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Christmas Gift Ideas For Toddlers & Nursery Schoolers

December 1, 2009 By
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A Lego City

Image via Wikipedia

At a time when toys are full of lead paint and may contain date rape drug like chemicals having any idea of what Santa should bring for your little one may be difficult. Here are a few time saving gift ideas that may help:

  • Game systems such as V Tech, Hooked on Phonics, L-MAX and leap pads by Leapster are wonderful educational gifts. They promote learning and still have a”video game appeal” that is non violent and fun. Children can learn to write, count, create art, and even do mathematics. These systems also usually provides age levels on the game boxes to help parents choose whats right for them.
  • A wonderful and timeless gift are Legos or building blocks. Legos are great because they provide a sensory experience, enhance fine motor development, and most importantly utilize a child’s imagination skills. Lego’s come in all different styles now (pirate ships, dinosaurs etc) so whatever your nursery schooler is in to can be built! Building blocks are fun and allow for toddlers to understand the concept of logic and to practice patience! [Read more...]
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10 Things Every Parent Needs to Know About their Preschoolers

August 27, 2008 By
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Photo courtesy Lee Cullivan

10. Every child throws tantrums. This is a normal part of life. There is no terrible 2’s or 3’s, all children go through phases and it’s normal. I know parents who will tell you that their child is going through the terrible 16’s!

9. Your child WILL learn! So what if Suzie knows how to read and your child doesn’t. Each child learns at his own pace. When he is ready he will work with you and learn, so don’t push it!

8. Every child needs to make a mess. A 4 year old is just that, a 4 year old. Don’t get upset over every mess you see. This is part of the learning process and part of the fun! Remember messes most often means that your child was attempting to do something on his own, and that is progress.

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Filed Under: Articles, behavior, child development Tagged With: ,

Make Father’s Day Fantastic: Gift Ideas for Every Dad

June 12, 2008 By
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So your husband or father has everything and you are on a budget. What do you get for a father who has it all? Here are a few ideas.

  • Have Your Child Make Something. Nothing is more heartwarming than a child who crafts something for his dad. If he is younger art projects are great! If he is older he can make something that your husband is into: a birdhouse for nature lovers, design a tool box for a fit it man, or even a picture frame. Whatever it is, dad will love it!
  • Plan an Outing! Most dads love to do something with their children! Do something fun! Plan a day at the park, a fishing trip, or a day at a baseball game. This is a great way for your child to bond! They will have a great time and father’s day will create memories!
  • Food is Still the Way to Any Mans Heart. Have your child cook him a meal and go on a picnic (indoors if it’s raining). The effort will be appreciated and your child learns the importance of doing something special for daddy.
  • A Picture Can Convey Your Love. Have a photo framed or placed on a mug for your happy daddy. Seeing his children on a mug or in a frame on his desk at work will make him smile every day.
  • Sports Art Paintings – An unusual gift I just stumbled upon, and a great way to replace that painting of dogs playing poker thats hanging over the fireplace. I gaurentee he does not have one of these yet! Edgar Brown’s passionate paintings are magical, check out his latest on Eli Manning .
  • Modern Skin-Care Products Made for Men – The "metro sexual " movement is not reaching some of our extremely masculine hold-outs. Check out BeyondBeautyBasics and Mens Health for more info. [Read more...]
Filed Under: Articles, health

The Top Ten Things to Consider when Talking to your Child’s Teachers

May 21, 2008 By
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A teacher writing on a blackboard.

Image via Wikipedia

A teacher can be very good to your child and also mistreat your child. They are the person who is really in control when you are not present, so you want to speak to them tactfully and with respect. Remember if you alienate them, they might alienate your child. Here are a few helpful tips:

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Filed Under: Articles, education system, teaching

Children and Strangers: Keeping Kids Safe

May 12, 2008 By
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So your child loves to be social and chats with everyone on the street and you think it’s a wonderful thing…most of the time. There is that uncomfortable moment though where you notice that your 3 year old is giving out all of his personal information. How do we teach our child not to talk to strangers? This is a simple yet difficult topic to cover because we want our children to be social yet we need them to be a bit fearful. Here are a few simple tips that may help:

*Explain to your child what a stranger is. Tell them that a stranger is someone that you don’t know. Let them know that when a grown up is not around they should not talk or take anything from people they don’t know.

*Let your child know that there are nice and not-so-nice people in the world. Its okay to let your child know that not everyone wants to be their friend. As a matter of fact, its imperative that children understand this concept for their safety. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, child development, child safety

Books For Every Preschooler: Diversity, Multiculturalism and Other Lessons

May 4, 2008 By
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The Sneetches and Other Stories There are books that can really help discuss relevant issues that your preschooler may have at school in a manner that makes it easily understandable. One such book that really shows us that we are all different and yet the same is " The Sneetches and Other Stories " by the wonderful Dr. Seuss . In the "Sneetches" Dr. Seuss shows children that the star belly sneetches are no better than the plain belly sneetches reinforcing to your child that all children are the same no matter how they look. The next story "the Zax" tells us why we have to be flexible. The story "Too many Daves" teaches us why we all have different names, and the last story about "The Pale Green Pants" teaches us all that even though we may be different their is nothing to be afraid of. Remeber that your preschooler may be experiencing different cultures and people for the first time and it is okay and normal for him to have questions. Having books and resources can help you have tricky conversations that may be a bit uncomfortable or hard to explain at a 3 year old level.

What Should I Read To My Toddler?

In a world full of horror and tragedy it is hard to keep our children in the safe world of fiction and fairy tale land. Reading to our children is one of the best and most important things we can do as parents because

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, child development

How To Teach Your Pre Schooler To Tell The Truth

February 7, 2008 By
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Toddler & Bubbles

Photo Courtesy of **spaceMonkey**

So your beautiful toddler goes off to the day care center and at pick up time the teacher tells you that your child has been caught lying. Embarrassment, anger, and frustration may start to creep in your mind, but my advice is relax! Chances are your child has lied at home, and even if he or she hasn’t you should not worry because this is an age appropriate reaction. Children at the mere age of 3 begin to understand how the world works around them. Part of understanding what that means is, figuring out that there are certain ways to get out of trouble! Of course they are going to try to lie to avoid being disciplined! It is how you react that will make all of the difference. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, behavior, child development, teaching

Protecting Our Daughters From The Wrong Role Models.

January 20, 2008 By
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I need a positive role model.

Photo courtesy of Steve Navarro

In a world where Jamie Lynne Spears is pregnant at 16, and Lindsay Lohan has just come out of rehab, it is hard to find people to look up to. Gone are the days where icons such as Mary Tyler Moore and Marie Osmond were positive role models for young girls. We have now reached an era where Britney Spears is continually showing her private area, and as mothers it may be hard to find a way to counteract these negative images. Here are a few ideas to aid in assisting your child in finding her way through this media madness: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, behavior, child development, environment, tips

Speaking To Your Child About Uncomfortable Topics…

January 9, 2008 By
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Expat Kids

Photo courtesy of Shermeee

Your preschooler is at an inquisitive age and seems to want to know all those questions that you are not prepared to answer: Where do babies come from, why do girls and boys have different body parts, why was the news talking about someone getting killed, or even why do some people have no home? These are just a few examples among a hundred questions your child may have. Now how to answer these questions may be difficult, especially when keeping a child innocent has become more and more difficult in the age we live in. Here are a few tips that may be helpful: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, child development, tips

What Should My Child Be Learning At Day Care?

December 17, 2007 By
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Pre School Gratuation by Beard Papa

So your toddler is at pre school and you are wondering what exactly are they teaching. Also, is my child keeping up with the with the other children? Here are a few all important tips on what your child should be learning: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, child development, curriculum, teaching, tips

Toddlers & Naps: When To Stop

December 11, 2007 By
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Parents, we love the kids nap time. Its our break time, rest time, or time to get things done, but you may have noticed that its getting increasingly difficult to put your pre schooler to sleep! Here are a few tips to let you know if your child is ready to end nap time:

Does your child have trouble falling asleep at a consistent bedtime if he takes a nap? If your child is going to bed later and later when he takes a nap, then chances are he no longer needs a nap.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, behavior, child development, tips

Coping & Caring For Chronically Ill Children & Sending Them To Nursery School

November 15, 2007 By
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Being a parent of a child with a low immune system or a child who frequently gets ill can be difficult. Here are a few tips from a mom whose child sometimes misses weeks of school at a time:
1. Be in contact with your child’s nursery school teacher. Let them know exactly whats going on so that they have an understanding of just how sick your child really is. This makes them more aware of your child and his contact with germs and also makes them more understanding.
2. Get your child’s work at home. This way they are caught up and not feeling left behind the other children. If your not sure what you should be doing or how to teach, then speak to the teacher. They will guide you and show you the basic steps on how to help your child at home. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, child development, health, tips

Toddler Too Sick for Nursery School? Signs for the Working Mom

November 3, 2007 By
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Kids with TiggerSo your boss tells you yo have to meet the next deadline and your pre-schooler has started coughing.. .what should you do? 9 times out of 10 a nursery school will have a sick policy in place (fever free four 24 hours or can not be at nursery school vomiting), but more often than not sick toddlers end up at preschool. Parents think that because the child just has a cough or a slight runny nose they are “well enough” to go to nursery school or day care.

Here are a few tips:

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Filed Under: Articles, health, preventing illness, tips, Uncategorized

Stay Away from the Sandbox & Petting Zoo!

October 22, 2007 By
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Monkey at ZooChildren often become ill after using the sandbox at the park! Squirrels and various other animals that may have disease often use these convenient dry places to release feces and urine. When your child touches this sand these germs are then transferred to your child resulting in a wide range of aliments from a simple cold to something more such as a bacterial infection. Sandboxes at the park can also carry illness from other children, and as the sand is often not changed your child can pick up common childhood illnesses leaving you to wonder where they would have picked it up…

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, environment, health, preventing illness

My Child Will Not Stop Crying & it’s the First Week of School!

September 21, 2007 By
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PencilsSo you maybe having panic attacks and be feeling like you want to take your child home and keep him there for another year…. my advice is don’t.

Children need to learn to be social and how to interact without their parents. The best thing that you can do is talk to your child about school and all the fun things bout it. Make sure you learn all of the teachers names and explain to him the schedule of the day. When you drop off your child do it quickly walk them over to the designated area (or hand them to a teacher if they are crying) give a quick kiss and say goodbye. Do not sneak around the corner or look in from a window because if your child spots you it means you don’t trust the teachers in the school (so he won’t either) and it makes you emotional which can definitely affect your child.
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Filed Under: Articles, behavior, child development