Cairo, Egypt David E. Miller – Egypt’s birth rate dramatically increased in 2009 compared to the previous year, casting doubt on the effectiveness of government-led birth control policies.

“A high birthrate isn’t good for Egypt,” Maye Kassem, a political scientist from the American University in Cairo, told The Media Line. “The Egyptian government is unable to provide jobs and education for so many people.”

According to the Annual Bulletin of Births and Deaths Statistics 2009, Egypt’s live birth rate increased 8.1 percent in 2009 from 2008. The bulletin, published by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAMPAS), also noted that Egypt’s crude birth rate, an indicator referring to the total number of births at midyear, reached 28.8 per 1,000 population in 2009, compared to 27.3 in 2008.

Most of Egypt’s estimated 79 million people live crowded along the two banks of the Nile River. The most populous country in the Middle East, millions live in shanty towns and squat in tombs as the government strains to provide homes and jobs for its people. Experts warn that uncontrolled population growth will stifle efforts to boost standards of living.

If the current growth rate continues at the current rate of one baby every 23 seconds, or 1.3 million every year, Egypt will be home to at least 160 million people by 2050.

Since coming to power in 1981, President Hosni Mubarak has urged Egyptians to have smaller families and population growth has fallen from extremely high levels. This makes the latest statistics mark an embarrassing setback.

In 2008, the Health Ministry launched an $80 million family planning campaign called “Two Children per family – a chance for a better life.” While Mubarak himself has only two children, the average Egyptian woman gives birth to 3.01 children. Commercials broadcast on public television juxtapose a family with two well-dressed, clean children in a groomed house, with a noisy, unruly family with multiple children living in squalor in a dilapidated home.

“Through these commercials, the government is telling the public: every child born is your responsibility, so don’t have more children than you can afford,” said Kassem.

With parliamentary elections occurring in two weeks’ time, the new data are being used by Egypt’s opposition as political currency to slam the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). A headline in the Al-Wafd opposition newspaper claimed that “CAMPAS announces the failure of government planning policies.”

Abd Al-Rahman Abd Al-Hadi, a researcher at the Demographic Center of Cairo, said government attempts to curb birth rates are failing because the general public wasn’t involved in policymaking.

“The attempt to dictate policy from the ivory tower isn’t working,” he told The Media Line. “To influence people you must involve them in policy.”

Abd Al-Hadi said poor, often illiterate, rural families depended on large numbers of children as a source of revenue. He added that the Egyptian population was generally suspicious of government policies dictated from above.

“People here don’t believe the government is working for them,” he said. “The government does whatever it wants, and presents optimistic statistics to please the West.”

Abd Al-Hadi said that policymaking must take religion into consideration, as it is a key element in the life of most Egyptians. He added that most religious scholars agreed with the principle of family planning, as long as the method of birth control used is reversible.

“There are scholars who support family planning and those who don’t,” he said. “The problem is that less educated clerics live in rural areas, where the challenge is bigger. These clerics need to be convinced by more enlightened ones.”

Maye Kassem, the political scientist, said that although government provides free birth-control pills, Egyptians traditionally view children as a blessing from God and a source of wealth, not an economic burden. She added that in a society with no real welfare network, large families are regarded as insurance policy for parents’ old age when they can count on multiple children to support them.

“This is a cultural concept that will take a long time to change,” Kassem said.

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Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Fisher-Price is recalling millions of children’s products over safety fears. Some of the 10 million products included in the recall are tricycles, toys and high chairs.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, two of the products being recalled have cause injuries.

Some 2.9 million are being recalled because the valve of the inflatable ball on the toys can come off and pose a choking hazard to young children. The toys are:

• Baby Playzone Crawl & Cruise Playground
• Baby Playzone Crawl & Slide Arcade
• Baby Gymtastics Play Wall
• Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl Aquarium (C3068 and H8094)
• 1-2-3 Tetherball, Bat & Score Goal

There are 54 reports of cases where the valve came off. Officials say there have been 14 reports of the valve being found in a child’s mouth and three reports of a child beginning to choke.

More than 1 million Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me high chairs are being recalled because children can fall on or against the pegs on the rear legs of the high chair, resulting in injuries or lacerations.

CPSC and Fisher-Price said they were aware of 14 incidents of injury, including seven where children required stitches and one suffering a tooth injury.

A third recall is for 100,000 Fisher-Price Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway toys. The company said it had learned that the wheels on the purple and green cars can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Fisher-Price has received two reports of a wheel detaching from a vehicle. No injuries have been reported.

The company is also recalling more than 7 million Fisher-Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles after reports of 10 children being hurt on the protruding disc-shaped and D-shaped pretend keys.

For more information on all the recalls, log on to www.cpsc.gov or call Fisher Price at 800-432-5437.

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The biological clock has stopped ticking or the thought of actually becoming pregnant at an advanced age is not at all appealing or realistic for them. In this instance, adoption is the perfect option. As people learn that they have all of this love inside of them that they have harbored, the thought of adoption seems more like a real opportunity for them to finally have that missing piece of their life’s puzzle. I remember feeling so ready to be a mom that it hurt. I only wish I had started earlier and had adopted more children. There are so many children available for adoption due to different circumstances. For those that are seriously considering taking the steps to initiate and go through the adoption process, they should realize that it is not simply deciding but taking the proper steps to make the dream a reality. Like anything important in life, adoption is multifaceted, intricate, and for some, a long and arduous process.

If someone is serious about becoming a parent through adoption, they must be able to show they are prepared to become a parent and present their case as to their ability to love, care for, and raise a child. It’s about more than just about money. Children don’t care how much money you have. They are not easily impressed by your custom-made suits or couture handbag. Children that enter your life through adoption need love, commitment, and a parent that is willing to care for them unconditionally. If that is what you have to offer, then adoption may be right for you. This global recession is having a huge impact on people and their relationships. From single people looking for mates through matchmaking services to couples looking for a child to shower with love through adoption, the bottom line of it all is that life is about more than just money. Life is about companionship, sharing, caring, and knowing that you are more than just a commodity or talking head. We are all people, rich or poor, great or small. For some ideas on the many ways to afford adoption, visit www.AdoptionFinancingInformation.com. If this economic crisis has brought you to this life crossroad, then you should seriously consider how to make that next step and open that new chapter in your life. You know that the culmination of your life’s experiences means that you have a lot to offer. Adoption can allow you the chance to give of yourself to another person…a child. The happiness that adoption makes possible will far exceed the years of financial returns that have been the hallmark of your life. In fact, money can’t buy that type of happiness. That real, long term happiness can only be acquired through love, hope, and care…which is exactly what you could give and receive from your newly adopted child. For more information about adoption, visit www.LifetimeAdoption.com

WHOLE WORD RECOGNITION

I recently saw a product “Your Baby Can Read” on an As Seen On TV spot. It’s unique in that it’s the first reading program combining videos, flash cards, books and other aids specifically designed to help teach infants and toddlers how to read.  This       “YOUR BABY CAN READ” program was developed by Dr. Robert Titzer of Southern Louisiana University, and has been featured on Good Morning America and other national TV shows.

I bought this set of videos for my daughter’s 22 month old, Heather, on the trial basis of $14.95 just see if it had value. My daughter told me that the first starter video immediately made Heather take notice.  Heather seemed to be really interested as the words appeared in the videos; the movements of the words and the accompanying music really caught  her attention.  My daughter said it’s probably the first time that she’s seen Heather show an interest in anything for more than two minutes. I guess having the words demonstrated by children in the short videos may have something to do with it, too.  

The “Your Baby Can Read” process uses many proven learning tools:

• Repetition:  Each word is on the screen multiple times and in different fonts

• Sight:  An arrow scrolls under the word from left to right as the word is read

• Sound:  The music background added to the repetition of the word is another learning key.  The background music uses happy songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, and others to make this sound like a “happy” time for her.

SEEMS TO HAVE VALUE
Before I spent the $200 for the whole set, I went over to take a look for myself.  Sure enough, Heather was enjoying the DVD, trying to mimic the movements of the children and beginning to mouth the words as they appeared.  I did order the Your Baby Can Read set, but I made my daughter promise that she would also introduce the phonic learning system to Heather as well.  I heard there is an excellent site for phonic instruction, starfall.com, and suggested that to her.  So now, Heather gets to watch the YOUR BABY CAN READ DVD every afternoon, and soon will progress to the second disc.  Her verbal skills have increased and she does recognize and say several of the words.  I just hope this technique gives her the desire to become an avid reader, something she will enjoy all through her life.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/childhood-education-articles/your-baby-can-readreally-1594553.html

Celebrating the baby steps and milestones is one of the most exciting moments in a mother’s life. One has to begin somewhere, of course, and pot the seeds that will bring out the greatest in baby’s development even sooner than you teach your baby to read.

Fortunately, there are so many remarkable innovations within the market right now as far as learning aids or baby development products are concerned. Go for those which focus on the necessary principles of toddler development.

*No alternate for Reading Aloud

Age appropriate books that moms as well as educators can read out loud to babies are ideal. Yes, indeed, there’s no alternate for reading aloud to your kids, even in the digital age of DVDs and internet programs with folks who can immediately address your babies as they look on the tv screen or PC.

Read-aloud books can be a mother’s greatest ally in helping form their baby’s memory, language skills and also emotional well-being. There are so many excellent choices out in the market now, so getting started on a regular routine of reading out loud to your baby can be a cinch.

*Don’t Over Stimulate Your Baby When it comes to infants, however, one should never over stimulate or force your toddler to focus on the book. The most significant issue is to make emotional sparks connecting the baby, the book, and the person reading, who is usually the mother.

My baby can read for the reason that we used a set plan and did not overdue it. Getting your toddler down on the path to being a bookworm does not mean insisting that your baby concentrate closely on the books you have bought.

To develop a lasting fondness for vocabulary and stories (which can turn into an craving for reading that can set a nice pattern for the rest of the baby’s life), make reading encounters fun and pleasurable bonding encounters

*Include Reading with Snack Time

While bathing baby, for example, include soft waterproof books with appealing yet easy pictures, letters or numbers. Throughout meal or snack times, you can place a small & colorful baby book on the flexible tray in baby’s high chair to stimulate the little guy or gal’s curiosity & interest.

It’s a good thought to let baby control the book while enjoying a bath or meal. As far as infant learning programs there are so many that can strengthen and even steer you along a path. My baby can read because we used a combination of unique products all helping to stimulate and build on prior learning experiences.

The Your Baby Can Read! Program is one that walks you along, it lays out exactly what needs to be finished every week. That in conjunction with learning toys and a few waterproof books really sets you on the right track.

Discover the secrets and give your baby a vocabulary in weeks, go now to http://www.mybabycanreadblog.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/childhood-education-articles/breakthrough-secret-teach-your-baby-to-read-1490809.html