What is Laid Back Parenting?

The Plethora of Parenting Styles

Especially if you are on social media, you have likely heard about all sorts of different parenting styles. From Tiger Moms to Almond Moms, Helicopter Parents to Lawnmower Parents, it seems there is always a new way to categorize parental tendencies. Now, you may be hearing some buzz about laid back parenting. What is this parenting style? Might it be a good fit for you and your children?

The Basics of Laid Back Parenting

Let’s be clear: we all want to be good parents. Parenting can be challenging, and it is always an adventure, but at the end of the day, we are all out to raise healthy, happy, successful individuals. It’s just how we go about achieving this goal that differs. For laid back parents, the focus is on guiding without controlling. Understanding that it is not really possible to have complete control over another person, laid back parents let go of that idea, and let their children go. This may mean letting a child pursue interests without weighing in, or letting a child make mistakes and even fail, in the interest of learning how to succeed. In the toddler years, it means letting a child who is learning to walk take a few tumbles. In the teen years, it is about stepping back and letting your kids make big decisions without telling them what to do.

What Laid Back Parenting is Not

One thing that laid back parenting is absolutely not is lazy. In fact, it can be extremely challenging not to jump in and save the day if you see your child beginning to make a wrong term. Laid back parents don’t set children loose without a safety net. They make it clear that they are there if the child needs help. The difference between laid back parents and parents who use some other types of parenting is that laid back parents give their children the room to make their own choices, while also offering grace for mistakes. This results in a parent-child relationship built on trust, where the kids know that they can confide in their parents, and that their parents’ approval is not based on their success or failure. It is a difficult balance to strike, guiding while accepting, and it does not mean that there are no rules. Children of laid back parents are expected to make good choices, but their poor choices are not met with anger and rejection, but with the kind of understanding that can turn a bad situation into a teachable moment.

Is Laid Back Parenting for You?

Every parenting style doesn’t fit every family, obviously. If you are a very goal-oriented person, determined that your children will follow a specific path, laid back parenting may not be the right option for you. However, if your goal is to teach your children that they don’t have to be perfect to be loved, that you are there to help them make good decisions, and that you will always try to help them understand their own actions, in order to reach their goals, you may already be on the path to laid back parenting.

However You Choose to Parent, Center for Vasectomy Reversal is Here to Help

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start their healthy, happy families, and we pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more about the work we do or our discounts for active duty military and veterans, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Causes of False Negative Pregnancy Tests

How Accurate Are Home Pregnancy Tests?

When you are trying to conceive, you probably rely on home testing quite a lot. From ovulation tests to pregnancy tests, it can seem like much of the process involves those little sticks. But how accurate are home pregnancy tests? Typically, they are very accurate. They are not quite as sensitive as a blood test at a doctor’s office, though, and sometimes, they can give false results. Why? To understand, it’s important to know what they are actually testing.

How Do These Tests Work?

Home pregnancy tests detect the presence of hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) in urine. This hormone is only produced during pregnancy, and so testing for this hormone is a solid way to determine if someone is pregnant. However, even the most sensitive urine tests can only detect hCG when it is at a level of 20mlU/ml, while a blood test can detect it at a much lower level- 5mlU/ml.

Why Do False Negatives Occur?

While false negative results on a pregnancy test are uncommon, there are several different reasons that they can sometimes occur. The first is user error. If you take a test too early, before a missed period, it may be too soon for the test to detect hCG. Especially if you have an irregular cycle, it’s easy to accidentally test too early. Reading the results before the test has had enough time to work can also result in a false negative.  Of course, the test might also be faulty, which would cause it not to register a pregnancy. Interestingly, taking a test too late can also cause a negative result, because hCG levels tend to level out during pregnancy. Multiples can throw off hCG levels, too, so while it is unusual, if you have two or more babies in your pregnancy, you may get a false negative. In rare cases, a molar pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy can also cause a false negative.

What Should You Do About a False Pregnancy?

If you suspect you are pregnant but get a negative test result, wait a few days and try again. Test early in the morning for best results, because this is when hCG levels are at their highest. You can also schedule an appointment with your doctor, to have a more accurate test done at the office. If you suspect you are pregnant and are in pain, do not delay seeking medical treatment. Contact your doctor or head to the emergency room, because ectopic pregnancies are very dangerous and can even be fatal. When you are trying to get pregnant, work with your doctor all along the way, for the healthiest start to your pregnancy.

Let Center for Vasectomy Reversal Help with Your Fertility Journey

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more about the work we do or our discounts for active duty military and veterans, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

When Do Babies’ Personalities Start Developing?

Are Newborns a Blank Slate?

For centuries, people underestimated newborns. The phrase that was popularly used, even by experts, was “tabula rasa,” meaning blank slate. In fact, it was only recently that neurobiologists began to let go of the idea that neural connections in an infant’s brain are slowly created from scratch, as they experience new sensory information and ideas. As any parent can tell you, though, it’s more complicated than that. Babies are born with temperaments and preferences, which is why some babies are “easier,” and others tend to be sensitive and fussier. Are they born with personalities? Not quite. Temperament is only part of a personality, and temperament determines whether a person is easygoing and adaptable, challenging and feisty, or cautious and fearful. There are many more elements that factor into the uniqueness that makes a person. When does all of this develop?

The Incredible Brain Growth of Early Life

Did you know that a newborn’s brain is only a quarter the size of an average adult brain? In the first year of life, that little brain doubles in size, and by the time a child is five years old, the brain has reached about 90 percent of its adult size. Interestingly, all of the brain cells are present at birth. What’s missing is the connections between these brain cells, and this is what is rapidly developing over those first five years. During these early years, the personality begins to emerge. There are essentially five facets to a personality.

• Extraversion is the measure of how outgoing or introverted someone is.
• Neuroticism describes how easily someone becomes moody.
• Openness relates to curiosity and willingness to try new things.
• Agreeableness measures kindness, empathy, and cooperation.
• Conscientiousness is a measure of responsibility and thoughtfulness.

Ages and Stages

What forms a person’s personality? Genetics play a role, but beliefs, values, emotions, thoughts, and behavior are largely formed by experiences. The way your child’s synapses develop, due to the experience he or she has in the first few years of life, has a lasting impact on personality. It is thought that there are five basic stages during childhood.

1. During infancy, from birth to 18 months, a baby learns to trust or distrust.
2. In early childhood, from 18 months to three years, a child begins to develop autonomy and gain independence.
3. Ages three to five years are considered middle childhood, and this is when children become more assertive in their independence, as well as forming relationships with other children.
4. In late childhood, from five to 12 years, children grow in confidence and develop new skills, striving to accomplish tasks and achieve goals.
5. Adolescence, from 12 to 18 years, is the time in which young people try to develop their own personal identity and place in society.

Promoting Brain Development and Positive Personality Traits

Throughout all of these stages, parents can help guide children and encourage positive development. From earliest childhood, parents who are responsive to their babies’ needs can help them grow into secure, confident people. To help your child reach his or her full potential, begin by creating a safe, loving environment, where warmth, love, and affection is shown, and the child is nurtured. Encourage children to play and explore, from infancy, and respond to their cues, to help them feel understood and valued. Give them some autonomy, even when they are young, allowing them to play independently for short periods and make simple choices, in order to help them grow in confidence and develop a strong sense of self. Finally, prioritize communication, talking to your baby to help promote language development, interacting to boost cognitive skills, and reading together, to introduce your little one to the wider world. As your child grows, continue to focus on creating a safe, loving, stimulating environment, and you will be amazed as you watch this little person’s personality unfold.

Let Center for Vasectomy Reversal Help You Get Your Family Off to a Healthy Start

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start their healthy, happy families, and we pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more about the work we do or our discounts for active duty military and veterans, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Benefits of Having Children Later in Life

The Prevalence of Older Parents

In generations past, people tended to become parents earlier in life. One hundred years ago, the average age of a first time mother was 23 years old, whereas today, that number is closer to 30. What’s more, back in the 1920s, less than ten percent of women bore children after 30 years of age, and today more than 20 percent do. Our culture has shifted, and today, women often postpone motherhood in favor of career and other pursuits. We often hear about the risks of the “advanced maternal age” of women over 35, but could there also be some advantages? In truth, there are several benefits to having children at an older age, whether the “older” parent is the mother, the father, or both.

What Research Shows About Late in Life Parenting

Perhaps the most obvious benefits of waiting to procreate have to do with life experience. Older parents are more established in their careers, so they tend to be more financially stable and are often better educated than younger parents. They are more mature, purely because they have lived longer and experienced more of life, so older parents are typically calmer and more capable in many regards. What you may find surprising, however, is that having children later in life can actually help increase your mental acuity as you age, and it can also extend your lifespan. In fact, one recent study found that women who have children after the age of 33 have a much greater likelihood of living to age 95 than women who did not have any children after age 30- the likelihood actually doubled!

Some Facts About Older Fathers

While men of advanced paternal age have some of the same risks as their female counterparts, there are also benefits to fathering children at an older age. Recent research indicates that older fathers tend to have more intelligent children, with higher IQs and stronger focus. Further, there is evidence linking advanced paternal age and children with chromosomes that lead to longevity. This longevity may even last for two generations, meaning that older dads may endow their children and grandchildren with longer lives.

What’s in it for the Kids?

Aside from the higher intelligence and longer lifespans they may gain from having older fathers, children of older parents benefit in other ways, too. Older parents are typically calmer and less stressed, and they tend to get more satisfaction from parenting. What’s more, there are studies showing that children of older parents suffer fewer accidental injuries. Kids of older parents are often more tech-savvy than their peers, too, and they benefit from their parents’ financial stability and life experience.

Visit Center for Vasectomy Reversal for Help Starting Your Family

While there are many benefits to starting a family at an older age, the conception can sometimes be challenging. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start their healthy, happy families, and we pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more about the work we do or our discounts for active duty military and veterans, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.