Moms Talk: Shaheen Abbas

Her daughter, Ayatal, 1 year 10 months old, was given the Rock Roll and Ride Trike.

Both my kids (including the 7 year old) went insane with excitement... We assembled the cycle at stage 3 where you can ride it. We were personally at stage 5 of impatience as it wasn't easy to assemble! But all the labor was worth it, each part being assembled was cheered on! As soon as the excitement died down, the fights started as to who would ride it. (And my elder son already has 2 cycles but...) I had to physically pull them apart and monitor their turns on the cycle. Now every morning we have a picnic breakfast as the kids keep taking turns riding around the drawing room (which is rather large) and visiting the dining table in between!

What I really like was that because it's made of plastic, it's really safe and the child has no chance of getting hurt. Also, since you can use it 3 different ways as your child is growing, it's value for the money and the child can use it for a long time to come. I do wish the height could be adjusted so both kids could customize it!

As a child, I loved cycling. It used to be one of my favorite activities. I have also always wanted my kids to cycle well and enjoy the fun one can have with it. It is a sturdy piece and can be used both indoors and outdoors. It has no irritating Chinese horn.

I think toys are a window to discovery for children. They help them explore and often help in developing skills. Many a time, they help in role playing and developing the imagination. An abacus and roll-along are passé, as kids today have increasingly high expectations. Fisher-Price has always delivered great toys and one can safely hand them to children. Wish they made on in my size.

Laugh & Learn™ Fun With Friends™ Musical Table

Ages:

6-36 months 

Product:

M9972

Maximum Retail Price: Rs.3999

Busy, busy … there’s SO much to do, with four corners full of learning fun! Each has an entire interactive learning center with lights and a friendly character who invites baby to play, encouraging movement and exploration all around the table.

Baby can learn letters, numbers, counting, first words, colours, shapes, opposites, animals and much more—in English and Spanish! Musical fun includes sing-along songs, tunes, real instrument sounds and a variety of music styles.

The Imagination mode brings imitative play to life with real-life sounds, piano keys, phone tones and more. Lots of activities, lots of songs, and even bilingual learning in an age-appropriate way! Requires 3 AA batteries.

Table measures approx. 18½” W x 18½” L x 15" H when fully assembled.

View All Laugh & Learn Products

First reflection

What did your baby do when he saw his reflection for the first time?

This little boy loved what he saw!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzfkC2TjdeQ&feature=related

Baby-Okey *

Your baby will soon be talking, but before she leaves those funny little noises behind, capture those squeaks and squeals on tape to keep and play back over the years.

Age: 12-18months

Learning Skills:
• Language and vocabulary building
• Listening skills
• Self-identity
• Vocalization

Materials:
•	Voice recorder (you’ve got one on your phone right? Or just download a recorder off the internet there are dozens of free voice recorders just google)
•	Infant seat

What to do:
1. Insert a fresh tape into a portable tape recorder.
2. Seat your baby in her infant chair and sit down beside her.
3. Turn on the tape recorder and talk to your baby, make mouth noises, vocalize in a variety of ways, and so on, to get your baby to talk back.
4. Pause between your vocalizations so your baby has a chance to answer you.
5. After you’ve both made some funny noises, turn off the recorder and play back the tape for your baby.
6. Save the tape and play it back when your baby is grown. (Maybe in the presence of her boyfriend!)

Safety:  Don’t play back the sound too loudly, to protect your baby’s hearing.

Pop Goes the Bubble *

Just when your baby thinks he’s got the world figured out, play a game that will confound him all over again! But don’t worry—your baby will have fun, since he will quickly realise what’s happening!

Learning skills

• Coordination
• Fine motor development
• Problem solving

Materials:

 • Bottle of bubble solution
• Large area for playing

What to do:
1. Place your baby in the centre of a large room where he is free to move about.
2. Begin blowing bubbles near your baby. (If you like, create your own bubble blower out of a pipe cleaner: twist the top of a cleaner into a small circle, leaving a little of the cleaner straight to hold when dipping into a soapy solution.)
3. Demonstrate how to chase and pop the bubbles, then encourage your baby to follow your example.
4. Note: Some babies get very excited during this game and try to pop the bubbles before you’ve had a chance to blow them. This is a good time to teach your baby patience by waiting a few seconds before you release the bubbles.
Safety:  Watch your baby so he doesn’t drink the bubble solution

Avoiding Holiday Hassles

 

Dr. Bettye M. Caldwell, Ph.D.
Professor of Pediatrics in Child Development and Education

'Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go'—how happily we have all sung those words as we excitedly planned our holiday trip. And how eagerly the loved ones at the other end of the line are waiting for us.

Diwali, Ramzan, Christmas and New Year are probably the holidays when we all feel absolutely compelled to visit some of our family—grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins. Yet during and after these visits, we not infrequently feel disappointed, let down, unhappy, or downright hostile! Although I can't quote the statistic, I know I have read that more family fights and even acts of violence occur on these occasions than at any other time of the year.

Why is that? How can it be that an occasion we so look forward to, spend considerable money on, and use up holiday time for can often be so disappointing? The answer is probably pretty simple: stress. Stress all around. 'You know my parents don't like your table manners, so please try to eat in a civilized manner,' says the wife. Counters the husband, 'You know my parents don't approve of your working and putting the kids in day care. Try to act like you know their birthdays and whether they've had their shots.' Wow! That sort of exchange ever happen in your family? Well, don't think for a minute your kids won't pick up on your stress and apprehensiveness. They will, and they'll do their part to make things go even worse. They'll whine and cry and embarrass you by repeatedly asking in front of your hosts, 'When are we going home?'

Apart from the interpersonal stress that can be a part of such visits, travel itself is stressful—and it seems to become more so all the time. We are not as comfortable about flying as we were before September 11, and we may never be relaxed about it again. Lines are long; flights seem to be canceled willy-nilly; and everyone is generally uptight. If we travel by car, weather can be unpredictable and severe. And change itself is never easy. If we go away from home, we miss our beds (especially our pillows), our local friends, the time schedule we are accustomed to, the food served us and the way it is prepared. Adults, who understand time sequences enough to realise old familiar routines will soon be resumed, can perhaps cope more easily than can young children.

I want to offer a few suggestions that may help your young children adapt to the changes brought about by holiday visits and thereby avoid some of the disappointment and unhappiness that all too often accompany such visits.

Rehearse and prepare. Even though you went to grandma's last summer, your 3-year-old may not remember it or her too well. Show pictures taken at that time and tell stories about the visit. Prepare them for the 'house rules.' 'You know that Uncle David's house is a lot bigger and fancier than ours, and you'll want to be very careful not to eat crackers on the sofa.' Or, conversely, 'Grandma's house isn't as big as ours, and not everybody will have a separate bed. You're going to get to sleep in a sleeping bag, and we'll take your pillow and your own blanket to have in it.' Alert your children to any health problems they might see and not understand. 'Grandpa has had what they call a stroke, and his left hand doesn't work just right. It is all right to look at it, but don't stare. Then when we're alone together, you can ask me questions about it. It's probably better not to ask him those questions.'

Preserve familiarity. Take along as many familiar and beloved objects as you can carry—favourite toys, books, special snacks, stuffed animals, pillows and blankets. (You must think I'm obsessed with pillows, but many people—children and adults—have difficulty sleeping on a strange pillow.) And don't forget to take all these treasures home with you when you leave.

Alert your hosts of special needs or problems. If there are any events that trigger upsets in your children, be sure to communicate those. When my children were young, they wanted to eat at the same time every day. If they had to wait 30 minutes, they began to squabble with one another, to interrupt any conversation I might be having with the other grown-ups by pulling at me and asking, 'When are we going to eat?' As my parents had never had this kind of rigidity about mealtimes, my mother would look askance at such behaviour. So I learned to take along, or buy at the convenience store, a few cans of soup and granola bars that could either tide my kids over or else take care of their hunger altogether. Pets can also be a problem. After their children leave home, older people often become deeply attached to their pets. Little children from families without pets are sometimes afraid of dogs, especially big ones; or, just as problematic, the children will want to lavish the animals with 'affection' the animals simply won't tolerate. So books and stories to help prepare the children, and requests of your parents to honor the children's needs or fears, can help avoid problems.

Don't over-sell the visit. Don't promise too much. 'Oh, you're going to have the most wonderful time!' Chances are, they will indeed have a wonderful time. But if they are expecting too much, even a feast of experiences may not appear to be enough. And let them know you are going to want to do some talking just with the other grown-ups and that you expect them to be able to play by themselves some of the time.

Find muments to be alone with your children. During holiday visits, we always want to do our share of the cooking and the clean-up. You may find yourself getting more tired than at home, even if there are plenty of people to share the work. Both you and your children will need a few quiet muments—perhaps at bedtime—to share stories about the day, to read a book, sing a song together, reflect on what might be happening at home. And your parents will probably appreciate those muments for a bit of sharing on their own. Too much togetherness is toxic. These precious muments will help to keep things on an even keel for all the participants and help ensure that the holiday visit lives up to your expectations.

Oh, and by the way—Happy Holidays!

Will my baby suffer if I don’t gain more weight?

Q:I am three months pregnant and have not gained any weight, perhaps two pounds at the most. I have always had problems gaining weight to be in the "normal" ranges for my height. I am concerned that my baby will suffer as a result. I eat a balanced diet and eat whenever I feel hungry. What should I do, if anything, to gain more weight?

— Submitted by Betty in Gilbert

Dr. Craig Bissinger
Obstetrics & Gynecology

A:Dear Betty,

I have had many patients express the same concern as you about their weight gain during pregnancy. You should know that most women do not gain much weight in the first trimester. Many books suggest gaining just one to three pounds. In most pregnancies the weight will start to pile on if you listen to your body. Eat healthy foods, eat three nutritious meals with snacks as needed, and you will do fine. If you are still worried, ask your doctor about seeing a nutritionist to develop a reasonable and healthy diet for your pregnancy.

Let me reassure you that your baby will not suffer as long as you keep on eating! Babies are very tough and will find a way to keep on growing no matter how little you eat. The most important point is to monitor your baby’s growth at each monthly doctor’s visit. As long as your stomach keeps on getting bigger and your doctor is pleased with your baby’s progress, you have nothing to worry about