Child Development | Early Learning

Milestones

Your daughter is eight months old and still isn’t sitting up alone. The milestone charts say she should have by seven months. Should you worry?

Every baby is different and they all develop at his or her own pace. The milestone charts are simply a guideline- an average. If your child is slower at some things, she may be quicker to pick up another skill. She may be babbling way or walking before your neighbor’s child. Life tends to even out.

Your son may never be interested in crawling and may go from cruising around furniture to walking. Or, he may spend months crawling and not be very interested in walking. It can be very frustrating as a parent – particularly a competitive parent – but there isn’t much you can do to change it.

Babies have distinct personalities and learning styles. When one first time Dad said he thought they would have their daughter on their schedule in two or three days, all of his more experienced friends laughed. It took several weeks for him to realize that his friends were right, and he and his wife were adjusting their schedule to the baby’s – and they had no power over her.

Certainly, if you have concerns about your baby’s development, ask your doctor. For example, if your baby isn’t responding to sounds, she may need to have her hearing checked. It is a simple test and, at the very least, will give you peace of mind. If she does have any hearing loss, the early it is addressed, the better. You know your baby best and can often point out problems to your doctor.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Infant, Learning styles, Shopping

The Best Phone Plan for Your Family

So, what’s the best phone plan for your family?

Good question.

There are many options to choose from in today’s high-tech world; these start from inexpensive with conservative use to very high quality and a range of features for a larger monthly fee.

So, the first thing to determine is what will fit your family the best.

If you are a family that needs Internet access on-the-go, as well as lots of phone and texting options, then you might want to look at plans that include prepaid Blackberry phones.

Many prepaid plans have a more expensive monthly fee but minutes and texting is unlimited, plus there is no contract to worry about. And if you are wanting a smart phone that has a lot of features and can endure a lot of use, then a family plan with prepaid Blackberry phones might be a perfect choice.

If your family includes teens, then a prepaid plan makes even more sense. It is impossible to go over minutes and if your teen is not wise with the use of their phone, you simply do not pay for it for the coming month.

If you are desiring a family phone plan and your family is older and wiser, then there are many plans to choose from that might make sense for your needs. Most plans will have a very low monthly rate with a two-year contract. And most of these plans will have enough minutes to satisfy the whole family; just make sure that you choose a plan that makes sense for your particular circumstances.

So, the best phone plan for your family? The one that fits the best!

Filed Under: Child Development, Education Tagged With: Blackberry, Prepaid, Smartphone

The Perfect Birthday Present for Your Daughter

Image via Wikipedia

Birthday parties are filled with cake, balloons, giggles and girls; but no little girl’s birthday is complete without gifts. Every girl wants a special doll to love and play with. The American Girl dolls are the perfect choice because there are so many options to choose. You can give your daughter a doll that looks just like her — hair, eyes, skin tone and even freckles.

Once you have the perfect doll for your little girl, you need to assemble her wardrobe. American girl doll clothes come is many styles and periods. Your daughter can dress her doll for a tea party in a dress and then they can change into jeans to play in the backyard. Your daughter will spend hours changing, dressing and having adventures with her doll. Her imagination and the right clothes for the doll can take them both around the world and throughout history, and maybe even into the future.

This is the kind of gift you daughter will treasure for years, even into adulthood. Many girls and women become collectors. Not only are there clothes and shoes, but also accessories, furniture, and books and stories that go along with each doll. Matching outfits for your daughter and her special doll are also a big hit.

If your daughter and her friends all have dolls, they can have special doll parties and play dates along with their friends and dolls. Maybe her birthday party could be a doll-themed party and all the guests can bring their favorite doll in her best party dress.

Filed Under: Child Development, Education Tagged With: American Girl, Girl, Shopping

Where to Buy Kids School Costumes Online

Kids love dressing up. Halloween is one of those holidays that gives them the freedom and opportunity to dress for their school’s festivities. Many schools have fall festivals or give kids the chance to dress up for Halloween. Finding the perfect costume might seem daunting. Surely your child has dreamed about what they want to dress as for Halloween for the past few months. The trick is how to find the costume that they want in the size you need.

Finding kids costumes in the stores might be challenging, since many stores do not carry a huge selection, unless you go to a specialty store. However, if you start looking online for kids costumes, you are sure to find a costume early and have it set and ready long before Halloween time. Of course, you might be troubled with letting your child wear their costume beforehand.

Once you have narrowed down the choices your child wants to dress up as, you can start searching online for the best costume for your dollar. Online shopping for costumes is common, as it is now commonplace to purchase grocery items, makeup, and other goods and services online.

Many online stores offer free shipping, discounted costumes, and the same perks and benefits you would find in a brick-and-mortar retail store. Some online shops have great benefits and features listed on their sites. With a wide selection available from online retailers, you are sure to find what you want. You can make your child’s Halloween dreams come true!

Filed Under: Child Development, Education

Achieving Equality: Parenting

Image by kimberly.ann via Flickr

Equality is the intention of all days: obligations must exist with pleasure; duties must be tamed by thrills. A life must be filled with all things necessary and all things enjoyable. This is the only way to secure happiness — and you strive always to achieve the perfect blur of balance.

Such balance must also be offered to your disciplining techniques, however; and the positive must be acknowledged with the negative.

Parents always seek to correct bad behaviors. They chastise children for the rules that are broken, offer the necessary punishments. This is to create a correlation between defiance and penalties; and it’s understood to be essential.

It’s not, however, to be singular.

While less than admirable traits must be dealt with, positive behaviors must still be offered recognition. When children accomplish notable tasks they should be recommended for them. This is a form of a reinforcement that will offer a far quicker connection — with parental respect becoming a wanted prize.

The purpose of discipline is not merely to chide. It is instead to inspire morality. This cannot happen, however, when worthwhile actions are dismissed (forgotten in the wake of one simple misjudgment). Balance must therefore be achieved — with parents willing to offer compliments and not just accusations. This is essential in helping children understand the value of behavior.

Discipline is necessary — but so is affection. The two are not mutually exclusive, defined to specific roles. Instead they must blend together to ensure that all children are receiving the proper care. Equilibrium must be sought… and obtained.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Behavior, Child, Parent

Tone and Positioning: Communication

Image via Wikipedia

It’s an all too familiar argument: a collection of angry words and frantic breaths, the threats punctuated by disappointed sighs. You’re towering above your child — demanding to know why rules were broken, why a petty crime was committed. She has no answers for you, however. Instead she stares at the floor. Her posture is weak; her fingers are twitching; and she refuses to face your fury with an upward glance.

This is a situation defined by mistakes — many of which are spawned from your choice of words and looming position.

The need for discipline is vital. Parents must create boundaries for their children and must subsequently expect those boundaries to be maintained. Rules are essential — establishing structure and morality. Trying to prove the need for them through imposing postures and a loud tone is not recommended, however.

Children are formed of small bones and meager heights. The world therefore seems grand, and perhaps a little frightening, from their points of view. When parents choose to stand above them — shouting out accusations and demanding answers — the ability to communicate is lost. It’s replaced instead with anxiety. Youths will be unable to offer explanations. They’ll just be overwhelmed.

It is essential therefore that all parents — including you — become aware of body language and tone. All conversations should involve eye contact. This requires adjusting heights accordingly, allowing the levels to be even. Vocals should also be contained to stern, but steady, limits. Shrieks will offer no rewards.

This distinction will ensure that children are more aware of arguments, rather than being too nervous to comprehend the words.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Family, Parent

Communication: Parents and Children

Conversations are treacherous things — their demands are endless; their subtleties are many; and too often do you find yourself pondering words, wondering what your child’s seemingly innocent remarks could mean.

Brooding is not an effective form of parenting, however. Its results are too meager. Instead you must learn to communicate — allowing conversations to offer insights instead of concerns.

Ask Questions

Communication demands more than occasional smiles, the bland pleasantries. Parents must instead search for topics. Questions must be asked — even as they may seem too awkward or too demanding. Children will rarely venture information without first being prompted. The only way to gain answers therefore is to seek them out.

Listen to Responses

There are no certainties in life — and this is proven all too easily in the words children may offer. Responses may not be what parents desire to hear. They may instead cause horror, frustration or worry. It’s essential, however, to allow all answers to be given. Youths must be allowed to speak, rather than being forced to remain silent. This is the only way to create a dialogue.

Avoid Accusations

Anger is an easy emotion. It can spark with little effort, can steal all sense (with screams bubbling out again and again). This is not helpful, however, and parents must refrain from giving in to initial moods. The intention of communication is to solve concerns. That can’t succeed, though, if accusations are tossed about. All words must therefore be calm and reflect a desire to support.

Dialogue can be achieved. It simply requires initiative, patience and the ability to ignore emotional impulses.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Communication, Parent