by Shelley Ruiz

Nurture and Teach
The single most important thing caregivers can do for a child is provide a nurturing environment. By doing this, we influence children’s brain development and their ability to learn. Introducing nurtured children to learning opportunities every day will help them become happy, well-adjusted adults. In all stages of child development, each experience builds on the one before it. The most basic foundations can serve as the basis for the comprehension of more complex ideas in future years.

Learning Begins at Birth
We are born with billions of brain cells – in fact, all we will ever have. What is missing is a large amount of connections – synapses – between those brain cells. Synapses start developing based on a child’s experiences. Children’s brains develop faster from birth to age three than any other time; and more learning takes place during this time than any other. The more learning opportunities parents provide for their children from birth until school age, the more synapses are made. The connections will serve as a pool of knowledge for a child to access in later years.

Because children’s earliest experiences affect how they will think, learn and behave, helping children learn from birth to school age is a crucial activity. Parents and other caregivers can create a strong foundation for learning by providing a nurturing and rich learning environment from the very beginning.

Children Seek Learning Experiences
Not only do children need to be physically active, it is their nature to look for opportunities to learn. They participate in learning by using their senses and asking countless questions in order to more fully understand the task at hand.

Creating a Learning Environment
Children enjoy learning when they can master an activity. Begin with a simple task and expand or complicate it after your child has enjoyed some successes.

Create a safe and secure learning environment. This will help children do their best learning rather than distract them. Key to creating this environment is treating your child with respect and caring.

Where Do Children Learn?
Children learn everywhere from school to the doctor’s office to the grocery store. As do adults, children learn from interacting with others and watching their parents’ behavior. Kids are highly influenced by the people in their lives, especially adults who they are close to.

Not All Children Learn in the Same Way
In the book Frame of Mind, Howard Gardner described his theory of multiple intelligences. We all have a certain way we prefer to learn. The seven multiple intelligences Gardner points to are interpersonal, intrapersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, musical, logical-mathematical and linguistic. We have the most success teaching our children when we can recognize their style of learning (as well as our style of teaching) and incorporate activities accordingly.

Playing and Learning
The main way children collect and process information is through play. Play is the repetition that reinforces old skills and encourages new ones. Because play is enjoyable, children’s minds are open. Children are capable of much learning through play because they are very receptive and relaxed. Take advantage of this benefit and select activities that are fun and educational. Your children will learn, and you will both enjoy the experience.

About The Author
Shelley Ruiz is a homeschooling parent and the owner of Magic Lark Learning which provides parents and teachers with resources for making learning fun, including a free quarterly online journal of poems and stories for kids. anything@magiclarklearning.com.

by Deborah Shelton

Family meetings provide opportunities for feelings to be aired and validated. They also allow younger children to feel they are an important part of the decision-making process when it comes to family vacations and other major and minor family functions.

Before the first meeting commences, set a few ground rules such as:

• Speak in a calm tone.
• Avoid name-calling, finger-pointing, and sarcasm.
• Turn off the TV, radio and telephones.
• Allow each person to voice his or her concerns and ideas.
• Listen to all opinions before making a decision.
• If a person voices a complaint, they must also bring to the table at least one possible remedy to the situation.

Locations for future family meetings may also be brainstormed at the first meeting. Here are a few examples:

Circle Time
Very simply, sit on the floor together, in a circle. Designate an object as a “talking token”. This can be a small stuffed animal, a necklace to be worn, a hat, or any other item that will be passed around. Whoever holds the talking token may speak. Once they are finished, they must pass the token to the next person.

Restaurant Rendezvous
Take turns choosing a favorite restaurant to host your family meetings. For this option, choose an afternoon or evening in the middle of the week, or at off-peak times, to avoid heavy crowds. End the meeting before dessert arrives, so everyone can indulge their sweet tooth happily.

Hobby Haven
I know of several families who hold their meetings at places that cater to their favorite hobbies. For instance, one family conducts their meeting at a bowling alley. Once the meeting is over, they enjoy bowling together. Another family combines their gathering with their love of books, by meeting at a café in their favorite bookstore. And yet another family I know holds their weekly meeting after a joyful round of put-put golf. This option combines family communication and fun.

However, and wherever, your family decides to host the meetings, remember this all-important point: Always end each meeting with a hug!

About The Author
Deborah Shelton is a mother, freelance writer, and author of the brand new book, The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast Activities for You and Your Little Ones. Visit Deborah’s website for more family-friendly ideas: www.fiveminuteparent.com.
deborah@fiveminuteparent.com

by: Shelley Ruiz

Nurture and Teach
The single most important thing caregivers can do for a child is provide a nurturing environment. By doing this, we influence children’s brain development and their ability to learn. Introducing nurtured children to learning opportunities every day will help them become happy, well-adjusted adults. In all stages of child development, each experience builds on the one before it. The most basic foundations can serve as the basis for the comprehension of more complex ideas in future years.

Learning Begins at Birth
We are born with billions of brain cells – in fact, all we will ever have. What is missing is a large amount of connections – synapses – between those brain cells. Synapses start developing based on a child’s experiences. Children’s brains develop faster from birth to age three than any other time; and more learning takes place during this time than any other. The more learning opportunities parents provide for their children from birth until school age, the more synapses are made. The connections will serve as a pool of knowledge for a child to access in later years.

Because children’s earliest experiences affect how they will think, learn and behave, helping children learn from birth to school age is a crucial activity. Parents and other caregivers can create a strong foundation for learning by providing a nurturing and rich learning environment from the very beginning.

Children Seek Learning Experiences
Not only do children need to be physically active, it is their nature to look for opportunities to learn. They participate in learning by using their senses and asking countless questions in order to more fully understand the task at hand.

Creating a Learning Environment
Children enjoy learning when they can master an activity. Begin with a simple task and expand or complicate it after your child has enjoyed some successes.

Create a safe and secure learning environment. This will help children do their best learning rather than distract them. Key to creating this environment is treating your child with respect and caring.

Where Do Children Learn?
Children learn everywhere from school to the doctor’s office to the grocery store. As do adults, children learn from interacting with others and watching their parents’ behavior. Kids are highly influenced by the people in their lives, especially adults who they are close to.

Not All Children Learn in the Same Way
In the book Frame of Mind, Howard Gardner described his theory of multiple intelligences. We all have a certain way we prefer to learn. The seven multiple intelligences Gardner points to are interpersonal, intrapersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, musical, logical-mathematical and linguistic. We have the most success teaching our children when we can recognize their style of learning (as well as our style of teaching) and incorporate activities accordingly.

Playing and Learning
The main way children collect and process information is through play. Play is the repetition that reinforces old skills and encourages new ones. Because play is enjoyable, children’s minds are open. Children are capable of much learning through play because they are very receptive and relaxed. Take advantage of this benefit and select activities that are fun and educational. Your children will learn, and you will both enjoy the experience.

About The Author
Shelley Ruiz is a homeschooling parent and the owner of Magic Lark Learning which provides parents and teachers with resources for making learning fun, including a free quarterly online journal of poems and stories for kids. anything@magiclarklearning.com.

By Brenda McLean

There is nothing like seeing a surprised look on the mom-to-be! Surprise baby showers can involve a little extra work, a lot more secrecy, but they can also be a lot fun!

If your party goes as planned it will offer an unexpected and delightful surprise for your expectant mom. But, before you start planning consider the following:

Has the mom-to-be registered for baby gifts? If she hasn’t it will make gift purchasing much more difficult. You may need to list the help of her mother, sister or close friend to find out what she needs for the baby.

Is your expectant mom the type of person who enjoys surprises? If she isn’t you should stay away from this type of baby shower. You want this day to be special and enjoyable for your guest of honor.

Will it be difficult to enlist family and friends in keeping the secrecy? Let’s be honest, some people are better then others at keeping secrets. If you know someone close to her who tends to let secrets slip, it might not be worth the stress of trying. Some family members and guests may not support the idea of a surprise shower either.

Will arranging a cover story to ensure the mom-to-be will arrive on her special day be difficult? You would hate to go through all the trouble of planning a secret celebration only for the expectant mom to catch on to what is happening hours before the shower.

The job of planning the perfect surprise baby shower requires more than one person. You will need to enlist the help of those closest to your mom-to-be. Talk with her partner, mother, sisters and best friends. They will be able to help determine a good day and time for the surprise baby shower. As well as help get her to the shower on time, dressed appropriately, and with the least amount of suspicion.

The location of your celebration plays an important role when planning a surprise baby shower. Try to hold the party at a place the expectant mom normally visits and feels comfortable going to on a regular basis. A close family or friend’s home would be ideal. It will make creating a cover story for dropping by on the day of the party less suspicious. Remember to ask your shower guests to arrive early and park away from the house to ensure your guest of honor isn’t tipped off at the last minute.

The most often asked question is: “How do we get our expectant mom to the shower without raising suspicion?” Here are a few suggestions:

Involve her partner: Her partner could suggest a romantic evening out for the two of them before the new baby arrives. To lessen her suspicion, consider holding the shower at a public place, like a restaurant.

Plan the unexpected: Catch your expectant mom off guard by planning the shower at a non-conventional time. Such as in the morning or right after lunch.

Send a decoy: Have a close friend or family member take her to lunch on that day. While they are enjoying their meal, you can be welcoming the shower guests.

Keep in mind that you may want your expectant mom to know someone will be hosting a shower in her honor. You can keep her in the dark on the date, time and location. This way she won’t become upset thinking everyone forgot to throw her a baby shower.

About the Author:
Brenda McLean is a stay-at-home of two small children and is married to her husband Albert. Brenda is also the creator of http://www.your-baby-shower-guide.com/ A website providing in-depth information, fun ideas and useful tips to help guide you in your baby shower planning. Brenda and her family enjoy camping, watching movies and getting together with family and friends.

By Kimberly Meister

Great news! Your friend is pregnant! You are excited for her and want to throw her a baby shower. But where do you begin? The following timeline will help you accomplish this task with ease.

Four to Five Months Prior to the Baby’s Birth
When the expectant mother is about four to five months pregnant, you will want to let her know that you intend to throw her a baby shower.

When will the shower take place? The best time for a baby shower is either about two months before the baby is due or about 3-4 weeks after the baby is born. Ask the mother-to-be if she prefers to have the shower before or after the baby is born. Together, the hosts and guest of honor should choose a date that works well for everyone. Also, jot down as many details as you can.

Where will the shower be? If you will not be having the shower at someone’s home, now is the time to book the restaurant, hall, etc.

Who will be invited? Ask the mother-to-be to make a list of guests to invite. Give her a week or two to get the list to you and have her include addresses so you can easily mail the invitations.

What kind of shower will this be? You can choose a theme if you would like. Even if you don’t have a theme, you will want to determine whether the shower will be a brunch, luncheon, or dinner. You will also want to choose colors if you will be buying plates and napkins. If the sex of the baby is known, you may want to use blue things or pink things.

Six to Eight Weeks Prior to the Shower
This is the time to start buying everything you will need for the shower.

Invitations: The invitations are very important. They set the theme or the mood for the shower. It gives the guests their first glimpse of the special event. Be sure to include an RSVP as this makes it easier for you to plan. Also, be sure to ask the mother-to-be if she is registered for baby gifts and where. Some of the guests may ask for this information when they call to RSVP.

Paper products: If you will need paper plates, cups, napkins, plastic silverware, decorations, and tablecloths, start looking now. You don’t need to buy everything at this time, but if you keep your eyes open, you may just find a sale.

Party favors: Look for a small gift to give each guest to take home. If you are planning to play games at the shower, start collecting the items you will need and begin to purchase prizes.

One Month Prior to the Shower

One to Two Weeks Prior to the Shower

The Day of the Shower

About the Author:
Kimberly Meister is a personal stationary consultant for www.TulipPress.com and helps people choose the wording for their invitations and birth announcements. To sign up for discounts on invitations and birth announcements, send an email to support@tulippress.com.

by Criss White

Planning and organization are crucial to hosting a successful baby shower. Below are some important topics to consider when planning:

1) Who will host the shower?
The person that plans and hosts the shower can be anyone, but is usually someone who is close to the new or expecting mother. Normally, a close friend or family member will do all the preparations, but sometimes the new mother will help as well, particularly with the guest list. Sometimes a small group of friends can plan the event together.

In the event of a surprise baby shower, planning must occur more carefully and invitations should be sent out in secret. In this circumstance, people who are not as close to the new mother will be involved in acquiring supplies and getting the word out.

2) Who should be invited?
Be sure to invite all the mother’s friends and family to the event. If planning a surprise party, make sure that everyone you tell helps spread the word. A close friend or family member may know most of the mother’s friends, but it can also be helpful to ask co-workers and other friends to make sure that no one is left out.

Also, men are increasingly being included in these parties. An all women’s shower can be different than a shower with both men and women, so the planner should consider these things as well.

If other young children will be in attendance, then make sure to plan events for them too. Not planning for children is a common oversight that adults make when planning parties of this nature. Baby shower games are a fun way for both children and adults to celebrate.

3) Where and when should the shower occur?
The party should be held at a location that is comfortable to the new mother. Oftentimes, the most common place to host a party is at a friend’s or family member’s home. In this case, the mother will not have to worry about cleaning up afterwards.

Sometimes, the party is hosted at the mother’s place. This can be convenient as well because the mother doesn’t have to go anywhere. Friends of the mother can help with the clean up afterwards.

For larger baby showers, banquet halls or other locations can be rented. Other places include parks, restaurants, catered dining rooms, or anywhere else that might be appropriate. It is okay to plan things differently as long as the mother and everyone else has a good time.

Most baby showers occur several weeks before the baby is due. Sometimes showers occur after the baby is born, which allows the guest to see the new baby. When to have the baby shower is entirely based on the preferences of the host and the mother.

Most showers occur on the weekends. Saturday is a popular day for these parties. They can occur in the afternoon or evening, depending on various factors, like people’s schedules and how much you want to spend. Generally, dinner parties are more expensive than hosting lunch.

4) What activities should be planned?
There are many games and activities that can be planned in advance to make a baby shower memorable. Baby themed games are a fun way for everyone to celebrate a new baby. Do a search for “baby shower games” on the internet and you will find many games, some of which you can purchase and some that are free.

A short speech of congratulations is also a nice surprise for the new mother. If such a speech occurs, it is usually from a close friend or family member. A good time for congratulations is before eating lunch or dinner.

Finally, make some time before, between, and after events for everyone to mingle with the new or expecting mom.

5) What kind of food is appropriate?
The food at the party does not necessarily have to be baby-themed, although that can be a nice touch. The most common baby-themed food is baby shower diaper cake. Your local bakery can also make other items like cookies and pastries in the shape of baby blocks, pacifiers, rubber ducks, and other baby items. Or you can make them yourself. Most importantly, make sure to pick food that everyone will enjoy.

If you are hiring a caterer, then be sure to ask them about their ideas and experiences with baby showers. They may have some creative ideas that you may not have thought about.

6) Decorations and party favors.
Your local party supply store will probably have plenty of decorations for your baby shower. Specifically themed decorations can also be purchased online.

Buying party favors for your guests is always a nice way to say thank you for coming. These gifts for your guests can range from themed candies to more expensive keepsakes, including personalized items. Special prizes can also be given out for game winners or other people who have been important in the mother’s life and during the pregnancy.

7) During the party.
Greet the guests when they arrive and have others help out if necessary to make sure everything runs smoothly. And finally, don’t forget to have fun after all the planning and preparation.

About the Author:
Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For more articles on baby showers, check out our Baby Shower Ideas and more baby articles at Baby Lullaby.