Fun Reading Activities

Fun Reading Activities To Encourage Your Child's Love Of Books

There are so many fun activities that we can do with our children to get them excited about books and the world of reading. When kids are having fun, it is so much easier to draw them into something - like the wonderful world of literature. The very best thing we can do is to guide and direct them to enjoy it for themselves. When we are intrinsically motivated to do something, it is a much more lasting motivation. This will form an awesome foundation for their whole school careers.

A fun way to really dig into a story is to read it with your child and when you are done, ask your child their favorite part of the story. Then have them draw a picture of that part. When they are done, ask them for a short explanation of their picture and that part in the story. And either have them dictate to you and you write it on the bottom of their picture or let them write it if they can.

Another fun way to really engage your child in the books you are reading with them is to play a guessing game. Each time you turn the page of the book, look at the pictures with your child and have them guess what they think might be going on at this point in the story. It can be exciting to see if they got it right, because, sometimes they might get it so wrong that it turns the book into a super silly story. And what is more fun than the giggles?

An activity that will help with reading and make your little one feel a bit more grown up is helping you cook from a cookbook. You can explain to your child that it is important to put the ingredients in and follow the instructions in the recipe in order. Then you let your child be in charge of reading the recipe to you as you make the dish. You will, of course, give them any help they need. But they can also read the labels on the ingredients that you are using. For instance, they can help you differentiate between baking powder and baking soda and make sure you get the right one. Perhaps you might even let them fix your 'mistake' when you pick up the wrong one. He will feel so smart and helpful.

When you can get a child excited about things – making pictures, funny games that maybe lead to silly stories, helping in the kitchen and feeling like a big kid – you help to raise their confidence and also their motivation to really enjoy books and reading. Getting creative and changing things up can inspire children to get reading!

reading out loud

Reading Out Loud To Your Child Is Beneficial In Many Ways

Reading out loud to children of all ages is very important. It is so helpful in their development as readers and also in their mastery of language. Studies have shown that children that don't have people reading aloud to them struggle in school, or just don't do as well in school.

Reading out loud to children can expand their vocabularies, foster more vivid imaginations, and help them learn pronunciation skills. Some sentences or sections of books or even whole books may get skipped over if a child is only reading to himself. When the text is beyond the child's level of literacy, they are much more likely to choose something else to read. So therefore, when children are read aloud to, they are being exposed to literature that they normally would pass over.

It can be good for kids to hear books that are above their own reading levels. They are exposed to sentence structure, words, and concepts that they would not normally encounter on their own. Their brains are being fed and nurtured and they do not even realize it. They are just enjoying the experience of having someone read to them.

The experience of the read-aloud time can be a great bonding time between a mother and a child, an older sibling and a younger sibling, or a teacher and her students. They are coming together over a book they both enjoy and sharing a pleasant time together.

When we turn reading into a pleasurable experience like this is so unbelievably good for children, in terms of motivating them to read and to love and enjoy books. So often books turn into 'just a part of school' for children, they turn into 'work', and many children get really turned off from books in that way. When reading is a chore, they simply do not want to do it. Doing all that we can, as their caregivers, to show them how wonderful an experience reading is will do tremendous good in keeping them excited about reading.

At a certain point during children's school years, parents and teachers stop reading out loud to kids. Often this happens when the child goes to middle school. Experts suggest that we continue to read to children of all ages. It is a wonderful bonding time we can spend with children and it is still very good for them, even if we – or they -  feel they are too old for it. The biggest thing you will be doing is to keep them interested in reading for pleasure. Just like when they were first learning to read and there was that danger of their equating reading with work, the very same thing happens in the teen years. This is true for many teens. There are some who will still read for pleasure, but, they are rare.

So if we read to them or have a family reading time and let everyone take turns reading, we help them continue to associate books with pleasure. And goodness knows that is needed, given some of the drab books we have all had to read in high school.

We must guide our children to become lifelong readers and lifelong learners. And we can do that at home, with some fun family bonding time. And in so doing, we will also be strengthening our families.

Water Birth

Water Birth – Is This Alternative For You?

Water birthing is a relatively new concept in the United States. Basically, a mother gives birth to her baby while being partially immersed in warm water. Water births have more typically been done during home deliveries, but have now entered the mainstream birthing hospitals.

What to Expect - Preparation

Proponents of water birth say that it is a more natural process. A baby has been living in water for nine or ten months already. Coming into this world in the same kind of medium is believed to be less traumatic and an easier transition.

The mother will use a pool or tub that is partially filled with water. The water must be maintained at a certain temperature. Ideal temperature is equal to the internal environment of the body (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Keeping the water at body temperature prevents the mother’s temperature from rising too high and endangering the baby.

The water is also continually changed to keep it crystal clear. The doctor or midwife needs a clear view of the cervix and the baby as it passes out of the birth canal so that any potential problems can be detected early and resolved.

The water level is also important. The mother's lower half is submerged in water when she sits, but her body needs to remain stable, not buoyant, so that she can push when the time comes. Too much water will cause her to float and lose her position.

What to Expect - Birth

According to experts in water birthing, immersion in water eases the pain of the contractions. Any mother would love that. The body begins to relax somewhat so the mother's cervix can dilate without as much pain.

Doctors who advocate the water birth method don’t recommend that a mother enter the birthing pool until after early labor. Immersion before five centimeters of dilation is too early. When you first enter the water, contractions seem to speed up due to natural oxytocin in the body. This increased flow can last for a couple of hours, long enough to dilate to delivery size. If a woman sits in the water too long, the surge stops and labor is stalled. Getting closer to full dilation makes a better use of that oxytocin spike.

Many mothers believe there are advantages to letting their baby emerge from water in the womb to water in the birthing pool. For women who want an alternative to the delivery bed, water birth may offer the calm, quiet delivery she is hoping for.

Cause of Autism

Autism is a very challenging condition to many families. There are many families who seek answers regarding the cause of autism. They feel if a cause for autism can be found that a cure may be on the rise for the condition as well. While one cannot blame the parents of autistic children for seeking out answers, and hoping for a cure, it is unfortunate that there is none in sight as of yet.

Scientists and medical professionals all over the world have carefully evaluated the condition of autism. It is a fact that the cause of autism has yet to be discovered. It is also a fact that a cure for autism has yet to be discovered. Based on these facts, it is important to understand that if you have a child that has autism, you must simply work to make the world of the child, as well as your world, as comfortable and happy as possible.

For people wishing to discover facts regarding the causes of autism, the best one can do is to provide things that are not the cause of autism. In the past, when a child developed autism, the parents were accused of parenting in a poor manner. Your method of parenting does not cause autism. Many people have assumed that if a child had autism that the cause of the autism was the fact that the child was not properly fed and cared for. This is not a true cause of autism whatsoever.

There are many facts that scientists and medical professionals have established regarding autism. One of the many facts surrounding autism is that the brain is relatively larger in autistic patients. As a result of the brain being relatively larger in autistic patients, it has been found that the nerves and so on are reconstructed in a way that is not considered the average, or the norm. It has also been determined that autistic children show signs of having issues with their immunity.

Due to the issues in the body that are a result of autism, it is believed that the cause of autism may be related to genetics. Other possible considerations for the causes of autism include childhood vaccinations, and possibly even vaccinations that the parents have received in their lifetime. The evidence regarding the cause of autism to be related to vaccinations is not conclusive. It is simply a consideration for a possible cause of autism.

The cause of autism is not known. There are numerous possibilities when it comes to the cause of autism, but there are absolutely no conclusions. It is important for families to understand that it is not healthy to focus or dwell on possible causes of autism. The most important that that a family with an autistic child can do is to learn as much as they possibly can concerning the condition, and to work diligently to ensure that the quality of life is kept at a high level.

Breech Position

What Is A Breech Position?

During labor and delivery, the most desirable position for the birthing process is head down. That doesn’t always happen. The baby can end up in breech position, without the head down, when entering the birth canal.

When you are pregnant, it is common to feel your baby move around, upside down, sideways, all over. Sometimes you can even make out the head or foot poking at odd angles against your abdomen. It's cute to watch, but once the delivery gets near, your little one should settle down with its head nicely situated down toward the birth canal.

Breech Positions

In the weeks immediately before labor, the baby gets ready for delivery. The baby will change position so that he or she can pass through the birth canal. The “head down” position is the way your baby wants to be before delivery day. With the head first, the doctor will be able to clear the airway and nasal passages immediately upon delivery.

The term “breech” is used to describe the baby’s position when he or she is not turned head down for delivery. What are the reasons for a breech presentation of a baby? There can be several:
Premature birth
Multiple births
Lack of amniotic fluid
Placental previa

There are three different classifications of breech positioning:
1.Frank breech – The baby’s butt is positioned to be delivered first. The baby is curled up tight, in in half, with the feet near the head.
2.Complete breech – This position is similar to the Franck breech, but the knees are bent and possibly crossed at the ankles. The feet are in front of the buttocks which are still positioned to be delivered first.
3.Footling breech – In this position, the first body part to be delivered will be the right or the left foot. One of the legs has positioned itself in the birth canal and the head is up.

What to do?

An ultrasound alerts your doctor that the baby is in the breech position. If it is confirmed that the baby has not moved into the head down position as you approach full term (at least 37 weeks), the doctor has several options:
1.Abdominal positioning – This is best accomplished as early as possible. The doctor will attempt to gently turn the baby using abdominal manipulation from the outside. The baby’s heart rate will be closely monitored during the technique for any signs of distress.
2.Chiropractic positioning – In this instance, a chiropractor that is experienced with breech birth and pregnancy can use subtle techniques to help the baby turn on its own.
Discovering that your baby is in a breech position does not mean that you will necessarily have a difficult labor or a cesarean section. Your doctor will use different methods before labor to correct the breech and will continue to monitor your baby's position during labor in order to deliver your baby safely to your waiting arms.

Talk To Your Baby

Talk To Your Baby And Build Their Language And Literacy Competency

As crazy as it sounds, developing children's literacy skills actually begins during pregnancy. When mothers talk to their babies while they're still in the womb many researches believe that is actually the first step in language development. One thing for sure is that babies get used to the sound of their mother's voice and perhaps when they are born, that familiarity lends itself to quicker recognition and a fast bond after birth. 

Of course when babies are born, it is very helpful to them for their parents to continue speaking. Babies will start to recognize sounds and get to know gestures and facial expressions. Babies learn so much from the sights and sounds around them and will begin, almost immediately, to try to imitate the sounds their parents make. This is all part of the process of babies figuring out how we, as humans, communicate with each other.  They will start to recognize how we relay information to each other in narrative form and begin to learn how to do that themselves.

We begin to see babies' story-telling skills emerge in the toddler days when they launch into those long, animated baby monologues. When we listen intently to one of these stories that babies tell, it is almost like we can actually follow along, because, the child is so excited in relaying the details to us. It is very much like watching a foreign-language TV show. If you watch it long enough, you begin to follow the story, even if you don't understand a word of it. That is the power of the narrative – and the baby has learned that skill from watching us and listening to us intently.

Parents can use every opportunity throughout the day to talk to their baby about anything and everything. That is a great way to build up the babies' early literacy foundation. When washing the dishes or making dinner or cleaning up, parents can explain the tasks they are doing to their baby. Babies will begin to hear familiar words if the parents are in the habit of doing this frequently.

It is so tempting, when talking to babies and toddlers, to use baby talk. Experts suggest parents speak properly to their children, however, so the children can have the most possible exposure to the correct sound of words. For example, if a child has a 'baby word' for banana, and the parent constantly uses that 'baby word' back to the child, they are only reinforcing the incorrect pronunciation.

Even if a parent sometimes uses their babies' pronunciations of words, the important point is that the child is being talked to frequently throughout their day. It is an essential building block of language, and therefore literacy, development.

Premature Birth Causes And Treatment

 Premature Birth – Causes And Treatment

A full term pregnancy is desirable for delivering a happy, healthy baby. However, some babies have to be delivered earlier which can lead to physical and developmental issues.  This is known as a premature birth.
One definition of premature birth is a baby that is born before 37 weeks of gestation. During each week of pregnancy, the baby matures in a different way. Each of the baby's body systems takes one step further towards completion. The lungs are the last organ to develop, just in time to breathe the air of the world outside the womb.
When a baby is born early, for any reason, each week the baby misses developing in the womb can lower the chances of developing fully, or even of survival.  Babies born prematurely often have lower birth weights and are more fragile when they enter the world. There is an increased incidence of breathing issues from underdeveloped lungs, possible problems with sight, even blindness, as well as the inability to regulate body temperature.

Causes of Premature Birth

Women can go into premature or pre-term labor for no apparent reason at all. It can be a mystery, something totally out of our control.
There are, however, cases where a quantifiable cause for the premature birth is found. Here are a few examples:

Placental problems (previa, abruption)
Infections in the uterus
Preeclampsia or eclampsia
Incompetent cervix
Previous preterm births

Infections are a danger to both the mother and the baby. It is difficult to treat an infection during pregnancy because of the effect the drugs may have on the baby. Infections and/or the drugs used to fight infections can lead to premature breaking of the waters and increase infection rate for the baby. The loss of amniotic fluid can also lead to premature delivery.

When there are problems with the placenta, this can cause hypoxia (lack of oxygen) for the baby. Without proper oxygenation, there can be developmental problems and the possibility of miscarriage.

Possible Treatment

Certain conditions can be diagnosed early enough that steps can be taken to prolong pregnancy as long as possible. An incompetent cervix, for example, can be closed with a procedure called a cervical cerclage. The cervix is sutured closed so that it won’t open under pressure from the growing fetus. It is also not uncommon for the mother to remain on complete bed rest to bring the pregnancy to term.
When a woman has a history of premature births, doctors can take extra precautions to help ensure that it doesn’t happen again if at all possible. This could mean more frequent visits to the doctor and additional ultrasounds.
Doctors want to avoid premature births at all cost. When there is a danger to baby, mother, or both, early delivery may be the only option, but you and your doctor will take all options into consideration for the safe delivery of your baby.