Having a baby is a great experience. After a while, you can’t wait for them to be able to talk to you and tell you what they want. You may have a toddler that doesn’t talk well and wonder how you can help them talk. These ten tips can give you ideas of ways to encourage your toddler to talk. Read the rest of this entry
Oh’ Christmas Tree
Brownie Feeling Outdoorsy
Children love to spend time with their friends, and as summer approaches, they may ask if they can go to the same camp their friends will attend. You may ask yourself, “How old should my child be before they go to summer camp?” The answers will vary, depending upon the parents and the child, but here are some guidelines. Read the rest of this entry
There are always bullies in social situations – people who have to build themselves up by tearing down or beating down the people around them. Unfortunately, that will be true at any age. Whenever there is a group of kids, there is likely to be a bully amongst them. It is important that you give you child the right tools to know how to deal with bullies, today and in the future. Here is some advice to help you and your child:
1. There is no way to avoid the bullies of the world. They can be found in Sunday school classes, homeschool support groups and school classrooms. Instead of avoiding them you will have to develop ways to live or deal with them.
2. Walk away. Almost every confrontation offers the chance to just get away from the situation. It is not running – it is looking for a more appropriate time and place to deal with it. Most bullies want to be seen by many people; if you can take that away from them then you might be able to deal with the situation with fewer problems.
3. Retaliation leads to escalation. Although the television shows and the movies show that confronting a bully is the only way to win, in truth it could be the one sure way to lose. Especially in today’s society – where escalating violence is the norm – pushing someone who wants to be the “top dog” might cause an escalation in violence towards your child and towards others as well.
4. Talk to the people that are in charge when your child is being bullied. If the teachers won’t listen, then talk to the administration. If the administration won’t listen, then talk to the authorities. Bullies can be an extremely dangerous element for any environment. The people that are in charge need to be aware of the dangers involved.
5. Talk with your children. Open lines of communication make it easier for your children to come to you if there is a problem. Taking time every day to talk about their day, their thoughts and their ideas is likely to make you aware of any problems or potential problems before they can get out of hand.
6. Stay involved. By being around your children at play and at school you can recognize bully situations before they become problems. Make a point to attend birthday parties, ballgames, practices or other group events and activities.
The natural instinct for many parents is to shield their children from bullies or situations where the children might be bullied. The truth is that it is impossible to completely avoid all bullies. It is better to learn how to deal with the situations at the earliest possible age, rather than being shocked by bullies that are more aggressive and more dangerous in the future.
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Nothing can be more nerve racking for a parent than the wail of a baby who can’t be comforted. You can lose a lot of sleep and at some points come close to losing your sanity. While everyone has their own ideas for raising children one of the best things you can do for your baby is calm them naturally. Here is some information to help you finally calm your baby.
Many parents and doctors will tell you to just leave your baby alone when they are crying. The philosophy is that if no one comes to help the baby, they will learn to “self soothe”. The truth is small babies don’t have the emotional capabilities to self soothe. Yes, the baby will stop crying eventually, but only because it feels it has been abandoned and has given up on seeking help. A baby who isn’t comforted when they cry believes their parents no longer care. This can destroy the parental bond and the child’s self esteem. Letting a baby “cry it out” may not always be the best option.
On the other hand, your psychological health matters too. There’s bound to be the occasional time that you can’t take it anymore and no one is around to help you. If you feel you’ve reached your breaking point, it’s all right to take a break from your child for a few minutes while you regroup. If your child knows you’re coming back eventually, they will be less likely to feel abandoned.
The best way to learn to soothe your crying baby is to get to know them. Most of the time, the child is crying because something is wrong; they’re hungry, tired, grumpy, sick, bored, or have one of a multitude of other needs, and every one of these problems has a different cry. If you spend time with your baby and listen carefully, you should be able to distinguish one cry from another. You should for other cues such as facial expressions and body language. The sooner you learn to interpret your child’s crying, the sooner you’ll be able to satisfy their needs.
Sometimes, babies don’t really have anything wrong with them and are just plain upset. Here are a few suggestions for calming a fussy baby:
* Play music. Many babies may also be soother by you singing to them or to simple white noise.
* Use Lavender. It is known to have natural calming properties; you could put it in their bath, bedroom, laundry, or almost anywhere that the soothing vapors will be able to comfort them.
* Use the 5 S’s. Swaddling, laying the baby on its Side or Stomach, Shhing, Swinging them in a mechanical swing or your arms, and offering a breast or pacifier to Suck on will trigger the baby’s natural calming reflex and help them relax.
* Distract them. Try to offer him his favorite toy or make quiet baby talk. You may be able to get him to forget he was upset in the first place.
* Give your baby a massage. A massage can be just as relaxing for your baby as it is for you. Be very gentle with your touch.
If you’ve tried these and other remedies, but your baby still won’t stop crying, you should take them to the pediatrician just in case. They may have something simple (but annoying), like colic, but it’s best to be sure that it’s not something more serious.
Spring has sprung and so has the pollen. Seasonal allergies affect millions of children each year. Find out the symptoms and what you can do to relieve them.
The substances that cause allergies are called allergens. Allergens can be anything from pollen to molds and fungi to dust. These allergens are carried through the air until they land on your child. Pollen is the reproductive spores of plants. Allergy symptoms can occur from the pollen of weeds, grasses, trees, and mold.
Sensitivity to these allergies is what brings on the histamine response. This is the body’s reaction to the allergens being present in the child’s system. Allergens enter the body through the mouth, the eyes, and the nasal passages. Your child may experience: sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, chest congestion, coughing, and/or sore throat. A child suffering from allergies may display one or more of these symptoms at a time.
allergies are often confused with colds and therefore misdiagnosed. Cold symptoms usually include fatigue, fever, and body aches. If any of these symptoms are also present, then your child is probably not suffering from seasonal allergies.
Pediatricians can run tests to find out the exact type of allergen your child is allergic to. Blood work can be done to ferret out the offending allergen. More commonly a skin-prick test is performed.
The spin-prick test is not painful to the child. It involves lightly scratching the skin with different types of allergens. This test is usually done on the back. If the skin becomes red and swollen in certain areas, the doctor can determine what allergen is attacking your child.
Once the allergen is identified, the doctor will come up with a course of treatment. Prescribing medication such as Singulair, Allegra, and Advair, will block the reactions in the body that cause allergy symptoms. It will take a week or two for the medications to fully circulate throughout the body.
There are practical things that you can do at home to safeguard against allergies. Keep windows closed. A good breeze will fill your home with pollen from the outside. Use the air conditioning in the spring and summer if it gets warm inside.
Take a bath at night during allergy season. The water will wash off any pollen spores and other allergens accumulated during the day. Also make sure to use allergen proof covers on mattresses and pillows.
Allergies are a nuisance, but they don’t have to ruin your life. Follow a few guidelines to keep your home safe from offending allergens. Take your child to the doctor to properly diagnose his/her allergy condition and receive treatment options.
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If you’ve ever been stung by a bee, you know it can be painful, right? The summer is the perfect time for these and other insects to find a way to attack your body. Let’s face it; any kind of 
bug bite can be an awful experience, both for adults and children. Here are some summer safety tips for avoiding, and treating bug bites:
To avoid insect bites, purchase DEET. Most over-the-counter repellents now contain DEET, and are safe to use on children as young as 2 months old, as well as adults. Stay away from open beverages that contain sweetener. Sweetened beverages, like soda and juice, attract stinging insects. Standing water are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Empty, or cover the pool at the end of the day, and don’t leave any potted plants outside that may contain standing water. Always wear shoes, and dress in long pants, and a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt to cover skin. Also, wear light-colored clothing. When outdoors, particularly at night, you can purchase Citronella candles, and place them on the patio tables.
The first thing to do when stung by a bee or wasp, is to look at the spot where you were bitten, to determine if there’s any stinger remaining. If there is, use a firm object, like a credit card to sweep across the area, and pull out the stinger. Don’t squeeze or pinch the skin to remove the stinger. This will cause additional venom to be released into the bite. Use soap and water to clean the area of the sting. Treat any reaction by applying a cool compress, or ice. To relieve the redness and pain, adding hydrocortisone to the affected area will help. If you develop a severe allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, call 911 and seek emergency care immediately.
It is important to note that if you live in the Northeast and upper Midwest, you need to be on the look-out for ticks carrying Lyme disease this summer. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in wooded areas, you may be susceptible. You can tell if you have Lyme disease, as a rash will develop, which looks like a bull’s-eye near the bite. The rash is often accompanied by flu-like symptoms, such as fever or headache, nausea and vomiting. Some people, however, may only develop flu-like symptoms, and not a rash. If you are bitten by a tick, and develop a rash, seek medical assistance for possible treatment and testing for Lyme disease.
While most everyone looks forward to outdoor activities this summer, bug bites can not only ruin a wonderful day, but develop into subsequent problems. By following these safety tips, you can look forward to an enjoyable summer.
Divorce divides kids between two separate households. It’s not easy for them to get adjusted to the idea of spending time in two places instead of having one home base. Here are some ideas to help make the transition easier for them.
Joint custody can work if both parents are willing to try. This could mean buying two of everything so that the kids feel comfortable in both places. You wouldn’t want your daughter leaving her stuffed bear at dad’s house and mom having to drive all the way back over there to get it in the dead of night, or vice versa.
Kids will get used to living in two places if both parents are on board. It will seem strange, but parents know this and can assure their kids that they understand. Parents shouldn’t take it personally if kids want to spend the day but not the night. This doesn’t mean that they like one parent better than the other. They are used to that house since it has been their home all of their lives.
The newest residence will seem strange at first. The kids have never been here before so it will take some getting used to. They may cry for home that first night that they stay. If they want to go back to their old place, then they should be taken there. Their crying is not a rejection of the other parent; it is the fear of change.
The transition to a new living arrangement is an ongoing process. Kids will have two households and two sets of rules. Some rules need to be agreed upon by both parents to avoid manipulation. For instance, if a child is grounded at mom’s house because of his grades, then he is grounded at dad’s house too. Kids have to follow the rules at both residences just as if their parents were still living under one roof. They may not like it, but if you stick to your guns they will respect it.
When kids leave to spend the weekend with dad, for example, don’t hug them as if you will never see them again. This desperate show of affection signals to kids that you don’t want them to go. They have a right to see their father and spend time with him. His household is their home, too. Assure the kids that you won’t love them any less if they want to see their dad.
Moms will probably field the most questions about the new living arrangement. Kids that want their parents to get back together may fight the two household idea in the hope that the other parent will move back in. This is an idea that most kids of divorced parents hang on to. Tell your kids that this will not be the case.
Also let them know that they can take as much time as they need to get used to the second household. Enlist the aid of the other parent. They can reinforce what you are saying by having a similar conversation with the kids.
Splitting up the family into two households is a big change for kids. Moms and dads can assure them that they both want the new living situation to succeed. Transitions of this type take time, so be patient with your kids.
There is no one in this world who knows us better than mom. It is in her every touch, smile, hug, and word expressed from the time we are born. We look to mom for approval, guidance, and love. But it is those special times, when it’s just 
mom and child time, that we look forward to and treasure.
Whether or not you are a working mom, spending time with your child is important. It signals to your child they are important and fun to be with. From infancy, your child depends upon you for everything; and as time passes, the nurture, care and love you have given becomes their focal point. They turn to you in times of need; seek your advice in times of doubt; and look to you for comfort when sad. Spending one on one time with your child is by far a time your child looks forward to. Whether a baby, toddler, teen or adult – your child needs you. It doesn’t matter if you simply sit on a big comfy chair and talk; or read a book together; or watch a favorite fairy tale on DVD – being with mom has enormous positive effects on kids. It is just you and your child; no interruptions; no siblings to take your attention away; just your child and you.
Studies have shown the positive effects of merely caressing a 
baby; smiling; rocking and holding. The baby feels safe; begins to sense your aura; your smell; your voice. Being held in your arms is all that matters. As the child grows, he or she runs to you if frightened; or for no other reason than simply to get a hug, a loving word, a smile. 
children who are not comforted from birth become detached as they become older; feel abandoned; and more often than not seek other means to find love.
Spending time with your child is important to their growth and how they relate to others.
It is very simple really. A mother’s love is infinite. As a mom you know this to be true.
Therefore, there is no need to explain the importance of being with your child. Perhaps this poem says it all:
Just Mom and Me
There was never a time you weren’t there
Expressing your love, showing you care.
You laughed with me, cried with me, and wiped away the tears
From the moment I was born, and through the winter of my years.
Your smile gave me hope, and your touch made me know
That for all of my life
I’d have somewhere to go
To talk about the fear, the pain, and the strife
It was you, who understood,
And gave meaning to my life.
You knew what to say, and when words couldn’t come
You held me in your arms -
No more needed to be done.
Sometimes, all children need is a little encouragement and positive reinforcement to ensure they are on their best behavior. Using the rewards system for good behavior is a controversial subject. While some proponents believe it can be a good thing; others think it can be overused, thus having no affect at all. Here are a few positive reinforcement ideas for kids, when used properly, can help you tame the unruly child.
How do you reward your child for good behavior? Do you buy a toy which he or she has been asking for? Do you allow them an extra hour of TV? Or do you use another approach? There are several methods you can use to reward your child for good behavior which will not cost anything at all. One is praise. Children need to feel loved and accepted. Praising them for an accomplishment or behavior can reinforce that love.
According to experts, verbal reinforcement is very powerful. Yes, words are very powerful; and when used appropriately can make all the difference in the world to a child. It is positive reinforcement at its very best.
If your child had an especially good day in school; or shared with other children during playtime; or helped you with a specific chore at home; reward the child by allowing him to pick a movie, or choose what to have for supper, or allow additional time for his favorite TV program. Another choice would be to give the child a day off from walking the pet, or taking out the garbage for a week. While rewarding a child for good behavior may seem appropriate; it can be overused to such a degree that the child would do anything for that particular reward.
To infuse good behavior is to properly raise the child from the get-go. Certainly, children at some time become unruly; but the reward system may work one time, and one time only. Using positive reinforcement to ensure your child has not only been good, but is loved and accepted for who he or she is. Once that is established, the rest will follow.
Routines are important for children as they grow up. They allow children to learn what to expect during their day when they may be unable to handle change well. Routines can also make your entire family’s life run better. Learning how to create a smooth morning routine isn’t difficult, but it may take trial and error to get it working just the way you want it. Read the rest of this entry
What woman wouldn’t love having a sous chef to help her in the kitchen? Well, if you have children, you may have a sous chef in the making. These tips for teaching kids to cook may help you to help yourself by allowing them to take over some of the kitchen duties.
Before teaching your children anything about working in a kitchen, teach them about cleanliness above all else. Basic safety rules like washing your hands before you begin, not licking your fingers while preparing food, and keeping raw and cooked foods separate will go a long way toward keeping family members healthy. Teaching them to cook foods to the proper temperature is also important.
Read the entire recipe before you start so you’ll be sure that you understand the directions and know which utensils and ingredients you’ll need. Gather everything together. If you can, measure out the ingredients ahead of time. This will make the actual preparation go smoother. Follow the directions exactly to get the best results from your efforts.
Explain to them what each appliance is, how it works, and what it’s used for. If you have hand appliances, explain those as well. You don’t have to give them the theories behind electricity, but you do want them to know how to handle each appliance in a safe manner.
Always use hot pads to remove items from the stove, microwave, or oven. Don’t lick hot spoons or handle food while it is still hot. Doing so could result in a serious burn. Teach your child the proper way to remove hot items, what to do if they do burn themselves, and where the first aid is kept in the kitchen.
Sharp knives work better than dull ones, so keep your kitchen knives sharp. Teach your child the proper way to hold a knife, how to slice food without cutting themselves, and how to care for and store knives. Never put knives into soapy water; that way no one gets cut.
Don’t throw water onto a kitchen fire. It could make matters worse. Teach your child to call an adult immediately to see if they can extinguish the fire. If it gets out of control, make sure everyone leaves the house, go to your nearest neighbors, and call 911.
As much as you’re tempted, don’t taste food that hasn’t been cooked. While your parents may have been able to eat raw cookie dough, it isn’t recommended today. If you must taste food that is cooking, use a clean spoon and allow it to cool first. Refrain from using the same spoon to taste and cook; by doing so you’ll be less likely to contaminate the food.
Instead of leaving dishes until you’re finished, clean while you cook. Put ingredients away when you’re done with them. Run a sink of hot, soapy water and place dishes and utensils (except sharp knives) in the sink until you can get to them to wash them. Wipe up any spills you may have made. Turn off and unplug any hand appliances.
Allow your children to watch you cook from an early age, and then begin allowing them to help. When you feel confident that they understand the rules for your kitchen and can handle things on their own, let them do just that. You may be surprised to find that you have a little chef in the making.
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Toddlers love to create things with their hands. It’s part of their personality and what makes being a toddler so much fun. These five crafts are perfect for toddlers. Try one or more so they can create artistic masterpieces.
1. Noodle necklaces are so easy a toddler can make them. Of course, Mom may have to color the noodles beforehand, but the results will be worth it.
• Mix together ½ cup vinegar and a few drops of food coloring for each color you would like.
• Soak various kinds of noodles in the various colors. Allow them to dry on pieces of wax paper.
• When dry, your child can string the noodles onto pieces of yarn. Tape one end to make stringing easier.
• Tie the ends together to close the necklace and let your child wear it with pride.
If you don’t feel like coloring the noodles, you could use colored cereal between the noodles to give it some pizzazz, or just make cereal necklaces, instead.
2. Paper plate maracas are easy and fun for toddlers, particularly if they like to make noise, and almost all toddlers are experts at that.
• Have your child decorate the bottom of two paper plates with whatever items you feel like giving them.
• Mom, help with this step: Staple the edges of the two paper plates, insides facing together. Leave a small opening for the beans.
• Place 5-6 dried beans or rice into the opening and then close it up.
• Put tape over the pointy side of the staples to be sure no one gets snagged on them.
• Turn on some music and let the kids join in!
3. Let your budding artist create by making edible finger paints with sweetened condensed milk and food coloring.
• Mix together small amounts of the condensed milk with a couple of drops of food coloring.
• Give the child a sheet of paper on which to create their work of art.
• Don’t worry if they put the paint in their mouth, it’s yummy.
• Wash their hands quickly to keep the food coloring from staining their hands.
4. Pompom caterpillars are furry friends you won’t mind finding in your toddler’s pocket.
• Get three pompoms, the same size, in varying colors.
• Glue the pompoms together in a line.
• Glue on the wiggly eyes.
• Mom, you may want to hot glue the caterpillars onto a clothes pin with a magnet and use them to show off your child’s other artwork.
5. T-shirts with painted handprints are more than just a craft. They are a snapshot to help you remember your child when they were little.
• Get a new t-shirt in your child’s favorite color.
• With fabric paint in a shallow bowl, allow your child to place their hands into the paint. Immediately help them put their hands on the t-shirt.
• As an alternative, they could place their thumbs or fingers in the paint and place several prints together to form a caterpillar.
• Help your child wash their hands thoroughly with soap.
• When the paint has dried, use paint markers to write the date and name on their t-shirt. Finish off the caterpillar by drawing on a face, feet, and antennae.
Making crafts with your toddler can be a highlight of your day. These five crafts, perfect for toddlers, may be enough to spark new creativity in your toddler, and in you.
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Reading opens up a whole new world to kids. They can go to strange and exotic places through the pages of a book. They can learn about history and what others think the future will hold. Here are five tips for teaching your child how to read and have fun at the same time:
1. Kids learn about reading with their ears. Read to a child. Use different tones for the voices of each character. The more exciting the story, the more interested they will be. My kids loved to hear me read the folktale, “The Bremen Town Musicians”. They loved the way I seemed to make the story come to life.
As you read, let your kids look over the pictures and the words. They may not know what the words are at that moment but you are setting them up to learn. The more you read to them, the more words they can recognize by sound.
2. Teach them the alphabet. After all, words are made up of letters. When they learn the alphabet they will begin to recognize letters within the words. Use magnetic letters and the refrigerator as your blackboard. Show your child each letter and say the name. For lower-case letters, flash cards that show the upper and lower-case letters are good for letter recognition.
3. The third way to teach children how to read is through phonics. Phonics teaches how letters are supposed to sound. Instead of using flashcards for this, why not get creative and use items around the house. When studying the sound for the letter “A”, pull an apple out of the refrigerator. Finding objects around the house with the sounds familiarizes your child with the names of everything around them.
4. Now it’s time to learn words. You can watch shows like “Sesame Street” or “The Electric Company”. These shows used fun characters to sound out the letters in words and bring them together as words. Another way is to involve the entire family. Give each person a few pieces of poster board. Attach each piece to a different object around the house.
Since your child is beginning to read, these objects should be one syllable words like mom, dog, cat, and dad. On the poster board, write them with dashes between each letter, like this: d-a-d. Call out each sound with your child repeating after you. Now, try to get them to put the sounds together and say the word.
5. Now it’s time to give your child a book. The last way to teach reading is to let them read it for themselves. Start with a simple book with one syllable words. Pictures will help kids with the words if they get stuck on a sound. The colors in the book should be vibrant and full of life. If you can find a pop-up book, that will be even better. After they read, they can pull the paper lever and see the picture rise to life.
Reading is not the easiest thing in the world to teach. But when kids are young their minds absorb things like a sponge. Teaching them at this age is fun and they retain more information. Remember – once they start reading don’t ever let them stop!
Our eyes are attracted to colorful things. Color gives life to paintings, drawings, photographs and television. If everything were in black and white there wouldn’t be much to characterize what we see. Here are five great suggestions for teaching your toddler about colors:
1. Teach colors through flash cards. Flash cards contain pictures of items in various colors. For example, if it was a picture of a bear it would be brown. The colors are shown as they would be in the real world. You wouldn’t want a card that shows a yellow sky or a red tree. The colors on a flash card are very bright so this is a good place to start. Say each color and let the child repeat after you.
2. Kids also learn colors through food. Foods come in a variety of vibrant colors. When your child asks for something to eat, tell them the color of what they are eating. Some varieties of foods, like apples and peppers, come in many colors, which also teaches the kids that objects can have more than one color. Use the basic names for colors like red, green, blue, and so on. Saying blue-green or orange-red may be too confusing for the kids.
3. Use paints to teach colors. Take a giant piece of poster board and lay it on a drop cloth. Let the children dip their hands in the paint and create handprints on the paper. Call out each color after they make a hand print. Wash their little hands and start over. Kids like to be messy so this teaching tool is both fun and educational.
4. Take your child outside. As you pass trees, stones, grasses and cars, identify the colors. After you have seen a wide variety of colors, point to something and ask your child what color it is. This exercise may be slow going at first because colors in nature don’t appear in the same hues as they do on flash cards or in a paint set.
5. Play games with your toddler that involve colors. Use a pole with a magnet attached to a paper clip on the end of a string. Have fish or some other shapes of objects on the floor with magnets attached to them. When you call out a color, see if your child can pick up the pieces with that color. If saying the name of the color doesn’t work at first, hold up a piece of paper displaying the color you want them to fish for. Not only will they learn about colors, but also hand-to-eye coordination.
There are more games that you can teach your child. For example, they can find the colors around the house while playing a scavenger game. The importance of color recognition will become important when they learn about stop signs and other meanings for colors.
Teaching colors doesn’t have to be boring. Inject a bit of fun into the process! At a young age, kids are a blank slate. Fill them up with good learning.
Recommended: Learning Block Books: Numbers, Colors, Shapes and Animals
Moms are prone to stress. With children, career, family and home to take care of, it is an occupational hazard. When the load gets too heavy, moms can really benefit from taking a few minutes out.
Sometimes moms need timeouts just like their kids. When kids throw a tantrum or have a bad attitude, we send them out to timeout. The purpose is to give them time to think about their actions and to calm down. For moms, the same thing can be appropriate when stress threatens to overtake us.
Kids will be kids. They spill things and break things. Yesterday, you were fine with that. Today, a little bit of spilled milk makes you want to cry. Before you get to the point of screaming over that spilled milk, find a place to hide — literally. You are a ticking time bomb.
If your spouse is in the house, tell them that you need a minute. Find a quiet corner and take several deep breaths. More oxygen to the brain will clear the cobwebs. Once you can think clearly, you may discover the reason for the crying.
For moms who are always trying to appear so stoic and perfect around everyone, you may just need a good cry. That’s okay too. Take a few moments and let it all out. Crying seems to relieve the pressure in our head. Crying doesn’t mean that you are sad. Maybe there are too many things on your plate and some of them need to be discarded.
Moms that are home by themselves with young kids can put them in the playpen or the crib and escape for a few minutes. If you are worried about leaving them alone, invest in a pair of headphones that block out noise. You can sit in the floor in the same room as the playpen and close your eyes. The baby may cry for a bit, but they will be okay. Take the time you need to deal with your stress.
Timeout can be as little as ten minutes or as much as thirty. Put a comfy chair or large throw pillow in the area where you will be spending timeout. This is not a punishment, so don’t treat yourself like you’ve done something wrong. Timeout is a preventative measure to keep stress from causing things to get worse.
While in timeout, everything stops. Don’t answer the telephone when it rings or get up when you remember that you didn’t take the roast out of the freezer to thaw. Instead, sit there and chill out. Consider your actions and how to handle the stress you are under.
Stress affects us all. Sometimes it comes too hard and too fast to deal with it properly. At these times, take a break and gather yourself together.
To answer the question should your teen still get an allowance, you would have to start from the time they were toddlers. Children receive monetary gifts for birthdays, holidays, and graduations. Hopefully, they have put this money away for their college education. However, parents teach responsibility to their children by setting up an allowance structure for completing chores, taking out the dog, helping with laundry, or cleaning their room.
An allowance these days may average $1.00 to $5.00 depending upon the chore completed. A child may put the money in their piggy bank and eventually, with the parent’s help, open up a bank account. Eventually, as the child grows, your teen may ask to use the money to buy an electronic toy or CD or a more expensive item such as an iPod or Xbox. If you’ve taught your child the value of money by example, your teen may not be so inclined to buy every new gadget that comes out.
If all of the prerequisite components of teaching responsibility on how to handle money have taken hold, then there is no need to continue with the allowance structure per se. It may be more prudent to undertake a new level of responsibility, which is to provide that which the teen needs more than wants.
While some teens apply for summer jobs to help them with expenses, others may not. Does this mean the family bank is still open to them? Hopefully, not. If your teen wants to buy the latest gadget, the best way to handle it is to lend the money, and explain the terms of the loan. This is the only way your teen will understand the value of a dollar, and will come to terms with the fact that you will not simply shell out money every time your teen asks.
While there are some teens that scrimp and save, others see money as an opportunity to buy the latest fashions, including sneakers, which cost a bundle to begin with. So too, fashion sense and peer pressure go hand in hand. Consequently, your teen may begin to withdraw money from the savings account. But, at some point, your teen will run out of money and come running to you.
Here is when you have to be firm and adamant in your assessment of your teen’s needs, and discuss financial responsibility in an open and honest forum. Once your teen understands the terms under which you will honor the request, your teen may not be in such a hurry to buy an expensive item the next time.
Should your teen still get an allowance? Honestly, no.
Self-esteem is important throughout life, but it is in childhood when its foundation is laid. It’s our job as parents to help our children build self-esteem. We may do and say things that are bad for our kids’ self-esteem without even realizing it, so it is important to make a conscious effort to help them develop and maintain a positive opinion about themselves.
Listening to Your Child
One thing that parents often overlook is the fact that children need us to listen to what they have to say. When we don’t, they feel unworthy of our attention. And that can put a damper on their self-esteem.
Making it a point to listen fully to what your child has to say will let him know that you value his stories and opinions. Sometimes we just don’t have the time to listen at the very moment they want to talk, but it’s important to let them know that it’s not because we don’t want to. Set a time to sit down and talk if necessary, and stick with it.
When Your Child Misbehaves
When children are misbehaving, it is easy to forget about keeping their self-esteem intact. But it is very important to make the distinction between bad behavior and a bad child.
By describing the specific behavior as bad rather than telling your child that he himself is bad, you can let him know that it is not him as a person that you disapprove of. It is his actions. Children who feel that their parents disapprove of them are not only more likely to develop low self-esteem, they also tend to misbehave more.
Give the Right Kinds of Compliments
Complementing your child when he does well is important, because it reinforces both self-esteem and good behavior. But even complements can sometimes do damage. Backhanded complements do nothing but cause hurt feelings. Try to refrain from alluding to negative things your child has done when giving complements. You can accomplish much more by keeping praise completely positive.
It’s also important not to overdo the praise. While it is great to recognize the good things your child does, it is possible to put too much pressure on him. Being specific with your praise, such as telling your child you are proud of him for bringing his math grade up from a C to an A, accomplishes more than telling him that he is the smartest kid in the class or the world.
It is important to start building a child’s self-esteem at a young age. Doing so will encourage him to be the best that he can be and to resist peer pressure. By listening to our children and keeping their self-esteem in mind at all times, we can raise them to be happy, confident people.
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We live in a bottle feeding society. Many mother’s not only find bottle feeding more convenient, they have also been led to believe that feeding formula is somehow better for them and their baby. This information is flat out wrong. The benefits of breastfeeding for you and your baby generally far outweigh any risks or problems you may face.
The most obvious and also most numerous benefits from breastfeeding are to the baby directly from breast milk. No only does breast milk contain the exact nutritional requirements for your baby, it has numerous other positives as well, including:
* Boosts the immune system. Most of the immunities a baby has comes from the mother’s breast milk. Not only does the milk in general contain materials to help fight infection, it is actually tailored to what the mother is exposed to (i.e. what the baby is probably exposed to). This means your child gets custom protection from the diseases they face. Not only do breastfed babies get sick less, they are also less likely to develop immune disorders or allergy related diseases, including asthma.
* Helps proper physical development. Breastfed babies gain more weight than formula fed babies at the beginning, but that tapers off. Studies have shown that breastfed babies are less likely to be obese.
* Helps proper mental development. Breast milk helps to keep babies in a more alert state, which contributes to proper brain development.
While you may consider bottle feeding breast milk, you should be aware that the simple act of breast feeding also has benefits to your child, including:
* Increased bonding. Being close and connected to your child makes them feel safer with you and bond to you more.
* Promotes good oral health. Not only does breastfeeding prevent bottle tooth decay, it could also keep your child from having to wear braces in the future.
* Improves hand eye coordination. This is especially true if you switch sides and positions regularly.
In addition to being beneficial to your baby, breastfeeding can provide benefits to you as well, including:
* Less Hemorrhaging. Mothers who formula feed have to be given medicine after birth to shrink the uterus and prevent dangerous hemorrhaging. Nursing mother’s produce this chemical naturally.
* Less stress. Breast feeding has been shown to decrease the incidence of illness in babies. Dealing with a healthy baby is much easier than having to deal with a sick baby.
* Birth control. Consistent breast feeding has been shown to be effective in preventing ovulation. This effect may also help prevent breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.
* Weight loss. Producing breast milk burns up a lot of calories. Mothers who nurse have been shown to take off the pregnancy weight faster.
* Increased bonding. In addition to helping your baby bond with you, breastfeeding produces hormones that help you bond better with your baby.
While breastfeeding is usually best, there are some instances where formula may be the better choice. The first of these is if you test positive for diseases that can be transmitted through breast milk. You should talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breast feeding in these cases. The second reason for bottle feeding is if you take certain medications of illegal drugs. Again, you should speak to your doctor in this situation.
Overall, breastfeeding can be a rewarding and beneficial experience for you and your baby.
Thanksgiving is always a time of fun, family and food. However, it is also a time when the kids can get a bit stir crazy, especially if the weather is bad. If you plan some Thanksgiving Day activities for kids that can keep them distracted, you won’t have to hear, “We’re hungry!” every five minutes this year.
If the kids are old enough, invite them to help fix dinner. There are simple things they can help with, including setting the table. Plan some things in the menu that are easy for kids to cook. Depending on the age range, some of the kids could really be a big help in the kitchen, even if it’s just getting utensils and potholders.
Set up a craft room where you can put out different supplies that are age appropriate. Let their imagination run wild. An older, responsible child or an adult, who isn’t helping prepare the meal, can keep an eye on the younger children. Make it a contest. See who can come up with the best turkey, Pilgrim or Indian drawing or costume. They could make a specific project, such as napkin rings, or other things that could be used to decorate the table. You could even challenge them to see who can draw or write the most things for which they are thankful.
Of course, another craft is the standard handprint turkey, where the children trace around their hands, with the spread fingers making the feathers. If you have a large window you want to decorate, you can also use tempera paint to make a flock of turkeys on your window. Add a little liquid soap to the paint first to make washing off both the window and the children easier. Let them paint their thumb and palm brown and the rest of the turkey “wings” (fingers) using other colors. Gently press their hands on the glass to see their turkeys appear!
If weather permits, have a mini-Olympics. Have various events the children can compete in for prizes. The sillier the games, the better. Two game ideas are an Egg Relay Race and Turkey Bowling.
Egg relay races (as long as you have enough for dinner) are always a favorite. All you need are two hard-boiled eggs (less messy), two spoons, and four bowls. Divide the children into two teams and line them up. Have the first child on each team take an egg in the spoon to the empty bowl, which is placed a few feet away. They have to deposit the egg in the bowl, bringing back the empty spoon. They hand off the spoon to the next child, who runs down to bring the egg back. This pattern continues, until the first team has all its members complete the task.
Turkey Bowling is easy and fun (and can coordinate with craft time). Get ten two-liter bottles, put a little sand in the bottom, and then spray paint them brown. Glue or paint feathers and faces on the bottles. Once they are dry, set them up in a bowling pin pattern, and then use a ball (small for the older kids, medium for the younger) and your set to get a turkey (three strikes in a row).
Keeping the kids busy will make the day much more enjoyable for all, and less frustrating for the grownups. You may discover some new traditions along the way that will continue when the children grow up and have children of their own. distracted, you won’t have to hear, “We’re hungry!” every five minutes this year.
The old saying, “A penny saved is a penny earned” is a wise tenet we were taught by our parents. Today, with computers and electronics; PC games and iPods; cell phones and Blackberrys; the latest fashions and footwear; one would need to save long and hard to afford any of these things. For kids, wearing the most up-to-date clothes and sneakers is foremost on their minds.
teaching kids the value of money has to begin at an early age. So too, if kids see their parents constantly buying new things; most likely they will want larger allowances and become as frenetic in their buying habits as their parents. Thinking back to when we were kids, if our parents couldn’t afford something we wanted; we didn’t get it. End of story.
Some parents today indulge children way too much, thus the value of money seems insignificant. Moreover, these kids may think their parents are rich when, in fact, they are trying to make ends meet just like the rest of us.
The word “no” has to be placed back into the vocabulary when it comes to teaching children they can’t have anything they want. Moreover, instructing them how to save for their future is a method which has been lost in rearing some children today. Not any fault of their own, our children are exposed to young actresses or teens who have inherited great sums of money and they are pervasive on TV and in magazines.
When we were their age, and didn’t have any money, spending a day at the park or enjoying each other’s company in or outside our home were sufficient. Not so today. With malls incorporating hundreds of high end stores, this is where the kids like to “hang out,” and are thus engaged in looking at the expensive displays of clothes, jewelry and electronics. Just this Christmas, kids begged for the new Nintendo Wii. Those who were fortunate enough to receive them as presents should be thankful. Unfortunately, what they do not realize is their parents probably have to work overtime to pay for the cost of this expensive item.
It is a discussion parents must have with their children. There has to be an open dialogue where families can discuss financial matters with children (at an appropriate age, of course). Whether you buy a piggy bank for your infant; open a savings account; clip coupons out of the paper with your child present; discussing purchases and deciding as a family if it is affordable; these are the starting points at which your child will begin to understand the hows and whys of saving money and the ramifications involved when lack of money becomes a serious issue.
As parents, we all want to protect our children and ensure their future is better than ours. But by not disclosing money issues we are not protecting them, but allowing them to live in a world where they believe money will always be available to them. By not showing discipline in our own spending habits, we are denying them the basic fundamental truth that money doesn’t grow on trees; that saving for their future is vital; and that assuming they will always be taken care of is an erroneous one. Conversely, maintaining limits by budgeting; carefully keeping track of spending; and keeping the dialogue open by allowing children to participate in family discussions about money, will give them a keen sense of awareness as to the pitfalls derived by overspending and impart the importance of saving for their own future.
Sometimes holidays make sense because of the popularity of an activity or a person. At other times, even though a holiday is celebrated, the reasons for celebrating can be quite obscure. Take “Carve a Pumpkin Day”, for example. Many people have never heard of this holiday. Read the rest of this entry
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Fall is officially here and soon the weather will be changing. Daytime temperatures will cool but night-time temperatures will plummet. Before long we’ll be trying to find ways to keep warm. Winter movie nights are a perfect opportunity to snuggle up and share body heat.
Since winter will be at least three months long, longer in some locations of the country, you may want to plan at least two winter movie nights per month. Perhaps you can let the children choose one night, Mom choose the movies another, and then Dad choose some for another night. Whether you allow each child to make all of the movie choices is up to you. It may help keep bickering over which movie to get down to a minimum. Read the rest of this entry
With each annual visit to the pumpkin patch, teachers, room mothers, scout troop leaders and parents alike often wonder how to make the most of the prize pumpkin that was chosen by a child.
Forget the messy and dangerous ideas of carving. Pumpkin Painting is the perfect solution to a creative dilemma!
Painting silly, goofy or scary faces or other designs can be a fun, yet relatively simple activity for children and adults.
Preschool age children can even participate in creating their own designs for their pumpkins. You certainly can’t say that about carving pumpkins!
The easiest design to paint on a pumpkin is a traditional jack-o-lantern face. But here are some other ideas for festive designs:
- silly or goofy faces
- favorite cartoon characters
- fall leaves
- scarecrow
- witch
- princess
- turkey
- spider
- ghosts
- cats
- goblin
Painting pumpkins is a very economical craft as most supplies are readily available (you probably already have some of these in your home):
- washable markers
- acrylic craft paints
- newspaper
- spray sealer
- accessories such as raffia, jewelry, hats, etc.
Before beginning, decide what design you are going to paint and trace that design onto a clean pumpkin. You can freehand the design or select one of the many designs in the ultimate e-guide for pumpkin painting, Easy Pumpkin Painting.
Once you or your child has painted their first pumpkin, chances are you’ll want to paint an entire pumpkin family to proudly display at your home.
Pumpkin Painting is an annual family tradition at our house. We hope it will be at yours as well.
Easy Pumpkin Painting is a guide that contains step-by-step instructions and color photographs of exactly how to paint the cutest Halloween pumpkins. It also contains templates that you can use to paint your first pumpkin in about an hour! Easy Pumpkin Painting makes painting pumpkins, well, Easy!
Princess toys and clothing are favorites of many young girls. So what could be more fitting for her birthday than letting your daughter be princess for a day? A princess theme party is guaranteed to be great fun for all involved.
Princess Party Invitations and Decorations
Princess parties are quite popular, so you can find princess-themed invitations at many discount and party supply stores. You could also design your own with your computer, or you could make them from scratch.
Crown-shaped cards would be very fitting. You could add stick-on jewels from the craft store, or some silver or gold glitter. Other shapes that are good for princess party invitations include castles and glass slippers.
For decorations, you could make a princess banner and put up lots of pretty streamers and coordinating balloons. A princess needs a throne, and you can whip one up in no time using a chair, a sheet, some ribbons, and a soft pillow to sit on. Piñatas are decorative and serve as a party game as well. Choose something like a unicorn or castle to go with the rest of the décor.
Princess Party Favors and Food
There are lots of party favors that would work well for a princess party. Wands, goblets and costume jewelry are nice if you’re going with store-bought favors. You can also find inexpensive paper crowns to use instead of the standard party hats.
You could easily make your own party favors to save money and add a creative touch. Card stock paper will make a fairly durable crown, and you could provide stick-on jewels and other pretty things to the girls and let them decorate their own. You could also cut out stars from cardboard, decorate them with glitter, and glue a dowel to the back of them for homemade wands. For a simple yet elegant favor, put some assorted candy in some pretty tulle and tie it up with a ribbon.
Miniature sandwiches make a dainty food for a princess party. Simply make regular peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese sandwiches and cut them into quarters. Pink lemonade or fruit punch served in goblets or teacups provide royal refreshment.
Castle cakes are a hit at princess parties. Most bakeries can make them. If you want to make your own, you could use a regular sheet cake with a smaller cake centered on top of it. Add upside-down ice cream cones at the corners to create a castle shape. Then decorate with icing, and add a tiny princess figurine to complete the look.
A princess party doesn’t have to be expensive to be fun. You can make almost everything on your own, or you can find inexpensive favors and decorations at your local discount store. Your little princess will have a memorable birthday, and her friends will talk about what a great time they had for weeks to come.
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