Vacation Getaways for Kids and Dads

During vacation time, it is important that you get down to planning things together so that each family member can voice his choice of destination. A few time-tested vacation ideas or must-see places for dads and kids are suggested below. Whether it is skiing on a snow-capped mountainside that draws you or the safari, which delights your kids, you will find it all here.
So pack your bags and gift your children a vacation and a memory to stay with them all their lives!

National Park Vacations

Life in the city - daily routine, commuting to and back from work, etc. may get to you at times. If you are looking for an outlet, an outdoor family vacation is an answer to it. National Parks like Yellowstone (Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana), Yosemite (California), the Grand Canyon (Arizona), Crater Lake, Death Valley, Glacier Bay, etc. provide countless opportunities to revel in the abundance of nature. The Rocky Mountain National Park is one such destination worth considering. It provides adventure opportunities with all sorts of climbing, fly-fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, backpacking, hiking, wildlife viewing, and bird watching, all in the backdrop of breathtaking scenery.

Beach Wonders

Building sand castles on the beach with your kids may give you an insight into the fantasy world of your child and help you bond better as a dad. If you are the adventurous type, water sports at the beach with your kids is an exciting option. America is blessed with beautiful beaches which are well maintained, making them ideal family vacation spots. Clearwater Beach, Cumberland Island, East Hampton, Laguna, Little Palm Island, Naples, Newport Beach, Ofu Beach, Poipu Beach, and beaches in Hawaii are the top beaches suited for a family vacation. Whether you are attracted by pristine and calm waters, rocky beaches, sandy beaches or all types of snorkeling and diving sports, you have it all here. One of the most suitable beaches for kids is the Kauai Beach—a natural wonder in itself, it offers the opportunity to ride horses and indulge in kayaking, biking, and fishing, apart from water sports.

Cities

If you haven’t taken your kids to the famous cities of America, you haven't added value to their education. It is important that your kids learn about the seat of American politics, economic growth and strength, cultural resources and influence, academic institutions, etc., and the impact of all these on the world. The cities of maximum importance are New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, and Seattle. In addition, places like Orlando, Las Vegas, and Miami can prove to be one of the most memorable family vacations with entertainment opportunities galore for all age groups.

Smart Ways to Deal with a Dirty Diaper While Out Shopping

It is a scenario dreaded by most new dads. You are out, maybe enjoying a nice afternoon’s shopping with your baby and your baby chooses just this time to poop. You’ve been lucky up until now and you’ve either avoided the task entirely or only had to make the change in the baby nursery with all the accoutrements around you.

When the baby goes, many a dad will pause for a minute and wonder whether you couldn’t’ just ignore it for a half an hour, or the time to get home. However, pooping a diaper and wetting a diaper are two very different things. If the baby is crying due to a dirty diaper, that screaming will only get louder and more insistent. You need to take action fast. Here are some tips if you’re never been caught with a diaper emergency outside of the house.

• First of all, never leave the house for more than five minutes without carrying a spare diaper. Babies have an instinct about pooping at the worst times. If you are out and really can’t either buy diapers or get home quickly, you have no choice but to admit you’re a horrible, lousy excuse for a father and find a mom to ask for a spare. She’ll probably smile patronizingly at you and you’ll have to suck it up to get the goods. Dads also have been known to wipe the baby thoroughly with toilet paper and then wipe again with wetted tissue and stuff the baby back into her clothes minus a diaper. This is a recipe for another wet disaster, but can be used in a pinch. Better a wet baby than a dirty baby.


• Keep an extra changing pad in the car or your bag. Believe me, you do not want to set your baby out on a dirty restroom floor or risk getting poop all over another surface, like your car upholstery or carpet. Baby poop smells and is hard to clean.


• Locate a place where you can easily do what is required. Large stores often have changing stations equipped for you to do the job. Otherwise, locate a baby section or store where the staff and other shoppers are not likely to raise eyebrows if you settle yourself in their midst to change your baby’s diaper.


• If you have a stroller, use it to lay your baby in to change the diaper.


• You can also use the back seat in your car or the back of a station wagon to lay your baby down while you change the diaper.


• Carry a zip lock bag to store the dirty diaper before you can discard it.

Know the Toddler Phase

The toddler phase in a child’s life can be sharply marked by an increasing need to assert its independence. This will be a time fraught with challenges for you, as you try to support your toddlers’ impulses to explore his environment, while also safeguarding them from any harm.

If the battle to assert your authority may sometimes lead to frayed nerves or tempers on your part, be sure that you will also be rewarded by the development of a new and complex level of interaction between your child and yourself. The toddler phase can indeed be very demanding, especially at the initial stage of the phase.

Here are some ways in which you can encourage and extend your support during this difficult and yet essential and interesting phase in your child’s life:

• Let your toddlers explore within a limit: It is the parent’s task to set acceptable limits and as long as your toddlers do not cross those limits, allow complete freedom to explore. Your toddlers will learn to appreciate this and broaden their horizons through the use of their newfound curiosities.


• Honor and appreciate the choices made by your toddler as long as they do not harm anyone.


• Be calm and composed: Do not get irritated by your toddler’s tendency to refuse or rebel. This is actually a good sign to tell you that your toddler is developing a mind of his or her own.


• Do not neglect your toddler’s urge to play: Get your child various types of games appropriate for a toddler’s age. Your toddlers will learn important things in the process of enjoying the games such as eye-hand coordination, an understanding of logical sequences in events etc.

Also read this Useful article for single parents.

Trimming your baby’s nails

Even when babies are young, their nails are quite sharp. This can easily lead to babies injuring either themselves or adults who are handling them. To avoid this, it is essential that you start trimming children’s nails from the time they are still young.

Do not attempt to cut your baby’s nails with scissors or anything else that is likely to cause injury. Instead, use clippers and scissors that are especially designed for children. They have rounded tips and prevent accidental injury from taking place.

Here are a few things to remember about trimming your baby’s nails:

• The ideal time to trim young children’s nails is right after a bath when their nails are softer.


• If your baby is fidgety and refuses to sit quietly, you may need someone to distract your baby’s attention. Another option is to encourage your baby to fall asleep.


• Hold your baby’s finger (or toe) firmly in your hand and push down on the part that is under the nail, to prevent accidentally cutting it.


• Take care to avoid cutting too deep.


• Trim the nail by following the natural curve on the fingertip. (While trimming the nails on your baby’s toes you may cut them in a straight line.)


• Gently smoothen any rough or sharp edges by using emery board.


• Avoid biting your baby’s nails in an attempt to trim them. This not only prevents a clean and even cut, but may also lead to your baby contracting an infection through your saliva.

If you find that you have either injured the skin or cut too deep, so that there is bleeding, hold a sterile cotton wad or gauze over the wound and press gently. Ensure that the bleeding has stopped, before you release the pressure. Do not wrap a bandage around the wound as it may present a risk of choking.

Is it Normal for Your Baby to Suddenly Develop Shyness?

Shyness is a normal response seen in infants to an overwhelming social experience. Such children may or may not retain this behavior for life. Remember that shyness is not abnormal and is a phase of the development process. Ensure that your baby is not experiencing severe discomfort or fear in new situations.

Causes

While there is no known cause for shyness in babies, several possible explanations exist that include:

• Some researchers believe shyness may be an inherited behavior. However, at the same time, children are likely to adopt behaviors seen in their parents, biological or not.


• The temporary withdrawal seen in children is a defense mechanism that helps them to gain a sense of control over their surroundings, especially in new situations such as a party with bright lights and many people talking loudly at the same time.


• Nature provides babies with a natural wariness of strangers. Babies start recognizing faces early in life, and feel comfortable with the familiar faces of their parents.


• Some children are naturally shy, and do not enjoy being the center of attention.

Helping the shy baby

Here are some ways to help your shy baby ‘come out’:

• Children learn by example. Appear outgoing and confident when your child is watching.


• Socialize your kids with as many people as possible right from an early age in different situations.


• Use positive association methods. Do not criticize, yell, or shout if your child refuses to play with somebody. Smile when your baby agrees to be held by a trusted person you know well.


• Do not force children to do something they do not like, as it will only reinforce shy behavior.


• Make playtime fun and encourage your baby to play with other kids. Use your children's favorite toys and objects to lure them into interacting with other people.

How Can You Be Tactful with Unwanted Advice?

If you are a new dad, you may often receive unsolicited advice on how to bring up your baby. Close friends or family members may typically offer this. Casual acquaintances and even total strangers may add their bit.

While it may be well meaning, a torrent of unwanted advice can be highly annoying. Parents have the first prerogative of making choices and making decisions for their baby. Exasperated parents are not to blame if they see unwanted advice as interference in their freedom to bring up their child the way they want to.

However, it is also important that you respond to such counsel in a way that is not hurtful to the other person. These are different approaches you can adopt when faced with unsolicited advice:

• Listen before you react: Listen to and consider a suggestion offered to you before rejecting it. Chances are you may actually value it.


• Find something to agree upon: Even if the advice in its entirety is not acceptable to you, try to see if there is some part of it that you can agree upon, and acknowledge that.


• Be polite: If you know that your rejecting it will not go down well with the person offering you advice, you could thank the person for the concern and let him know you will consider it. It will keep the peace and you are not bound to put it into practice.


• Argue wisely: If you must counter unsolicited suggestions, do so logically, backing your arguments with facts.


• Be frank: If you think it necessary, do not hesitate to let the person know that you do not agree with his or her opinions.

Useful Article: Parenting Advice

Moving is the Best Exercise for Babies

We know that exercise is important for our health as adults, but did you know that the same philosophy applies to babies? It is recommended that babies should work their muscles at least half-hour each day, although not necessarily all at once. Here are basic exercises that you can do with your baby, to stretch and tone the muscles:

Stretching

With your baby on his tummy, roll a ball in his direction so he has to extend his arms to grasp the ball and then roll it back to you. Alternately, you could sit facing each other with your feet bottoms touching and roll the ball back and forth, stretching in the process.

Standing

If your baby is trying to stand, encourage him by making him want to move towards you. Make sure you do this within the safety of a crib or on well-padded baby bedding. Play with a toy to get his attention and then re-position yourself on the other side of the crib or bed to get him to come to you. You can also make the stretching motion yourself and show him what it looks like when you stand up.

Crawling

Your infant's attempts to crawl are naturally going to help him exercise his little body since he will work hard to push himself forward with his arms and legs. Motivate him to move by clapping your hands and motioning your child to come towards you. You can also use a noise-making toy to grab his attention.

Jumping

Toddlers require a more advanced activity like jumping to help practice motor skills. You can make a line on your carpet using a folded piece of construction paper and help your baby hop from one side to the other. To add to the excitement, make up rhyming tunes as you go or listen to music.

Dine Out with Your Baby

Just because you are a parent now does not mean you can't occasionally dine out without feeling guilty about leaving the baby at home. The problem is that your baby, who may not find the prospect highly exciting, could end up feeling bored or neglected.

A little forethought and planning however can ensure that eating out will be as much fun for you as for your child. Here are some valuable tips to make dining out with your baby a pleasant experience for you:

• Keep your baby busy: Carry interesting toys or games to keep your baby engrossed in playing while you are at the eatery.


• Ensure you baby is comfortable and safe: You may carry your baby’s favorite chair to the eatery so your baby feels at home. Alternately, take some time to choose a suitable place in the restaurant—far away from kitchen odors and noise.


• Be ready for food-spills: Bring in your baby’s towels, diapers, and napkins to take care of those food-spills as soon as they may occur.


• Order your baby's favorite food: Your baby needs to be equally attracted by the food on its platter, as you would be with yours.

Dine in a quiet and un-crowded eatery: Crowded restaurants will tend to make your baby restless and cranky.

• Reserve early and pre-order the food: Avoid long waits to be seated and consider ordering the baby’s food immediately after sitting down.  Most restaurants will have simple pasta and butter and steamed veggie options for babies.   Don’t hesitate to ask.

Preparing Kids for the Challenges of the First Days of School

It’s hard to imagine what goes on in a little one’s mind when he goes to the big school, but you can help him overcome some fears by talking to him before hand.

For example, many kids at pre-school and even kindergarten level, are nervous about the bathroom. Reassure your child that he can ask to go any time. Some kids have accidents at school, and he should be aware that this type of thing can happen, and does happen to a lot of kids. If you have given him strict instructions on other people touching him in the bathroom, make sure he is aware of how changes in caregiving my change that policy, for example if a teacher has to wipe him. Some kids will time their bowel movements to avoid school time. Discuss this with your doctor if it becomes and issue.

Buy clothes for your child with easy closures. No child at this point wants to have to ask their teacher to help them button their pants. Just at the moment you are trying to teach them autonomy, don’t burden them suddenly with shoelaces that need to be tied by an adult.

School is an ideal time to teach about making friends. You don’t have to be a car salesman to know the value of walking right up to someone, pointing to something you have in common (your love of sand or the color of your tennis shoes) and introducing yourself. This is not a skill that comes easily, but kids can learn these skills to, especially if you show them how it works, by introducing yourself to other moms and dads.

Lunchtime might also be stressful, if your child has never had to eat on her own. Many kids get stressed at lunchtime because they don’t have the leisure to drag it out like they do at home. Make sure your child has items that are easy to manipulate on her own rather than complicated foods that need to be reheated and might be hard to eat.

Your child may be scared of other small details that don’t worry you at all. He might think the school nurse means lots of shots. Or the school bus looks like a big scary tunnel he might get lost in and never find his way back home. Explore and discuss things like this with your child by asking him about his likes and dislikes about the school.

With a very small amount of putting yourself in their shoes, you can easily take steps to ease into the transition to school.

Basic dining etiquette for little kids to learn

Quick ! You have 25 days to get the kids in shape to make a good presentation at Christmas dinner. Like a lot of stuff in parenting, consistency and patience are by-words and yes, you can teach a toddler few new tricks. Here are the basic etiquette skills little ones should have:

• “Please,” “Thank you” and “You’re welcome” are not optional. Repeat them over, invite your kids to correct you, and you’ll find by Christmas a pleasant and polite Pavlovian response.


• Eating with fingers is for babies, with the obvious exceptions ( pizza, ribs, chicken legs for example ). Little kids can use a fork, though you may have to help load it up from time to time. Resist the temptation to feed them and they will pick up this skill, leaving you free to get them another glass of milk.


• Kids need to ask to be excused to leave the table. Teaching kids not to run around during dinner is not that easy, but you’ll make it harder if you chase them around to get them to eat.


• Salt and pepper go together. Pass them together for a polished impression.


• Even little kids can and should use napkins, keep them on their laps, and learn to use them rather than wiping their hands on their pants.

You can make it easier for the kids by eating dinner in a room without distractions like TV, and make a rule not to allow toys or books while eating the family meal together.

Good luck and Bon appetit!

Teach by Setting Examples

If you are looking for a great way to make sure your children are off to a healthy start, don't overlook the importance of a nutritious breakfast.

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), when children are consistent about eating breakfast each day, they tend to consume more calories than those that don't, but they are less likely to be overweight. Furthermore, not eating breakfast may predispose them to diets that fall short of providing enough calcium and fiber.

Another key component for fathers is what behaviors they are modeling. Children are quick to learn by watching others, so it's important that fathers consider what type of example they are setting through their own eating and activity level.

According to the ADA, research shows that when mothers pressure their young daughters to eat more healthy foods, the children tend to do the opposite. They report that the most effective way to get them to eat more fruits and vegetables is to lead by example.

Children who see their parents frequently eat healthy food are more likely to do so themselves. Being overweight can cause a host of problems, creating difficulties in every area, from finding clothing that fits well to avoiding the school playground.

For young children, it's especially troubling because they don't yet have the ability to prepare their own foods or be much of an active participant in deciding what they will eat and how active their family will be.

Parents shouldn't make their child's weight a constant worry, but they should take it into consideration and check up on it with their family doctor.


Read more about Fatherhood

Eating Unnatural or Inedible Substances - Harmful for your Child or not

Pica is an eating disorder relating to the consumption of non-nutritive substances. It’s common for children to put all sorts of things, from clay and dirt, to crayons, in their mouths. Usually, all it takes is a basic amount of parental supervision and instruction to keep the growing child from consuming unsuitable substances.
 
However, sometimes children develop an abnormal appetite for things such as dirt, paper, sand, rust, hair, baking soda, glue, wood-chips, and even cigarette butts. This pattern of compulsively eating non-food substances is known as pica. 25 to 30 percent of infants are diagnosed with pica disorders.
 
If you observe your child growing at a normal developmental pace, chances are that pica is just another habit for your child rather than a full blown disorder, but you should still be on the lookout for what your child is eating.
 
Whereas pica has no specific causes to which it can be attributed, it may be linked to any of the following:

• Developmental deficiencies


• Malnutrition


• Parental neglect


• Mental health disorders like autism


• Cultural habits

Lead poisoning and iron-deficiency anemia in children can result from pica disorders.
 
Preventions

• Keep infants under supervision when they are playing at beaches or in their favorite sandbox.


• Teach your children the difference between acceptable and non-acceptable foods.


• Keep household chemicals, drugs, and medications out of their reach.


• Give your children an organic based nutrition diet.


• Look out for signs of nervousness or boredom in your child.


• Check for nutritional deficits in your child’s body with your pediatrician.

A doctor can play an important role in handling pica.

• A pediatrician can diagnose zinc deficiency and other symptoms in your child.


• A doctor can administer behavioral therapy in case of pica disorders to help wean the child off harmful substances.

Useful Article: Child Development

Diagnosing Asthma in Babies

Babies are susceptible to respiratory infections and may commonly be seen coughing or wheezing. However, mostly these symptoms are related to colds, or infections of the upper respiratory tract. However, coughing or wheezing may also indicate asthma.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a respiratory condition in which the tubes that transfer air in and out of the lungs become sensitive and inflamed. Upon contact with a trigger, the muscles around the walls of these tubes tighten further, making it difficult for the person to breathe. Since these airways are small in babies, even a small degree of inflammation or contraction is sufficient to give rise to symptoms of asthma.

You should consult the pediatrician if your baby:

• Wheezes on more than one occasion.


• Has continuous bouts of coughing that get aggravated at night.


• Displays an unusual form of breathing.


• Suffers breathing problems in response to a cold, or allergens such as dust or smoke.

Here are some facts related to asthma in babies:

• An isolated episode of wheezing is no reason to suspect asthma. If wheezing is recurrent, the pediatrician may prescribe tests to check for asthma.


• Most kids who wheeze as infants outgrow it and do not have asthma when they get older. Less than a third of babies who regularly wheeze during the first three years of their lives, continue to do so as they grow older.


• Asthma if uncontrolled can, over time, seriously damage babies' lungs. To avoid this, the pediatrician may prescribe asthma medications to babies who have symptoms of asthma, even if the diagnosis is not confirmed.

Tips for Dealing with Bad Breath in Toddlers

Bad breath (halitosis) in toddlers tends to surprise parents as it is generally thought to occur only in grown-ups. Leftover food particles could cause breath odor in a healthy child. Food particles can be stuck between the teeth, at the gum line, on the tongue, or on the surface of the tonsils. The resulting bacterial build-up will react with saliva and cause bad breath.

Here are some causes of bad breath in toddlers:

• Tartar build-up


• Tooth infections


• Pacifier use


• Dehydration


• Pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx)


• Tonsillitis (inflammation of tonsils)

There is no need for parents to worry of course! Regular dental hygiene can easily take care of the problem.Here are some common solutions to help you deal with your toddlers’ bad breath:

• Make sure your toddlers are getting adequate fluid intake. This will take care of dehydration, if any exists.


• Make sure your toddlers are brushing correctly. If not, teach them the correct techniques.


• Use a timer for brushing time to make sure your toddlers brush for the correct length of time.


• Talk with your dentist and get your toddlers a routine check up.


• Make sure the pacifiers that your toddlers may be using are regularly sterilized.

Of course, bad breath in some instances can simply be caused by recently consumed foods or beverages such as garlic or onions or spicy foods like pepperoni.

There are other serious cases, however, where your children’s breath may smell toxic. In these circumstances, immediately check if your toddlers have consumed any chemical or medicine accidentally kept within reach.

Helping Your Kids and Family to Cut Down on Sugar and Sweets

Face it: the United States runs on sugar. This is not a good thing. A recent study in the International journal of Pediatric Obesity says that nearly half of American kids will be overweight by 2010. The current number is one-third. Here are some tips for cutting down on the sugar in your house.

1. Eliminate sodas. This means you too! This one change is like moving from a Hummer to a Prius, and will save you both calories and dollars. There really is very little good for you in a soda, and despite the “thirst-quenching” advertising message, sodas do a poor job of hydrating little active bodies.


2. Don’t be an all or nothing dictator. Kids need to learn that all things, including maybe even soda once in a blue moon, are okay in moderation. Completely eliminating everything “bad” might have the effect of making your kids lust after them even more.


3. Avoid processed foods and watch ingredients. The more you make on your own, or sweeten on your own terms, the better off you’ll be. Pre-sweetened anything isn’t really a time-saver anyway since adding sugar takes only a second. Also, check labels for sugar in places you don’t think it would be like. E.g. pizzas, bagels, and especially low-fat products which use sweetness to cover for the low fat content.


4. Allow your kids to make choices. Kids are amazingly wise if you let them decide between two things rather than giving in to both. They also understand that some things are better for them.


5. Big bowls mean big servings. Try serving ice cream in a little cup next time.


6. Look carefully into marketing messages. Not everything you read tells the true story. “Light” might be just in relationship to the “ultra-heavy” option.


7. Watch out for the “naturally sweet”. This is just sugar by another name.

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.

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.