Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Don't take risks at home with a toddler on the loose.
Toddlers are leaps and bounds away from their younger baby selves… and if you’re not careful, your toddler may be cleverer than you give him credit for. I’ve been victimized by one such clever toddler on many occasions. But once I got the hang of it, I’ve gradually begun toddler-proofing our home. I can’t make everything inaccessible (or invisible), but I’m doing my best! As I continue to try to think one step ahead of my one-girl wrecking crew, I’ve found a number of helpful resources and tips online (of course). Here’s what I can tell you about properly toddler-proofing your home. Think It Through Take a good look around your home and find these items and other dangers. Try to think like your little one and locate all the shiny, weird-…
Sunday, December 25, 2011
A look back at this week on Concord Patch.
Last minute shopping; preparing holiday dinners; getting ready to travel — it's a bustling time of year. Here's a look back at the past week on Concord Patch. Last weekend, we put out reminders to our readers to get suggestions in for the teacher of the year and athlete/team of the year. Add your choices now, and we'll feature all of the responses this week. On Monday, we featured another handful of gift ideas from the Concord Indies — this time, for that person who already has everything. We also asked readers to weigh in on a poll about holiday spending. On Tuesday, Stefanie Cloutier told us about the start of Hanukkah, which began this year at sundown on Dec. 20. The Board of Selectmen voted last week to dissolve the West Concord Task…
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Spend time enjoying family-friendly activities this holiday season.
With small kids in tow these days, you’re probably not looking at the holiday season the way you used to. Sure, you’ll still drop in on the office holiday party, maybe cruise by a few friends’ houses, but your activities now are a bit different. You need “kid friendly” things that your whole family can enjoy together. This year, use the holiday season to spend some time together, but not just sitting around the house in your pajamas. There are so many great family activities to explore in our area, you really don’t have an excuse not to get out and have some fun! Boston Central – Family Fun Events A few months ago, I discovered an invaluable resource on the web in Boston Central. Here, you can find an entire calendar filled with great …
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Here's a look at the week on Concord Patch.
There's only a few days until the start of Hanukkah, Christmas falls a couple days after that, and Kwanzaa immediately after that. So we know the coming week is going to be a hectic one. Here's a look back at this past week on Concord Patch. At the end of last weekend, we featured a video highlighting Concord Firefly's horse and buggy rides around West Concord Village. Mary Klinoff of Concord Firefly said the rides were a way to say thank you to the community and remind people to shop at Concord's many independent businesses. The Concord Light Plant sent us some photos and a story on the first Concord customer to take advantage of the Light Plant's special rate set up specifically for electric cars. On Monday, we offered up some more …
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Spend some quality time together to help your little one fight off the cold and flu blues.
It’s cold and flu season, and the weather’s been unseasonably warm, which all adds up to one thing: your sick toddler. My daughter’s at the tail-end of a battle with a respiratory virus, one we unfortunately passed all around our family… and back again. But during the past two weeks, I’ve been trying all kinds of things to get her to eat, relax, cheer up, go to sleep… Just about anything I can think of. The toughest thing with having a sick toddler is communication. They can’t tell you where it hurts or what they’re feeling. And you can’t explain to them why they feel so lousy or ask how to make them feel better. Basically, part of caring for a small child who feels under the weather involves the art of distraction. Find a way to keep …
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Keep your little ones safe and warm this winter.
Even though Mother Nature hasn’t exactly caught on that the winter solstice is just around the corner, it is starting to get a little bit cooler these days. Winter’s a nice long season, though, so even if we’re a little bit behind schedule, we’ll see snowfall eventually. Looking ahead to the colder months, it’s time to start thinking about winter safety for your little ones. Last year was pretty easy for us as parents. With my daughter just turning one last February, we didn’t spend too much time out in the snow. We had the obligatory snowsuit and boots, which did get used, but she was too young to beg us to make a snowman. This year, however, my daughter is old enough to be curious and want to explore. Safety tips are definitely going …
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The holiday season's toy haul can be overwhelming.
I have to admit I’m tempted to tell my friends and family not to buy any more toys for my daughter this Christmas. With so many already, many of which sit neglected in a corner toy chest, I don’t know where we’ll put another holiday haul. Especially since her birthday is in February, so a supplementary haul isn’t too far off either. That’s a lot of toys for one little girl. But I don’t want to be a total killjoy, either to my daughter or the people who love her. So instead, I started thinking about the benefits of getting new toys and what kind would be the best choices for my daughter at her age. She’s just shy of turning 2, but even if your child is older or younger, these shopping tips can help you too. Why Toys Are Important Yes, it’…
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Working at home can help you make extra income while caring for your children... as long as you can manage your time effectively!
When people ask me if I’m a working mom or if I stay at home, I’m never quite sure how to answer the question. See, on top of writing this column here at Patch, I’m also a content writer for several internet sites. And, oh yeah, I’ve published two novels, with three more slated for next year. So, even though some may think that I sit at home in my yoga pants and drink coffee all day, that’s not exactly the case. Yes, I do wear lots of yoga pants and drink coffee all day, but in between sips, I’m a stay-at-home mom with a work-from-home career. Raise your hand, Moms and Dads, if you can say the same. You see? I think this is a new trend and, with the economy like it is, it’s a necessity. If you have an applicable skill or a career dream …
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Turning Story time into more than just a bedtime ritual.
As an avid reader and novelist, married to another writer and reader, the topic of books is serious business in our household. Needless to say, my daughter has quite an impressive collection of books even at her young age. Of all the qualities I wish I could pass on to her, a love of reading is up at the top of that list… but I know that just stocking up on books for her to gnaw on is not exactly the best way to go about this. So how can you turn your toddler’s first curiosity about books into a lifetime hobby? While there’s no way to really brainwash them into believing books are better than TV, you can sure try to get them hooked on books today. As an article at Baby Center advises, “it’s never too early to steer your child toward …
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Get tech savvy to make memory preservation a snap.
Before my daughter was born, I thought I was going to be pretty awesome at a lot of things. Some of them, like the standing diaper change, I am. Others, or rather, most of them, I’m not so much. Among these unexpected “weak areas” is memory preservation. Not just in the sense that I can’t find my keys at least once a day, although that does happen. But instead, I’ve been dropping the ball on preserving my new family’s memories: photo albums, scrapbooks, and the like. I’ve got a whole file box of keepsakes, an empty baby book, a whole blog filled with anecdotes, and many memory sticks of pictures. I’ve just never taken it any farther than that. Shame on me. But before I started beating myself up too badly, I decided to check out some of my…
Valerie Tratnyek
9:09 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
My children are way beyond toddlerhood, but I remember clearly searching for creative toys, and ones without electronics. Specifically, we got many hours of play time from Legos(Duplo for young children) and Brio wooden tracks and Thomas the tank engines. I've noticed that the Lego company has also expanded the Duplo section with more girl-friendly subjects. more ›