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Showing posts with the label parenting

How to wean a toddler from bottle feeding

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Bottle feeding a baby is a time-consuming and stressful task. You must monitor your milk production, your baby's feeding schedule, and other factors. Once you start weaning your toddler from the bottle, it can be equally as stressful—but for very different reasons! Some mothers feel bad about denying their toddlers something they adore so much, while others worry that if a bottle isn't around at all times, their children won't get enough food or liquids. What if, then, I could prove to you that things don't have to be this way? That there are actually ways to help you through the process? Be consistent While consistency is important for all aspects of parenting, it's especially important when weaning a toddler from bottle feeding. While your child may be ready to make the transition, she might not want to let go of her beloved bottle—and that's okay! Be patient and don't give up hope if it takes your child a few days or weeks to adjust. The easiest

How to Teach Children About Money in 7 Easy Steps

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  Money can be a touchy subject for kids and parents alike, but it's also a topic that needs to be discussed. We want our children to understand the value of money and how it works, but it can be tricky to discuss these concepts without sounding preachy. As a parent myself, I've found that making learning about money fun is one way to get my child interested in the topic without worrying about them feeling like we're pushing an agenda or being lectured at. Here are some fun ways that you can teach your child about money : Let kids invent their own games or create their own money. Let kids invent their own games or create their own money. This works especially well with older children who already have a grasp on financial concepts like spending, saving, budgeting and investing. Let them create their own games using whatever they want as currency — anything from marbles to candy to paper clips could work! If they want to make up actual rules for using this new currency (f

Online Learning 101: A Parent’s Guide

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Online learning presents us all with difficult challenges, especially if you are a parent of 2 or more children. Even if you are a parent who is digitally savvy, you will still be grappling with many different problems that will occur during the phase of sudden transition of the traditional education to online education environments. This alternative learning method has begun in most countries around the globe and is tough to achieve for parents who must continue their own work to support their families. How to meet your children’s academic needs while you need to keep doing your job if you are an essential worker is not an easy task. While for those who are working remotely from home suffers time management. Although online learning may seem like an impossible task, there are possible remedies to make homeschooling journey sailing as smooth as possible. Here is a useful parent’s guide to help your child with online learning. Time Management First step is to list down your chi

Newborn Essentials for First Time Parents

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Preparing stuff for a baby on the way is truly a gruesome task. You have lots of things to consider but thanks to some thoughtful friends who prepare Baby Showers , you’ll have a shorter list to complete before the big day comes. Just recently, I have to recall all the baby essentials I needed with my sons when they were born so that I can give my friend a practical gift that she can use for her baby. As first time parents, they have a long list of baby stuff and essentials to prepare and buy. For me, here are some essential things that should make a priority on your list. Photo credits: Lars Plougmann – commons.wikimedia.org First is the bassinet or a crib. Most new mothers can’t get enough of holding their baby and sometimes choose to co-sleep with their baby on their side. But sooner or later a crib will come in quite conveniently.  Boppy pillows are also functional and practical to have especially with a newborn. Expectant moms will find comfort with this when used

Getting a Remote Controlled Vehicle for your Child might be a great decision this Summer

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Does your son plan on staying indoors all the time, cooped up with a bowl of chips and his favourite series of racing video games that you got him for his birthday this summer as well? Surely enough, you are not the only parent who has been complaining of his son’s socially awkward behaviour, pale skin and of course, gradually worsening poor eyesight . Remember the time when you were a child and all you could do is play with your remote controlled vehicles throughout the day with your father or race along with other RC trucks with your friends? From Redcat Racing RC Trucks to Velocity Toys’ vehicles, we know that you had a hard time choosing which one is the best out of the lot or aptly fits your budget. While most people would indefinitely suggest you to administer your son to a month long summer camp, let us tell you of the one and only way that you can help your child get a little bit of fresh air amidst the sun in your backyard, a nearby park or the beach, and at the sam

Three mistakes parents can make when it comes to early childhood education

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From the moment your baby is first placed in your arms, you love them with all your heart; as they grow, you support them as they learn to sit, crawl, and walk, and talk and much more. Your list is ever full of ways to nurture, support, and teach them to become happy, successful adults. But sometimes your efforts can produce unexpected results a few years down the line and you can be left wondering what, if anything, might have gone awry in your parenting efforts. If this sounds familiar, take heart: every parent I have met as an assistant working in this type of child care center in Sydney has felt this at some point, only to redouble their efforts to be the perfect parent immediately after. Interestingly, they tried to be this mythical person in three distinct ways, convinced that they were on the right path. In fact, the three groups were each making a different mistake; the pattern was clear. I did a little research to see if it’d ever been documented. Luckily, it had, b

Kid Disasters: 4 Tips for Getting the Kid Stains Out

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Parents with small children often find themselves with stains and messes to clean up. Right when a new outfit goes on the baby, stains are sure to appear shortly. Many parents can resonate with this concept, since children are not the tidiest of people. The following tips are sure to make a parent’s life easier, since they help treat every day stains that are common to children. Wet Wipes Keeping wet wipes around is very important when you have small children. A mess is bound to be made, and a moistened wipe often works better than a dry one. Picking up any excess residue with a wet wipe and immediately blotting the area lightly is a good step to take. This can be especially helpful during a trip outside the house, where washing in the laundry is not possible. Immediate Stain Treatment Immediately treating the stain produces the best results. Food stains can be sprayed with water with a paper towel behind the stain. Rinsing a fresh stain with cold water normally removes

Wise Family Investments: Setting Up A Trust Fund

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During these tough economic times, investing in your child’s future is one of the wisest structured family investments that you can make. Despite the squeeze on household finances, more and more families nowadays find that it’s vital and practical for every child to have the best possible start in life through investing in a financial support scheme. A trust fund can be comprised of properties, cash, bonds or stocks intended to provide financial security and benefits to an individual. The amount of money invested in a child trust fund is a long-term savings that encourage parents to save for their child’s future. The recipient can withdraw the money only until a specified event occurs or when he reaches 18 years of age that he can already be eligible to receive a yearly income from the fund. Trust fund is about giving beneficiary money that your child needs but not providing them full control over the investment.  You need to delegate a trustee who will be in charge

Pre-School Years: Dealing with Separation Anxiety

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Some parents are very lucky to have toddlers who are more than willing to walk straight inside a classroom and are very eager to socialize with kids their age. There are also parents who have to deal with children’s separation anxiety and must find ways to ensure that they will be ready for this new and exciting experience. image via en.wikipedia.org Soon as you decide that your little boy or girl will be attending preschool, talk to him or her about the wonderful place you have found. Tell your child about exciting experiences that they may learn from this place and the kids they can meet and play with when they start preschool.  You can ask permission from your chosen preschool to visit and observe with your child. Introduce her or him to the teacher and staff, allow him or her to play with other kids so that they will become familiar with the environment. If you still worry about your child throwing tantrums when she starts preschool, ask the school if they can all

Back to School Adjustments Tips

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It's school time again! The two months school break is over, the Department of Education declared last April 2, 2014 that the first day of classes for School Year (SY) 2014-2015 in public elementary and secondary schools nationwide in the Philippines is on June 2, 2014 and shall end on March 27, 2015. According to Education Secretary Armin Luistro, private schools may deviate from this School Calendar, based on Republic Act (RA) No. 7797 or “An Act to Lengthen the School Calendar from 200 days to not more than 220 Days. Going back to school after a long break may pose some adjustment difficulties for children and parents as well, so here are some suggestions to help ease the transition and promote a successful school experience. A new school year brings excitement to our children as it means new school things – new bags, new shoes, new school supplies and more. However, it also brings new worries to our children, some feel nervous on their first day of school because o

Parental Role in Child’s Academic Achievement

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Another school year has ended, a lot of happy parents are proud of their child’s academic achievement as Facebook feeds are filled and flooded with well wishes for children graduating in pre-school, elementary, high school or college. Congratulatory remarks and photos on honors and awards garnered by these young achievers are posted in most social media networking sites. Both the child and the parent in my opinion must be applauded for this great academic accomplishment. Parents play an important role in helping their child appreciate their education - which is proper motivation, encouragement, supervision and support in assisting their kids to fulfill their potential. While the kid on the other hand, being influenced by their parent manage, coordinate and take a positive and an active interest in what they are learning in school, thus, performs well in their studies. According to studies, parental involvement in kids academic attainment are more likely to be of higher-achievi

Imaginative Ways of Displaying Your Kids’ Artwork

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Kids grow up really fast so while they are young, nurture their creative minds by showing off their artwork and creative expressions. From toddlers to pre-school ages, they kids can be very adept with coloring materials, molding clay and others. All their creation can easily light up any proud parent’s face. But the fruits of their creativity can pile up and displaying them can become a challenge for most parents. So here are some ways of creating your kid’s artwork display: Kid’s bedroom – you can put up a clothesline and use wooden pins or clip to display their paintings and drawings. Allow them to decide which they want to put up and display.  Family art gallery – choose whether it’s the family room or the stairway that you can designate as your art gallery. You can frame favorite snapshots, drawings or painting for a less cluttered look. As your collection grows, you can sort and keep the older ones in a clear book or album. Art shelf – three dimensional pieces

Ender’s Game: More Than Just a Young Adult Sci-Fi Novel

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My youngest son at age 14 is a very wide reader. He is very much into young adult science fiction books so it’s no surprise when he bought the best-selling Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I saw the film trailer first before I realized it was the book that my son has recently purchased so I became really curious about how the story goes. I started flipping through the pages and discovered how exciting and thrilling the book was. Even if it is tagged as a young adult fiction book, I think thrill-seekers and lovers of science fiction novels will definitely love the storyline and the characters of this book. The story basically revolved around the life of Ender Wiggin, a student leader in a school like no other – the Battle School. This Battle School is found in space and the kids who are taken there must learn to fight at zero gravity. The kids are trained physically and mentally to strategize, fight and win against competing teams in all odds. The immense mix of heroes a

Breastfeeding tips: Foods to Avoid for Nursing Moms

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Many pregnant women are very mindful of what they eat during their pregnancy to keep the baby inside their womb healthy; however, some tend to forget that there are also certain dietary rules needed to follow while breastfeeding as well. Breastfeeding is recommended not only to save time and money but because of its various health benefits intended both for the baby and the mother. Breastfed babies are less likely to become obese nor develop allergies, have a lower risk of developing stomach illnesses, ear infections and other diseases. While, nursing moms reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and a lower risk of experiencing postpartum depression. If you are nourishing your baby with breast milk you must keep in mind that whatever food you eat, drink or medications you take may have an effect on the quality of your milk and reach your baby too. Breastfeeding experts advise lactating mothers to avoid the following foods: Caffeinated drinks Work at home mot

5 common behavioral issues on Kids Playdates

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Children love playing together.  Many moms arrange a scheduled date and time for their children to get together and play. Playdates are great opportunities for kids to learn how to develop relationship and socialization. They can learn how to interact positively in different play scenarios. It is meant to be enjoyable for the kids and the moms as well. image via  http://flic.kr/p/8GhaQJ To play and to have fun is the main purpose of a play session; however there are times when things go awry due to kids’ behavioral concerns. Here are 5 of the most common behavioral issues on kids playdates. Toy sharing . “You can’t play with this toy” - This is the most common cause of clash and emotional game play. Solution : If you will be hosting a playdate, it will be a good idea to first ask your child which of his toys he is willing to share to his playmates and put away his special or favorite toys. It is the parent’s role to explain the idea of sharing - sharing toys with

Creating a child-friendly outdoor space

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During winter, the whole family wants to hibernate – even energetic children who just love playing outdoors. However, once the frost has melted away and the sun is in the sky, your kids will be eager to take their activities outside. Image via shop.tacttiles.com A garden filled with rubbish, debris and general hazards is not a safe environment for playtime. That’s why you’ll need to make sure your outdoor space is the perfect place for your little ones to while away a summer’s afternoon or two. Here’s how to do it:

Yahmir’s day with the Animé

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The world of Animé, an abbreviated pronunciation of Animation in Japanese has been an instant hit to the younger generation nowadays. Anime shows, books and manga fall into a number of existing genres such as comedy, sci-fi, action-adventure, drama and so on which are usually featured via hand-drawn or computer animated characters. My youngest son, Yahmir is a big fan of animé.  My husband, his elder brother and I fully support him in his present interest.  He occasionally joins cosplay events and contests due to his academic schedule.  However, we make sure that he can still watch and attend such events during school break.

Raising A Toughie: Introducing Mountain Bikes To Adventurous Kids

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Adventurous parents would surely make tough role models to their kids. But of course, before you’d allow your kids to engage in any hard-hitting activities, you want to ensure that they will be safe. For moms and dads who love mountain biking, searching for a kid’s size bike needs thorough considerations. We need to make certain that it should have the working parts and features of a regular bike, but it should be smaller, weigh a little lighter and made according to their reach. If you are searching for a good bicycle to buy then Global Bike is one of the best venues to check out mountain bikes, road bikes as well as safety gears and accessories that you can get for your kid. Image via themamabelly on Flickr There are no age requirements on starting to ride bikes and you can find hundreds of models suitable for your kids’ height and abilities. For starters, your kids’ maybe eager to learn and ride a mountain bike even before they learn to balance on two wheels so make sure

When is the Right Time for Teens to Date?

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As parents we tend to become overly protective when it comes to our teens, but it is also our responsibility to help them manage relationships and attractions to the opposite sex. It is an inevitable process and parents, especially moms should be prepared to make some important decision when it arises. It helps to have some experience over dating, love and relationships from your own teenage years – you know only too well how everything feels. You want your teen to develop a healthy relationship and have good experiences when it comes to dating and puppy love. But of course you also want your teens to make wise decisions on who to date and how to handle situations around the opposite sex. Are they ready for it? 

Best Book Series for a Teen

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We, moms like our kids to develop a habit of reading, the reason why we encourage them to start to like books and other reading materials while they are young. I am really proud to say that my son is an avid reader. Despite having gadgets and game consoles, Yahmir would rather bury his nose in adventure filled young-adult books especially the Percy Jackson Book Series. You cannot deny his being a huge Rick Riordan fan having the almost all the books in the series. He’s currently waiting for the next book, The House of Hades which is to be launched on October 8 of this year.