Baby Development Blog

Generally, most parents, especially mothers feel the need to frequently take their small babies and children with them no matter where they are going.

Safety is always an area of doubt, whether or not it is in the home or in the car, and reducing the risk of death is a priority. Car seats are made with our safety in mind.
Not only are they styled for appearance and comfort but some are crafted in techniques to help scale back possibility of injury to our necks and spines in a crash. Neck supports or head rests add a safety mechanism in a crash by forestalling the head and neck from whiplash.

Thus, if they are drivers, something that is absolutely essential is an baby car seat. This equipment safeguards our children from injuries and fatalities in any car accidents which still happen and so is most essential for your car. Every driving parent who takes the baby out, must have a car seat.

While searching for particular baby products a parent should select the most optimal one from an incredibly large array that the market is saturated with. Even though every infant car seat has to meet government crash testing and safety standards additionally they must be comfortable for the baby, plus the seat must fit securely into your vehicle and it must be affordable.
Every infant car seat is required to pass the exact same governmental crash tests, so even the least expensive seat will have passed the same test and will protect the baby in the event of a crash. It's crucial to mention that each device is safe when talking of the safety of car seats. Just because an infant car seat is expensive does not necessarily make it more safe. Some of the more high priced models may have designer features and be a bit more comfortable.
Many inexpensive car seats for babies offer special features which can cost you a lot of money. If price isn't an issue, purchase the device to make your baby feel comfortable during a long trip. It is very important to follow the manufacturers instructions when you are putting the seat into a car. Make sure you understand and follow the baby car seat instructions completely, because some of the features are vital to correct performance, and your child could be at risk.

Teaching a baby to sign is great for both parent and child. We have written several columns covering the benefits of baby sign language, the application of baby sign language for children with certain special needs, how to succeed in teaching baby sign langauge, and other general information on the subject. In this article, we simply want to teach you some of the more popular signs so you can get started signing with your baby!

Mother

Obviously, every child needs to know how to ask for her mother. We start with the ever popular “Mommy” (or “mama” where I come from). Seeing baby make this sign will make mommy so proud. Spread you fingers in an “open-5.” While holding your five fingers out, place your thumb on your chin.

Daddy

Of course, after baby learns mommy, she must learn “Daddy.” Dad will be even happier than Mom when he sees baby ask for him. Make an “open-5.” Next, with fingers extended, place your thumb against your forehead.

Milk

Now that baby has mom and dad’s attention, she can ask for more “milk.” You may have seen this fun one on the popular movie, Meet the Fockers. Simply open and close the fist of one or both hands, pretending that you are milking a cow. Holy cow, it’s that easy! This will be a popular sign for your child. It relates to one of her favorite activities, drinking milk.

Eat

Now that baby can tell you when she is thirsty, let’s prepare her to tell you she is hungry and ready to “eat.” Like milk, this will become one of baby’s favorites. Simply bring your fingers to your mouth in a repeating motion, as if you are holding a piece of food (with the “flat–O”) and are going to eat it.

More

Once baby can ask for food and drink, she will be sure to want to ask for “more.” This is definitely one of our girl's favorites. To sign more, just bring both “flat-O” hands together, touching finger tips together multiple times in front of your body.

All Done

Now that baby is full, she can to tell you she is “all done.” The sign is much more pleasant than baby kicking and screaming to get out of her high chair. You can use this sign to confirm that baby is finished with any of a variety of activities. Baby can tell you she is “all done,” meaning “I’m all done….don’t make me continue with this activity.” To sign all done, hold both palms up, facing inward, then flip both palms outward.

Well, there you have it...Six super signs to get you started teaching your baby to sign. Good luck and happy signing!

Parents who are considering giving their new baby an unusual or unique name should be aware of the findings of a study recently published in America that finds that giving your son an unusual name means he is more likely to end up in jail! After studying more than 15,000 names given to babies born between 1987 and 1991, two professors conclude that the more unusual the first name, the more likely the bearer of the name will commit a delinquent act.

Sounds crazy? Then think about this: if a boy is constantly bullied or teased about his first name he could well develop into a youth who is angry and bitter; and more likely than others to lash out at anyone who belittles him.

The report’s results are confirmed by other studies in the past. One in 1993 found that a strange spelling of a traditional name meant that a boy would be less likely to be successful. Another in 2001 concluded that boys were judged for their masculinity and moral character by reference to their first name. While a report by the University of Michigan found that having an unusual name caused an unfavourable reaction from others, which resulted in the boy having an unfavourable opinion of himself.

So is this phenomenon just confined to boys? The effect of an unusual name on a girl is less likely to see her behind bars! However, names still affect girls’ success in life.

How about the parents? Do the ones who opt for unusual names for their children fall into a category? Yes, it appears that the less schooling the parents have the more likely they are to give their child an unusual name.

[spin}Of course there is nothing to suggest that an unusual name will mean that your son will definitely follow a life of crime! And there are many successful and upright characters with first names in the ‘bad boys’ top ten names’. But why take the risk?|However, there are many successful and law abiding people with names that appear in the bad boys’ top ten! So if you have chosen an unusual name for your child there is no guarantee he will follow a life of crime! But if you are still at the stage of choosing a name, why take the chance?|Nothing is set in stone of course. There are many upstanding, successful men with names that appear in the top ten bad boys’ names; and there is no guarantee that your son will follow a life of crime because you have given him an unusual name. However, if you have still to decide on a name why take the chance?[/spin]

So choosing a baby name isn’t easy and you should take your time. A unique or unusual name may sound cute, but it may adversely affect your child for life.

Should you need a personalised gift for a baby with an unusual name, visit our store.

Perhaps the most important thing you will give to your baby, apart from life itself, is a name. So take your time choosing it and try to opt for one that he or she will wear with pride in later life. The first decision is do you look at traditional names, do you go to the other extreme by making up a name, or do you opt for a middle course and maybe choose a traditional name but with different spelling?

The idea of a unique baby name may seem attractive. After all, your child will not need to have an initial after the first name because another child has the same name; and he or she will stand out from the crowd. But other kids can be cruel and the name you think is a great idea could result in your child being teased or bullied. Then, in later life, the only people who will be able to spell the name will be you and his or her spouse!

Dr Albert Mehrabian, well known author of books like the Name Game and The Baby Report Card, is one of several to publish studies that show that people don’t react very well to anything different or unusual, including people’s names.

During the last ten years, Dr Mehrabian has studied how a person’s name effects them. His findings suggest that when compared to a more traditional name, the ratings of unusual names are much lower in every category: for example a person’s happiness, success, and morality. By choosing an unusual name parents think they are being creative and are ensuring their kids are individual. But green hair is individual and having green hair is not necessarily a good idea!

Mehrabian says he has counselled many adults who were ridiculed by their co-workers because of their names, and finds that the more unusual the name the harder it is to adjust.

The idea put forward in Johnny Cash’s song ‘A Boy Named Sue’ that this would toughen up the kid is poppycock. I knew a man whose middle name was Mary. His parents were catholic and wanted a saint’s name; it’s a pity they couldn’t find a male saint. He was ashamed of his name and kept it very secret.

Maybe there is a middle course? Avoid the really weird. Don’t go down the road followed by Frank Zappa who named his kids Moon Unit and Dweezil – one is a boy, the other a girl; no idea which is which! Or Gwyneth Paltrow who named her daughter Apple. Just imagine what kids in the playground would do with those names. Perhaps as more and more parents choose unusual names the problems will diminish as the unusual itself becomes the norm.

Your baby is already unique, he or she doesn’t need a unique name to be special. Bear in mind that your baby will grow into an adult, so make sure the name you choose will suit your child in later life. Too many cute baby names sound silly when baby grows into an adult.

Should you choose an unusual baby name and need a personalised gift for a baby, we can help; visit our store.