Posts filed under 'Parenting Tips'
Baby teething is one baby milestone parents always dread. The constant crying, sleepless nights and the biting. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? The good news is yes, the not so good news is no one knows how long it will last.
Baby teething usually begins somewhere between three months and a year old. Obvious signs of baby teething include; drooling, crankiness, wakefulness, crying, biting, chewing and tender gums. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Other signs can be less obvious than others. They may refuse food or may not be drinking milk, they may have a rash around the mouth, and there may be a runny nose.
Soothing Remedies for Your Teething Baby
You can soothe sore gums by letting them chew or suck on chilled teething rings, frozen baby bagels or popsicles. When teething keeps your child from sleeping, you may need to use baby Motrin, Tylenol or Ibuprofen. You can get the right dosage of these medicines from your doctor or pharmacist. You can also massage their gums and mouth to relieve some pain. Massaging their gums equalizes the pressure on the gums as the tooth pushes up from below. Keeping a chilled pacifier in the fridge can also help relieve some pain. Lots of parents say that letting their child suck on a cold, wet washcloth helps. The bonus of this remedy is that the washcloth absorbs up some of that extra drool that drenches baby from head to toe!
Parents want to do whatever it takes to make their teething baby feel better; stockpiling medicine, oral gels, teething aids and tips from your friends may be able to help you through the worst teething. Homeopathic pain pills may also be useful: Hylans makes a baby teething remedy that is regarded as safe and effective.
Although it may seem that the teething process is going to last forever, it does come to an end. Just take some extra time to make sure that your baby is comfortable so that you can be too.
Find more help to get more sleep for you and your baby at Child n’Parent.
By: EA Walker
November 23rd, 2009
It’s nice when the only thing you have to feed your baby is breast milk or formula. But soon they will need more than just breast milk or formula to satisfy their hunger. You may notice that your baby is starting to reach for everything. When you are eating something while holding them, they will be reaching for your spoon, bowl, plate or glass. You give her a taste and laugh at the funny face she makes. But is it time to start feeding them solids?
Doctors will usually say not to start your baby on solid foods until they are about 6 months old. This is because a baby gets all the nutrition they need from their mothers breast milk or the formula. Always ask a medical professional before starting your baby on solid foods. Your baby should also show sign that he/she is ready for solid foods. Your baby should be able to sit up unsupported and have good control of his neck. He should also show an interest by opening his mouth when a spoon is coming towards him, and being able to keep some food in his mouth.
Most babies are ready for iron-fortified infant cereal at about 6 months of age. Pureed fruits and veggies may be offered at 6 to 8 months of age. And meats may be introduced at 8 months of age. Start with infant cereal for the first 1-2 weeks. Then offer them a bland vegetable such as peas or carrots. Only introduce a new food about every 5-7 days. You need to be able to notice if something is giving your baby food allergies. After your baby is enjoying several different vegetables, you can try a fruit. Avoid citrus fruits and strawberries until about 12 months of age.
Watch for signs of allergies or intolerance like skin rashes, wheezing, diarrhea or vomiting. Foods that most often cause allergic reactions are cow’s milk, citrus fruits and juices, nuts, egg whites, and wheat products. Do not force your baby to eat. Stay positive and keep your sense of humor open. Remember, your baby is more likely to eat if you are not stressed and uptight about them eating.
Foods with different consistency and texture should be offered as your baby gets older as well. Offer small portions of a wide variety of foods with different taste, smells and textures. Do not force them to eat it if they do not like it. Just try to give it to them again later.
Do not use honey as a sweetener. It can cause infant botulism, a type of food poisoning that can lead to death. Avoid foods that may cause choking, such as corn, nuts, raisins, candy, grapes, and hot dogs cut in circles. Introduce new foods one at a time and watch for signs of a food allergy or intolerance as described above. Avoid foods that may irritate your baby’s digestive system, such as spicy and greasy foods as well as pastries.
Look to Child n’Parent for more parenting help to keep your baby healthy and happy.
By: EA Walker
November 4th, 2009
Everyone needs sleep. Small babies and infants need sleep to grow properly. Toddlers and children need sleep to grow, run, learn, play and explore. And we lucky parents need sleep so that we can keep up with it all!
If you are struggling with bedtime battles or the naptime naughties, Child n’Parent can help. Let our experienced parenting writers give you the lowdown on what works and what does not! Sleeping and naptime can truly be better with help from Child n’Parent.
Train Your Newborn to Develop a Healthy Sleep Pattern
Learn how to help your newborn develop a healthy sleep pattern that will gradually build into a healthy sleep schedule. Discover the dos and don’ts of bedtime routines and get brother and sister in on the new baby fun!
Make Your Baby’s Bedtime Routine a Bonding Time
Great suggestions to get the most out of your baby’s bedtime routine. Learn how to bond with your baby at bedtime. Read through our fussy baby checklist to put a stop to the fuss and get your baby to bed!
Safely Swaddle Your Fussy Baby to Sleep
Okay, so you have tried almost everything and your fussy baby will still not go to sleep. Try swaddling. Read our article about this ancient and effective art. Learn how to safely swaddle your baby and use this superior technique as a quality baby sleep aid.
Get Your Baby to Sleep with These Proven Techniques
Need more ideas? Learn how to keep track of baby’s bedtime and naptime habits in a sleepy-time journal. Get some tips on setting up your baby’s sleeping environment including the idea of co-sleeping. Get more ideas on how to soothe your baby to sleep and learn more about baby sleep cycles.
Proven Techniques to Train Your Infant to Sleep through the Night
Train your infant to sleep through the night with “Ferberizing” techniques from Dr. Richard Ferber. Learn where you can find out more about “crying options” from Dr. Marc Weissbluth.
Naptime Help for Parents and Toddlers
Get great tips on making your toddler’s naptime easier from our experts. Find out what to do when your naptime plan does not work.
You Can Stop Your Child’s Nightmares
You can stop a night fright problem right in its tracks with expert advice from Dr. Kristi. Learn how to create safe sleep haven for your child. Find out what might be causing the nightmares and utilize a step by step communication method to get to the bottom of your child’s fears.
Soothe Your Baby to Sleep right here on the Child n’Parent blog.
By: Debby Hoffer
June 22nd, 2009
Getting a newborn to sleep is really not a difficult job. Most newborns sleep on average about *sixteen to seventeen hours a day. The bigger problem is getting them to sleep when you want them to sleep. Most babies come into the world with their days and nights mixed up. They are used to feeding and sleeping in the womb on their own personal schedule. Teaching them how to adjust to their new day and night environment is the beginning of training your baby to sleep through the night.
Sleep training your baby should begin at eight weeks and continue until they are twelve months of age. Getting your child to develop a healthy sleep pattern will score big benefits in the long run. The National Sleep Foundation states “children who get enough sleep are more likely to function better and are less prone to behavioral problems and moodiness.” *Sleep training your baby during their first year of life can help in preventing sleep problems:
Nightmares: All children have nightmares and it usually caused by a disruption in their normal routine. Establishing a regular consistent bed time routine early in life will help your child develop healthy sleep habits and cut down on the night terrors.
Separation Anxiety: This often occurs at four to twelve months of age. If it is not nipped in the bud, your child could develop an over dependent nature. Young babies will also require a great deal of time and attention, but by 2-4 years, a healthy consistent sleep pattern should be in place. Teaching your child at the infant stage how to self-soothe themselves back to sleep is one of the best parenting gifts you can give them.
Sleep Walking and Talking: *Sleep walking occurs in older children often during times of stress and fatigue. Sleep training your child at the baby stage will teach them when to sleep (night) and how to get enough sleep. As your baby grows from toddler to child, teach them how to listen to their body so that they will learn to determine how much sleep they need to maintain a healthy sleep pattern.
When you start sleep training your baby, keep in mind that every baby, toddler and child is different. The technique that works for one may not work for another. For great beddie bye suggestions and sleep training techniques, check out our article “Getting a Good Night’s Sleep with Baby.” Soon you and your little one will find the wonderful path to sleepy time land.
*Baby sleep statistics from the American Academy of Pediatrics *Information on childhood sleep disorders from the National Sleep Foundation
By: Debby Hoffer
June 3rd, 2009
Discipline is not easy for anyone to grasp. Sometimes we parents think we are doing it right, when we are breaking a lot of rules. We want our children to love us, so maybe we avoid scolding them as much as we should.
But children thrive on discipline. They act like they hate it (and us), but it makes them who they are. Children need rules and need to learn to obey them.
Here are some tips to help you out:
Do: Be Consistent
Discipline without consistency usually fails. If you make a rule, it should be a rule all of the time. Not just when you have time to deal with it or in the privacy of your own home. You must be ready at all time to enforce the rules you set down. A rule is a rule is a rule. If you make exceptions more than you stick to the rule, no one will believe it. Same goes for doling out consequences.
Do not: Give In
Your kids are going to beg. They will cry and scream and say they hate you. Don’t give in. Kids are the best manipulators, but as much as they might hurt your feelings, you cannot give in. They know exactly what they’re doing. If you give in they will know exactly how to work you the next time and you’ll never win. Giving in shows your child that you are not serious about the rules and consequences that you set down.
Do: Lay Out Consequences
Your children need to know exactly what will happen when they break a rule. Then when they break a rule and lose the privilege, it will not be a surprise (though they will act as if it is). It helps to lay out the rules on paper and post them on the fridge or another common area. Also write out what they will lose if they do break a rule. When a rule is broken, that treat they were so looking forward to gets crossed off. Remember that you don’t need to argue with them about this. You make the rules, they live by them.
Do not: Be Afraid To Discipline In Public
Children act up in public and parents get embarrassed. Remember that children don’t embarrass that easily and will throw temper tantrums from your wildest imaginations. Don’t be too embarrassed to discipline your child in public. Who cares what other people think? Besides, anyone who ever had children will know exactly what you’re going through.
Keep positive parenting in your relationship. Your child will absorb discipline better with some real, earned praise from you. Going out of our way a little bit, can make a big impression on our children. Sometimes your child may need only a few minutes of undivided attention to be happier, feel more needed, and be much more willing to follow the rules.
For great ideas in parenting see “Teaching Children Joy” and “Fun in the Sun Activities for kids.”
Look for more parenting tips at Child n’Parent.
By: Destiny
May 4th, 2009
The first moment that you gaze into your newborn baby’s eyes, you know that life will never be the same. In an instant, someone smaller than a watermelon becomes incalculably more important and precious to you than anything else in the world. We wonder about our children’s future and strive to give them everything they need to become happy, healthy, and confident individuals. Believe it or not, experts have concluded that process begins right away, before your baby can do much more than eat, sleep, and—well, you know. Here a few simple things you can do to give your baby the best start possible.
Hold your baby often.
Taking care of your baby is much more than bottles and diaper changes. You are actually helping your baby to thrive while enjoying your cuddle times with them! Your baby will instinctively know your scent and find comfort nuzzled up to you. Children who are held often know not just that they will be taken care of when they have a physical need, but that they are loved as well. Don’t worry about “spoiling” your baby during the first six months or so of life. Making sure they get plenty of physical contact each day will actually give them the security they need as they get older to handle being apart from you. You don’t have to carry them in a sling all day long or give up the crib for your bed; just be sure to give your baby some quality time each day.
Talk to your baby often.
No, newborns won’t know what you’re saying, but the sooner you begin communicating verbally to them, the sooner they will begin to understand you. Talking with your child encourages brain activity and gives them the attention they need as well. If you’re not sure what to say to a gurgling little being that can’t do anything but make spit bubbles in response to you, just say the things you are doing at the moment. For example, “I’m going to pick you up and change your diaper now,” or, “I am putting three scoops of formula into your bottle.” What you say, sing, or coo to your baby isn’t the important thing. They simply want to hear your voice and have their presence acknowledged.
Encourage your baby often.
Experts say that children need to hear ten positive comments to every one negative comment received. Set the precedence of being an encouraging parent early on. A newborn may not be able to understand you, but they do understand your body language and the tone of your voice. Tell them how thankful you are to have the opportunity to raise them and how wonderful you think they are. As your infant begins to grow and develop, clap for them, congratulate them, and encourage them in any way you can. Make sure they see that twinkle in your eye that says they are your pride and joy every day.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to give your baby everything they need to grow up to be happy, secure individuals. You really don’t need to spend a fortune on educational videos and parenting self-help books. As it turns out, all your baby really needs is the one thing you are sure to always have: love.
Find more help to get your infant to sleep through the night and better bottle feeding at Child n’Parent.
By: Destiny
January 4th, 2009
Eating healthy
Dining out is challenging enough for adults but when it comes to kids, the challenge is even greater. Even though many sit-down and fast food restaurants are adding healthier adult dining options, the meal choices for the little ones are still surprisingly high in calories and fat. When surveying the kid’s menu at fast food restaurants, the standard seems to be fried chicken nuggets or chicken strips served alongside a serving of greasy French fries. It would almost be a joke to call this meal low fat or nutritionally sound. If you’re looking for a healthy menu for kids at a restaurant or fast food stop, what are your options?
The solution to a healthy children’s menu doesn’t appear to lie with the chain restaurants. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recently surveyed the kid’s menu at seven leading chain restaurants and found the choices to be high in calories, fat, sugar, and low in nutritional value. The worst of the bunch was Outback Steakhouse where the children’s menu offering of cheeseburger, fries, soda, and sundae added up to a whopping 1,700 calories and 58 grams of fat. Is it any wonder that the number of obese children is skyrocketing?
Although most restaurants have yet to embrace the concept of a healthy children’s menu, there are ways you can make meals more nutritionally sound for your children when you’re dining out as a family.
Choose Your Restaurants Carefully
If you’re looking for a sit-down restaurant with a healthy menu for kids, most of the chains and franchises aren’t going to offer what you’re looking for. One exception would be Cracker Barrel restaurant where kids can get a variety of veggie items on a kid’s plate as well as grilled (not fried) chicken strips. Buffet restaurants are another option since they offer a variety of vegetables that can be substituted for the standard French fries. To help your child eat healthy, be prepared to give him some assistance in his selections since buffets are notorious for displaying tempting high calorie, high fat treats and desserts.
Fast Foods?
Subway restaurant offers a healthy menu for kids. Their “Fresh Fit for Kids” meal consists of a miniature sub sandwich, a healthy side item such as yogurt or fruit, and juice. There are also healthy options for adults which makes this a good choice for the whole family. Most of the other fast food restaurants are still lacking in options for a healthy children’s menu.
The Second Option
Modify your child’s menu selections when eating out. If a healthy menu for kids isn’t available, improvise a bit. See if you can substitute low fat milk for the standard whole milk. At sit-down restaurants, order a small side of vegetables in place of the standard French fries on the children’s menu. Substitute juice or water for the ubiquitous high sugar soda. If your child is still hungry after eating this type of meal, bring along a package of nuts or an apple to offer to him after dinner in lieu of dessert.
With a little planning, you can dine out with your children without guilt even if a healthy menu for kids isn’t offered. It’s far better than serving your kids chicken nuggets and fries.
By Dr. Kristi
December 10th, 2008
Give your child a gift that will last a lifetime! Encourage them to read for pleasure. Children who read for pleasure have active imaginations and enjoy learning.
When reading, children must use their imagination. With the expansion in the visual technology industries like television and video games, children do not commonly use their imagination. Books open up a world where your child has to visualise what is happening, rather than rely on pictures from other people.
Reading will broaden your child’s horizons and take them into new and exciting worlds. The Harry Potter books are popular because they allow the children to escape their life and enjoy the different world of wizardry. Children who read for pleasure tend to be adventurous and willing to explore the world they find themselves in, because books encourage exploring new ideas.
Teachers have noticed extraordinary differences in the scholastic achievements between children who read for pleasure and children who do not. Children who read during school holidays are more likely to excel in writing and in spelling.
Reading allows your child to see words in different contexts, which can aid comprehension. The more you see how a word is used, the more likely you are to use the word correctly in your own vocabulary. Seeing the words correctly spelt will help your child to learn spelling. Your child’s writing skills will increase by reading sentences and seeing how paragraphs link together.
Children who read for pleasure are even able to socialise with others better. Despite being a solitary activity, reading encourages an understanding of how people relate to each other as the characters in books form relationships.
Readers learn about consequences of actions and logical progression because books always follow a logical sequence of events, and characters must deal with the consequences of their actions.
Often children who read for pleasure will perform well in written tests, because they are more likely to understand the phrasing of the questions, and will be able to write their answers with clarity.
Allowing your child to choose the books to read encourages an interest in reading. Even books that are not “educational” will bring benefits to your child’s learning and scholastic progress.
Ensure your child chooses a book at the right level. If it is too difficult, the child may become discouraged. If the book is too easy to read, your child may become bored and decide to play a video game instead.
Parents can encourage reading by regular trips to a library to exchange books. You can make this a family trip. Try turning off the television set sometimes in the evenings or on weekends. When everyone in the family sits together, reading their own books, your children will see reading as fun, relaxing, and a reasonable form of entertainment.
You can read with your children. Reading books aloud allows children to hear the characters in a different way, and develops good listening skills. Remembering how you spent time each week reading a book together will be a precious memory when your child grows up.
Reading books aloud to your child gives you a chance to broaden your child’s vocabulary. Choose a book that is slightly beyond their current understanding, and explain any confusing terms.
Give your child time to sit and enjoy the experiences of reading. Reading is an activity that can be enjoyed anywhere, so encourage your child to pack a book when travelling in the car.
Children who learn how to read for pleasure will reap the benefits in their schoolwork, and will have fun using their imagination in ways technological forms of entertainment do not allow. Broaden your child’s horizons and give them the gift of reading for pleasure.
Find more great parenting tips at Child n’Parent.
By: Hayley Hunkin
October 18th, 2008
As a young Mother, I wanted to teach my three year old daughter some quality health habits. Hand washing was big in my mind; so I encouraged her to wash her hands after using the bathroom and before meals. At first, I helped I her wash her hands, demonstrating how to do it while saving water. One day I decided to cut her loose to try it on her own. She came out of the bathroom with a big smile on her face; “You washed your hands, right?” I asked. “Yes,” she answered proudly, “and I saved even more water.” “Oh yeah?” I answered, “How did you do that?” I expected to hear something along the lines of water conservation with a quick, but good wash. She gave me cute smile with an answer that left my mouth hanging; “I used the water in the potty!” Needless to say, we made another fast trip to the bathroom sink.
In today’s fast paced world, hand washing is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Isn’t it funny that a simple health habit which kills germs and prevents sickness is something that some people are just too busy to do! In one study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health at the Minnesota State Fair, only 65% of the females along with 39% of the males actually washed their hands after using the bathroom. It pretty much adds up to one big yuck!
Teach your kids to wash their hands! Not only will it lower your medical bill, you’ll feel like a really good Mom as you teach them a health habit that they can really hang on to. Start by teaching them how to lather up with only one pump of soap. Teach them proper hand washing skills by demonstrating how to squish the soap between their fingers to get all the soap running around the little crevices. Show your child how to rub the soap into the fingernail to kill any nasty underlying germs. Also, teach your child how to safely turn on both the hot and cold water to quickly achieve a warm temperature. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer near the back door for quick killing germ attacks, especially after playing in the dirt or sand.
Practicing the health habit of good hand washing can carry over into the school years. Washing hands at school will kill yucky germs and help your whole family to stay healthy. Tell your child to leave the germs at school by washing their hands after every bathroom break and just before lunch. Buy some sanitizing wipes that they can keep in their backpack for both hand and face clean ups at school. Most teachers keep hand sanitizer in the classroom. Ask your child to sanitize regularly after recess. If the classmate sitting next to them is blowing, coughing or sneezing, tell your child to sanitize more frequently, especially if they have borrowed any school supplies.
The good health habit of hand washing can carry over into the adult years. If you teach your child well, you can bet that when they grow up and go to the State Fair they will come out of the bathroom with their hands washed! Oh, and they won’t use the water in the potty.
By: Debby Hoffer
October 2nd, 2008
Your baby has started crawling! As if shot out of a cannon, she now takes off for anywhere she can, whenever she can. You’ve hurriedly secured your house; you’ve put up cabinet locks, gates, and electric outlet covers. You’re assured she can’t hurt herself in the obvious places. Yet there are still times when your baby will take off for places you’d rather she not.
That area of bare floor where, if she pulled herself up and fell, she could hurt herself? The section of the hallway that you haven’t vacuumed yet? The eggs on your kitchen floor that your other child just spilled? These are the places she’s headed first. She wants to get into everything she hasn’t explored yet, no matter how dangerous. No exceptions.
Your desperate “get-back-here-right-now”s are a hilarious game to her, not a command. She doesn’t understand yet that there are some places she should not go. Your “Stop!” makes her halt once, look back at you, grin, and then redouble her zoom-here-zoom-there-zoom-everywhere behavior.
She’s not trying to make trouble, but it sure feels like it when you have to chase after her and snatch her up all the time. Sometimes your hands are full, like when you’re rolling out piecrust or holding another child. Maybe you’ve got a sore back and can’t pick her up easily.
You can’t keep her locked in her play yard all day, but boy, are you tempted! Luckily, there’s another solution to getting her back that perhaps you haven’t tried yet.
Lure her back! Yes, that baby in a crawling frenzy will sometimes go where you want her to of her own free will. The trick is to get her to want to, too.
Try these tips on your adventurous baby:
Lure her back with a ball.
Keep a ball that’s soft and light enough for her to bat around on the hallway floor. When your baby zips off down the hallway, call her name and tap it with your foot so it goes toward her. She’ll stop, look around, and turn around to play with the ball. With enough practice manipulating the ball, she’ll quickly get the hang of the baby version of “catch.” This is a very effective way to move your unsuspecting baby along in the direction you choose—rather than her own.
Lure her back with a song, dance, or other performance.
This lure to get a baby into her bedroom (or any other room) requires some finesse. When you start yodeling, often the baby will stop, stare at you, grin with delight—and turn around and dash off again. The secret to getting your baby to come is to back up slowly until you’re no longer visible—ideally ending up in her bedroom—while continuing to perform for her listening pleasure. If she likes the show enough, she may just follow you into the room for an encore.
Lure her back with a “What’s this?”
“What’s this?” will get any baby’s attention right quick. Say, “What’s this,” and she’ll make a dash your way to investigate. Here’s how it works: Make a quick grab for the nearest interesting, safe and new object. Remember, new is the key. The familiar toy won’t earn more than a contemptuous glance. So “What’s this? Your favorite fluffy bunny?” will have her looking at you like you’re insane. “Me? Return for that? But I haven’t explored the dusty vacuum cleaner yet. See you later!”
“What’s this? Your father’s favorite baseball cap?” will do, or “What’s this? Oh, boy, is it an oven mitt? Is that what it is?” or even “What’s this? What’s this, baby? Is it the half-torn return reply envelope for the telephone bill that I just paid online? Wow! You’ve got to see this! That’s right. Come to Mama.”"
The benefit of these “lure the baby” games is more than just saving you the trouble of hauling your baby everywhere. It teaches your baby how to manipulate new toys and objects and that doing what you want gets her rewarded. And it saves your aching back, so instead of chasing her around twenty times an hour, you only have to do it ten times an hour.
Even ten times an hour can put a strain on your back. But don’t worry; the crawling stage will soon be over. Before you know it, your baby will be standing on her own. And walking. Everywhere. But that is another parenting adventure.
See Child n’Parent Parenting Tips for Soothing Your Baby to Sleep and Car Seat Safety.
By Karen Proctor
September 17th, 2008
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