Why You Should Have Your Kids Do Chores

When you were growing up, you probably did chores. It’s a time honored tradition to have kids help around the house, and in the past, most families had some sort of chore system in place. Today, though, there’s some debate. Many parents feel that it’s their responsibility to manage the house and that children should be allowed to be carefree for as long as possible. What’s more, it can sometimes feel more efficient to just do a chore yourself, rather than waiting or, worse, nagging until a child gets it done. However, there are many benefits to having children pitch in and help with the family chore list.

• Chores help kids learn responsibility. When you assign children regular chores, particularly chores that pertain to their own belongings, you are teaching them responsibility and self-reliance. They’ll also gain confidence, because they’ll have a sense of accomplishment when they successfully complete their chores. Being responsible for chores can also help kids develop a good work ethic.
• Children learn life skills from doing chores. Eventually, everyone needs to know basic skills like laundry, cooking, and keeping house. By the time they move out of your home, kids will also need to know how to do things like creating a budget and maintaining an automobile. These are things they won’t learn in school, but you can assign chores that help teach these skills at home. Kids who balance chores with school, homework, and extracurricular activities also learn valuable time management skills.
• Chores make children feel like part of a team. Being a productive member of the family makes a child feel grounded and secure. What’s more, home is a great place to learn teamwork skills they’ll use at school and in the workforce.
• By doing chores, kids gain some perspective that reinforces respect. They won’t fully appreciate all you do for them until they move out and try to navigate the world on their own. When they do chores, though, children get a glimpse of the parental workload, and this actually might make them more aware of the impact of the messes they make.
• Families can bond over doing chores. When you share tasks, it gives you the opportunity to spend time together, working towards a common goal. You may find that your little ones are thrilled to be useful, and your teens open up during the parallel interaction of working on something together.

So, which chores are age appropriate? Toddlers can pick up their toys, hang their clothes on hooks, and put placemats on the table. Pre-schoolers can set the whole table and can even help prepare meals, with close supervision. They can help you sort clean laundry into piles for different family members, and help with grocery shopping and putting groceries away. By the time they’re in school, kids can water the plants, feed the pets, help fold laundry, take out the trash, help with meal planning and preparation, vacuum, sweep, and mop, and put away clean dishes. Teenagers should be able to do laundry, clean the bathroom, mow the lawn, load the dishwasher, and prepare meals. A good way to determine the best chores to assign is to think about things you want your kids to learn how to do

This is all well and good, but how can you actually get your kids to do their chores? For little children, a sticker chart can be very motivational. Older kids are often motivated by receiving and allowance, and you can set up a token economy in which kids are rewarded for doing specific tasks.

By giving your children the opportunity to be responsible when they’re young, you’re preparing them to be independent, confident people, ready to find their place in the world. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love making the world better by helping people grow their 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.

How to Teach Your Kids the Importance of Dental Hygiene

As parents, we have so much to teach our children. From the moment they’re born, we’re helping them learn and grow, keeping them safe and secure. It’s easy to let some things fall by the wayside, because there’s always so much to do when you’re raising kids. One thing that should never be missed, though, is dental hygiene. From their earliest days, it’s important that children know that a healthy mouth is a big part of a person’s overall health. How can you convey this? We’ve got some tips to help.

• Don’t think of baby teeth as disposable. Baby teeth do fall out, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important. Small teeth lay the foundation for bigger teeth in the future, and bacteria from decaying baby teeth can cause damage to permanent teeth before they even erupt from the gums. What’s more, problems with baby teeth can be painful, embarrassing, and prevent kids from getting the right nutrition.
• Start when they’re very small. Before they even have teeth, you can wipe babies’ gums with a moist washcloth or soft gauze after each meal to remove bacteria and get them into a routine of oral hygiene. When they move to solid food, use a finger brush or infant toothbrush to brush along the gum line and start brushing the teeth themselves as soon as they begin to erupt. When they get old enough to want to brush their teeth themselves, let them, but keep supervising closely until they’re 7 or 8 years old and can do it properly. With flossing, start as soon as your child has more than one tooth, and keep doing it until he or she is old enough to do it well, around age 10.
• Teach them to eat a nutritious diet. Talk about healthy foods and the importance of eating crunchy fruits and vegetables and drinking plenty of water to help keep the teeth clean. Teach little ones how calcium-rich foods like milk and cheese can strengthen teeth, and limit their consumption of sugary snacks. Sodas and other sugary drinks, candy, gummies, and dried fruits, and even popcorn, crackers, and chips can promote bacterial growth that leads to tooth decay.
• Model good practices. Let your kids see that dental hygiene is important to you, too! Kids love to copy what their parents do, so make brushing a family affair, brushing together and showing them the right techniques to do the job well.
• Prioritize dentist visits. Baby’s first pediatric dentist appointment should be scheduled before the first birthday. You want your children to be comfortable with the dentist and the dental office, and a dentist can track the development of your child’s teeth to make sure it’s on track.
• Make brushing fun! Let them pick their own toothbrushes, and choose a fluoride toothpaste in a flavor your kids find appealing. Set a timer for two minutes, perhaps a two-minute hourglass or a timer that plays a tune. Use songs, games, books, toys, and activities to help them learn more about healthy teeth in a fun way.

We enjoy watching healthy families thrive and whenever you’re ready to enlarge your family, we are ready to help. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love making the world better by helping people grow their 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.

How to love your children evenly

When you have children, you’ll soon discover that every child is unique, presenting different challenges and bringing different joys. Embracing the differences in your children and loving them for who they are can be a tricky lesson for parents to learn, and when you have more than one child, it becomes slightly more complicated. You may love your children equally, for instance, but find one easier to relate to than another. How can you love them evenly, giving them the same amount of attention and making them feel equally important?

• Start with one-on-one time. Consistent quality time, during which you’re 100 percent present, with no phones or distractions, helps build relationships with them. Ask questions and let your kids talk about their interests and activities, giving them the kind of attention that makes them feel safe and loved. Do this with each of your kids on a regular basis and you’ll learn who they really are.
• Recognize your children’s unique gifts. You don’t want your kids to compete with each other, comparing themselves and building sibling rivalry, because this is the kind of thing that creates jealousy and results in low self-esteem. The best way to prevent this is to be careful about balancing your attention, supporting each of them in their interests and cheering on their special talents. When they begin to compare themselves with each other, use it as an opportunity to praise each child’s strengths and remind them that they shine in different areas. Give them examples of how their differences enrich the family and how they are equally important.
• Be openly affectionate with your kids. Don’t be afraid to show your love for your children. Praise them when they do well, gently redirect and encourage them when they need a do-over. Don’t shame your kids, but guide them lovingly, with grace and respect, and show them affection in ways that are meaningful to each of them. For one child, affection may be best received in a hug, while another might respond more favorably to words of praise and affirmation.
• Relate to your children with authenticity. Kids can tell when you are being insincere, so speak from your heart rather than giving false compliments or disingenuous praise. Show appreciation for who they are, and you’ll help them gain confidence in themselves. When they know you tell them what you honestly think, your positive words will make them feel truly loved and valued.

By giving your children a firm foundation of love and support, you’re preparing them to be people with the confidence to find their place in the world. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love making the world better by helping people grow their 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.

Signs you might be ready to have baby #2

Planning a family can be tricky. Once you have one child, you may feel a pull to have another. On the other hand, children can be overwhelming. Are you really ready to have another one? How can you tell whether it’s time to try for number two, or whether it would be a better idea to wait? Here are some signs that you might be ready to have baby number two.

• The first sign that you are ready to have another child is simply a feeling. You feel ready! The idea of having another baby gets you and your partner excited, and makes you feel warm and happy. If you don’t have these feelings when you consider another child, you might want to wait a while to start trying for another.
• If your relationship is strong or healthy, you might want to add another child to the family. It’s important to make sure you and your partner are on the same page, and that you are secure in your relationship. If you are having trouble with each other, bringing another baby into the family may not be a good idea. Relationships may shift after each baby, and that’s ok! It’s just important to keep good communication and treat each other with love and respect.
• Your child may be requesting a sibling. This is a valid reason to have another baby, assuming that you and your partner are both on board and the timing is good. You may also be concerned about the age gap between your children, and not want them to be too far apart. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least two years between children, but of course, the spacing of your family is up to you.
• There may be a sense that your family is not complete. Some people have very firm ideas about this, and as long as everyone in the family is in agreement, go for it!
• You may want another baby if your first child is easy. Don’t assume, however, that the second child will follow suit. They all have their own personalities, and your second may be the polar opposite of your first. If you’re ready for whatever personality is headed your way, you’re ready for another baby.
• Baby fever may spur you to have another. If you turn to mush in the presence of a baby, it’s pretty clear that you would be happy with another one of your own. This can be a strong emotional pull, and it may mean that you’re ready for a new baby, but it’s smart to temper that enthusiasm by assessing your situation to make sure it’s really a good idea.
• You are in the right situation to have another baby. Your emotional readiness is one thing, but your actual readiness is something else entirely. Even if you, your partner, and your first child are longing for a baby to hold, if your finances are in shambles and your housing situation is insecure, it’s not the right time. Assess your finances, along with practical concerns like the size of your home and your vehicle, to make sure you are ready to add another baby to the mix.
• You understand how a new baby will change the family dynamic. Remember, you’re talking about adding a whole new person to your life. Your focus on your first child will have to be divided between two kids, and you and your partner will have less time alone. However, a new little life brings a new measure of love into your lives, and if you’re ready to embrace change, it will be well worth it.

Whenever you’re ready to enlarge your family, we are ready to help. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love making the world better by helping people grow their 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.

How to Teach your Children the Spirit of Giving

All the traits we want to instill in our children, generosity is among the most important. When your little one is yelling “mine” and snatching a toy away from a friend, this may seem like an insurmountable task. Children will surprise you, however, and a little guidance will nudge your children toward giving, and may reveal their true, empathetic, generous nature. Parents tend to think about this a lot around the holiday season, but really, it’s the example you set all year long that teaches your children the spirit of giving. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

• Start in your neighborhood. Build good relationships with your neighbors, and teach your kids to pay attention and notice when someone needs help. This could mean mowing an elderly neighbor’s lawn, helping a military family while the servicemember is away, or bringing a casserole to a neighbor who is sick. Even little kids can help with simple chores and yard work when a neighbor needs assistance.
• Make it personal. Let your child choose a toy from the toy store to put in the donation box. “Adopt” a child or family to shop for during the holidays, and let your children help choose the gifts you give. get your kids to clean out their toy collections and donate to people in need.
• Create giving traditions. Serve dinner as a family at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Attend volunteer events at your church or spiritual center, where people work together to clean up a rundown property, repair someone’s home, or pack lunches for needy schoolkids. Remember, giving doesn’t always mean “stuff.” Take your kids caroling at a nursing home once a year to spread holiday cheer.
• Bring them along. Whether you’re donating your money, your goods, or your time, involve your children. Volunteer at their school, take them with you when you shop for items to donate or drop things off at a shelter, and let them see you drop change in the donation jar at the store or put a check into the offering plate. Let them know why you believe giving is important, and they’re likely to follow your lead.
• Model kindness. Open the door for a stranger. Give up your seat on the bus. Smile at the world around you, help when you see a need, and listen to the stories people want to tell. Look for ways to be kind to the people around you, and your kids will notice.
• Give kids opportunities to be generous. Find opportunities throughout the year to let your kids give something that matters. If you have an animal lover, visit the local shelter to donate pet supplies or take a lonely dog for a walk. When you shop for school supplies, buy some extra and donate them to the school. Keep granola bars and bottled water in your car to give to homeless people. A big part of teaching kids to be generous it’s just showing them how to open their eyes to the world around them and notice people who need help.

When you instill in your children the spirit of giving, you’re helping to make the world a better place, now and in the future. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love making the world better by helping people grow their 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.

When do babies start talking?

Of all the milestones that babies reach during their first two years of life, talking is one of the most exciting. New parents can hardly wait to hear what their little ones have to say! In the meantime, there are a lot of questions. When do babies start talking? For that matter, what counts as talking? How long will you have to wait for your baby’s coos and babbles to turn into words?

• Babies communicate before they talk. As soon as they’re born, babies communicate with their parents and caregivers by crying. Soon, you’ll understand what your baby’s different cries mean, but this is only one way that babies let you know what they need. They grimace and squirm, and by about two months, babies start cooing and gurgling. By four months they babble and may even try to copy your sounds and respond to your speech, and as this back and forth increases, by about six months your baby may use particular sounds to respond to your questions. Six month old babies have refined their babbling, and use more m and b sounds, as well as squealing and blowing raspberries. By about nine months, your baby will probably be making a lot of “mamama” and “bababa” sounds, will look at you when you call his or her name, and will hold up arms to be held.
• Every baby is different. Generally, babies speak their first words between nine and 12 months of age. However, this is just a range, and babies develop at different rates. While it’s helpful to have an idea of the typical timeline, it’s also good to remember that your baby will do things on his or her own schedule.
• Toddlers develop speech quickly. Once they say those first words, things escalate quickly. By the end of their 12^th month, babies can usually say a few words, like “mama” and “dada,” and can respond to short requests. By 18 months they can say several simple words, and by two years they’ll be able to string together short phrases. 18 to 24 month old babies learn new words every day, and by two years may know as many as 50 to 100 words! A three year old is likely to have a vocabulary of more than 200 words, and is beginning not only to speak in sentences but also to speak more clearly. At this stage, children begin to understand symbolic and abstract language, as well, and this development is furthered by imaginative play.
• You can facilitate language development. Talk to your baby, naming things during play, mealtime, and bath time. Use names, so that your baby begins to associate names with faces. Speak slowly and enunciate your words, and repeat words so that they’ll stick in your baby’s mind. Sing songs to your little ones, read books and nursery rhymes, and narrate your day together. Encourage your baby’s attempts at speech, and praise imitation. Listen to your little one, and respond to what’s being communicated.
• Know when to worry about speech delay. As long as your baby’s babbling is progressing, don’t worry too much about timing. However, if you suspect a problem, talk to your pediatrician. If language development seems to stop or regress, your baby is not babbling or gesturing, or words don’t begin to emerge by about 15 months, have your child screened for problems. A hearing test may be needed, or a visit to a speech-language pathologist. You might also want to consider developmental screening, to rule out autism spectrum disorder or cognitive disability, which can delay speech.

A healthy life for your child begins in the womb, and at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. 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.

Tips and Advice Every New Parent Should Consider

Are you about to become a parent? Congratulations! You’re about to enter one of the most exciting and overwhelming times of your life. It pays to get some guidance from people who have been there, so we’ve compiled some tips and advice from experienced parents to help you through those early days.

• Expect it to be challenging. Many people think that having a baby will just mean incorporating that new little person into their existing lifestyle, but this is rarely the case. The first year of parenting is a major adjustment, because having a baby means your life and schedule have to go revolve around the baby’s needs instead of yours. Even an easy baby requires a lot of maintenance, and you’ll spend most of your life feeding, changing, comforting, holding, rocking, and doing whatever else is required.
• Take naps. You’ll often be advised to sleep when the baby sleeps, and this is excellent advice. Babies don’t sleep very much, and you’ll find it difficult to care for a baby when you’re sleep deprived. It may be tempting to spend your baby’s nap time cleaning house or catching up on your favorite TV shows, but this is unwise. Let everything else go for a little while, and go ahead and nap when you can.
• Take a shower. When you’re a new parent, self-care tends to fall by the wayside. You may feel like you’re in a fog and suddenly realize that you haven’t had a shower in days. Don’t let this happen! Showering daily, even if it’s for a quick five minutes, can make you feel refreshed, which helps you stay on top of all the things you need to do.
• Take a walk.
• Don’t keep things too quiet. If you want your baby to be a good sleeper, don’t shut down the house while he or she is sleeping. Doing this will train your baby to be a light sleeper who wakes at every noise, and this is definitely not what you want.
• Do what works for you. Advice is wonderful, but too much advice can be overwhelming. Take a breath and trust your gut, doing what works for you and your baby. Breast-feed or bottle-feed, swaddle or don’t, use cloth diapers or disposable. As long as your baby is happy and healthy, keep doing what feels best for your family.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It goes without saying that you and your partner should share in the responsibilities of parenting. Beyond that, there are probably many people in your life who will help if you just ask. While you’re in the survival mode of early parenting, accept offers of food, childcare, house cleaning, and anything else anyone in your life is willing to give.
• Enjoy it! While parenting is a lot of work, it’s also a lot of joy. Reveling in your amazing newborn will give way to delighting in your quickly growing child, and it will all pass much more quickly than you think. Take time to bond with your baby, celebrate each age and stage, and make mini-traditions that will create wonderful memories together. Be mindful of the moments, and spend time just enjoying your baby.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. 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 Be More Patient with Your Kids

Parenting is a roller coaster, rewarding yet frustrating, blissful yet infuriating. You love your children beyond all reason, yet sometimes being patient with them feels like an impossible task. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Learning to be more patient with your kids can be a difficult task, but it’s totally worth it. Recent research has found that children with parents who are supportive, nurturing, and, yes, patient, do better in school, are less likely to be depressed, cope more effectively with stress and adversity, and literally have more brain growth. If knowing the benefits of being more patient makes you want to work towards that goal, here are some tips to help you get there.

• Set yourself, and your children, up for success. Often, bad behavior from children is the result of unmet needs. Children who are tired, hungry, or overwhelmed are far more likely to act out than they normally would. You’ll have less cause for impatience if you work around your child’s needs and schedule. Don’t run errands at naptime or mealtime, and take care to pay attention to the meaning behind the behavior.
• Identify triggers. Do you tend to lose patience in the mornings, when everything is hectic, and your children fail to quickly get ready for the day? Get ready for the morning the night before, so that things will go more smoothly in the morning. Do tantrums from your child trigger you? Learn to listen to your children, getting down on their level so that you can look them in the eyes and repeat back key phrases, letting them know you understand. Redirect negative behavior before it gets out of hand.
• Take care of yourself so you can take care of your kids. Eat well, rest well, and take a time out when you need a break from the children. Sometimes, stepping out of the room will be enough to help you regroup, other times you will need to take a night off to feel refreshed and better able to cope. Just as your kids will be less likely to try your patience if their needs are met, you’ll be better able to maintain that patience if your needs are met. Try to keep things in perspective, understanding that your children’s brains are not fully formed and they’re still learning.
• Don’t hesitate to call for reinforcements. This could mean asking a friend or family member to keep the kids for a little while so that you can take a breather. It could also mean seeking help from a social worker or your child’s pediatrician. Therapy for your children can help mold their behavior; therapy for you can help you find coping mechanisms of your own.

Patient parenting can lead to a happier, healthier family, and at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. 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.