Is it ADHD, or Typical Preschooler Behavior?

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is something that many parents have at least a vague awareness of. How can a parent tell between typical preschooler behaviors and symptoms of ADHD in a child so young? There are a few tips that can help parents to tell one from the other. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of ADHD must appear before the child is seven years old in order for that child to be diagnosed with the disorder. That means that an attentive parent, who has reason to think that her child could have ADHD, needs to be very … Continue reading

The Influence of Older Siblings on Preschoolers

A preschooler is blessed to have older siblings. A big sister is great for reading bedtime stories, doing hair and laughing. A big brother will play all day outside, let you win, and doesn’t mind if you get dirty. A sweet relationship develops between older and younger siblings. There are trying times, challenges, and disagreements but in the end a bond is formed that cannot be broken. Most big brothers and sisters have no intention of being a poor influence on their younger siblings. Many times what is acceptable and age appropriate for an older sibling is not acceptable or … Continue reading

ADHD Symptoms Get Clearer as a Child Ages

Does your child have ADHD, or is he just “active”? This can be a difficult question to answer if your child is a toddler. As your child ages, however, certain symptoms of ADHD become easier to identify. This could be why some children are not diagnosed as having ADHD until they reach junior high. Symptoms of ADHD include an inability to sit still for long periods of time, a difficulty with being quiet, a tendency to have problems focusing on a specific task, with following directions, and with listening to a person that is speaking to the child who has … Continue reading

Teach Your Preschooler What Foods are Healthy

This week in school, my daughter is learning all about being healthy. She got a healthy snack at school of carrots and apples. She came home with an adorable picture of a girl sneezing with a tissue between her face and hand. The picture said “Cover your mouth when you sneeze. Please.” They also learned about germs. Last night at dinner, my husband was talking to our daughter about food. He is a health nut and a preventive medicine Physician Assistant. He spends his days talking about how to eat healthy, exercise, etc. etc. He was teaching her about what … Continue reading

Mommy Blog Bashers

Have you ever considered that you could be helping a struggling single mom of four young children make ends meet each time you click on a link that leads to her blog? Earlier this year Oprah Winfrey devoted an entire show to the “Secret Lives of Moms.” It featured an audience full of women drooling at the chance to discuss the joys and pitfalls associated with raising the next generation. A portion of the episode spoke to a “new” kind of motherhood, in which women no longer suffer in silence about negative parenting experiences, mistakes and lack of maternal instincts. … Continue reading

Get Your Wiggle on at Six Flags

My preschool daughter has never been a huge Wiggles fan. What’s more, she screams like a banchee every time I try to put her on an amusement park ride. And I’m not talking about those baby roller coasters that travel on a flat track, or those crazy toddler swings that spin around with modified reckless abandon. For the past three years my child has unleashed glass shattering, ear splitting, high-pitched shrieks each time I’ve tried to place her on merry-go-round horses (the paralyzed ones that don’t move up and down), baby boats (that barely move in a pool no bigger … Continue reading

How to Get Your Preschooler to Listen

When it comes to getting a preschooler to do what you want or need him to do, there is a simple little trick that can stop the “no!” in its tracks. If I may brag a little bit for a moment, our children are usually complemented on their behavior when they are out in public or over at a friends house. Of course, there are a lot of factors involved here, such as making sure that they have had enough rest, that they are well fed, and the fact that the people complimenting our kids don’t actually live with us … Continue reading

When Did Your Children Start Taking Showers?

Bath time in our home is a key part of our bedtime routine. However, it is also a monumental production… for two reasons: First, the bathtub has morphed into another playroom. There are more toys in there than an average daycare has in its entire building. That’s not counting the 31 “flavors” of bubble bath, gels, beads, funny foam and other various accoutrements that my daughter chooses to enhance the water with on a nightly basis. This, of course, turns what could be a simple 5-minute wash-n-go, into a 55-minute (when I’m lucky) play-a-thon. Second, my preschooler screams like a … Continue reading

Baby Blog Month in Review: September 2008

Here are all of the Baby Blog articles that were posted last month. September 1st Baby Blog Month in Review: August 2008 Isn’t it crazy the way babies grow so quickly? It seems that you just get used to one stage and boom they are already into another. Tonight, were busy getting the household all set for my eldest child’s first day of second grade. My two younger ones are excited and want to start school, too. It will be a busy month. September 2nd Babies Are Built to Say “Mama” and “Dada” First! Do you remember your baby’s first … Continue reading

Ideas for Volunteering with a Toddler or Preschooler

Making the time to do good works is important for all families. Getting children started early with the concept of volunteerism is a wonderful way to make the acts so much a part of their lives that it comes natural for them. One of the added benefits of volunteering with your toddler or preschooler is that it may give you the means and motivation to volunteer yourself. Isn’t it difficult to carve out the time to volunteer when you are busy taking care of little ones. Making volunteering a family affair solves that problem! So how can you get started? … Continue reading