Appletree Day Care, Inc

ChildCareOwner

Summertime Safety for Babies

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Every new parent enters their first summer season with a certain amount of reservation.  With so many things to be wary of, combined with the natural anxiety of being a new parent, it can be challenging to be confident about one’s capabilities.  As any parent will tell you, a certain amount of trial-and-error will come into play.  On the other hand, a little bit of common sense will go a long way too.

While it is natural to want to keep your babies skin covered, parents must be careful not to overdress the little one.  Yes, it is a good idea to keep baby’s skin protected from the sun.  Just be sure that your baby is not overdressed.  Try to use clothing that is made from light cotton or linen, and always be sure to cover the wee one’s head with a great, big hat.

It is next-to-impossible to avoid the sun completely during the summer months.  Many parents opt to keep their children out of the sun, as opposed to using sunscreen and letting them roam free.  This is a very thoughtful approach, but not always practical.  Be sure to use a high-quality sunscreen, with an SPF rating no lower than 30, when you are in the sun with the baby.  Moreover, don’t forget that the little one will need sunscreen when in the pool, too!

Insects are another consideration, especially those pesky mosquitoes!  In the past, they were more of an annoyance than a health concern, but in recent times there are some valid concerns regarding West Nile Virus.  Aside from the standard mosquito prevention techniques advised by the public health authorities, there are a few alternatives available.  Many parents do not feel comfortable applying DEET to a baby’s skin.  DEET is an extremely poisonous and toxic chemical designed for the military, not for babies.  Try using scented oil such as tea tree oil or rosemary.  These are safe, natural alternatives.  If you are going to be spending time in the wilderness, make sure baby is wearing light clothing that leaves very little skin exposed.

If your little one is old enough to ride a tricycle, be sure that you have a good quality helmet for him or her to wear.  Every year, hundreds of children are rushed to the hospital for easily avoidable injuries.  Play it safe, and make sure your child always wears a helmet when playing with any moving toy with wheels.  For smaller children that are just learning to walk, why not consider using a baby harness?  This way, you can let your child run free without having to worry about scrapes and bruises!

Have a great summer, and play safe.

Tips to Help Your Child Get More Exercise

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Was parenting easier forty years ago?

As a mom in the new millennium, I dream about the idea of parenting in a world where streets are safe, and parents can let their children run freely through the neighborhood, their bodies naturally challenged with the exercise of play.

Instead today, before the slam of the car door fades and the backpack drops on the floor, the TV is switched on and the last few hours of daylight disappear in a haze of video games and over processed snack foods.

Even the concerned, well-meaning parent can often stand helpless, wonder how to compete against marketing genius and instant gratification.  Exercise and carrot sticks have a hard time competing with Xboxes, SpongeBob and potato chips.

The proof is all around us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health of too many North Americans is in danger because of unhealthy lifestyles. (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity)

The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older – over 60 million people – are obese.  The CDC reports the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.

My kids are not obese – why should I be concerned?

Your kids are normal, right?  You are parenting just fine.  However, in a world where walking is limited, school P.E. programs are being cut, and cars, elevators, and buses eliminate our chance to exercise naturally, we need to make a concerted effort to make physical activity part of our day and our children’s days.

Despite all the benefits of being physically active, most Americans are sedentary. (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm). Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. (https://www.goredforwomen.org/know-your-risk/factors-that-increase-your-risk-for-heart-disease/children-physical-activity/)

So as parents how can we get our kids moving?

“The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.”

The great news is exercise comes in many forms and can be much fun!  With a little creativity, you can easily add some fun physical activity into your parenting style.

  1. Lead the way

You need to set a good example. Kids, especially younger children, naturally follow their parents.  So make sure you are looking after your health and making physical activity a priority in your life.

  1. Do it together

In today’s overscheduled world, we need to make sure we are spending quality time with our children.  What better way than to be active together.  Since kids cannot be alone roaming the neighborhood, parents need to play with them.

  1. Make it fun

Put on some music and dance.  Play tag. Rollerblade. Just play.  Provide them with toys and equipment that encourage them to be active while having fun.

Bikes, scooters, hockey sticks and baseball bats will get your kids moving and active.  For preschool children, ride on toys that get them exercising like pedal cars, big wheels, and tricycles are always great choices.

  1. Cheer them on

Create positive reinforcements with encouragement and support.  Help them find sports and activities that build their self-esteem.  Attend their sporting events and let them know you are their biggest fan whether they win or lose.

  1. Turn it off

Of course, we need to limit the time our kids watch TV and play video games.  However, make sure you do it in a positive way.   If they are angry that you just turned off their favorite show, they might not be too excited about going out rollerblading with you.

Allow screen time during designated hours, preferably after homework is done and when physical activity is finished, like in the evening or on Saturday morning when tired parents might need to catch a few extra minutes of sleep.

Adding more physical activity into your family’s routine will help you all feel better and get you having more fun together.  Most importantly, as you model a healthy lifestyle, you will help instill in your children lifelong habits and healthy attitudes toward exercise and physical activity.

 

Copyright: Child Care Owner

10 Commandments of Parenting

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Here are the wisest commandments ever commended to parents:

  1. Thou shalt be consistent. Do as you say you will. Children know where they stand when you are consistent, follow through and mean what you say.
  2. Thou shalt expect children to contribute (without being paid). Expect children to help at home but don’t expect them to do so graciously all the time. Here is a question to ask yourself from time to time: What do your children do that someone else relies?
  3. Thou shalt encourage regularly and persistently. Remember that encouragement and praise will get children a lot further than criticism and punishment so be your child’s best encourager rather than his fiercest critic. Encouragement helps a child link his or her self-esteem to the process, rather than the results of what they do.
  4. Thou shalt put responsibility where it belongs. Treat children and young people as you want them to be. If you want responsible, capable children then treat them as if they are responsible.  The best way to develop responsibility is to give it to children.
  5. Thou know that children and young people only see one side of any issue. Thou shalt take everything they say with a large grain of salt. Not that children and young people lie, but they have been known to exaggerate or see facts only from their side.
  6. Thou shalt show love and affection to your children. Thou shalt say you love each of your children at least once a day. Knowing they are loveable is the basis of self-worth, regardless of their age.
  7. Thou shalt catch children and young people behaving well. Pay attention to your children’s positive behavior more than their negative behavior. What you focus on expands so if you focus on the positive behavior that is what you generally get.  Give descriptive feedback so that your children know what they did well. E.g. “That was great the way you two worked out the TV-watching problem without arguing.  You both compromised a little which is smart.”
  8. Thou shalt develop independence in children from the earliest possible age. Never regularly do for a child the things he or she can do for him or herself. Remember, your job is to make yourself redundant.
  9. Thou shalt set limits and boundaries for children and expect that they will push against them. Children and young people need limits and boundaries as they make them feel secure.
  10. Thou shalt keep a sense of humor when dealing with children. This will help you keep things in perspective. It may seem improbable some days but they will soon grow up and be out of your hair and be a living, breathing reflection of YOU.

The 11th (and most important) commandment:  Thou shalt be a good role model for your children. Show rather than tell children and young people how you want them to communicate, to behave and to live.  Children learn what they live and, as parents, your actions speak louder than your words.

Enjoy!

 

Michael Grose’s 10 Commandments for Parenting

10 Reasons to Read to Your Child

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We all know that learning to read is important, but as parents what do we do to facilitate this milestone?

Reading to your child has many benefits one of which is simply having time to snuggle together.

Here are ten reasons to read to your child.

  1. When you read to your child, he/she will learn that reading is important to you; therefore, reading will become important to him/her.
  2. The more your child hears sounds, the better he/she will process these sounds into words.  When a child is preschool/kindergarten age, the listening word starts to become the written word.
  3. Reading has a calming effect on a restless or fussy baby.  Who does not want an easy way to calm a fussy baby?
  4. Reading is a wonderful before bed routine. Studies have shown that a child will thrive in an atmosphere in which routines are present.
  5. Reading will help to develop your child’s imagination.  Have you ever gotten lost in a good book? Your child can do the same while you are reading to him/her.
  6. Reading will foster your child’s ability to listen and pay attention.  With all the problems we here about concerning limited attention spans, this is a great way to avoid that.
  7. Reading to a young child will teach him/her the correct way to hold a book and turn the pages.
  8. Reading to your child will develop in him/her the desire to become a reader.
  9. Teachers will thank you.
  10. When a child is read a personalized story book, he/she will be able to recognize his/her name in print at an early age.

Isn’t it exciting to think that you can have such an effect on your child’s ability to read just by reading to him/her? You have the power to develop a life-long joy of reading and learning in your child.

WOW! Just read.

Copyright: Child Care Owner

A Guide to Choosing the Right Toy for Your Child’s Age

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Choosing the right toy for your child’s age is not just a matter of selecting a toy that will engage, entertain and educate them, it is also a matter of safety.  If you have browsed the aisles of any toy store lately, you probably know that selecting the right toy can be a difficult undertaking.  Not only do you want a toy that you can rest assured will provide no danger to your child, but you also want to select a toy that will help your child develop their full potential.

Research indicates that children provided with age-appropriate toys that are stimulating will help children to develop more fully their physical, cognitive and creative abilities.  By learning which toys are right for your child’s age, you can help them to stimulate the connections in their brains that are responsible for building your child’s future intelligence.

Keep in mind that it is never too early to begin this all-important process. Even the youngest babies can begin responding to bright colors, helping their vision to develop more quickly.

 

Children under Six Months:

  • Mobiles in bright colors will stimulate vision
  • Activity centers to encourage reaching for motor control development
  • Mirrors designed with baby safety in mind to encourage your child to explore faces
  • Rattlers and tethers that will introduce baby to new textures.
  • Board books-even at this young age reading to your baby will help them with beginning language development

 

 

 

 

6 to 12 Months

During this period, it is important to begin focusing on interactive play with your child. This includes introducing the concept of cause and effect as well working on eye-hand coordination. Simple games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake” are fun ways to help your baby discover the wonders of their new world. Also, look for these types of toys to further stimulate your child’s development and learning:

  • Toys that are musical and make sounds
  • Baby gyms and activity courses to stimulate crawling
  • Bouncers to stimulate physical activity
  • Play telephones to encourage communication through mimicking
  • Soft dolls and stuffed animals for kids who love to cuddle
  • Wooden and soft blocks for stacking, filling and dumping games

 

12-18 Months

Around the time, your child turns one he or she may begin to walk or experiment with taking those first steps. Toys at this age should focus on supporting your child’s curiosity in exploration while further developing fine motor coordination.

  • Swing sets and safety trikes encourage physical activity and development
  • Building blocks for eye-hand coordination
  • Nesting cups and shape sorters to improve eye-hand coordination as well as problem-solving skills
  • Storybooks/picture books for language and vocabulary development
  • Toddler appropriate videos and music

 

 

 

 

18-24 Months

By the time they are a 1 ½ years old most children begin to use their imagination in play. This typically takes on the form of make-believe; however, in reality, this type of play is helping them to develop problem-solving strategies. Look for toys that support this important time of development by expanding their exposure to shapes, colors, and the ability to follow instructions and language. The important key to remember at this age is that kids are truly learning with hands-on play.

  • Costumes and dress-up to stimulate imagination
  • Push and pull toys that support both children that are beginning to walk as well as advanced walkers
  • Puzzles easy to manipulate with a small number of pieces
  • Playhouses and other scaled down objects that your child sees every day will give them the opportunity to mimic the world around them.
  • Swing sets to develop physical skills

 

24-36 Months

At age, two children begin to focus on fine motor coordination, even though they do not realize it, of course. By this age, kids can begin working with board games suitable for their age as well as craft type projects and toys. Most children this age are also ready to begin playing with other kids, so you may also wish to look for games and toys that are more structured in nature those previous toys.

  • Simple board games and puzzles to encourage further eye-hand coordination and memory development.
  • Outdoor equipment such as swing sets, riding vehicles and tricycles to build physical skills
  • Beginner musical instruments
  • Playhouses
  • Sandboxes
  • Train sets
  • Dolls
  • Cars/trucks
  • Costumes/dress-up
  • Art sets
  • Storybooks for language development and vocabulary building
  • Videos and music, especially those that expose kids to numbers and the alphabet

By keeping in mind which toys are age-appropriate, you will be in a better position to help support the lightning-fast development of your child’s brain and step up their learning and development.