ParentDish

How to Put Your Teething Baby to Sleep

Jessica Samakow — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Feeding & Sleeping, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Expert Advice: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Is your teething baby having a hard time sleeping? Sleep-training when teeth start to come in is not an easy task, but it is doable. Follow these simple tips from TheBump.com to make sure your child stays on schedule.

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Connect With Your Child Through Play

PBSParents.org — Wed, 25 May 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Childcare, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids

When you think about your own childhood, do you recall times when you and your parents played together? Maybe it was hide-and-seek, or Monopoly or rock-paper-scissors. I remember pretending to be circus performers with my mom and dad, and playing gin rummy with my grandmother.

We used to think of family games as inexpensive entertainment or simple ways to pass the day. Now, with competing demands on everyone's time, the excess of toys marketed to kids and so many electronic diversions, these kinds of activities can seem a bit dated. But they are the stuff memories are made of. They were fun, and they allowed us a chance to feel close to people we love. That's reason enough to play together as a family.

But there are also many other benefits of play -- and research shows its role in children's development.

Play is both a catalyst and context for learning. Through play, children make sense of their experiences, and express their ideas and emotions. Play helps them develop and practice skills underlying success in school and beyond: self-control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, persistence and following rules among others. Playing with others also helps children build relationships.

We also know that, despite evidence of the benefits of play, opportunities to play have diminished. Kids are more likely to be involved in scheduled and structured activities, and plugged into digital devises. To make matters worse, play has largely disappeared from the school day, even in the earliest grades.

So what does this mean for parents? And how does playing with your child fit into the picture?

It is important that your child has uninterrupted play time every day with simple materials that can be used in many different ways.

Resist interrupting or taking over when he's contentedly playing alone or with other kids. But, remember, he also loves and needs to be with you.

When you're busy, you can take advantage of daily routines to play together. You might play peek-a-boo when you're changing your toddler's diaper, a guessing game when you're making breakfast for your preschooler, pretend when you're doing chores with your kindergartner or a license plate game when you're taking your older child to school.

When there's more time, your child will thrive on your undivided attention as you play together. In the process, you'll have many opportunities to tune into his interests, concerns and needs and to support his development and learning.

While you'll find many opportunities to capitalize on teachable moments during play, the key is to do what comes naturally. Playing together shouldn't be a chore or something you feel pressure to do. Enjoy the time you spend with your child. It will pass all too soon! If you don't like card games, ride bikes or dance together. Take cues from what interests your child and follow his lead. Playing together will help you build strong connections that he will rely on as he grows and quite possibly memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are a few more simple activities you and your child or family might enjoy:

What's missing?: Take turns lining up several items. One player covers his eyes and the others remove one or more items. The guesser tries to figure out what's missing. This is a great game to play while you're waiting at a restaurant.

Surprise Jar: On slips of paper, write messages of things for family members to do. For example, wiggle like a worm, do 20 jumping jacks, empty the trash or try to touch your tongue to your nose. Put these in a jar, and take turns drawing a message from the jar.

Sidewalk Games: Use sidewalk chalk to draw paths to follow. For example, draw a long line to make a "tightrope" to walk on or take turns drawing an obstacle course to navigate.

Earth Day Play: Go on a scavenger hunt to find interesting leaves or stones, follow ant trails, watch pigeons or collect and release insects. Make a bird feeder or create something beautiful together from discarded materials.

What are some of your favorite family activities?

This article was originally on PBSParents and was written by Ann Barbour.Dr. Ann Barbour is Professor of Early Childhood Education at California State University, Los Angeles, (CSULA) and Series Content Advisor for the Peabody Award winning daily television series A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa. These programs are designed to help parents and caregivers nurture the development and enrich the learning experiences of preschool-age children.

More From PBSParents.org:

A Place of Our Own

Why We Should Take Play Seriously

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When to Introduce Kids to Music: Early and Often

PBSParents.org — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Music, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids

As a musician, music educator and researcher, parents often ask me when they should begin introducing their children to music. As with most easy questions, there's an easy answer that is incomplete and a more nuanced answer that is correct.

The easy answer is: You should begin age-appropriate music "lessons" soon after birth, or maybe even before birth. That being said, please stay with me before giving your 6-month-old a trumpet.

There is a great deal of research supporting the notion that musical ability develops during a critical period from birth through age 9 (or 10 or even 11, depending on the research). However, it seems clear that after age 11 the window for developing certain musical abilities is shut -- and shut forever.

This makes sense. Our brains seem to be "wired" for learning and processing the patterns we hear. This is most obvious in how young children develop language. They hear the patterns and inflections in their native tongue and their brains internalize them. Language learning seems natural, and they learn the language of the culture they're living in. A child can also learn multiple languages at this time and being bi-lingual seems natural. Yes, an adult can learn a second language, but it will rarely be as natural as the first language or without an accent.

The same is true with music. At its most basic level, music is made up from a surprisingly small vocabulary of rhythm and pitch patterns. These basic patterns vary by culture, (which is why Japanese music sounds different from Canadian music), but the basic principle of music being comprised of patterns is true of all music.

These patterns can be considered the basic units of music, much like words are the basic units of speech. The individual notes are like letters -- they only take on meaning when combined into a word. Likewise, the individual notes only take on musical meaning when they are combined into patterns.

A child learns the musical patterns of the music they're exposed to during their formative years. The patterns are internalized and become the child's natural musical language. So, early music "lessons" should have as its goal engaging the child with music in a way that will help him or her focus on, and learn, the basic building blocks of music.

This internalizing of musical patterns is most often accomplished by singing and movement at an early age. Like language, it is best learned if the entire environment is immersed with music.

This takes us right back to our basic question. While weekly "lessons" or "Mommy-Baby Classes" are worthwhile, the fact that they only meet once or twice a week makes them enhancements to the process, not the core of the process. Imagine if your child only heard language during prescribed classes once or twice a week and the rest of the time the child experienced no language. The chance of a regular development would be remote.

So, providing basic music experiences is really up to the parents. Now, before you start protesting, "I can't carry a tune in a bucket" or "I haven't played my instrument since I was in middle school," there is some good news. You don't have to be a musician! The key is to help your child focus and internalize the basic patterns of music -- to engage her in music. Here are a few ways in which you can go about it:

Sing with your child. The reason many children's songs (for example, "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat") have lasted through generations is that they have the basic patterns we're trying to instill.

Download songs to your iPod and do the movements along with the song. The purpose is to focus attention on the music.

Hold your child and sway while singing or listening to music.

March around your living room.

Clap a rhythm. Any rhythmic "dancing" to music at this age will fulfill this purpose.

Have music as a constant "soundtrack" in the home. This will be especially helpful if there is repetition of certain pieces.

The musical learning you build in your child will last a lifetime. If later in life (whether it's age 7 or 52) he or she decides to learn an instrument, your child will already have the basic "musicality" developed in his or her brain. Even if they don't, kids will have an enhanced appreciation of the music they hear for the rest of their lives. These basic active and passive musical experiences early in life are not just beneficial for the future musicians. They lead to an enhanced quality of life for anyone, regardless of calling.

So, the answer to the original question is: Start your child's musical development as early as you can, but do it in an age-appropriate way, with age-appropriate goals.

How are you engaging your child in music?

This article was originally on PBSParents and was written by Rob Cutietta. Rob is the Dean of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He is a noted author and popular speaker whose areas of expertise include the middle-school learner, choral education, learning theories and the psychology of music. Additionally, he is a highly-regarded musician and educator, and he has extensive knowledge about the full range of musical talent nationally as well as internationally.

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Parents' Bumblings and Stumblings, Uh, Help Kids to Speak, Study Shows

Tom Henderson — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids

Sentences with stumblings and pauses are easier for children to follow. Credit: Getty Images

Parents who, uh, you know, kind of like, that is to say, stumble over their words may actually be, sort of, teaching their children how to speak.

So, don't worry, you inarticulate clod. You are doing good.

Actually, you are doing well. But researchers at the University of Rochester say there is little cause to nitpick. Sentences littered with stumblings, bumblings and pauses are actually easier for children to follow than those executed with flawless elocution.

Ha! Take that, Professor Higgins!

You remember Henry Higgins, the anal-retentive professor of phonetics from "My Fair Lady." He asks the musical question, "Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?"

According to the Independent in London, it could be because they talk too much like Higgins.

For example, the newspaper reports, slightly halting, mangled speech might clue babies in that a particularly hard new vocabulary word is on its way.

Children have a lot of new words to learn, the Independent reports, so they need time to work out what they mean. Hesitations can give them that time.

"The more predictions (a toddler) can make about what is being communicated, the more efficiently he or she can understand it," Richard Aslin, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester and one of the authors of the study, tells the Independent.

Researchers studied three groups of children from 18 to 30 months of age, as they sat on their parents' knees watching a pair of images on a screen. One of the images was of a familiar object (a ball or book) and one was of an unfamiliar one with a made-up name (such as a "dax" or "gorp").

A recorded voice talked about the objects. When the voice stumbled, the children were 70 percent more likely to look at the made-up image than the familiar one.

"We're not advocating that parents add disfluencies to their speech, but I think it's nice for them to know that using these verbal pauses are OK," Celeste Kidd, the study's lead author, tells the newspaper. "The 'uhs' and 'ums' are informative."

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Explaining ADHD to Others

Carolyn Rogalsky — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Special Needs, Behavior, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids, Development: Tweens

Credit: Getty Images

Dealing with an ADHD diagnosis can be tough. The complexities of this disorder -- like when your child has a meltdown in the supermarket checkout line -- are not easily understood. You know that it's all part of the disorder, but all around you, eyeballs roll, and you hear judgmental comments like, "Why can't you control him?" or "She just needs to cut back on sugar." If only it were so easy!

Does ADHD define your child? Of course not! So how do you help others see past attention issues and appreciate your whole child? How can you explain your child's disorder to others, without sounding apologetic or preachy?

Not every situation allows you to fend for your child, but among friends and family, it's good to set the record straight and separate the symptoms of ADHD from your child's overall demeanor. As we've all been told: knowledge is the key to understanding.

When possible, inform friends and family of your child's disorder in advance of an encounter. This will sensitize onlookers and help you manage the situation. With its prevalence (the AAP reports that 4.4 million children have been diagnosed with ADHD) many people are already sensitive to its impact.

But for those novices, give them the bare facts:

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition of the brain that makes it hard for children to control their behavior. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. Children with ADHD have frequent, severe problems that interfere with their ability to live normal lives. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, although the condition can continue into adult years.

Analogies are another popular and useful way of explaining ADHD to outsiders. But since there are many different ways ADHD controls the brain, there are just as many appropriate analogies. Comparisons have been made to a moth drawn to the brightest light or the brain as a brakeless bike.

One particularly compelling one comes from an ADHD message board:

"When normal people look up at the night sky they see a starry night and they see the stars. They may focus on one particular star but they still see the rest of the sky around it.
When an ADHD person looks up at night, they see a star, then they look at another star, and then another. When they see another star they get distracted and lose their focus on the previous one. They see only single stars without seeing the whole picture."

For those who are deeply interested, or who continue to express skepticism about your child's disorder, invite them to accompany you to a doctor's visit. Check with the doctor first, of course, and then allow the doctor to address concerns and questions. Even though you are the expert on your child, some people need to hear from a professional to get the message!

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Bedwetting More Common in Boys Than Girls, Study Shows

Mary Beth Sammons — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Potty Training, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids

Boys are twice as likely to wet the bed. Credit: Getty Images

Bedwetting is one of those anxiety-producing, embarrassing situations most kids and parents just don't want to talk about.

But, if you've got a son in grade school, you might want to make sure the Spider-Man, Star Wars or shark sheet ensembles are waterproof.

Doctors don't know for sure what causes bedwetting -- or why it stops -- but new findings suggest boys are twice as likely to wet the bed, Reuters reports.

In a study of 6,147 children in Hong Kong, researchers from the Prince of Wales Hospital at the Chinese University of Hong Kong found seven out of 100 boys, and three out of 100 girls, ages 6 to 11 wet their beds, averaging out to five in 100 kids, according to the study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

But wetting the bed is nothing to be embarrassed about and usually stops by age 15, Reuters reports.

In four out of 10 cases, bedwetting is hereditary, Dr. Joseph Barone, pediatric urologist at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., tells Reuters.

The reason boys wet the bed more often, he tells the news service, is because sometimes the link between the bladder and the brain is not fully developed. Girls mature faster, so they outgrow bedwetting faster, he adds.

Unsurprisingly, the researchers found bedwetting decreased with age. Nine out of 100 6-year-olds wet their beds, versus two out of 100 11-year-olds, according to Reuters.

Though there are no fool-proof cures for bedwetting, Barone recommends using an alarm that is connected to a sensor in a child's underwear, which goes off when it gets wet. These cost $50 to $150 and work 80 to 90 percent of the time, he tells Reuters.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a bedwetting alarm if prescribed by the child's physician and says they tend to be most helpful for kids who have some dry nights and some bladder control on their own.

"Nothing else is going to cure bedwetting, other than outgrowing it," Barone tells Reuters.

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Try This: How Do You Encourage Personal Hygiene in Your Kids?

Advertiser — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Behavior: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids, Behavior: Big Kids, Try This

Many kids put up a fight when it comes to the daunting task of brushing their teeth or taking a bath. It can be a challenge to explain to younger kids why hygiene is so important.

We asked some moms how they encourage hygiene in their kids and they agreed that persistence is key. It's important to monitor hygiene habits until kids are old enough to do it on their own, one mom added.

AdviceMama offers a few helpful tips:

Instead of making brushing a part of your child's bedtime ritual, consider having him brush right after dinner, or before a favorite evening TV show. Some children dawdle about brushing before bed to delay the dreaded time when lights get switched off. Unless he's eating after dinner, there's no reason he can't get the same benefit from brushing an hour or two earlier.

Buy your child an electric toothbrush. Many children enjoy using a "machine," especially if you also let him pick a toothpaste that he likes. Try adding music to his brushing ritual; most songs run 2-3 minutes, which is an ideal amount of time to spend on dental hygiene.

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Try This: How Do You Go From a Crib to a Big-Kid Bed?

Advertiser — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Development/Milestones: Babies, Decor, Feeding & Sleeping, Bedtime, Expert Advice: Babies, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Expert Advice: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Try This

To the child-free world, moving a toddler from crib to bed might seem like a small step, but these moms prove that it is really a giant leap for babykind.

And, when it comes to accepting or resisting the transistion, there is no typical behavior. Some babies use their monkey-like strength to climb out, while others cement themselves to their sheets and never want to leave.

Pediatric sleep disorders expert, Dr. Deborah Lin-Dyken, suggests waiting until the baby is about 3 years old to make the transition, although some will be ready at as young as 18 months.

One mom recounts her toddler climbing back into the crib when her baby brother arrived. If you can relate to the sibling struggle, Dr. Lin-Dyken recommends making the switch "at least six to eight weeks before you're due" so that your toddler does not feel like the new baby is taking over. However, if the older sibling is not ready for a big-kid bed, it might be better to borrow another crib instead of forcing the older child out, she warns.

What did you do to make the transfer? Did it work?

Looking for family meal ideas? Get tips from other parents at KitchenDaily.

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The Chinese Mom Gets Her Just Desserts: Does Strict Parenting Spell Success?

Polly Palumbo — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids, Development: Tweens, Development: Teens

Amy Chua, aka The Chinese Mom, author of "The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom," is the woman who rejected her 4-year-old's homemade birthday card because it wasn't good enough. I could argue her no playdates, no second-place child-rearing regime is an attempt at control in a complicated world. I could speculate that it's a middle finger to the reigning parenting culture with its everybody-wins-a-medal, let's-talk-it-out while I drive you and your five friends to the birthday party.

Or I could treat the Tiger Mom to some of her own medicine.

She wants results. I got them.

Bring on the results, the cold hard evidence. Does "Chinese parenting" help kids? Or is it the fast track to an adulthood spent in therapy? Here's what we know:

Authoritarian parenting. These parents, like Chua, cherish rules and expectations but not negotiation or warm fuzzy moments. We got piles of evidence children raised by strict, stern parents aren't as well-adjusted or successful as those with "authoritative" parents who show more affection and wiggle room ("Tell me, honey, why did you hit your brother?").

Make that kids raised in the U.S. and other cultures that value individuality and independence.

Chinese kids do just fine with authoritarian parents. They often appear better off than those with authoritative parents. Cross-cultural studies suggest people raised in cultures that value interdependence perceive tough love as a sign of affection. The fate of Chinese American kids -- those raised in the U.S. by Chinese or other non-Western authoritarian parents -- that's another question under investigation in a large study right now by Chinese-American researcher Ruth Chao.

Self-Esteem. Cross-cultural studies also find strict parenting by itself doesn't lower self-confidence. How kids perceive it is key. If you think mommy doesn't find you all that, you got issues. Affluent teenage girls appear especially vulnerable to mommy's disapproval, but most of this data comes from studies on white U.S. youths. By the way, psychologist Roy Baumeister, the man who put self-esteem on a pedestal back in the '70s now regrets it. Says it's overrated.

Praise. It may be overrated, too. Research shows applause can backfire if parents focus on results ("Awesome drawing!") or innate abilities ("You're an amazing artist!") rather than efforts ("You worked so hard!"). Kids told they're smart over and over attribute achievements to their brains and not their efforts. Bad grades mean they're not smart, so hey, why bother studying next time. Good grades mean they're smart, so why study? Non-Westerner parents tend to attribute success more to effort than talent or ability and that's good for motivating kids. Tiger Mom obviously believes in the power of practice and hard work at least in so much as it achieves stellar results. Unfortunately, anything less is failure.

What else? There's been mention of high suicide rates among Asian American youths, though the stats are inconsistent. There's also some talk about a lack of creativity in Asian parenting, but not much there to pick apart either. However, lots of research attests to the benefits of social intelligence and how the most successful adults aren't the smartest but the most socially gifted. So the birthday parties and sleepovers aren't mere child's play, but productive work sessions. Any fun, thus, icing on the cake.

No, I didn't read Chua's memoir because there's not going to be a test. Certainly Ms. Chua doesn't expect me or anyone to read it for pleasure.

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What Are the Signs My Child May Have ADHD?

the editors at AOLHealth — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Behavior: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Expert Advice: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids, Behavior: Big Kids, Expert Advice: Big Kids

Q. What Are the Signs My Child May Have ADHD?

Dr. Jim Sears, Pediatrician, host of "The Doctors," answers:

A lot of younger kids tend to struggle in school, whether it's paying attention or just being too hyperactive and disruptive to the class. That can be a problem with the teacher and the parents.

I have a lot of parents coming into my office saying the teacher is asking me to do something, but maybe I don't want to do a prescription. I always sit down and talk to those parents and say to them, if you think your child is having a hard time in school, whether its attention or activity, look at the child's lifestyle, look at what they're eating and how much they're exercising; because a lot of those problems can be improved by improved nutrition.

Whether it's eating more fruits and vegetables or eating more fish, especially fish oils; we've really found that fish oil supplements in the diet can help a child pay attention. Also, it's very important to eat a good breakfast. Kids that eat a good, hearty breakfast with a good source of protein, some good complex carbs, whole grains, yogurt, and things like that, tend to pay better attention in school.

So whether your child gets a label put on them or if there is a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or not, if you think your child isn't doing as well as you think they should be, get the help, talk to your doctor. Improve their nutrition, make sure they get some exercise, especially before school, and you will see an improvement, I guarantee it.

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Are Your Kids Getting Enough Pretend Play Time?

Brett Singer — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Development/Milestones: Babies, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Big Kids

Not all toys have to plug in. Credit: Getty Images

Back in the day, "play time" didn't mean "screen time," because there weren't that many screens available. Now, of course, children have so many electronic entertainment options that they may not be getting enough good old fashioned pretend play.

One mom, Sarah Wilson, decided to do something about that. The New York Times reports that Wilson brought back the balls and blocks in her house after she visited her local kindergarten and saw "a wall of computers and little desks" instead of a sandbox and toys.

What do you think? Are your kids getting enough pretend play time?

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Fewer Latino Children in Preschool, Study Finds

Mary Beth Sammons — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:14:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Day Care & Education, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Without preschool, the education gap between Latinos and their peers starts earlier. Credit: Getty Images

Attendance in preschools for Latino tots lags far behind the national average, with Latino parents half as likely to enroll their kids in preschool as their white and African-American peers, a new study reported in Chicago Breaking News shows.

In Illinois, just over one in three Latino children attend preschool, a disparity that threatens to leave them behind their peers even before the start of kindergarten, the study's author, Bruce Fuller, director of the Institute of Human Development at the University of California-Berkeley, says.

About 35 percent of Latino 4-year-olds attended some type of preschool, while 66 percent of white children and 54 percent of African American children enrolled, the findings show.

"If we put all our school reform eggs in the K-to-12 basket, it's going to be too late," Fuller tells Breaking News. He presented his is findings Nov. 16 at DePaul University during a conference sponsored by the New Journalism on Latino Children project.

The study shows that the educational disparities between Latino children and their peers are now starting at an earlier age, Fuller tells Breaking News.

Fuller and researchers tracked 380 Illinois children born in 2001 for nearly a decade, as part of a national study that included more than 10,000 children across the country. They monitored everything from the children's social and cognitive development to how often they read with their parents at home. As early as age 2, Latino children started to lag in their early literacy skills, such as recognizing words or turning to the title page of a children's book, according to the news report.

Fuller says the gap equates to about six months of kindergarten instruction.

Black community and faith-based groups have been pushing preschool since the beginning of Head Start programs some 40 years ago, while Illinois Latino communities have been slower to organize around the issue, Fuller tells the Chicago Sun-Times.

Also, for first-generation Latinos, "the tradition is not to send your child to a preschool. It's to rely on grandparents or an aunt who lives around the corner," he tells the newspaper.

Latino parents also may fear sending their children to strangers who do not speak their language, Reyna Hernandez of the Latino Policy Forum, tells the Sun-Times.

"Parents might also worry about questions on legal status," Hernandez says. "That subject is off-limits to preschools but may come up in applications for accompanying child care."

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'Your Baby Can Read' ... Really?

Mary Kate Baumann — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Day Care & Education, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Many parents want to have all-star children who mark their territory at the head of the class. But if they're spending lots of money to get them there, they might as well just throw their cash away, "Today" reports.

Ads for Your Baby Can Read, a program that consists of flash cards, DVDs and pop-up books that supposedly help your child learn to read before she enters kindergarten, feature babies as young as 3 months reading words and phrases such as "Touch your ears" from flash cards. However, the seemingly brilliant tots might not really be reading at all.

Ginger Torres, mother of Chloe, 3, bought the Your Baby Can Read kit.

"The reason I wanted to buy it is to give her a head start before school," she tells Today. "(But) what you're getting is not really what they say."

According to experts, Torres is right. Dr. Nonie Lesaux, a child development expert at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, tells NBC the babies shown on TV aren't really reading.

"They memorize what's on those cue cards ... It's not reading," she says.

Dr. Maryanne Wolf, director of Cognitive Neuroscience at Tufts University, agrees.

"It's an extraordinary manipulation of facts," she tells Today.

Today spoke with 10 experts nationwide who all had the same opinions regarding the program: Children that young can be made to memorize and recognize words, but the minds of younger children are not developed enough to read and learn at the level that the television advertisements claim they can.

Dr. Robert Titzer, the creator of Your Baby Can Read, says the program starts with memorization but leads to reading.

"We have a book full of studies that support the use of our program," he tells NBC.

Titzer agreed provide the research to Today, but instead sent his own customer satisfaction surveys and general studies about child learning.

Experts say the best way to teach your children reading skills is the traditional (and free) method: Read, talk and play with them. If they're having fun, they're learning, Today reports.

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How to Childproof Your Windows

the editors at ParentDish — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:42:00 EST

Do you have a minute (OK, a minute and eight seconds?) Good. Now watch this video on window safety from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and then walk around your house and do what you need to do to childproof your windows. Got it? Great. Glad we had this talk.

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Warning: Stop Using Infant Sleep Positioners Immediately or Risk Suffocation Deaths

Honey Berk — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:46:00 EST

Parents are warned to stop using infant sleep positioners immediately. Credit: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer alert today to warn parents to stop using infant sleep positioners, citing reports of 12 infants -- ages 1 month to 4 months -- who suffocated to death after being placed in the devices.

Most of the infants suffocated after rolling from a side to a stomach position; some of the infants suffocated on the device itself, while others succumbed after being trapped between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet, according to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.

In addition to the reported deaths, the CPSC has also received dozens of reports of infants who were placed on their back or sides in sleep positioners, only to be found later in potentially hazardous positions within or next to the devices.

"The deaths and dangerous situations resulting from the use of infant sleep positioners are a serious concern to CPSC," Tenenbaum said. "We urge parents and caregivers to take our warning seriously and stop using these sleep positioners, so that children can have a safer sleep."

The two main types of infant sleep positioners are flat mats with side bolsters or inclined (wedge) mats with side bolsters (see above).

Both types of sleep positioners typically claim to help keep infants on their backs, thereby reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). There is, however, no evidence to support this claim, according to Dr. Rachel Moon, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Task Force.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend any of the products that claim to protect against SIDS," Moon says, "Because, to our knowledge, none of these do actually protect against SIDS; there is no scientific evidence supporting these claims."

In addition, the FDA has never cleared an infant sleep positioner to prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS. Over the years, the FDA has approved 18 sleep positioner devices -- all of which had made claims of helping to reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and/or preventing plagiocephaly -- also known as "flat head syndrome."

At this point, however, it has become clear that the risks of using infant sleep positioners outweigh the benefits, says Moon, so consumers are warned to immediately stop using the devices.

The FDA, which has jurisdiction over consumer products making medical claims, has contacted the manufacturers of the 18 approved infant sleep positioners and asked them to stop making these devices; the agency will also be contacting retailers to ask them to stop selling the devices, according to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner.

Sharfstein advised that today's public health message is seen as the quickest way to get the warning out the consumers, so that they immediately stop buying the fatality-causing products. However, in the future, the FDA may issue for products that have not voluntarily been removed from the market; the agency will also be investigating reports of other, unapproved sleep positioning devices, as well as any other devices out there that claim to prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS.

The CPSC, FDA and AAP warn parents to:

Stop using sleep positioners. Using a positioner to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep is dangerous and unnecessary.
Never put pillows, infant sleep positioners, comforters, or quilts under a baby or in a crib.
Always place an infant on his or her back at night and during nap time. To reduce the risk of SIDS, the AAP recommends placing infants to sleep on their backs and not their sides.

Visit the CPSC's website for information about the agency's Safe Sleep initiative, which advises parents on how to help their kids sleep safely.

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Baby Einstein Videos 'Like Crack for Babies', but Kids Don't Learn From Them

Honey Berk — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Research Reveals: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Baby Einstein videos are not all they're cracked up to be. Credit: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Though hailed as a wonder drug of sorts by devoted parents, Baby Einstein and other educational DVDs may more accurately be, as one mother describes them, "like crack" for your baby.

A study slated to be published online in Psychological Science this month reports that toddlers learn virtually nothing from these educational DVDs -- touted as aides to help boost vocabulary and launch kids on the road to academic superstardom, according to Science News.

Researchers studied the effects of the videos on four groups of toddlers, ages 12-18 months, and determined that those who viewed an educational DVD regularly for one month -- either with or without a parent -- showed no greater understanding of words from the video than kids who never saw it, Science News reports.

"The degree to which babies actually learn from baby videos is negligible," writes psychologist and study director Judy DeLoache of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Continue reading Baby Einstein Videos 'Like Crack for Babies', but Kids Don't Learn From Them

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One Truly Smokin' Babe Comes Home From Rehab

Tom Henderson — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Medical Conditions, In The News, Weird But True, Health & Safety: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Behavior: Toddlers & Preschoolers

A 2-year-old chain smoker just came home from rehab. Break out the baby book -- it's time to start a new page.

While most parents forever cherish the first time their toddler gets out of rehab, there is concern Aldi Suganda will relapse and break into the cancer sticks again as he returns home today.

His mother, Diana, tells CBS News she felt powerless to stop him when he first took up smoking. But if the tiny tot starts smoking again, she adds, who can stop him?

"I don't know of what will happen in the future," she tells the network through an interpreter. "We surely hope he will quit ... But what can we do but accept it is as it is?"

A video of Suganda smoking went viral in May. The tot reportedly was smoking 40 cigarettes a day, and a news team from CBS tracked him down in the remote fishing village of Musi Banyuasin on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in July.

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Circumcision: Is It Right for Your Baby Boy?

Amy Hatch — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:40:00 EST

The decision to circumcise is up to parents. Credit: Nicole Hill, Getty Images

The debate over circumcision heated up when the Centers for Disease Control announced it may recommend circumcising all baby boys, but experts say the decision still rests with parents.

First of all, just what is circumcision? Dr. Rodolfo Sarmiento, a pediatrician on staff at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill., told ParentDish it's an elective procedure done to boys after birth, usually 24 hours after they are delivered. The prepuce, or overlying skin at the tip of the penis, is removed.

The procedure does cause the child pain, so doctors will administer a pain reliever such as Tylenol. Some physicians, Sarmiento says, prefer to give a newborn sugar or a local, topical anesthetic to help with pain control.

Not all parents choose to have their children circumcised, which is why the CDC's announcement caused such a stir. Officials are considering promoting the procedure in the U.S., according to The New York Times, because it may help reduce the spread of H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS.

Continue reading Circumcision: Is It Right for Your Baby Boy?

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Nigeria Gets Its Own Version of 'Sesame Street'

Tom Henderson — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:37:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Day Care & Education, Extreme Childhood, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Activities: Toddlers & Preschoolers, New In Pop Culture

Muppets Kami, left, and Zobi, are the two main characters in Nigeria's upcoming "Sesame Square." Credit: Sesame Workshop / AP

There are grouchy green creatures living in the trash cans. Children grow up alongside 7-foot-tall birds, cookie-addicted monsters and ambiguously gay couples (where one partner has a curious fixation on his rubber ducky).

The only cabbie in the entire country is a furry blue creature who won't shut up about yams. If he did, he might notice his cab doesn't even have a motor. His best friend is an HIV-infected orphan who also looks like the carpet of a Motel 6.

It takes all kinds. Especially on "Sesame Street," and if you thought New York was strange, wait until the show sets up shop in Nigeria.

Children throughout the world have grown accustomed to peaceful coexistence with Muppets. Somehow, living next to a Snuffleupagus doesn't seem that strange anymore, as many countries have their own versions of "Sesame Street" with their own unique characters.

Nigeria was not among them. Until now.

Continue reading Nigeria Gets Its Own Version of 'Sesame Street'

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Want Your Kid to Get Ahead? Learn From the Gorillas

Lenore Skenazy — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Research Reveals: Big Kids

Well, I'll be a monkey's ... playmate, I guess. Turns out a common primate pastime is for one gorilla to sneak up, hit another gorilla, then run and hide.

Which sounds extremely familiar.

Yes, scientists have come to the conclusion that gorillas play tag. They -- the humans, that is -- studied the game being played in six different gorilla colonies, which just goes to the desire to get out there and play is so deep, it's actually pre-human.

And yet, our kids aren't playing as much any more. Oh, they go to soccer clinics and karate class, and before that, they scramble under the parachute at Mommy and Me and You and Anyone Else with an Extra $360 to Spend on 12 weeks of Doing the Stuff Kids Used to Do at Home for Free class. But the time kids spend just goofing around is eroding, and that is a crisis right up there with the erosion of the rain forest, says Susan Linn, author of, "The Case for Make Believe."

In both instances, a crucial natural resource is disappearing.

Continue reading Want Your Kid to Get Ahead? Learn From the Gorillas

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