Why it’s Important to Teach your Children about other Holiday Celebrations from other Cultures

During the holiday season, it’s exciting to share special traditions and celebrations with our families. It’s important for children to have that sense of ritual, creating memories each year that deepen family bonds and strengthen your shared beliefs. Have you ever considered incorporating the holidays of other cultures into your season? December is packed full of holidays and can be a great jumping off point for teaching your children about other cultures and religions.

Why should you be purposeful about introducing the traditions of other cultures to your children? When children learn about other cultures, they learn that even though people may look different, speak different languages, and have different traditions, we’re all the same at heart, with customs they hold dear, and an innate capacity to love. Instilling this concept in children when they’re young can nurture a deeper appreciation for other cultures.

The reason the holidays are such a great place to start is that it’s easy to find information on other cultures and interesting things to do to celebrate them. Educate yourself on major holidays beyond the ones your family observes and share that information with your kids. Check your local library for children’s books about holidays, take the time to learn a fun game or a song, or prepare foods traditionally used to celebrate an unfamiliar holiday. You may even end up incorporating some aspects of another culture’s holiday into your own family’s celebration each year. If your family celebrates Christmas, consider exploring these holidays:

• Hanukkah: This eight-day “festival of lights” is the Jewish celebration of the Maccabee’s fight for freedom. There’s a nightly menorah lighting, as well as special prayers and food.
• Nicholas Day: Mostly celebrated in Europe, this holiday falls on December 6^th and honors St. Nicholas. One way to connect with the holiday is to read the legends of St. Nicholas. On St. Nicholas Day, children put shoes outside of their doors so St. Nicholas can leave gifts or treats.
• Lucia Day: In Sweden, on December 13^th, young girls dress in white gowns with red sashes, a wreath of burning candles on their heads. They wake their families by singing songs and bringing them coffee and saffron buns. This festival of lights honors an early Christian martyr.
• Las Posadas: From December 16^th through Christmas Eve, Las Posadas is celebrated in Mexico, Central America, and parts of the United States. The nine days represent the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy, and the holiday commemorates the journey Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem. One important symbol of the holiday is the poinsettia.
• Kwanzaa: A holiday that honors African American heritage, Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26^th to January 1^st. Kwanzaa means “first fruits” and it’s an opportunity to celebrate family life and unity while honoring ancient African traditions. It’s based on harvest festivals and ends with a large feast.

No matter what traditions you choose to raise your children with, the first step is to start a family. If you’re having trouble doing that, call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Gifts for your Kids

The holiday season is upon us, and a big part of the joy of Christmas is choosing the perfect gift for everyone on your list. When you’re shopping for your kids, though, this can be a difficult task. How do you find the right gifts for your children without just adding to the clutter in their rooms? We’ve got some tips to help you with your holiday shopping this year.

• First, consider the children as individuals. Think about their ages and stages of development, as well as their interests. What do they enjoy doing? What topics really spark their interests? Taking some time to really think about what lights up each child’s face can help you find the perfect gifts.
• Set some limits for yourself. Kids don’t need every toy that hits the market, and they don’t even need every single item in a line of toys they love. In fact, too many toys on Christmas morning can be overwhelming for a child and decrease the enjoyment of the holiday. There’s a rhyme that’s sometimes used to help children make their wish lists, and it goes, “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.” This isn’t a bad guideline for parents to use while they’re choosing toys. Simplicity should be the goal and setting a budget and other constraints will help you achieve it.
• Think about a toy’s educational value. This doesn’t mean that every toy has to teach numbers or the alphabet. Toys that spark the imagination are wonderful for helping kids learn. Consider the fact that kids learn the most through playing and you’ll see why it’s so important to keep the learning potential of the toy in mind. Some types of toys that can be educational include:
  • Building toys
  • Play kitchens
  • Art supplies
  • Dolls
  • Cars and trucks
  • Puzzles
  • Musical toys
  • Board games
  • Books
• Choose toys with staying power. The trendiest toys are often the ones that get the least play once the initial excitement has passed. On the other hand, classic toys like blocks, board games, and puzzles can get years of use and encourage cooperative play. While you’re thinking about toys with long lifespans, consider the quality of the toys you’re seeing. Choose sturdy, well-made, high-quality toys, checking for safety issues like pieces that can come off and cause a choking hazard. Stop before you buy something cheap and plastic to consider that, while you can buy several inexpensive items that are cheaply made, spending that money on fewer things of lasting quality is a better use of funds and will provide more enjoyment for the children.

If you previously had a vasectomy but now, you’re ready to start a family, call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Pick the Right Stroller

If you’re an active parent, you’ll push your child’s stroller around for miles. You might fold and store it hundreds of times. And it’s your child’s special little place for all that time, so you want to get the right kind. While strollers have gotten better over the years, they’ve also become more complicated and diverse, giving parents a lot of options to consider. Here’s some useful information to help you pick the perfect stroller (or two) for you and your child.

HOW MANY ARE IN YOUR PARTY?

An important factor of course is how many small children you have. Many double strollers are available, in side-by-side or tandem configurations. Clearly these are bulkier than single strollers but a lot more manageable than two single strollers! Side-by-side is wider, and harder to get through doors or along busy sidewalks, but they tend to give you better access to your children. Some tandem strollers have a customizable feature that allows you to add or remove the second seat, so you might not need another stroller, ever. And some models allow the rear seat to face you, giving you better access to whichever child needs your attention the most.

JOGGER STROLLER

Jogger strollers are durable and maneuverable, with suspension to absorb shocks, and three large wheels. For extra safety, it’s important that they have a hand brake, a five-point harness and a wrist strap. The large wheels and sturdy frame make these strollers bulkier and harder to fit into smaller cars.

UMBRELLA STROLLER

These strollers are named for their low weight and how well they fold for storage. This convenience comes at a cost, as they aren’t as durable or sturdy as other kinds of strollers. Since they tend to be inexpensive, it’s good to keep one around as a backup.

CAR SEAT CARRIER

These are designed especially to carry your car seat, and can come with it. They often are missing some of the extra features of other strollers.

FEATURES

Here are a few important features your new stroller should have::

• Rain cover
• Cup holders
• Large underbasket for storage
• Easy folding capability
• Adjustable seat angle – to help your child sleep or stay awake

And a few nice extras you may want to pay extra for:

• Adjustable handlebars – in case you and your partner are of different heights
• Handlebar braking. Some brakes have to be manually engaged at each wheel.
• Travel bag
• Bunting for cold weather
• Compatibility with your car seat
• One-handed folding
• Easily removable and washable fabric – accidents will happen

BEFORE YOU BUY

• Test drive if possible. See how easy you find it to operate the stroller. Try some tight turns and stops.
• Ask friends and family for recommendations. Many reviews on Amazon are fake.
• Check the weight capacity. How long will this stroller work for your child?

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.

Thanksgiving Foods Your Kids Will Enjoy

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get together with loved ones and enjoy foods that have been part of family tradition for years. But if your kids are a little bit picky about unfamiliar food, this event can put some stress on your plate. Avoid anxiety with some Thanksgiving-appropriate dishes that your kids will enjoy.

TRADITIONAL FARE

Fortunately, there’s such a variety of foods from Thanksgiving traditions across the country that finding some that your kids will enjoy shouldn’t be too hard.

• Turkey – If it’s nice and juicy, most kids will enjoy some turkey. If it’s a little on the dry side, add gravy or cranberry sauce. Most kids prefer white meat over dark but don’t assume. Let them try both.
• Cornish hens – These are like serving a little bitty turkey just for your kid, which can be fun. It also can be expensive and time-consuming if everyone now wants their own Cornish hen. Younger kids will need a little help cutting this one, but older kids should enjoy it. (And it will keep them occupied.)
• Mashed potatoes with gravy – Kids love this stuff.
• Cranberry sauce – This can be a bit tart for some kids, but it’s also sweet and colorful. Let them choose from a couple different kinds. Canned sauce is fine, and available with whole berries and without.
• Rolls with butter – Easy peasy.
• Green beans – Some kids always want to avoid the greens, but green beans with butter, cooked to be not too hard or soft, tends to go over well. Preparing green beans has been a fairly well-known way to have the kids help with dinner. Tell them to snap the “heads” and “tails” off and throw the pieces into separate containers.

MIX IT UP

If traditional Thanksgiving foods don’t appeal to your child, consider some alternatives.

• Turkey nuggets – If your kids love chicken nuggets, they should gobble up turkey nuggets too. Here’s a recipe with a cornflake crust.
• Cream cheese mashed potatoes – Add cream cheese and half-and-half to make your mashed potatoes extra smooth and velvety.
• Macaroni & Cheese – Not exactly traditional holiday fare, but a reliable side. Make it special with a bread crumb topping and some black pepper.

DESSERTS

If your kids aren’t stuffed yet, they’ll probably not need to be talked into dessert, although some kids aren’t too keen on fruit cake, pecan pie or minced meat pie. Here are a few they’re likely to enjoy:

• Pumpkin pie – The taste of fall, pumpkin pie appeals to all. Sweet and creamy, with that special blend of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. (Don’t tell the kids it’s rich in fiber and vitamin A.)
• Sweet potato pie – Usually like pumpkin but a bit heartier. If you’re already serving a sweet potato dish this one may seem a bit redundant, but it is tasty.
• Cookies – Kids love cookies, including seasonal favorites like ginger snaps. Maple sugar cookies should go over well, too.

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 Pick The Right Crib

If you’re preparing a room for a new baby, one of your biggest decisions is going to be what crib to purchase. There’s a wide variety of styles and features. Here’s a guide to picking the right crib for your baby and your home, focusing on the different kinds of crib available.

Standard Size Crib – These full-size cribs provide a lot of room for your baby to grow into. They’re good when you have a fairly large area designated for your baby. It should have multiple mattress settings so that you can lower the mattress height as your baby grows and pulls up to a standing position.

Convertible Cribs – These cribs have gained a lot in popularity in recent years because they grow with your child. They can be converted into day beds, toddler beds, and even full-size beds.

Multi-Functional/Multi-Purpose Cribs – These cribs usually come with an attachable dresser that has a changing table top that can be used as a nightstand later. They may have drawers, open shelves or a combination of the two. Many of these are also convertible cribs.

Round Cribs – Oval or round cribs have a soft, old-fashioned, fairy tale look in contrast to rectangular cribs. Due to their unusual shape, bedding that fits properly can be harder to find.

Bassinets, Cradles and Bedside Sleepers – These are all smaller, more portable and lighter-weight options that work well for your baby’s first four to five months. They can generally be used until the baby starts to roll over and push up on her hands and knees. Cradles provide gentle rocking movements, and bedside sleepers can be kept right next to your bed allowing mom to nurse without getting out of bed. They’re less expensive than full-size or convertible cribs.

Playards – Playards are light and portable play and sleep options that usually have an aluminium frame and mesh sides. Many come with a mattress pad or padded floor. They’re easy to set up and pack up for travel but aren’t considered to be sturdy enough to be the primary sleeping surface for your baby.

Safety Considerations – Any crib manufactured after 2011 should be up to current safety regulations in terms of size and spacing of slats, fire prevention, etc, but you should check for crib recalls at the Keeping Babies Safe website before making your purchase.

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 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.

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.

What the Fourth Trimester Really Looks Like

Have you heard of the 4^th trimester? This is a term that pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp is believed to have coined, meaning that the first three months of a baby’s life after birth. It goes with a theory that babies are born after nine months because their brains are so big that if they stayed in the womb much longer, they wouldn’t fit through the birth canal. They are still not quite ready, though, for life on the outside. In fact, according to this theory, it takes them about three more months to adjust.

Those first 12 weeks are a time of major changes, as you become a parent and your sleepy, often fussy newborn becomes a calmer, happier, more alert baby. During the 4^th trimester, babies experience significant physical, mental, and emotional development. It can help to think of your baby as still being a fetus for these first few months because your baby may be overwhelmed by the outside world and just want cuddles from you.

It’s important to understand what life was like for your baby inside the womb. Inside your body, it was warm, but not especially dark, because a fetus can see the rays of the sun pass through your skin and muscle. Your baby is used to the sound of your voice, the whooshing of the blood in the uterine arteries, and plenty of soft, jiggly motion.

During this 4^th trimester, you can expect your baby to cry and be fussy. Babies will scream a lot, sleep a little, and essentially wear you out. To comfort a baby in this stage of life, keep your little one snugly wrapped or swaddled, and try swaying and shushing with the baby in the side/stomach position. Give your baby plenty of opportunities to suck, too. In fact, you can look at snug, shushing, swaging, side/stomach, and suck as the five S’s of the 4^th trimester. They’re calming because they make the baby feel back at home.

Those first three months may seem like a blur, but by the time your newborn hits the 3-month mark, everything will have changed. Suddenly your baby will be a little person with a curious mind, the beginnings of a personality, and some motor skills. Interacting with your newborn during the first few months can help foster all of this development. By holding, rocking, and talking to your baby, you’ll actually be nurturing a growing brain. Be prepared to feel worn out, but know that it’s all worth it, as you grow into a parent and form a deep connection with your new little one.

If you’re ready to start a family, you can trust Center for Vasectomy Reversal to help. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Keep the Romance Alive After Having Children

In the early days of a relationship, it often seems like the two of you are the only people in the world. Once you have a baby, though, things can change. Sharing your home with a new little person while navigating learning to parent together can take a toll on your relationship. Your lives are forever changed, but we’ve got tips for keeping things romantic.

• Keep dating. Put it on the calendar: quality time together. Maybe you’ll hire a sitter and head out for dinner or a coffee date. Maybe you’ll schedule a special dinner for two after the baby is asleep. The type of date doesn’t matter, the important part is spending time alone together.
• Find little moments to steal for each other. Have coffee together in the morning or enjoy a stroll while the baby naps in the stroller. Cuddle in front of a tv show you both enjoy. Don’t wait for date night to find ways to connect. Shift out of parenting mode and remember why you’re together.
• Be affectionate. Bring back the PDA to help keep your marriage fresh. Kiss goodbye every morning and goodnight before bed. Hug frequently. Hold hands, snuggle, and find little ways to stay close.
• Spoil each other. Sometimes the best things are the little things. Bring your partner flowers, or a favorite snack. Make a cup of tea for him or her in the evening or offer coffee in bed in the morning.
• Don’t compete. Parenting is not a competition, it’s a cooperative process. Being a new parent is hard, whether you’re the mom or the dad, so work together to ease each other’s burdens. Be generous with compliments and hold back on criticism if you want a strong and healthy marriage.
• Ditch the screens. Make a commitment to each other to spend some screen-free time together every day. Stop scrolling and put the focus on your partner for at least a little while.
• Schedule sex. This may seem counterproductive to romance, but veteran parents will tell you, it’s necessary. You put everything else important on your calendars, so why not pencil in some time to remember the passion of the pre-baby days?
• Keep the communication flowing. Talk about the things that matter and the things that don’t. Call each other when you’re apart, write love notes on the bathroom mirror, and send little texts during the day. The mode of communication doesn’t matter ask long as you continue the conversation.
• Never give up. To keep your marriage romantic, choose each other every day. Commit to learning and growing together, and don’t accept failure as an option.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping to create families. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.