How you can reduce your dog’s separation anxiety?

If someone can come in to your home as a surrogate mummy or daddy for a short period, the dog will not be psychologically harmed. No one can replace you as your dog’s best friend, but getting someone in to keep it company in your absence will provide a significant amount of relief.

Dogs are emotional and social beings, and spending quality time to know them is one of the most important aspects of our job. Like ripping off a bandage, the best way to say goodbye to your faithful friend is to make it quick. Dogs, like humans, can sense when something is up. If you start acting out of the ordinary, your guilt will smell stronger than hefty spirits of aftershave.

Your dog will be acutely aware when you are planning a trip, there may be no way to hide from your pet when you are packing your suitcase, as they are likely to be by your side or even sitting on top of it!

We advise that you pack a few days in advance and then leave the case behind closed doors. When the day of departure arrives, whip the case straight out of the door, give them a hug and say goodbye quickly. This will be far less stressful for them.

Now that you can rest assured that Rover will survive, you are free to book that flight, wave a fond farewell to your fluffy friend, and take to the skies.

The first shocking realization comes when new mothers realize that they still look six months pregnant after being wheeled out of the delivery room! I remained quite plump for the first two months, and only started to regain my figure in the seventh month.

According to doctor research explains that the amount a mother loses immediately after delivery would depend on the weight of the baby (usually 3 to 3.2kg), placenta (1/7th of the baby’s weight) and amniotic fluid (1 to 1.54); on average, 7kg in all.

“How long she takes to lose all the weight from pregnancy will depend on how much she has gained. So, don’t put on too much weight; 10 to 12kg is just perfect,” says doctor, who recommends total breastfeeding, dieting and exercise after the first six weeks of birth as good ways to regain your svelte pre-birth figure.

Reality Checking Your Emotions

If you are a first-time mum, don’t be surprised if you feel “sad” when bringing your baby home. “Baby blues” is a common syndrome that affects 50 to 70 per cent of postnatal women.

“It usually lasts a few days, in which new mothers experience spells of irritability and gloominess, as well as episodes of crying. More commonly, this afflicts first-time mothers and those who previously had significant premenstrual fluctuations of mood associated with PMS. This is attributed to hormonal changes after delivery,” says doctor.

Some mother even found herself “weepy” during the first month. They worried constantly if their baby was drinking sufficiently or sleeping well, and also felt especially useless when they could not breastfeed their son directly.

Doctor explains that the hormonal changes, coupled with the need to cope with a newborn baby, problems with breastfeeding, and a change in lifestyle, can be very challenging to any new mother, especially if she does not have any support.

“The clash in ideas on how to bring up the baby, the husband going to work, a crying child, and simple issues such as whether to use the supplements that are encouraged by some confinement ladies and grandmothers – all add to the depression,” says doctor, who advises new mothers to read, attend antenatal classes, and seek support from breastfeeding advisers or other mothers from the same generation. However, she cautions that “nothing really prepares you for the real thing”.

Experts believe that children on an average get three times more sun exposure than adults and studies have proven that just one or two sun burns in childhood can double the chances of developing a malignant melanoma. Develop sun sense in your child today and enjoy your day in sheer bliss! So, hope your enjoy your day or family outdoor activities under our lovely sun.

But finding the balance between too little, too much, and just the right amount can be difficult. Under-stimulation of your baby eventually causes him to be passive and lethargic — lack of toys, games, attention from parents, songs and other play activities has this effect. He quickly adjusts to the status of inactivity. And when he does receive stimulation, he doesn’t know how to react.

Over-stimulation of your baby, however, can be just as detrimental. The chances are that if you expect too much of your baby, you will continue to expect too much of him when he is older, and he may become afraid of failure. By the time he starts school, he could dread the prospect of not being the best pupil in class. Or you might be so obsessed with his intellectual and linguistic skills that you lose sight of his emotional development.

The Best Approach

Of course you want your growing baby to be bright, lively and alert. Finding a suitable level of stimulation is a challenge for every parent.

The best way to know that you’ve got a healthy balance is to watch your baby. If he is motivated, has a sparkling facial expression and reacts positively to you when you play with him, you can be sure you’ve got his stimulation just right.

Here are some suggestions:

* PLAY WITH YOUR BABY EVERY DAY

No matter how hectic your schedule is, you should have at least five or 10 minutes to play a couple of times. More would be ideal, but this should be the minimum.

* DON’T FORCE YOURSELF TO PLAY WITH YOUR BABY

If you’ve had a long, hard day with your baby and feel too tired to play any more with him, then stop.

* ALLOW HIM FREE PLAY

He needs to have times during the day when he explores, plays and discovers by himself, without your involvement or direction. Make sure he has free-play opportunities every single day.

* WATCH THE WAY HE PLAYS WITH TOYS

If you notice that he tends to play with the same toy every single day and that his play is repetitive and lacking adventure, it’s time to get more involved in order to extend his play skills.

* JOIN IN WITHOUT DOMINATING

When stimulating your baby, remember that there is a difference between playing with him and taking over altogether. Offer new suggestions and activities but let him be the one who plays with the toys, not you.

* KEEP IT FUN

Both you and your baby should enjoy your involvement with each other. If the fun goes out of play — either for you or your baby — there may be either too little or too much stimulation.

It’s a common sight at the pool and the beach…to see mothers applying sunscreen to wriggling children who are eager to play. But there is something very wrong with this picture. Sunscreen takes half an hour to get absorbed and start protecting your child’s tender skin. So make sure you apply the cream at home and especially for babies it is best to work in the sunscreen before you put on the clothes. This protects the areas where the clothes ride up from getting burnt too. Many parents apply the sunscreen once and think their child is covered unless they have been in the water. Experts, however, recommend that the sunscreen be applied every two hours and especially after each dip in the pool.

Mandy Parkson invested in SPF swimwear for her one­ year-old. “Anything I can do to guarantee he is safe is fine though this is more expensive….I’m even thinking of buying UV protected sunglasses. My family thinks I am either being too fashion conscious or too paranoid but… “She adds. A lip balm that offers a SPF protection of 15 or higher should be applied for children over six months.

For babies younger than six months the safest protection seems to be loose full clothes, a wide brim hat and protection under an umbrella or a parasol. After babies have crossed the six-month mark they can be safely protected with a sunscreen created for children. Doctors also suggest that if a child is on some medication, parents check with the doctor if that medicine could increase sensitivity to sunrays.

He even helps me with my shopping bags without a single word of complaint! Every year on Father’s day, I make it a point to celebrate with my patient husband by being his personal chauffeur for the day. Whether it is to an S-League soccer match, or making a trip to Japan for his favorite seafood, I make sure that I do the driving, so my hubby can just sit back, relax and enjoy his special day.”

Yes, if you’re one of those women who prefer to let your husbands do the bustling around, then it might be a good idea to take the wheel and give your husband the day off instead. Start asking your beloved what he wants to do the day before Father’s day and make it a point to be as accommodating and easygoing as possible, even if he just wants to relax at home and do nothing the whole day.

In a way, I guess you could say that poor Matthias experienced my labor pains together with me, with his arm suffering from some major bruises after being clenched by my vice-like grip for a few hours as I cussed like a sailor at the intense labor pains!

Although I could see that he too was grimacing in discomfort at seeing me in such pain, he never once left my side or panicked. That’s my calm, unassuming husband Chris for you,” shares mother of two, Gwen. They say that behind every successful man, a stand a loyal and supportive wife, but the fact of the matter is that it really works both ways. A strong, caring husband and wife duo can carry each other through both the hard and wonderful times.

Just like there is a special day celebrating all mothers, Father’s day honors all the men out there who have to juggle their multiple roles as fathers, disciplinarians, husbands, role-models, family chauffeurs, and sometimes even personal shoppers! It sure isn’t easy work, so why not show them your appreciation for all that they have done for the family, and perhaps even try to refrain from nagging them for leaving the toilet seat down, just for a day! Just how can you thank your beloved on his special day? We talk to some loving wives who candidly share their Father’s day experiences.

Another factor to study while buying a sunscreen lotion is the SPF written on the side of the bottle. The SPF or Sun Protection Factor is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to produce sunburn on a protected skin to the amount of time needed to cause sunburn on unprotected skin. For e.g. a person who turns red after 10 minutes in the sun takes 20 minutes to turn red after using a sunscreen with SPF 2 and 150 minutes after applying a cream with SPF 15. Another thing to keep in mind while purchasing a sunscreen is what percentage of protection is ensured with a particular SPF. Some Doctor / Skin Expert recommend a SPF 30 screen for children as it blocks 97 per cent of UV rays but do keep in mind that a minimal SPF of 15 screens 93 per cent of UV rays.

You have chosen a sunscreen with a SPF of 30 and it is probably a mix of physical and chemical types. Now check if the label also carries the words broad spectrum and waterproof. Next, make sure your child is not allergic to the sunscreen you have selected by applying it to a small area and waiting for 24 hours for any reactions.

The Burning Facts

The first step to ensure complete protection for our children is by understanding what those beautiful sunrays bring us. Sunrays contain three types of ultra violet rays. They progress from being harmful to really dangerous for our children’s delicate skins. UVA rays while having the least energy penetrate deepest into the skin. They cause premature aging and wrinkles and while they are least associated with skin cancer, they are can cause it if received in high dosage. UVB rays are the most potent and unprotected exposure to these rays result in sunburns, cataracts and immune system damage. These rays are also said to lie behind the development of melanoma. The third kind of UV rays — UVC have the most energy but as they are blocked by the earth’s atmosphere we do not have to worry about them.

UV rays are strongest during summer and places near the equator face their brunt more than others. Another sun fact to keep in mind is how chemical pollution has affected the intensity of the sunrays that reach us. Experts believe that they are more powerful and dangerous than they were 35 years ago. Gwen, mother of two, was very careful about using sunscreen on those hot sunny days when her daughter developed sunburn on a cloudy day Gwen was horrified. Now wiser she shares with us, “Clouds do not block those UV rays. Sunscreen is a necessity on everyday — that’s the rule at my home.”

With these facts on board our first instinct is to cover up our children and keep them indoor at all times. But control yourself for with sunscreen we are able to ensure that our children get the best of both worlds.

Anyone involved with a woman longer than a week knows the explosive power packed into this loaded question. Women wiggle around what they really want to hear leaving their men confused, helplessly hunkering down for the big boom set off by placing naive honesty in close contact with volatile compounds like estrogen and progesterone.

When a female asks that question, she wants assurance. Perhaps she’s feeling frumpy and wants her man to reaffirm how he feels about her, or she knows she looks hot and just wants him to behave like he did back in the day. The reason is of little consequence. Her man’s response is not.

Presentation and variety are important so feel free to mix items up. Do not however, use only items from any one column alone. Safe answers require both Ying and Yang.

(*NOTE: adjective + feature means items like sparkling eyes, beautiful smile, fabulous hair, full pouting lips, shapely legs, cute button nose, long sexy arms, graceful neck, beautiful hands, etc.)

If you choose to veer off this path of enlightened answers, a few words to the wise:

With an honest approach, remember that actions speak louder than words. For example, if you reply, “Gee honey. I like a little meat on the bone,” do not ogle a trim woman within the next 24 hours. This casts more than a shadow of doubt on your preference for women of substance, and will be interpreted as an affirmative answer to the big fat question.

Diversionary answers like “Your dress looks beautiful” work with some lightweights. The experienced will pick up on the item being beautiful, not them, which will also be interpreted as an affirmative answer.

Lastly, don’t pretend you didn’t hear her asking. My fourth grade teacher was wrong when she told us, “A closed mouth gathers no feet.” Your silence here will be interpreted as an affirmative answer. You’ll get a mouthful.

So, if you don’t want any affirmative action, stick to the menu selections. If not, something else might be sticking to your ribs.

“Five meters above ground?” Hmph, I swear my five-year-old daughter Elaine jumps that high when she watches Kung Fu Panda and re-enacts the fight scenes on the family bed! I have a concave mattress to prove it.

Swinging from tree to tree? I snorted at the computer screen. Most is a figure of speech, because photos show children wearing helmets and safety harnesses, instead swinging on vines ala Tarzan.

What I was most attracted to was the “2 hours of exhilarating fun”. Yes, Elaine will be occupied for 2 blissful hours while I sit down and enjoy my cappuccino. After all that exhilaration, she’ll probably need some rest, which gives me another 2 hours to do whatever I want. Sounds good, no?

In no time at all, I was on my way to London Reservoir Park with Elaine. It was rather easy to find, but what the guidebooks don’t tell you is that you need to walk another 100m from the nearest car park to the actual venue. Elaine and I enjoyed the walk nonetheless, thanks to the cool afternoon breeze.

When we finally reached the site, we saw an intricate suspension of boards, planks and rope connecting one tree to another. And although we were there on a weekday afternoon, we saw quite a few kids carefully negotiating their way from one tree to the next. My heart skipped a beat when I didn’t see any nets, but then each kid was wearing a harness and secured to a safety line.

Elaine’s eyes widened like saucers. “You mean I get to go up there?” She asked. “Yup!” I said. She promptly gave out several squeals of delight. “Quick! Quick! I wanna go! Now!”

My initial fears that Erin would back out of the course evaporated. “That’s my daughter all right.”

I thought proudly. A friendly instructor got Elaine suited up in a helmet and harness, and she was on her way, climbing up a ladder to her first challenge. Elaine was to move from one tree to the next by walking on suspended planks.

The first hint of trouble came when the instructor asked Elaine to stretch her arms repeatedly to touch the pulley. She’s supposed to be able to push the pulley in order to move from one challenge to the next. But Elaine’s arms were clearly just a tad too short to do so.

The instructor looked straight at me and said, “I’m afraid I’ve got to let her down. She needs to come back when she’s a bit older, say, in six months’ time.”

“But, but…” I stammered, as I saw Elaine’s face fall. To the instructor’s credit, he was really nice about it, and told me he understood how disappointed I was, having taken time off work specially to spend time with my daughter. He also offered to let Elaine down the zip line (what’s more commonly known as the Flying Fox) instead of having her climb down the ladder, so that the trip wouldn’t be a total waste. Finally, he offered to give me a voucher so that Elaine could come back in three months’ time for free.

I appreciated the fact that the instructor had Elaine’s safety in mind, but I was reluctant to let Elaine give up without giving the first challenge a try at least. The instructor agreed; so Elaine got to walk to the first tree, then return to the starting point. Elaine’s face showed slight nervousness but she overcame it by taking one step at a time. And she made it in the end! And when she came down the zip line, she was all smiles again!

When we went to collect the voucher, the instructor praised Elaine for not kicking up a fuss. Indeed, I was very proud that Elaine had taken the news quite calmly, and promised to reward her with an ice cream. Just as I was thinking these happy thoughts, I heard the instructor say, “So Elaine, you have to take more vegetables and take up skipping so that you can be taller and stronger okay?” Erin nodded enthusiastically, and started jumping in agreement. “Oh no!” I thought, “I got to buy her a new mattress!”