1. Bare Minimum Equipment Here’s the equipment that you’ll need at a bare minimum. 1.1. Knives Knife blades made of steel are manufactured in one of two ways: forging or stamping. Forged blades tend to be heavier and “drag” through cuts better due to the additional material present in the blade. Stamped blades are lighter … Read more
Choosing an Age-Appropriate Planner Although you can jump in at any time to help your children organize their schedules, ideally you’ll be building their school-age skills on top of the ones you taught them in their preschool years. To begin, this will mean adding some additional chores that they’re now capable of handling (see Table … Read more
This period sees a slight plateau in the speed of development of your child’s movement skills, while his brain diverts its attention to another major priority: the development of the frontal lobes. This part of the brain plays an important part in developing rational thought, emotions, attention, and memory. “Emily loves to help me make … Read more
Regardless of your needs, a well-equipped home kitchen shouldn’t cost much money. I once heard the products sold in consumer kitchen stores described as “kitchen jewelry.” Stores like Williams-Sonoma offer beautiful products that make for beautiful gifts, but just because they call their products “professional-quality cookware” doesn’t mean that professionals routinely use them. Sure, their … Read more
As your children move from kindergarten through the middle school grades, they’ll learn many things about many subjects. One important life skill—which is sometimes overlooked in school and sometimes covered quite well—is learning how to manage one’s time. As with all subjects, time management is easy for some people and not so easy for others. … Read more
Whether your baby has a special diet for religious or cultural reasons, lifestyle choices, or food allergies, it is possible to offer diverse and healthy food with all of the important nutrients. Babies have slightly different needs than adults, so if there are foods you wish to avoid, it’s a good idea to get advice … Read more
So you’ve picked out a recipe to start with and you’re raring to go. Now what? Beyond the grocery shopping list, there are a few things you can do before putting the knife to the cutting board to avoid mishaps while cooking. 1. Calibrating Your Instruments A scientist can only run experiments and make observations … Read more
Once children enter school, their time no longer belongs to them and their family alone. Just as jobs place restrictions on adults’ lives, schools place restrictions on students’ lives, and all of those restrictions impact the way the family can schedule its time. Adjusting the Family’s Schedule When a child is ready to start school, … Read more
You’ll be amazed by what your baby will eat. Introduce your little one to new textures and tastes as early and as often as you can to establish healthy and diverse eating habits that he will carry with him into childhood and adult life. Q: Will exotic fruits be too sophisticated for my baby’s tastebuds? … Read more
Eating out Having a meal away from home may not be the treat for a small child that it is for an adult. If you are going on a car trip, consider taking familiar and child-friendly foods with you. If a stop-off is easier, do not plan a long meal. It will be very tiring … Read more
It’s natural to become preoccupied with your baby’s weight, veering between concerns that your baby is overweight and worrying that he’s not growing at the right pace. The good news is that a healthy, balanced diet will ensure he hits and maintains just the right weight for him, setting him on the right path for … Read more
Safety in the home Things to be aware of Try getting down on your hands and knees and crawling around your home from ground level to do a safety check space by space: From around six to eight months, as your baby’s physical development accelerates, his motor skills will start to match his burgeoning curiosity. … Read more
What toddlers should eat, how much they should eat, and how to get them to try new foods are perennial dilemmas for all parents. The good news is that most fussy toddlers are normal toddlers—and they grow up to become healthy adults who eat a wide range of foods. “Don’t forget to take care of … Read more
Your baby’s diet will impact his health and affect his mood, energy levels, and sleeping patterns too. Ensuring that he is eating well will go a long way toward encouraging optimum health. And when he does get sick, there is plenty you can do to help him to recover quickly and easily. Q: My baby … Read more
Q: My baby is crawling everywhere. Should I be worried about hygiene? A: When your child is on the move and putting everything he finds into his mouth, hygiene can be quite a challenge. It is best to try to prevent him from putting leaves and dirt into his mouth, especially in the playground or … Read more
Your toddler is on the go from morning until night, and requires your help to understand when he is tired and needs to get some rest. Life is far too interesting for him to want to go to bed of his own accord, but he needs his sleep and will benefit from having a routine. … Read more
How you respond Many parenting problems stem from a belief that a toddler is being willfully naughty, has an ulterior motive, or is scheming to get his own way. In reality, he does not yet have any moral reasoning skills and needs your help to understand the boundaries between “right and wrong.” While it is … Read more
The importance of pictures Images play an important part in your child’s learning. His brain is developing at a rapid rate, enabling long-term memory and imagination to improve. Pictures are important triggers for both memory and pretend play, which is why picture books are so important for this age group. His skills have now developed … Read more
Q: My toddler doesn’t like the consistency of vegetables and fruit. Are purées OK at this age? A: Many little ones find the crunchy texture difficult to manage, and may even gag on small pieces, particularly if their introduction to “lumps” was later than usual. While it’s important to encourage toddlers to develop their chewing … Read more
Every day is a learning experience for your toddler. Sometimes he will be confident and other days anxious and uncertain. You need to be sensitive to his changes in mood and adjust your approach accordingly, until he is at an age where he is better able to manage them himself. “You may be so afraid … Read more