Ridiculous Crib Mobiles

Like many expectant mothers, I have been creating a baby registry for the things that I think will be useful for when my daughter arrives, including crib mobiles. Since this is my first child, I started with no baby items and have been gradually accumulating some stuff and adding other…

Books for Babies (0–6 months)

Even though your baby will not understand the words you speak to them for some time, it’s important to read to him or her. Being exposed to language, speech patterns, and the visual stimuli of books helps them learn. It’s also a great chance for you to bond with your little…

A Christmas Sleigh of Books

One of my favorite memories about Christmas as a child was getting a small wooden sleigh out of the attic that we filled with Christmas-related books. We set it by the fireplace, near the stockings, where we tended to gather at night, so it was easy to peruse the books…

Cosmetics: Recognizing the Danger and Reducing the Risks

Cosmetics Can Be Dangerous

As soon as I started trying to conceive, one of the first things I considered when evaluating risks and benefits was cosmetics. They can seem so benign because…

Kindness

More than intelligence, I want my daughter to be kind. I want her to have the capacity for empathy and understanding so that she is not a cruel child or adult, though I know girls in particular often go through a “cruel” phase. I certainly did, and I’m glad that phase passed. Adults can help children avoid or…

Establishing a Foundation & Learning As a Way of Life

I am at the ground level of raising a smart kid. It’s not exactly Day 1 since I’m about six months into the pregnancy, but the baby is still baking in her primordial juices in my ever-expanding belly. Even though she is yet to arrive…

Belly Meditations

My daily rituals have changed during pregnancy, but one change I’ve found particularly useful for me mentally, a kind of meditation. Instead of taking a shower every morning, I often take a quick bath after breakfast. This keeps me off my feet for a few minutes and gives me time to try to…