It is generally considered safe to travel with a newborn once the infant is 48 hours old. However, you might take into consideration that the baby will not receive the first set of immunizations until approximately two months of age, except for the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine received in the hospital. This may put the baby at increased risk of contracting infectious diseases while traveling. Additionally, if traveling by plane, due to changes in air pressure it is a good idea to have a bottle or pacifier on hand to help alleviate ear discomfort. Consult with your baby's doctor prior to travel, especially if the baby has any heart or lung problems. In terms of air travel, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that a newborn and infants who are up to one year of age and weigh 20 pounds travel in a rear-facing car seat certified for air travel.
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Dr. Michele Borba , Psychology, answeredToo much information can exceed kids' attention spans and confuse them.
Make sure you tell your child exactly what you want him to do. Use declarative statements. “Please make your bed before you go outside.” Or: “You need to get ready to go to school now.”
Use the Ten Second Rule: If you can’t say it in less than ten seconds, you’re saying too much (for most children’s attention spans). Limit! -
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Dr. Erik Fisher , Psychology, answeredTo address the issue of communication of emotion, what does it mean when someone says, "I am angry at you?" If we begin to dissect this phrase, the words I would like to consider are "am" and "at you." The word "am" is a form of the verb "to be" which means "to exist." To demonstrate what I am addressing, think of how we introduce ourselves to others, "Hello, I am John Doe." In this statement, I will always be John Doe, all day, every day, from birth to death. To the literal mind, when I say, "I am angry," it literally means all of me is always angry. In other words, I have become Anger embodied. We could spend time refuting the exactness of this, but the issue being addressed is literal semantics, not colloquial usage.
The next piece of the phrase is what it means when I say, "I am angry at you." What "at you" means is "all of you," not part of you or your actions. To a child, this phrase can feel very intimidating and overpowering. The child tends to interpret the phrase as them being "bad or wrong," not what they did. The thought to consider is that we are powerless to change who we are, but we do have the power to change our behaviors and choices.
What we are probably meaning to say when we communicate emotion is, "I feel anger (frustration, confusion, irritation) with what you did." This phrase takes a few more words to state, but I hope you can appreciate the accuracy of what is being stated. The most accurate way to communicate emotions is with the verb "to feel," not the verb "to be."
Another issue to address is that when we state our emotion with the verb "to feel," we can "feel" more than one emotion at a time, but it is difficult to "be" more than one emotion at a time. The second part of the communication, "at what you did," addresses the issue of the action of the individual, not the individual himself. When we address the action or behavior of the person, it is very clear what they can change.
In educating children and adults on the "semantics of emotion," I often tell children that their parents will always love them, but they may not like what they do. If we address the action, behaviors and choices of the individual ("at what you did"), it points out what they can change. If we address the individual as the object of our anger ("at you"), it is difficult to know what to change. -
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Bonnie Harris , Pediatrics, answeredSee All 2 AnswersSpanking teaches children that when you are mad about something or want someone to do something your way, you hit them or use your power over them. It is only one form of "discipline" that promotes bullying in children. Discipline means to teach, coming from disciple. We tend to ignore setting the best conditions for learning, which we know to be engagement. Children learn best when they are part of the process, are given some power in decision making and feel good about themselves. When they behave inappropriately, it means they are having a problem not being a problem. When we address the core of their problem, not just the behavior, and use problem solving techniques that engage them in finding solutions, they learn and their behavior improves. That is true discipline. -
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered
The most important thing is to find a day care center that reflects your philosophies and values in terms of the level of structure, the approach of the providers, and the policies on nutrition, sleep, discipline, and TV. While all day care facilities must be licensed (if it’s not, don’t even consider it), requirements vary from state to state. In addition, check to see if the facility you’re interested in has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children or the National Early Childhood Accreditation Program, or if it has won any local award or recognition.Find out more about this book:
YOU: Raising Your Child: The Owner's Manual from First Breath to First Grade
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Dr. Michele Borba , Psychology, answered
High quality care in early years does affect children’s social, academic, and behavioral development. And those behavior and achievement differences, though small, were still evident more than a decade after parents stopped those day care payments.
Academic and behavior gains 15 years later: Academic and behavior gains from child-care that endured until age 15 were slightly higher when children were involved with “high quality child caregivers.”
Higher academic and cognitive achievement. Teens in high-quality child care settings before age 5 scored higher on measures of academic and cognitive achievement. Specific academic areas (in order) showing highest gains at age 15: Reading, Vocabulary, Verbal Analogies, and Math
Less acting-out. Teen reported fewer acting-out behaviors than peers in lower-quality child care arrangements during early years
Greater risk-taking and impulsivity. Teens spending more hours in childcare in first 4½ years of life reported greater tendency toward impulsiveness and risk-taking behaviors (taking drugs, smoking, and alcohol) at age 15 than peers who spend less time in childcareFind out more about this book:
The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries
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Dr. Michele Borba , Psychology, answered
Asking the following questions will help you choose good daycare facilities for your children:
1. Does this seem like a place my child would like to be? Can you see your child fitting in and being comfortable in this environment?
2. Are there rich, interactive language experiences? Watch the staff interaction with the children closely.
3. Is the staff knowledgeable about child development? Ask the staff what their philosophy about early childhood education is. Make sure they have a sound philosophy.
4. What is the daily schedule? There should be a consistent daily structure where children know what is expected.
5. What is the ratio between staff and children? It’s always best to have a smaller number of staff to children to make sure your child is being closely watched.
6. Is the staff “kid friendly?” A “High Quality Caregiver” was warm, supportive and provided quality cognitive stimulation.
7. What is the discipline policy? Ask what their discipline approach is for inappropriate children’s behavior – especially for hitting or biting.
8. Is the Day Care within my budget? Are there any additional costs for the program such as materials or transportation? Find out the entire budget. Is it worth the cost?
9. Will my child fit in and be safe here? A good day care makes sure that children’s safety is a primary focus.
10. Does the staff share the same values as I do? These people will be sharing their lives with your child, so you want them to hopefully share a few similar values.Find out more about this book:
The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries
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1 AnswerA
Dr. Heather Wittenberg, PhD , Psychology, answeredOften, parents are told to check if a daycare center is licensed and accredited by an early childhood program. While I agree that accreditation and licensing are important, it’s only the beginning. You must do your own investigation of the place before you decide what’s best for your child. Don’t just accept the first place that has an opening for you, or go on a center’s “reputation”. Much of your satisfaction in a daycare will have to do with the quality and personality of the specific caregivers and teachers. There’s simply no substitute for finding out about the people who will be spending hours a day with your baby.
Here’s a quick rundown of things to consider in deciding on a daycare for your young child:
- What do the other parents say about the center? Are they satisfied? Are their children happy to go to the daycare?
- What kind of staff turnover do they have? You want a place where the caregivers like their jobs, feel supported by the director, and stay at the center for more than just a few months. And how long has the director been on the job, as well?
- Ask the Director how they handle issues that come up with children. Will they call you or chat with you, or will you have to wait for a letter? You want the lines of communication to be freely open. You want to get a daily verbal report on how your child's day went, and any changes in the center.
- Talk directly with the caregivers who will be responsible for your child. How long have they been at this center? Do they enjoy their work? What kinds of children do they consider challenging? What do they like most about their work? Let them know that you will be an involved parent who is willing to be a cooperative partner in caring for your child, and who also wants to know what's going on at the center on a daily basis.
- Observe your child at play at the center. You know your child best. How does she respond to the caregivers and environment? If the center won't allow parent observations, keep looking.
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Dr. Michele Borba , Psychology, answered
Make no mistake, test-taking anxiety can be costly to our children academic success as well as their emotional and physical well-being. Here are proven solutions to help your child after taking a test:
After the Test
Review test performance. During a relaxed time, help your child evaluate his test performance and results. Questions might include: “Did you feel any differently this time?” “Did the three by three breathing help?” “What part of the test was the easiest? The most difficult?” What things helped that you want to remember to try again?” The trick is to help your child recognize what works so he can apply those same strategies again to the next test. You can also determine what still needs correcting or how to form a better test-taking plan.
Monitor the situation. While it is normal for kids to be anxious before a test, if anxiety signs persist, increase, or interfere with your child’s school performance or life, then it is time to seek help. If anxiety mounts or your child continues to struggle then please seek the counsel of a mental health professional. Test Anxiety is a growing new condition for students these days. Almost 20 percent of tweens and teens experience test anxiety, but with today’s high-stakes testing, the condition is being diagnosed in even our youngest students.
Stay cool and be accepting. A big kid worry is, “I hope I didn’t let my parents down” so reaffirm your unconditional love—regardless of that score. Research shows that a warm, accepting parenting style with realistic expectations helps decrease kids’ test anxiety.Regardless of how prepared or capable your child, his over-riding concern about his performance reduces his ability to focus and test his best. With all the emphasis on high-stakes testing, kids pushed to meet higher standards, and even more rigorous high school tests coming up, it’s crucial to help our kids learn successful test-taking and coping strategies, and nip test anxiety in the bud.
Find out more about this book:
The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries
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1 AnswerA
Discovery Health answeredPositive reinforcement can go a long way. Learn how to help your child be happiest person he can be in this video from Discovery Health.