Parenting Archives - Page 5 of 24

On The Move with Boys Scooters

October 29, 2014 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Not long ago, scooters were considered a passing fad. But today, they are an ever-present fixture on pavements, in playgrounds and even at skate parks. Boys of all ages have gone mad for these push-powered modes of transportation thanks to their ease of use, range of designs and perhaps most importantly, street cred.

Therefore, parents struggling to find the perfect present this Christmas don’t need to worry anymore, as boys scooters are available in abundance. But how did they come to be so popular and what are some of the best models on the market?

Scoot back in time

There is a good chance that any parents reading this probably had a similar toy during their childhood, as scooters date back decades. In the past, inventive fathers or imaginative kids would make them by hand using roller skate wheels and a board of wood or an old box. The handle was simply there for balance, as the rider had to lean one-way or another to make the scooter turn.

However, bicycle manufacturers soon recognized the need for a mass-produced scooter and started to introduce various products. Some of these featured chunky rubber tires, different sized wheels, foldable frames and even suspension. But it wasn’t until the late 1990s that scooters hit the big time, which was mainly down to their popularity in Japan. At first, commuters used scooters in an urban environment to get to work, but children soon adopted them everywhere else.

Scooting around today

Regardless of your kid’s age or ability, they’ll be a suitable scooter out there. Younger children will appreciate a scooter featuring graphics of popular children’s TV and film characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Hello Kitty and Disney’s Frozen.

However, scooters for older kids are built to incredibly high specifications in order to withstand outlandish tricks and stunts, just like the Ozbozz Torq Chaotic. Its aluminum construction and robust steering column means it will definitely stand the test of time. Full deck grip helps with balance while a large AI rear brake ensures the rider can stop quickly too.

But for something a bit different, consider buying the Razor E300 Electric. Designed with older teenagers and even adults in mind, this electric scooter can achieve speeds of up to 15mph. Its super-sized deck and frame along with extra wide tires make it extremely comfortable to ride, while the 24V battery system affords up to 40 minutes of continuous use.

So what used to be a fleeting trend is now a tremendously popular pursuit. Therefore, any boy would appreciate receiving a scooter this Christmas. Just be sure to talk to your kids about scooter safety before they step on board.

How to Choose the Right Baby Bedding for Your Child

April 9, 2014 by Painter Mommy 1 Comment

This is a guest post…

Baby bedding is essential for supporting your baby’s sleep. Quality sleep is important for any child, but it’s even more important for a baby’s development. They require upwards of 12 hours of sleep per day. Support them by purchasing the correct baby bedding.

If you’re not sure what this means, or how to do it, read through this article.

We show you what you need to look for and the various options available to you.

Supersets or Separate Pieces

Some companies sell crib bedding as supersets. They’ll contain covers, but they’ll also contain other items like bumper pads. You have to buy everything. This pushes up the price and means you pay more, even if you only intend on using some of the items.

A lot of companies realize this isn’t the right option. For example, The Stripy Company sells all of its products separately. If you have specific needs, avoid buying supersets where you can.

Soft and Washable

Whatever you buy, the bedding must be soft to the touch. It has to be soft to a baby’s skin. What’s soft to an adult’s skin may well irritate a baby’s skin. There are a number of options for soft bedding, such as:

Flannel sheets.
High thread-count woven cottons.
Knit cotton sheets.

Make sure the fabric washes relatively easily. If this is your first child you’ll realize babies make messes in their bedding all the time. Difficult to wash fabrics aren’t suitable for regular hand washing and spot treating.

Snug Bedding

The concept of snugness differs from what we know as soft. Cribs today are made to standard sizes. They aren’t made to measure your baby, unless you have one custom made.

In most cases, you’ll have a mattress slightly too small or too big for the crib. If you can’t get exactly the right size, you’ll leave too much room for your baby to move around.

The worst case scenario will result in trapped limbs between the mattress and the outside of the crib. Use the bedding to plug these gaps.

Crib bedding should give your baby some room to move, while constricting them to relatively small areas. This adds an extra layer of security and ensures the chances of an accident are minimal.

The Longevity

How long you want your bedding to last depends entirely on what you intend on doing with the bedding later on.

Within this industry you get exactly what you pay for. If you’re willing to purchase luxury bedding, expect to receive bedding to last for years. Families planning for more children will benefit from spending more now.

On a side note, make sure you purchase an extra load of bedding. Messes happen often and having a second set of bedding can make the switchover smoother.

Whenever you buy bedding, don’t worry about the style of it. The décor of bedding is irrelevant and should never become a factor in your purchasing decision. All that matters is your baby is warm and comfortable when they go to sleep for the night.

Don’t give up on Conceiving a Child

April 2, 2014 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is a guest post…

For many women and couples around the world, conceiving a child seems impossible. There can be fertility problems with either the male or female, and in some cases, both. Where this issue arises, there are alternative options to aid in conception.

A process called assisted reproduction may be available to some couples. A process of determining eligibility must occur along with general health testing and a psychological exam. It must be decided that the couple is healthy, both physically and mentally, for this procedure to occur.

What is Assisted Reproduction Technology

Assisted reproduction is a process in which a couple uses artificial means to conceive a child with the assistance of a physician. Four man treatment options are used within this realm

Those four options are:

In Vitro fertilization
intracytoplasmic sperm injection
cryopreservation
intrauterine insemination

Speaking generally, ART is any process of doctor assisted conception or fertilization to promote the birth of a child.

There is not a clear definition as to which procedures fall into this category.

How it Works

Couples are both tested for fertility. When it is determined which half of the couple is the culprit of infertility, a discussion regarding treatment options can occur.

Based upon the results of general physical tests and the results of fertility testing, a physician may order some lifestyle changes to occur first. This leads to another fertility test down the road. Getting both bodies in good physical condition is the first option to try.

Following this initial testing process, stress tests are often administered. Stress can play a big role in infertility.

The results of all of the above testing open up treatment options for the physicians to offer to couples.

Procedure Selection

Selecting the right procedure to try first is often the most simple. When the female is the cause of the conception problems, hormone treatments are usually the first option. This includes an oral medication like Clomid.

Physicians tend to start with the least evasive procedure first. In many cases, simple oral medication and hormone boosting drugs are all that a couple needs to conceive.

More evasive procedures, such as those mentioned above are reserved for those that are unsuccessful with medication treatments.

In Vitro fertilization is often used as the last resort, other than oocyte donation processes. With this process, the female is given hormone treatments to promote multiple egg development. A short maturation period is used before the harvesting of eggs occurs.

Once the eggs and sperm are collected from the couple, the process of fertilizing the eggs outside of the bodies takes place. The fertilized eggs must be implanted into the female’s body within 72 hours. This is not a guarantee but it does carry a 50-percent or greater success rate in women under the age of 30.

Risks

As with any medical procedure, there are risks. In women, it is depression, unstable hormone levels and over stimulation of the ovaries and follicles. Unbalanced hormones can cause periods of mania and rage in some patients.

It is important to discuss the available options with the treating physician. Joining a support group for stress reduction during this process is also a good idea.

Couples that struggle with conception have options. It is important that they not give up on the possibility of conceiving. Technology has advanced greatly to make this a possibility for many couples.

When undergoing treatment, both members of the couple must follow doctor’s orders. A misstep can lead to unsuccessful conception attempts. Using assisted reproduction measures, hundreds of couples are able to live out their dreams of having a child each and every year.

Five Exciting Art Projects That Your Kids Can Do At Home

January 28, 2014 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

No matter what time of the year it is, you will always be looking for ways to keep your kids amused whilst they are at home. Like most parents, you will want to limit the number of hours they have on their games console or watching the TV, but of course you need to find a substitute activity to distract them.

Why don’t you introduce more art based activities in the home? You may discover that your children have a natural affinity for art, or you might just find that they have fun trying. To limit the amount of cleaning that you need to do afterwards, make sure to lay down a plastic sheet or at least some old newspapers. On warm days they could even go outdoors onto a paved patio area if possible.

So if you think that this sounds like a great idea, here are some projects that your kids could get stuck into… for more ideas, have a look at www.pencilstreet.org.

Create a Paper Mâché Hot Air Balloon

Paper mâché can be a lot of fun, so why don’t you help your kids to create some art for their bedroom? You will need to blow up a balloon before pasting it with newspaper and glue; when dry, simply pop the balloon and you will have a hard shell. It can then be painted, and then attached to a small cardboard box and string to give the full effect.

Complete a Coloring Book

Why don’t you get your child a coloring book and see how long it takes them to complete the whole thing? With practice, their control of the pencil crayons may improve over time. It should be an interesting activity to see whether they get better at staying in between the lines of the drawing.

Paint Their Rooms

If you are due to decorate your children’s rooms, is there any way that they could help? Whether this is just doing ten minutes of the main wall, or stenciling something, it can make them feel like they have helped towards the task as a whole. Of course you should always take the full precautions about skin sensitivity and ventilation.

Draw You or Their Sibling

Introduce your kids to the art of drawing by getting them to draw you, or one of their siblings. They will discover more about the form of the body, as well as learning about proportions and how large they need to draw certain features. You could do this once a year and see how the images change over time.

Do Some Sidewalk Chalk Art

For younger kids, an activity such as sidewalk chalk may appeal a bit more. You can find tubs of thick chalk in most toy stores as well as online. It is best to do this on your own driveway, as well as making sure that your kids don’t create anything that will offend your neighbors. If you don’t want a permanent drawing on the ground until it rains, it is probably best to make sure your garden hose is working sufficiently first.

Important Life Skills your Child Should Learn

December 2, 2013 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Every day is full of learning when you’re a child; the speed at which they develop is overwhelming, with the learning of new words, skills and tricks an almost daily thing. From the first baby months to their progression through toddlerhood and onto childhood, your child will learn an incredible amount of things while developing skills that will last them throughout their lives. Here are four important life skills, and how you can encourage the development of them, that they should learn early so that they continue to grow into well-rounded individuals.

Independence

It’s obvious that a newborn baby will need you pretty much around-the-clock. Feeding, sleeping, changing and soothing are just some of the things that they’ll need you to help with, but in time, they will learn a few little tricks that will help to boost their independence. From settling themselves off to sleep to not waking up in the middle of the night for milk that they don’t need, they will learn self-discipline and independence in no time.

As they grow up and move through childhood, you can encourage this self-discipline to progress by teaching them the value of money, asking them to do chores and expecting them to do their homework when it’s set. Praise and rewards are big motivators, so make sure you keep up your end of the bargain.

Social Skills

It’s imperative that a child develops some form of social skills before and during their time at school. Without these skills, they’ll struggle to make friends and create bonds that will last.

Encourage the development of social skills by organising play dates for them; invite a friend and their child over for a brew, so that your child can mingle and play. Provide them with social toys that will aid interaction and role play, such as the Imaginext Castle playset and plenty of figures for them to pretend play with. This will help them to learn to share and take turns while boosting their imagination and creativity.

Problem Solving

Babies and toddlers will learn to problem solve fairly quickly, realising the essence of cause and effect in no time. As they grow, encourage them to make their own decisions while providing a positive environment in which they can grow and feel happy about having their own opinions.

Control of Emotions

This will come with time, with inevitable tantrums along the way. Kids learn to control their emotions in their own time, but you can help by providing reassurance and positivity while using methods such as time-out to help calm them down.

While there are plenty of other skills that your children can, and should, learn during the early stages of development, these four are some of the most essential if you want to nurture a happy, healthy and well-rounded child.