Category Archives: development

We do not turn out “just fine”.

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We do not turn out “just fine”.

When my daughter was about 3, her great grandmother swooped her up and said playfully, “You need a good spanking.” I froze. Those were the threats I grew up with and I never wanted my daughter to hear. My voice shook. “We don’t hit in our family.” I was met with an angered stare. “Then how will she ever learn?” was her gruff response. I stood strong, took my daughter from her and said, “The only thing you learn is that its OK to be hit and its OK to hit someone else.”

Not sure it made an impact on my grandmother, but for me and my daughter it was a moment when (as my friend put it) “You blew your genetic code right out of the water.”

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/17/adrian-peterson-fathers-effect-belt

 

What is Baby Signing?

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Baby sign language is using signs in addition to spoken word. It never takes the place of spoken language as its a total communication approach, instead it acts as a bridge between being nonverbal and verbal.

When parents use sign language with their babies there are many language and communication benefits, but I feel the strongest reasons are because it enriches parent-child relationship by having more positive interactions. Babies and toddlers are better understood and therefore able to get their needs met so there are less tantrums!

Although I had been using it center based in an early intervention program it wasn’t until my daughter was born that I began to really understand the enormous power of signing. It was new years eve day and my 15 month old daughter woke up crying in the middle of the night. As this was so unlike her we knew something was wrong. Turning on the lights we saw her signing ‘pain’ and when we asked her where she pointed to her abdomen. We rushed to the local ER and I told the doctor what she had ‘signed’. The doctor rolled his eyes at me! As if a 15 month old couldn’t possibly understand or describe the specific location of her pain. After running tests, sure enough, she had a UTI. I’ve been committed to teaching signing ever since, because I know the value first hand.

 5 Tips for learning to sign:

~ Start small. You are learning a new language so take your time. Perhaps get 4-6 solid before moving on.
~ Start right away. You get used to using a new language and baby gets the benefit of seeing it.
~ Repetition is key. Practice the signs even when you are not with your baby.
~ Learn from videos, because the arrows are confusing in books.
~ Use the signs that you say frequently (milk, diaper, mommy/daddy, sleep, bed,.. some say “more” is a good one, but “more” can drive you crazy if you don’t know what baby wants more of)

 

How can caregivers help parents work on baby sign language:

~ Be models. Make sure they use the signs when the parents are around.
~ Offer video links of resources for the parents.
~ Get the video out from the library for them or have a copy that families can borrow.
~ Although its harder to learn from a flat image, put signing cards up on the fridge or to reinforce signs like diaper, put a card up in the diaper changing area.
~ Use it when talking to the parents. Say, “She slept for 1 hour this afternoon. (and slip in the sign for sleep).”
~ Video their baby signing back!

 

~ Kim Lyons, M.Ed.

Tips For Supporting Children’s Eating

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Virginia Watkins is a local nutritionist who leads classes on introducing solids, making your homemade baby foods and more. Here is a recent post from her about children and mealtimes and class information at the end.

“Some children (and adults) need more support than others when it comes to making healthy food choices. Follow the suggestions below and notice a positive shift in your family’s attitudes at mealtimes. These suggestions should help bring a sense of calm to meal planning, preparation, and eating enjoyment.

Eating Environment Guidelines
Creating a safe, welcoming environment at mealtimes may be just as important as serving foods that contribute to your child’s health.

1. Emphasize family mealtimes. Take time to sit down together regularly with the TV, smart phones, and all electronic devices turned off.  Aim for at least seven times per week. Breakfasts and weekend meals may be more do-able than weeknight dinners.

2. Model healthy eating behavior. Make sure your own meals include good sources of fat, vegetables and protein. Even if your children reject the food you offer, you’re showing them that a variety or healthy foods taste good to you.

3. Enlist your children’s input: Ask what they would like for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and discuss which foods and combination of foods would make good choices. Make a point to try some of the meals or snacks you’ve discussed.

4. Enlist your children’s help: As your children become more independent, let them serve themselves and help with food preparation. Using salad tongs can be so fun that children begin to eat salad. Sprinkling cinnamon on sweet potatoes and adding butter suddenly makes eating them more appealing.

5. “You are in charge of when and where your child eats and they are in charge of if they eat and how much.” – Ellen Satyr, author of Child of Mine, and How to Get Your Child to Eat But Not Too Much.  If children are pressured too much to eat certain foods, mealtimes can become unpleasant for everyone.

6. Relinquish bribes and reward foods, i.e. no more, “If you eat your broccoli, you get to have dessert.” If necessary, serve dessert at the same time as the meal to help avoid mealtime battles.

Food Guidelines

7. Offer 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, plus water, unless the snacks are making your child too full at mealtimes. Consider cutting back or eliminating them if they are.

8. Offer small amounts of meat, poultry, or fish at most meals. Animal protein provides sustained energy, helps keep blood sugar levels and moods even, and is easier to digest than a diet heavy on grains and dairy products.

9. Eggs, beans, nuts and nut butters, cheese and yogurt are also great sources of protein. Keep in mind that they can be harder to digest and are more allergenic than meat and poultry. See below for the most allergenic foods.

10. Include healthy fats with all meals, including extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, butter, cream, and some animal fats such as the crispy skin on roasted organic or pasture-raised chicken, or greens cooked in bacon grease. Try adding fat and sea salt to veggies for a higher acceptance rate. Fats help with vitamin and mineral absorption, improve digestion, and stabilize energy and moods.

11. Offer vegetables even if you suspect they’ll be rejected.

12. Serve whole, fresh, seasonal fruits rather than processed ones.

13. Try to keep breads, pasta, and grains as a complement to most meals versus the foundation. Make it a goal to present variety. Most grocery shelves now offer steel-cut oats, polenta, sourdough breads, buckwheat pasta, wild rice, quinoa, and more.

14. Keep healthy snacks on a pantry and refrigerator shelf your children can reach to foster independence and appetite regulation.  If it’s close to a mealtime, let them know that they need to wait to eat or to have a smaller portion.

15. Keep treats as treats, something to eat on occasion.

The eight most common food allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, soy, wheat, and shellfish. (website referral here)

Other Resources:
http://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/index.php
http://donnafish.com

Featured Recipe

Avocado Toast
4 slices organic sourdough bread
8 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 ripe large avocado
Rosemary Salt or coarse sea salt*

Toast bread.
Drizzle each slice with about 2 tsp of olive oil.
Spread ¼ of the avocado on each slice of toast.
Sprinkle with Rosemary Salt.

*I love the Rosemary Salt from Eatwell Farms.

Variations:

  • Add sliced tomato on top of the “smooshed” avocado and then sprinkle with Rosemary Salt.
  • Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub on dry toast, then proceed with recipe.

Upcoming Classes

Introducing Solids and Raising a Healthy Eater

Tuesday, August 12, 11am-12:30pm
Tuesday, October 14, 10:30-12noon
Natural Resources, 1367 Valencia Street, San Francisco
Click here to register.

And

Friday, September 12, 12:30-2pm
Birthways, 1600 Shattuck Ave, ste 122, Berkeley
Wednesday, September 17, 10:30am-12noon
Awaken Chiropractic, 3515 Grand Ave, Oakland

Ideal for parents of babies 3-6 months of age. Babies are welcome!
Cost: $40, Email virginia@vwnutrition.com to sign up.

This class takes all of the guesswork out of giving your baby the best nutrition and a healthy relationship with food right from the start.

Topics include:

  • Understanding when your child is ready for solid food and why
  • Safe first foods, looking beyond rice cereal and across the globe
  • Foods to avoid
  • How much food to give your child
  • Food texture and choking hazards
  • Recommended “tool kit” for making first feedings fun and stress-free
  • Discussion of our own relationship with food
  • Conversation on family mealtime and why it’s important
  • Recommended resources on healthy eating for you and your growing child

Making Homemade Baby Food and Raising a Healthy Eater

Friday, September 5, 12:30-2pm
Birthways, 1600 Shattuck Ave, ste 122, Berkeley
Wednesday, September 10, 10:30-12noon
Awaken Chiropractic, 3515 Grand Ave, Oakland

Ideal for parents of babies 3-8 months. Babies are welcome!
Cost: $45, Email virginia@vwnutrition.com to sign up.

And

Friday, September 19, 12-1:30pm
Friday, October 24, 12-1:30pm
at Carmel Blue, 1418 Grant Avenue, San Francisco
Click here to register.

Fresh Baby Bites joins Virginia Watkins to lead an educational and lively class on making your own baby food. Participants will learn several foundational recipes, taste and take home samples.

Topics covered include:

  • 6 key time-saving tips, such as, “Cook the same foods for baby as you cook for yourself”
  • Recommended safe first foods
  • Foods to avoid
  • Herbs and spices
  • Raising a healthy eater and avoiding the picky-eating stage
  • Progressing to finger foods
  • Freezing and thawing

To schedule a free 15-minute consultation, private cooking class, speaking event or market tour, please call me at 415-385-6538 or email me at virginia@vwnutrition.com

Be well,
Virginia Watkins”