Finding A Babysitter

So, I'm not sure if I was an ordinary babysitter or not? I babysat for whatever I got paid, I fed the kids dinner, bathed the kids, put the kids to bed, cleaned the dishes picked up the house and did whatever else that needed done before I sat down to watch any T.V. Babysitters these days expect to be paid a lot and do hardly anything. My niece told me the going rate is $10 an hour, is this true? I have my kids bathed, in jammies, fed and my house clean when the babysitter gets to the house. All they have to do is put the kids to bed by 7:30, that means the kids can play for 30minutes and watch a video for 30 minutes and they still can't do that! The older girls don't play with the kids, but they can usually get the kids to bed.
Two weeks ago I had a sweet young 13 year old girl come and baby-sit because my usual girl was out of town. We left at 6:20 and I said, "the baby and Hanna are very tired and need to go to sleep no later that 7:00." They where bathed and fed all she had to do was put them to bed and I even told her all the steps to do so. After Danny and I got out of the temple at 9:00, I called to see how things went and was going to ask if we could grab a bite to eat, but she said, "I'm about to put the kids to bed." So we came straight home! The house was a mess (not a huge mess, but can't they pick up the game they played)? She still made $10.00, even though she did nothing I asked. My kids did have a fun time though. I did like that she played with them because the older girls don't do that. I'll have her baby-sit in the day next time, when no one needs to go to bed.
What do you pay? And what do you expect done?

BEFORE

AFTER

What To Do About Tantrums

I know that we all deal with tantrums sometime or another, but what do we do when our children throw one? We can limit tantrums by giving children choices; for breakfast you can give them options, would you like cereal, waffle, or an egg and toast...after they choose one (if they say, "No, I want a ham and cheese sandwhich." You say, "That's not a choice, the choices are...") you make them one of the options and they throw a tantrum, "No, I didn't want that..." We need to make sure we don't play the oh, I'm sorry (happy voice) did you want this, this, this...What we need to do when this happens is get down on their level so you can look at them right in the eyes while holding both arms down by their side and say (in a stern voice), "No, we do not behave this way, if you do not stop you will be sent out of the room." Then follow through! If the child is sent out of the room and will not stay out then you need to put them somewhere they can't get out or do the Super Nanny thing (which makes me crazy and very hard for not to give up. So I put my kids in the garage, which is attached to my house). I let my children back when the screaming stops and they're ready to come back without screaming. They must not get their way now just because they suffered they still need to eat what you made or nothing, that's the new choices.

Other times when my child just starts throwing a tantrum and I'm not sure why, I try and find out what the problem is (don't just do the you want this, this, this thing....) Again I get down on their level hold both hands down by their side and this time ask them, "Use your words." If your child can't speak very well, still say that and have them do their best to tell you what they want. If it is something that is not irrational and they can have what they want make them use their words in a calm voice. You say to them, "How do you ask?" They should not just say, "please" they need to say as much as they can say of what they want and please...then thank you.

I have found that children throw tantrums more when...
1. They're tired
2. They're board (after time out, change their envronment).
3. They want attention (negative or positive) (after time out, play with them, give them some attention).
4. Mom allows it (she gives them what they scream for).

*Giving your child choices (2 or 3) as much as possible will help limit tantrum throwing.

Test Your Child

This information comes from the Denver II Test. I was a certified child administrator in giving this test at Ricks College as an Early Childhood Education major . I still use it on my children and my preschool children to help me know what I need to work with each child on. Here are some skills that your children (1-5) should know and skills they can be working on.
Age 1
Personal Skills:
Already should be doing
1) Feed self (a bottle...) 2)Play Pat-A-Cake.
Other skills some children could do at this age, but not all
1)Indicate wants 2)wave bye-bye 3) play ball with someone 4)imitate activities 5) drink from a cup (no lid).
Fine Motor Skills:
Already should be doing
1)thumb finger grasp 2) bang two blocks together
Other Skills some children could do at this age, but not all
1)put block in cup 2) scribble
Language Skills:
Already should be doing
1)say Dada/Mama nonspecific 2) combine syllables 3) jabbers Skills some could do
Other Skills some children could do at this age, but not all
1)say Dada/Mama specific 2) say up 3 words
Gross Motor Skills
Already should be doing
1) Pull to stand 2) get to sitting 3) stand 2 secs.
Other Skills some children could do, but not all
1) Stand alone 2) Stoop and recover 3) walk well
Age 2
Personal Skills
Should be doing
1)Help in house 2) use spoon/fork 3) remove garment 4) feed doll (if you gave a child a bottle and a doll and say "feed the dolly" they should know where the bottle goes.)
Skills some could do, but not all
1)Put on clothing 2)brush teeth with help 3)wash and dry hands.
Fine Motor
Should be doing
1) Build tower of 2 small blocks (1 inch by 1 inch)
Skills some could do, but not all
1) Tower of 6 blocks.
Language:
Should be doing
1) 6 words 2) point 2 pictures (have a picture of a cat, dog bird, horse, and person you say, "point to the dog..."
Skills some could do, but not all
1) Name 1 of those pictures, 2) point to 4 of those pictures, 3) name 4 of those pictures, 4)speech half understandable, 5) point 6 body parts (using a doll, say "show me the nose, eyes...") 6)combine words (play ball, want drink, see that...)
Gross Motor
Should be doing
1) Runs 2) walk up steps 3) kick ball forward
Skills some could do, but not all
1) jumps up (both feet off ground) 2) throw ball overhand
Age 3
Should be doing the skills some could do but not all at age 2
Personal Skills
Some could do, but not all
1) Name a friend 2) Put on T-Shirt 3) play board games 4) brush teeth with no help
Fine Motor Skills
Some could do, but not all
1)tower of 8 blocks 2) imitate vertical line (you write a vertical line and say "draw this") 3) wiggle thumb (like a thumbs up and wiggle thumb only).
Language
Some could do, but not all
1) Know 2 Actions, some know 4 (using pictures from age 2 say, "Which one flies?... says meow?...talks?...barks?...gallops?) 2) Know 2 Adjectives some know 3 (you ask, "What do you do when you are cold?...tired?...hungry?" child must answer with words) 3) name 1 color 4) Know 2 objects and some know 3 (you say "What do you do with a cup? What is a chair used for? What is a pencil used for? child needs to use words to answer) 5) count 1 block (you say put 1 block on the paper. After they put 1 block on the paper you ask, "how many blocks are on the paper?" they need to say 1 without counting it.) 6) Speech all understandable 7) understand 4 prepositions (put the block on the table; under table; in front of me; behind me).
Gross Motor
Some could do, but not all
1) broad jump (jump 2 feet together over a piece of paper) 2) balance each foot 1 second 3) balance each foot 2 secs. 4) balance each foot 3 secs.
Age 4
Should be doing the skills some could do at age 3
Personal
Some could do, but not all
1) Dress no help 2) play board/card game 3) brush teeth no help 4) prepare cereal
Fine Motor
Some could do, but not all
1)copy a circle (show them a picture one don't draw one say "draw this" it must stop after 1 time and meet ends) 2) draw a 3 part person (2 eyes count as 1 part) 3) copy "+" (child sees a picture of plus symbol and draws it, do not draw one for them to see, child must only lift pencil 2 times), 4) pick longer line (you draw 2 vertical lines one a little longer than the other and say, "which line is longer" child must point to longer line, turn paper all the way around and do again)
Language
Some could do, but not all
1) Use of 3 objects (look above at age 3) 2) know 4 actions (look at age 3) 3) speech all understandable 4) understand 4 prepositions (look above at age 3) 5) name 4 colors 6) know 3 adjectives (look above at age 3), 7)know 2 opposites (Ask, "If a horse is big a mouse is ______? If fire is hot, ice is ____? If the sun shines during the day, the moon shines during the _____?") 8) Define 5 words (Ask, "What is a ball?... lake?... desk?... house?... banana?... curtain?...fence?...ceiling? Child must use words that describe what each word means).
Gross Motor
Some could do, but not all
1) Hops (on 1 foot) 2) balance each foot 2 secs. 3) balance each foot 3 secs. 4) balance each foot 4 secs. 5) balance each foot 5 secs.
Age 5
Should be doing skills some could do at age 4
Personal
All of age 4 and below.
Fine Motor
1) Pick longer line (look above at age 4) 2) copy a perfect 4 cornered square (you can draw one first and say, "draw this" all 4 corners must meet, no curves) 3) draw person 6 parts (2 eyes are 1 part...) 4) copy a perfect 4 corner square (this one is without you drawing it they see a picture and draw one, see if they can do this one first if not draw one and then see if they can do one.)
Language
1) Define 5 words (see above at define 5 words) 2) count 5 blocks (this is kind of tricky, you ask child to count/put 5 blocks on the paper, after they finish ask, "how many blocks are on your paper?" child must say 5 without counting the blocks again.
Gross Motor
1) balance each foot 6 seconds 2) heel-to-toe-walk (place masking tape on ground and have child walk heel-to-toe, you can demonstrate).


I do this test with my children about every 6 months so that I know what skills to work with them on. I know a lot of parents just don't know what things to work on with there little ones, so I thought this would be some great information for all you moms out there! If you're not sure if your child's answers are correct ask me and I can let you know. The test is pretty specific on some things. Don't stress, just use this information as a guideline for some items to work with your children on. Have fun!

Exercise and Pregnancy

We want to be healthy when we're pregnant and we know it's healthy to exercise; but what sort of exercises can we do and how much is too much?

Television and Children

We all know that children learn best from parents and teachers, so why do we have the TV on so much? I feel that we as moms need some "time" of our own during the day and sometimes I feel that TV is the only solution. How much TV is too much, when is it appropriate and what should our children be watching?

Welcome To Mothers In Making

I woke-up at 4:30 this mourning with an idea; why not start a blog where mothers can learn from mothers! I feel that we as mothers have lots of different talents and skills that can help each other raise our children. Mothers with husbands with skillful professions as doctors and dentists can help with our sick kids and children that get cavities no matter what! There are just so many topics that deal with children and I hope to educate myself and other mothers as much as possible while raising our children! So what I plan to do is post a topic or question and then we as mothers will post comments or ideas that worked for us.