HaltonParents

Parenting an introverted child

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

Minor hockey in our family was simply a ways to a means. And no, not a means to a budding NHL career, but a means to a play date – the after hockey play date!

I thought every child would squeal with delight at the prospect of continuing this day of fun together with their teammates at someone’s house, but while my son was always included in the invitations, rarely did he ever want to go. I just couldn’t understand why not and would worry that something was wrong with him.

My son never verbalized exactly why he didn’t want to go, only that he just didn’t want to. It wasn’t that he was shy, because when he was with his friends, he was always joined in and appeared to be having a great time. But still this mystified me; I worried that his not wanting to go to these noisy gatherings might cause him to lose friends, so I thought that this was a sign of something that I needed to keep an eye on. Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged celebrate, child, energy, extrovert, introvert, Mental Health, parent, Physical Health, preschoolers, shy | 2 Comments

Burns: Painful and Preventable

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Karen Hay, RN

Before shifting my focus to becoming a Public Health Nurse, I had the privilege of working as a pediatric nurse in children’s hospitals in Toronto and London, Ontario. What I enjoyed most about working in a hospital setting was being in the children’s emergency department, because I loved the quick pace and the opportunity to care for children and families in times of crisis.

As both a pediatric nurse and as a parent, I found burns to be one of the most distressing injuries for parents and children. You could almost tell by the shrill cry of a child coming through the emergency room doors that they had a burn. The panicked and scared look on a parent’s face also gave it away. These injuries happen in a flash and are very upsetting for everyone. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Children & Tweens with Special Needs, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Play, Growth & Development for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers, Toddlers & Preschoolers with Special Needs | Tagged babies, baby, burns, burns injury prevention, child, children, family, injury prevention, Keeping Your Baby Safe, kids, parenting prevents injuries, preschooler, preschoolers, preventing burns, Safety, scald, scald burns, scald injuries, school, toddler | Leave a comment

Water babies: Making your first trip to the pool a success

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Carolyn Wilkie, RN

It brings a smile to my face whenever I hear the “motorboat, motorboat, go so fast” song, because it takes me right back to my years as a swim teacher. I have always loved watching the “water magic” happen between parent and babe. If you’ve had a little one in swimming lessons, you’ll likely remember holding your baby close and spinning around to this very song! Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Play, Growth & Development for Babies | Tagged babies, baby, child development, drowning risk, injury prevention, outdoors with baby, swim lessons, swimming with baby | 1 Comment

Preparation! The key to a positive camp experience for your child with special needs.

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Karen Hay, RN

Deciding on the right camp for your child with special needs is the first step to having a positive camp experience. Now that you have done your research and selected the perfect camp, what’s next? How can you prepare your child for the best summer camp experience? Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Children & Tweens with Special Needs, Parenting, Teens, Teens With Special Needs | Tagged camp, child, children, differing abilities, family, kids, parents, prepare, prepare for camp, school, special needs | Leave a comment

A trip to the playground turned out to not be the “break” I was hoping for!

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Karen Hay, RN

One day several years ago now, this frazzled mom headed to a local playground with my two-year-old and 3-month-old in tow to let my toddler burn off some energy. I was feeling like Zombie-Mom, existing on just a few hours of sleep most nights. Letting my oldest daughter run, jump, climb and play for the morning was my secret plan to get her to have a long afternoon nap so I might also catch a few winks myself.

While I was drinking my coffee, I saw a sign nearby that read, “Play equipment not intended for children under the age of 3.” I thought about this for a moment as I looked around and saw that there were plenty of other kids her age running about and screaming with delight that morning. It all seemed pretty harmless. And besides, I needed a break! Continue reading →