Baby and Toddler – Playground Safety
Finding a safe place for your child to play can be very hard sometimes. Slides, swings and jungle gyms are a dream come true for most children, but can be a nightmare for parents when they come home with black eyes, bumps, bruises and broken limbs.
Whether you are looking for a play set for home or looking at a public playground, make sure it is age appropriate. If you are looking for equipment to use at home; look for something that is adjustable as your child grows. For your toddlers, look for something that is no higher than six feet at its topmost point. The play platforms should be no higher than four feet from the ground and have guardrails. They should also be easy to get down from. The playground slide should be no more than a 30 degree incline. It should also be at least twenty two inches deep. If the slide is more than four feet high, then it should have raised sides.
Make sure the play equipment is safe. When you are looking for a play system, look for a system that says the manufacturer followed the guidelines of the American Society for the Testing of Materials or of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The equipment should be sturdy in construction. Make sure it is correctly assembled, follow the instructions exactly and make sure it is firmly anchored in concrete. The concrete should be covered in earth or a soft padding. The play system should be set at least six feet from fences or walls.
You should avoid swings with S-like hooks; these can pop out easily with vigorous swinging. The climbing rope should be anchored at both ends. The swings should be a bucket type, of soft shock absorbing materials. To prevent head injuries the swings should be twenty four inches apart and thirty inches form the support posts. All of the rings and other openings should be designed to prevent head entrapment. All of the metal should be painted or treated to avoid rusting. If there is any wood, it should also be treated to prevent rotting. The treatment used should be with shellac paint because some wood treatment is made with arsenic-based material.
The playground equipment should be in good repair and checked regularly for broken or missing parts. If you are at a park and see it in a poor condition, you should report it to the local parks department. You should avoid the playground until it is fixed.
The surfaces under the playground should be soft. Remove all rocks and tree roots. You can either put down play sand, wood chips, sawdust, bark or other shock absorbing material. Do not rely on your grassy yard because it still could be dangerous, even fatal. Injuries are possible on this surface even if the fall is from a foot above. The shock absorbing material should extend six feet from the play area.
Make sure that your toddler isn’t wearing a cape, floppy sleeves, flowing clothes or any other clothing that can be entangled in the equipment. This can cause a strangulation hazard. Any play equipment is only as safe the supervision a child playing on it gets.
Baby and Toddler – Dealing With Tantrums
Don’t you wish there was a miracle elixir to give your toddler when they are having a tantrum? While it isn’t possible to make tantrums disappear altogether, there are ways to moderate or minimize them.
First of all stay calm. You will be adding fuel to the fire if you lose your cool. A parental blow up can also terrify your child. Your child will already be off balance with their tantrum, they will be in balance with your calming influence and reassurance and love. This calm approach will not work immediately and will not be easy to pull off but you will eventually see that your efforts are being mirrored in your child’s increasing self control.
Speak softly. Try to fight the temptation to scream over your child. It will only encourage them to scream louder as they try to recapture the center stage. A gentle and soft tone of your voice will show that you are in control and it will help your child to regain composure. Also being unable to hear what you are saying, they may quiet down out of curiosity about what you are saying to them.
Never resort to physical punishment. This is a bad idea at any time. You would be punishing the child for something that they cannot control and because you too could lose control and cause serious injury. Don’t try to reason with your child during a tantrum. Your out of control toddler is well beyond reason. Logic will be lost on them, so save the rational explanation for rational times.
Try to protect your toddler while they are having a tantrum. A toddler who is kicking and screaming will not be aware of their surroundings and could hurt themselves. Make sure there are no objects in the way that could possible injure your child. Also make sure that will not be any damage to the store or their property.
Attempt to express some empathy. Not sympathy. Say something like, “I know it is hard not to get something you want, I too get upset sometimes when I can’t get what I want”. This is empathy. Saying you’re sorry is sympathy, don’t go there, that could make it worse.
Holding your child tight, don’t squeeze too hard, but a firm hold may help your child to hold it together, a firm hold can also dissolve anger in them and in you and often will turn into a hug when the tantrum passes.
One of the best methods to help control a tantrum is to ignore it. They may get it out of their system faster. This approach is especially effective if the toddler’s demands are outrageous and you suspect that they know that as well as you do. Go about your business and make it obvious that you are not paying any attention. When you begin to systematically ignore their tantrums, they may increase for a while and then eventually your toddler will discover that it is not worth getting all worked up when there is no audience and then the tantrums should become less frequent.
Infant to Toddler: The Nutrition Transformation
Once a child reaches their toddler years, ages 1 to 3, feeding can become a challenge. Developmental changes are occurring at this age. Toddlers are trying to gain independence and control and meals are part of that pattern. Keep in mind that good sense as well as planning will make this transition a smooth one.
Toddlers are making the change from the diet they had as an infant to one more like your own. Now is the time to introduce new flavors and textures as taste preferences are established at this age. Make choices that are packed with nutrients and limit sweets and empty calories.
Toddlers will explore with self-feeding, first with fingers then utensils. Offer your child plenty of opportunity to experiment. Help out when your child becomes frustrated, but once skills are mastered, step away and let them take over.
To build strong bones, milk is an important part of the diet. It provides Vitamin D and calcium. Before age 2, a child should drink whole milk to gain the benefits they need. After age 2, you may begin to switch to lower fat milk. Around 12 to 18 months, it is a good idea to transition to a cup. Gradually cut out bottles, don’t do it all at once.
Watch closely for iron deficiencies after your child reaches 1 year. Iron deficiency can affect mental, physical and behavioral development. To help prevent this, limit milk intake to 16 to 24 full ounces per day, increase iron-rich foods and continue serving iron-rich cereal.
To ensure optimum nutrition, you should avoid large amounts of sweet desserts, soft drinks, sugar-coated cereals, candy and chips. These item shave little, if any, nutritional value. Also be wary of foods that present a choking hazard such as peanuts, whole grapes, popcorn, tough meats and hard candy.
There are also steps which will help mealtime be an enjoyable time for you and your toddler. It needn’t become a war zone. Don’t battle your child over food and meals. Be flexible when it comes to your child’s acceptance of certain foods. Do not use dessert as a reward. This only sets up a child for unhealthy eating habits later. Ensure the food is easy for your toddler to eat. Cut into bite sized pieces, make sure some foods are soft and moist, use child-sized feeding utensils. Seat your child in a secure chair. At first, avoid foods that are difficult to chew slowly adding them in as your child is ready. And always supervise your child while they are eating!
Knowledge and common sense go a long way in making this transformation easier on you and your toddler. Make mealtimes enjoyable. Use them as quality time.
Baby and Toddler – Daycare Advice
Making the decision to put your child in daycare can be a very tough choice. There are always stories on the news about horrible things that happen there. The most important thing with daycare is to make sure you find a good center.
Many parents like childcare centers because they have a very structured, regulated environment. Most daycares have a pickup time, drop off time and also make the children do everything on a schedule. This is great because all kids need to be on a very rigid schedule.
People usually don’t want to put their kids in daycare because they don’t want them exposed to all the sicknesses of the other children. It is true that kids in childcare centers have more infections than kids that stay at home. However, these children will probably get much fewer infections later on in their life. People need to be exposed to viruses and bacteria at a young age so that their body learns how to fight them off. Children that are exposed to these viruses and bacteria early on are much less likely to develop allergies than other children.
If you send your children to daycare, they will be taught many different skills, such as storytelling, dancing and singing. Your child will spend the day doing projects and learning many new things. A recent study has found that kids that go to good quality childcare centers do better on tests than other kids. When you start looking for a daycare, make sure the one you choose has a good mix of activities.
If you decide to get a nanny, it will be much more expensive than daycare. You will also be relying on only one person. If your nanny gets sick, you will have to find other arrangements. With daycare, you know that people are always there to look after your children. Toddlers especially benefit from daycare because they get to spend time with other kids and learn important socialization skills. If you get a nanny, your child won’t be developing these skills as quickly.
At a good quality childcare center, the staff members are usually trained in child education and child development. Because of this, the staff knows what to expect and knows how to take care of the children properly. When you start looking for a daycare, make sure the employees are knowledgeable.
A disadvantage of daycare is that your child won’t get the one-on-one care that you or a nanny could provide. Babies especially need constant attention and love to be happy and healthy. At a childcare center, one person will have to look after several babies at the same time. This can be very difficult for them.
If you choose daycare, you will have to find other arrangements for your child when they are closed on holidays. If your child gets sick, you also will have to stay at home. You have to remember that your child will most probably be getting sick more often with things such as colds and pinkeye than other children.
Overall, daycare is great if you pick a good center. The most important thing is to make sure there aren’t too many children for the amount of caregivers. For babies there should be one caregiver to every three babies. For children aged 25 to 30 months there should be one caregiver to every four kids. For children aged 31 to 35 months there should be one caregiver to every five kids. For three year olds there should be one caregiver to every seven kids. For children aged four and five there should be one caregiver to every eight kids.
Finding a safe place for your child to play can be very hard sometimes. Slides, swings and jungle gyms are a dream come true for most children, but can be a nightmare for parents when they come home with black eyes, bumps, bruises and broken limbs.
Whether you are looking for a play set for home or looking at a public playground, make sure it is age appropriate. If you are looking for equipment to use at home; look for something that is adjustable as your child grows. For your toddlers, look for something that is no higher than six feet at its topmost point. The play platforms should be no higher than four feet from the ground and have guardrails. They should also be easy to get down from. The playground slide should be no more than a 30 degree incline. It should also be at least twenty two inches deep. If the slide is more than four feet high, then it should have raised sides.
Make sure the play equipment is safe. When you are looking for a play system, look for a system that says the manufacturer followed the guidelines of the American Society for the Testing of Materials or of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The equipment should be sturdy in construction. Make sure it is correctly assembled, follow the instructions exactly and make sure it is firmly anchored in concrete. The concrete should be covered in earth or a soft padding. The play system should be set at least six feet from fences or walls.
You should avoid swings with S-like hooks; these can pop out easily with vigorous swinging. The climbing rope should be anchored at both ends. The swings should be a bucket type, of soft shock absorbing materials. To prevent head injuries the swings should be twenty four inches apart and thirty inches form the support posts. All of the rings and other openings should be designed to prevent head entrapment. All of the metal should be painted or treated to avoid rusting. If there is any wood, it should also be treated to prevent rotting. The treatment used should be with shellac paint because some wood treatment is made with arsenic-based material.
The playground equipment should be in good repair and checked regularly for broken or missing parts. If you are at a park and see it in a poor condition, you should report it to the local parks department. You should avoid the playground until it is fixed.
The surfaces under the playground should be soft. Remove all rocks and tree roots. You can either put down play sand, wood chips, sawdust, bark or other shock absorbing material. Do not rely on your grassy yard because it still could be dangerous, even fatal. Injuries are possible on this surface even if the fall is from a foot above. The shock absorbing material should extend six feet from the play area.
Make sure that your toddler isn’t wearing a cape, floppy sleeves, flowing clothes or any other clothing that can be entangled in the equipment. This can cause a strangulation hazard. Any play equipment is only as safe the supervision a child playing on it gets.
Baby and Toddler – Dealing With Tantrums
Don’t you wish there was a miracle elixir to give your toddler when they are having a tantrum? While it isn’t possible to make tantrums disappear altogether, there are ways to moderate or minimize them.
First of all stay calm. You will be adding fuel to the fire if you lose your cool. A parental blow up can also terrify your child. Your child will already be off balance with their tantrum, they will be in balance with your calming influence and reassurance and love. This calm approach will not work immediately and will not be easy to pull off but you will eventually see that your efforts are being mirrored in your child’s increasing self control.
Speak softly. Try to fight the temptation to scream over your child. It will only encourage them to scream louder as they try to recapture the center stage. A gentle and soft tone of your voice will show that you are in control and it will help your child to regain composure. Also being unable to hear what you are saying, they may quiet down out of curiosity about what you are saying to them.
Never resort to physical punishment. This is a bad idea at any time. You would be punishing the child for something that they cannot control and because you too could lose control and cause serious injury. Don’t try to reason with your child during a tantrum. Your out of control toddler is well beyond reason. Logic will be lost on them, so save the rational explanation for rational times.
Try to protect your toddler while they are having a tantrum. A toddler who is kicking and screaming will not be aware of their surroundings and could hurt themselves. Make sure there are no objects in the way that could possible injure your child. Also make sure that will not be any damage to the store or their property.
Attempt to express some empathy. Not sympathy. Say something like, “I know it is hard not to get something you want, I too get upset sometimes when I can’t get what I want”. This is empathy. Saying you’re sorry is sympathy, don’t go there, that could make it worse.
Holding your child tight, don’t squeeze too hard, but a firm hold may help your child to hold it together, a firm hold can also dissolve anger in them and in you and often will turn into a hug when the tantrum passes.
One of the best methods to help control a tantrum is to ignore it. They may get it out of their system faster. This approach is especially effective if the toddler’s demands are outrageous and you suspect that they know that as well as you do. Go about your business and make it obvious that you are not paying any attention. When you begin to systematically ignore their tantrums, they may increase for a while and then eventually your toddler will discover that it is not worth getting all worked up when there is no audience and then the tantrums should become less frequent.
Infant to Toddler: The Nutrition Transformation
Once a child reaches their toddler years, ages 1 to 3, feeding can become a challenge. Developmental changes are occurring at this age. Toddlers are trying to gain independence and control and meals are part of that pattern. Keep in mind that good sense as well as planning will make this transition a smooth one.
Toddlers are making the change from the diet they had as an infant to one more like your own. Now is the time to introduce new flavors and textures as taste preferences are established at this age. Make choices that are packed with nutrients and limit sweets and empty calories.
Toddlers will explore with self-feeding, first with fingers then utensils. Offer your child plenty of opportunity to experiment. Help out when your child becomes frustrated, but once skills are mastered, step away and let them take over.
To build strong bones, milk is an important part of the diet. It provides Vitamin D and calcium. Before age 2, a child should drink whole milk to gain the benefits they need. After age 2, you may begin to switch to lower fat milk. Around 12 to 18 months, it is a good idea to transition to a cup. Gradually cut out bottles, don’t do it all at once.
Watch closely for iron deficiencies after your child reaches 1 year. Iron deficiency can affect mental, physical and behavioral development. To help prevent this, limit milk intake to 16 to 24 full ounces per day, increase iron-rich foods and continue serving iron-rich cereal.
To ensure optimum nutrition, you should avoid large amounts of sweet desserts, soft drinks, sugar-coated cereals, candy and chips. These item shave little, if any, nutritional value. Also be wary of foods that present a choking hazard such as peanuts, whole grapes, popcorn, tough meats and hard candy.
There are also steps which will help mealtime be an enjoyable time for you and your toddler. It needn’t become a war zone. Don’t battle your child over food and meals. Be flexible when it comes to your child’s acceptance of certain foods. Do not use dessert as a reward. This only sets up a child for unhealthy eating habits later. Ensure the food is easy for your toddler to eat. Cut into bite sized pieces, make sure some foods are soft and moist, use child-sized feeding utensils. Seat your child in a secure chair. At first, avoid foods that are difficult to chew slowly adding them in as your child is ready. And always supervise your child while they are eating!
Knowledge and common sense go a long way in making this transformation easier on you and your toddler. Make mealtimes enjoyable. Use them as quality time.
Baby and Toddler – Daycare Advice
Making the decision to put your child in daycare can be a very tough choice. There are always stories on the news about horrible things that happen there. The most important thing with daycare is to make sure you find a good center.
Many parents like childcare centers because they have a very structured, regulated environment. Most daycares have a pickup time, drop off time and also make the children do everything on a schedule. This is great because all kids need to be on a very rigid schedule.
People usually don’t want to put their kids in daycare because they don’t want them exposed to all the sicknesses of the other children. It is true that kids in childcare centers have more infections than kids that stay at home. However, these children will probably get much fewer infections later on in their life. People need to be exposed to viruses and bacteria at a young age so that their body learns how to fight them off. Children that are exposed to these viruses and bacteria early on are much less likely to develop allergies than other children.
If you send your children to daycare, they will be taught many different skills, such as storytelling, dancing and singing. Your child will spend the day doing projects and learning many new things. A recent study has found that kids that go to good quality childcare centers do better on tests than other kids. When you start looking for a daycare, make sure the one you choose has a good mix of activities.
If you decide to get a nanny, it will be much more expensive than daycare. You will also be relying on only one person. If your nanny gets sick, you will have to find other arrangements. With daycare, you know that people are always there to look after your children. Toddlers especially benefit from daycare because they get to spend time with other kids and learn important socialization skills. If you get a nanny, your child won’t be developing these skills as quickly.
At a good quality childcare center, the staff members are usually trained in child education and child development. Because of this, the staff knows what to expect and knows how to take care of the children properly. When you start looking for a daycare, make sure the employees are knowledgeable.
A disadvantage of daycare is that your child won’t get the one-on-one care that you or a nanny could provide. Babies especially need constant attention and love to be happy and healthy. At a childcare center, one person will have to look after several babies at the same time. This can be very difficult for them.
If you choose daycare, you will have to find other arrangements for your child when they are closed on holidays. If your child gets sick, you also will have to stay at home. You have to remember that your child will most probably be getting sick more often with things such as colds and pinkeye than other children.
Overall, daycare is great if you pick a good center. The most important thing is to make sure there aren’t too many children for the amount of caregivers. For babies there should be one caregiver to every three babies. For children aged 25 to 30 months there should be one caregiver to every four kids. For children aged 31 to 35 months there should be one caregiver to every five kids. For three year olds there should be one caregiver to every seven kids. For children aged four and five there should be one caregiver to every eight kids.