History of the Baby Shower

Nowadays it is customary for the Baby Shower to be thrown before the birth of the baby. These events are planned anywhere from six-months to just a couple of days before the blessed event. Probably the optimum time to throw a party is in the third trimester of pregnancy, but not too close to the actually expected birth date. This spares the mother undue stress, as even happy stress can take its toll. It also gives her time to sort out and put away her loot.
Then of course there are those babies that arrive early and show up as an unexpected guest at their own baby shower!

Although it is traditional to throw the baby shower before birth, it is still perfectly acceptable to suggest that a baby shower be thrown after the baby is born. It is especially acceptable to suggest this if for some reason, nobody else has volunteered to engineer the event. Showers are also thrown after the adoption of a child and in this case, the child can be much older than an infant.

The baby shower has come along ways from the days when it was never thrown before the baby’s birth. This presumption was based on an old superstition, that all of the presents and celebration might attract they eye of Lilith, an evil angel, who may spirit the baby’s soul away. The sad truth is that most babies did pass away during birth so nobody wanted to celebrate something that may not happen.

Showers have also mutated over the years into Jack and Jill events, where both sexes, including the father of the child and his friends, are invited to celebrate along with the girls. Unlike women’s baby showers, which have a focus on games, these showers are more about circulating with family and friends and sharing a good meal in honor of the expectant mother. It is the most contemporary way of holding a shower and furthermore there does not have to be a diaper pin or baby shower game in sight!

It is also traditional to throw the shower at a best friend or relative’s house, rather than at the expectant mother’s house to spare her the hassle of a mess to clean up the next day. It also gives her privilege of being able to say good-bye and leave the party. She may feel the need to rest, rather than feel pressured to entertain guests who are in no hurry to leave. However some mothers do feel more comfortable at home and throwing it at her house may save her a lot of transportation and the hauling around of her goodies. Rule of thumb — when in doubt be sure to ask the mom to be if she wants a shower at her house. The answer could be no!

Parenting Tips
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Tips For Dealing With ADD

ADD which stands for Attention Deficit Disorder is a distressing psychological condition which results in all kinds of behavioral symptoms including a lack of concentration, bed-wetting, aggression and compulsive behavior. It affects both adults and children.

ADD is almost always described as a three-pronged illness that contains three components – irritability, compulsivity and distractibility. Another form of the disease is ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder), which adds hyperactivity to the mix. Minimizing the provocation of these four mental states can greatly help to minimize the extent to which a person's daily life can be affected by this disease.

Here are twenty tips to helping your child or adolescent deal with the uncomfortable behavioral and emotional symptoms of this disease.

First of all never let the child get too Hungry, Angry, Tired or Lonely. Avoiding any one of these emotional states can help prevent the compulsions, irritability and wandering thoughts that are symptoms of ADD. Low blood sugar is definitely something to avoid so make sure you eat meals on time.

Make sure that all medications as prescribed and exactly on time! Many of the medications used to treat ADD and ADHD have a short half-life. If they are not taken exactly as prescribed, the sufferer can suffer from a rapid shift in mood that results in aggression or an emotional 'crash.'

Be aware that ADD sufferers are addictive personalities. As a symptom of ADD is compulsivity it is best to stay away from any type of activity that might result in an addiction. This includes playing video games or eating sugar when it comes to kids. Avoid stimulating entertainment. Movies or video games that are too stimulating can provoke violent episodes and mood swings in both adults and children with ADD.

Avoid fluorescent lights. Studies have also shown that ADD sufferers find it more difficult to concentrate if they are sitting under fluorescent lights. Low incandescent lighting of a yellowish quality helps them to focus.

8Realize your ADD child needs more exercise than most people. As most ADD sufferers are hyperactive they need an outlet to burn off excess nervous energy. You should take care to indulge in at least an hour of aerobic activity such as walking, running or playing an athletic game a day.

Stick to a daily routine. Many symptoms disappear if an ADD sufferer learns how to stick to a daily routine that is consistent over a number of months. This includes eating and exercises at the same times every day and not working too hard. Keeping things simple and the same every day works very well to relieve children of their ADD symptoms. It can greatly improve their concentration in school as well.

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