HaltonParents

So your teen wants to start dating. What every parent should do.

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

You knew this day would come…the day that your teen wants to start dating. With your years of dating wisdom many things pop into your head, including “WHY?” Or maybe “WHY so SOON?” You want to shout out “Not yet! Enjoy these years! Just go out with friends! Have fun!” But your teen wants what they want. Their heart is filled with emotion and excitement. Take a deep breath! Rest assured that dating is a completely normal part of the teen years.

Now what’s a parent to do?

You’ve had the puberty “talk”… (check!)

You’ve set appropriate boundaries, including:

WHO are you going out with (check!)
WHERE are you going (check!)
WHEN will you be home (check!)
HOW are you getting there and back (check!)

But let me ask you this? Have you had the “relationship” talk? Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged abusive relationships, dating, healthy relationships, how to talk to teen, Mental Health, open communication, parenting teens, Physical Health, relationships, support, teens, unhealthy relationships | Leave a comment

Help! What happened to my milk supply?

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Carolyn Wilkie, RN

Myth or Fact? A mother’s breasts will change once her milk supply is established.

Did you guess fact? If so, you are right in many ways. Let’s chat about it. Shortly after giving birth, when your mature milk arrived, you may have been feeling like Dolly Parton’s twin! But now, 6-12 weeks later, you might be wondering what happened, and more importantly, questioning if you have lost your milk supply!

Don’t worry you’re not alone. It’s common for moms to have supply questions around this postpartum time. A lot has happened since you delivered your baby. You may have noticed your breasts don’t feel as full. Perhaps they are even soft. Or, when you pump, not a lot of milk comes out, or your breasts no longer leak. (Hooray, less laundry for you!) This does not mean you don’t have enough. Surprisingly, milk is produced fastest when the breasts feel empty! It is now that your body is producing the perfect amount of breast milk for Junior to enjoy. At times, babies will cluster feed in the evenings this is also normal. These frequent feeds cue our bodies to produce a steady milk supply. Really, our bodies are that smart! Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Parenting | Tagged babies, breastfeed, breastfeeding a newborn, Breastfeeding Your Baby, enough milk, milk supply, newborn, postpartum | 2 Comments

Love Yourself: It’s Contagious!

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Paula D'Orazio

Did you ever notice when you board a plane that the flight attendant gives directions on what to do in case of a loss in cabin pressure? Parents are instructed to secure their own oxygen mask before putting masks on their children. Did you ever stop and think about what those directions mean? Parents first; kids next.

Parents first…hmmm. We accept it, no questions asked, on a plane – so why not so much in our daily lives?

Maybe it’s because it just feels wrong to put our kids anywhere other than the #1 place in our minds. But let’s think about it for a minute. Maybe by putting yourself first you are actually placing your kids in the top spot. Look at these examples…as parents: Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Pregnancy, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged grandparents, love yourself, Mental Health, parent role model, Parent self care, parent self love, parents first, Physical Health, special needs, teach kids self care, teach kids self love, teach kids self respect | 2 Comments

Crying came naturally to my first born

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Carolyn Wilkie, RN

Suddenly I could hear the car radio clearly for the first time in months. I glanced back with hesitation not wanting to disrupt this new found peace: he was awake, but not crying. This was a small miracle. My son cried for most of his first few months of his life.

His crying bouts seemed longer and more intense than other babies his age. As new parents we tried everything to soothe him, but nothing seemed to work. Could a red-faced, wailing baby with tightly-clenched fists and knees tucked into his belly really be healthy? I would often debate this with my husband during the nightly crying episodes. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Babies with Special Needs, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Depression & Anxiety After Birth, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Play, Growth & Development for Babies, Pregnancy | Tagged colic, colicky baby, comforting crying baby, comforting your baby, crying baby, inconsolable, inconsolable baby, inconsolable crying, Mental Health, special needs, understanding crying baby | 3 Comments

‘Tis the SNEEZIN’: Prevent the spread of the FLU

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Paula D'Orazio

A pomegranate seed on my kitchen window sill. Yet another example of how my family learns life lessons in our own, strange ways. This is the story of how a tiny, pink seed taught my kids the importance of covering your sneeze.

My kids and I were enjoying pomegranates one Saturday afternoon. We were just hanging out, having a healthy snack together. There was certainly no “prevent the spread of infection” teachable moment scheduled for that particular day. That was about to change. Continue reading →