Hip, unique boys clothes

Organic baby clothing

Attention Seeking

• Teach your children how to tell if something is important enough to warrant an interruption.
• Don’t answer your toddler’s question when she interrupts–this only reinforces the habit.
• Teach your child to gently squeeze your arm if she wants your attention when you’re talking to someone else.
• Put together a box of activities or games specifically for when you’re busy and can’t be interrupted.
• Praise your toddler for using good manners, such as saying “excuse me” when she wants your attention.

Acting Out

• Teach your child how to deal with frustration before an incident occurs using techniques such as role-play.
• Give more attention to the injured child rather than the one who did the hitting.
• Teach your child positive touch, such as how to hold hands or give a back rub.
• Tell your child to clap his hands whenever he feels an urge to hit–this gives him an outlet for his emotions.
• If you have a child who has trouble controlling his physical acts, avoid wrestling and other physical play at home.

Teaching Your Child

• Infants and toddlers are testing their environment when they drop a toy or splash water–help encourage play as a voyage of discovery.
• Don't get impatient when your child dawdles–be prepared to stop and examine anything that captures her interest.
• The best way for children to learn is by doing things, not by being told about them. Hands-on experiences are key to development.
• Spend time outdoors and make a point of narrating your world for your child.
• Foster respect for the environment from day one. Teach your child not to litter–if you see trash on the ground, pick it up and carry it with you until it can be thrown away.

Toddler Friendships

• Even infants interact, so it’s important to expose your child to other kids early on.
• Check out libraries or community centers for mom and baby programs or drop-ins.
• The 18-month mark is typically when altercations begin to arise in your toddler’s early friendships.
• Teach your toddler to have a voice and to communicate instead of just rescuing her from problems during play dates.
• Hitting and other aggressive behavior is often a sign that toddlers are trying to connect–the best thing is to redirect them toward cooperative play, such as building a fort together.

Reading to Baby

• The earlier babies are exposed to reading, the better they perform in school.
• Babies have short attention spans, so start by reading for 10 to 15 minutes once or twice a day.
• At four and five months, babies like to look at images they're familiar with, such as other babies, animals and basic objects.
• Board books are best until age one, as paper books tend to get chewed and torn.