Hands to mouth- part of being a baby

Giving the baby a pacifier is good idea if Mom doesn't like her to suck on her hands. Baby is too little to understand that Mom doesn't want her to do this.  Most babies got through a phase where they put their hands in their mouth. It is part of the brain learning about the hands and the mouth.
 

Little baby has a pacifier problem

Baby is happily sucking hard on the pacifier, but she can't control her hands yet, so the grabbing reflex makes her pull the pacifier out. Then she gets mad. Then, parents can get frustrated because they just gave it back to her, over and over again. Keep your cool and maybe hold the baby in a gentle way that keeps her hands away from her mouth. She is not doing it on purpose and this is a problem that will go away as she grows.
 

Newborn burps

This family shows one way to burp a newborn. The baby looks relaxed. Mom and Dad seem relaxed. They are supporting the baby's head and chest so the head doesn't shake too hard while they pat the baby. Tilting the baby back and forward seems to let the bubble come up.

Tantrum or communication?

What is the difference between a tantrum and expressing your opinion when you can't talk? It looks like playing with the cup was something to do while stuck in a car seat. This little guy doesn't seem emotionally out of control, he is just letting everyone know what he thinks.
 

Run around or be carried- that is the question

One toddler issue- run or be carried.  This little guy is very happy running around "chasing" his Mom, until he is done and ready to be carried. Soon, he will want to get down and run again. This can be very frustrating for parents who are trying to get some place or who want the kid to get some exercise.  Often, everybody is happy if you can switch between running and carrying- real often. 

"Feed the baby"= learning to pretend

Mom is helping her little girl learn to play "pretend".  It is important for kids to learn to do this kind of play.  Parents help by coaching their kids to act out everyday activities with their toys.  It can be feeding the baby, driving the truck to Grandma's, or whatever is going on in your daily life.
 

Mama says "no" but what does it really mean?

This little guy clearly understands the word NO, but Mama wants two things.  She wants him not to put the doorstop in his mouth and she wants him to hand it to her, which he can't quite do.  He gets confused and scared . I think that Mom stopped the camera and took the time to show him what she really wanted. Next time she will move to solve the problem before he gets scared.
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Holding baby for the first time

     Getting to hold your baby for the first time is often an emotional experience.  This guy shows us his feelings.  Other parents may feel scared because they wonder if they know how to take care of a baby.  Other parents may not feel much of anything at first.  Usually after some time to get the hang of basic baby care and getting to know who the baby is , parents start to feel that deep connection that this daddy shows.

Is Daddy home?

Even though he can barely sit up by himself, this little guy shows he has lots of feelings about Daddy coming home.  Just as he starts to get excited, he seems to get worried, as if he didn't really hear Daddy. Once he can see Daddy, he starts feeling just fine! Babies learn early who are the important people in their lives!

Under the gate. What is a parent to do?

This family thought they made the house safer by using a baby gate.  The baby seems to be a smart one who doesn't like limits. By the tone in her voice, Mom seems prepared to deal with the fact that now she must be hyper-alert to where the baby is.  Might be best to take the gate down before he gets bigger and starts to get stuck? Or are there other ways to solve the problem?

Toddler water play

Playing in the water makes summer fun for toddlers.  This little guy is at the age where he could spend the whole time happily playing in this one fountain, then have a big tantrum when it is time to go because he didn't get to do  the other stuff.

Whats a parent to do with a naughty toddler?

What to do when your toddler does something that is cute, but not something that you really want to happen all the time?  This is a question that almost all parents have to deal with. It is tough because after you laugh at how cute they are, you can't really get mad at them.  I think that after she stops the camera, this Mom has the little girl help pick all the toilet paper while talking with her about the problems it makes and why she shouldn't do it again.  Then maybe fixes the bathroom door with a child safety latch just to be sure it doesn't happen again.

Give her a little time

Some kids take a while to figure out how to deal with a new situation.  This little girl seems a bit on the cautious side.  Her Mom cheers her on, but lets her take her time and find her own way. After a little while she will probably be running around.

Down the slide

A lot of kids want to climb up the slide.  This can be fine when your child is the only child at the playground.  This Mom is doing great coaching for learning to slide down the "right way" so that it is safe when lots of kids are around.

I didn't do it!

It is tough for any of us to admit  that we did something wrong.  Wanting to blame somebody else starts young.  This family doesn't get mad, but doesn't let her get away with it.

I am not sleepy, I am not crabby

As many of us learned during the holiday, family road trips can be tough for little kids. Often it seems that if we plan on them napping in the car,  they don't.  This Mom very patiently explains the situation to her daughter, but her overtired daughter is in no mood to understand what her mom is saying. Mom and the family then try humor, but that doesn't really go well for the little girl either.  Maybe with a little music or just quiet time, she will relax and go back to sleep?
 

Easy backyard water play

Hanging the hose on the fence makes for quick, easy fun.  Mom is nearby to make sure things stay safe.  The water will probably make mud.  If you let the kids play in the mud, you can move the hose to a new spot to clean them up.

A cheap way to entertain a baby outside

This baby could probably be happy for a long time if people kept bringing her rocks. Since little kids often like to the same thing over and over to see what happens, you could make this work with anything from a small  bucket of water to a large lake.  
 

Toddler water play

Playing in the water makes summer fun for toddlers.  This little guy is at the age where he could spend the whole time happily playing in this one fountain, then have a big tantrum when it is time to go because he didn't get to the other stuff.  It is a tough age. You can feel like a bad parent when you have carry a screaming kid to the car.

"On my foot there is a flea" fun

The kids are having fun, learning some of their body parts, and learning to wait for the fun at the end of the song. Play has a purpose!

Can you see her thinking?

This little one is making noise, but you can see the thinking going on.  Letting kids explore everyday stuff that you have around to give kids a chance to try out their own ideas and figure out what happens helps them learn to think. Once they have had a chance to try it themselves,  talk to them about what is going on.
 

Learning early to play catch

It takes two or more to learn to play catch.   This little guy may be more motivated to please his cheerleaders than to learn to play catch, but he is learning.  The soft, lightweight ball makes learning fun and safe!

Let them outside!

It doesn't have to be nice out and they don't need much in the way of something to play with.  Dress them well and let them out. for a while. You might have to go out too, if you want them to stay out of the mud.

Playground fun for baby

Older babies can have fun at the park with a lot of help from Dad or Mom. Dad has a good hold on the baby.  Dad is rocking the toy just enough that the baby can feel that it is fun.  Any harder would make it too much for the baby.  Dad helps the baby know that this is something fun by making it sound fun!  Sure helps make it easier for Dad to have someplace to sit.:-)

Is she being a bother just for fun? What's a parent to do?

Is little sister old enough to understand that she is bothering her brother? Probably.  Does she just want to be included or was she bored?  Maybe both.   Does she care if he pushes her over?  Probably not.   Would she play with her own toys near her brother? Probably not. Would disciplining her for bothering her brother stop her from doing it again?  Probably not.   Would she leave him alone if someone else played with her?  Probably.

What language is he speaking?

This 2 year old is telling a story.  Unless you knew him, you would think he is talking in his own language. Mom does a good job of helping him keep his story going.  You can see that it is hard work for him, but getting practice telling stories will make him easier to understand as each day goes by.  Being able to understand him will make every day easier for everybody.  Not having people understand what they are saying is a major cause of 2 year old tantrums.
 

Taking turns can be fun

Babies like it when Dad helps them to have fun.  This one has learned that if he gives the car back to Dad, Dad will keep playing.  This is also a great way to help kids start to learn to take  turns.  

Shots are no fun

Shots are no fun, but this Mom is helping her little guy by staying calm, holding him gently and letting him know that she cares.  Getting shots hurts, but not for very long.  If parents can stay calm and relaxed, it helps the little ones do better.

What to do with a jealous big brother?

Big brother is really jealous of the attention that baby is getting.  Instead of getting mad at him, the family finds a simple way to let him be part of the action. 

The Black Dog of depression

This is a different kind of post, but one that is very important as it affects many parents.  It is produced by the World Health Organization.

Like father, like son?

This little guy is showing some amazing balance and skill on a skateboard.  Bet Dad is both a good skateboarder and a good teacher.  If the kid is interested and you can make learning a step-by step game, getting kids started in sports or activities that you like is good for everybody.

A wild way to calm a baby

This looks pretty wild, but Dad is being very careful.   He has his baby well cradled against him.  Dad is moving very smoothly so there are no big, hard bounces or jerks that could rattle the baby's brain. Baby is happy and calm.

Snow shoveling with a toddler

It is probably more work to have her outside "helping", but it is good, fun  exercise for her and she is learning early that everyone in the family helps out.

Happy- Mad Copycat

This little guy has the facial expressions down.  As little as he is, he seems to understand both the words and the face to make.  Being able to show that you are happy or mad in ways that others can understand is an important thing to learn early.

When they don't want to show off

Mom knows her little guy can sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song.  Getting it on camera would be great, but.... he doesn't want to.  This can be very frustrating,  but Mom is very respectful.  When she shows him respect she is helping him learn how to be respectful of her and others.  This makes family life much happier for everyone!

Helping a toddler get through a family gathering

Mom and Dad are helping themselves and their toddler by getting him out of the crowded, noisy room and giving him some space to move.  Parents don't always want to have to leave a fun time,  but giving the kid some space before the toddler melt down is a great plan.

Active reading with 2 year olds

Reading books with little kids doesn't have to be about sitting still.
 

I only like you when you give me cookies.

This Mom handles this so well.  She doesn't get upset when her son tells her he doesn't like her. She know that none of us like each of our family members ALL the time.  Mom just keeps her cool and tells him that she loves him.  Her calm way of handling this will probably help him be honest in the future as well as keep him from saying he doesn't like her just to get a big reaction out of her.

Multitasking 2 year old style

Mom is teaching her little guy the names for shapes while he colors on the shapes..  At his age, he can't really pronounce the names, but he does have  ways of trying to say them.  Mom is very good- she just says the name without trying to get him to say it "right".   He is learning good coloring skills by making lots of marks. Mom knows he can't really be expected to color inside the lines yet.  The "multitasking" of having something to do with their hands, like coloring, makes it easier for many kids to listen.
 

One way to entertain an older baby

Little ones can get bored.  This Dad shows us one way to entertain an older baby or toddler.  Playing and exercising helps everyone behave and sleep better. 

" Wow, I made him laugh!"

Babies learn really early that getting a "reaction" from someone if a good thing!. These two think that they are hilarious.  You can have the same kind of fun with your baby by "reacting" to the cues they give you about what they think is fun or funny, though it might not be what you think is so funny. Try to stay with what the baby finds truly fun.