Must-know parenting advice

Sleep routine
An essential part of a pre-sleep routine is to let your little one engage in an energy-sapping activity. Good sleep mostly follows if children (and adults) have had an active part to their day. Your partner should structure his day so that he can be home to take your little one for a walk, kick ball in the garden, climb a tree together, ‘fly aeroplane’ with your baby, or simply rough-and-tumble playfully for at least 30 minutes. The bond forged will be a wonderful spin-off, too.

Eat in crèche, but not at home
Many moms stress about their babies who reportedly eat well at crèche but not at home. It may be that your baby simply has had enough adequate food and would rather spend time with his favourite people … mom and dad, when at home! Don’t see it as rejection. Ensure that the food given at day care is wholesome and healthy, and have plenty of fresh fruit available at home for your baby to snack on when he needs a bite or two.

In-store blues
There are a few essential survival rules for shopping excursions with little ones. Don’t take a hungry baby shopping – feed him first and have a few healthy snacks tucked away for emergency use. Never go on long trips to the shops – some women may enjoy this, but it’s not first on babies’ or toddlers’ to-do lists. Have a ‘bag of tricks’ handy, and if you see unsettled behaviour building, offer one of these to distract him, recycling items in the bag of tricks over time to keep them interesting. Preferably start a shopping club with a friend – one watches the baby while the other hits the mall.



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