A Happy Family

Water Channel

>> Dec 22, 2010

The channel is located in Katulampa, Bogor (West Java, Indonesia). We only needs about 30 minutes ride to reach this spot. The little dam (located on the side of Katulampa Dam) allows a part of flowing Ciliwung River into the irrigation channel. Local people use the water for their daily purposes.

My entry for Watery Wednesday

Watch Out for Marriage Troubles!

>> Dec 20, 2010

Of course, you don’t want to have a broken marriage. To maintain a marriage, you should know any warning sign. Don’t be one of people that don’t notice at all troubles in marriage form the beginning.

Knowing these signs earlier make you are able to fix the problem and save your marriage. Here are some warning signs:

1. You and your spouse are fighting over the same thing repetitively with no end in sight.

2. There is no intimacy. When is the last time you hug and kiss your spouse? If it hasn’t been done for along time, it’s a sign that marriage trouble is alive in your home.

3. Between you and your spouse, there are no longer things that you’re interested to do it together. You prefer to do things separately, most of the times. When you do something together, there is no communication, only silence.

4. It seems that you can’t do the right thing. Your every move is often or always criticized with negative comments. Your spouse shows no respect.

5. You’re the last person to know. Your spouse tells friends, family and everyone but you! You must find out from someone else. It’s really a warning sign!

6. Staying distracted. You feel better if you’re avoiding your spouse. You’re always doing something different than interacting with one another.

So, do you relate to one or some of these warning signs? Since it indicates that you are in marriage trouble; you should do appropriate things to save your marriage. If you still love your spouse, fix your marriage problems immediately!

Source: google, reviewingrelationshipadvice.com

Lion

>> Dec 18, 2010

These wonderful creatures were captured at Taman Safari (Safari Park) Cisarua Bogor Indonesia. During my several visits to the park, I seldom saw wandering lions there, most of them were sitting and sleeping, like this couple.

Seeing a lion is remembering me to Aslan character in Narnia the movies. The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg weight, lion is the second-largest living cat after the tiger.

Lions spend much of their time resting and are inactive for about 20 hours per day. Although lions can be active at any time, their activity generally peaks after dusk with a period of socializing, grooming, and defecating. Irregular activity follow through the night hours until dawn, when hunting most often takes place. They spend an average of two hours a day walking and 50 minutes eating.

The mane of the adult male lion is very famous and unique among cats. It makes the lion appear larger and provides an excellent intimidation display. The darker and fuller the mane, the healthier the lion.

Data source:wikipedia

How to Stop Your Child’s Thumb Sucking

>> Dec 17, 2010

In previous post, it mentioned that parents should interfere to stop this habit only if your child permanent front teeth have started to come in. If you still let your child doing it, your child may get teeth problem.

If you still don’t what are the right things to do, I hope this article will help you. Here are the tips:

Make Your Child Think it's Her/His Idea
Don’t nag your child to stop the thumb sucking habit. The better way: support her/him to realize how much she/he has grown and changed. Show your child what she/he has left behind on her/his way to maturity.

Mention that she/he no longer has use for diapers, bottles, or high chairs. Tell your child how proud you are of the accomplishment. Ask your child what else she/he thinks she/he will stop. If your child doesn't say thumb sucking, then you should suggest it.

Reduce the Habit
When you see your child's thumb in his mouth, try to draw your child’s attention. Engage him/her in an activity that needs he/she use both hands. Do this especially before nap and bedtime. You can try this: have your child to hold the book that you are reading or hug a stuffed animal with each arm. Have another trick?

Help Your Child to be Consistent
When your child wants to quit thumb sucking, tell her/him about a habit that you also gave up and how hard it was. Then you can decide to make a secret sign- between the two of you.

Every time you see your child reflexively slips her/his thumb in her/his mouth—you can use the secret signal to aid her realize what she is doing. This secret signal can change a shameful situation in fun way.

Use Authority
Statements from your child's pediatrician and dentist can really work. They can help your child feel that he/she wants to stop sucking his thumb because he/she is growing up (this tip works for me!).

Consider Peer Pressure
In your child’s age, friends are very important. Invite your child’s friends who don’t suck thumbs to have a nap together with your child at your home. If your child sucks the thumb and her/his friends mention it, this might encourage her/ his to stop.

Well, now it’s your turn to decide which one that you will apply. Don’t forget to consider your child’s personality and age. Good luck!

Source:babyzone.com

Water Droplets

>> Dec 15, 2010

I always love seeing water droplets on any plant. For me, it looks like beautiful crystal stones. This time, I want to share water droplets on Adiantum leaves in our front yard. It’s captured after the rain stopped that day.

My entry for Watery Wednesday

About Child’s Thumb Sucking

>> Dec 14, 2010

Thumb sucking can comfort your child; but it also may cause teeth problem. If your toddler is still sucking thumb, perhaps you’re wondering when you should stop it.

I remember that when I was a toddler, I was also sucking my thumb. I stopped this habit by myself after I saw a doctor on television mentioned the bad effect of thumb sucking. Hehehe, my parents don’t need to bother at all…

Why children suck their thumbs? There are different reasons. For infants, it is a normal reflex that often starts in the Mom’s womb. As babies grow up, they discover a lot about their bodies and the world around them through sucking. They suck on their fingers, clothing, and toys. From this action they learn what is enjoyable and what is uncomfortable.

Many young children also use sucking to calm and comfort themselves. Since the action is relaxing, it often makes sleep. Perhaps you’ve noticed that your child will suck his/her thumb when he/she is tired. Actually, many thumb suckers fall asleep more effortlessly and sleep through the night much earlier than other children who don’t suck their thumbs.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), after a child's permanent teeth come in, thumb sucking can cause problems. It can interfere with proper mouth growth, teeth alignment, and cause changes to the roof of the mouth.

It doesn’t mean that every thumb sucking child will get dental problem; it depends on how the intensity with which she sucks. A child who just rests her thumb in her mouth or passively sucks on it is less likely to develop problems than a child who sucks her thumb in intense.

When parents should stop thumb sucking?You should interfere by the time the permanent front teeth start coming in; it’s around the age of five. But parents, there’s good news: most children lose interest in thumb sucking long before five years old. So, you must handle it if your child is not one of them.

Parents, you should know this. Based on studies of older thumb suckers, it explained that there is one thing in common: all older thumb suckers were all persuaded by their parents to stop sucking their thumbs at an early age.

So, before your child permanent front teeth start to come in, you can allow this habit. Let’s say that you have seen your child’s permanent front teeth, but your child still continues sucking her thumb. It’s the proper time to stop the habit. I’ll share here the tips in another post.

Data source:babyzone.com
Image source: parentszone.com

The Western Crowned Pigeon

>> Dec 11, 2010

I captured this scarce bird several years ago, at a Bird Park in Safari Park (Taman Safari) Cisarua Bogor.

This elegant bird is also known as the Common Crowned Pigeon or Blue Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata). Indonesia people call it Dara Mahkota. It is a large, approximately 75cm long, blue-grey pigeon with blue lacy crests over the head and dark blue mask feathers around its eyes. Both sexes are almost similar but males are often larger than females. So beautiful!

Along with its close and very similar looking relatives the Victoria Crowned Pigeon and the Southern Crowned Pigeon; it is one of the largest and is considered one of the most beautiful members of the pigeon family. The Western Crowned Pigeon is found in the lowland rainforests of Papua, Indonesia. Since it’s one of scarce species critters, I hope that we, human kind, can maintain these birds for many years to come!