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 fatherhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fatherhood. 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.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Another Doting Dad!
We've caught celebrity dads Jude Law and Greg Kinnear getting weak-kneed in adoration for their children. Now it's rocker dad Joel Madden!
In a recent article at Celebrity Baby Blog, he shares how he goes to his darling little Harlow for her reactions to the demos he records:
JOEL MADDEN GRATEFUL FOR HARLOW'S 'HONEST REACTION'
Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden has legions of fans eager to act as a sounding board for the band’s upcoming studio album, Cardiology.
At the end of the day, however, Madden says it is his 2-year-old daughter Harlow Winter Kate whose opinion he values most.
“She says yea or nay when I record a demo,” he explains in a new interview with the Los Angeles Times. “She gives me the honest reaction.”
Happily proclaiming himself “the best I’ve ever been,” Madden is acutely aware of just how much he has to be grateful for in fiancée Nicole Richie, Harlow and the couple’s 7-month-old son Sparrow James Midnight.
“I have two kids that are my life — they’re my entire world,” he says. “I have an awesome partner who is really supportive; She makes me the best version of myself that I’ve ever been.”
To read the rest of the sweet article, click here!
What a lovely family! And I'm especially impressed with Nicole, who seems to have embraced motherhood so fully. To think, not so long ago, we were shaking our heads at her antics with pal Paris Hilton. It seems this change in her life has allowed her to mellow down. Lovely to see.
Image from celebritybabies.people.com.
Cheerios!
Rach
In a recent article at Celebrity Baby Blog, he shares how he goes to his darling little Harlow for her reactions to the demos he records:
JOEL MADDEN GRATEFUL FOR HARLOW'S 'HONEST REACTION'
Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden has legions of fans eager to act as a sounding board for the band’s upcoming studio album, Cardiology.
At the end of the day, however, Madden says it is his 2-year-old daughter Harlow Winter Kate whose opinion he values most.
“She says yea or nay when I record a demo,” he explains in a new interview with the Los Angeles Times. “She gives me the honest reaction.”
Happily proclaiming himself “the best I’ve ever been,” Madden is acutely aware of just how much he has to be grateful for in fiancée Nicole Richie, Harlow and the couple’s 7-month-old son Sparrow James Midnight.
“I have two kids that are my life — they’re my entire world,” he says. “I have an awesome partner who is really supportive; She makes me the best version of myself that I’ve ever been.”
To read the rest of the sweet article, click here!
What a lovely family! And I'm especially impressed with Nicole, who seems to have embraced motherhood so fully. To think, not so long ago, we were shaking our heads at her antics with pal Paris Hilton. It seems this change in her life has allowed her to mellow down. Lovely to see.
Image from celebritybabies.people.com.
Cheerios!
Rach
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A Doting Daddy
I find it so precious how little girls can get their dads weak-kneed in adoration for them, especially if these dads openly admit it! Last time, we talked about how Jude Law's will was broken by his little girl.
This time, it's Greg Kinnear, who grew up with a brood of active boys but ironically ended up with three lovely girls. It's endearing how he is already preparing himself to wait on the porch with a shotgun for when little six-month-old Kate starts dating! He recently shared with People.com:
GREG KINNEAR LEARNS HIS LITTLE LADIES' LANGUAGE
Coming from a brood of boys, Greg Kinnear can rough and tumble with the best of them.
However, when life with wife Helen Labdon dished out daughters, the actor found himself trading it all in for tea parties.
“My grandfather had two boys, my uncle had three boys, my dad had me and my two brothers, each of my brothers have had two boys,” he told David Letterman on The Late Show last week.
“Then something happened with the chromosomal experiment and suddenly I’ve got three girls!”
As a result, Kinnear has been forced to learn a whole new language when it comes to sibling squabbles among Lily Katherine, 6 ½, Audrey Mae, 3 ½, and Kate, 6 months, lovingly referred to as ‘Katie Crunch Bomb’ by her sisters.
“All the tools I have are things like, ‘If your brother punches you, you punch him back harder,’” he jokes. “I have no skills [to say], ‘That’s a lovely gown honey, look at you!’”
And despite being “so ill-prepared” for his group of girls, Kinnear — and his wallet! – are catching on.
“Let me tell you something, you figure it out real quick. They say, ‘Well, you’ll pay for it later and as far as I can tell, I’m paying for it out the arse right now!” he laughs. “It’s expensive and there’s no stimulus package for dads with daughters.”
However, the “cute little cliché” is still relevant according to The Last Song star.
Quick to point out that while Letterman will be relaxing once son Harry is grown, Kinnear, 46, jokes that he’ll be stationed on the front porch.
“I do have a shotgun so there will come a time where you’ll be hanging out and having a good time. The son is fine, but [I'll be dealing with] the daughter thing.”
Even so, despite life’s unexpected surprise, Kinnear is happy with his lovely ladies — and insists he’s not pining for a son.
“Coming from boys I feel very lucky having them,” he confesses. “They’re really great.”
Image from igossip.com
What a fun bunch! With Greg's girls growing up, we've got just the thing for them! And we're sure they'd love to know that it's named after them!
Now we just need to wait for baby Kate to grow a little more hair and we might come up with a clippy named after her!
If you've got a lovely girl of your own, check out or website for more styles! Who knows, you might find something with your girl's name on it :o)
PONDER, PONDER, PONDER...
If you have daughters, is your hubby more protective of them? Or is it the same between your sons and daughters? When you were younger, how did your father deal with you dating?
Cheerios!
Rach
This time, it's Greg Kinnear, who grew up with a brood of active boys but ironically ended up with three lovely girls. It's endearing how he is already preparing himself to wait on the porch with a shotgun for when little six-month-old Kate starts dating! He recently shared with People.com:
GREG KINNEAR LEARNS HIS LITTLE LADIES' LANGUAGE
Coming from a brood of boys, Greg Kinnear can rough and tumble with the best of them.
However, when life with wife Helen Labdon dished out daughters, the actor found himself trading it all in for tea parties.
“My grandfather had two boys, my uncle had three boys, my dad had me and my two brothers, each of my brothers have had two boys,” he told David Letterman on The Late Show last week.
“Then something happened with the chromosomal experiment and suddenly I’ve got three girls!”
As a result, Kinnear has been forced to learn a whole new language when it comes to sibling squabbles among Lily Katherine, 6 ½, Audrey Mae, 3 ½, and Kate, 6 months, lovingly referred to as ‘Katie Crunch Bomb’ by her sisters.
“All the tools I have are things like, ‘If your brother punches you, you punch him back harder,’” he jokes. “I have no skills [to say], ‘That’s a lovely gown honey, look at you!’”
And despite being “so ill-prepared” for his group of girls, Kinnear — and his wallet! – are catching on.
“Let me tell you something, you figure it out real quick. They say, ‘Well, you’ll pay for it later and as far as I can tell, I’m paying for it out the arse right now!” he laughs. “It’s expensive and there’s no stimulus package for dads with daughters.”
However, the “cute little cliché” is still relevant according to The Last Song star.
Quick to point out that while Letterman will be relaxing once son Harry is grown, Kinnear, 46, jokes that he’ll be stationed on the front porch.
“I do have a shotgun so there will come a time where you’ll be hanging out and having a good time. The son is fine, but [I'll be dealing with] the daughter thing.”
Even so, despite life’s unexpected surprise, Kinnear is happy with his lovely ladies — and insists he’s not pining for a son.
“Coming from boys I feel very lucky having them,” he confesses. “They’re really great.”
Image from igossip.com
What a fun bunch! With Greg's girls growing up, we've got just the thing for them! And we're sure they'd love to know that it's named after them!
Now we just need to wait for baby Kate to grow a little more hair and we might come up with a clippy named after her!
If you've got a lovely girl of your own, check out or website for more styles! Who knows, you might find something with your girl's name on it :o)
PONDER, PONDER, PONDER...
If you have daughters, is your hubby more protective of them? Or is it the same between your sons and daughters? When you were younger, how did your father deal with you dating?
Cheerios!
Rach
Monday, January 18, 2010
Jude Law's Special Girl
I don't know about you, but I simply love it when a guy openly and confidently admits that a girl has made him weak-kneed. Especially if the guy is a well-known, in-demand brilliant actor, like Jude Law. And I think the girl he's talking about has an extra special place in his heart.
Promoting his latest film, Sherlock Holmes, he admits in an article in Celebrity Baby Blog that it's his role as "dad" that takes first place in his life. He reflects on how fatherhood has changed him in so many ways. He is dad to Rafferty (13), Iris (9) and Rudy (7) with ex-wife Sadie Frost, and to Sophia (3 months old) with Samantha Burke.
He says, "My daughter made me realize that if there's anything that's going to make a man of you, it's having your will broken by a little girl."
How sweet!
You can read the article here.
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