As you know, we are celebrating that special man in our life whom we call Dad (or Daddy or Papa or Pops...) Our last blog post was about parenting tips for single fathers who may be struggling with parenting (for all you new moms too!)
Here's a second installment, this time it's all about how to deal with a biting, hitting child. Great advice from BreezyMama.
Do's and Don'ts to End Hitting and Biting for Good
For kids UNDER the age of three, hitting and biting is more of a training issue than a “misbehavior.” To a frustrated toddler with limited vocabulary and few social skills, taking a bite out of mom or dad’s arm or hitting a playmate who refuses to give up Thomas the Train seems perfectly logical. Our job is to train the child for better behavior in the future without creating a payoff that may cause the hitting and biting to continue and possibly escalate.
Here are a few Do’s and Don'ts to end hitting and biting:
DON’T spank or slap a child for hitting or biting. It reinforces that hitting is okay and models exactly the behavior you’re trying to stop.
DO supervise closely. You can probably tell when your toddler is getting frustrated or tired. When that’s the case, end the play date or swiftly remove him from the situation before it escalates to hitting or biting.
DO remain calm. It’s understandable to be upset when you see your toddler hurt another child, but you’ll get better results by remaining calm. When you get upset and raise your voice, your child gets a big dose of attention for a negative behavior. Even negative attention is very reinforcing and almost guarantees the behavior will continue. If your toddler hits or bites someone else, calmly remove him from the situation and use simple words – “No Hitting” or “Biting Hurts.”
Decide what YOU will do. Try as you might, you can’t “force” your child to NOT hit or bite. All you can do is decide what YOU will do when that happens. When your toddler hits or bites you, calmly put him down without eye contact and walk out of the room. This isn’t letting the child “get away” with the behavior; it’s creating a consequence that a young child can understand. The consequence is “when I hit or bite, mom goes away.” It also ensures that you’re not providing attention that reinforces the negative behavior. Take comfort that you’re not abandoning your child. As soon your toddler can speak calmly and kindly and use gentle touch with you, you are happy to interact with him again.
DO practice alternative strategies. Have pretend play dates with stuffed animals and practice what she can do when she gets frustrated. She can walk away, ask for help or use her words to say how she feels. Being able to use these conflict resolution strategies in the heat of the moment won’t happen over night, but practicing them early and often is the key.
DON’T force the child to apologize. A toddler’s “I’m sorry’s” are rarely heartfelt. When he is calm, talk about what he can do to “make it right” or “make the injured party feel better.” Coloring a picture or demonstrating an act of kindness teaches your child to take responsibility for his actions and shows empathy for the other person.
For tips for kids over the age of 3, head on over to BreezyMama's site here!
Showing posts with label Father's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Father's Day. Show all posts
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
All the Single Dads...
All you single fathers out there, we salute you! Parenting has got to be one of the toughest jobs on the planet and doing it alone requires near-superhuman powers. This Father's Month (yes, we have declared it!) we give you this little tribute to hopefully make your lives a little easier.
This week will be all about parenting tips that has helped us moms through the years and which we hope will be helpful to you as well. I found an insightful rundown of tips from BabyZone on how to calm a crying baby:
22 Ways to Calm a Crying Baby
Stay Calm
The best thing parents can do when their infant is crying is to stay calm. An increase in your stress level will increase your baby's. Remain calm and your baby might follow suit.
Check Baby's Diaper
A wet or soiled diaper is one of the most common reasons for a baby's tears. Even if you have recently changed your baby's diaper, it's still a good idea to check again. Check Baby's diaper first before trying other calming methods, and change as needed.
Check Baby's Temperature
Feel the back of your baby's neck to see if she is too hot or too cold. Add or remove layers accordingly. If you're not sure whether the skin temperature feels normal, take your baby's temperature with a thermometer. If your baby has a fever—any temperature above 100.4°F or 38°C—you should call your child's doctor.
Feed Baby
Most babies cry when they are hungry. Try offering the breast or bottle to soothe your little one. Sometimes breastfeeding mothers worry that they will overfeed their babies because their babies seem to want to eat so often. Experts say it is normal for breastfeeding babies to eat often, as breast milk is quickly absorbed.
Ease Gas Pain
If Baby starts crying after a feeding, he may have a gas bubble. Try patting his back, bending his knees toward his chest, or rubbing his back while he lies on your lap to release the gas. Successful burping is a skill most parents come to pride themselves on, but it's also one of the oddest things a person could have imagined doing before becoming a parent.
Distract Baby
It's surprising how often this method works. Parents who've tried this suggest making faces or blowing raspberries as surefire ways to make Baby laugh, and to take her mind off of the reason for her tears.
Snuggle
Sometimes, all a baby needs is love. Take a few moments to snuggle with your little one. Give him kisses and hugs, hold him close, and tell him how much you love him.
Change the Way You Hold Baby
Some little ones like to be held over the shoulder, some prefer the football hold, and still others like to be held facing out. Experiment to learn what your infant likes best.
Sing or Hum
Soft, gentle songs sung by a familiar voice will often calm Baby's cries. Even if the singer is not particularly gifted, give this tip a try. Humming also offers a soothing vibratory sensation.
Dance
A slow, repetitive motion can lull Baby into a peaceful state. The warmth of a loved one's body and the snuggling that goes along with the dance are added benefits.
More tips at BabyZone!
Our lovely little model is wearing No Slippy Hair Clippy's Lindsey Headband. Photographed by Amanda Elkins.
This week will be all about parenting tips that has helped us moms through the years and which we hope will be helpful to you as well. I found an insightful rundown of tips from BabyZone on how to calm a crying baby:
22 Ways to Calm a Crying Baby
Stay Calm
The best thing parents can do when their infant is crying is to stay calm. An increase in your stress level will increase your baby's. Remain calm and your baby might follow suit.
Check Baby's Diaper
A wet or soiled diaper is one of the most common reasons for a baby's tears. Even if you have recently changed your baby's diaper, it's still a good idea to check again. Check Baby's diaper first before trying other calming methods, and change as needed.
Check Baby's Temperature
Feel the back of your baby's neck to see if she is too hot or too cold. Add or remove layers accordingly. If you're not sure whether the skin temperature feels normal, take your baby's temperature with a thermometer. If your baby has a fever—any temperature above 100.4°F or 38°C—you should call your child's doctor.
Feed Baby
Most babies cry when they are hungry. Try offering the breast or bottle to soothe your little one. Sometimes breastfeeding mothers worry that they will overfeed their babies because their babies seem to want to eat so often. Experts say it is normal for breastfeeding babies to eat often, as breast milk is quickly absorbed.
Ease Gas Pain
If Baby starts crying after a feeding, he may have a gas bubble. Try patting his back, bending his knees toward his chest, or rubbing his back while he lies on your lap to release the gas. Successful burping is a skill most parents come to pride themselves on, but it's also one of the oddest things a person could have imagined doing before becoming a parent.
Distract Baby
It's surprising how often this method works. Parents who've tried this suggest making faces or blowing raspberries as surefire ways to make Baby laugh, and to take her mind off of the reason for her tears.
Snuggle
Sometimes, all a baby needs is love. Take a few moments to snuggle with your little one. Give him kisses and hugs, hold him close, and tell him how much you love him.
Change the Way You Hold Baby
Some little ones like to be held over the shoulder, some prefer the football hold, and still others like to be held facing out. Experiment to learn what your infant likes best.
Sing or Hum
Soft, gentle songs sung by a familiar voice will often calm Baby's cries. Even if the singer is not particularly gifted, give this tip a try. Humming also offers a soothing vibratory sensation.
Dance
A slow, repetitive motion can lull Baby into a peaceful state. The warmth of a loved one's body and the snuggling that goes along with the dance are added benefits.
More tips at BabyZone!
Our lovely little model is wearing No Slippy Hair Clippy's Lindsey Headband. Photographed by Amanda Elkins.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Some More for Daddy
Father's Day has come and gone, but the dads in our lives are too special to celebrate in just one day, right? Surprise him with post-Father's Day gifts that you and your kids can easily make at home.
Here are great ideas from LilSugar:
* Bake a Father’s Day cake (or cupcakes). Snatch up some glitz in the baking aisle to frou-frou it up. You can write out your own “Happy Father’s Day Daddy!” with a tube of blue frosting. If your little one is old enough to enjoy a song and a good clap, grab the opening to sing “Happy Father’s Day to you” in the tune of “Happy Birthday” and you will have your munchkin involved in no time. Not to mention, they’ll love a couple bites of that cake!
* Have them “make” Daddy a card. Washable finger-paint, markers, and crayons are wonderful for this kind of occasion. If your little one is a bit too young to be introduced to the world of finger-painting artistry, you can make “baby’s signature” handprints by using washable finger-paint on a piece of construction paper.
* Use photos! Take the adorable stash of photos you undoubtedly have of your little one and Daddy to form a photo album or a collage.
And here's one from us!
* Dress up for Dad. Let your little girl greet him with a sunny smile, a pretty dress and precious hair accessories. Make him feel extra special by looking extra special and maybe taking him on an all-dressed-up lunch or dinner at home. Why not roll out a red carpet for him, too? Any red-colored rug would do! It's a whole new experience that we're sure he'll remember fondly. Of course, if we're talking about hair accessories, there's nothing more special out there than *ahem* No Slippy Hair Clippy!
This darling little lady is wearing our Shayla Ribbed Organza Baby Bow in light blue! The lovely bow is available in nine colors, so you have something to match all your daughter's favorite dresses.
Image from sxc.hu
No Slippy Hair Clippy Image shot by Amanda Elkins
Friday, June 18, 2010
For Daddy
A Little Girl Needs Daddy
A little girl needs Daddy
For many, many things:
Like holding her high off the ground
Where the sunlight sings!
Like being the deep music
That tells her all is right
When she awakens frantic with
The terrors of the night.
Like being the great mountain
That rises in her heart
And shows her how she might get home
When all else falls apart.
Like giving her the love
That is her sea and air,
So diving deep or soaring high
She'll always find him there.
-Author Unknown
Happy Father's Day to all the daddies! We thank you for being the shield and protector of our little girls--and the first man to ever truly love them unconditionally.
Image from sxc.hu
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Smokin' Cupcakes for Dad!
Our Father's Day special isn't over yet! It's still several days away, but who says you should only that special man feel extra special once this month? How about making it a Father's Week?
If your kids love tinkering around with you in the kitchen, get them to be your little bakers and make these sweet treats fro Dad! If he loves barbecues, or if he loves sweets, or even better: if he loves both, give him this surprise treat from Disney Family Fun:
Ingredients:
brownie batter
black foo coloring
white frosting
orange sugar
caramel crams
red, yellow and green candy fruit slices
Hot Tamales candies
Instructions:
1. To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.
2. In a small bowl, mix one or two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie and let them set for 20 minutes. Add embers with a sprinkle of orange sugar.
3. Prepare the grill food as instructed below and press it in place atop each brownie.
Kebabs = A caramel cream and red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices, cut into small pieces + toothpick skewers
Pork chop = two thirds of a caramel cream, molded with fingers + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
Hot dogs = Hot Tamales candies + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
More fun and easy recipes and ideas at Disney Family Fun's website!
Images from Disney Family Fun.
If your kids love tinkering around with you in the kitchen, get them to be your little bakers and make these sweet treats fro Dad! If he loves barbecues, or if he loves sweets, or even better: if he loves both, give him this surprise treat from Disney Family Fun:
A GRATE GIFT FOR DAD
Ingredients:
brownie batter
black foo coloring
white frosting
orange sugar
caramel crams
red, yellow and green candy fruit slices
Hot Tamales candies
Instructions:
1. To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.
2. In a small bowl, mix one or two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie and let them set for 20 minutes. Add embers with a sprinkle of orange sugar.
3. Prepare the grill food as instructed below and press it in place atop each brownie.
Kebabs = A caramel cream and red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices, cut into small pieces + toothpick skewers
Pork chop = two thirds of a caramel cream, molded with fingers + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
Hot dogs = Hot Tamales candies + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
More fun and easy recipes and ideas at Disney Family Fun's website!
Images from Disney Family Fun.
Monday, June 7, 2010
To all the Fathers
June has finally come. That means not only is summer just around the corner, so is Father's Day! Our dads may not be as *ahem* adept in household work as much as our moms are, but they are an irreplaceable part of the family. Plus, dad will always have the honor of being the first guy who loved you unconditionally.
When I was a kid, I remember how my father would patiently play pretend with me for HOURS. He would "pretend cook" with me and "pretend eat" with me and sometimes we'd even have "pretend parties" with all my stuffed animals. As a child, of course I had no concept of time! So I would keep playing until something else captivates my interest. He tells me now how it honestly bored him to death, which I find even more endearing, because I don't ever recall him declining any of my invitations to my imagined celebrations.
This month, let's celebrate these special men in our lives. Whether it's your own father, your father-in-law, your gramps, or your hubby, these dads in our lives deserve to know how much we appreciate their presence. So make them feel extra special!
Here are some fun craft ideas from Disney Family Fun that you can do with your kids for Father's Day:
Help Dad keep his car neat, clean, and clutter-free with a personalized storage box. Have your kids decorate a sturdy cardboard box -- you'll want to flatten it first to make it easier to decorate. When they're finished, assemble the box, tape the bottom, and tuck in the flaps. For handles, use a craft knife to cut 2 X's through all the layers on each end of the box (a parent's job). Push a pencil through the center of each X to create holes. Thread a 24-inch length of rope through each set of holes and knot the ends on the inside.
Delight him at every turn by leaving Father's Day wishes all over the house. Sing Dad's praises in stand-alone messages taped here and there, or set up successive signs leading him to a gift or a sumptuous Sunday breakfast.
More fun ideas at Disney Family Fun's website!
Images from Disney Family Fun.
When I was a kid, I remember how my father would patiently play pretend with me for HOURS. He would "pretend cook" with me and "pretend eat" with me and sometimes we'd even have "pretend parties" with all my stuffed animals. As a child, of course I had no concept of time! So I would keep playing until something else captivates my interest. He tells me now how it honestly bored him to death, which I find even more endearing, because I don't ever recall him declining any of my invitations to my imagined celebrations.
This month, let's celebrate these special men in our lives. Whether it's your own father, your father-in-law, your gramps, or your hubby, these dads in our lives deserve to know how much we appreciate their presence. So make them feel extra special!
Here are some fun craft ideas from Disney Family Fun that you can do with your kids for Father's Day:
TIDY TRUNK TOTE
Help Dad keep his car neat, clean, and clutter-free with a personalized storage box. Have your kids decorate a sturdy cardboard box -- you'll want to flatten it first to make it easier to decorate. When they're finished, assemble the box, tape the bottom, and tuck in the flaps. For handles, use a craft knife to cut 2 X's through all the layers on each end of the box (a parent's job). Push a pencil through the center of each X to create holes. Thread a 24-inch length of rope through each set of holes and knot the ends on the inside.
TAKE NOTE, DAD
Delight him at every turn by leaving Father's Day wishes all over the house. Sing Dad's praises in stand-alone messages taped here and there, or set up successive signs leading him to a gift or a sumptuous Sunday breakfast.
More fun ideas at Disney Family Fun's website!
Images from Disney Family Fun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)