Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Cherish the moments with Daddy

Was one of your baby’s first words “dada” and not “mama”?  Don’t worry moms, first of all, because forming the “da” sound is more likely to be formed before “ma” in young infants.  Check out our post for more on language development. Secondly, dad's play a very important role in children's development, and just maybe, an infant saying "dada" first, may be an expression of understanding this principle.

As I was talking with my dad he other day, I thought about the impact my relationship with him has had on my life.  As a young child, I remember many nights falling asleep to bedtime stories he created, and as a youth I spent almost every Saturday with him in the backyard or at the ballpark.

 Research shows the importance of fatherhood involvement especially in the lives of young children in areas of higher language skills and higher academic achievement. Children also learn the importance of play and exploration in unique ways when their father is present

Today we've highlighted some hints for dads, found in the Welcome Baby manual, to help them cherish this relationship and to become more involved with their growing children.

If you're a dad, what kinds of activities do you try to make happen with your kids? Or what does your husband, or father do with your children to cherish precious moments?



"A father’s role is different but just as important in the development
of healthy children in today’s world."

Hints for Daddys
  • Be involved in your child’s care and life. Give them time!
  • Most babies will cry a lot. Keep your cool and NEVER shake a baby!
  • Dance, rock, or gently bounce your baby to calm and soothe him.
  • Wrapping a baby snugly in a blanket is soothing. (Remember to leave arms and hands free).
  • Take a walk or drive to calm your baby.
  • Read and talk to your baby. Children love the sound of your voice.
  • Pay attention to mom and find ways to compromise about child care.
  • Learn to communicate your feelings and listen. Understanding is a must.
  • Remember that parenting is a partnership, you both are responsible for your baby.
  • Get comfortable with all aspects of caring for your child, even changing dirty diapers. You will develop a closeness with your baby and ease the burden of your partner.
  • Remember to take time for mom and dad to be together. Wait until the baby is asleep and spend some time together.
  • Taking care of the baby is just as stressful as a day in the office. Relieve mom when you come home.
  • Try to stay on your child’s timetable, he will respond much better.
  • Play with your baby. Your baby needs your special insight and full attention.
  • The greatest thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

Just as a reminder, Partners for Infants and Children offers a Conscious Fathering class for soon-tobe/new fathers every other month. Our next meeting is March 30th. Click here to register.



Friday, February 22, 2013

Catch the Reading Bug in Salt Lake


Help Me Grow (HMG) has attended a ton of library events lately! We've been crisscrossing Salt Lake County, going from story time to power play to get HMG into the community. All this library time has us thinking a lot about emergent literacy and cognitive development. Meaning, we've gotten pretty interested in how babies and toddlers start to associate with books before ever entering a classroom, and those initial feeling can turn out pretty important when they’re learning to read.


Good experiences with books, like just swinging a board book around and giggling, can affect your kids as much as a bad experience, like being scolded for trying to grab the book that mom is reading to him (Zero to Three). So, literacy’s not just about learning to read. It starts with being able to associate books with good feelings.

And guess how many ways there are to have fun building those good associations!? Just for starters, HMG has an info sheet dedicated to giving parents ideas to try while reading (seen below).


But of course, that’s not all our community has to offer.

Visit your local bookstore and see if there are any children’s authors visiting. What could be neater than finding a great book and meeting the person responsible in the same day? The Kings English Bookstore in Salt Lake City is hosting a children’s author Craig Farmer tomorrow (Saturday, February 23) at 11:00 a.m. If you can’t make it to that, they've got more author visits in March.

Not in the mood for going out? Visit the State Library website for activities involving talking, singing, reading, writing and playing with your kids to support literacy. You can also start tracking the amount of reading you do with your kids through KSL’s Read Today program. Make it a game to try an beat your highest number of minutes spent reading month to month!

Keep an eye on the Governor’s Commission on Literacy for great recommendations about which book to pick next. The Governor’s Commission on Literacy picks books that have been donated to school libraries across the state. If you’re not quite to the school library system yet,  take a look at the Salt Lake County Library website to find a library and story time near you!

How do you try to support literacy with your kids?

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Look Who's Talking!



Learning to talk begins at birth, when your baby is experiencing how voices sound

Two magic words that are music to parent's ears, are "mama and dada." For parents these two little words represent their child's first steps to learning how to talk. These are the first of many milestones in a child's language development. 


Below are some of the significant stepping stones that will lead up to the day when your child will actually be able to talk (and talk back!) to you.

  • Newborn: Crying is really going to be your newborn’s primary form of vocalization. While crying is admittedly less than perfect in conveying what babies want or need, it’s definitely a start.


  • 8 weeks: Cooing and babbling begins. These crowd-pleasing skills will symbolize your baby’s first more formal attempts to vocalize, soon to be followed by actual consonants and vowels.


Photo Credit 
  • 6 to 8 months: Your baby will happily use his voice for making sounds and even some more elaborate streams of babble, but no words yet. The much-anticipated “mama” and “dada” are sure to surface—albeit arbitrarily mixed in with other sounds and, we should note, with “dada” typically being uttered first if only because it’s easier for babies to say (ie, with no implications of parental preference!).


  • 1 year: By a year, be prepared to celebrate not only your baby’s first birthday, but also the long-awaited “mama” and “dada,” now being used intentionally to refer to you! You can also anticipate hearing some simple exclamations like “uh-oh,” as well as a few single words. And while there’s sure to be plenty of animated babbling and attempts to imitate words, don’t expect your baby’s self-expression to string together into full sentences just yet.


  • 18 months: Your ears will likely be graced with the sounds of at least several stand-alone words. Your toddler may even be able to put 2 words together—such as “all done”—in order to more meaningfully convey his wishes. Rest assured, however, that your toddler understands far more words than he can speak.



  • 2 years: Now we’re talking…as in 2- to 4-word sentences and the start of real conversation (along with a whole lot of repetition). Before long, you’ll have a hard time remembering the sounds of your newborn’s silence!






          To follow your child's development in communication, and other milestones of child development you can fill out and Ages and Stages Questionnaire online. 







          Friday, February 15, 2013

          DIY Sensory Blankets

          A few of us Help Me Grow folks were at the West  Jordan Library last week during their Preschool Power Play. When Mindy Whipple, Youth Services Librarian, pulled out  her home-made sensory blanket, the kids loved it! They enjoyed walking across the squishy, blue surface and couldn't help poking at the little, soft toys inside.


          We were so impressed, we asked her for the instructions and decided to share them with you.


          Materials:

          •             Clear heavy-duty vinyl covering (see what Mindy used below) 
          •       Cheap hair gel (see what Mindy used below)
          •       Water
          •        Duck Tape or Duct Tape
          •       Glitter
          •        Soft add-ins

          How to:


          1.  Lay two same size sheets of vinyl, of the desired size, on a clean, flat surface; one on top of one
              another.

          2.  Carefully seal the edges of the vinyl together with the tape by placing one strip of tape on the
               bottom about 1 ½ inch onto the vinyl edge.  Add another tape strip exactly over the top of the first
               one, and press together to seal.  Depending upon the size of your project you may need a couple
               of extra hands!


          3.   Seal all four edges leaving a gap to add the inside materials.

          4.  Dump the hair gel, glitter and add-ins into the gap in the vinyl sheets, pushing it down as you go
               and distributing it throughout.

          5.  Depending on how thick the gel is, you can add water to make it easier for little hands to explore
               the add-ins and squish the gel (and make the gel go farther).  Elevate the blanket slightly and
               slowly pour water in.  Alternately, you could mix the gel and water beforehand.

          6.   Seal the gap with Duck Tape as before.


          If you decide to try this project yourself, let us know what you think! What kind of add-ins would you use? Did it make a huge mess or was it completely manageable?


          Wednesday, February 13, 2013

          Infant Stress


          Is your baby acting out of control, and you can’t seem to calm him? Is the home environment possibly stressful right now for you as parents?

          Even though babies cannot verbally express their opinions, they are aware of their surroundings enough to detect a stressful atmosphere. There is so much for them to take in, and yet their brains are just at the beginning stages of life.
          Photo Credit 
          A study called Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE) is focused on childhood stress. It is a reflective study asking participants to look back on stressful childhood experiences in the areas of abuse, neglect, violence, alcohol in household, and other traumatic stressors.  Its purpose is to “measure the total amount of stress in childhood.”  From this study, experts measure the total amount of stress in childhood and results show the impact of stress on the rest of their lives.


          Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, M.D. in his book Touchpoints: The Essential Reference, describes what kinds of things contribute to the stress of a baby sharing that over the years the stress a baby encounters prenatally, or even early in life, have become abnormally high.   

          Some tactics he shares to create a less stressful environment include:
          • A quiet room at home, with dim lights,
          • Soft voices and sounds, respecting the baby’s easily overloaded nervous system
          • Use gentleness when touching or picking up your baby; 
          • Beware of overstimulation by constant movement.
          • Observe your child, so you can understand his needs, 
          • Know where infant's comfort limits are.
          American Academy of Pediatrics states that high levels of stress can be a cause for concern that you should share with your pediatrician, but some levels of stress are normal for development. They also state the importance of a positive, loving family environment in order to limit very stressful situations.

          If you have any concerns about your child's stress level, please discuss them with your pediatrician.

          Friday, February 8, 2013

          Apps save lives!! Do you have an app for that?


          Let’s be honest. Isn't that the question these days? And amazingly enough, there really IS always an “app for that”. It constantly amazes me. Incredible tools are available, not just with mobile apps, but also through social media tools, software, and other devices. Recently, I've found some extremely useful apps all along the spectrum. Here are a few that might be helpful to you as parents.

          The first one was starts with this amazing story shared in multiple news publications back in 2010. The CNN article records, “Alone in the darkness beneath layers of rubble, Dan Woolley felt blood streaming from his head and leg. Then he remembered -- he had an app for that. Woolley, an aid worker, husband, and father of two boys, followed instructions on his cell phone to survive the January 12 earthquake in Haiti.” (Read article here)

          Amazing!!

          The app is produced by the American Heart Association and has over 30 instructional videos and illustrations to educate individuals on CPR and First Aid. Click here for more info.

          A second app, is almost as incredible when it comes to survival techniques. This app helps parents survive the inevitable period of potty training. My little niece was successfully potty trained, but when her little brother was born, she had a little set back and started having accidents again. I think its going to be a long haul for my sister.  Someone had told us about a potty training app and when I showed it to my sister and my niece, she fell IN LOVE with it and whenever I’m visiting, tells me that she wants to play the Potty Training Memory Game. No really. EVERYtime i'm there. And she makes sure to tell me that she's potty trained. If you need a good laugh, just to their website and watch their video. You’ll love it. And now, you’ll be able to survive potty training too!


          The third app to share is from one of my favorite books called Press Here by Henre Tullet. One of the funnest, interactive books ever! Written for preschool ages, it teaches them how to interact with a book and learn directions, movements shapes and colors. Its unreasonably fun for a 28 year old. (I shouldn't admit that…) The app takes you through similar games that the book has and is really colorful and visually stimulating. Honestly, a great baby shower gift! The book and the app together! Perfect.

          So whether you need help at you're scuba diving, taking wedding pictures, recording your gas mileage – just know that resources abound. There’s got to be an app for that!

          What are your favorite apps that you use? Share the golden nuggets of technology with us!



          Wednesday, February 6, 2013

          "Ouch Charlie that really hurt!"



          Babies sometimes do things that may seem aggressive, like pulling hair, biting and hitting. This doesn't mean that they are doing it to hurt or annoy you and it's not uncommon. Young children are still learning to understand and control their feelings as well as figuring out which words communicate their thoughts.

           Frustration and aggression can be the result from many diverse situations, for example:
          • A toddler who doesn't get his/her way
          • When a child isn't expecting a transition to a new activity and they're focused on something else
          • When they have everything they want and someone tries to take it
          • Recent changes in their lives (new baby, parent on a business trip, new school year, potty training,etc.)
          These situations are hard and there isn't one right answer. You, as the parent know your child the best and know their limits. The following links are helpful to you as you try to understand why your child is feeling angry or frustrated and acting outThe Zero To Three website has more information on behavior and development and information on temperament

          Another great way to keep track of your child's behavior and development is through the  Ages and Stages Questionnaire!



          My Mommyology Fight or Flee
          Photo Print 

          Here are some tips from Zero To Three website; to help teach your child how to cope with aggression and learn self control in the early years. 
          • Stay calm:  The calmer you are, the more quickly your child will calm down.   
          • Recognize your child’s feeling or goal:  "You want to stay longer at the playground, and are mad we have to leave.  It’s okay to be mad, but it is not okay to hit mommy. Hitting hurts".
          • Use gestures along with your words to communicate with your toddler:  Use a calm, firm (not angry) voice.  At the same time, use a “stop” or “no-no” gesture. 
          • Offer alternatives:  Give your child acceptable ways to reach his goal.  Instead of throwing balls in the house, offer your child a soft sponge ball to toss inside, or take him outside for “pitching” practice.
          • Try a distraction:  Ignore your child’s tantrum and instead, do something she doesn't expect: point to a bird outside, start to read a book she loves, or pick up an interesting toy and start to play with it. 
          • Suggest ways to manage strong emotions:  When your child is really angry, suggest that he jump up and down, kick a ball, rip paper, cuddle with a teddy bear or use some other strategy that you feel is appropriate.  This teaches your child to express strong feelings in healthy, non-hurtful ways.  
          • Help your child take a break:  Some children calm more quickly when they can be by themselves in a safe, quiet place.  It helps children learn to soothe themselves and regain control.  When your child pulls herself together, tell her what a good job she did calming herself down. 

          If you would like an Ages and Stages Questionnaire that focuses on your child's Social and Emotional development, please call 2-1-1 and ask for Help Me Grow