Parenting Children

Halloween is today. If that catches you of guard, that may mean you are a procrastinator. I understand, holidays can sneak up on you. I have some last minute costume ideas and fun games and things to do with your kids before it is time to go out and collect all that candy.

Do it yourself last minute costume ideas:

Tourist: Get a hat, sunglasses and hang a camera around your neck

Cookie: Dress in all brown and pin felt colored circles all over to look like M&Ms

Mummy: wrap your self in toilet paper. Enough said!

Athlete: dress up in a old jersey or uniform. Bring along a ball.

If all else fails call up family members, or neighbors and ask if they have a costume that you can borrow.

How about you make masks of everyone in your family and then trade them. Be your husband or daughter for Halloween and have them be you or their brother. This could be fun all year long!

This is a great site for simulating a pumpkin carving. It kept my kids fascinated for hours. Here is another one that is better for older kids.
Ben and Jerry’s has not only recipes and crafts ideas but also print outs and games.

Remember to go over safety tips with your kids and be safe out there!
What is your favorite last minute costume idea?

last minute costume ideas, costume ideas, Halloween crafts, virtual jack o lanterns, kids, parenting, teens, craft ideas, Halloween

My son was fascinated with letters and knew the alphabet with little hlep from us by the time he was 21 months old. My daughter was not so interested, so we wanted to help her learn along with making sure L remembered all his letters.
Here are some ideas for teaching your child the alphabet:

Make pancakes in the shapes of letters. Use an old ketchup bottle to squeeze out some edible letters for your child. You can also make alphabet cookies with cookie cutters. Yummy and educational.

Play outside. Use chalk to practice writing letters. Write the letters of the cars that pass by, B for a blue car, T for a truck and so on.

When we go out to eat the restaurants usually have a activity booklet or placemat for the kids. They can’t do the word find yet but I will ask them to find all the “L”s or “R”s to pass the time before the food comes.

Hang some art. A naturalist photographer realized he could find all the letters in teh alphabet in the wnings of butterflies and photographed them without harming the insects. It is a gorgeous print and you can even send E cards or buy prints of your child’s name.

Lastly, just reading to your child and pointing out the letters and their sounds is a fabulous tool.
What did you do to get yoru child to learn the alphabet?

teaching the alphabet, toddlers, parenting, teaching children, alphabet, kids, preschoolers, parenting children

Doorknobs, TV remotes, refrigerator handles and other commonly touched household surfaces are hotbeds of cold germs, which can survive on those surfaces for two days or longer, says a University of Virginia study.

The study included adults with cold symptoms who were asked to name 10 places in their homes they had touched in the preceding 18 hours. The researchers then went to the participants’ homes to hunt for cold germs, the Associated Press reported.

“We found that commonly touched areas … were positive (for cold germs) about 40 percent of the time,” said ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Birgit Winther.
So how can you keep your family healthy this cold and flu season? Wash your hands often! Washing your hands often is the best way to prevent a cold.

About 100 different viruses cause infections that lead to the common cold. Colds usually come on gradually, starting with a runny nose or a scratchy throat. Most kids do fine with a common cold but require a little more TLC. Remind them to wash their hands often, keep them hydrated (if they don’t want to drink, try ice pops, juice or soup) and use the nasal aspirator if necessary. Having a humidifier and/or a vaporizer in a child’s room is great for winter too.
If your child has a fever, Call the doctor.
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It is a cold and rainy day her in New Jersey. Whenever we have these kind of days I love to put the kids and I in comfortable sweats, stay in the house and do some baking or crafts. I try and keep our craft box filled with goodies, but there is nothing worse than finding out we don’t have what we need or only enough for one project.

Kid’s Busy Box was created by five entrepreneurial mothers in Rockville, MD who wanted to stimulate their children’s creativity and confidence without spending a lot of time searching for ideas and shopping for materials.
Now you can have a box of crafts and the materials and you no longer have to search for ideas or the stuff to put it together, it is all on one box!

I was lucky enough to try out the Kid’s Busy Box with my kids and I have to say it is fantastic! It has 20 craft projects with all the craft materials you will need: feathers, yarn, tissue paper, sand, pipe cleaners, beads, glitter & more!
Upgrade to the Deluxe Busy Box and it will also include everything in the basic box plus high-quality art supplies needed for each craft: crayons, markers, glue, glue stick, tape, hole punch, scissors, ruler, paint & brushes!

My kids are having a ball and I will be ordering more for the winter and spring, since these are seasonal crafts. This will also be on my list to give as birthday and Christmas gifts as well as telling the Grandparents this would make a great gift for my kids.
Can you tell I love this product?!

crafts, craft projects, rainy day ideas, toddlers, kids, Kid’s Busy Box, craft box, great gift ideas, product reviews

During the week I am a single parent. My husband travels to New Hampshire from New Jersey for his new job and comes home to see the kids and I on the weekends. We will officially move to New Hampshire when our house finally sells in this terrific market. I am home with my three kids all day and night during the week.

People keep asking me how I do it, and how hard it must be. I tell them it is hard, but I just do it, which is the truth. My family tells me they are proud of me, but I feel like a fraud.
I feel like I am drowning sometimes and there is no one here to save me. I worry about my kids, am I being enough for them to make up only having 1 parent 5 days a week? I worry what if something happens to me and there is no one who will find me.
I worry about everything all of the time.
How can I be everything to my kids all the time, while taking care of eveything else, like keeping the house clean for showings and making any time I can for me? Something has to give.

I am not sure how single parents do it. I can’t imagine not having any breaks, not having any weekend to look forward to for someone to help them, which I at least have. It makes me appreciate my husband more and everything he does for us, the sacrifices he makes, because it is not easy for him to leave us either.
I still feel like a fraud and no matter how much I do in a 24 hour period, at the end of the day when all the kids are in bed, I wonder if I am failing them.
I don’t want to fail.
I can’t fail.

parenting, single parents, mothers, SAHM, kids, parenting children

This time around I plan on teaching my baby to use sign language to communicate before he can talk. There are many benefits of your baby learning to communicate through sign language. Babies are less likey to become frustrated (and parents) and research has showed that by the children who are age four who have been taught sign language, have an larger vocabulary compared with those who did not. Good enough reason for me to try it at home.

Baby signing is using gestures or signs to communicate with your baby. Many moms use American when teaching their babies to sign but it is fine to create your own signs with your baby.
To start I decided to pick a couple of everyday words to teach to my baby: eat, more, cup, help and sleep. You can find the signs on this web site. Here are some of the signs we are working on:

MORE: Tap fingertips from your right hand together with fingertips from your left hand repeatedly.
CUP: Tip an imaginary cup to your mouth.
EAT: Use your hand to bring imaginary food to your mouth.
SLEEP: Tap the side of your head, as if laying down on a pillow.

You can start signing as early as you want but eight to nine months of age is a good age to start. There are various DVDs and books you can buy or rent on the subject, or web sites to help you getting started.

infants, toddlers, baby sign language, teaching baby to sign, parenting, ASL

I have some tips and tricks for Halloween this year with your kids. We also want to keep kids safe this time of year especially those that are old enough to trick or treat alone so lets talk about saety also.

Don’t want to give out candy for Halloween? How about giving out juice boxes or kid sized waters? Try stickers or other craft items and if you have any leftovers, put them into your child’s craft box for a rainy day. The other thing I have seen lately, which I love, is the mini playdoh containers. Although the older kids may rather have candy!
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This year along with many moms, I am having trouble finding someone to watch my kids while I go out to vote. I feel that it is imperative that every woman makes informed and responsible choices for themselves and this country, but sometimes you need a helping hand. This year TodaysMama and Sittercity.com announced that as part of the MamaVote initiative, they will offer free and discounted babysitting on Election Day, November 4, 2008!

From October 27 to November 3, everyone who signs up for a membership at SitterCity.com with the promotional code MamaVote08 will be eligible for 50 percent off babysitting on Election Day. In addition, the first 50 individuals to register will receive free babysitting for two hours on Election Day. Perfect for single mothers or moms who want to vote but can’t find a babysitter.
TodaysMama joined with the League of Women Voters and Sittercity.com to launch MamaVote last year, a non-partisan, education and inspiration-based initiative that encourages mothers to get involved in the political process. By offering discounted, reliable babysitting, these organizations hope to get more women to the polls.

“Mothers make up one of the most powerful voting blocks in our nation,” said Rachael Herrscher, co-founder and CEO of TodaysMama. “We want to encourage all mothers to vote, and finding a babysitter can be a big road block. Mothers make up a huge part of America’s population and we need to get out and have our voices heard everyday, especially this election day.
For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.

voting, sittercity, election, moms, parenting

You think your PMS mood swings are bad, but then you have a baby. Who knew a baby could be so moody? One minute they are sweet as pie, the next a little terror. What happened to my good natured, quiet toddler?

Erratic behavior is common in toddlers. It is a normal part of child development, even though it doesn’t always feel so “normal”. Trying to declare their independence, their will and how to get what they want is a huge part of your child’s development. Every child does not go through every stage of changing moods, because every child develops at their own pace.
Sometimes you can avert a terrible tantrum or a mood swing if you watch out for the signs that there is one coming.
Make sure your child is not hungry. There are many times tantrums are thrown just because the child is hungry and can’t express himself. Make sure you always have healthy snacks around even on the go.
Naps are as important to her as they are to you. A tired toddler, is a cranky toddler and mom.
Over stimulation can happen to even infants. If you are always rushing from one activity to oanother or there are too many people and things going on in front of them, children get overwhelmed.

Your child looks to you to calm him down so talk to him in soft tones and try and remember this is a part of growing up.

What do you do when your child has mood swings or tantrums?

toddlers, parenting, parenting toddlers, toddler mood swings, the terrible twos, children, child development

parenting, parenting children, vote, election, Sarah palin, womens rights

When you no longer have to buy formula, it is a momentous day. No more making bottles, washing bottles, formula to mix or expensive formula to buy every week. But when do you introduce milk to babies?
Babies can start having milk when they turn one, before that their digestive system is just too immature to handle cow’s milk. Up until twelve months babies still need the nutrients in breast milk and formula.

The AAP now advices that any child with a family history of diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease drink 1% or 2% milk. Babies at risk or becoming overweight (babies who have overweight parents or the child is in the 85th or higher percentile for weight) should also avoid whole milk. If your child does not have these risk factors whole milk should be fine.

You can just introduce milk in your baby’s next bottle. If your baby doesn’t like it at first, mix it half and half with formula or breast milk. You can also try to warm the milk up.
I would not give soy milk to babies unless your baby is lactose intolerant and your doctor advices you to. Processed soy products, such as soy protein, soy milk, soy cheese do not have the same nutrients are cow’s milk. Additionally, kids are sensitive to the phytoestrogen effects of processed soy products.

If you have any questions or concerns about introducing milk to your baby ask your doctor.

milk, babies, infants, soy milk, giving milk to babies, introducing milk, parenitng, parenting children, giving soy milk to babies

When I was pregnant with my last baby, I wondered if I would go into labor. Since I had a c-section the first time around, this time I decided along with my doctor to have another c-section if I didn’t go into labor naturally before 40 weeks. I did not.
I did wonder what it would be like to go into labor and have my family with me as I labored with this baby. I packed my bags, made my lists and decided who I wanted in the delivery room with me: my husband, my sister and my mom.

Of course, I ended up with the c-section and only my husband was allowed in the operating room with me. I know people who have had their mother-in-law ask to be in the room with them. They didn’t want their mother-in-law (or gasp, father-in-law) to bear witness to what they were about to do, but they didn’t know how to tell them. How do you tell someone “hey! this is just too personal”.

You may be off the hook if your hospital only allows one or two people in the room during the birth, your husband’s mother will never assume you will pick her over your own mother. If not, just let your mother-in-law know how you feel. Tell her it is a deeply private moment and the fewer the people in the room the more calmer you will feel. OR you can chicken out and just have your husband tell her!

pregnancy, birth plans, delivery rooms, giving birth

Mark Ciptak is doing more than putting up a yard sign or putting a bumper sticker on his car for McCain-Palin this election year. He has named his daughter Sarah McCain Palin.

His wife may have something to say about that though, the Tennessee man said he ignored the name he and his wife had picked out for his daughter, who was born Friday night, which was Ava Grace. She does have an out though, under Tennessee law a birth certificate name can be changed within one year if an affidavit is filed with the office. Mr. Ciptak named his daughter Sarah McCain Palin to get the word out about these candidates.
Somehow I don’t think Barak Obama will be jealous.

I would be furious if my husband named our child something after we decided on a name, especially a stupid name just for publicity.
This is almost as bad as the man who named his child Espn or the woman who named her baby Idol. You thought celebrities had crazy baby names!

Some people feel that naming a baby something crazy or silly is a form of child abuse. When we named our twins my friend’s mother told him ” I like normal names.” our twin’s names are not Jennifer and Mike, but they are not out of the ordinary. How do you feel about “weird” baby names.
Do you know anyone with a crazy name?

baby names, weird baby names, celebrity baby names, baby named Sarah McCain Palin, parenting, crazy baby names

Congratulations to these five winners of The Self Esteem Trap:
Genevieve, Megret, Reeva, Stephanie and Alice!
For all of those who didn’t win, hang on I have other great giveaways soon!

I know so many parents who procrastinate when it comes to Halloween. I know I am guilty of procrastination too. This year I am safe because my kids already have their costumes as hand me downs from their cousins. Whew. If you are not as lucky or have kids who just can’t come up with a costume, here are some ideas for easy costumes to make at home.

Do it yourself last minute costume ideas:

Tourist: Get a hat, sunglasses and hang a camera around your neck

Cookie: Dress in all brown and pin felt colored circles all over to look like M&Ms

Mummy: wrap your self in toilet paper. Enough said!

Athlete: dress up in a old jersey or uniform. Bring along a ball.

If all else fails call up family members, or neighbors and ask if they have a costume that you can borrow.

How about you make masks of everyone in your family and then trade them. Be your husband or daughter for Halloween and have them be you or their brother. This could be fun all year long!

This is a great site for simulating a pumpkin carving. It kept my kids fascinated for hours. Here is another one that is better for older kids.
Ben and Jerry’s has not only recipes and crafts ideas but also print outs and games.

Remember to go over safety tips with your kids and be safe out there!
Here are some infant costume ideas too.
What is your favorite last minute costume idea?

last minute costume ideas, costume ideas, Halloween crafts, virtual jack o lanterns, kids, parenting, teens, craft ideas