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From the start, it is necessary to point out that most of the myths that will be presented in the following article are mainly enforced by parents to protect their children from the potentially dangerous consequences of the activities. On the other hand, other misconceptions have earned their “absolute truth” moniker by repetition and some of these white lies are simply more convenient explanations for facts of life that our kids are not yet ready to hear.

Nevertheless, all parents want what is best for their children. In this case, teaching them the ability to dissociate between actually proven facts and misconceptions that stem from “common knowledge” from an early age is the right thing to do. Let’s try to debunk the prevalent ones.

1. Coffee and caffeinated beverages stunt growth

The main reason why parents are not comfortable with their children drinking caffeine based beverages and particularly energy drinks or coffee stems from the inevitable burst of energy and hyperactivity. As of such, they will try to employ the kids’ fear of being short for the rest of their life in order to deter them from these drinks, sometimes utilizing pseudo-scientific explanations like “coffee burns calcium and your bones will not develop properly, so you will not grow up tall”. Now, without denying that children need a healthy dose of calcium and coffee is not exactly the best way to achieve it, at this point no study has determined a direct correlation between height and caffeine in kids.

2. You will develop acne if you eat chocolate

This myth stems from the idea that fatty aliments promote the secretion of sebum, which blocks the skin pores and eventually causes acne. Truth be told, refraining from excessively eating chocolate is not actually bad for the health, especially since child obesity is a global problem at this point, but then again, no research has linked chocolate and acne so far. Children are more likely to experience acne during adolescence when hormonal changes kick in, particularly if they have an oily skin complexion.

3. Sneezing with your eyes open will cause them to pop out

Leaving aside the fact that it is virtually impossible to keep your eyes open during a sneeze, there is a ton of reason why this outcome is impossible. First of all, the number of muscles that attach the eyes to the socket would not allow your sight organs to become dislodged, irrespective of how strong the sneeze is. Secondly, we all know that the only person who can sneeze with his eyes open is Chuck Norris. Lastly, the Black Plague has been eradicated since the Dark Ages.

4. You can become cross eyed simply by crossing the eyes too often

Since no child wants to develop a “deformity” that would brand them as an outcast among his peers, parents tell them this popular myth in order to stop them from making weird faces in public. True, it can be embarrassing for you as a parent to have your kid squinting and grimacing at strangers, but there is no evidence to support this theory. When the strain on the eyes’ muscle becomes too great, they simply revert to the original position. You can keep your eyes crossed as long as you like and it will not become the second nature to your visual organs.

5. Going outdoors with wet hair is a surefire way to catch a cold

Here is an interesting statistic revealed by surveys: in excess of 40 percent of the interviewed parents genuinely believe that you stand to catch a cold if you go outdoors before your hair has been fully dried. Moreover, they are enforcing this belief on their children. Fortunately, the combination of wet hair and cold weather is actually harmless, because contracting a cold requires exposure to the actual virus. Furthermore, cold weather is only a factor in less than 0.5% of cases, since only 1 in 200 forms of the virus is more likely to thrive if the temperature outside dries the nostrils. By all accounts, you are more likely to catch a cold in winter by sharing the space with an infected person.

Organic food refers to aliments that are free of pesticides, chemicals, preservatives and all the other unsafe substances commonly found in processed food. While for an adult who eats mostly processed and fast food, the side effects and other health problems will appear in time to come, for children the same effects could be devastating. Essentially, as their bodies are just developing, a high intake of harmful substances could and will lead to the development of chronic conditions and cancer. Following is a list of advantages your children could also enjoy if you include extra organic food in their diet.

1. Less toxins to enter their bodies

While in the US, it’s impossible to get the necessary funds for researching the connection between GMOs and health problems, it is necessary to mention that similar studies have been conducted in Europe. As you would expect, scientists stumbled across what every person conscious about his health and diet feared the most: the chemicals present in these foods – and more worrisome in the seeds the crops grow from – are causing fertility problems and are the main cause of cancer and tumors in animals. Even though the studies have not been carried on humans yet, frankly I don’t think the result will be very different.
2. A significantly reduced chance of developing leukemia

Shocking as it may sound, a few studies have proved the connection between lawn chemicals and child leukemia. Essentially, due to the high demand of products, some corporations have tainted the soil and groundwater in certain areas. Simply put, even if you don’t use chemicals for your lawn, there are high chances that the soil and water near your home have been contaminated. Socially responsible practices that emphasize on growing crops organically could reduce the level of chemical contamination in your community.

3. Fewer situations when the antibiotics are inefficient on them

With the numerous videos of corporate grown animal farms released on the internet lately, the world learned a very disturbing truth: it is essentially cheaper for such companies to feed animals antibiotics and grow them fat faster than with regular food. Obviously, people who eat the meat of animals that have been stuffed with chemicals will eventually develop resistance to antibiotics. This could prove lethal if your child develops a condition (MRSA) that medicine typically treats with antibiotics.

4. Organic food ensures a healthy development of the reproductive system

As previously mentioned, studies carried out in Europe indicate that pesticides and chemicals utilized in agriculture these days affect the animals’ hormonal and endocrine systems. In all honesty, if you do a little research on the web, you will come across an abundance of cases of children who are experienced development abnormalities, such as boys growing breasts at an early age, diabetes and obesity in toddlers. The morbid examples could go on.

5. Your children will learn from an early age how to select their food

If you are responsible when you are going shopping and only purchase products with the USDA organic tag, your child will also learn about the importance of reading the label of the products that he/she buys. Since kids will be kids and that chocolate frosting cake in the window will always be a temptation, you should turn the family grocery shopping experience into a game. Your child might not appreciate it at first, but in the end even the sweets with the USDA label are better than nothing.

Whether you are wanting to take a trip abroad or visit a new part of the country, travelling is a great adventure and we are lucky to have so many variations of transport to choose from. However, journeys can be delayed or even cancelled, and if travelling with kids, your dream break away could become a nightmare.

If you will be travelling with kids in the near future, you may want to make a note of these top 10 tips:

1. Be prepared with some inexpensive wrapped toys

Will your journey take in excess of three hours? If so then we recommend that you come prepared with some inexpensive wrapped toys. Every hour or so, give your toddler a gift to unwrap and they will be entertained throughout the journey.

2. Have a tablet with you

Have a tablet with you and download a couple of apps that are sure will entertain your kids. The amount of apps will depend on the duration of the journey and your kids’ attention span. If flying, make sure you have the tablet on flight mode.

3. Be prepared with bottles

Babies need regular feeding and coming prepared with bottles premade with milk powder will save you time. There are some mixtures that can be made up using mineral water. However, if you want hot milk, you can find travel milk warmers in most shops.

4. Have a window shade

When travelling in the car have a window shade to help your kids sleep. It could also be a good idea to see what toys can be clipped onto the car seat to keep them occupied.

5. Always bring a potty with you

Car journeys can be a nightmare when your little one wants to constantly go, so be prepared – having a potty with you will also make your child feel more comfortable.

These days, a worrisome growing number of children clearly states that they hate school. While it is natural for a child to complain about this, statistics indicate that approximately 10% of the students go to great lengths just to avoid going to school. In fact, some of them dislike the idea of attending classes so much that they become depressed and anxious when they are forced to go, while a small percentage even fake illnesses just to skip classes. Following is a top 10 list of the reasons why your child may detest school and what you can do about it.

1. They perceive it as doing jail time

The number one reason most children can’t bear going to school consist of the fact that they perceive it as very restrictive, both physically (they need to be seated during class) and mentally (they have to concentrate on the lessons and follow the teachers’ instructions). Changing the child’s point of view on this one is going to be tough, especially since the rebellious attitude is specific for kids who enjoy the freedom to do whatever they like at home. Nonetheless, you can do it by constantly reminding him that school is the place where he can make new friends and learn more about the world he lives in.

2. It’s all about the teachers

The way teachers perceive their job and the method they use to relate to their students is another possible explanation for why your child detests school. Some teachers’ attitude towards your child can be rude, abusive and threatening. However, it can also imply the teacher is putting too much pressure on the students or he manifests an openly favoritism towards certain ones. Even though helping your child develop more self-confidence is necessary in this case, it is also recommended that you have a talk with that teacher or the principal.

3. Your own attitude

Your own attitude about how the child should perceive learning is another factor that can explain why he hates school so much. Constant criticism about getting good grades, taking on harder tasks, being more involved in extracurricular activities and performing better in general is commonly perceived as unnecessary pressure. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to help your child build a better future for himself, put yourself in his shoes: how would you like it if your boss would come in every five minutes to ask if you finished your task because he has several other waiting to be completed on that very day?

4. Family issues

According to psychologists, the verbal and physical behaviors children see in their families can trigger repulsion towards school. When parents are frequently fighting in front of their child (or the child has to hear his parents quarrelling), he will instinctively feel the need to stay home in order to support his mother. In other words, because the child feels he is more needed at home, having to go to school becomes an unbearable task he will subconsciously detest.

5. Separation anxiety

If a child is used to getting a lot of tenderness and affection at home, then it is very likely he will come to hate school due to the anxiety generated by having to leave the safety and love of his quarters. The good news is that separation anxiety is typical for children of younger ages and it will resolve itself in time.

Evil can be defined as the intent to violate certain rules, laws and procedures. It is also a deliberate wrongdoing, designed to hurt others. In his book, Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche argues that the natural functional non-good has socially transformed into the religious concept of evil. Ayn Rand, on the other hand, believed that reason is man’s means of survival. Anything that tries to destroy or negate a man from living a proper life is evil.

This article examines 10 fictitiously evil children as they are portrayed in popular culture. Let’s take a look at the role models our children may follow. How may we censor some of the information affecting our children?

1. Henry Evans, Good Son:

A nice and well-mannered cousin, son and brother at first may be your worst nightmare later. This is one way to describe Henry Evans, the antagonist in the film, Good Son. Fascinated over death, Henry displays psychotic behavior, leading to the death of his brother and the death of the next door neighbor’s dog. This is not all, Henry even dropped a dummy onto a local highway, leading to a massive pileup. Henry’s behavior comes to a boiling point and climax, where his mother has to choose between him and his cousin. Life and death situation where Henry cannot blame anyone but himself for.

2. The Children, Village of the Damned:

In the small English village of Midwich, the populace is subjected to a massive blackout. The whole population passes out for hours before recovering. The only result of the incident was suddenness in unexplained pregnancies. Twelve children are born after this incident–six blond-haired boys and six blond-haired girls. The children are set apart from the rest of the village. Authorities try to make sense of these super-intelligent, emotionless children. The village thus agrees to let the children live in a separate cottage. But danger brews all around, and in morbid acts of self defense, the children are responsible for a rash of suicides and unaccountable deaths.

3. Rhoda Penmark, The Bad Seed:

Greed is one thing that forces a 9 year old to kill her classmate with her shoe. Rhoda tries to conceal the evidence as she attempts to burn the shoes in the incinerator. As the janitor of the school pieces the mystery together, he attempts to tell the whole world what Rhoda has done. Before he could do anything, he is burned alive. Rhoda’s sociopathy is based on her mother’s, Christine’s past. Christine’s mother was herself a serial killer. Sociopathy is thus genetic in this film.

4. Alessa Gillespie, Silent Hill:

Gillespie is a character in the film Silent Hill. She is vengeful, super powerful and deadly. She was meant to die in order to bring back her town’s most elder god. The character was an outcast, bullied in school and shunned by society for being illegitimate. Escaping the bullying, she goes to the washroom where she is raped by the school janitor. Burned at the stage caused Alessa to show the most evil side of her. She caused severe burns to the nurse who peeked into her tent. When rage overfilled her, her soul split into 2. The dark side kept reappearing. One by one the evil Alessa brought back the people who were responsible for her suffering, torturing them and killing them.

5. Bart Simpson, The Simpsons:

This boy is pure evil, just like his father and has entertained our homes for the last 23 years. He constantly makes fun of his principal; prank calls Moe Sizlak in numerous episodes and interferes with his teacher’s love relationship. This is just the crust of the cake. Bart is also a failing student who was sent back to grade 3 (one grade below) because he was not competing at the grade 4 level. If you ask me, I would never want to leave my kid with Bart Simpson.

Kids love taking things from their parents without permission. They sometimes forget to give the items back as well.

Alternatively, many parents never get rid of their kids. The kids keep coming back and taking things from their parents’ home.

Here are just 10 things kids steal (meant take) from their parents without asking. I hope many of you understand that when I speak of kids, I am talking about the kids that grow up and move out.

1. Food:

Many parents still find their kids crawling back into their house and taking food from the refrigerator. Many kids are used to having someone cook for them. When living on their own, the responsibility becomes theirs. Many are lazy and just enjoy eating out. The only problem with that is money. They then turn to their parents to help them.

2. Furnishings:

The motto here is…if they like it…they take it. If they like something they see at their parent’s house, they try to take it. From carpets to cup holders, kids love to collect furnishings from their parents’ house to their own house.

3. Appliances:

Kids love having parties. They thus borrow appliances such as barbecues and toasters from their parents. The only problem is that they become Homer Simpson and never return it or just forget about it.

4. Electronics:

The first thing kids take with them is electronics. From boom boxes to televisions to stereos, kids love taking electronics. They figure that their parents hardly would need them. They thus borrow the electronics for an unknown period of time.

5. Money:

There have been cases where kids would come to the home take money from their parents’ wallets/purses. They would not announce it until they are out the door. One parent quoted their son as saying “Mom I need $20, I’ll pay you back.”

Many parents leave it up to teachers and other educators to teach children proper manners. It is the job of the parents to do preliminary education with their children. Here are the top 10 things they would need to teach their children at a young age. The younger the better!

No insults intended, but the follow 10 things to teach kids should be made into laws across the world.

1. Respect for Elders:

How many times did we hear these statements from children: You’re not my mother! You’re not the boss of me. No matter who the individual is, children should have respect for them. It’s the role of the parent to teach that to their children. Otherwise, children would run into problems every time a child is being taught a lesson or two outside of the house or outside of the nuclear family.

2. Wash Hands:

This is very important to teach and to model to children. Washing hands could eliminate germs and can eliminate anyone being sick. With viruses such as H1N1 and SARS being deadly it is important for all children to know how to wash their hands. It should not just be taught at school, it should be emphasized and reinforced at home as well.

3. Please and Thank you:

The problem here lies sometimes in the parents and elder siblings. Children pick up on things quite fast. If for example, a parent forgets to say thank you, they child will find it is a useless word to use. Be consistent and emphasize politeness for children.

4. Table Manners:

This should be part of the grade 1 class curriculum and part of a child’s upbringing. When you sit at a table, do not use your hands to pick up food, chew with your mouth closed and wait for others to sit down before starting to eat. Constant nagging can be eliminated if children were taught table manners during their early upbringings. Teachers could reinforce this in the classroom as well.

5. Keep hands and feet to yourself:

Role-modeling is one problem parents face. Children are greatly influenced by parents and their elderly. If their parents or other elders use violence to solve their problems, children will copycat them. Parents should always emphasize “keep hands and feet to yourself at all times”. If they fail to see why they need to role model, they should examine the Bobo doll experiment by Albert Bandura.

Don’t you hate when your child does something gross? Which parent’s mouth would not drop to hear their child say something they never expected them to say? We all have. The reality is that many children pick up on bad habits and addictions. Here are just 10 worst habits children have. As parents, we should adjust our parenting styles to ensure these habits are eliminated.

1. Picking their noses

This is a disgusting habit children have and sometimes carry to their adulthood. North American children created a song for those who pick their noses, “circle, circle dot, dot, now I got the coodie shot.” Those coodies in the nose are there to protect the child/adult from viruses and infections. Always have a tissue to clean the finger and try to divert the child’s attention away from the habit.

2. Scratching behinds

There is a saying that stipulates that children have needles in their behinds. Something is scratching all the time and makes them move around. Scratching behinds, similarly, is another habit that is done in the home and on the street. Gross.

3. Thumb sucking:

This habit begins when the child is a baby. They usually gain this habit because of teething issues. If your toddler is still sucking their thumb, parents should gradually teach them not to. Otherwise, all the bacteria on children’s hands are going into their mouths.

4. Bad Language:

Children pick up cues and language of adults fast. Albert Bandura’s experiment with the Bobo doll is an example of that. If a child hears parents use bad language, they are prone to repeat it in their day to day conversations.

5. Eating junk food:

Children are prone to be addicted to fast food. Just look at the streets in Canada and the United States and you will see what I am talking about. Obesity is on the rise. Some children prefer burgers made by fast food restaurants over homemade ones. That is usually no fault other than the parents who spoil them.

Don’t you really hate it when you sound like a broken record, you say things without thinking and as soon as it is out of my mouth, you are tired of hearing it too.

We all do it. We repeat the same phrase over and over, and for some reason we expect the kids to respond. But they don’t hear us – they hear the teacher’s voice from Charlie Brown instead.

Let’s examine some of these popular phrases we need to repeat.

1. “You’re grounded”:

Name me one child who has not heard this phrase before. No one is perfect and everyone has made one mistake or two. Mistakes do come with consequences. The consequence may lead to 1 or 2 days/weeks/months without TV and other privileges.

2. “Money Does NOT Grow On Trees”:

Children are demanding…sometimes too demanding. Many parents do not have millions of dollars to pay for their children’s luxury items. They thus use this phrase to teach their children the value of money. In my opinion, the phrase hardly works.

3. “You are such a sweetie pie”:

I heard many parents use this phrase on their children under the age of 10. Many children love to hear this phrase. This usually is when the children could manipulate the parent to get what they want.

4. “Don’t touch this”:

Fearing things will break, parents use this phrase. Many parents also fear that children would hurt themselves, if they touch knives and other sharp items. This phrase is thus a precautionary measure which is in the child (ren)’s best interest(s).

5. “Use your Indoor Voice”:

Kids are parents’ pride and joy. When kids get excited, they forget that they are indoors. They would sometimes scream and shout without noticing the decibel level of their voice. This even happens when the person, they are speaking to, is standing right next to them.

Proper Term: “SHHHHHH….)

Special Education has evolved throughout 20th century. We no longer see children and adults with disabilities as being retarded. Many curriculum guidelines have taken out the term, retardation, and made it impossible for doctors to institutionalize children with disabilities. Here are just 10 childhood disabilities that are prevalent in our school systems.

1. Learning Disability:

The disorder affects the brain’s ability to receive and process information. A learning disability thus is not a problem with intelligence. Individuals with learning disabilities see, hear and understand things differently.

Example: Dyslexia

2. Gifted:

There is no definition for giftedness. Many see children who are gifted as talented and creative. They have a wide range of abilities that are both academic and leisurely. There is also a well-developed attention span, deep curiosity and the ability to grasp, retain and synthesize information.

3. Language Delay:

This is a failure to develop language abilities on the usual evolving timetable. A person with language delay experiences a postponement in the development of the underlying knowledge of language.

4. Pervasive Developmental Disorder:

This is a severe disorder that strikes to 10 to 15 out of 10,000 children. The disorder affects intellectual skills; responses to sights, sounds, smells and other senses as well as the ability to understand language or to talk. Children with PDD may undertake strange postures or perform unusual movements.

Example: Autism

5. Seasonal Affective Disorders:

Children may appear depressive during winter and summer and active during the fall and spring. These mood changes are usually due to seasonal changes and the inability to adjust to the variations.