Tia Mowry Welcomes Son Cree Taylor [People]
No Crying in First Class [WSJ]
Friday, July 01, 2011
Friday Wrap-up: Parenting and Pregnancy News
No Crying in First Class [WSJ]
Spanking on Tape
When a scientist set out to record parents in order to learn
more about yelling at children, he ended up collecting data on a disciplinary
action he didn't expect to see at such a high frequency. The parents he
recorded were not just yelling, they were spanking and slapping their children
too. The result of his research is an interesting look at a disciplinary
measure that has become culturally taboo and yet remains prevalent among
parents.
Spanking isn’t without any merit. In fact, hitting and
spanking can correct behavior in the short-term and doesn’t appear to lead to
long-term damage to the child if done infrequently. However, many studies have
revealed that frequent hitting and spanking can lead to long-term emotional and
behavioral problems, most notably resorting to violence to solve problems.
Despite the societal pressure and scientific findings that
push parents to avoid spanking, Professor George Holden was surprised to find
that 36 parents out of the 37 he studied resorted to slapping or spanking. It’s
one of the first studies to record data on spanking without using
self-reporting by participants. The reasons for spanking and slapping varied
widely – in one case it was because a child was fighting with his sister, in
another a child was trying to turn the pages of a book too quickly. The
researchers were surprised that the irony of using violence in order to stop a
child from being violent was lost on many parents. The parents were from a
range of economic and cultural backgrounds.
Do you intend to use
spanking as a form of discipline?
The First Real-Time Study of Parents Spanking Their Kids [Time]
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Preparing a New Sibling
If you're pregnant and have an older child, you are probably
wondering how your oldest will react to having a new brother or sister. Each
child will take the news differently and it might surprise you how well your
child will take it. Of course, there are some easy things you do to help make
the transition easier.
Ask For Help.
Your child will feel much better about the impending arrival if they’re
included in the preparations. Even young children can help by picking out the
color of the crib sheets or cleaning up little spaces in the new nursery.
Shower Gifts for Two.
Think of gifts for the new baby that include the sibling, such as books that
the older sibling can read to the new baby.
Role-play. Play
out an entire day of caring for a newborn with your oldest. Give the child a
baby doll and go through diaper changes, feeding, and soothing the baby when he
cries.
Let Them be a Baby.
A big fear many children have of a younger brother or sister is that they will
no longer get to be the baby. Give your oldest extra cuddles and allow her to
do the baby things she might want to do, such as try some breast milk or play
with the baby toys. This type of behavior is normal and will pass with time.
Teach Them to be a
Big Brother/Sister. Provide the child with tasks just for older siblings.
Explain the responsibility and privilege that comes along with watching over
their new brother or sister.
Make it Fun. Let
the child know that there are great rewards to having a sibling. Sleepovers can
become a regular occurrence and a playmate will be living in the house all the
time.
Have you been taking
steps to prepare your oldest for the impending arrival?
Preparing for New Siblings [Parenting]
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
New Guidelines Make Some Cribs Safer and Others Illegal
If you were hoping to buy a second-hand crib, you might want
to review the new federal guidelines, which might make the sale and purchase of
the one you wanted illegal. As of Tuesday (June 28th), the sale of
all drop-side cribs is now illegal but they're not the only cribs to get the
axe on the marketplace.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has deemed
drop-side cribs unsafe and illegal to sell after attributing many infant deaths
to their use. They also are targeting cribs that could become unsafe after
long-term use. The commission is testing cribs for loose screws, slats that
could break, or any other type of flaw that could allow a baby to become
trapped or stuck after repeated use. Cribs will now routinely be pushed in a
number of directions 72,000 times to replicate normal wear and tear over the
years. In addition, a 45 pound weight will be dropped on the mattress support
750 times. These thorough tests should weed out the cribs likely to become
dangerous from normal use.
Besides rigorous physical tests of cribs, the CPSC is also
ensuring that crib assembly instructions are easy to understand. Unsafe
assembly was the culprit in a number of past crib deaths.
The problem with all these new changes is that parents won’t
be able to immediately find a crib that has met these standards. There are
currently no labels to indicate that a crib has been tested. Retailers are told
when cribs have been tested with the new procedures but they are not required
to label cribs accordingly. Until changes are made, parents will need to
specifically request the information from the retailer or manufacturer. The
CPSC adds that most cribs that families are currently using probably wouldn’t
meet these new regulations.
The change in testing cribs is being welcomed by many
parents and advocacy groups. A parent should be able to leave their child in a
crib every day and know that they’re safe. Hopefully, these new standards will
bring down the number of children that are injured or killed in cribs each
year.
Are you looking to
purchase a new crib?
U.S. Sets Rigorous New Safety Standards for Cribs [Time]
Best of the Web: Parenting and Pregnancy News
Tia Mowry welcomes baby son [USAToday]
New website to help patients compare doctors, hospitals [LATimes]
Some Runners Choose Not to Wait for a Family [NYTimes]
5 Lightweight and Comfortable Baby Carriers [lilsugar]
Rugby's pain and fever drops recalled [UPI]
Informative Baby Blanket Educates Mothers [inhabitat]
10 Designer Maternity Dresses You Can Rent [Babble]
Epilepsy Medication During Pregnancy Could be Dangerous [SFGate]
Eating For 2 (And Loving It), Or How I Learned To Go With The Flow [NPR]
US Breastfeeding Map Shows We Have a Long Way to Go [The Stir]
Monday, June 27, 2011
Inexpensive Baby Clothing
With parents across the United States searching for ways to
cut costs, baby clothing is an unfortunate short-term expense. Although common
wardrobe items can be found for under $20 in many cases, finding baby clothing
for less than $10 is ideal. When the clothing is only going to fit for a few
months at best, it can be tough to imagine spending time and money shopping for
such items. Thankfully, a couple new websites have popped up to help parents get
the baby clothes they need for as little money as possible.
A new business is offering rental baby clothing by mail. Plum is marketing itself as the “Netflix of
baby clothes.” Once you become a subscriber, there are a variety of plans
available. For $16 a month, you can rent two baby outfits, for $29, you can
rent four, and for $49 you can rent seven. Tea Collection, Kate Quinn Organics,
Petit Bateau and Egg Baby are the brands available for rent. You have three
months to send back the clothing and then you’ll receive a new bundle. All the
clothing is laundered in Seventh Generation detergent and packed with fresh
lavender. Stained outfits are not reused but subscribers aren’t charged if they
inflict stains either. The company simply donates any soiled clothing or
recycles the fabric. Shipping is free once a month.
Plum isn’t the only
business helping parents find inexpensive baby clothes. The Baby Clothing Network is an online
trade-by-mail service for parents to swap their children’s clothes. Used clothing
for children ages zero to five are shipped in bundles of 10-25 items for $1 per
item of clothing. Shipping is paid by the parent who orders the clothes.
These businesses offer a great service for parents looking
to save money on baby clothes, but some parents may feel unsafe dressing their
child in used clothing.
Would you use either
of these services?
Site is 'Netflix for baby clothes' [Today]
Baby Clothing Network Introduces Baby Clothes for $1 an Item
[Traders
Huddle]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)