Raymond Parenting - Kitty's Blog

Attachment Parenting: To Sleep or Not to Sleep?

2012-05-06T22:16:24+00:00

Following the philosophy of Attachment Parenting needn't interfere with a parent's ability to help their baby learn to be a good sleeper. There are ways to do both.

Posted May 6, 2012

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Filed under: Feeding and Eating, Sleep

Can Little Kids Make Decisions?

2012-05-01T00:28:59+00:00

Family decision-making is usually done by parents. I see a more balanced family structure when the parents are comfortable giving children their unquestioned leadership. But a decision and who who has the power to make it - has a shade of gray to it, depending on the age of the child and the style with which the parent governs. So what decisions can a child make and which ones should remain with the parent? How you handle this in your family can make the difference between a child "running the household" versus a balanced, adult-led environment - where children can still feel some empowerment.

Posted April 30, 2012

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Changing Houses

2012-04-23T16:04:42+00:00

Maybe we should have organized our lives like many families do, and change houses every five years or so. Then you avoid getting too attached to just one house. Instead, I've prided myself on the fact that my children grew up with a 'sense of place' and always knew where home was. That was how my husband and I grew up and we fit right into the mold.

We've lived in our present home for 36 years. It is a 1912 house and we've added on and changed things to suit us over the years. All our children, grandchildren and even all our dogs are measured against the woodwork in our kitchen. When we remodeled this kitchen 20 years ago a previous plank of measurements was carefully removed and is stored in our garage.

Are we being overly sentimental or does every family go through this even when they have moved frequently?

Posted April 23, 2012

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New Baby? Find the Magic Spot in your Home.

2012-04-09T13:44:16+00:00

So, it seems that in 2012 being at home can be a challenge for some women (perhaps at-home dads too?). In particular, let's say the prospect of spending lots of time at home with a new baby can see scary and stressful to some women. When I was a newborn mother ('olden days) I worried about the same thing. What will I do here all day? I'd been a very involved kindergarten teacher until a week before our baby was born. Having been exposed to the feminist movement during university years, the idea of being 'just a housewife' or 'homemaker' definately was to be avoided.

Some new mothers fill their days with group get-togethers, shopping or baby classes - in order to keep busy each day. These weren't available and wouldn't have appealed to me anyway.

That was OK, though because soon we found our "magic spot."

Posted April 9, 2012

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Is He a Picky Eater?

2012-04-01T21:15:50+00:00

Dear Kitty,

Our two-year old son is a very picky eater. We try to make him eat with us but he says he isn't hungry and misbehaves at the table. My husband is especially concerned that we eat dinner together as a family (we also have a 4 year old who eats well), so my son's resistance is causing a lot of stress. Our day home provider says he eats just fine for her, which is also frustrating. He only wants to eat toast, kiwi and yogurt. Oh, and he loves noodles (plain). What can we do to get him to be a better eater and stay at the table with the family.

Posted April 1, 2012

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To Poop? Or Not To Poop?

2012-03-26T16:12:58+00:00

The Danger of Early Toilet Training is a recent article adapted from a the new book It's No Accident: Breakthrough Solutions to Your Child's Wetting, Constipation, UTIs, and Other Potty Problems. by Dr. Steve Hodges who is a pediatric urologist at Wake Forest University.

In his writing, Dr. Hodges makes this bold statement: "Children need years of uninhibited voiding to allow for maximum bladder growth, and if they train before age 3, they are more likely than older kids to develop the habit of holding pee, poop or both."

Wait! does that mean parents should not engage in toilet training until their child has turned 3?

Absolutely!

Posted March 26, 2012

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Filed under: Interesting Parenting Matters, Toilet Learning

Do the French Have Parenting Secrets?

2012-03-19T13:59:53+00:00

I'm listening to an interview on The Current with Pamela Druckerman, author of Bringing Up Bebe'. Perfect timing because I'm on page 51 of her book. Toddlers eating vegetables willingly? Going to bed cooperatively? Infants sleeping through the night at one month? I'ts only fair that WE learn some of these secrets!

Posted March 19, 2012

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Filed under: Interesting Parenting Matters

Going to Kindergarten in September: How do you know if the timing is right?

2012-03-11T16:27:54+00:00

Some parents face the dilemma of whether to send their now-4 year old to kindergarten in the fall or opt for another year or preschool to be on the safe side. What is the safe side?

Posted March 11, 2012

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Filed under: New Research

Seminar Dates for March, 2012

2012-02-25T18:32:59+00:00

There's a slew of Raymond Seminars coming up in March! Easy to register for, fun to attend.

Take a look and make your choices.

Posted February 25, 2012

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The “Right” Preschool for Your Child?

2012-02-20T16:52:58+00:00

French Immersion? Montessori? Neighborhood? At this time every year, parents are making preschool choices for September. You may feel the pressure of deadlines, worry about programs filling up and yet aren't sure if you should line up overnight to get a spot or relax and see what's available in the neighborhood.

Posted February 20, 2012

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Filed under: Interesting Parenting Matters, Play