BEFORE GOING TO BED:

- Pack all the items you and your child need for work, school, or daycare and load the car or place coats, bags, and lunch boxes by the door.

- Check the calendar does your child needs sneakers for gym or a snack for a field trip.

- Pack lunches and refrigerate sandwiches-sometimes this is easiest to do while making dinner. Doing this can save you up to 20 minutes in the morning, and yes the lunch is still fresh.

- Check the weather report to plan clothing and outerwear for the next day, it just helps so much if you know that the kids need wellingtons and you can find them the night before, so you don’t need to run through the house in the morning trying to find them.

- Have your child pick out the clothes she wants to wear the night before, once again this just makes the morning process run so much faster, because your child doesn’t need to spend long valuable time in front of the closet in the morning.

- Ask everyone in the family to help do the dishes together every night before bed, this makes life so much easier, because you are not left alone with an overwhelming mess once the kids have gone to school.

- Setting the breakfast table is a great task for your preschooler or older child, they can even do this before going to be in the evening.

- If you’re a coffee drinker, prepare your coffee maker and set out a travel mug, so that on the way to the bathroom in the morning all you need to do is turn the machine on, and it will do the rest while you get prepared for the day.

- Get your children used to the idea of using their own alarm clock, this way they will start to feel much more independent.

IN THE MORNING

- Buy an alarm clock that has a back-up battery in the case of a power outage, if you live in an area where these are common, you can also set your cellphone to ring in the morning.

- Don’t turn the TV on, this will eliminate the battles that come when you turn it off half way through their morning show.

- Share cereal box jokes or write goofy captions for newspaper photos with your child.

-Mount an outdoor thermometer where your child can easily see it, and teach her how to read it and dress appropriately, that way they will learn that wearing a T-Shirt in winter is just not a good idea.

- Let your preschooler color at the kitchen table, giving you time to clean up after breakfast.

- Put on some music if everyone is sluggish and needs some energy music can be good in the morning to get everyone into gears.

- If too many incidental delays make you late most mornings, move your goal departure time up fifteen minutes, so unexpected traffic or difficult good-byes with your child will not be a problem.

Firstly, don’t forget that all children need free time for play. Not  only is this a natural way to learn  social skills,  it also gives the child a chance to explore the world on their own. This brings us to my second point, be reasonable  when deciding what is dangerous and what is not. I am sure you had a bruise or two yourself as a child, it is only healthy for your child to get some scratches once in a while, otherwise how will they know what is dangerous and what isn’t.

All kids will get a bad grade once in a while, however don’t forget that just because your child comes home with a C in math during the 4th grade, this does not mean that he or she wont get into MIT or Harvard. Instead of scolding your children, try to motivate them to do better on the next test. If the school counselor tells you that your child is having difficulties concentrating in school, don’t automatically label your child as having ADD. Instead try to figure out why your child can’t focus, who knows maybe your child is gifted and that’s why class seems boring.

There is no golden path of child-raising, it is important to remember, that while some actions will work with some kids, others might not take these serious. In other words, you need to change your reactions to given situations based on your child’s reactions to you. Don’t forget that if your child comes home after graduating high school and tells you they have decided to not go to college, then this isn’t the end of the world, there are many paths to success, you just need to let your child find the one which is right for them.

My Final advice, or (un)advice is remember the goal of your parenting should be to raise an independent adult, one who stands up for their beliefs, so remember to encourage your children to think for themselves, to disagree with others if they thing they are wrong, and just believe in themselves at all times.

Do:

1. Lie down for 30 to 60 minutes a day, either at the end of the workday or during lunch.
2. Keep your legs elevated while sleeping by placing a rolled-up towel or blanket under your mattress at the foot of the bed.
3. Wear comfortable shoes and, if possible, wear one pair of shoes that are a half size larger than your normal size.
4. Walk two to three times a week during times other than mid-day heat.
5. Remove your rings if they seem to be tight. Some pregnant women experience mild swelling of the hands and have to get their rings cut off.
6. Drink water!
7. Drink water!

Don’t:

1. Don’t wear constrictive clothing, especially around the waist.
2. Don’t stand in one place for too long.
3. Reduce, but don’t eliminate, salt from your diet. Salt contains iodide, an essential element for the health of the fetus.
4. Don’t take any diuretic substances. Diuretics can cause the loss of electrolytes that could endanger the fetus.
5. Avoid sportive activities.

(source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52172)
Enjoy the summer!

If you are looking for a side by side double stroller with loads of features, the very popular Maclaren’s Twin Techno Stroller delivers. Features include five seat positions, front and rear suspension, extendable legrests, individual sun canopies, a compact umbrella fold and carry handle. It fits through standard doorways, weighs 27 lbs and will hold up to 55 lbs in each seat. It will not take a car seat, but is suitable from birth on.

New features on 2009’s Twin Techno include: a new black fabric/black frame version, elasticized pockets on the back of each hood, hubcaps, and larger UV protected viewing windows. All Maclaren Strollers are lead-free, and their packaging uses recycled materials.

Celebrities who use Maclaren double strollers are Heidi Klum, Marcia Cross, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and Britney Spears.

Putting it Together
The six wheels come attached, so snap on the double sun canopy and the two bottle holders which attach to the back of the middle frame of the stroller, one above the other.

The Ride
The Twin Techno has good front and rear suspension and is perfect for both…

A few weeks ago we showed SWEET MISERY as part of our free film series. It is a must see for anyone that still believes that aspartame is not a lethal toxin and makes you wonder who it is exactly that is out to destroy our species. A few days later my daughter stumbled across the $30 million effort over the next 18 months on behalf of corn syrup companies to convince Americans that this stuff is “natural”. Check it out:

and

I particularly love this rebuttal which is much more accurate:

Most moms fail to realize that 2 of every 3 products inthe grocery store contain SUGAR – not just the junk food but the other stuff like pickles, pasta sauce, yogurt. There are over 52,000 items alone that contain high fructrose corn syrup!!! Read: Sugar Shock by Connie Bennett and begin to educate yourself about the DANGERS of this deadly poison being inflicted upon our innocent children around every corner.

Use Thrift Stores

Consider shopping at the thrift store for bargains on clothes and baby supplies. The thrift store is one of the best places on earth for young parents to save money. They offer great baby clothes, and they often have other baby supplies such as cribs, linens, and toys. These are usually in great condition as well. If you do purchase baby supplies at the thrift store, be sure to use Lysol to clean disinfect them as a number of people may have handled them.

Clip Coupons

Always clip coupons and use them at the grocery store. This sometimes time consuming process is a necessary evil to saving money on food costs. The coupons are especially valuable if you use them in conjunction with a sale on a particular product. Sometimes, you can even catch items for free. Take a few extra minutes to clip coupons and you will find your costs beginning to drop over time.

Set Up a Budget

Set up a budget. Many young parents are not on a budget yet, and this can be the difference between living week to week and having a nice little pad on your savings account. Setting up a budget allows you to see what you spend your money on, and where you can trim the spending. This will save you a ton of money in the long run. Sit down and set up that budget right away!

Check Out Free Options

Look to free options when you take the family out for the day. Rather than going to the family theme park, take them to the city park instead. The fun that you can share throwing a frisbee, or even playing some softball, can be much more fun anyway. The theme parks are always overpriced, crowded and usually they offer no actual exercise. Do your family a favor and save money and get them fit at the same time. Go visit your local city park!

Go for Generic Brands

Go generic with your purchasing power. Generally when it comes to food, medicine, and daily usage items, the generic brand is no different than the name brand. In some cases, the generic brands are even better. Do not worry so much about paying the extra money for a name. It is not worth it and it can save you a ton of cash over the course of a year.

These are five easy, quick and simple tips to saving money for young adults that can be done with very little pain. Changes like these are important to stick to, as only doing them on occasion will have minimal effect on your finances. They are designed to save you money long term. The best part is, they will always be there for you as money saving options, and they will always work. Take some time to utilize them, and start seeing the savings today!

What if your friend came over to dye your hair for you, and you repaid her by giving her a massage or clothes for her baby? It’s a question I’ve wondered myself.

More stay-at-home moms are finding that bartering among themselves allows them to ride through a rough recession and still afford the basic things their families need, like clothing, games and backpacks for their kids.

In Johnston County, Tammy Bunn runs Barter4Kids, a service where parents can donate used children’s clothing, baby slings, nursing pillows, book bags, sporting equipment, toys, bedding, strollers and more, and earn bartering credits toward other items they need that are donated by other parents, WRAL reports. Bunn runs the service out of her garage. She and her husband, William, have seven children, and their happy family photos give their site a personal touch that moms can relate to. The shots capture their daughter Sarah with Dad before her junior prom, their son Jason playing guitar with his band, and their young Jesse smiling widely as she plays outdoors dressed in her Easter best, complete with a flower tucked behind her ear.

On Barter4Kids, the couple say they know that times are hard right now so they wanted to give parents a simple and affordable solution to “buying” clothing for their kids. The group’s members include moms who live in Raleigh, Garner, Clayton, Zebulon and Knightdale.

Do you have any services that you think you could barter with other moms? If you do, register on one of the various online bartering sites, e.g BarterQuest.com and share your skills or your used stuff with other mums and families.

1. CRYING
The first way children often manipulate is tears. They cry or whine. A great tool that your child knows he / she has working in his / her favor is that you love him or her and want them to be happy. When you demand that your child do something like go to sleep, they can appear to be very unhappy. Any parent who is interested in the well being of their child aches when they see their child unhappy but we must realize that upset kids is just part of the game. When Adam and Eve left the garden, the Lord promised them some struggles. C.S. Lewis once said something to the effect of “I’m not sure God wants us to be happy. He wants us to grow up!” Of coarse he wasn’t saying that God doesn’t take joy in the happiness of his children but he was saying that sometimes the greater good, the lesson to be learned, is more important than the immediate happiness of his children, or ours for that matter. To just go along with whatever our kids want is not love but complacency, meant to pacify them so that we don’t have to put forward the emotional effort that it takes to really guide, direct, teach and love them. We must pick our battles wisely, be confindent that those battles are motivated by love and then stick to our guns. Stick to the plan. Stick to the steps no matter the child throws at you. Make sure that your child’s needs are met before the routine starts and then do not fall to the repetative petitioning for water, stories, song’s, etc. The continuation of any of these things that may be used as reinforcement are conditional upon the child’s laying quietly in bed. If you need to step out in the hall and cry yourself, go agead, but don’t change the plan.

The best case scenario is that your child will graduate through each level of reinforcement in our bedtime process without tears. If we skillfully administer the rewards by slowly extending the amount of time between each reinforcement, it can usually be done without too many tears being shed. It can actually be a pleasant experience, but it can be a long exercise at first, until your child gets used to the drill and starts to fall asleep more quickly.

2. Non-compliance
One of my sons favorite things was to get out of bed and turn on the light or coming out of his room. There are a million ways that a child can simply say, “No, I’m not doing what you want.” What they are really saying is, “I know what I am supposed to be doing. I’m testing you to see if you’ll actually follow through.” When a child starts to test, that is when the correction procedure comes in handy. If a child is being persistant with some form of manipulation, it usually means that it is working. If you recognize that this is happening, it is a good time to examine how you and your spouse are responding to that form of manipulation.

3. Making deals or being cute
Sometimes you’ll be in the middle of the bedtime process and your kid will do the cutest thing. They happily call to you, “Mom, Dad, come see what I can do…” or something like that. Sometimes kids will try to make deals with you. They’ll say, “Just one more… then I’ll go right to sleep.” The answer again is STICK TO THE PLAN!

4. Aggression
Hopfully your child does not resort to this but some kids do. Some children decide to break things and kick walls. Some kids will even try to hurt your or a sibling. If your child responds this way, have a special correction consequence planned and STICK TO IT!

With all of these manipulative responses, kids can be very persistant. You must be too. We must be ready and willing to follow through with consequences. We have to have the tenacity to stick to the punishment consequences we set as well as have the integrity to follow through with the rewards and promises we make to our children. By sticking to the plan you guard against anger and contention. The most important thing when disciplining our children is not to allow ourselves to become emotionally charged and let those emotions dictate our actions. Make sure that you are focusing on the compliance and recognize the good things your child is doing quickly and respond appropriately. Punishment only teaches a child what NOT to do, it doesn’t teach them what TO DO. Some kids benefit from modeling and role playing. Show them how to do it right and then reinforce it when they do it right. The secret to success really is persistence and consistence.

Good luck!

If you’re lucky, your baby is a natural-born sleeper. If you’re not, your choices are basically wait it out, cry it out, or constantly go back and forth. These suggestions might help you to get through-the-night more quickly.

Establish a bedtime ritual. One that works for lots of folks is also easy to remember: bath, book, breast or bottle, bed. He’ll soon learn where this sequence of events is leading and may start yawning as soon as he hears the tub filling up.

Resist the urge to always bounce/rock/hold him until he’s fast asleep. You want him to learn the skill of self-soothing, and that can only be accomplished if he’s allowed to fall asleep on his own. Try putting him down when he’s drowsy but not completely out.

Help him learn to differentiate between (short) day and (long) night sleep. There comes a point when babies are waking every two hours all night long not because they’re hungry, but because they just enjoy your company so darned much. Try being “all business” during the night by simply feeding, changing, and returning him to his crib with no lights, chatter, songs, or otherwise engaging activities.

For crying out loud!

Your baby is fussy and you’re at the breaking point. Don’t give up hope-try one or more of these
soothing tricks. One of them is bound to work:

Whisper sweet nothings. Hold her close to your body and gently sway back and forth as you murmur “shhhhhh, shhhhhh, shhhhhh” into her ear at a pretty good volume. This goes beyond the power of suggestion; that whooshing sound actually mimics the womb ambience she grew to know and love. Many babies will quiet immediately upon hearing this refrain.

Might as well jump. Again, remember that to date, the only environment she knows intimately is the inside of your body. Rarely was she static in there. Motion is familiar and therefore comforting to her. Sit on the edge of a bed, or purchase a large exercise ball or minitrampoline, and get in a little workout while you’re at it. (When she gets bigger she’ll love playing with either of these, so they’re sound long-term investments.)

Pacify her. Literally. Suckling is naturally soothing to babies (and while you might think you don’t want to go down the synthetic-sucker road, know that she’ll eventually find her thumb or fingers, which are much harder to take away when you’re ready to wean her). Pacifiers come in dozens of shapes and sizes for a reason: all babies prefer different models, typically the one you buy last. Having an assortment on hand is helpful. Newborns also enjoy sucking on their parents’ clean pinkie fingers-something dad can help with, too.

Consider the ambience. Since you likely can’t-or won’t want to-hold and “shhhhhh” her 24/7, smart companies have designed an army of CDs, noise machines, and plush toys that feature all manner of relaxing sounds and melodies. From traditional lullabies to chirping crickets, from windshield wipers to human heartbeats, there’s a sound out there to calm and comfort just about every babe on the block.

Pump up the volume. It may sound counterintuitive, but parents often report their babies find loud music, annoying radio static, or even a rowdy sporting match on TV more soothing than a whispered lullaby. Again, all babies are different, and you won’t know what floats her boat until you try it.

Be a good mummy. In other words, learn how to swaddle. This little trick is probably the most underrated weapon in the parenting arsenal. You see, babies are born with a startle reflex (technically called the “Moro reflex”) that inconveniently seems to rear its ugly head precisely as they start to drift off to sleep. If they didn’t show you how to swaddle in the hospital, Google it, buy a book on it, pick up a designated “swaddle blanket” that comes with instructions, or ask a veteran mom friend to show you the ropes. You’ll probably do it until she is at least four or five months old, so it’s worth learning to swaddle well.

A room of one’s own

When you’re ready to transition your baby from your bed or the bassinet into her own crib, a few simple tricks can make the move a lot easier:

If she’s been snoozing in your room, you might consider placing her crib in there, too, until she gets used to it. (Then when you move the entire crib to her room, she’s a lot less likely to protest because it’s already a familiar space-sort of.)

Introduce her to her crib during the day-not at night, when she expects you to be within arm’s reach. Spend some time tickling her belly, smiling at her, or playing peekaboo in there, establishing it as a happy place.

Many a babe has been enthralled by the sight of a strategically placed mobile over the crib-and many a mom has snuck from the nursery unnoticed as a result. (If she’s a big fan of the one over the changing table, use that one or a duplicate for familiarity.)

Place your own unwashed pillowcase, nightgown, or yes, even a nursing pad or bra in her crib. (If she’s mobile, tie it to the crib bars rather than placing anything in the crib itself.) Babies have powerful little noses, and this might trick her into thinking that you’re closer than you actually are.

Signs you’ve survived early parenthood

1. You can turn the baby monitor off for five or even ten minutes at a stretch.

2. Sometimes you leave the house with a bag smaller than your microwave oven.

3. You have no idea what they’re hawking on those midnight infomercials anymore.

4. When you go to the hospital to meet your best friend’s newborn, your own baby looks like a moose in comparison.

5. You find yourself offering unsolicited advice to perfect strangers with small babies.

6. You occasionally initiate sex.

7. At any given moment you can extract a crayon, goldfish cracker, or pacifier from the depths of your bag without even looking.