I have fallen in love with another blog for babies and kids… Strange Birdy
I hope you like it.
A funny coincidence is that the blogger is from Stockbridge MA. I used to spend many summers there with my own grandmother. Those were simple times but so meaningful!
What are some of your favorite blogs?
Baby nursery collections are abundant!
This makes decorating decisions difficult to say the least. Recently, I have been having fun looking for nursery items. Along the way I have come across some excellent companies one of which I would especially like to share with all of you.
Oliver B has a wonderful selection for baby cribs which are not only high on my fashion list but also adherent to nursery bedding safety recommendations.
Look at Oliver B’s philosophy on being innovative with their slat bumpers for baby’s crib. Crib safety is nothing to take lightly and these bumpers are safe and smart…don’t you think?
In addition, I love that this company is devoted to reducing SIDS with their products. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is still taking the lives of innocent babies and there are ways to stop this from happening.
INFANT CRIB BUMPERS: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT COULD SAVE YOUR INFANT’S LIFE
As a result of several studies conducted by well-known researchers, it has been shown that the standard crib bumper potentially traps carbon dioxide in an infant’s crib, thereby increasing the risk that an infant will die of SIDS. This can occur even when an infant’s air passageways are not covered or even close to the bumper. Unfortunately, this deadly scenario has not received the publicity that it deserves. As a result, mothers around the world are utilizing bumpers in their infants’ cribs under the misguided belief that they are protecting their infants. Rather, they are putting their infants in an extremely dangerous situation by failing to substantially reduce the risk that their infants will become a statistic of SIDS. View the full article.
What companies and stores have you found for fun, safe Nursery Fashions?
Related Posts:
WEEKEND READING…
Let it be known that I love Children’s Television Network and some of the other shows that are currently entertaining our children and grandchildren. I have always been a fan of Sesame Street and now I have become a fan of shows like YoGabbaGabba and Doc McStuffins.
If it has been awhile since you have checked out what kids are watching link below to be enlightened.
Before you make a baby stroller purchase ….you need to meet Jamie Grayson AKA “TheBabyGuyNYC”. He will give you all the honest scoop about strollers and other baby gear. In a word…he is WONDERFUL!
Meet Jamie Grayson, the latest addition to AllParenting’s team of talented writers. Jamie is our baby gear expert and will be here every Thursday to fill you in on the latest and greatest in the world of baby gear. Buckle up and come along for the ride while Jamie assumes the role of both interviewer and interviewee in this hilarious get-to-know-him introduction.
I like this link to the Mayo Clinic’s website which answers many parenting questions. If you are formula feeding…this is a must read.
New parents and grandparents need good information and the MayoClinic offers up some excellent resources. I think that there is nothing better that connecting to a reputable site.
This is a post from “News Moms Need” related to delays and disabilities and how to help your child. It is published through the March of Dimes.
I find “News Moms Need” a wonderful resource for moms and parents in general…I hope that you do too and pass it on to your friends.
What is an IEP?
An IEP is short for “Individualized Education Program.” It is both a process and a written educational plan for a child with a disability. It is a document that lists all of the educational services that your child will receive, if he qualifies. In a prior post I told you all about the IFSP (for babies and toddlers). Well, the IEP is a similar document but it is for children ages 3 – 21.
The IEP is supposed to be just what it says – INDIVIDUALIZED, which means that it is specific for your child’s needs. It is not one size fits all. It is also supposed to be EDUCATIONAL, which means it should look at three main areas of your child’s life: the general education curriculum, extracurricular activities and nonacademic activities. Lastly, it is a PROGRAM or PLAN, where all of the services your child will receive are laid out and detailed in writing.
In a sense, the IEP is like a roadmap. It shows you where you are now, where you plan to go, and the roads that you will take to get there. It sounds simple, but it is actually more challenging to write and put together than you might think. This post is just a quick overview to help you understand the basics.
Who gets an IEP?
In prior posts, I explained how to have your child (from birth to age 3 or ages 3 – 21) evaluated for free if you suspect that he has a developmental delay or problem. Once the team (evaluators, school officials and parents) has met and discussed the results of the testing, you will learn if your child is considered eligible for services (if he fits one or more of the categories of disability.) If your child is eligible, the team will develop an educational program (the IEP), that will be specific for your child’s needs.
What’s in an IEP?
The IEP may include special education, related services and/or supplementary aids and services. The IEP is first based on your child’s “present levels” which is a snapshot of your child’s current level of academic and functional performance. In other words…what he is able to do now as compared to his non-disabled peers. Then, based on his present levels and his delay or disability, the IEP sets measurable annual goals. The goals should specify:
• Who will provide the service (eg. the regular ed teacher, special ed teacher, reading specialist, physical therapist, etc.).
• What kind of service will be provided, such as curriculum modifications or adaptations, the types of related services or aids- (eg. specialized reading curriculum, speech therapy etc.).
• Where the service will be implemented (eg. the regular ed classroom, playground, counselor’s office, etc.).
• When parents will receive reports on how well your child is doing. By law, you need to receive progress reports at least as often as children without disabilities. Often a school system will send home the IEP progress reports when Report Cards are sent home for all children.
• When the goal will be achieved (eg. by the end of the marking period or by the end of the year).
• How the goal will be measured and how you will know the goal has been achieved (eg. a benchmark, such as a test score that shows if the goal has been reached).
An IEP is a living document that can be changed or updated by the IEP team, of which parents are members! It must be reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year, but it can be reviewed and updated more often if necessary.
Where can you get more help with IEPs?
A great place to go to understand your options, how to prepare for IEP meetings, and to understand the process of creating a great IEP is on NICHCY’s website. In particular, they provide guidance on how an IEP team can write effective goals. NICHCY also refers parents to Wrightslaw – one of my favorite resources for parents. They go into even greater detail which will help you with every aspect of the process.
Why should you learn about IEPs?
The more you know about the law and the special education process, the better you can help your child. Knowledge is powerful! If your child has a delay or disability, be sure to check out NICHCY’s and Wrightslaw’s information (above). It will help you understand the process to become a more effective advocate for your child and to feel more in control of your journey.
Have questions? Send them to AskUs@marchofdimes.com.
Note: This post is part of the new weekly series Delays and disabilities – how to get help for your child. It was started on January 16, 2013 and appears every Wednesday. Feel free to go back to look at prior posts as the series builds on itself. As always, we welcome your comments and input.
Tags: child, delays, developmental delays, disabilities, early intervention, Help for your child, IEP, IFSP, related services, school, special education, supplementary aids and services
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Robin in Snow
I love reading to my granddaughter…so this list was of great interest to me. See what you think.
What are your favorite books to read to the children in your life?
The simple act of reading with our children can inspire a love of books that will last a lifetime, but do you know which children’s classics you should have on your bookshelf? We’ve rounded up 15 of the most well-known, timeless tales that every child deserves to know.
Pregnant women read and get so much information…but are public health messages making moms to be feel that they can avoid most defects. As a nurse, I know what defects are preventable by taking care of yourself but I also know that some defects are not preventable no matter how well you take care of yourself.
What do you think of these messages that are directed toward pregnant women?
Public health messages that suggest mothers can prevent most defects by taking care of themselves during pregnancy abound.
In an article focused on the many sources of misinformation available to women attempting to research the safety of particular medications and the contradictory advice women receive from doctors, Dr. Mitchell’s words are directed at institutions and professionals who have failed to give pregnant women the information they need.
I have to mention this news item related to “diet”. It is not something new but it is verified now by a study that was presented this week. For those of you who are interested in the Mediterranean diet this is very good news and may be an excellent reason to look into eating more olive oil, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables as well as fish and enjoying several glasses of wine each week!
One group assigned to a Mediterranean diet was given extra-virgin olive oil each week and was instructed to use at least 4 four tablespoons a day. The other group got a combination of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts and was instructed to eat about an ounce of the mix each day. An ounce of walnuts, for example, is about a quarter cup — a generous handful. The mainstays of the diet consisted of at least three servings a day of fruits and at least two servings of vegetables. Participants were to eat fish at least three times a week and legumes, which include beans, peas and lentils, at least three times a week. They were to eat white meat instead of red, and, for those accustomed to drinking, to have at least seven glasses of wine a week with meals.
They were encouraged to avoid commercially made cookies, cakes and pastries and to limit their consumption of dairy products and processed meats.
On a lighter note…yesterday March 1st…which is considered the first day of Spring in meteorology, I saw a robin in my front yard trying to hide from the falling snow.
So Spring is on its way!
Working moms of all stripes were excited last summer when Yahoo! named Marissa Mayer CEO, even as her maternity leave loomed just a few months away. Yes, she soon concerned us fellow working parents when she immediately committed publically to a two-week maternity leave. But I still had hope. We all knew she had a troubled company to turn around — maybe her plan was to lead by example with a flexible work schedule?
via Marissa Mayer, Flexibility Isn’t the Problem at Yahoo! | workingmother.com.
As a registered nurse, I was never part of a workforce that could work remotely or from home. We did have “flex-time”, which was another type of scheduling option that allowed us some amount of work time flexibility.
I have to admit, that I am not that surprised by Marissa Mayer’s policy change at Yahoo, since she opted for only a 2 week maternity leave. Most moms and even dads realize that 2 weeks is hardly enough time to get to know a newborn much less appreciate the entire lifestyle change brought on by the birth of a child especially when it is your firstborn. But when you are a CEO of a large tech company, it seems, perhaps motherhood has to take a backseat to your corporate responsibility.
Working from home is not new…it would seem that Yahoo because of its’ technology focus would embrace this flexible work from home concept and welcome today’s generation into this ever changing tech environment. It would also seem not unreasonable that Yahoo would look to other companies like Google, that offer so many worker friendly amenities in their fiercely competitive corporation.
To me, making the workplace friendly to moms and dads with family friendly perks makes so much sense. A happy worker is usually a productive worker.
Marissa, I would say, you have really missed a few rungs along the way up the corporate ladder and I think you may find out that it is very lonely at the top, sooner than you ever imagined.
Moms and dads what do you think about this policy change at Yahoo?
Do you think other companies will do the same?
Related links:
http://www.thetamom.com/2013/02/on-marissa-mayer-and-the-telecommuting-ban/
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/yahoos-blow-to-work-family-balance/
With another week of winter weather washing over us, I am looking for comfort foods that are healthy and family appealing.
New York Times to the rescue…I love quiche or any “pie” that is savory and delicious….I also love tomatoes and look for ways to use them during every season of the year.
So here is a Tomato Quiche which can be adapted to winter by using canned tomatoes. It is made with a “Mediterranean Crust” which might be time consuming but ultimately rewarding.
Sunday is usually a good day to cook in my house and then save meals for the rest of the hectic week ahead.
What do you do about weeknight dinners?
How do you meal plan for healthy meals for families on the go?
Related Links:
You can make a tomato quiche off-season using canned tomatoes for a rich tomato sauce that you blend with the custard filling. When tomatoes are in season I use the same filling but line the tart shell with sliced tomatoes.
Winter Tomato Quiche — Recipes for Health – NYTimes.com.
Vegetable pies and tortes are a recurring culinary theme throughout the Mediterranean region, where cooks pack the season’s produce into dough, enriching the dish with eggs and local cheeses and adding herbs for flavor.
Recipes for Health – Mediterranean Vegetable Pies – NYTimes.com.
This week there was a very sad and shocking incident on a plane….it involved a child and a racial slur in addition to a slap across the face…unbelievable??? not really…. when you read the account below about how it is to travel as a “minority”.
Recently I got into a Twitter conversation with a friend who lives on the West Coast of the United States and is planning a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend.
While I was hit by the headline of this article, I am not sure that I agree with it but what I know for sure is that there definitely is too much information out there for parents. Some of the information is just opinion and other is factual while some internet conversations among moms on various sites are full of personal attacks about parenting styles including breast or bottle feeding.
What do you think?
In part, my mother is right: moms of my generation are more neurotic than moms of her generation. According to Ann Hulbert, the author of “Raising America: Experts, Parents and a Century of Advice About Children,” “with every generation (over the past century at least), parenting norms have become more obsessive and anxiety inducing.” On the web, there are more outlets for parenting expertise than ever before, and the proliferation of doctors, midwives and lay folks telling you the “right” way to parent is profoundly anxiety producing.
Recently, I have been watching Mario Batali and admiring his cooking skills. I guess my favorite cuisine is Italian so I share his taste buds for the foods of Italy.
Here is what sounds like a delicious recipe for “gnocchi” and squash with a kick of heat.
Why I’m Done Posting Photos of My Kid On Facebook.
Over the last few years, since I began blogging, I have been surprised how much and how often moms share pictures and stories about their children. Their photos are usually gorgeous and give beauty and faces to their stories about events here there and everywhere. Many blogs are running chronicles of what life is like in a given family. It is a social media reality show of real life parenting in many cases.
Facebook and Instagram house many family photos and tales. Sites like Babble and their bloggers often share photos and stories about parenting issues from single parenting moms and dads, to families dealing with sleep issues, discipline, feeding and various and sundry situations of family life.
Many times, I have wondered how much is too much sharing on Facebook, Instagram and personal blogs. Occasionally, the comments can get quite nasty and personal too.
I have wondered what the children of today’s parents are going to say when they realize that they have lived in a glass house like the movie, Truman Show that starred Jim Carrey, where his life and all his movements were being filmed without him even knowing it.
The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical comedy-drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Andrew Niccol. The cast includes Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, as well as Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Ed Harris and Natascha McElhone. The film chronicles the life of a man who is initially unaware that he is living in a constructed reality television show, broadcast around the clock to billions of people across the globe. Truman becomes suspicious of his perceived reality and embarks on a quest to discover the truth about his life.
via The Truman Show – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This kind of exposure of children and the internet is uncharted territory. In some cases we are only getting a glimpse of what this type of exposure is capable of doing to our privacy.
As a grandparent, I wonder how it will play out…I trust today’s parents will figure it out…Right?
Little Fashion Gallery is a beautiful online store for kids’ fashion, furniture, toys and books.
They have also just launched their own great label for kids … it is European so I am including it here because I do have some readers who live across the pond.
I do not know if they ship to the U.S. but I have contacted them for more information and will share it just as soon I receive a reply.
I hope you have a look and let me know what you think.
Little Fashion Gallery also has a magazine which is just beautiful.
Enjoy!
http://www.littlefashiongallery.com/en/lfs-press/magazine/