Posted on Sep 22, 2009 under Uncategorized |
The uttering of the baby is what is called babbling, baby talk or twaddling. It looks as though that the babies make these sounds so as to prepare themselves to utter the sounds used for acquiring the language. However, they are not able to utter words that can be recognized. In the first year the larynx descends which allows the pharynx to develop to utter all the sounds that would be required to make up the speech. The baby begins to make noise when 5 to 7 months old. It is only when the infant is a year old that this baby talk transforms to recognizable words. Syllables are repeated by the baby. This is called reduplicative babbling. The baby begins to babble with a mix of syllables. This is called variegated babbling. Children usually babble much more when calm as compared to when they are excited or upset. The babies prepare themselves to speak the language with the basic sounds. Babbling is an innate response of babies as can be deduced by the fact that the deaf babies too.
From birth to 4 months the baby coos and gurgles. When the baby is 4 to 6 months old, it begins to babble. Babies enjoy babbling until they are about a year old or so. The toddler starts imitating sounds as well as words making their babbling meaningful when they are between 12-18 months. At the age of 12 and 18 months the toddlers start to repeat words. Meaningful words start emerging from the babbling. There are some 50 words or so that they can handle. They, of course, understand many more. They start forming short sentences. But they use familiar words wrongly. The baby progresses from crying and then moves on to cooing which becomes vocal play. Canonical babbling follows and then moves on to conversational babbling.
An effective means of communication that the babies use is the sign language. Babies often do not find the appropriate sound which gives them frustration. This can be avoided if they are also taught the sign language so that they can express themselves. Priscilla Dunstan proposed that universally there were only five words that babies use and each of them have a distinct meaning. She then released The Dunston Baby Language DVD in 2006 which teaches how these sounds can be recognized.
When adults respond to the babbling of babies with babbling, it helps the development of babies. Vocabulary development can be assisted by integrating some adult speech with the babbling. It benefits in the cognitive development of the baby. Whatever may be, the baby will be able to speak the local language in the end.
Posted on Sep 16, 2009 under Uncategorized |
Possibly one of the most important factors you should take into account when choosing a pushchair is its weight. Weight is so important as you will probably use your new pushchair most of the time, and often have to lift it and fold it on your own. It is therefore most practical to look at some lightweight pushchairs when making a decision about which one to buy.
Think about a typical day for you and your child, and create a list of activities that you do that involve a pushchair. Then use this list when thinking of features to consider in a pushchair. For example if you use public transport regularly you will have to lift the pushchair onto and off buses and trains. If you have a car you will have to fold the pushchair and regularly lift it in and out of the car.
Generally in every day use you will also encounter stairs, curbs and other obstacles that you have to manoeuvre around or lift a pushchair over. So it will make life much easier if you have a lightweight pushchair.
Look at the weight of all the pushchairs you are considering but don’t forget to add the weight of your child to that when working out what you’ll be pushing around. It’s important to consider the weight of the pushchair for lifting and folding it but also for pushing it with your child in it.
Pushing can be hard work, depending on the terrain you are covering and also the distance. If you do a lot of walking it can get very tiring pushing a heavy pushchair around all the time and a lightweight pushchair would make things easier. You need all the energy you have to look after your baby so there’s no need to waste it pushing a heavy pushchair around all day.
Lightweight pushchairs definitely improve the daily lives of many parents but it is important to take weight into consideration alongside the other features you might need from a pushchair. Make sure you do some research and compare several pushchairs before making a final decision about the one that’s right for you and your baby.
Posted on Sep 11, 2009 under Uncategorized |
In America, babysitting has always been a respected job among young people; something near to home to make some extra money without the usual downfalls that come with a part-time job. Teenagers would often plan their strategies for summer break on how best to promote their services, getting as many good quality babysitting jobs as they could manage. But these days babysitting jobs are starting to fade.
As a youth worker, many hours of my week are spent with high school students, who, not long ago, were the CEO’s of the babysitting industry. But of the many I’ve spoken to, only a small amount even consider babysitting to be a viable option for a summer job, and none of them are actively trying to promote themselves and get jobs. It surprised me. Only less than two decades ago, babysitting was a thriving economy. My own sister was a babysitting entrepreneur who brought in a healthy $400 a month, all from babysitting work she had found.
Things have begun to change. Though babysitters seem to be needed more now than ever, the demand for them has seen a sharp decline. The only feasible explanation is the growing lack of trust and security in our neighborhoods. Fifteen years ago or so, when babysitting was in full swing, kids would often spend entire days playing in public parks with friends, unsupervised yet generally safe all the while. I myself can still hear the quintessential line called out from my mother as often I would sprint from my house: “Make sure you’re home by dinner.”
But these days, kids stay close to home, only going to parks with their parents. With the decay of perceived security in our neighborhoods, it looks as though babysitting jobs are dwindling as well. But the problem deepens. During the “good-old-days” that few of us remember, it was common for neighbors to show up on the doorsteps of other neighbors with cookies to welcome newcomers and get to know them. But in today’s day and age, with documented lists of registered sex-offenders available to the public, scores of neighborhoods countrywide are being put on alert when dangerous persons move into town. Neighbors are often distrustful of those living near them, and wouldn’t jeopardize their children by hiring someone as a babysitter unless they know them very well.
Though such caution is merited, it’s a shame to watch the decline of babysitting jobs. Babysitting was once the perfect job for high-schoolers on summer vacation, or those just wanting a little cash without having to look for part-time work.