http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/kids/making-the-most-of-time-together.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/kids/making-the-most-of-time-together.html Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:56:32 -0500
Even the best Brookline child care center is no substitute for one on one time between a parent and child. The value of time spent with your youngster outside their Boston child care center is beyond measure. It is a opportunity to strengthen family ties and nurture your child's self-esteem.

Making the most of your time together

It's impossible to add more hours to the day, so how can busy parents find more for their kids? Reframing how time is spent makes the difference. Shift the focus from the task to performing the task together. Your to-do list may not shorten, but your bond with your child will benefit.

A perfect candidate for reframing a mundane task is lunch preparation. At first, shopping for or making food for your child to bring to their Brookline child care program seems routine. There is so much more than a sandwich and fruit that fills that lunch bag, however.

Involving kids in the process by making the trip to the grocery store or packing food together for them to bring to their Boston child care center gives the task new meaning.
The following are simple ways to involve your child in making a lunch to bring to their Brookline child care program:

· Making the shopping list - Ask your child what foods they would you like to include.

· Selecting food - Invite your child to retrieve items from your list and put them in your cart. Make a game of counting the number of items you have.

· Paying for the food - Have your child give the cashier your coupons or payment for the groceries. Count the money together as you pay or receive change.

· Putting groceries away - Involve your child in sorting the groceries and identifying where everything goes.

· Food preparation - Wash, slice or cook food together with your child. Discuss what you are doing - what does the food smell like, what colors does your child see, how many of each item do you have?

· Packing lunch - Pack items in their bag for the next day's return to their Boston child care center.

The benefits:

By participating in simple tasks such as packing a lunch, children develop so many skills. From the experience, they learn:

1. Their opinion matters
2. Their presence is important
3. Healthy food choices are important
4. Food choices reflect their family's heritage
5. Counting
6. Spatial skills
7. Sorting

Finding the very best Brookline child care for your little one is important, but making the most of routine family moments is as well. Including your child in everyday tasks is a great way to stay connected.



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Jane Bartlett is a retired educator who spent much of her career in leading Brookline preschool programs and providing daycare in Brookline. She now writes extensively on early education issues and remains active locally in Brookline's preschool community.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/spanish-bilingual-education-more-benefits-than-you-may-realize.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/spanish-bilingual-education-more-benefits-than-you-may-realize.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:58:21 -0500 Brookline daycare program. The developing skills of youngsters are particularly responsive to an enriched environment where more than one language is spoken. For this reason, daycare-aged children are able to reap the greatest benefits of a bilingual education. In fact, mastering a new language is easier for these children than their older counterparts.

In addition, exposure to a new language while at daycare in Brookline can strengthen the development of verbal/language skills in infants, toddlers, preschool and even pre-K aged kids.

Why choose Spanish bilingual education?

Spanish is the primary language of approximately 330 million people around the world. It is a second language for nearly 50 million people. In a world that is rapidly growing smaller, thanks to technology and a global economy, the value of being able to communicate in Spanish should not be underestimated. Further, access to a rich world of art, literature, history and music becomes available through one's knowledge of Spanish.

Children receiving an early bilingual education in their Brookline daycare program have a unique advantage. In addition to the developmental and educational benefits of learning Spanish early on, they are better prepared to thrive in and appreciate a multi-cultural environment at any age.

What if a child already speaks a second language?

One of the best features about the Brookline community is its diversity. Multiple cultures and languages co-exist within a relatively small space.

It is common within the community for some children entering daycare in Brookline to already speak more than one language within their families. This may lead parents to wonder if exposure to another language is beneficial. In fact, the wider the exposure to new languages, the greater the benefit to the child.

No matter if they are exposed to one or multiple languages at home, young children still benefit greatly from a Spanish bilingual education. At a young age, children are most responsive and sensitive to languages. As a result, Brookline daycare that includes multi-lingual education is an ideal setting for language enrichment. What's more, there is no limit to the amount of language study a child can absorb or how greatly they benefit.

Spanish bilingual education can greatly benefit children throughout their lives on so many levels. When considering any child care center, Brookline families are well-served by placing their youngster in such an enriched learning environment.


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Jane Bartlett is a retired educator who spent much of her career in leading Brookline preschool programs and providing daycare in Brookline. She now writes extensively on early education issues and remains active locally in Brookline's preschool community.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/building-self-esteem-in-your-preschooler.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/building-self-esteem-in-your-preschooler.html Wed, 27 May 2009 13:23:32 -0500
This type of activity within your child's Boston preschool program is an important part of the learning process. It also helps develop school readiness and builds self esteem. The importance of helping students feel pride in their work and themselves should not be overlooked.

Tips for building self esteem

The most effective way to build self esteem in preschoolers is to set and recognize realistic goals. Reaching these goals is a concrete way preschoolers can develop feelings of pride and accomplishment. On the other hand, valuing perfect performance over effort or creativity, can be a source of frustration and actually lower self-esteem. Family and parents are the most important people in a young child's life. How they view projects from their child's Boston preschool program is important to the development of self esteem.

* Show interest in your preschooler's work - When children return from their Boston preschool program, it's a great idea for parents to invite their kids to show the day's project and describe the process of creating it. A parent's interest in schoolwork helps children to also place value on their efforts.

* Focus on their effort - By focusing on effort, parents convey that creativity and imagination are more important than making a 'perfect' project. For example, asking children to describe the work they did at preschool in Boston and how they feel about it, rather than noting whether or not they stayed within the lines builds self esteem.

* Share your preschooler's pride - The importance of a parent's attention is critical in building self esteem. Actively showing pride in work your child creates in their Boston preschool program is priceless. Parents can display projects from their child's Boston preschool throughout the home, for example, or share digital copies with relatives living elsewhere.

Children follow their parent's example when it comes to placing value. When parents show that effort, imagination and hard work are important, children learn that their work at preschool in Boston matters. In turn, they come to take pride in their efforts.

When parents ask an open-ended question like 'Tell me about your picture…' children are invited to explore and value their creativity. In turn, youngsters feel valued. They learn that their work, rather than a perfect result, is always good enough. This lesson is the cornerstone of building self esteem at home and at preschool in Boston.

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Jane Bartlett is a retired educator who spent much of her career in leading Boston preschool programs and training others to provide preschool in Boston. She now writes extensively on early education issues and remains active locally in Brookline's preschool community.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/supporting-your-childa%80%99s-emerging-friendships.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/supporting-your-childa%80%99s-emerging-friendships.html Fri, 22 May 2009 11:02:47 -0500
Why Schedule a Play Date?

For many of us, scheduling time with friends was a rarity during our childhoods. Instead, it was more common for children to go outside to play with kids in the neighborhood. This isn't always possible or practical given the busy schedules of today's families. Scheduled play dates with friends from their Boston daycare program provides children the opportunity to socialize within the scope of your family's busy routine.

Setting Up Play Dates with Friends from Brookline Daycare

The best way to organize a play date with your child's friends is to contact their parents to determine a date that works for both families. If your Brookline daycare provider does not distribute a parent's contact list for each classroom, touch base with your child's teacher for the information.

Planning a Play Date

Once the play date is scheduled, the next step is to decide what to do. Some of the best play dates aren't overly structured, so remember it's not necessary to plan every minute. Discuss some options with your child - what type of activities do they enjoy sharing with their friend?

If you are stumped for ideas, consider activities that your child's Boston daycare program includes. These staples translate well into fun play date activities:

Cooking - Children enjoy making food almost as much as eating it. Have the children prepare a healthy snack, offering help only as needed. Favorites little fingers can easily prepare include fruit salad, yogurt and fruit, homemade pizza or cheese cubes

Scavenger hunts - Hide toys, books or snacks around your house or outside. Invite the children to work together to solve clues or read a map to locate the 'treasures'

Field trips - Outings can be a fun way to spend time with friends from Boston daycare. Some favorites spots include local parks, petting zoos, berry or apple picking at a farm, story times, and activities at the library. Your child's Brookline daycare provider can provide even more suggestions for local outings.

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Jane Bartlett is a retired educator who spent much of her career in leading Brookline daycare programs and training others to provide daycare in Boston. She now writes extensively on early education issues and remains active locally in Brookline's preschool community.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/technology/preserving-data-integrity-with-media-archiving.html http://www.articletrader.com/technology/preserving-data-integrity-with-media-archiving.html Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:51:00 -0600
Media archiving is the ideal solution to avoid the risk of losing this critical data. The process, in a nutshell, involves migrating information from older analog formats, such as film and videotape, to digital formats such as DVD, or Flash, Windows Media, Quicktime, Realplayer or podcasts for use on the web. Further, it involves the creation of management functionality so that the data is both secure and more easily controlled.

Why Consider Media Archiving

1. Data security - Film and videotapes have a limited lifespan. Over time they degrade which can result in the loss of critical data. Migrating your data to a more reliable digital format safeguards your information for future use. Additionally, digital formats such as DVD or a hard drive provide greater storage capacity. It takes a smaller quantity of digital media to accommodate data currently stored on less reliable analog format.

2. Simplified media storage - Commonly used media, such as DVDs or hard drives, are more compact media than film or videotapes. With less bulk to consider, your storage needs require considerably less space. If your media is stored off-site, this can also translate into decreased storage costs.

3. Simplified access - Media archiving entails more than converting from an analog to digital format. The process also includes the creation of an archive database. The database in turn, provides tracking information that greatly simplifies locating the desired storage device and identifying the information in contains. Both time and money are saved when the information you need can be obtained so easily.

4. Better media management - One of the biggest frustrations stemming from an inventory of old media is the difficulty involved in knowing just what is available. The database generated during the media archiving process makes resource management possible. Critical reporting can be generated from the archive database. Whether you need a summary on the volume of media on hand that covers a specific topic or a simple listing of available records from a specific time, the database system provides resource control critical for managing your media assets.

5. Online access - Migrating data stored on videotapes and film to digital format provides greater opportunities to distribute your information to a wider audience. Whether converted as Flash, Windows Media, Quicktime, Realplayer or podcast files, a digital format enables you to share the information online. Access becomes virtually instant and incredibly convenient.

6. Storage options - Larger archiving projects may be better served by the robust storage capacity and sturdy construction of hard drives as opposed to discs. Drives currently on the market offer up to a terabyte of storage space. This translates to roughly 415 hours of video. The most basic solution would be a single external drive with a USB connection. More robust storage solutions include the use of NAS or Network Attached Storage. NAS provides simultaneous access to multiple drives that appear as a single resource to end users. In addition to tremendous storage capacity and convenient access, NAS configurations are manageable regardless of on hand resources. NAS can accommodate both EIDE (parallel connection) or SATA (serial connection) hard drives.

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About the Author : R. Harvey Bravman is the owner of Advanced Digital Replication, Inc.; offering a full range of state-of-the-art CD and dvd replication as well as media archiving services since 1998.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/hammertoes_2.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/hammertoes_2.html Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:55:55 -0600
Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Like many other foot disorders, including bunions, hammertoes, and neuromas, Achilles tendonitis will get progressively worse and may eventually lead to degeneration of the tendon if not properly diagnosed and treated by a foot care doctor or podiatrist in Boston.

What Are the Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis?

The most common symptom of Achilles tendonitis is pain or stiffness along the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel, particularly when walking or exercising. There may be swelling or warmth in the area. Pain may also occur after a period of inactivity or when getting up in the morning and taking those first steps.

What Causes Achilles Tendonitis?

Because the Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel, Achilles tendonitis is often caused by over training, overusing, or injuring the tendon during repetitive sports activities. Muscle tightness in general or back and hip problems that throw off the body’s proper alignment can sometimes be the culprit. Another major cause of Achilles tendonitis is tight calf muscles resulting from continuously wearing high-heeled shoes. Flat shoes can also cause Achilles tendonitis since they tend to shorten calf muscles as well.

Treatment for Achilles Tendonitis

The most common treatment for Achilles tendonitis is icing the injured area to reduce inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications can be taken in conjunction with icing. Gentle stretching, heel lifts in shoes, orthotics, padding, and wearing a different type of shoe are also helpful in alleviating Achilles tendonitis. If tendonitis is severe, staying immobile for a period of time will help to accelerate the healing process.

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is intended only as a resource and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions or foot care issues, consult with a qualified Boston podiatrist or foot care doctor in Boston.



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About the Author: Dr. Jordana Szpiro is a Boston podiatrist providing comprehensive foot care and surgery to all ages. Dr Szpiro specializes in pediatric podiatry and custom molded orthotics. For more information or to contact Dr. Szpiro, visit Boston Common Podiatry.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/hammertoes_1.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/hammertoes_1.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:07:22 -0600
Hammertoe is the term used to describe a bending in the joint of the toe. A hammertoe can occur in one toe or in several toes, with the exception of the big toe. When more than one toe is affected the condition is referred to in the plural, hammertoes. This abnormal bending of the joints can result in unsightly lesions or pain from pressure of the toes when wearing shoes. If you suspect you have a hammertoe consult a podiatrist in Boston to confirm a diagnosis since the condition can get progressively worse over time.

What are the Symptoms of Hammertoes?

Quite often the first symptom of a hammertoe is pain when wearing shoes. You may notice a painful lesion between two or more of your toes or that your toes curl or bend to one side or the other. Other symptoms of hammertoes include pain at the tip of the toe, pain in toenails, or thick lesions on the tops of the toes that may be discolored. In some cases, hammertoes may not be painful at all.

What Causes Hammertoes?

Common causes of hammertoes include wearing high heels or tight fitting shoes that create bunions and push the second toe out of place. People with flat feet often get hammertoes, and in some instances hammertoes may be hereditary.

Treatment for Hammertoes

There are a number of different treatment options for hammertoes. In almost all cases, your Boston foot care doctor will suggest changing your shoe gear and avoiding high-heeled shoes that place pressure on the toes. Other non-invasive measures include the use of padding between the toes and creams to soften the skin. Avoid over the counter acid treatments. Depending on the severity, your Boston podiatrist may debride the lesions. As a last resort, hammertoes can be surgically corrected.

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is provided as a resource only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions or foot care issues, consult with a qualified Boston podiatrist or foot care doctor in Boston.



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About the Author: Dr. Jordana Szpiro is a Boston podiatrist providing comprehensive foot care and surgery to all ages. Dr Szpiro specializes in pediatric podiatry and custom molded orthotics. For more information or to contact Dr. Szpiro, visit Boston Common Podiatry.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/bunions-hallux-valgus.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/bunions-hallux-valgus.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:04:47 -0600
A bunion looks like a “bump” on the joint of the big toe; however, these bumps are not calluses. Instead they result from the bones in your foot becoming misaligned. More often than not, the big toe is leaning inward towards the middle toe giving the appearance of a bump on the joint. bunions are a progressive disease that warrants treatment by a Boston podiatry specialist or foot doctor early on.

What are the Symptoms of Bunions?

While some people may never have symptoms, most people experience pain at the base of the big toe near the joint, redness at the big toe joint, pain such as a burning sensation associated with activity, pain when wearing shoes, and numbness in the big toe.

What Causes Bunions?

Most people can blame their bunions on heredity. In other words, you may have inherited a faulty foot bone structure that makes you more prone to bunions. Flat feet are also a culprit and younger patients may be diagnosed with bunions because of hyper-flexibility. While wearing shoes that are too tight, high heels that crowd the toes, and spending a lot of time on your feet won’t cause bunions, these situations can exacerbate the problem causing symptoms to appear faster and be more severe. For these reasons, women are treated for bunions more often than men are.

Treatment for Bunions

As with most foot disorders, foot care doctors in Boston use a variety of non-invasive methods first before moving on to more invasive treatment methods, including wearing different footgear, using padding, and prescribing anti-inflammatory medications. If these treatment methods don’t work your Boston podiatrist may use injection therapy, and as a last resort, surgery.

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is intended only as a resource and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions or foot care issues, consult with a qualified Boston podiatrist or foot care doctor in Boston.


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About the Author: Dr. Jordana Szpiro is a Boston podiatrist providing comprehensive foot care and surgery to all ages. Dr Szpiro specializes in pediatric podiatry and custom molded orthotics. For more information or to contact Dr. Szpiro, visit Boston Common Podiatry.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/fitness/neuromas.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/fitness/neuromas.html Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:18:59 -0600
What are the Symptoms of Neuromas?

The most common symptoms of neuromas are tingling in toes, numbness in the toes or ball of foot, pain in the ball of the foot. Some people report that it feels like you’re walking on a stone. In severe cases it may cause difficulty in walking. Symptoms typically begin gradually but over time will get progressively worse and more intense.

What Causes Neuromas?

Neuromas can be caused by anything that results in the nerves of the foot to be irritated, but are primarily caused by wearing narrow shoes such as those with a tapered toe, especially when combined with high heels. Unstable footing is another cause, whether it’s wearing shoes that don’t support feet enough or walking on cobblestones or other uneven paving surfaces. An increase in activity such as running or walking can also cause neuromas because of the repetitive impacts. Finally, people prone to getting bunions and hammertoes also seem to be more susceptible to neuromas.

Treatment for Neuromas

The easiest and most effective treatment method is to change the type of shoes you wear. Padding will help as well as reducing or eliminating the activity that caused the neuroma in the first place. Orthotics and injection therapy may be necessary in more severe cases, and surgery if all else fails.

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is intended only as a resource and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions or foot care issues, consult with a qualified Boston foot care doctor or podiatrist in Boston.



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Dr. Jordana Szpiro is a Boston podiatrist providing comprehensive foot care and surgery to all ages. Dr Szpiro specializes in pediatric podiatry and custom molded orthotics. For more information or to contact Dr. Szpiro, visit Boston Common Podiatry.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/how-culturally-diverse-preschool-programs-benefit-young-children.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/parenting/how-culturally-diverse-preschool-programs-benefit-young-children.html Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:17:50 -0600
For many families, the neighborhood in which they live is more culturally diverse and they want their child to attend a preschool in Brookline or Brookline childcare center that reflects the same. Others may simply prefer their children attend a preschool in Brookline that reflects their diverse cultural heritage.

Generally, by the time children reach the age 4 they are becoming aware of differences between themselves and other children in their neighborhood or in their Brookline preschool. This can include differences in skin color, religion, or spoken language. Therefore, when a child attends either a preschool in Brookline or daycare in Brookline it provides the perfect opportunity for them to learn cultural diversity.

Programs rich in cultural diversity benefit youngsters by helping them develop broader language skills, increased cultural awareness, and instill a feeling of cultural pride. In addition, programs of diversity helps build a sense of connection with the surrounding community.

Because language and culture are intertwined, preschools in Brookline and programs for children in daycare in Brookline that promote diversity offer bi-lingual programs. Typically, programs are in English and Spanish or English and another language. These programs are of obvious benefit to children who speak another language, but they’re also beneficial to children who don’t because they provide all children a richer opportunity to develop language skills including sentence structure, vocabulary, and grammar.

A culturally diverse Brookline preschool program is not just about language however, it’s also about celebrating similarities as well as differences. The focus of culturally diverse programs includes languages that are spoken, foods that are eaten, toys that are played with, and holidays and unique cultural celebrations.

Activities such as singing songs in other languages, playing musical instruments, eating foods, or reading fairy tales from another country or culture make daycare in Brookline, or a preschool in Brookline lively and interesting places to learn for students. Exposure to different cultures through attending a preschool in Brookline that offers programs and the diversity of the students themselves serve children well in the long run, giving them the skills to flourish in the increasingly culturally diverse world around them.


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Jane Bartlett is a retired educator who spent much of her career in leading Brookline preschool programs and providing daycare in Brookline. She now writes extensively on early education issues and remains active locally in Brookline's preschool community.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>