Only a Breath

A blog about parenting

Children

Gifts You should Never, Ever buy for Kids

By

I’ve seen lots of gift ideas/guides this year. As I was looking through some of these gift guides trying to figure out what to get my kids for Christmas I started to think about gifts I did not want my kids to get.

You know, those gifts that when the kids open them you shudder inside while forcing yourself to plaster a fake smile on your face. Yes, those gifts.

So, this year to save all of my fellow parents I put together a DO NOT BUY FOR KIDS Christmas list with some help from my fans on Facebook.

You’re welcome.

Anything with glitter

Glitter, along with angel food cake, was invented by the devil. It is truly evil and any arts/crafts project that comes with glitter should be outlawed immediately. I don’t really think I need to say more.

The only exception to the glitter rule is glitter nail polish. And only if the child is old enough to use it without making a mess and needing parent supervision. [Read more…] about Gifts You should Never, Ever buy for Kids

What to Include in a Baby Layette Gift

By

Expectant parents often start making lists of everything baby will need. And the list grows and grows almost as quickly as the baby! The necessities are known collectively as the layette. It can be very basic and inexpensive, or it can be more extravagant, depending on what the parents need and want, and, of course, the gift-givers budget! Here are some items that you might consider including in your baby layette gift.

Baby Layette Gift

The Basics

Clothing:

These are items that every baby will use:

  • Onesies.
  • Pajamas or sleeping sacks.
  • Socks.
  • Booties.
  • Hats.
  • Sweaters, sweatshirt, and/or heavier shirt.
  • Outerwear.
  • Bibs.

You can get one of each, five of one, three of two whatever you choose. Make sure the clothing you choose is appropriate for the weather when the baby is born. A size 0-3 month snowsuit for a child born in April is not going to be a great choice, for instance. Also, it is a great idea to include different sizes. For example, you could include a pack of 0-3 month onesies and a pack of 3-6 month sizes. [Read more…] about What to Include in a Baby Layette Gift

Create the Fantasy Bed of Your Child’s Dreams

By

When you were a child, you probably longed for an elaborate, over-the-top space to call your own. Today’s parents have the ability to make their children’s fantasy dreams come true much easier than the generations of the past. Today’s children have a huge variety of over-the-top bedrooms to choose from that are more affordable than ever. Unique, personalized spaces are considered healthy for children to have, and the options are nearly as wild and varied as a child’s own imagination.

If you have ever wanted to give your child a fantasy-style bed, consider some of these amazing options for your child’s room.

Fire truck

While many little boys and girls have racecar beds, typically, those beds are made from plastic and are ho-hum at best. If you really want to impress your little one, a nearly-life size fire truck bed is the way to go. The bed itself looks like a fire truck, while the surrounding headboard is a floor to ceiling representation of a fire station- complete with a firemans pole and a crawlspace that will keep your little one entertained for hours.

Fairytale castle

Fairytale castle bed

What little girl doesn’t dream of living in a fairytale castle tower like Rapunzel and other fairytale creatures? Make your little girls dreams come true with a life size fairytale castle bed. The bed is raised from the floor inside the castle tower. Getting in and out of bed is easy with handy built-in stairs and a fun slide to ride down to the floor once more. Soft pastel colors and floral designs on the castle make this bed certain to please any fairytale-loving girl. [Read more…] about Create the Fantasy Bed of Your Child’s Dreams

Preparing Your Children in case they get Lost

By

Every parents worst nightmare is that they could lose their child at some point. Losing your child can be stressful, but you will feel much more comfortable if you know what to do. Most parents will panic if they lose their child in a public place. That is perfectly understandable, but you will want to remain as calm as possible. You will also feel much more comfortable if you took the necessary precautions beforehand.

Understand the Risks of Your Child Getting Lost

Nearly 300,000 children are lost every hour of the day, but almost all of them return to their families. However, you will need to be realistic about the fact that your own child will probably be separated from you at some point. You will need to be prepared in case this ever happens. Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do to get your child back safely such as labeling their clothes and making sure they know what to do if they are lost.

lost child

Teach Your Children what to Do if they Are Lost

You will want to make sure that your children know what to do if they’re separated from you. You have probably already told your children to be careful talking to strangers before. You want to make sure they understand to be even more careful if they are lost. Predators are more likely to target children that are vulnerable. [Read more…] about Preparing Your Children in case they get Lost

The many Benefits of Playgrounds for Children

By

Britains climate is for most of the year not exactly suited to outdoor activities and as a result British children are cooped up inside the house much more than those living in warmer and drier countries. However with the sun finally shining it is a good time to switch the television off and take them to the park where children can enjoy playground equipment installed there. And as research as proved, time spent here is more valuable than the assumption that parents have of this activity being simply a way to keep their kids occupied for a couple of hours. Here are some of the health benefits of playground equipment.

Playgrounds for Children

Physical Benefits

The health concerns of children overweight as a result of a lack of exercise and a less than satisfactory diet are well-known and taken together these factors have resulted in British kids being some of the fattest in the world. It does not help that Britain has one of the widest selections of TV programmes in the world and it is all too easy to dump kids in front of the box to distract them so that parents can get on with the never-ending list of important tasks. However this is hardly going to provide them with the foundation of a healthy lifestyle that they will continue into later life and playgrounds are underappreciated for they are valuable form of physical exercise for children, with the various pieces of equipment on offer being great for strength, balance, coordination and flexibility. [Read more…] about The many Benefits of Playgrounds for Children

4 ways to activate Sedentary Children

By

Kids have never been as inactive in Britain as they are today. In times gone by, there would have been nothing more for them to do at home and they would be forced to head outside to find ways to keep themselves occupied. However, since the 1970s, homes have been increasingly filled with TVs, computers and the like and, together with the culture of paranoia about letting children run free, kids today spend much of their time indoors. Parents are right to be concerned that their offspring are not getting the exercise they need and here are some ways to incorporate this into their lives.

Sedentary Children

The Importance of The Social

We are all by nature social creatures and many children adopt a sedentary lifestyle because they are not given the opportunity of socialising with other children. This can be because the family have not gone to the trouble to get to know others in their local area or because parents are paranoid about their children getting hurt if they are out of their sight. The fact is, however, that the world is not that much more dangerous than it was 40 years ago, it is just that the media have focused more and more on negative sides of the country. Giving children more freedom will increase their interaction with other children and this brings with it the possibility that they will be more active. [Read more…] about 4 ways to activate Sedentary Children