Eight Baby and Kid Sleep Tricks Your Doctor Will Never Tell You

Face it. Doctors are pretty lame with practical advice on stuff that should come naturally to babies. So here are a few tricks we’ve picked – none risky, we promise – that might help you get your baby to sleep or back on track sleep-wise.

1. Dads, take charge. This is one area where dads can really add some value. Sadly, it’s because we have nothing more to add than just being odd and different though. Send dad in to do the final diapering and reading and baby won’t get distracted by the thought of mommy milk or the comforting sensations of the mommy aura. This goes also, unfortunately, for midnight diaper changes when you’re weaning the baby off breastfeeding. Babies won’t think “food!” when they see daddy’s breast-less chest and dad has a better chance of getting baby back to sleep.

2. Pump up the volume. Don’t let your child get used to a completely quiet house, or you may be subject to a baby who wakes to every siren or dog bark. Usually, yes, babies sleep through anything, unless they are conditioned to complete silence. If you’re using complete silence as a tactic in the sleep wars, you may be doing more harm than good.

3. Be all business at night. While moms and dads often can’t resist a cuddle with the baby or even trying to get the baby to smile or laugh while changing and feeding, everyone will get back to sleep faster if you are calm and efficient in the semi-dark, getting the baby back in bed with as little distraction as possible. This way, baby knows that daytime is playtime and nighttime is “get back to sleep as soon as possible.”

4. Let the baby fall asleep on his own. Every doctor or sleep specialist will encourage strict routines to help the sleep ritual. What some won’t think of though is making sure you put your baby in bed when he or she is drowsy rather than completely asleep. Falling asleep on your own is an important development step for a baby, which you can help by getting your baby in bed when you sense he is getting drowsy.

5. Treat your baby like he or she has jet lag. Experts recommend that when adjusting to new time zones, you should spend daylight hours in bright sunlight and keep out all light at times you should be sleeping. The same goes for babies. Make sure his or her internal time clock knows it’s nighttime.

6. Turn down the baby monitor. If you’re so sleep-obsessed that you have to check on your baby every few minutes, you’re going to end up teaching the baby that every gurgle or whimper gets mom or dad’s attention. I am definitely not a “let them cry it out” dad, but I do know that giving in to the temptation to just peek in on them usually reset the timer on my efforts to get my kids to sleep.

7. Skip the diaper change? Yes, maybe, if you don’t smell #2 and you think the diaper isn’t really full. A full diaper change, complete with baby wipe hitting warm skin in the night air, will definitely wake up a sleeping baby. Wake up a baby for one last feeding before you go to bed. This might be the one trick that scores you some extra sleep. While it might be risky to wake up a baby for more stimulation, if you can accomplish the feeding to a half asleep baby, it might mean your baby remains full and satisfied all the way until morning. This means you get some much needed baby sleep of your own.

Video Games That Keep The Family Together

Survey: Videogames Are Not Detrimental to Kids’ Academics

A new study has shown that videogames have no adverse effects on the academic performance of kids. The research, done by the Michigan State University, reveals that video games do not affect children’s math skills and may have a positive effect on visual-spatial skills.

The study monitored the academic performance of students from 20 middle schools in Michigan. The researchers compared the usage of online and offline video games that the students played in correlation to their academic performance. It found that the videogames helped the kids learn visually by reacting and thinking in terms of images. The children were able to develop key skills that would come in handy in various fields such as engineering, technology and science.

Parents Perspective
Parents may have encountered the good and bad side of videogames. Many parents who allow their children to play educational videogames from a young age have known their kids to be more responsive to them than while simply watching television. For example, videogames are known to increase children’s reaction times in response to stimuli.

Another advantage for many parents is that videogames can be used to introduce children to computers, thereby giving kids a head start for the future.

On the flipside, there are disadvantages to videogames too. Children who play age-inappropriate games may have a bad experience and react negatively to them. Some studies have also demonstrated that first-person-shooter (FPS) and other similar games may increase childrens’ aggression levels and desensitize them to violence.

Tips to Help Pets and Toddlers Get Along with Each Other

There is one thing in common between pets and toddlers in your household – both of them crave your love and attention, and both of them require your utmost care. If a pet has been staying in the household much before an toddler has come to stay there, the pet may feel threatened and even jealous of the attention given to the new toddler. It may tend to attack the toddler when unattended.

In another case, household pets may mistake a toddler for a game or an intruder and attack them accidentally. Sometimes, household pets are unable to gauge the strength and limits of a toddler and may unknowingly hurt the toddler while playing with it.

Here are some tips to ensure your toddler and your household pet live in harmony:

* Do not neglect your pet – pay the pet as much (or almost) attention as you did before the toddler arrived

* Let the pet know that the toddler is its friend and not a rival – you may introduce the pet to the toddler and familiarize them in a friendly way

* Train the pet to get accustomed to the toddler’s ways by playing tapes of toddlers crying and other means so that the pet is not frightened when the toddler cries in reality

* Do not leave your toddler unattended with a pet around – the pet may unknowingly (or knowingly, if not properly trained) hurt the toddler or indulge in things that may not be good for the toddlers welfare

* Keep the pet hygienically clean so that the chances of the toddler contracting diseases from it remain minimal

Accurately calculate medicine dosages

Most parents face the ongoing problem of accurately calculating toddler medicine dosages and fear the risk of giving their toddlers the wrong dosage. While giving infant medication, the dosage specifications marked on the label are in ml’s (milliliters) or cc’s (cubic centimeters). A doctor’s prescription may define toddler medicine dosages in teaspoon measures. If you didn’t follow the metric system in high school, you have some learning to do.

Administrating the exact dosage of medicine to your toddlers is very important. Giving less than required will not benefit the toddler and delivering an extra dosage of medicine can be detrimental to his health. Various devices are available in the market to help measure toddler medicine dosages accurately.

For kids less than 2 years old, always check with your doctor. You’ll notice that all over the counter medicines do NOT give dosages for this age group, specifically because the children vary widely in size and weight, and are not all ready for the medications.

Here is a list of what is available in the market:

• The Spoon Dropper: This is a plastic dropper that has easy to read calibrations of half teaspoon, one-fourth teaspoon and so on and also in milliliters to help ensure an accurate dosage of medicine to toddlers every time. They come with a tiny cleaner brush to clean the dropper.
• Tablet Crusher: This helps crush the tablet into powder and has a built in storage container to avoid spilling and wastage.
• Tablet Cutters: This device cuts the pill uniformly with a stainless steel blade and has a two-compartment pill storage area. It also has a ‘locking bar’ to provide safety.
• Syringe Dropper: It looks like a syringe, and has markings in ml (milliliters) for easy and accurate dispensing. It’s easy to fit into a baby or toddler mouth and squeeze out the right dosage of medicine for the toddler without spilling. On the plus side, some kids think it’s fun.

Points to remember:

• Doctors generally prescribe medications after taking the child’s age and weight into consideration.
• Dosages will change as the kid grows.
• Reading labels and following prescriptions accurately will go a long way in ensuring good health for your toddler.

Checking up on your nanny

If you did all the background and reference checks on your nanny beforehand, chances are you have a nanny you can be sure of. However, if you didn’t do full due diligence or if your nanny had no prior experience or references, and you have concerns, here are some warning signs of a “bad nanny.”

• Your normally happy baby becomes agitated and fearful when the nanny arrives. Sometimes, this is just evidence that real bonding has not occurred or that the baby just really wants to spend more time with you or your spouse.
• Your baby has had too many accidents. Even if your nanny is not abusing your child, signs of too many accidents means your nanny is not staying on top of the situation to provide falls and injury, which is one or her most important jobs.
• You differ with your nanny on ways to take care of the baby and your nanny doesn’t follow through on your requests. Or worse, she is critical of your parenting style.
• You find that the baby is not clean or properly dressed. This is a sign that the nanny is not up to the task of properly taking care of your child.
• Your nanny is often late or has unpredictable absences. A nanny you can’t depend on is in many ways worse than no nanny at all.
• You discover her in a lie or she tells stories that don’t make sense. In this case, you must immediately fire your nanny. You can not entrust your child to any person who lies, steals, or betrays your trust.

Most nanny decisions can be made without hiring a detective or installing hidden cameras.

Vacation Getaways for Kids and Dads

During vacation time, it is important that you get down to planning things together so that each family member can voice his choice of destination. A few time-tested vacation ideas or must-see places for dads and kids are suggested below. Whether it is skiing on a snow-capped mountainside that draws you or the safari, which delights your kids, you will find it all here.
So pack your bags and gift your children a vacation and a memory to stay with them all their lives!

National Park Vacations

Life in the city – daily routine, commuting to and back from work, etc. may get to you at times. If you are looking for an outlet, an outdoor family vacation is an answer to it. National Parks like Yellowstone (Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana), Yosemite (California), the Grand Canyon (Arizona), Crater Lake, Death Valley, Glacier Bay, etc. provide countless opportunities to revel in the abundance of nature. The Rocky Mountain National Park is one such destination worth considering. It provides adventure opportunities with all sorts of climbing, fly-fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, backpacking, hiking, wildlife viewing, and bird watching, all in the backdrop of breathtaking scenery.

Beach Wonders

Building sand castles on the beach with your kids may give you an insight into the fantasy world of your child and help you bond better as a dad. If you are the adventurous type, water sports at the beach with your kids is an exciting option. America is blessed with beautiful beaches which are well maintained, making them ideal family vacation spots. Clearwater Beach, Cumberland Island, East Hampton, Laguna, Little Palm Island, Naples, Newport Beach, Ofu Beach, Poipu Beach, and beaches in Hawaii are the top beaches suited for a family vacation. Whether you are attracted by pristine and calm waters, rocky beaches, sandy beaches or all types of snorkeling and diving sports, you have it all here. One of the most suitable beaches for kids is the Kauai Beach—a natural wonder in itself, it offers the opportunity to ride horses and indulge in kayaking, biking, and fishing, apart from water sports.

Cities

If you haven’t taken your kids to the famous cities of America, you haven’t added value to their education. It is important that your kids learn about the seat of American politics, economic growth and strength, cultural resources and influence, academic institutions, etc., and the impact of all these on the world. The cities of maximum importance are New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, and Seattle. In addition, places like Orlando, Las Vegas, and Miami can prove to be one of the most memorable family vacations with entertainment opportunities galore for all age groups.

Smart Ways to Deal with a Dirty Diaper While Out Shopping

It is a scenario dreaded by most new dads. You are out, maybe enjoying a nice afternoon’s shopping with your baby and your baby chooses just this time to poop. You’ve been lucky up until now and you’ve either avoided the task entirely or only had to make the change in the baby nursery with all the accoutrements around you.

When the baby goes, many a dad will pause for a minute and wonder whether you couldn’t’ just ignore it for a half an hour, or the time to get home. However, pooping a diaper and wetting a diaper are two very different things. If the baby is crying due to a dirty diaper, that screaming will only get louder and more insistent. You need to take action fast. Here are some tips if you’re never been caught with a diaper emergency outside of the house.

• First of all, never leave the house for more than five minutes without carrying a spare diaper. Babies have an instinct about pooping at the worst times. If you are out and really can’t either buy diapers or get home quickly, you have no choice but to admit you’re a horrible, lousy excuse for a father and find a mom to ask for a spare. She’ll probably smile patronizingly at you and you’ll have to suck it up to get the goods. Dads also have been known to wipe the baby thoroughly with toilet paper and then wipe again with wetted tissue and stuff the baby back into her clothes minus a diaper. This is a recipe for another wet disaster, but can be used in a pinch. Better a wet baby than a dirty baby.
• Keep an extra changing pad in the car or your bag. Believe me, you do not want to set your baby out on a dirty restroom floor or risk getting poop all over another surface, like your car upholstery or carpet. Baby poop smells and is hard to clean.
• Locate a place where you can easily do what is required. Large stores often have changing stations equipped for you to do the job. Otherwise, locate a baby section or store where the staff and other shoppers are not likely to raise eyebrows if you settle yourself in their midst to change your baby’s diaper.
• If you have a stroller, use it to lay your baby in to change the diaper.
• You can also use the back seat in your car or the back of a station wagon to lay your baby down while you change the diaper.
• Carry a zip lock bag to store the dirty diaper before you can discard it.

Know the Toddler Phase

The toddler phase in a child’s life can be sharply marked by an increasing need to assert its independence. This will be a time fraught with challenges for you, as you try to support your toddlers’ impulses to explore his environment, while also safeguarding them from any harm.

If the battle to assert your authority may sometimes lead to frayed nerves or tempers on your part, be sure that you will also be rewarded by the development of a new and complex level of interaction between your child and yourself. The toddler phase can indeed be very demanding, especially at the initial stage of the phase.
Here are some ways in which you can encourage and extend your support during this difficult and yet essential and interesting phase in your child’s life:

• Let your toddlers explore within a limit: It is the parent’s task to set acceptable limits and as long as your toddlers do not cross those limits, allow complete freedom to explore. Your toddlers will learn to appreciate this and broaden their horizons through the use of their newfound curiosities.
• Honor and appreciate the choices made by your toddler as long as they do not harm anyone.
• Be calm and composed: Do not get irritated by your toddler’s tendency to refuse or rebel. This is actually a good sign to tell you that your toddler is developing a mind of his or her own.
• Do not neglect your toddler’s urge to play: Get your child various types of games appropriate for a toddler’s age. Your toddlers will learn important things in the process of enjoying the games such as eye-hand coordination, an understanding of logical sequences in events etc.

Also read this Useful article for single parents.

Trimming your baby’s nails

Even when babies are young, their nails are quite sharp. This can easily lead to babies injuring either themselves or adults who are handling them. To avoid this, it is essential that you start trimming children’s nails from the time they are still young.
Do not attempt to cut your baby’s nails with scissors or anything else that is likely to cause injury. Instead, use clippers and scissors that are especially designed for children. They have rounded tips and prevent accidental injury from taking place.
Here are a few things to remember about trimming your baby’s nails:

• The ideal time to trim young children’s nails is right after a bath when their nails are softer.
• If your baby is fidgety and refuses to sit quietly, you may need someone to distract your baby’s attention. Another option is to encourage your baby to fall asleep.
• Hold your baby’s finger (or toe) firmly in your hand and push down on the part that is under the nail, to prevent accidentally cutting it.
• Take care to avoid cutting too deep.
• Trim the nail by following the natural curve on the fingertip. (While trimming the nails on your baby’s toes you may cut them in a straight line.)
• Gently smoothen any rough or sharp edges by using emery board.
• Avoid biting your baby’s nails in an attempt to trim them. This not only prevents a clean and even cut, but may also lead to your baby contracting an infection through your saliva.

If you find that you have either injured the skin or cut too deep, so that there is bleeding, hold a sterile cotton wad or gauze over the wound and press gently. Ensure that the bleeding has stopped, before you release the pressure. Do not wrap a bandage around the wound as it may present a risk of choking.

How Can You Be Tactful with Unwanted Advice?

If you are a new dad, you may often receive unsolicited advice on how to bring up your baby. Close friends or family members may typically offer this. Casual acquaintances and even total strangers may add their bit.

While it may be well meaning, a torrent of unwanted advice can be highly annoying. Parents have the first prerogative of making choices and making decisions for their baby. Exasperated parents are not to blame if they see unwanted advice as interference in their freedom to bring up their child the way they want to.

However, it is also important that you respond to such counsel in a way that is not hurtful to the other person. These are different approaches you can adopt when faced with unsolicited advice:

• Listen before you react: Listen to and consider a suggestion offered to you before rejecting it. Chances are you may actually value it.
• Find something to agree upon: Even if the advice in its entirety is not acceptable to you, try to see if there is some part of it that you can agree upon, and acknowledge that.
• Be polite: If you know that your rejecting it will not go down well with the person offering you advice, you could thank the person for the concern and let him know you will consider it. It will keep the peace and you are not bound to put it into practice.
• Argue wisely: If you must counter unsolicited suggestions, do so logically, backing your arguments with facts.
• Be frank: If you think it necessary, do not hesitate to let the person know that you do not agree with his or her opinions.

Useful Article: Parenting Advice