Fine motor skills for 5 year olds are important as kids enter kindergarten. Encourage hand dexterity—even with an active child—with these fun activities! If you're like most parents, how your child holds a pencil may not be top of mind. But once she enters kindergarten, you suddenly notice how well the other kids hold theirs in comparison. You also realize that she can't really write her name well, much less cut with scissors (and forget about pulling a zipper). Come to think of it, you don't even know what her dominant hand is yet. Or perhaps it's the opposite: you're well aware of … [Read more...]
Want the Best Transition Sippy Cup? Start with These Options
Want to transition your baby from bottle to sippy cup, or your toddler from sippy to regular cup? Take a look at these options for the best transition sippy cup. From messes to your baby's outright rejection, it's not always easy to transition him into using a sippy cup. Maybe the one you tried keeps spilling, or your baby still prefers his bottle over the cup. Perhaps the one you have makes the liquid come out too fast, or he pushes the spout out of his mouth. It doesn't help when you're so over using bottles (and cleaning the zillion bottle parts). You might even be looking for the … [Read more...]
“At What Age…?” Baby Development Milestones You Don’t Always Hear About
Flip through any baby book, and you'll likely find infant development milestones down to the month or even week. We parents like to know whether our babies are on track, or if we should worry about potential delays. And sometimes we just need guidance on what to encourage our kids to do next. Except not all milestones make the cut, particularly practical, everyday ones we should also be on the look out for. These are the sorts of questions that pop up when you see another baby the same age doing something yours can't yet. They're the milestones you ask your mom friends about. You want to … [Read more...]
Is Your Baby Starting to Be Mobile? How to Baby Proof Your Home
Is your baby now mobile? Practice safety tips and learn how to baby proof your home. These five items will keep your children safe in your house as they explore their surroundings. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Regalo International. All opinions are 100% mine. It's the stage we all come across. The baby who once could only flail her arms and legs is now using them to crawl. Bath times are getting more boisterous (not to mention slippery!). And one minute she's laying on the blanket, the next she's across the room. I had been looking forward to the mobile stage, even … [Read more...]
7 Easy Ways to Transition to a Sippy Cup
Looking for ways to transition from bottle to cup? Learn easy ways to transition to sippy cup and the best time to start. I was introducing my then-infant son to a sippy cup and bought what I thought was the fanciest cup ever. It came insulated, had handles (with an option to remove them!) and was covered with a metal casing. Well... that cup with the heavy metal casing? Came crashing right on my big toe, sending me yelping and hopping through the kitchen. And that was me. I imagined how terrible it would've been if that heavy cup had slipped out of my little guy's hands. That it … [Read more...]
9 Simple Tips to Teach Your Child to Get Dressed
Want to let the kids dress themselves and also save yourself time? Learn how to teach a child to dress themselves in the mornings with these 9 useful tips. I'm late for work, and my son insists on putting his shoes on. This wouldn't be a problem... if he actually knew how to put shoes on. All this time, I'd been doing everything for him because it just seems faster that way. Problem is, I know I'd save more time if he only knew how to get dressed. Except that takes time I already don't have. Catch-22 anyone? In my home, my husband usually has morning duty during school days. He … [Read more...]
4 Things You Shouldn’t Say about Other People’s Children
Some comments can drive parents crazy. See if you're guilty of saying these 4 things you shouldn't say about other people's children. As parents, we get a ton of comments from others, whether loved ones or strangers, about our kids. Some of these we can laugh it off, such as when we can't help but agree. Others though need to be addressed, perhaps in defense of our kids or for thoughtlessness. The rest just drive us crazy. (Read more about being carefree in parenthood.) 4 things you shouldn't say about other people's children In most cases, people don't say these comments with … [Read more...]
Don’t Stress (Too Much) about Your Child’s Developmental Milestones
Every child grows differently, and it's so easy to worry about their growth. Here's why you shouldn't stress about your child's developmental milestones. The news of our three-year-old's weight gain had already sent me worrying like crazy. Now his pediatrician also sent us a questionnaire about his development. "Does she give this to all her patients, or was there a reason she feels we need to complete this?" I asked my husband, who was the one who had taken our son to his appointment. The 'X' dilemma "He couldn't draw an 'X' when she asked him to. So now she wants us to fill out this … [Read more...]