Much like Will and Christina’s characters, I can curse with the best of them when I’m not around my daughter. But when we’re together, you’d think I was the spawn of Mother Teresa. My daughter is the queen of repeating things so I’ve trained myself to watch everything I say around her. No cursing, no disparaging remarks about myself or other people, the list goes on. It’s hard, of course, but it’s important to me that she doesn’t going around shooting off at the mouth. Here’s what you’ll never catch me saying in front of my kid:

1. I look fat in this. Overall, I’m pretty happy with my post-baby body, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my days. But because my daughter loves watching me get dressed and do my makeup in the morning, I never let on when I’m having a fat day or a bad hair. I feel like if she sees me taking pride and feeling good about myself, she’ll feel the same about herself.

2. I hate this. Or that. Or him/her. I basically refrain from using the word hate around my daughter. She’s only 3 and in my mind that’s too young for her start saying she hates anything. It’s such a strong word, so unless she really means–which she probably doesn’t at this point–I don’t want her saying it.

3. I don’t care. I know this was one our list of 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Kid, but it also belongs here. There’s just something so dismissive about this phrase that makes me uncomfortable with my daughter using it. It’s one thing for her to act like she doesn’t care–which most 3-year-olds do for everything that isn’t Dora the Explorer–but that doesn’t mean she should say it.

4. All of the 4 letter words including hell, plus the “b” word. Some people think little kids cursing is cute–I’m looking at you Tori Spelling–but I am not one of them.

5. Liar and/or lie. This is old school and I really have no idea why I think of liar as a bad word. But growing up my parents would scold me if I said liar. Instead they told me I should say so and so didn’t tell the truth or so and so is telling a story. Even though I don’t technically think liar or lie is a bad word, I still prefer my daughter not to say the words and therefore I don’t say them around her.

6. That’s ugly. Or he/she is ugly. I’ve mentioned before that ugly is a “not nice” word in our home, so I’m a stickler about this one. It also happens to be the hardest word for me to replace. I can be… opinionated about certain things, but weird has become my go-to replacement for ugly.

7. I can’t or I quit or I’m done. There’s a line from an episode of Dora that perfect sums this one up: “Never give up!” I tell my daughter she should never give up or stop trying, so I have to hold myself to the same standard.

8. Get outta here! Blame this one on my very Southern grandmother–she says this quite often and has passed it on to me. Fast forward to my little girl was telling me a story to which I respond, “What? Get outta here!” And then she starts crying–because she literally thought I was telling her to leave the room. Needless to say, it’s a harmless phrase that my daughter is too young to understand so I don’t really say it anymore.

9. That sucks. I don’t really know the origins of this phrase, but, call me perverse, it makes me think of something I definitely don’t want my toddler referencing. I know she won’t understand that part of it, but even still it’s a no-no.

10. Are you drunk? Yeah, I had to learn this one the hard way. One day my daughter was walking like a crazy person, bumping into walls so without thinking I said “Are you drunk or something?” For days later, she couldn’t stop doing the same silly walk saying, “Look mommy, I’m drunk.” Yikes!

Is there anything you won’t say in front of your kids? Share in the comments.

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Click here to email Jeanine, the author of this post.

The science of growing
Growth is a complex process that requires several hormones to stimulate various biological events in the blood, organs, muscles, and bones.

A protein hormone secreted by the pituitary gland called growth hormone (or “human growth hormone”) is a key player in these events. Several factors affect its production, including nutrition, stress, and exercise. In young children, though, the most important factor is sleep.

Growth hormone is released throughout the day. But for kids, the most intense period of release is shortly after the beginning of deep sleep.

How much sleep do they need?
Two- and 3-year-olds need 12 to 14 hours of sleep every 24 hours (a combination of about 12 hours of night sleep and 1 ½ to 3 hours of naps), 4-year-olds about 11 to 13 hours (with about 11 of the hours at night). (Sleep needs are somewhat individual, with some kids requiring slightly less or more than their peers.)

Without adequate sleep, growth problems — mainly slow or stunted growth — can result. Growth hormone production can also be disrupted in kids with certain physical sleep problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea

Kids who don’t get enough sleep show other changes in the levels of hormones circulating in their body, too. Hormones that regulate hunger and appetite can be affected, causing a child to overeat and have a preference for high-calorie carbs. What’s more, a shortage of sleep can affect the way the body metabolizes these foods, triggering insulin resistance, which is linked to type 2 diabetes.

A lack of sleep at night can also affect motor skills and concentration during the day, leading to more accidents and behavioral problems, and poor performance at school.

Ensuring a good night’s sleep
Most kids need more sleep than their parents think.

Signs that your child may not be getting enough rest include crankiness or lethargy by day, always falling asleep in the car, and being hard to wake up. If your child is hyper at bedtime or tired before it’s time to go to bed, that’s another clue his schedule may not be consistent enough.

To help your child get plenty of zzz’s:

• Establish consistent daily sleep times and stick to them.
• Have a regular bedtime routine, which helps signal to your child’s body that it’s time to wind down. This might include giving him a bath or snack, reading a bedtime story, and talking or singing softly to him while tucking him in.
• Make sure your child’s room is conducive to sleep. It should be dark and quiet.
• Avoid roughhousing before bedtime. It’s stimulating instead of sleep-inducing.
• Stick to the same timetable and routines for bed on weekends and vacations that you normally have. A variation once in a while won’t cause long-term disruptions, but erratic bedtimes can lead to poor sleep habits and sleep deprivation.

Create little morning moments

“The morning sets the tone,” says Bob Lancer, author of Parenting With Love, Without Anger or Stress. “If there’s strife, rushing, or power struggles in the morning, you have a child who feels less important than other elements of the parent’s agenda.”

Instead of giving in to morning impatience, Vanessa Pizzinato of Ontario, Canada, takes a few minutes with her 5-year-old every morning to gently walk her fingers over his legs and feet to wake him up. If that doesn’t work, then she takes his feet, puts one up to her ear and the other in front of her mouth, and talks to his tummy and head “to find out when they think he will wake up.”

Cara Mirabella, who runs TheHouseholdHelper, spends a little quality time each morning with her 2-year-old by having coffee together. (His “coffee” is milk.) “We watch Sesame Street, the two of us cuddling on the couch, enjoying our coffee,” she says.

After taking five minutes for yourself “to enjoy the quiet of the morning before the stampede begins,” says Patty Wipfler, founder of Hand in Hand Parenting, spend ten minutes with your child before anybody has to rush anywhere.

“First thing in the morning can be a wonderfully effective time to connect with children, especially when they’re going to school and won’t get to see you all day,” she says.

Snuggle and cuddle

Karen Maezen Miller, author of Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, says that physical touch is essential to making your child feel connected and special.

“Take every opportunity to impart security and steadfast love with the pure joy of your physical touch: a hug, a tickle, a single finger to hold onto. Get close,” she says.

“Set the alarm 15 minutes early,” suggests Wipfler. “Turn the snooze alarm into the snuggle alarm.”

For Kelly Stettner, of Vermont, special time with her daughter means cuddling up on the couch for a movie, during which “I gently stroke the sides of her neck. She’s 9 now, and it’s just a little ritual we have that makes her feel completely connected and so special.”

As a single parent with no ex in the picture, this writer understands what it means to go-go-go. I know how challenging it can be to slow down, between packing school lunches and washing the dinner dishes. Here’s the truth: My child still sleeps with me sometimes. But this is the only time during the day when I stop running. This is when I put my arms around my daughter. This is our snuggle time. It’s so worth it.

Make up special stories

Children love being the center of our attention. If your child has the chance for just a moment to be the hero in her own story, it will likely become her favorite bedtime story.

Shara Lawrence-Weiss, mother of two in Arizona and founder of Personal Child Stories, creates stories about her children — with photos to boot. “When others ask my kids about their books, they beam from ear to ear. My son says, ‘My mom made this for me!’ “

Bonnie Russell, a California mother of two children in their 20s, says that she wrote down “the cute things they did or said when they were little, figuring I’d need to remember why I loved them when they became teenagers.

“It turned out that whenever they asked me to read to them, it wasn’t anything from a commercial author on a bestseller list. They always wanted me to read them ‘their’ books. It made them feel special.”

Chris Shaw of North Carolina gets very creative with her sons. Recently, on a rainy day, they made a movie. “Not a home movie — a real movie — with a script, props, and costumes. We let my 7-year-old write the script, help make costumes, and create props.” You can see her family’s movie here.

Ask for help

It’s all too easy to treat a child like a child and do everything for him. But including him in your tasks can instantly make him feel important and special.

Life coach Leverrier says, for instance, let your child choose what’s for dinner now and then. “Take him to the grocery store to pick the food and let him help prepare the meal.”

Amy Oztan of New York, who blogs at SelfishMom, says her two kids “always complain that I’m on the computer all day. So when they’re feeling ignored, I let them pick out pictures and videos and help me post them to our family’s website, for all of the grandparents, aunts, and uncles to see.”

Writer Hilary Miller of Littleton, Colorado, says even though her son Nicholas isn’t yet 3 years old, “he loves helping me set the table or helping Dad flip burgers. And he mows the lawn with Dad — with his little plastic mower.”

Break the rules

Kids love to break rules. So imagine how fun it would be just to have waffles for dinner — or stay up past bedtime and watch a movie with Mommy or Daddy.

Lori Quaranta of Connecticut made a deal with her daughter when she was in first grade that if she “kept up at school, we would enjoy a ‘skip work and school day’ together.”

So, twice every school year, they “skipped school” to have a mother-daughter day — “which usually included some type of shopping. We did this until she graduated high school. My daughter is 22 years old now.”

Luann Udell, mother of two in New Hampshire, remembers one night she and her kids were all “in a bad mood, being ornery, picking fights.” Even her husband was crabby. Instead of cracking down and sending everyone to bed, she said, “Let’s go get ice cream!”

“We drove to a local restaurant, and I told everyone to order any kind of ice cream they wanted — no holds barred. You could feel the bad mood lift and dissipate.”

And this writer took the advice of Maezen Miller and let her child have a brownie this morning. Let’s just say there were no protests that morning in our home!

Have fun at bedtime

Bedtime is a perfect time to make your child feel special. Daniel Hallac, cofounder of Kidmondo, says that he and his wife started a bedtime routine six years ago with their son called “relax.”

After teeth brushing and a story, it’s time for “the relax,” which “is really just hanging out in his bed with the lights out,” says Hallac. “We just talk about anything he wants to talk about. Like many parents, we are very busy and pulled in a million directions. But during ‘relax’ time, we focus 100 percent on him.”

When their son was younger and guests were over, he insisted the guests do “the relax,” too.

Dominek Black, mother of two sons in Brooklyn, says that her “2-year-old loves to get in the tub with me.” So, before bed, Mom relaxes while her son draws with crayons on the tiles. (Let’s not talk about cleanup the next morning!)

Amanda Johnson of Oklahoma rocks her 3-year-old daughter to bed every night — but not like you’d think. Every night, she and her husband carry their daughter “by her arms and legs, swinging her into bed. Her favorite part is when we swing her back and forth, counting to three and then flopping her into bed while we all scream ‘Banana Pants.’”

Banana Pants? “We’re not quite sure where that term came from,” admits Johnson. “But she laughs hysterically every time.”

Get silly

Being silly is something kids understand well — and appreciate wholeheartedly in others. There’s no better way to get a kid’s attention than by being wacky — and it can make them feel like you’re in their world with them, instead of up in your adult world.

Mom Gina Luttrell gets goofy when she sings to her 3-year-old every night: “Instead of reciting the exact words to “You Are My Sunshine,’ we sing ‘You are my sunshine cupcake head.’ Or, instead of ‘You’ll never know dear,’ we sing ‘You’ll never YES dear.’ “

Or you can make bath time a blast. Author and speaker Edna Ellison of South Carolina puts her kids in the bath with a dab of shampoo. Then she announces that there’s going to be a hairdo contest. “At the end of a bath, we celebrate the crazy hairdos!”

And, of course, from a kid’s point of view you can never have too many special occasions — as long as the fuss is all about him! Andrea Tompkins of Ontario, Canada, says she celebrates her kids’ half-birthdays with a half-cake. “There are no presents or balloons. We just sing half of the “Happy Birthday” song and eat our half-cake.”

Use your words

Parenting experts agree that while it might feel most natural to say “I love you” or “I’m proud of you,” focusing on the you instead of the I can make your child feel special.

“If you want to raise your children’s self-esteem, you don’t want them to be overly concerned about your pride,” explains parenting expert Marilyn Suttle in Michigan. “Try focusing on their own pride by saying something like, ‘You must feel so proud of yourself!’ “

Linda Miles in Florida, author of All Aboard the Brain Train, Teaching Your Child to Live a Purpose-Filled Path, echoes this advice. “Repeat positive thoughts and ideas like ‘You can do it and I will help’ or ‘It’s okay to take your time.’ “

Pediatric nurse and mother of three, Jennifer Walker — a founder of Moms On Call — says that another fun way to acknowledge your children is to let them “hear us praise their good behavior in front of the people they love and admire.”

Walker explains that you might mention their achievements at the dinner table: “I told Jerry he couldn’t have some ice cream for breakfast and he didn’t throw a tantrum. He was sad for a moment and then he moved on and went to play with his toys.”

Or, you might even let your child eavesdrop on your bragging, like Silvana Clark, author of 301 Bright Ideas for Busy Kids. She calls her mom on the phone when her daughter is in earshot. “Then I let her ‘overhear’ me talking on the phone to Grandma about something positive she did.”

And just pay attention to the little things

No matter what, parenting experts agree that sometimes it’s the smallest, simplest things that make our children feel so good.

Anne Wear of North Carolina, for instance, says that she makes her three kids feel special by giving them unique nicknames: “Midge,” “Bean,” and “Mr. Boo.”

“I’ve told them this is a special name that I call them to let them know how great they are,” says Wear.

Stress and wellness specialist Beverly Beuermann-King of Work Smart Live Smart leaves notes for her sons when she’s traveling for work. While she’s gone, her husband “puts these notes in their lunch boxes. I also stick notes to their pillows that say ‘Sweet dreams.’ “

For author and essayist Kaui Hemmings of Hawaii, showing her daughter that she’s special means volunteering in her preschool class. “It makes her really happy when I go on field trips with her preschool. I’m not sure whether she feels special because I’m there, or if she’s proud to show me her world and her rules away from home.”

And although she never imagined herself as a mother who wrestles, Michelle Garrett of Ohio is just that. “I will drop everything to wrestle with him,” she says about her 6-year-old son.

For Richie Escovedo, father of two, a little dancing does the trick. “During Dancing With the Stars, my daughter dressed up in one of her Disney princess costumes and danced. It melted my heart to hear her say, ‘Dance with me, Daddy!’ There is nothing better.”

And even just using the word “special” can make your child feel special.

Mom of three Carol Schiller in Washington state says that “the word ‘special’ is very powerful.”

“Ever since they were very little, I have asked them: ‘Who is my special boy (or girl)?’ ” says Schiller. “Of course they all know the answer is ‘Me!’ Now, whenever we are together I can ask ‘Who is my special?’ to the group and they all chime in together, ‘ME!!’ — even my 2-year-old.”

Stem cells are specialized cells that have the ability to make other types of cells needed by the human body, their benefit lies in their natural ability to help replace other damaged or defective cells resulting from injury or disease.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/can-you-benefit-from-baby-groups-3985973.html#ixzz1DWWntN2m
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Are you getting enough? Many new parents may find that the latest in fashion accessories is less ‘Prada bag that fits under the arm’ and more ‘black bag that fits under the eyes’.

Sleep deprivation has long been classed as a form of torture and many new parents know exactly why… Experts believe one of the most important things that you can teach your child is how to sleep independently. The trouble is that most parents of babies who don’t sleep are so tired that resorting to ‘the easy option’ is often the only way that they can secure one or maybe two hours sleep a night. Who’s going to tell the parent that has spent the last five hours pacing the floor with a screaming baby that bringing her into the bed with them is not a good idea? Is anyone brave enough to let that same parent know that stroking her baby’s head as he drifts off is setting her up for many a night crouched before the cot-bed? And does anyone really want to tell that exhausted father that setting out on a mid-night drive may get his loved one to sleep tonight, but it’s really not a good idea to rely on movements and soothing sounds to induce sleep? If you’ve been there, you know the answer already. So how can we ensure that we teach good habits and help our babies to gently head off into slumber all by themselves, and do we really believe that being able to do this is so important? Ultimately it’s a parent’s choice and there are many experts out there who believe they can help make that decision.

Cry it out?

Some parents swear by controlled crying and believe that allowing your baby to fall asleep by themselves is an essential part of the learning process. Be warned that nerves of steel are required as some babies can- and will- cry for extended periods of time before finally becoming so exhausted that they eventually fall asleep. Ear plugs may be a solid investment if you decide to go down this route, although it is worth noting that even the staunch believers of this method agree that newborn babies should never be left to cry. Controlled crying may work if your baby is simply over tired and just needs to have a little ‘shout’ before she drifts off; many parents find that the sound of their baby crying themselves to sleep is distressing and so other options might work better.

Find some comfort

One such option could be introducing a ‘lovey’- a toy or soother that your baby can use to relax, such as a blanket or soft toy. Some moms find that giving their baby a comfort item during the day is a good idea so that they can develop an attachment and so that having it in bed with them provides the comfort that they need. Some moms have found, however, that having a range of such items is a good idea so that your baby does not rely on just one lovey to fall asleep with. Imagine the mom frantically rocking the baby whilst praying for the laundry cycle to finish!

Instill confidence

Another method is to stay with your baby so that she learns to feel confident that you will always be there for her. In doing this, experts believe that your baby will feel more secure and therefore fall asleep more easily, knowing that you will be there for her if she awakens. This method does require commitment and often at the beginning, your baby will awaken many times simply to check that you are still there. The trick is to gently stroke her head or pat her back so that she is lulled back to sleep with your help. Eventually, she will learn that you will always come for her and so she will sleep a better with that knowledge. With so many experts professing to have the answer to so many questions, parents can often find that they are unable to choose the ‘best’ method for them. It’s best to talk to other parents to find out what worked for them and to adapt them to suit your baby. It’s also a good idea to stick to one method at a time so that your baby doesn’t become confused. There is no point in letting her cry one night and then rush in to sing her to sleep the next. There is also no point in becoming too entangled with ‘what the book says’. What works for one, may not work for the other. Maybe a spot of midnight vacuuming will send your newborn to sleep? Maybe a lullaby or a favourite musical toy does the trick? If you feel that co-sleeping is for you, then go for it. If you’re getting some sleep and you’re happy with the way you’re getting it, no amount of experts should be able to argue!

It is amazing to look back and remember those days.  So many feelings and emotions that go along with that time.  I lived in another city, much bigger than where I have moved now.  I was living a life that wasn’t really me, or was it? 

It is hard to imagine what I felt like prior to having my son.  I know I felt alone and lost some of the time.  I know there was much silence and calm also.  I had a great life in Toronto and was there for almost 11 years, so how could it not become home.  I met wonderful people and had an incredible job yet it seems like it was so very long ago.  I have lost touch with people that I thought were my life, but that life has changed.

When I was initally pregnant there were many emotions that went along with the news.  Shock, fear, excitement, OH MY GOODNESS< NOW WHAT.  But they were all calmed quickly when I absorbed what was happening.

I would not change my life now for anything.  I love being a parent!!  I love my son, he makes me laugh every day.  Everyone tells me that being a single parent isn’t easy.  I have heard all the stereotypes about kids of single parents growing into troubled adults, or not excelling in school and it is so frustrating to hear.  My son is very smart and very happy.  I would like to start hearing some articles written about children of single parents that are normal and excelling. 

I believe that life is what we make of it and for me, I wanted a child.  I knew I could change my life and dedicate it to some little being that would be an incredible person.  I am incredibly blessed and honoured that I have my little P.