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Archive for the ‘Baby’ Category

Now that you’re parents, another human being will be dependent on you for all of his or her needs for at least the next eighteen years.

Hugs and kisses are free, but other things such as food, clothing, housing, medical care, and education cost money-lots of it. To raise one child from birth to age eighteen will cost an average of nearly $100,000. That figure covers just the basic necessities through high school, but many parents today want more for their children.

At age five, when most children begin school, the costs of child rearing begin to escalate. About forty percent of the total expense of raising a child occurs between the ages of twelve and seventeen, which is good news for early planners who will benefit by beginning a savings program when their children are preschoolers.

Now is the time to arm yourself with information about how to prepare for your family’s future and to begin the steps to turn your plans into reality.

Begin by determining your financial condition. Before you can plan intelligently for your child’s future, it’s necessary to have a firm grasp of your present financial situation. It’s impossible to plan for the future if you don’t know what’s going on now.

Figuring out your net worth can be a very revealing exercise. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. Label assets on the left side and list them; include cash in checking and savings accounts, equity in owner-occupied real estate, bonds, stocks, cars and investment real estate.

Under liabilities on the right side, list mortgages outstanding, installment loans for cars, appliances or furniture, revolving credit card balances for department stores, and professional services such as medical and dental. Include past due accounts and charity donations.

Then add up each column. If you subtract your liabilities from your assets, you’ll have your net worth. Don’t worry if your figures aren’t precise, just the fact that you’re sitting down with pen, paper, and calculator makes it all the more likely that you’ll take firm action when planning your child’s financial future.

Making a simple monthly budget to determine how you are spending your income can be another eye-opener. By listing your income and your spending, you can highlight the areas where changes can be made. For example, you may be surprised to find out how much you spend on long distance phone calls or how often you eat out. Seeing those figures in black and white may spur you to reduce your expenditures, and channel the money to your savings account instead.

An important component of planning for your child’s future is having something definite to reach for. Setting goals gives your planning form and shape. Rank your goals by priority. A college education for your child? Ballet lessons? Braces? A two week vacation every year?

How are you going to pay for what you need and want? Since saving money under the mattress probably won’t help you to achieve your goals, most people look for a way their money will grow-that means investing.

Simply put, investing means committing money with the expectation of a profit. All the planning you’ve done up till now will determine the kinds of investments you choose. Successful investors will analyze their own situations in terms of income, monthly cash requirements, and net worth over the years. They will also determine how much risk they can live with comfortably. If you want liquidity and safety, stick with money market funds, insured certificates of deposit, U.S. Treasury bills and bonds, fixed annuities, and equity in your home.

High quality stocks, high grade corporate and municipal bonds, and investment real estate traditionally provide income and/or long-term growth. High risk investments include options, futures, tax investments, and undeveloped land.

Because there are so many investment choices available, it’s important to educate yourself on which ones are best suited for your situation. Resources for self-education include seminars and classes offered through adult education programs at local high schools and junior colleges, YMCAs, and public libraries. Newspaper and magazine articles probably provide the most timely written information on investments. It’s imperative to educate yourself, because no one will look after your family’s interests as well as you will.

Unless you have a large income [over $100,000] and a complicated tax situation, you probably don’t need to hire a financial planner. If you decide you do need a financial planner, be wary of know it all types. No one person can be an expert in all aspects of investing and estate planning. Use the same caution you employed when choosing your doctor and attorney.

If you do decide to invest, commercial banks, brokerage firms, and savings and loans will be competing for your business. Since deregulation, U.S. banks and thrift institutions [noncommercial banks, savings and loans, and mutual savings banks] have expanded their lending and investment opportunities to become more competitive with brokerage firms, which traditionally have offered a wide variety of financial services.

Since saving for their children’s college education is a common goal of many parents, investment programs specifically geared to that end are springing up everywhere. There's nothing like money for college as the ultimate high school graduation gift. Some institutions will send you a computerized education savings analysis based on information you give them. The analysis is usually free, but of course the bank is hoping you will use their service.

A typical analysis will look at your child’s age, number of years before his college education begins the percentage of college costs that you will pay, your estimated taxable income and its probable rate of growth, and other factors. This information is the basis for the institution’s analysis of how much money you will need and when you will need it.

A certificate of deposit [CD] is one investment vehicle available. A CD is a time deposit that cannot be withdrawn without penalty before a specified maturity date. The minimum deposit for seven to thirty-one day accounts is $1,000. The law requires no minimum deposit in accounts with maturities of more than thirty-one days, but individual banks may have their own minimum deposit requirements.

Other financial instruments you may encounter include:

• Bonds. A fixed income security that represents a loan to the bond issuer. The bondholder usually receives semi-annual interest payments. Corporate bonds are issued by private companies; municipal bonds are backed by specific revenues and are exempt from federal income taxes.
• Money Market Deposit Accounts. These enable banks and thrift institutions to compete with money market mutual funds. These interest-bearing accounts are insured and offer limited transaction privileges, such as check writing.
• Mutual Funds. Pooled investments that are professionally managed. A money market fund is a mutual fund that typically invests in short-term securities, such as treasury bills. Mutual funds are not insured.
• Stocks. Ownership interest in a corporation, entitling the stockholder to voting rights and a part of the corporation’s earnings [dividends].
• Treasury Securities. The U.S, Treasury issues bills, bonds, and notes. Each is sold at a discounted face amount and cashed in for a full face value at maturity. Lengths of maturity vary.
• Zero-Coupon Bonds. These corporate or government issued bonds are sold at deep discounts from face value and pay no interest until maturity [hence their name]. Zeros have become popular for college investing because the maturities can be staggered, so that some will mature during each of the years you’ll have children in college.

So its time to potty train your child, I know what your thinking! How am I ever going to do this? This is one of the great joys of parenthood; it can be a very difficult step in your child’s development. A child is ready to be potty trained anywhere between 1 1/2 to 3 years old and you will usually get clues as to when your child may be ready like showing an interest in the potty or wanting to wear "big kid" underwear. Everyone eventually gets the hang of it, it’s very unlikely that your child will go to high school with a diaper on so don’t worry too much, but if you need a little extra help here are some potty training tips to get you child on the road to going on his own. First let’s talk about the don'ts of potty training your child:

• Don’t force potty training on your child. Forcing your child to go will only create an atmosphere that he or she may be scared of and you will face more resistance.
• Don’t start potty training when a big life even is going on, stress, good or bad can be bad for potty training. Wait until life settles down so that your child will associate potty training with structure and routine. Don’t make accidents a big deal.
• Don’t get mad or upset, make sure they know that its natural and everyone does it and take the opportunity to show them the potty and explain to them that this is where they need to go next time. By getting angry or making it a big deal when your child ahs an accident it will actually reinforce it and may cause more accidents.
• Don’t expect your child to be trained to last through the night anytime soon. It is completely normal for bedwetting to happen up to age four.
• Don’t discount your child’s fears about potty training. Some children will be afraid of the sound of the toilet flushing, they might not understand where the toilet is going too, or they may be afraid to fall in. Explain and be patient with them no matter how silly the fear is.
• Don’t try to set a deadline, or a day that your child must be potty trained by. Each child is different and it may take some a week and others a year. Programs that promise your child will be trained in 7 days only leave the parents and children feeling as if they failed.

Ok now we can move on to what you should do:

• First you need to help your child recognize the signs of having to go to the bathroom. Usually your child will tell you after they have already done their business but this is a good sign that your child is starting to understand this bodily function. Make sure to praise your child for telling you and tell them to try and let you know next time before they go.
• Make trips to the potty a routine thing. If your child acts like he needs to go take him to the potty and let him sit but only for a few minutes at a time. If your child resists strongly do not force him to stay. Take your child at the same times everyday like first thing in the morning, after eating, after naps and before bed.
• Teach your child good hygiene and explain the purpose of bodily waste. Let your child know how to wipe properly (girls should wipe front to back to avoid bringing germs from the rectum to the vagina) and teach them to wash their hands after using the potty.
• Encourage the use of training pants and underwear.
• Consider rewarding success trips to the potty with a small children's gift.
  

It may seem impossible in the beginning but if you take it slow and pay attention to your child’s needs you should have no problem. Trust me this probably won’t be the biggest challenge you face with your child.

Whenever your child is ill, your observations of what’s going on are very important. When you are assessing your child’s illness, you’re really looking at two different things-signs and symptoms. These terms have specific meanings to your doctor.

A symptom is something a patient complains about. A sign is something the doctor [or you] can see, measure, hear, taste or smell. So, if your child complains of her ear hurting, that’s a symptom; if she’s pulling on her ear, that’s a sign. Signs and symptoms are indications of illness, but they are not illnesses themselves. When your doctor treats your child, he or she may treat the signs and symptoms of the illness, the illness itself, or both. For example, aspirin or acetaminophen is frequently given to a child with a fever, either may reduce the fever, but neither affects the underlying illness causing the fever. However, an antibiotic given to your child when he has an ear infection, actually helps the body to fight off the infection and, so, is treating the illness. The earache [a symptom] and the fever [a sign] will go away because the infection [the illness] is being treated. Most of the medicines you can buy in the drugstore without a prescription treat symptoms but doesn’t treat the illness itself. So the “cold” medicine you may buy for your child doesn’t make the cold go away any more quickly, but they may make your child feel a little better. There’s an ongoing debate about treating signs and symptoms of common illnesses. Some doctors believe that unless the signs and symptoms are severe, you’re better off not treating them. Some of the symptoms of an illness may actually be beneficial and speed recovery. Every medicine has side effects, and sometimes these can be worse than the illness itself. If you know someone that is sick, consider our selection of get well gift baskets to cheer them up.

I can’t thank my family enough for throwing me a beautiful baby shower. They went all out - the pink and blue cake, homemade food, plates and napkins with baby buggies on them, the favors, the diaper cake, the surprise - the whole nine yards. My little girl has all pink dresses and rompers, purple bedding, fleece blankets in every sweet pastel color and enough plush toys to carry her through toddler hood.

But, it was my office friends, the ones who threw me the "clean-up" baby shower, that I really need to thank. You know what a "clean-up" shower is - it’s the second baby shower, the one your "work" friends throw. They are never sure what to buy because your registry has been purchased, and you keep assuring them you have everything you could possibly need.

Well, that’s what you think!

My friends at the office decided to throw a theme shower. The theme was entitled "Books and Butts." Invitations were simply sent out via email with the poetic request that all gifts fit the theme. All of my presents were geared at keeping baby’s butt clean and dry and keeping Mommy sane with books for Daddy and baby to share! Granted, opening presents didn’t have the same "WOW" factor, and I would later find writing thank you notes to be a bit monotonous, but each gift presentation came with advice from seasoned professionals.

Each mom in the room offered her opinion as to the best diaper brand, the most economical baby wash or which story to read when my not-yet-born turns three and asks how babies are made! My beautiful little girl is now 7 weeks old, and I have yet to buy a pack of diapers. Thanks to my friends, I know what brand works best for my little one’s bottom, after trying out every brand offered. Thanks to my friends, my husband has yet to make a midnight run for baby wipes. Thanks to my friends, I fear no diaper rash, and thanks to my friends, my little one has a baby's first library that rivals her Mommy’s. My friend, the one who threw me the baby shower, is now pregnant for the first time with her own little one, and I can’t wait to return the favor. Now, a seasoned mom myself, I will send an email around the office, gather my advice, buy her my idea of the best brand of diapers on the market and be ready to tell her exactly why they are so. I will give her the best titles in baby books and smile knowing that whether she realizes it or not, this is the best baby shower anyone could ever have!

Although the origin of the modern baby shower is unknown, there is evidence that the ancient cultures, such as the Egyptians and the Romans, often bestowed gifts upon the newborn or presented the parents with handmade gifts after the child was born. Baby showers as we know them today didn’t become popular until after World War 2. Baby showers today are a fun and exciting way for friends and family to celebrate the arrival of the new baby and help the mommy and daddy-to-be get prepared. If you are considering planning a shower for a friend or relative there are many things that you can do to make it a memorable celebration.

Traditionally it was unacceptable for a family member to throw the shower because it was viewed as the family asking for gifts, however over time this rule has been relaxed and it is perfectly acceptable for anyone be it friend, co-worker or relative, to throw a baby shower and for them to bring baby gifts.

When planning the shower be sure to check with the expectant parents to find a time that is convenient for them and let them make the guest list. Find out if they are registered at a store or what specific baby items they still need. It is important that you mail the invitations at least 3-4 weeks before the party date, so guest are more likely to have an open schedule.

A theme is a fun part of any shower. Baby shower themes may be as simple as what character is on the plates and napkins or much more elaborate. Take into consideration the mothers interests when planning the theme, some mothers would be happy with a very formal tea and brunch while others would enjoy something a little more casual. Here are a few fun ideas to get you started.

Baby IQ Party

Center this party on learning. You could decorate in red, black, and white (colors thought to stimulate the baby’s vision) or with an alphabet, nursery rhyme or book theme. Serve foods that start with letters of the alphabet and put cute alphabet blocks by each food. Play word games. List scrambled words related to pregnancy, labor, and babies and see who can unscramble them first. Play bingo with baby words. List both parents’ names and see how many baby names people can make out of the letters. Pick lines from nursery rhymes and see who can name the nursery rhyme. Bonus points if they can say the whole thing. Gifts could be as simple as everyone bringing a book or learning video. If you want to get more complicated assign guests with a letter of the alphabet and have them bring a gift that coincides with that letter.

Pamper Mommy Shower

This shower is great for an expectant mother who already has children. Sometimes pregnancy can make you feel like your whole life has become about the baby. Mothers already sacrifice a lot of things that they might have done before to pamper themselves when they have children so this is a great way to remind them they deserve some attention too. Serve the mothers absolute favorite foods; if she loves chocolate base the party around chocolate. Gifts could include scented candles, spa certificates, robes, gowns, jewelry, baskets full or items to make mommy feel great, or any item that is designed to bring comfort and happiness. Instead of the usual baby shower games, plan to have a make up consultant come and give a makeover, or arrange for at home spa services such as manicures and facials. Take her out to her favorite restaurant, anything to make her feel special.

Around the Clock Shower

This is a cute way to celebrate the everyday rituals that the mommy is going to be responsible for once the baby is born. Assign each guest with a time of the day and have him or her bring a gift that will be appropriate for that time. Gifts could include breakfast or lunchtime feeding items such as a cute set of plates, cups, bottles, etc. Nap time baby blankets, pillows, bassinets, or stuffed animals and bedtime story books or night-lights. Play games that are centered on the baby’s daily routine. Get a true-to-life size baby doll, a receiving blanket, a cloth diaper, and a baby shirt. Give each guest the doll and all the clothing, and see how fast each person can put all the clothes on the baby, finishing with swaddling the baby in the blanket. Whoever dresses the baby the fastest wins a prize. Have a baby food taste test, get jars of baby food, remove labels or cover with tape; number each jar. Give each guest a pen, a piece of paper, and a paper plate. Pass the jars of baby food around and ask the guests to place a little of each on their plate. Then ask them to taste each food and name it according to its corresponding number on the jar. The guest with the most correct answers wins their choice of special baby shower favors (and we bet it’s a person with kids!).

So what are you waiting for! Start planning a baby shower for the mommy-to-be in your life and have fun!

We have has a diverse selection of baby gift baskets that would make any baby shower extra special!