Protect Your Little Ones from Mosquitos July 17, 2008
Posted by artinshamrocks in Infants- Sleeping and Napping, Nursery, Toddlers, active kids, babies, health, safety, summer fun.Tags: children, DEET, mosquito bites
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Mosquitos are an unpleasant nuisance and can ruin an enjoyable summer evening but they also carry West Nile which could be deadly especially to am infant. An ounce of prevention is much better than a infant howling with itchy red welts. Understanding what attracts mosquitoes is as important as understanding what repels them. Mosquitos like humidity such as perspiration and moist plants, dark clothing, carbon dioxide, floral scents, still air, early mornings or evenings and lactic acid which is released after exercising or eating salty or high-potassium foods. People who eat garlic are often not bothered by insects as much. Avoid taking your infant out at night and dump all old standing water such as rain barrels and items that have accumulated water.
You might want to try several of the suggestions below.
- Never allow children to apply their own mosquito repellent since they may inadvertently apply too much.
Baby Bottoms July 7, 2008
Posted by artinshamrocks in New Moms, Toddlers, babies, health.Tags: babies, diaper rash, diapers, yeast infections
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As the weather heats up, so does diaper rash and yeast infections.
Infants are more vulnerable to diaper rash in the summer. Heat, humidity and perspiration all can aggravate sensitive bottoms.
Diaper rash is a red, spotty inflamed rash. To prevent it change your child’s diapers frequently and let baby go diaper-free for 15 or 20 minutes. A brief sun bath in a sunbeam can also help. If its too late to prevent it use a squirt bottle with water to cleanse the area and avoid scented baby wipes. Be gentle and apply a diaper ointment that contains zinc oxide. This type of product soothes the skin and protects it from getting too moist. A very light dusting of unscented talc or even corn starch is also good after the ointment is applied. If the rash does not go away, talk to your doctor or if the rash includes blisters or pus-filled bumps you child might have a yeast infection or even a staph infection.
Candida (yeast infection) normally lives on our skins and usually does not cause a problem. But in the hot months of summer, children in diapers are targets for yeast infections. This rash is also red and usually bumpy. It can itch, burn and ooze a clear liquid. A child on antibiotics may also be more susceptible because these medications kill the good bacteria that keeps yeast in check. The rash is usually found in the skin folds of the diaper area and baby girls are slightly more likely to have a yeast infection. For treatment you can try an over-the-counter antifungal treatment such as Lamisil or Lotrimin AF but a call to your pediatrician is best.
Should You Try to Teach a 2 Year Old to Read? June 20, 2008
Posted by artinshamrocks in New Moms, Toddlers, education, games, toys.Tags: books, reading readiness, Toddlers
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I’ll never forget having a play date with a fellow teacher’s two year old. We thought it would be fun to let the little girls play while we relaxed and chatted. I was floored to see her lower kitchen cupboards covered in sight words, letters and common nouns. Actually many of her household furnishings were labeled too with a flash card and the name of the object. Her two year old happily lead me through the house reading each one to me as my child examined the lint between her toes.
While there are some children who read very young, others just don’t “get it” until they are a little older. I personally don’t believe in pushing a very young child to read but there are some common sense things you CAN do to get them interested in reading.
Two and three year olds aren’t ready to sit down and learn letters and words but you can help them develop their oral language skills. Encourage them to talk about a story you’ve read together. Expand their experiences and vocabulary. Do fun activities together and talk about them. Sing and count things together. Make up silly rhymes.
Four year olds will begin showing more interest in print. But even that is an individual thing. Cash in on teachable moments! Teach them sounds, letters and numbers when they show an interest. If you want to excite him, teach him to read and write his name. He will be more interested in this word than any other. Next move on to Dad or Mom or a siblings name.
The most important thing you can do is read to your child. This builds language skills and keeps their curiosity alive. Give them age appropriate learning toys but don’t discount building blocks, leggos or puzzles.
Even though more is expected now days out of preschoolers and kindergartners, as long as you encourage them and help them to progress at their own speed you will find them enjoying a variety of print in no time.
To Whine or Not to Whine June 8, 2008
Posted by artinshamrocks in Discipline, Parenting Teens, Toddlers.Tags: Discipline, parenting, tantrums, whining
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Got a child who whines? Take a deep breath and try one of the following:
Rule out any medical causes for the whining-like pain or illness.
Try to figure out what is behind your child’s high pitched pleas.
Remember that you child is asking for attention and not just trying to annoy you. Children whine to get a parent’s attention so think about ways you can give them this attention before the whining starts.
Say something like, “I don’t like when you whine. If you want a glass of milk then ask me like this.” Model the way you want your child to ask for something. Also praise a child when they request something the right way telling them you liked the way they asked for a story or apple.
Ask yourself if you have been busier than usual or has your child’s routine changed. Reconnect with your child and give them extra love and attention.
All children whine at one time or another. Actually most adults do too. It’s a learned behavior. A smaller child might throw a tantrum but a older child who has more self control is likely to whine. Respond to that first bid for attention if you can and don’t wait until the child is really in distress. Most important is not giving into the whining request even if it’s a reasonable request…because that reinforces to the child that whining gets them their way.
Time-outs for Toddlers June 6, 2008
Posted by artinshamrocks in Discipline, New Moms, Toddlers, Uncategorized.Tags: Discipline, time-out, Toddlers
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If your toddler is very distressed by a simple time-out for bad behavior it can be hard for a parent to take. However, before you decide not to use this as a discipline tool, keep in mind that his reaction is actually a clue that it is working. There are ways though that you can make these lessons a little less painless for you and your child and still discipline your child with love and logic.
Work towards good behavior-try to circumvent bad behavior and the need for discipline before it happens. Provide him with lots of interesting activities and loving interaction with you throughout the day and make routines fun. By minimizing your child’s frustration you alleviate some of the possibilities for bad behavior. Don’t forget that frequent meals, enough sleep and some cuddling can help toddlers (and their parents) better manage their emotions.
Reserve time-outs for the worst behaviors,such as hitting or biting. If time-outs are being used more than once or twice a day, there may a problem with your expectations of his abilities.
Tailor the time-out to your child’s personality. Some children calm down seconds after being disciplined while others take longer. Watch your child’s body and when she relaxes a bit and her crying has subsided, then get her out of time-out and into a favorite activity. Also try to find a way to praise her shortly after the time-out and always give hugs and love. A child must realize that it’s the behavior that you find fault with and not them.
Any disciple method takes time and requires patience and consistency to see if it’s working. Give this method about four weeks. If you don’t see improvement then consider other factors like gaps in language or eye-hand coordination. Perhaps it’s just a stage the child is going through or something stressful going on in the home or daycare. Talk to your pediatrician if you are concerned about aggressive behavior that does not respond to firm but loving discipline.
