For young kids, hitting is a way of expressing emotions. When they don’t get what they want, it’s a natural reaction for them to hit their playmate. Toddlers usually respond physically when they feel frustrated. And this can be minimized if parents are able to handle this properly.

When you see your child doing this, gently hold their hands and tell them to stop with the hitting. Don’t attempt to explain in long and winded words why this is wrong. They are likely not to listen when they are in this state. A simple “no” or “don’t” would do.

Remove your child from the situation and help him calm down. Once he is relaxed you can put him back with his p playmates, carefully watching over him. When you see that he is starting to get frustrated again, assist him with the right words to use to help him manage this. If he’s angry at another playmate for not sharing with him, teach him to say, “May I borrow please?” instead of just grabbing the item.

Never berate your child in public or hit them back yourself. There is a reason why they are expressing themselves in this manner, and you, as their parent, have to get to the bottom of this. Getting angry at their behavior only compounds their reason to hit kids more. Help them cope and eventually they will learn to stop using their hands to vent, but instead manage their anger properly.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Summer Infant, Inc.’s (“Summer Infant” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SUMR), newly launched Prodigy™ Infant Car Seat was honored with the prestigious JPMA Innovation Award (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association). Announced at the ABC (All Baby & Child) Kids Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, the Prodigy Infant Car Seat was selected out of more than 120 contenders to earn this recognition.

“Since its inception in 1989, JPMA has sought out the most innovative products in the marketplace,” said Amy Chezem from JPMA. “We are pleased to present Summer Infant with this award for their superior technical innovation, years of research, and above and beyond testing; the company is making a big difference in child safety.”

“We are thrilled and honored that the JPMA recognized the Prodigy Infant Car Seat as one of the most innovative products on the market,” said Jason Macari, President and CEO of Summer Infant. “The award speaks to our dedicated team of employees and experts, who have spent years perfecting the unique technologies found in Prodigy in the hopes of keeping all children safe on the road.”

The Prodigy infant car seat and base includes three key innovative features that address proper fit to car, fit to the child, and overall ease of installation, making the product a leader in the category:

• First it uses the completely unique SmartScreen™ technology located on the base. This SmartScreen provides clear, step-by-step instructions that guide parents through a simple process to correctly level and tighten the base. It also provides visual confirmation – via a smiling face – when each installation step is completed properly.
• The second key feature is the easy-to-use belt tightening system that firmly fastens the base to the car. By simplifying the installation process even further, the Prodigy eliminates the guesswork for parents and electronically ensures a proper fit every time. The base also includes a test button parents can press at a recommended 30-day interval, to make sure the seat is still installed correctly.
• The third key feature of the Prodigy is the SafeGuard™ 1Adjust™ harness system. This system allows parents to easily adjust the harness straps with just one hand – to quickly and correctly fit the straps to the child without rethreading. Regardless of a child’s growth or seasonal clothing, the harness straps easily retract around baby for a perfect fit every ride.

Held since 1989, the JPMA awards highlight the most innovative products in the juvenile industry. Out of more than one hundred entries, only 10 products receive the coveted award. Entries are evaluated by a committee of media representatives and industry retail buyers, and products are judged on their innovation, marketability, trend-setting potential, appeal, and usefulness.

In support of the USDA’s recently updated nutrition initiative “MyPlate”, Learning ZoneXpress (LZX) is now offering a variety of Kids MyPlate products to promote the Dietary Guidelines for children.

“We are excited to release a kid-friendly version of MyPlate. With high rates of childhood obesity, it’s important for children to learn how to build a healthy plate,” said Melanie Nelson, President and CEO of Learning ZoneXpress.

Healthy food characters that are friendly and fun deliver the message of balancing food with physical activity. The new products from LZX, include:

•     Kids MyPlate Poster – 18” x 24” A colorful poster featuring kid-sized portions of healthy food choices shown from each food group.
•     Kids MyPlate Tablet – 8 ½” x 11” These handouts include an empty plate for kids to write or draw in their favorite foods. It also includes tips for parents for making the best food choices for their kids.
•     Kids MyPlate Bookmark –These appealing bookmarks feature key MyPlate messages representing each food group. (PRWeb)

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• myplate kids products

Why not take the opportunity to be selfish and use the new term to create a new you? This could mean starting a new hobby or kick-starting your love life with some internet dating. Follow these steps and you’ll soon find your identity again – an identity outside the realm of parenthood.

Time for fitness

Looking after children can sometimes mean you stop looking after yourself. Take a look at your diet and day-to-day regime: are you as healthy as your kids? Try to start putting some time aside for a bit of fitness. This could be a 30-minute jog every morning once you’ve dropped the kids at school or an exercise class every Thursday when they’re at an afterschool club. The fitter you are, the better you’ll feel and the more energy you’ll have to deal with the hectic lifestyle of a single parent.

Time for relaxation

It’s also important to find some time to relax. Stress is a major cause of a lot of health problems and can have some very damaging side-effects. Try finding a hobby or a place that relaxes you, whether that’s a yoga class, a trip to the cinema or a certain room in the house. Then, when you feel the pressure building, you will have this comfort to retreat to.

Start to feel good about yourself again with a bit of preening and pampering. It’s amazing what a new suit, haircut or beauty treatment can do. Your confidence will be boosted and you’ll walk out with an extra spring in your step.

Time for socialising

Use the time to reconnect with your social circle. Take advantage of your lunch breaks for catch-ups with friends you may have neglected during the bustle of the summer holidays. Your friends will have you laughing again and re-acquainting yourself with the old you, who may be feeling a bit neglected after the last few months.

Time for dating

It’s easy to lose sight of the whole concept of a love life when you’re a single parent. But you could use your new free time to remedy this: go for a day out in London dating or hire a babysitter and go for dinner while the kids do their homework. This could be the perfect time to introduce a special new someone into your life.

Use the new term and the free time it affords to create a new you – a healthy, relaxed, gorgeous social butterfly whose life isn’t entirely dictated by children!

Do you let your kids dress up by themselves?

I know a few parents who do and they say that there’s a lot of things a child can pick from this simple task.

Some parents allow this as it help brings out their children’s creative side, as well as train them to be independent. Allowing them to pick up what they want to wear can also sharpen their decision making and teach them to make good choices.

Some parents, however, still refuse to let their children pick their own clothes, particularly when they’re still so young and can dress up inappropriately. I had a friend whose child wanted to wear her princess costume as they went to the mall. And she wouldn’t have any of it, fearing that the young girl may get stared at and laughed at by people.

It has recently came up because, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise’s daughter, Suri was seen wearing lipstick. It looked like her mother allowed her to dress herself up and being someone in the public eye, the fact that Suri wearing lipstick at age 5 years old is cause for debate for some people.

So, where are you on this issue?

I think that as children, it’s great to allow them to explore and make their choices. So what if a kid wants to wear her swimsuit for the mall? So what if she has red lipstick on? It’s kids being kids, and it’s the adults who put judgement and malice in their behavior.

Isn’t it>