Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Toddler Car Seat Safety "Different Types and Installation Tips"

Your doctor will stress that your child should always ride in a safety car seat, but what's best for my child. Well all situation are different and not every car seat will work for every child. So here are some tips and facts about the different types of car seats that might help you in buying the best car seat. Once your child is at least 1 year old and weighs at least 20 pounds, she can ride forward facing in her car seat. Although, studies show that it is still safer for her to ride rear facing for as long as she can comfortably do so.

There are 5 types of car safety seats that can be used forward facing.

  1. Convertible seats are ones that can be used rear facing or forward facing.

  2. Forward facing toddler seats can only be used forward facing with a harness. These are for children who weigh up to 80 pound. You must check the specifications on each model, because some can only be used up to 40 pounds.

  3. There are car seats that can be used forward facing or as a booster. These are called a combination forward facing/booster seat. These car seats can be used forward facing for children weighing up to 40 to 65 pounds, depending on the model. They can be used as a booster car seat without the harness for children weighing up to 80 to 100 pounds.

  4. Some vehicles are made with forward facing car seats built right in. Read your vehicle owner's manual to find out the weight and height limits for your particular vehicle. They will vary.

  5. Travel vests are a pretty new product on the market. They are a safe alternative for forward facing child car seats. Travel vests can be useful when you have a vehicle with only lap seat belts in the back seat. They are great to move from vehicle to vehicle, so you do not have to take your car seat in and out. Travel are used for large toddlers who can no longer fit in a traditional car safety seat or for children who just simply will not stay in their car seat. They can be used for children between 20 pounds all the way up to 168 pounds.

Installation tips for forward-facing seats

  1. The car safety seat must be installed tightly in the car. The harness should fit snug against your child.

  2. When rear facing, the shoulder straps must be in the slot at or below your child's shoulders. To switch a convertible seat to forward facing, you must move the shoulder straps to the slots at or above your child's shoulders.

  3. With some car seats you may have to adjust the angle of the seat to recline.

  4. Vehicles made after 2002 should come with the LATCH system. This is used to secure car safety seats. If you have this, it should be used. It keeps the car seat more secure than an ordinary seat belt. Check your owners manual for your vehicle to find out where your tether anchors are located in your car. Use your manual for you particular safety car seat to learn how to use this system with your car seat.

Always use your manual and your car seats specification when using and installing it. Remember, even though you think your little one is big enough to ride with just a seat belt, statistics show they are not. Even children from the age of 4 to 8 years should be in a booster seat. So keep your child safe and use a safety seat.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Keeping Toddlers Busy

Those toddlers are just full of energy! Some days it might seem impossible to keep up with them or keep them entertained. There are many fun activities to stimulate those little minds and maybe wear them out for a nap! Here are some ideas for activities for toddlers ages 18 months to three years:

Out and About Activities
• To keep those busy toddlers entertained in the car, as you are driving name things that you see and ask your toddler to point to them. For example, ask them “Where is the tree?” or “Where is the truck?”
• Waiting in the doctor’s office can be a challenge with a toddler. While you are waiting ask your child to walk over to the object you name.
• Before you set out on a car trip, choose a "Color of the Day." As you're driving in the car, shopping at the grocery store, or waiting at the doctor's office, help your toddler point to all the things she sees that match the color you've chosen. Help her identify those items.
• A fun and mess-free activity for toddlers to do while in the car or at the grocery store is sandpaper art. Cut various colors of yarn into different lengths. Show your toddler how the yarn sticks to the sandpaper. They can create a design, pull it off, and start over again.

Activities for the Outdoors
• What toddler doesn’t like playing in the mud? Fill a plate with thick mud and smooth into a flat, even surface. Have your child press his open hand into the mud and remove. Place the mud in the sun to dry. This won't last, but its fun to look at for a while.
• Let them dig for hidden treasure. Hide small objects in the sandbox for your toddler to find as they dig about. Use an old kitchen colander to sift through the sand to help find the treasure.
• If your toddler will stand still long enough, trace their shadow on a big sheet of newsprint or other paper. Let them finger-paint their shadow or color it with crayons or markers. You could also use pavement and sidewalk chalk for this activity.

Rainy Day Indoor Activities
• When you are stripping your beds, give your child the sheets from all the beds you're changing. They can use them to create houses, tents, forts, or anything else they can dream up. When playtime is over, help your child gather up the sheets and put them in the laundry basket, then take them to the laundry room together.
• Place chairs in a maze around the room. Let your child crawl among them or walk over them, or use them as a train for her stuffed animals.
• Have some fun bowling with your toddler. Line up three or four (or more) empty plastic soda bottles or unopened paper towel rolls. Show your toddler how to roll a large rubber ball to knock them over.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Top Three Mistakes Parents Make With Separation Anxiety

Saying goodbye is one of the most difficult tasks that people learn in life. Learning to handle separation is an emotionally difficult task that begins in infancy. Too often, parents and caregivers mishandle the child’s transition between them, and the child is left feeling scared and abandoned. “Maybe mommy isn’t ever coming back.” Failing to provide the necessary support that children need, to separate well, may have a negative effect on the child’s future relationships. The parent’s own feelings of anxiety and sadness, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, insensitivity to the child’s emotions, can have a profound effect on a child’s level of separation anxiety. If separating is handled with sensitivity, children develop confidence and independence and feel secure when left in the hands of a loving and competent caregiver.

Mistake #1-Ignore the child’s fears-Many parents think that ignoring a child’s anxiety, anger, stress and fear makes separating easier. Mom or dad might believe that springing the separation on the child and sneaking out, like ripping off a band-aid, won’t give the child time to get worked up, tearful and upset. Other parents may not be sensitive to the fact that separating is a big deal, “Why is he so upset, I am just running out for an hour.” Don’t tell the child his or her feelings are insignificant. Solution: Explain to the child calmly, clearly and briefly, what he or she should expect. Use the same ritual before each separation. For example: enter the room, hang the child’s coat, put the snack away, take out a loved toy, give a big hug and kiss, etc. Do not sneak out or use a distraction to duck out of the room. In new situations, parents should allot adequate time to hang around while the child becomes acclimated to his new surroundings. The parent should reassure the child that mommy/daddy is coming back soon and should expect the child to feel some distress. Separating is tough.

Mistake #2-Emphasize the fun and excitement of the activity-Disregarding that the child is feeling frightened, and instead focusing on how much fun she is going to have, does not ease separation fears. The child may be confused and not understand why she is being left and wondering if mommy or daddy will ever return. While upset the child is not able to focus on the fun things in store for her while mom is away. Solution: Short absences initially (30-90 minutes) are easier for children. Ensure that the child understands what is happening by using the same description of the situation before each separation. “Mommy is going to have her teeth cleaned, remember we passed the dentist’s office on the drive over here? I will be back shortly to pick you up and then we will go to the park and have our lunch. I know that you feel a little afraid because this is a new place to play and I am leaving. Miss Melanie is really kind and happy to play with you, I like her very much. I love you and I am coming back to pick you up as soon as my teeth are shiny.” Explaining what to expect gives the child a sense of control.

Mistake #3-Neglecting to give the reunion its proper consideration-“Grab your coat, let’s get in the car, we are late!”…is not a proper hello after being separated from a child. Having a conversation with the caregiver before acknowledging the child, is also a mistake. Solution: Handling the reunion between parent and child with sensitivity is just as important as the goodbye. The child is relieved that the parent has returned as promised. Develop a warm and loving routine used for returns. Positive relationship development relies on reuniting with joy and happiness. Using a special routine honors the loving bond between parent and child.

The Importance of Toddler Routines

Routines are very important for toddlers. Routines give structure to their day and help to reduce temper tantrums and crankiness that result from irregular sleeping and eating schedules. Daily routines are great for moms too, whether you stay at home or you work outside of the home. The effectiveness of a daily routine isn't so much what time you do something, but that you do something at the same time every day. Setting a time that works for your family allows flexibility for individual family schedules and needs.

Getting enough sleep is very important for young children. Many toddlers need up to 12 hours of sleep at night and at least a 2 hour nap every afternoon. The times that your toddlers sleep will be partly dependent on your family's schedule. Our boys are in bed by 7 p.m. every night, but that time wouldn't work as well for parents who don't get home until later in the evening. Just make sure your children have a regular bed time and a regular nap time. Their bodies adjust to these times and they anticipate those times to sleep every day, even if they don't act like they want to go to sleep. Lack of sleep makes them very cranky and irritable.

A regular eating schedule is also very important for toddlers. You know what I mean if you've ever been away from home at lunch time! Children's bodies also become accustomed to eating at certain times, even if we as parents don't always have our own eating schedules. Your toddler's mood will also improve if he or she eats at regular times. Don't forget to schedule times for snacks also. If you let them snack too much during the day they won't want to eat at meal time.

Whatever else you want to schedule into your toddler's day is up to you. I take my boys for a walk every morning, and they really look forward to this time every day. It is good exercise for me and they enjoy the fresh air.

Nighttime routines are also important for children of any age. Toddlers transition to bedtime much more easily when they know what to expect every night. A common bedtime routine is a bath and reading a story before bed. It is also a good time to occasionally sit down and watch one of your toddler's favorite videos with them.

I have found that having a basic schedule for the entire day makes my day go by more smoothly and I don't have to think much about what I'm doing to do during the day. That's really nice when you're chasing more than one toddler around the house. Regardless of how much time you spend at home with your children during the day, anyone can benefit from scheduling family activities. It also helps you to not forget to get anything done!

Here is my toddlers' daily schedule:
7:00 a.m. - wake up
7:30 a.m. - get up, get dressed, have breakfast
8:30 a.m. - go for a walk
9:00 a.m. - play
10:00 a.m. - morning snack
12:00 p.m. - lunch
1:00 p.m. - afternoon nap
3:30 p.m. - afternoon snack
5:00 p.m. - dinner
6:30 p.m. - bath, stories
7:00 p.m. - bed

I do most of my housework or grocery shopping in the evenings after the boys are in bed. During play times is when we occasionally go to the park or have grandma or grandpa come over to visit. There is just enough flexibility, while the boys also know what to expect every day. If you don't already have your toddlers into a daily routine, start slow. Regular eating times are the easiest for them to adjust to, new sleeping times may be harder. If you are changing your child's sleeping schedule vary their sleeping time by 10 minutes a day until they are sleeping at the desired time. Make sure your child is getting up at the same time every morning. This will help them adjust to set nap and bed times. Good luck! Setting a daily routine for you and your toddler just might save your sanity!

Toddler Pillow

A toddler pillow is a pillow that is just the right size for a child of two years or more. Prior to age two, use of a pillow of any type is considered dangerous and is not recommended. Babies should sleep without the possibility of snuggling their little heads under a pillow and potentially smothering. Toddler pillows are about half the size of a standard adult pillow and they have their own special pillow cases that are made to fit. A child of two to five or six years old simply can not sleep comfortably on a large standard adult pillow. Their necks and shoulders can not be comfortable because the pillow is too large and too thick. The toddler's special pillows allow your child's head, neck and shoulders to be supported just like yours but in a size proportional to the child's smaller body. Measurements for pillows for toddlers are usually 12 inches by 16 inches in size. Pillow cases for the toddler's special pillow come in a wide range of prints and colors to fit in with any bedding theme you may have in your child's room. When traveling, the pillow for your toddler will be great for carrying in the car for napping or for sleeping in hotels. Since hotel pillows are traditional thick and fluffy, your child will be much more comfy and sleep better with their own little pillow. There are even allergy-proof pillows in toddler sizes available if your child is allergic to pillow fill. You'll even find pillow covers that are toddler sized for additional allergy proofing. If your child doesn't have allergies, you can select down fill for their special little pillow, or you can select polyester fiber fill. Each will last pretty well, but you will pay a bit more for 100% down fill. Now that you know all about toddler pillows you'll probably want to have several on hand so you have enough for sleep overs.

Potty Training

Potty Training-A Simple 4 Step Formula for Initiating Toilet Training. “I’m so done with diapers!” groans a mother as she looks at the high price tag on the jumbo pack of diapers. “Is it time for my child to start potty training?” Potty training is a big milestone for children. But how do parents know when to start? Intuition, expectations, common sense and observation play key roles in initiating potty training.

Step #1-Create a Parent/Child Team Potty training is a combined effort between parent and child. Some parents may assume that they are in charge, while other parents place the child at the helm. In actuality, potty training is a partnership. Parents provide support, potty training tools, books, and dry clothing; children do the “going.” Grasping the concept that potty training is a team effort between parent and child, and not a command and control situation, is critical to success. Strict, impatient pursuit of the goal puts undo pressure on the child, resulting in stress, anxiety and in some cases delayed potty training.

Step#2-Starting early doesn’t ensure quick results In depth research on intensive potty training has proven that initiating the process early is in fact correlated to extended duration of potty training. Those parents who start training prematurely find that the potty training process lasts longer. Children must develop bladder and muscle control before they are able to control toileting. Parents may adhere to this rough timeline of readiness: 15-18 months the child senses that his or her clothes are wet; 18 months the child may urinate on the potty if placed on it; 2- 2 1/2 years the child might alert the parent that he has to go; and 3-4 years the child may have the ability to “hold it” and visit the bathroom alone.

Step#3-Determine readiness by child’s development When deciding to begin the potty training process, chronological age may not be the correct indicator for readiness. The parent should look for signs that the child is developmentally ready. This is especially true for babies who were born prematurely and children who are developmentally delayed. Some good signs of readiness are: child can sit and walk well, child can stay dry for 2 hours or more, child is interested in doing what big kids or grownups do, child is able to follow and execute simple instructions, and child seems to understand what the potty is for and uses words relating to using the toilet. Parents should assess the temperament of the child. Important questions to ask are: is the child able to focus, what is her attention span, does the child frustrate easily, is the child easily angered or discouraged. For most children potty training occurs between 2 and 3 years, with the majority of children potty trained by 4.

Step#4- Go on now, go! Today is the day! Parents should make sure that the child is in good health, and that the household is calm with no impending turmoil such as a move coming up, a new baby being brought home, or a parent going away on a trip. Dress the child in easy to remove clothing like sweat pants with an elastic waist. Snaps, buttons and zippers are difficult for little hands and time consuming to manipulate when the urge arises. To reduce the pressure on the child, allow him to stay in diapers during the early days of potty training. Gradually transition him into underwear for short amounts of time as his dry times become more and more extended. After a meal, nap, or when coming in from outdoors are good times to encourage the child to hop on the potty. Parents should be on the look out for indicators of when the child may have the urge to go. Accompany the child to the potty and stay with him. The visit to the bathroom should be short and sweet; five minutes is plenty of time. Offer reading material, or use a fun potty training tool or toy to make the five minutes engaging. Important: if the child wants to get off of the potty before five minutes, don’t force him to stay. Praise, praise, praise! Little milestones deserve lots of hugs and kisses. It is really something for a little tyke to hop on the potty by herself, pull up her own pants, or make it into the bathroom (even if only to be a little late.) Be kind, patient, sensitive and proud. Don’t scold the child for having accidents, ever.