Parent Newsletters - Issue 20

No Limits Learning
kids goals Ezine

Issue 20, October 21st, /06

IN THIS PARENT NEWSLETTER

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
2. MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM CRIB TO BED
3. HELPING YOUR CHILD COPE WITH NIGHTMARES
4. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS
5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)
6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION
7. SPONSORS

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the next issue of the kidsgoals.com Newsletter. One of the major milestones in your child’s life is when he moves from crib to bed but how do you know when your child is ready? Our first article deals with that question and gives you information on how to make the transition as easy as possible for the both of you.

Nightmares are very common in younger children and our next article will deal with this issue. Since this will be our last newsletter before October 31st Cassie and I want to wish you and your children a Safe and Happy Halloween.

Happy Parenting,

Monicka

2.FROM CRIB TO BED

My eldest son Jordan (now 24) let us know in no uncertain terms when he was ready for the transition from the safety of his crib to a big-boy bed. It was just before Christmas and we had given him a taste of a chocolate truffle. He absolutely loved it but I didn’t want him to have an upset stomach so I told him only one before bed, which he was not very happy about. We tucked him in for the night and then shortly after that my husband and I also went to bed. Unbeknownst to us, my son had decided that one truffle was not enough and had climbed out of his crib in the night, to get more. We found him in the morning fast asleep covered in chocolate from head to foot and snuggled in his arms was the empty box of truffles. Suffice to say he had a bit of an upset tummy the next morning but otherwise was no worse for wear.

Prior to the chocolate incident my son had not shown any sign of being able to leave his crib on his own accord so it was a big surprise to my husband and I when we realized he was very capable of it. We decided then and there to get him a child’s bed to prevent him from injuring himself when we were not around.

While being able to climb out of his crib by himself is a good sign your child is ready for a bed, there are also other reasons to consider. Sometimes it is just a matter of space. If a child can’t comfortably turn over without hitting the sides of the crib it may also be time to make the move. My son was just over two when he made the transition but keep in mind that every child is different. Another thing to keep in mind is that your child may still need the secure feeling of the crib and may not be ready for the change to a big bed. Even if everything you read says that a child should be put into a bed when they reach the height of 35 inches some kids may take a little longer.

Once you decide your child is ready it is important to understand that this can be very traumatic. Some children make the change from crib to bed with ease, while other children may need to make the change gradually. You can try to put a mattress on the floor as a first step to see if your child is ready for a child’s bed. Other ways to ease the transition are:

Have a discussion with your child about sleeping in a bed just like their Big Brother or Sister or even Mom and Dad and think how much fun that will be.
Choose a toddler bed, which tends to be smaller and lower than regular single beds and some even come with guardrails to prevent your child from falling out of bed.
If you choose a regular single bed make sure all sides are protected. You can put a smaller mattress or foamy on the floor on the side that is away from the wall for added safety.
Let your child help you choose his sheets and comforter, it will help give him a sense of ownership and pride in his new bed.
Let him keep familiar things such as a favourite blanket or stuffed toys to place on his bed.
Try to keep a regular routine such as to read a story snuggled in his new bed together and make sure to tuck him in every night to make him feel more secure.

The most important thing to remember is to be patient while your child is making this transition and never force your child to make the change if he is showing signs that he is not quite ready. Even if he seems ready one day and then has second thoughts respect his wishes. In this way you will make this new milestone in your child’s life a positive experience for the both of you.

By Monicka

3. NIGHTMARES

Your Child’s Nightmares – How You Can Help Him Cope

A child’s nightmares can be very scary. Nighttime itself can be scary enough! I remember being terrified when I had to go to the bathroom at night as I was convinced that a monster lived inside the toilet. I would flush and then race back to bed, the monster roaring in my ears, and leap into bed before the one that hid under the bed could grab my bare feet, drag me under and eat me up.

Most children experience nightmares; it is certainly common and almost certainly perfectly normal. Nightmare give a child’s brain the opportunity to test out frightening thoughts and experiences in a safe environment.

Suggestions for helping your child cope with nightmares:

Restrict or discourage watching scary movies or reading scary books, especially soon before bedtime
Talk about your own dreams and nightmares with your child, encouraging him to understand that everyone experiences them and that they are not real
Keep in mind your child’s routine and be aware that any stressful experiences, from starting school to a new sibling, may cause a spate of nightmares
Help your child to think creatively about his nightmares. He can talk about them, draw pictures, write or act the nightmare out. Encourage him to think up a happier ending for the nightmare or to make friends with the “baddy” or “monster” in the dream. You can even do this there and then in the night if necessary to calm your child down
When a nightmare occurs, go to your child as quickly as possible. You may wish to consider a baby monitor if you don’t always hear him immediately.
Use cuddles and reassurance. Never scold the child, realize that his fear is genuine.
Stay with your child until he has calmed down. You may need to turn the light on and comfort him with a favorite activity if it was a particularly frightening dream.
Be prepared to stay with him until he has calmed down. If your child is particularly frightened, you may need to soothe him with a favourite (but relaxing) activity, such as reading a book together.

While it may be tempting to take your child back into the comfort of your bed with you, think carefully before doing this as if it happens regularly the child’s own bed can become a more and more frightening place!

By Cassie

4. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS

PUMPKIN COOKIES

(With adult supervision)
With a glass of milk makes a nice bedtime snack.

This makes about 4 dozen

You will need:

1 cup butter or non-hydrogenated margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter (or margarine) and sugar well. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let it cook on wire rack. Store in a covered container to keep them soft.

A HALLOWEEN MOBILE

It’s always nice for older kids to make something for the baby, and if you have a baby in a crib a mobile is a fun and easy thing to make.

What you need: Two wire coat hangers Pliers Safe blunt-ended scissors Tape String Thick paper Felt tip pens or paints

We’ve uploaded some special Halloween templates for you on the website at www.kidsgoals.com/halloween1.htmland www.kidsgoals.com/halloween2.html so print these out onto your thick paper.

The kids can cut these out (one of each or more as you wish) and color them in.

Cut the tops off the coat hangers so you are left with two triangles of wire. Tape them together at right angles.

Use the string to hang your Halloween shapes from the mobile. A nice idea for a mobile is to tape the string to the back of each shape, around about the middle, so that it hangs down facing the baby rather than upright.

Now tie the mobile above the crib and watch baby coo with delight!

5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONEFUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)

Q: What did the snowman and his wife put over their baby's crib?
A: A snowmobile!

Observing The Baby

One night a wife found her husband standing over their baby's crib. Silently she watched him. As he stood looking down at the sleeping infant, she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: disbelief, doubt, delight, amazement, enchantment, skepticism. Touched by this unusual display and the deep emotions it aroused, with eyes glistening she slipped her arm around her husband.

"A penny for your thoughts," she said.

"It's amazing!" he replied. "I just can't see how anybody can make a crib like that for only $46.50."

A new mother went to the psychiatrist worried.

"Doctor," she said, "Since I had the baby I can't sleep at night. When I'm in the next room, I have this dreadful fear that I won't hear the baby if he falls out of the crib at night. What should I do?"

"Easy," said the doctor. "Just take the carpet off the floor."

Two babies were sitting in their cribs, when one baby shouted to the other, “Are you a little girl or a little boy?"

"I don't know," replied the other baby, giggling.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" said the first baby.

"I mean I don't know how to tell the difference," was the reply.

"Well, I do," said the first baby, chuckling, "I'll climb into your crib and find out."

He carefully maneuvered himself into the other baby's crib, then quickly disappeared beneath the blankets. After a couple of minutes, he resurfaced with a big grin on his face. "You're a little girl, and I'm a little boy," he said proudly.

"You're ever so clever," cooed the baby girl, "but how can you tell?"

"It's quite easy really," replied the baby boy. "You've got pink socks and I’ve got blue ones."

6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION

"There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him asleep." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I have had dreams, and I have had nightmares. I overcame the nightmares because of my dreams.” --Dr. Jonas Salk

7. SPONSORS

If you can suggest any organizations or websites that might want to sponsor this newsletter, or reprint our articles, please email Cassie or Monicka at kidsgoals.com.

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