Kyle & Melissa

Archive for the ‘Toddler Years’ Category

My friends have been buying these cute Skip Hop bags for their kids for a while now and I am itching to buy a couple for my daughter too but she has a school bag and lunch bag in good working condition that I cannot justify buying one for her yet. She would be able to use it when we go out too, though, so I am thinking if I should give in and buy her. So far, she wants the mouse but changed her mind and wants the zebra instead. I think it is a sign that I should not buy one since the zebra bag is currently out of stock. If things were like before, I would not even blink and buy all styles even if I would have to take a cash advance loan

When your toddler begins walking, it is time to shop for new shoes. While they are too young for desert boots and even combat boots, here are some tips when buying shoes for your toddler.

1. Like older people, it is best to shop for shoes in the afternoon when your toddler’s feet has a tendency to swell from all of his activities in the morning.

2. The shoes should be made of flexible and lightweight material. Toddler feet tend to sweat so it should be made of breathable material too.

3. High-top shoes are not advisable as they can do more damage to your toddler’s ankles when they fall.

4. The insides of the shoes should have any bumps or hard surfaces that can cause blisters.

5. You might want to consider having a rubber guard on the front of the shoe to prevent the toes from being stubbed.

6. For your convenience, choose shoes that have Velcro fasteners so it will be easier and faster for you to put it on and off. Your toddler shoes should be easy to slip on but never slip-off.

7. Make sure they are non slip shoes.

The key to choosing your toddler’s shoes should be flexibility. Your child’s feet is growing rapidly and shoes with steel arches can hinder this rapid growth. To test the flexibility of a child’s shoe, grasp the toe of the shoe in one hand and the heel in the other, then bend the toe and heel toward each other. If the shoe bends at the part of the sole directly behind the toes, and not through the center of the shoe, it means that the shoe has a steel arch.

Even if you have one of those merchandiser jobs and don’t have a computer at home (which would be very very unlikely), chances are, one or all of your kids would be asking for gadget toys this Christmas.

Here are great tech toy suggestions for toddlers. Remember though that real human interaction and pretend play are still the best stimulants for children!
1. LeapFrog My Own Leaptop
This lightweight, toddler-friendly laptop says your child’s name and recites personalized email messages. Super cute! Includes songs, letter identification and animal games, and even blog entries read by the LeapFrog mascot Scout.
$24.99

2. uDraw Tablet
The uDraw tablet has a little something for everyone in the family, though toddlers will love the chance to color their own pictures and play around on the tablet just like the bigger kids. What a great way to get them doing something creative when you don’t feel like dragging out the art supplies again.
$69.99

3. Nickelodeon Fit
Nicklodeon favorites like Dora, Diego and Kai-lan are now getting kids moving with Nickelodeon Fit for Wii. For use with a balance board or without, Nickelodeon Fit is a great game to have on hand for those long winter months. The relay race may even pull you into the action.
$39.99

4. SweetPea3 MP3 Player
Take your toddler’s tunes wherever you go with SweetPea3′s clever little MP3 Player which can also download Audible story files. It’s made of food-grade-safe silicon for those who still put everything in their mouth, plus it’s rugged enough for busy toddlers to tote around. When they get tired, it can clip to your stroller to keep the music going, even when your toddlers has run out of batteries.
$59.95

5. MobiGo Touch Learning System
The Mobigo Touch Learning System knows that little fingers may have a hard time hitting the right buttons, so it uses a very cool touch-screen system for toddlers to play games and learn. Love the slide-out Querty keyboard which is a great way to introduce kids to a “real” keyboard.
$59.99

What makes children happy may surprise you. Child development experts who study the subject say that happiness isn’t something you can give a child like a prettily wrapped present. In fact, says Edward Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, over-indulged children — whether showered with toys or shielded from emotional discomfort — are more likely to grow into teenagers who are bored, cynical, and joyless. “The best predictors of happiness are internal, not external,” says Hallowell, who stresses the importance of helping kids develop a set of inner tools they can rely on throughout life.

Some tips:
Learn to read the signs
Make room for fun
Help them develop their talents
Healthy bodies, happy children
Let them struggle with problems
Check in with your child
Allow them to be sad or mad
Be a role model
Teach them to do meaningful things
Get help

Tantrums are outbursts usually resulting from the child’s inability to understand the emotions that he or she is feeling and/or the frustrations that come from not getting what he or she wants. Whether they are mild or extremely destructive, here are some tips on handling tantrums.

Gentle talk

Never face aggression with aggression. Getting angry at your child for having a tantrum will only make things worse for both of you. Instead of getting frustrated, try talking to your child gently in order to help him/her understand the situation.

Ignore

Sometimes, when kids have tantrums, they just have to blow off some steam. When this happens, it is usually best to just ignore them and leave them alone. Giving them attention can agitate them further and make the tantrum worse.

Isolation

There are times when kids just result to tantrums to get your attention and force you into giving in to their demands. If this is the case, it is better to isolate them and let them know that their tricks won’t work. Just be sure that you talk to them afterwards and explain to them what the isolation is for so you can resolve the issue.