September 2010 Archives
Jessie Weaver-
September 30, 2010-
Fisher-Price® issued four recalls today. Please make sure you don't have one of these items in your house! If you do, visit the Mattel Recalls Page and visit the appropriate link for your product.
There has also been a recall on specific models of the Little People® Wheelies™ Stand ‘n Play™ Rampway and inflatable balls associated with the following toys: Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Cruise Playground™, Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Slide Arcade™, Baby Gymtastics™ Play Wall, Ocean Wonders™ Kick & Crawl Aquarium (C3068 and H8094), 1-2-3 Tetherball and Bat & Score Goal made before 2008.
Please see the Mattel Recall Web site for more information.
The Child Product Safety site is an easy resource for finding the most recent recalled children's items, as well as searching for specific items you may have questions about.
As parents today, you may find it difficult to sift through what is and what is not appropriate for your kids. Take a movie rating, for example. I think it’s safe to say that many “PG” movies of today would have been considered “PG-13” (and, in some cases, “R”) 10 years ago.
So, where do you start? What resources are available to parents who want to find an appropriate, kid-friendly movie for the whole family to watch on a Friday night?
I found a couple of online resources for parents, one of which also has a neat iPhone app to supplement its Web site.
Focus on the Family operates Plugged In Online, a Web site with hundreds of movie reviews (including movies currently in theaters). This one's a real simple, easy-to-navigate blog that also has reviews on videos, music, TV shows, and games. Plugged In makes searching for movies super simple, and it also has a feature which allows you to view the most-read reviews.
Another interesting online resource I found was Common Sense Media. I only stumbled across this Web site because I first found its iPhone app. This Web site has almost 4,000 movie reviews and, like Plugged In Online, also reviews games, TV shows, and music. In addition, this Web site has thousands of book reviews and Web site reviews. Here are a few screenshots of what the Common Sense Media iPhone app looks like.
Here's what you see when you open up the app. So, say you want to do a thorough review of a movie before taking the family to see it…
It lets you scroll through to select which movie you want to review. What I really like here is that it shows you how old you should be to watch the movie. None of those ambiguous movie ratings that loosely apply these days...
When you select "Read Our Full Review," you get a page of good content on what to expect from the movie. These icons are simple and easy to understand. I thought Common Sense Media did a great job including info that was important to parents. When was the last time you saw a movie and thought, “I would never want my child to grow up and behave like that”? This app actually shows you (via the “Role Models” icon) to what degree the movie might positively influence a child.
When you scroll down the app, you can read more information about the movie, what you need to know about the different movie elements, what's good about the movie, etc. The neatest thing I found here was info on how you could talk about the movie with your kids. Instead of just watching a movie and letting that be that, this app gives you ways to "debrief" the movie with your children. This "debrief" feature could give you the opportunity to relate the movie to spiritual concepts, help you clear up any "societal" misconceptions, or even lead your child to Christ.
Any other tools for finding family-friendly movies we should know about?
Bud Harlan is the department intern for Childhood Training and Events at LifeWay and blogs for CentriKid Camps. For other kid-friendly tools and resources, visit centrikidblog.com.
Jodi Skulley-September 28, 2010-
I have had the privilege of working on ParentLife for seven years (I can hardly believe it ... time flies)! Over those seven years, I've been a part of several redesigns of the magazine. It's always a lot of work, but it's always very exciting and well worth the effort!
In the past few months, our team has been working hard behind the scenes on a new design for ParentLife that will be launching in March 2011. And I must say ... it is by far my favorite design so far! I can't wait to get it into your hands and see what you think! We hope you will find it to be beautiful, refreshing, and open with the same great content you've come to expect!
Today, we're giving you a tiny sneak peek ... the cover! We want the first cover of the new design to be the best cover yet, but we need your help.
Below are five of our favorite cover choices. Let us know which cover is your favorite by leaving a comment!
Cover 1 (below)
Leave a comment and let us know which one is your favorite and any comments you would like to share. We will use your feedback to help us decide on the March 2011 cover. We're moving fast on this, so be sure and comment today!
William Summey-September 27, 2010-
Follow the September Giveaway link below to give us feedback about how you use 
ParentLife and to qualify for our September giveaway!
September Giveaway
Win one of 10 copies of our new Super Duper activity books!
One comment per individual, please. LifeWay employees are not eligible to win. Winners will be announced on the blog October 1, 2010.
Jessie Weaver-
September 29, 2010-
Some children are natural at initiating play — and relationships — with other children, while others must be guided. Here are some tips for ensuring your child will learn to make and keep friends.
Start with the Golden Rule.
“Have them consider, ‘Would you like it if Jayden did that to you?’” says Corinne Gregory, founder of SocialSmarts®, a nationally-recognized program that teaches good social skills, positive character, and values to kids. “Young children are not aware of how much power they have to make other people feel good or bad. To build and keep friends, you have to put yourself in their shoes. Keep reinforcing this concept with your child, praising positive behavior when you see it and gently correcting the negative.”
Offer consistency.
“Teaching the concept of ‘friend’ comes best when there can be one consistent one-on-one situation, one consistent family with whom you and your child feel comfortable,” says Andrea Gould, Ph.D., president of Lucid Learning Systems. “After mastering the art of playing peaceably with one other youngster, preferably close in age, a child can learn, with guidance, to generalize about friendship, its comforts, and its challenges. Good experience generalizes readily.”
Foster empathy.
“Learning to recognize and interpret social cues such as a sad face, a laugh, or a child’s need to be alone can determine whether or not your child will make and keep friends easily,” says Jackie Gass, president of Sunbrook Academy and early childhood development expert. “You can promote the process [of developing empathy] through everyday experiences by talking about facial expressions of others and asking, ‘How do you think she feels?’, ‘How does that make you feel?’, or ‘Does he look happy or sad?’ You can also encourage this by expressing your own feelings or through books and games.”
Pay attention and discuss what you see.
“Talk to your child about what to expect when you go to the park, attend a birthday party or school,” says Vicki Folds, Ph.D., vice president of education and professional development at Children of America. “If your child dominates situations, discuss how the other children might be feeling if they never get a turn. If your child stands back and waits for others to engage them, you might want to encourage your child to initiate a game. At the end of a play day, encourage your child to tell you about the day, about the friends, they made and what they did. This helps them remember events and build relationships.”
So there's what the experts say. Do you have any additional advice or tools for helping your child(ren) make friends?
Photo used with permission of Flickr Creative Commons.
Jodi Skulley-September 27, 2010-
Did you know that September is the seventh annual National Preparedness Month? Since 2003, the Department of Homeland Security has urged families to get their acts together when it comes to having plans in case of an emergency.
The Center for Disease Control Web site offers some wonderful advice on what emergency preparedness truly means. They outline how each family can make an emergency kit, create an emergency plan, be informed about emergencies, and get involved in educating their community.
We were recently able to review the American Red Cross Blackout Buddy, a fantastic tool to have in your home in case of a common problem: a power outage. (If your kids are very scared of the dark, this can qualify as a national emergency!)
Jodi Skulley-September 24, 2010-
"Yo!"
Thanks to Diane R. for this great photo!
Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!
Jodi Skulley-September 23, 2010-
Jodi Skulley-September 22, 2010-
I can’t say I love that moment at my midwife appointment where they hoist me and my baby belly onto that beloved doctor’s scale. Who does? Due to a long bout of all-day sickness, a struggle with a possible gallstone, and running after a toddler, I’ve been much less concerned with my weight gain during this, my second pregnancy.
Some women ignore the number; some obsess over it. Here are some basic guidelines for how much weight you should be gaining during the course of your pregnancy. As always, this is something you should discuss with your obstetrician or midwife if you have any concerns or questions. -- Jessie, ParentLife Blog Guru
If your pre-pregnancy
weight status was: You should gain this many pounds:
underweight 28-40
normal weight 25-35
overweight 15-25
obese 11-20
Data is from the Institute of Medicine, Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines (Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2009).
You can also check out our “On the Way” section in every issue of ParentLife!
What’s your experience with weight gain during pregnancy? Good, bad, or ugly?
William Summey-September 21, 2010-
Do you remember hearing the statistic that people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of dying? It's true! After all, death doesn't boo and throw rotten tomatoes at you! Seriously, many people have a difficult time speaking in front of others. And I have found that our children are no different. My oldest son, Jonathan, is president of the RAs (the Royal Ambassadors missions organization) this year at our church. I think he was proud of the honor until he realized that he would have to lead the group of 1st-6th grade boys every week in saying the pledges, making announcements, asking for prayer requests, and saying a prayer!
Now he doesn't get nervous at bat in front of a bunch of screaming fans, but he was nervous about leading this time. I really don't think it had much to do with the audience (although school-age boys and their teachers are fairly daunting) as much as remembering what to say and not "messing up" onstage.
So we practiced and talked about what to say and practiced some more. Now 4 weeks into the year, he seems like an old pro. OK, not an old pro, but a lot more relaxed! I am so proud of the job he has done! It was even more precious to walk through this problem with him, help him practice, pray together about it, and watch him succeed.
Now today, as I literally am sitting here with a second computer loading a presentation I have to make later today, I am trying to learn that same lesson all over again for myself. Bottom line, I am nervous! It is not that I have not had my fair share of times to speak in front of others. It is something about a new audience, not knowing exactly what to expect, and of course not wanting to fail.
This nervous feeling is a reminder to me to pray and prepare. Too often in life we seek the comfortable and familiar, when we need a little bit of challengin and unfamiliar to make us grow. Plus, I think today in particular, I am learning a little something from my son as well!
I hope you, our ParentLife readers, have a great day! May it be uncomfortable just enough to make you depend on God more!
Jodi Skulley-September 20, 2010-
“Mommy! I wish I had no sisters because I never get to be alone with you!”
Ellie, my oldest, stood with a frown on her face and hands on her hips. I had just walked in the house, coat and shoes still on, with Nina, my second child, on my hip. We were returning from a doctor’s appointment that had taken all morning. I was exhausted, and Ellie’s words threatened to buckle my knees.
It was true. I could not remember the last time I had spent one-on-one time with any of my girls if it did not involve a doctor’s appointment or a therapy session. Common in our family as two of my girls have special needs.
I was trying — trying really hard — to make a full schedule work with my 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old girls. While I was being efficient, the relationships were dragging behind.
It was time for a change. My girls needed me.
Ellie and I began to do things together. Things as simple as going to the grocery store, just the two of us. When the little sisters take naps, we actually play together, and I am reminded how much fun Barbies can be.
When I take Nina to a doctor’s appointment, I take a little longer. We go to a store or restaurant and we spend some time together, just us. Sometimes, when I have quick errands to run that will not require me to get out of the car, I bring her along and we talk. (Nina has Cerebral palsy; her mobility is limited.)
Nichole and I take full advantage of her sisters going to preschool three times a week. We have wonderful mornings of library time, cuddle time, and learning time.
Having three little girls means that I am a busy mommy. But it also means that they need time with just their mommy (and daddy) to feel valued and important. In my juggling act as a mom, I chose to make this a priority, because it really matters.
Ellen Stumbo is a wife, mom, freelance writer, and blogger.
Photo used with permission of Flickr Creative Commons.
If you have more than one child, how do you find time to spend one-on-one time with each child? Share your ideas with other readers by leaving a comment!
Jodi Skulley-September 17, 2010-
Thanks to Jerry V. for this great photo of his 12 grandchildren!
Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!
Jodi Skulley-September 16, 2010-
Here are a few fun things happening over the next weeks your family might want to take note of!
September 25th is the 6th annual Smithsonian Museum Day. Over 1,000 museums are offering two tickets for free admission. To find a museum in your area, use this search engine, then request your two free tickets!
The new site Savvy Source offers discounts to family-friendly events in 20 cities across the U.S. Sign up to get e-mails with the specials so you won’t miss a thing!
Jodi Skulley-September 15, 2010-
According to the ever-knowledgeable Wikipedia, the official flower of Grandparents’ Day is the forget-me-not.
I think that’s sweet, don’t you? While we’re all busy, it’s important to keep contact with your kids’ grandparents. Technology makes it easier than ever, even if you live far away. Here are some other ideas for good grandparent bonding, in honor of Grandparents’ Day (it was September 12).
Grandparent Camp — Ask if they have any interest in doing a grandparent camp. Suggest a week when school is out and possible activities your kids might enjoy. Camp can be at your house or at the grandparent’s house. Ideally, try to use the time for you to get away to revitalize your parenting skills or your marriage.
Funding for Church Camps and Mission Trips – If grandparents ask for gift suggestions, suggest something that invests in your child’s spiritual growth. Set up a mission trip/church camp fund for each child and give the grandparents the opportunity to help. Ask the kids to always send a note from camp to thank the grandparents.
Grandparenting Resources
See our article, “A Grand Visit,” on page 26 of September’s ParentLife magazine. Do you have any other suggestions for “Wild Grandparenting”?
Photo used with permission of Flickr Creative Commons.
Jodi Skulley-September 14, 2010-
A little over 22 months ago, I birthed my first child into the world.
She took her sweet old time as my husband and mother waited and the dog watched me, confused, while I didn’t sleep for two nights straight.
Her little life has changed me just as much and more than I expected. My greatest panic as we came home from the hospital in October 2008 was that I had no family in Nashville, where we lived. No one to call for help. I begged my mom to stay forever, to move to Nashville without my dad, anything to save me from having to raise a baby without her guidance. Wisely, she declined.
Just a few days into Libbie’s tiny life, the preschool minister from our church came to visit. She brought three things: the rose that had symbolized Libbie’s birth on the church altar; a Christian parenting book; and a copy of BabyLife.
I will confess to barely touching the book; life was too overwhelming already with a newborn wreaking havoc in our house. But I read BabyLife from cover to cover, multiple times. And discovered its bearer, our dear preschool director, lived very close to our house and would fill in as “Mom” when needed. Her guidance and friendship saved me several times.
Titus 2:3-5 encourages older women to mentor younger women “to be sensible.” I can think of many times when I needed some sense stuffed into my head. I am forever grateful to the women in my life — older, not too much older, even younger — who have taken the time to talk me down from a cliff. Every new mom needs guidance at one time or another, whether she wants to admit it or not!
Now, as baby #2 is gestating and December seems to be getting closer and closer, I hope to find another wonderful mentor in our new city. Because life with two seems pretty scary to me, but I know a lot of women have been there.
____
The ParentLife staff is starting work on the newest edition of BabyLife , which will be released in June 2011. The magazine is full of advice for parenting children during their first two years of life. What would you like to see featured in the magazine? What articles would catch your attention?
Jessie, the new “ParentLife Blog Guru,” is a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer and editor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She has blogged for over four years at Vanderbilt Wife.
Jodi Skulley-September 13, 2010-
The beginning of the school year means school picture time is probably drawing close again. Here are ten tips from Linda Russell, the CEO of Mugshots.
- Avoid hats. Photographers will often remove for the shoot and then the child is left with “hat head.”
- Parents should stay away. Children are more natural when no one is watching — that means you, Mom, peeking around the corner!
- Don't practice poses with your child. Let the photographer unlock their natural expressions, not cheesy grins they've rehearsed for hours.
- For boys, the best bet is a collared shirt that compliments their eyes and hair. Small patterns or solids are best. Avoid words, superheroes, and pop culture images on T-shirts.
- Ironing your child's collar in the morning will make a big difference in those head shots.
- For girls, avoid spaghetti straps. They tend to hang low and if it is chilly, the goose bumps on their arms show.
- A gap tooth or braces are beautiful. Let them shine. Don't have kids keep their mouth closed — show off the smile!
- For eyeglasses, non-reflective lenses are best. Feel free to ask the photographer to shoot a photo with and without the glasses to see which you prefer.
- Schedule a haircut at least 10 days ahead of photo day.
- Ponytails are great with barrettes or hairpins to manage fly-aways.
Did you have a favorite or least favorite school picture? In my favorite, I’m wearing a pink sweater with cows and have a side ponytail, but I look happy! In my least favorite, I’m wearing a paisley-print dress and refusing to show my buck teeth. (See #7...) — Jessie (ParentLife Blog Guru)
Photo used with permission of Flickr Creative Commons. This post added to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.
Jodi Skulley-September 10, 2010-
These beautiful girls are headed to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. You can see, their emotions range from "Hey, this might be fun" to "Wow! I can barely contain myself!"
Thanks to Teresa L. for this great photo!
Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!
Jodi Skulley-September 9, 2010-
Despite the research of pediatricians that supports the benefits of breastfeeding for at least one year, new moms across the nation are given diaper bags full of formula samples and tools for bottle-feeding as they exit the hospital. (Or, in some cases, at the obstetrician’s office as soon as they come in pregnant!)
Cottonwood Kids has developed a breastfeeding support bag for hospitals to distribute called the Healthy Baby Bounty Bag. The bags include samples, coupons, and information that promote a healthy breastfeeding relationship. These bags have been in existence for one year and are currently being distributed at 200+ hospitals in the United States.
The founders have realized, however, that Healthy Baby Bounty Bags is quite the mouthful. Via the Lansinoh By Moms for Moms blog, the company is searching for a new name for the bags. Submissions will be accepted through tomorrow, September 10th, on this blog post. Then the names will be voted on.
The person who comes up with the new name will win a $100 gift card.
We’d love to see one of our own creative readers come up with the new name! Good luck!
Jodi Skulley-September 8, 2010-
We are proud to have Dr. Linda Mintle in ParentLife each month answering questions submitted from readers. To submit a question for Dr. Mintle, e-mail it to parentlife@lifeway.com and include "? for Dr. Mintle" on the subject line. This month we have an extra Q&A from Dr. Mintle we wanted to share.
Q: My child is 3 years old and still sucks on her pacifier. We want her to stop, because we read that this can harm her speech and oral development. Can you offer some tips on how to help her stop?
A: Saying goodbye to the pacifier can be traumatic for some kids. Experts usually recommend you begin trying around 18 months because of developing tooth alignment, language development, and even ear infections.
We actually had a ceremony with our son where we wrapped the pacifier and sent it to another child who was much younger and needed it. Our son gave a speech that was quite moving, said his goodbyes, and moved on with life. He told us weeks earlier that he was ready to give it up, and we allowed him to take the lead. We suggested the ceremony, and he really liked the idea. It doesn’t always go that well, so here are other ideas.
First and foremost is to never shame a child for sucking her thumb or using a pacifier. Don’t nag or chide or you will most likely engage in a power struggle. No threats or punishments. Anxiety will rise and the child will feel the need to hang on to the object even more! Some kids go cold turkey like our son did and others, like our daughter, gave it up gradually. Knowing your child makes a difference in how you approach this, so here are a number of ideas that have worked for different children:
- Limiting the time of usage and places it can be used, e.g., naptime
- Offering a reward or special treat for exchange
- Poking a hole in it and deflating it
- Creating distraction by playing an instrument, singing, or doing something else with his mouth
- Using a reward chart
- Going cold turkey
Some kids will cry for a few nights and then be done. It is also important to time the weaning. You don’t want to try this if your child is sick or experiencing a major change. Our first attempt with our son was when we moved him into his big boy bed. That was not the time to give up the paci! Once he adjusted, we had success! And you will too.
Jodi Skulley-September 7, 2010-
Ready for another great giveaway? Odds are in your favor, because we are giving away TEN books in the month of September.
We will be sending readers of ParentLife:
Normally, we just ask you to comment on a post during that month. This month, however, we want you to comment on THIS post for a chance to win. All you have to do is answer this question: How have you or your church used ParentLife to minister to families around you? You may see your responses in an upcoming issue of ParentLife!
One comment per individual, please. LifeWay employees are not eligible to win. Winners will be announced on the blog October 1, 2010.
Jodi Skulley-September 3, 2010-
17-month-old Aden is excited about his first day of "school!"
Thanks to Angel O. for this great photo!
Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!
Jodi Skulley-September 2, 2010-
If you have a preteen, you don't want to miss this month's issue of the devotional magazine Bible Express. September is the first issue of the new flipbook design. It's like getting two magazines in one — one side is specifically for boys and the other side is specifically for girls. Cover, articles, and devotions will be gender specific and relevant for today's preteens!
The September 2010 issue features The Rubyz and Mission Six, two bands from the iShine Live tour.
Look for it at your church this Sunday ... or order it at www.lifeway.com/bibleexpress.
Have you seen the new flipbook? What do you think?
Jodi Skulley-September 1, 2010-
Congratulations to Keira Bauer-Severy, jdixon, Bobbie Bohr, Luanne Redmond, and Carol J. Alexander. They are the winners of Andrew Peterson's great juvenile fiction novel North! Or Be Eaten — the 2010 Christy Award winner for Young Adult Fiction.
And congratulations to Elizabeth Hatchett, Sally Tooley, Kevin Partridge, Molly, and Mandi Terry. They are the winners of Andrew Peterson's new number-one album Counting Stars.
Thanks to everyone who commented on the blog in August! We love to hear from our readers! Stay tuned for September's giveaway ... coming soon.
