Getting a toddler to eat something that is good for them, or that you think they should eat, should not become a battle of wills, but it often does. Sometimes with children, the presentation is everything, and they forget what is underneath the fanciful decorations or shapes. Fish is one of the few foods that doesn't lend itself well to disguises that are cute. But you can make it an undercover favorite with a little creative cooking that the kids and even Mom and Dad will enjoy.

First, you will need to ask yourself how important it is that your child has fish. If you really want them to eat it, you may have to be willing to give way on other issues such as how it is prepared. There are a variety of frozen food companies that present fish in stick, and even fish shapes. But these are wrapped in crumbs, and sometimes partly deep friend before you cook them in the oven. This might not be ideal, but if they will eat it, and get the taste of fish, it may open the door to other, and better choices.

The other options are mostly those that appeal to taste. An excellent way of serving fish is in a sauce. A fillet of haddock can be baked quite nicely with just mushroom or another creamed soup poured over it. If you cut off a child size portion, you can even decorate it with some curls of celery for hair, and sliced pickles for eyes before serving. Use your imagination here.

Recent studies have shown that there is an increasing trend in the number of overweight and obese children. In fact, there are estimates that say up to 15% of the children in UK fit this description. It is a sad fact, to say the least. Some experts go so far as to say that because of the children's bad eating habits and lack of exercise, more and more parents will end up burying their own
children.

So, what can the parents do about this? Here are eight thoughts to ponder and hopefully take action on.

Obesity and excess weight gain are usually a direct result of poor eating habits and lack of exercise. The key here is to provide your child with a balanced healthy diet and encourage physical activities.

Realize that not all overweight issues are hereditary. Many experts say that in reality, only a small percent of obesity and weight gain can be attributed to heredity….. So don't automatically blame your genes!

Children often mimic the bad eating habits and inactivity of their parents. Therefore set an example by eating balanced meals and exercising regularly. When the children are very young, they will want to eat what is on your plate. What better time is there to start some good eating habits yourselves?

Encourage your children to walk more and take part in physical activities. Parents do not need to continually drive their children everywhere when they can easily walk there. Also, monitor the time they spend in front of the television. How does this compare to the time they spend outside playing or participating in some physical activities?

Minimize fast food, sweets, and convenience meals. They are all high in calories and full of salt and sugar. They are cheap, available and targeted to our children through television, so beware.

Luckily it is easier to change a child's eating habits than it is to change an adults. If you are concerned about your child's weight you should encourage them to eat a variety of fresh foods that are nutritious. You should also replace foods that are high in fat such as cookies, chocolate, and cakes with alternatives that are healthy such as fresh fruit, wholegrain bread or crackers.

The way you cook (and shop) also has an effect on their (and your) weight. That is, grill or bake foods rather than fry them. Watch the types of carbohydrates you eat. Buy fresh fruit juices rather than sodas. Start their day with low sugar cereals. Minimize the amount of sweets (chocolate) in the house and substitute, instead, things like dried fruits, nuts and granola.

Develop good eating habits. To prevent children grazing all day, provide them with regular meals at set, routine times. Don't allow your child to each while they do homework or watch television.

Use mealtimes as an opportunity for the family to sit together at a table. Encourage your child to listen to what their stomachs tell them so they learn to only eat when they are hungry as opposed to eating out of habit.

Teach your child to chew their food thoroughly and eat at a slower pace so they savor and appreciate their food.

How often does child sexual abuse get reported?
© Judy H. Wright, parent educator and PBS consultant

Body of article:

Not nearly as often as it should. Most child abuse victims never report the crime or get help in coming to grips with this life-changing trauma. They move into adulthood with a broken heart and low self esteem. Much misbehavior and acting out can be traced to an incident which occurred which left the child feeling confused, betrayed and angry.

In an attempt to cope with the confusing reality of what has happened to them, many children develop survival skills or behaviors that will help them to cover up what they are really feeling.

Families, friends and society sometimes see and judge the problem behavior when it is actually a symptom of the internal pain which has never been addressed.

The number of reports is rising each year due to mandatory reporting laws, better public education and greater public awareness of the problem. Over the last 30 years many key developments in law enforcement have made it easier to deal with victims and their families with greater understanding, making it easier for them to come forward and ask for help.

In the Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls, they found that of sexually abused children in grades five through twelve, 48% of the boys and 29% of the girls had told no one about the abuse—not even a friend or sibling. If indeed, sexual abuse happens to one in four children, yet only 1.8 cases are reported per 1,000 children you have to wonder why.

The most common reasons given by victims for not reporting these crimes to authorities:

1. They feel no one will believe them, as the perpetrator has told them repeatedly.

2. They are so consumed with self-blame and shame that it happened to them.

3. A parent or another adult believes them, but doesn’t want to involve outside parties. They feel it is a private matter and they will just keep the child away from the individual who was hurting them, so as not to disturb the family unit or community.

4. The child or the family is afraid of reprisal from the assailant.

There is always hope and assistance for recovery:

Even if your child or you made a decision to not report it at the time abuse happened, please check out the resources in back of my book: Caution Without Fear-Safeguarding Your Children From Sex Abuse and Finding Help if It Has Occurred. I have included almost 100 resources for help.

There are so many different methods and techniques to help you heal and gain greater understanding of what has happened to you or your child. No one deserves to suffer from painful memories.

Healing is possible no matter how long ago the abuse took place. There is help, guidance and tools available to assist both victims and perpetrators overcome painful pasts and look forward to a future full of hope and promise.

Every state has a child-protection agency that is responsible for investigating sexual-abuse complaints. Any incident, or suspected incident, should be reported to this agency and to the police. Go with the child and then refrain from talking about the incident in front of people who really don’t need to know. When you report it to the police, ask for an officer trained in dealing with children and ask for a private place to discuss the situation. Children are usually a little bit more open with someone who does not remind them of the perpetrator. Stay with your child and support him/her as they answer questions.

What should a parent do:

Tell them again and again, that they are not at fault. Reiterate that it is the job of adults to protect children, not hurt them. Reassure them that you believe them and will support their efforts and those of the police in seeing this never happens to another child. Most offenders molest more than one child; especially in cases of incest.

Breaking the silence and reporting the perpetrator to the authorities or a trusted adult will protect other children. Be sure to tell your child it takes courage to speak out when things are wrong, and you are proud of them for stepping forward.

As a parent, have you ever thought about whether your child's school was designed and built with security in mind?

To raise awareness of school safety and security issues, the National Crime Prevention Council - best known for its icon McGruff the Crime Dog - developed the "Be Safe and Sound" initiative. The initiative offers tools and tips on how schools can be made safer and more secure for students and staff.

There are several basic measures that schools can take to help ensure a secure learning environment for children. The National Crime Prevention Council offers the following guidelines:

* Visitors should be required to sign in or show proper identification.

* Unmonitored doors should be locked from the outside at all times to prevent unauthorized persons or items from entering the building unnoticed.

* Students entering and exiting the school property should be monitored.

* The receptionist should be equipped with a panic button for emergencies, a camera with a monitor at another location and a high-security lock on the front door that can be controlled.

* Access to identification badges, office keys and codes should be restricted and a process for reporting missing badges and keys should be in place.

* All doors should have high-security locks or electronic access control units. This applies especially to closets that have private information or hazardous materials, as well as outside doors and basements.

* Motion-sensitive and constant lights should be used outdoors.

* Dark places around the building should be illuminated and shrubs should be cut back so light can penetrate these areas.

* Stairwells and out-of-the-way corridors should be well-lighted.

* All doors should be solid. Sheet steel should cover both sides of the back and basement doors.

* Door frames and hinges should be strong enough to prevent them from being pried open.

It’s never to soon to teach your kids how to save! In fact, the sooner you teach them how to save the better they will be at learning how to manage their money in the future. If they start early saving, they will understand the value of money and how much can be accumulated over time by saving.

How should I start teaching my child how to save? A good way to start is to follow some of these tips to assist you with helping your child to save:

1. Give your child an allowance which will provide your child with money that they can manage. Encourage your child to save a least half of their allowance.

2. Show your kid how much interest they can earn over time on their money when they save it! Especially the power of compound interest.

3. By saving money today, your kids would have money saved, for a future purchase they might want to make.

4. Make saving fun for your kid. Have your child put their savings in a piggy bank or jar so they can watch their money grow.

5. Open a bank account for your kid and let them deposit money from their allowance or other monies received into their bank account.

You say this is all good information, however, you’re unable to give your kids an allowance because you just don’t have enough money. What should I do, I really want my child to learn how to save? Don’t fret, they can still save! You can have them save by collecting bottles and cans to earn money so they can start saving. No matter, how much money your kids earn, every amount adds up!