Category: Parenting

Definition of parenting
1: the raising of a child by its parents
2: the act or process of becoming a parent
3: the taking care of someone in the manner of a parent

Parenting or child rearing is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. It refers to the aspects of raising a child aside from the biological relationship. Parenting skills are the guiding forces of a “good parent” to lead a child into a healthy adult, they influence on development, maintenance, and cessation of children’s negative and positive behaviors. It takes a lot of skill and patience and is constant work and growth. The cognitive potential, social skills, and behavioral functioning a child acquires during the early years are fundamentally dependent on the quality of their interactions with their parents.

The great outdoors- Toddling outside in Rain or shine

No matter what the weather, toddlers love to toddle. Their favorite place for pottering and exploring is easily identified. Outside! Simply outside! Playing with a stick and some extra muddy dirt for hours on end int he great outdoors is bliss for a toddler or a wobbler. But more and more children are spending their childhood in hermetically sealed housing or in enclosed paved gardens. Nature is calling and the wee ones want nothing more than to answer with a wild whoop and a bit of easy tree climbing. (Maybe a few low bushes for starters).

The UK National Trust conducted a survey in 2016 and discovered that today’s generation of children spend half as much time outside as their parents did. Research found that children were only playing outdoors for an average of four hours per week. This is not ideal from a developmental point of view, nor from the perspective of a healthy lifestyle. Here are some suggestions for activities to do in the great outdoors.

Jumping in Puddles:

A good pair of wellies and a lot of laughter is all that is needed to fully appreciate the puddles that an Irish summer provides in abundance. Wrap up well if the weather is less than kind and be aware that puddle jumping is not a spectator sport! The whole family needs to participate to fully appreciate the wonders of splashing in water, sailing stick boats and dumping stones into little rain rivers.

Going on a Bear Hunt:

Most parks have exciting wooded areas for bringing little ones on a ‘bear hunt’. Let your imaginations run wild as you trundle through the bushes and over fallen logs to find the wild places where imaginary bears, fairies and Gruffalo’s can be brought to life with a little encouragement and a lot of laughter. Build wee houses for hedgehogs and wild things from fallen leaves, moss and sticks. Bring a picnic of honey sandwiches. There is nothing that bears like more than honey.

Planting and watering the flowers or veg:

Small children are very good gardeners. They dutifully water and tend to their favourite plants with very little encouragement. Plant a wee pot garden together and enjoy the thrill of eating your own mint, chives and strawberries. You don’t need much space or a lot of equipment to begin a little container garden. A few yoghurt pots can start the small garden.

Become a nature explorer:

Even a few feet of hedgerow is a world of nature for an intrepid explorer. The library or the internet will help you with simple bird/flower/insect identification and your child will become a clever nature explorer as you capture the images on your phone for identifying later.

Find a good stick:

You can keep all the expensive toys in the world for they will never match up to a good stick and an empty field It can be a sword, a wand, a tool for digging, something to lean on when walking. You can hit metal and make noise, stir up puddles and draw in the dirt. A good stick is a must have for all the family, as you set off for hikes or just to mess about in a meadow. Stick hunting should be high on the outdoor family agenda.

Tea parties and picnics:

Tea sets on the grass with little portions of cheese, fruit and water are a magical adventure for any group of children. Picnics don’t have to be exotic. Hummus with pitta will taste wonderful when mixed with grass and twigs(trust us!). Invite the favourite soft toys and complete the wonder of the day.

Daydream and imaginary play:

Sometimes, it is a good idea to cease any interaction and just to let children be when playing outside. While keeping a wary eye on your toddler you can pretend to read your book or day dream and this will allow some precious time for doing nothing. This softly softly approach will allow imagination to flourish, giving your wee one essential time to dream, play imaginary games and potter about unhindered. Day dreaming and imaginary play is precious time indeed.

Make an effort to spend time outside every day that it is possible. Not only will the fresh air be of benefit to your child’s health, it will increase their appetite and most importantly, tire them out for a good night’s sleep. Now that’s an incentive no parent can ignore. So get out and about and enjoy !

Child Safety-How to Childproof your Home

When faced with the overwhelming responsibility for the safety of your young child the world can look like a very dangerous place. Cleaning products, sharp corners and a myriad of dangers lurk in every household while public places are rife with germs and stranger danger. Before you succumb to the temptation to wrap your offspring or your entire environment in bubble wrap, let us offer you some sound advice on child proofing and a sensible approach to keeping the wee one safe in the world.

The Kitchen:

Take a good look around your kitchen. Now get down on your hands and knees and view it. Apart from the obvious dust bunnies under the chairs, just take a moment to view the world from a baby, a toddler and a wobbler’s perspective. Vow to cover the plug sockets, get the obvious safety catches for cupboard doors and to move the dog’s water bowl to the outside hall. Beyond this you should also consider cooking at the back of the hob and in the case of big open spaces, employing the use of a room divider to create a safe place for baby. Take note of where the bin is. Babies and children love bins. If it is accessible, then move it. Check if your oven door becomes hot when in use and whether small hands are likely to come into content.

Windows and Blinds:

Children love to climb. If they do make it to the window ledge, ensure that they open outwards and that locks ensure that your child can never open them outwards or inwards. The legislation governing blinds changed in 2014, to make them child safe. Be mindful that cords are wound up, even in houses you visit and that your child will not be exposed to badly fitted or unrestrained cords.

Bathroom:

The toilet bowl is the first obvious target for a wobbling toddler. A toilet lock will ensure no danger from slamming seats, chemical loo blocks and yummy toilet water! Toiletries and cleaning materials should be out of reach. Never leave your child alone in the bath and be vigilant while checking the water temperature. Hot taps in the bath can be hot in themselves. A non slip mat is good for the whole household and essential for parents carrying slippy wet children out of the bathroom.

Fire:

A secured fire guard is essential for open fires and stoves. Choose the right fire guard to ensure complete peace of mind. Radiators can get very hot in winter and should be cordoned off from little ones.

Miscellaneous:

Balloons, grapes and small coins are a choking hazard to very young children. – 1 ¾ inches is the guide, anything that is smaller than this and can fit through is a choking hazard and should be out of reach of children. Plastic bags are also hazardous for children.

Hot drinks. Be vigilant around other adults and visitors who may not realise the capabilities of your child. Ensure that hot drinks are at the centre of the kitchen table and not left unsupervised on coffee tables. Obvious sharp corners and doors that slam easily in the wind can all be made safe by simple purchases at your nearest child’s accessory store.

Be sensible:

Think ahead and scan the house regularly for potential issues. Do not approach child proofing and safety from a perspective of learning from experience. The experience may have a lasting detrimental effect on your loved wee child. Put child safety first at home and remind older siblings, Granddad, Granny and any other visitors of the same.

Stay safe

Children’s Happiness and well being

Dutch children are among the happiest in the world. Here are the reasons why>

Dutch babies have been declared as the happiest in the world according to UNICEF research. This has been verified by recent reports which examined the difference in temperament between American babies and those born in Netherlands. The Dutch babies smiled more, cuddled more, laughed more and were easier to pacify, while the American infants displayed more fear, sadness and frustration.

The Dutch parenting model is something we should be emulating in Ireland and there is a lot to be learned. Firstly and most importantly there is a recognition that happy parents make for happy children. Parents place their child at the centre of the family and have worked to reduce anxiety stress and reduce the worry caused by unrealistic goals for their children or themselves. They understand that achievement might not necessarily mean happiness, but happiness can foster achievement

Home:

Parents work an average of 29 hours per week, dedicating one day a week to spending time with their offspring. Fathers are as equally hands-on as Mothers. Play is actively encouraged and is likely to be noisy and disruptive. Children are encouraged to explore the world around them and there is a tendency for parents to reason and explain things to errant young ones rather than impose authority. Its all very zen. Eating together is important and sitting down together for meals, especially breakfast,is the norm. Breakfast is for bonding, not just for eating.

School:

Dutch children, like their Finnish counterparts do not believe in homework for primary school children. Children in the Netherlands stated that they enjoyed attending school and had fun there. No pressure to overachieve is evident and yet, all seem to do well academically despite the lack of emphasis on achievement.

Respect:

The research showed that children felt that they were heard as well as seen. They spent more quality time with parents and were afforded a great deal of trust and independence; allowed to play outside unsupervised and to go on errands and to school alone.

Not too many things:

Simple pleasures and a few toys are the norm in the Netherlands home and the happiness of Dutch children was not linked to consumer goods. The Dutch opt for time spent with children rather than money. A birthday party gift would cost no more than €10 and the emphasis would be on enjoying the day rather than outdoing each other with pony rides and bouncy castles. Every year in April the Kings Day festival has open air children’s markets selling second hand toys and clothes in every town and village.

So, we need to go back to basics. Eat together. Enjoy simple pleasures. Listen to your children and try to convince schools that two hours of homework is not necessary for a seven year old.

Happy Out.