tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24147455015230673372024-03-13T23:32:46.585-07:00Gullible New ParentLess guilt. More sanity.<br>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-14064335254394075752013-04-22T08:40:00.000-07:002013-04-22T08:42:22.327-07:00Piano Fun for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Most activities for piano are aimed at children starting primary school. So I decided to put together a print-out aimed at 2.5 to 5 year olds with some information and activities that are suitable for this age group. My child might be too young for formal music lessons, but that doesn't mean I can't show her the piano and help her understand what it's all about.
There is colouringUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-30173463221314950912013-01-19T00:22:00.002-08:002013-01-19T00:27:02.477-08:00Ten Activities To Do With A Toddler Who Can Count<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-54004375822660226062012-09-07T05:23:00.001-07:002012-09-07T05:57:10.177-07:005 Great iPad Apps for Toddlers
When we moved house, I
found myself in a 25 minute commute to drop Bethany off at daycare
each morning and afternoon. Initially this meant I had a very cranky
baby. After about a month of her not learning to entertain herself,
or respond to singing etc from me, I resorted to giving her the
iPhone. She quickly decided YouTube was awesome and like to watch
'ABCD', which was what she called Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-47827077513183921442012-05-13T00:32:00.000-07:002012-05-16T16:49:08.708-07:0014 Things I'd Like My Daughter To Know
We all have different things we want our kids to learn. Well, here are the things that I hope I can teach Bethany. (It is written by me. I just did it up as a fancy jpg out of curiousity to see if I could get something to circulate on Pinterest. It was repinned once - lol. I might repin it and see if it was just the timing.)
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-2786286990712199572012-05-12T05:02:00.001-07:002012-05-12T05:02:40.750-07:00Mummy, I grown into a big girlDear Bethany,
You just turned 22 months, and yesterday you told me, "Mummy, I grown into a big girl." So I thought it might be nice to write this letter to you so you know what your life was like at this age.
At the moment, you go to daycare 5 days a week. I say 5 days, but the truth is that you rarely actually go all 5 days. That's the thing about daycare. At daycare Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-27592961254205907742012-03-22T05:42:00.001-07:002012-03-22T05:42:47.395-07:00Porn for Babywearing Mums
Someone recently posted a fairly attractive photo of David Beckham wearing a baby on the message board for my local baby wearing group, and it reminded me of the porn for new mums pictures. You know, the ones where really hot men do the housework and say suitably delicious things like: 'No, you relax for a while, I've figured out how to fold the washing one-handed.'
Which got me to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-62614544071481160542012-03-01T09:49:00.000-08:002012-03-01T16:18:03.997-08:00Why I hate 'instinctive' parenting: claiming your parenting method is one, that is
A member of my mother's group posted this article: Why I HATE Attachment Parenting: the name, that is. This is an article by Sarah Ockwell-Smith, an enterprising woman essentially rebranding AP using mainstream marketing techniques, so that she can sell it as BabyCalm® .
Her insight into the parenting market is superb. I agree with her that Attachment Parenting is a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-84058530735678504002012-02-14T23:46:00.000-08:002012-02-14T23:46:12.342-08:00What I really do... for working mumsI saw the SAHM version of the 'What I really do' meme, which I appreciated because I have been a stay at home mum.
But then I went looking for the Working Mum's version of this meme and couldn't find one. So I decided to create my own:
I tossed up for ages what the 'what I really do' picture should be. There's a million 'working mum' images of women juggling, but those womenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-7550134018727316462011-12-27T06:28:00.000-08:002011-12-27T06:28:07.402-08:00What is normal toddler numeracy?In a previous post I talked a bit about literacy activities suitable for toddlers, with some examples of what we were doing and some of the research I'd found on early literacy, and how we often identify letters when we go for walks or to the shop.
It is not only letters that she will identify. She likes numbers too. So much so that we have to stop at every letterbox on our walks, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-51316741395937971372011-11-30T22:59:00.001-08:002011-11-30T23:20:48.241-08:00So wrong... 12 Things We Won't Be Getting Bethany For ChristmasI’ve been looking at the internet lately, trying to think of Christmas present ideas for Bethany. I haven’t found anything I definitely want to get her, but I have found a few that we will try to avoid.
There are a few 'shocking toy' lists floating round the interwebs. Initially I was just going to link to another one of these lists, but I found that most of them included toys along Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-87746601109985845692011-11-27T00:15:00.001-08:002011-11-27T15:28:40.754-08:00Exploring letters with a 1 year old
I realise that teaching letters to a one year old is neither necessary nor mainstream, but it is something I do with Bethany (now 16 months) and I thought I'd do a blog post about how we do it and why.
Other mums seem to have one of several reactions when I talk about it: a) good on you, but I couldn't be bothered; b) oh no, am I a bad mother for not teaching my baby letters?; c) um...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-35031681366525159282011-09-16T05:36:00.000-07:002011-09-16T17:30:50.087-07:00Quote a Day #9 - Playful Parenting
The Book: Playful Parenting by Lawrence J Cohen.
The Quote:
I learned a great game from Jimmy, my eight-year-old neighbor. Jimmy's little cousin would come visit, and he would take her to the swings across the street. He would stand in front of her and give her a push. When she came back toward him, he would stand so that her feet just barely touched him on the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-52342528391454327232011-09-16T04:54:00.000-07:002011-09-16T16:58:56.332-07:00My TEDx talk & Childcare - or Why This Blog Has Been SilentIt's been about 2 months since I posted on here. There have been a number of reasons for this, but a major one is that I was preparing to give a talk at the TEDxDarwin event.
What is a TEDx event? Basically, it's a mini-conference where speakers apply to present an interesting idea or original perspective in a polished speech (without notes) under 18 minutes. You are mic'ed up,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-7140504567794124762011-07-19T22:18:00.000-07:002011-07-19T22:25:29.589-07:00Explanations for Your Cranky BabyYour baby is cranky. Their sleep is all over the place. You've ruled out ill health, hunger, thirst, dirty nappy, too hot, too cold... You think it's overtiredness, but even after a good nap or first thing in the morning they're still clingy and easily upset. What can explain it?
It seems that some crankiness seems to be part of normal, healthy baby development. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-28458103661284202052011-07-11T06:35:00.000-07:002011-07-11T07:12:06.891-07:00Quote A Day #7 - Discipline Without DistressThe Book: Discipline Without Distress: 135 tools for raising caring, responsible children without time-out, spanking, punishment, or bribery by Judy Arnall
The Quote:
Perhaps it's time to rethink the way a time-out is used. A time-out should be away from the aggravating situation, not the parent. Adults often take time-outs for themselves when they are angry and frustrated. &Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-61700608452367629322011-07-10T23:37:00.000-07:002011-07-11T04:49:55.667-07:00Quote a Day #6 - The No-Cry Discipline Solution
The Book: The No-Cry Discipline Solution: Gentle Ways to Encourage Good Behavior without Whining Tantrums & Tears by Elizabeth Pantley.
The Quote:
Tantrums, Fussing and Whining
If you ask parents to list the most frustrating discipline problems during early childhood, you would find that these three items appear on every list. All children master their own version of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-61297175903461786922011-07-05T06:20:00.000-07:002011-07-05T06:51:58.334-07:00Bethany is 1 tomorrow!Dear Bethany,
You turn one tomorrow! I can't believe it. Somehow this year has gone excruciatingly slowly and far too quickly at the same time. You still look like my baby, but you are fast starting to turn into a little girl.
"Who are YOU looking at?"
Life with you just keeps getting better.
You have the most adorable cheeky smile (and you know it!) You love to play Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-77024709120921463312011-07-03T21:43:00.000-07:002011-07-03T21:43:17.519-07:00Quote a Day #5 - Parenting for a Peaceful World Part 2The Book:
Parenting for a Peaceful World by Robin Grille.
Quote 1:
Praising and rewarding kids is just plain common sense, and good parenting - isn't it? Who would doubt that it's good to give children praise, or prizes when they perform to our liking?
The praise-and-reward method has a scientific seal of approval, since it is backed by a ton of evidence from the most Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-33465046279058734972011-06-29T00:10:00.000-07:002011-06-29T00:10:52.414-07:00Quote A Day #4 - The Emotional Life of the ToddlerThe Book:
The Emotional Life of the Toddler by Alicia Lieberman.
Quote 1:
The toddler ... is constantly facing circumstances that make her feel either powerful and strong or small and helpless. In one moment she can dart off and be reckless, and minutes later become clingy and whiny and want everything done for her.
When Johnny can walk from one end of the living room to the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-84345910391316059222011-06-17T21:45:00.000-07:002011-06-17T21:45:29.799-07:00Quote a Day #3 - NutureShockThe Book:
NutureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman.
The Quote:
"At least 90% of American parents use physical punishment on their children at least once in their parenting history. For years, the work of Dodge and others had shown a correlation between the frequency of corporal punishment and the aggressiveness of children. Surely, out-of-control kids get spanked more, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-9801009252007472332011-06-10T23:48:00.000-07:002011-06-10T23:48:36.873-07:00Rotavirus, I thinkWell, we made it to eleven months without an episode of food poisoning or gastro - and I'm not even talking about the baby. I hate getting gastro because it knocks me for six, so the idea of getting it while managing a baby was not a fun thought.
Dealing with a crying baby while needing to convulse on the loo, or trying to avoid dehydration with gastro while breastfeeding... it all just Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-54436195225806767192011-06-04T18:24:00.000-07:002011-06-04T18:28:48.560-07:00Quote A Day #2 - Parenting For A Peaceful WorldI'm going to keep calling these a quote a day, even though my blogging frequency probably makes them more accurately Quote A Week.
The Book:
Parenting For A Peaceful World by Robin Grille.
The Quote:
"In a detailed and comprehensive study titled The Altruistic Personality: Rescuers of Jews in Nazi Europe, sociologists Samuel and Perl Oliner interviewed over 400 individuals who hadUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-84643622511431252602011-05-31T22:20:00.001-07:002011-05-31T22:35:23.284-07:00Quote A Day #1 - Baby HeartsI have a strange fascination with reading parenting books. I have the most insane collection of parenting books. Even parenting books I know I am going to dislike, I read. It's like I have to compulsively know what's out there, and most of them make me think or reflect in some way. I have been thinking for a while I should review some of these books, but I didn't know Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-42403237536351433602011-05-31T05:38:00.000-07:002011-05-31T05:39:10.191-07:00Badmutha BingoHere is the official follow up to the Guilty Bingo New Mum Bingo. Hopefully by now we have all evolved from Guilty Mothers into Badmuthas (or Badfathas as the case may be).
I know I have! Enjoy!
Click on the image for the full size version.
Thanks to the June/July EB Mums for their assistance with this one :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2414745501523067337.post-36176802288443622962011-05-09T23:07:00.000-07:002011-05-10T00:42:09.340-07:0010 MonthsBethany is ten months old and everything suddenly seems to be coming together. We are rapidly heading towards the end of babyhood and the start of toddlerdom.
For the past week she has been letting go of furniture and taking one or two uncertain steps. Then she either falls over or suddenly realises she's not holding onto anything and sits down. Yesterday she took six steps Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2