals tend to eat less junk and more healthy food. A study done at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found that those teens who ate with family members an average of at least five times a week, were less likely to fall victim of eating disorder and other risky addictions as alcohol and drugs. Family conversations at the dinner table also help kids to have strong family connections and avoid the risk of falling victim to depression.

Benefits of family meal time go beyond the behavior trends of your kids and teens, they even affect the academic results of your kids. Studies conducted at Columbia University also found that teens who ate regular frequent family dinners were 40% more likely to get A’s and B’s in school than teenagers whose families ate separately.

Tips to promote family mealtime:

• Do your shopping weekly, so you have enough time to prepare meals.

• Involve kids in the shopping. Gives you an idea what kids want to eat. They will like to eat things when there choice is available.

• Avoid shopping junk food. Shop for healthy snacks and fruits for after school snack.

• Involve kids in the cooking process, it will save time as well as teach kids about healthy cooking.

• Don’t force kids to eat more.

• Turn the TV off and have a family conversation.

• Linger over the conversation and the food over the table, just to spend time together.

• Let eating together become one of the threads that holds the fabric of the family together. Make commitment and time to sit down for family dinner at least two to three times a week.

Check out these helpful articles on benefits of family meal time.

Get involved: Importance of family mealtime
Family mealtime article by West Virginia University
Free “Make mealtime family time kit”Study by Columbia    University: The Importance of Family Dinners IV