Paenting – Beijing Kids https://www.beijing-kids.com Fri, 03 Jun 2016 17:22:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 Breast Feeding Bonus https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2010/08/03/breast-feeding-bonus/ https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2010/08/03/breast-feeding-bonus/#respond Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:30:58 +0000 A recent article from the New York Times reported that indigestible components in breast milk affect the composition of the bacteria in babies’ intestines, helping to protect them as they develop.  Three researchers at the University of California, Davis identified a strain of bacterium that is able to survive on the complex sugars derived from lactose that babies can’t digest. The bacterium, a subspecies of Bifidobacterium longum, coats the lining of the intestines in order to keep out other harmful strains. As Dr. German told the New York Times when commenting on this evolutionary genius, “mothers are recruiting another life-form to baby-sit their baby.”

Making up 21% of breast milk, the complex sugars encourage growth of the bifido strain, which in turn “serve[s]as decoys for noxious bacteria that might attack the infant’s intestines.” It would seem logical that babies would acquire this strain of bifido from their mothers, but in fact, it has yet to be found in adults. The researchers have plans to further investigate the potential benefits of complex sugars in premature babes and the elderly in order to apply some of the lessons of breast milk to benefit the larger population. Because each component of breast milk serves a function that aims towards healthy development,  it can give us insights into how the immune system functions.

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Many parents resort to desperate measures when trying to placate their screaming child, especially in public arenas. How many times have parents said, “If you behave yourself, I’ll buy you a toy!"

A recent Slate article addresses why many parents have guilty consciences about rewarding their children for simple tasks; the reward and bribe line is blurry.
 
But Kazdin and Rotella, authors and proponents of the reward system, argue that rewards are a form of positive reinforcement and can come in forms other than material goods. Verbal praise and attention is effective, and if good behavior comes with a reward and explanation, then it is hard to view merely as a cheap bribe.
 
They provide a good guide to making praise effective. Of course, all of this looks promising and sounds easy, but executing these tactics in the midst of a tantrum proves to be the true testing point.

 

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