Parenting Children

Now that my son is 10 weeks old, I am starting to sleep train him. Although he is still young, I believe it is never too late to start and I don’t want to make the mistake of having him depend on us to fall asleep. I know too many parents that still have to rock, nurse or drive their children around in cars so they will fall asleep. But the question is “how do you sleep train an infant?”

The goal is to have your child fall asleep by herself in her crib, but how you get to that point is up to you. You can start out by putting your child to bed and checking on them every once in awhile. Better yet, you can use your baby monitor to watch your baby. If your baby cries go in a reassure him that you are there, but don’t pick him up. Rub his back, comfort without holding and rocking him to sleep. Reassure them and leave again. I know it is hard and you just want the crying to stop, but I promise you are comforting and teaching them to soothe themselves at the same time. Within three to five nights, you’re bound to see a dramatic improvement in the bedtime routine.

OR you can go an alternative route: for three nights, you can sit next to the crib until your baby falls asleep, then three nights across the room, then in the doorway, and then in the hallway.

When you check on your baby, it’s better do it consistently, rather than waiting until they really start crying. If the baby cries in the night, respond to it. In two weeks you will have a baby that can fall asleep on their own.

[tags] infants, sleep training, bedtime, bedtime routines, parenting, kids,
toddlers, putting baby to bed [/tags]

At least once a day one of my children will come to me and ask for a bandaid for a tiny red dot on a leg, a teeny scratch on a toe or a boo boo that is non existent to the naked eye. I give them the band aid and kiss the “boo boo”. The band aid makes them feel better and for $1.99 for a box of 20, I have found a way I don’t have to listen to them hem and haw about a freckle they swear is a cut. It is a harmless way of making my children feel all better. A recent NY times article examines giving children placebos and if there is any harm to it.

A woman and her husband have even founded a placebo company, Efficacy Brands. They will make chewable, cherry-flavored dextrose tablets, Obecalp, for placebo spelled backward. They go on sale on June 1 at the Efficacy Brands Web site. “This is designed to have the texture and taste of actual medicine so it will trick kids into thinking that they’re taking something,” Ms. Buettner said. “Then their brain takes over, and they say, ‘Oh, I feel better.’ ”

Sure I think that some foolery comes with parenting, but this might be a too-easy go to. What if you mistake your child’s earache or stomach ache with them just crying wolf and give them a placebo? You could make your child more ill or have them suffer needlessly. While I do think we over medicate ourselves as well as our kids, there must be an alternative then lying to our kids about their medication.
What do you think about giving children a placebo? Would you do it?

sick kids, medicine for kids, parenting, parenting children, kids, placebos for kids

Is there nothing better on a hot summer day then ice pops? Hearing the ice cream man coming still makes me excited and gets me running for my wallet. My kids love popsicles and ice cream as much as any other child and it is a good way to keep them hydrated in the summer heat. I try and keep a fully stocked freezer of them but try to make them for my kids too. That way I can put only good stuff in them. Here is a great recipe for frozen lemonade (you can use any fruit juice you would like) ice pops:

Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 cup of lemon juice or you can use your favorite juice concentrate, (if you use concentrate I would use only 1/2 C of water)

-Heat the water and the sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar has completely dissolved, this is called a simple syrup.
-Add light corn syrup into the sugar water, then bring to a simmer.
-Remove from heat and let cool.
-Juice enough lemons (about 4) to produce 1 cup of lemon juice. Strain out any pulp. Add the simple syrup to the lemon juice.
- Pour the lemon mixture into popsicle molds and freeze.
To unmold, run under hot water for a few seconds.

Here are some great popsicle molds for you to use with your kids. Enjoy making and eating these treats with your family!

[/tags] make your own popsicles, homemade ice pops, summer fun, summer treats, kids, parenting, cooking with kids, easy recipes for kids [/tags]

I have about a million pictures stored online and in photo albums. I love photographing my kids and I have many pictures of them all over my house. I am also always looking for something different to do with my photos, something special. Here is where photofiddle.com comes in.

Photofiddle allows users to create art from their photos with free online photo effects software. Photofiddle will transform any picture into art with over fifty different styles to chose from. Chose from a film strip collage, pop art, pencil sketch and many more.
Their custom art puts your prints on canvas art or they can print your photos on art paper or art print. They can even produce art on stretched canvas, rolled canvas, framed art print or even art posters.

They did an amazing job on my photograph that I sent them. I had them do the oil painting on stretched canvas of all three of my kids. It looks amazing, was so simple to do (especially with their online tutorial) and shipped within days, not weeks! I love this service as much as Oprah does and I will use them again and again. Use photofiddle to decorate a nursery, add art to a family room, for a gift for a grandparent, a mom or even for Father’s day! Don’t just use pictures of your kids, use pictures of your garden, your pets or landscape pictures. Try it today, it is simple and you will be amazed at your own art work.

photofiddle, Father’s day gifts, Father’s Day gift ideas, photo gifts, photo gift ideas, photo art, new baby gifts, kids

It is the time of year when my lawn seems to grow overnight, my flowers actually turn from small buds to full bloom overnight and the trees are back to their full glory. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year that my nose runs and my eyes are red and itchy. It is allergy season.

I knew I was in trouble when I went outside a few weeks ago and my car was yellow from the pollen. I can’t get much relief inside my house either. I found out that our indoor air is four to five times more polluted than outdoor air! Maybe not so much in the summer but we do spend most of our time in our homes and if the air quality is bad in your house, then what can we do about it? Adding to that the Centers for Disease Control has said that asthma has become the most common serious chronic disease in children and the third-ranking cause of hospitalization for kids under 15.

American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning’s AccuClean™ whole home air filtration system is an effective method to keep the indoor air quality pollution free. It attaches to your existing furnace or air handler, so you don’t need to renovate your home to install it. Once you have it installed it removes the allergens your entire home. It removes 99.98% of allergens in your home and is 8 times more effective than the best HEPA room appliance! It is much more effective than the standard one-inch filters and is easy to clean by simply vacuuming or washing the reusable filter.

Clean air should not be taken for granted, and I know this will be perfect for my household of allergy sufferers and for my asthma. Check out the AccuClean air filtration system for your family.

asthma, allergies, allergy season, AccuClean, air filtration, keeping kids healthy, healthy kids

My pediatrician always told me that my infants didn’t need water, they got enough hydration from breast milk or the formula they had. Now I read that is exactly true. Babies under six months old should not drink water. Consuming too much water can put babies at risk of a potentially life-threatening condition known as water intoxication.

Because babies’ kidneys aren’t yet mature, giving them too much water causes their bodies to release sodium along with excess water. Symptoms of water intoxication can include irritability, drowsiness, low body temperature or swelling in the face. If you think your baby may be dehydrated or constipated and needs water in addition to formula or breast milk, consult your pediatrician.
If you think your child may have water intoxication, or if an infant as a seizure, they should seek medical attention immediately.

parenting, infants, giving infants water, babies

During the summer I always take the kids to the movies. It is a great way to stay out of the summer heat and get us out of the house. There are great free kids movies at my local theater and my kids love it. there are some things I do to keep everyone happy and make it an enjoyable experience for me as well as my kids. Check out my tips for bringing kids to the movie theater.

SNACKS
I bring my own snacks for the kids. During the free movies in the summer, the theater doesn’t care if you bring in your own snacks and because the movies are in the morning I don’t think popcorn and candy is appropriate. I bring them granola bars, water, celery or carrot sticks. Once in awhile I will buy them popcorn ( or I pop some at home and bring it) but I bring paper bags so they can each have their own without buying two big bags of popcorn.

GO BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Make sure you get your children to go to the bathroom before you leave the house or as soon as you get to the theater. Going in the middle of a movie isn’t fun especially if you have another child you cannot leave alone in the theater! They will not be happy believe me.

BUY ONLINE
Buy your tickets online at home. This way you don’t have to stand on line at the ticket counter and leave less chance of a breakdown.

What age were your kids when you first brought them to the movie theater?

going to the movies with kids, kid movies, free movies, parenting, parenting tips, kids, preschoolers, summer fun

I may be a little late for spring cleaning but cleaning and organizing are some of my favorite things-when I am in the mood to do it. I try to keep the house organized because organization is the key to keeping a house running and keeping up with the kids. Today I am going to talk about what I do to keep my house from being overrun by clutter and keeping my children’s things organized.

Closets
Keep your children’s clothing on an adjustable hanging rail that can be raised as your children, and their clothes grow. This way you can teach your children how to hang up their own clothing and they can reach a sweater if they want one. I keep a collapsable canvas containers on the floor of the closet filled with their dress up clothing and accessories.
Store off season clothing in a bin in your attic and donate the clothing they have grown out of.

Storage
Get clear under the bed storage bins for your kid’s toys. They can see what is in it and they are out of the way. Keep art supplies in a portable container and label the compartments “crayons” “brushes” etc.
Get a hanging net for your children’s stuffed animals.

Organizing
Get a large wall calendar and put everyone’s activites on it. That way everyone can see what is coming up or what that days activities will be.
When you get an invitation RSVP, mark it on the calendar and throw the invite away.
Buy a small bin or basket for everyone’s keys, cell phones and/or wallets to go in. That way everyone can grab and go in the morning.

What storage or organizational tips or tricks do you and your family have to share with me?

spring cleaning, kid’s rooms, organizing kid’s rooms, parenting, children, kids, play rooms

I am always looking for something new to do as a family. After a long winter, we love to get back into nature. Now that it is spring, this is the time when maple trees produce the sap that is used to make delicious maple syrup. In some areas, like New England, sugar houses provide tours where you and your family can see sap buckets hanging on trees and tour the facility where sap is made into syrup. Some places even let you help with the process. You can learn about how it is processed, how you can use the syrup in your every day cooking and the history of sugar houses.

If you cannot make it to a sugar house, how about taking a virtual tour? This virtual tour is of the Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington, Connecticut.
If you do not live in the Northeast, you can still have fun by making yummy maple sugar candy at home! You only need a few ingredients and a small amount of time.

Ingredients:
1/3 Cup of butter, softened
1/3 Cup of good maple syrup
1 lb powdered sugar

Mix the butter and maple syrup and then add the sugar. Mix it first with a spoon and then with your hands, until it is smooth. Press into candy molds and let harden.
If you don’t have candy molds you can roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet to harden.
Enjoy!

What fun spring things do you and your family do where you live?

sugar houses, maple syrup, spring fun, family fun, parenting

Bed time is a interesting time in this household. I really can’t complain too much my kids actually are good sleepers, besides my son nicknamed, The Rooster, waking up at the crack of dawn every day. Of course we have our bedtime rituals: brushing our teeth, singing a song and don’t forget to leave a closet light on! Out of the blue one day when my twins were three, they decided they were scared of the dark and needed the closet light on all night every night. The lights were too bright and it was terrible for my electric bill. Enter the MOBI portable rechargeable tykelight.

The tykelight is not a traditional night light, it has long lasting rechargeable batteries and a kid-friendly design. This lightweight, adorable light is perfect for my children. They can put it on their bed, or on their dresser at night. They use it in their tents during the day and they can carry it down the hallway to the bathroom in the night.
It comes in six fun colors and is the newest hit in my house! I love it because it illuminates up to 10 hours on a single charge! Choose from the bright or dim setting, depending on how much light your child will need.
It is also made from impact resistant plastic, so I know it is safe for my kids to handle.

I love the tykelight as much as my children. I think it will be great for camping trips and sleeping over grandma’s house. I have to admit I have been using the tykelight to nurse in the night, it is the perfect amount of light. At only $19.94, I also think it is our new “go to gift” for upcoming birthdays.

tykelight, nightlight, bedtime, bed time rituals, nighttime, kids, camping gear, parenting, scared of the dark, gifts for kids

Many parents these days are stepping back and taking a closer look at some of the traditional parenting gear we all use in our homes. We are looking to make sure the bottles we buy are BPA free, we are using homemade remedies for bee stings instead of reaching for the tube of who-knows-what. With the internet now in almost every home and the availability of information, we are questioning what are children’s toys are made of and demanding better. Here are some things you can make at home and never again have to question what ingredients are in them, plus they are better then store bought!

Baby Wipes
cut paper towels in half so you have two short rolls and remove the cardboard. Keep them in a airtight container (like an old baby wipe box or tupperware container), and pour the mixture over the paper towels. Put the lid back on the box and turn it upside down so the solution is absorbed.
2-1/4 cups water
1 tbsp baby oil
1 roll paper towels, cut in half
2 tbsp baby shampoo
make sure to mix gently

Baby Oil
4 ounces of oil (olive, almond, apricot, or sunflower)
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil

Pour your ingredients right into a bottle so you can easily pour, try using an old baby oil bottle. Just give a good shake to blend the oils and you’re all set.

homemade baby oil, homemade baby wipes, parenting, infants, babies

They say, you are what you eat and that may just be true. What a woman eats before pregnancy may play a role in whether the baby is a boy or a girl, according to surprising new research. Women who have a good appetite, eat a lot of potassium-rich foods like bananas, and don’t skip breakfast appear more likely to have a boy. Among women with the highest calorie intake before pregnancy, 56 percent had boys. Women who had boys also ate an additional 300 mg of potassium daily on average, and about 400 calories more daily, compared to women who had girl babies.

Previous studies have also shown that male embryos do best with longer exposure to nutrient-rich lab cultures. The research involved first-time pregnant women. The study involved 740 newly pregnant British women who had not given birth before and who did not know the sex of their babies. All the women were white, non-obese, and had no medical problems. It seems to be the first study ever to show a link between a woman’s diet and the gender of her children.

Breakfast has always been billed as the most important meal of the day and that may be true if you would like a son. Although I don’t think most cereals are a good enough breakfast for anyone, since they are usually filled with preservatives and sugar. Eating regular, frequent meals, including plenty of fruits and vegetables and foods rich in folic acid is the best way to bring any child into this world.

nutrition while pregnant, eating for two, pregnancy, baby’s gender, diet influencing gender

Believe me I know how hard it is to be inside with kids all day. New Jersey weather can be terrible sometimes and this winter was no different. It wasn’t snowy so we didn’t have that outdoor fun, but rainy and dreary. I have had to use my imagination when coming up with indoor fun without buying any other toys!

Stand outside a closed door in your home and ask your child to imagine what is behind that door. Is it a prehistoric land with dinosaurs? Is it a place where everyone can fly?

There is nothing better then a big box that can be a play house. Cut out little windows and maybe even a door. Let your child color or paint he outside of the “house”.

Give your child a deck of cards. Let them sort it by color, symbols or numbers. this is a great way to introduce math.

Put a blanket over a table or a couch to make a “tent”. This is also a great way to get kids to nap since they will nap easier in their play tent then in their beds!

Keep a box with old Halloween costumes for dress up play. When you clean out your old clothes or jewelry let your kids use it for dress up. Old hats, belts, jewelry or shirts are great for this. Have a fashion show or dress up for a tea party.

Let your child “paint” the sidewalk or driveaway with a paint brush and water. See how fast it evaporates in the sun.

indoor fun, family fun, rainy day ideas, sahm, stay at home moms, preschoolers, toddlers, fun with kids, indoor play ideas

When it came to getting maternity or nursing bras, I was clueless. When do I buy them, when I am pregnant or after my milk comes in? What size do I get? As my belly expanded, I decided I needed to find some new bras stat, plus I wanted some nursing bras ready for when I gave birth. Today I am going to help you out with all of your pregnancy/post partum bra needs!

Most women will need 3-4 nursing bras. Many woman have increased breast size during pregnancy so you will need bras in a larger size then you normally wear. I have three nursing bras and two sports/tank nursing bras that I wear at night. You should buy them when you no longer fit into your regular bras, which for most women is during the last trimester.
Remember that underwire may interfere with your milk ducts so it is best not to wear an underwire nursing bra at least for the first few days after your milk comes in.

Most women will experience increased breast size during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The size change will vary from woman to woman, but generally it will increase at least one bra and one cup size. If you would like to measure yourself at home before going shopping, measure around the chest, just under the arms, above the bust. This measurement is your bra band size. Then measure snugly around the fullest point of the bust, then below the breasts, the difference between the two equals your cup size. If the difference is 1″ then your cup size is A, 2″ is B, 3″ is C and so on.

maternity, maternity bras, nursing bras, breastfeeding, nursing tips, how to buy a nursing bra, pregnancy

Playworld Systems Inc. swingsets have been recalled from the The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. About 17,300 Playground Swing Sets made by Playworld Systems Inc. were recalled due to the clevis bearing on the swing set can wear out and cause the swing to detach, posing a fall hazard to children.

These were sold through authorized dealers nationwide to day care centers and children’s learning centers from January 2007 through February 2008 for between $770 and $3,100. There are seventeen different swings involved in this recall and the model numbers of all of them can be found on this site.

For additional information, contact Playworld Systems at (800) 233-8404 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.playworldsystems.com

recalls, swing sets, swing set recalls, toy recalls