On Friday June 7, Gemini Crickets is pleased to be hosting Etsuko Tsukagoshi who will be giving a talk about Redirecting Children's Behavior. Here's a Q&A session between Etsuko and her grad school roommate, former New & Expecting Parent's Liason and mom to preschool twins and a grade schooler, Mari Beal from her first visit in Aug. 2009:
Mari: So Etsuko, I've vaguely heard of INCAF, and always thought it stood for “I'm Nearing Craziness, Accredited to Family”. Apparently, it stands for something else. Can you please tell me more?
Etsuko: Here is a little bit of background on International Network for Children and Families (INCAF) and Redirecting Children’s Behavior(RCB): This course was designed by Kathryn Kvols over 30 years ago based on Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs, one of America's foremost child psychiatrists’ book, “Children: The Challenge”. Since its creation, the International Network for Children and Families (INCAF), created by Kathryn Kvols, has trained and certified over 1000 instructors. My husband and I took the RCB course right before we had our second baby, and were so impressed by this technique that I wanted to master it. I decided to become an instructor, got certified by INCAF, and I have been the teaching program in San Diego since 2008.
M: Hmmmm...sound like a class that would take take me a year to complete. I mean, have you *seen* my children?
E: It’s a total of 12.5 hours of instruction, and I usually offer it in a once a week course for 5 weeks format. In many cases, both parents attend the course, which makes lots of sense, but even if one parent is taking the class, the students can see the difference in their household. I also have many clients who live overseas, so I offer a lot of coaching over the phone.
Stella (pushing) is sporting the classic cloth diapered bum look.
By Valerie Terry
Our hard-working New and Expecting Parents organizers are hosting an upcoming parent meeting about Going Green with Baby(s). They are going to showcase several green diaper options, including cloth. I've met several MOM's who expressed an interest in cloth diapering but were put off by the perceived work of covering two sweet (stinky, messy, constantly wet) bums with cloth. I thought I would share my experience with two (and at one point THREE) children in cloth diapers. If you're looking at diapers (and anyone who's expecting twins, or has infants is looking at diapers) I highly encourage you to attend the next NEP meeting and think about giving cloth a chance.
It's pretty amazing to me how far diapering has come. In my baby-hood, moms didn't have much of a choice. It was cloth, rubber pants and washing you own. When disposables became a real option, I understand why just about every mom made the switch. I think my brother, born 4 years after I was was the last of my siblings to use cloth. Both of my sisters were in disposables, because they were easier (and finally worked) as opposed to cloth.
But as things stand now, everything old is new again, and with 30+ years worth of plastic diapers piling up in landfills, and the stronger and stronger chemicals used in disposables the modern mom is looking back to cloth as an improved option. And today's diaper aren't your grandmas. With easy to use options like pocket diapers and all-in-ones and inexpensive options such as easy-to-home wash diapers and cute breatheable covers cloth has made a viable comeback in many households. Not to mention that we are lucky enough to live in a diaper service area--and that there are also compostable and flushable diapers on the market now.
No matter how diapers change, what's inside stays the same...
So with al of these options avaiable to modern parents, how does one family choose? Especially when expecting twins?
My decison to go with cloth started with my first pregnancy. I had quit my job and gone back to school while pregnant--giving me an unhealthly amount of time to agonize over every baby-related decision. I actually set up a spread-sheet of sorts (check out this wonderful cost chart of all diapering options) running the costs of disposable vs. the array of cloth options. I was looking at cost and ease of use. Ultimately cloth won out on the cost end. The average baby will go through about 6,000 dipers in the fisrt two years of life. With disposables costing and average of .25 a piece, you're looking at roughly $1,500 in diaper costs alone. Per child. A very reasonable basic cloth system can be purchased for about $300. Of course, cloth diapers are bought up front, where disposables are a weekly or monthly purchase. Many parents balk at the "cost" of cloth, while not totaling up the weekly cost of each disposable package they buy. Now one can spend a whole lot more than $300 buying cloth--but you'd still be hard pressed to reach the total cost of disposable diapering over the years of use. And--cloth can be used with more than one child. Or in my case, with three children.
Having multiples offers up a special set of challenges, but also the chance to have so much more fun. Looking back after surviving our first year with twins (and our first year as the parents of three busy girls) we wouldn’t trade it for the world. But we had to rethink some of our parenting skills in order to do it. The biggest challenge we had, aside from double diapers, double bottles, double nighttime wailing, double car seats, the never-ending cycle of laundry and triple the attention needed during waking hours was figuring out how the heck to get everyone (mom, dad, big sis and little sis 1 &2) on schedule!
Scheduling didn’t come naturally for me, I tend to have a fairly loose parenting style and after reading some of the better-recommended books and sleep and schedules, I feared it would never work for me. I’m not so big on structure, but realized there must be a middle ground, but I would kind of have to muddle through and find it.
It took a certain amount of humor at first. We were dedicated to feeding the tiny girls at the same time, even if it meant waking a sleeping baby. During the week we had one baby at home and one in NICU we kept the home baby on the NICU feeding schedule so we wouldn’t have to re-train later on. We knew the nurse was feeding baby B at three AM so we’d call to check on her, crack jokes and swap sister stories while feeding baby A at the same time. It worked out though, as soon as they were together, they ate together no problem (and still do).
I admit it. I'm lazy. I like to hold my kids, but I also want to get other stuff done, like loading the dishwasher and picking up toys. Yeah, right. Ha ha ha!! (Remember, I just said I was lazy.) Truthfully? I like CARRYING my kids, while getting stuff done, like updating my Facebook status and eating Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. You might now be wondering now, as a parent of multiples (or in my case, twins + one), how is this possible? To which I say, "Babywearing!" And so I bring to you, my top 6 reasons to wear your babies.
1. Silence, Sweet Silence - We learned this quickly with our singleton. Cuddling an infant in a sling, pouch or wrap can help with fussiness and colic, as well as cutdown on plain old fashioned crying/screaming, and babywear can even done with tiniest of newborns (called kangaroo carry) to calm baby, which in turn, calms Mommy (and Daddy). Dr. Sears, pediatrician and the author of more than 30 parenting books, is a huge proponent of babywearing, due to its physical and psychological benefits. (Who wants their kid to have a flat head anyway? Babywearing reduces the risk of plagiocephaly!)
2. Look, Ma! No hands! - We learned this quickly with our twins. Two of them, two of us (not to mention our older singleton, who was feeling left out) meant that if both parents were each holding a baby, well, that left minimal chance of getting laundry done, eating dinner or surfing the internet (to research how to get these new little ones to sleep longer than two hours at a time!). A baby carrier is the easiest way to spend time bonding with your baby while still allowing you to get stuff done!
3. Got Milk? - Babywearing gives moms the ability to discretely nurse in public. I actually nursed a baby while standing in the looong security line at the airport in Maui returning from vacation, and no one knew the better. Hee hee! Did I mention hands-free?
4. No Sand Traps – The portability of a child in a baby carrier is not limited by terrain. You are going to have to trust me when I say I love my strollers. (No really! See my previous post regarding my stroller addiction .) But if I'm taking the kiddies to see elephant seals lounging on the sand dunes of Año Nuevo (dang, those 4,500 pound beasts sure did resemble me, practically immobile on the sofa during those last few weeks of my twin pregnancy, but I digress...), you better believe that I'll be ditching the stroller. Cobblestone streets? No problem! Stairs? It's a cinch! Plus, so many types of carriers are able to fold up small enough to stuff into a diaper bag, that they are perfect to whip out for quick jaunt or to bring on an extended trip. Also, because you are able to wear your baby during the duration of a flight (just not during takeoff or landing), it's an invaluable (hands-free again) peice of travel equipment, especially for long-haul or red eye flights.
5. Beyond the Bjorn – Wearing your baby can actually be a fashion statement. Although the Bjorn is the most commercially available carrier, there are so many other beautiful and functional options from which to chose. Slings, wraps, pouches, Asian baby carriers (such as Chinese mei tais, Korean podaegis, and Japanese onbuhimos), and soft-structured packs, including Becos and Ergos, are all wonderful ways to cart you kid without sacrificing your sense of style. I have the same carrier in several different styles and prints to match my needs and moods. My husband even has his own pouch and Beco and my preschooler has her favorite too, which I still use with ease when she needs some cuddletime. Babywearing is also also super versatile, meaning that you can carry a child on you back, front or hip, and even, with a bit of practice, you can wear more than one baby at a time.
6. Amaze Your Family, Friends and Even Total Strangers – If you don't believe me, just take a peek at my 30 second video clip of how easy, fast and convenient it can be to toss a toddler onto your back and go!
Sure, it may seem like a cheap parlor trick, but it's one you'll be glad you mastered! So for all your skeptics, come give it a try! Better yet, join us for this Wednesday's Gemini Crickets New and Expectant Parents meeting and give a few of my carriers a test-drive. For more information on the meeting, go to http://geminicrickets.org/main/2010/01/05/new-expectant-parent-meeting-babywearing/ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Original post to Mad About Multiples by Mari B. Mari is the 2009/10 co-New & Expectant Parents Liaison for Gemini Crickets Parents of Multiples.
In honor of the Gemini Crickets annual equipment meeting this week, club member Mari makes a confession.
Psst...she's a stroller addict! (As if we didn't already know.)
On Wednesday, December 9th 6:15pm at the Saratoga Library, we will show Gemini Crickets club members how to be (or not to be) like Mari. We'll talk about strollers and discuss the best equipment out there for twins and multiples. We'll bring strollers, slings, boppy pillows, bouncy chairs - you name it.
Hmm, maybe we should make this meeting into a baby equipment swap meet!
Confessions of a Stroller Addict by Mari B.
Before I had kids, it was handbags. I never been that into clothes or shoes. I think it's because I'm short with fat feet, kind of like a gnome, but with better fashion sense. Real people's clothes and shoes don't fit me. However, I looove handbags - thin or chubby, they always fit. Once I had children, my stash expanded into diaper bags...and later baby carriers (but that's another post). Oh, and there is, of course, my much beloved stroller collection...
You know how a guy's head swivels when a pretty girl walks past. Not surprisingly, I've done that when a sweet ride has caught my eye. (I've even doubled back to catch a glimpse of the brand.) Truth be told, I was at the mall a few months back and was squinting at a stroller as it was approaching me, trying to make out the manufacturer, when I suddenly heard my name being called. I looked up and sheepishly realized that the Maxi-Cosi was being pushed by my new neighbors from across the street. In my determination to figure out what brand it was, I neglected to realize that I actually knew the chubby-cheeked rider. How embarrassing!
Ahhh...I bet title of this blog post drew you in, but I'll get to that later...
Ok, let's face it, it's not uncommon for twins to experience speech delays. I know my first-born daughter, Naomi, was chatting up a storm at almost 22 months, so I'm very aware that my dynamic duo are are bit behind compared to their singleton peers. It may be due to the fact that their overly-enthusiastic big sister does all the speaking for them (“Mommy, Lilli needs a new diaper!”) , or that they aren't getting enough one-on-one time interaction with me (Preschooler + toddler twins = survival mode). Or perhaps my toddlers can communicate with each other in some kind of secret language, so who needs verbal skills anyway?
However, there is one way to make your life much easier without requiring your little ones to actually be able to “speak” to you and that's by using sign language. As starry-eyed new parents wanting to communicate right away with our first baby, we started signing when she was about 4 months old and by 6 months, Naomi was already signing back the ever-important gesture, “milk”. Over the course of a year, she probably mastered about 80 signs, including many she made up herself. I cannot stress how AWESOME and HELPFUL it is to have a 6 month old baby be able to communicate some basic needs such as “milk”, “eat” and “more”. Signing completely empowered her and from an early age, she learned that she could communicate with us to get her needs met, which definitely reduced frustration levels for all of us! (This means fewer meltdowns since she could tell us when she was hungry, tired, etc. instead of just grunting...or worse, screaming and crying.) As Naomi got older, signing became an amusing way to entertain people, as she would show people how to sign such esoteric things as “penguin” and “shrimp”. It should also be noted, she turned into a major talker, a constant chatterbox (much to my chagrin, especially during long car trips), so don't let anyone tell you that signing causes delayed speech, because that's completely untrue.
This contest is now closed. Congrats to Gemini Crickets member Mary Z. for winning the Funfoodle gift basket and thank you for attending tonight's meeting!
~
If you're a current Gemini Crickets member, you can win a gift basket from Funfoodle! Just show up at one of our two meetings on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 and enter your name in a drawing to win. (One entry per Gemini Crickets family. Must attend one of the meetings to enter. You may only enter for yourself. Winner will be announced during the general meeting. Sorry, we will not ship - you must pick up the gift basket yourself.)
The Funfoodle gift basket contains 2 measuring cups, 2 measuring spoons, recipes cards and a Funfoodle CD of songs.
Funfoodle classes introduce children (3 - 6 years old) to the world of food via hands on exploration using all of their senses.
New and Expectant Parents Meeting
Baby Signing
Wednesday, October 14th 6:15-7:30pm Saratoga Library
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General Meeting
Sibling Rivalry - Multiples in the School Age Years
The meeting topic, “Redirecting Children's Behavior”, must have implied that there *is* hope out there for dealing with the terrible twos (and threes) and with sibling rivalry, because Gemini Crickets members came out in droves, with 70 anxious-to-learn parents in attendance. On August 19th, the New & Expecting Parents and General Meeting joined forces to bring Etsuko Tsukagoshi, mom to two young boys and a certified Redirecting Children's Behavior course instructor, up from San Diego to discuss age appropriate strategies to keep familial peace - - all so that we, crazy parents of multiples (and then some in a few cases), can create closer connections at home.
Etsuko's normal RCB course is a 12.5 hour program, but she was up to the challenge of whizzing through the highlights, providing participants with an informative overview of the concept of redirection and some important tips on how to get started. If you were unable to convince your in-laws or friends to watch you children (ideally for free), hopefully this summary will explain the definition of redirection, as well provide a few techniques you can try with your kids, in both the areas of the “terrible twos” as discussed in the NEP meeting, and sibling rivalry, which was the topic of the General Meeting.
"Redirecting Children's Behavior", or RCB, is a positive discipline program that incorporates accountability, limits, encouragement, communication and responsibility. With RCB, the role of the parent is to remember that all of our children's' behavior has a purpose and that our job is to investigate and be curious, so as to find out what exactly is behind their actions. Even the most annoying of behaviors, which include but are not limited to (the following are real-life examples, as provided by GC members): whining, pointing & screaming, hair pulling/fighting/pushing, and the constant yelling of “mine”. Redirecting means to diagnose the misbehavior and then teach the child to get his/her needs met appropriately, so they no longer feel the need to misbehave. When misbehavior is stopped by distracting the child's attention, it will usually start back up again. Redirecting misbehavior addresses the underlying cause of the misbehavior, not just the symptom! The methods of redirection teach parents how to become calmer and more confident and empowers moms and dads to teach their children to be responsible and cooperative.
Wondering how you will wrangle two or more kids out of diapers and into big kid pants? Be sure not to miss our upcoming General Meeting on potty training multiples on Wednesday, July 1st at 7:30pm at Saratoga Library, with Heidi Emberling - a speaker from the Parents Place. Click here for all the details.
Course Description:
Like many lessons in life, learning to use the toilet is not one that
we can really teach children, but there are ways that we can help them
teach themselves. This workshop includes information that helps you
understand how to set up both an environment and an attitude that will
guide and promote your child’s progress. You will learn how consistency
with a routine can help your child feel more in control and gain
independence.
Course Objectives:
* To recognize signs of readiness in children.
* To discuss the importance of commitment and flexibility in helping children toilet train.
* To help create an environment and attitude that will foster success.
* To discuss how gender and temperament impact toilet training.
* To recognize the external routines that promote internal regulation.
* To discuss the difference between pressuring versus following through.
* To recognize that regression is a natural part of the ongoing process.
For anyone looking to get organized, the New and Expectant Parent
meeting giveaway this month will be a 2009 BusyBodyBook calendar.
Track feeding, diaper, and sleep schedules all in one place (and
fashionably to boot)! See below for details on how to enter the
giveaway.
From their website: BusyBodyBook'sWeekly GRID format is the easy and efficient solution to every Mom's scheduling chaos! Each family member, with their own
personal column, can plan and track their activities while they organize and coordinate with one another "side by side." See more on the BusyBodyBook site.
To enter:
We will have one winner in this giveaway and they will be chosen at
random. To enter to win, please leave us a comment below telling us:
What is or has been your biggest sleep challenge and if you overcame it, how?
The giveaway (via comments on this site) will end Thursday, April 2nd at 5:00 p.m. PST.
For another chance to win:
Come to the meeting on Thursday, April 2nd, at 6:15 p.m. to hear Vivian Sonneberg speak about All Things Sleep for another chance to win!
When I sat down to think about what to write about traveling with multiples, two funny stories came to mind. By funny, I mean the kind of situations twin parents have learned to laugh about, because if we didn’t laugh we’d drown in the pool of our tears or scream like maniacs. But I digress…
Someone sent me a You Tube video of Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their family walking into an airport in Japan. A whole slew of people come darting out first. I saw two guys carrying a car seat each, someone with a stroller, and someone pushing a cart of luggage. Then Brad and Angie come strolling out, each with a child in a baby bjorn, their other kids in tow. I thought to myself, “how nice to travel with an entourage…lucky %#@^#$!”
"Mama Knows Breast" book by Andi Silverman - From the website: "'Mama Knows Breast: A Beginner's Guide To Breastfeeding' is the fun breastfeeding book. The
book that tells you how to start, and even enjoy, breastfeeding. This
is the book to buy for your sister, your best friend, your co-worker.
It's even got the Lamaze International stamp of approval.
So go ahead, buy a copy! No, make that two. Click on this link at Amazon
to order yours right now." Disclaimer: while there is some twin-specific information in the book, this is mainly a general information breastfeeding book. Also be sure to check out Andi's blog at www.mamaknowsbreast.com.
MilkScreen - Sometimes, a mom...and especially a mom of
multiples, there may be a special event or a time when you just, well...need a drink! Here's a "simple, two-minute test that detects alcohol in breast milk." If you do have a drink, here's a way for you to actually test to see if its safe to breastfeed your babies (or pump milk to give them later) or if you need to wait longer. Do your reasearch - available on the www.milkscreen-moms.com website - and check it out. Wow.
Adiri Natural Nurser baby bottle - A bottle shaped like a breast. Really, what more can you say? Well...here's what the website says: "Designed with the help of doctors, moms and lactation consultants, The Adiri™ Natural Nurser™ Ultimate Baby Bottle
is soft, safe and simple. With an easy to use and dishwasher safe Fill,
Twist and Feed™ system, the only nipple truly shaped like a mother's
breast, soft polycarbonate-free and bisphenol-A free
materials, and a unique Petal™ vent that helps reduce colic, the Adiri
Natural Nurser enables the ultimate safe bottlefeeding experience."
Another great meeting is coming up! Before our General Meeting next week on Preschool, Gemini Crickets'
will host our New & Expectant Parents Meeting next Wednesday, January 14th at 6:15pm at Saratoga Library and our topic will be Feeding for Multiples - breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, formula feeding, combinations of the above - we'll cover it all! - (click here for the details). Xochitl F., one of Gemini Crickets New & Expectant Parent Liaisons and mom of 2-year-old twin boys, joins us today to tell us her "breastfeeding success story: co-experienced by Fox and Wolfgang F. (2-years-old)."
For more breastfeeding stories, see the following past Mad About Multiples posts:
I want to start my nursing experience on a positive note, before I scare or intimidate future breast feeding moms. I want moms to know that I exclusively breast fed both my twins until the age of 13 months and never had to use formula to supplement. So, yes you can do it!!
I previously wrote in my journal about my experience and went back to re-read what I was feeling after realizing I could breast feed both my twins with ease and this is what I had to say, "Nursing my twin boys is the most successful thing I've ever accomplished in my life. I've never been more proud of myself, because it was work and it was very hard and I pulled through. Now I want to help other moms
be successful and be able to feel the joy of nursing twins."
Michelle O., one of Gemini Crickets' fantastic New and Expectant
Parent Liaisons, joins us today to talk about our October New &
Expectant Parents Meeting on Schedules and our upcoming New & Expectant Parents meeting on Fitness and Nutrition this Wednesday, November 19th (tomorrow!).
On October 9th, thirty-five parents of multiples attended Gemini Crickets' New and Expectant Parent (NEP) meeting to talk about methods of getting multiples on a schedule, with the goal of adding a bit of sanity and consistency to family life. Three of our NEP liaisons—Xochitl Orona, Karen Herrick and Michele Seaton—briefly reviewed the various philosophies about and approaches to scheduling, including Babywise, The Baby Whisperer, Healthy Sleep Habits,
Happy Child and Mothering Multiples. The presenters wanted to leave much of the time for questions and there were many. The main topic of interest: Sleep! It’s the holy grail of parents of newborns, particularly parents of multiples. Parents wanted to know when they could expect their babies to nap longer and when they would sleep through the night. One woman’s babies were sleeping well at night but napping in only 20 minute increments, and she questioned whether tinkering with the daytime sleep would mess up the good thing she had going at night. One couple’s daughters were almost there and were wondering how to get the girls from needing a two ounce bottle to get them through the night. There were more questions than there was time. There was a lot of back and forth with the presenters, who offered as much personal advise as possible and referred parents to Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child as their favorite sleep reference. In terms of scheduling, attendees left with a list of tips (happily borrowed from last year’s NEP liaisons). There is a strong possibility that a future NEP meeting will be devoted to sleep. We’ll keep you posted.
The topic of the November meeting - coming up tomorrow, Wednesday November 19th, is Fitness and Nutrition (click here for all the details). Just in time for Thanksgiving! But seriously, we all know how important good nutrition is both pre- and post-birth, but we also know how hard it is to find the time to focus on mom with newborns around. Gemini Cricket’s Toni Bloom, a nutritionist and registered dietician, has provided some wonderful handouts for the meeting. Christy Li will be discussing and demoing some Pi-Yo Play mommy and baby exercises. And NEP liaison Christine Green will be providing information about StrollerPower. Blendz is donating yummy food. Be sure to join us! Babies are always welcome, as are prospective Gemini Crickets members.
Looking for your pre-babies body??? Come join us for an information packed meeting on nutrition and fitness and how to fit it all into our busy lives!
Our speakers for the evening are:
-
Kelly Cornell, who has a B.S. degree in Nutrition and Food Science, and
is currently a graduate student working toward her M.S. degree in
Holistic Nutrition and certification in Holistic Health Counseling. She
plans to begin her health counseling practice early next year. Kelly is
a mother to four kids, including 15-year old twins, and has been a
health and fitness advocate for more than 20 years.
- Christine
Green, one of our NEP Liasons and Mom to 20-month old twins, will
discuss her experience with StrollerPower, a local exercise class that
allows you to enjoy a workout with your babies in tow!
-
Christy Li, from Pi-Yo Play, is a personal trainer
who focuses on pre and post-natal fitness. She will discuss and
demonstrate her top 15 pre-natal and top 15 post-natal exercises. She
will also lead a mini-session of her Pi-Yo Play Mommy & Baby class.
So bring your babies! Also, please feel free to bring your exercise
bands or tubing so you can join in on the Top 15 exercises and so
Christy can check your form.
****We will be serving a healthy dinner courtesy of Blendz. Yum!****
This event is for expecting and new parents (with babies under about 1
year old). Prospective members and babies are always welcome! Dinner
will be served.
Congratulations to Raina, the winner of our latest Mad About Multiples giveaway! Raina told us that "I have twin girls and only one sleeps through the
night. Even so, we find the other will sleep more solidly if we give
them a snack before bedtime around 7:30." Ah yes - fill 'em up before bed. One of our favorite scheduling tips. We're sure that Raina learned even more about scheduling for twins at our New & Expectant Parent Meeting on Scheduling that we held last week. We'll compile some of those scheduling tips and experiences to share with Gemini Crickets members very soon.
From the back of the book: "Each month, more than half a million
readers turn to the 25 mommyblogs featured in this collection for
advice and a sense of camaraderie, and this anthology brings together
their best and brightest essays. Written to be read during the
mind-bogglingly short breaks parents get during their busy days, these
pieces will help the hip but harried mother remember that 'you are
still you.'"
Today, inspired by our upcoming New and Expectant Parents meeting on Schedules next Wednesday, October 8th, we are giving away a really funny book by "the best of the mommybloggers including Amalah, Finslippy, Fussy,Woulda Coulda Shouda, Mom-101, CityMama and more" called "Sleep is for the Weak." It is edited by Rita Arens from Surrender, Dorothy - a few of us from Mad About Multiples heard Rita speak this summer about what it took to pull this book together and, let's just say that after reading the book, we're so glad she went to the lengths she did, because it is one of the best mommy books we have ever read. This is honest, funny and real-life writing at its best. It is truly a labor of love - if you don't win, make sure you buy a copy of the book and support these great mommybloggers.
From the back of the book: "Each month, more than half a million readers turn to the 25 mommyblogs featured in this collection for advice and a sense of camaraderie, and this anthology brings together their best and brightest essays. Written to be read during the mind-bogglingly short breaks parents get during their busy days, these pieces will help the hip but harried mother remember that 'you are still you.'"
To enter to win, please leave a comment by Wednesday Oct 8th at noon to this post below telling us: What is your best scheduling tip for multiples (or singletons!) ...OR if you haven't given birth yet (or are in need of a tip!), what do you want to know most about scheduling for babies.
AND....If you come to the New & Expectant Parent Meeting and/or the General Meeting (a craft workshop - craft ideas to do with your kids) next Wednesday, October 8th, you will be entered to win a second time! See you there!
Note: Unfortunately, we just missed a book signing party that
happened last night in Menlo Park, but there is aanother book signing
party for Sleep is for the Week tomorrow (Saturday October 4th) at Swig in San Francisco from 5-7 p.m. (561 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102). The party is sponsored by Graco.
Many parents of twins think scheduling is the key to sanity in those newborn days and weeks and months. With more than two babies, keeping track of things can be even more important.
Michelle O., one of Gemini Crickets' fantastic New and Expectant
Parent Liaisons, joins us today to talk about our upcoming New &
Expectant Parents Meeting on Schedules next Wednesday, September 8th.
Six years ago when I was pregnant with my first child a friend of mine gave me two parenting books, warning me that each was a little ideological and expressed quite different points of view about parenting. The first was “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding,” published by La Leche League International. The second was “On Becoming Babywise,” by Gary Ezzo. I read them both, of course, as I was gobbling up as much information as I could. Man, my friend was not kidding! These two books couldn’t be more different. My husband and I decided to go with the Babywise approach. It offered structure, sanity, sleeping through the night at 8 weeks, all wrapped up in a nice little package. I highlighted portions of the book, dog eared pages, I was set. Then my son was born. Turns out I wasn’t a Babywise kinda gal after all and before I knew what hit me, I was wearing him, nursing him on demand, and sleeping with him!
Then came news that I was pregnant with twins. Where the heck did I put that Babywise book? Because now...
If you're a member of Gemini Crickets Parents of Multiples of Silicon Valley, you have no doubt taken part in some of the great events we have had lately:
Field Trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo:
This morning was a field trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. From their website: The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is a kid's place to think, create and play. All Junior Museum and Zoo exhibits allow children to become physically involved and immerse themselves in the essence of life, to poke, to prod, to pull, to pick up, and to smell. The Zoo is home to more than 50 exotic and native animals, of which at least half are brought into classrooms as part of the Junior Museum and Zoo's science outreach program with local schools. Some of the animals include bobcats, raccoons, jungle bats, hedgehogs, ferrets, snakes, and an owl.
I went with my 4.5 year old twins and my 2 year old. (My parents came along as well, although it is such a small place, that I could have easily managed it on my own - after all, I took all 3 kids on my own to Children's Fairyland in Oakland a couple of weeks ago and it was just fine.) There were many sets of twins there from Gemini Crickets and even a set of cute baby triplets! What fun! These two cuties wore their Gemini Crickets t-shirts to show off.
Dad's Panel at the New & Expectant Parent (NEP) Meeting: This is always a lively meeting and this year it did not disappoint! We had three panelists - Dads to 10-month-old-twins, 16-month-old twins and 7-month-old twins (plus a 3-year-old). Christine from the NEP team provides the following summary: The attendees (a group of 25-30) had a lot of good questions--some were around scheduling (should you keep them on the same schedule and how do you do it), feeding the babies (breastfeeding, bottles, etc and how the dads can help when moms are breastfeeding), questions on what the first few months were like, & how to give older kids attention with twin babies at home. A quick highlight of some of the tips that seemed to resonate well with the Dads in the panel were:
Accept all the help that is offered to you! Don't turn down any help!
Outsource wherever possible (house cleaning, self prep dinners, gardner, night nurse)
Get the babies on the same schedule. The Panel suggested to wake the other baby when one baby is awake.
Make changes related to older children before the babies come--such as changing rooms, starting school or day care (so the older child does not associate it with the babies' arrival and can get adjusted to the change)
Listen to the Dads—they are trying to help! When they say to take a nap and they will care for the babies, take advantage of the time and take a nap!!
Ultimately, do what works for you and your family—it is different for everyone and can involve trial and error to figure out what will work best for you!!
There is a full list (8 pages!) of the Dad's Tips from this meeting, available to Gemini Crickets members on Big Tent. If you are not a Gemini Crickets member and would like to join, click here to learn more.
Movie Nights to Mama Mia and Sex in the City:
Akemi reports: Ok, so the parking at Santana Row is awful most summer evenings, but after I finally found a place to park, I was happy to be mingling with Gemini Crickets moms and their friends and friends-of-friends. When I arrived, Carla, our movie night planner, was busy greeting everyone as they settled in for drinks under a canopy of oak trees at El Jardin Tequila Bar. We had just enough time to savor our drinks and some appetizers before heading for the movies. At the Sex and the City showing, I didn't talk much, but I enjoyed the night immensely. If not for these movie nights, I don't think I'd ever put aside the time to go out to the movies. Now I can proudly say that I've been to TWO movies this year. That's a huge accomplishment for a mom of twins!
Bocce Ball Social:
Co-President Sally reports: We had a great turn out at our Bocce Ball kick-off social with about 55 members attending, the majority bringing along their partners which is always fun. After a few drinks at the bar & plenty of socializing, the Bocce Ball staff gave us some instruction on how to play the game. Before we could get started, the food was served so we all tucked in to some delicious calamari, bruschetta & anti pasti. The pizzas were devoured and, as is always the case, there were not enough desserts! We took over four courts and all had a very entertaining time, some taking the game more seriously than others...guys!
A sample of our upcoming events include:
New & Expectant Parents Meeting on Equipment on Tuesday, September 9th at 6:15pm at Saratoga Library - NOTE: prospective members are always welcome to join this meeting for free. Babies are welcome and dinner will be served!
Fall Family Picnic on September 21st (this is a members-only event - be sure to RSVP today, if you haven't already)
If you're not a member yet, join us today! Even if you can't make events easily (hey, we know how it is!), there is a great support system and network on our Big Tent group. Forum discussions, playgroups, newsletter articles and used clothing and equipment sales are just a few of the other benefits of membership with Gemini Crickets.
Infant car seat or convertible? Tandem or side-by-side stroller? Which type of bottle? Which high chairs?
With
so many products and choices on the market these days, preparing for
multiples can be a dizzying experience. Come join us to discuss
equipment used during the first year. Better yet, come and kick the
tires - various equipment will be on hand for attendees to try out.
Amy M., one of Gemini Crickets' fantastic New and Expectant Parent Liaisons, joins us today to talk about our upcoming New & Expectant Parents Meeting on Equipment next Tuesday, September 9th.
When I was newly pregnant, I had visions of wearing my baby: around the house, around the neighborhood, around town. Me and the baby, snug as a bug. And then at week 12, I went in for the Nuchal Translucency Screening Test. That is when we found out we were having TWO babies, not one, as we had been previously told. All my visions of Mommy and Me Pilates classes went *poof*. And wearing the babies? That was the last thing on my mind. I was suddenly
Wondering what the Dads have to say about their lives with multiples? How many diapers they have changed since their twins took residence? How do they support Mom during those sleepless nights and endless feedings? Come join us and ask them for yourselves. Many, many Gemini Crickets Dads often come to the New & Expectant Parent Meetings along with their wives (hey - it's a team effort!), but this time they will have the floor. At Gemini Crickets' New & Expectant Parent Meeting on Tuesday, August 12th, we will have a panel of Gemini Crickets Dads ready to relate their tales and offer their advice. Don't miss it. It's always a popular session!
This event is for expecting and new parents (with babies under about 1 year old). Prospective members and babies are always welcome! Dinner will be served.
New and Expecting Parents gathered together in April to hear guest speaker, Martin Simenc from Home Safety Services, give tips and answer questions about baby proofing their homes. Martin introduced himself and immediately opened it up for questions from the audience. Boy, were there a lot of great questions!
Another wonderful meeting of new and expectant parents! I am always amazed at how large these meetings have gotten. I was a New & Expectant Parents (NEP) Liaison a couple years ago organizing these get-togethers and our meetings were half the current size. It’s fantastic! I guess this is what happens when you finally have a board member focused on advertising the club on popular online mailing lists and discussion groups.
This month’s New & Expectant Parents Meeting focused on travelling with your twins (or more!). A panel of eight parents offered their tried and true tips for making the entire journey doable while saving the sanity of the parents. I love it when we arrange panels of parents for topics like travel. This is a true benefit of membership – parents sharing advice and wisdom with other parents. We were also joined by Kelly Rubingh, an itinerant mom of two, whose Family Travel agency focuses on condo and resort packages in Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean as well as Disney vacations. By the way, the services of a travel agent are free (to you) as they get paid commissions by hotels, airlines, etc for booking portions of your trip.
Gemini Crickets' November New & Expectant Parents meeting will
feature professional photographer Anne Mayer. Check out Anna's website & blog. Anna has lots of experience with twins and does fantastic work with pregnancy photos as well.
This event is for expecting and new parents (with babies under about
1 year old). Prospective members and babies are always welcome! Dinner
will be served.
Read more about our New & Expectant Parents Meetings here.
Calendar: New & Expectant Parents Meetings
Thursday January 10 General Meeting: Get Set for Kindergarten Join us at 7 PM in the Cambrian Library Community Room
1780 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95124 for a panel discussion on kindergarten options.
Believe it or not, most school districts start kinder enrollment in early January and February. That means, it's time to figure out when our children should go and what the options are. Come for an informative night to hear from both teachers and parents of public, private and charter schools.
Amazon.com Gemini Crickets will receive a percentage of all sales made through the link above. Fundraising was never so easy.
Barefoot Books Explore. Imagine. Create. Connect. Give Back. That's what Barefoot Books is all about. Shop the link above and Gemini Crickets will earn 15% on all purchases.
Escrip Sign up today for escrip, Gemini Crickets easiest fundraiser. A portion of purchases you make in your everyday life can go to the club. Gemini Crickets' group number is 10272361.
Juice in the City Local moms go out & find great deals & pass the savings on to you! Buy a deal through our link above & our club earns 10% of the proceeds.
Muddy Prints Studio Muddyprints Studio captures your child's handprints and footprints to create a lasting memory of your little one. Contact owner Jeanette today & Gemini Crickets will receive 20% of all sales - just mention you're with our group.
Savvy Source Use the link above to find fun, family-friendly activities and products every week & Savvy Source will donate 2% back to our club as well as 5% to a preschool of your choice.
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