Babysitter Safety Tips- Making sure your family has a fire plan is one of the most
important things you can do, especially important is that
everyone knows where the meeting place outside is. Having
everyone meet in one spot not only helps the firemen know if
everyone is out makes their job easier. Unfortunately, most
babysitters are not given this information.
Chicken Pox Vaccination or Not?- My family physician has suggested that we have our 18-month-old daughter vaccinated with the chicken pox vaccine. Is there enough information out there to support this recommendation?
Child’s Play is Anything But- Child developmental experts have studied children at play for over a century. Their research shows that play is a child’s most important work, a way of learning, growing, and understanding the world. A parent’s involvement can make play a richer, stimulating, and more valuable activity for children.
Cow's Milk During The First Year- My son is 6 1/2 months old and had his first ear infection at 6 months. We were just to the doctor for a check up to make sure the infection is gone. The doctor (whom we trust dearly) mentioned the reason my son had gotten an ear infection so early was from bottle feedings. The doctor wants to start weaning my son from his bottle at nine months.
Despite Some Mature Moments Kids Will Still Be Kids- Whenever we get together with family and friends who have small kids I can't help but to think to myself "I'm so glad we're out of that stage!" I recall vividly eagerly awaiting the days for our children to finally be past that phase of the unexpected.
Do You Have the Baby Blues?- Your baby's birth has set into motion great changes in your body and in your life, and your emotions are reacting in a normal way. Dramatic hormonal shifts occur when a body goes from pregnant to not pregnant in a manner of minutes. Add to this your new title (Mommy!) and the responsibilities that go with it, and your blues are perfectly understandable. You're not alone; this emotional letdown during the first few weeks is common after birth. Just remember that your state of mind has a physical origin and is exacerbated by challenging circumstances and you and your body will adjust to both soon.
Easing the Transition from the Family Bed: From Co-Sleeping to Solo- Even if you are a proponent of the family bed, there will come a time when your child will need to sleep by himself. My rule of thumb is that when anyone in the family bed is uncomfortable it's time for the child to sleep on his own.
First Born Jealousy- Our first-born is showing extreme jealousy towards the new baby. She's
obviously mad at us for disrupting the predictable flow of her life with this
new challenger for our attention. How can we smooth things out?
Helping Your Child Say Bye-bye to Ba-Ba- "Mommeeeeeee! Ba ba!" It's the third bottle already today for your two year old, and it isn't even lunch time yet. Did you wait too long to take the bottle away? Is she ready to give it up? Will she ever be?
Hotel Stays With Small Children- Packing up and flying or driving with small children can be stressful enough. You certainly do not need to add hotel hassles once you arrive at your destination. Staying in a family oriented hotel will help, but it won't eliminate all of the headaches.
In Search of the Perfect Playgroup- Many parents these days are seeking playgroups for themselves and their children. Although the perfect playgroup does not exist, one will likely be better suited for you and your child than others. To find the right one, you need to ask yourself:
Kids and Dogs: When Your Baby Learns to Crawl- Your baby has started to crawl. Scooter didn’t expect that. Isabella’s newfound mobility can upset and confuse Scooter. Now Isabella is investigating areas he once thought were his. And she’s approaching him on her own terms rather than waiting for him to come to her.
Let Your Sleeping Baby Sleep!- I am a follower of the "never let your baby cry" rule, and I took it very seriously. What I didn't understand, though, is that babies make sounds in their sleep. And these sounds do not mean that baby needs you. Babies moan, grunt, snuffle, whimper, and even cry in their sleep. Babies can even nurse in their sleep.
The first step to helping your baby sleep longer is to determine the difference between sleeping noises and awake noises.
New Baby: How to Make Sure Your Older Kids are Sleeping Through the Night- If you are expecting a baby and already have one or more children, it's wise to solve their sleep problems before the new baby arrives. Remember, a newborn typically awakens every three to four hours and adapting to a new baby's schedule is very tiring for everyone in the house.
On Fast Food and Silver Bullets- When I sat down to write "What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations," I vividly recalled how, when I was a small child, my mother had taken me to the local high school auditorium to stand in line with many other children to get my sugar cube laced with the polio vaccine. I must have also received a vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella, but I got the measles anyway. The chickenpox vaccine wasn't available when I was young, so I dutifully got my red spots like so many of my friends. We all survived.
Reading to Very Young Children- Sure, reading is critical to a child's success and
development and we know experts advise us to
start reading to babies as early as six months.
But no one said it would be easy!
Saving Money With Baby- Here are five money saving tactics that can really come in handy if you have newborns or young children and would like to save money off a few of the many expenses that you have.
Starting Solids- Your baby is six weeks old and still not sleeping through the night. The pediatrician says this is normal, your nosey neighbor warns of SIDS and your mother is pushing you to feed him cereal.
Surviving a C-Section- After 42 weeks of pregnancy, two days of undergoing inducement and physical stress on the baby, my daughter was delivered via an emergency C-section. Oh, it was music to my ears when my gynecologist arrived in my hospital room at 4:30 a.m. and told me they were going to do an emergency C-section. I must have been in shock or delirious!
Taking a Road Trip with Your Baby- There's no question: Marathon car trips with a baby on board take a good amount of planning and organization. But it can be done - and yes, it can even be fun!
The Dangers of Shaking Young Children- Many well-intentioned, responsible people who would never dream of hitting a child, think nothing of giving a small child a "good shaking." But while such punishment was generally considered harmless until a few years ago, research now indicates that even mild or moderate shaking can cause serious disabilities and even death.
The Family Dog & Your New Baby- Bringing that first child into the home is a joyous occasion for any parent, but it may give your "other baby" a serious case of sibling rivalry. The presence of a new infant can cause a lot of tension for a dog.
Throwing, Catching, & More: Help Develop Your Child's Sports Skills- Motor skills in which an object is typically manipulated (usually by the hands or the feet) are known as manipulative skills. Throwing, catching, and kicking fall into this category - and, as you can imagine, learning and mastering these skills come in handy in a number of game situations. Following the principle of "fundamentals first," you want to be sure your child acquires the ability to execute these important movements.
Transitioning to the Sippy Cup- My seven-month-old baby is breastfed and just starting on solids. Does he need water or juice? When should I teach him to drink from a cup? If he starts using a cup, will that encourage him to wean from the breast?
Halloween!
The cool weather is here and Halloween is quickly approaching! Whether you are looking for fun crafts, great recipes, or costume ideas, you'll find it all here. Here are a few examples to get you started...
Did you know that FamilyCorner has its own photo gallery? Did you know that YOU can upload your own photos to it? That's right, and it's completely free!
Here are some of the fun benefits of sharing your photos in our FC Gallery:
Send your own photos as an e-card
Watch slide shows
See beautiful sunsets and other great scenic shots
Brag about and share pictures of your loving pets
Share photos of your children and grandchildren
Create your own individual album and post in category albums
Keep your favorite pictures organized online
Rate images of other members
...more!
Join us in the FC Photo Gallery. It's completely free to use, just another fabulous reason to be a FamilyCorner subscriber.
Family Matters Radio
FMR is a nationally syndicated radio program developed to help you live your best life, hosted by Caroline & Jacquie. No rants and raves - you get enough of that from your kids. Choose a segment below to begin listening!
Whenever we get together with family and friends who have small kids I can't help but to think to myself "I'm so glad we're out of that stage!" I recall vividly eagerly awaiting the days for our children to finally be past that phase of the unexpected.
Even if you are a proponent of the family bed, there will come a time when your child will need to sleep by himself. My rule of thumb is that when anyone in the family bed is uncomfortable it's time for the child to sleep on his own.
Your baby has started to crawl. Scooter didn’t expect that. Isabella’s newfound mobility can upset and confuse Scooter. Now Isabella is investigating areas he once thought were his. And she’s approaching him on her own terms rather than waiting for him to come to her.
If you are expecting a baby and already have one or more children, it's wise to solve their sleep problems before the new baby arrives. Remember, a newborn typically awakens every three to four hours and adapting to a new baby's schedule is very tiring for everyone in the house.
Here are five money saving tactics that can really come in handy if you have newborns or young children and would like to save money off a few of the many expenses that you have.
There's no question: Marathon car trips with a baby on board take a good amount of planning and organization. But it can be done - and yes, it can even be fun!
My seven-month-old baby is breastfed and just starting on solids. Does he need water or juice? When should I teach him to drink from a cup? If he starts using a cup, will that encourage him to wean from the breast?
Missed the last couple of newsletters? Haven't visited for a while? This section highlights articles and crafts that have recently been added to FC...
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