Practicing the right behavior is an important part of our being and this need to be imbibed in our kids from the very beginning. When you initiate your kid’s presence in a play group or take him or her along to a social gathering, it’s important that the child knows how to behave well. To train the kid about the same, parents have to work out ways for managing inevitable issues. Chalking out clear policies will improve these issues and will also get you the support from other parents. Here are ways to resolve issues while reasoning out the problematic areas.   1. … [Read more...]

  "Shy / reserved" or "spontaneous/ social" are common tags with which society often labels kids. Without doubt, most parents today would want their kids to be labeled as the latter. They'd like their kids to be the first ones with hands waving in the air to ask or answer questions, to sing lively loud songs and to participate in events. Kids, who are shy, are treated like; it is something shameful, and their parents often apologize for their shyness. But psychology elaborates that "shyness" in children is not bad at all! Of course the child could be shy in a healthy way, which will be … [Read more...]

Babies grow up quickly. As they leave behind the milk, they begin to eat cereal and baby foods. It’s not long before they have outgrown even that and are looking for more substantial foods that have texture and can, of course, be played with. What’s the fun of eating if you can’t play with your food? It’s time for finger foods! Self-Feeding Baby Eating Stage Junior can’t be a baby forever. He has to grow up and tend to himself eventually. This begins with eating. When he gets to the self-feeding stage, he wants a little control over what goes in his mouth and when. Eating is … [Read more...]

For expecting and first-time parents, preparing for the birth of the new arrival can be overwhelming. Just one visit to the nearest baby superstore can be a stressful experience for many new parents. Walking down row after row of cribs, high chairs, baby clothes, diapers, bottles, and strollers prompt many to think, 'Wow! How can a baby so little need so much stuff?' to be followed by, 'How are we going to be able to afford all this?' Fortunately, parents-to-be can find affordable baby gear and clothing and outfit their baby in style if they are willing to do a little deal searching and learn … [Read more...]

Dressing a baby can be a wonderful bonding experience: face to face, mother and baby, sharing a quiet moment.  On the other hand, it could be a wrestling match in which a parent tries to put trousers or tights on a wriggling baby quite determined to crawl away.  Many a tear of frustration has been shed on both sides.   Most parents have found dressing their baby stressful at some point.  This usually happens when a sleepy newborn transforms from a compliant, passive baby to a wriggly and stubborn protester with a mind of his own.   Baby clothes can become a minefield. … [Read more...]

If you know a child that is about to turn 1, you will likely be looking for gifts for baby's 1st birthday. It is often easy to buy gifts for a child, but when it comes to gifts for baby's 1st birthday, the task becomes a little harder. You will likely want to buy a gift that the child will always remember. Or, at least something the parents will remember so they can later tell the child who bought them that gift.   Keep in mind that, though toys and clothes make wonderful gifts, personal gifts are the things that the parents, and therefore the children will remember as the best … [Read more...]

  Parenthood is a time when expenses rise to pay for the needs of children. From those diapers during infancy to that new backpack each school year, parents pay large sums of money for their children. While many costs are not possible to reduce, such as required vaccinations or doctor visits, parents can find ways to cut back without giving up the necessities. Think About Hand-me-downs: Parents around the world have handed younger children clothing or items that the older siblings have outgrown. This idea saves parents money by limiting the number of outfits and items they need … [Read more...]

When it comes to Christmas, enjoying it with a baby or toddler for the first time can almost be as magical as experiencing it for yourself for the first time.  Suddenly everything becomes the greatest, best thing that ever was, from the ornaments on the tree to the lights around the house to the glittering snow globe shining down from way up high on the bookshelf.  However, surviving the holiday season with little ones also brings about a certain amount of fear and trepidation.  What will they get into that they shouldn’t?  What will they put in their mouth that they shouldn’t?  How … [Read more...]

When I look back on my own childhood, I remember mostly moments of pure, unfettered elation, riding on bikes with friends around the neighborhood, playing backyard games of baseball, setting up a marginally profitable lemonade stand. All this was punctuated with few memories of incredible sadness, which hit a peak when my best friend moved away in second grade. Now that I have children of my own, I can understand how hard it can be to say goodbye to loved ones who, after years of closeness, must be forced hundreds or thousands of miles away from each other.  To help the transition, keeping in … [Read more...]

So you’ve come to the point in your life where you have become pregnant, for some it’s been the culmination of a lot of hard work, and for others it might be a complete surprise, but hopefully it is an exciting time for everyone concerned.  If this the case then your relationship will enter nine months that will be completely different to anything you have ever experienced before!  With that come changes in emotions that partners will wonder if their loved one has suffered from alien abduction, and they were swapped with a completely different being.  Some may be luckier, but the swings … [Read more...]