Owner: Parenting Our Children URL:http://www.parentingourchildren.com Join Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2007 09:47:56 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Having kids is hard, parenting them is harder. Share the joys and misses of being a parent with other parents. Site statistics:Click here
Are You Ready For Some Football? 2007-02-02 15:40:03
Super Bowl fever is not only all over the country it is also quite prevalent in my house. I use this to my advantage though and we use our knowledge or my limited knowledge of football to help us parent.
Confused? Let me explain.
My husband always says, play action always works, so we use it often in this house. You know how you always bribe your kids to clean their room, but one day the defense gets a little smarter, they are on to your ploy and they will only clean a little of their room, but still know you will give them their bribe?
One day you just switch it up and they have to clean their room with no reward, just for clean’s sake.
That is play action at it’s finest.
When my kids fight, and they do fight, we call unnecessary roughness and they get a penalty. Like going to their room, or losing the toy they were fighting over.
Sometimes kids have more energy then they know what to do with. Our solution is to take them outside and go deep. That means we tell Read more:Football
Baby Blues 2007-02-01 15:48:33 As wonderful as motherhood is, it is very common for new mothers to experience some baby blues after childbirth. The hormone driven wave crashes over 50-80% of women one to three days after giving birth.
Some women have mild symptoms and some last much longer and are classified as postpartum depression. Some common symptoms are tearfulness, sleepiness, fatigue, sadness, insomnia, or confusion.
You have a higher then average risk of experiencing postpartum if :
you have a family history of postpartum
You had a very short or very long period between pregnancies
you and your partner have relationship problems
You do not have family support or
you had multiples
If you suspect you are having postpartum depression it is important to tell your general doctor or your OBGYN. They can get you help or prescribe you a antidepressant. There are also many support groups.
Remember to take care of yourself first, so you can take care of your baby. Eat, try and get your sleep and keep yourself Read more:Blues
Why Moms Drink 2007-01-31 15:03:43
R: Mom can I have lunch now?
Me: Sure, what would you like?
R: A cheese sandwich
Me: I gave you and L and cheese sandwich yesterday and you both took off all the cheese and only ate the bread.
R: well, that is because I don’t like cheese anymore
giggles,
“yes I do, I do like cheese”
Me: So, what do you want for lunch?
R: cheese sandwich
Me: You just said you didn’t like cheese
R: well I do like cheese but I don’t like cheese sandwiches, only sometimes I like cheese, I don’t want a cheese sandwich, I want lunch.
Me: When does Daddy get home???
funny kids, toddlers, preschollers, SAHM, moms, moms who drink Read more:Drink
Car Seat Safety 2007-01-30 15:11:59 I have shown you the video before. It haunts me to this day.
Go comment over on this site because for every comment she gets she is donating $3 to the non profit foundation started in Kyle’s name.
If you want to donate on your own or find out more information please visit http://www.kyledavidmiller.org
kyle miller, 5 point car seats, 5 point restraints, car seats, booster seats, car seat safety, parents, moms, dads, car safety Read more:Safety
Sore Throats 2007-01-29 14:52:54
Children always seem to have sore throats. Here are some top complaints and how you can help them.
Postnasal irritation signs:Mucus buildup in the throat or a feeling that it is dripping down the back of the throat
What to do: Use a saline nasal spray or an antihistamine if allergies are the cause
Strep Throat signs: cold like symptoms plus a fever over 101 degrees, swollen lymph nodes and white spots or pus on the tonsils or throat
what to do: see a doctor who will give your child antibiotics
Dry throat signs: scratchy and parched throat, often caused by dry air and heat in the night
what to do: use a humidifier in all the bedrooms and make sure they drink plenty of fluids, even bringing a glass of water to bed with them.
sore throats, cold and flu season, colds, flu, sick kids, kids
Twins 2007-01-26 15:37:55
Five days after I gave birth I was finally ready to leave the hospital. I remember sitting in the wheelchair and holding both of my babies (hospital policy)and a nice man pushed me through the maze of the hospital halls to my husband’s waiting car.
During that walk everyone stared at us, because we had not one but two babies.
Since then every time we leave the house, we get people who stare or comment on how cute they are, or how they too would like to be blessed with twins.
Then we have the “VSTQP”.
Those are the Very Stupid Twin Question People.
If you have twins you know what I am talking about.
They ask silly or personal questions to us, the parents of multiples, who do not know them from Moses.
1) Are they identical? This one is my favorite.
What I want to reply: One is a boy and one is a girl. HOW do you think they are identical? Did you take biology in high school? Do you have any understanding of the human body?
What I have been known to say: R Read more:Twins
School Controversy 2007-01-25 15:09:00
In a school district near where I live there is a controversy brewing. Before Christmas children in the elementary school were shown a film in social studies class about families.
Why would anyone be mad that their child was shown a family video you may ask?
Well the film included children talking about their same sex parents.
Many of the parents of these students are upset their children were shown the video and said that it was irresponsible of the schools to do so without parental consent. There was a general letter that went out to parents at the begining of the school year, but didn’t have any specifics.
I do think the parents should have been informed of the film with specifics so that if they wanted to sit down and talk to their children first about such issues they would have the time to do so.
Over the telephone, the director of curriculum told our local news that “the video makes no judgment about lifestyles.” She said, “the video is to teach re Read more:School
, Controversy
Tummy Time 2007-01-24 15:02:58
Over ten years ago the American Academy of Pediatrics began its “back to sleep” campaign. Since then the rate of SIDS has dropped 50% which is terrific, but with that comes the fact that now more babies have been diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly a common occurence of babies who have been laying on their backs too often.
Starting at 3-4 months when your baby has more control over his head and neck muscles, start placing him on his stomach during his awake time. It will give him a chance to strengthen his upper body and give the back of his head a much needed rest.
Start with 5-10 minutes a day. Lay a mirror in front of him or a toy. Get down on the floor and play with him. Pretty soon your baby will start reaching for things and even holding their chest off the floor!
You can even start earlier then that and when he is resting or sleeping lay your newborn on your chest so they will get used to the position.
Make it a part of your every day routine with you Read more:Tummy
Kid Ideas 2007-01-23 15:51:04 I am always looking for some new ideas of what to do with my kids, especially when it is too cold outside to play. Here are some craft ideas that you can do with your kids during the long and cold winter.
Let them glue different chapes of macaroni to construction paper. Then they can color it or dye the pasta beforehand with a half of a cup of alcohol and food coloring. When the pasta is the desired color let dry then glue on paper.
Make a tamborine or noise maker. Place dried beans, rice, pasta or cereal onto a paper plate. Place a second plate on top and glue the rims together. Then color, punch holes and add ribbons or glue confetti onto it.
Cute and fun.
kid crafts, crafts, rainy day activities, SAHM
Anorexia and Bulimia 2007-02-05 14:50:14
We know that we live in a food and weight obsessed culture. Models who are too skinny, girls who want to keep up with their favorite celebrity and boys who have to drastically lose or gain weight for the sport they are playing.
More then half of American teenage girls and nearly a third of boys use unhealthy ways to control their weight. Here are some warning signs of anorexia and bulemia to make sure your tween or teenager is as safe or healthy as you think they are:
-obessesion with weighing themselves, always is on the scale
-preoccupation with caloric content and counting fat grams
-eating alone or avoiding eating at all
-thinking they are “fat” and has low self esteem
-use of laxatives or diuretics
-binge eating or purging
-dramatic weight loss
Although the onset of anorexia and bulimia is believed to be between the ages of 11-13 in girls, experts say it could take place as early as middle school.
It is important to remember that anorexia and bulimia are psychiatr Read more:Anorexia
, Bulimia
HPV Vaccine 2007-02-06 15:43:35 Texas is the first state to mandate that all 11-12 year old girls be given the HPV vaccine before entering 6th grade. HPV is the human papilloma virus which can cause some types of cervical cancer.
Texas Governor Rick Perry signed legislature which mandates all girls get the vaccine of Gardasil which is manufactured by Merck, by the school year 2008. As of right now this is the only vaccine for HPV that has been approved by the FDA.
The shot which is given in three doses over six months, is not 100% effective in all cases and is effective only about five years. Each dose is $120 earning Merck $360 per vaccinated person.
I am not opposed to people being vaccinated if they want to be, I am not opposed to a vaccination that can stop people from transmitting a STD, but I am opposed to mandating a brand new vaccine.
Especially when we know how big Pharma is in bed with the government, including the lobbyist for Merck in Texas who was chief of staff for the Governor from 2002 to 200 Read more:HPV Vaccine
Stuff I Love 2007-02-07 15:43:02
This month I am loving these kids aprons.
I love the fabric choices and the vintage feel to these aprons. They are great for fingerpainting, cleaning, helping mom in the garden or cooking. it has three oversized pockets for her garden tools or wooden spoons.
A great present for a “hard to gift” child. Also check out the hair snug. How adorable is that, your very own Lucille Ball!
I have wanted a vintage apron for myself and now I will be ordering one of my own and one for my daughter.
aprons, gifts for kids, kids, girls, moms, gifts, great gift ideas
Make a Tiara For Your Princess 2007-02-08 15:32:49 My daughter has has a lot of tiaras in her four years. she loves them but is not so gentle with them either. I got sick of buying overpriced crons in the store so I decided to make one with my daughter. It gave us something to do and it was cheaper then buy a store made one.
Here is what you need:
· One thin, plastic hairband
· An assortment of wired paper butterflies, leaves or flowers, or large jewels
· Thin satin ribbon
· Fabric glue
Instructions:
1. Wrap the plastic hairband in your satin ribbon, winding from one end to the other and using a little fabric glue to keep the ribbon in place.
2. then, simply secure the various wired bits and pieces you have chosen starting with the center and working your way down.
Let it dry and you have your own handmade crown!
crafts for kids, tiara, kids, rainy day activities Moms Read more:Tiara
, Princess
Music for My Ears 2007-02-09 15:09:06 I don’t really like kids music.
There, I said it.
Someone had to.
I don’t like cartoon voices singing pop hits or to hear Elmo screech out a tune. I can tolerate Kidz Bop because my kids love it but even that has its limits.
Kids love singers and songs and you are left saying “what? they want to hear another wiggles song?” Shoot me now.
My children like Dan Zane. I don’t get it, the whole blues, jazz feel but they seem to like him from what they have seen of him on the Disney channel. We do not own any of his cd’s. Yet.
I do like Laurie Berkner and my kids adore her. She has a nice voice and sings silly songs that are not too silly or stupid. The minute my kids heard her songs they were hooked.
Beatles songs for kids is perfect for my husband who has been singing Beatles songs to them since their first night home.
Other then that my kids right now love one particular Pearl Jam song and one Vanessa Carlton song. We listen to them ov Read more:Music
Kids Are Funny 2007-02-10 15:54:27 We are in the car on the way to the greatest place on Earth (Target) and this was our conversation:
R: Mommy what do you say when there are a lot of gooses?
Me: You mean when there are more then one goose?
R: Yes
Me: If there is more then one you say geese, if there is only one you say “goose”.
R: Yes!
Me: If there is one mouse you say “mouse” if there are more then one you say “mice”
R: yes Mommy!
R: If there is one alligator, we say alligator, if there is more then one you say “crocodile!”
How cute is that? I am starting to love year four more then I thought I would.
cute things kids say, kids, preschoolers, moms, kids are funny, life with kids Read more:Funny
Circumcision 2007-02-12 15:33:08 It is a hot button topic amongst new mothers these days. To cut or not to cut? There is just so much information there, how do you decide?
Routine infant circumcision continues to be the most commonly performed surgery on children in the US, with about 1.2 million newborn boys circumcised each year, although that is starting to decline.
Is it a choice informed parents make or uneducated western torture?
Some people do it for religious reason, some do it for cultural reasons and yet others just do it.
When I found out one of the tiny babies in my womb was a male the question of whether to snip was right there.
My husband wanted him circumcised, his friends said I should circumcise, but then again, all of them were circumcised.
I didn’t know anyone who wasn’t.
I do think it is an unnecessary surgery.
I left that decision to my husband, after all I didn’t have a penis and he did. He knew I felt uncomfortable with it and he had a different view.
He felt it wasn
Beyond Goodnight Moon 2007-02-13 15:31:35
There is so much out there beyond the Goodnight
Moon book for parents and kids. I know that I get bored with reading the same story over and over, although my kids never seem to mind!
I try to incorporate variety in our books and I rotate them from the bookshelf in the playroom, to their rooms often.
My son loves nature books, books about sea life, or dinosaurs. They are encyclopedias for kids. They are fascinated with those. We love
There is a monster at the end of this book and we always laugh at the silly poetry of Shel Silverstein.
I have my childhood favorites as well, that I cannot wait to introduce to my kids that I remember reading in kindergarten and first grade.
If you are looking for some new books to replenish your child’s collection check out the Tiny Treasury site which has great ideas and recommendations.
What are your or your child’s favorite books?
children’s books, books for kids, storytime, kids, toddlers, reading to kids, book
Valentines Day Fun 2007-02-14 15:48:43
Here in NJ it is cold and snowy. We are going to be looking for fun Valentine’s things to do inside today. Here are some ideas for you too:
Make some Valentines
cards.
Print some coloring pages, bookmarks or puzzles
Make a Pin
Or play a game online with your child
Eat only red foods today, like tomatoes, red peppers, beets, red plums, strawberries, and jelly. Make cookies but cut them out in heart shapes or sprinkles sugar on them using a heart stencil. Everyone wear something red!
What ever you do, know that just being with yoru child and interacting with him is what is special about today.
Happy Valentines Day
!
Valentines day, Valentines crafts, valentines printables, fun
Look At This Mess! 2007-02-15 15:31:52 We have entered a new phase in our household, the “he/she did it” phase.
When I ask who left all the puzzle pieces on the floor, the answer is R did it.
If I inquire why there is marker on my table R will yell out “L did it”.
My very favorite though is when they are both together and I wonder who left the refrigerator door open and they both yell out “Lincoln”.
Not Abe, our cat. Although saying Abraham Lincoln did it would win them mucho creative points.
What do I do though in this blaming stage?
First I try to ignore it. Then if it continues I let them know that I know they are not telling me the truth.
Finally, I make them both clean up the mess or whatever they did. If one person isn’t going to confess they both can do it together, which is fine by me.
Otherwise I will be yelling at the cat all day and he is just a terrible cleaner.
Albums 2007-02-16 15:02:14 My husband was transferred to south Jersey when I was pregnant. So, the day I came home from the hospital with my two babies was the day I moved to south Jersey an hour+ from all of our family and friends.
Sure it is hard and although we visit often my kids still miss out on growing up and seeing their family when ever they want.
When the kids were smaller E & I came up with a solution to have them remember the faces of their family members when they can’t be with them. We put pictures in a small soft album, one for each of them and because our families are so big, each one had different family members.
Then once they were a little older and knew who Grandma is or their cousins, we cut out faces or images from different pictures or magazines. Then we laminated them and we had instant placemats.
Now while they were waiting for me to finish cooking or when they had enough of sitting at the table it kept their attention for a little bit longer.
It was fun to do, cute a
Hunger 2007-02-17 21:51:14 Next time your child complains that there is “nothing to eat” remind them that 18,000 children die every day because of hunger and malnutrition.
The number is staggering.
Now remind yourself that the next time you are wandering around the grocery store complaining that you don’t know what to buy.
I know I will.
Read more:Hunger
Love 2007-02-19 16:05:25
The thing about being a mother or a parent at all for that matter is that it is hard, so very hard. That they do not tell you in the pregnancy books or the motherhood web sites.
It is not all flowers and picnics on the front lawn. It is poop and crying in the bathroom because you can’t have a moment alone.
The simple truth is, that caring for another human being is hard, exhausting and boring.
Then you get a night when your child crawls into bed with you and places his small hand on your chin, the same hand that held your finger moments after he emerged from your body, and says “You are the best Mom, I just love you”. That, is when your hear melts and you don’t forget the bad times, they just finally seem worth it. Like seeing a rainbow for the first time and appreciating its beauty.
That is something that they also never tell you in books, that you will have hard times, but with one smile it all gets wiped away.
moms, dads, parenting, love, k
Infants and Memory 2007-02-20 15:31:33
One of my best friends had a baby on Sunday and now I am all hopped up with baby fever. Little tiny, brand new babies that sleep all the time and smell so good.
As I was holding him he opened his eyes and was so alert, it made me wonder what babies or infants remember if anything at all.
My first memory was from when I was three years old. Doctors had always thought that infant’s brains were unable to record memories but not true says a new report, it is just that they only hold onto the memories for a much shorter time then adults.
“The ability to form memories depends on a network of structures in the brain and these develop at different times, Bauer said. As the networks come together between 6 months and 18 months of life, researchers see increased efficiency in the ability to form short- and long-term memory, she said.
From age six months to two years, memory increases from about 24 hours to a year, she said.”
Babies are even smarter then we thought!
babi Read more:Memory
Can't Buy Happiness 2007-02-21 15:41:31 We live in the greatest country in the world right? We are all about excess and our children reap the benefits. They have plenty of toys and clothes, for their 16th birthday they get a new car and we spend hundred of thousands of dollars on parties for them.
We must have very happy and well rounded kids.
Not according to a new report from UNICEF. The U.S. and Great Britain were ranked second to last and last, respectively that looked at the well-being of children in 21 industrialized countries.
The rankings were based on six things: material well-being, health and safety, education, peer and family relationships, behaviors, and children’s own subjective sense of well-being.
Countries at the top of the list were European nations with strong social welfare systems — the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.
I guess money really doesn’t buy happiness.
children’s well being, happy kids, parenting, children, kids
HPV Vaccine Adverse Reactions 2007-02-22 15:20:33 I had already discussed the mandated HPV vaccine in Texas, but now there is some new information.
An analysis of reports of serious medical problems following vaccination against cervical cancer with Merck’s Gardasil found that two-thirds of patients required additional medical care, a vaccine safety group said Tuesday.
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) looked at a report from the federal Vaccine Adverse
Event Reporting System (VAERS) on problems following vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) during the last six months of 2006.
Of 385 adverse events reported, two-thirds required further attention and one-third occurred in children 16 and under. In almost 25 percent of those cases, patients also received one or more of 18 vaccines that Merck did not study, in combination with Gardasil, NVIC said in a prepared statement.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are nopw saying that Gardasil shou Read more:Reactions
, HPV Vaccine
Parent Fun 2007-02-23 15:35:26
When you are pregnant it is so much fun to wonder what sex the baby inside of you is, what whill he/she look like, whose eyes will she have.
It is one of those wonderful things that every new mother does. I have a found a couple of cute web sites that are fun to play around with. The first one is for pregnant women who don’t know the sex of their baby. It asks questions about your body and your cravings and lets you kow what you are having according to all those old wives tales.
Wanna know the chance your baby will have blue eyes? Check out this site which calculates your eye color along with your immediate family members and gives you what percentage your baby has at each color eye.
Lastly this page computes your height and your husbands along with your child who is over two years old and predicts what their height will be.
These may not all be accurate but they are fun!
height predictors, eye color predictors, babies, infants, pregnancy, new moms, moms Read more:Parent
Sick 2007-02-27 14:38:56 The first few weeks of being a parent, the same question would always pop into my head. “What is going to happen if I get sick, how can I take care of my babies?”
I took care of myself, took my vitamins, anything not to get sick, because what was I going to do?
Of course I have had operations over the past four years and a little cold here and there, but my husband would pick up the slack or come home early if I needed him.
Now I am sick and he is away for the week on business.
L has a little cough and I am worried he may get sick. R is fine though and continues to ask me roughly one billion questions a day!
The worst thing about being a parent is ther eis no time for you to be sick, you still have to take care of little people. You can’t crawl into bed and just sleep for the whole day like I wanted to!
Now, I am off to teach my children about “quiet time” for Mommy.
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