It is not OK to raise a baby night owl. When my son was born my husband worked nights and did not have a drivers licence. I would drop him off and pick him up, and baby had to come with me. I would get the baby down to sleep only to put him into a car seat and drive my husband to work. Then I would try to get him to go back to sleep when we got home. No luck, we would be up all hours of the night. Then finally sleep, and the alarm would go off so I had to get up and put the baby in the car again to go pick up Daddy.
When we got home Daddy would want to play with baby. So we were up for a few hours more. Then we would all fall asleep during the day. Missing out on every thing that happens in the day, like walks and sunshine. We all ended up sleeping in the day and being up at night. Finally my husband realised this was killing us. It was to hard to be a family, do things or just live life if we slept all day and were up all night. So he ended up getting a day job when our son was about six months.
Looking back I know we missed out on a lot of things for the first year of his life. Just being up when every one else is makes a big difference on how you live your life. Staying up all night made it impossible to socialize so our son did not have a lot of contact with other kids, or other people in general. We missed out on park time, baby groups, or just getting out of the house. What do you do when you live in a small apartment and are only up at night? You are not very active, you feel isolated, you watch a lot of TV and you never get a break. It became stressful for all of us. It was not fair for us to do that to our child, or to ourselves.
It has taken years to get our son to sleep at night. He would always try and stay up as late as possible, and would fight going to bed. It took hours to get him to go down. We would start around 8 pm only to get him to sleep some time between 10 pm and 12 AM. When we did get him to go to sleep he would wake up in the middle of the night and we had to start all over again to get him to sleep. It was a hard thing to break, having a night owl baby.
I know that it is not possible for every one to have a stable day job, too many shift work jobs and night shifts. If it is possible though, give your baby a nighttime bedtime routine so they can be up with every one else and fit in with most of society. My husband was a night owl as a baby and most of his life. He could never seem to sleep at night and ended up living a life of night shifts, always struggling to fit his life schedule with daytime society. Being a night person can be lonely and difficult to balance. It is also harmful to your health and well-being. Even after years of not working nights he will end up awake all night because he feels more awake and alert at night. This is some thing he will struggle with for the rest of his life. This lifestyle is not some thing I would knowingly inflict onto a baby.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Five must-have safety products for new parents
It is so scary how many children are harmed by being in a non-child proof home. There are a lot of things people just don’t think about until it is to late. Or some one tells them about it. Here are 5 safety products you need in your home, and any home your child will spend any amount of time at.
1) Car Seat - The most important safety product every parent needs is the right car seat for your child. Make sure that you have a rear facing infant car seat. You use the rear facing car seat until your child is a year old or your child out grows the height and weight limit of the seat. Properly installed car seats can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by 71%. That was a properly installed car seat, please go to a car seat clinic to make sure you are using your car seat correctly. Car seat clinic reports show up to 80% of car seats are not installed correctly. Usually people don’t tighten the seatbelt and harness enough or don’t use the tether strap.
A rear facing car seat should rest on a 45-degree angle and not move more then 2.5 cm (1 in.) side-to-side or forward at the base. Harness straps should be at or below a baby’s shoulders. You should not be able to fit more than one finger under the harness strap at the collarbone. The chest clip should be lay flat on the chest at armpit level.
Things you need to think about before buying a used car seat. Sure they cost less but you need to make sure the one you get meets today’s safety requirements. You also need to make sure the seat was never in an accident. Car seats can be damaged in an accident and become unsafe for use.
In Ontario hospitals will not let you take your baby home unless you have a rear facing car seat that is less then 5 years old and meets current safety standards. Even if you don’t have a car. If you do have a car you must show the nurse that you know how to use it and that it is properly installed.
2) Safety gates – Safety gates can save your baby’s life. Use gates to keep children out of unsafe rooms, and from falling down stairs. As soon as your baby starts rolling, or trying to move around then you put the safety gate up. Better safe then sorry. A lot of deaths and injuries could have been avoided if people just used safety gates. People have them in their homes, but don’t use them because they think the safety gate will be inconvenient.
With all the new safety gate designs out there you will be able to find a gate that works with your house and budget. There are even gate systems that you can use to divide a large room into kid friendly and not kid safe. There are two types of gates, pressure or hardware mounted. The hardware mounted is screwed right to the wall and kids cannot push them down. This is needed at the top of stairs. Pressure gates use pressure to stay in place, are easy to put in any door way, often are adjustable to be used in more then one doorway, and easy to move from one door way to another as needed. Not to be used at the top of stairs though.
3) Door handle locks or knob covers – There are locks or covers for almost any type of door handle and knob out there. They are designed so that small hands are unable to open your doors. We have them on all doors going outside, and on any room that we don’t want our children in unsupervised, like the laundry room. Kids move fast and they love to explore and get into things we don’t want them to. These locks help out so much keeping children safe. Safety latches and locks should also be used on cabinets and drawers to prevent poisonings, or getting into knives and other harmful items.
4) Window guards and safety netting – Keep your child from falling out the windows, or off balconies, decks, and landings. A fall from the couch can seriously injure a baby; a fall from a window can kill. Just last week we saw one of our neighbours baby fall from the living room window. The baby was ok, but it proved the point that window guards and safety netting need to be used.
5) Safety Tassels and Inner Cord Stops – Kids are strangled in blind cord loops all the time. You can find lots of devices to help prevent kids from strangling on window blind cords. If you do have window blinds please take the time to go to www.windowblindskillchildren.org and make sure your child is not in danger.
Some of the information was taken from The Ontario Government web site, safe & secure: choosing the right car seat for your child.
1) Car Seat - The most important safety product every parent needs is the right car seat for your child. Make sure that you have a rear facing infant car seat. You use the rear facing car seat until your child is a year old or your child out grows the height and weight limit of the seat. Properly installed car seats can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by 71%. That was a properly installed car seat, please go to a car seat clinic to make sure you are using your car seat correctly. Car seat clinic reports show up to 80% of car seats are not installed correctly. Usually people don’t tighten the seatbelt and harness enough or don’t use the tether strap.
A rear facing car seat should rest on a 45-degree angle and not move more then 2.5 cm (1 in.) side-to-side or forward at the base. Harness straps should be at or below a baby’s shoulders. You should not be able to fit more than one finger under the harness strap at the collarbone. The chest clip should be lay flat on the chest at armpit level.
Things you need to think about before buying a used car seat. Sure they cost less but you need to make sure the one you get meets today’s safety requirements. You also need to make sure the seat was never in an accident. Car seats can be damaged in an accident and become unsafe for use.
In Ontario hospitals will not let you take your baby home unless you have a rear facing car seat that is less then 5 years old and meets current safety standards. Even if you don’t have a car. If you do have a car you must show the nurse that you know how to use it and that it is properly installed.
2) Safety gates – Safety gates can save your baby’s life. Use gates to keep children out of unsafe rooms, and from falling down stairs. As soon as your baby starts rolling, or trying to move around then you put the safety gate up. Better safe then sorry. A lot of deaths and injuries could have been avoided if people just used safety gates. People have them in their homes, but don’t use them because they think the safety gate will be inconvenient.
With all the new safety gate designs out there you will be able to find a gate that works with your house and budget. There are even gate systems that you can use to divide a large room into kid friendly and not kid safe. There are two types of gates, pressure or hardware mounted. The hardware mounted is screwed right to the wall and kids cannot push them down. This is needed at the top of stairs. Pressure gates use pressure to stay in place, are easy to put in any door way, often are adjustable to be used in more then one doorway, and easy to move from one door way to another as needed. Not to be used at the top of stairs though.
3) Door handle locks or knob covers – There are locks or covers for almost any type of door handle and knob out there. They are designed so that small hands are unable to open your doors. We have them on all doors going outside, and on any room that we don’t want our children in unsupervised, like the laundry room. Kids move fast and they love to explore and get into things we don’t want them to. These locks help out so much keeping children safe. Safety latches and locks should also be used on cabinets and drawers to prevent poisonings, or getting into knives and other harmful items.
4) Window guards and safety netting – Keep your child from falling out the windows, or off balconies, decks, and landings. A fall from the couch can seriously injure a baby; a fall from a window can kill. Just last week we saw one of our neighbours baby fall from the living room window. The baby was ok, but it proved the point that window guards and safety netting need to be used.
5) Safety Tassels and Inner Cord Stops – Kids are strangled in blind cord loops all the time. You can find lots of devices to help prevent kids from strangling on window blind cords. If you do have window blinds please take the time to go to www.windowblindskillchildren.org and make sure your child is not in danger.
Some of the information was taken from The Ontario Government web site, safe & secure: choosing the right car seat for your child.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Enforcing bedtime for your children
We spent years trying to get our son to go to bed and stay in bed. Every night we dreaded bedtime. We waited until he was so tired he would start to fall asleep or until he became grumpy we knew he was tired. Then tried to get him to go to bed and stay there. It would end up with me fighting a grumpy tired child. He was so over tired he was impossible to deal with or get to sleep. I was going out of my mind.
We tried every thing. Lots of physical activity so he would be tired, soft music, bath before bed, anything someone told me to try. Nothing worked. It all started when he was a baby and Dad worked nights. We all ended up being on the night shift. It was too hard so we changed to a normal day schedule. Our son was very resistant. A year latter he was still trying to stay up at night. He never wanted to go to bed. He ruled the house. We had not time for ourselves, and very little sleep most of the time. When his little sister was born we hit a breaking point. He would be up to 10 or 11 at night and she would be up at the latest 6 am.
The house was not a fun place to be. Every one was suffering from sleep deprivation. It took very little for tempers to explode over the littlest things. We were all impossible to deal with. It went from frustration to anger because he would not go to bed. It was a bad place to be. Screaming and time outs does not help get children to go to bed, it just made things worse. No one liked bedtime in our home.
I went to some parenting classes and what do you know, the most common parent issue was children’s bedtime. We were all going through the same thing; our children did not want to go to sleep. We found out that we did not have good sleep routines. We had to learn the importance of a good sleep routine. What we had was inconsistent bedtime routines the result were very frustrated children and parents.
We needed to have a consistent routine so our children knew what was expected from them, and had the security of knowing what was going to happen next. Routine means security to most children. So we had to set a bedtime routine. Turn the TV off, toothbrush, PJ’s on, story time, monster check, then into bed with favourite stuffed animal. We needed to do this every night at the same time. Our wants had to take second place to our sons need for a consistent routine.
It usually only takes a few weeks for the change to take place, for us it was months. We had to learn how to be consistent, some times it was just too much to deal with and we would slide back. It only works if the parents are both working with the same routine, both in time and activities. Other wise the child is still confused. Finally we learned and got our act together as parents. We started getting him to bed by 9 pm. Then we were able to move it back by about 15 minutes every few weeks. Both our son and daughter go to bed between 7 and 7:30 every night. The struggle we went through to build a good sleep routine paid off. It was worth going through a few weeks of stress to get a good routine established.
We tried every thing. Lots of physical activity so he would be tired, soft music, bath before bed, anything someone told me to try. Nothing worked. It all started when he was a baby and Dad worked nights. We all ended up being on the night shift. It was too hard so we changed to a normal day schedule. Our son was very resistant. A year latter he was still trying to stay up at night. He never wanted to go to bed. He ruled the house. We had not time for ourselves, and very little sleep most of the time. When his little sister was born we hit a breaking point. He would be up to 10 or 11 at night and she would be up at the latest 6 am.
The house was not a fun place to be. Every one was suffering from sleep deprivation. It took very little for tempers to explode over the littlest things. We were all impossible to deal with. It went from frustration to anger because he would not go to bed. It was a bad place to be. Screaming and time outs does not help get children to go to bed, it just made things worse. No one liked bedtime in our home.
I went to some parenting classes and what do you know, the most common parent issue was children’s bedtime. We were all going through the same thing; our children did not want to go to sleep. We found out that we did not have good sleep routines. We had to learn the importance of a good sleep routine. What we had was inconsistent bedtime routines the result were very frustrated children and parents.
We needed to have a consistent routine so our children knew what was expected from them, and had the security of knowing what was going to happen next. Routine means security to most children. So we had to set a bedtime routine. Turn the TV off, toothbrush, PJ’s on, story time, monster check, then into bed with favourite stuffed animal. We needed to do this every night at the same time. Our wants had to take second place to our sons need for a consistent routine.
It usually only takes a few weeks for the change to take place, for us it was months. We had to learn how to be consistent, some times it was just too much to deal with and we would slide back. It only works if the parents are both working with the same routine, both in time and activities. Other wise the child is still confused. Finally we learned and got our act together as parents. We started getting him to bed by 9 pm. Then we were able to move it back by about 15 minutes every few weeks. Both our son and daughter go to bed between 7 and 7:30 every night. The struggle we went through to build a good sleep routine paid off. It was worth going through a few weeks of stress to get a good routine established.
Pro360.com Casino Review site website review
I know that there have been a lot of problems for people who want to gamble online. Both Canada and the US have placed restrictions on companies that transfer money to online gambling sites. I understand that this was done for two reasons; one is to help people who have a gambling problem by restricting their ability to send money to gambling sites. The other reason is that both Governments want to keep gamblers money in their country. Both Canada and the US have legal gambling that they receive revenue from. It only makes sense that they want to keep people gambling in their Country.
Pro360.com is an online Casino Review site where people can find out information about different online casino’s and what people think about each one. It is helpful because it also lets you know what Casino’s that US players can play on. There is even a section on just the best US approved online Casino’s. It is nice to find a place that has all the information abut each online Casino in one place.
Pro360.com also lists what bonuses are available at each Casino. They are also listed with the highest editor rating and then show the players rating right beside it. You can also find the best place to play your game. I was interested in Poker and Bingo but you can also find sports betting, black jack, Backgammon, and more. This site is useful for those who gamble responsibly. If you have a gambling problem then it would not be a good idea to use this site or any online gambling sites.
Pro360.com is an online Casino Review site where people can find out information about different online casino’s and what people think about each one. It is helpful because it also lets you know what Casino’s that US players can play on. There is even a section on just the best US approved online Casino’s. It is nice to find a place that has all the information abut each online Casino in one place.
Pro360.com also lists what bonuses are available at each Casino. They are also listed with the highest editor rating and then show the players rating right beside it. You can also find the best place to play your game. I was interested in Poker and Bingo but you can also find sports betting, black jack, Backgammon, and more. This site is useful for those who gamble responsibly. If you have a gambling problem then it would not be a good idea to use this site or any online gambling sites.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Baby fashion: How to save money on brand name baby cloths
I live on a limited budget and one day I realised that I was able to dress my kids better then my friends who do not have limited budgets. I have better quality baby clothing and more of it then they have. I found it funny, but then realised that my limited budget forced me look for those bargains and I got very good at finding them.
How to save money on new brand name baby cloths. It is always a good feeling to get a bargain and have some thing new.
End of season sales are great if you don’t mind taking the chance your baby will be to big for it when the season comes around again. Not a big problem in mild climates.
You can always go to the discount, and outlet stores. You can often find name brand baby clothing, however you have to be careful as the clothing is usually seconds or damaged, sold as is. You get the brand you want but not always the quality you expect.
Stores like Winners, liquidation world, and the Dixie value outlet mall, full of large discount and outlet stores.
Store liquidation/closing sales are a good way to buy for less. These are hard to find and most stores going out of business will sell off the name brand items to other retailers and then sell the rest at or below wholesale price to you just to try and get some money back. The sales are often very crowded.
Discount online retail sites and auction sites are a good source as well. You can get some very good deals from the very same people who just bought up seconds, not perfects from the manufactures, or bought the name brands from the store closing. Though some times you do have people who sell good product at a lower price because they believe in a quick nickel over a slow buck. Look at Ebay, Blujay and Kijiji to find some of these retailers.
You will find a bigger savings on second hand brand name baby clothing.
Second hand shops are a good place to look. There are good and bad second hand shops. Some only take items on commission, they have to be name brand, in perfect condition and dry cleaned before they are put out for sale. Others take any thing and every things and the condition it came in is the way it goes out for sale. It takes time to go through all the clothing, but if you take the time you can find almost new name brand baby clothing. You end up spending pennies on the dollar for that item, $6.00 for a $60.00 item is not unusual. There are also some great online second hand shops as well, but you have to keep in mind shipping cost.
Garage sales – This takes time to find good garage sales, but you can get some great name brand baby clothing. People just want to get a bit of money and if they don’t sell it they are usually donating it to the second hand shops. I have bought boxes and bags of clothing for a few dollars only to find it full of name brands. Once you know what families have the good clothing in the sizes your kids need you make sure you keep an eye out for when every they have a garage sale. A few cities and towns down here have a once a year city/town wide garage sale day. The one held in Caledonia is organized by the city counsel and is held on the same weekend every year, it is so big people come from all over from hours away with empty trucks and trailers. It is a great place to find families with kids just a little older then yours and you have a good source of clothing. I have been able to get some great clothing from 25 or 50 cents to $2.00 apiece.
Mom-to-Mom sales – I just love these. You have to get to them early to get the name brand clothing though. There is usually quite a few people selling clothing at great prices, they had to cart it there, they don’t want to have to take it home again. I have been able to find name brand boys jeans for a $1.00 or $2.00. Mom-to-Mom sales can be hit or miss though. I find that there is ether a lot of clothing available in the sizes I need or no one has that size at all because some one just bought it all.
Flea markets - You can find new and used name brand clothing at flea markets. You will not get the same deals as you do at garage sales, or Mom-to-Mom sales because that is where most of the flea market vendors buy it.
Free ad sites – people put lots of clothing out on kijiji all the time. I know that there are other free ad sites out there that people use. You just have to find the ones that are for your local area. It is a matter of timing though, you never know when you will find some thing.
Auction sites - There are more auctions sites opening up every day, you just have to find ones that people are selling on. EBay is the most common one, and you can get some great deals on new and used name brand baby clothing. You do have to be careful about shipping costs, they can eat up any savings and if you are buying internationally you may be hit with brokerage fees and all sorts of other unexpected fees.
Clothing exchanges – community run clothing exchanges are an interesting way to get clothing. The idea is that the local community centre or church has a room that is open one or two days a week. People in the community bring the clothing they no longer need and drop it off, and they can go through what others have dropped off and take what they want. You would be surprised at the quality of the clothing. Most of the people who take the time to do this also care about their clothing. I have dropped off and picked up name brand baby and kids clothing. I just moved and my new neighbourhood does not have a clothing exchange and the one I used to go to is only open for people in that area. I miss it already, I have boxes of clothing my kids just grew out of. Now I have to decide, do I hang onto it and have a garage sale next year, or just donate to a charity that will sell it to a second hand store.
Is there a secret way to get clothing straight from the designer/manufacturer/retail store that will help parents save money. I run my own business so I have an advantage over most people, I have a venders permit that allows me to buy from designers, manufacturers and wholesalers. I can also keep items for my own use as long as I pay the taxes on those items. The only problem is that you have to do a minimum buy, usually the same items in bulk. It works great if you have a group of people with kids the same size, you can buy the clothing, every one pays for the clothing plus the tax. Every one wins. Is it fair to every one else, no. The one thing you have to be careful about is that you have to sell the clothing to your friends for more then you paid, even if it is just a few dollars. Other wise you can lose your venders permit. Now the real question is, do I do this. No, the savings are not enough for me to go through all that work, unless I was selling it on my web site.
How to save money on new brand name baby cloths. It is always a good feeling to get a bargain and have some thing new.
End of season sales are great if you don’t mind taking the chance your baby will be to big for it when the season comes around again. Not a big problem in mild climates.
You can always go to the discount, and outlet stores. You can often find name brand baby clothing, however you have to be careful as the clothing is usually seconds or damaged, sold as is. You get the brand you want but not always the quality you expect.
Stores like Winners, liquidation world, and the Dixie value outlet mall, full of large discount and outlet stores.
Store liquidation/closing sales are a good way to buy for less. These are hard to find and most stores going out of business will sell off the name brand items to other retailers and then sell the rest at or below wholesale price to you just to try and get some money back. The sales are often very crowded.
Discount online retail sites and auction sites are a good source as well. You can get some very good deals from the very same people who just bought up seconds, not perfects from the manufactures, or bought the name brands from the store closing. Though some times you do have people who sell good product at a lower price because they believe in a quick nickel over a slow buck. Look at Ebay, Blujay and Kijiji to find some of these retailers.
You will find a bigger savings on second hand brand name baby clothing.
Second hand shops are a good place to look. There are good and bad second hand shops. Some only take items on commission, they have to be name brand, in perfect condition and dry cleaned before they are put out for sale. Others take any thing and every things and the condition it came in is the way it goes out for sale. It takes time to go through all the clothing, but if you take the time you can find almost new name brand baby clothing. You end up spending pennies on the dollar for that item, $6.00 for a $60.00 item is not unusual. There are also some great online second hand shops as well, but you have to keep in mind shipping cost.
Garage sales – This takes time to find good garage sales, but you can get some great name brand baby clothing. People just want to get a bit of money and if they don’t sell it they are usually donating it to the second hand shops. I have bought boxes and bags of clothing for a few dollars only to find it full of name brands. Once you know what families have the good clothing in the sizes your kids need you make sure you keep an eye out for when every they have a garage sale. A few cities and towns down here have a once a year city/town wide garage sale day. The one held in Caledonia is organized by the city counsel and is held on the same weekend every year, it is so big people come from all over from hours away with empty trucks and trailers. It is a great place to find families with kids just a little older then yours and you have a good source of clothing. I have been able to get some great clothing from 25 or 50 cents to $2.00 apiece.
Mom-to-Mom sales – I just love these. You have to get to them early to get the name brand clothing though. There is usually quite a few people selling clothing at great prices, they had to cart it there, they don’t want to have to take it home again. I have been able to find name brand boys jeans for a $1.00 or $2.00. Mom-to-Mom sales can be hit or miss though. I find that there is ether a lot of clothing available in the sizes I need or no one has that size at all because some one just bought it all.
Flea markets - You can find new and used name brand clothing at flea markets. You will not get the same deals as you do at garage sales, or Mom-to-Mom sales because that is where most of the flea market vendors buy it.
Free ad sites – people put lots of clothing out on kijiji all the time. I know that there are other free ad sites out there that people use. You just have to find the ones that are for your local area. It is a matter of timing though, you never know when you will find some thing.
Auction sites - There are more auctions sites opening up every day, you just have to find ones that people are selling on. EBay is the most common one, and you can get some great deals on new and used name brand baby clothing. You do have to be careful about shipping costs, they can eat up any savings and if you are buying internationally you may be hit with brokerage fees and all sorts of other unexpected fees.
Clothing exchanges – community run clothing exchanges are an interesting way to get clothing. The idea is that the local community centre or church has a room that is open one or two days a week. People in the community bring the clothing they no longer need and drop it off, and they can go through what others have dropped off and take what they want. You would be surprised at the quality of the clothing. Most of the people who take the time to do this also care about their clothing. I have dropped off and picked up name brand baby and kids clothing. I just moved and my new neighbourhood does not have a clothing exchange and the one I used to go to is only open for people in that area. I miss it already, I have boxes of clothing my kids just grew out of. Now I have to decide, do I hang onto it and have a garage sale next year, or just donate to a charity that will sell it to a second hand store.
Is there a secret way to get clothing straight from the designer/manufacturer/retail store that will help parents save money. I run my own business so I have an advantage over most people, I have a venders permit that allows me to buy from designers, manufacturers and wholesalers. I can also keep items for my own use as long as I pay the taxes on those items. The only problem is that you have to do a minimum buy, usually the same items in bulk. It works great if you have a group of people with kids the same size, you can buy the clothing, every one pays for the clothing plus the tax. Every one wins. Is it fair to every one else, no. The one thing you have to be careful about is that you have to sell the clothing to your friends for more then you paid, even if it is just a few dollars. Other wise you can lose your venders permit. Now the real question is, do I do this. No, the savings are not enough for me to go through all that work, unless I was selling it on my web site.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Do developmental delays always mean learning disability?
I can say from first hand experience that developmental delays do not always mean learning disability. A developmental delay is exactly that a delay. The sooner it is caught and treated the easer for the child to catch up with their peers. If the delay is not caught then it can become an overwhelming hurdle a child has to struggle with. Even though it is not a learning disability it can still have a large impact on all aspects of a child life, their socialization, self-esteem, and their ability to move to the next level or stage of development. One developmental delay can cause other delays. For example if a child is delayed in speech, this can delay the child’s social development, because they have a problem talking with their peers, it also affects their self-esteem. It is also very hard to relate to a child that points and screams for things instead of trying to say what they want.
Often the same types of delays are grouped together. Communication delays, socializing delays, potty training delays, and self-care delays are all linked together. It is very easy to see how if a child cannot talk or get people to understand them it would affect the other areas of their development. It is frustrating for both the child and the parents. It is such a big issue that in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada we have a Government run program called Early Words.
Early Words is the umbrella organization of Hamilton's preschool speech and language services for young children. Parents, childcare providers and other professionals working with young children can call for information about children's speech and language development and workshops. They have a web site, www.ascy.ca/ew_ages.htm, which will let you compare your child’s development from 3 months to 6 years with what is considered to be normal development. On top of that they tell you what you can do to help your child develop.
As stated on the Early Word web site - Early speech and language skills help your child to tell others about their ideas and feelings, wants and needs. Difficulties in communicating can lead to frustration and social or behaviour problems. Learning to communicate is the foundation for learning at school. Research has also shown that early development of language is important for academic success, for understanding the teacher, learning to read, write and do math, and for developing relationships with teachers, peers, and others that come to be a part of the lives of our children. One in ten children in Ontario will need help developing their speech and language skills to get ready for school.
Early Words has your child’s hearing tested to identify delays that are caused by hearing problems. Then a paediatric doctor sees your child and tracks any developmental delays and helps identify if there are any other causes for delays, such as a learning disability as they are treated differently.
I would take my son to a play at an Early Years Centre from the time he was a year old. Early Year Centres are places that you can take your child from birth to 7 years of age to play with other children, socialize yourself, and take part in programs and activities. They have classes on how to make toys, to how to be a parent and every thing in between. Classes to promote child development and child/parent interaction. I.E. Early sign language so you can talk with your child before they speak clearly, Mother goose which is singing and talking with your child in a large group, potty training, baby massage and more. However, part of the mandate of Early Years is to get information about programs and services that are available for young children to the families with young children. As well as giving access to early years professionals, like health nurses and art teachers, at the Early Year centres.
Why is this important? Because I was going to the Early Years Centre I was able to get information and guidance about where my son should have been in his development. I was able to find out that my son was not on track and was directed to the right program, Early Words to get my son help. He was tested at about 1 ½ years and found to be delayed and was put into a speech program and therapeutic daycare with in a few months. When he was 3 he was delayed in some areas by about 2 ½ years and we were told to hold him back from kindergarten. You child must be potty trained, speak, and be able to read and write a little before they can go to kindergarten in Hamilton, Ontario. After a lot of hard work, by him and the professionals in his life, at 4 ½ he is only delayed by about 6 months and getting better every day. He is expected to catch up with the other kids so that he will be going to senor kindergarten next year.
I do not know what I would have done with out Early Years and Early Words. I thought that my son might have been learning disabled not delayed. These two programs have helped so many children get the help they need and prevented kids that were just learning delayed from being labelled learning disabled. So many children do not get the help they need in the first few years of their lives and end up struggling to keep up with other kids, or end up being seen as learning disabled. Please take the time to look at the Early Words web site. If you do see any delays in your child’s development take your child to a paediatric specialist and find out if there is any thing you can do to help your child. There is so much that can be done if a delay is caught in time, if people can just identify it in time to make changes. A child with a learning delay does not have to be labelled learning disabled and struggle for the rest of their lives.
Often the same types of delays are grouped together. Communication delays, socializing delays, potty training delays, and self-care delays are all linked together. It is very easy to see how if a child cannot talk or get people to understand them it would affect the other areas of their development. It is frustrating for both the child and the parents. It is such a big issue that in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada we have a Government run program called Early Words.
Early Words is the umbrella organization of Hamilton's preschool speech and language services for young children. Parents, childcare providers and other professionals working with young children can call for information about children's speech and language development and workshops. They have a web site, www.ascy.ca/ew_ages.htm, which will let you compare your child’s development from 3 months to 6 years with what is considered to be normal development. On top of that they tell you what you can do to help your child develop.
As stated on the Early Word web site - Early speech and language skills help your child to tell others about their ideas and feelings, wants and needs. Difficulties in communicating can lead to frustration and social or behaviour problems. Learning to communicate is the foundation for learning at school. Research has also shown that early development of language is important for academic success, for understanding the teacher, learning to read, write and do math, and for developing relationships with teachers, peers, and others that come to be a part of the lives of our children. One in ten children in Ontario will need help developing their speech and language skills to get ready for school.
Early Words has your child’s hearing tested to identify delays that are caused by hearing problems. Then a paediatric doctor sees your child and tracks any developmental delays and helps identify if there are any other causes for delays, such as a learning disability as they are treated differently.
I would take my son to a play at an Early Years Centre from the time he was a year old. Early Year Centres are places that you can take your child from birth to 7 years of age to play with other children, socialize yourself, and take part in programs and activities. They have classes on how to make toys, to how to be a parent and every thing in between. Classes to promote child development and child/parent interaction. I.E. Early sign language so you can talk with your child before they speak clearly, Mother goose which is singing and talking with your child in a large group, potty training, baby massage and more. However, part of the mandate of Early Years is to get information about programs and services that are available for young children to the families with young children. As well as giving access to early years professionals, like health nurses and art teachers, at the Early Year centres.
Why is this important? Because I was going to the Early Years Centre I was able to get information and guidance about where my son should have been in his development. I was able to find out that my son was not on track and was directed to the right program, Early Words to get my son help. He was tested at about 1 ½ years and found to be delayed and was put into a speech program and therapeutic daycare with in a few months. When he was 3 he was delayed in some areas by about 2 ½ years and we were told to hold him back from kindergarten. You child must be potty trained, speak, and be able to read and write a little before they can go to kindergarten in Hamilton, Ontario. After a lot of hard work, by him and the professionals in his life, at 4 ½ he is only delayed by about 6 months and getting better every day. He is expected to catch up with the other kids so that he will be going to senor kindergarten next year.
I do not know what I would have done with out Early Years and Early Words. I thought that my son might have been learning disabled not delayed. These two programs have helped so many children get the help they need and prevented kids that were just learning delayed from being labelled learning disabled. So many children do not get the help they need in the first few years of their lives and end up struggling to keep up with other kids, or end up being seen as learning disabled. Please take the time to look at the Early Words web site. If you do see any delays in your child’s development take your child to a paediatric specialist and find out if there is any thing you can do to help your child. There is so much that can be done if a delay is caught in time, if people can just identify it in time to make changes. A child with a learning delay does not have to be labelled learning disabled and struggle for the rest of their lives.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Tips on talking to your teen girl about sex
As a parent when I think about my girl as a teen and sex a chastity belt comes to mind. You know those medieval contraptions used by husbands going off on a crusade. They would put them on their wives, take the key and go away for a few years. Now I am not thinking about this to keep her from having sex, but to keep other people from having non-consensual sex with her. I figure that if I did my job right I don’t have to worry so much about her decisions but other people’s actions.
As parents we need to have the sex talk with our children, both boys and girls as early as possible. This way they will hopefully have a good idea of what sex is, what is ok and not ok, and the consequences like pregnancy, Aids and other STD’s. We cannot stop our teens from wanting sex, or even having sex. All we can do is try to make sure they make the best possible informed decisions. So how do we start the conversation?
There are a lot of ideas of how to start the sex conversation with your teen. Here are some different tips on talking to your teen girl about sex:
Let her know that you are there for her, and will be glad to answer any questions she has and then wait for her to come to you. This lets her pick the topic and the time. Only problem is most teen girls are not going to turn to their parents for answers about sex.
If your daughter is not a teen yet, start the sex talk by teaching the different body parts. Discus private parts and where babies come from. The earlier you start the easer it is to have the bigger sex conversations as she becomes older.
When explaining about menstrual cycle and what to expect include sex information. Discus how her “parts” work, what they are designed to do, and how and why people have sex. This is a great opportunity to have the big sex talk, and find out what she already knows, and what she has already done.
The best way to start a conversation about sex with you teen girl is to ask some questions or make some observations in a non-accusatory or non-aggressive way. Here are some examples:
When watching TV or a movie as a sex scene comes on, like kissing ask what she thinks about it? Has she kissed any one yet? Who would she like to kiss? Why would she like to kiss them? Does she know what happens after people kiss? This can open the sex conversation, or just help you have small conversations that give the information you want them to know or leads up to the big sex conversation.
When a commercial for contraceptives or safe sex products like condoms is on ask if she knows why people use them. What purpose do they have? Is it important to use them? This will give you the chance to discus consequences of sex such as pregnancy and STD’s. You may even find out she is using them. You can also fix some myths like using a candy bar wrapper is just as good as using a condom to prevent pregnancy and STD’s or that oral sex is not real sex, or that you can not get pregnant your first time. Awareness commercials for Aids are also a good way to start the conversation. Ask if she knows how people get aids.
There are some great talk shows like Dr. Phil and Montel Williams that cover sex topics. Watch them with your teen. Use whatever information or open questions on the show to start the sex conversation with her. Some times the show will do all the hard work for you. You may need to watch more then one show with different sex topics but it all helps. Find out what your daughter thinks about the show and the information given. Talk about what happened to the people on the show or other people you know.
When talking with her about her day or her friends ask if any of her friends are dating. Who she likes and if she has a boyfriend. This is a good way to find out if she likes boys yet, if any of them like her and how she feels about it. This is a good way to steer the conversation to find out if her friends are having sex, or what her friends have told her about sex. Very good way to find out any misinformation she has about sex and for you to clear it up.
There are some great story books out there that you can read as a story to your pre-teen or read with your teen that open the conversation about sex. It lets you be comfortable talking about it and hearing about it from your little girl. It opens the door way for the hard topics and questions; like how do you have sex, why do people have sex, does sex feel good, are you having sex (question for your teen), and what the consequences of sex are.
All these tips can be used to open the conversation. Make sure you have books or some thing to help you answer any questions or explain things. Have honest truthful answers and explanations ready. Give her real explanations about the why and how’s of sex. She cannot make good informed decisions if she does not have the right information. Sex is a good thing at the right time and place.
What we need to make sure our teen daughters understand is that teen boys and even grown men want to have sex with them. Yes even when a teen girl is only 13 guys are trying to get into their pants; they don’t just want to be fiends. For the most part teen boys and men will tell her what ever she wants to hear to try and have sex with her. Others may go a more direct rout, using drugs and alcohol to get rid of her inhibitions, and make it easer for them to convince her to have sex. Others will use alcohol, and drugs to cause her to be unable to fight them off as they rape her. If you are passed out it is kind of hard to say “NO”. Others will just rape, with or with out the use of drugs and alcohol. Our daughters need to know this, not some sanitized version of life. They must understand that this can happen to them, it does not just happen to other people.
We also need to build our teen girls self-esteem so they don’t need to turn to teen boys and men to feel better about them selves. Girls with low self-esteem often turn to sex to become popular and mistake the attention they are getting for love or as giving them value. Others with low self-esteem will let people treat them badly, even selling them to others for sex because they don’t think they are worth more or deserve better. We as parents need to do what we can to stop this from happening. We must let them know they are valued and loved by us, just the way they are.
As parents we need to have the sex talk with our children, both boys and girls as early as possible. This way they will hopefully have a good idea of what sex is, what is ok and not ok, and the consequences like pregnancy, Aids and other STD’s. We cannot stop our teens from wanting sex, or even having sex. All we can do is try to make sure they make the best possible informed decisions. So how do we start the conversation?
There are a lot of ideas of how to start the sex conversation with your teen. Here are some different tips on talking to your teen girl about sex:
Let her know that you are there for her, and will be glad to answer any questions she has and then wait for her to come to you. This lets her pick the topic and the time. Only problem is most teen girls are not going to turn to their parents for answers about sex.
If your daughter is not a teen yet, start the sex talk by teaching the different body parts. Discus private parts and where babies come from. The earlier you start the easer it is to have the bigger sex conversations as she becomes older.
When explaining about menstrual cycle and what to expect include sex information. Discus how her “parts” work, what they are designed to do, and how and why people have sex. This is a great opportunity to have the big sex talk, and find out what she already knows, and what she has already done.
The best way to start a conversation about sex with you teen girl is to ask some questions or make some observations in a non-accusatory or non-aggressive way. Here are some examples:
When watching TV or a movie as a sex scene comes on, like kissing ask what she thinks about it? Has she kissed any one yet? Who would she like to kiss? Why would she like to kiss them? Does she know what happens after people kiss? This can open the sex conversation, or just help you have small conversations that give the information you want them to know or leads up to the big sex conversation.
When a commercial for contraceptives or safe sex products like condoms is on ask if she knows why people use them. What purpose do they have? Is it important to use them? This will give you the chance to discus consequences of sex such as pregnancy and STD’s. You may even find out she is using them. You can also fix some myths like using a candy bar wrapper is just as good as using a condom to prevent pregnancy and STD’s or that oral sex is not real sex, or that you can not get pregnant your first time. Awareness commercials for Aids are also a good way to start the conversation. Ask if she knows how people get aids.
There are some great talk shows like Dr. Phil and Montel Williams that cover sex topics. Watch them with your teen. Use whatever information or open questions on the show to start the sex conversation with her. Some times the show will do all the hard work for you. You may need to watch more then one show with different sex topics but it all helps. Find out what your daughter thinks about the show and the information given. Talk about what happened to the people on the show or other people you know.
When talking with her about her day or her friends ask if any of her friends are dating. Who she likes and if she has a boyfriend. This is a good way to find out if she likes boys yet, if any of them like her and how she feels about it. This is a good way to steer the conversation to find out if her friends are having sex, or what her friends have told her about sex. Very good way to find out any misinformation she has about sex and for you to clear it up.
There are some great story books out there that you can read as a story to your pre-teen or read with your teen that open the conversation about sex. It lets you be comfortable talking about it and hearing about it from your little girl. It opens the door way for the hard topics and questions; like how do you have sex, why do people have sex, does sex feel good, are you having sex (question for your teen), and what the consequences of sex are.
All these tips can be used to open the conversation. Make sure you have books or some thing to help you answer any questions or explain things. Have honest truthful answers and explanations ready. Give her real explanations about the why and how’s of sex. She cannot make good informed decisions if she does not have the right information. Sex is a good thing at the right time and place.
What we need to make sure our teen daughters understand is that teen boys and even grown men want to have sex with them. Yes even when a teen girl is only 13 guys are trying to get into their pants; they don’t just want to be fiends. For the most part teen boys and men will tell her what ever she wants to hear to try and have sex with her. Others may go a more direct rout, using drugs and alcohol to get rid of her inhibitions, and make it easer for them to convince her to have sex. Others will use alcohol, and drugs to cause her to be unable to fight them off as they rape her. If you are passed out it is kind of hard to say “NO”. Others will just rape, with or with out the use of drugs and alcohol. Our daughters need to know this, not some sanitized version of life. They must understand that this can happen to them, it does not just happen to other people.
We also need to build our teen girls self-esteem so they don’t need to turn to teen boys and men to feel better about them selves. Girls with low self-esteem often turn to sex to become popular and mistake the attention they are getting for love or as giving them value. Others with low self-esteem will let people treat them badly, even selling them to others for sex because they don’t think they are worth more or deserve better. We as parents need to do what we can to stop this from happening. We must let them know they are valued and loved by us, just the way they are.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Should plus-size clothing be modeled by plus-size models
Plus-size clothing needs to be modeled by the people it was made for, plus-size models. Aesthetically clothing designed for a larger person does not fit well on a smaller person and visa versa. A princess seem line dress looks great on a person with some shape, an A line dress looks good on a person with very little shape. That is the way it was designed. A plus-sized person can look just as sexy or hansom with the right clothing as a not plus-sized person, some times even more so.
There has been a rise in plus-sized actors, especially women, gaining popularity. Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) in NCIS, Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) of Criminal Minds, Queen Latifah, Chenese Lewis, and Mo’nique are all top of their field. They look sexy, confident and just beautiful. Mae West and Marilyn Monroe would also be considered plus sized by today’s standards. Anna Nicole Smith was also extremely popular and plus sized. Their clothing was designed to show off their assets, made to look sexy or sophisticated on a plus sized person. Plus size models do not just model clothing anymore they are seen in ads for body acceptance imagery, lifestyle, beauty/cosmetic products, pharmaceuticals, shoes and more. It is no surprise the appeal plus size women have, up until the 20th century the classical ideal of feminine beauty was to be voluptuous.
My favourite ad campaign has been the Dove commercials. They use people of all ages and sizes. People who are real, and use their products. If you have not seen it yet try to find and watch Dove’s short film, Evolution. I know it can be found online. It chronicles the transformation of a model from an average looking woman to one with supermodel looks, showing all the steps that have to be taken to achieve the look, including the extensive photo manipulation used. So even the models don’t really look like that. I am more likely to buy a product that I see people like me in a commercial using then one a 12 to 16 year old model made to look 20 is being used.
The reality is that most people are shopping in the plus size section. It only makes sense to market products with people who actually wear the clothing or use the products. Plus size models exhibit clothing in UK Size 12 or higher; more broadly it refers to women of Size 16 or 18 and above, although a plus size model seems to be US size 12 and higher. A non-plus size women model is 34-24-34 inches (86-61-86 cm), at least 5’8” (1.72 m) tall and between 108 to 110 pounds (around 50 kg). A non-plus size male model is 5’11” to 6’2” (180-187 cm) in height and weigh between 140 and 165 lbs (64-75 kg). Even when I was thin, at my best body weight I never fit into this ideal. Not many people do.
When I am shopping I want clothing that is designed for my body shape, weight and height. I know that what looks good on a regular model will not look good on me. I have more curves and the cut of the clothing will not work with my curves. Just making it bigger or adding a panel does not work, it still is created to look good on a different body shape. Plus size clothing needs to be seen on plus size models so we can see how the cut of the clothing looks on a plus size person.
I have added Dove’s short film, Evolution at the bottom please scroll down as Youtub left a big space.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Top ten must-have baby products
So you are having a baby or buying a baby shower gift. You need to keep in mind the usefulness of the product, comfort and the child’s safety when buying any products. This is a collection of some products other people have rated high. Keep in mind though, every child is different so what works best for you and your child is more important then any rating system, or the opinion of others.
1) Ways to carry or transport your child. This should include a Varity of products to accommodate your needs. A sling or baby carrier, stroller and car seat are a must.
A sling or baby carrier. You may think you are going to want to carry your child in your arms all the time. Try it for a day, you will be looking for some thing to relieve the stress on your arms and back but still let you be close with your child. I found some new innovative sling designs out there. No matter what any one says, test slings and baby carriers until you find the one that is right for you. Every one is different and what fits perfect on one person may not work for you.
My top pick for a sling is The Baby Buddha Together Sling. It supports your baby close to your body and above your waist. It distributes baby's weight evenly. The baby’s weight is taken by your hips, not your shoulders reducing neck, shoulder and back strain. It is free of rings and buckles so no pressure points to deal with. The fabric stretches for comfort and fit but will keep your child above the waist in the best carrying position for baby’s hip and spine development. The fabric is gentle against skin and keeps moisture away. It has a utility pocket for storage and a special loop to hang a soother or toy on.
The Lila Guild rated these baby carriers and slings the highest;
Baby Carrier Original by Baby Bjorn
Baby Carrier Active by Baby Bjorn
Peanut Shell by Goo-Ga
ERGO Baby Carrier by ERGO
Stroller and car seat. These often come as a set these days. There are many varieties of strollers out there to accommodate all types of needs. Only you know what is going to work for you and your family. No matter what brand you go with I recommend getting the set as that way you know every thing fits and works together. Also keep in mind to make sure the height of the stroller is right for you, if it is to low you put strain on your back. How light is the stroller and how easy is it to fold up. Can it be closed one handed if you have the baby in your arm or do you need to put the baby down? How big is the folded up stroller, will it fit into your trunk or closet? What accessories are readily available?
How stuff works Consumer Guide rated these three stroller car seat combinations as best buys based on value, performance, ease of use, features and overall.
The Graco Mosaic Travel System
Graco MetroLite LE Travel System
The Evenflo Comfort Dimensions Classic Travel System with LATCH
The Lila guild rated these strollers the highest
Sit-N-Stand by baby trend
Ironman Sport Utility by BOB Strollers
SnugRider by Graco
Frog by Bugaboo
2) Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding accessories.
Breastfeeding. Nursing pads, nursing bras, nursing pillows, a blanket or shawl to keep your breastfeeding private and discreet, even in the most public places, will help with your comfort and ease of nursing. Pumps and bottles will let others share in the feeding experience and the bonding that comes with it. There will be a point where you will appreciate being able to share the feeding experience with your partner and get some needed sleep. Latter it will let you have a bit of time for yourself with out having to worry about rushing back to feed the baby.
For nursing pads based on consumer reviews on Epinions the highest rated are;
Lansinoh Breastfeeding Collection, Disposable Nursing Pads
Evenflo Washable Nursing Pads.
For nursing bras babycenter ran independent tests and gave the highest rate to;
Lace Nursing Bra from Marks & Spencer # 0845 302 1234
Nursing Bra (428) from Emma-Jane # 020 8599 3004
NCT Comfort Maternity/Nursing Bra from the National Childbirth Trust # 0870 112 1120
For nursing pillows I looked at several different sites and groups that rated just one nursing pillow. Here are the top rated nursing pillows
Boppy pillows rated highest on expo television consumer grapevine, Epinions and the Lila guide
My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow – rated first on InteractiveReviews and second on Epinions.
Nursing cover-ups
Bebe Au Lair Nursing cover – rated on expo television, consumer grapevine
For Breast pumps, Breast Pump Comparisons gave these pumps the best ratings;
Ameda – Purely Yours double electric pump
Avent Isis iQ Duo
Dr. Browns – Natural Flow Electric Breast Pump
The Lila guide gave these pumps the best ratings;
Isis Breast Pump by Avent
Harmony Breast Pump by Medela
Pump In Style Advanced Breast pump by Medela
Bottle Feeding. You will need bottles, nipples, formula, bottlebrushes and some way to sterilize the bottles and nipples.
These bottles and nipples all got high ratings on Epinions
Playtex Kinder-Grip Bottle
Playtex Orthodontic Nipples
Playtex NaturaLatch Silicone Slow Flow Nipple
The First Years Mickey Mouse Slim One 8 Oz. Baby Bottle
Avent Deluxe Gift Set
Handi Craft Natural Flow 8 Ounce Three Pack Wide Neck Bottles
Gerber Rubber Nipples, 3-Hole Design
Playtex Natural Infant Nipple 5443
Maws Heat Sensor Feeding Bottles 9oz - Twin Pack
Handicraft Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Starter Set for Babies
Handicraft Dr. Brown's Level 2 Natural Flow Silicone Nipples
Avent bottles and sterilizer also rated highest on the Lila guide
Sterilizers rated highest on Epinions are;
Avent Express 6 Bottle Steam Sterilizer 501
Avent Express Microwave Steam Sterilizer
Gerber Electric Sterilizer Set
3) Bathing products – baby bath or holder or seat or ring, shampoo’s and soaps, bath thermometer or Heat Sensitive Tub Rugs (a Colorful, non-slip bath mat that lets you know when the water is getting to hot), water spout cover or guard (Securely fits over most tub faucets. Provides padded protection to cushion your child from bumps and bruises), cloths and towels and toys.
Baby Bath’s ranked high on the Lila guide
Euro Bath Tub by Primo
Sure Comfort Newborn-to-Toddler Tub by The first years
shampoo’s and soaps
ranked high on the Lila guide
Head-To-Toe by Johnson’s
Calming Shampoo & Bodywash by California Baby
Ranked high on Epinions
Johnson's Soothing Vapor Bath
Gerber Baby Wash
Johnson's Bedtime Bath
Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo
Avent Naturally Body & Hair Wash
Avon Lil Hugs Gentle Body Wash & Shampoo
California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash
Johnson's Kids Super Sudzer E-Z Grip Soap - Watermelon Explosion
I found Tub Rug Jr. Bath Mat by Kel-Ger and think that it is a must have.
Bath thermometer or heat sensitive tub rug, waterspout covers or guard rated high on Epinion
Safety First Floating Bath Pal Thermometer
Safety 1st Inflatable Sof' Spout Cover
KEL-GAR Faucet Friends
Sassy Super Soft Spout Guard
Bath Toys, cloths and towels Rated high on Epinion
Fisher Price Big Splash Aquarium
Kids II Bathtime Foam Toys
Gerber Washcloth
Safety 1st Comfy Bear Bath Sponge
Avon Kids Bath & Body Bath Time Body Paint
Lamaze Turtle Scoops Bath Toy
Finding Nemo Bath Cups from The First Years
Carter's Little Ladybug Infant Hooded Towel
Quiltex Precious Moments Wash Cloths
4) Portable playpen. This is important for when you go visit friends and families. Not all places are child proofed, nor do they all have a safe place for your baby to sleep. A portable playpen can provide both.
Portable playpen rated highest by the Lila guide
Pack N Play by Graco
5) Baby/diaper bag – You are going to need a lot of things whenever you go anyplace now. Having a good strong, large baby/diaper bag. One that is also usable to store bottles at a safe temperature is the best way to keep the number of bags you have to carry down.
Rated highest on Epinion;
Eagle Creek Parent Survival Pack
Lands' End Deluxe Diaper Bag
Gerber Diaper Bags Basics 5 in 1 Diaper Gift Bag Set
Baby Bjorn Diaper Backpack
6) Swing – Gives you baby comfort, great way to get them to sleep and it gives you a little bit of a much needed break.
Rated highest on Epinion
Graco Open Top 3-Speed Swing
Fisher Price 3-in-1 Cradle Swing
Graco Open Top 2-Speed Swing
Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Cradle Swing
7) Health and Safety products for babies and children. You need to baby and child proof your house. Child safety locks, baby gates, a first aid kit for babies and children. There are different requirements for babies and children, make sure you have the right tools. A digital ear thermometer is worth the money.
Baby monitors rated high on the Lila guild;
2.4 GHz Ultra-Range Monitor by The First Years
900 MHz BabyCall Monitor by Sony
Safe Glow 2 Receiver Monitor by Safety 1st
Sounds 'N Lights by Fisher-Price
Angelcare Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor by Unisar
Other safety products that rated high on Epinion
Safety 1st Top of the Stairs Wooden Gate
KidCo Safeway Gate G20
Fisher Price Step Lock Gate
Evenflo Walk-Through Stair Gate
Safety 1st Finger Pinch Guard
Safety 1st Expandable Table Edge Bumper
Safety 1st 55-Piece Home Safety Set
Rev-a-Shelf Tot-Lok
Safety 1st Ultra Clear Outlet Plugs
I did not see the safety 1st door handle locks rated, but we use them and they are great.
8) DVD’s designed for your baby’s entertainment and brain development. They give you some needed time for your self by keeping their attention and stimulates their brain development threw music, sound, colour, movement, and images.
Baby Einstein seems to be the one every one uses and talks about.
9) Their own place to sleep. You do not want to have your baby sleeping with you. It is unsafe for the child. It also starts a habit that is hard for both the parent and child to get out of. It can become disruptive for both the parent and children sleep patterns. Children need to learn how to fall asleep by themselves.
Rated high on Lila guild and Epinion
Stokke Sleepi Crib
Mini Co-Sleeper Bassinet by Arms Reach
Though I like the Ikea cribs.
10) Ways to capture and display your memory. Time moves so fast in your child’s first years, it is easy for us to miss out on capturing moments in time. A camera and photo album is a great way to capture and display every moment of your child’s first years. I think the best product out there now is the new hand and foot print sets. It is a great way to show how small your baby was. You Preserve your child's hand or foot print in air-dry clay as a keepsake in a frame with your child’s picture. A camera and photo album is also a great way to capture and display every moment of your child’s first years.
The most popular set seems to be Baby Casting Kits and BabyPrints Handprint Footprint Impression Keepsake. Though you can find any number of kits in craft stores and baby stores or baby departments.
1) Ways to carry or transport your child. This should include a Varity of products to accommodate your needs. A sling or baby carrier, stroller and car seat are a must.
A sling or baby carrier. You may think you are going to want to carry your child in your arms all the time. Try it for a day, you will be looking for some thing to relieve the stress on your arms and back but still let you be close with your child. I found some new innovative sling designs out there. No matter what any one says, test slings and baby carriers until you find the one that is right for you. Every one is different and what fits perfect on one person may not work for you.
My top pick for a sling is The Baby Buddha Together Sling. It supports your baby close to your body and above your waist. It distributes baby's weight evenly. The baby’s weight is taken by your hips, not your shoulders reducing neck, shoulder and back strain. It is free of rings and buckles so no pressure points to deal with. The fabric stretches for comfort and fit but will keep your child above the waist in the best carrying position for baby’s hip and spine development. The fabric is gentle against skin and keeps moisture away. It has a utility pocket for storage and a special loop to hang a soother or toy on.
The Lila Guild rated these baby carriers and slings the highest;
Baby Carrier Original by Baby Bjorn
Baby Carrier Active by Baby Bjorn
Peanut Shell by Goo-Ga
ERGO Baby Carrier by ERGO
Stroller and car seat. These often come as a set these days. There are many varieties of strollers out there to accommodate all types of needs. Only you know what is going to work for you and your family. No matter what brand you go with I recommend getting the set as that way you know every thing fits and works together. Also keep in mind to make sure the height of the stroller is right for you, if it is to low you put strain on your back. How light is the stroller and how easy is it to fold up. Can it be closed one handed if you have the baby in your arm or do you need to put the baby down? How big is the folded up stroller, will it fit into your trunk or closet? What accessories are readily available?
How stuff works Consumer Guide rated these three stroller car seat combinations as best buys based on value, performance, ease of use, features and overall.
The Graco Mosaic Travel System
Graco MetroLite LE Travel System
The Evenflo Comfort Dimensions Classic Travel System with LATCH
The Lila guild rated these strollers the highest
Sit-N-Stand by baby trend
Ironman Sport Utility by BOB Strollers
SnugRider by Graco
Frog by Bugaboo
2) Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding accessories.
Breastfeeding. Nursing pads, nursing bras, nursing pillows, a blanket or shawl to keep your breastfeeding private and discreet, even in the most public places, will help with your comfort and ease of nursing. Pumps and bottles will let others share in the feeding experience and the bonding that comes with it. There will be a point where you will appreciate being able to share the feeding experience with your partner and get some needed sleep. Latter it will let you have a bit of time for yourself with out having to worry about rushing back to feed the baby.
For nursing pads based on consumer reviews on Epinions the highest rated are;
Lansinoh Breastfeeding Collection, Disposable Nursing Pads
Evenflo Washable Nursing Pads.
For nursing bras babycenter ran independent tests and gave the highest rate to;
Lace Nursing Bra from Marks & Spencer # 0845 302 1234
Nursing Bra (428) from Emma-Jane # 020 8599 3004
NCT Comfort Maternity/Nursing Bra from the National Childbirth Trust # 0870 112 1120
For nursing pillows I looked at several different sites and groups that rated just one nursing pillow. Here are the top rated nursing pillows
Boppy pillows rated highest on expo television consumer grapevine, Epinions and the Lila guide
My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow – rated first on InteractiveReviews and second on Epinions.
Nursing cover-ups
Bebe Au Lair Nursing cover – rated on expo television, consumer grapevine
For Breast pumps, Breast Pump Comparisons gave these pumps the best ratings;
Ameda – Purely Yours double electric pump
Avent Isis iQ Duo
Dr. Browns – Natural Flow Electric Breast Pump
The Lila guide gave these pumps the best ratings;
Isis Breast Pump by Avent
Harmony Breast Pump by Medela
Pump In Style Advanced Breast pump by Medela
Bottle Feeding. You will need bottles, nipples, formula, bottlebrushes and some way to sterilize the bottles and nipples.
These bottles and nipples all got high ratings on Epinions
Playtex Kinder-Grip Bottle
Playtex Orthodontic Nipples
Playtex NaturaLatch Silicone Slow Flow Nipple
The First Years Mickey Mouse Slim One 8 Oz. Baby Bottle
Avent Deluxe Gift Set
Handi Craft Natural Flow 8 Ounce Three Pack Wide Neck Bottles
Gerber Rubber Nipples, 3-Hole Design
Playtex Natural Infant Nipple 5443
Maws Heat Sensor Feeding Bottles 9oz - Twin Pack
Handicraft Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Starter Set for Babies
Handicraft Dr. Brown's Level 2 Natural Flow Silicone Nipples
Avent bottles and sterilizer also rated highest on the Lila guide
Sterilizers rated highest on Epinions are;
Avent Express 6 Bottle Steam Sterilizer 501
Avent Express Microwave Steam Sterilizer
Gerber Electric Sterilizer Set
3) Bathing products – baby bath or holder or seat or ring, shampoo’s and soaps, bath thermometer or Heat Sensitive Tub Rugs (a Colorful, non-slip bath mat that lets you know when the water is getting to hot), water spout cover or guard (Securely fits over most tub faucets. Provides padded protection to cushion your child from bumps and bruises), cloths and towels and toys.
Baby Bath’s ranked high on the Lila guide
Euro Bath Tub by Primo
Sure Comfort Newborn-to-Toddler Tub by The first years
shampoo’s and soaps
ranked high on the Lila guide
Head-To-Toe by Johnson’s
Calming Shampoo & Bodywash by California Baby
Ranked high on Epinions
Johnson's Soothing Vapor Bath
Gerber Baby Wash
Johnson's Bedtime Bath
Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo
Avent Naturally Body & Hair Wash
Avon Lil Hugs Gentle Body Wash & Shampoo
California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash
Johnson's Kids Super Sudzer E-Z Grip Soap - Watermelon Explosion
I found Tub Rug Jr. Bath Mat by Kel-Ger and think that it is a must have.
Bath thermometer or heat sensitive tub rug, waterspout covers or guard rated high on Epinion
Safety First Floating Bath Pal Thermometer
Safety 1st Inflatable Sof' Spout Cover
KEL-GAR Faucet Friends
Sassy Super Soft Spout Guard
Bath Toys, cloths and towels Rated high on Epinion
Fisher Price Big Splash Aquarium
Kids II Bathtime Foam Toys
Gerber Washcloth
Safety 1st Comfy Bear Bath Sponge
Avon Kids Bath & Body Bath Time Body Paint
Lamaze Turtle Scoops Bath Toy
Finding Nemo Bath Cups from The First Years
Carter's Little Ladybug Infant Hooded Towel
Quiltex Precious Moments Wash Cloths
4) Portable playpen. This is important for when you go visit friends and families. Not all places are child proofed, nor do they all have a safe place for your baby to sleep. A portable playpen can provide both.
Portable playpen rated highest by the Lila guide
Pack N Play by Graco
5) Baby/diaper bag – You are going to need a lot of things whenever you go anyplace now. Having a good strong, large baby/diaper bag. One that is also usable to store bottles at a safe temperature is the best way to keep the number of bags you have to carry down.
Rated highest on Epinion;
Eagle Creek Parent Survival Pack
Lands' End Deluxe Diaper Bag
Gerber Diaper Bags Basics 5 in 1 Diaper Gift Bag Set
Baby Bjorn Diaper Backpack
6) Swing – Gives you baby comfort, great way to get them to sleep and it gives you a little bit of a much needed break.
Rated highest on Epinion
Graco Open Top 3-Speed Swing
Fisher Price 3-in-1 Cradle Swing
Graco Open Top 2-Speed Swing
Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Cradle Swing
7) Health and Safety products for babies and children. You need to baby and child proof your house. Child safety locks, baby gates, a first aid kit for babies and children. There are different requirements for babies and children, make sure you have the right tools. A digital ear thermometer is worth the money.
Baby monitors rated high on the Lila guild;
2.4 GHz Ultra-Range Monitor by The First Years
900 MHz BabyCall Monitor by Sony
Safe Glow 2 Receiver Monitor by Safety 1st
Sounds 'N Lights by Fisher-Price
Angelcare Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor by Unisar
Other safety products that rated high on Epinion
Safety 1st Top of the Stairs Wooden Gate
KidCo Safeway Gate G20
Fisher Price Step Lock Gate
Evenflo Walk-Through Stair Gate
Safety 1st Finger Pinch Guard
Safety 1st Expandable Table Edge Bumper
Safety 1st 55-Piece Home Safety Set
Rev-a-Shelf Tot-Lok
Safety 1st Ultra Clear Outlet Plugs
I did not see the safety 1st door handle locks rated, but we use them and they are great.
8) DVD’s designed for your baby’s entertainment and brain development. They give you some needed time for your self by keeping their attention and stimulates their brain development threw music, sound, colour, movement, and images.
Baby Einstein seems to be the one every one uses and talks about.
9) Their own place to sleep. You do not want to have your baby sleeping with you. It is unsafe for the child. It also starts a habit that is hard for both the parent and child to get out of. It can become disruptive for both the parent and children sleep patterns. Children need to learn how to fall asleep by themselves.
Rated high on Lila guild and Epinion
Stokke Sleepi Crib
Mini Co-Sleeper Bassinet by Arms Reach
Though I like the Ikea cribs.
10) Ways to capture and display your memory. Time moves so fast in your child’s first years, it is easy for us to miss out on capturing moments in time. A camera and photo album is a great way to capture and display every moment of your child’s first years. I think the best product out there now is the new hand and foot print sets. It is a great way to show how small your baby was. You Preserve your child's hand or foot print in air-dry clay as a keepsake in a frame with your child’s picture. A camera and photo album is also a great way to capture and display every moment of your child’s first years.
The most popular set seems to be Baby Casting Kits and BabyPrints Handprint Footprint Impression Keepsake. Though you can find any number of kits in craft stores and baby stores or baby departments.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Great birthday gifts for your girlfriend
What you get your girlfriend for her birthday is going to depend on how long you have been together, at what stage of the relationship you are in, and how well you know her. The hardest gift to figure out is always the first one.
Great birthday gifts for your girlfriend when you are at the very beginning of the relationship and don’t know each other that well yet.
1) A light card, maybe with some humour, with a lottery ticket and some thing saying you hope she is as lucky with the lottery ticket or scratchy as you feel you are because you are together.
2) Flowers, with a vase. Try to find out her favourite colour, or flower before hand. If you have no idea of what she likes go for a mix with a variety of colours and types of flowers or go with one rose.
3) A gift basket is an excellent way to go. What is good about a basket is that you can use whatever information you do know about her to make one just for her. It can have food, candies, flowers, what ever she has shown some interest in. One man I know gave his girlfriend of a few weeks a basket with seashells, a small bag of sand and a glass bowl shaped like a shell to display them in. She had let him know that she loved the beach; it was winter so this was his way of bringing the beach to her. If you have only been out a few times you should still have a good idea if she likes coffee or tea. If she likes coffee or tea have a basket with a coffee or tea mug/cup. A good blend of coffee or tea products, some biscuits/cookies and card. If you know some thing she likes add it to the basket.
4) A nice dinner out is a great idea, but make sure it is part of the gift and not all you do. People like having some thing to open.
Things not to buy at this stage as they are not appropriate or give the wrong message or impression:
1) Clothing, of any type, especially not lingerie
2) Bath products, or personal care products. It gives the wrong message.
3) Jewellery
4) Candles
5) Box of chocolates
6) Perfume
7) No gag gifts even if she has a sense of humour.
Great Birthday gifts once you have been going out for a bit and have a good idea of what her likes and dislikes are. This is the easiest stage because you know more abut each other; things are still new and fresh. What makes the difference in the gifts is if you are in a casual or serious relationship.
Casual Relationship Birthday gifts
1) A card that has a casual tone, but still says I care.
2) Jewellery is ok here especially if you get her birthstone, as long as you do not buy any rings as they can be seen as taking the relationship to the serious level. Do not buy any thing with a Celtic Claddagh, as it is a symbol of commitment.
3) Flowers are still great, but not as the only gift. Make sure they have some special meaning to your girlfriend.
4) Birthday dinner is a good idea. You may want to have some of her friends over for a home cooked meal if you are always going out, or you will want to have dinner out with her friends if you usually have stay at home dates.
5) Gift baskets are still wonderful here and now you have a better idea of what to put into them. They still show that you put some effort into the gift, but you can keep it with a casual tone. You can put all her favourite things into it, foods, candies, books, tickets to a game, theatre show, concert or what ever she likes.
6) Candles, candies, chocolates, perfume, gag gifts will work as at this point because you know for sure that your girlfriend likes them or not. Do not buy bath or personal care products as it still sends the wrong message.
Serious Relationship Birthday gifts
1) A card that has a hand written message by you about how you feel about her and the relationship. Make sure it is honest and heartfelt, not just what you think she wants to hear. It should have some mention of event that was meaningfull to the both of you.
2) Jewellery is great here. A promise ring or Celtic Claddagh shows how you feel and that you are serious and committed to her and the relationship.
3) Flowers as always a nice but never as the only gift or main gift.
4) Lingerie and other things that can be bought at a sex shop may be ok to buy at this point. But not as the main gift, and only if it is some thing your girlfriend has expressed interest in. Surprising her with this can backfire fast so this is some thing you need to tread carefully with and make sure it is some thing she is open to. Some people see lingerie as the guy is buying himself a gift and giving it to his girlfriend, in other words it is more for the guy.
5) Gift certificates for a spa are very popular. As long as it is not some thing she does all the time already. Always make sure they are for relaxing things like a massage or open for her to pick what she wants to use it for.
6) At this point it should be very easy to buy a gift because you know what she likes, her hobbies, what she collects, what she really needs. If your girlfriend was looking at a coat that she wanted but could not afford then this is a good gift. It shows that you care about her, pay attention and took the time to find what she needed and wanted. It is something just for her, not a generic gift like candles or a box of chocolates. Just make sure that what ever you get is special to her.
7) Gift certificates for any thing other then a spa you have to be careful about. You have to make sure it is for some thing that only she can pick out. To be honest, at this point you should have a good idea of what she likes, what she has, and what she wants. If you have to go with a gift certificate instead of taking the time to pick some thing (and keep the receipt just in case) then some thing is not right.
Great Birthday gifts for your girlfriend once you have been together for a while. This can be almost as hard as the first gift, even harder if you live together. You just don’t know what to get her any more. You have already done every thing; you need some thing new and fresh. Don’t give the same thing you did last year, or the year before. You need to show you care, make it romantic and special.
1) Engagement or promise ring. If you are in a long term committed relationship (together for many years already) the idea of getting married has probably come up. This is a good time to show your love and commitment to her. Presentation will be important so that you can show you care, make it romantic and special. Everything you do for her birthday will evolve around the presentation of the ring. Some people are reluctant to give an engagement ring as a gift because if the relationship breaks up the ring was a gift and does not need to be returned. If you are concerned about that then maybe you are not in as committed a relationship as you thought and should not commit to something you are not ready for. However if you expect to be together forever then go for it, get married or whatever ceremony (Hand fasting is a nice ceremony) you want to that shows your commitment to each other.
2) Birthday parties can be fun and special. If you are always doing things at home then have the party out, dinner at a restaurant, dancing after at a club and then friends go home and you end the night romantically with a nice hotel stay.
3) One man gave his girlfriend a book of 52 coupons that he made himself. They were for things like: a back rub, foot rub, pamper night where he would take care of dinner and clean up and she got to go soak in the tub with a book, a night out dancing (he did not like dancing), Breakfast in bed day where he made breakfast and cleaned up, pick the movie, control of the TV remote, no sports day, girls night out, pick the take out, pick the restaurant, etc. What he did was listen when she was upset about any thing, then he would write it down and then made a book of coupons out of things she said. When she said she was tired of making dinner all the time he made the “I will take care of dinner and clean up” coupon. When she was upset that he was spending too much time watching sports on TV he made the “no sports day” and “control of the TV remote” coupons. It was a very good way to show her he listened and cared about her and how she felt. She was to use a coupon a week, though she did use more the one some weeks and none at all on others. She said this was the best gift any one had ever given her.
4) A gift certificate for a spa is always good, as long as you don’t do it every year.
5) Find out a place she has always wanted to go to or is important to her. What ever it is will be up to her, and some things may be out of your price range but you can still make a gift out of it. If she has always wanted to go to some place like China, Australia, Paris or a theme park you can still give that to her even if you can not send her. You can have a theme birthday. For Paris you find a great French restaurant, a theatre show or movie based in Paris, with gifts that she could get in Paris; Perfumes, paintings, pictures of Paris, a tacky tourist shirt or little Eiffel tower. It can be a lot of fun and if you find enough places she would like to go to you will have some great ideas for other birthdays.
6) Find out some thing she has always wanted to do. Then find a way for her to do it. It may involve getting gift certificates for some thing she may have always wanted to do like sky diving, a balloon ride, become an author, or painter or any number of things. You may have to arrange for classes, and make sure she can do them. If she has children part of the gift should be childcare for when she is doing the balloon ride or taking a French, drawing, or creative writing class at night school. Please note that if it is dance lesions you will more then likely expected to participate.
7) Maid for the day, week, month or year what ever you can afford. It is really a day off, knowing that the work is being done and will not be still have to be done the next day. Make sure this is presented as giving her a day off and not in a way that can be seen that you think she is a poor housekeeper. Not many people are going to say no to someone else cleaning up for the day, especially if it means the two of you can have some special time together instead of cleaning.
You can always find the right gift and a way to make it special if you take the time to talk with your girlfriend and then put the time, and effort into it. Money will dictate what you can and cannot do. But it is more important to give some thing that has meaning to your girlfriend then how much it cost.
Written by: Lori-Lee Craig
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