Healthy Bodies—Stay Active!

Positive Modeling & Promotion of Healthy Bodies – A Four Part Series with Pediatric Obesity Specialist Dr. Dyan Hes

Part Three—Stay Active!

In our last installment of this four part series with Dr. Dyan Hes, we learned about portion control and how to model this for children starting from the time they are babies. Today, we’ll focus on being active!

Dr. Jen: Parenting is so... tiring! Dr. Hes, how do you suggest parents of young children model exercise and even get kids moving the appropriate amount?

Ask Baby! Mirror Mirror On The Wall…

As we continue, here at Sassy Baby Toys, in what we are enjoying as our best month yet, we’re going to focus today (no pun intended) on mirrors. That glamorous Hollywood baby, Isabella is here with us and ready to answer a few questions! Here we go—a whole post dedicated to mirrors.

OSD: Do you like mirrors? 
B: OMG—I love mirrors! Are you kidding me? Me? Mirrors? That’s like asking me if I like to sleep. Yes! An overwhelming yes. Just about the coolest thing I can play with at my ripe age of 4-8 months.

Ask Baby! When Babies Talk, They Talk

Wow, what a fascinating month this has been—learning so much talking to you, baby Isabella! Hope you are enjoying this, too. Back to our 4-8 month old little friend (who One Sassy Doctor must add, is getting a bit into this Hollywood act and put on a ball gown for us today – complete with heels.)

Sassy Silly Ways to Have Fun: Touch—Part One!

Touch is simply the most wonderful part of bonding we’re blessed to enjoy with our children. In fact, I’m at a loss for the perfect words to stress just how important for both mom, dad and baby the sensation of touch is in fostering security & developing attachment with baby is. Perhaps the word is love? Yep—that’s it. We show our love to babies through touch, and they show it right back to us the same way.

Through touch, babies also become more aware of their surroundings. They were in a warm and cozy tummy with fluid surrounding them for an entire pregnancy. Then they pop out into a room with bright lights and a bunch of doctors and nurses with masks on their faces. Give them a hug and cuddle with them after an experience like that!

Sassy Silly Ways to Have Fun: Hearing—Part Two!

Earlier this week we talked about why engaging in hearing silly activities is a good thing for baby. We went over some ways babies automatically engage in fun with mom while still in the womb such as the heart beat and digestive system sounds.

Sassy Silly Ways to Have Fun: Hearing—Part One!

Hear me now! Do I have your attention? Playing with a new baby is super duper important, and although you’re certainly not going to get into a full-on conversation about the latest Hollywood gossip, communication is a fundamental part of bonding.

Sassy Silly Ways to Have Fun: Vision—Part One!

We’ve written about baby vision on previous One Sassy Doctor posts. Initially, a newborn can see only about 8 to 12 inches from his face and tries to focus when close up to something fun, like mommy’s face. Initially, babies are not able to focus on objects that are far away, so if you’re waving a red flag across the bedroom as you do a silly dance, don’t be offended if only your partner is laughing at you. One note: young babies do respond to bright light and actually prefer (as noted by eye opening) lower light. Babies love faces, bright colors and high-contrast patterns with movement. So, how can we have some Sassy silly vision fun?

One Sassy Grandma – Holiday Toy Safety Post #1

Choosing safe toys for your baby or toddler isn’t just about product labels and age recommendations. We need to understand each child’s developmental level, the play environment and how these factors play into toy selection—a child with developmental challenges, for example, may require toys with capability features specific to their needs.

One super important element to toy safety is the “grandmother effect.” This is as looming as a fork in a light socket (well, kind of a dramatic analogy, but you get the drift). Parents must be super vigilant hawks when it comes to presents received by others.

Imitation is the Greatest Form of Flattery

It’s ridiculously cute to see a little one imitating mommy, daddy or an older sibling. It’s even cuter when the imitating is just a little bit “off”—for example, my daughter said “in the meantime”, and her little brother later said, “You are going to go into the mean time. Mommy why is time mean?”

Some little ones even imitate themselves!

And, believe me, my little one is certainly imitating my dramatic flair in this shot!

When In Doubt, Get Out!

This is our #1 family motto in the Canter house. When those winter days are getting to you, get out of the house! When it is spring or fall, and you can take a leisurely stroll, do it! When it’s summer and you can get into some safe water play, or have a social interaction with friends/family outdoors, motivate. I am a big believer in getting outdoors—for your own enjoyment and to set an example of healthy lifestyle.

Strolling Along, Sassy Style

Wow, did we go through a lot of strollers with these two sets of twins! I’m going to refrain from specific product suggestions here, but give you some of my tips for a start:

Playground Safety: Dr. Jen's Take on the New York Times Piece

A repost from www.playthisway.com.

As a pediatrician with a sub-specialty in child abuse, and a mother of two sets of twins, I read the New York Times article Can a Playground Be Too Safe? with significant concern. In this piece, John Tierney explains the history of New York City’s playgrounds and safety. Specifically, regarding a 10-foot-high jungle gym in Manhattan near his childhood home, he explained that as long as he was the parks commissioner, the monkey bars were going to remain in place. This was despite researchers at the time, who cited accident statistics and the importance of safer playgrounds. Fast forward to 2011, and this article, in accordance with Mr. Stern’s 1990’s edict - critics saying that playgrounds may “stunt emotional development, leaving children with anxieties and fears that are ultimately worse than a broken bone”.

Wow, do I disagree.

Toddler Play & Fun Tips

A repost from www.playthisway.com.

It’s not easy to be alone with a toddler all day long, but you can spice it up and still stick to the routines that are so important to children. Here are Dr. Jen’s tips on toddler play, fun ways to engage with your toddler more, and some ideas on toddler activities!

Outdoor Play

My husband often says, “When in doubt, let’s go out!” I believe getting outside, even for a brief period of the day, is a very important part of raising healthy, active, adventurous children.

But it’s not always easy! In my stomping ground, good old New York, it’s cold for a fair portion of the year. We all have our own reality—mine in the winter is:

1. 12 boots 
2. 12 gloves 
3. 12 hats 
4. 12 scarves 
5. 12 coats 

Although we do engage in fun winter outdoor play (stay tuned, we’ll write about that on One Sassy Doctor in the future!)—the start of spring & summer really do boost the mood of the entire family. Welcome sunshine and warm weather! Whoo hoo!

Hearing & Play

I think I have an absolutely amazing voice. My husband does not agree; most adults would also not agree (and probably cover their ears).

Recently, my now 7-year-old daughter said, “Mom, you really can’t sing. You think you can, but you can’t.” Then she added, “But what I love about you is that you do it anyway.”

Rock it around your babies! Babies love to hear you sing. Use expression, use your fabulous range, and let it go! This is one way to work on language development, expression and show a baby—early—that being goofy can be a lot of fun. I happen to be a huge Barbara Streisand fan. It’s kind of mortifying; I’ll share some stories in the future. My girls were signing “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” by the age of 18 months. I spared that tune for my boys.

Touch & Play

Your baby's sense of touch is getting better. The sense of touch is most developed in their lips and gradually develops to your baby’s arms and legs.

Provide colorful objects of different textures, shapes and sizes for your infant to hold and explore. This is a good age to introduce an infant gym with interesting objects that dangle for your baby to bat at. Or hold a toy just out of reach for your baby to reach for, swat and grab hold of. Just don't string up toys on cribs or other baby equipment — your baby could get tangled in them. An infant gym will also provide a soft textured surface for baby to learn to roll over on as she gets a little older.

Vision & Play

As a baby’s vision improves, she is better able to distinguish between different shapes, colors and movements.

While babies are able to see from birth, your baby is very nearsighted and can only focus on what is about a hand’s distance from her face. Guess what! That is about the distance your face is when you are feeding or holding her! So, make sure she gets plenty of opportunities to stare at and become familiar with your friends and family’s faces because, while she may be smiling at you from the day she is born, your baby will take a little time to get to know the others around her.

One pretty cool thing I learned, I was the best looking thing in the world to each of my babies. With no flaws, no imperfections, momma is every baby’s fashionista super model!

What is Play?

Babies love to be played with and also should be encouraged to play alone. Although not yet capable of engaging in play with other children until the age of 12-18 months, babies love to watch older children play and be the object of (massive amounts of) affection. Cuddles, “raspberries” on the tummy and peek-a-boo are examples of ways an adult or older child can play with a baby. Passive forms of entertainment, such as watching a mobile or enjoying a small dose of a developmentally appropriate video, are also opportunities for babies to benefit from play.

To this day, my kids love when we pretend we each are a pizza maker and a pizza—we roll each other out on the ground, spread out cheese toppings (tickling), flatten each other out and then gobble each other up! That was a baby game, that became a silly, goofy family tradition. (I promise, kiddos, I won’t do that at your weddings!)

Play & Development

There’s a lot behind the expression, “We’re not just playing around!” While playing, babies are exploring their new magical surroundings, bonding with those around them and learning about their amazing little body. Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine waking up in an entirely new world, one with new sensations coming at every wink and complete awe everywhere you turn.

When my little two-month-olds were unable to sit up and clap or play with blocks—was there benefit to interactive play at this age? You betcha! Babies develop through play—physically, cognitively and emotionally.

Dr. Jen® Family Fun Tips: Baby Toes

And there’s no pun intended with that title (tips, get it, tippie toes!). You’re going to have to get used to One Sassy Doctor’s sassy sense of humor, just laugh, ok? Tootsies, there's something magical about baby feet. To a baby—yes! But also to this momma!