In Dallas daycares and in all types of childcare facilities, biting is a very common issue.  Occurring in about one out of ten toddlers, this has become a frustrating problem for affected children and parents.  You may be feeling embarrassed or irritated if your child has bitten another child.  Conversely, you may be feeling outraged or powerless if your child has been bitten.  These worries may prove stressful when confronting the behavior of your child, or when you are concerned for the safety of your child in one of these settings.

Causes of Biting in Young Children
Some young children bite as an extension of the way in which they explore objects.  Touching, tugging, squeezing, and sometimes biting others occurs in this form of exploration.  As young children “mouth” objects to recognize something, some toddlers may not yet fully understand the difference between mouthing on an object and biting someone.

Around the age of four to seven months children begin teething.  As a relief from sore gums and the pain they cause, children can frequently bite on things.  By 12 months of age, some children find the reaction interesting when biting occurs.  A loud scream from another child who has been bitten, or a loud sound on an object which has been bitten can unintentionally develop the habit of biting in a child.

Behavioral Causes of Biting
Biting to gain attention is a common cause in young children.  When children do not receive enough attention or interaction, they may resort to biting to become the center of attention.

Children may also imitate others in different ways.  One way in which this manifests is when children see others bite and decide to try it out for themselves.  Additionally, some children may see the affection their parents give to them in the form of nibbling and try to do this to others; the end result is, unfortunately, a bite.

As children are trying to become more independent, biting may be used as a quick way of letting out frustration.  The lack of verbal skills at this age increases the likelihood of a child resorting to biting when words aren’t working.

Actions in Preventing and Stopping Biting
One way to prevent biting is to look at the child’s schedule and evaluate the situations in which biting occurs.  Reducing situations that are stressful, simplifying the play environment and providing strategies for conflict management are good ways to decrease the biting urge.  Teaching your child to say “no” and modeling frustration management with others can also help prevent biting.

Whether your child is the biter or on the receiving end, speaking to your daycare personnel or your child’s caregiver may help solve the problem.  There you can identify the sources of frustration and establish a possible means toward a solution.

GetChildCareNow is a web site service offered by ChildCareGroup.org, a non-profit 501C3 business. Please visit http://getchildcarenow.com/ for more information regarding quality daycare services in the Dallas area.

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Sometimes, the only way for a baby to communicate is through crying. There is nothing more upsetting to a parent than hearing their baby cry and not knowing why. Parents learn the different types of noises and crying their baby makes based on what they desire. They can tell the difference between a cry of hunger or a cry of pain. It is common for babies to cry a lot if they are teething or experiencing irritating rashes from diapers. When your baby is upset or crying you instantly rush to their needs and try to stop the crying. Here are some ways you can soothe your baby if they are upset.

Once you have figured out the types of crying your baby makes, you can do preliminary trial and error actions to stop the crying. For example, you can feed your baby, change their diaper, or cuddle them to make them feel better. At other times, your baby will cry and you won’t know why. They could feel discomfort from a rash, they may have a stomach ache, they could be teething, they could be too hot or too cold, or they might just want to be held and cuddled. If the crying doesn’t stop, and you are not sure how to meet your baby’s needs, you can try to soothe them in different ways to stop their upsetting moment.

Babies love to feel warm and secure. To soothe your baby if they are upset, you can wrap them in soft blanket. You can make a little blanket burrito and keep your baby wrapped up as if they were still in their mother’s womb. Don’t wrap your baby too tightly and keep their face uncovered at all times. Hold your baby and softly pat their back or rub their tummy.

Another technique for soothing your baby is to play music that has a light sound such as classical. Keep the volume low but play something that is also soothing for you. Light jazz sounds or nature sounds are also very comforting. If the music doesn’t work, just speak softly to your baby and tell them how much you love them, how safe they are, and how wonderful the little bundle of joy is to your life.

For older babies that can play with toys and hold things, you could give your baby one of their favorite toys. This can immediately stop the crying if they are bored or feeling anxious. If your baby isn’t old enough to hold a toy on their own, you could place a pacifier in their mouth instead. This is especially helpful when your baby is teething.

Some babies just need to feel safe, secure, and close to their parents. Sometimes all it takes to soothe a baby is to look at them and make eye contact. Change the position your baby is in so that they face you, can see your face, or are closer to you.

A baby communicates by crying out for their parents, and these techniques will help you to soothe your baby when you are unsure of why they are crying.

Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/how-to-soothe-your-upset-baby-1641916.html

There are a couple of important how to questions that need answers when you start using cloth diapers.

Cloth Diapers – How to Buy

You can get simple cloth diapers or organic cloth diapers. Organic cloth is highly recommended but it is also more expensive. You should also decide between flat fold and prefold diapers (these are actually types of diaper fabrics and not, as you might think, methods to fold diapers). The flat fold is one layer of cloth while the prefold has several layers of cloth that make the prefold diaper much more absorbent.

Next, decide whether you plan to use cloth of disposable diaper liners. It is a lot less messy to change and wash diapers when you go with the disposable kind, but the environmentally friendly way is all cloth.

Next, you will need to figure how many to buy. This should take into account your baby’s age and your lifestyle –specifically how many times a week you are willing to wash your baby’s diapers.

Cloth Diapers – How to Fold

First of all – you don’t have to learn diaper folding methods. Those who don’t feel like bothering with learning different ways to fold cloth diapers, can get cloth diapers that are already cut to size and even have Velcro, so they are as easy and hassle free to use as disposables.

However, if you do want to learn how to fold diapers – here is what you should know: You can get online instructions for any diaper fold that you may think of, but in the end you can settle on whatever feels comfortable and comes easily to you. In order to do an effective search, know which type of diapers you have – there are different folds for the flat fold and the prefold.

Cloth Diapers – How to Wash

Cloth diapers can be washed in a machine or by hand. Machine wash is recommended simply because it is more convenient. Before you wash the diapers you need to flush the solids or use a “diaper sprayer” on them. If something is left, rinse it with cold water.

Although there are a couple of diapers how-to’s to be mastered, the benefits are well worth it, as many parents attest.

Lily Parsons is an eco friendly home consultant. She uses natural and organic products in her home for her family’s health.
Read more about cloth organic diapers
and going green facts

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/cloth-diapers-how-to-1592717.html