Page overhaul in progress:
Local maps(above) include Henry's Ark ( a free petting zoo, only closed Mon's), & many other free & low cost spots for good & bad weather =)
Looking for some fellow parents (& geeks) who'd like to help expand this into a nation-wide project.
It's hard enough to find things to do with various age kids & parents can use every piece of help they can get!
Classical Music is a great night time idea. If you use NPR.... makes sure there's no opera or you put a timer on the radio! Eep!
John Denver: Kosair Children's, when she was a newborn, added JD to their mix; I hadn't heard Denver for about almost decades! One o' those too cute moments... taking her out swinging after kindergarten & her singing "Feather Bed" in that wee li'l voice {EWG}
Kids,esp babies, learn best via fun repetition. I got lucky that I recorded 6 hrs of Sesame Street,
esp. that the 1st episode had a counting to 12 episode very early in! Every time my baby girl woke up, I loved putting the tape in & snuggling up on the couch with her! We were often found snoozing there at morning's light =) Ah, it is indeed, the little things in life!
VeggieTales! Their good deed stories are over-the-top silliness & cute! They totally reflect their creator! On that note, You *gotta* hear his experience. (one YouTube) --> (two) The founder LOST the co. because he grew too fast (due to a greedy distributor lawsuit, who ran it into the ground), & eventually bought it back.
Fav. baby toy: Skwish wooden thingamajig (voted as one of Reader's Digest Best 25 Toys "Helps develop motor skills, offers visual stimulation, and encourages exploration. Appeals to a baby’s visual and tactile curiosity, making this sophisticated toy a source of wonder and learning. Made from rubber wood with non-toxic water based finish" )
Never forget about making your own toys; I've found anyone who doesn't appreciate something you make yourself.... isn't someone that's going to be around you too long.
Babies have many startle reflexes, designed to save their lives- ie when you touch something hot.
A gentle puff of air towards a baby's face, induces a falling in the water reflex. Use SPARINGLY.
How to get a baby to sleep through the night.... found it in
This one was fun, to watch people's reactions! With my 2nd li'l girl, I started dipping a shortened straw into baby food. Had to blow gently at 1st, then she figured out how to suckle it out.
Then we progressed to putting the straw straight into the bottle.
I tried to keep a thicker straw in the diaper bag... The drop-jawed looks we got, as she polished down whatever she loved, was priceless!
Sight words! The easiest way Kids learn to read! I wasted too much time w/ sounding words out!
Biscuit (a book series) by Alyssa Capucilli (think Cappuccino, when you get to the book store!) beats the heck outta the Dick & Jane series. Which I spent months looking for; I only found $80+ collector's D&J books & aftwerward stumbled onto Biscuit! My li'l girl's first read word within a week w/o my pushing: "woof!" =)
As a farmboy, early on I taught her what a real working dog is like; She still loves Due South (Leslie Neilson was in the 3rd episode; serious w/ a lot o' slapstick) A Canadian Mountie & his.... deaf wolf =)
& she's still a MacGyver addict.. my, the OLD video taped shows got a workout, until I got her a DVD set years later!
Since I couldn't always convince folks to read the Sunday comics to me, a few ol' Peanuts books were an invaluable self-teaching tools =) Schultz was a WWII vet; after his service,among other careers, he was even a preacher for a bit. His ability to condense a long idea into a short, funny sentence has always served me well =)
Kids are looking for TIME with their parents above everything else.
When I lost a great paying job, a few yrs after Y2K, my ex no longer could keep spending faster than I could bring it in & decided to file, then kept our daughter away for almost 2 months. I was trying to put a lot o' pieces back together.
After all the expensive things my li'l girl got when she wee lass o' 3, here's what she remembers:
When I got her back, I started a morning tradition; we went to a small park, put out a blanket, cups for a quart of milk & powdered donuts, for mini breaks between running around & enjoying the entire park (even the poor squirrels!)
They remember & cherish the TIME you spend with them.
If kids act up, they're trying to get ANY attention, even if it yields bad consequences.
Tell them "you BOTH are re-starting again w/ a clean slate. Try to keep it clean & happy..."
Don't just *buy* the following;
play WITH your kids, even just a li'l bit! You'll thank -yourself- down the road.
Not mechanically inclined? Do you think your kids care? Time, my friend! Time!
Learn to laugh with your kids more (heck, I joke -about- myself a lot, everyday!)
Even pre-schoolers can play, as they're VERY easy to learn =)
