1. Boost your child’s speech development with baby talk
Like talking to your baby in that sing-songy high-pitched voice? Go ahead, recent research from Rutgers University shows that it may actually help your child learn language faster. The exaggerated sounds of “baby talk” are what make it easier for babies to understand and learn language because they highlight the important parts of what you’re trying to say. Try it. Say “Do you want milk?” in that sing-songy voice. Do you notice how “milk” is said longer and higher? “If you exaggerate in the correct way, what you get is a learner who learns more quickly from less data,” says study author Patrick Shafto. (Deseretnews.com)
2. Tantrums are fine
Don’t worry too much about your toddler’s temper tantrums. According to a report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, tantrums are a normal part of the emotional development of 18-month-olds to 3-year-olds. But just because they’re common, that doesn’t mean that they’re are easy to deal with. The report gives this advice to parents: “the best way to handle temper tantrums is to prevent them.” Smart Parenting tells you how to do just that here. (Deseretnews.com)ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
3. Improve your child’s grades by giving him 18 more minutes of sleep
Sleep is important, and so is school. Getting your child’s grades up may be as simple as letting him sleep just a little bit longer. Researchers from McGill University and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute found that elementary schoolers between seven and 11 years old who slept an average of 18.2 minutes longer had a significant improvement in their grades in math and English. Consider an earlier bedtime for your child rather than letting him sleep in in the morning.
Want to know how much sleep your child should be getting? Recently released sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (which are endorsed by a number of health groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics) can be found here. (Realsimple.com)
4. Pregnancy complications more likely in women carrying boys
Data from over 600,000 births in Australia found that serious pregnancy complications are more likely when women are carrying boys. These can include conditions like preterm birth, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. The study was done by researchers from the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide in Australia.
“We believe that sex differences in placental function may explain the differences we're seeing in outcomes for newborn boys and girls, and their mothers,” says study co-author Claire Roberts. Her co-author Petra Verburg, on the other hand, says genetic factors might have something to do with it. Either way, there is no need for undue concern as more research needs to be done on the matter. (Parents.com)
5. Reading may help you live longer.
Love books? They may help you live longer according to a study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. The study involved monitoring participants who were 50 years old and over. The researchers controlled for factors like economic, marital, employment and education statuses. And even so, they found that those who read for up to three and a half hours per week were 17 percent less likely to die during the span of the study compared to those that didn’t read at all.
“We speculated that books engage readers’ minds more than newspapers and magazines, leading to cognitive benefits that drive the effect of reading on longevity,” said the researchers. There could be something to it, don’t you think? Pick up a book today. (Realsimple.com)CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch now
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