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Helpful Tips for Raising Children

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Just slapping the day together!

For almost 20 years, I have been able to stay in touch with my best friend, Sandy.

She defies most of us in so many ways, for instance, she somehow finds time to pick out a card every few months (even for Easter and Hallowe'en - not just Birthdays and Christmas) and hand write (legibly) in them a few paragraphs of caring and sharing and even enclose some photos - you remember, those 6" x 4" ones?

All photos in this lens (except for one) are from my own collection. Do not use / download.

A couple of years ago, when I attended her baby shower, I found out that she is about 13 other women's BFF too. I describe Sandy as being completely oblivious to her own beauty, strength, wisdom and kindness. Plus she is hilarious to top it all off. Well, eventually she got married and has the most adorable little 18 month old boy . . . bliss right?

Oh not so, you moms out there know what I mean. Remember when you felt like YOU are the only one who can do anything properly? Luckily my daughter, now 6, is thriving and my hubby is able to do the automatic parental-type thinking. He just does stuff now, without being asked! It takes a while, but even if you feel like you married a moron, there is hope. Sandy even said it, yup, she said it! And she tells her husband, "Now watch dear, what I am doing (while making his favourite homemade pizza), because when I walk out that door . . . I may not be coming back."

The question is . . . why do we need to train these guys? Does it really take the threat of leaving them to invoke some change? And hey, their mothers gave us career women a nightmare to handle. Emotionally, some men really don't get it. And, when they do help out (with house chores or the kids) it is almost as if they are doing us a favour. Those 5 times (out of a hundred) that they DO help out - you need to applaud him, compliment him and carry on with the praise for a while. I am tired of clapping my hands, aren't you? Do you find yourself thinking, "Oh forget it, I can do this in half the time it takes him and do it properly". After a while, you think, "Hey, life may just be easier without him." Watch out guys, we really don't want to be YOUR mother too . . . pull your weight, just look around the house, help out and maybe we will be able to make this thing work. Nothing is more attractive than a man willingly doing the dishes while I sip wine, even kinda makes me feel a little frisky.

And the thing is, when we ask for help, we own the problem. For instance, when a woman says, "I need some help doing the dishes.." it is almost like declaring that the dishes are the woman's problem and if she asks for help then she can't handle HER responsibilities. Then, if the guy helps, well, he is the hero..goes on and on about how he helps out and does dishes (the 3 times in a year that he does them) and the woman feels like she didn't measure up. And mother-in-laws rarely help with this scenario. (SHH, I hear you laughing, you don't wanna wake the baby).

Just when did the dishes (or laundry or cleaning or vacuuming) become solely HER problem? These are unspoken rules that need to be broken.

Next time ladies you need some help, say, "Can you please help out and do OUR dishes or clean OUR house or do OUR laundry. Thanks". Oh yeah, thank him in advance (always helps) and maybe you won't need to praise him publicly for 15 minutes at that next party.

Sting, of the Pop band The Police, once said that the measure of a real man is one who takes care of his family. No, not with money necessarily, but a man who can cook a meal for his family, for example.

Stephen Colbert recently interviewed Hanna Rosin, who authored, "The End of Men" the cover story of The Atlantic's June 2010 issue. She pointed out that women are: earning more college degrees than men (on a ratio of 3:2), representing the majority of the workforce, gaining more legal rights and starting to dominate middle management. More couples are selecting female babies at fertility clinics, patriarchal structures (such as in South Korea) are eroding and apparently 75% of job loss, within the last few years, are ones formerly held by men.

The discrimination of women and resultant wage gap still, unfortunately, exists in North America. One reason is that women still do most of the child rearing and housework. Since I breastfed for a few years, I know that biology trumps what is "fair". The father of my child simply cannot breast feed . . . which, by the way, is exhausting. It expends more calories than being pregnant does! This is yet another reason men need to just look around and pitch in - without being asked.

The point is, if two people are in a committed relationship together taking care of a baby BOTH parents need to just do things to help move the day along. Don't wait for someone to ask you, for that takes up precious energy too. If someone has to ask you, then you aren't using your own brain enough or worse, you just don't care about anyone but yourself in those moments.

Some days, when my child was under 3 years old, I felt like I was just slapping the day together.

This was created on August 27th, 2010. All rights reserved. Copyright 2010 sousababy
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Sounds harsh? Wait . . .

this will become male-friendly

In my mission to help make life easier...I will collectively gather the wisdom from both men and women about parenting children under 6. For ease, I will start with babies and work my way up to age 6. I finally realized that I had to back-off and let go of my perfectionism to give my husband a chance to feel competent. I had to trust him and his judgement. No, I didn't know best, after all. I am so much better as a mom once I accepted that.

Check back soon, I'll be adding things to give parents peace of mind. Along the way, I'll add in expert and not so expert opinions. Feel free to submit a comment or suggestion. Every parent I know wants to raise their kids to be healthy, happy and caring citizens of this world. As Hilary Clinton so poignantly says, "It takes a village to raise a child."

While baby is still inside mommy, do all the baby proofing you can - to make life easier . . .

Photo source: M.ADA on flickr / Licensed under Creative Commons / Click here to view.

Jasmina is a little cranky right now

but her Daddy can handle it!

Peace of Mind for Parents of Children

from birth to age 3

Ok, so I am sure you already bought the car seat, gates that fit your home, cute crib bumper and health care essentials for your baby. Those items, well, I had to look at in a store to decide if they were suitable. No one will watch your child as closely as you...and yet both parents often need to work. Sometimes, when we leave our child with a grandparent or relative, we worry that they will not be as vigilant as we are and often they have things in their homes that ARE a hazard.

What I have picked out here are things ranging from $1.99 - $200 that can give parents PEACE of mind when they can't be there all the time to watch their child. I own 4 of these items and will describe why I felt they were worth it to make my life easier.
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Sleep, Sweet, Sleep

for everyone . . .

During my quest to find answers, I searched out Parenting.com members. There is a collective wisdom obtained in listening to parents of many children. I included advice from my own doctor (she has 3 kids) and book sources: Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Feber, MD (revised edition) and William Sears, MD, co-author of The Baby Sleep Book. Plus I added in what worked for me.

We all wake intermittently during the night and nod off again on our own. Your child needs to learn this skill too. It is normal for a child to wake briefly many times a night...he needs to teach himself how to fall back asleep again.

There are a number of popular beliefs held by people ranging from letting a child sleep in her parent's bed to letting her cry herself to sleep. I fall somewhere in the middle. My sister allowed her little boy to sleep with her and hubby and it took them years to get him back into his own bedroom. Also, the marriage does suffer some lack of intimacy with this practice.

My family doctor advised me to get a handle on any sleep issues while my daughter was under 3, since it is much harder at 4 or 5 to keep a child in her bedroom. While breastfeeding at night, she'd fall asleep and I would place her gently in her crib, turn on the monitor and leave the room. At around 18 months of age, she had some night terrors, mostly about spiders. I would reassure her and rub her back, but I tried NOT to pick her up. I kept the lights really low and we always played Little Einsteins soothing classical music. I would sit in a chair beside her bed until she fell back asleep.

After a while, I noticed it happening more frequently...I was starting to reward my daughter by responding SO quickly to her. (Under 1 years old however, if a child is screaming in the night, I'd advise immediately to check on him). Each time she would call out for me, I would be slower to respond. I would do a little less back rubbing and gradually move the chair further away from her bedside. I had to wean her off the reward part of this behavior and give her a chance to self-soothe and fall back asleep. After only 1 week, it worked and I was amazed. Since I had trained myself to be at her beck and call 24/7, I never realized that I had contributed to her inability to sleep through the night.

A recent study of parents with young children revealed an interesting finding: overwhelmingly whenever a child had unsettled sleep, the mother did also; the father, however, was "blissfully unaffected." If mom had a poor nights sleep, whenever possible, the daddy should let her sleep in and take care of the little angel first thing in the morning. This is important too for re-balancing the female hormones after having a baby.

The Feber method of the 80's was the "cry-it-out" sleep method. Since then, Richard Feber, MD has revised this edition and added that this will NOT ALWAYS work on really sensitive infants. Also, he recommends, that it should not be tried on a baby under 4 months of age, with the ideal time being between 4 and 8 months of age. Personally, I am not a big fan of this, although there were a couple of nights that I tried to patiently endure my daughter's crying. Eventually though, I caved and went in to cuddle her. The key thing I learned was NOT to reward this too much, don't play or stay too engaged, keep lights and sounds low and, if possible, just rub your child's back (only picking her up when absolutely necessary).

All of the expert opinions seem to emphasize a bedtime routine. We finally worked it down to this: playing Baby Einstein soothing classical music, arranging stuffed toys around her bed, keeping a very low light on, saying goodnight to daddy and the cat and reading one or two stories - maximum. Also, I found it helped if I yawned and closed my eyes...my daughter would do the same. Hang in there, it really does get easier.

Sleepy Time in the Home

things to set the mood . . .

These are some of the things that I used to establish a bedtime ritual. It is nice to have a little time for yourself or as a couple after your child falls asleep. Also, we decided not to keep too many exciting toys in her room, just stuffed animals. And, even the decor is soft pastel colors, nothing too bold, bright or stimulating.
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Potty Training

just a few ideas . . .

Yet another milestone, and that sense of accomplishment on your child's face is undeniable - once he feels he has this one mastered. This is not a stage that can be hurried. And should your child be a bed wetter, never, ever shame them. My daughter last peed her bed at age 5. What we did, was purchase a waterproof/dust mite mattress cover and also place 2 incontinence pads over it - but under her twin bed's fitted sheet. This would catch the urine and save the mattress for sure (it often saved me from washing the mattress cover too). Usually, I only needed to change the fitted bed sheet. Lots of praise, lots and lots of it...never any shaming and reassure that "it's okay" when accidents happen, they happen to everybody at some point - even big people.

Also, instead of buying a toddler bed, we went straight from the crib to a twin bed with a rail. The in-between stage is so short lived, we felt the toddler-sized bed sheets and so on just weren't worth it. The nice part is, we could still keep the crib in her room as a back up if she did pee her bed. A child who is sleepy, even at age 3 or 4 will quickly fall back asleep in an already prepared crib. Great too when my friends with babies and the odd babysitting gig came my way. Some cribs even convert to a daybed, a nice little place to put a toddler for nap time.

Some items to check out

while potty training . . .

Here are some handy things we found useful during this stage, though not all will be necessary. The main thing is to convey a patient and positive approach, don't rush and heap on lots of praise and reassurance.
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Make sure to enjoy the first 18 months

of your child's life . . .

It just goes by way too fast. Here's Jasmina having fun in our backyard. Thanks for visiting!

Your Amazing 2 - 3 year old

and what makes them tick . . .

Oh my goodness, I used to hear about "the terrible twos" from the older generation. I truly feel that this is not the case. At this age, children are simply learning that words hold great power. And, when they are seemingly defiant, it is more experimental in nature and not a behavior to interpret as bad. In fact, if they didn't express some egocentric behavior, it might indicate a developmental problem. It is normal for a toddler to express frustration, have tantrums, be independent and repeat "mine" a lot.

The best advice I received was from a mother to seven children; she advised me to learn the art of distraction and removal. In other words, when you take something away or need to say "no", quickly turn your child's attention to something else. For example, when Johnny is screaming for candy in the supermarket, tell him 'No son, not today' and then say 'Hey look, I brought your favorite book.'

Non-verbal posture and tone of voice become really crucial skills for a parent to learn. If you say, 'We HAVE to go to the library and return these books' in a down-trodden way, your child may sense from your tone of voice that this isn't going to be fun and quickly retort 'NO!' Instead, say 'We GET to go to the library and TAKE out new books, once we return these ones' - conveyed in an upbeat, positive tone of voice.

Remember, even when your child is resisting your rules, they are still seeking the security and comfort of boundaries. They feel safe knowing you will be in control. It is simply too much responsibility at this age - you cannot treat them like little adults. Maintaining eye contact and gentle touch also does wonders when explaining to a child why he cannot have something. Saying no first..well, it is easier to go from no to yes than vice versa. Also, as your toddler gets older, you will want to use some form of negotiation with them, like 'No, you can't have that candy, unless you brush your teeth tonight.'

Praise and encouragement, even if it sounds phony to you, still works great. You want to reward good behavior when your child follows the rules. Heap it on! Try to ignore mildly bad behavior; if you give it too much attention (more than for good behavior) you can set yourself up for a child that continually does things they shouldn't to gain your attention.

The toughest two things seem to be:

Never give in to escalated, heightened behavior like kicking and screaming. This sends the message to your child that if they persist, they will get their way. Although it is hard and embarassing, just try to "wait it out" and say, 'Okay, I will wait and when you are done (having your reaction) then we will go home (or leave this store or put this toy back, etc.)'.

Never spank. Hitting begets hitting and it sends all the wrong messages like "big people get to hurt little ones" or "when I get bigger, I can hit too". You cannot logically reason with a 2-3 year old, so it is best to distract, ignore mild problem behavior, heap on praise for good behavior, give calming time (or time out), and the one I love most: give undivided attention to your toddler for at least 15 minutes a day; get down on his level, try to see the world the way he does and play. This really reduces the negative attention getting behaviors and strengthens bonding.

Remember, it wouldn't be healthy to eliminate all independent behaviors; toddlers need to know that they have an impact on the world with their actions and words. Try to view it as their way of experimenting with language and gestures rather than seeing it as your child behaving badly.

Remember Toddlers are Experimenting

not trying to upset you . . .

Here are a few of my favorite toddler products that are safe for under 3 years of age and keeps them preoccupied. Great to bring along with you to the grocery store or wherever you need to pull a quick "switch and bait" (otherwise known as the distraction method).
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Four years old and Favorites

things that you shouldn't worry about . . .

Two of Jasmina's favorite things: "Baby" the pink teddy bear and plain bread with butter.

Fantastic, Fun and Full

of favorite foods . . .

We all want our kids to eat healthy and by the age of four, you can now make food that everyone can enjoy. Finally, the whole family can have a sit down meal together.

I used to worry about my daughter not eating much some days or sometimes I'd feel she didn't eat enough of the healthier foods, like vegetables. Our tastes change as we grow...just try having some cereal you used to love as a kid, bet you'll find it (sickeningly) too sweet now. My daughter said she didn't like Shreddies when she was 3 - but now she loves them. Oh and as for the days she didn't eat much, I don't worry about it anymore, because usually the next day she would eat extra. Children do not grow in a linear fashion; they do have growth spurts. My child was less hungry just before catching a cold too. Her appetite would always catch up though - no need to worry about the odd day in the week. (This is providing you are having a family doctor or pediatrician charting your child's height and weight AND you are told (by a doctor) that your child is on track.)

Common beliefs that have changed over the years:

A chubby baby or child is a healthy one - this thinking was particularly the case in times of war and famine. When food was scarce in some countries, the sight of a child with some extra weight gave parents a sense of relief that their child would survive and be strong. Now we are seeing very young children with high cholesterol and even cardiovascular problems. Obesity in children is definitely on the rise and it does predispose kid to developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, depression and other conditions.

When I was growing up, I was told to 'Finish everything on your plate..there are kids starving in Africa'; I never realized how much this guilt played on my habits as an adult, until one day a friend of mine and I were having lunch. She could tell I was getting full but still kind of forcing myself to finish everything I had been served. She said to me, "Oh I feel sorry for you...you were told as a kid not to waste any food, weren't you?" I was stunned at how obvious this was. Another common one is, 'You can't have dessert until you finish everything on your plate.'

Thing is, if you set up food as either a reward or punishment, you can cause emotional eating later on (or eating disorders). Better to reward with toys or activities and just leave eating as its own enjoyable activity that is necessary for everyone. When you need to discipline, take away a toy or activity - do not withhold food (like, going to bed without dinner) or force a child to eat something.

Physically too, we lose the sense that we are full if our eating is dominated by negative emotions. It takes a full 20 minutes for our brain to interpret that we are getting full, so it is important to slow down, have conversations at the table, ask the kids about their day and enjoy eating as a family. If anyone is too full to finish what is on their plate, then that is just fine. If your child refuses to eat something, don't force it; coax them to at least try it (if they've never had it) or re-introduce it at a later date. Expressing empathy works really well. I told my daughter, 'Yeah, when I was little, I didn't like peas either. But when I turned 5, I did.' Surprisingly, a few months later she said, "Mommy, I tried some peas at daycare and I really liked them."

There are now fruit drinks available in grocery stores that also contain vegetables. I find the mango one to be a favorite. Also, there are some wonderful cookbooks dedicated to putting vegetables in meals that kids will eat. Yeah, I know it seems a bit deceptive, but it works and you know that they had their vegetables. Plus when they get older, rest assured that their tastes will change and they probably will enjoy vegetables like most of us.

Mealtime is for Sharing

great food and conversation

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Your five year old is taking on the world

and she has to be the best at everything . . .

This is Jasmina atop our favorite tobogganing hill near our home, feeling larger than life!

Five years old and the need to win

normal stuff to be aware of . . .

Just some points to keep in mind when you first introduce games to your child: you may find him getting upset if he loses. Prior to this, most toddler toys helped him create something - like building a tower or making music. When a 5 year old child plays a game, he can only see his own point of view. He cannot fully comprehend that other players are trying to win too. Losing is something totally new and very painful at first. Your child may react with anger, sadness, outbursts, shame or embarrassment. What's crucial is to applaud your child's effort while the game is in progress and offer tips and praise along the way. If you wait until the game is over to praise or repeatedly allow your child to win every time - you will have missed out on an opportunity to teach two of the most valuable life skills: perseverance and how to deal with loss.

The following two paragraphs includes advice derived from the article, 'When Winning is Everything' by Randi Chapnik Myers in 'How to help a child who hates to lose.' Originally published in Today's Parent, August 2009. (I read this while at an indoor playground with my daughter and made notes April 2010):

"As kids age, they learn that you win some, you lose some," says Mitch Zeltzer, co-founder of Dynamix, a Toronto-based child and teen team-building and character-development organization. By age 10, their sense of self-worth is no longer dependent upon winning or losing. If your child does seem to be a sore loser, don't heap on the excessive 'Oh, poor baby' and reward with candy, since you may unwittingly encourage more of this behavior. Teach your child to express her feelings openly, maybe say, 'I see that you're sad. Would a hug help?' or 'It's okay to cry, when I first lost at basketball, I cried too.'

Winning and how one attains it really is important. We want to teach good sportsmanship, fairness, and honing skills. And if you win - you win with honor. Focus on the fun part of playing and start with perhaps games of luck - like ones that have wheels to spin or dice to roll. Julie Freedman Smith, co-founder of the Calgary-based Parenting Power company suggests saying, "Whether you win or I win, let's both remember to have fun." Throughout the game, keep everyone focused on the effort and add in positive feedback like 'Oh good try' or 'nice move' and 'Wow you're really fun to play with.' If tears are forming despite your efforts, take a time out to remind your child that this is a game played for enjoyment. And let him know that it is okay to cry. Then move along to another activity or resume playing the game. The way you, as a parent, react to loss will eventually shape how your child will choose to react. And, sometimes children learn this skill better than adults.

Healthy Games and Sports

for life lessons and fun . . .

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Sharing and Caring

your angelic 6 year old . . .

6 years old and going to school all day

don't cut back on the praise just yet . . .

Oh my, when children turn 6, they seem so grown up, especially in the social department. Friendships with the same sex are very important and they may express some intolerance of others. I feel it is a key time to teach some empathy. For instance, if your child says, "No one wants so-and-so on their team," try to say, "Oh, s/he must feel very left out, it would be nice if everyone could play that game - perhaps it would be nice if you or I mentioned it to the teacher and then everyone can play and have fun."

I am constantly amazed at how my 6 year old has evolved in this area. If we do not address fairness and inclusion of everyone at this tender age, I feel it can carry over to adulthood. And having a little brother or sister may bring out parental instincts in our 6 year old. Just don't forget: your 6 year old is still only 6 years old. Listen, love, and above all, model the behavior you want them to emulate.

Children about to enter grade one are very independent but remember they still need a good deal of guidance. Modeling behavior and how a parent treats others is something your child notices...perhaps more than you realize. You need to evaluate your own parenting style - often, this is a huge growth period for parents themselves.

Getting ready for Grade 1

things to ease the transition . . .

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Jasmina resisting Mommy's kiss

in our backyard . . .

Love your children, tell them often, even when you need to discipline them. They remember.

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Feel free to submit a comment

or suggestion . . .

Please visit again for more parenting tips and ideas for your child from birth - 6 years old. By far, these are the most important years for brain growth, development and shaping of a child's ability to adapt in this world. If you examine your own childhood, you will appreciate just how influential parents and care givers really are to raising a happy, healthy, and caring young person. Children are gifts - cherish and love them for their differences and do your best to teach them what you wished you had learned a very long time ago. Some of us, myself included, still struggle with childhood issues. Love can move mountains, no one is perfect and don't be afraid to admit your faults to your kids. You teach them to forgive themselves and others in the process. What you model now is being absorbed by your child...you, in reality, are the one being closely watched and listened to now.

We all need one another.

  • ismeedee Mar 19, 2012 @ 10:15 am | delete
    Excellent lens. My youngest is now Six. Phew! From birth he was a screamer. He screamed so loud and so long I took him to emergency hospital ward more than once. Never anything really wrong. In fact one of the times he stopped and smiled at the doctor when I got there. Ever feel like killing a sweet little baby? haha (I AM joking!) It's his personality turns out. He over-reacts to this day. A tiny scratch on the knee and he's dying. Somehow we've made it to age Six.
  • Michey Mar 17, 2012 @ 9:55 pm | delete
    The kids are adorable, but it is not easy to raise the nowadays.
    very good lens
    Regards
  • beaworkathomemom Mar 17, 2012 @ 5:26 am | delete
    Great lens! Lots of good information, I learned a lot. Thanks!
  • dellgirl Feb 14, 2012 @ 9:25 pm | delete
    Lots of great tips and helpful information here. You've done an amazing job, as usual. Thanks for putting this together and sharing it.
  • TopToysForKids Dec 5, 2011 @ 11:23 pm | delete
    Yes, gals are amazing. The multi-tasking involved in raising kids and everything else befuddles the brain.
  • peppervel Oct 30, 2011 @ 10:58 am | delete
    Wow.... really enjoyed reading your lens. Brought back memories when my kids were in pre-schools. Absolutely agree with all that your wrote. I attended a parenting talk once- "Good Enough Parenting". It's so encouraging when the speaker started with saying, "We don't have to be perfect parents. We can't be perfect. But we can be Good Enough parents.
  • annmackiemiller May 23, 2011 @ 5:56 pm | delete
    nice one and great photos - Angel blessed and featured on my angel blessed in may lens
  • DaveHiggsVis May 13, 2011 @ 9:51 am | delete
    There's lots of great info on here! Thanks!

    I especially liked the discussion about the role of fathers. I do so much for my daughter, but apparently this is rare. How could you NOT want to help out around the house to make things easier for your partner? I don't get it.
  • momsfunny May 6, 2011 @ 9:42 pm | delete
    Just show them love, care and proper guidance. Your child will grow to be a good person.
  • thebabyshop Apr 22, 2011 @ 7:44 am | delete
    Wow, amazing lens! This is like ten lenses in one. Thank you for all of this information and for sharing your experience. My baby is turning one tomorrow! The year has flown by. She is going through a little difficult period of getting to sleep at night. Like you, I don't really know if the Feber method is for me, but she seems to be getting better for the most part!

    Have fun with your gorgeous daughter, and thanks again for sharing!
  • tiff0315 Apr 2, 2011 @ 9:41 am | delete
    Really great advice here! Your daughter is so cute.
    Lensrolled to potty training tips
  • lens4Him Mar 22, 2011 @ 1:05 pm | delete
    What a lovely lens. It's amazing how fast kids grow up, I have grandkids now. And they say that BFF is 'best friends forever' LOL
  • MarianaFargasch Mar 1, 2011 @ 12:57 pm | delete
    Very cute lens! Great job on this lens! Always love reading lens on raising kids and children, as I am a single Mom. Thanks!
  • ChrisDay Feb 15, 2011 @ 9:12 pm | delete
    A truly lovely, sensitive and meaningful lens - parenthood, like childhood is a fleeting experience but can be oh so rewarding. It is also an absolutely vital period for the child. The child will grow up, develop and learn without our help. The way parenting is carried out will deeply affect that process, though.
  • thebarefootwriter Aug 9, 2011 @ 7:46 am | delete
    I Soo agree with you chris day
  • raphaelo Feb 15, 2011 @ 3:32 pm | delete
    Dear, Rose .. I'm so proud to visit this lens .. Wonderful .. Delightful .. Love all your photos .. You make my wonderful day :) So happy to be here .. 5 loveliest stars for you .. dearest Rose ;)

    PS: Featuring this lens on my bio page :)
  • poutine Feb 12, 2011 @ 5:11 pm | delete
    I just decided that this lens should be lensrolled to:

    http://www.squidoo.com/kidswhomakeadifference
  • poutine Feb 12, 2011 @ 4:06 pm | delete
    Hi Rose,

    I love that picture of Jasmina resisting Mommy's kiss. Priceless.

    Lensrolling this adorable lens to :

    http://www.squidoo.com/what-it-takes-for-a-little-kid-to-have-a-good-night-sleep
  • purplelady Feb 11, 2011 @ 11:59 am | delete
    What a delightfully created lens and full of valuable information for new parents and parents to be.
    I have lensrolled this to my People Should Have a License to Have Chirldren and my Sticks and Stones lens about bullying. Great job with this.
  • poutine Feb 11, 2011 @ 11:13 am | delete
    Hi Rose,

    Forgot to mention that I also Facebook liked this lens.
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Clean your mess and feel in-control again:

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