Parenthood HQ

Top 10 Ways To Prevent Obesity In Kids
 by: Nancy Hill

I’m sure you’ve seen the dire reports about childhood obesity becoming rampant in America. It’s a scary thing and not an experience any of us wish upon our children. Preventing obesity can be easy and empowering for children. Give them control over their bodies. Teach them to tune in to their real needs and to treat themselves with love and respect.

1) Allow children to be in charge of which foods they eat.

2) Make all foods equal and teach kids to check in with their bodies and choose foods based on what their bodies are asking for.

What should you do to have a happy pregnancy? Many things you could do, but what most pregnant women rarely do is having a vacation. Get a life and try to relax a little bit. Or take an extended weekend just to refresh and recharge your batteries.

Downtime is very important, and in a world where nearly all of us are tied to cell phones and lap tops, even away from the office, it is good to get away from it all from time to time. Having time to walk along the beach or play golf or even to stay inside and read a great book without interruptions can help us recharge our batteries.

Protect your Allergic Child in School
 by: Nadine O’Reilly

A severe allergic reaction to milk, peanuts, wheat, shellfish, latex and other types of triggers can keep a youngster from fully enjoying childhood. And that’s not right.

We know how challenging and frightening it is to send a child with a severe allergy out into the world. A simple birthday party becomes a potentially deadly obstacle course for a child with a severe food allergy or latex allergy. You can’t stop your mind from questioning everything; did the hostess remember to make sure no peanut oil (or wheat, or milk) was used in the cake? Will the festive balloons trigger your precious one’s latex allergy? Whatever the cause of your child’s severe allergic reaction-wheat allergy, shellfish allergy, peanut allergy, milk allergy, etc.-you know it is out there.

Years ago my husband and I attended a parenting class and one thing that stands out in my mind from that course was something very simplistic that the trainer said. He asked the question, “If your kid doesn’t like broccoli, what should you do?”

I thought for a minute while he paused and the first thought that came to me was, do my kids even like broccoli? Hmmmmm.

Fostering Healthy Eating Habits In Your Baby
 by: Sarah Veda

If you’re concerned about your baby’s health, you want to be certain to start healthy eating habits early. The first year of solid foods is a very important time for establishing your child’s eating habits. What your child eats, and more importantly, does not eat, during this time can impact their habits for life. Here are some tips for starting out right with your child’s first menu.

Watch the sugar

How to Teach Your Child Right From Wrong
 by: Clay LaRoy

0 - 1 YEAR

At this stage in life, the concepts of right and wrong are not

possible to teach. Rather, an infant who is shown warmth,

cuddling and loving attention is likely to grow into a healthy

and happy adult.

1 - 2 YEARS

Rather than scolding a child or arguing with him about

misbehaver, try to take preventative measures beforehand. If

you don’t want him pulling things out the cupboards, make sure

they are secured. At this age of short attention span,

I Want To Do It Myself!
 by: Robin Goldstein, Ph.D.

Problem: I have a 2 1/2 year old that is so intent on doing things without help that she will tell me in that strong willed voice, “I do it!” I am finding myself getting into many power struggles with her, especially when I’m in a hurry to get out of the house. Any suggestions for how to make things go smoother during this stage?

Living With Pets- Keeping Your Baby Safe
 by: Sarah Veda

So, up to this point, your dog or cat has been your baby, but now there’s a little human on the way. It is normal and, in fact, wise to be concerned about how the two are going to mix. The chances are very good that everything will work quite well and your pet and your child will be very close buddies, but there are some things you can do to be prepared. First some tips for dogs:

Teach your dog to stay out of the nursery

One of the most common conditions a new mother may see on her infant, is baby acne. But while it is startling in so young a child, it’s really not a serious issue, nor should you be overly concerned about the causes or cures.

Some babies when born, may have small red bumps on their face. This is not baby acne, but something called "milia", which usually disappears in a couple of weeks. On the other hand, the acne will appear around that same two week period, and show itself as small white heads, sometimes surrounded by red, irritated skin on the cheeks, chin, forehead and even the back.

Quick And Easy Snacks For Your Toddler
 by: Christine Steendahl

Your growing toddler needs to snack quite a few times a day in addition to eating regular meals with the rest of the family. Here are a few quick and easy snack ideas that you can put together in just a few minutes. You toddler will enjoy these yummy snacks.

Ham and Cheese Crackers

Cut up some pieces of ham and cheese and serve them with some crackers. If you want to make it fun, use a cookie cutter to cut fun shapes out of the cheese.