HaltonParents

My Dream Life

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Halton Guest Blogger

Growing up, I always imagined my life as a parent being just like Samantha’s from Bewitched. (I know I am really dating myself here; many of you reading this probably don’t even know who I am talking about.) So let me set the stage.

The camera zooms in on beautifully dressed Samantha, gliding across the wall-to-wall carpeted floor with her also beautifully dressed young daughter, Tabatha, in her arms. She eagerly greets her husband at the end of his tiring day. A piping hot dinner served on fine China awaits him in the formal dining room. Sweet, compliant Tabatha somehow magically disappears from the scene, apparently having toddled off to bed on her own, leaving her parents to chat and enjoy their meal undisturbed. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Pregnancy, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged chaos, child development, expectations, Mental Health, parenthood, parenting advice, parenting wisdom, postpartum, school, stress, surviving parenthood | Leave a comment

Is it normal for babies to cry?

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Anna West

My first baby cried… a lot. As a new mother, I wondered if this was normal. I asked my mother, midwife, friends and the Public Health Nurse and they all reassured me it was. My daughter cried many times during the day; she would often cry in the evening, and in the middle of the night. She breastfed frequently and wanted to be held or cuddled almost all the time. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Play, Growth & Development for Babies, Pregnancy, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged attachment, babies, baby, babywearing, colic, cry, crying, cues, new moms, new parents, newborn, stress, temperament | 5 Comments

Eye See…Eye Learn

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Karen Hay, RN

I have something very exciting to share with you. I was absolutely thrilled when I learned of this incredible free health program. It is called Eye See Eye Learn.

Let me tell you a bit about the program. Children who participate in Eye See Eye Learn receive a free comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist (covered annually by OHIP) and a free pair of high quality eyeglasses should they require them. This program is currently available to all students in Junior Kindergarten in Halton Region.
Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Children & Tweens with Special Needs, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Preparing for Kindergarten, Toddlers & Preschoolers with Special Needs | Tagged children, eye exam, eye see eye learn, eyesight, focus, glasses, growth and develpment, health, JK, optometrist, Physical Health, Preparing for Kindergarten, reading, school health, Services, skills, special needs, vision | 5 Comments

Toilet Learning Will Happen When it Happens

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Paula D'Orazio

I’m a preschool public health nurse and have access to every bit of information, resources, tips, best practices and advice on “toilet learning” that anyone could ever want. [“Toilet learning” is the new way of saying “toilet training” because developmentally, it is the child doing the “learning” rather than the parent doing the “training”].

I facilitate workshops about it (and many other parenting topics). I write about it. I talk about it with parents of toddlers and preschoolers every day; sharing the encyclopedia of knowledge on the topic that I have constantly sitting (more like festering) at the front of my brain. Continue reading →

Posted in Parenting, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Preparing for Kindergarten, Toddlers & Preschoolers, Toddlers & Preschoolers with Special Needs | Tagged baby, child, child development, children, development, emotional health, emotional readiness, families, potty training, toilet learning, toilet training | 6 Comments

Keeping Kids Healthy During Flu Season

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Joan Joyner

Well the first day of fall has come and gone, and most of us have settled back into our regular routines. For many of us that means kids are back in school or child care. Wherever they are, they are sure to be around lots of other kids and that gets parents thinking: