Giving CPR to Toddlers

Choking can be fatal and a doctor is your first recourse in such a situation. Call 911 or your local emergency number before you do anything else. Obviously in a life-threatening emergency, you don’t want to be reading information off the web. That’s why every parent should get choking and CPR training at their local hospital. However, if you were to find yourself in this situation without a doctor or emergency facilities, here is how you can give CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to the choking toddler.

• Place the toddler on a flat surface, face upwards.


• Cover the toddler’s mouth with your mouth and blow in air two times. Each breath should take only one second.


• Support the head and neck with one hand and thrust the chest thirty times-be firm yet gentle as children's bones can snap easily.


• Continuously repeat the cycle of two breaths and thirty presses.


• The toddler should start breathing after four or five of such attempts.


• Whether or not the child starts breathing, get medical help as soon as possible. 

Here is how to give correct chest thrusts:

• Press two or three fingers of your free hand to push on the breastbone.


• Apply pressure to the chest thirty times at the speed of hundred thrusts per minute.


• The thrust should take the chest at least to half or one third of the depth of the toddlers chest.

CPR can be given by one or by two persons. In there are two persons giving CPR, one person will press the chest and the other person will blow air into the mouth. Both actions should not be done at the same time. When one person blows air the other person should stop thrusting the chest and vice versa.
 
Obviously, in a life-threatening emergency, you don’t want to be reading information off the web. That’s why every parent should get choking and CPR training at their local hospital.

Protecting your Child Against Poisoning

With toddlers in your home, poisoning is another potential danger you have to come to grips with. Their curiosity might induce them to ingest, or come in contact with, toxic substances that could be harmful to them.

You will be surprised to know that just about anything can be poisonous to your toddlers. Here is a simple checklist:

• Aspirin
  


• Lye
  


• Drain cleaning solvents
  


• Cosmetics
  


• Alcoholic beverages
  


• Moth balls
  


• Bleach
  


• Washing and cleaning liquids, soap bars, powders, etc.
  

To make your children aware of the dangers of ingesting unknown things, there are some simple thumb rules:

• Never call medicines or any bright-colored, small pellet, lozenge, etc. candy.


• Keep dangerous things out of your toddlers' reach; take into account the fact that they are adventurous explorers and terrific climbers.


• Make use of child-resistant locks, packages, etc. to stock the most dangerous things.
  

If any untoward incident were to happen, here are some signs that you need help:

• Your toddlers have difficulty breathing.


• They complain of severe throat pain or burning sensations


• You spot burns on their lips or mouth.


• Your children are experiencing convulsions, falling unconscious or are extremely sleepy.
  

In such a case, instant and immediate action could save your child. Always remember:

• Never try to induce vomiting. If a strong acidic substance has been ingested, throwing it up could further injure children by burning their throat and mouth


• In an emergency, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at (800) 222-1222. You will be redirected to your local poison control center.

Useful Article: Child Development

Tips for Dads trying to cut down on Kids TV watching time

We like TV. After a long day at work, it’s like a frothy dessert at the end of a mediocre meal. It might not have any nutrition value, but it’s sweet and airy and enjoyable with very little effort.  However, when TV becomes the routine and more your reality than your real life, you or your kids might have a problem. 


How to know? Do you talk about TV characters’ lives as if they were your family or close friends? Do you miss important events because you can’t bear to miss the earliest episode of your favorite show rather than time-shifting to when it’s convenient?  Would your kids rather watch TV than go to the park or go swimming? Do your kids spend more than the two-hour daily-recommended maximum time in front of the tube? If so, here are a few tips to help you cut down based on a research study in November of 2006 by the Academy of Pediatrics.

• Keep track of TV watching so you really know how bad the problem is. Most people under-estimate how much they and their children watch. Remember to count the time the TV is on is “just on” in the background.


• Take the TV out of the kids’ bedrooms. Having a TV in the bedroom makes monitoring viewing habits more difficult, as well as actual time spent. Additionally, it promotes dual watching/studying.


• Ditto the dining room. Watching TV while eating ensure less communication within the family at a key time for family bonding.


• Set rules for TV watching on school nights. 


• Eliminate background TV.


• Take responsibility for finding other things for your kids to do rather than watch TV. This will be especially true immediately after you lower their consumption. After a while, however, you’ll be surprised how kids manage to find other things to do.  After all, kids have survived for millions more years without TV than with it.

Child Behavior Suggestions - Cleaning up their Mess

Are you tired of your kids acting like royalty around the house? Making a mess of their rooms as they throw away their clothes and food, expecting you to go picking after them?


Enough is enough - pull yourself out of the mess by teaching your toddlers to help. Its time for Operation Clean Up! As a parent, the following steps will certainly help with the clean up:

• STEP 1: Make an announcement. Let your toddlers know that it's time to clean up. Give them a specific place to put the toys - a plastic tub or a toy box will do fine. Place the container in the middle of the room.


• STEP 2: Using a loud voice, say "Look at this huge mess. Is there anyone who can help me?" as you are setting the container down. A toddler’s attention tends to pick up this tone. You can also make up and sing a cleanup song to get them into the swing. Remember to be happy and positive about the task.


• STEP 3: By means of demonstration, pick up some toys on the floor and place them in the container. All the while you can continue with the singing and coaxing.


• STEP 4: Now is the time to ask your children to (please) pick up a specific toy. Thank them when they start placing toys in your hand or in the container.


• STEP 5: Always keep a back-up plan, as a consequence for not helping. Give them a timeout or better still, you can threaten to take away one of their treasured items till they start cleaning up.


• STEP 6: Warn the toddlers only once and then follow through with the consequence they don’t help.


• STEP 7: Continue cleaning up the toys until all of the toys are picked up.

Related Article: Kids Activities

Reason Why Do Kids Lie

It wasn’t me Daddy! You must have heard your 5-year old say that you at some point or other, when you knew it was in fact he who did it. How do you deal with your kid, knowing he is lying to you? When your child lies to you, remember he is not doing it on purpose. The reasons why kids lie are:

 
Short-Term Memory: Children in the age group of five have short-term memory. If your kid tells you he didn’t do it, chances are that he does not remember doing any thing wrong.

 
Wishing it away: Often, children wish that the wrong did not happen, and tend to believe that it actually did not. So, if your child denies a wrong, he simply might be convinced that he did not do it.


Imagination: A five-year-old child has a very fertile imagination, and loves to conjure up fantasy worlds of his own. He lives in a fantasy world, and thinks that all of it is actually true.

 
Fear of disapproval: Your kid does not want to disappoint you. He might fear the fact that a mistake could upset you, and he does not want to be in that situation. He tries to avoid that by lying to you.


Feel good factor: Your child wants to impress not just you, but also himself. He makes up stories to ‘enhance’ his amazing feats. There is an underlying desire for approval from parents that leads kids to come up with such tales.

 
Seeking attention: Children often desire attention from people around them. Your kid can easily learn that a tall one definitely will elicit a reaction from you, and decides to play his cards. He does not care if the response is not positive, his motive has been met – you reacted to his tale. He is successful in getting the attention he seeks this way.

 
Control: Kids often love to be in control of a situation, and make believe situations where they are in control.

 
Testing parents: It may sound frustrating to you, but your kid at this age is constantly trying to test the limits you will allow him to go. This gives them an understanding of their own powers in the household. They resort to stretching the truth as one of the ways to do this.

Six Tips for Teaching Kids to Share, Save and Spend

With the economy what it is today, there is no better time for parents to teach their kids lifelong lessons about responsibly sharing, saving, and spending. These lessons can go far in shaping kids’ attitudes and habits about money and its use.



Here are some ways to introduce kids to the concept of saving money:

1. Discuss and demonstrate with your child how you share, save and spend money: For example: explain how you share money by supporting your place of worship or a charitable cause; how you save money by depositing it in the bank; and how you spend  money on groceries and the home.


2. Work together on establishing a guideline on how they'll manage  their money: For example: if you set "share 10 percent, save 10 percent and spend 80 percent" as a guideline, the next time  your child gets $20 as a birthday gift, the child should divide the  money to meet the guideline.


3. When older children want to buy something immediately, ask them to  'Stop, think and choose': Stop to consider whether they really want or need the item, think how the money spent could be used more resourcefully and choose whether the item is really more important than other wants and needs.


4. Make it visual: For example: label three clear jars to serve as share, save and spend piggy banks allowing the child to see their  contributions add up. Each child at "Teach Your Kids to Share Day" will receive a 3-slot blue piggy bank to encourage sharing, saving and spending.


5. Make it fun: For example: initiate activities such as making ice cream sundaes at home rather than spending money on them at a  fast food restaurant. Set up a lemonade stand and agree to donate the proceeds to a local charity.


6. Most importantly, make sharing, saving and spending an ongoing conversation: Talking with your child is one of the best ways to build a financial foundation for the whole family.

Run! It’s lice!

I guess at some point in America's history, lice was public health issue that carried a stigma. Now, it just seems to be added to the list of elementary school rites of passage. As a parent, you hear about lice as if it's a foreign country, and then one day, it's here, and your little child has it!


Our first and current experience started one Monday with a call from the school nurse. Eight kids out of 20+ had lice or nits (the lice eggs) and I was asked if I would pick her up and bring her home. That night, we gave her special shampoo from the drug store, and the following day took her to a hair lice specialist called Hair Fairies (is there no job too specialized that someone can't open a storefront to address it?). Ninety minutes later, my daughter was pronounced clear of nits and could go back to school. Luckily this very expensive trip to the hair salon is covered by many insurance companies (and a petition effort is underway to make insurance coverage mandatory). It will require two more visits of an hour each to make sure no microscopic eggs have grown large enough to be seen, to make sure the problem is gone.


A few things I learned along the way:

1. When you get the call, act fast, get the shampoo and start the treatment. Nits are a pain, but what is worse is full-on lice, which can jump form child to child to mom, dad, dog, cat and around the neighborhood turning your house, sheets, upholstery into a mini epidemic site. Lice jump from head to head and lay eggs, jump off and lay more eggs.
   


2. Nits are not contagious the same way lice are, but they can be picked up by other people. Our "hair fairy" said that many moms especially, who often get stuck with the "nit-picking" often go through the scalp and then scratch their own heads, moving the microscopic eggs from head to head. The nits can also fall on pillows and be transmitted that way.
   


3. Take this seriously. If you've never had any exposure, you'll probably think it's another thing easily fixed by a medicine or home remedy. It's not. It takes a week or two of vigilance if you just have nits, and turns the household upside down if something more. It's a community problem and everyone needs to jump in to stamp it out as quickly as possible to stop it.
   


4. Natural oils are available to put on the scalp that “scare away” the lice. You may want to find some of this stuff before sending your child on the next group sleep-over, which is, by the way, probably the best way to be exposed.

Common Child Behavior - Whining

Kids whine when they are hungry, tired, bored or if they are sick. But they also whine when they need attention from their parents. Parents tend to worry, and not without good reason, that their children will grow up to be whiners and never be anything less than miserable in their behavior.


Give positive attention to non-whiny behaviors and learn to practice refusals calmly against whiny requests. Your toddlers will eventually understand that they need to ask you properly in a reasonable manner to get what they want.


Here are a few tips to help you maintain a smiling happy child:


Put a face to it: Toddlers are often unaware of what whining is even if they are doing it almost constantly. Show them what it looks like. Record it to make them hear what it sounds like. They will help your children identify whining.


Don’t give in easily: Be consistent in parenting and don’t give in to silly requests when your toddlers are whining. Show them that it doesn’t pay. Otherwise, it may send the wrong impression to the children about the way to get things done and only make things worse.


Structure their day: The more organized your children’s day is, the less likely they are to get bored and restless. The latter often trigger off whining. Keep them busy with interesting activities and games.


Reward good behavior: When your children ask for something nicely or behave well, they should be acknowledged and rewarded for showing signs of maturity.

Tips on How to Deal with Toddler Tantrums

Toddlers may throw tantrums from time to time. As a parent, you have no choice but to put up with it or try to subdue your toddler. Most parents usually ending up taking action with the idea that stopping the behavior quickly is important in developing good habits. However, try to correct a child in a way that corrects the behavior in a positive and loving way.


Tantrums most frequently occur between the ages of two and five. Before you can curb toddler tantrums, you need to know the causes behind them:

• Fatigue or hunger pangs
  


• Lack of proper attention
  


• Not getting what they desire
  


• Unhappiness or frustration

Here are some tips on how to deal with your toddlers’ tantrums:

• Do not pay attention to tantrums: Your toddler is looking for a reaction from you. If he does not get it, he may just move on.
  


• Encourage quiet and balanced behavior: This will also indicate to your child that throwing tantrums is not productive.
  


• Allow other alternatives: This will prevent situations where toddlers might feel trapped and allow them to get in control of the situation by exercising their choice on the matter. Try to provide your child with options that give the impression that he is exercising free will. “Would you like to put your pajamas on first or brush your teeth first?” “Would you like to eat carrots or peas?” Would you like to put on your socks first or your shirt?” While none of these questions are real choices for an adult, a child will feel more control and will often willingly follow through because 'he has decided what to do next.'

Head banging in children

Head banging is a behavior characterized by a toddler’s repeated banging his or her head, against a solid surface or object such as a wall or the side of a crib. It is estimated that one-fifth of all healthy children display this behavior at least once during their infancy. Moreover, this disturbing behavior is more common in boys than in girls. Head banging usually starts around the age of nine months and ceases by the time the child is two years old. 


Causes

The exact causes are not known though the reason may include:

• Comfort – Odd as it may sound, some experts believe that head banging, along with other rhythmic movements such as body rocking and head rolling, may be a source of pleasure or comfort to a toddler. Though parents may be concerned about the pain caused by the behavior, it may be producing a soothing effect for the one doing it.
  


• Pain relief – Head banging may also help to relieve pain in another part of the body, such as that caused by an ear infection, by serving to distract the child.
  


• Attention – Some children may simply bang their heads to draw attention or out of anger, a strategy that usually succeeds, as worried parents show more concern.
  


• Disorders – In addition, head banging is often associated with autism and other disorders. However, head banging itself does not indicate a serious disorder.

Treatment

Contrary to what most people think, the objective is rarely self-injury, and usually this habit does not lead to fractures or bruises. Most children with this symptom have been seen growing up as normal, well-adjusted adults.

• Positive reinforcement is necessary to reassure toddlers when they are not banging their head. During bouts of head banging, parents need to avoid making a fuss or encouraging this behavior further.
  


• If the child displays injury, fever, or any other illness, consult your family physician immediately.

Finding The Right Mother's Day Flowers

Flowers are an easy mom-pleasing gift for Mother’s Day. You can usually find them at a local grocery store or have them express delivered via the internet. You don’t have to go way overboard on pricing unless you want to. On the other hand, since most guys don’t buy flowers very often, you need to know a few things before you make the wrong decision on Mother’s Day flowers. First, how do you choose the right flower. If your mom or partner has a favorite flower, now is the time to remember it. If you’re starting from scratch, here are a few of the common meanings for popular flowers:

• Roses come in different colors and connotations, but red roses always mean true love and romance. That’s not to say you can’t give them to your mom, but you should know the meaning. Pink means grace, coral or orange for passion, red and white together, unity.


• Sunflowers mean loyalty and longevity, not a bad sentiment for moms


• Red tulips are for declarations of love, yellow for hopeless love


• Lilies are for purity, but red lilies for aspirations


• Lotus is for eloquence


• White lilac stands for innocence


• Iris means faith, hope and wisdom

Once you pick your flower, you should look for the freshest bouquet, so it will last the longest once you get it home. Here are a few tips on how to choose flowers for freshness:

• Look for strong petals, full of water


• Look for some color on the petals, but not full color. Don’t buy flowers that are fully open. While they might look good in the store, they won’t last as long at home.


• Look for healthy leaves, which also shows freshness.

If all these choices make you uneasy, spend a little more at a local florist, where the experts there can help guide you through the meanings of the freshest flowers.

Eight Tips for dads trying to feed finicky eaters

Trying to feed kids can be very frustrating. Cooking is hard work and you also want to make sure they get the foods they need and learn good eating habits. Here are eight tips to help you feed the picky eater:

• Use smaller portions so neither you nor your toddler feel that the goal is impossible. The correct serving for a toddler is roughly ¼ or less of what you would eat.


• Remember that some kids just have more sensitive palates than others. Additionally, this sensitivity can also be toward color and texture of the food. Think of foods you hated as a child and how the entire experience was distasteful. Some kids just are more choosey about their foods due to this sensitivity and it is not an indication that they are spoiled or have some character flaw that you can “cure.”


• Look for ways to make sure your child gets nutritional value from the meals he does eat by sneaking in protein or fruit into things that he eats without any problems.


• Try to minimize distractions at the table. Toys, cartoons, other playing children nearby all can work to distract a child who might otherwise eat. 


• Take time at the dinner table to make sure your child eats without a fight. Moms will often rush to find other eating solutions, including feeding a child dessert to make sure he gets something in his stomach. Dads quite often are willing to engage in the battle of the wills to see who will break first. If dad is positive and encouraging, he’ll often find an eater at some point.


• Don’t use sugary foods to get your child to eat more. You’re just setting him up for rejecting a broader range of foods.


• Try to offer new foods when you know your child is hungry. If your child had a snack an hour before dinner and you choose that meal to introduce lima beans, you’re heading for a failure.


• Serve a broad range of food at very meal and don’t make a big deal out of a new food. Kids take a lot of cues from you and will be wary if they see you acting suspiciously.

Bon Appetit!

Help your baby communicate with you

As babies grow up, their efforts at communication become increasingly complex. Apart from trying to speak, they may also attempt use gestures to convey. These are some of the ways in which babies may try to communicate with you:

• Producing sounds that are recognizable such as “dada,” “mama,” etc.


• Using facial expressions to communicate their likes and dislikes


• Using fingers to point to people and objects


• Using body language and gestures


• Responding or reacting to things you say

There are many things you can do to encourage your baby to interact with you. They include:

• Continuing to talk to your baby at all times


• Including repetitive phrases to help your baby to learn new words


• Pointing out people and things while saying their names


• Encouraging your baby to speak the name when you point to someone or something


• Singing to your baby


• Reading to your baby from a book while pointing out the pictures


• Using facial expressions while facing and speaking to your baby

Individual children differ in the pace at which they learn things. While some start walking first, others seem more adept at mastering language. If your baby seems to be somewhat late in speaking, it is natural for you to be concerned. However, if your baby seems to respond to the sound of your voice by imitating or gesturing to you, there may not be any cause for worry. Contact your doctor, however, if you think that your new born baby seems oblivious to the sound of your voice or other sounds.

Know Why Kids Scribble

Most children are fascinated by the possibilities of a pencil or crayon stub and become engrossed in their activity as they scribble away for hours. As a parent, you may find this a heaven-sent solution to keep your kids quiet and relaxed in their own self-contained zone.

However, you may worry that your child is obsessed with this one activity, and wish he or she would play at something else. It is important for a parent to understand that scribbling may actually serve a greater purpose than mere entertainment. Here are some of the major advantages that scribbling has to offer to children:

• It helps develop independent thinking in children, since a scribbling child gets to think without bounds and without help from anyone.


• It helps develop greater finger control in children, enabling them to be fast and efficient with activities such as writing or brushing.


• It introduces children to the power of the writing—through the process of scribbling, your child learns that a lot can be achieved by writing on a blank space.


• It allows children to express their thoughts and feelings without any inhibitions. This can be a very good way of letting out both negative and positive emotions in a pleasant and subtle way.

With these benefits and more, you would want to ensure your child continues scribbling whenever possible. Here are some tips on how you can make this activity a pleasure for all:

• Teach your child that scribbling is acceptable only on certain surfaces such as notebooks and sand and not on walls, or any other places.


• Provide your child with notebooks of their own and always bring paper and pens to restaurants or anywhere your kids will have to wait. Put an extra stash of pens and paper in the car, so you always have some on hand.


• Give your kids some good educational themes to encourage constructive scribbling—like learning to draw buildings or a simple room.

Frugal Living Tips for New Dads

With a recession in full swing, and the possibility of more to come, new dads have to figure out how to cut costs even with a baby on the way. Here are a few frugal living tips:

1. Don't fall for the temptation to buy every electronic gizmo that might help you take care of your baby. Human beings for millions of years have done without the latest gadgets and done just fine. Babies need food, changing, love, and attention. You'll get far more value out of just "spending time" with your baby, rather than spending money on videos and stimulating electronic toys.



2. Make a list of all the items you'll need for your nursery. Talk to other parents and show them this list to find out what was really necessary, in what turned out to be a waste of money. The results may surprise you.



3. Make sure friends and family are aware that you are neither too modest or too proud to take hand-me-downs. Almost everyone shares slightly used clothing, baby paraphernalia, and lots of baby books with parents who are just a few months behind on the baby curve. Make sure that friends with kids just a few months older than yours know that you love to get their hand-me-downs.



4. Shop eBay and other used sites for discount items. You'll be shocked at a price of baby merchandise at the store, but used prices might be significantly less expensive.
   
   Start buying things for baby as early as possible. If you arm yourself with your trusted list, you can take advantage of sales on specific items. Watch for grocery store sales on diapers and formula and stock up even before the baby arrives.



5. Trying to check your brand-consciousness when you shop. Your baby is truly one person in your life who won't care what logo he wears on his polo shirt.



6. Into your friends that you'd really like a baby shower. Baby showers are great for getting things that you might not buy it for yourself, and also things that other parents know you will need to have.



7. Don't forget the library for parenting books. There are also local community "toy libraries" where you can check out toys for short periods of time.

Never forget that babies and kids need your time and love are more than they do cool toys and accessories.

Inexpensive Birthday Party Games for Dads on a Budget

You don't have to hire a magician or a pony to make a child's birthday party a success. The only real expense you might have to endure is birthday cake and ice cream. Otherwise, kids just need some easy-to-create fun activities. You can go fly a kite or take a trip together to the local playground.

If you want to be more industrious, here are some easy-to-make attractions that will keep a group of kids (4-10) busy for a few hours:

Fishing game

What it is: Plywood 3-sided structure about 5 feet tall and 8 feet long, painted front to look like water. Fishing poles made from bamboo poles about 3’ long with string attached and clippie clothes pin tied on the other side.

Materials needed: 2 4x8’ sheets of plywood, 4 bamboo poles (6’ long and cut to 3’ each) string cut to 4’ long, spring clothes pins to clip on fishing prizes. VOLUNTEER to cut the plywood and assemble the exhibit, and paint the front. Small prizes to be “fished” for.

How to play: Volunteers sit behind exhibit. Kids come up and throw the fishing line over the “water". Volunteers clip on prizes, small toys, stickers or candies.

Pirate Ship Walk the Plank

What it is: A balance beam with a large cut-out graphic of a pirate ship attached at one end. It sits on a blue tarp trimmed to look like water. (The school may have balance beams we can borrow)

Materials needed: A balance beam. A large board, about 5’x6’ cut out and painted to look like a pirate ship (maybe with a shark). A blue painter’s tarp with the edges rounded to look like a pool of water. Pirate dress-up of some sort: a pirate hat, hooked hand, eye patch and vest. Plastic gold coins.

How to play: Dress up like a pirate and try to walk the plank without falling off. Winners retrieve a plastic coin from the ship at the end.

Buried Treasure

What it is: Extra large plastic treasure chests filled with bird seed to conceal the prizes inside. Lids of the chests are secure in a slightly open position.

Materials needed: 2 or 3 large plastic treasure chests ($14.25 dollars each at Rhode Island Novelty) size about 20”x14x14, though larger would be better. Large bags of bird seed. Plastic coins or small wrapped candy to dig for. Bandanas for blindfolds. Something to secure the lid partially opened.

How to play: Feel through the birdseed in search of a buried prize!

Tattoos and Face Painting Booths

What it is: Parent volunteers apply press on tattoos on the kids. Tattoos are soaked for a few seconds in warm water against a sponge then applied. Other parent volunteers do face painting with glitter.

Materials needed: Plastic storage containers, kitchen sponges, warm water, tattoos, face paints, superfine glitter, guide book of face painting, paper towels, fine paint brushes, hand mirrors.

Fortune Telling Booth

What it is: Volunteer dresses as a Gypsy Fortune Teller.

Materials needed: A VOLUNTEER! Perhaps some kind of magical looking ball, a small tent, chair, table, tarot cards, flowing curtains and scarves!!!

Ring a Lolli Pop

What it is: Traditional ring toss with lolli pops as pegs.

Materials needed: A wooden board with holes drilled into it (or pegboard), and a way to angle it. Table to set it up on. Rings and lots of lollipops. This could be a mobile game that is worn as a harness and strolled through the crowd?!?

Top Five Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Finding the right gift for Mother's Day doesn’t have to take a long time or even break the bank. Here are some unique ideas for this mother’s day. All you have to do is NOT wait until the last minute:

1. A completely different gift idea is the “message in a bottle.” For the sentimental and romantic mom, this is a fun idea. TimelessMessage.com will write your sentiments on parchment and place them in a bottle that is shipped directly to your mom. The Oprah Show calls this the “most romantic gift to give.” Many moms love this idea that harkens back to time when people threw bottles with mysterious messages inside, into the sea, hoping for a response. Starting at around $35 plus shipping, TimelessMessage.com will also help you write out your feelings or you can choose from their selection of poetry and prose for different occasions and recipients.


2. You know your mom better than we do, and some moms like wacky gifts that make them smile. If your mom is like this, take a gander at Baron Bob’s website filled with novelty gifts, all sorted for common holidays. While not all of his stuff appeals, there certainly are a lot of twists on common presents to keep things interesting.


3. In that same vein, we like the unique, more stylish choices at uncommongifts.com. Take a look at their Fruit and Vegetable Parchment Cuffs, a new take on the hot vases made of that material a few years ago.


4. Instead of a material gift, give her an “experience.” It’s amazing the kind of wild adventures there are available for sale these days. Hire a jet fighter, fly in a dirigible, take flying lessons. There’s even a place in San Francisco that gives indoor parachuting lessons, where you can give her the sensation of jumping and flying without risking his life in the process. Other ideas are rock climbing, glider rides, and race car driving. Click here to brainstorm other experience gifts.


5. If you’ve tired of photo gifts but the mom in your life still likes to fill the house with happy family pictures, consider PhotoFiddle.com. Not just an ordinary photo site, PhotoFiddle prints out your photo on canvas in a variety of styles from oil painting to watercolor. Even if you don’t buy, it’s fun to upload some favorite photos and see them rendered as if a real artist had painted them. Unfortunately, the styles don’t get too strange, so don’t expect Picasso or Matisse. You might have to settle for the Warhol treatment.

Top ways to tell if your wife is pregnant - maybe even before she does

Pregnancy is usually accompanied by a number of telltale signs. If your spouse is pregnant, these pregnancy symptoms will most likely let you know—much before a medical test confirms your happy suspicion. Read on about how to identify signs that could tell you that your spouse is going to become a mother.

• Your spouse may report increased sensitivity in her breasts. While some women experience this only around their nipples, in others, this feeling extends to the entire breasts.
  
  


• You may see a cluster of bluish veins appear around the breasts.
  
  


• The areola, or the dark circular portion around the nipples, may reveal small, lighter colored bumps.
  
  


• Your spouse's vaginal area may swell. She may also experience vaginal discharge due to the increased blood flow in this region.
  
  


• Changes in your spouse's skin may also be a pregnancy symptom. Acne, rashes, and drying or chapping of the lips is quite common during pregnancy.
  
  


• Many pregnant women also experience a dull cramping pain that is similar to what they experience before or during menstruation.
  
  


• Heartburn may be another sign that could suggest your spouse is pregnant.
  
  


• Morning sickness, characterized by nausea, is a common pregnancy symptom.
  
  


• Your spouse may become intolerant to many smells. Even smells she liked earlier may cause her nausea.
  
  


• Another sign of pregnancy is if your spouse suddenly starts complaining of increasing fatigue.
  
  


• The early stage of pregnancy may also be marked by heightened hunger pangs. At the same time, your spouse may actually develop an aversion for many foods that she relished earlier.
  
  


• Heightened emotional sensitivity is one of the other common pregnancy symptoms. Your spouse may display erratic mood changes during this phase in her life.

While these pregnancy symptoms are often reliable pointers, only a medical test will be able to confirm this.

Celebrate your toddler’s first birthday

It’s been almost a year since your baby was born. Twelve unforgettable months have gone by. This calls for a celebration.

Remember, at this point, a party is more for family, close friends, and you. You’re better off inviting fewer other kids and surrounding yourself with people who will dote on your baby, who is the star of the show. Here are a few tips to remember:

1. Charge the batteries for the videocam and digital camera. This is an event that demands a lot of photos.
   


2. Don’t forget a cake and don’t forget to take pictures of it. Kids later on love to know that mom and dad celebrate each and every one of their birthdays.
   
   


3. Keep the party relatively short, limited to about 1 ½ hours. That’s about all a baby can handle.
   
   


4. Schedule the party carefully around the nap times of your child, as well as any other little invitees.
   
   


5. If inviting other babies, keep the numbers small, ideally only 1-3.
   
   


6. Especially if you have other babies present, be relaxed and flexible. Tears, tantrums, biting, vomiting…it’s all possible at a 1 year baby free-for-all.
   
   


7. If other babies are present, keep lots of toys on the floor to keep them occupied.
   
   


8. Since you’re the dad, think of high tech or low tech “dadly” ways to commemorate the big event. Some ideas:
   
   
   
   • Take pictures or movies and make an iMovie edited documentary of the event.
     
   
   
   • Grab a coffee can, plastic box, or other container and make a time capsule including key items from the birthday, including written comments from guests. Make sure mom and dad write a special note about how you feel about your child and your wishes, predictions and dreams for him or her.
     
   
   
   • Take the time to list important developmental milestones of your baby.
   
   
   
   

Mostly, have a relaxed time. A first birthday party might be the first occasion for you where the babies are running the household. Relax and be aware that anything might happen and probably will.

Four toys worth having kids for...

So, okay, be honest... when you were little you imagined that one day you would grow up and no one would be always telling you what not to do. You would go to an amusement park all day, you would stay in the pool an extra hour, you would stay at the ball game until the end of the 9th, rather than leaving in the 8th to avoid the crowds. Some day, you would have a big slot car set and a train that ran from room to room, a remote powered boat for the pond, and maybe even a personal helicopter. And then adulthood crept in and for most of us found new people to "suggest" to us that we didn't really want these things anymore.

But now we have kids! And isn't that one of the reasons, we had them - so we could get back to all those things we've been putting off for all these years? I'm not talking about some sad "glory days" kind of living through them, but refinding the joy of life a kid has. For most of us, there is no fear that we're going to revert back to some Peter Pan state of denial of adulthood, we mostly just want to re-experience the joy of some of those things we haven't done or thought of in twenty years.

So, here's a list of toddler toys, all of which are within your adult grasp:

• Pinball machine - They aren't as expensive as you might think (some are around $1000) and if in good shape, are virtually indestructible and the solid state ones are even easily repairable. For that reason and as a pinball purist, I recommend machines from the '70s and not the later digital varieties. Multiple player games are better for families and kids. If you live in Northern California, my favorite place is Pinball Revival. Ron and Jim are great guys, the prices are reasonable, and they have a no-questions, 60 day in-home guarantee that renews with each visit. I kept the quarter slot operational so I have some control over how much the machine gets played. All the kids love it and I also get a chance to play from time to time.


• Slot car set - it's amazing how even a small set like the battery operated one I bought my three year-old daughter, can get the juices going. Rev up your engines and let it rip, just be careful around those turns.


• Remote controlled balloon - this is an amazing thing. If you have 9 foot or higher ceiling, you can pilot your balloon all around the house. And, because it's a balloon and not a plane, the chances of blinding your pet dog or tipping over a priceless vase are zero. Now you'll just need to paint Goodyear on the side and you're in business.


• Trains - Train dreams can come true. If you dreamt of one day having a room or house where trains run freely through the walls and bookcases, you now can live out the fantasy. All it takes is money, space, and the wife that almost none of us have. However, there are smaller sets of trains that are great fun. Scoff at the littlewooden trains from Brio, Imaginarium, and Thomas. While my two year-old has about a hundred word vocabulary, we've spent some good hours on the floor putting tracks together and making as long a setup as we can given his finite set of wooden pieces. The key here is to add a Thomas battery powered train. Then you can watch the train move around the track and switches you've put together. CAVEAT: there is a dissenting point of view that says you should wait until your child has a fair opportunity to enjoy pushing the trains around by himself before adding the powered element, but I'll leave that up to your best judgment. These train sets are pretty boring without power. On the other hand, my daughter thought watching a train going around on its own steam was pretty boring. When your kid leaves you alone in a room to play with their toddler toys, it's time to move on.

Mother's day gifts

Finding the right gift for mother’s day doesn’t have to take a long time or even break the bank. Here are some old and new mothers day gift ideas. All you have to do is NOT wait until the last minute:

1. A clutch of printed baby photos: If you’re like most people, you now have literally thousands of digital photos hogging disk space on your computer. What you likely don’t have are many prints of these photos. A very thoughtful and very inexpensive gift is to take 25-50 favorite photos of your bambino and get them printed out.
   
   At the cost of maybe ten bucks, you have a very thoughtful present. For a little bit more ($168), here’s a fun photo charm bracelet from Teaccups and Tadpoles that will likely have her crying if you find the best photos of you and the kids to put in it.
   
   (There’s a special offer for GreatDad users: 15% off on orders of $50 or more. Enter code GREATDAD15 in the comments box at checkout and your credit card will be refunded 15% after the sale.)


2. Photo mug: Yes, it is corny, but moms can’t resist the picture of a little baby grinning from the side of a coffee mug. You can only hope you get so lucky that someone gets one for you. And, not at all expensive – it just takes time. With this one, just make sure to order early, and get one for both grandmas (and maybe grandpas!) at the same time. We like online photo gifts. Other good options are Photoworks and Shutterfly.


3. Spa certificate: All this takes is the forethought to stop by a local spa or gym and buy a gift certificate. Of course, the catch is that you will watch the little rascals for a few hours.


4. iPod: Maybe by now, everyone in America already has one, but if your wife doesn’t, this is always a hit. She can load it up with kids’ songs to play in the car, lectures if she’s the studious type, or top 40 for the gym.


5. Her own digital camera – hottest little point and shoot.


6. A special craft project. Okay, it’s another time-intensive gift, but this one comes with plenty of time off for mom while you take the kids down to the basement to work on the special project. Here is a site with plenty of projects and stuff you can easily make with the kids for mom. We especially liked the House Keys wood, glue and paint idea.


7. Flowers – sure, it’s an old standby, but they are always appreciated. Guys never understand why and maybe that’s why moms appreciate it when we think of them; because they know it’s a big stretch for us. Whether you buy them at the grocery store on Sunday morning or order ahead from one of these online stores, they never disappoint.


8. If you have a lot of digital pictures and are always frustrated that there are never any printouts, make a picture book. If you have a Mac, it’s very simple right out of iPhoto. Photoworks and Shutterfly also help you make them as well.

Good luck and have fun!