You know, people like to joke about diarrhea but it can actually be the sign of something pretty serious, especially in children. You know the song, right? I won't repeat it here but my guess is most of us have a version called to mind from when we were kids that utilizes baseball bases.
In infants and young children, diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which can land a kid in the emergency room, the one place a parent wishes to never, ever go.
My son has diarrhea out of the blue, I just found out. The daycare workers advised me when I picked him up from school this evening. Apparently it happened four times. And no one thought to call me? Well, for my part I freaked out like any new parent would and hit both the nurse hotline at my pediatrician and the internet.
Looks like we'll be heading to the local deli to pick up some pedialyte to go along with the water and formula I've given him. He does seem to have a very mild temperature, which I am watching vigilantly in case it turns into a full , he is as energetic and happy as he always is.
Frankly, I am sure he'll be fine but I am still terrified. What caused this? Is it still in my house? Will he get it again--or, will he transfer whatever is causing it to me? More than anything, I feel bad for the little guy, although he seems to be taking it well. I guess this is just one of those baby "firsts" no one likes to talk about!
I really hate it when parents get up on a high horse and make judgments about other people's parenting decisions, and I am mortified when I here one parent lambaste another for bottle feeding instead of breast feeding, or deciding to vaccinate, or not. So I have to say I was rather embarrassed that my post about TV as a babysitter came across just exactly that way. Oy.
I absolutely understand that many people need to have their children safely engaged while they do things like take shower or put a casserole in the oven. And I completely get that I'm blessed with a husband who a) works from home, b) does his fair share or more of the housework/food preparation, and c) is a hands-on and involved parent. In other words, I know I have it easy--compared at least to parents whose partners work extremely long hours or choose to think that it's their partner's job do everything child relate--though I do work ten hour days with kids, and come home regularly feeling like a piece of shredded meat. But that's another story.
Really, I wasn't trying to claim that I have it all figured out--though it may have come across that way. I can see where single moms--and I bow down to them, again and again and again for all the astounding and inconceivable work that they do day after day--might have no choice to rely on TV for a few minutes of downtime. And when it comes down to it, to each her own, is really the only way to go. I mean, who am I really to claim any which way is the way to go?
I guess the bottom line is that I wish more parents don't try to limit TV time in general. I see the negative affects of screen time regularly in the classroom. Kids these days are watching more television, playing more video games, and watching more movies than any generation of kids previous to them, and as a result they've forgotten how to play hopscotch and jump rope on the playground. No joke. Several of my first graders haven't the slightest idea what a jump rope rhyme might even be. None knew the rules for hopscotch when I asked.
So aside from the fact that I was surprised that more parents weren't selfishly grabbing some one-on-one time with their partners during time that their kids were tuned in to the screen, as a teacher I would be thrilled if every parent would limit the amount of time that their kid spends in front of the TV--especially when they're folding laundry or making dinner and their child could be meaningfully involved.
For the longest time, my 2nd son's signature contained what we called a "squid R'", a round ball with two straight lines protruding out of the bottom, because that's what he thought an R looked like.
I loved that little Squid R so much, I saved many kindergarten papers just because of it, knowing he'd soon outgrow using a primitive rendition of a sea creatures as part of the alphabet. If you'd like to capture and preserve your child's developing handwriting, Fontifer can quickly and easily create a font you can use on your computer based on any handwriting sample for only $9.
All you need to do is bribe your child to write out the alphabet on Fontifer's form, scan and save it, upload the template and see if you like it, and then pay via paypal or credit card in order to be able to download and install the font on your computer for the next email to grandma to be in Jr's very own handwriting!
You could even buy a new font every year and keep a record of the progress (or lack of it!) in their penmanship!
With the stories we hear of women giving birth in taxis and other forms of transportation on the way to the hospital, etc., it should come as no surprise to hear the story of a woman giving birth on a train. Needless to say, however, the mother was quite surprised, given her daughter was not due for another two months.
Bhuri Kalbi of India said not only did she not realize she'd given birth when she went to the bathroom on the train, but also that the baby had sadly slipped down the toilet, and, as a result, onto the train tracks below. What could have ended as a terribly sad story, however, has turned out to have a have a happy one after all.
The birth itself was so quick Kalbi didn't even notice. She fainted and then, when she awakened, immediately notified her family. The train was stopped and attendants from a nearby station were alerted. The baby was found uninjured on a bunch of pebbles.
While waiting in a coffee shop the other day for my to-go order to be prepared, I took a seat in a comfy armchair and started flipping through magazines. On the table beside me, I put my pocketbook and two bottled drinks I just bought. A few minutes later I was startled from my magazine by an adorable blond pig-tailed little girl, probably around three years old, maybe a couple months younger. She'd come up in front of me and was pointing out some feature on the wall to our right--the plant maybe, or a picture, I wasn't really paying attention. I smiled. It's my first response when approached by kids. But apparently this little one saw my smile as an invitation to never leave me alone again. She started talking to me. Asking me questions, scooting closer, until her body was pressed up against my knee.
Starting to feel rather awkward I began scanning the coffee shop for the whereabouts of her caregiver. I mean, a friendly hello is one thing. An entire conversation with a random three year old is another. Not to mention that at this point she had physically reached out, picked up my pocket book and tried to open it before I gently removed it from her hands. She then went for my beverages, trying to pick them up one after the other, twisting the tops. Again I gently removed them, muttering that they weren't for her to touch, but at this point I was kind of feeling invaded and annoyed.
Her mother eventually did meander across the room, but instead of apologizing for her child's in my opinion rude behavior, she just hovered nearby, snapping occasionally at her daughter if she tried to touch my stuff again.
Was I wrong to expect the mother to apologize for her child's behavior? Even if her child had a learning disability or handicap--which is what I always consider when I make generalizations about a child's behavior--the mother could have said something simple like, "She's really working on respecting other people's space" or "She still doesn't quite get that it's not okay to touch other people's stuff," and all would have been well and good. Or?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 24,000 baby cribs manufactured by Munire Furniture Inc., of Piscataway, New Jersey. The cribs fail to meet the federal safety standards in that the brackets supporting the mattress spring are too long and prevent the spring from lowering to the full 26 inch minimum height in the lowest position. This could allow a child to crawl over the railing and fall.
This recall involves several different crib models:
Majestic Curved Top cribs with model number 9500
Majestic Flat Top cribs with model number 9000
Essex cribs with model number 7100
Brighton/Sussex cribs with model number 9100
Captiva cribs with model number 5100.
Only cribs with manufacture dates between November 1, 2005 and November 1, 2007 are included in this recall. You can find the crib model number printed on the white label on the bottom inside of the right side rail. The crib manufacture date is printed on either the white label near the model number or on the white label on the bottom of the headboard. Cribs with a green sticker on the mattress frame are not included in this recall.
Manufactured in Indonesia, these cribs were sold at specialty juvenile product stores nationwide from November 2005 through November 2007 for between $400 and $600.
If you have one of the recalled cribs, you should stop using it immediately band contact Munire Furniture to receive replacement spring brackets. You can reach them by calling (866) 586-9639 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET or by visiting their Web site.
Wow, to see the world through a toddler's eyes. Thanks for such a perfect and innocent capture, Jhar Churanga!
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It is a scary, scary world out there for some children. Earlier this week, police in Toronto, Ontario, Canada found a three-year old girl who had been abandoned in her home. After much coaxing, the little girl finally opened a side door for police, and they eventually walked her to her school as their cruiser was not equipped with a child seat.
Police have placed her two older siblings with Children's Aid, and though they didn't disclose the reason why the child was left alone or how they found out about her, they have charged (and subsequently released) the mother, and the father has been arrested for assault charges against all three children - ages 3, 6, and 8.
I can't imagine what possible circumstances could lead a mother to abandon her children, but apparently this happens more often than we may realize. In fact, this was the third child in the area to be abandoned in less than a month. I'm sure there are many more stories like this that go unreported to the public.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
If you have a child between the ages of 1 and 11 suffering from acid reflux disease, you now have a new option for providing them some relief. Today, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Nexium in doses of 10 or 20 milligrams for that age group.
Nexium was already approved for kids over the age of 12 and is now considered safe for younger kids for short-term use. Nexium is a prescription drug made by AstraZeneca that works by inhibiting the proton pump, which reduces the amount of acid produced in the stomach. It also helps heal the esophagus caused by the excess acid.
The FDA says that common side effects from the drug are headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, gas, constipation, dry mouth and sleepiness. Talk to you doctor!Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
From 1968 to 2000, Fred Rogers greeted viewers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood in the exact same way: singing Won't You Be My Neighbor?, he slipped into a pair of sneakers and pulled on a comfy zip-up cardigan. The sweaters that he wore, hand-knit by his mother, are as much a part of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood as the trolley that runs through the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and King Friday himself.
The city of Pittsburgh, Mr. Rogers' hometown, is celebrating its 250th birthday and honoring the life of Fred Rogers on March 15-20 with Won't You Be My Neighbor Days. But even if you can't be in Pittsburgh to participate in the festivities, you can still celebrate Mr. Rogers on what would have been his 80th birthday. March 20th has been designated Sweater Day. Kids and adults around the world are invited to don their favorite sweaters and "make the most of this beautiful day." The unfortunately named Mr. McFeeley has all the details in the video above.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
I really hate it when parents get up on a high horse and make judgments about other people's parenting decisions, and I am mortified when I here one parent lambaste another for bottle feeding instead of breast feeding, or deciding to vaccinate, or not. So I have to say I was rather embarrassed that 
For the longest time, my 2nd son's signature contained what we called a "squid R'", a round ball with two straight lines protruding out of the bottom, because that's what he thought an R looked like. 
While waiting in a coffee shop the other day for my to-go order to be prepared, I took a seat in a comfy armchair and started flipping through magazines. On the table beside me, I put my pocketbook and two bottled drinks I just bought. A few minutes later I was startled from my magazine by an adorable blond pig-tailed little girl, probably around three years old, maybe a couple months younger. She'd come up in front of me and was pointing out some feature on the wall to our right--the plant maybe, or a picture, I wasn't really paying attention. I smiled. It's my first response when approached by kids. But apparently this little one saw my smile as an invitation to never leave me alone again. She started talking to me. Asking me questions, scooting closer, until her body was pressed up against my knee. 
The 
It is a scary, scary world out there for some children. Earlier this week, police in Toronto, Ontario, Canada found a three-year old girl 
If you have a child between the ages of 1 and 11 suffering from acid reflux disease, you now have a new option for