Developing good sleeping habits
Posted on June 15, 2010The sleeping habits of very young children are easily disrupted and once they get into a bad habit it can be very hard to change. Bear in mind that at about one year,your child starts to learn that he/she can exert a bit of control over you. Most toddlers won’t settle if they think that playing up will get them more of your attention, so you have to make it clear that you mean it when you say bedtime.
1) Make sure his/her room is comfortable, not too hot or cold, and has nothing in it to frighten him/her.
2) Decide on a suitable bedtime and stick to it. Children need a regular routine.
3) Make sure he/she is not hungry or thirsty.
4) Follow a set calming down routine: tea, bath, story and lights out.
5) Leave the room. If he/she cries, return after a short time (four/five minutes) but do not get him/her out of bed or give him/her any reason to think that the fun of the day is carrying on. Soothe the child and then leave again.
6) If he/she cries each time you leave, wait for longer and longer before going back to soothe him! her every time.
7) If he/she doesn’t like the dark, leave a nightlight on.
Be firm and stick by your resolve. It may take several very fraught evenings before he/she settles rapidly — but most parents find this works in the end.
Eyeglass Cases
Posted on May 15, 2010Materials:
• Piece of craft fur (7 1/2 by 10 inches)
• Adhesive-backed craft foam (6 by 6 1/2 inches)
• Marker and ruler
• 3 pairs of buttons (1/2 and 1 inch in diameter per pair)
• Sturdy sewing needle and thread
• Fabric glue
• 4 clothespins
These whimsical, plush spectacle cases, complete with button-eye fasteners, make a fun storage option for a pair of shades or reading glasses.
1. Place the fur right side down on a table. Holding the craft foam with the longer edges at the top and bottom, stick it to the underside of the fur centered along the lower edge, as shown. Then mark 2 spots on the foam about 2 inches up from the lower edge of the fur and 2¼ inches in from each side.
2. Loosely but securely sew the buttons onto the furry side, creating each eye by stacking a ½-inch button atop a i-inch one (young sewers may need help pushing the needle through the foam).
3. Fold the foam-covered fur area in half, making a crease, then unfold it. Apply fabric glue along the edges of the fur piece adjacent to the foam.
4. Refold the foam and secure the seams with clothespins until the glue dries.
5. Fold the fur flap over the glued pocket, then mark and cut buttonholes large enough for the eyes to fit through. Spread a thin layer of glue around the nonfurry side of the buttonholes to keep them from stretching. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly before buttoning the case.
Early detection beat colon cancer
Posted on April 08, 2010Unlike other cancers that manifest themselves in symptoms, colon cancer’s aren’t always obvious, but you can learn what these warning signs may look and feel like. But like other cancers, colon cancer may be brought on by any combination of factors, some of which are not entirely hereditary. Colon cancer, like other cancers, is treatable if detected early.
For a better understanding of colon cancer symptoms, it helps to learn something about the colon. As an important part of the digestive system, the colon has a major role in helping the body absorb nutrients, minerals, and water. It also helps rid the body of waste in the form of stool. The colon comprises the bulk of the large intestine, approximately six feet in length. The last six inches or so of the large intestine are the rectum and the anal canal.
Colon cancer symptoms come in two general varieties—the local and the systemic. The first may affect our toilet habits and the colon itself. Some of the more common local symptoms of colon cancer include changes in your bowl habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal; alternating bouts with constipation and diarrhea; bright red or dark red blood in your stools, if not black or “tarry” stools; thinner-than-normal stools (also called “pencil stools”) accompanied by the feeling of being unable to empty your bowels completely; and abdominal discomfort, including bloating, frequent gas pains, or cramps.
The second variety of symptoms comprise those that affect your whole body such as weight loss, and may include loss of appetite. unexplained fatigue. nausea or vomiting, anemia, and jaundice.
If you experience any of these for any length of time, even just a few days, a visit to the doctor is in order so that you can arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.