Grimm fairy tales have been favorites around the world for generation. Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm were brothers. They were born in Hanau, Germany, more than 2300 years ago.

The brothers lived and worked together. Jakob studied the history of law and literature of Germany’s past. Wilhelm studied stories about heroes and other old texts. Together, they began work on a large dictionary of the German language. The brothers also became interested in folk tales. Many people had heard a few stories, but no one thought the tales were important.

Wilhelm and Jakob collected local tales and legends, especially stories told to children. They also found a peasant woman who knew many more stories and remembered even the smallest details.

Altogether, the two brothers collected 210 stories. They published two volumes, in 1812 and 1815. Scholars paid little attention to the tales, and critics did not think much of them, but other people loved them. The tales were reprinted many times, and within a few years they were translated into 17 languages.

Jakob lived with Wilhelm, his wife Dorthea, and their children, and the two brothers worked together for the rest of their lives. Today, the Grimm brothers are well known as scholars, but they are the best known for the tales they collected.

No doubt they are children’s favorites! Everyone just loves a happily ever after, children and children at heart.

(There’s more authors next in line!) (:

Numerous studies conclude that playing music to babies in the womb and in the early years helps build the neural bridges along which thoughts and information travel. And research suggests it can stimulate the brain’s alpha waves, creating a feeling of calm; a recent study of premature infants found that they were soothed by the music.

Many classical CDs and DVDs are available in the market for these very young children which are based on this theory. There are also laws that are passed which require playing classical music in pre-schools, like the state-funded ones in Florida. A number of US hospitals also give classical CDs to new mothers. In the UK, there is even a Music special for babies in their classical music radio stations.
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Adding up to the list of services which embraces the theory are baby concerts. Yes, these are concerts especially for babies (including those still inside their mommies’ womb). They call it baby proms, where babies and toddlers are the main audience in concert halls. Unlike formal outfits worn and first-class concert theatres as venues of classical concerts, baby proms are more relaxed and comfortable, beanbags correspond to the orchestra seats and music pieces are well-selected to benefit the wellbeing of babies, toddlers and parents. (:

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults.

These intelligences are:

•  Linguistic intelligence (”word smart”)
•  Logical-mathematical intelligence (”number/reasoning smart”) 
•  Spatial intelligence (”picture smart”) 
•  Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (”body smart”) 
•  Musical intelligence (”music smart”) 
•  Interpersonal intelligence (”people smart”) 
•  Intrapersonal intelligence (”self smart”) 
•  Naturalist intelligence (”nature smart”)

Dr. Gardner says that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live. Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t receive much reinforcement for them in school. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled “learning disabled,” “ADD (attention deficit disorder,” or simply underachievers, when their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical classroom. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes a major transformation in the way our schools are run. It suggests that teachers be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, inner reflection, and much more. The good news is that the theory of multiple intelligences has grabbed the attention of many educators around the country, and hundreds of schools are currently using its philosophy to redesign the way it educates children. The bad new is that there are thousands of schools still out there that teach in the same old dull way, through dry lectures, and boring worksheets and textbooks. The challenge is to get this information out to many more teachers, school administrators, and others who work with children, so that each child has the opportunity to learn in ways harmonious with their unique minds.

The theory of multiple intelligences also has strong implications for adult learning and development. Many adults find themselves in jobs that do not make optimal use of their most highly developed intelligences (for example, the highly bodily-kinesthetic individual who is stuck in a linguistic or logical desk-job when he or she would be much happier in a job where they could move around, such as a recreational leader, a forest ranger, or physical therapist). The theory of multiple intelligences gives adults a whole new way to look at their lives, examining potentials that they left behind in their childhood (such as a love for art or drama) but now have the opportunity to develop through courses, hobbies, or other programs of self-development (from ThomasArmstrong.com). 

One good strategy is to channel your child’s energy into the creative arts. Encourage your child to explore dance, music, painting, drawing, singing, or drama. Formal lessons are not required for your child to benefit from the arts. He/she can do most of these activities at home with your guidance in a comfortable setting. Also, consider enrolling your child in martial arts instruction. These are helpful for the mind and body. Using background music to calm your child is one technique as well to regulate the behavior of your kinesthetic child. Specifically, Baroque music has been shown to help its listeners focus better. Likewise, encourage your child to rest and relax. Spending time in prayer is shown to be relaxing and peaceful. When your child is stressed, stopping and breathing deeply may help his/her clam down. Occasionally napping or skipping an event is OK.

Help your child maintain a positive self-concept. Keep goals and tasks on an age-appropriate level. Provide specific, authentic praise on an ongoing basis. In addition, lead your child in movements and exercises that stimulate the body and brain. Activities such as Crazy 8s—clasping both hands together and tracing an imaginary figure 8 in the air (and occasionally stopping and going in the opposite direction)—literally help both sides of the brain to communicate better. These brain connections help your child process information faster, priming her brain to learn.

Have you noted the techniques? Try them with your child and have fun active learning!

There are plenty of strategies you can use at home to help your active child learn to self-monitor and self-regulate his/her behavior. One is limiting TV watching and video game playing. Your child may earn screen time for good behavior or after completing homework and chores. Also, closely monitor your child’s diet. For some children food additives, foods high in sugar, foods high in “white” carbohydrates (low in fiber), and a diet that does not contain enough protein can adversely affect his/her learning. Strive to give your child’s body what it needs to learn. I assure you, a diet with ample chocolates will get your child always on the go and moving moving moving, since chocolates cause hyperactivity. If hyperactivity hinders his/her learning, you might want to check if you’ve been giving him/her too much of chocolates. Don’t think only of the chocolate candies and bars, even take a look at the cookies, biscuits, buns, cupcakes and drinks you’ve been feeding your child, maybe most of them are chocolate-flavored snacks and drinks. In our school, we try to limit the children in eating food with chocolate since it’s hard to teach when they’re hyperactive. It hinders study time and concentration on given table-top activities, or the general focus of the child.

For now, we’ve got two strategies. There’s more to come!

So, good night.. sleep tight.. Do not let the bed bugs bite! (:

Some signs may indicate sleep deprivation, like those relating to mood and behavior. If you’re child is observed to be moody and irritable, it may be an indication of sleep deficiency. Also, with regard to behavior, if the child is seen to be hyperactive, there is probability that there is a lack of sleep in your child.

Other signs relating to mood include being easily upset or overly emotional. Having unexpected daytime naps, such as when riding in the car also shows that your child may be sleep deprived. During the morning, when he/she is difficult to wake up, probably the child had a difficult time sleeping thus shorter hours of sleep. But when there’s occasional falling asleep much earlier than regular bedtime, it may be a sign that the body is making up for the lack of sleep one had in previous days. If the child tends to be accident prone and likely to make mistakes, it can be a signal as well that there is lack of sleep. Other indications which affects the child considerably in school and even when relating to family members and friends shortened attention span, poor memory, and reduced concentration, problems adapting to new situations and difficulty playing independently.

Bruxism. Teeth-grinding often begins in childhood; a dentist will notice the damage to her teeth. When a child grinds her teeth, an unusually loud noise is produced. The child doe not remember grinding her teeth but may complain of a sore jaw in the morning. Stress is related to bruxism.

Sleep terrors. Sleep terrors are common in young children and are significantly different than a nightmare. A sleep terror is an abrupt episode that occurs during deep sleep in the first part of the night. The child screams out in distress and often flails her arms. Generally, children between the ages 4 and 8 experience sleep terrors. Restraining the child only causes her to fight back. Therefore, it is best to let the child get through the sleep terror in a safe place where she cannot hurt herself.

Snoring. Ten to twelve percent of all children snore. One to three percent of children with loud or regular snoring have a medical condition called sleep apnea. Apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing ranging from a few seconds to one minute long, as well as repeated arousals from sleep. Children with sleep apnea often have enlarged tonsils causing an airway obstruction. Other symptoms of sleep apnea include abnormal sleep positions, frequent headaches, regularly breathing through the mouth, and heavy sweating during sleep. Untreated apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, behavioral problems, school difficulties, and lead to other more serious problems.

When giving instructions, you should build direct eye contact, and you should be very specific. For instance, say, “Put your toys inside the box after you play.” Also, give young children only one instruction at a time. After following your instruction, you can add “Place the box inside your room.” Set time limits with each instruction too. You can say, “Put your toys inside the box before we have our supper.” In addition, you have to state the consequence of not following your instructions and follow through with the consequences if necessary.

There are a lot of creative ideas in giving terrific incentives to your children. You can have a family pillow fight, where the child can fully enjoy simple fun times like this. Or you can write a note to your child and put it in her school bag or lunch box, or stick it in her closet. Have a movie night at home, where you create fancy movie tickets and prepare special snacks. Your child can give play money to buy the tickets and food. How about going for a pajama drive? After your child has put on his/her pair of comfortable pjs, fasten your seat belts and go for a drive. Go by a drive-though for light snacks or ice cream, and drive around town. You can also use jelly beans or chocolate candies, raisins or other tiny treats as rewards for good behavior. Letting your child choose a game to play together is another fantastic incentive as well, as you are giving her the autonomy with your presence, in enjoyable situations like this. Speaking of autonomy, you can give a little freedom at bedtime to your child by letting him/her stay up 30 minutes later as an incentive for good job done, and to be able to spend more fun time with the child! (:

It is incredibly important to get your child’s level and make eye contact with him/her whenever possible. Eye contact is a vital communication for young children. Also, be instant and direct with your praise. As soon as the child displayed good behavior, give praise at once. Praise that is late and delayed is less effective. Another effective praise is being specific. Being precise with giving praise, like “You did a good job of keeping quiet inside the restaurant” is more effective than just saying “Good job” as it does little to reinforce positive behaviors.

Recognizing your child’s effort and not just the outcome when praising your child is also effective for children. Of course no child can be the best at all he does. Eventually your child will know your all-embracing praise as unrealistic. When you give praise, pair it with physical touch, like embracing or giving him/her high five. Be cautious not to criticize after you praise. It just defeats the praise you give. A statement like “You kept you room clean but I’d like it if you clean your room every time.” Such comment acts more of a complaint than a praise.

Take your praise a stride further and encouragingly identify your child’s self-concept. Couple your praise with a characteristic your child owns. For example, “I liked how you approached your new classmate and introduced yourself. You are a friendly person.” What’s more, keep in mind that you do not have to praise your child for all things, all the time. Find recent or previously unobserved behaviors. (:
 

Some of the causes of obesity in childhood can be attributed to not having a regular vigorous exercise. Children who also spend considerable time in front of the television for four or more hours everyday have a higher frequency of being obese than those who watch fewer than two hours per day. Furthermore, most diets of children nowadays are high in fat and sugar but low in fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Less than 25 percent of adolescents eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

There’s a genetic factor as well in childhood obesity. Hereditary predisposition in increasing weight is a predictor of childhood obesity, but a family environment of overeating and inactivity is the real reason of children gaining weight. If your family takes bikes or walks together after meals than watching television while eating meals, then your family may less likely to be overweight. It is also known that insufficient sleep may contribute to obesity because of the decrease in growth hormone secretion. So if your family always sleeps late and wakes up groggy the next day, not only it would lead to sluggishness, but also to obesity. If you also force your child to clean his plate, it may teach him to overeat. Allow him rather to get adequate food he can finish. Excessive nibbling on snacks may seem to be a role as well in children being obese. Even using food as a prize or punishment has been considered as a possible factor of overeating.

As parents, you have the task of teaching your children how to have healthy eating habits and a fit lifestyle. It’s pleasurable to have a family with children in shape and active, than overweight and inactive.

The risk factors include sleeping on his/her tummy; sleeping on a soft surface; maternal smoking during pregnancy; overheating; late or not prenatal care; young age of the mother; preterm birth; low birth weight; and male gender.

The summary of AAP recommendations includes placing your infant on his/her back every time he/she sleeps. The significant risk of side-sleeping is now recognized and is not considered an acceptable alternative to being fully on his/her back. Another is using a firm crib mattress covered by a sheet. Keep soft materials and loose bedding out of your baby’s crib. Also, do not smoke during pregnancy and avoid exposing your infant to secondhand smoke. Have your infant sleep in your room but not in your bed. Use a pacifier when placing your infant down to sleep throughout the first year of life. Avoid overheating or overbundling your infant. He/she should be lightly clothed for sleep and the bedroom should be kept at a temperature comfortable for a lightly-clothed adult. Furthermore, provide upright cuddle time and encourage “tummy time” when your baby is awake and being observed in order to avoid flattening of the head from back-sleeping. Regularly alternate your baby’s head position when placing him/her to sleep. In addition, do not use commercial products marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS, as none has been adequately tested for safety or effectiveness.

There are some useful tips for mothers who are breastfeeding while working. For one, you can fix your alarm half an hour earlier each morning to enjoy an unhurried breastfeeding time before your busy day starts. Even though the remainder of your day may be hectic, you don’t have to start by feeling hasty. Also, put on clothes that are suitable for pumping, like tops that have buttons in front and pull up. You can bring to work a spare blouse that is neutral in color and a sweater or jacket to prevent yourself from being uncomfortable if milk seeps out onto your outer garment. While you are at work, keep in mind to drink extra liquid. Carry a sports bottle handy with you so you can have water or juice anytime. Another tip is of course trying to nurse exclusively on weekends and days off. Unhindered breastfeeding can increase your milk resource and offer emotional refilling for you and your baby. Most of all, allow your focus to be on the nursing relationship, not the amount of milk you make. Apart from the quantity of milk you produce with pumping, attempt to concentrate on being able to nurse your baby when you are with each other.

Since you are a working mother, pumping at work may be part of your plan. While some have access to day cares near their work which take care of their babies all through the workday, the majority of moms will still need to use a breast pump to press out their milk at their baby’s normal feeding times. Preferably, your pumping site should be in close proximity and have a sink and running water so you can rinse your hands and wash your utensils.

Welcome to Holland
by Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability–to try to help people who have not shared this unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip–to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. Michelangelo’s David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. the stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland??” you say. “What do you mean Holland? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine, and disease. IT’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…And you begin to notice that Holland has windmills…and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy…and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away…because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.

But…if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things…about Holland.

* * *

Emily Perl Kingsley has been writing scripts for Sesame Street for thirty years. Much of her work on the show has focused on enhancing the understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities. Emily is the mother of Jason Kingsley (1974) and served as the dictation typist for Jason’s and Mitchell Levitz’s book Count Us In: Growing Up with Down Syndrome (published by Harcourt Brace in 1994). Emily lives in Briarcliff Manor, New York. Emily’s essay has been read by parents throughout the world since it was first published in 1987.

With regard to physical development, gross motor skills start to develop and become apparent such as jumping, running, and moving around with the whole body. Allow your child to have opportunities to develop more his gross motor skills by teaching dancing, skating, swimming or leading your child to a sport of his interest. Allow him to actively participate and not treat the program as competition. Also fine motor skills are advancing as your child learn to use eating utensils independently, dress himself, use paintbrush, hold a pencil or work with puzzles. 

Concerning social development, your preschooler takes pleasure in playing with other children. They rely on you to assist their interaction. Encourage your child to take turns and share, and instill in him such concepts. Always praise your child whenever he successfully takes turns and shares. Allow your child to have pretend plays to reinforce your preschooler’s verbal and creative skills. Call your child’s friends to play in your house.

For emotional aspect of your child’s growth, strong feelings start to emerge and as a parent, learn to deal with such strong feelings in proper ways. Allow your child to tell when he’s angry or frustrated, but again and again mold and promote appropriate behavior by your reactions.

Your child’s intellectual capacities are enhanced as they are offered a broad assortment of rich, personal sensory experiences. Engage your child to different activities which can stimulate his intellectual abilities like planting seeds, painting, or collecting things. Discuss what you are doing and seeing in such activities. Allow him to gaze at books, pay attention to stories, or sing songs.

Of course, the spiritual aspect of your child’s growth is important as well. Work together with your child’s teachers to be certain that he is having developmentally suitable experiences at church and school.

When your child has difficulty knowing when to stop, he can be having a great time with the activity he’s doing. Teach self-control to your kid by establishing clear rules and being consistent to such rules. When you say toys should be played in the room only, then stick to your rule. Remind your child when he seems to forget, and give praises when he’s able to follow the rules.

When he hits, pushes, or bites another child, he may be mad, irritated, or even overexcited. Help the child by stepping in before things get out of control. Recognize his feelings but be clear with what are the acceptable behaviors. It is all right to be angry, but it’s not all right to hurt others. 

When the child plays pretend games with playthings such as stuffed toys or made-up toys like telephones or cars, he might be imitating the things you do as a grown-up like talking on the phone, and others. Support his pretend play by playing with him, following his lead and not taking over.

When he has trouble sharing or taking turns, allow him to have an older child try to work things out for himself before stepping in to help. Act as his sharing teacher. Help him in taking turns, waiting and sharing.

When your child tells you when his diaper is wet or makes his way to the potty, he’s already aware what’s happening to his body and identifies the use of the potty. Aid your child in his potty training and try to make potty activities positive for the child.

When he gets frustrated trying to express himself, he may be having a hard time figuring out how to say what he means. Be patient with your child. Recognize his frustration and help him express in words by offering words he may be trying to say.

When he clings or cries when you are leaving, he may be saying that you make him feel safe and he’s anxious when you’re not around. Think about the feeling of your child and prepare him for it, by playing games like peekaboo and reassuring him that you will always come back when you say goodbye.

When he uses a spoon, drinks from a cup, and does other things using his fine motor skills, he’s learning to use his hands and do things for himself. Try to provide materials to your child like small toys which he can manipulate with his fingers, providing a room for practice.

When he responds to music by dancing and moving, he’s developing his gross motor skills. Dance and move with him, allow him to listen to different kinds of music and discover what he prefers best.

When he points to something and then looks at you to share his discovery, he’s developing his sensory skills as he would desire to hold and touch that thing. Allow your child to do so, when the object is safe.

When he says “No!” and begins defying rules and pushing limits, he wants to have independence and develop his own ideas. Encourage independence but with limited choices like asking him if he wants to wear the green or the yellow shirt, instead of asking him what shirt he wants to wear. Begin setting up coherent restrictions.

Speaking about developmental milestones, they are the important developments of your child from birth to two years. I’ve encountered a lot of developmental milestones checklists since I was a student until my current teaching years. I feel like every mother should have one of her own, to keep track of their baby’s firsts

First part is from birth to 12 months. Some examples are:
*When you child stops crying because he sees you coming, he’s probably saying he knows he can count on you when he needs you.
*When he cries, goos, gurgles, whimpers, smiles, rubs his eyes, arches his back, turns his head away, or opens his eyes widely, he might be saying,
‘I’m sleepy’
‘I’m hungry’
‘I’m wet!’
‘I’m scared’
‘I’m bored…’
‘I’m overwhelmed’ or
‘I’m interested.’
*When he startles and cries at loud noises, he’s most likely sensitive to sounds. Others love loud sounds like vroom vrooms and weee weees, but not him.
*When he smiles and responds with pleasure when you talk, sing, or read to him, he’s saying he loves to talk and sing with you.
*When he cries or clings to you when a new person approaches, he’s probably scared because he doesn’t know this person.
*When he observes his own hands, turns from stomach to back and from back to stomach, creeps forward or backward, or crawls, he’s learning how to make his body do what he wants it to do. He likes to practice the movements he can do.
*When he looks at you and smiles when he has done something great, he might be catching your attention and makes you want to be proud of his early achievements. (:

These are just some of the well-known and loved characters we met during our early years of schooling. They’re our preschool companions, posted in the classroom walls, roving in our books and singing in the classroom music players. I clearly remember my first schooling where I met Little Boy Blue. He’s the first songs & rhymes character my young mind got acquainted with. Little Boy Blue was hand painted in our classroom wall, and I couldn’t forget his picture sleeping under a haycock.

Songs, poems and rhymes are very helpful in our children’s early education. They are so much enjoyable to listen to. Even a very young baby likes a bubbly beat and rhythms that repeat. One time, my pregnant co-teacher told me her baby was bopping along with the nursery songs we were playing in our class, because she can feel her baby move.

Mother Goose rhymes are some of the most favorite rhymes through the years. Several rhymes may even be hundreds of years old, and they are still enjoyed by our children today. Song, rhymes and poems are used to help our kids learn things, like preparing them to read, basic concepts like counting, and values such as respect for people, doing your best, and taking good care of yourself. There are poems, songs and rhymes about people and animals, places and things, night and day, and even silly nonsense ones too. What’s more, there are also jump-rope rhymes, riddles, and tongue twisters for our children’s amusement.

In this decade of digital technology and high-tech gadgetry, creating a baby book is still the finest way to hold keepsakes of your baby’s unforgettable moments. Your baby’s scrapbook is part of your family’s history. A baby book is not just a photo album, but it also includes every tangible bits and pieces you want to preserve, like your baby’s first haircut, first fingernail trimming, his/her hospital tag, the first loosened milk tooth, or your child’s first abstract painting (early doodling with color, that is).

It stores photographs of your baby that you yourself as a blissful parent took, along with the captions you made for these valuable snapshots—from your child’s first footsteps, first pose, first visit to the dentist or to the hair salon for his/her first trim, and tons of baby photos you devotedly shot. It may include a journal where you can take note of every detail of your baby’s growing up moments, including the growing up pains you come across. 

A baby book not just displays memories from your baby’s early years, it also reflects a parent’s artistry and creativity in putting together his/her baby’s valuable mementos. You can draw, paint, sketch, scribble, and make designs together with the photos and items included in your baby’s scrapbook. You can even include lists, like your baby’s first favorites (favorite baby food, favorite color, et. al.), or your baby’s top ten words. As your baby grows, he/she can look back at his/her early years despite the lack of memory from such events due to infantile amnesia, because of this scrapbook you labored with love.

Some married couples designate compound names to their infants, obtained from the combination of their parents’ or grandparents’ names. Some combine their own names to produce a new name for their baby, like Matlyn for example, from father’s name Matthew and mother’s name Evelyn. Some get their newborn’s name from famous stars like Keanu (Reeves), Brad (Pitt), Gwyneth (Paltrow) or Cameron (Diaz). I, for one, was named after one of the Jackson Five’s. (:

According to one baby names website, the top names in 2006 were Aidan (boy) and Ava (girl). Aidan is of Gaelic origin meaning ‘little fire’, while Ava is of Afghan origin meaning ‘voice’. The rest of the list includes Caden and Abigail, Ethan and Emma, Connor and Isabella, Addison and Bailey, Riley and Chloe, Caleb and Olivia, and to finish the top ten list, Logan and Hannah. The names were compiled from the favorite name lists of their members during the year 2006.

If some couples get their names from Hollywood celebrities and popular stars, wonder how these stars name their babies? I came across a list of interesting celebrity names of famous couples’ babies. Here are some (I picked the most creative ones!):

Zowie Bowie - David & Angela Bowie
Kal-El Coppola Cage - Nicolas Cage & Alice Kim
Fifi-Trixibelle Geldof - Bob Geldof & Paula Yates
Peaches Honeyblossom Geldof - Bob Geldof & Paula Yates
Little Pixie Geldof - Bob Geldof & Paula Yates
Elijah Bob Patricus Guggi Q Hewson - Bono Vox (Paul Hewson) & Alison Stewart
Moxie Crimefighter Jillette - Penn & Emily Jillette
Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt - Angelina Jole & Brad Pitt
Pilot Inspektor Riesgraf Lee - Jason Lee & Beth Riesgraf
Ione Skye Leitch - Donovan Leitch & Enid Karl
Speck Wildhorse Mellencamp - John Mellencamp & Elaine Irwin
Daisy Boo Oliver - Jamie Oliver & Juliette Norton
Poppy Honey Oliver - Jamie Oliver & Juliette Norton
Fuchsia Catherine Sumner - Sting & Frances Tomelty
Diva Muffin Zappa - Frank & Gail Zappa
Moon Unit Zappa - Frank & Gail Zappa
Ian Donald Calvin Euclid “Dweezil” Zappa - Frank & Gail Zappa

These are just a few of the many creative names of celebrity couples’ babies! And my winner is: Pilot Inspektor! Good one, Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf. (:

To love a child does not mean to spoil him. The problem here is how to define love.

To love a child is to spank him, for him to learn. The kind of spank that he won’t burry in his mind forever. And try to explain to him why you have to do such a thing. To give his demands is good but in other times, try to tell him that you can’t give that material thing, that it’s a waste of money or such. Ofcourse children won’t appreciate right away the value of money. Give him a piggybank. Teach him how to save and to be thrifty over his money. And when he brought what he wanted after a long time of spending, he’ll understand why you didn’t bring that toy he demanded last month. Saving money is not just for grown kids, even for three year olds. Tell him many kids out there haven’t eaten a lot. Tell him many kids out there don’t have toys. Teach him to share so he won’t be selfish.

As to infants, it’s not actually about a spoiled child. In these ages, a child actually seeks for comfort. Even achild’s thumb or his toy car provides him cofort. Give him the kind of comfort he needs. But if he goes wild and obviously getting a little demanding and self- centered, try to explain to him or spank him. Like a pet, repetition is a good training. Never show infants your mad face saying mad words. Remember, parents are children’s first influence.

Here are some choices to consider in preventing SIDS:

1. For pregnant women, avoid smoking and/or using of drugs nor expose yourself to secondhand smoking since those who are exposed to such has higher risk of infants dying of SIDS.
2. Let your baby sleep on their back to promote proper breathing.
3. Avoid / prevent smoking in your home (it is also harmful to your health so it’s much better to avoid it permanently).
4. Continue breast-feeding. Some studies show that breast-feeding reduces the risk of SIDS perhaps because of its nutritional content. Aside from preventing SIDS, it is also helpful to increase the baby’s immune system.
5. Make sure to have a regular check-up. This is also to ensure the baby’s general health.
6. Remove any hazardous materials from the crib / bed / bassinets (e.g. stuff toys and other toys, too much pillows). It is best to keep the crib where the parents sleep.

As they say, “prevention is better than cure”. So it’s better to take this seriously to avoid SIDS.

Sharing my personal experience, we (me and my wife) were so young that we didn’t actually know that that certain day, she’d undergo Ultrasonic Fetal Scanning, as US FDA would define it, and surprised we were (or I think we weren’t given the option if we would consider my wife undergoing such process), to see a lovely image moving inside my wife’s womb. Really, it is one touching moment for the hopefuls. Though, I was kind of really expecting that I would see a figure where I could describe the physical qualities of an unborn baby because it was barely recognizable to be a baby.

Well, you can kiss those days goodbye. Well-known hospitals are now equipped with modern equipments to perform 3D ultrasound.

From the last months of bearing a child, pregnancy has never been this exciting after undergoing 3D ultrasound. Actual experiences show undeniable bliss from parents, to the grandparents, and the rest of the family after seeing the results, that they could actually see little fingers and toes, and even smaller details such as eyes and nose.

The experience gives these people the joy of pre-celebration as an addition to the family is to be joining them soon because it makes them feel as if the baby is already born. From this glorious moment goes the eternal debate whether who’s having the supreme blood, to which the baby would look more closely to. And grandparents… usually, they’re the starters!

As they’ve learned a woman is bearing a child, the soon-to-be parents (the mother herself), are unexplainably excited that they would always talk about babies, proper handling of newly-born, that they would spend hours exchanging ideas and past experiences with each children they have, showing only how hardly it is for them to wait for the forthcoming baby’s birth.

Truly, it is one touching moment when you see the baby react from the womb as you touch the mother’s belly, like it would stretch, feeling the warmth transmitted through the skin to skin contact (*tear*).

After few months come the cravings. It is believed that a pregnant woman, at this stage, craves for things, usually food, that sometimes gives the husband a very hard time to find (like what we usually see in the movies or in a sitcom on tv). Lucky for me, what my wife craved for was over-the-counter milk candies (whew!). Oh, and I didn’t actually knew it until my daughter was born because they’re everywhere, and it was easy for her to grab a bunch. Though, this whole thing proves nothing to do with the baby should he become as white as snow, or as tall as Shaq, according to the experts.

Nonetheless, it is a crap when you hear some people say that their child has fair complexion because they craved for coconut meat, or their child is so tall because they’ve been watching NBA during pregnancy.. Good grief!