If you are like a lot of parents you are watching your child develop and grow very closely and sometimes you may see things in them not developing like other children. In a lot of these cases the question of autism is in the air. The crazy thing about this concern is, every child shows some sort of symptoms of autism, but most grow out of it. I tell you one thing don't stress yourself out about it. My first bit of advice is to get a hold of a milestone chart -either from a doctor or I am sure you can find one online.

As a parent we keep an eye on our kids but watch for very specific things if you are worried. If those worries are there, go ahead and write them down so you are able to talk about it with their doctor. A lot of the times the caregivers are the ones that see these signs. Above all, if you honestly are losing sleep about something - go see the pediatrician and talk about it. That could help no matter what the end result. There are a lot of doctors out there doing research on how to detect the autism signs sooner and earlier, so the child can be treated as soon as possible.

Some of those general signs are:

*Not smiling by the time they are 6 months

*Babbling by 12 months

*Not saying any words by the time they are 16 months

*Not saying two word phrases by the time they are 2 years old

*Watch for the big sign of regression, going backwards in things they have learned, almost like they have forgot.

*A lot of times you cannot have eye contact with your child because they are sooo interested in a certain object

*Some cannot communicate very well and look as to not give any effort to try to communicate

*Very rough, violent tantrums are a general sign

*Does it look like your child is a "loner" only because his/her interest is not in other kids, they could really careless about socializing.

*You might have issues with your child hearing you, you might think they have some hearing problems

There are a ton of signs and many can be seen very early in a child's life. You just have to pay very close attention. I actually make it sound easy - but it's not. If you don't detect it, when they are 6 months, it doesn't make you a bad parent. But if you do have questions you should speak to their doctor and talk to their caregiver, the caregiver can give you an idea of how they see things as well.

A loving Mother, Carisma Corianno

I wanted to spend some time talking about the things I need as a parent to work on. You don't find this information discussed in a lot of parenting skills arenas. And this tendency to not look within and be open about it, makes me feel like the areas where I am inadequate are horrible. And there is a sense of being hopeless that accompanies that because I don't know what to do replace them and then with what?

The answers I was looking for I found, thankfully, in the Total Transformation program. It was as if Dr. Lehman looked right inside me and pointed out the areas that were blocking my abilities to parent my kids well. These were things that made my parenting fail more than I wanted.

Time for a Parent to Change

I picked a few of parental behavior management skills to share that have helped me immediately.

1. Family business. Using a semi-formal business-like demeanor in handling out-of-line behaviors will leave you in the driver seat. When emotions are allowed to rule, control is given to the child. Their actions are not personally aimed at you, really! If you can remember they aren't even sure who they are most days, it will help you parent effectively.

2. Transition time. I like this one. Have a deal with your kids that when you get home from work, there is a 10-15 minute "transitional time" where nothing is discussed. This goes both ways because the kid needs a chance to reenter into the family when he gets home. It allows you to both catch up on things from the day and plus a chance to wind down a bit without being bombarded with questions and problems.

3. Responsible love vs. unconditional love. We're taught we're supposed to love our kids unconditionally, but what we really need to do is love them responsibly. Parental love needs to be on an intellectual plane rather than an emotional one. Don't be afraid of losing your child's love by making rules. They will know it and use it against you. Even though they don't say it, a child feels safe and loved when they know you are in charge.

4. Replacement and reciprocity. Have an arsenal of correct behaviors to give your child to replace inappropriate ones. Let them know the benefits of dealing with a situation in a right manner. This is much more effective than yelling "Stop!". You must have these behaviors etched in your mind ahead of time and do require some creative skills.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of areas we as parents can improve ourselves. Especially if we were not modeled good parenting as kids. Don't be afraid though to start changing yourself in this process. The rewards will come in great bounds with an open, more loving relationship with those kiddos. And that is priceless.

Getting everything ready for a baby shower party can be a trying time for the host. With all the arrangements you need to make from choosing the guests to deciding on a theme, then ordering or printing out the shower invitations to send out, and then lastly making sure you are ready for this special day.

One of the busiest times for you as the host of the baby shower is that you need to be thinking about what shower decorations to make or purchase for the party, what will be the planned events, such as what games to have, what types of baby shower favors you will use, and what kind of foods and beverages will you be serving.

A main feature during the baby shower party, should be the table centerpiece which is most likely going to be the baby shower cake, of course some people prefer a diaper cake but for now we are talking about the cake itself. The baby shower cake should not be similar to a cake that was just purchased from the local cake shop.

It is always a good idea to have some one who is attending the baby shower to bake the cake. This will show the mother-to-be that you are dedicated to supporting her and the newborn as well having the added benefit of being perfectly themed for the table centerpiece and the theme of the party.

Of course, pre-ordering the cake will also be fine as long as you give enough time for the cake to be prepared and that you have discussed with the person who will prepare the cake the concept of the baby shower party and how you would like the cake to look.

For those that fancy they have baking skills, or or maybe there is someone who can follow the recipe from the cake cookbook as well, it is a much better idea to try and prepare the cake yourself. Doing it this way you get a chance to show your creativity with the design and you always have the option to ask for assistance from friends that are attending the shower. It is also a cheaper solution to help keep down the costs of the baby shower.

To prepare the baby shower cake, check online for tried and tested recipes and designs as there are many different websites offering free advice on this topic. You can also choose the flavor of the baby shower cake.

Usually, the designs and shapes of baby shower cakes are nursery items. These are flowers, birds, butterflies, baby-shaped, toys and other kid stuff. The most common icing colors are yellow, pink, blue, green and white.

In addition, if you have scheduled the baby shower after the baby was born, you can also ask for the baby's picture and have professional cake decorators create an edible cake design using the baby's picture.

Using a diaper cake is another great idea when hosting the baby shower. Yes you heard right it is a cake made out of diapers and usually serves as the table centerpiece during the shower party. Once the shower party is finished it also provides the family with a large number of diapers for the first weeks of baby being home.

For those that are craft minded maybe you would try your hand at creating your very own diaper cake. Yes its a cake that is made from baby diapers (not the eating kind). All you need to do is purchase some diapers that are rolled lets say to three levels, if you have done this before you can go up as high a seven layers. When securing the diapers make sure that you do not tie the ribbon or lace to tightly as this will deform the diaper and not giving you the desired affect and will probably have to be thrown out.

The table centerpiece would now be your masterpiece the baby shower diaper cake for all to enjoy during the baby shower. For those that have decided on creating or purchasing their own custom cake this to could become the centerpiece of the party ensuring a fun and enjoyable day for all.

Now that the cake is out of the way you need to decide on what foods you will be serving. Usually you will see punches, tea, finger food and deserts being served. Another alternative especially if it is a mixed occasion is to have a barbecue accompanied with some grilled foods. This is a great time for the fathers to get to know each other while standing around the barbecue. The benefit of a Mixed baby shower is that all the parents and friends can have an opportunity to welcome the new baby into the world.

Parents feel good when they can say something "smart" to their kids, something that can help define their ethical makeup and guide them through the challenges and struggles of life.

The problem is words of wisdom are hard to come up with, difficult to remember and even tougher to remember to say them to your children consistently. There is a new device that helps solve this problem. With the touch of a button a Life Learning Device (LLD) verbally delivers secrets of life, motivation, and wisdom on a consistent basis exposing a child's mindset to the thoughts and ideas of people that have lived successful and fulfilled lives.

By placing the Secrets of Life & Words of Wisdom, LLD on the kitchen table and pressing it once a day, parents can now easily and consistently expose their children to the values and mindsets of some of history's most accomplished icons. Legendary achievers and innovators have followed certain secrets that have allow them to do great things in life. This LLD delivers these secrets along with mantras and quotes that motivate people to make their dreams a reality.

If you are looking for a way to share values with your children and have them develop confidence and a positive mindset this Life Learning Device is a great help. Everyday the LLD delivers a new tid-bit of wisdom that you and your kids can discuss. When success is spoken around the house, little ears pick it up.

Here are some examples of what is on the Secrets of Life & Words of Wisdom, LLD:

Albert Einstein once said, "The world we have created is a product of our thinking. If you want to change it, change your thinking."

Some of us have great runways already built for us. If you have one, take off! But if you don't have one, realize it is your responsibility to grab a shovel and build one for yourself and for those who will follow after you. - Amelia Earhart

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. - Babe Ruth

For more information on the Secrets of Life & Words of Wisdom, LLD visit: http://www.lifelearningdevices.com.

Today I couldn't get my daughter motivated to get out the door to school. It was most annoying. All she wanted to do was potter around in her room. I gave her a couple of reminders but she just kept on mucking around.

At 5 minutes before 8 o'clock I started to get firm with her and said "Beck, we are leaving for school in 20 minutes, whether you are ready or not. You need to get dressed, have breakfast and pack your bag". Then I left her again.

Finally at about 8.15am she emerged, and all of a sudden was rushing around furiously trying to be ready on time. But I stuck to my guns. I said to her, "It's a pity you won't have time to have breakfast now", and went to the car. Becky followed, shoes and socks in her hand as they hadn't been put on yet.

I drove her to school and there was not much conversation. I stopped at the gate, she got out and that was about all. Becky seemed to be testing me this morning to see if I would stick to my boundaries. I think she found out the answer to that one. Poor Becky had to go hungry until morning break as she hadn't eaten any breakfast.

What Becky had been doing was trying to exert some control over me by making me wait for her. I have no idea why this happened. But now Becky knows that if she tries that again the result will be the same - missing out on breakfast. This is a valuable lesson for any child to learn.

I know it is sad to have to do that but if I keep on saving Becky she will never learn that the world requires people to be on time. I had to leave for work. I had to earn money to feed my children and pay the mortgage. And that's the way life is. Becky had a responsibility to be at school on time.

Now here's what we must remember: we need to stop rescuing our kids and let them learn things the hard way sometimes. I understand this is not always a pleasant thing but it is a necessary thing. The more we rescue our kids the more they will expect it. Remember our job as a parent is to make sure that our kids are equipped for adult life.

The end result was that Beck was very hungry until morning tea break today. But I think perhaps she will think twice about doing the same thing again. Why? Because she didn't like the end result. She experienced the consequences of her poor choices this morning.

It was heart breaking to see a hungry child going to school. But I had no control over Beck's actions. She made some bad choices today. But when we allow our kids to make mistakes and learn from them they will thank you later on in life. I guarantee it.

I thought I had it all together with my kids but this morning proved me wrong. I had a ten year old who refused to get organized for school and decided that she would be on a "go slow". Now I understand that different combinations of kids and parents have an impact on what heppens in individual households. But I would like to share with you what I did this morning at my house.

I have great difficulty with my 10 year old daughter each morning. No matter what time I wake her up she seems to dawdle and end up rushing to get out the door at the very last minute. Often she is late for school because she cuts it too fine.

The first thing you should do with a child reluctant to get out the door to school is to talk to them about what happens at school. Are they being bullied? Is there a reason that they don't want to go to school ? Once you have eliminated anything there, then you will need to come up with a plan of attack for how to turn this problem around.

Always try something positive to start off with. An example of this might be a sticker chart and at the end of the week a trip to buy ice cream if they have stickers for every day. Make the reward immediate and something that the child likes in order to motivate them. And as your child gets better you can then start to make the rewards a bit further apart.

Think of all the possible ways to get your child interested in being on time in the mornings. Only if none of these work will you need to step up the pace and think of a negative consequence. This morning, unfortunately, my daughter threw tantrums and did all sorts of peculiar things which led me to believe that I needed to change my tactic just a little bit.

Becky has left for school now, about ten minutes late, and I am left to decide what consequence will help her to learn a lesson. Remember that a consequence should be given in order to help a child learn that it is simply not worth it. I am thinking of removing a few things from her room to go up into my top cupboard: some rather grown up earrings that Beck should not be wearing if she is still throwing tantrums plus a few grown up items of clothing more suitable for an older, more mature child.

We must remember to match the crime as closely as we can to the consequence given out. I am not even sure if I did it well today. However I will sit down with Beck this afternoon and explain to her why I did what I did.

In all of this I will give her a chance to lessen the consequence through improved behavior over the next couple of days. If she shows me that she can indeed get ready for school quickly without fussing or throwing a tantrum she will get something special that belongs to her back quite quickly. The end result is that Becky learns that she can control the quality of her life by her actions or inactions. And that is what we want our kids to learn.