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As parents, one of the primary goals we have for our children is for them growing up to be responsible, healthy, productive members of society. Do children automatically acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be responsible, highly functioning members of society? You guessed it, no. They learn from those around them and they must PRACTICE these skills. It is a PROCESS that requires time, effort and most of all, patience.

As I mentioned, a child must LEARN and then PRACTICE responsible behavior. He will test, challenge and make mistakes. I believe we should alter our mindset and attitudes towards “discipline.” Let us instead begin to view it as “guidance.” I prefer this term because, in my opinion, it most accurately describes what we are doing with our children. Ultimately, we are guiding our children to get what they need in a responsible way.

It is important to understand that ALL behaviors (both in children and adults) meet a need for that person. For example, when a baby cries, it is telling us that it needs something; food, comfort, etc. Children are not born with the capabilities to responsibly fulfill their needs. Therefore, our expectations of our children must shift and change with the growth and development of our child. We must make sure that the expectations we have of our child are age and developmentally appropriate. For example, it would not be an appropriate expectation of a two year old to sit perfectly quiet and still for an hour or more while Mom and Dad eat dinner at a restaurant. As you might imagine, the dining experience may not be all that you had hoped for.

Our goal then is to help our children meet their needs responsibly in the most effective way possible. How do we go about doing this? First, we must prepare. We must prepare the environment (home or elsewhere), routines, communication, ourselves, everything, to the best of our ability. This is not to say that you must adhere to a rigid schedule and be inflexible. We are all humans and adaptability is an important skill for us to have and for our children to learn. On the other hand, a lack of preparedness can create unnecessary problems and struggles between you and your child. Prepare to the best of your ability and no matter what situation arises, you will then be able to handle it in stride.

Remembering that guiding our children to meet their needs responsibly is a process, struggles are probably going to arise. We can prepare but it takes more than that to guide our children effectively. As parents, we must become keen observers. We must try to predict what our child may do. For example, if your child is in a situation that is unraveling and you can see that a problem is going to arise (biting, kicking, screaming, not wanting to leave, etc.), calmly move in to redirect and prevent to the best of your ability. When we intervene before a problem has occurred, it can usually be diffused. (It is usually not effective to try and reason with a child who is screaming, crying and otherwise upset.) Redirect your child’s attention to something else, help the child communicate his need (“I see that you want that toy. Let’s ask Johnny if we can have a turn.”) And be a presence that models responsible ways to meet needs. Offering your child choices is also a wonderful way to empower him to start making his own decisions.

What happens when I have prepared and redirected, but that did not work? Ask yourself, “Is my child hungry, tired, over stimulated?” It is very important to try and understand why a particular behavior may be occurring. This gives you insight as to what your child may really need. It is also important that your child’s feelings are validated. You might say something like, “I know that you are angry, but it is not OK to hit your friend.” Once you have determined what your child needs, you can then decide on the best course of action based on the situation.

Make sure that you are calm, collected and ready to handle the situation. Get down on your child’s level. Do not talk over or down to your child. Ask your child what he wants or needs. How you approach your child will depend on his ability to communicate. You may have to ask yes or no questions, make gestures, point to objects or use sign language. It can be effective to ask your child to take a deep breath and/or use his words (if age appropriate). Using short phrases and simple language can help make the process more successful. As the situation becomes manageable and is diffused, you can move on.

What if my child is crying and screaming and there is no way to communicate with him? It is not usually effective to talk over a screaming child and try to reason with him. If he must be removed from the situation, let him know that you are going to do so. Pick him up calmly and quickly and remove him from the situation. It can be effective to have a place (a pillow, a blanket, etc), especially at home, that you can move your child to when he is behaving in such a manner. As you place the child there, validate his feelings and let him know that you will speak with him when he is ready and then move away (“I see that you are mad. I am ready to talk when you are done crying.”) When your child is finished and has calmed down, you can then speak with him to discuss what happened and how he could handle it differently next time. Again, use short phrases and communicate on a level that your child is able to understand. Depending on your child's ability to communicate, you may have to ask questions and/or "talk him through it" to be able to better understand him. If you are not at home, remove your child from the situation and when your child has calmed down, you can communicate with him about what happened. Generally, a few sentences will do. It can be counterproductive to hold a lengthy conversation on why your child behaved a certain way. As a child gets older and is capable of more, situations like this usually become infrequent.

Parenting is the toughest but most important job we have. Each child is different, even within individual families. Therefore, it is important to remember that the temperament of your child plays a role in how he behaves and what expectations you have of him. To find out more about your child’s temperament, visit http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/temp2.htm This site also discusses the nine temperament traits. Also visit http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/temp3.htm to find out how to parent more effectively based on your child’s temperament. You can also visit http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/temp4.htm to find out how to best cope with your child’s personality.

Communication is essential to positive and loving parent/child relationships. I have mentioned some tools in this article. Please visit http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/parenting/communication.shtml for some additional communication tips.

Some of the keys to effective guidance include: preparedness, redirection, offering choices to your child, awareness of why behaviors may be occurring, understanding your child’s temperament and development and how it relates to his behavior, effective communication skills and the knowledge that although struggles may occur, you are molding a confident, healthy, happy, responsible child!

Sources:

Julie Buck, BS, AMS, and NAMC. Julie Buck is a Family Consultant, Labor Doula, Post Partum Doula and Signing Smart: Infant Sign Language Instructor. She hosts Parent Education classes at various Denver Metro area locations. Please visit her website at www.denverfamilyconsulting.com to find out more about her services and classes.

You might wonder how important it really is to get into a consistent routine of cleaning your baby’s teeth since they are going to fall out anyway. But there are several reasons that now is the time to begin a healthy dental routine that your child will come to rely on for the rest of their life:

• Baby teeth serve as placeholders for permanent teeth and the premature loss of these baby teeth can result in permanent teeth shifting and orthodontic problems for your child.
• Your child needs teeth in order to speak clearly and be understood.
• Children may loose self-confidence if they having decaying, rotten teeth or bad breath.
• Without healthy teeth, biting and chewing becomes more sensitive and difficult for your child.
• It is much easier to establish a healthy dental hygiene routine before your little one realizes there was ever a different option.

If you are ready to jump right in and start cleaning your baby’s gums, you can do this without any toothpaste, using a piece of gauze, wet cloth or infant toothbrush to gently rub over your baby’s gums. Once that first tooth erupts, you can purchase children’s toothpaste, which does not contain fluoride – chances are more toothpaste will end up being eaten or swallowed than will make it onto their teeth. (For more information, see Dr. Caroline's Scoop on Fluoride.) Be gentle and try to get into a twice a day routine, being especially diligent about brushing their teeth after their last nursing session or bottle to prevent bacteria and plague from decaying their teeth during the night.

If your child insists on wanting a drink after you’ve brushed their teeth, try giving them water instead of milk or juice. “Baby Bottle Mouth” is a real issue that has developed in a large number of infants and young children because of milk or juice being given to them at night. These liquids can pool in your baby’s mouth and cause tooth decay.

Once you’ve established a regular routine, you might begin to wonder when you should take your little one in for a dental exam. The AAP suggests that you do this by age 3, relying on your pediatrician to do periodic examinations of your child’s mouth to identify any issues. The American Dental Association recommends that you bring in your baby sometime between 6 to 12 months of age, citing that about 40% of children have tooth decay by the age of 5. You’ll need to assess whether you feel your child is ready for the experience, since you’ll want to try and make it a happy one that they won’t fear in the future.

Chances are it won’t be long before your child will be insisting upon their favorite cartoon character’s toothbrush and toothpaste, and you’ll be arguing over when you get a turn to brush their teeth. Happy brushing!

Sources:

Elbirt, P.M. (2006). 7 Tips on baby tooth care. Retrieved from the AmericanBaby Web site: www.americanbaby.com.

Showen, N. (2006). How to care for your baby's gums and emerging teeth. Retrieved from the BabyCenter Web site: www.babycenter.com.

The New Parents Guide. (2006). Is My Baby Teething?. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from The New Parents Guide Web site: www.thenewparentsguide.com.

Whether you have a 4 month old or a 2 year old, chances are you are dealing with various teeth on the verge of erupting in your babies sensitive little mouth. Typically the first teeth present themselves somewhere between 4 to 7 months and they should have their final set of molars by age 3. So you only have about 2 and half years of wondering whether their irritability, excessive drool or loss of appetite is due to teething!

Fortunately there is some order to the emergence of their teeth, which you can use as a guideline for when to suspect this is what you are dealing with. Children get twenty primary teeth in their first couple of years and keep them until about age six when they become loose and fall out to be replaced by thirty-two permanent adult teeth. The primary usually follow the pattern in the chart below, although this does vary by child.

How can you tell your baby is teething?

You are probably well aware that drooling is a side effect of teething, but might be curious to know what other symptoms might signal that a new pearly white is about ready to emerge. As you suspected irritability is another major one, which can disrupt your babies eating and sleep patterns as well. It is not uncommon for several teeth to emerge at almost the same time, making for a very sensitive mouth and a not so happy child because of it. Additional side effects of all that drooling are coughing from the extra saliva in their mouth and a chin rash from their skin coming in constant contact with saliva. Your fingers have probably already been subject to the intense biting and gnawing from your little one trying to stick anything and everything in their mouths to relieve some of the pressure in their gums. They may also begin rubbing their cheeks or pulling on their ears once those back molars begin to appear since it is not uncommon for this pain to travel to these areas. Lastly, while there isn’t a consensus on whether teething can cause diarrhea, a low-grade fever and cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose, many moms will tell you that their child presented with these symptoms while teething.

How can you help?

With years of teething trauma ahead you might ask what you can do to make these times as tolerable as possible for you and your baby. There are really two types of relief, those that your baby can chew on and pain medicines.

Lets start with the different types of items to give your baby to chew on. Of course there are the standard teething rings, which come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. For very young babies though, cold (not necessarily frozen, just chilled in the refrigerator) washcloths or teething blankets may be easiest for them to keep hold off and actually get in their mouths. If your baby is on solid foods try chilling/freezing pieces of fruit such as peaches, bagels and apples for them to gnaw on. Then of course just making your own fingers available to apply some pressure on their gums will often be easiest and most effective pain reliever.

If you’ve tried all of the above and you still feel that you need something else to relieve the pain you can ask your pediatrician if they recommend giving some Infant Tylenol, Baby Orajel or other teething pain medicines which can provide some relief.

How difficult teething will be for your child is hard to say, but as long as you can recognize that this may be why they aren’t feeling so well and do what you can to make them feel better it will go a long way in keeping you both in tune to each others needs.

Sources:

Lyons, G.B. and Goss, L. (2005). Teething Tots. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from the KidsHealth Web site: http://www.kidshealth.org.

The New Parents Guide. (2006). Is My Baby Teething?. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from The New Parents Guide Web site: www.thenewparentsguide.com.

While you may barely even think about brushing your own teeth it has become such an ingrained habit, brushing your toddlers can cause you to want to pull your hair out or just give up. Before you do that be sure to try a few of the tricks below:

Proper Equipment

Think you just need a brush and some toothpaste, well yes, but which ones might make the difference.

• Toothbrush – let your child pick out their favorite toothbrush at the store, and then get two so she’ll have one to hold and you’ll have one to use
• Toothpaste – If under age 3 have your child select which non-fluoride character toothpaste they’d like. Children over 3 who have learned to spit out extra toothpaste can use a child’s toothpaste with fluoride.
• Electric toothbrush – Consider purchasing one of the many children’s electric toothbrushes in the store. Your child will probably be so thrilled with using it you’ll have a hard time getting them to put it away.

Set the Stage

At some time other than when you are trying desperately to get your child’s teeth brushed and out the door, try setting the stage with a bit of background support.

• Favorite Stuffed Animals – Enlist the help of their favorite stuffed animal and practice brushing their teeth and showing how much they enjoy it.
• Read a book – Often reading about an activity such as teeth brushing, potty training, and the birth of a sibling helps a child adjust to the uncomfortable situation. Try getting a book like “Brush Your Teeth Please” by Leslie McGuire, Reader's Digest Editors, Jean Pidgeon (Illustrator), Jean Pidgeon (Illustrator).

Provide Motivation

It helps a whole lot if your child wants to brush their teeth, foster this by doing the following:

• Model Good Behavior – Let your child watch you as you brush your teeth and talk to them about why it is so important.
• Set up a Reward System – It is truly amazing how a couple of sheets of stickers and a hand-drawn reward chart can be absolutely inspirational to a little one. Let them pick out the stickers and then let them put one on the chart each time they successfully let you brush their teeth.
• Let your child brush their teeth – While you will most definitely need to “get in there” and brush your child’s teeth, talk to them about taking turns and let them first have a turn brushing and then it becomes your turn.

Location, Location, Location

While certainly the bathroom sink comes to mind immediately when one thinks of teeth brushing, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the only location in the house it can happen.

• Consider the bathtub – The benefit to this location is twofold, your child will be happily playing with their bath toys and may barely notice your in their mouth brushing and all that drool that comes out will nicely be washed away in the tub.
• While playing – If your little one really enjoys playing with their miniature kitchen or playing with their legos, this may be the best opportunity you’ll have to get in a good brushing while they are distracted.

Make it fun

Lets face it, getting silly with a toddler often is the only way to get them to do many things they really don’t want to

• Tickle their teeth – Play a game where you tell them you are going to tickle their teeth with the toothbrush and watch them giggle as you try.
• Paint their teeth – Offer to pretend paint their teeth a whole range of colors, perhaps through in a bit of pretend sparkle so they’ll come out looking extra special.
• Sing a song – Create your own tooth-brushing jingle that you use to promote your child to want to join in on the fun.

Sources:

EHow.com (September 2007). How to Trick a Toddler Into Brushing Their Teeth. Pulled from the eHow web-site on September 9, 2007, www.eHow.com .

Babycenter.com (September 2007). How can we get our toddler to let us brush his teeth? Pulled from the Babycenter.com web-site on September 9, 2007, www.babycenter.com .

No parent wishes to start his or her child off in life with a weight problem. We all wish our children to grow up healthy and strong with the tools necessary to reach all of their goals. However, sadly about one third of our nation’s children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. There are several factors, usually in combination with puts your child at risk for becoming overweight.

• Diet – eating fast foods, sugary drinks and baked goods to fill your child up are low in nutritional value and high in calories.
• Inactivity – It is important that your child get physical activity every day. Watching lots of television or playing video games do not provide them with the exercise they need.
• Genetics – Take a close look at yourself and your spouse. Do you struggle with weight; chances are your child will as well unless you are proactive.
• Psychological factors – Some kids overeat because they are bored or are stressed from some situation
• Family / Social factors – Don’t blame your child for liking sweet, salty and fatty foods, they taste good, but it is your responsibility to manage their diet.

While it seems pretty straightforward to give advice to eat healthy and exercise, implementation is not always as simple.

• Focus on the outer edges of a grocery store where all of the fruits, vegetables, fresh meats, fish, cheeses, milk and bread are located. Avoid all of the packaged goods in the middle of the store.
• Get rid of juices and sweetened drinks from your home, you don’t need them. Just stock milk and water and you’ll avoid all the battles for more juiiiiice!
• Put colorful foods on your table: green and yellow veggies, multi-colored fruits, whole-grains and just avoid white bread, rice, pasta and all other things with minimum nutritional value. If you don’t have it in the house your child will eat what you offer.
• Sit down as a family for meals. If you set a good example of eating your own vegetables and healthy dinner and make it fun for your child, they will most likely follow your lead.
• Don’t eat in front of a TV – you will tend to eat faster and more.

• It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that children under 2 should watch no TV and children over 2 should watch less than 2 hours a day. Following these guidelines is a great start to increasing your child’s physical activity level.
• Focus on the activity and not the exercise. You don’t need to label a walk around the block, playing hide and seek or running on the playground as exercise and yet they all are. Just get your kids out there and moving and they’ll naturally become physical.
• Kids want to do what their parents do. So if you go jogging, play tennis, soccer, go skiing, swimming or whatever else your child will see how much fun you are having and want to do it as well. Set a good example.
• Do chores as a family, most of them involve physical activity. Need to shovel snow, give your child a small shovel to help. Need to take down X-mas lights, let them help you. Weed a garden, sweep the porch or whatever it is chances are your child would love to be involved.
• Be creative and try different activities and sports to see what your child likes and doesn’t like to do. There are such a wide variety of physical activities out there; you are bound to find several that fit your family’s lifestyle.

Perhaps the most important thing of all is to remain committed as a family to establishing a healthy lifestyle. With parents who care what they eat and what they do, kids are bound to get off to a great start.

Sources:

Mayoclinic.com (December 2007). Childhood Obesity. Pulled from the mayoclinic.com web-site on December 23, 2007, www.mayoclinic.com.

If your primary goal in the past has been to keep your child happily occupied outside the kitchen while you attempt to pull together a healthy meal, you might just be surprised by how much fun bringing them in can be for the both of you. To ensure that neither one of you ends up in a temper tantrum over spilt milk, it is best to plan ahead and get a little organized before you tie on the aprons.

• Select the meal – Now is not the time to pick a complicated lengthy meal, which will most certainly bore your child. Select something fairly simple that can be prepared quickly – avoid meals with lots of chopping since your child will want to help and won’t be able to (or do the chopping ahead of time). If your child is old enough let them select between a couple of meal choices, they’ll feel empowered that they picked what you are going to eat for dinner.
• Shop Together – When on your shopping trip for the ingredients talk to them about the items you need to buy to prepare the meal. You can let them look at or hold the different ingredients before putting them in the cart. This would also be a great time to let them choose which vegetable to have with the meal and point out and name the different vegetables available.
• Pick the right day – Since you will need to allow extra time to prepare the meal, it is wise to pick a day when you are relaxed and won’t be on a tight time schedule. You want this to be enjoyable for you both and not a battle to get things moving.
• Think about kid friendly tasks – Depending on the age of your child there are a wide variety of ways that they can be helpful while also contributing to the meal preparation.
• The under 2 crowd – Try setting up your child with their own set of measuring cups, spoons, plastic bowls and other safe kitchen implements. Help them pour the measured ingredients into the bowl or pot. Let them take a turn at mixing the ingredients. Have them turn a timer on. Give them a sponge or broom to help clean-up.
• 2 through preschool – Let them scoop ingredients into measuring cups. Try letting them use a mixer with your help or crack an egg (you can always fish out any shell that gets in). Let them sprinkle cheese or other items that need to be spread over the dish such as tomatoes, olives, etc. Ask them to hand you the ingredients you have laid out such as flour, sugar, eggs, vegetables, etc. Let them wipe down counters and rinse plastic dishes.
• Safety First – Be sure to instruct your child on what is safe to touch and what isn’t such as whirring beaters, hot pans, stovetops and ovens. Talk about what tasks they can do and which you must do, such as slicing fruit and vegetables or grating cheese. Set some rules, such as washing their hands before beginning and the need to help clean up the mess at the end.
• Have fun – View the meal preparation as a fun activity for your child similar to setting up for painting or playdoh. Expect there to be a mess and don’t worry about it while preparing the meal. Most dishes won’t be hurt by a little too much or too little of an item so don’t sweat the details. The more you can let your child “help”, the greater the chances are they’ll stay interested.
• Eat as a family – Sit down together as a family and enjoy what you’ve created. This is a great way to spend quality time together and you might just get your picky eater to expand their palate with something they had a hand in creating.

Children as young as nine months old enjoy playing with pretend kitchens and six month olds love wooden spoons, plastic bowls and measuring cups so it is not too early to begin cooking with your kids. Set appropriate expectations depending on the age of your child and enjoy the moment knowing you are spending quality time with your child while also accomplishing a necessary daily task.

Sources:

Kidshealth.org (October 2007). Cooking with Kids. Pulled from the kidshealth.org web-site on October 1, 2007, www.kidshealth.org .

Prior to six months of age your baby happily existed entirely on breast milk or formula, but now you have noticed that they are eagerly eyeing your toast in the morning or banana at lunch and it is probably time to introduce them to solids. While you might have thought about making your own baby food before, now that it is time to spring into action you find yourself wondering exactly how to do this. Follow these helpful tips to make your baby’s transition from a liquid diet to one that includes solids a smooth one.

Preparing Fruits

Making your own fruit purees is easy and fun; just remember to peel the fruits prior to eight months of age.

• Apricot Puree (6-8mos) – ½ lb dried apricots, 1 cup grape or apple juice (can substitute water), boil and simmer for 15 minutes, take out fruit and puree in blender adding liquid from when you boiled, add cereal if you want to thicken, freeze to store
• Applesauce (6mos) – Peel, core and cut apple into slices, place in pan with enough water to cover apples, boil/steam until tender, mash until achieving a smooth texture, add reserve water from boiling to loosen puree or cereal to thicken
• Avocado (6mos) – Peel, take out pit of ripe avocado (do not cook), cut meat and mash with fork
• Bananas (6mos) - Peel ripe bananas, either place in blender to puree or mash with fork, heating in microwave prior to mashing for extra softness
• Blueberries (8-10mos) – ½ pint of blueberries, 4 cups of water, bring water to boil and add blueberries and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft, with slotted spoon transfer blueberries to blender to puree – add reserved water or cereal as needed
• Melon (8-10mos) – ¼ cup sliced, soft, seedless melon, rind removed, puree or mash with fork
• Mango (6-8mos) – Peel, de-seed and mash mango until smooth. For a creamy consistency add yogurt/water/juice until proper consistency
• Pears (6mos) – Peel and cut into chunks, steam gently until tender, place in blender and puree – add cereal if need to thicken
• Plums (6-8mos) – Peel, pit and cut into chunks, steam until tender in a little water, puree, you may need to add in another fruit since plums tend to be tart
• Peaches (6-8mos) – Halve the fruit and place open side down in pan filled with 1 inch of water, bake at 400 until soft and tender, peel skin from fruit, puree, add reserve water or cereal as needed.

Preparing Vegetables

Preparing your own fresh vegetables will increase the flavor and hopefully teach you little one to love them. Baking or steaming veggies is the preferred method for optimal nutrient retention and safety.

• Asparagus (8-10mos) – Cut off lower tough portion of asparagus, steam asparagus until very tender in steamer basket, puree and add liquid until the right consistency. Note may cause gassiness and bloating
• Green Beans (6mos) – If fresh, snap ends off the beans and wash, place in steamer basket with just enough water to show through basket, steam until very tender, use reserve water to thin out beans while pureeing
• Broccoli (8-10mos) – Wash broccoli, chop and use only florets for a smoother puree, steam until tender, puree and add water as necessary
• Carrots (6-8mos) – Peel carrots and cut into small chunks, steam in steamer basket, steam until tender, puree and add water as necessary (do not use water from steamer as it contains nitrates)
• Eggplant (8-10mos) – Wash and peel eggplant, cut into 1 inch pieces and steam until tender and mushy or slice eggplant in quarters and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until tender then puree, add water or cereal as necessary
• Peas (6-8mos) – With fresh peas, open pods and scrape out peas, place into a steamer basket and steam until very tender, use reserve water if needed while pureeing. You may wish to push the peas through a sieve to get rid of any remaining skins
• Potato (8-10mos) – Peel and cut into small chunks and place in pan with just enough water to slightly cover potato, boil until tender, puree adding reserve water as necessary or add formula or breast milk to make creamy
• Squash (6mos) – Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, place in an inch of water in a baking pan, place squash halves face down, bake at 400 for 40 minutes, scoop out meat and puree adding water as necessary
• Sweet Potato (6mos) – Wash and poke holes in sweet potato with fork, then wrap sweet potatoes in tin foil, place in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, scoop out meat and puree adding water as necessary
• Spinach (10mos) – Thoroughly cleanse fresh spinach, steam in pot with steamer basket, leaves will shrink and wilt when done, drain and puree spinach in blender, add fresh water as needed. Nitrate risk! Do not serve spinach to an infant under 10 months old, spinach puree must be eaten immediately

Other Useful Tips

• Raw fruits – most pediatric sources recommend you cook fruits for babies under 8 months of age
• Fresh, frozen or canned – Fresh is best, followed by frozen and then canned
• Frozen veggies or fruits – You can use frozen veggies or fruit to make baby food and then refreeze them in baby food form, be sure to cook them
• Organic or not – Organic foods are healthier due to a lack of chemicals and pesticides that are in and on the foods

Sources:

Wholesomebabyfood.com (February 2008). Baby Food Recipes. Pulled from the Wholesomebabyfood.com web-site on February 27, 2008, www.Wholesomebabyfood.com .

A new Denver business, Sticky Fingers Cooking, is dedicated to helping parents overcome the hurdles to cooking with their children. Started by local moms Angie Mielke, Christine Mackstaller and Samantha Sturhahn, Sticky Fingers offers Parent-Tot cooking classes in which kids prepare actual entrees, adventurously taste fresh ingredients, learn about healthy eating, have fun making a mess, and feel proud of a dinner they’ve made to share with their families. Sticky Fingers curriculum was developed by Dr. Angie Mielke, whose PhD in Psychology and focus on childhood obesity, self-esteem development, and parent-child feeding styles gives her a unique perspective on the power that positive experiences with food can have on children. In creating the curriculum for Sticky Fingers Cooking, Angie injected a healthy dose of opportunity for creativity, imagination and self-expression by young chefs.

Sticky Fingers’ Parent-tot classes also aim to help parents by allowing them to build the skills and repertoire of recipes they need to “try this at home”, not to mention providing a night free of dirty pots to clean! Sticky Fingers’ tips help parents gain the confidence to relax and have fun, even if that means bucking conventional wisdom. For example, while pressuring children to eat healthy foods may seem like a necessary part of good parenting, research shows it can actually be counter-productive, causing children to focus on emotional or external cues when eating, rather than on internal cues of hunger and satiety.

To learn more about Sticky Fingers Cooking’s Parent-Tot cooking classes, please visit www.stickyfingerscooking.com .

Christine Mackstaller, Samantha Sturhahn, and Angie Mielke, Ph.D.

Sticky Fingers Cooking

Homemade foods contain more nutrients.

Baby food manufacturers make a product that must be able to sit on a shelf for an extended period of time. Therefore, the foods are over processed. This means that most nutrients are depleted because they have been cooked out. Key nutrients are very important for your developing baby.

You are able to introduce more foods.

Jarred foods are limited in variety and texture. When you choose to make homemade baby foods you are able to choose from so much more. You are able to be more creative with tastes, textures, colors and smells, all of which are important for your baby’s relationship with foods.

You choose the foods.

How do we know that the baby food manufacturers are choosing the best fruits and vegetables for our babies? We don’t. One of the many benefits of making your own baby food is that you get to choose the fruits and vegetables that look, feel and taste the best.

Homemade foods are a healthy start to life.

Research has shown that eating a variety of healthy foods and minimizing the intake of processed foods with additives and preservatives can help avoid health concerns later in life such as allergies, obesity and early onset diabetes.

Homemade foods are better for the environment.

Homemade baby foods eliminate the need for jars, caps, and labels associated with mass-produced baby food and helps lessen the negative impacts on our environment.

It tastes better!

Homemade sweet potatoes taste completely different (and so much better) than jarred sweet potatoes. By introducing a variety of fresh homemade foods at such a young age just may make for an adventurous eater!

The more fresh foods the better, but it may be overwhelming to do it all with a busy schedule. It’s best to do what works best for you and your family, so making some foods and using some jarred foods may work with your schedule. Try it! You may end up making it all.

Chelsea Doyle is the owner of Baby Chef. She may be reached at 303-594-1706 or at Chelsea@babychef.net.

Women now more than ever are being encouraged to keep fit to ensure a safe pregnancy.

Benefits of exercising during and after pregnancy:

• Gives you a sense of control and self confidence
• Boosts energy and stamina
• Reduces incidence of backache
• Helps to control weight gain
• Improves ability to cope with the rigors of labor and caring for an infant
• Promotes better sleep
• Builds and maintains muscle strength, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness and endurance
• Improves posture
• Helps to regain pre-pregnancy body more quickly

Exercise is a fantastic way to get back into shape after your baby is born. Exercise, more specifically Pilates, helps to strengthen the core control muscles of the abdomen and pelvic floor. These muscles work together to create a muscular support for the spine. Pilates also strengthens while lengthening the muscles of the body. The blend of toning and stretching helps to alleviate muscular tension arising from repetitive physical movement (bending over, carrying and nursing). It can also helps to re-discover body awareness by focusing on balance, posture and breath to facilitate movement. Furthermore, stimulating circulation will promote the reduction of excess water weight retained after delivery.

Finding time to exercise and knowing the right types of exercises to do after your baby is born can be a challenge. There are many fantastic ways that you can learn to incorporate your baby into your workouts. PreggiPower’s Mom and Baby Fitness classes offered in Denver enable women to get a fantastic workout while spending quality-bonding time with their babies. In addition, the class provides an environment for new mom’s to collaborate with one another regarding challenges that they are facing in a warm supportive environment.

PreggiPower offers classes for pregnant women and new mothers.

The PreggiPower group exercise program combines low impact aerobic moves on the fitball, free weights and Pilates exercises. Sculpt your body, gain stamina and strength and feel the best you have felt during your pregnancy. Our program is designed for all fitness levels during and after pregnancy.

Regain your shape and energy, while spending quality bonding time with your baby! Inspired by natural everyday movements that moms perform with their babies, Mom and Baby Fitness classes incorporate cardiovascular exercise, weight training and specific Pilates exercises that target the belly, thighs, buttocks & upper body to increase strength and tone the body.

Check web site at www.preggipower.com or call 303-733-1111 for a class schedule

Sun

While we have now matured enough to realize that the baby oil we smeared on our own bodies back when we were teenagers was not a brilliant idea, it is sometimes difficult to consistently remember to protect our own kids from such an ever-present visitor as the sun in Colorado. Here are a few tips to help ensure you get your little one off to a better start than you had.

• Make sunscreen application part of your morning routine – Cover your child’s entire exposed body every day. There are very few days in our sunny state when sunscreen won’t be needed, and since sunscreen works best when applied before you hit the sun you might as well start the day with it. If under six months of age, it is recommended your child get no sun exposure so plan to cover your child with light clothing and keep out of the sun. Do still apply sunscreen if the sun cannot be avoided.
• Use SPF 30 or higher – A waterproof variety is best and choose a sunscreen labeled “broad spectrum”, which means it protects against both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.
• Reapply every 30 minutes – While this seems a bit difficult to do at times, you cannot assume that the sunscreen you applied in the morning is still going to be effective later that afternoon. Stock sunscreen in your car, in your stroller, in your diaper bag and pretty much wherever else you think that convenience of having it will remind you to reapply it.
• Wear hats and sunglasses – While this may not seem an easy task as a parent of a feisty toddler, don’t give up! Buy hats with ties under the chin and glasses with straps around the head and keep putting them back on their little heads. Eventually they will get used to them and start to think of them as necessary things to wear outside.

If you’ve done everything possible and your child still manages to get a burn – probably under someone else’s care – soothe the area with a cool wet washcloth and then apply a water-based lotion.

Insects

While we may have to battle the sun more than some other states, we are fortunate that our relative bug count is less than most. However, head to the mountains to camp or for a picnic and odds are you will encounter your fair share of mosquitoes, ticks, bees and spiders. Just the thought of your innocent baby getting stung by any of these, can make a parent shudder, so here are a few things you can do to help protect them.

• Empty pools and drain standing water – At your own homestead you can make sure that you don’t create any natural breeding grounds for mosquitoes by eliminating all free-standing water.
• Move toys away from trees or bushes – Ticks like to live in wooded areas so be sure that you keep your child’s toys in the garage at night or stored away to avoid any creepy-crawlies climbing aboard.
• Avoid playing near bee attracting plants/flowers – This one seems obvious, but don’t place play equipment near some pretty flowers that attract bees, you are just asking for trouble from a curious toddler.
• Cover - up at dawn or dusk – Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk so be sure to put on longer clothing at these times
• Use insect repellents that contain DEET – Children should use products containing no more than 30 percent DEET, while adults can use products with up to 50 percent DEET.
• Avoid using scented soaps or lotions – These can attract some bugs
• Protect your house – Repair broken screens, keep screen doors closed and potentially have an insect exterminator spray around your house to eliminate unwelcome guests.

If your child does get stung by an insect, be sure to pay attention to see if they have an allergic reaction with such symptoms as having trouble breathing, vomiting, hives or a rash, sleepiness or any type of swelling. If you notice these symptoms call 911 immediately. If they don’t have a reaction and are just uncomfortable wash the area thoroughly and you can relieve the area by applying an ice pack, calamine lotion or a paste made from baking soda and water.

Sources:

BabyCenter (November 2005). Keeping your baby safe in the sun. Pulled from the BabyCenter web-site on June 29, 2008, www.babycenter.com .

BabyCenter (October 2006). Insect bites? Pulled from the BabyCenter web-site on June 29, 2008, www.babycenter.com.

What is polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate is a clear, shatterproof plastic that can be found all around us, including in some baby bottles, household electronics, and canned good products. The chemical BPA can be found in polycarbonate plastics.

What is BPA?

BPA is a chemical that mimics estrogen; according to the Center for Disease Control "BPA is found in 95% of people tested." BPA is similar in make-up to the estrogen and while some scientists and governments believe that there are safe levels, the state of California wrote a bill designed to eliminate the use of BPA in products for young children.

How to avoid BPA?

The best way to avoid BPA is to be aware of what type of plastic products you are using. A large percentage of plastic products are labeled with a Resin Identification Number, which can be found on the bottom of the product in a recycling symbol. Products with the number 7 mean that the product may contain BPA - it is wise to contact the manufacturer of the product because there are exceptions. For example, Baby Bjorn feeding products are BPA-Free and labeled with a number 7 because they are recyclable.

What if I chose to use products containing BPA?

If you use products that contain BPA you can limit exposure by not microwaving or dishwashing the product as this exposes the product to high temperatures. It is also best if you do not leave liquids in these products for extended amounts of time.

How can I be safe with plastics?

The best ways to be safe with plastics are to follow these guidelines. First of all, use BPA free plastics or glass as an alternative. Secondly, try to avoid microwaving any plastics, and when possible replace glass with plastic.

When do babies start crawling?

We’ve all heard or seen how some babies just seem to get themselves organized enough to master crawling by six months or earlier, while others may not yet have figured out rolling over nevertheless launching themselves forward on knees and hands. The average range for crawling is somewhere between six and twelve months of age and this doesn’t even refer to your standard knee and hand coordinated crawl, but merely to the ability of your child to get where they want using whatever method they decided is most effective for them. In fact since the “Back to Sleep” campaign was initiated in 1994 more babies are either crawling later or simply skipping it altogether and moving straight to walking. There was a time when it was thought that if your baby skipped crawling they might have a higher incidence of learning disabilities, but now it is understood that there is no relationship between the two.

There are a few factors however, which do seem to influence when and how your baby will begin to crawl, the first of which is the underlying personality of your child. It doesn’t take long for a mother to recognize if her angel is of the relaxed sort (these moms look well rested and have time to sip their coffee) or if they have a more active personality and will most likely crawl earlier. Another factor is the body type of the baby. Leaner babies tend to crawl earlier than a larger baby, which makes sense since it takes less effort to get them moving. And then of course the environment and the amount of time the baby has on the floor in tummy time versus in a bouncer, swing or excersaucer will also impact how long it takes them to master the necessary muscle coordination.

How do babies start to crawl?

 Prior to being able to crawl your baby will need to master sitting without support. From this point many babies will learn to move from a sitting position to being on all fours and then will often begin to rock back and forth before taking those first stiff movements forward – although often times moving backwards may happen first. They become truly efficient crawlers when they master moving their elbow and opposite knee at the same rate at the same time, called cross-crawling. This however only describes the standard approach to standard crawling and doesn’t capture the large number of babies who instead do a commando-crawl, bottom shuffle, roll, stomach slithering, one knee and one leg combo or just simply skips crawling altogether and goes straight to walking. The important thing to remember is not how your baby crawls, but instead that they have mastered some method of locomotion to explore their environment.

Can you do anything to help?

Like anything else a little motivation never hurt and placing toys or yourself just out of reach will typically help your baby want to start moving. Lots of time on the floor on their tummy and out of constraining devices will also give them the freedom to explore using and developing different muscle groups. Once they actually begin to move, laying a few obstacles such as pillows, towels or boxes for them to crawl over or through will help them continue to hone their skills.

When should you be concerned?

While our vision of our babies confidently crawling across the room in an efficient cross-crawling method is what we are most comfortable with, if your child does not do this you should not automatically become concerned. Crawling is not even a necessary developmental milestone as long as your baby figures out some means of locomotion. However, a few warning signs that may be concerning include:

• No interest in exploring their environment by 10 months of age
• Only using one side of their body
• Unable to coordinate their body in some way that allows both sides to work together

If you do feel your child may have a developmental delay, have a discussion with your pediatrician. Otherwise take out the video camera and capture your child’s own unique means of getting where they want.

Sources:

Babycenter. (2006) Developmental Milestones: Crawling. Retrieved March 25, 2007 from the Babycenter web-site, www.babycenter.com.

McKelden, Shannon. (2007). Learning to Crawl, Exploring the World on All Fours. Retrieved March 25, 2007 from the Babies Today web-site, www.babiestoday.com.

Dr. Sears (2004). Is it Okay if My Baby Doesn’t Learn to Crawl? Retrieved from the Parenting.com web-site, www.parenting.com.

Ever wonder what path your child’s evolving socialization skills will take and what you can do to help them along? Most mothers find themselves wondering these questions at some point in their child’s life. Will my little girl be the outgoing, talkative type like her mom or will she inherit more of her father’s laid back approach to social settings? How can I make sure that she is confident and comfortable with whatever her personality traits are?

During the first year of your child’s life, your baby had only eyes for you and her immediate caregivers. You were the one to nurture her and entertain her and she didn’t need much social interaction beyond what you alone could offer her. This however begins to change as she heads into her toddler years and the lifelong process of socialization truly begins.

The Toddler Years

Not long after your child’s first birthday, you’ll begin to notice that they start engaging with the kids around them in parallel play. Not yet ready to play together, kids at this age enjoy playing next to each other and occasionally noticing what the other child is doing, often imitating their play. While they have begun to enjoy the company of other children, they aren’t yet able to communicate their feelings and desires and may resort to biting or hitting to get across their message.

What can you do? It is important to begin setting up social settings for your child where they can play with other children their age. Children need to be around other children to start learning the many nuances of appropriate social behavior. Playgroups and classes are one great way to offer continued social interaction for your child.

As they head towards their second birthday, they’ll move beyond parallel play and start actively playing with other children. This may not always be a smooth and easy ride, since toddlers live in the moment and have not yet learned how to share their toys.

What can you do? Do not expect your not yet two year-old to successfully share their toys. You will need to continue to explain the importance of sharing and provide examples of how to share. Avoid forcing your child to share special toys and instead put them away when having a play date. Have patience and be consistent and your little one will eventually learn this valuable social lesson.

As they finish up their second year, you may notice that they have begun forming friendships with children they often see and play with. Is there anything cuter than a couple of two year-olds holding hands? While manners and social niceties such as saying hello and good-bye are not firmly established yet, your two year-old will start to be able to understand how much fun it can be to have a buddy to play with.

What can you do? Model good social behavior and your child will begin to emulate what you do. If you use manners and treat others with respect and kindness your child will learn that this is the appropriate way to behave themselves. Talk to your child about feelings and how their actions impact others.

The Preschool Years

By the time your child hits preschool they’ll have begun practicing their newfound social skills when you’re not even there! While you can still expect to be breaking up squabbles over treasured toys and helping them introduce themselves on the playground, most kids have learned the basics and are beginning to fine-tune their relationships and build new ones. It won’t be long before your little one is racing off with their new best friend.

Sources:

BabyCenter.Toddler milestone: Socialization. Pulled from the BabyCenter web-site on July 30, 2008, www.babycenter.com .

While there isn’t a magic bullet that will solve all of the challenges of air travel with your little one, there are a few things that you can do to feel a bit more prepared and in control of the situation.

Planning your trip – Setting yourself up for a successful flight begins long before you ever board the plane. Be sure to consider the following when booking your flight

• Separate Seats – If feasible consider purchasing a separate seat for your child even though they can ride free under age 2. Babies and toddlers often do best snuggled into their car seats on the plane, which are safer and will give you a needed break from holding them. It may seem liking holding your baby for a few hours wouldn’t be that difficult until you realize that when they’ve fallen fast asleep in your arms you can’t have a drink / eat / go to the restroom or flip a magazine.
• Discounts – Some airlines offer discounts to children under age 2 who purchase a seat, so it is always wise to call them before you purchase your tickets to see what is available.
• Timing – It is best to try and stay as close to your child’s regular sleep schedule as possible. So avoid those early morning flights where you’ll have to wake up your resting child to throw them into a car seat to the airport. If possible consider scheduling the flight during their regular naptime so that they will hopefully fall asleep during the flight.
• Non-peak travel days / times – While it will most definitely be busy most of the days during the holiday season, if you can avoid the top travel days do so. Adding in lengthy lines and overwhelming crowds to an already over-stimulated child is something you want to avoid.
• Non-stop flights – Additional ascents and descents, possibilities of missing connections, needing to lug all that stuff to another airplane, waking a sleeping child to wait in an airport, longer travel time – it is pretty clear that a few extra bucks may save you much heartache at the end of the day.
• Pediatrician appointment – If your child has shown any symptoms of a cold (and whose hasn’t during this time of year) be sure to make a trip to your pediatrician beforehand to check for mild ear infections. Since an infected eardrum can rupture during the descent, causing excruciating pain and hearing damage you want to be sure your child doesn’t have any.

What to bring – This should probably be more accurately stated as what not to bring, since hauling a ton of luggage, carry-on bags and a baby through security and onto a waiting airplane can shake even the hardiest of us.

• Food / Formula – Be sure to pack a healthy supply of formula, baby food or snacks for your child. You never know when you are going to be stuck on the tarmac with a hungry child.
• Clothing – Definitely bring a change of clothes and an extra t-shirt for you. If you don’t you’ll likely have a diaper blow-out, spilt milk or some other mishap happen mid-flight.
• Bibs / cloth – Things can get pretty messy on a plane quickly and you’ll want to have a bib to cover your child while eating and a cloth of some sort to wipe up spills.
• Diapers – You don’t want to be caught short of diapers or wipes so pack some extras and a bag to put dirty ones in.
• Stroller – Whether to carry your little one or just all the baggage, it is wise to bring the stroller and plan to check it at the gate.
• Toys/Entertainment – New toys are the key here, you want stuff they haven’t seen before to maximize their attention span on the item. A trip to the library to stock up on unseen books and DVDs, borrowing toys from a friend whose children may have moved beyond toys appropriate for your child and/or a trip to the toy store will most likely be well worth the effort.

At the airport and on the plane - There are a few last details that can help make or break a trip once you’ve arrived at the airport.

• Arrival time – Even though it might be tempting to sleep in an extra few minutes in the morning on flight day, this is not the time to do it. Arriving early can give you those extra minutes you will most likely need to get through security, change a diaper, feed a hungry child and feel relaxed before the flight.
• Waiting for take-off – Board early or late, that is the question. If you are lugging a car seat on board, hands down board early is your best bet. If it is just you and the baby, then probably boarding late will give you more time to stretch out in the waiting area. Also remember many airports have a child play area where your child can let loose of a little energy before boarding.
• During the flight – Now is the time to slowing unveil the range of toys / snacks you’ve brought for you child to keep them entertained. If using a car seat it is best to keep them in it similar to a car or you may end up paying for the extra seat while your child spends the entire time in your lap.
• Descent / ear pain – This can be the most difficult part of the flight as little eardrums need to pop. If you have an infant this is the best time to nurse / give a bottle or pacifier and if a slightly older child you can help them pop their ears by holding their nose and making them laugh – making silly faces can also help this.

With some advanced planning and a whole lot of patience, air travel can turn into an enjoyable experience with your child. Relax and enjoy and flight.

Sources:

SheKnows.com (October 2007). What a trip! Air travel with an infant. Pulled from the sheknows.com web-site on October 25, 2007, www.pregnancyandbaby.com.

Babycenter.com (October 2007). Traveling with an 8 to 15 month old? Pulled from the Babycenter.com web-site on October 25, 2007, www.babycenter.com .

Babycenter.com (October 2007). Flying with small children: Checklist of questions to ask your airline? Pulled from the Babycenter.com web-site on October 25, 2007, www.babycenter.com .

Babycenter.com (October 2007). How to enjoy a plane trip with young children? Pulled from the Babycenter.com web-site on October 25, 2007, www.babycenter.com .

You know it’s coming, so why not prepare in advance for the influx of new toys that will descend on your house this month. It’s not too early to start and get a jumpstart on a new year full of fun and organized play – ok that might be expecting too much, but at least you’ll have the ability to see your kid’s room floor.

• Review the toys – While your child is not in the house (this is important) take a close look at all of their toys.
  • Pull out the ones, which they have clearly outgrown and either save for a future sibling or donate to a charity.
  • Then take the toys which are still age appropriate, but haven’t been touched in the last month and move them to an out of sight location to pull out on the next snow bound day when you need some fresh toys – kids get very excited to see old toys they haven’t played with in a while, it will feel like Christmas all over again.
• Assess the storage – Take a look at how you currently store their toys and determine where are the problem areas
  • Lots of toys come with multitudes of little pieces these days and it is important that these pieces stay together in order for your child to enjoy playing with the toy. Assess whether you have been able to easily keep the pieces of toys together that need to stay together. If not consider investing in toy storage bins to contain them.
  • Do you have enough shelves to store books, games and other stackable items? Put treasured but infrequently used items on the top shelves and daily used books and games on the lower levels.
  • How many hooks do you have? Hooks are wonderful for hanging costumes, necklaces, purses, and a bunch of other items for your kids to easily see, use and put back.
  • Create play centers by grouping the supplies and materials for activities in specific areas of their rooms and your house. Establish an art center where you will keep all art supplies, playdoh and other messy activities. Put all pretend kitchen / cleaning items in one location, trains in another, dolls in yet another. By having clear locations for a type of activity it will be easier for both you and your child to put things back where they belong.
  • Consider a large corkboard to keep kids artwork, photographs and other memorabilia.
• Make a practice – Whether your child is 10 months old or 3 years old it is never to early or late to start establishing and modeling good organizational behavior.
  • Get in the habit of having your child put away one activity before they begin another. If they want to color great, but once they are bored with that and want to move onto their train collection call them back to put away the art supplies. Having storage that is kid friendly will enable even the youngest toddlers the ability to help put away their toys.
  • Prior to the bedtime routine have your child help you put away all the toys, which have not made it back to their proper location. If your child doesn’t wish to help in this activity you can always offer to pick them up yourself, but let them know they’ll be going “in the basement, on a high shelf, in the attic” whatever works for you for a while – this will often be the motivation needed to keep the beloved toys in their room.

While your house will still be a bit overwhelmed after the holiday season, cleaning it out before the onslaught of toys will go far in helping you get the room you need to make a great play space for your child.

Sources:

MSNBC.com (November 2007). How to organize your child’s playroom. Pulled from the MSNBC.com web-site on November 29, 2007, www.msnbc.msn.com.

Water Safety

With the onset of summer and the opening of pools around the country, also comes the concern on how you are going to make sure that your child stays safe. While it is hard to hear, children can drown in less than two inches of water, and water wherever you find it – pools, buckets, tubs, sinks, lakes or elsewhere – can be very dangerous. Since it is going to be difficult and certainly no fun to avoid water this summer, it is best to understand what you should look out for.

• Never leave your child unattended – It doesn’t take long for a child to get into a dangerous situation with water, so never leave them near water while not supervised by an adult.
• Take a CPR class – If it has been more than a year, it is time to brush up on your CPR skills by taking a CPR course. Positive Parenting offers a free course through our partnership with pediatrician Caroline Thramann.
• Empty your kiddie pools – while it might seem like a pain and waste of water to drain the pool every time you are done using it, this is really a must do. You never want to leave a freestanding body of water your child views as a fun play area unattended; your child just may toddle back to it when you think they are safely onto something else. So when your child is done splashing around, completely empty the pool and put it away.
• Invest in proper flotation devices – If your child is going to be swimming in a deep pool, lake or other body of water invest in a proper-fitting, Coast Guard approved life vest and use them whenever they are near water.
• Be sure the water is a good temperature – Water that is either too hot, in a bathtub or hot tub or water that is too cold, can hurt your child. Your child’s skin is not as thick as an adult’s and they will therefore be more susceptible to getting burned or losing body temperature.
• Fence in a home pool – If you have a pool at home you should have a 4ft high fence with a self-closing and self-latching gate surrounding the pool.
• Explain the dangers to your child – It is important to teach your kids proper pool behavior. They should never run around a pool, dive in areas not marked for diving, stay in if the weather turns bad and should contact an adult immediately if there is an emergency.
• Wash off after using a pool – If using a pool with lots of young children, it is always wise to shower afterwards with soap and warm water to clean off any bacteria left by leaky diapers.

Swimming Lessons

Not only is swimming a lot of fun and can provide some great exercise, but it is also an important safety skill to have. Depending on the age of your child and how often you expect them to be in a body of water you can choose what sort of swim lessons might be right for them and you.

Parent and child swim class - If your child has not been in the water often and is under age three, you probably want to consider taking a parent and child swim class to get them acquainted with the water. These classes will focus primarily on making being in the pool a pleasurable experience and will cover basic skills such as blowing bubbles, kicking and getting their heads under water. Do not expect your child to learn how to swim in these classes, but do expect that they’ll have fun singing songs and playing games in the water to build their confidence.

Where do you find this type of lesson?

• Public pools/recreation centers
• Athletic clubs with pools

Infant survival – These classes tend to be intense, daily classes which focus on teaching your child how to avoid drowning if in water by turning onto their backs and floating. If you have a pool in your backyard or expect to spend the summer near a large body of water, it might make sense to invest the time/energy/money in one of these courses. Expect to commit a month or more of daily lessons to achieve the desired result.

Where do you find this type of lesson?

• Infant Swimming Resource, Evans Ave. & I-25, (303) 433-9188

Swimming Lessons – True swimming lessons, which work on teaching your child the correct form and movements to properly swim, are generally for children 3 and older who can follow specific instruction, separate easily from parents and are adjusted to getting in a pool. For these lessons your child will be placed in a class based on their ability level and you’ll want to be sure that the instructor / child ratio is 6 or under. Expect that your child will need more than a couple of lessons, but that they will be learning the basics to become solid swimmers.

Where do you find this type of lesson?

• Swimlabs, 5640 S. County Line Place, (303) 798-7946
• Safe Splash, 12240 Lioness Way, (303) 799-1885

Sources:

KidsHealth (June 2005). Staying Safe While in the Water. Pulled from the KidsHealth web-site on May 29, 2008, www.kidshealth.org .

When it comes to estate planning, myths and misconceptions abound. Common ones include that it is only for the very rich or that it will be too expensive to do. Estate planning isn't reserved just for those who have a lot of money or property, and when you consider the consequences of not having such documents in place it is truly affordable. In fact, Estate Planning should be done on some level for every individual and usually can be done in Colorado for between $350 and $1000.

In the eyes of the law, an "estate" is simply all the property you own, both outright and jointly -- including bank accounts, real estate, stocks and bonds, vehicles, jewelry, retirement accounts, and even pets. It includes interest and money to which you will be later entitled, such as insurance proceeds and securities dividends.

If no estate plan is in place, the estate passes according to the law. This essentially means that the decisions about the distribution of your property, your medical care and, most importantly, who takes care of your child(ren) will be made without your input. An estate plan allows you to express your wishes and protect your assets in the way you believe will best serve your family.

While estate planning runs the gamut from a simple document or two to complicated setups with managed trusts and timed payouts, there are a number of common arrangements and documents to consider as a parent of a young child.

The most common and basic estate document is a will. A will can specify what property you wish to leave to family, friends and organizations, who you wish to act as guardian and manage property for any minor or dependent children, what person should act as your executor or personal representative to manage their estate at death, and how outstanding debts and taxes should be paid. In my opinion, a will alone is typically not sufficient for the needs of parents with young children for a variety of reasons, including that a will only becomes effective upon death. Disability, whether short term or long term, can also wreck havoc on families beyond what it needs to when not planned for.

The document I believe is most important for disability planning purposes is a Power of Attorney. Powers of Attorney come in a wide array of varieties. The most common types include General Durable Power of Attorney, Financial Power of Attorney and Limited Healthcare Power of Attorney. Essentially, a Power of Attorney allows the person named in it to act in your stead for the powers and duration specified in the document. A well, drafted General Durable Power of Attorney allows access to your property and finances, both in case of death and/or disability. For example, imagine that you or you and your spouse are in a car accident. While expected to recover, you are currently comatose. The Power of Attorney allows the individual you selected to use your resources to pay bills, such as a mortgage or rent, childcare, etc. Thus a Power of Attorney can help keep your child’s life as undisrupted as possible when a tragedy occurs. A Power of Attorney also avoids having to go through the Court process of having a guardian or conservator named for the incapacitated person.

Additionally, many parents - particularly single parents - may wish to have a Guardianship set-up outside of their will. This ensures that your child(ren) is taken care of by an individual of your choosing whenever a situation arises where you cannot care for them. On a side note, when selecting a guardian it is important that you speak with your spouse or partner, if you have one, about your selection as well as the individual you wish to serve. These discussions prior to signing the documents are important because they ensure that the child(ren) will go to an individual who is capable of caring for them and desires to do so. Additionally, it is important for the family members who are not selected to know who you have chosen, as this helps eliminate hurt feelings and battles over the appointment upon a parent’s death.

Finally, I recommend that parents execute a living will or, as formerly titled in Colorado, a Declaration As to Medical or Surgical Treatment. This document provides direction as to whether and how long artificial nourishment should be given to you if an injury, disease or illness is not curable. As the whole country witnessed with the Terry Shivo case, a lot of pain and disharmony among living family members can be avoided if such a document is executed prior to such a situation arising. A copy of this document should be given to your doctor as well as provided to a hospital any time you are admitted.

Other documents that should be discussed when preparing an estate plan include marital trusts and children’s trusts, asset titling, business succession planning and final arrangements such as burial instructions. Keep in mind that estate planning is an individual process and every family’s situation is unique. The more accurate information you can provide the attorney assisting you, the better the documents will serve you. Also remember that any major life change, marriage, birth of a child, divorce, death of a family member, is a good time to review estate plans.

If you are interested in finding an attorney to assist you with estate planning, important questions to ask include what they will charge for the work, how much experience they have in the field, and what type of information you should bring to an initial meeting. To assist in finding an attorney near you, the Colorado Bar Association has an online directory entitled Find-A-Lawyer at www.cobar.org/directory/index.cfm or you can use the Metro Lawyer Referral Service at 303-831-8000 or online at www.mlrsonline.org

This article provides information about the law designed to help parents think about their own legal needs. Legal information is not the same as legal advice -- the application of law to an individual's specific circumstances. Although I