When Should You Move Your Child from Crib to Bed?

Part 1 of a 2 part series –
   Next Week: What’s the best way to transition from crib to bed?

When your child moves from the crib to his very own bed, it is a major milestone in his life as well as yours! Babies, of course, grow a little every day, but switching to a big bed is a very visible step in your child’s move from babyhood to childhood. Typically, a big-kid bed enters the picture sometime between your child’s first and third birthday. The most important key to success is to be patient and allow your child time to adjust to the change with as much pleasure, and as little trauma, as possible.

Off to School or Daycare – Without the Tears of Separation

Whether your child is beginning daycare, preschool, or elementary school, leaving Mommy and Daddy for the first time, or for the first time of the year, is a huge event. Some children seem to be able to run off happily with a quick wave goodbye, others slowly but steadily enter the classroom. But the most challenging kids are the ones who cling, cry and resist every effort you make to convince them that everything will be okay. If you have a superglue child, here are some ideas to help make this new experience more enjoyable for all of you.

When Little Kids Can’t Share – Here’s How to Help

It can be frustrating and embarrassing when your typically sweet little child refuses to share. Fortunately, this is totally normal and there are things you can do to help. Sharing is a complicated social skill that your child will learn with the help of your guidance and plenty of practice.

Change Your Baby’s Diaper without a Fight

Babies live in an exciting world where there is a lot to discover and explore. They do not want to have to lie still even when their diapers are wet, messy, and surely uncomfortable. Babies can put up a great fight when you need to change their diapers – crying, fussing, or even trying to crawl away. This becomes a great source of frustration to parents, since it’s a basic hygiene issue that can’t be ignored, and it has to happen numerous times a day. All of this means that it can make your day happier to find a way to change your baby’s diaper without a fight.

The Importance of Positive Self-Talk

If your child is often worried, it is likely that his self-talk is negative. Negative self-talk can cause children to focus on possible disasters such as…

What if Mommy forgets to pick me up from camp?

What if I hate my new teacher?

What if I get hurt and no one is there to help me?

What if something bad happens to Daddy while he is away?

A stressed-out child tends to rehearse these thoughts in his mind—over and over—until he becomes overcome with fear and worry. Negative self-talk can escalate easily, which then causes anxiety to increase. This is why it is so important to take the time to work with your child to make his self-talk more positive.

Are you Sending Secret Messages to Your Children?

In their diligent efforts to be good teachers, many parents inadvertently treat their children in ways that they would never treat a friend! In their efforts to raise respectful children, they sometimes become so focused on the end goal that they don’t realize that the secret message coming through to their children is not a pleasant one.

Here’s what I mean:

Imagine that you’ve been invited to your friend’s home for dinner. Your friend welcomes you at the door, and you step inside and say hello. Interrupting you, your host yells, “What is the matter with you! Your shoes are all muddy and you’re getting my carpet dirty!” Embarrassed you mumble, “Sorry,” and remove your shoes.

How to Handle Baby Tantrums

The first time your baby has a tantrum  it can shock you. Watching your little one kick, scream and stiffen in anger can be unexpected and surprising. Even though they can be very explosive, baby tantrums are not about anything that you have done wrong, so don’t take it personally.

When your baby is shrieking, stomping, hitting, or even making his whole body go stiff as a board, it’s not about you. It means that your baby is having a sudden loss of emotional control. Baby tantrums are not about manipulation, since your child is far too young for this. Therefore, you should respond to your baby’s tantrums differently than how you’ll respond to tantrums once your child is older.