Favorite Cognitive Toy

This is one of our favorite cognitive toys for children ages 2 1/2 to 5 years old. Children are introduced to science, pre-writing skills, critical thinking, colors, hand and eye coordination and the bonus is it's a lot of fun.

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Safety In The Kitchen

SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN

The kitchen is usually the hub of the home. Family gatherings, homework at the counter, science experiments, and lots of creative meals, but to a toddler, all they see are shiny sparkly things that they want to touch and play with. Here are a few tips to keep your little one safe in and around the kitchen.

1.  Plug ALL electrical sockets with safety caps. Outlets throughout the kitchen that are near a water source should have GFCI, ground fault circuit interrupters, which protect against electrocution if an electrical appliance gets wet. (If you live in an older home that may not be "up to code," have an electrician inspect your circuit breaker panel.)
 2.   Blinds: Cords should be raised beyond child’s reach.
 3.   Trash cans (ALL) should have lids
 4.     Knives should be stored in a locked drawer when not in use. They should not be left close to the edge of the counter when in use.
 5.  Knobs on stove should be out of children’s reach. If this is not possible, remove knobs and replace them only when stove is in use.
 6.   Pots should be placed on the rear burner of the stove while cooking. If front burners must be used turn handles towards the rear of the stove.
 7.  Keep children away from the cooking area of the kitchen while food is being prepared. This includes babies on hips. Food splatters or boils over,  and children are curious and want to touch.
 8.   Walkers — devices with wheeled frames and suspended seats that allow babies to move around using their feet — are a big no-no nowadays. Health experts strongly discourage the use of walkers. While in walkers, babies can roll into hot stoves, heaters, and pools. They also can fall over objects or down a flight of stairs.
 9.    Use safety locks that are built in on microwaves and refrigerators with ice and water dispensers on the door.

Cooking With Kids

One of my favorite things to do is cooking with my children. Now that I have grandchildren, I think I love it even more. I have found that when children help cook their own meal they are more likely to eat it. Here is an article with some tips about cooking with your kids. Happy Reading.

Cooking with Kids

The Third Parent
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" I Don't Like That"

"I don't like that!!!", says the three year old. 

How often have you heard that phrase at the dinner table?  The same thing they ate just last week is now on the "I don't like it" list today. Some nutritionist don't believe in hiding vegetables in children's food but that same nutritionist isn't at your table everyday at dinner time when your child refuses to eat. 

Presentation. Presentation. Presentation.

Sometimes it's all about how you present food to a child. Use those fruit and veggies to make faces on your child's plate. Chop veggies up into their favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce. Get creative and watch that good start disappearing off your child's plate. 

What Wrong With This Picture

Imagine a toddler walking towards this stove. What's wrong with in this picture? How many hazards can you find? Leave a comment.

Chemical Reaction

The Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, Arkansas is one of our favorite places to take the kids. There is something there for kids of all ages.  Wiggle Worms is a class for children ages 0-6 years.  The kids get so excited when Ms. Lennie does an experiment with them. Today's experiment was about chemical reactions. Watch what happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar.

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New Parent Tip.... Bottle Nipples

New Parent Tip.....

Did you know that baby bottle nipples come in sizes? No, one size does not fit all. As your child grows, their eating habits change.

Level one nipples are best for babies under three months. The nipple only allows a small amount of milk to flow through as your baby sucks. This also helps to prevent too much air getting into baby's tummy and prevents choking from too much milk coming out at one time.

Level two nipples are best for babies three to six months. The hole in the nipple is larger for a more even flow of milk. More milk is consumed in one swallow thus making the introduction of cereal and puree' foods easier.

Level three nipples are best for babies six months and up. This nipple helps prepare your baby for larger amounts of milk flow that will soon come when they transition to a sippy cup.

The Third Parent Academy

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Are Your Children Learning Essential Life Skills

Childhood Essentials


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Recipes Galore . . . .

The Third Parent Academy
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Favorite Read Aloud Book - Under The Bed

"Wildly entertaining without being alarming, Under The Bed will send a wary child to bed giggling. The book's crazy collection of worried creatures are scared-not scary- and every child will know it's true.

Boisterous. Brilliantly colorful. Hairy green, spiney red, warty and winged, these monsters flee the bedroom when they discover the child at rest. But not before they've stirred a mild rumpus and prepared your child for deep, sweet sleep."

This is the cutest book about monsters under the bed. By the time you finish reading the book, your child will realize that the monsters are all gone and they are more afraid of your child. Its a favorite around here.

The Third Parent Academy

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New Parent Tip of the Week

       Stoppers (valves) should always be taken out of the sippy cup lids before placing them in the dishwasher. Milk and juice gets trapped between the lid and the stopper and molds during the drying cycle. (Same rule applies to nipples on bottles)

        Mold Grows Inside The Valve of Sippy Cups

        The Third Parent Academy
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Developing Your Child's Self-Esteem

You child's self-esteem or lack thereof, can make or break their success.


Developing Your Child's Self-Esteem

Baby Merlin's Magic Sleep Suit

"When your baby gets into this pretty pink microfleece Magic Sleepsuit, you can rest assured knowing your little angel is secure and comfy dozing off to dreamland.  The cozy microfleece outer layer, breathable cotton inner layer with a layer of polyfil in between provides just enough security and comfort to muffle your baby's startles and make the swaddle transition go smoothly. The scooped neckline keeps fabric away from baby's face, and double zippers make for easy diaper changes.  The Magic Sleepsuit is to be used for back sleeping in the crib, the recommended safe sleep position."

The Merlin's Magical Sleep Suit is perfect for babies transitioning from swaddling but not quite ready for a sleep sack. I've used them with several children and they work like a charm. They work wonders for babies going through sleep training. Less waking up and more sound sleeping which leads to a happier, less cranky baby. I highly recommend them. They come in 4 colors - pink, blue, yellow and cream. They are machine washable but its best to lay flat to dry or on a very low setting in the dryer.

Recipes Galore. . . .

Baby Sign Language

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Favorite Read Aloud Book - Five Little Monkeys Bake A Birthday Cake

"Five little monkeys wake up with the sun. Today is their mama’s birthday and they are going to bake a cake. They'll have to measure the flour and mix in the right number of eggs, and get it all into the oven in time for the birthday surprise—without waking up Mama!"

     This is such a fun and cute book. Measuring, counting, following a recipe/directions and working as a team are just some of the skills that can be obtained by reading this book with children. I also ask open ended questions to get their minds and imaginations flowing. "Shhhh.....don't wake up mama.", is a line that is repeated throughout the book. After about the third time, the kids are saying it with me. We have read this book numerous times and now when we get to that one particular line, the kids are so excited that they beat me saying it.

    You can find this book in your local Public Library but by the time you return it, you'll want to buy it to add to your personal library. Happy Reading.

Angela Johnson Sutherland
www.thethirdparent.com

New Parent Tip Of The Week

This week's tip is - BE CONSISTENT

     Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay. Being wishy-washy only brings about confusion and temper tantrums. If there are special circumstances, they need to be explained BEFORE permission is granted. When consistency is not used, older children think that if they keep asking you'll eventually say yes. For toddlers and young children, they bring out the big guns - temper tantrums. They think if they cry long enough and loud enough you'll give in.

     Be prepared to leave restaurants, parties, outdoor activities and other functions early. Children will choose to wait until you're in a public place to get your consent on something you've already told them they cant have or do. If you give in once or twice to save yourself the embarrassment of people staring at you and giving you angry or sympathetic looks, your child will notice and repeat this pattern over and over again. What YOU must realize is, You are their parent and it is YOUR responsibility to raise YOUR children according to YOUR standards, not the people staring at you. If your children see you giving in to "peer pressure", what message is that sending to them? They may not want to do what you say but they will repeat your actions.

     By being consistent, your child knows what to expect from you and you from them. It will help you to avoid embarrassing moments in public and enjoy the activities you're engaged in.


Angela Johnson Sutherland
www.thethirdparent.com

Are Math Skills Less Imoprtant Than Reading


My Thoughts On This Article:

I am an infant/toddler specialist and I totally agree that math and math words are over looked when it comes to younger children. Children encounter math several times daily. As an early child educator, I try to change this mindset with both the parents and children that I work with. 

Children learn through their environment. I like use what I call unconventional teachable moments to teach math skills. I exposed them to new concepts and experiences on a weekly basis. The concepts they use one week are carried over into a new experience the next week. Because all children don't learn the same way nor at the same pace, I make sure that the same basic math concepts are taught in several ways. The more they use the concepts, the better they understand. 

The article mentions that most parents are more likely to read to their children and feel that it is more important than math skills. Even with this being the case, there are books that introduce math words on an early learner level.I go to the children's section of the public library. There are plenty of fun picture books in the math and counting section. While reading picture books introduces a child to over 1000 new words, why not choose some books that will introduce them to math words and counting. 

Math is used in critical thinking (putting a puzzle together), geometrical shapes ( playing with legos, wooden and magnitile blocks, shape sorting), cooking ( measuring ingredients, setting temperature of oven, setting the timer) sharing with friends or siblings (counting to make sure there are equal amounts) reading (how many more pages until the end of the story). There are many more ways to introduce math skills to young children through play and daily routines. These are just a few that I use with the infants and toddlers I work with. 

Angela Johnson Sutherland 

www.thethirdparent.com

Communicating with your newborn

Happy Mother's Day

Have a beautifully blessed day ladies.

The Third Parent Academy

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Bugs Bugs Go Away

Safe Bug Repellents

"From Derek Anderson, the illustrator of the bestselling Little Quack series! In Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure, Anderson created a funny up-and-down counting story. Ten Hungry Pigs brings more piggy counting fun! One pig sets out to make a perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. Ten more pigs soon come along, adding all kinds of food, from pancakes and peas to macaroni and cheese. But wait! There aren't eleven pigs ??? are there? Ten Hungry Pigs is a fun counting book with a twist."

This book is so much fun. We checked it out from the library 4 times and read it several times a day to the 3 and 5 year olds. Even when we weren't reading it to them, they would sit down with the book and read it to each other. When we finally purchased a copy of the book we quickly realized that we should have bought one for each of them, they literally fight over who is going to read it first. We did eventually buy another one and six months later they are still enjoying this book daily.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

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