My name is Jude and I am 3 and a half (but my birthday is soon, I’m going to have a Spiderman cake and I like Michael Jackson). I got this really cool backpack with a robot on it and I think I like robots too. This backpack is a bit bigger than the other bag I take to preschool but that’s really good because when I go to stay with my Mimi and Pa there’s heaps of room for my clothes, toys, green blanket and the other stuff I have to show them. Usually I would make my Mum carry my bag but this one is cool and just like the bags I see the other kids at school wearing (and I’m going to go to big school soon or one day).

Sometimes it’s hard for me to open bags (I have little fingers okay!) but there are these big tags on the zippers that I can grab onto! There’s also a big pocket on the side for my drink bottle. I usually but not always remember to shut the lid because I’m thinking about Young Talent Time or talking about Star Wars so Mum says at least my clothes won’t get wet!

This is a picture of me with my bag. Do you like my spaceman T-shirt?

Jude

Asking “why” helps children connect with the people around them.  It’s a conversation starter and it certainly attracts attention.  It can give you some insight into what the child is thinking about and what their interests are.  Answering the questions directly doesn’t always satisfy the child’s curiosity and can lead to more “why” questions.  So what can you do about that?

Direct the question back to them.  If a child asks why it rains, respond with “why do you think it rains?”  You can try to answer the question matter-of-factly but if this creates more questions you can try to schedule question-and-answer sessions.  Often dinner time can be an opportunity to talk through some of the topics the child is interested in.   That way you can respond to your child with “let’s talk about that at dinner time with the family”.   Older children may respond to writing down the question.  Some children get anxious about needing to know the answer now before they forget the question.  Having a questions book or notepad, combined with some scheduled “question time” can help to relieve the intensity.

Source: http://childcare.about.com/od/behaviors/f/why.htm and http://whyzz.com/why-children-ask-why

Not everyone has this fortunate experience though.  Some mothers, for various reasons, become competitive, judgmental and opinionated which, when you’re feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable with a new-born baby, can be isolating.  My mother’s group experienced a little of this but as many of us started having our second and/or third baby this calmed things down.  We’ve all had our ups and downs; even some pretty decent blow-ups, but have somehow been able to move forward with renewed understanding.

A newly released book called “The Mothers Group” by Fiona Higgins tells the story of a Sydney Northern Beaches Mothers Group.  Each of the mothers struggle in their own way to become the best mother they can be and become reliant on the friendship and support from the members of their mothers’ group.  This is all challenged one day when an shocking event tests their friendship and reveals hidden secrets.  It’s getting rave reviews, and may just be appropriate for a 10 Year Anniversary gift for all my Mothers Group Friends.  See www.fionahiggins.com.au

A recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report found that half of all 6 year olds have had decay in their baby teeth.  Much of this can be attributed to high sugar diets and poor hygiene.  There are a few hidden traps that some parents may not be aware of.

Fruit juice is full of sugar.  Even homemade fruit juice has a high concentration of sugar.  Most studies indicate that a child should have 1 to 2 pieces of fruit per day but it can easily take 5 or 6 squeezed oranges to fill a glass.  Of course, soft drink is a big “No, No”.

Don’t put your baby or toddler to bed with their bottle as the sugars contained in the milk stay in the mouth whilst the baby sleeps.  And as tempting as it might be to give a dummy dipped in honey, don’t make it a habit.

As soon as your baby’s teeth arrive you can use a soft cloth or infant toothbrush to brush them clean.  Toothpaste is not recommended until after 18 months of age.  The Australian Dental association recommends a first dental visit within 6 months of the first tooth or by their first birthday.  And once their 6-year-old Molars appear it may be worth a visit to an orthodontist to see if any early intervention is required on their journey to a perfect adult smile.

Name:

Children(s) name and age: Eamon (3) and Summer (1)

How would you describe your pregnancy or if you adopted what was this process like? My pregnancies were fairly uneventful, except for my decreasing blood platelet counts, which meant I had to have VERY regular blood tests…and I’m still scared of needles!

What’s your favourite part of being a parent? The way your little ones smile can light up the room and their giggle can melt your heart.

What’s your least favourite part? The way that seeing your little one upset totally crushes your heart. Oh, and the mother-guilt – over everything!

How would you describe your parenting style? I love to spoil them, but I also expect manners and respect.

If you could have your time as a parent over again what would you do differently? I would treasure and try to remember every little babyhood moment as it is gone so quickly. And I would get professional newborn photos done!

Is being a parent what you though it would be? It is a million times harder – no-one can prepare you for the fact that there is no time off and that children don’t always (or often) do what we expect them to do!

What is the funniest thing your child has done? They make us laugh every day.

How do you relax (when you get the chance)? Take our dog for a walk, go to the supermarket (alone!), read a book.

Since becoming a parent which product could you not live without? Baby wipes – they can be used for so many things!

Do you have a particular source you draw on for parenting tips or advice? Google!

What “words of wisdom” do you have for a new parent?  In the words of that lovely poem: “So quieten down cobwebs; dust, go to sleep I’m rocking my baby, and babies don’t keep.”

If you would like to register to participate in Purple Day 2012 in your state just call 1300 852 853 or visit www.epilepsyaustralia.net for other ways to get involved.

There’s no doubt kids love the thrill of getting new things, but when it becomes the norm for every visit, or out-doing the Parents, Santa or other Grandparents it can become a problem.  Are they overcompensating, competing for the favourite or simply love seeing their little faces light up?

Whatever the intent I guess we won’t know for sure until we’re grandparents ourselves.   So what do you consider appropriate gift giving?  What constitutes too much?

Baby Jaxon

After I also turned 38 in late January, I found myself reflecting on not only the current sadness and frustrations in my life but also the things that bring me joy, contentment and a sense of achievement in my life. Like most people would at a time like this, I struggled to find motivation or feel particularly positive with anything resembling a clear head.

In early February I went to one of my best friend’s 40^th birthday party. Prior to the party my mood was pretty sombre but as she is very important to me I was going to go regardless. At the party I met another of her good friends who had just given birth to a beautiful little girl, (her 4^th child – a wonderful surprise) and I was given the opportunity to have a cuddle with her.

As I held this precious little bundle it all came flooding back to me why we put one foot in front of the other each day. Babies have an amazing ability to put life into perspective for us all. They are helpless, so we are needed, they love unconditionally, (instant ego boost!), their capacity to learn given their age is nothing short of amazing, and let’s not forget the divine cuddles that you could continue with until the end of time.

Some of my very favourite life moments to date have been when someone close to me has their very first baby. The huge sense of achievement that is felt by these new parents is indescribable and to hear a first time Mum or Dad talk about their new baby like they are the first people in history to ever give birth is to me just magical (& often quite cute & hilarious too!)

One of my closest friends, Grant & his gorgeous partner Mel have just had their first baby together in early February, a darling little boy named Jaxon. Grant is the epitome of a first time Dad, giving me Jaxon’s birth story in detail, talking to me about baby products like an expert and bragging about his newfound sleep patterns. Even though I am yet to meet this little boy, I have been allowed to share in Grant & Mel’s joy at his birth and I truly feel like I know him already and am a part of his new life. I am excited to watch Jaxon grow up and shape his own future with the loving support of his adoring parents.

As quickly as I was immersed into sadness and frustration I was able to remerge with a reminder of why it is important to live life to the full. Simply put, children inspire me and make me happy. Although perhaps I didn’t necessarily realise it at the time, it is no surprise to the people that know me well, that I co-founded a business that basically centre’s itself around children and their needs.

So with just a little cuddle and of course the birth of the divine Mr Jaxon, I feel back on track and reminded of the joy that only little people to bring to us.

Regards,

Cass

Bottles of this magical liquid fit easily into handbags and can be quickly refilled if tipped over in the excitement of the moment.

There’s something about bubbles that is mysterious and enticing for children (and adults!). So enticing, it keeps them asking for “more!” Babies start to watch bubbles drift by, puzzled as they “pop!” and disappear right before their eyes! Toddlers with chubby fingers need “help” to open the lid and love using the wand to ”dip, dip, dip” into the container. Anyone who has hosted a birthday party for a 1 year old will know that “blowing” is a work in progress for most toddlers. “Blowing bubbles” makes for motivating practice!

It seems that a child’s interest in bubbles only grows as they get older and their language is under construction. There are so many ways to describe the way bubbles look and feel. They can be “soapy, sticky, wet, messy and shiny”.

Now kids have mastered blowing their own bubbles they can blow them “up high”, “down low” and “everywhere!” They can blow a “few bubbles” or “lots of bubbles” and try out different wands to make “big bubbles” or “little bubbles”.

Watch your child join in and take turns with their friends “catching bubbles”, “squashing” them with their hands or “stomping” on bubbles as they float to the floor.

All this from a small bottle of soapy detergent!

Well the answer is simple – iPads can connect to the internet so they carry the same risk as computers and other devices that can also access the internet. With this in mind it is so important to treat the iPad in the same way you would kids with computers connected to the internet.

If your children must access the internet via the iPad this should be done under supervision. The best way to protect kids is to be around and checking in on what they are watching or accessing. I bet you’re thinking “I can’t be everywhere”, or “it happens so quickly!” well you are right! It can happen very quickly and in the case of the recent reported issues the children were not intending to visit the attached websites, they just pressed a colourful button!

The quickest way to prevent kids from accessing the internet is to disable internet access on your iPad. This can be done by selecting “airplane” mode in the settings panel. If your kids are extra clever and need something more secure you can “enable restrictions” using a separate password (one you never let slip to the kids!), and select from a range of restrictions including limiting access to the internet or apps that use the internet e.g. “YouTube”. If your kids can’t connect to the internet then they can’t get to any websites!

In the above example, parents felt safe using a particular application as it was designed for children. When I reported the issue to the application developer they too were concerned and investigated the problem. They also made a good suggestion, when you purchasing an application that is free, generally speaking you will find they are more likely to contain ads. Perhaps consider purchasing the full version (that is usually inexpensive), and this will take care of the annoying ads!

The take home message for the internet here is when in doubt – disconnect!

Cheers,

Lilly