Toddler Stool

Help! I have to babysit this week?

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:48:00 +0000

Anna Banana asked:

My neighbor has to go on a business trip and she asked me to watch her kids so I said yes. They are two 1.5 year old twins (Two girls) and a 2 year old boy. Well I have gone to their house and they are very spoiled kids(But mostly the little boy). My question is what should I do because for example today I brought them to my house and got them a little snack. The twins still need high chairs so I was putting them in there when the little boy said that he had to potty.I took him to the bathroom (His mom gave me his potty chair) and told him to go ahead. I went to check on the twins and they were fine so I grabbed a drink. I was waiting for him and when he came out he said there was stuff on the floor so I went and checked and all of my shampoo was on the floor. I refused to believe that he did this because he can be super sweet, so I just cleaned it up. But later when we were watching a little T.V he went to my room where his sisters where napping in their cribs. He came back out with a grin on his face. They both started crying so I ran as fast as possible to see what was wrong. Apparently I was very stupid by leaving a little step stool near their cribs. Their little faces were scratched a little so I asked him what happened. He just said that he scratched them. I asked him why and he just said because he felt like it. When I told him that wasn’t very nice he said that he didn’t care. He also yelled at me saying “You’re Not My Mommy!” and left the room. What should I do about the three of them. First about the twins because their faces look red. And the little boy. What should I do because I don’t think I can ground him or anything. Thanks in advance.

Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Time-Out Chairs – Every Kid’s Room Needs One

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:10:15 +0000

Gnana Ramanathan asked:

There are some essential furniture that every kid’s room needs- a bed, table and chair, storage shelves, dresser, crib and diaper changing station for babies and toddlers, maybe even a kids room divider for decoration. But there is one furniture which I feel is very important for all kids rooms-and that is a kids ‘time-out’ chair.

Every kid would have got a ‘time-out’ at one time or the other for being naughty, or not doing their chores/homework, not listening to parents or elders and so on. Even parents who are generally very lenient with their kids would agree that giving a ‘time-out’ seems to be the most effective tactic to make a child realise that what he/she did was not correct and to give them some quiet, alone time to think about the consequences. It encourages good behaviour in kids. The best way to do this would be to have a specific time-out chair, probably in the kids room away from TV, computer, game systems etc. These time-out chairs can be effective in schools and day-care centers also.
There are different types of time-out chairs available in the market these days.

There are chairs available specifically for boys or girls, rockers and even benches which can be put in a safe place outdoors away from all their favorite playthings. Some have the words ‘time out’ or ‘oops’ written on them. Some of them are decorated with animal figures like bears, frogs etc. Time-out chairs for girls look very pretty in pink and heart engraved on them. In fact, they are so pretty that girls might want to use them even without a time-out! There are also chairs which say ‘time to read’ and have a small compartment on the chair’s hands to keep books and a working clock to keep track of time.

So, get your kids a time-out chair and by doing so, you’ll not only encourage good behaviour in them but also add a piece of decor to the room.

Caffeinated Content

My Maltese sleeping in our bed has put a damper on our sex life, what to do ?

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:19:09 +0000

It is, what it is asked:

My adored 10 month old puppy sleeps in our bed . My bed is very high off the floor , I need a step stool . Bought him Doggie stairs and everything is fine until we want to be intimate. We put him on his doggie bed besides ours and remove his doggie stairs , well immediately he begins to bark continuously and jumps to try to get on our bed . Runs from one side to the nest barking and jumping and whining . Kills the moment and the mood .I mean who can concentrate!! Its been months and not sure how to handle this any longer . Have two children ( 15 and 10 yr old boys )at home and they awaken to ask why our pet is barking , Try to have him sleep with kids he will leave and come to my room. Try closing him out of our room until we are done and will scratch and bark at door . Have to be civil to my tentants downstairs cant allow him to bark so late at night . What to do ?

Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Bedtime Drama – Toddler Bed & Kids Sleep Problems

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:21 +0000

Theresea Hughes asked:

Our active, energetic children often resist the rest time period, whether it is naptime or bedtime they may turn it into a chase time, crying time, tantrum time or may be read another time to avoid the dreaded bed.

Stand firm with your child, stick to a time you have set for your child to rest, you may need to help your child wind down before naptime or bedtime and perhaps a short story or may be a gentle massage to help relax the unwilling at sleep time.

As your child gets older his sleep pattern is likely to change, and you may find you will need to start again, it may require letting him stay up later or shorten his daytime naps as he grows.

Preventing The Problem:

Firstly, establish a bedtime routine. Before bedtime or naptime ensure a calm approach with a special feeling, only you and your child enjoys at these times of the day or night maybe a short story, a gentle back rub or very softly stroking his hair as part of going-to-bed routine.

Putting in the effort to make bedtime and naptimes a special event gives your child more than just going to bed to look forward to.

It may even involve a story you both tell by making it up as you go along, or maybe a talk on a subject your child is interested in.

Include exercise a daily habit

Plain for your child to get plenty of exercise during his day, as this helps his body letting his mind know going to bed has a good feeling.

Setting A Regular Rest Time:

Don’t let your child control his rest time with late afternoon or evening rests, it becomes a problem at bedtime to expect him to wind down for the night.

Putting your child down early in the day for his rest period will ensure less drama for bedtime.

Quality Time Before Bed:

Spending time with your child before bed will help prevent him from putting on a performance just to get more of your attention.

Keep Bedtime Consistent.

To find out how much sleep your child may need by taking note of how he acts when he has had his daytime nap and when he hasn’t, and when he has gone to bed at nine o’clock compared to seven o’clock.

Establish a regular sleep timetable that suits your child’s needs, this pattern is likely to change, as he gets older.

A Solution:

An hour before bedtime or even at naptime this idea can be used, set an alarm clock for five minutes and let your child know when the alarm goes off its telling him its time to start getting ready for bed.

This avoids unexpected surprises and helps your child except what is required in the next stage, when the alarm sounds, simply say, “The alarm is telling us its time to start getting ready for bed. Let’s have a bath, or wash up and put our pajamas on.”

Reset the alarm for fifteen minutes and say to your child, “let’s see how we go with beating the alarm at getting ready.” This gives you the opening to positively reward your child for his efforts at getting himself all the way through the basic bedtime routine.

Make sure you allow a fair amount of time for your child to get the job done.

When the routine is completed, reset the alarm for what’s left of the hour you set aside for bedtime and then say, “Because you were very good and beat the alarm, you now get to stay up and play until the alarm goes off again telling us it’s time to hop into bed.

Now it’s time to set the alarm for brushing our teeth, having a little drink, and using the potty (if old enough) or going to the toilet before getting into bed.

Using the alarm bedtime routine helps you and your child have fun preparing for bedtime, your child will enjoy the game involved in the bedtime routine.

Follow The Same Custom Regardless Of Time:

Even if it is past his normal bedtime, it is important to go through the same pattern as the usual bedtime to help your child learn what’s expected of him when its time for going to bed.

Don’t mention how late he’s been up, speed up the pace give your child a hand getting ready, using the alarm set it for shorter times. Although the pressure is on its important you don’t leave out any of the regular steps.

Keep The Same organized Routine:

Because young children find comfort in regularity, have your child take his bath, brush his teeth, and put his pajamas on, in the same order each night.

Ask your child to tell you what he thinks the next step is in the routine; this helps him feel he has some say and being more involved.

Offer Rewards For Good Bedtime Behavior:

Speak to your child upon waking making a comment about him going to so bed nicely is worthwhile. Say to him, “Seems you were so good going off to bed, I would like to read you an extra story.” Or another idea is, have a special calendar for your child and get him to place stickers on his good bedtime days, your child will find this very rewarding.

What Not To Do:

Don’t Let Your Child Be In Charge Of Bed time:

Stand firm with your selected bedtime regardless of your child’s performance.

Keeping in mind you know why he doesn’t want to go to bed-and why he should. Tell yourself, “He’s crying because he doesn’t want to go to bed and take a nap as he’s happy to play, but you know with him having his nap now he will be happier later.

Don’t Intimidate Or Smack Your Child:

Threatening your child to make him go to bed may cause bad dreams; fear’s and leaves your child unsettled, not to mention how you are going to feel when his performance continues.

Punishing your child won’t teach him suitable behavior.

As an alternative, use an alarm as an impartial influence to control when naptime or bedtime arrives.

Create a video blog…instantly.

Outdoor Benches – There Are Many Fine Options For Children

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:10:08 +0000

Jennifer Akre asked:

It’s time to spend more time outside. Spring has arrived and the outdoors are beautiful. That means it’s you and the family should be spending more time enjoying the backyard.

If you have kids, this means you need to find outdoor benches and furniture for them. These items can be found in budgets from few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.

One of the ways to go that will be most popular with the kids is to look at outdoor playground equipment. Most playgrounds have outdoor benches of some sort attached to them in some way. The reason for this is that the makers know that even children need to take a break at one time or another.

There are several types of children’s outdoor benches to choose from. You may want ones where children sit and take a break or where you sit the child that is in need of a little time out. There are others that are attached to picnic tables where children can have lunch if the don’t want to leave the playground long enough to come inside to eat. Children can also have some friends over and have a picnic. A child may also decide to have a birthday party, using this seating selection that is attached to their playground equipment.

Another series of outdoor benches you may find in a playground are the ones in the club house where your children and their friends let their imagination run wild and dream of things and go places that only their imagination can take them.

Another option for outdoor benches, when it comes to those for children, are those of the storage variety. This is a good concept because it not only gives your children a place to sit when outside but it also gives them a place to store their toys and things, such as balls and other outside toys. This way they are happy and your yard is clean and not cluttered with all the toys children can have.

Depending on how long you need the playground and bench to last, you may choose to spend more on them. If you want something more durable, that will be around for years to come, you will have to pay for it.

There are many uses for outdoor benches and playgrounds for children. There are as many types and styles as there are uses. As the parent you have to ask yourself what is it you want from a bench or playground and how long you are going to need it? The answer to that question will determine how much you will spend on outdoor benches or playgrounds for your special child. When the kids have an outdoor play area they can enjoy, it will be easy to keep them happy in the yard. Once the children are happy the parents will be happy. That is priceless.

Caffeinated Content for WordPress

How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:16:43 +0000

Sherry Frewerd asked:

If you’re a pet owner, are you aware that dogs get cavities in their teeth just like humans? If left untreated and uncared for, dogs get cavities which result in not only bad breath, but other physical ailments as well. Dogs do not get cavities as frequently as humans do, but many of the problems of bad dental care in dogs can be prevented.

People who feed their dogs only soft food are potentially contributing to dental issues. The soft food is left in the gums of the dog causing bad breath and infections. Also, people who live in areas of the country where the water is hard will very likely have dogs with tooth problems since the hard water leaves tartar that builds up on dog teeth just as it does in humans.

So what are you supposed to do other than buy hard food and give your dog filtered water? Number one; regularly brush your dog’s teeth. Some folks are extremely intimidated by the idea of opening their dog’s mouth and brushing the rows of sharp teeth, however, if you slowly get your dog used to regular teeth brushing you should be able to get the job done without too much trouble.

There are many different kinds of dog toothbrushes and flavored toothpaste now that help make your dog more interested in the idea.

If your dog is young you can start off brushing his teeth from the get go and he’ll ease into the idea rather quickly most likely. Dogs simply do not like having their mouths messed with, so it may take some time to instill the habit. One way to begin easily is to start by lifting his lips and examining his teeth several times a week, each time giving him a small treat when you’re done. Both you and your dog will be more relaxed when you are handling his mouth, and your dog will be more comfortable with the idea when he knows there will be a treat when it’s over.

Now that your dog is used to having you handle his mouth regularly, it’s time to start brushing his teeth. Some products that you’ll need to brush his teeth are a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste. The toothpaste has been specially formulated for animals. Never use human toothpaste on your dog. You can find a dog toothbrush and toothpaste at pet stores, large retail stores and of course from your veterinarian. Dogs like the taste of dog toothpaste, and since it does come in different flavors you can find one that your dog loves which will make the job of brushing his teeth even easier.

The process of actually brushing your dog’s teeth is very much the same as brushing your own teeth. If your dog is a large breed, the most comfortable position is on the floor, with your dog in front of you. If you have a small breed or a puppy, simply hold the dog in your lap. When you’re ready to start brushing, lift your dog’s upper lip and brush the teeth in a circular motion, making sure to brush at the base of each tooth where it meets the gum line. Also make sure to brush the back teeth or molars, because these teeth are more likely than the front teeth to develop dental problems. A good idea is to only brush one or two teeth the first few times. As your dog becomes accustomed to teeth brushing, you can brush more teeth each time. To instill the positive aspect of the process, always remember to give your dog a small treat after each teeth brushing session.

For the most part, brush your dog’s teeth twice a week. If you have an older dog with lots of tartar build up, and if he’s never had his teeth brushed before, you should take him to the vet to have them professionally cleaned. Also, feeding your dog dry dog food or hard dog biscuits every day is the best way of preventing tartar build-up. There specially made dog dental bones on the market that help tremendously with preventing tartar build up. These dental chew bones come in various sizes, so choose a bone based on the size of your dog.

Brushing your dog’s teeth needn’t be a big chore, and certainly nothing to fear. Your dog depends on you to make proper health choices for him, and dental care is one of them. Start off slowly and follow the tips mentioned above, and you’ll be able to clean your dog’s teeth with no trouble and your dog will feel great as a result.

Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Toddler teeth?

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:48:50 +0000

Stitch & Hatter strike again! asked:

My 2 yr old HATES, and I mean runs, screams, cries SO hard when I try to get her to brush her teeth. I feel SO bad. Weve tried “Look , Mommy does it too”…”Look, Teddy does it too”…”Lets make it a game”… “Iris can do it all by herself” and making a silly story out of it…but she just caterwauls at EVERYTHING. Shes got to have her teeth brushed obviously…so almost every night I end up holding her down and I feel terrible, but what else is there to do to get her to enjoy brushing her teeth? Or in the very least put up with it…

Toddler Teeth Brushing

Sometimes I forget to brush my toddler teeth twice a day?

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:44:34 +0000

Isis Grace asked:

Most of the time, I brush them really good once a day. I always forget before she goes to bed. Plus, she screams and cries when she is getting her teeth brushed and I’ve tried everything, singing, making it a game, everything. Is it ok to brush them once a day or should I always do it twice?

Caffeinated Content

Tempurpedic Mattress Topper

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:40:04 +0000

Ricky Lim asked:

If you find yourself in a position where you need to buy a new mattress for your bed and would like to buy one of the Tempurpedic ones instead, but just do not have the money in your budget for one, then why not consider purchasing a tempurpedic mattress topper instead. You can use a tempurpedic mattress topper until you have the money to buy the proper type of Tempurpedic mattress.

Although not as thick as the actual Tempurpedic mattress, a tempurpedic mattress topper will still enable you to get a good night’s sleep as it will help to ensure that your bed is much more comfortable when you lay down on it.

Certainly a good quality topper will provide you with around 1 or 2 years extra time out of the mattress you already have. Plus it will tide you over until you actually have the money in place to buy the right sort of Tempurpedic mattress in the future.

However if you are purchasing a new Tempurpedic mattress then also invest in a topper at the same time as this will provide you with an even better night’s sleep than you thought imaginable. It will also help to extend the life of your new mattress. Tempurpedic mattress toppers come in all sizes from king size through to doubles and singles. So you will be able to get one which will fit your bed perfectly.

One of the best places to find your Tempurpedic mattress topper is online. There are lots of websites that have been set up and are dedicated to providing you with everything in the Tempurpedic range to ensure that you have a good nights sleep each night. They will provide you with detailed information with regard to every product that they sell and this includes information with regard to guarantees and warranties.

Plus you do not need to rush yourself and certainly you won’t be harangued by any sales staff who are trying to sell you something more expensive and totally useless for your needs instead. All you need to do is turn on your computer go to Google or Yahoo and key in “Tempurpedic mattress topper” and visit the websites listed. However it is important to note that any topper you purchase can not be returned to the retailer so keep this piece of information in mind when you decide to purchase one.

Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Step by Step Guide to Picking Kids Furniture

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:43:53 +0000

Joann Means asked:

Just like children learn to walk one step at a time, choosing the best children’s furniture for kids bedrooms is best done step by step.

Start at the Finish

For the easiest time choosing kids furniture the best first step to take is the last. That is to say, figure out what your desired end result will be. What is your goal for this children’s furniture? What are you trying to accomplish in your furniture shopping?

Is your primary objective:

storage study space play/lounge/relaxation space a bed or some combination thereof?

Are you looking to replace a particular piece of kids furniture you already have, add a piece that’s lacking, or give your kids bedroom a complete furniture overhaul? Is your priority cost, convenience, appearance, or quality?

Then ask yourself how much money you want to spend on this kids room decorating venture. If you have several children’s furniture items you’d like to buy, for example, it helps to know your total budget for the project so that you don’t accidentally wind up spending it all on a single item.

Answering these questions first will get your children’s furniture shopping adventure off on the right foot.

The Critical Step: Measuring

Time to get out the tape measure and a pencil and paper and start measuring the space. The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time searching for children’s furniture only to realize that you can’t even select a piece because you don’t know how big (or small) you need it to be.

Measure not only the perimeter dimensions and the ceiling height of the room but measure the size and positioning of the windows and doors too (and that includes the door to the closet). Drawing yourself a simple map of the room may help. This way, when you consider placement of the children’s furniture elements you’re considering buying you know exactly

where it will (and won’t) fit, as well as whether or not it causes any obstructions of doors, windows, or other permanent fixtures.

Pick a Theme

Simply put, picking your children’s furniture to all coordinate with a theme gives you a unifying focus for all the room’s elements. And picking a theme that excites and inspires your child’s imagination will give them endless pleasure and pride in their personal space.

The Simplest Solution

Now that you’re finally ready to start shopping, start with the bed. If the room doesn’t have one yet, then the bed is the key element around which all the rest of the room’s elements can fall into place.

Plus, if you’re looking for storage, study, play/lounge/relaxation space and a bed too then there’s a simple, single piece of children’s furniture you could purchase that would accomplish all of the above needs and more – a custom theme bed.

Custom theme beds can be built with one bed or two. They can have play space and study space included. They can have built in shelving, drawers, cabinets, and other storage elements. And they can do all this in one, sturdy and durable unit.

Furthermore, you can have this multipurpose custom theme bed designed to appeal to your child’s fondest interests and desires.

Caffeinated Content