'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!

Sleep Positioners- Read This Warning

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are urging parents and caregivers to stop using sleep positioners.

A sleep positioner is a product used to keep babies on their backs while sleeping. These products are marketed as an aid to help with food digestion and reflux, ease colic, and prevent flat head syndrome. Sleep positioners are also marketed as a way to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS) by keeping babies on their backs.

There have been more than 12 reports over the past 13 years of infants (between the ages of one and four months old) who have died when they suffocated in a sleep positioner. In some of these instances, the babies died when they became trapped between the sleep positioner and the side of the crib or bassinet.

"In most instances, these products provide no real benefit and the risk of harm when they are used is significantly greater," said FDA deputy commissioner Joshua Sharfstein.

Parents need to remember that the safest way to put a baby to sleep in a crib is for the crib to only have a mattress and a tight-fitting sheet. Also, babies should always be placed on their backs.

According to these organizations, parents should stop using sleep positioners or any device to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep. These are unnecessary and can pose a suffocation risk to your baby.

For more information on the CPSC and the FDA’s warning, please click here.

We at Pure and Honest Kids like to try to stay abreast on safety issues involving children's products. As we continue to learn more about this issue, we will share it with our readers.