Ideas, Tips, and Articles of Interest


Parenting

What is Being a Parent Like
Playing & Learning & Growing

Ideas and Tips

Homemade Baby Wipes
Recipes for play-doh, etc
Playtime Tips of the Week
New recipes!
Healthy Times Tips
Parenting Tips 2008

Links to Helpful Information

Smart Steps to Safe Passengers
Child Care Checklist for Parents
Home Safety-A Checklist for Parents
Toilet Training
Toy Safety Shopping Tips
Separation Anxiety
Temper Tantrums
Mercury Poisoning

What is Being a Parent Like

Parenting is a 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year job. A parent's concern for their child never ends, even when they're grown and have children of their own. But hopefully, as a child grows from infant, to toddler, to pre-schooler, to school age, to adolescent, and young adult, the work and responsibility which the parents take on to care for the child, will gradually be assumed by the child herself. If a child grows up to be an independent, self-supporting, happy person, then we consider her parents to be successful. It sounds simple- but it's not. How do parents and children arrive at this "happy ending"?

The foundations for raising a well adjusted child are laid in infancy, and the early years are crucial. A baby comes into the world totally dependent on her parents to meet her every need. The pattern and bond established between the parents and baby as they care for her, allows the baby to feel secure, loved and confident. These feelings in turn give her the "courage" to explore her world and experience it as a positive place.

Teaching discipline is perhaps the greatest challenge that parents face. Discipline can be defined as letting children know what you expect and value and guiding them accordingly. The goals of discipline are to teach values, promote harmony, and teach appropriate behavior and self-discipline. Children may misbehave out of anger, feelings of inadequacy, and to gain attention.

Positive discipline will teach children to develop self control, respect others and express emotions appropriately, and will help them develop self-esteem, become self-reliant and develop orderliness. Positive disipline entails listening to the child, understanding their needs, setting limits, and rewarding desired behavior. Positive discipline has the effect of promoting independence and responsibility. All children need limits and these change according to the developmental level of the child. Limits should be defined clearly, stated positively, and enforced consistently. All parents know that this last is the most difficult.

Parenting is a joyful, challenging,and rewarding job. Help, support and resources are available.

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Playing & Learning & Growing

The importance of playgroups is often under rated. "Why can't the kids stay home and play with their own toys?" one might ask. The Keweenaw Family Resource Center strives to help parents understand the importance of play and socialization to children from birth to three years old.

The ages from birth to three years old encompasses the time in our children's lives where the fastest and most phenomenal brain growth and development happen. In fact, during this critical time period, much of the stage is set in the child's brain which determines how he/she will learn and grow emotionally and intellectually for the rest of our lives. The most important way children learn in through play, free exploration, and socialization.

With this in mind, KFRC is committed to providing opportunities for parents and children to interact with each other in a comfortable, non-judgemental and developmentally appropriate environment convenient to their homes or work.

During playgroup, children are busy with:

  1. Free Play Time, where children can choose to play with any toys they like
  2. Circle time, where the children are encouraged to sit in a group circle and sign songs and do finger plays
  3. Exploration time, when children learn new things by free creation-finger painting, coloring, drawing
  4. Snack time, when children sit at the table with the other children and have a healthy snack
  5. Clean up time, wehre both the children and their parents are required to participate. The snack is put away, the toys put where they belong, and the exploration area is tidied up.

Playgroups are structured to allow children to explore and play at their own pace. Parents are required to interact with their children at all times, especially duirng snack time, exploration time and during clean up.

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Homemade Baby Wipes

These baby wipes are excellent as well as economical. They have no alcohol in them to irritate your baby's skin and they save you money. To make them you need:
1 roll of strong paper towels
1 Tablespoon baby lotion
1 Tablespoon liquid baby soap
1 3/4 cup hot water
Rubbermaid 1.7 qt container or something similar in size
Cut paper towel roll in half using serrated knife. Mix the lotion and soap together in a separate container, and add water. Stir. Take the cardboard roll out of the middle, and place papertowels in container, cut side down. Pour mixture over towels, pull first wipe out from the MIDDLE of the roll, not the sides.

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Recipes for Play-doh, etc


Kool-Aid Play-doh

Ingredients

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix the liquids and pour them over the dry ingredients. Stir the mixture until it forms a ball. As the mixture cools, it will become less sticky. After it has cooled, take it out of the bowl and knead it to the right consistency. Please note that this play-doh smells good and many children might try to eat it. It is not toxic if they do so.

Cooked Play-Doh

Ingredients

Mix the flour and alum together. In a seperate bowl mix salt, oil and water. Add 1 cup a the flour mixture at a time to this bowl, mixing well. Add more flour if needed. Knead until a good consistency. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Bakeable Salt Clay

Ingredients


Mix ingredients together and knead well until it forms a soft ball. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and make any shapes you want using cookie cutters, etc. out of the dough. Bake at 300 degrees until hard (about 1 hour.) You can paint your product before cooking with food coloring or paint afterward. A finishing coat of clear Acrylic will make it last longer.

Bubbles


Combine 1 c. water, 1/3 c. dish soap and 2 Tbs. light corn syrup and enjoy!

Finger Paint

Ingredients

Mix ingredients in sauce pan and boil until mixture thickens. Allow to cool, then pour into a storage container. Best used on glossy paper.

Silly Putty

Ingredients

Combine all ingredients in bowl. If putty is too sticky, add more starch. Store in covered containers and use smocks during use.

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Playtime in the Park Tips of the Week

(For more information on any of these topics, please contact us at 482-9363)

Identifying Feelings

  • Kids can learn that when they get angry or upset, they have the choice to calm down
  • Discuss daily emotions with your children. Children who have feelings identified and discussed are more likely to recognize and cope with these emotions.
  • Begin working with your young child on how to safely and appropriately express anger
  • Work with your child on solving the problems that trigger anger

    • Parenting Pitfalls

  • Overuse of "No" and "Don't"
  • Hassle over minor issues
  • Criticism

    • Summer Safety

  • Never leave a child unattended near the water
  • Protect children from sun exposure with an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen.
  • Make sure your child wears a helmet while riding bicycles, scooters, rollerblading or skateboarding
  • Babies and small children benefit from wearing a cap, sunbonnets, or hats while in the sun
  • Babies less than 6 months old should be kept out of direct sunlight
  • Children ages 2-12 need 4 to 8 glasses of water for proper hydration. Summer heat and exercise increase that need

    • Dealing with Sleep Issues

  • A consistent bedtime ritual substantially decreases hassles at bedtime
  • The purpose of a bedtime ritual is twofold. First it eases the transition from wakefulness to sleep and, in many cases, being alone. Second, it signals to your child "time to go to sleep", or "it's ok to go back to sleep"
  • The ritual should be long enough to ease the transition, not to get the child to sleep
  • Keep it simple

    • The Fussy Eater

  • Serve small: meals with snacks in-between goes down better than three big meals a day
  • Routine: keep mealtimes regular and familiar
  • Don't bribe: bribes tend to backfire over time
  • Full tummies: don't let them fill up on fluids like juice, etc before a meal
  • Let them help: Kids eat up if they can serve themselves or help make it
  • Find a subsitute: if they hate vegetables, offer them fruit
  • Don't ignore: problems that interfere with eating such as teething, sore throat, blocked nose
  • Try again: Keep offering new foods even if kids reject them at first. They need to see them at least five times before they look familiar
  • Why hurry them? Allow them to take their time
  • Set the example and follow it

    • Toilet Training

  • Involve your child in the preparations for potty training
  • Start potty training your child when she is ready, not when you are

    • Raising Readers

  • Babies love hearing your voice. Talk to your baby often.
  • Play simple talking and touching games with your baby. Ask, "where's your nose?" then touch her nose
  • Share books with your baby
  • Talk with your child as you read together. Point out pictures, ask questions.
  • Let your child see you read

    • Sibling Rivalry

  • If children feel ignored they need to be taught that there are positive ways to ask for attention
  • You can improve the "goodness of fit" between your children by understanding their individual temperaments and how they interact together
  • Help your older child adjust to a new baby by noticing, commenting on, and encouraging positive interaction.

    • Sharing

  • Reduce the battles over sharing toys by teaching your preschooler problem solving skills.
  • Keep in mind that developmentally, children are capable of learning to share when they are about three years old
  • Encourage turn-taking in your home by helping your cildren learn how to wait patiently
  • If you want good behavior from your children-look for it.

    Problem Solving

  • Children will learn to solve their social conflicts more easily if adults facilitate the process
  • You can motivate your children to use their problem solving skills by giving praise and offering rewards
  • Offer several ways for a child to handle a specific situation
  • Encourage children to think of consequences

    • Playtime

  • Get in the habit of taking 5-7 minutes at various times throughout the day to sit down and play a quick game with your baby
  • Redirect the excess energy young children have by steering it into some creative kitchen play when going outside is not an option
  • Providing safe, active indoor play for your young child will help him eat, sleep and feel better during inclement weather

    • Establishing Routines

  • Toddlers and preschoolers crave routines. It helps them to anticipate what is next, create a sense of predictability and safety.
  • Planning ahead helps family members know what is going to happen next, so they can increase their confidence and level of cooperation.
  • The younger the child, the more important routines are as the focus of learning. Establishing routines in the following five areas will be helpful-- hellos and goodbyes, diapering and toileting, eating and mealtimes, sleeping and naptime, getting dressed

    • Tantrums

  • Acknowledge children's feelings
  • Help children notice that feelings change
  • Distinguish between feelings and actions
  • Offer children several ways to calm themselves down
  • Teach tools to resolve situations that are hard for children

    • New Recipes

    Color your bath!

    Combine 1 cup epsom or kosher sale with 1 cup baking soda and 3-4 drops of food coloring and mix well. Keep mixing until the powder is very fine. At bathtime, pour a handful of mixture into the running water, stir to dissolve salts. Have a colorful bath!


    Make Your Own Bubble Bath

    Pour 1/2 cup baby shapoo with 3/4 cup water and mix well. Add 1/2 tsp salt and stir until thickened. Store in a plastic bottle. Add a squirt to your next bath!


    TubTime Crayons

    Mix 1/4 cup warm water with a few drops of food coloring and 1 cup grated Ivory soap. Stir mixure until it begins to stiffen. Knead until mixture is the consistency of very thick dough. Spoon crayon mixture into plastic cookie cutters. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pop the crayons out of the cookie cutters and allow them to dry overnight or until hard.


    Ice Cream in a Bag from Kids Domain Crafts

    Fill a large ziploc bag half full of ice and add 6 Tbs of rock salt to the bag. Seal the bag

    In a small ziploc bag, add 1/2 milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and 1 Tbs sugar, and seal i

    Place the small bag inside the large one and again seal carefully

    Shake until the mixture is ice cream - abot 5 minutes

    Healthy Times Tips

    Childhood Illness

    When to Call the Doctor

    Having trouble getting your child to wash their hands? Try this song: (Sung to Row Row Row your Boat)


    Lead Poisoning

    Is Your Child Safe from Lead Poisoning

    Children with lead poisoning usually do not look or act sick. The only way to know if you child has lead poisoning is by getting a blood test.


    Secondhand Smoke

    Children can be exposed to secondhand smoke in many places. Even if there are no smokers in your home, your children may still be exposed. Secondhand smoke can cause many health problems including ear infections and upper respiratory infections.

    Secondhand Smoke and your Family

    Nutrition and your Child

    Happy encounters with food at any age set the stage for sensible eating habits throughout life. Good nutrition is not only essential for general health, it also plays a key role in the development and protection of good oral health.

    Giving your Baby the Very Best Nutrition (Birth-5 months)
    Helping your Baby Grow (6-11 Months)
    Helping your Toddler Learn about Food (1-2 Years)
    Teaching your Child about Food (3-4 Years)

    Poison Prevention

    Poison Prevention Tips to Keep our Kids Safe

    Children's Dental Health

    Colgate World of Care

    Immunizations

    For the current schedule of recommended vaccinations click here

    Raising a Fit Child

    KidsHealth.org is a great website full of information. Check it out here

    Sleep

    Sleep is vital to maintaining good health and mental and emotional well-being. The amount of sleep needed each night varies from person to person. Newborns typically need 10.5 to 18 hours of sleep. Infants ages 2-12 months typically need 14-15 hours. Toddlers age 1-3 need 12-14 hours and preschoolers 3-5 years typically need 11-13 hours.

    For more information click on Sleep Education.com

    Playtime in the Park Tips of the Week 2008

    (For more information on any of these topics, please contact us at 482-9363)

    The Fussy Baby - or the whys of cries

  • Temperament usually plays a big role in how much a baby cries

    • If you're a first-time parent (or even a fourth-time parent) you might wonder exactly why a young infant who is fed and dry still cries? When healthy babies are between the ages of birth to three months, they vary quite a bit in how much crying they do. More even-tempered infants may not do much crying at all -- maybe just when they are hungry or really wet. More spirited babies might raise the roof at the first hunger pang. Much depends on in-born temperametn.

    To sooth fussy babies try

  • Swaddling the baby snugly
  • Holding the stomach or side down
  • Swinging or jiggling baby gently
  • Allowing baby to suck
  • Making "sshhh-sshhh" sounds, loud and slow like Mom's heartbeat.


    • Playtime!

  • Get in the habit of taking 5-7 minutes at various times throughout the day to sit down and play a quick game with your baby.

    • Much has been written about the value of play in early childhood. Perhaps at no age is it more important than during the first two years of life. Play is how an infant and toddler explore and learn about the world. The stimulation she gets from exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and caregivers contribute heavily to brain development. The more time you take to play with your baby, the more he will learn, develop and grow.

  • Redirect the excess energy young children have by steering it into some creative play.
  • Providing safe, active indoor play for your child will help him eat, sleep and feel better during inclement weather.


    • Imagination and Children

    A good way to ecourage pretend play is simply to start doing it yourself --pick up a stuffed animal and begin to "feed it," saying, "Oh, he loves cereal." It is especially important for us to join in and encourage imaginary play if children haven't started on their own by age 2 or 2.5. With toddlers you can make "vvrroom vvrrooom" noises as you move a toy car across the floor or pretend to be an animal. With preschoolers, invite them to continue their stories. Ask them what happens next. This information is adapted from parenting press. For more information visit www.parentingpress.com


    The Fussy Eater

    Here are some ideas to entice the fussy eater

  • Serve small: meals with snakcs in-between may be easier than three big meals
  • Keep a routine
  • Don't bribe
  • Don't fill them up on fluids just before a meal
  • Let them help serve themselves to help make part of dinner
  • Find a substitute- if they hate vegetables offer fruit
  • Don't ignore problems that interfere with eating such as teething or a sore throat
  • Keep trying
  • Allow kids to take their time eating


    When not to negotiate with your child

  • Do not use negotiation when your child is tired
  • Do not negotiate when your child is hungry
  • A child's safety should never be compromised.
  • Negotiation is counter-productive when your child is ill or hypersensitive to sensation




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    Much of this information has been adapted from Parenting Press