|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Playing Safe
Do you really want your child to enjoy playing with a toy that was made on the other side of the world by people who are no more than children themselves, and paid 30 cents an hour - a paltry sum that can barely sustain them? Unfortunately, all too often, that's exactly what you're doing. I'm not suggesting that anybody who does this is uncaring and selfish - when we buy these toys it's usually because we don't know any better. After all, the big toy manufacturers are hardly going to tell us, are they? Manufacture So why is this allowed to go on? How can the toy giants get away with it? Quite easily. Thanks to the way these factories are monitored, owners are warned of inspections beforehand and have time to 'clean up their act'. While the Toy Industry Association of America has developed regulations regarding the safety of children's toys, they've done little to improve the situation for the unfortunate children who are forced to make them. Their website explains that since a large percentage of toys sold in the US are produced in China, as far back as in 1996 the TIA developed a program to teach Chinese toy manufacturers US toy safety standards to ensure that imported toys met US requirements. Videos and manuals covering safety in the factory and working conditions were developed, as well as fundamental health and hygiene practices, basic fire protection and ways to ensure toy factory compliance with laws. However, there's no mention of ongoing monitoring and as long as factory owners are allowed to operate without being properly supervised, little is likely to change. A report released by UNICEF in 2000 revealed that child workers in developing countries were hidden in closets or boxes when inspectors arrived to examine the premises. Four years had passed but children were still being exploited. There's no evidence to suggest the situation is any better today and until the toy company's put pressure on the manufacturers to improve conditions, the likelihood of anything improving is practically non-existent. Plastic & PVC Plastic toys, and especially those made of PVC, can contain harmful chemicals such as phthalates, believed to be responsible for liver and kidney damage, as well as changing testicle development in young boys. Some toys contain up 55 percent phthalates by weight. This affects the workers as they've been found to have a 200 times greater risk of developing liver cancer. Choose wooden toys instead. As long as they're made from sustainable sources and have been painted with safe paints, they're far kinder to both those who make them as well as being friendlier to the environment. And they last longer, too. Just type "wooden toys from sustainable sources" into your favorite search engine and you'll be presented with a list of online suppliers. By buying plastic and PVC toys for your children you're indirectly participating in the deaths of children who have never known the luxury of playing with toys. Do you really want to be a part of that? Sharon Jacobsen is a professional freelance writer living in South Cheshire, England. Her areas of special interest are environmental and social issues, two subjects that very often cross. If you'd like to contact Sharon, please visit her website at http://www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Ritalin (Methylphenidate) in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Ritalin is a good medication with a bad reputation. Its name causes more fear in the hearts of parents than any other medication. It is the topic of radio talk shows, protests by the Church of Scientology, and negative newspaper articles. And yet, I wonder, if it is so very bad, why is it so "over-prescribed" as the critics claim? Let's explore the issue further, and give some information to parents who might want to know more about the medication. How To Foster An Environment For Successful Communications With Your Child As parents, we strive to address all of the questions asked by our children. If we don't have the answer, or don't like the question, we would never think of ignoring the child. We do not accept improper communication as acceptable behavior. Most parents, however, are quick to excuse or overlook the behavior of their child when he / she reacts the same way and are often left wondering when the lines of communication broke. Personal Responsibility: What It Means and Whose Job is It? "How many times do I have to tell you to clean your room?" Why should a child keep his room neat? Many children say they don't care whether it is neat or dirty, so why should it matter to anyone else? Unless it is a health or safety hazard, or things are getting lost and broken? Then comes the age old question, "What is neat?" The answer certainly differs with a ten year old child and a thirty five year old Mom. Who is setting the standard of how clean a room must be to be acceptable. The Top 10 Tips on Hiring a Babysitter 1. Encourage your babysitter by keeping their favorite foods/snacks on hand. Words of Wisdom for Single Parents The cost of being a parent and raising a child in todays world is constantly increasing. The risk of your child becoming involved in problem behaviour is also greater. Parents must work together as a team to ensure the brightest future for their children. But what if there is no team. No other person to rely upon. This is what millions of single parents deal with everyday. But it is not only the parent who sees this as a gloomy situation. Children are quite often left thinking that they are the reason for a separation or divorce. It is the child who must attend father and son day at school without a dad. They have to grow up with all the stigma attached to coming from a "broken home". These are just a few of the many potential problems that a single parents household are faced with. This article is aimed at providing single parents with some strategies for raising a good child despite what other people may say. Of Kings and Youth Leadership (Isaiah 11:6 KJV) The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Promoting Your Childs Heart Health Cardiovascular endurance is one of the five health-related components of physical fitness. It refers to the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. In simple terms, someone with great cardiovascular endurance has a strong heart ? one that actually grows in size and pumps more blood with every beat, resulting in a lower heart rate. Teenagers in America Today "Family Matters" was the headline that caught my attention in the newspaper. That's the name of my radio program here in California's central valley. It was interesting enough for me to buy the paper and read the story. The article was about a recent study called The National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health, a survey of about 90,000 teenagers (age 12-18). The sub-headline was "Study debunks belief nothing works with teens." Should We Apologize To Our Children? An apology is a sign of strength, not weakness. Sometimes we may believe that if we apologize to our children we weaken ourselves and the rules we are trying to keep. We may also believe it will make our children think their behavior was okay. It is important to understand that this is not the case. I have found myself at times reacting negatively to my daughter's occasional inattention to her daily diabetes care. Not just negatively but loudly. What I discovered was that I could apologize for how I responded to her behavior, without condoning what she did. (Or didn't do) Apologizing in this manner makes it clear that I am not relaxing the rules. It does not undermine my authority or my ability to make the rules and expect compliance. I found it does set a good example and encourages her to be open and apologize when she has done wrong. Apologizing shows empathy for what I may have done to her feelings and respect for her right to be treated fairly. Violence in Media In the news, we hear and see an increasing number of reports about violence among children. This goes from rude fights on the playground to armed incidents in schools that result in injuries or even casualties. Classic Parenting: Encouragement, Praise, Acceptance, and Responsibility Encouragement comes when you focus on your child's assets and strengths in order to build his/her self-confidence. It comes from seeing the positive. Even failures can be outstanding learning experiences. Encouragement sounds like this, "I like the way that you did that," or "I know that you can do it," or, "It looks like you worked very hard at that." Bad Boys/Good Boys (Avoiding The Pitfalls Of Being An Insensitive Dad) I WAS AMAZED Child Discipline - Be Consistent With Your Child The biggest complaint you hear from parents about their children is "they don't listen to me and I have tried everything" Finding Answers to Underachievement Finding answers to a child's underachievement is often a difficult and complex process. Let intuition be your guide, knowing when and how to ask the right questions. Here are 7 steps to get you started: How to Handle Child Tantrums? Child tantrums are a way for children to express their feelings and thoughts. Child tantrums are common in young children. Children below the age group of 4 are the most affected by child tantrums. They may not know how to express their anger and frustration. Hence they throw tantrums when they need to express. Different methods are used to handle child tantrums. Parents can use methods like isolating the child for the time they throw tantrums and ignoring the tantrum when they want to handle child tantrums. Summer Survival A kiddy pool and sandbox can be a great investment for the summer as well for the younger kids. My son spends hours playing in his sandbox and kiddy pool and the investment was small compared to the hours of enjoyment he can get from these. If a family member is looking for a gift this summer for a birthday or just because, suggest buying one of these items so that you don't have to pay for these yourself. We asked for these items for our son's birthday and also used our anniversary money to put towards a family zoo pass for the summer. Don't forget to stock up on all of those fun summer toys for the kids to play with outside. You can stock up on a lot of your fun summer items over at the local Dollar Store. We purchase sidewalk chalk, sandbox tools and toys, bubbles, and water guns. They offer a wide variety of fun summer toys that won't break the bank. You can also make a couple of these yourself with these recipes. Parenting Your Teenager: 6 Things to Stop Doing Right Away 1. STOP focusing on what you are going to make your teen-ager do The Benefits of Music Education Despite serious reductions in funding for arts programs in public schools, there is a great need for studying music. Band, orchestra, and choir all offer students a chance to work together in a social and intellectual group setting and excel at complex tasks. The trick for parents is to enroll their children in high quality programs and assist them in purchasing high quality instruments. There are indeed many benefits to be realized from a musical education and a quick reference guide is listed below. Playing a Musical Instrument CanHelp your child develop a commitment to excellence Help your child develop self-esteem Provide an opportunity for your child to experience self-expression, creativity, and heightened achievement Engage the imagination Contribute to a balanced, positive, challenging, and stimulating education Prepare your child for other stages of development and participation in society by fostering dedication and sensitivity Increase your child's brain development, math abilities, and higher thinking skills Help your child develop perseverance when things are looking bleak and hopeless Raise your child's awareness Expand your child's knowledge Help your child develop mind and body coordination Contribute to your child's spiritual growth Help your child develop teamwork skills Be a source of great fun! Top Three Ways To Communicate With Your Child Although many parents become frustrated as they try to maintain an open line of communication between themselves and their children, regardless of age, there are three quite simple ways to attempt to achieve this goal effectively. Spanking Children ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
