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That very first loose tooth is something you need to celebrate when it happens to your child. It's a pretty big milestone and opens up a variety of great opportunities for you to teach kids more about dental hygiene. As that first tooth loosens, it's a sign that your child is getting a bit older and sometimes kids aren't too sure they are happy about losing their teeth. The great thing is that if you help them celebrate this time, it will help them to adjust to it and make it fun for them to embrace this new stage in their life. Not sure what you can do to celebrate their loose teeth? Here are some wonderful ideas that you can use to make it an exciting and learning event.
History of the Tooth Fairy
Of course, when children lose teeth in the United States, often they are told about the Tooth Fairy. This is an exciting fable that has been around for many years. Back in Europe, hundreds of years ago, when the baby tooth fell out, they would bury it in the ground, teaching kids that an adult tooth would then grow in it's place. Many other countries across the world had similar fables and myths surrounding the loss of baby tooth. Some felt that baby teeth needed to be buried on the grounds of the church to prevent a curse.
As people began to migrate to America, many of these superstitions and beliefs came along with them. Eventually things changed to burying teeth in small planters, and eventually this changed into having children place the tooth under a pillow where it was replaced with a coin or other treat.
Kids, being curious, wanted to know where their teeth went. This brought about the story of the Tooth Fairy removing their teeth and giving them a treat instead, and so this fable was born. Wondering what happens to those teeth the Tooth Fairy collects? Well, the story goes that all those teeth are turned into starts in the sky.READ More on The Tooth Fairy – Celebrating Loose Teeth
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by Stephanie Partridge
Parenting is the greatest job anyone can have, but the teen years have a way of sneaking up on you. One day your child is the cute, dimpled, roly poly baby and the next he is the tall, handsome young man asking for the car keys. My daughter turned 18 the other day and my baby is not far behind her. This got me thinking…My life has changed SO MUCH since I had kids. So, here’s my list. These are 25 telltale clues that you are living with a teenager.
- There is a room in your house that looks like a disaster zone, but you can barely make out what appears to be a bed and, wait! Is that foot sticking out of the rubble?
- Your teen gets dressed to “go out” and you ask if they are going to a costume party.
- You have the Urban Dictionary bookmarked.
- It is 2 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon and you’re still the only one awake.
- You can’t remember the last time you saw your house phone, much less found it free so you could use it.
- You not only know what “emo,” “metalcore,” “poser” and “screamo” mean, you can use those words in a sentence AND you can give real life examples.
- There is a strange noise eminating from your child’s living quarters, a strange, rhythmic growling and odd vibrations. Upon inquiry, you are informed that this is “music.”READ More on Parenting a Teenager: 25 Telltale Clues You Are Living With A Teen
50 Ways to know when you graduated to parenthood!
Ah, the joys of parenting! It is the most wonderful job you will ever have. It is also the most frustrating, gross and exhausting. Take a break and enjoy a chuckle over these 50 ways that you know you’re a parent.
My kids are 15, 17 and 19 and they still freak out over number 29. Number 27 is one of my favorites too, gets me every time!
- You can’t remember the last time you were able to go in the bathroom, close the door and not be interrupted.
- You know the book “Goodnight Moon” – by heart.
- You have actually acquired a taste for strained peas.
- A full night’s sleep is a luxury – and something you haven’t had in so long you can’t even remember.
- It takes you two days to shave your legs: one leg one day and the other leg the next day.
- You have never been so frustrated and so in love with anyone in your life.
- You are at dinner with a friend, they spill something on their shirt and you reach into your bag and pull out baby wipes to clean up.
- You not only carry smiley face bandages with you, you also carry antibiotic ointment.
- You have at least one story of how your child cut their own hair.
- The three second rule isn’t set in stone, sometimes it’s five seconds, sometimes even more.
- You realize that you are now one of those annoying people who carries a “brag book” of photos of your kids and corners unsuspecting victims with “cute” stories about your offspring.
- Pregnancy and birth stories are interesting.
- You have traded in your silk, wool and cashmere for the more practical cotton and polyester.
- Baby talk is not reserved for just your children.
- You have stayed up till 1 am making cup cakes for an entire class of first graders.READ More on You Know You’re a Parent When…
by Joy Burgess
If you have a teen in your home, at some point they probably will want to get a job. Of course, there are some things you are going to have to do to prepare them to go out there in the work force. Teens need good preparation for a job at home, great ideas for jobs, and tips for actually landing that job. You can help your teen to make the transition to a working teen, which is not always as easy as teens may think. It is even more difficult to land jobs in this struggling economy, which is something your teen needs to understand. Here is a closer look at how you can your teen can prepare, find, and land a good job, even during tough times.
Preparing Your Teen for Their First Job
The first step in the job process for you and your teen is to start preparing your teen for their first job. It's not easy to step into employment from being a carefree teenager. However, you can make this a process that is smoother for them with some simple preparation.
Analyze Their Interest: One thing you can do to prepare your teen for a job is analyze the interest that they have. If they have some interests in a particular job, consider helping them find a volunteer position so that they can see what it is like. This also will give them a taste of keeping a schedule that balances school, work, homework, and family and friends.
Make Sure They are Responsible at Home: Another thing that you can do to make sure they are well prepared on the job is to make sure they are responsible at home. Ensure that your child is handling their responsibilities at home. If they are not able to keep up with home responsibilities, your teen probably is not ready to handle the responsibilities that come with balancing a job, school, and more.
Teach Them About Handling Money: This is the perfect time to teach your teen about handling money. If they are going to make money, you want them to handle it in a responsible manner. Consider helping them open a bank account, teach them the basics about keeping up a checkbook, and make sure they know about saving money and how important it is.
Great Job Ideas for Teens
Not sure what jobs are great for teens today? It's a good idea to know what jobs are out there for teens. Here is a look at some great job ideas that your teen may be interest in.READ More on Teen Jobs – Preparing Your Teen for a Job in a Struggling Economy
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By Patricia Dischler
Nurturing Creativity, Curiosity & Courtesy is just as important as Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
Parents naturally want the best for their child academically, so when research comes out illustrating how the early years have a tremendous impact on future intelligence, the pressure is on to teach those "3 R's: 'Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmatic" as early as possible. The unfortunate result of this has been children who are being fed facts and solutions for memorization, without any basis for their own problem solving or sense of exploration of the information they learn. Early childhood programs feel the pressure as well and are getting caught in this same trap: teaching children the preconceived answers without teaching the process that lead to the answers in the first place. It is no surprise then that many children are struggling in schools, and that children in higher grades are being found to have little or no problem solving techniques and additional problems with social interactions. The missing link? Teaching the 3 Cs. Instilling in children a love for learning and a process for making decisions and solving problems while working with others begins with encouraging in them a sense of creativity, curiosity and courtesy.
Sparking creativity in children opens the door to learning in every developmental area. When children think creatively they look beyond what is in front of them to see what could be. They explore from many different angles and engage all of their senses. This creative exploration can lead to successful problem solving, a broader understanding of topics taught, and a sense of appreciation for the world they live in.READ More on Teaching the 3Cs: Creativity, Curiosity & Courtesy
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More than likely at some point in time you are going to need to find a good baby sitter. Maybe you need someone to watch the kids while you go to a doctors appointment or perhaps you just want some time with your spouse away from the kids for the bit. While in some cases you may be able to get a bit of help from family, there may be times when family can't help and you actually need to choose a baby sitter for the children. Of course, this isn't a decision you can take lightly. You have to find someone that you can trust with your children, and that's not always easy. Here is a look at some of the things you need to look for when it comes to finding the right babysitter for your children.
Ask Around
When you're looking for a good babysitter for your kids, one of the best ways to find one is to simply ask around. Ask good friends or your family members if they know of anyone that they would recommend. Another option is to check at your church or at a local school or community center that you are familiar with. When a babysitter comes recommended by someone you know, it's often easier for you to feel comfortable with them staying with your children.READ More on Tips for Choosing the Right Babysitter
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Beyond Santa Claus
Parenting Expert Dr. Michele Borba
by Jennifer Shakeel
I have said before that one of the perks of my job is that I get to talk to some interesting and incredible people. Dr. Michele Borba is no exception to this rule. I was fortunate enough to be able to get some quality time with her while she was in Denver, Co for the day, in the midst of multiple television and radio interviews and her regular spot on the Today Show. Our time together was brief so I wanted to get straight to the point.
We were discussing her newest book, "The Big Book of Parenting Solutions." The first thing that caught my eye was that she claims this is the only book you will need to deal with any issue your child between the ages of 3 and 14 will have. My first question is always why this?
Q: What made you decide to become a child rearing expert, because that is what you are really?
A: I wouldn't say that I set out to be a child rearing expert. I have a very sincere love for children and I would say that I have been fortunate enough to have many experiences that naturally lead me to where I am today. I have worked with a lot of children and parents to help them overcome the issues that they were having combined with my own parenting issues and talents. I started writing books while I was in private practice. Those books where inspired by questions that parents I was working with had asked me how they could help their children.
Q: Why is the book dedicated to the age group 3-13?
A: I dedicated this book to that age group because that seems to be the forgotten time. There are thousands of books out about babies and there are equally as many dedicated to dealing with teenagers. There are very few that focus on the in-between years, and these are the formative years. Between the ages of 3 and 13 this is the time when children form their behaviors for life, what they consider to be right and wrong, ethics and all of their values. It is at the age of 3 that the conscience sets in, yet this is we as parents start to step back because of all the effort put into the baby time, we are parents tend to start thinking about the teenage years. This age, from 3 to 13 this when our kids are listening to us. After 13, it isn't that they don't listen… but we have to try harder the older they get.
Q: My husband says the same thing all the time. For parents that have children older than 3 but younger than 13 is it too late for them to get your book and use it now?
A: Absolutely not! While it is always better to start when they are young, it is never too late to start. You can get the book today and start using it today. I have broken the book up into sections to pinpoint what issue you need help with. You don't have to read the book cover to cover before it will help.READ More on Parenting Expert Dr. Michele Borba – A Moment in Time
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Brother helping his Little Sister Opening Her Xmas Presents
With Christmas 2009 gone and past many people were doing some last minute shopping scrambling around frantically trying to purchase gifts for the kids. Of course, you want to buy them something they'll enjoy. After all, there's nothing quite like that gleam in their eyes on Christmas morning when they receive something really special from you. Whether you have a baby, toddlers, kindergarteners or even pre-teens, there are plenty of hot toys out there for you to choose from this year. Here's a look at what many people bought and at some of the best selling toys for 2009.
Top Toys for Babies
Sometimes shopping for a baby is a bit difficult. Usually it's best to look for toys that they'll enjoy and toys that will help them learn and develop. Here are a couple of the hottest baby toys and gifts in 2009.READ More on Hot Christmas Toys for 2009
