The Super Mom

Does Your Toddler Bite and How Do You Handle It?

Galina Ozgur — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:06:29 +0000

Yup. Here’s a question for you guys. Do you ever get complaints from parents about your preschooler biting their kids? Has your child ever left a tooth mark on you? Were you excluded from daycare of preschool because of that?

I really wonder, because I’ve recently bumped into this article on Parenting.com that addressed the issue and I enjoyed reading both, – what the author had to say and the comments that followed. I highly recommend reading it, alongside the comments, because that’s where the conflict lies.

And yes, it’s a burning topic apparently, because according to the statistical data provided the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1 out of 10 2-year-olds engages in what you may call “biting behavior”. Ah, you might say, the terrible twos.

That, too, but not necessarily is biting a mere part of the terrible two tantrums. Specialists say there may be a whole list of reasons or even a combination of reasons that eventually lead to biting. A child may want attention, there may be anger, curiosity, hunger, fatigue, frustration, excitement, fear and need to defend himself, absence of certain language skills compensated by biting, the kid may be teething… To be honest with you, this list is long enough for any child to engage in this behavior. Yet somehow not all of them do.

It always comes as a surprise to parents when their kid turns out to be a biter. It’s most often a boy, too, because boys are more prone to angry outbursts. Nevertheless specialists claim that biting in most cases is not actually anger – it’s a manifestation of a child’s inability to convey their feelings or needs through words, because they simply lack the language skills at this stage of development. So what do you do in case your son or daughter is a biter?

Here’s where opinions start going into different directions. Specialists do agree that it’s not a good idea to reprimand your kid and try to make your point by biting them back to make them feel how wrong it is (yes, there are actually parents that bite back. Oh well…) Experts can’t agree on this one thing. How do you perceive the biter? Is the biter also an aggressor? Some say yes, and by choosing this option they recommend that the parent ask the child to apologize. This way, they say, it will teach the child the concept of empathy. Others, however, insist that making toddlers apologize is basically akin to teaching them how to lie, since toddlers don’t understand abstract concepts, and empathy is one of them. So they suggest that in order to avoid recurring incidents, parents have to treat both kids on an equal basis – with the same sympathy. The article gives this example: “I am so sorry that you have been hit and are hurting,’ and ‘I am so sorry that you were angry enough to hit your friend.’”

I can see why parents would oppose either of these opinions, as every individual case is pretty much unique, judging by the long list of reasons. Despite a possible difference of opinion, among very common ways of handling occasional biting are taking a time-out (1 minute may be enough to get the biting child back to his/her senses) and saying “we don’t bite” in a calm voice. There’s not much else you can do as a parent, experts say. The list of don’ts is longer though. It’s important not to raise your voice, not to reward them for not biting and not to make a big deal out of the situation, because occasional biting is not uncommon and is normal. What is not normal is when this behavior continues on a weekly or daily basis. This kind of aggression may mean something else, and it’s essential to be able to recognize this and see a pediatrician.

If you have ever had this experience with your child, please share with us!

Toddler Book Review: Baby Playtime!

Karlynn Johnston — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:00:37 +0000

Baby Playtime is a wonderful chunky board book just the right size for not only toddler hands, but to tuck into a diaper bag or purse when on the run. The small format makes it perfect for that emergency entertainment while waiting in the grocery line-up, the doctor’s office or for reading while in a car seat.

The sturdy flaps that are lifted in a peek-a-boo type game will withstand rough toddler hands for quite a while, this is one that you can safely leave your little one with unattended for a while. I don’t guarantee that they won’t chew on it though!

Each page asks your child to guess who is behind the flap, then you can lift and see if you are correct. The bright colors, engaging words and cute pictures will be sure to thrill your little one to no end.

Reading level: 0 – 5 years

Page Count: 16 pages

Publisher: DK Publishing

Publisher’s synopsis: Perfect for reading aloud and encouraging early word recognition, this new DK series in a great chunky format is great for babies who love to explore shape and texture. Baby: Playtime! pictures all kinds of friendly toys, from trains to trucks to teddy bears.

For more information on this book and others, you can visit DK Books at http://www.dk.com, and click the flag to choose your country.

Children’s Book Review: Clementine

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:34:26 +0000

AuntieSarah.com Chapter Book Rating: 4 (out of 5)

What is all the giggling about? I may be a grown-up, but deep in the pages of Clementine, by Sara Pennypacker, I am unable to control the full-belly giggle of my inner 8yr old as I peer over the top of the book to see who has heard me. No matter — this is too much fun! Clementine herself is smart, insightful, and unafraid to do what it takes to help her friends. Despite her good intentions, mischief is practically her middle name, and Clementine finds herself in some serious trouble as she strives to make good. Highly recommended — especially as a family-read bedtime story. Great laughs and well-written chapters for advancing readers.

This post was submitted by Sarah Zenzic.

Pre-Teen Book Review: Wyndano’s Cloak

Karlynn Johnston — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:59:49 +0000

Wyndano’s Cloak is chock full of everything a great fantasy novel needs; dashing young men, adventures galore, treachery, love and intrigue. The best part in my opinion, is that it isn’t the male characters who save the day but rather the two very strong female protagonists who are battling to save the kingdom from the evil that came from within and from outside.

Set in the magical Kingdom of Aerdem, we meet Princess Jen, the main character who is strong willed, determined and smart. She is forewarned of a terrible event that is going to happen, but only receives snatches of the whispered warning. She must figure out what is going to happen and prevent it in time.

Through her adventure we meet other characters; shy but brave Bit who is engaged to the Prince, other members of the royal family of Aerdem and we travel to the “plain world”.

By using two plot lines that meet and culminate wonderfully at the end, A.R. Silverberry weaves a magical tale that has you seamlessly bouncing between the two stories, excitedly wondering when and how they shall intertwine and resolve.

I highly recommend this book for pre-teens and young adults, it’s an excellent foray into the genre of fantasy books. The fact that there are two strong, capable female main characters makes it exceptionally appropriate for girls this age.

This book has won the following accolades:

2010 National Indie Excellence Awards

 Award-Winning Finalist in Young Adult Fiction
 Award-Winning Finalist in Adventure
 Winner in Children’s Cover Design

2010 International Book Awards

 Award-Winning Finalist for Young Adult Fiction
 Award-Winning Finalist for Best Interior Design

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Page Count: 424 pages

Publisher: Tree Tunnel Press (March 15, 2010)

About the Author: A. R. Silverberry holds a BA in music and a PhD in psychology. Feeling the call of a creative life, he’s a watercolorist, pianist, and composer. He’s been dreaming up stories since childhood. Stay tuned for two novels in the pipeline, including a sequel to Wyndano’s Cloak. Visit his website at www.arsilverberry.com

Help Your Kid Handle Motion Sickness

Galina Ozgur — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:00:50 +0000

Kinetosis, or, in simpler words – motion sickness or travel sickness – is basically a disagreement between your sense of movement (detected by the vestibular system) and the perception of movement. Kids are prone to motion sickness a lot more often and it usually passes with time, but some of us who are less lucky, also suffer from it well throughout our adult life. What happens when we travel by car for example, is our sensory system detects movement, but our body remains still, so this conflicting information may cause nausea, dizziness and headache.

I’ve bumped into very good material on how to make your child’s car trip more comfortable and help them handle motion sickness, and I can confirm some of this stuff did work for a couple of kids that I know.

Keep the car cool and don’t overdress your child to avoid overheating.

Place your child’s car seat towards the center of the vehicle.

Avoid greasy or fast-food meals that may cause tummy upset.

Avoid stop-and-go driving—sudden jerks and windy roads can make it worse.

Giving a book to a child to distract her may make it worse. Have your child instead look straight ahead at the horizon rather than to the side at fast moving-traffic and landscape.

Play music she likes to distract her.

Pull over if symptoms get too intense

Be prepared with a bib, wipes, changes of clothes, and a removable car seat cover for washing in the case of consistent vomiting.

Feed her 30 minutes to an hour before you leave, giving the food a chance to settle.

Offer small dry snacks periodically, such as crackers, to help nausea.

Ask your pediatrician if medication is appropriate.

Remember that results may differ from individual to individual, and in some cases – these may be useless. It’s more of a trial and mistake thing, so keep trying. Safe trip!

Children’s Book Review: THE SEA of TROLLS

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:03:21 +0000

AuntieSarah.com YR/YA Rating: 7.5

Sheer adventure, rotten mayhem and Viking voyages — not to mention giant Ice Trolls — await anyone brave enough to tread the passages of THE SEA of TROLLS by Nancy Farmer. This is a page-turner of the first order, but not for the faint of heart. In these pages, all is lost. And more is gained.

Jack starts out as a farm boy on the northern coast of what is now England, with only his chores and this year’s harvest to worry about. Boy, is he in for a surprise. The local Bard singles him out among the village kids to become an apprentice and learn about magic — and just in the nick of time. Before Jack has learned much of anything, his village is attacked by North Men (think early Vikings) and he and his little sister are taken captive. The rest of Jack’s fate and how he met it amazed and surprised me. I found myself laughing at times right along with him, in the midst of certain peril.

In this deft blending of early history, lore and imagination, Nancy Farmer takes us on a tumultuous journey into a magical and frightening world of dragons, trolls, half-humans, and giant animals. Throughout, we are repeatedly shown that what is light is also dark. And sometimes, an enemy can become a respected ally — even a friend — when viewed from another perspective.

PROS: Liked the blending of Nordic and Celtic lore. Really picked up pace about a third of the way into the book. Get that far, and you won’t be able to put it down.
CONS: Unnecessary violence – particularly in the first half.

This post was submitted by Sarah Zenzic.

Back To School Books: Who’s in Charge?

Karlynn Johnston — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:00:42 +0000

Politics. Rules. Government.

Yaaaaawn.

And that was me yawning, the adult who should know better.

Lucky for us, DK has published a lovely book that is witty, smart and actually entices us to get our brains moving and learn about politics and who is really “in charge”.

Ok, and it’s great for kids too. This is an excellent book for a social studies aide, explaining the basics of power, politics and rules. If your child falls within the recommended age bracket this is an excellent supplement for their learning this year.

For more information on this book and others, you can visit DK Books at http://www.dk.com, and click the flag to choose your country.

Reading level: 7 – 12 years

Page Count: 96 pages

Publisher: DK Publishing

Publisher’s synopsis:A completely offbeat guide to government and ruling bodies, Who’s in Charge? investigates the world’s political systems and presents them to kids in a fun, appealing way. From the Roman Republic to modern democracies, Who’s in Charge? is packed with information on evolving notions of citizenship, rights, power, and elections, along with eye-opening trivia facts that might even teach adults a thing or two.

About the Author: DK Publishing

Meat or No Meat: That Is The Question

Galina Ozgur — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:29:52 +0000

I’m aware of the consequences this statement may provoke with vegetarian or vegan parents, but I’ll give it a try: Without meat children are damaged, and denying them meat is unethical. Correction: this is what a leading US nutritionist says, and well, last time I checked, if you’re a leading anything on a national scale as opposed to Ms/Mr So-and-So, people tend to listen up.

According to what Professor Lindsay Allen of the University of California says, “If you’re talking about feeding young children and pregnant women and lactating women I would go as far as to say it is unethical to withhold these foods during that period of life. There’s a lot of empirical research that will show the very adverse effects on child development of doing that.”

Being a strict vegetarian, I can’t help thinking that this idea doesn’t resonate well with me, but on the other hand, I know that meat does contain very essential stuff that a young body needs – the “building blocks” like protein and iron. Plus, a leading nutritionist is highly unlikely to make up the results of her study. Or is she?

Prof. Allen felt that she had a right to make such claims after she got the final results of her research. What the research says is basically this: adding just two spoonfuls of meat into the daily diet of kids from impoverished regions makes a whole lot of difference in how they develop both, physically and mentally. The group of African children involved in the study have shown very good progress over a 2-year span, being more active in school and developing muscle (almost double, in fact, as compared to kids who weren’t getting meat).

Truth be told, a lot of experts have questioned the results, claiming that her research was conducted in a very different setting and that the results of the research may not be applicable to kids from developed countries. Others (and here I will do some name dropping – Sir Paul McCartney – who’s been a vegetarian for 20 years) have gone as far as to say that these claims are just a good way to boost the meat business again, as the sales have been going downhill.

Whichever side you have chosen, I say it’s important to agree to disagree, but also – to provide your kid with a balanced diet. And apart from protein (again, whichever way you choose to include it into your child’s diet) you should make sure you include veggies, too.

Letting Our Children Off The Leash

Galina Ozgur — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:54 +0000

I know I’ve recently written a post about safety and how kids get into trouble because they’re so curious about detergents and spray bottles. I still do think we should be careful about this stuff and make sure we do keep it out of reach of children. But here’s the thing: taking necessary precautions is our duty as parents. Going over the top and perhaps even transferring some of our fears to our kids is something totally different.

I’ve noticed this trend some time ago. It’s not just mommies who are so afraid that something’s going to happen to their child – it’s the society in general. We have become more fearful and alert – even in situations over which we have absolutely 0 control. It’s not entirely our fault and I don’t want to lay all the blame on the media. It’s true that perhaps our life has become more dangerous, but I am alarmed (again, a sign of overall anxiety) that we let worry transform into perpetual watchfulness over our kids.

I was reminded of this reading an article on BBC News ,which pretty much mirrors my sentiment. Let’s take the story of a British couple from London who were approached by social services because “they let their children cycle unsupervised to school”. All these guys wanted was a little bit of freedom for their kids and the kind of childhood that they themselves used to enjoy. What is more, it’s good exercise that may help reduce the risk of a few other modern-day threats to health – obesity and stress.

A recent study conducted by a research team of the University of Buffalo shows that a simple morning walk to school “can reduce stress reactivity in children during the school day”. Doctors highly recommend this kind of exercise. Safety policies beg to differ.

Another example – this time with a lot less backing from parents – is the story with the NYC columnist who made the mistake of writing that she had actually deliberately left her 9 y.o. son in Manhattan alone and let him get back home by public transportation. He was thrilled with the experience. Shocked readers – not so much.

I can’t say I’d support this extreme adventure myself, but the idea that we should cut our kids some slack and let them have a bit of experience is something I cheer for. Maybe let them take that short walk to school, or help in the kitchen, or even let them fall off their first bike and learn through experience. Maybe letting our children off the leash for once is not that bad of an idea…

We’re Making Zucchini Muffins!

Galina Ozgur — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:08:09 +0000

It’s always fun to combine ingredients that are a world apart, like zucchini and applesauce. Believe it or not, zucchini muffins are real and they taste incredibly delicious, so grab the ingredients and start baking! Kids love them!

You’ll need:

zucchini (2 small ones will be perfect)
2 cups of biscuit mix (I like wholegrain)
2 eggs
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c applesauce
cinnamon (1 tsp)
lemon juice (2 tsp)

How to make it:

Preheat oven. Wash the zucchini and use a grater to shred them (you can peel them first if you like).

Do not use the small holes on the grater- otherwise you will end up with a puree.

Grate the zucchini using the largest holes on the graters and then wrap them in a paper towel so that it absorbs the water.

Use a cup to measure your grated zucchini. The recipe requires you to use about 1 1/2 cups.

Now you will need to whisk together the eggs, the sugar, the applesauce and lemon juice.

Mix the biscuit mix with the cinnamon. If you can add 1 teaspoon allspice, that would contribute greatly to the taste, so try it.

Now add the grated zucchini and the whisked ingredients into the biscuit mix. Try not to overmix the ingredients.

Once you have your batter, fill the muffin cups (lines with paper liners) till about 2/3rds.

Baking time: approx. 15 minReading level:

Page Count:

Publisher:

What to expect:

Publisher’s synopsis:

About the Author:

Our Rating:[rating=5]