Moving on up: What to Expect in the Toddler Years

As your baby nears his first birthday, you might be starting to realize how fast time is flying. You watched your little one go from a helpless newborn to an active baby with his own unique personality. But you also understand that times may be changing.

It’s almost time to let go of infancy and embrace the next phase. That’s right; the toddler years are right around the corner, and here’s what you can expect.

Lots of Milestones

Expect the upcoming toddler years to include a lot of milestones. During this time, your baby will improve his language and motor skills by leaps and bounds. Your toddler will add words to her vocabulary at a surprising rate.

If your baby has not started walking by his first birthday, you can expect it pretty soon. As a toddler, your mover and shaker will learn to run, climb and jump.

Your baby may become more interested in self-feeding and will probably play independently for short periods. Also, your toddler may only nap once a day.

Allowing your toddler time to play and explore the world around him is important for his development. But remember, he still does not understand the danger of certain activities, such as running through a crowded parking lot or putting everything in his mouth. Be diligent about keeping your toddler’s environment safe for exploring.

Toddler Behaviors

It’s exciting to watch your child blossom, but there can also be some challenges. The toddler years sometimes bring tantrums and a little stubbornness. Your toddler is starting to understand she is a separate person apart from you and may want to assert herself. Sometimes that assertion comes in the form of a big NO!

She is also learning more about what she wants and does not want, and patience is not a toddler’s strong point. Toddler’s also often lack self-control, which is why meltdowns may happen.

Keep in mind, this phase does not mean your toddler is “bad.” He still needs to learn how to manage his emotions. Parents have different ways they deal with tantrums. But one thing is for sure, stay calm and remember you’re the adult.

Consider starting to set limits during the toddler years. When it comes to discipline, a 12 or 13 month-old is probably a little too young to understand time-outs. But she will soon start to comprehend limits and understand that certain behaviors are a no-no.

Also, try to focus on the positive when you can. Your toddler not only needs to learn what is wrong, such as running out in traffic. But he should also hear what he is doing right.

Lastly, remember to set a good example. Your toddler is more aware of what’s going on than when he was an infant. He can pick up on negative behaviors you don’t want him to. So mind your manners and your toddler is more likely to do the same.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Should I Open a Bank Account for Baby?

Your baby doesn’t carry a wallet, so it makes sense for him to have access to a bank account. There isn’t much space for loose change in a diaper, after all. It may, however, seem like a bit of a hassle to set up a bank account for a baby who is very unlikely to be earning an income anytime soon. If you’re wondering whether you should open a bank account for baby, here are a few reasons why you should:

The money will gather interest

You could use a traditional piggy bank to teach your child about the value of money, but those pennies won’t be working overtime. Your child won’t receive any interest on money saved at home, but he may do if you choose a good bank account for his savings.

Your baby will acquire money

He’s not quite ready to set up his own business just yet, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be penniless for the coming years. In fact, each time he celebrates a birthday or Christmas, he’s likely to end up with a little stash of money gifted to him by friends and family. When he’s old enough, he’ll probably want to march straight down to the toy store and spend every penny of it on baseball trading cards, but right now, you get to decide where the money goes. It makes sense to put this money somewhere safe for your baby when he’s a little older (maybe when he’s passed the trading card phase, even).

Something for the future

As parents, we can’t predict what the future will hold but we can be pretty damn sure it’s going to be expensive. Whether your child grows up with dreams of travelling the world, attending an expensive college or having a big white wedding, the future will be pricey. Help your child save for the future now by opening a baby bank account. The money might just pay for those flights to Thailand in about eighteen years time.

Teach a valuable lesson

You know what’s valuable? Money. Know what else is valuable? Learning the value of money at a young age. You can help your child to understand the importance of having a savings account by setting one up in early life. If your child grows up with access to a savings account, he’ll be used to storing money away for a later date instead of blowing everything all at once. So many people struggle with managing their money these days, opening a bank account for baby could help your child to understand the importance of budgeting and saving early on.

Have you opened a bank account for your baby?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

Ready, Set, GO! Encouraging Baby’s Walking

Hopefully, you have your camera ready when your little one takes his first steps. Walking is a big developmental milestone you may be eagerly anticipating.

When you baby walks is dependent on several factors, such as his muscle strength, coordination and temperament. For example, a high energy baby may be ready to get going sooner than a mellow, cautious baby.

Most babies start to walk between 12 and 15 months, but that is not set in stone. Try not to worry if your baby is taking her time learning to walk. She will walk on her timetable. But if you have any concerns, speak to your pediatrician.

Although babies walk at different ages, there are things you can do to encourage your baby to take that adorable first step. For example, make sure your baby gets plenty of tummy time from a young age. Tummy time helps strengthen your baby’s back muscles, which is essential for walking.

When your baby is strong enough to sit up, roll a ball back and forth to her. As she reaches for the ball, she moves forward and back and side to side. All these movements help her strengthen muscles and develop balance.

As your little one gets older, play games that encourage motor skill development. For example, get down on the floor and crawl around with your baby chasing him. This may make your baby move faster, and helps improves his coordination.

Of course, standing is a precursor to walking, so you can also help your baby develop this important skill. While your baby is sitting, hold his hands and pull him up to a standing position. Once your little cruiser gets to a standing position, he may not know how to get back down. Show him how to bend his legs to sit back down without taking a tumble.

Push toys can also help your baby get the hang of putting one foot in front of the other. Push toys, such as a pint-sized shopping cart or push truck help your baby develop balance and coordination. Look for a toy that has a wide base for support and won’t tumble over while your baby is holding onto it.

Consider skipping the socks and shoes indoors. It’s easier for your baby to learn to walk if her tootsies are bare. Your baby’s bare feet grip the floor better than when she is wearing socks. You may also want to avoid walkers since they may prevent upper leg muscles from developing properly, which delays walking.

Make sure you have updated your baby proofing since she’ll be on the move. Lastly, offer lots of praise and encouragement, and before you know it, you will be chasing a very quick toddler around.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @ writerlady34

Hiring a Babysitter You Can Trust

The first several months of motherhood often go by in a blur. You are sleep deprived, totally consumed by your little one, and struggling most days to even get a shower in. The idea of getting a sitter and going out probably didn’t cross your mind.

But now that your baby is a little older, hopefully sleeping a bit more at night, you may be feeling a little stir crazy and like you are ready for that time away. Maybe you’re hoping for a romantic date with your partner, or a baby-free meal with your friends. The only thing standing in your way is figuring out who will watch your baby.

If you’re not one of the lucky people who has family nearby you can rely on, finding that help can feel even more complicated. Do you post want ads on Craigslist? Fliers at the grocery store? Do you randomly walk up to young girls of babysitting age and ask them if they’re interested?

That thought may have crossed your mind, but then you remembered that whoever you select, it’s someone you’re going to leave alone with the most important person in your world—your baby. So you need to somehow be able to vet them so that you can fully trust in his or her ability to safely and lovingly care for your child.

And hiring a babysitter you trust can seem near impossible at times.

So why don’t you start by asking for recommendations from your friends and co-workers for babysitters they use? Hiring someone that has already been vouched for by someone you trust can help make the process a little less scary.

Another option is to ask the teachers at your child’s daycare—they may be willing to babysit for extra money, and the bonus is that your child already knows them!

If all else fails, you can always interview through sites like care.com or hellositter.com, where background checks are performed on all the caregivers available.

Regardless of which method you choose, you should still interview any potential babysitters, asking questions about CPR certifications, experience with babies, and what they would do in the case of an emergency. Consider having the potential sitter over for dinner one night before your night out as well. This way, you can see how he or she interacts with your child, and you can get a better feel for them overall.

Finding a good sitter can sometimes be difficult, but don’t get discouraged. They are out there, and once you find somebody you trust, you will truly be able to enjoy those nights out that you have definitely earned

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Painting With Fingers and Toes

As your baby’s first birthday approaches, you are probably finding yourself looking at a little one who is more like a toddler than a baby every day! Sitting up, crawling at lightning speed, maybe even walking already—your kiddo is on the move, and always looking for new and exciting activities to partake in!

One great activity for little ones to enjoy is finger painting, which doesn’t always have to be limited to just the fingers, of course! Here are 10 tips (one for every digit) for when it comes to whipping the paints out and sparking your baby’s creativity!

Go Non-Toxic (Duh!): Just because your baby is getting older, doesn’t mean he or she knows better than to try to eat colorful paints just yet. Obviously, you’ll be monitoring painting endeavors—but ensuring whatever brand you buy is nontoxic is also highly advisable.
Prepare the Area: There is always a strong chance with baby’s and toddlers that paint could end up just about everywhere—so protect your surfaces by laying down newspapers and other protective coverings before painting begins. Layering a tabletop in aluminum foil can also make for easy cleanup!
Strip Down: Letting your baby paint in nothing but a diaper (and putting on your junkiest pair of sweats) is probably a good idea, even with washable paints (which, for the record, might be just as important as buying non-toxic).
Talk About Colors: While your little one probably won’t pick up color names just yet, it is never too early to start practicing! So talk about the colors your baby is using, and keep repeating the names as you go.
Textures Too!: If this is your baby’s first time finger painting, you have probably just introduced a whole new and exciting texture—talk about that. As they’re painting, discuss how squishy and slimy the paint feels in their fingers.
Experiment: Show your tot how to make handprints on the paper. Use your finger to draw lines through the paint. And then… put a big sheet on the ground and let your baby walk in the paint as well. There is no limit to creativity here, and every new experience has value!
To the Bath: As soon as painting is done, do yourself a favor and take your baby straight to the bath. You may need to get in there with him or her as well! Cleanup of the actual painting mess can happen after—letting a baby with paint hands run around free while that cleanup happens is just asking for trouble.
Containment: When you do return to clean up at the paint site, make sure your baby is happily (and safely) contained first. An exersaucer can usually do the trick.
Display: After letting your baby’s paintings dry, be sure to hang them somewhere your little one can see, admire, and show off. The refrigerator is often a good choice.
Preserve: After a while, you have a choice to make—do you keep every painting your baby has ever made, or do you find some other way to preserve them? There are plenty of apps today that allow you to take pictures of your child’s artwork and save them in online albums—this can be a great alternative to the ever-growing toddler art collection.

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Tips For the Work From Home Mom

If you’ve spent any time at all on the Internet lately, you might have come to realize that more and more women seem to be staying home with their kids. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 29 percent of mothers are now staying home, a trend that appears to be on the rise.

But not all those women are abstaining from work completely. In fact, plenty are finding ways to work from home—seemingly “having it all” by managing a career and taking care of their kids at the same time.

Some have taken on multi-level marketing jobs, some are providing consultations in their former industries, and some have found work as freelancers in creative fields like writing or photography.

Perhaps you’ve found yourself considering making that same leap, daydreaming about being able to spend more time with your kids and still pursue a career you’re passionate about. If you’re thinking you might like to be a work from home mom, here are some tips for getting started:

Arrange at Least Part Time Care: Yes, the whole point is to spend more time with your kids, but if you want to work full time, you’re going to need at least part time help. Consider hiring a high school student to come to your house after school every day to help your kids with their homework while you get a few hours of work in. Or talk to local daycares about the possibility of utilizing their services just one or two days a week. You’ll still get more time with your kids, but you’ll also be able to find time for work and sleep.
Live and Breathe by a Schedule: Working from home will mean that a lot of your stay at home mom friends will want to get together for play dates and lunches. You should absolutely take them up on that, but only if it won’t interfere with your work. Working from home, especially while taking care of kids, requires you to be pretty regimented with your schedule. So schedule in time for social activities, but then don’t deviate from the work hours you’ve also scheduled.
Accept Your Limitations: You may not be able to make as much money as you did at a former full time job, at least not right away. And you probably won’t be able to commit 40 hours a week to work either. Know that that’s okay, and be willing to accept your limitations. Sometimes, having it all means sacrificing in certain areas.

There are a lot of very happy work from home mothers who are finding success today, but they will all tell you it takes finding balance and a willingness to sacrifice. It’s not an easy path by any means, but it can be a very fulfilling one for those who are committed to pursuing it.

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Moving Your Baby to Her Room: When is the Right Time?

When your baby was a newborn, she may have slept in your room. Whether you had her in a bassinet or moses basket, it may have been easier to have her near, especially if you were nursing every few hours.

But even though you love your baby more than you thought possible, there will probably come a time when you want her to sleep in her own room. So how do you know when it’s time to relocate your little one and regain your bedroom? The answer is, there is no hard and fast rule.

Some people prefer to have their child sleep in their room even into their toddler years. Other parents choose to have their baby sleep in their nursery right from the start, and some parents fall somewhere in between. When you transition your baby into her own space, is a personal preference.

But before moving your baby, there are a few things you may want to consider, which will help you figure out when the timing is right. For example, if your little roomie is sleeping for longer stretches, it may be a good time to make the move.

It’s also important to consider your baby’s age. Keep in mind, most bassinets have weight limits. If your little one is sleeping in a bassinet and is approaching the weight limit, it’s time for a move to a crib. Bassinet weight limits can range from 10 to 20 pounds, so check with the manufacturer.

If your baby looks cramped, it’s also a sign she may be ready for the transition to another space. You may also want to regain your own room. Whether you want privacy for you and your partner or just need a bit of space, don’t feel guilty. There is nothing wrong with wanting to reclaim your room.

Whenever you decide to move your baby into her own room, you may want to do it gradually. For instance, make sure she is familiar with her room before putting her down for the night. Spend time in her room reading, rocking and snuggling. Make it a familiar place where she will feel safe. Consider using her crib and room for daytime naps at first.

Some babies make the transition to their own room without a hitch while others have a tougher time. Try to be patient and consistent. If it makes you a bit nervous to have your baby sleep in her room alone, set up a baby video monitor so you can still keep an eye on her.

Written by MaryAnn Depietro