Weekend Reading…

thumbnail.aspx

A month later, the Food and Drug Administration issued a caution that SimplyThick should not be fed to premature infants because it may cause necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, a life-threatening condition that damages intestinal tissue.

At the breastfeeding group that I volunteer at, the most common non-breastfeeding-related concern (or rather, the most common indirectly breastfeeding-related concern) the new mums have is that they are holding their babies too much. This is an open letter to them, and to all mothers who worry that their babies are spending too much time in their arms.

Check out The Artful Parent on Facebook for Valentine ideas for your kids….

 

Have a good weekend and I hope everyone is safe and warm during the blizzard on the East Coast.

 

Sharing your kids online…how much is too much???

A brouhaha broke out on Instagram recently over a picture of a 3-year-old eating ice cream while taking a bath. The issue was not about eating ice cream in the bath tub — truthfully I think the concept is brilliant — but instead, everyone freaked out about the blogger publicly posting a full frontal nude photo of her child for the viewing pleasure of her 25,000-plus followers.

via Sharing ‘cute’ naked photos of your kids online: Just don’t – TODAY.com.

I have written before about children whose lives are being shared on the internet.

It seems that there is little thought given to how these kids will feel when they are older and happen upon these “stories” about themselves and their families.

It seems that there should be more thought given to the impact that this life sharing can have on a child…this is really uncharted territory. There has never been a generation that has experienced their lives being basically “open books” much less shared with basically the whole internet world with their mom commenting on it.

The therapist part of me says that in the not too distant future this is going to pose a problem for today’s children especially when their lives have been the topic of a mommy blogger since they were born.

In particular, I would pay particular concern to those children, whose lives are basically being exploited by their own parents…by that, I mean that their family “business” or “dirty laundry” so to speak has been blogged to essentially any and all who choose to read it. It is like “Honey Boo Boo” without the cameras. In the not too distant future these kids will be able to read what has been said and commented on…what are they going to think?

I guess what I might do is ask everyone who blogs about their family to read their posts very carefully and ask themselves if it is something that they will want their children to read in the future. Will it follow them around like a big shadow that they simple cannot shed and will they resent you for it in the end.

Parenting carries with it a huge responsibility and keeping your child safe is something that should not be taken lightly…”15 seconds or really a life time  of internet fame” …is it really worth it?

 

 

Weekend Reading…a time to catch up!

LouderThanGuns1-400x450

I did teach my kids about drinking when they were teenagers. I recommend a “field” trip to the liquor “supermarket” in your neighborhood with your teen and an honest discussion about responsible drinking. You might even recognize an aisle that is geared toward teen drinkers…see if you can find it without your teens help!

This is a great debate between two NYTimes writers…a dad and a mom…it is wonderful check it out and see if you agree with either side in this discussion.

 

Immunizations can be a confusing issue for some parents…this post may provide some information on the new guidelines from American Academy of Pediatrics. I am in favor of vaccinations for children and adults too.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thank you for stopping by!

Family Dinner Time…important to children!

 

I have always loved dinner time thanks to my own grandmother. She always made it special and it was almost always delicious.

While raising my own family…we tried to have a sit down dinner at least 4 to 5 times every week…it was a time to get together and share food and stories. My own mother lived with us so we were lucky to have three generations at the table most nights.

Now that I am a grandmother, I still feel the importance of sharing meals together. Sometimes, my husband and I go out to share a meal and talk about whatever “empty nesters” talk about and sometimes we enjoy a dinner or lunch with our family.

What is it that you do? How is your mealtime? Has it morphed through time?

I would love to hear from you.

Weekend reading….

 

Snow...snow...snow

Snow…snow…snow

Look, I know this is a difficult vaccine for people on many, many levels. Even those who completely believe in the science of vaccination sometimes hesitate when asked to immunize their pure and innocent angel against a disease that is so strongly related to sexual activity. I get that. But the fact is that children do grow up. And they do have sex. And as a mother if I know that vaccinating my children when they are still my little babies will give them the best chance at avoiding cancer when they are adults, then I will.

 

If you ever wondered how a vaccine is actually developed for use, this infographic from the CDC explains it all.

A picture says so much more to me when reading info like this…

journey-of-child-vaccine_sm

 

 

Now, a new study suggests both Chua and her critics have a point. It’s not that Western parents or Eastern parents have all the answers, this research suggests, but that the culture of families matters a great deal in how kids will perceive their parents’ motivational style.

Weekend Reading….

 

Winter Freeze!

Here are a few of my favorite reads for this week…I hope you have a relaxing weekend! Enjoy…

He’s feeling his independence. Don’t let it rattle you in the least. In fact, welcome his differing opinion and acknowledge it.

One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when riding in a vehicle. Each year thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes. Proper use of car seats helps keep children safe. But with so many different car seats on the market, it’s no wonder many parents find this overwhelming.
“Don’t worry, she’ll catch up.”

I heard that sentence from so many parents around Anna’s second birthday. We were worried about her speech; she was talking all the time but we could barely understand her while kids her age and younger spoke clearly. “Don’t worry she’ll catch up,” people would say. I said the same thing to myself. I figured it would just happen. Her speech was like an out-of-focus photograph. Sooner or later, I thought, it would snap into focus.

 

 

Week in Review…ParentingintheLoop!

Calm before the “Perfect Storm”

As my friends and family on the East coast get ready for yet another “Perfect Storm” now known as “Frankenstorm”, I am concerned for all of them. Here are some helpful tips on how to get ready if you are a mom or mom to be. The March of Dimes has a list for you from News Moms Need.

Halloween is coming and so, apparently, is a storm to match The Perfect Storm. Radio and TV weather reports have hurricane Sandy set to impact millions of lives all along the east coast of the U.S. Are you ready? Are you taking precautions should your basement flood or you lose power for several days?

 

Kids Apps

This past week I attended a parent meeting at our school which was a discussion on screen time and media time and kids. Since then I have noticed a few bloggers talking about the same topic. Where exactly do you stand on how much is too much screen time for your kids?

Many parents feel that screens have taken over their family’s lives. While few could argue about the benefits digital devices offer, as parents, it’s important that we establish guidelines for their use so they remain tools, rather than a source of endless distraction from real life.

Lisa Belkin, one of my favorite writers at Huffington Post, also wrote about her love of technology this week.
Personally, I do not feel that she has failed her children…in addition, I think that her love of technology has helped so many families with her timely discussions… this post being one that discusses how her work has influenced her family. Thank you Lisa, for sharing yourself as a mom and a writer!

Dilemma: “Halloween and Kids with Food Allergies”

As Halloween excitement heightens so can the anxiety of a parent whose child has a food allergy.

Kids with food allergies can feel left out when it comes to parties and activities such as Trick or Treating. With some simple preparation, parents can ease their own anxiety as well as the anxiety of their kids. Who would not want to lessen their child’s anxiety?

Years ago, when my own children were small…we were concerned about candy containing  pins and razor blades. My husband missed our daughter’s first Halloween because he was ex-raying candy at the local hospital, making sure it had no foreign objects in it.

Now it is a combined worry…tainted candy and candy containing food allergens. For contemporary parents, life has become complicated beyond the lives of their own parents.

Here are a few tips for a safe Halloween for children with food allergies.

Teach your child about allergies and Halloween

Chances are very good, you have already talked to your child about his/her food allergy. It may be a good idea to reinforce this information before Halloween and talk about the plan in place to keep them safe from a reaction to any candy. It might be good to tell them, all kids’ candy should be inspected before eating…it is not just because they have allergies that makes inspection necessary. This could help them feel that they are not being singled out because of their allergies.

Sort candy and treats at home

Set up a special place to sort all candy…one by one inspect it carefully for ingredients.

Have emergency medications handy

Have your meds handy while Trick or Treating,  just in case…better to be safe than sorry.

Switch Witch

You might want to adopt the “Switch Witch” in your home. Children pick out a few pieces of candy and leave the rest out overnight for the “Switch Witch,”  who will take it and leave them a present. This gets rid of all unwanted candy and usually makes kids happy to see it go.

 

 

 

 

 

Toast Tuesday….a day late!

I love the blog Weighty Matters written by Yoni Freedhoff…a physician…

About Me

My Photo

Family doc, Assistant Prof. at the University of Ottawa, and founder of Ottawa’s Bariatric Medical Institute – a multi-disciplinary, ethical, evidence-based nutrition and weight management centre. Nowadays I’m more likely to stop drugs than start them, and love going to work in the morning.

Sigh.

That’s exactly what I did when I opened the email that contained the photo up above (I think I may have swore too).

It was snapped just a few weeks ago in the London Children’s Museum where for reasons I can’t fathom they have a miniature McDonald’s set up for kids to play in. Here’s another shot that I found online:

via Weighty Matters: WTF? An Insane Parental “No” File from London’s Children’s Museum.

 

What do you think about having a miniature of McDonald’s for kids in your home or at a Children’s Museum?

Disclosure: We have an old miniature Mc Donald’s stand in our playroom…bought at a garage sale, complete with sounds of milkshake mixer and french fry maker. It is a favorite play toy in our house. Does that tell you anything about us as grandparents?

Week in Review from ParentingintheLoop

It’s Friday, so here are some quick, informative reads that I came across this week.

  •  Do you ever wonder what your pediatrician would like you to do for your preschooler?
  •  Below is a quick highlight of a post from one of my favorite sites Baby Center.

Top 5 things doctors wish you’d do for your preschooler | BabyCenter.

1. Don’t make potty training a battle

2. Have two-way conversations

3. Stop germs at the sink

4. Enforce the helmet law, even at home

5. Don’t use the doctor as punishment

 

  • How do you raise children without using punishment when their behavior gets out of line?
  • I found a blogger, who does just that…read her tips for a punishment free home!

What does a punishment-free home look like?.

What we have in our home is a lot of love, a lot of respect, a lot of empathy, and a lot of communication.

 

  • We are a tech savvy home and we have books everywhere including on e-readers.
  • In particular I have a series from the Smithsonian Institution about T-Rex, Penguins and Polar Bears, my 4 year old grandchild loves these books on my i-Phone…you can read them yourself or you can listen to them being read to you. They are delightful.

Should Your Child Be Using an E-Reader? | CSH Greenwich Middle School Parent Blog

Adults with e-readers and tablets continue to report that they’re reading more, a trend that we can hope trickles down to younger readers. After all, we should always be happy seeing children reading, no matter the format.