Ten Ways to You Can Be a Great Dad

Here are 10 ways to Be a Great Dad:

• Respect your children's mother.
• Spend time with your children.How a father spends his time tells his children what's important to him.
• Discipline with love.
• Be a role model
• Be a teacher
• Earn the right to be heard. Take time to listen.
• Eat together as a family.
• REad to your children.
• Show affection
• Realize a father's job is never done. Even grown children look to you for advice.

 From the The National Fatherhood Initiative
For more information go to http://www.fatherhood.org/

October November December 2011 Newsletter

Newsletter {2}Xx

Fun Learning Songs and Finger Plays

Finger Plays and Nursery Rhymes are valuable activities that help children acquire skills that are essential to their development and learning. They help improve and advance memory and language skills, while also aiding in the development of eye-hand coordination and enhancing their gross and fine motor skills.


Finger Plays also help in the development of the young child’s mind by stimulating the brain to aid in the connection of brain cells before the age of 3. Here are a few to try.

If You’re a Monster and You Know It

(To the tune of If you’re happy and you know it)

If you’re a monster and you know it, wave your arms,

If you’re a monster and you know it, wave your arms,

If you’re a monster and you know it, then your arms will surely show it,

If you’re a monster and you know it, wave your arms!

Additional verses: show your claws; gnash your teeth; stomp your feet.


Two Little Fishes


Two little fishes side by side

(hold up two index fingers, side by side)

Swim through the water.

Swim through the tide.

(swimming motion)

They don’t need a motor.

And they don’t need a sail.

(shake head twice)

They just wiggle their fins.

(wiggle hands at side)

And wiggle their tails.

(wiggle hands behind your back)


Two little blackbirds


Two little black birds,

Sitting on the hill.

(hold up one finger of each hand)

One named Jack,

The other named Jill.

Fly away Jack!

(put a hand behind your back)

Fly away, Jill!

(put the other hand behind you back)

Come back, Jack!

(bring the first hand from behind your back)

Come back, Jill!

(bring the second hand from behind your back)

Try this finger play with your children! They will love it.

Water Hazards and your Child

Water is hazardous for young children. A baby or toddler can drown in less than an inch of water.
Pool drains are one of the top biggest hidden home hazards the suction from a pool drain can be strong enough to hold even an adult underwater. Missing covers often cause the problem.

Make sure the water is warm enough, preferably between 84 and 87 degrees.

Don't put a baby less than 6 months old under the water. Although infants naturally hold their breath under water, they continue to swallow.

Take an infant/child CPR course.

If you have a plastic wading pool, drain it and store it in an upright position after each use. If you have a permanent pool, make sure it's enclosed with a fence that's at least 4 feet high, and lock the gate leading to the pool after each use. After swimming, remove any toys from the water and deck.

Make sure the pool equipped with rescue equipment and a readily accessible phone for emergencies.

My Baby Won’t Sleep at Night

If you are reading this, there is a good chance that you're tired. You are not alone. Try these tips for a good nights sleep for you and your child.


Keep it routine. Bedtime routines help babies learn when it’s time to go to sleep, having a bedtime routine means doing the same thing—as much as possible—every time you put your baby to sleep.

Read the signs. Watch for the ways your baby lets you know he is tired. When you see these signs, slow things down and start your bedtime routine.

Consider what’s going on in your child’s life. There are situations and events that can lead to or worsen sleep problems. When this happens, be patient and consistent, and try to maintain your bedtime routine. With time and patience, your child’s sleep will likely get back on track.

Take into account your child’s temperament. Pay attention to how baby handles stressors such as loud noises or people talking. Your child may need more help to calm down before falling asleep.


Put baby to sleep when he is awake. Beginning at around 4 months of age, you can help your baby learn to fall asleep on his own by putting him to sleep when he is drowsy but not asleep. There’s no right or wrong way to put your baby to sleep so try different ways to put your baby to sleep.

Be consistent. Time and patience are needed when teaching your child any new skill. When you are consistent in what you do at bedtime and naptime, you help your baby learn new bedtime skills more quickly and easily.

Fostering Early Development

CONGRATULATIONS!

You had your baby. Now that you are accustomed to the feeding and sleeping schedules of your brand new infant you may be thinking, what are some ways I can foster early development in my child? There are many toys on the market that declare that by using their special, expensive toys it will result in your baby being smarter. The good news is you do not have to purchase these items to have a smarter baby. The very best things you, as a parent, can do to promote early childhood development and have a smarter baby are talking, reading, singing, and simply playing with your child!

READING

It‘s true. Reading aloud is one of the simplest ways to connect with your child, and it’s free. It brings to two things your child loves the most together, your voice and closeness to you. While they are feeling safe and loved you are teaching your baby communication, building listening, memory, and vocabulary skills. You are introducing baby to concepts such as shapes, colors, numbers and letters, along with giving your baby information about the big new world around them. By the time baby reaches their first birthday they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language! Babies who parents frequently talk and read to their baby know more words by the age of two than children who have not been read to.

TALKING


Another way to enrich your child’s language and speech development is to simply talk to them. When you change baby’s diaper talk about what you are doing, count toes and fingers, point out body parts. As you continue your daily routine continue to talk with baby, about the colors in the room, what it is like outside and play peek-a-boo. There are endless ways to converse with your child. Yes it’s true, they won’t always understand you but baby will express their delight with you by cooing. Their eyes will light up and they will move their hands and feet in excitement. While all this is happening millions of unseen connections are formed in their brains to use when needed throughout their lives. Imagine that!


SINGING

Yes, singing! Can’t carry a tune in a bucket? Good news parents. Baby does not care what you sound like or really what song you are singing. You can sing comforting songs to baby when trying to get them to go to sleep. During playtime nursery rhymes and finger plays are fun ways to continue language and speech development. If “You’re Happy and You Know It” helps your baby learn motions. Before long baby will be clapping both hands on her own and singing along! Follow these tips and you can be on your way to having a smarter baby.

Hey Dad's! Here is a Mothers Day Gift to Make with your Kid's

Here is a gift idea that you can make with your child for Mothers Day.
Take a small jewlery box and wrap it with pretty wrapping paper. Put the poem below on a small piece of scrapbook paper and cut to size if needed, punching a hold at the top. Let child "sign" the poem. Put a ribbon around the box and place the poem on the ribbon using the hole you punched.
Happy Mothers Day!

My gift to you is in this box.
It's a gift you cannot see.
Although you can't unwrap it
You'll know that it's from me.

Always keep it close to you
And keep the ribbon tied.
Smile when you look at it.
It has my love inside.

(Child's Name)

Things to do with your Child in March

calendar

Tummy Time

THE IMPORTANCE OF TUMMY TIME
When your baby is holding their head up on their own, it’s time to introduce tummy time. Baby may not like it at first but it is important to keep trying. This helps increase strength in your baby’s neck and back so they can build the muscles to roll over, sit up and learn to crawl.
Here are some ways to help your baby become adjusted to the ten to twenty minutes a day they need to spend on their tummy. Place baby on a blanket on their tummy on the floor. Place favorite toys just out of your baby’s reach, encourage them to lift their head and reach for them. You can also get on the floor directly in front of baby and talk, read or sing to them. They will raise their head and eventually will balance themselves with their hands and arms to look at you. You are helping them build those all important muscles.
One word of caution must be said here, never place baby on their tummy to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics (APP) say studies show back sleeping reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Since 1992 80% of parents following the APP’s recommendation of back to sleep has reduced the rate of SIDS by 40%.
Make tummy time a fun time and you and your baby will benefit.

How to Have a Smarter Baby

YOUR NEW BABY

Congratulations! You have had your baby. Now that you are accustomed to the feeding and sleeping schedules of your brand new infant you may be thinking, what are some ways I can foster early development in my child? There are many toys on the market that declare that by using their special, expensive toys will result in your baby being a smarter baby. The good news is you do not have to purchase these items to have a smart baby. The very best things you as a parent can do to promote early childhood development and have a smart baby are talking, reading, singing, and simply playing with your child!


READING

It‘s true. Reading aloud is one of the simplest ways to connect with your baby, and it’s free. It brings to two things your baby loves the most together, your voice and you. While you are reading to them they feel safe and loved, and you are teaching your baby communication, building listening, memory, and vocabulary skills. You are introducing your baby to concepts such as shapes, colors, numbers and letters, along with giving them information about the big new world around them. By the time your baby reaches their first birthday they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak whatever their native language! Babies who parents frequently talk and read to their baby know more words by the age of two than children who have not been read to.


TALKING

Another way to enrich your baby's language and speech development is to simply talk to them. When you change your baby’s diaper talk about what you are doing, count toes and fingers. Point out body parts. As you continue your daily routine continue to talk with your baby, about the colors in the room, what you are doing, what it is like outside and play peek-a-boo. There are endless ways to converse with your infant. Yes it’s true, they won’t understand everything you say but your baby will express their delight with you by cooing. Their eyes will light up and they will move their hands and feet in excitement. While all this is happening millions of important, unseen connections are forming in their brains to use when needed throughout their lives. Imagine that, and it did not cost you a penny!


SINGING

Yes, singing! Can’t carry a tune in a bucket? Good news parents. Baby does not care what you sound like or what song you are singing. You can sing comforting songs to baby when trying to get them to go to sleep. During playtime nursery rhymes and finger plays are fun ways to continue language and speech development. Songs can help your baby learn motions. Try “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. Help your baby in clapping his or her hands together. Before long your baby will be clapping both hands and singing along! If you need a nursery rhyme refresher go to your local library. The Children's Librarian will have lots of suggestions on books that have Nursery rhymes and finger plays.

As you can see, these no cost, fun ways to interact with your child can bring both of you an exceptional bonding experiance and many fond memories. Why not start trying them today!

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January, February and March Newsletter

Newsletter 2011