child

The initial state of happiness about an own child is often overcome with annoyance after even a short period of time. Children quickly grow an own personality, and it's the most vital task of the parents to help develop it and give it a shape. Otherwise, the little angel can turn into a little devil adding considerably to the stress in life you already have.

Like everything else in life, child education is a tightrope walk between strictness and letting loose. Drifting off either way causes more problems than it solves. But of course what sounds clear and obvious in theory is much harder to actually apply practically.

The suggestions here are no rules to follow, they're mere guidelines and should animate own thoughts and ideas. After all, it's up to you what you think is best.

1. Discipline

During the first six month of its life, a baby won't yet be able to understand the connection between "bad behaviour" and punishment. What it really needs during that time is care and loving, to tighten the emotional bounds to its parents.

Nevertheless, even a baby that small is fully capable of repeating actions that lead to a pleasant result. So if any sob makes you appear immediately on the cradle, you'll find that you have a miniature dictator soon who keeps you up and running with joy.

Between seven and fourteen months, children normally start testing their limits. This results from a growth in both mobility and stubbornness, so what's being put on test are the parents' patience with keeping their little ones from exploring, often eating and probably destroying the reachable parts of the household and for how long they can get away with it.

Babies at that age start challenging their parents by stubborn disobedience, but that should not lead to punishment. Be firm and persistent in telling and showing them what they're not supposed to do, but don't be rude or harsh. Their concentration usually doesn't last, so distraction is a great weapon. They still need a lot of love, and your reward will be a happy time with a sometimes annoying, but mostly very cute baby.

Going towards an age of two years, the obstinacy takes often a negative direction: "No" is the preferred answer to all "propositions" ranging from eating and choice of toys to taking a bath and going to sleep.

Discipline can become considerably harder to apply, but is vital to steer the course of your child's further development. It has to learn that the authority and decision is with the parents. Still, love and forgiveness is of even importance. Especially the father's role as an authority for the child and support for his wife can make this period a lot easier.

With increasing mobility, skill and curiosity a child between two and three years can keep its mother constantly busy, taking every moment of silence as an indication of a new disaster involving eating things, messing around with things and getting stuck in things.

This can really add to the load of stress parents already have, and the explosive emotional or even physical reaction might ease the moment, but on the long term increases the problem. So be as relaxed as possible and make sure you've got all valuable pieces of household equipment properly secured. When children receive a bump or scratch that's no drama - turning it into one will just make you and your child over-freightened in the future. Still, with all calmness, don't miss to tell your child when it did wrong and discipline when it's overdoing it.

In the following years, the focus of education should be on the child's character and attitudes. The influence of trends, friends and media is strong, and the temptation to try new things is high. At the same time, the control parents have over their children's activities is reduced, and especially when it comes to trends parents often lack understanding for the things that are "in".

So even though your child becomes more independent, it's important that you have time together and show interest in its experiences, interests and problems. Offer to talk about things, but don't urge. Show understanding and always be there as someone your child can talk to without fear - remember the days when you were in that age, and your feelings at that time.

And, most important: Be a paradigm to your child. You cannot expect it to do something you don't have the power or courage to do yourself. Respect is nothing that can be taught, but has to be earned, even by parents.

2. Rules of thumb

- Be just!

Don't expect your child to behave according to rules you haven't set. Especially young children often can't distinguish between right and wrong. So even if something is clearly a stupid idea for you, it might seem a brilliant one to it.

- Be firm!

If you give in to your child's defiant reaction, maybe because you're just tired of the whole thing, you lose much more than that fight. You give away authority and respect.

- Forgive!

After a confrontation is settled, reassure your child of your love and show that you're not resentful.

- Don't ask for the impossible!

No matter what your means of education are like, you can't expect a child to behave like an adult. Children sometimes behave irresponsibly - that's built-in.

- Don't forget the love!

In the end, no matter how much trouble you might have with each other, don't forget to show that you love your child. And when it comes to decide how to educate, how to reward and how to discipline, listen to your heart what's the right thing to do.

Child labour is a complicated issue, on one hand no one wants to see underage children making toys, but we are told if they do not work then their family risks even greater poverty. Journalist Arthur Neslen tells us that despite various campaigns and censure, without basic respect for workers rights child labour will continue.

Children work. They always have. But the 250 million 5-14 year olds that UNICEF estimates are economically active around the world are not predominantly newspaper boys and girls. They are labourers, often working in conditions that cripple their bodies, stunt their growth and shorten their lives - and their employers can be found selling the fruits of their labour on any Western high street.

"Demand here, effects lives there", was the way a Panorama investigation into the chainstores NIKE and THE GAP put it, but the exploitation of child labour is fundamentally about supply. When lobbyists protest about 'unfair' regulations, red tape and barriers to trade, they are often attacking the only protection children have from working 16 hour days in sweatshops.

Of course, no corporation will admit this.

NIKE formally proclaims a zero tolerance policy towards child labour and has even signed up to a United Nations pledge to outlaw the practice. But the October 2000 Panorama documentary 'No Sweat?' found children as young as 12 working for June Textiles, a Cambodian factory subcontracted to make Nike clothing. Living in rat infested shanty towns, the children had seen neither their parents or a school for months. Working 16 hours a day on their feet, the youngsters would get one short break and after seven non-stop days, receive $10 for their pains.

The Nike code of conduct says that adults should work and children should be free to study and play. But as Fiona King of Save the Children pointed out, 'It's impossible for most multinationals to guarantee child labour-free goods because of the complexity of their supply chains. It's a sales gimmick.'

Indeed, June Textiles is also subcontracted to make clothing for THE GAP. As was the Mandarin International garment manufacturing plant in El Salvador, until in June 1995 the National Labour Committee found more than 100 workers at the site aged between 14 and 17. Although this complied with El Salvadorean - and The Gap's - minimum requirements, the children were forced to work longer hours than allowed by law. The company was eventually compelled to accept independent monitoring of its code of conduct at Mandarin. Elsewhere, like Nike, the Gap uses its own monitors who, as the BBC researchers discovered, are often less than thorough.

Independent monitoring though, is no panacea. Last September in Shenzhen, southern China, child labourers were locked in toilets and dormitories when independent monitors visited, according to the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee. The plant, which manufactured Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh toys for the burger giant McDONALDS, had been accused in a South China Morning Post report of employing children as young as 14. The children were reportedly paid the equivalent of $3 for a 16 hour day.

Of course, when children work such long hours, is it not just their health that suffers. The National Labour Committee presented evidence to Congressional hearings in April 1996 that 13-year olds producing Kathie-Lee Gifford label clothing for WAL-MART in Honduras were sometimes forced to work through the night, and not permitted to attend night school. Wal-Mart had previously been named in a 1993 NBC Dateline story about Bangladeshi children who produced garments for their stores. But the fall-out from that case raised other questions about ethical disinvestment.

Repercussions Wal-mart was put under pressure to cancel its contracts with Bangladeshi manufacturers and legislation was proposed to close the US market to suspect Bangladeshi suppliers. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) responded by forcing the dismissal of thousands of children from factories. But no safety net was provided and the ensuing poverty forced many children into begging, prostitution, the domestic servant trade and ironically, work for underground subcontractors in the garment industry under worse conditions than before.

It took a year of negotiations for an agreement to be signed by UNICEF, the ILO and the Asian-American Free Labour Institute asking the BGMEA to stop firing underage workers until a school system and other measures were in place.

An adopted child has the same emotional and physical needs as any other child. As a parent of an adopted child, you have the same responsibilities and concerns as any other parent. But adoption adds another dimension to parenting. The fact that adopted children are not living with either of their biological parents can be a source of insecurity and apprehension for both children and parents. It's important for parents to come to terms with this difference openly and honestly and make sure that they treat their adopted child the same way they would treat a biological child. If your child was adopted, he or she may also experience many conflicting emotions-grief, fear, anger, identity confusion-about the adoption. The best way to help your child deal with such emotions is by communicating about the adoption openly. In the end, most adopted children are secure, happy, and well adjusted and have a deep, loving, long-lasting relationship with their adoptive parents.

Some children are adopted when they are older, after spending some time in one or more foster homes or in an orphanage. The environment in which a child was previously raised can have a significant impact on his or her physical and emotional health. Some children may not have received affection, stimulation, adequate medical care, or even basic needs, such as adequate nutrition, in their previous home. Some may have been physically abused and incurred severe emotional problems. The long-term consequences of these early experiences on a child are often difficult to predict. Learn as much as you can about the child's early experience, so you will be able to give the child the necessary support and understanding. Many families can get their adopted children on the right track simply by providing a warm, secure, and loving home in which they can reach their full potential.

If you have adopted a child from another country, teach your child about the country in which he or she was born to instill an appreciation of its culture and history. Form a play group with other parents who have adopted children from the same country so your child has playmates with a similar life experience. If your child is of a different race from you, he or she will like having friends who resemble him or her. Your adoption agency can help you find resources, such as an ethnic cultural center or summer camp, devoted to preserving the culture of your child's birth country. You may even want to give your child language lessons in his or her native tongue. Above all, always show that you accept and love your child just as he or she is.

Experts agree that adopted children raised in a family that feels comfortable talking about adoption are more likely to be emotionally well adjusted. As parents, your level of comfort in talking about adoption with your child will disclose how you feel about adoption and will influence your child's own feelings about it. He or she may think there is something bad about being adopted if it is kept a secret. The worst way for your child to find out that he or she is adopted is from someone other than you. Hearing about the adoption from you lets your child know that adoption is good and that you can be trusted.

Begin telling your child that he or she was adopted during infancy to make being adopted part of the child's identity from a young age. Don't just talk about the adoption once; repeat the story, adding more and more information

Child abuse is the physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect of children by parents, guardians, or others. Child abuse happens in all cultural, ethnic, and income groups. Abuse may cause serious injury to the child and may even result in death. There are many effects of child abuse. Emotional effects include low self-esteem, depression and anxiety, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, alienation and withdrawal, and personality disorders. Physical effects include injury, death, lifelong health problems, cognitive difficulties, and physical disabilities. Behavioral effects include problems in school and work, delinquency, teen pregnancy, suicide attempts, criminal or antisocial behavior, substance abuse, aggressive behavior, spousal and child abuse, and anger.

Child abuse can have dire effect.during both childhood and adulthood. The effects of being abused as a child vary according to the severity of the abuse and the surrounding environment of the child. If the family or school environment is nurturing and supportive, the child will probably have a healthier outcome. There are many causes of child abuse. Mental illness is another common factor, with many abusers having personality disorder or other severe forms of mental illness. Psychosocial factors also play a role.Stress, including the stress of caring for children, or the stress of caring for a child with a disability, special needs, or difficult behaviors. Many times, physical abuse is a result of excessive discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate for the child's age.

The parent may simply be unaware of the magnitude of force with which he or she strikes a child. Chronic maltreatment can be treated effectively with Cognitive Behavioral therapy interventions, other therapeutic interventions, education, EMDR and other approaches. Reducing the incidence of child abuse is a matter of education and intervention. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy based on modifying cognitions, assumptions, beliefs and behaviors, with the aim of influencing disturbed emotions. Medication can be useful for the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other symptoms. Child abuse prevention is a societal and governmental issue. When children reach age three, parents should begin teaching them about "bad touches" and about confiding in a suitable adult.

Child Abuse Treatment and Preventin Tips

1. In child abuse cases Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is also recommended.

2. Some medication can be useful for the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other symptoms.

3. When children reach age three, parents should begin teaching them about "bad touches".

4. Some time for children, play therapy and family therapy can be helpful.

The development of your child is a complex and involved process, spanning a number of different physical and mental elements. Encouraging the mental development of your child, in terms of sociality, intellect and emotion is crucial in raising a well-rounded child to progress to adulthood, although it can often be quite difficult to think of creative and effective ways to stimulate this kind of development in your child. Given its importance, this kind of child development should be conducted both in and out of the classroom environment, to provide a consistent, efficient approach to growth and mental strength. In this article, we will look at some of the ways you as a parent can help stimulate your child's development.

Stimulating child development is a crucial part of raising a child, and requires creativity as much as consideration and thought for the requirements of mature thought and intellect. As a parent, it can often be hard to understand how best to stimulate your child intellectually, and of course there are no rulebooks telling you how it must be done. A great deal of the process comes down to exercising common sense, and understanding the needs and requirements of your child. Through constant interaction with your child, you can help gain a better understanding of the emotional and physical needs which you should then cater to whilst pushing for intellectual development and challenge.

As a parent, you should actively look to immerse your child in reading and writing suitable for their stage of development, whilst also prompting basic numeracy and problem solving capabilities. This combined with the opportunity for creative expression should be a great way to encourage your child and build confidence, as well as creating and strengthening the social bond between parent and child. This kind of interaction and stimulation will ultimately improve your child's social skills, and help emphasise the importance of emotional intelligence, as a supplement to social and academic intelligence.

By providing a range of activities for your child to accomplish, and providing praise and reward for successful completion, you can make learning and development fun for your child, and install a sense of passion as regards learning and self improvement. Through providing constant stimulation for your child, in balance with an emphasis on self dependence, you can create a suitable environment for personal and social development as your child ages and matures.

Child development is not set in stone, and it can be quite difficult to get it perfect every time. Similarly it takes a bit of getting to know your child and interaction on a parental basis, which again will differ from family to family. What is important, however, is that you present a consistent approach to parenting, providing the levels of intellectual and emotional stimulation required by your child at the various stages of development to raise your child to its full potential. By working in-sync with your local school and the educational development of your child, you can give him or her the best chance of success later down the line.