I am moving!!

We are moving!! I have a new website that will house all of my blogs and posts on different subjects. I hope you will check it out. Please let me know if the new site is easier to use or if you have any suggestions.


Once I've moved all the posts, I will take this blog down.

To receive all my new writings - please click over and join me at The New and improved Mommy Detective site.

http://www.themommydetective.com/

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie

Mommy Boredom/discouragement

Many moms complain that while they love their children, most of their days are overloaded with work, repetition and boredom.  After all, how can anyone get excited about poopy diapers, cranky preschoolers and endless spills?  Have you ever looked back on a day and wonder what you accomplished?  Have you been discouraged because your future seems to be an eternity of unimportant tasks and service to others?

What can you do to find some meaning and purpose among all the tedious trivia that engulfs a busy moms day?  Chart your progress.  Knowing that you aren't standing still and that you are making progress will help you feel good about your job.  Everyone likes a pat on the back.  Unfortunately...not many people pat the backs of young mothers.  Most moms don't feel like engineers who love to make charts and lists.  But...if you bend the following tips to fit your busy schedule, you may find a little charting is better than a night out with the girls.  One mother who was depressed used my list but made it as minimal as possible.  She limited herself to one word.  She hung a blank page on the fridge with her four children's names going down the side.  Every day she wrote one word that described an accomplishment.  Hug, quiet, kind, sharing....While it didn't make sense to anyone else - it made perfect sense to her.  Her chart got her through the long days of gloomy winter and she was able to accomplish several personal goals. 

For those of you that can handle a little charting - how about tweaking the following list to fit your style?

1.  Take the time to write down your goals.  It's important to have a written account of what you are trying to accomplish.  When you get discouraged, pull out your list and calculate your progress.  Even if you are only taking small steps toward those goals, documenting your progress will help you feel like your goals are closer even when it doesn't seem possible.

2.  Make sure your list of goals include even the smallest items.  For example, be sure an document every new word your child learns or the fact that little Tommy made it six hours before taking big brother's toy. 

3.  Place a star by each day that you feel good about your job and note the possible reasons.  Sun was shining, hubby was sweet, bills were paid.  If you know the possible reasons for your discouragement, you can build a plan to avoid those down days.

4.  Chart the moments you take for yourself.  Things like a bubble bath at night while hubby watches the kids, reading a page from the latest novel each time you slip into the bathroom, having a special cup of tea to celebrate naptime.  Whatever you do to have a moment to yourself should be charted.  Why?  Because it reconfirms to your subconscious that you did have 22 minutes to yourself today.  I've had days when I wished for just 10 minutes - to know I had 22 would have at least caused me to smile and say, "Whoa...really?!"

5.  Chart how many times you say "I love you" and how many times your children or your spouse says it.  Sometimes we feel down because we think no one appreciates our work.  When you are forced to look at how much time you are appreciated, it helps to dispel the notion that you aren't. 

I think every husband should take at least one day a month to insist his children say thank you to mom.  If they are too little to remember on their own - Dad should help them make a card or draw a picture for mom with the theme of thank you.  Dad should clip flowers from the yard, clap for her at supper or just give her the biggest hug and personal thank you he can.  After all, how many men would keep working at their job if there was no paycheck and no gratitude from the boss???

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie

Tips for children swallowing pills

"I read some of your tips for toddlers, but I was wondering - do you have any tips for getting preschoolers to swallow pills?  There are some medications that don't come in liquid form."
Sure...try these...

1.  Let your child practice swallowing pills by using the tiny M&M's.  If it gets stuck, it will melt within seconds.  I've also tried this with small pieces of ice.  It's best to practice this "before" you child gets sick.

2.  You can help pills slide down a little easier if you use a baby spoonful of applesauce, whipped cream, ice cream or yogurt.  I've also wrapped the pill with something fun to eat like a soft piece of donut, toast coated with jelly, or a pinch of peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

3.  As long as your preschooler isn't one to suck on things first, you can try coating the pill with a little butter or oil or pudding in order to make them more slippery.  My mom is 83 and she still takes her nightly pills with a small bite of banana.  She says it helps it slide down easier.

4.  As long as it's okay to crush the pill (ask your pharmacist), you can mix it with food or drink.  Just be sure crushing it doesn't release a bad taste that will destroy the taste of the food.

5.  For chewable tablets, have your child chew a piece of bread before brushing his teeth.  This will remove all the medicine that may be stuck on his teeth. 

Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any more suggestions.

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie

Tips for giving medicine to toddlers

There is nothing harder than wrestling with a toddler while trying to give medicine.  I've tried everything!  Of my three children, Ken was the worst.  He would squirm and toss his head.  He could get out of any hold I had on him.  I quickly learned that distraction was the best policy.  Having 8 children at a time in my home daycare during cold season provided many chances to practice giving medicine to toddlers.  Distraction seemed to work the best.  Here's a few tips you might try.

1.  If the medicine can be taken with food, feed your child crackers or part of his meal to make him thirsty, then offer the medicine mixed with a small amount of something to drink.  You could also try mixing the medicine into spoonfuls of food.  I suggest that you mix up the flavors or even try using something that isn't a part of your regular diet.  If the medicine taste overpowers the food or drink, your child may refuse that item when he's well.

2.  If he's especially squirmy, give liquid medicine to your child in the tub.  He'll be more relaxed and you can easily wash away the dribbles.

3.  Have your child suck on a Popsicle first.  The cold will dull the taste of the medicine.  Sometimes we froze the medicine into a fruit cube of ice or made it a small Popsicle. 

4.  Try a spoonful of maple syrup or honey before giving him medicine.

5.  Act matter-of-fact about giving your child medicine.  Don't give subtle clues that you expect him to dislike or reject the medicine.  Place it in his mouth and change the subject.

6.  Find a fun special loopy straw that's designated as the "medicine" straw.  Sipping medicine through this may be enough distraction to help it go down easily.

7.  Serve it in a clean teacup from a play set.  Girls will especially love playing tea time first and during.

8.  Make it an event, with applause and lots of laughing.

9.  Make it a fun game.  "Take this and mommy will do this."  Something like dance around the room, put pudding on your nose, paint your fingernails blue or stand on your head (if that's still possible). 

I would love to hear your ideas.  What do you do when your child is grumpy, sick and uncooperative about medicine?

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie

Tips for giving medication to infants

Cold and flu season is approaching.  No matter how we protect our infants, colds or other problems may surface.  Perhaps you tried a natural approach but the problem got worse and now you have to give your little one some bad tasting medicine.  How can you safely administer medication?

Please remember that the teaspoon we use for our hot tea is not a proper measurement for medication.  Measure your child's dose with a syringe, oral dropper, round dosing spoon, or plastic medicine cup. 

For Infants: 

1.  Use a medicine dropper.  If he resists, measure the medicine into a clean bottle nipple.  Wet the nipple so not much medicine will stick to it.  Coat the outside of the nipple with a little honey so the infant will continue to suck.  Or...use the following link to purchase a pacifier designed to give medicine - just remember the honey.




2.  I used this trick several times.  If you place medicine near a baby's mouth and gently blow in their face - they will naturally take a breath and the medicine is sucked into the back of the mouth.

3.  When using a syringe, give your child a little at a time - this will cut down on spit up.  Be sure and sterilize the syringe after. 

(Never heard this one...but sounds good)
4.  When giving liquid medicine or vitamins place your baby on his back and dangle a toy above his head.  When he looks back and his mouth opens, quickly squirt the liquid toward the back of his cheek.

5.  Lay your child on his back and put eye drops inside the corner of his eyes.  When he opens his eyes the medication will gently drop into the eye.

Check back tomorrow for more tips.  I have some fun ways to help toddlers take medication.

Do you have another idea for mother's of infants?

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie

Diapering your baby can help your relationship

When a new baby enters your home, it brings the thrill of a lifetime.  You have created (or adopted) a new life.  You are the protector, the guide and the mentor for another human being.  That precious baby will see the world based on the information you give him/her.  You become a part of the overall immortal plan.  Your training and teaching will determine how your child responds to life, the world, God, our country and on and on.

You also are faced with a ton of thankless, repetitive, boring and yes even disgusting tasks.  You may laugh and enjoy your child but you will also clean up vomit, dirty diapers, spilled milk, food, spit....oh my, the list go on and on.  One disgusted mother cried for ten minutes while she tried to tell me about her child smearing boogers under the edge of his nightstand.  She was a spotless cleaner and couldn't imagine how long that ugly mess had been there or how she was going to stop the habit.

Yep....Moms, Dads - the work is overwhelming. 

But...did you know that diapering your baby (disgusting or not) can help your relationship?  It can actually be a relationship builder rather than a deterrent. 

O.k....stop scrunching your face.  I know it feels like there is nothing that can make a diarrhea diaper seem better, but hear me out. 

What if you looked at this "I'm going to restrain you so I can get the chore done" time as one to talk with and play with your child?  What if you viewed this as a time to teach your child?  Children are restrained easier when they are distracted.  If you move their attention from the nurse with the needle to the talking dolly - the chore is over and done before they know what stabbed them. 

Why not use your diaper time to coo, tease and talk to your infant?  Rather than rush through the chore,  rub his/her little belly with cream and create a song that lasts for the entire procedure.  If it builds like Old McDonald, you can add to it as the child ages.  Some like this...

Chrissy loves to look at mom, look at mom, look at mom.
Chrissy loves to look at mom and kiss her mommy's nose (bend over and let her kiss your nose).

Chrissy loves to clap with mom, clap with mom, clap with mom.
Chrissy loves to clap with mom and clap away our blues.  (clap your hands too.)

Chrissy loves to blink her eyes, blink her eyes, blink her eyes.

Chrissy loves to blink her eyes and wink a little too.  (wink at baby)

As you coo, cuddle, sing, tickle and basically make this chore a pleasant experience - you are building a relationship with your child.  You are building a one on one that will help you later on.  When she's a toddler and doesn't want to sit still, you can rely on the need to sing and laugh with mommy to keep her distracted as you complete the chore.  When she's sick and miserable, your interaction with your baby will keep her occupied while the chore is completed.

Make changing diapers a time of bonding, laughter and a source that builds your relationship.

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie

Dr. Lazar responds to vaccination post.

Dr. Lazar is one of the few doctors I sincerely trust.  I tease him that he's like a walking medical journal.  Anytime I have questions about my health, he's not only kind and explains the problem in terms I can understand - but he also supports his point with detailed medical information.  He not only quotes medical studies - he usually knows who wrote them!  Smart man.

I am so honored that he took the time to make a comment on the discussion we've had about vaccinations - especially for children and pregnant mothers.  In case you missed it, I'll post it here as well.

A few things to keep in mind:

1.) Your doctors work for YOU. It's not the other way around. If you go to the store and don't like the service, you find a different store. To give them the benefit if the doubt, I'm sure your doctors mean well. However, they are neglecting one very important component to your family's health and well being: the body's incredible ability to heal itself.

2.)  Take care of the body by feeding it and watering it properly, rest well, laugh, pray, and read your Bible, and get your nervous system (the master controller of the body) in tip top shape with regular chiropractic adjustments.

On a funny note, have you ever wondered why people who vaccinate their kids don't want unvaccinated kids around their vaccinated kids? I always ask (lovingly, of course), "If your vaccines are really effective, why would you worry about your kids being exposed to pathogens? Germs don't kill, people. It's the body's inability to fight off infection that kills.  And why would your child be susceptible?  Vaccines suppress the immune system.  They can cause God's efficient nervous system to become a poorly functioning nervous system, and an under worked or underexposed immune system.  It's much better to do the preventative work and then allow God's system to take over. 


Thank you Dr. Lazar.  I hope you will continue to teach us about our bodies.

Moms...I've believed (until three years ago) that going to a chiropractor and snapping your bones couldn't possibly fulfill all the claims the industry promoted.  And...I guess I'm still a little uncertain (sorry Dr. Lazar) about the general field of chiropractic medicine.  But....Dr. Lazar is a NUCCA chiropractor and only works on the neck.  As he explains, the position of our neck determines how "pinched" or "out of order" all the blood vessels are that feed every organ in our body.  There's no popping or creaking of bones.  After a full examination that includes detailed x-rays - Dr. Lazar uses a very soft touch to modify how the neck supports my head - giving the many blood vessels in that area plenty of room to do their jobs.

I never feel anything.  I never hear anything.  But once I sit up a rush of precious healing blood flows freely to every part of my body.  Within seconds I feel different!  With each treatment I can tell that I am moving toward better health.  I walk differently.  I have more energy.  My organs and limbs work better.  I can concentrate easier and I have a better outlook on life.  My only wish is that I would have found Dr. Lazar sooner.

If you would like to know more about this form of preventative medicine - please call Dr. Lazar at Lazar Spinal Care 734-274-5107.  Lazar Spinal Care    If you don't live near his office, I am sure he can recommend someone in your area.

Seeking His Wisdom,

Debbie