No parent likes to punish their child; however, sometimes correcting their bad behavior is necessary. Many parents wonder if they’re being too harsh, not harsh enough, or simply taking the wrong approach when it comes to children and discipline. There is nothing wrong with being confused as it is a normal process whether you’re a first time parent or a parent of five. It is important to keep in mind that discipline is very necessary in order to keep your child on the straight and narrow.

The Sooner the Better

No one is suggesting that you go home and slap your newborn on the hand because they threw up on your shirt! Obviously at this age they do not necessarily understand what is going on or what is right and what is wrong. However, discipline should be a part of a child’s life the moment they are mobile and able to get into trouble. There are age appropriate methods that will help you in correcting your child through every stage of their life.

10 months to 2 years

At this point they are just curious about the world around them. Being too strickt in your discipline methods at this age could be received wrong by your child. During these stages you want to just stick to simple yet stern correction methods. For instance if your one year old touches the hot stove you don’t want to hit him or yell. Instead, with a stern voice you say, “NO”. They will begin to understand what you’re referring to.

3 years to 5 years

During this time you should begin explaining to your toddler what it is you expect from them. Jotting down very simple rules such as no htting, no running, and things of that nature sets the groundwork. As they break the rules, a warning should be presented first and then time out might be necessary for the child to understand completely.

6 years to 12 years

At this point time outs might seem like nothing more than a few minutes alone in the child’s mind. They are past the point of not knowing right from wrong and thus your rules and consequences should come into place. Set rules, post them in a central place, and enforce the consequences the first time the rules are not followed.

12 years and older

The terrible teen years can really throw you for a loop. You’ve finally got your child to listen to you and now suddenly it seems like they’ve been replaced with an evil twin. Teens are going to push the envelope and test their boundaries because they’re discovering who they are as individuals. This is the time you want to take from them what they value most. When they’re not behaving in school, you need to take away something. This could mean no cell phone for a few weeks, no outside time on the weekends, or whatever you see fit.

Again, disciplining your child is never easy, but the longer you wait to start laying out the groundwork, the more difficult it will become to correct them in the future.

I thought a Lysol wipe would do the trick, but it turns out this stuff is harmful to children, especially since they tend to put toys in their mouths. According to eHow.com, there is a process to disinfect toys. “Wash baby toys with soap and water to remove dirt. Scrub the toys with a rag or sponge and rinse well.”
“Open a window or turn on a ventilation fan. Pour 1 tablespoon of household bleach and 1 quart of cool water into a bucket, container or spray bottle. Alternatively, use another type of nontoxic disinfectant, such as a ready-to-use hydrogen peroxide cleaner that is approved by the EPA.”
Next, “Dip baby toys into the disinfectant or spray them until they are thoroughly wet. The toys must stay wet for two minutes if you are using the bleach solution. Alternatively, for products other than bleach, use enough solution so the toys stay wet for as long as indicated on the label. For example, hydrogen peroxide-based disinfects must stay wet for 30 seconds to three minutes, depending on the product, to effectively kill germs.
And finally, “Take the toy out and let it air dry.”
Cleanmyspace.com shares, “Keep in mind that a top-load washing machine, due to the agitator, may displace the batting of the animals. For a high-efficiency washer, you’re in good shape. Regular detergent is fine, and I’d use something safe for baby i.e. dye and scent-free. Consider adding in a scoop of oxygen bleach powder to the wash if they are stained or smelly. Then, take an old pillowcase and throw the plush toys into the pillowcase. Close it up with a while pipe-cleaner, twist tie or piece of fine wire (or perhaps use a pillow cover with a zipper instead) and place in the wash. I’d recommend using a delicate or gentle wash cycle with cool or warm (not hot) water. If the water gets too hot, it can melt glued-on items (leading to a very sad child). When the wash cycle is done, pull out the toys and brush the fur with a fine-tooth comb to re-fluff it (white glove service right here).”
“You have a couple of drying options too. You can place the pillowcase in the dryer on the fluff-cycle (never leave unattended) or, remove the stuffed animals and hang them to dry, or dry them in the sun. Treat the toys like clothing and wash like colours together. You may want to consider washing them with towels instead of clothing just in case a toy’s colours run in the wash. Your plush toys should be in tip-top shape!”
For different toys, there are other options, “you are best to wash them in the sink as opposed to a dishwasher since these materials are more susceptible to melting or deteriorating in hot water. Thin, flimsy plastic toys fall into the same category. So, to clean them, simply add a squirt of dish soap to a sink, bucket or basin and add in warm water. Then, clean the toy by wiping it with a soft cloth or an old toothbrush. Rinse well in cool water. Now, to disinfect the toys, spray the toys with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water and let them stand for a minute. Rinse again and lay flat to dry. Clean and sanitized! I don’t believe in using chlorine bleach so this is a perfectly safe alternative. If you don’t care about the toys all that much, feel free to place them in a delicates bag, lay the bag on the top rack of the dishwasher and run through a water-only sanitizing cycle in your dishwasher (and don’t have dirty dishes in there either). It’s your call, but if the toys melt don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

Yes! There are many disadvantages to using a pacifier.
But let us talk about the advantages first.
According to aafp.org, “Pacifiers provide a calming effect and have been used for pain and anxiety prevention.
A subgroup of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) lists pacifiers as one of the key methods for pain relief in newborns and infants younger than six months undergoing minor procedures in the emergency department. A small amount of sucrose solution (2 mL) can be given within two minutes of a procedure, alone or in combination with a nipple or pacifier; the combination appears to be more effective. Several studies of full-term and preterm newborns showed that pacifiers were superior to various sweet solutions, whereas a study of very preterm newborns showed that pacifiers in combination with sweet solutions were no better than sweet solutions alone. A more recent study confirmed that pacifier use reduces crying time in infants undergoing venipuncture in the emergency department, especially in those younger than three months. Pacifiers have been studied or recommended by the AAP for use with the following procedures: catheterization, circumcision, heel sticks, immunizations, insertion of an intravenous line, lumbar puncture, screening for retinopathy of prematurity, and venipuncture.”

“A Cochrane review found that nonnutritive sucking is associated with shorter hospital stays, earlier transition to bottle feeding from enteral feeding, and improved bottle feeding. Although the review did not show that pacifiers have a significant impact on weight gain, behavior, energy intake, heart rate, oxygen saturation, intestinal transit time, or age at full oral feeds, none of the studies reported harmful effects from pacifier use. Overall, pacifier use appears to be a reasonable and inexpensive option for preterm infants.”
Here are some disadvantages, though, “Observational studies and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) showing that pacifier use is associated with early breast weaning have led to concerns. However, an RCT that studied the effect of pacifier use on breast-feeding in 281 mother-infant pairs for three months postpartum had a different conclusion. Although an observational association was noted between pacifier use and early weaning, when the data were analyzed further, the intervention (advice to avoid pacifier use) did not significantly reduce weaning at three months. The authors concluded that pacifier use may be a marker of breast-feeding difficulties, but does not appear to be the cause of early weaning. The intervention group used pacifiers less often, but had no significant difference in crying or fussing, suggesting that other soothing methods are as effective as pacifier use. A more recent RCT on preterm infants did not demonstrate a significant effect of pacifier use on early weaning.”

“A systematic review found inconsistent results regarding the effect of pacifier use on early childhood caries, suggesting that there is no proven correlation. A meta-analysis concluded that pacifier use after three years of age is associated with a higher incidence of malocclusion. In one study, the prevalence of malocclusion was roughly 71 percent in children who used a pacifier or sucked a digit for more than 48 months, compared with 32 percent in those who ceased sucking between 36 and 48 months, and 14 percent in those who ceased sucking before 24 months. The most significant malocclusions occurred in children who continued sucking habits beyond 48 months, but there were notable changes in children who continued beyond 24 months. A more recent study confirms these negative dental effects with pacifier use after two years of age.”

When parents send their children for after school programs, they take it
for granted that the child is safe. But since the number of children
participating in these activities has increased, it is necessary to look
into safety issues.

Children are vulnerable when they are outside the classes. While going or
returning, they should know the safest route to take. Many kids hang out
with their friends just after these classes. Find out ‘danger zones’ from
your neighbors and make the children aware of these.

The child has to know how to handle emergencies. It is better to discuss
various scenarios with your child. Tell her what she should do in case the
class is suddenly cancelled. Show her the first-aid kit at home and make
sure she knows whom to call in an emergency. Post any important contact
information in a place that is easily accessible to the child. If the
child will be alone at home, discuss a few unexpected things with her.
Tell her to use the safety chain ALWAYS.

Relay on your neighbors and friends when needed. Let your child know who
can be contacted at times of emergency. Ask your child to check in by
phone. Above all, always tell the child to be in a group. Visiting toilets
all alone or going home via isolated streets must be avoided.

Have you ever heard those familiar words, “I’m bored,” coming from the mouth of your child? If so, then kid crafts are the answer. Provide the kids with craft materials and boredom will be a thing of the past. Read on for ideas about kid crafts.

Kid crafts essential materials include paper, crayons, safe scissors, and glue. Paper for kid crafts can include construction paper, plain typing paper, cardstock of various colors, and many other options. Even junk mail and old magazines can make interesting art projects. Crayons are nice for younger children, but the stores are now filled with other options, such as washable dry-erase markers, watercolor pencils, and gel pens. Kid crafts supplies can run into money, but even on a budget there are many possibilities.

Other materials kids can craft with include recycled junk and found objects. By recycled junk, I’m referring to empty cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, cardboard from packaging, plastic containers, and even tin cans. If you let kids craft with tin cans, however, you need to make sure the open edge of the can doesn’t have any sharp edges. Simply file these off or squeeze them flat with a pair of pliers.

Found objects include leaves, twigs, rocks, snakeskins, and other natural item a child might find. Perhaps there is a sheep farm nearby. If so, wool scraps can often be found stuck to the barbed wire fences. Any or all of these items can be used in kid crafts.

One of the most fun and popular kid crafts is making a collage. Kids can glue anything down when making a collage. Use heavy paper for the background, and then let the creativity begin! For an extra challenge, a collage can be built around a theme, like food, animals, or babies. Old magazines can be searched for just the right pictures, which can be cut out and glued to the background. The older child might wish to cut out details from magazine pictures and reassemble them in new and interesting ways. They might cut out interesting words and headlines and add them as well.

Younger kid crafts can include collages made of glued down pasta, beans, popsicle sticks, leaves, and many other materials. Don’t forget about glitter, too. If the budget allows only a few kid crafts splurges, remember that kids of all ages, particularly girls, really enjoy crafting artwork that includes glitter. But whether your kids are boys or girls, young or older, suggest some kid crafts the next time your kids are bored!