Do you have, or know anyone who has toddlers ready to be potty trained? If so, you’re in luck because this weekend, NYC Potty Training is hosting a Potty Training Seminar!
The event is hosted by Samantha Allen, founder of NYC Potty Training, who has received great praise from one of our Bell Family moms saying, “She’s incredible! I used her for my son when we were desperate for help and she got him trained in a weekend!”
If you aren’t able to attend the event this weekend, there’s still good news! You can have Samantha Allen (founder), speak to families at your child’s school about methods and strategies for seamless potty training in 1-2 days. Samantha is also available to speak at private events.
If you are interested in attending the event, you can purchase tickets here, but hurry because the event has been sold out the last two years!
3rd Annual Seminar by NYC Potty Training
Leman Manhattan Preparatory School
Saturday, February 4, 2017 from 10AM-11AM (ET)
New York, NY
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Tag Archives: toddler
Development Milestones Ages 2-12 Months
Moms and Dads everywhere are snapping photos of their child’s first smile, laugh, wave, and the big one – steps! We’d call these moments milestones in a child’s life, and the same probably goes for the parents, too.
The CDC.gov website provides an impressive list of milestones for children ages two months to five years old. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the top ones focusing on children ages 2-12 months.
2 months:
Begins to smile
Coos
Can hold up own head
4 months:
Copies some movements/facial expressions
Babbles with expression
Lets you know if they’re happy or sad
6 months:
Rolls over
Responds to own name
Brings things to mouth
9 months:
Understands “no”
Crawls
Stands holding on
12 months:
Uses simple gestures (waves, shakes head)
Says “mama” or “dada”
Sits without help
For the complete list of milestones, click here.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Go Directly to (Baby) Jail!
It looks like this time the baby can’t pass “Go” and collect $200. Like any monopoly opponent, you rejoice when the other person has to go to jail because that means you have time to own the game, or in this case, the house.
Baby jail is a great way to keep your crawling infant safe, and also free up your hands to catch up on all of the housework!
The walls are great for balance, and allows the baby to pull themselves up to stand or walk.
You can even place your baby’s favorite toys inside for play and exploration!
Here’s one I put together for my little guy. You can buy it online at Target here.
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell
Holiday Camps for Kids
Looking for some fun activities for the lil’ ones this winter break? Kidz Central Station is offering some great classes to keep them active and your hands free!
From December 19th-30th, you can check out these classes:
1. Holiday Camp Snowflakes
Age: 3-4 years
Time: Weekdays 9am-Noon or 12:30pm-3:30pm
Cost: $15-$75
2. Holiday Camp Full Day (Peppermints)
Age: 4-5 years
Time: Weekdays 9am-3pm
Cost: $15-$125
3. Holiday Camp Full Day (Gingerbreads)
Age: 5-8 years
Time: Weekdays 9am-3pm
Cost: $15-$125
4. Holiday Cookie Wars
Age: 4-8 years or 9-13 years
Time: Weekdays 9am-Noon or 1pm-4pm
Cost: $100+
For the full list of semester holiday classes and additional event details, click here!
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Learn to Be a Diapering Master
There are always questions that linger about the proper way to diaper an infant or toddler. We put together some basic rules to keep in mind so the next time it’s time to change, you’ll be taking care of business like a pro!
1. Remove the used diaper and clean between the folds of baby’s skin. Use gentle diaper wipes if the baby has very sensitive skin, or if he/she seems allergic use a wet cloth (with luke warm water).
IMPORTANT: Remember to always wipe front to back.
2. Raise baby carefully by the ankles and slide a clean diaper underneath. The colorful markings should be on the front, facing you. The stretchy tabs are in the back and get wrapped to the front.
3. Close the diaper and adjust the stretchy tabs. Make sure it isn’t too tight or too loose. You should be able to fit two fingers snuggly between the diaper and their stomach.
Top Tips:
Remember it’s important to check the baby’s diaper frequently. Change after every poop, and after every nap or feed (on average this is every three hours).
Cover the baby boy’s penis with a diaper or burp cloth while changing him to prevent getting a surprise shower yourself.
If you start to experience frequent leaks, it might be time to move up to the next diaper size.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Nap Schedules and Bedtimes for All Ages
Are you uncertain if your baby or toddler is on track with the number of hours he/she sleeps each day? Is your baby’s bedtime normal? When will your child sleep through the night?
Checkout these age-by-age charts that are helpful to see where you are now, and where you need to be next. It also includes a printable PDF and resources to get you help!
And if you are looking to compare, here is a sleep chart from Parents Magazine, which offers a quick and to the point guide.
Once you have the norms from these two sources, read up on Parents Magazine’s, “10 Steps to Sleep Training Success.”
Happy sleeping!
Written by our Social Media & Marketing Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Keeping Kids Hydrated
In a recent article published by Parents.com, they spoke about how to keep kids hydrated during the heat of the summer.
Hydration for the little ones is very important in order for the fluids to be replaced in their bodies that are being sweated out. Ensuring they have plenty of liquids will keep them healthy and active this summer, and help them develop good hydration habits as they grow older.
Try these methods below:
1. For a Long Day. If you have a strenuous day ahead, add some extra hydration with your child’s first meal. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking the equivalent of a standard bottle of water (16.9 oz.) about two hours before vigorous exercise.
2. Don’t Wait. Don’t wait until your child is thirsty to offer refreshment; by that time they are already dehydrated.
3. Six Glasses. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children drink six glasses of water on an average day.
4. Frozen Bottles. When you pack a cooler for a game, freeze a number of water bottles ahead of time. The frozen bottles will keep the others cool and you will be able to pack more drinks in the cooler instead of filling the cooler with ice.
5. Flavor Wins. Studies have shown that children routinely prefer flavored beverages to plain water and will drink up to 90 percent more when it is offered to them.
6. These Don’t Win. Avoid those drinks that have caffeine, such as iced tea or many sodas. As a diuretic, caffeine can contribute to the dehydration process by increasing fluid loss.
7. Fun Hydration. Offer a popsicle to get kids to jump at the chance for a rest period. These frozen treats have high water content (a two-stick Popsicle has just about the right amount for a young child’s needs).
For the full article on Parents.com, click here.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
101 Ways to Carry Your Child
Greetings, all!
Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but we have a lot of ways you can tote around your little ones in this impressive list of car seats and carriers from Big City Moms.
Let’s start with some car seats to look out for in 2016.
1. 4Moms Self-Installing Car Seat – If installing the car seat is your biggest fear
2. Chicco KidFit Zip Booster Seat – If your child requires two bibs to be on him/her at all times
3. Evenflo SafeMax All-In-One Carseat – If airbags are your favorite feature in the car
4. Diono Monterey Booster – If growth spurts run in your family
5. Clek Foonth – If you want your little one to star in NYFW (New York Fashion Week)
Next up, let’s take a look at some of the top carriers to look out for in 2016.
1. BabyBjorn Baby Carrier We Air – If sweating buckets while wearing it is your biggest fear
2. BabyBjorn Baby Carrier One – If your known to take forever to get comfortable
3. Onya Baby Cruiser – If you love pillows, sheep, cashmere, and all things soft
4. Beco Baby Ring Sling – If one size fits all is your favorite size
5. Becco Baby Limited Edition Gotham Print – If you can never get enough of the city
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!
Your Best Story Time
Greetings, all!
Having a good book to read during story time is no longer a chore to find. Thanks to Lucie’s List, we have an impressive list of children’s books to bring to your little one(s) of all ages.
So, dust off that rocking chair in the corner and scoop up one of these great books below for your next bed time read!
Toddlers
1. Hi (Animal Words) by Ethan Long
2. Maisy’s Digger by Lucy Cousins
3. What This Book Needs Is a Pig in a Wig by Emma J. Virjan
4. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman
5. Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa by Anna Dewdney
Preschoolers
1. Who Done It? by Olivier Tallec
2. It’s Only Stanley by Jon Agee
3. Goodnight Already! by Jory John
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!
Village for Parents – Q&A with Chris Winn
Greetings, all!
To continue with our recent Q&A blog posts, we are bringing you Chris Winn, Founder and President of Village for Parents, who works with a team on a mission to help parents live happier, simpler lives.
Q: What influential people or events in your life led you to the vision behind Village for Parents (providing ways to help parents live simpler lives)?
A: I was first inspired to build Village in 2012 when my wife and I were expecting boy/girl twins. Like all moms and dads to-be, we wanted to learn as much as we could about how to be great parents, so we spent a lot of time researching products and how-to’s online. With so much information out there and so little factual or scientific data to support anyone’s opinion, it was really difficult to fully trust anything we read.
After months of research and dozens of design sessions, Faye (Head of Product) and I came up with a solution to the problem – a platform for moms and dads to get advice ONLY from other parents who are (or just were) in the same stage of life. This way, all of the advice is empathetic and genuine. A little later, we realized that some of the tougher questions required an answer from an expert, so we now have a growing network of child development therapists, sleep consultants, lactation consultants and more.
Q: With three little ones of your own (3 1/2-year old twins, 1-year old), what advice would you give to first time parents on how to be as stress-free as possible?
A: First, give yourself and your kids a lot of grace. Life isn’t scripted and often times you’re just going to have to roll with it. Second, trust your gut. Village is a great place to get advice, guidance towards making a decision but at the end of the day you’re the only one who knows what’s best for your values and your family. Lastly, make a point to stop and smell the roses. There are so many special moments in parenthood that you have to appreciate and hold close in order to get through the tougher times.
Q: What is the most frequent question you’ve received on your app? How did you reply?
A: The most common questions we get relate to the most stressful milestones for parents: breastfeeding, sleeplessness, teething, potty training and the like. In the six short months since we launched, we’ve aggregated hundreds of answers to these questions and made them all searchable in our app. That’s actually the hidden beauty of Village for Parents – as more and more questions are asked and answered, the app has become a living, breathing guidebook on how to raise kids. Whatever challenge you’re facing, Village can provide you with a few thoughtful answers that are just right for your parenting style, your values and your baby.
Q: For those who do not use the app, what would you say to convince them that Village for Parents is the best resource?
A: As I mentioned above, parents should always trust their instincts when making decisions for their family. The problem most of us have is that parenthood often puts us in situations where we have little, if any, personal experience to fall back on. Village bridges that gap by presenting only the information that you need to solve a problem or make a decision. Our goal is to minimize the amount of time you have to spend on the app to get the information or validation you need to take action and then move on with your day.
Download the Village for Parents app on your iPhone by clicking here!
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!