Last week was about the importance of reading to children. This is my experience with reading as a child and adult. Gosh, I love to read now as an adult! I can pick up a book and finish it just a few hours later. I love getting into a story and seeing where it takes me. I can say all this now, but I don’t … Continue reading My Experiences with Reading
I tape any movies or specials that the children want to watch. While taping, I view the show so I can edit out commercials and determine if it is appropriate. This allows me to “screen” the show and has helped us develop a library of good movies. Linda Grant We have set times and shows that the children can watch. For awhile we tried afternoon cartoons, … Continue reading This Works for Me: Monitoring TV
Post Partum Depression(PPD) affects between 11 and 20 percent of women. It can be a mild case or a severe case, but usually goes away on its own over time. PPD is a disorder that occurs after the birth of a child, usually due to hormone imbalances. Some symptoms of PPD are loss of appetite, sadness, feeling worthless, feeling rejected, loss of interest in the … Continue reading Dealing with Post Partum Depression
When disciplining children because they’ve said something hurtful or mistreated their siblings or friends–tell them the next two things they do or say must be something NICE towards that person. Run out of BUBBLEBATH? Try baby shampoo Another bathtime idea–let children ear bathing suits and blow bubbles in the bathtubs for DAYTIME BATH FUN. To sort various family activities on the calendar, us a DIFFERENT COLOR PEN for … Continue reading This Works for Me!
Freeze mini bagels for the teething baby to gnaw on. The coldness of the bagel feels good on their gums and it is soft enough that when melted they can eat it! (Jenn Rakowski) Put the pacifier in the freezer, so that it is cold when they want it. Your fingers Frozen bananas What did you do to help with teething babies? Continue reading This Works for Me: Teething
Holidays are an important and stress time for many families. The focus of the holidays is to celebrate but often we become so busy with preparations that we forget their true meaning. Meeting everyone’s needs during the holidays, as well as bringing to life the picture we’ve painted in our own minds, can over-stress our bodies. Our bodies can be over-stressed both physically (e.g. overeating, … Continue reading Stress and the Holidays
This holiday is not so celebrated in the United States as it is in other countries. Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th by having a young women come with lights and sweets. My mother loved this holiday and we celebrated every year until I was in high school. We used to get up early and make some sort of breakfast, my memories are that … Continue reading Santa Lucia
Give each child their own nativity set. It could be one they can play with or one that’s handmade. Let them keep it in their room. Teach children customs from another faith or country. serve smelts, spaghetti with anchovies, and shrimp on Christmas Eve as the Italians do. You could light a Hanukkah candles to remember where the Jewish and Christian faiths come from. Families from … Continue reading Holiday Ideas
Protect your children from other people’s advice. A well-maning relative may say, “You’re the man of the family now,” to a 7-year-old who is not qualified to fill that role. Consider taking them out of school temporarily. Some teachers expect “business as usual” when your child may not be up to it. After dealing with a death, your child may feel his/her peers are immature or … Continue reading For Children Dealing with Death
On the first day of Christmas, ENCOURAGEMENT said to mer: 1. Be Sure to PRAY. WIth your spiritual needs filled, you will have a sense of peace. 2.EAT REGULARLY. Maintain regular eating patterns. Avoid excessive sugar, caffeine and alcohol which could contribute to feelings of irritability, testiness, and drowsiness. 3.Know your LIMITS (physical, mental, monetary, etc.) and adhere to them. 4.PACE yourself- give yourself plenty of time to … Continue reading 12 Ways to a Happy Holiday Season
The Italian Grandmama's Guide with Angela DiCicco 