A very common which we see is aggression in kids. These days, the general animosity in the environment tends to make our children more aggressive and competitive. Everyone hates the bully, but no one really bothers to understand why a child becomes a bully.

It might be for a variety of reasons – the atmosphere at home, something which someone said, or it might just be because of some scary experience which they have had in their younger years.

No, I’m not saying that people should go all out and let bullies have their on way all the time. That’s just adding fuel to fire and no one wants that. But treating bullies like social outcasts, is not a great idea either, because this, more often than not, is more likely to compound the problem, rather than to make it better.

Parents need to watch their children carefully for all signs of aggression and try to keep it under wraps from an early age to prevent their child from turning into a bully.

Firstly, you need to sit down with your child and explain that it is natural to feel angry and frustrated and it is okay to feel that way from time to time. But you need to tell your children, that though it is natural to feel that way, it is definitely not okay to give vent to their feelings by resorting to hitting, biting, fighting or any form of aggression.

Then, do the observation bit – which is basically the job of a parent. You need to watch your child carefully in order to see what triggers off your child to behave in that particular way. If you do so, you can put your finger on the exact cause of your little boy/girl’s aggression and try to work it out.

Another thing is monitoring your own behavior. If your child is accustomed to seeing you and your partner sort things out by quarrelling or any other form of animosity, they are more than likely to think that that is the norm and it is okay for them to do the same. So never, ever fight in front of your children.

Get to know your child. Have little “talks” with them when they are not in their aggressive mode and casually mention the subject of their so called bullying and ask hem what makes them do it. You might be surprised with what you learn and you may also find the best ways to deal with it too.

Another thing which you need to do is always show your child love and affection. Of course, it might be pretty difficult in the face of all their anger and aggression, but you really must deal with them in the best way possible. Tell them that you love them, but not the way they behave and that they must rectify it. You may just elicit an astounding response. Good luck!

Aren’t the first few months after your baby’s birth the most amazing months of your life? Watching them grow, seeing them develop as people – it’s all a mind blowing experience and something which has to be felt to be believed. No amount of description can do justice to it. Here are some things to watch out for in your baby boy or girl.

Little boys, According to the University of Cambridge, love motion and I’m talking about fast moving cars. But we already knew that, didn’t we. What we didn’t know was that they don’t really care much for human motion. They are more into the mechanical aspect of it and as a result of that, they’re about two months ahead of their little girl counterparts at figuring out the basics of motion!

Moreover, if you have a little boy, you will probably think that he is more likely to start walking faster than your little girl. They might not be able to start talking fast, but generally, they do manage to get on their feet faster. But this is true only in some cases, generally girls do start talking faster, but boys and girls start walking at more or less the same stage of development.

Here’s something which I am sure you definitely didn’t see, but it will do you a world of good if you are trying to understand your little baby boy. Boys are quite emotional and from an early age are better at hiding their distress; tend to get more easily agitated than their female counterparts! Didn’t see that coming, did you?

Not just that, they also have a hard time trying to soothe themselves, as compared to girls! Also, boys love being the center of attention in a crowd.
Now little girls, they’re little jewels when it comes to communication.

From infancy, they have excellent communication skills and they actually thrive on it! They just love a good conversation. What is more, they are great at reading expressions – especially a woman’s – and can differentiate between different expressions sooner than boys.

Moreover, as compared to baby boys, they are better with their hands and you will find proof of this in the fact that they learn to eat eating utensils sooner, or write faster than their male counterparts.

Here’s something you didn’t see coming. Though little girls love talking, they are also better listeners than their male counterparts.

In fact, according to latest finds, they actually prefer the sound of human voices than other sounds! No surprise then that they start to talk sooner than their male counterparts. Watch and observe your newborn for these signs – whichever may apply. It will multiply your happiness, for sure!

Every little child dreads being separated from their parents and taken away from the comfort of their home. And why not? There is a sense of security, of certainty and of belonging at home which one can’t find anywhere. Not without reason is there a cliché which goes like this – “home sweet home”. But obviously, it isn’t possible to keep your children at home, no matter how much they want it. Before long they do have to start on school!

But before you send your child off to school, you must prepare for it. That first day at school and how your child responds to it is a crucial step in the development of your child. Start talking to your child at least a month before their first day at school. Try and make school seem like a wonderful place – a home away from home. Of course, all this talking might not help if you don’t go about it properly. The best approach for a particular child depends on the kind of personality that your child has.

Then get started on school like activities. Get hold of interactive CDs, teach your child(ren) the alphabet). Buy worksheets, coloring matter and the like. You can plan out “fun” yet educative activities for your children. But do stay within limits, going overboard and pressurizing your kids can backfire…badly.
What’s the most important part of school life when your child just starts out?

Company and support – yes I’m talking about friends. Try and find out which other children are going to school and figure out a way in which your child can interact with at least one or two of them. That way, they won’t be at a loss and intimidated beyond words on that all-important first day. They’ll find a few familiar faces which will provide solace to them.

A week or two before school is due to start; you really have to pull up your socks. Start getting your child used to a regular sleep pattern. That will help you prepare them better for school and they won’t find it hard to fit in school in their daily routine. Concentrate mainly on when they wake up as that will help you prepare them for school and we all know what a task that can be!

The night before D-Day, make sure you have all the necessary supplies for school. A school bag, pencils, colors, exercise books and additional stationary (if specified) is a must, along with a water bottle. Do ensure to plan a nutritious and filling lunch if your child is planning on taking one. Also take special pains preparing a heavy breakfast.

You’re going to be in a tearing hurry in the morning, no matter how prepared you are (for those who don’t know, it’s next to impossible preparing a stubborn child for school!), so try and make it before bedtime. Last, but not the least, don’t forget to give your baby that all-important hug before you drop them off!

Imagine if there was an approach to parenting which would enable you to bring out the absolute best, not just in your baby, but also in yourself? Wouldn’t it be just awesome? Well, turns out, that there actually is one such style of parenting. It’s called Attachment parenting and centers around the bond between a baby and his or her parents! Here are the seven principles of attachment parenting.

• Bonding: This is probably the most important part of this style of parenting. It’s all about nurturing the bond between the baby and the parents. The first moments after your baby’s birth are often the most precious; don’t let anything come in the way of you and your baby during this time if you can help it. In fact, nature has programmed us in such a way because babies are at their most needy at this time and mothers are at their most caring.

• Breastfeeding: It’s one of the most annoying parts about being a mom because it’s extremely painful, but it is also very necessary. Moreover, breastfeeding your baby helps you understand your baby well. You can read their body language and learn to interpret it. Plus, all those brain boosting chemicals found in mother’s milk? It does a lot for your baby.

• Baby-wearing: This is all about keeping your baby as close to you as possible. In fact, babies who have been subjected to baby wearing tend to be really good observers and also have the habit of fussing less. That way, they absorb more. Plus, the sheer proximity to your baby helps you understand them better.

• Bedding: You must always keep your baby close to you during the night time. This is simply because babies have an intense fear of the dark! Plus, if you have a hectic schedule during the day time, you can make up for the hours of separation at night. Moreover, if you keep them at arm’s length, they learn to love sleep!

• Baby’s Cry: Never underestimate your baby crying. Infants really aren’t as well versed in the art of manipulation as we think they are. This is simply because they’re too tiny and when they cry out, chances are, they actually have a good reason for doing so!

• Nannies: Here is the blunt fact. No nanny can take the place of a parent, so try not to enlist the services of one!

• Balance: It’s hard, but try not to go overboard in your desire to give your baby the best. Strike a balance; sometimes it’s necessary to put yourself first!

Has your child’s teacher at school complained to you over and over again that your child is “hyperactive”? Have you just given your child a scolding each time and shrugged it off? If the repeated scoldings have not produced the desired effects time and again, then you might want to consider the fact that your child is actually suffering from a disorder, commonly known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

The scary part about this disorder is that it is quite easy to consciously overlook it. Why? Because most young children are generally bursting with energy and enthusiasm, as a result of which, they don’t really have a big concentration span. Moreover, the disorder is present in varying intensities in quite a number of children and as a result of that. Children do not exhibit prominent symptoms often, so it is quite easy to neglect them when they do surface. What is worse is that there isn’t really any scientific method of diagnosing the disease.

There are many common symptoms of course, by means of which you can draw your conclusions. The most common one is lack of concentration. Children who suffer from this disorder are highly restless and just can’t sit still! If you want them to sit and concentrate, they simply won’t. Of course, this is commonly seen in a vast majority of pre teens, so in addition to this, if your child exhibits sudden bouts of aggressiveness and anger, followed by a period of calm, you can draw a definite conclusion.

Other symptoms include extreme impulsiveness and total unawareness of imminent danger. These children are also quite immature mentally and often resort to attention seeking tactics which can be extremely demanding.
So as parents what can you do, to support a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder? Firstly, you should watch your child carefully and observe them for the symptoms to actually figure out whether they’re suffering from this Disorder, then do take them to a trusted doctor.

They’re going to be given medication which will help to sort of calm them down. It might seem as though you have to give your child mild sedatives, but it is quite necessary. In addition to this, there is always the trusted behavioral therapy to help your child change their mannerism. You need to understand that your child is extremely sensitive and support them through this difficult phase in their life. That is after all, the duty of every parent. Good luck!