Watch My Kids Grow

11/09:

17/05: Reading "Little House" to Your Kids

By Indratno Widiarto

It's one of the hardest things to do in this day and age of hyper-active kids and super busy, multi-tasking parents... but spending good quality time with your children doesn't have to be a painful torture tactic.

One of the best, most enjoyable things you can do with your kids is to read to them. This is a great way to connect with them and to share different parts of your life story in a natural, easy, and relaxed setting.

One of the best books, or sets of books, to start reading your kids, is the "Little House on the Prairie" series. Beginning in the late 1800's, it tells the story of a distant, almost forgotten, time in American history. A time that many of us might not believe ever existed, if Laura Ingalls hadn't shared her life with us.


read more ...

25/04: How to Child Proof Your Home in One Day

Parents and caregivers want to provide a safe place for their children to live and play but too often child proofing these areas gets put off. The good news is that child proofing is not difficult and can easily be completed in one day.

On your first visit to the store you will likely be overwhelmed by all of the products on the market designed to child proof or baby proof your home. Is every corner and crevice a danger? You can't child proof the world, but as you continue to teach your children about safety you may find it useful to reduce the risk of injury in the home where the child is spending most of the time.

Some child proofing requires no devices, just common sense. Other areas definitely require the use of a child proofing device. Not all children are the same. If you feel a certain product would help protect your child from a situation they are more likely to get into, you may consider adding that to your arsenal as well.



read more ...

25/04: Ideas for Spending Quality Family Time

Many parents today would like their kids to watch a lot less TV, and instead, spend some quality family time. But how do you do that, when both parents are working, and there isn't a lot of time to prepare fun activities on a daily basis?

Let's find out what you need to have handy in order to find time to play with your family. Create a family activity center that includes fun things for everyone in the family. Here are some ideas, right from your home:

Toilet Paper Tubes: You can play your own version of "bowling" with these. Stand 10 of them up in a "V" shape, and have the kids throw a rubber ball at them (pick a 6" diameter or smaller ball). Of course, you can encourage the kids to be creative and color the tubes, and you can also come up with different ways to throw the ball: standing on one foot, blindfolded, push it with your nose, etc.



read more ...

09/04: How to Stop Over-Programming Your Toddler

In the fast pace of today’s lifestyle, many families are having difficulty finding time to eat meals together or even wake up and spend a Saturday morning with each other. Parents are working, children are in pre-school and extra curricular activities are scheduled almost daily...

Gymnastics on Monday and Wednesday, soccer on Tuesday, dance on Thursday and ballet on Saturday. Before you know what has happened you have an “over-programmed” toddler.

The activities are fun and pre-school allows for friendships to develop, but too much slows emotional development in young children. Some of the signs to watch for in young children are:

- An unwillingness to participate in previously fun activities.

- Sluggish and grumpy behaviour when waking up.

- Temper tantrums, and “little white lies” being told in school and at home.


read more ...

09/04: When Your Child Ready for Toilet Train?

Both our kids, Khaled and Kaila, are familiar with toilet use before their second birthdays. I heard many parents strugling in training their kids on toilet use. Mandy's daughter was 18 months when she decided to use the toilet. In the middle of a busy afternoon Kate announced that she needed to 'potty' and from that time on (with a few exceptions) she was toilet trained.

Dennis was four years old and he was still fighting his parents about toilet training. He would become constipated in an effort to withhold his bowel movements and required stool softeners to correct the problem. His parents wondered if they'd be sending him to school in diapers.

Is either scenario normal? Do girls train easier than boys? And when is YOUR child ready to begin toilet training?

What Age Should We Start?


read more ...

09/04: One Child or Two? Or More...

I've been asked about this several times. However, since I've been having two children, I simply answered two is the best. Eventhough, to tell you the truth, I was worried to death when I was expecting the second. She, the second, is just 15 months younger than his brother.

Bringing a sibling home is a dream for many parents and grandparents, and the desire to have more children can be an emotional and idealistic idea for some couples. Despite the mental picture, choosing to enlarge your family in this day and age requires a new set of guidelines and principles than when your parents were having children.

If you are debating whether to bring another child into your family, consider some of the following questions with your partner. You may find that your mind has already been made up!


read more ...

09/04: Your Children and Environtment

In todays world we see flagrant disregard for the environment that nurtures us as human beings. Sadly, ignoring what is happening is having a profound effect on our children.

What can we do about this? We can encourage our children to view the world around us in a different way by introducing children's involvement with environment-friendly activities. One such nature-loving activity that children could easily understand and enjoy is gardening. Why should you consider gardening for your children?

Here are some of the ways your children will benefit by gardening:

1. Science

In planting, children are indirectly taught the wonders of science like the plant's life cycle and how human's intervention can break or make the environment. They can have a first hand experience on the miracle of life through a seed. This would definitely be a new and enjoyable experience for the kids.


read more ...

09/04: Tools for Tracking Children with GPS

Global Positioning systems (or GPS) technology is becoming an increasingly popular means by which parents can accurately determine the location of their children at any given moment. By utilizing an array of satellites originally deployed by the government for security uses, GPS systems can literally pinpoint the exact location of anyone carrying the appropriate locator chip. This allows parents to outfit their children with the GPS technology and to then have the power to monitor their whereabouts if any concerns should arise. The possible safety advantages offered by a GPS child monitoring system are substantial and parents are beginning to embrace the technology as it become increasingly "mainstream" and available.

There are a variety of systems offered, all of which hold some potential benefit for users. Simple wristwatch versions, for instance, are relatively unobtrusive and are convenient for a child to wear at any time. These wrist units, however, may be at a greater risk of being lost or simply forgotten, particularly by children not already accustomed to wearing a watch daily.


read more ...

09/04: How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need?

Is your child getting enough sleep? How can you tell and what can you do about it?

As my son now is 2.5years old, I search several pre-school institution to find the best place for him to start schooling. While I myself do not agree with the concept of schooling, I'm pretty amazed by what I have found this week.

Many pre-schools offer bilingual as though it's a must. Unfortunately, It means that your kids should stay longer at school. I wonder if they will get enough sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) released a survey which estimated that one-third of toddlers and preschoolers and nearly one in four school aged children aren't getting enough sleep.

The consequences for lack of sleep are hardly unknown to parents who have themselves been victims of sleepless nights during the early childhood years. But what are the specific problems that affect children who are lacking sleep?


read more ...