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Early Years (2-6)
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 The debate seemed like it was settled in 2005, when the American Academy of Pediatrics blessed the binky, noting that use of a pacifier at bedtime reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). So mothers like me have encouraged our babies to use a pacifier. But what many of us are wondering, now that our babies are toddlers and preschoolers, is this: When and how will we ever be able to pry those beloved binkies from their mouths? The AAP encourages pacifier use for just a year, and some experts say using a pacifier too long risks appropriate speech development. But other experts don’t seem concerned, saying that most children naturally wean themselves between the ages of 2 and 4. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says that, for most kids, there is no reason to worry about sucking habits until permanent teeth are ready to come in. When you and your doctor do decide it is time to break the pacifier habit, how can you help your child kick the habit with the least amount of trauma? Valisa Mills, of Foothill Ranch, describes the strategy she used with her son Parker, now 10. As Parker’s second birthday approached, the family talked up the idea that the binky was going to go soon. Finally, on the big day, Mills helped her son collect all the pacifiers in the house and put them into a large envelope. “We decorated it together and addressed it to ‘The Babies at the Doctor’s Office,’” says Mills, who had also helped Parker deliver all his baby bottles to his doctor’s office at an earlier well-child visit. “We took it out to the mailbox together. Afterwards, I went out during his nap and took it back and got rid of it. But I never had any tears over it.” Some parents use a big holiday like Easter or Christmas to let kids leave their pacifiers for the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. Others like to encourage them to “give them away” to baby cousins or siblings. Whatever the case, experts say what many moms already know: Making your child a part of the process will make it easier. “If they’re more involved with the disappearing act, they’ll remember,” says Mills. “It was a physical thing, so he remembered.” Learning to be thankful “How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn Thanksgiving at an early age. “Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child’s personality … Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people.” – Sir John Templeton November is the month when we focus on what we are thankful for. But, in a world that all too often screams “me, me, me,” how can parents raise thankful children? Here are a few ideas: • Look in the mirror. Parents are their children’s earliest teachers. Do you thank your children when they help you? Do you treat others with respect and appreciation? • Encourage thankful behavior. Help your children learn from the beginning to say a loud, clear thank you for gifts or acts of kindness. And follow up with thank you notes. Preschoolers can make their own thank you cards, investing them into the process. • Emphasize what is really important about gifts. Sure, most parents have dealt with the mortifying experience of their child saying they don’t like or need a present given in front of the gift giver. Talk with your children in private, telling them that someone loved them enough to give them a gift. Emphasize that it is the thought, and not the price tag, that counts. Help your children to make gifts for others, and to see the pleasure that comes from giving to family members, friends and teachers. Before you bid the booster seat goodbye Under California law, children can legally ride in a car strapped only in a seat belt once they turn 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds. But, child safety experts warn that you might not want to ditch the booster seat so soon. Car seat safety expert Jennie Reiff, of Safety in Motion, says that most children are not ready to give up the booster until they are at least 8 years old and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Before your child moves to a seat belt, parents need to answer “yes” to these five questions: 1. Can your child sit all the way back in the seat with her knees bending at the edge of the seat? 2. Do her feet rest on the floor? 3. Does the seat belt cross her hips, not her stomach? 4. Does the shoulder strap cross the middle of her chest, without rubbing or cutting into her neck? 5. Does she have the maturity to sit that way for the entire trip? Kids need their seat belt to fit properly so they stay comfortable, says Reiff. “If a child’s knees don’t bend at the seat, she will likely slouch down. That causes the seat belt to ride up on her abdomen, which could lead to internal injuries in a crash, and also increases the likelihood that the child will slide under the seat belt,” says Reiff. “The reason we don’t want the seat belt laying across the child’s neck is that, again, it’s uncomfortable, and often leads to the child putting the belt behind her back or under her arm, rendering the shoulder belt useless and possibly dangerous.” carseat.org. •>10 Great Indoor Places where kids can play on a rainy day 1. Scooter’s Jungle – Aliso Viejo and Placentia 2. Discovery Science Center – Santa Ana 3. Pump It Up – multiple locations; see pumpitupparty.com 4. Hullabaloos Clubhouse – Orange 5. Anaheim 300 6. Partyopolis – Lake Forest 7. Rockreation – Costa Mesa 8. Jump ’n Jammin – Mission Viejo 9. Nickel! Nickel! – Anaheim and Lake Forest 10. Color Me Mine, multiple locations; colormemine.com n Kelly St. John Regier is a regular contributor to OC Family magazine. |
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