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Sleep Training Your Infant

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Baby Sleeping

Image by sean_mcgee via Flickr

Many parents seem to think that their children will sleep when they get older, but really, children need to learn to sleep and parents can help them do it. Here are some tips for sleep training your infant.

  • Use soothing techniques with newborns. Newborns are not able to get themselves to sleep on their own. Their brains are not developed enough to do it, but you can do things to help soothe them. These include swaddling, swinging, pacifiers, and white noise machines.
  • Putting down the baby when he’s drowsy but not asleep. As the baby gets older, he will start to be able to get himself to sleep if you get him close, especially if he has help through a pacifier and/or swaddling blanket.
  • Start training at 6 months old. When your baby is six months old, she will be ready to get herself to sleep without help and will likely sleep through the night without a feeding, though it depends on the baby. You can help your baby learn to fall asleep on her own by letting her cry until she falls asleep. Check on her every 15 minutes or so to remind her you’re there for her but she needs to fall asleep on her own.
  • Wean your baby from feedings. If your baby is ready to go throughout the night without eating, you can wean the feedings. This is done by waking your baby about an hour before he typically wakes up to eat and feeding him. Each night, reduce how much or how long he usually ate by either 2 ounces or 2 minutes until it’s 0. Then stop waking him up. You may find that he sleeps through the night.
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Internet Dates and Kids! Oh My!

March 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As a single parent, you likely feel like you are pulled in so many different directions that even the idea of dating is overwhelming. When you consider the amount of time needed to meet someone, find out more about him and, finally, feel comfortable enough to introduce him to your children, it sometimes seems easier to not even try. Single parents who have turned to online dating services are finding that it is safer, more fun and even a time saver over regular dates.

Not a Moment Wasted

Those who are turning to Internet dating services are finding that beginning the dating process online helps cut down on the awkward ‘weeding out’ process – something single parents find helpful. Instead of wasting time sitting in a club hoping Mr. Right walks in the door, the service does all that work for you, leaving you time to really get to know somebody.

Make It Fun

One unique feature of online dating is how well you can get to know someone online and over the phone. By the time that first date comes along, you often feel closer to your date than almost anyone in your life. Be sure to take the time to plan a fun first date. Don’t just do dinner and a movie. Instead, use your interests to create a unique date. Art lovers might enjoy an afternoon at a local museum or painting class. Sport lovers might like taking in a game. Whatever your interests, be bold and have fun.

Knowing When It’s Time

Single parents always worry about introducing a ‘special someone‘ to their kids. There is no rulebook about this. Only you, as a parent, will know when the time is right. Trust your instincts and remember that someone who really is special will wait until you know the time is right.

Online dating is working for many single parents – maybe it’s time you gave it a try.

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The Ultimate Mother’s Day Tea Party

February 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mother’s Day is coming up soon, and you obviously want to be able to do something special with your kids. For a lot of parents, the old cliches of getting breakfast in bed (which is usually prepared poorly, but represents a really sweet thought) and having all of the housework taken care of are definitely nice. But what if you want to do something a little bit more special with your daughters, and put together some special family memories with them? In a lot of cases, this is as easy to do as having a tea party with them. While the entire idea might sound a little on the silly side, that is the entire idea. It’s a goofy thing that you could never get away with if you did not have kids, and if they are old enough to remember it, they won’t ever forget.

To start with, you have to into character. Now, no one is suggesting that you dress up like Alice in Wonderland characters (although that could also be interesting), but who wears jeans and a tee shirt to a tea party? Note the difference in spelling for the two different kinds of T’s, and you will understand how poorly they would work together. Fortunately, there are both kids costumes that work perfectly and adults costumes that also look very congruent with the entire event.

Now, what to eat? You do not just drink tea at a tea party, after all. You should also be enjoying little snacks. If you use an unsweetened tea, you want something that carries some sweetness to it, such as gummi bears (seriously, they go very well together). But since you are dealing with little kids, sweetened tea might be best. In that case, something very simple like crackers and cheese also works well. You can also put together a fruit plate, with melon pieces, grapes and small apple pieces.

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Resources to Help Get That Perfect Present

January 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Birthdays are special times in a child’s life. Every parent wants to do what they can to make sure that their child gets everything they want. This can be increasingly difficult as more and more of the gifts that children want are extremely high in price. However, there are things that you can do to make sure that you get that special present for charming little tot.

The first step to affording that perfect gift is to save up. Take a small amount from each pay check and put it aside for your child’s present.Sometimes this is not always practical as there are bills that need to be paid or your child hit you with this gift idea at the last minute. Luckily, there are other ways you can afford the present for your child.

Here are some other methods.

Store Credit/Layaway. Store credit and layaway used to be popular 10 to 15 years ago. Recently, it has made a comeback. If you know your child is going to want a particular toy or present you can put it on store credit or layaway. This allows you to make small payments on it while being able to take the gift home with you.

Borrow Money. If you are in a pinch and need money you can always borrow the money from a friend or family member. In a worst case scenario you could take out a small loan from a bank.

Payday Loan. A payday loan service can get you the cash you need for the present quickly. Websites such as paydayone.com give you the chance to get quick payday loans that will allow you to get your child the present they want.

See? It’s completely possible to get your child the gift of his dreams. The hard work will pay off when you see their ecstatic, lit-up faces come birthday morning.

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When Extraciricular Activities Become Overwhelming

December 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

After school activities are undoubtedly an important part of a child’s life, all the way through high school. Finding a balance between school and the after school activities can be difficult, but not impossible. Joining a sport or some kind of after school club is an excellent tool for kids to learn in an environment that’s not affected by school requirements. But it’s easy to go overboard with them and go too far.

Some parents feel a pressure to enroll their children into all kinds of extra activities, thinking it will somehow increase the chances at a good school. But is it really necessary? Schools will weigh grades more than what was done outside of classes as a means of entry. It’s entirely possible to have grades suffer because the child is doing way too much with not enough rest in between. It’s at this point where letting a kid be a kid becomes important.

Parents are driving their kids to be overachievers with the idea that they’re producing the next millionaire. The reality is that a child with the aptitude to succeed is going to regardless of what extra circular activities they do. Making a child go to class after class, activity after activity, robs them of the opportunity to be what they are. A kid.

Proper development of a child’s mind means they need to be given time to relax. Lessons are learned more thoroughly when there’s idle time. No pressure to do something gives the mind downtime to sit and explore the lessons without constantly being challenged. Otherwise the result is a child who can recite a lot of information, almost as if they learned by rote, but no real concept or understanding. Resist the urge to put them into every available outside activity and let them have some fun from time to time.

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Don’t Let the Stress of the Early Years Bring You Down

December 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Parenting stress is the same whether it’s the first born or the third. Children demand a lot of time and attention, leaving the parent feeling like there’s nothing left for themselves. The reality is, the years between one and ten go by very quickly and the parent will be wondering where they went. One moment it feels like they’re still in diapers and the next moment they’re starting to talk back to the parent.

Life becomes overwhelming with children. A parent’s day to day life has completely changed from everything they had been used to in the past. Instead of looking out for themselves and a spouse, there’s now someone new that’s number one. So many things have to be juggled in order to survive. Work, feeding schedules, doctor’s visits, and keeping up with the growth of the child. It’s no wonder some parents feel like they’re about to lose their mind.

Stay calm. Breathe deep. Call upon family and friends who have offered to help. They will be a lifeline to sanity. As much as the child is loved, there has to be me time for the adult. A parent’s identity becomes their offspring for some time after birth and needs to be brought back every once in a while. Above all, don’t feel guilty about having time away from the child. There’s still plenty of time to enjoy them.

Frustration is going to be another large part of the years to come. Children see the world as their sandbox and treat it accordingly. They have no boundaries until they’re taught and will most definitely try to sneak around them. It makes a parent wish they’d never given birth in the first place. But the beauty of it all is that many escapades wind up with unintended consequences. One that the parent can trot out at parties and get payback with embarrassment.

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