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Category: Family

  • Sleep Issues With Adopted Kids

    For adoptive parents whose children have a hard time falling asleep, oftentimes there are valid reasons for the sleep issues and also strategies to help. Learn tips for Sleep Issues with Adopted Kids.

    sleep issues with adopted kids

    Even though it is one of the most challenging issues for any new parent, helping a child to sleep can be even more stressful for adoptive parents. As sleep is mixed in with all kinds of other adjustments for both adopted children and parents, it is sometimes difficult to know whether there are sleep issues, or if the difficult nights are symptoms for another stress in the child’s life.

    How to Help Adopted Children With Food Issues

    How to Help Adopted Kids Answer Adoption Questions

    How to Help Adopted Kids Deal With Separation Anxiety

    Like talking and walking, sleeping has to be learned and changes at different developmental stages. When this learning curve is happening during times of transition and adjustment for the child, peaceful, restful nights may be far and few between. By understanding what can underlie a newly adopted child’s restless night and experimenting with various strategies, both adoptive parents and their children can learn to rest easy.

    Sleep Issues With Adopted Kids

    Why Do Adopted Kids Have a Hard Time Sleeping?

    Every child is different when it comes to sleep habits, so when adoptive parents turn to their friends and family for advice, there may be a perception that sleeping problems are the same across all children, regardless of their start in life. According to the National Sleep Foundation, by the age of two most children would have spent more time asleep than awake overall, and will spend about 40% of their childhood asleep. For adopted kids settling into the adoptive home, this may not be the case for a number of reasons including:

    • The child being overstimulated with all the changes of the new adoptive surroundings.
    • The child making negative connections with darkness and bedtime based on pre-adoption experiences.
    • The child being used to sleeping with others in the room.
    • The child feeling separation anxiety when away from adoptive parents.
    • The child confusing night and day due to time zone changes from birth country to home.
    • The child experiencing nightmares or night terrors.

    Sleep issues are especially prevalent for children who have been adopted internationally. In the book Adoption Parenting, Dr. M. Claire McDonald shares her insight and experience into sleep issues when she and her husband adopted their daughter from China. She found that changing her perspective around sleep issues was key and she learned that “issues around sleep are intimately connected with issues of trust, and ultimately, attachment.”

    What Can Adoptive Parents Do to Help With Sleep Issues?

    In addition to changing one’s attitude about sleep as suggested by McDonald, there are several strategies adoptive parents can try in the goal of helping their adopted child fall asleep on her own. The Center of Adoption Medicine makes the following suggestions for adoptive parents as they transition their internationally adopted child into their home.

    • Learn about the child’s prior sleep environment and bedtime routine.
    • Explore co-sleeping as an option.
    • Run a white noise machine in the child’s sleeping room.
    • Dress the child in sleep clothing they are used to.
    • Keep the child’s blankets and pillows from their orphanage or foster care as long as possible and do not wash them for the first few days.
    • Set up a consistent bedtime routine that includes dimming the lights, quiet noises, calming bath time, relaxing reading and cozy cuddling.
    • Engage the child in activities throughout the day that encourage attachment and one-on-one time.

    If these strategies do not work at first, adoptive parents can try them at another developmental stage and find out from other adoptive parents what worked for their children. If a sleeping disorder is suspected, adoptive parents should have the child checked by a medical professional specializing in sleep issues.

    Despite their challenging nature, sleep issues are very common for adopted kids. However, with consistency and patience, adoptive parents can help their child learn to sleep by exploring strategies that meet their child’s unique needs.

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  • How to Help Children Read Better

    Is your child struggling with reading? Help build his or her confidence with these tips on how to help children read better.

    How to Help Children Read Better

    Children will enjoy reading more if we give them tools and inspiration to build their grasp and understanding. Enthusiastic readers develop better writing skills, too.

    Today’s busy world is so hi-tech and interactive, simple reading won’t always hold a youngster’s interest, especially when children are very little.

    These simple activities help strengthen reading skills and make learning and reading fun.

    How to Help Children Read Better

    Building Reading Skills at Home

    Schedule time to read together every evening.

    Ten minutes is a good start, but it’s best to share the reading with the child, not just reading to them. When children read aloud, instead of just listening, they become involved. Being interactive helps them to sound out the words. Gently correct any mistakes.

    Make a bookmark together.

    It’s fun for children to make a bookmark with their own name on it. Another idea is to make a themed bookmark to match the book or series that is being read.

    This easy craft gives ownership to a book and another connection for a young reader.

    How to Organize Books for Kids

    Simple cardboard or poster board works well. The bookmarks can be cut into any shape or just the traditional two inch rectangle strips are fine.

    Visit Author Websites

    Many books and authors have websites for young fans. Great examples of fun websites are Eric Carle and Dr. Seuss. These sites offer an opportunity to interact even further with the stories that are read.

    Some websites have games and printable activities that match the books you may be reading. Also, many authors have a place for comments and some will even answer young readers’ questions.

    Check out our list of Best Dr. Seuss Books!

    Here are 15+ Educational Websites for Kids to enjoy at home.

    Reading Activities Away from Home

    Many libraries, bookstores and museums offer readings and interactive activities for young children.

    Sometimes the authors or illustrators visit and discuss and present their work or offer workshops and hands-on activities.

    Theater groups frequently put on productions of children’s literature. These can be found by searching through the theater’s website, the library or the author’s website.

    Visit a bookstore or library.

    Many children enjoy the opportunity to listen to stories while they read along.

    Bookstores and libraries offer many recorded versions of books on CDs, MP3s, (or even old-fashioned tapes) that can be played on car rides or during playdates. This activity builds word recognition and adds another dimension to reading.

    Activities that engage young readers do not have to take up a lot of time. Building enthusiasm can be accomplished by sharing and exploring the world of literature together.

    Making reading an adventure helps build and develop skills that will last a lifetime.

  • Facts About Internet Safety for Teenagers

    Facts About Internet Safety for Teenagers

    The Internet culture has currently evolved into a dangerous being with a force of its own.

    Some teenagers are living their entire lives on the internet – playing in virtual reality, engaging almost exclusively in online relationships, staying glued to their computer screen for hours on end.

    Not only is this behavior unnatural, it affects the way these kids are learning to socialize and react to the physical world around them.

    It also makes them vulnerable to online predators and may give them an inaccurate view of true human nature, because the way people act online does not always correspond to the way they would act in real life.

    Parents need to learn about child safety on the internet.

    Facts About Internet Safety for Teenagers

    Teenage Chat Rooms

    Online chatting, or technology in place of human relationships, is essentially a safeguard against real human emotion, because all you see are words and text smileys.

    Teenagers are able to ask someone out casually on AIM before actually approaching them in person.

    This helps them salvage their feelings a little if they get rejected, but it is an unrealistic way to approach the issue of relationships and mating because sometimes those things that may potentially help us grow as people need to be taken care of in the real world, and not subjugated to cyberspace.

    As if living in this fast-paced Corporate America hasn’t caused enough estrangement between people, the Internet is slowly but steadily alienating adolescents from each other while all the time tricking them into believing that they are staying connected.

    Internet Safety Tip

    As much as we may think sometimes that the online people we meet and interact with are always authentic, the issue is that we can never really know the entire scope of their attitudes or behavior, because we are seeing only what they project onto a computer screen.

    There are so many other aspects of behavior that has to contribute to the overall demeanor of a person that seeing this one tiny portion just isn’t enough to make accurate judgments about people.

    Another defect of building relationships mostly or exclusively online is that you start to become emotionally dependent on people who you are only virtually familiar with.

    You may discover that the person you trusted and thought you knew actually turned out to be totally different than how you’d pictured them.

    Basically, knowing only somebody’s online persona can lead to false expectations, which leads to disappointment in the other person and feelings of shame about yourself.

    Online Social Communities

    Because the Internet cuts out a big part of human emotion, teenagers who spend excessive amounts of time online and not enough in the outside world tend to become emotionally bankrupt or lose a sense of proper human behavior when interacting with someone face-to-face.

    People in chat rooms and online forums are often excessively rude and inflammatory for almost no reason at all, perhaps only because they are hiding under the anonymity of their computer screen and their words.

    This is a dangerous road to go down, because it’s as if you’re leading a double life; one in which you are suppressing all your emotions, and the other in which you’re expressing them inappropriately to complete strangers.

    This will ultimately lead to consequences such as loss of identity, resentment of the socially apt, and pent up emotions of fear and anger that may hold dangerous consequences.

    While online chatting and communicating over the Internet is a great tool for networking and making friends, it is important to limit the amount of time teenagers spend solely on the Internet.

    Too much online exposure may detract from their honing important real-life social skills and possibly lead them into the path of predators, especially in chat rooms with no registration.

    Monitor Your Child’s Content with Bark

    Check out Bark!

    Your child can access the internet in so many different ways. Bark provides families with all the tools they need to raise kids in the digital age.

    Bark’s affordable, award-winning dashboard proactively monitors text messages, YouTube, emails, and 30+ different social networks for potential safety concerns, so busy parents can save time and gain peace of mind. Try Bark now!

    Their comprehensive service lets you monitor content, manage screen time, and filter websites so you can get peace of mind while your child is online!

    Check out more of our teenager related articles:

    How to Motivate Your Teenager to Clean Their Room

    Dealing With The Underachieving Gifted Teenager

    Fun Activities for Parents and Teens to Do Together

    Nature Activities for Teens

    How to Shop With a Teenager

    Birthday Party Ideas for Teenagers

    20 Best Gifts for Teens

  • How to Protect Kids From the Sun

    How to Protect Kids From the Sun

    Do you want to learn how to protect kids from the sun? Keep reading for tips!

    The temperatures in South Carolina have been in the 100’s this week, the highest being 108. I check the weather app on my phone each day and it doesn’t look like there’s any relief from the heat any time soon. With the temperatures rising, I’m thankful for the pool passes that we decided to purchase for the summer. The neighborhood pool is less than a mile away from our house, so I’ve been packing up the kids to go swimming on a daily basis.

    Sun care is very important to me. My kids know our routine very well. They put on their swimsuits and I apply their sunscreen before we even step outside. Then, I apply my own sunscreen. It takes me a little while to cover each child generously, but that’s because it means that much to me to protect their delicate skin.

    How to Protect Kids From the Sun

    As a parent, it’s my job to make sure my children are protected from the sun and to make sure they don’t come home with sunburns. Sunburns in children increase the odds of developing skin cancer later in life. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer, yet only 20% use SPF daily. That’s a scary statistic!

    How to Protect Kids From the Sun

    Apply sunscreen regularly. 

    Look for a sunscreen with SPF 30+ or higher and reapply at least every two hours. Wear sunscreen even if you plan to be in the shade to protect your skin in case of UV exposure.

    Here’s a fun video to show the kids about why you should wear sunscreen:

    Why Should You Wear Sunscreen? | Body Science for Kids

    Wear protective clothing.

    Have your child wear a hat and sunglasses to protect your face, head, ears, neck, shoulders, and eyes from the sun.

    Take frequent breaks from the sun and stay in the shade if possible.

    Seek shade under a tree, picnic area, or pavilion if necessary or take frequent breaks by going inside a cool location regularly if possible.

    Try to avoid being outdoors during the hours of 10am-4pm.

    This is the hottest part of the day. Schedule activities during the morning or late evening hours.

    Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. 

    Pack plenty of water if you plan to be in the sun for a long period of time.

    These are just a few tips to help your family stay safe in the sun this summer.

    What tips do you have for staying safe in the sun? 

    15 Summer Activities for Kids

  • Tips for Grocery Shopping with a Toddler

    Taking a toddler grocery shopping can be a learning experience for your little one! Read our tips for grocery shopping with a toddler.

    Tips for Grocery Shopping with a Toddler

    Food shopping with toddlers can be a stressful task. The young kids often have a mind of their own, wandering off when mom is not looking. Some also cause a scene in the supermarket.

    How can busy mom make the most of their time when shopping with toddlers? Check out the following tips to help moms shop efficiently when small kids come along.

    Tips for Grocery Shopping with a Toddler

    Use a Toddler Friendly Shopping Cart

    Unlike babies, toddlers love running around, even in unfamiliar places. To make sure they don’t get lost in the crowd, find a fun toddler friendly shopping cart at your store if the store provides these carts. Carts usually look like a car, an animal, etc.

    Most kids enjoy the ride and will be entertained as mom points out interesting items while wheeling the trolley along the aisle. Do make sure the child is secured with a safety harness on the cart. If the grocery store provides mini-shopping carts, consider letting your child “shop” with you with their own toddler sized cart.

    Some stores give out a piece of free fruit when shopping with a child!

    Leave Family Contact Details in the Child’s Clothes

    Sometimes, even with precautions taken, a young child may still get separated from his mom. To ensure a reunion with the family if that happens, leave a label with the child’s name, home number and street address inside a pocket or on the back of their shirt. This will help the store’s customer service personnel to contact the lost child’s parents. Toddlers who have started talking should be taught their names, parents’ names, phone number and home address.

    Involve Toddlers in Food Shopping Activities

    Small kids have very short attention spans and become restless and bored if they have nothing to do. Some parents bring along their kids’ favorite toys, books, tablets, and snacks on shopping trips to keep them occupied. However, sometimes, even these are not enough to hold their attention.

    The solution is to involve the toddlers while shopping. Give the child some tasks and make him feel useful. This will also encourage him to be involved in household chores later on. Mom can show him wrappers or boxes of things that need to be purchased and ask him to help look for these items. When these items are found, let him take them down and put them in the cart. Giving a toddler some practical choices (like asking him whether he wants green or red grapes or if he prefers cheese sticks to cheese slices) is likely to make shopping easier too.

    Get Help From a Friend

    An extra pair of hands is always useful for a mom who has to keep her small child or (children) amused while trying to push a trolley loaded with groceries. If possible, ask a friend to come along and help with the shopping. One adult can concentrate on filling up the shopping cart while the other keeps the child occupied. And when all the shopping is done, there’s someone to help carry the bags. This will certainly make shopping experiences with toddlers much less stressful.

    Moms who dread shopping with toddlers can learn a few tricks to minimize the stress. To shop efficiently when the kids come along, allow them to ride in a fun shopping cart, leave contact details in their clothes or teach them their names, phone number and home address, give them tasks in the supermarket to keep them amused and ask a friend to come along to help.

    Find more tips for toddlers here.

    More Resources for Moms with Toddlers:

    Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

    Tips for Flying with a Toddler

    Tips for a Toddler Friendly Bedroom

    Potty Training Supplies for Toddlers

  • How to Shop With A Teenager

    how to shop with a teenager

    If they had their way, teens (particularly girls) would visit the local mall at least once a week. New jeans, shoes, purses, and electronic gadgets beckon them like sweet honey to a baby bear. So how are you going to manage taking one or more teens to the mall without going mad?

    Here are some tips for how to get through – and potentially even enjoy – a shopping trip with your teenager.

    How to Shop With A Teenager

    Set Spending Limits

    This trip is eventually going to come down to dollars and cents. Decide in advance how much you will allow your teen to spend. Are they bringing their own hard-earned money, or spending yours? Whether it’s $20 or $200 you’ll be shelling out, if you know before you set foot in the mall, it will avoid drama later. Chances are, they’ll still go looking for you when they run out of money, so be firm. If they ask for more money, make sure they ‘earn’ it by doing additional chores for you in the upcoming week.

    Don’t Follow Your Teen

    For your own mental health, let your teen bring a friend shopping. You really don’t want to go into all those heavily scented, mysteriously dark, outrageously loud teen clothing stores, do you? And no doubt your teen doesn’t want to be caught dead with you in there anyway. They (and you) will have a much better time if they are accompanied by a pal. Make sure they have a cell phone with them – have them set it to vibrate and keep it in their pocket – the stores are too loud for them to hear it ring. Agree on a time and place to meet.

    Freedom for Mom

    Why not use the opportunity to go shopping for yourself? Parents often too busy to take time to go shopping for themselves, so chauffeuring teens to the mall is the perfect excuse for indulgence! A visit to a bookstore, coffee shop, or shoe store provides a unique opportunity for you to relax. It’s a great time to pick out a gift for a friend, change your wireless phone service or get your rings cleaned. Who knows – you might even find yourself on one of the cozy couches malls have been putting out lately – drinking coffee reading a magazine. Yippee!

    Believe it or not, you and your teen can have fun shopping together – if you know in advance what the guidelines for the trip are! So shop til you drop and have fun in your teen’s favorite environment.

    What tips can you add to how to shop with a teenager?

    Find more tips for moms with teenagers here.

  • Potty Training Tips for Boys

    Are you ready to potty train your little boy? Read these Potty Training Tips for Boys to help you get started with this transition!

    Potty Training Tips for Boys

    It’s no secret that boys typically take longer to potty train than girls. Have you been working with your son for a while and are feeling discouraged? As a mom or dad, you’re not alone. Thankfully, one thing you can be sure of, is that eventually, your son is going to figure it out. Here are a few things that you can try that may actually help with potty training your son and get them more comfortable with the idea.  

    Potty Training Tips for Boys

    Have a Child-Size Potty

    Potty training is already intimidating to your little guy as it is. Make sure there’s a child-size potty that he can call his own for extra confidence. 

    Or, consider one of these potty seats with a ladder.

    Create a Training Schedule

    Creating a training schedule means adapting and changing yours. This might inconvenience you at times and leave you cleaning up accidents, but getting your family on board, will not only help him but everyone can motivate him. You’ll want to address this with your daycare or preschool provider as well.  

    Allow Him to Run Around Naked 

    Boys will be boys, and there’s no better way of allowing them, then the freedom to run around buck naked. A child that’s naked will more likely realize when they have to go because they don’t have the comforts of a diaper to protect from making a mess. Just be aware that accidents will happen, but they’ll be more conscious of when they need to go. 

    Teach Him Sitting Down First 

    Have your son learn how to sit down using the bathroom, before learning how to stand while going. You may have to show them how it’s done and have them, copycat mom or dad. 

    Have Target Practice 

    Once they’ve mastered peeing while sitting down, make it fun by setting up target practice for them. Throw a few Cheerios or something else small that’s disposable and encourage them to hit the target. 

    Get Him Cool Underwear 

    For a toddler, there’s nothing cooler than receiving underwear with superheroes, or more of their favorite cartoon characters. Show them that big boys wear big boy underwear and that they don’t need diapers anymore. You can make the transition by switching completely to underwear or have them wear it over their diaper or pull-ups. 

    Make Them Comfortable 

    Boys, just like men, like to feel comfortable while spending time in their throne room. Have a few of their favorite books in the bathroom (just like dad)  to get them more comfortable with the idea of using it. 

    Avoid Making It a Big Deal 

    Although it can be frustrating and you just wish they would figure it out, avoid making potty training a big deal in front of them. If they’re feeling your frustrations and every time you’re upset, it’s only going to make it a harder and longer, more drawn-out process. 

    Don’t Rush It 

    Potty training for boys is not always done on our timetable, but theirs. Remember not to rush it, because your son will finally get it when he’s ready. 

    Reward Him for Going 

    When you’re teaching them to use the potty, promise and give them a reward for going. This could be promising them new underwear or giving them a piece of candy for doing a job well done. Remember to celebrate their accomplishments and let them see how proud you are of them. 

    These are several potty training tips that you can use for boys. If you’re a momma of a boy that’s been through potty training, what methods worked best for you?

    Read more potty training tips.

    When Should I Potty Train My Toddler?

    Potty Training Supplies for Toddlers

    Potty Training Tips for Girls

    Best Potty Seats with Ladders

    Potty Training Tips for Public Restrooms