Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
Boot Camp (Sleeping Part 2)
You’ve got this sleeping thing mastered and your tot is practically sleeping through the night. Believe it or not he probably is because “sleeping through the night” according to pediatricians is six straight hours. But just when you think it’s safe to relax your sweet baby turns into a toddler.
Toddlers don’t want to sleep. They want to explore their world and not miss a thing. However now that they aren’t sleeping all throughout the day, they need sleep now more than ever. Luckily for you toddlers and preschoolers thrive on routine. But it’s up to you to be strong and keep up the steady bedtime routine even if they try to cajole, scream, or whine their way out of it.
Here are some great bedtime routine tips to keep your child in healthy sleep habits.
Don’t over do it. In order for the routine to be effective and trigger the time to go to sleep response in your child you have to be prepared to do it every night. If your bedtime routine takes hours is that something you’re always going to be able to do? Keep it short and sweet. Fifteen to twenty minutes is sufficient enough time from pj’s to bed to get your child ready to hit the pillow. Two books before bed and a song once their tucked in is plenty.
Early to bed. Toddlers need twelve to fourteen hours of sleep a day and Preschoolers need eleven to thirteen so it’s important they get their nighttime rest. If your child isn’t getting at least ten hours at night it can make for a fussy, whiny, unpleasant day. For this age group it’s best to set the bedtime between 7 – 8pm. This way even if they fight sleep they still have enough nighttime hours to recharge their batteries.
Stay firm. Children are amazingly clever and they will do anything possible to delay the inevitable bedtime. Nip this behavior in the bud by only allowing one delay tactic after you’ve tucked them in. Otherwise they will work this tactic to death. The best way to deal with that is to give the child something tangible. I made a free pass for Three-feet-of-fun and when he gives it to me for a drink or he forgot a stuffed animal or something then he’s done.
It can be completely adorable the reasons children come up with to get out of bed. Even if it tickles your funny bone you need to be stern and follow the routine. They don’t know how important it is that they get their sleep — but you do.
Posted in Activities, Child Development, Child Education, School and Learning, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Basic Training (Sleep Part 1)
Babies can sleep anywhere up to eighteen hours a day. Sounds marvelous, doesn’t it? Sure. Until you find out that they only sleep in two to three hour bursts. This is especially draining on new parents. The best advice to give new parents is, “Sleep when the baby sleeps.”
While sage advice, it isn’t always possible. There are bills to pay, laundry to wash, housework to be done, so here are some helpful ways to get the little tot to sleep in longer stretches at night so you can catch up on some much needed ZzZz’s. These are also the basic training steps in teaching your baby how to sleep through the night.
Sleepy not sleeping. It’s tremendously important to put your baby to bed when he is drowsy but not asleep. You want to start encouraging good sleeping habits while their young, makes it much easier later on. The baby needs to learn to fall asleep on his own. If you put the baby to sleep and then lay him down, when he wakes in the night (other than hunger) he’s going to need and expect you to put him back to sleep — and they do wake up missing you.
Stimulations. Treat bedtime like its serious business. When laying your child down, do it with very little fanfare. No extra coddling, talking, cooing, nothing to stimulate your child into think its playtime. Same goes for night wake ups. When you go into the room for night feedings or emergency diaper changes don’t talk to your child or make eye contact. Just do what needs to be done with expedience and precision. You have to teach your baby that night time is for sleeping and if you engage your child you’re sending mixed signals.
Nightlights. Babies don’t know the difference between a light and the sun. So, you want to make sure that you keep the babies room as dark as possible at night so they can learn. I recommend a low wattage nightlight that leaves enough light to see by but not enough to be disturbing. It’s imperative that when the child wakes in the night that you don’t turn on extra lights. That keys the child into thinking its daytime which equals playtime.
These are the beginning steps to helping train your child on how to sleep through the night. And while you might not get through the night just yet, you’ll be amazed what a solid four to five hours will do for you.
Posted in Activities, Character Development, Child Development, Child Education, School and Learning, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Finding a Preschool (Part 2)
Now you’re ready to move on to actually finding a school. You’ve weighed the different philosophies and decided on the one or couple that would best work for you and your child. The next step is doing the research — is there one of those schools in your area?
Word of Mouth. The best way to find good schools is by asking around. Ask your friends and family if they know of any schools in the area that are reputable. Strike up conversations with parents at parks or at the library to ask where their children go and if they’d recommend it. A personal reference is much better than an ad in a phone book.
Expert Help. The Childcare Aware hot line 800-424-2246 is an excellent resource to find schools in your area. They can give you the local numbers for childcare referral agencies and they can give you the skinny on great schools in your area. You can also get a list of accredited preschools in the area and while that doesn’t necessarily guarantee those schools will be a good fit for you it’s a good place to start looking.
Phone book. This is a last resort resource. The Yellow Pages don’t screen preschools anyone who buys ad space can put their school in the book. It’s an excellent starting point if you need it but remember you must do your homework.
Any school you decide on needs a closer look before you enroll your child. Make sure you not only interview the director over the phone but you go down and visit the school during school hours to get a feel for how the school truly is.
Questions to ask over the phone:
1.) Fees. If it’s a private preschool it will have some
2.) Hours. A school is no good if you need an 8 am to 5 pm and they’re only open til noon.
3.) Student to teacher ratio (7 students to 1 teacher is the ideal for ages 3 and 4)
4.) What holidays or weeks are they closed
5.) Their discipline philosophy
6.) Nutrition. Do they supply the food? Do you? Are there things you couldn’t send in a lunch? Things of that nature
7.) Lists of the daily activities
If you like what you hear then you want to schedule time to visit. You’ll want to meet the director and the staff. See the facilities, the play area, examples of the daily activities, and see if the kids generally seem to be having a good time.
Things to keep an eye out for while visiting:
1.) Is it a clean and safe environment
2.) Do the teachers seem happy with their jobs
3.) Do the kids seem happy with their teachers
4.) Is the equipment outside taking care of and safe
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and poke your nose around their facility. This is a place your child is going to spend a lot of time in when you aren’t around to make sure their safe. You can never be too careful choosing a school — do your homework.
Posted in Child Safety, Safety, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Water Safety
With the summer season upon us you can never be too cautious around water or read too many articles on water safety. Most children love water and are like bugs to a zapper when it comes down to it. So vigilance is the watch word while your child is around enough water to drown in, which is less than an inch of water. This includes places you wouldn’t normally think of: puddle, bucket, bowl, and toilet.
What to be watchful of around the swimming pool:
1.) Watch your child at all times. For young children don’t be more than arms length away so you are readily available to grab them.
2.) Pool drains. The suction from a pool drain can be strong enough to hold an adult by the hair or body underwater let alone a child. Drain covers that are missing are usually the cause of this problem.
3.) Swimming pool water should have the proper chemical balance of chlorine. Too much chlorine can burn your child’s skin not enough and the water is ripe for bacteria and pollutants.
4.) Make sure your child walks and not runs around the edge of the pool. One slip is all it takes.
5.) Water wings or a life preserver is a must for young children that don’t know how to swim yet. Don’t rely solely on yourself to keep your child afloat. There is no such thing as too safe.
6.) If you have a pool in your backyard make sure it’s enclosed with a fence that is at least four feet high and has a lock on the gate. Make sure that unless you’re in the pool with your child that it remains locked.
7.) If you have a little plastic wading pool, make sure to drain it and store it in an upright position after each use. Never leave the water in it unattended or overnight. The water isn’t chemically treated and could grow bacteria.
8.) Always carry a cell phone with you to the pool just in case of emergencies.
If the unthinkable happens and your child goes under for longer than a moment, here are the steps you’ll need to take calmly and quickly:
1.) Pull your child out of the water
2.) Carry the child with their head lower than their chest
3.) Wrap the child in a warm dry towel or blanket
4.) Call 911 or take your child to the nearest emergency room (even if the child appears okay they could have water in their lungs which could cause lung damage and pneumonia)
5.) If the child is unconscious, check for breathing and a pulse — if not breathing start CPR while someone else dials 911.
The rule of thumb around the water is: Never leave your child unattended.
Posted in Pets, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Choosing the Perfect Pet (part 2)
If your answer to the lifestyle question was travels a lot then you’ll need a low maintenance pet like a cat, rodent, reptile, or fish. A pet that you can leave enough food and water for short trips and for longer trips have a friend come over every couple of days to refill the supply. These types of pets won’t miss you like a dog will when you’re gone.
Cats. When choosing a cat, you’ll also want to pick one in its adolescence. They aren’t as rambunctious as kittens and less likely to claw and bite while playing. And when you have a small child, the cat is bigger and less fragile in little hands. Adopting is best for a family cat but if you want purebred, Ragdoll cats come highly recommended by experts as being very gentle, laid-back, and friendly. Other things to consider: males are more tolerant of young children than females and indoor domesticated cats are a necessity. Feral, or undomesticated cats, won’t be happy as an indoor family pet and you can expect a lot of scratches in demonstration. Always check with the adoption provider if the cat gets along with children.
Rodents. Caged animals such as rabbits, rats, hamsters, gerbils are fun pets for children to watch but not really handle. They also are messier than cat with cage clean up but have the convenience of cats in not needing constant affection or constant watch while on your travels.
Reptiles. Reptiles have the ease of only needing to be fed every few days but you have to be careful of breeds — turtles can carry salmonella. You also have to be comfortable feeding the animal live crickets or in the case of snakes rats and mice. Depending on your child this can be a neat thing to watch or traumatic so make sure you know your child’s tolerance and feed the animal after your child is in bed if needed. Reptiles are less messy than the rodent breeds but no where close to cuddly.
Fish. Fish are by far the easiest animal to take care of. While they don’t have any “play” value they can be entertaining for kids to watch. They would also enjoy sprinkling in the fish flakes. Tanks do need to be cleaned but if you have a good filter system it doesn’t have to be very often.
A happy pet is a well-placed pet. Make sure the pet you choose, is right for your family, and you can’t go wrong.
Posted in Pets, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Choosing the Perfect Pet (part 1)
When picking the perfect pet for your family, there are a few things to consider:
*are you and your family ready for a pet — do you have the time and resources to devote to a new pet in the home
*is your child old enough to handle a pet — keeping in mind that your child won’t be mature enough to help out with the pet until eight or so years old
*what kind of pet will fit in with your lifestyle — if you’re a traveler you’ll want a cat as they are more independent and can be left alone for several days.
If you’re a dog person and you’re absolutely sure your family needs a dog, it’s best to consider one between one and five years old. They are more mature than puppies and won’t rough house as much, and they’re still young and spry enough to play with your child.
Some breeds are better known for their family orientated personalities like retrievers and spaniels tend to be gentler and love being played with. Whereas small dogs such as terriers and toy breeds are easily hurt so they are more aggressive with nipping children out of fear. The only sure way to get one that is good with children is to measure the dog and not the breed.
Adoption is a good place to start with looking for a dog. The adoption counselors know the animals and their temperaments to tell if they’d be a good match with kids. A lot of shelters test out their dogs with children to verify if they’re good with them. They also foster dogs out to families with small children to accustom the dog to day to day life for permanent adoption.
Here’s a test to conduct for yourself when you find a dog you’re interested in:
1.) make loud noises and sudden movements and gauge reactions
2.) touch the dog in an intrusive way as a child would.
3.) play with the dogs ears, hold the paws, put your fingers in the mouth
4.) pat him, push him, roll him over
5.) run in a circle and jump up and down
You’re looking for a pet that can handle the rougher handling because until your child learns they won’t always be gentle. If the dog responds calmly to these annoyances you inflicted, chances are you’ve got a good family dog before you.
Next installment will be on how to choose a good family cat….
Posted in Health, Healthy Living, Mental Health, Sleep, Sleep and Rest, Stress Management, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
For A Couple of Minutes More
Being healthy is always a hot topic but lately it seems the “be fit” crusade is in a definite upswing. To lose weight or maintain a healthy figure, a person can spend up to 45 – 60 minutes working out three to five times a week. To get healthy or stay that way, we eat right, in the proper amounts, and from all the food groups — and even doing this we still listen to anyone who touts a new way to eat that is “healthier”. We subscribe to yoga, meditation, and wheatgrass all in our effort to start or keep our healthy lifestyle. Even with all this die hard dedication, there is still one key ingredient missing to be completely healthy. It’s just one thing that can and should be done everyday and it’s so easy it only takes a couple of minutes to perform.
No, it’s not a new miracle vitamin, the newest energy health drink, nor a powder for shakes. It’s something you do before bed that will ensure you get a solid night of sleep, which is truly an essential key to staying healthy. There are many culprits to sabotage a night’s sleep besides uncomfortable sleep conditions and outside distractions: stress, anxiety, worries, to name a few. When a body doesn’t get enough sleep, you get run down, easily stressed out, and it can ultimately lower your immune system — allowing you to get sick easier and stay sick longer.
What is the new healthy miracle that will guarantee a full and restful night’s sleep? When you’re feeling particularly stressed or over stimulated take a few minutes, before you lie down for the night, and write all the issues that are bothering you down. Doesn’t matter how trivial you think they might be, if they are bothering you they are keeping you from sleeping healthily. By taking the time to get any and all concerns off your chest, out of your head, and onto paper you make sure you aren’t lying in bed thinking about them which can keep sleep at bay.
Posted in Health, Nutrition, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Nightmare Leg Cramps
There’s nothing much worse than being yanked out of a pleasant night’s sleep by pain and nothing does that better than getting cramps in your calves. You know them, and you lay there whimpering as you try to work them out so you can go back to sleep. The cramp is a result of all the muscles contracting in the back of your lower leg and you swear it’s got to be something more severe than a simple cramp by the pain level alone. Don’t panic. They really are just a cramp and rarely indicative of something more severe. These kinds of cramps most commonly occur when you’re falling asleep or as you’re waking up in the morning.
There are several causes of leg cramps which include:
-Alcohol abuse
-Lowered potassium levels
-Muscle overexertion
-Sitting for long periods of time.
-Diabetes
-Dehydration
-Pregnancy
-Medication induced — albuteral, niacin, diuretics, and some mental health medications.
-Neuromuscular disorders — such as Parkinson’s disease.
Some tips to help you in the dead of night when the cramps strike:
-Flex your foot while straightening your leg out which stretches out the calf muscles — hard to do but very effective.
-Try and rub out the cramp — I find that this coupled with flexing really works it out quickly.
-Take a hot bath — not my favorite choice it’s the middle of the night and I just want to get back to sleep.
-Apply cold pack to the calf — also requires getting up.
There are preventative measures you can take to avoid the cramps all together:
-Drink plenty of fluids — water counts, soda doesn’t.
-Stretch your legs out before going to bed.
-Make sure you get plenty of potassium in your diet.
Some foods that are extra rich in potassium at least 300 mg or more per serving:
-Bananas
-Papaya
-Raisins
-Artichoke
-Broccoli
-Canned Kidney Beans
-Baked Potato w/ skin
-Tomato
-Brazil Nuts
-Hamburger
-Roasted Peanuts w/ skin
-Canned Salmon
Posted in Allergies, Child Safety, Health, Health Care, Safety, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Asthma
asthma – a paroxysmal, often allergic disorder of respiration, characterized by bronchospasm, wheezing, and difficulty in expiration, often accompanied by coughing and a feeling of constriction in the chest.
“asthma.” Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 18 Jul. 2008. .
Basically, the airways in your lungs are inflamed and swollen causing the chest to hurt, which in turn can affect the ability to breathe. Now, how can you tell if your toddler or preschooler has asthma when they wouldn’t know the words to describe it? By watching for the symptoms and if you think your child does don’t be afraid that you might be over reacting. Asthma can be a life threatening disease if gone untreated.
Symptoms to look for in toddlers in preschoolers. Coughing, sometimes after playing hard or intense crying, or repetitious coughing at night when sleeping or early morning. Symptoms are usually worse at night. Dark circles under eyes, shortness of breath, wheezing — a whistling sound due to the closed off airwaves. It tends to be commonly linked with allergies.
Triggers. Exposure to allergens, most commonly animal dander, dust mites, and mold, can prompt the asthma symptoms or bring on an attack. Common colds and illnesses, tobacco smoke, and in some cases exercise can also perpetuate the affliction.
If the child has some or all of these symptoms you need to consult your pediatrician immediately. It might be just a cold but if it isn’t, you want the child treated before a full blown asthma attack. The pediatrician will assess the child and make a determination if it is in fact asthma or something as simple as a common cold. If it is asthma, it’s important you work closely with your health care provider to come up with a treatment plan.
First, figure out what is triggering the child’s episodes. Three-feet-of-fun has asthma and he was allergic to pet dander so in order to try and avoid attacks we gave our cats away to a good home. There are medicines for cat allergies but the only truly effective one is in shot form and my husband and I decided that until he could make the choice for himself we’d be pet free — we couldn’t inflict shots on him on top of everything else.
They will also teach you how to use a nebulizer, a machine that turns liquid medicine into a mist that goes through tubing into a face mask for the child to inhale. With that, there are too kinds of medicines: a preventative medicine and a quick reliever. The preventative won’t do anything for a child in arrest only the quick reliever will blast the child’s airways open, enabling them to breathe.
Asthma happens. There is no sure fire way to prevent your child from succumbing to it and there is no cure. You can help their chances to avoid it by keeping your house vacuumed, keeping the child away from smokers and smoke in general, keeping the house pet free if the child shows pet allergies, and diminish mold in the home.
Posted in Exercise, Exercise, Health, Healthy Living, Uncategorized, Weight Management | 1 Comment »
Why Weight?
Toning your upper body is a topic in and of itself. Weights are one way to fight the arm flab but there are a couple weightless toning exercises that work and don’t require you go out and spend money on weights.
The Chest Expander
Target Area: Chest
Benefits: Firms up the breasts and loosens the shoulders
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, as with all standing exercises, and with a straight posture. Never lock the legs, so keep them bent slightly with your weight in your legs. Fold your arms in front of your chest with one arm over the other, not touching, and the hands pointed down.
Slowly, open your arms like an exaggerated shrug until your arms are straight out from your sides, forming a “T” with your hands facing up. You should be able to feel your chest expanding. Out and back in is one rep and you should do three sets of fifteen – twenty of them with a five second pause between each set.
The Push Up
Target Area: Chest, Shoulders, and Arms
Benefits: Firms up the breasts, targets all muscle groups in your arms, and strengthens shoulders.
To get the best results from push ups make sure you use the full range of motion. On the up, make sure your arms are locked and on the down let your nose touch the floor. It’s important to keep your back straight and support your weight in your arms and legs.
There are variations on the push up if you can’t do a full one.
Knees down. Set up like a regular push up but be on your knees instead. Start with your lower leg and feet on the floor and build up the arm muscles. Gradually you can work into having your feet off the ground while your knees are down. Finally, coming to a full push up.
Against the wall. For those who have bad backs and knees, a vertical push up against the wall. Start with a small angle of 20 to 30 degrees to the wall and do the push ups. They aren’t as weight intensive so you have to do more of them to be effective but still get the job done if you do them enough. Gradually, make the angle from the wall bigger until 75 to 85 degrees to the wall. This will put more weight into the push up and make it more effective and still not a strain on your back or knees.
Posted in Exercise, Exercise, Health, Healthy Living, Uncategorized, Weight Management | 1 Comment »
