6 Tips To Help Your Child Sleep Better

Read those easy tips to help your child sleep better at night

1- Cut watching T.V. at least 2 hours before going to bed to reduce any tension some cartoons or movies may cause him and this might drive him into having lots of nightmare especially if he is a kid with wide imagination.

2- Encourage your child to practice some relaxing activities 2 hours before sleeping- it could be coloring, drawing, crafting, a puzzle or a board game. No video games or computer games before going to bed.

3- Prepare dinner, if possible, 2 hours before going to bed. Your child will have enough time to digest and always try to prepare something light and healthy. You could make a use of some of our healthy recipes. Sleeping on a full stomach is not the right option for a good night sleep.

4- Bed time story is one of the best relaxing methods for a child to sleep well. Start this habit from an early age, I started since my babies were 2 months old. Reading has many benefits as in increasing the child's IQ, creativity and reading abilities and more importantly it will help him relax before going to bed. Try to pick a pleasant story that is far from action stories like Spiderman and Superman since some of the characters could stress your child at night and drive him into having some nightmares.

5- Classical Music is known to be very relaxing. Mozart could be an excellent choice and please always play the real symphony not those commercialized  "Baby Mozart "CDs. What will help your child relax and have better musical knowledge is listening to a real orchestra and real instruments. 

6- Try to wear him out during the day by encouraging him to play outside so he could empty that entire child's energy. Basketball, Football or any kind of sports could do the trick!

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Staying at Home Mother: Tips For a Better Life.

Mildred B. Vermont said and I quote:  “Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love”.  I agree with her, pure love or more specifically emotions are a much better reward than money since that last one is easily spent, lost or stolen when feelings can grow deeper and stronger through time. Being a mother is a gift that we should all cherish and learn to enjoy every minute spent with our children. Nevertheless in this article I am trying to underline the hard life a staying at home mother could be leading and I chose to write about that since I am one of them. I have been so tired from running around all day that I am not sure if I still know how to appreciate motherhood anymore. Raising children is a very hard task maybe the hardest. And we need to have very good skills up our sleeves to be able to manage taking care of these children, alone, without any help. And when you are a staying at home mom you have to add the fact that you are stuck at home most of the time, you don’t get to interact with people as often as working mothers do, your social life is nearly dead and you find yourself eventually drowned in loneliness. And this could be the shot of mercy! That is why I came up with few tips to help myself, first, and every staying at home mother lead a fair relaxing life with children.     

1. Friends: Don’t let your life and your marriage push you away from you friends. To survive you need to socialize, to have acquaintances, someone you could go out with for a cup of coffee or plan a game of poker! Someone you could talk to when you find yourself miserable. It is beautiful to have your husband as your best friend but sometimes you might need a good friend to talk to about your marital problems and in that case your spouse won’t be a good choice. And you don’t want to find yourself alone in such hard time cause then you will feel petrified!
2. Time Out: Yes you do need that and you know it! But when can you squeeze that break when you have to cook, clean, run errands, spend time with your kids, bathe them, read them a story, and last but not least take care of your own hygiene, and – yes- get some sleep! And we forgot to mention your love life. So in general your day is similar to a crazy journey at a kids’ fair. Time Out! Cancel one of your tasks and take a time off: you can read a little, have a cup of coffee or just lay down idly watching television or thinking blank. It doesn’t matter how you spend your break but it is important to have a small time during the day to breathe and relax.
3. Plan an outing: Once a week get a baby sitter and get out from that crazy mansion.  You could plan a day out with your significant other, lunch with your friends or just a lonely outing to run away from your troubles. Details don’t matter,  what is important is for you to have the chance, once a week, to relax from running after the kids all day and have a day for yourself.
   Pamper yourself mother you deserve it!

If you follow these tips I guarantee you a smoother life as staying at home mother. So please try your best and remember that even though a staying at home mother is the most restless non profitable job in the world and even if every time or so you wish you were able to quit remember that it's the best job in the world cause your boss are your children and they love you unconditionally. It's true that you're not getting materially paid but your building for what's more important and that is a long, strong, intimate relationship with your children that will last longer than anything money could buy and it has an increasing value over the time. Be happy you're a staying at home mom .

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Going to the restaurant with your baby

New-Mom's Sleep Well!

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Depression in New Mothers: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment Alternatives Depression is the number one cause of maternal death in developed countries and results in adverse health outcomes for both mother and child. It is vital, therefore, that health professionals are ready and able to help those women that suffer from perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD). This book provides a comprehensive approach to treating PPD in an easy-to-use format. It reviews the research and brings together the evidence-base for understanding the causes and for assessing the different treatment options, including those that are safe for use with breastfeeding mothers. It incorporates a new psychoneuroimmunology framework for understanding postpartum depression and includes chapters on: Negative birth experiences Infant characteristics Psychosocial factors Antidepressant medication Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy Herbal medicine and alternative therapies Suicide and infanticide Invaluable in treating the mothers who come to you for help, this helpful guide dispels the myths that hinder effective treatment and presents up-to-date information on the impact of maternal depression on the health of the mother, as well as the health and well-being of the infant.

The Ghost in the House: Real Mothers Talk about Maternal Depression, Raising Children, and How They Cope An award-winning reporter for the "Washington Post," Tracy Thompson was thirty-four when she was hospitalized and put on suicide watch during a major depressive episode. This event, the culmination of more than twenty years of silent suffering, became the point of departure for an in-depth, groundbreaking book on depression and her struggle with the disease. "The Beast" shattered stereotypes and inspired countless readers to confront their own battles with mental illness. Having written that book, and having found the security of a happy marriage, Thompson assumed that she had learned to manage her illness. But when she took on one of the most emotionally demanding jobs of all being a mother depression returned with fresh vengeance. Very quickly Thompson realized that virtually everything she had learned up to then about dealing with depression was now either inadequate or useless. In fact, maternal depression was a different beast altogether. She tackled her problem head-on, meticulously investigating the latest scientific research and collecting the stories of nearly 400 mothers with depression. What she found was startling: a problem more widespread than she or any other mother struggling alone with this affliction could have imagined. Women make up nearly 12 million of the 19 million Americans affected by depression every year, experiencing episodes at nearly twice the rate that men do. Women suffer most frequently between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four not coincidentally, the primary childbearing years. "The Ghost in the House," the result of Thompson's extensive studies, is the first book to address maternal depression as a lifelong illness that can have profound ramifications for mother and child. A striking blend of memoir and journalism, here is an invaluable resource for the millions of women who are white-knuckling their way through what should be the most satisfying years of their lives. Thompson offers her readers a concise summary of the cutting-edge research in this field, deftly written prose, and, above all, hope.

The Postpartum Effect: Deadly Depression in Mothers A Mothers Tears presents a caring and knowledgeable picture of postpartum depression. Psychologist Arlene M. Huysman explains the very real hormonal and emotional causes of what was once dismissed as the baby blues, defines who is at risk, and shows readers how to recognize the illness. She also describes proper treatment, explains how to make sure ones doctor is an ally, and discusses how family can help new mothers get well again. This primer on the causes and cures of this common but long-misunderstood illness contains a new chapter presenting the most up-to-date research and developments.

Tips on Going to the Restaurant with your Baby

We all need to go out, change our mood a little especially those of us who are stay at home moms. But finding a baby sitter isn't always easy and we end up stuck at home just to avoid the screaming and fussing scene our baby could perform when he is out of the house.Try following these tips to have a relaxing quiet dinner with your family.

1- Rush Hours aren't a good idea: Avoid going to the restaurant during rush hours - no Sundays, Holidays or prime times- choose  a time when it's not the busiest so if your baby decides to make a scene there won't be that many people around to see it. You'll also be seated sooner and get quicker service by dining earlier in the evening. If you can, call beforehand to find out the best time to make a reservation.

2- Choose a convenient restaurant: Not a children restaurant because it will be too crowded for you and the baby nor a five-star candlelit restaurant that will mind having children around.

3- Feed baby before you leave: Try feeding your baby before you leave the house and if you're lucky he will sleep at the work and all the way throughout the dinner.

4- A well prepared baby-bag: Get his bag ready an hour sooner so you can make sure that you haven;t forgot anything: enough diapers, wipes, a change, sippy cup or bottle anything your child will or might need.

5- Take a corner table. Ask to sit away from any other guests if you can. You won't feel as bad if Baby starts to fuss, and it will give you some privacy if you need to nurse.

6- Bring him plenty of distraction: but avoid toys that makes too much noise.

7- Make it short: a baby doesn't have so much patience to handle long hours of slow dining. As Baby gets older, he might be able to handle longer amounts of time in one place.

8- Relax. If your child does act up in the restaurant, do your best to calm him down, but don't let it ruin the evening. Chances are almost everyone in the place has been in your situation at one time or another. If fussiness does turn into a full-blown meltdown, you or your spouse can take your baby outside or to the car for a break. Sometimes a simple change of scenery does the trick.

Sometimes it sounds so hard to go out when your baby is still too young but you need a change, and you cannot end up locked in that house just because you don't know how to handle your baby at a public place. Let those "How To Be Super Mom"tips be your guide and enjoy that dinner!

How can I make my child eat healthy food

How can I get my kid to eat better? How can I make him eat healthy food?
These two questions are asked by almost all parents, we all want what's best for our children. We all wish we could put them on a healthy, well balanced diet. And in order to do so, you should ask these two questions from the day you give birth. We should not wait until after the damage has been done and say: Oups! My kid hates veggies and fruits and healthy food, what can I do? By then, the solution is hard to be applicable. A kid is like a sculpture, once broken fixing it takes a lot of hard work to be repaired and the damage will always be showing.

Start offering healthy food since day one: cut off all junk food, fried food, plain starchy food like plain pancakes, plain pasta, plain bread and plain rice. Don't let these be a choice of a meal. If you want to offer pancake, offer them with some fruits on the side. You can even draw funny faces to make eating more enjoyable.
When you want to offer pasta to your family, cook it with homemade sauce. It could be a plain tomato sauce or one that is full of vegetables, the importance is to let you child get used to different tastes. Therefore your weekly menu must be rich with different ingredients ( for more help you could use our weekly menus).

Teach yourself how to cook healthy and eat healthy:Learn that you are your child's role model and he will follow your steps. When he sees you eating fruits and veggies he will be encourage to do so.
When you cook, make sure to skip using butter and oil to be serving the best ever for your family. Try steaming or grilling instead of frying. And reduce the use of fattening ingredients: like yellow cheese, heavy cream,... etc.

Let meal time be fun time. It is very important to teach our children discipline during meal time but it is no harm  to add a little fun so kids will look forward to it. Let them help set the table. Kids love to do so. Allow them to choose the color of napkins, set the places of each person, you can even help them make colored place cards.
Invite them to join you at the kitchen, for once they will learn how to cook and this will be very useful to them from many different views and they will be more familiar with the ingredients and enjoy eating what they have helped making.

Make adorable plates: You can make faces with pancakes or vegetables. Make a drawing from colored mashed potatoes. Add shapes and colors. Get creative, that is the key.

So from the first day you look at those small adorable loving eyes, start planning how you will get them to eat better. Don't let things go out of hands but in case they do I will help you with more articles and solutions.

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How a Super Mom could help reinforce the father-child bond

The role a Super Mom could play to strengthen the daddy-baby bond

Care, inspiration, and participation: three keys to father-child relationships. Even of some of them find it hard to express themselves most of the fathers care about their children.

According to sociologist Lewis Yablonsky, a man's fathering style by his enthusiasm for being a father, his own father's comportment, how the mass media projects a father’s image, his profession, his personality, the way family members relate to each other, and the number of children he has.

In a 1980 Gallup poll, six out of ten fathers said their families were "the most important element of my life at this time." Only 8 percent said their families were unimportant to them. When asked what they found most satisfying about their families, fathers rated "children," "closeness," and "being together" as personally important.

We should recognize, while talking about the daddy-baby bond, that the mother plays an important role in strengthening the relationship between the two of them.

1-      Encourage your husband to take in charge of a feeding or two during the day. Store pumped milk, if you’re breastfeeding, and let your husband give the baby the bottle while holding him close to his chest and looking in his eyes to allow the little one to gaze up at him.

2-      Let him take in-charge of the night shifts. Not only you will get more sleep but he will get to spend more time with his child and enjoy the preciousness of childcare.

3-      Stop being the first to go hold the baby when he cries, let your husband play a role in soothing her tears. Try singing to her, walking her around, gently rocking, or find the closest pacifier for her to suck on. She must learn that Mom isn't the only one who can give her what she needs.

4-      Humor is infectious. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy that is why your husband should try his best to add little humor to his relationship with his baby: silly faces and peekaboo games could work like a charm at early ages.

5-      Be the one to create that precious, every day, family time. With work and school, you will hardly find the time to bond with your children so create a time to take a walk all together, play a board game, dance or watch a nice family movie.

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5 tips on making Father's Day a special day!

Anyone can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy.

So why don't we make that day very special, I know my husband deserves a unique celebration!

5 tips on how to make Father's Day so special:

1- Breakfast in bed: Our weekly mornings are usually crazy, get the kids ready, drive them to school and don't be late for work.  Well let's have a quiet morning that day, and offer daddy a delicious breakfast in bed:
                           * French toast and coffee
                           * English cake and tea (Click)
                           * Pancakes or Crepes with strawberries
                              and chocolate (Click)
                           * A Lebanese style breakfast: Labneh, olives,
                              fresh mint, white cheese, eggs and tea.
                           * A fruit salad with almonds and nuts
                      
2- Relaxation Coupons : Offer daddy limited use coupons. Make a deck of small cards and write down something that daddy would really love and don't forget to limit their use or else you will hate father's day!!!
Coupon ideas:   * Take in charge of his daily chores
                          * Prepare him a tv snack
                          * Let him watch his favorite action movie with no kids
                            interruption
                          * Prepare him a relaxing bath with candles and beer maybe.
Yeah, well these coupons are more of a gift from you to your husband since you will be doing most of the tasks. 

3- Make daddy his favorite lunch and let the kids participate in the cooking or invite him out to his favorite restaurant.

4- Offer him handmade gifts that your kids prepared. It could be a pensil cup, a father's day card or a photo frame.

5- Choose him the perfect gift: You know your husband best, and he might be giving you signs of what he really needs! Mine is singing that : "I saw that beautiful 800$ mobile"song that I am trying to ignore!!!!


David M. Gottesman once said :"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers--and fathering is a very important stage in their development". Since we all know how important fatherhood is to both our husbands and kids why don't we play the main role in making father's day this year an unforgettable memory!

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Tips on taking a road trip with your baby!

Taking a baby on a road trip requires serious planning since the baby has many needs and cannot communicate with words to let us know what he wishes for. 

So we should be well prepared and well aware of what we should expect while traveling with a baby

Here are few tips:

1. The longer your baby will be strapped in his car seat the more fussy he will get.  That is why you should plan for few breaks during your trip so everyone could stay calm and enjoy a peaceful ride.
2. Plan for the unplanned surprises like a diaper explosion or a long unexplained cry.
3. Prepare all you need to have a pleasant drive:  window sun-shades, baby's favorite music, his favorite toys, books to read for the baby, extra everything: diapers, milk if he's formula fed.
4. Try making your car an entertainment center for the baby by dangling few toys from the ceiling

Let’s make a useful super mom checklilst together, shall we?

1. Diapers
2. Baby’s blanket
3. Clothes for your baby and you better consider climate change between states
4. Sipper cups or Bottles if your baby is formula fed
5. Pacifiers
6. Enough baby milk for the whole trip
7. Bottle warmer if needed
8. Baby’s regular sleep music
9. First aid kit/prescriptions/medications
10. Carseat pillow or head support
11. Window shades
12. Music or books on tape or CDs
13. Snacks and drinks for the adults
14. Cooler
15. Plastic bags for your dirty diapers
16. A bag for your dirty laundry
17. Empty plastic bags for leftovers and trash
18. Cell phone
19. Money/wallet/purse/ID
20. Medical and insurance information/emergency phone numbers
21. Maps/driving directions
22. Stroller
23. Camera and film
24. Suitcases

And most importantly, drive safely and enjoy your ride!

 

You might also want to read:

Parenting: How to get my child to sleep alone at night?

 

Housekeeping Advice: Prevent Garlic Waste

Garlic is a vegetable that is very high in nutrients. It's a good source of Calcium, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. Adding to this, many preliminary studies suggest that garlic consumption may reduce the risk of developing several types of cancer, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Yet, we all try to avoid garlic because it causes a really bad breath and a gastrointestinal distress ( that is the medical version for gas ;) )
That is why, when most of us buy garlic, even the smaller quantity ( 4 heads package), we end up throwing half of it away at the end of the month!

Don't be afraid to use garlic, there are many ways we could use this vegetable without risking a bad breath nor other complications.

1. Prepare Garlic-Olive Oil: In a 75 cl bottle, add 6 peeled garlic cloves and fill the bottle with olive oil. Seal it, and set aside for 3 weeks. The Olive Oil will have a wonderful garlicky taste that is not too fiery and is gorgeous in a salad dressing.
2. Use skinned cloves to roast your meat: When baking, roasting or grilling meat, fish or chicken throw a couple of clean skinned cloves in there. It will give your meat a warm garlic flavor that no one can resist!!
3. Garlic dip: Eating garlic dip can cause a bad breath but believe me it's worth it!!! Just prepare some and store them in the refrigerator.
4. Baked Potatoes: with roasted garlic are one of my favorites.

So, in conclusion, there are many ways to use garlic and to prevent its waste at the end of the month. Try, on the day you purchase your garlic, to prepare your garlic oil and garlic dip, this way the rest will be surely used for cooking during the month and you won't end up throwing a high nutrients treasure in the garbage!

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How To Be Super Mom: Tips on how to store made-ahead homemade food

Our freezer is my best friend!

How To Be Super Mom: Tips on how to store made-ahead homemade food

 

 

I have a thing for freezing home-made food. I like to prepare escalopes, cordon bleu, filled pastries, stews, lasagna casseroles and freeze them for emergencies!

I also buy boxes of seasonal vegetables, prepare them and freeze them: tomatoes (peeled and cooked), green beans, spinach, green peas, ...etc.  What's better than freshly, home-prepared, frozen vegetables?

The advantage of freezing food is that you're never out of ideas. If you haven't prepared today's menu just take a tupperwear out of the fridge, thaw it and lunch or dinner will be ready in no time!

Today I am having one of those "emergency" so called days and my savior was a green beans stew tupperwear. All that is left for me to do is prepare vermicelli fried rice and lunch will be served!
When having a 3 months old  baby, it is very hard to be able to cook everyday, but I don't encourage ready-made food nore microwavable meals that is why, everytime I get the chance to cook I always consider preparing an extra portion  and my freezer will be always filled with delicious homemade meals without any extra effort! You see now what a great friend my freezer is?

Numerous are the recipes that can be stored in your freezer so why not sacrifice this week for freezer suitable recipes? But before, let us run along few tips on how to safely freeze our food:

How to store

Here's how to store different kinds of foods safely and efficiently, so you also make the most of your freezer space.

Liquid-based dishes:  Store dishes, such as soups and stocks, in airtight containers. Leave a 3cm gap at the top so the liquid can expand as it freezes.

Fritters and patties:  Place, in single layers, between sheets of freezer paper in an  airtight container. This makes them easy to separate.

Muffins, cakes & slices:  Wrap muffins and individual slices of cake in a double layer of plastic wrap, then in foil. Store together in a sealable plastic bag.

Purees:  Freeze purees, and even concentrated stocks, in ice cube trays, so you don't have to thaw the whole lot when only smaller quantities are needed.

Mince: Place in a sealable plastic bag and press to flatten. This allows the mince to thaw more evenly than when it's frozen in a ball shape.

Pasta bakes:  Cook pasta bakes in freezerproof, ovenproof dishes. Cool. Cover with a double layer of plastic wrap, then in foil and freeze.

Crepes & pancakes: Layer each one between sheets of freezer paper, so they don't stick together when thawed. Store in sealable plastic bags.

Packaged meat:  Remove meat, such as steaks, sausages, chops and fillets, from the supermarket packaging. The supermarket wrapping is designed to allow oxygen in to keep the colour of the meat bright and, while this is fine for refrigerated storage, it leads to freezer burn in the freezer. Instead, wrap portions separately in a double layer of plastic wrap, or layer them between sheets of freezer paper, and store in an airtight container. This makes single portions easy to separate.

What not to freeze

Some foods just don't freeze well. Follow this list to find out what foods you should avoid freezing
.
Vegetables with a high water content (such as cucumber, celery and lettuce) should not be frozen because the water expands during freezing and damages the structure of the cells. This makes them mushy when thawed.

Jam turns runny and watery when frozen and thawed. This is because freezing causes the sugar to break down.

Dairy products (such as milk, yoghurt and cream) should not be frozen because they curdle when thawed.

Egg-based sauces separate and whole egg shells crack when frozen. Raw egg whites, however, can be frozen in sealable airtight containers and thawed for use in recipes.

Foods with stuffings, such as whole chickens, should not be frozen as raw meat juices can be absorbed by the stuffing and cause bacteria to grow.

 Add this article to your "how to be super mom" manual

References:

How to freeze food, by Michelle Southan

Parenting: How to get my child to sleep alone at night?

How to be super mom and help my child sleep alone?

 

How can I get my kids to stop crawling in my bed at night? This is every parent's question.
What's greater than being able to sleep all night without any disturbed moments?
The techniques are so simple we just have to be creative and patient.
I have 2 kids myself, my 4 years old never slept in my bed even though she has tried all the tricks she could come out with.  But by increasing her self-confidence and by helping her learn how to fight her fears she managed to sleep alone in her bed and she is very proud of her achievment!

1- Find out the underlying reason behind his behavior

There is a reason your child wants to sleep with you, and correcting her behavior should tackle the underlying issues. Investigate to find out your child’s motivation, perhaps using a creative approach such as acting out bedtime with dolls, or having your child paint pictures. Once you find out the reason, work to dispel the fears and insecurities.

"The things you are most likely to find are: your child has night time fears, i.e. she is afraid of the dark, being alone, closet monsters, etc.; she is jealous of one parent or a sibling; she is afraid of losing your affection if she ‘grows up,’" suggests Dr. Alan Greene, pediatrician and author of From First Kicks to First Steps.

2- Make your child's bed inviting and comfortable

You don't have to spend much, a warm and inviting wall paint colour, few stickers to decorate and beautiful bed sheets and covers will do! If your child is old enough let him pick his own room colour, buy him bed sheets and covers with his favorite cartoon characters,...etc. (For more tips on room designing please post your question here or on facebook www.facebook.com/maria.supermom)

3- Bedtime Routine

Take a warm bath, brush your teeth, read a bedtime story. Everything that is realated to sleeping time could be called sleep associations. If your child is used to taking a bath everyday before sleeping this will become the cue that will help your baby understand that it is time to go to sleep and to help him feel comfortable doing so. Becareful, let the bedtime routine be relaxing for your child and easy for you to maintain (For more details on sleep associations : http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/02/01/sleep-associations-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly/#.T7nfdsVsInk )


Those are the most important techniques to be followed to help your child sleep alone. But still, some parents are facing more complicated sleep-alone problems like excessive crying and screaming, and issues related to separation anxiety. Therefore I ask you to post your case in a comment,  on our facebook page www.facebook.com/maria.supermom or by email : mariaelaaraj@gmail.com and give us the chance to help you.



References:
www.supernanny.com : Get your child to sleep alone
www.phdinparenting.com: sleep associations
www.parents.com
Your Baby and Child: From Birth to Age Five, by Penelope Leach