Latest Parenting Articles

Pushchairs: The Pros and Cons of Three-Wheelers

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 05:18:13 -0400

The introduction of three-wheeler pushchairs to the market has brought an increased amount of choice to parents looking to find the perfect carriage for their little one. But are three wheels better than four? As with most product choices, there are pros and cons on both sides.

Three-wheel pushchairs are often also referred to as ‘all-terrain pushchairs' - and as that term would suggest, they are ideal for families that plan to do lots of walking in areas that would likely cause problems for the more traditional four-wheel chairs.

The all-terrain chairs are designed with a single swivel wheel at the front, and treaded, pneumatic tyres, offering increased manoeuvrability and traction over four-wheel alternatives when navigating mud, grass and gravel. So for sustained country walks or trips to the beach, for example, a three-wheel buggy would seem like the ideal solution.

However, it's not all positive. First and foremost, three-wheelers tend to be significantly more expensive than their four-wheel counterparts, which is obviously something to be factored in - especially when you consider that having a baby is one of the more expensive decisions a couple is ever likely to make.

Early three-wheel models were largely unwieldy and difficult to fold - and while more recent examples are much better, they still tend to be larger and heavier than the four-wheelers. Most modern designs should be able to fold to a size that will fit in most car boots, but it's always important to check the dimensions before you commit.

In addition, three-wheel designs tend to have a wider wheel base than other pushchairs, often making it difficult to get in and out of smaller shops. In fact, for extended town and city use, four-wheelers are often the better choice - the pavements will be flat and smooth, so spending extra on a three-wheeler is unnecessary.

Punctures are also a hazard that tends to be exclusive to three-wheelers as four-wheel pushchairs largely utilise harder wheels rather than pneumatic tyres.

As with any large purchase, buyers are advised to shop around and try out all the attractive options. What's right for one family isn't necessarily right for another, so it's wise take advantage of the fact that most stores will happily let prospective customers take their pushchairs for a spin around the shop floor.

3 Reasons to take Music and Dance at the Same School

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:52:29 -0400

There are so many different options when it comes to music lessons and dance classes for your children. Your kids can take piano, guitar, violin, vocal, or even drum lessons. In addition to music they will more than likely want to take dance classes. These can include ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, lyrical, or for your little ones preschool dance.
you can take these classes at different schools or you can take them both in one school. Here are 3 reasons why you should keep these disiplines in one location.

1) Save time - If you take music and dance in the same location you can avoid hours of waiting and driving different lesson providers each week. You can often schedule private lessons for two or more kids at the same time as another one is taking dance classes.
2) Comfort - When you do find a school that you can trust it just makes sense to stay with teachers that already know you and your children. The school has already had the time to earn that trust so you don't have to start all over again somewhere new.
3) Recitals - Both the music and dance recitals with most likely be in the same venue. If you do need to purchase tickets and set your valuable time aside for the event it's a great idea to save the time and money that you have to spent going to more than one event.

So, when you're trying to decide where to put your kids for their music lessons or dance classes you might want to check and see if the school offers both at the same location. you can definitely save yourself a lot of time and energy by taking the music and dance at the same school. Also, music and dance were made for each other so it only makes sense to keep them together.

Parenting Teenagers Facts

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:40:16 -0400

When thinking about parenting, teenager issues seem to pop up as some of the toughest. Teenagers have passed the relatively calm years of grade school but aren't into the adult years yet. Teenagers struggle to figure out where they are in life and who they are. They don't know who their friends should be, what their future holds or how they should behave in life.

This is not a momentary action. It takes several years for both the parent and child to adapt to a more self-sufficient and independent child. It is vital that you as parent support your child in this process as opposed to hindering them.

So talk to your teen about what he and his friends enjoy doing and consider how that information fits into your personal home and lifestyle. If you're a sports-minded family, you probably already have a good deal of sports equipment and a yard to use it in. If your family enjoys movies, host a movie-night for your teen's friends (this means YOU can pick the appropriate movies and if any movie is in the least way questionable, forget it, no matter what your teen says).

Begin the process by identifying external interests for the child to be involved in. Some children are athletic and for those a team sports a wonderful environment to keep the child involved in wholesome activities. However, do not delegate your parental responsibilities to external parties. You still need to be very involved with this area of the child's life.

In line with this, you should be able to let them feel that you are not hiding anything from them. You have to build communication as well as trust. If your teenager trusts you, there is greater eventuality that they will be more honest with you. In the same way, you also have to be honest with them at all times. Let them be part of decision making related to family matters.

You have to go for enjoyable weekends apart from busy schedule of his school studies and homework. Have breakfast at McDonalds's or go to a food corner of your child's choice. Go together for a movie, for fishing or visiting a place of entertainment for teenage children to make your child refreshed and prepare him for the coming week. Good communication and positive interaction without underestimating him is the important factor in a successful relationship between you and your child.

Parenting teenagers effectively means building relationships with them, listening when it's convenient for them (not you), working with them to help them overcome challenges, earning their respect so it's YOU they think of when they need to talk.

Even for experts in parenting, teenager issues like drug use or alcohol use can't be overcome easily. Teens will continue to experiment with alcohol at parties, drugs like ecstasy and marijuana, and even solvent abuse. They do it in an attempt to fit in with their peers or to just see what it's like to use these substances. Most are fine with it later and don't continue using.

A Rainbow Of Baby Furniture

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:38:27 -0400

Many years ago one could hardly imagine nowadays unheard-of variety of baby furniture. Especially the present diversity of baby cribs thrills many people. However the most important thing is that the craze for baby cribs is still growing. Literally, nowadays vast expanse of baby beds enraptures and at the same time confuses many parents. Due to this wide, exclusive selection and huge number of brands one doesn't know where to look first. Baby furniture hunting has become a hobby for many moms and dads; they constantly strive for the newest designs looking for the latest furniture to beautify their baby's room. If you are one of them we are happy this hobby makes you glad.

In spite of the fact those who find buying baby furniture a real nightmare should keep their head, this situation is not hopeless. As for us we try to help you find and purchase good baby furniture that is going to be safe, functional and beautiful.

Get a theme for the nursery
As we are deeply interested in favourable and conducive environment for our precious child, we will look for the best idea to furnish the nursery. Picking up a theme is not a formidable challenge. It is enough to surf the net and look through numbers of offered themes in order to make your choice. One of them will certainly imprint itself in your mind. For example the boyish themes can be sports, dinosaurs, airplanes, trucks, submarines, cars and etc. Baby girls would like environment that includes fairies, princesses, dolls, castles, mermaids, flowers and etc.

A toy chests or more free space
Buying baby furniture set to furnish your baby room, you have all chances to become owner of an item of furniture that might be really unnecessary or at least not very necessary. In case your nursery is large purchasing a baby furniture set will not be a tragedy indeed, however if there is not much space every inch of it should be taken into account. So you are faced to make an important decision and choose only the most indispensable articles of baby furniture. Thus if your nursery has a closet you will think twice before buying a toy chest or a dresser or other fancy pieces. However one piece you will certainly need, it is a safe and lovely place for your baby to sleep in.

What baby bed do you need?
Before buying a baby bed for your child you should clarify several things: the money you can afford, the design you would like to have. You may tend to choose a standard baby crib or a convertible baby cot. Or maybe be you need a cradle that works on batteries and automatically rocks your little one. Or you are a person who likes or has to travel and look for a nice travel cot. As nowadays parents want to travel with their children rather than leaving them home with nannies such a cot is a must. Portable, light and easy to fold they are just indispensable.

Thanks to the internet you can easily find a lot of information and minute detail about any piece of baby furniture or a baby crib you are interested in.

Baby Benefits and Money-Saving Tips for Parents

Sun, 30 May 2010 08:46:07 -0400

Bringing up baby is a costly business, so be sure to claim all you're entitled to. We take a look at the financial help that's available to new parents.

As I've recently become a dad for the first time (twin girls: Bettie and Elise), I thought I'd dedicate this week's blog to the various baby benefits that are available to new parents. Believe me, if you're about to start a family, you'll want to know what financial help you're entitled to because, shock news...

...kids are expensive!

Five weeks and three million nappy changes into our big adventure, my wife and I are only just rousing from the life-changing shock of it all. And as the initial euphoria fades, the realisation that we're now financially responsible for our little lovelies has hit with all the sobering subtlety of a bucket of ice water over a morning-after drunk (I speak from experience).

Fortunately, parents can claim support to help with those extra expenses. Here are some of the baby benefits and tax breaks that are available.

Tax Credits

There are two types of government tax credits - Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. 90 per cent of families with children qualify for tax credits, and the amount you'll receive depends on: income; number of children; whether you work and for how many hours; childcare costs; if your child has a disability; if you're 50 or over and are coming off benefits.

You may be able to claim tax credits for your new baby/babies, or claim more if you're already claiming, and the money is back-dateable up to three months. If you already receive Child Tax Credit, you'll also get an extra payment for a new baby under the age of one (unless you already claim for another child under one, as there's only one such payment per family - including twins).

First-time claimants will need to fill in a form (call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900 or textphone 0845 300 3909). The helpline can tell you how much you will get, or you can get an idea by completing the tax credits questionnaire. At present, you may be eligible for: a family element worth up to £545 a year; a baby addition in the first year of £545; a child element, worth up to £2,300 a year for every junior member of the family; extra money for children with disabilities.

It's worth noting that even if you're not on a low income, you should still check your Child Tax Credits eligibility. A family earning as much as £66,350 a year will still be entitled to some money.

And if you already receive Working Tax Credits, you can still claim Child Tax Credits. What is Working Tax Credit? Basically, it's an extra weekly payment available to low earners. If you think you qualify, make sure you chase it up as it also allows you to claim towards childcare costs (up to £140 a week for one child or £240 for two or more children).

Child Benefit

Child Benefit is usually available for children under 16, between 16 and 19 (or 20 in some cases) if they're in education/training, or 16-17 if they've recently left education or training and register for more work or training.

Payments are tax free and current rates are £20 a week for the eldest or only child and £13.20 a week for each additional child. To apply, you'll need to fill in a claim form. Follow the link for more information on Child Benefit.

Child Trust Fund
Once you've made a claim for Child Benefit, you should automatically receive a £250 (per child) money voucher to open up a Child Trust Fund. The CTF is a tax-free savings and investment account for your child, into which up to £1,200 a year can be paid. These savings can't be touched until the child reaches 18. Furthermore, when your child reaches seven, he/she will receive an extra birthday present of another £250 voucher for their fund.

For low-income households, both vouchers rise in value to £500 per child, and further CTF vouchers are available for children with disabilities (£100 a year) or severely disabled children (£200 a year).
If you don't receive a voucher within a month of claiming Child Benefit, call the CTF helpline on 0845 302 1470 or textphone 0845 366 7870.

Free Baby Products

When my wife left the maternity ward last month, a midwife handed us a couple of large bags filled with baby essentials. Bounty Packs contain samples of nappies, baby wipes, laundry tablets and toiletries for the baby. We were also given a voucher for baby essentials from the registrar when we registered our babies. What's more, we'll apparently receive another bounty pack when our girls turn six months old. Sure, these goodies are given out in the hopes that we'll remain loyal to the various brands - but a freebie is a freebie, and every little helps.

With that in mind, I shall point you towards this savings website. Baby Freebies hosts loads of links to free stuff, special offers and discount vouchers for a variety of baby products. Definitely worth a look if money is tight.

Don't Rent Inflatable Toys - Water Slides, Bouncers, Pools

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:09:41 -0400

In today's economy, it is hard to justify spending lots of money for entertainment products, but without those entertainment products, what fun is life? And as important as our children are, finding exciting and energetic ways to entertain them can be a challenge for a parent. All too often, we see an easy way to get a lot of "bang for our buck" with a gaming console or computer games, but experts warn us all to readily of the dangers of our kids not getting the outdoor activities and exercise they need. So what kinds of alternatives are there which are truly affordable?

We've all seen the huge inflatable slides and bouncers at carnivals and at large school functions. And everyone knows what an inflatable pool is. But between those slides and bouncers being huge and extremely expensive, most inflatable pools bringing the image of an itty bitty kiddy pool to mind, very rarely are those considered to be real alternatives. However, don't let those misconceptions fool you. Inflatables are a very real, very affordable and very possible alternative to those sedentary video games!

While you can rent those slides and bouncers for special occasions, if you stop and look at the pricing for them, and also check out the pricing for a real size inflatable pool, you'll see that they are quite affordable. For little more than you'll pay for a good gaming computer or fully outfitted video game console, you can outfit your back yard with a good selection of these toys. And another benefit is the fact you don't have to buy new games when they come out, or shell out major dollars for upgrades. Once you make that initial investment, your money has been spent. And spent wisely!

Kids love spending hours outside on the slides and bouncers, and the inflatable pool provides enjoyment for the entire family. Not only that, but your home can become the "nerve center" for the neighborhood kids to come play during the summer months when all the kids are out of school. Let's face it, having the kids in one place where you can keep an eye on them, while getting them out of the house for some fresh air and exercise is definitely worth the price of admission.

And because these activity centers are inflatable, that means when the kids go to school and it's too cold to go outside and play, all you have to do is deflate them and store them in the garage. Not only does that make it easy to take care of them, but you can also have all of your yard back whenever you want. Between that kind of flexibility, the fact that you are enabling your children to get the exercise and activity they need for good growth and having that in an affordable, economical package is a a real, true value for your dollar.

My Daughters Are Growing Up Too Fast, And It Needs To Stop

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 11:27:54 -0400

A few weeks ago, I came to the harsh realization that my daughters are growing up. While on some level I understand that this has to happen eventually, I would prefer that eventually was much farther in the future!

Several weeks ago, I was watching a hockey game and folding laundry, the latter of which is no small task in our household. You see, I live with my wife and four daughters, -ages 10, 13, 13 and 13, in our Garden of Estrogen (that's right, we have triplets). So I've grown accustomed to the mishmash of my clothes together with those of five females. However, I feel like 80% of the garments should still be adorned with Disney characters.

Working my way through the mountain of clean laundry, I came across a pair of eye-catching bikini underwear and a matching string tank top.

"Hey honey, when did you get these, and why haven't I seen you wear them yet?" I asked my wife.

"Because they belong to your daughter," she replied.

The only things that dropped faster than my jaw were the garments from my hand.

"From now on I will fold linens and towels, anything clearly male, and anything with a team logo. The rest is all yours!"

That was only the first sign that I was living in a world that actually permitted little girls to grow into young women. It seems like only last week that my neighbor called me and said, "Let's coach the kids' kinder soccer team together." Nearly seven years and fourteen seasons later, I'm still coaching girls' soccer, but a few days ago I was talking to our team trainer when a woman tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned to speak to the person I thought was a parent, I suddenly realized it was one of my 13 year old players.

When the triplets were toddlers, I used to watch the three of them scurrying around the house and observe, "They look just like little people, only smaller." Then when they reached school age, the observation changed to, "They look just like little people." Now they are starting to look like big people.

Sometimes I walk into their room late at night. Where their cribs, and later their toddler beds used to be, three full sized beds take up practically the entire floor. The walls and headboards are adorned with county fair ribbons, pictures of sports teams, race medals, religious items, and various other "treasures." In the aforementioned beds are sleeping forms that take up way more space than I ever expected from people who once shared an abode the size of a basketball between my wife's hips and her ribcage. Our second triplet, who appears destined to hit adulthood as the family "shrimp," is 5 foot 3, our third will soon hit 5-foot-6, and our first is somewhere in the middle. None of them show signs of topping out any time soon. The youngest seems likely to pass them all.

And the feet! One of the triplets wears women's size 8, another wears a 10, and one just bought size 9-1/2 men's New Balance 620 Cross Trainers. Whatever happened to all those cute little sneakers with the blinking lights? Last week I even discovered the 10 year old wearing a set of heeled clogs that she got from her cousin.

I'm not sure I'm ready for this!

Fortunately I have found a way to deal with the situation, at least with my own daughters. Close my eyes. It turns out that most of what comes out of their mouths still sounds like girls - asking questions about math homework, objecting to cleaning their room, comparing notes about their teachers with their friends, giggling uncontrollably, etc. They don't act like women yet, even though I know that day is coming - too soon.

If I keep my eyes closed, I can imagine I still have little girls running around my house. Now if I can just stop bumping into things...

infant baby stroller

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:20:44 -0400

We want the best accessories for our newborn, make them comfortable, healthy, and stimulate correct development.First stroller is very important, because your infant will use it often and that's why the stroller has to meet the newborn's all needs.Because infants can't sit up without support, they can't ride in a standard baby stroller that is, one that doesn't fully recline.

The Bugaboo strollers appeared on "Sex and the City." That model went on to achieve a status and since then Bugaboo introduced more stroller models like the Gecko ($679) and the Cameleon ($879) - designed to traverse bustling sidewalks, sandy beaches and rough. woodsy terrain.
The last model is Bugaboo Frog($330). Thanks to its innovative design, the Bugaboo Frog is functional and easy to use. With lots of surprising functions and handy features, it allows parents with young children more freedom of movement with his unique flowing suspension which ensures that a child 0-4 fears old can quietly and safely lie down or sit up ,however uneven the surface , the road , over pebbles , or on the beach

Strollers that fit into this category are designed for everyday use. Most of these strollers are fully reclining with leg holes that close, and can accommodate children from infants to toddlers. They are often mid-weight, and can come with such accessories such as five-point harnesses, cupholders, and trays. Several models even have air-filled tires for a smoother ride. Some very versatile and convenient traditional strollers allow you to attach infant car seats to them. When the child outgrows this option, it can be converted back into a regular stroller.

One style of that is extremely handy for quick trips and to keep in the trunk of the car is the small fold-up style. Although not as full-featured as the larger stroller styles, they fold compactly, and can often make good economic sense to have, even if a larger stroller is also owned. Even the cheap baby strollers often referred to as umbrella strollers can be convenient, except in the case of very small infants, since they generally do not recline.

Baby Strollers are one of the major purchases you will make for your baby. There are different types of strollers and in each category there are a variety of models. This may leave you with a variety of questions. Some frequent questions along with their respective answers are listed below. They deal with everything from the handlebars to the wheels and what is appropriate for newborns to older children. Your needs, how and where you will use the stroller as well as your budget will determine the strollers you will have to choose from.

If money is tight, a used stroller can be used. Make sure it is in good working condition. Check every inch to make sure there are no missing parts. Run your hand all along the thing and see if there are any sharp edges that can injure your child. The restraining belts should not have any tears in them or be worn to the point of breaking. If this used stroller has a reclining back, make sure it reclines. Also make sure when you put the reclining seat up, it will stay there with the babies weight pushing on it.

baby sleep habits

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:49:18 -0400

Good baby sleep habits are very important to get in place early on in baby's life. It sounds strange to say something like that about a tiny baby, but remember they are tiny humans - and like yourself they are creatures of habit. Breaks in those habits once set, can make them feel very insecure, and a result of that is that you will feel very tired.

That babies could be born with the sleep through the night gene that magically kicks in as soon as they are out of the womb. Unfortunately we know that just isn't the case. We do need to intervene and it is a skill a baby must learn. Ever heard of sleep like a baby? Well I don't know about you but from what I've seen not many children sleep like a baby as soon as they are born. Oh sure, they sleep during the day and for intervals during the night but most of the time they are sleeping when we could best handle them being awake and awake when we could best handle them being asleep.

Routine, routine, routine . Nighttime routine and daytime routines are SOOOO important to every child, from infancy on. Having a daytime routine for meals and nap times is critical for all babies. Even if all you do is breastfeed, there should be a routine of eat, play and sleep. So for many parents out there, having a fairly stable routine is not too hard... but for others like me whom are always on the go and or have a terrible time at maintaining a daily routine.... well it really depends on your baby.

After they are born, babies need to sleep often. However, they do not slumber for long stretches at a time. Parents have to respond as quickly as possible to their baby's sleep and eating needs because very young infants need to eat and sleep on demand. You will find it easier to achieve this by keeping the baby near you. An infant usually follows a pattern similar to eat, poop, sleep, quiet alert time, and repeat. It is important that you observe your baby when he or she is at one of these stages.

You're at your wits end, pulling out your hair, yawning all the time, and your eye lids feel the weight of the world. Instead of consistent sleep you are getting a couple of hours here and there because your baby cries for you throughout the night.

Going to sleep is a habit. And a consistent bedtime routine helps your child develop this habit.

Typically, a good Pre-Toddler's Sleep Routine will go something like this: Take a bath, have a bottle or breastfeed, burp and cuddle a bit until tired, lay in bed while still awake... and sleep.

If your child is a newborn, washing his or her face and hands may replace a full bath.

For a toddler, the routine may be a little different. The need for a pre-bedtime feeding is gone. Toddlers also need more mental stimulation, so stories or lullabies are often a good bet.

baby sleep patterns

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:40:15 -0400

When you have a new baby, you soon discover that to get your baby sleep through the night can be an overwhelming task. As it always happens when overwhelming tasks are involved, the solution is based upon simple actions that will make a slight difference until you have a marked change in what is happening: these are known as baby sleep patterns. We are going to focus in a special kind of these actions that can help your baby to find some comfort in her sleeping environment. Of course this will help your own sleep too.

The sleeping habit of a baby is one of the foremost things to consider if you are a parent. Since sleep is a normal behavioral part of any individual's life, it should be understood cautiously in order to give babies a quality sleeping time. Sleeping is a dynamic process and it keeps the child full of life, active, lively and energetic. It is actually an activity which is exceptionally essential for the survival of a newborn child. The length of sleep also has an effect to their everyday behavior in life. Sleep habits and sleep patterns greatly affect baby's growth performances. The very important idea to consider is if your little one gets the amount of sleep he/she needs in order to grow.

This sleep pattern lessens as the baby grows so by the time he is 3 months old, he is only sleeping twelve to fifteen hours every day. Your child at this age has also dropped most of his night feedings. This may be the time to try to start to establish regular sleep patterns. You should begin by starting a nightly routine, such as giving your baby a warm bath, reading him a story, and then putting him to bed. You should do this routine at the same time every night to accustom your baby to sleeping at night. You should also establish a regular time for his naps also. Within a short period of time, your baby should sleep for a six hour stretch during the night.

Many experts seem to think that babies are able to soothe themselves to sleep. While this may be true to some extent, it is very unhealthy for the child. It teaches them that their parents cannot be trusted to solve their problems and could cause self-esteem issues later in life if they being to feel abandoned.

Your child must learn that you will respond to their needs quickly and efficiently. If you think that your child is just being fussy, try to evaluate the situation and make your response quick and to the point. You should always respond to their needs, however.

A newborn can often sleep for up to sixteen hours a day...sometimes more. They will often do this in stretches of three to four hours at a time. Like adults, babies have different phases of sleep. They experience drowsiness, rapid eye movement (also known as REM sleep), light sleep, and deep sleep. As infants grow older, their periods of wakefulness will increase.