Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Halloween Activities for Families

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Stores are decorated with Ghosts and Skeletons. Jack-O-Lanterns are lighting up front door steps. Advertisements for haunted houses and corn mazes are appearing on billboards. It's no secret. Halloween is just around the corner!
When it comes to Halloween activities for families Trick-or-Treating is definitely a favorite. But it doesn't have to be the only thing your family does this week. Here are additional ideas for some Halloween fun:
1. Visit a Pumpkin Patch: If your family still hasn't picked out their pumpkins, what better way to do it then by taking your kids to a pumpkin patch where there they can choose their future Jack-O-Lantern from a variety of shapes and sizes. Click here for a listing of pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hay rides, and other GREAT Halloween locations for families.  
2. Make a Halloween Treat: If your children are always asking to help you make dinner here are some creative Halloween treats that kids can make. Cooking can be a great way for children to enhance their math and science abilities as they measure and count ingredients or watch their food magically change from a liquid to a solid in the oven.
3. Create Your Own Halloween Costumes: Who says you need to make a dent in your savings on store bought costumes this year when you can make your own. Click here, here, or here for some creative homemade costume ideas for kids, including last minute ideas that wont involve any sewing.
4. Put a Spooky Twist on Arts and Crafts: Do your kids love to color? Why not print out some Halloween coloring pages from Disney, or get creative with things you already have. Make spiders out of  pipe cleaner, ghosts with cotton balls, or pumpkins with paper plates. Don't forget to display the artwork, your kids will love seeing their creations used to decorate the house!
5. Watch a Family Friendly Halloween Movie: Looking some some Halloween movies that your kids are allowed to watch? Click here for a list of not-so-scary Halloween movies appropriate for your whole family.

Whatever the activities your family decides to do this week, remember to have fun and be safe! Happy Halloween from the Help Me Grow team!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Feeding Your Baby Solids


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You're holding your baby on your lap giving her a bottle when someone brings you a plate of food. Its not long before she is eyeing your delicious lunch and reaching for it, letting her bottle drop to the ground. She is curious about the different colors and textures on your plate and she wants to taste it. The bottle no longer interest's her.

Could it be that she is ready for solid foods? It's possible. Here are some milestones from healthychildren.org that indicate your baby is ready and able to start eating a little more like mom.
  1. Holding her head up high - Typically its not until around 3 or 4 months of age that an infant is able to hold their head up consistently for longer periods of time
  2. Sitting Pretty - This milestone starts around 6 months of age. A baby learning to sit on their own may be a bit wobbly at first. Fortunately many high chairs come with features for those babies who need some additional support sitting up. Click here for high chair safety tips.   
  3. Big Enough to Take it - Generally a baby is big enough for solids when they are double their birth weight and at least 13 lbs.  
  4. Open Wide - Babies that are ready for food tend to show more interest in it. They watch food eagerly and open their mouths up in anticipation when some is headed their way
Still unsure is she is ready? Try taking this Solid Foods Quiz!Once you determine its time for big people food its helpful to know what to to feed her first. Here is a month by month guide to introducing solids to your little one.
   

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Helping a Child Settle Angry Feelings



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Recently I sat watching my two little cousins color together on our picnic table. Everything was going great until 2 year-old Luke decided he wanted a crayon from 4 year-old Hannah's pile. Reaching across the table he grabbed the crayon. The response from Hannah was instant and angry "Luke that's my crayon!" Hoping to intervene, I asked Hannah if it was okay if Luke borrowed the crayon while she wasn't using it. Tiny hands clenched together, eyes squinted and voice shaking Hannah exclaimed "I'm trying really hard to share but its hard!" Watching my cousin struggle to stay in control validated her statement completely. It was hard! Hannah was not only trying to share she was also valiantly attempting to control the anger overcoming her.

Anger is a very intense emotion that can be extremely hard for a young child to deal with. Until they learn how to settle these angry feelings the result is a loss of control. Temper Tantrums, hitting, and screening are all evidence that uncontrollable anger that seems to take over their whole body. 

So what can you do to help your child settle those angry feelings? In his book "Mastering Anger And Aggression The Brazelton Way" Dr. Brazelton gives some helpful advice:  

Stop the Action - Leave the Scene: Getting away from the source of anger can be a critical first step. When a child says "Don't talk to me" or "Go Away" he may be working hard to isolate himself from whatever is making him angry so that he can get himself under control.  

Soothing - A Parents Calming Efforts: Example of soothing include a gentle voice, rocking, a lullaby, a hug. Be aware, a parents soothing needs to be carefully timed. A child in the midst of a tantrum needs to be left alone. He's unreachable. Only when its over will he need and respond to cuddling

Self-Soothing - A Child's Own Calming Efforts: Thumb-sucking, curling up in a ball, and singing to himself are all examples of self-soothing. 

Distraction/Diversion: Examples include offering a pleasant thought, noticing something funny, and being drawn into an engaging activity.

Physical Activity : Offer your child a punching bag, a pillow, or a bouncing ball. Suggest going for a run or a bike ride. Even taking a shower or drinking a glass of water can help

Creative Expressions: Try mashing a ball of clay with your child. Hand them crayons and paper and let them furiously scribble out their feelings, draw angry monsters, or simply pound on the paper with the crayons. Building tall buildings of block towers and knocking them down, or playing out angry scenarios with dolls may also work. 

"Getting Feelings Out": Talking with someone who understands can relieve angry feelings. Screaming at the top of one's lungs may or may not. 

New Understanding: Anger is often a secondary emotion. When a child is ready to talk help him recognize the other feelings such as pain, hunger, or sadness that may underlie the angry ones.   


Remember to be patient while helping a child work through their anger. Even when they "Are trying really hard" sometimes they will still lose control. Knowing that you understand what they are feeling can make difficult tasks like sharing seem a little easier.

Click HereHere, or Here for more helpful tips and tricks

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Halloween Family Event

It's time to dress up your little monster in your best Halloween costume and come on over to Thanksgiving Point' s Haunted Barn this Saturday!  KBYU, RBM, and Help Me Grow have partnered together for the best free kid friendly Halloween event around!  

 It will be a whole new experience, even if you have come to a family event before! The balls have grown eyes and some of the blocks have grown horns...  Come and see what else is brewing... 

Hurry! The first 100 people will receive coupons for other Thanksgiving Point attractions!  See you there!!

This Saturday, October 19th from 11 am to 1:30 pm. 
Thanksgiving Point's Haunted Barn
3003 North Thanksgiving Way, 
Lehi, UT 84043


Monday, October 7, 2013

Uplift Families Parenting Conference

The First Lady of Utah, Jeanette Herbert, is bringing her annual conference to Utah County this month!  The Uplift FamiliesParenting Conference will be held on Saturday, October 26th at the Utah Valley Convention Center from 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm.  This will be a fantastic evening for those who are single, married, a parent or a grandparent! 

The conference will include international dinner and dessert stations among booths and exhibits, addresses by Governor and First Lady Herbert, inspirational presentations by Richard and Linda Eyre, Chad Lewis, Stephanie Nielsen, Carmen Rasmussen Herbert and other renowned experts on issues that families face.  The cost is $25.00 per couple of $15.00 for a single ticket.  Seating will be limited to 500.  The folks from Deseret Digital Media will be filming the presentations to go on the Uplift Families YouTube channel in 2014, so the attendees will literally become a studio audience.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity to learn valuable parenting information! Click here to purchase your tickets for the conference now!






Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Track and Enhance Your Child's Development

Finding out I was pregnant was one of those moments I will never forget. As I stared at those two little pink lines my mind raced through all that this meant. I thought about what it would be like to bring a new baby home, to entertain a toddler, to watch my child leave for their first day of school. One thing I knew was that I wanted to be prepared. I wanted to know what to expect. I wanted to know what was normal.
Many parents worry about what is normal and what is not. When should a child start taking their firsts steps? How long will this separation anxiety last? When will my child start talking?

Answers to these and other questions can be found at parentingcounts.org. Their developmental timeline  addresses key milestones from birth to 5 years of age. Each milestone addressed falls under one of four key areas of development; physical, social, learning, and communication. Parents can click on the
milestones  they see to learn more information about the specifics of that checkpoint.


On the timeline parents can also find informational videos on the timeline geared towards enhancing their child’s development. Topics covered include everything from reading to babies to helping your children feel secure.

All of the information found on the Parenting Counts Developmental timeline and website is provided by the Talaris Insitute, an organization that provides parents and caregivers with reliable information to support healthy development.

Another great resource for parents looking to track their child’s development is the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), a free developmental screening that parents complete themselves at home. The ASQ is a great tool to help parents learn about their child’s strengths and notice any areas of concern. This resource is offered through Help Me Grow and can be accessed through our website or through ASQ Online