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Electronics Companies: The Leading Edge
As technology becomes more refined, electronics companies are
offering consumers and businesses a number of cutting-edge
products. Following is a rundown of some of the top electronics
companies and their latest offerings:
Nokia:...
Hip-hop Jewelry and Today's Stars
Watch any of the major movie, television, and music award shows on television today and one of the first things you’ll notice about the celebrities on the red carpet, aside from their extravagant (and sometimes outlandish) attire, are the amount...
Holiday Expectations
As the holidays approach, I find myself wondering how I’m going to accomplish all I expect of myself. I expect to have perfect presents under the tree for an astounding number of people who will be visiting from out of town, besides the usual round...
Kids Party Etiquette for Parents
INVITATIONS The rule of thumb passed down by experienced Moms and Dads is to invite the same number of party guests as your child's age. Resist the temptation to invite every child in your child's classroom. Be discrete and avoid hurt...
Money for College – Where Is It and How Do I Get It?
College is expensive – but money is available to help you pay the way! By doing a little research and filling out a few forms, you can find money through scholarships, grants, loans, and tuition assistance such as work study.
Scholarships
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PowerTalk: 10 Timeless Tips for Becoming a More Powerful Communicator
Part of our evolutionary process is learning how to communicate
more effectively and efficiently. Few of us have had much
training in the matter, and most of us have experienced the
consequences of communication breakdowns. We all know...
Spooky House Producer Finds Real Spooks in King Assassination
Producer-Director-Writer William Sachs of Spooky House fame has written a screenplay based on the Gary Revel investigation of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. William Sachs is in negotiations with Gary concerning details of the conspiracy...
Ten Ways To Make Peace With The Past And Create A New Future
Everyone comes into life with a purpose. You are a unique expression of the universal life force at the foundation of your physical form. Spirit guides you from the moment your life begins, and the people and events of your life reflect your...
Think Green
This month, our theme is Think Green. Spring is just around the corner. Even though there is still snow on the ground in many parts of the country, here in the South our daffodils have already begun to bloom. You too, can enjoy a little bit of...
Women Get Ready, Get Set and Go Global
Today, women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men and becoming a major force both in the traditional and the new global e-business marketplace. In November, The National Women's Council's Interagency Committee on Women's...
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Children’s Sexuality
We are all born as sexual beings. It is as much a part of our anatomy, our emotional and mental make-up as breathing. Whether we are acting upon our sexual drive at any given moment is beside the point. I think it’s important to realize that children have sexual feelings, just not as developed as adult feelings. Whether these instincts remain healthy is quite another story. As parents, I believe we need to instill a healthy outlook in our kids about sex and their imminent sexuality.
The first inkling we have of our little ones being sexual is their first attempts at masturbation. This could take any form you can imagine but most parents notice our babies discover their genitals at about 10 months of age and maybe younger. Eureka! A new toy! Hopefully, we won’t freak out about it. It is, after all, their toy! This is their body and it is their innocent need to discover how the various parts function, feel and react. There have been countless studies and articles written about masturbation. Clearly, it is a healthy form of sexual exploration and usually begins in early childhood.
So, that said, let’s think about how we, as parents and caretakers, can deal with this sometimes-embarrassing issue.
Personally, it never bothered me when my toddlers began exploring their bodies. I’d gently point out that it wasn’t appropriate to do in front of most people and certainly not at the dinner table but other than that, the issue was never really an ... issue.
I have witnessed other parents go through a variety of reactions to their baby’s or toddler’s wandering hands, from actually hitting a child for innocently touching their
genitals to a mortified: “How could you?!” Gee, how could they NOT? Come on ... they’re babies, they’re exploring the world and themselves. Where is the shame, guilt or horror in this? Only in parent’s and other adult minds, that’s where. How on earth would a baby or young toddler assume that touching a part of their being is bad, evil, shameful or humiliating unless their significant care taker tells them so, whether in words, actions or obvious distress over the situation?
This brings us to the probable conclusion that our kids will grow into adults feeling ashamed, guilty and weird about their sexuality if we, as their predominant instructors of life, teach them to feel bad about their natural curiosity.
I certainly understand that some adults are just not comfortable with this parenting issue or, down the line, discussing sex in a logical and rational way with their questioning adolescents. A good plan would be to enlist the help and guidance of a trusted family member or the child’s pediatrician. Better yet, parents who feel uncomfortable should discuss this with their own doctor, trusted friend or family member and then have a back up plan to deal with the issue when it arises, which it most definitely will.
About the Author
Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters. She maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html
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