Saturday, July 9, 2011
Rebecca and Rich Kammerer of Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
"I am 28 weeks pregnant with my fist child. I have been hearing from a few friends that I need to stay away from my favorite fast food, french fries. I crave them every day! Isn't this the one time in my life that I can happily indulge?" -Rita, Hicksville Well, Rita, I too loved my fast food fries while I was pregnant, so I am not the one to go to for proper nutritional advice. I went to Melissa Monteforte, a certified health coach who specializes in nutrition and wellness for moms-to-be, mothers and children, to get your question answered. “Congratulations! Being pregnant is one of the most amazing times in your life. During this time, however, your body goes through incredible changes in order to guide the fetus along the growth process…
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Friday, June 24, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
We receive a lot of questions concerning how to interact with infants and young children. Richard and I promote something similar to the RIE method when it comes to interacting with this particular population. We tell parents that it is important to talk to your newborn with calm, soothing “baby talk”; tell them what is around them what is about to happen (e.g., “daddy is going to take off your diaper”, “mommy is going to pick you up.”) Studies have shown that there are many benefits to this gentle, conversational and respectful approach to babies. To help you better understand this approach we asked Elsbeth Martindale, PsyD, a Portland, Oregon-based psychologist with over 25 years experience in clinical practice and author of “The Things …
Friday, June 17, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
Being a dad is the greatest experience of my life. Just as with my wife, my kids enhance (almost) everything I do, from going for walks, to spontaneous day trips (to a park/museum/grandma’s house), to using finger paints,… things are just better with kids. To be sure, things are “different,” and they can bring along some challenges (free time anyone?), but I wouldn’t change a thing. And on my fourth Father’s Day, I am very thankful for the gift/opportunity/responsibility to have my children. That said, I’m still wrestling with my Father’s Day “gift” being either a day out with my buddies or a special day with the family (the latter is sure to win). I enjoy the fun times exploring the newness of the world with them and appreciate how …
Friday, May 27, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
I feel like I am losing my soon-to-be teenage son. He does not talk to me anymore. He used to be my shadow. I do not know what has happened. Is there anything I can do to help bring us closer before we grow completely apart? Mark, New Hyde Park There are many aspects to successfully raising a teen, from building their confidence/self-esteem, to supporting their need for individuality and setting proper limits, but we will focus on “communication” to assist with your concerns. Effective communication is critical to all relationships (kids, spouse, friends, coworkers), and is arguably the most important aspect of being a parent of teens. Communication is not limited to just talking with your teen (or worse, talking at them). Of course, …
Friday, May 13, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
Am I the perfect parent? No way! Have I lost my cool while parenting? Yes! Do I regret it? Yes! Do I feel that I dealt with the situation in a positive light? Yes! I truly feel that spanking is not necessary, but if dealt with appropriately (after the fact) it can be a learning experience for all involved. Now before you blast me, please read this article in full. There are MANY things to try when teaching right from wrong before choosing to spank, such as gentle instruction, redirecting (distracting) the child, taking away a privilege or sending the child to timeout. Any of these options, supported by a strong foundation of love and respect, is the only truly effective way to bring about commendable behavior based on strong inner values, …
Friday, May 6, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
I am a mom of a five-year-old and three-year-old. I have an opportunity to go away on a long weekend on my own. I have never been away this long since they were born. I have gone on overnights with my husband while my parents watched the kids. I have never left my husband alone this long with the kids and I am afraid he may become overwhelmed. He says he will be fine. I really want to go but I am torn. What advice can you give me? -Janette, Patch reader in Wantagh I think it is important that we as parents do not lose ourselves in our families and family-only life. We are more than mother, father, caretaker and provider, we are individuals and we need to exercise that portion of ourselves. In order to create a healthy family dynamic, each …
Friday, April 29, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
It could be a parent’s most embarrassing nightmare: it’s a lovely afternoon and you and your child(ren) are at the playground having a wonderful time when, suddenly, your little one is not-kind in some way to someone else’s child. How do you handle this? Parents with whom I have spoken admit to being embarrassed and defensive. They said they would quickly apologize to the other parent and then make excuses for their child’s behavior. Some have admitted to over-reacting to their own child for the negative behavior, and others confessed to ignoring the other parent and child because they simply did not know what to do. As I stated last week, we need to remain close-by our children at the playground, especially when our children are very …
Friday, April 22, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
I think this is a very broad topic that takes on many layers. Let’s list all the players in a typical playground setting: Yourself, your child(ren), other children and the other parents/caregivers. Given all these facts there is a good chance that you and/or your child will have some sort of interaction with someone else. I love it when my children make a new friend on the playground and they all get along. But there are times that my child or someone else’s child will not, let's say, “play nicely.” First and foremost, anyone taking a child to a playground needs to remember that it is their job to look out for their child as well as the other children at the playground. This is not your break! I see too many adults getting caught up in a …
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Potty Experiment (Part I)
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- Charlie
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Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Looking back, the “potty experiment” that began in our house eight months ago has, over that time, permanently changed my perspective as a parent. Little did I know that the potty, the loo, le toilet, was going to be such an integral part of the focus of my existence. Our daughter was a textbook potty training success story over the course of a weekend. She was ready for this new adventure right from the start; actually excited not to have to wear a pull-up anymore. Her twin brother, on the other hand, has been a completely different story; albeit, a success but a much longer, more challenging and messier one. From the best of my rapidly fading recollection, in large part thanks to the daily antics of my children, there were a few …
Friday, April 8, 2011
Parents “R” Talking will be answering parenting questions, giving parenting tips and covering other parenting topics in weekly video blogs and articles.
This week’s parenting topic: Toddlers learning to share. I remember those days … The exhaustion from repeating myself, from performing my role as referee and from having to console one or both of the twins. One suggestion for eliminating conflict, from another parent of multiples, was to buy two of the same toy. Yes, this worked sometimes, even after considering the double expense, but not always as they would still want the other’s toy (even if they were exactly the same). So the question again is, “How do you resolve this conflict (and create a model that the kids can apply on their own going forward)?” For our family there was no magic one-time-and-you're-cured solution. What worked for the long run was laying down the foundation for …
Rebecca Kammerer
2:24 pm on Sunday, July 10, 2011
Vitaman, Very informative! Thanks - Rebecca more ›