There are numerous questions parents have about topics related to raising children. The Resources Section on the right hand side can address many of those questions.
The most frequently asked questions of staff at Rainbow’s End Child Development Center are:
What can I do to sooth my baby’s sore gums while teething?
If your teething baby seems uncomfortable, consider these simple tips:
Rub your baby’s gums. Use a clean finger, moistened gauze pad or damp washcloth to massage your baby’s gums.
Give your baby a teething ring. Use one made of firm rubber rather than a liquid-filled teething ring. Liquid filled rings may break under the pressure of your baby’s chewing.
Keep your baby’s gums cool. A cold washcloth or chilled teething ring can be soothing. Do not give your baby a frozen teething ring.
Dry your baby’s drool. Excessive drooling is part of the teething process, but it can cause skin irritation.
Try an over-the-counter remedy. Sometimes it may become necessary to give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin. Others). Be very careful about using teething medications that can be rubbed directly on your baby’s gums. The medication may be washed away by your baby’s saliva before it has the chance to work. In addition, too much of the medication may numb your baby’s throat, which may interfere with his/her normal gag reflex.
Why is my toddler biting?
Biting is very normal and common among toddlers. It is especially common in group settings where young children have to share space, toys and the attention of adults. Therefore, biting often occurs in child care centers. Some common reasons toddlers bite are:
Exploration
Teething
Independence
Anxiety
Frustration
Attention
Power
Imitation
Competition
So, what should you do if your child bites someone? First, it is important to stay calm. Remove your child and comfort the child who was bitten. The area that has been bitten needs to be washed and an ice pack may make it feel better. Then tell your child calmly and firmly that biting is not okay and that biting hurts.
Biting is frightening for children and exhausting for parents and child care providers. However, most children stop biting when they learn to talk and express their feelings, needs and desires.
What can I do to help my child to become potty trained?
Potty training is a big step for parents and the child. Much patience is required during the process. First, you must determine if your child is physically and emotionally ready. Many children show interest in potty training by age 2, but others may not be ready until later. If you start potty training too early, it may take longer. Ask yourself these questions to determine if your child is ready for potty training:
Does my child seem interested in the potty chair or in wearing underwear?
Can my child follow basic directions?
Can my child ask simple questions?
Does my child stay dry for at least two hours during the day?
Does my child have predictable bowel movements?
Is my child uncomfortable in wet or dirty diapers?
Can my child pull down his/her pants and pull them up again?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then your child may be ready for potty training. If you answered mostly no, then you may want to wait.
When you decide it is time to begin potty training, parents must remember patience and a positive attitude. Then these steps should be taken:
Place a potty chair in the bathroom. Make sure your child’s feet rest firmly on the floor or a stool.
Schedule potty breaks. Have your child sit on the potty chair for a few minutes several times a day. Even if your child simply sits there, offer praise for trying.
Get to the bathroom quickly. As soon as you notice signs (squirming, squatting or holding the genital area) that your child may need to use the toilet, get him/her there as quickly as possible.
Consider incentives. Some children respond to stickers, stars on a chart, extra bedtime stories, etc. You also want to reinforce your child’s efforts with verbal praise.
Be consistent by following a potty-training routine.
Use training pants or regular underwear after several weeks of success.
Treat mistakes lightly. Accidents happen. When it happens, stay calm.
Remember nighttime control may take longer. Most children take months, and sometime years, to master nighttime bladder control. In the meantime, use disposable training pants or plastic mattress covers when your child sleeps.
How often should my baby be eating?
If it's possible for you to breast-feed, breast milk is the best food for babies, Lappe says. Expect your newborn to feed up to 12 times a day, or about every two hours. "It's pretty much whenever they seem hungry, that moms should be nursing. Don't try to limit their food," Lappe says. Feeding can last anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes on each side, Lappe says. Wait until your baby is at least 6 months old before switching to solid foods, she adds.
Try to keep track of how many times a day your baby eats. Keeping a sheet and recording the times can help ensure the baby is eating enough and help a doctor better understand your child and it's eating schedule.
When Does My Newborn Need Vaccines?
All babies should get their first hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital to protect them from the contagious liver disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises. When your baby is about 2 months old, she should get her first set of vaccines against illnesses such as diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; pneumonia; pneumococcal disease; polio; rotavirus and her second dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, according to the CDC. If you expect to have visitors, make sure to ask if anyone is sick, Lappe says.
How do I know if my child’s poor behaviour is just a phase or not?
Some children’s behaviour is developmental – fear of the dark, having difficulty separating, and tantrum-throwing and telling lies are quite common behaviours for children at different stages.
Look for benchmarks. While it’s not always healthy to compare your child to others, it’s useful to ask yourself, “Is this behaviour normal for my child’s age and stage of development?”
Take a well-being check. Make sure there is nothing worrying or negatively impacting on your child.
Trust your gut. Listen to your instinct and if in doubt, get your child checked out by a suitable professional.
My kids don’t listen to me. What can I do?
It’s common for children to become parent deaf, particularly to their primary parent. If your kids continually ignore you, try these ideas:
Move close and make eye contact to get their attention.
Lower your voice rather than raise it.
Give one instruction at a time.
Act, rather than repeat yourself.
Ignore tantrums or guilt-inducing behaviour if your consequence is unpleasant
What to do when toddlers fight or hurt a younger sibling?
With toddlers and under 2’s immediacy and safety are the main issues as a parent. You are a peacekeeper and protector not a mentor at this age. Here are some responses to use when an under two gets physical with a younger sibling:
Distract: Put their attention elsewhere-“Mia is watching TV. Play quietly while you are waiting for him.”
Redirect: Focus their behaviour into acceptable ways.“Hit the pegboard, not people.”
Explain: Let a young one know that their behaviour is hurtful. “It hurts when you…..”
Removal: If your verbal efforts don’t work take them away from others until they’ve calmed down or they are ready to come back and act properly.“You can spend some time in your room and come back when you’ll be nice to your sister.”
Restore (relationships): Making up and moving on is easy for young children. “Give your sister a hug.” “Please give the toy back.”