The Whys of Whining

The Whys of Whining
"Moooooooooooom!"
It's irritating, it's frustrating and it gets on your last nerve. Though it's obnoxious and unacceptable, it's actually an effective for your child to get your attention. It's whining. But, like other bad habits, you can nip it in the bud early with a few simple strategies to teach your child there are other appropriate, effective forms of communicating with you.
First, try limiting the situations that trigger it. Avoid extra errands when the kids are hungry. Don't let them get involved in a frustrating game or project prior to bedtime. Pay attention when your child is talking, as sometimes whining is a reaction when a child feels you aren't giving them your full attention. Praise them for not whining and talking in a normal and understandable voice that allows you to fully understand what they are saying to you.
When the whining begins, don't overreact. Keep your response simple, calm and neutral. Ask your child to repeat the request in a normal tone. When giving in seems inevitable, don't delay. If you must finish the grocery shopping so you can put dinner on the table, for instance, and your child starts whining for a snack, offer something healthy right away.
Once a limit has been set, parents should follow through. It's imperative that both parents are on board with this limit and fully follow through when the whining rule has been violated.
If you have an older child that's developing a whining habit, suggest they come up with a solution to their perceived boredom or other voiced problem. If you suggest possible alternatives, it might just prolong the child's whining.
Sometimes whining can be the result of trauma and trouble in their life. A divorce, serious family illness or problems at school may be at the root. Additional positive attention and quality one-on-one time may be just the medicine your child needs at a time like this. Your pediatrician can also suggest alternatives to curb whining should the positive attention and disciplinary actions be ineffective.

Time Outs Help Reinforce Positive Behavior and Discourage Misbehaving

Disciplining a young child using the time out method can be very effective, and will work with children as young as 18-24 months old. By using this method of discipline parents are giving the child time to sit quietly and alone after misbehaving, without becoming angry or agitated with the child.

Designate an appropriate area in the house where the child is isolated from interacting with others. It can be a corner in their bedroom, a space on the kitchen floor or a special chair that's labeled specifically for time outs. The length should be age appropriate. A good rule of thumb is generally one minute per year of age. A kitchen timer is helpful in counting down your child's punishment time.
Time out for toddlers is used to give them a chance to regroup and calm down. It's doubtful they will sit completely still, and they should not be forced to try.
All children should be asked in a firm but pleasant tone to complete a designated task or stop an undesired behavior. If their behavior persists, they should be verbally directed to behave once again, with eye contact being made and the time out spot pointed out. If after this warning the behavior still persists, they should be escorted to the time out location and told exactly why they are being sent there. Maintain a calm but firm tone with them. Once they've quietly served their time in the time out location it's important to discuss with the child why they were sent there and that if the behavior occurs again, they will again be sent to time out. Older children should then agree to do what you told him to do or cease misbehaving. Children who leave their time out location before their time is up must be made aware that privileges will be lost as a result.

It's likely that your time out method will have to be modified to fit the temperament of your child and your own parenting style. And remember to reinforce positive behavior with praises, hugs and smiles. Time out can successfully be used outside the home such a grocery stores, restaurants, or shopping centers. It's important to emphasize to the child that time out will be enforced should they misbehave while there. Be consistent and place the child in time out should they misbehave in the store. If you don't, they'll get the message early on that you're inconsistent and will be more likely to test your boundaries.

Why Purchase Baby Monitors With Two Receivers?

A baby monitor enables you to keep tabs on your baby without having to stay awake all night long. You can even do house chores during the day while making sure that your little one is safe and sleeping soundly in the next room. This helpful gadget actually comes with a wide variety of options to choose from. Perhaps you want to purchase baby monitors with two receivers so that you and your other half could both monitor sounds coming from your baby's room.

Having more than one receiver makes it possible for both parents to keep a closer eye on their little bundle of joy. You may also keep the second receiver on stand by in case your main one runs out of battery juice. In addition, an extra receiver may also come in handy especially if you have a tendency to lose things like phones, remote controls, etc.

Facts About Baby Monitors

Before you shop for a baby monitor that suits you, try to get the lowdown on these valuable modern-day parenting gadgets. A baby monitor, basically, is a radio transmitter that lets you listen to sounds coming from your baby's room. This efficient and compact device is made up of two parts: the radio transmitter and the portable receiver.

A baby monitor is especially useful when your little one is still very young. By means of the receiver, you will be able to monitor awakenings in the middle of the night. In this way, you will know when your baby needs feeding, a diaper change or, perhaps, your mere presence and the comfort of your touch. At daytime, a baby monitor also provides you with an enormous freedom to do other things during your baby's naptime.

As a rule, you need to place the radio transmitter within 10 feet of the crib so that it can pick up even the slightest sounds made by your baby such as breathing and movement. You can then carry the portable receiver around during the day or just leave it plugged in at the side of your bed at nighttime. These days, a good number of baby monitors are battery-operated. Some models even have extra capabilities including a video monitoring feature and an option that lets your baby hear your comforting voice.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Baby Monitor

Low-battery Indicator – As much as possible, you should purchase a baby monitor that has a low-battery indicator. In this way, you will be alerted whenever your batteries need replacement.

Compactness – The smaller the size of the baby monitor, the more effortlessly you can carry it around. Be sure that you buy a model that allows you to place the receiver inside your pocket. An option that lets you wrap the portable device around your waistline is also an excellent alternative.

Sound-activated Light – It can be difficult to monitor baby sounds if you're trying to vacuum the floor or watch television. Fortunately, a number of baby monitors now come with a sound-activated light that illuminates each time it detects noise. This feature allows you to immediately know that something's going on without even hearing the sounds.

Double Receiver – Opting for baby monitors with two receivers is an excellent idea; that is, if you don’t mind shelling out more money than you're supposed to. At present, there are certain brands on the market that offer buyers with an option to buy additional receivers. Of course, you can always stick to the traditional choice – single receiver – in case the extra receiver is beyond your budget.

Why You Should Use Digital Baby Monitors

Baby monitors are the parents’ best friends when it comes to keeping tabs on their babies. These devices provide an extra ear and extra eye to ensure the safety of the little ones.

In the past, baby monitors were simple gadgets making use of a transmitter and receiver system. But now, as modern day technology progresses, so do the baby monitors. As of today, digital baby monitors have risen up to provide parents better quality and functionality when it comes to baby monitors.

Digital Baby Monitors and Other Baby Monitors

One obvious difference between digital baby monitors and other old baby monitors is that it’s digital! This however does not in any way mean that the former is far more superior to the latter. It’s just that they use newer technologies to aid parents in taking care of their babies.

Advantages of Digital Baby Monitors

Digital baby monitors make use of modern digital technology thus giving them a little bit of an edge against other analog baby monitors.

When it comes to audio and video baby monitors, quality offered by digital technology is superb. Another advantage that digital technology has is that it provides clearer reception. The digital receivers, whether a microphone or s camera, are also more sensitive to sound and visuals respectively.

One problem of analog baby monitor devices is the fact that there are instances when neighbours can actually tap in to the signal of your baby monitors and listen. With the digital technology, privacy is kept since it broadcasts private signals that only you, the parents, have access to.

Another dilemma that has plagued analog baby monitors before is the range. There is no total mobility since parents can easily get out of range from the baby unit. But with digital monitors, the range of the devices has been extended making it more possible for the parents to roam around the house without worrying of getting out of range.

Disadvantages of Digital Baby Monitors

Digital baby monitors do also have their fair share of disadvantages. One of the most controversial topics about digital technology in baby monitors is health risk. Since these digital devices make use of signals like electro magnetic waves, they may cause health problems to babies especially when they are at that stage when growth and development is on "rapid mode."

A solution developed to counter this problem simply states that parents should put the baby monitor as far away as possible from the child without sacrificing the quality of monitoring. This way, exposure to the harmful waves is, if not eliminated, at least minimized.

This next issue can be a disadvantage for some people but not for others. This issue is about the price. Digital baby monitors are quite more expensive compared to other baby monitors. This is expected though since it is using the latest of modern technology. If you have the right budget or extra money to spare, then the issue of price is not really that of a disadvantage for you.

Conclusion

Digital baby monitors are the latest devices that have emerge from the baby monitor market. They may have some edge over older analog gadgets but the latter are nevertheless still effective. If you opt to use the latest technology when it comes to baby monitoring, and if you have extra money to spare, then digital baby monitors are the right devices for you.

Wireless Baby Monitors Night Day

Your baby is the most precious thing in your life. If it is only possible to watch over him or her day in day out then you would. Unfortunately you are not robots that do need sleep, eat and rest. You are only humans bound by physiologic limitations. So to aid you with your wanting to watch your baby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you may want to consider using wireless baby monitors night and day.

What are Baby Monitors?

Baby monitors are devices, either audio or video, that can help you check up on your baby even if you are not physically present with him or her. This is most helpful to parents who need to be constantly on the go but still want to watch over their baby while doing other productive activities.

When are Baby Monitors Useful?

Most people think that baby monitors are only useful at night during the sleeping periods of both the child and the parents. This, however, is not the case. You can actually use baby monitors even during the day when you have other things to do around the house like cooking or other household preparations.

Wireless VS Wired Baby Monitors

Video and audio baby monitors can either be wired or wireless. Both modes have their own advantages and disadvantages. But as of today, parents usually prefer the wireless devices over wired ones for reasons of mobility.

With wireless devices, parents can go anywhere around the house while still being able to keep tabs over their babies. The only setbacks of wireless baby monitors are that it can be more expensive to wired devices and they are also prone to interference.

Wireless Baby Monitors: Solving Interference Problems

Issues of interference with wireless devices have been the long time concern of parents who use wireless baby monitors. Instead of the device being able to help parents, interference turns them into annoyances. So for those who are experiencing this kind of problem, here are a few tips on how to minimize interference with your wireless baby monitor.

1) Signals coming from wireless devices usually clash with other signals from other wireless devices running on the same frequency. When this clashing occurs, wireless interference occurs. So to avoid interference, change the frequency of your baby monitor every once in a while and make sure that the frequency you use does not clash with frequencies of other devices.

To change frequencies, wireless baby monitors are equipped with a switch that lets parents change frequency easily.

2) Another way to help in solving wireless interference is to find a proper location for the transmitter as well as for the receiver (baby unit and the parents’ unit). So where should you place your wireless baby monitor to minimize wireless interference?

You need to place it as far away as possible from other devices especially wireless ones. This includes router and wireless/ cordless phones. The baby’s and parents’ units should also be placed as far away from the microwave oven since it can also cause great interference.

3) If you have money to splurge on these kinds of devices, you can go for digital baby monitors instead of the analog ones. Digital technology has incorporated fixes to help solve the issue of interference.

These are some of the best solutions that parents can take to minimize wireless interference. They may not be able to eliminate interference totally but they can help in minimizing their occurrence.