Welcome
Lots of stuff happening this week in the news!
As many of you probably saw a new study came out this week about peanut allergies. Although you may have heard about this already, check out, "Peanut consumption in infancy prevents peanut allergy, study finds" to read more about this interesting and important study surrounding this serious issue.
Another big topic this week was about giving your children an allowance. The article, "Kids' allowances: You're doing it completely wrong", tells you all about how to give your child an allowance the right way. One tip I found really interesting was not tying the allowance to chores, kids should do this stuff for free, just like we as parents have to do!
One last piece you definitely should check out if you have toddlers at home is the "Top 10 Toddler Books - Best Books for Toddlers". I love this list because it provides some new book ideas to help fill up your little ones library. Get reading!
We hope you find these articles and the rest of this issue interesting and have a great weekend!
Best Reads
Kids’ allowances: You’re doing it completely wrong.
Don’t start it too late, don’t link it to chores, and don’t skimp. Here’s how to do it right.
Peanut consumption in infancy prevents peanut allergy, study finds
Introduction of peanut products into the diets of infants at high risk of developing peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81 percent reduction in the subsequent development of the allergy, a clinical trial has found.
5 Things Your Child’s Preschool Teacher Wants You to Know
For many years before I became a stay at home mom, I worked as a teacher (and later a manager and then an owner) in several different daycare centers. Though each childcare center is certainly different, there are a few universal truths to which anyone who has ever worked in one can attest. Here are the big ones:
How to Help Kids Find Their Way in the World
If you're curious to know what purpose is and how you or a loved one can get it or discover it, you're not alone. The topic has grabbed the attention of everyone from psychologists to HR managers, making a splash in self-help books and influencing corporate recruitment practices. And why not? Cultivating a sense of purpose early in life is a powerful way to support long-term psychological and biological health, even at the genomic level.
Reading your newborn’s ‘engage with me’ cues
Baby loves it when you mimic her facial expressions, coo at her little sounds, and gaze into her eyes.
When baby tries to engage with you in one of those ways, she needs you to respond in kind. This “serve and return” interaction is foundational in wiring baby’s brain. It helps the brain develop in a way that supports stress regulation, empathy, and emotional stability.
Why Teenagers Don't Talk to Their Parents and What you can do About it Now With Your Toddler
Imagine if your son came home from school after spending the day coping with peers calling him names and throwing his back pack on the toilet block roof. Imagine then if he were to say nothing to you about it but instead went straight to his room. Would you want him to have the opportunity talk to him about it?
Princess Awesome dresses challenge gender stereotypes
What makes this dress special? It's pretty, flouncy and it's covered in a pi pattern — that's the mathematical symbol pi, not the dessert.
5 Ways to Find Time for Family Travel
Time is the most precious thing we have in this world and it’s the most valuable currency of life. Our time in this world is short, and our time as parents with our children is even shorter. Children grow up really fast and the window of opportunity for family travel gets smaller as they grow older.
Mommy Approved
I Asked, You Answered: Useful Baby Items
What were the most useful baby items you owned? Hear from mom's about what products they found the most useful!
YouTube Kids Is a Parents' Best Friend
No more beer commercials after that Frozen video you put on for the kids... Youtube Kids- new app!
Free Play
Top 10 Toddler Books - Best Books for Toddlers
Are you going to scream if you're asked to read "Goodnight Moon" one more time? (How creepy is that old woman whispering "hush"?) Try some of these educational, entertaining toddler reads. They won't bore you (even on the 1,000th read!).
I Spy... A Match! Sensory Bag
I love making sensory bags for the kids. They’re quick and easy to make, and the kids usually get a kick out of it. And they love the challenge of learning with them. I made one for my first grader that involved math problems and my preschooler jumped up immediately wanting one of his own. Obviously, he can’t do math problems yet, so I compromised and made a sticker matching sensory bag for him.
Smartest Kid on the Block
Bilingual babies practice lip-reading long before monolingual counterparts
Babies raised in bilingual households spend significantly more time watching the mouth of the person speaking to them than their monolingual counterparts, according to a new study.
Reading Activities in the Car
Most of us ride in a car, or on a bus or train, as part of our daily routine. This can be a nice “together-time” for you and your child. Children love to look out the window. They also like to feel the motion of the car, bus, or train. Turn riding time into talking, singing and playing time!
Healthy and Happy
Whole Diet Approach to Child Nutrition Urged by Pediatricians
New guidelines released today by a leading U.S. pediatricians group urge a more practical, commonsense approach toward nutrition to help improve children's diets and health, both in school and at home.