]> http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/taxonomy/term/1018/0 Can't seem to control your teenager? Hear it from our moms, how they've managed. en http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5579 To monitor or not to monitor kids online -- that's a question millions of parents face. On the one hand, software for monitoring kids' online behavior is a relief for ever-busy Moms and Dads. On the other hand, parents should be very careful when relying on technology in such a delicate matter as parental control. Teens can freely access the Internet from computers at school, at their friends' homes and in public places such as libraries and even from cell phones and video game consoles. Internet is everywhere, that is why kids and teenagers (and their parents, too) should be well aware of its dangers to avoid them. Sun, 17 Jul 2005 16:06:39 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5578 It can be hard being a parent with a teen going through what I term the 'I'm Invincible’ phase. This is the phase when teens start doing scary and dangerous things (according to us parents) as a way of testing out their physical limits. This is not surprising given that, at adolescence, teenagers are effectively given a new body, one which has many improved features from that of their childhood body. It's no good as parents thinking we can tell them about the limits of this body; just as a toddler needs to work out for themselves how to balance to walk so a teen needs to work out for themselves how to use their changed body. Sun, 17 Jul 2005 16:05:22 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5577 What is acne? Acne is a term attributed to plugged pores, commonly known as blackheads and whiteheads, pimples, and even cysts or nodules, occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms. Follicles, often called pores, often get blocked with sebum (oil), which normally drains to the surface, and a bacteria propionibacterium acnes, begins to grow. Both whiteheads and blackheads start out as a "microcomedone" which then become skin blemishes called comedones. Acne can be upsetting, disfiguring, sometimes leading to permanent scarring. There are different types of acne. A white head is a lesion where trapped sebum and bacteria stay below the skin surface. A blackhead, on the other hand, is a lesion where trapped sebum and bacteria partially open to the surface and turn black due to the skin pigment melanin. Sun, 17 Jul 2005 16:04:05 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5576 At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language coordination in response to what they hear through the mother’s belly wall. Some 52 muscles learn to respond to the various phonemes (a basic language sound like 'b' in boy and 'm' in man) of the language surrounding that belly. There are also studies showing that the emotional state of the parent imprints as do things like music and other environmental conditions. Nutrition, drug use and pollution spill right through directly to the fetus via the placenta and umbilical cord. Parenting begins way before the bassinet. At eighteen months, the child has a brain 1/3 the size of an adult but the same number of neural connections. These connections are called synapses and relay information – outgoing from the nerve cell through axons, ingoing by way of dendrites. It is the number of connections of nerve cells that relates to intelligence, not the number of neurons. Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:43:28 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5564 Those of you that have children know what an excursion to the local mall or supermarket can be like. If you're not careful, this simple trip can easily become a wallet draining experience. How often have you heard: "I want Luchables because EVERYONE eats them at lunch!" "Come on mom, these cool pants only cost $80." "Dad, everyone has a Playstation II, I need one too!" "I need 2 sodas and 2 bags of chips everyday!" Certainly, we as parents want to make our children happy and not deprive them of a delightful childhood, but who's to say that you must give in to every one of your child's requests. Sun, 17 Jul 2005 15:15:09 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5396 My girl is in Sec 3 and she's already 46 Kg. She's not very tall - about 4 ft 3inces. What every mother fears, has become my constant nightmare! I'm very worried that her weight problem could lead to an esteem problem, or worse, some disease like high blood pressure or diabetes. I've checked the BMI indexes in the Weblinks section of this website. Hers is 27.4 - definitely in the overweight category. I tried putting her on a very restricted diet but that lasted only 3 weeks. She gave up completely and started eating more food - making me even more upset. I've ready that children normally need a certain number of calories each day that their bodies use as energy for normal daily activities - about 2200 calories for someone her age. In fact, she's taking about that much - but still her weight can't be kept down. Wed, 06 Jul 2005 05:52:08 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5395 My boy had a self esteem problem. It started sometime in primary 5. In fact, he still does, even though he's sitting for his O levels this year. For some reason, he doubts his capabilities, and doesn't really bother to do his best when faced with a challenge or task. Whenever I speak to him about it, he's actually able to tell me that he doesn't think he will be able to do the job right. When I ask why, he says he just knows he won't be able to get it right. I've always wanted him to have a high self-esteem, to be confident of his abilities. He's not stupid nor untalented (he plays the organ quite well actually). He's not an A student either. But the main problem is that he doesn't believe he can excel. So he doesnt even try. And that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I've ready that other kids with an esteem problem end up becoming bullies or controlling. Jason's not like that. He's a good boy. Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:50:50 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5394 Some kids can't distinguish between right and wrong very well, and lie/steal in order to achieve certain results. As a parent, you must not permit your kid to continue doing so. Nor should you go ballistic on your kid. Instead, you must approach this from and educationist's perspective, and sieze the opportunity to teach him or her what is the right thing to do. Sometimes, teenager cheat and steal in order to get more attention from their parents. If you're one of those parents, you need to spend more time with your son or daugther, to ensure that he or she feels loved and assured. Once that happens, it will be much easier to communicate your values, and to ensure that this bad habit does not become routine. Wed, 06 Jul 2005 05:53:17 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5392 Many moms have asked us to provide some help on this topic (surprisingly, as we thought most parents in Malaysia would be pretty well versed on the topic) Actually, puberty in girls is a rather complicated topic. We've tried to summarise the usual changes that occur in a female teenager's body. There are 5 stages (known as the Tanner stages) of of a female body. Stage 1 No physical changes are evident. Stage 2 Development of breast buds (ie: thelarche). This occurs between ages 7 to 13 years of age. Breast budding may begin on one side first and is often accompanied by tenderness, which usually disappers in a few months. At this stage, your girl would alos start to develop public hair. Wed, 06 Jul 2005 05:53:01 -0400 http://www.malaysiamums.com/parenting/node/5391 Puberty in boys starts between 10 to 15 years of age. It is the process by which a child's body starts to take on adult characteristics. What are the symptoms? 1. his testes and penis start to enlarge/lengthen 2. thin, short hair starts to grow at the base of his scrotum 3. eventually, the hair thickens and darkens, and grows more excessively 4. at about two years after the onset of puberty, your boy will experience a growth spurt. He will grow at about 12 cm per year. 5. more adult characteristics begin to develop, such as a deepening of his voice, more muscle mass, and the beginning of his struggle with acne, in most cases. Wed, 06 Jul 2005 05:52:49 -0400