1. Separation

Separation however short can be a tough thing to handle for most kids. There are many incidents wherein the parents have to leave the kid alone for a short duration of time. The best way to keep the kid comfortable is by leaving the kid with a patient and supportive adult who can willingly take care of the child in your absence. Listening to what the kid has to say is very important. This is a medium of reassurance for the little one.

Even the infants need someone with whom they can talk. The child should know where the parent is going and also about the time that the parent will take to return. This lets the little one understand the situation and environment better. If the child cries, console him with love and care.

2. Aggressive Behavior

Aggression is very common in kids. Incidents linked to pushing, biting and maltreating other kids are generally seen amongst children groups. The reason behind such a behavior is that the kids don’t know how much closeness or roughness is too much. Kids grow intensive, behavior wise when blocked with tension or fear. Stopping them before they take an ugly step can help prevent the thoughtless move and the negative feelings associated with it.

As a parent one has to maintain a keen eye on the kid’s aggressive behavior. Intervening and stopping the kid right on time is really necessary. Let the child cry hard so that the venting process can come in play. Don’t blame the kid since this will create a difference. Be gentle yet firm when dealing with this matter. Immediate action is required so don’t give a momentary blind eye to the situation. Let the child speak up or take on a long crying session with you since this can mellow down their tension and consequently aggression too.

3. Withdrawn Behavior

Some kids are introvert. They play alone, stay alone and are more of invisible. Such children require gentle treatment and invitation to socialize with other kids. Give them the time they need. Don’t be pushy. Gently nudge the child towards group activities. Listen to what the kid has to say if he or she becomes too scared. Listening and talking helps. Kind listening will keep the introvert kid closely linked to you. Make ample use of eye contact, reassurance and warmth when dealing with such kids.

4. Squabbles Over Possession

Throwing a tantrum over the favorite doll or a treat is common amongst kids. Here the parents need to assure the child that the situation is simple and can be worked out. The policy for infants involve the parents lending the over demanding kid a patient ear, listening out the grief and urgency that the child has to reflect as an expression. Reassure the baby that his or her demand will be met when the other kid has had his or her share. The policy of reassurance is great for such situations.

Expose the kid to a variety of situations that require social linking. Notice and implement the policies that will help the kid grow into a great adult. Don’t turn aggressive when the kid takes on the tantrum mode. Instead listen and speak up. Help the child understand and grow guilt free.

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About the author: Kate is blogger by profession. She loves writing on luxury and designer baby clothes. Beside this, she is fond of books. Recently she shared an article on herb garden for her blog Gardeningclan.com.

“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 elaborated later.

Whatever may be the case, if you have decided to get rid of the “shy person” in your child, you have decided to give your child more to life. Shyness often robs kids of opportunities, that, the world offers. Therefore it is important and convenient if you catch them young, as shyness often increases with age. The following pointers will be of great help in your endeavor to rid your child of shyness.

1. Get To Know Your Shy Child Better

Spend time in getting to know the nature of the shyness in your kid. This is a crucial step as this will guide you on to the next. Is he/she shy when it comes to mixing with new people? Participating in the classroom? Making phone calls? Participating in a recital or even just singing a song somewhere? Try to identify why they act shy. Understand that they act so due to certain situations or emotions they hold. Above all, respect the fact that all kids are unique. Some may have trouble bonding with others. Yet others have non- verbal learning disabilities or they may have a personality that suffers from high anxiety. Ask them what they feel about a particular activity and why they do not seem into it. Hug your child and hold him/her close. Just this small gesture will open most of them up and they’d tell you what is in their mind. It is important to be calm and pleasant with them. The harsher or the more impolite you are the more withdrawn your child will become. Try to find solutions to the problems which encourage them to be withdrawn.

2. Implement Solutions

If your kid is shy at school and not at home, it implies that the child is either not interested or is finding it uncomfortable in the school atmosphere. The first thing you can do in this case is to meet the teachers and ask for feedback/ solutions. Pay regular visits to them and also visit your child at school. It often boosts up a child’s esteem when their parents come to visit their kindergarten or elementary classes. If your child lacks interest in the classroom or work, then make arrangements to have a piece of the child’s interest in the classroom. For example, if your child likes shells, then talk to the teacher so that your child can do an informal talk on his/ her shell collection. Some shells could even be kept in the classroom.

3. Be A Role Model

Children first learn from their parents and try to emulate their behavior. That means they’d do things the same way you do! If you are a shy person, the chances of your kid being shy are pretty high! So, behave in ways you want your kids to pick up. If you don’t want your kid to be shy, then don’t be shy yourself! If you are indeed a shy person then what you can do is to make an effort. Tell your kids about the efforts made and teach them social gestures and manners. They will learn from it. The earlier you teach them, the better it is!

4. Help Your Child Identify Talents and Manage Emotions

Identify the activities your child loves to do. Encourage and appreciate those activities and provide platforms for your child to explore his/ her abilities. Every week, give the opportunity for him/ her to do something new. This way, they can identify new talents and can inculcate passions early in life. A child who has identified at least a few talents will have a lot more self esteem than one who hasn’t identified any. As a parent, ask your child regularly about school and what they feel. Give them their space and always ensure they are in safe custody.

A healthy level of shyness will include sufficient eye contact made by the child, a very peaceful mind and other traits like slow in mixing with people and not singing very loudly. If the child displays “shyness” without making eye contact at all, or if they always seem to be disturbed or violent in actions, then it is time for professional help. While shyness is not a bad thing, see to it that it does not rob your child or the windows life offers.

About The Author: Kate is a blogger by profession. She is fond of writing, reading and travelling. Recently she has done a research on symptoms of breast cancer. These days she is busy writing an article on Baby gear for her blog Parentingclan.

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 very important to a child so this logically is where that self-control starts.

Think about it! Do you like getting something that looks like strange colored pudding with a variety of taste and no texture always being shoved in your mouth whether you liked it or not? NO! You want to explore. Junior wants to explore the culinary worlds.

At this stage of your baby’s life, he is learning how to control his hands. It’s not all about eating. It is about learning to use his hands and use them well. We take for granted how to use fingers and have complete control over where our fingers go and do. Junior is just learning that. You continuing to feed him with your own hand actually prevents him from learning valuable motor skills.

This is an important part of his growth and should not be taken lightly but with fun.

The Best Finger Foods

As stated above with steak, not every “finger food” is good for Junior. Remember that this is something new to him. Look at his little hands. They are pudgy and small. They are awkward. He needs foods that are easy to handle yet can challenge him.

Here’s what you’re looking for:

1. Is it soft enough to be eaten without needing teeth? Keep in mind that baby might a tooth or two, but that is all. They need food to gum. Examples: baby peas, oat cereal, small pieces of cheese (though not too much), pieces of soft bread, small pieces of fresh fruit without skin, scrambled eggs, small pastas. You get the picture.
2. Can it easily be picked up with the fingers? He can’t use utensils very well now. He only has his fingers. Mashed potatoes are not eatable finger food. It is a play with your food art source. Cut up anything like a banana into little pieces he can grip. Not too little! But not so big that he will choke on it as he shoves the whole thing in his mouth.
3. How easily can he get choked on it? You don’t want foods that can choke your baby. You want ones that his mouth will turn into much quickly. Crackers might not be ones you think of, but they are soft and usually begin to break down as they enter the mouth. By the time he finishes exploring the weird texture of it, the cracker is mush.

Dangerous Foods

There are many foods out there that are small, can be cut up, and Junior can handle very well. That doesn’t mean they are good for him. Think of yourself. How often have you put food in your mouth and found that you forgot how to eat properly and began to cough and choke? And you’re the experienced adult!

Some foods pose a choking hazard such as popcorn. It is small and fun to eat but it has kernels in them that can easily get in the wrong passage. Been there and done that! You don’t want Junior having to go through that.

Many foods present allergy problems. Nuts are great finger-foods but can cause choking and life-threatening allergy potential. Until you know your child is not allergic to nuts, avoid them.

Skin on fruits and vegetables should be avoided. Yes, the grapes are soft and easy to pick up but their skin is so flexible that it can shimmy down the wrong pipe and cause lots of problems.

The Right Eating Environment

As they begin to venture into the finger-food stage, make sure they are  sitting in a comfortable high chair like Graco 4 in 1 high chair or a type of booster seat so Junior is sitting like the adult he is growing up to be and can easily use his hands. He needs to be focused on the eating and not on playing with toys. Never leave a baby unattended in either one of these seats. They need to be sturdy, safe, and comfortable.

Future Eating Stages

As the baby’s teeth come in and they develop better motor control, you can expand these food ideas into the nuts, the popcorn, and the grapes. They aren’t banned forever but until Junior can handle them. Baby steps are needed in all parts of their lives.

Laura Cecil, mama to three kids, created livesnet.com where shares her reviews and parenting experience with her friends. Whether she’s writing her reviews, sharing her tips or just telling her stories as a single mom on her site,she just want to take care of her kids better and help parents live better with their loves. Please visit her site and read her latest review on her love stroller Uppa Baby Vista 2011.

Clearance Sales

The first trick to find almost any type of baby gear on a budget is by taking advantage of clearance sales. Most large retailers have clearance sales at least twice a year, typically at the beginning of the year, (when stores mark down leftover holiday stock) and late summer (to make space for fall and winter inventory). Clearance sales are a wonderful way for expectant parents to buy affordable clothing at a significant savings, putting it away for the next season. Large baby gear, such as strollers, high chairs, and play yards can also be found on clearance when next year’s models arrive in the stores. Even online retailers participate in end of season clearance sales, so if you live in a more remote area you can still take advantage of clearance deals!

Couponing

Another fabulous way to save money on baby items is by using coupons, which can be found in the local Sunday newspaper as well as online. Common coupons for baby items include diapers, wipes, baby food and formula. Large baby retailers also mail out store coupons occasionally for baby furniture, gear, and clothing. By using the coupons to purchase the item when it is on sale, shoppers can maximize their savings.

Freebies

Websites that help new parents find freebies and very cheap baby items can be very helpful in finding deals on things that babies need. These websites often list all the manufacturers that send free samples, coupons and other gifts to parents who sign up for their mailing lists. Obstetricians also give out gifts such as diaper bags and free formula from formula companies. Free samples of diapers, wipes, and cleansers are very convenient to have on hand, and are often just the perfect size to stash in a diaper bag.

By following these few simple shopping tricks, new parents will be on their way to finding all the baby gear their newborn needs, without breaking their budget.

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.  Tiny pairs of trousers can suddenly become a battle of wills.  Never mind doing the poppers up, there isn’t even a leg in the leg hole yet.  Worse still, once a baby can see that their actions are having an effect on their mother or father, it suddenly becomes even more fun and they often redouble their efforts to escape.

So what can be done to make dressing fun?  First take away the stress and fear.  Once a parent can relax, a baby picks up on this lightened mood and may relax themselves.  Make life easy.  Baby clothes need not be a struggle. There is no reason why a baby cannot wear all in one clothes all day long. Why keep the one-piece clothing to bedtime? There are many one-piece day outfits now available with just one quick row of poppers to manage.

Secondly, a parent often fears that their bundle of joy could hurt themselves with their flailing and determination to escape.  There is always a danger that a baby could fall on the floor or just crawl away into danger, half undressed.

The first thing to do is change them somewhere safe.  Many parents are turning to portable changing stations.  These are rigid changing mats with a padded soft mat for the baby and raised sides to stop baby rolling off.  The changing station can clip on anywhere, from the top of a bath to a chest of drawers.  Some parents have one upstairs and one downstairs.  They can be stored away on their side between uses.  It is important to remember to never leave a baby unattended whilst on a changing mat.  With the firm base of the changing station

offering resistance, the baby feels secure and cannot roll away from under a firm pair of hands.  Stress levels are lowered as a parent now knows they can be firm without fear of their child hurting themselves.

It is very useful to always keep an object of distraction near the dressing area.  A rattle, a hair brush, maracas, or a favourite small doll are all ideal for this purpose.  Keep one set of items near at all times, perhaps one set upstairs and one set downstairs.  In an emergency, car keys or house keys can offer a welcome distraction.  Another technique is using every child’s favourite form of entertainment: their mum or dad.  A child has known his or her parent’s face since birth and it is always their favourite sight as a baby.  Pulling faces, singing songs, and games such as “Peep-o” are all perennial favourites.  Even if a song is old and familiar, sing it in a different accent or change familiar words to silly words or noises instead.  The surprise element will amuse a baby, who will hopefully be too immersed in the company to try and wriggle away from getting dressed.

If you have easy wear outfits, a safe place to dress and change, and a small cache of amusements to hand, getting a little one into those cute baby clothes need not be a battle.

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 gifts for baby’s 1st birthday. Here are some of the best personal gifts for baby’s 1st birthday.

Charm Bracelets

If the baby is a girl, a Disney princess charm bracelet is the perfect gift. The one year old girl may not care that much about the bracelet. In fact, she may play with the box and wrapping more than the actual bracelet. But as she grows, the item will grow on her. She will come to love jewelry and, most likely, anything and everything to do with Disney princesses. The best part about giving a little girl a charm bracelet is that you will always have a gift to give her in future years. You can make it a tradition to add a charm to her bracelet every year for her birthday. As she grows to enjoy the bracelet, she will look forward to those annual gifts.

Baby Organic Bedding

There is nothing more personal than bedding and if you choose organic bedding for the baby, you will be telling the parents how much you care about the child. Organic is soft, warm, and comfortable. It comes in many different styles, colors, and patterns. If you are able to choose the right style, you will likely choose the new favorite bedding item. Even if you pick something that is not quite right in the room, the parents will probably be grateful to have a spare pair of sheets and blankets for when they need it in the middle of the night.

Anything With Their Name On It

You can personalize almost any gift these days by simply embroidering the child’s name on it. The best gifts for baby’s 1st birthday are gifts that include the child’s name. My daughter has a small blue bag with her name on it and we use it to carry her food, books, toys, and other items all over the city. Items with a child’s name on it quickly become special to the parents, and the child will later love them as well. One of the best personalized items for a child this size is a soft chair with the child’s name embroidered onto the back. Children simply love things that are their size and a chair with his or her name on it is even better.

Whenever you are looking for a gift for an occasion as special as a first birthday, keep in mind that you do not have to buy anything big or expensive for the item to be very special to the family. Gifts for baby’s 1st birthday are the most memorable when they are well thought out and personal. Think about the personality of the child and the parents and go through the above list of suggestions. You can always make the baby something of your own, but the above store bought items are very special as well.

Martha Marks is a busy wife and mom of two who loves to provide internet shopping tips to other busy parents.

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 to purchase. Even if a baby is the first, asking friends or relatives to borrow or purchase clothes their children have outgrown can result in large savings when looking at childhood needs. This is also true of items like baby furniture that a child will only need for a year or so before moving onto a bed.

Borrowing from friends and family who have older children can cut many of the costs of parenthood, particularly during infancy and young childhood when children are growing at astoundingly quick rates.

Use Voucher/Freebie Sites:

Freebie sites are one of the best ways to save money as children are growing. Freebie sites provide coupon codes, rewards programs and free baby samples that parents can find useful in everyday life.

Freebies can range from a box of diapers to food samples and coupons for free food items at restaurants. The wide range of free items available are constantly updated on the websites and give parents a hassle-free method of saving a little extra cash while caring for children’s needs.

Depending on the website, the type of freebies offered will vary. Many websites offer coupon codes to use on the official site of a particular product while other websites will offer coupon print-offs for local stores or similar options.

Use Online Shopping Options:

Buying online through auctioning websites, discount stores or other online venders can result in large savings. Online shopping allows parents to compare prices with a click of the button and find that perfect item for a child without wasting time.

Auctioning websites are especially useful because many items like books, toys and even furniture are available at steep discounts with a little searching. Parents can save large sums of money with a little careful online spending.

Saving money as a parent is not simple. Children have numerous needs like food, clothing, shelter and toys. While the necessities can add up quickly, the use of freebie websites, online shopping and swapping or borrowing items with other parents can help save extra cash each year.

First Things First: The Tree

No Christmas would be complete without the tree; it’s the central theme and décor after all.  But, the tree poses many complications.  It’s got ornaments just waiting to be pulled off and broken, a pot of water unfit for drinking, pine needles that drop and are unsafe for eating, and even the potential for the whole tree to be pulled on and topple over.  There are a number of things you can do to ensure your baby’s safety around the tree.  The very safest of all is simply to place the tree in an “adult-only” room where you enjoy the tree after baby has gone to sleep.  At all other times, you can keep the door closed or simply block off the room with a baby gate, which allows you to at least see the tree during the day.  You can also put baby gates around the entire tree and thus create a circular barrier, or you can consider opting for a “baby-size” tree for the next few years and putting the small tree up high on a table or bench where it can’t be reached.  If you opt for the latter, make sure to attach it down securely to avoid it being tipped over.

Close Behind: The Lights

Lights are right up there with the tree in terms of “must haves” but they also pose a significant number of dangers.  The biggest danger by far, is the potential for lead.  Most of the plastic on strands of light is coated in lead.  And, although the level of lead will vary dramatically, even the smallest amount is very toxic to a baby.  Many experts even recommend not using Christmas lights at all if you do have young/little children in the house.  If you do decide to go with lights, here are some tips: keep the strands well covered and out of reach of baby’s touch.  After hanging them, make sure to wash your hands and disinfect thoroughly.  Keep a close eye on any frays and replace immediately if you find any.  Consider using LED bulbs, which burn cool to the touch and are safe for baby’s fingers if they do get ahold of one.

Stuff to Keep Out of Fingers’ Reach

Another potentially dangerous substance related to holidays is snow spray.  Little ones can lick it off windows or even just stick their fingers in the snow spray (who can resist?) and then eventually end up with those same fingers in their mouth.  This can upset their stomachs and make them ill, so if you do opt for snow spray anywhere, make sure it is up high and far out of reach from little fingers.  Bowls of candy and nuts often make appearances at the holidays, but keep them, again, on counters out of reach.  Burning holiday scented candles?  Up high!  Itching to start a fire in the fireplace?  Block it off with a baby gate at all times.

The Ornaments

Breakable ornaments, especially glass ornaments, are probably best avoided altogether.  It’s impossible to guarantee that they won’t fall off the tree or wind up in a toddler’s reach, and if they do, they have very dangerous potential.  Skipping them in lieu of soft ornaments like felted craft ones is a very good idea for the first few years.

Holiday Green Plants

While poinsettia has commonly thought to be poisonous, latest data shows it’s not poisonous, but it will make a baby sick if ingested, so it’s best kept far out of reach.  Other holiday greenery with definite poisonous properties include: holly, firethorn, mistletoe and Jerusalem cherry plants.  If you plan to have any one of these in your home, please be extra, extra careful.  If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call your doctor first thing or call the National Poison Center at 800-222-1222.

Hopefully none of this seems overly overwhelming, because, with these simple precautions you can easily ensure a safe, happy holiday in your home!  Most of the same rules you’ve already been sticking to for “baby-proofing” your home translate just the same to holiday décor.  So, decorate, think soft and unbreakable and out-of-reach, and you’ll skate through the holidays!

Freelancer Jocelyn Anne writes safety related heating content for Air & Water, Inc. and translates it to helpful family information on a regular basis.

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 touch is key. And there’s no more fun way than to keep a traveling scrapbook. Here’s how it works:

1.      Buy a sturdy scrapbook that can be easily shipped in the mail.

It’s important to purchase a scrapbook that is sturdy and can stand some wear and tear. You’ll also want to buy one that can easily fit in a standard mail package, one that won’t become too heavy and pricey to send.

2.      Have your child decorate a full page from time to time with everything that is going on in his or her life.

While writing letters is to distant friends and family is fun, keeping a scrapbook gives a much more vivid insight into one another’s lives and allows for a more flexible creativity. Your child can draw pictures representing different events, glue photographs and other mementos, like tickets to different shows. The possibilities are practically endless.

3.      After a specified period of time, send it to the separated friend or family member.

Once the recipient receives the delightful scrapbook filled with all the latest news, she’ll do the same. It’s important to agree on a designated period of time to keep the scrapbook, so that no one ends up with the scrapbook for too long, slowing down the exchange process. My younger daughter and her older sibling who just went to college have agreed on one month. My daughter fills about a page a week, then sends it to her brother, who keeps it for a month, filling his four or so pages with everything going on in his life.

4.      Keep the chain going, and stay connected forever!

In my own experience with my daughter and son, they’ve kept traveling scrapbook s for well over three years, and they are just now starting their fourth book. The three books that have been filled are wonderful to look through for a trip down memory lane. They will be especially prized possessions when your children become older. If your child is keeping a traveling scrapbook with a friend who is unlikely to return, it’s really a fool-proof way of staying connected forever.

Although traveling scrapbooks take a little bit more effort than staying in touch with friends through Facebook, their emotional rewards years down the line are at least ten times greater. Although it may take some time to start one and stay consistent with it, your kids will likely enjoy it immensely.

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

Dangerous questions!

There’s one question that you should already know the answer to, but just in case, we’ll let you into a little secret.  If she asks you ‘be honest – do I look fat’ then do the right thing and reassure her.  She doesn’t want you to turn around and say ‘well you do look like a bit of a balloon nowadays’ that could possibly be one of the worst things you could do!  Reassure your partner that they look great, and pregnancy suits them, because if you don’t, you wont be flavor of the month, and that’s probably an understatement.  What if she says ‘don’t worry about coming to the antenatal classes’?  She means she wants you to go and support her, it’s important for you to try and fit the pregnancy into your life, because at the end of the day the result will be around for the rest of your life!  Supporting your partner by going to classes like that, and taking an interest in her pregnancy will give you both the feeling of being involved, and that can be a really important step in a happy pregnancy and relationship.  She might not want you to tell her how she should be feeling though!

All she wants is your support

‘Will I be a good mother?’  The answer is YES!  Don’t think about it, don’t give some meaningless response; make sure that you reassure your partner that she will be a good mother.  Get the wrong answer here and your partner wont just be angry with you, she’ll probably take a lot of hard work to forgive you.  Reassurance during pregnancy is really important and you can really help your partner through it and into motherhood with saying the right things at the right time, and just giving them that positive push.  And then there’s that final question over s-e-x.  If your partner is wanting to be intimate, don’t turn her down – it will help her realize you still love her and most of all find her attractive!

This article was written by James who runs a pregnancy site which gives information on all aspects of your pregnancy including a due date calculator to prepare you!