Category Archives: kids

Best Parenting Advice

On Father’s Day we went to the zoo and I witnessed some of the best parenting I have seen in a long time. I had not been to the zoo in several years and had forgotten how many small children can be found on the premises. One father and son came to my attention. The son was misbehaving. Granted, little boys have difficulty sitting still for any extended period of time, this kid appeared to be about six years old and should have been able to follow basic instructions. However, he chose not to. His father warned that if he did not stop jumping out of his stroller and throwing his toys and sunglasses on the ground they would leave.

I paid little attention since I had heard such threats numerous times from parents at different venues. Usually either the child stops, or the exasperated parent tries tirelessly to get the child to cooperate. I was pleasantly surprised to see this father actually take his child home. They left the zoo.

Having children I know how frustrating it can be when they decide to have an all out temper tantrum in public, and how sometimes it is just plain problematic to get up and leave. But it has to be done. If parents constantly ignore their children’s bad behavior, or worse, provide empty threats, then the kids do not learn to ever behave properly. Next time mom and dad say no, the children know they just have to push the right buttons to get what they want because mom and dad won’t follow through.

I know how inconvenient it must be to leave the zoo less than an hour after you got there, especially if you live further away. I know how annoying it is to pay for two tickets and a rented stroller only to realize you just wasted that money. But before you start letting your mind go there, realize that you did not waste that money, you spent it on a lesson that your children would not otherwise have learned. Of course ideally we would never have to dole out those types of ultimatums because our children would all be little angels, but in reality, you just taught your kid a great lesson. I am willing to bet that little boy will think twice about testing his father again.

How do you handle tantrums in public?

Missing Life Before Multiple Kids

 

 

After giving birth to my daughter I did not really miss life before kids. I still don’t. I read all the blogs about how some women miss having no children. They miss the life and freedom they used to have. I never felt any of that the first time around. I love having my daughter, and I love the way our family functions.

Now I am eight months pregnant with our son. I am already feeling a pang of things I am going to miss from before giving birth to a second child. We have a system and routine with our daughter that we have grown accustomed to and will surely change with the arrival of a new baby. This is not to say we won’t find another routine that will incorporate our newest addition, but I know this will take a while, and in the interim things will be different.

I was beginning to get used to not making baby bottles, and slowly putting away all of the baby things. Now all of our baby paraphernalia is coming back. Some of it I don’t mind, and a lot of it is very cute. What I dread is the formula and baby bottles (once I am no longer breastfeeding).
Our daughter goes to bed like clockwork for the most part, and having to sleep train another one seems very daunting. I have this idea that because our daughter was/is such a little angel we are going to get a complete hell raiser this time around to make up for it. I know this is completely irrational, but nevertheless I fear these things.

When our daughter was only a few months old she started cooperating with us on levels that would make most parents want to lynch us. This makes me feel that as a mom I am a bit spoiled now and having to deal with an unruly child may be a complete shock. But for the most part, aside from my own foolish what-ifs, I am pretty ecstatic about our newest bundle of joy making his appearance soon. Who knows, maybe lightening does strike twice.

How To Chose The Perfect Day Care: 10 Must-Ask Questions

Daycare is an expensive, necessary evil for the working mom. When you pay an arm and a leg to have someone watch your kids while you are at work, it only makes sense that you would want to get the most out of it for yourself and your children. Regardless of the type of schedule you may have, or the needs of your child(ren), there is a program out there for you.
Having scoured every nook and cranny for a daycare for my daughter, and then doing it again for my son (we wanted to see if anything better popped up in the interim), I found there were some questions I wanted answered when looking for a daycare. My husband works in daycare insurance, adding to my body of knowledge, and helping guide me on my quest. I want to pass along some of this useful information.
Here is a list of things to look for in a daycare program to help narrow down your search.
1. Where are they located? From my experience, I found having daycare close to my work is more beneficial than being near my house. Should an emergency arise while I am at the office, I can make it there faster.
2. Are you looking for an in-home day care, or a facility? In-homes tend to be more cost efficient, but some argue aren’t as safe. Facilities generally background check all of their employees, and only certain people are allowed on the premises. In-home day cares may have their staff checked out, but there is no mandate for anyone else coming by. These are people operating daycares out of their homes, so any guests they have over during the day are not subject to screenings of any kind. I have seen some very well run and professional in-home daycares, so I do not recommend ruling them out. Just do your homework.
3. What is their schedule? Do they open early enough for you to drop off your kid and make it to work? Do they close late enough for you to pick up after work? Do they have part time schedules available if that suits your needs? If so, what is their part time schedule?
4. Have you toured the facility? Would you feel comfortable leaving your child there? Toys strewn across the floor is no biggie; that is how kids keep themselves amused throughout the day. However, if dangerous items are left unattended and within little ones’ grasps, there is reason for concern.
5. How long have the staff members been working there? If there is a high turnover rate on staff members you should be wondering why.
6. Who provides the amenities? Do you bring your own diapers and wipes? Baby food? Milk? Formula? Anything else? Most daycares operate by having yor bring everything for your child, but I have also seen a couple that include baby food and milk into their pricing.
7. How do you bring these amenities? Do you bring in already prepared bottles and food, or do you bring in a giant container of formula or prepackaged foods and leave them there for them to distribute to your child as needed?
8. What is their policy on breast milk? If you are choosing to breastfeed, do they accept breast milk? I have never come across any facilities who object to this feeding choice, but it is still smart to ask ahead of time.
9. What is their policy on drop-ins? Are you welcome there at any time without an appointment or calling ahead? Personally, I would be suspicious of any places that restricted when I can come by to see my child. Why do I have to give you notice I will be coming by? Is there something I am not supposed to know about? However, do keep in mind scheduled nap times. Some daycares restrict visitation during these times, but you can still come to the facility without necessarily disturbing the children or going into the room where they are napping.
10. What are their rates? And what are you getting for these rates? If you are like me, and going back to work when your baby is barely 6 weeks old, chances are you are looking for someone to basically feed, change and play with your baby. You are not looking for a formal education (although I have heard good things about Montessori daycares as well, which is a whole different discussion).
What else is important to you when looking for a daycare?