While children can light up your life with joy and laughter, sometimes they can appear to be monsters with their temper tantrums and their stubbornness. Stubborn or obstinate children can be very difficult to deal with and could end up disrupting your life as well. However, there are a few techniques that mental health professionals have suggested that can help you deal with your stubborn and obstinate child. These are mentioned here briefly  

Hear Them Out: It s often the case that children tend to be stubborn or obstinate and start screaming when they think they weren t heard. This makes them feel helpless and thus forces them to bottle up and then take out their frustration by either not doing what you are telling them to do or doing exactly the opposite of that. The best treatment in this scenario is to hear them out and patiently try to resolve their problems.

Ensure They Follow Your Example: If one or both of the parents are extremely stubborn, then this would translate into a stubborn kid as well. Doctors have said that obstinacy is often in the genes. Also, environmental influence is a big deal for them as well. Ensure that you are flexible enough with your partner and the child picks up on it.

Teaching Kids About Give And Take: This is a very important lesson in life as it teaches kids to choose priorities. If you teach your kid to always give, then it sends a message that putting themselves second is the best option. However, if he or she is always fighting to take first priority, it may lead to too many conflicts later. Thus it is best to teach them that it is okay to fight for what is yours but also let others have their way sometimes. This attitude will help them develop a balanced attitude and lessen their obstinacy.

Give Them The Illusion Of Choice: Children are very malleable when it comes to their minds and you can use this trick to do certain things that make them appear they have some control when they actually may not. For example, if they are unwilling to go to sleep, you can say that you cannot make them sleep, but they have to stay in bed. Your child would then automatically fall asleep after some time due to boredom which would end up serving your purpose.

Use Scolding Or The Parent Card As A Last Resort: If any of the techniques mentioned don t work, then you can scold or warn your kid with consequences which may result in capitulation. For example, if you child is not willing to come back and study, then try and stop them from whatever they were doing and make them sit with their books. This lets them know that certain areas you will absolutely not compromise on and they will understand the limits better.

How To Deal With Stubborn Or Obstinate Children?

While siblings are the force that breathes life into any family structure, it has also been seen as a challenge of sorts to manage siblings and bring out the best in each one of them. In any family unit, there are a number of entities who need to be nurtured in a certain way to ensure that their identities are not hampered by a "one size fits all" style of parenting. Every child is different and will need to be handled differently. Besides this, there are other related challenges that will contribute to the quality of the relationships between the siblings, as well as the rivalry that they may feel towards each other when it comes to attention, achievements and varied other factors.

Read on to know the ten tips to tackle sibling rivalry:

1. Make Friends before Birth: encourage your first born to connect even before the birth of the new baby by including him or her in the changes you see and feel. Planning for the new baby with your first born will also help in such cases.

2. Staying positive is a big factor that will help the children in feeling confident despite their different qualities and strengths.

3. Comparison is a big no no. Stay away from these kind of comparisons so that the children do not feel like they have to fight with each other for your praise.

4. Time Sharing: Ensure that you divide your time well and indulge each child in his or her area of interest so that they feel like you are always there for each of them.

5. Harmonious Start to the day: this will ensure that the children have a special bond at the end of the day. Make sure that they help each other and divide chores accordingly. The older siblings should be given the care giving tasks while the younger ones should be taught to obey them and play along.

6. Humour them: It is a known fact that humour is the best medicine that breaks even the most tension filled atmosphere.

7. Family Meetings: Hold family meetings to discuss important things and even intense fights so that everyone's needs and issues are addressed.

8. Empathy: Teaching your child to empathize with others will help him or her steer clear of needless rivalry at home too.

9. Ignore the Small: Let them figure out the smaller fights, yet always be there to address the bigger issues so that they know you are there for them.

10. Equal Treatment: Treating them equally does not mean doing the same thing for each of them. It means giving them equal time and attention with personalized treatment to suit varied temperaments. This will also give them a lot of individual confidence which eventually kills any feelings of rivalry.

10 Tips to Tackle Sibling Rivalry

The tooth is made of 3 layers, each with unique characteristics and specific function, the enamel, dentin, and pulp. The enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth and gives the tooth it's hard and lustrous appearance. The enamel is thicker on the crown than the root and is the first one to be affected by tooth decay. The only symptom when the enamel is decayed is food lodgment and discoloration.

The dentin is the next layer, which is composed of minute fine tubules leading from the enamel to the living portion of the tooth, which is the pulp. Once decay progresses from the enamel, the dentin is affected, and this leads to sensitivity in the teeth. When the root portion is exposed to the oral environment, because the root is covered by a more delicate substance called cementum, more severe dental sensitivity ensues.

There is a sharp, shooting discomfort through the tooth to specific foods, such as sweet, acidic, or hot or cold foods.  The main reasons for tooth sensitivity include:
-  Tooth decay, both crown and root caries
-  Periodontal disease and gum recession
-  Tooth erosion 
-  Aggressive tooth brushing
-  Mouth breathing
-  Bruxism or night grinding 

However, there are some simple ways to manage sensitivity, which can be done regularly at home.
1. Toothpaste made for sensitive teeth: Potassium nitrate has been shown to block the tubules and has been included as an active ingredient in toothpastes. These are very effective, and if you are brushing twice, this can be used instead of the regular paste once.
2. Brushing: Both the type of toothbrush and the brushing technique can have an impact on sensitivity.  Change to softer brushes and learn the ideal way to brush your teeth. A lot of times, rough brushing can lead to erosion and subsequent sensitivity
3. Rinsing: Fluoride containing rinses have been proven to reduce sensitivity 
4. Food habits: Even before sensitivity sets in, being cautious to avoid acidic fruits and juices can help prolong the onset of sensitivity. If possible, consuming these food stuffs should be followed by brushing or at the least a thorough rinsing
5. Sealants: If a person is prone to caries (deep pits and fissures, for instance), then it is advisable to get sealants applied on the teeth. This can reduce the instance of wearing of the enamel which then leads to sensitivity
6. Mouth guard: If you are a night grinder, then a mouth guard can help curtail this habit and thereby reduce sensitivity.
There you go with how to reduce sensitivity. Try these simple, easy measures and go on to enjoy the sweets or hot or cold foods that you have always craved for.

Ways to Reduce Teeth Sensitivity

4 Foods That Strengthen Your Child’s Teeth

Kids have a mind of their own when it comes to food. The unhealthier it is, the more they tend to like it. Most taste driven or sweet foods are harmful for your child’s oral hygiene. However not all foods that your children like to eat are as bad for their oral health, some even help strengthen their teeth.

Here are 4 foods that your children can have for healthy teeth and gums.

1) Sugarless Gum - It helps loosen plaque and increase the number of natural antibodies in the mouth. It also keeps the gums hydrated. While too much of anything is not good, these gums are good once in a while.

2)  Crispy Vegetables  - These might not be popular with children but can be made yummy with interesting dips to go with them. Raw carrots, celery, cauliflower, and green beans are chewing foods which clean the child's teeth and gums.

3) Natural Sugar - Sugar from milk, yoghurt and cheese are rich in vitamin D, phosphate and calcium. When consumed, they raise the pH level of the mouth which lowers the level of acids, hence reducing risk of tooth decay.

4) Vitamin C Rich Foods - Fruits like oranges, kiwis, strawberries, papayas and limes help kill bacteria that can cause gingivitis. They also aid a good supply of collagen in the child's gums. However, parents need to remember that one can eat citrus foods only after thirty minutes from brushing their teeth. This is because the citric acid in these foods can weaken the tooth enamel temporarily.


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4 Foods That Strengthen Your Child’s Teeth

Cough and cold are very daunting diseases for anyone out there. Especially for people who have a tendency of catching cold easily. Nobody likes to have a runny nose, vigorous cough and fever. But all these symptoms occur when anyone suffers from cough and cold. However, the symptoms get doubled when anyone suffers with whooping cough. Though any kind of chronic cough can be severe enough but whooping cough is the most panic striking among them all. 

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough begins with a little respiratory illness and includes runny nose, relentless cough. In later stages a development of vivid, copious mucus with the cough and the whoop sound while coughing develops. Whooping cough can be treated safely. If we look at the homeopathic treatment, there are various remedies for whooping cough. But first and foremost, it is very important to boost your immunity. Good immunity helps you to recover faster. Next you need to add nutrition to your diet, which are very important for your health. So intake green veggies and fruits as much as you can. Talking about the homeopathy treatment, yes there are some common homeopathic medicines available, which are prescribed for whooping cough. However, it depends upon individuals and their condition as to which one would be prescribed. 

Listed are homeopathic medicines for whooping cough:

 Antimonium tartaricum: this medicine is prescribed if anyone suffers with scanty and prolific cough along with difficulties in chest or lung. The patient may get mucus with cough, but it hardly comes out. As a result, the patient might end up vomiting in an effort to expel the mucus. The cough can be worse in this case, and the patient might feel breathless often. This medicine is prescribed in such a condition when the chest is filled with mucus, but it barely comes out. 
 Drosera: this medicine is prescribed when a person experiences convulsions of coughing and ends up having cyanosis and shortness of breathing. The cough will be worse, especially at night, and the patient may end up vomiting. There is a chance of getting cramps in feet and hands while coughing.
 Belladona: this is a very common medicine for whooping cough, which is usually prescribed in the early feverish stages of whooping cough. If taken properly, it can be effective in terms of curing the illness. 

Mostly in the coughing stage, patients may face violent cough with red nose and bulging out of eyes, there can be abdominal pain too. Severe irritation in larynx and headache too are noticed in this period. All the above mentioned homeopathic medicines are likely to be used in treating whooping cough infection. However, it is advised to consult a homeopathic doctor before starting any treatment.

Treating whooping cough with homeopathy

Dental care is of utmost importance. Poor dental health can cause you several problems, from a mild toothache to severe pain. Here are 10 foods which will help you maintain your healthy teeth. Read on to find out more about it:

1.  Cheese: Cheese, particularly aged cheese like Cheddar, Swiss and such are beneficial for your teeth. They increase the pH scale in your mouth and effectively prevent tooth decay. It also consists of protein and calcium, nutrients required for strengthening your tooth enamel.

2.  Yogurt: Like cheese, yogurt also contains calcium and protein for tooth enamel. Probiotics or the beneficial bacteria present in yogurt are good for the gums as well.

3.  Leafy Vegetables:  Spinach and kale promote oral health. They contain calcium, which is good for your tooth enamel. They contain folic acid, a B vitamin which has a lot of health benefits and also helps to prevent gum disease.

4.  Apples: Apples contain high fiber and water, which are beneficial for your teeth. While eating an apple, a lot of saliva is produced which washes away the bacteria present in the mouth.

5.  Carrots: Carrots are also crunchy like apples and also contain high fiber which is beneficial for teeth. They also contain vitamin A which is also highly beneficial.

6.  Celery: Celery contains vitamins A and C which are very beneficial for the gums. They are also crunchy and hence help scraping away bacteria and food particles from your teeth.

7.  Almonds: Almonds are a great choice as they are low on sugar and have high content of calcium and protein.

8.  Strawberries: Strawberries are very beneficial for your teeth. Strawberries consist of vitamin C, different antioxidants and malic acid, which help in naturally whitening your teeth.

9.  Garlic: Garlic contains a substance called 'Allicin' which has strong anti-mycobacterial properties, and is thus beneficial for your teeth. It helps to prevent periodontal disease and fight tooth decay.

10.  Meat: Meat in general is beneficial for maintaining healthy teeth. Meats consist of a lot of protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients which are important for healthier teeth.

10 Foods for Healthy Teeth

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