Tag: toddlers

Posted on

Teaching your toddler to clean up

Cleanup time

When can you start teaching your toddler to clean up. Not the point below carefully.

“If a child is old enough to get out a toy to play, she is old enough to put it away.”

So if your child is capable of choosing which toy to play with from the toy box; he/she is also capable of putting it back when done playing with.

Let me put forth some strategies that can get this done.

Choosing language or choice of words carefully

The child isn’t born with inherent cleaning skill. It is something that is learnt on observation or upon being told. So just a blunt “clean up your toys” is not going to take you anywhere in this situation. Break the clean up into smaller tasks. Teach them to group things according to size or type. Breaking up cleaning into smaller tasks makes it manageable and also easier for them to start with. I am sure a good way of communication is the key to get the toddler moving.

Start young

IF your toddler is just two but loves watching what the parents do. You can very well start teaching them. Give them a dust cloth or small broom with dust pan to start with. They can imitate what you do.

Cleaning up

Necessity of cleaning up

As a grown up, we know what clean up means, but to a toddler it means putting away the fun. Give them a reason or explain consequences with which they can relate; it makes it easier in this way. Tell them someone might trip, fall off and get hurt or the toddler cannot find the toy in the same place if it’s not put back.

Create Kid-Friendly Storage for Toys

Make sure toy storage is kid friendly. They should be able to pick up and clean up with ease. Place them in boxes- say one for blocks, one for stuffed toys and so on.

Less toys, rotate and one set at a time

It is better to segregate them into sets; which is another way. Less toys means very little time required for cleanup. Always rotate the sets so that they don’t get bored. Stop buying the same kind of toys. Also make sure only one set is out at a time.

Cleaning up

Do it with a Tune!

There are a lot of youtube kid channels which have a cleanup song. Show them how it’s done. This might help them understand easier. So whenever it’s time for cleanup you can join in, sing and do it together. Do you want to know what’s our favourite cleanup song. Check it out.

Make it a Game

This makes a wonderful game. You can set the timer and tell them do complete before the buzzer goes on. Or you can tell them to complete before we finish folding clothes. Doing it this way increases the fun factor.

Don’t make it perfect

When the play area is finally clean, leave it as it is. If the blocks aren’t stacked properly or the dust cloth is not put back straight, leave it. As long as the place is clean, don’t redo what was done. A toddler cannot clean up like an adult. But if you still do it again to get it perfect, something like you redo what was done, the toddler might not be inclined to do it the next time; because they know we would redo it anyways.

Putting toys to sleep

IF the toddler cleans up before sleep time, tell them the toys need to sleep in their respective places, so we need to make sure they are kept in respective places. Maybe the child can also cultivate the habit of saying goodnight to the toys once its cleaned up.

Set a good example

Before making the toddler do the cleanup, we ourselves should set a good example for them. IF not now, we should not put ourselves into a situation that we still make a mess and expect the child to do a cleanup.

What are the benefits of teaching them cleanup?

Learn Skills they use life long

The home is the perfect place to teach them skills which they could use for the rest of their lives. Once they learn now they needn’t have to be calling you for learning it again and again.

Learning to be responsible

Responsibility is a serious skill to teach. Each day we see kids who have been brought up without being taught what is being responsible like. I really don’t like the sight of it nor does it look good to witness. It’s a very important quality we teach kids that what is expected of them and there are other people who count on them.

Learning value of work

Work is not something we hate nor do we love to work. But over the pace of time we do learn its importance by taking part in the activity. We not only teach them the value but also be a good participant(worker). We are rewarded by our kids standing out from the peer population if we teach them the skill of work and its value.

Learning to appreciate

Do you know that cleaning up also teaches the child to appreciate the effort that goes into it? They also learn to care for what they own by cleaning and putting it away when not needed anymore.

Learning to value home

By teaching them how to clean we also educate them to value where they live. It helps them to exhibit respect for the people they live with. They learn to recognize that the space is being shared by others, and therefore we show respect to them and ourselves by cleaning.

Learning natural consequences

If we end up cleaning after them, especially when they are of age three or more they’re don’t learn natural consequences. It gives them the thought that “ I can make a mess and I have somebody to clean it up for me’.

Posted on

Who is a fussy eater ? How to adapt and tame one .

What is fussy eating?

Fussy eating happens when usually your kid starts rejecting food or seems choosy about what is being fed.

When does a baby turn a fussy eater?

This can be a regular habit or can be at intervals. The baby may have an immature digestive system, which will cure itself with time, or might be teething, have an infection,food allergy, or just may not be ready for solid foods yet.

What symptoms should I look out for?

Your baby may push away the spoon or turn her head from it. She might close her mouth,as you try feeding her, spit out food, or become cranky or tired at mealtime. They might also start throwing food when they are playful.

Suggestions to avoid fussy eating stage

  • Don’t delay introducing lumpy foods. Keep changing frequently between purees and lumpy food.
  • Remember that your child will never voluntarily starve themselves. Hunger and fullness can be very well judged by kids.
  • Do not make a fuss of whether your child is eating or not. Remain calm. All we need to do is to concentrate on making mealtimes enjoyable family events. If an occurrence is enjoyable, your child will want to repeat it
  • Be genuine about the amount of effort you put into making your child’s meals. Don’t feel annoyed when they refuse to eat.
  • Don’t threaten and shout at them. This might make it even more difficult
  • Do not use desserts as bribes.

How do I adjust to my child’s eating habit:?

Part of the problem is solved when parents avoid to force feed a child like a adult.

  • If your kid is in the age of 2 months to 2 years, we need to understand that their stomach size would be small. If they have too much of liquid intake say fruit juice or milk, that might be filling them up and say no to a solid when offered.
  • The meal size should be that is something that should suffice a child- size. If they are hungrier they would ask for more. Ideal plan would be three meals spaced at an equal interval and a snack in between.
  • If the family is used to eating late at nights. This would not suit the child. They might get tired and start getting cranky. So always feed the last meal earlier.
  • Weekly assessment is better than daily.
  • Let the kid decide when they have had enough, this would help them understand their body and make them realize when to stop and when to ask for more.

How to tame my fussy eater?

  • Do not force feed the child. If the child turns the head away and rejects food by closing mouth , it’s a clear sign that they are full, even if it is very little. Trust your kid that they know how much to eat. Despite the above signs, if you still try to force feed it might lead to tension and discomfort.
  • Experiment with food textures. Even babies have food preferences. Some enjoy wet gravy foods, while the others prefer finger food. Some might want o continue with liquids, while the others might want to graze over half a dozen meal. Offer healthy options and he’ll develop a taste for them. But do not trick them with junk to eat the meal.
  • Change the speed. Some babies are fast eaters some are slow. So try changing the pace to see if there is a difference.
  • Do not distract the child. Keep away toys, books and turn off TV. Main focus should only be on eating.
  • It’s tempting to let a picky eater take as long as they want to eat. Keep meal length reasonable. It should not be more than 30 minutes. You can tell them you should eat before your hands become dry.
  • Let the baby touch and feel the food that is being offered. There is nothing wrong in exploring.
  • Follow your baby’s timeline. Most babies begin eating solid foods between 4 and 6 months, but some may start a little earlier, others later. As with crawling, walking, potty-training, and just about every other infant milestone, there’s no perfect time .No baby is unique. So let them take their own time.
  • Encourage self-feeding. By about 9 months, many babies are interested in trying to feed themselves. Although your picky eater is likely to make a mess waving around the mealtime spoon, letting him take control is important to a child’s growth and development. Let them participate, which makes it enjoyable for them.
  • It’s a natural feeling for babies to slow down on their feeds. This is usually at the end of year one babies’ growth tends to slow. So does their calorie need. Be patient; growth spurts are on the way.
  • Keep trying, gently. Some babies may need to try a food eight, 10, even 15 times before they enjoy it, so be patient and continue to revisit a rejected food over time, time as long as there are no allergies.
  • React passionately to a picky eater and even a 1-year-old will understand her power over you. Realize that you want your baby to eat for her own well-being, not to please you — and that baby’s rejection of a food is not a rejection of you. Don’t let on that you’re frustrated or angry.
  • Even if it’s our job to feed the baby, it’s their choice to choose what to eat and when. As long as the child is active and has a healthy weight gain, we needn’t worry.
  • Make meal time educative. Teach them where food comes from.
  • Eating together is a good practice. Make sure at least one of you eats with the child.

Toddler recipes for fussy eaters:

  • Baked sweet potato wheels
  • Dry fruit powdered balls
  • Melon balls
  • Shaped cheese slice
  • Popcorn gobi mildly spiced
  • Mildly spiced ragi or soya chakli
  • Carrot kheer
  • Multigrain balls
  • Rice cakes topped with ghee and sugar
  • Rice crepes with veggie purees
  • French fries shallow fried
  • Bite sized jam buns
  • Mini quesadilla with veggies
  • Dhal rice balls
  • Curd rice cakes
  • Soups of all veggies

I did read through a couple of books to learn about child nutrition.

The gentle eating book by Sarah Ockwell Smith

Eat, delete Junior by Pooja Makhija

These give us a better understanding of our child’s food habits and nutritional needs.

Posted on

Does Your Baby Suffer Stranger Anxiety/ Separation Anxiety? What, When And How To Tackle?

This is usually demonstrated by crying when an unknown or unfamiliar person approaches. Normally it starts at about 8 – 9 months and usually subsides by age 2 years. S

tranger anxiety is related with the child’s developmental task of distinguishing the acquainted from the unacquainted. Both the duration and intensity of the nervousness(anxiety) vary greatly among kids.

Some babies show a strong preference for one parent over another at a certain age, and grandparents may suddenly be viewed as strangers. Anticipating these happenings during visits helps prevent misinterpretation of the behavior. Comforting the child and avoiding overreaction to the behavior are usually the only therapy needed.

If a new person is coming, having that person spend some time with the family before the actual day makes sense. When the event arrives, having parents spend some time with the child and sitter before they leave is prudent. If grandparents are coming to watch the child for a few days while parents go away, they should arrive a day or two early.

Stranger anxiety of pronounced intensity may be a sign of more generalized anxiety and should prompt evaluation of the family situation, parenting techniques, and the child’s overall emotional state.

The day-to-day relationship between baby and parents, not the degree of anxiety when meeting strangers is the best measure of emotional health in the baby.

Stranger anxiety is a normal part of a child’s cognitive development Parents are concerned about educatingtheir children to be cautious when approached by unfamiliar people. However, we need to find a balance between concern and encouragement of their natural inquisitiveness and friendliness, while at the same time teaching them that they should always rely on parental supervision and consent in dealing with outsiders.

Stranger anxiety can sometimes upset friends and relatives, who may feel rejected by a suddenly introverted child. The baby may reject a caregiver he/she was previously comfortable with or grow hysterical when relatives visit. This can be unsatisfying for us, since the baby may reject the parent who is not the principal caregiver. Parents should respect the child’s fear and allow her to approach people as she is able. If the child does not want to be hugged by or sit with a relative, it is ill-advised to force her. In the long run, children outgrow their fear and become more easy-going with strangers.

Safe attachment and social referencing

Around 8-9 months’ babies would have reached an important milestone in the development of an attachment to their mother. Babies with a healthy attachment relationship prefer being near their mother, because mother is the person who helps them with their physical and emotional needs.

Although they may move away from mother to explore, they will still look back at her face for assurance when they’re not sure about something. This is called ‘social referencing’.

Person permanence

Most babies at this stage would have developed an understanding of person permanence (that people still exist when they can’t be seen). Whereas before they had to be able to physically see mother to know she existed, they can now hold a picture of her in their mind.

When baby can’t see mother, they may become upset and terrible in response to the separation. It’s still better for mum to tell baby she’s leaving, rather than hoping baby won’t notice her going.

So always wave a goodbye and say that you will be back sooner to comfort the child.

Separation anxiety- what is it?

Separation anxiety is when a baby becomes worried or upset when they’re separated from the person who cares for them the most — often it’s the mother. Babies understand that people leave before they learn that people return. They can tell from your actions that you are about to leave. Anxiety begins to build even before you leave. Upset and crying occur at the time of separation , sleep difficulties are common.

This usually develops in the second half of the first year.

How can you reduce this or tackle this?

    1. Practice to stay away for short durations.
    2. Introduce strangers early.
    3. Try distracting the baby when you leave
    4. Always leave when she feels good that when she well fed or not sleepy.
    5. Learn to say goodbye which would signal that you will not be available.
    6. Don’t look back.
    7. Don’t fall for the tears, they are short lived.
Posted on

What is potty training ? When and how to start ? Do’s and dont’s

What is potty training?

Potty training is training your toddler to use potty, so he/she can get rid of wearing diapers.

What the best age to start potty training?

Healthy children aren’t physically and emotionally ready to start using a potty until they are between 18 months and three years old. Boys tend to be ready a few months later than girls. Most parents start the training when their children are between two years and three years old.

The physical maturity and readiness skills needed for successful toilet learning appear at the same time in girls and boys-between 18 and 30 months of age. The average age for girls to be toilet trained is 29 months, and for boys it’s 31 months.

Please note these are just the average months and not exact.

Age shouldn’t be the deciding factor in beginning potty training.

This varies individually among each child and is something that needn’t be compared to.

The key is making sure your child is physically and developmentally ready

How do you know that your child is ready to be potty trained?

· Pulling a wet or dirty diaper.

· Hiding to pee or poop.

· Interest in others’ use of the potty

· Copying adult potty behavior.

· Having a dry diaper for a longer-than-usual time.

· Awakening dry from a nap.

· Telling out that they’re about to go, are going or have just gone in their diaper.

Bowel or bladder control? What comes first?

Most children achieve bowel and bladder control between 24 and 48 months of age. Bowel control occurs before bladder control.

Sequence of control

· Bowel control at night

· Bowel control during the day

· Bladder control during the day

· Bladder control at night

It is normal to wet the bed until age six for a girl and age seven for a boy.

Steps to train your toddler

· Let them watch and learn – Show them how it is done ie. How to undress and sit.

· Buy the right equipment – Getting the right type of potty seat plays a vital role in your training. Try going for choices which would make the kid want to come back and not whine, when taken.

· Help your child get comfortable with the potty – make sure the child feels comfortable sitting on it.

· Motivate with cool underwear- Make them wear underwear with their favorite cartoon characters or motifs. Make them wear it without fuss.

· Set up a training schedule- Prepare a schedule, and stick on to it. It will slowly become a routine.

· Teach to sit and wipe- Help them sit on the potty or if you are using a toilet seat cover, make sure its sturdy when they sit.

· Set aside some naked time – Give them some diaper/ underwear free time. So that they will feel the urge when they need to pee/poop.

· Celebrate triumphs – Once they start doing it the right way, keep encouraging them with small treats.

Role of book and videos in potty training:

Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi, is a lasting favorite. Where’s the Poop? and Once Upon a Potty, comes in a version with a doll and miniature potty. Potty by Leslie patricelli is another good book.

Several board books are now available to encourage children and make them learn in a fun way.

Gender specific titles are also available.

You could also show them an animated video, showing them how their favorite character also is being potty trained.

Many parents deal with potty training as something over which they have total control. Parents are a big contributor to their child’s development, but they don’t really control it. Parents are there to facilitate, to guide, to reinforce and to praise, but parents shouldn’t put pressure on themselves that if they do a series of steps, the children will achieve a certain outcome.”

If you feel like you’ve been changing diapers forever, you’re not alone.

Do not compare your child, this varies individually and is not something to boast about if your child has mastered it very early. Children take their own time to get comfortable and used to it. After all, its nature’s call and cannot be missed but would be taken at the right time and right place.

Posted on

When does a child start talking ? What to look for and when to seek help ?

The most demanding period for acquiring speech and language skills is the first 3 years of life, when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills are best developed in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.

There are certain critical periods for speech and language development in infants and young children. This is the period when the brain is best able to absorb language. If these periods are missed without exposure to language, it will lead to learning difficulties.

Milestones for speech and language development

When an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort, and company that is when the first signs of communication occurs. Newborn babies begin to recognize key sounds in their environment, such as the voice of their mother or primary caretaker. Babies begin to sort out the speech sounds that compose the words of their language as they progress in growth. Most babies recognize the basic sounds of their native language by 6 months of age.

The development of speech and language skills in children differs. They follow a natural advancement or timetable for mastering the skills of language. There are certain milestones which help doctors and professionals determine if a child is on track or if the child may need extra help. Sometimes a delay may be caused by hearing loss, while other times it may be due to a speech or language disorder.

How to nurture your baby’s language development?

1. Talk, talk, talk. …

2. Read, read, read. …

3. Enjoy music together. …

4. Tell stories. …

5. Follow your child’s lead. …

6. Never criticize your child’s articulation or speech patterns. …

7. Use television and computers sparingly. …

8. Treat ear infections thoroughly.

Language development varies considerably between children, even within the same family. However, they tend to follow a natural progression for mastering the skills of language and there are certain ‘milestones’ that can be identified as a rough guide to normal development.

Children develop their speech at an individual rate but there are certain milestones to be aware of.

Development of speech over time

Babies need to learn how language sounds before being able to learn how to speak.

Although children improve at their own rate, there are some general patterns:

  • From 1-3 months of age, babies cry and coo
  • At 4 to 6 months of age, babies sigh, grunt, gurgle, squeal, laugh and make different crying sounds.
  • Between 6-9 months, babies babble in syllables and start imitating tones and speech sounds.
  • Between 12 months, a baby’s first words usually appear, and by 18 months to 2 years’ children use around 50 words.
  • Between 2-3 years, sentences extend to 4 and 5 words. Children can recognize and identify almost all common objects and pictures.
  • Between 3-5 years, conversations become longer, and more abstract and complex.
  • By the time a child turns 5, they usually have a 2,500-word vocabulary and talk in complete, grammatically correct sentences. They ask a lot of ‘why?’, ‘what?’ and ‘who?’ questions.

How can parents help?

  • making faces and noises and talking about your activities from the day they’re born
  • playing interactive games like peek-a-boo and singing nursery rhymes
  • looking at books from an early age – you don’t have to read the words, just talk about what you can see
  • talking slowly and clearly and using short, simple sentences.
  • avoiding testing, such as asking ‘What’s this?’, as children learn better without pressure
  • not criticizing wrong words and instead saying the word properly – for example, if your baby points to a dog and says ‘do!’ say: ‘Yes, it’s a dog
  • letting your child lead the conversation and help them expand on their thoughts
  • giving your child lots of opportunities to talk, with plenty of time to answer your questions

Who is a late talker?

A “Late Talker” is a toddler (between 18-30 months) who has good understanding of language, typically developing play skills, motor skills, thinking skills, and social skills, but has a limited spoken vocabulary for his or her age.

When to seek medical help?

  • By 12 months, your child is not trying to communicate with you (using sounds, gestures and/or words), particularly when needing help or wanting something
  • By 2 years, your child has not started combining words.

If your child hasn’t mastered most of the speech and language development milestones for his or her age or you’re concerned about any aspect of your child’s development seek help immediately. Speech delays occur for many reasons, including hearing loss and developmental disorders. Depending on the circumstances, your child’s doctor might refer your child to a hearing specialist or a speech-language pathologist.

In the meantime, talk to your child about what you’re doing and where you’re going. Sing songs and read together. Teach your child to imitate actions, such as clapping, and to say animal sounds. Practice counting. Show your child that you’re pleased when he or she speaks. Listen to your child’s sounds and repeat them back to him or her. These steps can encourage your child’s speech and language development.

Encouraging your toddler to talk

Talk to your toddler as much as possible as you go about your daily routine and when you are out and about. The more you talk to your toddler, the newer words she’ll learn, and the better she’ll get at talking.

Chat to your toddler as you change diapers, feed, or bathe her. But make sure you give give her time to respond with a smile or eye-to-eye contact. Use everyday activities to help your toddler to make connections between actions and objects and the words that represent them. Point out things you see when you’re out and about.

Simplify your speech when you talk to your toddler. Use short sentences and emphasize key words. This will help your toddler to focus on the important information.

Try talking to your toddler from time to time in sentences that are about one word longer than the sentences she is using. So if your child uses two-word sentences, use lots of three-word and four-word sentences when talking back to her. For example, if your toddler says “a bird”, you could say, “yes, a big bird.”

You can increase your child’s vocabulary by giving her choices, such as “Do you want an apple or a pear?”. You could even show your child both an apple and a pear. This helps your toddler to store a picture of the word in her mind.

It will help your toddler to learn how to talk if you make time to sit in front of her and talk to her. You could even sit in front of her when you read a book, rather than have her on your lap, so she can watch you talking.

Look at books with your toddler regularly. Even if you don’t follow the story as it unfolds, your toddler will learn by listening to you talk about the pictures.

I recently came across a site that helps you check if your child is on track. http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/

They have different choices of months which can be selected. It’s basically a quiz for the parent with their child’s development.

So mommies get going and do the talking.

Posted on

World book day challenge day 3 prompt : Childhood

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install, a lovely bookshelf on the wall.
~ Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

P

osting

for #worldbookdaychallenge day 3 prompt : Childhood
I’ve been brought up as an early reader myself. The first few of the books that I was given were the ones of Helen Oxenbury. She is a great illustrator and writer of Children’s picture books. I can , I hear , I see , we are going on a bear hunt , all fall down, clap hands to name a few.
But my most favorite was ‘ Tickle Tickle ‘ by her.
The book has very few pages but illustrated with cute kids on all .
The book goes about how the children play in mud, take a bath, get ready for bed and time for Tickle Tickle.
She is very well known for her soft color illustrations which definitely is a must for toddler books.
On a sad note, the books I owned couldn’t be retrieved from what was left after the December 2015 Chennai floods.
But when I came to know that @thelittlebookhub had a preloved copy of this wonderful book, I never had second thoughts and immediately blocked it so that I could hand down the same emotion I had with that book to Cheeni.
Cheeni loves looking at the kids on the book and when I say Tickle Tickle she starts giggling. So this book is definitely apt for the prompt : Childhood . I hope to pass this on to my grandchildren as well.