Around the three month mark, babies begin to develop a regular sleeping pattern, and are weening off of night feedings.  Most experts recommend starting sleep training anywhere between the two month-six month range, with the best time being totally determined by each individual baby and family.

Like with most baby related “things” every baby is different and everybody you talk to who has a baby has an opinion – same goes for sleep training.  We recommend talking to your pediatrician, doing some research, and talking to your significant other to come up with a plan that that seems like it will work for your family.

You can start sleep training by establishing a regular bedtime routine (i.e. giving your child a warm bath, reading a book, or feeding before bed). This will be better enforced if you are also waking your baby up around the same time every morning, and taking naps at the same time every day.

Overall, consult with your pediatrician and develop a personalized plan that will work best for your family! 

For working moms, we wanted to share  the top 10 ways to balance summer with the kids home courtesy of life coach, Lynn Berger.

Everyone talks about balancing your work and personal lives but how do you do it considering all the roles and  responsibilities you have? The summer time can be especially tricky since children may be home more and need to stay busy and engaged.

1)For the parent, in order to attain harmony you need to think about the things that are most important to you during the summer months and pursue those activities. It is a short season and learning how to prioritize is key.

2)Enroll your child in enough activities.  Keeping them active will prevent boredom and they might have a lot of fun playing sports and making new friends.

3)Allocate at least one half hour per day to something that gives you pleasure.  This will give you an outside interest and you can gain some perspective on child rearing.

4)If old enough let your children take tasks on in the home.  They may enjoy the responsibility and you will enjoy the help as well

5)Get the family into shape physically. The summer is a great time of year to spend time doing outdoor activities with your child(ren). Try to find a family sport.

6)Plan vacations well in advance and involve your children in your vacation  plans, if possible.  For example show them a map of where you are visiting.  Find age appropriate activities.

7)Teach your child(ren) to play alone.  A child that knows how to play by himself will not feel lonely when other children are not around.

8)Assemble lists of resource people. In an emergency it is useful to have the phone numbers of neighbors, relatives, friends, classmates or medical experts.

9)Ask your child(ten) if there are any special projects and/or activities they would like to focus on in the summer.

10)Have fun and relax.  This is a great time of year to take vacations and spend time with your children.

We’re so excited to announce the official launch of our Chicago city platform! You can now expect the same high level of care across the midwest.

Visiting on a business trip? No problem! Our local sitters will come to your hotel or show your kids around the city.

Have friends or family in Chicago? Make sure you refer them as a new family or caregiver!

Book your new appointment online through our online portal: http://www.bellfamilycompany.com/user/login/family

Today we’d like to introduce another Chicago sitter to our lineup: Alyson!

Alyson Berget is originally from Minnesota, but she has been in Chicago for five years now. She is a former full-time nanny for a newborn until he was three years old old. Alyson also babysits for a few different families on the weekends during her days off for ages newborn to middle school. She loves children, yoga, pilates, cooking & reading. She is CPR/ First Aid Trained.

Caring. Trustworthy. Dependable. Creative. All things you want in someone who is going to watch your children. When I became a mother two and a half years ago, I didn’t know where to go to find that special person to watch my son. Well, someone must have been watching over me because they introduced me to Lindsay Bell and Lucky Lil’ Darlings. Grateful doesn’t even begin to express how I feel for being connected to such an amazing company that has provided me with the most wonderful babysitters. I never had to worry if Henry and his brother Bennett would be cared for in a loving way, that they would have fun, and that when I walked in the door, they’d have smiles on their faces. Henry always looked forward to his sitter’s arrival and would give me a gentle shove out the door by smiling and saying, “Bye, Mommy.” That is a mother’s dream come true! Bennett was happy, too, just too young to tell me!

With only one week left until Father’s Day, we wanted to feature a few of the special Dads in our office staff members’ lives. We love you, Dads!

“My dad is often called the strong silent type. Rightfully so with 6 girls in our house growing up. He taught me to work hard, to follow the rules & not to put up with bad behavior from others. My dad the high school football coach, teacher & farmer for 35 years, is not a business man, but he always gives me a simple answer to a work problem. Instead of analyzing it, my dad is always supportive & keeps me grounded.”

-Lindsay & her Dad (Aug 9, 2014)

“My fondest childhood memories of my dad were of us reading books together, specifically The Berenstain Bears (his favorite) and playing the tickle game with my little sister in his blue lazy-boy chair (when all three of us could fit). I believe I have acquired my laid-back personality and sense of humor from him, and often see in myself the silly side of my dad come out when I play and interact with children. I love how my relationship has grown with my dad over the years and can’t wait to see what type of Grandpa he will be to my own children in the future!”

-Hannah and her Dad

To tip or not to tip? That’s a question we get from many of our families. Tipping is definitely not required, but our sitters and nannies do appreciate it! Similar to eating out, tipping shows your caregiver that they did a great job. Some instances you might want to consider tipping your caregiver are if they go above and beyond or deal with a situation that is unfamiliar or unexpected. Additionally, when sitters are available at the last minute or during undesirable times such as holidays, it is a nice gesture to show appreciation. The amount tipped is also similar to general etiquette for eating out: 15 to 20 percent.

You may tip your sitter in cash or tell them to add it to their checkout at the end of their BFC appointment. The sitter will then add the tip to the miscellaneous section of the checkout.

I was born in the late 70’s and recall family member’s saying, “Children should be seen and not heard” or “…because I said so” or my all-time favorite, spoken in a whisper through clenched teeth, “When I get you home…” Thirty plus years later, parenting protocol and limit setting has changed drastically. Punitive punishment is unacceptable in mainstream society, and words like: “NO” became taboo when speaking to children. However, setting limits and boundaries for our youth is important for their growth and development as they move through childhood and adolescents into adults.

Our world has changed in many ways since I was a kid, and so have the parenting styles and approaches. In our society we have limits, we have stop signs, red lights, late fees, sorry we are closed signs etc. As parents and caregivers, it is our job to teach children about so many things and often times we have to say NO! Safety is always the most important limit we have to distinguish to young children, but we also show our kids how to have nice manners, good listening ears, inside voices, kind words, gentle hands, regular bedtime and screen limits.

Bottom line:  Children will push the limits and disregard your boundaries! It is their job to do this! It’s actually a good sign and shows they are seeking independence and understanding how they relate to their external environments.

Stay calm, consistent and creative…  There are many creative ways to say no or distract unwanted behavior. The most important piece is to be consistent. If you say “NO”- It has to mean “NO”… (no matter what), no matter how much crying, screaming or tantrums ensue… Keep your word. If not, you are only reinforcing that when you (adult, grown-up, parent, teacher, or caregiver) say no… it really means to the child: Show me enough negative reaction and wear me down (preferably in public) until I say YES…! Don’t fall for the trap! Just say No in a calm and confident voice, mean it and move on. Another great trick I learned is to really keep the adult emotion neutral. Children are very emotional and when parents or grown-ups react with an emotional response it feeds into the child’s tantrum and upset. Find your inner calm voice and be matter of fact!

 Example: Creative way to set a limit, without actually using the word NO. Parents/Caregivers- Make good eye contact and get on your child’s level.

Child: “Mom, can I have a play date with Jack, today?”

Mom: “Oh, You want to have a play date with Jack?” (when you mimic or mirror your child’s request, they feel heard- Empathy)

Child: “Yes!”

Mom: “Ok, I think a play date with Jack sounds fun. Let’s talk to his mom and see when we can arrange it.” (Shows you care and want to arrange it)

Child: “But I want to have a play date TODAY!!!! PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE.”

Mom: “Oh, Sweetie, I know you want to, but we have to plan a play date. We already have plans, but why don’t I send a message to Jack’s mom and we will see when we can do it this week. Who did you sit next to at lunch today” (Change the subject)

Child: “I sat next to Sarah.”

(Now if the child protested and starts to react negatively, the parent’s job is to stay calm and remind the child that that response is unacceptable and if he wants a play date with his friend he has to have… nice manner etc.)

For more information on saying no or setting limits, please feel free to email Ali with questions at [email protected]!