Mothers of Preschoolers @ Chippewa Evangelical Free Church: baby and toddler care

Showing posts with label baby and toddler care. Show all posts

How To Be The Best Babysitting Family Ever

Our mentor Sandy's daughter, Laryssa Nilsen, wrote a fabulous article on the Hearts at Home blog about how to be THE family babysitters bend over backward to sit for. You can check the article out here. This is a great article, full of great wisdom and advice for being your sitter's favorite family.

Feeding A Picky Toddler/Preschooler

If your child is picky when it comes to eating veggies, here are some fruit alternatives worth trying:

Broccoli-haters can still get vitamin C through kiwi, oranges or strawberries.
Carrot-haters can still get vitamin A through mango, cantaloupe or papaya.
Tomato-haters can still get lycopene from red grapefruit, watermelon or apricot.
Spinach-haters can still get lutein from pears, tangerines or red grapes.

Feeding Your Baby: First Finger Foods

Between 7 and 10 months most babies are ready to self-feed. Here are some great first finger foods:

banana, sliced
avocado, sliced
peas, cooked
peaches, peeled and cut into small chunks
chicken, cooked and shredded
Cheerios
lentils, cooked
cooked pasta/macaroni
carrot sliced, cooked
tofu, cut into small cubes
tortilla pieces
cheese, sliced
small bites of low-mercury fish (tilapia)

Feeding Your Baby : Great First Foods

It's easy to get caught in a rut when your baby starts eating solids. Here are some creative ideas on how to add some variety to your baby's repertoire:

applesauce with ground cinnamon
avocado with minced cilantro
bananas and pears with fresh minced ginger
pureed pumpkin with ground cinnamon

Or try making this breakfast parfait ...

Layer rice cereal between mango and blueberry purees - VOILA (and yum)!

Green Pacifier

Check out this "green" pacifier from Zoeb Organic. The Natursutten pacifier is made from 100% natural rubber and is molded into one piece - a breeze to clean since there are no crevices and seams to collect dirt and grime. Natursutten pacifiers are sold in rounded and orthodontic shapes. To learn more click on the image below. You can also order an orthodontic pacifier or rounded pacifier from Amazon.com (just follow links).

What To Say To Observant Preschoolers

Preschoolers are notorious for their blunt honesty and obvious observations. Sometimes, however, they can say things in public that are loud and sometimes awkward. Here are some ideas on things you could say to your child:

When your child comments that someone is really fat, has a large (insert body part), etc ...

Response: "People come in all shapes and sizes," or "A man who has a large belly or pointy nose might not like the way he looks, and it could hurt his feelings if he hears other people talking about it."

Your child comments that an elderly person's wrinkles look ugly ...

Response: "Yes, she has wrinkly skin because she is older than we are, just like Grandma," or "Your body changes every year as you grow. You get bigger and stronger, and you get smarter. When you are a grown-up your skin starts to change, too. It happens to everyone."

Your child is curious as to why a person is standing on the corner asking for food, money or a place to stay ...

Response: "She probably doesn't have money to buy food or clothes, so she is asking for it," or "Some people don't have a job so they may need to ask other people to help them out." [This is a great opportunity to teach your children about community service.]

Your child asks why a lady is in a wheelchair ...

Response: "She must have trouble walking. The chair is what she uses to get around," or "Sometimes people's legs stop working the way they should and they need a wheelchair to help them get around." Remind your child that the next time he/she sees someone who has a disability that he/she should talk to the person rather than talk about them.

Your child comments that someone has a different color skin than them ...

Response: "Yes, you are right. Skin comes in different colors, but skin is just the outside. We all look the same inside."

from the April 2009 issue of Parents magazine

Veggie Time!

Do you have a child that won't touch a vegetable? A child that runs and hides when you say the v-word?

The Green Parent has shared 15 ways to get your kids to eat vegetables. You might be surprised at what they recommend! {click here to read the article}