by Jennifer Shakeel

As a parent, we want to do all we can to help our children. We want to see them succeed, feel as though they belong, have high self esteem and desire to achieve their dreams. When your child suffers with ADD/ADHD encouraging them to dream, and to strive for greatness can be difficult. They may be feeling alone, unconnected and frustrated. While you try to encourage them, sometimes it just isn’t enough. So here is a list of famous people who have Attention Deficit Disorder and are among the best in their field or industry.

Famous Inventers and Great Minds:

• Alexander Graham Bell – He invented the telephone
• Leonardo Di Vinci – A famous artist and inventor
• Thomas Edison - His teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything!
• Albert Einstein - Physicist – Did you know that Einstein was four years old before he
  could speak, and seven before he could read

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Without a doubt global warming is one of the biggest problems that the world is facing today, and will continue to be a large problem in our kids lives. However, many of its effects will fall upon future generations - unless it is stopped or slowed down dramatically. There is a lot that we can do right now, but it is also important to get the children of today involved in the fight against global warming. 

Teaching kids the dangers of Global Warming

Educating and involving our children is one way to get our kids interested. We need to involve them through conversations and activities and show them what they can do to help the cause. Education through involvement is key. We must find creative ways to show children what problems global warming has already caused, and what problems it could, and most probably will cause in the future. This will help bring forth curiosity about what contributions out kids can make to help change things.

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by Jennifer Shakeel

Family is important for all children, and even more so for the child with ADD/ADHD. What happens at home and how they are treated and interacted with will carry over into other aspects of their life at school, later on with work and it will help them build relationships. I know first hand that parenting a child with ADD/ADHD can be overwhelming and at times take its toll on the family. Frustration and chaos do not have to be a way of life for you, your child or your family. Here are things that you can do to make sure that the entire family is involved and the needs of everyone are being met.

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by Jennifer Shakeel

I have yet to find another job in the world that is more challenging then that or parenting. You are constantly faced with the questions of whether or not you are doing a good job as a parent, teaching your child the difference between right and wrong in hopes that they grow up to be productive, respectful people. This is compounded when you are raising a child that has ADHD.

I am not going to try to lecture from a medical standpoint on what to do as a parent for your child with ADHD. I am not a therapist of any sort and the medical experience that I do have is removed from what I am about to talk to you about. I am a parent and my child has ADD/ADHD. Believe me when I tell you I understand the struggle you are having right now and the guilt that you carry with you. I would bet that much like me, you were told by teachers or saw the warning signs and refused to admit that there was anything “wrong” with your child. Let me tell, there isn’t anything wrong with your child, your child with ADHD requires different things then a child that does not have ADHD.

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Easter candy is almost a tradition in most households. Every year moms try to decide what to give their kids for Easter. No doubt the kids would prefer candy and chocolate. However, it is a good idea to include some healhier alternatives. There are many healthy replacements for Easter candy baskets you can try. Here are a few tips and ideas.

Instead of chocolate or marshmallow candy, try filling or including with:

* Fruits and cookies. You can bake natural cookies at home that taste yummy.
* Mini boxes of raisins and low fat candies.
* Stuffed bunny rabbits and jelly beans, which are low in calories.
* A basket of brightly colored plastic eggs; with coins inside each egg.
* Coloring books and crayons.
* Small toys for either girls or boys.
* Peanut butter cookies and mini bran muffins.

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Hillary Clinton and Rep. John Dingell today introduced the Childrens First Health Act. If passed. it will make health care for children more affordable and help plug the whole of some 9 million children in the US that do not have health insurance. Politically I have not made any decisions yet for president and I know health care is reform is widely debated. I look at this issue not only from a parent but also from a child who had chronic health issues, was hospitalized, and visited the emergency room many many times. To me its a crime so many parents in the U.S. have to skimp on their childrens health care because of rising costs or just not being able to pay for it. Our children are our future. I don’t feel its a matter of whether we can afford it or not, its more of a matter that we can no longer afford not to.

Here is Hillary’s video where she explains her proposal and justification for the Children’s First Health Act. 

Childhood asthma is near and dear to me. As a child I was hospitalized and visited the emergency room so many times I cannot even count. An asthma attack is very scary for both the parent and child. If a parent thinks their child is having an asthma attack it is important for the parent to remain calm and call 911 or a competent medical professional immediately. I cannot empasis enough for the parent to remain calm since raising the anxiety of a child will only make things worse. Now, on with the article on some things as a parent that will be helpful to know and watch out for:

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Good nutrition does more than feed your children’s bodies—it also feeds their brains. Eating the right nutrients helps children’s brains develop and grow so that they can think more clearly and handle stress better. For example, a study of 200 students found that eating bananas for breakfast on the day of an exam helped the students stay more alert.

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Many teens in high school want to try out for sports.  A lot of them try because they think it will make them popular or get them more dates.  While this may seem like a silly reason, there are lots of other benefits to sports that your child may overlook.  Here are some reasons that you’ll find comforting.

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It seems there is an almost irresistable attraction between germ and kids. You’ve taken your youngest child to the park; sit her in the sandbox, only to notice she begins to eat the sand. Perhaps your child is playing in the backyard with the family dog, and starts kissing the dog on the mouth. When it comes to germs and kids, an irresistible attraction is imminent. What can you do to avoid these two opposites from becoming attracted to each other?  Here are some tips that may help.

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Most parents are faced with this problem. Would’nt it be nice if our children ate everything put in front of them? As parents we all want our kids to have a healthy diet, but a toddler can make that task nearly impossible. My son, who is 4 1/2 can definitetly be a challenge. Children at that age and younger are notoriously picky eaters, and sometimes getting them to eat a well balanced meal can be quite a challenge. Even when a child eats well as a baby, a toddler may all of a sudden hate everything you try to feed him. Parents can only hope that the foods the little guy chooses are healthy and nutritious, but unfortunately that is not always the case.

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Drinking Water for Toddlers Is Essential

Children often see all sorts of concoctions on television that make water appear very unexciting and unappealing. How can water compete with a soda or kool-aid? Providing water for a toddler early on is important for your child health, and encouraging him to drink it as part of his routine, makes the task less daunting. If you wait to introduce water to a toddler once he’s tasted yummy beverages like Kool Aid and cola, he will probably wrinkle his nose and ask for something else after one sip. From an early age we always provided our son with his own water bottle and encouraged him through example. So far that has worked well. Here is some information on why water is so important and some additional tips to help get your young one to drink more water. Read More

Is your child getting enough exercise? If she isn’t exercising at all, you should take steps to change that today. Exercise is important to your children’s health. Here are more reasons why your child benefits from a regular exercise routine:

1. Exercise reduces the risk of obesity. If your child participates in a regular exercise program, her chances of becoming obese are dramatically reduced. An active child means a healthier child. Read More

by Stacey Schifferdecker

To feed your child’s brain what it needs, focus on providing “whole” foods, especially colorful whole foods. Whole foods are foods in their natural state, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, brown rice, whole grains, and meat. Melons and berries, for example, are excellent brain foods. Whole foods are always better than processed foods, which are usually stripped of their vitamins and minerals. What are other great brain foods to offer your children all day long?

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There can be nothing more devistating to a teen than having problems with acne. It can be a major blow to your childs self-esteem and confidence. As parents we may not feel it is a bit deal, but for a teen it can be a cause of major embarrasement and can effect how they interact socially. In my early teens I had a real bad time with acne and became more introverted because of that. Parents can help by understanding what your teen is going through, understanding some of the causes of acne and some treatments that will help your child. If your childs acne becomes a major concern you should contact your local health care professional or demotologist who can recommend more agressive treatments and therapies.  Below is a general overview of acne and some things that may help.

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