Saturday, September 27, 2008

Toddler taming tips

Having a toddler can be a very challenging time for a parent as your child learns to speak and develop a will of their own it can be hard to keep control, try some or all of these tips to try to help
  • redirection, often the best form of control is simply to give them something else to do. They usually love helping with household chores or baking and generally will readily go and play with another toy if you encourage it.

  • say no calmly, it important that you say no in a controlled manner whilst facing your child, it is a good to explain your reasons but do not feel obligated to explain your rationale for the things that you ask of your child, every time that you ask something of them. Many parents fall into the trap of explaining the rationale behind all of their requests, usually because they want their child to feel respected. This is time consuming and can lead to arguments and a power struggle, at the end of the day you are the parent and what you say goes.

  • show a united front, do not allow your child to play you off each other, children quickly learn who is a soft touch and use it to their advantage, it is important to make decisions about how you will discipline the child together and then stick to them.

  • use positive praise, Always look for your child's good behaviour and praise it, if its all negative that is what they will settle for and you will have a little nightmare on your hands.

  • turn a blind eye, to minor annoying behaviour and naughtiness they are on a learning curve and only discipline dangerous or annoying behaviour.

  • don't expect good behaviour all the time, even the most angelic and placid children have to learn. It's normal for toddlers to test your reactions and patience by doing things over and over, even after you've told them not to. This is how they learn what is acceptable and where the limits are.

  • look at it from their point of view, its good to try and remind yourself of how it was to be a child and how unfair the adult world often seemed.

  • make a routine and try to stick to it, if you change it and you inevitably will tell your child in advance and explain why. This helps your child feel secure and there will be less need for conflict if your child expects things to happen in a certain way or at a particular time.

  • set simple boundaries and enforce them together. Children rarely feel secure if they're allowed to do exactly what they want and in many cases they will behave worse to discover what the boundaries are.

  • create family rules, keep them simple and to a minimum. Explain the rule and the consequences of not sticking to them. Remember young children can't possibly remember too many rules, never mind stick to them.

  • be realistic, most behaviour parents call naughty or disobedient is just a normal part of development. Younger toddlers want to touch everything to find out how it works, when they can't it looses their interest so they drop it. Older toddlers are trying to assert their independence. All of this is normal and to minimise damage you need to think ahead try not to put your child in situations they can't handle and try remove temptation before it is zeroed in on by your toddler. This is especially important in other peoples homes nobody will mind if you say can i just move this i would hate it to get damaged, but you can be sure they will mind if your toddlers takes a fancy to a nice little antique ornament and then smashes it when they see something more exciting.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Help, my toddlers out of control

There isn't just one right way to get children to behave themselves. There is no magic wand that can be waved and out pops the perfect child, how you disipline your child will depend on your child's temperament, you and your partners parenting style and the situation you find yourselves in will all influence the methods you use, eg a very quiet, timid child may need only gentle guidance where as a more defiant, stubborn child who hates being controlled will probably be more of a challenge, and if you have a similar nature it could be a recipe for fire works.
Avoid yelling, hitting or getting too worked up during episodes when your child misbehaves. This just increases the negative attention that your child receives and reinforces that it is alright to get out of control and be aggressive. Try to remain calm while administering punishment. You should walk away if you feel that you may loose you temper or physically hurt your child. It is very important to use positive dicipline and encourage good behavouir through praise, it helps to teach by example. Children learn a lot about how to behave and cope with situations by copying adults, and that usually means you and your partner. It is better to child-proof your home, put valuable, breakable and dangerous objects out of your child's reach this helps to avoid arguments when accedints happen. Where you can and where it is not sending out the wrong messages try to see the funny side of your child's behaviour, a sense of humour is essential when dealing with the challenges of parenting. When you or your partner feel under pressure or there are a lot of other stresses in your life, it can seem harder to cope with a demanding child. It is important to take sometime for yourself and work at ways of keeping stress to a minimum, keep reminding yourself that your child is learning your behavouir and will pick up very quickly that there is a problem so try to keep adult stresses and worrys out of their lives as much as you can, not always easy but defenatly worth trying.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

10 ways to help your child prepare for nusery or pre-chool

The simple fact is that if the you are taking your baby to nursery and they are very young there is little you can do to make going to nursery easier other than go there a few times with your child so there are aware of the surrounding and get used to the noise and seeing different faces.

If the child is older there are lots of ways in which you can prepare them for the world of nursery and or preschool.

  • Visit the nursery or school with your child to give them an opportunity to see a class at work.
  • Try to be positive and excited about it, make it an adventure even if you are dreading them going.
  • Walk past at break-time to show children playing happily.
  • Explain exactly what will happen during the day.
  • Try to read books together about children starting school or nursery.
  • Point out any friends or cousins who've recently started school or nursery and talk about the fun they're having.
  • Talk about your child's interests and the things he'll enjoy there.
  • Talk about the enjoyable activities they will be doing that build on things they already does at home - painting, drawing, cutting and pasting and listening to stories, for example.
    point out the structure and routines in a day at home: "Now it's our lunchtime and at school you'd be eating your lunch now."
  • Practise doing up buttons and fastening his shoes, but don't worry or pressure them if this proves too difficult. Nursery and reception class teachers are used to helping children in the early days.
  • Practise social skills, such as taking turns, following directions and making choices. Visit friends with children or invite other children to play.
  • Teach simple chores that may be useful at nursery, such as packing away toys.
    Help your child to recognise their name. Most children can't read or write yet, but they maybe able to recognise the first letter of their name or even the whole thing.


Remember, all these activities should be fun - it's important not to pressure your child most find it quite daunting until they have been there awhile and then they often don't want to come home.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Drawing

As your toddler grows they will begin to show interested in making their mark, this may be on walls, carpets, floors themselves. This is completely normal and not a sign of bad behaviour you simply have to explain that it is wrong to draw on anything other than the things you wish them to draw on, it will take time but it will get through, often this can come to late for cream sofa’s or carpets, thank god for stain devils they remove stains from most surfaces but always check the label as you don’t want to make the problem worse.
Eventually their endless scribbling with a chunky pen or crayon will make that first picture, a true prize. By two to three you'll find circles and lines appearing in the drawings, and by the time they get to preschool you may see these shapes being put together to form stick figures. Children learn to draw the same way they learn to speak, and later write by copying.
Drawing with children helps them discover that shapes can carry meanings, and more importantly, that they can create shapes themselves. Drawing with babies and toddlers is great fun. Start with simple shapes, naming them and stating the colour that they have used. They will recognise many from their picture books. Draw simple faces. As you draw, explain what you are doing: “look, a happy smile, a sad face, curly hair, this one has ear-rings“. Draw trees, flowers, grass, a house, and animals. They will quickly develop their own style and that will adorn your fridge and walls for many years to come, try to encourage it is a great way of expressing themselves and you never know you may just be the parent of a buddy Picasso.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Things to do with a toddler

Play is so important to a child's development, heres some things to do to help them

Get messy
Lighten up, now is the time that you allow out your inner child to come out for a while as you show you child how to play with paint, dolls, teddies, tea sets, telephones, and clothes for dress-ups.

Go to the park
Traditional active play things like slides, swings, round abouts, ball pools, sand and water play are great.

Feed the ducks
It is amazing how much children love to feed ducks so if you are lucky enough to have ducks near by feed them.

Build a castle
Creative play like play dough, Lego, bricks, boxes, trucks, cars, simple train sets and farm and zoo sets. As your toddlers grows their imagination will develop and they will start to develop stories for the things they are playing with, try to encourage their imagination and join in, remember you are never too old to play with trains or take imaginary tea with teddy and dolly and it is all in the name of a good cause your child’s development!.

Get an extra pair of hands
It can't all be play the house has still got to be cleaned, when you are doing house hold tasks entertain your toddler by getting them to give you a helping hand. It is great to get you toddler to help around the house, you can let your toddler help you with real or give them child-size equipment. They love to use brooms and mops, help you wash up plastic dishes or rinse out socks, dust, so not only are you helping your partner but you are helping your child to develop, two for one.

Plant some seeds
If you have a garden your toddler will love to help you digging and planting so you can teach them all about nature whilst having fun playing in the garden. Toddlers will love to see a plant that they have planted grow so try lettuce or sun flowers as they grow quickly.

Use your DIY skills
Toys do not have to be expensive or even toys some of the best toys are home made toys. A box turned into a fort, a washing up liquid bottle turned into a rocket ship, these are the things that they will play with for hours so let your imagination run wild.

Get your groove on
Toddlers love to jump around and dance so put on CD and sing and dance together. It is good to teach your child nursery rhymes that have actions as well such as “Head and shoulders, knees and toes”. Or teach them the words to your favourite song it’s all good for them and fun for you.

Stay Alert
Toddlers can move at an amazing pace and have no fears or sense of danger so make sure you supervise them closely at all times, especially around water and climbing equipment. Be on hand to settle disputes if several toddlers are playing together they will happen. Check toys regularly to make sure they are still safe: no sharp or jagged edges, no loose small parts. Be aware of choking hazards, flammable and toxic materials.
But most of all have fun!!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Play

Play is really important aspect in a babies development as it promotes learning, development, growth, movement skills, thinking, language, social interaction and emotional development. Its amazing isn’t it! These things all happen best when your child is actively involved in an activity and they are having fun. As a parent you are their first teacher your child will ever have and also their playmate. You can help choose toys and activities that motivate your child to play, explore, imagine and learn about themselves and their environment.

18 months (approx)
A this age your toddlers will spend some of their time wandering off to explore and then coming back to show you what they have found or done, this is a difficult period as it is sometime hard for parents to find a balance between protecting your child from danger and stifling their natural development. If left to their own devices they generally don’t like to stray too far. Be aware that they can move fast if something exciting catches their eyes so try to watch them but at the same time give them a little space to experience the world around them.
This is the time when they should start to show a real interest in other children. With the interest comes the inevitable arguments as most don’t share well yet, so be on hand to settle disputes. You will begin to see them struggling to do things for themselves as they want more independence try to encourage them to try to do things and praise them for their efforts even when they don‘t quite get it right, at least the tried.
If possible and it can be very hard in our hectic lives try to find frequent, small amounts of time each day to be available to your toddler, if you are at work this can be hard but it is important so try getting up a little earlier or try to make it home for bed time and read them a story it doesn’t have to be a lot of time but it is important that they have time with both parents if they can as this gives them balance. Toddlers love to show and tell try to respond to them, listen to them, cuddle them, follow their lead and have fun together. Try to respond to toddlers warmly and lovingly as Separation anxiety is a normal part of a toddler’s development and strongest around18-24 months.

Toddler Proof
Toddlers want to do everything themselves and be into everything. So make sure you do a safety check, oh and if you have things that you would rather your child didn’t come down the stairs holding to show their grandma then this is the time to move them out of reach, toddlers have no concept of personal space if they can get into it the will.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

10 simple tips on how to potty train

Over the years we have learnt some little tricks to help you potty train they are:

  1. Try to be positive and upbeat show the change as something exciting.
  2. Give lots of praise whenever your child manages sit on the potty. Stress how grown up and clever they are like their dad or sibling.
  3. Don't rush things. Sometimes if you start teaching later, it takes less time. Toddlers over two and a half may learn almost overnight.
  4. Expect to have setbacks and don't make a fuss about them. Learning to use the toilet is just like other skills your toddler learns it takes time.
  5. Give your toddler clothes that can be pulled down or up easily. You may also want them to wear training pants at first, to cope with those inevitable accidents.
  6. Take your child to pick out the potty and toilet seat, make it a treat.
  7. Never force your child to sit on the potty. This will only upset them and won't make the process any faster.
  8. It always takes longer for a child to learn to stay dry at night. When they start having the occasional dry nappy in the morning, it's a good sign that the time is right to try going without a nappy.
  9. Get a mattress cover for your child bed when you put them to bed without a nappy for the first time. When they have an accident in their bed they will often be very upset by it, we wouldn’t like waking up in a wet bed either, so try to be sympathetic and tell them it doesn’t matter and that they can try again another day
  10. Remember to get your toddler to wash their hands afterwards, so that using the potty or toilet is associated with hand washing from the start.

If your child really isn’t getting it and every time is an accident after a about a week give up and try again in a month or so, it maybe that they are just not ready and it is very stressful for them if they are making a mess every time

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Baby teeth - Oral hygiene it important even in babies

Keeping the emerging teeth clean is important for long-term dental health. Why should we keep them clean when they are going to fall out? i hear many of you asking, The answer is that even though the first set of teeth will fall out, tooth decay can hasten this process and leave gaps before the permanent teeth are ready to come in, thus the remaining baby teeth may then crowd together to attempt to fill in the gaps, which may cause the permanent teeth to come in crooked and out of place, so it is worth it.

In actual fact daily dental care should begin even before your baby's first tooth emerges. You should wipe your baby's gums daily with a clean, damp washcloth or gauze, or brush them gently with a soft, infant-sized toothbrush and water (no toothpaste!).

As soon as the first tooth appears, brush them with water. Toothpaste is OK once they get old enough to spit it out. An important tip for preventing tooth decay is to not let your baby fall asleep with a bottle. The milk or juice can pool in their mouths and cause tooth decay and plaque.
For more advice speak to your dentist or a medical professional.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Potty training - when to start

You should be able to potty train your toddler sometime between their second and third birthday. By the age of three, most children are dry in the day although the many still need nappies at night.
On average, most children begin learning to use a potty by around their second birthday, but as with everything in children's development, each child is different so if you are having no joy forcing your toddler will not help.


It is interesting to know that up to the age of 20 months, toddlers bladders empty often, making it difficult for them to master holding on for the loo.

Follow your child's lead - when they are ready to use a potty they will let you know. Don't feel pressured by other mothers who state, "Oh, my daughter was out of nappies by now" or by what your mum did, trust your own instinct.

Sometimes parents find it easier to potty train their children in summer, when toddlers can run around with fewer clothes on. It can take longer for boys to learn, especially as they also have to master weeing while standing up. Most boys learn sitting down first. It is great for a dad to teach his son to stand up when he is ready and you can get a little step to help him reach, but make sure the men teach them to put the seat down afterwards we do not want to breed another generation that fails to use a toilet properly!

Signs that they may be ready to potty train

  • do they stay dry for a couple of hours each day
  • do they show when a bowel movement is taking place, by squatting or making a grunting sound for example
  • are they letting you know when they want to be changed when their nappy dirty
  • do they take an interest when you, your partner go to the toilet

If you see any of these signs then talk to them about using the potty and see what their reaction is if it good have a go, if not wait there is no law it is all about the individual child.

Note *There are times when it is better not to start potty training your child as you will be setting them up for failure and you will spend all your time on your hands and knees cleaning your carpet, they are when:

  • there is a new baby in the house
  • they are being moved from a cot into a bed
  • they are starting a new childcare arrangement
  • there are family relationship problems
  • you are moving house

It is simply not worth wasting your time trying when there is any kind of upheaval it just doesn't work so why put yourselves through it

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Teething - what to expect

Teething, can be a frustrating time for many babies and their parents, your wonderful quiet baby turns into a moaning whinging monster. It helps to know what to expect when your child is teething, and what you can do to make the process a little less painful for you and your child.


Teething can begin as early as 3 months and continue until a child's third birthday (long time). Around 4 to 7 months, you will notice your child's first tooth pushing through the gum line. The first teeth to appear are usually the two bottom front teeth, also known as the central incisors. These are usually followed 4 to 8 weeks later by the four front upper teeth (central and lateral incisors). About 1 month later, the lower lateral incisors (the two teeth flanking the bottom front teeth) will appear. Next to break through the gum line are the first molars (the back teeth used for grinding food), then finally the eye teeth (the pointy teeth in the upper jaw).


Most children have all 20 of their first teeth by their third birthday. In some rare cases, children are born with one or two teeth or have a tooth emerge within the first few weeks of life. Unless the teeth interfere with feeding or are loose enough to pose a choking risk, this is usually not a cause for concern. If you have any questions or worries it's a good idea to talk to your child's doctor.


When your child begins teething, you may notice that your child seems to dribble more, and seems to want to chew on things. For some babies, teething is painless, others may experience brief periods of irritability, and some may seem cranky for weeks, experiencing crying episodes and disrupted sleeping and eating patterns. Teething can be uncomfortable, but if your baby seems very irritable, contact your doctor.

Although tender and swollen gums could cause your baby's temperature to be a little higher than normal, teething, as a rule, does not cause high fever or diarrhoea. If your baby does develop a fever during the teething phase, it is probably due to something else and your child's doctor should be contacted.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when your baby is teething:


  • Gently wipe your baby's face often with a soft cloth or cotton pad to remove the dibble and this will help to prevent rashes from developing.

  • Give your baby something to chew on. Make sure it's big enough so that he or she can't swallow it and that it can't break into small pieces.

  • Rubber teething rings are good, but avoid the ones with liquid inside because they can break. If you use a teething ring, be sure to take it out of the freezer before it becomes rock hard you don't want to bruise those already swollen gums!

  • Try a teething gels there are many on the market that may help but always read the label carefully before you buy them.

  • Be careful of grandparents, they may rub whiskey on your baby's gums, they will see no harm in it as they probably did it to you. It is not a good idea as it numbs the gums so much that the child can harm themselves without knowing not to mention the question of giving alcohol to baby.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Separation anxiety

Clingy behaviour
At times your child will be clingy it helps to remember that you and you're partner are the most important people in your child's life. A fear of strangers and separation from you is completely natural it is known as separation anxiety.

Separation anxiety
This can be a very difficult time but is merely a developmental stage when your toddler gets upset when you leave them, even if it's only to leave the room. It often starts at around nine months and in some children it can go on well into the second year, or even longer.

Learning to handle separation is difficult for parents and children, but it does get gradually easier, there are many ways to deal with it, you could try the following:

  • Keep the separations short at first, when you need to leave your toddler, especially for the first few times, try to keep separations short and allow enough time for your child to get to know his carer first.

  • Reassure your child that you will be back- even quite short partings, such as going to nursery for the morning, may be difficult. Always take time to talk to your child in advance about what's happening and reassure them you'll be coming back.

  • Never just sneak away - even though goodbyes can be upsetting, it's less worrying for your child than if you just disappear. Be positive and upbeat and try not to string out your goodbye. Taking ages to leave or acting worried only passes on your anxiety to your child.

  • Try to be patient - if your child clings to you even when you're simply going about your everyday business at home or at the shops, try to stay calm and carry on. It may not be easy to make lunch or talk to someone while your child's clamped on to you, but he'll feel more secure soon.

  • Above all try to be patient your toddler will eventually feel ready to be more independent.

  • Although it may be hard to believe when you are in the middle of it, many parents miss this behaviour once it's over. Try to trust the people that you leave your children with, calling every half an hour will just unsettle you and who ever has your child will feel that you don't trust them. If you don't trust them go with your instinct and don't leave your child with them you will not be able to relax.

    Tuesday, July 22, 2008

    Helping your child to become independent

    It is really important to encourage your child to do more for themselves, even though in most cases it is easier to do it yourself.

    Ways to help:

  • Accept some behaviour - defiance and disobedience, or refusing to comply with your requests, are essential parts of your toddler's growth into an individual try to accept some of their behaviour and respect that in some case they can decide for themselves.


  • Try to avoid barking orders and ultimatums - lead and teach rather than getting into power struggles, a child is much more likely to react in the wrong way if you speak to them in a forceful or aggressive way.


  • Use distraction - you may find it impossible to get your toddler to follow orders without upset. It's much smarter to use diversion tactics or allow them to make choices and offer them some control over their decisions.


  • It is just part of life with a toddler and you have to accept the fact that a lot of the time, your toddler will just do the opposite of what you want. They may also seem to resent almost any form of control by you. They will wants to get dressed by himself and feed himself etc. take heart all of this is totally normal.

    Thursday, July 17, 2008

    Crying - why they do it

    Toddlers cry a lot and believe it or not it is not always just to get on your nerves. Toddlers cry for many different reasons, apart from the obvious, hunger, tiredness, in pain the same as a baby. As they becomes more self aware they begin to cry for other reasons they include:


  • Fear of strange places or people, load noises etc


  • Anger and frustration, if they cannot do what they want to do or tell you what they want to say.


  • Attention, if a toddler feels they are being ignored they will cry to get you to pay attention.


  • Anxiety, especially about separation from you or your partner or being left with a new person.


  • Rebellion, your child may just wish to exert their independence.


  • Toddlers have no concept of embracement and will cry no matter where you are they don't care if you are at a wedding or in the supermarket it is all the same to them. Most mums suggest a quick cuddle to calm them down and then distracting them is the best solution. Remember its a hard time for them they have few ways of expressing their feelings if they won't calm down it is sometimes best to take them out of the environment but this is not always practical, they will calm eventually so try to stay patient.

    Saturday, July 12, 2008

    Whingeing

    One of the most difficult things to deal with when you have a toddler can be incessant whinging “mum I want….“ or constantly saying no or refusing to do as they are told. Occasionally, whingeing reflects a more generalised miserable mood, which may be caused by hunger, fatigue or illness. If this is not the case do all you can to give positive attention to non-whiny behaviour and practise calmly refusing until your toddler asks properly in a reasonable tone.

    If they can't talk yet, you may need to distract them with another activity when the whining starts. It can be so tempting to give in to demands for a bit of peace, but this is a mistake as it will only make the behaviour worse in the future. You can not give in to demands but it is best to explain why not just refuse. But try not to get into a debate remember that you are the boss and whether you child likes it or not for what ever reason what you say goes.

    Wednesday, July 09, 2008

    How to help your child’s development

    In order to help your child’s development it is important to:

    Show them love, it sound so obvious but some people have trouble doing this. Hug, kiss, smile, encourage, listen to, and play with your child whenever you can, if you have household chores to do, ask them to help, to show your child you enjoy spending time with them.

    Care for your child's basic needs, food, comfort and sleep. For your child to be able to devote their energy to learning and growing, they need to be well fed. They also need to be healthy, well rested, and comfortable. Make sure you feed a balanced diet that you try to follow a good sleep pattern, during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep your child's brain cells are making important connections. These synapses, as they're called, are the pathways that enable all learning, movement, and thought. They are the key to your child understanding all that they are seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling. It’s really important that you change their nappies very regularly, wet or dirty nappies are uncomfortable and distracting.

    To keep your child healthy, take them in for regular checkups, keep their injections up to date, if you're worried about your toddler's sleeping or eating patterns, talk to your doctor.

    Talk to your child, it is so important, research shows that children whose parents spoke to them extensively as young babies have significantly higher IQs and richer vocabularies than kids who didn't receive much verbal stimulation. If you find it hard to come up with things to say just describe what you are doing but try to avoid baby talk. Remember babies learn by listening so be careful how you say things as they can pick up on your mood from a very early age.

    Try to build your toddlers self esteem, toddlers are still just realising they're separate people, and are slowly build up a sense of self. Gradually, they learn what they look like and work out the things they can do. Some of the more difficult types of behaviour your toddler might display, which you may find hard to cope with, happen as a result of them beginning to realise they are a separate person with a mind of their own. They quickly learn that they don't actually have to stay where you've put them or do exactly as you have told them. It is important that you reassure your child that you love them and you are proud of them give praise as much as possible. If more likely when you have to challenge their behaviour explain why so they can understand and learn from their mistake. Try to set boundaries a soon as you feel they need them and be consistent and follow through on warnings, toddlers are very quick to learn if they are being given hollow threats. Remember to praise good behaviour or if they do something for themselves, positive attention works really well.

    Sunday, July 06, 2008

    Feeding themselves

    Around 15 to 18 months or when you decide that it is time to teach your child to feed themselves either because you feel its time or your child is insisting that they hold the spoon. Be prepared for mealtimes to be extreemly messy, it is often a good ides to place their chair on a plastic mat, don’t forget the bib or a painting apron (it completely covers the clothes and saves you having to change them or scrape food off them). This stages doesn’t last long thankfully and very quickly your toddler improves. By the time your child reaches three to four, there will be less to clear up and you maybe able to redecorate without the paint being ruined

    Thursday, July 03, 2008

    Dressing and undressing themselves

    It may not seem it but getting in and out of your clothes for yourself is a great step towards independence. Usually undressing will come first, you'll notice socks and shoes get pulled off followed by the usual 'game' as your toddler resists having them put back on. Then their clothes will be pulled off at any given opportunity, children love to be stark naked especially when you want them to be dressed, many parents have suffered the embarrassment of your child running through the house just as friends arrive, its like they have a sixth sense about when the most embarrassing time will be.

    Contrary to how it may seem your child isn't doing it to tax your patience, dressing and undressing provides a host of opportunities for them to practice their hand, eye coordination. Try to help your child out by creating as many chances for success as possible.

    If your toddler especially enjoys dressing themselves, provide them with a box of dress-up clothes that are easy to manage they will spend hours changing cloths. When it comes to them dressing themselves for the day, your toddler will do best with pants that have elastic waists, pull-on tops, and Velcro-fastening shoes to minimize morning struggles, this will cut down on the tears and tantrum if they take too long or have to be helped.

    Its good to introduce any new challenges such as buttons or zips one at a time. By the age of four, they will be able to dress and undress themselves with little help.

    Sunday, June 29, 2008

    Walking

    Since the day your baby came into the world it has been in training for the day when it will take its first steps. They have been developing muscle strength and coordination, and have mastered one amazing feat after another, from just sitting up right un-aided to turning over to crawling. Once they have mastered as these feats they start to attempt to stand and then with a little encouragement take that giant step first with the help of furniture and anything that they can hold and then finally alone. It takes a lot of practice to learn to walk and there will be many falls. But once they have mastered it fully it’s their first step towards real independence.

    Its best to bear in mind that all children develop at different rates some are quick some are slower most get there in the end it may be worth mentioning to a health professional if they have missed a developmental milestone. There may be perfectly logical reasons for your child's taking their time. Maybe they are busy working on another developmental task, like talking, or maybe they just likes to take his time whenever they learn a new skill. Keep in mind that toddlers who are heavier or who were born prematurely often learn to walk a little later than others.

    Helping your child to walk
    As your baby learns to pull themselves up to a standing position, they may need some help figuring out how to get back down again. If they get stuck show them how to bend their knees so he can sit down without toppling over. You can encourage them to walk by standing or kneeling in front of them and holding out your hands. Or you might hold both their hands and walk them toward you. Toddle trucks or push toys that your child can hold on to as they walk are great at this stage. Be aware that there is some research that suggests that baby walkers can slow the development of upper leg muscles but this is in no way proof so if you wish to use a walker the chose is yours.

    It is best to wait to introduce shoes we know you want to buy all those tiny gorgeous little shoes but the fact is that it is best to wait until your child ventures outside as going bare footed helps it improve coordination and balance. There will be allot of falling over during this period so try to ensue they have a soft safe space to practice in and that they are not left unattended as once they master the art they can move extremely fast.

    For more information on the developmental milestones for walking try http://lavenmedia.co.uk/walkingtips.html

    Thursday, June 26, 2008

    Your belly has ears!

    Your belly has ears!
    Did you know that a baby’s language skills begin to develop even before they are born, that seems mad but they say it is true. The words and sounds that they hear while inside the womb play an important role in learning language. So all of you that have be listening to hard core rave ant those of you you know who you are who sware like a docker when you think no one is listening, be aware the belly has ears.

    It must be true as it is due to this sense that babies:
    can understand that someone is speaking they can differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar sounds.

    Aparently they can
    can enjoy classic music,(which is more than many of us can) this is a because they have smooth rhythmic melodies and pauses between sections.

    However in most cases this is a short lived thing, as they grow they prefer traditional tunes for kids and start differentiating sounds that are similar. Gradually your, baby start associating sounds with the experiences and give them meanings. Thus, lullabies and white noise may soothe a baby; loud sounds may startle them while pleasant music may make them happy. It is thought that a baby can recognize their mum’s voice right from the time they are born and can differentiate it from the voices of other women and get comforted by their mum sooner it sooner.


    Much of a baby's first year is spent learning how to listen. Through listening, your baby learns about the world, makes sounds and learns to talk. If you are concerned that your child has a hearing problem, tell your doctor right away. A hearing problem will interfere with a baby's ability to communicate and to learn. Important language development happens in the first five years, so it's very important to treat problems early. Don't wait until your child begins school.

    For more information on hearing milestone and hearing problems try www. lavenmedia.co.uk/hearing.html

    Monday, June 23, 2008

    Talking

    Your child’s ability to speak is directly link to their ability to listen. So now is the time to watch what you say, no one want their child’s first real word to be a swear word. By listening to others, your child learns what words sound like and how to put a sentence together. As a baby, they discovered first how to make sounds, then how to make those sounds into real words, hearing the word mummy or daddy for the first time is an amazing feeling it makes such difference from the noise and the conversations in their own language that only they understand. Once they master the first few words there then follows a period of extraordinary growth, as you watch your toddler go from speaking a few simple words to asking questions, giving directions, to saying no and why and then to regaling you with stories they have made up, watch out for that it is not so much lying as it is experimenting but they can be very convincing, I recall a story of a child drawing a visit to a hospital to see an uncle that had been in a car crash only to find that it was completely made up the child loved the fact that he had been believed and try may different stories for the fun of it. Remember that all though they may be quiet they are taking in every word many parents have been caught out by their child repeating a sentence that was not meant for the persons ears, e.g. “Grandma mummy said that you were a can tant us old moo” “what does can tant us, mean?”. If you are a saint and never say a bitchy word then good for you but for the rest of us mere mortals who do on the odd occasion say things that we may not want the person to hear about make sure they are not listening before you open your mouth.

    For the developmental milestone and problems talking try www.lavenmedia.co.uk/talkingtips.html

    Wednesday, June 18, 2008

    Toddlers and food

    We know its frustrating you spend time cooking something wonderful and your toddler refuses it or worse still launches it at a wall. Sometimes it can be difficult to get your toddler to eat but it is a fact that after the first birthday, your toddler’s growth slows down so they needs less food. Their appetite and the amounts of food eaten will vary from meal to meal and from day to day.

    As a rough guide a toddlers aged 1 to 2 years can eat only about 1/4 to 1/2 of an adult portion. It’s better to offer small servings and let your child ask for more. Remember that appetite can vary a lot from child to child. Your child may appear to eat well at one meal and eat refuse at the next. Don’t make an issue of it. Children are good judges of the amounts of food they need. Try to bear in mind that all you can do is offer health food you can not force them to eat.

    It a good idea to give two to three (healthy if you can snacks) during the day, along with their meals as they only has small stomachs and can not eat a lot a one time. Milk and fruit juice are good snack choices, but these foods are naturally sweet and should not be served too often throughout the day. If your child drinks too much, they may not want to eat solid foods. If they refuse to eat respect your child’s wishes, even if they have eaten nothing. They will eventually eat they won’t let themselves go hungry it’s not a rebellion they are more than likely just not hungry. Take the food away after a reasonable amount of time or attempts at feeding them. It is good not that it is an issue, as paying attention to not eating reinforces the behaviour of not eating.

    Their food likes and dislikes will change over time. A food refused today may be eaten next week. It is thought to take up to 10 tries for your child to actually accept a food. If you wish to introduce a new food try to serve it with one they already know and like, try not to force them if they refuse just try again at another time. It is quite common for a toddler to only eat one type of food try not to make an issue of it, just keep trying to add other foods to the one they like they will come round it just takes time. Try to make sure each days meals are balanced so that they get a health mix of fruit, veg, meat, fish and dairy. It is better to get into a routine and feed a toddler up at the table, if possible a quiet room i.e. no telly, as they are very easily distracted and a telly tubby is much more interesting than a meal, its good to eat with them as they will learn from watching you.