What to Do About Haircuts

Are you having problems with your children when it is time for a hair cut?

Are you getting lots of stress just thinking 'oh no, his hair has grown and now it is time to go back to the barber shop'? Let's discuss what we can change about this.

We have a lot of options. You have to be having lots of stress knowing that taking him back to the barber shop will mean crying, fussing and perhaps even a temper tantrum.

Is it really the haircut that is making him afraid of going to the barber shop or does he just have to sit still for the time it takes to get a haircut? Somehow you need to figure out the reasons for his behavior.

One suggestion would be to learn to cut his hair at home, so let's discuss that option. You could go out and get a kit at the store that will have electric hair clippers and some special combs and hopefully different blades for the type of hair cut that you would like to give your child. If you can learn to cut hair, then perhaps you can just sit your child in a chair in front of the television, put on a favorite video and he will so be interested in the movie that he won't mind getting the haircut. Now this may not be an option: it certainly isn't for me as I cannot cut

hair even with a book of instructions, but maybe

you have a talent for hair cutting. If so, can save both money and stress.

If you have to take your child to the barber shop then perhaps you might talk to him about what kind of haircut he might like and then tell him the barber can cut it exactly as he likes: 'you'll look great, just like your best friend

who has the hair cut that you admire.' This option may help.

Most of all try to find a good barber who is great with handling children: yes, children do need some handling, at the least a person who talks to the child and makes less stress for them would certainly help. You might give a call to a few of your friends and see which barber shop they are taking their children to, and make an appointment. Even

go in and discuss any problems alone to help with your problem when you bring in your child. Take a look at the barber shop, today some of them have cut chairs that children love to sit in and enjoy.

You might even try a longer hairstyle that won't need cutting very often: it's true the trips would be further apart, but maybe we'll save that option to the last possible option.

Cheer up: as your child gets older he will think more about his appearance and see that his friends are enjoying going to the barber shop and you may just be shocked as he may come to you and say 'Well, can we go to the barber shop as I want a new haircut.'

Temper Tantrums Got You Down?

How do I deal with a tantrum?

You see it coming, but it's too late. The tantrum has begun, and now what do you do?

Here are some suggestions that can help you both get through it:

* Distract your child by calling his attention to something else, such as a new activity, book, or toy. Or interrupt his behavior with a comment like, "Do you see what that kitty is doing?" Changing your location may work. Try something like, "let's go outside and look at the flowers." Humor, or making a silly face, can work, too, sometimes.


* Try to remain calm. Shouting or becoming angry is only likely to make matters worse. The general rule is the more attention you give a tantrum, the more likely it is to happen again.


* Ignore it, if it's minor. Either stand quietly and wait until it's over, or silently pick him up and leave the scene. This might mean leaving a store or a checkout line and taking your child to your car to calm down. If you are unable to leave the child alone for safety reasons or because you're in a situation where you can't leave (such as on an airplane), holding her may comfort her.

Some temper tantrums cannot be ignored. The following behaviors should not be ignored and are not acceptable:

* Hitting or kicking parents or others


* Throwing things in a dangerous way


* Prolonged screaming or yelling

Use a cooling-off period or a "time-out" to remove your child from the situation. For children old enough to understand, a good rule of thumb for a time-out is one minute of time for every year of your child's age. For example, a 3-year-old would get a three-minute time-out.

What shouldn't you do during a tantrum?

* Never punish your child for a temper tantrum. He may start to bottle up his anger or frustration, which can be unhealthy. Try to respond calmly, with understanding. As your child grows he will learn to deal better with his emotions.


* Do not reward your child for stopping a tantrum. Rewards may teach your child that a temper tantrum will help her get her way.


* Don't try to reason with your child during a tantrum. Logical explanations are unlikely to be heard through the crying and yelling.


* Don't change your "no" to a "yes" just to get your child to be quiet. Letting your child have his way may solve the problem that instant, but if he learns that throwing a tantrum will help him get his way, he'll surely try it again.

Shedding Light on Nut Allergies

Nature of Peanut, Tree Nut Allergies in Kids Explored in Study More than a quarter of the kids who are allergic to peanuts are also allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, according to a study by researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Of the 122 children who were studied by the research team, 68 reacted only to peanuts - which are legumes and not nuts - and 20 only to the tree nuts. And while only about a quarter of the kids were allergic to both, doctors believe parents should play it safe - the allergies can, in extreme cases, result in death. "Although it may be overly restrictive, we and others advise complete avoidance of TN (tree nuts) by PN (peanut)-allergic children, except for any particular TN that was tolerated previously," the researchers write. "Reasons for this recommendation include the concern that TN sensitivity appears to be severe and lifelong, that there is a potential for cross-contamination of TN products with PN and, finally, that it often is difficult to identify specific nuts in various processed foods." Indeed, about 55% of the kids allergic to peanuts and 30% of those allergic to tree nuts experienced accidental exposure to them. Most commonly, those accidents occurred at schools, and were a result of either sharing food with friends, hidden ingredients in their own food, cross- contamination with food products containing the allergen, and school craft projects using peanut butter. The researchers say accidental exposure also occurs at home and in restaurants - particularly Asian restaurants in which peanut oil is sometimes used as a frying agent. About 83% of the kids with either peanut or tree nut allergies were breastfed - above the average of about two-thirds of children. The researchers also found that more than 90% of the breastfeeding mothers ate either peanuts or tree nuts during the lactation process. So far, there is little medical science has been able to do for the people with the allergies; immunizations developed thus far have side effects more dangerous than the allergies themselves. "The only current treatment for these allergies is strict avoidance of the offending food and prompt recognition and treatment of reactions," the researchers write. "These findings emphasize the need for education of families, patients, caregivers and health care workers in PN and TN avoidance and treatment of reactions."

Ahhh, what a wonderful day

Today my kids woke up with a smile. That's the best way to start a day