Easy Ways To Be A Better Dad

In today’s fast-paced world providing for your family and at the same time being a dad is no easy task. But with a little extra help and some sound advice, you can become a better dad. Here are some tips from our readers who suggest that there can be no replacement for love and spending quality time with your kids. So be a friend and role model to your kids but always let them know who the boss is.

“Make it a point to know your children's friends, what they like about that person, etc. Refrain from any criticisms, but if you are uncomfortable about your child's association with a particular child or their family, try to see if your concerns are truly justified - if so, take the time to express those concerns to your child (if appropriate) and listen carefully to your child's feedback.”
-M, Sullivan, NH

“Have an open line of communications with your children. Take time every day to talk to them about their day, their schoolwork and their concerns.”
-Buddy, Jefferson, ME

“To be a better dad, listen to them. Really listen and take in what they are saying and feeling. Nodding your head and saying yes rolls right off them.”
-Steve, Midlothian, VA

“Stay involved in your child's personal life!”
-S, Madison, WI

“I think it's important to treat your children as individuals, and to give them what they need without shorting yourself.”
-Kayce, Knoxville, TN

“Don't forget, they are the kids and you are the parent.”
-Jay, Chicago

“Don't be afraid of being the parent. You don't have to be their best buddy all the time but you do have to be the parent.”
-C, Cartersville, GA

“Do what's best for your kids, even if you think it's makes you the bad guy.”
-Tim, Chico, CA

“Take an active role in your child’s education.”
-Robin, Hodgenville, KY

“Do lots of different projects, games, crafts, baking, play dates with your children to create memories.”
-M, Vancouver, WA

“Listen to your kids. Don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy every moment. Time flies!”
-Kaycee, Tallahassee

“Be their friend and NEVER betray your child's trust.”
-Ramzi, West Hollywood

Complications - Some Pregnancy Problems without Symptoms

Some Pregnancy Problems without Symptoms Some health problems your spouse may have during pregnancy do not have warning signs. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, one of these is Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection. GBS is a common infection that rarely makes adults sick. The bacterium lives in the gastrointestinal system, along with many other harmless bacteria.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, between 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women carry GBS in their vagina and rectums. But, if GBS is passed to the baby during delivery, it can cause serious health problems in the newborn, such as pneumonia, blood infection, or infection of the tissues around the brain.

Because there are no symptoms of GBS, she will be tested at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. The simple test involves swabbing the vagina and rectum for a sample of cells that are sent to a lab to look for GBS. If she is infected, she will be treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor and delivery to make sure the baby is protected.

Another problem is anemia, or having below-normal levels of iron in the blood. Iron is needed for hemoglobin (a protein in blood that helps take oxygen to body tissues for energy and growth) for your spouse and your baby. Iron also helps build bones and teeth. Most women do not have any symptoms of anemia. For those who do, extreme fatigue is often the only sign. Your doctor will check for signs of anemia using routine blood tests during different stages of the pregnancy. If your spouse has anemia, she will be given iron supplements.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, you can help her prevent anemia by getting her to eat lots of iron-rich foods like lean red meat, potatoes with skins, raisins, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, whole-grain breads and iron-fortified cereals.

What Can Dads Learn from Kids

Here are some funny sayings dads can learn from kids:


1. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Rugrat underwear and a superman cape.

2. It is strong enough, however, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 by 20 foot room.

3. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "Uh-oh," it's already too late.

4. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

5. A six year old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36 year old man says they can only do it in the movies.

6. If you use a waterbed as home plate while wearing baseball shoes it does not leak - it explodes.

7. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq foot house 4 inches deep.

8. LEGOS will pass through the digestive tract of a four year old.

9. Super glue is forever.

10. McGyver can teach us many things we don't want to know.

11. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.

12. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

13. VCR's do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

14. Always look in the oven before you turn it on.

15. The fire department in Wayne City has at least a 5 minute response time.

16. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earth worms dizzy.

17. It will however make cats dizzy.

18. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

Birthing positions

At this point in her pregnancy, your spouse should give a thought to the birthing position that she would prefer for her delivery. Each position has its advantages and disadvantages. Your spouse can opt for the one with which she would be most comfortable.

Listed below are child-birth positions that any would-be mother should consider before delivery:

Lithotomy

* Involves the mother lying on back with her legs elevated using stirrups.
* Earlier considered the most ideal position for birthing.
* Allows the doctor to deal with any complications.

Semi-sitting

* Involves a semi-sitting position with the spine curved and legs drawn up.
* Makes use of gravity to facilitate the delivery.
* Makes it difficult sometimes for the baby to descend under the pubic bone.

Side-lying

* Reduces the need for an epistiomy—a surgical incision made in the perineum to enlarge the vagina and facilitate delivery.
* Reduces pressure of the uterus on major blood vessels and the perineum.
* Is more relaxing for the mother.
* Helps prevent back ache.
* Is ideal for mothers suffering from high blood pressure.
* Helps to slow down a rapid birth.

Squatting

* Naturally helps to open the pelvis
* Allows the baby to rotate into a position conducive for birth
* Can become tiring or uncomfortable for the mother if the delivery exceeds the normal time period.
* May require some practice to get used to.
* May make it difficult for the doctor to support the perineum.

Hands and knees

* Reduces strain on the perineum.
* Allows free movement into other positions such as semi-sitting and side-lying.
* Helps to slow down a rapid birth.

Tips to Help Pets and Toddlers Get Along with Each Other

There is one thing in common between pets and toddlers in your household – both of them crave your love and attention, and both of them require your utmost care. If a pet has been staying in the household much before an toddler has come to stay there, the pet may feel threatened and even jealous of the attention given to the new toddler. It may tend to attack the toddler when unattended.

In another case, household pets may mistake a toddler for a game or an intruder and attack them accidentally. Sometimes, household pets are unable to gauge the strength and limits of a toddler and may unknowingly hurt the toddler while playing with it.

Here are some tips to ensure your toddler and your household pet live in harmony:

* Do not neglect your pet – pay the pet as much (or almost) attention as you did before the toddler arrived

* Let the pet know that the toddler is its friend and not a rival – you may introduce the pet to the toddler and familiarize them in a friendly way

* Train the pet to get accustomed to the toddler’s ways by playing tapes of toddlers crying and other means so that the pet is not frightened when the toddler cries in reality

* Do not leave your toddler unattended with a pet around – the pet may unknowingly (or knowingly, if not properly trained) hurt the toddler or indulge in things that may not be good for the toddlers welfare

* Keep the pet hygienically clean so that the chances of the toddler contracting diseases from it remain minimal

The dangers of unwashed hands

You never know where your children have been and what they have been up to till you see their hands. Toddlers tend to collect germs on their hands from a variety of sources - contaminated surfaces, foods, even animals and animal waste. If they don't wash their hands frequently enough, there is a strong chance they may get infected themselves and spread these germs to others.

Here are some of the infectious diseases commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact:

* The common cold
* Flu
* Numerous gastrointestinal disorders, including infectious diarrhea

Teaching toddlers good hand-washing skills is a vital part of their grooming. Moreover, it teaches them to take care of their bodies.

Follow these steps to help maintain good hygiene in your family:

* STEP 1: Be a role model. Wash your hands and your toddlers’ hands at the same time. Make sure they see you washing your hands after going to the bathroom or when you come in from outside. This may improve your health as well.

* STEP 2: Talk about it. Toddlers often don’t follow what’s good and what’s bad. So say things like, "Look at all this dirt on my hands. I should wash that off."

* STEP 3: Make observations. Show your children how other people wash their hands. For example, doctors wash their hands before touching your child during a checkup. Point this out the next time your toddler gets a checkup.

* STEP 4: Turn hand-washing into a routine. Wash your hands before every meal and do it everyday. The act of washing up is bound to become second nature to your children.

* STEP 5: Make it easy for your children to reach the sink. Place a stool near a low sink for your toddlers.

* STEP 6: Let them play. Play nurtures learning. Allow your children to pretend-wash their toys and figurines at the sink.

It is also helpful to buy special cool soaps made for kids to encourage hand washing. Teach your children about the difference between hot and cold water and how to operate the faucets when required.

Tips to Help Pets and Toddlers Get Along with Each Other

There is one thing in common between pets and toddlers in your household – both of them crave your love and attention, and both of them require your utmost care. If a pet has been staying in the household much before an toddler has come to stay there, the pet may feel threatened and even jealous of the attention given to the new toddler. It may tend to attack the toddler when unattended.

In another case, household pets may mistake a toddler for a game or an intruder and attack them accidentally. Sometimes, household pets are unable to gauge the strength and limits of a toddler and may unknowingly hurt the toddler while playing with it.

Here are some tips to ensure your toddler and your household pet live in harmony:

• Do not neglect your pet – pay the pet as much (or almost) attention as you did before the toddler arrived


• Let the pet know that the toddler is its friend and not a rival – you may introduce the pet to the toddler and familiarize them in a friendly way


• Train the pet to get accustomed to the toddler’s ways by playing tapes of toddlers crying and other means so that the pet is not frightened when the toddler cries in reality


• Do not leave your toddler unattended with a pet around – the pet may unknowingly (or knowingly, if not properly trained) hurt the toddler or indulge in things that may not be good for the toddlers welfare


• Keep the pet hygienically clean so that the chances of the toddler contracting diseases from it remain minimal

Child Hygiene Tips - Unwashed Hands Hazards

You never know where your children have been and what they have been up to till you see their hands. Toddlers tend to collect germs on their hands from a variety of sources - contaminated surfaces, foods, even animals and animal waste. If they don't wash their hands frequently enough, there is a strong chance they may get infected themselves and spread these germs to others.

Here are some of the infectious diseases commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact:

• The common cold
• Flu
• Numerous gastrointestinal disorders, including infectious diarrhea

Teaching toddlers good hand-washing skills is a vital part of their grooming. Moreover, it teaches them to take care of their bodies.

Follow these steps to help maintain good hygiene in your family:

• STEP 1: Be a role model. Wash your hands and your toddlers’ hands at the same time. Make sure they see you washing your hands after going to the bathroom or when you come in from outside. This may improve your health as well.


• STEP 2: Talk about it. Toddlers often don’t follow what’s good and what’s bad. So say things like, "Look at all this dirt on my hands. I should wash that off."
• STEP 3: Make observations. Show your children how other people wash their hands. For example, doctors wash their hands before touching your child during a checkup. Point this out the next time your toddler gets a checkup.


• STEP 4: Turn hand-washing into a routine. Wash your hands before every meal and do it everyday. The act of washing up is bound to become second nature to your children.


• STEP 5: Make it easy for your children to reach the sink. Place a stool near a low sink for your toddlers.


• STEP 6: Let them play. Play nurtures learning. Allow your children to pretend-wash their toys and figurines at the sink.

It is also helpful to buy special cool soaps made for kids to encourage hand washing. Teach your children about the difference between hot and cold water and how to operate the faucets when required.

Helping your Child Make the Transition from Crib to Bed

Around this age, your toddler would be big enough to outgrow the crib. This is an indication that it is time for a toddler bed. However, the transition from a crib to a toddler bed may not be very easy and smooth for the toddler.

Here are some tips to ensure your toddler has a smooth transition from a crib to a bed:

* Ensure that the bed is very comfortable and inviting.
* Let the toddler decide on the most suitable bed.
* Keep things that attract the toddler near the bed.
* Accustom your toddler to the new bed by keeping it in front of the toddler for some time prior to actually using it.
* Impress upon the toddler that moving out of the crib is the most wonderful thing to look forward to.
* Ensure that all the things your toddler enjoys doing, are done in the toddler bed itself.
* Place the toddler bed in the same position in your house as the crib was.
* Show your appreciation of the new toddler bed.

Some Don’ts

* If your toddler is just not ready to move to a bed, do not force a transition; forcing your toddler to move out of a crib may develop hatred for a bed altogether.
* Do not make the prospect of moving to a toddler bed a boring or mechanical affair for the toddler. Instead, try to instill excitement in the toddler about the prospect of moving out of the crib.

Accurately calculate medicine dosages

Most parents face the ongoing problem of accurately calculating toddler medicine dosages and fear the risk of giving their toddlers the wrong dosage. While giving infant medication, the dosage specifications marked on the label are in ml’s (milliliters) or cc’s (cubic centimeters). A doctor’s prescription may define toddler medicine dosages in teaspoon measures. If you didn’t follow the metric system in high school, you have some learning to do.

Administrating the exact dosage of medicine to your toddlers is very important. Giving less than required will not benefit the toddler and delivering an extra dosage of medicine can be detrimental to his health. Various devices are available in the market to help measure toddler medicine dosages accurately.

For kids less than 2 years old, always check with your doctor. You’ll notice that all over the counter medicines do NOT give dosages for this age group, specifically because the children vary widely in size and weight, and are not all ready for the medications.

Here is a list of what is available in the market:

• The Spoon Dropper: This is a plastic dropper that has easy to read calibrations of half teaspoon, one-fourth teaspoon and so on and also in milliliters to help ensure an accurate dosage of medicine to toddlers every time. They come with a tiny cleaner brush to clean the dropper.


• Tablet Crusher: This helps crush the tablet into powder and has a built in storage container to avoid spilling and wastage.


• Tablet Cutters: This device cuts the pill uniformly with a stainless steel blade and has a two-compartment pill storage area. It also has a ‘locking bar’ to provide safety.


• Syringe Dropper: It looks like a syringe, and has markings in ml (milliliters) for easy and accurate dispensing. It’s easy to fit into a baby or toddler mouth and squeeze out the right dosage of medicine for the toddler without spilling. On the plus side, some kids think it’s fun.

Points to remember:

• Doctors generally prescribe medications after taking the child’s age and weight into consideration.


• Dosages will change as the kid grows.


• Reading labels and following prescriptions accurately will go a long way in ensuring good health for your toddler.