Education Blog for Mommies

Pets are wonderful. They cheer you up when you are down, keep you laughing, and love you no matter what. There is very little more heartwarming than seeing a child who has fallen asleep curled up next to a puppy.

Pets are a very common gift for children at holidays. What child’s eyes wouldn’t light up at the sight of a brand new baby animal to hold and hug? The promises to love, feed and take care of the new additions to the family flow like water.

The critters are soft, warm and fuzzy gifts for certain but, and it’s a big but, they all grow up and in just a few short weeks are no longer cute little puppies but big romping barking dogs, the cuddly little kittens have turned into large aloof cats. The baby ducks and chicks are no longer soft and fuzzy, but big, noisy and messy, and those two bunnies, Fred and George turned out to be Fred and Georgia!

Pets are a long term commitment and buying a pet as a gift should be a well planned and thought out move not a spur of the moment decision based on emotional reaction. If you are honestly thinking of getting someone a pet for the holidays (even if it is not for a child) be sure it is something you would do even if there were no holiday involved.

Make sure the gift fits. If the primary responsibility of caring for the animal is going to fall to a young child you don’t want to get a dog that will quickly grow to the size of a small pony which the child wouldn’t be capable of handling. You might also want to make sure you expose your child to other people’s pets for decent lengths of time before buying a pet, so if by chance they have allergic reactions to animals you will know before you bring one home for them to fall in love with. This will also give you the time to convince them that they would really prefer a turtle, lizard or something else that doesn’t have dander.

Keep in mind those animals, like babies, cost money way above and beyond the purchase price. Food, leashes, food, collars, food and water bowls, training supplies, food, toys, vet bills, food, licenses and tags, and more food!

There is a great deal of time that has to be invested in most any pet and the holidays are not always a good time to be doing that. The hustle and excitement of a houseful of friends and family may not be the ideal setting for a new puppy, kitten, or any other young animal. A better idea might be to cut out a picture of the pet you have in mind and put that in a card and make sure the child understands that as soon as the holidays have passed and things have gone back to a normal relaxed state they can help pick out the newest member of the family.

by Anne-Marie Ronsen

As we are becoming greener, all kinds of eco-friendly practices are becoming trendy. It’s now cool to recycle, shopping for organic food is chic, and ‘old skool’ fashion is now ‘new skool’.

Even parents have plenty of opportunities to make "green" buying decisions these days. But does this new green mode of thought apply to kids and their toys? As with other walks of life, doesn’t plastic rule supreme? Plastic is the way to go isn’t it?

Toys made from plastics use non-renewable sources and can be difficult to recycle. Every bit of plastic that has ever been made still exists. It may have crumbled into small particles, and it will never biodegrade. Although some plastics can be recycled most actually require additional plastic to be added for recycling to be possible. Makes you think twice about buying your baby gifts doesn’t it?

Not surprisingly many parents are now choosing traditional, wooden toys for their baby and kids toys. Traditional wooden toys are quickly becoming very fashionable as parents try to minimize their child’s exposure to potentially harmful materials and environmental awareness grows.

Purchasing natural, wooden toys made from sustainable resources means you’re not buying newly-manufactured plastics and all the petroleum by-products they entail. These toys are so durable that they will be in great condition when your child outgrows them, meaning you’ll recycle them as hand-me-downs. Wooden toys are made from renewable, sustainable materials and are generally painted bright, appealing colors using non-toxic paint. There are clear health benefits to children due to the absence of phthalates, and there are environment benefits due to the use of renewable resources.

Buying natural, wooden toys means you can feel good about knowing you’re buying green products made from renewable resources, and your child will thoroughly enjoy learning from and playing with them. Now you can consciously know you are protecting your child and the environment.

by Clare Smith

Giving birth to a newborn baby, especially if it is your first can leave you with a mix of emotions. You’re overjoyed whenever you look at those precious eyes and hold it in your arms. But at the same time, once you leave the hospital, you are faced with the realities of life. You will learn a lot through trial and error but some helpful tips can guide you along the path of motherhood.

A crying baby depending on its frequency and strength can be one of the most stressful parts of taking care of a newborn. During the first 3 months of a newborns life, it is almost the only form of communication that you will have with your child. Parents’ finding themselves with a colicky wonder if they come out of this period still sane.

Before giving you the most common tips for calming a crying baby, it is important that you first try to identify why the baby is crying. Don’t worry with time and experience; you’ll be able to identify the different tones and types of crying.

The main reasons for crying are:

1. Hunger
2. Loneliness, if your baby calms as soon as she sees your face, she might just be missing you
3. Wet or soiled diapers
4. Cold or Hot, check the back of the neck to identify in this is the case
5. Sleepy
6. Over stimulated
7. Pain
8. Illness
9. Colic, constant unconcealed crying for several hours

Reasons 1-6 are easily remedied. If your child is in pain, depending on the reason, such as teething, some tylenol kids or Tempra may make her feel better.

Here are some tips to calm your baby if she is colicky and all reasons 1-6 have been eliminated.

1. It may be trapped gas so try a Rhythmic Pat on her back or bottom. You can even try to rub her back rhythmically on her left side from the bottom up till the shoulder.
   
2. Another remedy for gas is to lie her down on her back and gently do bicycle movements with her legs.
   
3. Try a Montone Hum
   
4. Neck Cradle: Hold the baby’s face between her cheek and shoulders
   
5. Rhythmic Motion: Try rocking or walking your newborn using a rhythmic motion. Another great trick but not always practical is taking your newborn for a drive. The car’s motions puts most colicky babies to sleep.
   
6. Skin Contact: Remove your newborn’s clothing and your top and try some skin to skin contact with your newborn.
   
7. Lying Together: Lie down on the sofa or bed and have your baby lie stomach to stomach with you while gently stroking her back or legs
   
8. Distraction: Sometimes just distracting your little one can work. Use some colorful toys or some gently music
   
9. Infant Slings or Front Pack Carriers: This can kill several birds with one stone. It will provide some motion, contact and may allow you to take care of those chores that have just been piling up.
   
10. Soothing bath: This works not only for adults but for newborns as well. Be advised that not all newborns like a bath
    
11. White Noise: Noises coming from vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, or washing machines which can mimic the sounds from the womb can be calming for your newborn
    
12. Swaddling: Your baby has spent 9 months in very tight quarters. Having all this space and freedom to move around may not be comforting.
    
13. Outside: Some simple fresh air may do the trick
    
14. Stay Calm: Your baby can sense your stress. Try some eye contact, remain calm and calmly talk or sing to your baby. Just remember that these moments will not last forever.

If you feel extremely tired and overly stressed, some time out may help to re-energize you. Have a family member or friend take over for a few hours and get some time for you.

by Maria Melo

Playtime is very important for a child. That is why parents make sure that they buy their children toys that they can play with. At the same time they also want their child to learn while he plays, so they go for educational toys.

Toddler stage is a crucial part in a child’s development. In this stage, he learns so much about social roles and develops his motor skills. He becomes aware of the people around him, other than his mommy and daddy. Also, this is the time where he starts to toddle around, explore and become aware of the things in his environment.

A child will be achieving developmental milestones during this stage. This fact is an important thing to bear in mind when choosing a toy for our baby. So it is best if we will give them something that will promote the skills that they will acquire during their toddler years. Let us take a look at the five educational toys and games that will surely make your toddlers learn while they play.

During our child’s toddler years, his desire to explore new objects and new people is increasing. He will be able to recognize familiar faces and objects, which is why it is important for parents to choose the toys that their children will play with. They can choose from a variety of educational toys that can be classified as baby books, baby DVDs and VCDs, baby toys made of non-toxic and soft materials, and wooden toys and puzzles. Watching them learn while they play with these toys will be an enjoyable experience for every mom and dad out there.

#1: Books for Babies
Development of love for books can be developed as early as one year old. In fact, some parents start reading books to their baby even if he is still inside the mommy’s tummy. Colorful books will surely capture our toddler’s attention. This book will develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination in your child.

# 2: Baby DVDs and CDs
If your child has no playmate inside your house, it will help if we buy them Baby DVDs and CDs. During their toddler years, children are becoming aware of who they are and what they have. Buying these media aids will help them be aware of their body parts and communication. DVDs and CDs on nursery rhymes and songs will introduce your child to different beats and tunes. These will also help in facilitating our child’s language development.

# 3: Baby Toys
Toys such as shape sorter will develop the child’s matching ability. A colorful boxed set houses nine shaped board books will help our child to learn about different basic shapes. They will sort and match each book to the die-cut slots on the box of the same shape. There are also toys that can serve as a teether.

# 4: Wooden puzzles
Wooden puzzles also make it to the list. A puzzle features an easy-grasp knob for little hands and pictures underneath each thick piece that will develop matching skills. This toy will also introduce our toddlers to sea creatures such as fish, crab and turtle.

# 5: Wooden Toys
Engaging toys that will surely capture our child’s attention. Wooden toys such as bead mazes, push-along animals, and stacker.

Having baby can be the most wonderful experience that a couple can have. And you only want the best that you can provide him.

Baby gifts ranges from baby blankets, bibs, booties and so forth and you can add a loving touch to it by making it personalized and unique. And there are many options to choose from and these excellent ranges of quality baby gifts and toys plus baby bedding and furniture can give the utmost happiness to the most important person in your life.

Nothing can be more fulfilling than seeing your baby chuckle with a smile from the baby gift that you have. Let him feel your love and create a warm bond between you.

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