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Charts-Checklists-Schedules-Printables
Recipes for Busy Parents
Busy Moms Organizational Tips
Nutritious Snack Ideas
The Picky Eater
Potty Training 101
Why is Play Important?
Age Appropriate Toys
Diaper Kit for Travel
Catch Them Being Good
Setting Limits and Using Consequences

More Parenting Articles will be added soon

Busy Moms Organizational Tips

Have you asked yourself over and over again if you will ever find time to do all those things that are on your daily check list? Do you ever wonder if, as a busy mom, you will have time for yourself? Do you find yourself always putting chores for the next day or for next week? Do you postpone important things that you need to do because you don’t have time to do it? Do you dedicate all your time to your children and spouse and your house? The questions can go on and on. You are NOT alone. We all feel the same. We are all overwhelmed and we always strive to do the best. We always want to show that we are strong and we can handle it.

Here are some Organizational Tips to help you with your daily life:

1. Slow down – Your day might be chauffeuring your children to and back from school, to and back from after school activities, cleaning up the house, running errands, and maybe having a full time job on top of everything else. A Baby's Diary Weekly Scheduled Activities chart could aid in keeping your children's activities organized. You definitely need to stop for a moment and think. What is it that you are doing that is exhausting you the most? What changes can you make that will make your life a bit easier? Can someone help you with one or more of the chores? Can another parent drive your children along with theirs to school? Think about it. Write down all your ideas and make a plan. Once you write everything down, it will be much easier for you to make a plan that will work. You could use A Baby's Diary Parent's Calendar to remind you of your plan.

2. Simplify your household chores – It is time to realize that being a super mom does not mean that you need to keep your house extra tidy and clean on a daily basis. Washing the windows can wait one or two days. There are things you might want to do daily but not everything. Also, when you cook, make a menu plan before you even go to the grocery store. Try A Baby's Diary Weekly Menu Planner and Grocery Checklist to make your menu planning much easier. You'd love how organized you could become. Make plans to cook several meals in one day and freeze some for another day. Get your children, the older ones, to help with some of the chores. They can clean up their room and they can help with some light household chores. Don’t be afraid to ask your spouse to help as well.

3. Learn to relax – You must set aside some time just for you. Take a long stroll on the beach or in a park. Pamper yourself by buying something you really want. You deserve it. Make sure to always set up some time for your spouse. Yes, your children are very important but so is your spouse. You will feel rejuvenated when you have accomplished some of the things listed here. And guess what? Now you are ready for another new day full of excitement and challenges you can easily deal with. Getting organized is your key to a successful life, especially when you are a busy mom.

Nutritious Snack Ideas

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

My number one choice for a healthy snack will always include fresh fruits and/or vegetables. Keep those fruits and vegetables coming as they are the source of major nutrients. The possibilities are endless. My son’s favorites are bananas, oranges, apples, blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, carrots, green beans, peas and corn.

Cereal

Cereal could be a great source of nutrition, especially if they are made from whole grains. Add milk and this snack will also have fat and protein which your child needs at this young age. Add dried fruits and nuts to increase the nutrients.

Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the healthiest snacks if you buy the organic, lightly salted variety with no butter added. If you would like to add fat and protein, add some cheese.

Word of caution: Do NOT offer popcorn to very young children because popcorn could be a choking hazard.

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

This one-of-a-kind beverage offers a lot of vitamin C and fiber. I, personally, do not offer any store bought juices to my son. The freshly squeezed orange juice is my only choice for juice. My other choices for a beverage are water and milk.

Dried Fruits and Nuts

Try to include some dried fruits, such as raisins, and some nuts such as walnuts and almonds with your child’s snack. They are very nutritious and kids love them.

Word of caution: Do NOT offer nuts to very young children because buts could be a choking hazard.

Use one of the Feeding Diaries applications available on the ORDER page to keep track of your child's food intake.

The Picky Eater

My son used to eat everything I would give him until he was 22 months old. He had an extremely healthy diet and I made sure, up to that point, to offer him only the best. At that point, there was a drastic change. He would eat only a few things. Even his most beloved foods became items of disgust. His limited food repertoire consisted of cereal, rice, pasta, peas, carrots, green beans, bananas, apple sauce, yogurt, cheese and milk. Now I know that some people who have picky eater children think that my son was not a picky eater. In my opinion he was because he was not getting all the nutrients he needed on a daily basis. We lived with this for about a year. I was getting very frustrated with the fact that I always had to prepare something “special” for my son because he would not eat the family’s meal. At that point, I was ready to try whatever it took to change my son’s eating habits. He was getting close to his third birthday; and I certainly did not want him to follow this poor eating habit all his life. I tried few things and, guess what, they worked. I would like to share them with you because they might work with your child. I know we don’t lose anything by trying. So here is what I have done:

I used some of his favorite food as a reward if he would try something new. This approach worked out beautifully. As long as one of his favorite food was present, he would try whatever I would ask him to try. However, there is a trick: I did not give him his favorite food right away because if I did, then he would only eat that and did not touch the rest. We started with the item he did not necessarily love. If he ate it, he got a reward by the form of his favorite food. I have to tell you that he now eats all kinds of things such as avocado, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, fish, poultry and meat…
I sometimes let him prepare the food with me. I noticed that when he is involved in the food making, he is more keen and enthusiastic to try that food later on.
Another strategy that worked for us is telling my son that he could play with his favorite toy and watch his favorite video after the meal and only if he agrees to eat what is on the plate.
Using the Toddler's Daily Sleeping & Feeding Diary helped me tremendeously in keeping track of his food intake.
Make sure you speak with your child's pediatrician about any feeding issues and concerns.

Potty Training 101

I have had the wonderful privilege of potty training 4 children. The first in 1983 and the last one in February of 2002! All were completed by their 2nd birthday, even my son. So I often have people ask what my secret is.

First secret is get and read the book "Toilet Training in less than a day". We use the system over the course of a week with good success. You must get the wetting doll and have the child train the doll to succeed.

Second is wait until YOU are ready to do it and stay with it. Never start and stop!!! You must be ready to stay with it until complete. The biggest mistake people make is going back and forth between diapers and panties.

Third is to be sure you child can follow simple instructions: come, go, pick this up, put that down. From 18-22 months I work on this. Preparing them for following instructions and practicing taking their pants up and down.

Fourth is I start BEFORE their 2nd birthday, before the major struggles of the will occur. 20-24 months works best! Most all children can be trained in this age window unless medical or mental disabilities are present.

Fifth I put them into CLOTH training pants with plastic pants over the top and never go back to diapers or paper pull-ups. I deal with every accident immediately, calmly, firmly. Going back to diapers will set you back. Keep them in cloth panties until they get it. Some kids can do it in a day or so, some a couple weeks.

My philosophy is that you teach potty just like I teach them to eat with a spoon, to put on their clothes, to talk, to obey. We make it fun and enjoyable never stressful. You can wait until they can do it with no teaching at age 4 but then you have 2 extra years of diapers. Why? Teach them the system then go forward as they learn it daily. Yes there are accidents. There are messy days when teaching them to eat too. We do not leave them on a bottle until age 4 because they might make a mess? So why stay in diapers until age 4 to prevent the mess when they can get it at age 2.

This system has not failed me yet. The book will tell you that any child not trained by age 3 (unless a physical medical problem) is a will issue not a skill issue. I have found that to be true. We use the Wipe Off Potty Chart at http://www.mypreciouskid.com/products.html for a reward system. Potty Training Kit

Why is Play Important?

You, as a parent, help your child with her play. You set up the environment for her in such a way so she could explore and manipulate. You help her discover the world. Engaging your children in play is a very important developmental component of growing up. Social skills and imagination are learnt through play. When your child plays during the first five years of her life, she develops vital learning processes that will help her in all aspects of learning achievements later in life.

It does not matter what kind of play your child engages in. It could be playing in a sand box at a playground, running around in the neighborhood, splashing in a swimming pool, building towers with blocks, playing with commercial toys… Your child is learning through those experiences. Do not limit the time your child could spend playing. Turn the TV off and let your child play. It will only benefit her. Remember that your child is unique and that each child will develop differently than another child.

Watch your child play and notice the many skills she is learning. She is developing fine motor skills and gross motor skills. She is also building the foundation for imaginative play and social pragmatic skills. She is also learning decision-making and learning how to concentrate, observe and explore. Play should always be fun for your child. Your child can play alone or with other peers which, in turn, will develop her social skills. It is also extremely important that you, the parent, play with your child so that your child learns from your input. Your child brain is developing at a fast pace, so don’t lose the opportunity to nurture her now.

Age Appropriate Toys

COMING SOON

Diaper Kit for Travel

Traveling with a child is no easy task. This diaper kit will make your life a bit easier. Take as many diaper kits as you think you might change your child’s diaper during the course of your travel. I personally take one or two extras for unexpected situations. What if your flight was delayed? You can always use the extras on your way back home or for your next trip. I am including 2 versions of the Diaper Kit. One includes the minimum items needed and the other is the ideal kit. After you use the kit, you can put the soiled diaper plus all the trash inside the gallon-size freezer bag and dispose of it in a trash bin. You can save whatever items you did not need from that kit for the future use.

Diaper Kit 1 - Minimum

One Diaper

One Disposable Blue Lining

One Blue Bag

One or Two Individually Wrapped Hand Sanitizer Towelettes

One Travel Size Packet of wipes

Diaper Rash Cream

Put everything in a gallon-size freezer bag

Diaper Kit 2 - Ideal

One Diaper

One Disposable Blue Lining

One Blue Bag

One or Two Individually Wrapped Hand Sanitizer Towelettes

One Travel Size Packet of wipes

Diaper Rash Cream

Put everything in a gallon-size freezer bag

Paper Towels

One Packet of Tissues

One pair of Disposable Gloves

Catch Them Being Good

When your baby is new – really for the whole first year – nothing he can do is ‘wrong’. No behavior, no matter how nerve-wracking, is in need of discipline. When your baby cries, he is telling you that something is wrong. He is trying to tell you that he’s hungry or wet or tired, – something! It is up to you to learn to read his cues, and understand his different cries. Sound impossible? Don’t worry. It’s really not as hard as you think. Just relax, take a deep breath, and have faith that your baby knows what he needs and will tell you if you listen and trust your connection to him to help you out.

As your baby grows and becomes a toddler, she will begin to test out her new-found freedom by getting into everything she can reach, things she’s been watching for a long time, but was unable to get to. My grandson started crawling in his fifth month. When he finally mastered the art of going forward, he made a beeline for his big sister’s toy box! He’d been watching that box for months! Your baby is not being naughty, just exploring her world. Put safe things on the shelf she can reach or in a cupboard she can open and move unsafe things out of her reach. Then her explorations will be like a treasure hunt.

As your baby approaches 18 months to 2 years old, he will start to define his boundaries, as in, “This is me and this is NOT me.” NO will be heard a lot around your house from your toddler – and it should be. It is vital that he learn where he stops and the rest of the world starts. This is also the stage when some discipline may be called for. He may start to experiment with hitting or biting, and temper tantrums are just around the corner.

When you need to discipline your child, please remember, her behavior may be ‘bad’, but her motives are pure and so is she. She is only looking for attention or love or understanding – the same things we adults need from those we love. Resist the urge to assign negative or nasty motives to the unpleasant behavior. In fact, ignore the bad behavior as much as possible. This is where the title of the piece comes in: try as much as possible to catch her being good.

In other words, ignore him when he is being bad and pay attention to him and lavish him with praise when he is being good. This sounds simple, but it is actually harder than it sounds. We are programmed to fix what is wrong, and a whiny, fretful kid can definitely disturb your peace. When he’s playing quietly you can go about your own business – read a book, do the laundry, go to the bathroom, whatever. When he’s being bad you stop what you were doing and attend to him. Turning this process around will take a lot of practice.

First determine whether the ‘bad’ behavior is unsafe to your baby or anyone else. If not, ignore it. Don’t even make eye contact. As soon as she stops whining or crying or pushing her food on to the floor, look right at her, smile and say something like, ‘Oh what a good girl you are! I like it so much better when you are a happy, smiling girl.” Or – “Thank you very much for asking me in a nice voice. You have such a sweet voice when you are not whining.”

If the behavior is unsafe, e.g., your toddler is pinching your baby’s cheek really hard, remove his hand, say something like, “No, that hurts the baby.” Say it firmly, but make as little eye contact as possible. When your toddler stops the behavior, take him on to your lap and thank him for being nice to the baby. Now you can also explain more about how pinching hurts, but in a calm, kind voice. See the difference? In time your baby will learn that he gets much more attention for being good than for being ‘bad’ and the not so nice behaviors will disappear.

Setting Limits and Using Consequences

I am not a parent yet. My experience comes from the eight years and counting that I have worked with children, from after school daycare to a locked residential unit for “at-risk” youth and everything in-between. This article comes from my personal experience working with children and my great respect and love for them.

Disciplining your child has a negative connotation. There are books about positive discipline and different philosophies from using “time-out” to spanking. Whichever method is used there are some important things to know:

1. Every child needs to be loved unconditionally.

2. Every child needs limits. I cannot emphasize this enough.

3. Every child needs consistent limits and boundaries.

There is a rule when working with children called the ‘20 to 1 Rule’. That means 20 positive interactions with a child for every 1 negative one. Positive interactions can include compliments, physical affection, spending quality time with him. With parents that number is even higher: some say 50 to 1 and others say even 100 to 1.

Too much of discipline is punishment and negative consequences. Another method of discipline is reinforcing positive behaviors. Catch them being good and make a big deal out of it. If you are teaching table manners say, “I like how you are using your napkin to wipe your face. Good job!” This will work much better than yelling, “Stop wiping your mouth on your sleeve!”

When a child is chastised and put in “time-out” constantly, it can become the only form of attention she gets, thus creating a cycle in which she will act out just to get attention. That is why after every major consequence like a “time-out” it is important to repair the relationship. Your child feels like she has failed you. So talk about what happened, making sure to let her give you her side of the story without interruption. Then correct anything that didn’t happen or was untrue and come up with a more accurate version. And make sure she knows you still love her.

Ask her what she was feeling and if she doesn’t know you can suggest the feelings for her, “Were you feeling sad, mad, frustrated…?”. Validate her feelings, then talk about positive ways she could have expressed those feelings, “When you were mad, instead of throwing your shoe, what could you have done?” Then make a plan for the future when she gets mad again, “Next time you can stomp your feet and say ‘I’m mad’, then we can figure out what to do about it.” By doing this after major conflicts you are providing a structure in which your child’s voice is heard, and you are teaching her about expressing her feelings and the proper ways to behave.

Here is a little parental cheat sheet:

1. Love your child and let him know it often.

2. Have consistent well-known rules and consequences for breaking the rules.

3. Always repair the relationship and let the child know that you still love him.

4. Provide him with the correct words to get his needs met in positive ways.

5. Validate her feelings; she may be experiencing these feelings for the first time.

6. Use ‘do’ instead of ‘don’t’. ‘Use your fork to eat.’ instead of, ‘Don’t eat with your fingers.’

7. Rules, boundaries and limits are positive things, and they help your child to become secure, self-sufficient adults.