Toddlers
7 Common Mistakes First-Time Parents Make
March 16, 2011 | 
Author Parenting is one of the hardest jobs you will ever have, and no stage is more difficult than the first few months with your first child. It is easy to be led astray by misguided assumptions and poorly thought-out plans, and it is practically impossible to completely avoid making any mistakes. Parenting is after all a learning process, but you can avoid some of the most common mistakes simply by being aware of them in advance. Here are seven of the most common issues that arise for first-time parents.
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Dining Out With Children: Should It Ever Be Okay?
By Lisa Pecos
When it comes to dining with children, too many parents fall into the trap of thinking that the rest of the world should happily accommodate their children without complaint. Because we love our children so much, it is easy to forget that other people may not be as charmed by them. This is especially true in grownup restaurants, where diners expect to be able to have a quiet, relaxed meal without someone else’s loud kids running around and disrupting one’s meal.
Safest Booster Seats Revealed
By Jamell Andrews
As parents, one of our most important jobs is to make sure that our children stay safe at all times. Even if you consider yourself to be an exceptionally safe driver, accidents can happen to anyone. To be prepared for this event, security experts recommend that parents use booster seats for school-aged children who are still too small for automobile safety straps.
Flavored Milk–Do You Use It?
I have a 21 month old daughter that isn’t milk’s biggest fan. She’ll drink a little bit, but not nearly enough to get her day’s worth of calcium in. So one morning, I thought I’d give her some chocolate milk to see what would happen. She didn’t drink it–she guzzled it! Ever since, it’s chocolate milk every morning–she’s underweight as well, so I figure the extra calories won’t hurt. This is why an article in yesterday’s LA Times Health section caught my eye. Entitled, Pro / Con: Should chocolate milk be allowed in schools?, it gives the debate on whether or not flavored milk should be offered at your child’s school.
Rachel Johnson, a dietitian at the University of Vermont in Burlington whose research has been funded by the National Dairy Council, says yes–it’s better than no milk at all. However, Marlene Schwartz a psychologist and deputy director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University says no–that we’re teaching milk is only good when it’s sugared up. More »
Soothing a Fussy Baby
If you are the parent of an infant, it is pretty much inevitable that you will have to deal with a fussy baby at least from time to time. For many parents, dealing with a fussy baby is a regular occurrence that quickly leads to frustration, loss of energy, and a lack of sleep.
Raising Happy Children
By Jamell Andrews
Raising happy children does not have anything to do with the material possessions that you give to them. Regardless of how many toys kids have or how much you try to shield them from the harsher aspects of life, the ability of children to be happy as they grow up is largely based on internal factors.
Soy and Health Issues in Children
Many people have turned to soy alternatives in the belief that these foods and beverages are healthier for their children. However, consistent research over the past several years has indicated that soy products may ultimately cause more harm than good.
How to Find the Right Preschool
Finding the right preschool for your child can be a challenge. With a variety of different options to choose from, parents can easily become overwhelmed when trying to decide which type of program would be the most suitable for their child.
Raising Strong Children from Shaky Relationships
By Sylvia Wells
I always wanted five children, just like my mother. Even knowing they would all be boys in accordance to the needle and thread test I did when I was about ten years old. The funny thing is that, although I planned to have all these children, I didn’t put a second of thought into who their father would be. Fast forward thirteen years to find myself in a short term relationship with an egomaniac and holding a baby boy in my arms. Fast forward another five years and I’m a single mother of an only child. I was blessed with remarkable boy, but now that I was single I couldn’t imagine having any more children.