LilSugar

Texts and Tunes: Children's Book Week Round Up

babysugar — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:00:48 -0800

All week we have been telling you about some of our favorite children's books in honor of Children's Book Week. We hope the next time you need a book, you'll consider adding one of these to your kiddie library.

Goodnight Moon - Do you love the red balloon and the old lady whispering hush?
Pat the Bunny - Now YOU pat the bunny.
Freckleface Strawberry - Cherish those freckles and everything else about you!
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Have your kids rolling around in bed thinking about overcooked broccoli falling from the sky.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett ($7)	Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore ($17)
Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt ($10)	Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown ($9)

Source

Texts and Tunes: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

babysugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 04:15:00 -0800

In continuing with the Children's Book Week theme, our next book is a wonderful story for an older audience. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs ($7) is a book that most grade school children will enjoy. The humorous tale keeps kids laughing throughout the book. Instead of rain or hail falling from the sky, the clouds disperse stinky gorgonzola, scrambled eggs with a side of toast, and meatballs.

Published back in 1978, there is a nostalgic feel about it evidenced in the illustrations. Children who can't yet read will most certainly enjoy the pictures of syrup covering a hill. And while the book is entertaining, it is also a great learning tool. Many teachers include this book in their curriculum to teach about predictions and weather patterns. Who knew science could be so fun?

Tomorrow's forecast: Children's Book Week Wrap Up!

Texts and Tunes: Pat the Bunny

babysugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0800

This week is Children's Book Week and to kick it off, we wanted to feature an old classic that makes us smile. You probably remember it from your childhood and will also enjoy reading it to your lil ones.

Pat the Bunny ($10) has been in print for 67 years and has sold over six million copies.

This modest book is simple, but remarkably entertaining for infant to preschool aged children. Patting a fuzzy white bunny and sniffing a bouquet of flowers, keeps tots stimulated from beginning to end. And, reading, "Paul and Judy play peek-a-boo. Can you play peek-a-boo with Paul?" never gets old.

Warning: All the patting, smelling, and tugging that goes on while enjoying, you might want to stock up on a couple copies. Babies like to eat the bunny, too.

Give Your Child a Name Friends and Family Don't Like?

LilSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:00:35 -0700

Nine months is enough time to come up with a name. At least, that is how long nature allows. During those 40 weeks, moms and dads rattle their brains and flip through the pages of books to find and agree on the perfect moniker for their impending bundle of joy. Many couples even poll friends and family members on their choices, but don't always receive the feedback they are hoping for. Would you reconsider your children's names based on the opinions of others?

Summer Reading: Tots Choose Favorite Books by Age Group

LilSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:00:50 -0700

Final class celebrations are in full swing at many schools around the country and while lil ones are counting the minutes until Summer vacation, it's our job to keep their brains growing while they are out on break. Keeping up the routine reading throughout the warm months is one way to ensure that your tot doesn't regress.

The Children's Book Council recently invited children to select their favorite books of the year by age group. Over 220,000 votes were collected and the winners were announced at a ceremony recognizing Whoopi Goldberg for her dedication to the promotion of literacy during the 90th observance of Book Week.

The winners include:

Kindergarten to Second Grade: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, by Mo Willems
Third Grade to Fourth Grade: Spooky Cemeteries, by Dinah Williams
Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade: Thirteen, by Lauren Myracle
Teen Choice Book of the Year: Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer
Author of The Year: Stephenie Meyer, for Breaking Dawn
Illustrator of the Year: Jon J Muth, for Zen Ties

Consider these the start to your Summer reading lists and see how quickly kids pick up the reading bug.

10 More Things Mamas Took For Granted Before Children

LilSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:36 -0700

Oh, to reminisce about those pre-baby days. Yesterday, I wrote about the things I took for granted before having children. While mamas love their lil ones – and our lives with them – we've given up a few luxuries. Our readers chimed in with some of the things they have sacrificed so check out the list.

Impromptu Vacations: Before kids, we threw our clothes in a bag and headed to the airport for a weekend getaway without thinking about sleeping arrangements, food or entertainment.
Reading on Airplanes: On a business trip or vacation, flights offered time to catch up on our favorite magazines and books rather than tempering cranky travelers.
Music with Explicit Lyrics: There is no way to compare the G-rated sounds of Radio Disney to Snoop Dogg's uncensored lyrics.
Uninterrupted Phone Calls: Hour-long, in-depth conversations with girlfriends were a weekly occurrence before kiddos started interrupting them with endless questions vying for attention.
Laundry: Complaining about having to do one load of laundry each week seems crazy now that the washer and dryer are constantly running.

To read the rest, read more.

Leisurely Car Rides: Sunday afternoon drives in a small convertible were one of life's luxuries before car seats required more space.
Uninterrupted Meals: Who knew sitting through an entire meal wasn't the norm.
Impromptu Date Nights: The biggest dilemma on date night used to be where to go not who would watch the kids and what time we had to be home.
Personal Shopping: Aside from simply hopping out of the car and checking off a list, shopping used to be by ourselves and for ourselves.
Stain-Free Clothing: Before kids, the stains on our clothing were the result of our own accidents instead of greasy fingers and far-flung food.

Source

Parenting Q&A: Working Parents Want Max Time With Tot

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:00:36 -0700

Q. My husband and I both work full time and don't get to spend much time with our two-year-old during the week. We eat breakfast as a family, but then our son spends the rest of the day with his nanny and is asleep by the time we get home. How can we maximize our quality time with him on weekends? ?

A. It is with compassion and support that I answer this. Parents no longer have the luxury of choosing to work; we must work to keep everything together. It seems irresponsible for one employed parent to leave a job when the other could lose theirs the next day. Two-year-olds have very specific needs for their development. They need to develop their large motor skills, they need to be exposed to rich language experiences, and they need to have a strong sense of order and security. Parents are the first and most influential teachers. If weekends are the only precious hours, make every waking minute count. For the rest of Lonna's answer, read more.

Try to create and maintain a weekend schedule. I realize it’s when errands need to be run and socializing is desirable, but the main focus should be your family and your son. Go to the park, read books, talk during family meals, and go to children’s discovery museums. Remember, while parents may want a “fun” weekend of events, the two-year-old wants to be with mommy and daddy having simple and skill building experiences. Naps are the perfect time to run to the store. Mommy and daddy can get a baby sitter to come after their child is put to bed and have a much-needed adult date night. Two-year-olds want and adore time with their parents, they learn how to love and be loved. Put as much time as you can into him at two and he will want to be with you when he’s twelve. I promise.

- Lonna Corder

Parenting expert and Montessori school director, Lonna Corder has been doling out advice for 25 years as a teacher, parent/child consultant and on television. For more information, visit lonnacorder.com.

If you're at your wit's end about an issue and want another take on the situation, private message your question to lilsugar. We'll be running this feature all week!

Source

Heirloom Baby Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:00:45 -0700

lilsugar is celebrating mamas-to-be all month with extensive baby shower coverage that will help you plan awwwww-inducing, unique, socially relevant and hip fetes. This week we party hop from the darling sibling soiree to an inexpensive and nostalgia-inspired heirloom-themed baby shower bash.

The heirloom shower is all about cherished childhood memories and passing down treasured items or advice instead of consumer goods. It is a sweet, coin-saving incentive to gather friends to celebrate baby instead of a party focused on presents. Guests are asked to bring an heirloom or lightly worn hand-me-down item in lieu of a fancy new gift to this recession-friendly bash, and should be encouraged to recycle and re-gift the many expensive baby items some of us only use for weeks - if ever. These could range from larger items like a stroller or car seat (although this should be arranged in advance), to smaller items like a precious rattle, holiday photo outfit, handmade quilt or a stuffed animal. Those who don't have children or a closet full of goodies are encouraged to bring a memento from their own childhood like their favorite book or booties, or make a contribution to the party, such as a tasty dish or beverage.

Limit the guest list to family and friends who won't be uncomfortable sharing an heirloom item, but feel free to open up the list to a healthy number your venue can house given the low-cost focus of this bash. Stay tuned for all the details - from decor to food to downloadable party games - in upcoming posts this week. In the mean time, we've designed two breathtaking vintage, but mod invites fit for the occasion. To check them out, or print them out for free, read more!

You can select the blue or brown designs or both - they are free! The invitations are just two of our baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter and more! Just want this one? You can get the blue and pink PDF download of this invite here or the orange and brown here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids!

babysugar Diaries: Vaccines

babysugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:00:25 -0700

Every parent does what they think is best for their child. With my firstborn that meant giving her vaccinations as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Perhaps two years of media got to me, or maybe it was Jenny McCarthy and all of the other parents of children with autism that made me a tad wary of vaccinations. So I will go a different route with my second babe.

To see what it is, read more.

When I met my son in the hospital, I knew I would have to make a decision pretty quickly on how to deal with his health care. As autism is more prevalent in boys, his gender certainly played a part in my thought process. I obviously want to protect my lil guy from every harmful disease while not putting him at risk for developing any other disorder. To put my mind at ease, I decided to ask my pediatrician to give my son his vaccines on an alternative schedule. While my doc agreed to my request, my pediatrician does not advise the alternative schedule because she said the child ends up getting twice the preservatives that accompany vaccines because the doses are further divided. Despite her warning, I chose to move forward with an alternative schedule. Instead of receiving six shots at his four-month check-up, my son got four and then we returned a week later to get the rest. I feel good that he is up to date on his shots even if it means extra visits to the doctor. If you want to see an alternative schedule, check out the one Dr. Sears suggests:

two-months: DTaP, Rotavirus
3-months: Pc, HIB
4-months: DTaP, Rotavirus
5-months: Pc, HIB
6-months: DTaP, Rotavirus
7-months: Pc, HIB
9-months: Polio (IPV)
12-months: Mumps, Polio (IPV)
15-months: Pc, HIB
18-months: DTaP, Chickenpox
two-years: Rubella, Polio (IPV)
two-and-a-half-years: Hep B, Hep A (start Hep B at birth if any close relatives or caregivers have Hep B)
three-years: Hep B, Measles
three-and-a-half-years: Hep B, Hep A
four-years: DTaP, Polio (IPV)
five-years: MMR
six-years: Chickenpox
12-years: Tdap, HPV
12-years, 2 months: HPV
13-years: HPV, Meningococcal

The same information is provided in the Ask Dr. Sears Vaccine Book.
Source

Texts and Tunes: Books to Usher in Passover

LilSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:00:52 -0700

With Passover Seders just a week away, Jewish families are preparing their homes for the eight night commemoration of the exodus from Egypt. The holiday is one of the few religious holidays that has a distinctive role for children with both the reading of the four questions and the search for the afikomen (the broken middle piece of matzoh that is hidden prior to the Seder). While your tot may be too young to do the four questions this year, there are plenty of books to help introduce them to the Spring holiday and teach them about Moses, Pharaoh and the ten plagues. Two of my favorites include My First Passover Board Book, which features real life photos of the items your tot will see throughout the holiday, to a Passover version of The Gingerbread Man about a man made of matzoh who runs away. Check out some of our picks below, and check back here tomorrow for more Passover fun.