The Preschoolers Community Group is losing sleep. Their three-foot tall, two-footed, adorable alarm clocks are popping out of bed at the crack of dawn, or earlier. I feel their pain. When my son was 3, he woke up promptly at 6:03 every morning as if he had a job to head off to. By noon, he was cranky and spent which doesn’t work well since preschool ends at one o’clock.
So how do you keep your 3-year-old in bed until a reasonable time? Here’s what worked for us. I bought a digital clock with extra large numbers. I covered the minutes with paper and tape, lots and lots of tape so he couldn’t take it off. I instructed my son that until he saw a 7, he had to go back to bed. If he had to use the restroom, he should go, but unless the clock said 7, he needed to return to bed. I told him he should try to close his eyes and go back to sleep, but if that didn’t work, he should grab a book from his shelf and quietly read. When he saw a 7, he could get up and come knock on our door.
This tip has also been known to work for kids who don’t yet know numbers but who can match objects that look alike. Just draw a 7 on the paper used to cover the minutes and explain to the child that when the numbers match, he can get up for the day.
My son is 4 now and knows about the hours and minutes on a clock, so I’ve since removed the paper. But there’s more to the story; recently, we lost power during a thunderstorm and the clock in my son’s room was accidentally reset 15 minutes behind the actual time. The first morning, I didn’t notice, but the second morning my son knocked on our door promptly at 7:15 brought a sly smile to my face. Those extra 15 minutes are blissful. I’ll reset his clock to the right time….someday….
What are your tips for helping your preschooler get a full night’s sleep?
Photo: snowbear \ MorgueFile
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
The secret to unlocking creativity & joy: Do something!
Two weeks ago a bright yellow little book titled The Book of Doing: everyday activities to unlock your creativity and joy was delivered to my doorstep.
As its title implies, it's a book about rolling up your sleeves and tackling small creative projects -- with lots of bite-sized ideas to inspire you to take action.
As I quickly flipped through the pages, I couldn't help but be drawn in by the gorgeous illustrations (no org-porn photos to "inspire" and simultaneously paralyze, yippee!). The author's tone was smart and friendly; reading the project ideas kind of made me feel like I was sharing a few daydreams over a cup of coffee with a good girlfriend.
And the author's personal journey gave me even more reason to love what was there.
By day, she's the Publisher of Advertising Age.
Like so many of my good friends, she had a vague sense that something was missing as she approached her 40th birthday. While happy in her career, her creative side was languishing.
She wondered if she should quit her job to try to find her passion.
In the end, she found that simply doing things, small projects, like baking cupcakes with her daughter, unlocked the joy and the childlike sense of wonder that had been missing from her everyday, spent mostly in meetings and in Power Point. As she looked at her life as a whole, she realized it, too, was an arts-and-crafts project -- only as colorful, interesting and exciting as she made it.
So she starting doing more.
And the joy she found in doing spilled over into every area of her life. And led to her write the book, which is now inspiring others to do the same.
I won't lie - I've had more than my fair share of "what am I DOING with my life?" existential crises over the past two years (I turned 40 in 2012). So I decided to put some of her ideas to the test to see if they'd help clear some cobwebs from my own mind.
There were so many projects to choose from.
In the end, I found I couldn't stop at just one. Here's what I've been up to these past two weeks:
Honestly - I, too, felt the energized and a surge of joy from simply doing. I highly recommend it!
Have you ever felt like something was missing - stuck in a rut? Do you think a creative, hands-on project could help you snap out of your funk? If you have a go-to project, I'd LOVE to hear it.
As its title implies, it's a book about rolling up your sleeves and tackling small creative projects -- with lots of bite-sized ideas to inspire you to take action.
As I quickly flipped through the pages, I couldn't help but be drawn in by the gorgeous illustrations (no org-porn photos to "inspire" and simultaneously paralyze, yippee!). The author's tone was smart and friendly; reading the project ideas kind of made me feel like I was sharing a few daydreams over a cup of coffee with a good girlfriend.
And the author's personal journey gave me even more reason to love what was there.
By day, she's the Publisher of Advertising Age.
Like so many of my good friends, she had a vague sense that something was missing as she approached her 40th birthday. While happy in her career, her creative side was languishing.
She wondered if she should quit her job to try to find her passion.
In the end, she found that simply doing things, small projects, like baking cupcakes with her daughter, unlocked the joy and the childlike sense of wonder that had been missing from her everyday, spent mostly in meetings and in Power Point. As she looked at her life as a whole, she realized it, too, was an arts-and-crafts project -- only as colorful, interesting and exciting as she made it.
So she starting doing more.
And the joy she found in doing spilled over into every area of her life. And led to her write the book, which is now inspiring others to do the same.
I won't lie - I've had more than my fair share of "what am I DOING with my life?" existential crises over the past two years (I turned 40 in 2012). So I decided to put some of her ideas to the test to see if they'd help clear some cobwebs from my own mind.
There were so many projects to choose from.
In the end, I found I couldn't stop at just one. Here's what I've been up to these past two weeks:
Honestly - I, too, felt the energized and a surge of joy from simply doing. I highly recommend it!
Have you ever felt like something was missing - stuck in a rut? Do you think a creative, hands-on project could help you snap out of your funk? If you have a go-to project, I'd LOVE to hear it.
Working moms laugh and smile more than SAHMs
In her guest column, titled The Triumph of the Working Mother, Stephanie Coontz lays out what she sees as clear evidence that working mothers are less depressed and angry, more inclined to smile and laugh, or at least remember smiling and laughing, than those moms who stay at home with their children.
The very fact that an article claiming working moms are less depressed and angry than moms who stay at home has the word "triumph" in the title, is more than a little unsettling to me.
What, if it is true, is so triumphant about the thought of millions of depressed and angry stay-at-home mothers?
Obviously the well-being of mothers is worth talking about. Whether moms work or not, the topic of mama rage, anti depressants, and moms self-medicating with wine comes up an awful lot on mom forums. As a mom who's resorted to Prozac more than once, I am personally curious about what's driving this perpetual unease and how it relates to stress and motherhood.
I would also love to know if the well-being of fathers is being so closely scrutinized and if, with the everpresent shifting of the tides, it ever will.
Lastly, if it's true that all these moms are so miserable at home, how can we better support them? How can we better support all mothers? That to me is just as important as making sure moms who work are seeing improved family leave policies.
Do you believe working moms are "happier" than SAHMs? If so, do you have any insight as to why that might be? Is it as simple as getting respect, and external reward, for your time and energy?
"In a 2012 Gallup poll, stay-at-home mothers in low-income families were less likely than employed moms at the same income level to report that they had smiled, laughed, or enjoyed themselves “yesterday.”Coontz bolsters this theory of increased well being for working moms with plenty of definitive-sounding statements, including:
"At all income levels, stay-at-home mothers report more sadness, anger, and episodes of diagnosed depression than their employed counterparts."
"Employed moms spend fewer hours per week with their children than stay-at-home mothers, but they spend more time with their children than homemakers did in 1965!"
"A recent multiyear study by the sociologists Adrianne Frech and Sarah Damaske found that women who worked full time following the birth of their first child had better mental and physical health at age 40 than women who had not worked for pay."No links are provided to the sources of these claims, and I, for one, am not about to start digging up and analyzing data from over 50 years of studies. Because, aside from agreeing that working mothers should not, after all this time, still be seeking validation for their "choices," I don't quite understand why we need to be comparing them, by going head to head with stay-at-home-moms, in a competition of who enjoys themselves more, in order to get them the support they need.
The very fact that an article claiming working moms are less depressed and angry than moms who stay at home has the word "triumph" in the title, is more than a little unsettling to me.
What, if it is true, is so triumphant about the thought of millions of depressed and angry stay-at-home mothers?
Obviously the well-being of mothers is worth talking about. Whether moms work or not, the topic of mama rage, anti depressants, and moms self-medicating with wine comes up an awful lot on mom forums. As a mom who's resorted to Prozac more than once, I am personally curious about what's driving this perpetual unease and how it relates to stress and motherhood.
I would also love to know if the well-being of fathers is being so closely scrutinized and if, with the everpresent shifting of the tides, it ever will.
Lastly, if it's true that all these moms are so miserable at home, how can we better support them? How can we better support all mothers? That to me is just as important as making sure moms who work are seeing improved family leave policies.
Do you believe working moms are "happier" than SAHMs? If so, do you have any insight as to why that might be? Is it as simple as getting respect, and external reward, for your time and energy?
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Best Kid's Riding Toys at best prices
Here we have showing a best collection of Kid's Riding Toys.
Age Limit: 9 months +
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/infant-toys/chicco-penguin-activity-walker/
Age Limit: 9 months
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/infant-toys/chicco-ergo-baby-jogging/
Age limit: 2yrs- 5yrs.
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/outdoor-games/fisher-price-gwm-skates/
Age limit: 2yrs- 5yrs.
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/outdoor-games/fisher-price-gwm-inline-skates-barbie/
Chicco Penguin Activity Walker
 |
| Chicco Penguin Activity Walker |
Product description
A cute penguin that helps
babies to stand up and take their first steps in complete safety and
accompanied by music. When the child grasps the handle and starts to
walk, the toy starts playing a cheerful tune which then stops as soon as
the child stops. This encourages them to keep walking. It is an
activity center, to stimulate imagination and help refine the movements
with lots of fun toys, lights and sound effects. When baby walks, it
plays a tune. When it stops, baby plays.
Age Limit: 9 months +
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/infant-toys/chicco-penguin-activity-walker/
Chicco Ergo Baby Jogging
 |
| Chicco Ergo Baby Jogging |
Product description
Baby Jogging helps the child
to take its first steps safely. Thanks to the ergonomic adjustment
system, the toy offers 6 different positions to adapt to children’s
different physiques, always allowing a natural and correct posture.
Every step taken by the child is accompanied by flashing lights and fun
melodies. Depending on the speed of walking, the lights come on
progressively and the rhythm of the melody speeds up or slows down.
Requires: 2 x AA batteries (not included).
Age Limit: 9 months
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/infant-toys/chicco-ergo-baby-jogging/
Fisher Price-GWM Skates
 |
| Fisher Price-GWM Skates |
Product description
Quad-style 4-wheel roller
skates make learning to skate as easy as 1, 2, 3! Wheels lock for Stage
1, so beginners can skate-walk on wheels that don't roll. As
confidence, ability and balance increase, advance to Stage 2, where a
quick and easy adjustment allows the wheels to roll forward, but not
back. Then it is on to Stage 3 for freewheeling fun, forward and back.
Size adjustable to fit child shoe sizes 6-12.
Age limit: 2yrs- 5yrs.
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/outdoor-games/fisher-price-gwm-skates/
Fisher Price-GWM Inline Skates-Barbie
 |
| Fisher Price-GWM Inline Skates-Barbie |
Product description
Learn to skate with inline
style! Start with Stage 1. beginners can walk in the skates with one
wheel locked. As confidence and ability increase, advance to Stage 2.
where the adjustment wheel rolls forward, but not back. Then it is on to
Stage 3. for freewheeling fun! Size-adjustable to fit child shoe sizes
6-12.
Age limit: 2yrs- 5yrs.
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/outdoor-games/fisher-price-gwm-inline-skates-barbie/
Monday, May 27, 2013
Top 5 Kid's Laptops - Wowkart
Here we have presenting top rated Kid's Laptop which is a new way to develop your child's skills. Browse a best collection of Kid's Laptop at effective prices from Wowkart.com.
Age Limit: 3 yrs +
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/electronic-learning/funskool-mega-sketcher-classique/
Age Limit : 3 Yrs+
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/electronic-learning/vtech-magic-wand-laptop/
The Princess Learning Laptop includes a key to open the laptop and secret drawer, QWERTY keyboard, heart cursor mouse, 10 number keys and an LCD screen. The VTech Disney Princess Magical Learning Laptop is a great way to develop core reading and counting skill.
Age Limit: 4 to 7 yrs
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/electronic-learning/vtech-magical-learning-laptop/
Age Limit: 4 to 7 yrs
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/musical-toys/vtech-lightning-mcqueen-learn-go/
Age Limit: 3 to 6 yrs
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/musical-toys/vtech-lightning-mc-queen-laptop/
Funskool Mega Sketcher Classique
 |
| Funskool Mega Sketcher Classique |
Product description
Funskool Megasketcher
Classique (8547000) is the ideal first sketching board for your child.
The pictures can be magically erased with one sweep of a tiny little
lever on the side of the board. Funskool megasketcher classique pen
that comes with the set can be used to draw both thick and thin lines
with ease. Drawings come beautifully clear or crazy hazy, in direct
proportion to your budding artist talent.
Age Limit: 3 yrs +
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/electronic-learning/funskool-mega-sketcher-classique/
VTech Magic Wand Laptop
 |
| VTech Magic Wand Laptop |
Product description
Learn letters, numbers, logic skills and music with the Princess Magic Wand Laptop. This carriage-shaped laptop allows your child to learn important preschool skills with Cinderella herself! Play the games using the cursor mouse or use the magic wand stylus pen.Age Limit : 3 Yrs+
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/electronic-learning/vtech-magic-wand-laptop/
VTech Magical Learning Laptop
 |
| VTech Magical Learning Laptop |
Product description
VTech Disney Princess
Magical Learning Laptop: Play games and learn with Chinderella, Belle,
Snow White and Aurora, the laptop features 3 different modes of play,
'be a princess', 'princess explore' and 'princess activities'. In total
there are 18 different fun activities to play and enjoy which have been
designed to develop letter recognition, english, basic maths, logic,
memory and even manners. Use the included key to unlock and open the
laptop in order to discover the secret drawer hidden inside.
The Princess Learning Laptop includes a key to open the laptop and secret drawer, QWERTY keyboard, heart cursor mouse, 10 number keys and an LCD screen. The VTech Disney Princess Magical Learning Laptop is a great way to develop core reading and counting skill.
Age Limit: 4 to 7 yrs
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/electronic-learning/vtech-magical-learning-laptop/
VTech Lightning Mcqueen Learn & Go
 |
| VTech Lightning Mcqueen Learn & Go |
Product description
The Lightning McQueen Learn
& Go features two modes of play: vertical mode for racing games and
horizontal mode for learning games. Explore letters, numbers, counting
and logic in Learning Mode, and enjoy racing games in Racing Mode. Slide
down the keyboard and let’s join the adventure with Lightning McQueen
and his friends in 20 activities that are sure to help accelerate
learning! The Cars based sound effects and fun melodies add fun to the
experience.
Age Limit: 4 to 7 yrs
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/musical-toys/vtech-lightning-mcqueen-learn-go/
VTech Lightning Mc Queen Laptop
 |
| VTech Lightning Mc Queen Laptop |
Product description
Your preschooler will travel
the learning super highway with the Lightning McQueen Learning Laptop
from VTech. Shaped like the Lightning McQueen character, and featuring
the best-loved characters from Cars 2, this educational toy laptop will
take your child on a learning adventure featuring 30 activities that
teach letters, words, maths and logic. A QWERTY keyboard and tire-shaped
mouse add an additional element of fun and mimic a real grown-up
laptop.
Age Limit: 3 to 6 yrs
Product URL.. http://www.wowkart.com/musical-toys/vtech-lightning-mc-queen-laptop/
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