So you have the world’s pickiest eater and you are worried that he or she is super skinny! Well here are a few tips that will help your picky eater:

• Your child has managed to make it this far. Remember your idea of not eating anything and what they actually eat are completely different. So what if your child only eats 7 items. Feed them those 7 items. If your child likes macaroni and cheese, than that’s what you serve. By using those books such as “Deceptively Delicious” and the “Sneaky Chef” you can find ways to puree other ingredients into the foods they like without them knowing. You can also try mixing other veggies, meats, and fruits into items that they like. This might encourage them to try new things. Also no one says that their has to be certain foods that we eat for breakfast lunch and dinner. If your child likes Rice and Beans at every meal, than have it for breakfast! At least it’s something in their stomach!
• Recognize your child’s patterns. My son is not a big breakfast person but eats big lunches and small dinners. So I stopped fighting him on breakfast. I make sure he gets something in his stomach (in his case he likes toast with jam or mini muffins and milk) and I make sure I pack big lunches and have healthy food options. This way food stops being a battle. When you fight about foods it causes you to have a more resistant child who will not eat. All of our bodies are different and it’s important to take a look at what your child’s body is saying.
• Most children get some sort of junk food. Make sure your child understands that junk food is a treat. Do not serve it as meals all the time. If your child only wants corn chips for dinner, do not give in. Let her know that if and when she eats the meal chosen, then she can have the chips. If she refuses than don’t give in. Unless your child has a serious eating disorder, she will not allow herself to go hungry. When she is hungry she will eat the nutrition she needs.
• Let your child pick the meals she wants to eat. By letting her make the choice (its okay to give options) you are letting her take control of her food. Also, let her help make it if possible! Set rules at meal time such as: No treat foods until we are done, eating in one place, or putting only the amount of food we are going to eat on our plate. This helps provide structure to meals without being over bearing. Children love and crave structure.
• Always have a treat or reward for picky eaters. Whether it is a show or a special dessert, by having a positive reward the child looks forward to finishing their food. Avoid negative phrasings and punishment. Again, we don’t want to battle our children and make life harder. We want food to be fun! If your child doesn’t eat a meal, save the reward for the next meal. Don’t make a huge deal and throw the treat away or scream that they can’t have it and eat it yourself. By saying, “Don’t worry I am sure you will get your treat at the next meal” you are saying, I know you can do it. Positive reinforcement will help!

If you find that you have tried all of these things and your child is still eating nothing, speak with your doctor. If your child is not gaining weight she may have a more serious condition that a Nutritionist or physician can help you with, Remember hang in there, your child will not starve!

For further reading:

• Children’s nutrition: 20 tips for picky eaters – Mayo Clinic
• Picky Eaters. They Get It From You – New York Times

Related articles and news

• A Look at Your Kids and Dieting
• Happy families
• Some Tips to Lose Weight
• Frequent Meals and Cutting Sugar Are Keys To Diet Success
• Parenting Advice For Picky Eaters (housewifesutopia.com)
• Feeding Picky Eaters: Mealtime Strategies, Picky Eater Causes, and More (webmd.com)
• 10 things to consider… if you have a picky eater …. (samsweirdafternoon.wordpress.com)
• New Hope for Mothers of Picky Eaters (prnewswire.com)
• As Mommyhood Approaches… (tenesiadeltorro.wordpress.com)
• Daubs: Can picky eater gradually get used to eating ‘chunks’? (thestar.com)
• How to Get Picky Eaters to Try New Foods (everydayhealth.com)
• Picky Eater: Dining in the dark not as helpful as we’d hoped (thestar.com)
• The Happy Housewife’s Guide to Dealing with Picky Eaters: Free Ebook! (thehappyhousewife.com)
• Try it. You might like it. (boston.com)

Here are some quick shopping tips when prices are high and the budget is low

For Infants, Babies and Toddlers:

Please remember toddlers have no concept of price and what they want! You could give them a shopping bag and they would play for hours! It does not make you any less of a parent because they own no leap frog toys! Try sticking with old fashioned toys like shape rings, wooden clocks, spinning wheels, board books, large puzzles, shape sorters, anything that has cause and effect sounds or lights!

For Preschool and School age Children:

Science experiments, Leggos, Kineks, Cars, Trucks, Planes, Barbies, dolls, are all reasonably priced. Does she really need Barbies Dream house when you can afford a cheaper doll house but place 4 barbies in it? Same with the fellas. They don’t need the super duper Monster truck for $150 dollars when you can get 40 hot wheels for  $10. Remember at the preschool age children will love whatever you give them.

As they get older children will want Nintendo DSI, IPODS, WII, PS3, cell phones,  and expensive video games. My answer to this is simple. If this is what they really want, go for it with someone else. Some parents split the cost with grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles. This way the child gets their big  gift and the people that were looking to buy them presents have helped with the cost. Another idea is to let the child know(if they are older)  that you will give them a gift card for half and they can save up their allowance by doing odd jobs to help make up the other half.  Another solution is to only buy one gift for the child and make it the big purchase. Please note that just because a child wants a gift doesn’t mean they should get it. Does an 8 year old need an Ipod Touch or  would it be better to get a child a much cheaper MP3 that  won’t hurt you so much when it gets lost or stolen! Does he need a DSi or could you find a Gameboy or a Leapster that would cost half the price? These are the questions to ask yourself.

No one is saying to deprive your children of toys this holiday season. Just keep in mind that your children’s love comes from how you treat them, not what you buy for them….happy holidays!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Holiday Shopping Notebook: Snuggie heats up (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Lead-testing enforcement for toys delayed again (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Time to Let the Elf Out of the Bag? The Santa Myth (svmoms.com)
• Be Aware of Lead Hazards in Some Holiday Toys (cdc.gov)
• ESA: 42 percent to give or get games this holiday (destructoid.com)

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:

• Always be honest with your child. It is almost impossible to avoid the constant media attention to all the negative behaviors around, so explain to your child what they are seeing. Let them know that these “icons” are regular people who make mistakes. Explain to your child that these behaviors are inappropriate and unacceptable. Remember, if you try to avoid it, they will hear about it somewhere else and then might idolize or emulate that behavior. Things that are kept secretive and that parents don’t want to talk about are always more intriguing to children.
• Always watch who and what your children are interested in. Make time to listen to music, peruse the internet and watch her favorite shows. Sure “Hannah Montana” is not on the most fun list for an adult to watch, but by keeping in tune with what your daughter is interested you are able to provide feedback about the “stars” they idolize, making her realize that they are just real people. This will hopefully make her realize that celebrities are not role models.
• Provide positive role models for your daughter. Tell your daughter interesting things family members have accomplished. If your daughter enjoys sports, then go to the library and look up famous athletes together. If your daughter enjoys music and singing, introduce her to different eras or rock and roll or pioneer female musicians. By reading about different celebrities you are making them real. You can show your daughter that women can be strong and accomplish their goals. Do some research, whether it is family or past related and it will help you daughter realize there is more to life than just the celebrities of the day.

Above all remember that whether she admits it or not, you are your daughter’s ultimate role model. She will always look to you for guidance on how to live your life. As long as you communicate with her and are honest, your daughter will idolize you. So in a world where we must contend with Vanessa Hudgens being nude and Paris Hilton making sex tapes remember, all hopes are not lost. be real, be honest, and keep the lines of communication open. Your daughter will thank you for it !

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:

• Always be honest. Now this may sound strange, but remember you are the role model for your child, the one he trusts. If you lie and he figures it out, you have broken that trust and now your child may look for answers from less positive influences. You don’t have to tell the entire truth, but rather a modified acceptable version for a preschooler to hear (example: Mommy how do the babies get out of your belly? Answer: That’s what doctors do. They take the babies out for the mommies. Some mommies have their bellies cut, and some don’t) As long as you have answered the question honestly, when the child gets older he can come to you for the longer extended version of the answer when he is older.
• Never freak out. Now when your child overhears a word that is inappropriate like “sex” and comes to you and asks you what it means, your first reaction may be to wash his mouth out with soap and put him in time out. Remember chances are the child heard the word on the street and has no idea what it means. Ask him what it means and when he does not know you can let him know that certain words are inappropriate or bathroom words and should not be used. You can let him know that we should not use words that we don’t understand and let him know that the word he said was a grown up word and should not be used by a child. This way you have addressed what the word is but have not made the child feel that he cannot come to you.
• Never blame other children. Remember children speak and tell each other all sorts of things when parents are not around. Remember not every parent will monitor their child’s television or mind that they say certain things. Some parents even choose to tell their children the detailed truth on every topic. What you need to remember is that whatever the reason your child is friends with this child and they will speak. By telling your child, “Don’t play with Tommy” you are just making Tommy more interesting. You also cannot tell Tommy’s parents how to parent because that is none of your business. What you can do, is listen to what Tommy has told your child and let him know fact from fiction. Let him know what you deem appropriate and not. By doing this, your child will start to see that what Tommy has told him is inaccurate and he may lose interest in what he has to say. If Tommy is really saying inappropriate things, it would also help to speak to the teachers without your child knowing. This way they can address the problem and your child’s trust is not compromised.

Remember you want your child to feel comfortable enough to come to you with any and all questions. You want to be his resource from the start so that as he gets older you will continue to be that guide for him. Stay calm, cool, and collected and get ready for those conversations!

For further reading:
How to speak with your child about sex from MedicineNet.com

How to speak openly with your teen: from the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs

About Internet Safety from the BBC

Talking to Your Child About Menstruation

Talking to Kids about Inappropriate Touching

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:

• The most important thing a child should be learning is socialization. This is your child’s first formal experience away from you. They need to learn how to listen to other adults, and interact with other children. It is hard to learn how to ask a child to play with you, or learn how to cope when someone hurts your feelings. Children should look forward to coming to school and feel safe and secure in their social environment.
• Toddlers should also be learning how to function in their classrooms. For the most part, child day care centers have structured days. It is hard for a child to understand the concept of following someone else’s rules. Children must learn how to sit in a circle, complete learning activities, and learn to follow a scheduled day. This can be difficult and takes time.
• In terms of actual learning concepts, pre schoolers should begin working on pre-writing skills, These activities include fine motor skills such as learning to color within the lines, using play-doh, practicing pouring water, and eating with a spoon, Once your child has mastered these skills they will move on to learning how to hold a pencil and drawing straight lines. After tracing straight lines your child should begin to work on tracing their names and letters. When this is completed children will move on to writing letters without tracing.
• Letter comprehension should also be taking place. Children should start off just being introduced to letters by singing the alphabet and introducing one letter sound at a time (example: the letter a makes the sound …aaa…). They should also be learning words that start with that same letter sound (apple, ant, ankle). After learning the letetrs and sounds children will then begin to orally sound words out.
• In terms of math concepts, children should be exposed to numbers and also understand their quantity ( the number 2 means something). After children understand what the numbers are, and that they have value, they will then begin to trace the number that they are working on. Children will work on writing at least the first 20 numbers and some will even learn to write to 100. Children who have learned this will also begin learning addition. Children will also learn money concepts and possibly how to count by 5′s and 10′s.
• In terms of social studies and science, children usually learn the basics of hygiene, weather and season, holidays, dinosaurs, planets, and solar system. These are just a few examples. Usually these thematic ideas are based on the school’s preference and not on a set standard of what children have to know. Other curriculum may include art or physical education depending on the school.

What I have written seems simple. What parents really need to understand is that all children learn differently and its up to the child what pace they learn at. Some children will end the year knowing how to read and some may just understand letters. Remember THIS IS FINE AND NORMAL. Children learn differently and and that does not make one slower or smarter. Remember this is preschool and not college! Children usually reach the same level by third grade. If your child is happy and loves going to school, at the end of the day… they are learning a lot!

See also:

Early Years Are Learning Years™ from naeyc.org

Helping young children start school from naeyc.org

A Homeschool Curriculum for Preschool and Kindergarten

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.

Although, before you end the nap completely try a shorter nap first. Some children may still need a 1/2 hour of rest just to keep themselves energized. Then you can gradually move on to a quiet rest time or a quiet activity time,

Is your child cranky by 5 or 6pm? If your child is crying , overlay active, or just plain out driving you nuts by the late afternoon. Children will act totally out of character or have “melt downs” when they are exhausted. Even if your child fights you put him to sleep! He needs it, and his body language and behavior are telling you that.

Does your child come home from school, fall asleep for an hour, and then wake up and refuse to go to sleep at bed time? This is the classic sign of a child who should be napping at school. Speak with the teachers and let them know what is occurring at home. More often than not, if the teacher ensures that the child is near to her during rest time, then the child will fall asleep. Also, if your child sleeps with an object at home bring it to school, this will help promote naps as well.

Children who have outgrown naps are children who exhibit their normal behaviors and mood consistently throughout the day. They are children who still go to bed at their normal bed time without a problem and wake up in the morning. Some children slide back and forth, some days they need a nap, and some days they are fine. For all children their should be a quiet rest or activity period throughout the day with a minimum length of 1/2 hour. Resting the body is vitally important for growth and recharging the brain. It also helps out us parents who need a bit of a recharge ourselves sometimes!

See Also:

Solving Naptime Problems: Baby-Place.com

Nap Time Transitions: Parenting.com

Nap Time: Parents.com

Related Post:
How to Get Your Pre Schooler to Sleep in Their Own Room!

5. The most important thing I can leave you with is to be your child’s advocate. No one cares about your child more than you. Do not let him slip through the cracks at school or at the doctor’s office. Talk to the teachers and the doctors. Make sure the teachers are conscious of the signals when your child is not feeling well. Make sure that they understand how imperative it is for your child to have whatever he needs (whether it be medication, water throughout the day, more hand washing than a normal child, being kept warm, etc..). Make sure doctors try to schedule tests around times that do not interfere with trips or school days when possible. Also, really keep track of what tests are absolutely necessary. Our children are our life and it is our responsibility to give them the best life they can have.

Here are some additional resources on helping your chronically ill children:
The Chronically Ill Child in School

Caring for a Seriously Ill Child

Stress patterns in parents of chronically ill children

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR CHILD COPE WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS

Council for Children & Adolescents with Chronic Health Conditions

Here are a few tips:

1. Green or yellow mucus means infection.
2. 99 is a fever in a child over two.
3. Vomiting twice is not usually just something they ate.
4. A clearing of your throat cough is very different than a child who has a cough coming from the chest.
5. If your child is not acting normal (excessively bad behavior or slow or seems run down) it could be a sign that they could be ill.

Here are the US Surgeon General’s Tips to Keep Toddlers Safe and Healthy

Also, tips for Keeping your toddler healthy this winter from BabyCenter.com

Remember that you nursery schooler is not replaceable but every job is. Often we send our kids to child care slightly ill and they pick up something from another sick child and now we have gone from having to stay home for one day for a mild illness to having to stay home for several days if not the week to fight off a serious infection.

When in doubt stay home. Someone once said : I have heard people regret many things but have never heard someone say they regret staying home with their child.”

So how is this accomplished? With patience… Here are a few easy suggestions….

1. Put words in your babies mouth… I often tell my older child that my baby missed him today or says things like how much he loves his big brother. That makes him proud!

2. As much as you can let him be your helper, but not just with the baby. Yes have the older child help with the baby, but let her cook with you, clean with you, and even do laundry. This will help them feel like the older sibling and the ?big boy? or ?big girl? of the family.

3. Switch back and forth between parents so that when the child needs some quality time and you are busy feeding the baby or putting the baby to sleep, it won?t be awkward to have the older sibling have time with dad instead of you. It will feel natural, and when you are all done you can switch children and still have quality time with your older child without either child being neglected.

4. When the older child hurts the sibling which eventually will happen (whether by accident or not) be firm and explain why we have to be gentle. Once the child understands why they have to be careful it may help.

5. Lastly always remind your child how much they are loved and how much they love their new sibling… After hearing this a lot and seeing what it means through hugs and constant affection both children will know what real love is and have it for one another.

Above all hang in there…. Once the initial stages of bringing baby home are done your beautiful preschooler will be back to your perfect angel again!