Tips and Tools

from Forty Carrots Family Center

 

Please note: At this time, Forty Carrots is not providing car seat safety checks.

Click here to view information on car seat inspections provided by Safe Kids USA at All Children's Hospital at the Rand and Lakewood Ranch facilities.

 

Ten Terrific Parenting Tools

1. Play with your kids; it makes them smarter.

2. No matter how hectic your schedule, make time for family dinner and conversation.

3. Listening is fundamental to building relationships. First listen, then talk.

4. Lose the word okay when telling kids what you expect; ending with "Okay?" suggests compliance is optional.

5. Show your child you care; kids feel safer and more secure when you set limits with love.

6. Limit behaviors, not feelings.

7. Give choices to minimize power struggles and maximize cooperation.

8. Say yes as often as you can. When you say no...mean it.

9. Motivate children by recognizing their efforts more than their accomplishments.

10. Good parenting lasts forever. Take a class with Forty Carrots for on-the-job training.

  

Ways to Make Stressful Situations More Manageable

The role of parent can be overwhelming. Every parent has days where they feel more in control than others. When everyone is well rested and happy, everyone can channel their inner Donna Reed. There are many times, however, where the easiest parenting response is more like Roseanne than Donna. Here are some ways to help channel your inner “Donna” during stressful moments.

1.  Delay your response in a stressful situation. Count to 10. Practice deep breathing. Close your eyes and envision a calm, successful response. Then proceed with addressing the situation.

2.  Rearrange or restructure the environment or routines to make high stress times more manageable. If bed time for your youngest child falls directly when you’re older child needs homework help, try to find another time for one or the other. You may have to put one to bed 15 minutes earlier or find a different time of day for homework help, but by doing so you will be able to give each child the undivided attention he needs.

3.  Delegate responsibilities. Many of us have a tendency to take on too much. Is there something your partner, a friend, or neighbor can do to help? It’s amazing what people are willing to do if only you ask.

 

Benefits of Family Meals

Before starting our own families, many of us probably envisioned a Normal Rockwell picture of everyone gathered around the dinner table peacefully. Reality is that coming together nightly for dinner can be a bit of a challenge, especially as children age. That being said, it is recommended that families try to come together for a meal (it can even be breakfast) at least twice a week, as there can be many benefits.

1.  Children whose families eat together tend to have healthier eating habits later in life.

2.  Children also tend to have a higher self image when their families gather around the table together, conversing and eating.

3.  The various members of the family tend to feel more connected to and appreciative of each other.

Just a reminder, it doesn’t have to be a home-cooked meal, take-out is just fine. It’s the act that matters.

 

Ways to Use Humor to Lighten Up Family Life

Humor is a great way to lighten serious, stressful situations. Children learn humor from their parents. By using humor, parents model a great way to successfully cope with life’s problems. Not to mention, the sound of a child’s laughter is one of the greatest sounds ever! Here are some ways to incorporate humor into your household.

1. Read joke books or funny poetry. (Shel Silverstein is a favorite of elementary kids.)

2. Use funny voices to say everyday things. Rather than just telling your child to wash his hands, you can rap it or use an accent. (In our household, it is a common activity to rap Green Eggs and Ham.)

3. Lighten up and party! Dancing, singing funny songs, actively playing on swingsets… when we let our guards down and act like children, our children find it hysterical… and we do too!

And a bonus 4th tip, laugh at your own mistakes. If you drop food on the floor, make a comment on how you hope the floor likes green beans rather than getting upset because you just cleaned the floor. 

 

Safety Proofing Tips

Many of you are preparing for new additions or have babies newly on the move (which is when safety proofing really becomes necessity). Here are some ways to prepare the house for a new baby.  

•    Cover all outlets with protectors.

•    Be sure cords and power strips are out of reach/protected.

•    Shorten cords for window blinds.

•    Check for sharp edges on furniture. Pad or remove if necessary.

•    Lock closets and use door knob covers when possible.

•    Be sure electronic devices are out of reach/protected.

•    Secure furniture to the wall to prevent tipping.

•    Lock/protect the refrigerator, cabinets and drawers.

•    Protect knobs on the stove and the stove itself when applicable.

•    Use safety gates where appropriate (especially top and bottom of stairs).

•    Cover the spout in the tub.

•    Lock toilets.

•    Install smoke detectors in every room and also a carbon monoxide detector.

•    Keep medicine, cleaning supplies and other materials out of reach and locked.

•    Verify that household plants are not poisonous.

•    Post important numbers (poison control, pediatrician) for easy to access.

•    Be sure a pool cage is installed around pools, and children are never outside unattended.

•    Close doors of rooms not in use or that are off limits.

Many simple household items (such as matches, staplers and paper clips) are hazards to children. If possible, try to keep certain rooms (such as home offices and computer rooms) off limits.

This only taps the surface of safety proofing. I’ve heard parents say it’s helpful to crawl on the floor to get the child’s perspective.  Of course, no amount of safety proofing is a substitute for supervision. Unfortunately, even with supervision, accidents can happen. Two thirds of ER visits for children ages 3 years and younger are a result of accidents occurring within the home. Safety proofing as best as possible is one way try to avoid such accidents.