Home education, deschooling or homeschooling as it is known in the United States, is becoming more popular with many parents. In the United Kingdom, it is perfectly legal in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. And contrary to popular belief, you, as a parent, do not require any formal qualifications in order to take full charge of your children’s education. By law, however, it is your responsibility to ensure that your children have access to education, at home or in a public or private school.

If you decide to go the home education route, although you are under no obligation, it is preferable that you inform appropriate local authority of your decision to do so. They may enquire as to the appropriateness of the education you are providing your children and if they are not satisfied, you may be served with a school attendance order.

Why choose home education

There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their children at home. Some children are taken out of formal schooling environment because they are subjected to bullying from their schoolmates.

Sometimes, the school does not provide an education that is challenging enough for the child.

Another reason is that your child has special needs that the local school may not be equipped to deal with properly.

Other times, the parents would like to begin educating and mentally stimulating their children at an earlier age than the one at which formal schools enroll children. And then again, after a few years of home education, parents decide that they would prefer to continue the process, as opposed to enrolling their children into the local school system.

US-based studies have shown that home educated children are often far ahead of children of the same age who are part of the traditional, formal school establishment.

The ‘s-word’

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If you’re worried that your child will not acquire the appropriate socialising skills that children learn in a school environment, it has been shown that proper home education does mean isolation. Your local authorities can put you in touch with other home educators and you can then organise outings and activities that will ensure the necessary level of social interaction for your children.

Financial issues are also at the forefront of the home education debate. Although there are no school fees to take care of, you may spend more money on other resouces such as textbooks, computer equipment, field trips and science equipment, which are all generally subsidised in large part, when your child attends a school. There are no funds available to home educators and often, such families rely on a single income as at least one parent is required at home to oversee the education of the children.

It’s not all bad news

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There are also many advantages to home education. As a parent, you have much more control and influence over what your child learns. It is a very personalised form of education in the sense that each child can learn at his or her own pace.

There is also a huge flexibility when it comes to time management. When you think carefully about the amount of time actually spent learning when your children attend a school, it comes up to about three or four hours.

There is also very little chance for boredom to set it. You’re not limited to a building and can move the classroom to almost anywhere. Museums, theatres, zoos, the opportunities are endless.

The biggest advantage cited by home educators and children alike is the fact that there is much more family time, which strenghtens the bond between parents and children as well as between siblings .

So, if you’re considering home education, do some thorough research and make sure you are absolutely comfortable with the idea. And if your children seem interested, go for it. There are numerous resouces to assist you and make this time one of growth and excitement, without detriment to your children’s development.

Decorating kids’ rooms can be a fun experience for the entire family. Many parents struggle with as they try to tie the children’s rooms in with the rest of the house, while at the same time attempting to keep their children happy and occupied. Here are some fun and fresh tips that every mum and dad should know when it comes to decorating your children’s rooms.

Have fun with it

As children are highly imaginative it is always recommended to get their ideas when it comes to decoration. If you want you can even get them involved in the practical side of things. Take your child shopping and allow them to help when choosing curtains, pillows or ornaments. Include your child in all aspects of the room, particularly in pictures, having fun painting artwork, taking photos or picking out your favourite holiday snaps to hang on the wall.

The theme

Use your child’s favourite hobby, toy or interest as inspiration for the room; try to choose one that is not a passing fad but a genuine interest that should last a long time. Go for bright, bold and energetic colours but try to stick to variations of two colours so that the room doesn’t end up looking like a packet of jellybeans. To tie the room in with the rest of the house choose colours that are common in other rooms.

Decoration

As children’s teddy bears and dolls can be beautiful store them on shelves where they can be seen. Pot plants can be great for an older child’s room as they can be used to teach responsibility as well as add texture and life. Put something on the ceiling like stars or pictures to help a small child fall asleep.

Redecorating a child’s room can provide a range of activities to keep your children interested. Because you’ve included your child in the process they will really appreciate the final result.

The authors of a recent study say that children should spend no longer than two hours a day in front of a screen. Children who spend longer than that playing computer games or watching TV are more likely to experience psychological difficulties. Researchers also found that physical exercise does not make up for too much screen time, and that troubled children may find their problems exacerbated if they isolate in front of the TV or computer.

The study

The study by the University of Bristol, published in Pediatrics, observed over 1,000 children aged 10. Researchers monitored their screen time, and measured their mental health with a questionnaire that covered behavioural issues, social interaction, hyperactivity, inattentiveness and emotional difficulties. The study found that children who spend two hours in front of a computer a day, as well as two hours in front of a TV, have double the risk of experiencing psychological difficulties.

Exercise not the answer

Physical exercise made no difference to the effects of too much time in front of a screen. Children who spent more than two hours a day in front of a TV or computer and exercised regularly too did have better scores for peer and emotional situations, but worse scores when it came to hyperactivity.

Other sedentary activity fine

Children who spent time doing other sedentary activities like reading and doing homework didn’t suffer any negative impact. What the study suggests is that TV and games can be overstimulating and unhealthy in big doses. It also seems that children who suffer from psychological difficulties tend to isolate themselves and escape in front of a TV or computer, meaning that their excess screen time could compound an existing problem.

Dr Angie Page, lead author of the study, told the BBC: ‘Not all screen viewing is bad, and at low levels physical activity may well compensate, but the two-hour limit is a good, sensible guideline for parents.’

New thinking on the way parents use medication suggests that there are many cases in which the methods of dosage count as child abuse. It’s not so much about intentional damage to a child, parents say, but about a lack of information. Read on to find out what you need to know about a healthy attitude to kids and medicine.

In the numbers

A study at the University of Colorado has recently shown disturbing figures regarding the way parents are medicating children. Using reports of pharmaceutical abuse, the study found that 14 per cent of cases resulted in moderate to major consequences – in some cases even the death of the child. The problems that come with medicating children excessively might not show right away, though, but instead affect a child’s development over the years.

Over the counter and over the limit

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One problem seems to be that parents think that over-the-counter drugs can’t be harmful to their kids. This just isn’t the case – using any kind of medication incorrectly, for example, giving adult doses to children, can have serious consequences. Parents should be especially careful with often-abused painkillers and sedatives. Using cough mixture as a sedative is an action which has been particularly criticised by authors of the study.

Keep it safe

Apart from never giving children medication with the intention of sedating them, what else can parents do to keep medication use as safe as possible for their kids? Firstly, don’t be afraid to ask pharmacists for advice on which drugs are safe for children. If you’re having problems with a child who never seems to want to go to sleep, establish a good bedtime routine and try to make sure kids are tired out by physical play during the day – don’t turn to medication.

Decorating for children can seem daunting, thanks to the fact that their tastes can change quickly and dramatically, but it is possible to create a room that is adaptable enough to work for your child for years to come. Keep the basics simple with plain walls, furniture, and carpets, then get great ideas for decoration with items that can be changed as time passes.

In the habit

Get kids into healthy habits from a young age. When it comes to bedroom design, this means ensuring that the room allows peaceful sleep – so ban the TV and let your children read and listen to quiet music at bedtime. It’s also important to keep sleep and work separate, so if your child does homework in his or her bedroom, make sure there’s a table or desk to work at.

Theme dream

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If your child really wants a theme in his or her bedroom, it’s not necessarily a bad idea. A theme that takes over the room will date quickly but framed pictures relating to the theme, new lampshades, cushions, and stuffed toys will all give the room a themed feel for a relatively small cost. Themed bedding will always be useful as a spare set in later years, and you can go back to a simpler, lasting look in minutes.

Get practical

Consider all of the practical aspects of your kids’ bedrooms. Lights that can be turned off from the bed are important, as are adequate amounts of storage for all of your children’s books, toys, and school equipment. Think about what you’d like them to be able to get to easily and keep these items on in lower draws or storage containers.

Here are some useful tips that will help you in selecting practical clothing for your kids:

• First of all, consider your child’s age. If you have an infant, don’t buy very expensive dresses as the size changes rapidly. For a toddler, who is learning to walk, you will definitely need more durable clothes like straight-cut overalls and lowers with knee pads.

• It is impossible to ignore those lacy dresses for the little fairies, which look amazingly cute. Although it is not bad to buy one for a special occasion, you must not try to dress your baby in these beautiful but uncomfortable clothes all the time. Such clothes can cause rashes to your baby’s soft skin. Just like with the plain but effective Baby Dan Park-A-Kid Playpen, it is sometimes better to side with safety and comfort, rather than style or cuteness. So it’s better to be concerned about finding comfortable fabrics that can keep the child cheerful.

• In case of buying a sleepwear for your below one year child, you can consider the blanket sleepers, gowns and two-piece pajamas.

• Make it a point to compare the sizes and don’t always rely on the labeled ones. Especially when buying cotton clothes, you must consider that there will be shrinkage.

• Woolens have to be selected with care. The slip in sweaters or the ones with a zip at the back are quite convenient.

• Jackets with front zips are also ideal for the little ones. You must supplement your child’s wardrobe with mittens, coats and woolen caps.

So whether you have to purchase winter wear or party dresses for your children, you must stick to comfortable clothes. Put in your efforts to make a more functional wardrobe for the little one and take care to go for an advance shopping for the changing requirements in different seasons.

]]> http://www.home-living-news.co.uk/parenting/408/6-tips-for-choosing-great-clothes-for-your-children.html/feed 0 http://www.home-living-news.co.uk/do-it-yourself-diy/306/furniture-safety-is-almost-as-important-as-the-furniture-itself.html http://www.home-living-news.co.uk/do-it-yourself-diy/306/furniture-safety-is-almost-as-important-as-the-furniture-itself.html#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:01:41 +0000 Kyle http://www.home-living-news.co.uk/?p=306 Getting the right kind of furniture that suits the décor of your home helps in making a style statement of your own. While decorating the house, it is not only important to consider the looks of your furniture, but also to check on the basic safety needs which should be addressed well, especially with small kids in the house. A perfect house is the one which is a perfect blend of everything.

Always ensure the furniture in your house has a smooth finish. One should always try to avoid any kind of sharpness or roughness on the edges or surfaces of the furniture. To prevent any kind of snagging, ensure that the bolts and screws are firmly fixed into the furniture and hidden properly. If possible the bookshelf should be fixed to the wall as a precautionary measure in case of overloading. Some anti–tip brackets or straps should be fixed in the wall for furniture such as racks, cupboards, bookshelves etc.

In case you are planning on buying bunk beds, make sure your children are more than six years of age or else they can roll over or hurt themselves against the railing. The top bunk should have safety rails on both the sides with at least fifteen inches open at each end. To prevent the kids from getting hurt, replace the square or rectangle tables in the house with round tables or tables with blunt edges. Child-proof locks should be installed for the cupboards or cabinets containing medicines, harmful kitchen articles, powertools like the Makita 451 drill, and toiletries. Remove any kind of extension cords to avoid tipping over and have enclosed wiring to avoid any kind of accidents.

You just need to keep a few tips in mind.

• Always cover your woodwork and furniture with newspapers and tape it so that your furniture polish does not get damaged with the paints.
• It is always advisable to apply a base coat or a neutral coat to your wall first if you have not got it painted for a long time. Make sure the base coat is light in colour like Beige, White and Fawn or off white.
• Refer to a paint specialist to find out the kind of paint you should use for your wall, whether it should be acrylic or latex.
• Don’t be afraid of getting messy while painting just enjoy it.
• Make sure you have all the paint colours and different sizes of brushes to paint on the wall.
• You have the plain white wall in front of you, so what are you waiting for? Go on and paint your imagination.
• You can also paste cut outs from old storybooks or magazines onto the scenery that you painted on the wall.
• Use a joint compound or POP to get a texture or a fossil rock look on your wall and then paint on it. It will look nice and unique.

Don’t worry about how it good your strokes or drawing is. If it makes sense then it will you will be called a good artist and if it doesn’t make sense, it will be called Modern art. Just be aesthetic and enjoy painting your wall.

Here are a few tips that you need to keep in mind before buying furniture for your child.

• Decide whether you want to give a contemporary or a classic look to your kid’s room. If you wish to go or the contemporary look then you need to go for straight cut simple furniture with not many embellishments. whereas if you would want to give a classic comfy look then you can go for small little beds with big bolsters and extremely comfy mattresses.
• Ask your child’s likes and dislikes first. Whether he or she is interested more in stars, fairies or cars. Then you can have a theme for the room and buy furniture which can be coordinated with it.
• Make sure most of the furniture in your kid’s room is unbreakable. After all kids can never give up their mischief
• Try to leave a lot of free space in the room because kids love playing in their room.
• You can utilize space by using convertible furniture items that are multipurpose like chairs that have flap desks in front of them and can be used while studying as well as eating. You can also buy double sleepers or folding beds in case you have two kids.

The following list of ideas will surely help you in generating unique ideas for designing a dream-land for your child.

• Always select high gloss paint for the kid’s room as it is washable.
• It is also a great idea to get the walls painted according to a theme of your kid’s choice like Barbie, Tom and Jerry or Harry Potter.
• Removable wall stickers are a good choice for decorating the walls as they are self-adhesive and can be changed when required.
• While choosing flooring, go for the one that is easy to wash. You can also choose rubber tiles.
• To save space buy multifunctional furniture for your kid’s room.
• Give due attention to the bathroom by including non-slippery tiles and decorating it with water toys.
• The buckets and mugs in the kid’s bathroom should also be taken care of. Don’t buy bulky buckets and try to get things with cute designs or bright colors.
• Also check out for the tiles made exclusively for the children’s bathroom.
• Select interesting drapes, which are not too long in length.

Try these tips and use your creativity to create your kid’s paradise, which will reflect your love as well as your talent. As a token of thanks, you can expect sweet smiles and lovely hugs from your little ones.