Dangers of Toys

Nothing is more tempting to a one-year-old than a four-year

old’s toys!

According to the CDC, choking rates are highest for babies under one-year-old and is the leading cause of injury and death among children. Between 1990 and 2011, at least 231 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part. The Consumer Product Safety Commission designed this simple device to test the safety of toys or other articles for children under age (available in some toy stores). Any object that fits entirely within the cylinder is small enough to be a choking hazard.

There are so many toys available and many more being developed every year so it’s important for parents to follow some simple tips:

Fabric toys should be labeled flame resistant

Stuffed toys should be washable

Painted toys should be lead-free

Art supplies should be nontoxic

Avoid older toys and hand-me-downs

Keep an older child’s toys away from infants/toddlers

Make sure toys are sturdy

Broken toys can have sharp or jagged edges

Avoid toys with long strings or cords

Avoid cheap toys that may break

Avoid toys with small pieces

Heavy toys can injury your child or another

Avoid flammable objects

Keep small household items out of reach

Wooden toys might have splinters

Metal toys can have sharp edges

Has no places where fingers can get pinched

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You Child's Temperament

You overslept, missed the bus, and were late for school. What happens to your day when

your routine is changed? Does it offset your whole day or do you just shrug it off? What kind of temperament do you have?

There are three basic types of temperament:

Easy Child

• Reacts mildly to discomforts and can sooth self.
• Establishes a regular eating and sleeping routine quickly
• Generally in a positive mood, adjusts to new experiences

Difficult Child

• Reacts negatively and cries frequently, hard to sooth
• Has an irregular routine, is a light sleeper
• Responds vigorously to hunger and discomforts
• Constant physical activity and demand attention

The Slow to Warm up Child

• Has a low activity level and shy
• Is somewhat negative, cautious
• Has low adaptability to anything new
• Responds slowly and quietly to hunger and discomforts.

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Employment Success

Imagine if you owned a business. 

What characteristics would you want from your employees?

• To be productive, hardworking
• To be positive, confident
• To be helpful, friendly, patient
• To be a team member and get along with others
• To leave your troubles out of the work environment
• To be on time, dependable
• To be neat and clean, dressed appropriately
• To be flexible, adapt to change
• To keep your skills current
• To learn and grow
• To make healthy choices

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Safe Sleep

The A B C's of Safe Sleep

Alone, on their Back, in the Crib

• Provide safe sleep by placing your baby on his back
• Baby may suffocate when sleeping with adults.
• Remove all pillows, stuffed animals and crib padding
• Never use a heavy or loose blankets
• Place baby’s feet toward the foot of the crib.
• Avoid cigarette smoke exposure around your baby.
• Avoid letting baby’s room get too hot.
• Use only fitted sheets specifically made for  a crib
• Use a pacifier at nap time and bed time.
• Dispose of antique cribs with drop-down sides, decorative cutouts, corner posts or lead paint.
• The slats should no more that 2-3/8 inches apart to prevent head injury.
• Set the mattress at its lowest position when your child can pull his or herself up.
• The mattress should be firm and fit snugly with no gaps.

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Categories of Toys

These are the toy categories and examples of items:

Arts and crafts – large crayons, chalk & markers, large sheets of paper, finger paint, blunt nose scissors, easel

Active Play – climber, swing, slide, wagon, riding, large balls, bowling pins, bean bags

Books – age appropriate

Construction – blocks, wood train, play tools, play workbench

Dramatic Playthings – dolls, child-size table & chairs, play kitchen & food, dress up clothes, shopping cart, cash register, costumes for different occupations

Manipulative – puzzles, pegboard, sewing cards, stacking, dominoes, games

Sensory materials – water, sand, bells, drums, play-dough, musical instruments

Technology –

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Pre-K Matters

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Low Birth Weight

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Benefits of Blocks

These are the major concepts children can learn from playing with colored blocks:

Constructing, Designing, Comparing, Building, Transporting, Classifying, Adding, Subtracting, Ordering, Apportioning, Originating, Measuring, Restructuring, Balancing, Sorting, Dividing, 
Multiplying, Arranging

Colored blocks have lasting value:

6-8 months: grasps, mouths, and release blocks. Develops hand/mouth and hand/eye coordination and sensation of squareness. Bangs blocks together, transfers block from one hand to the other

8 months to 1 year – Often drops blocks and will look for them on the floor. Plays hide and seek with blocks (object permanence)

1 – 2 years – Loves piling blocks and dumping from a container, carries blocks across the room, pushes and pulls blocks as the  child develops mobility. Holds blocks with thumbs/fingertips rather than in palm.

2 – 3 years – can imitate (not copy) a three block train or two-block tower, demonstrating sequencing and integration of visual perceptual skills.

3 -4 years old – With emerging imagination,  a child creates a variety of original structures and designs. Shares and wait their turn.

4-5 years – With more confidence and purposefulness, a child creates a building plan and shows great satisfaction in results.Will persevere even if tower topples or the plan is unsuccessful.

5 years old – Can accurately count ten blocks and copy or create three-dimensional complicated buildings in both vertical and horizontal planes. Usually uses both hands, with preferred hand leading and the other helping (emerging hand dominance and accommodation).

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Your Spending Plan

There are the 6 steps to making a spending plan: 

1) Assess your financial situation, 

2) Set financial goals, 

3) Create a budget based  on projected income and expenses, 

4) Monitor spending patterns, 

5) Compare your budget to what you’ve actually spent, 

6) Review progress and revise as needed.

How to calculate estimated Net Income (take home pay):

• Monthly gross income   x .22% tax = deductions.
• Monthly Gross income – Deductions = Net Income

Net Income is used to pay for the following Fixed and Flexible expenses:

FLEXIBLE EXPENSES Groceries Clothing Recreation Savings Health Allowances Hair/Grooming Laundry Gifts/Christmas Diapers/Formula FLEXIBLE EXPENSES Groceries Clothing Recreation Savings Health Allowances Hair/Grooming Laundry Gifts/Christmas Diapers/Formula Be realistic! If you can’t pay for these then get a roommate or don’t move out!

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Calming Crying Baby

Most babies cry 2-3 hours a day for the 1st 2 -3 months of life and 5 p.m. to Midnight is often a fussy time. Switching Off the Crying Reflex — Dr. Harvey Karp M.D.

Dr. Karp believes that babies, especially in their first few months of life, can experience "fourth trimester" issues. Babies can have a difficult time getting used to the huge amount of stimuli present in life outside of Mom's body. Their reaction to all of this is to cry and cry."

Using cross-cultural techniques combined with his own research, Dr. Karp has developed the "five S's system". Some babies will need all five, others just a few to help induce what he calls the "calming reflex."

Swaddling - Tight swaddling provides the continuous touching and supports the fetus experienced while still in Mom's womb.

Side/stomach position - You place your baby, while holding her, either on her left side to assist in digestion, or on her stomach to provide reassuring support.

Shushing Sounds - These sounds imitate the continual whooshing sound made by the blood flowing through arteries near the womb. This white noise can be in the form of a vacuum cleaner, a hair dryer, a fan and so on. The good news is that you can easily save the motors on your household appliances and get a CD which can be played over and over again with no worries.

Sucking - "Sucking has its effects deep within the nervous system," notes Karp, "and triggers the calming reflex and releases natural chemicals within the brain." This "S" can be accomplished with breast, bottle, pacifier or even a finger.

Swinging - Newborns are used to the swinging motions that were present when they were still in Mom's womb. Every step mom took, every movement caused a swinging motion for your baby. After your baby is born, this calming motion, which was so comforting and familiar, is abruptly taken away. Your baby misses the motion and has a difficult time getting used to it not being there. "It's disorienting and unnatural," says Karp. Rocking, car rides, and other swinging movements all can help.


Once your baby is happily asleep, you can safely put her in her crib, on her back. 

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