In a joint family, every member takes their turn to nurture and nourish the child. Joint families are a boon to working parents or otherwise too. Children get to learn to respond and interact with others, adapt to changes and people. Raising a child in a joint family also becomes a bit easier on the mother because of the whole support system. Like every coin has two sides, bringing up a child in a joint family also has its own set of pros and cons. <ul><li>A joint family has too many authoritative figures which usually can give contradicting signals to a child. In a joint family, the same message should come from all the adults in the family. If jumping on the bed is not allowed, then the same message should come from both parents and grandparents.</li><li>It Is given that the parenting styles of grandparents and parents are going to differ. And when the differences arise, children are quick to catch those. So whenever you feel conflicts arising, it is better to sit down and talk about the differences when the child is NOT around. Set ground rules about raising your child.</li><li>In a joint family, a child learns good family values from the elder family members.</li><li>Children in a joint family are less hooked on gadgets as everyone in the family is ready to cater to their needs, be it emotional, social, physical, or in academics.</li><li>Making decisions for a child might get conflicting in the joint families as the grandparents tend to impose their thoughts and opinions. Sure, at times the help and insights are great but at the end of the day, it is solely the right of parents to decide the best for their child.</li></ul> In the end, it is up to parents to weigh the pros and cons of raising a child in joint and nuclear families and then decide what’s best for their child(ren).

A joint family is a large family where the grandparents, father, mother, uncle, aunt and their children live unitedly under one roof.

Parenting in a Joint Family | Types of Family

A joint family is a large family where the grandparents, father, mother, uncle, aunt and their children live unitedly under one roof.

Parenting in a Joint Family

<h2>Here are the quick tips on How to tell a joke to kids.</h2> <h2>Remember, Jokes aren’t funny unless you tell them in a funny way. Read on to know more quick tips.</h2> <ul><li>Believe in the joke you are telling - If you think it's funny, kids are more likely to agree.</li><li>Relax - If you feel awkward, so will the kids.</li><li>Vary your voice - Monotone speech makes the joke boring.</li><li>Signal the punchline - A little pause adds to the suspense.</li><li>If they don't laugh, give up - Desperation isn't funny.</li><li>Believe in the joke you are telling - If you think it's funny, kids are more likely to agree.</li></ul>

Jokes aren’t funny unless you tell it in a funny way. Read on to know more quick tips

How to tell a joke to children that makes them laugh

Jokes aren’t funny unless you tell it in a funny way. Read on to know more quick tips

Following are a few tips to keep in mind while you babyproof the house: <ol><li>Keep the bathrooms locked at all times.</li><li>Lock and hasp on doors in rooms and bathrooms should be shifted up (at the height of an adult’s head).</li><li>Keep the cribs at the lowest height because as children advance developmentally, they tend to launch themselves out of the crib.</li><li>Change the positions of electrical boards, keep them high so that they are out of a child’s reach.</li><li>Check the sharp corners and cover them with soft rubber. Stick rubber cover at the corners of kitchen tables, beds, dining tables and TV units.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>If you are living in a double storied house, fix a small door on the staircase. This will ensure the baby doesn't crawl and climb up.</li><li>If the child is using a walker make sure there is no bump or slope on the floor.</li><li>Keep the heavy objects, sharp objects, glass objects and such hazardous objects out of reach of the child.</li><li>Keep the use of rugs at a minimum as children tend to slip because of them. If you do use rugs, put non-slip pads beneath them.</li><li>Unplug all electrical appliances when not in use.</li><li>Put all the sharp objects of the kitchen in cupboards.</li><li>Remove table cloths if any.</li><li>Install safety guards on windows and doors.</li><li>Make sure there's no water spilt anywhere in the house.</li><li>Do not paint or renovate the house immediately after the baby arrives home. The chemicals are harmful to the baby. Wait a few years and then make the required changes.</li></ol>

Children are curious by nature and they will explore everything you have in the house. So it's better to keep a check on all the things you have in the house before the baby arrives.

How to baby proof your house: 15 baby proofing tips 

Children are curious by nature and they will explore everything you have in the house. So it's better to keep a check on all the things you have in the house before the baby arrives.

15 Tips to baby proof your house

A few things said in haste messes up a child's brain and have a considerable impact psychologically, like low self-confidence, self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and so much more. Throughout your parenting journey, make sure you are not saying things or acting out in a way that could damage your child(ren) mentally. Sometimes parents are not aware that their actions affect their child(ren) negatively, and sometimes parents overlook it and justify their bad behaviour due to their stress. Here are a few practices which you should avoid telling your child(ren): Pick these up right now. I don't want you leaving a mess like that again.Instead, say:&nbsp;I don't like this mess you are leaving. Can you please clean this up when you have time? You should know better.Instead, say:&nbsp;It's OK not to know some things. Here, I will help you out. You're a bad kid.Instead, say:&nbsp;Can you tell me why you behaved/acted in such a way? I feel it wasn't right, is there anything you want to talk about? Or Else.&nbsp;Example: Eat dinner, or else you won't get your dessert.Instead, say:&nbsp;How about you take a healthy dinner quickly so that we can all enjoy dessert together?&nbsp; Stop being shy.Instead, say:&nbsp;You can come to say hi to your aunt when you are ready. You should set a good example for your brother.Instead, say:&nbsp;Your brother looks up to you; you're such a good role model. Wait until your father/mother gets home.Instead, say:&nbsp;You're grounded because you said a bad word. I will never forgive you.Instead, say:&nbsp;What you did was not acceptable, but we can look past it and move on if you think the next time. I'm ashamed of you.Instead, say:&nbsp;Although I feel bad about what you did, I love you for who you are. Don't worry; everything will be OK.Instead, say:&nbsp;Mom and Dad are always nearby, and we're going to set up a plan in case of emergency. Here, I'll do it.Instead, say:&nbsp;Let's do it together!" Don't cryInstead, say:&nbsp;I know you're sad, and it's OK to cry. It's OK to let out your emotions. Let me hug you. If you don't clean your room, you're going to be in big trouble.Instead, say:&nbsp;When your room is clean, then you may go out to play. Family finances aren't your business.Instead, say:&nbsp;Finances are how we make and manage money, and when you like, we will teach you what we know. I'm disappointed in you.Instead, say:&nbsp;I'm surprised and was not expecting this to occur. Come here, NOW.Instead, say:&nbsp;It's almost time to go. Do you want one minute or two? Because I said so.Instead, say:&nbsp;Explaining why you feel a certain way about something. We can't afford that.Instead, say:&nbsp;We're not going to buy that because we're saving our money for more important things. Don't talk to strangers.Instead, say:&nbsp;What would you do if a man you don't know offers you candy and a ride home? OR If anyone makes you feel sad, scared, or confused, you need to tell me right away. You should listen to adults.Instead, say:&nbsp;You need to listen to your parents. Don't be greedy!Instead, say:&nbsp;Would you please be kind and share your toys with your friend? Who taught you this? (about mischief)Instead, say:&nbsp;Why did you do that? Look at this lovely girl.Instead, say:&nbsp;I love you. You can do this too. I do everything for you.Instead, say:&nbsp;We do things for you because we love you, so please do for me. Do I have to tell you this 100 times?Instead, say:&nbsp;I've told you this before, but could you please. That's only for boys/girls.Instead:&nbsp;Say nothing at all. Try your best at raising gender-neutral children. You live under my roof, so you follow my rules.Instead, say:&nbsp;You know the household rules. Please stick to them. That's how I was raised.Instead, say:&nbsp;I don't think it's a good idea to do [ ]. Even my parents used to tell me that [ ]. You're just like your mother/father!Instead say:&nbsp;I’m not happy with [ ] because [ ]. I told you so.Instead, say:&nbsp;I'm sorry to hear about [ ] ... let this be a lesson. It's just a little white lie.Instead, explain to them that it's OK to use white lies to be polite and not hurt someone's feelings. Explain to them the fine line between lies and little white lies. Man up. / Be a man.Never disregard your son's feelings. Don't teach them that showing emotions is weak. To show emotions is only human. Why can't you be more like your sister?Instead, say:&nbsp;I don't quite like this behaviour of yours. Do you think we can work on it? If you loved me, you wouldn't do (this/that).Don't teach them that love needs to be proven all the time. Love comes without ifs and buts. I wish you'd never been born. / I hate you.No matter how angry you are, this is the worst thing to say. You would be scarring your child. Why can't you do anything right?Instead, say: What's the barrier? Is there anything I can help you with? I don't believe you.Instead, say: This comes as a shock for me. But I am sure you can tell me the whole thing. There's nothing to be afraid of.Instead, say:&nbsp;Everyone has their fair share of fears. We appreciate that you shared your feelings with us. We promise we will work on this together. You're lazy/stupid/selfish.Never label your child. Never. Your friends don't do that.Comparison will never bring any positive change. Accept your child for who they are and appreciate them. You should have done better.Praise them for their achievement. Do not over expect. You don't know what you're talking about. / You're too young to know what you want.Often children know what they want or how they feel. Saying this will show your distrust in their feelings. You'll never be able to do that.Instead, encourage and push your child to do better, of course, without any comparison. You're so fat/skinny, or You're going to get fat/skinny.Never attribute a child's identity to their looks. You make me so mad.Calm your anger down, and then talk to your child(ren).&nbsp;Instead, say:&nbsp;We will talk about this after a while when I am in the right state of my mind. Impact of such phrases on children:<ol><li>Antisocial behaviour</li><li>Poor resilience</li><li>Depression</li><li>Aggression</li><li>Lack of empathy</li><li>Difficulty in relationships</li><li>Self-doubt</li><li>Lack of self-confidence</li><li>Anxiety</li></ol>

A few things said in haste messes up a child's brain and have a considerable impact psychologically, like low self-confidence, self-doubt, anxiety and so on

Speaking Gently: Things you should never say to your child

A few things said in haste messes up a child’s brain and have a huge impact psychologically.

Things You Should Never Say to Your Child

Are there any psychological effects on children watching cartoons on TV or mobile?Cartoons are the most popular entertainment for children. Earlier children would spend time outside playing with their friends, compared to now where they choose to spend time in front of the TV, watching their favourite Cartoons for hours. Ever since the emergence of the cartoon industry, it has been noted that watching cartoons can have both negative as well as positive impacts on a child's psychological growth along with their physical growth. Positive Impacts:<ol><li>Early Education: Preschoolers can get help to learn alphabets, shapes, numbers, and colours while watching TV. Undoubtedly, television can be an excellent educator and entertainer. The moving, talking pictures and colourful visuals make learning interesting and fun for kids.</li><li>Cognitive development:&nbsp;Watching TV and cartoon can help in the development of cognitive skills in kids. Skills such as logic and reasoning ability, visual and auditory processing, and sustained and selective attention of a child are developed and enhanced in kids.</li><li>Linguistic skills:&nbsp;Watching cartoons in different languages can assist children in not just learning different languages but can also help them improve their pronunciation and their manner of talking.</li><li>Creativity:&nbsp;watching cartoons enhances creative thinking in children. They may start thinking of new creative ideas like stories, characters, situations, etc on basis of cartoons they watch.</li><li>Morals and Culture:&nbsp;Mythological cartoons can introduce children to their religion and culture. Many cartoons end with good lessons of morals like kindness, caring and compassion.</li></ol> Negative Impacts:<ol><li>Violent Behavior:&nbsp;Kids who watch violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behaviour and also may fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them. Also Because Cartoon characters display no more than little harm during violent scenes, children may believe that no one gets hurt or feels pain since cartoons escape unscathed after experiencing violence or an accident.</li><li>Less-empathetic behaviour:&nbsp;Few cartoons characters display a lack of empathy and rude/ disobedient behaviour towards others. Kids might mimic this behaviour and challenge their elders when they are disciplined for bad behaviour.</li><li>Rough Language:&nbsp;Few cartoon characters make use of rough language, as a result of which children begin to use foul/ rough language in their day to day life.</li><li>Anti-social behaviour:&nbsp;Several cartoons encourage antisocial behaviour and give wrong messages to kids. Cartoon characters often display risky behaviour, such as smoking and drinking, and may also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes. These can affect a kid's behaviour and make them believe it is normal to be aggressive, spoiled, or violent. cartoons may be the reason for many children to even become bullies in schools.</li><li>Health Issues:&nbsp;Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours a day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. They watch cartoons even when they eat because many parents believe it gets easier to feed babies watching television. Health issues arising due to sedentary lifestyle and inactivity for hours include obesity, vision problems, and nutritional deficiencies due to bad food habits.</li><li>Role models:&nbsp;From a very young age children start to mimic their role models. A role model is someone who either inspires and motivates the kids or discourages and admonish them, thereby shaping their character and personality as adults. Children often idolize their favourite cartoon character which could be Often a misleading role model that encourages the wrong habits or displays insensitive behaviour towards others. This kind of impact of cartoons on children’s psychology can often lead to devastating outcomes and result in kids being withdrawn, uncommunicative, antisocial, or unruly.</li></ol> Tips for parents: <ul><li>To make cartoons a healthy entertainment and a good and effective source of learning for kids, parents should pay more attention to providing selected cartoons to their kids that could positively influence them.</li><li>Parents must control the time children spend watching TV. They can choose appropriate cartoons for their kids. It would be better if parents also regularly watch and discuss the characters of cartoons with children. This way they will not only keep their kids away from violence but also direct them to different activities.</li><li>Lastly, it is recommended for parents to avoid placing their kids in front of screens while they’re eating.</li><li>Let's protect kids from the negative impact of Television media! Because healthy kids mean a healthy future!</li></ul>

Watching cartoons programs had a significant effect on the behaviour of children. Cartoons can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive and behavioural development.

Influence of watching cartoons on children

Watching cartoons can both negatively and positively influence children. Along with being the best educator, Watching TV can surely encourage children to become aggressive and violent. Hence, the cartoon industry is believed to influence a child's brain as well as physical development.

<ul><li>Stubbornness is a quality that everyone has. We use it as and when required. So when a child is stubborn, the child has their views where (s)he is stuck up firmly. It means they don’t want to listen to others; they have their criteria and want to follow them. They are at an age where they want to try and explore what they feel is correct.</li></ul> <ul><li>Let's take an example of food; food is a topic where most parents find it challenging to handle their child. As a parent, we want them to eat healthy and nutritious food whereas they want to eat junk food like pizza and pasta.</li></ul> <ul><li>One of the methods to deal with stubbornness is negotiation. We can negotiate with them. For example, you can tell them that if they want to eat junk food, they can have it once a week, and the rest of the days, they will have to follow your schedule. But then let them decide which day they want. You don’t dictate the day for them. Give them the liberty to select the day and the kind of junk food they prefer. Let it be homemade, preferably. Once in a while, you can take them to dine out as well. As a parent, we know all the pros and cons of the situation, but they don’t. They learn by trial and error method, and they tend to get distracted as well. You can always have limited control over your choices if you are too distracted.</li></ul> <ul><li>But when it comes to academics, negotiation may not work always. Like a child can come up with, “I don't want to study now”. “I will do this on my time.” “In such cases, we can’t allow them because we know that time is running out. So for this, we can help them create a timetable, where primarily they have to create the timetable, and you have to stay around helping them. Keep in mind that timetable is not a sure shot thing that will be followed thoroughly. It can be a trial and error method. But at least the children know the time boundaries, which will help them.</li></ul> <ul><li>The other important thing is that stubbornness doesn’t come alone; it brings misbehaviour hand in hand. When you know your child is stubborn and misbehaving, you can’t deliberately put them into any awkward condition. Could you not make them feel socially awkward? For example, if there are guests around and you force your child to greet them. The child might react in a way which might be humiliating to you also, by back answering, by disobeying, making a scene in front of the guests. As a mature adult, to avoid this, you can say, “There are guests around if you feel like just greet them.” And then leave it up to them. Don’t make it a compulsion. Could you give them the liberty of choice? At the same time, keep saying that what you would like them to do.</li></ul> <ul><li>Up to a certain extent, this will give them a choice of thought process, which will mellow them down and put them in strata where they will be able to make their choices. Once it might be unhealthy, but at a later stage, they will learn from their mistakes and become a better person compared to their stubborn behaviour.</li></ul> <ul><li>When you talk about stubbornness, it is also a lot about “Ego”. We all have an ego, and with maturity, we learn how to deal with it or overcome it. With children, they don’t have this filter. It is always a question about their ego, so they get stubborn at every point. They don’t know how to control this behaviour. So at times when you start to express stubborn behaviour in terms of commands, rules, or instructions, they feel that this is the only way a person can cope or deal with things. Irrespective of the situation, never behave stubbornly in front of them. Don’t stubbornly put your point. You can explain the reasons behind your instructions to help them understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.</li></ul> <ul><li>Give them options. Of course, they can’t keep doing things they like in their manner, but giving them multiple options and showing possibilities of ways of doing things, will solve the problem to a great extent.</li></ul> <ul><li>By giving multiple options, they will not feel stuck and feel the liberty of choosing their preferences, satisfying their ego, so it becomes easier to work with them.</li></ul>

All humans are stubborn, more or less. That does not mean you cannot teach your child to put their foot down and patiently listen to what the other person has to say.

Dealing with a stubborn child

Ravina Sewani

There is no specific age limit as to when a child should get his/her first haircut. However, in some cultures, such as in Hinduism, it is believed that a child should get the tonsure ("mundan" as it is called in the Hindu culture) done by the end of the first year. If you don't hold such beliefs, it does not matter if you get your child's first hair cut done at 2 months or 2 years. A few signs which will help you know when the child needs the first haircut:<ul><li>When hair starts to get in your baby’s eyes or is bothersome on his or her neck</li><li>When “fly-a-ways” on the sides start to look like wings</li><li>When the hair is making your child extremely irritated</li></ul> Tips to keep in mind BEFORE that first hair cut:<ol><li>Before you take your child for the first haircut, you should take him/her to your own hair appointments. This will make their fear go away and they will understand that getting a hair cut does not physically hurt.</li><li>Take an extra towel/shirt to the salon if in case your child does not want to wear the hair-cut cape.</li><li>Choose the time of the haircut wisely; it should not be your child's nap time or snack time or even playtime.</li><li>Going to a kid's salon is the best approach but if you cannot access a kid's salon, ask around and book an appointment with the stylist who is known to work with kids' haircuts.</li><li>Reach the salon 15 minutes before your appointment time, so your child gets accustomed to the environment. Do not reach very early as the wait will make your child cranky.</li><li>Kids salons usually have playthings and chocolates, lollipops, cars, books etc. to keep children distracted until their turn. If you are not going to a kid's salon, take your child's favourite toy or a book.</li></ol> Tips to have a smooth experience DURING the first haircut:<ol><li>Do not use the word "cut", use a less scary word like "style", "trim". Tell them, "We are going to get your hair styled".</li><li>If they refuse to sit in the styling chair, make them sit on your lap. This way they will be less scared as you would be with them.</li><li>If they have an elder sibling, schedule their haircut on the same way. Your child will get confidence by watching their sibling getting the haircut while they get theirs. If your child has no sibling, you can schedule any of your family member's haircut.</li><li>Do not lose your calm. If you panic, your child will take up the vibe and get even more uncomfortable. So remember to be relaxed at all times.</li></ol>

Convincing your child for the first haircut can be difficult. Nevertheless, you can make this easier.

Going for the first hair cut of your baby

Palak Vyas

Pacifier is something which is going to be there in your baby’s mouth for a long period so you want to be very sure about how and what to consider before buying one. <ul><li>Size: First things first, consider the size of the pacifier and the age of your baby. Pay attention to the recommended age bracket on each pacifier.</li></ul>Up to 6 months: small-sized pacifier6 to 18 months: medium-sized pacifier18 months and above: large-sized pacifier <ul><li>Construction: Pacifiers come in many varieties like single-piece, three-piece, stuffed animal, etc. With the 3 piece pacifier, make sure that any of the parts should not be lightly attached. They should be fixed properly to avoid any kind of choking hazard. Single piece pacifiers are the safest of all.</li></ul> <ul><li>Nipple material: There are two different materials available in the market.</li></ul> <ol><li>Silicone: This is easy to clean and is less prone to retain odours. They can be easily washed in dishwashers.</li><li>Latex: They are softer and are more flexible than silicone material but this material wears out faster. Usually, they are not dishwasher safe. If your baby is allergic to latex then you can either use natural rubber, non-latex or silicone ones.</li></ol>&nbsp;<ul><li>Guard type: There is a standard size as per the baby’s age and so you have to select accordingly. The guard prevents your baby from drawing the nipple into his/her mouth and choking while (s)he is using the pacifier. There are holes in the guard to allow air circulation between the guard and the baby’s face and prevent moisture rashes.</li></ul> <ul><li>Washable: It has to be easy to wash and sterile. Pacifiers must be dishwasher safe if possible.</li></ul> <ul><li>Use coloured pacifiers so that you can spot them easily.</li></ul>&nbsp;<ul><li>Don’t attach anything with your baby’s pacifier. Do not sugar coat it. Do not attach it to your baby’s body. Always keep it clean.</li></ul>

A pacifier is a rubber, plastic, or silicone nipple which is given to an infant to suck upon. It comes with a mouth shield to avoid the danger of swallowing it and choking up on it.

Selecting a pacifier for your baby

Waking up early is always a task but rather than making it a happy start we tend to begin with tantrums and add to the drama by yelling or pouring cold drops of water to pull the little ones out of the bed. Here are some of the ways that will help you to make a beautiful &amp; happy start in the morning:<ol><li>Identify the problem. If the child is not getting enough sleep at night this could be disturbing. Make sure the child gets at least 10 hours of sleep to begin with a happy morning and an active routine.</li><li>Instead of shouting let’s start with some music. Have a routine morning music, put it on for the entire family and let it be your sweet alarm. You can play favourite rhymes or audio books for the little one.</li><li>Take time to snuggle and hug the little one, hug them in bed instead of pulling them out, these little moments will have a lasting impact to set the morning routine.</li><li>Put your efforts in making your child sleep early rather than putting those efforts in waking them up.</li><li>Dim the lights, begin with bed time story and most importantly keep the phones and devices away from the bed.</li></ol>

Waking up early is always a task but rather than making it a happy start we tend to begin with tantrums.

Waking child up peacefully for school

Intolerance means the child is not able to share his/her space and get comfortable with other kids. You can try the following to improve the situation:<ul><li>Tell your child that you love them and just like you care for them, others will care for them too if they allow others in their space.</li><li>Keep a track of whether your child is being rude or abusive when their friends visit him/her or whether your child just walks away when friends visit. If your child is being rude or abusive, it is not acceptable. Tell them that being rude will have consequences.</li><li>But if they are just walking away, make your child greet and talk to their friend(s) and then walk away politely rather than walking away in an aggressive manner.</li><li>Intolerance may have psychological reasons as well. It may be because your child has trust issues due to a past experience or something else.</li><li>Observe their behaviour with everyone. Are they being intolerant of everyone or just of a single person? If it is everyone, you should get a clinical psychologist's help to tackle this behaviour. If it is just one person, the child might have had some bitter experience(s) with that particular person. Talk to your child to know the reason. If they don't give in, a psychologist can help you and your child.</li><li>The reason behind intolerance needs to be figured out at the earliest and a psychologist might be able to help you and your child in this matter.</li></ul>

Intolerance is not the same as possessiveness. It might have underlying reasons.

Child does not tolerate others

Samiksha Choithani

Parents should be able to understand about half of a child's speech by the age of 2 years and about three quarters at 3 years. Identify these signs to understand language or speech delay issues among children:<ul><li>by 2 years: the child says only certain sounds or words repeatedly and can't use oral language to communicate more than his or her immediate needs</li><li>by 2 years: can't follow simple directions</li><li>by 2 years: has an unusual tone of voice</li></ul>Parental involvement plays a major role in treating delayed language/speech problems. Some of these steps can encourage speech development among children:<ul><li>Spend more time in communicating with your child, talk, sing, use gestures and encourage your child to repeat the sounds or gestures.</li><li>Read stories or show pictures to your child; try and name them while the child looks at them. You can then move on to rhymes, sing loud and clear with proper lip movements.</li><li>Talk about everything in routine situations – like when you use a refrigerator tell that I am opening a refrigerator to get fruits/vegetables – name them and show it to the little one.</li><li>Try to talk to your child throughout the day, Point out objects and ask questions.</li></ul>If required meet a speech therapist, a therapist can help the child to pronounce words and sounds by strengthening the muscles of mouth and face.

Delayed speech can be treated with the help of a speech therapist. There is nothing to worry about much as every child achieves milestones at different times.

Delayed Speech Problems among children

As a parent you can follow following steps to successfully wean off your child of pacifiers: <ul><li>Step 1: Start by not having a pacifier handy throughout the day when they want one, it could be a little hard in the beginning but continue your efforts. Let others in the house as well as caregivers know that you are trying to wean off your child of pacifiers so they can support you.</li></ul> <ul><li>Step 2: Offer a comforting substitute such as a special toy, stuffed animal or blanket. At bed time, begin emphasising the need for the substituted object over the pacifier. For example: Where is your Bunny? Let’s get him to sleep with us.</li></ul> <ul><li>Step 3: Once they have successfully reduced the use of pacifier, introduce the idea to your child that now they are a big boy/girl. They don’t need a pacifier anymore and let’s give them to someone who needs- some little baby around or say some squirrel or birdie.</li></ul> <ul><li>Step 4: Use positive reinforcement, that is, by praising your child when he / she has successfully gone without pacifier.</li></ul> FUN FACT: Sucking is an instinct and sometimes occurs even before birth.

Pacifiers and milk bottles if not weaned off at the right age, can last up to many years.

Weaning off pacifiers and milk bottles

Many children are particular about not sharing their toys with others. This is because toys are the only things which they feel is their possession. And as they feel it’s their possession, they tend to not share them with people they do not know. They are reluctant to share their toys with unknown people because they are worried if someone might break them. Such a tendency is normal. But you can always teach them that sharing is caring. Help them understand that sharing is the first step towards new friendships. If your child does not share his/her toys even with the ones they know and trust, try to talk to them and understand the reason behind that. Explain to them that it is alright to share personal toys with the people they trust. If they share theirs, their friends will also share toys. This will result in more toys and more enjoyment. Do not force them to share their toys. They will take time and it is okay. Do not negatively inculcate anything in them. For example, never say “if you don’t share your toys, we will not buy more for you”.

Most kids are possessive by nature. Observe carefully where there possession ends.

Child does not share toys

Parameters for selecting baby wipes are branded or generic, scented or unscented, disposable or reusable. <ul><li>You can choose a generic product to be cost-effective if you are comfortable with it.</li><li>Some babies have highly sensitive skin. So for them, you can opt for unscented wipes and even reusable cloth wipes.</li><li>Before buying in bulk, it is recommended that first you try a handful of variety and decide for yourself which suits your child the best.</li><li>Baby wipes come in two different packaging. One is a plastic box and other is a pop up wipe box. The plastic box is refillable so it's more convenient. Go for the one you’re comfortable with.</li><li>Flush-able wipes are also available; you can directly flush them off.</li><li>You can also find reusable and disposable wipes. Disposable wipes are convenient and more sanitary. The reusable wipes are recommended for infants, newborn babies whose skin is very sensitive. This is an economical and eco-friendly option as well. You can experiment with both the types and depending upon the convenience and suitability of your child, you can use any.</li><li>Always read the ingredient list for the disposable wipes. Select alcohol-free and fragrance-free product.</li><li>Compare the sizes available and check which one is cost-effective and solves the purpose.</li><li>Do not reuse disposable wipes. Always moisten reusable cloth wipes with warm water and clean them thoroughly after use.</li></ul>

Baby wipes are wet cleaning clothes used for hygiene purposes. Buy wipes which are gentle on your baby's skin.

sibling insecurity parenting concern

Parenting issues are a part of the everyday parenting journey. Following article(s) might help you with your concern(s).

Dealing with a stubborn child

Going for the first hair cut of your baby

Selecting a pacifier for your baby

Waking child up peacefully for school

Child does not tolerate others

Delayed Speech Problems among children

Weaning off pacifiers and milk bottles

Child does not share toys

Selecting baby wipes for your child

More like this

Bee Suggestions

About Bee