How to Pick the Right Babysitter

Babysitters are a great resource for parents with activities outside the home, or just mom and dads who need a date night. Of course you want to find the best babysitter available. Here are a few tips for just how to do that.

ASK LOCAL FRIENDS AND FAMILY

If you have nearby friends and family with children, the first step for you is to ask them what babysitters they use. If they don’t know of a great babysitter to recommend to you, they may know someone who does. If you belong to a church you can also ask fellow churchgoers with children for their recommendations. You can also ask neighbors with children.

JOIN A LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUP

Today there’s a Facebook group for almost every interest or need. Most communities have a local facebook group where residents ask each other for advice about local resources. This often includes discussions about babysitters. Consider joining a Facebook group for parents near you. This could also help you make friends, learn more about your community, arrange playdates, etc.

INVITE THEM OVER

If you’re nervous about trying a new babysitter for your child, try inviting her to your home. This will give you the opportunity to ask her important questions and to introduce her to your child. Observe how they interact, and how the babysitter adapts to your child’s demeanor.

ASK GOOD QUESTIONS

Before talking to a prospective babysitter, develop some questions for her that pertain to your concerns. This allows you to gauge whether this person’s babysitting philosophy and attitude are compatible with yours. If your child has any special conditions, struggles or needs, write these down before the interview or screening process, and be sure to bring them up.

CHECK THOSE REFERENCES

Every good babysitter has several references available. Take the time to contact them and ask a few questions.

KEEP GOOD NOTES

It’s important to keep good notes on your quest to find a great babysitter, for all the obvious reasons. But even if you find the perfect one, it’s important to have a good backup or two. Keep those names and phone numbers. It’s also good to know a few sitters to share with other parents who may need their services.

TRY MORE THAN ONE

Even if you’re confident in the babysitter you’ve chosen, it usually doesn’t hurt to try out more than one. You can compare these experiences against each other. Ask your child about their experiences with these babysitters.

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.

How to Increase your Health

Compared to women, men are more likely to die before reaching age 80, but less likely to seek medical care. Men are more likely to die by suicide, but less likely to see a therapist. Guys, we have to fix this. Here are a few points of advice.

HAPPY, HEALTHY FOODS

Americans are notoriously overweight. Obesity has been a deadly epidemic here for decades now. If you’re a bit over your ideal weight, make a list of all the foods you enjoy. Then rate them for their nutritional cost and benefit. You may be surprised by all the healthy foods that you do enjoy but have passed over for various reasons. If you’re worried about vegetables going bad before you eat them, buy them frozen or canned. They’re still healthy foods. If you think veggies are boring, add salsa or jalapenos. At the store, avoid sections containing unhealthy, tempting foods. Avoid fast food restaurants in favor of eating meals at home that you’ve taken care to plan.

GET SOME EXERCISE

The sedentary lifestyle common in modern America poses substantial health risks to men and women alike. Make the time to take daily walks. If there’s a sport you used to do, consider taking it back up. There may be groups online dedicated to men such as yourself wanting to get together for a tennis match, a round of golf, or a pickup game of soccer or basketball. Consider joining your church’s softball team, or forming one if one doesn’t exist. Plan hiking outings for yourself and your family. If you have arthritis or have suffered from injuries, check out your local municipal pool. Many have low-impact water aerobics. You can also just swim laps. If you have a bike, get it fixed up and take it out for a spin. If your neighborhood has too many hills or too much traffic, look online for the best places to bike nearby, and make it an adventure.

BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EMOTIONS

Everyone has emotions and emotional needs. Don’t keep them simmering below the surface. Talk to friends and family. You never know what pearls of wisdom are hiding there unless you engage. Be open about what you’re feeling. If you’re feeling a lot of stress, or feel that you may be depressed, see a therapist. They’re professionally trained to help you take stock of your emotional health in productive ways. They can also help you get any medications that may benefit you.

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online

Preparing Your Kids for School

The first week of kindergarten or preschool is very exciting. But if your child is unprepared, it can also be stressful. Here are a few things you and your child can do to prepare for school.

ATTEND ORIENTATION DAY

Orientation day is a great opportunity for you and your child to become familiar with his or her new school. At orientation, you talk to the new teacher and headmaster or director, see the classroom, and have a look around the school. It’s also a great chance to ask questions.

READ BOOKS TOGETHER

One central aspect of kindergarten or preschool is learning to read. This can be a great joy for a child or a great hurdle. One great thing you can do for your child is to have a good variety of books on hand — books you read to them and books they can enjoy on their own. This will help instill a love of reading in them, and ease the process into a more formal education setting that is largely centered on reading and writing.

HELP DEVELOP FINE MOTOR SKILLS

Writing and drawing are crucial activities in any preschool or kindergarten. To help this go smoothly, you want your child to have developed some fine motor skills. Have plenty of paper available, as well as crayons and pencils, so your child can work on this ability. Help your child draw basic shapes and figures. Teach her to spell her name. Continue with some basic words such as Mom, Dad, cat and dog. Encourage your child to draw.

ARRANGE PLAYDATES

If your child hasn’t been attending a preschool, it may be overwhelming for him or her to be surrounded by so many other children. This is especially true if your child is an only child or just has a sibling or two. To help home or her develop social skills to successfully interact with other children, it can be helpful to arrange playdates with other children around the same age.

PART-TIME PRESCHOOL

It’s easier for a new kindergartener to ease into full-time school if she’s spent some time at a preschool. Preschools allow students to attend as regular full-time students or as part-time students. This familiarizes them with the school environment and how to properly interact with teachers and other students.

POTTY TRAINING

Attending kindergarten or preschool will be so much easier for your child and his teacher if your child is fully potty-trained. And of course, this makes life easier for parents as well. Potty-training can be quite a challenging activity but it’s always worth the trouble. Fortunately there are many resources online to help you train your child to successfully use the toilet.

Do you have a child about to begin school, or do you dream of having one? Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.

How to Emotionally Prepare for a New Baby

Preparing for a new baby can be overwhelming. You’re not only preparing your home and adjusting your life’s schedule for a needy new family member. You’re also, if you know it or not, anticipating the emotions that this life change will bring. Don’t keep this emotional aspect of your life below the surface and unexamined. If you want to fully prepare for your new baby, take stock of your own emotions, and take a look at ways that you can manage them.

THERE ARE NO PERFECT PARENTS

There may be a creeping feeling that you won’t have your house, your life and your self in perfect order for your new baby. Fear not! No one achieves perfection before or after a child arrives. Every parent makes mistakes. Take deep breaths and focus on what is achievable.

TALK TO YOUR PARTNER

Your partner is going through the same stress you are. Ask him or her how they’re doing, and share your own emotions. This is a grand adventure you’re embarking upon together, and communication is crucial.

ASK A PARENT FOR WISDOM

You surely know a lot of other parents, including your own mom and dad. Ask them about the emotions of bringing home a new baby. They won’t remember everything, but they’ll remember what really mattered to them. It couldn’t hurt to take some notes from these chats. You’ve got a lot on your plate right now, so it’s easy to forget things.

NO SHAME IN THERAPY

If your stress is significant, and talking to your partner or other parents hasn’t allayed it, consider seeing a therapist. They’re professionally trained to discuss these stresses with you in ways that should help you along a healthy path.

GET SOME R&R

Getting some rest and relaxation is always important, but especially in times of stress. Set apart some time to do the things make you happy and relaxed. Make sure your partner does the same. And spend some time together in ways that strengthen your bond. You’ll have less time for this with a new baby in the house. Make the best of it.

CONQUER YOUR LISTS

A bunch of to-do lists can add stress to your life, but crossing things off of them always feels nice, doesn’t it? Online live lists in programs such as Google Keep are helpful in that you can share them in real time with your partner through your devices, and see the changes that you both make. You can also drag items up or down on the list according to their priority. The best thing is: you can’t misplace these lists.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people build their families. That’s why we pride ourselves on providing state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides optimal surgical results and uncompromising, concierge-level patient care.  To learn more, call 941-313-7749 or contact us through our website.