Springtime and the Livin is Mucky

We are FINALLY enjoying more springlike weather this week! I love these pictures of Thomas and Leila on the swings. It reminds me of Noah and Aidas on the same swings back in the day, when I had just started the daycare. And Thomas is SO busted here, eating one of the cookies that a close fiend made for us. Life is sweet!

This is a mud puddle in the yard at Noah's school. We had seen it the day before, so the next day, we all wore our rain boots and embraced it! It was unbelievably fun. Especially on a mild day like this, with no wind, I feel compelled to encourage this type of play. It is so easy for me (okay, easy isn't the word, but doable, in comparison to a kindergarten teacher with 20 or more students) to let them do as they please, and then just change them when we get back home.

Pure joy. But mud is not only fun, it's healthy. I wrote a blog on it a while ago at http://highparkhomedaycare.blogspot.ca/2012/03/dirt-is-good-for-kids.html, but even if you Google "mud is good", or something to that effect, you will come across all the research that says how healthy it is for kids to get dirty.

Still, the physical benefit isn't the reason I feel compelled to let the children enjoy this mess. It's because, when I recall my own childhood, some of the happiest memories I have are when I was feeling close to nature. If you were permitted, as a child, to do things like bury yourself in leaves in the fall, run around in a warm summer rain shower, climb trees, keep caterpillars as pets and yes, make mud pies, then you know how psychologically beneficial this kind of activity is. You don't even need the research. (Thanks mom!)

We're not allowed to stay in the schoolyard past noon. Guess who kicked and screamed when I tried to tear him away from this glorious puddle? Yes, Oscar ran and hid in this corner, hoping I would relent. Unfortunately, it wasn't up to me. I could not blame him one bit for fussing though. I wish I could have kept them there longer.

We are sad to say good-bye to this little guy, who is leaving the daycare as of next week. We will miss him dearly. He began when he was a mere 8 months old! BUT, Oscar is going to come back to visit the gang periodically. Thomas, especially, will be so happy to see him, when he does come to visit! These two have become pretty close. I am just happy to have met and cared for Oscar. Every child teaches me something, and Oscar has taught me so much. I know he will be loved wherever he goes!

Boys Play: Rough and Tumble

Since the start of my daycare, boys have always outnumbered the girls. During the early days, the difference in the nature of play between the girls and the boys seemed indistinguishable. However, last summer, this all changed. (All 4 of the boys in the daycare at that time were at least 2 and a half years old.) It seemed to happen so suddenly, with a steep increase in pushing or hitting incidents in a matter of days. I responded to each of these incidents (that I saw, at least), with "time-outs". However, it quickly became clear that to them, the crime was worth the punishment. Either that or they simply couldn't strop themselves. And this was true for each and every one of the boys. Each of them took turns being perpetrators and victims. What confused me most, was that the most recent victim would immediately jump back into the game for more.

Picture the scenario: I see Tom, Henry, Jimmy and Mike happily playing together. Their play gets increasingly boisterous, but still harmless as they walk, one after the other, in a circle, giggling. Jimmy playfully pushes Mike, causing Mike to fall down and hurt his knee. Mike comes running to me, crying, screaming "Jimmy pushed me!" Jimmy promptly gets put in time out, and, once removed, apologizes to Mike for having pushed him. Mike accepts his apology and moments later, everyone is having a good time. Then the incident repeats itself, but this time with a different child becoming too rough, and/or a different child being hurt.

Sounds like great fun, doesn't it? Yeah, I don't think so either. Yet the boys favoured this kind of play again and again. Let's be clear that I am talking about a something entirely different than aggression acted out in the heat of anger, intended to harm another. We still had those incidents, now and then. But this new behaviour I was seeing was in the spirit of play. There was no bully, nor victim, since they were all willing participants. And it was impossible to deter them from this play. The popularity of this new craze continued to grow. It was like a genie had been let out of a bottle. It was clear that disciplining this behaviour was doing nothing to decrease it.

I searched the internet for help, expecting to find more stringent disciplinary measures. Boy, was I enlightened! Although there is relatively little research on the subject, the value, yes, the value of rough and tumble play is starting to gain recognition.


DEFINITION:

First of all, let's define "Rough and Tumble Play." Some experts define is as "Children who display acts involving running, climbing, chasing, play fighting, fleeing, wrestling, falling, and open- handed slaps" (Pellegrini & Smith, 1998; Reed & Brown, 2000) A larger list of examples of behaviours one might exhibit in rough and tumble play can be found at the following website, http://reach.uvic.ca/documents/MTannockREACH2010PowerPoint.pdf,  page 31). It can involve hitting, pushing or pulling, and thus it has some overlap with aggressive behaviours. However, unlike aggression, rough and tumble has a different feeling about it. As I stated above, it is undertaken in the spirit of play, observable in the child's body language, which will likely include "Display of the cheerful play face" (Reed & Brown). http://reach.uvic.ca/documents/MTannockREACH2010PowerPoint.pdf


BENEFITS:

• "Rough and tumble play has considerable merit in a young child’s overall development (Pellegrini, 1987; Pellegrini & Smith, 1998; Pellis & Pellis, 2007)." This type of play teaches children how to read the social cues in others'. They are able to understand when others intend to play, and when they intend to harm. Consequently, they also learn how to exhibit the behaviour that matches their intentions.  http://www.ccie.com/library/5018870.pdf
• The same article states that this type of play allows children the chance to play different roles, and that this helps them learn turn-taking in social interactions and conversations.
• "Rough-and-tumble play holds value for young children in relation to their physical, social, and educational development. The physical benefits of energy release, exercise, and practice of motor skills might seem obvious..."  http://www.ecebc.ca/resources/journal/2008spring/03.html
• Children are learning about self-control, compassion when caring for another player, boundaries of what is acceptable in the play, limits to play, how to adapt their play to the abilities of others, and how to make judgments of their abilities in relation to other players.   http://www.ecebc.ca/resources/journal/2008spring/03.html
• Educationally, rough-and-tumble play holds value as children experiment and take risks, practice skills, build self-confidence and self-esteem, improve their communication skills, and develop their ability to regulate their attention and persistence.  http://www.ecebc.ca/resources/journal/2008spring/03.html
• Rough and tumble play may be one of the few socially acceptable ways for males to
  “Express care and intimacy for another male”
  http://reach.uvic.ca/documents/MTannockREACH2010PowerPoint.pdf

A LACK OF ROUGH AND TUMBLE HAS CONSEQUENCES: 

• "According to research from the National Institute for Play, lack of experience with rough and tumble play hampers an important part of social intelligence – the give and take between people, which is necessary for us to operate successfully in the world. http://www.galileonetwork.ca/earlylearning/?q=content/why-rough-and-tumble-play-important
• Rats deprived of rough and tumble play show deficits, "the core of which involve an inability to attenuate their emotional reaction to novel or frightening situations, and this is associated with social deficits."  http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/PellisANGxp1.pdf
• "In monkeys and apes, the lack of opportunity to engage in RTP" (rough and tumble play) "with peers leads to a reduced capacity for emotional self-regulation and impoverished social skills."  http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/PellisANGxp1.pdf
• "Children that engage in more RTP" (Rough and Tumble Play) "tend to be better liked by peers, over consecutive years exhibit better social skills, and, overall, perform more effectively in the school setting with regard to academic performance."  http://www.childencyclopedia.com/documents/PellisANGxp1.pdf 
• The article from which the above three points were found goes so far as to say that a child's engagement in rough and tumble play is an important factor in preventing chronic aggression later on in life.
• This is not the only source that made this claim. "For boys especially, rough-and-tumble play in early childhood provides a scaffold for learning emotion-regulation skills related to managing anger and aggression."  http://www.journalofplay.org/issues/213/217-evolutionary-functions-social-play

REMOVING THE BARRIERS:

Considering the above information, are we doing enough to promote or at least allow this kind of play? Probably not. Part of this is due to ignorance. I, for one, had no knowledge of this research. And, having grown up with only one sister, this type of play is not intuitive to me. Sure, maybe I engaged in some rough and tumble play as a kid, but not nearly as much as I'm seeing from these boys. I was not aware of the extent to which many boys (and some girls) gravitate to this kind of play. I surely would never have guessed that there were social, physical and emotional benefits involved. Perhaps ECE programs contain this information, but isn't this something every parent should know? 

Okay, so now I am informed on the subject. My ignorance is gone.

Which brings me to the second barrier to this kind of play: monitoring the interactions to ensure the children's safety. This is a very tricky task, especially for the faint of heart (and here I am speaking from personal experience!) Sometimes it can feel as if you are allowing the children to injure each other, since inevitably, there will be times things go awry. Here are my recommendations for the safest (though not fault-free) way to facilitate this type of play:

1. Monitor the group closely. Especially when children are just beginning to engage in this type of play, be there to guide them. New groups of children (which will have different group dynamics) also require close supervision. 
2. Degree of Force It is difficult to monitor because they should be allowed to push and pull, for example, but not so hard that they are hurting another. It is not black and white. It is a matter of degree. You can be there to tell them when they are pushing too hard, and yes, sometimes it will be too late. They are learning.
3. Play must be Consensual Kids should be taught to ask their friends if they'd like to play rough and tumble. They need to know that if their friend is not happy with what is happening, they need to stop. The friend who is 'not happy' should also be required to say aloud "I don't want to play rough and tumble". This not only informs the other children of their desire, but also informs the caregiver, who can make sure the others do not try to engage this child in the game.
4. State any other Safety Rules For instance, I tell the children there is no rough and tumble play allowed on the couch (for obvious reasons). Similarly, there is no rough and tumble allowed in the kitchen, around the baby, etc. There are also times when I just feel uneasy with the play. I guess it's intuition that they aren't in the right frame of mind, or are too tired (or perhaps it is me who is too tired, or not up to supervising it). In these instances I just tell the children there is no rough and tumble play "right now". (FYI - The kids are playing with spongy pool noodles in the photo above. I wouldn't let them play R & T with hard sticks!)
5. Deal Appropriately with Rule Breaking Even when children don't intend to use too much force, it is still important to give them a time out so that they can recognize their mistake in their play. We need to flag that behaviour for them, so they can realize "I guess I pushed Jimmy too hard". Children wanting to engage in this kind of play learn quickly (for the most part) to abide by the rules, because if they don't, the supervisor will end the game, and that's no fun!

I hope this information is as enlightening to some of you out there as it was for me! Play on, kids! 

#roughandtumble #roughandtumbleplay #roughhousing

Dirt is Good for Kids

I have to admit, I still cringe a little when I let the kids into the dirt. Our society is obsessed with cleanliness, and, like most of us, I have been shaped (at least to some degree) by the paranoia surrounding the issue of germs.

When I started running a home daycare a few years ago, I was committed to keeping the children relatively neat and clean. Sure, they acquired some food stains on their clothes or got a little dusty in the sandbox, but they were, for the most part, unsullied. As they grew and began to explore more of the outside world, trying to maintain this level of cleanliness was close to impossible. I began to realize that to attempt to limit their exploration of nature in all its dirtiness (I say attempt because I was largely unsuccessful anyway) was to deprive them of their childhood right to play.

I spent most of my own childhood leisure time outdoors with friends, exploring nature. The happiness I feel when I recall things like climbing trees, collecting caterpillars and tadpoles and making mud pies is proof enough to me that this kind of play in mentally healthy. I see it as a crucial part of my development, and am grateful to my mother for permitting me to get filthy practically every day. It was this realization that made me relax. How could I limit the kids when I know how important this free exploration was to me? Since then I not only allow but encourage the kids to explore nature, in all its grubbiness. (Okay, we still have limits...namely, dog poop.)

But since my change of heart, I have learned that playing in dirt is not only healthy for the mind. It is actually physically healthy for kids to get dirty. Research shows that the rise in autoimmune disorders and allergies over the past few decades is largely due to the fact that children are no longer exposed to dirt and germs at a very early age. Look at any of the following articles, all from reputable sources. You'll see that while hygiene is generally a good thing, we have gone to far in trying to protect our kids from germs. By doing so, we are actually putting their health at risk. I know, it's counter-intuitive, but it's true.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-03-24/features/ct-x-n-health-dirt-20100324_1_nu-professor-northwestern-study-immune-system

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/31/earlyshow/health/main4766105.shtml

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8373690.stm

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/11November/Pages/Is-dirt-good-for-kids.aspx

So, really, the only downside to letting the kids get dirty is the inevitable clean-up. And I can appreciate that there are many, many times when allowing kids free reign in the dirt would not be feasible. Even at school, a kindergarten teacher could not allow this type of play on a daily basis. The time it would take to change the kids' clothes afterwards and clean them up would really cut into the curriculum.

But with the circumstances being as they are at the home daycare, I usually cannot find a good reason to stop their utter glee in playing in the muck. First of all, we are always close to home when they engage in this kind of play, so if something does go awry, we can head in sooner rather than later. As well, although I know it will take extra time to clean off boots, change any dirty or wet clothes and go around the apartment with a cloth or mini vacuum to clean up any scattered mud, it is doable for me. Tiring, but doable. And the older kids really try to help, which is so sweet!

By the way, the clean-up is not usually this intense! This is the first time we have ever taken a trip down to the laundry room together. They had just gotten particularly disgusting on this day. I think it was the degree of mud on Aidas's coat that drove me to take them on this laundry excursion. I just could not give him back to his mother like that. Usually, though, when they go home, their coats, snowsuits and boots are pretty dirty. And now, when the parents of prospective clients visit the daycare, I make certain that they understand that their children, and their clothes will get filthy at this daycare. It is practically in the contract!


#dirtisgood #dirt #dirtisgoodforkids #playingindirt #mudisgoodforkids

Speech and Language: Speech Pronunciation Problems in Children

My son has recently started speech therapy with "Toronto Preschool Speech and Language Services". I decided to get him on the waiting list for this program last summer. His intelligence and vocabulary at that time were both excellent (I have mommy bragging rights!), and his father and I never had any worries about that. It was simply that he has difficulty pronouncing quite a few consonants.

I wasn't even sure if getting him assessed was something I should do. Many family members and friends thought I was just being an over-concerned parent. "Give it time", they said; "everything's fine". However, by the beginning of the summer, it was evident that Noah himself was becoming increasingly frustrated by his daycare friends' inability to understand him. When this happened, Noah would repeat the word or phrase, increasing his volume until he was shouting at his friends, exasperated, trying to get his point across. Luckily I can usually 'decode' him, so I was able to communicate for him to his friends. At this point though, I decided to let an expert decide whether he needed help or not. I figured it couldn't hurt, whereas not getting him the help could exacerbate or prolong the issue.

I told my doctor about it during my son's next check-up, and she gave me the number for the Toronto Preschool Speech and Language Services. This is a free service, but I was informed the waiting list was long, and an initial assessment usually did not happen until 6 months after one got onto the list.

Luckily, my son got an appointment within four months, due to a cancellation. After the assessment, the speech therapist told me that yes, he should be getting help for his pronunciation problems. She said it would be great to help him with his pronunciation before he starts kindergarten next fall. I had to agree.

She gave me a sheet that charts out the ages when children are typically able to utter specific sounds. This is the main reason I write this post; to share this information with other parents. Just to officially give credit, the following information was provided by the "Toronto Preschool Speech and Language Services", and their information was adapted from "Helping Kids Discover and Develop Language" (afs).

1.5 years - 3 years

• p (as in "pear")
• m (as in "more")
• h (as in "home")
• n (as in "no")

1.5 - 3.5 years

• w (as in "wall')

1.5 - 4 years

• b (as in "bath")

2 - 4 years

• k (as in "kitten")
• g (as in "go")
• d (as in doll)

2 - 6 years

• t (as in "toy")
• ng (as in "sing")

2.5 - 4 years

• f (as in "fan")
• y (as in "yello")

3 - 6.5 years

• s (as in "see")

3 - 7.5 years

• r (as in "ring")
• l (as in "look")

3.5 - 7 years

• ch (as in "chair")
• sh (as in "shoe")

3.5 - 8 years

• z (as in "zebra")

4 - 7 years

• j (as in "jump")

3 - 8 years

• v (as in "violin")

4.5 - 7 years

• th (as in "thumb")

5 - 8 years

• th (as in "other")

6 -8.5 years

• zh (as in measure)

#speechproblemskids #speechdevelopment

Sick Days

So, I'm going to take us way back, before the Christmas holidays, when all of us were sick: congestion, fever, aches and pains, coughs, snotty noses. It seemed like the flu, though Noah and I both had flu shots about a month before. Perhaps this was a different strain of the virus. Aidas developed an ear infection as well and by the time the photo above was taken, was on antibiotics. Noah looked terrible. In such a sick state, I wanted to ensure that he rested as much as possible. Instead of cancelling the daycare for the next 3 days, I decided to run a second-rate daycare. At least everyone was ill, so vegging out was a good idea for all of them. We did not go outside, and the T.V. was on most of the day. I shudder as I say this. We never watch T.V. while the daycare is running (apart from the 5 minutes our first arrival might catch a glimpse of in the morning). But this was one way to force everyone to rest, for the most part at least. I don't have a strict illness policy that forbids children to come when ill. I figure that by the time one child shows symptoms, we've all been exposed to the germs anyway. It's almost impossible to prevent the sharing of colds here.

Anyway, we were all at least 75% better before the holidays, so that was a relief!

Here are some of our other activities before the holidays (besides the crafts - we mostly did those on our sick days). The kids love making broccoli pizza, especially taste-testing the cheese!

Oscar was to turn 1 year old over the holidays. We had a low-key, early celebration for him at the daycare, since we wouldn't see him for his birthday. His mother brought cupcakes for the kids and we sang to him. Afterwards, Noah and I gave him his birthday gift. I think he liked his new toys!

One morning Noah and B. decorated a gingerbread house (store bought kit - I wasn't ambitious enough to try a homemade one). It was the perfect size for them to decorate, very small. We all enjoyed eating it over the next few days!

The kids were entranced when I brought down the Menorah and told them about the 8 days of Hanukkah. We always sing the chorus of "The Hanukkah Song". Yes, the one by Adam Sandler. What?! It's catchy, and the kids love it!  

As soon as I let the kids play with the Menorah, they incorporated it right into their vehicle crash scene. (Aidas is constantly creating these "crash scenes". I must capture with a photo one of these days how extreme a scenario he can envision.) 

We have really lucked out with the weather so far this winter. One day (still before the holidays) we decided to play in High Park. I thought maybe we would run around the little forest area, but of course the kids could see the playground in the distance and wanted to go. It was mild enough that I couldn't deny them! 

Since we have been back from holidays, we have resumed the self-help skill of getting dressed/undressed. I am expecting the older boys to undress and dress themselves for the potty, and also to put on and take off their snow pants, boots and coats. This doesn't mean that I don't help them when they need it, but they at least need to be putting in a solid effort. They need to be involved. I'm very proud of how far they've all come with these dressing skills. I think they surprise themselves much of the time too.

Aidas will sometimes complain and say "I can't, I can't" while doing part of the dressing routine. Then suddenly, he will have already done it. He'll look at me, pleasantly surprised, and I'll say "Wait a minute, you did do it!" He usually laughs at this point, although there have been times when he will become frustrated with this outcome, and undo what he has done so that he will remain right in his insistence that  he cannot do it. Ah, the 3-year-old mind set. :)

B. has taught himself to zip up his coat. Can you believe it?! I wouldn't even try teaching this so early, since it seems so hard. Now that he has inspired me, I am at least giving the others the idea of how to do it, and getting them to do small parts. These kids all have such unique strengths, and a lot to teach each other (and me, of course).

The kids love to play pretend when we're outside. Here we're playing "restaurant". (Noah usually calls the restaurant McDonalds, but sometimes it's Swiss Chalet.)

The service seems to be exceptionally fast at this restaurant. The server is practically psychic, and already has Aidas's meal ready before he orders it!



B. has a great imagination and often tells us about the animals or objects he "sees" in various clouds. One day he told us he saw a butterfly, and brought our attention to this shape in a rock. I'd have to agree with him, wouldn't you? Another day he was playing with the stick you see in the picture below and calling it a spider. What wonderful creativity! (By the way, that's the scariest spider I have ever seen!).

We hadn't done finger painting in a while, so the kids were excited about it when we did it this week. They each completed at least four paintings, though you can see in this video that it takes Noah a little while to warm up.



Finally he gets used to the texture and away he goes! Aidas always just dives right in. (Actually, it was while he was trying to finger paint with a little spilled milk on the table at lunch one day that I realized it was time to get the paints out!) I love hearing them talk about their art!

Avocados for Toddlers

Since Noah's early days of eating solids, he has been enjoying avocados. And since the start of the daycare in September of 2009, I have been serving avocados to the kids for lunch at least once a week. Some kids don't care for them at first, but I have been able to entice most of the children with this fruit (yes, it is a fruit) with a little time and creativity. I am a stubborn advocate for this food where children are concerned. Here's why:

• It is filling and acts as a "slow-burning fuel, providing energy for growing children" (http://www.juicing-for-health.com/avocado.html).
• "The potassium content and calories of an avocado is three times that of a banana." (http://www.juicing-for-health.com/avocado.html) Thus, it can provide some much-needed nutrition for these picky eaters. A little goes a long way.
• Avocados are a good source of the following: potassium (as noted above) fibre, vitamins K, B6 and C,folate and copper (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5).
• Avocados boost the nutritional content of other foods, by absorbing "more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit" (http://www.avocado.org/nutrition/). Dietary sources of alpha and beta-carotene that toddlers might eat are: broccoli, winter squash, carrots and sweet potatoes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotene). Sources of lutein that may be in a toddler's diet are: green peas, corn, broccoli and eggs (http://www.luteininfo.com/whereraw).
•  Avocados are a good source of monounsaturated fat (one of the recommended types of fat). Fat is important to toddlers because "it keeps a child's body temperature consistent; helps digest vitamins A, D, E and K; helps develop and cushion internal organs; is needed for brain development and assists in general growth and development" (http://www.babiestoday.com/articles/baby-food/fat-in-a-baby-and-toddler-s-diet-797/). 

Noah and Aidas have been used to eating avocado on toast, but also enjoy it straight up. They have recently been intrigued by "avocado boats". (I got the idea from Dr. Sears's "The Baby Book".) To make an avocado boat, you just cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the seed. Loosen up the avocado in the one of the halves using a spoon. Then serve each child a half (skin side down) with a spoon inside. (Note: Serve the avocado very soon after preparing it. If it is exposed to air too long it will become brownish and unpalatable.)

The twins wouldn't eat avocado until I made a toasted sandwich with it. I spread the avocado on the toast first, then spread cream cheese over top.

I would suggest serving avocado to your baby when you introduce solids. Just mash it up.Continue serving it on a regular basis, so that it doesn't become one more green food your toddler refuses to eat!

Brushing an Uncooperative Toddler's Teeth

A few months ago, brushing Noah's teeth wasn't a problem. I would sit on the toilet seat, lay him over my lap, and give his teeth a quick yet thorough brush. Then, he would have a turn which consisted of him putting the toothbrush in his mouth for one second, and then saying "All Done". It always went so smoothly that when he started to protest, I chalked it up to teething pain, and considered it to be a temporary problem. But, night after night it was becoming virtually impossible to get the brush into his mouth.

I have heard how important it is for the parent to brush the child's teeth, and I can see why. Noah's idea of brushing his teeth is sucking the toothpaste off the brush and then biting on the bristles. So, I searched for help on the internet and found some great tips to try:

• Many websites recommend getting a toothbrush with a character, like Elmo, on it. We had already done this. One website went a little further and advised to  "...let your child have several brushes in different colors so that he can choose the one he wants when it's time to brush." http://www.babycenter.com/0_tooth-care-for-toddlers_11282.bc 
• Use two toothbrushes. "If your toddler has his own toothbrush to hold while you brush, he won't be as likely to grab at the one you're trying to brush with. He feels like he is involved in the process, and he feels very special to be able to hold his own toothbrush." http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1799526/tips_for_brushing_your_toddlers_teeth.html?cat=25
• "Give your toddler a toothbrush and let him brush your teeth whilst you brush his. It can be messy..." http://www.toddlerbedtimetips.com/toddler-teeth.html
• "Sing a teeth brushing song - any nursery tune that he knows..." http://www.toddlerbedtimetips.com/toddler-teeth.html
• "We tell him we see carrots and broccoli growing in his teeth - 'you're growing a broccoli forest! Let's clean it out!' Dorky, but he loves it." This parent added "...we tell him to 'say GRRRR like a tiger!'"  http://ask.metafilter.com/105860/How-did-you-get-a-recalcitrant-toddlers-teeth-brushed
• "Let your toddler put the toothpaste on the brush. This is a big deal to a child.They want to be independent and do things on their own. It is okay if they make a little mess it can be cleaned up later, with your help of course." http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-That-Make-Brushing-Teeth-Easy-For-Every-Toddler&id=1897348

I decided to try all of these techniques, as well as a sticker reward after successful toothbrushing. Off we went to the store. Noah needed a new toothbrush anyway. However, instead of picking out one, I had him pick out 3 soft-bristled toothbrushes. We had Little Bear toothpaste at home, and the only other fluoride-free toothpaste available was Thomas the Tank Engine, so I grabbed that one in order to give him a choice of toothpaste as well. 

That night, we excitedly opened his new toothbrush and toothpaste purchases. I showed Noah the 3 toothbrushes and asked him which one he wanted to use to brush his teeth. That first night (and every night since - I've been doing this for 3 weeks now) he had such a look of contentment. He smiled and took his time just enjoying the power of choice. Buying 2 or more toothbrushes and offering a choice is a fantastic tip for helping your child get on board with the toothbrushing regime.

Once Noah had chosen his toothbrush, I chose one of the remaining two to brush his teeth with. Of course, getting into his mouth to brush his teeth is the hardest part, but at least we had established a positive attitude about the activity at this point.

I would say (fingers crossed) that brushing teeth is now a successful activity. Out of the other tips listed above (besides multiple toothbrushes), a couple have worked particularly well with Noah. For instance, he likes when I say he has "peanut butter or toast in there". I tell him "I can see it right there!" He laughs and opens his mouth to let me get it out. Telling him to say "Grrrr" also helps. That way, he moves his lip out of the way so I can brush his front teeth.

Also crucial to our success is his immediate sticker reward. He gets to choose a sticker and then place it on his piece of paper on the fridge. He really like the choice part of this.

Other rewards can be desired activities. Noah loves puzzles, so I often entice him to let me brush his teeth by promising puzzles afterwards.

Having stated all these tips, I couldn't help but notice one other factor that helped with our dilemma: MY change in attitude! Originally, my approach to brushing his teeth was more "matter of fact"; a job that needed to get done. Let's face it, brushing our teeth is tedious and boring. None of us look forward to it. Brushing someone else's teeth - also not a very exciting activity.

However, attempting these new tips was a fresh start. Noah fed off my excitement about it. He felt more positive because I was now having fun with it too. I made sure I didn't overdo the brushing. I did what was necessary to clean his teeth, and then excitedly stated "All done!". I truly was so proud of him, and happy for him, and as we skipped down the hall to get his sticker, he felt that. So, heartfelt praise is a huge factor for being successful at brushing a toddler's teeth, as is just having a little fun with it! I guess this is true for most things a toddler needs to learn to do. We just need to remind ourselves of it every so often.

Is Canned Tuna Safe for Toddlers?

I used to love canned tuna. I can remember my mother making tuna sandwiches for lunch, and it remained a comfort food into adulthood. All that time, I believed that I was enjoying a food that was also very healthy for me. However, I gave canned tuna up years ago after hearing warnings about the mercury levels contained in it. And until this week, I have not dared to serve it to my child. I have been downright paranoid about mercury poisoning, and for good reason.

Consider this information taken from Health Canada: A child's developing nervous system is particularly sensitive to methyl mercury. Depending on the level of exposure, the effects can include a decrease in I.Q., delays in walking and talking, lack of coordination, blindness and seizures. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/merc-eng.php (Note: Methyl mercury is the type of mercury found in fish that is the cause of concern.)

Methyl mercury is greater in fish which are higher in the food chain: tuna is one of these. Does that mean it should be avoided altogether? This was my previous thinking. But recently I have been reading about the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in child brain development. Fish, as most of us know, is a very good source of this.

So how much tuna is safe? The U.S Environmental Protection Agency advices that children "eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week" of canned light tuna. Since albacore ("white") tuna contains more mercury than canned light tuna, children should eat no more than 6 ounces per week.
http://www.epa.gov/fishadvisories/advice/ (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has interpreted information about mercury from the Food and Drug Administration and the EPA. It has created a table that shows how much (of both kinds) of canned tuna is safe to eat for your child's weight. It can be found at: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/tuna.asp

Health Canada, on the other hand, makes no recommendations on the restriction of canned light tuna. For canned albacore tuna, they recommend that a child between the ages of 1 and 4 get no more than 75g per week (1/2 a cup). http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2007/2007_14-eng.php

Taking these recommendations into consideration, I finally served Noah and Aidas tuna sandwiches today. They wouldn't touch the tuna! Still, this isn't saying a whole lot since their tastes seem to change from week to week.

I would really like to look into different recipes with foods that contain omega 3's, that a picky toddler would approve of.  "The best sources for omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, canola oil and soy." http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/omegacooking.htm

Nutrios vs. Cheerios

Are Nutrios really more nutritious than Cheerios? Compare the nutritional information of the two cereals for yourselves. This information is for the cereal only, not with milk included:

                          Cheerios                                  Nutrios
                                    (per 1 cup)                                                        (per 1 cup)
 Calories                       110                                                                    120
Fat                               2g                                                                      2g
Sodium                         250mg                                                               3mg
Carbohydrate               20g                                                                    22g
   Fibre                         2g                                                                      2g
   Sugars                       1g                                                                      1g
Protein                          3g                                                                      4g

                                 Daily Value%                                                      Daily Value%

Vitamin A                    0%                                                                     0%
Vitamin C                    0%                                                                     0%
Calcium                       4%                                                                     30%
Iron                             30%                                                                   100%
Thiamine                      4%                                                                     100%
Riboflavin                     2%                                                                     100%
Niacin                          6%                                                                     70%
Phosphorus                  10%                                                                   25%

Vitamin B6                  8%                                                                      not listed
Folate                          8%                                                                     not listed
Pantothenate                6%                                                                     not listed
Magnesium                  15%                                                                   not listed
Zinc                             6%                                                                     not listed

Nutrios looks more nutritious since it contains significantly less sodium, and significantly more calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and phosphorus. Especially when toddlers can be such picky eaters, it would seem that Nutrios is is one small way to cram a bit more nutrition into their diet. However, the Cheerios contains 5 other vitamins not listed on the Nutrios box. I'm not sure if the low percentage of these 5 vitamins makes much difference. Any nutritionists out there care to comment?

Breastfeeding a Toddler

"I'm going to wean him. Any day now." This is what I keep telling myself and others. Yet I just can't bring myself to do it yet. My son, Noah, is 20 and a half months, and yes, I am still on the fence about whether I want to quit. I can hear the disappointed groans of a few family members, and maybe even a few friends. And I am completely empathetic to your view. In fact, in the early days of breastfeeding Noah, I would have thought it sick to carry on this long. Yet, time keeps going by, and I feel unmotivated and frightened to break Noah of a habit that has been such a central, consistent part of his life, when he is still so attached to it, so to speak. I looked into the research about nursing a toddler, and decided to make a pros and cons list of continuing to breastfeed. Other mothers who are in the same boat may benefit from this information, and people who don't agree with it could in the very least see the positive aspects of it.



CONS to Breastfeeding a Toddler

• It's a little weird when you are sitting in a chair, and your son or daughter can basically stand up next to you to nurse.
• It's embarassing when you are in public and your kid is having a meltdown, screaming "BOOB!"
• A toddler often comes off the breast to look around, talk, laugh, or sing a song, leaving your nipple exposed to the world, and leaving everyone feeling a little awkward.
• "Breastfeeding takes a lot of energy for your body to make milk, so the mother can often feel quite fatigued."
  http://breastfeeding.about.com/od/breastfeedingbasics/a/proscons.htm
• Weaning is one issue that some extended breastfeeders find extremely challenging. While some people believe that weaning an older toddler is easier than weaning a year-old infant (because you can reason with an older toddler), others find that because of the tenacity of an older toddler, weaning leads to tears and frustration on both sides.
  http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/54788.aspx

PROS to Breastfeeding a Toddler

• even if your toddler is not eating as balanced and healthy a diet as you would like, your milk can fill those nutritional gaps.
  http://breastfeeding.suite101.com/article.cfm/nutritional_benefits_of_breastfeeding_toddlers
• Per the World Health Organization, "a modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10% of all deaths of children under five: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness." http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
• "...breastfeeding makes the toddler dependent? Don’t believe it. The child who breastfeeds until he weans himself (usually from 2 to 4 years), is generally more independent, and, perhaps more importantly, more secure in his independence." http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/faq_bf_toddler.html
• "Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement (IQ scores, grades in school) and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest."
  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
• "The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)
  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
• "Mothers also benefit from extended nursing. You continue to benefit from the hormones of breastfeeding. The "mothering hormone," prolactin, relaxes you, while oxytocin stimulates loving , nurturing behavior. As mothers of nursing toddlers know, this can be very important to your mental health and well-being. Life with a toddler is not always easy! You also benefit from the intimacy that nursing provides. Taking time out of a busy day to cuddle is as important to moms as it is to their babies...Breastfeeding also provides protection against these diseases:
  ovarian cancer (Schneider AP, NE J Med, 1987)
  uterine cancer (Brock KE, Med J Australia, 1989)
  endometrial cancer (Petterson B et al, Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 1986)
  osteoporosis (Blaauw R et al, SAMJ 1994). Breastfeeding also has been shown to decrease insulin requirements in diabetic women (Davies HA, British Med J, 1989)."
  http://www.ivillage.com/are-there-health-benefits-nursing-past-one-year/6-n-146076

  Please do not read the above information as a condemnation of mothers who do NOT breastfeed. Every mother has the right to choose if and for how long she nurses. Furthermore, we all know that the fundamental factor in child-rearing success is love, above all else. But why does it feel so unnacceptable to breastfeed a toddler when the above information clearly shows how acceptable it is? Blame it on our North American culture. (Though my second post about Paris would have one believe that this is a European view as well!) "Duration of breastfeeding is affected by all aspects of our culture. Biologically and historically and in most cultures, sustained breastfeeding is normal."  http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/sustained.html  

Well, there you go. That is enough for me. I'm going to put it off for another day...but when I think about weaning Noah now, instead of "Any day now", I say "Not Today".