Monthly Archives: August 2012

22 Questions to Always Ask a Potential Babysitter {Guest Post}

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I am pleased to welcome Hannah Munson as MamaOT’s newest guest blogger! Because we parents need a break from our kids every once in a while, it’s important to have a good babysitter or two (or three!) lined up. So today Hannah is going to share some of the most important questions to ask a potential babysitter in order to make the best decision about who will watch the munchkin(s) when you need some kid-free time.

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Female Teenager

Hiring a new babysitter can be a daunting task, and since you’re going to be leaving your child with a potential stranger, you definitely don’t want to hire the wrong person! Since there are hundreds of babysitters lurking in your area waiting for a job, you may soon find that you have a handful of applicants in front of you that want to watch your children. Before you hire one, though, it’s important to know how you can choose the best one to put your mind at rest.

To help make the process easier, you need to act like the boss and treat this like a business. By asking the right questions, you’re bound to find the right candidate. With that being said, here are 22 questions to ask a potential babysitter:

#1 What are your hours? How often are you going to be available? It’s always best to find a babysitter that is going to be open to all hours.  That way, if you need them in an emergency, they will be readily available.

#2 How many kids are you comfortable with watching?  How many have you watched in the past? If you have more than three kids, it’s best to find someone that has worked with the amount of kids that you have.

#3 Aside from babysitting, are you comfortable with doing anything else such as cleaning, making dinner and picking them up? The more chores the babysitter is able to do, the less stressed you can be when you get home for the day.

#4 Why should I hire you?  Let me know about your qualifications. Try to hire a babysitter that has CPR training and extensive babysitting experience.

#5 Will you be able to give me with at least three references? Follow up with these references if you can, and always know how these references are related to them.

#6 Are you comfortable with letting me do a background check? Potential babysitters that say no can raise red flags.

#7 Do you have any children? This is a huge plus if they already have children of any age.

#8 What annoys you? Listen to this answer closely, and don’t let them say, “Nothing!”

#9 How would you discipline a child? If they can’t come with an answer, let them know what kind of discipline you believe in.

#10 Explain a difficult situation you have been in before, and how you dealt with it. Every babysitter has been in a difficult situation before, so don’t let them say they haven’t been in one.

#11 Do you like being around pets? Only ask this question if you have household pets of any kind.

#12 How are you going to get here? It’s best to hire someone who has reliable transportation.  If they are under the age of 16, ask them if the person taking them to your house is reliable.

#13 How are we looking long term? If this is going to be a babysitting job that lasts longer than six months, be sure to know what they can do for you in the future.

#14 What are your favorite activities? We know that children love to keep busy, so ask what kind of activities they will do to keep your children entertained.

#15 Are you comfortable with putting children to bed? Parents know how strict a bed time can be.  If your babysitter has to put them in bed, make sure that they are comfortable with it.

#16 Have you ever dealt with an emergency? Remember, if they don’t have transportation, it’s important that they know who to contact.

#17 How are you doing in school?  What classes are you taking? Ask these questions for those who are in school.  Good grades can show a lot of responsibility.

#18 Tell me a bit about the jobs you have had in the past. If they don’t have any experience, it’s up to you if you want to hire them.  One perk is that rookie babysitters can cost less than the professionals.

#19 Do you have any health problems? Ask them about their allergies or about any other health problems to make sure that they are healthy enough to work with your children.

#20 How do you babysit? Try to get an inside look at how they will babysit your children daily.

#21 What will you do if my children won’t get along with you? It’s always great to throw a curve ball in the mix to see how they will react.

#22 How much do you want to be paid? Ask them up front how much they want to paid.  Just make sure that it’s in a reasonable range.

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Hannah Munson is the co-founder of the website HowMuchIsIt.org, the ultimate cost helping resource that provides the cost on just about anything. Aside from working on this website, Hannah enjoys playing with her 2-year old son, scrapbooking, walking, biking, reading and enjoying time with her friends and family.

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11 Benefits of Playing with Bubbles

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bubble forming

Bubbles are one of my absolute favorite things to use when playing with kids, especially those virtually indestructible Gymboree bubbles I mentioned yesterday (read post here). And since I recently began a new job in a new city where I have to start up a new relationship with every single kiddo on my caseload, I’ve been using bubbles with almost all of them on the first day because, let me tell you, it is a fantastic way to break the ice!

Not only is bubble play an easy way to have fun with a new little friend, it’s also a fun way to work on a host of developmental skills, such as:

  • Fine motor skills. Kids have the opportunity to practice pinching the skinny wand, coordinating two hands to hold the bottle and dip, holding the blower with a pencil-like grasp, opening and closing the bottle, and using hands in different ways to pop the bubbles (poke with index finger, “squeeze” to grab bubbles with the whole hand, use two hands to clap the bubbles).
  • Visual tracking skills. Follow where the bubbles go. Some are fast and some are slow. And some will even glow!
  • Hand/eye coordination. It takes serious practice to link up what the eyes and hands are doing in order to accurately dip and blow with a wand.
  • Sensory processing skills. Bubbles are wet. and slimy. and sticky. They feel funny. And the physical act of blowing can be a very effective sensory-based way to help children “organize”, calm, and focus their bodies.
  • Oral motor skills. Obviously. Blowing bubbles is good exercise for little mouths, but it can hard work! Bubble blowers (like the tube-shaped ones) are easier than bubble wands, and kids won’t inhale bubble solution if they decide to suck instead of blow out. Skinnier tube blowers are typically easier than fat ones. And blowing at bubbles that have already been blown and are sitting on the end of the wand can also be easier than straight-up blowing through the wand.
  • Social and communication skills. Kids can ask or sign for “more” and establish eye contact when doing so. And if playing in a group, they can practice taking turns and keeping personal space between their bodies so they don’t bump into or knock each other over.
  • Gross motor skills. What an easy way to get kids to reach way up high, stand on their tippie toes, squat, jump, run, stomp, and kick.
  • Following directions. You can give them directions on how to pop the bubbles with each turn (clap them, poke them, squeeze them, jump on them, etc.) either one at a time or by telling them a popping sequence (first poke, then squeeze, then clap). Or they can follow the directions to a turn-taking sequence (first Johnny pops, then Caitlin, then Danny). The possibilities for directions are endless.
  • Identifying body parts. Pop with your finger, your elbow, your knee, or your nose!
  • Speech skills. I’m not a speech therapist, but I know that /b/ and /p/ (those formed in the front of the mouth with the lips) are early speech sounds that are naturally used during bubble play. A few examples include “Bubbles!” “Bye-bye bubbles!” and “Pop!”
  • Language and cognitive skills. You can teach toddlers and preschoolers how to understand and describe where the bubbles are and what they’re doing by pointing things out when they happen. “The bubbles are going up (or down)” “They’re going fast (or slow).” “There’s a bubble in front of (or behind) you.” “I see one next to you.” “There’s one above (or below) your head.” “It’s to your right (or left).” “That’s a really big (or little) bubble.” “Go pop the biggest (or smallest) bubble!”

Babies often love to watch others blow bubbles and think they’re so interesting, and bigger kids love to play with them in all kinds of creative ways. So grab your bubbles and get ready for some beneficial fun, fun, fun!

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The Best Bubbles in Town

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I have a secret about bubbles that I’ll share with you: Not all bubbles are created equal.

Those “Miracle Bubbles” you find on the shelves of practically every store, while cheap, are quite honestly not worth it. The bubble solution is thin, it only produces a few bubbles when blown, and the bubbles typically pop quickly after being blown. It’s really hard for kids to get the most fun and benefit out of bubble play if you have crummy bubbles.

So, here’s what you’ve gotta do. Go to Gymboree (you know, the kids’ clothing store that sells amazingly cute but ridiculously expensive clothes) and get some bubbles. They should have them in every store across America…they look like this:

Gymboree’s bubbles are amazing. They are the best bubbles in town! I mean, really. You have to see it to believe it. They will literally hang in the air like that floating bubble scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and they are capable of staying intact for several minutes even after they have landed on the ground. They are non-toxic (though that doesn’t mean they’re safe to drink) and they come with a bubble blower that puts those thin plastic wands to shame. Multiple holes surround the end of the blower and you know what that means? Lots and LOTS of bubbles…that hang in the air and invite kids to poke, clap, squeeze, chase, or simply watch as they leisurely float down, downnn, downnnnnn.

If you want a greater variety of bubble blowing devices, then head over to the Dollar Tree and pick up a bubble pack that you can pick apart just to get to the various blowers that accompany that teeny tiny bottle of five-cent bubbles.

Bubbles are an amazing thing to have on hand for kids of all ages – from babies to school-age kids – and tomorrow I’ll tell you why they are so good. So head on over to Gymboree to get your magic bubbles, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

 

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One trick for helping babies stay on their sides

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If you have a young baby who’s not yet able to stay on his side by himself while looking at a book or “playing”, try this simple trick:

Roll up a receiving blanket and place it behind baby’s back to keep him in place so he can engage with his environment in a side-lying position. This position is a great complement to tummy time (click here to find some creative ideas for tummy time) and it’s also really important for preventing the development of flat spots on baby’s head, which often form as the result of too much time spent staring at the ceiling or being wedged into a carseat/swing/bouncer.

Give this trick a try and let me know what you think!

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Guest Post for HGI Healthcare

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Had the privilege of writing as a guest blogger for a company called HGI Healthcare the other day! They are a healthcare staffing company that provides job placements for registered nurses and rehabilitation therapists (such as occupational and physical therapists), and they were kind enough to ask me to pitch in and provide their healthcare professionals with some tips and tricks. So fun!

Check out the post by clicking here, and read the slick bio they put together by clicking here.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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9 school supplies that help kids’ fine motor skills

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Have you done your back-to-school shopping yet?

This year marks a new adventure for me as I add “school-based occupational therapist” to my list of credentials. That means I have been wandering the aisles of school supply and discount stores in preparation for lots of therapeutic work on, among other things, fine motor skills! As I meandered up and down the rows at Staples the other day, I couldn’t help but notice how many of the most common back-to-school supplies are full of fine motor power. Can you see why a student with weak, uncoordinated hands and poor eye-hand coordination would struggle in school and need an OT?

Check it out:

1. Crayons. Regular ones or twistables…but please not fat ones. They are no good for hands that need to develop tiny muscles through pinching and precise movements.

2. Markers. Shorter markers encourage a better, more mature grasp.

3. Glue sticks. Think about how much strength it takes to pull off the cap from that sticky stick, and how kids can hold them pretty much like pencils.

4. Mini staplers. I don’t know if they actually allow kids to have their own staplers nowadays, but this soccer ball stapler (and the other sport ball ones like it) is the perfect size for a school-aged kid to increase strength by squeezing and stapling with one hand.

5. Scissors. The one school supply that probably takes the most fine motor skill. Hands and fingers must divide and conquer…all while maintaining the appropriate direction and amount of strength to tackle projects such as snowflake-snipping or shape cutting.

6. Small erasers. Pinch, pinch, pinch!

7. Mechanical pencils. Mechanical pencil lead will break under too much pressure, so these can be great for kids who have a hard time writing because they press too hard on the paper (causing them to rip the paper or make their hands tire very quickly).

8. Pencil sharpener. Stabilize with one hand, push and twist with the other. Over. and over. and over. and over.

9. Pencil case. Ziiiiiiiip! And check out this tennis shoe case with actual holes for lacing and string for tying. Yessss! 

See you in school!

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Foods to help kids focus in school

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It’s that time of year again. School is about to begin (or already has for some of you) and the kids are (about to be) out of the house for much of the day…Yippee! said all the parents. This means it’s time to get back into the habit of packing lunches (Boo!) and sending kids off to school with a load of goodies to fill their bellies. But did you know you’re not just feeding kids’ tummies when you give them food? You’re feeding their brains and nervous systems too, and there are actually some types of foods that can be used to help increase kids’ attention and focus during the school day.

Vegetable Medley: 26/09/06

As you pack your child’s lunch, just remember to F.O.C.U.S.

F: Fiber and whole grains both help slow down the speed at which sugar enters the bloodstream. So when kids eat fiber and whole grains as part of a healthy snack and/or lunch, they are less likely to experience a spike in blood sugar levels, and this helps them avoid a “crash” in energy later on. More stable energy levels equal better potential for focus. Some kid-friendly foods filled with fiber and/or whole grains include plain popcorn, beans, avocado, hummus, almonds, bananas, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, brown rice, edamame, whole wheat bread (different than “multi-grain”, which is not whole grain), fruit with skin (like pears and apples), berries (especially blackberries), and oatmeal-based products (but watch out for the added sugar in things like oatmeal cookies that will cause that crash later on!)

O: Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to brain function and cognitive behavior and can be found in kid-friendly foods such as avocado, tuna, tilapia fish sticks, salmon, extra virgin olive oil, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and macadamia nuts.

C: Crunchy and chewy foods are one of the best kept secrets when it comes to foods that help kids focus. Though it’s common knowledge among pediatric occupational therapists, not a lot of people know about it for some reason, so I’m telling you now! Foods that are crunchy or chewy can provide a lot of “heavy” input to the jaw because the muscles really have to work to break them down, and this particular type of sensory input helps increase focus and attention. Obviously you don’t want to go overboard and send your child to school with a jawbreaker candy or tootsie pop everyday, so try foods like crackers, pretzels/pretzel rods, peanut butter, cheese, nuts, granola bars, corn nuts, carrots, celery, broccoli, sliced bell peppers, snap peas, apples, fruit leather, or dry cereal (such as granola, Cheerios, or Chex/Chex Mix).

U: Giving kids unprocessed foods will help reduce the amount of trans fats and high fructose corn syrup they eat during the day, which means they will be more likely to eat fresh foods that will keep their energy at a balanced level and help them maintain their focus. Remember, “processed foods” are foods that have been altered from their original state, and they are EVERYWHERE. They often contain ingredients such as white flour, added sugar, added salt, partially hydrogenated oils (the trans fats), and high fructose corn syrup. Think of it this way: if a food can sit on a shelf for weeks or months on end without going bad, then it’s most likely processed. Conversely, unprocessed foods will “go bad” more quickly but will provide your child with healthier fuel to help their body and brain stay energized and focused during the school day. I know it seems impossible to feed a child food that isn’t processed (hello, mac ‘n cheese!), so be realistic with what you know your child will eat and go from there. Every little bit counts.

S: Food and drinks that require sucking can really help kids get focused and increase their attention. This is another trick pediatric occupational therapists keep in their back pocket that not too many people know about. Sucking through a straw or straw-like container can be a very “focusing” activity, so if you send kids to school with suckable fruit pouches and a pop-top water bottle or straw for their milk (how about a fun crazy straw?), you will be setting them up for school success!

BONUS FOOD: Protein. I couldn’t figure out how to fit protein into my tidy little acronym, so it’s just gonna have to hang out here by itself. But just because it didn’t make it into the top five doesn’t mean it’s not important! Protein contributes to stable energy levels (which contributes to focus and attention), so be sure to include kid-friendly protein in your child’s lunch with foods like hard boiled eggs, beans, nuts, quinoa, meat (the less processed the better), hummus, cheese, milk, yogurt (easy on the sugar!), or avocado/guacamole.

So there you have it. Don’t feel like you have to try all these foods at once or that you have to strictly follow these ideas. Find what works for your child and allow him or her to help you come up with ideas for new combinations of “focus foods” (like apples and cheese or peanut butter-filled pretzels). When you pack your child’s lunch in the morning (or the night before, if you’re really ambitious), do a quick scan of their lunchbox and ask yourself: 

Am I helping my child F.O.C.U.S.?

. . . . .

If you feel your child has significant difficulties focusing in school or you have specific nutritional questions about any of the above-listed foods, be sure to bring it up to your child’s pediatrician. He or she will (hopefully) be your best resource for addressing your child’s specific needs and pointing you in the right direction. And if your child already sees an occupational therapist, check with her or him for specific recommendations regarding your child’s particular sensory needs. This post is not an exhaustive list of foods because there are even more food- and drink-related ways to help kids stay alert and attentive during class, if you can believe it! Another post for another day, I suppose. But I hope this is a good start.

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5 great places to find activity ideas for kids

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arts and craftsOver the course of the past two weeks I have featured five different blogs and websites that I have found to be really helpful when it comes to finding activities to do with kids. Because each site was featured one-by-one, I wanted to be sure to put all five of them together in one post so that you could have them all in once place. Cool? Okay.

So on Monday I featured No Time for Flash Cards (www.notimeforflashcards.com), a blog run by a mom/teacher that is filled with TONS of wonderful activity ideas for babies to preschoolers that are both educational and fun. Read post here.

Then on Tuesday it was all about Productive Parenting (www.productiveparenting.com), a website run by education professionals that features more productive play activities for than you can imagine for kids birth to almost-five and, the best part is, you can sign up to have them email you a “productive parenting activity of the day” for as many days of the week as you want! Read post here.

Wednesday we dove into Growing a Jeweled Rose (www.growingajeweledrose.com), a blog run by a mom who is slightly totally obsessed with engaging her young girls in messy play (the messier the better!) and sharing how they learn and have fun while playing with things that are slimy, goopy, sticky, and downright muddy. Yes, this one is even good for babies! Read post here.

Thursday brought an introduction to hands on : as we grow (www.handsonaswegrow.com), a blog run by a mom whose mission is to not only be the best “hands on” mom she can be, but to also share activity ideas in order to help other parents learn how to be more hands on with their kids, too. Amazing mission. Read post here.

And in the following week I rounded things up with a shout out to good ol’ Pinterest (www.pinterest.com), a crazy amazing website that not only helps you organize “pinboards” of all the ideas you find on the world wide web, but also allows you to follow boards of other people’s ideas and…oh yeah…it has the potential to take over your life! But, really, it’s a great resource. Maybe the best one of them all. Read post here.

Have you had a chance to check any of these sites out?

As you can see, each website offers lots of great activity ideas while placing their own unique spin on things. Don’t get overwhelmed, or feel like you have to stay up-to-date with every single one of them. Just check them out, see which one is the best fit for you, and remember to HAVE FUN!

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Activity Ideas for Kids: Pinterest!

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Last week I introduced you to four fantastic websites that all do a great job of sharing ideas for activities to do with kids:

1. Monday featured No Time for Flash Cards (read post here).
2. Tuesday was all about Productive Parenting (read post here).
3. Wednesday we dove into Growing a Jeweled Rose (read post here).
4. And on Thursday I introduced you to hands on : as we grow (read post here).

I hope you’ve had a chance to check out at least one of these websites and have found something that strikes your (or your little one’s) fancy. Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Can’t get enough of the activity ideas I’ve already given you? Well, have I got the treat for you.

One word: Pinterest.

For those who don’t know, Pinterest is a website where you can organize (or “pin”) all the ideas you and your friends find on the internet by creating virtual “pinboards” for your stuff. You can follow other people’s boards and they can follow yours. WARNING: Pinterest is extremely addicting!!!

Among other things, Pinterest is the perfect place to find and organize activity ideas for kids. While I wouldn’t recommend just going on Pinterest and typing in search terms for activities (that would take waaaayyyy too long), I do think it’s worth investing a bit of your time into finding a few core people/organizations who can provide you with everything you’re looking for in terms of activity ideas.

Here is a short list of three great groups to follow on Pinterest if you’re looking for activity ideas for kids:

1. “Kid Blogger Network Activities & Crafts” : this one will pretty much dominate your home page because it’s a collaborative pinboard, which means lots of specifically selected bloggers can contribute kid-friendly pins…hence, “kid blogger network”.

2. “PediaStaff on Pinterest” : they are a therapy staffing company that supports their therapists in part by creating and organizing hundreds of pinboards related to activities used in pediatric therapy…everything from speech and language development, to fine motor and sensory processing skills, to holiday-themed activities…honored to have a few of MamaOT’s blog posts repinned by PediaStaff!

3. “AOTA Inc – Children: Developmental Activities” : the official pinboard of the American Occupational Therapy Association, so you know it’s gonna be good…very honored that some of MamaOT’s blog posts have made it onto here, too!

And, of course, you can always follow MamaOT on Pinterest for additional actvitiy ideas! I pin resources from the above three sources frequently and also have a handful of other sources that knock my socks off. Click here to see my pins and follow along.

Who are some of your favorite people to follow on Pinterest in order to find great activity ideas for kids?

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Activity Ideas for Kids: “hands on : as we grow”

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This week on MamaOT we’ve been featuring various websites and blogs that will give you a creative boost when it comes to coming up with activities to do with the kids in your life. Monday featured “No Time for Flash Cards“, Tuesday was all about “Productive Parenting“, and Wednesday focused on messy play ideas from “Growing a Jeweled Rose“.

Today I am excited to share with you a blog called hands on : as we grow: hands on kids activities for hands on moms. It can be found at www.handsonaswegrow.com.

Hands on : as we grow is run by a stay-at-home mom named Jamie, and she blogs about the activities she does with her two boys (age 2 and age 4). This is a really interactive blog featuring activities that can be searched by the following categories:

My absolute favorite part of hands on : as we grow is Jamie’s challenge to both herself and other parents to learn how to be a “hands on” parent. You absolutely MUST read her post about “How to become hands on with your kids” (click here). It is inspiring, to say the least. She addresses ten hurdles that get in the way of being a hands on parent (like “I’m not crafty” or “I don’t have any of the stuff”) and goes through them one by one to help you get over your fears, insecurities, and excuses about spending quality, hands on time with your kids (and, yes, Pinterest is one of those ways to overcome) — and she does it without an ounce of arrogance or judgment.

Not only does Jamie of hands on : as we grow encourage parents to spend quality hands on time with their kids, she has also issued a challenge called “30 Days to Hands on Play”. As part of this challenge, she asks parents to join her in spending 15 minutes of uninterrupted hands on time with their kids for 30 days straight. And each day, she provides a new idea for how you can spend that time. She also asks parents to do some self-reflection and come up with a simple mission statement about how they want to become more hands on with their kids. It could be as easy as saying, “I want to play with my kids once a day without any distractions for 15 minutes,” or, “I want to learn how to actually enjoy spending time with my kids.” Sounds simple but as a parent, I know, that can be quite a stretch for many of us. Click here to read her introduction to the 30-Day Challenge.

I really can’t say enough good things about hands on : as we grow. I absolutely love Jamie’s heart behind what she does and I would recommend this blog to any parent or caregiver in a heartbeat. If you’re interested in checking out this blog but don’t know where to start, I’d recommend heading over to her “my favorites” page, where she shares a list of some of her fave hands on : as we grow posts (which includes posts related to the 30-Day Challenge). Find her favorites page by clicking here.

I really, REALLY hope you check out hands on : as we grow. To be honest, I haven’t known about this blog for very long and, already, I have been inspired to become more engaged with my baby and avoid interruptions in the precious moments I have with him. I hope it will inspire you, too.

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