Shopping with Children

When it is time to go shopping the best scenario is to have the day to yourself by hiring a sitter. However, this is not always possible and you need to have a plan for shopping with little ones. Preparation is key when shopping with small children, make sure they have had a good nap and take plenty of snacks along with you. To cut down on boredom in the store you can allow the kids to pick out one cheap toy or snack.

Kid Swap

One handy way to organize Christmas shopping is to swap children with a friend or family member. You agree to watch their children while they shop for a few hours and they agree to return the favor. This way everyone has the opportunity to leisurely shop.

Shopping Time

Waiting until the last minute to do your Christmas shopping is not conducive to a stress free trip. Try to wrap up all your shopping a few weeks ahead of time to avoid all the madness.

Online Shopping

Perhaps one of the best ways to Christmas shop for toddlers is to do the bulk of it online. Today you can order directly from many retailers, for instance Wal-Mart has the option of ordering online and having your product delivered to the store. Other great sites for Christmas shopping include Amazon and eBay, just be sure you order in plenty of time to beat the Christmas rush.

Keep it Simple

While it is tempting to want to buy your toddler the hottest toys for Christmas, you have to remember that the toy will likely be forgotten in a few days time. Spending several hundred dollars for a motorized car they will outgrow by summer is probably not the best course of action. Stick with simple gift ideas that will not break the budget.

Boy Gift Ideas

Toddler boys love things they can push around the house. Oversized plastic trucks and cars are a toddler’s best friend and they are generally a fairly cheap gift idea. They also enjoy simple crayons, coloring books, large puzzles and blocks. Kids at this age are pretty easy to please.

Girl Gift Ideas

A very popular gift idea for girls of all ages is the timeless dollhouse. For toddlers companies like Playskool have created dollhouses with rounded edges and heavy construction to stand up to the rigors of toddler play. Of course, girls of this age also love bouncy balls, moveable toys like cars or trucks and baby dolls.

Caution

When shopping for the best toddler toys be mindful of the recommended age on the package. Many toys will have small moving parts or pieces that can easily become a choking hazard. Safety is the number one consideration when purchasing toddler Christmas gifts.

Conclusion

Have a cup of hot chocolate and relax, the Christmas season is meant to be a joyous time of year. Do not let stress and money woes get you down, plan a simple but enjoyable dinner with simple gifts and everything will be just fine.

photo credit: Zach™

The first and most effective way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to recognize unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that you may subscribe to. Our thoughts have a direct bearing over our emotional disposition and the consequences that occur in the aftermath. We often cannot change circumstances (situations, events, and the behavior of others) that occur in our lives but we do have the power to alter the way we feel and react to them by simply changing the way we think. If we would like to avoid experiencing anxiety and depressed mood during the holidays, we must take ownership and control over our own thoughts by identifying unhealthy thoughts that we may subscribe to that might be contributing to a negative emotional disposition and replace them with healthier ones.

Some may fear social rejection and judgment from others. Though others may choose to judge negatively, pondering on this thought can ultimately rob you of experiencing joy and happiness. The following are six common unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that are often pondered on during the holidays:

1. “I need to spend a lot of money on gifts otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – It is a shame that so much worry is attributed from the issue of money especially during the holidays. We should not feel or be made to feel that the holidays are all about external/physical gifts. The most precious gift that we can give to one another is our fellowship and love (internal gifts). No external/physical gift can replace this. Internal gifts have a longer shelf life and increase our self-esteem more than external/physical gifts.  We must keep this issue in the proper perspective otherwise we can inadvertently teach others that external/physical gifts are more precious and desirable than our fellowship and love.

2. “For gatherings, my home must always be clean and tidy otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – It is never okay to invite guests to a filthy home. But expecting your home to be constantly tidy might be an unrealistic expectation, especially when children are present. Expecting such would only cause you anxiety and depressed mood. Do not worry about the cleanliness of your home but rather focus on fellowship as this is much more important and significant.

3. “I must prepare a flawless meal for my gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – The quality of meals should not be the main focus of the holidays. If food preparation is an issue, there is nothing wrong with purchasing meals from a restaurant. To go one step further, having a potluck might be a better and less expensive idea as your guests would be directly involved with the food preparation by offering a variety of foods at your gathering freeing up time for fellowship.

4. “My physical appearance must be acceptable and appropriate otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – Aside from daily hygiene, do not worry about your physical appearance. The fellowship that you can give to one another is much more important than your physical appearance. More times than not, our own anxiety over our physical appearance has more to do with how we feel about ourselves rather than how others may perceive us.

5. “I need to bring a mate to the gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – If you are single, sometimes attending a gathering by yourself where couples are present might make you feel uncomfortable as you might feel that you do not fit in. Keep in mind that you are not alone as there are many people that are divorced, separated, or single. If having a mate was a prerequisite for gatherings, I guarantee you that there would be a lot less gatherings!  In addition, avoiding gatherings would only rob you of the experience of possibly meeting a potential mate.

6. “I need to pretend that I am happy during gatherings otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” - Experiencing happiness is not a prerequisite for attending gatherings. Oftentimes, life events and experiences that have nothing to do with the holidays may play a direct role in your emotional disposition. The wonderful thing about gatherings is that there are plenty of people that you can talk with. If someone asks you how you are doing or feeling, be honest with them and let them know. Do not tell them that everything is fine when it is not. Oftentimes, having someone to discuss your problems with might actually help you resolve them as well as make you feel better. Take advantage of this opportunity.

If there are any other unhealthy thoughts that you might be dealing with that are not discussed in this article, I encourage you to write those thoughts down on a piece of paper writing a healthier thought (one that you would like to subscribe to) next to it. It would also be a good idea for you to review these thoughts daily so that it becomes easier to recognize and replace unhealthy thoughts.

The second way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to establish personal and professional goals for yourself. There is a lot to be said for New Year’s resolutions. Establishing short and long-term goals is a healthy idea because they can provide you with structure by giving you something to look forward to. Goals oftentimes give meaning to our lives. Those who do not have goals often feel hopeless and helpless. Just make sure that the goals that you establish are significant and achievable otherwise they will not be effective or worth your while to achieve.

And finally, the third way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to work at giving to others. Sometimes we are fooled into believing that happiness is achieved through the gifts that we receive or the items that we purchase. Just the opposite is true. You can achieve true happiness by helping others in need, volunteering your services, holding the hand of one in despair, or just simply being there when one experiences a low moment in his/her life. Oftentimes, it is not the words that we say that lifts one’s spirit or gives one hope. But rather, it is just being there that makes all the difference in the world. At times, we feel uncomfortable because we do not know the right words to say to those who are hurting. Words are not always important. The fellowship and the love that you can provide is what the holidays are all about. Let’s not lose this perspective and let’s not give unhealthy thoughts, with all the anxiety and depressed mood that goes along with them, the ability to rob us from experiencing the joy and the happiness that we all deserve to experience during the holidays. Happy holidays to all!

About the Author

Mark Lakewood, CEO of Building Strong Families National Seminars, http://www.StrongFamilies.us, is a distinguished bullying prevention expert, author, and speaker with over 20 years of clinical experience as a family therapist.  Mr. Lakewood facilitates seminars on family and school-related issues. He facilitates the “Standing Up To Bullying” Conference, http://www.StandingUpToBullyingConference.com and the Sudden Compliance Program Webinar Series, http://www.SuddenComplianceWebinars.com.

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And if you’re like many busy moms, you probably constantly find yourself saying, “…as soon as I’m finished” or “maybe later…”

Well, later might just be too late. Don’t let another day pass by like this.

If you’re ready to find easy solutions to organizing your life to have more time together, I recommend picking up a copy of the “Real Life Guidance to Finding More Family Time” report.

This report was created by Certified Life Coach, Aurelia Williams, and is just what you need to get things back on track.

The report gives you practical solutions for:

- Being realistic in your family goals
- How to find balance between your work and life
- Organizing your life to find more time
- Routine and scheduling tips even the most spontaneous families can get into
- Plenty of activity ideas (never say there’s nothing to do!)

This 20-page report is perfect for the busy mom who needs QUICK and EASY help to finding that precious time with family. It’s also available instantly, so even if it’s the middle of the night while everyone else in the sleep, you can all wake up with a plan to reconnect as a family.

==>> Learn more and grab your guide here <<==

Christmas will be here before you know it, and if you have any girls you need to shop for, it’s time to get started. Purchasing for your girls can be a bit difficult at times, trying to figure out what they’ll really like. If you want to make sure you score the best gifts for your daughters this year, here are seven tips to help you out when purchasing Christmas gifts for them.

Tip #1 – Consider Their Hobbies First of all, consider their hobbies when you are looking for gifts. Most girls like gifts that are related to hobbies that they are interested in. If she enjoys taking photos, maybe a new digital camera. Maybe she likes to scrapbook. If so, consider purchasing some scrapbook tools and embellishments. Keep it related to her hobby and she’ll be sure to love it.

Tip #2 – Keep the Gift Age Appropriate You always want to keep the gift age appropriate when purchasing Christmas gifts for girls. If your daughter is a new teenager, keep this in mind. Remember, she’s growing up. Don’t buy her something she’ll consider childish this year.

Tip #3 – Research the Year’s Top Gifts Research the year’s top gifts on the web. Each year the top gift items change. Get online and start doing some research so you know what gifts are on the top of every girls list this year. This will help you out on your search for the perfect gift.

Tip #4 – Know What’s Hip You may be out of touch with what is hip. What you think is hip is probably quite a bit different than what your teenage daughter thinks is hip. Find out what’s hip with kids your daughter’s age this year so you buy the right gift.

Tip #5 – Buy Online Consider buying online. This is a great idea for parents who are busy. You may not have a lot of time to go rushing around doing shopping, but you probably have a few minutes to get online. Most gifts are easy to find online. Have them shipped to your home and hide them for Christmas. You’ll get your shopping done in record time and you’ll make sure you get the best gifts before they’re gone.

Tip #6 – Ask Them for a List Ask your girls for a list of what they would like this Christmas. Let them know they may not get everything on their list, but it is a great option to help you get started with your shopping and you’ll be sure to get them something that they really want.

Tip #7 – Remember Their Favorite Characters Whether your girl is three, ten, or sixteen years old, remember her favorite characters when you are looking for the perfect Christmas gifts. Younger girls often love Dora the Explorer, tweens are big fans of Hannah Montana, and your teens may love characters from popular shows or teen singers, such as the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and Selena Gomez.

We’ve taken the hassle out of finding the right Christmas gifts for girls on our blog. Visit our Best Girls Toys section today.

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It is almost that time of year again and for some people the stress is already beginning to build. The cost of everything has gone up over the last couple of years and then there is the daunting task of what to get for a preschooler! Christmas shopping is something many people dread as much as a trip to the dentist, however it does not have to be that way. Below are 7 handy tips to make your holiday season less stressful and more joyful!

Shop Now

When it comes to Christmas gifts for preschoolers there is one thing you will not have to worry about; they will not be comparing gifts with their classmates. In fact, the day after Christmas his or her gifts will probably be forgotten in lieu of another favorite activity or toy. So cut yourself some slack and go shopping now, there is no reason to wait for the latest and greatest toy to hit the market because at this age they will likely play with the box longer anyway.

Tried and True

Even though toy manufacturers will insist that their latest offering will make your preschooler the happiest kid on the block, the truth is many traditional gifts are still going strong. For instance, you will be hard pressed to find a little girl of any age who will not enjoy a simple dollhouse, or a boy who does not love trucks!
These gift ideas are available year round at most retailers and they will not cost you a small fortune. Too many times parents and loved ones are caught up in the idea of purchasing very expensive gifts for preschoolers, such as motorized cars. The problem is number one these gifts are super expensive and two the kids will outgrow them before next Christmas comes around!

Babysitter

Do not attempt to Christmas shop for preschoolers with them in tow! This is a recipe for disaster and the money you spend on a sitter will be well worth it, as your shopping can be accomplished quickly and easily.

Budget

Set your entire Christmas shopping budget before you go to the first sale. You should have an exact accounting of what you can afford and how you plan to divide it among your loved ones. Then stick to this budget like glue, Christmas time should be a time of joy not time to go into debt.

Gift Ideas- Boy

We have already touched on the basic toy ideas for boys, but if your little guy already has every truck known to man you may want to look for something a bit different. The educational toys from Playskool are a great place to find nice gifts at a reasonable price. Or perhaps the fun Helmet Heroes; a police helmet with separate motorcycle handlebars, comes complete with sirens and lights!

Gift Ideas- Girl

Want a fun gift idea that little girls absolutely love? Put together a dress up box full of brightly colored and sparkling outfits. This can be done in several ways; you can purchase dress up clothes from a local retailer in the toys section, check your local resell shop or make your own if you are handy with a sewing machine.

Other Simple Gifts

Preschoolers are not picky; they simply love the mystery of it all. A brightly wrapped box of crayons and a coloring book will mean just as much as any expensive gift you can think of. Consider blocks, puzzles, art easels or finger paints for the preschooler in your life this year.

We’ve made things even easier for you. Visit us for a list of other Christmas gifts for preschoolers.

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Are you a lady who uses makeup and applies cosmetics on a frequent basis? Have you ever paused for a moment to think what is present in that cosmetic which you are using? Maybe you have not pondered about the organic purity of that cosmetics you are using and hence have no idea if there is bacteria growing inside your cosmetics. Or maybe you have not thought about the chemical preservatives present in the cosmetics which you are putting on your skin, and that these chemical preservatives may be absorbed by your skin pores and into your bloodstream.

Maybe you also do not know that women have been eating an average of four pounds of lipstick in their lifetime. Though we do not see any medical reports that girls are dying from lipstick, it does not seem to be cool to know that lipstick wearers are eating so much lipstick! Then there is also a problem with mascara as people who put on mascara absorb fallen bits of plastic and synthetic materials into their eyes daily. We also do not hear reports that these people are having eye problems.

It would be glad to know that these days, more and more consumers and manufacturers are getting concerned about the chemicals that are present in cosmetics. More people are now knowledgeable about going green and about harmful products. But when they hear the above, people usually have a few reactions. One is that they will swear off cosmetics and never to buy any cosmetics or use cosmetics anymore. Then they are those who would not be bothered in the least bit. Yet there is another group who would seek out better alternatives to these harmful cosmetics. This group would look for natural and organic cosmetics.

Organic cosmetics are cosmetics which has been manufactured, produced or distributed through organic means. These processes are defined by specific guidelines set by organizations such as the Organic Food Products Act and organic products such as organic cosmetics are not permitted by law to contain any synthetic makeup. Organic products are thus manufactured using substances which are grown without synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms.

As for natural cosmetics, these are cosmetics which has not been chemically altered from its original state, i.e. the product is in its natural form and no other substances were removed or added. Natural products such as natural cosmetics are derived from natural plants or animal sources but the use of the term is not regulated or certified. Tough this is some FDA regulation for cosmetics, such regulation is minimal and there are actually many toxic and carcinogenic ingredients found in cosmetics and so-called natural body care products.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that over 800 of the chemicals available for the use in cosmetics (not only makeup) have been reported to the government as toxic substances. Hence do be careful when buying natural cosmetics and take a good look at the label of ingredients that are present within the cosmetics.

I hope you now have a better picture of the harmful ingredients that may be present in cosmetics. Hence I do urge you to consider using organic cosmetics or natural cosmetics as a better alternative to the cosmetics that you are currently using. Do not however let my article scare you. Do know that there are also safe discount cosmetics that can be found online. Always buy your cosmetics online!

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Little girls always seem to be easy to buy gifts for, but not so for little boys. Trying to find the right type of Christmas present for young boys can be difficult and challenging for parents, aunts, uncles and other relatives. Here are 7 tips that might help you with this gift giving dilemma.

1. Try to find out what he is most interested in. Talk to other parents of little boys at school, work and church. This will help you discover what the latest trends are. From video games to sporting equipment every child has their own particular interests. You can ask the child a casual question to see if you can find out more about his interests. When you know what he collects or enjoys it makes selecting a great Christmas present much more interesting. HO model trains, remote controlled cars and baseball cards are all ideas for gifts that have great appeal to boys.

2. Search popular websites such as E-Bay or Amazon to see if you can find some really good deals on hard to find items. Video games and gaming systems are frequently sent out in limited numbers. You might find a Wii system or a Grand Theft auto game at a great price if you go online. Boys love gaming items and accessories, and these items make wonderful presents. This will save you a lot of time that would otherwise be spent in long lines at busy stores. Most websites offer shipping discounts on your purchases and sometimes they have free shipping offers with guaranteed delivery in time for the holiday.

3. Gift cards. You just can’t go wrong with this type of present. Depending on the age of the child, a gift card could be the perfect thing to give. Most boys ages 8 and older will appreciate this thoughtful gift.

4. Boys are into music, whether it is listening to the newest songs or creating their own sounds. You might try to look for a music gift card such as I-tunes. This lets the kids download the music of their choice at no cost. There are also some cards to buy I-pod accessories as well. If you really want to impress a young boy you might get him an I-pod.

5. Is he a sports fiend? If so you might get a pair of tickets to a sporting event. You can give them as a Christmas gift and you will be sure to get his attention.

6. Why not step outside the box and give a gift of time. Treat that special kid to a day at the zoo, a trip to the ballpark or spend a day of fishing with him. These gifts make lasting memories that have more value and meaning than almost any other type of present.

7. Keep it simple. Boys do enjoy those building sets. Legos, Lincoln Logs and other construction sets are fun, but make sure that this type of gift is something that he really enjoys. The set also needs to be age appropriate. You do not want your little guy to be frustrated because he cannot build the elaborate models that are made for boys twice his age.

Want even more gift ideas for the little boys in your family? Visit us for a list of the best Christmas toys for boys.

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Child bullying is a big problem in our schools today.  The main difference between child bullying today from the past is the nature of the bullying and the violence that occurs in the aftermath.  Cyberbullying is becoming a popular and more destructive form of bullying than traditional bullying.  More children today are bringing guns to school to seek revenge on others.  Child bullying has been around and will probably remain for years to come.  Unfortunately, we do not have the power to rid the world of bullying.  The answer to the issue of child bullying rests within us, especially the victims of bullying.  Victims of bullying are never responsible for being bullied.  On the contrary, victims of child bullying have the power in themselves to think, behave, and react in ways that limits or eradicates bullying.  As a society, we spend much of our energy identifying and punishing the bully that we fail to spend adequate time empowering the victims of child bullying.  We should spend more of our energy on the things that we can control rather than the things that we have limited or no control over.  We need to teach children about the power that they already possess.  Let me elaborate on a few issues that parents should teach their children regarding bullying prevention.

Let’s first talk about the characteristics of child bullying.  Typically, bullies and their victims share the same characteristic – low self-esteem.  It just depends on whether they internalize or externalize their feelings that will determine if they will become a bully or a victim of bullying.  Typically, negative situations and events in the child’s life can trigger low self-esteem.  Externalizing feelings can cause some children to become bullies as they attempt to control their environment to compensate for their lack of control in their family.  For instance, if the parents of a child are divorcing and the child is very upset about the divorce, he/she might feel powerless in his/her ability to keep his/her parents together.  As a result, the child might take out his/her rage on others for purposes of seeking control to compensate for his/her lack of control over their parents’ impending divorce.

Given the same scenario (parental divorce), some children internalize their feelings by not talking or acting out how they feel.  Instead, they become depressed and withdrawn feeling like a failure.  Often, they develop a negative image of themselves and their physical appearance.  They look at others and the world around them with shaded lens.  When a bully validates this child’s feelings about him/herself, this child often reacts negatively to the validation because he/she feels the bully is correct in their interpretation.

Often times, children with high self-esteem do not respond negatively to bullies because they already know that negative personal statements made by the bully are untrue and therefore are unworthy of attention.

As human beings, our behavior, thoughts, and feelings are never dictated or controlled by others, situations, and events unless we allow this to occur.  Simply said, others, situations, and events can trigger a reaction based on what we think.  For example, if I do not want to go to work today and my car has a flat tire, I might experience happiness because I do not want to go to work.  On the other hand given the same event (flat tire), I might want to go to work today to take care of some unfinished business.  Because the flat tire might delay or eliminate my chances of getting to work, this situation might cause me anger.  How could the same event in both situations cause two different feelings?  It was not the event at all that triggered the feelings.  It was what I thought about the event that triggered my feelings.  Therefore, manipulating the way we think can alter how we feel.  We have the power to take ownership and control over our thoughts.  We however have limited or no control over specific events, situations, and the behavior of others.  Sometimes, we attempt to control events, situations, and others but become frustrated when our attempts fail.

Now, how does the paragraph above apply to the issue of bullying prevention?  The main goal of bullies is to get their victims to experience fear, anger, or sadness.  Once their victim demonstrates signs of these emotions via the words he/she says, body language, or actions, the bully has complete and total control over him/her.  The bullying will continue until the victim no longer verbally and/or physically displays fear, anger, or sadness in response to the bullying.  The bullying will end once the victim responds the opposite of what the bully expects.

How do we get children to react the opposite of what the bully expects?  This is where role-playing comes in handy.  Parents should regularly sit down with their children helping them learn to react the opposite of what bullies expect.  Often times, this task is much easier when the parent knows what hurtful words or phrases bullies say that makes their children feel fearful, angry, or sad.  Using these hurtful words and/or phrases in role-plays will emotionally prepare children when they are approached by bullies.

It is also important to teach children that they have the power to change or affect the agenda of bullies by the words they use. For instance, if a bully calls a child ‘stupid’, the child could defuse the bullying by stating to the bully, “That’s nice”, “How about that”, “Oh, well”, and so forth.  The worst thing that the child could do is respond by telling the bully that he/she is stupid or make other negative statements.  A negative response will only inflame the situation encouraging further bullying.

In addition, parents should teach and role-play with their children specific forms of body language that differentiates a child with high self-esteem from a child with low self-esteem.  Body language communicates feelings more so than spoken words.  If a child yells at a bully stating that he/she is not bothered by the bully’s behavior, the bully knows that the child is bothered because of the yelling.  Lack of eye contact, looking down, slouched posture, lack of hygiene, and low tone of voice can be viewed as symptoms of low self-esteem.

Parents need to teach their children that bullies rarely get angry at them.  Bullies are typically angry at themselves and/or events that occurred or are occurring in their own life for which they have limited or no control.  Bullies indirectly take out their anger on the ones they could easily control.

Parents should never teach their children to physically fight back when approached by a bully.  The problem with fighting back is that children can get themselves into trouble for engaging in physically assaultive behavior.  Think of it this way – bullies rarely throw the first punch.  They always entice their victim into throwing the first punch.  This way when they are asked who started the fight, the bully could easily and truthfully state that their victim started it.  In addition, there are significant legal ramifications that can arise as a result of physically assaultive behavior.

It is important to remember that physical violence typically occurs after a negative verbal interaction.  Violence typically is provoked and rarely unprovoked.  Therefore to avoid violence, the conflict can and should be defused during the verbal exchange.  This is why the words victims say and their body language are so significant and detrimental to the outcome of bullying.  Recent school shootings suggest that the shooters were bullied by their classmates.  The bullying subsequently provoked the school violence.

Parents should be cautious when teaching their children to ignore bullies.  The problem with ignoring is that the bully knows that his/her behavior is irritating, annoying, and controlling his/her victim.  Therefore, the bullying will continue.

Parents should be cautious when teaching their children to report bullying to an adult without first attempting to resolve the conflict on their own.  Parents should encourage their children to first attempt to resolve the bullying on their own with the skills taught above.  If their children are unsuccessful resolving these issues on their own, they should be encouraged to report the bullying.  If their children automatically report the bullying without attempting to defuse the situation on their own, they will be perceived and labeled as a tattle-tale which will encourage the bullying to continue.

Parents need to teach their children the correct definition of the word ‘tattling’.  Some children think that reporting child misbehavior to adults is considered tattling.  Parents need to teach their children that reporting on others just to see them get into trouble is considered tattling.  A child that reports to his/her parents that his/her brother is picking his nose is considered tattling.  Children always need to report to an adult if they were physically, sexually, or verbally harmed by others or if they witnessed others engaging in destructive or illegal behaviors.

It is very easy to feel sympathetic toward victims of child bullying.  However, it would be more helpful to the victim if we are more empathic to their needs by empowering them to diffuse bullying on their own.  As a result, their ability to defuse the bullying would ultimately raise their level of self-esteem and self-worth.

Author’s Biography

Mark Lakewood, CEO, is a distinguished bullying prevention expert, author, and speaker with over 20 years of clinical experience as a family therapist.  He provided clinical and consultation services to school personnel and students on issues of bullying and behavior management. He facilitates the “Standing Up To Bullying” Conference, http://www.StandingUpToBullyingConference.com.

Zhu Zhu Pets, formerly known as Go Go Pets, are the perfect solution for those parents with kids wanting a hamster, but not wanting all the fuss of having a live animal in their home.

Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Mr. Squiggles - Light Brown

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: Varies based on product options

Amazon Price: $34.25

Four hamsters are available, each having their own personality. In addition, each hamster has two modes: Loving mode and exploring mode. In loving mode, you can pet them, love them and hear them squeak. In exploring mode, you can let them roam around, scoot and scamper across the floor or throughout their Hamster Habitat.

The Zhu Zhu Hamster Pets are intended for children ages four years and up because they contain small parts and buttons. Each button causes the hamster to perform a different function: they coo and chirp, go backwards, and another button causes them to “go” and to “sleep”, which is also the off mode.

Each of the hamsters has a name and individual personality. Chunk is the laid back surfer dude, Pipsqueak is a powerhouse of curiosity and adventure, Squiggles is the finicky hamster who’s been there, done that and wrote the book about it, while Numnums is the friend you can depend on.

Not only are the Zhu Zhu Hamsters full of personality, they also have their own Hamster Habitat. There are several different playsets which are purchased separately, and when combined, make for an awesome Habitat for your Zhu Zhu Hamster. The playsets not only make a nice home for your hamster, they also include a car and garage, a surfboard and sleep room, a hamster adventure ball, a hamster pet carrier with blankets, and much more.

While these personality, fun filled little creatures aren’t the real thing, they may be the perfect solution for your smaller child until they are ready for the responsibility of taking care of a real hamster.

The Zhu Zhu hamster pet is said to be the most wanted toy this holiday season. Click here to check out the Zhu Zhu hamster pets before they are unavailable.

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