So my husband just showed me the link to the video of Alicia Silverstone feeding her son by chewing up the food in her mouth first, then feeding it to him, mouth-to-mouth style like a bird. He knew it would send me to the moon. Though I can’t fault her if she feels some connection bonding with him in this, I’ll say, unique way, watching it honestly made me want to vomit. It was scarier to me than a horror movie.

I started my own son on pureed foods from a spoon at 4 months against many negative opinions who felt that it was way to early, because most of the books and the American Academy of Pediatrics state that 6 months is ideal.  By 10 months he was eating all sorts of softer table foods from the store, that included fruits, meats and vegetables.  All purees and jarred baby food were off my grocery list. I’m lucky, today as a 2 year old, he’s got preferences but I wouldn’t call him picky. Yes, I may have placed a piece of food in my mouth to chew it and gum it and see how it broke down, in order to see what might happen if he ate it, but pre-chewing it for  a child’s enjoyment or for bonding purposes seems completely counterproductive to me.

I spend my professional career as an occupational therapist teaching kids at an early age how to feed themselves either with their fingers or utensils. I guess I’m simply not programmed to think that feeding a child “baby bird style” is helpful to their independence long term. I honestly believe there is a window of opportunity when feeding children and if you miss it, they develop habits and preferences that many people and insurance companies spend months and years paying lots of good money to break. What will this little boy be doing at older ages if he decides to exert his toddler will and demands he be fed like that everywhere and all the time? What if he does what many toddlers do and places something in his mouth, but he hasn’t safely learned to chew it because he hasn’t had the practice? For his sake and her sanity later on, I hope she is making sure to offer him food with a utensil or on his tray other meals of the day so he can practice the art and skill of learning to feed himself and safely chew food.

©Derek Wilmot Photography

As a parent I can understand wanting to bond with your child. Though there could be worse things out there, and maybe I’m overreacting, I know we all try to make the best decisions possible with the information we have.  Well Alicia, if you happen to read this and ever need some strategies on how to transition your son to a more independent way of feeding, I’m here to help if you need it.

If you’d like to see the video here it is. Mangia.

@Kenson Parenting Solutions

How is that my once sweet, lovable infant who went to bed so easily when I put him down and walked away has morphed into this tantrumming toddler, screaming at the top of his lungs who bangs the walls, shut doors in my face, then trashes his room by dumping all the books from his bookshelf on the floor? I’m mortified and horrified to think what he’ll be like as a teenager. What on god’s earth did I do to this poor child to have a 2 hour tantrum before bed that has him pushing me with two hands and screaming these words, “Go Away!” So I walk away. Then it’s “Come Back You!” “Lie Down You!” “Right there, you can see, he has no idea what it is he wants, I think he’s just over tired and just looking to control me.

Then, I proceed to scream at my husband from the top of the stairs during the whole incident that he better be “googling” how the hell to help this kid while I’m up there taking my nighttime beating physically and emotionally after working all day when I have very little left to give.

There are any number of things that may or may not have happened for us to be the recipients of Gavin’s new found ways of love these days. For sure the holidays definitely got us off our bedtime schedule out late at parties. He’s had multiple sinus infections, respiratory infections and a bout of diarrhea. A few days after Christmas, we transitioned him to a full size bed because he was climbing out of his crib like a circus act. And well, there’s the he’s just a toddler excuse. This is what toddlers do, this wonderful, I guess, thankfully normal stage of development where they are trying to become autonomous. Oh, one more. Since all his teeth are in, he’s definitely got to be growing.

So now that we’ve gotten through the excuses– I will say, parents, it’s so much easier and calmer to help someone problem solve this from the clinician side, being stuck in the trenches yourself does not allow for a lot of mental clarity, that I will say. So I called my best friend and toddler expert, another OT who works with this age group and bounced some ideas off of her to get back on track. Phone a friend people, you are not the only going through this, I promise.

Here’s the plan and though it’s not perfect, the tantrums are not 2 hours long anymore and it’s getting definitely easier. This routine may not work specifically for your child or family but it might spark an idea that will. Whatever the case, make sure to read about my reward chart secret weapon, that is the take home piece of this story.

- We needed to get back to a very structured bedtime schedule. I’ve started the bedtime routine at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to allow for more time and am trying to focus solely on him. I leave my iPhone downstairs so there are no temptations to “tweet, pin, or update my facebook status.”

- Being in winter we haven’t been doing regular baths to save time and my energy, but it’s definitely a routine with warm water and calming capabilities so we’re back to short, nightly baths.

-For safety purposes, we gated the door of his room with a First Years gate that he can not climb over. So if he’s mad I can come back and check on him without needing to go into the room.

-After bath we put on his diaper, he has a choice of his pajamas (only 2), and I’ve started a lotion routine. It helps keep his dry skin at bay and he seems to enjoy the massage effect.

-We actually go back down stairs after he’s in his pajamas, which may not be the best choice, but we bring his blanket and pacifier with us. Before, if we tried to stay in his room to do the entire bedtime routine he knew it was coming and the  behaviors escalated. I wanted to keep time in the room to a minimum, so he knows it’s bedtime and not playtime.

-Then here comes my secret weapon, the I Can Get Ready for School Chart (pictured above), which is a reward chart from Kenson Parenting Solutions. This company makes a whole host of customizable charts to help kids be rewarded with stars for their good behavior from daily routine charts, to getting ready for school charts, to potty training charts. They have different pictures that can be attached to the chart and there is a magnetic back to be placed on a refrigerator or metal door. It costs $9.95, much less than a sleep specialist.

-I pulled out several of the velcro squares. Clean Your Toys, Brush Your Hair and Teeth, 3 Blank Ones (1 for each book we read) and the Go to Bed/Stay in Bed square.

-We clean up his toys, then he removes the square and places it on the opposite side of the chart to indicate it’s finished. We brush his teeth and do the same.

-We dim the lights and sit on the couch together with his blanket. The 3 blank squares signify the 3 books we read. He has a special bag of library books and choses 1 book at a time. After each book is finished we move over the square. When we reach the time to Go to Bed square he moves it over and  we head upstairs.

-Once in his bed, I read one final story. His absolute favorite which is the same book every night, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen. I leave only the hallway lights on when we read together, at this point I know it by heart, and he holds his special Lighting McQueen flashlight.

- He lies down on the pillow and I give him his pacifier and blanket. For some reason he started requesting months ago that I pat his bum, which I do, usually for a count of 10, then I kiss him goodnight, leave the room and shut the gate.

- I have joined the rank of every good parent and for successful diaper/dressing changes, and attempts at peeing on the potty, he gets an M&M as a positive reward.

Last night it took him almost 45 minutes to settle down and fall asleep but it was without any major tantrum incidents. I could hear him talking and he called for me a few times, but it was much better than previous nights. He is very rules oriented and structured, so the visual chart has been the best choice for us at this point.  This is the part of parenthood that is so hard, especially when you are tired and spent at the end of the day. Being consistent is the hardest thing to do, but a visual chart may help keep you both focused when you are both to frustrated for words. What ever you do, don’t weather the storm alone, because you definitely aren’t alone.

Kenson Parenting Solutions has provided these reward charts free to facilitate this review. The opinions above are my own with a little help from my best friend Debbie Beaulieu, a magnificent OT in Connecticut.

©Fisher-Price

The Fisher-Price I Can Play Basketball Hoop

Geared for kids ages 18 months and up, this hoop is toddler friendly! There are 4 different height positions, which are very easy to change. There is an additional rim making it easier for kids to score at younger ages!

©Fisher-Price

The Fisher-Price Grow to Pro Basketball Hoop

Geared for kids ages 2 and up, it grows to 4 different heights, 3 ft., 4 ft., 5 ft., and 6 ft.

©Discovery

Discovery Kids Bubble Bouncer

This is a folding trampoline for kids ages 12 months and up to work on their gross motor skills for bouncing and jumping!

©Derek Wilmot Photography

YBike Pewi

This is a ride-on toy for kids ages 12 months to 36 months. It can hold a maximum weight of 44 lbs., but it’s 4, quiet caster wheels are amazing indoor since they do not scratch, mark or damage wooden floors.

Fisher-Price provided the  I Can Play Basketball Hoop and YBike provided the YBike Pewi to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

The Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Giveaway includes:

Boon Frog Pod valued at $34.99

Learning Curve Captain Calamari’s Color Adventure valued at $17.99

Learning Curve Sir Prance-a-lot valued at $13.99

Learning Curve Tale of Sir Prance-a-lot soft book valued at $14.99

Sassy Wrist Rattles valued at $6.99

Sassy Crib & Floor Mirror valued at $19.99

Sassy Fascination Station valued at $5.99

ALEX Peek & Link valued at $10.95

ALEX Yum Yum Teether valued at $8.95

Jewel CD The Merry Goes ‘Round valued at $12.99

Mandatory Entry: (Please leave separate comments under this post with each entry and make sure to identify that you subscribed to the newsletter) Giveaway ends Monday September 5th, 11:59 p.m. EST

- Subscribe to the ToyQueen.com Newsletter and comment to let us know that you do!

Additional Entries:

Follow ToyQueen on Twitter

Follow ALEX on Twitter

Follow Sassy on Twitter

Follow Boon on Twitter

Follow Learning Curve Toys (Lamaze) on Twitter

Like ToyQueen on Facebook

Like ALEX Toys on Facebook

Like Boon on Facebook

Like Learning Curve Toys (Lamaze) on Facebook

Like Sassy on Facebook

Please comment individually with all the extra credit responses. If you already do them, just let us know that you do and it still counts!

Thanks to ALEX, Boon, Learning Curve, Sassy and Fisher-Price for helping me put together this amazing giveaway and providing these toys and baby items free to facilitate  reviews.

Winner will be chosen at random by the “And The Winner Is” WordPress plugin.

One of the most amazing things I find working with children is how much these little minds and hands take in during their first year and a half of life. At such a young age, they are able to match shapes and colors, as well as to learn to complete simple puzzles.

What makes the Ambi Lock A Block different than some traditional shape sorters, is that not only do children learn to match by shape and color, in order to get the pieces out of the box, a key needs to be inserted into the lock to open the door. Though this is hard for many toddlers, it’s a great feature that makes this toy great for a children at different developmental levels. I love how the key is attached to the box, no more missing keys in your playroom!

For young children under the age of one, who might be learning to put items into a container, but haven’t perfected the art of easily letting the pieces go, open the box with the key and use this wide open space for children to put the pieces inside.

The circle is the easiest shape to insert because it does not require any rotation of the pieces to fit. After children master this skill, next encourage them to match the square and triangle.

You might need to help your child by placing your hand over their hand to teach them how to rotate the piece into the proper position. The same is true for learning how to insert the key and turn it to open the door. Small and portable, this toy has found a permanent home in my home visit toy bag for children under the age of 3!

Schylling provided this toy free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

International Playthings provided this toy free for review. The opinions represented in this blog post are purely the bloggers own.

The YBike Pewi, which my husband assembled easily in about 30 minutes, has been the answer to our prayers. It is a small, stable, very lightweight (4 lbs), aluminum frame. Since Gavin has perfected the use of a ride-on toy, it has provided him with a totally new experience that provides speed and with multi-direction castor wheels, he is able to turn the bike quickly, smoothly, and in circles! Initially on the Pewi, until he gained his balance, he has slipped off the sides a few times and one time went forward over the front. No fear on this kid, he couldn’t wait to get back on and keep riding. So for those of you with daredevil toddlers like myself, a shiny new bicycle helmet might also be a good idea for safety. This bike is recommended for children ages 12-26 months and for those kids who weight less than 44 lbs.

We own several multi-use ride-on toys that were great push-toys for Gavin in his early walking stages, when he was learning to gain stability on his feet. Now that Gavin has transitioned into the toddler phase, we still allow him to zoom all around the hardwood floor with ride-on toys in our living area. He is an active little guy where moving, pushing and pulling things are right in his line of interest these days. However, as he has grown taller and heavier, it makes riding some other plastic ride-on toys a bit more challenging. Many ride-on toys are low to the ground, which as he has grown taller, puts his body in an awkward position when he propels his feet to move it forward. This also makes for a challenge when navigating indoors between carpet and hardwood, but he has quickly learned to lift the toy up when riding to gain clearance. Plastic ride-ons seem to move great, as long as you ride them straight. None of these things seem to bother Gavin, but the main drawback I have found with other ride-on toys is that though he is quite happy, the large plastic wheels can be really loud on the hardwood floor with the rest of us in the room.

I have not yet used this bike with a toddler learning to walk, but the instructions state that it can also be used as a push-toy. I would definitely suggest, due to the smoothness of the wheels, that you find a way to weigh this toy down, because it is FAST! Either wrist or ankle weights might be wrapped around the legs of the toy to slow the wheels down until your child has the control to maneuver it on their own. Or, you might consider using it on carpet first, before letting a new walker push it on a smooth surface like a hardwood floor, tile or linoleum.

The YBike Pewi was provided free to facilitate this review. The product image is courtesy of Derek Wilmot Photography.

Fisher-Price provided the Lil Zoomers Shake and Crawl Racer free to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

Last night, Gavin and I read one of our favorite board books “Who’s in the Garden.” For the first time, I brought along a few Folkmanis puppet friends for the read. I can not describe to you the giggles and laughter that followed, when a soft little bunny puppet popped up behind the book, and out of the garden into Gavin’s hands. Tonight, we read the same stories again, though since my husband was home, he took control of the puppets while I read the story.  For older children who have favorite stories they have committed to memory, why not rejuvenate them with a little something different? Words can not describe to you how enjoyable it was for all of us to take part in such pure, simple, fun. If you haven’t ever paired your bedtime stories up with some finger puppets, as a special bedtime treat give it a try, the smile and laughter that followed were absolutely priceless in my book.

What are your favorite bedtime stories that encourage your family to do a little something silly?

Barefoot Books provided a variety of books and a few Folkmanis puppets free for my review. The opinions in this post are my own.

So this post is to let all of you know that Similac has just created a FREE App that I think will help many parents stay on top of all the daunting details, especially in the early weeks when trying to get a routine down is the most difficult. What I love about this app is that it also takes into consideration being able to bottlefeed, breastfeed or a combination of both!

First you input information on your child (weight, height, date of birth, photo). Have multiple children? You can also set up multiple profiles!

Next you can choose whether you are bottlefeeding, breastfeeding or both.

For breastfeeding, you can record which side you started on and the time the feed took in general. It allows you to make notes and email the information. The same for bottlefeeding where you can time the feed, then record notes and ounces taken.

The app allows you to calculate time between feedings, manage trends on a chart, as well as record sleep time and diaper changes.

I personally think the diaper change feature is great. I know I’ve turned into the official poop inspector in our home and it will let you record whether it was a pee, poop or combination diaper, and if there was any leakage. This part is my personal favorite, because you can record the quality of poop from hard to soft including adjectives such as “hard, chunky, sticky, thick, seedy, loose.” Words you never thought you’d ever be able to describe! Now, you can also pick from a variety of colors to describe the bowel movement. There is even a “diaper decoder” that brings you to the Similac web page with educational information and articles. I know I’m a little poop obsessed, but as you can see in the development of this app, I must not be the only one!

The sleep feature also allows you to record duration, time of day, whether you laid the baby down awake and any notes.

There are basic tips under the advice tab on feeding, sleeping, diapers, milestones as well as tips from moms and dads. There is a link to the Strongmoms.com website and also a phone number for 24/7 feeding help!

Here are some additional thoughts I had:

- In terms of sleep, I would have loved a feature to also record the position of the baby when sleeping and where (bassinet, crib, arms, etc.).  Since you can manage trends, you might be able to see in the long run, that the baby sleeps better in the crib versus the bassinet, etc.

- If you have multiple doctor’s appointments this is a great way to trend their height, weight and head circumference over time while keeping the information in one location

- This app I think works best if you have a newborn. I inputted Gavin’s information and he is 16 months old and though the app knows lists his correct age, it it gives information based on a newborn

- Though it’s a lot of great information, for those of you spreadsheet buffs, it could be overwhelming to take into account all the information at once, so try to keep a broad perspective and not hyperfocus on too many details

- There is not a place to record when babies start eating pureed foods, which I think would also be helpful to see the big feeding picture.  Parents could record the amount of food they took from the spoon and begin to look at the trends as they eventually wean off the breastfeeding and bottle feeding at later dates, because a child’s intake can change at different intervals depending on growth spurts and their acceptance of a variety of foods and cereal

- I LOVE the email feature. For those of us parents who pass in shifts or share care amongst providers, I think it’s great way to share information with others without losing the information on sticky notes or scraps of paper

Click here to download the Similac Baby App! It’s available for free in iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch formats.

I was compensated by Collective Bias for my time, but my opinions on this app and blog post are my own based on my personal experience.

Let’s Rock Elmo

Elmo sings a variety of songs along with you, recognizing and asking for different musical instruments!

You can purchase additional instruments like a guitar and a keyboard so your child can jam along with Elmo!

Kre-O Bumblebee

Move over Lego and Mega Bloks, meet Hasbro’s new construction set, Kre-O

For the Transformers lovers in your family, use these bricks to create 3 different versions of  Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and Starscream. Don’t worry  this line will be expanding to include many different customizable Transformers!

Tonka XT Ricochet RC Stunt Pro

Kids will love developing unique stunts with this remote control car, especially since they can record 3 different stunts to show all those people who don’t believe the awesomeness that happened!

Fur-Real Friends Cookie

Cookie the golden retriever is absolutely adorable. This new new household pet will be sure to get a lot of extra special attention! She has tactile, auditory and visual sensors to respond to how you pet and interact with her!

Rescue Bots

Do you have a younger child in your house who loves Transformers, but is to young for some of the older kid manipulatives? Meet Transformers Rescue Bots!!!

Poppin’ Park Elefun Busy Ball Popper

This new infant and toddler toy from Playskool is great for young babies learning to grasp and release toys whether they can sit, crawl, stand or run! Turn the elephant’s nose so the balls can launch all around your living room!

Stay tuned for future posts including some of Hasbro’s hottest games from Toy Fair 2011!

Sassy On-the-Go Feeding Set

Whenever we need to pack a meal for a restaurant, for daycare, or when going to grandma and grandpa’s, this On-the-Go Feeding Set is awesome. There are two small, 1 medium and 1 large container included with individual covers and a spoon that snaps into the lid. Even better all of these containers store inside the largest one, so they take up minimal real estate in the cupboard! The smallest containers have been great to fill with Gerber puffs or Cheerio’s and I tend to keep one of these in my purse or diaper bag. The large dish is also separated so if your child is eating puree’s you can have a fruit or vegetable on one side and infant cereal on the other. Now that Gavin is older and eating more table foods, I have successfully fit 1/2 of a sandwich on one side of the large container with a snack on the other –perfect for lunch on-the-go!

Sassy Stack n Serve Nesting Bowls

There are four different sized bowls. They nest inside themselves, making for easy storage and they have no skid bottoms with deep sides, so they make great options for children around the age of one who are learning to self-feed with a spoon. I keep these bowls in a safe part of a  cupboard Gavin can reach and while I unload the dishwasher he loves to sit and practices how to nest them in the right order!

Sassy On-The-Go Fork and Spoon Set

I can’t tell you how many times I was taking dirty spoons we travelled with and wrapping them in plastic baggies before putting them back in my diaper bag. Well not any more! These forks and spoons fit back in their own plastic storage case!

Sassy provided these products to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

Hasbro ToyFair 2010 Event

These snowy days in Boston have been filled with researching and planning our Toy Fair 2011 plan in New York City, starting February 12th through the 16th, 2011. Last year attending Toy Fair for the first time was such an exciting and overwhelming experience, as we were honored amongst the first to preview some of the newest and most exciting toys and games that had yet to hit production or the stores! You can read about my favorite celebrities of Toy Fair 2010 last year here.

As the days draw near, we are contacted daily by both large and small companies gearing up for one of the largest toy shows in the Western Hemisphere! Please let us know if there are specific products or companies you would like to know more about!

February 14, 2010 - New York, NY - Keri WIlmot from www.toyqueen.com at the Disney preview of Toy Story 3 in New York City gets shown some of the new toys for 2010 by one of the Disney executives

Like last year, we hope to bring you interviews with company executives and imagery of these new products to help you as a parent or caregiver make more informed decisions about the products that you purchase for the learning enhancement of the children you love.

Here is a link to some of the other Toy Fair coverage from ToyQueen.com in 2010!

Keri Wilmot from ToyQueen.com appears with Fitarella on Fitarella TV, talking about toys and products that promote health and wellness. General development tips for all ages are discussed, as well as toys and family games that enhance movement, strengthening, balance, coordination and fitness. Toys and games are featured from companies such as Hasbro, Sassy, Infantino, Fisher-Price, Leap Frog, Gamewright, Barefoot Books, VTech, Gymnic, Street Surfing, Shred Sled, Swinxs, Nintendo, XBox, & Wild Planet.

Good Night Scout is a hard plastic book, with a simple story and a few pages to easily turn. If you push the music button on the top it will read the book and if the book is closed and you push the button it will play lullabies. There is an on/off switch and even better it is Tag Jr. compatible. The Tag Jr. is a small handheld device that encourages literacy through “magic!” When the child places the Tag Jr. over certain places in the book, it might read the story, ask questions, and label pictures. What I love about this particular story is that it incorporates simple words that young children are learning like dog, ball, duck, bye bye, and goodnight. It plays either five or ten minutes of lullaby songs and I really enjoy watching the little ones independently explore the pages as they point at the pictures and label them.

To accompany Good Night Scout is Twinkle Twinkle Little Scout. This is a soft plush animal with a detachable blanket. When you touch the various buttons he will simultaneously play 10 or 20 minutes of lullabies while the moon on his tummy blinks as a night light. Scout sings basic counting songs and also encourages body part awareness. This has been such a great addition to our nap and night time routines. As soon as Gavin hits the hay he turns Scout on and lies down immediately. At around 15 months, he is learning to point to and say different body parts and this is a great toy to help young children with this skill. I love Twinkle Twinkle Little Scout so much , I even included him in my Top 12 Interactive Toy and Game awards of 2010. For those of you with little girls, check out Twinkle Twinkle Little Violet.

Leap Frog provided these toys free to facilitate a review. The opinions expressed in this post are purely the bloggers own.