First Aid Kit for Families

Every parent of kids should have a well stocked first aid kit at home. When my son got stitches, I realized that I should never ever compromise on a First Aid Kit! 

Copyrights by Everything Family Guide 2013

Here is what you need for a good first aid kit:

-A Plastic Box or Cloth Bag w/zipper

-10 Plastic Bandages (Junior)

-10 Plastic Bandages (Adult)

-5 Comfort Strips (Knees & Elbows)

-10 Fabric Bandages for Normal areas, Knuckles and Small Fingertips

-1 Stretch Bandage

-1 Abdominal/Combine Pad

-3 Gauge Pads

-2 Non-Adherent Pads

-1 Triangular Bandage

-2 Cotton-Tipped Applicators

-Self-Absorbent wrap

-Medical tape

-20 Alcohol Wipes

-10 Benzalkonium Chloride Antiseptic Towelettes

-Water Gel/Cool Gel

-Cool Pack, instant/large

-Antibiotic Ointment (like Polysporin)

-Scissors

-Safety pins

-Infectious Waste Bags

-Latex-free gloves

-Splinter out kit w/tweezers

Put together your kit and keep it updated so that nothing expires. Emergencies or minor scrapes/burns/cuts can happen any time. Having a first aid kit ready is a blessing and will help you as a parent to remain calm during that time. 

Annie

My Twist on the Spanish Chicken Recipe

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I want to start by saying that this recipe is so easy and everyone (including the kids) will love it!

Here is what you need:

• 1 lb. or 1/2 kg. chicken (drumsticks or breasts)
• 4 tbsp. of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. soya sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. Sirachi (optional, for all spice lovers) 
• Salt and pepper to taste (for final garnish)
• 2 tbsp. of butter
• 1 bell pepper (preferably green)
• 1 tomato or 1 cup of diced/canned tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp. of minced garlic

This is what you have to do:

1. In a large Ziploc bag, add the flour, salt, pepper, soya sauce, Sirachi (optional), minced garlic, paprika and the chicken. Now close the bag and work the ingredients so that the chicken pieces are well coated. Set the bag aside for 15 minutes of marination. 
2. In the meantime, chop up the veggies in large chunks. 
3. Now melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat, and add the coated chicken. Fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes, until its golden brown . Keep in mind that the chicken should remain juicy and don't overcook or you will end up with dry chicken pieces.
4. Turn the heat to high, add the vegetables chunks (bell pepper, tomato, and onion) and satay in the frying pan with the chicken for 1-2 minutes. You can also do this in a pot but to make it easier for yourself, stick to one dish for minimal clean-up.
5. Turn down the heat to low and cover the frying pan with a lid to let the vegetables soak in the chicken juices for 5 minutes.
6. You can now serve it with white rice.

Enjoy! Let me know how it turned out...

Annie N.

Preschool at Home

Currently, I'm doing preschool at home with my 4 year old and we both love every minute of it.  Usually, we do activities based on an yearly schedule that follows the seasons and related holidays. We are blessed to have all the seasons of the year, where we currently reside.  I have been doing preschool with him but this year starting on the day he turned four, we have officially started to follow a more structured preschool schedule. I am doing this to prepare him for kindergarten, as all the great teachers say: "Consistency is Key!" I want to help my child transition smoothly into school next year (fingers crossed ;)

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What I do every day (while the little one is napping, possibly in the early morning hours after breakfast or during the little ones nap time) as follows:

This was what we did before he turned 4. 

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© Everything Family Guide

© Everything Family Guide

Here is what we during our preschool schedule:

1. Go over the schedule (I change this daily or weekly).
2. Calendar (place date card on calendar and reading the date/day of the week aloud)
3. Reading (any book from the library; today we "If you give a mouse a cookie" by Laura Numeroff.
4. Alphabet Writing Practice (in a lined notebook with instructions from moi).
5. Poem or song read aloud/singing, based on something that starts with the letter we are practicing.
6. Alphabet related activity or playing together with a manipulative (i.e. blocks, games, things that kids can touch/feel, etc) that directly deals with the alphabet we are practicing.
7. Number Writing Practice (activity books from kids section at your local family store).
8. Counting aloud practice (on a number line, on sticks, on cards, in a 100 chart, as numerals or cardinals, etc.
9. Number or counting related activity or playing together with a manipulative that deals directly with the number we are practicing.
10. If time allows, we do an art activity based on/related to something that we did during the day.
11. We have added a science activity to our schedule to include inquiry-based learning. It is pretty low-key and my child gets to be my assistant, as we test, analyze, question, make conclusions, and record our observations. 

Believe it or not, we are able to do all that within an hour to an hour and a half.  I feel so great that I'm getting my child ready for kindergarten.  I never push him to finish or accomplish the tasks but only go on till he is bored or tired.

Hope you have as much fun as I do!

CALENDAR ROUTINE UPDATE 

I have been planning and executing a classroom-like Calendar time activity for my preschooler to get him ready for Kindergarten. I have been growing the Calendar Routine and adding new learning concepts whenever my preschooler becomes comfortable with whatever is introduced and practiced.

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The following are some things we do with a preschooler for Calendar Math practice:

• Greet each other with a polite greeting like "Good Morning!" or "How are you?"
• Check the window for a weather update and change the weather wheel to indicate what the weather is like today; "Today is Sunny." I always remind my preschooler to look at the sky and the surroundings to check for a weather update.  
• Read the date, days of the week, the months and the year using a complete sentence: "Today is Saturday, November the 9th, 2013."
• Place the date card on the Calendar in a pattern (we have mastered the AB, AB pattern and will be moving on to the ABC, ABC pattern once the month is over). Repeat the pattern by saying it aloud. For example, we have date cards in two colors and place the cards according to the pattern sequence. In this case, we say: "yellow, green, yellow, green,....).
• Count the numbers on the date cards aloud (from 0 to Present Date). Then we say aloud which date was yesterday, today, and tomorrow in sentence form.
• Sing the Days of the Week song to the theme of The Addams Family. We also sing the months of the year to my own tune :)
• I bought a really affordable color-in Calendar that my son can color in, rewrite the current date in the box and then place a dot sticker on the box to indicate that the day is over.
• Then we organize the numbers in a number line with our pre-made number cards for additional number practice.
• Finally, we do a math manipulatives game that teaches math concepts like numbers, shapes, colors, patterns or counting/cardinality. During Calendar tine and other times of the day I focus on teaching important sight, literacy, math, science, social and calendar related vocabulary words.

We do other activities that are literacy related at another time of the day (usually before going to bed). This activity is mostly listening, reading, identifying, questioning and discussion related.

What are some routines that you do with your preschooler that are similar or other creative ideas?

Let me know...

Annie

Home Dental Hygiene for your Child

During our first dentist appointment we talked about how to take care of our teeth at home.  The following are ideas that you can use at home as a preventative measure or a learning experience when it comes to your child’s teeth:

• Talk to your child about his/her anxiety and emotional needs.  By talking to them you are ensuring that they don’t need to scared of the dental appointment.  You can talk to them about what happens at the dentist office, how you can be there to hold their hand (if needs be), how they help your teeth get better and/or stronger, etc.  Preparing your child for the appointment is very important to avoid any surprises or delays.
• You can sign out books from the library or find coloring pages that show what our teeth look like or what happens at the dental office during their appointment.  This is another way to lighten the mood and prepare them for their appointment.
• Build a schedule by printing a simple checklist stating brushing and rinsing in the morning, after a meal, and before going to bed.  You can place this checklist on the corner of the bathroom mirror that your child visits during the day.  This is an excellent reminder tool and goes a long way to ensure that the adults/child follow through with a teeth cleaning/caring schedule.
• It is very important to discuss with the dentist, before any procedures, about special needs (physically, emotionally or otherwise) concerning your child.

Here are some suggestive guidelines for home care of your child's teeth:

(TIP: please assist your child if they are younger than 5 or if they require further assistance).

Brushing

Oral B Stages 1 Little Einsteins Toothbrush

-Brush 2-3 times per day

-It is recommended to use Circular motions on each tooth (approximately 2 minutes)

-The most important time for brushing is before going to bed. No fluids after brushing, except water.

-Buy an age appropriate tooth brush (manual/electric) for your child

Tooth paste

Oral B Stages Toothpaste (for ages 2-4)

-Only use for children that can spit, otherwise use water only

-Choose a fluoride brand 

-Remind child to not swallow toothpaste

-Use a small amount on toothbrush (size of a grain of rice)

Flossing

Oral B Satin Floss

-Floss when teeth touch together

-Use a waxed floss (so it doesn't get caught in between teeth)

-Floss at bedtime (minimum)

 Mouth wash

Listerine Smart Rinse Kids (Alcohol Free)

-ONLY use for kids that are able to spit or some companies claim it is for kids aged 6 or older.

-Use an ALCOHOL FREE version 

Hope this info helps with taking care of your child's dental needs.

Annie

(Source: discussion with local dental hygienist)

Healthy Pregnancy Diet

Eating well is the single most important thing you can do for your body and your baby during pregnancy!

I realized this the hard way, when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my first pregnancy! I was always under weight (according to the Body Mass Index) and never overate during the period of my life (so far) and had no history of diabetes in my family.

So I asked myself; Why did this happen to me? As I sifted through the years of the life in my head, I realized that I must have done something wrong along the way. I came to the conclusion that skipping meals during the day (i.e. breakfast and lunch) and then eating/overeating during the one meal of the day might be the reason why this happened to me in the first place.  So for my second pregnancy, I ate healthy by designing a meal plan based on the food guide (provided by the local health department) and I kept my diabetes almost non-existent.  I have continued healthy eating habits even after my pregnancy and that has helped me maintain a healthy lifestyle so far.

Here are some great ways to make healthy eating choices (before, during and after):

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1. Add Variety of Foods to your diet - by designing a meal plan for yourself, as this will help you during the preparation of meals (shopping/availability of products) and in maintaining healthy eating habits.  According to the Health Canada's Food Guide, an average adult female aged 19-50 needs 7-8 serving of vegetables and fruits in a day.  A serving is measured in approximation to the size of a hockey puck.

2. Which leads me to my next point; Food Rainbow - adding colorful foods to your diet will not only be healthy for you but make it appealing for your brain, allowing you to enjoy your time eating healthy and (Hopefully) remembering those good times afterwards.  By colorful, I mean Vegetables & Fruits, Grain Products, Milk/Alternatives, and Meat/Alternatives.

3. Smart Snacking - there are many snacking products in the market that claim their product is the best.  But you want to aim for healthier and preferably (natural) snacks such as unsalted nuts, fresh or dried fruits, yogurts, etc.

4. Protein is a very important source of nutrition for your body's and your baby's changing physical needs.  Whether you are a carnivore, omnivore or a herbivore, make sure that you are getting your suggested daily servings of protein.  You have a wide variety of options to choose from such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy products, legumes (dried beans, lentils, etc), nuts and seeds.

5. Liquids are so important to keep your body replenished and your bodily fluids restored.  Think of your body as a car, can it run without gas or give off clean emissions without an oil change? No! You need to refill the liquids lost, as I can guarantee that you will be visiting the bathroom a lot during your pregnancy.  Even after birth, you will need to replenish your body for breastfeeding and overall healing of the body.

6. Eat your Multivitamins - Buy one of those pill containers with labels and/or shelves to store your vitamins for the week.  This really helped me stay on top of my medicinal intake of vitamins and such.  It was a great visual reminder and I carried it with me, in my purse, to work.  You really need those multivitamins to grow, heal and replenish your body of the minerals/vitamins lost due to the major changes that your body went through in the past or is going through at the current stage of your life. Vitamins are a girl's best friend!

Its overwhelming to accommodate all these things in your diet and a solid meal plan goes a long way! Best of luck and take of yourself!

Cheers,
Annie N.

(Source: Nestle Baby)

Safe Sleep Practices for your Baby

It is very important for you to create a safe sleep environment for your baby so that you can help him/her sleep safely and reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

You walk into your home with your bundle of joy and you can do anything to make this first experience for your baby the best there is! You can start by making sure that your baby’s first and on-going sleeping experiences are safe for him and at the same time, comfortable/relaxing for you.  The sad news is that yes you do have to wake up in the middle of the night but the good news is that if you build a good sleep schedule for your baby, you will help him/her transition smoothly into independence.  The first six months will be tough but as time goes on, you will be thankful that you were well prepared and things will flow smoothly (most of the time).  It is equally very important for you to share this experience with caregivers, family or friends that may care for your baby.

© Everything Family Guide

1. Safe Sleep = Safe Crib – Keep your crib free of clutter (i.e. toys, fancy bedding, etc). You should use a fitted crib sheet on a firm mattress.  As for a blanket, don't use one! Dress your child in a light one-piece sleeper.  Keep an eye on room temperature to make sure that it does not get too hot or too cold, but just right (warm).  Keep things simple and easy for you and the baby.
2. Back to sleep – Babies have a habit of sleeping in the position that they are placed in and so it’s crucial for you to put them on their backs for a reduced risk of SIDS.  So next time, you put your baby to sleep, please place him/her on his back during nap time or night time.
3. Provide a smoke free atmosphere – It is very important for you (during your pregnancy) and for your baby (after birth) to be purged of all those toxic fumes and have a smoke free atmosphere.
4. Keep me close by – After I had my babies, I really wanted to be close to them due to comfort, safety and breastfeeding.  So my doc suggested room sharing (placing the baby’s crib or playpen close to the parent’s bed). Please don’t bring the baby to bed with you as it can be very dangerous and lead to SIDS. During the deep stages of sleep, we have no control on our body functions and therefore we can mistakenly squeeze, suffocate or crush that little creature.  No matter how well prepared you are or how stiff of a sleeper you are, we all move/toss/turn during our sleep.  Do your baby a favor and keep him/her close by in a crib versus on your bed with you.

In summary, the safest way for your baby to sleep is on his/her back in the crib, in a non-toxic and comfortable atmosphere.

Annie

(Source: AB Health)

Exciting Discovery!

I was pleasantly surprised, yet scared when I found out that I was pregnant at 2 months with my first. I remember asking myself: "Now what?" When I got home, I prepared myself mentally that I was pregnant against all odds, even though me and hubby hadn't planned on it! It was a surprise and a very good one, at such as an early stage of our marriage.  It was a very overwhelming discovery for me, as I had just graduated from university, started a new job, moved out of my parents house, gotten married and now, I got pregnant! 

This is the time when you want to start taking your multivitamins seriously! Especially, ones with Folic acid.

Here is a list of vitamins that moms may consider: 

Folic Acid by Jamieson

Prenatal Multivitamins by Jamieson

OneADay Women's Prenatal

Materna by Centrum

Please consult your physician for the best multivitamin for you!

Annie N.

First Baby

Your first baby experience can be really scary!

You don't know what to expect and unexpected things just throw you off guard!

No matter how many books you read or how many videos you watch, first hand experience can be overwhelming and leave a mom breathless, anxious and scared!

Don't worry! The most important thing is to keep your cool and look at everything with a positive outlook!

Best of luck and Welcome to Parenting!

© Everything Family Guide

Introduction

Welcome parents, caregivers, and guardians!!

This page will provide you with day-to-day parenting and educational tips/advice for the betterment of our children's lives. I am a certified teacher who is at home currently with my children and want to make sure that every experience my children have in the day is filled with a learning opportunity. So I invite you to ride along our life train as we learn life, behavioral, health, community and educational skills.

Thanks for visiting my blog and check back often to see if you can benefit from the knowledge contained within. :)

Take care,

Annie N.

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