As I mentioned in the previous posts, the layette is separated into several categories. These are clothing, nursery (including the furniture), bedding, bath time, travelling with baby, and feeding baby. Today I am going to talk about feeding baby and in part five I will wrap up with bedding and travelling with baby. Part 6 will be the complete list but since we aren’t there yet, let’s look at feeding baby.

The Feeding Baby Layette:

• High Chair: I mentioned this first simply because I am going to tell you not to buy it, at least not yet. Baby does not need a high chair until he or she is old enough to be sitting up and eating in it. Before that time, there is no reason to purchase it since it will be one more thing in the way and something that you can save for. Don’t worry about a high chair until after your baby is about 6 months or older.
• Feeding Pillow: If you are breastfeeding, you will want to have a nursing pillow. I didn’t for my first and decided to buy one for my second. It was great! The pillow tucked up around me and I didn’t have to worry about it slipping all the time. Baby nestled right up to me on top of it and breastfeeding (at least positioning) was much easier.
• Breast Pump:Another item you only need if you are breastfeeding your baby. This is important if you want to be able to go out for longer than an hour without your baby or if you will be returning back to work. Remember that just because you are going to work does not mean that you can’t breastfeed, it just takes a little perseverance to do so.
• Nursing Bras: Have at least 2 nursing bras. These will make breastfeeding much easier and having 2 or 3 will keep your bras nice and clean.
• Disposable Breast Pads: Whether you plan on breastfeeding or not, you will want to have some breast pads to keep your bra and clothes dry.
• 6-8 4oz Bottles: You don’t need to have 8 ounce bottles until your baby is much older. Trust me 4 oz will fill her up when she is an infant and she will actually only consume between 2 to 3 oz during each feeding when she is a newborn. You can purchase larger bottles when baby gets older. Make sure you find bottles with good quality nipples.
• Bottle and Nipple Brush: If you use bottles, then you will need a bottle brush. These are fairly cheap and you can buy several so you can transfer the old one out if it gets too dirty or run down.
• 3-4 Baby Bibs: I would recommend getting a few baby bibs right from the start since some babies do spit up after nursing. My youngest burped up some whenever he ate so we had closer to a dozen bibs ready at one time. If you do use a bid during feeding, make sure it comes off before you place baby down to sleep or play.

And that is the feeding layette.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Before you begin any science experiment, whether you do it at home or in a classroom, you should really take the time to make some predictions. Explain what you will be doing, i.e. putting pepper in the water but let them have time to explore the possibilities. Do they think the pepper will float or sink? Is the water hot or cold? Do you think the pepper would float if the water was cold?

Next ask them what would happen if you put dish soap into the water. Write down what the kids are saying for prosperities sake, or if you are in a classroom, and if you want, you could have the kids draw pictures of the bowl of water before and after you add the dish soap.

What you need:

• Pepper
• Water
• A bowl (it doesn’t have to be large but you want it large enough for all the kids to be able to see into it without pushing)
• Dish Soap

Directions:

1. Fill the bowl with water. Ask the questions, let the kids test the water and comment on it.
2. Have your child(ren) add pepper to the water. Discuss what is happening.
3. Place a drop of dish soap in the center of the water and discuss what is happening and why.

And that’s it. A 5 minute activity that you can do over and over again. This experiment actually deals with water tension and how it is affected by the dish soap. Generally, water has a very strong surface tension that pulls the water together. The pepper, which weighs less than the surface tension, floats. When you drop in the dish soap, the surface tension changes, becomes weaker, and the pepper is pulled away from the soap with the water. For kids, it looks like magic.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Of course it isn’t Halloween yet but I thought I would kick off the Halloween crafts early, since I need to slip in a few Thanksgiving crafts over the next month and a half. This is a great activity to do with kids and it gets them using not only their imagination but their own bodies as well. You can do this craft as an individual activity or as a group activity.

What you need:

• Sheet of Poster Paper (You can purchase this at stores like Scholar’s Choice, try to get a roll if possible)
• Drawing Pencil
• Tempura Paint
• Paint Brushes

Directions:

1. Cut out a sheet of poster paint that your child can lay flat on. Have him or her pose on the paper.
2. With the pencil, trace your child.
3. When they get up, square up the head with the pencil and erase the other lines that are not needed. Draw on the neck plugs and add any details you want to the drawing.
4. Mix up your Tempura Paint while your child is finishing up the drawing. Make sure to add a drop or two of dish soap to make cleaning easier.
5. Paint your Frankenstein monster any way you want to.
6. Allow it to dry and then tape it to your door for a Halloween decoration.

You can create all different types of monsters with this. Children love having their outlines drawn and if they are enjoying the outline drawing so much, why not grab a piece of chalk and head out the door to make chalk outlines on the sidewalk. If you do it on Halloween, you can use the outlines for your decorations.

Sirena Van Schaik

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As I mentioned in post one and two, a layette is usually broken into several areas. These are clothing, nursery (including the furniture), bedding, bath time, travelling with baby, and feeding baby. I have already talked about clothing and nursery so let’s look at bath time.

The Bath time Layette:

• Plastic Infant Tub: This is a debatable necessity. Some people do not feel the need for an infant tub and prefer to give their baby a bath in either the kitchen sink or in the bathtub with only an inch or two of water in the bottom. It is perfectly fine if you do not have an infant tub and it is fine if you do. I had one for both of my kids because I felt comfortable sitting on the floor and bathing baby in the tub. It kept the baby down low, to avoid any tumbles off a high space, such as the change table, and it was a space I was comfortable with.
• Body Wash: You don’t need a lot of fancy bath washes and bubble baths for a new baby. All you need is a body and hair wash that is designed for baby. Don’t feel the need to purchase ones with lavender and a host of other natural additives since the best thing for baby’s skin is simply being clean without buildups found in some oily body washes. Find one that includes the hair as well so you can give baby a quick hair wash when he or she needs it.
• 12 Wash Cloths: An Item that you don’t really need to purchase if you already have face cloths for yourself but I would recommend them since they are smaller and usually fairly soft against baby’s skin. You only need one hand to rinse and wring them out so you will have the security of having your other hand on your baby.
• 2 Towels: Another item that you don’t need but more than likely, you will have a few laying around since they are often hot items for baby shower gifts. They come in very handy since you will have a little hood on the top of the towel for baby’s head.
• Skin Lotion: When baby comes out of the bath, it is best to rub his or her skin down with a nice infant skin lotion. My preferred lotion of choice is Aveeno but you can find many on the market.
• Baby Toiletry Set: These sets can be found everywhere and it is filled with the basic grooming necessities; hair brush, nail clippers, and a gum brush for brushing the excess milk off the gums. Don’t use any toothpaste when you do this since it isn’t best for baby.

One point that I would like to make is about bath rings. Many parents purchase these and I did for my first before I realized the hazards. Bath rings are for children that can sit on their own in a tub. It suctions to the tub and baby slides his legs under it. It keeps him sitting up without slipping but there has been a high number of injuries (and worse) related to the use of bath rings. You don’t need bath rings and if baby is fine laying in the tub, just let him do so. Don’t purchase a bath ring, even if you see it on another list for baby layettes.

Next time, I will cover feeding but until then, happy shopping.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Jean Piaget (1896 t0 1980) was born in Neuchatel Switzerland.  He studied the Cognitive Development of first animals then humans.  Like Freud and Erikson, Piaget believed that a number of developmental milestones occur throughout childhood.  He group his Theory of Cognitive Development into 4 stages: Sensorimotor Stage, Preoperational Stage, Concrete Operational Stage, and Formal Operational Stage.  

Piaget also went on to identify Schema, which are structures that allow a child to gain knowledge.  Each level of development had a different schema such as the sucking relex in infants.  When something does not fit an existing schema, such as the first time a child eats solid food without needing to suck, it presents a problem where the child must learn to adapt. 

Piaget believed that cognitive ability was an inborn trait that deals with adapting to the world around it.  He also believed that children learned through two different means.  These were assimilation, where the child learns by using and adapting an already existing schema, such as sucking moves to the developmental stage where a child mouths objects, and accommodation, where a child will change her schema to accommodate the encounter. 

 Now that I touched on Piaget, let’s look at each of his stages separately.

Piaget’s Stage of Cognitive Development:

• Sensorimotor Stage:  This stage occurred during the age of birth to 2 years of age.  It is the stage where a child’s cognitive development is encouraged by the senses and the child’s movement.  Piaget went on to break this stage into 6 sub-stages.
  • Reflexes:  This is the stage when the infant is still relying on reflexes to understand the world around him.  Things like the Morro Reflex, which is when a child startles, or the Rooting Reflex, when the baby turns its head when the cheek is stroked. 
  • Primary Circular Reactions: Occurs between the ages of 1 to 4 months of age and is the stage where the child will do something unintentionally but will repeat it to form a new schema. 
  • Secondary Circular Reactions:  This next stage occurs between the ages of 4 to 8 months and it is when the child will use an action, and repeat it, to see a reaction from the world around him.  Things like pointing to a bottle will trigger the response of mom or dad to give her a bottle. 
  • Coordination of Reactions: Occurring between 8 and 12 months, this is the stage where the child will intentionally use a schema and may begin to combine schemas together to start exploring the world around her.
  • Tertiary Circular Reaction: 12 to 18 months of age is when you will see this sub-stage and it is basically your child trying to figure out the world around him through trial and error style of learning.
  • Early Representational Thought: This sub-stage occurs between 18 to 24 months and is the period where the child begins thinking with symbolic representation.  Exploration of the world around him is no longer through actions but is through thought as well.
• Preoperational Stage:  This stage occurs during the ages of 2 to 7 years old and it is the stage where the child’s language is significantly developed.  In this stage, children are using representational objects for the world around them and they are unable to understand concrete logic.  Piaget identified this stage of development as the one where children are egocentric. 
• Concrete Operational Stage: Occurring between the ages of 7 to 11 years old, this is the stage where children begin to develop their logical thinking.  They can understand the concrete operations of the world around them but they have a harder time understanding abstract thinking.
• Formal Operational Stage:  This is the stage that goes from 11 years and throughout adulthood.  It is the stage where a person is able to think in abstract ways and also able to use deductive reasoning.

There are many pros and cons to Piaget’s theories and it is important to note that while Piaget had some excellent points to make about the importance of education and the cognitive development, there were some weaknesses to his theory.  One of the biggest weaknesses is the fact that most of his work focused on the development of his own children.  He also failed to consider differences in culture, emotional and personal development and also on the differences in education systems.  Lastly, Piaget often underestimated the abilities of the children that he was studying.

So there is a rather long summary of Jean Piaget.  Please check back in a few weeks and I will go over behaviourists.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Today it was official, we took down the pool so it has to be the last day of summer. Okay, maybe the last day of summer is officially on September 21st and the last day of summer vacation isn’t until Monday but you can definitely feel the days winding down into a new schedule.

Already my local paper is announcing skill clinics for hockey season, the kids have most of their school items ready and hanging in their closets (see Back to School: Pinching those Pennies) and I am feeling a bit lost in the end of season confusion.

It seems to have been a common thread between many parents and this topic was actually discussed only a few days ago on a writing group that I am apart of; the Writing Mothers. When the question was first asked, how are you feeling about the end of summer, I was pretty positive about it. “Oh summer’s over, no problem, I prefer fall anyways.”

Today, though; as the pool drained out (we have one of those temporary blow-up ones), I was suddenly hit by the thought, “Summer is over. Not only that but my kids are going to school in a few days. Both of them!”

I know many parents are celebrating the coming school year, I know I was looking forward to it a little bit since both of my kids have spent the last 3 weeks driving each other crazy. (I’m not exactly sure why one will want alone time while still being in the center of traffic, I swear it is only so he can scream, “Leave me alone. I want to spend time by myself!” Huh? In a crowded room?) Anyway, getting a little off topic but the main feeling was that in a few days, they won’t be driving each other crazy.

Then I realized that, wait a minute, I’ll be minus two children at home and suddenly I was left wondering if I would be okay by myself all day. I won’t have to say 20 million times a day, “Stop bothering your brother, can’t you see he wants to be alone. Stop teasing your brother, he can’t do as much as you can since he’s only 3.” And on, and on and on.

Suddenly, I am not going to be the main caregiver for both of my kids. They will shuffle off to school and I will count the minutes down until they come home; trying with all my might to get some work done. Then they will shuffle into the house and answer my question on what they did at school with a “nothing” (or as my 7 year old will say “played, learned, came home.”)

Now I am wondering where the summer went and wishing that I had spent a few more minutes with both of the kids. It wasn’t that we didn’t do a lot or spend a lot of time with each other but I know that with the summer over, the fall schedule will begin and we’ll be rushing again for school, hockey practice, karate lessons and all the other commitments that we have. To say that I am feeling a little melancholy about the end of summer is an accurate statement but hopefully, once we are back to our school year schedule, I’ll find many things to enjoy as a family.

What about you? How are you feeling about the last days of summer?

Sirena Van Schaik

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It’s probably a little early to be dreaming about snow but with the muggy weather I had today, I’m almost ready for winter. Well, almost ready…okay, not really, but the thought of winter made me think that it would be an excellent time to share my recipe for Whipped Snow.

This is a fun little recipe to bring out on rainy days or as an outdoor activity on a warm sunny day.

What you need:

• 2 cups of laundry soap (ivory flakes works really well but any type of powdered or flaked laundry soap is fine)
• 4 cups of water
• food coloring (this is completely optional but you can divide the whipped snow to make several different colors by adding a few drops of food coloring)

Directions:

1. Measure out the laundry soap into a large bowl.
2. Slowly pour in the water as you mix the flakes with an electric mixer.
3. Continue to mix on high until the soap becomes fluffy.
4. Separate into several bowls and fold in a few drops of food coloring if you choose to color the whipped snow.
5. Give to the kids and let them create their own whipped snow sculptures.

One thing about whipped snow is that it can be left out over night and it will dry in the shapes you created.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Today, I’m going to talk about the nursery and all the wonderful items that you need in a nursery.  If you remember, layettes are usually split up into the following categories: clothing, nursery (including the furniture), bedding, bath time, travelling with baby, and feeding baby.  I have already written about clothing and diapering, so let’s move onto the second item in our list; the nursery.

The Nursery Layette:

• Crib:  Obviously you need a crib and most people know this without being told.  It is important to remember that your crib should meet all safety regulations.  The crib bars should never be wider than 6 cm apart and the corner posts should never be more than 3mm high.   When it comes to age, any crib made before 1986 should be avoided since it does not meet current standards.  Other cribs to avoid are ones with suspended mattresses held on by an S hook.
• Crib Mattress: The mattress should never be farther than 3 cm from the side of the crib and it should be firm. You can purchase foam or spring cribs and the only thing that you need to focus on is the size of the mattress and the firmness.  Also, check to make sure the crib mattress doesn’t have any little holes or tears.
• Dresser:  There really is no way around this item since you need a place to put all those wonderful clothes that I mentioned in the clothing layette.
• Change Table:  When I purchased mine, my mother looked at me and said, “why do you need that?  You’ll never use it.”  I almost didn’t get a change table but decided to anyways, turned out to be a life saver and I used it about 90% of the time.  After the baby had outgrown it, I converted it into a toy shelf.  One way to save money is to purchase a dresser/change table.  Once baby outgrows it, you slide off the changing mat and you have a nice dresser.
• Rocking Chair:  I know it might seem cliche but having a chair to rock in is another life saver.  If you can avoid purchasing one, do so.  My rocking chair was this ugly brown fabric hand me down that was the perfect height and width for rocking and breastfeeding.  It cost me nothing and although it was an eyesore, it did the trick.  For my second, I purchased a glider with a nice foot rest and found it so uncomfortable, I would often take the baby to the old eyesore that had been converted into a story time chair in my oldest’s room.
• Shelves:  Have a few shelves near the diaper area where you can store the diapers within easy reach.  I found that having the wipes up and out of the way, along with the creams made diaper changes go much faster and easier.
• Baby Monitor:  Another must have, make sure you buy one that has a good range on it.  I swear by the Angel Monitor with the pad under the mattress, the only drawback is the middle of the night alarms when baby has rolled off the pad.
• Mobile: Having a mobile is great for many reasons but I would suggest one that can be remotely turned on to avoid having to sneak in to wind it just as baby falls asleep.

There are always a few items that you can add but these are the basics of a nursery.  I also recommend purchasing a bassinet but everyone has different views on that.  I found it very comforting and much easier to handle those middle of the night feedings when baby was right beside me in the bassinet. At least for the first 3 months before he was too big for it.

Sirena Van Schaik

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This isn’t the first time that we learnt about snails, actually it is a topic that we have pursued several times. I guess when your a kid, you can’t get bored about anything that is slimy and as interesting as a snail.

So here are a few facts about snails that you may find interesting and at the very least, you will know the answer to it.

• Snails are not insects but are in fact mollusks and belong to the same family as clams.
• Snails are gastropods, which means “stomach foot.”
• Snails have both female and male reproductive organs.
• The largest snail in the world weighed in at 2lbs and 15 inches long

Now that we have a few interesting facts. Let’s look at the external anatomy of the snail.

1. The Shell: this is the most obvious part of the snail and the one that will be easy for your child to find. It protects the snail and provides a home on its back. Of course, there is a difference between a home and a habitat.
2. The Foot: this makes up most of the body of the snail and is what the snail moves on.
3. Respiratory Pore: there is a small hole on the side of the snails body just below the shell where the snail breaths from.
4. The Head: A pretty obvious part of the body, it is identified by the four tentacles protruding from it.
5. The Tentacles: there are four on the head. Two small ones and two long ones.
6. The Eye Spots: found at the end of the long tentacles, these are the eyes so when you poke a tentacle to get it to go in, you are actually poking the snail in the eye.
7. The Mouth: also found on the head, it contains tongue with file-like teeth, which is called the radula.

For an excellent printout on snail anatomy, I would recommend this site.

Before I close off on this topic, I would like to mention a few things about keeping snails. If your kids are like mine, chances are they have already asked to keep a snail or two. It is very easy to set up a terrarium for a snail and all you need to be sure of having are a few plants, and a cuttle bone so the shells stay hard. In the wild, snails will eat limestone and other rocks to maintain the right amount of minerals to keep the shell hard. In captivity, snails do not have the alternative food so it is important to provide it.

If you are keeping a snail, you can feed it any type of fruit or vegetables (I found they love apples) and you will need to keep the terrarium moist. Spray the snails with a water bottle every day. If you forget, don’t worry too much. Snails will often close up their shell with a plug of mucus and then hibernate during times of drought or lack of food. If your snail does this, simply spray with water and watch as it slowly wakes up.

I hope this fills you in a bit on snails.

Sirena Van Schaik

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What you need:

• 1 1/2 cup of salt
• 3 cups flour
• 3 cups cold water
• 3 tbsp oil
• 6 tsp cream of tartar
• Food Coloring

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, mix together the dry ingredients.
2. Add in the water and oil.
3. Place on the stove and cook at a low-medium to a medium temperature.
4. Stir continuously until the dough pulls away from the pot. (Another test is if it can be pinched without sticking to you fingers but be careful since it is hot.)
5. Remove from the heat and place on a cutting board.
6. Knead the dough until it has the proper consistancy.
7. Break into 3 or 4 balls and set to the side.
8. Add a few drops of food coloring to each ball and knead until the color is blended in.

*optional: if you are only making one color, you can add the food coloring to the water and cook the color in.*

Sirena Van Schaik

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