Daddude, you're a funny guy!

I agree there are definitly other virtues to learn. But I personally think most kids learn by example.

I roll play with my 12 year old allot. I create scenarios and ask him if he'd do A, B, or C. I make it fun with silly options. I do this with topics on integrity, moral character, drugs, and alcohol etc.

Hope this helps!

Wow, what an amazing response!
 
This is such a sensitive subject.

I too, feel that it is an individuals dicision when and who to tell.

It is very important to have support but since miscarriage is such a painful topic we don't discuss it, therefore, we think it must not happen too often. But the truth is only 50% of pregnancys are successful.

I had my first son without a single issue. Im fit and healthy and have no family history of miscarriage or health issues, so I assumed when I got pregnant again everything would be as perfect as the first time, I told everyone! But I misscarried and I found it very difficult to accept/explain/understand. When I got pregnant again I told only my close family, aiming for support, but when that pregnancy failed my own mother asked what was *wrong* with me. There aren't any answers. And those you think will be supportive may not be as supportive as you'd hope.

When I got pregnant again, we kept it to ourselves. Such a shame, really, having a baby should be joyous news, but after such heartbreak, getting pregnant can be wrought with the very stress that brings about the miscarriage. Somehow you have to pull yourself together and pray and hope and visualize knowing your making yourself vulnerable again. And wouldn't you know those 50% odds worked for me with a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Thank God.

Hope this helps.

This is such an exciting opportunity! I learned about Monki See from a Yahoo group I subscribe to about a year ago, since then, I've shown my baby all the memoflix and have recommended memoflix to other moms, its such a great place to start! Thank you!

My baby boy is 21 months old and he barely says mmmmommmm (for mom) or DA (for dad) or adA (for brother Adam). I speak to him constantly, have shown him flash cards for the last 11 months, play music and DVD's in many languages, we stick our tongues out at eachother and I mimic every sound he makes, he will answer me back when I do this and we will go back in forth until he gets bored. I also don't know what else to do to encourage him to speak. Although, I have taught him sign language from birth, my husband thinks thats why he won't speak now, because he doesnt have to, but the pediatrician said he was a late crawler and walker and sign language is good for late developers to ease the gap. Im anxious to read the article though, but I thought I'd share my story too! Your not alone!

Martusia,

Do you practice EC?

When did you start flashing cards for him then? did you move into couplets, or go straight to the books?

I use a ton of PPT for him. And I keep saying I'll make books for him, and I get distracted. He's probably very bored with single words now.

I watched your clip again this evening with my husband, it is so darn CUTE!

Thanks again!

This is SO CUTE!! I love that you have him nakey! I have a 21 month old and he runs around nakey most of the time. I've been flashing cards for my son since he was 9 months but he's not at this level yet. Please tell me, when did you start making books for him? How many books have you made for him? This is very encouraging for me. Thank you for posting this!

If you wanted to follow Doman's method (How to Teach Your Baby to Read, Glenn Doman), you would show each lesson 2 or 3 times daily. The Little Reader lessons already have quite a bit of repetition built into them so you should follow your childs lead, if your child is still interested in the same lesson after once, show it twice, if still interested show it three times (at different times of the day). But always stop before your child wants to stop. If you complete a lesson and your child asks for more say "sure, we can see more after lunch". And always stop WAY before your child gets bored. You want learning to be fun and playful. If at anytime teaching your child becomes a burden or unfun for either you or your child you should stop and do something else. Im in your same position as far as saving money for the software. I started showing my son hand made flash cards at 9 months, then moved on to memoflix (www.memoflix.com) and showed him 3 set of online flash cards there 3 times a day for 5 days until we'd covered all the memoflix, now Im on to the powerpoint slideshows here. I still mix in my own powerpoint flashcards when I see he's interested in a particular subject. I highly recommend reading Glenn Doman's books you can buy them from the institute for the achievement of human potential (http://www.iahp.org/Books.344.0.html)
Hope this helps!
Tammy
www.smilesfromhome.blogspot.com

I think its important here to realize that attachment parenting is not encompased by co-sleeping. You can attachment parent your child while they sleep in a "side-car" arrangement or on a mattress on the floor next to your bed or of course in a crib if that is what suits your family best. As Dr Sears recommends in most of his books The Baby Book being one. There are so many options available to attachment parenting. In fact thats really what attachment parenting is all about, finding a natural, gentle, nurturing way to bring up your child.

That being said, I personally love co-sleeping and think that when its done safely (guardrails, omitting fluffy blankets, making sure there aren't any opening where a child can become stuck) it represents the same risks as crib sleeping. I'd like to know how many children have died over the years or been injured from falling out of the crib when they try to climb out (as they always do), or from when safety standards weren't what they are now and baby's got stuck in the bars or other spots. I don't think as many babies are suffocated by a parent rolling over on them, as its the same instinct that keeps us from falling off the bed at night that keeps us from rolling onto our children, unless as others have said, the parents are on drugs or alcohol.

Hope this helps!

I would also recommend The Happiest Toddler on the Block. Anything by the Sears Family of doctors (they subscribe to the Attachment Parenting style). Diaper Free Baby was also a great eye opener. Montessori From the Start is helpful for early development. And of course the Glenn Doman series. As your child grows I think its important to keep reading. I know with my 12 year old, I read lots about pregnancy and babyhood, but then started winging it, but there came a point where I realized I needed to know what other parents were doing. Therefore I would recommend the Love and Logic series. I also got great ideas from Parenting with Dignity. I dont agree with Rivka that you should only read one or two books. There is no "right" way to parent. Every child has a unique set of needs, thank goodness nature has provided him with his own unique parent, you! The most important thing is to trust your gut. You know your child better then anyone else -phd or not-. Read it all, take from it what feels right to you, leave the rest in the book. Sometimes, you'll try something today and fail miserably, but tomorrow gives you another opportunity to try it again. Babies change daily, and you're parenting skills will have to do the same. I think its better to be loaded up with an arsonal of new ways to handle situations.
Good luck!

Thank goodness you guys are here, because someone's been allowing this mommy to struggle herself! with this very issue! I've caught myself rescuing my baby lately (mostly from our dogs who pay him no mind and knock him down carelessly) but I got into a habit that my son has caught onto and now when he's stuck he looks at me like "k mommy, get me out" so I've been trying to talk him out of it, but I think now, he's rather accostumed to it and feels hurt when I don't do it for him. This is a great proactive article. Thank you!

I agree with Marmee!
The easiest way to learn how often she needs to go is to do exactly what you're already doing, let her go nakey and keep track of when she goes. I have a 20 month old and he usually goes upon waking, once an hour, and about 20 minutes after drinking. Going potty is usually easiest when you're out of the home since Little Ones love to pee in new pottys. You can purchase a foldable seat reducer online like this one http://www.amazon.com/Primo-Folding-Potty-Seat-Handles/dp/B002NQNFT2  so she feels safe and always has a sanitized seat. For naptime, I usually let mine sleep nakey and give him a "pottytunity" when he wakes up. You can lay a wool blanket or other waterproof mat under her in case of an accident. For nighttime its important to explain that if she needs to wake up to pee, you'll have to take her. Mine sleeps on a mattress on the floor and I keep the potty next to the mattress so if he needs to get up and go he can. Or I can take him in arms if he's too sleepy. As for poop, again you'll have to learn her schedule, watch for her cues, and talk talk talk about it. You can definitly use the same potty for all 3 of your children, but its always good to have extra pottys in other rooms, different pottys to pull out when they get bored of the same, and new pottys for different places (i.e. in the car). In my opinion potty training can be super easy or super frustrating depending on the kid. If you find yourself getting frustrated check out the Yahoo group called Elimination Communication. There are lots of smart mommies with all kinds of creative ideas.
Enjoy the journey!