All children should be seated in a suitable age-appropriate restraint when travelling in a car for their own safety. Recent changes to the law concerning child restraints will come into effect in many states from November 9, 2009. Do the new changes affect you and how your children currently travel? Read on to understand how the new law will impact on your family.
Queensland mum, Karren Sewell, understands what it's like to have a baby daughter who's spent most of her short life in hospital. Karren's daughter Jamie was born by emergency Caesarean at 39 weeks. On her first day of life, she had a colostomy bag put in place. She required heart surgery at three-and-a-half months. Read the full story on this little girl's fight for survival...
Febrile convulsions in young children are traumatic - and more common than you'd think. Here, first-aid trainer Michelle Fiddian explains why you need to be alert, not alarmed. This article is important for all parents to read.
Posted in:
safety,
toddler
Supervision alone could prevent many childhood accidents. Having said
that, accidents can happen in a split second and however diligent you
are, you only need turn away for a second for your kids to have an
accident. One thing that you can do is to make your children's
environment - indoors, outdoors and in the car - as safe as possible.
Night terrors, like many medical afflictions, have a curious history. Once thought to be devil possession, with exorcism as the "cure", they are now understood to be a common physical disorder affecting around five percent of children under the age of five.
It is said that as much as 65% of our neurological development occurs within the first year of life! In children, much of this development is stimulated from our environment, ie; play, movement, touch, inter-actions with others, sickness (cold etc) and emotional events. Unfortunately, our developmental processes do not filter what is good and what is not so good.
If you were to do a survey asking parents which meal they dreaded most, 'the dinner meal' would overwhelmingly be voted in at number one. By the end of the day everyone is tired, and the last thing you feel like doing is fighting over what food your precious little ones will or won’t eat! Here are some tips for making dinners a smoother process for all involved…
Did you know that six children are born each day in Australia with a Congenital Heart Disease/Defect (CHD) -making CHDs the most common of all birth defects and affecting one in every 100 babies? It is also a fact that there is no cure for CHDs - and its time to do something about it.
Bub Hub asked Brisbane homoeopath, Patricia Hatherly, if she could provide our readers with an insight into the conditions that homoeopaths could treat from pre-pregnancy through to childhood - all naturally! Here's our 'interview'...
Children are precious, and deserve the best start to life. By helping them to establish healthy eating habits early on, you can ensure that your children thrive, are energetic, have early protection from many illnesses (such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and tooth decay) and develop a positive association with food. There is no doubt that our relationship with food is formed early on, with parents and caregivers exerting a strong influence over these attitudes.
Just picture it... a balmy evening in the backyard, BBQ sizzling, kids playing happily and cool drink in hand. Perfect except for the whine of a dive bombing mosquito. Second only on the irritation ladder to the lone mosquito in the dark who won't let you get to sleep at night. Here's a few remedies for you to try!
With the wide variety of options available, finding and securing care for your child may seem like an insurmountable task and one of those jobs that's easier to keep putting off for another day. However, if you know when you are returning to employment and/or when you would like care to start, it's best to start the search early.
In the wake of her new book release, No Sweat Parenting, we invited author Renée Mill to share with us her thoughts on pressures that today's parents are experiencing and whether or not the load can be lightened.
Inevitably, every parent will face a stage in their child's life when they are not interested in eating. Why is your child not eating? Is he/she sick, jealous of a new baby, attention seeking, tired? There can be many factors, or it could be as simple as their growth pattern. Children's food needs vary depending on their rate of growth and level of physical activity.
'There's a monster under the bed, Mummy!' Waking up to hear your toddler screaming and thrashing around in bed is a scary experience but it's more than likely he's suffering from a night terror.
We all have beliefs and ideas about the way things should be. Buddhists believe that it is our attachment to these expectations that leads us to suffering - stress, disappointment, anxiety, anger and so on. If we can learn to let go of our expectations we are free to take each moment as it comes, to enjoy what we have got rather than focusing on what is missing or not happening.
That first sighting of a pearly speck in your baby's mouth is a much anticipated and much admired affair. But once the excitement of discovering your child's first tooth has died down, it's time to start the lifelong task of caring for them.
Tantrums. Fussing. Whining. - If you ask people to list the most frustrating and ongoing discipline problems during the early childhood years, you would find that these three items appear on every parent and care-givers list. Every child masters their own adaptation of these three behaviors - every parent has to deal with them - no one is exempt!
Want to give your kids a diet that meets their high nutritional demands and keeps them healthy? Well, what you don't give them to eat is just as important as what you do.
Children's parties can be fraught with tears and tantrums - to avoid last-minute panic, start planning about two months before the big day.
The first little smile and the heaven-sent gurgles of laughter that baby shares with us are truly magic moments in the early days of parenthood. But when does a baby chuckle start to develop into a true sense of humour?
In this modern era, we have no excuse for not having enough photos of our children and loved ones. In fact, so high tech are we these days that it is nearly impossible to buy even a mobile phone without an inbuilt camera and movie function. This alone means we should never have to miss a photo op if the need arises.
Birthday parties today can strike fear into the hearts of mortal parents. One merely needs to glance at the party section of Bub Hub or the classifieds of a local children's newspaper to see that the birthday party craze is in full swing. The decadent parties held for some children can make others of us feel, well, on the verge of a nervous breakdown!
With a shift towards "fresh is best", it is not unusual to see amongst the platters of party pies and snag rolls a scattering of fresh fruit and veggie platters. This is great...not only for the kids but, most importantly, for the adults who, on many occasions, may be doing back to back parties, especially if there is more than one child in the family.
Love, sex and the patter of little feet. One often leads to the other, but many couples find that it's difficult to keep all three going at the same time.
Set bedtimes, nutritious meals, a tidy home and polite children. There's no shortage of rules and regulations we know we ought to stick to in order to raise the perfect child. But how boring would a perfect child be? And how boring would us mums become in the process? Sometimes, it's okay to lower your standards, throw out the rule-book and let anarchy rule.
As parents we put enough pressure on ourselves to give our children the best possible start in life. Be it teaching them to sleep as a baby, or helping them learn to tie their own shoelaces as a toddler. Now, there's a new reading program from the United States (only in America!) that has us pondering our responsibilities even further.
A gifted child is not a 3 year old who invents relativity. The common myth of a gifted child is unrealistic and may do harm because it prevents so many people from accepting "giftedness" in gifted children they meet. So, if a gifted child isn't one who toddles about in nappies composing symphonies and inventing hyperspace travel, what is it?
Start teaching your baby sign language at six months and be able to communicate with them at nine. It may sound far-fetched but sign language in infants and toddlers has been proven to work.
Posted in:
toddler,
safety
When your child starts to play with other children they might get more than just improved social skills: nits, worms, sticky eyes, slapped cheeks - you name it, these minor ailments spread everywhere and can make life tricky for you and your little one.
Babies are demanding little creatures. They test us physically, mentally and emotionally. They provoke incredible joy, profound love, and astounding gratification, but they also trigger exasperation, frustration, anger, and anxiety. You may be unprepared for such an emotional ride. Here are seven ways to cope with the highs and the lows.
The age at which to start toilet training varies from child to child
and between boys and girls, although it is usually somewhere between 18
months and 3 years.
Is your child's ezcema the result of a food sensitivity or intolerance? Discover how some ezcema suffers are researching which foods trigger their ezcema and finding ezcema relief.
Children are a precious gift, so why not give them the best start in life to help protect them in their teenage years and well into their adult life? Well you can, simply by establishing healthy food habits when they are toddlers...
Teaching children to read is one thing; encouraging them to want to read is another. Obviously very young children can't read themselves, so reading to them each day is such an important first step. Why?...
Rachel sobbed uncontrollably, she had always wanted kids, her little daughter was fine but Toby was making her become the sort of mother she dreaded, too much like her own mum.
While the good news is that most children settle into child care without too much concern, there are some instances where little ones simply can't cope. Here are a few pointers on what to do about separation anxiety.
We've all been there: whether she's biting her best friend at playgroup, picking her nose at the park or throwing a humdinger of a tantie at the shops, there are times when you want to disown your toddler. Before you take that rather drastic step, however, here's some advice to help you erase bad behaviour - all without losing your temper, or your child.
Posted in:
toddler,
safety
With an overwhelming array of toys on offer - all promising to make your child the best they can be - how do you choose toys that are age appropriate, and above all SAFE for your child. Read our guide to the 5 S's of toy safety.
Teaching learn to swim to any age group follows certain basic principles. They include; water familiarisation, breath control, submersion, free floating, prolusion and breathing. It is important that these learn to swim principles are followed meticulously to maximise results. Tyring to force or hurry the learn-to-swim process will result in poor swimming skills.
Early motherhood is a demanding time both physically and emotionally. Finding time to exercise can be just as challenging. However, making time for exercise is of vital importance. Research has proven exercise to assist with weight loss, improved sense of wellbeing, decreased symptoms of depression, decreased pain and increased energy...
Did you hear the one about the baby with a sense of humour? From your baby's first smile to toddler giggles, there's something magical and healthy about laughter.
Eczema affects up to 30% of the Australian population at some time of life. Although there is no known cure for eczema, the condition can be controlled...
What are you like? You can probably tell where your toddler got his looks from. But just
where did he get that personality? Well, its in his genes, and the
right nurturing from you plays a big part, too. What might not be so clear, however, is how to get the very best from him - so here's a rough guide
As any parent will tell you, sleep is the all-important ingredient to a succesful family recipe, and not only for you but also for your baby and toddler. Sleep patterns will alter with each stage, but having a guide on what to do and what not to do will help you to manage and balance the changes, without tipping the scales. Read our A-To-Z Guide for all the helpful tips and hints.
Each year thousands of young children will suffer from some variety of gastroenteritis (gastro) - a bowel infection that results in diarrhoea and may also cause vomiting and fever. Gastro is caused by a number of different viruses and bacteria with the most common culprit of "gastro", particularly in young children, being a virus known as 'rotavirus'.
Asthma is common among Australian children with approximately 15% of children having currently diagnosed asthma. Effective treatments for controlling asthma and allergy symptoms are available. However, there are no cures, so prevention is an ideal approach.
Numerous speakers at the recent World Aquatic Babies Congress's Conference in Wellington, New Zealand, reinforced the many developmental benefits gained by infants and toddlers from 'swimming lessons'. The sensory-motor stimulation, particularly in such a weight-bearing medium, is enormous - and unique. Factor in the close bonding time with the parent(s) and interaction with others, and one can readily appreciate what a wonderful contribution the lessons can make to the little one's physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
Posted in:
dads,
toddler,
baby
Eleven month old Annabel is always on the go - climbing the stairs, pulling herself up onto the furniture and creeping into every available space in the house. Her busy body was exploring the world around her, saturating her senses, feeding her brain with lots of information from her eyes, ears, hands, feet, muscles and skin. While her movements may still be clumsy she is not only learning to move, but she is moving to learn.
We at the Bub Hub are making a concerted effort to match the large amount of resources we provide for parents and mums with specific stuff for the dads as well; from support from other dads in the forum, information and resources, to tipping competitions.
Posted in:
dads,
baby,
toddler
For My Child fatherhood expert, Sean Tonnet, a counsellor and father to one, with another on the way, active fathering is the key to having a more socially, emotionally and cognitively healthy child.
TV or no TV? ...That is the question many of us struggle with as soon as our infant/toddler reaches the unrelenting button-pushing stage. So is it ok to succumb to the TV option from time to time? How much should we allow? What types of programs should we choose and for which age bracket?
As exciting as discovering the next musical genius is, music and movement classes offer great developmental opportunities for all children.
One of the most frequent and it seems frustrating toilet training
enquiries received from parents is how to get their child to poo in the
toilet, instead of demanding a nappy be put on.
Posted in:
safety,
toddler
Our guide to creating a safe outdoor space for young children and babies, together with tips for wafer safety around kids and babies.
Posted in:
safety,
toddler
Making your home baby-safe is an important task. You'd be amazed at what little fingers can get themselves into, so use our handy checklist to ensure that you make inside your home as childproof as possible because you can't keep your eyes on them all the time!
Baby skin is particularly susceptible to sun damage, with research
having shown that infant skin is thinner and produces less melanin than
adult skin. Damage at a young age can have permanent, serious effects
and you should always take precautions to protect your child's skin. Read our top tips for sun protection for babies.
Mothers frequently complain that their partners, the fathers of their children, are not as involved as much as they would like. In this article, author, mother, wife and clinical psychologist, Renee Mills offers us great insight into what mothers can do to share the parenting load and save their sanity.
To help you to plan your next children's birthday bash, whether for a one year old or a 13 year old, we've put together a kids' party checklist to make it easier than whipping cream.
Baby Sign Language is a collection of easy to remember, simple gestures that hearing babies and toddlers can use to communicate with you long before they can speak. These babies and toddlers don't communicate in the verbal sense. Instead babies and toddles as young as 6 months use their hands as a way to temporarily bridge the communication gap.
As a parent, you become the prime candidate for channeling your child's play experiences in a way that is challenging and developmentally appropriate. Here are some key points regarding play behaviour to guide you in the process of enhancing your child's social and cognitive development.
Dealing with babies and children in the summer heat, in the backyard or at the beach can be an anxious time with creepy crawlies and flying insects aplenty. Follow our guide to Summer First Aid to make sure you know what to do.
Posted in:
safety,
toddler
Australia is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world
which at the same time can be the most treacherous which means it is
important to practice basic surf safety when hitting the beach with the
family.
Foods can cause a wide variety of reactions in children. A food allergy
can be life threatening in some rare cases but most reactions are less
severe. So what foods can cause allergies, what are the signs and what should you do if a reaction occurs?
Juice comes from fruit so it must be good for your baby, right? Well, no, it's a bit more complicated than that.
Mem Fox explains the importance of reading to your children and find out what Mem Fox's Ten read-aloud commandments are!
A beautiful smile showing beautiful teeth is what everybody wants, but caring for baby and toddler teeth
is not always an easy thing. Getting your child to eat the right thing
and then cleaning their teeth can be difficult, whilst getting them to
even open their mouth when they go to the dentist can be an achievement
in itself.
Looking forward to eating out with your child/ren? Would you like to make the experience as painless as possible? Read our top tips for successful restaurant dining with children 4 years and older.
Do you dream of being able to take your child out to a restaurant?
Would you like to make the experience as painless as possible?
Read our Top tips for restaurant dining with littlies.
There is an age of 'typical' fussy eating? Really? Yes, there is...
Somewhere between about 18 months and about 3 years most toddlers will
enter a fussy eating 'phase'.
It is very common to find that a child who is experiencing speech development difficulties also had feeding difficulties as a little one. The muscles that we use for chewing and preparing food have a taxing second job as muscles for speech.
Parents dream of their children being 'great eaters'. Few parents
realize that we often need to teach our children how to try new foods. New foods need to be offered 10-15 times...
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