Must Ask Questions For Anyone Potty Training A Toddler
Summary:
If you are thinking about starting to potty train your toddler, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before you begin potty training. Being well prepared for this challenging transition from diapers to potty is one of the best things you can do to make this as easy as possible on your child.
- Is My Child Ready?
You want to start potty training at just the right time. You will know that your child is ready when he or she gets more interested in you going to …
Keywords:
potty training
Article Body:
If you are thinking about starting to potty train your toddler, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before you begin potty training. Being well prepared for this challenging transition from diapers to potty is one of the best things you can do to make this as easy as possible on your child.
- Is My Child Ready?
You want to start potty training at just the right time. You will know that your child is ready when he or she gets more interested in you going to the potty, tells you right away when the diaper is wet or pulls on it and seems uncomfortable with it. Give potty training a try, if your child doesn’t seem ready despite the signs, wait a few weeks and try again.
- Am I Ready?
Just as important as your child being ready is that you are ready. Prepare yourself mentally for the transition from diaper to potty for your child. You will need a lot of patience and understanding. There are going to be resentment, tears and the occasional accident. Make sure you are prepared for this so you can stay calm and supportive for your child.
- Do We Need A Potty Chair?
A regular toilet is very intimidating for a child. The seat is rather large and your child will have to hold on to avoid falling in. In addition “things” vanish in there when you flash – which can be a pretty scary thought for your child. Many kids are more comfortable with a potty chair at first. After a few weeks you should be able to move on to a potty seat insert that fits on your regular toilet eliminating the potty cleanup.
- Should We Use A Potty Doll?
A potty doll is not a necessity when it comes to potty training, but can be a great tool. A potty doll will pee like an actual child and usually comes with diapers, panties and a potty chair. The doll can help tremendously during the pre-potty training phase when you are getting your child used to the idea of going in the potty instead of the diaper. You can illustrate what’s supposed to happen on the doll and let your child warm up to the idea by playing with the doll in the same fashion. When you are ready to potty train, put the doll on the potty right next to your child.
- Should We Use Potty Training Rewards?
Before you start potty training, you should decide if you are going to use some sort of rewards as encouragement for your child, or if you will simply make your child feel great about his successes by being his cheer leader. Simple potty training rewards can include stickers, candy like a few jellybeans or M&M’s, or you can use some sort of tracking chart for bigger rewards (i.e. If you use the potty for an entire week without accident, you get a small toy). Using simple rewards can be a great potty training tool, but it isn’t by any means necessary as long as you get the message across to your child that you are proud of him.
Take a few minutes to answer these potty training questions for yourself and go over them with your spouse as well to ensure you are on the same page before you start potty training your child. It will help you give your child a clear picture of what you are both trying to accomplish and will cut down on any confusion.
Parenting Tips To Help Your Child Get More Exercise
Summary:
Are your children getting enough exercise? Here are 5 fun parenting tips to get more exercise into your children’s daily routine.
Keywords:
parenting, children, exercise, child, kids, health, fitness
Article Body:
Was parenting easier forty years ago?
As a mom in the new millennium, I dream about the idea of parenting in a world where streets are safe and parents can let their children run freely through the neighborhood, their bodies naturally challenged with the exercise of play.
Instead today, before the slam of the car door fades and the backpack drops on the floor, the TV is switched on and the last few hours of daylight disappear in a haze of video games and over processed snack foods.
Even the concerned, well-meaning parent can often stand helpless, wondering how to compete against marketing genius and instant gratification. Exercise and carrot sticks have a hard time competing with Xboxes, SpongeBob and potato chips.
The proof is all around us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health of too many North Americans is in danger because of unhealthy lifestyles. (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity)
The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older – over 60 million people – are obese. The CDC reports the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.
My kids aren’t obese – why should I be concerned?
Your kids are normal, right? You are parenting just fine. But in a world where walking is limited, school P.E. programs are being cut, and cars, elevators and buses eliminate our chance to exercise naturally, we need to make a concerted effort to make physical activity part of our day and our children’s days.
Despite all the benefits of being physically active, most Americans are sedentary. (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm). Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. (www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4596)
So as parents how can we get our kids moving?
“The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.”
The great news is exercise comes in many forms and can be a lot of fun! With a little creativity you can easily add some fun physical activity into your parenting style.
- Lead the way
You need to set a good example. Kids, especially younger children, naturally follow their parents. So make sure you are looking after your own health and making physical activity a priority in your life.
- Do it together
In today’s overscheduled world, we need to make sure we are spending quality time with our children. What better way than to be active together. Since kids can’t be alone roaming the neighborhood, parents need to play with them.
- Make it fun
Put on some music and dance. Play tag. Roller blade. Basically just play. Provide them with toys and equipment that encourage them to be active while having fun.
Bikes, scooters, hockey sticks and baseball bats will get your kids moving and active. For preschool children, ride on toys that get them exercising like pedal cars, big wheels and tricycles are always a great parenting decision.
- Cheer them on
Create positive reinforcements with encouragement and support. Help them find sports and activities that build their self esteem. Attend their sporting events and let them know you are their biggest fan whether they win or lose.
- Turn it off
Of course, we need to limit the time our kids watch TV and play video games. But make sure you do it in a positive way. If they are angry that you just turned off their favorite show, they might not be too excited about going out rollerblading with you.
Allow screen time during designated hours, preferably after homework is done and when physical activity is finished, like in the evening or on Saturday morning when tired parents might need to catch a few extra minutes of sleep.
Adding more physical activity into your family’s routine will help you all feel better and get you having more fun together. Most importantly, as you model a healthy lifestyle you will help instill in your children lifelong habits and healthy attitudes toward exercise and physical activity.
Reasons For Parents To Love Audio Books
Summary:
Quick pop quiz! How can you accomplish the following things with the push of a button:
Help your kids improve their reading skills?
Grow their vocabulary?
Help them sit quietly (willingly!)? and
Entertain them too?
Easy- Play audiobooks!
That’s right Mom and Dad, listening to books on tape provide all these benefits and more.
Did you know that for a significant part of their childhood, your kids’ intelluctual capacity will be greater than their reading a…
Keywords:
audio books, audiobooks
Article Body:
Quick pop quiz! How can you accomplish the following things with the push of a button:
Help your kids improve their reading skills?
Grow their vocabulary?
Help them sit quietly (willingly!)? and
Entertain them too?
Easy- Play audiobooks!
That’s right Mom and Dad, listening to books on tape provide all these benefits and more.
Title:
Reasons To Choose A Traditional Kids Summer Camp
Summary:
A traditional kids summer camp is one that generally begins in June and continues through August. This type of recreation is a popular activity among children of all ages as it gives them the opportunity to experience new things, meet new people and embark on a journey of independence. With that being said, the following are 5 popular reasons to enroll your child in a traditional kids summer camp.
Independence. During their experience at a traditional kids summer camp, ch…
Keywords:
kids, parenting
Article Body:
A traditional kids summer camp is one that generally begins in June and continues through August. This type of recreation is a popular activity among children of all ages as it gives them the opportunity to experience new things, meet new people and embark on a journey of independence. With that being said, the following are 5 popular reasons to enroll your child in a traditional kids summer camp.
Independence. During their experience at a traditional kids summer camp, children will experience their first taste of independence. Being away from home for the first time can be scary, but new friends and fun activities will help to make the transition easier. This will also be an important step toward college preparation, which often requires that the child leave home for months at a time.
Responsibility. A traditional kids summer camp will teach children to be responsible in a variety of ways, including the organization of their personal items. While away, they will be personally responsible for maintaining their living quarters and personal items. In addition, they will be required to pack their belongings at the end of their stay and will have to learn the responsibility of organizing their items for the trip home.
Teamwork. One of the most important experiences at a traditional summer camp is that of learning to work together as a team. Whether it be during a sports event, a canoeing trip or other group activity, teamwork is often required. Much like in adulthood where teamwork is essential to everyday life, children will learn the valuable lessons of working with their peers toward achieving a common goal.
Friendship. While at a traditional kids summer camp, new friends will be met and there is plenty of fun to be had. Learning to make friends and how to be a good friend is an important life lesson that is not only important at a traditional summer camp, but also in every day. Situations are always presented when individuals are placed with new faces in school, the workforce, families, etc. Therefore, it is important for children to learn the value of friendship and how it can make every day a little brighter.
Experiences. Traveling to new places, embarking on an exciting journey and exploring the wilderness are all a part of what makes a traditional kids summer camp so special. A nature hike, sailing on a blanket of calm water or sitting around the campfire with friends are just a few of the experiences that a child may encounter while enrolled in a traditional kids summer camp.
Did you know that for a significant part of their childhood, your kids’ intelluctual capacity will be greater than their reading ability? That means that they can understand material when it is read aloud to them that they would not be able to read. Interesting isn’t it?
My kids love audiobooks and I love that they love them. As a homeschooling Mom of 4 kids, I do a lot of reading aloud. Audiobooks give my voice a little break.
You can play books on tape when you’re in the car running errands. Naptime and bedtime are also favorite times to listen to a story. (And if your kids are like mine, you wear out long before they do so books on tape are a lifesaver for helping them nod off after you’ve done the bedtime story!)
Listening to audio books strengthens your child’s ability to listen, a skill very crucial for their academic achievement.
Audio books also let your child hear fluent reading with a bit of flair… a lot of them are read by the author or professional actors.
If your child is struggling with reading, audio books associate reading with pleasure…so important if your child is to develop a lifelong love of reading!
Audio books help your child learn to visualize a story by using their imagination instead of the pictures (in contrast, watching television trains the brain to be lazy and rely on
images).
Why not get your child on the fast track to reading success with the push of the play button too? To get you started, here are some of my kids’ favorite titles:
Charlotte’s Web (read by the Author, E.B. White)
The Jamie Lee Curtis collection (And I dare you to get through “Tell me about the night I was born” without crying!)
A New Coat for Anna
The Maurice Sendak collection
The B.F.G. by Roald Dahl
Have fun listening together!