Is your child talking back to you?

One of the things we are working on at our house for our five year-old is to curb the talking back. "No fair," "why" and "you can't make me" can become pretty mainstream from preschoolers all the way up to teenagers, so this is a topic many parents can identify with and would like to eliminate from their households.

Breezy Mama website had a great article entitled, "5 Steps to Put the Brakes on Back Talk." Check it out here!

The third step is my favorite...pay attention to your kids! The step encourages parents to give their child undivided attention daily and you will see an improvement in their behavior. Such an easy thing to do, and very positive for both parent and child.

What Experts Wish Parents Knew…

Parents, this is a must-read from Real Simple magazine!

This is a very informative article on different points of views from experts, including doctors, dentists, therapists, teachers and coaches, on how to handle certain situations with your kids. Here is the scoop on what the experts wish us parents knew!

Word Explosion!

My husband often jokes with me that I am now being punished for worrying about my daughter’s speech when she was a toddler because as an almost five year-old, she never stops talking!

I often tell people that my sweet little girl has a paragraph in her head when she wakes in the morning, just waiting to come out! Just this past weekend, when she woke up one morning, she told us she had "five things she needed to tell us."

Now that my son is at the age that I used to worry about my daughter’s speech and vocabulary, I have noticed he is way more verbal at 22 months than she was…and I often wonder why? I know that every child develops differently and at their own pace, but I also think my son's verbal ability has to do with the fact that my son hears me and my daughter talking all day long to one another.

There are many things you can do to help build your toddler’s vocabulary and encourage and enhance his or her language development. Here are just a few ways you can help build a vast vocabulary in your little one below.

- Talk, talk and more talk!
Talk to your child all day long. Narrate what you are doing, what you see, and what you hear. There is no better way to teach your child words and how to have a back-and-forth conversation than to talk to your child. According to www.babyzone.com, a 1991 University of Chicago study documented the vocabulary growth of 22 children from the age of 16 months to 2 years. Half of the mothers of the children were considered "very talkative" mothers and the other half were considered "least talkative" mothers. Children with the “very talkative” mothers learned 295 more words by the age of 2 years than their counterparts, proving that exposure to speech is critical to building a child's vocabulary.

- Read to your child every day.
A child’s vocabulary is built tremendously by reading books to them every day. There are so many benefits to just 20 minutes of reading a day. For one, reading books aloud to your children builds a stronger relationship between parent and child. Children are also more likely to express themselves and relate to others in a healthy way when they relate to characters in a book. Make it part of your daily routine and your kids will be learning new words and gaining self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem in no time!

- Correct the cute-ness!
You are doing your child no favors when you let them incorrectly label something with the wrong word…so correct the “cute-ness!” I am the world’s worst at this. My daughter used to “be-cide” she wanted to do something, instead of “decide,” and I thought it was precious! My son calls his sippy cup his “doddle” (aka- bottle) and I don’t correct him because it melts my heart. Carol Garhart Mooney, author of Use Your Words, says parents need to correct improper word usage because the correction and clarification is essential to help children make sense of the word around them.

- Talk to your children, not at them.
Be sure to engage your kids in conversation, rather than just barking orders or giving instructions. Just talk to them, and let them express how they are feeling and what they are thinking. Ask your kids questions to engage them in conversation make sure the questions require a more in-depth answer than just one word. (Example: Instead of asking a question that can be answered in one word, such as, “Do you want milk or water with dinner,” ask your child, “Which is your favorite drink with dinner, milk or water, and why do you like it the best?” The more a child has the opportunity to use his or her words, the more adept he or she will become at holding a conversation and speaking to friends and adults as they grow.

Remember, you are your little one’s first and most important teacher, so start building their vocabulary today!

How do you help build your child’s vocabulary? Leave your ideas in the comments section below.

How To Prepare a Child for Outpatient Surgery

Recently I learned my four and-a-half year old has sleep apnea! Crazy, huh? For a while now, we have noticed she holds her breath in her sleep and somewhat during the day as well. A trip to the ENT showed us that her tonsils and adenoids are both enlarged and need to be removed. We have scheduled surgery for our daughter in t-minus two weeks. Aggggghhhh!

My husband and I know we need to broach the subject with her before the surgery to let her know (in terms she can understand) what is going to occur. But when is the right time? We don’t want to tell her too early because of the undue worry she will have about going to the hospital, but we also don’t want to spring it on her either!
We know she needs some time to prepare psychologically for her surgery.

After some research, here are some tips from the experts on how to prepare your child for outpatient surgery.

- Kids of all ages cope better when they understand what type of surgery is going to occur and why it is necessary. Explain in children’s terminology why the surgery must happen and what she is going to experience.

- Allow your child to ask questions and answer them in a way that they can understand. Don’t over explain!

- Most children fear the surgery itself will hurt and this is their main concern. Explain to your child that there is a special doctor- an anesthesiologist- that will help your child go to sleep so they won’t feel a thing during the surgery. Reiterate that mommy and daddy will be with her as soon as she wakes up.

- However, do not lie about the discomfort she may feel after she awakens from anesthesia. Say, “It may be a little uncomfortable when you wake up, but mommy and daddy will make sure you get plenty of medicine to make any uncomfortable feeling you have go away and feel better.”

- Find books about hospital experiences (that are appropriate for your child’s level) that explain surgery and hospital visits. Children often learn best through examples and books are a wonderful way to help explain the difficult concept of surgery, anesthesia, and other hospital procedures.

- Have your child practice surgery on his or her stuffed animals with a toy doctor kit. This will help them become more comfortable with blood pressure, temperature taking, and other routine hospital procedures that must occur before surgery.

- Consider setting up a pre-surgery visit to the hospital so your child can become acquainted with the hospital. This will make it seem like a less scary place.

- Remind your child that having this surgery will make their bodies healthier and stronger. Keep reminding them it will make them feel better.

- On the day of the surgery, pack your child special stuffed animals, toys and books that will make them more comfortable while they wait for surgery.

Have you had any hospital experiences with your child? What helped them (and you) relax before the surgery? Leave any tips you have in the comments section below.

Crib Climber...What To Do?

My 20 month-old decided to make an already stressful week (we move in four days) even more eventful by climbing out of his crib this weekend. This occurrence has pushed this already on edge mama over the brink.

Why so anxiety-ridden about my boy taking the plunge, you ask? Here is the background: My son is such a good sleeper…he still takes two naps a day at 20 months old (each one averaging 1.5-2 hours, sometimes longer.) And to boot, he still goes down for bed at 7 p.m. and sleeps until 7 a.m. (Do you hate me yet? Don’t worry…my first child was not a sleeper, so I was due for one!) When my daughter started climbing out of her crib (at 22 months), that was the end of naps for us. The freedom of roaming her room was too much for her, and from there on out, naps were a struggle. By two-and-a-half years of age, my daughter stopped napping completely. This CANNOT happen again. I don’t think it will since my son loves to sleep, but I can’t risk it. Naptime is too precious!

However, I know that it is much safer to have a toddler walking around a baby-proofed room than it is climbing out of a crib and possibly falling. What to do, what to do? While researching online, here is some advice I found that was a good refresher for me and helpful on deciding what to do:

- If your child is old enough to understand “you must stay in your bed,” then explain this concept to your child. Every time he gets out of his bed, put him right back in it. This may make for some long nights at first, or some challenging naptimes, but your consistency will pay off.

- Try not to speak or interact with your child as you put them back in their bed. Sometimes children even appreciate negative attention, so minimum contact is essential.

- If you know your child is not ready for a big bed or toddler, then consider a crib tent. A crib tent is mesh and attaches to the crib rails with Velcro, to keep your little one safe and unable to climb out of the crib and fall.

- Again, if you feel your child is not ready to move out of the crib, then buy yourself some more time by lowering your crib to the lowest setting possible. Remove the bumper pad so your baby cannot use it to boost herself up over the rails.

My favorite piece of advice I found when researching tonight was from Jodi Mithchell, Pediatric Sleep Expert, found on the popular website, Baby Center. She said, “It's best not to react to climbing out of the crib with a sense of crisis. First, assess the situation and see if you and your child are truly ready for a change.”

Amen! I think I rushed too fast to put my daughter in a big girl bed when she climbed out the crib for the first time. I am going to access the situation this week and decide what we need to do to keep our boy both safe and sleeping.

So go with your gut, parents! You know your child best and you will know if it is time for him or her to move to a toddler bed or big girl/big boy bed.

Oh, and FYI: when we put our baby to bed for nap today, he tried a few times to climb out of his crib, and we went in and firmly put him back in the crib, and he finally went to sleep, sleeping for over two hours. Tonight at bedtime, we didn’t hear a peep out of him. He didn’t even try to climb out! I am sure the saga will continue this week, but for now, we are going to try to keep him (safely) in his crib.

How To Survive Your House Being on the Market with Kids

It’s day three of having our house on the market, and you know what?!?! It’s not so bad! (Again, it’s only been three days. Ask me three weeks from now if I am feeling the same way.)

The reason I think it hasn’t been so bad is we prepared. We cleaned out. We streamlined. And then we cleaned out some more. It has taken several weeks to get to this point, and now I am kicking myself because our house has never looked so good! I am wondering why we didn’t live like this years ago?

Here are some of my tips on how we keep our house “show ready” with two kids and two dogs. Never a dull moment around here!

- Streamline as much as possible. Determine if each household item is used on a daily basis. If it is not, then pack it away. If you do need it on a daily basis, then it should have its own spot. Every time you use this item, put it back in its designated spot. This will make it so much easier on you when someone calls you for a showing and only gives you a 15 minute warning (this happened to us on Saturday, but we were ready!)

- Consolidate bathrooms. We are all using the master bathroom to bathe, brush teeth, etc. This limits the amount of time I have to spend cleaning bathrooms each night. One bathroom is much easier to clean than three. Bathrooms and kitchens, in my opinion, are the most time consuming rooms in a house to clean and both should be spotless during showings.

- Clean and pick up every night. Make it part of your nighttime routine. This will cut down on the “frantic time” in the morning when you are trying to get your kids ready for school.

- Box up toys in bins or boxes and then rotate them in your child's play area every few weeks. The other bins and boxes go in storage. This way, you keep your toys at a minimum for showings, but your kids don’t tire of them because they get to play with "new" toys every few weeks.

- Make a new rule: Before you leave a room, you must all pick it up. Again, why didn’t I enforce this rule years ago?

- If you know you are going to have a showing that day, clean up, get your house set up how you want it, and then go on a family adventure to get yourselves out of the house. It will be less stressful for everyone to just get out of your house then it is to try to not mess up the house all day.

- Prepare your meals ahead of time. Make a lot of meals all at one time once a week and then freeze them. That way, you only really mess up your kitchen once a week. Then, at night, your dinner is already made and all you have to do is pop it in the oven. This will save time in the long run because you don’t have to worry about making your kitchen spotless every night.

Again, this is only day three for me. If anyone out there has any other tips, please leave them in the comments section! I'd love to read them. I’ll check back with you guys in a few weeks and let you know if my attitude towards keeping a clean house while it’s on the market is still this chipper!

Going Back to Work after Baby? Here’s How to Make Life a Little Easier on You and Baby

Adjusting to life with a newborn is hard enough, but when the days of your maternity leave are coming to an end, here are some tips on how to make life a little easier when it’s time to head back into the office.

• Set up your childcare as far in advance as possible so you can begin to adjust to this new situation.

• A few days before your first day back in the office, if your childcare is not in your home, do a trial-run of leaving your house to the childcare location at the same time you will leave in the mornings for work. This will give you a better idea of how long you need to allot for travel time. Once you figure out travel time, factor in the time it will take you to get your baby in and out of the car, and also leave enough time to give instructions to the daycare teacher or nanny. Always give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning, too, in case there is a spit-up or if you need to do an emergency diaper change.

• If your childcare is away from your home, pack your baby’s bag the night before. Also make your bottles ahead of time. This will save you so much time in the morning. If you have a nanny come to your house, set up the bottles, clothes, diapers and anything else the nanny will need for the next day the night before. This will alleviate stress in the a.m. while you get ready for work.

• To make your mornings go more smoothly, lay out your outfit for work the night before as well. After you have a baby, you may not be back in your regular clothes right away, so finding suitable outfits for work can be stressful. Do this the night before to avoid wardrobe meltdowns!

• If at all possible, try not to have the childcare travel arrangements solely your responsibility. Sometimes work or personal things come up unexpectedly, and you may not be able to always be the one who picks up your baby from childcare.

• If you are nursing your baby, set up a pumping location with your boss and the HR department before you return to work. Pack your pumping necessities the night before, too.

• Take care of yourself and get plenty of sleep when you can. Working all day and then taking care of your baby at night leaves little room for “mama” to take care of herself. If you have a spouse or partner, divide the responsibilities at home so it doesn’t all rest on you. And remember to cut yourself some slack. The laundry can wait another day- get your rest while you can!

• Make time for your friends with babies even when you go back to work. Nothing can substitute your “mama friends” as they provide emotional support and understand what you are going through!

Good luck heading back to the office!

Are Your Shopping Days Over?!?!

I was talking to a girlfriend the other day about shopping with our toddlers. Let’s just say we both have had our share of shopping struggles as of late and running to the mall has become a bit of a strain.

When your toddler becomes mobile and the stroller begins to feel more like a prison than a mode of transportation to him, are your shopping days over?

Your shopping days don’t have to be numbered, but you do need to start thinking more strategically when shopping with a toddler. Take my morning last week, for example. My oldest child was in preschool, and I had just a few hours to cross off some items on my to-do list. I had to buy three birthday gifts and also had to buy an outfit for myself for an upcoming party. I was not looking forward to taking my son with me. However, the shopping had to be finished and I was on a deadline. Instead of dreading it, I thought strategically and came up with a game plan.

Before we even started our shopping trip, I took my son to the neighborhood playground to burn some energy. I felt like he may be less likely to want to crawl out of his stroller to explore the mall if he was physically tired from playing hard. He happily ran and played at the playground, and when he seemed tired, we headed to the mall to begin our shopping adventure.

At the first store, I fed my son an early lunch in his stroller. He was a happy camper, and so was I! One birthday present down, one outfit and two birthday presents to go.

The next stop at the mall was finding an outfit for me. I chose a store that I have had much success in the past with finding clothes. Since time was precious, I wanted to try to eliminate the need to go to multiple stores. I asked for the biggest dressing room available. While I was trying on clothes, I pulled out toys from my diaper bag and my son ran around the dressing room and played. He was pumped to be out of his stroller and I was happy to try on clothes. And luckily, I found the perfect dress for our upcoming event. Score!

I knew my time was running out. I chose one final store near the mall to buy the other two gifts I needed… good ol’ Target. This is my go-to store. During this trip to Target, I had two strategies. One, I put my son in a cart instead of his stroller so he could have a different mode of transportation to switch things up. He seemed excited to ride around the store and we chatted away, face-to-face. I think he enjoyed the change of scenery, and he also loved being close enough to get about a million kisses from me while we shopped. When the newness of the cart wore off, I pulled out my daughter’s toy MP3 player for him to play with. Since my daughter was at school, (shhh...don't tell tell her), my son was in heaven pressing all the buttons, listening to all the songs. This worked like a charm!

I managed to find a birthday gift for a friend, but struck out finding a gift for my brother. Rather than press my luck and try to make it to one more store, I decided to call it a day and we headed home. When I put my son down for his afternoon nap, I got online and ordered my brother’s birthday gift. Remember that online shopping is always an option if you get in a bind!

Hopefully next time you have to go shopping with your toddler, you can come up with a game plan that will work for you, too. See?!?! Your shopping days aren’t numbered. You just have to be a little more strategic!

Post-Holiday Blues---How To Help Your Kids Shake It Off

After weeks of no school, being off schedule and enjoying the rush of the holiday season, it’s hard for kids to get back into the swing of things. Often times, kids can get what I call the “post-holiday blues.”

Most families go strong from Halloween to the New Year, and then all of a sudden, it slows down and the social calendar is not as full. Kids can get bent out of shape when they are not constantly on the go after many months of going full throttle.
What can we do to get our kids to calm down after many weeks of sensory overload and get them back on schedule?

- Go to bed at normal times and get plenty of sleep. Also, make sure you are eating healthy and nutritious meals. The holidays sometimes bring too many sweet treats, and it’s important to start focusing on eating a balanced diet again.

- Try to get outside each day, even for just a little bit. In the winter, we tend to huddle up and stay inside. Fresh air can do wonders, though, so bundle up and let your kids explore the great outdoors.

- Resume normal activities and get back on a schedule. Children thrive on consistency, and that is the best thing you can give your children after the busyness of the holiday season.

- Exercise is a great way to improve everyone’s mood. Take your kids outside to run and play! If the weather is too cold or rainy for outside time, turn on some music inside and dance away the blues. If you get your kids moving, it will surely put a smile on their faces.

- Take some time to relive the holidays. Talk to your child about their favorite memories, traditions and presents. Show them pictures and home videos from the past month. You’ll both remember the holidays fondly.

- Plan something to look forward to in the coming months. Maybe it’s time to go on a family trip to the zoo or a local museum, or it can be as simple as family movie night, but try to get something fun on the calendar that you can focus your child’s attention on. Let him know there are fun things to enjoy year-round.

- Remember that returning to school may be tough for your children. Remind them of all the friends they will get to see and fun school activities that are right around the corner. Try to be as positive about going back to school as you can.

Good luck beating the post-holiday blues. Hopefully these tips will help ensure a Happy New Year for all!

Can’t Find a Baby-Sitter on New Year's Eve? No Worries!

Every year since we had kids, my husband and I look at each other as New Year’s Eve rolls around and say, “What are we going to do this year?” It’s become a holiday we look forward to see come and go because it is so hard to find a baby-sitter. What usually ends up happening is we put the kids to bed and try to stay up and watch the ball drop on TV, but rarely do we actually make it to midnight. (Kind of sad, huh? We know other parents out there can relate!)

How can you celebrate New Year’s Eve once you have kids? What are some fun things you can do if you find yourself without a baby-sitter (again)?

- Find other couple friends who have kids and team up to celebrate the New Year. Let the kids all play together while you to enjoy adult conversation. Celebrate New Year’s Eve before the children go to bed. Do a countdown early and let the kids have New Year’s hats and noisemakers.

- Start a new family tradition. Pick a (family-friendly) restaurant to go to each New Year’s Eve. Dress up and celebrate the holiday by having dinner out together. Only go to the restaurant on New Year’s Eve so it becomes a special place for your whole family.

- Celebrate “Noon Year’s Eve” instead of New Year’s Eve. Host a party at your house for friends and family and do a big lunch for everyone. Count down at noon instead of midnight and you’ll feel like you celebrated enough by the time midnight actually rolls around. Don’t forget to give your spouse a Noon Year’s Eve kiss at the stroke of noon!

- Create a time capsule on New Year’s Eve with your family. Fill a shoebox up with pictures and mementos from the past year. Talk about your favorite memories from the year and then bury your time capsule in the backyard.

- Find a local community event that is kid-friendly. Many towns and cities have “First Night” events that are alcohol free, low-cost, and fun for the whole family.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and safe 2011!

'Tis the Season to be...Stressed?!?!

Hello everyone! So sorry it has been two weeks since I have posted a blog entry. But like a lot of you out there, our family has been in the throes of the holiday season. Parties, events, shopping…you name it, we have been busy doing it!

While the holiday season can bring visions of sugarplums, it can also bring tired feet, overwhelming anxiety and dread. If you are feeling this way, then it is time to SLOW DOWN! (In all honesty, I am giving myself this advice. Maybe it will help someone else out there, too.)

It’s hard to be a good parent when you are feeling stressed out. And I firmly believe the old saying…happy mother makes for happy children. So mamas, instead of focusing on the kids in this week's blog entry...this one is for you!

How To Beat the Holidays Blues

If the mercury level on your stress-o-meter is rising, you’re not alone. According to the National Mental Health Association, more than 17 million Americans experience some form of depression and anxiety during the holidays. Women tend to feel more of the “holiday blues” because we typically bear a greater burden during the season. The ladies tend to be the ones spearheading the holiday shopping, planning, and schedules.

Stress increases in so many of us around the holidays because of unrealistic expectations, financial hardships, and sometimes, due to the colder weather, a little bit of cabin fever.

Here are some tips on how to deal with competing demands of the holidays.

Plan ahead.
During the holiday season, your social calendar can go into overdrive. Try downshifting to a more manageable schedule.

Get a separate calendar and organize all your seasonal activities. Be sure to allot time for decorating, holiday cooking and shopping, as well as annual get-togethers. This will help prevent you from over-committing.

Before agreeing to a new commitment, check your calendar and see if it is feasible. Remember, you don’t have to say yes to every invitation.

Stick to a budget.
Make a budget for your gift giving and stick to it. While the holidays are about giving, they aren’t about breaking the bank. Shop early for bargains and to avoid crunch-time crowds.

People fall into the trap of spending a lot of money on a gift to express how they feel. A homemade gift can show how you feel about someone just as much, if not more, than a more expensive gift. These are often more personal and appreciated.

Take care of your body.
The holidays are an emotional and eventful time, so it is vital to make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating right and scheduling downtime for yourself.

Just because Santa enjoys milk and cookies at all of his holiday stops doesn’t mean you should follow suit. Try to cut back on holiday eating and drinking. When faced with a table of holiday treats, be selective and take small portions.

Be flexible.
Keep traditions and family gatherings simple. As families grow and change, so do your holiday traditions. Be flexible, embrace change and keep in mind that being together is more important than keeping family customs.

Stepfamilies will want to discuss holiday schedules ahead of time to avoid confusion and stress during the holidays. This way, all family members can plan ahead and know what to expect.

Don’t expect perfection.
Hallmark cards may portray holiday harmony, but in reality, there is no such thing as a perfect holiday season.

In reality, your relatives may argue, your eggnog may sour and your Christmas party may be less than perfect. Just remember that a positive attitude, forgiveness and a sense of humor go a long way during the holidays.

Don’t become another victim of seasonal stress. By taking care of yourself and managing expectations this yuletide season, you, too, can have stress-free holidays. Your kids will thank you for it!

Holiday Excitement Can Equal Cranky Kids

I am the world’s worst at revving up my children during the holiday season. Yes, it is not even December 1, and we are already decorated for Christmas. The house is lit up like “Christmas Vacation,” holiday music is playing 24/7, and the stockings are already hung by the chimney with care…you get the picture. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house, and we still have 25 days to go until the big day.

So what does this mean for my four year-old? Well, it means she is already in holiday orbit and every bit as excited as her mama!

This also means it is getting harder to settle her down for bedtime and keep her (somewhat) calm throughout the day. How do you manage your kids and their schedules during the the holidays, but still keep that spirit of the season?

Here are some tips on how to balance being full of holiday cheer, while keeping bedtime battles and holiday sugar highs at bay:

• Schedule holiday parties and plans when the kids are well rested. Try not to interrupt naptimes and bedtimes.

• If the holidays mean you must travel and be away from your home, then try to keep mealtimes and bedtimes as close to your schedule as possible. You may not be able to control where your little one sleeps, but you can control what time they go down for bed at night.

• Don’t go overboard. Children like simplicity, so instead of doing three holiday crafts, baking Christmas cookies and visiting Santa all in one weekend, just choose one holiday activity to do as a family. It will mean more to your child (and to you) if you have one special event or activity to focus on at a time. Too many new and exciting experiences can make children overwhelmed, thus leading to a meltdown.

• While holiday treats certainly are a fun part of the season, limit cookies and candies. Too much sugar contributes to children having a tough time settling down at night. When several holiday treats are offered to your kids in a single day, have them select one and tell them to either save the rest for another day or give the treat to a friend or family member. This is an excellent way to eliminate too many treats, as well as reinforce the importance of giving to others, instead of always receiving.

• Keep your stress level in check. Remember that children are very much affected by their parent’s stress levels. If holiday activities become too much for you and you can feel your stress level rising, then it’s time to take a step back and look at your schedule and to-do list. Determine what you can eliminate from it to make the holiday season more enjoyable for everyone.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...Card!

It’s that time of year again…time to prepare for the (often dreaded) family photo for the annual Christmas card!

Something that should be fun and easy is oftentimes very stressful... your kids won’t cooperate, your husband is complaining about having to smile on cue, and you are thinking to yourself, "Why do I put myself through this every year?"

Hopefully this year will be different! Here are some tips to help your Christmas card photo session go well!

- Don’t be above bribery!
Come armed to the photo session with snacks, lollipops and bubbles…anything to get your kids through the shoot while keeping a smile on their faces!

- Keep the weather in mind.
Sometimes you may have the perfect outfits picked out, but if you are doing an outside photo session and it is terribly cold that day, it might be time to ditch the cute, coordinated outfits and go with something warmer, like coats, gloves and toboggans. A happy child in a winter coat is better than a teary one who is cold!

- Bring a helper.
Consider bringing grandma or a favorite baby-sitter who get the kids’ attentions during a family photo or can play with one child while the other one is getting photographed. An extra set of hands can alsofix collars, flyaway hairs and clothes once you are all posed.

- Less is more.
The family itself should be the focal point of the card. If you try to incorporate too many props, your Christmas card may become too busy or can get “cheesy.” Just keep it simple for a beautiful holiday card that you’ll treasure for years to come.

- Don’t be afraid to be “candid.”
Sometimes it’s hard to capture a good photo of the entire family, especially when you have little ones who have trouble sitting still for more than a few seconds! Just interact with one another and leave it to your photographer to capture holiday magic. Candid pictures sometimes make more interesting holiday cards than posed ones anyways!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas card this holiday season!

Surviving the Doctor’s Office with your Kids

Cold and flu season is upon us (NOT AGAIN!), and one of the worst places to pick up germs is the waiting room at the doctor’s office. Both of my kids have well visits coming up, and it makes me want to cringe at the thought of taking them into the lion’s den (aka- the doctor’s office.)

I admit it. I can be somewhat of a germaphobe. What can I say? Besides, when the American Academy of Pediatrics states, “An office waiting room often presents opportunities for transmission of infectious diseases among patients,” well, I am going to listen and try my best to keep those germs at bay!

Here are some tips on how to reduce your child’s chances at catching an infection at your next well visit.

- If there is a “well section” at your doctor’s office, utilize it.

- Wash your children’s hands often during your well appointment with hand sanitizer. If you know your doctor’s office doesn’t have hand sanitizer available, carry your own hand sanitizer with you. When you get home, wash your child’s hands thoroughly with soap and water. This tip goes for parents, too! You could pick up germs while taking your kid to the doctor's office, too.

- Bring your own toys to occupy your kids in the waiting room. The toys in the waiting room are a germ cesspool. Also avoid toys and books once you are back in the exam room, too.

- If your child is compliant, have them hang out in their stroller while you wait to be called back to the exam room. This will help them to avoid germs on waiting room chairs.

- Try to get at least two chairs between you and someone who is coughing and sneezing. Flu droplets can travel!

- Avoid using bathrooms at the doctor’s office if possible. These bathrooms are packed full of germs.

I know germs are everywhere and your kids can pick up illnesses anywhere you go, but these tips will help you protect your kids as much as you can.

Here’s to a safe and healthy winter!

Play It Safe on Halloween!

Halloween is right around the corner, and our ghosts and ghouls are brimming with excitement about trick-or-treating!

What are some ways you can keep your little pumpkins safe this Hallows’ Eve? Check out some safety tips below.

- Never allow your child to trick-or-treat alone. Always walk in groups and have a responsible adult with your group.

- Use reflective tape on your costumes and shoes so drivers see your children.

- Always face away from traffic. Use sidewalks when possible, or stay on the far edge of the road when sidewalks are not available.

- Only allow your children to eat packaged candy from stores. Avoid homemade goods. Inspect all your children’s candy before they eat it.

- Do not walk near decorative luminaries with an open flame. Your child’s costume could catch fire.

- Ensure your kids’ costumes are not too long to avoid tripping and that their shoes are comfortable so they don’t get blisters from walking around so much.

- Stay close to home. Try to trick-or-treat at your neighbors houses. Avoid unfamiliar neighborhoods.

- When someone opens the door for your trick-or-treaters, make sure they know to stay on the porch. Never let your child go inside someone’s house.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Keeping It Clean…Organizing Your Kid’s Toys

Both of our kids have fall birthdays and each birthday means new TOYS! This delights our kids to no end…and if I am honest, it makes this stay-at-home mom happy, too, because it means new toys to enjoy with the kiddos.

All the new birthday toys have prompted us to clean out our playroom and “toy stash,” and it’s coming at a perfect time since the holidays are right around the corner. It seems like such an overwhelming task to accomplish, but with these tips below, I think it will go smoothly this year!

- Use clear bins to house similar toys. Cars go with cars, dolls go with dolls, etc. This will make finding toys and cleaning them up much easier.

- Avoid duplicate toys. Children do not need two stacking rings or two musical keyboards. Consider donating duplicate toys to goodwill. This will help you declutter your toy areas

- Always put toy bins at eye-level and within reach of the kids. This way, they can find the toys they are looking for easily, and they can also put the bins away when they are done playing. This will teach your children the importance of cleaning up after themselves.

- Consider using photo or pictures to label bins when your kids are younger. Pictures will help small children know where to put certain toys when it is time to clean up. When your kids are older and can read, use labels with words to mark your bins. This will help them to learn how to spell new words while keeping your play areas tidy.

- When organizing your toys, think about what your kids play with the most often. Put those toys out in your play areas and when you sense your child is tiring of them, put them back in a closet or in storage and bring out different toys. Rotating your toys will make old toys feel new again.

- Consider donating the toys not used very often to charity or goodwill. This is an excellent way to instill the spirit of giving to your children.

Good luck cleaning out your toys this year. Here’s to staying organized the rest of the year and into 2011! I'm off to a good start...I just put all my daughter's Barbie gear in clear bins with labels. It's funny how the small things in life can make you feel accomplished!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Football season is upon us, and down in the south where I'm from, going to a college football game is a typical Saturday activity. When your family expands with little ones, does that mean you need to give up sporting events all together until the kids are older? Definitely not! Here are some tips on how to survive game day with kids.

- Check with the stadium ahead of time about rules on bag sizes, strollers and cameras (you have to capture little one’s first football game, right?) There would be nothing worse than being told in the ticket line that your diaper bag is too big and cannot be taken into the game or that strollers are not allowed.

- Speaking of diaper bags, stock yours with extra diapers or undies, a change of clothes and lots of wipes! This will have you covered if your child has an accident during the game.

- Food and drinks are a must! Plan on feeding your child (either a snack or a meal) during the game. Check ahead of time what foods and drinks are available at the stadium to determine if you need to pack your own snacks or if you can buy food at the game. Also check on the rules of bringing your own food into the game. You may be able to get away with food and snacks for toddlers and babies. Eating always allows kids to happily pass the time and will hopefully help you stay longer at the game.

- One personal tip…we took our kids to a football game last weekend and brought our travel high chair for our one year-old. He happily ate lunch and snack strapped to the stadium’s bench in his travel chair. This was key to lasting as long as we did at the game. And it was a much better alternative to holding him the entire game!

- Pick up any promotional items being passed out at the beginning of the game. It is (free) entertainment (our four year-old loved playing with the pom-poms most of the game) and a great souvenir to take home to remember your fun day.

- Consider the noise level of the game before you go. Do you think the cheering, bands and fireworks might scare your kids? If so, pack ear plugs or noise-canceling headphones to drown out some of the sound for them, not to mention, protect their hearing.

- Be flexible. Understand up front that you more than likely won’t make it through the whole game. Look at the game as an adventure and however long you make it is a success. Also be willing to walk around the stadium with toddlers who don’t want to be held for long periods of time.

- Be mindful of the weather. If it is blazing hot, bring sunscreen for your kids (and yourself!)Have them drink plenty of water throughout the game. If it is going to be cold, bring warm coats and even a stadium blanket. Protect your kids from the elements as much as possible.

- Don’t forget your sanitizing wipes! Wash their hands with the wipes frequently, and even consider wiping down the bench before you sit down if the seats look grungy.

- Change diapers right before you go into the game. Sometimes the diaper changing stations inside stadiums are less than favorable.

Are you feeling brave enough to try to root on your favorite team next weekend? If so, head to the stadium and have a great time! Give us your tips, too, on what worked/didn’t work for you at the next home game.

Getting Your Kids Ready for School- How To Beat the Morning Madness

Do you ever feel like you are running a race against the clock in the mornings? I know I do, and my daughter only goes to preschool three mornings a week! So many moms I have talked to recently feel like no matter what time they start getting their kids ready for school in the mornings, they are always running late and feeling frazzled.

How can we make the mornings run more smoothly and make the start to school days more peaceful for everyone? Here are some tips below to help manage the morning madness!

1. Do as much as you can the night before.
You can pre-pack your kids’ lunches, lay out their backpacks, and even layout their school clothes the night before school. The more you do ahead of time, the less hectic your mornings will be. If your child is particularly opinionated about what they wear, include them in the decision the night before when laying out their school clothes. Let your child know in advance that changing his or her mind the next morning is not an option.

2. Have a designated place for all “school-related” items, such as backpacks, library books, homework, notes to teachers and lunch boxes.

It will save you time in the morning so you are not scrambling to find what your child needs to take to school that day.

3. Wake up earlier than your kids.
Even if it is just by fifteen minutes, I know the mornings I rise before my kids and have a cup of coffee in solitude, I am more prepared to deal with the hurriedness of the morning time. You won’t feel as frantic and stressed out if you get that alone time. (Remember that kids can sense when you feel stressed out.)

4. Have a morning routine.
Create a morning routine and stick to it. If your kids know they have to brush their teeth, wash their face and make their bed every morning in the same order, they will less likely fight you on it and do it in a more timely manner.

5. If your child is sluggish most mornings, consider moving up their bedtime earlier.
When children constantly drag their feet in the morning and have trouble getting out of bed or sleepwalk through their morning routine, this is a good indication they are not getting enough sleep. Consider moving up your child’s bedtime by 30 minutes for a week and see if it makes a difference in the mornings. Keep moving their bedtime up week by week until you see an improvement in your child’s energy level in the mornings. You’d be surprised by how many children do not get enough sleep at night!

Here’s hoping your mornings become more peaceful and less stressed! Speaking of…I’m off to pack lunch and lay out school clothes!

Packing Lunch for Little Ones!

My daughter starts preschool next week, and this means I will be packing a lunch for her three times a week. (Her wonderful preschool includes lunchtime!)

No big deal, right?

Well, I am a little nervous about running out of ideas and being “that parent” who packs the same thing every day, especially since it is a peanut-free school. (No peanut butter?!?! What will my daughter eat?!?!)

Luckily, there are so many wonderful resources on the Internet to help you when making lunch for your kids this year. Here are some alternatives to the ho-hum turkey and cheese sandwich that are both healthy and delicious!

- Cream cheese “tea sandwich”
- Roll-ups (deli slice of ham or turkey with cheese rolled up together)
- Whole grain bagel with cream cheese
- Pasta salad
- Fruit salad
- Baby carrots with vegetable dip
- Vegetable soup (in an insulated thermos or container)
- Granola
- Mini-muffins
- Hummus with baked tortilla chips or vegetables
- Dried fruit bars
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cheese cubes
- Ham and cream cheese pinwheel sandwiches
- Fruit kabobs (make sure the stick holding the fruit together is not too pointy)

(Also parents…this article on back-to-school lunch and snacks is a must-read. I can’t believe 98 percent of children fail to meet the five core food groups each day. Yowza!)

Too Hot, Too Fast: Signs your Kids Could Be Dehydrated

Where we live, it is hotter than hot this summer. When I walk outside, I am full-on sweating before I even reach my car. My almost four year-old, who usually does not complain about rain, sleet, snow or heat, even said to me today, “Mommy, it’s too hot to play outside today.”

The summer sun can be ruthless, so it’s important to recognize the early signs of dehydration and other heat-related illnesses. Children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, because their bodies do not get rid of heat as efficiently as adults' bodies do. Check out these tips below on how to keep your kids from reaching the point of too much sun, and not enough water.

- When kids begin to complain with thirst or feeling hot while playing outside, or just seem irritable in the heat, they may have early dehydration. Get them out of the sun immediately and find a cool spot to sit and relax. Push fluids as well (water or sports drinks with electrolytes are best.)

- If you know your child has been outside in the heat and is experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible: few or no tears when crying, eyes that look sunken in the head, lack of urine or wet diapers, headache, extreme fatigue, dizziness or altered mental state.

- Encourage your child to drink water before, during and after outside activities when it is a hot day.

- Avoid giving your kids fruit juices, sodas and other caffeinated beverages when playing outside in the heat. These types of drinks can actually make dehydration occur more quickly.

- Find shady spots outside to take breaks from playing. Have your kids drink fluids every 20-30 minutes, or even more often if they ask for it.

- When playing in the heat, dress your children in loose, light colored clothing.

- Whatever you do, do not leave your children alone in a hot car, even for a few minutes.

Play it safe in the sun by staying cool and hydrated the rest of the summer!