Babies may not initially understand every word read to them, but they are learning. From listening and memory skills, to vocabulary, reading plays an important part in a baby’s development.

The Benefits of Reading Aloud

The more a baby is read to, the more words he or she is exposed to. In addition, reading to a child helps with concepts like letters, colors, numbers, and shapes. Depending on the book, babies can be introduced to the world around them, whether it’s routines like bathing or eating, or simple objects like apples or dogs.

Perhaps one of the most important benefits of reading aloud to a baby is the bonding that takes place between parent and child. The sound of a parent’s voice is comforting and when connected with books, it makes reading a pleasurable experience.

What to Read to Babies

Remember that babies like to hear a mom or dad’s voice, so start with books that rhyme or have some type of medley to the words. Nursery rhymes are a great resource. Simple stories and bright or bold illustrations will grab their attention. As the baby gets older and starts to grab, move to vinyl or cloth books. Board books are great for babies as they begin to hold things. There are also great texture books available for a child to touch and feel.

When to Break Out the Books

Don’t wait until the newest release is in the home library to start reading. The main thing is to just read. Try to find a little time every day to read. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests reading a book a day as early as six months. Remember, what works for one baby may not work for another. Try right before naptime or bedtime and if those don’t work consider times when the baby is fed and dry. Just keep trying a few different times before until the right combination is found. Keep it as close to that time as possible to help establish a routine.

Holding a Baby’s Attention While Reading

This is a time to bond , so get comfortable and cuddle with the baby. Don’t worry about reading the book word for word. Ask questions about the book every once in awhile, even though a child can’t answer yet. If there are characters or animals in the book, don’t be afraid to give them voices or make the actual animal sounds. If there’s a favorite book and a child responds to it, it’s okay to read it over and over again. On the same token, if the baby doesn’t appear to enjoy the book, stop reading it and try it another time.

Reading to babies plays a big part in their enjoyment of books and their literacy development. By knowing what to read, and when and how to read it, a child may develop a love for reading early. Make reading as fun as possible. Just relax and read.

Including story time in your toddler’s daily schedule is a wonderful way to help them experience their world. Toddlers want to devour books . . . literally. Luckily there is a huge selection of books available that will allow them to do just that.

Toddlers experience things with all their senses. They don’t just want to listen to a story they want to participate in it. Toddlers love books that they can touch and turn the pages and yes, sometimes taste. Variety in your toddler’s book collection is the key to developing a lifelong love of reading.

Board Books

Board books are wonderful because not only do they hold up well to rough play over time but they have nice thick pages that make it easy for a toddler to turn the pages on their own. They are often smaller than other books and are easy for toddlers to sit and hold the book on their lap, which is great for fostering a love of reading. Toddlers love being read to but learning how to enjoy a book on their own helps them to develop a personal love of books.

Good Night Moon is a classic childhood book that comes in a board book form. Toddlers love the simple words and peaceful feeling to the story.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar also comes in board book form and adds some variety to the pages by including some that are shorter than others. Toddlers love the surprise they get when they only turn half a page.

Touch and Feel Books

Toddlers learn quite a bit about the world around them through textures. They love experiencing different textures and are often surprised by what they feel. Touch and feel books offer an added dimension to story time for toddlers and make it a fantastic time of discovery. Touch and feel books are great for toddlers who often struggle to sit through story time. By participating more fully in the story, toddlers will be interested in reading for a longer period of time.

DK has a wonderful touch and feel series that features a different texture on each page. Toddlers love the simple themes of their books and the wonderful variety of textures that they include.

Pat the Bunny is a classic that was one of the first of its kind when it was published in 1940. Toddlers love the interactive experience that they get from reading this book

Fabric Books

Fabric or cloth books are often hard to find in the stores but they are a great option for younger toddlers or toddlers who have a habit of tearing other types of books. Many craft stores sell simple patterns to create fabric books. Making a fabric book for your toddler yourself gives you the ability to personalize it to your toddlers interests and needs. Fabric books can also include activity pages geared toward toddlers that make them great for times when your toddler has to be patient longer than they want to be.

Lift the Flap Books

Lift the flap books make reading a new experience for toddlers. Think of it like a game of peek-a-boo in story form. The downside to these books is that the flaps are liable to be torn over time if your toddler is not careful (which nearly always happens) but they generally have many hours of story time in them before that happens. Toddlers love the surprise of seeing what is under each flap and they love being a part of the story. Lifting the flaps is wonderful for your toddler’s small motor skills as well.

Parents may find knowledge of their baby’s predisposition towards certain personality traits helpful in choosing a fitting name for their child. The typical Scorpio is active, introverted and determined and astrology can help to emphasise their more positive qualities.

Personality Traits of a Scorpio Child

Some Scorpio children have strong personalities and they know what they want and will do their best to get it. The average Scorpio is very loving and loyal to family and friends. Certain Scorpios can be wary of strangers and may develop a trait of keeping their thoughts secret, yet still discover everyone else’s secrets.

Many Scorpio children can be recognised by their directness, strong mental focus, and critical attitude. Some of the other signs may find Scorpio children’s likelihood towards critical behaviour hurtful. Other traits that a Scorpio child may have include incredible willpower, emotional intensity, good intuition, seriousness and pride.

Parenting a Scorpio Child

Many Scorpio children can often bear pain well so parents should be observant for any signs of discomfort. A typical Scorpio child can be vengeful if anyone breaks one of his toys, so parents should encourage them to be more tolerant as typical Scorpio children also enjoy a good fight. Usually the child is introverted, and may need special attention on a regular basis, especially if they have more boisterous older siblings.

The average Scorpio child will be active, quick to learn and intelligent. Scorpio children may develop a curiosity about almost everything, notably anything mysterious or forbidden and will devour books, puzzles and anything that satisfies their inquisitive nature. Parents may have to find a discreet way of guiding their child away from inappropriate subjects. Some Scorpio children get a sense of security from having a private place of their own.

Most Scorpio children will appreciate time with their parents, but may not always feel comfortable discussing personal issues. The solution may be to keep things light and fun ensuring they can let a parent know if something is bothering them. At school the average Scorpio is clever enough to excel in all studies, but often only puts effort into those that interest them. This can sometimes lead to uneven grades though the child is often smart enough to scrape passes in subjects they dislike.

General Scorpio Information

Those born between the 24th October and 22nd November are under the sign of Scorpio. As a water sign, ruled by Pluto (previously Mars) this sign can sometimes be misinterpreted at being distant and cold. The lucky day of the week for Scorpio is said to be Tuesday and famous people sharing this sign and some of their traits include Prince Charles, Marie Antoinette, Charles Manson and Winona Ryder.

Scorpio Baby Boy and Girl Names

Names suggested for Scorpio babies include those associated with the qualities of the sign and the ruling planet Pluto. Russell Grant recommends the following names for this sign:

• “Armand” is a male name and is Latin for soldier.
• “Ebony” is of Latin origin and refers to a very dark wood.
• “Kieran” is Irish Gaelic for black.
• “Maia” is the name of the Roman Goddess of rebirth and sexuality.
• “Shiva” is the name of the Hindu deity in charge of destruction
• “Vita” is a female name and is Latin for life.

Parents expecting a Scorpio baby can use astrology to select a meaningful name and also learn what type of personality the child may have. A natal chart after the birth provides more detail but choosing certain names may bring the child luck by aligning with the more positive traits in their sign. Read Choosing Baby Names by Zodiac Signs for more inspiration for using astrology to name a child.

CRAB CAKES

INGREDIENTS:
– 2c fresh crab meat (preferably lump)
– 1/2 c bread crumbs
– 2T diced onions
– 2T butter
– 1 egg, beaten
– 2T salad dressing (mayonnaise type)
– Dash of Old Bay seasoning
– Salt & pepper to taste

Mix crab meat and bread crumbs. Sautee onions in butter and add to crab meat mixture. Add beaten egg, salad dressing, and seasonings. Mix well. Shape into about 10 round cakes. Chill in refrigerator until firm. When the cakes are ready, heat some oil in a frying pan or fryer. Place crab cakes in oil until brown on both sides.

CRAB MEAT CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
– 1c shell macaroni
– 1/2 lb crab meat
– 1 can cream of muchroom soup
– 1 soup can of milk
– 1 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Cook macaroni until tender. Drain. Mix all ingredients together and place in a casserole dish. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hr. Serves 6.

SALMON BURGERS

INGREDIENTS:
– 2T butter or margarine
– 1/4c chopped onion
– 1c crushed regular flavor potato chips
– 1 egg, beaten
– 1lb salmon (can be from a can) drained, cleaned, and flaked
– 1./4c salad oil (I use olive oil)
– 1/4t salt

Melt butter or margarine in heavy skillet. Add chopped onion and cook over meduim heat until tender. Remove from heat and place in a mixing bowl. Add 1/2c potato chips, egg salt, and salmon. Mix well. Shap mixture into six patties. Coat with remaining potato chips. Heat oil in skillet. Add patties. Fry on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan. Drain off excess oil with paper towels. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite condiments. Serves 6.

I’ve found that getting into a schedule has been crucial to my success as a work-at-home dad. Having been a management major in college, and previously worked in a management career for a number of years, I’ve found that having things efficiently organized and on track makes my life easier to manage in a number of ways and areas. Having a general routine not only makes things easier for me, but for our son as well. This way, I can balance work, family, life, and fun in our at-home lives.

While it hasn’t always been easy, and I’ve certainly had to make changes over the years, here are some of the things I’ve done to make my at-home parenting routine a little simpler.

Give it Some Time

Developing and getting into a good at-home routine didn’t just happen automatically. I had to get to know myself and our child in the at-home environment for a little while before being able to see how things were going to work best. And I soon came to realize that there was really no such thing as a “set routine” for us. While I could get a general idea or have a decent outline for how a day was to proceed, much of this outline depended upon our son. This was true not only on a daily basis, but on a long-term basis as his needs changed and went from those of a baby, to a toddler, to a young man, and on into school.

Note Particular Times of Day

With each segment of our son’s development — and the general routine that came along with it — there were of course certain times of day when I could almost guarantee certain things would happen. Age two or age four, there were certain times that we ate breakfast or lunch, certain times we went for walks, certain times that we took naps, certain times or shows he wanted to watch, certain times he took a bath.

These were often the sorts of daily events around which we built our schedule and routine.

Communicate Schedules and Schedule Needs

It takes two (or more depending upon the number of kids involved) to tango. I found that my having a routine wasn’t nearly as effective if I didn’t communicate it to our son. Of course explaining scheduling needs didn’t do much good before he was age two, but once he was able to beginning listening, speaking, and understanding, talking to our son about the day or the upcoming week, and what was going to happen and when, helped me to get him to work with me and better organize our at-home life. Not only this, but it helped him to begin learning his times and days of the week, as he wanted to know things like when we were going to the park or at what time mommy came home each day.

Make Simple Things Fun Events

I quickly found that getting into a fun routine as an at-home parent didn’t necessarily involve daily trips to the zoo or the museum. In fact, I realized that I could turn what were to me quite menial and boring regular tasks into fun things that our little one looked forward to.

Things like going to get the mail, vacuuming, doing dishes, feeding kitty, and similar regular tasks were amazing new things to our son. And while these were boring old routine items to tick off on our regular schedule for me, they were incredible learning activities and events for our son to help out with or look forward to on the daily schedule.

Raising kids takes money. No argument there. It’s wonderful to be able to afford health insurance and college, for instance. On the other hand, I raised three of the most awesome people in the world with very little income. Are you worried your lack of income will impact your kids’ future? That’s understandable. However, there are certain things that will impact them more. I realize that’s not a popular statement, these days. Still, it’s one I stand behind.

My kids grew up without a lot of fancy technology. That meant we spent a lot more time together than most families. It was the 80’s, so there wasn’t a lot of technology anyway. Still, while other people had cable TV, we opted for the few channels we didn’t have to pay for. We didn’t spend our evening glued to what my Dad referred to as the magic box. Instead, we played cards, board games and guess what else? We actually talked to each other and not just on commercial breaks.

We didn’t have a big house. In fact, most of the time, I slept on the couch so the kids could have bedrooms. At one point we all lived in a huge apartment with no bedrooms at all. That was right after I left my abusive ex. Honestly, my kids were so glad to be living in a peaceful environment, I doubt if they cared about bedrooms. Some things are just more important than money when you’re raising kids.

My kids had security. That may sound a little strange to some people. After all, I just said we didn’t have much money. People often mistake money for security. Kids can be born with a silver spoon in their mouth and still not feel secure. My kids knew I would do whatever it took to give them what they needed. Whether it meant working three jobs or sucking it up and applying for assistance when I had no other choice, I was always there for them. I did what I had to do.

There was no facebook then, but we had a network. We had good friends and relatives that helped us through the rough spots. What’s more, when the roles were reversed, we did our part to help them. My kids learned the importance of having other people in their lives. It takes a village to raise a child and we had some awesome neighbors in ours.

My kids learned to value the simple things. A treat was really a treat because I couldn’t afford to get treats every day. They weren’t spoiled or pampered by any means. So when something fortunate happened, they appreciated it. When it didn’t, they knew how to entertain themselves without it. What’s income got to do with good parenting? Turns out, not a whole lot.

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Parenting in the Kitchen: Life Lessons and Laughter

Parenting by the Book

Single parenting isn’t a cake walk by any means. When you’re the only adult living at home with your kids, you have to do just about everything, all the time depending on the age of your children. Developing routines for you and your children give you both something to work with and to relatively rely on cutting frustration and stress levels while freeing up just a little bit more quality time.

Break it Down
Grab a piece of paper and write down all the activities you literally have to do to keep your home functioning well. This includes cooking breakfast, dressing the children, making sure homework is in the backpack, fixing yourself a lunch for work, bills, laundry, dishes, cooking dinner and anything else you can think of. If you or children attend events during the week such as religious services or club meetings, include these in your list. Group them together based on category. For example, cooking breakfast and dinner in “Cooking,” dressing and bathing in “Grooming,” and so on.

Brainstorm Each Section
Look at each section and brainstorm ideas on how you can combine tasks. For example: Cook extra eggs, sausage and bacon on Sundays and use that to not have to cook breakfast for Monday and Tuesday. Plan two or three main dishes for dinner for the week, prepare them in advance and then freeze them in individual portions. Plan the meals and use the list for groceries for the next two weeks. Can you afford paper plates and bowls? Use these instead of your regular dishes to cut down on the time it takes to wash dishes. For grooming purposes, make sure each person has clothes picked out for the next day and lay them out in an easy to find location.

Paperwork
Keep one box where you keep all of your important documents. Use a file folder to keep copies of birth certificates, social security cards and more in one place. Use the same folder for your children’s immunization records and to keep copies of your pay stubs for the last twelve months. Photocopy your driver’s license or other state identification card along with all of your credit or debit cards onto one sheet of paper. Write the three or four digit identification number on the back near the signature panel down on a separate sheet of paper. Place the second piece of paper in a separate location from your credit card list. Place this in your important paperwork file or safety deposit box.

When you get the mail, separate the bills into one pile and spend time after dinner going through each, noting the due date and placing them in the various priorities to be paid. Write each amount due and the due date on the outside of the envelopes if this makes it easier. Keep a pocket calendar with you and check it often. Keep all your important dates and events noted in this pocket calendar.

Plug in your cell phone every night before bed so that you have a full battery charge every day. This will come in handy during emergencies. By taking part of weekend to organize your household in this manner, you’ll be able to save more time, reduce stress and carry these methods over into other things, such as performing vehicle maintenance or running errands.

In my previous article on parenting on a budget, I discussed some fun and inexpensive projects that you could do with your child to encourage an interest in art. And while most parents are willing to break out the finger paints or crayons for their little one, they sometimes run short of ideas when it comes to the field of science. However, science is all around us. A walk through the park with your preschooler provides an excellent backdrop for discussion of animals and insects. Simply making ice cubes with your child teaches concepts like liquids and solids. Cleaned and boiled chicken or beef bones buried in a dishpan of play sand become an archaeological dig for your preschooler. (Give him a few tools like a small plastic garden spade with which to dig and a dry paintbrush to “clean” the bones for a great rainy-day science activity). A package of seeds and a small cup of dirt can be a lesson in plant life. Science doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. With that in mind, here are few fun science projects you can do with your child for little or no cost.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

There are several fun science experiments that can be done with these two common kitchen items. One is using the reaction of the baking soda and vinegar to blow up a balloon. To do this, take an empty plastic water or soda bottle and add a few ounces of white vinegar. Then stretch open the mouth of a balloon and add three teaspoons of baking soda. (You can hold open the balloon and have your child spoon in the baking soda since this part of the experiment requires an extra hand) Now stretch the end of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle and make sure it’s attached firmly (but don’t dump in the baking soda yet). When you’re ready, pick up the end of the balloon and allow the baking soda to fall into the bottle with the vinegar. The carbon dioxide that is is produced will blow up the balloon. For young children it will be enough to understand that carbon dioxide is a gas that we can’t see, but can still be used for various purposes. You can also ask your child some follow-up questions about other things we can’t see–such as the wind–and how we use them every day (wind turbines for power, flying kites and so forth). If you have an older child, you can go into more detail about the chemical reactions of an acid (vinegar) and a base (baking soda) and exactly how the chemicals rearrange themselves in this experiment to produce the CO2.

Another fun experiment with baking soda and vinegar is building a volcano. You’ll need a paper plate, small paper cup (3-ounce bathroom cups are perfect) and some aluminum foil as well as the baking soda and vinegar. Place the cup in the center of the plate and wrap the entire cup and plate with foil. Make a hole in the foil over the opening of the cup. The finished result will be your volcano base. Set this on a large cookie sheet or in a dishpan to save yourself some clean up. Then have your child spoon several scoops of baking soda into the cup. Finally, give him an eye dropper (or just a teaspoon) and a small container of vinegar. (I like to add some red food dye to the vinegar first to make it appear more like lava). As he drops the vinegar into the baking soda in the cup, his volcano will “erupt”. An older child can make his own volcano from clay, plaster of Paris, or paper mache. Be sure to discuss the scientific aspect of this project with your child. A preschooler may only be able to grasp the fact that volcanoes release pressure from the earth. Older school-aged child will be ready to learn about lava and magma and the extreme temperatures associated with volcanoes.

Rainbow Bags

These are great for toddlers and preschoolers. All you need is some clear hair gel from the dollar store, some food dye, and some half-gallon Ziploc bags. Fill the Ziploc bags with about a half-cup of hair gel then add a different color (or combination of colors) of food dye to each bag. Zip the bag tightly then seal with clear packing tape just to be sure your child doesn’t open them as the food dye can stain. For teaching primary and secondary colors, I like to add a few drops of two different primary colors to each bag and let the children mix them by hand after the bag is sealed. Ask the child to predict what color will be made by mixing before he actually does it and then let him test his hypothesis. Rainbow bags are also useful in teaching the order of the light spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) and allowing the child to practice by placing them in the correct order. Plus, they are just a fun sensory toy. Toddlers will love squishing and scrunching them while your kitchen will remain free of any mess since the bags are sealed.

Celery Science

This is a great preschool science project for teaching your child about the root system and how plants draw nutrients and water from the soil. You will need a few stalks of celery with the ends trimmed off with a knife (clearly the adult does the cutting) and some food dye. Have your child put a few ounces of water in each glass and then add a several drops of different colored food dye to each one. Ask him to place a stalk of celery in each glass. After a few hours, your child will be able to observe how the dye is drawn up through the veins in the celery, coloring the celery. You can also dye white carnations in the same way, giving your child another example of how nutrients travel through the stems and leaves of plants. If you have an older child, this is a wonderful visual method of teaching them about the human circulatory system and how blood, oxygen, and nutrients travel through our veins and arteries.

Young children are naturally curious about the world around them and these early years are a great time for teaching your child basic scientific concepts. Even toddlers are miniature scientists who explore the world around them and experiment with sounds and textures. Encouraging this exploration doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Little things like discussing the day’s weather, observing clouds, flying a kite, collecting insects with your child, experiencing different tastes (sweet, sour, salty) and water play in a pool or tub are all free, easy ways to explore science. If you are looking for a great science field trip, many children’s museums throughout the country offer free days for your child to visit and learn. Science is an integral part of our daily life and It’s never too early to early to start your child on the road to exploration.

“But Mom, I promise I will…”
It’s an easy trap to fall into, and I will be the first to admit I am guilty. Pleading for advances on allowance, promises of fufilled tasks and months of indentured servitude, grandiose explanations of why I should loan out money “just this once” is something that happens at least weekly in our household of five children. I’ve been coerced into go karts, prom gowns, fashion dolls, ferrets, and pretty much anything else under the sun. To date I am owed all sorts of services and payback. If I cashed in on promises I would never have to fold laundry or empty the cat litter again.

Cashing in…don’t make me call your father!
Making good on promises is not always easy, but it’s something we value in our family. When I stepped back to look at the bad parenting habit I’d unwillingly developed it became very clear…enough was enough. My bad example has led to a subculture of promises and barters among the children. Jobs have been traded, household chores divied up unevenly, and bribery reigns supreme. My eight year old has become a vicious little loan monger; the only silver lining is that she understands interest rates like a seasoned financial planner.

Breaking the Cycle; The Family Job Bank
Solving this dilemma required determination, creativity, and a thick skin. Closing the “Bank of Mom” was no easy task. I was mean, evil, and dubbed Scroogette when the cash flow trickled up. Enter the family job bank. With never any shortage of tasks to be done on our hobby farm, making a list of jobs available for an hourly rate was a quick task. Everyone has chores to do, but if someone wants extra money for a luxury purchase, they need to earn the funds. No cash advances allowed! We’ve even created timesheets in an effort to teach real life skills and a sense of responsibility to the children. And all those previous loans? Well, I’m still working on cashing in. Meanwhile, I’ve got laundry to fold.