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Crate Training A Puppy Or Adult Dog Many people, who unfortunately misunderstand the concept of good crate training, believe that crating a dog for any length of time is cruel and they refuse to even consider it. In fact, a crate really is a wonderful tool when used correctly. Crate training can be fun for the puppy if you make it a POSITIVE experience. I firmly believe it to be the fastest and easiest way to potty train a puppy or even an adult, previously untrained dog. Have a Great Vacation and Save Money At The Same Time Could you, your spouse, and your family really do with a vacation to recharge your batteries? How about taking them on a trip to Europe? Or maybe Mexico? Or if you live in Chicago or Boston or Buffalo (or anywhere with cold winters), how does enjoying some quality time together in the Florida sun sound? Learning To Manage Your New Life When you’re a new mother, life can seem overwhelming. Your life is full of new responsibilities, yet the old ones haven’t gone away. This is a period of adjustment, so recognize it as such. Here are some ideas to help you cope with this transition period, and create the life you envision. First, set your priorities. There will be many days when you just can’t get everything done, so know in advance which things carry the most importance. Care of your baby is, of course, t... Why Taking Care Of Mommy Is So Important It’s a novel concept, isn’t it; somebody taking care of you? Well, that somebody ultimately has to be you, and I know how it is, you’re way too busy taking care of everybody else to give yourself any time. But, let me tell you why you have to take care of yourself, and give you some ideas as to how to do accomplish this monumental feat. You’re the Mom – and if you’re out of commission, everybody suffers If you can’t manage to take care of yourself, for yourself, then take... Poisons In The Home As your baby starts to move around the house, it is extremely important that you protect her from the poisons routinely kept in the home. Here are some tips to help keep your child safe. Go through what you have and throw out what you don’t need Have an old box of lye around? You’re probably not ever going to use it, and it’s terribly dangerous, so get rid of it. Keep only the products you really use, so that there are fewer things to have to keep locked up. Keep thing... Separation Anxiety It’s tough to handle. One day, you have a perfectly happy, social baby, who knows no strangers. The next day, she won’t tolerate anyone but you. Sometimes, not even her father. It’s separation anxiety, and it is perfectly normal. And, it’s temporary, so no need to fret. Separation anxiety usually comes in two forms - daytime – meaning your child doesn’t like strangers and only wants you, and nighttime, when your child has restless sleep because of being separated from you.... When Your Child Is Old Enough To Be Sleeping Through The Night All The Sleeping Mistakes I’ve Made with My Children… I have three children, so I’ve made pretty much every mistake known to Mommies, except the fatal ones, as luckily, all three of mine are alive and well. But the biggest mistakes I’ve made have been in my daughter’s sleeping, or lack thereof, habits. So, let me tell you my story, and hopefully you won’t be destined to make the same mistakes I have. First, when she was very tiny, I let her fall asleep in bed with my hu... Childproofing Your Home One of the most important steps you can take to prepare for a baby is childproofing your home. Little hands will get into things you never even thought of, so being prepared is critical to your child’s safety. Here are some areas of your home that need attention to get you started on your childproofing project. · Electrical Outlets – You can buy inexpensive covers to keep little fingers out of your outlets, or simply put a piece of furniture in front of them. · Cords – ... Dealing With Fevers And Colds When your baby has a fever or cold, your first urge is to run right to the pediatrician. But, mild colds and fevers are common, and often don’t require a visit to the doctor, just some at home management. Here are some techniques to help manage colds and fever at home, and some information to help you know when to call the doctor. First, most doctors don’t consider a fever under 100°F a fever at all, unless your baby is under two months old, in which case you should seek ... Teething Without Biting Your Nails For some babies, teething is a simple affair, with few noticeable side effects. For others, it takes months of pain and anguish to get those first teeth to pop in. Here is some information to help you get through the teething stage, without spending too much time biting your nails. When will it happen? Well, that largely depends on when it happened for you and your husband. The timing of the appearance of that first tooth is largely hereditary. The average age is about se... Visiting With The Pediatrician – What To Expect In the first year of your baby’s life, you will be visiting your pediatrician about every other month, for well check ups and immunizations. Here’s a rundown of how those visits go, and approximately how often you’ll need to visit. Two week visit Some doctors schedule a visit earlier than two weeks, but most pediatricians begin at the two week mark. Your baby’s weight, length and head circumference will be measured, and you can expect this at every well baby checkup duri... Transitioning From Bassinet To Crib If your baby has been sleeping in your room in a bassinet, you may have some concerns about moving her to her own room and her crib. But, don’t worry; you will probably both sleep better once the transition is complete. Most babies are ready to move to the crib at around six to eight weeks of age, or whenever he is sleeping for longer periods during the night. Be prepared that the crib might feel a bit large to the baby who has been accustomed to a bassinet, but the trans... SIDS - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – What You Need To Know Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a frightening fear for most mothers. SIDS is often referred to as crib death, and is the sudden death of an infant who stops breathing. It is rare, affecting less than 2 in 1000 infants in the US, but the fear of it plagues all new mothers. Who needs to be worried? SIDS was once thought of as random, striking healthy babies, which made it all the more frightening. But, in reality, there are some things that can indicate that a baby i... Dealing With Colic Without Losing Your Mind For a brand new mommy, or even a seasoned one, dealing with a colicky baby can be overwhelming. The constant crying is heartbreaking and nerve wracking, and leaves you with a sense of helplessness. But don’t lose heart; the only good thing I can tell you about colic is that it’s temporary. Here are a few ideas to keep you going. First – Be sure it’s really colic. If you haven’t had the little one checked out by a doctor, do so. Sometimes what’s written off as colic is real...