Today on Facebook one of my friends mentioned that her daughter had been up all night, every hour on the hour. Lots of people made suggests about what could have caused the all night cry-fest, and most of them were: “Teething? Is she teething? Do you feel any teeth coming through?” Teething can be the cause of interrupted sleep, but so can growth spurts, which most people don’t even think of. Parents magazine explains:

Babies grow astonishingly fast. By your little one’s first birthday, he’ll have tripled his birth weight and grown eight to ten inches. Even his head—which is about one third the size of an adult’s at birth—will grow faster in his first four months than at any other time. “A child grows more rapidly during his first 12 months than in any other period of his life,” says Gregory Plemmons, M.D., medical director of the pediatric primary-care practice at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, in Nashville. “What’s interesting is that these increases in weight and height aren’t slow and steady—they appear to happen in fits and starts.”

Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly when and how these periods of growth occur. Some experts think that they last between two to seven days and happen at predictable ages—10 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Others say there’s no set schedule and that the timing varies from baby to baby. But moms recognize a growth spurt when they see one. “I’ve had mothers swear that their babies grew overnight,” says Michelle Lampl, M.D., Ph.D., a growth researcher and associate professor of anthropology at Emory University, in Atlanta. “They tell me their child’s legs were suddenly longer or the diaper or socks seemed much tighter.” Dr. Lampl’s own research backs them up: She’s found that babies can gain a whopping one to three ounces and grow almost a centimeter in length in 24 hours, followed by days to weeks of almost no growth at all. (read more)

image: parentdish

We’re in the middle of the grocery store, and there’s a food battle brewing. My 2 year old managed to spot her favorite treat in the aisle as we zoomed past–Fruit Snacks. Those little sticky nuggets of brightly colored corn syrup are her idea of the perfect food. I’d like to avoid them altogether. I’m not totally strict about food, but there are some things you just have to avoid and I think buying Fruit Snacks constantly leads you down a path to more and more junk food. So, how do I take her to the store without her suffering a dramatic breakdown what I say “NO!” Dr. Sears is here to help….

Maybe you like to shop with your kids. Maybe you don’t. Either way, there will be days when you and your children go grocery shopping together. Here are some ways to get the job done.

Make a list. A shopping list gives you a sense of purpose. It ensures that you will remember to buy the foods you need, and it keeps you from buying foods you don’t need or want in your home. Enlist your children’s help when you make your list. Tape a list of grow foods to your refrigerator and ask your children to check them off when they are used up so that you can add them to your shopping list. Ask your kids which grow food they’d especially like, including, of course, a few acceptable treats. You might compare your shopping list with the traffic-light list. (Maybe you even have it posted on your refrigerator.) Be sure your shopping list contains mostly green-light grow foods, and perhaps a few yellow-light foods. Ignore the red-light foods. (read more)

image: earlyedcoverage

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I was visiting with some other moms the other day and we were talking about how hard it us to leave the house by ourselves when our children are so super attached to us. When my daughter screams and cries when I have to go out in the evening to run errands it makes me feel guilty and it makes my husband feel like she doesn’t want to be around him. Our problem is very minor compared to those of the parents who have to take their kids to daycare everyday. I can’t imagine the stress of watching the time slip away in the morning while you try to drop your screaming kids off and get to work on time. Kids Health has some great advice:

Making Goodbyes Easier

These strategies can help ease kids and parents through this difficult period:

Timing is everything. Try not to start day care or child care with an unfamiliar person when your little one is between the ages of 8 months and 1 year, when separation anxiety is first likely to appear. Also, try not to leave when your child is likely to be tired, hungry, or restless. If at all possible, schedule your departures for after naps and mealtimes.

Practice. Practice being apart from each other, and introduce new people and places gradually. If you’re planning to leave your child with a relative or a new babysitter, then invite that person over in advance so they can spend time together while you’re in the room. If your child is starting at a new day care center or preschool, make a few visits there together before a full-time schedule begins. Practice leaving your child with a caregiver for short periods of time so that he or she can get used to being away from you.

Be calm and consistent. Create a exit ritual during which you say a pleasant, loving and firm goodbye. Stay calm and show confidence in your child. Reassure him or her that you’ll be back — and explain how long it will be until you return using concepts kids will understand (such as after lunch) because your child can’t yet understand time. Give him or her your full attention when you say goodbye, and when you say you’re leaving, mean it; coming back will only make things worse.

Follow through on promises. It’s important to make sure that you return when you have promised to. This is critical — this is how your child will develop the confidence that he or she can make it through the time apart. (read more)

image: BBC

My daughter is two and literally has no impulse control. That’s totally normal for her age. Around age four or five you can start to expect a little more from your children as far and understanding cause and effect. I read an article that gives good pointers for helping your children develop self control and I wanted to share some of it with you:

DON’T: Tell your children they have done something wrong and arbitrarily punish them (lose a privilege like watching TV because of hitting a sibling). In this instance children only come to rely on others telling them what to do instead of learning about alternative acceptable behaviors that they can choose for themselves the next time (“I will ask mom for help with getting my toy back instead of hitting my sister”).

DO: Be flexible. Effective parents are constantly changing and adapting to who their child is. They tailor their parenting to meet the child’s needs. For example: If a 13-year-old is not very responsible, a responsive parent would not let that child babysit younger siblings, regardless of his age. They would help their child to learn more responsible behaviors so he can be left alone to babysit when he is ready.

DON’T: Tell your child you’re not interested in her excuses or explanations for why she has done something wrong. This gives children the message that their feelings are not important. You don’t have to agree with how your child is feeling, but you do need to respect that her feelings are real.

DO: Give your children a “feelings vocabulary.” Start as early as possible labeling their feelings for them. “I can see how upset you are.” “I bet that made you feel very angry?” “I can appreciate how frustrated you must be.” This way, as children expand their capacity for language they will have words to express themselves instead of acting out. They will also be able to tell how someone else is feeling as a result of their behavior: “I can tell by the look on my aunt’s face, she’s angry that I ate the whole bag of chips.” Perceiving how others are feeling about how they behaved will go a long way in helping children to problem solve.

DON’T: Constantly tell your children what to do. But don’t let them do whatever they want either. Children cannot learn about rules if their environment is so restrictive that they are not allowed to make mistakes they can learn from. Nor can they learn about rules if they have never been taught to follow them.

DO: Set limits, but allow your children input (as they get older) into what those limits might be and the consequences for not adhering to them. Children need lots of practice in making decisions about their behavior and opportunities to see the impact of those decisions from both their successes and their failures.

Read the whole article here.

image: homeschoolingaddkids.com

Parents can make reading more motivating by letting children choose books and making reading a memorable family event. Find out what children themselves have to say about these guidelines for parents to increase motivation.

Here are a few tried-and-true guidelines from Reading Is Fundamental on how to motivate kids to read, with comments and suggestions from kids themselves.

Let kids pick out their own books:

Book choice is a strong motivation for readers young and old. Let kids pick out books at the library or bookstore. It’s almost a sure thing they’ll want to read them. If you pick them out, they won’t.

“Let your children pick out whatever interests them. When I was little, I always picked dinosaur books. My dad would read them to me. I got to pick out any book, and he would read it, no matter how hard it was,” says Brian.

Set goals and reward reading:

Reward reading with more reading, we’ve always said. Stop by the library or bookstore for the next book in your child’s favorite series, or let your child shop for it online. Most kids agree, but they don’t also see a problem with more… well, extrinsic rewards.

“Go around your town and find out about contests – you know, like the ones at the library where if you read so many books, you get a reward. Or make up your own,” says Vincent. “If your kid likes ice cream, then every time he finishes, say, two chapter books at least over a hundred pages, then take him out for a little treat.”

Let your kids see you read:

Read the newspaper over your morning coffee, take a magazine from the rack in a doctor’s office while you wait, and stuff a paperback into your purse, pocket, or briefcase. Your kids will catch on to the fact that reading is something you like to do in your spare time.

“If parents don’t read a lot in front of kids, and instead watch lots of electronics – like TV and the computer – then the kids will think that’s what they’re supposed to do and they might not read as much,” says Cameron.

Make reading together fun and memorable:

Parents can convey important positive impressions about reading by making reading an experience their children will remember and cherish.

Emily says, “My mom really likes to read to me and she makes the books sound funny by using different voices.”

It’s not what you read to your child that counts; it’s how. Make a story come alive by changing your voice and pace, or using sound effects and motions.

“For me, it was not just books – it was how my mom read the book that got my attention,” says Brittany.

Create loving associations with books and reading:

Reading together is a time for closeness and cuddling – another way to show your love as a parent, grandparent, or caring adult.

“My mom would write magical notes from Santa, from the tooth fairy, and ‘discover’ and read them with me in the morning. It was the sweetest reward knowing she’d taken the time,” says Brittany.

Luis says, “My grandma is coming, and I want her to read to me.”

For children lucky enough to have parents who read to them, the memory is lasting and their love for books and reading lifelong.

“Most of all, do it the old-fashioned way. Hold your child while you read together. One of my fondest memories is having my mom read to me in bed at night and falling asleep in her arms. I slept perfectly those nights,” says Taurean.

image: qctonline

I hate math. I always have. I feel like I missed some key component in elementary school. Maybe I was sick the day they explained how everything worked. I spent way too long adding and subtracting on my fingers. I remember my mom trying to help me with my homework, but I was so frustrated and insecure it was like pulling teeth to get me to even TRY. Only recently have I started to feel a little more willing to work with numbers and calculations. I guess I’m too old to be self conscious anymore. I worry a lot about my daughter. I don’t want her to feel the way that I do about math. Luckily, my husband is a real math wiz so he’ll be around to help her out when she needs it. In my opinion, girls are not as encouraged to become successful in math as boys are.

How do you feel about math? If you’re insecure about your math abilities, are you worried about passing those insecurities on to your children?

PBS has a great do’s and don’t list for guiding children through mathematical education:

1. Don’t pass on a negative attitude toward math. Saying “I was never good at math” only makes your child feel afraid. (If my parent was never good at it, I probably won’t be good at it either!) You want to convey an attitude of curiosity. You can say “I’m not sure I remember this — let’s work on it together. If we get stuck, we’ll ask for help.” You can also say, “Wow! I didn’t learn this until high school. Good for you!”

2. Do let your child see you do math. Let him see you balance your check book, figure out what store has the best buy for an item you want, estimate how much chicken to buy, find where a picture should be placed on a wall, keep score at miniature golf, or buy gas for the car. Let him see that you do math everyday and that it helps you manage the things you have to get done.

3. Do your mathematics thinking out loud. Let your child hear how you are figuring out when to put the roast in the oven so it will be ready for dinner. When measuring, say aloud, “Now how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?” Then answer yourself, or if you don’t know, look it up in the cookbook. It is OK to use a reference. Count your change out loud.

4. Don’t make math seem boring and dreary. Instill in your child the same level of comfort and excitement you share when you read to him. Play math games, get puzzle books and work them out together. A friend used to put a puzzle on the refrigerator and would keep it there until someone solved it. Granted, sometimes he had to act stumped and give hints to be sure his child came up with some of the answers.

image: picture-book

I consider myself to be a very creative person. I strive to allow as much freedom and creativity for my 2 year old daughter. This doesn’t always come easy to everybody. If you find that messes bother you and you prefer an orderly environment, you might shy away from encouraging creativity without even realizing it. Since creativity and self expression are so important, PBS has put together some great tips and information:

Creativity is the freest form of self-expression and, for children, the creative process is more important than the finished product. There is nothing more fulfilling for children than to be able to express themselves freely. The ability to be creative can do much to nurture your children’s emotional health. All children need to be creative is the freedom to commit themselves to the effort and make whatever activity they are doing their own.

What’s important to remember in any creative activity is the process of self-expression. Creative experiences help children express and cope with their feelings. Creativity also fosters mental growth in children by providing opportunities for trying out new ideas and new ways of thinking and problem solving. Creative activities help acknowledge and celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of your children as well as offer excellent opportunities to individualize your parenting and focus on each of your children.

Opportunities for Creativity

To fulfill your children’s need for creativity and self-expression, be sure to provide activities that are based on their interests. Learn how to listen closely to what your children are saying. Offer your children a range of creative materials and experiences: drawing, painting, photography, music, trips to museums or zoos, and working with clay, paper, wood, water and more. Provide your children time to explore materials and pursue their ideas. Don’t forget to give them time to talk these ideas over with other people, both adults and children.

Varieties of Experience

Look for ways to provide multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and other community experiences for children. The more variety of experiences children have in their lives, the wider their range of creative expression. The more personal experiences your children have with people and situations outside of their own environment, the more material they can draw on to incorporate in their play.

Creativity Traps

Some parents and teachers have a hard time encouraging creative expression, even though they understand and appreciate its benefits. Maybe they don’t feel creative themselves or are uncomfortable with the mess and materials. It’s best to let your child tell you about their creation rather than guessing. Try not to judge, evaluate, or compare your children’s creative expressions. A little assistance and direction can be helpful, but be careful not to interfere with your children’s creative explorations.

Fostering the Creative Process

In order to foster the creative process, encourage your children to make their own choices. Give them frequent opportunities and lots of time to experience and explore expressive materials. What your children learn during the creative process is most important. Show your support for the creative process by appreciating and offering support for your children’s efforts. Independence and control are important components in the creative process. This is especially true when working with children with disabilities.

Creative Play

One of the most important types of creative activity for children is creative play. Creative play is expressed when children use familiar materials in new or unusual ways, and when children engage in role playing and imaginative play. Nothing reinforces the creative spirit and nourishes a child’s soul more than providing large blocks of time to engage in spontaneous, self-directed play throughout the day. But many parents misunderstand and underestimate the value of play in the lives of children, forgetting that play fosters physical, mental, and social development. Play also helps children express and cope with their feelings. Play helps develop each child’s unique perspective and individual style of creative expression. In addition, play provides an excellent opportunity for integrating and including children with disabilities.

Avoid Dominating the Play

Play should be the result of the children’s ideas and not directed by the adult. Try to foster your children’s abilities to express themselves through play. Try to help your children base play on their own inspirations, not yours. Your goal is to stimulate play and encourage children’s satisfaction in playing with each other or by themselves. Pay attention to play, plan for it, encourage it. Learn how to extend children’s play through your comments and questions. Try to stimulate creative ideas by encouraging children to come up with new and unusual uses of equipment. Try to remain open to new and original ideas and encourage children to come up with more than one solution or answer. Avoid toys and activities that spell everything out for your children and leave nothing to the imagination.

image: creativeartspaceforkids

October already?! It’s hard to believe it. Here in my part of the midwest we had a record breaking summer with the coolest temperatures we’ve had in years. My daughter is still asking to go to the pool! Instead of mourning our summer, I’ve decided to throw all of my enthusiasm into fall and Halloween. This year, my 2-year-old should be a little more brave when we go door to door for Trick-Or-Treating. Last year we dressed her as a witch and went door to door just to show her off. She did get candy, but don’t worry, we didn’t let her eat any. It all disappeared in a matter of days at our house! I just don’t know where it went! I’m innocent!

Here are some tips from Dr. Sears on how to Trick-or-Treat Safely:

KISMIF: Keep It Simple, Make It Fun!

Let this be your Halloween motto. Just because we try and make Halloween night safe and nutritious, doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. The costumes, the party, and your own antics help make it fun. In fact, kids like to see parents lighten up and act like kids again. As long as you weave in safety rules with fun, children both accept it and expect it. Consider these safety issues:

• Masks and hoods can obscure the view of oncoming traffic, and in the midst of all the excitement your impulsive little ghosts and goblins may not be as attentive as they should be to what’s going on around them. Insist on the pack staying together. Don’t allow children to wonder off on their own to various houses or rush on ahead.

• Be vigilant when crossing streets in neighborhoods. Children must travel with buddies, older friends, or parents. If you’re the designated adult trick-or-treater, why not dress up and have fun? Older trick-or-treaters may be more inclined to accept a chaperon who’s dressed for the occasion.

• Walk on sidewalks instead of the street.

• Stand outside the home that your child visits. If your children are invited inside the house, go with them.

• Bring a flashlight.

• Give your child a cell phone, if possible.

• Use reflective tape on costumes if they’re walking along dark streets.

• Wear comfortable shoes.

• Costumes should not be so long that children can trip on them.

• Make sure masks are easy to see and breathe through.

• Teach burn protection: tell children not to touch flaming jack-o-lanterns. If possible, use flame-retardant costumes and review the stop-drop-roll burn prevention with your child in case the costume catches fire.

•  Use non-toxic face paints. (read more)

We had a rough weekend at my house. My daughter turned two recently and it seems like overnight she’s become more and more difficult. Kicking, screaming, throwing herself on the floor. It’s exhausting. After she threw her cup from the dinner table, I raised my voice and said “STOP IT” and then put my head down on the table and sighed. My daughter became totally quiet for a moment and then said “Mama…no sad.” I felt terrible, like the worst parent in the world. When she went to bed I started looking around online for parenting advice and I came across a list of general tips that would help any parent. They are simple and to the point and I thought I would share them with you:

How can I be a good parent?

There’s not just one right way to raise children. And there’s no such thing as a perfect parent or a perfect child. But here are some guidelines to help your children grow up healthy and happy:

• Show your love. Every day, tell your children: “I love you. You’re special to me.” Give lots of hugs and kisses.

• Listen when your children talk. Listening to your children tells them that you think they’re important and that you’re interested in what they have to say.

• Make your children feel safe. Comfort them when they’re scared. Show them you’ve taken steps to protect them.

• Provide order in their lives. Keep a regular schedule of meals, naps and bedtimes. If you have to change the schedule, tell them about the changes ahead of time.

• Praise your children. When your children learn something new or behave well, tell them you’re proud of them.

• Criticize the behavior, not the child. When your child makes a mistake, don’t say, “You were bad.” Instead, explain what the child did wrong. For example, say: “Running into the street without looking isn’t safe.” Then tell the child what to do instead: “First, look both ways for cars.”

• Be consistent. Your rules don’t have to be the same ones other parents have, but they do need to be clear and consistent. (Consistent means the rules are the same all the time.) If two parents are raising a child, both need to use the same rules. Also, make sure baby-sitters and relatives know (and follow) your family rules.

• Spend time with your children. Do things together, such as reading, walking, playing and cleaning house. What children want most is your attention. Bad behavior is usually an attempt to get your attention.

Image: Baby Specialist

You already know that you need to wear sunscreen, but you need to be extremely careful with the sun and your kids. Sunscreen is mandatory at my house as me and my daughter are both fair skinned and burn easily. Here are Dr. Sears tips for treating babies who have had too much sun:

Thin baby skin and summer sun do not mix. If baby’s skin is pink or lightly red and baby doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable, treatment isn’t usually warranted. Using aloe or a non petroleum-based moisturizer is always a good idea after sun exposure. In more serious sunburns, try the following treatments:

• If baby’s skin is very red and baby is crying and seems uncomfortable, immerse sunburned area in cool water, or use a cool compress for fifteen minutes, at least four times a day.
• Apply aloe or a non-petroleum-based moisturizer multiple times a day.
• Click here to read our burns article and learn how tell the different degrees of burns as well as more suggestions on burn treatments. If you think baby has a second-degree burn, and baby’s skin is blistering, call your doctor for a prescription cream and/or appointment.
• Give baby Ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and ease pain.

Burned skin is extremely sensitive to becoming permanently discolored by the sun. Once the burn is healed, you should apply sunscreen or cover the area with clothing or a hat. Continue this extra sun protection for 6 months.

Toddlers or older children sunburned? Here’s what to do:

• Remove your child from the sun at the first sign of over-exposure. Cover his skin with loose-fitting layers of cotton clothing if you are unable to find shade, or when he must return to the sun.

• Run a cool bath for your child to ease the pain and draw some heat out of the skin. While a shower may be the most practical solution, the spray of the water can be painful on the raw, tight skin of a sunburn. Soaking in a cool bath with colloidal oatmeal or baking soda added to it can be very soothing.

• Apply wet cloths or wrap your child in a wet towel, sheet or shirt, if you don’t have ready access to a bathtub. When you are at the beach it may be hard to find a tub, but water and towels are in abundance.

• Keep children hydrated. A sunburn is often accompanied by nausea and a headache, both of which are caused by the dehydrating nature of a sunburn. Make sure that children are drinking enough fluids or indulging in ice pops to replace fluids. Providing a cool and quiet place to rest can also help alleviate headaches and queasiness.

• Put calamine lotion or talcum powder on the affected area to help absorb some of the heat.

• Use a lotion or moisturizer that contains aloe vera after the sunburn cools down a little. The lotion will not only soften the sunburned skin, but aloe is also a natural healing product that reduces swelling and pain. For extremely painful sunburns, purchase and use a lotion that also contains a topical anesthetic.

• Give your child a children’s over-the-counter pain reliever, using the dosing instructions on the package, to help with the worst of the pain.

• Cover small blisters only if they will be compressed or rubbed by the child’s clothing. Use a loose gauze bandage but don’t apply ointment or cream underneath.

• Report your child’s sunburn at his next visit with the pediatrician. Even if it wasn’t severe enough to treat, it’s important that the doctor has a record of sun exposure significant enough to cause cell damage. It will give the pediatrician a head’s up to keep an eye out for any new and unusual skin lesions.

Sources: webmd, sunburn info: Dr Sears, eHow