There are many brands and models on the market. Just ensure you look for a safe jogging stroller that has the important features you require. There is no need to purchase the top of the line if you won’t be using the features you paid the additional money for. Know what you need and buy appropriately.

For an upper body workout it has a resistance adjustment on the swivel wheel as well. For further versatility you can purchase the car seat and use the BOB Revolution frame for the car seat to use as an infant stroller. If this is your second child then BOB also have a top range of double jogging strollers with the same quality features.

The special all-terrain use strollers make it easy for you to take your little one out to the park or on long hikes with ease. Pavement, grass or soil you can take your jogger stroller with you anywhere you want to go. With front suspension and large wheels these strollers are perfect for outdoor use.

You may not normally associate your baby stroller as being an all-terrain vehicle, but there are certain strollers available out there that are specifically for all-terrain use. Jogger strollers have been developed to aid the busy parent in their quest to perfect their fitness regime with a toddler in tow.

You may wish to take your jogger stroller out for a few practice runs first around the block before you use them in the park or on a busy high street. This will allow you to become more familiar with your jogging stroller and the way it moves.

Learn more about Jeep Liberty All Terrain Stroller . Stop by Sally Kell’s site where you can find out all about Jeep Liberty All Terrain Stroller and what it can do for you.

As a nursery is a little indoor world where your bundle of joy is going to spend most of her or his time this room should radiate happiness. For the simple reason that this is a place where your baby is going to dream, experience and grow you need to create a safe, light, spacious, cordial, comfy and cognitive nursery for your baby. As you can see this imaginative and creative work needs great care.

Many parents are mistaken thinking that the baby room should be always in calm surroundings for the baby to sleep well. Following this rule you could easily bring up a child who would be too susceptible even to a rustle. In the sequel this distinctive feature will do more harm than good. On the other hand a very noisy place is also unfavourable environment. So the room should be in neither calm nor have very noisy surroundings.

What do you need to start from?

You need to tackle the theme of the baby room first. But remember that the chosen colour for the nursery is far more important than the theme itself. Don’t use aggressive and bright fundamental colours to serve as a background to the main design idea even if they are your favourite ones. It does not mean that the nursery should look peaceful and calm in light colours, the most appropriate look a room should have is if is carefree and designed to provide the baby with a nice ambiance to play and have fun.

Let the bedding, pictures and curtains be the brightest spots in the room. Nowadays baby furniture and room sets can fuel your ideas and you can be more successful in decorating the nursery.

Looking through many available online baby shops and getting information about various baby items of baby furniture you are sure to find exactly what you need. Some articles of good quality wooden nursery furniture, especially a baby crib are just indispensable.

If the baby room is large and specious you can buy a whole room set. It certainly includes a cosy crib for sound sleep and may also have a changing table, a dresser, a high chair for comfortable feeding and even a night lamp. Every piece of a room set is designed adequately to be mutually complementary.

In case your nursery is not roomy enough don’t give way to despair you can choose any items of baby furniture as it is your option. Remember, only the most important accessories should be placed in the room otherwise you can overfill it depriving your baby of needed space to play and develop. The finishing stroke of the decoration is placing different toys that are non-toxic and absolutely safe for your kid.

For example it is necessary to know the metric area of the walls to buy the correct quantity of rolls of wallpaper or to get enough paint. You also have to estimate your nursery’s capacity to know what baby furniture can be placed in and how it can be arranged in order to provide the baby’s maximum safety.

Being guided by the room’s overall capacity and of course your personal desires, you can if so desired purchase a nursery group, where each of the articles within, will serve you and make your baby’s room the most suited place for your baby.

However if the room is not spacious enough do not hurry to buy every piece of baby furniture which you may think you will know. There is nothing more absurd than a nursery crammed with expensive nice baby furniture. Though every article of a room set has its practical use it is not advisable to buy the whole set if the nursery is not enough roomy.

The best baby furniture is considered to be made of wood, it has to be solid and durable and contain only non toxic substances such as paint or other materials. The whole design should not be at variance with established safety guidelines.

Place it safely
It would, however, be wrong to speak about the baby’s safety and only take into consideration the highest quality and most expensive baby furniture. The location of any and every particular item of nursery furniture figures significantly in this. Thus placing a baby cot close to the dresser, changing station or other item where you can keep baby things that are supposed to be kept from children can cause deplorable results.

In this case you should always leave the surface clean and without any baby oils, creams or other things that can be easily reached by the little one grabbed and experimented with. Unfortunately some of the baby’s exploratory actions can often be dangerous to his or her life. You should therefore bear firmly this in mind and in order not to take any chances place any dangerous subject out of the baby’s hand reach from the crib.

Attach any standing piece of furniture to the wall so it can’t topple over onto your toddler when the baby uses the drawer knobs or shelves to lift themselves up. So the conclusion is the following: the location of nursery furniture in the room is of vital importance and needs a great deal of thought before placement.

As for the painting the walls, it is also better to pay a little more and buy paints that contain the lowest level of toxicity that is emitted into the air or can be licked off!

When she found out about his affair, she went into a rage. He raged back. Hurtful words were spewed like poison by both parties. “I’m getting a divorce, Mother,” she sobbed over the phone. “Think, Hailey,” her mother said. “Ryan was dead wrong to do what he did, and nothing will ever excuse it. But usually, there are problems that lead up to this, that both parties cause. Isn’t there some way you can save your marriage for the childrens sake?”

It was late one evening, several weeks later, when Ryan strode into the house, sank to his knees and asked Hailey’s forgiveness. She blinked in disbelief. “Wh-what about…that…other woman?” she asked, tears starting.

“Hailey darling, I have been such a fool,” he said. “I want you to see something that I just read. I never realized I was so wrong.”

Ryan’s friend had given him my (Margaret’s) book, Forever My Love, written to men. He read it, read it again and then, burying his face in his arms, prayed, admitting to God how ridiculous he’d been. He immediately broke off the affair with the other women and rushed back to his wife’s side.

At first she didn’t believe him. She didn’t want to believe him. She was afraid to believe him, fearful that his regret was temporary. Not knowing what else to do, she asked if she could read Forever My Love, too. Then she sent for my book A Woman’s Emotional Needs. She realized, as she read it, that there had been lots of mistakes she had made where Ryan’s needs were concerned.

They spent hours and hours talking about everything. Over time, Hailey and Ryan got to the core of what tempted him to cheat and flushed out what they didn’t understand about each other. They were able to take hard looks at their own behavior and admit their failures. He did an about face, Hailey made some vital changes, finally reaching the point of forgiving Ryan, truly forgiving him, and they did save their marriage.

Admittedly, one of the most difficult things to pardon is when the person who promised to love you until death do you part betrays you. It cuts to the very core of who you are. That act destroys hard earned trust and loyalty. Without those, there is nothing to hold a marriage up.

In another case, Anthony suffered betrayal at the hands of two people he loved. He caught his wife, Ella, in bed with another man – Landon, his brother. It was such a shock to him that he stumbled out of the room, got in his truck, sped onto the freeway and drove for hours. He didn’t come back to the house for several days. When he did, Ella had left. A note on the table said the kids were staying with their Aunt Betsy – Landon’s wife. She and Landon were leaving for Reno to get divorces.

Anthony’s call to Betsy revealed that she was unaware of what had happened. She thought Landon, who was a trucker with his own vehicle, was on a trip. He was, of course, but not the trip she imagined. Her grief was almost more than she could bear.

In this situation two marriages and one large extended family had been destroyed – with seven children suffering the fallout. The entire family from Grandparents to Grandchildren was damaged beyond repair. Was there a chance that all of this devastation could have been avoided? Would either marriage have survived? Very possibly.

None of the adult parties involved – Anthony, Ella, Betsy and Landon – had a clue about how to make sure their marriages stayed intact. Because they didn’t understand their roles as husbands and wives, they made foolish mistakes and decisions, their marriages crumbled and their children have major problems.

Don’t let something this devastating happen to your family. You can prevent affairs and mend the broken relationships after one has happened. We here at www.loverelationshipheadquarters.com will guide you in laying the foundation, not only for saving your marriage, but for making it strong and affair proof. V:3

Margaret Hardisty International Best Selling Author and Speaker Dr. Vance Hardisty International speaker and author Love Relationship Headquarters www.loverelationshipheadquarters.com

Save your marriage, Save your marriage today, and get separate help for women

Thus getting the information parents have enough time to make themselves feel happy with this news in case they expected something different. Nevertheless there is one more big advantage of this foreknowledge; caring parents can use it to specify the theme and baby furniture of the nursery.

A few words about the nursery
Choosing a nursery for your baby select as far as possible a spacious room because it is false belief that baby room is a place where the baby only sleeps and has the meal.

This room will be a little universe for the child where he or she is going to grow, develop and know the world around. As this room will serve your child for years to come he or she should not be cramped in the nursery.

Get started
Once you know the sex of your baby-to-be and have an appropriate room you can start creating the nursery. It is obvious that the rational approach to it is just what you have to begin with. Pick up a theme and colour scheme for the walls.

Remember all the design should correspond to the baby’s sex. It means that it won’t be rather whimsical to choose pink and yellow primary colours with a doll theme for a baby boy’s room. Western decor with horses, Indians and cowboys will be much better and much more interesting to apply to a boy’s nursery.

As for baby furniture it can follow the chosen theme or be neutral. For example if you long to create a real Western atmosphere in this case it is better to choose nursery furniture with horse images or other western attributions. But avoid buying baby furniture in particular baby cribs with any cut-outs, your baby can get stuck in them and this can cause the worst. Do not hang any scary Indian masks even if they go well with the chosen theme.

Your baby is too little to appreciate this kind of your diligence. Every decoration item is to radiate friendliness and amicability. All the primary colours in the nursery should not be aggressive it means that you should avoid using red colour and dark colours as well.

Pink or Blue
As for a neutral room set it can match a boy’s room as well as a girl’s nursery, so, choosing it will be more practical in case your next child is of another sex and you will have only to change the theme of the room.

However if you want every bar of the furniture to show its belonging to your precious baby girl you can use rosy baby furniture to meet your wishes and beautify your little princess’ room.

They are necessary for baby’s movement development. Babies in walkers are supported as they learn to use their legs and feet. Typically they are plastic based, wheeled frame, and fabric seat that have leg holes to allow the child to scoot along the floor, it gives a baby a quick way to get around before he can walk.

Thanks to nowadays designing some of the models really have fantastic environment. You can see baby walkers equipped with nice and lovely gadgets. Bright and interesting toys added all around and overhead will entertain your little one while sitting in it, a well designed spinning seat will help baby explore them all! A bobbing elephant, swinging monkey, spinning lizard and more that baby will just “go wild” for! Baby spins a drum to activate lights and music.

Walkers can keep a child away from certain dangers or let him follow you around the house—but they also raise concerns about safety and a child’s normal development. They are considered to be the most unsafe baby gadgets. Keeping to the following suggestions and safety precautions parents can easily avoid any of the harmful situations which can occur because of the oversight and neglect.

While choosing

• Do not buy a second-hand walker; as a lot of them would no longer pass the safety regulations, such a walker can save your money making your baby more unsafe.
• Select a model with a wheelbase that’s longer and wider than the frame of the walker to ensure stability. It has to be sturdy.
• Make sure the folding mechanism works well
• Don’t buy walk-behind models. We consider walk-behind units dangerous because a baby could push the walker down stairs.
• When you’re shopping, take your baby with you to make sure that the height is just enough and his or her feet can touch the ground on the seat’s lowest setting.
• Look for small toys or parts that can break off or screws that can loosen. Toys and parts should be firmly attached.
• Buy a walker that you would enjoy. If you enjoy playing with it, there is a great chance that you are going to spend time with your baby teaching him how to play with all of the fun gadgets attached to the walker.

There are some special safety tips for using a baby walker at home.

• If you have stairs inside your house do get safety gate and install it correctly. Be sure that the gate or the door is close.
• You should not leave your child unattended in the baby walker; always keep them within your reach.
• Get rid of all the rugs and carpets so that your toddler could stroll around smooth surfaces only
• Never lift or carry the baby walker when your child is in it.
• Do not allow him or her to use the baby walker near hot oven or hot surfaces.
• Be sure that there are no dangling appliance cords near the walking area.
• Keep away the Baby walker from swimming pools, toilets, and from things that are used to hold water.

In spite of many warnings many parents and children are really happy with baby walkers. Now you have to weigh all the pros and cons and make your final decision.

Decide if you can follow all the given safety suggestions in order to give your child a nice opportunity to develop with such a baby Christmas gift.

Literally, nowadays vast expanse of baby beds enraptures and at the same time confuses many parents. Due to this wide, exclusive selection and huge number of brands one doesn’t know where to look first. Baby furniture hunting has become a hobby for many moms and dads; they constantly strive for the newest designs looking for the latest furniture to beautify their baby’s room. If you are one of them we are happy this hobby makes you glad.

In spite of the fact those who find buying baby furniture a real nightmare should keep their head, this situation is not hopeless. As for us we try to help you find and purchase good baby furniture that is going to be safe, functional and beautiful.

Get a theme for the nursery

As we are deeply interested in favourable and conducive environment for our precious child, we will look for the best idea to furnish the nursery. Picking up a theme is not a formidable challenge. It is enough to surf the net and look through numbers of offered themes in order to make your choice. One of them will certainly imprint itself in your mind. For example the boyish themes can be sports, dinosaurs, airplanes, trucks, submarines, cars and etc. Baby girls would like environment that includes fairies, princesses, dolls, castles, mermaids, flowers and etc.

A toy chests or more free space

Buying baby furniture set to furnish your baby room, you have all chances to become owner of an item of furniture that might be really unnecessary or at least not very necessary. In case your nursery is large purchasing a baby furniture set will not be a tragedy indeed, however if there is not much space every inch of it should be taken into account.

So you are faced to make an important decision and choose only the most indispensable articles of baby furniture. Thus if your nursery has a closet you will think twice before buying a toy chest or a dresser or other fancy pieces. However one piece you will certainly need, it is a safe and lovely place for your baby to sleep in.

What baby bed do you need?

Before buying a baby bed for your child you should clarify several things: the money you can afford, the design you would like to have. You may tend to choose a standard baby crib or a convertible baby cot. Or maybe be you need a cradle that works on batteries and automatically rocks your little one. Or you are a person who likes or has to travel and look for a nice travel cot. As nowadays parents want to travel with their children rather than leaving them home with nannies such a cot is a must. Portable, light and easy to fold they are just indispensable.

Thanks to the internet you can easily find a lot of information and minute detail about any piece of baby furniture or a baby crib you are interested in.
Our baby room furniture category is a real dream. Make wise investments and buy one of our name brand portable baby cribs.

Hiring a nanny may appear cost-prohibitive to the majority in the working world. While many mums and dads might enjoy having a nanny come to their home and caring for the child ( or children ) in the relaxation of their own home, it is dear to pay for that one on one care. Many families have figured out they can have a nanny co-op, where 2 or 3 families in a neighborhood share the cost of a nanny for the group of children. If you’ve got a buddy of neighbour that would share costs, this is a fair alternative.

Nanny au pair is another idea that has not absolutely taken off in the U. S. . This is exchanging childcare costs for board. Most frequently used with exchange scholars, this works best when full time care isn’t required. If you’ve an overlapping schedule with the other parent, having a nanny au pair for a few hours in the middle can save a ton of cash in daycare cost. In home childcare services is an alternative choice to keep under consideration. When searching for a supplier, ensure you get an in depth background investigation and ask all of the mandatory questions. In home suppliers could be approved by the state, and should have a restriction on the amount of children kept in the home. Research hours, costs and policies – and make efforts to check references!

One of the primary problems with in home care is that there is only one provider. What happens if he/she becomes ill or needs to take a day off?The traditional day center is one of the first choices of many parents, but the sticker shock when tuition rates are discovered makes it prohibitive. Keep in mind that childcare centers have to adhere to strict state regulations for safety and child : teacher ratios. This elevates the cost, but also increases the service. With a director, multiple teachers and age appropriate classrooms, you can rest assured that your center will be open when you arrive and provide the things you need. There are positives and negatives to each type of daycare environment.

Weighing the advantages will help you make the best possible decision. Questions such as whether your child will be able to go to preschool with a runny nose, or whether you must miss work and how much prorated time you are offered are all things to keep in mind. Ultimately, the parents must make the decision on the daycare or Childcare Services that best meet their needs. Deciding what is most important, and fitting the other criteria to match that will help you find the provider that will be responsible for partnering with your parenting.

To learn how to choose child care center and Childcare Services visit our site

Alarming intruders and helping their owners in a farm where there are sheep are just some of the reasons why dogs developed their barking abilities further. But as you notice, wolves do not bark, this ability is only developed by dogs.

Dogs bark to catch someone’s attention, to show that they are excited and of course to communicate. Communicating with their master could be achieved by teaching dogs some important elements like training and lifestyle.

Rewarding your dog for barking will only motivate him to do it more. So why not investigate first on what your dog wants to tell you so you can have a good start.

Try to decode what your dog is trying to express if he is barking too much. Do not give in to your dog’s bark instantly. Instead, refuse to notice them and wait until they stop before giving them what they want.

Giving them attention when they bark will only strengthens the action. The best solution is to wait for the bark to cease and that teaches him that he’ll get attention if he stops.

Being dominant or territorial is innate to some dogs. Barking to anyone who just passes by or someone who is approaching is just normal for them.

Distract your dog to stop barking. Draw his attention to you by playing with him or giving him some treats. The bark cycle could be broken this way and thus making your pet learn that he’ll get things by keeping his mouth shut.

Your dogs communication needs should not be taken for granted if you want to lessen your stress. You can easily give him attention since you know what he wants and you will also obtain tranquility. It is a very favorable situation for you both.

Besides pets, this author additionally frequently blogs on the light tire truck and off road tires for sale.

“Where are the behavior plans for these children?” Does this sound like you? Well look no further, there are behavior plans that will help you parent effectively. And it is simple to use.

In the Total Transformation Program by James Lehman, MSW there are several key concepts that promote responsibility taking and accountability on your kids’ part. Your job is to learn these concepts and how to use them.

The Passwords

There are several secret parenting passwords or behavior management plan tools listed in this program. I have picked out 4 of these concepts that will get you immediate positive results in parenting your children.

1. Focus on a Single Issue. Kids love to get the spotlight off them and have a myriad of techniques to do so. One is bringing up another problem when you are trying to discuss something else. Don’t go down that path, even if you need to have notes to keep you on track. You can tell them you will discuss their issue at a later time. Then go ahead with your point. You will definitely experience less frustration, always a good thing in parenting.

2. Consequences. All rules have consequences and it is only right to let the kids know what both are. Your job is to follow through with them. Consequences are a preferrable way to handle bad behavior because they establish a sense of right and wrong. They also maintain structure and values, in the short term. Do know that lasting change does not come from the consequences. What they do is make the child own their change. You cannot base the consequences on assumptions of what your child may be thinking. Only on their behavior.

3. Selective Attention. While a lot of parenting skills takes fortitude, this one gives you a break. Simply ignore negative behavior that is not important. Behaviors that are meant to get attention can be ignored as long as they are not abusive. Everyone in the family (or involved in caring for the child) must be in on this. The upside to this is that you will pay close attention to positive behavior. This is where your child will benefit the most and where you will start to see a new effort on their part to change.

4. Redirect interest. This skill requires creative thinking on your part. If your kid is not able to unstick themselves from the negative behavior, redirect them. Change what they are doing or what they are talking about. This will stop their mood depreciation. Use this concept with Selective Attention for even better results. You will be teaching them how uplifting doing something or thinking something positive can be.

Behavior management plans work best when the child is responsible for the positive change. These concepts can accomplish this without a lot of effort on your part.

It’s been said that parenting doesn’t come with an instruction booklet. When you become a parent, you enter into uncharted territory. While you can consult with your own parents on the proper care and behavior of these little ones, it’s also true that every child is unique.

Another factor which bears mentioning is that if your parents were the overly strict type, you may tend towards a more permissive parenting style. The reverse is also true. All parents want to be the ‘perfect’ parent, but of course this is next to impossible! You must also take into account your child’s temperament and style.

There are three basic styles of parenting. One is the authoritarian, strict parent, who tends to be overly controlling and is not open to discussion on issues. This type of parenting style emphasizes obedience and brooks no disagreement.

The authoritative parenting style is more moderate. This means limits are set, but discussion is encouraged. Children generally respond better to this strategy, as they learn self control while still having a say on why one decision is better, or preferred, over another.

The last is the permissive parent, most often the product of an authoritarian upbringing. Reacting to their own too strict parents, they swing to an opposite style, often spoiling their children, allowing them to make their own rules, exerting too little authority. This parenting style usually results in kids who lack self control, because they never learn how to set limits.

So which parenting style results in the most well adjusted, socially responsible kids? The moderate, authoritative parent is most often found to be best. One large study, conducted over a period of years found an interesting correlation between parenting styles and children’s weight. Children of both authoritarian and permissive parents tended to be overweight at a much higher rate than those of the authoritative, moderate style!

However, there’s more to this parenting style than meets the eye. Children have different temperaments and this is a vital consideration. Let’s say you have two kids, one whose personality is the shy, tranquil type and the other who is more outgoing and aggressive. It’s easy to see that each child must be approached in different ways.

The shy child is naturally more passive in response to a directive and may be overly sensitive. While still being firm, you may need to help this child develop confidence and self expression. For example, this child asks to go out and ride his bike. It’s raining. You might say, Oh, sweetie, I know you love to ride your bike, but it’s pretty wet out there right now. That’s an easy way to catch a cold. What do you say to a game of cards until it clears up? Along with the ‘no’ comes a reason, a request for his opinion and an alternative.

The outgoing child who makes the same request, may pose it as a statement. Mom, I’m going to go ride my bike. Your response needs to be a little different. Sorry, Buddy, it’s raining. I don’t want you catching cold. See if you can think of another activity until it clears up? There’s a subtle difference, in that you’re a little firmer and don’t need to mince words. The more aggressive child can deal with plain language better than a shy child and probably already has confidence to burn.

As you develop your unique parenting style, try to model it after the authoritative style, tempered by your child’s personality. Chances are that child will turn out just fine!

Even the athletically challenged mom can be her child’s biggest fan! Use the top 10 tips below to show your child you support him or her.

1. 1…2…3…Eyes On Me! There is no better way to say “I support you” than paying attention! Even if you don’t understand the game your child will appreciate that you are there and watching them.

2. Give them a “pep talk” before the game. Say things like, “You can do it”, “Break a leg”, “I am your biggest fan!”, or “Give it you all”. There is no better way to build their self esteem!

3. Dress in your child’s team colors.

4. Make clothing or order clothing online that supports your child’s team. You can find “sports mom” clothing online that is made to order with your child’s name, sport, and team name.

5. When going to a game, paint your child’s team name, their name and number on your car windows.

6. Practice at home with your child. If you don’t know how to play, then let him or her be the coach. He or she will be thrilled that mom wants to learn.

7. Get to know the other parents. Plan activites with the families of the other children on your child’s sports team. This builds lasting relationships with families that have similar values and interests.

8. Cheer for your child! Invest in pom poms, a bull horn or a cow bell.

9. Support your child’s team though fundraising, throwing team parties and providing snacks.

10. Adopt a “win or lose, I will always be proud of you” attitude. Sports are about building self esteem, learning to work as a team, and physical fitness. Try to give only “compliments” after a game and save the “concerns” for practices.

Use the drive home as a learning experience. Discuss what “plays” made the team successful and help your child determine what winning practices they can make part of every game. If your child is upset about a loss, ask them what went wrong. Use an open ended question like, “What would you do differently next time.

As you have come to know, I write articles based on what is going on in my life. And right now I have major goings on with getting three of my little darlings off to school so they are not late. And this was not a new thing either, unfortunately. What was I not doing right? It didn’t take me long to come to the conclusion that this kind of thinking was going to get me no where. And so redirecting myself, I started wondering if maybe I had unrealistic expectations for their age.

There we go! That was a much easier route for my mind to take, since it didn’t involve anyone being at fault, me or them! Cool! I figured I’d just get out my trusty Total Transformation workbook, find the section on age appropriate expectations, and I’d get my answer. (By the way, I refer to that workbook and the Total Transformation CDs often – they’re starting to get worn out!)

There were places that discussed what behavior goes with what age and it was cool, too, to find discussions on consequences and rewards by age, which I will tell you about further on. But what I found that was most intriguing was 7 different parenting roles, yes like acting type roles. And in reading through this, I was astonished to find that this was where I was going to find the answer to change in my morning routine.

The Seven Permissive Parenting Roles

Let me list them: The Bottomless Pockets; The Over-Negotiator; The Screamer; The Ticket Puncher; The Savior; The Martyr; The Perfectionist. I had to know more. What I learned was that I was several of these in spades. And for the situation that sent me scrambling for answers, I was playing the Martyr.

What happens is the Martyr takes on the kid’s responsibilities and expects less and less from the kid because they don’t want the kid to be unhappy or distressed. It was not a pretty picture. James Lehman just lays it out real. And when I hear him I think that certainly makes sense. However, in the heat of battle, that sense flies right out the window. So when feelings are high, it is nice to have his words already tucked away for recall.

Ok so what about all those things that correspond to age? Behavior, consequence, reward. James Lehman breaks it down this way.

Ages 5-9 – At this age, children are interested in time with parents and other adults. They are beginning to establish some independent relationships with peers, but often need some adult support with this. Age appropriate consequences include going to bed early, losing TV or computer time, and going to their room. Rewards could be staying up late, earning stickers, and having someone do a chore for you.

Ages 10-14 – Now they are working on how finding themselves. This can be daunting. Partly because they want to start right out of the chute doing it on their own (with no training of course!) and partly because they do still need oversight from their adults. Making bad choices to learn the hard way is most common. Rewards revolve cell phones and usage, more computer or video game times and planning the dinner menu. Consequences will encompass losing that sacred cell phone or time, TV restrictions, and most horrible, loss of time with peers/activities.

Ages: 15 – 17 These young adults must be well on their way to being on their own. Independent or learning what they have left to be so are vital in making them successful young adults. If consequences or rewards are involved, the car and computer/phone time are the big winners here.

This is just the short list of age appropriate behaviors and how to use them in discipline because I picked out the ones that fit my morning “dispute”. Total Transformation has more both of this and the parenting styles too.

I think our parents still marvel at all that we have to offer our children; between technology and zillions of brand names, we have choices to give our kids that they’d never dreamed of giving us. I always shake my head when I hear the stories of how babies used to be transported in the back seat in their little bassinets or “Moses” baskets, just resting on the vehicle seat without any restraints. Or how the babies could easily be comforted by the mother while driving because, after all, they weren’t belted in anywhere. It’s not that our parents, grandparents, and prior generations were opposed to safety; it simply didn’t exist in the form it does now. The first baby car seat to be invented was nothing more than a sack attached to the back seat with some strings. This is hardly comparable to the hundreds of options that parents of today can choose from.

Not only has what is being offered changed, but what is expected and demanded by law has also changed. Vehicle safety is an area of continuous restructuring as the government and various affiliations work to improve road safety. The sad truth is that most accidents can be prevented and this is especially saddening when you realize that most deaths of small children due to vehicular accidents are a result of being improperly restrained.

We read the how to guides for our VCR’s, digital cameras, and air conditioners, so why not read the instructions on how to install the baby’s car seat. It is true that they seem self-explanatorythis strap here, this one there, belt it in and off you go. True, manufacturers have created car seat models that are easy to use, detach, carry and install but you simply must read the instructions especially if you are unsure as your baby’s life may depend on it. One statistic states that four out of every six children are improperly restrained in the vehicle thus lessening the likelihood that they are safe.

In the United States, each state may have its own child safety laws when it comes to car seat requirements just as different states have different traffic laws. It is essential that you are aware of these restrictions and requirements if you are traveling outside of your home town. Similarly, in Canada there are laws for restraining young children. Manufacturers advertise and warn parents of such restrictions, such as placing children under twelve in the front seat of a vehicle with airbags, but it is up to us to abide by and pay attention to these restrictions.

If you are uncertain of the vehicle laws in your area, especially those that pertain to child car seats, you can contact the traffic office, local MLA or other government agency. The importance of knowing how to install your baby’s car seat http://www.bchighway.com/myvehicle/child-car-seat.html and which car seat is right for your child can not be overstated. As GI Joe says, “knowing is half the battle”.the other half is ‘doing’!

Where do I go from here?

Baby is on the way and you either have a car seat or you don’t. You may have an older car seat passed down by a friend or family member or you may have purchased a new one the moment you found out you were expecting. Are they both safe? Well, logically you are thinking that the baby that occupied the hand-me-down seat was kept safe and is thriving today so why wouldn’t it do the same justice to your bundle of joy? Simply because everyday standards are changing and what was considered safe a few years ago is not necessarily safe today. So, the answer is no – they are not both safe.

Can we make this easy on you and just tell you exactly which car seat is safe and perfect and wonderful? No, we can’t do that either. All we can do is equip you with the knowledge of how to choose, purchase, install and use the appropriate safety seat.

It can be said that older seats are not the safest choice particularly if you do not know their history. Many people borrow seats, buy used ones or, as mentioned, get them handed down. What you may not know is that if the seat has any damage, cracks, faults or has been in an accident it is not keeping your baby safe. In these circumstances it is not a seat that you should trust your newborn child in.

Now, this is not to say that one can never borrow a car seat. It’s not an article to tell you that you must go now and purchase the most expensive one out there. You can borrow car seats but they should be within the current safety standard regulations. You should not borrow a car seat that is more than five years old and in fact, you should not use the same seat you used for your last child if it is more than five years old. This is a common mistake among parents and most of the time nothing happens. However, you don’t want to place bets on it most of the time. Ensure your child’s safety by being certain about the car seat’s history and quality.

Oh so many choices You don’t just have to choose from different brand names and manufacturers or different features and options. Oh no! You also must choose from a variety of options in regards to “stages”. There are baby carriers, rear facing seats, front facing seats and boosters as well as combination and convertible seats. Keep in mind, that most of these stages are for just that; the appropriate developmental stage that your child is at. Infant carriers are to be used with newborns up to about 22 pounds, but the weight limit varies with the model and make.

The AAP recommends that children are in these seats or at the very least, in rear facing car seats until they are one year of age AND 20 pounds. Your child must have reached both milestones, according to law, to use a front facing seat. In fact, the school of thought is that as long as you can keep your child comfortable rear facing you should do so even if you surpass this requirement. This waiting time allows for the strengthening of their bones and muscles, particularly in the neck. Using a forward facing seat too soon puts your child at serious risk of injury or even death should a vehicle collision occur.

Installation above all else How do you use a baby car seat? PROPERLY!! How do you do this? Baby car seats are tested and tested again to ensure maximum safety for your child. This safety is only assured if you, the purchaser, use this seat properly right from installation to latching up your child each time. You must be certain that the car seat fits well in your vehicle. This includes making sure that neither the seat nor baby’s head is not on too much of a slant.

When installed and used properly the baby car seat will work to the best of its ability to keep your baby comfortable, secure and, above all else, safe. Baby car seats work with the vehicle seat belts and the seats to restrain the child in place.

A regular seat belt is not capable of keeping a small baby or child restrained upon impact. Their bodies are much too little. The car seat is equipped to hold them securely within the harness, while the vehicle seat belt tightly restrains the car seat as a whole. Your baby car seat will come with a number of features and options, all of which you should be aware of and be certain that you want. Some of your choices will include the type of harness, be it six point, five point, or three point. These work by restraining the child in that many places.

For example, a three point harness restrains the child at both shoulders and once between the legs. Your car seat may or may not come with a detachable base (this is for infant carriers), a head rest, adjustable handles (again, infant seats), drink holders, and many more options. A car seat works best if it meets your particular needs so know beforehand what your needs are so you can find exactly what you are looking for.

You can receive advice on installation from the manufacturer and can in fact even have your installation checked for safety. Online, you can find a number of locations to drive to with your car seat and they will tell you if your car seat is securely, safely and properly installed. Be sure as well that once a child is in a rear or front facer that you adjust the head rest to accommodate their growth spurts. As well, be certain that restraints are secure and you can get now more than a finger between the restraint and baby. If it has too much room baby may not be secure.

Having a baby is a big step in your life. You will want to feel prepared and know that you are doing all you can to keep baby safe. If nothing else, remember these few things: car seats come with instructions- read them! Don’t borrow or buy a seat you don’t know the history of but if you do borrow or buy a second hand seat check for any defects, double check your installation and be prepared to make adjustments to the harness as baby grows, contact a professional (websites can give contact numbers and people) if you have any uncertainties. Your local health department can also help you make sure that baby is resting safely and comfortably in the seat.

By following the simple rules of car seat installation and use, just as you would follow the “rules of the road”, you are doing your best to keep your most precious cargo safe. A child passenger safety technician is within a phone call if you need more questions answered. Look online at consumer or government websites for more information. Stay safe.