Advice for Dealing with Defiant Kindergartners

Defiance: Why it happens and what to do about it
by Karen Miles Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

Why kindergartners defy their parents
http://www.babycenter.com/0_defiance-why-it-happens-and-what-to-do-about-it_66564.bc

Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency

When a Parent’s ‘I Love You’ Means ‘Do as I Say’

This article explores new research about "conditional parenting". I found it interesting and wanted to share it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/health/15mind.html?em

Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency

Children's Museums & Other Attractions for Family Fun in Connecticut

A list of local museums, performance arts centers and other attractions for the children in the Fairfield County and surrounding areas in CT. You may also want your nanny to visit some of these attractions with your children. Enjoy!

MUSEUMS/ATTRACTIONS

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 950 Trout Brook Drive, West Hartford, CT (860) 231-2824 http://www.thechildrensmuseumct.org/ A one-of-a-kind science and nature museum providing rich learning experiences through hands-on exhibits, over 100 live animals, digital planetarium shows, science demonstrations and a variety of educational programs. We feature the only science-based preschool in CT and the Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton.

COCO KEY WATER RESORT Holiday Inn, 3580 East Main St., Waterbury, CT (203) 706-1000 http://www.cocokeywaterresort.com/ A real Key Water adventure. From the thrilling Shark Slam, Gator Gush and Barracuda Blast water slides, to the Coral Reef Cavern activity pool, Dip in Theatre, Coconut Grove adventure river, Palm Grotto indoor/outdoor spa, Parrot Perch’s interactive play island, Pizza Hut Express and snack bar, there is something for everyone!

THE DISCOVERY MUSEUM 4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT (203) 372-3521 http://www.discoverymuseum.org/ A hands-on, brains-on interactive museum for kids of all ages, located on the Fairfield/Bridgeport border. The museum offers exciting exhibits, thrilling planetarium shows, the Challenger Learning Center, the area’s only CineMuse High Definition Theatre and the Kids at Work preschool activity area.

THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK 10 North Water Street, Norwalk, CT (203) 852-0700 http://www.maritimeaquarium.org/ Families will have a great time while learning about the vital natural resource just off our shore. Explore at your own pace. Thirty-four exhibits featuring more than 1,200 marine animals of 259 species. A Touch Tank and nose-to-nose interactions bring close encounters with our friends of the sea. Movies at IMAX Theater as well.

MATTATUCK MUSEUM ARTS & HISTORY CENTER 144 West Main Street, Waterbury, CT (203) 753-0381 http://www.mattatuckmuseum.org/ The museum brings the past, present and future together through exhibits and collections showcasing the history of the region and art of Connecticut. View great works by American Masters, experience the “you-were-there” history of the Waterbury region and explore the 10,000 buttons on display.

NATURE'S ART & DINOSAUR CROSSING 1650 Route 85, Oakdale, CT (860) 443-4367 http://www.thedinosaurplace.com/ A day of prehistoric fun awaits at Nature’s Art, aka the Dinosaur Place. Indoors enjoy hands-on science and nature activities such as mining for gemstones and excavating a dinosaur skeleton. Outdoors encounter more than 25 life-sized dinosaurs set amid walking trails, romp in Monty’s Playground and enjoy ice cream.

QUASSY AMUSEMENT PARK Middlebury, CT 1-800-FOR-PARKhttp://www.quassy.com/ Affordable family fun close to home. Rides, “Saturation Station” water play area, entertainment, food, arcade, special events.

SHORE LINE TROLLEY MUSEUM 17 River Street, East Haven, CT (203) 467-6927 http://www.bera.org/ Savor the atmosphere of the trolley era. Ride the historic Branford Electric Railway, the oldest continually operating suburban trolley in the United States. Anational historic site. Days of operation: Memorial Day to Labor Day, Daily. Hours:10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sat. & Sun. in May, Sept., Oct. Abbreviated schedule in Nov. & Dec.

STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN Mathews Park, 303 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT (203) 899-0606 http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/ Join the crew and discover building basics with Stepping Stones' newest exhibit, Build It! Help finish a two-story home under construction. Children can build walls, apply siding and decorate with carpet squares and wallpaper. Learn about the building process and take a sneak peak at Stepping Stones' expansion plans for 2010.


PERFORMANCE ARTS

EDGERTON CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT (203) 371-7908 http://www.edgertoncenter.org/ The Edgerton Center, a 776-seat theatre located on Sacred Heart University’s Fairfield campus, is dedicated to presenting professional family theatre, with an educational emphasis, to Connecticut’s younger audiences.

PLAYHOUSE ON THE GREEN 177 State Street, Bridgeport, CT (203) 333-3666 http://www.playhouseonthegreen.org/ The Playhouse presents Project Broadway, a summer theater program for children in gr. 1-8. Work as a team with professional artists to create a Broadway style musical! Weeklong programs in July & Aug. Project Broadway @ Night for gr. 9-12 is a five-week program, which will result in a production of Romeo and Juliet!

QUICK CENTER FOR THE ARTS Fairfield University(203) 254-4010http://www.quickcenter.com/ Presenting the finest in family-oriented events, including plays and musicals, children's summer theatre camps, and interactive workshops. Ask about special group discounts and free birthday parties.

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE80 East Ridge Road, Ridgefield, CT (203) 438-5795 http://www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org/ Features live events and first run movies for children and adults alike. The Children’s Series features nine exciting performances one Saturday per month through May. For information call the box office at 203-438-5795.

SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

XL CENTER & WOLF PACK
1 Civic Center Plaza, Hartford, CThttp://www.hartfordciviccenter.com/

www.hartfordwolfpack.com
Home to the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack, and host to a wide array of family shows, concerts & sporting events. Box Office Info Line: 860-727-8010; Event tickets (Ticketmaster): 860-525-4500; Hartford Wolf Pack tickets & Birthday Parties: 860-548-2000; Hartford Wolf Pack Kid’s Club: 860-246-7825.

Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency

Can Chamomile Soothe a Colicky Baby?

Really? The Claim: Chamomile Can Soothe a Colicky Baby.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/health/01real.html?ref=science

Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency

Ideas For Summer Fun With The Grandkids

Summer Fun With Your Grandchildren
By G. Grigor

10 Fun Ideas to do With Your Grandchildren This Summer

Are you looking for ways to have some summer fun with your grandchild? Summer is a time when most children get to go to their grandparents house for a day, a week, or longer. So finding ideas to help keep summer fun can be daunting.

We are going to offer ten fun ideas to help get you started. Many of these ideas cost little or no money, but the memories that you can build will last a lifetime.

1. Plan a day that you can go on a nature walk and pack a picnic. You do not have to go any farther than your own back yard or to your local park. Take along a book that identifies different birds, plants, insects, or other animals. While picnicking, talk about what you have seen and read about them from the books that you have brought along.

2. Do you have a favorite family recipe? Or does your grandchild have a favorite meal? Spend time with them in the kitchen helping them learn to cook or bake. Then sit down and share that dinner. Eating a meal cooked together makes the meal taste extra yummy.

3. Go to a pick your own farm to pick strawberries, berries, or other fruit. Then bake a pie or other yummy fruit dessert. You could even make your own ice cream to top it off.

4. Do you live near the beach? Go collect shells or build sand castles. If you live near a lake, try rowing a boat, fishing, or canoeing. If this isn't possible, set up a small wading pool in your yard and splash to your heart's content. Yes, you too!

5. Set up a lemonade stand and let your grandchild chose how to spend the profits or save it.

6. Go camping in your backyard. Set up a tent, fire up the grill, make s'mores or roast marshmallows and tell campfire stories or have a sing-along. Catch fireflies in a jar. Point out different constellations, or just gaze at the stars before falling asleep.

7. Make a small area of your garden specifically for your grandchild. Get gardening tools that are their size and let them plant flowers or vegetables and care for this section by themselves. Or get a pot or window box and do the same.

8. Go to the local library if you do not have children's books around your house any more, and choose books that the two of you can read together. Start off by each reading a sentence, then a paragraph, a page and so on. This is an excellent way to keep a child reading and ready for the next school year.

9. Do you knit, sew, crochet, or paint? Teach your hobby to your grandchild. If you are not a crafty person, get two plain white t-shirts to decorate. You can paint them, attach "rhinestones", or tie dye them. Have a fashion show of your designed shirts. Just have fun, worry about the mess later.

10. Get some chalk and draw on the sidewalks or your driveway. Re-learn how to play hopscotch, draw your family, favorite animals, or a story.

This is just a small outline of things that you can do with one grandchild or ten grandchildren. Just remember to take lots and lots of photos of the time you spend together.

Something that you can do together or you can do alone is to put together a scrapbook of the time that you shared. If you do it by yourself, you can give the scrapbook later as a birthday or Christmas gift as a reminder of the great time that you had.

The most important thing is to spend time with them and have tons of FUN. To a child it is not important how much money is spent in the pursuit of fun; it is the quality of the time spent together.

For more grandparenting ideas, you can visit: http://www.grandparentscafe.com. This site offers information on grandparent's rights, distance grandparenting, as well as photos, stories, games, and more.

One of my favorite quotes that I have found since becoming a grandma is as follows: "If your baby is beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time...you're the grandma."~Theresa Bloomingdale

Gillian is the proud grandmother of two 9 year olds and a new grandbaby boy.

Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency

Toddler-Friendly Summer Celebrations

Some cute ideas for enjoying a little summertime fun with the children.

Toddler-Friendly Summer Celebrations
By Robin McClure

Flip-Flop Fun
For fashionable summer fun, you and your child can make a unique pair of flip-flops for a caregiver, babysitter, or friend. Have your youngster help you pick out some ribbon and gemstones or other decorative items to add to a pair of flip-flops. Cut a 19-inch strip of ribbon (you can always trim the ends shorter, depending on the style and size of flip-flop selected) and fashion a pretty bow from it. Trim the ends off at a diagonal. Use a hot-melt glue gun to fasten the ribbon onto the Y-part of the flip-flop (adults need to do this part, please). Add a charm, stone, or other item to the center of the bow (not using anything is okay too).
Your toddler will get a kick out of making them, and will love giving them as a gift even more.

Ice Cream in a Bag
Who needs to wait for hand-cranked homemade ice cream when kids can create their own individual, serving–size creation in no time and with no mess! This homemade ice cream recipe uses a toddler’s energy for a delicious outcome!

Ingredients
1 cup milk (use chocolate milk if preferred)
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-quart resealable bag
1-gallon resealable bag
several spoonfuls of rock salt enough ice to cover the small bag Place milk, sugar, and vanilla into the small bag and zip the bag securely. Put the small bag into the larger bag. Add ice and salt. Let your toddler shake the bag gently for about 5 minutes. When it is done, the ice cream will have the consistency of soft serve. Enjoy!

Made in the Shade
Establish a shady outdoor area for special summer reading. Grab some chairs or a blanket and establish this as your special reading area. Find books about summer that involve outdoor activities, vacations, or just ways to soak up the sunshine and read them with your child.

Painting Van Goghs
It’s summertime, so why not let your little artists showcase their talent outdoors? Set up a large sheet of paper (or even use the large roll-sheets found at craft supply and teacher supply stores) either on an easel or on a flat surface. Dress your toddler in a swimsuit or old clothes, provide selections of water-based paint, and let the art begin! To encourage artistic expression, look at some simple art books together beforehand.

Tepee Hideout
Build your toddler a simple tepee for hours of backyard fun. Materials
3 white PVC pipes (8-foot pipes work best)
rope, canvas tarp, cloth, or blanket Using the rope, tie the PVC pipes together about 20–24 inches from the tops and then stand them up like a tripod. If possible, dig out an area of the ground so that the pipes are planted firmly. Cover the tepee frame with tarp, cloth, blanket, or whatever you have available.

Watermelon Cookies
Cut a seedless watermelon into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices on a flat surface outdoors (to avoid a mess in your house) and use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. Kids will love eating their tasty “cookies,” and the shapes make the fruit easier to handle!

Robin McClure is currently the author of 5 parenting books.

Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency

Greenwich Nanny's Arrest Prompts Hiring Advice

On June 1, 2009, the "Stamford Advocate" reported on the arrest of a live-in nanny working in Greenwich, Conn. She was charged with first-degree larceny, eight counts of third-degree forgery, eight counts of fraudulent use of an ATM card and breach of peace. The article discusses how the woman would ace her job interviews, get hired and then go on to defraud her employers. Apparently, she became very adept at her practice as she moved from family to family applying her deceitful trade.

We are always dismayed to read about the “bad apple” getting picked for such an important job. “When you allow someone into your house, you should know who they are,” said Detective Pasquale Iorfino of the Greenwich Police Department. We could not agree more. Unfortunately, more often than not, extensive screening and background checks are not properly conducted or done at all. We were disappointed (at the risk of sounding self-serving) that the article quotes the owner of a Web based "nanny" site for tips on screening and hiring a nanny. Mr. Lambert, the founder of Enannysource, stated that "screening is the most important part of the hiring process." That is absolutely true. However, these online listing sites by their very structures are unable to thoroughly screen a candidate. In fact, Web based sites contribute to many parents false sense of security in hiring a nanny. In effect, they are online databases with no barriers to entry. Anyone can post their profile and hold himself or herself out as an experienced and qualified caregiver. They merely list available jobs and caregivers and then offer an a la carte background check. Furthermore, many online sites advertise "National Criminal Checks" which can be very misleading. Those checks will often only determine if the subject was incarcerated in a state prison. Many online sites omit to inform you that those searches will not turn up persons that were convicted of a crime but not imprisoned or that served time in a county jail. Therefore, depending on the state, a county by county or statewide criminal check should also be done where the domestic worker has been shown to reside.

Since the hiring process can be overwhelming to a lot of families, we wanted to offer some additional practical advice. Most importantly, it is vital to meet and get to know the potential nanny in person. Together you should go over a detailed employment application and zero in on gaps in work history, discuss previous jobs and gauge responses to gently probing questions. For example, last week we had a nanny come in to register who seemed perfect. She was charming, sweet, athletic, a college graduate and had a recent six-year reference working with 3 children in the Tribeca section of Manhattan. However, the reference fell apart because the candidate told us she always lived in with the family but property records showed the apartment was only 600 square feet. Not a very likely scenario for a live-in job with a supposed family of five. Do online nanny sites expect a potential employer to think about that scenario or research it?

We understand it is difficult to properly vet a potential in house employee without being a seasoned interviewer. Therefore, it’s imperative to be able to recognize some common red flags from the prospective employee and/or her references. They include: 

• Past employers who do not have a landline and can only be reached on a cell phone.
• Past employers who do not reside in areas employing a high concentration of nannies and other domestics.
• Tenuous explanations for wide gaps in employment.
• Unstable work history.
• Inability to provide authentic and valid federal and state photo identification.

Oddly enough, in my experience I have found that if a candidate is too perfect or throws around high profile names of previous employers, it’s usually a red flag that warrants a lot more digging. The stakes are too high to trust without verifying first.


Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency