Creativity for children

All kids are creative, they're born that way. But more than ever before, children are losing their innate ability to "think outside the box" at early ages. In schools government standards have prompted teachers to focus on teaching skills and knowledge needed to pass tests. They hope parentswill be able to encourage children to explore and imagine. But parents, overwhelmed by the pace of the schedules, all too often dont have time to sit down and help their kids write or draw or discover. They hope the school will pick up the slack.

Where do most kids go to feed their imaginations ?
That's rite, television, computer games, videos. Though these provide entertainmentm they do little to encourage kidsto make up their own stories, their own games, generate their own ideas.

What should we do then ?
Sit down with your kids or students and give them a chance to dream up a story. Help them brainstorm. Develop a main character together. Give them some paper and challege them to come up with their own superhero, cool house, or a perfect pet. Or reading a story just like the old time our parents, that's really tickling their imaginations.

Good try ! :)

Vegetarian for baby ?

When your baby reaches the 7, 8 or 9 month old mark, you may think of the need to introduce Meats into the diet. Does an infant really need to have meat introduced into his/her diet at this young age?



Is it important to gain proteins solely from Meats?

Can introducing meats in baby's diet cause digestive issues or future health problems?

What if you wish to raise your child as a Vegetarian of one form or another; will the lack of Meat hinder growth and development?

These are all questions that have been asked by many parents as their babies hit yet another milestone age. This week's article will explore the answers available.

Why should parents introduce meats?

One of the most important reasons that parents begin to introduce meats is for the protein factor. Meat is one of the best sources of "complete" protein available. Along with meat, some excellent sources of protein are eggs, nuts, and dairy products.

The Vegetarian baby - where else can baby get protein from?

Protein is also found in plants such as legumes (like beans, peas, lentils), some vegetables, grains and fruits though many of these sources of proteins are considered "incomplete" proteins.

Will not introducing meat proteins harm my baby's growth?

Many parents worry that not introducing Meat into an infants diet will harm the baby's growth. This should not be a concern and many vegetarian babies gorw up to be healthy children. Parents should research and find alternative ways to get protein and Iron into baby's diet



Consider this: a baby's main source of nutrition comes from either formula, breast milk or both during the first 12 months of life. These food sources contain adequate amounts of proteins to sustain and allow your baby to grow and develop properly. Even at the 12 month age mark, your baby still does not require meat in the diet. What your baby does need is protein.



What types of proteins are there?

As mentioned earlier, there are 2 types of Proteins; Complete and Incomplete. There are also 20 essential Amino Acids that our bodies need and protein helps us gain these amino acids. Our bodies produce 11 of the essential amino acids however we rely on food sources to get the other 9 essential amino acids.

Complete Proteins are those that contain all 9 of the essential Amino Acids. The best source of complete protein is Meat, Eggs, Dairy and Nuts and Seeds.

Incomplete Proteins are lacking in 1 or more of the 9 essential Amino Acids. Plant foods such as legumes, grains, fruits etc.. are considered to contain the Incomplete proteins.


What age should I introduce Meat into Baby's diet?

The current recommendations for introducing meat into your baby's diet varies greatly from country to country. Many countries are now recommending that meat be one of baby's first foods to ensure Iron intake. It is typical for meat to be introduced into the diet between the 7-9 month age range. You should discuss the introduction of meat into your baby's diet with your baby's pediatrician.



Whether or not you choose to introduce meat into your baby's diet prior to 12 months of age, if at all, is entirely a personal decision. Rest assured however that meateat itself is NOT a necessity in an infants diet - Protein is the necessity.

Your child can receive all the proteins needed by combing the foods that contain both the complete and the incomplete proteins without ever having to eat meat.

An example; peanut butter and bread, black beans and rice, cottage cheese and avocado, milk and a grain cereal.



Again, we urge you to carefully consider the exclusion of Meat from your child's diet. We further urge you to consult with your pediatrician and/or a Registered Dietician prior to embarking on a "Meat-Free" or other form of Vegetarian diet for your baby as his/her First Birthday approaches.



Resources and Learning More:

National Institutes of Health(NIH) - Protein in diet

Kids Health.Org - Learning About Proteins

Feeding your vegetarian child

Vegetarian Diets for Children

Dr. Seto Mulyadi, Psi,Msi

Nama:Seto Mulyadi (Kak Seto)

Lahir:Klaten, Jawa Tengah, 28 Agustus 1951

Agama:Islam

Ayah/Ibu:Mulyadi Effendy/Mariati

Istri:Deviana

Anak:- Eka Putri Duta Sari- Bimo Dwi Putra Utama- Shelomita Kartika Putri Maharani- Nindya Putri Catur Permatasari

Pendidikan:- SD Ngepos, Klaten (1963) - SMK, Klaten (1966) - SMA St. Louis, Surabaya (1969) - Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Indonesia (S1, 1981) - Program Pascasarjana Universitas Indonesia (Magister bidang psikologi, 1989) - Program Pascasarjana Universitas Indonesia (doktor bidang psikologi, 1993)

Karir:- Ketua Pelaksana Pembangunan Istana Anak-Anak Taman Mini Indonesia Indonesia (1983)- Pendiri dan Ketua Yayasan Mutiara Indonesia (1982-sekarang) - Pendiri dan Ketua Umum Yayasan Nakula Sadewa (1984-sekarang) - Dekan Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Tarumanegara, Jakarta (1994-1997) - Ketua Umum Komisi Nasional Perlindungan Anak (1998-sekarang) Kegiatan Lain:- Sekretaris Jenderal Ikatan Sarjana Psikologi Indonesia (1983-1985) - Director at-large International Council of Psychologists (1985) - Anggota International Society for Twins Studies (1985-sekarang) - Anggota Creative Education Foundation (1993-sekarang) - Anggota World Council for Gifted & Talented Children (1994-sekarang)

Buku:Anakku, Sahabat, dan Guruku (1997)

Penghargaan:- Orang Muda Berkarya Indonesia, kategori Pengabdian pada Dunia Anak-anak dari Presiden RI (1987) - The Outstanding Young Person of the World, Amsterdam; kategori Contribution to World Peace, dari Jaycess International (1987) - Peace Messenger Award, New York, dari Sekjen PBB Javier Perez de Cuellar (1987)- The Golden Balloon Award, New York; kategori Social Activity dari World Children’s Day Foundation & Unicef (1989)

Alamat Rumah/Kantor:Jalan Taman Cirendeu Permai 13, Jakarta 15419

Sahabat Anak-anak


Kedekatannya dengan dunia anak membuat dia begitu dikenal sebagai sahabat dan pendidik anak-anak. Namun, tidak banyak yang tahu kalau peraih The Outstanding Young Person of the World 1987 ini pernah melalui getirnya hidup menjadi pembantu rumah tangga, tukang batu, dan tukang semir sepatu di Blok M.

Seto Mulyadi yang kemudian dikenal sebagai Kak Seto pada awalnya bercita-cita menjadi dokter. Manusia berencana tapi Tuhan yang menentukan. Seto malah mendedikasikan hidupnya demi kemajuan anak-anak.

Pria kelahiran Klaten, Jawa Tengah, 28 Agustus 1951 ini memiliki saudara kembar, dr. Kresna Mulyadi dan seorang kakak yang menjadi anggota ABRI. Ketika masih kecil, Seto termasuk anak nakal dan tidak bisa diam. ''Saya ini bengal,'' katanya.

Akibat kebengalannya, Seto pernah jatuh saat bermain sampai kening kirinya sobek. Untuk menutupi bekas jahitan, potongan rambutnya dibuat ala The Beatles. Sampai dewasa, ketika sudah menjadi Ketua Komisi Nasional Perlindungan Anak, Seto Mulyadi tetap setia dengan model rambutnya.

Perjalanan hidup Seto di masa muda penuh liku yang pahit. Ayahnya, Mulyadi - direktur perusahaan perkebunan negara di Klaten - meninggal pada 1966 saat Seto masih berusia 14 tahun. Ekonomi keluarganya pun mulai kembang-kempis. Untuk mengatasi tekanan ekonomi ini, Seto terpaksa dititipkan ke rumah bibinya di Surabaya, bersama kakak dan saudara kembarnya, Kresna. Di sana, Seto melanjutkan sekolahnya di SMA St. Louis Surabaya.

Demi meringankan beban bibinya, juga untuk memenuhi biaya sekolah, Tong - panggilan akrab Seto dalam keluarganya – nyambi jadi pengasong di jalan-jalan selepas sekolah. Ia aktif pula mengisi sebuah rubrik untuk anak-anak di majalah terbitan Surabaya, Bahagia. “Di situ saya mulai memakai nama Kak Seto,” ujarnya. Sejak itulah, dan sampai sekarang, ia dikenal dengan panggilan Kak Seto.

Walau sekolah sambil bekerja, Seto tetap bisa aktif di OSIS bersama kembarannya. Bahkan rapornya selalu bagus. Lulus SMA, ia bercita-cita melanjutkan studinya di Fakultas Kedokteran. Tapi, cita-citanya menjadi dokter kandas, tatkala tak diterima di fakultas kedokteran, baik di Universitas Airlangga maupun Universitas Indonesia. Sementara Kresna diterima di kedokteran dan kakaknya, Ma’ruf, masuk Akabri.

Diam-diam, Seto memendam kekecewaan. “Hidup seperti itu membuat saya tertekan hingga akhirnya saya memutuskan meninggalkan rumah dan pergi ke Jakarta,” tuturnya. Subuh, 27 Maret 1970, ia pun berangkat tanpa pamit, hanya meninggalkan surat kepada ibunya.

Tiba di Jakarta sebagai penganggur yang luntang-lantung, Seto menumpang di garasi milik keluarga temannya, yang kebetulan ia kenal di kereta. Tidur beralaskan dua keset yang digabung, ia hidup sehari-hari dari penghasilan sebagai tukang batu, serta sesekali menulis di majalah Si Kuncung. Sembari bekerja serabutan dia kemudian mendaftar di Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Indonesia, tahun berikutnya. Tapi, seperti halnya kala di Surabaya, kali ini pun kegagalan kembali menyertainya.

Seto kemudian mencoba melamar pekerjaan ke hotel-hotel. Namun, akhirnya ia malah menjadi tukang cuci dan pel suatu keluarga yang kebetulan mempunyai anak cacat. Seto, yang juga bertugas merawat anak tersebut, harus bersedia menempati ''kamar'' bekas kandang ayam yang berhadapan dengan WC. ''Baunya minta ampun,'' ia mengenang.

“Waktu baru di Jakarta, saya mulai dari bawah, ya, saya kerja jadi pembantu rumah tangga, jadi tukang batu, jadi tukang semir sepatu di Blok M,” kenang Seto. “Berat sekali keadaan waktu itu, dibentak-bentak dan dimarahi oleh tuan saya,” lanjut pria yang merasa tenang bila dekat ibunya ini. Hingga suatu ketika, di rumah tempatnya menumpang, ia tertarik pada acara yang diasuh Bu Kasur di TVRI.

Satu hal, kalau melihat orang lain mampu melakukan sesuatu, Seto selalu berpikir, ''Ah, saya juga bisa.'' Lalu dicarinyalah rumah Bu Kasur, dengan niat ngenger (berguru). Pak Kasur, yang menerimanya, membawanya ke Taman Kanak-Kanak Situ Lembang, Jakarta Pusat. “Akhirnya saya jadi asisten Pak Kasur,” tutur Seto.

Kegagalannya masuk ke Fakultas Kedokteran UI, membuatnya putar haluan dengan memasuki Fakultas Psikologi UI, atas saran dari Pak Kasur. Dua tahun kemudian, ia masih membantu Pak Kasur, sambil menjadi pembantu dan pengasuh anak di rumah Direktur Bank Indonesia, saat itu, Soeksmono Martokoesoemo.

Bersama Pak Kasur, Seto bisa menumpahkan “obsesi” masa kecilnya: kecintaan pada anak-anak - sesuatu yang berawal dari kerinduan datangnya seorang adik, setelah adiknya yang masih tiga tahun meninggal. Pilihannya pun makin mantap di saat mengasuh acara Aneka Ria Taman Kanak-Kanak di TVRI, bersama Henny Purwonegoro. Seto mendongeng, belajar sambil bernyanyi, bermain sulap bersama anak-anak.

Ilmu Pak Kasur ia gabungkan dengan kemahirannya bermain sulap, yang sudah ia pelajari sejak masih SD, melalui buku. Teknik mendongeng, menurut pengagum Mahatma Gandhi serta Napoleon ini, ia peroleh dari penulis dan penutur cerita anak-anak, Soekanto S.A., ditambah dengan pengalamannya sendiri.

Dengan bonekanya Si Komo berikut lagunya, ia pun makin lekat dengan anak-anak. Dan, ekonominya pun mulai membaik, hingga setelah menggondol gelar sarjana psikologi, Seto mengundurkan diri dari keluarga Soeksmono.

Saat masih duduk di bangku kuliah, 1983, Seto mendapat kepercayaan Ibu Tien Soeharto untuk mengetuai pelaksanaan pembangunan Istana Anak-Anak di Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta. Bahkan kelompok bermain Istana Anak-anak di yang dikembangkannya, di luar dugaan, memiliki peminat yang cukup banyak. Kini, pengembangan kelompok bermain yang bernaung di bawah Yayasan Mutiara Indonesia itu sudah menyebar di berbagai cabang di Jakarta dan sekitarnya. Bahkan, sampai di Bandung.

Pada 1987, Seto menikahi Deviana – yang usianya terpaut 20 tahun – gadis yang dicintainya. Tepat pada hari pernikahan, di saat tamu berdatangan, pengantin baru Seto-Devi melaksanakan nazarnya: mendongeng di panti asuhan.

Dengan membaiknya keadaan ekonomi, Seto membeli rumah tinggal di kawasan Cireundeu tetapi tidak ia nikmati sendiri. Sebagian dimanfaatkan untuk sarana bermain anak-anak. Di lahan seluas 2.000 meter persegi itu ada perosotan atau ayunan, ruang kelas, kolam renang mini, laiknya taman kanak-kanak. Semua ruangan didekorasi dengan warna-warna yang ceria dan benar-benar membuat anak-anak merasa di alam fantasi mereka.

Di situlah keempat buah hatinya, Eka Putri Duta Sari, Bimo Dwi Putra Utama, Shelomita Kartika Putri Maharani, dan Nindya Putri Catur Permatasari menikmati masa kecilnya. ''Sebenarnya, tujuan membuat halaman yang luas adalah supaya anak-anak aktif bermain, menikmati alam dengan bebas serta lepas,'' jelasnya, pada kesempatan lain. ''Bila anak-anak terlalu dikekang, akibatnya seperti kuda liar.''

Di dalam keluarga, dia menjadikan anak-anaknya sebagai sahabat dan guru. Hubungannya dengan buah hatinya itu sudah dituangkan dalam buku, 'Anakku, Sahabatku, dan Guruku' (1997). Di buku itu dia menuliskan betapa anak dapat menjadi sahabat dalam berbagi masalah. Anak juga bisa menjadi guru untuk belajar tentang kreativitas, spontanitas, kebebasan berpikir, pemaaf, tidak pendendam, dan mempunyai kasih sayang yang tulus.

Kendati begitu, dia masih saja mengaku tidak selalu tahu tentang anak. Dalam kaitan ini, mantan Dekan Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Tarumanegara, Jakarta (1994-1997) ini pernah menuturkan, ''Saya bukan tahu segala hal tentang anak-anak, tapi berusaha untuk tahu tentang mereka.'' Untuk itu, ''Saya memiliki senjata rendah hati, tidak pernah merasa paling berkuasa di keluarga, menghormati mereka sehingga mereka terbuka kepada saya.''

Kedekatannya dengan anak-anak, boleh jadi, membuat Seto kian merasakan kebutuhan untuk perkembangan anak. Dia pun mengharapkan agar anak-anak dipenuhi hak-hak mereka: hak memperoleh suasana gembira, hak bermain, dan hak untuk tumbuh dan berkembang dalam suasana tenang, tanpa merasa tertekan.

Kreativitas dan ide Seto makin cemerlang dengan mendirikan sekolah TK Mutiara Indonesia. Juga membentuk Yayasan Nakula-Sadewa yang menghimpun anak-anak kembar yang berasal dari keluarga kurang mampu. Sebagai pakar psikologi anak yang bergelar doktor, selain menjadi dosen di Universitas Tarumanegara, Jakarta, ia kerap menjadi pembicara dalam seminar, menulis artikel, dan buku.

Atas pengabdiannya pada dunia anak-anak, yang sampai kapan pun akan terus dilakukannya, Seto telah dianugerahi sejumlah penghargaan. Antara lain Orang Muda Berkarya Indonesia, kategori Pengabdian pada Dunia Anak-anak dari Presiden RI (1987), The Outstanding Young Person of the World, Amsterdam; kategori Contribution to World Peace, dari Jaycess International (1987), Peace Messenger Award, New York, dari Sekjen PBB Javier Perez de Cuellar (1987) dan The Golden Balloon Award, New York; kategori Social Activity dari World Children’s Day Foundation & Unicef (1989). Kemudian, walau tak pernah terlintas dalam benaknya, sejak 1998, Seto dipercaya menjadi Ketua Komnas Perlindungan Anak (KPA).

Dalam kapasitasnya sebagai Ketua Komnas Perlindungan Anak (KPA), Seto semakin giat berkarya membela anak-anak. Pasca bencana Tsunami di Aceh misalnya, ia bersama pemerintah merealisasikan pembentukan Trauma Center. Pendirian Trauma Center ini ditujukan untuk menangani gangguan traumatis pada anak-anak Aceh yang menjadi korban bencana alam dahsyat tersebut. Apa yang paling cepat membantu menyembuhkan trauma anak? "Adanya cinta, perhatian, dan dunia indah untuk bermain," kata Seto.

Seto yang mempunyai motto: bangsa yang besar adalah bangsa yang mencintai anak-anak ini berharap supaya semua orang menganggap setiap hari adalah hari anak. “Bukan cuma tanggal 23 Juli saja, tapi setiap hari adalah hari untuk anak,” kata Seto. “Sehingga anak-anak Indonesia sekarang, apalagi yang terpinggirkan, bisa memperoleh hak-haknya sehingga mereka bisa tumbuh dan berkembang dengan baik dan menjadi putra-putri bangsa yang terbaik untuk bangsanya,” ujarnya lagi. ►mlp

Vegetarian food recipes for baby

Vegetables / Vegetarian Baby Food Recipes - Broccoli With Gruyere Cheese
NOTE: If you can't find Gruyere, use any Swiss cheese as a substitute
1 medium potato, peeled and diced 6oz (3/4 cup) broccoli florets 4 fl oz (1/2 cup) milk 2 tbsp grated Gruyere 1 tbsp fresh, chopped parsley 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Boil the potato until tender. Steam the broccoli florets. Finally, combine the potato and broccoli with the remaining ingredients, mash or puree as desired and top with the parsley.

Vegetables / Vegetarian Baby Food Recipes - Wholesome Twice Baked Potatoes
1 large baking potato (we prefer to use red skinned potatoes - they have a creamier texture) 1oz (1/8 cup) butter 2 fl oz (1/4 cup) milk 3 oz (1/3 cup) grated mild cheddar 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh chives
Wash the potato, prick with a fork, then bake at 350 deg F, 180 deg C for about 1 1/2 hours, until the potato feels soft. Remove from the oven and cut in half. Scoop out the potato and place in a bowl, along with the milk, butter and most of the cheese. Mash well. Return the potato mixture to the skins, place on a cooking sheet and top with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is golden in colour. Sprinkle with the chives.

Vegetables / Vegetarian Baby Food Recipes - Carrot And Lentil Soup
8 oz (1 cup) dry, rinsed lentils 8 oz (1 cup) carrots, peeled and diced 1 small onion, finely chopped 34 fl oz (4 1/4 cups) of water 1 tbsp olive oil
In a large saucepan, gently saute the onion in the oil, until soft. Add the lentils, carrots and water. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the lentils are soft. If necessary, you can puree the soup once it's cool, adding a little water to thin the mixture.

Baby's massage part 2

Arms
1. With one hand, hold baby's wrist. Relax her upper arm by tapping it lightly.
2. Hold her wrist with one hand and hold your other hand in a C-shape around baby's upper arm; stroke from her shoulder down to her wrist.
3. With each hand grasping her arm, one right above the other, stroke down from shoulder to wrist with both hands rotating in opposite directions, as if you were gently wringing a towel.
4. Massage her palm, moving thumb over thumb from heel of her hand to her fingers.
5. Stroke down top of hand from wrist to fingertips. Gently squeeze and pull each finger.
6. Massage her wrist by moving your fingers in small circles.
7. Roll her arm between both your hands.

Back
1. Place baby on tummy horizontally in front of you, or lay her across your outstretched legs. Keep her hands in front of her, not at her sides.
2. With both of your hands on baby's back, move each hand back and forth (keeping them going in opposite directions) from the base of the neck to her buttocks.
3. Hold your baby's buttocks with one hand and use the other to stroke down from her neck to her buttocks.
4. Using your fingertips, massage in small circles down one side of baby's spine and up the other. Avoid pressing on her spine directly.
5. Massage her shoulders with small circular motions.
6. Massage her buttocks with big circular motions.
7. Holding your fingers like a rake, stroke down her back.

Legs
1. Lift one of her legs by the ankle and relax it by lightly tapping the upper thigh.
2. Hold her ankle with one hand and hold your other hand in a C-shape, thumb down, around your baby's upper thigh. Stroke from her thigh down to her foot.
3. With your hands grasping the leg at the thigh, one right above the other, stroke down from hip to foot with both hands rotating in opposite directions, as if you were wringing a towel.
4. On the sole of her foot, use a thumb-over-thumb motion to massage from heel to toes.
5. Use your whole hand to stroke the bottom of her foot from heel to toes.
6. Stroke the top of her foot. Gently squeeze and pull each toe.
7. Massage around her ankle using small circles.
8. Roll her leg between your hands, as if you're rolling dough.

General Tips
Make strokes gentle but firm, and not ticklish.
Build massage into your baby's daily schedule.
Follow baby's signals about when to stop. A massage can last 10 minutes or 30 minutes, depending on her moods.

for further details, always consult with your doctor.

Baby's massage

Tips and techniques on how to massage your new baby.
By Amy Zintl

Getting Started

Daily infant massage is a great way to bond with baby. What's more, researchers are finding that massage may promote better sleeping, relieve colic, and perhaps even enhance an infant's immune system, motor skills, and intellectual development. Here are some tips and techniques to help you along.
Use a blanket or towel, and massage oil in a non-breakable container. (Test the oil on a small spot of your baby's skin and wait a day to be sure no irritation appears.) Start when your baby is in a quiet yet alert state -- not immediately after a feeding or when she's sleepy. Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together, forming a diamond shape with your legs. Drape the blanket over your feet and between your knee.
Undress your baby down to her diaper and place her on the blanket, cradling her head on your feet. Start with a gentle "hello" stroke from baby's head to her toes. If baby stiffens, cries, or becomes irritable, move to another body part or simply end the massage for the day. If she responds well, start gently massaging her body section by section.

Tummy
1. Hold your hand so your pinky's edge can move like a paddle across your baby's belly. Starting at the base of the rib cage, stroke down with one hand, then the other, in a paddle-wheel-like motion.
2. Massage her abdomen with your fingertips in a circular, clockwise motion.
3. Do the "I Love U" stroke: Trace the letter I down your baby's left side. Then trace an inverted L, stroking across the belly along the base of her ribs from her right side to her left and down. Trace an inverted U, stroking from low on the baby's right side, up and around the navel, and down the left side.
4. Walk your fingers around her navel, clockwise.
5. Hold knees and feet together and gently press knees up toward her abdomen. Rotate baby's hips around a few times to the right. (This often helps expel gas.)
6. Place hand on tummy horizontally and rock your hand from side to side a few times. Note: Avoid massaging tummy if the cord hasn't completely healed.

Head and Face
1. Cradling your baby's head in both hands, massage the scalp with your fingertips, as if you're shampooing. (Avoid the fontanel, the soft spot on top of baby's head.)
2. Massage her ears between your thumb and index finger.
3. Trace a heart shape on your baby's face, bringing your hands together at the chin.
4. Place your thumbs between your baby's eyebrows, and stroke out.
5. Again with your thumbs, stroke gently out over baby's closed eyelids.
6. Stroke from the bridge of the nose out over the cheeks.
7. Using your fingertips, massage the jaw in small circles.

Chest
1. Place both hands on your baby's chest and stroke outward from her sternum to her shoulders.
2. Beginning at her sternum, trace a heart shape bringing both hands up to her shoulders, then down and back together.
3. In a crisscross pattern, stroke diagonally from one side of your baby's hip, up and over the opposite shoulder, and back down to her hip.

to be continued

WANT A SMART BABY ? TV'S NOT GOING TO HELP

By Madison Park

(CNN) -- Watching television does not make babies smarter, according to a study released this week in the journal Pediatrics, adding to existing research that challenges the usefulness of baby educational videos and DVDs.

Researchers from Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and Harvard Medical School reached this conclusion after monitoring more than 800 children from birth to 3 years of age.
"Contrary to parents' perceptions that TV viewing is beneficial to their children's brain development, we found no evidence of cognitive benefit from watching TV during the first two years of life," the authors wrote.
Educational DVD and videos geared towards enriching babies and toddlers, such as "BabyGenius," "Brainy Baby" or "Baby Einstein," which proclaim to "encourage discovery and inspire," have no benefits, researchers said.

This echoes a similar finding published in the August issue of Pediatrics. Researchers from the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute found no evidence of benefit from baby DVDs and videos and suggested that it may be harmful. Infants who watched the videos understood fewer words than those who did not watch them.
Pediatrician Dr. Michael Rich, a co-author of the latest study from Boston, calls baby educational DVDs and videos "just wasted time."
"At the very best, they steal time from much more productive cognitive developmental activities," he said. "Ultimately, what it's about is to make parents not feel guilty about an electronic baby sitter."
The parents of the 872 children in the Boston study estimated the number of hours their toddlers spent in front of the television, including TV programs and DVDs. Researchers did not have data on what kinds of programs the toddlers were watching.
On average, babies at 6 months watched approximately 0.9 hours of TV per day. That number increased as the child aged: 1.2 hours at 1 year and 1.4 hours at 2 years.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen media for children under the age of 2 years. Educational DVDs are tailored for babies as young as 3 months.
In the Harvard study, two I.Q.-related tests were administered to the children: the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test III, which indicates how many words the child understands and uses, and the Wide-Range Assessment of Visual Motor Ability test, which presents puzzles and peg boards to test cognitive abilities.
Babies who spent more time watching TV had lower language and visual motor skills at age 3. But when results were adjusted for household income and education levels, the association did not appear.
Lead author Marie Evans Schmidt and her colleagues "did not find evidence of harm or benefit of TV viewing."
Based on the existing body of research, Schmidt, a developmental psychologist instructor at Harvard Medical School, said, "there's still more evidence of harm than benefit as far as TV viewing in infancy is concerned."
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Studies exploring the relationship between TV viewing and the effects on children are just beginning, she said.
"My hope is that when this information is made available to the general public, that it won't be perceived as study that means there are no harmful effects of TV viewing on infants, because other studies have shown TV viewing at high levels can put kids at risk for some things like obesity, sleep disturbances and possibly attention problems," Schmidt said.
Rich, a pediatrician who directs the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital Boston, said TV watching during infancy instills habits that promote obesity.
"You're teaching 4- or 5- or 6-month-olds how to watch TV," he said. "They're learning to watch TV. The more they watch as they get older, they're snacking in front of TV, they're exposed to snack-food commercials, which inspire them to eat even more and sit even more. It is a cumulative effect of many, many factors."
But Karen Hill Scott, a senior fellow at UCLA who works in the field of child development, said the criticism ignores real life. "To me, as a scientist and parent, we can't hold on to completely demonizing screen time when parents are really very determined to use it."
Modern parents "want kids to be literate on computers. They don't see the screen media as evil," said Scott, a consultant for Baby Einstein."The net effect that it's not harmful is a relief to many families who have been made to feel guilty or awful that they use screen time."
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Scott said the material in educational baby DVDs is similar to what is in books.
Baby Einstein products were designed by Julie Clark, a teacher and mother, and were not devised through scientific research. Susan McLain, general manager of Baby Einstein, said the company receives thousands of letters from satisfied parents.
"We've basically stayed true to the philosophy to what [Clark] created. That was exposure to real-world imagery," she said. "The core themes are art, music and nature; that's the core essence of what we've created."
She said the Harvard study indicated that "screen time is not harmful for baby and infants."
Rich, the study co-author, recommended relying on what has been proved to benefit children.
"The best thing for our kids is to provide them with stimulus that we know is positive for their brain development," Rich said. He suggesting activities like reading, singing, interacting and stacking blocks to help children.

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