Is the use of parental control on your TV bad or good?

Parental controls on television sets came about because the Federal Communications Commission felt it was time to act to protect children from excessive violence and sexualized and other adult themes without the supervision of parents. This came at a time when children were already becoming known for "latch-key" status of being without supervision due to job demands family budgets keeping both parents working when children were home from school.

Add this to the proactive television industry that wanted to prevent more legal requirements imposed on them. This industry felt that by taking a parent-friendly approach and voluntarily offering the V-Chip and other similar control technologies, that their costs to manufacture would remain lower and their opportunities for increased sales from their cooperative attitude would ultimately earn more on its bottom line from more patronage.

However, the advent of cable television, along with many more channels being paid for by adults, changed the situation to one where technology could interfere with the purchaser's enjoyment of any television viewing. The sad reality became one of parents being too busy to learn how to set the V-Chip or to use the technology; in some cases; their children learned to use the technology more effectively. This created the situation of the fox guarding the hen house, and children could easily skirt around such controls or find them not in use at all. The increase in sexualized and violent content in other media, such as songs on the radio, also exposed children in ways that television parental controls could not control.

Basically, the argument has become one of too little, too late. It was a politically-sound and profitable idea to try the parental control technology not for protecting children; rather, it secured friendly votes in legislation and created profitable public relations for the television manufacturing industry. The children, sadly, remained unprotected as always.

The technology alone is beyond the basic grasp of many adults. For example, some televisions automatically implement parental controls when they have been unplugged and turned back on. Ostensibly, this is to continue protection in the event of power outages or children trying to circumvent the control by unplugging the set. The industry and trade open secrets of resetting the television to turn off the controls, while simple to learn, are intimidating to some adults. Nevertheless, some adults are forced to learn because they cannot view programming that they are paying to view, and the intimidating nature of the technology becomes a hindrance and an annoyance too offensive to ignore. So, the controls go unused, or the television gets replaced with something that does not contain the parental control.

All of these factors continue to prod adults into not relying on parental controls and technology to supervise children's television viewing. It is a waste of politics, of time, and no one acts ultimately in favor of the child when this system is used. Children themselves have learned to circumvent the controls or to obtain the exposure to forbidden programming from neighbors or from other media such as film and radio. Even through their interactions with peers at school, the exposure to forbidden programming continues without parental supervision.

It would probably be better to focus efforts away from appeasing parent-voters and throwing extra money to the television manufacturers and to start sitting our children down with their own parents to discuss adult themes and issues as they arise on the screen. Thus, children get exposed to new life issues while getting their parent's reactions and perspectives on dealing with them. In this manner, children can be entertained, informed, and enjoy the pleasure of their parents' company all the more.

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Is the use of parental control on your TV bad or good?

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My out of control teen

Believe it or not, your child doesn't need counseling. You don’t need
parenting classes. You don’t need nor would you want a 250 pages
manual on how to be a better parent. Who has time for that? And you
don’t need to go through another year of pain and misery with rebellious,
foul-mouthed teenagers with an "attitude."

However, what you may need is someone who has worked with troubled teens and frustrated parents for nearly 20 years and does so for a living to show you a set of very effective parenting techniques that are guaranteed to work. That would be me, Mark Hutten. (http://disciplineteensandpreteens.cjb.net)

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How to Fight Allergies Part III

Some think that allergies are milder in adults than in children. But this is not true. A person can develop allergies regardless of age. For example, in the case of a difficulty-in-breathing symptom, a child has smaller airways than an adult which could imply that children get more severe allergic reactions. But allergic responses do not rely on age so the best action towards it is to take an allergy seriously as soon as you recognize it.

In addition to acknowledging the fact that an allergy can develop at any age, it would also be helpful to know that allergy shots are also not limited to an age bracket. A person can start receiving allergy shots at any age. Allergy shots are sometimes referred to as immunotherapy and it’s usually for people who suffer from year-round series of symptoms, severe seasonal symptoms, or conditions associated with allergies like asthma.

Take action when over-the-counter drugs don’t seem to be working for you. If you have observed that your symptoms are becoming way too severe for medication, then you really should talk to your doctor about getting shots. Sometimes it’s once a week, then as symptoms become milder, allergy shots can be as rare as once a month.

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How to Fight Allergies Part II

One of the most common allergies is being allergic to pollen. But you might think this allergic reaction is limited to pollen, but you could be wrong. In this example, foods with same chemical structure as that of pollen can also elicit the same allergic reaction.
Scientific studies have found out that intake of apples, peaches, pears, plums, carrots, almonds, or cherries can bring about an allergic reaction in a person allergic to birch trees. A ragweed allergy is also connected to eating melons, zucchini, bananas, kiwis, or cucumbers. The best way to prevent this allergy extension it to avoid foods which give the same allergic effect, especially during the pollen season.
Will your child have the same allergies that you have? The truth is, your child only has a 50% chance of inheriting your allergies and your husband’s. What you pass on is tendency to be allergic, and not the specifics. The best thing to do is to check with an allergist and have your child tested for allergies before s/he develops symptoms. Be vigilant of signs that could be spelling a particular allergy such as vomiting, coughing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, constant colds, eczema, stuffy nose, and sinus infections.

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HOW TO PICK THE GENDER OF YOUR BABY

Dear Future Parent:

My name is Ashley Spencer and I was once right where you are at this very moment.

I wanted to have a baby very, very badly. Specifically, I wanted a precious, wonderful baby girl. However, I didn’t think it was possible.

After giving birth to three little boys (whom I love dearly), I thought I would never give my husband the "daddy's girl" he so badly wanted; I thought I would never give my little boys the baby sister they so badly needed. I was on the verge of a serious, de-habilitating depression. My husband, Matt, started to notice a change in my behavior. A change for the worse. Being the caring man that he is (I'm a lucky one!), he convinced me to confess the reason for my "down in the dumps" attitude....

Fast forward three weeks later... my husband and I sat down one evening waiting for our favorite television show to begin. He had been acting strange ever since he returned home from work that afternoon. Have you ever been around someone who wants to tell you something, but for some reason that person seems to be scared to tell you exactly what it is that's on their mind? That's exactly how my hubby was acting that evening. He had a cautious mixture of excitement and apprehension in his eyes... and... it was driving me crazy!

That's when I had enough of the suspense. I said to him, "Matt, what is it babe? What is on your mind?" After pausing for a few seconds, he finally spilled the beans. A guy that he worked with had just become a father to a baby girl. My husband went on to explain that after he teased this man about "how many more (children) for you?", the man replied "No more. We got what we wanted, two boys and a girl....we (he and his wife) planned it that way!".

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How To Make Your Child a Genius

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How to Fight Allergies

Never underestimate an allergy. Our bodies are being more and more responsive to substances which are even practically harmless, like pollen, or a cold weather. Your symptoms should be treated early on or it can develop into something more serious. Recognize the signs of having an allergy by being aware and extra-attentive to how your body reacts to trees or plants. And take more control of your body by fighting against these allergies.

Some of the time you don’t know what you’re allergic to, and symptoms just occur unexpectedly. An antihistamine OTC drug might help lessen allergic reaction when the usual signs of allergy strike: irritated eyes, runny nose, or sudden sneezing.

There are a lot of antihistamine drugs to fight allergies. The best thing for you to do is to consult your doctor which antihistamine drug is perfect for your body, meaning, that which brings relief with less side-effects. Some allergies can’t be scared off with antihistamines. Then you might need prescription medicine from your doctor.

One serious thing about having an allergy is the tendency of the person to develop asthma. When you suddenly find it hard to breathe even when only a mild allergy strikes, you should probably start taking your allergy seriously. Seasonal allergies which remain untreated might lead to sinusitis, middle-ear infections, or even bronchitis. It can also lead to asthma where your airways and get constricted so you find it really hard to breathe.

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Speech skills

Speech skills are best developed early on since children have the best capabilities for language learning in their formative years. Some say great speakers are born. Well, part of this is true since. If you want your child to grow up as a great orator , then you may want to develop his skills early. Here are some pointers on how to aid the child to speak clearly.

· In actuality, only 5%-10% of the human population have flawless speech. The rest have some sort of speech disorder like roughness of voice, lisping, or stuttering. So don’t be too alarmed when you child exhibits any of these.

· Observe if the child continues to exhibit these traits. If they persist, you may consult a speech therapist. Tackling these issues early on can easily correct the problem/

· Don’t stop the child from talking. Initial discouragement can build up as a block for th child. Encourage him to talk but don’t force.

· Don’t cut the child short in mid sentence or finish the sentence for him. Let him express what needs to be said and then tell him to start the sentence over again.

· It may also help to not to show your disdain or strain in comprehending him because of the disorder. Some children may approximate disorders like stuttering to get attention.

· Treat the child as normal. No one wants to be singled out or isolated. Also, it may harbor a thought in the child’s mind that he is flawed.

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Parenting Styles in Psychology

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Dealing with Your Child’s Allergies

If you take your hay fever lightly, it doesn’t mean you should give the same attention (or the lack of it) when it’s your baby who’s getting the sniffles. All parents wish to protect their children; but against what exactly? When it comes to your baby, you just have to know.
No pets allowed. It’s sad but true: some kids are allergic to furry, very cute animals. A puppy, for instance can give your child runny nose and also some sneezing. Once you have recognized this allergy, immediately take your child away from the animal and wash his hands with antibacterial soap. You can also give you child a full bath to clean the hair and do away with the soiled clothes.

No to peanut-butter, please. An even sadder condition is when your child starts reacting weirdly to peanut-butter. Instead of enjoying the sandwich, your child complains of an itchy throat. This itchy throat can lead to difficulty in breathing, stomach cramps and even diarrhea. When this happens, call 911.

Your child has to undergo a medical evaluation so that you will know the nature of your child’s allergy, and maybe determine other foods he may be allergic to. This condition is known as anaphylaxis. Insect stings can also cause this allergic condition. Inform the adults who sometimes tend for your child like the people in school, at home, and also the babysitter so that all of you

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Train Your Kids To Study At Home

Start with thirty-minutes of uninterrupted study time and lengthen the hours eventually. You’re not just teaching them to study per se, but you’re basically helping them develop focus and concentration.

Here are some tips to help you make the home a more conducive place to do their homework and review for their tests.

Reserve a portion of the house for a study area. It can be your study, or the breakfast nook, or even the dining room - as long as you have a desk or table, a comfortable chair, and some writing implements.

Do not let them go up in their bedroom as it’s most likely that the last thing they’ll do is study. Perhaps, later on when the practice has been ingrained in them then you can let them do the studying at their own time and at their own place. In the meantime, just make sure that wherever the study area is, it should be isolated and free of distractions.

During the appointed study time, turn the television and the radio off. You may even disconnect the phone if you want. Ask for their portable gadgets (i.e. iPods, cell phones, hand-held consoles, etc.), as they will only be returned after study hour.

Put the computer in a more communal space, preferably near the study area. Not only can you monitor their use, but they won’t have to move from their study area to do research or type reports.

Be on hand. We don’t want to sound political but Barack Obama says an important point in his campaign - something to the lines of - No matter how good our teachers get, it’s important for parents parent. Stay in or near the area with a silent project of your own – writing correspondences, reading a book or newspaper, etc. Give them space but be close enough so that if they need your help, you can easily go to them and assist.

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