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* May 2005 * May 23rd is world turtle day! Read more about these fascinating creatures at the Humane Society's website: Many exciting things are happening here at Spunky Turtle. Read on for our most recent article, new items, and this month's special offer!
* New Article * 10 ways to encourage your husband to be more involved in your babyís care. You know he loves you and your little one,
but some husbands are a little hesitant to really get into the baby care
trenches. They may not have any
experience with babies or children.
Unfortunately little boys are still not given as many opportunities to
take care of dolls or practice nurturing.
Luckily, most fathers today expect to be involved with their families and
are open to sharing the responsibilities with their wives. The following is a list of some ideas
for getting him involved. 1.
Start early. While you are
still expecting or going through the adoption process, talk about how you want
to parent your child. Involve him
in prenatal doctor visits, reading books, even television shows such as ìA Baby
Storyî will help both of you know what to expect and get the conversation
moving. Take baby care classes
before your baby comes home. You
will learn a lot and meet other expecting parents as well. Even if you are the one who is pregnant,
you are both expecting! 2.
Do it together. If neither
of you has any experience, it can be reassuring to do things as a team. Never given your baby a bath? Youíll definitely need two people for
this little adventure. Talk to each
other before, during and after to exchange ideas and learn from the
experience. The more comfortable
your husband becomes with baby care, the more ready he will be to take them on
himself. 3.
Donít hover. It is hard to
try new things in front of others.
Imagine if you were told to draw a picture of your baby while an
experienced artist watched. Yes,
she may be able to help you along, but it would be a nerve-racking
experience! Unless it is a safety
issue, let him try his own way of doing things. If it is a safety issue, explain why it
is important. For example, ìThe
baby book I read said to always strap your baby onto the changing table so she
wonít roll off. Do you agree that
we should do that?î 4.
Disappear for awhile. Once
you are comfortable that he knows the ropes, give him time alone with the
baby. This will help him bond and
experience baby care without a safety net.
Whether it is a trip to the store or a trip to the shower, a little alone
time goes a long way. 5.
Get him reading. Keep baby
magazines in the bathroom. Sadly,
that may be the only place either of you gets any reading done right
now! 6.
Ask for help. You may think
that your attempt to change a crying babyís diaper while simultaneously singing,
shaking a rattle and doing your taxes would be enough to get your dear hubbyís
attention. To his credit, he may
just figure that you are so capable that you *still* donít need a hand. Donít be afraid to ask him to take care
of your little one. He is the
babyís parent, too! 7.
Fill him in. If your husband
works at an office all day, he will likely miss out on a few things. Let him know what your baby is up to
while he is gone. Give him a call
and have your baby babble into the phone.
Instant Message him and have the baby type! The idea is to keep him in the
loop. 8.
Show off the fun side of parenting.
Having a baby is more than diapers and feedings. Take your husband toy shopping with you,
show him how much your little one loves ìpeek-a-booî or cuddle all together on
the couch. He may surprise you by
finding a whole new way to get your baby to
giggle! 9.
Hang out with other parents.
It seems like moms naturally seek out other moms to talk to. Dads may need you to hook them up! You may be able to find a local
parenting group that welcomes dads, or invite a mom friend to bring her family
over for a meal. You will find that
the dads will naturally end up talking about something baby related. 10.
Be patient. Some dads need a
little time to get into the swing of things. As babies get bigger, it gets easier for
guys to play chase, ball or tickle monster with your little one. The more your husband is involved with
parenting, the tighter your family unit will be. It benefits you, it benefits him, and of
course it benefits your baby!
This article is copyrighted by Kari Edmonds,
owner of the parenting resource site Little 101: http://little101.com .
Check out Little 101 for
parenting tips and
advice for new and expecting moms. Baby related articles, parenting and
pregnancy message boards, and more parenting resources. Because raising your
little one is a big adventure!
* New Items * A sweet little vintage find: a complete set of old baby cards. Each one welcomes a new baby in a cute way. Send one alone to congratulate the new parents or with a gift for an old-fashioned touch. Feel confident that your card will not be duplicated by another friend or family member! You will surely hear back about these sweet little cards.
We now carry gorgeous hand painted wall hangings by Sherri Blum Designs. Choose a sweet design and personalize it with your baby's name or initials for a beautiful heirloom.
Introducing our "I Love Mama's Milk" Tshirt. Babies and toddlers can now proclaim their love for nursing. Got a bottle loving baby? Check out our onesies that say "ba ba ba"!
We now have more hotslings in two gorgeous new fabrics. Just try to resist them!
* Sneak Peaks! *
- Super cute burp cloths and changing pads. - Hip baby dresses and matching diaper covers. - New hotslings in an exclusive fabric. - Spunky Turtle will be changing its name to Hip &
Little!
* Don't Forget! * Father's Day is June 19th (Take a look at our "I love dada" onesies).
* May's Special Offer * {special offers are for our newsletter subscribers only. Click "Join" on the left side of your screen to catch the next one!)
* Join the Conversation * If you haven't already, take a moment to check out our parenting community at Little101.com! Come visit and share your parenting adventure. We have pregnancy and parenting message boards, interviews with fellow moms, articles and tips on parenting and tons of resources. Because raising your little one is a big adventure! We appreciate all of our wonderful customers! Thank you so much for your business.
Quick
Links: * Spunky Turtle's Main Page. * Our tips and articles. * Spunky Turtle in the press. * Our website ratings. |
