LilSugar

Lil Tip: Step Outside

babysugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:00:49 PDT

Occasionally my 22-month-old daughter will lose her mind over something trivial or even inexplicable. During her tantrums, I have tried to pacify her with a book, a hug, a treat or other items. When none of those work, I have discovered that a change in scenery works best.

The next time your tot throws a fit, consider changing her environment. Take her for a walk around the block or a trip to the grocery. It helps to take wee minds off of whatever was bothering them. Pretty soon, they may forget what it was in the first place.
Source

First Furious Fit

babysugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:00:15 PDT

They say there's a first for everything. And the other day it was my daughter's first furious fit.

Early in the day, she enjoyed breakfast followed with a hardy nap. When she woke from it, she was more like a crazed animal than my sweet daughter.

To see what happened,

read more. Straight out of the crib, my bookworm babe repeatedly said, "Book!" so I gave her a book. She tossed it across the room and then started whaling, "Boooooooook!" Confused, I kept trying to hand her book after book. Then, I sat her on my lap and attempted to read her favorite story. She finally calmed down a bit. Thinking the battle was over, I tried to finish dressing her. But, just as soon as the first sock went on, the tears and wails returned - only this round was worse. Snot was draining as much as her crocodile tears. I took her to my bed in an attempt to lie down and read another book to her. She arched, screamed and writhed around until I finally gave up. Despite her saddened red face, I struggled to put socks and shoes on her tiny feet. As soon as that task was complete, I took her outside for a walk, which always makes her happy. The fresh air and sunshine were just what the doctor ordered. Peace was restored – eyes were dry and she was smiling from ear to ear. I have my suspicions, but will never know what set her off. Has this ever happened to you? What was your baby's first fit? Source

Wah! Wah! Wah! Temper Tantrums Deconstructed

Natasha Dantzig — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:07:00 PST

Head banging. Feet stomping. Screams at maximum volume and intensity. Any parent knows these are some of the telltale signs of a dreaded temper tantrum. While many parents have resigned themselves to dealing with this unpleasant, but perfectly normal part of toddlerhood, scientists studying the meltdowns may have found ways to empower parents to help their children through the episodes, rather than just praying for them to be over.

Published in the journal Emotion, the study found that tantrums aren't simply out of control, emotional meltdowns, but rather have specific rhythms and sounds that represent distinguishable feelings. Take the following quiz to see how your tantrum knowledge stacks up against the new research, and if there are better ways to cope with the dramatic fits.

Take the Quiz

A Whole Lotta Lil in This Week's Links

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:21:54 PST

We're loving Jessica Simpson's maternity style!
Get ready to spend plenty of time in the theater with the release of great kiddie flicks in 2012.
Tight quarters in the nursery? These space-saving nursery options can help!
Don't have time to shop for maternity clothes? These online maternity shops sell the hottest styles!
Here's what we're craving this month!
Celebrate the baby-to-be with these beautiful baby shower invitations.
Decipher your tot's next meltdown with new insight into temper tantrums.
Do dads need a dudela to help them through the childbirth process?
What ever happened to the genderless baby?
Expecting? These movies about pregnancy are packed with belly laughs!

Real Mom Gift Guide: All Debra Messing Wants For the Holidays Is . . .

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:31:18 PST

Window shopping has never been so charitable! If you happen to be doing some holiday shopping in New York City or San Francisco, take a look at the store windows you pass - some may be filled with a high-tech way for mama to do some charitable giving without ever opening her wallet. Ebay just unveiled Give-a-Toy Store interactive storefronts that allow shoppers to use their smartphones to scan QR-coded price tags to make an immediate donation to Toys For Tots.

Debra Messing, mom of 7-year-old Roman, and the upcoming star of Smash was on hand to kick off the new endeavor and spoke with me about her favorite holiday traditions.

LilSugar: With the holiday season upon us, how did you come to work with eBay on this project?
Debra Messing: The holiday season is a time when people are more inclined to give, and I just thought that eBay's initiative was so brilliant. They have this window with virtual gift tags with toys, and there are different donation amounts - there's $5, $10, $20 - you just scan your [smartphone] over the window, you're on the sidewalk, and instantly you're donating to Toys For Tots and 100 percent of the money goes to Toys For Tots. Being able to make things really quick and easy and meaningful is important.

LS: What family holiday traditions are you most looking forward to this year?
DM: We just moved back to New York, but have always had family here. We love to go skating at Wolman rink, and go see plays - musicals specifically. Waiting for the snow to come. Looking forward to putting on the snowsuit and stomping through Central Park.

LS: So much of the holiday focus is on kids. What's on your wish list this year?
DM: For me, there is no better present than a massage. Flowers are beautiful, but they die. Champagne is fun, but it's gone - very quickly. As a mom we're on 24/7, and if we're working moms, which most of us are, we're exhausted, and sleep deprived, and we don't take care of ourselves. We feel guilty if we take too much time for ourselves. It feels like an extravagance, but it really is a necessity for moms to take an hour to shut down, rejuvenate, and have someone to rub out the kinks from carrying the baby on your hip too much or whatever you're doing. My son's now at a place where he likes to jump on my body to wake me up at 6 in the morning, so I've literally got bruises all over my body.

Keep reading to see how Debra Messing our famous Four Lil Questions about motherhood!

Are Working Moms Better Bosses?

LilSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:14 PDT

Reaching into a briefcase and pulling out a sippy cup instead of a document on deadline is one of the laughs a working mama endures as she juggles office tasks with raising children. Though almost three-quarters of lilsugar readers believe that working moms are treated unfairly on the job, a new book argues that being a parent may make women better bosses.

Shari Storm's Motherhood Is the New MBA: Using Your Parenting Skills to Be a Better Boss, which will be released in September, suggests that bringing the skills we develop as parents into the boardroom gives ladies the confidence to be more effective leaders. Skills like standing one's ground during a temper tantrum and using polite language make mothers more effective on the job. There are many reasons to love being a working mom, but is being a better employee one of them?

Tell Mommy: What Was Your Favorite Parenting Book?

babysugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:00:32 PDT

For their first child, many parents read a plethora of pregnancy and infant books to arm themselves with all the necessary tools of raising babe. While it's important to know about swaddling, breastfeeding, and all of those other topics touched upon in those texts, the learning curve only steepens as the child ages. As the baby grows, so does your library. To help parents navigate their way through temper tantrums, napless days, finicky eating and other typical toddler behaviors, countless authors with varying views have penned their ideas in hopes of throwing a bone to perplexed parents.

Which book helped you wade through the torrential toddler waters?

The Happiest Toddler on the Block ($16)	What to Expect the Toddler Years ($12)
The No-Cry Discipline Solution: Gentle Ways to Encourage Good Behavior Without Whining, Tantrums, and Tears ($12)	Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers ($10)
Toddler 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice for your Toddler ($2)	The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers ($10)