Are New Moms Hardwired for Self-Sacrifice?
August 31, 2007
Are New Moms Hardwired for Self-Sacrifice?
by: Victoria Loveland-Coen
I love babies. There is nothing more fulfilling and heart-expanding than having and raising a child. However, there is another side to being a new mom we don’t talk about much. And that’sshhhh, don’t tell anyone.all the hard work and self-sacrifice that is required of her!
It’s true, isn’t it? From the moment a woman brings her new baby home from the hospital, and for that first year, at least, finding time to sit down and catch her breath is rare. The truth is that a baby is a twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week “need machine.” A newborn needs to be fed, changed, bathed, held, rocked, loved and put to sleep long enough for mom to wash his onesies, empty the diaper pail, stock up on more diapers and pump breast milk, or make more formula, and the cycle starts all over again the moment baby wakes up. Whew! Because it’s such an intensive time, it usually means that just about everything else that matters in a new mom’s life will be excluded. Hence, the self-sacrifice.
Problem Solving And Conflict Resolution For Children
August 31, 2007
Problem Solving And Conflict Resolution For Children
by: Mary Joyce
Problem solving and conflict resolution for children should begin being taught early on. If you’re a parent of multiple children in your family this becomes apparent as it won’t take siblings long at all to become engaged in some type of ‘sharing’ violation with one another. Children of a family with other children almost immediately are engaged in a social type of activity albeit only with their brothers and sisters early on. Conflicts and resolving those conflicts soon become part of their day.
At an early age children are in more of a self exploration and self discovery mode. From there and from a socialization progression you will see kids playing together but not as a coordinated group. In other words, the next progression is to see a group of children ‘geographically’ playing together but they all still have their own toys and objects. The next step of the socialization of play is around 2 to 3 years old where you’ll see kids begin activities that begin to require interaction and subsequently problem solving and conflict resolution.
Your Guide To Baby Shower Planning
August 31, 2007
Your Guide To Baby Shower Planning
by: Stephen Kreutzer
With baby showers, as with all important events, often the details can get in the way of the hosts enjoyment of the party! Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Take it one step at a time and enjoy yourself. A baby is on the way and the baby shower is your welcome home gift. Answer these questions before you begin and your baby shower is sure to be a success.
Who Does What?
Assign tasks. Delegating duties will let you direct and handle mishaps rather than handle everything as well as mishaps. Of course, enlisting friends and family requires their agreement so ask them well in advance of the baby shower.
How Much Will You Spend?
Set aside a certain amount of money for each part of the baby shower and stick to it. Make sure your list is thorough and that your expected expenditures are realistic. Don’t forget the paper plates and cups and napkins! Assigning others to bring things you need will help you cut down on baby shower expenses.
Who’s Coming?
Baby Shower Invitation Wording
August 31, 2007
Your baby shower invitation wording can be either generic or specific. If you know the gender of the baby, then you should try to create gender specific wording for the baby shower invitation. There are wonderful little sayings for baby boys, as well as wonderful sayings for baby girls. But if the gender’s not yet known, don’t worry. There are many standard wording options as well.
You will find ideas online for twins, triplets, and even adoption baby shower invitation wording. You can search for ideas in many places, but the best place to look for anything in our world today is the Internet. Many invitation websites have what’s called ‘Wording Libraries’ where they offer hundreds of wording options for you. Your baby shower invitation wording could be in the form of a quote or baby poem. Wording for invitations can be casual or formal depending on the overall style and theme of the event. Just be sure to be consistent. People will assume that casual wording means it’s going to be a casual event!
Playing An Active Role In Your Children’s Homeschooling
August 30, 2007
Playing An Active Role In Your Children’s Homeschooling
by: Donna L. Miller
Homeschooling is an option that many parents choose when they feel that, for whatever reason, their child will not be getting the best education in a public or private school system. Homeschooling allows for a variety of curriculum and teaching techniques to be applied that suit your child’s particular needs - often that is unlikely to happen in a large classroom setting. One of the benefits - and also one of the difficulties - in homeschooling is the extreme amount of flexibility it affords. In order to homeschool successfully, it is important that you understand, and decide how to handle this conundrum.
While there are many benefits to homeschooling, it also requires discipline. In the same way that working from home can be difficult, homeschooling can be difficult because it requires you make a distinction between home and school while still remaining at home. Like almost everybody, there are going to be times in your family life when you are extremely busy or dealing with serious distractions. It can be tempting at these moments to try and multitask: that is, to both educate your children and deal with other aspects of your life. There can be a tendency among homeschooling parents to place an assignment in front of their children and then leave the room to engage in other activities.
Work At Home Moms And Stress
August 30, 2007
Work At Home Moms And Stress
by: Nicole Dean
How stressed are you really? Take this quiz to find out. Mark as many of the items below that you identify with.
_ Calgon! Take me away!
What would you give for a vacation right now? If you named a body part, then you’re feeling too stressed.
_ I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.
Is this how you feel in the morning when the alarm goes off?
_ Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizzoh what a relief it is.
Are you experiencing stomach aches, headaches, or other physical signs of stress?
_ Take my kids, please!
Are you enjoying your children, or are you ready to sell them on eBay?
_ To the Moon, Alice!
Is your love life giving you warm fuzzies or cold pricklies?
_ I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!
Are you overeating to try to feel better about yourself?
How’d you score?
1-2 - Not too bad. You’re feeling kind of overwhelmed, but it looks like you’re handling things fairly well. Take some extra time for yourself during the holidays to stay in balance.
Very Early Signs of Pregnancy - Do You Know the 10 Pregnancy Signs?
August 30, 2007
Very early signs of pregnancy - are there 10 pregnancy signs? Yes, there are signs that indicate very early that you are pregnant. Some women will experience one or two of them, others will have several of the very early signs of pregnancy. Once you have conceived, it will take about a week for the fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. As implantation happens, it’s now possible to experience one or more of the 10 pregnancy signs and begin to know you are pregnant. Around this time, hormone levels begin to change, and the body reacts to these new hormone levels.
Here are 10 pregnancy signs:
1. Light Spotting - if you have conceived, spotting can happen when implantation occurs before your menstrual period should begin. Pregnancy bleeding from implantation is pinkish or brownish and not heavy. A normal menstrual flow should begin light, become heavy, then taper off again before ending.
2. More Frequent Urination - urinating more often is one of the very early signs of pregnancy. Many women experience more frequent urination even before a missed period, usually from about 7-12 days after the temperature rise at ovulation. The changes in hormone levels produced by implantation of the embryo, especially the hormone “human chorionic gonadotropin” (hCG), cause more frequent urination.
Baby Shower Prizes And Favors
August 30, 2007
Baby Shower Prizes And Favors
by: Stephen Kreutzer
The focus of every baby shower is helping provide the mother to be with the tools she will need to fully care for her new little one. Your baby shower will be no different! But offering your guests baby shower prizes and favors that they can take home with them to thank them for their gifts and commemorate the special day is a gesture that is well worth the time spent in preparation.
What Baby Shower Prizes Will You Choose?
Your baby shower guest list will likely include everyone from an 80 year old grandmother to a childless career minded adult to a few kids of all ages - and men. What prizes will make all of these people happy? That’s the challenge. Here are a few ideas for your baby shower game prizes:
* Purchase a variety of prize types and mark them so that you know who to hand to whom when a winner of a certain age or gender is ready to claim their prize.
* Everyone has to eat! Gift certificates for a pound of candy or dinner at a local restaurant will be appreciated by all.
Your Preemie Is In The NICU - What Can You Do?
August 29, 2007
Your Preemie Is In The NICU - What Can You Do?
by: Sjona Lindquist
Your feelings are tied up in that tiny little preemie bundle, and you have a hard time comprehending this small, wrinkled resemblance of a baby that is attached to every conceivable contraption…could belong to you. But when your heart is broken in more places then you could ever dream possible, and waiting seems endless, you are harshly welcomed into the world of parenthood.
It is truly staggering when you consider that an average of 1300 premature babies are born every day in the United States. If you are reading this article, you are probably the parent of one of these preemies. With so many things in this new out-of-control world of “living” in the NICU, what can you control?
Be There For Your Preemie
For you, the first thing you can control is being there for your baby. It may seem like you are standing around (in the way) not being helpful, but you are doing an important job. Your voice, your touch, your prayers, and your deep love is something your preemie needs and craves as he or she is trying to get stronger. Your baby can see you, hear you, and/or feel you. You are important and you are needed.
Baby Strollers Tips and Advice
August 29, 2007
You have just learned that you are expecting a bundle of joy and now you need to begin getting the things your baby will need. If this is your first baby all the decisions you need to make may seem overwhelming at first. One of the biggest purchases you will need to make is about the type of stroller you will use for your baby.
There are so many different types of strollers to choose from and one of the first things you need to do is determine your budget. There are strollers that can cost as little as $10.00 or as much as $400 and up. The lower end strollers are generally the very light weight umbrella strollers. The advantage to these strollers is the fold nicely and can store almost anywhere. As the price gets higher the features and quality of the stroller may increase.
Strollers can come with a variety of features. What is important to you? Do you want a convertible travel system or a stroller that is just that and a car seat? There are travel systems that include a stay in the car base, an infant carrier/car safety seat, and a stroller frame for the infant seat which it is attached. These are great especially when your baby is newly born.
