Parenting Blog

Although you may not appreciate it much at all when your little one tosses their ravioli across the room, you should understand what is probably running through that little head of theirs. Toddlers love when they start discovering new things. Throwing is only one of the many exciting discoveries they will be making.

Sure, they may not know what the word gravity means but they definitely can be fascinated with the way it works. They are learning that everything they are able to throw will always come down. They are developing amazing motor skills that allow them to grasp something, and know when to release that grasp to effectively throw it.

Try not to punish them for this discovery unless it is putting them, you, or someone in danger. Of course, what they throw can play an important role in what is acceptable. If they are choosing to throw their toy truck in the living room, that will likely end in something being broken, try to redirect them to something suitable to throw.

Stock up on plenty of light and small balls that can safely be tossed around the house. When you see your little about to throw that toy truck, gently take it from and tell him that trucks are not for throwing. Give them one of the indoor balls and tell him it is ok to throw it.

Your little one will learn what is ok to throw and what isn’t. A great way for them to do this is to play tossing games with them, and let them naturally see that these balls are for throwing. If you have an empty box, or even a clothes basket, you can set it a few feet away on the floor. Then spend a little time taking turns, playing and tossing the soft balls into the basket.

Your toddler may develop the frustrating habit of throwing things in frustration. This may be throwing things at you or simply across the room during a tantrum, or throwing rocks and sand at you or someone while outside. If this happens try to be calm, although I know that can be difficult. At first don’t make a big deal out of it and they may actually see that it does not get them any attention. Then they won’t be likely to repeat it. However, in some cases they may repeat it anyways.

If this happens try to lead them to communicate their frustration in another way. Tell them it is not ok to throw these, or to throw in that situation. It may be necessary to tell them no, and lead them away from the situation in a small time out. Remember, you don’t want a time out to be too long or they will lose focus on why they are in time out.

Your little one will eventually learn what is ok to throw and what isn’t. They will surely love it if you spend a little bit of time each day playing tossing games as described above. This is a fascinating new skill and who wants to take away such an exciting new time from their little one?

Your journey through parenthood should include a primary focus on setting limits for your child. These limits will help them develop their individuality while creating a blanket of security of around them at the same time. Without limits they will not learn some of the most basic elements of everyday life. Every toddler obviously needs to know not to run out the door and into the street, and not to put their hands up on the stove. The main purpose of setting down ground rules and limits is their safety.

Toddlers are a bundle of joy, but require you to develop a truck load of patience and consistency. Often, when your little one misbehaves it is not just an act of disobedience. They may simply not realize the limits set for them, or they may be trying to determine the exactness of it.

When you are setting limits for your little one try to remember a very important rule of thumb. Discipline does not equal punishment. Try to keep in mind that your goal is their safety, happiness, and for them to learn the rules. It is not to punish them every time it seems they have made a mistake.

This does not mean to let them run rampant and ignore everything you are trying to teach them. However, when they do something that appears to be misbehaving, gently make them aware that there are consequences to the decisions they are making. By only punishing them, they may not realize what it is they are being punished for. They will not learn the important steps in the decision making process.

The limits that you decide to set for your little one should be simple. You don’t want to confuse them. Also, you do not have a rule for every single thing they do every single day. Toddlers need room to experience new things, make their mistakes, learn from them, and grow. This is what the toddler years are all about.

As mentioned, patience and consistency are key attributes to parenting a little one at this age. The limits that you have set need to be consistent so your child will always know what they are. Don’t let it be ok to do something one day, and the next day it be a no-no. This helps them to maintain a feeling of control because they know what is expected of them, and they have the choice to adhere to it. (Of course, there are consequences if they don’t)
When your little one tests you and the limits you have set, they are secretly asking you to show how dependable and consistent you and your limits are.

Don’t fail to set limits because of the fact that you can’t stand to see your little sweetie so upset. Toddlers need small amounts of frustration to learn how to properly deal with it.
Setting and keeping limits for your toddler will help them and you enjoy more rewarding time together. You’ll also be helping teach your little one how to grow, learn, and adapt into the world that they’ll be taking by storm.

Parenting is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do. However, along with the joys come many struggles as well. Usually, by the time your little sweetie turns two years old, you will begin to notice a battle of the minds. Power struggles become more and more evident as they try to establish who they are, and just how far out their boundaries are. This is just one inevitable fact of parenting.

It is likely that this will be exhausting to you sometimes. At times, you will see them as being bluntly rebellious, and angry. Here we’ll talk about some of the things that you can do to minimize these struggles. By doing so you can create a rewarding growth period, and be able to get a better understanding of their perspective.

The first thing that you should understand in parenting your little one through these times is that they are adjusting. Life is grabbing them by the hand and they are learning their place in the world. Try not to see their behavior as bad or disrespectful, and understand that this is a very normal part of growing up.

Not only are they learning about the things around them, learning to talk better and potty train, but they are starting to realize they can have control on people on things. Your little tyke is learning to make decisions, and exert their authority.

An important part of parenting is learning the ability to see things in a different light. Try to understand what they are going through. Be happy and proud that your little one is starting to discover their individuality.

Don’t try to overpower them. Instead, give them choices that will lead to the same end result that you are trying for. If going for a walk, and your little one insists on going the other direction, find something interesting to point out. Make it something that is somewhat in the direction you want to go and lead them that way. Sure, it is a little detour, but they will feel they have chosen to go out of the way to look at it. However, you have indirectly guided them back on track.

Try to find ways that allow them to feel more powerful in some situations, while maintaining overall control. This will help build their self esteem and their sense of individuality.

They simply want to feel that their feelings count, and they have some control. Often a little one who feels totally powerless and controlled will seek out other ways to make themselves feel better. This is in a way, revenge. They can seek control through hurting others or themselves, or anger.

As a toddler this is evident in tantrums, talking back, and throwing things. However, in older children it could lead to worse acts such as drug use.

Keep control of the situations that arise, but always try to make your little feel like they are important and that their opinions matter. Let them grow into their individualism, but safely.

First time moms have a world of worries and concerns about the new love of their life. It seems that some companies will go to endless lengths to prey upon people’s fears. The specialized baby laundry detergent is only one of the thousands of products that can fall into this category. Sure, there are some that may be great for baby’s clothes but there are also many claiming the title that use even more perfume and chemicals than normal detergent.

So, you want to keep your new little one safe and clean. Do you have to use this high dollar, specialized detergent to wash you little one’s clothes? No, you do not have to. The main thing that you will want to look for when shopping for detergent will be one that is directly labeled to have no fragrances or dyes.

If you’re like me and accustomed to finding and using all the new delightful fragrances that are being put into detergents these days, you will most likely be in for a big change. That is, unless you plan on buying different detergents for yourself and family, and you new little one. This will also mean more laundry, and you are going to be surprised at the number your laundry is going to multiply by anyways.

Many people claim you have to wash your baby’s clothes separately than yours, making more work for you and more time away from your little one. If you feel you have the time and energy, go ahead do that. But if you are like many new moms, you will put them in with all the other laundry. As long as you are using a detergent that is dye and perfume free there should be no problem in doing all of your laundry together.

If you decide to do them separately, try using only half of the suggested amount of washing detergent. New baby clothes should always be washed very thoroughly to get rid of the chemicals and germs that are on it. Run them through the wash in hot water at least two times before allowing your little one to show off the new outfits.

In some cases a baby can be allergic to something in the detergents even if you have made sure to use the fragrance, dye free ones. If you notice anything different about your baby’s skin, bring it up to your doctor to rule out other causes. You may find that your little one is one of the few that will require you to use only a certain brand of detergent. Once you find one that does not irritate them you will be using that one for a long time.

Don’t feel that you have to buy into these special baby laundry detergents. If you do prefer to use them, take the time to read the label and make sure it really is a good detergent for your little one. If you don’t decide to use these, don’t let others make you feel ashamed or that you are not doing something right. As long as your baby’s skin remains healthy, and you wash everything before they wear it, odds are you and your baby will be just fine!

The new arrival of your gorgeous new little baby is an exciting doorway to your new life. After you are home, and everyone has settled into as much of a routine that can be expected, Dad can sometimes be left feeling “What about me?”  If you are like many households across the country, you may be staying home with your little one while Dad goes to work. He may begin to feel that he is losing precious time with your baby, and that he is more of a stranger to them than their Dad. This can be especially true if you are exclusively breastfeeding.

So how does Dad get the time he so rightly deserves? How does Daddy bond with your new baby when they always seem to be nursing, or he is always at work? There are a lot of things Dad can do, and hopefully after reading this he won’t be feeling left out in the cold anymore.

If you are not exclusively breastfeeding, meaning that your little bundle of love is only nursing from a bottle or sometimes being nursed from a bottle, Dad can take part in giving him a bottle. Before he leaves in the morning to work, why not let Dad spend a little quality time giving the first bottle of the day? The best way to do this is to have him cradle the baby in his arms as you would if you were breastfeeding them. He will be snuggled close, and your little one will be able to smell him and feel him breathe. He can gently talk to or sing to them and look into their eyes. This is excellent bonding time!

Join in for a bath in the evening, or on a day off take a nap together! It has been proven that babies love skin to skin contact and it makes them feel secure and happy. In the evening Dad can climb into the bathtub and have your little one get their bath while lying in dads lap. On an off day, Dad can lose the shirt and strip your baby down to a diaper (make sure it is warm in the room) and spend time cuddling or napping together. Spending time skin to skin very much enhances the bond between baby and parent.

Another thing Dad can do is to help with the diaper changing in the evenings or his off time. Sure, first thought that comes to his mind when you suggest this is probably going to be a negative one. He may think you are just trying to get out of a few stinky messes. However, explain to him that changing the diaper is taking care of him and can be perceived as loving to your little one. This is especially true if you find that your little one can’t stand to be wet or dirty. He can look into their eyes and talk to them while he is changing their diaper. Every moment counts!

No matter how much Dad has to leave the house to work, there is no reason that he and your little one can’t develop a special bond of their own. When Dad is home and wants to bond, let them have time alone. Try these methods, and always look for a little moments that they could be spending together.