Making Your Baby’s Clothes Last!

As any mother with a young child will tell you, babies grow very quickly. So for new mothers, making the most out of baby clothes is of the utmost importance. So what do you do when those onesies just don't quite snap anymore? How do you get an extra month out of those jeans that are a little too short for the winter months?

The great thing about onesies, is that they're a very workable cotton fabric, and there really isn't any hemming necessary to turn a couple of onesies that fit at five months into a couple of shirts that fit at eight months. Simply cut them off right at the leg holes, and gently pull the material around the edges so that it rolls a tiny bit. This way there are no exposed threads for baby to pull at or chew on. The same can apply to footsie pajamas. By simply snipping off the feet, you can easily get another month's wear out of the sleepwear.

Adding extra buttons to overalls or snappy shirts makes them naturally grow with your child. Perhaps one of the best investments a new mother can make is in a mid-priced sewing machine. This makes alterations and additions a breeze, and gives you a new hobby for when baby naps (Just make sure there is enough wall between you and the crib so that the whirring of the machine doesn't make undue stress for you!)

Things like adding extra material to the bottom of a dress or skirt can be done in just minutes, as can letting out the hem of a pair of jeans or overalls. Buying clothes initially that are mid-priced and made of a cotton material with a lot of elastic and snaps makes transitions that much easier. Shoes are always going to be a problem, but buying a canvas sneaker in the spring can convert into a mule for summer wear, as long as the baby is not walking yet. Socks without built in heels is key—that way the baby can grow a little bit longer in the socks. Also, even though socks with ducks and elephants are cute, sticking to a plain color can help extend the life of individual socks if one gets lost. In the summer a grey or white sock is less likely to irritate a sweaty baby's sensitive skin because they don’t contain dyes.

Think of ways that you would extend the life of your own clothes. T-shirts that come three to a pack can easily be downgraded to rags or dust cloths. Jeans and pants that have become worn or are too short can be cut and hemmed for summer shorts. Sweaters can become blankies. Things like first outfits and special occasion’s clothes can be put into a special chest to pass on to your child for when they have children of their own. For the most part, making baby clothes last, laundering aside, is about ingenuity and personality. Learn the basics of stitching and hemming and let the designer in you shine through!

Source: Kirsten Hawkins (ArticleDashboard.com)

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10 Parenting Tips To Stop Bribing Your Child

Picture this scenario: A harried mom in a grocery store asks her two young boys to stop fighting. They continue…getting even more boisterous. After asking for the “umpteenth” time and having them ignore her, she starts to raise her voice, but stops herself, she knows she shouldn’t yell at them…additionally the kids won’t respond to yelling anyway. She reaches the end of her rope, is at her whit’s end, wants immediate results, so, “bribes the children.” Sound familiar?

Bribery gets immediate results. The behavior the parent is trying to curb stops… but to what future consequence.

In the long run “bribes” don’t work. Bribing children can have the opposite of the intended effect. Behavior can become more and more outrageous in the hopes of attaining better and better prizes. It goes to follow, if a small tussle in the grocery store is rewarded with a pack of gum, what will an out and out brawl get, a cell phone? Bribing creates a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. The child’s behavior begins to dictate the culture of the family. The family is happy when the child behaves well and in turmoil when the child misbehaves. The child gains power and the parents lose power.

It is more effective and healthier to tell the child that he or she will face a consequence if the unacceptable behavior continues and then follow-through with that consequence. “If you continue to do “X” behavior, we will not go to the park,” (or whatever fun thing the child is looking forward to in the near future). By giving a consequence that the child can actually experience, the child feels the consequence and in turn thinks twice before repeating the offense. Giving a consequence assures that the parent never attacks the essence of the child, which can be damaging to their psyche, just the behavioral offense.

Following through is a crucial step of this learning process. The child must know that the parent means what she says and always follows through.

On the other hand, when the child behaves, praise, praise, and praise! Let him know that it is marvelous and wonderful when he listens. For example a successful trip to the grocery store should be complimented.

Consistency, follow-through and praise are essential in promoting and reinforcing good behavior and creating peace in the family.Consistency, follow-through, and praise sound easy enough. Then why do parents so easily fall into the “bribery” trap?

One reason parents bribe is because raising kids and running a household are incredibly challenging and taxing. When half-way through folding a load of laundry the child reaches over and tosses the folded clothes across the room or when traveling up and down the aisles of the supermarket and the child starts grabbing food out of the cart and pitching it onto the floor, a parent can feel pushed to the brink. The mundane work has to be completed, it is understandable that parents bribe the child to quickly nix the bad behavior and finish the one of many task on their long daily list.

It is definitely tempting to bribe children to stop the disruptive behavior with a new toy or a snack. However, rewarding the negative behavior with a bribe ultimately leads the child back to that same unacceptable behavior, the next time with a vengeance.

It is really important to be your child’s advocate. Think about the tools your child needs to be equipped for teen years and adulthood. As hard as it is not to appease in the moment, consider the child’s future interests. The goal of a parent is to help mold a fantastic person and give the necessary tools a child needs to have a great life.

Here are ten tips for parents who want to find an alternative to “bribery”:

1. Immediately respond to the incident making sure that the child realizes that her behavior is unacceptable. Little kids need to be educated about right and wrong.

2. Use words the child will understand to explain that you are upset. Don’t assume she knows why you are unhappy. “Tammy, pulling the folded clothes out of the laundry basket is not okay. Mommy worked hard to fold those clothes. We have discussed this before. I am giving you a three minute time-out.”

3. Follow-through, act immediately, and do what you say you are going to do. Do not make idle threats.

4. Ask the child to apologize.

5. Reward the child with a huge hug and kiss and thank him for completing the time-out. Then let it go. It is not fair to your child to dwell on an incident after he has completed the time-out, or you have taken away a toy or privilege.

6. Do not feel guilty that you had to reprimand your child. It is your obligation to your child to teach her proper behavior. If you are calm and choose an appropriate consequence then you are being a great parent.

7. Be on the look out for good behavior. How refreshing it is for kids to have their positive behavior recognized…especially when they weren’t expecting it to be noticed.

8. Keep a tally of all of the good behavior over the course of the day and reward with an extra story at bedtime, an extra fun craft project, or a “tickle extravaganza.” But most importantly, let the child know how proud you are of him or her and how much you love him/her.

9. Talk your children up! Say, “I have the most wonderful kids! I love to be with them!” Kids do hear you when you talk about them, loud and clear. Make sure that the majority of what they hear makes them feel warm and nurtured, loved, respected and cherished.

10. Children want limits set. They feel out of control if you don’t make the boundaries clear, and that scares them. Children want you to be the parent. One of the most wonderful gifts that you can give to your kids is to teach them how to behave properly.

Guiding children through the tough stages of childhood creates parenting opportunities for teaching lessons in manners and good behavior. By promoting peace, quiet and good behavior in the home, parents create a fertile environment that encourages growth and development.

Source: ArticleDashboard.com

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Raising Teenagers-signs Of Stress

Raising teenagers successfully is no easy job. Recognizing signs of stress of your teen is another daunting task. There are many sources of stress parents need to identify and take note of. One of the most common sources of day-to-day stress for teenagers are problems with peers such as having quarrels with friends, being bullied, breaking up with boyfriend or girlfriend and dating problems. Having issues or difficulties with parents at home or not doing well in school is another major source of stress without a doubt. Involved in too many activities or projects and having to meet high expectations can usually create stress upon teens. Change of environment such as moving to a new community or school has enormous effect on teens as well.

Ask yourself:

Does your teenager have tension or migraine headaches?

Does your teenager have constipation or diarrhea frequently?

Is your teenager experiencing any dizziness or dizzy spells?

Does your teen have trouble thinking clearly?

Is your teenager eating more excessively or have a loss of appetite?

Is your teenager experiencing sleep disturbances, insomnia?

Does your teenager feel ‘out of control’?

Has our teenager been forgetful?

Is your teenager over reacting to small problems?

Has your teen shown more moodiness than normal?

Has your teen been involved in risk taking behaviors? Such as drinking, smoking, sexual activity, etc.

Is your teenager having problems with chest pain?

Does your teenager complain about shortness of breath?

Does your teen have back, shoulder or neck pain?

Signs of stress are not necessarily easy to detect. Very often they are confused or dismissed with changing behaviors most teens exhibit during the adolescent years. Raising teenagers successfully during this turbulent time requires parents’ early detection of signs and symptoms that stress brings on.

Do not hesitate to ask for professional help if you think the issue at stake requires further attention or medical treatment. Establishing an open communication line with your teen and encourage your teen to talk about what he or she is going through is the first and foremost to offer help to your teen. Your teen may not want advice; but do not be discouraged if he or she rejects your effort and shows irritation. These are normal reactions to stress. Most importantly, let your child know you are always available for them whenever he or she needs you. Keep in mind, building an open and positive relationship with your teens is the first step towards raising teenagers successfully and survive living with teenagers in one piece.

Source: jacq (ArticleDashboard.com)

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How To The Optimistic Child: Raise Your Children To Be Optimists

The benefits of optimism have been proven many times over by research. Optimists enjoy better health and increased longevity over pessimists, experience less stress, and achieve more in life. While much of our personality traits are inborn, you can influence your child’s tendency toward optimistic or pessimistic thinking: optimism can be taught! Here are some ways you can help instill this valuable trait and raise the optimistic child:

Here's How:

1. Help Them Experience Success: Children develop self-esteem and optimism by experiencing success, even in the face of some challenges. So, starting young, let your child do things for themselves (with you in a supporting role rather than doing for them), and acknowledge their success. For example, even if it takes more work on your part, allow small children to take on household responsibilities like sorting socks, putting their toys away, etc., and acknowledge their efforts.

2. Give Credit For Success: When your child faces a success, help them see how they contributed to it, and label those actions as strengths. For example, “You did well on your test. You’re really smart!” or “You’re a hard worker to have been so prepared!” You don’t need to tell them something’s great when it isn’t (children can sense false praise), but giving them credit for their own accomplishments builds self-efficacy and contributes to optimism.

3. Look For Future Success: When dealing with successes, focus on what traits in the child made the success possible, and examine other successes that can come from these traits. Going back to the example of the high test score, you may mention that the strong work ethic and intelligence that went into the successful test can help them reach other goals. You might explore what some of their goals for the future could be, whether it’s to be an astronaut or to do well in college.

4. Don’t Praise Indiscriminately: Optimism researcher Martin Seligman believes that telling a child that everything they do is great—rather than helping them experience real successes and persist in the face of reasonable obstacles—puts the child at a disadvantage, creating an overly strong self-focus and actually making them more vulnerable to depression! So validate that success, but do acknowledge when their efforts aren’t successful as well. Children learn to see through empty praise.

5. Validate, But Question: When your child faces failure or negative situations, validate your child’s feelings, but ask questions that can cause them to see things more optimistically. For example, if another child doesn’t want to play with them, talk about their hurt feelings and let them express themselves. Then ask what other friends they may want to play with. This helps them process (rather than deny) their emotions, but puts the situation in perspective.

6. Remember Success in the Face of Failure: When things go wrong, acknowledge your child’s feelings, but also help them focus on other successes they’ve had, look at how things can go better in the future or under different circumstances, and move on. For example, “I see you feel disappointed in your score. Maybe you’re having an ‘off’ day. You usually do better, and I’m sure you’ll do great next time.” And then get involved in another activity, or practice for future success.

7. Look For “Opportunities To Improve”: One tenet of optimistic thinking that parents may take issue with is where optimists downplay their responsibility where failure is concerned. While it does instill optimism to look at external circumstances that may have contributed to things going awry, it’s okay to also assess what your child can personally do in the future to do better next time. Just approach it as ‘looking for opportunities to improve’ rather than a self-blame session for your child.

8. Look For The Bright Side: Help your child see that there is good and bad in every situation, and make a game of looking for the silver linings in seemingly negative situations. For example, if your child can’t play outside because it’s raining, look at the positives of indoor play, or project what success may come from having extra time to study. Even a broken leg can bring the fun of having friends sign the cast! The game can get silly, and that’s okay, but it’s a good practice to get into.

9. Don’t Use Negative Labels: Correct unacceptable behavior, but don’t label your child with negative labels—ever! Children tend to live up—or down—to our expectations, so if you say, “Jack’s our whiner,” or “Lucy’s our shy child,” what may have been a passing phase becomes a more permanent identity. This is much more damaging to a child’s self-concept than some parents realize, and it perpetuates the very behavior you find so objectionable!

10. Make an Example of Yourself: Children watch us and see us as constant examples, whether we like it or not. The good news about this is that we can teach by doing. Practice optimistic thinking yourself. When you achieve success, don’t downplay it with false modesty, but give yourself credit for a job well done. When things go wrong, don’t catastrophize; put things in perspective.


Source: Elizabeth Scott (About.com)

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How to Raise an Independent Child

It's never too early to teach your children to be independent while being a supportive parent.

It is somehow flattering when your child relies on you for everything from washing her hands to tying her shoes, but doing too much can backfire. "You have to let your child try and possibly fail because a healthy part of growing up is falling down." says Dianne Ehrensaft, Ph. D., author of Spoiling Childhood: How Well-Meaning Parents Are Giving Children Too Much- But Not What They Need." Here are her strategies for raising self-sufficient children.

Refrain from Pampering

If you're juggling a career and family, you may tend to overindulge your children., but giving in to their every whim will make them overly dependent on you. "Parenting by guilt on't work anymore."

Assign chores

By the time children are four years old, they should be responsible for certain tasks , such as picking up their toys and folding the napkins at the dinner table. "Responsibility builds confidence."

Don't take over

Encourage children to try things on their own. "It's fine to do activities with them, but make sure they are not watching from the sidelines," Ehrensaft says. "The goal is to build independent thinking."

Source: Winona Sy (GOMESTIC)

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