Let There Be Mess

I am particularly organized in every way, but when it comes to fostering creativity on my child I just let the mess take over. I read that creative spirits should freely focus on creating and not be distracted by the need to keep the workplace in order. My toddler is no exception. You should see the mess he creates when he kneads, cuts, and rolls those play dough. My consolation is hearing how he labels every shapes he created out of the dough, his imagination is really working. I just let loose and not become too critical about the mess during creative play. I try to nurture and cultivate my son's ability and desire to be creative.

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Obsessed With Me?

My three-year old son is attending pre-school twice a week and I must say it has been a welcome treat for me to get some time off from him. But that time without him seems still not enough. I still struggle keeping up with chores; online work and studies. My son doesn't take a nap in the afternoon anymore unless he's got a pretty rough day. He literally zaps my energy out during the day so at night I don't have enough energy to go through my usual routine.

There's a mom in my son's pre-school whose son can play by himself for hours so she's able to do a lot of things during the day. Though I find that odd, I wish that my son could play by himself for longer time too. He's all over me all the time. He wants interactive play. He wants to get involved in everything I do in the kitchen, laundry, even when I just take a pee in the toilet. No kidding, he would stand there and hand me toilet paper; new pantyliner and even flush the toilet for me. When I put anything on like my pants, socks or shoes, he'll get excited and would offer to help me. He is playing 'mom' to me, imitating the things I do to him. His words would always include "Let me help", "Let me do", "I do it too mommy". Sometimes I feel like my son is obsessed with me, and its pretty exhausting lol. I guess I just have to cherish these moments huh, like what every moms I know would tell me. He will grow up sooner than I expect and hopefully he would be this helpful and involved in my life too ;-). We'll see.

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ABC's and 1,2,3's

I used to worry about my son not having interest on identifying alphabet and numbers while other playmates his age can identify them very well already. I read in the book "What to Expect the Toddler Yeas" that children who can recognize letters and numbers before school may only enjoy temporary edge from other kids. Studies show they don't retain it, as other students quickly catch up. Not having interest in academics at age 2 or 3 does not in any way suggest that a child won't be a good student. Don't belittle a child if he isn't ready to count or learn the alphabet. There's plenty of time ahead for these before first grade. Make learning fun and exciting, like my son and I count together when climbing stairs. Let toddler be and enjoy as he is, but stimulate learning by talking, reading, and counting with them.

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Is There a Best Season for Potty Training?

Potty lore has it that summer is the best time (some members of the older generation would say the only time) to start teaching a toddler to use the toilet. And there's undeniably some wisdom to that tradition: A toddler who's dressed lightly (or better still, not dressed at all) has a better shot at making it to the potty in time than a toddler who's decked out in layers of winter wear.

But, seasonal considerations should take a back seat to toddler readiness. Spring, summer, winter, or fall, the best time to teach a toddler about toileting is when he or she is ready to learn. If your toddler turns out to be ready in the winter, keep the house a little warmer than usual so that he or she can run around lightly clad. The minimum amount of clothing will allow for maximum success with toileting.

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What to Do When Kids Act Up

Finally winter is almost over, though it is sunny for most days but still a bit chilly, at least you don't need too much gear to put on anymore. When the weather was still very bitterly cold and tons of layers need to be put on especially with young kids, it is always a hassle going out of the house. It's so frustrating when we have to go somewhere and my son acts up and won't wear his winter jacket, boots, hat and mittens, not to mention he's arching his back sometimes when you sit him in his car seat too, whew! I would sometimes literally drag him just so we won't be late for an appointment. It's always hard to head out in time when things like this happen.

Here are some common problems that moms encounter everyday and suggested quick solutions:

• PROBLEM: Your child screams uncontrollably when it's time to get dressed.
• HOW ABOUT: Making it a matter of choice: "Do you want to wear a dress or jeans?
• NO LUCK? TRY: A change of scenery. Getting dressed in the kitchen might be more fun

* * *

• PROBLEM: Your child clamps her mouth shut at the sight of a spoon.
• HOW ABOUT: Taking a bite yourself. It will look less like you're forcing something on her.
• NO LUCK? TRY: Giving up - for now. She won't starve, so pick your battles.

* * *

• PROBLEM: Your child refuses to share at a playdate
  
• HOW ABOUT: Putting her leadership skills to work: say "Teach Kristen how to play with the toy."
  
• NO LUCK? TRY: "Two more minutes, then it's Kristen's turn. Decide what to play with next.

* * *

• PROBLEM: Your child won't go to bed.
  
• HOW ABOUT: Letting her rest on the floor of her room.
  
• NO LUCK? TRY: Turning off the lights and TV's. With no reason to stay up, she may go to sleep.

* * *

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My Son's Favorite Bedtime Story

My son's favorite bedtime story is "Goodnight Moon". He actually has memorized the lines in the story, that whenever I read it, I will always pause and he supplies the missing words in the sentence. This book was a gift to him by a friend when he was 14 months old and until now it's still his favorite of all. I even memorized it myself, that even when he flips the pages ahead of me, I can still catch up. Here is how the story goes:

GOODNIGHT MOON
by Margaret Wise Brown

In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red balloon
And a picture of, the cow jumping over the moon
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens and a pair of mittens
And a little toyhouse and a young mouse
And a comb, and a brush, and a bowl full of mush
And a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush"
Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light and the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens and goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks and goodnight socks
Goodnight little house and goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb and goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody
Goodnight mush
And goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush"
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere

The highlighted words above are the words that my son say himself while we read the book. Sometimes he would insist to read the book to me instead. And on the part of the 'old lady whispering hush' he would say it softly with his index finger on his lips. I just point to the pictures to encourage him to identify them. How about you, what's your son's or daughter's favorite bedtime story?

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Teaching Toddlers to Protect the Environment

It's never too early to teach our young children to be conscious about the environment. In fact we should expose them as early as they can comprehend to the idea of protecting the planet that we live in. Afterall, they are the very persons and the generations after them who will benefit from a cleaner and healthier environment that we will create today. My son, like any other toddler likes to imitate a lot. He always wants to do just about anything that he sees I'm doing. I've got quite a bit of house plants around the house and in my garden window. Whenever he sees me watering them, or removing dried leaves he would really insist to do the same. From time to time I encounter unwelcome insects attacking my plants. I use organic soap to get rid of them and not the synthetic chemicals that lingers in and around the house that is bad for the health.

Spring and summer are my two most favorite seasons of all. It's because I can spend more time out in the lawn and get my hands dirty again. My son enjoys doing garden work with me, in fact he has his own garden tools as well. I normally plant different annuals to add to my perennials. I love the beautiful blend of colors they create. But this year, I will try my hand in planting vegetables too like tomatoes. I will buy this organic tomato growing kit that I saw at SaferBrand.com site. It includes stakes to support the vegetables as they grow and organic solution to kill the garden pests that can harm the vegetable crops. I use organic fertilizer that has the dual function of stimulating growth of the plants and also killing the weeds in the process. It's pays to use organic gardening products that are not only very effective to fight gardening pest problems but also won't harm our environment. I hope to instill in my son the love for gardening and the value of protecting the environment.

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Nose Blowing

I can't count anymore how many times my son has got cold this winter. And right now he's got it again. It started over the weekend then was aggravated when we went to Boston on Monday. It was always colder in Boston, freezing and windy. When we got home he was really congested. My son hates the nose suction. I am always wrestling with him whenever I try to suction his nose. No matter how hard I try to explain to him that it won't hurt, he will still staunchly resist despite feeling uncomfortable with stuffiness.

Anyway, I've been teaching him how to blow his nose, but he's always breathing in instead of out. Here's what I read about teaching toddlers how to blow. Practice when your child is well by having him or her play at blowing over a feather or a light scrap of paper. Then when the nose gets stuffy, have your child blow directly into a tissue.

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A Dog Is a Toddler's Best Friend

We once had a Boykin Spaniel named Laddie. Laddie was like a son to my hb and I, we referred to him as our furry son. He was a very friendly and smart dog, and everybody loved him especially the kids. My hb had him when he was still a pup and he was the center of his attention. Laddie used to sleep in his bed at night and on the couch at daytime. But when we got married, I changed the rule. I bought Laddie one of those pet beds that we put beside our bed on the floor and it took a while for Laddie to get used to using it. He was whining at night trying to get up on the bed, but we stick to the rule and he did just fine.

I'm glad that when my son came, Laddie was still alive. A dog can not only be a toddler's best friend, it can also be his best learning tool. This is true of pets in general, but especially true of dogs. From a dog, a young child can learn about animals and nature, about responsibility, about empathy, about getting along with others, about unconditional love and loyalty. A toddler can help with the care and feeding of a dog, a welcome role reversal for one who is usually on the receiving end and everyone else's caregiving. He can count on his dog to be there for him when he needs it or wants it; unlike parents, dogs are hardly ever too busy for a cuddle or a romp. And since dogs, especially young ones, like to run, jump, frisk, and frolic just as toddler do, they can join in the toddler games for which parents often lack energy or enthusiasm.

I wish our furry dog was still alive now that my son is old enough to care for him. But my son still remembers him when he looks at his old photos. They had a good time together and I'm pretty sure Laddie taught our son to have compassion for animals.

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Preserving Precious Jewelries

When I was still single, I used to have a special fascination for necklaces. Necklaces were my best friends. I've got quite a few pieces of yellow gold and white gold necklaces as well as fashion jewelry ones with matching earrings. I worked in a client-oriented environment, so I really dressed-up and accessorized. Necklaces were part of my regular accessories. I wore them all the time and I felt like something was missing if I didn't have one hanging around my neck. Even when I was not working anymore, I still wore my necklaces until I've got a baby. Having a very curious baby became impossible for me to keep any neck wear in place. My son's attention was always drawn on my necklaces and he would grab them; clasp them real tight and put them in his mouth. They would almost break at most time he did that. And so for practical reason and for my peace of mind, I just stopped wearing them. But my love for necklaces and beautiful pendants still remains.

Now that my son is a little bit older and can comprehend well already, I am beginning to wear my favorite pieces again. My love for jewelry had taught me how to care and preserve them properly. Cleaning jewelries all depends on what kind they are. Diamonds, pearls and gemstones require different cleaning treatment that you usually can just do yourself. But some very precious ones should only be trusted to professional cleaners. I don't use abrasive chemicals to remove grimes on my jewelries as they will certainly damage them. I only use warm water with detergent soap to clean my diamonds to get the natural sparkle and shine back. But with my pearls I use gentle baby soap instead.

I also store my precious pieces in a big jewelry box with separate compartments and very soft lining to avoid scratching. The box also has a lock to secure the jewelries from the prying eyes and curious hands of my little tot. Oh believe me, one second I turned my back one time, he had already scooped out some of my pieces and put them in his cup of milk. One of my earrings' locks popped out and until now I haven't found it yet. So I learned my lesson and always keep my jewelry box locked.

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My Tot's Routine Before Bedtime

The little guy in the family has dominated most of our rooms with his toys, books and little tot's stuffs. I used to have the bulk of his toys in the family room and then some in his room. But I decided to move all his toys to the family room and just leave the books and educational toys in his bedroom. I even moved his table and chairs and some art supplies to his room. This way he can concentrate on reading and learning and not get distracted with other toys. We have quiet time together and read or browse through all the books he is interested in. His potty is also in his bedroom, so he is always with a book when he's using it. I am planning to buy some lighting fixtures online that I will put close to his table and chairs because he likes doing some artwork too at night. He has this habit of going through all three areas in his room before finally retiring to bed - the book shelf; the table and chairs with all his art supplies and the toy bin with his wooden educational toys. Setting a special time and place for reading without any interruptions will develop your child's interest and love for reading.

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Colic Relief on Infants and Newborns

It is common for all babies to have gas, but some babies simply have more gas. than the others. I remember when my niece, the daughter of my only sister was born, she was always crying desperately. And being a first time mom, my sister was so worried and anxious. She had a very difficult pregnancy and was on bed rest her whole term. She thought that after giving birth (by C-section) she could have some sort of relief, but not really. My niece was a colic baby, she was pretty much crying all the time because of gassiness, and it was frustrating for both mommy and daughter.

Where does gas come from and how does it get into the babies' digestive systems? There are many possible reasons for infant gassiness. As soon as a baby has his/her first drink of breast milk or formula, gas is produced in their digestive tract. Baby gas is a natural by-product of digesting lactose, proteins and other nutrients contained in breast milk or formula. Normally, gas in not a problem and causes no pain or discomfort because it is quickly and easily pushed through the digestive system. But a baby's digestive function is literally still learning to function and the muscles supporting the digestion have not developed the proper rhythm yet for moving food efficiently through the digestive tract. Gas pockets can get trapped in the upper and lower intestines that cause painful bloating and swelling in the abdomen. Baby reflux or simply the backward flow of stomach content is also common to babies. It involves regurgitation or spitting up after some feedings whether fed by bottle or breast. Spitting up is prevalent between 1 to 4 months of age and will usually resolve by 6 to 12 months.

Colic is one of the most agonizing experiences imaginable. I've seen how my niece suffered and it was very painful too for my sister to see her baby suffered not knowing what to do to ease the pain. Since I had my own son, I read through many natural remedies for colic at ColicCalm.com, like listening to soothing music/sound; watching the baby's diet; taking gripe water; having warm aromatherapy bath/massages; swaddling; doing comforting motion like rocking, walking and driving around. Parents should just practice the art of trial and error to see what will work best to help relieve their children from colic.

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Asking for Trouble

It's hard to reason out to a tired toddler, you will just waste your time and energy talking without getting through him.

One Sunday we went to the 12 noon mass in our church. I know the timing was not right as it was so close to nap time but we still went anyway. I don't usually do outing close to naptime, but we didn't have a choice at that time. Anyway, my son was behaved for the first part of the celebration just sitting quietly while browsing through his books. And then he got bored, got up and wanted to walk around. Walking around quietly is just fine I guess since we were in the crying room of the church anyway. Crying room is where parishioners with young kids are encouraged to stay so as not to disrupt the celebration. But my son was also making noises stomping his feet or jumping up and down, I guess to entertain himself. The more you tell him to stop the more he'd make the motion faster and louder. Or he would lay on his stomach on a pew and swing his legs up and down, making loud noise as he dropped the tip of his shoes on the pew. Any distractions I tried were completely futile. And when I scooped him up back to our pew, he'd scream and wiggle out.

Then the time to leave came and he didn't want to put his jacket, hat and gloves on. He was arching his back and crying desperately. So I just did it his way, I carried him and just covered him with his jacket and left. Halfway back to the house, the poor kid dozed off in his car seat, he was really tired.

Kids tell us something from their actions. They can be very sweet and cheerful cherubs one minute and transforms into an unreasonable wailing 'monster' next. Timing is really important. As much as I can avoid it, I won't take my son out to eat in a restaurant, or attend church, or do any outing close to naptime or bedtime, because it would be like calling for trouble. What is your strategy with

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How Much Sleep Is Enough?

When my son turned 18 months he went from two naps a day to just one in the afternoon. Now that he's already 2 1/2 years old he still takes an average of 2 hours naptime. He is a good night sleeper, he sleeps through the night unless he missed his afternoon nap. So that is how important naptime is to him and to me as well. He is usually restless at night and cries every now and then when he missed his nap, and it's not fun getting up in the middle of the night.

So how many hours of sleep should a toddler have? Well it varies from child to child, and even from day to day in the same child. Toddlers sleep an average of twelve hours a day in the 3rd year, but that's an average that takes into account those who sleep only 10 hours and those who sleep 14, those who nap and those who don't.

If your toddler has recently given up his afternoon nap, you can expect him to be sleepier and crankier than usual until his body adjusts to his new shut-eye schedule. But as long as he is able to function well on the sleep he is getting you can rest assured he is getting enough. If he is not functioning up to par, continue to be tired and cranky, consider moving bedtime ahead a bit to compensate for the nap he's nixed.

My son is usually in bed between 8 and 8:30pm and he wakes up before 7am. And then he takes a nap for at least 2 hours every afternoon. So he's getting at least 13 hours of sleep total. I am careful about him not missing two naptimes in a row, otherwise he won't function really well that will stress me out too.

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Protect Toddler's Skin All Year Round

Do you know that you can also get sunburn in winter? Yes you read it right. While we associate sunburn with summer, the sun can also be a threat in winter, especially when there is snow on the ground. I find it blinding usually while I drive when the sun is out and there are blankets of snow around me, it is just too bright and glaring. The reflection of the sun's rays on the snow can also be as intense as those from summer sun. And, although less of the burning UVB reaches the earth in winter, the also harmful UVA rays remain constant year-round. Since the suns rays also get more intense as you go up in elevation (an increase in 4% with every 1,000 feet above sea level) or get closer to the equator, more precautions need to be taken year-round in high altitudes or equatorial regions. And don't skip the sunscreen when it's hazy out, especially if you're at the beach, much of the sun's ultraviolet light can penetrate a ligh cloud cover. High rish kids ** need protection on hours long car rides, especially under a sun roof.

**Some kids are at greater risk under the sun than others and these children include:

• children with red or blonde hair and fair skin
• those with blue, green, or gray eyes
• those with a family history of skin cancer
• those who live in a tropoical or sub-tropical climate or at a high altitude
• those with large numbers of moles
• those, no matter what their coloring , who burn rather than tan
• freckled face is a sign of vulnerability to sun damage and may have had excessive sun exposure.

Any child who's at greater risk under the sun should routinely wear a sunscreen with SPF of 20 or more, and spend only limited time in direct midday sunlight.

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Smoothing Toddler's Chafing Skin

One thing I don't like about winter is the very cold temperature. It gets my skin extra dry it sometimes cracks, how much more to a toddler's delicate skin? The very cold winter weather can be very harmful to our skin especially to our young children. Add to that the variety of substances like saliva, mucus, and food that can smear on their faces during the day. Dryness and substances like these can cause irritation and redness. I usually use wet wipes to remove these substances while probably other parents resort to frequent washing which of course aggravates the skin condition and add to chafing.

If your toddler's cheeks turn apple red with the first frost and stay that way until the tulips come up, try to minimize the chapping this way.

• Pat the face dry with a soft cloth after each washing and whenever there's been excessive drooling.
• Avoid using soap on your toddler's face. When more than water is needed, use very mild super-fatted soap or soapless cleanser. I use Cetaphil skin cleanser.
• Wipe your child's face with warm water immediately after meals to remove any traces of food and pat dry promptly. If you notice that a particular food or beverage is especially irritating to the skin (like those high in acid - citrus fruits, juices, strawberries, and tomatoes or tomato juice), avoid serving it to your toddler until the chafing has cleared.
• Soothe chapped skin with a mild moisturizer. I apply Aquaphor baby healing ointment on my son's cheeks and chin after night bath. And now that he has runny nose due to cold I always apply thin layer on his nose. I also do the same routine before we go out in a cold weather.

Source: What to Expect the Toddler Years

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Chores That Toddlers Can Tackle

When I'm in the kitchen expect my 2 1/2 year old toddler to be there around me. He is always fascinated with what I'm doing and wants to try it too. He carries around a stool where he can step on to take a good look at what I'm doing. When I microwave food he likes to push the buttons; when I load clothes in the washer or dishes in the dishwasher he likes to do it too; when I vacuum he wants his turn too; and so on and so forth. I always wonder why he would rather watch me than play with his own toys. He wants to join in the action all the time, he'd say "I do, I do" or "help mommy".

I realized that it is an opportunity for learning so I include him in most of the things I do in the kitchen like putting away the utensils back to the drawer but with supervision of course. He learned how to identify and sort spoons, teaspoons, forks and knives. I let him wipe the kitchen counter to keep him occupied. Then after a while I would see him wiping the floor too and putting the rugs in order when he sees them crooked. Anything that will keep him occupied is good enough distraction, so I can continue with what I'm doing peacefully. And at the same time, I'm teaching him the value of being organized, cleaning up and helping in few basic chores.

Here are some of the chores that toddlers can tackle:

1. Pick up and put away toys.
2. Put dirty clothes in the hamper.
3. Help sort colored and white laundry.
4. Unload clean clothes from a cooled-down dryer.
5. Deposit and take mail from mail box.
6. Dust. Provide a dust cloth or feather duster and give a demonstration, then let your toddler loose. Be sure there are are no breakables in the area to be dusted.
   
7. Unpack and put away unbreakable groceries (toilet paper, paper towels, bread, cereal boxes, pasta) in accessible cabinets.
8. Sweep the floor with a small broom and dustpan (a dustpan that "stands up" and can be held by a long handle makes this task easier).
   
9. 
10. Set the table with placemats and napkins, unbreakable dishes and cups, and flatware (no knives).
11. Clear the table of unbreakable item.
12. Dry unbreakable dishes, pans, spoons, plastic cups.
13. Wipe watersafe surfaces with spray bottle of water and cloth or a damp sponge.
14. Wash, scrub, and rinse produce in kitchen sink (standing on a sturdy, steady step stool).
15. Tear lettuce for salad.
16. Toss a small salad in a large bowl (until your toddler is proficient, it's probably wise to add the dressing later).
17. Snap string beans, shell peas, husk corn on the cob, break broccoli or cauliflower into florets.
    
    
18. Cut cookies or sandwiches with a cookie cutter.
19. Shape meatballs, dumplings, or cookie balls. But make sure to wash thoroughly before and after this chore. And instruct your kids not to taste the mixture if it contains raw meat or raw eggs.
20. Mix or stirr eggs, pancake batter, cake batter, uncooked pudding. Again no licking allowed if raw egg is an ingredient.
21. Water plants (Use a small watering can)
22. Pull weeds (under close supervision)

Source: What to Expect the Toddler Years

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