Back To School Time!

Back To School Time!

Yeah my graduated toddler started kindergarten a few days ago..:0( I cried and was so emotional. Every milestone our children reach is bitter sweet. I remember when he was a toddler and how fast time really went. Whether you have a toddler beginning preschool or siblings beginning school. Here is a great issue celebrating Back To School!LOL So pour some coffee ;0) put your feet up and read this issue of
The Toddler Times!

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September 2010: Issue #0017

Our "Back To School" e-zine will feature:

• Positive Parenting Tips: I have some great tips to help you parent your toddler with a smile....:0)...:)




• Toddler Nutrition. When you are going to pack those school lunches here is some great info on nutrition.




• We have a great Cool Toddler recipe "Home Made Parfaits" ;0) Yum! Our recipe is going to be FUN!:)




• Our Second Toddlers Are Fun Photo Contest Winner! We have a new sponsor so you will be excited to see the prizes.... Our new contest is announced This contest is so Cool you will have NO CHOICE but to enter WOW! WOW!

Positive Parenting

It is a learning process for parents as well as their children. I learn every day along with my son. You must realize that as parents you will make mistakes. As long as you consistently grow and are willing to change that is the ultimate goal. Think of the prize as your child becoming a healthy happy adult.

I really took this topic to heart when I discovered some problem areas within my own parenting. This page is important to pass along advice that I learned and read myself. We have to help each other. As always if you ever need any advice or even just want to vent contact me through my contact form. I am here to help.

Keys to Successful Positive Parenting in Toddlers:

* Positive Parenting Tips for 1-2 year olds

• Keep reading books to your toddler daily.
• Ask her to find objects for you or name body parts and objects.
• Play matching games with your toddler.
• Encourage him to explore and try new things.
• Help to develop your toddler’s language by talking with her.
• Encourage your toddler’s curiosity and ability to recognize common objects by taking field trips together to the park or a bus ride. Check out my activities page for ideas.

* Positive Parenting Tips For 2-3 year olds

• Set up a special time to read books with your toddler. See my toddler reading page to understand how important reading is to child development.
• Encourage your child to engage in pretend play.
• Play parade or follow the leader with your toddler.
• Help your child to explore her surroundings by taking her on walks.
• Encourage your child to tell you his name and age.
• Teach your child simple songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider, or other cultural childhood rhymes.

Other Positive Parenting Tips:

Self Esteem

One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is self esteem. Your child's self-esteem is greatly influenced by the quality of time you spend with him and not the amount of time that you spend them. With our busy lives, we are often thinking about the next thing that we have to do, instead of putting 100% focused attention on what our child is saying to us. We often tune them out and then wonder why they start to misbehave. Negative attention in a child's mind is better than being ignored. Even a toddler can pick up on the lack of attention.

Allowing your children to feel Important

You must give your children the feeling of importance. If you don't, they will find inappropriate ways to feel it. Ways to help them feel important and valuable are to ask their advice, give them choices, let them help you bake cookies or cook all our part of a meal, or help you grocery shop. A two-year-old can wash plastic dishes, wash vegetables, or put silverware away. Often we do the job for them because we can do it with less hassle, but the result is they feel unimportant. Let them help... who cares if they make a mess. It is about the quality of time.

Separate the Deed from the Child

Never tell a child that he is bad. That tears at his self-esteem. Help your child recognize that it isn't that you don't like him, but it is his behavior that you are unwilling to tolerate. In order for a child to have healthy self-esteem, he must know that he is loved unconditionally no matter what he does. Do not motivate your child by withdrawing your love from him. When in doubt, ask yourself, did my discipline build my child's self-esteem? If your child is testing you through a temper tantrum, it is best if you leave the room or tell the child you will be in the next room if he wants to "try again." Do not leave in anger or defeat. When disciplining, Be Consistent and Follow Through If you have made an agreement that your child cannot buy candy when she gets to the store, do not give in to her pleas, tears, demands or pouting. Your child will learn to respect you more if you mean what you say.

Environment

This one is huge parents. You are the model. Your lives are the model. Be careful what you do and your language around your children. It is important what you expose them to as far as television and people. Remember it is not about "You are the parent and you do what you want." "WRONG" Be a proper example for your children.

It is critical that we start taking a different approach to our parenting. The children are the future and we want to make sure that we as parents are doing our best to raise healthy, loving mature adults. Healthy not only in the physical but the emotional and mental as well. Positive parenting can help place our children on this correct path.

Toddler Nutrition

*Food Guide Pyramid*

The Food Pyramid is divided into six color bands representing the five food groups plus oils. The food pyramid is the greatest resource for toddler nutrition. Here is a break down of the pyramid and what each color represents.

Orange represents GRAINS:

• Make half the grains consumed each day whole grains. Whole-grain foods include oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, whole cornmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread.

Green represents VEGETABLES:

• Choose a variety of different vegetables to have in your toddler’s diet. Include dark green and orange colored. Don’t forget about the peas and beans. Legumes are a great vegetable!!!

Red represents FRUITS:

• Fruits are huge and very important in toddler nutrition. Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Serve fruits fresh or canned or even dried. FYI: Raisins are dried grapes did you know that? Fruits are great healthy snacks. I know my little boy prefers an apple over candy.

Yellow represents oils:

• Limit solid fats as much as possible, like butter and shortening. Know the limits on fats, sugars, and sodium. Talk to your toddler’s pediatrician about these limits.

Blue represents MILK:

• Calcium rich foods are great. Milk and milk products contain calcium and Vitamin D. Both are key ingredients in building and maintaining bone tissue. Make sure your toddler is not allergic to milk. Milk is also a key food allergen for a possible toddler food allergy.

Purple represents MEAT and BEANS:

• Don’t forget that you get protein from fish, beans and peas also!!

Toddlers love to feed themselves and make a mess. It’s okay, relax. You are helping them in so many different ways by allowing them to learn to pick up their own food. Invest in some toddler sized cutlery to make dinner time fun!!!

Remember that activities and keeping your child active is also very important in toddler nutrition. I have some great healthy recipes you should try! My toddler loves them. We are responsible for providing our child with a healthy lifestyle. Choose wisely the foods you feed your child, you’re creating habits now that can last a lifetime.

Our Toddler Recipe is..
"Parfaits" :)

Home Made Parfaits

Homemade Parfait

This is a great quick after school snack for the kids!

What you need:

• Vanilla yogurt
• Mixed Fruit (strawberries, bananas, and berries)
• Honey
• Chocolate chips (optional)
• Tall glass
• Tablespoon

What you do:

1. Fill your glass about halfway with yogurt.
2. Fill the rest of your glass with mixed fruit.
3. Drizzle honey on top and use a tablespoon to mix everything together.
4. Add a handful of chocolate chips for a finishing touch and dig in!

Toddlers Are Fun Photo Contest!!

Toddlers Are Fun Photo Contest Prize Package Includes:

Prize #1
Baby Rock Clothing T-Shirt!

Thanks to Baby Rock Clothes! For being a NEW sponsor to the Toddlers Are Fun toddler photo contest!

So, if you're a Cool, Hip, Stylish Mom or Dad, show the world your Baby has serious style!Baby Clothes, Rock Baby Clothes, Hip Baby Clothes, Baby T-Shirts, Rock, Funny, Punk Baby Clothes and A Unique Baby Gift for the Little Cool Star! Check out this site Baby Rock Clothes The winner of the toddler Photo contest will receive a shirt of their choice as a prize! So enter your toddler today!

Prize #2
Buying and Selling Secrets to cash in on E-bay!

Information about this e-book:

I have bought and sold on E-bay for years. I have some Amazing secrets to share and the winner will get to read all of them!

To check out The book the winner will receiveClick Here.

Prize #3
Become a Moms Club Member

The winner will get a Free membership for a year to the TAF Moms Club!

To check out The membership and all it's benefits Click Here.

Prize #4
A $25.00 Gift Card to The Childrens Place

The Childrens Place has amazing clothes for toddlers at reasonable prices. The winner gets $25.00 On Toddlers Are Fun! Wow!

Prize #5
The winner of this contest will be entered into our GRAND Prize "Toddler of The Year Contest" that will end December 31st 2010. The Grand Prize package will be announced later and it will truly be an amazing prize package.

We are so excited about our first contest!Our second contest is underway so enter NOW! New Contest ends so enter today! You could win all of these great prizes! Have you entered your toddler yet? Remember that comments to your child's pictures serve as votes! Click Here To Enter the Contest Today!

Next Month...

Happy Harvest Issue!

• It is important to talk about Child Safety and "Stranger Danger"




• A Harvest Craft that will be FUN for the entire family.




• A Yummy Harvest recipe that your entire family will have a "Blast" making......YUM! ;0)




• Our Photo contest ends this month.... We will announce the winner! And the New contest will begin!!

Take Care and I speak Blessings to be poured over you and your family! Remember to love each other, see you next month....

Ingrid ;0)