Toddler Tantrums: Taming Tips to Help

The “terrible twos” is such a scary thought for young parents. But take heart, though, as you will survive the toddler stage like many other young mums do.  Understanding why your toddler has a tantrum is not easy, but at such a young age, a child is consumed with thoughts of themselves.  Everything is simply about them and how they feel and nothing else matters.  So until they are educated on how to share, they will automatically see every toy or piece of food as belonging to them. 

Toddler temper tantrums can have a variety of effects

It is natural that your first thought might be that everyone is focused on you and your screaming
child, but getting embarrassed won’t diffuse the situation.  Take heart, as a parent, you will have many more years of embarrassing situations to look forward to courtesy of your children.  So worrying about what others think during this situation is simply going to stress you and make you feel worse.

Here are a few tips to help you cope during tantrums:

1. Ignore the tantrum.  This technique works best if you begin at home.  It is important, in public places, you don’t want to ever leave your child unattended as a form of punishment.  Good behavior in public begins at home.  Ignoring a toddler is not harsh.  If your child is squirming on the floor screaming for a cookie, simply continue to talk to them as if you never noticed.  Eventually, they will get the hint and stop screaming. 

2. Avoid instant gratification.  In public, toddlers throw tantrums when they are denied something that they want.  Some parents give in to keep their child quiet but a child learns quickly.  Tantrums will continue if they know you will cave.  Simply tell them “no” and keep moving.

3. Don’t get angry.  When you scream and they scream the situation is wildly out of control.  You’ll end up crying and your toddler will still be screaming.  In any situation, raised voices mean that a civilized conversation has ended in favor of basic primal instincts.  Don’t revert back to the days of early man.  You must keep using your same calm voice that you use when they are behaving in order to get your child to calm down as well.

4. Praise your toddler when they behave well.  Positive reinforcement is much better than negative.  In the absence of positive attention a child will behave badly just to get some attention at all.  Acting out and throwing tantrums may just be a cry for attention.  Don’t let it get to this point.  Clap and celebrate when they complete little things like going to the potty successfully and when they put away their toys.  Good manners such as saying “please” and “thank you” deserve a smile and attention as well.

5. Run errands after nap time.  Kids get punchy when they get tired.  A toddler misbehaves more often if they are dragged around when they are tired. 

6. Carry snacks with you.  Low blood sugar can lead to tantrums.  If you are out longer than anticipated and lunch or dinner time is close at hand, let them eat a healthy snack to keep their hunger pains at bay and sugar levels stable.

7. Be consistent in your punishment.  At home, you might use “time out” to deal with a tantrum or bad behavior.  Then in public do the same.  Sit your child on a bench for five minutes or take them to the car.  Eventually they will learn that you are not a pushover and they will begin to behave.

Above all, you will survive the toddler years.  Nip temper tantrums in the bud early with the above tips and enjoy going out in public.

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For a little help with these challenging times we recommend you take a look at Toddler 411...

Toddler 411 gives hands-on advice and tips on parenting questions. In an easy-to-read book it talks about toddler discipline, challenges: from traveling with toddlers to biting, hitting, temper tantrums. You can read up on odd but normal toddler behavior, which can include imaginary friends or eating strange food. It gives advice on pacifiers and thumb sucking or things like food throwing. The Milestone section of the book goes through the developmental, social and emotional growth stages and problems by age. The checklist is great for parents to give them a better understanding of their toddler and where they are at.

This is, in my opinion, a very useful and must-have book for any new parent reaching the toddler stage...   Toddler 411
 

Eat What You Love:

More Than 300 Incredible Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat and Calories
Where to buy: www.amazon.com

As we all know and hear all the time, obesity is on the rise, even in young kids. Most of us like food and enjoy eating well. Eating well, however, doesn't mean that we have to consume lots of fat and sugar and thereby calories. If you have a family member that has a health condition or if you want to cook for your family healthy and delicious food, ‘Eat What You Love’ would be a fantastic cookbook to own.

In the cookbook, written by Marlene Koch, you'll find over 300 scrumptious, low-fat and low sugar recipes, even your pickiest eater and fast-food addict will enjoy. I like the fact that each of the recipes is fast and easy to prepare and cook; ideal for  working moms or dads to quickly whip something up at the end of a long working day.

The book starts with a very informative introduction on things such as fats (the good and the bad), sugars, carbs, calories, the issue with salt, fibers etc. It then goes on to talk about essential ingredients you will need for cooking healthy food. The recipes include chapters on smoothies and shakes, hot and cold drinks, muffins and coffee cakes, breakfast, appetizers, soups and chilis, pasta, fish and seafood, chicken, turkey, lean meat and even creamy desserts, cookies and cakes, as well as pies and fruit desserts. I am sure there'll be something for everybody.

Overall, this is a fantastic, informative and must-have cookbook for any family that wants to enjoy delicious and healthy food.

How to Sell your Digital Photography at Stock Photo Sites

Most people do not realize that many of our hobbies can be turned into a business idea that can make you money. As an amateur (or perhaps a would-be pro) digital photographer you can sell those beautiful photographs online. Here are some ways to do that.

Digital photography allows you to capture a variety of images in a variety of formats. For instance, remember when you used to visit the carnival or amusement park and they took those old-fashioned pictures of people? The pictures looked faded but that was simply a sepia tone. You can create the same effect on your digital camera when you edit a photo.

Stock photography is one of the best ways to break into the online digital photography market. You can sell your photos to others who need pictures for websites, newsletters, magazines and e-zines and other media. Surf the Web lately?  Many of the photos look the same. Your photos can add a new flavor to what is currently being offered. There is never any harm in seeing how your images will be perceived.

First, understand how the stock photography business works. On these sites, customers can purchase pictures or lease them for a certain amount of time. On some sites, photos are free to use when signing an agreement of use and including a link back to the site.

As a photographer, you will make more money if your photos are leased as opposed to being sold. The one time sale may net you some cash but the lease will provide a continuous source of income off of that one photograph. And, many people can pay to lease the photograph at one time. Through the leasing process, your work will be viewed by a large audience.

Start by researching current stock photography sites. Find one that offers the leasing option to customers and also has an easy-to-navigate site. Begin here and test the waters with your work.

Now, all you need to do is produce some quality work. Look at other stock photographs. What do they have in common? Are the pictures clear? Can you make out all of the features of the photo? At the least, your photographs need to be clear with the subjects in the foreground.

Another consideration is the type of digital photos you are trying to sell. More of the same that already exists won’t be received well. The stock photography companies are out to make money too. Don’t be afraid to try some new ideas for holiday photos or for everyday photos. They will let you know what does and does not sell.

In the meantime, create a website or blog with links to the stock photography sites featuring your work. This will send more people to view your photographs and may lead to other opportunities in the future.

Use tablecloth weights to help solve that problem!

Patriotic Tablecloth Weights
Where to buy: www.amazon.com

Ever had to man the table at your Sunday cookout because the wind kept blowing everything around? It can be a pain in the butt. After all of your hard work, your food and plates and the like end up on the ground. Use tablecloth weights to help solve that problem.

No one ever thinks about the tablecloth. When it flies up, so does everything on the table. This simple solution is both festive and easy to use. These decorative plastic red, white and blue stars come with clips that will adjust to affix to just about any table.

Attach them to the bottom of your table covering to keep it from moving once you have placed it. They are sold in packs of 12 so that you have enough for more than one table if you need it. Weights are easy to clean with water and a cloth. Reuse them every year for the patriotic holiday or use single colors as an accent for your table for other holidays as well.