The Mozart Effect

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The “Mozart Effect” refers to the benefits produced in infants and children by hearing the music composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.A study in 1993 by American psychologist Frances Rauscher showed that it is very beneficial that babies hear this kind of music because it stimulates the development in several areas.

Since then there have been several studies, but none has proven those benefits scientifically.Studies continue on this controversial topic to see they can corroborate what was found by the original author published in the journal “Nature”.

Among the purported benefits include:

  1. Helps develop intelligence.In children 3 to 12it is supposed to improve their ability to reason.
  2. Improves reading and writing skills, math and memory.
  3. Improves physical and emotional development, and creativity.

Improvements have also been reported in patients with Alzheimer’s.

Studies suggest that mothers play Mozart music to babies since they are in the womb.

While there is no scientific proof of these benefits babies love music and it calms them.I do not need more reasons to listen to it.

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Learning another language singing

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The best time to learn another language is when children are young.Their brains are programmed to acquire language and there is no limit on the number of languages ​​that can be learned at a time.

It is well known that we all learn best in a relaxed and entertaining environment.We know that when we enjoy learning be do much better.In the case of children, something that is greatly enjoyed is singing and dancing.

Take advantage of moments of play to play children’s songs in English or French!Allow the child to imitate the sounds you are hearing.Many of these songs have instructions on what to do to follow the music, like the Hokey Pokey, encourage children to dance.Other songs have choreography, like Itsy Bitsy Spider, teach him the moves and have fun playing.

The child’s ear will get used to the new language and before you know he will speak it.One way to support this learning is reading stories with illustrations with the child sitting on the lap and following the action.

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Fitness Myths

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Modern studies are demonstrating that certain common fitness beliefs we were told as children are simply not true.  Here are several of them that with the help of scientific evidence have become more of a myth than reality.

  • No pain is equivalent to no gain. The perception that if exercise does not hurt it is not working is not true.  Focus on exercising smarter, not harder. Understand that you do not have to kill yourself or overexert your body for maximum results.
  • A full cool down session is necessary after exercise to avoid muscle soreness.  Many studies have failed to prove any merit about this statement.
  • If a woman lifts weights, she will become bulky. Women do not have the testosterone to get big from weight lifting alone.
  • Blood will divert from your arms and legs into your digestive system if you go swimming within an hour after eating and can cause cramps or even death. We have enough blood to digest food properly and work our limbs at the same time.  Experts agree that swimming on a full stomach could lead to some cramping but for the average swimmer that chances are low.  So go ahead and munch no some cookies or have a small meal before you jump into the swimming pool. Most death related accidents occur in pools due to alcohol consumption.
  • Protein bars are the best food for athletes. Evidence suggests that they are nothing more than glorified junk food. Instead, consume healthy natural foods such as organic fruit, veggies and complex carbohydrates.
  • Sport drinks are absolutely necessary. If you are going to work out for what could be considered a normal period of time, water is enough for proper hydration. 
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Sports competitions for children

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To succeed in life we need to find out what our talents are and develop them with determination and discipline.A good way to begin to instill this in children is by participating in sports and sports competitions.

When a child participates in a sports team that competes he or she learns to strive to be better and better.He also learns to better organize his time to be able to fulfill all of his obligations.Incredibly the more things they have to do the more efficient they become with time management.

They learn that things worthwhile require effort and sacrifice; that they have to choose what they want to do because they can’t do everything at once.

They learn to work together, to win and to lose.They do physical exercise, which helps them with their physical and mental health.Knowing they are good at something helps with their self-esteem.

Be careful to choose in which competitions to enroll them and especially who their coaches will be, they should competent in the discipline they teach but also have to be serious and responsible.

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Entertaining kids

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Rainy season begins and children cannot go out and play as often as usual, either because it’s raining or because it rained so much that everything is wet outside. Then comes the dilemma of how to entertain the kids indoors.

Our first thought is on TV, but we are aware of the negative effects of sitting for hours watching television programs or engage in a video game. While there are many educational programs that are very beneficial, it is also true that it is not healthy to spend hours in front of a screen. There are not very active games that can be organized indoors, but we can find some that require them to think and develop their creativity.

Besides reading, children can solve puzzles no matter their age, as there are for all ages. Also you can improvise a small study to draw and paint. Another option would be to learn to play a musical instrument. The occasion will give us the opportunity to know what the interests of children are, so that we can help develop them.

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What to do when there is no light

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We rely heavily on electricity for many activities of daily living and this is especially true when it comes to entertainment. Television, music, video or computer games are part of our entertainment world. So when there is no light, we do not know what to do to not get bored.

We must take advantage of these circumstances to activities we would normally not do because we are too busy watching TV or glued to the computer. For example, we can sit down under a window and get to read. Or we can devote to painting, embroidery or knitting. Or we can put together puzzles. We can also leave the house and go to the park for a walk and took advantage of exercise.

If we are without electricity at night, things change. Many will say that how can they do any of these activities if there is no light. But we can always have a battery hand lamp that allow us to meet somewhere in the house to play board games, for example. We can even read, if we get one of those battery lamps that are put on to the cover of the book and let us read, sometimes used when the others have gone to sleep and want to continue reading without bothering with the light on. With creativity we can find what to do to entertain when there is no light.

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Spanish Eating Customs

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Spanish people love to eat. It is even common knowledge that Spaniards probably consume more food than any one of us in other parts of the world. They are also well known for taking their time to enjoy food at every meal and their many eating moments during the day. Below is a short description of the different meals that usually take place for most people in Spain as well as food samples.

Breakfast or “el desayuno” is their first and smallest meal of the day.  It typically includes a cup of strong coffee with milk, sweet rolls, toast with mild cheese or jam and juice. This meal is usually eaten at home before heading to school or the office. Mid-morning coffee breaks generally place in most work environments.

Tapas are small Spanish meals eaten several times a day: after breakfast and before lunch, and the middle of the afternoon. Some examples of food served as tapas are canapés and other types of finger foods. Interestingly, Tapas time is the name designated to the popular bar hopping activity where most Spaniards drink wine and chat while enjoying these mini foods.

A few of the most famous tapas are Potatoes with Spicy Brava Sauce, Spanish omelet also known as Tortilla Española and Garlic Shrimp.

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Children become readers on their parents the laps

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This is the motto of an online campaign to promote reading habit among children.Children learn by example and their main role model is their parents.The child will imitate what his parent does, if the parent chooses reading as a means of entertainment, the child will do the same.If, however, the father prefers the television or computer, the child will too.

Besides the example, another thing we can do to promote the habit of reading is to read to children when they are babies.As the slogan says, children sit on our lap as we read stories of fairies, beautiful princesses and brave princes, and why not, brave princesses too!

There are stories about animals, about the different stages that the child is going through as potty-training, dropping the bottle and the pacifier, the arrival of a sibling, or a dog;also on how to help in sad moments such as a separation.

Choose books with pretty pictures and big letters and let the child follow the reading with his eyes while you point the letters with your finger.

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Proper Nutrition for your Children

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Adequate child nutrition should include at least three healthy meals and two snacks a day. It is important to control the amount of sugar and fat that the child ingests to prevent medical problems such as obesity, weak bones and diabetes.

For a child to develop to his full potential your child needs to meet all the nutritional requirements for his body. This includes eating on a regular basis plenty amounts of vegetables, a variety of fruits, protein and simple carbohydrates (depending on the age of the child his or her necessities can vary on what and how much he can eat of from a specific group of food).

The best nutrition tips to keep your child healthy include encouraging him or her to:

-          Balance physical activity with the foods he eats. For example, a very active child will usually require a higher calorie intake.

-          Consume a variety of foods

-          Pick a diet with sufficient amounts of fruits, veggies and grain products.

-          Avoid saturated fat, cholesterol and large amounts of sugar and salt.

-          Keep soda, artificial juices and junk food to the minimum.

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Bald Barbie

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Girls of all ages and of all countries in the world play or have played with dolls.In their symbolic games they recreate real life and create fantasies as part of their cognitive, psychological and social development.But what happens when the reality the child is living is a cancer and chemotherapy that leave her bald?How does that little girl, who has grown up thinking that beauty includes a long and beautiful hair, feel?

For girls and parents who are going through this ordeal, and in response to strong Facebook campaign started by a mom, Mattel agreed to create a bald Barbie.The doll is called Ella and famous Barbie’s friend.She doesn’t have hair but has wigs and accessories.It has written message from Barbie, introducing her beautiful friend who is beautiful despite not having hair like the girl who is receiving the doll.

This doll is not available in stores; it can only be received through NGOs who care for patients with cancer, as a donation.

Since then they have created other bald dolls and campaigns continue.The next step is to make Disney create a bald princess.

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