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Love is in the Air!
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Talking to your child is an important first step. Explain that the baby is a new person coming into your home to get your child used to the idea of a new sibling, but be sure to wait a little while before bringing the subject up. Eight months is a long time for the expectant parent to wait, and it can seem like an eternity to a younger child! The general suggestion is to wait at least until your pregnancy begins to show. When your child has questions, be sure to answer in a way that is appropriate to their level of understanding. Let your child connect to their new sibling before the birth by having them feel your belly when the baby is active. Talking to the baby with the older child is another way to help the idea of a new sibling become a reality instead of just a concept. Be sure to take time to mention your older child’s birth and how excited you were during that pregnancy, but do not make comparisons in front of your child about how your current pregnancy is easier or harder than theirs. Giving your child a chance to experience other people’s babies is another good way to help them better understand this earlier stage of life. Also, try to make sure that they’ve spent at least one over-night stay with the caregiver who’ll be watching them while you are giving birth. This can help make the separation during the big day less traumatic, and they will be less likely to think you are exchanging them for a newer fashion. If you have household changes in mind, such as moving the older child to a different room or from a crib to a bed, be sure to make these changes well before the new sibling arrives. Having to deal with a big change in their environment and a new baby all at the same time can be confusing, and may lead an older child to “blame” the new arrival for this disruption to their normal life. Reading books about siblings is another great way to prepare for the new arrival. There are an incredible amount of books dedicated to this very topic. Type in “sibling rivalry” as a subject in your local library’s catalog and you’ll find numerous options for every age category. Be sure to continue reading after the baby arrives! Spending dedicated time with each child really does help keep most jealousy at manageable levels. The most important thing to remember is that sibling rivalry is a normal part of growing up in a family, and that learning to negotiate and work as a team often begins with our earliest relationships. For more information on sibling rivalry and hints on what to do after your baby arrives, check out this informative article from Parents.com. Top Tips for Indoor Birthday Party Fun
1. Fishing for Prizes (ages 3 and up) This is a game that children will enjoy watching as well as playing. It does require a quick trip to the dollar store to pick out some inexpensive prizes and a little set up.The fishing rod should be something as simple as a yard stick or old curtain rod with the right length of string tied to the end.Create a loop at the end of the string where the hook would be so that items can be easily attached and also take the time to double check the length of the string. When you are ready to start the game, hang a blanket half-way down across a doorway; a spring tension curtain rod works well for this. Another adult will hide on the far side of the blanket with the collection of prizes and some funny items - like an old boot or empty can - that the children can toss back over the blanket. Feel free to add in your own funny items as it will just add to the silliness.Each child takes a turn with the pole and “fishes” for a prize, which will be attached to the string by your partner. Be sure to work out a signal so you will know when it’s time to have the child reel the prize in. If they happen to catch the old boot or other silly item, they toss it back and cast again until they’ve caught one of the prizes.One important note: Be sure to test the weight of your items before the party.Fishing is no fun if the string breaks! 2. Loony Balloons! (ages 3 and up) Most parties have balloons, why not put them to use as part of a fun activity? Give every child a balloon and supply them with a variety of different markers. The goal is to let them use their imagination and create a 360 degree design of their choice. We’ve seen everything from a strange alien planet to an Easter egg come out of this activity. Younger children may need a little more direction on what to draw, so you can suggest that they create their very own balloon friend by drawing a funny face onto the surface. Be sure to use non-toxic markers and, as with any art activity, a smock will be useful to help prevent getting marker on those party clothes. When the party’s over, each child can take their balloon home as one of the favors. As a bonus, you’ll have a few less balloons slowly deflating around your house. 3. Picture Phone (ages 6 and up) A new twist on an old classic! Before the party, you’ll need to cut out a number of simple pictures from a children’s magazine. To start off a round, give each child an index card and have them sit on one side of the room. Call the first child over to a table where the other children can’t see, and show him the magazine picture for 10-15 seconds. You then turn the image face down and give the child 20-30 seconds to recreate what he remembers on his index card. (The time may seem short, but it keeps the game exciting for the children waiting their turn and encourages quicker drawing.) When time is up, call the next child to the table and show her the index card of the previous child for 10 seconds. You then place that index card face down on top of the magazine picture and have her draw what she remembers. Repeat this pattern until every child has had their turn. By placing the original image and all of the copies out in a row, everyone gets to see how the picture changed from player to player. Adding one, or more, of the above activities to your traditional favorites will be sure to engage the children at your party and help make your child’s special day a memorable one.Top Product ParadeLittle Men Working Potty
Your little one will love the 3-in-1 Little Men Working Potty by Safety 1st! The truck design is ideal for capturing your child's interest, and the real truck sounds they get for doing the job right will have them eager to come back and try again. Later on, the trainer seat will help ease the transition between potty and adult toilet. Cleaning up is also simplified. Just use the step stool mode to help get little hands under the faucet of that hard-to-reach sink. Click here for more information. For the Record Baby Health Journal & 18 Piece Grooming Kit 
Keeping track of your baby's health is easy with Safety 1st! From the moment you bring your little one home, our For the Record Baby Health Journal provides a place to write down and store important information. It is divided into tabbed sections making it easy to get exactly where you need to go. Record everything from immunizations, doctor visits, feeding schedules and more. The Journal comes along with our 18 Piece Detach & Go Grooming Kit which gathers together essential grooming items for you in a convenient travel/storage case. Click here for more information. Complete Care 4 Stage Bath Center 
Wash away your worries with the Complete Care 4-Stage Bath Center by Safety 1st. This bath center has everything you'll need for bathing your baby and features four different modes of use that will take you all the way from newborn through to two years of age. Along with sponge, rinse pitcher and washcloth, we've also included our Bath Tips Guide full of handy bath time hints for parents. Later, when bath time is over, it folds down for easy storage. Click here for more information. Space Saver Fold-Up Tub 
Parents will love the Space Saver Fold-Up Tub by Safety 1st. The slip-resistant foam pad and extra-roomy seat will give your little one the comfort they need during bath time. There are also two fun squirty toys included with the tub for some added amusement during the washing. With the compact, fold-up design of this tub and the convenient mesh bag for the toys, storage is simple. The Space Saver Fold-Up tub is great for travel too! Click here for more information. 3-in-1 Cradle & Comfort Bathtub 
Bath time is simplified with the 3-in-1 Cradle & Comfort Bathtub by Safety 1st. It has convenient soap and accessory holders to keep the items you need during bath time handy and a towel bar to keep a washcloth or towel nearby. The included rinse cup is perfect for gently washing away soapy water. After the bath, your little one will look adorable while keeping comfortably warm in our froggy bath wrap that comes included with the set. Click here for more information. Congratulations to Our Winners!Each winner will receive one of our fantastic Cosco® Flat Fold High Chairs! Click here to check them out and buy one! Donna Frieszell Kelli Doerman Dina Young Allen Katz Spotlight on Baby Krammes
At birth, Noah John Krammes weighed 10 pounds 6 ounces and measured 21 inches long. John is a tall guy, but he confirmed this was above the average birth weight. “We weren’t sure how big he actually was, but when the doctor pulled him out she couldn’t stop talking about how big he was.He was the biggest baby she ever delivered.” We asked if there was anything about the name Noah that made it their top choice. “It was one of the few names Andrea and I could agree on.We didn’t think about too many different names.Andrea mentioned Noah and it just kinda stuck.” Having a new baby means adapting to a new routine. John mentioned one of the interesting things that has changed for them. “We do a lot of walking around the house.When he’s awake, he likes to be moving around.We knew this was coming, but who knew you could be so productive on only a few hours of sleep!” When we talked to John back in December, he and Andrea already had a Safety 1st Close View Monitoring System. We wanted to know what other things had come in handy since Noah’s birth. “We’re still using the Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat, but it won’t be too long until he’s too big and we’ll have to move to the Safety 1st OnBoard Infant Car Seat. He uses the Eddie Bauer Newport Collection Bassinet to sleep throughout the night.” We wish John, Andrea and Noah good times and fun memories as they build their new family together. TopIf you have any questions regarding Safety 1st products please contact Dorel Juvenile Group Consumer Relations at consumer@djgusa.com. Top |
February 2009
The groundhog has scurried back inside his burrow to keep warm, and winter is officially on its way out! This month we offer you a cute and cost effective way to send your love along to those close to you: 
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow so don’t forget to send a Safety 1st Valentine’s Day Photo e-Card to your friends and family! You can upload a photo of your little one and share it with everyone! On behalf of Safety 1st, we wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day.
Welcoming a new child into the family is an exciting time for parents, but older brothers and sisters often have a different view of the event. The amount of sibling rivalry to expect will vary greatly depending on a number of factors. Children of different genders may have an easier time getting along, while two brothers or two sisters will often feel a stronger competition between themselves. Whatever the circumstance, it is wise to expect some emotional response to the new addition, and this is especially true if the older child has only a few years difference from the new baby. Thankfully, there are several ways to help prepare your child for the happy event.
The thought of a house full of energetic children can be daunting to any parent, but what do you do when your child has a birthday during the winter months? In these tough economic times, taking the whole gang out to a party-specific venue is not always an option. Throwing an old-fashioned birthday party at home is a great alternative, but what do you do once the cake is eaten and the tail has been pinned on the donkey? The internet is full of fun ideas for indoor activities, so we gathered together our top three favorites to pass along.
Back in the December edition of our eNewsletter, you learned a little bit about Safety 1st Project Manager John Krammes. Back then, John and his wife Andrea were expecting their first child. Noah joined the family in January and we thought it would be fun to check in with John to see what life is like for this new dad.