Day 323 - How to Make Sure Dogs and Your Infant Get Along

Today's first time parenting tip - Use patients and a calm attitude to get dogs and infants to co-exist by establishing pack dominance.

If you've had a dog for a few years and add a baby into the mix, things can get hairy. Before the fur flies, you should do everything you can to get them used to each other, so that someone doesn't get bitten.

Before your baby becomes mobile, most of the issues you'll have to deal with are pet jealousy. You can help alleviate those by reading my post on the subject.

Before they start moving, there are more things you can do to help them get used to each other. Establishing pack dominance will teach your dog where he stands, and to defer to the baby. You can do this by.

• Feed yourself and your baby before you feed your dog


• Take your child through doors before the dog


• Don't allow your dog to sleep in your bed


• When you do feed your dog, hold the bowl near your face and the baby's face (standing up, away from the dog in case he gets aggressive). This is another way of 'eating first'


• Play with your infant and dog together. Don't roughhouse. You want to teach both the dog and the child to be gentle with each other. Show your baby how to gently pet the dog. We taught our son to pet the cat nicely by always petting him with an open hand and saying 'gentle' every time.


• When you scold your dog, roll him onto his back without hurting him. This is the natural position of submission

By doing these things, you're recreating the natural way dogs determine who is the alpha dog in the wild. Even though yours might be tame as tame can be, their instincts are very powerful. Use that to your advantage and train your dog to see you and the baby as alpha dogs.

Parenting, Dog, Baby, Behavior, Safety

Day 279 - Falling down is no big deal

Today's first time parenting tip - Treat falling down like no big deal (unless they're really hurt)

Some babies handle adversity really well. They're the ones that are always into everything, constantly getting knocked in the head and falling over themselves as they tear around with their new found motions. Some start wailing at the smallest little things.

When your baby starts to walk, the latter kind of baby can be even more frustrating to handle. Every time they fall, even if it's three inches onto their butt, you'll need to pick them up to console them. To a certain degree, some parents cultivate this behavior by making a huge deal out of the slightest little thing.

Sometimes, the baby isn't hurt, they start crying because it seems to be expected of them and the parents are making a big fuss out of something small.

If you think you fall into that category, try making the harmless falls and slight knocks into something fun. Saying "Uh-oh!" and raising your hands as if to say "What happened?" should become your replacement reaction.

After a while, they'll start to imitate you! Our son cried when he dropped something and couldn't get it back, but we adopted the "Uh-oh!" tactic and now he says it all the time! When he falls down, drops something and even a few times when he's just saying it for fun.

Parenting, Behavior, Fall, Down, Cry

Day 278 - Getting Through Shopping

Today's first time parenting tip - Let your infant pick out something to hang onto when he first gets to the store

If it hasn't happened to you already, it will. The screaming, wailing child at the grocery store. You'll have a full shopping cart and you'll be in the middle of the line when it hits.

What can you do to mitigate tantrums? Something you can try is to let your infant or toddler pick out something they want when you first get to the store. It should be something small and cheap, if you'll be doing this regularly. For instance, my son (who is 11 months old and frankly is very easy to please) was fussy until we let him grab an orange of the fruit stand at Trader Joe's.

That orange was his best friend all the way until halfway home when he dropped it sitting in his car seat. This may not work for all kids, but it's something to try.

By giving them a tangible reward at the beginning of the trip, you're making the prospect of a reward more real than just saying "If you're good, you can have a treat at the end." Without that treat in hand, children are more likely to act on impulse when they see something they want.

By having something already, it forces them to choose. "I've got this thing I want already, is it worth giving it up for that other thing I probably won't get?" You'll also teach patience and the ability to connect their good behavior with a good result. (Because it's in their hand constantly).

The downside to this is every time you go in the store, you'll have to get them something. After all consistency is key. That's why, if you try it, make the payoff a small treat like a piece of gum or even a healthy snack you bring in from the car.

Parenting, Behavior, Discipline, Tantrum, Prevent

Day 255 - Let the Phases Begin

Today's first time parenting tip - Be as adaptable as your baby is as he goes through phases

"Oh...it's just a phase."

Famous last words, often said by someone who doesn't have to deal with the radically different behavior day in, day out. And usually swings in behavior are just phases that your baby will work through.

Here are some tips for getting through changing behavior:

• Don't get frustrated - Easier said than done. But keeping an even keel and giving your child freedom to explore who he is (as long as its not destructive) is healthy. This is especially hard when you feel like you've just got pne phase handled and under control, and all of a sudden that all goes out the window.


• Encourage exploration by supporting new interests and behaviors. My son now refuses baby food, doesn't like to hold still, and fusses when something is taken away. So we make sure there's lots available for him to do, and if he fusses when we pull him away from electrical plugs, we quickly fill his need to do something by playing with something else.


• Encourage exploration...within reason - Of course, limits need to be set. But try to work with your child as much as possible, and begin to forge compromises. You'll not only be teaching them its OK to be different, but also how to compromise.


• Don't expect your baby to be just like you or behave like an adult - Babies are babies and kids are kids. We all frustrated our parents once.


Parenting, Phase, Behavior, Discipline, Self
, Esteem