Although there are always exceptions to every rule, the majority of children are born with kind hearts and enjoy doing good things and helping people. Sure, they have their moments of selfishness, clamoring after their own and other kids’ toys, but most kids are good people that like making the world a better place. The benefits of actively fostering children’s charitable impulses are enormous. Besides helping counter the overdeveloped “gimme” impulse, it gives kids a powerful boost in self-esteem to realize they can make a difference in someone’s life. Here are some tips on kids and charity, and how to encourage a giving spirit.
Almost every child goes through a picky eater stage…and some seem like they will never come out of it. How do you get a nutritious diet into a kid who won’t eat anything green or white, or who refuses to eat anything except chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese? Nearly two thirds of parents describe at least one problem with their child’s eating, according to a study in Contemporary Pediatrics, so you are definitely not alone here–millions of parents feel your pain. There’s more to this dilemma than just tempting a picky eater, but that is a great way to start. Here are some practical solutions to helping your kid get the nutrition they need, without the wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Many a newly pregnant woman has several panic attacks when she realizes that pregnancy means changing some habits. What is safe during pregnancy? Can I dye my hair? Eat Sushi? What about nail polish fumes and second hand smoke? And the stress that all of these questions are causing. UrbanMommies has pulled together articles and advice from our medical experts to help you navigate the beautiful months while pregnant. Breathe, relax, and remember that moderation and instinct should always remain in the equation. As with anything, your doctor or midwife should be consulted if you are concerned about any issues you are having.
In today’s world, everyone is busy. People always seem to be rushing from one activity to the next and trying to do several things at once in an effort to save time. Working mothers understand “busy”- they’re basically working two full time jobs, and it’s no wonder why working mothers often find it difficult to balance everything in a neat and organized fashion!
If you are not one of the lucky few who feels great during the first trimester, read on. As hormones shift in early pregnancy, morning sickness, nausea and vomiting can wreak havoc on daily life. For morning sickness rememedies you may have tried preggo pops, tums and dry crackers, but there are a few other options as well. Motherisk is run through Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and provides excellent support for pregnancy and parenting. The phenomenal Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP) forum is great.
Here are some morning sickness remedy tips:
- Ice cold drinks can calm the stomach.
- Complex carbohydrates are best.
- Eat every 2 hours.
- Limit straight milk.
- Talk to a health provider about Diclectin, a drug that can help.
- Ginger settles the stomach.
- Freezing Gatorade in ice cube trays can help keep you hydrated and replace electrolytes.
- Grab an essential oil that calms you (grapefruit is amazing).
- You can try this old home remedy: 1T pure apple cider vinegar, 8oz. filtered water, and 1T pure honey
- Take some Vitamin B6
- Sea Bands can help by using acupressure on the inside of the wrist
- Licorice (tea or candy) has been said to help greatly
And if that doesn’t work, go buy yourself a comfy Juicy tracksuit, get a massage and get some firefighters to fan you with palm leaves. It’s worth a try.
Motherisk Nausea Hotline: 1-800-436-8477
There is an ancient Jewish saying that ‘with each child, the world begins anew’. Jewish mysticism regards an individual’s name as connected to their essential self. Boys are given their Jewish or Hebrew name as part of the Bris Ceremony. The name given may be Hebrew, Yiddish or a combination of both. Choosing a Hebrew name for a baby is a serious responsibility as it charts a course for the body and soul of the individual and may well determine his or her future. No pressure, though.
Baby Names. Unique or Traditional? Family Name or Celebrity? Religious? What if it rhymes with a bad word…? The stress of choosing a name for your baby can be harder to deal with than worrying about whether to ask for an epidural. Will your family be insulted if you don’t include one of their names? What if you choose cousin Alan’s name instead of your father’s? How many times have you considered having a third child just to make sure every side of the family is appeased in the name game? Relax. This is your baby.
If you are looking for a unique name for your baby, or you want a truly symbolic name, you need to know the top choices for the baby names that parents are selecting for their kids. Each name has a meaning, an origin this is the name that the child will be living with for the rest of his or her life. Give them the right name! Here is a list of the top 100 baby names for either girls and boys so that you can make your choices about which name you should go for (or which popular ones to avoid!).
Up to 30 % of parents of young children encounter difficulty with getting their little ones to fall asleep or stay asleep. Sleep is important for children’s health and development. Lack of sleep in children is known to cause learning and memory deficits resulting in difficulty attaining age appropriate milestones for younger children and poor academic performance in school aged children. It is also reported that lack of sleep in children can result in irritability, depression, hyperactivity and aggression. Moreover, disturbed sleep in children often causes stress on the entire family. Contrary to belief, children do not outgrow sleep problems and if left untreated, sleep disorders are more likely to persist, but many still struggle with ways to get your baby to sleep?
In order for children to learn and develop, they need to be well rested to be at their optimum for taking in new information and accomplishing motor and cognitive milestones. Parents should practice and teach their children good sleep hygiene techniques to promote better sleep. The term sleep hygiene relates to sleep behaviours that expose a child to activities and cues that prepare and promote them for well timed and effective sleep. Here is a top 10 list of good sleep hygiene practices to teach your children:
10 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep
• Being active during the day. Age appropriate activities are essential to help children establish good sleep-wake cycles. It exposes them to daylight and activities throughout the day which is thought to help increase the release of a hormone (melatonin) at night to help children sleep. Activities for an infant such as tummy time or a toddler playing at a park on swings, climbing, sliding etc… Children are meant to move and sedentary activities such as television are thought to hinder a good night’s sleep.
• Routines help children understand what is coming next; this allows them to anticipate what is happening in their day.
• Establish a bedtime routine to allow them to wind down and get themselves ready to transition from wake to sleep. Take approximately 30 mins of quiet time doing relaxing activities prior to getting your child to sleep.
• Keep to a fairly predictable schedule during the week and weekends e.g. bedtime/naptimes should not vary more than one hour either side of regular bedtime. Most children are in bed by 730pm every night. Autumn is the best time to put children to bed earlier and benefit from the daylight savings time change to help with the transition.
• Try not to feed your child food containing caffeine 4-6 hours prior to bedtime (e.g. cookies or muffins containing chocolate), it acts as a stimulant and keeps children awake.
• The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends no television for children under two years of age. If you let your child watch television ensure that they do not watch any at least 2 hours prior to bedtime, this activity stimulates children instead of calming them. Try reading a favourite book or singing some bedtime songs to help transition them to calmer activities.
• For younger children, research studies report that infants who learn to settle themselves are more likely to discover self-soothing techniques and are better sleepers by 6 months than infants whose caregivers assist infants to sleep through various activities e.g. feeding or rocking to sleep.
This does not mean letting your child cry it out but rather letting them settle themselves.
• Noise reduces sleep time, especially in deep sleep, and increases light sleep e.g. a party going on at next door neighbours. During light sleep, noises can wake a person more easily. Try using a white noise machine.
• When the room temperature is too hot, time in deep sleep is decreased. In a room too cold, it takes longer for a person to get to sleep. Recommended room temperature for sleeping is between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Need more ideas? We’ve rounded up the ‘experts’ – Elizabeth Pantley and Richard Ferber.
Jennifer Garden, a registered health professional (occupational therapist) and mother of two year old twins!
In preparing for Canada Day, we often reminisce about times gone by. But have we perhaps been lazy with our heritage and our own education? Here are the top 100 things all Canadians should know about – either at a cocktail party or in answer to your children’s questions. We’re bracing ourselves for lots of comments about what we may be missing… please add your thoughts below. We sometimes forget that we are our children’s best teachers and role models. So if a few of these things are fuzzy in your mind… you’ve got a fun activity brewing for the long weekend.