Would you like to learn simple ways to bond with your baby and form a loving, nurturing attachment to your baby? Others may tell you that you are spoiling your baby or forming an “attached at the hip” relationship that will forever harm your baby.

Be reassured that if you practice the tips presented in this article with love balanced out with your own needs for rest, adult contact and intellectual stimulation, your child will definitely not grow to be forever attached to your hip.

Instead, he or she will grow to be an independent and secure adult, which is at the core of exactly what you as a parent have the responsibility of forming in your child.

These first years of life are when this foundation is laid. A strong, healthy attachment is the key to rearing a secure and independent adult.

As a parent or caregiver you have a lot of things to get done in a 24 hour period of time. There is laundry to do, meals to cook, errands to run and if you care for or have other children, their individual needs must be attended to as well.

Tips for forming a closer bond with your baby:

* Read and talk to your baby, especially if it is just you and your baby together for the majority of the time. Reading and talking to your baby helps your baby to understand and trust you. Good early books are picture books with one word descriptions of everyday objects on each page or books with short rhyming patterns.

* Avoid a non-stop chatter for your baby all day long; this can cause your baby to become over-stimulated and tune you out.

* Make reading times routine: Your baby will learn when it is time to listen.

* Play lap games with your baby: Peek-a-boo and patty cake help children develop fine motor skills and object permanence. More important, they provide times of closeness for you and your child.

* Massage your baby: Especially good for babies who get worked up quickly and have a hard time calming down, and for babies who are not able to self-soothe. Don’t wait until he or she is fussy to give a massage. Massage your baby before and after a bath and during diaper changes. Infant massage is an important way to build attachment and soothe fussiness.

* Look at your baby while you are feeding him: This promotes attachment, but it also helps him or her to develop his own sense of identity. When you look into his eyes during a feeding, there is prolonged, intimate contact combined with warmth of being nestled in your arms. Change sides and you give baby a different view of you and help him or her to develop both sides of his brain and body. Of special note here, I observed a very young girl feeding her baby in this very manner, and I thought how beautiful the two of them appeared during those moments of feeding times, and how content they both appeared. Not only does your baby benefit from this close interaction during feeding times, but you will benefit as well.

* Kiss your baby: Kissing is an intimate activity that signals affection toward your baby and helps promote attachment. A kiss from “mommy” can often cure a whole realm of ailments and boo-boos in a baby’s life.

* Talk to your baby when you are out of sight: Often babies become frightened when they realize a parent or caregiver has left the room. This can become frustrating if it happens every time you need to leave the room to answer the phone or to use the bathroom. Start early and you can help alleviate this fear. As you leave the room, talk to your baby about what you are doing or where you are going. Just hearing your voice is reassuring to baby that you are not far away.

* Be there when your baby wakes up: If possible, and you know your child always wakes from a nap at a certain time, make it a habit to occasionally be nearby when he or she wakes up, ready to give a hug and kiss.

Practicing these few simple tips should help you form a closer attachment to your baby that will help to lay the foundation for him or her to grow into the secure, independent adult you desire.

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

Connie Limon. Visit us at http://babiesandtoddlers1.com About Babies and Toddlers is a collection of articles available for information, education and FREE reprints to your newsletter, website or blog.

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by Douglas Titchmarsh

Just after my daughter began to speak, I heard a radio program, and one of the contestants on the shows daily quiz was talking about her interests, one of which was learning baby sign language. As my own child was already talking, I didn’t take too much notice, but it must have struck a chord somewhere because when someone else mentioned it a few weeks later, I related what the woman on the radio had said about using baby sign language with her children.

I took a bit of an interest in baby sign language after that, and looked it up on the internet. I found out Baby signing isn’t just a new age fad with no scientific basis, but there has in fact been a number of studies with very conclusive positive results for both parents and their children. It would appear that there is a lot of research on the subject, and most of it points to very positive benefits of using baby sign language from an early age.

So what is baby sign language all about then?

Baby signing is all about communicating with young babies before they develop speech, using sign language similar to that used by people with hearing difficulties. Children develop communication skills long before they can speak, and visual communication allows them to start telling parents what they need, or want. Much of the research has shown that using baby sign language makes for an easier life for parents and babies, because the infant doesn’t get so frustrated when trying to get what they need, by using a sign they can ask for food, hugs, or let someone know when they have a soiled nappy without resorting to crying.

Are there any downsides to using baby sign language?

Some people have voiced concerns that an infant using signing to communicate may develop speech at a slower rate than a child who doesn’t use sign language. In various research, it has been proven that the opposite is true, the children using baby sign language develop better communication skills, and in many cases appear to start speaking earlier than their non signing counterparts. It has also been noted in many studies that the children using sign language actually seem to respond better in academic learning as they grow older.

What are the benefits of using baby sign language?

Imagine being able to look around, see, hear, and think, but being unable to communicate what you are seeing. Can you see how frustrating it would be? Babies have very fast developing brains, and one of the last things to develop is the power of speech. They are sitting around taking in a lot of information, and having a lot of things happen with no way to express their needs, wants, and feelings. This has a positive effect for babies and their parents as they can now understand each other a bit easier, baby isn’t crying for milk and getting a nappy change, and mommy or daddy isn’t getting worn down by the screams of an unhappy child.

Baby signing doesn’t have a huge vocabulary of signs to learn, but allows some basic communication between adults and babies. There are signs for “food”, “milk”, “more”, and a few others for feelings such as “sad” and “happy”. There’s sufficient signs to make it useful, but not to make it difficult to get started. There’s nothing to lose but a lot to gain by using baby sign language with your child, so why not give it a try today?

Douglas Titchmarsh offers resources for those interested in communicating with their baby using sign language at Baby Sign Language Resources and invites you to join the discussions about baby signing

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Homeschooling is a nurturing environment rich with opportunity.
The homeschooling parent has many opportunities for one-on-one interaction with her child. Making the most of these opportunities make it possible to develop an intimate knowledge of the child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. This gives the parent great flexibility in tailoring each child’s work to that child’s particular needs.

This one-on-one time also has pay-offs for the family itself: strengthening bonds, developing intimacy and nurturing deep relationships. Due to this intimacy, the parent has a unique advantage compared to the best of trained teachers. No one can possibly know a child like his parents. This intimate knowledge is the most solid foundation possible for guiding a child’s education. Parents also have a deep investment in their child’s success. Homeschool parents can develop a broader sense of what a child’s “success” means, way beyond the scope of standardized test scores.

A homeschool parent will search further for alternative strategies, experiment when current strategies are failing and persevere through difficult times. Realistically, no school and no teacher will ever have that level of commitment to a child.

Homeschooling offers great flexibility in making changes to the learning environment.
Move to a comfortable room to work with the child or turn the t.v. captioning on. There are no parent-teacher meetings, monitoring or budget battles.

While it does take some planning, the homeschool parent can also customize the curriculum. There is much greater flexibility when incorporating field trips, outings and hands-on work than is possible in a school setting. A customized curriculum might mean working on 4th grade math and 6th grade reading and college level science experiments, or it might mean significant use of hands-on activities. The parent has many choices that are simply not available within school structures.

This advantage is inherent in the nature of homeschooling, but still worth pointing out. The child will never be left “behind” the other students, nor will he have to sit through boring reviews of material he understands well.

Homeschooling saves time
There is no commute time transporting children to and from school, no evening homework time, no parent-teacher meetings or PTA events and no time spent stressing over the deficiencies of educational services provided.

A wide variety of social opportunities are also open to homeschoolers. They have the chance each day, to interact with people of all ages in a variety of settings. Homeschoolers, through local homeschool groups, also have the opportunity to develop long-lasting, intimate friendships.

How much of an advantage homeschooling has depends upon the family’s level of involvement with the local public school system. If significant services are being provided, then, obviously, there will be much more interaction with the school system. For the most part, however, there will not be struggles over appropriate goals, issues over implementation of the IEP, monitoring to ensure services are being provided, etc.

The communication method that the family chooses to use will be the communication method used with no argument, no battle, no struggle. Deciding to homeschool your children is no easy task and should be taken seriously. But there are some compelling reasons to consider homeschooling, so take a look and decide for yourself.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see http://www.homeschoolingeasy.com.

Buy the Book: So Why Do You Homeschool

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Author: Peg Baron
When the weather is nice, the kids (and Mom) are itching to get outside and play. I personally like the playing to learn approach. Did you know there’s an outdoor world of math and reading fun that awaits you and all you need is sidewalk chalk, dice, and your imagination? Anything we can do inside on paper can be done outside on the driveway or sidewalk, as long as we don’t care if it eventually gets “erased” by rain or sprinklers. Not only do the kids and I get to exercise our brains but we also get to exercise our bodies. I get to stretch my hamstrings and quads as I bend over to draw game boards or numbers, and the kids get to hop, skip, and jump around. Here are a few favorite sidewalk games I’d like to share. You can adapt any of them to the abilities of your children, and multiple ages can play
together.

Numbered Ladder Game
Draw a long, long ladder with at least 25 rungs, each rung big enough for a kid to stand in. Number each rung starting with 1 and going to 25. You also need a dice.

Rules - Grown-up throws the dice and the child hops up that many spaces on the ladder. If they land on an even number, they have to go back 1 space. Continue on until you have a winner.

Multiplication Ladder

Use the same ladder as above.
Rules - The child rolls 2 dice and multiplies the 2 numbers together.
He/she then totally covers in the answer square with chalk (their choice of color.) They continue until they’ve covered every square they possibly can, and then discuss why there are squares that won’t ever be covered.

Division Ladder

Again, use the same ladder as above.
Rules - Hand the chalk to your child and ask them to put a yellow triangle around any numbers that can be divided by 2. Next have them put a blue circle around any numbers that can be divided by 5, a pink square around any numbers that can be divided by 10, etc.

Numbers Bingo

Draw out as many bingo boards as there are kids and put a number
in each square. The kids can collect a pile of rocks or something for markers. Rules - Depending on the skill level, yell out an addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problem for them to solve. They then cover the answer with a rock. The one who gets bingo is the winner. You can change the mathematic function with each game.

“Over the years, the hours that children spend playing outside can pay off when it comes to physical, intellectual and social development. Yet, such valuable interaction is fleeting these days. From 1997 to 2003, there was a 50% drop in kids who participated in outdoor activities such as hiking, walking and fishing, according to a University of Maryland study.” Mother Nature; Raising Healthier Kids - Usaweekend.com

The Reading Trail

Draw a trail of boxes and arrows down the sidewalk. Draw a box, then arrows directing them to the next box, about 10 feet away, and so on. At the end could be a beautiful drawing, if you’re artistically inclined, or a small prize, or a hug from you. In each box, depending on your child’s reading level, write a single word or a sentence. Rules - Your child starts at the beginning and moved on when he/she reads the word or sentence.

Reading Obstacle Course

Set up an obstacle course with a sentence or word chalked between each obstacle. For example; sentence, zig zag around cones, sentence, jump through the hula hoop, sentence, balance walk on a length of string, sentence, jump over the blue “river” chalked on the ground. If you want, all your obstacles can be drawn on the sidewalk instead of using real items.
Rules - Read the sentence and go through the obstacle!

Color Me

Are you currently working on body parts, the circulatory system, or the heart? Let the kids chalk it out while narrating what they know. Themes like communities, animal lifecycles, wildlife, nature, your family tree, etc. are fun to draw out. Younger kids can work on color recognition.

The Alphabet Board

Make a giant game board with 25 squares. Put a letter of the alphabet on each square in random order, excluding the letter “x”.

Rules - Each kid has to start at the beginning and take each square one at a time. They have to come up with 5 words that start with that letter/sound before they can move on. To make it harder for the older ones, ask them to also come up with a word or two that end with that letter.

As you can see, it’s fun to learn with a stick of sidewalk chalk in your hand. I hope these games get you outside and get your imagination working as you tweak them to fit your needs. Have a great time and may the rain stay far away from your creations!

“After tens of thousands of years of children playing and working primarily outdoors, the last few generations have seen such interaction with nature vanish almost entirely. The implications — for children’s physical and mental health, and for the future of environmentalism — are immense.” Grist.org

Buy: Double Color Sidewalk Chalk Bucket

About the author:
Peggy Baron plays with her kids in Colorado, and runs
http://cookinkids.com/, a website devoted to helping parents and kids have fun together in the kitchen. Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin’ Kids Newsletter, a bi-monthly newsletter with fun facts, recipes, jokes, games, cooking safety, and cooking terms wrapped around different themes.

Most parents understand the importance of early learning and teach their kids basic knowledge such as letters, vocabulary and counting. Some parents start in the womb by playing tape recordings and they tape flash cards to the mobile hanging over the crib. Will such early learning really provide our children with a better life if they live in a culture of hate and violence?

Author: Eliane Leao, PhD
Cooperation versus Competition

After babies turn a year old, they are ready to use their native language and exercise their mind more as they enter a fresh developmental phase. The second year of a baby´s life will be a period filled with great challenges. Language, ego and self-confidence will be developed while trying to adjust to the external world. Babies perceive who is unknown in their environment and are able recognize new and different faces. Fears, anxieties, and habits begin to surface, and the first personality traits are visible. Baby’s individual personality traits become more apparent as they interact with their parents, pets and other family members. During this time period parents have the great opportunity to provide a learning environment for their babies who absorb information like a sponge.

Babies have their own developmental rhythm, and go through the same phases and/or levels of development and utilize their potential on their own timetable. Some develop at a fast pace, others at a slower one. As a parent, you may wonder: “Why bother educating my baby?” “Won’t they learn everything they need to know through social interaction or in school?”

When Darwin presented us with the theory of the evolution of the species, we learned that human beings are a competitive species and that we adapt biologically to diverse environments, through diverse ways, in order to survive. We also learned that competition was a survival resource useful in a society for its progress and also for the permanence of the being in it.

Today, the challenge is on a different scale. In the 21st century, with the computer science age at full steam, environmental imbalance threatening the earth, thousands of children facing death every day by starvation, countless epidemics that shorten the lives of human beings, it is urgent that the posture of preparing our children for competition and power be replaced by one of preparing them for love and cooperation. We must prepare them to help. An exclamation urges: - cooperation YES, competition, NO!

There is a unique home common to all of us: - planet earth. It is possible to find people just like us in distinct points along the face of the earth, which in turn belongs to all of us.

Some parenting tips to teach your children peace, love and understanding:

• Donate - Give your kids cash to put in the salvation army bucket or let them bring some from their piggy bank before you go shopping.
• Volunteer- Take your kids with you to the soup kitchen or domestic violence shelter from an early age.
• Be intolerant of intolerance - Do not allow hate talk in your home - ever. Don’t just tolerate different cultures, genders, religions and skin colors - Celebrate them.
• Foster a love of animals - Have family pets, dogsit or volunteer at your local no-kill shelter. Go vegetarian/vegan if you dare.
• Be vocal and adamant about opposing war and other human rights violations- Bring your kids to anti-war rallies or have them help you write letters to politicians online.
• Maintain a green home - Always explain the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling. Plant trees - Eat from your organic garden.

This cooperation will act so that people can maintain life on earth and maintain their internal uniqueness from the affirmation: - I´m unique, but I´m not potent without the others. We must educate our children so that they want to preserve nature, thus being possible to simultaneously preserve the I, the personal. The opposite is not true. It is not only through the power of the I that the power of another will exist, in this planet. The power comes from the strength of all, which in turn will give strength for the survival of the I.

This equilibrium of life on earth will lead to the exercise of loyalty with all forms of life, in an exercise of respect for life itself. It will lead to the exercise of human loyalty preserving what is human. This is the grand revolution that humanity aspires to achieve.

Our children don´t need to learn that they have to prepare for wars anymore. To present-day intelligence, and to our thinking children, war is a total waste of efforts and of life. Our children have to learn that we don´t need to practice actions that benefit only our homeland, while all other countries are destroyed. The destruction of other spaces and lives leads to the impossibility of a future for this place we call home. It imbalances the eco-system, twists the relations of respect, and shades the hope of a better future. If we don´t diminish the differences among men, and violence as a whole, we will not have peace in our own little corners, our homes. The anxiety of the whole reflects the anxiety of each individual.

We must teach our children that the main necessity of men, women and children is love. Without it, we are empty. Not passing it forward we don´t cooperate, in fact we destroy the one thing we have that is good about ourselves, others and nature. And we will stumble upon the greatest challenge, that consists of de-constructing the truth reflected on everyone´s eyes: it´s getting harder and harder to love, to show love, and to donate something good to another.

We are not capable of demonstrating hate to a flower, grabbing it and throwing it at the floor and stepping on it. It sounds insane. But we are insensitive to the extent that we are able to pass a homeless person thrown there on the ground, and we are incapable of understanding or trying to help. We just walk on by and pretend it´s not our problem! Human abandon is not a problem anymore! Our exaggerated competition has led us to total insensitivity!

We need to discuss and practice love, with the commitment of leaving aside the economical, cultural, racial and ideological differences. We need to teach our children that it is necessary to rescue humanity´s dignity so that the existence on this planet be worthwhile. We need to start with every newborn and child. We seek a new model of man. Is your baby a candidate? A lot will depend on you!!!

Sheryl’s comment:
As with most early learning, kids learn by example. If daddy is making misogynistic jokes or leering at women behind mom’s back, little boys will learn to be lecherous cheats who don’t respect women. If mommy refuses to go to an African American doctor, then little girls will learn racism from an early age.

If daddy beats the crap out of mommy and she doesn’t leave, then boys will learn to beat their wives and girls will learn to put up with it. If parents allow toy guns, violent video games, animal cruelty and disturbing adult movies in the home, then you can bet their children will grow up with a violent mentality. It really is up to us, the parents, to help our children create a loving, peaceful world that they can live in long after we are gone.

About the Author:
Dr. Eliane Leao is a native of Brazil, South America. She has a background in Education from Purdue University (Masters) and a PhD in the Department of Educational Psychology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)/Purdue University (Ph.D.). Dr. Leao is currently a professor of Music Education and Music Therapy conducting research on the influence of Music in Early Childhood Learning.

Buy: Robeez Infant/Toddlers’ Peace Sign Slip On
**Visit our website for more information and articles on Babies and Learning, Free Ebooks, and much more! http://www.baby-can-read.com

]]> http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/most-important-thing-to-teach-our/feed/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/baby-sign-language-benefits/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/baby-sign-language-benefits/#comments Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:41:16 +0000 naturalparenting http://amuchbetterway.com/parenting/2008/01/09/baby-sign-language-benefits/

Much of attachment parenting is based on respect for your baby as a human being with full rights despite not being able to communicate them from the start. Infant sign language is a perfect example of parents sacrificing a few moments of time to teach their child a skill that will allow them to voice their wants, needs and opinions long before they can speak.

Author: L.Robb

Many people are amazed by the intelligence of babies. Babies begin absorbing information even before they are born. They begin to communicate from the moment they are born. They are eager to communicate and that is one of the great benefits of baby sign language! You allow them to communicate clearly and effectively long before other babies can.

Babies do not have vocabulary and speech skills when they are first born, so they cry and make gestures when they want or need something. Teaching your baby sign language will allow you to communicate with your child well before he or she is able to talk. At around 7 to 8 months, a child may be able to communicate things like more milk, change diaper, and sleepy.

Those simple communication will take some of the frustration out of being a child and a parent. By challenging a child’s’ brain so young, you give that child a giant leap in mental development. They develop advanced language skills and are able to learn multiple languages easier than their non-signing counterparts.

Some people have the mistaken idea that teaching their child sign language from birth will impair speech development. Not only is this not true but it is a terrible reason to ignore your child’s wishes until they learn to talk. So what if their speech was delayed? Doesn’t it also save the parent’s sanity to know whether their baby is hungry, tired or thirsty?

If you start teaching your child to sign from birth, by the age of two, your child will have a stronger mental ability and capacity of a five year old. They have the ability to unlock parts of the brain that most people cannot access. They also develop strong social and communication skills. They are usually confident individuals and have low stress levels. You are giving your child the best possible start in mental development by teaching them a language that they understand.

Communication is only 7% verbal, so unlocking the other percentages to an infant gives them priceless and lifetime knowledge. These benefits of teaching your child sign language are only the general characteristics of what you and your child will experience. Each child is unique and will display some amazing individual accomplishments! Just knowing these facts can drastically change the way people raise their children. We all want the best for our children, and giving them the best possible intellectual experience is a gift on a grand scale.

Sheryl’s comment:
I will never forget the ecstatic feeling I had when my daughter did her first sign. She signed the word “more” when she wanted more food. I even asked her a few times. “You want more??? Really???” She was as proud of herself and ecstatic as I was. It was a wonderful moment. I am so grateful that she learned some basic sign language and my only regret is that I did not teach her more. Every parent should do this with their children unless their child starts talking at 10 months of age.

Buy: Sign With Your Baby - The Complete Learning Kit by Joseph Garcia

About the author:
L.Robb is a writer with the intention of helping the consumers. She has started a consumer solution business called Do Somethin’ 4 The People. In doing something for the people, we are making practical products and services available and do the research for the “people”. Learning sign language is just one of the examples of DO SOMETHIN’4THE PEOPLE.

Click Here!LEARN HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR BABY USING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE.
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]]> http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/baby-sign-language-benefits/feed/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/baby-wearing-makes-difference/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/baby-wearing-makes-difference/#comments Tue, 10 Jul 2007 02:44:26 +0000 naturalparenting http://amuchbetterway.com/parenting/2007/07/10/baby-wearing-makes-difference/ Bringing Up a Smart, Happy Baby
How Babywearing Makes a Difference

Have you ever wondered how you can get your baby to stop crying? How you can get something done around the house when your baby doesn’t want to be put down? Have you wondered how you will get out and about now that you have a baby?

Babywearing will calm your baby down, let you work with both hands free, and give you complete freedom to get out of house - all while your baby is securely on your body. Even celebrity mamas are realizing just how wonderful babywearing is. Mamas like Angelina Jolie, Michelle Williams, Liv Tyler, and Joely Fisher have all been spotted wearing their babies around.

Babywearing is easy - just pick up one of the many baby carriers on the market and pop your baby inside. Most carriers come with clear photo instructions and some even come with videos to help you learn to wear your baby! Your baby will love being close to your body. A fussy baby is soothed by the rocking motion as you walk with him in the carrier. It’s similar to how he felt in the womb - including the close, cradled position.

As your baby grows you can carry her sitting up and facing out or straddling your hip. She can see the world and you can get out in the world! Your baby will be able to interact with others in a way that is just not possible when she’s close to the ground in a stroller. Babies in traditional societies were able to learn how their family and culture worked right from the start - because they were right there with their mothers. Your baby can have the same benefit. Your baby will pick up on language quickly because he’ll be listening to you as you talk with other adults.

The shifting and bouncing that your child gets in the baby carrier will help enhance her sense of balance. She’ll gain muscle tone and strength as she travels with you and learns how to adjust her body in the sling or carrier. It will also make her happy to be an active part of your day. Having your baby snuggled in the sling or cheerfully straddling your hip will leave your hands free to get some things done. Some baby carriers even allow you to put your older child on your back. What fun for baby and how nice for you! You’ll easily be able to handle the housework. And you’ll be able to take your baby out without having to lug a heavy stroller or baby carrier.

Your sling or baby carrier will also keep your baby close to you. People are less likely to ask to hold your baby while she is safely in the baby carrier. You can nurse your baby discreetly in a sling. And when you are in crowded areas your baby will feel more secure and be happier - meaning you can still hit your favorite malls or enjoy popular natural trails.

Wearing your baby in a baby carrier will result in a happier, more secure baby. And you’ll be a happy mama (or maybe daddy!) knowing that you can take care of life and still get out to play - all with your bouncing baby on your hip!

by Kristen Hart
About the Author: Kristen Hart is the owner of Natural Birth and Baby Care.com, a website devoted to healthy pregnancy, natural birth, and the best baby care. You can learn more about babywearing and research all different types of baby carriers at Naturalbirthandbabycare.com

Sheryl’s comment:
As a single mother, my New Native Carrier was the one thing that I absolutely positively could not live without. My daughter is now two and we still use it regularly. She sits in it rather than laying down so we can dash through airports, stroll through farmers markets or just walk to grandma and grandpas without all the extra “stuff”. I usually ask her if she wants the sling or stroller and she will inevitably pick the sling.

While using the sling we talk and I get to shower her little noodle with kissies. While she is in the stroller however, we are generally just lost in our own thoughts. A stroller ride is a far cry from bonding.

When she was younger I regularly nursed her in public and people never knew. The outside of the sling covered her head and people thought she was sleeping. If I have the privilege of having another child I can pretty much guarantee that I will use the sling even more especially during the first 9 months or so. Babies love it and I promise that it makes your life unbelievably easier.

Buy Babywearing, The Benefits and Beauty of This Ancient Tradition

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/happykatie/1511812102/

]]> http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/baby-wearing-makes-difference/feed/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/homeschooling-without-falling-foul-of/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/homeschooling-without-falling-foul-of/#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:43:24 +0000 naturalparenting http://amuchbetterway.com/parenting/2007/06/15/homeschooling-without-falling-foul-of/

Despite a commonly held belief that taking your children out of school and teaching them at home is likely to run you into trouble with the law, homeschooling is in fact completely legal. There are however laws governing homeschooling and you need to familiarize yourself with these before you start.

The Constitution does not cover education and, while the Department of Education plays a large role in defining the rules governing the provision of education services, the laws covering schooling are established by each individual state and vary considerably from one state to the next.

When it comes to homeschooling, although it is legal in all 50 states, some states adopt a fairly relaxed attitude while others have very restrictive rules. For example, Idaho and Texas place very few restrictions on parents while Massachusetts and New York adopt a very heavy handed approach and require such things as state approval for a student’s curriculum and submission of student achievement test scores. They may even carry out periodic home visits. Other states, such as Pennsylvania, require parents to submit teaching materials used for homeschooling to the local school district for approval.

Over the years there have been many attempts to stop the practice of homeschooling and many parents worry that, even if it is legal today, there is a chance that it will be outlawed in the not too distant future. This is however extremely unlikely and for many years now the courts have consistently ruled in favor of homeschooling. Indeed, in one quite recent case which was taken to the Supreme Court for a ruling the Court reaffirmed the fundamental rights of parents and confirmed the view first expressed by the Supreme Court as far back as 1925 that education is the responsibility of the parents and not of the state.

For parents who are concerned about the legal aspects of homeschooling (or who get themselves into a legal dispute with state authorities) the Home School Legal Defense Association was founded in 1983 and is not only the fount of knowledge on all matters pertaining to the legality of homeschooling, but has also fought many battles on behalf of homeschooling parents.

If you are considering homeschooling then you should certainly not be put off by concerns about your legal position but you must know that there are laws which govern what you can and cannot do and you should acquaint yourself with these.

by Donald Saunders
Parenting4Dummies.com provides information, advice and articles on all aspects of parenting including parenting teenagers and many parents consider it their best homeschooling resource.

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]]> http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/homeschooling-without-falling-foul-of/feed/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/your-baby-10-milestones-for-first-2/ http://parenting.amuchbetterway.com/your-baby-10-milestones-for-first-2/#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:39:31 +0000 naturalparenting http://amuchbetterway.com/parenting/2007/06/11/your-baby-10-milestones-for-first-2/ CNN.com

“Every milestone — from when your baby first holds up her sweet little head to when she speaks her first word — is thrilling. These moments aren’t just exciting and fun; they’re also markers that can clue you in to your baby’s development. Most parents already know to look for the much-lauded ones, like rolling over and walking. But of the multitude of milestones cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics, some are considered more significant. Here, 10 milestones that are worth paying a little extra attention to during your child’s first two years:”

1. Eye Contact
2.Social Smile
3.Cooing
4.Babbling
5.Reaching and Grabbing
6.Pulling up
7.Pincer Grasp
8.Gesturing
9.First Word
10.Pretend Play

See the full article for explanations and timeframes
Click here to read the full article at CNN.com

Sheryl’s comment:
While it can be useful and fun to watch your baby hit the “milestones” please keep in mind that all babies develop differently and if you spend your time tracking a chart then you may stress needlessly because your child’s timeline does not match “the norm”. In addition, if you are stressing about timelines you are not enjoying your child grow up which is what natural and instinctive parenting is all about!

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