Posts Tagged ‘Special need caregivers’
Creating Family Traditions
What are some good ideas for creating family traditions? Here are some ideas based on the holiday. These can be useful to get you started but remember that your own family traditions can be whatever you want and they don’t have to be centered around a holiday at all. Part of the fun of a family tradition is that it is yours and you can do 
whatever you want.
• Create your own special day or holiday such as “unbirthdays” or “family day”
• Never go to bed without saying I love you
• Have a special birthday meal whenever a family member has a birthday
• On Saturdays, everyone cooks breakfast together
• Have a monthly movie day where you watch movies that explore traditions
• Sing a special birthday song made up by the family
• Keep a family journal and let everyone write in it
• Make a scrapbook for every family vacation
• Always eat dinners together as a family and talk about your day
• Take turns choosing topic of discussion at dinner
These are just some ideas for creating family traditions. You can use these to boost your own ideas and be sure to ask your family members to think of their own. You can have everyone write down their ideas for traditions and then vote as a family on the ones you want to make happen.
Ideas for Passing on Family Traditions
When it comes to passing on family traditions, there are many ideas here as well. The most important thing to remember is to remain consistent. It’s important to do something over and over again each time to become tradition. If your family does not seem enthusiastic about it right away, you will have to help motivate them by being consistent.
For example, hold an event every year at the same time and continue to encourage the family to participate. Remain positive about it even if others do not and always continue even if only a few show up. By doing this consistently and with enthusiasm, others will begin to join in and the tradition will continue. As soon as all parties give up and miss an event, the tradition dies along with any enthusiasm to do it.
Holiday Traditions
Here are some holiday traditions that we enjoy and might help you get started:
• For Easter, color eggs together or have an Easter egg hunt
• Volunteer at a homeless shelter for Thanksgiving or Christmas
• Collect or make an ornament each year at Christmas
• Have Thanksgiving dinners together with everyone helping to make a dish
• Have the children dress up as pilgrims and Indians on Thanksgiving
• Re-enact holiday events or perform a small skit as a family
• Act out the Christmas story
• Make cookies and milk for Santa
• Leave shoes outside for “baby New Year” to fill with goodies
• Create family New Year resolutions together
These ideas should help you with creating and passing on family traditions of your own. Whether you have your own family now or hope to one day soon, we hope that you will explore these options and ideas for family traditions. The memories you will create together as a family will last a lifetime.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
National Nanny Recognition Week Begins Sunday, September 18
National Nanny Recognition Week (NNRW) is a week long event, created in 1998, to bring awareness to the positive impact nannies and caregivers have on the children and families they work 
with. All too often we hear the negative stories of caregivers, but not enough of the positive. Nannies give their hearts to the children they care for, often sacrificing time away from their own family and friends. Being a nanny isn’t about working for wealthy or celebrity parents – it’s walking in the door and having the child run to you with open arms because they are happy to see you and can’t wait for the next adventure. It’s about the child drawing a picture of their family, with the nanny proudly displayed for all to see.
What began as an effort of few now spans hundreds of professionals the last full week of September each year. NNRW continues to focus on the positive, quality aspects that nannies bring to their charges and jobs every day; and for parents and agencies to say “Thank You” to their wonderful caregivers. ~ www.nnrw.org
How can you say Thank You to your nanny?
♥ Say Thank You ♥ Tell your friends good things about her knowing she will hear them back ♥ a surprise day off ♥ Have the children say Thank You ♥ Treat your nanny to breakfast or dinner made by the family ♥ a card and framed photo of the family ♥ Pay for dinner out with friends ♥ gift basket of favorite treats ♥ gift certificates to favorite stores ♥ movie tickets ♥ gift certificate for manicure/pedicure or massage ♥ handmade card or gift from the child/children ♥
From the TLC family to all our nannies … Thank You! We appreciate all you do day after day, and are grateful to have you as part of our family of caregivers.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Having Trouble Getting Your Kid To Sleep?
Kids have a thing about going to sleep at night. It does not matter if it is a girl or a boy, they all have this thing: they hate going to sleep. Even babies will fight sleep like it 
was the devil. They cannot stand the thought of missing out on anything and they simply refuse to fall asleep and that is why you as the parent need to find out all of the top techniques that will help you to get your kids to sleep at night.
Let us focus on babies. They need to be on a strict schedule from the get go if you want to get them sleeping through the night. Kids need structure and balance in order to sleep well each and every night. That is why you should have a time of night that you put your child down. Do not simply wait for the kids to get tired before you put them to bed, have a time and stick to it. This is the best way to get your kids sleeping through the night quickly and easily.
Good nighttime rituals can really help you to get the kids to sleep at night. For example, you may want to give the kids a warm and soothing bath at night before bed. This can go along way towards relaxing them enough that they will go to sleep with ease when put to bed. Kids like rituals and these kinds are great.
It is also a very good idea for you allow the evening to unfold quietly. Playing games with your kids just before bed is probably not the best way to go. Instead of wearing out your kids playing games is only going to get them riled up. This is not going to help you get them to sleep each night. You need to get the kids calm and relaxed and a quiet evening followed by a nice warm bath is great.
If you are trying to get your kids to sleep, especially when they are still babies you need to take into consideration that your baby is not used to real silence. They come from your tummy where tings were really loud all of the time. Total silence is scary to many babies. Having a ticking clock or some other stead sound in the room with him or her might be what is missing in their bedtime routine. Try having these kinds of sounds in the room with your kids and watch the difference they can make. In no time your kids may be getting to sleep right away each night.
It is also important for parents to learn about whether their kids are self soothers or not. The techniques that you choose for your kids will be hugely impacted by this fact. Find out what works for your kids by experimenting. Don’t worry if you do not get everything right the first time, in fact, you might as well get used to it because no one is the perfect parent right off the bat.
TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more. We serve St. Louis, Atlanta and Florida. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660
Sharing Rosh Hashanah with Kids
“Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is celebrated in early Autumn. It is believed to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and no work is allowed on Rosh Hashanah.”
Here are some helpful resources to explain and celebrate with your children.
Rosh Hashanah Facts & Worksheets
Helping your Preschooler with Separation Anxiety
It is common for kids, especially preschoolers, to suffer from separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is hard on both the child and the parents. Trust me I know, I have 
lived through it. Whether it was taking my children to school, a birthday party or a leaving them with a babysitter they cried. Leaving them was hard but leaving them when they are crying was even harder. Thankfully, I don’t have these problems anymore. Now when I leave them with a TLC babysitter they wave goodbye with a smile on their face and start playing.
Here are some tips from Dr. Laura Horsch , a child psychologist in Menlo Park, California on helping your kids deal with separation anxiety.
1. It’s important for parents to keep their morning goodbyes consistent and short. “Lingering in response to crying or tantruming may inadvertently reinforce those behaviors,” explains Horsch. The rule of thumb in such situations is to strive for a short goodbye process.
2. “Parents are encouraged to prepare their children for what to expect, acknowledge their child’s feelings, engage their child in a goodbye ritual (for example, hug, wave, etc.), and reassure their child that they will return,” she says.
3. And it’s crucial for parents to talk openly with their children about their feelings. Read a book about kids going off to school or Mommy going to work and then discuss with your child. And remind them that Mommy or Daddy will always come back to get them.
Horsch reminds parents that being tearful before mom or dad leave is common and natural. “Remember that these challenges are likely a normative part of healthy child development. These experiences are part of a child’s building resilience and emotion regulation.”
And she adds that there is almost always a silver lining: “Most children calm down quickly and enjoy their day shortly after their parents’ departure.”
To read the complete article and interview with Dr. Horsch click here.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
TLC Can Help With All Your Summer Needs
Ever heard the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child?” With the kids out of school and home all day, it is normal to need extra help. Luckily, you don’t have to stress; 
TLC for Kids has childcare providers for every occasion.
1. Summer Nannies: Do you need some extra help this summer? TLC has summer nannies that can work almost any schedule. Our nannies are energetic, fun and have experience working with kids of all ages.
2. Tutor: During the summer, it is easy for kids to lose some of the information they learned during the school year. Schedules get filled with t-ball practice, play dates, and swimming lessons. But it is important to review math facts, spelling words, and read during the summer months, so your child returns to school prepared to learn. At TLC for Kids, you can find a sitter with a degree in education to assist you in meeting your child’s educational needs.
3. Chauffeur: Camps, swimming/piano/pitching lessons, practices and recitals happen all throughout the summer. However, it can be hard to make it on time to all of these events—especially if you work full time or have more than one child participating (or maybe you are sick). To take stress off yourself, and remain punctual, TLC offers sitters with reliable and insured forms of transportation to take your child to and from events.
4. Household Helper: Not only does TLC provide families with CPR certified, background checked sitters, their nannies are also able to help with household duties. When the kids are home from school all day, the house gets messier quicker than normal. You can hire a TLC sitter to help you with laundry, light household cleaning, dishes, grocery shopping, and organizing.
5. Pet and House Sitter: Lots of families go on vacations during the summer. But not every vacation is inviting for your furry friends. Instead of taking your family pet to a pet daycare, have a sitter come to your home. Your pet will receive the same attention as if you were home with them. Summer is also the time of year when robberies and break-ins rise, so having a TLC sitter stay at your house will keep your home safe and allow you to enjoy your vacation without worrying.
6. Party Helper: Summer is the best time of year for barbeques, birthday parties, and more. But taking care of the cooking, cleaning, and watching after the kids can be a little hectic. Fortunately, TLC offers party helpers to meet your event hosting needs. TLC has party helpers that have doubled as servers, bartenders, cooks, and sitters that have brought activities for the kids at the party while the parents enjoyed themselves. If you are hosting a large gathering, don’t worry; you can hire as many TLC sitters as you need.
Call TLC’s office or visit the website to book your sitter today.
To assist with the current crisis, TLC is temporarily offering FREE MEMBERSHIP and DISCOUNTED AGENCY FEES to all Medical Professionals and First Responders. We know you cannot work at home and want to help you ensure you have solid care arrangements for your loved ones. Call TLC at 314.725.5660 to learn more and get started.
TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, Sarasota, St. Louis, Tampa and more!. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660.
Parents Need Time Outs Too – Knowing When to Step Back
There are many moments in parenting, ranging from the warm and emotional moments, to the ones when you want to throw an adult tantrum. Our own children are the 
most knowledgeable about our temperaments, and they know exactly how to push our buttons for maximum reaction.
It is difficult when we cannot agree on an issue with our children, and both parties are passionate about their respective points of view. It is also difficult when we feel burnt out simply from the rigors of parenting. How do you know when you as a parent need to take a time out and step back for a few moments to regain your cool?
The Argument Has Lasted Too Long
There is a time to talk things out, and a time to end the conversation. If you have been arguing with your child for a lengthy amount of time and it simply keeps on going, perhaps it is time to take a break. Putting the talk on hold doesn’t mean you can’t continue it later, but it is often wise to end it and continue it later when you are both feeling refreshed.
There Is No Resolution in Sight
Sometimes there is an issue that you must discuss, but you feel like you and your child are both talking in circles. It can get to a point where everyone becomes more determined to make their point, and each party stops listening to the other. This is another moment where the only solution is to temporarily put the conversation on hold.
You Begin to Feel Angry
If you begin to feel tense while parenting, or feel your blood pressure rising, you may have reached your limit. It may be time to walk away and spend a little time alone. When you as a parent are feeling angry, this can turn into a power struggle and it will always be tipped in your favor, leaving your child feeling powerless and trapped. This is a feeling that can negatively affect your relationship, so end it while you have the chance to settle things in a calm manner.
Your Child Appears Angry
If your child is feeling angry, it is possible you are not acting or speaking in a loving and fair manner. Sometimes our children need breaks from us, and we must be the mature one who removes ourselves from the situation and gives them the space they need. Take a time out and allow your child the chance to cool down without having to always be the one who retreats.
You Feel Tired
Even as adults, we are still human. There are moments when we have reached our limit and need to take some time to breathe. Find a relaxing activity that you enjoy and take awhile to recover. You will come back refreshed and ready to parent with more energy and positivity.
Parenting is rewarding, but that reward is not always felt strongly when we are burnt out or in the middle of an argument with our children. There are times you will need to take a step back and embrace silence. Give yourself a time out and come back to real life when you have been fully recharged.
TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more. We serve St. Louis, Atlanta and Florida. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660
Encouraging Positive Values
As a parent or a nanny, it is your job to help encourage positive values in your children. It’s never too early or too late to start teaching your children and you can do this 
with rewards for kids and positive reinforcement. We understand that many just don’t know where to begin to do this and that’s why we want to help.
As parents, we owe it to our children to raise them to be the type of responsible adults we want them to be. However, this challenge can be more difficult than you think. Children don’t come with guidebooks and this can make it hard to know what to do. To make it even more difficult, every child is different and may not respond to the same methods.
It’s not enough to just tell your child how they should be and then expect them to do it. Even if the child does what you want out of respect, fear or intimidation, there is no guarantee they will continue these behaviors into adulthood unless you instill positive values into them.
Rewards for Kids
We’ve mentioned one way to encourage positive values is with rewards for kids. What are some rewards and what ways can you use them? When planning rewards, you need to take different factors into consideration such as:
• The age and maturity level of the child
• The situation
• The child’s personality and interests
You want rewards to be something that will motivate the child. To do this, you have to make sure you are offering rewards that match the child. For example, you want the child to feel motivated to earn the reward so it needs to be something they will like and want to earn for themselves. If they don’t care about the reward, they won’t have any motivation to seek it through positive behavior. Depending on the age of your child, you can get help with rewards by asking them for their input and ideas. When your child feels they have a role in choosing the reward, they are more motivated to participate.
Rewards for kids may include:
• Behavior charts
• Sticker charts
• Small “prize boxes”
• Points system that can be added up for prizes
• Move nights
• Family game nights
• Invite a friend over night
These are just a few ideas of the types of rewards you can use for your child to encourage positive values.
Positive Communication
In the parent / nanny and child relationship, just like in any relationship, communication is very important. Talk with your child about your own values and beliefs and give them opportunity to express their own opinions. Role-play with different moral situations and ask your child to tell you how they would handle it.
Maintain open, positive communication so your child feels comfortable coming to you with any problem, including if they make mistakes in their own life. This communication not only allows your child the freedom and comfort of being able to come to you but it also sets an example for positive values in their other life relationships. They will maintain these values as they grow older.
Set the Example
When encouraging positive values in your own children, it’s important to set the example. While it’s easy to say, it’s not always as easy to do. The old adage of “do as I say, not as I do” does not apply. You are your child’s first role model. From birth on your child will watch you and your actions. He will base his decisions and opinions on your own.
Every action you make, every word you say is viewed by your child and this is how they learn to form their own values in life. Remember that your child is watching when you experience a situation where you are wronged, where you can help someone or where you have to make a moral decision in life. Your child will learn from your actions more than anything you can ever say to them. Are you setting the right type of example?
It’s not just the parents that need to encourage positive values in children, however. Anyone who works with children as their profession or as recreation should learn from these tips and ideas. If you’re a teacher, coach, or anyone who works with children, you are a role model and you have opportunity for encouraging positive values.
Most Common Home Accidents
Accidents happen every day in people’s lives, whether at home or out in public. While accidents can occur anywhere and to anyone, some of the most common and even the 
most dangerous ones occur at home. Below is a list of some of the most common accidents that take place in the home.
- Falling Objects – If you have children then you know that once they start moving around on their own, they begin touching everything in the house. They can potentially knock stuff over, leading to broken objects or a bump on the head. To prevent this from happening, make sure electrical cords, table cloths, and any dishes are out of reach.
- Trips and Falls – Obviously anyone can fall, but falls usually occur in young children and the elderly. You can help prevent trips and falls by making sure things get picked up off the floor, that cords are not running along the floor, and by making sure carpets are tacked down.
Look for any tripping hazard and deal with it right away. Often times if a young child falls, you can soothe them with kind words and hugs and kisses. However, if you notice that after a person falls they become drowsy, vomits, or loses consciousness, get medical attention right away. There could be something seriously wrong and it’s best to get them checked out by a doctor.
- Dangerous Furniture – Be careful with furniture that has sharp corners, like a coffee table. You can get covers to make the corners not so sharp. Also, be careful with glass top tables, especially if you have small children. Take stock of the furniture around your home to see that it’s safe. Anchoring large, heavy furniture to the wall will help prevent you from getting pinned under these objects, especially small children. When hanging a TV on the wall, make sure it’s well secured and wires are tucked away.
- Sharp Objects – Beware of these, not just when you have children around. When you wash knives you want to make sure you put them away properly, so that when you reach for something you don’t accidentally cut yourself.
- Getting Burnt – Hot drinks and foods are the most common thing to cause burns and scalds to children under the age of five. Of course children should be kept away from the oven, open flames, and irons (anything hot). Also, make sure the temperature on your water heater is not set too high, to help prevent scalding burns in the bathtub. You should not have it set any hotter than 120 degrees F (49 degrees C).
The most common ways that adults get burnt is when cooking and straightening hair. All burn wounds should be held under cold running water for a couple minutes. The best way to cover a burn to prevent infection is by covering with plastic and taping down.
- Poisoning – Most poisoning incidents involve medications and household products. It’s important that these things are kept out of reach of children and anyone you feel may want to use it to intentionally cause harm to him- or herself.
When it comes to the health and happiness of our home and loved ones, we want to take all precautions possible to prevent injuries. If an accident does occur, though, it’s vital to know what to do.
TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more. We serve St. Louis, Atlanta and Florida. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660
Making Learning Fun This Summer
During the summer months, many kids go to baseball, basketball, volleyball, swimming and dance camp. We instill values of practice makes perfect, but what about their 
academics? Luckily, there are lots of tips and tricks to make learning as fun as attending a summer camp with their friends.
Strengthening math skills:
• Let your children help in the kitchen. Allowing your children to join you in the cooking process teaches them how to read the recipe and measure the ingredients. Recipes also expose your children to fractions, which kids typically have problems understanding.
• Play board games and have your child be the scorekeeper. Games like Yahtzee and Monopoly are good games to help strengthen your child’s math skills because each includes lots of adding, and Monopoly gives your child the chance to learn more about money.
• Grab a stopwatch or a stopwatch app. Children love to play with stopwatches, and giving them one opens up lots of learning opportunities. One way they can use the stopwatch is by timing how long it takes their bike to ride down the street or around the block. Then they can keep track of how fast they go and chart the difference in their time the more they practice. This strengthens number recognition, telling time, and subtraction skills.
Strengthening reading skills:
• Visit your local library. St. Louis City and County Libraries offer reading incentive programs for kids of all ages. If getting your child to read has previously been a struggle, this is a good way to get them excited about reading because their friends will be reaping the benefits of the program (like free Cardinal tickets).
• Write letters. Do you have a grandparent, cousin, or friend that lives out of town? Have your children write letters to them. This activity will not only teach your kids how to maintain relationships, but also strengthen their reading and written communication skills.
TLC for Kids also offers tutoring. All of TLC’s tutors have degrees in education. To book a TLC tutor today, call (314) 725-5660.