Lying of babies: parents duties

It may not seem like a big deal if your child says he made his bed when he barely pulled up the covers, or if he tells a friend that he's been to Walt Disney World when he's never even been on a plane, but it's important to confront any type of dishonesty head-on. 

Lying can become automatic if your child learns that it's an easy way to make himself look better, to avoid doing something that he doesn't want to do, or to prevent getting into trouble for something he's already done.

When your child fibs, sit down with him and set the record straight. Say, "It would be fun to go to Disney World, and maybe we can go some day, but you shouldn't tell Ben that you've been there when you really haven't." 

Let him know that if he doesn't always tell the truth, people won't believe what he says. Look at his motivation for lying, and make sure he doesn't achieve his goal. For example, if he said that he brushed his teeth when he didn't, have him go back and brush them. 

When 5-year-old Sophia Hohlbaum started stretching the truth, her mom, Christine, told her the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," in which a boy who'd been lying cries for help for real and people ignore him. Storytelling helps kids view the problem from the outside in.. Now Sophia's very straightforward with me? and she's very self-righteous if I don't believe her.

House rules for children

It's certainly convenient when your child can get his own snack or pop in a DVD, but letting him have control of activities that you should regulate doesn't teach him that he has to follow rules. 

It may be cute when your 2-year-old walks along the counter to get the cookies out of the cabinet, but just wait until he's 8 and goes to visit a friend who lives three blocks away without asking.

Establish a small number of house rules, and talk about them with your child often ("You have to ask whether you can have sweets because that's the rule"). 

If your child turns on the TV without permission, for instance, tell him to turn it off and say, "You need to ask me before you turn on the television." Stating the rule out loud will help him internalize it.

When 3-year-old Sloan Ibanez took some markers without asking and colored one of her arms completely yellow, her mom, Tanzy, told her that she couldn't help with painting a garage-sale sign later that afternoon. 

She cried, but I knew I had to nip this in the bud or else I'd pay the price later because she'd do it again and again.

Talk style with babies

Telling your child two, three, even four times to do something she doesn't want to do, such as get into the car or pick up her toys, sends the message that it's okay to disregard you and that she--not you--is running the show. Reminding your child again and again just trains her to wait for the next reminder rather than to pay attention to you the first time you tell her something.

Tuning you out is a power play, and if you allow the behavior to continue, your child is likely to become defiant and controlling.

Instead of talking to your child from across the room, walk over to her and tell her what she needs to do. Have her look at you when you're speaking and respond by saying, "Okay, Mommy." Touching her shoulder, saying her name, and turning off the TV can also help get her attention. If she doesn't get moving, impose a consequence.

When 6-year-old Jack Lepkowski, of Ossining, New York, started practicing "selective hearing," his parents decided to take action. They told him that if they had to ask him to do something more than once, such as come to dinner or take a bath, he would get to watch only one video that day (his usual allotment is two) or he'd miss a playdate that week. If they had to remind him twice, he would lose two videos or two playdates. "I try not to give in because otherwise his selective hearing will continue," says his mother, Lydia. "This tactic seems to be working!"

Shouldn't do aggressive behavior with babies

Your child may be incredibly excited to tell you something or ask a question, but allowing her to butt in to your conversations doesn't teach her how to be considerate of others or occupy herself when you're busy. As a result, she'll think that she's entitled to other people's attention and won't be able to tolerate frustration.

The next time you're about to make a call or visit with a friend, tell your child that she needs to be quiet and not interrupt you. Then settle her into an activity or let her play with a special toy that you keep tucked away. If she tugs on your arm while you're talking, point to a chair or stair and tell her quietly to sit there until you're finished. Afterward, let her know that she won't get what she's asking for when she interrupts you.

You know that you have to step in when your child punches a playmate, but you shouldn't disregard more subtle aggressive acts, like shoving his brother or pinching a friend. If you don't intervene, rough behavior can become an entrenched habit by age 8. Plus, it sends a message that hurting people is acceptable.

Confront aggressive behavior on the spot. Pull your child aside and tell him, That hurt Janey. How would it feel if she did that to you?

Let him know that any action that hurts another person is not allowed. Before his next play date, remind him that he shouldn't play rough, and help him practice what he can say if he gets angry or wants a turn. If he does it again, end the play date.

Fruits and vegetables can prevent cancer: food choice of babies

Berries are the best at providing antioxidants and vitamins. Berries contain micro-nutrients such as vitamin C and folic acid which are essential for health. Recent studies have even suggested that eating fruits and vegetables can prevent cancer. Berries are probably one of the few foods your child would willingly eat straight from the vine.

A popular way to consume fruits and vegetable in today’s society is through shakes and smoothies.  The trick to smoothies is you can slip all sorts of veggies in them and as long as they don’t vary the color too much your picky kids will never know the difference. Smoothies are a great way to mask the taste of vegetables and still consume all the important vitamins and minerals.

Kids don’t just love sweet things they also love salty treats. Nuts that are loaded with essential nutrients. Assorted nuts are full of vegetable protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They contain all the healthy stuff necessary to grow a tree and they will help your kids grow up just as big and strong.

Cheese is a delicious and nutritious addition in a kids’ meal. You can serve it in chunks, melt it on chips or serve it in a sandwich and kids will gobble it up. It may come as a surprise that cheese is actually very healthy. Aside from being fairly high in protein cheese has a probiotic effect. That means that it helps you better digest food.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and eggs are full of protein and carbohydrates that will help you start your day off right. The great thing about eggs is they come in all shapes and sizes. So if your kid isn’t a fan of the runny yolk in a sunny side up or over-easy egg, they can try it scrambled or hard boiled. Eggs also contain omega-3’s an essential nutrient that reduces inflammation, blood thinning and the likelihood of growing tumors.

Muffins like smoothies are a great way to sneak your child fruits and vegetables. Baking the fruits or veggies into a muffin doesn’t diminish their nutritional value. In my own opinion the “healthy stuff’ doesn’t necessarily taste bad either. One of the best muffins I ever had was a zucchini muffin.

Potatoes are one of the most popular sources of fiber in our diet. And while you may not be able to convince your kid to eat an entire baked potato if you cut the potato up to look like fries and then bake it your kid is guaranteed not only to eat it but to beg you for seconds. Every kid on the planet loves french fries.

Peanut butter and jelly, a dish after my own heart. Don’t worry if thats one of the only things your kid will eat. Science suggests peanut butter appeared to be very high in antioxidants. I wouldn’t recommend peanut butter with added sugar and oil but any natural peanut butter has actually been proven to be good for your kid. Remember the less processed the better.

Speaking of spreads you and your family should try hummus. Pita chips with hummus is very tasty and filling. Hummus is made out of chickpeas. They contain fiber and essential vitamins and minerals to the diet, yet are low in fat and sodium and contain no cholesterol. Really its a win/win situation.

Your little one is sure to love eating olives. They bring a whole new meaning to finger food. Do you remember putting one olive on each finger tip and eating them finger by finger? Aside from being fun to play with, they contain lots of healthy unsaturated fat that can help improve brain function and they are also chock full of antioxidants.

Melons are the perfect summer food. They are so sweet and juicy. Melons have no cholesterol, but contain lots of vitamins and minerals such as potassium and vitamin C. Instead of letting the little munchkins gorge themselves on popsicle try feeding them some melons.

sn’t it curious that orange juice is the only juice that comes with pulp in it. Of course most picky kids will insist on drinking it pulp-less. Even without the pulp orange juice is very healthy. It still contains probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals.

Toasted granola with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar is an easy recipe that’s to die for. Not only are oats are a well known healthy food for the heart but they make a delicious snack. I would recommend switching out the sugar cereal with this healthy substitute. You can even eat it with or without milk.

Who doesn’t love a nice big glass of milk. Milk goes great with everything from pb&j to milk and cookies. Milk contains calcium which strengthens your teeth and improves your smile. It also is high in protein and carbohydrates.          

 

Fat can help you slim down

The body needs three macro-nutrients for energy: Carbohydrates, protein, and fat. A gram of fat packs more than twice the energy of a gram of the other two. “When you don’t have any fat in your diet its like you don’t have fuel to burn calories,” Glassman says. The body requires energy to keep its metabolism properly functioning, and a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming fatty acids can boost metabolic health. 

What’s more, “old” fat stored in the body’s peripheral tissues—around the belly, thighs, or butt (also called subcutaneous fat)—can’t be burned efficiently without “new” fat to help the process, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. 

Think of mealtime like baseball spring training: young, hungry players (new fat) hit the field and show the general manger (the liver) that it’s time to send the old, worn-out players (subcutaneous fat) home. And away they go.

Fat isn’t the easiest nutrient to digest, so it sticks around in the digestive system for more time than many other nutrients. MUFAs may also help stabilize blood sugar levels, according to Mayo Clinic. That means you feel full longer, and you won’t feel the stomach-growling urge to raid the refrigerator after mealtime. 

In fact, diets with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of PUFA that the body can only acquire through food, create a greater sense of fullness both immediately following and two hours after dinner than do meals with low levels of the fatty acids, according to a 2008 study from University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. It’s no surprise that dieters who consume moderate levels of fat are more likely to stick with their eating plans than dieters who consume low levels of fat. 

Unsaturated Fatty Acids: Consisting of both monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they are important for health. MUFAs are found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocadoes, while PUFAs are found in vegetable oils, fish, and seafood. 

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are two PUFAs that can only be obtained through diet and are called “essential fatty acids.” Adjust your diet accordingly.

*Saturated Fatty Acids: Found primarily in foods from animal sources such as meat and dairy products, like butter and cheese, they are usually solid at room temperature. Some vegetable oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oil also contain saturated fat. 

Eat limited amounts as part of a healthy diet – and always try to consume healthier sources. For example, grass fed beef is a much better option than, say, popcorn popped in oil.

*Trans Fatty Acids: Chemically processed vegetable oils, they are semisolid at room temperature and are used in some margarines, fried foods, and processed foods to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life. 

Also called “partially hydrogenated” oils, they should be avoided like the plague they are.

Weight loss advantages in nuts, avocados and olive

Some fat-and calorie-rich foods such as nuts, avocados and olive oil have weight loss advantages.

One study published in the Journal of Nutrition reported that women who ate nuts at least twice per week were one-third less likely to be obese, compared to women who ate nuts less frequently or not at all. Another study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal PLOS One evaluated risk for obesity and nut consumption among 803 adults. The results showed that adults who ate the most tree nuts and peanuts had lower BMI values and waist circumference measurements, compared to those eating the least amount of nuts and tree nuts.

Nuts may provide more satiety compared to carbohydrate-rich snack options, like pretzels or crackers. In addition, research shows that nuts help keep blood sugar levels stable, which calms cravings. More studies have found that not all of the calories present in nuts are actually absorbed by the body. Still, at 160-170 calories per ounce, it's best to be mindful of your portion sizes when it comes to nuts.

 Avocados are nutritional all-stars that provide nearly 20 different vitamins and minerals. In addition, new research suggests that they may also help you manage your waistline. A 2013 study published in Nutrition Journal found that those who reported eating avocados were leaner and had smaller waistlines compared to those who didn't eat avocados. In addition, another study published the same year in Nutrition Journal reported that moderately obese individuals who enjoyed half an avocado (an additional 112 calories) as part of their lunch meal, were 26 percent more satisfied and reduced their desire to eat by 40 percent, compared to those who ate an avocado-free lunch.

Avocados are rich in unsaturated fats that can help keep you feeling fuller longer and helps keep blood sugar levels in check. They're also rich in antioxidants that may play a role in maintaining blood sugar and insulin levels. A one-ounce serving (about one-fifth of a medium avocado) has 50 calories, making avocados an easy option to fit into a calorie-reduced diet.

A recent population-based study conducted in Spain and published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those who ate olive oil — as opposed to sunflower oil — were 38 percent less likely to be obese. A recent study conducted at the University of Vienna, compared the effects of four different fats (olive oil, rapeseed oil, lard and butter) on satiety. The subjects in the study were given yogurt enriched with one of the four fats to eat every day, as part of their normal diet. When olive oil-infused yogurt was consumed, blood levels of the satiety hormone serotonin were highest and the subjects reported the yogurt filling.

Aromatic compounds in the olive oil contribute to feelings of fullness. When choosing an olive oil, look for an Italian olive oil as they've been reported to contain more of these beneficial aromatics, compared to olive oil from Spain, Greece or Australia. Stick with extra-virgin olive oil for the most health benefits.