Stop The Swaddling
“More babies are overdressed than underdressed,” wrote Benjamin Spock in “Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care.” Parents tend to dress their babies like Eskimos at the first sign of a chill in the air.
So how should you dress your baby for his first trip to the great outdoors? Look at how you are dressed for your guide.
If you’ll be comfortable in a T-shirt and a lightweight sweater, chances are your baby will be too; the one exception is that when you need long sleeves, your baby should wear a hat of cotton, wool or fleece, depending on how cold it is.
According to Dr. Karl Schulze of Children’s Hospital in New York, you should dress your baby in thin layers, which are less constrictive than thick ones and can be easily removed or added as needed. And bring extra layers with you; a jacket or a sweater on a cool day, and a quilted blanket for the stroller on a cold day.
Pay attention to how your baby acts. If she becomes restless or irritable, sweats or has unusually rosy cheeks, she’s too hot. If she cries, or has cool skin, she’s too cold. Adjust layers as you go from the cold outside air to the warmth of a store or shopping mall.
* Speaking of shopping: With holiday shopping in full swing, NorthTown Mall offers the following tips to make your trip safe and secure:
* Always be aware of your surroundings. Be attentive as you walk to and from the mall. Scan the area around your vehicle as you return to it. Have your keys out and ready.
* Keep your vehicle doors locked as you drive around mall lots. Keep purses on the floor and out of sight.
* Lock your vehicle. Keep valuables in your vehicle concealed. Thieves usually don’t break into your car to look for items. They look for items and then break in.
* Do not leave packages, bags or purses unattended. Carry purses tightly under your coat.
* Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for your purchases with a check or credit card when possible.
* Watch small children at all times. Teach them to go to a store and ask for help if you become separated while shopping.
* Report any suspicious persons or activities to store security.
* Childhood memories: How well do you remember your childhood? How well will your children remember theirs? Not as well as you might think. December’s Family Life Magazine reports that a study from Northwestern University Medical School found that as adults our childhood memories differ greatly from what happened at the time.
Researchers questioned children initially at age 14 about family relationships, parental discipline, home environment and school, and then followed up with them at age 48, asking the same questions. Some of the differences were surprising. Only one-quarter of the children had said the activity they enjoyed most was spending time with their peers; as adults, twice as many remembered that as their favorite activity. Eighty-two percent of the kids said they were disciplined physically (this was in the 1960s), but only 33 percent of the adults recalled such punishment.
To help your children remember things more clearly, encourage journal writing, recording family stories on paper or video, and creating detailed photo albums.