June 10, 2009
· Filed under Thumb/Finger Sucking, Uncategorized · Tagged fingers, mouth, teeth, thumb
Many babies suck their thumb or finger. It is a way of calming or settling themselves and can help them get to sleep. Many children do stop before the age of 5, a lot stop when they start school and there is an occasional few that carry it throught for a few more years. Often when they get loose teeth it discourages them.
What are some of the problems thumb sucking can cause:
- upper and lower teeth pushed out
- the palate changing shape eg. narrowing and become distorted
- incorrect bite of the teeth
- unable to close the lips and/or mouth breathing
- speech problems and sounding out words
- calluses or sores on fingers
How can you help them stop? Be as positive as you can. Encourage them not to put their thumb in their mouth or gently remind them to take it out. Use the good old bandaid around the finger and put it on at a time when you know they suck the most eg, watching tv, bedtime, concentrating or even star charts are helpful if your child responds to them. Take them to the dentist and have the dentist explain what needs to be done – sometimes coming from somebody else eg. dentist or orthodontist, weighs more.
What are some ways other parents have found works with stopping the thumb sucking? Would love to hear about it.
April 2, 2009
· Filed under Daylight Saving
NOTE: Daylight saving finishes this Sunday 5th April 2009 at 3am. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour.
How do your children cope with daylight saving? Do you find it hard when we are going into daylight saving or coming out of it? It seems so much easier turning the clocks back because it then becomes ’dark’ in the evening when we are putting our little treasures into bed. On the other hand, when we are heading into daylight saving who’s had their little one say “why am I going to bed in the daytime?”
With my children I have always just adjusted to the timing the next morning. We turn all the clocks back before we go to bed and then avoid saying things like “oh, it’s really 5pm and not 6pm”. Just adopting the new time has become the norm and because I don’t make a fuss out of it neither do my children. It wasn’t an issue I really wanted to face twice a year so it just slipped on into our daily routine.
Have you had troubles with daylight saving and sleeping children? Let me know how you managed it?
PS. Enjoy your extra hour sleep this weekend 
March 13, 2009
· Filed under Family Meetings · Tagged family, issues, meeting, together
Family meetings can be an anchor point in a busy week or month. It’s a great way to connect and deal with any issues before they become problems.
1. Try to set a regular time—once a week or once a month.
2. Have an exercise book and somebody to take notes.
3. Try to follow a basic agenda that is balanced for the different age groups in the family.
4. Sit at a table with no distractions ie. no TV, radio, no things on the table or no toys to play with.
5. Have somebody ‘chair’ the meeting. This can change each time but needs to be taken seriously and not just a clown fest.
6. Start with a ‘positive comment’ for everybody—go around in a circle. Try to encourage each member of the family to listen to each other.
7. Discuss the issues that are brought up and try to stay positive and encouraging yet allowing openness and conversation.
8. Finish on a positive note or with a fun activity.
9. Stick to the decisions made at the meeting during the coming weeks ahead.
Give it a try and let me know how you go.
February 4, 2009
· Filed under Computer Etiquette · Tagged computer, etiquette, manners, online, safe
I found this great article in a magazine called “Click” (Issue ‘08), It’s a technology guide for Parents.
They were talking about “Netiquette” and being polite online. They had 10 Internet Etiguette rules for kids and I thought I would share the pearls with you.
- Never type in capitals as PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE SHOUTING AT THEM!! Just stick to the normal case.
- Make sure you speak to others the way you would like to be spoken to. There is no need to swear or speak rudely – you wouldn’t like to be spoken to that way?
- It’s good to use emotions to get your message across. Messages can be misunderstood but using emotions can help convey what you really mean.
- Be patient – don’t just rush in and send an email of what’s on your mind if you are angry or upset. Wait 10 minutes or even longer if you need before you respond to them. Remember it is there forever in cyberspace and the person has a hard copy.
- Get to the point! Don’t waft around in emails, just be clear on what you mean to say.
- With regard to “Reply All” – make sure you really want them all to see your message. You may just want the person who sent it to you to see it.
- If there is any online bullying tell your parents or teacher staight away.
- If you don’t know the person it is best not to reply. If you are unsure ask your parents or teacher to have a look at it. It could also be spam and hurtful to your computer.
- Make sure you always say “Hi” and “Bye” – it’s just plain manners.
- Don’t send chain letters or the ones that say you’ll have bad luck – they are just an inbox filler and waste of time. They may also carry viruses.
So hope you found this as helpful as I did. Let’s keep our kids safe online!!!
January 9, 2009
· Filed under New Year · Tagged New Year, relationships, resolutions, thankful
Do you get to a new year and start to think what’s ahead for you personally and for your family? Who will you still be in contact with or not? What will your family life look like this year? What changes would you like to make?
It’s a perfect time to set down some new priorities and possibly some new boundaries for your family in 2009. Have you thought of any already? What about these:
· talking together more as a family
· making dates with your partner and/or kids
· sharing regular meals together
· start something new as a family
· have more fun within your family
· laugh more
· take time to enhance relationships that may be struggling
· say sorry to someone if that’s want’s needed
· say thank you to someone if they’ve really supported you through your life
· … just to mention a few.
There is a lot to be thankful for in our lives – you just need to take a minute to think about them. Happy New Year!!!
December 22, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized
Being a new mum can be really challenging at times. New routines, not as much adult conversation, home alone with a new baby, nappies to change, meals to make, washing to be done, maybe no job to go to every day 9-5, lack of family support, friends not in the same situation as you and many more new changes. Where do you go for your support?
To help stay connected it is benefitical to find a group that works for you and your baby. There are so many varied groups around, for example:
- Mothers groups
- Play groups
- Kindy Gym groups
- Church groups
- Local sewing groups
- Book clubs
- Groups that are structured or unstructured
Why not check out your local newspaper, call the local clinic or church to find a time and group that suits you. This is a great way to meet people if you are new in the area and also helps fight post natal depression as you have people to support you and talk to you.
What great groups have you found that you’d like to share with other mums?
December 12, 2008
· Filed under Too Busy, Uncategorized · Tagged activities, balance, busy, relaxing
Do you find you get caught up with society and send your kids to all sorts of activities every afternoon? Spending most of your time in the car and rushing them from here to there. What happened to the good ol’ days where kids came home from school and just hung out doing unstructed play in the back yard and not running around everywhere to activities.
As you embark on a new year my challenge to you is to find the balance between unstructured play and scheduled activities. If you find your children are always tired and cranky, they don’t want to go to after school activities, fighting you all the time and have no time at home with the family – then maybe it’s time to reassess.
Think about trying to bring in some free home time and possibly drop one activity if you decide to pick up another. Find your child’s passion and focus on that.
In the end it’s your family that will benefit and mum’s won’t feel as stressed because the kids aren’t as anxious or stressed. But in the meantime enjoy the Christmas School Holidays, remember to hug your kids today and tell them you love them .
November 26, 2008
· Filed under Decluttering & Organising · Tagged clutter, mess, organising
Do you feel overwhelmed at the clutter in your home?
Do you feel hopeless and not sure where to start?
Are you embarrassed when friends or family come to your home?
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there at some stage too.
Here’s some tips on how to start decluttering:
- Allocate yourself about one hour
- Don’t pull too much stuff out that you can’t put back in that hour
- Start with a small corner
- Sort into three piles: ‘Stuff to Keep’, ‘Stuff to Throw’, ‘Stuff to Give’
- ‘Stuff to Keep’: put it away when you’ve finished – find a home for it
- ‘Stuff to Throw’: if you don’t like, love or use it – throw it in the garbage
- ‘Stuff to Give’: give it to somebody or a charity that can use it
- Finish off that one corner and another day pick another section
- Give yourself a pat on your back
- Grab a cuppa
Give it a go…..what have you got to loose?
November 18, 2008
· Filed under Time to Listen · Tagged listen, sit, talk, time
Has anybody heard this saying: “The quickest way to get your child’s attention is to sit down!”.
Sometimes it is ‘unwanted’ and you just need to sit in peace and not be nagged but this time I wanted to engage with my 14 year old child and find out what’s been happening for him over the weekend he was away. Usually you get the typical answers like “good”, “yep”, “ok”, “what?”, ”yeh”….. but because I took the time to sit and listen to him when HE was ready to talk – it helped both of us. I got to hear about his great weekend and he got a listening ear. Win/Win.
Try it….let me know what happens!!!
November 4, 2008
· Filed under behaviours · Tagged attitude, behaviours, language
Ever find yourself reacting a particular way and thinking “oh my gosh, that’s my mum or my dad!”. Before you even get a chance to think about how you are going to react it just comes automatically.
Some behaviours are positive ones that put a smile on your face and then there’s some you wish you never had. How do you deal with that? How do you change behaviours in yourself, you and/or others, may not like? Ever stopped to think about them? Why not take a minute to do it….
How are our behaviours represented?
1. Through our language – how do we speak to people or our children, are the words we use encouraging or damaging?
2. Through our attitude – what do our children, friends, family or even colleagues see when we react to different situations? Would you be pleased with yourself if you stood back and observed your attitude?
3. Through our upbringing – was it a nuturing, loving environment or possibly hostile, distant, abusive or lack of emotional support? What were your family values?
4. Through our education – What was your experience at school – positive/negative, what teachers had an effect on you?
There are about 240 different behaviours (don’t quote me on that number there’s bound to be more!) – which ones are you happy with and which ones do you want to change?
Challenge yourself to see if you are on track with how you what to behave. Your kids will thank you for it!!!
