Oh how much we waited for this moment to come – it was the first time my husband and me went out together without our baby girl.

Speech development in babies is a complex and gradual process that continues even after the infant has actually spoken his or her first words.

Is it okay to let the baby share your bed with you? There is no single correct answer to this situation. It is up to you, as a parent, to decide after knowing its pros and cons:

As a parent, you may have to travel with your baby on short and long trips. This would means taking your baby away from cozy, familiar surroundings in to new places with which your baby is not familiar. This can turn out to be a stressful experience for you as well as for your baby.

As a parent, you want to make your child understand the importance of dental hygiene. However, you need not wait until your child is old enough to brush and floss. Ideally, you could begin this process even before your baby cuts the first tooth. Dentists advise initiating your baby to a dental care routine by gently cleaning the gums even before primary teeth start erupting.

 Well-behaved children are a joy to have around you. On the other hand, misbehaved children are a constant source of worry, trouble and unhappiness. Therefore, parents need to encourage good and balanced behavior in their children not only for their own benefit but also for the benefit of the children themselves and the society in which they are being brought up.

There are documented cases where two year old children have started speaking verbally but have yet to let go of the pacifier. The need to suck is a baby’s most innate need – if not the thumb, there is always the pacifier.

Having a child is  very expensive.  With most families use to a two income household, when mom has to stop working it can be very scary.  The fact that you now have another mouth to feed and a new baby to buy lots of new closes is just a start.

For many people, the cost of daycare is so high that they cannot provide their children with adequate after school care. Although ideally every child would have a parent to stay with them until they reach a certain age, in practice this can't work. Because of the demands of the workforce, many households have two parents who work full time. Nonetheless, even with two incomes, child care costs can be a burden. Children should not have to sit in an office all day, waiting for their mother or father to be done. Nonetheless, for many kids, this is the daily reality. Because of the cost of child care, many children are robbed of their early childhood.

With so many proud parents in the world, no wonder baby photo contests are so popular.  Of course there is usually only one winner and we all want our little darling to be it.  Here are a few tips on how to submit photos to be judged for baby photo contests.  Here is what the judges are looking for.

Can the judges see the baby’s face?  If not, then how can they judge your baby or toddler’s appearance?  If you have taken your cutie to a picture studio, chances are they have several shots of your child looking at a prop of some sort.  These are no doubt cute pictures, but opt for the shot of your child looking at the camera.  Close up facial shots are eye catching.  Your baby is indeed a cutie, let the judges see that.

Barbie Jeep

Since 1959, Barbie has delighted generations of little girls and some grown-ups too. Money is no object, it would appear, as she owns several homes, an ever changing wardrobe and various vehicles. Barbie likes to dress up elegantly and go out for a posh night out sometimes. She also likes to party on the beach with her buddies. She's a girl of many moods!