New Parent Holiday Alert: Stressed Out or Staying Sane?

By Christy Cuellar-Wentz

The holidays are indeed a stressful time for most folks, but when you are a new parent it can be especially trying. Having a new baby in the home while attempting to juggle holiday tasks and arrange or attend holiday gatherings takes nothing less than supernatural strength. The urge to make the holidays picture-perfect can be quite strong and many new parents find themselves feeling drained of energy and emotion before the season if half-way over. Here's a few strategies for new parents to survive the holidays:

Let go of the picture on the front of the Christmas card. We've all received them in the mail: the Christmas card depicting Mom, Dad, kids, and dog all snuggled in front of the fireplace while a plate of fresh cookies cools on the table. Whether you were brought up in a family of no-holds-barred Christmas celebrators or just want to be the family that has the perfect holiday, you might need to let go of the illusion of everything going perfectly - you'll just set yourself up for failure. Where will you find time to bake those cookies and hang those lights? Certainly not in between diapering and feeding your new precious bundle while attempting to score a few moments of sleep if Dad handles diaper duty. You'll no doubt have many Christmases in the future - don't overdo yourself during the holiday and miss out on all the fun of being a new Mom or Dad.

Add a very small new word to your vocabulary - "no". It is one of the hardest words in the English language for some new parents to use, but it should become your new catchphrase. Don't feel guilty that you cannot go out with family and friends for your usual holiday parties and celebrations if you simply don't feel like going this time. New parents need time to adjust to their new family unit - especially if you are going from "you and I" to "we" as is the case with all first-time parents. Even those parents who already have children will find themselves stressed as they learn how this new little arrival can turn the entire household into an uproar! Take the time you need to make the adjustments to your new family circle - even if you have to strain out a few "no's" here and there.

Baby knows best. Every baby has his or her own temperament. Is yours giving you the signal that it's time to go home to a quieter place, or that he or she wishes that you'd kick all of these loud eggnog slurping people to the curb? If so, follow your baby's lead by turning in early, leaving an event early, or by simply not going to the event.

Open the lines of communication with your partner. It's so important that you and your partner are on the same page when it comes to your holiday celebrations (or lack of) during this special time when your family is getting adjusted to a new baby. Let your partner know how you feel, and take your partner's feelings into consideration. Try to incorporate a bit of what each of you want for this holiday so that each feels satisfied.

Take a hint from Santa and make your list. Make a list of everything that you feel needs doing, and then separate into three categories - Musts, Shoulds, and Wants. The Musts category lists things that are inescapable and must be done because there is no way around them. The Shoulds lists things that others want you to do and you feel pressured to do, but don't necessarily feel that they are Musts and you might consider not doing them. The Wants category is where you list the things you really want to do. Try to do mainly the Musts and Wants, and factor in the Shoulds if you find time.

Take a decorating cue from the Mommy Muse. One year, I ended up putting the tree inside my baby's playpen, instead of her. I put all of the gifts inside there, which looked so silly, but it was a workable solution. I wasn't willing to go without my beloved tree. I needed to keep her safe. This was a way to do it and I was really glad. We only needed to do that for one year. Sure, all those fancy decorations are great for at least appearing to be in the holiday spirit, but don't worry if you can't go all out this year. If your baby is in the exploratory stages of crawling, it may be wise to follow do a bit of non-traditional decorating to keep baby (and your heirloom Christmas ornaments) safe.

Let your Christmas mouse do your shopping. With just the click of a mouse, you can have all of the gifts that you want to buy this year delivered to your home (either wrapped or unwrapped) without ever leaving the comfort of your robe and slippers. Not dragging your newborn out into the germ-infested malls in the freezing cold to dodge shopping carts and the lady that sprays you with perfume each time you pass the cosmetics counter is priceless.

Scale down your hosting duties. If you absolutely have to play host for a family gathering, ask each family member to bring a dish, and then simply buy a honey-baked ham or turkey from the deli to complement those dishes. Some new parents even choose to host just a desert bash instead of a full meal to keep some of the tradition of the family gathering without all of the work. Choose whatever works best for you and don't forget to ask for help with cleaning up.

Give yourself some "me-time". It's important for new parents to schedule a few minutes each day for themselves, whether it's catching up on your favorite novel or luxuriating in a tub full of bubbles. You can take care of baby's needs more efficiently if you take time to let yourself feel like a human again (even if just for a precious half hour).

About the Author:
Overwhelmed new parent? Christy Cuellar-Wentz, M.A. can help. As an internet talk radio host and mental health professional, she specializes in providing the support you need for your journey into parenthood. Sign up for free resources for new parents

and explore a wealth of empowering information on postpartum survival strategies

at the Mommy-Muse website and blog.

Does Your Child Suffer From Headlice

By Jennifer King

Do you suspect your child is suffering from head lice? Do you notice your child scratching his scalp frequently? Or have you heard of an outbreak of head louse at his school? You can probably find out if your child has head louse by doing an easy examination at home.

The simplest way to identify head lice is through identifying their eggs in the hair. Lice eggs are called nits. Head lice will lay these eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head examination requires looking at the scalp. Before the baby lice hatch, nits look tan, brown, or yellow. Once the nit has hatched, the shell will stay attached to the hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to see, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between head lice eggs and dandruff is dandruff will easily shake off of the hair shaft, while lice eggs are fused to the shaft.

On occasions you will be able to identify adult head louse in your child's hair, especially if the hair is short. These little beasties are tiny, no bigger than a sesame seed from a hamburger bun, and they tend to have the exact coloring as your child's hair. Most people grasp their children are infected when they see the adults moving through their kid's hair.

Head scratching is, of course, another sign of a head lice infestation. But, not every child will find head lice to be itchy. Also, scratching their head may be a sign of other troubles, such as eczema or dandruff. The itching from lice is usually likened to a tickle, or the feeling of something moving about on the scalp.

Children who suffer from sensitive skin, and spend a lot of time scratching due to the head lice will regularly get a rash on the scalp. Head lice rash looks like red lumps at the base of the scalp. It could infrequently develop into a more serious infection that needs antibiotics.

If you suspect your child may have head lice, part his hair and check the base of the hair strands for the nits. Pay particular concern to the areas of hair around the neck and ears. If you have trouble focusing up close, you may want to use a magnifying glass. Be sure to do the lice checking in bright light. If you find nothing, but the itching continues, it is time for a trip to the doctor. On the other hand, if there is persistent scratching, and you've heard of an outbreak at school or day care, you probably can be sure that the reason is head lice.

To cure nits you can buy a medicated shampoo that will eliminate the lice. Be sure to follow the instructions to the letter, for the reason that, incorrect use will not eliminate all of the lice. You will also be required to comb through your child's hair with a nit comb to take care of any nits that are not killed by the shampoo.

When you have cured your child, wash any clothes that are lying around, as lice have the ability to live up to three days out of the hair if they are attached to clothing. Also, boil anything that comes in contact with an infected head, including combs, brushes and bows. It is particularly crucial to wash any bedding. Vacuum all furniture and floors. Then watch carefully for signs of any re-occurrence. If it occurs, start the process again. It can be hard work, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps.

About the Author:
If you would like to use a home remedy for head lice

visit Home Remedy For Head Lice

and keep your children safely away from chemicals.

Childrens Personalized Step Stool and Other Toddler Gift Ideas

By Edie Mindell

Puzzles from Santa - Getting the perfect gift for your toddler shouldn't be a riddle and can be the best investment you ever made for many reasons.

Toddlers are a busy, imaginative group of individuals. Their minds and needs have progressed past the impulsive desire to chew every thing their fingers grasp into slimy shreds. They love colors and will not forget about an object simply because mommy has hidden it out of sight.

Toddlers are also natural problem solvers. Don't believe me? Then why the need for a million dollar baby proofing industry, constant parental supervision and a great deal of improvising when the fancy toddler proof containers fail to keep your toddler out?

Work with it

This Christmas as you select holiday gifts for your toddler use these natural impulses to select gifts that stimulate these natural tendencies and capture the imagination. To that end puzzles are the perfect gift.

What kind?

The latest trend in holiday gifts or newborn baby gifts is the childrens personalized step stool. Choosing a childrens personalized step stool can be one of the more unique ways to add the enjoyment of having a puzzle along with their own name engraved in the stool. The stepstool not only promotes independence, it encourages learning to read with dexterity.

Of course your toddler will not enjoy a 1000 piece puzzle of Vincent Van Gogh's masterpieces, but you are not too far off the mark. The best kind of puzzles for a toddler will take into account their fine motor skills and love of colors, learning and imagination. If you do choose a landscape type puzzle, choose one with a large pattern or picture. Too many intricate details will mean that this puzzle is dumped and abandoned for mom or dad to piece together again.

When selecting a puzzle for toddlers keep the following things in mind:

-Toddlers might not chew on everything, but will be tempted to take a nip or two every once in a while. Choose puzzles that can handle that kind of wear and tear without falling apart and creating a choking hazard. To this end wooden or foam puzzles work best.

-Nimble toddler fingers adept at defying the childproof cap still have trouble with fine motor skills. Puzzles with tiny pieces which lock together might confuse and frustrate them. Choose puzzles that have larger pieces and whose pieces fit into their own slot on the puzzle board.

-Some puzzles come with little knobs or handles attached to each piece. These are especially easy for even the youngest puzzle enthusiast to master.

-Bright colors and themes to match and stimulate your child's interest are best.

Making it fun

One of the elements that make puzzles fun for your little one are the wide variety of character, themes and age appropriate educational pictures that appeal to children of that age. Puzzles featuring the alphabet or numbers help your child to learn as they play. Fun characters or puzzles with cars, princesses or bugs stimulate imagination and foster your child's interests in and awareness of the world around them.

Perhaps the best part of a puzzle for Christmas is that this gift often creates moments of one on one play with you and your child. What parent or toddler doesn't love more quality time spent in simple play?

About the Author:
Edie Mindell is the writer for http://www.simplyuniquebabygifts.com/

. Parents, grandparents and other "Santa's" will love the large selections of unique newborn baby gifts

, including a childrens personalized step stool

, ready for any holiday or baby shower. Enjoy free shipping (lower 48 states).