Parenting & New Baby Advice Blog

Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

Children have no concept of the fact that mom and dad can love both them and their siblings equally. This perceived imbalance of love and affection can lead to sibling rivalry. Through no fault of your own as a parent you may find that one child takes on the role of “second best” while another feels they’re “dad’s favorite.” You should aim to make your children each feel that they are your favorite. A mother can’t play favorites anyway, although you should realize that children may see it another way.

If you’ve got the Favorite Wars going on in your home, there are some things you can do before you blow your top.  First, you want to take a good look at yourself and see if perhaps you and your husband are unequally treating your children. Does one excel at sports (very important to Dad) while another excels at school (very important to mom)? This could create an unconsciously, ever so faint inequality in how parents treat the child who does not have the desired qualities among their top talents. If you find you are playing favorites, you can modify your behavior.

Treat children the same, but different. Sounds impossible, right? If you have children who aren’t twins, they are at different developmental stages based on their differing ages. You can’t treat a two year old and a five year old the same way when you’re trying to discipline them. Each child must be reached at their own level. A tantrum from a two year old may get a time out while the same tantrum from a five year old may lose him his TV privileges for the night. This can lead to children feeling like they are unfairly punished. It’s your job as a parent to get the point across that both kids are being disciplined in a way that matches their age. You might say, “Johnny’s only two right now, so he gets a time out. When Johnny’s a big boy like you, Mike, he’ll lose his TV too if he acts out.” This may not eliminate the rivalry, but it will give your older one something to go back and think about.

If you have smaller siblings who are not at the age of reason, you can spend quality time alone with each of them to show them they are special. Mom might take Judy to the salon with her for manicures, while Bella stays home and plays games with Dad. Then another day Bella gets to go shopping with mom while Judy goes for ice cream with Dad. If each child feels valued, they will be less likely to act up because they think they’re not getting enough attention.

For the smallest tots who grab toys from another small tot or pull hair, the best you can do is keep them separated at times of flare up. You will still want to instruct them that their behavior is not acceptable, but remember, small children will normally have a bit of jealousy for their favorite toys or sibling gifts and won’t know how to share for some years yet. Make plenty of toys available and redirect the offending child into another fun activity. In a few minutes, the whole thing will be forgotten.

Related Articles:

• Preparing For A Second Baby
• Top 10 Family Board Games
• Origins of Marriage and the Family

When a newborn comes into your life, you’re going to marvel at its tiny feet and hands. Before those hands and feet grow too big, it’s a lovely idea to make an imprint of them to keep as a memory. There are many ways to do this.

3D Kits

Many online and crafting stores sell kits that allow you to cast baby’s handprint or footprint in plaster of Paris. The basic idea is that you place baby’s hand into the gel that comes with the kit, make an impression, then remove baby’s hand. Now you’ve created a mold. Fill the mold with plaster of Paris and allow to dry. When dry, remove the gel mold and you’ll have a perfectly formed 3-dimensional handprint. You can do the same with footprints. The process itself is very easy. However, you may have a challenge getting baby to stay still long enough for you to make the impression in the gel. It may be a good idea to wait until baby is asleep, then gently place their hand or foot into the mold. Be sure to wash all residue from the gel off baby’s delicate skin.

Flat Impressions

Many companies sell kits that allow you to place baby’s hand or foot in clay or plaster of Paris to make an impression. These kits come with a tin and you usually pour the plaster mixture in and then gently press baby’s hand or foot in. These can be fun and quick to do. They also make nice thank you gifts to people who’ve given baby gifts or attended your baby shower. If you don’t want to purchase a kit, you can easily create the impression yourself.

Mix up some powdered plaster of Paris yourself and pour into a decorative tin. Dip baby’s hand or foot in and allow to dry. The whole process takes just a few minutes and you can save a considerable amount doing it on your own. If you do decide to purchase a kit, you can choose from many options for the final product from teddy bear frames to decorative flowers. Some kits also come with several imprint tins so you can keep a record of baby’s growing prints over a year or two years.

Ink Prints

Another nice way to take an impression of baby’s hands and feet is to use a non-toxic ink pad and some nice paper. Wait until baby is calm, then place her hand or foot onto the ink pad. When you are sure the ink covers the entire surface, gently place the foot or hand on the paper. You can create greeting cards or frame the images. You can even copy the prints onto iron on paper and make t-shirts or bags with the images. You can give them as very special holiday or birthday gifts to aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Etched Glass

Many stores sell kits that will allow you to have baby’s footprint or handprint etched onto glass to create a memorable frame or other decorative item. For this type of product you would make an ink stamped impression of baby’s hands or feet and mail the print to the company doing the etching. They will mail you back a frame with your baby’s prints etched into glass.

Related Articles:

• 50 Best Toddler & Baby Toys
• Great Ways To Get Dad Involved with a New Baby
• Mommy and Baby Combination Gifts

Many parents are curious about the benefits and efforts involved in teaching baby sign language. Will she understand? How young should you start? Is it helpful?

While experts always have differing opinions about everything, they do agree that most babies can start to understand sign language at about six months of age. The main concern is that baby must be able to keep eye contact with you. She also must have control over her hand movements in order to participate. Every baby is unique, so if you have a baby who is making eye contact and able to wave hello and goodbye on her own at five months, go for it. Judge readiness by your own baby, not a textbook example.

What are the benefits of sign language? Well, obviously if you have a non-hearing child and a hearing child, they would eventually be able to communicate with each other. But also, if you want baby to be able to communicate earlier with you—whether she hears or not—sign language can be a good way to get that flow of communication going. She’ll be more apt to tell you in signs what she wants even before she can verbalize it in words.

Young children have an amazing capacity for learning languages. Sing language is no exception. The teacher needs to be consistent, however. If you find you are pulled in twenty different directions and won’t be able to devote enough time to sitting with baby and teaching her signs, you may want to join a group that meets weekly for a baby and me type signing class. Then you can reinforce during the week instead of having the entire job on your shoulders when you’re already busy. There are lots of videos and books out there to help, these are great ideas to put into baby gift baskets as well.

By no means should you feel pressured to teach your baby to sign. It’s something you should enjoy doing and should not be undertaken to keep up with anyone else. Babies have grown up fine for centuries without signing and yours will too. Think of it as an extra bonus that you’re bestowing on your baby—an infant gift of language she can use now and into the future—not a requirement of babyhood.

It’s never too early and never too late to teach signing. If you want to start your infant early and keep at it, definitely give it a try. Just remember, most babies won’t sign back until around six months. So don’t get frustrated if you don’t see any progress for a while. Baby may be taking it all in and one day she’ll surprise you when she makes a sign for hungry when she wants lunch.

It can be very rewarding to have a sign language communication going between you and your baby. Get the whole household involved as this will not only make everyone feel included, but it will give baby extra practice throughout the day.

There are entire companies and web sites devoted to teaching babies to sign. Start looking for a resource you like. Learn the basic signs yourself and then begin pointing to objects and signing their name. Baby will get the hang of it and so will you. It’s fun, educational and exciting to sign with baby. If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll see big rewards in the near future.

Related Articles:

• Tips to Get Kids Interested in Reading
• Creating an Environment for Learning
• Teaching Your Kids Basic Money Skills

New parents are obsessed with sleep—the lack of it and how to get more of it. If you’re a new mom or dad searching for a way to put your newborn on a nap schedule, here are some tips you can try.

• All babies are different. What works for one mom may not work for you. So, take any advice you get from well-meaning friends and relatives with that in mind.
• You know your baby best. Is she waking up because she’s hungry? Plan to feed her just before nap time, but know that baby’s tiny stomach can only hold so much formula, so she’s going to wake again next time she’s hungry. As she grows over the next weeks, her stomach capacity is growing too, so she’ll be able to sleep for longer periods at a stretch.
• It stands to reason that if you want baby to sleep through the night, keep her up more during the day. This works to a point. A very young newborn will sleep more than she’s awake. Slowly, this will even out and she will stay up more during daylight hours. For now, though, she doesn’t know the difference between day and night. She just wakes up when she’s hungry or wet or uncomfortable.
• Try to plan to put your baby down for naps at the same time each day. You’ll start to help her set a rhythm for sleeping and waking. While it’s not always going to be foolproof, you will get some satisfaction in knowing that you are creating a routine. Plan to feed and then freshly diaper your baby before her nap time. She’ll come to think of feeding time as a happy time right before she gets to drift off to sleep. Of course, as she grows older, she won’t need to sleep right after eating, but since babies eat every four hours or so, she’s going to need to sleep after many of her feedings.
• Baby’s room should be a comfortable temperature—not too hot or too cold. The lighting should be minimal so that her eyes don’t have to strain against a glaring lamp. Keep shades down if you can or close curtains. During the night, a nightlight is enough light for you to see in and baby will calm down with less distractions from lights. Try not to put an overhead fixture right over baby’s crib. Remember, baby will be lying on her back looking up, and you don’t want her staring into a light bulb.
• Always, always, always put your baby on her back to sleep. The SIDS Foundation (informing parents about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) recommends always putting your baby “Back to Sleep.” Unless your baby has a medical condition that you need to check with your pediatrician about or if she is a preemie, it’s generally agreed that face up is the way to place baby down for a nap.
• Remove all distractions and safety hazards from baby’s crib. Her crib should be a safe haven. No baby blankets or pillows should be used in a crib as they can cause suffocation. Baby doesn’t need them anyway. Dress baby in comfortable clothing that will not pinch or bind her so she can get a good rest.
• If baby is happily fed, diapered and dressed, and has a well-prepared crib to sleep in, there’s no reason you can’t start a nap schedule. Gradually, by putting her down to sleep at the same time every day (say 10am, 1pm, 4pm and so on) she’ll eventually get the hang of this sleeping thing.
• Recognize that baby is still going to get up during the night even if she has been awake during much of the day. Babies wake when they are hungry, wet, or uncomfortable. It’s not uncommon for a baby to wake several times during the night even if she’s had a few naps during the day.
• Each baby will determine her own sleeping schedule. Take comfort in the fact that eventually babies do sleep through the night, and you will once again know what a full night’s sleep feels like.

Articles You Might Find Useful:

• How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?
• What New Parents Really Want This Christmas: Sleep!

When you’re shopping for baby’s crib, you want the very best. You also want to make a smart choice that will make the most of your money. That’s where the genius of the convertible crib comes in. It’s the perfect choice for stretching your dollar beautifully. Why by a single function crib when you can have a convertible?

What is a convertible crib? It’s a crib that is able to grow with your child. It starts out as a standard crib, often with a trundle storage drawer underneath. Then, as your child grows, it converts to a toddler bed. Anyone who has shopped for a toddler bed knows that they are usually poor quality plastic with very few choices available. With the convertible crib, you change a few screws, move a few bars and you’ve got yourself a brand new toddler bed that perfectly matches the decor you already had. And you don’t have to outlay any more cash or spend time shopping for a toddler bed.

But that’s not all a convertible crib does. After your toddler has lovingly used the toddler bed configuration, it converts to a day bed. All with a few quick switches. This allows you to keep the same room decor and have a place for your growing preschooler to sleep. She’ll love holding her baby blanket watching her toddler bed turn into a big girl bed. And you’ve not only gotten another bed out of your investment, but you’re also taking up the same amount of space the crib and toddler bed did. No need to rearrange the room or figure out how to get a bed into the existing layout. Just reconfigure with all the same pieces and you’re ready to go.

Because you’re using the existing parts and pieces, most convertible cribs reconfigure to include a safety rail for your toddler. Then, when the daybed configuration comes into play, the mattress is low enough for your growing youngster to climb in and out of by herself.

Some models of convertible cribs offer a fourth configuration. The headboard and footboard are existing pieces of the set and you add a single mattress. Now you’ve really got a bed that can grow with your child from birth to college.

The convertible crib is an ingenious invention. It saves resources, money, shopping time, and room. It’s a new parent’s dream come true. Your child will love watching as her bed magically takes shape to a new and fascinating piece of furniture. You can use your existing linens and mattress too.

You may invest a little more for a convertible crib than for a standard one-use-only crib. But it’s very little at that. For the quality construction and amazing reuse of the parts, you’re getting a good 20 or so years out of one piece of baby furniture. When the standard crib has had to be moved out of the nursery in other households to bring in a new bed, you’ll still be using your old favorite piece of furniture quite happily.

Modern parents have many more choices than parents of even just one generation back. Now, parents can spend their money on other baby necessities or sock it away for a rainy day. The convertible crib makes baby’s bed from newborn to first or second grader a delightful part of the decor.

Related Articles:

• Nursery Theme Ideas for Girls
• Baby Crib Safety
• Guidelines for Crib Safety
• How to Make a Baby Mobile