All About Baby Highchairs 2014

Highchairs currently come with all kinds of features that are really more for the parent or caregiver than the child. Although the nicely padded seat covers make the seats comfortable. Some highchairs have wheels to make them easier to move however this is not necessary. Some are now coming with height adjustable mechanisms to accommodate your child’s growth and to be able bring the baby closer to the table. There are also adjustable foot rests to accommodate your child’s growth as well.
Most now fold for easy storage.

Highchairs now can be converted into play tables. Some of them have an insert that fits over the tray to give you baby a place to play. The feeding tray on many models come with an inset cup/bottle holder and some models have extra large feeding trays.

The base of the highchair should be broad and stable to help prevent the highchair from tipping. If your child leans over the side the chair could tip and injure your child. It is best then to teach your child to sit up all the time. Many highchairs are now foldable for easy storage.

When looking at highchairs some people express opinions about what the
highchair is made of.  There are all wood chairs that tend to not be adjustable in height. There are metal framed highchairs with plastic trays and their are highchairs that are plastic.

There are things you can do to make the highchair safe place to be. Never leave your child unattended  to go grab a bib, food, or answer the phone. It only takes a second for your baby to have an accident.  You should have everything ready before putting your child in the chair.

Your child should always be strapped into the highchair without exception. The feeding tray will not prevent your baby from slipping under it and falling to the floor and possibly incurring an injury. If an older child slips under the tray they could get stuck and be injured.

If your high chair folds be sure that when you open it, that it locks in open position. If the chair collapses your baby could be hurt. This can be prevented with periodic checks of all parts of the chair.

Do not place the highchair near any place that the baby could push off from and possibly have an accident. Also do not place your baby’s chair near any wires that can be pulled on. All cords should be out of reach anyway.

When putting the feeding tray in place be sure to watch your child’s fingers. They could be pinched or severely cut. Also be sure the lock catches by tugging on the tray gently. It will not hold your child in place but if it is loose or doesn’t catch, your child if not strapped in could fall and get hurt.

Wear of the high chair can be hazardous. If the vinyl cover over foam is torn the baby could ingest small pieces of foam. Worn locking mechanisms could prevent the tray from staying in place. All belts and clasps should be checked for fraying or tears. The clasps for missing pieces or cracks. Cracked or chipped trays  could cause injury or harbor germs. This type of check should be done before purchasing a second hand chair as well.

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5 Baby Shower Gifts That Mom Will Love

5 Baby Shower Gifts That Mom Will Love

5 Baby Shower Gifts That Mom Will Love




1. Diapers, diapers and more diapers. That is quite a bland gift but a very much needed gift. I don’t any mom who will complain about having too many diapers with a newborn at home. To make diapers snazzy you have to dress it up a bit. You can find diaper cakes in lots of gift sites. Some come with as many as 150 diapers, plus booties, bibs and tons of other essentials for baby, but all in the shape of an all so cute cake.

2. Layettes, blankets, socks and burp cloths. Chances are they are going to get tons of these. However, these gifts tend to come in newborn or 3 months sizes which after a few weeks probably won’t serve its purpose anymore. Making this a great gift is if you buy them in larger sizes. After a few months, mom still has brand new gifts for the baby to enjoy.

3. Pamper products for Mom. The last few weeks of pregnancy are very uncomfortable and can be hard on Mom. Let Mom have the star treatment as well. Once the baby is born, Mom’s 15 minutes of fame are over.

4. Savings Bonds. A savings bond is a great way to help invest in the child’s future. While everyone is thinking of now you are thinking ahead. It may also help jumpstart parents to jumpstart on baby’s future if they haven’t already.

5. Gift Certificates. You can never go wrong with a gift certificate. Mom and Dad get to choose what they want and you gave them that satisfaction. The obvious choice for a gift certificate would where the registry is set up. If they do not have a registry set up, good choices could include their favorite supermarket (formula, diapers) or baby store. Another gift certificate idea could be a check card gift certificate. It works like a credit card and can be used anywhere.

Tip: I don’t suggest buying clothing unless the parents-to-be suggested so. Chances are they have already gone shopping and couldn’t resist those tiny adorable outfits.

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4 Baby Care Tidbits all Parent Should Know

4 Baby Care Tidbits all Parent Should Know


4 Baby Care Tidbits all Parent Should Know


New parents face many problems and issues that they are expected to understand and deal with immediately. Unfortunately, newborns do not come with an instruction book so here are a few topics that you may need to know about.

Bathing your baby: Until your baby’s umbilical cord falls off one to two weeks after their birth, only give her sponge baths. A cotton ball or cotton swab dampened with alcohol can help to dry the umbilical stump or follow your pediatrician’s directions. After the stump falls off, you can give him a bath in a sink or shallow tub.

Caesarian delivery: A caesarian is usually performed to make delivery safer for you or your baby. C-sections can be done for many different reasons including stalled labor, complicated labor, problems with the baby that may make delivery difficult, or other problems. It does not matter if you deliver vaginally or by a caesarian section, you are still a mother with a beautiful new blessing.

Circumcision: Many doctors agree that there may be some benefit to circumcision, but it may not be absolutely necessary. It may help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections and eliminates just about any chance of penile cancer. Circumcision does not cause long-term emotional problems for your child.

Crib death (SIDS): Many studies have been done regarding SIDS. Although the cause of SIDS has not been definitely defined, there are some correlations that have been made between SIDS and the following things:

Male babies are more likely to die from SIDS than females

Prematurity makes it more likely

Minority children are affected by it more often than non-minorities

More children of young, single mothers die from it

Children who live in a home with one or more smokers are more likely to be affected

Some people say that sleeping with your baby can reduce the risk of SIDS, but the American Academy of Pediatrics disagree with this statement and go on to say that there is a greater risk of SIDS in babies who co-sleep.

Back sleeping is what most pediatricians recommend for babies to decrease the SIDS risk. The reason for this is widely debated between health experts. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician.

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How to Communicate and Your child 6- to 12-Year-Old

Communicating with a child is one of the most pleasurable and rewarding experiences for both parent and child. Children learn by absorbing information through daily interactions and experiences with other kids, adults, and the world.

Communicating With Your Child

As kids enter their school years, they become increasingly independent, spending much of their days outside the home in school and with peers. Talking with your child is essential to bonding, so share ideas, opinions, and information.
Here are a few suggestions to aid communication:

• Make time to hear about the day's activities; be sure your child knows you're actively interested and listening carefully.
• Remember to talk with and listen to your kids, not at them.
• Ask questions that go beyond "yes" or "no" answers to prompt more developed conversation.
• Take advantage of time during car trips or standing in line at the supermarket to talk with your child.
• Provide activities that offer opportunities to improve communication skills, such as attending or engaging in sporting and school events, talking about current events, and reading stories that are slightly above your child's competency level.

Vocabulary and Communication Patterns

As kids progress in school, their comprehension and use of language will become more sophisticated. Usually, kids will understand more vocabulary words and concepts than they may be able to express. Your child should be able to engage in narrative discourse and share ideas and opinions in clear speech.

If You Suspect a Problem

You should have ongoing communication with your child's teacher about overall language skills and progress. Children with language comprehension and usage problems are at risk for increased academic difficulties.
A child who has a specific communication difficulty, such as persistent stuttering or a lisp, should be referred to the school speech-language pathologist (an expert who evaluates and treats speech and language disorders). You should routinely communicate with the therapist regarding the therapy goals, language activities to practice at home, and your child's progress.
If your child's teacher suspects a language-based learning disability, comprehensive testing will be necessary. This can include a hearing test, psychoeducational assessment (standardized testing to evaluate your child's learning style as well as cognitive processes), and speech-language evaluation.

Typical Communication Problems

Problems in communication skills may include:

• hearing difficulties
• difficulty with attention or following complex directions in the classroom
• difficulty retaining information
• poor vocabulary acquisition
• difficulties with grammar and syntax
• difficulties with organization of expressive language or with narrative discourse
• difficulties with academic achievement, reading, and writing
• unclear speech
• persistent stuttering or a lisp
• voice-quality abnormalities, such as a strained, hoarse sound (may require a medical examination by an otolaryngologist — an ear, nose, and throat specialist)

Medical professionals, such as speech pathologists, therapists, and your doctor, can help your child overcome communication problems.

 How to Communication and Your 6- to 12-Year-Old

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Bilingual Families all about

In some countries, it's common for kids to learn two or more languages at a time and to use them daily to communicate and understand people around them — in fact, some kids grow up in places where four or more languages are spoken.
In countries such as the United States, there may be a dominant language; i.e., the one used by the government, schools, and the community. With this in mind, parents who speak an additional, "heritage" language may face a dilemma: Should we teach our children only the dominant language or should we try to raise them bilingual? Although it's important to learn the prevailing language in the country where you live, for many people it's also important to have their kids learn the language of their parents, grandparents, and older siblings.
Deciding whether to teach your kids one or more languages is up to you. You may think they need to "start over" in a new country and that they only need to learn the dominant language. However, there are some advantages to raising bilingual kids.

What Bilingual Means

Being bilingual means understanding and expressing yourself in two languages, and being able to convey your thoughts clearly in both. Being plurilingual means having these skills in more than two languages.
Many people think English is the official language in the United States. This is not really so; whereas some countries have official languages, the United States does not. In fact, in 2004, the United States had around 336 spoken or recorded languages. Some U.S. states, though, are officially bilingual. For example, in Louisiana, English and French are the state's official languages; in New Mexico, the official languages are English and Spanish; in Hawaii, they're English and Hawaiian. So, being bilingual in the United States is not new.

Advantages of Being Bilingual

Some research shows that kids exposed to several languages are more creative and better at developing problem-solving skills. Other studies suggest that speaking a second language, even if only during the first years of life, helps build cognitive abilities so that a child will have an easier time learning other languages in the future.
Some experts say that if parents and kids don't speak the same language at home, communication between them may suffer. As a result, parents may lose some control over their children and, over time, kids might turn to negative influences, such as gangs, to regain the sense of belonging they no longer experience at home.

Helping Kids Be Bilingual

Several methods can help kids be bilingual. In each, it's very important to expose kids to both languages in different settings and to help them understand the significance of learning each language.
Two approaches are recommended:

1. The "one parent, one language" approach means that each parent speaks a different language at home during the early years of their child's life. For example, the mother may talk to the child only in English, while the father may use just Spanish.
2. The "minority language at home" method allows parents to establish a usage for each language. For example, while kids would only speak Spanish at home, at school they would speak English.

With any method, try not to mix the languages. That is, when you talk to your child in your heritage language, don't mix it with English in phrases or sentences. However, you shouldn't be surprised if your child mingles words of both languages in one sentence. When it happens, correct him or her by casually providing the proper word in the language you are using.
Many materials can help your child learn a second language, including language learning CD-ROMs, video games, videos, and DVDs; music CDs; and battery-operated dolls. It's also easy to find bilingual books and cartoons in Spanish such as Clifford, the Big Red Dog and Dora, the Explorer. And of course, there's always the Internet.
When exposing kids to a second language, keep in mind their hobbies. For example, if a child likes soccer, watch a match in one of the Spanish-speaking stations. If your child likes music, check for the latest albums of artists singing in English and in their native language.
For young kids, use childhood rhymes, songs, and games. As your kids grow, be persistent and creative with your approach. Some parents send their kids to language schools so that they learn the language using a more formal method. Many families also send their kids to their country of origin to spend more time with relatives, either during the summer or for longer periods. Keep in mind that it's also important to have friends who speak a heritage language.

Is There a Cultural Loss?

Some of your culture and some ties are likely to be lost if your child is raised in a new country; however, it's up to you to choose whether you want to pass your cultural heritage to your kids or not.
There is, indeed, an "American" culture. However, remember that for centuries, many people who arrived in America looking for a more promising future kept their native languages and cultures at their homes and in their neighborhoods. However, they learned to speak English and blended in with the American lifestyle. These cultural identities still exist in many families after many generations. For instance, there's an Italian or Chinese neighborhood in almost every big city in the United States. And Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, and St. Patrick's Day are celebrated with enthusiasm every year.
Fluently speaking a second language may lead to significant cultural benefits. Children learning their cultural heritage language can communicate with their relatives and strengthen family ties beyond the borders. They're also likely to be willing to know the history and traditions of their family's country of origin. Understanding where they come from helps kids develop strong identities and can help them determine where they'll go in the future.

Can it Delay Speech Development?

 Bilingual Families all about

In some cases, learning two languages at a time may slow language development in comparison with monolingual children. Linguists say that bilingual children may reverse word order in a sentence but, just as kids who speak one language, they'll understand what they mean. As a side note, correction should always be subtle so that a child doesn't feel inhibited.
Some parents are afraid that talking to their kids in another language will hinder English learning at school. The truth is that, before they go to school, children will have been in continuous contact with English through TV, the Internet, and friends. Parents are usually surprised by their children's ability to learn English when playing with English-speaking kids in the neighborhood or at kindergarten. Once they start school, kids quickly catch up with their classmates. Then the nature of the problem for parents shifts to how to prevent their kids from speaking only English.

Some Challenges

Some kids may not be very excited at the thought of speaking their parents' language. By nature, children want to be like their classmates. For example, if their friends speak only English, they might also want to speak just English. Parents who want their kids to speak a second language should continue to speak it at home, regardless of how reluctant their children might be.

Raising Bilingual Kids

Teaching a second language to kids might be a challenge. The fact is that most immigrant families lose their native language at the third generation, but this need not be your case.
Ultimately, your kid's fluency in another language will be influenced by many factors, including personal motivation and parental support. First, decide the level you'd like your child to reach in your heritage language and, then, search for the appropriate resources, such as books and multimedia materials, formal education, or temporary immersion.
Raising kids to be bilingual may help them acknowledge the importance of their culture and heritage, as well as develop a strong personal identity. And it might even be a useful advantage at work when they're adults!

 Bilingual Families all about

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