Monday, January 9, 2012
Small changes can make a big difference to your overall health.
It’s the Mother of All New Year’s Resolutions: Get in shape, lose weight, eat better, go to the gym. However you want to phrase it, we’ve all told ourselves this at one time or another. And we all have obstacles standing in our way, like kids, work, money, and time. The truth is it doesn’t take a drastic lifestyle change or huge chunks of time to make a difference. Start small: As I browse my Facebook feed, I see all the gym regulars complaining about the recently resolute clogging their precious treadmills. “Just a few more weeks until they all go back to their couches,” one friend writes. Whining from the regulars aside, it makes me wonder why people so often make the positive decision to get healthy and then inevitably give up. My …
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Don't take risks at home with a toddler on the loose.
Toddlers are leaps and bounds away from their younger baby selves… and if you’re not careful, your toddler may be cleverer than you give him credit for. I’ve been victimized by one such clever toddler on many occasions. But once I got the hang of it, I’ve gradually begun toddler-proofing our home. I can’t make everything inaccessible (or invisible), but I’m doing my best! As I continue to try to think one step ahead of my one-girl wrecking crew, I’ve found a number of helpful resources and tips online (of course). Here’s what I can tell you about properly toddler-proofing your home. Think It Through Take a good look around your home and find these items and other dangers. Try to think like your little one and locate all the shiny, weird-…
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Spend some quality time together to help your little one fight off the cold and flu blues.
It’s cold and flu season, and the weather’s been unseasonably warm, which all adds up to one thing: your sick toddler. My daughter’s at the tail-end of a battle with a respiratory virus, one we unfortunately passed all around our family… and back again. But during the past two weeks, I’ve been trying all kinds of things to get her to eat, relax, cheer up, go to sleep… Just about anything I can think of. Because the toughest thing with having a sick toddler is communication. They can’t tell you where it hurts or what they’re feeling. And you can’t explain to them why they feel so lousy or ask how to make them feel better. Basically, part of caring for a small child who feels under the weather involves the art of distraction. Find a way …
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The importance of releasing the stresses of parenthood.
We all have those day — When the list of things to do, people to please, and deadlines to meet seem to pile up higher and higher. Throw a screaming toddler in the mix, and it takes all the strength and patience in the world to keep from blowing your top completely. For me, this day was today. I was working from home and caring for a miserable, teething toddler with a double ear infection. I can’t blame him for being grumpy, poor guy was in a heap of pain. So as I responded to a steady stream of work emails, an unhappy baby rested his head on my shoulder and begged and hollered for my attention much of the day. As if that weren’t enough, I also attempted to get all the laundry done so that I could pack up the family for a long weekend …
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Make life easier with some of these handy gadgets in your diaper bag.
Now that it’s warmer outside (finally!), I find myself much more on-the-go with my toddler. Day trips, picnics, running errands all day with the windows rolled down, talking nice walks to the playground… you name it, we’re up for it. Call it Spring Fever, or whatever you will, but I’ve become much more of a Mommy on the Go since that snow finally melted. And as such, I’ve come to rely heavily on a number of handy products that make “mobile parenting” easier. If you’re living out of a diaper bag for a few hours or more at a time, you’ve got to think of everything before you leave the house. So I’ve taken to leaving a pre-packed bag handy at all times, stocked with the essentials: diapers, wipes, an extra outfit, an extra pacifier, and a…
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Weigh in on this issue
Each week, we pose a question to our readers on a parenting topic. Usually our Burlington Patch Moms Council answers the question, but since we have had such a great reaction to our new format and time, we're going to keep it going. Burlington Patch invites you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers, fathers and their families right here in Burlington. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question from a local parent: Q. Many children often play video games. How much video-game time is too much? How much is "just-right?" What kinds of games do you allow your children to play on gaming systems?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Weigh in on this controversial issue.
Each week, we pose a question to our readers on a parenting topic. Usually our Burlington Patch Moms Council answers the question, but this week, we are trying something new. Burlington Patch invites you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers, fathers and their families right here in Burlington. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question from a local parent: Q. Some communities across the country have banned fast food restaurants from including toys with meals that are viewed as unhealthy and include too much fat, calories, and sodium. What do you think? Is this an instance of government overstepping its bounds or is the move a logical one in helping the …
Barbara L'Heureux
6:56 pm on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I lump video games, tv and computer into one group and allow a certain # of minutes per day. If my daughter chooses to play on her computer, that means less tv time, etc. All these things are fine taken individually and in small doses, but too much is definitely not a good thing. One thing we do not allow at all in our home is violent games however. There is no benefit and plenty of harm in those. more ›