Monday, November 21, 2011

Translate Your Teen Messages


What if your teen speaks a different language? How on earth will you be able to make sure of his safety? Most kids now are talking CODES and parents don't have a clue what they are talking about. Studies showed that most kids between 12 and 17 years old are sending more than 50 messages every day and that one third of them sends over 100 messages.
With the increasing use of internet and texting with the young age and in order to make sure that your kid is safe, sneaking won't work and asking them every moment about what they are saying or writing won't work either. What will really work is learning and understanding your teen's new language.


I will help you in this article decode teens’ new acronyms; here are some of the codes used:
GNOC: Get Naked On Camera!!
NOF: Naked On Front of camera!
CD9: Parents are around!
MOS: Mother Over Shoulder!!!
Can you believe it? They are making their own way of escaping and they wouldn't hide anything unless it was suspicious. I don't mean by this article to be very involved in their live, on the contrary, I really like it when parents give their kids some privacy and a good area for their secrets. However, some of these codes are really serious and could make lots of troubles. Imagine if your daughter or son is NOF and some crazy hacker got the pics or videos and spread it on the internet. I can't even think of it, it is very important issue.
Plus it is spying when you look in your daughter’s diaries or open your kid's closet because these are his private stuff, but it's totally not spying if they are the ones who started exposing themselves on the internet. This age is very sensitive and they won’t let you be friends with them and a parent is got to do what they got to do to insure the best interest for their kid.
Finally, I recommend that parents trust their kids and give them allowable privacy area and to be smart in the same time. Read and keep updated about new trends in teens lives trying to figure out how the heck they are thinking. We live in a world full of crazy and psycho people that we have to get together as a society and stand up in their faces.
At the end, please share acronyms and tips if you think this might help other parent protect their child.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

How Did I Get My Child To Sleep By Himself?


Long seven months had passed since I gave birth to my lovely first son Ahmed. He needed constant care which I was happy to provide for him, it is a blessing to care for such a tiny beautiful human being. I just had this one problem that was very stressful, Ahmed was very depending on me when it came to sleep. At first, he was sleeping on breast and then whenever I put him to bed, he wakes up instantly crying for me to hold him again.
After that rocking became his favorite way to go to sleep but then it started to be tougher for him to go to sleep and he became heavier and more resisting.
All this wasn't very important to me; i was willing to take it for him. The main problem was that after all this effort; he couldn't sleep alone when I put him to bed.
If you were having the same issue, all you need to do is to follow "Controlled management method" which is the best and most successful for stubborn kids like my child.


How controlled management method work?
First of all you must have consistent and fixed sleep routine for your kid. I usually give him a breast feed, change his diaper, and hold him for a minute to soothe him, switch off bright light, and put him to bed, sing, and play soft music.
You shouldn't follow the same routine; create your own according to you and your kid as I did.
The first night follow your routine and go out of the room wher he can't see you, wait for a minute and go check on him and spend another minute then go out again. Wait two minutes and come back for a minute, then wait for three minute and stay one minute, and so on until he gets to sleep.
Time intervals can be 2, 4, 8, .... Or 5, 10, 15,... Or whatever suits you. If your child was getting more upset when you come back, maybe you should wait outside until he sleeps. The first few nights will be very hard but think of his best interest and how relieved he will be when he learns to sleep on his own without needing to scream for you every time he wakes.
The program shall take between 3 to 14 days maximum and you will achieve the goal. Mine took about 3 days and he sometimes he protests now but it's way better than before.
Important thing to put in consideration if you decided to follow this approach, make sure that you're taking very good care of your baby during the day and that he is happy. Also, if the baby was sick during the program, stop it immediately and continue after he is well again. And if he is really upset or cries for very long time, maybe you should pick him up and try some other time. Finally do the same thing during day naps as well.
I love my son very much and I'm kinda spoiling him, the worst moment of my life when he cries, but this was going out of my hands and it started to affect my energy. I guess that some tough love wouldn't hurt.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Top Sneaky Ways To Keep Moisture In Your Body In Winter

Weather is already changing and it getting really chilly. This doesn't mean you should buy new boots only, but it also means to start applying extra things to protect your skin from drying. Today I'll share top sneaky steps celebrities do to protect their skin from dryness during winter.



Get away From Alcohol
This doesn't mean drinks which you should get away from due to all bad effects it have on body, mind, and skin. What you should really avoid is having skin products like toners and cleaners with alcohol in it, check your current cosmetics' label and if they have any alcohol types (other than lanolin, stearyl, and acetyl which are totally okay), then you should keep them to spring. you need to do that because alcohol is very hard ingredient that can remove humidity and moisture from your skin and we don't that to happen.
Take a warm shower
I know that it's the best thing in winter when you can have hot shower and enjoy the warmth, but actually is very harmful especially when you have a dry skin.
So if you can bear, try to lower down the heat few degrees only and have a warm shower instead for hot shower. Don't forget to apply some moisturizing lotion as well when you're in.
Invest in a Humidifier
Winter makes the air hard on your skin so, buy a humidifier in your house to get back moist to it. If you can't do so or it is difficult for you to plug such advice at home, then you can consider having plants in the room. Plants work as a natural humidifier as they get almost 90% of water you pour into them in the shape of moisture and Oxygen. Spider plants and bamboo are really great natural humidifier.
Depending on your skin type, choose cosmetics that work for it and apply simple at home masks that works for your skin type.
Personally, I love to prepare masks that contains yogurt, it is very moisturizing and can work for all skin types. My favourite yogurt mask is very simple, just beat some yogurt and apply it to your face for 15 minutes or until it’s dry, and then wash it off. I just can say that this is the best.
Another very good mask is corn flower mask, to prepare it, add about two table spoons of corn flour with some water or milk and mix them into a paste and spread on your face for 15 minutes.
These are the best sneaky tips to keep moisture

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

All You Need To Prepare For Giving Birth


Congratulations!! If you were interested enough to read this article, then most probably your due date is close, or you might want to be so happy with the baby that you want to know everything all together. Both ways, any mom to be must consider what to take in her way to give birth for the little one who is going to lighten your life. First thing you need to know is that the hospital will be ready with most things your baby needs. So, don't feel that you have to get lots of things.
Actually I did this mistake and prepared a big bag that was no use for me. Here are the things I actually needed:
- Clean towel and comb
- Comfy slippers
- Under wears like the ones used during pregnancy " don't rush for bikini" and take more than one in case of excess bleeding
- Robe and something comfortable to wear after giving birth.
- 2 of clothes the baby needs in case one of them was small or not good enough for him or her.
- Hat, socks, and blanket Cause the baby is still familiar with your womb warmth.
- Car seat but I actually was holding him and I didn't take one.
That's it pretty much. You don't have to get diapers, pads, shampoo, or anything else. The hospital will take care of it.
It is also important to get a camera to picture your angel's first look and to get the first photo with your baby.
You will be very tired. So, you should have someone to be with you like your partner or mom and to be with them even when you go home to help you for the first couple days.
Also when my due date was very close, I went to the salon to have my hair done, get a new cut and to have a facial mask. This really helped me to feel kind of beautiful and ready for the new life I’m going to have and it helped me a lot cause I have thick and frizzy hair that could have become really ugly if it was not done already.
You are entering a new phase of life that could be very hard and stressful at the beginning but I assure you that you will feel overwhelmed with happiness as soon as you get used to it. I am currently not sleeping more than 5 hours but I totally love it

Eat With Your Child And Lose Weight


Busy moms have this guilt of not dedicating every single moment of life to their children, we have this feeling that we're always not giving them the care they need. So, we tend to ignore ourselves in order to make use of all time we have together.
Logically this will make you lose weight, however, what really happens that you start gaining extra pounds. What really happens is that your body is starving so, whenever you eat anything, it will automatically store fat instead of burning it to help you do the regular routine you have. This fat will be stored in belly, bottom, arms, and thighs.
Now if you really want to lose weight, STOP starving yourself, stop skipping breakfast, stop eating junk, and stop not taking care of yourself. I know this seems difficult especially for moms who have toddlers less than one year but they have easy recipes.
For moms who have toddlers over one year old the best thing is to cook for both of you, the baby needs fresh, healthy food and you should take advantage from that.
Here are some recipes that you can both be enjoying together:
- Post pregnancy shake that mainly consists of banana and raspberry which have great effect on losing belly fat.
- It is also important to have snakes every 4 hours for you and the baby like:
Yogurt lollipops
Crispy apple chips "all you have to do is cutting apples into very thin slices, sprinkle some cinnamon over it and put into oven till golden and crispy.
You can also bake some sweet potato until tender, let it cool, remove the skin, cut into cubes, and then sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the top of it.
- Everyday I make a very healthy breakfast for both my 7 months old child and I consisted of an egg, processed cheese triangle, and a small portion of basic oats recipe that I prepare by just adding some boiled water to oats and leave it for only 5 minutes. You can add sugar or not but I find it great the way it is. Oats are very healthy and I was surprised that he loved it over cereals.
Also remember to eat and give your child lots of greens and fruits to make him healthy and make you lose that extra weight.
Food is essential for all of us whether young or old, you cannot stop eating to be thinner. All you have to do is starting to choose more healthy options that you will gladly offer to your kid who will be happier seeing you eat the same healthy way you want to provide for him.