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Malawi Supreme court ruled in favor of Madonna on Friday. Now U.S. pop star Madonna can adopt a second child from Malawi, although the father of the 4-year-old girl said he wants her back. (So why did he say yes in the first place? $$$$$$)  Previously lower court denied the request of Madonna, which said Madonna could not adopt Mercy James because she was not a resident of the southern African country.

Mercy's father said Madonna, one of the music industry's most successful singers, should not be allowed to adopt Mercy. "No one wants to listen to me, I have protested this all along ... I want my child back but I don't know what to do now," James Kabewa told Reuters by telephone from his poor township. "Madonna cannot take her away." However now no one can stop Madonna to adopt as The Supreme Court ruling cannot be challenged. Kabewa said he quit his job as a security guard to fight the adoption and was being supported by his aunt.

Madonna has really done a great job! Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo said "Madonna has shown that she is bold, and compassionate enough to come forward to adopt Chifundo (Mercy) James," In a statement Madonna said: "I am ecstatic...My family and I look forward to sharing our lives with her." Hope this child will fulfill the lonely life of the pop star.

(Source: reuters.com)

Being a parent is a big responsibility and very difficult at times, but being a single mom can be even more challenging. During tough time you never find anyone around to help you. That's when single moms must take the initiative and search for the answers. It's often helpful to try tips and suggestions offered by other single moms. Mostly there is an argument in our society that single moms cannot raise her son emotionally and physically healthy and that their sons tend to have an effeminate side to their personalities, that is, traits that are more often associated with traditional feminine gender roles rather than masculine roles. But with time myths are breaking. Some of the most famous celebrities raised by single moms are Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Tom Cruise and Les Brown.

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Toddler develop great social skills through the interaction they have with people around them. Different activities help to develop mental, physical, social and emotional skills to stimulate your children's imagination and creativity. As a parent you should involve your child in such activities through which your toddler can understand and learn the world around him.

Some of the activities that can enhance your toddler's social skills are mentioned here:

• Importance of Money: Give your child different coins and ask them to count them. Teach your child how to use the money and about money which will enable them to understand the value of it.
• Indulge them in cooking: Accompany your child in mixing, baking, measuring the ingredients. These are the tasks your kid will enjoy doing and it goes not matter if they make a mess
• Cleaning work through game: This will give them the sense of responsibility and will be hygienic from the very beginning of their life and they will do it as part of the "norm".
• Encouraging Play with Others: Always involve and encourage your child to play in a group. This will inculcate the team skills in your child. They will watch and often copy what they see others do, even though they're not yet able to play with them. I am sure untill now your toddler thinks everything is MINE, but they need to learn the skill of sharing. As they grow and become more experienced at play, they'll learn to play with other children. This is called "cooperative" play, and usually happens after the age of 3. In cooperative play, children learn to work and solve problems together, and develop their social skills.

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The first day of your child at school is one of the greatest turns in their life. For the first time they step into the world when you are not with him/her to take care of everything, it's the beginning of their independent life. Your child gets surrounded by lots of queries, confusions and may be fearful of the change from the small, loving and comfortable preschool situation. At this point as a parent you need to prepare your child to face the strange world alone. Let's learn some tips that you can follow to make the first day of school the best day of your child.

• Kids need a good night's sleep before the first day of school. About two weeks before school starts, start gradually moving bedtime and wake-up call earlier, to get the kids used to a new earlier schedule.

• At least a day before school starts, help your child pack his backpack with his supplies, putting his name on everything and sharpening his pencils.

• If your child is starting school at a new, unfamiliar building, or is beginning a new phase, the best way to ease his anxiety is to equip him with as much information as you can. Ask your school administrators if you and your child can tour the building sometime before the school starts.

• In the weeks before school begins, discuss kindergarten with your child. Express enthusiasm and excitement at all she is going to learn. Try to evoke responses from your child to see how she may be feeling.

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It's not "cool" to be fat, still obesity epidemic is increasing with passing years especially among children. Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls. Childhood obesity increased from 5 percent in 1964 to about 13 percent in 1994. Today, it is about 20 percent - and rising. According to American Obesity Association, 2006, approximately 30.3% of children (ages 6 to 11) are overweight and 15.3% are obese. For teens (12 to 19) the rate is almost identical: 33.4% overweight, and 15.5% obese. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult. Now these are alarming figures.

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Christmas is about to come and entire world is preparing for the celebration. Christmas is a big occasion to celebrate life with your friends , family and dear ones. It's all about expressing feelings through exchange of gifts. And when it comes to selecting gift for your dear ones it's really difficult. Here we bring you the list of gifts hot this Christmas.

Gifts for Friends and Family:

• Just be little creative to add smile to the face of your loved ones. Instead of just sending out cards with your signature, try writing a personal note telling your friends and family how much they are important to your life.

• Gift them Photo album filled with memorable moments.

• Always remember gifts we most cherish are those that touch the heart not the gifts that are more expensive. Whenever you choose gift keep the feelings higher than cost.

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Academy Award winning famous actress and film producer Reese Witherspoon is very happy like other divorced parents as holidays are approaching. Reese will have a wonderful time to share custody of her young children, Ava,9 and Deacon, 5, on those special days. "I think the most important thing is to be a grownup," she says, "and not let any kind of feelings affect how you deal with your children."

Reese and Ryan Phillippe got divorced in June - that means having "a lot of communication" with her ex-husband and "just being very open. I'm very lucky in that we raise our kids to just be happy," the actress, 32, said Sunday in Beverly Hills while promoting her film Four Christmases - a comedy that focuses on the challenges of blended families. "I think the most important thing is the children. What do they want, what makes them feel comfortable?"

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Angelina is looking forward to be a full time mother ana wants to fade away from movies. True, taking care of six children is a big job. "I don't plan to keep acting very long," she tells the BBC. "I'm ready to do a few things now and fade away and get ready to be a grandma one day."  She is starring in The Changeling, says she plans to "work for a few months" in February, then take a year off. "I won't work again probably for another year," she says. "So maybe it'll be once a year, then maybe it'll be once every three years." She adds: "I have a lot of children. I have a big responsibility to make sure that they're growing right and that they have got us there for them."

Angelina has no worries for financial liabilities as another wage earner Brad Pitt is there in the family. And no doubt he is a perfect husband and a caring father. "I'm not so worried that I want to keep this pace up and try to be something and be a celebrity and be a successful actress forever," she tells the BBC. "It's great, but everything comes in seasons. I hopefully I won't be needing to do that later in my life."  I think Angelina has taken a wise decision. When you plan a family its very much necessary to give proper care to the children. The most important thing what child wants is time and love of their parents. Angelina been a great actress all through and now it's been proved that she is a great mother too.

(Source: people.com)

Foster care is a system by which a certified, stand-in parents, a social group or a government body provides safe, loving and nurturing homes for children and youth who are unable to be in their birth families because of a family crisis, physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect, substance abuse or parent/adolescent conflict.

Children come into care under the authority of The Child and Family Services Act either through a voluntary agreement between Social Services and the parents, or by an order of the court. The foster family's aim is to provide a stable, nurturing and supportive home environment that will encourage the growth and development of a child.

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