LilSugar

Malia Obama Makes an Age-Appropriate Statement in TEASE

LilSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:00:42 -0800

Will Malia do for TEASE what her mama did for Maria Pinto? The 10-year-old daughter of down-to-earth fashionista Michelle Obama has been making a statement of her own in handmade tees and tanks. Malia was seen sporting the trendy and age-appropriate blue tie-dye tank ($51), pink tie-dye peace shirt ($51) and tie-dye smiley face blue tee ($51) while on holiday in Hawaii. As the oldest Obama daughter, Malia is setting a stylish example for her younger sis, Sasha, and other American tweens. We can't wait to see what the young ladies wear to their daddy's inauguration.

Source

Keep the Bullies at Bay With These Tips

babysugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:02 -0700

We all know children can be lil angels, but there are bullies that like to add mischief to the mix. At some point, almost every child comes face to face with a bully. When that moment arrives, it is helpful to know some tips on dealing with the situation. Even better, give your child the advantage by talking about it before he encounters Mr. Bossy.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, children should take these steps when confronted with a bully:

Tell an adult: parent, teacher, coach or neighbor.
Stay in a group - there's security in numbers.
If it is safe, stand up to the bully.
If receiving written communication from him, don't reply.
Join clubs or make other friends where confidence can be gained and safety can be found.

To see what you can do if your child is the bully, read more.

While bullies tend to seem confident and strong, they are often the opposite. Ask them why they tease other children - does it make them feel better about themselves to put others down? Have them put themselves in the other child's shoes and discuss their emotions.

For further tips and videos to demonstrate acts of bullying, visit Stop Bullying Now!

Lil Links: Gia and Mama Luciana Damon Hit the High Seas

babysugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:00:11 -0700

Luciana and Matt's chubby lovey Gia - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Honor breezes through security at LAX - Celebrity Baby Blog
Is Walmart going after the Girl Scouts? - Cookie
Five-year-old boy plays "Folsom Prison Blues" - The Poop
Every toddler needs a 'stache - CafeMom
Fat kids are teased more often than poor kids - ParentDish
When baby comes out less than perfect - Alpha Mom
Face masks may help ward off the flu - Health
Who's harder to raise? Boy vs. girl - Parenting
Lesson learned from Super WHY - Boston Mamas

When Daddy Becomes Mommy: The Acceptance of Children

LilSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:56:23 -0700

If only adults had the open minds of children. A woman once teased my son about wearing his sister's hat. My daughter turned to her and said, "It doesn't matter if he cross dresses, people can do what they want." I attribute my children's liberal opinions to growing up in a progressive city, but children all over the world are accepting of people's differences. Last night, Primetime followed a pair of Northern Ohio brothers who have matured way beyond their six and seven years. Logan and Barry Prince are dealing with the effects on their family after their father, Ted, had a male to female transsexual operation. So now the boys have two mothers, Renee and Chloe. Watch the clip and see what the children had to say about happiness being the most important thing.

Regis Hates the Term Knocked Up, Do You?

LilSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:02 -0700

This morning on Live!, Kelly teased Regis because he cringed when the duo were interviewing Katherin Heigl and the older host made reference to the actress's pregnancy movie. He admitted he doesn't like the term "knocked up" or feel comfortable saying it. There are many ways to say a woman is with child from "she's expecting" to "they're pregnant," does this particular term bother you?

Tips For Picking a Preschool

babysugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:00:02 -0700

Sending a tot to school for the first time is an exciting and momentous occasion for everyone involved. For many children, this marks their first scheduled time independent of their parents. Since it's a step into a social and learning environment, parents want to choose the right fit for their child and themselves. Having just finished the process myself, I can offer a checklist of questions that will facilitate the hunt for the perfect preschool. To see it, read more.

Ask to talk with current parents.
Spend time in the classroom with children present.
Ask about their sick policy.
Do they offer after hour care?
Where do most of the children go for Kindergarten?
What is the learning philosophy? Is it play based or more structured?
How do they discipline bad behavior?
Is the lunch or snack provided?
How far or close is it to home?
What is the student to teacher ratio?
What are the staff's credentials?
What is the student body make up? Is it diverse? Are there any children with disabilities?
How many years has the educational establishment been in business?
What is the teacher turnover?
What is the class size year to year?
Inquire about the sibling application process.
Do tots need to be potty trained?
What is the school's physical condition? Play area, bathrooms, etc.
How involved are the parents?
What are the safety precautions taken?

Aside from the above questions, a parent generally gets a gut feeling for the environment and if it will be a good "fit" for their child. A brain teasing process for some, there is certainly a place for every child to grow, learn, and thrive all while having fun and making new friends.

Share some of your questions or tips in the comments below!
Source

You Know You're a Mother When: Jaywalking

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I used to zigzag through downtown streets as cars whizzed by without a worry in the world. Now, I can't bring my heels from holding the curb during red lights - even when oncoming traffic is more than a few feet away. Usually, I wait until the light flashes for pedestrians and proceed between the lines of the crosswalk. My single friends tease me that I'm a shell of who I once was, playing it safe, wasting time in the hustle and bustle of life. But, I can't bring myself to dash any more because I am more careful - I'm a mom. And, I can't get run over because my husband hasn't figured out how to style our daughter's hair and my son sometimes wakes up and needs me in the middle of the night.

Source

How Do You Celebrate the Holidays?: meandtheo

LilSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:00:47 -0800

Why wait to celebrate? This month a few lilsugar readers will be sharing their holiday plans, traditions and pastimes with us. Thanks to meandtheo for helping us kick off this festive feature!

Prior to parenthood, meandtheo and her husband vowed to travel the world and spend time enjoying one another. They lived in Europe and taught at an international school before settling down in San Francisco to start a family. They are now the proud mom and pop of Stella, 1. meantheo is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom and she said there are plans to give her daughter a sibling!

To see what makes the holidays special for meandtheo and her family, read more.

lilsugar: What is the most magical part of the holiday season for your family?
meandtheo: "The most magical part of the holidays for us is getting to be with all of our family and friends. We are transplants to San Francisco from Colorado so every year no matter where we are in the world we head "home" for the holidays. All of our family (my husband's and mine) and friends from back in the day are there and we get to spend good quality time with them. We always stay for at least a week and my mother-in-law hosts a holiday party for all of our friends and their families. We spend the time playing with nieces and nephews, laughing with old friends and staying up late catching up with our families. I wouldn't trade this time for anything. It is so special to us and I am so happy to take Stella back this year so she can really enjoy the holiday season with everyone. She made the journey last December but was just over two months old; this year she will start to understand what makes it so "magical"."

lilsugar: What is the hot wish list item in your household this year?
meandtheo: "The adults in the family rarely exchange gifts...the loot goes to all the kids. This year I am planning on giving Stella the Kettler Air Happy Bike, which our neighbor has and leaves parked in the driveway teasing poor little Stella...she heads for it every time we walk past their house, now she will have her own!"

lilsugar: What is your family's favorite holiday recipe?
meandtheo: "Monkey Bread...we have monkey bread every Xmas morning (yes oh so nutritious). after all the gifts have been opened and we sit down to our Xmas breakfast everyone is looking forward to the monkey bread that my mother-in-law has to make four loaves of...
The recipe is as follows:
2 Cans of BUTTERMILK Grands biscuits, 1 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tbs cinnamon, 1 full cup of butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar. Mix one cup of sugar & the cinnamon - dip cut up biscuit sections in this and arrange in a heavily greased bundt pan. Pour remaining cin sugar mix on top. Melt the butter and add the last 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar - bring to a light boil. Pour over biscuit pieces. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.
*If I make it I always layer in a can of Apple Pie filling with the biscuits before baking, as well.*"

lilsugar: Do your children still believe in Santa?
meandtheo: "Stella is just starting to understand who Santa is, so the simple answer is yes."

Lil Links: Gia and Mama Luciana Damon Hit the High Seas

babysugar — Fri, 13 Dec 1901 12:45:52 -0800

Luciana and Matt's chubby lovey Gia - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Honor breezes through security at LAX - Celebrity Baby Blog
Is Walmart going after the Girl Scouts? - Cookie
Five-year-old boy plays "Folsom Prison Blues" - The Poop
Every toddler needs a 'stache - CafeMom
Fat kids are teased more often than poor kids - ParentDish
When baby comes out less than perfect - Alpha Mom
Facemasks may help ward off the flu - Health
Who's harder to raise? Boy vs. girl - Parenting
Lesson learned from Super WHY - Boston Mamas