Taking care of our planet

Taking care of our planet: the things we can all do to help.

Each one of us can do  little things you can do every day to help reduce western countries’  impact on the environment. As somebody has wisely said before me, we must keep in mind that we borrow the Earth from our ancestors and we are obliged to preserve it for the future generations.

So  here I write down five  things we can do on respect of what does not belong to us.

1)      Save  water. When we take a  shower, let’s try to close the water while brushing ourselves or while shampooing.

2)      Let’s do  carsharing or take a train to go to work. And let’s cover little distances going on foot instead of taking the car (my father used to say that some people, if they could, would go by car even to the toilet).

3)      Let’s recycle. It’s very important to collect the rubbish in different bins, according to the materials they are made of: glass, paper, plastic, organic stuff and so on.

4)      Let’s try to drive slow when we drive the car. We can save a lot of fuel going at a moderate speed (let’s say at maximum 90 kilometer per hour).

5)      Let’s turn off the lights during the day and when don’t need them. Very often we turn on television and lights in different rooms of our home. That’s a mistake. Even leaving the so called stand-by lights implies a great decrease of energy and a waste of money; consequently this means more pollution and damage to the environment.

Of course there are many other ways of preserving the environment with wise and prudential behavior but if anyone of us respected just five of them the planet would be more easily preserved for future generations.

10 Ways to Teach Young Children to Be Nice to Pets

When kids learn to treat animals with gentleness and respect, they also learn about compassion and caring on a larger scale, which are traits that can later be applied to the relationships that they have with fellow humans. For parents of toddlers and young children, imparting these lessons can be a bit of a challenge; here are 10 ways to help your little one understand the importance of treating animals well.

1. Set a Good Example – Children learn primarily through mimicry. They watch their parents and other authority figures, and then model their own behavior after their observances; one of the best ways to instill a love of animals is to have that same love yourself and to exhibit it often.
2. Research Local Programs – Your local Humane Society chapter or other animal activism organization is likely to have a program or two specifically directed at helping small children understand the proper treatment of animals. A cursory glance at a local message board or search engine results could net dozens of options.
3. Take Advantage of Story Time – Most kids love a bedtime story, and there are tons of books on the market written with this very subject in mind. A colorfully illustrated, well-written book about animals and the humans that love them can do wonders for explaining the concept of animal kindness to kids.
4. Teach Proper Handling of Small Animals – Helping a child to properly hold and handle a small or newborn animal while emphasizing the importance of being gentle is a great way to teach a hands-on lesson about carefully handling animals and never being too rough.
5. Visit a Petting Zoo – Spending an afternoon at the petting zoo can be a fun and informative experience for kids of all ages, but especially for little ones who wouldn’t ordinarily have the opportunity to interact with such an interesting array of animals or have access to professionals that are trained to help kids learn about them.
6. Share Interesting Facts – Learning that baby goats are also called “kids” or that butterflies taste with their feet not only entertain children, but also help them to see that animals have their own unique, interesting qualities.
7. Help at a Shelter – Taking a trip to your local animal shelter to help walk the dogs, feed the cats or do other fun and interactive chores not only makes a difference in your community, but also in your child. It might be best to stick to a privately run no-kill shelter or to be sure that no animals are scheduled to be euthanized during your visit, however, to avoid a traumatic experience.
8. Study Local Wildlife – A trip to a local nature preserve or national park not only provides kids with a day of no-television fun, but can also help them understand the very important concept that wild animals are not pets, but should be treated with the same respect.
9. Watch Kid-Friendly Television Programming – While you might want to skip the program chronicling the antelopes’ encounter with a hungry lion, there are plenty of kid-centric animal documentary shows that can provide strong talking points and valuable information.
10. Get a Pet – After you’re certain that your child understands the basic treatment of animals, introducing a pet into your home is a great way to keep their education going. Even if you live in a small space or urban environment that isn’t conducive to traditional pets, a small hamster or a goldfish can still help give your child a sense of responsibility.

Most small children need to be reminded to be gentle more than anything else, as deliberate cruelty is quite rare in children so young. Kids that show signs of harmful behavior might be struggling with a larger issue. If this is the case the child’s pediatrician should be consulted.

 P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by   Molly Cunningham. I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information: 

 

 

http://www.liveinnanny.com/blog/10-ways-to-teach-young-children-to-be-nice-to-pets/ 

How Nannies Can Help Ease Separation Anxiety in Young Children

Many young children experience separation anxiety when their parent leaves for any amount of time, whether it’s short or long. At around 8 to 9 months of age, children begin to learn and understand that mom and dad are permanent figures in their lives, and may become upset when they can no longer see them. Nannies can ease the anxiety children feel when their parents leave by understanding why the anxiety happens and how best to make the child feel secure that their parent will, in fact, return.

What is separation anxiety?

Infants start off life not realizing that the world is full of objects and people that are constants in their world. Around 8 to 9 months of age they begin to understand that their parents, toys, and other items may not be in sight, but they still exist somewhere. That knowledge and understanding is also the beginning of separation anxiety, as they now want the person or item to return when it is gone.

As infants get older, their anxiety can become more exaggerated. They may begin to cry or cling to the parents when they fear they are leaving. All children are different and some may never experience much anxiety at all, while others may continue this behavior for years. The problem can worsen when parents allow the behavior and feed into it by changing plans or admitting guilt and remorse to the child when leaving.

Ways Nannies Help to Ease Anxiety

Nannies can help children overcome the anxiety they feel when their parents leave in a variety of ways. Each child is unique and will respond to different tactics but there are several general techniques that can be applied. Learning what can trigger the anxiety and different ways to cope are the first steps in decreasing, and hopefully eliminating, separation anxiety.

• Nannies can become familiar with the child before the first separation. Once hired, the nanny most likely will want to talk about setting up some time to play with and get to know the child before their first day of caring for them alone. This will go a long way in making the child more comfortable with the nanny. If the nanny is hired when the child is only an infant, there may be very little, if any, separation anxiety when a parent leaves for the day, since they will have always been with the nanny and feel safe with them.
• Nannies can learn the child’s routine. Nannies will want to know what the child is used to and adhere as close as possible to their normal routine. Consistency will make the child feel more secure, even when the parents are away. Going about the day as they always have will let them know that everything is the same as usual, just minus mom and dad.
• They are respectful of the child’s feelings. Nannies should be there to listen and soothe the child. When the child is upset they need to know that someone they trust is there for them. Nannies should listen and be patient with a child who is experiencing anxiety. They should also answer any questions about when their parents will return directly and honestly, but should not bring up the subject themselves.
• Display calmness and confidence. Children need to know someone is in charge who is able to protect and care for them. Their anxiety is partly due to fear of losing the people that usually make their world safe. Having a nanny that is calm and confident sends the message to the child that he is safe and will be well cared for.
• Distract them but don’t trick them. Seasoned nannies know that having a fun activity to do right after the parent leaves can help distract them, but they know better than to try and deceive a child. Using distraction while a parent is leaving is generally not a good idea. First off, it generally just delays the inevitable once they realize the parent is gone. Secondly, they now may feel like the parent and the nanny tried to trick them and this could lead to trust issues. Experienced nannies know better than to use such techniques and will find ways to positively engage the child.

For most children, separation anxiety is a passing phase that generally goes away as they get older. Usually by pre-school children quickly adjust to being with new people and in new environments.

 P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by Sandra McAubre.  I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:

 http://www.hireananny.com/blog/how-nannies-can-help-ease-separation-anxiety-in-young-children/

The three giraffes

Once upon a time there were, somewhere  in Africa,  three giraffes named Jeena, Tabea and Makuca. They were very friendly and spent all day playing together and having fun.One day, the three giraffes went to the river to drink and rest for a little. Makuca, on their way to the rriver had a thorn entered in the paw and fell behind! She shouted her friends  to continue the march because she would follow them later on.
On the river, however, a nasty surprise was waiting for the unsuspecting giraffes. A Portuguese, named Captain  José wanted to catch them to perform in circuses. He, without realizing that Makuca had  remained behind,  took Jeena and Tabea and brought them into Europe. Makuca, after having removed off  the plug from her pawn, came to the river just in time to see her friends who were taken away by Captain Jose's  van. Jeena and Tabea greeted her crying, advising her to go back. Makuca   felt very sad without her friends. The winters were always colder in the bush and to get food was increasingly difficult. One day, Makuka, seeing Capitan Jose searching for other animals to perform  for circuses, asked him to take her to Europe, 'cause she was so longing to see her friends again. Capitain Josè, even though he  saw the unhappy giraffe emaciated and sad,   decided to take her to Europe. Makuca recognized the truck where she had seen  her friends and  had her  heart full of hope  to revise them. Meanwhile, thanks to the care and the food they gave her, Makuca recovered and became a giraffe admired by all children and adults who went to visit the animals in the circus. Wandering the circus was able to discover that Jeena and Tabea were in the circus Saturn. Then Makuka asked Captain Jose to join her friends and when she had  found them, told them her adventures and how her life had become hard in the bush. Then the three giraffes decided to accept their life in the circus and they lived happy and sactisfied for many years more.