Pizza and Big Emotions - I liked this. I have a three-year-old who has tantrums just like that, over the same type of things. Like, seriously, I had to go back and make sure I didn't write the article, it was that eerily familiar. And he's not being a bad boy. He's just being three. It is always encouraging for me to read something like this. Keep the faith, Monica, the threes don't last forever. And seriously, whoever invented the "terrible-twos" clearly did not have a three year old. Two is hands-down wayyyyy easier than three (IMHO).
Study Finds Benefits of Delayed Cord Clamping - We've delayed clamping/cutting the cord with all three of our children, and will with future ones as well. Not too much more to say about that, but I saw this and felt compelled to share. I had no idea about this until my doc delayed it with our first and hubby explained why after the fact. Since then we have been sure to specify in our Birth Plan.
Study Finds Benefits of Delayed Cord Clamping - We've delayed clamping/cutting the cord with all three of our children, and will with future ones as well. Not too much more to say about that, but I saw this and felt compelled to share. I had no idea about this until my doc delayed it with our first and hubby explained why after the fact. Since then we have been sure to specify in our Birth Plan.
Anglican Prayer Beads
- I had no idea any other denominations had "rosaries". These look
neat, and I really like the prayers that go along with them.
Screen Rules - We're still several years away from this being an issue. Currently we have a set time of day (after lunch) that the kids get to watch a few shows from OnDemand or the DVR, plus sometimes an episode of Little Bear before bed. Any other TV watched is initiated/monitored by mom or dad, and the kids don't use the computer or any other electronic devices yet. So much to think about...
Some info on Shingles Transmission - I found this particularly interesting, especially since several people had expressed concern that my children with Chicken Pox could give them shingles. This kind of puts that myth to rest.
What Happens When You Deprive Children of Scary Stories - A friend of mine shared these quotes with me when I put something on Facebook about being a little weirded-out after reading Hansel and Gretel to Gemma last week. Sound off, I'm curious as to others' thoughts (and experiences) on this topic. I think it comes down to perspective...those stories seem much stranger to an adult who lacks any sort of imagination (me) than they do to children whose entire days are often comprised of pretend-play and the like.
Unfinished Work - My sister shared this one, and it sums up my feelings about the Fourth of July and America in general fairly well. I used to be so patriotic, and lately I just feel jaded and cynical about the whole political process. I don't have the mental energy to hash all my thoughts out here now, but Simcha made some really good points.
Top Ten Feeding Mistakes Parents Make - This was interesting, although I definitely didn't agree with it all. I thought the first two were pretty good. I was pretty "traditional" with the way we fed Gemma and mealtime was miserable with her. I was much more relaxed/open-minded with Kolbe, and haven't done really any purees with Clem and they both were/are great eaters as babies (we start limited solids around 7-8 months and Clem is just now getting to the point at 1 year where we'll give him about anything). I go back and forth about milk, the two older kids drink quite a bit of it and I don't really limit it. It doesn't seem to be a huge problem so thus far I've let it go. And I definitely agree with the picky thing (that it is very normal with the toddler/preschooler crowd) and I think you just have to pick your battles on a day-by-day basis. We have a "no thank you bite(s)" rule at our house for foods served at mealtime that kids would rather not eat. And while I don't necessarily bribe with desserts, on the flip side of the coin if you are not "hungry" enough to eat a good dinner, you're not hungry enough for a treat either is my motto. The "no banned foods" thing got me thinking too, because there are some foods and drinks that I will absolutely not allow in my house. Kool-Aid. Soda pop. Processed snack junk like Twinkies and [most] crackers and potato chips. That said I understand that there are birthday parties and school functions and such where my kids will have those things but as far as I'm concerned those foods are not welcome in our home. Not even in moderation ;-) And the boundaries in the kitchen thing...at least at this point if my kids are hungry I will let them eat. They know, though, that if it's bedtime or right before a meal their options are pretty much limited to "apples or carrots". And I really don't have a problem with that, I mean, it's healthy, who cares if it's mealtime or if they fill up on it?! I'm sure my tune may change through the years but that's where we are now. At any rate, the article gave me some "food" for thought, haha. Regarding kids and diet, I think Eat Healthy, Feel Great is a really good book that explains healthy food choices in a very kid-friendly way. My kids (especially Gemma) really got a lot out of it. What are some of your thoughts on kids and diet?
