Coobler!

If you are a mom at home and think that you do not need a nanny, I am afraid you are wrong, but not because of any reason you may know about.

If you are thinking of hiring a nanny, no doubt you plan to choose her very carefully.

We have all watched some of these scaring videos showing nannies bullying the children they were expected to take care of. Of course, to choose a woman who will not ill-treat your kid is the first point to consider. Fortunately, most nannies meet this requirement. So, which other points to come to?

I am not going to give you advice about things I know nothing about, or no more than any other mother. For medical advice, ask your doctor; for religious advice, ask your preacher; but for educational advice, ask a teacher.

Do the math:
One needs about a thousand hours to learn something.
The nanny is going to spend hundreds of hours with your beloved baby.

So: your baby is going to learn a lot from the nanny.
It is difficult to calculate how much time young children need to learn whatever. What we know for sure is that they learn almost continuously from any source of knowledge that they are exposed to.

Give your kid a source of knowledge that will provide him with a lifelong benefit. Hire a Polish nanny!

Polish language has a particularity: it contains most of the phonemes of the European languages; in fact all of them except the English/American sound "th" (but you are here) and the French "R", called "Parisian R".

By leaving your baby with a Polish au-pair girl regularly, you give him a gift he cannot lose or break: the ability to pronounce any phoneme without accent. There are many birth gifts but very few last lifelong.
So, even if you work at home, consider paying a Polish native speaker two hours twice a week. Your baby’s future is worth it.

A person’s name is something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Selecting a baby’s name is an important, but often difficult decision for many parents. Follow our guide for a simple process in selecting your baby’s name.

Most people have some ideas for good baby names and have thought about it on and off throughout their entire lives. Remember that the other parent and people around you will also have opinions about baby names, so sometimes it is a good idea to consider these opinions. If by some chance you do not have enough ideas for baby names, then search the internet for a baby name directory.

Remember that your new child will be stuck with whatever name you give him or her for the rest of their lives. Common names are "normal" and "safe", but sometimes easily forgotten, especially when you meet a lot of people all at once. Unusual names are hard to remember at first, but once remembered usually stick to memory much better. You may want to choose a name that is easily pronounced from the spelling. When trying to pick a name, decide whether you want the child to have a common name or an unusual name.

If you want a not too common name that is easy to remember, try to think of names of people that you have never met before. For example, I’ve never personally met anyone named Darien, so perhaps that name is not too common. Although this method is far from scientific, it is a good way to brainstorm.

Want to avoid common names? Check out the following website that allows you the search for the most common names by year:

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

Once you have a list of names, you can move onto the second step in the process – picking the best name for the baby. It should be noted that in most cases, the two people who have authority of a new baby’s name are the mother and father. The opinions of friends, family members, and other associates can be taken into account as well, but ultimately the parents should make the final decision. The name should be one that both the mother and father like. Here are some methods for selecting a baby’s name:

1. The most obvious way to select a name is to just have both parents talk about it until they reach a decision. Most parents can come to agreements this way, although others may be more fixated on their own name choices. If selecting a baby name becomes difficult, try the methods below.
2. The father picks a boy name and the mother picks a girl name before the gender of the child is known (or vice versa). If either parent does not like a name, they can veto the name. For example, if the father picks "John" for the boy’s name and the mother does not like it, she can veto. The father then has to pick another name. This process continues until both parents pick names that are mutually acceptable. This method works best for parents that are not too picky about names. Otherwise, the process could last a long time.
3. If you want to involve friends and family, what you will need to do is make a list of names. Choose the names that you are most passionate about and make the list as concise as possible. Have friends and family rate the names on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being best (or rank them from favorite to least favorite). The parents can easily print out these surveys on paper or send the by email. Total up the scores and see what people around you think.

The reach a decision, parents must agree on a process and then follow it. In summary, following these simple steps can take the stress and difficulty out of selecting a baby’s name.

So you’re going to become a father. Now is not the time to panic. You’ve got lots of time to get used to the idea, before that new life you helped create, arrives to join your own. These tips for a first-time Dad will help you to survive the pre-baby and post-birth jitters.

Be supportive of your partner during the pregnancy. Some women have a more difficult time than others, and the fluctuation of hormones can bring on everything from mood swings to what seems to be unreasonable irritation with you, and everything else. While you may not understand her moods, remember that they are transient, and weather them in whatever way works best for you both. She may be irritated, but would appreciate a simple gesture like flowers, a foot rub, or even a cup of tea without having to get up. You’ll find your own paths to peace, as the pregnancy progresses.

When the baby arrives, don’t be upset if you don’t fall in love immediately. You’re excited to be a father, but often men think they are failing in some respect, when they don’t feel the same overwhelming bond that a mother does. But you didn’t carry another life inside you for nine months. So one of the best tips for a first-time Dad, is to give yourself time to love, and be loved back.

Because you have been basically on the "outside" of things until the birth, you may not feel you’re really an integral part of their life. Nothing could be further from the truth, because you are now a father, and with that comes all the responsibilities and worries that a mother has.

Parenting isn’t done alone, it’s done together, with the two of you supporting each other, giving each other breaks from the routine and stresses, as well as taking pleasure in watching your child grow and thrive, together.

Having a baby can be one the most life-changing experiences there are. And not all those changes will be easy to cope with. Here are some tips for a first-time Mom, to help you get through the rougher times.

The vast majority of women today, are working when they become pregnant. That means making a decision whether to stay home with the baby, or return to work. This is something you can consider during your pregnancy, weighing the pros and cons of your income, versus the benefits to this child, and any others to come in the future. If you decide to return to work, finding childcare ahead of time, will relieve you of the worries when your maternity leave is at an end.

Women who do work full-time, often find themselves swamped in things that relate to the baby, whether it’s their laundry, their nap schedules, or their feedings. At times it can seem like your whole life revolves around them, where it used to involve co-workers, friends and visits to family.

One of the most valuable tips for a first-time Mom, is that you shouldn’t give up your entire life to the new one that you’re carrying. After the baby is born, you will be their primary caregiver, but you don’t need to be tied to them every second. Make some time for you, whether it’s a yoga class at night with Dad doing the babysitting, or a date out with your partner, and one of the grandparents spoiling the new arrival.

It’s important that you have a break from the constant focus of your everyday activities with the baby. This can include many at-home activities as well, like reading, quilting, or even crafts that you enjoyed before the birth. The baby will be just as happy watching you relaxed and involved in your hobby, as they would be if you were doing the laundry.

You might even find a group for mothers at your church or local community center. Sharing tips for a first-time Mom with others, is one way of easing the pressures and worry of whether you are doing things right, and the time out, even with baby, will be a change in routine that you’ll welcome!

If you are expecting an addition to your family, or just planning on having a baby in the future, you need to start thinking about how you are going to budget for your little one.

Many first-time parents are shocked when they realize how much having a baby can cost. And I am not just talking about the doctor bills. It’s all the little things, such as diapers, clothes, formula, baby food, and toys, that add up to cost big bucks!

When my wife and I had our first child, we learned a lot about what we really needed and what was a waste of money. So now that we are seasoned veterans and expecting our second baby, we feel confident that we can avoid the same wasteful mistakes we made the first time around.

Here is a list of 6 things that your baby can live without, followed by 4 things that we could not have lived without:

Baby Wipe Warmer – An unnecessary waste. My daughter never fussed when we used baby wipes that were room temperature. Baby wipe warmers are just an attempt to get parents to spend more money on something they really do not need.

Expensive Clothes – You are going to find that your little one will grow out of his or her clothes incredibly fast. It’s one thing to spend a little extra for a nice dress or outfit for a holiday or special occasion. But it doesn’t make sense to spend a fortune on clothes that will be worn only once or twice. Instead, choose the lower priced items (as long as the quality is satisfactory), especially for little onesies and sleepers.

Another tip: don’t remove the tags from baby’s clothes until they are ready to be worn. We have outfits that my daughter grew out of before she even had a chance to wear them. Since we had already removed the tags we were not able to exchange them for a bigger size.

Brand Name Goods – Using generic items instead of brand names can save you hundreds of dollars per month. We used the brand name baby formulas for the first few months and then switched to the generic brand after we realized it cost 60% less. Not only did our little girl not mind the change, she actually seemed to prefer it. The generic brand seemed to give her less gas.

Toddler Foods – When our baby was first learning to eat solid foods, we tried dozens of different flavors of baby food. We thought it was important for her to adjust to the new foods and to try a variety of flavors.

But as soon as she got used to the new texture, we started making our own baby food. Carrots and sweet potatoes worked especially well when mixed in the food processor.

And we never even bothered with the ‘toddler foods’. They are an expensive waste. Look on the supermarket shelf and you will see the jars of diced fruits and vegetables ‘just for baby’. But you know what? You can cut up a pear or a green bean yourself. It will save you money and you will know that the food is fresh.

Large and Expensive Toys – When my daughter was born we spent several hundred dollars on toys for her to play with, plus we received many more as gifts. We got her all sorts of giant stuffed animals and high tech toys that danced or played music.

Do you know what her favorite toy is? A squeaky bath toy shaped like a crab. It cost $1.49. She regularly pushes aside all of the fantastic toys we bought her for that inexpensive little crab.

Now I’m certainly not telling you not to buy your little one anything expensive or fancy. Just keep in mind that she may just push it out of her way so she can play with the box.

Baby Walkers – You hardly see these in stores anymore, but they can be found. Skip it. They are dangerous. Stick a baby in one of these and they can wheel themselves into trouble before you know it. There have been horrible incidents of children rolling down a flight of stairs or running into a table and knocking something down on top of themselves.

The 4 BEST purchases we made…

An ExerSaucer – An ExerSaucer looks very similar to a walker with one major difference…it doesn’t move. The exersaucer stays firmly planted on the ground and allows the baby to ’stand’ and play with all sorts of toys that are attached to it, plus any other toys you give to him.

My daughter absolutely loved being in her exersaucer and it gave us a chance to get something done around the house while she was occupied. We knew she couldn’t get into any trouble and we constantly changed the toys so she would not get bored.

But be warned. Once baby becomes mobile he likely won’t want to use it anymore. He can have a lot more fun crawling around getting into all sorts of trouble!

The Best Car Seat You Can Afford – Keeping your baby safe is no joke. Having a quality car seat is vital in case you get into an accident. Be sure you read the manual and secure baby tightly each time you take her out.

Also, contact your local police station and ask them if they offer free car seat installations and inspections. Most towns have a few officers who have received special training on installing car seats. If your town doesn’t offer this service they can get you in touch with a neighboring town that does. Even the best car seat is useless if it is not installed correctly.

Bundle Me – Unless you live in a climate that is warm all year-round, a Bundle Me is a great timesaver. It is basically a cozy blanket that fits into a car seat or stroller.

Rather than bundling baby up in a baby snowsuit and blankets, just place her in the car seat and zip it up. You’ll be surprised how warm she stays.

It is especially handy when you have the type of car seat in which the base stays in the car and the seat pops out so you can carry it around. You can have baby all snuggled up inside rather than struggling to do it in the cold.

Shopping Cart Cover – You’ve probably seen them in the supermarket. It’s just a cloth or vinyl cover that goes over the top section of a shopping cart. The baby sits in it and it prevents her from touching the shopping cart with her hands or mouth.

Many people will argue that this is unnecessary, but I see it as a valuable safety device. Countless numbers of hands have touched those shopping carts and who knows what kinds of germs they left behind. Keeping my little girl healthy is more than worth the $20 expense.