Like virtually everything else in the parenting world, there is rarely one answer to any one question. Potty training is no different. When do you start trying to train your little one? Advice from doctors and most parents tends to fall in the 2 to 3 year old range. If you ask Melinda Rothstein and Elizabeth Parise of DiaperFreeBaby, their response will likely surprise you. Read the rest »

20,800 recalled due to excess levels of lead.

Did your little tyke receive a Glowin’ Dino or Doggy animal flashlight from Target this Christmas? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with The Little Tikes Co. has announced a voluntary recall of about 20,800 Glowin’ Dino and Glowin’ Doggy Animal Flashlights. The light green paint on the dinosaur-shaped flashlight and the brown paint on the dog-shaped flashlight could contain excess levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects, according to the CPSC.The Glowin’ Dino Flashlight and the Glowin’ Doggy Flashlight are about 9-inches long and make an electronic sound when switched on. The green dinosaur roars, and the white and brown dog barks. Only flashlights with the following date codes are in included in the recall: LC5H161, LC5H291, LC5I031, LC5I091, LC5I131, LC5J061, LC5J231, and LC5J311. The date codes are found on the bottom of the flashlights. Units that do not contain these codes or other animal flashlight characters made by The Little Tikes Co. are not included in this recall. Also, units that have an “R” at the end of the date code are not included in the recall, according to the CPSC.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled flashlights away from young children and contact Little Tikes for more information. Consumers will get a free replacement flashlight or refund.

For more information, contact The Little Tikes Co. toll-free at (866) 765-6729 anytime, or visit the company’s Web site at littletikes.com.

So far this year we have worked on organizing your time and your papers. For the month of March we are going to start focusing on the clothing that is cluttering up your home. It is time to really evaluate what you want to keep, what you want to sell or donate, and what really just needs to be thrown out. Read the rest »

“I’m NOT crying,” my almost 3 year-old little girl says to me while I’m cleaning her hands from our messy spaghetti and meatballs dinner. I certainly didn’t think she was crying and am left wondering why she would say that? Is this one of those toddler things that just doesn’t make any sense? Or was my little girl telling me something?

“Do you feel like crying, Jordyn?” I try to assume my children are telling me something important, just in case, and decided to explore a little bit further.

“No,” she responds as I continue to focus on cleaning her hands and face.

Phew.

Okay, then. That settles that.

“But I’m a little bit grumpy,” she adds. I immediately look at her beautiful face.

Uh oh. Read the rest »

When crumbling a block for salad, chill it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. The cold allows it to break evenly into crumbles. Use a fork to hold the cheese, so the warmth from your hands doesn’t soften the cheese.

Children need calcium now to reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life.
According to a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report, getting enough calcium during childhood and adolescence is necessary for peak bone mass development, which may help reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life.
This is especially important during adolescence. The AAP also encourages physical activity, primarily weight-bearing exercise, as part of an overall bone-health program.In this updated report, the AAP also suggests that calcium intake be assessed periodically with a simple questionnaire beginning at 2 to 3 years of age.

After this age, the AAP suggests determining calcium intake at 8 to 9 years of age, then again during preadolescence and during adolescence, when the peak rate of bone mass growth occurs. The statement also stresses that infants, children, and adolescents need to receive adequate amounts of vitamin D as it helps with calcium retention.

The AAP report goes on to say that a child or adolescent’s deficient calcium intake is a family issue and adequate intake should be encouraged for all family members. Information on calcium content of foods should be given to patients and families for whom intake seems inadequate.

An important notation: calcium intakes on food labels are based on adult requirements, not children’s. Therefore, it is important for pediatricians to help parents read and interpret the calcium content on food labels so they can better determine how much calcium their child may be consuming. It’s still critical for children to talk to their pediatrician and a registered dietitian to have a more accurate assessment.

Most people can achieve the recommended calcium intake, the AAP says, by eating three age-appropriate servings of dairy products per day (4 servings per day for adolescents.) Low-fat dairy products including skim milk and low-fat yogurt are preferred sources of calcium. Calcium supplements and non-dairy foods such as calcium-fortified juices and soy products are an alternative, but these products do not offer the benefits of other nutrients, and compliance may be a problem.

Whole milk is not recommended until after 12 months of age; although yogurt and cheese with modest amounts of added sweeteners can be introduced after 6 months.

Above is a news release on a clinical report appearing in the February issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Does your preschooler like to stencil? If given the task of holding a stencil and drawing at the same time, most young children want to focus on drawing and end up either frustrated by the task or asking for help from mom or dad to hold their stencils steady. Enter parentrepreneur Mary Constantino. Social worker by trade and mother of two, Mary was cooking dinner one night and kept having to stop every couple of minutes to hold her childrens’ stencils steady while they were drawing. After looking online for a magnetic stencil set to no avail - she decided to create her own. Read the rest »