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Tips for Nurturing Your Child's Talents and Intere...

Some children are born with an obvious talent, like the 2-year-old piano...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Tips for Nurturing Your Child's Talents and Interests Some children are born with an obvious talent, like the 2-year-old piano...

Reply: Tips for Nurturing Your Child's Talents and Intere...

Don't feel pressure to sign her up for every available toddler activity....

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Tips for Nurturing Your Child's Talents and Interests Don't feel pressure to sign her up for every available toddler activity....

Explaining Death to Young Children

Unfortunately, everything that is alive will one day die. Teaching children...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

Unfortunately, everything that is alive will one day die. Teaching children about death in an age appropriate manner is not only OK, it's important. I'll confess that I hid the death of our goldfish, Goldy, from my boys when they were 3 and 5. Goldy passed away at a friend's house while we were on vacation. The boys never asked and I decided not to bring it up. But when Great Grandma died, we knew it was time to start talking.

With young children, the goal is to be direct and truthful. Young children only need bits and pieces of information, as that is how they learn and process. Answer questions simply and don't offer up a long explanation or more information than they need. "Great Grandma was very, very old. And sometimes, when you get old, your body stops working and you die." Try to avoid connecting death with sleep or sickness. You don't want your child to be fearful that when he goes to sleep at night he might not wake up. Or the next time he has a cold he might die.

Your child may ask if you are going to die. It's fine to reassure her that you will be with her for a very, very long time. You want her to feel safe and secure, especially at a time when your family is grieving.

You also need to feel comfortable with your own reaction over the death of a loved one in order to help your child. It is OK for your child to see you cry when you feel sad. This will make it easier for him to do the same. And taking care of yourself will provide you with the ability to take care of him.

My husband and I discussed for hours how and when we would tell our 3 and 5 year old that Great Grandma had died.

"There's something that we need to talk about as a familyâ€¦Great Grandma is dead," my husband said. It actually went much better than we had imagined.

"When you are dead your body doesn't work anymore," my 5-year-old said.

My 3-year-old said, "You can't see, or hear, or use any of your 5 senses. You're like a doll. You're dead." And then he lay down on the ground. Well, they certainly understood what death meant. We went on to discuss memories and how we would always hold her in our hearts and see her photos on our computer and in albums.

Taking advantage of opportunities to discuss death earlier -- with a pet or even a worm in the driveway -- can make future conversations and events easier to deal with because your child will have an understanding of the concept. So next time I won't hide our dead goldfish. I will embrace the opportunity as a teaching moment with my children.

What about you? How and when did you explain the concepts of death and grief to your kids?View Thread

Posted byTanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

9 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Explaining Death to Young Children Unfortunately, everything that is alive will one day die. Teaching children...

How Do You Teach Respect?

How do you teach your children to respect you, other adults, and their...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

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Reply: Explaining Death to Young Children

Hi, nursingbug - Sorry to hear what you're going through. First and...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

9 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Explaining Death to Young Children Hi, nursingbug - Sorry to hear what you're going through. First and...

Teaching Kids to Be Charitable

As parents, one of our most important jobs is to teach our children. We...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

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Fun Ways to Stay Active

As parents, you should encourage healthy habits in your youngsters at an...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

As parents, you should encourage healthy habits in your youngsters at an early age. Decreasing the amounts of unhealthy fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar in your family's food is one half of the battle. The other half includes making exercise a routine part of your family's day. You may think your children get enough exercise at school or in gym class. But, chances are, they don't. Kids -- and adults, too -- need 45 to 60 minutes of continuous cardiovascular activity every day.

Need help getting your kids off the couch? Limit TV, video games, and computer time to 1-2 hours a day. Give them options for fun family activities, from taking a stroll after dinner and walking the dog to bike riding, camping, and hiking. Here are a few age-specific and fun exercise tips for staying active with your own kids.

2-3 year olds:
Most toddlers are not developmentally ready for competitive activities. But they thrive on unstructured play! Swinging, climbing, playing in the sandbox, and carefully supervised water play are fun and healthy activities that they can enjoy. Be sure to join in the fun with your toddler. He'll love it and you'll get some exercise, too.

4-5 year olds:
With increasing coordination, 4 and 5 year olds can roll balls, play catch, and take part in other organized games and activities. Biking and swimming also become options for this age group. But be careful. Practice certain safety measures, such as using helmets and padding, and adding training wheels to your kids' bikes. And always watch your children when they are near a pool or any body of water.

6-12 year olds:
This is the most important time for developing exercise habits that can help prevent obesity later in life. Find out what your child likes to do, whether it's baseball, football, swimming, ice-skating, gymnastics, dance, or martial arts. Demonstrate your commitment -- and encourage theirs -- by practicing with your children at home, coaching their teams, or showing up at their games.

You are your child's best role model. So be safe. Always use helmets and protective gear on bicycles (including tricycles and big wheels), roller blades, and skateboards. Apply sunscreen to your entire family (even on overcast days) to prevent sunburn and decrease the risk for skin cancer.

Exercise should become a routine part of your family's life. It improves self-esteem, reduces stress, and decreases the risk of serious illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. By stressing fitness with your children early-on, you can help encourage them to stay active throughout their lives and into adulthood. So make sure physical activity is always fun for them. Keep in mind -- if your child is not interested in a specific activity, don't force it. And never force them to compete if they don't want to. By decreasing your servings of junk food and increasing your fitness goals, you and your children can be off the couch and in shape in no time!

Share your family fitness tips with the group. What sports or physical activities do you and your kids stay involved in, either as a family or individually?View Thread

Posted byTanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Fun Ways to Stay Active As parents, you should encourage healthy habits in your youngsters at an...

Tips for Ensuring Fun and Safe Sleepovers

My son had his first sleepover at our house when he was 5 ?. We knew the...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

My son had his first sleepover at our house when he was 5 ?. We knew the other child's family well. They lived on our cul-de-sac. We all felt comfortable enough to let the boys try a sleepover. Before that we'd had some of our sons' cousins sleep over and made occasional overnight trips to the grandparents' houses. So I felt we had a few practice sleepovers under our belt.

The age of a first sleepover can vary depending on parental rules and a child's comfort with sleeping away from home. While homesickness isn't like other childhood illness in many ways, it is a common occurrence when kids sleep away from home. Whether your child is headed to a relative's house or a slumber party, it's perfectly normal to feel a little homesick for family and familiar surroundings.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your child can enjoy fun and safe sleepovers, both at home and away:

-- Let your child help decide when he is ready to spend the night at a friend or relative's house.

-- Arrange practice sleepovers. Start in a sibling's room and advance to a relative or neighborhood friend's house.

-- Be positive about upcoming sleepovers. Discuss the fun and excitement he could have, as well as potential feelings of homesickness if sleeping away.

-- Pack a special item such as a pillow, blanket, or toy so your child has a bit of home with him while he is away.

-- Let your children know that it's OK to talk to a friend's parent if they are feeling sick, lonely, or uncomfortable.

-- Make sure you're well acquainted with your child's friend's family. Know that you can trust the supervising adult and that you feel comfortable with their parenting techniques. Alternatively, if there are no conflicts, invite the friend to sleep at your home.

-- Safety is most important. Ask the hosting family about any pool gates, pets, and if there are any guns or weapons in the house. Don't forget to discuss any food allergies or medical conditions that either child has.

-- When hosting a sleepover, plan activities and meals ahead of time. But know that often kids will just play and have fun according to their own agenda.

-- Have a plan for pick up or drop off if things aren't going well.

-- Stay in touch. Make a plan for a good morning phone call or send texts or emails to check in.

-- If she slept away, make coming home fun. Plan a special family activity to welcome your child back home. Ask questions and spend time listening to stories about his sleepover.

With a little preparation and creativity children can enjoy a sleepover. What tips do you have that can help ensure fun and safety for your child's sleepovers?
View Thread

Posted byTanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Tips for Ensuring Fun and Safe Sleepovers My son had his first sleepover at our house when he was 5 ?. We knew the...

Tips for Preparing Your Child for a Doctor's Visit

Many children enjoy visiting their pediatrician. I love when my patients...

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

Many children enjoy visiting their pediatrician. I love when my patients excitedly run in the front door and give me or my nurse a big hug. And this actually does happen every day at my office, more than you might think.

As nice as it is for me and my staff, I'm sure my patients' parents are also thrilled that their children are comfortable and even happy about seeing the doctor. Here are a few tips that you can use to prepare your child for his doctor's appointments and encourage him to cooperate and enjoy the visit.

- It's never too early to begin talking about the doctor. Kids love learning about fireman, astronauts, zookeepers, and even doctors. Get a toy doctor's kit for your home. Let your child become familiar with the equipment. Prepare your child for the exam by role playing. You can be the patient or vise versa. Take this opportunity to teach your child about the body parts that her doctor will most likely check out, such as her ears, eyes, nose, mouth, or belly button.

- Make going to the doctor's office fun. Bring activities to occupy her in case there is a wait. Books and small toys work well. If you seem like you are having fun, your kids will sense it and be more likely to enjoy themselves, too! So it's important that you try to relax, even if you are nervous about your child's health. Children will also sense your stress and anxiety.

- Talk to your child about how Mommy and Daddy also go to the doctor's office to stay healthy and get better when you're sick. It's all in the presentation, so talk up your own experiences.

- Don't lie to your children, or tell them things like their shots won't hurt. Instead, explain to them that shots will help keep them from getting sick. Tell them that a shot will feel like a quick pinch. But then it'll be over. Let them know that Mommy and Daddy get shots, too. And again, if you're strong and relaxed, your child will be, too.

- Do your best to keep your child's regularly scheduled doctor visits. If your child is comfortable going to the doctor's office as a result of making regular well-child visits, sick or emergency visits will be easier for them to deal with.

- Lastly, giving your child a special reward or treat after a good visit is a nice tradition that kids will associate with seeing the doctor in the future.

Going to the doctor is part of living a healthy life. It should be a positive and fun experience whenever possible. What have you done to prepare your child and avoid any anxiety about visiting his pediatrician?
View Thread

Posted byTanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Tips for Preparing Your Child for a Doctor's Visit Many children enjoy visiting their pediatrician. I love when my patients...

Teaching Kids to Floss

Floss, floss, floss your teeth! Floss them every day! Floss the top....

Posted by Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

Floss, floss, floss your teeth!
Floss them every day!
Floss the top.
Floss the bottom.
Floss the plaque away!

I sing this song with my own kids every night. At ages 4 and 6, my boys still need help flossing their teeth, as well as a reminder to do so.

Flossing is just as important as brushing, since flossing prevents the buildup of sticky plaque between the teeth. And if not removed, plaque can cause tooth decay and cavities. It can also damage the gums and the roots below the teeth.

There are several types of floss you can choose from, including waxed, flavored, string, tape, or sticks. It doesn't really matter which type you choose. The best type of floss is the one your child likes the most and is more likely to use every day. My pediatric dentist gave my sons character floss sticks. And they enjoy choosing the character and color of their floss stick every night.

A good time to start a flossing routine with your child is when he has developed two teeth that touch each other. Floss after your child eats foods that are sticky, and most importantly, before bedtime. This important routine will help keep your child's teeth and smile beautiful and healthy.

Around age 8, many children are capable of flossing their teeth on their own. Here are some simple tips on the proper way to floss:

â€¢ If using loose floss, take a long piece -- around 1 foot in length -- and wrap each end around your index fingers.
â€¢ Carefully insert the floss between two teeth, and slide back and forth and up and down the side of each tooth. Remember to floss the back side of the teeth, including the molars.
â€¢ Gently floss toward the gum line and even slightly below.
â€¢ Don't force the floss into the gums, as this can injure the gums and be painful. One "Ouch!" and it may be really hard to get your child to open up and let you back in.

Remember to see your pediatric dentist every 6 months, starting around 1 year of age. No question is a bad question, so ask your pediatrician or pediatric dentist about anything you want to know concerning your child's oral health.

How did you get your child to start flossing? What kinds of fun flossing products or habits have worked for your little one?View Thread

Posted byTanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

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