Sign language is often something that we as parents ignore. There is a stigma attached I think that says it's only for the hearing impaired. Sorry to burst your bubble on this - every parent and every child can benefit from learning to sign - and not because they can communicate with the hearing impaired.

In fact, by learning to sign with your baby, you will learn to communicate at much earlier age. Babies use sign language all the time - we just don't understand it. True, it is very basic and often involves pointing more than anything else - but it is a form of sign language.

I use it too. I noticed yesterday with my six year old. She was creating problems with her sisters - I just pointed to her room - she understood what and why! Again, it is very basic. The question then is whether or not you can build that into a fully fledged sign language routine. You can and it isn't that hard.

For those really interested in baby sign language - I suggest you visit Australia's leading proponent, Jackie Durnin at Australian Baby Hands. She has created resources (including a free wall chart) based on Auslan that can get you started in the use of baby sign language. There are also classes held around Australia that can help you to learn to sign effectively.

Visit the site and watch the video - you will be amazed at how well a youngster can communicate. One reason that two year olds throw tantrums is because of the frustrations caused by their inability to communicate what they want to us. Sign language breaks through that barrier and reduces that frustration. It also reduces the frequency of tantrums.

If you're in Australia and you're looking for a new career - consider taking on a Baby Hands Institute franchise. It is a challenging career move that may not make you millions. However, the rewards are in the results and there will be plenty of them.

See related articles on Australian Baby Hands:

Using Sign Language with Toddlers:
Why I signed with my baby

I wish I had the definitive answer to that question. However, I have written in the past and I will continue to promote several strategies that research scientist are now starting to advocate. Our children don't have to suffer from allergies particularly allergies that our parents have never heard about.

Some allergies seem to be inherited. However, even people with inherited allergies seem to survive better if raised along these lines.

It seems strange to me that in some cultures food allergies are unknown. It is these societies that science is now examining trying to determine what they do that is different to us. I can tell you in a nutshell.

Sterilize And Be Damned

People in societies that are allergy free don't sterilize everything - in fact, they don't really sterilize anything. Kids are allowed to play in dirt - eat it even. If they drop their food, guess what, they pick it up, dust it off and continuing eating. I can hear you all saying how gross that sounds - and it does, but only because we have been led to believe that cleanliness and hygiene are so important.

Let me tell you something - when we clean our homes use anti-bacterial products - we are killing both the good and the bad bugs. Our bodies need the good bugs. Those bugs help us digest food. They also help us to develop strong immune systems. We also need a smattering of bad bugs. Yes - we will get an upset tummy from them, but we are building immunities and making our immune system stronger. I like what one person had to say - by killing all bacteria, both good and bad, our immune systems are left with nothing to do so they go and find something to do - and that is fight against what we eat - in other words, an allergy

Baby Knows Best

Not regimenting babies feed time. Some people wish that babies were born with user manuals. I am glad they are not. We so regiment a babies life. At three months they should do this, at six months something else. Start solids at 8 months but only give them very weak rice cereal.

What a load of garbage. Babies are people - people are individuals and individuals are different. You cannot apply a set of rules to a baby unless you generalize it. For example, when it comes to food, rather than putting an age on when they start solids, the rule should be - let baby decide. And they will. They will try and take food out of your hand, off your plate, even out of your mouth if they can. When baby starts reaching for food, they are ready to start sampling.

Then second part of this rule is that there is no rule on what they can try. Of course, being able to actually eat something is important so don't try shoveling a chunk of rump steak down their throat. Give baby eggs, milk, wheat and nuts from an early age. Let them experiment with food.

Researchers are now finding that in societies that don't have allergies, the combination of breast feeding and the early introduction of solids is the common thread - and the thread that is so different in western cultures.

Fresh Has Always Been Best

The final piece of the puzzle is processed foods. Cultures that eat no processed food have no allergies. We in the west live off the stuff. Fresh food, picked straight from tree/bush or dug from the ground is always best. Their meat has not antibiotics, chemicals or additives of any kind.

Those that keep pigs feed them scraps - funny, that's what they did when I was growing up. The local pig farmer visited the school to collect all the scraps. Not today - oh no, we need to keep the pigs in concrete jails and feed them on the best in chemicals. I am sure it's an improvement!

How To Keep Our Kids Allergy Free

There are no guarantees - however, those three components together seem to reduce the incidence of asthma and allergies completely. I am not talking about a 50% reduction - this is a 100% reduction.

So to summarize: when ever possible, breast feed to give baby a good boost to their immune system. Feed baby solids when baby is ready, not when the guide books say. Feed them a range of foods including those on the allergy lists - don't be afraid to experiment with food, that's how they learn what. Let them eat dirt, let them play in the dirt and stop sterilizing your home. Sure, keep it clean but understand the difference between clean and sterilized - we don't need sterilizing. Finally, breast feed where possible and steer away from processed foods - rely instead on fresh.

There was a TV report today along these lines - you may be interested in reading the doctor/reporters blog on his findings after visiting a community that was 100% allergy free. It will make you think.

It seems that every year in the lead up to Christmas a new fad 'must have' toy hits the toy shop shelves. Talk about viral marketing gone mad. The problem is, most kids show little interest to start with, so many parents do the same. You know where this is going don't you? Yep - a week or two before Christmas little Johnny or little Mary suddenly discover this new toy and 'must have it'. What do we do as parents, we search everywhere in the vain hope of finding a toy shop that still has some in stock.

Does it sound familiar at all? I am sure for many parents it does. So what are these new toys that seems to be taking the online market place by storm. Zhu Zhu Pets (formerly Go Go Pets) are toy pet hamsters. They are not your ordinary everyday pet hamsters. Oh no. They are mechanized little critters that have been programed with personalities and each pet has its own personality.

Like all fad toys, they come with accessories. A special house that the pet hamster runs around in; a little car - the list goes on. They are apparently very cute little critters that everyone loves once they get their hands on one. There are several different colors with each pet having its own name.

They seem to be hard to find in regular stores. Amazon still has some in stock so I suggest you grab them while you can if you are interested in them. Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters - what next I wonder - here is a short video of them in action. Just don't let the kids see it.

I guess the opposite of that question is can you give birth to a dumb kid? Of course, it all depends on what you classify as intelligent or dumb! In reality, barring any birth defects, all children art born with the ability to learn. They have to survive. They learn very early that crying leads to attention.

We now know that certain products cause certain problems. Alcohol and other drugs can have severe affects on the unborn baby including learning difficulties. The chemicals in cigarettes are also thought to have side affects. Mercury from deep sea fish can lead to miscarriages and certain bacteria's found in foods such as cream cheese can also lead to a miscarriage.

Is the opposite also true? One mother, Jeannette Bolvary, has taken things to a higher level. A recent report on Today Tonight looked at food and whether or not women could give birth to smarter kids. It's an interesting thought and one that she has turned into a fairly popular book (you can obtain it through Amazon if you're interested).

Can leafy green vegetables, fresh fish, fruit and whole grains help the infant while it is still in the womb. I think we can all agree on one point - it won't hurt the baby. Can it make the baby smarter? Why not. Many of these same foods are recommended to help us think a little clearer especially if we avoid all the junky and supposed toxic foods.

There is no research behind any of this but common sense would suggest that simply cutting out toxic foods will make us feel better. The question is - which foods are toxic. One group will say that coffee is toxic whilst another group will claim it is full of anti-oxidants.

Smarter kids? Is it the food, or is it more a case of a parent wanting a smarter kid; eating the right food; but then spending a lot more quality time with the child to ensure they do learn things early. I wonder, if they could spend the same amount of time with a child after eating a junk food diet during pregnancy, would the child also show signs of early development. I think they would.

Having said that, good food is always going to be better in the long run and I am not suggesting you eat junk food all the way through your pregnancy. What I am suggesting is that sometimes we need to look at a broader range of factors when it comes to how intelligent out children. I worry when someone says - just eat this and you will have much smarter children. They could be right, the problem is some parent say great, I will eat this, my child will be smarter, I DON'T NEED TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME WITH THEM NOW!

It is quality time with your children that ultimately sets them on the right course. The food is just the fuel that makes your job as a parent a little easier. They are more receptive with the right food whereas junk food tends to shorten concentration levels. That is also the case whilst still in the womb.

I would be interested in your thoughts on this issue - does food affect the intelligence of the unborn baby?

According to the experts, if you are ready to have a baby then you need to be watching what you eat. Yeah like that's new to everyone. We all know that certain foods are good and some others are bad. Deep sea fish may contain high levels of mercury, a heavy metal strongly associated with miscarriages.

However boffins (um scientists) have discovered that vegetarian men are more likely to have compromised sperm. Just don't go crazy - high protein diets also compromise sperm.

Believe it or not, it is not what you eat during pregnancy that counts. Women, who's diets prior to conception are low in the B vitamins B12, folic acid and the amino acid methionine tend to have fatter boys - not girls, boys.

What about stress. If you are in a stressful job and you are thinking of getting pregnant, quit six months before and de-stress. Stress before conception produces babies that are more prone to anxiety, hyper-activity and social problems.

Finally, researchers have concluded that men with higher intelligence produce better quality sperm. Well, all I can say is that judging from what I have seen, the not so intelligent men may not have better quality sperm, they certainly have lots of it - or at least, they produce lots of children. Intelligent men seem to have fewer children - oh yeah, they are more intelligent aren't they? But I have five - what does that make me?

So ladies - here is the bottom line. If you are looking to get pregnant, find an intelligent man, make sure he is not a vegetarian or a high protein freak. You need to quit your job and de-stress and eat a diet high in in the B vitamins B12, folic acid and the amino acid methionine - but low in deep sea fish.

There is one upside to all of this - scientist also recommend, if you want to get pregnant, to really put on a show and have the wildest sex possible. It seems wild, energetic and uninhibited sex increases your chances of getting pregnant. Sperm production goes through the roof and the sperms ability to get to and fertilize the egg increases. I told you there was an upside.

Source - Australian Women's Health

photo credit: Gustavo (lu7frb)