It’s all about being together

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Lorraine

For the first five years of motherhood I lived nearly 5000 miles away from my family. It’s my fault – I chose to up sticks and move away. When we were just a couple I was fine with a visit from my parents once a year, a yearly trip home for us and weekly phone calls, but somehow, having babies made me feel closer to my family despite the vast distance between us. I realised how much a rookie mom needs her mom.

As Pickle grew and Bowser arrived seeing my family only once or twice a year and the limited time my parents had with their grandchildren fanned the flames of my smoldering feelings of homesickness. Surviving the nine hour flight and the accompanying jet lag also made traveling home less appealing. So, when Pickle was five and Bowser 18 months we packed up and went home. Now we are a much more sensible 60 miles apart and can see them, if not whenever we want, at least 6 or so times a year.

So that’s how we’ll be spending our upcoming school break – with Nanny and Grandad. We won’t do anything terribly exciting; it’s very relaxed. We might visit with some extended family. I usually get to have some precious ‘me time’ and have a couple of nights out catching up with old friends. We may see a family movie (currently trying to decide between The Muppets and Puss in Boots). Pickle in particular is just as excited about seeing Nanny and Grandad as she is about what we will do when we’re there. For her it’s all about being together. It’s like she’s making up for lost time.

Pickle would like if we were part of an African or Indian culture where the extended family all live together under one roof, but we adults know that we also need our own space. We always try to explain to her that if we spent all of our time together then we wouldn’t be able to look forward to visits. However, when we leave there are always tears that last for at least the first 15 minutes of the journey.

Nanny always has a little welcome gift for them, usually a sticker book and a craft kit for Pickle, a couple of Hot Wheels for Bowser and always a pack of Kinder eggs each. When the Kinder eggs are opened this time I will have a little wry smile as I’ve just become a member of the #KINDERMom program with KINDER® Canada. I expect being a KINDERMom I will see more than usual of these little fellows in the next few months. Nobody around here has any complaints about that.

We’ve decided that we’d like to share a little of our KINDERMom KINDERFun with our blog readers. For a chance to win a 24 pack of KINDER® SURPRISE® eggs, (YES, 24!!!) simply leave a comment below telling us who you would share this delicious bounty with.

For bonus entries:

  • Like The Survival Guide for Rookie Moms on facebook
  • Like KINDER® Canada on facebook
  • Retweet this giveaway ‘ Share a little #KINDERMom KINDERFun with a 24 pack of KINDER® SURPRISE® eggs via @RookieMommy http://wp.me/pC8a1-2PP #Giveaway ‘

Be sure to leave a separate comment below for each of your bonus entries.

  • Giveaway is open to Canadian residents only
  • Winner will be drawn at random
  • Giveaway closes February 28th, 2012

Check out the KINDER® Canada Facebook page for a peek at the 2012 toy collection, and exclusive monthly contests through the My Kinder Moments application – this February they’re giving away $500 towards the ultimate staycation!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Kinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Filed under: Parenting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments »

We got sole! And it’s slip resistant

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Lorraine

pediped® has been listening to the people that matter most – their customers. They’ve created a more slip resistant sole for their Originals® line of soft-soled infant shoes. The new sole is still soft and flexible to mimic barefoot walking but now features a slip resistant diamond tread. It’s made of all natural high quality leather, just like before, in fact it’s two layers of leather with a foam insert to protect the little ones’ feet when they are on the move.

Here’s what some moms have to say after trying the new slip resistant pedided Originals:

‘pediped has taken my favoiurite Originals shoes for my toddler and made them even better’

‘These new pediped Originals are, without a doubt, the perfect shoes for my early walker’

‘I have never seen my husband excited about shoes, so that says a lot about these new pedipeds’

Keri thinks the design of the new Originals is a significant improvement over the prior version. “I always thought they were cute shoes and I know the design is the best for a toddler’s developing foot, but the smooth bottoms made them slippery on some surfaces so I would have to scuff them up a bit on the bottom before letting my kids wear them. The last thing you want to do with new shoes is scuff them up – kids do that on their own! Anyway, I think the textured soles are a great improvement…Way to make a good product even better!“

The pediped® Spring/Summer 2012 collection makes its debut with more than 75 new styles including water-safe shoes, gladiator sandals, athletic styles, boat shoes, Mary Janes and more across pediped® footwear’s three signature lines:

Originals® collection with its new slip resistant sole is available for children 0-24 months in age. ($33)

Grip ‘n’ Go™ footwear is made with all the benefits of Originals®, but with special G2 Technology for active toddlers that are transitioning to walking with a more confident stride. Available for children 9 months to 3 years in age. ($47)

 Flex® is the ultimate shoe for confident walkers who have developed a solid, natural stride and includes the Adventure Line of rugged, water-safe, eco-friendly footwear. Styles are available in EU sizes 20-33 ($39-$60)

The Spring/Summer 2012 collection is now available online at www.pediped.com and in select retail stores.

Giveaway!
When children’s feet grow so quickly, what could be better than a free pair of high quailty shoes? We’re giving away a pair of  pediped Originals to one lucky reader. To enter, simply pop to the pediped online store and tell us in a comment below which is your favorite style.

For bonus entries:

  • Tell us if you are a ‘liker’ of The Survival Guide for Rookie Moms on facebook
  • Tell us if you are a ‘liker’ of pediped on facebook
  • Follow @pedipedfootwear on Twitter
  • Retweet this giveaway ‘ Win a pair of pediped Originals footwear – ‘the next best thing to bare feet’ via @RookieMommy http://wp.me/pC8a1-2RP ’

Be sure to leave a separate comment below for each of your bonus entries

  • Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only
  • Winner will be drawn at random
  • Winner can specify if they wish to recieve boy’s or girl’s shoes and their size of choice and will recieve a style of Originals chosen by pediped
  • Giveaway closes February 27th, 2012

pediped® footwear was created in 2004 by Angela and Brian Edgeworth after their first daughter Caroline was born. pediped® has become one of the fastest growing children’s footwear brands in the U.S. and is sold in over 3000 stores in the United States and 40 countries worldwide with an offering of more than 160 designs spanning EU sizes 17-33.

pediped® footwear has been awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance for the promotion of healthy foot development, and the pediped® footwear system has recently been endorsed by researchers associated with Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital Boston.

Since the company’s founding, pediped® footwear has given nearly $1 million in product and monetary support to children in need. In January 2011, pediped® established the pediped foundation™ to expand upon the company’s philosophy of giving.

Filed under: Parenting | Tagged: , , , , , , | 54 Comments »

THUMB VS. SOOTHER

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Guests

Welcome Sleep Consultant Pam Nease as this week’s guest blogger.

Q. What are the pros and cons of soother and thumb sucking? I have friends that swear by (and against) both! Not sure what’s best for my baby.

A. “You can take away a soother … but you can’t take away a thumb!” How often have we heard that? How many of us have chosen soothers as we have heard about that one person in their 30’s that was still sucking their thumb to sleep? Or, perhaps it is the fear of thousands of dollars in orthodontic work? For some, it is their own painful memories of Tabasco or bridges being put in their mouths to get them to stop.

If you want a great sleeper, then don’t choose the soother. You are simply setting yourself up for failure. The second they fall out of the baby’s mouth, they need someone to put it back in again. By the time they are mentally and physically able to do it, (without calling for Mom or Dad in the middle of the night), they are three to four years old. By then, Mom and Dad are starting to feel the pressure from the Dentist to take it away. And that’s a lot of sleepless nights (1370 in total from 3 months to age 4) which could lead to a lot more serious health and behavioural issues for your child.

Even if they can put it back in their mouths, you are still giving your child fragmented sleep. They will end up having a full arousal, put the soother back in their mouth and then go back to sleep. This is similar to you waking up to use the bathroom or looking at the alarm clock, noting the time and then going back to sleep. You remember these wakeful periods. Studies have shown that fragmented sleep is not as beneficial as consolidated sleep. When we get fragmented sleep, our bodies do not go into the deeper stages of sleep, and therefore we do not wake up feeling as refreshed the next morning. The same is true for children.

For babies, sucking on thumbs and fingers is a natural and intuitive process. We have all seen the pictures of babies in the womb, sucking on them. So, if your newborn or infant gravitates to a thumb or finger as a self soothing strategy – embrace it! Celebrate that they have the ability to self soothe and will be better sleepers as a result. When we all sleep, we have partial arousals through the night. We come gently to the surface, scan our environment and then go back to sleep. These are the times that we adjust our pillows, roll over, pull up the blankets or snuggle up to our partner. In the morning, we do not remember them and therefore we wake up feeling more refreshed as we were able to get into the deeper stages of sleep. This is considered consolidated sleep. The same is true for babies and young children.

If you are concerned about the 30 year old or the large orthodontic bills or the painful childhood memories, then don’t despair. Just because you don’t use a soother, does not mean that your child will automatically choose a finger or thumb. Many babies and young children find other self soothing strategies such as cuddling with a small stuffed animal or a blanket. If they do gravitate to fingers or thumbs, then early intervention is best. Some parents have reported that their babies spontaneously stopped sucking on their thumbs or fingers on or around their first birthday. If that does not happen, then you will want to engage in gentle behaviour management techniques around 2 years old to stop any finger and thumb sucking while awake and then again around 3 to 4 years old for the sleep association. This can be done in a very short period of time – about a week or so. And … in the meantime … you all have experienced 1370 peaceful nights and better naps in the day.

Pam Nease

Described as a miracle worker by her clients, Pam Nease left a successful career in the Fall of 2009 to open up her own business as a Sleep Consultant.  She rescues babies and children from the plight of sleep deprivation by showing parents how to give their little ones the beautiful gift and skill of sleep.
Pam meets with clients in person, over the phone and offers group seminars. She has appeared on the radio, is the sleep expert for two magazines and is a sought after keynote speaker for Baby Fairs across the Okanagan. Based in Kelowna BC, she has a growing local & international clientele which ranges from single parents to NHL Hockey Players, Celebrities, Nurses and Family Physicians.
For more great information and your FREE copy of the 5 Easy Steps to baby sleep, please visit her Sleep Sense website. She would also love to hear from you on Facebook and Twitter.

Filed under: Parenting | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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